Rare doesn't seem consistent enough. No obvious anchors of strong archetypes. Rootwalla is UG madness but not something I would first pick without Madness enablers open. I ended up ranking Afterlife 3rd (unconditional instant removal), Hatchling 2nd (removal and 2-for-1 but slow.. I've had Sealed matches where I needed to board it out), and grabbing Embrace (pseudo-bomb). Gaea's Embrace seems like it straight up ends stalemates, closes out games and helps you win from behind. And fits into just about any deck. I just see myself casting it more games than Hatchling. Anyone prefer a different pick in this pack?
Green seems weak here so I veered. 2-colors is bad, haven't used Bolt in VMA yet, but I love this card in cube. Given how grindy the format is, removal+card advantage seems amazing. Can't think of what else is better. I guess Aven is a Madness enabler if I want to force Madness, but I don't know if it's open yet. Zealot seems meh. Mesmeric Fiend maybe. Lots of average cards but nothing screams amazing yet.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Soltari Trooper
Brainstorm
Hulking Goblin
Jungle Wurm
Addle
Nature's Lore
Carnophage
Tangle
Death's-Head Buzzard
Armor of Thorns
--> Caldera Lake
Sidar Jabari
Solar Blast (FOIL)
Grixis control has done me well so far. I like fixing.
Maybe should have grabbed Patrol but still hoping to play the green splash.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Mistmoon Griffin
Brainstorm
Elvish Aberration
Dark Ritual
Carnophage
Claws of Wirewood
Tribute to the Wild
Lonely Sandbar
--> Nostalgic Dreams
Bad River (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 7:
Teroh's Faithful
Orcish Lumberjack
Wild Mongrel
Gilded Light
Scrivener
--> Kindle
Seal of Cleansing
Caldera Lake
Power Sink
This was tough. I was getting so many red cards that I could just go monored and say screw the Madness. I already passed on Roar of the Wurm and only saw one Arrogant Wurm.
Sideboard included 2 Basking Rootwalla, 2 Wild Mongrel, 1 Arrogant Wurm, 1 Gaea's Embrace, 1 Elephant Guide, 0-2 provoke Krosan guys but I seemed to have enough playables for monored and enough Goblins. I figured I could board into green splash if opponent showed any weenie sweepers
The games:
Round 1 WG durdle
Game 1 -- Flood board with 6 creatures by turn 4. Win with Rites.
Game 2 -- A little Grindier. Opponent gets out Armadillo Cloak on a 3/3. But I keep him in check by dropping Goblin Goon and a ton of dorks, so he doesn't attack out of fear. I tap out and alpha strike him. He blocks something with his now 8/8 lifelinker, thinking he'll survive. I sac it to Prospector to make a red, preventing the lifegain and casting Rites dumping my hand.
2-0
Round 2
Game 1 - UW control
Turn 1 Lackey, Turn 2 drop Ringleader drawing Goblin general, Goblin Patrol, Hulking Goblin. OH LOL. Guy played well and stabilized but I won that game.
Game 2- Stumbled on mana in game 2, stuck on 2 with a bunch of 3s and Rites in hand. Got rushed out with opponent at 12 and just 2 damage shorts of a Rites kill. Never got the chance again as opponent nut drew an aggro hand with UW. LOL. He had Pianna, the Phantom bears and some other shadow dorks. Battle Screech sealed the deal before I could build a board.
Game 3 -- He stabilizes with 2 Benalish Tappers, but not before I get him below 10 and slowly pick away. I eventually sneak 2 unblocked creatures through and blow him out with Rites when he has only 1 card in hand.
2-1
Round 3 RWB good stuff
Game 1 -- I mull to 5 and keep 3 lands + Reckless Charge + Hulking Goblin on the play. Draw Rites. Sigh. Opponent plays Chain Lightning, Goblin Matron into Commando, I don't draw many creatures and I lose to Decree of Justice for 2 Angels while I try to rebuild my board. As if the 3-color deck is the one that cut the premium red cards when red seemed wide open. I contemplate the green splash but I figure my best chance against a 3 color deck on the play is just rushing him out so I don't change anything.
