@radouf Unfortunately Crystal Ball didn't get to shine. I dropped it against my Scapeshift opponent with mana up to scry, but he Krosan Gripped it, of all things, so I couldn't even scry in response. Then I dropped it again against that opponent without mana up, and he Destructive Revelry'd it before I untapped mana to scry. I can't remember if I saw Crystal Ball against other opponents--I'm sure it was in my hand, but I was either busier making thopters or dropping planeswalkers to get to cast it. I think I nabbed it with a Crane as fodder for Lili's +1 once
It's a tough comparison to Sunset Pyramid. The most appealing thing about Pyramid is the lower CMC, but I hate that it costs 2 and only scries 1. I am not sure the card draw is even an advantage; it has been said, card quality matters more than quantity for us, and I'd rather dig more efficiently than draw extra cards. If Crystal Ball ends up being bad, I don't think Pyramid will be any better.
What is the basic rationale in choosing maelstrom pulse vs abrupt decay for the board? And is consensus that whichever way you go you want 2 total copies of the effect? (or a 1/1 split?). The main purpose of the card ithink is to hit stony silence. Instant speed and 1 less mana looks better to me for that purpose, especially if I need a prism or opal to give me that green mana (float in response)
But for those on pulse, what does pulse hit that this deck is worried about - lingering souls tokens? Karn/Ugin? Platinum Emperion? Elesh Norn? The latter two admittedly bother me and had me maindecking an executioners capsule, although at least for norn you could relic/spellbomb if they are reanimating it so there's technically a play to be made. I just hate seeing a single card out and knowing there is nothing I can do or draw that would stop it. Madcap into Emperion is literally unbeatable g1 if you dont run capsule or echoing truth. A resolved Norn is pretty close. Resolved Ugin or Karn you could hit your needle.
But I think all else being equal I'd take the instant speed and cheaper cost of decay over the ability of pulse to hit a few giant threats?
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Modern
* Esper Draw-Go
* Tezzeret Whir
* Blue Tron
This is the whole event.
Coverage has me versus Blue Jund (my car mate) Starts at 5:18:00
Quarter finals versus Living End starts at 7:17:00
We then split and I went home, but they kept playing for fun on coverage.
2 weird scenarios came up that coverage commented on and I want to defend/discuss.
Game 1 versus Blue Jund my opponent terminates a thopter in response to the sword returning. I choose to sac a mox in response to return again. They thought I didn't know how sword worked because it still comes back, but I do, and I know my opponent didn't confidently know because he's my friend. So by making this play it makes him more hesitant to cut removal if he believes it stops my combo. I already had sword/timeseive/foundry in play so I win when I untap and he can't interact. Of course my minor mindgame play doesn't pay off because a judge explains to us that my sword returns so I didn't need to sac the mox as we go into sideboarding haha.
Also versus living end game 1, I know my opponent found a beast within because she snap put it on top with her architect trigger. I play tezz to look for a welding jar/time seive to win next turn and force her to attack tezz or die to his ult. Coverage at first disagrees with this but I think it is completely correct.
I also really liked the win in game 1 versus living end. Playing around violent outburst doesn't cost me anything, but it's not something everyone would think about.
Any questions on my plays let me know! I am a very methodical player so I constantly am doing math looking for various scrappy ways to win.
What is the basic rationale in choosing maelstrom pulse vs abrupt decay for the board? And is consensus that whichever way you go you want 2 total copies of the effect? (or a 1/1 split?). The main purpose of the card ithink is to hit stony silence. Instant speed and 1 less mana looks better to me for that purpose, especially if I need a prism or opal to give me that green mana (float in response)
But for those on pulse, what does pulse hit that this deck is worried about - lingering souls tokens? Karn/Ugin? Platinum Emperion? Elesh Norn? The latter two admittedly bother me and had me maindecking an executioners capsule, although at least for norn you could relic/spellbomb if they are reanimating it so there's technically a play to be made. I just hate seeing a single card out and knowing there is nothing I can do or draw that would stop it. Madcap into Emperion is literally unbeatable g1 if you dont run capsule or echoing truth. A resolved Norn is pretty close. Resolved Ugin or Karn you could hit your needle.
But I think all else being equal I'd take the instant speed and cheaper cost of decay over the ability of pulse to hit a few giant threats?
I am currently using 2 Abrupt Decay and 1 Maelstrom Pulse. The Pulse is primarily used against Leyline of the Void and Leyline of Sanctity as they can prove to be quite bothersome while Decay isn't capable of taking them out. I have had Living End and Dredge players pack the Void while I have had UWx Control, Storm, and Lantern Control pack Sanctity. The Sanctity isn't as annoying as the Void, but when I cannot ult Tezz and they can keep me from attacking in with 5/5s, I just needed to drop the 3rd Decay for the Pulse.
What is the basic rationale in choosing maelstrom pulse vs abrupt decay for the board? And is consensus that whichever way you go you want 2 total copies of the effect? (or a 1/1 split?). The main purpose of the card ithink is to hit stony silence. Instant speed and 1 less mana looks better to me for that purpose, especially if I need a prism or opal to give me that green mana (float in response)
But for those on pulse, what does pulse hit that this deck is worried about - lingering souls tokens? Karn/Ugin? Platinum Emperion? Elesh Norn? The latter two admittedly bother me and had me maindecking an executioners capsule, although at least for norn you could relic/spellbomb if they are reanimating it so there's technically a play to be made. I just hate seeing a single card out and knowing there is nothing I can do or draw that would stop it. Madcap into Emperion is literally unbeatable g1 if you dont run capsule or echoing truth. A resolved Norn is pretty close. Resolved Ugin or Karn you could hit your needle.
But I think all else being equal I'd take the instant speed and cheaper cost of decay over the ability of pulse to hit a few giant threats?
I am currently using 2 Abrupt Decay and 1 Maelstrom Pulse. The Pulse is primarily used against Leyline of the Void and Leyline of Sanctity as they can prove to be quite bothersome while Decay isn't capable of taking them out. I have had Living End and Dredge players pack the Void while I have had UWx Control, Storm, and Lantern Control pack Sanctity. The Sanctity isn't as annoying as the Void, but when I cannot ult Tezz and they can keep me from attacking in with 5/5s, I just needed to drop the 3rd Decay for the Pulse.
I run 2 and 2, which is potentially one too many. I prefer Maelstrom pulse as an answer to hate cards (leylines, stony silence, RIP, night of souls betrayal etc) whatever random stuff someone could play. It is also quite strong versus Chandra/Nahiri to have a clean answer to planeswalkers that doesn't involve making thopters. Pulse also is a great card versus storm to be able to clean up goblins (they normally go to goblin plan post board). Pulse is also a card I'm happy to have versus death shadow as a way to kill gurmag when a bridge is under too much artifact removal pressure.
Decay is much better versus the aggro decks or stony silence based creature decks mostly due to instant speed. It is also better versus affinity/more aggressive decks if you feel you need it.
I like having both to flexibly side based on what I've seen or expect from my opponent. Given the choice I prefer pulse over decay. The 1 mana difference is normally very rare to matter in my experience, but having the wrong answer does matter.
To add to the discussion, I've first brought in Pulse after it had repeatedly impressed me in Jund. Pulse plays that come up from time to time are blowing up all the Lingering Souls tokens, half of a Merkfolk's player board, a pair of Thought-Knot Seers or Reality Smashers or all the Detention Spheres with one card. On top of dealing with the hate cards these SB slots are dedicated to.
Also, where Decay is at its best, the times where you get a TURN TWO (specifically) Stony Silence dropped on your head and you are gripping onto an Abrupt Decay on top of having an active and full Pentad Prism up seem few and far between, no? Like having our three-card combo up to answer their own occasional T2 answer to us. Talk about hoops!
Most times when SS hits, our strategy becomes dump the hand, Bridge up, and sit back. Which means we're working toward buying time, so the extra mana in Pulse's cost isn't the most relevant. And half our deck already costs two lol, so I really don't mind the extra CMC, most times I'm tapped out on T2 and rightfully so.
Also sometimes you just face multiple Stony Silences, and a single Decay isn't gonna cut it, where Pulse will.
And lastly I think Decay's uncounterable clause isn't that relevant either as we bring in heaps of discard to punch through control deck's countermagic anyways.
These are the reasons I pick Pulse over Decay -- which might totally be wrong, mind you!
Basically made some modifications to decklists I saw here to better fit my preferences and meta calls.
Round 1 (GW Hatebears): Game 1 he had an explosive start and began to strip away my lands by using Leonin Arbiter. I eventually get to a spot where I can pay the tax and Whir for Sword to begin to take over. He flashes in Restoration Angel to flicker the Cat and I couldn't pay the new search clause (new objects overpowered!). Game 2 We play a long fight and after hate card after hate I eventually get through and allow Tezz to Ult. Game 3 time was called and we never got to finish. Match 1-1-1.
