Please rank the following sealed pool builds from best to worst and explain why you ordered them that way:
Abzan-r, Jeskai-b, Mardu, Temur. (18 lands each) http://imgur.com/a/Pwo6e
Note: the Jeskai-b build is also supposed to have a bloodfell caves (B/R) and scoured barrens (B/W).
Edit: Crater's claws as well.
I have to rank the builds that include Tusked Colossodon last, since I don't think that's a card, and it's a particularly colour intensive card. Jeskai splash black looks to be the strongest, since it has the best curve, and lots of lovely removal. However, it has pretty bad mana, with only 2 fixers and 3 drops in U, R and W. The Mardu list looks the best.
Was this 4 different builds from the same cardpool? Because I think it's a flat out mistake to leave Crater's Claws out of any red build.
This is what I would have built from your cardpool (obviously using only cards that you are showing here):
Here's a 5CWR deck. Last cuts: 1 Snowhorn Rider, 1 Mystic of the Hidden Way (eliminating the blue entirely)
Manabase (12 basics)
R 2+6 sources for 8/0 red cards/morphs
W 5+4 sources for 6/1 white cards/morphs
B 4+1 sources for 3/4 cards/morphs
G 2+1 sources for 0/3 cards/morphs
Ideally you would have a couple of two-drop creatures centered in WR that you could play for curve purposes.
I'm guessing this is actually the same sealed pool but just 4 different build? If so it might be beneficial to post your entire pool and not just your builds. It might be the case but I have a hard time believing you only got two 2 drops (Debilitating Injury and Chief of the Edge). That's why I don't like any of the builds, you need 2 drops in any format but especially this one.
I like magicmerl's build, cause I think you want to play WBRG. Though I don't like his inclusion of just Pine Walker and Sagu Archer. I think there are reasons to go G, but maybe not for Sagu Archer. I think Sultai Flayer is a better card. Though, now that I think about it maybe just straight Mardu would be better. I think your order is something like this:
Even if you are 'straight mardu' I would still splash Pine Walker for free off Blossoming Sands. And while Sultai Flayer is a much stronger card than Sagu Archer, I didn't want to depend on having actual green mana to cast it.
I think it's almost certain that OP has playables in their SB that they haven't disclosed that would make suce a deck much better. Making the question moot.
I think it's almost certain that OP has playables in their SB that they haven't disclosed that would make suce a deck much better.
Why would you assume that? I'm having trouble figuring out why you would be so certain.
Potential sideboard cards for the mardu deck: Rakshasa's secret, Tormenting Voice, Siegecraft, Sidisi's Pet, Rotting Mastodon, Hordeling Outbust, Trumpet Blast.
So yeah. "much better".
Most 2 drops are pretty bad in this format (with a few exceptions), as almost any morph is going to be a better inclusion. If you need an early drop, you might as well play a morph that's a good topdeck come turn 6, rather than a 2 drop that's slightly better in your opening hand, but near useless late.
As for magicmerl's mardu build, that's a good one that I didn't consider. I would probably go -1 Sagu Archer, +1 Chief of the Edge/Swarm of Bloodflies, -1 Bloodfire Mentor (think you meant bloodfire expert), +1 Bellowing Saddlebrute (forgotten? don't see why would you leave him out), -1/2 Plains, +1/2 Swamps.
Do you really like the mardu-g deck better than jeskai-b? Comparing what you bet from each option, you have:
Mardu: Pine Walker, Abzan Guide, Ruthless Ripper, 2 Krumar Bond Kin, Bellowing Saddlebrute, Sultai Scavenger, Debilitating Injury, Chief of the Edge.
Jeskai: Jeskai Windscout, 2 Bloodfire Mentor, Warden of the Eye, 2 Weaponmaster Efreet, Mystic of the Hidden Way, Kheru Spellsnatcher, Winterflame.
Though now that I typed it out, the mardu set does look a little bit better. It has fewer flashy cards (weaponmaster, warden, spellsnatcher) but is probably more solid overall. Also the better mana is pretty big.
Even if you are 'straight mardu' I would still splash Pine Walker for free off Blossoming Sands. And while Sultai Flayer is a much stronger card than Sagu Archer, I didn't want to depend on having actual green mana to cast it.
