One "tricksy" way to win G1 vs Lantern is to build up your board with 1/1 thopters and atleast 1 thought-knot seer, wait until you know their top card of library isnt something they can play at instant speed then path your own thought-knot to force them to draw a card so you can attack through their ensnaring bridge.
Great point about the path to exile on thoughtknot, thanks! I was looking for a way to put a card in their hand g1, but missed that one. Will only steal a win once, but that still makes g1 easier if they have to play around that possibility in the future.
I am playing in paper only, so the mindslaver route is one of the common ways I expect to win.
I was wondering how well the deck handles lantern control? It's my friends main modern deck right now.
I played a couple games before the ban updates with a list similar to the first sample deck in your primer, and they were atrocious. I don't know what my plan to beat it is.
I'm planning to update the deck to be like most lists are now, but first trying to figure out how the match-up is before purchasing. Just looking for advice, thanks.
Speaking of aggro, if aggro does become very dominant in the first few weeks I might even consider sideboarding Returned Phalanx. Voice and Lion will stay back in GW decks, all 1-3 drops except Chandra's Phoenix in red based aggro dies when they run into it, and Magma Jet/Shock/Doom Blade don't kill it. Sure it's a defender, but like I've said, once you stabilize against aggro you've basically won.
Some upside to being defender is they can't get much benefit from threaten effects against it. I might consider this one since my meta often has a lot of red aggro.
Not a bad prerelease for me, went 3-0 (6-0) and got first place. My lgs isn't very competitive so don't take my results too seriously, just wanted to share. My lgs let us choose both guilds and I chose orzhov-golgari for lategame potential and removal.
Didn't get to play too many games, but I have to say my all-star was Varolz, the Scar-Striped. If I had him with Daggerdome imp or Unflinching Courage it was a pretty impressive beating if not removed. The gatekeepers were also nuts in my pool, having 7 guildgates meant every time I played them I got the bonus effect which was pretty sweet.
My opponents weren't great (lot's of them running cluestones which didn't help them much) so I really don't know if I built the deck well or not. Had a strange orzhov pack too, with two guildgates in it. Any feedback is appreciated. Tommorow I'm thinking of going boros-rakdos.
I have a similar story, at today's pre-release as Selesnya I opened an extremely mediocre pool, my guild pack was really bad, and my non-guild packs had a grand total of like 3 decent Selesnya cards and their curve was really awkward. Then I noticed I had 3 Doorkeepers, 2 Hover Barriers and lots of solid Izzet stuff like 2 Izzet charms and staticaster so I made wall.dec which was straight U/R and it was pretty funny. Went 4-1 in matches.
Also, tablet only triggers of your own spells. Guess your opponents didn't realize?
Ah yeah, I did only use it on my own spells but someone told me after the tournament it was all spells, so I just assumed they were right without rereading it. Still helped a fair bit against an izzit burn deck. Was hilarious seeing my oppoenents reactions to my deck though, nobody knew what to do. Stab wound honestly would've wrecked me though, luckily no one played it on me.
Finished my prerelease in second (6-0) with a very unorthodox deck, which made for a very fun time personally. Only 26 players and three rounds though.
I chose Rakdos as my guild but opened only two removal spells and mediocre creatures, so gave up on winning with it. My deck in the end was a UGr defender deck that either ramped into big greens or milled for a win condition. So for my mvps...
Doorkeeper - opened 3 of these guys, milled people to death in two games with these, and an amazing blocker
Nivix Guildmage - The draw a card/discard a card was unbelievably useful for making sure I had the right cards at the right time
Axebane Guardian - had 3 of these as well, gave me the insane amounts of mana my deck required to function, and let me cycle my lands away earlier than usual with the izzit mage.
Tablet of the Guilds - Healed through any damage that got passed my walls. (Edit: misunderstanding)
Soulsworn Spirit - Puts the enemy on a clock, and my opponents found him a high priority for removal.
I'm a relatively new player, only really started around June this year. Went to two prereleases this time. It was a relatively small one both times, 26 players and 3 rounds. First one I was Selesnya and did mediocre, won the random draw though for 4 packs which was nice.
Second one I went rakdos, and my only removal was launch party and stab wounds, with no bombs besides the promo. Won the first round 2-0 with it, but knew at that point It couldn't possibly win with it. I gave up on Rakdos when I noticed I pulled 3 doorkeepers, 3 axebane guardians, a hoverbarrier, and an izzet guild mage (This guy was insane for my deck, got him every time). The deck ended up doing remarkably well, as no one could get past it. I won the next two games with mill, and two others just ramping into a couple big dumb green commons.
In the end I went 3-0, going 2-0 in every match, and finishing second. It was amazingly satisfying when people thought I was Rakdos and didn't have a clue what I was doing.
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Great point about the path to exile on thoughtknot, thanks! I was looking for a way to put a card in their hand g1, but missed that one. Will only steal a win once, but that still makes g1 easier if they have to play around that possibility in the future.
I am playing in paper only, so the mindslaver route is one of the common ways I expect to win.
