Walkthrough for Duel 2-3: Ocean's Might in Magic: The Gathering Arena, featuring a blue ocean-themed deck with control cards.
Decklist:
- Creatures [19]: 4 Godhunter Octopus, 4 Kraken Hatchling, 1 Lorthos, the Tidemaker, 4 Man-o'-War, 4 Serpent of the Endless Sea, 2 Water Servant
- Enchantments [4]: 4 Spreading Seas
- Instants [7]: 4 Downpour, 3 Living Destiny
- Lands [24]: 5 Forest, 15 Island, 4 Tropical Island
- Sorceries [6]: 4 Peregrination, 2 Urban Evolution
Analysis: This is a blue ocean-themed deck with green land-grabbers (Peregrination, Urban Evolution) thrown in. Godhunter Octopus (5/5) and Serpent of the Endless Sea (*/*) can't attack unless one controls an Island...a problem soon remedied by Spreading Seas, which changes an opponent's land into an island -- overwriting its original type(s) in the process. Man-o'-War acts as a creature bouncer, Water Servant can spend mana to raise its power or toughness, and Lorthos can spend 8 mana to tap 8 permanents.
Planeswalker Difficulty Changes: On Planeswalker difficulty, Peregrination is changed to Cultivate, which does roughly the same land-grabbing for less (and without scrying). The Godhunter Octopi are removed for Simic Sky Swallower, a huge upgrade: SSS is a 6/6 with flying, trample and shroud. Anything with shroud is a huge nuisance, and this is no different.
- Consider using Bident of Thassa (forcing foe's creatures to suicide, especially SSS).
- Dissolve is a general counter.
- Niblis of the Breath can tap Serpent, SSS and Lorthos to prevent damage.
- Nullify can counter target creature spell or Spreading Seas.
- Reprisal can destroy Lorthos and Serpent.
- Tribute to Hunger can consume massive beatsticks for life gain.
- Voyage's End can bounce target to hand, scry 1.
- On Planeswalker difficulty, Tribute to Hunger is good for getting rid of Simic Sky Swallower, since it doesn't target and'll get around shroud abilities.
Cards available from multiplayer battle boosters:
- Arrest (enchanted target can't attack, block or use activated abilities)
- Burning Inquiry (randomly mills 3 cards from target's hand)
- Pestermite (flash; tap or untap target creature)
- Pharika's Chosen (general deathtouch-capable weenie)
- Warstorm Surge (free noncombat damage to help eliminate creatures or win)
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