Cygnum Sanctus

Cygnum Sanctus
61 cards

//NAME: Cygnum Sanctus
9 Island
8 Plains
4 Mystic Gate
2 Reflecting Pool

4 Goldmeadow Harrier
4 Augury Adept
4 Mulldrifter
3 Reveillark
2 Somnomancer
3 Swans of Bryn Argoll
4 Thistledown Liege

3 Cryptic Command
3 Niveous Wisps
2 Oblivion Ring
4 Steel of the Godhead
2 Austere Command


// Sideboard:
SB: 1 Cryptic Command
SB: 2 Oblivion Ring
SB: 3 Kitchen Finks
SB: 1 Austere Command
SB: 4 Negate
SB: 4 Wispmare


I won two matches against good Kithkin decks, two matches against elementals decks, and one against faeries.

Synergistic goodness: 1) Putting Steel of the Godhead on almost anything in this deck is great (Augury Adept, Swans, Liege, even Somnomancer); 2) Reveillark brings back everything except Swans; 3) Austere Command for 3- and Enchantments will usually kill all of opponent's creatures while knocking out Bitterblossoms and netting you something decent from one of their O-rings, all while leaving your Thistledown Liege, Swans, Reveillark, and Mulldrifter in play.

Kithkin owned the latest magic-league tournament, and I have several tools to tap and keep them at bay here. Thanks to Mike Lane for the Goldmeadow Harriers and sideboard suggestions.

Will someone else try this out and give me feedback?

this actually seems really good. you could probably afford space for 2 mutavaults if you want them. somnomancer seems somewhat out of place but i don't know of a better option.

Got a win against elementals. Seems like a favorable match-up.

Suggestions? More islands, less plains. 12 (14) sources is more than enough. Getting the needed UUU for cryptic can be a challenge, though.

I exaggerate. Your numbers are probably fine. It's a pleasure to play and I'm glad I could help.

add flow of ideals like 2
remove the pools add islands
i also love broken ambitions

agree with the others, and i might want some finks main.

Testing: -2 somnomancer, -2 oblivion ring, -2 reflecting pool; +2 kitchen finks, +2 flow of ideas, +2 island


Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

I think I'd prefer O-Ring over Austere Command. And I see no reason not to play 4 Cryptic Commands main.

Reflecting Pools were useless, so I took them out.
Tested Flow of Ideas, but it felt unnecessary with Mulldrifter, Cryptic Command, and Niveous Wisps in the deck.
Tested Finks main, but moved them back to the sb because I wanted more removal.
Added another Cryptic Command and O-ring main.
Put the two Austere Command back in main. They are important in beating Kithkin and Elves. I sb in the other two against kithkin and elves every time.

I miss the Somnomancers and being able to drop Steel on a UW creature on turn three, but I don't think they are better than anything now in the deck.

Here is the latest list:

//NAME: C:\Program Files\Magic Workstation\Cygnum_Sanctus.mwDeck
9 Plains
9 Island
3 Mystic Gate
2 Mutavault

3 Augury Adept
4 Mulldrifter
3 Reveillark
3 Swans of Bryn Argoll
4 Thistledown Liege
4 Goldmeadow Harrier

4 Cryptic Command
3 Niveous Wisps
3 Oblivion Ring
4 Steel of the Godhead
2 Austere Command


// Sideboard:
SB: 1 Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 Austere Command
SB: 3 Kitchen Finks
SB: 3 Negate
SB: 4 Wispmare
SB: 2 AEthertow

I don't like it, to be frank.

Pros:

I like mutavault, and hope there's a place for it in this deck.

Cons:

Same Blue as White. UUU for Cryptic Command.
Less U/W sources from 5 to 3.

Arguments for Mystic Gate:
It's great for playing Cryptic Command. It's the one white source you need for Austere Command. Only lands in the mana base I suggest that it's bad with is Mutavault and other gates, and it still activates the Vault. Great with Reflecting Pool (another land I advocate) The only time you want either color in singleton is for Harrier, and I have never burned on him (though I did one mistap my mana and not get to use two to the best of their ability because I tapped a plains for one before I realized I should've tapped a Gate instead). In summary, as long as you are careful and consider your moves before leaping, Mystic Gate is better than basics here. Remember, use them before other lands.

Arguments for Reflecting Pool:
It helps with cryptic and austere command. It produces white for harrier if you have a plains or a mystic gate (10 possibilities in my proposed mana base). It seems good to me. Only land it's bad with is, again, mutavault. The only time it's truly bad is in a 1 land hand, and you shouldn't keep those with this deck anyway (under ANY circumstances).

Proposed Mana Base:
9 Islands
6 Plains
2 Mutavaults
2 Reflecting Pools
4 Mystic Gates

or perhaps
10 Island
6 Plains
2 Mutavaults
2 Reflecting Pools
3 Mystic Gates

I need to test the Mutavaults. See if that's too many colorless lands for Mystic Gates. My gut says it isn't.

I have the 9 plains because I need to be able to cast goldmeadow harrier turn 1 when I have it.

Reflecting Pool is only good in this deck when you have Mystic Gate out. When you have Mystic Gate out, you aren't going to have any problems getting the right color mana. Mystic Gates are there to fix for Commands, which means I never need them before turn 4, if at all, but I will add the fourth back in place of a Plains because nine has been feeling like a little much.

Goldmeadow Harrier hasn't really been performing as well as I'd like. Kithkin just have too many creatures for it to make a difference. I'm going to test with Mistmeadow Witch instead. I could cast Steel of the Godhead on it turn three, and it does something useful later in the game.

i agree that the presence of kithkin is reeeally bad for this deck.

Trey, do you have an updated list or have you given up on this?

Update:

//NAME: C:\Program Files\Magic Workstation\Cygnum_Sanctus.mwDeck
4 Mystic Gate
7 Plains
11 Island
3 Mutavault

4 Augury Adept
3 Mulldrifter
2 Reveillark
3 Swans of Bryn Argoll
4 Thistledown Liege
3 Mistmeadow Witch

4 Cryptic Command
3 Niveous Wisps
3 Oblivion Ring
4 Steel of the Godhead
2 Austere Command

// Sideboard:
SB: 1 Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 Austere Command
SB: 4 Negate
SB: 4 Wispmare
SB: 4 Pollen Lullaby


I upped the land count to 25 so that I could more reliably cast the commands. Goldmeadow Harrier wasn't doing its job against swarms of Faeries, Kithkin, and Elves, so I removed them; they only ever did any good against elementals, and they didn't feel great there. They have been replaced by Mistmeadow Witch, which is actually decent (and it allows me to cast Steel of the Godhead turn 3).

I'm thinking about making the commands 3 and 3 because I am almost never upset to see Austere command.

Project has been abandoned.