Game 2 was a pretty much god hand for me. Kederekt Parasite, Mind Stone, Spiteful Visions then another Parasite and Font of Mythos. Wow.

(2-0)

(2-1 Matches, 4-2 Overall Games)

This deck can be really explosive, as a few examples above show, it’s really good fun to play. I’m happy with how well it played but I just wish it had some more game against aggro. I’d probably main deck three Kitchen Finks, remove the Rangers and a Howling Mine. Rangers can be moved to the board or possibly cut completely. There are already so many plays in the four drop slot and I rarely wanted to play it when I had it in my hand. Howling Mine is OK but Spiteful Visions and Font of Mythos are better for this deck.

The Font was a lot better than I thought, giving your opponent two cards first makes it seem weak but played correctly, such as after a Spiteful Visions and a Parasite for example, it can be devastating.

Reliquary Tower never helped me. I’d cut that for another Plains. I gave it a go and now I can put it back in its box. I’ll never touch it again.

Strangely, the Kederekt Parasite wasn’t amazing. I think a more control build could be made without him, playing a full four Underworld Dreams, but I don’t think it would be as quick.

Figure of Destiny wasn’t the powerhouse he normally is, perhaps it is because not all of my lands tap for mana to pump him. However, he is a red permanent and is probably is still worth the slot if you plan to keep the Parasite in. If not, he frees up room for more control based cards.

On to the second deck…

I think this card screams ‘Build around me!’ more than any other card in the set. I’m very tempted to use this with Shimmering Wings, a 4/4 flier for UU looks good. The problem with adding blue is that it is weak on the enchantment front. Most cards that could have been blue enchantments in shards block are artifacts instead (Cumber Stone and Mindlock Orb). There aren’t many blue enchantments in Lorwyn or Shadowmoor blocks worth playing except possibly Declaration of Naught.

A quick ‘Bombo’ Alert: Sigil of the Empty Throne + Enchanted Evening

I’ve heard a few people suggest making a deck with this ‘combo’, but it is a ‘bombo’. It just doesn’t work. Sigil of the Empty Throne triggers on enchantments being played. Enchanted Evening only affects permanents that are already in play. Therefore this doesn’t work.

The best white enchantments tend to be defensive, cards like Story Circle, Runed Halo and Oblivion Ring. I want to build around Sigil of the Empty Throne as much as possible so there won’t be much room for creatures. I think a mono White control deck is in order.

Enchantments (23)

4x Runed Halo

4x Oblivion Ring

4x Story Circle

4x Prison Term

1x Endless Horizons

4x Sigil of the Empty Throne

2x Mobilization

Support (13)

3x Idyllic tutor

2x Elspeth, Knight Errant

4x Wrath of God

4x Path to Exile

Lands (24)

2x Mistveil Plains

22x Plains

Sideboard (15)

2x Rule of Law

2x Greater Auramancy

4x Aura of Silence

4x Celestial Purge

3x Pacifism

The win conditions here are Sigil and Mobilization. Twenty three is a fair number of enchantments, so you should draw enough to make Sigil of the Empty Throne trigger often, especially if you play Endless Horizons and remove all land from your deck. Prison Term vs. Recumbent Bliss was a difficult choice. The life gain on the bliss could help you survive a while longer but Prison Term is just that much stronger otherwise, so it made it in. Elspeth creates blockers if played early and plays well with Mobilization so I thought it was worth the inclusion. Idyllic Tutor is a given, it is almost a Demonic Tutor in here!

Mistveil Plains is optional really, I don’t think it will hinder me much coming into play tapped and could put a card on the bottom for Idyllic tutor to search. I think I just like obscure lands.

The sideboard was quite difficult to make due to all the usual white sideboards cards being in the maindeck! Aura of Silence can deal with enchantments (and the mirror if someone else happens to be playing this!), Greater Auramancy can be boarded in against enchantment hate, Pacifism is for more creature heavy decks and Rule of Law can be quite favourable for you when Sigil is on the table.

So time to try it out….

I mulligan to six and get stuck on 3 lands with double Sigil of the Empty Throne in hand. I trade one for one for a while with Oblivion Rings and Prison Term but eventually his manlands get the better of me and I run out of removal.

