Confusion in the Ranks

[DapperDane]

Hi guys.
For a long time I have had the urge to create a deck around Confusion in the Ranks, because it is not a typical card, and even the most experienced players can have trouble playing around this card. I have made a rough mock up of a deck list, but there is still much to be done. Tell me what you think or ask me if you want me to explain card choices or interactions.

cheers


4 Glitterfang
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Norin the Wary
4 Seething Song
4 Great Furnace
6 Mountain
4 Confusion in the Ranks
4 Genesis Chamber
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chrome Mox
4 City of Traitors
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Browbeat
4 Simian Spirit Guide
2 Jinxed Idol

SB: 4 Mark of Fury
SB: 2 Jinxed Idol
SB: 4 Blood Moon
SB: 2 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3 Pyroblast

[Poron]

as much as that and you just get his creatures?

Since Confusion in the Ranks is 5cc (and you need an additional card to exchange creatures), 4x Control Magic would make a better job..

[DapperDane]

The thing is, that you keep getting your opponents permanents (mainly their artifacts with the Chrome Mox, Great furnace, Genesis Chamber and the tokens it produces and their creatures with genesis tokens, Norin the wary, Glitterfang ). And with Norin and glitterfang jumping up and down from and to the battlefield you are never in shortage of myr tokens and/or your opponents permanents.

[slave]

I love deck idea like this....but due to the narrow focus of stealing/exchanging perms, this deck is gonna have quite a few really bad match-ups even if you can get your Confusion into play on the first few turns. Like they said ^^^ only stealing Creatures and artifacts (and a maximum of 3 artifacts once CitR hits) will make it situational.
Thankfully - Liquimetal Coating can get around this to steal anything together with CitR - although your opponent stealing it via CitR could make the game interesting!

Ditch Cursed Idol - Genesis Chamber makes this card situational at best. One or the other really.
I'd get rid of Browbeat. Faithless Looting is a better choice for this.

That all said, I'd look to make the deck focussed completely on dropping Confusion on turn one.
I'd try;
-1 Mountain
-2 City of Traitors
-1 Ancient Tomb
-1 Chrome Mox

-4 Hellspark Elemental

+4 Rite of Flame
+4 Desperate Ritual
+4 Faithless Looting
-4 Browbeat

+2 Gamble to find Norin, Genesis or Confusion - maybe?

The main thing I'd be wary of, is your opponents stealing something nasty, like an Emrakul or Griselbrand etc etc - BACK off of you. An efficient way to sacrifice anything you steal might be worth considering.
Grafted Wargear may be worth a look as a two-of.

It's a shame Mycosynth Lattice costs 6-cmc! Could be really useful for stealing lands in a casual deck, but it's just too slow for legacy play.
I can't help but think Liquimetal Coating could be useful to respond to the CitR trigger every time a Myr comes into play, to just steal whatever you want.

[DapperDane]

Thank you for your help. I have tried your suggestions and found it easier to drop Confusion in the ranks early in the game, but by then I often had no cards in hand to fuel the new played CitR. To be honest I like the Browbeat over the Faithless looting because of the better card advantage and with this manabase it is quite easy to produce the 2 extra manas required. I know that the opponent can choose to take the damage, but in most cases that is fine too. And as long as you have a myr-token-vomiting Genesis Chamber in play you can easily win the game or at least wait some few turns before you need a resolved CitR.

[Cybey]

You could splash blue for Show and Tell to drop CitR earlier. This also gives opportunities for FoW and cards like Imaginary Pet and Shrieking Drake.

And, if you really want to go old school, use Illusions of Grandeur ;)

[DapperDane]

I'm surprised that I didn't think about splashing blue for the CA and control spells. I believe dropping browbeat in favor of ponders and brainstorms will be for the better. I can maybe drop the seething songs and rely on Show and tells completely? I just have to play a considerable amount of blue spells to support the FOWs.

Confusion in the Ranks really lives up to it's own name and often gives me headache to figure out in certain situations, so maybe someone could tell me how CitR will work with Shrieking Drake. Is it me or the opponent who has to return a creature to owner's hand, and if not, shall i still exchange creatures if i choose to return the drake?

Thank you for your help so far, it is really nice to finally discuss this deck idea with others, and get fresh pairs of eyes on the card choices, so keep 'em coming! :) :) :)

[slave]

If you're consdering blue - the colour of shenanigans - you'll open up some option alright!

Gilded Drake is the obvious one that doesn't even need CitR to be effective.
Puca's Mischief is another one that gives you the choice, not a MUST do effect like CitR.
There are heaps more, but I'm short of time here!