[Deck Ideas] The Joy Of painting

[Versus]

I can't build decks. I don't think I've ever made a thread in this forum. I probably should have kept it that way. I come up with what I think is decent idea, but when it comes time to throw it all together I just choke. I end up throwing in all the best spells of the chosen color and try to stick some "synergy" I think is solid, but wind up with an unplayable mess when all is said and done.

What I was trying to do here is come up with a plan to drop a Painter's Servant naming white (or green) in an attempt to create a some kind of lock with a Dystopia in play. However, when it came down to it I was left with only Bitterblossom as a solution to make the sacrificing as one sided as possible. I sacrifice the Token, they sacrifice something relevant. Including their lands if put together fast enough.

I guess I should throw together a list just so that the thread is somewhat relevant to the forum I'm posting it in even if it's dreadful...

White Man's Burden

4 Sarcomancy
4 Knights of Stromgald/Crusaders/Ebon Hand
4 Dark Confidant
4 Painter's Servant

4 Deathmark
4 Ritual
4 Bitterblossom

4 Thoughtseize
4 Duress
4 Dystopia

4 Chrome Mox
16 Swamps

Sarcomany: 2 permanents for the price of one mana. You can always sac the "white" enchantment during your upkeep.

Pump Knights: Protection from opponent's entire deck with Painter naming white.

Deathmark: Kills all creatures (that don't have pro-black)

Chrome Mox: Besides the obvious exel, it can also be cast without the imprint and sac'd to Dystopia.

Other possibilties included Neither Spirit, Hunted Horror, Unmask.

Is that too narrow an idea? Too slow? Just stupid altogether? How can this plan backfire? ie riding a single 2/2 pro-white creature to victory can be risky. If you're naming white ala Servant, you can't use equiptment, auras, pumps, ect.

Too much life loss via Confidant. Blossom, Dystopia?

What I do know about deck building is that you want you're cards to be good on their own and great with the combo peice. I don't think too many of the cards in the list above are horrible on their own. Maybe just questionable.

Anyway, I just wanted to explore different ways to use Servant other than the MS combo and really couldn't come up with anything better. Well, okay, I did think of combining Servant with THIS (http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=3741). :laugh:

Mods if this lacks the content necessary or just too silly to be here, maybe it could be moved to Format Discussion and marked as [Card Discussion] Painter's Servant?

[evilchen]

chalice 1 would be hard or? :/

[Versus]

Yeah, that could be a problem, but the 2 main pieces are 2 and 3cc.

Maybe a more controlish route could work? Something with board sweepers like Deed until you can get the combo in place? I guess by then, assuming you wouldn't be using any LD, they would have enough lands to sac to Dystopia and plenty of options to kill Servant and or Grip you enchantment. Like I said, probably a dumb idea. I just wanted to see if maybe there was a way to make it work.

[Versus]

Persecute is good. At least it's one sided. I keep coming up with things to paint that effect BOTH sides of the table. Problem being, I can't seem to negate the drawback on my side.

Even the Righteous War idea with Painter naming "white" would make all my black creatures B/W with protection from everything. The Servant itself with pro-black. Drop another Servant naming "black" and everything becomes untargetable. Yet, Slivers can do the same thing with a lot less trouble

Oh well, I'm sure if there was a groundbreaking way to abuse PS (other than the Stone) someone other than myself would have already figured it out.

[Nightmare]

If you're using Bitterblossom already, why not go for Contamination?

[rufus]

An issue is that Smokestacks > Dystopia. You're basically paying extra mana and cards for the Dystopia approach.

Deathgrip probably isn't so bad with Painter's Servant in play. Not sure how it is otherwise with so many decks splashing green for 'goyf.

Mind Extraction might work better than Persecute, especially considering you're playing with Bob.

Considering the number of decks running green critters, Dunerider Outlaw might be a better choice than the Pump Knights.

[Shtriga]

confidant, thoughtseize, dystopia, bitterblossom, that seems like a hell of a lot of lifeloss

[xsockmonkeyx]

Criticism: so what happens when you dont have/land a Painter? And then what happens when he gets killed? Artifact creature has to be the easiest type to kill in magic.

I see this as similar to Survival (kinda) in the sense that you are using subobtimal cards to take advantage of a 4x permanent. Thing is, Survival is a lot more powerful and the cards that depend on it are generally better than the ones you have to take advantage of painter.

Also, you have 8 card disadvantage acceleration spells, and no Hypnotic Specter or Hymn to Tourach to take advantage of the boost. Which is odd.

[Versus]

All valid points, but I think this one says it all.


An issue is that Smokestacks > Dystopia. You're basically paying extra mana and cards for the Dystopia approach.


I didn't realize the goal I was trying to achieve was more easily done. That basically quashes the whole idea. That's kinda what I wanted to be pointed out to me. The idea seemed feasible, but I figured it was clunky at best.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions, but in no means did I think the above deck was playable. I just wanted to explore Painter's servant in other ways than the obvious decks springing up as of late. I probably should have just posted a thread in Format Dis. and not embarrased myself with a deck list.


Considering the number of decks running green critters, Dunerider Outlaw might be a better choice than the Pump Knights.

Maybe the protection angle could still be explored? I was thinking more white based though. Something with Spectral Lynx and Mother of Runes perhaps?

[Agent J]

Another possibility would be to play Darkest Hour in addition to Painter's Servant. Although Darkest Hour only affects creatures there is still lots of staff you can do (CoP: Black, Light of Day etc.)

It won't be competitive but I still wanted to suggest it because I like the concept for casual play and because I once had a Darkest Hour-CoP: Black-Pestilence-Black Market-Obsidian Acolyte.dec :wink: