{"ops":[{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/contest/discussion/15788219"},"insert":"September 2025 Deckbuilding Contest Winner"},{"insert":"\nThis deck combines the two niche archetypes of Face Down with Donate.\n(Best sorted by Categories (Multiple))\n\nThe Beamtown Bullies want to give creatures with ruinous ETB effects to opponents. That means running a deck full of liabilities, there's really no getting around it. Rather than just accept these dead draws, I've tried to mitigate them or even turn them into strengths by using face down mechanics. These creatures are massively under-costed to offset these horrendous ETB effects. You can manifest these creatures and flip them up for their cheap mana values and dodge their ETB effects at the same time, giving you a primary use for these creatures as large beaters. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eater of Days"}},{"insert":" is a 9/8 Flying Trample for 4 mana, for example. Flipping these cards up can also take advantage of face down support cards, for example "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pyrotechnic Performer"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Experiment Twelve"}},{"insert":" for very explosive results. This lets the deck create a powerful board presence most Bullies decks lack and play an aggressive mid-range beatdown game, while Manifest Dread alongside other effects work to fill your graveyard for assorted Jund shenanigans. I've found in my experience this is a much more functional and successful deck than the standard \"one trick pony\" glass cannon style of deck construction that can often rely on threatening people alone to stay alive.\n\nThis board presence will often times be one that is dangerous for your opponents to remove, as even a pumped up 14/14 Flying Trample "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Worldgorger Dragon"}},{"insert":" is probably still less dangerous attacking you on the battlefield than sent to the graveyard for the Bullies to use as ammo. It's worth noting that this is doubly true of attacking into, blocking, or using removal against even a small number of face down creatures that could well be anything. It's impossible to say if that attacking creature is a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leveler"}},{"insert":" you want to die and go to the graveyard, a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Master of Cruelties"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yargle and Multani"}},{"insert":" that probably needs to be blocked, or even a non-creature permanent you're looking to cheat in once it dies with a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Supernatural Stamina"}},{"insert":" effect. This is often compounded by effects like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Saryth, the Viper's Fang"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ohran Frostfang"}},{"insert":". You can essentially gaslight and browbeat people with horrible decisions that have no right answers the entire game. It also lets you fight people on more than one front simultaneously, attacking them traditionally on board and sneaking around beside them with a shiv out of your graveyard. Indeed, the Bullies leering at the battlefield from the command zone can have just as significant an effect on the game as eminence. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Notable Interactions"},{"insert":"\nBecause of the wording of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Worldgorger Dragon"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Soulgorger Orgg"}},{"insert":", removing these creatures as a response to the ETB effect on the stack will cause the creature to be removed, then the LTB will go on the stack and resolve (and do nothing), and THEN the ETB will finally resolve leaving the person with a permanently exiled board or 1 health. Even if you have removal in hand (or on board), you can sometimes mention this to the table at the time and priority bully somebody else into burning their removal."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Zhur-Taa Druid"}},{"insert":" can be used to finish off a player you've given an Orgg to during their turn, or alternatively you can fix their health at 1 and attempt to ping them with one of the crime lands during your turn."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Master of Cruelties"}},{"insert":" still has to attack alone, and when goaded is required to attack. You can donate it to a player who has just played a large "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Overrun"}},{"insert":" type effect to essentially fog their big attack for the price of one opponent having to chump block it (or be reduced to 1 life)"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Unstoppable Slasher"}},{"insert":" will return to your side of the board with stun counters if it is killed after you donate it"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Formless Genesis"}},{"insert":" can be used to create very useful targets (with deathtouch) for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chandra's Ignition"}},{"insert":" from either hand or graveyard in a pinch"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Oliphaunt"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Troll of Khazad-dûm"}},{"insert":" are counted as lands that give you giant beaters to donate and can colour fix for a minimal cost "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Boldwyr Heavyweights"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Skullwinder"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Oliphaunt"}},{"insert":" can all be really interesting things to offer opponents for political points, or to help take down an archenemy. They can even be good ways to bribe people into letting the Bullies resolve (or not removing them) and help them stick to the board."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lively Dirge"}},{"insert":" replaced "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Buried Alive"}},{"insert":", as it is seldom necessary to dump all your ammo into the graveyard at one time (and it invites a blowout with grave hate), while adding the flexibility of tutoring to the battlefield/re-animating some of the more useful creatures such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Saryth, the Viper's Fang"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pyrotechnic Performer"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Toski, Bearer of Secrets"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hauntwoods Shrieker"}},{"insert":", or even "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Skullwinder"}},{"insert":". "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Crime lands (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Jagged Barrens"}},{"insert":") are included as the payoff to the "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Animate Dead"}},{"insert":"/"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dance of the Dead"}},{"insert":" + "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Worldgorger Dragon"}},{"insert":" combo, which are all cards it makes sense to be running anyway. Including extra tapped lands makes the land base a little clunkier than it probably needs to be, but I didn't want to include cards that were strictly combo payoffs and served no other function. The deck is a little slower right out of the gate, but I haven't had too much of a problem sequencing drops"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"}]}