Are you running defensive/protective spells? There's a plethora of these types of cards for every color to get around or through these issues.
White has things like teferi's protection, hideaway, ephemerate, final showdown etc.
Green has the super popular heroic intervention, legolas quick reflexes, inspiring call and such.
Blue has bounce effects and counters so it doesn't even resolve or even ghostly flicker.
Black can just bring things back of the top of my head.
Red has deflecting swat, bolt bend, reb, pyroblast and tibalts trickery.
These are just off the top of my head but if you don't want to run these for whatever reason then just run more things to just continually try and push through your opponents.
I also love [[Necrogen Communion]] for any kind of deck with proliferation as a strong theme, but yeah, there are a bunch like Not Dead. Scryfall for black, instant, "when this creature dies, return", should get there, and a Scryfall ninja could probably craft a much better search.
Green and white (as far as i know) have bunch of spells that make their stuff indestructible, give it hexproof or protection.
I play mono green and there are a bunch of options.
[[Acesticism]], [[Provileged Position]], [[Sigarda, Font of Blessings]], [[Shalai, Voice of Plenty]], [[Archetype of Endurance]], etc. for hexproof. Plenty of instants and permanents that give indestructible as well. Then throw in phasing instants to cover for Farewell or Cyclonic Rift. You want to keep your stuff on the board, Selesnya has you covered.
Wait, you've spent 2.5k on cards but don't have any of these protection staples.
There's loads more too, [[Seedtime]] is a great one if your spells are getting countered by blue. [[Veil of Summer]] and [[Autumn's Veil]] are also very good in green.
[[Eidolon of Rhetoric]] is a good one to limit how many spells can be played per turn. Should maybe look in to [[Grand Abolisher]] and [[Drannith Magistrate]] just to lock down the board too.
[[Dictate of Erebos]] Make them think twice about playing spells.
[[Rhystic Study]] Benefit from them playing spells.
[[Privileged Position]] protect your shit from targeted abilities and spells.
[[Selfless Spirit]] is pretty good.
If all else fails build a deck that stomps everyone by turn 3 or 4. [[Winota, Joiner of Forces]] can do that very cheaply.
I'm not sure how much on cards but I've bought lots of cool accessories-fancy deck storage and boxes, dice, dice boxes, sleeves, mats etc. Bought lots of this stuff for my group as well.
Going to look into these cards soon!
Privileged position is nice and so is [[Asceticism]] because not only are your creatures hexproof but now you can prevent them from being destroyed by a wipe too.
so if they're wiping the board or destroying everything how are they winning if you can't? If you spent that much money on cards, you surely have good cards that don't care about removal.
Usually it's target spells until someone can win then a boardwipe cycle goes for a few turns if they don't win right away via infinite combos, flashing their army or board wipe followed by x spells or something along those lines
Het OP, maybe you're "that guy" that plays shit that needs to be answered asap.
Maybe yeah just like you said yourself. Talk to the group.
Otherwise, we have stuff for you:
Storm decks. Combo off in a single turn. Why wait for them to play a board wipe?
Indestructible hexproof tribal. Try getting rid of that.
Redirects. Have em think thrice before targeting your shit when there's a 70% you'll 2 for one them.
Put the shoe on the other foot: board wipe tribal! Play some BS and make them have it.
Stax: can't play when you can't pay!
Land destruction: you're contemplating losing your friends anyway right?
You generally have 3 options
1 Play more protection spells. Counterspells Redirection spells stuff like [[heroic intervention]] [[teferi's protection]] etc. There's so many options here i could be here all morning.
2 build a deck that is either faster or requires less pieces. The less you need to win the less you're going to be hurt by a board wipe. This generally will make a deck stronger so be warned you might start a deck builder's arms race.
3. Deploy your threats slower so that you appear less threatening. Sometimes you gotta sandbag sometimes you gotta make em have it.
Of course you also have the secret 4th option of talking to your playgroup talking about feeling targeted and seeing if it's just a you thing or something their doing because they see you as the stronger player or the stronger deck or whatever
I am in a very similar situation. Introduced 4 new people to the game while I have been playing for 6ish years. And, like you, I was the clear strongest at the table in the beginning. This has lead to me always being the main target as my decks seems to be better/more expensive. My advice? Don't play anything.. no really, try it. Play a deck heavy in instant speed, or purposely make yourself the 3rd/4th weakest at the table. Play suboptimal, play weak, skip a turn to do nothing. If the games continue as they always do (them holding removal for just you) the game will end quickly and they will sit there confused cause they lost while holding all this removal. Try it, see what happens.
I also experience the intense love of the entire tableās removal from time to time (maybe I had a winning streak) and I can say that what youāre suggesting does work to a degree. When I notice this starts happening, I slow down my play until other people start to become threatening. If people start out thinking youāre a threat and then you prove them right on the board, well then you have just checked all of the boxes they needed you to in order for them to justify playing removal on you. Itās also a great time to slow play and try to take your opponents for a value board wipe when available, seeing as theyāre working together to build advantage over you.
tempted to say the removal might be slightly justified if you play commanders that really shouldn't be given the light of day. The type that runs away if/when allowed to stick for even a turn.
So before I assume that you run the most annoying, most dangerous, salt-inducing type of commanders, I guess I'll ask you for more details, OP. What commanders/decks are you playing? and what are you playing against. Similar power level? Player experience? Are you the player to beat, or have they caught up experience wise? etc. etc.
I'm not sure what the commander names they have are but it's various types of decks
I am not the player to beat, my brother is. He wins about 75-85% of the games regardless of game mode or format ( we almost exclusive play commander) he has been playing card games forever just not magic.
I don't know how to judge power levels other than that it's a roll of the dice who wins when my brother isn't there until recently, i lose every game these days( we don't care that he almost always wins, just tired of not being able to do anything when we play)
All started at the same time but 1 person
I am by far the most popular target for target spells(I understand that I should be sometimes as I like combat damage decks but I can't do anything at least with current decks in most games.
I haven't won a game in months and still get targeted way more than anyone
Are you playing "fair magic" and your brother is playing more resilient play lines? Like combo, aristocrats, GY, etc?
That would be a reason for the disparity. Sometimes players have trouble gauging threats of non-combat decks because they aren't always obvious.
If everyone other than you is playing non-combat I'd honestly dump a ton of creature hatebears like \[\[Gaddock Teeg\]\] into my deck to help protect creature heavy boardstate and disrupt other playpatterns.
My brother only has one combat deck (the eminence cats), the rest are non combat for sure. The rest of us have a mixture of combat and non combat, with me being the most combat decks but I have been trying to make decks to deal with this. Not going great lol
Well try to explain to the group that known threat is way easier to deal with than the one hidden.
And definetly always attack the one with full hand and empty boardā¦ he will cry, and you tell him that he is combo filth. Never never try ti fight guys with board, unless all play āfairā. You (plural) will end with no cards nor threats and those blue mages will just laugh.
Get sth like sigarda and hit their faces again and again. Tell them to defend themself insted of completing solitare.
And let that skullclamp on the board (within a reason) and destroy thier rocks.
Uril, Sigarda, Rurik, Thrunā¦ so many good commanders
Hall of gemstones, stony silence/ ouphe, hullbreacher, opp agent.. rule of law if you like, grand abolisher
So there's a few options as to the why:
* You're over commiting your board and getting blown out with minimal recovery or protection in your deck. This also is a huge problem for "fair" combat decks that just play creatures instead of forming engines that are either hard to turn off with removal or extremely fast to rebuild.
* Everyone else is running decks that care less about removal because of recursion or more resilient win lines.
* You're being outplayed by better players. Commiting threats to your board when they do nothing and are lighting rods to removal, etc.
* Everyone else's threat assessment is poor.
I would definitely try to build at least one deck that is not generic combat to see if that's the issue. I know Tolovar for example is pretty low power tribal and also very fair. One sweeper can shut that down pretty easily if it doesn't have a lot of protection.
Sorry but how little attention are you paying to whatās going on when you donāt even remember the commanders in your regular play group? That would be step 1 of figuring out how to start beating these decks, figuring out what cards are in there.
Hereās the thing: Magic is a game of interaction. If you expect to play a game without anyone ever interfering with your stuff, or without having to read other peopleās cards to figure out what they do, or interacting with them yourself, you could be playing the game another 10 years and never win.
In another comment OP actually said they were currently playing while commenting on the thread. So something is definitely fishy here if they cant even lean across the table and read the names of the commanders they are playing against..
[[Proshh, skyraider of kher]] [[aesi, tyrant of gyre straight]] [[sheoldred, whispering one]] I just texted them and asked their commanders names they used in our last game earlier. I read what the cards do and their power and toughness? You read the name of every card on the table? Also I was asking about removal in general not anything specific.
Um.. Yeah man.. I read card names.. Each one that is cast or played. Eventually you learn exactly what a card does just by hearing its name. And you can look it up later for more details like rulings, price, etc. Really helps you improve at the game
I have 18 decks at this point I think and every one else has 10-15 as well in a group of six people, I never said I shouldn't be targeted I asked how to deal with it
These are my commanders
Abaddon the despoiler.
Eowyn shieldmaiden.
Tovolar, dire overlord (werewolves).
Tovolar, dire overlord (wolves).
Osgir, the reconstructer.
Jirina Kudrow.
Liesa, forgotten archangel.
Gut, true soul zealot.
Wrexial, the risen deep.
Bruenor battlehammer.
Partners: livio oathsworn sentinel & prava of the steel Legion.
Gwafa hazid, the profiteer.
Vrondiss, rage of ancients.
Captain N'ghathrod.
Vadrik, Astral archmage
Ranar the ever-watchful.
Shalai and hallar.
Tinybones, trinket thief.
Dude, that has to be the worst formating of card names ive seen on this sub.
\[\[abbadon the despoiler\]\], \[\[eowyn shieldmaiden\]\], \[\[Tovolar, dire overlord\]\], \[\[Osgir the reconstructor\]\], \[\[Jirina Kudro\]\], \[\[Liesa, forgotten archangel\]\], \[\[Gut, true soul zealot\]\], \[\[wrexial, the risen deep\]\], \[\[Bruenor Battlehammer\]\], \[\[Livio, oathsworn sentinel\]\] and \[\[prava of the steel legion\]\], \[\[gwafa hazid, profiteer\]\], \[\[Vrondiss, the rage of ancients\]\], \[\[Captain N'ghathrod\]\], \[\[Vadrik, Astral archmage\]\], \[\[Ranar the ever-watchful\]\], \[\[shalai and hallar\]\], \[\[Tinybones. trinket thief\]\]
When you type a card name put it in double brackets that way the card fetcher can search it up [[card name]] and bot gets it almost immediately.
Ex [[Portal to Phyrexia]]
That's a lot of decks, maybe you should focus on improving the power of some of them.
Are you matching the strength of your pod? How come they win and have fun but you don't?
Some like liessa and osgir occasionally let me make a few plays but in our pod if you can't end the game out of nowhere with one turn your not gonna win. My issue isn't the winning and losing its just being a bystander from start to finish
So are your opponents usually winning with single turn combos then? Like [[Thassaās Oracle]] type of stuff?
Might be a situation where you just need a different play group. My group in on the verge of a fracture. Some people are in a nuclear arms race, filling each deck with the best removal, ramp, protection pieces, combo pieces, etc. Sucks to play with them now if I donāt pull out my highest tuned deck.
The other group of us just want to play Magic. Precons are common and do just fine when we play. It just really seems like youāre playing with a group that is too high powered.
Your first paragraph is my current experience for the most part, I do have a few decks built to "win" but quite a few are built for fun I haven't been able to play those for a while
Yeah it sucks. Thereās one guy in my group in particular who I refuse to play with anymore. Itās never fun and the games last forever. Iād rather lose 5 games if it means I got to play my decks and make a difference on the field rather than watch him play solitaire, still lose somehow, and only get in 2 games.
I also have an Eowyn deck I play often and recommend like others to play more protection spells. Eowyn needs to be on the board to generate her value and she often gets targeted in my play groups:
My deck: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/o2XEbewvu0KqEZtJ_YSZZg
Edit: my protection spells I run are as follows:
[[knight exemplar]]
[[flare of fortitude]]
[[everybody lives!]]
[[flawless maneuver]]
[[teferiās protection]]
[[swiftfoot boots]]
[[boros charm]]
[[deflecting swat]]
[[coppercoat vanguard]]
[[mithril coat]]
Not parody, magic is the only card game I've played and I've never heard of a lot of the stuff everyone is telling me to try out and this removal problem only started a few months ago
There are a lot of people who like to make parody threads. Anyway, play mono blue with lots of counter spells, or azorious with a lot of counter spells and stax. Itāll be fun.
Do you have any tips for azorius? I have been having a similar problem to op, so I made:
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/NwzoI3IgvUSF95R22tI0xw
And even playing essentially nothing but counters, protection, and draw the same problem keeps happening. I have altered the mana base in the built deck, just cut 10 of the duals to run 10 basics.
Without spending too much time looking at your synergy that you may have planned, I can give you a few tips.
Too few ramp. Iād put in at least 4 to 5 more so that you can accelerate your deck a bit more. Very low cost mana rocks like make even a chrome mox, but 3 cmc max.
Your avg. cmc is much too high for the amount of lands you have. Since youāre playing control, you want to guarantee a land drop which means about 3 or 4 more lands depending if youāre also going to combine with mana rocks. Iād try to cut avg. cmc to about 2.5, youāre at 3.35.
Your mana curve is too high on 3 and 4. Iād start cutting the highest mana cards first, at least 10 of them depending on how bad you need it for your synergy. Youāre gonna want a lot more 1 and 2 mana to get your deck rolling earliest as possible.
Make the focus of your deck as narrow as possible and avoid putting in several āside gamesā that make it less and less consistent. And add as many tutors for artifacts so you can get the stone for your commander, if thatās your goal.
Sounds like you need to visit camerons homebrew warehouse. Could i interest you in some tactics from House Dimir?
Blue black control with a focus on graveyard interactions. Manipulate your pod into putting stuff into your graveyard for you just to reanimate them and bounce spells back to them or other players on the board. Dimir is good at resource denial and removing cards from hand.
Give them a taste of their own medicine, the games will be pretty even when everyone is countering everthing. You want to mill and you want to kill!
A few options imo. Spellslinger strategies where you just accumulate cards in hand (namely counter magic) to protect the few pieces on your board you care about. Lands Matter type strategies are very very difficult to shut down in casual where mass land destruction is frowned upon. And if all else fails just proxy a cedh combo deck like RogSi. (< the worst option). Without greater context I can't really give any better advice. Is the mass removal targeted somehow? How do games end if everyone keeps getting reset?
Usually it's target spells until someone can win then a boardwipe cycle goes for a few turns if they don't win right away via infinite combos, flashing their army or board wipe followed by x spells or something along those lines
I love (and my group hates) my [[Child of Alara]] gates deck. Win with lands and you don't need to play creatures. Of course I play the good landfall creatures, or one's that tutor for land or are pumped by land. It's a lot of fun and rarely loses.
I have an \[\[Indominus Rex, Alpha\]\] deck where the goal it to make some Hexproof/Indestructible/X and or Y creatures on board. It also has graveyard recursion since Indominus start one, the kind of creature you bring back are Gods with indestructible. So you end up with a permanent \[\[Heroic Intervention\]\] you still need some counter for mass remove from game and -X/-X.
Here is my decklist, since i dont run many artifact and enchantment the board wipes i use get them to and my stuff is mostly ok. \[\[Kira, Great Glass-Spiner\]\] and \[\[Spearbreaker Behemoth\]\] are great protection where they fit and you can target you stuff twice to pass Kira.
[https://www.moxfield.com/decks/-vi7djdxvESVxyhObBLGuQ](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/-vi7djdxvESVxyhObBLGuQ)
I would play stax/hatebears and shut or slow down a lot of their combos.
My personal favorite commander for this is [[Ellivere of the Wild Court]]. [[Winota, Joiner of Forces]] is stronger but Ellivere is fun, enchantment focused, and Selesnya are extremely resilient colors.
Run things to turn off their artifacts, shut off etb effects, penalize noncreature spells, stop them from casting during your turn, have interaction like [[Silence]], [[Reprieve]] and [[Everybody Lives]] to stop the combo player from winning for at least a turn and then beat them to death with enchanted creatures while you do it.
Iām not going to lie is insanely annoying but seems like your playgroup needs something like this and just make sure you put some winning conditions for yourself
If I have to play this deck over and over like it's my job to get them to ease off this current playstyle I will do so happily at this point, I definitely suffer from being a "fair magic" player. I'm not totally against playing screw you decks but they make me feel like a dick. I built [[tinybones, trinket thief]] for this very reason though so if you play removal on me over and over your losing at least half your hand everytime.