Round 2 (Tainted Remedies): Game 1...This was such a strange matchup and I just played it out. He eventually lands the namesake Tainted Remedy after my hand hate took care of the first one and a Heroes' Reunion. He eventually floods the board with Wall of Shards and looks grim for me. Luckily I had already made a bunch of thopters beforehand and just let Tezz Ult. I dealt 18 damage and I was at 23 life so after the suicide ult I survive Game 1 with 5 life!. Game 2 I had no idea what he could possibly be sideboarding. I just assumed with white mana he was on a Stony/RiP setup, but oh no. He drops those early game and Leyline of Sanctity on turn 0!. I just progress my board as normal and eventually get Tezz at 8 loyalty. I drawe Pulse and proceed to spend the next 2 turns Ulting. Strange deck, but was very clever and entertaining. Match 2-0.
Round 3 (GB Elves): Game 1 we both flood but eventually I get a Bridge down and Inventor's Fair going. Begin to dig for the three piece combo because of Crucible of Worlds recursion and finally win the game. Game 2 I draw the actual nuts and tear apart his hand while also getting a Whir for combo. He just kept drawing his 3+ drops and lost. Revenge for last week! Match 2-0.
Round 4 (Dredge): Now because of my tie I had to play the last round out. Game 1 I just tutor for both Relics and steal the game. Game 2 he is chipping away at me with Narcomoeba and I just can't seem to stop them. Nuke his yard, lay down a Bridge, but I just couldn't empty my hand. I drew Tezz, Whir, Whir, 2nd Bridge. I eventually hit a land pocket (Never thought I wanted that considering my luck) and begin to finally take over. Time is called and he develops a sizable board to block my thopters. My Turn 1 I draw Time Sieve and proceed to take the remaining 4 Turns. Finished the game with an extra turn to spare! Match 2-0.
Night Results: 3-0-1. 1st Place!
Was a very good night. I think I am getting a lot more use to sideboarding for the deck. I think that was what was causing me to trip up these past fews weeks. Looking forward to more testing with the list.
So been lurking here for a long time. Tried this deck back when Whir wasn't around, but Glint-Nest Crane was. Whir really feels like it added a lot of power and I've been really enjoying this turbo tezz version
I plan to keep uploading videos as much as I can, mostly Tezzerator probably. Though I've got a baby at home, so a match every couple days it's usually all I can do anymore.
I think I've been really happy with the list. I think mostly I'm going to be looking at some changes in the board. I think I'm gonna swap 1 decay to a pulse. I've been loving the Aether Grid. I think I'm going to ditch Herald, never really use it. I think I might also swap the Citadel for an Academy Ruins.
So been lurking here for a long time. Tried this deck back when Whir wasn't around, but Glint-Nest Crane was. Whir really feels like it added a lot of power and I've been really enjoying this turbo tezz version
I plan to keep uploading videos as much as I can, mostly Tezzerator probably. Though I've got a baby at home, so a match every couple days it's usually all I can do anymore.
I think I've been really happy with the list. I think mostly I'm going to be looking at some changes in the board. I think I'm gonna swap 1 decay to a pulse. I've been loving the Aether Grid. I think I'm going to ditch Herald, never really use it. I think I might also swap the Citadel for an Academy Ruins.
Looks like my list with a fixed sideboard! :]
I'd recommend maybe switching the Darksteel Citadel out for something that produces color. Probably a Darkslick Shores in your list. It hasn't enabled Mox Opal as often as I had hoped and I never Whir for it. I'll be curious to see how your sideboard tech works out. If all goes well I'll probably try some if it. I know I wanted to include an extra Pithing Needle in the board for the tron match up. So that might be worth considering. Best of luck!
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U/B Tezzeret Control
Sultai Midrange
Anything Innovative
Ya, it is yours with a modified sideboard. I am planning on swapping citadel an trying academy ruins first. I haven't had it give me much issues with coloured mana, but citadel provides no real advantage over ruins other than opla, and I agree it hasn't worked well at that.
The 2nd Pithing Needle is great. I'd never want less than 2 in the 75 I think. I also bring it in vs affinity so I can name both ravage and plating to really shut them down, etc.
I think I might ditch the canonist too. Canonist and trinisphere is probably overkill vs storm, and I think I find trinisphere more flexible (seems reasonable vs burn for example)
I personally don't mind ditching citadel. I liked citadel a lot back before whir when you could run 4 of them, but now I find myself almost never using the Tezz -1 anyway. It conflicts with Bridge, if I ever use it on something other than Citadel it gets Fatal Pushed, and Citadel often gets pathed. I feel like Tezzeret's value in the deck got replaced a lot with Whir. Most of the time I'd rather draw a Whir I find and get thopter sword + bridge online, and Tezzeret I only care about if there is some sort of stalemate, like Jace, AOT, or Stony Silence.
As for sideboarding. Pithing Needle, Relics, Welding Jars, and Tezzeret are usually the cards I look to taking out first. If it's a matchup like burn, I can easily cut needles and relics, and usually shave down on Tezzeret since the thopter sword combo is so good there and Tezz is slow. Other matchups where all those are important I sometimes cut a Thopter Foundry, especially against stony silence, baubles, pentad prisms.
