what do people consider the absolute best deck of all time, in each of the formats? I don't mind personal opinions, but I prefer to know the general consensus.
would the Protean Hulk deck where you can win on turn one qualify as one of the best? Sorry I'm still a bit of a newb...
Hulk Flash is a _very_ powerful deck, but I'd consider pre-restriction (of LED and burning wish) storm decks to be more powerful. It isn't just about speed, but resiliency.
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"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
If you got to play by old standard rules, with new stuff from newer sets added in, I'd imagine that the Tolarian Academy deck would be the strongest, since it would be faster and more resilient than High Tide, which is already a solid monoblue combo deck.
Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn't got time to make you wise.
Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream.
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see. I hear their cries... just say if it's too late for me.
Doctor, my eyes...cannot see the sky. Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry?
- Recent History: Caw-Blade
- Standard: Tolarian Academy (and then Memory Jar for about 2 weeks)
- Extended: Trix (Illusions of Grandeur + Donate combo)
- Legacy: Hulk-Flash, as mentioned
- Vintage: Long (Storm combo with Burning Wish)
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
Nothing says, "hey Im new to Magic" better than naming Caw Blade amongst the best decks in the history of the game.
In my 15 years of playing, I've seen absolute best decks in the format as well as healthy formats with a rock-paper-scissor metagame.
Best combo decks in my time - Pros'Bloom, Stroke, Upheaval Tog, T&N
Best "fair" deck I've ever seen was Rec'Sur. That deck was well-rounded and LEGIT.
Best "fair" deck I've ever seen was Rec'Sur. That deck was well-rounded and LEGIT.
I loved playing that deck in standard back in the day. It was so fun!
As for the best deck (pre-bannings yadda yadda) its the Academy deck. That deck was so brutal. Urza's Saga was released in October 1998, and Tolarian Academy was banned in standard and extended in December 1998...two months later. Pro Tour Rome 1998 was ruled by it, and a number of players did not play it only because they could not get their hands on enough copies of the relevant cards needed for the deck.
Nothing says, "hey Im new to Magic" better than naming Caw Blade amongst the best decks in the history of the game.
In my 15 years of playing, I've seen absolute best decks in the format as well as healthy formats with a rock-paper-scissor metagame.
Best combo decks in my time - Pros'Bloom, Stroke, Upheaval Tog, T&N
Best "fair" deck I've ever seen was Rec'Sur. That deck was well-rounded and LEGIT.
First off: you dont know me. Second cawblade is the most OP standard deck ever to exist.
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Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn't got time to make you wise.
Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream.
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see. I hear their cries... just say if it's too late for me.
Doctor, my eyes...cannot see the sky. Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry?
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
First off: you dont know me. Second cawblade is the most OP standard deck ever to exist.
Seriously, if you have never played against an Academy deck please take the time to proxy a pre-banning one up and play it. Caw Blade is nothing compared to it.
I am not trying to be rude here. Just get to know the deck and play with/against it a few times. You will understand.
All I am saying is that Cawblade is to other previous standard decks as a Ferrari 458 Spider is to a Volkswagon Type 2. There is a reason it was banned so fast.
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Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn't got time to make you wise.
Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream.
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see. I hear their cries... just say if it's too late for me.
Doctor, my eyes...cannot see the sky. Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry?
Banned so fast? Weren't Jace and Misty banned a couple months before they rotated anyway? They had around 2 years to be played in Standard.
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Casual Cube EDH: UR Niv-Mizzet's Madness BGW Ghave's Garden WUBRG Karona's Chaos
Retired: Too damn many to count Vintage: URWelder WUBRG Dredge Kitchen Table: B Zombies in Your Head
All I am saying is that Cawblade is to other previous standard decks as a Ferrari 458 Spider is to a Volkswagon Type 2. There is a reason it was banned so fast.
Caw Blade first showed its face in late 2010 at worlds 2010 by Kibler from what I remember. It may have been around before that...not sure. Jace and Stoneforge were not banned until July 2011. It was at least 6 months before the ban hammer came down on them.
