Casual anti-Threshold deck ideas

[Spiderman]

I'm looking to build one since my friend loves threshold. Doing a search on crystalkeep, it looks like black is the way to go with Planar Void, Carrion Beetles, Carrion Wurm & Rats, and a Phyrexian Furnace or two Maybe splash blue for Lobotomy and Bazaar of Wonders (just so I can use the card; I only have one). Haunting Echoes looks good but I don't have any Also perhaps Zombie Cannibal and Gravegouger.

Should I use spells like Coffin Purge, Cremate, Ebony Charm, etc or stick to the above reusable permanents (I think they're the best) and use those slots to support the above?

 

[rkoelsch]

You could try a few morningtides. that way your not devoting a lot of slots to it and they are easier to come by.

 

[Mikeymike]

Tormod's Crypt is a 0 CC artifact that removes an entire GY from the game.

And don't forget the evil that is Haunting Echoes (which probably doesn't pass as 'casual')

Eater of the Dead (The Dark) is a good critter.

Oh, yeah. Honor the Fallen from Masques is good too in that it gains you life in the process.

 

[Lotus Mox]

o_0

 

[Spiderman]

Well, I'm trying to use the cards I have. And Morningtide isn't one of them

I might try both Tormod's and Phyrexian Furnace; I was thinking the Furnace would provide a bit more consistancy since it stays around. But I only have two, so the Crypt might have to back it up.

I like Haunting Echos' effect, but I don't have any of those either

Eater of the Dead and Honor the Fallen are creature-specific and I was trying to get the "whole" graveyard with any spell, since my friend actually rarely has creatures in his graveyard. He uses a lot of blue cards that put cards in the library to the graveyard. Mudhole is actually a better choice though it's land-specific since he uses the Looter or whoever it is that Sacs a land, draw a card. However, I don't have any of those either

But if you guys have any more suggestions, let me know! I might have them, you never know

 

[rkoelsch]

In that case go black/blue because blue works well with artifacts
like tinker or soldevi mechanic. Be good to have Ichorid with a couple of the sacrifice creature effects.

 

[Spiderman]

Here's what I have so far:

3 Carrion Rats (all I have)
1 Carrion Wurm
4 Crypt Creatures
3 Gravegougers
4 Zombie Cannibals

3 Diabolic Edicts
1 Extinction
2 Bad Moons
2 Megrim
2 Demonic Tutors (casual)
3 Dark Rituals
3 Innocent Blood/Terrors

Since I don't have high requirements for mana yet, I'm thinking of going 22 lands, which leaves about 7 cards left. Should I stay with artifacts to fill it out and handle Iridescent Angel or splash another color like blue to counter the Angel? If I put 2 Nev's Disks in, that leaves just 5 slots. I'm also weak against flying; should I put in a Fallen Angel or Sengir Vampire or something that makes all of my guys flying like that artifact from Tempest block? No Wonders

 

[rkoelsch]

I'd go with fallen angel. also you have megrim in but no discard that I see so is that an antimadness feature? If you keep it mono black the disks definitely need to be in there.

 

[Spiderman]

Kind of anti-madness, more like defense against my opponent's Wild Mongrel, whatever Illusion that gives +4/+4 once per turn, Looters, and various blue spells like Predict and draw 2, discard 2.

Okay, looks like mono-black so hopefully the Disks and sacrifice creatures can take care of the Iridescent Angel and other untargetables. I'll think about the future slots.

 

[Spiderman]

Okay, here's what I ended up with:

1 Flowstone Sculpture
3 Diabolic Edict
3 Innocent Blood
1 Mind Stone
1 Magma Mine
2 Stalking Stones
1 Carrion Wurm
3 Gravegouger
2 Megrim
3 Carrion Rats
4 Crypt Creeper
1 Extinction
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Bad Moon
1 Phyrexian Furnace
4 Zombie Cannibal
3 Dark Ritual
1 Fountain of Youth
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
21 Swamp

I found a Rat's Feast and might use that, depending on if my creatures get through. Another Nev's Disk might go in for the Fountain of Youth too, or a Swamp if I get too much land.

