The Cryptic Colossus

Last week was really crazy with work, so I couldn't post anything.  I would work on this to post tomorrow, but I have a meeting tomorrow about a research internship I did a few months ago, so I won't be able to finish this to post then.  So, without further ado, here's the budget deck I nicknamed "The Cryptic Colossus."

The build is based around Cryptic Gateway.  Ever heard of it?  Probably not.  It's an older card that didn't see much use due to the fact that it only had limited success.  In a weenie deck, it just tapped two creatures to put one into play -- for five mana.  Not efficient at all.  In decks utilizing fatties, it wasn't great because you generally don't want to tap two Darksteel Colossuses (Colossusi?) to play another one when swinging with the two would end the game.  So what's the solution?  A deck that can tap small creatures to play big ones.  And what kind of creatures can be tapped for a Darksteel Colossus, Progenitus, or Emrakul?  Changelings.

Yes, that's right, a workable way to use Cryptic Gateway to drop huge creatures to deal massive damage.  The version I prefer is based solely on artifacts, so I have nicknamed it "The Cryptic Colossus."  I chose an artifact build due to incredible synergy between Fabricate, fatties, and the Gateway.  You can Fabricate either piece.  As for the rest of the cards, the deck is still in transition between a Transmute base to a Ponder/Preordain base.  Here's the Transmute version.  Note that you can turn a Drift of Phantasms into a Fabricate and from there either of your needed cards.  Or just turn it into a Changeling.  The best thing is that this deck only costs around $15 and looks like fun to play.

3 Darksteel Colossus

3 Drift of Phantasms

2 Ghostly Changeling

4 Moonglove Changeling

4 Mothdust Changeling

3 Shapesharer

1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle

3 Cryptic Gateway

4 Dimir Signet

4 Fabricate

4 Mistvein Borderpost

4 Perplex

2 Dreadship Reef

6 Island

4 Jwar Isle Refuge

4 Swamp

4 Terramorphic Expanse

1 Vault of Whispers

The sideboard should be geared to deal with cards that can stop your Colossuses without killing them, like Pacifism or Mistmeadow Witch.  Into the Roil and Echoing Truth are my best answers, but a sideboard is meant more so to counter the meta than hate on two cards.  If the above types of cards are prevalent in your meta, then by all means, put in 3 Truth and 3 Roil.  If not, leave the space for defensive or hate cards.

Until next time, play on.

--Nick30075

New to this, but here's something to make up for it

Alright, I've never blogged before, so this is going to be an attempt at a blog devoted to Magic: The Gathering.  I have a ton of ideas (not just for Type II) about random combos and decklists.  If you see a bad card, I might actually be able to find a use for it.  The list below is something I've been working on using TCGPlayer with a few other people.  This is an infinite turn loop deck (the style was nicknamed "Wildrazi" by arxanas, a TCGPlayer member) that I designed around Wild Evocation for the Build Around contest.

I don't think I've heard of any deck that used Relic of Progenitus, Battle Rampart, and Selective Memory as any part of a combo.  But this is one.  The combo (in Type II, at least for now) is rather convoluted, but here it is.  You should have out a Battle Rampart, Relic of Progenitus, Mirror of Fate, and Wild Evocation with no cards in your hand other than Selective Memory.  Then, cast the Memory exiling two copies of Emrakul, the Aeons Torn.  Pop the Mirror making your library into those two copies of Emrakul.  Then pop the Relic removing your grave from the game and drawing you an Emrakul.  During your next upkeep, since it's the only card in your hand, you cast it for free, then draw the other one.  You get an extra turn, swing with the hasty Emrakul, then end.  Your next turn begins, you cast Emrakul #2, the legends rule sends both to the graveyard, and your graveyard (consisting only of 2 Emrakul) reshuffles.  You draw one Emrakul during your draw step and cast it on your extra turn granted from the casting of Emrakul earlier in the turn.  The cycle continues until you've killed your opponent.

Here's the list:

3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3 Joraga Treespeaker
3 Birds of Paradise
3 Battle Rampart
3 Mirror of Fate
4 Foresee
4 See Beyond
3 Selective Memory
4 Relic of Progenitus
3 Wild Evocation
3 Fog
24 Lands

As far as the manabase goes, it's really up to you to decide how to do it.  If you want to spend $200, then feel free.  If not, then at least run a Raging Ravine or two so that you have an alternate win condition in case you go off without a Rampart.  The lands are really up to you to decide what to do.  I would look at something including four copies of Terramorphic Expanse and two copies of Evolving Wilds, but that's just me, a budget player.

Note that a more interesting build of this deck is still in progress.  It's for Legacy, so the loop is established with Doomsday making your library into 4 Beacon of Tomorrows and one Emrakul.  The most recent version is on TCGPlayer, but I don't really know where it's going.

Until next time, play on.

--Nick30075