Our final installment has arrived and mourning has begun, for what once was Spring has now gone to Winter. Friday has arrived, and with it, the ending of our travels. As mentioned in yesterday’s article, I try to get several different types of decks into each daily series. This time, the one type I’ve missed is the silly, wacky uber-casual deck.
These decks are not for the weak of heart. Despite their casualness, they are difficult to play. Play one, and you can be teased into oblivion. Other decks can steamroll your uber-casual deck, thereby creating a play-situation that’s not nearly as fun as one had hoped.
Therefore, it is my goal to warn any potential players. Scoff at this sort of deck if you’d like, but they really are a challenge to play.
Now, all I need is a wacky theme. I’ve just returned from a trip to London, so it seems appropriate that I herald that journey here.
We Were In London
The Tower of London
1 Tower Drake
1 Tower of the Magistrate
1 Tower of Champions
1 Castle
The British Museum
1 Tawnos’s Coffin
1 Library of Leng
1 Serrated Arrows
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Copper Tablet
1 Astrolabe
1 Veldaken Orrery
The London Underground
1 Musician
1 Cave People
1 Cavern Crawler
Big Ben
1 Clock of Omens
1 Clockwork Beast
The London Eye
1 Wheel of Torture
Cleopatra’s Needle
1 Obelisk of Undoing
The Royal Observatory
1 Armageddon Clock
Various Churches (St. Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, St. Mary’s, etc)
1 Aysen Abbey
1 Abbey Matron
1 Clergy of the Holy Nimbus
1 Abbey Gargoyles
1 Granite Gargoyle
1 Leering Gargoyle
1 Opal Gargoyle
1 Ivory Gargoyle
Buckingham Palace
1 Honor Guard
1 Elfhame Palace
Trafalgar Square
1 Xanthic Statue
1 Clay Statue
1 Fountain of Youth
1 Fountain Watch
Temple of Mithras
1 Ruins of Trokair
The Thames
1 Rushing River
1 River Kaijin
Borough Market
1 High Market
Piccadilly Circus
1 Wall of Light
1 Tempest of Light
Wembley Stadium
1 Grand Coliseum
Greenwich
1 An-Havva Township
1 Icatian Town
1 Town Sentry
Extra Lands
7 Plains
7 Islands
3 Mountains
Like many other theme decks, it’s more interesting to see what cards are included, not the analysis. However, I tried to include enough creatures to prevent the deck from falling to a monster-rush.
There is an artifact theme. Between Clock of Omens and Fountain Watch, you’ll notice plenty of ways for artifacts to win the game, or at least come close. Armageddon Clock, Clockwork Beast, Tower of Champions, Xanthic Statue, Copper Tablet and Wheel of Torture all provide interesting win conditions.
There’s also some removal. Tawnos’s Coffin, representing the many sarcophagi in the British Museum, is one of the best removal cards in the deck. It’s quite good in any deck, to be fair. Serrated Arrows, Tempest of Light, and Musician serve as odd and quirky backup.
The deck ended up with a Gargoyle sub-theme. I didn’t mind this, as the deck needed creatures. The combination of flyers – even bad flyers- with the Tower of Champions is rather appealing.
I think that you’ll find this an interesting deck. London residents might suggest other cards, and other sights, to add to the mix.
All in all, this was an interesting deck-building exercise. I hope you enjoyed it.
Until Later,
Abe Sargent