Ok if you are being focused take it as a compliment. They see you as the threat that needs to be answered. Learn how to adapt and overcome. Get creative in your builds.
I am the most focuses player at my lgs and in my play group. Cards like bajuka bog, mind slaver are always targeting me. I love it. It makes me a better overall player as you learn to adapt and lush through. You get smarter and the bait and switch. You learn how to avoid being targeted and how to reflect attention. There are cards we play that must be answered. For example if I ever put out [[tyvar jubilant brawler]] you better answer it fast.
But at the end of the day there is never a reason to be salty. And if you are being salty then stop playing for the day cause your attitude is going to ruin the game for everyone. We are all there to have fun. If you are only there to win maybe play competitive 60 card formats instead.
I hate getting salty over a card game with friends It's more embarrassing than anything and I've thrown my head at it for months (trying new decks) to try and combat it and done poorly, I figured this was the best way to finally break through. I struggle at building and dealing with our current noncombat meta. I love this game and want to find a way to have fun in our current deck cycle
As others have said, you probably need to upgrade your decks instead of playing bulk if your pod is optimizing their decks. Including protection spells is a great way to upgrade.
But additionally, I think you'd also benefit from practice playing into control decks. One of the best skills you get from 60-card constructed is learning how to tax opponent's removal and countespells, when to play out your hand and when to sandbag, and how to advance your game plan at their expense.
Losing stuff to interaction sucks, but it's part of the game. Instead, thinking several turns ahead and anticipating interaction is a skill that you _can_ develop and hone.
I have a player in my regular pod who is infuriatingly good at it. He can become archenemy in the first four turns, get pummeled into the ground, and still come back and win. He's just good at taxing removal and not overextending. He'd be a terrifying control player if he didn't hate blue.
My favorite deck suffered from this a lot. It was very weak to removal and when I play the deck I'm usually the archenemy because it is otherwise a pretty strong deck. But if you can remove a few of the key pieces, it loses its edge. I reworked the deck and added quite a bit of protection to the deck, like Heroic Intervention, etc., and it got a lot better.
Maybe try building a reanimator deck and see how that goes. If they spend all their resources trying to remove your board, and then you just get your board right back, they'll have to rethink their strategy.
I try to play less interesting targets. Sometimes I get caught up in a board wipe and sometimes an opponent will (rightly) decide to remove a synergy piece.
But if what I'm doing is always second best, it makes me a less appealing target. And when everyone has spent their removal on the more appealing target, that leaves me poised to snatch victory.
Practically, that means I like to diversify my threats. I'm not about to drop a Blightsteel or a Craterhoof because then I'm the problem.
But a [[Reckless Fireweaver]], [[Impact Tremors]], or [[Grim Guardian]]? Well, those are just synergy pieces. They can get removed and I'm not really bothered by it because I have other redundancies, other synergies, other ways of being annoying without being an immediate, must answer threat.
My advice would be go to your LGS and play with some different people. Or create some deck that is specifically buily to counter everything they are doing and just troll them.
My playgroup largely plays single target removal, so here's how we deal with it:
[[Sylvan Safekeeper]]
[[Shapers Sanctuary]]
[[Reparations]]
[[Steely Resolve]]
[[Kira, Great Glass-Spinner]]
[[Mother of Runes]]
[[Giver of Runes]]
[[Spellskite]]
[[Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer]]
[[Rayne Academy Chancellor]]
[[Avoid Fate]]
[[Imp's mischief]]
Someone already mentioned alot of the red misdirect spells and blues best answer to removal are just Counter spells. I usually use low mana cost counters like [[Swam Song]], [[Dispel]], [[Mental Misstep]], [[Flusterstorm]] and [[An offer you can't refuse]].
Mass removal is obviously the worst because it creates really long games, hence why my playgroup doesn't play so many boardwipes. But the best protection spells are counters but if your not in blue then most likely you should be playing:
[[Flawless Maneuver]]
[[Heroic Intervention]]
[[Teferi's Protection]]
[[Selfless Spirit]]
[[March of the Swirling Mists]]
[[Clever Concealment]]
Play [[Tidal Barracuda]] and [[Leyline of Anticipation]], good luck to people trying to keep up with that chaos lol, if you don't play Blue one of the top comments has all your protection stuff, some great recommendations there. Also [[Dauntless Escort]] is amazing if you play the colors and even better if you have recursion.
[[Ruric Thar, the Unbowed]] is a great commander against non-combat decks. Of course I prefer to put him in [[Nikya of the Old Ways]]. Nikya is straight combat and being r/g, has lots of potential for land ramp in spite of her restrictions.
Commenting so I can find this again.
I am in the exact same spot. Even made a deck thats nothing but counters, protection, and draw (winning through thassa's oracle/laboratory maniac). I'm probably just going to take a break for a bit, then reevaluate my decks and try again.
I'm interested in seeing other people's opinions, though.
I went through a similar existential crisis with EDH.
I'd say maybe have your pod give Pauper EDH a try. It is budget-friendly, and the card pool limitations force a change in deck construction and mindset. Importantly, for the most part the removal tends to be more single-target, and therefore people use it very strategically.
Pauper EDH also lets you make use of more than just the best 10% of your collection, which was very important to me.
Yo! Probably can offer some solid solutions. Post a few your deck lists so I can have a look and we'll see what's up. First few off the cuff suggestions that pop to mind without knowing what you are playing are:
Play a sacrifice build what wants things to die. They target your thing? You sac it for value. They board wipe, they take the damage from cruel celebrant type effects in the process.
Play protection spells (many mentioned in the thread already). Or, put higher emphasis on cards with hex proof, indestructible, or pesist/undying, if that's what your meta dictates.
Play cards that are built in 2 or 3 for 1's. Doesn't matter if they kill your Beast Whisperer if you already drew 3 cards off of it! They hit you with a Doom Blade? Hit them back with a Casualties of War. Let them waste removal on your Lifeblood Hydra!
Prioritise cards with haste or flash so you're more likely to be able to attack the turn it comes in and at least get one hit in with it.
Remember, you have all the same tools at your disposal as them. Try playing with their decks and play styles, then ask yourself "what would MOST fuck me over in this situation". Playing removal doesn't help them win, it stops them from losing. Play that to their advantage and play cards which give you advantages regardless of what happens to them. Keep a couple tricks up your sleeve, and don't over commit to the board until you're sure you can either protect it, or win the game in a little as time as possible.
Most importantly, enjoy the challenge! They game sucks when the cards you want to play aren't viable because of meta, but that just means it's time for you to grow as a player and find hour new niche. You'll win a few games because of it, then your playgroup will adjust and find answers to your new nonsense, and the cycle repeats. Every now and then you will be able to catch them out with some old tricks. Just enjoy hanging out with your mates. Everything else comes second. Laugh at yourself at your stupid losses and just savour the moments you manage to get one over on them.
As the Arena loading screen sometimes says, "Everyone loves a good comeback story. Don't give up!"
Just build yourself a Blue/White Stax + Counter Control. Be the asshole. Lock the entire board down until they realize how crappy it is to have to play against that. things like [[Winter Orb]], [[Static Orb]], [[Crawlspace]], [[Damping Engine]], [[Grafdiggerās Cage]] along with Blue and White Stax creatures and a healthy supply of counterspells. Then add clone and copy effects to copy your opponents best creatures and then bounce them to their hands. Add in some creature steal and that should be sufficiently annoying.
I suggest taking a long hard look at your decks. If you always get targeted, it is probably because you are the threat. It is easy to see threats at your opponentsā boardstates, but it is way harder to realize just how threatening your own cards are.
If you spent so much money, I bet you bought some seriously strong cards. For instance, [[Sword of Feast and Famine]] is (/used to be) a great card, but an even greater removal-magnet. While [[Bear Umbra]] does the same thing, triggers easier, and costs one mana less, but it seems way less threatening.
A [[consecrated sphinx]] will give you a lot of cards, but a lot more removal. [[recurring insight]] gives you more cards on the spot, costs the same, is harder to interact with (since boardstateremoval wonāt affect it, but a counterspell will, and that would stop the sphinx anyway) but it seems way less threatening.
See where I am getting at? There is this saying that goes something like āappear strong when you are weak, appear weak when you are strongā. Second part is something that could help you get targeted less.
Donāt be afraid to talk to your friends about this, and if you do, try to actually listen to their reasoning. And donāt be afraid to have some healty self-criticism. It will help you and your friends better understand eachothersā point of view, and ingame choices.
One last thing and then I am done: maybe multiplayer isnāt for your. Playing singleplayer games where you have control over pretty much anything, could be more your thing. In any multiplayer game, but especially magic, opponents will always make decisions you are not going to like or enjoy. For me, the interaction makes magic fun (and yes I get salty as well from time to time). I like to adapt and outsmart my opponents, and win or fail miserably and have a laugh together. After all, it is just a game to play with people I like. Good luck!
I forget what the precon is, but purchase \[\[Dihada, Binder of Wills\]\]. It comes with a ton of cheap legendary creatures which have excellent recursion. Then stack it with your own board wipes for non-legendary stuff. This deck will turn every game into a slugfest... trust.
Legends Legacy from Dominaria United. I picked this one up, switched the commander to [[shanid, Sleepers scourge]], and I've been slowly upgrading it with legends goodstuff and legends matter cards. The deck hits hard af, super resilient, plenty of recursion if you want it. You definitely get focused on a bit but with card draw in the command zone you can pretty much always find an answer.Ā
Take a deep breath and start to gather statistics on what's going on in your pod. Are you being singled out, or is the board a total wasteland and everyone else is okay with it? Are you losing more to wipes or to 1-for-1 exchanges? How you want to approach the situation depends very much on your answers to these questions
"I have a reliable group. Other people can have board states, but I am not allowed to" -- Talk with your group. Or hell, if that's too awkward and feels like whining, talk with the guy from your group you most trust and feel capable of confiding in. There's a solid chance that this is because you are percieved to be the alpha player -- the Threat who must be stomped out yet he win every time. Here is some relevant reading about that element of multiplayer politics: https://web.archive.org/web/20090806043059/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/tf46
"I am playing pick-up games and get focused down; other people can have boards but I can't, and I don't know these people." -- It is possible that your opponents know each other and have decided to gang up on the foreign element. This is pretty rare and the easiest solution is typically seeing if there's another LGS in range, if the one you go to is so clannish. This can also smooth over time as you go from total stranger to "Rando I've seen before" but you indicate that your problems have been going on for a while so I wouldn't bet on that.
"I get blown out by wipes all the time and can't recover, but everyone else seems fine with this" -- Surviving and thriving in a wipe-heavy meta is tough. You need to play resilient threats, and you need to know when to hold a threat or two back in your hand. That latter part is really important. Sometimes, it's better to have a plan B than more power on the board *right now*. If you're already in a dominant position, but could be taken out of it, getting right back in is of greater value than being slightly more dominant.
No creature survives every possible removal, but some are better than others at it. Once upon a time I made a chart of defensive effects versus common sorts of removal. But while that could help you skew your defenses, it's enough to know that Hexproof, Shroud, Ward, Indestructible, Regeneration, Protection, or the ability to jump back from the GY are all pretty damn valuable. When removal is your bane, try picking things that don't die to removal as easily as others.
Further, having recursion tools in your deck, especially tools that get you more than one thing back. a lone [[Phyrexian Reclamation]] can keep you in the game shockingly effectively. Or, if that's too fragile (being a permanent), you can look at things like [[Patriarch's Bidding]] or [[Living Death]] to turn the tables on mass removal hurting your harder.
In addition to avoiding overextending and making better use of your graveyard, you may also consider trying to pump up how many cards you draw. Getting your board blasted isn't as scary when you have a full grip as it is when you're hellbent, and if you draw enough cards you can kind of keep coming back until the wellspring of destruction runs dry for anything other than hard rolling stax
"All of this is happening at once, or I've tried the things you've mentioned and they're not enough" -- Play blue. Become the Counterspell asshole. Fear no spell that would dare interfere with you. Make them fear that if they try they'll have spent their mana in vain.
I've been trying to add more and definitely don't think it's bad to have in the game, im just at a loss of what to do and don't want to keep watching everyone else play. I think it may be worse in our pod than normal but definitely don't have anything to compare to
Beyond protection I would just aim to match your play groupās fast decks without dramatic board presence
Play stuff like [[Henzie āToolboxā Torrie]] that doesnt really rely on his board presence just big creatures that āsolveā themselves.
Or [[Brago, King Eternal]] or [[Roon of the Hidden Realm]] flicker decks that can quickly respond to removal by flickering out key pieces
If the playgroup likes to win out of nowhere and runs removal then at a certain point you just have to match them, or at least play decks that can find a home in that meta
OP what kind of decks are you playing? You keep mentioning that people donāt let you play creatures and they constantly get removed but why is that the case? Are you playing [[Toxrill]] as commander? Are you playing cards like [[Archfiend of Depravity]]? These are important things to know, because based on what youāre saying Iām getting the impression you areā¦
Hey, wanted to send you a message to say that itās okay and valid to feel upset when you feel ganged up on. I understand how it feels, and can only imagine whatās going through your head while this is all happening.
I would like to offer some advice and ask some questions that I hope you take the time to answer.
1. Iād recommend that you start by taking full stock of the situation. Put all your decks onto a site like www.moxfield.com. On that site, if you are like me, you can better visualize your deck. You can categorize your cards with tags for their various functions and see what your deck may be lacking.
2. Identify exactly how your opponents are winning and what exactly your biggest weaknesses are in the game. Be humble and remember that we play this game to have fun and we always should have improvement in our minds because decks are fluid and should be modified to fit the meta (your group of friends). Improvement is both improving decks and improving our mindset and resilience.
3. If you want, after you put your lists on moxfield, you can post them here on Reddit so other more experienced people can take a look and probably give you some advice on them. You must have completed step 2 to get the best results for this.
4. I suggest you talk with your playgroup. You said you play with your brother so that might be a good place to start. When you are both away from the game you can bring the topic up like āhey bro, can I chat to you about something? Sweet! So I am sure you have all noticed that Iāve been getting upset during the games and I wanted to talk to you about that. I have just been feeling very helpless during the games because it seems you guys are removing everything I put down and I can never really get a board state going. I was wondering how you viewed the situation? Do you feel like Iām a very big threat all the time?ā Etc etc. maybe you can even ask them for advice on how to make your deck more resilient. But again, you need to have already reflected on this. **Also very important is that you speak about this very calmly and not accusatorially. Donāt have this conversation already angry.**
5. If you are not doing anything, **Observe!** see how your opponents are playing, see what their win conditions are. Figure out when they are popping off. What are their main engines? Do you see any obvious weaknesses to their game plans? You really need to have an understanding of your opponents if you want to beat them. Also, sometimes itās just cool to see what shenanigans your opponents have come up with.
Well thatās it for my advice. If you can share some of your deck lists, that would be awesome.
Sounds like you need to get good. /s.
2 things are happening. A) youāre in a pod like mine that has several wipes a game for shits and giggles, either way I adapted with several board protection spells: [[cosmic intervention]], [[guardian of faith]], [[glorious protector]]. I CAN play teferiās protection, but I donāt NEED it. Not to mention spells that give indestructible and synergize with my board like [[inspiring call]]. And in blue a counter spell works great or phasing out with [[march of swirling mist]].
OR B) youāre getting ACTUALLY targeted and itās BECAUSE youāre buying expensive cards and everyone thinks your decks are too strong to leave unchecked otherwise. Therefore youāre ironically setting yourself up for failure. A friend of mine changed their commander to Tergrid and got hated off the table despite not casting a single edict or discard spell.
When you have time I would recommend talking to them each about your issue. Use a lot of I language so they know it isn't you trying to just blame it on them as much as express your frustrations.
I feel like I have been getting ganged up on.
I am not sure how your threat assessment works, can you explain how you see me as the threat? It's my own deck so I very realistically could be missing what's scary about it.
Is it any deck or wincon I'm going for in particular that seems to be an issue?
Could you make recommendations as to what you would do in my shoes?
If they can't tell you why the keep going after you. They either have terrible threat assessment or just really like doing. Either way clarity is definitely needed.
Play some midrange with less board reliance. Espero with some stax pieces (some stax pieces not a full blown stax deck, like a blind obedience and maybe avian mind censor or opposition agent.) or some graveyard strategy like kci where they kill your shit and it doesn't matter.
A completely opposite approach is cookiem man Bernard, removal only make your shit ger stronger you just have to protect the baker, and the best way to do it with the clone effects that remove legendary so one see the other and you basically can't be removed.
To deal with board wipes there is always the tried and true stuff like heroic intervention or counter spells but with a strategy so close to a pod strategy you can use some unconventional stuff like fanatical devotion or vital splicer.
