Gurion
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Commander
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Commander
The First Sliver
Cascade (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.)
Sliver spells you cast have cascade.
Sliver spells you cast have cascade.
Legendary Creature - Sliver
Commander
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Draw
Abhorrent Oculus
As an additional cost to cast this spell, exile six cards from your graveyard.
Flying
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, manifest dread. (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Flying
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, manifest dread. (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Creature - Eye
Caparocti Sunborn
Whenever Caparocti Sunborn attacks, you may tap two untapped artifacts and/or creatures you control. If you do, discover 3. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 3 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier
Curator Beastie
Reach
Colorless creatures you control enter with two additional +1/+1 counters on them.
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, manifest dread. (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Colorless creatures you control enter with two additional +1/+1 counters on them.
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, manifest dread. (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Creature - Beast
Kozilek, the Broken Reality
When you cast this spell, up to two target players each manifest two cards from their hands. For each card manifested this way, you draw a card. (To manifest a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Other colorless creatures you control get +3/+2.
Other colorless creatures you control get +3/+2.
Legendary Creature - Eldrazi
Maelstrom Nexus
The first spell you cast each turn has cascade. (When you cast your first spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.)
Enchantment
Mastery of the Unseen
Whenever a permanent you control is turned face up, you gain 1 life for each creature you control.
: Manifest the top card of your library. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
: Manifest the top card of your library. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Enchantment
Primordial Mist
At the beginning of your end step, you may manifest the top card of your library. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Exile a face-down permanent you control face up: You may play that card this turn. (You still pay its costs. Timing rules still apply.)
Exile a face-down permanent you control face up: You may play that card this turn. (You still pay its costs. Timing rules still apply.)
Enchantment
Roaring Furnace
When you unlock this door, this Room deals damage equal to the number of cards in your hand to target creature an opponent controls.
(You may cast either half. That door unlocks on the battlefield. As a sorcery, you may pay the mana cost of a locked door to unlock it.)
(You may cast either half. That door unlocks on the battlefield. As a sorcery, you may pay the mana cost of a locked door to unlock it.)
Enchantment - Room
The Pride of Hull Clade
This spell costs less to cast, where X is the total toughness of creatures you control.
Defender
: Until end of turn, target creature you control gets +1/+0, gains "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw cards equal to its toughness," and can attack as though it didn't have defender.
Defender
: Until end of turn, target creature you control gets +1/+0, gains "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw cards equal to its toughness," and can attack as though it didn't have defender.
Legendary Creature - Turtle Crocodile Elk
They Came from the Pipes
When this enchantment enters, manifest dread twice. (To manifest dread, look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Whenever a face-down creature you control enters, draw a card.
Whenever a face-down creature you control enters, draw a card.
Enchantment
Whisperwood Elemental
At the beginning of your end step, manifest the top card of your library. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Sacrifice this creature: Until end of turn, face-up nontoken creatures you control gain "When this creature dies, manifest the top card of your library."
Sacrifice this creature: Until end of turn, face-up nontoken creatures you control gain "When this creature dies, manifest the top card of your library."
Creature - Elemental
Zimone, Mystery Unraveler
Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, manifest dread if this is the first time this ability has resolved this turn. Otherwise, you may turn a permanent you control face up. (To manifest dread, look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
Draw
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Finisher
Phage the Untouchable
When Phage enters, if you didn't cast it from your hand, you lose the game.
Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated.
Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game.
Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated.
Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game.
Legendary Creature - Avatar Minion
Pyrotechnic Performer
Disguise (You may cast this card face down for as a 2/2 creature with ward . Turn it face up any time for its disguise cost.)
Whenever this creature or another creature you control is turned face up, that creature deals damage equal to its power to each opponent.
Whenever this creature or another creature you control is turned face up, that creature deals damage equal to its power to each opponent.
Creature - Assassin Lizard
The Beamtown Bullies
Vigilance, haste
: Target opponent whose turn it is puts target nonlegendary creature card from your graveyard onto the battlefield under their control. It gains haste. Goad it. At the beginning of the next end step, exile it. (Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)
: Target opponent whose turn it is puts target nonlegendary creature card from your graveyard onto the battlefield under their control. It gains haste. Goad it. At the beginning of the next end step, exile it. (Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)
Legendary Creature - Warrior Ogre Devil
Finisher
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Land
Boseiju, Who Endures
: Add .
Channel — , Discard this card: Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or nonbasic land an opponent controls. That player may search their library for a land card with a basic land type, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle. This ability costs less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
Channel — , Discard this card: Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or nonbasic land an opponent controls. That player may search their library for a land card with a basic land type, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle. This ability costs less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
Legendary Land
Hidden Cataract
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Land - Cave
Hidden Courtyard
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Land - Cave
Hidden Necropolis
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Land - Cave
Hidden Nursery
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Land - Cave
Hidden Volcano
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
: Add .
, , Sacrifice this land: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Land - Cave
Land
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Protection
Gift of Doom
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has deathtouch and indestructible.
Morph—Sacrifice another creature. (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
As this Aura is turned face up, you may attach it to a creature.
Enchanted creature has deathtouch and indestructible.
Morph—Sacrifice another creature. (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
As this Aura is turned face up, you may attach it to a creature.
Enchantment - Aura
Protection
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Ramp
Moldering Gym
When you unlock this door, search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
(You may cast either half. That door unlocks on the battlefield. As a sorcery, you may pay the mana cost of a locked door to unlock it.)
(You may cast either half. That door unlocks on the battlefield. As a sorcery, you may pay the mana cost of a locked door to unlock it.)
Enchantment - Room
Overlord of the Hauntwoods
Impending 4— (If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with four time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.)
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, create a tapped colorless land token named Everywhere that is every basic land type.
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, create a tapped colorless land token named Everywhere that is every basic land type.
Creature Enchantment - Avatar Horror
Vannifar, Evolved Enigma
At the beginning of combat on your turn, choose one —
• Cloak a card from your hand. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward . Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
• Put a +1/+1 counter on each colorless creature you control.
• Cloak a card from your hand. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward . Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
• Put a +1/+1 counter on each colorless creature you control.
Legendary Creature - Wizard Ooze Elf
Vibrance
When this creature enters, if was spent to cast it, this creature deals 3 damage to any target.
When this creature enters, if was spent to cast it, search your library for a land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. You gain 2 life.
Evoke
When this creature enters, if was spent to cast it, search your library for a land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. You gain 2 life.
Evoke
Creature - Elemental Incarnation
Ramp
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Recursion
Walk with the Ancestors
Return up to one target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. Discover 4. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Sorcery
Recursion
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Removal
Removal
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Sideboard
Etrata, Deadly Fugitive
Deathtouch
Face-down creatures you control have ": Turn this creature face up. If you can't, exile it, then you may cast the exiled card without paying its mana cost."
Whenever an Assassin you control deals combat damage to an opponent, cloak the top card of that player's library.
Face-down creatures you control have ": Turn this creature face up. If you can't, exile it, then you may cast the exiled card without paying its mana cost."
Whenever an Assassin you control deals combat damage to an opponent, cloak the top card of that player's library.
Legendary Creature - Vampire Assassin
Kogla and Yidaro
When Kogla and Yidaro enters, choose one —
• It gains trample and haste until end of turn.
• It fights target creature you don't control.
, Discard this card: Destroy up to one target artifact or enchantment. Shuffle this card into your library from your graveyard, then draw a card.
• It gains trample and haste until end of turn.
• It fights target creature you don't control.
, Discard this card: Destroy up to one target artifact or enchantment. Shuffle this card into your library from your graveyard, then draw a card.
Legendary Creature - Ape Dinosaur Turtle
Sideboard
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Maybeboard
Anticausal Vestige
When this creature leaves the battlefield, draw a card, then you may put a permanent card with mana value less than or equal to the number of lands you control from your hand onto the battlefield tapped.
Warp (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
Warp (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
Creature - Eldrazi
Ba Sing Se
This land enters tapped unless you control a basic land.
: Add .
, : Earthbend 2. Activate only as a sorcery. (Target land you control becomes a 0/0 creature with haste that's still a land. Put two +1/+1 counters on it. When it dies or is exiled, return it to the battlefield tapped.)
: Add .
, : Earthbend 2. Activate only as a sorcery. (Target land you control becomes a 0/0 creature with haste that's still a land. Put two +1/+1 counters on it. When it dies or is exiled, return it to the battlefield tapped.)
Land
Brass's Tunnel-Grinder
When Brass's Tunnel-Grinder enters, discard any number of cards, then draw that many cards plus one.
At the beginning of your end step, if you descended this turn, put a bore counter on Brass's Tunnel-Grinder. Then if there are three or more bore counters on it, remove those counters and transform it. (You descended if a permanent card was put into your graveyard from anywhere.)
At the beginning of your end step, if you descended this turn, put a bore counter on Brass's Tunnel-Grinder. Then if there are three or more bore counters on it, remove those counters and transform it. (You descended if a permanent card was put into your graveyard from anywhere.)
Legendary Artifact
Cabaretti Confluence
Choose three. You may choose the same mode more than once.
• Create a token that's a copy of target creature you control. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
• Exile target artifact or enchantment.
• Creatures target player controls get +1/+1 and gain first strike until end of turn.
• Create a token that's a copy of target creature you control. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
• Exile target artifact or enchantment.
• Creatures target player controls get +1/+1 and gain first strike until end of turn.
Sorcery
Discontinuity
During your turn, this spell costs less to cast.
End the turn. (Exile all spells and abilities from the stack, including this card. The player whose turn it is discards down to their maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
End the turn. (Exile all spells and abilities from the stack, including this card. The player whose turn it is discards down to their maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
Instant
Ghastly Conscription
Exile all creature cards from target player's graveyard in a face-down pile, shuffle that pile, then manifest those cards. (To manifest a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Sorcery
Hauntwoods Shrieker
Whenever this creature attacks, manifest dread. (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature and the other into your graveyard. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
: Reveal target face-down permanent. If it's a creature card, you may turn it face up.
: Reveal target face-down permanent. If it's a creature card, you may turn it face up.
Creature - Beast Mutant
Leyline of Transformation
If this card is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield.
As this enchantment enters, choose a creature type.
Creatures you control are the chosen type in addition to their other types. The same is true for creature spells you control and creature cards you own that aren't on the battlefield.
As this enchantment enters, choose a creature type.
Creatures you control are the chosen type in addition to their other types. The same is true for creature spells you control and creature cards you own that aren't on the battlefield.
Enchantment
Liege of the Pit
Flying, trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature other than this creature. If you can't, this creature deals 7 damage to you.
Morph (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature other than this creature. If you can't, this creature deals 7 damage to you.
Morph (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
Creature - Demon
Mystic Reflection
Choose target nonlegendary creature. The next time one or more creatures or planeswalkers enter this turn, they enter as copies of the chosen creature.
Foretell (During your turn, you may pay and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
Foretell (During your turn, you may pay and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
Instant
Overlord of the Balemurk
Impending 5— (If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with five time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.)
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, mill four cards, then you may return a non-Avatar creature card or a planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand.
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, mill four cards, then you may return a non-Avatar creature card or a planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand.
Creature Enchantment - Avatar Horror
Quintorius Kand
Whenever you cast a spell from exile, Quintorius Kand deals 2 damage to each opponent and you gain 2 life.
+1: Create a 3/2 red and white Spirit creature token.
−3: Discover 4.
−6: Exile any number of target cards from your graveyard. Add for each card exiled this way. You may play those cards this turn.
+1: Create a 3/2 red and white Spirit creature token.
−3: Discover 4.
−6: Exile any number of target cards from your graveyard. Add for each card exiled this way. You may play those cards this turn.
Legendary Planeswalker - Quintorius
Rukarumel, Biologist
As Rukarumel enters, choose a creature type.
Slivers you control and nontoken creatures you control are the chosen type in addition to their other creature types. The same is true for creature spells you control and creature cards you own that aren't on the battlefield.
, : Create a 1/1 colorless Sliver creature token.
Slivers you control and nontoken creatures you control are the chosen type in addition to their other creature types. The same is true for creature spells you control and creature cards you own that aren't on the battlefield.
, : Create a 1/1 colorless Sliver creature token.
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
True Identity
Whenever this enchantment or another permanent you control is turned face up, scry 1, then draw a card. This ability triggers only once each turn.
Disguise (You may cast this card face down for as a 2/2 creature with ward . Turn it face up any time for its disguise cost.)
Disguise (You may cast this card face down for as a 2/2 creature with ward . Turn it face up any time for its disguise cost.)
Enchantment
Ugin's Mastery
Whenever you cast a colorless creature spell, manifest the top card of your library. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Whenever you attack with creatures with total power 6 or greater, you may turn a face-down creature you control face up.
Whenever you attack with creatures with total power 6 or greater, you may turn a face-down creature you control face up.
Enchantment
Unexplained Absence
For each player, exile up to one target nonland permanent that player controls. For each permanent exiled this way, its controller cloaks the top card of their library. (To cloak a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward . Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Instant
Verdant Mastery
You may pay rather than pay this spell's mana cost.
Search your library for up to four basic land cards and reveal them. Put one of them onto the battlefield tapped under an opponent's control if the cost was paid. Put two of them onto the battlefield tapped under your control and the rest into your hand. Then shuffle.
Search your library for up to four basic land cards and reveal them. Put one of them onto the battlefield tapped under an opponent's control if the cost was paid. Put two of them onto the battlefield tapped under your control and the rest into your hand. Then shuffle.
Sorcery
Wheel of Fate
Suspend 4— (Rather than cast this card from your hand, pay and exile it with four time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, you may cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Each player discards their hand, then draws seven cards.
Each player discards their hand, then draws seven cards.
Sorcery
Maybeboard
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Deck Info
Deck stats
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Description
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The dealer is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The First Sliver"}},{"insert":". The four cards are "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Pyrotechnic Performer"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Skirk Alarmist"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Scroll Rack"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Mastery of the Unseen"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":". And fittingly for a monte table, this entire deck is about face-down cards getting flipped.\nThe curve, slot by slot"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The contest announcement helpfully includes a \"sample mana curve\": a friendly hill peaking at two and three, average mana value 2.60, sloping politely back down so you always have something to cast. This deck read that section carefully and then did the opposite of every word of it, on purpose:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Zero and one mana: nothing."},{"insert":" Not a single card. Turn one, we proudly pass."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Two mana: exactly four cards."},{"insert":" The monte cards. Nothing in the 99 costs less than these four, and that one fact rigs the entire game (next section)."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Three mana: ten Sliver spells."},{"insert":" The dealers. Five honest Slivers (Basal, Homing, Hollowhead, Harmonic, Necrotic) and five changelings in cheap trench coats ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Barkform Harvester"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Firdoch Core"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mutable Explorer"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chomping Changeling"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crib Swap"}},{"insert":" — yes, a Sliver "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"instant"},{"insert":")."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Four mana: a moat."},{"insert":" Nearly empty, and load-bearing in its emptiness."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Five and up: the mountain."},{"insert":" Almost the entire ramp, protection and removal suite was deliberately shoved up here, out of sight of the commander's cascade."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The announcement's sample graph is a bell. This one is a staircase with missing steps — and every missing step is structural.\nHow the con works"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The First Sliver"}},{"insert":"gives every Sliver spell cascade: flip cards off the top of the library until you exile a nonland card that costs less, and cast it for free. So when one of my ten three-mana dealers hits the table, cascade digs — and the only legal hits in the entire deck are the four monte cards. Not \"usually finds one.\" It "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"cannot find anything else."},{"insert":" Ten guaranteed tutors disguised as a tribal package.\nOne floor up, the same trick again: the commander costs five, so its own cascade shops the under-five shelf — which is why that shelf stocks nothing but engine. Four monte cards, ten dealers, the manifest package, a few gift-wrapped win conditions. There is no sad whiff into a Rampant Growth, because no Rampant Growth lives down there. The announcement warns that games don't always last long enough to cast your expensive spells. Correct! Which is why this curve puts the "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"cheap effects"},{"insert":" upstairs and the "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"engine"},{"insert":" downstairs. The curve isn't shaped like this despite the plan; the cascade math demanded it.