[Primer/Deck] Pox

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Originally Posted by Pittplayer

I think if Pox ran this Ensnaring Bridge would have to be main decked.

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Noetic Scales could be quite good with Court of Ambition as additional Ensnaring Bridges as well. Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage for an additional Liliana of the Veil and The Rack effect. And Waste Not for excellent value.

Basically a deck less focused on land destruction and fully focused on discard synergies, creatureless (except for Mishra's Factory).

Maindeck Karn to let you beat down with Bridges and Scales and search out utility artifacts like Noetic Scales, Trinisphere, Lattice or even something like Phyrexian Totem is also an option.

The main issue is that we lose our artifacts to Oko decks :(

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Originally Posted by Pittplayer

I think if Pox ran this Ensnaring Bridge would have to be main decked.

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That is an easy shift to make. I'm already on Bridge/Lantern of Insight in my version of Pox. This is a gravy card for that setup.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Safety

That is an easy shift to make. I'm already on Bridge/Lantern of Insight in my version of Pox. This is a gravy card for that setup.

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B/W pox with a Solitary Confindment lock?

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Originally Posted by Captain Hammer

Noetic Scales could be quite good with Court of Ambition as additional Ensnaring Bridges as well. Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage for an additional Liliana of the Veil and The Rack effect. And Waste Not for excellent value.

Basically a deck less focused on land destruction and fully focused on discard synergies, creatureless (except for Mishra's Factory).

Maindeck Karn to let you beat down with Bridges and Scales and search out utility artifacts like Noetic Scales, Trinisphere, Lattice or even something like Phyrexian Totem is also an option.

The main issue is that we lose our artifacts to Oko decks :(

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The problem with all those rack effects is that it jams your hand while your opp beats down or combos. And when with this enchantment you are trying to keep Monarch, you will just end up losing it to beatdown and your opp will now be drawing extra bolts or delvers or whatever. I think this enchantment, lily, and some hymns/seizes is far far enough. I would fill up on creature kill/wipes instead of racks.

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Originally Posted by Pittplayer

B/W pox with a Solitary Confindment lock?

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That sounds really sexy, actually. I think Ensnaring Bridge is generally going to be a better all-around card for most Pox decks, without needing a white splash, but white offers a lot of options. Considering we will likely want a win condition outside of combat, that means we might be able to cut some number of Factories to make the mana work. Honestly, I think it might even be worth playing Snow basics and Astrolabe. Astrolabe provides more artifacts for Mox Opal (which I'm playing), helps settle mana and makes the lands bullet-proof, and gives much needed velocity. Solitary Confinement could really pull all that together. I mean, we could even play Swords to Plowshares. I have to be honest, this is looking spicy as hell. I think I need to pick up some cards, lol.

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Originally Posted by Pittplayer

No... The thing about a Agent/Mornsong lock is you need to stop the early creature rush. With Unearth and Volraths Stronghold you can just keep recurring. And like I said, I also run Bloodghasts, which can eat a sac. Agent/Mornsong give a way to end a game out which Pox has been lacking. Also Agent gives Pox a instant speed answer to combo, which also Pox has been lacking. I never have a problem getting 3 mana. Also t2 Smallpox then next turn Unearthing the Agent is a play. The Agent, at its bottom worse, is a instant speed sinkhole/sylvan scrying with a 3/2 body. Not sure how you think that does not belong in a Pox deck. And if I HAVE to sac it to Pox that's fine. You can look at it this way. 3 mana: destroy target land, search opps library and play a land from it, do 3 damage to opp. I know obviously it does not always work out that way. But I think, again we are talking about it's worse use, not big plays like stealing a jitte or a decay, but i think its power is self evident, even just destroying a land, stealing a land, and attacking for 3 is a huge tempo shift.

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Hello Pittplayer, any list you would like to share with us ? I do like your take with the new combo.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Safety

I think this card is going to need some discussion for traditional Pox decks, it's pretty good. It is card advantage with the monarch and a threat as well. Curving Liliana of the Veil into this will be brutal.

https://media.mtgsalvation.com/attac...7165160563.jpg

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A 4 turn clock on hellbent? But Creatures must not touch you? 3 Turns if a Big Pox resolves?! I'm game. Packing bridge is a requirement. But I'd include 3 Drown in Sorrow along side our 6+ sac effects. Noetic Scales is a damn good option next to the Bridge. This Prison looks nasty & the Monarch Mechanic throws away the key.

Ensnaring Bridge, Lily OTV, Lily TLH, and.... Plague Reaver? Seem good?

Plague Reaver?

Plague Reaver {2}{B}
Creature — Beast
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice each other creature you control.
Discard two cards, Sacrifice Plague Reaver: Choose target opponent. Return Plague Reaver to the battlefield under that player's control at the beginning of their next upkeep.
6/5

?? That's something to be weary of. If you're bridge gets dealt with, and you have no sac effects, that's a lot of pain, if you gave it to your foe. However, if we're running expendable creatures, it's a monster of a wincon. I'd just smash them with this guy instead. No fancy strategies needed.

I think Plague Reaver could be very strong in a version of the deck that emphasizes Loam
- Loam lets you refill your hand to discard cards to this
- In a Loam deck you probably have tutors for lands (whether Entomb or Crop Rotation or whatever) which is useful because this card is highly synergistic with Maze of Ith or Homeward Path
- I would probably avoid trying to combo this with Ensnaring Bridge because with a bridge in play you have already shut out the opponent's creatures and it stops you from attacking with your own 6/5

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Originally Posted by Pittplayer

Ensnaring Bridge, Lily OTV, Lily TLH, and.... Plague Reaver? Seem good?