What matchups do people bring Herald in against? Grindy ones? Maybe I just haven't played the right matchup for him, but I rarely board him in, and the few times I've actually played him he's been unimpressive to me.
@Curundil (Used your FNM June 23rd Decklist)
Against Burn I try to trim the excess cards and bring in cards that will lock them out of the game. Eidolon of the Great Revel is the scariest card in the matchup (followed by Harsh Mentor if they have it in the 75), so you need to be able to answer those threats. There is some consideration to keep in Relic effects to keep Grim Lavamancer down, but it probably isn't worth it. Based off your current decklist I would cut: -1 Relic, -1 Map, -1 Tezz, +1 Trinisphere, +1 Spellskite, +1 Witchbane Orb.
Against Merfolk I try to bring in boardwipes and disruption as they will bring in similar artifact hate that they pack for Affinity. Scariest card from them is Hurkyl's Recall as it can completely undo several turns worth of work and give them the opportunity to swing past a Bridge. Based off your current decklist I would cut:
-1 Chalice, -1 Relic, -1 Map, -2 Welding Jar, +1 Needle (For naming Vial and add back up your artifact count), +1 Damnation, +1 Witchbane ORb (Stops the Recall), +2 Thoughtseize.
You could also slot in Spellskite if you believe they are running Echoing Truth in which case I would trim a Prism.
Against Vizier CoCo I am still trying to figure it out. They have access to white and usually run Stony so I am mindful of that, but they can go off so quickly that it can be a lot of pressure to keep them down, protect your stuff, AND try to progress your board. Herald and Grid are amazing for picking off their little dudes and Needle stops Devoted Druid from using the untap ability.
Against Death's Shadow whether it be UBx or BGx you need to deal with their threats and their graveyard. This is your matchup where your copies of GQ really shine as you can cut them off of mana once the game goes for too long. Just side out the Capsule as it doesn't kill DS, Angler, or Tas. There is some consideration to leave it in for Goyf, but I would suspect you traded it out for Damnation. This is still a matchup I need a bit more practice on because I believe they can attack your deck from so many different angles so there is probably some other cuts that are needed just to stay relevant in the match (Herald?).
Hey guys, saw this random thread while looking at spoilers. I'm so stoked there's a community brewing this deck... I think it's the most exciting and powerful deck I've seen in modern in a long time. Plus I've been trying to force Tez in every format since I first realized the 5/5s lasted forever... like my love for Tez.
Because the deck can do so much you have to decide what you are. Are you control? Aggro? Combo? Playing certain lines can make it feel like all three, and against some decks and depending on which game you're in different lines are appropriate. Overall I'm leaning more toward "here's a combo, can you beat it?" and doing that as fast as possible, with plan B of bridge/Tezzeret smash if needed.
Here's my current build.
// 26 Artifact
4 Thopter Foundry
3 Sword of the Meek
4 Mox Opal
3 Welding Jar
4 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Nihil Spellbomb
4 Pentad Prism
1 Pithing Needle
1 Crucible of Worlds
// 4 Instant
4 Whir of Invention
// 20 Land
4 Polluted Delta
2 Watery Grave
1 Swamp
3 Island
2 Spire of Industry
1 Breeding Pool
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Aether Hub
4 Gemstone Caverns
1 Ghost Quarter
So I'll talk about my addition and then a few slots that seem to be contentious.
GEMSTONE CAVERN - I play tested with one, game one round one drew it on the draw against burn and ran away with the match. I immediately bought 3 more, shoved them in and never looked back (I'm always on the draw now as well). Here's what it glues together for the deck.
- Fixes color to help cast thopter foundry/full prism turn 1 and allows a green splash sideboard which I think is necessary to fight the ubiquitous RIP/Stony universe we live in
- Gives you an extra card turn 1 every game to give you more looks/chances to assemble a combo
- Dumps your hand down absurdly quickly to help get under an ensnaring bridge
Seriously. This card put the deck over the top for me.
MISHRA'S BAUBLE (lack thereof) -
This is a budget call so feel free to disregard. Simply not paying $200 for four narrow uncommons. I think Death's Shadow is going to get nerfed and/or this is getting reprinted in a masters set making it plummet to $1 a piece, so I'll wait to even play test it because I don't want to be tempted.
MOX OPAL -
A must, on by turn two almost always. Sometimes you lunge for tezzeret, get your combo going and desperately need more mana. I can't tell you how many times I've plussed tez PRAYING for an opal. Absolute must 4x to me.
PENTAD PRISM -
So so so busted in this deck. I tested a Shota-y control build for years with talismans. I play talismans in my legacy version. It's a great card. Prism is a lot more important for what this deck does.
