Sarkhan the Mad Deckbuilding Challenge thread

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bk1234

End Game:


Sarkhan: Dragons for Days
Sarkhan the Mad, Level 60

Creatures (3):
Akoum Hellkite
Tyrant of Valakut
Sludge Crawler

Spells (4):
Grip of Desolation
Transgress the Mind
Turn Against
Serpentine Spike

Supports (3):
Smoldering Marsh
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Mirrorpool


Details:
This deck is designed to weigh heavily on Sarkhan's second and third abilities -- it contains two strong dragons and one very small creatures that is in play just to be turned to a dragon for very little manna -- Control the game with cards like Grip, Transgress and Serpentine Spike. Use Mirrorpool intelligently -- waiting to launch until you have a Akoum Hellkite or Tyrant ready to go.

Once your three dragons are out, use Sarkhan's third for an easy win.

Ultimadan

Sarkhan Lv40:

Creatures: 4
Tyrant of Valakut
Akoum Hellkite
Goblin Dark Dwellers
Mina and Denn, Wildborn

Spells: 3
Grip of Desolation
Transgress the Mind
Ruinous Path

Supports: 3
Smoldering Marsh
Shambling Vent
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods

Tyrant of Valakut (the only mythic in the deck) and the 3 spells help control the board while Sarkhans first ability keeps the cards coming. Goblin Dark Dwellers can recycle your removal spells and Mina and Denn help with the ramp as well as beign able to give your bigger dragons berserker and trample. Some ramp supports help round up the deck and help provide mana for the bigger creatures. Shambling Vents lifelink can also help to mitigate some of the life loss from Sarkhans first ability or just any damage in general. Once you have your dragons set up, you can either continue to draw more cards or you can save up for a big finish with your dragons through the third ability. Even at Lv40, just having Tyrant of Valakut on the board when you use it will deal 18 damage + regular attack damage and even more damage if you can combine it with Shambling Vents +2/+3 effect.

span_argoman

Sarkhan the Mad

Level 1
Chasm Guide
Belligerent Whiptail
Valakut Invoker
Lavastep Raider
Reckless Bushwhacker
Akoum Stonewaker
Retreat to Valakut
Grip of Desolation
Devour in Flames
Sure Strike

Deck playstyle
At level 1 you have no abilities and a restrictive deck composition. Sarkhan starts off with 6/3/1 creatures/spells/supports. Fortunately Sarkhan has access to a good supply of creatures and spells through his Red half.

Grip of Desolation and Devour in Flames provide creature control while you take out the opponent quickly using the rest of the deck.

Notable cards/combos
Reckless Bushwhacker: Reckless Bushwhacker is a creature that is generally solid regardless of the planeswalker level. At lower levels, it takes the role of a bigger creature and brings a surge in damage with its mass Haste and +1/+0 until the end of the turn. At higher levels, it is still useful for the mass Haste but plays the role of a small but still mana-efficient creature.
Akoum Stonewaker: Akoum Stonewaker is a great creature during the setup phases of your deck. The Elemental summon from landfalls makes good use of a spare creature slot while you are getting ready to summon your other creatures and a 3/1 for each landfall isn't insignificant either.
Grip of Desolation: One of the best Black creature removal spells across the sets. 5 mana to remove a creature typically of much higher mana cost and with 1 Ingest to boot, giving it a slight tinge of mana denial.
Devour in Flames: This spell works at low levels as a finisher on the final round or as a last-resort form of creature removal for when the removal of the creature is worth giving the opponent 5 mana.
Sure Strike: This spell is one of the best uses of 1 mana. Giving +3/+0 along with First Strike makes this the bane of Defenders/Reach/Vigilance creatures everywhere. Also good to put onto a Berserker, if you use those, to keep it from taking damage when attacking.


Level 40 - Sarkhan's Dragons
Tyrant of Valakut
Akoum Hellkite
Jori En, Ruin Diver
Zada, Hedron Grinder
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Sure Strike
Turn Against
Chitinous Cloak
Ruinous Path
Grip of Desolation

Deck playstyle
At level 40 you gain access to your planeswalker abilities and increased mana gains. The most useful for Sarkhan are the first and third abilities. The second ability should be used only during emergencies as it is by far the worst option for using your loyalty. Draw is always appreciated in a Red deck and the third ability is a good finisher once you have Dragons on the board.

Zada complements the third ability very well as well as being a humongous board buffer on her own (yes Zada is female). Ruinous Path and Grip of Desolation work as creature removal to give your deck time to set up for the kill.