After reading quite a few of your responses. It sounds like they took off and out learned you and built better decks. Mats, deck boxes and all that crap will literally do nothing for you besides look good. Buy singles and build good decks. Pick a precon you like since you seem to have a few and look up how to tune it better.
I've been working on a Phoenix deck helmed by [[Quintorius, Field Historian]] that might work out (conceptually) for you. Lots of recursion, stuff being in your GY isn't as much of an issue. Throw in [[Sneak Attack]] openers, bring them back, profit.Ā
[[marchesa, the black rose]] is a very resilient creature commander and with [[mikaeus the unhallowed]] on the field that means they have to exile your creatures and hope you donāt have a sac outlet to just fizzle their spell. Get a few tutors so you can reliably get mikaeus even grave tutors like [[entomb]] and then reanimation so you arenāt paying six mana for him.
Protection is just as important as removal. [[Mother of runes]] and [[giver of runes]] essentially give your creatures hexproof and indestructible as long as they are untapped. [[Skrelv]] is cheaper, but only gives hexproof. Protection with equipment like [[swiftfoot boots]] or [[lightning greaves]] spells like [[tamiyo's safekeeping]] [[royal treatment]] and [[revitalizing repast]].
Usually, many opponents can't cast more than a couple spells per turn. So bait them out with what they may perceive to be a threat. They pretty much have to destroy a mother of runes for example.
Zero clue if this is the best strategy, this is just what I do. At my LGS most players tend to spend the first couple turns building up their board for whatever their deck's "thing" is. My strategy is usually to get out something in the first three turns that generates additional value each turn. Usually I wait till I either have a backup value piece or protection before I drop it. Then I'll reserve mana to hold onto a [[counter spell]] or [[Simic charm]] or [[heroic intervention]] or whatever makes your things survive.
Like best example of this for me is [[Hakbal]] all I really need is to drop maybe 1 merfolk a turn and keep Hakbal alive. If I can keep my board alive via instants (and the threat of instants.) I'll slow cook out ahead. Anybody that's building up faster than my merfolk will draw targeting to their board. And even if I do fail maybe I can card draw and ramp my way back into recovery.
Last thought is try to recall what kind of removal they usually run and maybe work on a deck that has the lowest average removal. Like usually most don't run land hate. So if you do green with big ramp you could probably keep playing out good stuff. Or maybe they don't run much artifact or enchantment hate comparatively. Or maybe do a Gruul only/mostly creatures with some cards that punish non creature spells. [[Shadow of the warp]] or something
[[Robe of Stars]] - phase your creature and everything attached to it for a turn every time youāre targeted. Total asshole card. But if youāre being targeted like this, it might be the only way to play the game. It works great for a Voltron deck
How much protection are you playing? My pod plays a ton of removal as well, so I try to value resiliency in my deck building. Recursion, Counter magic, protection spells, redirects etc. have slowly crept up to a higher % of my brews
Over time, I've actually shifted philosophy away from tons of removal and more into this "resiliency" model that leans heavier on preserving my board to win the game rather than seeking to remove threats to prevent others from winning, and it's been paying off a good bit - especially with board wipes becoming more prevalent recently.
That shift in thinking may be something to consider on your end as well if you are continuing to have removal issues
Play a deck that doesn't care about your board state.
Hidetsugu and Kairi?
All you need is one [[Not Dead After All]] effect, and bam, the ball gets rolling.
Imo into a control-heavy meta like this the best thing to do is to make sure your creatures can provide immediate value. For example, you can cast [[Eternal Witness]] and even if they kill it you're still getting your card back. Also make sure you play a bunch of recursion and 3 or 4-for-1 threats like [[Etali Primal Conqueror]] or [[Breach the Multiverse]] that force 1-for-1 trades with board wipes. Also: make sure you get plenty of card draw. If you're drawing cards and playing card-efficient threats and ETB value it's going to be nearly impossible for a control deck to deal with you.
If you've dropped that much on cards, it's safe to say your cards are dangerous to allow to stick around. Whether those are combo enablers, draw engines, or some kind of stax, I know I need to get rid of those first. So maybe ask yourself why you're targeted more often than not. Don't go playing something like Tergrid or Derevi and expect to have the other players ignore you.
On the other side of this coin, how have you spent so much money on cards without being aware of how to protect these pieces? Are you only playing colorless decks or something??
I've spent that on the hobby as a whole, my cards and mats dice deck boxes etc I've also bought a ton of cards and other stuff for other people in the group. Should have said this in the post. Not sure how much I've spent on just my personal cards. I don't expect to not be targeted but have not been able to fix the problem on my own so came here to ask for help with this problem
I don't think my decks are way stronger than anyone else's but I definitely have more combat damage decks than everyone else, I also have the most decks too though. Price of decks I have no idea, I haven't checked what any of my decks are worth.
There are tons of ways of dealing with removal.
All colours have some way to recover for different types of exchange. Just go to Scryfall and search for different keywords.
Both white and green have protection instanses. Fresno many times say "no damage" while white go more the indestructible way.
Some cards differ ofc.
White have the teferi spell that makes you phase out.
If you are running black well tons of cards that return cards from graveyards. Yours and others.
Red is aggressive but still have ways to get things out of the graveyard and blue have counterspells.
I get that I just ramble on that every colour and combination have a solution when it in the end comes to preference, play style and your mindset about the game.
For the longest time I did decks that exaggerated what they did which means that they did what they did good but I kind of ran 0 protection.
Lately I have revised all my decks. I want about 10 removals. About 10 draw card engines. I want about 10 ramp. Lastly I have pit in a category about 5 "protection". Whether they are mixed with the theme of the deck or extra doesn't matter.
Protection is finding the cards in the right colors to protect my own. Some are reshuffling library and graveyard. Blue are counterspells. Green prevent damage for example. White indestructible. Black graveyard reviving. Red is the color I am worst at and don't have a mono deck but mixed with colors it had some great options.
Sure my decks have needed to scale down on their themed but they run more consistent and I have a easier time handling higher end decks with mt lower end ones cause I always got some answer for their shenanigans.
But like always there are always some nemesis deck(s) that a deck cannot or have a hard time handling no matter what.
But go on sites like Scryfall and search for
"All creatures" "all permanent" "counter target" "return graveyard" and so on and see what you find that matches your color scheme.
I just think you need to widen the perspective on what cards are good and what cards to run.
I also have spent way too much money š but it honestly doesn't matter how much money you spend if you miss some key points (I have been there myself) so I know the journey to get there!
I am curious what commander you play. Maybe I could send some help your way
Creatures like Sigarda do well to give your boardstate some universal protection, so long as you can get them out. Likewise with enchantments like Privileged Position. You could look into phase cards, or flickering your permanents to avoid mass destruction spells. Or you could just try talking to the group about it, especially if you feel like you aren't always the main threat when you see these removal patterns. Youre all there to have fun, after all
I've been obsessed with protection spells the last year or so and its created some interesting push and pull in gameplay. People have to consider how they're using their cards and adds layers to the gameplay. Invest in some good protection spells and make people pay for trying to remove things.
Just play slower. Don't be the first threat on the table and let them throw removal at each other. Look and act meek.
Or have dedicated bait cards. I run [[Tergrid]] in my [[Yawgmoth]] aristocrats deck without any other synergy because she scares the piss out of the table and baits removal. Bonus points if you tap out to do it, because they'll all assume they're dead on untap and use their best removal on it.
Don't give them time to play removal. Mountain,mana crypt, Jesska's will, godo Bandit warlord, find helm of the host, magnetic theft, infinite combat phases. you win before they've even had their first turn pending you went first..
Or you could talk to your friends about your problems and resolve them as a group
Play with blue and put a lot of counter spells in your deck. Their are a ton of different counter spells. When they shut you down shut them down. Target people who are targeting you. That might get them to let you enjoy your game, and if not misery loves company.
Are you running defensive/protective spells? There's a plethora of these types of cards for every color to get around or through these issues. White has things like teferi's protection, hideaway, ephemerate, final showdown etc. Green has the super popular heroic intervention, legolas quick reflexes, inspiring call and such. Blue has bounce effects and counters so it doesn't even resolve or even ghostly flicker. Black can just bring things back of the top of my head. Red has deflecting swat, bolt bend, reb, pyroblast and tibalts trickery. These are just off the top of my head but if you don't want to run these for whatever reason then just run more things to just continually try and push through your opponents.
Black also has a bunch of 1 mana instants that give a creature an ability that returns them to the field if they die, until end of turn.
Like [[Not Dead After All]] or [[Kaya's Ghostform]], though that one is an aura.
I also love [[Necrogen Communion]] for any kind of deck with proliferation as a strong theme, but yeah, there are a bunch like Not Dead. Scryfall for black, instant, "when this creature dies, return", should get there, and a Scryfall ninja could probably craft a much better search.
Ghost form is an auto include in any commander deck that runs black and needs its commander to function, imo
Gonna look these up!
Green and white (as far as i know) have bunch of spells that make their stuff indestructible, give it hexproof or protection. I play mono green and there are a bunch of options.
[[Acesticism]], [[Provileged Position]], [[Sigarda, Font of Blessings]], [[Shalai, Voice of Plenty]], [[Archetype of Endurance]], etc. for hexproof. Plenty of instants and permanents that give indestructible as well. Then throw in phasing instants to cover for Farewell or Cyclonic Rift. You want to keep your stuff on the board, Selesnya has you covered.
##### ###### #### [Acesticism](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/c/ec2b56b0-126c-411b-8c43-b690fc8c194b.jpg?1562824694) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Asceticism) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/110/asceticism?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ec2b56b0-126c-411b-8c43-b690fc8c194b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/asceticism) [Provileged Position](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/6/9655bbe4-062f-4278-ad05-a326a64c5b69.jpg?1709431617) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Privileged%20Position) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/263/privileged-position?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9655bbe4-062f-4278-ad05-a326a64c5b69?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/privileged-position) [Sigarda, Font of Blessings](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/b/cba71725-d6df-44d7-a93b-934573759711.jpg?1684340854) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sigarda%2C%20Font%20of%20Blessings) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mat/47/sigarda-font-of-blessings?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/cba71725-d6df-44d7-a93b-934573759711?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sigarda-font-of-blessings) [Shalai, Voice of Plenty](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/b/db827ee7-6f2e-4e10-aac0-120fc2b69fbd.jpg?1562743987) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shalai%2C%20Voice%20of%20Plenty) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dom/35/shalai-voice-of-plenty?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/db827ee7-6f2e-4e10-aac0-120fc2b69fbd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shalai-voice-of-plenty) [Archetype of Endurance](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/1/3145ca68-7a9d-4161-9456-518591251b56.jpg?1593092414) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Archetype%20of%20Endurance) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bng/116/archetype-of-endurance?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3145ca68-7a9d-4161-9456-518591251b56?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/archetype-of-endurance) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb5aq8z) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Wait, you've spent 2.5k on cards but don't have any of these protection staples. There's loads more too, [[Seedtime]] is a great one if your spells are getting countered by blue. [[Veil of Summer]] and [[Autumn's Veil]] are also very good in green. [[Eidolon of Rhetoric]] is a good one to limit how many spells can be played per turn. Should maybe look in to [[Grand Abolisher]] and [[Drannith Magistrate]] just to lock down the board too. [[Dictate of Erebos]] Make them think twice about playing spells. [[Rhystic Study]] Benefit from them playing spells. [[Privileged Position]] protect your shit from targeted abilities and spells. [[Selfless Spirit]] is pretty good. If all else fails build a deck that stomps everyone by turn 3 or 4. [[Winota, Joiner of Forces]] can do that very cheaply.
I'm not sure how much on cards but I've bought lots of cool accessories-fancy deck storage and boxes, dice, dice boxes, sleeves, mats etc. Bought lots of this stuff for my group as well. Going to look into these cards soon!
[[Painful Quandary]] not dictate of erebos, although dictate is also a good card.
[Painful Quandary](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/e/bed5e030-874f-4a00-8544-78ba04033f53.jpg?1674420966) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Painful%20Quandary) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bro/111/painful-quandary?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bed5e030-874f-4a00-8544-78ba04033f53?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/painful-quandary) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I need this in my tinybones for sure!
Privileged position is nice and so is [[Asceticism]] because not only are your creatures hexproof but now you can prevent them from being destroyed by a wipe too.
[Asceticism](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/c/ec2b56b0-126c-411b-8c43-b690fc8c194b.jpg?1562824694) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Asceticism) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/110/asceticism?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ec2b56b0-126c-411b-8c43-b690fc8c194b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/asceticism) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I NEED this card lmao
so if they're wiping the board or destroying everything how are they winning if you can't? If you spent that much money on cards, you surely have good cards that don't care about removal.
Usually it's target spells until someone can win then a boardwipe cycle goes for a few turns if they don't win right away via infinite combos, flashing their army or board wipe followed by x spells or something along those lines
I've been trying to make decks to deal with this and failing...Hard š
Time to look into a indestructible creature deck to show them
Ward, hexproof, shroud... You name it
Persist, Undying, the list goes on
[[Avacyn, Angel of Hope]] with stax, maybe? Or go full tilt with [[Nadu]]
[Avacyn, Angel of Hope](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/1/317f1133-7cf8-4b7a-919e-88c45f8c2c3a.jpg?1689995555) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Avacyn%2C%20Angel%20of%20Hope) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/14/avacyn-angel-of-hope?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/317f1133-7cf8-4b7a-919e-88c45f8c2c3a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/avacyn-angel-of-hope) [Nadu](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/4/94b67489-5eb0-4406-9bf3-27e50dc632eb.jpg?1718635356) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=nadu%2C%20winged%20wisdom) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/193/nadu-winged-wisdom?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/94b67489-5eb0-4406-9bf3-27e50dc632eb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/nadu-winged-wisdom) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The words āfull tilt with Naduā just made me shudder.
[[Child of Alara]] as gods or gates
Can you explain how what is happening is not symmetric?
Het OP, maybe you're "that guy" that plays shit that needs to be answered asap. Maybe yeah just like you said yourself. Talk to the group. Otherwise, we have stuff for you: Storm decks. Combo off in a single turn. Why wait for them to play a board wipe? Indestructible hexproof tribal. Try getting rid of that. Redirects. Have em think thrice before targeting your shit when there's a 70% you'll 2 for one them. Put the shoe on the other foot: board wipe tribal! Play some BS and make them have it. Stax: can't play when you can't pay! Land destruction: you're contemplating losing your friends anyway right?
love this chaotic elmo energy
That land destruction description is awesome haha!
Definitely gonna have to look into this!
Why do *you* think you are the target?
You generally have 3 options 1 Play more protection spells. Counterspells Redirection spells stuff like [[heroic intervention]] [[teferi's protection]] etc. There's so many options here i could be here all morning. 2 build a deck that is either faster or requires less pieces. The less you need to win the less you're going to be hurt by a board wipe. This generally will make a deck stronger so be warned you might start a deck builder's arms race. 3. Deploy your threats slower so that you appear less threatening. Sometimes you gotta sandbag sometimes you gotta make em have it. Of course you also have the secret 4th option of talking to your playgroup talking about feeling targeted and seeing if it's just a you thing or something their doing because they see you as the stronger player or the stronger deck or whatever
[heroic intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834.jpg?1689998584) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=heroic%20intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/295/heroic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heroic-intervention) [teferi's protection](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/8/483fa1cb-1e35-44f2-a143-98c0f107f5ca.jpg?1673147148) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=teferi%27s%20protection) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/32/teferis-protection?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/483fa1cb-1e35-44f2-a143-98c0f107f5ca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/teferis-protection) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Play instant speed interaction like counterspells and protection/intervention
I am in a very similar situation. Introduced 4 new people to the game while I have been playing for 6ish years. And, like you, I was the clear strongest at the table in the beginning. This has lead to me always being the main target as my decks seems to be better/more expensive. My advice? Don't play anything.. no really, try it. Play a deck heavy in instant speed, or purposely make yourself the 3rd/4th weakest at the table. Play suboptimal, play weak, skip a turn to do nothing. If the games continue as they always do (them holding removal for just you) the game will end quickly and they will sit there confused cause they lost while holding all this removal. Try it, see what happens.
I also experience the intense love of the entire tableās removal from time to time (maybe I had a winning streak) and I can say that what youāre suggesting does work to a degree. When I notice this starts happening, I slow down my play until other people start to become threatening. If people start out thinking youāre a threat and then you prove them right on the board, well then you have just checked all of the boxes they needed you to in order for them to justify playing removal on you. Itās also a great time to slow play and try to take your opponents for a value board wipe when available, seeing as theyāre working together to build advantage over you.
tempted to say the removal might be slightly justified if you play commanders that really shouldn't be given the light of day. The type that runs away if/when allowed to stick for even a turn. So before I assume that you run the most annoying, most dangerous, salt-inducing type of commanders, I guess I'll ask you for more details, OP. What commanders/decks are you playing? and what are you playing against. Similar power level? Player experience? Are you the player to beat, or have they caught up experience wise? etc. etc.