Gonna try it tonight.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

By "that artifact from Tempest block" did you mean Skyshaper? I've never liked that card because its effect is purely temporary.

If you feel lucky, you could Ritual-Hymn and get rid of those madness cards before your opponent can pay the madness cost...
but that's a little risky.

 

[Spiderman]

Yeah, that was it. I don't like its temporary effect either so I was hoping for more permanent solutions.

The only cards my opponent really pays with Madness is the blue 1cc U draw a card, Madness draw a card. So it's probably not worth it yet.

 

[Spiderman]

Well, I played last night and it was okay (at least with multiplayer so attention was somewhat divided), but I definately was a target of Threshold Guy. Things I found with multiplayer with this deck:

I need card drawing. Not really wanting to put in Necro or Greed, I'm probably going to have to go with Jayamdae Tome.

Defense against fliers: Will O' Wisps

Another Megrim (if I have it) as my first got Ray of Revelationed and Threshold guy heavily used Merfolk Looter, Wild Mongrel, and the Illusion guy that pumps up once.

4 Carrion Beetles: Need a reliable way of getting things out of the graveyard without the need to attack, as my guys are needed for defense for multiplayer AND they're too small once others get stuff on the board.

Either replace the Innocent Bloods (or some) with Terrors to get rid of the Looter OR use Breeding Pit or some token maker so I don't have to worry about losing blockers. I'm probably going to try the Breeding Pit; it'll work well with Bad Moon anyway and could be a steady source of creatures.

The original deck might be good for 1 on 1 though since I wouldn't have to worry about leaving myself open to other players.

 

[NorrYtt]

Gravestorm. It ownz bonez. Especially in multiplayer, because you get to choose the guy with the smallest 'yard. In duel, it helps to augment with more graveyard hate.

Carrion Beetles is my best graveyard remover from experience. He is cheap, targets up to 3, reusable, and he can chump or swing as well, and just the threat is very good. U/G threshold can't kill it either as it slips under counters.

Creatures (22)
4 Zombie Cannibal
4 Carrion Beetles
4 Carrion Rats
4 Crypt Creeper
4 Nantuko Shade
2 Carrion Wurm

Spells (18)
4 Unearth
4 Chainer's Edict
4 Crippling Fatigue

4 Bad Moon
4 Gravestorm

Land (20)
16 Swamp
4 Polluted Mire


BTW, a well-built constructed deck should tear through Pulsating Illusions. A red burn deck can kill Looters and Illusions, as well as stuff like Steal Strength.

 

[Spiderman]

Okay, here's my revisions including some cards I got from Mikeymike and rkoelsch:

//NAME: Anti-Threshold
1 Flowstone Sculpture
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Mind Stone
1 Magma Mine
2 Stalking Stones
2 Megrim
4 Crypt Creeper
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Bad Moon
1 Phyrexian Furnace
2 Dark Ritual
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Royal Assassin
1 Steamclaw
2 Wall of Souls
1 Chainer's Edict
4 Carrion Beetles
2 Will-O'-The-Wisp
1 Ascendant Evincar
3 Planar Void
1 Sengir Vampire
2 Terror
1 Rats' Feast
20 Swamp
1 Jayemdae Tome

Most changes are what I said above, with the addition of Sengir and Evincar as my "big" guys and Rat's Feast. I decided to try it without Breeding Pit to see how it goes.

I took out most of the Zombies, Gravegouger, and Carrion Rats and Wurm as in MP, they didn't really help.

Going to play it tonight and see how it goes...

 

[train]

For the sideboard try gravestorms and planar voids... they kill anything dealing with the graveyard and with both in play - you draw extra cards every turn - Card advantage almost always = win...

