[Deck] Non-LED Based Dredge/Ichorid Combo

[Digital Devil]

I got bored so I actually checked possibilities from DeckCheck. I noticed that a lot of top4 decks are packing Iona on main as a DR target. A lot of people are also not using Darkblast on main anymore.

I'm in love with maindeck Iona. It's the reason I started playing this deck. It's BROKEN. It's a slower FKZ that still wins the game but doesn't depend on Bridge from Below, which is a huge plus. Zealot helps only against storm combo, but they're still a turn ahead since they have a faster clock. IMHO, Zealot only belongs to a LED shell, because it can exploit its innate speed.

What is the general consensus when it comess to DR targets here? Also, for information purposes, Digital Devil used 3 Darkblasts on the side.

Personally, I think 4 GGT + Iona is enough. I don't want my deck to be filled with useless cards, so Iona is the only creature whose single purpose is to be reanimated, while in the worst case GGT is a Dredge-6 creature. About Darkblast... when building a deck, just look at my lists, then do differently: you'll perform greatly, I swear XD XD

On the sideboard, like what Anusien mentioned, should we concentrate with spells or DR targets? No doubt that Terrastodon is a powerhouse but outside of that, are Angel of Despair and FKZ worth the SB spot? Unmask and Forces seems tempting on the side.

I dislike both Woodfall Primus and Terastodon - they deal with permanents which are already dealt with Nature's Claim/Ancient Grudge. If they have a Leyline, you're not Dread Returning a single creature. If they have Crypt/Relic, they just pop up their artifact in response. There still are Ghostly Prison/Ensnaring Bridge/Moat/Elephant Grass/Wheel of Sun and Moon/Whatever, but then Nature's Claim is better, since it's cheaper and INSTANT. If you play Terastodon/Primus, you have to do that in your mainphase. If you play EOT Nature's Claim, you can use that same Dread Return for Iona, for Eternal Witness to recur your used Nature's Claim, all this while not giving your opponent a single 3/3, or wasting sideboard slots with Primus. Also, remember an important thing: you're wasting an attack, since your DR targets don't have haste. Since this deck is capable of doing 10+ damage in a single turn, it means you're throwing away a chance to win. Ok, Terastodon is huge and deals with problematic permanents all at once, while Primus depends on Cabal Therapy/Dread Return to destroy a second permanent. Agreed, if I had to choose between Primus/Terastodon, I'd pick Terastodon. But I don't want to be too redundant, I want some "omnibus rebus responsum" cards. So, I want Angel of Despair. Angel of Despair is good, since you can play it to kill itself and eventually generate an insane number of zombies (in case you need more blockers than you have); Angel of Despair is Ichorid food; Angel of Despair flies; most importantly, Angel of Despair also deals with creatures. There are only a few creatures which are a pain for us, but I don't want to occasionally scoop because of a Windborn Muse, Phyrexian Dreadnought or anything dangerous. Anyway, Jailer/Gaddock Teeg/Meddling Mage still die to Darkblast(s).

There was a discussion on Chain of Vapor vs. Nature's Claim. I do agree that dealing with a problem artifact or enchantment permanently is better than dealing with it for a turn. That in turn, I also believe we should pack some sort of creature hate on the SB.

Maybe I'm the only one here, but I find Claim to be better than Chain. We don't have the explosiveness of LED Ichorid to hope to win outright. Also, I believe most players pack Chain in their sb because our Vintage counterpart does so. This is Legacy: you bounce their hate, they re-play it the very next turn; you destroy their hate, they're screwed forever.

Anusien is right, and no, I don't think FKZ is worth the spot. I never once DR'ed him. Iona also did not seem worth the slot. I'd reanimate her, but at that point the only thing that would have kept me from winning with a Troll would have been something like topdecked Plow. She's definitely win more.

Imagine a scenario where you have the chance to fast-Dread Return a creature. Troll dies to everything and can be chump blocked, Iona wins the same turn it enters the battlefield, and if your opponent is still willing to continue the game, it is a 7/7 with flying. You're right about Zealot, since to win with it, you need to be ahead. Iona, though, seals both games you're winning and makes you win games you were losing. I have empyrical proof about this.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. All this obviously IMHO.