Game 2 -- Turn 1 Prospector, T2 Hulking, T3 Goblin Goon (sacrificing Prospector after combat). He stabilizes with the 2/2 that makes 2 goblin tokens (why couldn't I have found one of those?). I still push through, hesitating on cracking a Rites yet, and drop him to 6. He drops Lightning Rift (:S) but I Matron into a 2nd Goon. I have double Goon + Hulking Goblin to his empty board and he passes the turn with 6 mana open. I made the mistake of not casting an additional creature before combat. I already saw the Decree so I should have remembered it was an option. He Decrees for X=2, paying 1 for Rift, killing my Hulking and making just enough tokens to stop both Goons from attacking. I think that was literally his only out. (Double Radiant's Judgment/Expunge or Double Afterlife would have been met with Rites @ 4 making Hulking Goblin lethal). Next turn he plays more stuff and he keeps cycling away to stop me from ever getting a 3rd creature to get an attack in. I finally Matron into a 4th guy, Reckless Charging the Matron and swinging with everything. He cycles to kill the Matron, chumps a Goon with a token and double blocks the other with Su-Chi and the 2/2 Griffin, reanimating the Su-Chi. He cycles to kill more stuff and Su-Chi single-handedly kills me while I brick with lands, Rites and Reckless Charge draws. No Rorix :(.
0-2
I should have won game 2 if I just played a creature precombat on the Decree turn (although if he had double Radiant's Judgment then I wouldn't have had enough cards sandbagged for Rites @ 4 and may have still lost). I guess double unused removal is less likely than the Decree I knew he had.
Thoughts?
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------ VMA ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Benalish Trapper
Obsessive Search
Spark Spray
Basking Rootwalla
Addle
Krovikan Sorcerer
Giant Strength
Afterlife
Forgotten Cave
Owl Familiar
Dark Hatchling
Ivory Tower
--> Gaea's Embrace
Academy Elite
Benevolent Bodyguard (FOIL)
Rare doesn't seem consistent enough. No obvious anchors of strong archetypes. Rootwalla is UG madness but not something I would first pick without Madness enablers open. I ended up ranking Afterlife 3rd (unconditional instant removal), Hatchling 2nd (removal and 2-for-1 but slow.. I've had Sealed matches where I needed to board it out), and grabbing Embrace (pseudo-bomb). Gaea's Embrace seems like it straight up ends stalemates, closes out games and helps you win from behind. And fits into just about any deck. I just see myself casting it more games than Hatchling. Anyone prefer a different pick in this pack?
Pack 1 pick 2:
Deftblade Elite
Obsessive Search
Chartooth Cougar
Giant Mantis
Paralyze
Provoke
Mesmeric Fiend
Lonely Sandbar
Nature's Lore
Carnophage
--> Prophetic Bolt
Goblin Goon
Mystic Zealot
Skywing Aven (FOIL)
Green seems weak here so I veered. 2-colors is bad, haven't used Bolt in VMA yet, but I love this card in cube. Given how grindy the format is, removal+card advantage seems amazing. Can't think of what else is better. I guess Aven is a Madness enabler if I want to force Madness, but I don't know if it's open yet. Zealot seems meh. Mesmeric Fiend maybe. Lots of average cards but nothing screams amazing yet.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Soltari Trooper
Brainstorm
Hulking Goblin
Jungle Wurm
Addle
Nature's Lore
Carnophage
Tangle
Death's-Head Buzzard
Armor of Thorns
--> Caldera Lake
Sidar Jabari
Solar Blast (FOIL)
Grixis control has done me well so far. I like fixing.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Soltari Trooper
Hulking Goblin
Jungle Wurm
Dark Ritual
Mana Prism
Sudden Strength
Dauthi Mercenary
Claws of Wirewood
Putrid Imp
--> Waterfront Bouncer
Kaervek's Torch
Soltari Emissary (FOIL)
Either for Grixis or UG Madness depending on what is open.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Soltari Emissary
Repel
Orcish Lumberjack
Deftblade Elite
--> Wild Mongrel
Solar Blast
Renewed Faith
Aquamoeba
Kindle
Rites of Initiation
Skirk Prospector (FOIL)
UG Madness open?
