The Essential Update!

[kerbythepurplecow]

Okay, lots to update. First, updated deck list. This doesn't reflect our land discussions. Otherwise, it's been updated to reflect the changes you suggested. I didn't feel any need to argue about them as they seem to be good changes.

Behemoth Sledge
Bosh, Iron Golem
Citanul Flute
Crucible of Worlds
Darksteel Colossus
Darksteel Sentinel
Etched Oracle
Expedition Map
Fellwar Stone
Gilded Lotus
Memory Jar
Mind's Eye
Mox Crystal
Mox Diamond
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Saphire
Nevinyrral's Disk
Panoptic Mirror
Scroll Rack
Sensei's Divining Top
Skullclamp
Sol Ring
Solemn Simulacrum
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Vengeance
Sunforger
Tawnos's Coffin
Umezawa's Jitte
Vedalken Orrery

All is Dust
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre

Academy Ruins
Arid Mesa
Badlands
Bayou
Blood Pit
Bloodstained Mire
Bojuka Bog
Breeding Pool
Emeria, the Sky Ruin
Exotic Orchard
Flagstones of Trokair
Flooded Strand
Forbidden Orchard
Forest -10
Godless Shrine
Hallowed Fountain
Island - 8
Karakas
Kor Haven
Krosan Verge
Lavaclaw Reaches
Library of Alexandria
Llanowar Reborn
Marsh Flats
Maze of Ith
Misty Rainforest
Mountain - 5
Murmuring Bosk
Nimbus Maze
Overgrown Tomb
Petrified Field
Plains - 9
Plateau
Polluted Delta
Reflecting Pool
Sacred Foundry
Savannah
Scalding Tarn
Scrubland
Steam Vents
Stomping Ground
Strip Mine
Swamp - 6
Taiga
Temple Garden
Terramorphic Expanse
Tolaria West
Tropical Island
Tundra
Underground Sea
Urborg
Verdant Catacombs
Vesuva
Volcanic Island
Volrath's Stronghold
Wasteland
Watery Grave
Windswept Heath
Wooded Foothills
Yavimaya Hollow
Zoetic Cavern

Avatar of Woe
Bane of the Living
Contract from Below
Damnation
Decree of Pain
Demonic Tutor
Diabolic Tutor
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
Exsanguinate
Guiltfeeder
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Living Death
Mortivore
Oversold Cemetary
Recurring Nightmare
Sudden Death
Suffer the Past
Tortured Existence
Vampiric Tutor
Yawgmoth's Will

Allied Strategies
Ancestral Recall
Ancestral Vision
Arcanis the Omnipotent
Bribery
Bringer of the Blue Dawn
Compulsion
Cunning Wish
Draining Whelk
Drift of Phantasms
Fact or Fiction
Future Sight
Gifts Ungiven
Intuition
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Leyline of Anticipation
Mystical Teachings
Mystical Tutor
Recurring Insight
Rite of Replication
Sphinx of Magosi
Stroke of Genius
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Time Reversal
Time Spiral
Time Walk
Timetwister
Tinker
Trinket Mage
Willbender
Wonder

Anathemancer
Brion Strongarm
Conflux
Eladamri's Call
Fight to the Death
Hellkite Overlord
Hull Breach
Jund Charm
Knight of the Reliquary
Madrush Cyclops
Maelstrom Nexus
Maelstrom Pulse
Meglonoth
Mirari's Wake
Mystic Enforcer
Oros, the Avenger
Pernicious Deed
Prince of Thralls
Putrefy
Rafiq of the Many
Sarkhan Vol
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Simic Sky Swallower
Sol'kanar the Swamp King
Spiritmonger
Sterling Grove
Teneb, the Harvester
Terminate
Vhati il-Dal
Vindicate
Vulturous Zombie
Wrexial, the Risen Deep

Fire/Ice

Acidic Slime
All Suns' Dawn
Birds of Paradise
Chameleon Colossus
Cultivate
Defense of the Heart
Eternal Witness
Genesis
Genesis Wave
Hermit Druid
Hibernation's End
Joiner Adept
Kodama's Reach
Krosan Tusker
Life from the Loam
Living Wish
Nantuko Vigilante
Nostalgic Dreams
Pattern of Rebirth
Primeval Titan
Prismatic Omen
Protean Hulk
Raking Canopy
Realms Uncharted
Recollect
Regrowth
Restock
Scapeshift
Shard Convergence
Silklash Spider
Silvos, Rogue Elemental
Spike Weaver
Survival of the Fittest
Sylvan Library
Sylvan Scrying
Terastodon
Thornscape Battlemage
Tooth and Nail
Wall of Blossoms
Yavimaya Elder