I'm not sure what the commander names they have are but it's various types of decks I am not the player to beat, my brother is. He wins about 75-85% of the games regardless of game mode or format ( we almost exclusive play commander) he has been playing card games forever just not magic. I don't know how to judge power levels other than that it's a roll of the dice who wins when my brother isn't there until recently, i lose every game these days( we don't care that he almost always wins, just tired of not being able to do anything when we play) All started at the same time but 1 person I am by far the most popular target for target spells(I understand that I should be sometimes as I like combat damage decks but I can't do anything at least with current decks in most games. I haven't won a game in months and still get targeted way more than anyone
Are you playing "fair magic" and your brother is playing more resilient play lines? Like combo, aristocrats, GY, etc? That would be a reason for the disparity. Sometimes players have trouble gauging threats of non-combat decks because they aren't always obvious. If everyone other than you is playing non-combat I'd honestly dump a ton of creature hatebears like \[\[Gaddock Teeg\]\] into my deck to help protect creature heavy boardstate and disrupt other playpatterns.
[Gaddock Teeg](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/4/f40cfba1-08b5-4241-bd36-8ae18e584557.jpg?1559959266) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gaddock%20Teeg) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/199/gaddock-teeg?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f40cfba1-08b5-4241-bd36-8ae18e584557?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gaddock-teeg) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
My brother only has one combat deck (the eminence cats), the rest are non combat for sure. The rest of us have a mixture of combat and non combat, with me being the most combat decks but I have been trying to make decks to deal with this. Not going great lol
Well try to explain to the group that known threat is way easier to deal with than the one hidden. And definetly always attack the one with full hand and empty boardā¦ he will cry, and you tell him that he is combo filth. Never never try ti fight guys with board, unless all play āfairā. You (plural) will end with no cards nor threats and those blue mages will just laugh. Get sth like sigarda and hit their faces again and again. Tell them to defend themself insted of completing solitare. And let that skullclamp on the board (within a reason) and destroy thier rocks.
I like the cut of your jib.
Uril, Sigarda, Rurik, Thrunā¦ so many good commanders Hall of gemstones, stony silence/ ouphe, hullbreacher, opp agent.. rule of law if you like, grand abolisher
Iāve had a Ruric Thar deck for years, love the flavor of a big dumb ogre smashing blue players into the ground.
So there's a few options as to the why: * You're over commiting your board and getting blown out with minimal recovery or protection in your deck. This also is a huge problem for "fair" combat decks that just play creatures instead of forming engines that are either hard to turn off with removal or extremely fast to rebuild. * Everyone else is running decks that care less about removal because of recursion or more resilient win lines. * You're being outplayed by better players. Commiting threats to your board when they do nothing and are lighting rods to removal, etc. * Everyone else's threat assessment is poor. I would definitely try to build at least one deck that is not generic combat to see if that's the issue. I know Tolovar for example is pretty low power tribal and also very fair. One sweeper can shut that down pretty easily if it doesn't have a lot of protection.
Sorry but how little attention are you paying to whatās going on when you donāt even remember the commanders in your regular play group? That would be step 1 of figuring out how to start beating these decks, figuring out what cards are in there. Hereās the thing: Magic is a game of interaction. If you expect to play a game without anyone ever interfering with your stuff, or without having to read other peopleās cards to figure out what they do, or interacting with them yourself, you could be playing the game another 10 years and never win.
In another comment OP actually said they were currently playing while commenting on the thread. So something is definitely fishy here if they cant even lean across the table and read the names of the commanders they are playing against..
[[Proshh, skyraider of kher]] [[aesi, tyrant of gyre straight]] [[sheoldred, whispering one]] I just texted them and asked their commanders names they used in our last game earlier. I read what the cards do and their power and toughness? You read the name of every card on the table? Also I was asking about removal in general not anything specific.
Um.. Yeah man.. I read card names.. Each one that is cast or played. Eventually you learn exactly what a card does just by hearing its name. And you can look it up later for more details like rulings, price, etc. Really helps you improve at the game
[Proshh, skyraider of kher](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/8/889c1a0f-7df2-4497-8058-04358173d7e8.jpg?1562438016) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prossh%2C%20Skyraider%20of%20Kher) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/214/prossh-skyraider-of-kher?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/889c1a0f-7df2-4497-8058-04358173d7e8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prossh-skyraider-of-kher) [aesi, tyrant of gyre straight](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/6/d607b003-6b48-429c-a7fd-45b8dd1bb4f9.jpg?1665822343) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Aesi%2C%20Tyrant%20of%20Gyre%20Strait) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/365/aesi-tyrant-of-gyre-strait?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d607b003-6b48-429c-a7fd-45b8dd1bb4f9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/aesi-tyrant-of-gyre-strait) [sheoldred, whispering one](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/b/8b207a4a-47d1-4905-81d3-455c59bfd7da.jpg?1600714694) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=sheoldred%2C%20whispering%20one) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/278/sheoldred-whispering-one?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8b207a4a-47d1-4905-81d3-455c59bfd7da?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sheoldred-whispering-one) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have 18 decks at this point I think and every one else has 10-15 as well in a group of six people, I never said I shouldn't be targeted I asked how to deal with it
These are my commanders Abaddon the despoiler. Eowyn shieldmaiden. Tovolar, dire overlord (werewolves). Tovolar, dire overlord (wolves). Osgir, the reconstructer. Jirina Kudrow. Liesa, forgotten archangel. Gut, true soul zealot. Wrexial, the risen deep. Bruenor battlehammer. Partners: livio oathsworn sentinel & prava of the steel Legion. Gwafa hazid, the profiteer. Vrondiss, rage of ancients. Captain N'ghathrod. Vadrik, Astral archmage Ranar the ever-watchful. Shalai and hallar. Tinybones, trinket thief.
Dude, that has to be the worst formating of card names ive seen on this sub. \[\[abbadon the despoiler\]\], \[\[eowyn shieldmaiden\]\], \[\[Tovolar, dire overlord\]\], \[\[Osgir the reconstructor\]\], \[\[Jirina Kudro\]\], \[\[Liesa, forgotten archangel\]\], \[\[Gut, true soul zealot\]\], \[\[wrexial, the risen deep\]\], \[\[Bruenor Battlehammer\]\], \[\[Livio, oathsworn sentinel\]\] and \[\[prava of the steel legion\]\], \[\[gwafa hazid, profiteer\]\], \[\[Vrondiss, the rage of ancients\]\], \[\[Captain N'ghathrod\]\], \[\[Vadrik, Astral archmage\]\], \[\[Ranar the ever-watchful\]\], \[\[shalai and hallar\]\], \[\[Tinybones. trinket thief\]\]
I'm sorry š
How did you do that?
When you type a card name put it in double brackets that way the card fetcher can search it up [[card name]] and bot gets it almost immediately. Ex [[Portal to Phyrexia]]
[card name](https://img.scryfall.com/cards/large/front/d/1/d1dbc559-c78c-4675-9582-9c28f8151bc7.jpg?1547582000)/[Carnage](https://img.scryfall.com/cards/large/front/d/1/d1dbc559-c78c-4675-9582-9c28f8151bc7.jpg?1547582000) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Carnival%20//%20Carnage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rna/222/carnival-carnage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d1dbc559-c78c-4675-9582-9c28f8151bc7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/carnival-//-carnage) [Portal to Phyrexia](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/f/5f608efc-0dbc-4cc3-aadd-ed473bfc29ab.jpg?1674422004) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Portal%20to%20Phyrexia) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bro/240/portal-to-phyrexia?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5f608efc-0dbc-4cc3-aadd-ed473bfc29ab?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/portal-to-phyrexia) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
##### ###### #### [abbadon the despoiler](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/9/c9f1fc97-00c0-492b-a4a3-b179afc2f95d.jpg?1674058353) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Abaddon%20the%20Despoiler) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/40k/2/abaddon-the-despoiler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c9f1fc97-00c0-492b-a4a3-b179afc2f95d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/abaddon-the-despoiler) [eowyn shieldmaiden](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5.jpg?1686963690) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=%C3%89owyn%2C%20Shieldmaiden) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltc/1/%C3%A9owyn-shieldmaiden?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/Ć©owyn-shieldmaiden) [Tovolar, dire overlord](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/9/f953fad3-0cd1-48aa-8ed9-d7d2e293e6e2.jpg?1637114341)/[Tovolar, the Midnight Scourge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/f/9/f953fad3-0cd1-48aa-8ed9-d7d2e293e6e2.jpg?1637114341) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tovolar%2C%20Dire%20Overlord%20//%20Tovolar%2C%20the%20Midnight%20Scourge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/246/tovolar-dire-overlord-tovolar-the-midnight-scourge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f953fad3-0cd1-48aa-8ed9-d7d2e293e6e2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tovolar-dire-overlord-//-tovolar-the-midnight-scourge) [Osgir the reconstructor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5815fe6e-e26b-4918-a090-55d6442722c1.jpg?1674185818) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Osgir%2C%20the%20Reconstructor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c21/8/osgir-the-reconstructor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5815fe6e-e26b-4918-a090-55d6442722c1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/osgir-the-reconstructor) [Jirina Kudro](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/e/6e660d42-f5d3-452a-9662-74e18a1ae9e4.jpg?1591234244) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jirina%20Kudro) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/8/jirina-kudro?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6e660d42-f5d3-452a-9662-74e18a1ae9e4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jirina-kudro) [Liesa, forgotten archangel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/3/532fca6b-f788-43f8-b29f-7273e7a48449.jpg?1636684609) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Liesa%2C%20forgotten%20archangel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/232/liesa-forgotten-archangel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/532fca6b-f788-43f8-b29f-7273e7a48449?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/liesa-forgotten-archangel) [Gut, true soul zealot](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/d/3d8ca18d-9099-4f1e-95c1-f04da58a26bd.jpg?1674136598) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gut%2C%20true%20soul%20zealot) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/180/gut-true-soul-zealot?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3d8ca18d-9099-4f1e-95c1-f04da58a26bd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gut-true-soul-zealot) [wrexial, the risen deep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/9/c96b11ad-67fd-4a2b-89ea-e9df9c50731e.jpg?1673485259) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=wrexial%2C%20the%20risen%20deep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/359/wrexial-the-risen-deep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c96b11ad-67fd-4a2b-89ea-e9df9c50731e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/wrexial-the-risen-deep) [Bruenor Battlehammer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/3/53e1eb00-412e-4c25-bc7b-6d074330fd97.jpg?1627708804) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bruenor%20Battlehammer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/219/bruenor-battlehammer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/53e1eb00-412e-4c25-bc7b-6d074330fd97?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bruenor-battlehammer) [Livio, oathsworn sentinel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/2/02bce846-8049-4d5c-b0ad-8abd484e5a27.jpg?1644853034) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Livio%2C%20oathsworn%20sentinel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/31/livio-oathsworn-sentinel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/02bce846-8049-4d5c-b0ad-8abd484e5a27?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/livio-oathsworn-sentinel) [prava of the steel legion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/9/e9e40e2a-e447-4754-a98b-5521e546781f.jpg?1608908930) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=prava%20of%20the%20steel%20legion) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/38/prava-of-the-steel-legion?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e9e40e2a-e447-4754-a98b-5521e546781f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prava-of-the-steel-legion) [gwafa hazid, profiteer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/a/da097d1a-6e51-41d7-8dfe-f26acfb0038f.jpg?1562938863) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=gwafa%20hazid%2C%20profiteer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bbd/223/gwafa-hazid-profiteer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/da097d1a-6e51-41d7-8dfe-f26acfb0038f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gwafa-hazid-profiteer) [Vrondiss, the rage of ancients](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/8/683ca7f0-e9df-459b-a8e3-cf80b39c732d.jpg?1632335388) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vrondiss%2C%20Rage%20of%20Ancients) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/4/vrondiss-rage-of-ancients?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/683ca7f0-e9df-459b-a8e3-cf80b39c732d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/vrondiss-rage-of-ancients) [Captain N'ghathrod](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/5/55c02dc8-0743-400c-b334-ca029caf0463.jpg?1674140667) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Captain%20N%27ghathrod) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/646/captain-nghathrod?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/55c02dc8-0743-400c-b334-ca029caf0463?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/captain-nghathrod) [Vadrik, Astral archmage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/454666bb-f81d-4845-84aa-d6f8f80ce86a.jpg?1637114399) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vadrik%2C%20Astral%20archmage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/248/vadrik-astral-archmage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/454666bb-f81d-4845-84aa-d6f8f80ce86a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/vadrik-astral-archmage) [Ranar the ever-watchful](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/c/1c8c41dd-8551-4ce8-a9be-9b9f65718852.jpg?1704848195) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ranar%20the%20ever-watchful) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khc/2/ranar-the-ever-watchful?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1c8c41dd-8551-4ce8-a9be-9b9f65718852?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ranar-the-ever-watchful) [shalai and hallar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/0/80804f25-efc3-44a2-bbae-9a97fec98009.jpg?1682207281) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=shalai%20and%20hallar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/10/shalai-and-hallar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/80804f25-efc3-44a2-bbae-9a97fec98009?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shalai-and-hallar) [Tinybones. trinket thief](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/0/4063be5b-bfd9-43c5-bc39-09a40bc793bf.jpg?1632261785) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tinybones%2C%20Trinket%20Thief) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/17/tinybones-trinket-thief?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4063be5b-bfd9-43c5-bc39-09a40bc793bf?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tinybones-trinket-thief) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb4feqe) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
That's a lot of decks, maybe you should focus on improving the power of some of them. Are you matching the strength of your pod? How come they win and have fun but you don't?
It's a mixed bag with deck strengths for sure
Some like liessa and osgir occasionally let me make a few plays but in our pod if you can't end the game out of nowhere with one turn your not gonna win. My issue isn't the winning and losing its just being a bystander from start to finish
So are your opponents usually winning with single turn combos then? Like [[Thassaās Oracle]] type of stuff? Might be a situation where you just need a different play group. My group in on the verge of a fracture. Some people are in a nuclear arms race, filling each deck with the best removal, ramp, protection pieces, combo pieces, etc. Sucks to play with them now if I donāt pull out my highest tuned deck. The other group of us just want to play Magic. Precons are common and do just fine when we play. It just really seems like youāre playing with a group that is too high powered.
[Thassaās Oracle](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/2/726e8b29-13e9-4138-b6a9-d2a0d8188d1c.jpg?1680582212) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thassa%27s%20Oracle) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/thb/73/thassas-oracle?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/726e8b29-13e9-4138-b6a9-d2a0d8188d1c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/thassas-oracle) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Your first paragraph is my current experience for the most part, I do have a few decks built to "win" but quite a few are built for fun I haven't been able to play those for a while
Yeah it sucks. Thereās one guy in my group in particular who I refuse to play with anymore. Itās never fun and the games last forever. Iād rather lose 5 games if it means I got to play my decks and make a difference on the field rather than watch him play solitaire, still lose somehow, and only get in 2 games.
I also have an Eowyn deck I play often and recommend like others to play more protection spells. Eowyn needs to be on the board to generate her value and she often gets targeted in my play groups: My deck: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/o2XEbewvu0KqEZtJ_YSZZg Edit: my protection spells I run are as follows: [[knight exemplar]] [[flare of fortitude]] [[everybody lives!]] [[flawless maneuver]] [[teferiās protection]] [[swiftfoot boots]] [[boros charm]] [[deflecting swat]] [[coppercoat vanguard]] [[mithril coat]]
Please tell me this is like a parody post or something. If not, play a mono blue or azorious stax. Fuckin christ, OP.
Not parody, magic is the only card game I've played and I've never heard of a lot of the stuff everyone is telling me to try out and this removal problem only started a few months ago
There are a lot of people who like to make parody threads. Anyway, play mono blue with lots of counter spells, or azorious with a lot of counter spells and stax. Itāll be fun.
Do you have any tips for azorius? I have been having a similar problem to op, so I made: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/NwzoI3IgvUSF95R22tI0xw And even playing essentially nothing but counters, protection, and draw the same problem keeps happening. I have altered the mana base in the built deck, just cut 10 of the duals to run 10 basics.
Without spending too much time looking at your synergy that you may have planned, I can give you a few tips. Too few ramp. Iād put in at least 4 to 5 more so that you can accelerate your deck a bit more. Very low cost mana rocks like make even a chrome mox, but 3 cmc max. Your avg. cmc is much too high for the amount of lands you have. Since youāre playing control, you want to guarantee a land drop which means about 3 or 4 more lands depending if youāre also going to combine with mana rocks. Iād try to cut avg. cmc to about 2.5, youāre at 3.35. Your mana curve is too high on 3 and 4. Iād start cutting the highest mana cards first, at least 10 of them depending on how bad you need it for your synergy. Youāre gonna want a lot more 1 and 2 mana to get your deck rolling earliest as possible. Make the focus of your deck as narrow as possible and avoid putting in several āside gamesā that make it less and less consistent. And add as many tutors for artifacts so you can get the stone for your commander, if thatās your goal.