(0-1)

My opponent takes a mulligan to 6 and I’m on the play. I start with two plains, my opponent starts with two Treetop Villages. I play Mobilization while my opponent plays another manland named Mutavault and a Wren’s Run Vanquisher revealing an Imperious Perfect. I have double Runed Halo and a Wrath in hand so I decided to play Runed Halo naming Treetop Village. My opponent plays another Mutavault followed by the Imperious Perfect he revealed earlier and swings for 4 with the Vanquisher. I have the option to Wrath but decide to hold back and try and get three for one or better and pass the turn. He animates a Mutavault and attacks with it along with the Vanquisher. I Path to Exile the Mutavault, giving him access to black, and forget to put in a 1/1 Solider into play with Mobilization so I take 4. He plays another Mutavault.

Things look bad for me. I have six mana and will remember to use Mobilization during his turn to make chump blockers, so I decide against playing Wrath again, hoping to nab another creature with it and pass the turn.

Thoughtseize.

I can safely say, not playing Wrath has now made this game heavily stacked in my opponents favour. He swings with two Mutavaults and Vanquisher, I chump where I can and take 3, bringing me to 9. I do the best I can to defend but next turn he lays a Llanowar Wastes, giving him his second black source to play Profane Commands for four, giving his creatures fear and making me lose 4, then swings for lethal.

(0-2)

(0-1 Matches, 0-2 Overall Games)

Hopefully, I won’t misplay that badly or that many times in the next games…

I lose the die roll and am on the draw. I take a mulligan and keep my six. The game starts slow, both playing lands with my opponent missing his third land drop. He hits a land on his fourth turn and plays Rhox War Monk. I have the option to Wrath, Path to Exile, Endless Horizons or play Elspeth while he is tapped out. I can’t really play Path to Exile knowing that he has already missed a land drop, and Wrath seems a waste, Endless Horizon seems risky with no fifth land in hand, so I play Elspeth and make a 1/1 chump blocker. As expected, he swings in with the Monk and I block. He plays a land and another War Monk. With one mana open, it is the perfect time to Wrath. I do so, then make a 1/1 Soldier with Elspeth.

My opponent seems to be top decking land as he plays another and passes the turn. I rip a land off the top and play a Sigil of the Empty Throne which is met by Negate. It’s unfortunate that the first time I get to play Sigil, it gets countered. Oh well. I swing with my vigilant token and make another.

He plays another land and passes. I attack with my two Soldiers and then I play Endless Horizons which is also Negated. My opponent finally plays a spell on his turn, laying Stoic Angel on the table whilst leaving mana for counter backup. I have another Sigil in my hand and odds are, if I land it I will probably win so I try and force the counter by using Path to Exile at the end of his turn on his Angel.

As I hoped, he Negates this too (how many negates does he have?!) and on my turn I play the Sigil of the Empty Throne. I put another token into play to join my army. He swings at Elspeth, knocking her down to five loyalty counters. I play Story Circle and my opponent lets the Sigil trigger resolve, so I put in a 4/4 Angel which he then Cryptic Commands my story circle and taps all my creatures. With him low on mana I Path to Exile the Stoic Angel now, hoping to untap all my guys next turn.

With my opponent not playing anything, I untap my creatures then swing them towards him bringing him down to 12. I put a Soldier in and end my turn. Again he plays nothing, so I untap and swing everything at him. He flashes in a Cloudthresher, bringing me to 18, him to 12 and blocks my Angel but still takes 5. I Prison Term his Cloudthresher and put in another 4/4. My opponent decides he wants to go to game two.

(1-0)

Nothing to side in…. really not liking my sideboard, although there isn’t much in White that I’d want right now anyway.

I’m on the draw again, no need for a mulligan this time. Nothing happens until he plays a turn three Rhox War Monk. I take my opportunity to play Mobilization. He swings for 3 and passes, I play my land and pass. He swings for 3 again, I attempt to Path to Exile which he Negates. I make a chump blocker instead.

I try to play Runed Halo but it has a run in with Cryptic Command. My opponent draws a card, then I Oblivion Ring his Monk. He misses his sixth land drop, while I hit mine. He is still without a sixth land, I make two Soldiers at the end of his turn.

Having just drawn a Path to Exile, I swing for two and pass the turn. He plays a sixth land and plays a Stoic Angel, with somewhat obvious backup mana. Just like last game, he falls into the trap of Negating Path to Exile, allowing me to play Sigil of the Empty Throne on my next turn. He did Cryptic Command my next Runed Halo, bouncing the Sigil but I play a Plains from my hand and replay the Sigil of the Empty Throne, much to his disappointment. A few enchantments later and my hoard of Angels and Soldiers are just too much for him to take.

