{"ops":[{"insert":"Everything's on the blink"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"(Live list, expect ongoing tweaks)"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ranar the Ever-Watchful"}},{"insert":" has a special place in my heart - it was the first card I ever built around. I was tinkering with it before we even knew what Foretell did!\n\nWith that in mind, "},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"this isn't a Foretell deck"},{"insert":". There "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"are "},{"insert":"foretell cards in here, because the discount and spirit Ranar adds is relevant, but it's not what the deck intends to do - which is "},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Exiling Matters."},{"insert":"\n\nThe deck is at its peak when it holds up mana, and then reactively sets off blink chains (one blink ETB targeting another blink ETB...) or exile creatures for value, all while generating evasive spirit tokens (excellent blockers btw) and being difficult to interact with. \n\nOlder versions of the deck struggled with winning. There are many infinite loops you can deploy in a blink deck, but I was unhappy with them - and without them, it just couldn't close games. That's changed recently, though, with WotC giving non-green decks ways to turn a wide board into a tall one. Eight 1/1 fliers may not close a game, but eight 10/10 fliers will. \nThis isn't to say don't use infinites - I just don't like the energy they brought to most bracket 3 tables, and the deck was too janky for bracket 4. I'm much happier with where it's at now. There are still some infinites, but they're of the \"infinite spirit token\" variety, without any inherent way to close out the game immediately, and the deck wins without them.\n\nExpect table wins from T7, with T6 wins possible if uninterrupted on a strong start. T7 makes for a faster deck than typical blink-control, which does impact card choices.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Why Play This Deck?"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nYou're a filthy white player who likes making a lot of weenie token creatures, and wins by smashing face."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You're a filthy white (or blue) player who likes having weenie evasive creatures, and wins by smashing face."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You're tired of other blink decks and want to try something familiar but different, with a well defined win-condition."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You want to dip your toes into control, without being overbearing to the table, or durdly. This deck is less \"no\" and more \"not right now.\""},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You kinda want to speculate on the Foretell mechanic but don't want to actually play foretell cards, I guess?"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nCard Categories:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ramp"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"An early Ranar means more time to make spirits, but you don't have to turbo him if you have valuable early plays instead. Shout-out to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bender's Waterskin"}},{"insert":" for playing amazingly in a deck that likes to play at instant speed, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sand Scout"}},{"insert":" for a repeatable land ramp package. Negative-shout-out to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Mind Stone"}},{"insert":" , which is frustratingly good. Not because of its ability - just because it's a colored rock that enters untapped. That's relevant when you want to blink rocks with"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward"}},{"insert":" . Path to Exile can ramp you and replace the exiled creature with a spirit token.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Draw "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"WU isn't hurting for draw, but I haven't cracked the ratios here yet. The top end draw ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Indomitable"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Enduring Curiosity"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Harmonized Crescendo"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dour Port-Mage"}},{"insert":" ) is excellent, but I worry about the quantity, and of overreliance on draw that needs my gameplan to function before it does anything. At the same time, I really want to stick to themes where I can, that being exile synergy, tokens/spirits, and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"instant speed"},{"insert":" draw. This is without doubt the part of the deck that needs more tuning.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Blink"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Two important things: \n1) Ranar does not offer blink himself, like Brago, Yorion, or the newer Kykar. To make blink a theme, you have to lean into it in the 99. Quantity and quality!\n2) The majority of the blink targets are more things that exile. As blinking is itself a form of exile, having creatures that blink on ETB let you chain blinks for increasing spirit payoffs.\nWith this in mind, while I'm still running the best instant speed blink spells, a lot of the blink effects are on creatures. Cheap + instant speed + on a body is the holy trifecta, but such a thing does not exist yet. This category is guaranteed to shift as new blink spells get printed.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Win conditions"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Win via combat. Make spirits, pump spirits. Notably the pump spells are all "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"really "},{"insert":"big pumps. I'm not a believer in random +1 anthems - we go big enough that prior turns chip damage doesn'tmatter. \nNotably "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Moonshaker Cavalry"}},{"insert":" (and the premium cost of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dollmaker's Shop // Porcelain Gallery"}},{"insert":" ) costs 8 mana, so we really want to be sure we've ramped at least once by turn 7 without missing any land drops. You only need one such pump to close out a game - three cards (the third being "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Banner of Kinship"}},{"insert":" ) has been fine, so long as your engine is up and you're drawing cards. Shout-out to the backside of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aang, Swift Savior // Aang, Swift Savior"}},{"insert":" , which flips easily and can offer enough power to KO a single player, or help grind things out. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Caretaker's Talent"}},{"insert":" can do the same but hasn't come up yet.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Removal "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck falls into control-y gamplans, holding up mana before deploying things at-will. If you have an ETB removal creature on board - and there are lots that exile - then yeah, you're going to be removing stuff with some regularity. You don't have to be That Azorius Player who doesn't let anyone do anything, since it's targeted and many of the exile effects can be used to exile your own stuff to extend blink chains.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wipes"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Of note: No foretell wipes here. The blue one is fine but you have to build around it, with a heavily blue-tilted mana base and more land ramp. Doomskar sucks, for how it hits us just as hard. Nah, I've been very happy with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Battle of Bywater"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Winnowing"}},{"insert":" , which can be disgustingly cheap for how one-sided they are.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Protection"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Tricky one. Technically, as a go-wide tokens deck with token wincons, protection should be important. But the deck includes several \"slow blinks\" (things that return creatures at end step - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eerie Interlude"}},{"insert":" ,"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hide on the Ceiling"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Waterbender's Restoration"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Parting Gust"}},{"insert":" ,"},{"insert":{"card-link":"S.H.I.E.L.D. Flying Car"}},{"insert":", + some sorcery speed creatures which can be targets for instant speed blinks ), which dodge most mass wipes and targeted removal, even if it can't save the tokens... but the tokens are easy to come by. I've been able to rebuild quickly in practice. A small suite of stack interaction doesn't hurt, but it would be nice if I could find more on-theme stack interaction to include. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Saw It Coming"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dovin's Veto"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aang, Swift Savior // Aang and La, Ocean's Fury"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lands"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"First thing: I don't like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Emeria's Call // Emeria, Shattered Skyclave"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Razorgrass Ambush // Razorgrass Field"}},{"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"but "},{"insert":"they add to my white card count, which is very relevant for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Solitude"}},{"insert":" .\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"War Room"}},{"insert":" /"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fountainport"}},{"insert":" add to my draw capabilities since the deck can be draw-go sometimes.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hydroelectric Specimen // Hydroelectric Laboratory"}},{"insert":" are pretty great MDFCs, and are better here, since Witch (and theoretically Specimen) can be blinked for value, while Stupor works well in a deck that holds up mana for interaction. These can all be bounced back to hand with...\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Azorius Chancery"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arid Archway"}},{"insert":" Two bouncelands. They can return MDFC lands, they mean I don't miss land drops (crucial), and they're very funny when played alongside "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Peregrine Drake"}},{"insert":" . Moreover, Archway is THE key target for Sand Scount, since it's the only white land ramp card that keeps your land count the same so you can use it again.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ipnu Rivulet"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shefet Dunes"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scavenger Grounds"}},{"insert":" Three more deserts to search for with Scout, all untapped, one grave hate.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Seat of the Synod"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ancient Den"}},{"insert":" Sometimes you run out of targets with blinked "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trinket Mage"}},{"insert":" ETBs.\n\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Notable Cards"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aang, Swift Savior // Aang and La, Ocean's Fury"}},{"insert":" - what DOESN'T this card do?? Proactive removal, instant speed, triggers Ranar, can be blinked, even messes with the stack if you need it to. You can even airbend your own creatures if you really need to reuse an ETB. And then it has a very payable flipside to pump your board in the lategame! Best card in the 99, no question. It's even a spirit on the backside, for the two cards that make that relevant."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Airbender Ascension"}},{"insert":" - While I've found myself veering away from sorcery speed blinks that aren't on creatures, Ascension is half the cost of most of the others, and the fact it airbends on ETB is *huge*. That airbend procs Ranar and immediately makes a spirit. It's also really entertaining to cast it alongside "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Starfield Vocalist"}},{"insert":" - Vocalist will double the airbend trigger, making two spirit tokens. The spirit tokens will enter and tick up Ascension's counters, but Vocalist makes that happen twice, for 4 counters total. So Ascension is immediately online, plus you can blink Vocalist with it to save it from Warp."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trinket Mage"}},{"insert":" - searches Skull Clamp or Sol Ring, then lands. "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward"}},{"insert":" - a very worthy use of 5 mana, but be careful not to lock yourself out of your permanents. There are loops you can do with him that end up with infinite soldiers, frequently at instant speed."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Riptide Gearhulk"}},{"insert":" - a sketchier use of 5 mana, but getting two or more ETBs from this via blink is "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"backbreaking"},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Harmonized Crescendo"}},{"insert":" - I don't think I could speak poorly of a card that frequently reads \"instant, 0 mana, draw 5\" on cast."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cards That Didn't Quite Make It + Later Cuts"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Doomskar / many Foretell cards - not a foretell deck. Also many of them suck. Also some of the ones that don't are "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"still "},{"insert":"a bit slow or niche."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mulldrifter"}},{"insert":" - On the fence about this one. I don't want to pay 3 to draw 2. I don't want to pay 5 to draw 2 and get a permanent. I "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"do"},{"insert":" want to pay 3-and-1 to draw 4 and get a permanent, but that relies on having instant speed blink ready to go, and I just don't like my odds. It's not for lack of testing - Mulldrifter is a blink staple. But then, so was Solemn Simulacrum..."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brago, King Eternal"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Soulherder"}},{"insert":" , Thassa, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Teleportation Circle"}},{"insert":" - Brago is great if you cast him on turn 3. Every other time? Dead card. Way too slow. If you want to play Brago, use him as the commander. The others ran into similar issues - they're just too much mana up front for a slow blink, when I could play reactively instead. Soulherder was the last one to go. Of note: they can also suck if you have multiples of them out and not enough targets."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Displacer Kitten"}},{"insert":" - I have it, and I hate it. This card sorta sucks to play even if the value is huge. Play if you want to lean into the blink stereotype of long turns every turn, I guess."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Archaeomancer"}},{"insert":" - I love it, and I can't use it. It combos too easily with Peregrine drake for the power level I'm aiming for."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Misdirection"}},{"insert":" - tried it, didn't come up very often. It's very cute but I have other ways to interact/dodge interaction. Plus it fights for space with my Solitude (wants white cards) and my ramp package (colorless artifacts)."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Palace Jailer"}},{"insert":" - good lord, I loved this card. Ranar and his spirits protect the monarch SO well, and Jailer's exile condition being based on monarchy makes him an incredible repeated blink target. BUT it's four mana at sorcery speed, and I very reluctantly had to cut this as I shifted to a more dedicated instant speed playstyle. If you're not doing that, please run this card!!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"On The Fence/Considering"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tales of the Ancestors"}},{"insert":" - it's a bad card. Ranar does make it better - functionally two mana - but refuelling my opponents sucks, and it's sorcery speed. "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"That said, "},{"insert":"in addition to being synergistic, it addresses the weakness I mentioned earlier in the Draw section - it works when I'm behind and boardless. Additionally, incidental Foretell cards in the deck plus a high mana rock count means it *is* possible for me to get a very low hand count, so that part is less of a concern. If I have card draw already I'm happy enough to turn it in to a free spirit token and forget about it. Definitely something I'd cut for future draw, though. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Loki, God of Mischief"}},{"insert":" is a recent add whose strength shouldn't be overstated - he has a high ceiling, particularly when I've got a slow loop going, but in practice his card draw in this deck is similar to that offered by Helpful Hunter (see below), except he's less reliable about drawing the first card. In order to make him better I'll be on the lookout for new cards that have additional ways to trigger him, bumping up his reliability."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Venser, Shaper Savant"}},{"insert":" - it's sort of a worse Aang, but Aang is amazing. I'd like to squeeze this in, but as it's dead early game (4 mana is a lot) and doesn't inherently offer synergy, it's hard to find a cut for it. Fear of Impostors competes for better stack interaction but less overall utility, but at a better MV."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spirited Companion"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Helpful Hunter"}},{"insert":" No real downsides here, besides the room in the 99 they take up. They're not dead late, being cantrips, they're worthwhile end targets for blink chains, they smooth out my early game, they lower my curve, they're +2 white cards for Solitude. But they're not actual card advantage. Low impact, but the wheel greasing they do is hard to replace. Notably I don't have Wall of Omens here because Defender turns off its usefulness in the event of a Moonshaker Cavalry/combat pump."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Gamechangers"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Generally speaking I'm just not into gamechangers unless they offer some interesting synergy with what I'm trying to do. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Force of Will"}},{"insert":" does technically do that - I'm still not running it though. If I had to pick three, it'd be Force, Tef Pro, and Mystic - Rhystic is the correct choice but I just can't bring myself to introduce DoYouPayTheOne to a table. Technically Farewell synergizes too, but *lmao* at trying to sell a single spirit token as an excuse for running it.\n\nGameplan"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nRamp, then ramp some more and/or set up early drop creatures, or cast Ranar and maybe prep a spirit with Foretell. Paying 2 to foretell early is usually a wasted opportunity unless you need to dig for lands with Multiverse or have an overabundance of foretell cards in hand."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Create spirits, ideally on other people's turns. Given a choice, make more spirits - unless you need to dig for a land drop. Those spirits make for bigger plays later when you get card draw like Indomitable or Crescendo. The best case scenario is having a slow-loop going, where one ETB slow blinker (Prince, Flickerwisp, Ennis, Flying Car) combines with any other ETB blinker (slow or not) to provide a minimum of one spirit on every player's end step. Don't block with the sprits unless you really need to or you have a redundant supply of them - a single spirit can have a lot of value later, and taking chip damage can lower your perceived threat level, particularly since having spirits tends to deter attacks *anyway*. Feel free to attack with them, though. Key pieces to protect are Ranar (paying 6 later is annoying), Aang (incredible utility at all points in the game), and any draw engines unless you have multiple."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Engine online? Start holding back, playing at instant speed at end step or when you need to slow someone down. For preference, build your own board and amass/protect your resources before messing with other people's. When the engine is really up and running, messing with people becomes a byproduct. "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Drop one of three gigapump spells and clean up the table with a spirit army. Aang and Caretaker's Talent can also contribute to a pump."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rules, Wording, Minor Decisions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nRanar does NOT work with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rest in Peace"}},{"insert":" for rules reasons. Give it a look.\nHe DOES see himself get exiled, so create a spirit if you blink him.\nHe does NOT create a spirit for each exiled thing, unless those exile effects are all unique triggers.\nIf you get the chance, time things to happen *before* your opponents move to their end step, rather than on the end step, so the various slow-blinkers have time to resolve their effects and have things enter again\n"}]}