Pack 1 pick 6:
Temporal Fissure
Skirk Drill Sergeant
Phantom Nomad
Goblin Matron
--> Brindle Shoat
Predatory Nightstalker
Brilliant Halo
Scrivener
Tranquil Thicket
Deathreap Ritual
Hmm lots of untouched Goblins. Not running from UG yet.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Teroh's Faithful
Orcish Lumberjack
--> Krosan Vorine
Paralyze
Afterlife
Wall of Diffusion
Mana Prism
Goblin Goon
Triangle of War (FOIL)
Pack 1 pick 8:
Phantom Nomad
--> Goblin Matron
Fyndhorn Elves
Giant Strength
Afterlife
Forgotten Cave
Deathreap Ritual
Yavimaya Elder
Alright fine, UG is dead and that is a late Matron.
Pack 1 pick 9:
Obsessive Search
Spark Spray
--> Basking Rootwalla
Giant Strength
Forgotten Cave
Ivory Tower
Benevolent Bodyguard (FOIL)
RG Madness Goblins? Spark Spray doesn't seem hugely better, why not get value out of my green picks.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Deftblade Elite
Giant Mantis
Provoke
Nature's Lore
Carnophage
--> Goblin Goon
Pack 1 pick 11:
--> Hulking Goblin
Jungle Wurm
Nature's Lore
Tangle
Armor of Thorns
Pack 1 pick 12:
--> Hulking Goblin
Sudden Strength
Claws of Wirewood
Putrid Imp
Yep, red's wide open.
Pack 1 pick 13:
Orcish Lumberjack
--> Rites of Initiation
Skirk Prospector (FOIL)
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Tranquil Thicket
Deathreap Ritual
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Goblin Goon
LOL I passed this twice but apparently no one else wants it.
------ VMA ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Benalish Trapper
Obsessive Search
Spark Spray
Soltari Emissary
Krosan Tusker
Chainer's Edict
Renewed Faith
Keeneye Aven
--> Chain Lightning
Gilded Light
Chimeric Idol
Thopter Squadron
Bad River
Flusterstorm
Armadillo Cloak (FOIL)
Cloak is probably the best card but I can't splash white at this point. Weak red pack, might as well grab Lightning.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Noble Templar
Deep Analysis
Skirk Prospector
Giant Mantis
Expunge
Seal of Cleansing
Skywing Aven
--> Solar Blast
Radiant's Judgment
Ophidian
Dreampod Druid
Kezzerdrix
Pillaging Horde
Carnophage (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 3:
Choking Tethers
Goblin Matron
Krosan Tusker
Addle
Giant Strength
Shelter
Keeneye Aven
Forgotten Cave
Aftershock
Su-Chi
Æther Mutation
Symbiotic Wurm
--> Rorix Bladewing
Oh hi. Pays to notice red was open I guess.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Rescind
Chartooth Cougar
--> Arrogant Wurm
Choking Sands
Nightscape Familiar
Nature's Lore
Mesmeric Fiend
Secluded Steppe
Tribute to the Wild
Cloud Djinn
Flowstone Hellion
Rites of Initiation (FOIL)
No Goblins, so still living Madness dreams. Rites is a Madness enabler!
Pack 2 pick 5:
Circular Logic
Goblin Patrol
Elvish Aberration
Chainer's Edict
Death's-Head Buzzard
Fallen Askari
Armor of Thorns
Fledgling Djinn
Psychatog
Astral Slide
--> Wild Mongrel (FOIL)
Maybe should have grabbed Patrol but still hoping to play the green splash.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Mistmoon Griffin
Brainstorm
Elvish Aberration
Dark Ritual
Carnophage
Claws of Wirewood
Tribute to the Wild
Lonely Sandbar
--> Nostalgic Dreams
Bad River (FOIL)
No Goblins.