I understand your points. Sagu Archer is more flexible than Sultai Flayer in the fact that you can cast him as a 2/2 morph. Though I would argue that doesn't this go against the fundamental reason for a splash? I feel like when I splash for a card, the card is typically more powerful than what could be found otherwise in your base colors. You've said the splash is 'free' in the fact that you don't need to include any basics of that color, though there are still going to be times where they come down just as a 2/2 for 3 and you won't be able to turn them over, which in my opinion isn't very exciting. I like your points, but I still think I might leave them out or at least go with Pine Walker and Sultai Flayer.
Why would you assume that? I'm having trouble figuring out why you would be so certain.
The absence of two-drops in the build. I can see opening a pool with no white two-drops, for example. But not every colour missing them. That is more indicative to me that you don't value those cards highly, whereas I think that they are key to both curving out and stopping the opponent from curving you out.
Most 2 drops are pretty bad in this format (with a few exceptions), as almost any morph is going to be a better inclusion. If you need an early drop, you might as well play a morph that's a good topdeck come turn 6, rather than a 2 drop that's slightly better in your opening hand, but near useless late.
Do you really like the mardu-g deck better than jeskai-b? Comparing what you bet from each option, you have:
Mardu: Pine Walker, Abzan Guide, Ruthless Ripper, 2 Krumar Bond Kin, Bellowing Saddlebrute, Sultai Scavenger, Debilitating Injury, Chief of the Edge.
Jeskai: Jeskai Windscout, 2 Bloodfire Mentor, Warden of the Eye, 2 Weaponmaster Efreet, Mystic of the Hidden Way, Kheru Spellsnatcher, Winterflame.
Though now that I typed it out, the mardu set does look a little bit better. It has fewer flashy cards (weaponmaster, warden, spellsnatcher) but is probably more solid overall. Also the better mana is pretty big.
Well, I was the one that rated them 1 and 2. I didn't rate the Jeskai build last, so maybe you're directing the part to the other poster?
My chief problem with the Jeskai build is the complete absence of 2-drops, as well as the glaring omission of Crater's Claws. The spells are great. The creature quality is high. The curve is slower than any KTK deck I've ever built (since I *always* have 2-drops).
Obviously Crater's Claws was supposed to be included, see my edit in OP.
2 drops not shown in the pictures above: 2x archer's parapet, wetland sanbar, 3x kin tree warden, smoke teller. If you like 2 drops so much, what would you cut from the jeskai deck for sanbar? Imo there's nothing that I'd want to cut for it. I do like -1 colossodon, +1 parapet in the abzan build, though.
re: 2 drop and curving out - most sealed games aren't decided by curving out, but by threat density/who has the last big threat standing.
what would you cut from the jeskai deck for sanbar?
Nothing, because blue is the splash colour in that deck as presently constructed. In fact, I'm fairly unhappy with a lot of the blue in that deck precisely because you want to marginalise your blue mana sources, yet Jeskai Windscount wants to be cast on turn 3, not turn 6, and Kheru Spellsnatcher wants you to have UU to be better than Kin-Tree Warden.
The 4 pools you posted are unfinished precisely because you havn't calculated their manabases. You don't know if it's correct to splash or run cards with double coloured mana costs until you work out your manabase.
2 drops not shown in the pictures above: 2x archer's parapet, wetland sanbar, 3x kin tree warden, smoke teller.
Ding! We have a winner. Green has 2-drops PLUS the bomb in Incremental Growth that we couldn't justify further green for in the earlier build. PLUS Sultai Flayer as cited by CR.
I would absolutely build around green as a core colour because of your green 2-drops (and green bomb). In building our manabase we can see that white is the other core colour and we want to reduce black and red to a splash. So our last cuts are:
1 Ruthless Ripper
1 Mardu Warshrieker
2 Krumar Bondkin
Manabase
G 2+6 sources for 6/3 green cards/morphs
W 5+3 sources for 6/2 white cards/morphs
R 2+3 sources for 4/0 red cards/morphs
B 4+0 sources for 3/1 black cards/morphs
Mana Curve
1
2 cccss
3 ccccccs
4 ccccsss
5 cs
6+s
Can you see how that's a better manabase (and curve) than the lists you were proposing?