Being a gemstone deck you may be thinking "why aren't you just a four chalice build, cut the serums and just brick some match ups by turn 1?" Honestly another budget call. I got rid of my playset I got for $1 a piece when it hit $40 and now I'm crying at the prospect of getting more at $100. Magic is hard on the spirit sometimes. I'm actively trading for them, so this might happen in the near future. Serum is so good that to cut it I'd need at least 2 Chalice for main board.
SIMIAN SPIRIT GUIDE -
Turn 1 combo or Tezzeret? I don't know, seems pretty awesome. If I get more chalices I might just do this, cause who needs pithing needle and nihil spellbombs if you're the FASTEST, DANKEST DECK IN THE FORMAT?
You made it this far. Hello. As for sideboard I think of two major issues.
1) Splash damage from affinity.
Stony/Rip/Grudge/Nature's Claim/Disenchant
the three main welding jars are a nod to a lot of this, and the abrupts/maelstroms more of that idea. As for the dreaded Recall-whos-name-we-shall-not-mention-lest-it-get-played-more (Hurkyl's) I just have nightmares about it and pretend it doesn't exist. Sometimes denial can be an important brewing tool.
2) Unfair land strategies
VALAKUT IS NOT A LEGENDARY LAND??? Cool. YOU CAN CAST A 7 CMC SPELL ON TURN 3 RELIABLY? Cool. TURN 2 THOUGHT KNOT FOLLOWED BY TURN 3 SMASHER? As if colorless mana is a downside in such a huge format? Dope. Super fun, Wizards. Thanks for the cool options and; might I add, the trill interactions.
I just went ham on all this.
2 Ceremonious (Oblivion Stone, Pithing Needle, Ratchet Bomb, Engineered Explosives, Eldrazi, Karn/Ugin, All is Dust, Kozilek's Return, Ballista)
3 Disdainful Stroke (Shatterstorm, Scapeshift, Titan, Karn/Ugin, Eldrazi, Cryptic, Angler/Tasigur, Collected Company, Chord of Calling)
2 Ghost Quarter --- Sometimes even if you stabilize they draw a sea gate wreckage or giant walking ballista, so you have to interact with lands.
To me this is a major problem of the deck. I am excited about quicksilver fountain. Any other archivist-type solutions to this problem are heartily accepted.
TOURNAMENT RESULTSSSSSSSSSS
I have never come close to scrubing out with this deck, and I'll say of all the matches I've played maybe one or two was absolutely hopeless. There is just aren't that many strategies who are ready to deal with this angle of attack. And may people make mistakes just in the deck's foreignness.
I'll try to recall the tournaments I've played with it so far.
Win a box. 4-0
Beat: Burn, Dredge, Goblins, Knightfall
Split the box with what turned out to be scapeshift. Whew!
Caverns is interesting and not having a draw back about going second is pretty sweet but you also now have 3 to 4 strictly cololess sources that don't help the deck at all if they aren't in your opener. And passing priority when u could be Inquisitioning their hand b4 they get to drop their potential 1 drop seems better to me. especially against affinity or Tron
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It's a tough comparison to Sunset Pyramid. The most appealing thing about Pyramid is the lower CMC, but I hate that it costs 2 and only scries 1. I am not sure the card draw is even an advantage; it has been said, card quality matters more than quantity for us, and I'd rather dig more efficiently than draw extra cards. If Crystal Ball ends up being bad, I don't think Pyramid will be any better.
But for those on pulse, what does pulse hit that this deck is worried about - lingering souls tokens? Karn/Ugin? Platinum Emperion? Elesh Norn? The latter two admittedly bother me and had me maindecking an executioners capsule, although at least for norn you could relic/spellbomb if they are reanimating it so there's technically a play to be made. I just hate seeing a single card out and knowing there is nothing I can do or draw that would stop it. Madcap into Emperion is literally unbeatable g1 if you dont run capsule or echoing truth. A resolved Norn is pretty close. Resolved Ugin or Karn you could hit your needle.
But I think all else being equal I'd take the instant speed and cheaper cost of decay over the ability of pulse to hit a few giant threats?
* Esper Draw-Go
* Tezzeret Whir
* Blue Tron
Video link is here:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/154088169
This is the whole event.
Coverage has me versus Blue Jund (my car mate) Starts at 5:18:00
Quarter finals versus Living End starts at 7:17:00
We then split and I went home, but they kept playing for fun on coverage.
2 weird scenarios came up that coverage commented on and I want to defend/discuss.
