With the $1.25 pricetag I decided I ought to grab one. As such I got to thinking, it's /gotta/ be playable. Somehow...someway...So I thought about what the best walkers in standard are,
{Elspeth, Sun's Champion}: She's a beast. Unchecked it's a win.
{Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver}: Has just been sooooo good. I have two myself and I'm happy to use them always.
{Kiora, the Crashing Wave}: That emblem is game. That plus one helps you get there.
{Garruk, Apex Predator}: If it wasn't for his casting cost, he'd be in alot more decks.
{Sarkhan, Dragonspeaker}: {Stormbreath Dragon} 2.0 some say.
{Jace, the Living Guildpact}: While he doesn't seem threatening the plus one is better than it looks (especially with delve). The minus three can be butt savingly good, and the ult is AMAZING.
With these floating around my head I decided that the popular Sultai (AKA BUG) Walkers was the best shell. So I got to thinking of other options to help use {The Chain Veil}.
{Nissa, Worldwaker} can pay for {The Chain Veil} all by herself. Sadly nobody untaps {The Chain Veil}...but wait, {Kiora's Follower} is an option. And I can work that into the super popular {Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx}/Untap strategy for ramp. So here's an outline I'll work on more when I get my iPod back so I can post a proper decklist.
Outline for The Chain Veil: Superfriends Corrupted.
4x {Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver}: at three mana and the power level it has, I'm willing to try four. Might cut to three. Also synergy with ulting her then Jace.
3x {Kiora, the Crashing Wave}: I really don't know if this is an optimal number, but being as it's one of the most fragile walkers, well ever, I figured three.
1x {Jace, the Living Guildpact}: You only /need/ one as the ult shuffles him back in. Might try more. Might not.
2x {Nissa, Worldwaker}: I'm seriously thinking more is necessary as she's kind of a key combo piece. But idk.
1x {Garruk, Apex Predator}: If he was less mana I'd run more.
4x {Kiora's Follower}: If you don't know why you haven't been paying attention.
3x {The Chain Veil}: Three because I need to draw it, and because thanks to the legend rule, if you have a bit of extra mana kicking around (and {Nissa, Worldwaker}) you can use one, cast another and sac the tapped one.
*insert care package of control spells and green devotion things.
*insert mana base*
If anybody is rocking a similar deck, or is willing to put the pieces together and try it out, let me know. Ideas are, as always, welcome.
I've tried it as a one of and it's such a dead card in your hand.
I used it in my KTK bug walkers deck and it just doesn't do well, the life loss is really annoying.
Consider it an 8 mana cost card, plus the requirement of a PW on board
Other cards I can use around that mana cost
Another {dig through time} - search for win con/answer easily at end of turn
{Nissa Worldwaker} - easy win con
{villainous wealth} - about the same mana cost, very entertaining win con esp vs jeskai
{pearl lake ancient } - land drop aetherling, if you're able to ramp easily, this is a great win con that is very hard to get rid of, a more complicated kraken emblem if you will. Very hard to remove.
{empty the pits} - i thought this card would be a dead card, but instant speed and delve xx late game is amazing. 6 zombies is nothing to scoff at, you're able to swarm a player or keep up a great number of chumps, instant speed also. It's a great moment when it resolves and you drop 6 tokens.
I had the chain veil and it was so dead. I could try it now, I preordered those duckers at $4-$5 each and now they are a sad playset.
Quote from: MuggyWuggy on November 24, 2014, 02:21:45 PM
I've tried it as a one of and it's such a dead card in your hand.
I used it in my KTK bug walkers deck and it just doesn't do well, the life loss is really annoying.
Consider it an 8 mana cost card, plus the requirement of a PW on board
Other cards I can use around that mana cost
Another {dig through time} - search for win con/answer easily at end of turn
{Nissa Worldwaker} - easy win con
{villainous wealth} - about the same mana cost, very entertaining win con esp vs jeskai
{pearl lake ancient } - land drop aetherling, if you're able to ramp easily, this is a great win con that is very hard to get rid of, a more complicated kraken emblem if you will. Very hard to remove.
{empty the pits} - i thought this card would be a dead card, but instant speed and delve xx late game is amazing. 6 zombies is nothing to scoff at, you're able to swarm a player or keep up a great number of chumps, instant speed also. It's a great moment when it resolves and you drop 6 tokens.
I had the chain veil and it was so dead. I could try it now, I preordered those duckers at $4-$5 each and now they are a sad playset.
If you're willing to at least give it a shot let me know. I don't want to start assembling yet another deck just to find out it's useless. xD I did think that it's basically {8} but then it's {4} after that, no? And with {Nissa, Worldwaker} on the board it's technically free to tap.
On the flip side I'm collecting Planeswalkers anyways, cause Planeswalkers.
As for aggro, {Nyxfleece Ram} and {Wall of Frost} are solid options. There's also room for {Drown In Sorrow.}
Nah, those are too janky IMO for defense. Id rather counter or downfall or sultai charm whatever you bring out t3 rather than me get a wall, going bUG so sheep arent an option for me
Basically I would have to pull out empty the pits from my deck and I feel that's more solid than the chain veil in my hand
Why are you not using ajani mentor?
Ive been toying with a 4 color build similar to brad nelsons 4 color that took 5th place at SCG recently. Also looking at a Temur/Mardu based 5 color that runs ajani and xenagos.
Quote from: Indee on November 25, 2014, 02:04:23 PM
Why are you not using ajani mentor?
Ive been toying with a 4 color build similar to brad nelsons 4 color that took 5th place at SCG recently. Also looking at a Temur/Mardu based 5 color that runs ajani and xenagos.
Mentor is white, I don't want to go four color cause manabase.
Quote from: MuggyWuggy on November 25, 2014, 01:42:51 AM
Nah, those are too janky IMO for defense. Id rather counter or downfall or sultai charm whatever you bring out t3 rather than me get a wall, going bUG so sheep arent an option for me
Basically I would have to pull out empty the pits from my deck and I feel that's more solid than the chain veil in my hand
Understandable. However I've found that {Wall of Frost} is an extremely solid card to buy time with. The doesn't untap is fantastic as it basically blocks whatever it blocks for two turns. Sometimes that's better than blowing up some things.
However you've been using this style of deck much longer than I have and I trust that you know what works.
I may throw it back in for testing, but I don't run nissa due to low basics in my build & no forests, if I had more forest I would probably run her
Quote from: MuggyWuggy on November 25, 2014, 05:48:59 PM
I may throw it back in for testing, but I don't run nissa due to low basics in my build & no forests, if I had more forest I would probably run her
Yeah I'm kinda concerned about the mana base going three color and Nissa.
I would say her +1 for forest is pretty useless as my deck require the most black
That's why I don't run her, glad her price has dropped, hopefully I can get one eventually for an EDH deck or two
Quote from: MuggyWuggy on November 26, 2014, 03:07:30 PM
I would say her +1 for forest is pretty useless as my deck require the most black
That's why I don't run her, glad her price has dropped, hopefully I can get one eventually for an EDH deck or two
I am thinking though, that if I go {Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx} ramp style it'll be closer to mono green devotion. Kind of a {Villainous Wealth} shell but with Planeswalkers and {The Chain Veil}.
I am kinda just spit-balling but it sounds like it could work.