It's unfortunate that your 2 drops are rather weak. 3 drops, by nature, should be stronger than 2 drops. However, sometimes you have to play the 2 drops for curve considerations. I'll take turn 2 mediocre 2 drop and turn 3 morph over turn 2 nothing and turn 3 morph. I know you might say there are times when drawing a 2 drop late isn't as good as a morph, but that's one of the risks you take to get a better early game. By not having any 2 drops you guarantee 100% that your opening won't be explosive. Hope that makes sense and hope it helps, just some of my thoughts though
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Abzan-r, Jeskai-b, Mardu, Temur. (18 lands each)
http://imgur.com/a/Pwo6e
Note: the Jeskai-b build is also supposed to have a bloodfell caves (B/R) and scoured barrens (B/W).
Edit: Crater's claws as well.
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I have to rank the builds that include Tusked Colossodon last, since I don't think that's a card, and it's a particularly colour intensive card. Jeskai splash black looks to be the strongest, since it has the best curve, and lots of lovely removal. However, it has pretty bad mana, with only 2 fixers and 3 drops in U, R and W. The Mardu list looks the best.
Was this 4 different builds from the same cardpool? Because I think it's a flat out mistake to leave Crater's Claws out of any red build.
This is what I would have built from your cardpool (obviously using only cards that you are showing here):
Here's a 5CWR deck. Last cuts: 1 Snowhorn Rider, 1 Mystic of the Hidden Way (eliminating the blue entirely)
1 Watcher of the Roost
1 Azban Falconer
1 Bloodfire Mentor
1 Azban Guide
1 Pine Walker
1 Sagu Archer
2 Krumar Bondkin
1 Mardu Heartpiercer
1 Mardu Warshrieker
1 Alabaster Kirin
1 Zurgo Helmsmasher
1 Sulati Scavenger
1 Feat of Resistance
1 Kill Shot
1 Bring Low
1 Smite the Monstrous
2 Arrow Storm
1 Crater's Claws
1 Nomad Outpost
1 Bloodfell Caves
2 Scoured Barrens
2 Blossoming Sands
6 Mountain
4 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Forest
Manacurve
1
2 ss
3 cccccccccs
4 ccccss
5 css
6+s
Manabase (12 basics)
R 2+6 sources for 8/0 red cards/morphs
W 5+4 sources for 6/1 white cards/morphs
B 4+1 sources for 3/4 cards/morphs
G 2+1 sources for 0/3 cards/morphs
Ideally you would have a couple of two-drop creatures centered in WR that you could play for curve purposes.
I like magicmerl's build, cause I think you want to play WBRG. Though I don't like his inclusion of just Pine Walker and Sagu Archer. I think there are reasons to go G, but maybe not for Sagu Archer. I think Sultai Flayer is a better card. Though, now that I think about it maybe just straight Mardu would be better. I think your order is something like this:
Mardu > Abzan > Temur > Jeskai
I think it's almost certain that OP has playables in their SB that they haven't disclosed that would make suce a deck much better. Making the question moot.
Why would you assume that? I'm having trouble figuring out why you would be so certain.
Potential sideboard cards for the mardu deck: Rakshasa's secret, Tormenting Voice, Siegecraft, Sidisi's Pet, Rotting Mastodon, Hordeling Outbust, Trumpet Blast.
So yeah. "much better".
Most 2 drops are pretty bad in this format (with a few exceptions), as almost any morph is going to be a better inclusion. If you need an early drop, you might as well play a morph that's a good topdeck come turn 6, rather than a 2 drop that's slightly better in your opening hand, but near useless late.
As for magicmerl's mardu build, that's a good one that I didn't consider. I would probably go -1 Sagu Archer, +1 Chief of the Edge/Swarm of Bloodflies, -1 Bloodfire Mentor (think you meant bloodfire expert), +1 Bellowing Saddlebrute (forgotten? don't see why would you leave him out), -1/2 Plains, +1/2 Swamps.
Do you really like the mardu-g deck better than jeskai-b? Comparing what you bet from each option, you have:
Mardu: Pine Walker, Abzan Guide, Ruthless Ripper, 2 Krumar Bond Kin, Bellowing Saddlebrute, Sultai Scavenger, Debilitating Injury, Chief of the Edge.