Pack 2 pick 7:
--> Skirk Prospector
Elvish Aberration
Expunge
Putrid Imp
Secluded Steppe
Provoke
Dauthi Mercenary
Thalakos Drifters
Mistmoon Griffin (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 8:
--> Goblin Patrol
Skirge Familiar
Death's-Head Buzzard
Claws of Wirewood
Nightscape Familiar
Tribute to the Wild
Putrid Imp
Mountain Valley
Pack 2 pick 9:
--> Spark Spray
Soltari Emissary
Krosan Tusker
Renewed Faith
Gilded Light
Chimeric Idol
Bad River
Pack 2 pick 10:
Noble Templar
--> Skirk Prospector
Giant Mantis
Seal of Cleansing
Pillaging Horde
Carnophage (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 11:
--> Goblin Matron
Giant Strength
Keeneye Aven
Forgotten Cave
Æther Mutation
Pack 2 pick 12:
Choking Sands
Nature's Lore
Cloud Djinn
--> Rites of Initiation (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 13:
Circular Logic
--> Death's-Head Buzzard
Fallen Askari
MUST HATE PICK
Pack 2 pick 14:
Carnophage
--> Tribute to the Wild
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Putrid Imp
------ VMA ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Counterspell
Skirk Prospector
Benevolent Bodyguard
Circular Logic
Goblin General
Jungle Wurm
Addle
Seal of Cleansing
Man-o'-War
Falter
Chimeric Idol
--> Goblin Ringleader
Pianna, Nomad Captain
Stroke of Genius
Temporal Fissure (FOIL)
Sweet, I knew they reprinted Ancestral Recall.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Benalish Trapper
Obsessive Search
Spark Spray
--> Basking Rootwalla
Urborg Uprising
Wall of Diffusion
Mana Prism
Aquamoeba
Reckless Charge
Dreampod Druid
Grasslands
Roar of the Wurm
Selvala, Explorer Returned
Ivory Tower (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 3:
Teroh's Faithful
Killer Whale
--> Skirk Drill Sergeant
Brindle Shoat
Dauthi Mercenary
Claws of Wirewood
Putrid Imp
Provoke
Mesmeric Fiend
Su-Chi
Mystic Zealot
Power Sink
Krosan Vorine (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 4:
Spark Spray
Krosan Vorine
Skirge Familiar
Tribute to the Wild
Putrid Imp
--> Elephant Guide
Fledgling Djinn
Provoke
Armadillo Cloak
Bad River
Sphere of Resistance
Power Sink (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 5:
Mistmoon Griffin
Counterspell
Fyndhorn Elves
Urborg Uprising
--> Reckless Charge
Man-o'-War
Wall of Diffusion
Barren Moor
Akroma's Blessing
Stoic Champion
Scrivener (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 6:
Benalish Trapper
Counterspell
Skirk Prospector
Brindle Shoat
Falter
Barren Moor
Renewed Faith
Keeneye Aven
--> Goblin Lackey
Choking Tethers (FOIL)
LOL
Pack 3 pick 7:
Teroh's Faithful
Orcish Lumberjack
Wild Mongrel
Gilded Light
Scrivener
--> Kindle
Seal of Cleansing
Caldera Lake
Power Sink
This was tough. I was getting so many red cards that I could just go monored and say screw the Madness. I already passed on Roar of the Wurm and only saw one Arrogant Wurm.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Benevolent Bodyguard
Circular Logic
--> Goblin General
Frantic Search
Jungle Wurm
Carnophage
Claws of Wirewood
Lurking Evil
Pack 3 pick 9:
Skirk Prospector
Circular Logic
--> Goblin General
Jungle Wurm
Addle
Falter
Temporal Fissure (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 10:
Spark Spray
Urborg Uprising
Aquamoeba
--> Reckless Charge
Roar of the Wurm
Ivory Tower (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 11:
Killer Whale
--> Claws of Wirewood
Putrid Imp
Power Sink
Krosan Vorine (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Krosan Vorine
Skirge Familiar
Tribute to the Wild
Provoke
Pack 3 pick 13:
Fyndhorn Elves
Urborg Uprising
--> Wall of Diffusion
Pack 3 pick 14:
Skirk Prospector
--> Falter
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Orcish Lumberjack
The deck:
1 Goblin Patrol
2 Skirk Prospector
1 Spark Spray
1 Chain Lightning
2 Rites of Initiation
2 Reckless Charge
2 Hulking Goblin
1 Falter
1 Kindle
2 Goblin Matron
2 Goblin General
1 Goblin Ringleader
2 Goblin Goon
1 Rorix Bladewing
16 Mountain
Sideboard included 2 Basking Rootwalla, 2 Wild Mongrel, 1 Arrogant Wurm, 1 Gaea's Embrace, 1 Elephant Guide, 0-2 provoke Krosan guys but I seemed to have enough playables for monored and enough Goblins. I figured I could board into green splash if opponent showed any weenie sweepers
The games:
Round 1 WG durdle
Game 1 -- Flood board with 6 creatures by turn 4. Win with Rites.
