[Deck] Proteus Staff Polymorph Progenitus

[Clark Kant]

My goal is simple. I want to build a solid blue deck that abuses Proteus Staff and Polymorph to quickly and consistently play Progenitus.

I was hoping for suggestions from you guys, here's my current build...


10 Island
4 Chrome Mox/Island
4 Ancient Tomb
2 City of Traitors

4 Mishra's Factory
4 Veil of Birds
4 Veiled Sentry

4 Proteus Staff
4 Polymorph
2 Progenitus
4 Ponder
4 Impulse

4 Force of Will
4 Propaganda
2 Daze

Propaganda slows aggro decks clock down by 4 turns on average, that's all the time you need to combo out.

Other viable cards that I have access to...
Fairie Conclave - Meh
Mutavault - I think the Veiled Sentry's are better, but I'm not sure.
Morph Land (The land that can be played as a Morph creature, basically a far more versatile Chimeric Idol)
Chimeric Idol - Morph Land seems strictly better
Chalice of the Void - I tried it out but you lose too much when you get rid of all 1cc and 2cc cards
Rushing River - Can by tempo/time
Thirst for Knowledge/Intuition etc - Cost too much mana imo.

[Willoe]

How about Goblin Charbelcher as a kill condition instead? Do the Proteus thing, stack your deck so that Belcher is on the top, draw it, play it, activate it, wham!

And I'd prefer Mutavault and possible a playset Standstill over the Veiled spells? I mean, Muta's uncounterable and the eight manlands synergies nicely with Standstill. You won't lose to Humility then, also because your kill condition isn't a creature (if you try the Belcher, of course).

And I don't really know if Chrome Mox is what you want in this deck. Wouldn't some more safety (Spell Snare or sumthin') be nicer than some acceleration? You are a control-combo deck, after all :smile:

[Clark Kant]

Progenitus is a lot less vulnerable than Belcher. The only thing that stops progenitus is humility and wrath, neither of which see too much play and might be stopped with FoW and Daze in the rare few matchups that play those cards (and those same matchups play tons of artifact/enchantment removal too). Belcher dies to Pithing Needle, shuffle effects and any and every form of artifact removal (which see tons and tons of play), especially Krosan Grip which can't even be stopped with your FoW or Daze.

Also, if you want to win with Belcher on the turn after Proteus Staff or Polymorph, you need 7 mana, which simply isn't going to happen.

So basically, you'll play Belcher the next turn, and then activate it the turn after that.

Which means that Progenitus wins the game just as fast as Belcher does, but without being near as vulnerable, and without forcing you to spend 7 mana over your next two turns. And lastly, Progenitus combo works even if you only have 3 mana. Belcher combo, demands that you have 4 mana to combo off with.

Yeah, I'm considering going the Mutavault/Factory/something else + Standstill route too. Though it's slower than the combo as it currently is.

[Dark_Cynic87]

Where da Brainstorms @? I know you don't have shuffle effects, but they serve the purpose of protection also from discard, plus more filtering. I see impulses to act as dig, but I think Brainstorms should be in here somewhere also.

[DragoFireheart]

Where da Brainstorms @? I know you don't have shuffle effects, but they serve the purpose of protection also from discard, plus more filtering. I see impulses to act as dig, but I think Brainstorms should be in here somewhere also.

Brainstorms can also get any Progenitus that are in your hand.

[Dark_Cynic87]

Brainstorms can also get any Progenitus that are in your hand.

Indeed, although there are two in there and I don't see you drawing both of them in one game, that would be bad luck. However, valid all the same.

Pce,

--DC

[Scrabble]

What about a black splash? Cabal Therapy would be mvp at keeping the opponent off game while buying time for progenitus. It'd be great with 4 more veil type creatures, I don't know what the best are. I'd suggest the cut of -4 brainstorm/ponder -4 propaganda, as I think propaganda is too slow to do anything against the bombs of the format (Tarmo, Naught, Stalker), and it'd be better to cut them off before they get out anyhow. It'd be a more expensive mana base, but I think the Therapies would be a solid inclusion.