Jeskai: Jeskai Windscout, 2 Bloodfire Mentor, Warden of the Eye, 2 Weaponmaster Efreet, Mystic of the Hidden Way, Kheru Spellsnatcher, Winterflame.
Though now that I typed it out, the mardu set does look a little bit better. It has fewer flashy cards (weaponmaster, warden, spellsnatcher) but is probably more solid overall. Also the better mana is pretty big.
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I understand your points. Sagu Archer is more flexible than Sultai Flayer in the fact that you can cast him as a 2/2 morph. Though I would argue that doesn't this go against the fundamental reason for a splash? I feel like when I splash for a card, the card is typically more powerful than what could be found otherwise in your base colors. You've said the splash is 'free' in the fact that you don't need to include any basics of that color, though there are still going to be times where they come down just as a 2/2 for 3 and you won't be able to turn them over, which in my opinion isn't very exciting. I like your points, but I still think I might leave them out or at least go with Pine Walker and Sultai Flayer.
Good to see different opinions though.
The absence of two-drops in the build. I can see opening a pool with no white two-drops, for example. But not every colour missing them. That is more indicative to me that you don't value those cards highly, whereas I think that they are key to both curving out and stopping the opponent from curving you out.
QED.
Well, I was the one that rated them 1 and 2. I didn't rate the Jeskai build last, so maybe you're directing the part to the other poster?
My chief problem with the Jeskai build is the complete absence of 2-drops, as well as the glaring omission of Crater's Claws. The spells are great. The creature quality is high. The curve is slower than any KTK deck I've ever built (since I *always* have 2-drops).
2 drops not shown in the pictures above: 2x archer's parapet, wetland sanbar, 3x kin tree warden, smoke teller. If you like 2 drops so much, what would you cut from the jeskai deck for sanbar? Imo there's nothing that I'd want to cut for it. I do like -1 colossodon, +1 parapet in the abzan build, though.
re: 2 drop and curving out - most sealed games aren't decided by curving out, but by threat density/who has the last big threat standing.
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...why don't I marry them?
Nothing, because blue is the splash colour in that deck as presently constructed. In fact, I'm fairly unhappy with a lot of the blue in that deck precisely because you want to marginalise your blue mana sources, yet Jeskai Windscount wants to be cast on turn 3, not turn 6, and Kheru Spellsnatcher wants you to have UU to be better than Kin-Tree Warden.
The 4 pools you posted are unfinished precisely because you havn't calculated their manabases. You don't know if it's correct to splash or run cards with double coloured mana costs until you work out your manabase.
Ding! We have a winner. Green has 2-drops PLUS the bomb in Incremental Growth that we couldn't justify further green for in the earlier build. PLUS Sultai Flayer as cited by CR.
I would absolutely build around green as a core colour because of your green 2-drops (and green bomb). In building our manabase we can see that white is the other core colour and we want to reduce black and red to a splash. So our last cuts are:
1 Ruthless Ripper
1 Mardu Warshrieker
2 Krumar Bondkin
Making this:
1 Smoke Teller
1 Watcher of the Roost
1 Alpine Grizzly
1 Abzan Falconer
1 Abzan Guide
1 Pine Walker
1 Sagu Archer
1 Sultai Flayer
1 Mardu Heart-Piercer
1 Alabaster Kirin
1 Zurgo Helmsmasher
1 Sultai Scavenger
1 Feat of Resistance
1 Kill Shot
1 Bring Low
1 Smite the Monstrous
1 Dragonscale Boon
1 Incremental Growth
1 Crater's Claws
1 Nomad Outpost
1 Bloodfell Caves
2 Scoured Barrens
2 Blossoming Sands
6 Forest
3 Plains
3 Mountain
Manabase
G 2+6 sources for 6/3 green cards/morphs
W 5+3 sources for 6/2 white cards/morphs
R 2+3 sources for 4/0 red cards/morphs
B 4+0 sources for 3/1 black cards/morphs
Mana Curve
1
2 cccss
3 ccccccs
4 ccccsss
5 cs
6+s
Can you see how that's a better manabase (and curve) than the lists you were proposing?