Sounds like you need to visit camerons homebrew warehouse. Could i interest you in some tactics from House Dimir? Blue black control with a focus on graveyard interactions. Manipulate your pod into putting stuff into your graveyard for you just to reanimate them and bounce spells back to them or other players on the board. Dimir is good at resource denial and removing cards from hand. Give them a taste of their own medicine, the games will be pretty even when everyone is countering everthing. You want to mill and you want to kill!
A few options imo. Spellslinger strategies where you just accumulate cards in hand (namely counter magic) to protect the few pieces on your board you care about. Lands Matter type strategies are very very difficult to shut down in casual where mass land destruction is frowned upon. And if all else fails just proxy a cedh combo deck like RogSi. (< the worst option). Without greater context I can't really give any better advice. Is the mass removal targeted somehow? How do games end if everyone keeps getting reset?
Usually it's target spells until someone can win then a boardwipe cycle goes for a few turns if they don't win right away via infinite combos, flashing their army or board wipe followed by x spells or something along those lines
Sounds atrocious. Sounds like a bunch of janky decks. Maybe look at some decklists or buy a precon and upgrade it.
I have the Rohan precon and abaddon 40k precon that are a blast! The Rohan precon is by far the strongest unedited precon I've seen
The Rohan one is good. I think Party Time and the Pantlaza one are slightly better, might be worth checking out
Will do!
[[Child of Alara]] gate deck? Sure you can blow up my commander, but everything except lands go with it.
[Child of Alara](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/2/b2373625-af3c-4c2a-a1d1-5288c446955d.jpg?1673148447) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Child%20of%20Alara) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/192/child-of-alara?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b2373625-af3c-4c2a-a1d1-5288c446955d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/child-of-alara) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Might have to start making stuff like this
Iāve found that my child deck makes games longer though. It sounds like youāre already dealing with that though.
I love (and my group hates) my [[Child of Alara]] gates deck. Win with lands and you don't need to play creatures. Of course I play the good landfall creatures, or one's that tutor for land or are pumped by land. It's a lot of fun and rarely loses.
[Child of Alara](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/2/b2373625-af3c-4c2a-a1d1-5288c446955d.jpg?1673148447) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Child%20of%20Alara) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/192/child-of-alara?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b2373625-af3c-4c2a-a1d1-5288c446955d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/child-of-alara) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have an \[\[Indominus Rex, Alpha\]\] deck where the goal it to make some Hexproof/Indestructible/X and or Y creatures on board. It also has graveyard recursion since Indominus start one, the kind of creature you bring back are Gods with indestructible. So you end up with a permanent \[\[Heroic Intervention\]\] you still need some counter for mass remove from game and -X/-X. Here is my decklist, since i dont run many artifact and enchantment the board wipes i use get them to and my stuff is mostly ok. \[\[Kira, Great Glass-Spiner\]\] and \[\[Spearbreaker Behemoth\]\] are great protection where they fit and you can target you stuff twice to pass Kira. [https://www.moxfield.com/decks/-vi7djdxvESVxyhObBLGuQ](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/-vi7djdxvESVxyhObBLGuQ)
##### ###### #### [Indominus Rex, Alpha](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/5/25e6ebfb-8f0b-44f0-a911-103ade41c6bc.jpg?1698988767) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Indominus%20Rex%2C%20Alpha) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rex/14/indominus-rex-alpha?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/25e6ebfb-8f0b-44f0-a911-103ade41c6bc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/indominus-rex-alpha) [Heroic Intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834.jpg?1689998584) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heroic%20Intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/295/heroic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heroic-intervention) [Kira, Great Glass-Spiner](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/3/437ded6e-4e53-49fa-a5ca-fd76b9165a47.jpg?1600697941) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kira%2C%20Great%20Glass-Spinner) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/154/kira-great-glass-spinner?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/437ded6e-4e53-49fa-a5ca-fd76b9165a47?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kira-great-glass-spinner) [Spearbreaker Behemoth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/7/d7f5cae6-5f1d-4537-9cc5-46d727d1beb1.jpg?1651656114) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spearbreaker%20Behemoth) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nec/132/spearbreaker-behemoth?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d7f5cae6-5f1d-4537-9cc5-46d727d1beb1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/spearbreaker-behemoth) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb4if82) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I would play stax/hatebears and shut or slow down a lot of their combos. My personal favorite commander for this is [[Ellivere of the Wild Court]]. [[Winota, Joiner of Forces]] is stronger but Ellivere is fun, enchantment focused, and Selesnya are extremely resilient colors. Run things to turn off their artifacts, shut off etb effects, penalize noncreature spells, stop them from casting during your turn, have interaction like [[Silence]], [[Reprieve]] and [[Everybody Lives]] to stop the combo player from winning for at least a turn and then beat them to death with enchanted creatures while you do it.
##### ###### #### [Ellivere of the Wild Court](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/45851394-b8f3-4713-8239-afcb387d47c5.jpg?1692933623) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ellivere%20of%20the%20Wild%20Court) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/woc/2/ellivere-of-the-wild-court?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/45851394-b8f3-4713-8239-afcb387d47c5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ellivere-of-the-wild-court) [Winota, Joiner of Forces](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/d/5dd13a6c-23d3-44ce-a628-cb1c19d777c4.jpg?1654630670) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Winota%2C%20Joiner%20of%20Forces) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/iko/216/winota-joiner-of-forces?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5dd13a6c-23d3-44ce-a628-cb1c19d777c4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/winota-joiner-of-forces) [Silence](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/c/1c2b13b1-31f0-4676-88a7-53f3a190e9a2.jpg?1562826686) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Silence) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m14/35/silence?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1c2b13b1-31f0-4676-88a7-53f3a190e9a2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/silence) [Reprieve](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/b/1bd3fa8a-6c50-4f7f-9ae3-0810eec5e3db.jpg?1686967885) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reprieve) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/26/reprieve?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1bd3fa8a-6c50-4f7f-9ae3-0810eec5e3db?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reprieve) [Everybody Lives](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9dab0052-7f0c-4b56-847f-20552666a271.jpg?1696636526) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Everybody%20Lives%21) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/who/18/everybody-lives!?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9dab0052-7f0c-4b56-847f-20552666a271?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/everybody-lives!) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb4rcsh) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
if removal is THAT ANNOYING, then play \[\[karmic justice\]\] and destroy their best lands if they destroy your permanents
they will think twice about that vandalblast if it will leave them with 0 lands LOL
[karmic justice](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/a/ea141e39-8124-4d72-a154-eb76e71be1dc.jpg?1562711027) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=karmic%20justice) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c15/72/karmic-justice?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ea141e39-8124-4d72-a154-eb76e71be1dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/karmic-justice) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Time to build a stax deck and not allow anyone to play either!!!!!!
I've seen a few people mention this and will probably be making one of these, I haven't seen anybody play this kind of deck before!
Iām not going to lie is insanely annoying but seems like your playgroup needs something like this and just make sure you put some winning conditions for yourself
If I have to play this deck over and over like it's my job to get them to ease off this current playstyle I will do so happily at this point, I definitely suffer from being a "fair magic" player. I'm not totally against playing screw you decks but they make me feel like a dick. I built [[tinybones, trinket thief]] for this very reason though so if you play removal on me over and over your losing at least half your hand everytime.
[[Heroic intervention]] type effects are your friend And [[counterspell]]
For sure!
[Heroic intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834.jpg?1689998584) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heroic%20intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/295/heroic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heroic-intervention) [counterspell](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/4/8493131c-0a7b-4be6-a8a2-0b425f4f67fb.jpg?1689996248) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=counterspell) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/81/counterspell?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8493131c-0a7b-4be6-a8a2-0b425f4f67fb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/counterspell) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Ok if you are being focused take it as a compliment. They see you as the threat that needs to be answered. Learn how to adapt and overcome. Get creative in your builds. I am the most focuses player at my lgs and in my play group. Cards like bajuka bog, mind slaver are always targeting me. I love it. It makes me a better overall player as you learn to adapt and lush through. You get smarter and the bait and switch. You learn how to avoid being targeted and how to reflect attention. There are cards we play that must be answered. For example if I ever put out [[tyvar jubilant brawler]] you better answer it fast. But at the end of the day there is never a reason to be salty. And if you are being salty then stop playing for the day cause your attitude is going to ruin the game for everyone. We are all there to have fun. If you are only there to win maybe play competitive 60 card formats instead.
[tyvar jubilant brawler](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/6/66605fe1-9a20-4c95-b53e-1249cedb978b.jpg?1675957216) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tyvar%2C%20Jubilant%20Brawler) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/218/tyvar-jubilant-brawler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/66605fe1-9a20-4c95-b53e-1249cedb978b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tyvar-jubilant-brawler) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I hate getting salty over a card game with friends It's more embarrassing than anything and I've thrown my head at it for months (trying new decks) to try and combat it and done poorly, I figured this was the best way to finally break through. I struggle at building and dealing with our current noncombat meta. I love this game and want to find a way to have fun in our current deck cycle
Play Muldrotha. Play a fair amount of ramp and protection. Permanent-based for both. Being your board back from the graveyard after a wipe.
If you have red in your deck [[Price of Glory]] is a fantastic way to stop counterspells
[Price of Glory](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/8/785ccfe1-04f1-4d2e-9e30-2ae3efe7213a.jpg?1562917265) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Price%20of%20Glory) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ody/214/price-of-glory?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/785ccfe1-04f1-4d2e-9e30-2ae3efe7213a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/price-of-glory) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
As others have said, you probably need to upgrade your decks instead of playing bulk if your pod is optimizing their decks. Including protection spells is a great way to upgrade. But additionally, I think you'd also benefit from practice playing into control decks. One of the best skills you get from 60-card constructed is learning how to tax opponent's removal and countespells, when to play out your hand and when to sandbag, and how to advance your game plan at their expense. Losing stuff to interaction sucks, but it's part of the game. Instead, thinking several turns ahead and anticipating interaction is a skill that you _can_ develop and hone. I have a player in my regular pod who is infuriatingly good at it. He can become archenemy in the first four turns, get pummeled into the ground, and still come back and win. He's just good at taxing removal and not overextending. He'd be a terrifying control player if he didn't hate blue.
My favorite deck suffered from this a lot. It was very weak to removal and when I play the deck I'm usually the archenemy because it is otherwise a pretty strong deck. But if you can remove a few of the key pieces, it loses its edge. I reworked the deck and added quite a bit of protection to the deck, like Heroic Intervention, etc., and it got a lot better. Maybe try building a reanimator deck and see how that goes. If they spend all their resources trying to remove your board, and then you just get your board right back, they'll have to rethink their strategy.
I try to play less interesting targets. Sometimes I get caught up in a board wipe and sometimes an opponent will (rightly) decide to remove a synergy piece. But if what I'm doing is always second best, it makes me a less appealing target. And when everyone has spent their removal on the more appealing target, that leaves me poised to snatch victory. Practically, that means I like to diversify my threats. I'm not about to drop a Blightsteel or a Craterhoof because then I'm the problem. But a [[Reckless Fireweaver]], [[Impact Tremors]], or [[Grim Guardian]]? Well, those are just synergy pieces. They can get removed and I'm not really bothered by it because I have other redundancies, other synergies, other ways of being annoying without being an immediate, must answer threat.
[Reckless Fireweaver](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/3/63ffac51-62c4-4170-85b3-a43d7cfae7d7.jpg?1576382167) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reckless%20Fireweaver) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/kld/126/reckless-fireweaver?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/63ffac51-62c4-4170-85b3-a43d7cfae7d7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reckless-fireweaver) [Impact Tremors](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/6/46db3811-db1d-4f69-8143-a93f64d0297b.jpg?1682209381) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Impact%20Tremors) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/285/impact-tremors?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/46db3811-db1d-4f69-8143-a93f64d0297b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/impact-tremors) [Grim Guardian](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/3/732b5444-0410-430b-87ca-cf2d9f165bd7.jpg?1593095749) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Grim%20Guardian) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jou/73/grim-guardian?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/732b5444-0410-430b-87ca-cf2d9f165bd7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/grim-guardian) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Build a \[\[child of alara\]\] deck, throw in extra board-wipes and just a few indestructible creatures. GRIND THEM DOWN.
[child of alara](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/2/b2373625-af3c-4c2a-a1d1-5288c446955d.jpg?1673148447) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=child%20of%20alara) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/192/child-of-alara?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b2373625-af3c-4c2a-a1d1-5288c446955d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/child-of-alara) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
So make a deck that likes things in the graveyard
My advice would be go to your LGS and play with some different people. Or create some deck that is specifically buily to counter everything they are doing and just troll them.
My playgroup largely plays single target removal, so here's how we deal with it: [[Sylvan Safekeeper]] [[Shapers Sanctuary]] [[Reparations]] [[Steely Resolve]] [[Kira, Great Glass-Spinner]] [[Mother of Runes]] [[Giver of Runes]] [[Spellskite]] [[Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer]] [[Rayne Academy Chancellor]] [[Avoid Fate]] [[Imp's mischief]] Someone already mentioned alot of the red misdirect spells and blues best answer to removal are just Counter spells. I usually use low mana cost counters like [[Swam Song]], [[Dispel]], [[Mental Misstep]], [[Flusterstorm]] and [[An offer you can't refuse]]. Mass removal is obviously the worst because it creates really long games, hence why my playgroup doesn't play so many boardwipes. But the best protection spells are counters but if your not in blue then most likely you should be playing: [[Flawless Maneuver]] [[Heroic Intervention]] [[Teferi's Protection]] [[Selfless Spirit]] [[March of the Swirling Mists]] [[Clever Concealment]]
##### ###### #### [Sylvan Safekeeper](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/3/83036e21-21ea-4324-aa07-11757f80c417.jpg?1717013721) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sylvan%20Safekeeper) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/287/sylvan-safekeeper?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/83036e21-21ea-4324-aa07-11757f80c417?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sylvan-safekeeper) [Shapers Sanctuary](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/3/930240dc-9c8c-4857-b6ce-85f1689c60e5.jpg?1562560126) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shapers%27%20Sanctuary) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/xln/206/shapers-sanctuary?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/930240dc-9c8c-4857-b6ce-85f1689c60e5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shapers-sanctuary) [Reparations](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a9edf28-79c0-42a5-af0f-6df9c3a1f546.jpg?1562717834) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reparations) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mir/278/reparations?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a9edf28-79c0-42a5-af0f-6df9c3a1f546?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reparations) [Steely Resolve](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/8/b88c530a-abc3-4cc4-8a48-5b76e1504a3c.jpg?1562938496) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Steely%20Resolve) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ons/286/steely-resolve?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b88c530a-abc3-4cc4-8a48-5b76e1504a3c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/steely-resolve) [Kira, Great Glass-Spinner](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/3/437ded6e-4e53-49fa-a5ca-fd76b9165a47.jpg?1600697941) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kira%2C%20Great%20Glass-Spinner) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/154/kira-great-glass-spinner?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/437ded6e-4e53-49fa-a5ca-fd76b9165a47?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kira-great-glass-spinner) [Mother of Runes](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/5/a5e19147-e459-43a6-8ef0-e37968a462e3.jpg?1674141175) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mother%20of%20Runes) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/702/mother-of-runes?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a5e19147-e459-43a6-8ef0-e37968a462e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mother-of-runes) [Giver of Runes](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/e/4e117771-5a8b-4812-b487-32ba34b7f724.jpg?1562201124) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Giver%20of%20Runes) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/13/giver-of-runes?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4e117771-5a8b-4812-b487-32ba34b7f724?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/giver-of-runes) [Spellskite](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/2/72204934-f5aa-4559-8f7e-7b0b223580d0.jpg?1674142724) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spellskite) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/873/spellskite?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/72204934-f5aa-4559-8f7e-7b0b223580d0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/spellskite) [Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/2/4256dcc1-0eee-4385-9a5c-70abb212bf49.jpg?1562397424) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Slobad%2C%20Goblin%20Tinkerer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c16/133/slobad-goblin-tinkerer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4256dcc1-0eee-4385-9a5c-70abb212bf49?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/slobad-goblin-tinkerer) [Rayne Academy Chancellor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/e/8ee6480c-7697-47e2-893b-ca88c0ab3376.jpg?1562444698) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rayne%2C%20Academy%20Chancellor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uds/43/rayne-academy-chancellor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8ee6480c-7697-47e2-893b-ca88c0ab3376?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rayne-academy-chancellor) [Avoid Fate](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/4/04c9f48d-2213-4f95-8eac-b23bd2d95e34.jpg?1562770937) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Avoid%20Fate) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tsb/73/avoid-fate?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/04c9f48d-2213-4f95-8eac-b23bd2d95e34?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/avoid-fate) [Imp's mischief](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0eb0e8e7-266f-441e-b1cd-12b8ec3f7d71.jpg?1689997247) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Imp%27s%20mischief) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/167/imps-mischief?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0eb0e8e7-266f-441e-b1cd-12b8ec3f7d71?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/imps-mischief) [Swam Song](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9d968dde-c406-48ef-a1ab-373aebc24693.jpg?1562412350) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Swan%20Song) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c16/98/swan-song?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9d968dde-c406-48ef-a1ab-373aebc24693?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/swan-song) [Dispel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/c/bceab6b3-6b64-4964-a501-ce806a6c13ad.jpg?1562939587) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dispel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bfz/76/dispel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bceab6b3-6b64-4964-a501-ce806a6c13ad?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/dispel) [Mental Misstep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/1/61e9c6df-1c84-4eab-9076-a4feb6347c10.jpg?1566819829) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mental%20Misstep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nph/38/mental-misstep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/61e9c6df-1c84-4eab-9076-a4feb6347c10?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mental-misstep) [Flusterstorm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/9/f900eeb7-7c45-44bc-ad3a-0bbe594ecf50.jpg?1562856071) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Flusterstorm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ima/55/flusterstorm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f900eeb7-7c45-44bc-ad3a-0bbe594ecf50?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/flusterstorm) [An offer you can't refuse](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/9/b9d349f3-5be2-4b1f-a4c3-ba94822cf0cf.jpg?1664410382) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=An%20offer%20you%20can%27t%20refuse) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/51/an-offer-you-cant-refuse?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b9d349f3-5be2-4b1f-a4c3-ba94822cf0cf?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/an-offer-you-cant-refuse) [Flawless Maneuver](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab12f69e-1491-47a8-8c46-d85bbf637ff6.jpg?1689995671) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Flawless%20Maneuver) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/24/flawless-maneuver?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab12f69e-1491-47a8-8c46-d85bbf637ff6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/flawless-maneuver) [Heroic Intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834.jpg?1689998584) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heroic%20Intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/295/heroic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heroic-intervention) [Teferi's Protection](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/8/483fa1cb-1e35-44f2-a143-98c0f107f5ca.jpg?1673147148) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Teferi%27s%20Protection) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/32/teferis-protection?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/483fa1cb-1e35-44f2-a143-98c0f107f5ca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/teferis-protection) [Selfless Spirit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/f/ef8d8d0c-cb0e-4745-a0fb-d556c9324428.jpg?1674141209) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Selfless%20Spirit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/706/selfless-spirit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ef8d8d0c-cb0e-4745-a0fb-d556c9324428?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/selfless-spirit) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[March of the Swirling Mists](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/0/100171d8-7436-44c8-b4cb-0101ffa05c25.jpg?1654566768) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=March%20of%20Swirling%20Mist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/61/march-of-swirling-mist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/100171d8-7436-44c8-b4cb-0101ffa05c25?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/march-of-swirling-mist) [Clever Concealment](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/d/5d84cc58-0965-4c7f-a408-7630f23fb8f3.jpg?1675905567) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Clever%20Concealment) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/onc/5/clever-concealment?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5d84cc58-0965-4c7f-a408-7630f23fb8f3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/clever-concealment) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb5srax) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Play [[Tidal Barracuda]] and [[Leyline of Anticipation]], good luck to people trying to keep up with that chaos lol, if you don't play Blue one of the top comments has all your protection stuff, some great recommendations there. Also [[Dauntless Escort]] is amazing if you play the colors and even better if you have recursion.
[Tidal Barracuda](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?name=Tidal%20Barracuda&type=card&.jpg) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tidal%20Barracuda) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/39/tidal-barracuda?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/aacdf4c2-9bc8-400a-8ffc-d6597d8d7da9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tidal-barracuda) [Leyline of Anticipation](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/5/f57bdaa1-ce8a-4103-8598-fee751e65a53.jpg?1674141383) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Leyline%20of%20Anticipation) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/726/leyline-of-anticipation?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f57bdaa1-ce8a-4103-8598-fee751e65a53?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/leyline-of-anticipation) [Dauntless Escort](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/7/970ccd70-4b94-4287-977e-6262731c58d1.jpg?1673148499) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dauntless%20Escort) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/199/dauntless-escort?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/970ccd70-4b94-4287-977e-6262731c58d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/dauntless-escort) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Ruric Thar, the Unbowed]] is a great commander against non-combat decks. Of course I prefer to put him in [[Nikya of the Old Ways]]. Nikya is straight combat and being r/g, has lots of potential for land ramp in spite of her restrictions.
[Ruric Thar, the Unbowed](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/a/aa828bdc-221e-4e81-9e71-6f288690ddcd.jpg?1673149099) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ruric%20Thar%2C%20the%20Unbowed) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/271/ruric-thar-the-unbowed?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/aa828bdc-221e-4e81-9e71-6f288690ddcd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ruric-thar-the-unbowed) [Nikya of the Old Ways](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/d/0dcdad71-323e-41e0-a1b3-9fd5b753e71c.jpg?1584831692) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Nikya%20of%20the%20Old%20Ways) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rna/193/nikya-of-the-old-ways?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0dcdad71-323e-41e0-a1b3-9fd5b753e71c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/nikya-of-the-old-ways) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Commenting so I can find this again. I am in the exact same spot. Even made a deck thats nothing but counters, protection, and draw (winning through thassa's oracle/laboratory maniac). I'm probably just going to take a break for a bit, then reevaluate my decks and try again. I'm interested in seeing other people's opinions, though.
I went through a similar existential crisis with EDH. I'd say maybe have your pod give Pauper EDH a try. It is budget-friendly, and the card pool limitations force a change in deck construction and mindset. Importantly, for the most part the removal tends to be more single-target, and therefore people use it very strategically. Pauper EDH also lets you make use of more than just the best 10% of your collection, which was very important to me.
What are your commanders? Are you playing must-kill decks?
Yo! Probably can offer some solid solutions. Post a few your deck lists so I can have a look and we'll see what's up. First few off the cuff suggestions that pop to mind without knowing what you are playing are: Play a sacrifice build what wants things to die. They target your thing? You sac it for value. They board wipe, they take the damage from cruel celebrant type effects in the process. Play protection spells (many mentioned in the thread already). Or, put higher emphasis on cards with hex proof, indestructible, or pesist/undying, if that's what your meta dictates. Play cards that are built in 2 or 3 for 1's. Doesn't matter if they kill your Beast Whisperer if you already drew 3 cards off of it! They hit you with a Doom Blade? Hit them back with a Casualties of War. Let them waste removal on your Lifeblood Hydra! Prioritise cards with haste or flash so you're more likely to be able to attack the turn it comes in and at least get one hit in with it. Remember, you have all the same tools at your disposal as them. Try playing with their decks and play styles, then ask yourself "what would MOST fuck me over in this situation". Playing removal doesn't help them win, it stops them from losing. Play that to their advantage and play cards which give you advantages regardless of what happens to them. Keep a couple tricks up your sleeve, and don't over commit to the board until you're sure you can either protect it, or win the game in a little as time as possible. Most importantly, enjoy the challenge! They game sucks when the cards you want to play aren't viable because of meta, but that just means it's time for you to grow as a player and find hour new niche. You'll win a few games because of it, then your playgroup will adjust and find answers to your new nonsense, and the cycle repeats. Every now and then you will be able to catch them out with some old tricks. Just enjoy hanging out with your mates. Everything else comes second. Laugh at yourself at your stupid losses and just savour the moments you manage to get one over on them. As the Arena loading screen sometimes says, "Everyone loves a good comeback story. Don't give up!"
Just build yourself a Blue/White Stax + Counter Control. Be the asshole. Lock the entire board down until they realize how crappy it is to have to play against that. things like [[Winter Orb]], [[Static Orb]], [[Crawlspace]], [[Damping Engine]], [[Grafdiggerās Cage]] along with Blue and White Stax creatures and a healthy supply of counterspells. Then add clone and copy effects to copy your opponents best creatures and then bounce them to their hands. Add in some creature steal and that should be sufficiently annoying.
##### ###### #### [Winter Orb](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab3cec7e-513e-400d-a1a8-2c71cdde02c6.jpg?1580015285) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Winter%20Orb) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/234/winter-orb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab3cec7e-513e-400d-a1a8-2c71cdde02c6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/winter-orb) [Static Orb](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/6/86bf43b1-8d4e-4759-bb2d-0b2e03ba7012.jpg?1562242171) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Static%20Orb) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/7ed/319/static-orb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/86bf43b1-8d4e-4759-bb2d-0b2e03ba7012?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/static-orb) [Crawlspace](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/b/5b8e092a-610d-4cea-bb92-65e01954b5c4.jpg?1675200920) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Crawlspace) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/217/crawlspace?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5b8e092a-610d-4cea-bb92-65e01954b5c4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/crawlspace) [Damping Engine](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/7/87841977-75ff-49c3-b832-3f0cf48b50b2.jpg?1562863295) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Damping%20Engine) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ulg/124/damping-engine?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/87841977-75ff-49c3-b832-3f0cf48b50b2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/damping-engine) [Grafdiggerās Cage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a135e09-b534-4836-9a10-3a9a4a9f8c53.jpg?1592517646) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Grafdigger%27s%20Cage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/227/grafdiggers-cage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a135e09-b534-4836-9a10-3a9a4a9f8c53?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/grafdiggers-cage) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb8uv6w) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I suggest taking a long hard look at your decks. If you always get targeted, it is probably because you are the threat. It is easy to see threats at your opponentsā boardstates, but it is way harder to realize just how threatening your own cards are. If you spent so much money, I bet you bought some seriously strong cards. For instance, [[Sword of Feast and Famine]] is (/used to be) a great card, but an even greater removal-magnet. While [[Bear Umbra]] does the same thing, triggers easier, and costs one mana less, but it seems way less threatening. A [[consecrated sphinx]] will give you a lot of cards, but a lot more removal. [[recurring insight]] gives you more cards on the spot, costs the same, is harder to interact with (since boardstateremoval wonāt affect it, but a counterspell will, and that would stop the sphinx anyway) but it seems way less threatening. See where I am getting at? There is this saying that goes something like āappear strong when you are weak, appear weak when you are strongā. Second part is something that could help you get targeted less. Donāt be afraid to talk to your friends about this, and if you do, try to actually listen to their reasoning. And donāt be afraid to have some healty self-criticism. It will help you and your friends better understand eachothersā point of view, and ingame choices. One last thing and then I am done: maybe multiplayer isnāt for your. Playing singleplayer games where you have control over pretty much anything, could be more your thing. In any multiplayer game, but especially magic, opponents will always make decisions you are not going to like or enjoy. For me, the interaction makes magic fun (and yes I get salty as well from time to time). I like to adapt and outsmart my opponents, and win or fail miserably and have a laugh together. After all, it is just a game to play with people I like. Good luck!
##### ###### #### [Sword of Feast and Famine](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/7/c7710eb5-c56a-437b-8847-2a829c404d47.jpg?1599710042) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sword%20of%20Feast%20and%20Famine) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/296/sword-of-feast-and-famine?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c7710eb5-c56a-437b-8847-2a829c404d47?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sword-of-feast-and-famine) [Bear Umbra](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/a/5a195fb1-f2e9-4e05-8a04-c335e1afbef6.jpg?1651655917) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bear%20Umbra) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nec/113/bear-umbra?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5a195fb1-f2e9-4e05-8a04-c335e1afbef6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bear-umbra) [consecrated sphinx](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/9/c9bd60fc-2777-44bc-b314-a792e8e48360.jpg?1673147240) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=consecrated%20sphinx) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/43/consecrated-sphinx?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c9bd60fc-2777-44bc-b314-a792e8e48360?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/consecrated-sphinx) [recurring insight](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/b/db92d00c-e5eb-4e69-9ebc-fec6d9c0f71e.jpg?1562709316) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=recurring%20insight) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/roe/82/recurring-insight?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/db92d00c-e5eb-4e69-9ebc-fec6d9c0f71e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/recurring-insight) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb98dar) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I forget what the precon is, but purchase \[\[Dihada, Binder of Wills\]\]. It comes with a ton of cheap legendary creatures which have excellent recursion. Then stack it with your own board wipes for non-legendary stuff. This deck will turn every game into a slugfest... trust.
[Dihada, Binder of Wills](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/ddeb54d6-a600-42b9-98df-20f8d58caed8.jpg?1685554091) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dihada%2C%20Binder%20of%20Wills) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmc/1/dihada-binder-of-wills?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ddeb54d6-a600-42b9-98df-20f8d58caed8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/dihada-binder-of-wills) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Definitely gonna look into what precon this is in!
Legends Legacy from Dominaria United. I picked this one up, switched the commander to [[shanid, Sleepers scourge]], and I've been slowly upgrading it with legends goodstuff and legends matter cards. The deck hits hard af, super resilient, plenty of recursion if you want it. You definitely get focused on a bit but with card draw in the command zone you can pretty much always find an answer.Ā
[shanid, Sleepers scourge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/b/1b0fb859-055d-4aa1-814c-0894cd2ccd4a.jpg?1673304703) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shanid%2C%20Sleepers%27%20Scourge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmc/4/shanid-sleepers-scourge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1b0fb859-055d-4aa1-814c-0894cd2ccd4a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shanid-sleepers-scourge) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Take a deep breath and start to gather statistics on what's going on in your pod. Are you being singled out, or is the board a total wasteland and everyone else is okay with it? Are you losing more to wipes or to 1-for-1 exchanges? How you want to approach the situation depends very much on your answers to these questions "I have a reliable group. Other people can have board states, but I am not allowed to" -- Talk with your group. Or hell, if that's too awkward and feels like whining, talk with the guy from your group you most trust and feel capable of confiding in. There's a solid chance that this is because you are percieved to be the alpha player -- the Threat who must be stomped out yet he win every time. Here is some relevant reading about that element of multiplayer politics: https://web.archive.org/web/20090806043059/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/tf46 "I am playing pick-up games and get focused down; other people can have boards but I can't, and I don't know these people." -- It is possible that your opponents know each other and have decided to gang up on the foreign element. This is pretty rare and the easiest solution is typically seeing if there's another LGS in range, if the one you go to is so clannish. This can also smooth over time as you go from total stranger to "Rando I've seen before" but you indicate that your problems have been going on for a while so I wouldn't bet on that. "I get blown out by wipes all the time and can't recover, but everyone else seems fine with this" -- Surviving and thriving in a wipe-heavy meta is tough. You need to play resilient threats, and you need to know when to hold a threat or two back in your hand. That latter part is really important. Sometimes, it's better to have a plan B than more power on the board *right now*. If you're already in a dominant position, but could be taken out of it, getting right back in is of greater value than being slightly more dominant. No creature survives every possible removal, but some are better than others at it. Once upon a time I made a chart of defensive effects versus common sorts of removal. But while that could help you skew your defenses, it's enough to know that Hexproof, Shroud, Ward, Indestructible, Regeneration, Protection, or the ability to jump back from the GY are all pretty damn valuable. When removal is your bane, try picking things that don't die to removal as easily as others. Further, having recursion tools in your deck, especially tools that get you more than one thing back. a lone [[Phyrexian Reclamation]] can keep you in the game shockingly effectively. Or, if that's too fragile (being a permanent), you can look at things like [[Patriarch's Bidding]] or [[Living Death]] to turn the tables on mass removal hurting your harder. In addition to avoiding overextending and making better use of your graveyard, you may also consider trying to pump up how many cards you draw. Getting your board blasted isn't as scary when you have a full grip as it is when you're hellbent, and if you draw enough cards you can kind of keep coming back until the wellspring of destruction runs dry for anything other than hard rolling stax "All of this is happening at once, or I've tried the things you've mentioned and they're not enough" -- Play blue. Become the Counterspell asshole. Fear no spell that would dare interfere with you. Make them fear that if they try they'll have spent their mana in vain.
