DreadWizards

[jamis]

I have been working on building a Wizard tribal deck recently. After some testing, I found combo was easy to beat, but other match-ups, particularly straight aggro like Burn and Zoo, were very tough or near-impossible. I decided to add Trinket Mages and StifleNought combo to try to improve the aggro matchups. Here's the current list I'm working with:

Land: 19
9 Island
4 Flooded Strand
3 Tundra
1 Plains
2 Riptide Laboratory

Creatures: 24
3 Sower of Temptation
2 Aven Mimeomancer
4 Patron Wizard
3 Trinket Mage
4 Meddling Mage
3 Voidmage Prodigy
4 Cursecatcher
1 Phyrexian Dreadnought

Instants: 17
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
1 Trickbind
3 Stifle
3 Brainstorm
3 Swords to Plowshares

Sideboard
3 Burrenton Forge-Tender
3 Magus of the Disk
3 Relic of Progenitus
3 Blue Elemental Blast
3 Disenchant

Limited testing so far has shown that my aggro matchup is improved, while my combo matchup hasn't decreased by much. Not only do cards like Paton Wizard, Voidmage Prodigy, Cursecatcher and Meddling Mage help shut down combo, but they also help protect Dreadnought against removal and my opponent's counterspells. Those creatures, combined with FoW and Daze, allow me to out control most opponents, as well.

Right now, my main win condition is still Sower of Temptation and Aven Mimeomancer, so I only run 3 Trinket Mages and 1 Dreadnought (4 total) and 3 Stifle and 1 Trickbind (4 total). Should I switch to make Dreadnought may main win condition and use something like 4 Trinket Mage, 2 Dreadnought, 4 Stifle, and 2 Trickbind, so that I'll have 6 of each combo piece? Would I want to cut the alternate win condition for that, or cut some control pieces?

Wasteland is also something I was considering fitting in. Lowering my opponent's land count helps with Daze, Cursecatcher and Patron Wizard, but the deck is also very color specific, so colorless lands will make casting Patron Wizards and Meddling Mages much harder.

[Pastorofmuppets]

you might want to find room for a Pithing Needle, since Trinket Mage can tutor it up.

[rocketrae21]

You have a lot of creatures in the deck so I don't know if adding more Noughts is the way to go.
I also think you really should be running that 4th Swords to Plowshares. That is the best removal spell in Legacy and you are on color for it.

[Oiolosse]

Trinket mage does need more to find. Pithing needle is a good suggestion, possibly some artifact land (Synod), a lone jitte for your fliers?

I don't agree with voidmage prodigy, he is too slow.

Man lands, wastelands, etc would put strain on casting patron wizard on T3.

There are some conflicting routes your deck is trying to take. Sac'ing curse and voidemage while mimeomancer'ing is counterproductive.

[thickasabrick]

Trinket mage does need more to find. Pithing needle is a good suggestion, possibly some artifact land (Synod), a lone jitte for your fliers?

Trinket Mage can't search up Jitte. Sensei's Divining Top is an obvious choice, Chalice of the Void is another option. If you want something for the fliers then you could try out Basilisk Collar.

[Greenpoe]

I would say replace the Brainstorms with Sage of Epityr, that way you can dig 4 cards deep instead of 3 and net a wizard in the process. Stormscape Apprentice could help vs. aggro (tapping their biggest critter). Also Vendilion Clique and Cosi's Trickster are solid. Fatespinner is great for slowing down opponents. Stonybrook Banneret would be excellent if you managed to fit in enough Wizards with colorless mana in their cost (like Sage of Fables or Information Dealer).

[jamis]

Thanks for the advice.

I added 3 Seat of Synod's to go with Trinket Mage. I also put a Pithing Needle in the SB.

I replaced Brainstorm with Sage of Epityr. I also took out Voidmage Prodigy and replaced it with a fourth Sage of Epityr, a fourth StP, and a third Aven Mimeomancer.

The current list is

Land: 19
6 Island
4 Flooded Strand
3 Tundra
3 Seat of Synod
1 Plains
2 Riptide Laboratory

Creatures: 26
3 Sower of Temptation
3 Aven Mimeomancer
4 Patron Wizard
3 Trinket Mage
4 Meddling Mage
4 Cursecatcher
4 Sage of Epityr
1 Phyrexian Dreadnought

Instants: 15
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
1 Trickbind
3 Stifle
4 Swords to Plowshares

Sideboard
3 Burrenton Forge-Tender
2 Magus of the Disk
1 Pithing Needle
3 Relic of Progenitus
3 Blue Elemental Blast
3 Disenchant

[Draener]

My biggest problem with wizards was an EOT bolt on Patron followed up by another bolt on him next turn. Spellstutter sprite goes a long way to help alleviate this. I also found Mirror Entity to be a good win condition.

[Knuckles29]

Basilisk Collar for Trinket Mage

I know I'm just not getting it, but why Mimeomancer?

Is Aethermage a terrible suggestion ?

And you only need 1 Seat but maybe a Den

[Meekrab]

I know I'm just not getting it, but why Mimeomancer?
He gives your tiny men three power and evasion, seems pretty self explanatory?

[Mr. Forsberg]

Have you considered playing AEther Vial? I definitely think it would be a good addition to the deck.

I also think that replacing Brainstorm with a 1/1 that basically does nothing, is a bad idea. The reason why Brainstorm is so good, is because it lets you change the dead/bad cards in your hand for other, hopefully better, cards. I would recommend you going up to atleast 5-6 fetch lands in order to have enough shuffling effects for Brainstorm.

As for Trinket Mage targets in the deck, I think that Seat of Synod is horrible. I think you could get away with playing one, though, if you really want to. You should really play at least one Enginereed Explosives and maybe one Meekstone, since they are searchable with Trinket Mage and may help you in different situations.

I think that going up to 2 Phyrexian Dreadnaught is a good idea, and to increase the number of Stifles to 4. Also, to complete the mana denial strategy, 4 Wastelands should be added.

[Vacrix]

Any decent combo player will laugh at you for playing Meddling Mage. Its dead tech. Good combo decks play more than one win condition, and or an out to hate bears. Its bad in almost every other matchup too. If you Mage naming Lightning Bolt, Zoo is just going to Chain Lightning mage and drop its grip of Bolts.

I find it interesting that you are running Patron Wizard without any dedication to a mana denial plan. Spellstutter Sprite was already suggested, good choice there. Wasteland is tech, and you run MD Stifle for Dreadnought and/or fetchlands. The singleton trickbind is puzzling.

My suggestions to your list:
-1 Trickbind
-4 Meddling Mage
-4 Sage Epityr
+4 Wasteland
+4 Spellstutter Sprite
+1 Stifle

I don't know how good Sage Epityr has been for you. It looks alright with fetchlands and is +1 creature to interact with Patron Wizard. Either way, Sprite is better.

[Gocho]

No Winter Orb?
Vial + Winter Orb + Patron Wizard is almost a hard lock. Without Vial you have a decent soft lock, that come better with more wizards.

[arebennian]

Stoneybrook Schoolmaster

Interaction with Patron Wizard is just nuts.
I think you have enough search to find it when you need it, what to drop for it I have no idea.

[Knuckles29]

if you're going for cute stuff: Lullmage Mentor - Patron Wizard

[K_Rot_T]

Why no Aven Mindcensor? It's ability is just great, making Fetchlands a lot worse and i heard there are a lot other cards that say search :) Besides that flash is nice too (for Patron Wizard, or just in response to the opponent searching or EOT)
Guess the first thing to cut would be the Aven Mimeomancer. And i would (as already mentioned) include Basilisk Collar, as the Deathtouch gets you out of the Chump Block Zone (and Lifelink is nice too, even your creatures are just 1/1 or 2/2)
Also whats with Glen Elendra Archmage for the Side? Should atleast help a bit in the Aggro Matchup

[jamis]

What do you guys think of going Mono-blue?

Here's what I'm thinking:

Land: 19
13 Island
2 Riptide Laboratory
4 Wasteland

Creatures: 20
3 Sower of Temptation
4 Patron Wizard
4 Trinket Mage
4 Cursecatcher
4 Sage of Epityr
1 Phyrexian Dreadnought

Instants: 14
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
4 Stifle
3 Echoing Truth

Artifact: 7
3 AEther Vial
3 Winter Orb
1 Basilisk Collar

The thing I don't like about this list is that it's almost completely dependent on Dreadnought. Even if I get lock, if my opponent has creatures and I don't have a Dreadnought in time, I lose. Maybe I should find a way to fit in the splash again.

[Knuckles29]

technically Jace 2.0 has been seen and successfully in Merfolk lists. Or maybe just try for Nameless One?!? There is nothing wrong with small blue guys except Fallout.