[PRIMER] Riku Combat Veteran
Commander / EDH
SCORE: 15 | 12 COMMENTS | 2370 VIEWS | IN 10 FOLDERS
Sat at a new table with this deck and won —May 4, 2022
4/25/2022 Update.
Played this deck at a new table this weekend and wow did it manage to do work. Opening hand was fairly explosive and for the first time in a while Riku got out early and led the way. Played against Satoru, Aesi, and Ur-Dragon. Satoru kept Ninjutsuing in Ulamog, much to everyone's chagrin. He was also running quite a few counterspells (I saw 8 out of his 20) and bounce effects due to a subterranean subtheme. Ulamog ended up causing Aesi to draw out, which left just us 3. Riku ended up pulling out the long term win in a highly contested game by Doubling Cube a Comet Storm to all their creatures and their faces, then swinging with Atarka, World Render. He put down threats left and right, and had an answer to pretty much all sorts of problems the table faced. Phyrexian Metamorph was definitely the all-star, copying Sol Ring, Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait, Consecrated Sphinx, Hullbreaker Horror, and Atarka, World Render. Definitely got to show off some of the cool tricks that Riku has up his sleeve, and how this particular build manages to be resilient and bounce back by feeding off the board as well as having answers of its own. More than anything- it was fun to play. Slinging spells, dropping bombs, that is the way I like to play.
I did consider some potential swap outs, but that would only be playing toward my meta if I did it. The fact that he won should mean the deck did what it needed to do. HOWEVER- getting into a counterspell war definitely got me thinking. I ended up adding a Force of Will to the deck before these games and it definitely did work. My Mana Drain was exiled and Insidious Will wasn't a hard enough counter. The counterspell deck played an Overwhelming Denial and I was just like "crap" so...... I thought about answers Venser, Shaper Savant and Time Stop came to mind, but I want to stop the spell not give it back to them, and I did not want to necessarily end the turn. So I came up with these:
I have a veil of summer already, and a redirect I think. I am going to add them in and see what works!
Forceofnature1 says... #2
Thanks SirSh4ggy I appreciate it. I have a pod and sneak attack, so that could be a fun way to cheat creatures in. I know with pod it helps to have some established lines too, so the deck would need a complete re-build for that. Sneak attack I have had in a few decks but Riku's ability to copy a creature and then keep it on the table is huge value.
I have an Avenger of Zendikar combo with Craterhoof in another deck so I am trying to stay away from using him here too. I have the Hydra Broodmaster in here as a game-ender/late game mana sink and he can be a bit ridiculous. I chose him over Uvenwald because of how explosive he can be.
I have built Riku a few ways, both spellslinger and creature heavy. This build and my Epic Experiment spellslinger build are two of my favorites. This deck is a Riku centered toolbox geared to create a table presence without him- specifically against 3 other players. He draws a ton of hate, so I usually only pull him out when I have some protection lined up and/or know I can get some explosive value out of him that turn. I have enough solid threats and other ways to copy things that this deck is never lacking for options.
March 31, 2022 2:26 p.m.
lagotripha says... #3
I like this list - the only thing I'd look at would be blink effects because riku's second ability looks for ETB, not cast. - conjourer's closet is out because its 5 mana, but Thassa, Deep-Dwelling is a powerhouse and the humble Displace and Ghostly Flicker get eight triggers if you have the setup.
I've also had fun with populate - Full Flowering & Druid's Deliverance are also neat when copied, but they do need the board not to be getting cleared of tokens on the regular.
If you want trippy combos along this line to break siege gang commander, check out the ghostly flicker combo decks in pauper, alongside Skirk Prospector combos.
April 7, 2022 10:47 a.m.
Forceofnature1 says... #4
Thanks lagotripha I appreciate the suggestions. I got to play this deck a few times last weekend in person and it performed admirably. There were a couple of times I thought "how nice would it be to have a fog effect" but with Riku copying a fog effect is meh. Druid's Deliverance is great for that.
I have a hard time making cuts but Displace, Ghostly Flicker and Skirk Prospector are going to be cycled in somehow. 10 mana is easy to get in this deck.
I love that this deck consistently puts threats on the table but can be scaled so as not to immediately put a target on Riku's back. It has been my favorite toolbox so far and never seems to run out of gas. It is nice to have options and plays when playing large tables.
SirSh4ggy says... #1
This looks dope! I've seen Riku decks waver between creature based or spell slinger, and I think this could go either way. I'm not so sure about spellslinger, but I know as far as creature based strategies go you might consider Birthing Pod and Sneak Attack to make a big splash. A good creature combo is Avenger of Zendikar and Ulvenwald Hydra which, if you can flicker them, add up to a ton of big plants.
February 26, 2018 6:53 p.m.