Foily Face-Off

[Gizmo]

I got a bit bored and so I've thrown together two decks using the foils I have opened/drafted down the years with the intention of playing them against each other. I think they're quite balanced, and while some cards are pretty janky there's some real gamewinning bombs in them as well.

R/W

Creatures (17)
Tin Street Hooligan
Hearth Kami
Sparkmage Apprentice
Ghitu Slinger x2
Ghitu Fire Eater
Ghost Lit Raider
Shinen Of Star's Light
Lightbringer
Viashino Bey
Pious Warrior
Defender En-Vec
Skyrider Trainee
Divebomber Griffin
Serra Angel
Frost Ogre
Yosei, The Morning Star

Spells (6)
Laccolith Rig
Fend Off
Indomitable Will
Heart Of Light
Dogpile
Sivvi's Ruse

Land (17)
7 Plains
8 Mountain
1 Selesnaya Sanctuary
1 Forest

--------------------

G/B

Creatures (16)
Silverglade Pathfinder
Gruul Guildmage
Dimir Guildmage
Cateran Persuader
Civic Wayfinder
Boneshredder
Shambling Shell
Ticking Gnomes x2
Rathi Assassin
Order Of The Sacred Bell
Boa Constrictor
Mantis Engine
Cateran Enforcer
Golgari Rotwurm
Ink-Eyes, Servant Of Oni

Spells (7)
Invigorate
Sick And Tired
Lure
Necromancer's Magemark
Strands Of Undeath
Necromantic Thirst
Sever Soul

Land (17)
9 Swamp
7 Forest
1 Mountain

Now I THINK the balance falls with the G/B deck because it has the card advantage of recursion and discard in there, but the R/W deck has a lot of cheapish removal (2 Slingers and a Ghost-Lit Raider is harsh) and more flyers. It's a shame I hardly got any blue cards, because two of them are Dominate - there just wasn't enough else to merit playing the blue spells in a deck.

So what do you think? Which deck wil have the advantage in this clash of the foily titans?

 

[jorael]

I really like the Green/Black one. It has excellent early game creatures, card advantage an a few bombs. I would add 1 island for the Dimir Guildmage. Sure Serra or Yosei is a problem, but the G/B has a some good removal cards and can boost its creatures.

There is only one way to find out for real, however.... Get a friend, shuffle the decks and game on!

 

[Gizmo]

I've played them against each other a few times to test balance - it's actually very close, I think the G/B deck is stronger if it can stabilise but I found the W/R deck had a bit too much removal for the early game and could evade for the win while the G/B deck stacked up useless creature enchantments in it's hand with nothing to enchant and lost to the combat tricks W/R brought to the table. I've taken out the Necromantic Thirst for a Gibbering Kami (2/2 vanilla flyer) which is about the only good G/B card I didnt have in - could go with a Squallmonger but I think the R/W deck would use it to Hurricane you to death. The Thirst looks good but with virtually no evasion it's often a dead card, so I think a 2/2 flyer that can block the Divebomber and ninja in Ink-Eyes is a better card, even if it is another 'slinger target..

I know what you mean about the Island... I was trying to decide between a Mountain or an Island, for which Guildmage I would use. As I said, having played it a couple of times now perhaps the Island would be more useful, the deck rarely needs to sit and start throwing land for the win. So, ok...

-1 Necromantic Thirst
-1 Mountain

+1 Gibbering Kami
+1 Island