 

[Spiderman]

We usually don't play with sideboards... and I'm gonna have to check on that Gravestorm, you're the second to mention it. I have the Planar Voids in there though

 

[Spiderman]

Nope, no Gravestorms...

I played this last night and it worked okay for two multiplayer games. Apparently when your opponents build their decks with an eye for threshold or flashback, you become a target So in a three player game, I was basically double-teamed (plus my removal or creatures didn't show up).

Then we played a four player, two team game and I was more successfully, despite having a mostly ineffective partner I got out Evincar fairly early which shut down one of my opponents pretty much (he depended on Merfolk Looters to cycle through his deck) and I got out my Vampire which continually got bigger by attacking my other opponent. I guess my Evincar slightly shut out my teammate since he was playing with Elves, but they never really showed up so it wasn't too bad.

 

[Mikeymike]

2 Diabolic Edict
1 Mind Stone
1 Magma Mine
2 Megrim
1 Jayemdae Tome
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Bad Moon
2 Dark Ritual
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Chainer's Edict
2 Terror

Critters
1 Royal Assassin
1 Flowstone Sculpture (hey, he's neat with all these madness cards nowadays)
2 Wall of Souls
2 Will-O'-The-Wisp
1 Sengir Vampire
1 Ascendant Evincar

Graveyard Removal
4 Crypt Creeper
4 Carrion Beetles
1 Phyrexian Furnace
1 Steamclaw
3 Planar Void
1 Rats' Feast

20 Swamp
2 Stalking Stones

Looking at the deck I feel like you are trying to do too many things.

The first card that I notice is Megrim. Sure its nice against Wild Mongrels and the like, but with you running not one discard spell you become completely dependent on your opponents to do damage to themselves. And if they've got an Arrogant Wurm in hand you can be sure they will cast it.

Next I notice Bad Moon. Its good with Monoblack, but I feel with 15 black creatures you aren't using it to its full power - especially since 5 of your creatures are strictly defensive.

Next is 14 (!) Graveyard hate cards. That's a whole lot, I don't think you need that many. You might be able to cut the Rat's Feast, but I don't know. A neat creature that kills Graveyard's is Eater of the Dead. He only hits creature cards, but he's still effective.

With you Planar Void's do you ever get to cast Chainer's Edict's flashback? If no, I'd replace it with another Diabolic or Terror. How about the Dark Rituals, would they be more useful as Cabal Coffers? And I see 2 Demonic Tutors, I take it your group doesn't use the Type 1 Banned/Restricted list.

 

[Spiderman]

Well, the deck is specifically geared towards the threshold player who uses Merfolk Looter, Obsessive Search, Wild Mongrel, and Pulsating Illusions. So I don't have to worry about my opponent not doing damage to himself They didn't come out in the two games I played though. Still, they're also provide a choice for the same opponent's Ray of Revelations, who then has to decide whether to use it against the Megrims or Planar Void.

Bad Moon: I see what you're saying, although it helps all of my creatures on the defensive end (especially my Wisps, as now they can deal some damage back). I could cut out one though, especially since I have the Evincar.

Graveyard hate: You think it's too many? I guess I have to play it more... to tell the truth, I needed more to come up. Planar Voids was the first to go against Ray of Revelation and Creeping Mold. My Beetles didn't come out early and often enough, and the Creepers are really there for blockers with the addition of removal. The Furnace and Steamclaw came up each game though I have only one of each, and they helped alot (especially as it seems none of my opponents have artifact removal). Rat's Feast was also good as I couldn't keep up with my threshold opponent, who was using 2 Looters and I only had 1 Furnace out. No Eaters of the Dead (although I'm thinking the Beetles will help there, if I get them out in time).

As I mentioned, Planar Void doesn't seem to stay in very long and I never drew my Chainer's Edict anyway I found out that my group does adhere to the restricted/banned list, so I'll have to take a Tutor out (I was thinking of putting a Pestilence in).