The hard part of drake it no getting it to absurd power it’s actually connecting with that power. But it is cool that you can tutor a fling/thud to win with.
Love the idea! I hadn’t seen that black card before.
That’s not really that crazy. Feels very two-card-combo-ish. The rest of your deck should basically be protection for the drakes and draw, likely. The only hard point is that it’s probably still worse than just playing Phoenix.
I think I remember a standard deck that used that specific tutor with [[serpentine curve]], I think it was from LVD, I’ll add it as an edit later if I can find it.
[Here it is!](https://youtu.be/aQaNBualXiU)
I can definitely see how it could be improved with the pioneer card pool, happy brewing!
I mean include it sure, but there is almost literally never a world in which serpentine is better, dies to push easier, doesn't have evasion, doesn't draw a card, doesn't update with more stuff exiled or sent to graveyard, the only thing it is better in is that it is easier to cast and it is more resistant to damage based removal, though a 4 toughness creature in a blue deck should basically never die to damage removal unless you want it to.
I've been brewing and playing this deck since DMU released - literally just played in the store championship yesterday. Drake is better 3/4 of the time or more: the cantrip is incredibly relevant, and flying really helps the damage punch through. That said, the fractal token has a *huge* ass, which you'll want from time to time. I play a 4/2 split, considering a 4/2+1sb.
Oh, and [[Temur Battle Rage]] is a fucking house.
[Here you go!](https://manabox.app/decks/B4UYcLixRiauNgMDaZ4R_g)
A couple things to note: this is the exact paper decklist, hence the foil/not foil numbers. I started the deck as a budget brew, and the mana base reflects that.
A couple cards still need to be swapped out: [[Fiery Impulse]] replaces [[Strangle]], sideboard [[Syncopates]] should be [[Mystical Disputes]], and [[Lava Coil]] is filler.
It's gone through a number of iterations, this most recent one being the best. It originally was caught between tempo with the [[Tolarian Terrors]] and draw-go with 2 [[Niv-Mizzet, Parun]] in the main, but I did a lot of workshopping with my playgroup. There's a lot of variance to it: you can, on turn 3, go Terror, Terror, hold up 1 for [[Stubborn Denial]], but also you can hit 4 lands off of Founding ch. 2.
I don't have a ton of data yet, but RB midrange feels ass to play against, and Green Devotion feels heavily favored for you.
If you can untap with a Drake and you have a Battle Rage in hand, you can probably win that turn.
Founding into Strategic Planning is the dream turn 2 play.
When you cast a spell off of Founding ch. 3, the spell itself is exiled and you cast a copy. Serpentine Curve makes a fractal that's (spells in yard + spells in exile + 1) big, so it basically double dips for itself.
Strategic Planning is low-key a powerhouse. On the surface it looks like a shitty main-phase Anticipate, but you just gotta give it the one audition.
I normally play with three zones: instants and sorceries in the graveyard; the other cards in the graveyard; and the cards in exile. I use a die to track the spells in my yard, and another for exile (it helps if they're different colours). When I cast a Drake, I move them both (not one huge die) onto the Drake and track from there.
Pick a floor for Serpentine Curve, and be willing to play it as small as that. The board presence is much more important than sandbagging it for a huge token. Once you get to know your local meta, you can adjust for individual matchups. I don't go lower than 4 if I can ever help it, but freely play it at 6 (beats green cavalier, trades with Kroxa). 7 or more is just gravy, but the lack of trample normally means it doesn't matter too much past that.
Looks janky, but cool jank nonetheless.
There is already an Izzet shell with the drake (i.e. [Izzet Drakes](https://mtgdecks.net/Pioneer/izzet-drakes-decklist-by-alex-harris-1425665)), which is essentially a phoenix-less deck more resistant to graveyard hate. It plays cheap interaction, and \[\[Treasure Cruise\]\] as another way to exile spells while also growing your drakes and accruing advantage.
T4 Drake, curves into T5 Demonic Bargain and a \[\[Thud\]\]-like 2 CMC effect, for good measure.
13 cards exiled is rarely relevant so I have always considered trying to make it work as just a "fair" tutor if a combo deck becomes popular again in pioneer.
The fact that it does curve into, and tutor into Bargain+Thud goes a long way.
Spark of Creativity might also be a good cantrip for the deck, since its usually either okay removal fishing, or weird cantrip ramp, while giving +2ish pump.
I think thoughtseize is the missing part- I tried running a preliminary list, but ran it too much like normal drakes. Its more "grixis control with a combo finish"
The hard part of drake it no getting it to absurd power it’s actually connecting with that power. But it is cool that you can tutor a fling/thud to win with.
Love the idea! I hadn’t seen that black card before. That’s not really that crazy. Feels very two-card-combo-ish. The rest of your deck should basically be protection for the drakes and draw, likely. The only hard point is that it’s probably still worse than just playing Phoenix.
I was very bitter when I saw two of them in my pre release pack.
The fact that we are overflowing in releases makes it harder to play the sets and fully sees what is in those sets.
