by Ashiok Thu Jun 20, 2013 11:21 am
I like the idea behind this deck but there's some serious issues with the execution.
The obvious - Forgoing any Lightning Bolts. It's the second best removal spell in the format, and it definitely seems like something you want to be playing.
There's also the fact that as it stands your deck has essentially 5 green sources for Goyf. This flat out isn't reliable and would be better if you included at least one Breeding Pool, buffing that to 10 sources. It should be noted that at that point you can start playing non-Island fetches as well. The same should be said for Steam Vents, since it gives you actual red sources too, especially with all the red cards at your potential disposal.
Crucible of Worlds does... nothing. Tec Edge lock is certainly not a good enough reason to include Crucible, either, especially without a real card draw engine to dig to both.
You will never, ever want to tap low for a Prophetic Prism. It's just an awful thing to do given the early turns are when you need to be the most vigilant with your mana.
Thirst for Knowledge just seems very iffy. You're at the awkward point where you're trying to be tempo but lack the threat density to pull that off consistently, especially with the Blood Moons leaving you without even the option of man lands. So, as a tempo-oriented draw spell it really doesn't do much for you.
Familiar's Ruse just sucks, especially in a deck that has only 9 creatures, of which 6 can abuse it at all. Deprive is much, much, much better if you want a UU counter target spell.
I can't even guess what Engineered Explosives is intending to hit in the current modern format.
SoFaF has the same problem as any other creature-reliant spell when you only have 9 creatures. Coupled with the fact that its protections aren't any where near as relevant as they've ever been and you've got yourself an overall very slow and weak equipment, especially given you often can't afford to tap out to play and equip it. Threats of that cost are better off being Batterskulls.
1 Electrolyze is a crime, given it's one of the best spells in the format.
The decks Shackles is good against are the ones packing Abrupt Decays and Maelstrom Pulses, so this is another card I don't fully understand. I get it's one of the main reasons to go pseudo-mono-blue, but the thing is it's just not a good card right now. Even against Pod, they have infinite things to tutor up to completely mess it up.
Oh and Academy Ruins just seems out of place, it's not nearly as good as it looks when it's only recurring EnEx for a huge price combined.
You need to be a little more aggressive with your mana base in the sense you need to fetch your colours and you need to be able to always do it. Not having access to coloured mana before you even land a Blood Moon isn't ever helping you win the game.
4 Snapcaster, 4 Goyf, 2/3 Clique would be a better creature base overall. You need the Goyfs especially to be able to actually kill your opponent. Shackles doesn't do it nearly well enough. You definitely want 4 Bolts just to maintain control of the board and as a nice finisher late-game. 4 Cryptics remain fine in the shell, especially with a lot of islands. Playing at least 1 Steam Vents and at least 1 Breeding Pool is a given for reasons already explained. Remand would likely also be very helpful especially since you can "stall" with it to hit Blood Moon.
I'm sure there's a few more interesting things this deck could be doing, too.
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