Clayface

[Exaulted_Leader]

A lot of people died today. Why?

Because I just found a playset of Volrath's Shapeshifters I must've got in a Stronghold box way back when and just tossed aside.

I decided I may as well try and do something with them tonight. Why not - they looked like they might be fun little aggro sticks.

'Fun' and 'Little' were terrible descriptors. 'Hilariously' and 'Insane' are much more accurate.

Clayface

Critters

4x Volrath's Shapeshifter
2x Triskelion
2x Thorn Elemental
2x Minion of Leshrac
2x Archangel
2x Platinum Angel
2x Exalted Angel
2x Force of Nature
2x Lord of the Pit
2x Phyrexian Dreadnought
2x Darksteel Gargoyle
2x Polar Kraken
2x Juggernaut
2x Living Hive
2x Dragon Mage
2x Phyrexian Colossus

Artifacts

2x Scrabbling Claws
4x Aether Vial

Land

20x Island


Only one question: Why is Volrath's Shapeshifter neither banned nor restricted in any format!? IT"S INSANE! HILARIOUSLY INSANE!

When I built this, I thought it would flop like a dumb Elvish Piper deck. Then I arrived on the scene, started playing, and realized just what an altogether different monster the Shapeshifter was. Dare I say, a nigh broken toolbox of destruction!

I've never bothered to write an article anywhere before on any game or series of games I've played (and I've had some fairly successful runs in the past), but this was on an entirely different level. What happened is definately going to conjure my first article submission out of me.

I presently feel like a deity of some form. It's rockin'.


Are there better versions of cards I've included in this list (...keeping in mind that mana cost is fairly a non-issue). I know that Krosan Cloudscraper is bigger than either Phyrexian Dreadnought or Polar Kraken, but I just can't stand the fact that he doesn't have Trample...

 

[Oversoul]

If you think Volrath is broken, wait until you see it with Survival of the Fittest. And Survival just so happens to be left unbanned in the newly revamped Type 1.5. Perhaps you should give it a try...

 

[Spiderman]

I can't wait to read the article...

 

[Ephraim]

It looks like you've got a sweet array of creatures available for your Shapeshifter to mimic, but what do you do if you want a particular one? I think you might benefit from a smaller selection of creatures and some tools that help you dig to them faster. In particular, Entomb, Vampiric Tutor, Thought Courier, and possibly Undertaker all seem like they'd help your Shapeshifter be what you want it to be, when you want it to be it.

 

[Oversoul]

Originally posted by Ephraim
It looks like you've got a sweet array of creatures available for your Shapeshifter to mimic, but what do you do if you want a particular one? I think you might benefit from a smaller selection of creatures and some tools that help you dig to them faster. In particular, Entomb, Vampiric Tutor, Thought Courier, and possibly Undertaker all seem like they'd help your Shapeshifter be what you want it to be, when you want it to be it.

Survival is enough to do that job by itself. I was going to elaborate on that in a reply to the article, but someone did the job already...

 

[Mikeymike]

Are you familiar with the Flowstone Hellion/Dreadnaught combo?

Have the shapeshifter become a copy of the Hellion, activate its +1/-1 ability 9-11 times (don't let them resolve), pitch the Dreadnaught. Can become a 23/1 trampler if you wanted.

Survival of the Fittest works well of course, but so does Tortured Existence, allowing you to continuously swapping the Shapeshifter's ability for B.

Other strong creatures to consider:
Phage the Untouchable
Red/Blue/Black/White Bringer of Dawn
Reya Dawnbringer
Nicol Bolas
Wonder (which also decreases your dependency on flyers)
Merfolk Looter (digs through the deck, sets up your GY)

You don't need:
Force of Nature/Lord of the Pit/Minon of Leshrac...basically anything with an ugly upkeep.
Scrabbling Claws should be Withered Wretch.
Darksteel Gargoyle, unless you get the Tortured Existence in here.

Splashing/Running black for some recursion (I'm thinking Living Death) might not be such a terrible idea either.