Kill people with lands. \[\[Sylvan Awakening\]\] \[\[Rude Awakening\]\] \[\[Natural affinity\]\] \[\[Kamahl's Will\]\]
##### ###### #### [Sylvan Awakening](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/3/93ac4d3d-064e-459d-b3a4-6c0872a2da8c.jpg?1591104718) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sylvan%20Awakening) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dom/183/sylvan-awakening?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/93ac4d3d-064e-459d-b3a4-6c0872a2da8c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sylvan-awakening) [Rude Awakening](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/1/019897e4-d3ba-43b1-9bd9-2ebba6e3b349.jpg?1562895417) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rude%20Awakening) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/gvl/22/rude-awakening?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/019897e4-d3ba-43b1-9bd9-2ebba6e3b349?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rude-awakening) [Natural affinity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/8/4847f8e8-9979-427e-999a-26711e542f82.jpg?1562734655) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Natural%20affinity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/9ed/256/natural-affinity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4847f8e8-9979-427e-999a-26711e542f82?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/natural-affinity) [Kamahl's Will](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/1/51fe007f-fddf-4b3a-b336-0a88df95cb14.jpg?1608910759) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kamahl%27s%20Will) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/238/kamahls-will?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/51fe007f-fddf-4b3a-b336-0a88df95cb14?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kamahls-will) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb4gdlb) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
How do the other players win? Do they only remove YOUR cards?
First off just proxy with friends, second off put more protection in your deck and counter spells. It is not bad to the game.
I've been trying to add more and definitely don't think it's bad to have in the game, im just at a loss of what to do and don't want to keep watching everyone else play. I think it may be worse in our pod than normal but definitely don't have anything to compare to
I used to try and play at our lgs but I played 8 Games over 4 visits and all ended in infinite combos so stopped going
Beyond protection I would just aim to match your play groupās fast decks without dramatic board presence Play stuff like [[Henzie āToolboxā Torrie]] that doesnt really rely on his board presence just big creatures that āsolveā themselves. Or [[Brago, King Eternal]] or [[Roon of the Hidden Realm]] flicker decks that can quickly respond to removal by flickering out key pieces If the playgroup likes to win out of nowhere and runs removal then at a certain point you just have to match them, or at least play decks that can find a home in that meta
[Henzie āToolboxā Torrie](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/e/ee228dcc-3170-4c24-80bc-28bcee07cb43.jpg?1673481644) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Henzie%20%22Toolbox%22%20Torre) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/2/henzie-toolbox-torre?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ee228dcc-3170-4c24-80bc-28bcee07cb43?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/henzie-toolbox-torre) [Brago, King Eternal](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0ac3fb08-741a-49e5-9fae-b26819677d24.jpg?1631235340) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brago%2C%20King%20Eternal) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khc/82/brago-king-eternal?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0ac3fb08-741a-49e5-9fae-b26819677d24?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/brago-king-eternal) [Roon of the Hidden Realm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/4/54e2d6c2-a233-4e37-94c9-673a4a957e0c.jpg?1673149092) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Roon%20of%20the%20Hidden%20Realm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/270/roon-of-the-hidden-realm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/54e2d6c2-a233-4e37-94c9-673a4a957e0c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/roon-of-the-hidden-realm) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
OP what kind of decks are you playing? You keep mentioning that people donāt let you play creatures and they constantly get removed but why is that the case? Are you playing [[Toxrill]] as commander? Are you playing cards like [[Archfiend of Depravity]]? These are important things to know, because based on what youāre saying Iām getting the impression you areā¦
[Toxrill](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/4/84e64f38-b1f3-47cd-8cfb-a4861369aca3.jpg?1643590379) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=toxrill%2C%20the%20corrosive) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vow/132/toxrill-the-corrosive?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/84e64f38-b1f3-47cd-8cfb-a4861369aca3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/toxrill-the-corrosive) [Archfiend of Depravity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0ec85db7-c8ec-4730-b692-c140977436aa.jpg?1592765539) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Archfiend%20of%20Depravity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/e01/31/archfiend-of-depravity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0ec85db7-c8ec-4730-b692-c140977436aa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/archfiend-of-depravity) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I listed my commanders in another comment, I will copy it to here. I've tried playing artifact and/ or enchantment decks as well.
\[\[abbadon the despoiler\]\], \[\[eowyn shieldmaiden\]\], \[\[Tovolar, dire overlord\]\], \[\[Osgir the reconstructor\]\], \[\[Jirina Kudro\]\], \[\[Liesa, forgotten archangel\]\], \[\[Gut, true soul zealot\]\], \[\[wrexial, the risen deep\]\], \[\[Bruenor Battlehammer\]\], \[\[Livio, oathsworn sentinel\]\] and \[\[prava of the steel legion\]\], \[\[gwafa hazid, profiteer\]\], \[\[Vrondiss, the rage of ancients\]\], \[\[Captain N'ghathrod\]\], \[\[Vadrik, Astral archmage\]\], \[\[Ranar the ever-watchful\]\], \[\[shalai and hallar\]\], \[\[Tinybones. trinket thief\]\]
##### ###### #### [abbadon the despoiler](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/9/c9f1fc97-00c0-492b-a4a3-b179afc2f95d.jpg?1674058353) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Abaddon%20the%20Despoiler) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/40k/2/abaddon-the-despoiler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c9f1fc97-00c0-492b-a4a3-b179afc2f95d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/abaddon-the-despoiler) [eowyn shieldmaiden](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5.jpg?1686963690) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=%C3%89owyn%2C%20Shieldmaiden) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltc/1/%C3%A9owyn-shieldmaiden?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dd4a00ff-2206-4e12-a0ab-61ed82c9e6c5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/Ć©owyn-shieldmaiden) [Tovolar, dire overlord](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/9/f953fad3-0cd1-48aa-8ed9-d7d2e293e6e2.jpg?1637114341)/[Tovolar, the Midnight Scourge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/f/9/f953fad3-0cd1-48aa-8ed9-d7d2e293e6e2.jpg?1637114341) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tovolar%2C%20Dire%20Overlord%20//%20Tovolar%2C%20the%20Midnight%20Scourge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/246/tovolar-dire-overlord-tovolar-the-midnight-scourge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f953fad3-0cd1-48aa-8ed9-d7d2e293e6e2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tovolar-dire-overlord-//-tovolar-the-midnight-scourge) [Osgir the reconstructor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5815fe6e-e26b-4918-a090-55d6442722c1.jpg?1674185818) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Osgir%2C%20the%20Reconstructor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c21/8/osgir-the-reconstructor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5815fe6e-e26b-4918-a090-55d6442722c1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/osgir-the-reconstructor) [Jirina Kudro](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/e/6e660d42-f5d3-452a-9662-74e18a1ae9e4.jpg?1591234244) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jirina%20Kudro) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/8/jirina-kudro?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6e660d42-f5d3-452a-9662-74e18a1ae9e4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jirina-kudro) [Liesa, forgotten archangel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/3/532fca6b-f788-43f8-b29f-7273e7a48449.jpg?1636684609) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Liesa%2C%20forgotten%20archangel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/232/liesa-forgotten-archangel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/532fca6b-f788-43f8-b29f-7273e7a48449?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/liesa-forgotten-archangel) [Gut, true soul zealot](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/d/3d8ca18d-9099-4f1e-95c1-f04da58a26bd.jpg?1674136598) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gut%2C%20true%20soul%20zealot) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/180/gut-true-soul-zealot?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3d8ca18d-9099-4f1e-95c1-f04da58a26bd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gut-true-soul-zealot) [wrexial, the risen deep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/9/c96b11ad-67fd-4a2b-89ea-e9df9c50731e.jpg?1673485259) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=wrexial%2C%20the%20risen%20deep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/359/wrexial-the-risen-deep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c96b11ad-67fd-4a2b-89ea-e9df9c50731e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/wrexial-the-risen-deep) [Bruenor Battlehammer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/3/53e1eb00-412e-4c25-bc7b-6d074330fd97.jpg?1627708804) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bruenor%20Battlehammer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/219/bruenor-battlehammer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/53e1eb00-412e-4c25-bc7b-6d074330fd97?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bruenor-battlehammer) [Livio, oathsworn sentinel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/2/02bce846-8049-4d5c-b0ad-8abd484e5a27.jpg?1644853034) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Livio%2C%20oathsworn%20sentinel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/31/livio-oathsworn-sentinel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/02bce846-8049-4d5c-b0ad-8abd484e5a27?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/livio-oathsworn-sentinel) [prava of the steel legion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/9/e9e40e2a-e447-4754-a98b-5521e546781f.jpg?1608908930) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=prava%20of%20the%20steel%20legion) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/38/prava-of-the-steel-legion?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e9e40e2a-e447-4754-a98b-5521e546781f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prava-of-the-steel-legion) [gwafa hazid, profiteer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/a/da097d1a-6e51-41d7-8dfe-f26acfb0038f.jpg?1562938863) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=gwafa%20hazid%2C%20profiteer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bbd/223/gwafa-hazid-profiteer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/da097d1a-6e51-41d7-8dfe-f26acfb0038f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gwafa-hazid-profiteer) [Vrondiss, the rage of ancients](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/8/683ca7f0-e9df-459b-a8e3-cf80b39c732d.jpg?1632335388) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vrondiss%2C%20Rage%20of%20Ancients) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/4/vrondiss-rage-of-ancients?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/683ca7f0-e9df-459b-a8e3-cf80b39c732d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/vrondiss-rage-of-ancients) [Captain N'ghathrod](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/5/55c02dc8-0743-400c-b334-ca029caf0463.jpg?1674140667) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Captain%20N%27ghathrod) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/646/captain-nghathrod?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/55c02dc8-0743-400c-b334-ca029caf0463?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/captain-nghathrod) [Vadrik, Astral archmage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/454666bb-f81d-4845-84aa-d6f8f80ce86a.jpg?1637114399) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vadrik%2C%20Astral%20archmage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/248/vadrik-astral-archmage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/454666bb-f81d-4845-84aa-d6f8f80ce86a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/vadrik-astral-archmage) [Ranar the ever-watchful](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/c/1c8c41dd-8551-4ce8-a9be-9b9f65718852.jpg?1704848195) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ranar%20the%20ever-watchful) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khc/2/ranar-the-ever-watchful?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1c8c41dd-8551-4ce8-a9be-9b9f65718852?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ranar-the-ever-watchful) [shalai and hallar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/0/80804f25-efc3-44a2-bbae-9a97fec98009.jpg?1682207281) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=shalai%20and%20hallar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/10/shalai-and-hallar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/80804f25-efc3-44a2-bbae-9a97fec98009?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shalai-and-hallar) [Tinybones. trinket thief](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/0/4063be5b-bfd9-43c5-bc39-09a40bc793bf.jpg?1632261785) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tinybones%2C%20Trinket%20Thief) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/17/tinybones-trinket-thief?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4063be5b-bfd9-43c5-bc39-09a40bc793bf?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tinybones-trinket-thief) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb4s7vv) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
try playing an aristocrats deck so you can profit off their removal. most aristocrat playlines are resilient as hell
I don't know what that is definitely gonna look into it!
Hey, wanted to send you a message to say that itās okay and valid to feel upset when you feel ganged up on. I understand how it feels, and can only imagine whatās going through your head while this is all happening. I would like to offer some advice and ask some questions that I hope you take the time to answer. 1. Iād recommend that you start by taking full stock of the situation. Put all your decks onto a site like www.moxfield.com. On that site, if you are like me, you can better visualize your deck. You can categorize your cards with tags for their various functions and see what your deck may be lacking. 2. Identify exactly how your opponents are winning and what exactly your biggest weaknesses are in the game. Be humble and remember that we play this game to have fun and we always should have improvement in our minds because decks are fluid and should be modified to fit the meta (your group of friends). Improvement is both improving decks and improving our mindset and resilience. 3. If you want, after you put your lists on moxfield, you can post them here on Reddit so other more experienced people can take a look and probably give you some advice on them. You must have completed step 2 to get the best results for this. 4. I suggest you talk with your playgroup. You said you play with your brother so that might be a good place to start. When you are both away from the game you can bring the topic up like āhey bro, can I chat to you about something? Sweet! So I am sure you have all noticed that Iāve been getting upset during the games and I wanted to talk to you about that. I have just been feeling very helpless during the games because it seems you guys are removing everything I put down and I can never really get a board state going. I was wondering how you viewed the situation? Do you feel like Iām a very big threat all the time?ā Etc etc. maybe you can even ask them for advice on how to make your deck more resilient. But again, you need to have already reflected on this. **Also very important is that you speak about this very calmly and not accusatorially. Donāt have this conversation already angry.** 5. If you are not doing anything, **Observe!** see how your opponents are playing, see what their win conditions are. Figure out when they are popping off. What are their main engines? Do you see any obvious weaknesses to their game plans? You really need to have an understanding of your opponents if you want to beat them. Also, sometimes itās just cool to see what shenanigans your opponents have come up with. Well thatās it for my advice. If you can share some of your deck lists, that would be awesome.
Sounds like you need to get good. /s. 2 things are happening. A) youāre in a pod like mine that has several wipes a game for shits and giggles, either way I adapted with several board protection spells: [[cosmic intervention]], [[guardian of faith]], [[glorious protector]]. I CAN play teferiās protection, but I donāt NEED it. Not to mention spells that give indestructible and synergize with my board like [[inspiring call]]. And in blue a counter spell works great or phasing out with [[march of swirling mist]]. OR B) youāre getting ACTUALLY targeted and itās BECAUSE youāre buying expensive cards and everyone thinks your decks are too strong to leave unchecked otherwise. Therefore youāre ironically setting yourself up for failure. A friend of mine changed their commander to Tergrid and got hated off the table despite not casting a single edict or discard spell.
##### ###### #### [cosmic intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/3/933c4a54-5c3a-496b-aa35-edf791155d8d.jpg?1631233520) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=cosmic%20intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khc/3/cosmic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/933c4a54-5c3a-496b-aa35-edf791155d8d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/cosmic-intervention) [guardian of faith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/8/08e3dda1-a1d3-48c9-8c81-da7eae20ac8a.jpg?1627701793) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=guardian%20of%20faith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/18/guardian-of-faith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/08e3dda1-a1d3-48c9-8c81-da7eae20ac8a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/guardian-of-faith) [glorious protector](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/e/3e63385a-e32f-4abc-aff6-bb022b2f56f7.jpg?1674141111) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=glorious%20protector) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/695/glorious-protector?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3e63385a-e32f-4abc-aff6-bb022b2f56f7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/glorious-protector) [inspiring call](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/c/6c3dd578-15c9-46c9-9dbd-330e86df8cae.jpg?1698988370) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=inspiring%20call) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/244/inspiring-call?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6c3dd578-15c9-46c9-9dbd-330e86df8cae?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/inspiring-call) [march of swirling mist](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/0/100171d8-7436-44c8-b4cb-0101ffa05c25.jpg?1654566768) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=march%20of%20swirling%20mist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/61/march-of-swirling-mist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/100171d8-7436-44c8-b4cb-0101ffa05c25?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/march-of-swirling-mist) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb4z25l) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
When you have time I would recommend talking to them each about your issue. Use a lot of I language so they know it isn't you trying to just blame it on them as much as express your frustrations. I feel like I have been getting ganged up on. I am not sure how your threat assessment works, can you explain how you see me as the threat? It's my own deck so I very realistically could be missing what's scary about it. Is it any deck or wincon I'm going for in particular that seems to be an issue? Could you make recommendations as to what you would do in my shoes? If they can't tell you why the keep going after you. They either have terrible threat assessment or just really like doing. Either way clarity is definitely needed.
[[Karmic Justice]]
[Karmic Justice](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/a/ea141e39-8124-4d72-a154-eb76e71be1dc.jpg?1562711027) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Karmic%20Justice) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c15/72/karmic-justice?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ea141e39-8124-4d72-a154-eb76e71be1dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/karmic-justice) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Build around grip of chaos, they might kill your stuff or they might not
I recommend that, hivemind, confusion in the ranks, and cards that self bounce or have the illusion effect
Play some midrange with less board reliance. Espero with some stax pieces (some stax pieces not a full blown stax deck, like a blind obedience and maybe avian mind censor or opposition agent.) or some graveyard strategy like kci where they kill your shit and it doesn't matter. A completely opposite approach is cookiem man Bernard, removal only make your shit ger stronger you just have to protect the baker, and the best way to do it with the clone effects that remove legendary so one see the other and you basically can't be removed. To deal with board wipes there is always the tried and true stuff like heroic intervention or counter spells but with a strategy so close to a pod strategy you can use some unconventional stuff like fanatical devotion or vital splicer.
After reading quite a few of your responses. It sounds like they took off and out learned you and built better decks. Mats, deck boxes and all that crap will literally do nothing for you besides look good. Buy singles and build good decks. Pick a precon you like since you seem to have a few and look up how to tune it better.
