Bait & Switch

The Bait and Switch deck has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. It features a wide variety of "tribal" cards (cards that work with specific creature types) and a lot of cards that allow you to change one creature's type to another. When this deck has time to develop, it can win in very cool ways. The more you play, the more wacky interactions you'll discover.

The Mistform creatures are the pillars that hold up the whole deck. Each one can transform into any creature type you want. Turn one into a Zombie to regenerate it with Boneknitter, create Goblins to use with Cabal Slaver, or increase the number of Wizards you control to take advantage of Information Dealer. You can even make your Mistform Wall into a Beast so it can attack. If you can pull all these tricks and more with the cards in your own deck, imagine what'll happen when you face tribal cards in your opponent’s deck! If your foe is giving all Soldiers a bonus, you might as well have some Soldiers too.

The fun doesn't end there, though. You can use Imagecrafter, Mistform Mutant, and Trickery Charm to mess around with other creature's types. Your opponent who liked Soldiers so much might wind up controlling a bunch of Elves instead. This is where spells like Peer Pressure and Endemic Plague can be particularly devastating. Change creature types wisely and Peer Pressure will let you steal your opponent's best creatures permanently. If you're feeling more destructive, Endemic Plague can wipe out your opponent's entire army (after you make them all the same type, of course).

Bait and Switch doesn't deal well with fast decks because you need time to get enough mana to play your Mistform creatures and use your tribal tricks. If things go well, you'll be able to slow down initial attacks by trading early creatures or blocking with your Walls. More cheap creature removal spells like Smother or the Torment card Chainer's Edict can help reduce the early stress. And Voidmage Prodigy can really let you take control of the game. If you like messing with other people's minds - and creatures - you won't regret playing Bait and Switch.

#RarityCostCard Name
11LIsland
9LSwamp
2CBarren Moor
2CLonely Sandbar
4CBlue ManaImagecrafter
1C1 ManaBlue ManaInformation Dealer
2U1 ManaBlue ManaMistform Stalker
1U2 ManaBlue ManaGhosthelm Courier
3C2 ManaBlue ManaMistform Dreamer
4C2 ManaBlue ManaMistform Wall
2U3 ManaBlue ManaBlue ManaMistform Shrieker
1U4 ManaBlue ManaBlue ManaMistform Mutant
2U1 ManaBlack ManaBoneknitter
2U2 ManaBlack ManaCabal Slaver
1U2 ManaBlack ManaFrightshroud Courier
1C4 ManaBlack ManaFallen Cleric
1CBlue ManaTrickery Charm
1C1 ManaBlue ManaMage’s Guile
1C2 ManaBlue ManaIxidor’s Will
1R3 ManaBlue ManaPeer Pressure
1CBlack ManaMisery Charm
1C1 ManaBlack ManaCrown of Suspicion
1U1 ManaBlack ManaSmother
1U2 ManaBlack ManaFeeding Frenzy
3C1 ManaBlack ManaBlack ManaSwat
1R3 ManaBlack ManaEndemic Plague
* = from a previous set

 

 

 

 

Celestial Assault

Usually, white-blue decks are thought of as "control" decks: slow and creatureless, and not the beatdown lover's style of choice. But if you like to pound your opponent with hordes of Soldiers, the Celestial Assault deck is right up your alley. It uses some of the cooler abilities from white and blue-flying and combat tricks-to take over the battlefield.

Your flying creatures are hard to block and your Gustcloak creatures let you back out of combat if it doesn't go your way, so you should be able to constantly attack with an indomitable army. Just to make sure things go your way, Celestial Assault is filled with spells to protect your marauders. Blue surprises like Meddle and Mage's Guile make your opponent's tactics backfire. And white cards like Inspirit, Piety Charm, and Akroma's Blessing can each be used to either rev up your offense or bolster your defense.

The beauty of Gustcloak creatures is that sending them into battle is a can't-miss proposition. They give you - not the defender - the final say, so you can attack first and make decisions later. If a Gustcloak creature is unblocked or stopped by a smaller creature, great. If a bigger blocker steps up, pump up your creature (if you have the right spell) or just untap and retreat. Make your opponent call your bluff all day.

To make sure you don't run out of gas, use Airborne Aid and Seaside Haven to draw extra cards. Daru Cavalier and Screaming Seahawk let you seek out their twins when you play them, so they're especially good if you expect a mass elimination spell. Play one while holding the one you searched for in your hand, and you'll bounce back fast if the board is wiped clean.

There are quite a few Onslaught cards that would be excellent additions to this deck. Aven Brigadier is a natural fit since it gives bonuses to all your Birds and Soldiers and comes with a large flying body to boot. Mobilization lets you churn out Soldier tokens and allows most of your creatures to attack without tapping. With Celestial Assault, you have nothing to fear in combat - so go pick some fights!

#RarityCostCard Name
13LPlains
10LIsland
1USeaside Haven
2CWhite ManaGustcloak Runner
1U2 ManaWhite ManaPearlspear Courier
1C1 ManaWhite ManaWhite ManaGustcloak Harrier
2C3 ManaWhite ManaDaru Cavalier
2C3 ManaWhite ManaDive Bomber
1U3 ManaWhite ManaGustcloak Skirmisher
1U2 ManaWhite ManaWhite ManaGustcloak Sentinel
1R4 ManaWhite ManaGustcloak Savior
2U4 ManaWhite ManaIronfist Crusher
2C2 ManaBlue ManaBlue ManaAscending Aven
2C4 ManaBlue ManaScreaming Seahawk
2CWhite ManaPiety Charm
2CWhite ManaUnified Strike
1U2 ManaWhite ManaAkroma's Blessing
2U2 ManaWhite ManaInspirit
1R2 ManaWhite ManaOblation
2C2 ManaWhite ManaSandskin
1U2 ManaWhite ManaSunfire Balm
1C3 ManaWhite ManaDefensive Maneuvers
2C1 ManaBlue ManaMage's Guile
1U1 ManaBlue ManaMeddle
2C3 ManaBlue ManaAirborne Aid
1U3 ManaBlue ManaBlue ManaDispersing Orb
1U3 ManaBlue ManaBlue ManaEssence Fracture
* = from a previous set

 

 

 

 

Devastation

If stomping your opponent into submission with huge creatures sounds like your idea of a good time, welcome to the beefy world of the Devastation deck. All the ingredients you need are right here: big creatures, bigger creatures, and ways to get enough land to play them. Throw in some damage spells to eliminate your opponent's blockers, and you've got a recipe for a good whompin'!

While Beasts are obviously the main focus of the deck, you'll find most of them too expensive to play without a helping hand. One of the most important cards in the deck is Explosive Vegetation. Using it to fetch two basic lands from your deck and put them into play increases your mana resources dramatically. Wirewood Elf and Elvish Pioneer also help get your monsters on the table as quickly as possible. With the right draw, you can actually have six to eight mana available on your fourth turn.

Even if you do find yourself hurting for mana early in the game, you'll still be able to play most of your Beasts. How? You can play a Beast with morph face down as a 2/2 creature for only mana. Your opponent won't know how much of a threat your face-down creatures are, and some of them are cheaper to turn face up than they are to play from your hand. Imagine your foe's face when your 2/2 critter suddenly becomes a 7/6 Towering Baloth! If you need to, don't be afraid to use Barkhide Mauler's cycling ability to search deeper into your deck for land. You'll draw more Beasts later to make up for it, especially with the help of your Wirewood Savages.

Most of the Beasts in the deck can be swapped out for your own favorites. Consider Beasts with morph or cycling, which add variety without straining your resources. Krosan Tusker is a good choice because it provides land early or a huge creature late. Hystrodon is a 3/4 trampler with morph that lets you draw a card whenever it deals combat damage. And Ravenous Baloth is another 4/4 Beast that lets you sacrifice a Beast to gain 4 life. As long as it's big, it'll find a home in Devastation.

#RarityCostCard Name
9LMountain
13LForest
2CForgotten Cave
2CTranquil Thicket
1C2 ManaRed ManaRed ManaBattering Craghorn
1C4 ManaRed ManaCharging Slateback
1U4 ManaRed ManaSnapping Thragg
1R4 ManaRed ManaTephraderm
1U6 ManaRed ManaShaleskin Bruiser
3CGreen ManaElvish Pioneer
3C1 ManaGreen ManaWirewood Elf
3C2 ManaGreen ManaWirewood Savage
3C2 ManaGreen ManaGreen ManaSnarling Undorak
2C4 ManaGreen ManaBarkhide Mauler
1U6 ManaGreen ManaVenomspout Brackus
1U4 ManaGreen ManaGreen ManaGreen ManaKrosan Groundshaker
1U6 ManaGreen ManaGreen ManaTowering Baloth
2U1 ManaRed ManaChain of Plasma
1C2 ManaRed ManaErratic Explosion
1C3 ManaRed ManaSolar Blast
1U3 ManaRed ManaThunder of Hooves
1U4 ManaRed ManaÆther Charge
1C1 ManaGreen ManaNaturalize
1U2 ManaGreen ManaPrimal Boost
3U3 ManaGreen ManaExplosive Vegetation
1R5 ManaCryptic Gateway
* = from a previous set

 

 

 

 

Ivory Doom

Ablack and white deck? Evil and good cooperating? Inconceivable! Or is it? Obviously, the Ivory Doom deck is not your typical creature deck. Unlike the usual "weenie" strategy, which tries to overrun opponents with lots of early creatures but saves nothing for later, Ivory Doom has unique threats that emerge once the game has progressed. The Clerics interact in amazing ways, and with the right cards in play, you'll be virtually untouchable.

The key is making sure you survive long enough to reach the midgame. Use cards like Pacifism, Swat, and Smother to neutralize or eliminate your opponent's most dangerous threats. Since many of your Clerics do a great job of protecting themselves and each other, ration out your elimination carefully. For example, don't let an early 3/3 Beast scare you. Go ahead and let it hit you a few times. Soon you should have so many healers in play that your opponent can no longer safely attack. If you're patient, you'll have spells waiting in your hand to deal with any creatures that are truly fearsome.

Once your opponent's attack has stalled out, you can counterattack with your strong creatures. Doubtless One will often be an enormous threat that helps you gain back any life you lost while setting up your defense. Gangrenous Goliath is a relentless attacker that keeps rising from the grave. And you'll use both Cabal Archon and Starlit Sanctum to slowly drain your opponent's life away by sacrificing excess Clerics. The Archon and the Sanctum become even more deadly once Sigil of the New Dawn is in play since you'll be able to sacrifice the same Cleric over and over.

If you're looking to improve this deck, try adding some especially powerful Clerics like True Believer or Rotlung Reanimator. The Believer protects you from spells, and the Reanimator turns your dead Clerics into fresh Zombies. You could also try a mix of Clerics that works better against your friends. Are Goblins too pesky? Add another Foothill Guide. Zombies getting you down? Another Disciple of Grace or two can fix that. Who knew light and dark could work together so well?

#RarityCostCard Name
8Plains
8Swamp
4CBarren Moor
4CSecluded Steppe
1UStarlit Sanctum
3CWhite ManaFoothill Guide
2C1 ManaWhite ManaBattlefield Medic
2C1 ManaWhite ManaDisciple of Grace
3C2 ManaWhite ManaDaru Healer
2U3 ManaWhite ManaDoubtless One
1C4 ManaWhite ManaDaunting Defender
1U3 ManaWhite ManaWhite ManaAven Soulgazer
4C1 ManaBlack ManaDisciple of Malice
1U1 ManaBlack ManaHeadhunter
2U2 ManaBlack ManaCabal Archon
1U2 ManaBlack ManaBlack ManaCabal Executioner
1R3 ManaBlack ManaBlack ManaGangrenous Goliath
2C1 ManaWhite ManaPacifism
1U2 ManaWhite ManaAkroma's Blessing
1U2 ManaWhite ManaAstral Slide
1R3 ManaWhite ManaSigil of the New Dawn
2U1 ManaBlack ManaSmother
2C1 ManaBlack ManaBlack ManaSwat
1U2 ManaBlack ManaBlack ManaDeath Pulse
2C2 ManaBlack ManaBlack ManaProfane Prayers
* = from a previous set