BWg Bitter Elspeth

[guybrush3]

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs38/f/2009/003/e/8/Bitterblossom___MTG_Alter_by_MichaelNoel.jpg http://magictutor.org/ext/artwork/1/2ea574840c75908fe5b7dc3a072aa773.jpg

Bitterblossom is the kind of card where you really have to play against it to understand how good it really is.
About the card:
http://www.helium.com/items/1564363-bitterblossom
http://www.helium.com/items/1582662-bitterblossom
Was thinking at a nice way to make a control deck with Tirel last ability synergy ... I ended up with this.

TOTAL WHITE CARDS: 19
TOTAL BLACK CARDS: 10 (+4 flashbacks)

BLACKWHITE CARDS: 2

TOTAL CARDS : 60
CONVERTED MANA COST 0 = 4
CONVERTED MANA COST 1 = 13
CONVERTED MANA COST 2 = 4
CONVERTED MANA COST 3 = 6
CONVERTED MANA COST 4 = 4
CONVERTED MANA COST 5 = 3
LANDS: 26

MANA RAMP/DRAW:
EDIT: +3 sense's divining top -> land tax removed 4 Land Tax Acts both as a mana source and draw engine -> land tax is to slow. Sensei's is indeed much better and he survives elspeth by tapping it
EDIT:+2 CABAL THERAPY -> lftl removed 1 Life from the Loam lftl was nonsense. Cabal has great sinergy in a token deck.
2 Horizon Canopy Acts both as a mana source and draw engine

DISRUPTIVE:
4 Swords to Plowshares The creature killers card MAYBE TO CHANGE with path to exile.
2 Vindicate The other disruptive card
3 Wasteland Acts both as a mana source and disruptive card

CONTROL:
4 Thoughtseize n1 control card
2 Humility n2 control card
3 Maze of Ith n3 control card

TOKEN CREATURES EARLY MID GAME
4 Lingering Souls Acts both as a creature card and a card advantage card + great sin with Tirel
4 Bitterblossom Infinite creatures card (till u die or they destroy it) + great sin with Tirel
1 Kjeldoran Outpost Acts both as a mana source and token generator + great sin with Tirel

FINISHERS LATE GAME
1 Decree of Justice Acts both as a draw engine and finisher + great sin with Tirel
3 Elspeth Tirel Acts both as a token generator and a board finisher . Plus will recover bitterblossom loss of life.
1 Gargoyle Castle Acts both as a mana source and finisher + great sin with Tirel or Vault of the Archangel needs testing
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant Finisher

MANA
4 Mox Diamond
1 Bayou
4 Marsh Flats
6 Plains
4 Scrubland
1 Swamp

edit: removed moxes added urborgs ..see below for current list
what i don't like is the lack of istant spells... any suggestions about everything?

[eirirlar]

I've always been fascinated by Land Tax. Have you done any calculations on the probability that you'll get any lands from it in different scenarios?

[guybrush3]

I've always been fascinated by Land Tax. Have you done any calculations on the probability that you'll get any lands from it in different scenarios?

Ihavent tested this deck but i have indeed land tax many times. I would say this since there are too many things to consider ( like who r u playing against) .
Consider that we are both dropping lands each turn:
90% of the time u will activate 1 time land tax if u dont start as first
75% if u start the game
Add 10% to both stats if u play land desroyer effects like wastelands or horizon
Add -10% if u dont drop land tax the first two turns

Of course a deck with a low curve will help u to stop dropping lands and to activate it.
Horizon works very good imo. Plus moxes are a must

[guybrush3]

http://www.eternal-central.com/?p=2873

very usefull article about land tax in legacy.

[twndomn]

do you actually expect your 4 Thoughtseizes to stop Storm, Belcher, HiveMind... etc combos?

Loam has no business here. This is how you abuse loam: http://www.mtgdecks.net/decks/view/50055

[guybrush3]

do you actually expect your 4 Thoughtseizes to stop Storm, Belcher, HiveMind... etc combos?

Loam has no business here. This is how you abuse loam: http://www.mtgdecks.net/decks/view/50055

Usually u dont stop combos main.
For the loam yes ill just remove green is sonething im thinkin at plus land tax is too slow for this metagame il probabilly add a different drAw engine ( maybe dark conf) suggestions?

[TraxDaMax]

Cabal Therapy should be in here, in my opinion. And perhaps Urborg, tomb of yawgmoth to turn on Maze of Ith as mana. Don't know. I find the old Elspeth just so more interesting to play for 1 mana less.. :/ But hopefully my ideas help somewhat.

[guybrush3]

Cabal Therapy should be in here, in my opinion. And perhaps Urborg, tomb of yawgmoth to turn on Maze of Ith as mana. Don't know. I find the old Elspeth just so more interesting to play for 1 mana less.. :/ But hopefully my ideas help somewhat.

Nice consideration about cabal, perhaps 2 are enough. Urborg wasn't in the list cuz of green and land tax synergy . Ill remove both and add 3 urborg. The 4 conv m cost of elspeth is awesome but the deck is made around the new Elspeth. She has a fast third ability that is not so hard to play in the end. I trust her ;) she completly controls the board

[(nameless one)]

This deck screams Sorin, Lord of Innistrad

[guybrush3]

Updated List after testing it with good results. At least it works: :)



DRAW
2 Horizon Canopy Acts both as a mana source and draw engine
3 Sense's divining top It avoids Tirel last ab py tapping it.

DISRUPTIVE:
4 Swords to Plowshares The creature killers card MAYBE TO CHANGE with path to exile.
2 Vindicate The other disruptive card
3 Wasteland Acts both as a mana source and disruptive card
2 Innocent Blood
CONTROL:
4 Thoughtseize n1 control card
2 Humility n2 control card
2 Maze of Ith n3 control card
2 CABAL THERAPY n3 control card (good synergy with tokens)

TOKEN CREATURES EARLY MID GAME
4 Lingering Souls Acts both as a creature card and a card advantage card + great sin with Tirel
4 Bitterblossom Infinite creatures card (till u die or they destroy it) + great sin with Tirel
1 Kjeldoran Outpost Acts both as a mana source and token generator + great sin with Tirel

FINISHERS LATE GAME
1 Decree of Justice Acts both as a draw engine and finisher + great sin with Tirel
3 Elspeth Tirel Acts both as a token generator and a board finisher . Plus will recover bitterblossom loss of life.
1 Gargoyle Castle Acts both as a mana source and finisher + great sin with Tirel
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant Finisher

MANA
4 Marsh Flats
7 Plains
1 Karakas
4 Scrubland
1 Swamp
2 Urborg tomb of yawgmoth

[guybrush3]

This deck screams Sorin, Lord of Innistrad

mmm just for the colors... that plane in the end sucks a bit i would say even if the lifelink generator isnt bad. can test it reducing one Tirel and doing a x1 sorin x1 classic el x2 Tirel Elsp

[guybrush3]

can an admin change the NAME of the THREAD to BW Bitterblossom ???
tnx