Game 2 -- A little Grindier. Opponent gets out Armadillo Cloak on a 3/3. But I keep him in check by dropping Goblin Goon and a ton of dorks, so he doesn't attack out of fear. I tap out and alpha strike him. He blocks something with his now 8/8 lifelinker, thinking he'll survive. I sac it to Prospector to make a red, preventing the lifegain and casting Rites dumping my hand.
2-0
Round 2
Game 1 - UW control
Turn 1 Lackey, Turn 2 drop Ringleader drawing Goblin general, Goblin Patrol, Hulking Goblin. OH LOL. Guy played well and stabilized but I won that game.
Game 2- Stumbled on mana in game 2, stuck on 2 with a bunch of 3s and Rites in hand. Got rushed out with opponent at 12 and just 2 damage shorts of a Rites kill. Never got the chance again as opponent nut drew an aggro hand with UW. LOL. He had Pianna, the Phantom bears and some other shadow dorks. Battle Screech sealed the deal before I could build a board.
Game 3 -- He stabilizes with 2 Benalish Tappers, but not before I get him below 10 and slowly pick away. I eventually sneak 2 unblocked creatures through and blow him out with Rites when he has only 1 card in hand.
2-1
Round 3 RWB good stuff
Game 1 -- I mull to 5 and keep 3 lands + Reckless Charge + Hulking Goblin on the play. Draw Rites. Sigh. Opponent plays Chain Lightning, Goblin Matron into Commando, I don't draw many creatures and I lose to Decree of Justice for 2 Angels while I try to rebuild my board. As if the 3-color deck is the one that cut the premium red cards when red seemed wide open. I contemplate the green splash but I figure my best chance against a 3 color deck on the play is just rushing him out so I don't change anything.
Game 2 -- Turn 1 Prospector, T2 Hulking, T3 Goblin Goon (sacrificing Prospector after combat). He stabilizes with the 2/2 that makes 2 goblin tokens (why couldn't I have found one of those?). I still push through, hesitating on cracking a Rites yet, and drop him to 6. He drops Lightning Rift (:S) but I Matron into a 2nd Goon. I have double Goon + Hulking Goblin to his empty board and he passes the turn with 6 mana open. I made the mistake of not casting an additional creature before combat. I already saw the Decree so I should have remembered it was an option. He Decrees for X=2, paying 1 for Rift, killing my Hulking and making just enough tokens to stop both Goons from attacking. I think that was literally his only out. (Double Radiant's Judgment/Expunge or Double Afterlife would have been met with Rites @ 4 making Hulking Goblin lethal). Next turn he plays more stuff and he keeps cycling away to stop me from ever getting a 3rd creature to get an attack in. I finally Matron into a 4th guy, Reckless Charging the Matron and swinging with everything. He cycles to kill the Matron, chumps a Goon with a token and double blocks the other with Su-Chi and the 2/2 Griffin, reanimating the Su-Chi. He cycles to kill more stuff and Su-Chi single-handedly kills me while I brick with lands, Rites and Reckless Charge draws. No Rorix :(.
0-2
I should have won game 2 if I just played a creature precombat on the Decree turn (although if he had double Radiant's Judgment then I wouldn't have had enough cards sandbagged for Rites @ 4 and may have still lost). I guess double unused removal is less likely than the Decree I knew he had.
Thoughts?