\nThe curve lies twice"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Official cascade ruling: a spell's mana value is its printed cost — alternative costs and reductions are ignored. So the mountain is stuffed with cards lying about their price while hiding safely out of cascade range: "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Submerge"}},{"insert":" (a five that's often free), "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blasphemous Act"}},{"insert":" (a nine that's usually one), "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leyline Binding"}},{"insert":" (six for one), "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Altanak, the Thrice-Called"}},{"insert":" (a seven-mana beater that moonlights as two-mana land recursion), split and fuse cards counted at their combined cost but cast by halves ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gallifrey Falls // No More"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spring // Mind"}},{"insert":" ), plus channel, cycling, adventure, omen and impending cards throughout. The stats tab screams \"unplayable greed.\" The games play out cheap and smooth. Even the real curve is a weird curve wearing an even weirder curve as a disguise.\nWhat the four cards actually do"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Monte is a game about face-down cards, and so is this deck. Mastery of the Unseen and a dense manifest package ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"They Came from the Pipes"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Whisperwood Elemental"}},{"insert":","},{"insert":{"card-link":"Zimone, Mystery Unraveler"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Abhorrent Oculus"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Curator Beastie"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hauntwoods Shrieker"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vannifar, Evolved Enigma"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scroll of Fate"}},{"insert":") cover the table in face-down 2/2s. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scroll Rack"}},{"insert":" converts uncastable fatties in hand into library-top manifest fuel. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Skirk Alarmist"}},{"insert":" flips face-down cards for free. And "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Pyrotechnic Performer"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"— the closer of the con — turns every flip into damage equal to that creature's power, dealt to each opponent. The creature base skews gigantic accordingly: flipping "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Krosan Cloudscraper"}},{"insert":" is 13 to everyone; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Denizen of the Deep"}},{"insert":" is 11. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Curator Beastie"}},{"insert":" even pumps the manifests, since face-down creatures are colorless.\nRigged prizes"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The fatties were also picked because their nightmare enter-the-battlefield abilities never trigger while face down (flipping up isn't \"entering\") — but they trigger beautifully under an opponent's control. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fractured Identity"}},{"insert":" on my own "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phage the Untouchable"}},{"insert":" deals every opponent a token copy they never cast: they lose. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Endless Whispers"}},{"insert":" resurrects my horrors on the other side of the table. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Beamtown Bullies"}},{"insert":" hand the archenemy a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leveler"}},{"insert":" (library: gone) or a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Soulgorger Orgg"}},{"insert":" (welcome to 1 life). Even "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Skirk Alarmist"}},{"insert":" drawback is the delivery van: flip "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leveler"}},{"insert":"for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pyrotechnic Performer"}},{"insert":" Performer damage, let "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Skirk Alarmist"}},{"insert":" sacrifice her at end of turn, and"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Endless Whispers"}},{"insert":" ships her to whoever's winning.\nEven the lands are in on the con"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Academy Ruins"}},{"insert":" rebuys the artifact monte card, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hall of Heliod's Generosity"}},{"insert":" the enchantment, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mortuary Mire"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Witch's Cottage"}},{"insert":"and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Memorial to Folly"}},{"insert":" handle the creatures — placing the card on "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"top"},{"insert":" of the library, exactly where the next dealer's cascade will flip it for free. Backing them up, Hourglass of the Lost (the one cheap support card allowed in) ramps early, then exiles itself to return every mana value 2 permanent from my graveyard: all four monte cards in one go.\nFor the judges"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The announcement notes that a Shirei list gets no credit for its flat curve, since that's simply the commander's default build. Completely fair — so it's worth saying that The First Sliver's default build is the "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"opposite"},{"insert":" of this deck: a normal Sliver tribal pile with a textbook bell curve. Nobody builds the Hive like this. This curve exists for exactly one reason: the con demanded it. Flatten it and the deck stops existing — cascade stops being marked, the dealers start whiffing, the monte folds.\nJuly asked for a weird mana curve that's relevant to the game plan. Here, the curve "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"is"},{"insert":" the con, and the con is the deck. Step right up.\n"}]}