It's 1v1, just win instead. You should be killing not controlling. the control elements of a good 1v1 Rafiq deck are answers to things that stop you from attacking with Rafiq unimpeded.

I’m working on a multiplayer Rafiq deck at the moment and saw some interesting additions but am still not sure on tempo and lasting power and would love to hear other people’s take on that angle

Trygon into Rafiq is a beating though. Plus repeatable destruction is important,

Read the text again, Metamorph doesn't target.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=3…

Pridemage is a cheap tutorable enchantment/artifact removal spell that pumps Rafiq until a good target comes out. It's good for an early beater as a 3/3 for two that swings for 8 when Rafiq enters the equation. It's also an awesome recursion target for Sun Titan and Genesis. I like it better than Trygon Predator myself because your main goal should be to swing with Rafiq and TP requires you to swing with it.

@justin I'm happy to do more articles like these. I'll see if I can arrange some way of submitting decklists for review with Adam. I won't write about finance however, not my area of expertise by any means.

I like the idea of the Mythic Conscription Package, maybe by taking out two equipment and putting those guys in instead. Mother of Runes seems a good choice for a fast game. Quasali Pridemage doesn't do anything for me in this format, but some people like him. Gaddock Teeg would be a very interesting choice, especially if you sheered off some of the higher mana curve.

I'm really interested to see how the final decklist looks after you reword it Jedi.

If you're going to run the Mystic package I would recommend the following changes:

– Thada Adel, Acquisitor (no telling how many artifacts are in the opponent's deck, plus it's anti-synergy with Brooding Saurian)
– Oath of Druids

+ Grafted Exoskeleton (Rafiq can kill in one hit without the aid of Finest Hour)
+ Stonehewer Giant (Redudancy and can surprise equip the Exoskeleton)

xxxbretweedxxx: I would add Unquestioned Authority and possibly Rancor to your Sovereigns of Lost Alara package.

What is the general consensus as to which is better: Mystic or Sovereigns package (obviously not room for both)?

Some other suggestions:

– Treetop Village (
I don't think the Manlands available to Rafiq are worth it except for Colonnade)
– Stirring Wildwood
– Treva's Ruins
– Seaside Citadel
– Jace Beleren

+ Yavimaya Hollow
+ Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
+ Tundra
+ Polluted Delta
+ Rhystic Study (people always forget to pay the extra 1)

Some other cards to consider, although I don't know where you'd fit them:

Sylvan Safekeeper, Mother of Runes (maybe in Knight of the Reliquary's spot?)
Oblivion Ring, Allay (if you need more removal)
Loxodon Gatekeeper, Aven Mindcensor, Gaddock Teeg, Grand Arbiter Augustin IV (if you want a more controllish build)
Cephalid Constable (this is the nuts, I would sub it in for Brooding Saurian in a playgroup that wasn't playing alot of steal effects)

On a final note, liked the article, and will be showing my friend for sure (who has a Rafiq deck of his own). Any chance this can turn into a regular series? Also, how about a finance article as it relates to EDH?

Perhaps even Diplomatic Immunity? Not nearly as good as Greaves, but could still prove to be the perfect followup to casting Rafiq.

Changes are happening slowly but surely in the deck. We'll see what's effective.

-Oath
Survival
Expedition Map
Capsize
Last Word
Cryptic Command
Future Sight
Riftsweeper
Sword Of Light And Shadow
Dueling Grounds
Brooding Saurian
Minamo, School at Water's Edge
Knight Of The Reliquary
Treetop Village

Maximize your early Rafiq in 1 vs 1 protect him a bit and win. I'd also like Azorius Guildmage back in there because it just wins games. Tapping down Rafiq's potential blockers is huge and stifling Maze of Ith effects is a big game.

1. Why add Expedition Map but cut Tolaria West?

I can split the Expedition Map cost over two turns for colourless, and activate it at instant speed when the mana is free. Tolaria West, while the effect is generally uncounterable, requires two blue mana, which is not what you want when mana fixing (especially if searching for that blue).

2. Also, why does the Stoneforge package have to fit the number of card slots since they're intended to be tutored for rather than drawn?

It doesn't. In this deck, however, I like having that many options for equipment to tutor for. The runs so many small creatures that with Rafiq gone, it'll be equipment that saves the day in the end. The rules are flexible – an equipment could easily have been dropped to add Stonehewer Giant.

3. Finally, why doesn't this deck run Mana Crypt for ramp. If you're the aggressor, won't it usually be better than Sol Ring (not that you should cut that, just for comparison)?

Mana Crypt is both a wonder and a curse. Yes, it's conditionally better than Sol Ring, and a deck like this could do well to run both. But the deck doesn't have an awful lot of access to lifegain, so I decided to run with the Sol Ring instead. Maybe "both" is the best option.

First, please note that the list of possible inclusions are cards that I would play in my deck but I'm not sure of what to cut. The list is not comprehensive, it's simply what I could think of.

I found it interesting that you cut Polluted Delta. (if I added a Tundra would that change anything?)

In regards to Cold-Eyed Selkie, that card is a house. It has Islandwalk! And it into Rafiq draws 4 cards! Or it just sits there and pretends to be Phyrexian Arena without the life loss.

Would Inkmoth Nexus be an interesting inclusion as the colorless creature land?

I really like the idea of Phyrexian Metamorph. Seems good and is found by many tutors.

Elspeth isn't negotiable due to it being amazing with many cards (including Rafiq).

Is Tectonic Edge a reasonable inclusion?

Major props to Neale Talbot for writing this article and giving me ideas about it's direction!

That aside, I enjoyed getting a look into your process for building competitive Commander decks even though it's not really my thing. If you do something like this again, I'd personally like to see a bit more explication of why you chose the specific categories you did. Obviously they support aggression, but why not have slots devoted to bounce etc.?

On cards from the given list to use, while not a 1v1 Commander expert, my inclination would be to add in Mother of Runes. She acts as both removal (if their blockers share a color, they have no blockers) or counter-disruption (by keeping her untapped to stop removal). Additionally, I'm not sure if Cold-Eyed Selkie is worthwhile, but if it is, Cephalid Constable should be better (they get no lands!).