Doran or Rafiq?

Black - removal
Blue - counters

~MM

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CM Punk "OMG Kevin Nash WTF, thought he was dead, LOL"

The best removal is white anyway.

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Originally posted by MeddlingMage:
Better general and why.

Doran or Rafiq?

Black - removal
Blue - counters

~MM

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Are you looking to win or to have fun? If to win, Rafiq. If to have fun, Doran.

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Originally posted by Devonin:
The problem with Rafiq (And I do play a Rafiq EDH deck myself) is that to really get the full effect from him, you have to overextend. You need a big enough threat out either with haste or a turn earlier with some kind of evasion for him to boost into really ridiculous things, and if you aren't already sitting on a lightning greaves, or champion's helm to cover him up, or have countermagic back, he pretty much never lives to see an attack phase.

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If you have one fatty out in play already. Rafiq has an impact when he hits play. Opponents aren't going wrath one creature. He also works well with man-lands (inkmoth nexus)!

Anyone else want to weigh in on the Doran vs Rafiq question I asked?

~MM

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CM Punk "OMG Kevin Nash WTF, thought he was dead, LOL"

And if my general were in the grave with Karador in play I pay the normal cost to cast, without the extra 2 colorless, yeah?

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Originally posted by keywacat:
If your general dies do you have the option of letting him / her / it go to the grave rather than the command zone? And if you do, does it reset the casting cost + 2(n) mana cost for coming out of the command zone?

And if my general were in the grave with Karador in play I pay the normal cost to cast, without the extra 2 colorless, yeah?

Cheers for the answers;
keywacat

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Yes, you have the option of letting a general go to the graveyard instead of the command zone. However, the +2 modifier can never be reset in the game. It will always cost extra to re-cast it from the command zone for each time beyond the first.

The +2 modifier to the cost only applies when playing your general from the command zone. If played from your graveyard or from your hand, you just pay the normal mana cost.

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Necro/Bargain/Null Profusion/Recycle
Aluren/etc.

Magus/Vineyard/Shizuko/ManaRamp

Quillspike/Devoted Druid/Rite of Consumption

Favorite part though is Cadaverous Bloom/Squandered Resources powering into a Drain Life/Soul Burn/Exsanguinate

Zedruu/Ruhan-slow but fun

Was also thinking about building the following:

Lin Sivvi Unfair general?
I wouldn't think so, but it seems fun to me. I miss rebels.
Feel like it could be good - play every white rebel. Have some destruction (STP, Crib Swap, Bound in Silence, etc.) Play a few changelings (mirror entity) - Honor the Pure, Crusade, Glorious Anthem, etc. Land Tax, Tithe. Throw in "creatures of chosen-type get +1/+1:, coat of arms...

Merfolk
But who to have at the helm?
Straight blue: Ambassador Laquatus or Empress Galina
Blue-White: Sygg, River Guide
Blue-Black: Sygg, River Cutthroat

I feel like Sygg, River Guide would be best because of influence of Merfolk in white in Lorwyn block, but I love Empress Galina. Just afraid Blue/White will just be too similar to my WUr Zedruu.

Thoughts on all of the above?

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Originally posted by choco man:
At which point does Miren cost to much to use, and you breakdown and buy Diamond Valley?

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When Diamond Valley was $50 it was a lot easier to swallow. But right now, I'd have to say you would need to be running a deck that really, really wants a free creature sac. outlet on a land to pony up for it. I remember picking one up for Doran for $45 around the time RoE released and while it was worth it, there is no way I would pay $80 for a Valley for that deck.

It also makes Pattern of Rebirth, Game Keeper, Academy Rector and Woodfall Primus much better.

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Originally posted by NukeMoose:
I run Diamond Valley, Phyrexian Tower and High Market in my Child of Alara deck. All three are excellent as they don't have a tax on their abilities like Miren. It's very important to be able to cast your spells while leaving one land untapped ready to clear the board at any time.

It also makes Pattern of Rebirth, Game Keeper, Academy Rector and Woodfall Primus much better.

Valley is much better than Miren, but I guess the context of the deck is important. And how much better it is relating to how much you're able to afford is a call I can't make.

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I agree with Valley being better than Miren. With Miren and Valley both being MUCH better than High Market. Life gain is no joke when games are always competitive.

Price isn't that much of an issue. Just at what point is your deck using Miren so much, that Valley just becomes MUCH better than Miren. At least Miren makes mana on its own.

Just at which point is Valley > Miren, by the same amount as Miren > High Market.

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Originally posted by choco man:
I agree with Valley being better than Miren. With Miren and Valley both being MUCH better than High Market. Life gain is no joke when games are always competitive.

Price isn't that much of an issue. Just at what point is your deck using Miren so much, that Valley just becomes MUCH better than Miren. At least Miren makes mana on its own.

Just at which point is Valley > Miren, by the same amount as Miren > High Market.

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Originally posted by FleeceItOut:
whats the sickest duo i can return with the mimeoplasm

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It really depends on the game state. Sometimes the graveyards of other players offer better targets than your BUG color scheme could allow.

T1-Land, Sol Ring, Izzet Signet
T2-Land, Gilded Lotus, Voltaic Key
T3-Land, Bolas from Command Zone
T4-Swing with Bolas, he gets hit by StP

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quote:

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Originally posted by choco man:
I agree with Valley being better than Miren. With Miren and Valley both being MUCH better than High Market. Life gain is no joke when games are always competitive.

Price isn't that much of an issue. Just at what point is your deck using Miren so much, that Valley just becomes MUCH better than Miren. At least Miren makes mana on its own.

Just at which point is Valley > Miren, by the same amount as Miren > High Market.

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I think Miren is the worst of the 4 options for "sacrifice a creature" lands. I've thought about running it for the 4th option, but so far my deck has been fine finding one so I haven't tested it. I think you're better off running another land tutor (Sylvan Scrying, Expedition Map, Reap and Sow, Tolaria West, Crop Rotation, Prime Titan) if you want that effect.

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Originally posted by NukeMoose:
I think Miren is the worst of the 4 options for "sacrifice a creature" lands. I've thought about running it for the 4th option, but so far my deck has been fine finding one so I haven't tested it. I think you're better off running another land tutor (Sylvan Scrying, Expedition Map, Reap and Sow, Tolaria West, Crop Rotation, Prime Titan) if you want that effect.

If you are after the life aspect, then I'm not sure what to tell you as I don't have much experience with that. I like the life Valley gives me but I enjoy the speed of cheating things out much more.

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What's the 4th option that I'm missing?

High Market helps you do stuff like Nim Deathmantle faster than Miren. But for my deck, I'm after the life gain aspect more than anything else.

quote:

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Originally posted by choco man:
What's the 4th option that I'm missing?

High Market helps you do stuff like Nim Deathmantle faster than Miren. But for my deck, I'm after the life gain aspect more than anything else.

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