Deck Doctors: Izzet Erratic Cyclops

This week on Deck Doctors, Aryeh and Kevin are performing surgery on an R/U deck built around Erratic Cyclops. This deck, submitted by community member Ben, is built around the classic tactic of hurting the opponent through the repeated use of instants and sorceries. Erratic Cyclops is a solid defender on its own, but its real power comes from its ability to gain power equal to an instant or sorcery’s converted mana costs each time it is cast. When combined with red instants that buff it up, the Cyclops can quickly become nearly unstoppable in the right hands. When combined with the classic support from Guttersnipe (dealing two damage for each sorcery or instant spell cast), and Piston Fist (attack as though there are no blockers if an instant/sorcery has been cast,) this deck certainly has the potential to become a powerhouse with the right approach. Finally, to close out the battle, Ben has included Apex Of Power, which can turn Erratic Cyclops into a 10/8 and provide a myriad of potential instants to cover. In addition, Ben has also included Thousand-Year Storm to double the impact of his instants and sorceries, allowing him to turn the tide of a battle in his favor.

The full deck list includes:

Creatures (18)

Sorceries (8)

Instants (11)

Lands (22)

Enchantments (1)

Doctor’s Orders:

The first order of business is to remove Smelt-Ward Minotaur from this deck. While this card’s ability certainly isn’t bad, this deck is not based primarily around attacking, with most of the damage being dealt directly instead. Since Erratic Cyclops has Trample anyway, the additional benefit of this card would only be marginally useful. Similarly, it is also recommended that Piston-Fist Cyclops be removed as well, for essentially the same reason. Instead, Aryeh recommends that this deck adds two more Murmuring Mystics, which can provide a constant source of damage every time Ben casts an instant or sorcery. However, Aryeh believes that this card’s single biggest issue stems from draw power. Ben needs a constant supply of instants/sorceries to keep this deck running, and the addition of 4 “Radical Idea” cards would provide a great remedy for that. In addition, replacing some of the more expensive instants with scrying cards like “Opt” is likely a better choice. Next, Aryeh recommends adding two more Electrostatic Fields, as they are a solid low-cost wall that can reliably deal damage every time an instant is cast. These new additions also make it immensely easier to use Thousand-Year Storm, which can easily overwhelm the opponent. With all of these changes in mind, Ben’s deck will not only be faster and more versatile, but it will also put his opponent in a world of hurt from all angles every time he plays an instant or sorcery! This doctored deck list includes: