5 More The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Decks for Other Crazy Ideas Post-Release

More decks post-release? Hell yeah! Back with early access, we were just scratching the surface on the number of new decks that The Lost Caverns of Ixalan could provide for current MTG Standard. Even among those I skipped during my initial post, newer ones immediately came around as soon as all players got access to the cards as early as the 14th.

And now, we get to see a bigger picture of what is possible… starting with these five decks below:

Ojer Anvil Strikes while Hot

Ojer bringing new life to red pinging sources is also another interesting mechanical highlight of The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. Some players opted to focus on its damage aspect purely, adding a lot of pingers as the deck could bear. Cards such as Kessig Flamebreather, Thermo-Alchemist, among other familiar picks.

But this specific brew goes for a more balanced take, mixing in slightly bigger players of typical meta Rakdos and mono-red builds to create different options, or to simply switch up the game as necessary. Goddric, Cloaked Reveler, for example, might not be as synergistic with Ojer, but is still a very reliable mono-red pick for any aggro strategies at this point in time. Beseech the Mirror speeds up Ojer in any match, and is quite easy to use given that the deck is centered around card cycling and sacc effects.

But perhaps the biggest surprise piece of this deck is Bloodletter of Aclazotz. A singleton piece that could leave other players dumbfounded (if not dead yet) with its occasional team-ups with the bigger boys of this deck.

Gameplay Video

^{(credit via Ashlizzlle)}

Featured Cards:

Ojer Axonil Anvil v2 (import)

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Main 60 cards (22 distinct)

Lands - 23

Side 15 cards (9 distinct)

Main 60 cards (22 distinct)

Lands - 23

Side 15 cards (9 distinct)

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (22 distinct)

Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (16)
3 Annihilating Glare			$0.20€0.120.03
3 Beseech the Mirror			$29.55
4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan // Etching of Kumano			$0.450.01
2 Mephitic Draught			€0.13
3 Molten Collapse			$1.20€1.75
1 Stoke the Flames			$0.16€0.080.03
Creature (15)
1 Bloodletter of Aclazotz			$22.50
4 Bloodtithe Harvester			$0.25
3 Goddric, Cloaked Reveler			$0.72
2 Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might // Temple of Power			$7.45
4 Voldaren Epicure			$0.25
1 Voldaren Thrillseeker			$0.690.02
Planeswalker (2)
2 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary			$4.61
Other (4)
4 Oni-Cult Anvil			$0.24€0.170.01
Land (23)
4 Blackcleave Cliffs			$2.95€3.740.10
4 Haunted Ridge			$6.99€6.760.97
3 Mountain			$0.15€0.050.03
2 Restless Vents			$0.50€0.44
1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance			$4.61
4 Sulfurous Springs			$6.78€3.910.08
4 Swamp			$0.15€0.090.03
1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire			$14.73

Side 15 cards (9 distinct)

1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
2 Cut Down
3 Duress			$0.15€0.070.03
1 Furnace Reins			$0.20€0.160.03
3 Lithomantic Barrage			$0.89€0.370.04
1 Soul-Guide Lantern			$0.26€0.260.03
1 Urabrask's Forge			$3.231.26
2 Vampires' Vengeance			$0.25
1 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary			$4.61

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Artifact-Loving Azorius Pirates

Given the tribal pieces offered by the new set, most pirate builds opt to take the Izzet route and connect as many of them as possible for a single, unified, treasure-hunting strategy. It definitely works well, and is quite a lot of fun to play, especially with the presence of Breeches, Eager Pillager just doing all sorts of havoc so long as you have other pirates on the swing.

But, to shake things up a little bit, we are instead going to the Azorius route and pair up our venerable blue pirates with well… artifacts. Gnomes and Phyrexians to be precise. To be fair, cards such as Staunch Crewmate and Subterranean Schooner already play the part for such a theme, so the basic framework is already there. But if you add cards like Steel Seraph and Thousand Moons Smithy // Barracks of the Thousand, you still create a pretty coherent strategy that matches the advantages presented by blue LCI pirates.

Just… don’t get too attached to its pirate identity, though. You are more than likely to focus on point-to-point combinations provided by the effects of each side of the creature/artifact spectrum than anything else for its win condition.

