Why rely on Magic when there are myriad minions with powerful genesis, static, and/or deathrite abilities?

Rely instead on the rational - tangible permanents that remain in the realm, forcing your opponent to deal with them.

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Pretension aside, I originally set out to create a deck where every card added value (card draw, etc.) or denied my opponent resources (site destruction, etc.). There was definitely a vanity play here, too. I'm only human and wanted an excuse to shoehorn all the (alpha) Frazettas, tri-lands, and archangels into a single deck. Elementalist fit the bill.

My original brew was fairly light on magic, which sparked the question: what if there was no magic? This was a fun brewing challenge and I’m happy with the result. The main benefit of this approach is that, with the high concentration of minions that all impact the board/players, there are more bodies for opponents to deal with. For example, I play Gargantula instead of playing Into the Abyss - the effect is mostly the same, but one leaves a 4-power body on the board. It’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but you get the gist.

I’ll update the primer with more details on deck strategy, notable inclusions/exclusions, what to mulligan for vs. meta decks, etc.

For now, it’s playtesting time. Key questions:

• Can spells be cast with consistency or are the threshold requirements too greedy? Archangels are a good litmus test.
• Is there room to cut dual sites for more utility sites (e.g., Sinkhole, Mismanaged Mortuary)?
• Should one Aqueduct be replaced by a Garden of Eden? I.e., does knee-capping card draw hurt opponents more than me?
• Are Pith Imps worth the slot? If not, consider replacing with Sinterfees, Pookas, or Fey Changelings.
• Does one each of Atlas Wanderers / Legion of Gall make sense, or should the deck commit to one (i.e., only use two copies of one)?
• Cuts to consider adding back in: Aino, Mimic, Doctor Demetrius, Lacuna Entity, Questing Beast, Lilith, Maiden Mother Crone, Lord of Lies, Pudge Butcher, Colicky Dragonettes, Angry Mob, Flayer, Boudicca, Siege Giant, Daperyll Vampire, King Arthur
• Is there enough card draw?
• Does the magicless rule need to be bent for the collection?