When Academy began running rough shot all over everyone knew the ban was coming...especially after PT Rome. It took less than 2 months for the DCI to give Tolarian Academy and Windfall the axe in standard and extended both.
All I am saying is that Cawblade is to other previous standard decks as a Ferrari 458 Spider is to a Volkswagon Type 2. There is a reason it was banned so fast.
When you say Caw Blade was banned I'm assuming you mean the bannings of Jace, the Mindsculptor and Stoneforge Mystic. If I'm not mistaken, these two cards were banned from standard on June 20, 2011. Both of these card are from the set Worldwake, which was released on February 5, 2010. That means that these cards were legal in standard for over 16 months, a large majority of their time in the standard rotation cycle.
Now let's look at the Academy deck. Tolarian Academy was printed as a part of the Urza's Saga set, which was released in October 1998. By the time we reached December of 1998, Tolarian Academy had been banned in standard. This means the card was legal in standard for less than 3 months. Even worse, in February 1999, Memory Jar was printed in Urza's Legacy. This card recieved an even quicker ban, only being legal in standard for approximately 2 weeks. At it's height, this deck was capable of winning on turn 1 in standard. It could consistently achieve victory by turn 2-3. This level of consistency has never and likely will never be repeated by any other deck.
As a side note, I highly doubt Caw Blade could even hold a candle to affinity, the deck that was the reason behind the bannings of Skullclamp, Arcbound Ravager, Disciple of the Vault and all 6 artifact lands. Yes, one deck led to the banning of 9 cards in a single standard format. Compared to decks like Academy or Affinity, Caw Blade looks like a walk in the park.
I'm not familiar enough with the Tolarian Academy deck to know if it mattered for that deck, but Memory Jar (printed in the same block as Academy) was banned in the format before being released. Cawblade has nothing on that.
I think the general consensus at my LGS is that Urza's block was the nuttiest expansion ever.
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Casual Cube EDH: UR Niv-Mizzet's Madness BGW Ghave's Garden WUBRG Karona's Chaos
Retired: Too damn many to count Vintage: URWelder WUBRG Dredge Kitchen Table: B Zombies in Your Head
would the Protean Hulk deck where you can win on turn one qualify as one of the best? Sorry I'm still a bit of a newb...
/thread
block -- prosbloom
Hulk Flash is a _very_ powerful deck, but I'd consider pre-restriction (of LED and burning wish) storm decks to be more powerful. It isn't just about speed, but resiliency.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn't got time to make you wise.
Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream.
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see. I hear their cries... just say if it's too late for me.
Doctor, my eyes...cannot see the sky. Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry?
This. Its a 2 mana win the game
Prosbloom (most innovative)
Legacy- Flash Hulk (most dominant)
Vintage- LED/Burning Wish ANT
UWUW ControlUW
UGWSpiritsUGW
GHardened ScalesG
WGRUKiki PodWGRU [RIP]
If it got the banhammer (especially more than once) it was prolly so good it was degenerate
BEtched Champion/InfectB
WSoilders/knightsW
WUVenser SplicerWU
RRDWR
GFeed the Pack comboG
WUPool of ExhaustionWU
EDH
GEzuri, Elf OverrunG
BGeth, GraverobberB
UThada Adel, ThiefU
RUrabrask, Big RedR
WElesh Norn, CrusadeW
WUGAngus Makenzie, Bant ControlWUG
Extended
WGElvesWG
Legacy
RGoblinsR
UBGFariesUBG
UBGRaffinityUBG
- Recent History: Caw-Blade
- Standard: Tolarian Academy (and then Memory Jar for about 2 weeks)
- Extended: Trix (Illusions of Grandeur + Donate combo)
- Legacy: Hulk-Flash, as mentioned
- Vintage: Long (Storm combo with Burning Wish)
Nothing says, "hey Im new to Magic" better than naming Caw Blade amongst the best decks in the history of the game.
In my 15 years of playing, I've seen absolute best decks in the format as well as healthy formats with a rock-paper-scissor metagame.
Best combo decks in my time - Pros'Bloom, Stroke, Upheaval Tog, T&N
Best "fair" deck I've ever seen was Rec'Sur. That deck was well-rounded and LEGIT.
