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?

Rationalist

@PoorGreedo