{"ops":[{"insert":"A continuation of the saga of analyzing blackhorizon40k's journey of building giant typal decks that were not received well by their playgroup.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/6181679/pramikon_lcp_pr_analysis"},"insert":"First, we took a look at a "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/6181679/pramikon_lcp_pr_analysis"},"insert":{"card-link":"Pramikon, Sky Rampart"}},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/6181679/pramikon_lcp_pr_analysis"},"insert":" deck"},{"insert":" with giants running the show.\n\nNow let's take a look at their "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aegar, the Freezing Flame"}},{"insert":" list that came later and see if there is anything we can see as to why a playgroup may not play nicely with this deck and what PR campaign can we do to get it back on track or normal EDH games.\n\nHere's what they had to say about this deck:\n"},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I dropped white color identity and sleeved up Aegar, the Freezing Flame. Being down a handful of protection cards, I added some to make the giants hit the field faster. Rituals, fast mana artifacts, and ramp, things like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mana Drain"}},{"insert":", etc. Yeah, that drew some hate too. I find that people are really offended by tempo plays. \"But I'm playing TERRIBLE BIG CREATURES! I need SOMETHING to get them out!\", I proposed. I just died to the age-old adage, \"he who plays fast mana first, dies out of spite.\" Those cards (along with most of the deck cost) had to go. "},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"In its place, I added \"slower\" cost reducers (Urza's Incubator, Stone Calendar, Planar Gate, Cloud Key, Herald's Horn). Okay, I began to dodge the heat for a while - things felt better! "},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"All good things must come to an end... and that's when I began hanging some hats off of Aegar's \"spell\" trigger. Here in lies the next, great mistake."},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"So it turns out that a giant stomping out a creature to draw you a card feels great... but killing a swarm of small creatures with a card like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Storm's Wrath"}},{"insert":", or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blasphemous Act"}},{"insert":" feels... really great too. Every time something as simple as an "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Into the Fire"}},{"insert":" blasted everything for 2 damage, I'd feel one thousand eyes descend upon me. I sort of didn't get it at first. Then I realized I was burning away everyone's mana dorks and utility pieces constantly, and the deck had been labeled \"board wipe tribal\"."},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"Damn. Introducing a commander with \"more hooks\" brought more hate. Was my dream of Giants dead? "},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"As a last-ditch effort, I tried to include \"thematic\" cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Giant's Grasp"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crush Underfoot"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Squash"}},{"insert":", and \"snow-mana\" cards... but in the end I ended up with a less potent, watered-down version of what the deck could have been (and was, at times). "},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"Ultimately, this story didn't have a happy ending, down by the river, and Aegar was put to pasture."},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Analysis"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Statements to Repair the Reputation"},{"insert":"\nThe player notes that Aegar worked as a strictly giants deck. So the reputation wasn't initially one that was tarnished. However, it seems that the board wipe route proved to build a reputation around this commander. That seems to indicate that any campaigning isn't going to work until the other 99 see some pretty major edits first.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"New Commanders"},{"insert":"\nThis becomes a conundrum because the deck seemed to start with giants and land on the joy of drawing through torture. The DSM5 has some good notes on sadism. So was the experience about the giants in the end or did you discover something you didn't expect to like more in drawing cards through a red means.\n\nIf I were looking for a giants alternative, I might think about another color pivot and try out "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas"}},{"insert":". She benefits directly from the play of giants and she herself can serve as a quick method of taking down opponents. Even if the giants are long dead, the experience counters they gave Kalemne can serve as a quick one-card way to end the game.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Other 99 Edits"},{"insert":"\nThey outlined that the other 99 really was the culprit in the group coming to hate the deck. Any time your deck becomes known as board-wipe tribal, you know the social contract isn't going to help you out.\n\nI agree with the notes that the fast mana and excessive board wipes have got to go if we want Aegar to regain a fun reputation. He's gotta show that he's going to AA and isn't picking up any of that fire water any time soon. Dropping the damaging boardwipes would help and just lean into the giants. I may even drop some of the giants that tap down creatures. Just play those big boys, get haste, and beat face.\n"}]}