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On 2nd thought, replace Plague Reaver with Rotting Regisaur and Ensnaring Bridge with Cursed Scroll. Now you have a more straight forward, reliable, and faster clock. :cool:

Court of Ambition works great with Ensnaring Bridge. Thats the reason we are discussing Bridge/Noetic Scales.

Adding creatures to a Bridge/Scales deck doesnt make sense.

I would recommend discussing other cards that work well with Bridge/Scales such as Liliana and Bottled Clostier instead.

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Originally Posted by OmniStrata

On 2nd thought, replace Plague Reaver with Rotting Regisaur and Ensnaring Bridge with Cursed Scroll. Now you have a more straight forward, reliable, and faster clock. :cool:

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I'm only looking at Reaver as a recurring board wipe. So not sure how Regisaur does the same thing in your view?

A board wipe that costs you 2 additional cards & at minimum 6 life seems a lot worse than toxic deluge at first glance.

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Originally Posted by Reeplcheep

A board wipe that costs you 2 additional cards & at minimum 6 life seems a lot worse than toxic deluge at first glance.

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That is why I was saying pair it with ensnaring bridge. And I am mainly talking about it because it's a recurring boardwipe, unlike toxic deluge.

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Originally Posted by Pittplayer

That is why I was saying pair it with ensnaring bridge. And I am mainly talking about it because it's a recurring boardwipe, unlike toxic deluge.

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That seems like a lot more work than The Abyss. Generally with bridge you have time, not 2 cards in your hand to discard.

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Originally Posted by Reeplcheep

That seems like a lot more work than The Abyss. Generally with bridge you have time, not 2 cards in your hand to discard.

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Again. The Abyss...is not a board wipe.

I don't really like Plague Reaver, not in a deck playing Smallpox. It makes sequencing awkward, especially given that you can't predict the many turns in the future what your opponent will be drawing. This gets exacerbated with the cantrips because they will see a ton of cards to not only answer your Bridge but also possibly just beat your face in with a 6/5.

I think the more exciting approach is with Court of Ambition. It's a 4-mana play that is exactly what you want, and it affects the game in the way you want. It provides card advantage (monarch) while disrupting your opponents (discard.) If you can get your opponent's to zero cards (Hymn, Smallpox, Liliana OTV) then it becomes a clock, and a fast one at that. I think it reliably ends the game in 3 turns once your opponent is hellbent. The one thing that could possibly be a sticking point is actually having too many cards in hand once you have the Monarch, especially if you don't have a Liliana. I think something like a singleton Raven's Crime could be a good mana/card sink that supports Court of Ambition nicely.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Safety

I don't really like Plague Reaver, not in a deck playing Smallpox. It makes sequencing awkward, especially given that you can't predict the many turns in the future what your opponent will be drawing. This gets exacerbated with the cantrips because they will see a ton of cards to not only answer your Bridge but also possibly just beat your face in with a 6/5.

I think the more exciting approach is with Court of Ambition. It's a 4-mana play that is exactly what you want, and it affects the game in the way you want. It provides card advantage (monarch) while disrupting your opponents (discard.) If you can get your opponent's to zero cards (Hymn, Smallpox, Liliana OTV) then it becomes a clock, and a fast one at that. I think it reliably ends the game in 3 turns once your opponent is hellbent. The one thing that could possibly be a sticking point is actually having too many cards in hand once you have the Monarch, especially if you don't have a Liliana. I think something like a singleton Raven's Crime could be a good mana/card sink that supports Court of Ambition nicely.

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Yes. Reaver needs to be a "cute combo". I mentioned Rotting Regisaur not as a recurring board wiper but as a huge beater that will wipe someone who won't block for 3 turns.

The Court is best under Liliana of the Veil, Ensnaring Bridge, & Liliana the Last Hope. Getting the 2nd Card for Hope's Emblem to overrun your foes is made faster as a Monarch through the Bridge. It also makes Cursed Scroll awkward making it the obvious cut unless the deck has only 1-3 mana spells so you can use everything you draw easily. The Bottled Cloister idea is epic but is probably too mana intensive when Monarch is enough. I see that it allows you to keep a huge hand under the Bridge if given time.:cool:

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Originally Posted by Mr. Safety

I don't really like Plague Reaver, not in a deck playing Smallpox. It makes sequencing awkward, especially given that you can't predict the many turns in the future what your opponent will be drawing. This gets exacerbated with the cantrips because they will see a ton of cards to not only answer your Bridge but also possibly just beat your face in with a 6/5.

I think the more exciting approach is with Court of Ambition. It's a 4-mana play that is exactly what you want, and it affects the game in the way you want. It provides card advantage (monarch) while disrupting your opponents (discard.) If you can get your opponent's to zero cards (Hymn, Smallpox, Liliana OTV) then it becomes a clock, and a fast one at that. I think it reliably ends the game in 3 turns once your opponent is hellbent. The one thing that could possibly be a sticking point is actually having too many cards in hand once you have the Monarch, especially if you don't have a Liliana. I think something like a singleton Raven's Crime could be a good mana/card sink that supports Court of Ambition nicely.

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I think instead of bridge court would be best in a removal.dec shell. Bitterblossoms/plague engineer/snuff outs to do anything to protect the queen, and then court + maybe a few hymns & thoughtseize should make quick work of any non creature deck.