[Dark_Cynic87]

You can drop Propaganda turn one in this list fairly often, and turn 2 for sure as long as you have it. It's not for the "bombs" of the format, its for Goblins/Merfolk/Ichorid/EtW/Zoo/Decree etc.

Also, I think with a creature as well-protected as Progenitus, I think that Staff and Polymorph is a bit much. I'd drop numbers somewhere to get more protection in the list, either with Polymorphs or with Staffs, probably the Staffs. 4/2 split respectively gets you 2x more slots for either a Daze and a MisD or a couple Spell Snares.

I have to say I think Fling might be decent in this kind of a list. You can Fling Progenitus and really not be too hurt if you have an active Staff. It shuffles back up, and that allows you to get it again even if they counter the Fling. Also would then allow you to play Fire//Ice, which I feel is a good card. I understand you want it mono-blue, though, so it was just a thought. I actually think you should keep it mono-blue.

Pce,

--DC

[MTG-Fan]

What are the advantages of using this over something like Natural Order->Progentius or Cascade Hypergenesis->Progenitus?

[Clark Kant]

Access to FoW, Daze, Propaganda and the excellent card filtering effects that blue offers.

Hypergenesis is a two card combo. Polymorph is a one card combo same as Natural Order.

Natural Order decks can only play 4 maindeck cards that they combo with, this deck can play 8.

[keys]

The acceleration seems really meh to me. I'd go for more of a control angle. Counter a bunch of stuff then randomly poop out a couple Progenitalia. Looks fun to me.

Here's what I'd run:

2 Progenitus

4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
4 Polymorph
2 Mystical Tutor

4 Standstill
4 Propaganda

4 Vedalken Shackles
2 Powder Keg

4 Mutavault
4 Mishras Factory
18 Island

Proteus Staff costs 6 to activate or they have a turn to respond, no way. Just mystical eot before you want to cast morph. Also the veiled stuff is probably not good. I added Mutavault, and you can use Shackles to sac their creatures to Polymorph, too.

With the 8 manlands you can just beat under a Standstill ftw if you want to.

The only thing is you won't be able to play Polymorph on a Factory until turn 5, so whether this is better than just playing Morphling is hard to tell.

[Dark_Cynic87]

The only thing is you won't be able to play Polymorph on a Factory until turn 5, so whether this is better than just playing Morphling is hard to tell.

Morphling is not a 2-turn timeclock that has protection from everything just by being in play. It's more mana-intensive, less powerful, and is crap in general anymore.

Pce,

--DC

[keys]

Morphling is not a 2-turn timeclock that has protection from everything just by being in play. It's more mana-intensive, less powerful, and is crap in general anymore.

Pce,

--DC

So you're saying, Morphling is not Progenitus? Right. It's an alternative that isn't completely dependent on other cards. And I think you have to weigh alternatives when you design decks.

[Dark_Cynic87]

If you don't use Progenitus, then you are playing a very lousy form of MUC with cards such as Staff and Polymorph to get a card out that's already on-color. Seems absurd to me. Progenitus is the reason to play a list like this one, and down-grading the fatty makes the list bad.

Pce,

--DC

[keys]

My point was that for 5 mana MUC can hardcast a Morphling

[Michael Keller]

You could try Show and Tell, for what it's worth. I don't think there are many other permanents that could match Progenitus. You'd need tutor effects of some sort, but if you're keeping it blue, I'd suggest running one or two of these.

[Dark_Cynic87]

My point was that for 5 mana MUC can hardcast a Morphling

Right, and my point was that that's not the point of the list. If you want to be hardcast a critter, don't run stuff like Polymorph, Staff, or Show and Tell.

Pce,

--DC

[Jon Stewart]

City of Traitors sucks imho. It goes against blue. You should double as a control deck and City of Traitors is not a control card.

I was looking to build a deck like this.

Wind Zendikon gave the deck a great boost.

The 15/15 Eldarazi Flyer with Protection from colored, and Annihilator gave the deck a great boost. Now you can knock off 2-5 life with your flyers (based on how many fetchlands they play) and finish them with a single swing.

The 1cc Counterspell for non creatures gave this deck a great boost imo.

Propaganda is awesome in MUC.

Maybe the deck could play CB + Top or Standstill.

Why isn't it played more?