Notable cards/combos
Tyrant of Valakut: Tyrant is great board control with its on-summon ability. It also has a fairly good power-to-mana ratio. It is also a giant Dragon which is great for Sarkhan's third ability.
Zada, Hedron Grinder + Targetable Spells: Zada gives a humongous +6/+6 boost to all your creatures until the end of your turn per targeted spell you cast upon it. With three creatures on the board (including Zada), this is +18/+18 per spell. Use Turn Against on an opponent's creature and each spell on Zada becomes +24/+24 (or even more the more creatures you steal). If casting spells on Zada happens on the same turn as you triggering Sarkhan's third ability, you can ensure massive damage resulting from it as the ability essentially triples Zada's effect on your Dragons.
Ruinous Path: A strong Black creature removal spell with a nice bonus from its Awaken cost. While you have to play carefully to make sure you don't sink too much mana into the Awaken if you do not want the Elementals, when you do 9 mana for a 6/6 is a pretty good power-to-mana ratio.
Grip of Desolation: One of the best Black creature removal spells across the sets. 5 mana to remove a creature typically of much higher mana cost and with 1 Ingest to boot, giving it a slight tinge of mana denial.

Level 60 - Sarkhan's Dragons
Tyrant of Valakut
Akoum Hellkite
Dragonmaster Outcast
Zada, Hedron Grinder
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Sure Strike
Turn Against
Chitinous Cloak
Ruinous Path
Grip of Desolation

Deck playstyle
At level 60, you gain access to your planeswalker's full potential. The most useful for Sarkhan are the first and third abilities. The second ability should be used only during emergencies as it is by far the worst option for using your loyalty. Draw is always appreciated in a Red deck and the third ability is a good finisher once you have Dragons on the board.

Having 3 cards providing Dragons in the deck pretty much ensures that you will have Dragon(s) on the board by the time your third ability is ready. Zada can then boost the massive 4x bonus damage to KO levels.

Ruinous Path and Grip of Desolation are important as creature removal to handle any serious creature threats.

Notable cards/combos
Tyrant of Valakut: Tyrant is great board control with its on-summon ability. It also has a fairly good power-to-mana ratio. It is also a giant Dragon which is great for Sarkhan's third ability.
Zada, Hedron Grinder + Targetable Spells: Zada gives a humongous +6/+6 boost to all your creatures until the end of your turn per targeted spell you cast upon it. With three creatures on the board (including Zada), this is +18/+18 per spell. Use Turn Against on an opponent's creature and each spell on Zada becomes +24/+24 (or even more the more creatures you steal). If casting spells on Zada happens on the same turn as you triggering Sarkhan's third ability, you pretty much ensure the kill as you can easily boost your Dragons' power to massive levels.
Ruinous Path: A strong Black creature removal spell with a nice bonus from its Awaken cost. While you have to play carefully to make sure you don't sink too much mana into the Awaken if you do not want the Elementals, when you do 9 mana for a 6/6 is a pretty good power-to-mana ratio.
Grip of Desolation: One of the best Black creature removal spells across the sets. 5 mana to remove a creature typically of much higher mana cost and with 1 Ingest to boot, giving it a slight tinge of mana denial.

mingninja

Detail - The deck build around these theory
1.AI will use 1st ability the most and sometime 2nd. Sakhan hurt himself and draw card. You need cheap cost card and healing.
2.The deck for each Planeswalker must also contain only cards of the expansion it came in. It suppose to face the deck in the same condition.
3.AI can't order combo. So we avoid complicated play.

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Early Game (Planeswalker levels 1 to 40, build using level 1 restrictions) deck by ThaiGuy
Only commons and uncommons.

Valakut Invoker
Reckless Bushwhacker
Akoum Stonewalker
Relentless Hunter
Pilgrim's Eye
Hagra Sharpshooter

Scour from Existence
Trangress the Mind
Grip of Desolation
Retreat to Hagra

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Mid Game (Planeswalker levels 40 to 60, build using level 40 restrictions) deck by mingninja
Mostly uncommons, rares, and 1 Mythic maximum.
Tyrant of Valakut
Desolation Twin
Grip of Desolation
Sanctum of Ugin
Matter Reshaper
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Ruinous Path
Trangress the Mind
Smoldering Marsh
Oath of Chandra

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End Game (Planeswalker level 60, build using level 60 restrictions) deck by mingninja
Go nuts! No restrictions, but must be a top-tier deck.
Drana, Liberator of Malakir
Grip of Desolation
Tyrant of Valakut
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
Ruinous Path
Trangress the Mind
Smoldering Marsh
Oath of Chandra
Dragonmaster Outcast
Mirrorpool