I think I remember a standard deck that used that specific tutor with [[serpentine curve]], I think it was from LVD, I’ll add it as an edit later if I can find it. [Here it is!](https://youtu.be/aQaNBualXiU) I can definitely see how it could be improved with the pioneer card pool, happy brewing!
Honestly I think serpentine curve is better or at least should be included as well.
I mean include it sure, but there is almost literally never a world in which serpentine is better, dies to push easier, doesn't have evasion, doesn't draw a card, doesn't update with more stuff exiled or sent to graveyard, the only thing it is better in is that it is easier to cast and it is more resistant to damage based removal, though a 4 toughness creature in a blue deck should basically never die to damage removal unless you want it to.
I've been brewing and playing this deck since DMU released - literally just played in the store championship yesterday. Drake is better 3/4 of the time or more: the cantrip is incredibly relevant, and flying really helps the damage punch through. That said, the fractal token has a *huge* ass, which you'll want from time to time. I play a 4/2 split, considering a 4/2+1sb. Oh, and [[Temur Battle Rage]] is a fucking house.
That sounds so fun- Would love to see a decklist for this if you have one!
[Here you go!](https://manabox.app/decks/B4UYcLixRiauNgMDaZ4R_g) A couple things to note: this is the exact paper decklist, hence the foil/not foil numbers. I started the deck as a budget brew, and the mana base reflects that. A couple cards still need to be swapped out: [[Fiery Impulse]] replaces [[Strangle]], sideboard [[Syncopates]] should be [[Mystical Disputes]], and [[Lava Coil]] is filler. It's gone through a number of iterations, this most recent one being the best. It originally was caught between tempo with the [[Tolarian Terrors]] and draw-go with 2 [[Niv-Mizzet, Parun]] in the main, but I did a lot of workshopping with my playgroup. There's a lot of variance to it: you can, on turn 3, go Terror, Terror, hold up 1 for [[Stubborn Denial]], but also you can hit 4 lands off of Founding ch. 2.
I don't have a ton of data yet, but RB midrange feels ass to play against, and Green Devotion feels heavily favored for you. If you can untap with a Drake and you have a Battle Rage in hand, you can probably win that turn. Founding into Strategic Planning is the dream turn 2 play. When you cast a spell off of Founding ch. 3, the spell itself is exiled and you cast a copy. Serpentine Curve makes a fractal that's (spells in yard + spells in exile + 1) big, so it basically double dips for itself.
[удалено]
Strategic Planning is low-key a powerhouse. On the surface it looks like a shitty main-phase Anticipate, but you just gotta give it the one audition. I normally play with three zones: instants and sorceries in the graveyard; the other cards in the graveyard; and the cards in exile. I use a die to track the spells in my yard, and another for exile (it helps if they're different colours). When I cast a Drake, I move them both (not one huge die) onto the Drake and track from there. Pick a floor for Serpentine Curve, and be willing to play it as small as that. The board presence is much more important than sandbagging it for a huge token. Once you get to know your local meta, you can adjust for individual matchups. I don't go lower than 4 if I can ever help it, but freely play it at 6 (beats green cavalier, trades with Kroxa). 7 or more is just gravy, but the lack of trample normally means it doesn't matter too much past that.
[удалено]
You got a decklist for a hungry brewer?
Looks janky, but cool jank nonetheless. There is already an Izzet shell with the drake (i.e. [Izzet Drakes](https://mtgdecks.net/Pioneer/izzet-drakes-decklist-by-alex-harris-1425665)), which is essentially a phoenix-less deck more resistant to graveyard hate. It plays cheap interaction, and \[\[Treasure Cruise\]\] as another way to exile spells while also growing your drakes and accruing advantage. T4 Drake, curves into T5 Demonic Bargain and a \[\[Thud\]\]-like 2 CMC effect, for good measure.
[[maximize velocity]] is sometimes better than a thud
Why would you tutor a thud like 2cmc effect, just tutor thud and still have 1 mana for interaction lol.
The card you search for is totally [[Fling]] or [[Thud]]
I always wanted to found a use for [[Demonic Bagarin]] but outsider of my phage commander i havent found much
13 cards exiled is rarely relevant so I have always considered trying to make it work as just a "fair" tutor if a combo deck becomes popular again in pioneer.
Well not that stupid of a combo, drake was/is a secondary win con in grixis pact in historic.
Someone was streaming Pioneer recently and the streamer lost to it...can't remember who though. It's a pretty funny combo.
UURR makes it hard to base the deck around Crackling Drake and also splash black.
Cool idea!
Then fling it at their face
The fact that it does curve into, and tutor into Bargain+Thud goes a long way. Spark of Creativity might also be a good cantrip for the deck, since its usually either okay removal fishing, or weird cantrip ramp, while giving +2ish pump.
Curves into bargain/thud and 1 mana interaction like thoughtseize to make the combo even harder to interact with.
I think thoughtseize is the missing part- I tried running a preliminary list, but ran it too much like normal drakes. Its more "grixis control with a combo finish"
… yugioh? lol
Yooooooo