(2-0)

(1-1 Matches, 2-2 Overall Games)

I’m on the draw and my opponent plays a turn two Bitterblossom. Knowing I have an Oblivion Ring in hand, I pray that he doesn’t Thoughtseize me but he does on his third turn. I reveal 4 plains, an Oblivion Ring, Elspeth and Path to Exile. He chooses Elspeth to my surprise. I use my third turn to Oblivion ring his Bitterblossom. He swings with the Faerie Rogue, then plays Raven’s Crime and retraces it. I discard two Plains. Low on cards, knowing he can make me discard, I play Prison Term on his Rogue token, knowing I can move it later if necessary. I really like plays like this, where I’ve effectively slowed my opponent down because he won’t play his large creatures now. I loved the ‘seal’ cycle for the same reason.

No one plays anything for the next turn. My opponent plays Scepter of Fugue and activates it so I let go of a Path to Exile. I draw a card and then play Runed Halo disarming the Scepter, hopefully protecting the Oblivion ring and Path to Exile in my hand. Unfortunately he retraces Raven’s Crime again, forcing me to discard my oblivion ring. I top deck Mobilization, a card that has been performing pretty well for me so far, and play it. My opponent plays a Mutavault. I draw a Plains and play it, putting me up to five, enough to cast any spell in my deck.

My opponent does nothing, so I put a 1/1 into play at the end of his turn. I swing with my little soldier so he animates his Mutavault, which I Path to Exile. I play the Plains I drew, so I have enough mana for two activations of Mobilization. My opponent still does nothing on his turn so I make another Soldier at the end of it.

I draw Oblivion Ring, swing for two and pass the turn at which point my opponent casts Unmake on his own token, putting my Prison Term in the grave. I expect to see some threats now and as expected, double Nyxathid. Lack of trample means my Mobilization can hold them off for a while, so I make two more Soldiers. I draw a Plains, keep it in hand and play Oblivion Ring on one of the Nyxathids. My opponent swings in with the 7/7, I throw one of my Soldiers to his death and make a new one. I swing for four on my turn, bringing my opponent to 10.

Honestly, it looks like I can win off the back of Mobilization here, but I wasn’t expecting an Infest to clear my board. He swings in with the now 5/5 Nyxathid, I make two more guys, one of which is thrown in front of Nyxathid and he plays another Nyxathid. I play Wrath of God, which makes my opponent decide he is ready to go to game 2.

(1-0)

I side in the Celestial Purges in place of two Prison terms and two Path to Exiles.

My opponent starts with a Mutavault and attacks me with it on his second turn. I choose not to play a turn two Runed Halo and pass. The Mutavault comes in again, bringing me to 16 and he plays Raven’s Crime so I discard a Plains. Not wanting to discard much more, I play Runed Halo and name Raven’s Crime. Again, the Mutavault comes at me and he drops a Scepter of Fugue on the table. I play Mobilization but it’s a bit early for it to put me in a good position.

He activates the Scepter on his turn, I let go of Prison Term. The Mutavault does its stuff and brings me down to 12. I play my fifth land and play Sigil of the Empty Throne and given he’s mono black I doubt he can remove it. He makes the same plays as last turn, this time making me discard Wrath of God and bringing me down to 10. I Oblivion Ring his Scepter and put in a 4/4 Angel beater, play a land and pass. He Unmakes the Angel and tries to hit me with Mutavault again. I make a token with Mobilization and throw it in front of it. I draw a Mobilization and play it just to trigger the Throne. Again he casts Unmake removing my Angel.

He Thoughtseizes me to take my last card: Path to Exile. He activates and swings with Mutavault but I put a Solider in the way. I top deck Idyllic Tutor, go searching for Story Circle and play it giving me an Angel. It is an impossible battle for my opponent now and he concedes.

(0-2)

(2-1 Matches, 4-2 Overall)

After my first match I was worried I’d lose all three, fortunately it worked pretty well in the final two games, with Sigil of the Empty Throne doing a lot of the killing. My sideboard was rarely used. I think I went overboard with the enchantments in it, forgetting about good sideboard creatures like Burrenton Forge-Tender.

Mistveil Plains were of no use, I think I should give up on playing kooky lands. I omitted Mutavault from the deck which was probably an error and I’d include them if I were to do it again.

Mobilization was better than I thought it would be, able to stall games as well as able to win them. I still wouldn’t play more than two though because unlike Sigil of the Empty Throne, have a second one is a dead card.