Game 1 versus Blue Jund my opponent terminates a thopter in response to the sword returning. I choose to sac a mox in response to return again. They thought I didn't know how sword worked because it still comes back, but I do, and I know my opponent didn't confidently know because he's my friend. So by making this play it makes him more hesitant to cut removal if he believes it stops my combo. I already had sword/timeseive/foundry in play so I win when I untap and he can't interact. Of course my minor mindgame play doesn't pay off because a judge explains to us that my sword returns so I didn't need to sac the mox as we go into sideboarding haha.
Also versus living end game 1, I know my opponent found a beast within because she snap put it on top with her architect trigger. I play tezz to look for a welding jar/time seive to win next turn and force her to attack tezz or die to his ult. Coverage at first disagrees with this but I think it is completely correct.
I also really liked the win in game 1 versus living end. Playing around violent outburst doesn't cost me anything, but it's not something everyone would think about.
Any questions on my plays let me know! I am a very methodical player so I constantly am doing math looking for various scrappy ways to win.
I am currently using 2 Abrupt Decay and 1 Maelstrom Pulse. The Pulse is primarily used against Leyline of the Void and Leyline of Sanctity as they can prove to be quite bothersome while Decay isn't capable of taking them out. I have had Living End and Dredge players pack the Void while I have had UWx Control, Storm, and Lantern Control pack Sanctity. The Sanctity isn't as annoying as the Void, but when I cannot ult Tezz and they can keep me from attacking in with 5/5s, I just needed to drop the 3rd Decay for the Pulse.
UBx Tezzeret: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/18-06-17-ub-tezzeret/
I run 2 and 2, which is potentially one too many. I prefer Maelstrom pulse as an answer to hate cards (leylines, stony silence, RIP, night of souls betrayal etc) whatever random stuff someone could play. It is also quite strong versus Chandra/Nahiri to have a clean answer to planeswalkers that doesn't involve making thopters. Pulse also is a great card versus storm to be able to clean up goblins (they normally go to goblin plan post board). Pulse is also a card I'm happy to have versus death shadow as a way to kill gurmag when a bridge is under too much artifact removal pressure.
Decay is much better versus the aggro decks or stony silence based creature decks mostly due to instant speed. It is also better versus affinity/more aggressive decks if you feel you need it.
I like having both to flexibly side based on what I've seen or expect from my opponent. Given the choice I prefer pulse over decay. The 1 mana difference is normally very rare to matter in my experience, but having the wrong answer does matter.
Also, where Decay is at its best, the times where you get a TURN TWO (specifically) Stony Silence dropped on your head and you are gripping onto an Abrupt Decay on top of having an active and full Pentad Prism up seem few and far between, no? Like having our three-card combo up to answer their own occasional T2 answer to us. Talk about hoops!
Most times when SS hits, our strategy becomes dump the hand, Bridge up, and sit back. Which means we're working toward buying time, so the extra mana in Pulse's cost isn't the most relevant. And half our deck already costs two lol, so I really don't mind the extra CMC, most times I'm tapped out on T2 and rightfully so.
Also sometimes you just face multiple Stony Silences, and a single Decay isn't gonna cut it, where Pulse will.
And lastly I think Decay's uncounterable clause isn't that relevant either as we bring in heaps of discard to punch through control deck's countermagic anyways.
These are the reasons I pick Pulse over Decay -- which might totally be wrong, mind you!
Running two feels spot on for me.
OLD SCHOOL 93/94 «The Pain Train» Black Sligh, Esper «Machine Gun» Artifacts, Jund «Psycho» Ponza-Disko.
https://twitter.com/mtg_ianduke/status/879869490942492672
Is this the on-color answer to Stony Silence we've been waiting for??? ^^
OLD SCHOOL 93/94 «The Pain Train» Black Sligh, Esper «Machine Gun» Artifacts, Jund «Psycho» Ponza-Disko.
StonyLeyline looks likeStony silence affects all artifacts, not just your opponents.
1 Breeding Pool
3 Darkslick Shores
1 Flooded Strand
1 Inventors' Fair
2 Island
4 Polluted Delta
4 Spire of Industry
1 Steam Vents
1 Swamp
2 Watery Grave
Quick Whir
4 Mishra's Bauble
3 Mox Opal
3 Pentad Prism
4 Whir of Invention
3 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
1 Time Sieve
2 Sword of the Meek
3 Thopter Foundry
Bullet Pieces
1 Crucible of Worlds
2 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Pithing Needle
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Welding Jar
Not Artifacts
3 Collective Brutality
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Serum Visions
1 Academy Ruins
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Pithing Needle
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Ghirapur Aether Grid
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Flaying Tendrils
1 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
1 Damnation
1 Herald of Anguish
Basically made some modifications to decklists I saw here to better fit my preferences and meta calls.