I played a couple games before the ban updates with a list similar to the first sample deck in your primer, and they were atrocious. I don't know what my plan to beat it is.
I'm planning to update the deck to be like most lists are now, but first trying to figure out how the match-up is before purchasing. Just looking for advice, thanks.
Doesn't look like many great options to me beyond a couple.
Edit: whoops I thought it was multiplayer subforum, this list was for that sorry wasn't thinking of 1v1.
Some upside to being defender is they can't get much benefit from threaten effects against it. I might consider this one since my meta often has a lot of red aggro.
4 Plains
4 Forest
2 Swamp
1 Boros Guildgate
2 Orzhov Guildgate
2 Golgari Guildgate
1 Gruul Guildgate
1 Rakdos Guildgate
Creatures
1 High Priest of Penance
1 Syndic of Tithes
1 Daggerdome Imp
1 Tithe Drinker
1 Kingpin's Pet
1 Dreg Mangler
1 Basilica Guards
1 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
1 Trestle Troll
2 Sunspire Gatekeepers
2 Ubul Sar Gatekeepers
1 Thrashing Mossdog
1 Sluiceway Scorpion
1 Syndicate Enforcer
1 Vizkopa Confessor
1 Guardian of the Gateless
1 Warleader's Helix
1 Putrefy
1 Punish the Enemy
1 Grisly Spectacle
Enchantments
1 Unflinching Courage
1 Haazda Snare Squad
1 Knight Watch
1 Korozda Monitor
1 Maze Behemoth
1 Boros Mastiff
2 Fatal Fumes
2 Zhur-Taa Druid
1 Gleam of Battle
1 Weapon Surge
2 Rubblebelt Maaka
1 Nivix Cyclops
1 Spike Jester
1 Turn (Turn/Burn)
1 Maze Glider
1 Woodlot Crawler
1 Wind Drake
2 Beetleform Mage
1 Warped Physique
1 Clear a Path
1 Bane Alley Blackguard
1 Sinister Possession
1 Hidden Strings
1 Riot Gear
1 Oak Street Innkeeper
1 Mind Rot
1 Axebane Stag
1 Urban Burgeoning
1 Mending Touch
1 Drown in Filth
1 Restore the Peace
1 Lyev Decree
1 Uncovered Clues
1 Toil (Toil/Trouble)
1 Down (Down/Dirty)
1 Assassin's Strike
1 Dutiful Thrull
1 Launch Party
1 Armored Wolf-Rider
1 Maze Abomination
1 Hired Torturer
1 Azorius Cluestone
1 Golgari Cluestone
2 Dimir Cluestone
1 Simic Cluestone
1 Illness in the Ranks
1 Beckon Apparition
1 Cremate
1 Drudge Beetle
1 Kraul Warrior
Didn't get to play too many games, but I have to say my all-star was Varolz, the Scar-Striped. If I had him with Daggerdome imp or Unflinching Courage it was a pretty impressive beating if not removed. The gatekeepers were also nuts in my pool, having 7 guildgates meant every time I played them I got the bonus effect which was pretty sweet.
My opponents weren't great (lot's of them running cluestones which didn't help them much) so I really don't know if I built the deck well or not. Had a strange orzhov pack too, with two guildgates in it. Any feedback is appreciated. Tommorow I'm thinking of going boros-rakdos.
Ah yeah, I did only use it on my own spells but someone told me after the tournament it was all spells, so I just assumed they were right without rereading it. Still helped a fair bit against an izzit burn deck. Was hilarious seeing my oppoenents reactions to my deck though, nobody knew what to do. Stab wound honestly would've wrecked me though, luckily no one played it on me.
I chose Rakdos as my guild but opened only two removal spells and mediocre creatures, so gave up on winning with it. My deck in the end was a UGr defender deck that either ramped into big greens or milled for a win condition. So for my mvps...
Doorkeeper - opened 3 of these guys, milled people to death in two games with these, and an amazing blocker
Nivix Guildmage - The draw a card/discard a card was unbelievably useful for making sure I had the right cards at the right time
Axebane Guardian - had 3 of these as well, gave me the insane amounts of mana my deck required to function, and let me cycle my lands away earlier than usual with the izzit mage.
Tablet of the Guilds - Healed through any damage that got passed my walls. (Edit: misunderstanding)
Soulsworn Spirit - Puts the enemy on a clock, and my opponents found him a high priority for removal.
Second one I went rakdos, and my only removal was launch party and stab wounds, with no bombs besides the promo. Won the first round 2-0 with it, but knew at that point It couldn't possibly win with it. I gave up on Rakdos when I noticed I pulled 3 doorkeepers, 3 axebane guardians, a hoverbarrier, and an izzet guild mage (This guy was insane for my deck, got him every time). The deck ended up doing remarkably well, as no one could get past it. I won the next two games with mill, and two others just ramping into a couple big dumb green commons.
In the end I went 3-0, going 2-0 in every match, and finishing second. It was amazingly satisfying when people thought I was Rakdos and didn't have a clue what I was doing.