{"ops":[{"insert":"This is one of the first “split-off” decks I created, moving "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kess, Dissident Mage"}},{"insert":" out from under "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Inalla, Archmage Ritualist"}},{"insert":"'s thumb and giving her the lion’s share of Good Instants and Sorceries. Only a few other wizards defected with her; the removal spells alone in this deck outnumber creatures by 2:1. \n\nThe deck eschews ramp because it is largely unimportant and in the way for this strategy. Cheap draw is ideal for the early turns, but go ahead and play small removal on small creatures if that’s the hand you have, letting 1-for-1 take an early toll on your resources. Play Kess later than turn four if you can afford to, so that you can also revive something from your graveyard in the first turn. Lay one - at most two - other creatures next to Kess so that you take minimal early damage. What you do from there depends on what creatures you have...\n\nSWARM approach. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Talrand, Sky Summoner"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kuja, Genome Sorcerer // Trance Kuja, Fate Defied"}},{"insert":" suggest you will want to hold back mass removal and put spot removal forward. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pile On"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Impact Resonance"}},{"insert":" play well on opponents’ turns (especially after you block something large with something small). You might even be able to land a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Judith, Carnage Connoisseur"}},{"insert":" and start throwing imps out there. Then you wait for others to board wipe because YOUR board state is getting silly. This is plan A because it’s bonus turns for a deck that only carries about a dozen serious creatures; your back is never against the wall, and you should get to the end game with plenty of cards in hand.\n\nWIPE approach. If you don’t get one of those swarm options, you wipe when you must, following up the play with one or two creatures (not Kess) who can help you avoid big damage. Maybe "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Archmage of Runes"}},{"insert":" is enough on their own for a few turns. Maybe "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hidetsugu and Kairi"}},{"insert":" can set you up for longer term success. Even a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wizards of Thay"}},{"insert":" can threaten your more powerful spells at instant speed. Build as many cards and mana as you can.\n\nWhichever way you go, you will hopefully survive to LATE GAME, which is when "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Professor Onyx"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Murktide Regent"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ral, Storm Conduit"}},{"insert":" , and other threats should be capable of backing up a re-emergent Kess. Kess should be spitting out a spell every turn, taking out the most legitimate threats. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spelltwine"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring"}},{"insert":" should get you additional value. You will finish either with the conventional "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Torment of Hailfire"}},{"insert":" or a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rise from the Tides"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Time Warp"}},{"insert":" so you can get a large attack in (before casting Rise again).\n\nIt can hiccup and sputter because it’s not a cEDH deck built for tutoring and consistency. It’s still fairly rigorous and will remind players of the value of a well-timed "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcbond"}},{"insert":" .\n\nStandard strategic approach notes and disclaimer(s) for all my decks:\nI generally aim for high synergy, short of optimization. (Tier 3+, if you track that sort of thing.)"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I like games that last 8-12 turns and aim to demonstrate the deck’s synergy within that timeframe."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I prefer to win but don’t relentlessly pursue that goal, because I am an adult who enjoys playing games with friends. So you’ll occasionally see silly cards. Enjoy them!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I do not want to bore my friends, so my goal is to have NO non-land card in more than 3-4 decks. If you’re wondering why a certain “obvious staple” isn’t in this deck list, that’s probably why."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I’m continuously updating (each deck gets a look at newer cards every six months) so of course there may be changes around the margins. "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThanks for checking out my deck(s). Peace.\n\nAnthony Alongi\nProgenitor of Multiplayer Magic Content Creation\nFormer Columnist for Wizards of the Coast, StarCity Games, The Dojo\nFormer Podcaster (Elder Dragon Statesmen) with the Late, Great Sheldon Menery\n\n"}]}