Tweak my deck: Merfolk

[Venton]

Hello all. This is my first post.
I don't get to play Magic very often these days, but I have a few favorite decks I usually bring out when I do play.
I started around the time Ice Age was out and the last full box of boosters i bought was torment. I still buy the occasional handful of boosters (lately it's been Time Spiral). I used to play in tournaments sometimes but i was never that good and I'm not nearly as competitive as most of that crowd; I was more into making goofy theme decks or seeing what kind of wacky stuff I could throw together.

I found this site a few weeks ago. "Casual players? That's me!"
I thought I'd start out here by asking for some deck advice.

I've had my Merfolk deck in some form for quite a while. Sometimes it works ok, sometimes it rolls over and croaks.
The starfish and oyster I put in recently just for the hell of it, but I haven't actually played a game with them. I used to have some cards to help with islandwalk but they never seemed to help that much.
What would you add, subtract or change around?

Creatures (19)
Manta Riders x4
Sanbar Merfolk x2
Darting Merfolk x2
Saprazzan Heir
Rootwater Hunter x4
Spiny Starfish
Giant Oyster
Lord of Atlantis x4

Other spells (19)
Unstable Mutation x4
Sunken City x3
Treasure Trove
Rushing River x2
Counterspell x4
Impulse x2
Fact or Fiction x2
Ray of Command

Land (22)
Quicksand x2
Svyelunite Temple x2
Island x18

 

[Oversoul]

Props for using Saprazzan Heir. It's one of my favorite creatures, even though I never use it myself. I also like Spiny Starfish, which works well with Tidal Influence, although that's a different strategy from the one you're using. Both it and the Oyster look kind of suboptimal in your deck, but most of the merfolk look pretty good. I always liked River Merfolk, which might help give you and edge against red decks as well as boost your offensive power.

I've seen a lot of merfolk decks use Sunken City, but I never cared for it. If it works for you, keep it in though.

The main weakness I see here is that it looks like you won't have much capacity to protect your merfolk as well as use them to outrace or overpower opponents. Four counters isn't enough to stop opposing spells from getting through and Rushing River along with your lone Ray of Command isn't going to allow you to control the field.

 

[Spiderman]

Welcome!

So you're expecting to play this against other casual players?

I would say replace the Ray of Command with a flat-out steal spell like Control Magic or Treachery.

Sunken City is okay, but maybe take one out and a Mutation and experiment with the various Mirrodin block Equipments that can pump up a creature.

I don't think you need the Temples in there, maybe just go with four Quicksands.

 

[Mooseman]

Maybe add Blockade Runner and Sigil Of Sleep for creature control

 

[Venton]

Thanks for the sugeestions all.

Props for using Saprazzan Heir. It's one of my favorite creatures, even though I never use it myself. I also like Spiny Starfish, which works well with Tidal Influence, although that's a different strategy from the one you're using. Both it and the Oyster look kind of suboptimal in your deck,

Yeah, I like the Heir. Unfortunately I only have one, otherwise I'd have two (maybe three). Like I said, the Starfish and Oyster I put in on a whim. They'll probably come out, though I'd like to play a couple of games with them just to see how they do.

I've seen a lot of merfolk decks use Sunken City, but I never cared for it.

I put the Cities in there as another creature pumper. I don't really like having two islands locked down just to give my guys an extra +1/+1 so I'll probably take them out.

The main weakness I see here is that it looks like you won't have much capacity to protect your merfolk as well as use them to outrace or overpower opponents. Four counters isn't enough to stop opposing spells from getting through and Rushing River along with your lone Ray of Command isn't going to allow you to control the field.

Ray Of Command is one of those cards I've always liked just for the surprise factor. I like Rushing River for the bounce, but of course that doesn't eliminate a threat. I can use it to save a couple of my critters but I should have more in hand to back them up anyway. I think I'll yank the Rivers. There's also Capsize, but six mana to get the buyback is a bit much until later in the game when I have lots of mana. I'll have to see if this deck can hold out that long.
There's so many choices for extra counterspells. Force of Will, Power Sink, Mana Leak. I'll have to rumage through my cards and see what looks good.

I would say replace the Ray of Command with a flat-out steal spell like Control Magic or Treachery.

As i said I like the "gotcha" factor of RoC. I used to have one or two Legerdemanes(sp?). While they need time to build up counters, they don't attach themselves to the creature like control. I don't remember why I took them out.

Sunken City is okay, but maybe take one out and a Mutation and experiment with the various Mirrodin block Equipments that can pump up a creature.

The Wizard site is blocked at work (bah!) so I'll have to look into that when I get home.

I don't think you need the Temples in there, maybe just go with four Quicksands.

I put the Temples in for early mana help, but I never seem to use the sac ability. I guess I'll toss them for more Quicksands. I'm thinking about hitting up eBay, or stopping by the game shop, to pick up a Maze of Ith...or is that too cheesy.

Maybe add Blockade Runner and Sigil Of Sleep for creature control

Need to look these up later.

Should I even worry about helping my guys with islandwalk when Lord Of Atlantis comes out? I used to have a couple of Pantasmal Terrain or (what's that 0/1 Merfolk that turns a land into a basic land of your choice?). Maybe Mind Bend?

 

[Oversoul]

I think I'll yank the Rivers. There's also Capsize, but six mana to get the buyback is a bit much until later in the game when I have lots of mana. I'll have to see if this deck can hold out that long.
There's so many choices for extra counterspells. Force of Will, Power Sink, Mana Leak. I'll have to rumage through my cards and see what looks good.

While Rushing River is a good card, my concern with it would be that you're paying three mana simply to bounce something. If you can afford to, you can also sacrifice a land for yet another bounce, which does make it versatile. But for most monoblue decks, I've always preferred Boomerang to Rushing River. And if you are mainly concerned with bouncing creatures, Unsummon or the Ice Age clone (I can't believe I forgot the name) are even better.

Capsize is more specialized. It tends to be excellent in control decks, but if this is a control deck, you'll need more cards that control the game.

As for the counters, if you actually have Force of Will, I'd highly recommend it. If not, the card is like gold nowadays, so good luck finding any unless you want to fork over some money for them (I have no idea how much it's worth now). The rest is up to personal preference. If you hate letting the opponent get card advantage, don't use Arcane Denial. If you hate giving the opponent a chance to pay 3 mana to stop your counter, don't use Mana Leak. If your opponents always seem to have more untapped lands than you, don't use Power Sink. If three mana is too much, don't use Dissipate. You get the idea...

The Wizard site is blocked at work (bah!) so I'll have to look into that when I get home.

www.crystalkeep.com might work at work. Or maybe not. I guess it depends on why the Wizards site was blocked...

I put the Temples in for early mana help, but I never seem to use the sac ability. I guess I'll toss them for more Quicksands. I'm thinking about hitting up eBay, or stopping by the game shop, to pick up a Maze of Ith...or is that too cheesy.

Up to you, really. If your land configuration isn't working out, you'd be the one to know.

Should I even worry about helping my guys with islandwalk when Lord Of Atlantis comes out? I used to have a couple of Pantasmal Terrain or (what's that 0/1 Merfolk that turns a land into a basic land of your choice?). Maybe Mind Bend?

Phantasmal Terrain is great against nonblue decks because you get to potentially hurt the opponent's ability to play spells AND you activate your islandwalking merfolk. On the other hand, it's practically a dead card against other blue decks. Tidal Warrior isn't quite as potent against nonblue decks, but it's not as useless against other blue decks.

Oh, and Sigil of Sleep is awesome.

 

[Spiderman]

I'd say don't worry about the Islandwalking for now. Just let the Lords pump up your guys.

 

[Mooseman]

For land walk use
Magical Hack Interrupt (U) 5th Edition (Rare)
Change the text of target permanent or spell by replacing all instances of one basic land type with another. (For example, you may change "swampwalk" to "plainswalk." If this spell targets a permanent, play it as an instant.)

Or
Mind Bend Instant (1U) 10th Edition (Rare)
Change the text of target permanent by replacing all instances of one color word with another or one basic land type with another. (For example, you may change "nonblack creature" to "nongreen creature" or "forestwalk" to "islandwalk." This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)

Both shouldn't cost more than $.50 each, maybe $1.00 at most

Sigil of Sleep Enchant Creature (U) Urza's Destiny
Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to a player, return target creature that player controls to its owner's hand.

Try http://www.essentialmagic.com/ instead of Wizards site. We have sites blocked at work all the time, but this one seems to be unaffected.

 

[Venton]

Try http://www.essentialmagic.com/ instead of Wizards site. We have sites blocked at work all the time, but this one seems to be unaffected.

Thanks, I'll try that. Just about any game-related site gets blocked at my job. Sucks.

I usually carry some extra cards in my big box of decks in case I want to "sideboard" some to see if they work better. I might add a couple of Mind Bends since it's a good slight/hack combo.
I don't know if I have Sigil (I didn't buy into Urza block very much), but it's a common so it can't be hard to get.

Reef Shaman was the creature I was trying to think of. He's not going to do much except make islands or block weenies unless he gets pumped up.

I have some Force of Wills. I don't know if four would be over doing it. I was looking up some other counters and Dismiss (draw a card) and Rewind (untap four land) look good but four mana seems a little steep.

I was looking up some Mirrodin equipment cards and Bonesplitter (C)and Scythe of the Wretched(R) look pretty good.

 

[Spiderman]

I'd use the Reef Shamans since they're more "permanent" than, say the Hacks, and can be pumped up by the Lords/Sunken City/any Equipment you might use.

The ones you mentioned are cool for this.

 

[Oversoul]

Ah, I'd forgotten about Reef Shaman. Tidal Warrior is the same for your purposes, but a 1/1 instead of a 0/2. Which one to use (assuming you use either) depends on whether you want the increased survivability of the Reef Shaman or the extra attacking point on the Tidal Warrior. Probably the Reef Shaman, but I don't know what kind of decks you're facing...

 

[Venton]

I used to have one or two Legerdemanes(sp?). While they need time to build up counters, they don't attach themselves to the creature like control. I don't remember why I took them out.

The card I was thinking of is Legacy's Allure. Now I have to see what Legerwhatever is. I know there's a card called something close to that.

I'm off to rummage through my cards and make some changes.

 

[Oversoul]

You're thinking of Legerdemain. It's a sorcery for 2UU that lets you switch control of one of your creatures with one of your opponents creatures or one of your artifacts with one of your opponent's artifacts.

 

[Venton]

Tentative changes

Out:
Sanbar Merfolk x2
Spiny Starfish
Giant Oyster
Sunken City x3
Rushing River x2
Ray of Command
Svyelunite Temple x2

In:
Reef Shaman x2
Force of Will x3
Sigil of Sleep (I only have one)
Legacy's Allure x2
Quicksand x2
2 empty slots

I hit up eBay for 4 Bonesplitters. I'll probably take out one mutation and put in three.

 

[Oversoul]

You may also want to try Curiosity.

 

[Spiderman]

The proposed changes look good to me, at least to try out.

 

[Venton]

You may also want to try Curiosity.

Yeh, I have a couple. I'm not sure if I should trade it for Sigil or go with one less Mutation... Hmm.
I was also thinking about reaplacing Darting Merfolk with something like Merfolk Looter for more card drawing. The Darting Merfolk were in there so I could bounce them when Mutation was about to kill them or to save them from getting killed/destroyed.