[Deck] Les Deus

[Teluin]

The idea of this deck is (preferably using Aether Vial) to drop down powerful/cheap creatures who bring extra value to the board in the form of card advantage and other effects. These effects include: equipment tutoring/cheating into play, hand disruption, flashing back spells, creature removal, etc. As such, the deck should contain a high number of creatures with ETB/other effects, while preferably sharing the same 2 CC so Vial can be used on the majority of them.

Because the deck wants to put things into play for free/generate huge card advantage, we are less concerned with counterspells. The Force of Wills are mostly there for combo and to stop hand disruption from taking away our Vials.

Key cards:

This deck actually has a lot of different ‘key cards’, so finding the right numbers/combinations is up to the player. Here is a list of important cards/their uses, and why a player might want to include them.

Aether Vial

Aether Vial lets us get out key cards without tapping for mana, thus allowing us 2+ creatures out on turn two-three and after. Each creature should affect the board and generate card advantage in some way. This should be an auto-include of 4.

Deathrite Shaman

Deathrite Shaman helps us pop out more creatures/spells on turn 2 if we don’t drop a Vial. Can also be used for graveyard interaction, and getting those last couple of life points from an opponent. Great card.

Baleful Strix

This card acts as removal, an equipment carrier, AND it replaces itself. Since this deck is all about getting creatures into play that do things while generating card advantage, Strix should be an auto-include.

Stoneforge Mystic

Stoneforge Mystic into an equipment is an amazing play. Much like Vial, Mystic allows us to get things onto the battlefield without being concerned for their counterspell-safety. It also generates card advantage, which is just what we want from our creatures.

Snapcaster Mage

Using Vial to bring in Snapcaster Mage is great because you only need mana for the spell being flashbacked, instead of on that and Snapcaster’s CC. Along with Baleful Strix and Swords to Plowshares, Snapcaster Mage gives this deck a lot of interaction with creature-based decks. Not the best synergy with Deathrite Shaman, but a great card nonetheless.

Tidehollow Sculler

Tidehollow Sculler with Aether Vial is pretty awesome. A player can use them together to have an instant speed hand disruption attached to a body – do this after their draw step for extra value.

Dark Confidant

Dark Confidant follows the trend of card advantage through creatures that this deck is trying to achieve. It is often removed before gaining you an extra card or two however, and so I do not consider it a 4-of. That said however Bob rocks, and should at least be considered.

Phyrexian Revoker

Phyrexian Revoker is another creature with a powerful ETB effect.

Meddling Mage

Meddling Mage is a creature that can stop cards from being played! This should probably be a sideboard card, as it is best against combo decks.

Equipment:

3 pieces of equipment are recommended, as this deck is often drawing more cards and thus wants more of a chance to stop our Stoneforge Mystics from becoming Squires. The choices of Batterskull and Umezawa’s Jitte are pretty standard. A Sword of Fire and Ice is probably the best choice for the final spot, but is also the most replaceable.

Force of Will

Force of Will is an amazing card. It can stop an opponent from winning, protect your own things, and just let you play when tapped out. The normal drawback of Force is that you’re using 2 cards to stop 1. This deck is all about generating card advantage however, so the loss of a card is less noticeable.

Brainstorm

Brainstorm is Brainstorm.

Swords to Plowshares

Swords to Plowshares remains the best form of single creature removal in the game.

Sample Deck:

Land

4 Polluted Delta
4 Marsh Flats
4 Underground Sea
4 Tundra
1 Swamp
1 Island
1 Karakas

Creatures

4 Baleful Strix
3 Dark Confidant
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Deathrite Shaman

Spells:

4 Aether Vial
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Sword to Plowshares
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Umezawa’s Jitte

Sideboard:

3 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Thoughtseize
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Spell Pierce
3 Meddling Mage
2 Surgical Extraction

[Lemnear]

Packing Aether Vial into an existing subtype of Stoneblade (Deathblade with SFM, SCM, DC and DRS) doesn't make it a new deck.

Moreover the Concept of Vial in decks without a real manacurve and the Maximum cost of 2 is questionable.

[Teluin]

I would see your point if this deck didn't have a lot more creatures than Deathblade, and if it didn't play completely differently. Just because a deck contains some of the same creatures doesn't make it the same. Anyway, try it out :)

[Megadeus]

was hoping for deus of calamity...

[frogger42]

I agree that the deck is pretty similar to Deathblade at its core, except instead of a few Spell Pierce and Jace, it runs more creatures. I think Pierce is a bit more versatile than Baleful Strix, and Jace a better TD than that or Tidehollow. If you want to go the all-creature route, and I still think Jace should definitely be included, there was an old old deck called Eon Blue or something like that, with Confidant, Meddling Mage and Mother of Runes to keep them on table. It might be worth considering Mom so that your Strix becomes a real house. They still all get wiped by Terminus or Verdict. Good luck with it.

[mini1337s]

I was playing around with something similar a couple months ago. I settled with something like this:

4x Dark Confidant
4x Mother of Runes
4x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4x Weathered Wayfarer
4x Meddling Mage
3x Vendilion Clique
1x Qasali Pridemage

4x Aether Vial
2x Umezawa's Jitte

4x Spell Pierce
4x Swords to Plowshares

4x Cavern of Souls
3x Wasteland
1x Riptide Laboratory
3x Flooded Strand
2x Marsh Flats
1x Polluted Delta
1x Island
1x Plains
3x Tundra
1x Underground Sea
1x Scrubland

SIDEBOARD:
3x Fiend Hunter
2x Rest in Peace
2x Retribution of the Meek
2x Mirran Crusader
2x Aven Mindcensor
1x Trinket Mage
1x Meekstone
1x Engineered Explosives


Obviously Snapcaster is an easy fit in the kind of shell. Baleful Strix and Deathrite could work too, but would be very Vial dependent. Wayfarer was cute, but could be cut. It was really really reallllllly good versus classic control strategies, but just flopped to more focused midrange creature decks.

[Teluin]

I changed it to this:

Lands:

4 Tundra
3 Underground Sea
4 Marsh Flats
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Wasteland
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Karakas
1 Academy Ruins

Total: 21

Creatures:

4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Baleful Strix
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Geist of Saint Traft
1 Dark Confidant


Total: 17

Spells:

4 Aether Vial
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Unearth
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Fire and Ice

Total: 22


The deck played out quite nicely, but I got mana screwed more than once. Might just lose the Wastelands since I didn't really use them, and replace them with an Island and a Swamp. Then again, it coulda just been Cockatrice sucking at shuffle. Unearth is VERY nice with Strix and Snapcaster, as well as SFM.

[Sanity_Cleaver]

was hoping for deus of calamity...

Yes. I too am saddened