This thread is for the discussion of my latest article, Good Game: Revisiting the Savage Lands. We would be grateful if you would let us know what you think, but please keep your comments on topic.
Not a bad article for analyzing of the monster in the room. I expected some mention of your beatdown version of Jund with Hackblade, but I suppose you just abandoned the idea and conceded that the midrange version wasn't dominating for nothing... It's a shame, I did like your low-curve approach, but I did feel like it wasn't better than the build everyone else was playing.
As long as the metagame isn't shook up, I think I'm just gonna focus on the deck I know I have and like that beats Jund consistently (but not systematically, the truth seems to be that no deck can do that), Monored Burn. I'll just hope I won't face too many Mind Rots and Duresses, which along with Blightning are the best way for Jund to beat my plan.
I'm a former judge (lapsed), who keeps up to date on rules and policy. Keep in mind that judges' answers aren't necessarily more valid than those of people who aren't judges; what matters is we can quote the rules to back up our answers. When in doubt, ask for such quotes.
In Boros if I draw path early (and want to play it in the opening turns) I usually use it to ramp myself into a Ranger or some sort of nutty bushwhacker drop + it triggers your landfall.
I found the same issue with Path and not wanting to use it on my opponent in the opening turns. It's just too good to not play 4 I feel like.
I liked your analysis of the Jund deck and the varied sideboard tech for the matchup. I think some may fit my style of play. One card you did not mention has been working very well for me. the green counterspell, Vines of Vastwood. It can be great when they don't block the Leech, and wait for the pump to bolt it, then the bolt fails and they take 8!!. It can also stop those Terminates, and Paths.
Good article. And believe me, I was believing the meta was at least a little diverse, but I quickly ate those words as well. Try them with guacamole, it's delicious. And believe me, I hate that angel too.
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Mmmm Jund's tasty. Tho it's making standard quite boring. Like going to tacobell all the time. Doesn't really matter if you order another kinda thing in the end it's the same boring thing...tortilla,meat,bean,cheese,possible veg and hot sauce.
Anyways the boros deck is very interesting ... Lynx FTW umm for the 2 slots in the side board, if you're conceding to late game vs jund then try out 2 martial coups. They give you at worse a slightly worse board then the jund player only if they have double thrynax or something. But it does deal with the jund mid-late game pretty well, and u'd only use it after you use your lynx tricks anyhow, and it's a great answer to their dragon. Sure they'll pulse away your tokens but they had to use their pulse on 1/1's...not like they wouldn't have pulsed away your BS angel. God I hate BS lol
The Discovery, in the mirror, can completely undo a Blightning, which is nice considering many times, if I'm holding a Karrthus, he gets dumped by the Blightning. The Discovery can also undo the Ruinblaster badness. The Rangers themselves I've really been liking, but 4 is too many. So I'll test the Discoveries. If they end up being too underwhelming, I'll try something else...
As for the Bloodwitch, she seems really good. I've only gotten to test her live once so far, and it was against Boros. But she was good there. She was out of kill range for Bolt, unpathable, and stopped most of their offense cold for a turn or two (long enough for me to turn the tide). The fact that she gives me a life point isn't trivial, either. I mean, it isn't Loxodon Heirarch, but against something like Boros, every life counts.
I was personally at the Arizona State Tournament the other weekend, I will say I don't believe there was as much Jund winning left and right as Mr.Hanson would have you believe.
I personally went 4-4 with my WhiteWeenie Deck (Goldmane's pledge) and was sitting at table 2 at the start of round 4. I played against Naya, sitting to the left of me was a guy playing Jund, the other playing Mono-white control, to the other side of me a guy playing boros and playing something else (Wasn't sure what). The idea that Jund is winning constantly is true, but thats not to say that its to the point of Faeries or Affinity.
In fact the following weekend I went to a small tournament, avoiding the PTQ, and played against a Jund deck that placed in the top 4. I was originally taken back by the fact that the guy had the top 8 playmat, and than by seeing how ugly that playmat actually was in real life.
Needles to say I played him first round in the tournament and sweeped him up 2-0. If people start building their decks and sideboards to deal with Jund (After States I added harms way to deal with Lighting Bolt, Burst Lighting, and Bloodwitch, Added 3 white Knights to the side board) it becomes more of an annoyance rather than an issue.
The above would be the article demonstrating how jund was more popular and successful than even ravager affinity.
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As long as the metagame isn't shook up, I think I'm just gonna focus on the deck I know I have and like that beats Jund consistently (but not systematically, the truth seems to be that no deck can do that), Monored Burn. I'll just hope I won't face too many Mind Rots and Duresses, which along with Blightning are the best way for Jund to beat my plan.
I found the same issue with Path and not wanting to use it on my opponent in the opening turns. It's just too good to not play 4 I feel like.
Anyways the boros deck is very interesting ... Lynx FTW umm for the 2 slots in the side board, if you're conceding to late game vs jund then try out 2 martial coups. They give you at worse a slightly worse board then the jund player only if they have double thrynax or something. But it does deal with the jund mid-late game pretty well, and u'd only use it after you use your lynx tricks anyhow, and it's a great answer to their dragon. Sure they'll pulse away your tokens but they had to use their pulse on 1/1's...not like they wouldn't have pulsed away your BS angel. God I hate BS lol
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Heh, yeah...Actually, I believe I'm changing the board a little bit. After some playtesting and a FNM, I'm pretty sure the board changes like this:
-1 Maelstrom Pulse, +1 Malakir Bloodwitch
-2 Borderland Ranger, +2 Grim Discovery
The Discovery, in the mirror, can completely undo a Blightning, which is nice considering many times, if I'm holding a Karrthus, he gets dumped by the Blightning. The Discovery can also undo the Ruinblaster badness. The Rangers themselves I've really been liking, but 4 is too many. So I'll test the Discoveries. If they end up being too underwhelming, I'll try something else...
As for the Bloodwitch, she seems really good. I've only gotten to test her live once so far, and it was against Boros. But she was good there. She was out of kill range for Bolt, unpathable, and stopped most of their offense cold for a turn or two (long enough for me to turn the tide). The fact that she gives me a life point isn't trivial, either. I mean, it isn't Loxodon Heirarch, but against something like Boros, every life counts.
I personally went 4-4 with my WhiteWeenie Deck (Goldmane's pledge) and was sitting at table 2 at the start of round 4. I played against Naya, sitting to the left of me was a guy playing Jund, the other playing Mono-white control, to the other side of me a guy playing boros and playing something else (Wasn't sure what). The idea that Jund is winning constantly is true, but thats not to say that its to the point of Faeries or Affinity.
In fact the following weekend I went to a small tournament, avoiding the PTQ, and played against a Jund deck that placed in the top 4. I was originally taken back by the fact that the guy had the top 8 playmat, and than by seeing how ugly that playmat actually was in real life.
Needles to say I played him first round in the tournament and sweeped him up 2-0. If people start building their decks and sideboards to deal with Jund (After States I added harms way to deal with Lighting Bolt, Burst Lighting, and Bloodwitch, Added 3 white Knights to the side board) it becomes more of an annoyance rather than an issue.
Standard
WUW/U HumansUW
Modern
WBW/B TokensBW