One of the cards from Guilds of Ravnica I want to brew around is Erratic Cyclops. I always liked Nivix Cyclops, and I want to use the bigger version of this Big Daddy.
I want to see how crazy I can make this as an attacker, having a deck that throws huge haymakers at my opponents. One of the tricks to use is Invert // Invent. This alone turns the cyclops into a 8/1 attacker. Another trick I thought of is using Dive Down, as it is a cheap trick that allows me to protect the cyclops, as well as adding +3/+1 when I get to Invert it afterwards. Then there is Sure Strike, which adds +5/+0 and first strike. This all makes a nice core to expand upon.
Another card I’d like to try is Runaway Steam-Kin. It seems these can grow fast enough to pose a threat, and there is always the option to cash in the counters for so I can get another spell off.
The list is a bit all-in, but it seems fun to try:
~ Erratic Inversion ~
Creatures (12)4 Erratic Cyclops 4 Goblin Electromancer 4 Runaway Steam-Kin Instants (25)4 Dive Down 2 Expansion // Explosion 1 Inescapable Blaze 4 Invert // Invent 4 Lightning Strike 4 Risk Factor 2 Run Amok 4 Sure Strike Sorcery (1)1 Banefire | Lands (22)2 Island 12 Mountain 4 Steam Vents 4 Sulfur Falls |
Choosing spell, I went for as much red spells as possible, so that when I can “storm off” I can get the most out of Runaway Steam-Kin.
I wanted Inescapable Blaze as a finisher spell at the top-end. However, since I also run 4x Invert // Invent, I decided to add one Banefire instead of the second Blaze so I can find both with Invent, and set up big uncounterable damage on the turns following, as an extra avenue to victory. Testing will show if the sorcery speed and 1 less damage for CMC is worth it.
So, that’s the plan. Get in for some chip damage, then finish off with a huge strike. To be fair, it doesn’t look entirely practical, but I feel there is potential here.
One of the important things I’m missing here is double strike. It would have been nice to have a Temur Battle Rage or Uncaged Fury in standard, but unfortunately, the only available card gives double strike to pirates. So, maybe we’ll see that once Rakdos enters the fray, but for now we’ll have to use regular pump spells, so I’ll use Run Amok as backup Sure Strikes. Depending on how this’ll work out, they may get replaced by Trumpet Blasts for a team-wide boost. Given I only run 12 creatures, that doesn’t seem likely though.