Round 1 (GW Hatebears): Game 1 he had an explosive start and began to strip away my lands by using Leonin Arbiter. I eventually get to a spot where I can pay the tax and Whir for Sword to begin to take over. He flashes in Restoration Angel to flicker the Cat and I couldn't pay the new search clause (new objects overpowered!). Game 2 We play a long fight and after hate card after hate I eventually get through and allow Tezz to Ult. Game 3 time was called and we never got to finish. Match 1-1-1.
Round 2 (Tainted Remedies): Game 1...This was such a strange matchup and I just played it out. He eventually lands the namesake Tainted Remedy after my hand hate took care of the first one and a Heroes' Reunion. He eventually floods the board with Wall of Shards and looks grim for me. Luckily I had already made a bunch of thopters beforehand and just let Tezz Ult. I dealt 18 damage and I was at 23 life so after the suicide ult I survive Game 1 with 5 life!. Game 2 I had no idea what he could possibly be sideboarding. I just assumed with white mana he was on a Stony/RiP setup, but oh no. He drops those early game and Leyline of Sanctity on turn 0!. I just progress my board as normal and eventually get Tezz at 8 loyalty. I drawe Pulse and proceed to spend the next 2 turns Ulting. Strange deck, but was very clever and entertaining. Match 2-0.
Round 3 (GB Elves): Game 1 we both flood but eventually I get a Bridge down and Inventor's Fair going. Begin to dig for the three piece combo because of Crucible of Worlds recursion and finally win the game. Game 2 I draw the actual nuts and tear apart his hand while also getting a Whir for combo. He just kept drawing his 3+ drops and lost. Revenge for last week! Match 2-0.
Round 4 (Dredge): Now because of my tie I had to play the last round out. Game 1 I just tutor for both Relics and steal the game. Game 2 he is chipping away at me with Narcomoeba and I just can't seem to stop them. Nuke his yard, lay down a Bridge, but I just couldn't empty my hand. I drew Tezz, Whir, Whir, 2nd Bridge. I eventually hit a land pocket (Never thought I wanted that considering my luck) and begin to finally take over. Time is called and he develops a sizable board to block my thopters. My Turn 1 I draw Time Sieve and proceed to take the remaining 4 Turns. Finished the game with an extra turn to spare! Match 2-0.
Night Results: 3-0-1. 1st Place!
Was a very good night. I think I am getting a lot more use to sideboarding for the deck. I think that was what was causing me to trip up these past fews weeks. Looking forward to more testing with the list.
UBx Tezzeret: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/18-06-17-ub-tezzeret/
Keeping an eye out on if @Racing089 is streaming tonight!
OLD SCHOOL 93/94 «The Pain Train» Black Sligh, Esper «Machine Gun» Artifacts, Jund «Psycho» Ponza-Disko.
I was unable to stream tonight :[ I had to go to a birthday dinner for a family member. There will be streaming in our future though!
Sultai Midrange
Anything Innovative
This is what I've been on lately.
4x Whir of Invention
Planeswalker (3)
3x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Artifact (23)
3x Ensnaring Bridge
4x Mishra's Bauble
3x Mox Opal
3x Pentad Prism
1x Pithing Needle
2x Relic of Progenitus
2x Sword of the Meek
3x Thopter Foundry
2x Welding Jar
Sorcery (10)
2x Collective Brutality
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Serum Visions
1x Breeding Pool
3x Darkslick Shores
1x Darksteel Citadel
1x Inventors' Fair
2x Island
4x Polluted Delta
4x Spire of Industry
1x Steam Vents
1x Swamp
2x Watery Grave
2x Abrupt Decay
1x Collective Brutality
1x Damnation
1x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Flaying Tendrils
1x Ghirapur AEther Grid
1x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Herald of Anguish
1x Lost Legacy
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Pithing Needle
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Thoughtseize
1x Trinisphere
I also recently started uploading some games to youtube. Took it through a Modern Friendly League, if people are interested.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClhUsO3yyIvBx2xxn1fR28Q
I plan to keep uploading videos as much as I can, mostly Tezzerator probably. Though I've got a baby at home, so a match every couple days it's usually all I can do anymore.
I think I've been really happy with the list. I think mostly I'm going to be looking at some changes in the board. I think I'm gonna swap 1 decay to a pulse. I've been loving the Aether Grid. I think I'm going to ditch Herald, never really use it. I think I might also swap the Citadel for an Academy Ruins.
Looks like my list with a fixed sideboard! :]
I'd recommend maybe switching the Darksteel Citadel out for something that produces color. Probably a Darkslick Shores in your list. It hasn't enabled Mox Opal as often as I had hoped and I never Whir for it. I'll be curious to see how your sideboard tech works out. If all goes well I'll probably try some if it. I know I wanted to include an extra Pithing Needle in the board for the tron match up. So that might be worth considering. Best of luck!
