Mana Accelerators

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cbearsbro

Guest
What's the best mana accelerator to have in a deck (creature, artifact, enchantmet, sorcery)? And how much "space" do you reserve for them in your decks?

Creatures: I like the quirion elves, even though on most posts about decks I see llanowar elves more often. Their both 1/1, but I figure the extra filter can't hurt since I play two or three color decks. Are there any better ones?

Artifacts/Enchantments/Sorcery: Hmmmm too new to know a lot of em. (That and don't have $$$$$$ to pay for whatever the heck the mox thingies are that everyone loves :() But I like the Fertile Ground. Harrow seems a bit odd to me for some reason. I'd rather use Scouting Trek or Elfame Sanctuary. Keeps me from sac a land.

Ratios: No clue :( Advice would be helpful for a 60 card deck.
 

Spiderman

Administrator
Staff member
Sol Ring and Mana Vault are pretty good, but unfortunately you're restricted to 1 when you could use them, because they're THAT good... :)
 
R

Rando

Guest
Obviously, Black Lotus is the best mana excellerator ever printed, but for most people that's a moot point.

I'd say Dark Ritual is in second place, Moxes in 3rd, Sol/Vault tie for 4th, and all of the 1st drop green critters in 5th.

Does anyone remember an old deck from way back called Bayou Lightning? It was green/black beat-down and was fast, fast fast. 4 Dark Ritual, 4 Birds, 4 L. Elves, a sol ring, a mana vault and lot's O' fatties.

It's one of the few decks I've made that never got broken down after it's main cards rotated out. It was a lot of fun to play.

...Ahhhh, the good Ol' days...
 
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cbearsbro

Guest
Originally posted by Spiderman
Sol Ring and Mana Vault are pretty good, but unfortunately you're restricted to 1 when you could use them, because they're THAT good... :)
So THAT'S what restricted means! Kewl, thanks. Knew there had to be some kind of limit. Just never looked it up. Not a tourney player by any means :)
 
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cbearsbro

Guest
Originally posted by Rando
Obviously, Black Lotus is the best mana excellerator ever printed, but for most people that's a moot point.

I'd say Dark Ritual is in second place, Moxes in 3rd, Sol/Vault tie for 4th, and all of the 1st drop green critters in 5th.

GOOD LORD!!!! :eek: I just looked up Black Lotus. DAAAAAANG, no wonder you said it was moot. $$$$!!!!! Hmmmm... could buy whole sets and most silver age comics for that kinda $ :D

Seeing how I like playing black, I also like the dark rituals. Are people fond of the llanowar elves simply because they can drop first turn? Curious me :confused: Guess you'd use em for primarily Green decks, huh?
 

Ransac

CPA Trash Man
Actually, back when Lotuses weren't restricted, you could find them in every single deck. Now, that they are restricted and only type 1........you'll still find find in every type 1 deck as long as the person owns one.


Usually, though, the decks that dominate with lotuses were pro-dominately black. Imagine staring down your opponent with a first turn Juzam Djinn. THAT'S power.




Ransac, cpa trash man
 

Spiderman

Administrator
Staff member
Heh, I was thinking of more affordable, permanent mana accelerators...

the green guys are probably there just because they're first turn and at turn 2 you can get at least three mana.

Ransac: Harkening back to my thread that asked if it's better to put out a fattie or Mind Twist, imagine getting your hand stripped on the first turn...
 
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Daggertooth

Guest
I like to use Dark Rituals in my decks. A first turn hidden horror is alwayse good, especialy if the next turn you animate dead the fatty you discarded to the horror.

Mox Diamonds are also good. Plus there's a number of lands that come into play tapped that can tap for 2. Birds of Paradise and Utopia tree are great for multicolor mana acceleration. I've also liked the Diamonds from Mirage. I guess the Cameo's are good, But I think there a bit slow.

I'm not too sure about the ratio. I usualy just stick about 4-6 in a deck and call it good.

Daggertooth
 
M

Mundungu

Guest
Dark ritual is good, but limited to black players
First turn : swamp, Dark ritual, hypnotic specter stays one of the most feared plays in Magic.

Black lotus and moxes are great but out of reach of most players due to the cost.

Sol rings can be found more easily, as they were uncommon. Try to get one and just stick it in any deck.

The advantage of mana artefact is that they can be played by all colors.
-------

Bird of Paradise is certainly superior to lanowar elves and finds its way into many decks.

The lotus petal can also be usefull. Just find someone to give you some (they were commons).

Alltogether, Llanowar elves are the best compromise.
Cheap, easy to get.

And to come back to your comment, yes because they are a first turn drop, they are better.

Just look at it this way :
first turn : forest, elf
second turn : play another forest. You now have 3 mana available.

with the quirion elves :
first turn forest.
Second : forest elf.
Third turn : 3 mana, unless you played a land.
You win almost a turn by playing a llanowar elves as compared to a quirion ranger. Unless you need the other colored mana. But even then, you are better off with the bird of paradise and same "mana developpement than for the elf.
 
G

Gerode

Guest
Why is Harrow so much more popular than Fertile Ground? I find the cards to be very similar, both only having minor advantages over the other.
 
E

Elrond

Guest
Gerode: I think the main reason harrow's considered better than fertile ground is due to the fact that it searches for different kinds of basic lands which helps in Invasion a lot.

My favorite mana accelarator is probably BoPs or Priests of Titanias. I also think Fastbond's pretty good.
 
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Chaos Turtle

Guest
Also, Harrow thins your deck, and doesn't sit on the table screaming "destroy this land!"
 
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Sammy Dead-O

Guest
I like creatures for mana acceleration for the versatility. If you don't use the mana, at least you can still get some good out of 'em. I just wish red had more. Sisters of the Flame is the only one I know of...
 

Ransac

CPA Trash Man
My favorite mana accelerator is metalworker. He just beats monkey. An opportunity to get 14 colorless mana on one tap is too good.



Ransac, cpa trash man
 
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Dune Echo

Guest
Forget 14 mana, dude! With my all-artifact deck, I've been able to get out three Metalworkers in play by turn 6 and produce over 60 colorless mana. The decks main weakness is enchantments and creature swarm as well as artifact destruction (obviously) and counterspells.

I would consider the best mana accelerator to be Tolarian Academy. It's free, and if you have enough artifacts, it produces more than Black Lotus under the right circumstances. Yes, those circumstances have to include artifacts, but most artifacts produce mana too, remember. It's nice to be able to PAY for untapping a Colossus of Sardia without any worries... :D

Also, I remember opening it out of my first box of Urza's Saga and my jaw hit the ground. It was so obviously broken! I think that's the most broken mana maker of all time and the fastest.
 
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Azreal the Soulmaster

Guest
wow someone else who plays an entire artifact deck, yeah i'd definetly go with the academy
 
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