Vortex Elemental

Creature — Elemental

{U}: Put Vortex Elemental and each creature blocking or blocked by it on top of their owners' libraries, then those players shuffle their libraries. 3{U}{U}: Target creature blocks Vortex Elemental this turn if able.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (25)

1empyrean on What are the best defensive …

2 years ago

Vortex Elemental is a mean, mean card.

Amoebamantis on Toyota AE86

3 years ago

Thanks for the suggestions! I agree, Ponder would be great, but for right now, it's a bit too expensive for me to justify grabbing a playset. Brainstorm sounds like a nice pick as well, but I don't know if this deck could handle a slower mana base. I could possibly use Vortex Elemental (and maybe I could be fine with a few Evolving Wilds) to make Brainstorm good in the deck. Pili-Pala infinite mana is pretty cool, but I would need some other pieces in the deck to make it worth using (mana activated card draw engine into Walking Ballista).

Since all of the important draws to get in the deck are creatures, I feel like Incubation / Incongruity could work out really well.

maxon on Nature's Wroth

4 years ago

I love that you're running Vortex Elemental. It's one of my favorite cards. A similar creature could be good to: Void Stalker (and still on theme as an elemental.)

StopShot on 1 mana hate creatures

4 years ago

Not a creature, but Molten Vortex is insanely good against hate-bears as you can use your dead draws to take them out instead of your premium removal.

Spurnmage Advocate , Brown Ouphe , Cabal Therapist , Caustic Caterpillar , Cho-Arrim Alchemist , Cursecatcher , Dakra Mystic , Devoted Caretaker , Elvish Reclaimer , Gorilla Shaman , Guul Draz Assassin , Judge's Familiar , Law-Rune Enforcer , Mausoleum Wanderer , Mistcaller , Nova Cleric , Permeating Mass , Pilfering Imp , Siren Stormtamer , Tidal Warrior , Ulvenwald Tracker , Vortex Elemental , Weathered Wayfarer , Will-o'-the-Wisp , Xantid Swarm .

Ravenrose on Stay out of the water!

5 years ago

Dissolve might be a useful addition to this deck. Vortex Elemental and Thassa's Devourer are also fun additions to consider. Thassa's Emissary is quite fun. Divination is decent card draw. Other than that I have no suggestions. This deck looks fun!

Heretical_Tarp on Dark Purple

5 years ago

It's great that you've identified a core plan to victory for this deck - attacking with an unblocked Master of Cruelties. That's not a very good plan for the Modern format, but it's your plan here so we're sticking with it.

Uh, by the way... is this supposed to be a Standard deck from RTR/THS standard? I was halfway through this comment and I realized it's all cards from that time. If so, most of these comments should still be valid. All of these are just my opinions and I can't account for your meta or what you find fun.

I advise you to identify which cards are contributing to that game plan, and which are not - then you can cut the cards that aren't. Every card in your deck should be winning you the game. I don't know what your budgets are like, so I'm just going to recommend whatever comes to mind. The fact that you're playing Lightning Strike over Lightning Bolt suggests you're on a budget.

For example, some cards which don't help you:

• Pyxis of Pandemonium: This doesn't do anything. It literally does not affect any zones you care about. You aren't going to get to 7 mana, and if you were, you'd have better things to do, like Cyclonic Rift.

• Sire Of Insanity: This card has power, but it doesn't contribute to your plan. The plan is "land a hit with Master of Cruelties", not "punch face with fat beaters". You don't need a 6-mana attacker that doesn't help Master land a hit.

• Vortex Elemental: If you want a blocker, you can do better than this. Also, why do you want blockers? Play, like, another draw spell here, or Chromatic Lantern - anything which helps you Master sooner.

Also, there are cards which are just too situational or too weak:

• Slaughter Games - This doesn't contribute to your game plan, it obstructs the opponent's. But you can get much better disruption than this. You want a Thoughtseize here instead. It's cheaper, and it'll hit more often.

• Voyage's End - I get what you're going for here; bouncing a blocker will let you get in, or keep you alive if you're under pressure. But this just doesn't do enough - most creatures your opponents play will be cheaper than Master, so you're unlikely to be attacking into a single blocker with the opponent having no removal. Think about how specific the situation for this to win you the game is! You can do better with this slot. Also, you already have 4 of this effect in Cyclonic Rift, which is alright because it can win you the game from much further behind.

• Spark Jolt - Again, I get it - it lets you find Master, or finish the opponent off after you have. But it doesn't do enough, and you already have plenty of burn. Most of the time this card is dead, so you can do better.

• Aqueous Form: Ah, now we're talking. A card that guarantees your Master gets in! Except, it doesn't stop removal, and the scrying doesn't help you find a Master - what else are you gonna put this on, an Omenspeaker? Too situational in my opinion. Thassa, God of the Sea is your best unblockable source.

So, what cards do you want instead? Well, more powerful ones. I'll contrain myself to RTR/M14/THS Standard

• Chandra, Pyromaster - This card removes blockers, finishes opponents after a Master hit, and digs for Master. No card can win you the game from any position, but this is powerful and versatile enough to justify playing.

• Far / Away - My replacement for Voyage's End, this clears double the blockers and can actually get rid of things permanently.

• Hero's Downfall or Dreadbore - I'd upgrade Doom Blade to one of these. Your deck isn't exactly beating with a ton of creatures, so being able to remove planeswalkers will be important.

• Thoughtseize = Slam dunk include. For one mana, counter a removal spell, remove a blocker, or stop an attacker... sort of. Beats Slaughter Games by a large margin, since you don't have any other ways to look at your opponent's hand.

Anyway, there's not too much you can do with this basic plan and this card pool - even allowing all of Modern, you'll only get so far - but I hope this helps you focus on cards which often advance your plan, rather than cards which maybe help sometimes but usually do nothing.

slusken on Under the sea, please don't kill me!

5 years ago

Thank you Ravenrose for the suggestions. I'm glad you like the flavour :) I will definetly find a place for Vortex Elemental in the deck. Thassa's Ire looks to be a quite good defense against early threats as well!

Since I like doing somewhat of a theme in my decks, your other suggestions is on point in regards to the flavour of the deck. But most of my playgroup tend to play some pretty well tuned decks, And I feel hard pressed to add lackluster cards in terms of power level just to fit the theme. I do like the suggestions nonetheless!

Ravenrose on Under the sea, please don't kill me!

5 years ago

This deck is bursting with flavour and I love it. You might also want to consider Vortex Elemental as a 1 drop and good defence. I find that people leave me alone for a while when Charybdis (my nickname for it because it bears resemblance to the mythical whirlpool monster) is on the field. Entrancing Melody refers to Sirens, which are also creatures of the deep in Greek mythology. Plus give a nod to mermaids as well. Serpent of the Endless Sea is not only flavour but is an arguable adaptation of Jormungandr. Thassa's Ire and Thassa's Devourer link to the sea god you are playing already so ... I thought these might fit in too. Deep-Sea Terror and Jokulmorder might also be worthy of consideration. I hope these have helped a little!