Beyond that, you don't need so many creatures (you only need a few to kill, and frankly you won't have a difficult time getting them), but you do need some kind of card draw to ensure that you get your Shapeshifter. In here I like Fact or Fiction, Thirst for Knowledge, and maybe even Catalog for their ability to dig deep AND set up your GY.

AEther Vial is a nice backup plan. If you find it too slow, consider Quicksilver Amulet. The Vial should be solid though.

 

[Exaulted_Leader]

That's right. I know.

I know why they banned Skullclamp.


Devastator

Prepare for Extermination!

4x Skullclamp
3x Crookshank Kobolds
3x Crimson Kobolds
3x Kobolds of Kher Keep
3x Ornithopter

Constructicons, Merge for the Kill!

4x Volrath's Shapeshifter
2x Polar Kraken
2x Lord of the Pit
2x Phyrexian Dreadnought
2x Phyrexian Colossus
2x Platinum Angel
2x Thorn Elemental
2x Devouring Strossus
2x Phage the Untouchable
2x Force of Nature
2x Living Hive

Cup, Hot Rod - LOOK!

20x Island


I've borrowed a page out of T&N's original plan to get competitive: A lot of cheap (in this case, free!) 1 toughness creatures and a whole playset of Skullclamps. The poor man's draw engine (Survival is such a tremendous idea - but I just don't have any).

Why worry about ghastly upkeeps? All I do is pilot the inefficient beatstick into my opponent's life total, then switch to something else at the end of his turn (or maybe even in the middle of my combat phase, if it suits my needs). No need to pay all those nasty penalties.

The Crater Hellion idea is really solid... but it's a real one-shot, which really doesn't work-out very well when you don't own Survival of the Fittest.

 

[Homestar]

Oh my god, i just played that deck in MWS and it was a dream. Very nice Exaulted_Leader, i dont really have any suggestions cept for a little utility

 

[Exaulted_Leader]

Devastator

Prepare for Extermination!

4x Skullclamp
3x Crookshank Kobolds
3x Crimson Kobolds
3x Kobolds of Kher Keep
3x Ornithopter

Constructicons, Merge for the Kill!

4x Volrath's Shapeshifter
4x Phyrexian Dreadnought
4x Devouring Strossus
4x Polar Kraken
2x Living Hive
4x Phage the Untouchable
2x Scrabbling Claws

Cup, Hot Rod - LOOK!

20x Island


Just did a little refining with the creature selection. Scrabbling Claws just must be main-boarded, both to hose certain opponents and pull a few tricks off in your own graveyard.

 

[Homestar]

yes the claws would be good to dig down to the better creatures in your graveyard for the shapeshifters.

 

[Homestar]

maybe instead of some tiny kobolds, you could use phyrexian walker or sheild sphere.

Plus, if u use them, you dont have to sac as much to the dreadnaught.

 

[DeathMaster666]

The point of kobolds is to draw cards from the broken'clamp.

 

[Homestar]

oops, yea, forget i ever posted

 

[train]

Some of these decks run so well, i could only hope to 1st turn matrix...

 

[Exaulted_Leader]

Yeah, 1st turn Damping Matrix would shut me right up. As would my old Oath deck.

...But my shapeshifters are still really, really fun!

 

[train]

1st turn matrix is my best main deck trick against any 1 and 1.5 and 1.X decks...

If ...

IF...

It doesn't get "forced..."

 

[Oversoul]

Null Rod makes an obstacle for my Rectal Agony (which Chain of Vapor could solve), but Matrix thankfully lets the Moxes do their stuff...

 

[Exaulted_Leader]

I think Chalice of the Void is my favorite answer for expensive Vintage decks.

What? You only have Lotus and Moxen as mana producers?

Geez, how do you plan on playing all those cards in your hand without the ability to generate mana? ;P

 

[Oversoul]

Yeah, but about 100% of the good Type I decks have an answer to Chalice for zero, because it's too dangerous not to. No deck uses only Moxes and Lotus as mana producers because all decks need more than six mana sources in order to function.

That said, Chalice is annoying to fight around and multiple Chalices (for 1 and 0 each typically) are almost always game-winning.

 

[train]

yeah - gorilla shaman he's a friend of mine...

but meltdown is an even better friend of mine...