Gameplay Video

^{(Credit via Crokeyz)}

Featured Cards:

Pirates and Artifacts (import)

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• CMC
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Main 60 cards (19 distinct)

Lands - 25

Side 15 cards (7 distinct)

Main 60 cards (19 distinct)

Lands - 25

Side 15 cards (7 distinct)

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (19 distinct)

Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (14)
4 Make Disappear			$0.35€0.590.02
3 Dusk Rose Reliquary			$0.18€0.12
3 Thousand Moons Smithy // Barracks of the Thousand
4 Subterranean Schooner			$0.89
Creature (21)
3 Steel Seraph			$2.42
3 Skrelv, Defector Mite			$3.36€4.210.48
4 Kitesail Larcenist			$0.92
3 Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel			$0.50
4 Spyglass Siren			$0.30€0.20
4 Staunch Crewmate			$0.19€0.11
Land (25)
2 Plains			$0.15€0.040.03
2 Island			$0.14€0.070.03
4 Adarkar Wastes			$7.51€5.470.16
4 Seachrome Coast			$3.47€3.370.23
4 Deserted Beach			$5.56€5.263.79
1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire			$7.99
1 Otawara, Soaring City			$25.37
3 Mirrex			$4.691.21
4 Restless Anchorage			$1.34€0.99

Side 15 cards (7 distinct)

2 Tameshi, Reality Architect			$0.40
4 Annex Sentry			$0.25€0.120.03
3 Disdainful Stroke			$0.15€0.050.01
1 Pithing Needle			$1.00
2 Destroy Evil			$1.25€1.240.03
2 Agatha's Soul Cauldron			$52.05
1 The Wandering Emperor			$55.00

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A Squirmy Fathomless Descent

There was very little fanfare for Souls of the Lost when it was first spoiled. To most people, it simply seemed like a chump hazard devoid of any tricks. That is indeed true. But, it is only a single component of an even bigger strategy. One that involves reviving many older mill cards from Standard into this new version of a Sultai “descent” build.

Suddenly, something as unimpressive as a common Blanchwood Prowler all the way back from The Brothers’ War suddenly becomes this major cog. As in, it is now a very important piece of a very consistent engine that grants perfect control of any graveyard. The largely unnoticed Cruel Somnophage of the previous set also becomes a powerhouse for this build, probably even more so than Souls of the Lost in terms of overall utility.

Then cards like Urborg Lhurgoyf and Deathbonnet Sprout // Deathbonnet Hulk add to the consistency of the deck even further, by introducing alternative threats that synergize at the same level when it comes to the milling objectives of this deck. More notably, Chupacabra Echo acts as the recurring permanent-type removal for the deck, evading not only indestructible effects, but ignoring temporary setbacks by counterspells as well.

Not satisfied with this brew? You can try this alternative brew instead.

Gameplay Video

^{(Credit via Hexamyn)}

Featured Cards:

👻🍄 Squirmy Lost Souls. New Meta

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Main 60 cards (24 distinct)

Lands - 24

Main 60 cards (24 distinct)

Lands - 24

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (24 distinct)

Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (7)
1 The Skullspore Nexus			$6.88
4 Squirming Emergence			$0.75
2 Portal to Phyrexia			$33.59
Creature (29)
4 Deathbonnet Sprout // Deathbonnet Hulk			$0.250.03
4 Urborg Lhurgoyf			$0.47
4 Cruel Somnophage			$0.40
3 Blanchwood Prowler			$0.19€0.140.03
3 Akawalli, the Seething Tower			$0.15
4 Souls of the Lost			$0.75
1 Surrak and Goreclaw			$5.050.02
3 Chupacabra Echo			$0.19€0.07
3 Old Rutstein			$0.470.02
Land (24)
2 Swamp			$0.85€0.360.04
4 Forest			$0.59€0.550.04
4 Deathcap Glade			$14.69
3 Llanowar Wastes			$2.64
2 Restless Cottage			$1.23
1 Otawara, Soaring City			$29.48
1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire			$14.73
1 Boseiju, Who Endures			$48.77
2 Darkslick Shores			$3.520.30
1 Restless Reef			$1.08
1 Shipwreck Marsh			$6.99
2 Yavimaya Coast			$2.03

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Fight Rigging with an Ancient One

The first combo for The Ancient One, the one that paired it up with Ob Nixilis, the Adversary provides better situational versatility, as it can gain most of the advantage of the combo on the spot. For Fight Rigging, the stakes are a bit higher, and the combo is considerably riskier. However, you also potentially get the benefit of actually using The Ancient One in combat as it was originally designed.