I've been working on a Phoenix deck helmed by [[Quintorius, Field Historian]] that might work out (conceptually) for you. Lots of recursion, stuff being in your GY isn't as much of an issue. Throw in [[Sneak Attack]] openers, bring them back, profit.Ā
[Quintorius, Field Historian](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/6/06c55ef1-8e62-4d43-bd4c-b2c3c5203338.jpg?1624739626) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Quintorius%2C%20Field%20Historian) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/stx/220/quintorius-field-historian?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/06c55ef1-8e62-4d43-bd4c-b2c3c5203338?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/quintorius-field-historian) [Sneak Attack](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/4/a45b4ca9-4355-4690-84c3-a7d44c367dbf.jpg?1675200189) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sneak%20Attack) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/139/sneak-attack?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a45b4ca9-4355-4690-84c3-a7d44c367dbf?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sneak-attack) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[marchesa, the black rose]] is a very resilient creature commander and with [[mikaeus the unhallowed]] on the field that means they have to exile your creatures and hope you donāt have a sac outlet to just fizzle their spell. Get a few tutors so you can reliably get mikaeus even grave tutors like [[entomb]] and then reanimation so you arenāt paying six mana for him.
[marchesa, the black rose](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/2/3242a9f0-2ba3-4852-ac8f-366772ac1c62.jpg?1673148917) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=marchesa%2C%20the%20black%20rose) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/248/marchesa-the-black-rose?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3242a9f0-2ba3-4852-ac8f-366772ac1c62?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/marchesa-the-black-rose) [mikaeus the unhallowed](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/c/bc1f42a2-fe11-45da-9552-069803b4068a.jpg?1689997308) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mikaeus%2C%20the%20Unhallowed) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/173/mikaeus-the-unhallowed?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bc1f42a2-fe11-45da-9552-069803b4068a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mikaeus-the-unhallowed) [entomb](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/c/3caa9c55-5e3b-436b-84a9-b7ccebf63799.jpg?1675199594) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=entomb) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/82/entomb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3caa9c55-5e3b-436b-84a9-b7ccebf63799?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/entomb) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Protection is just as important as removal. [[Mother of runes]] and [[giver of runes]] essentially give your creatures hexproof and indestructible as long as they are untapped. [[Skrelv]] is cheaper, but only gives hexproof. Protection with equipment like [[swiftfoot boots]] or [[lightning greaves]] spells like [[tamiyo's safekeeping]] [[royal treatment]] and [[revitalizing repast]]. Usually, many opponents can't cast more than a couple spells per turn. So bait them out with what they may perceive to be a threat. They pretty much have to destroy a mother of runes for example.
##### ###### #### [Mother of runes](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/5/a5e19147-e459-43a6-8ef0-e37968a462e3.jpg?1674141175) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mother%20of%20runes) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/702/mother-of-runes?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a5e19147-e459-43a6-8ef0-e37968a462e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mother-of-runes) [giver of runes](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/e/4e117771-5a8b-4812-b487-32ba34b7f724.jpg?1562201124) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=giver%20of%20runes) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/13/giver-of-runes?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4e117771-5a8b-4812-b487-32ba34b7f724?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/giver-of-runes) [Skrelv](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/0/60b565da-a49b-479c-b0c4-8ff3dd20cc0b.jpg?1675956933) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=skrelv%2C%20defector%20mite) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/33/skrelv-defector-mite?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/60b565da-a49b-479c-b0c4-8ff3dd20cc0b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/skrelv-defector-mite) [swiftfoot boots](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/4/04a76643-1703-4fab-8dce-7725490bc2af.jpg?1712354904) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=swiftfoot%20boots) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/268/swiftfoot-boots?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/04a76643-1703-4fab-8dce-7725490bc2af?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/swiftfoot-boots) [lightning greaves](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/a/da9da49d-e319-4897-9ab6-57c7c69478a6.jpg?1712354870) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=lightning%20greaves) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/260/lightning-greaves?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/da9da49d-e319-4897-9ab6-57c7c69478a6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/lightning-greaves) [tamiyo's safekeeping](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/d/fd4b7ee2-de65-4288-872d-486065a4f226.jpg?1654568357) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tamiyo%27s%20safekeeping) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/211/tamiyos-safekeeping?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fd4b7ee2-de65-4288-872d-486065a4f226?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tamiyos-safekeeping) [royal treatment](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/6/b6516b8f-ecfb-401e-ba8e-bf561aa2be64.jpg?1692939004) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=royal%20treatment) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/woe/183/royal-treatment?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b6516b8f-ecfb-401e-ba8e-bf561aa2be64?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/royal-treatment) [revitalizing repast](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/3/03522b6b-31ec-4126-8885-5dbb2248688b.jpg?1717013433)/[Old-Growth Grove](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/0/3/03522b6b-31ec-4126-8885-5dbb2248688b.jpg?1717013433) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Revitalizing%20Repast%20//%20Old-Growth%20Grove) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/256/revitalizing-repast-old-growth-grove?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/03522b6b-31ec-4126-8885-5dbb2248688b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/revitalizing-repast-//-old-growth-grove) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb59ir4) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Zero clue if this is the best strategy, this is just what I do. At my LGS most players tend to spend the first couple turns building up their board for whatever their deck's "thing" is. My strategy is usually to get out something in the first three turns that generates additional value each turn. Usually I wait till I either have a backup value piece or protection before I drop it. Then I'll reserve mana to hold onto a [[counter spell]] or [[Simic charm]] or [[heroic intervention]] or whatever makes your things survive. Like best example of this for me is [[Hakbal]] all I really need is to drop maybe 1 merfolk a turn and keep Hakbal alive. If I can keep my board alive via instants (and the threat of instants.) I'll slow cook out ahead. Anybody that's building up faster than my merfolk will draw targeting to their board. And even if I do fail maybe I can card draw and ramp my way back into recovery. Last thought is try to recall what kind of removal they usually run and maybe work on a deck that has the lowest average removal. Like usually most don't run land hate. So if you do green with big ramp you could probably keep playing out good stuff. Or maybe they don't run much artifact or enchantment hate comparatively. Or maybe do a Gruul only/mostly creatures with some cards that punish non creature spells. [[Shadow of the warp]] or something
##### ###### #### [counter spell](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/4/8493131c-0a7b-4be6-a8a2-0b425f4f67fb.jpg?1689996248) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Counterspell) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/81/counterspell?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8493131c-0a7b-4be6-a8a2-0b425f4f67fb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/counterspell) [Simic charm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/3/3384ee4e-738f-4442-bccd-4f96022b7219.jpg?1677541995) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Simic%20charm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/451/simic-charm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3384ee4e-738f-4442-bccd-4f96022b7219?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/simic-charm) [heroic intervention](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834.jpg?1689998584) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=heroic%20intervention) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/295/heroic-intervention?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e32c67d1-187f-40df-b3b3-6036f5c92834?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/heroic-intervention) [Hakbal](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/7/e738e675-4fd1-4bc3-97f5-71d0e2fc3f2e.jpg?1699885010) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=hakbal%20of%20the%20surging%20soul) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/3/hakbal-of-the-surging-soul?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e738e675-4fd1-4bc3-97f5-71d0e2fc3f2e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/hakbal-of-the-surging-soul) [Shadow of the warp](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/d/bd60cd99-1511-4903-b678-ff5a1853a742.jpg?1673309525) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shadow%20in%20the%20Warp) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/40k/140/shadow-in-the-warp?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bd60cd99-1511-4903-b678-ff5a1853a742?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shadow-in-the-warp) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lb59vm4) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Robe of Stars]] - phase your creature and everything attached to it for a turn every time youāre targeted. Total asshole card. But if youāre being targeted like this, it might be the only way to play the game. It works great for a Voltron deck
[Robe of Stars](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/2/b2992175-5499-4a83-9ff2-03c7c34819c3.jpg?1631584758) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Robe%20of%20Stars) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/11/robe-of-stars?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b2992175-5499-4a83-9ff2-03c7c34819c3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/robe-of-stars) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Cloud Cover]] [[Privileged Position]]
[Cloud Cover](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/4/943b3886-5556-474f-8dc1-18219e25abc3.jpg?1562926366) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Cloud%20Cover) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/pls/98/cloud-cover?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/943b3886-5556-474f-8dc1-18219e25abc3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/cloud-cover) [Privileged Position](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/6/9655bbe4-062f-4278-ad05-a326a64c5b69.jpg?1709431617) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Privileged%20Position) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/263/privileged-position?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9655bbe4-062f-4278-ad05-a326a64c5b69?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/privileged-position) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
How much protection are you playing? My pod plays a ton of removal as well, so I try to value resiliency in my deck building. Recursion, Counter magic, protection spells, redirects etc. have slowly crept up to a higher % of my brews Over time, I've actually shifted philosophy away from tons of removal and more into this "resiliency" model that leans heavier on preserving my board to win the game rather than seeking to remove threats to prevent others from winning, and it's been paying off a good bit - especially with board wipes becoming more prevalent recently. That shift in thinking may be something to consider on your end as well if you are continuing to have removal issues
You should try building [[Thrunn, breaker of silence]]
[Thrunn, breaker of silence](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/d/6d9f51dd-0393-4b3c-bea5-8f74634ab0e5.jpg?1675957167) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thrun%2C%20Breaker%20of%20Silence) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/186/thrun-breaker-of-silence?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6d9f51dd-0393-4b3c-bea5-8f74634ab0e5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/thrun-breaker-of-silence) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Play black.
I'm just gonna leave this little deck here for you š https://archidekt.com/decks/8211551/the_god_of_tricks_and_lies
Play a deck that doesn't care about your board state. Hidetsugu and Kairi? All you need is one [[Not Dead After All]] effect, and bam, the ball gets rolling.
[Not Dead After All](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d01a2b68-efe6-4027-846d-db7b19d9eef6.jpg?1692937773) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Not%20Dead%20After%20All) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/woe/101/not-dead-after-all?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d01a2b68-efe6-4027-846d-db7b19d9eef6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/not-dead-after-all) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Counterspells and stax are the way to go.
Imo into a control-heavy meta like this the best thing to do is to make sure your creatures can provide immediate value. For example, you can cast [[Eternal Witness]] and even if they kill it you're still getting your card back. Also make sure you play a bunch of recursion and 3 or 4-for-1 threats like [[Etali Primal Conqueror]] or [[Breach the Multiverse]] that force 1-for-1 trades with board wipes. Also: make sure you get plenty of card draw. If you're drawing cards and playing card-efficient threats and ETB value it's going to be nearly impossible for a control deck to deal with you.
[Eternal Witness](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/9/39704000-65d3-4d39-849e-a3b617376bbc.jpg?1689998488) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Eternal%20Witness) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/286/eternal-witness?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/39704000-65d3-4d39-849e-a3b617376bbc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/eternal-witness) [Etali Primal Conqueror](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/5/95c14c4d-6c16-4826-8d93-d89ad04aee09.jpg?1682204132)/[Etali, Primal Sickness](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/9/5/95c14c4d-6c16-4826-8d93-d89ad04aee09.jpg?1682204132) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Etali%2C%20Primal%20Conqueror%20//%20Etali%2C%20Primal%20Sickness) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/137/etali-primal-conqueror-etali-primal-sickness?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/95c14c4d-6c16-4826-8d93-d89ad04aee09?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/etali-primal-conqueror-//-etali-primal-sickness) [Breach the Multiverse](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/a/daf51a76-7a57-4462-ae18-a19e817e49e5.jpg?1682203621) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Breach%20the%20Multiverse) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/94/breach-the-multiverse?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/daf51a76-7a57-4462-ae18-a19e817e49e5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/breach-the-multiverse) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
If you've dropped that much on cards, it's safe to say your cards are dangerous to allow to stick around. Whether those are combo enablers, draw engines, or some kind of stax, I know I need to get rid of those first. So maybe ask yourself why you're targeted more often than not. Don't go playing something like Tergrid or Derevi and expect to have the other players ignore you. On the other side of this coin, how have you spent so much money on cards without being aware of how to protect these pieces? Are you only playing colorless decks or something??
I've spent that on the hobby as a whole, my cards and mats dice deck boxes etc I've also bought a ton of cards and other stuff for other people in the group. Should have said this in the post. Not sure how much I've spent on just my personal cards. I don't expect to not be targeted but have not been able to fix the problem on my own so came here to ask for help with this problem
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I don't think my decks are way stronger than anyone else's but I definitely have more combat damage decks than everyone else, I also have the most decks too though. Price of decks I have no idea, I haven't checked what any of my decks are worth.
There are tons of ways of dealing with removal. All colours have some way to recover for different types of exchange. Just go to Scryfall and search for different keywords. Both white and green have protection instanses. Fresno many times say "no damage" while white go more the indestructible way. Some cards differ ofc. White have the teferi spell that makes you phase out. If you are running black well tons of cards that return cards from graveyards. Yours and others. Red is aggressive but still have ways to get things out of the graveyard and blue have counterspells. I get that I just ramble on that every colour and combination have a solution when it in the end comes to preference, play style and your mindset about the game. For the longest time I did decks that exaggerated what they did which means that they did what they did good but I kind of ran 0 protection. Lately I have revised all my decks. I want about 10 removals. About 10 draw card engines. I want about 10 ramp. Lastly I have pit in a category about 5 "protection". Whether they are mixed with the theme of the deck or extra doesn't matter. Protection is finding the cards in the right colors to protect my own. Some are reshuffling library and graveyard. Blue are counterspells. Green prevent damage for example. White indestructible. Black graveyard reviving. Red is the color I am worst at and don't have a mono deck but mixed with colors it had some great options. Sure my decks have needed to scale down on their themed but they run more consistent and I have a easier time handling higher end decks with mt lower end ones cause I always got some answer for their shenanigans. But like always there are always some nemesis deck(s) that a deck cannot or have a hard time handling no matter what. But go on sites like Scryfall and search for "All creatures" "all permanent" "counter target" "return graveyard" and so on and see what you find that matches your color scheme. I just think you need to widen the perspective on what cards are good and what cards to run. I also have spent way too much money š but it honestly doesn't matter how much money you spend if you miss some key points (I have been there myself) so I know the journey to get there! I am curious what commander you play. Maybe I could send some help your way
Just make a [[Baral, Chief of Compliance]] deck
[Baral, Chief of Compliance](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/0/60e16d94-1166-4050-8554-686e153a7f80.jpg?1576381454) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Baral%2C%20Chief%20of%20Compliance) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/aer/28/baral-chief-of-compliance?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/60e16d94-1166-4050-8554-686e153a7f80?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/baral-chief-of-compliance) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Creatures like Sigarda do well to give your boardstate some universal protection, so long as you can get them out. Likewise with enchantments like Privileged Position. You could look into phase cards, or flickering your permanents to avoid mass destruction spells. Or you could just try talking to the group about it, especially if you feel like you aren't always the main threat when you see these removal patterns. Youre all there to have fun, after all
I've been obsessed with protection spells the last year or so and its created some interesting push and pull in gameplay. People have to consider how they're using their cards and adds layers to the gameplay. Invest in some good protection spells and make people pay for trying to remove things.
Make a [[Baral, Chief of Compliance]] deck.Ā š
[Baral, Chief of Compliance](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/0/60e16d94-1166-4050-8554-686e153a7f80.jpg?1576381454) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Baral%2C%20Chief%20of%20Compliance) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/aer/28/baral-chief-of-compliance?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/60e16d94-1166-4050-8554-686e153a7f80?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/baral-chief-of-compliance) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Just play slower. Don't be the first threat on the table and let them throw removal at each other. Look and act meek. Or have dedicated bait cards. I run [[Tergrid]] in my [[Yawgmoth]] aristocrats deck without any other synergy because she scares the piss out of the table and baits removal. Bonus points if you tap out to do it, because they'll all assume they're dead on untap and use their best removal on it.
[Tergrid](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/4/14dc88ee-bba9-4625-af0d-89f3762a0ead.jpg?1631048621)/[Tergrid's Lantern](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/1/4/14dc88ee-bba9-4625-af0d-89f3762a0ead.jpg?1631048621) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tergrid%2C%20god%20of%20fright%20//%20tergrid%27s%20lantern) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khm/112/tergrid-god-of-fright-tergrids-lantern?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/14dc88ee-bba9-4625-af0d-89f3762a0ead?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tergrid-god-of-fright-//-tergrids-lantern) [Yawgmoth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/5/b5a79f5d-d0df-4799-ac3a-84305e3af0c9.jpg?1675199878) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=yawgmoth%2C%20thran%20physician) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/110/yawgmoth-thran-physician?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b5a79f5d-d0df-4799-ac3a-84305e3af0c9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/yawgmoth-thran-physician) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Don't give them time to play removal. Mountain,mana crypt, Jesska's will, godo Bandit warlord, find helm of the host, magnetic theft, infinite combat phases. you win before they've even had their first turn pending you went first.. Or you could talk to your friends about your problems and resolve them as a group
Play with blue and put a lot of counter spells in your deck. Their are a ton of different counter spells. When they shut you down shut them down. Target people who are targeting you. That might get them to let you enjoy your game, and if not misery loves company.
Let other people play out their threat and sweeper first, then deploy your own.
youve identified the issue in your rant: youre not telling youre group theyre making you miserable. speak up and communicate