All in all, I quite liked playing this, pumping out 4/4 Angels is just fun. It has plenty of outs, and I think it can turn games in its favour quickly with cards like Wrath of God and Story Circle. It has a lot of virtual card advantage in cards like Sigil of the Empty Thone, Wrath of God, Mobilization and Endless Horizons. If you’re somewhat tempted to try this, I suggest it.

Let’s face it, no one wants to pay two mana of each colour for a creature, even if it is enormous with protection from everything, so let’s try and cheat it into play. Due to its "If Progenitus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Progenitus and shuffle it into its owner's library instead" clause on it, reanimation is out of the question. So what other ways can we cheat it into play?

Dramatic Entrance is a pretty good way, Deathrender is another option but requires me to kill my creature. Elvish Piper is a casual favourite and can get this behemoth into play easily. All these options require a fair mana investment so some acceleration would be good. I doubt this deck will be able to hard cast Progenitus if it were 5 colours anyway so I’m going for a mono green build.

Devoted Druid allows for a turn three Progenitus with Dramatic Entrance.

If that isn’t hilarious, I don’t know what is. The fact that you can do it at the end of your opponents turn is just that much cooler. If we play Llanowar Elf turn 1, Devoted Druid turn 2, we can play Deathrender Turn 3, equip it to the druid and kill the druid with its own ability! That’s two ways of cheating Progenitus in on turn 3. Sounds like a good start to me. Although Progentitus is the best creature to cheat into play, we can only play 4 of him. This means we’ll need a few other targets to cheat into play.

Woodfall primus is a big fatty with a big cost that can also be hard cast if necessary. Maelstrom Archangel is a big flier and if we cheat her into play, we can cheat others into play with her ability! I think eight is a decent amount of targets to cheat in, especially if we have Primal Command to tutor up a creature.

I really want to maximise the chance of turn three Progenitus; the aim of this deck is to pull it off, even if it is only once.

Mana Creatures (10)

4x Devoted Druid

4x Noble Hierarch

2x Birds of Paradise

Other Creatures (16)

2x Elvish Piper

2x Cloudthresher

4x Kitchen Finks

4x Progenitus

2x Woodfall Primus

1x Maelstrom Archangel

1x Regal Force

Other (10)

3x Deathrender

4x Dramatic Entrance

3x Primal Command

Lands (24)

24x Forest

Sideboard (15)

4x Guttural Response

3x Oversoul of Dusk

2x Cloudthresher

3x Naturalize

3x Scattershot Archer

Out of the decks I’ve made I feel this is the weakest and most ‘premade’ too. I have to devote at least eight slots to assist cheating creatures into play, eight slots for creatures to be cheated into play and 8 slots to acceleration. This is already two thirds of the deck decided for me and doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for other things.

The major problem with green is that it has no removal. I could splash White but seeing as I’ve played White in my last two decks and that I don’t have much room anyway, I’m going to stick to monogreen. With no back up plan and cards that need other cards to be good, I’m really dependant on my combo. As a general rule, I don’t like playing with cards that are bad but good with other cards. It’s generally not a good way to build decks but I’m sticking with building around Progenitus and this is the only way that I can see that is feasible.

I’ve decided to go with two Cloudthreshers main, he is an enormous body at instant speed and I can play him pretty early. I thought Primal Command could be used as a tutor for Progenitus, possibly buying me a turn with the 7 life gain or giving me a tempo boost by putting a land on top. Finks are strong and give me some early game, as well as their great stalling capabilities. Playing them turn two with a Hierarch seems like a strong start.

Building the sideboard wasn’t easy as there wasn’t a great amount of choice. Guttural Responses seemed obvious; forcing a Dramatic Entrance to resolve against control could be the game. Oversoul of Dusk can be cast early and can be a beating against the right decks. Naturalize is for dealing with enchantments like Bitterblossom and Oblivion Ring, perhaps even artifacts. Scattershot Archer looks like it was printed to hose Fae, so I’m going to try it out.

Let’s see if I can keep up the winning record….

Out of the three decks I built, I’d say that that Spiteful Parasites was probably the most fun to play, I loved looking at my hand and working out how much damage I can do to my opponent in a turn. I think Control of the Empty Throne is probably a little stronger than Spiteful Parasites though but not by much. Enter the Progenitus was great when it worked but it requires so much luck that if it doesn’t work, it dies quite easily. I wouldn’t really recommend playing it.

Overall my record was pretty good, 6-3 Matches and 12-7 in games. I’m quite proud!

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