I loved playing that deck in standard back in the day. It was so fun!
As for the best deck (pre-bannings yadda yadda) its the Academy deck. That deck was so brutal. Urza's Saga was released in October 1998, and Tolarian Academy was banned in standard and extended in December 1998...two months later. Pro Tour Rome 1998 was ruled by it, and a number of players did not play it only because they could not get their hands on enough copies of the relevant cards needed for the deck.
Boy, was it a fun deck to play though...:rofl:
:symg:Rathmaker:symg:
First off: you dont know me. Second cawblade is the most OP standard deck ever to exist.
Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn't got time to make you wise.
Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream.
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see. I hear their cries... just say if it's too late for me.
Doctor, my eyes...cannot see the sky. Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry?
Uh, no.
Did Caw-Blade have the possibility of a T1 kill and a consistent T2 kill? No, it did not. Academy did.
Seriously, if you have never played against an Academy deck please take the time to proxy a pre-banning one up and play it. Caw Blade is nothing compared to it.
I am not trying to be rude here. Just get to know the deck and play with/against it a few times. You will understand.
:symg:Rathmaker:symg:
Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn't got time to make you wise.
Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream.
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see. I hear their cries... just say if it's too late for me.
Doctor, my eyes...cannot see the sky. Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry?
EDH:
UR Niv-Mizzet's Madness
BGW Ghave's Garden
WUBRG Karona's Chaos
Retired: Too damn many to count
Vintage:
URWelder
WUBRG Dredge
Kitchen Table:
B Zombies in Your Head
Format: Standard - NPH
Location: 2011 MMS Qualifier - Minneapolis, MN (6/4)
Players: 99
Finished: 2nd Place
TRADE THREAD
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=347708
Caw Blade first showed its face in late 2010 at worlds 2010 by Kibler from what I remember. It may have been around before that...not sure. Jace and Stoneforge were not banned until July 2011. It was at least 6 months before the ban hammer came down on them.
When Academy began running rough shot all over everyone knew the ban was coming...especially after PT Rome. It took less than 2 months for the DCI to give Tolarian Academy and Windfall the axe in standard and extended both.
:symg:Rathmaker:symg:
When you say Caw Blade was banned I'm assuming you mean the bannings of Jace, the Mindsculptor and Stoneforge Mystic. If I'm not mistaken, these two cards were banned from standard on June 20, 2011. Both of these card are from the set Worldwake, which was released on February 5, 2010. That means that these cards were legal in standard for over 16 months, a large majority of their time in the standard rotation cycle.
Now let's look at the Academy deck. Tolarian Academy was printed as a part of the Urza's Saga set, which was released in October 1998. By the time we reached December of 1998, Tolarian Academy had been banned in standard. This means the card was legal in standard for less than 3 months. Even worse, in February 1999, Memory Jar was printed in Urza's Legacy. This card recieved an even quicker ban, only being legal in standard for approximately 2 weeks. At it's height, this deck was capable of winning on turn 1 in standard. It could consistently achieve victory by turn 2-3. This level of consistency has never and likely will never be repeated by any other deck.
As a side note, I highly doubt Caw Blade could even hold a candle to affinity, the deck that was the reason behind the bannings of Skullclamp, Arcbound Ravager, Disciple of the Vault and all 6 artifact lands. Yes, one deck led to the banning of 9 cards in a single standard format. Compared to decks like Academy or Affinity, Caw Blade looks like a walk in the park.
GUB [Retired Primer] The Mimeoplasm BUG
Modern: UR Storm RU
Cube: WUBRG Pauper Cube GRBUW
Credit for the banner goes to DarkNightCavalier at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
EDH:
UR Niv-Mizzet's Madness
BGW Ghave's Garden
WUBRG Karona's Chaos
Retired: Too damn many to count
Vintage:
URWelder
WUBRG Dredge
Kitchen Table:
B Zombies in Your Head
Nice troll, Tolarian Academy is easily the most broken standard deck, followed closely by Memory Jar and Affinity.
Big Thanks to Xeno for sig art <3.