This is because you have the chance to select Breach the Multiverse from the Hideaway options provided by Fight Rigging. Once the spell is cast freely, you dump a bunch of cards to the graveyard, and then hopefully get an instant Descent 8 online and going. On top of that, Breach itself should provide you with additional goodies from the deck. Given that this is a Fight Rigging deck, you should have a lot of beatstick and bruiser options to choose from.

Even if you don’t get the optimal set of plays for The Ancient One, at the very least you have yet another new option for getting this type of deck online. Besides, this deck should still have the expected baddies on board, including a fresh new Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant as one of the brand new options for the endgame side of things.

Gameplay Video

^{(Credit via Hexamyn)}

Featured Cards:

🦖🦖 Ancient One combo - Turn 3 Ghalta!

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Main 60 cards (25 distinct)

Lands - 24

Main 60 cards (25 distinct)

Lands - 24

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (25 distinct)

Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (15)
2 Bitter Triumph			$1.99€1.42
4 Breach the Multiverse			$7.310.02
4 Fight Rigging			$1.03
2 The Skullspore Nexus			$6.88
1 Thunderous Debut			$0.35
2 Virtue of Persistence			$11.40
Creature (21)
3 Bramble Familiar			$0.50
3 Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant			$11.75
2 Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth // Temple of Cultivation
2 Pugnacious Hammerskull			$0.50
3 Shakedown Heavy			$0.48
4 The Ancient One			$1.25
4 Tyrranax Rex			$6.270.26
Land (24)
1 Boseiju, Who Endures			$48.77
3 Darkslick Shores			$3.520.30
1 Deathcap Glade			$14.69
1 Forest			$0.59€0.550.04
1 Island			$0.41€0.380.03
4 Llanowar Wastes			$2.64
1 Otawara, Soaring City			$29.48
3 Restless Cottage			$1.23
2 Swamp			$0.85€0.360.04
1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire			$14.73
2 Underground River			$7.12€5.611.17
4 Yavimaya Coast			$2.03

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The Grim Captain’s Ominous Countdown

At a glance, Throne of the Grim Captain feels like one of those wonky jank MTG cards that seems too “acrobatic” to use perfectly. Well… the craft mechanic actually turned out to be quite easier (and more fun) to do than it seemed to be. It does require a bit of luck, and some proper milling choices to get things going. But with the correct pieces, the consistency of transforming Throne of the Grim Captain // The Grim Captain is actually quite high. A vampire Voldaren Epicure for extra discards/hand fixing, a merfolk Cenote Scout for extra mills/land draws, a pirate Enterprising Scallywag for ramping, a dinosaur Kogla and Yidaro for destruction utility, and so on.

In fact, the consistency is reliable enough, that it usually tilts the game heavily in its owner’s favor if the captain manages to even survive a single turn. Even better, if you can pull off a Bitter Reunion haste combo, you’d start saccing, reviving, and regaining a bunch of life the moment the crafted monster becomes online.

But, before wasting those Wildcards, a word of advice: always keep The Grim Captain company. Board wipes are at least costly enough that the value evens out when countering the captain. Edict effects, however, can waste a whole lot of your investment in a single turn without much trouble. This is especially the case if you cannot use Bitter Reunion to get a swing out of the captain immediately.

Oh and, Ghalta and Mavren actually counts as either a dinosaur or a vampire for the craft effect. Don’t forget, it is either, not both!

Gameplay Video

^{(Credit via LegenVD)}

Featured Cards:

Throne of the Grim Captain Combo

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Main 60 cards (20 distinct)

Lands - 24

Main 60 cards (20 distinct)

Lands - 24

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (20 distinct)

Creature (28)
2 Gishath, Sun's Avatar			$5.99€6.390.02
4 Voldaren Epicure			$0.25
4 Ghalta and Mavren			$0.990.02
2 Kogla and Yidaro			$1.400.02
2 Breeches, Eager Pillager			$0.52
4 Enterprising Scallywag			$0.15€0.11
4 Trumpeting Carnosaur			€1.88
4 Cenote Scout			$0.25€0.22
2 Sentinel of the Nameless City			$1.25
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
4 Bitter Reunion			$0.33€0.330.03
4 Throne of the Grim Captain // The Grim Captain			$0.27
Land (24)
2 Forest			$0.15€0.060.03
2 Mountain			$0.15€0.050.03
4 Karplusan Forest			$4.50€2.890.22
4 Copperline Gorge			$2.74€2.720.55
4 Cavern of Souls			$42.20€35.965.96
4 Rockfall Vale			$2.05€1.120.10
1 Boseiju, Who Endures			$43.95
1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance			$4.61
2 Jetmir's Garden			$17.70

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