Grixis Revolting Recursion

I'd like to share a deck that I've been brewing and tweaking for a while. Even though Amonkhet is imminent and may shake the meta up, this deck has performed quite well so far and I'd love to get feedback and discussion.

I call it Revolting Recursion both because it uses the Revolt mechanic and recursion effects, but also as a pun on the disgusting amount of recursion this deck has. Every deck has a core appeal to it that motivates one to play it. You'll enjoy this deck if you like dirty, dirty amounts of value from recursion and the resiliency and inevitability from creatures that just won't die.

Decklist

Link: https://www.magicduelshelper.com/decklist/details/11a753bc-680d-4f2c-a79a-fe82d22d196f

Creature(10):

2x Walking Ballista 2x Scrap Trawler 1x Trophy Mage 3x Vengeful Rebel 2x Possessed Skaab

Instant(9):

3x Fatal Push 3x Metallic Rebuke 3x Unlicensed Disintegration

Sorcery(9):

2x Battle at the Bridge 3x Resourceful Return 2x Languish 1x Yahenni's Expertise 1x Dark Intimations

Planeswalker(2):

1x Chandra, Torch of Defiance 1x Tezzeret the Schemer

Artifacts(7):

4x Renegade Map 3x Alchemist's Vial

Lands(23):

3x Island 5x Swamp 3x Mountain 2x Drowned Catacomb 2x Sulfur Falls 2x Dragonskull Summit 1x Cinder Barrens 1x Submerged Boneyard 4x Evolving Wilds

Artifact Package

Walking Ballista, Scrap Trawler, Renegade Map, Alchemist's Vial

Walking Ballista is the star of the deck and the most common recursion target. It's a threat that scales the whole game, a mana sink, provides targeted pings that can kill creatures, planeswalkers, or end the game. Don't underestimate the ability to kill itself and extract value from its counters when targeted by removal - you always get something out of it, and it can't be exiled or locked down with opposing enchantments, and you can deny any ancillary benefits from targeted removal spells.

Scrap Trawler is a key recursion engine, turning every Alchemist Vial, Renegade Map, or itself into another Walking Ballista. It means you always gain some value from enemy removal. There is some finesse it learning how and when to play Trawler to get value. For instance, playing Trawler with an untapped Map let's you recur Ballista and immediately play it again, which can be sacced and recurred again if Trawler is targeted. With a full set of Trawler, Map, Vial ,and Ballista on the field, removal against the Trawler lets you recur all three of Map, Vial and Ballista again with one mana open.

Alchemist's Vial provides card draw and can protect planeswalkers or your life total or enable a swing for lethal. Renegade Map provides important mana fixing and makes sure you hit your land drops. These provide great value as part of the recursion chain. Don't underestimate the late game deck thinning and card draw that recurring these provides.

Recursion Package

Resourceful Return, Possessed Skaab, Dark Intimations

These all provide additional recursion effects. I recently discovered Resourceful Return and replaced Artificer's Epiphany with it, and it performs much better than a Draw Two spell. It let's you pick the best creature in the yard rather than drawing random cards. Costing 1 less mana matters: this deck doesn't need to keep up much mana on opponent's turn to counterspell, and 1 less mana enables more plays in a deck that can pretty much always use its mana.

Note that recursion effects multiply with each other. Recurring a Trawler lets you recur everything else that a Trawler let's you. The Skaab lets you recur one of the spells listed here as well, which provide additional value beyond the recursion target.

Revolt Package

Fatal Push, Vengeful Rebel

Enablers: Renegade Map, Alchemist's Vial, Evolving Wilds, Walking Ballista, Tezzeret

The Revolt package gives tempo and value. Fatal Push doesn't need explanation. Vengeful Rebel is a recent addition, and has been excellent. It is almost always a 2-for-1 and a board flip in the early game. Recurring a Rebel with something like Resourceful Return, itself a 2-for-1, and playing it again just nets incredible value and board control.

The revolt enablers also overlap heavily with the artifact recursion package. That's a theme in this deck, each piece provides synergy for other functions of the deck.

Removal and Control Package

Fatal Push, Vengeful Rebel, Unlicensed Disintegration, Metallic Rebuke, Battle at the Bridge, Languish, Yahenni's, Dark Intimations

Not too much to say here. I will note that the deck can develop its own plan and maintain control with a low amount of mana open. Fatal Push with a Revolt enabler ready, or Metallic Rebuke with some artifacts in play both allow some control with only 1 mana open. Renegade Maps and Alchemist Vials can help both plans, and the Vial can control combat as well. It can pay to be patient - with a Rebuke in hand, develop in the early turns while keeping enough mana open with Improvise reduction to control the game.

Fatal Push's and Rebukes are great in opening hands. A Renegade Map on turn one ramps your Rebuke into a turn 2 Mana Leak. The sweepers are there against wide strategies. Instant speed removal is good against vehicle decks, and Disintegration can be used to also reduce loyalty on opposing planeswalker.

Other notes

Walking Ballista is definitely a standout in this deck, but is not necessary to win. There is enough value and control to win with the other parts of the deck, and the planeswalkers can also lock down the game.

There is a lot of synergy across the different pieces of the deck. The artifact package provides value, card draw, and land fixing with recursion, and also enables the Revolt package and Improvise. The recursion package allows one to reuse Rebels, Ballistas, and Trawler's to start another recursion cycle. It's a lot of fun to play, and has a more active playstyle, rather than the reactive style of many control decks. You can plan out your recursion effects over the next few turns even, and drive the flow of the game and force your opponent to answer your threats over and over again.

Improvements

There are some improvements that I will test out, but I'd love to get feedback too. I currently only have Origins, Kaladesh, Aether Revolt, and am halfway through SOI, so I already know of some cards that would fit. Liliana, the Last Hope, would be a perfect addition to the deck.

Also, I am considering splashing white for some more versatile removal such as Anguished Unmaking, and considering pushing blue more for Whir of Invention and maybe other blue artifact synergies. The deck previously had Tezzeret's Touch, which can provide a pseudo-hasty threat out of nowhere, but cut it for more consistency in removal and recursion.

I had a lot of fun brewing this deck, and iterating and discovering more synergies in the process. I welcome any further suggestions and feedback, as I certainly am not an expert on the cardbase in Magic Duels.