Yasova Dragonclaw: Do NOT BUILD THIS DECK! ...but if you do it's fun.

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[@alexandercandicedad1355]

Cool. This is close to what I have built already. It doesn't win very often, but it is fun!

[@tibaltsapprentice]

Why do you think yours does not win? Is it your play group or the build of the deck? Most of my wins come because people don't is coming and don't know what the deck can do. Also I don't play this a lot so my play groups don't get a chance to defend against it too much. Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)

[@alexandercandicedad1355]

Mostly I'm bad at threat assessment and piloting in general. I guess I've also gotten to play it only twice.... that's probably the big one

[@tibaltsapprentice]

@@alexandercandicedad1355 =) I am not that good at assessment either! I tend to hit back at the people that just countered my spell! I say don't play it too often, but be sure to have one or two win cons that DON'T need your commander on the battlefield if you haven't got that already.

[@THEFISHGAMESMTG]

Good stuff

[@tibaltsapprentice]

This deck is a blast to play! As a matter of fact I am loading it up right now to take to game night tonight!

[@THEFISHGAMESMTG]

@@tibaltsapprentice nice 👍

[@jackthomas5607]

If possible, could you link a deck list for your Yasova deck so i can break it down for you? TCG, Tapped out, Etc. would be helpful. Also, ignore landfall cards, this isn't a lands-matter deck. Just because it has the ability to steal things, you're adding a mechanic that the deck doesn't support, so the reason it isn't going to be easy to play is because it isn't focused....I'd be interested to see how many dead cards you end up with in hand and in what percentage.

[@tibaltsapprentice]

Just in case the description box link didn't work here it is tappedout.net/mtg-decks/yasova-dragonclaw-do-not-build-this-deck-but/?cb=1608658500 I just checked this link to be sure it works. I am really excited to see how you would change the list! ...in general I am a fan of decks that don't have to cast their commander to win. Thanks again for your comments.

[@jackthomas5607]

@@tibaltsapprentice I've been around MTG since alpha and beta in 93, but i've only been super active as a player (more than just an occasional game) since Kahns of Tarkir when i started to formulate my first commander (EDH) deck. I don't play professionally, but I have built and played decks in every color combination that is available in MTG, and commander is by far my favorite and now only format to play. I have about 25 commander decks at the moment, but covid is giving me time to brew even more, ranging from super budget casual / mono / voltron to hyper competitive CEDH decks. Playing a range of decks and power levels has given me mountains of information for deck building and I try to go out of my way to help other players, young or old, especially if they are in casual formats. I don't like to see people get discouraged over any deck style because there are just too many play styles to work with. If you are being locked of playing a deck you like, then perhaps it's not because the deck isn't fun, but that you don't have a defined set of ground rules for your pod / play group. Some don't like fast turn combo's, some don't like stax, some don't like hard control, some even don't like aggro decks. You need to have that discussion with your playgroup about what exactly they don't like playing against and establish a list of cards you will and won't play with. Wizards has an official ban list, but EDH was created by players, for players, so nothing is off the table if your pod agrees to it. Conversely, power levels of decks are subjective, and by establishing these ground rules prior to building a deck, you'll find that your builds will fall in line with similar power levels and play styles that not only you find fun, but won't choke your opponents with salt. (most of the time) In the end, the game is about having fun as a group of friends, whether that be a Thassa's Oracle / Demonic Consultation win on turn 3, or battlecruiser where you drop a craterhoof behemoth with avenger of zendikar off of an entwined Tooth and Nail, then smash face.

[@seanconnolly1853]

I think you should add dominos of fealty as additional theft creature.

[@tibaltsapprentice]

I like the idea, but I worry that the CMC would be too much. Thanks for the comment and watching!

[@jackthomas5607]

This commander is a blast to play, but focusing too hard on the sacrificial & theft as a primary deck building style is why the deck isn't fun to play and probably isn't consistent. I'm guessing by the list you provided that if Yasova leaves the battlefield (and she will be targeted after game 1), then you run an absurd number of ways to remove other creatures, but only if you have Yasova in play to do so....minus the few instant/sorceries. Here in lies your main issue. Yasova on the surface is a great commander, she has access to great aggro colors and a great ability, but focusing the entire deck build around that ability is unbelievably mana intensive. I built a "power matters" version of Yasova that just drops fatties on the field, and is supported by her ability, not dependent upon it. Using creatures like Apex Altisaur, Ghalta, Kogla the Titan Ape, Maelstrom Wanderer, Nezahal Primal Tide, Trygon Predator and Prime Speaker Zagana to name just a few. This list plays like a greatest hits of Temur color combinations. You can play to the aggressive style of the commander, and just support the deck when necessary with Yasova, not requiring her presence to win games. By constantly throwing down a fatty to threaten the board, you can draw obscene amounts of cards, stick to creatures as your removal slots (like trygon predator) and only steal creatures when it's advantageous to do so. This keeps the salt level down on the table and allows you to be more consistent by not having 15 different Sac outlets in the deck but never enough mana to play your commander and/or activate them. I like looking at other people's versions of her as my deck list has taken several years worth of adaptation before realizing that the theft mechanic was a hindrance best left as a supporting theme or timed advantage rather than a win condition. Evolutionary leap is still an auto include because it generates immense value. Nothing is better than playing 1 green to remove a stolen commander and pick up a Maestrom wanderer in hand that could flip a Quartzwood crasher or a Balefire dragon. With multiple threats on board, people are going to have such a hard time removing them all that a board wipe just starts the value train over for you because your commander lets you recover faster through their hard work. If not dealt with, Ilharg the Raze-boar and a God-eternal Rhonas would end their night pretty quickly. Don't give up on Yasova so easily, try removing about 90% of her theft mechanic support cards and put actual threats on the table for your opponents to burn removal on, then simply steal what they have left and beat them in the face with their own creatures. I guarantee it will be a more fun deck variant to play against than "steal your shit.deck."

[@tibaltsapprentice]

Thanks for all the info, I will be looking up lots of cards on Scryfall today! Thanks for taking the time to to watch and reply to the video!

[@jackthomas5607]

I have a couple questions before i check your list for a breakdown: 1. What is the most common problem you have when playing the deck, not counting the salt it generates? Too mana starved? dead draws? too many support pieces and no gas? etc. 2. What is your primary goal with the deck? What is the overall theme YOU WANT to accomplish, is it board control, stax, aggro, etc? 3. What is your budget for the average commander deck? Are you an ultra budget player, or just a casual that buys cards when they can when they feel like it? Example: The difference between a Demonic Tutor and a Diabolic tutor. 4. This isn't a question, but perhaps an observation, and is completly my opinion, feel free to disregard if you wish, but this is just my observation..... ---I think you should drop the "luck of the draw" from your channel name, it seems clunky, and I think Tibalt's Apprentice fits well with an MTG dedicated channel to get your point across without feeling like it's drawn out. Also, the corner-swinging card transitions in the video are really hard to focus on. When you name a card, then speak on it, it takes between 5-7 seconds for the card to "rest" so that the audience can be drawn in to what your speaking about. Try a fade transition, an off screen slide, or simply just pop it up there and leave it there, it doesn't have to be extra fancy, but having it move around so much makes it hard to focus on and connect with the audience by the time you're ready to move on to the next card. Do this for an entire deck tech and it's visually daunting. Just my 2 cents, take it with a grain of salt. I'll look up the deck list after you address the first 3 questions so i have a base line for recommendations. Good luck.

[@tibaltsapprentice]

Here's a short reply with a much longer one to follow. First I will apologize for my spelling and grammar. the written word is my enemy! ( I have dyslexia!) I am not nearly as dumb as my writing might make seem! LOL If you want you my email me at [e-mail] I have about a million things to talk about with you if you are up for it. =) I have been playing magic since Revised, getting back in about Scars of Mirrodin. Commander is one of the best ways to play to be sure, but ....I better stop for now ... there is much you mentioned that I would like to touch on but better save it till morning.

[@tibaltsapprentice]

Re: Yasova Dragonclaw 1. The one problem it may have is missing a land drop or two. It works quite well for me or I have just adapted to pilot it well 2.The goal of the deck is " Eat the battlefield and BE the 'salt' at the table!" I play it for total control of the table BUT in a way that I am never Archenemy OR if I DO get labeled as such I am sure NEVER to complain about it. I slowplay my control of the board OR make outrageous plays. All the while working to see the other players are having fun too. It's a fine line to walk, but part of the fun for me. 3. This started and was intended as a budget deck! I want to keep it mostly that. Every time I sit down at the table I was feeling outgunned by one of three things. My opponents had deeper pockets than I did or they had more free time to spend on their decks than I did or they had better resources than I did. My solution was to Git Gud! and best of all - beat them with budget decks! (So even if I lost I could console myself saying, "Of course I lost my deck was $30 theirs was $1500!") ...seeing some of this written down I look like quite a jerk! ...But I work hard not to be when I sit down to play. Re: the constructive criticism, THANK YOU! I am glad you shared it. If you watched some of the later videos you can see that I moved away from the crazy transitions and stick MOSTLY to a few simple ones. As to the subtitle Luck of the Draw. That came from when the channel was started it was going to focus more on opening hands and how people play them. Along the way that part of the show got lost or abandoned so yes, it might be time to lose that part of the name. I will have to do some checking on the back end I am not sure how often youtube will let you change channel names. I too have 20+ commander decks many modified pre-cons or budget builds of commanders I think are fun. Another topic I would love to talk to you about is YOUR style of brewing up a deck? Do you have a single set style OR does your commander determine the style of brew? Do you play the Pre-cons or hunt down rare and obscure legends to brew around? ... or do you choose an effect you want to play THEN find a commander to let you do that?

[@jackthomas5607]

@@tibaltsapprentice I'll email you when i get a chance for a longer and more in-depth review/reply to your comments than KZbin will allow.

[@tibaltsapprentice]

@@jackthomas5607 Cool! ...I think we will have a ton to talk about! =)