Akroma, Angel of Fury
Anger
Arc-slogger
Burning Wish
Flameblast Dragon
Flametounge Kavu
Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
Magmaw
Rakavolver
Recoup
Stigma Lasher
Wheel of Fortune

Academy Rector
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Akroma's Vengeance
Balance
Commander Eesha
Crib Swap
Deathless Angel
Decree of Justice
Dismantling Blow
Enlightened Tutor
Eternal Dragon
Exalted Angel
Glory
Hallowed Burial
Indomitable Ancients
Land Tax
Marshal's Anthem
Martial Coup
Oblation
Orim's Thunder
Path to Exile
Pristine Angel
Reya, Dawnbringer
Rout
Spirit of the Hearth
Stoneforge Mystic
Stonehewer Giant
Sun Titan
Sunblast Angel
Swords to Plowshares
Tithe
Weathered Wayfarer
Wing Shards
Wrath of God

[kerbythepurplecow]

Okay, with that stuff worked out, on to the lands.

I have been trying to minimize CIPT lands since they can slow the deck down so much. I made an exception for Bojuka Bog because I thought the effect was well worth it. As for the rest of that cycle, Halimar Depths seems like it might be worth it, but I'm underwhelmed by the others.

CIPT lands:
Bojuka Bog
Shock Duals
Emeria
Krosan Verge
Lavaclaw Reaches
Llanowar Reborn
Tolaria West
Vesuva

The weakest on that list are Bojuka and Llanowar Reborn, but they're good. Should I slow down for a plant?

Rupture Spire seems great if I can drop it on the 2nd turn. After I fix my mana, won't it be a resource draw? CIPT and costs me a mana?

New Maze seems decent. More expensive than Kor Haven, but Maze effects are worthwhile. I like that Prahv prevents any source. That seems really good. I am wary of the mana investment to use either.

As for Sun Quan, we have not yet discussed him for the Essentials. He should probably get a spot. He wins games. There's lots of creatures he could replace. Oros? Chameleon Colossus?

[TheAbe]

Okay, with that stuff worked out, on to the lands.

I have been trying to minimize CIPT lands since they can slow the deck down so much. I made an exception for Bojuka Bog because I thought the effect was well worth it. As for the rest of that cycle, Halimar Depths seems like it might be worth it, but I'm underwhelmed by the others.

CIPT lands:
Bojuka Bog
Shock Duals
Emeria
Krosan Verge
Lavaclaw Reaches
Llanowar Reborn
Tolaria West
Vesuva

The weakest on that list are Bojuka and Llanowar Reborn, but they're good. Should I slow down for a plant?

Rupture Spire seems great if I can drop it on the 2nd turn. After I fix my mana, won't it be a resource draw? CIPT and costs me a mana?

New Maze seems decent. More expensive than Kor Haven, but Maze effects are worthwhile. I like that Prahv prevents any source. That seems really good. I am wary of the mana investment to use either.

As for Sun Quan, we have not yet discussed him for the Essentials. He should probably get a spot. He wins games. There's lots of creatures he could replace. Oros? Chameleon Colossus?

I agree that it's time for Oros to take a break, head to the sidelines, and drink some Gatorade.

Since you have a lot of cards that need three or four mana of a color, I think we can;t refuse Rupture Spire. Even with some duels, it helps. Tapping for every color is too important not to play, even with a little tempo loss.

[TheAbe]

Does Treasure Mage warrant a spot?







This one is obvious:






Also obvious





What about this?






This outclasses Mortivore easily





And what about this?

[kerbythepurplecow]

Treasure Mage only tutors for Bosh, DSC, and likely that there BSC.

BSC, yes please.

Sphinx, double yes please. Although he'll never last long. Like a 6 mana duress for removal

Rebirth seems nice. I like wraths that offer tricks since we aren't short of availability.

Mortivore still regenerates. Without that, he'd just be another big/big with no evasion. This is good too though. The equipping gives it that edge that regeneration gives mortivore. I'd rather have both than either/or.

Black Sun is interesting. That X gives a lot of leeway to play.

[TheAbe]

I'm sure no one else will want this, but I like it:

[cmorndorf]

BSC is obvious, so do we replace DSC with BSC? One more mana and a whole lot better...

[TheAbe]

THIS IS MEGA NASTY. Seriously.






Another:


Better than Sheild of Kaldra by a ton:

[kerbythepurplecow]

Holy shit! That plate is amazing and damned cheap.

The Councel.... if you can cast that... :O :O words... there are none.

[TheAbe]

what's the essentials plan post-California? Are we keeping the band together?

There are going to be some nifty Commander cards that will need to be added as well.