Sultai Midrange
Anything Innovative
The 2nd Pithing Needle is great. I'd never want less than 2 in the 75 I think. I also bring it in vs affinity so I can name both ravage and plating to really shut them down, etc.
I think I might ditch the canonist too. Canonist and trinisphere is probably overkill vs storm, and I think I find trinisphere more flexible (seems reasonable vs burn for example)
As for sideboarding. Pithing Needle, Relics, Welding Jars, and Tezzeret are usually the cards I look to taking out first. If it's a matchup like burn, I can easily cut needles and relics, and usually shave down on Tezzeret since the thopter sword combo is so good there and Tezz is slow. Other matchups where all those are important I sometimes cut a Thopter Foundry, especially against stony silence, baubles, pentad prisms.
What matchups do people bring Herald in against? Grindy ones? Maybe I just haven't played the right matchup for him, but I rarely board him in, and the few times I've actually played him he's been unimpressive to me.
Against Burn I try to trim the excess cards and bring in cards that will lock them out of the game. Eidolon of the Great Revel is the scariest card in the matchup (followed by Harsh Mentor if they have it in the 75), so you need to be able to answer those threats. There is some consideration to keep in Relic effects to keep Grim Lavamancer down, but it probably isn't worth it. Based off your current decklist I would cut: -1 Relic, -1 Map, -1 Tezz, +1 Trinisphere, +1 Spellskite, +1 Witchbane Orb.
Against Merfolk I try to bring in boardwipes and disruption as they will bring in similar artifact hate that they pack for Affinity. Scariest card from them is Hurkyl's Recall as it can completely undo several turns worth of work and give them the opportunity to swing past a Bridge. Based off your current decklist I would cut:
-1 Chalice, -1 Relic, -1 Map, -2 Welding Jar, +1 Needle (For naming Vial and add back up your artifact count), +1 Damnation, +1 Witchbane ORb (Stops the Recall), +2 Thoughtseize.
You could also slot in Spellskite if you believe they are running Echoing Truth in which case I would trim a Prism.
Against Vizier CoCo I am still trying to figure it out. They have access to white and usually run Stony so I am mindful of that, but they can go off so quickly that it can be a lot of pressure to keep them down, protect your stuff, AND try to progress your board. Herald and Grid are amazing for picking off their little dudes and Needle stops Devoted Druid from using the untap ability.
Against Death's Shadow whether it be UBx or BGx you need to deal with their threats and their graveyard. This is your matchup where your copies of GQ really shine as you can cut them off of mana once the game goes for too long. Just side out the Capsule as it doesn't kill DS, Angler, or Tas. There is some consideration to leave it in for Goyf, but I would suspect you traded it out for Damnation. This is still a matchup I need a bit more practice on because I believe they can attack your deck from so many different angles so there is probably some other cuts that are needed just to stay relevant in the match (Herald?).
Hope this helped.
UBx Tezzeret: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/18-06-17-ub-tezzeret/
Because the deck can do so much you have to decide what you are. Are you control? Aggro? Combo? Playing certain lines can make it feel like all three, and against some decks and depending on which game you're in different lines are appropriate. Overall I'm leaning more toward "here's a combo, can you beat it?" and doing that as fast as possible, with plan B of bridge/Tezzeret smash if needed.
Here's my current build.
// 26 Artifact
4 Thopter Foundry
3 Sword of the Meek
4 Mox Opal
3 Welding Jar
4 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Nihil Spellbomb
4 Pentad Prism
1 Pithing Needle
1 Crucible of Worlds
// 4 Instant
4 Whir of Invention
// 20 Land
4 Polluted Delta
2 Watery Grave
1 Swamp
3 Island
2 Spire of Industry
1 Breeding Pool
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Aether Hub
4 Gemstone Caverns
1 Ghost Quarter
// 4 Planeswalker
4 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
// 6 Sorcery
3 Serum Visions
2 Collective Brutality
1 Damnation
// 15 Sideboard
// 3 Artifact
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 1 Chalice of the Void
SB: 1 Trading Post
// 8 Instant
SB: 3 Abrupt Decay
SB: 3 Disdainful Stroke
SB: 2 Ceremonious Rejection
// 2 Land
SB: 2 Ghost Quarter
// 2 Sorcery
SB: 1 Maelstrom Pulse
SB: 1 Flaying Tendrils
So I'll talk about my addition and then a few slots that seem to be contentious.
GEMSTONE CAVERN - I play tested with one, game one round one drew it on the draw against burn and ran away with the match. I immediately bought 3 more, shoved them in and never looked back (I'm always on the draw now as well). Here's what it glues together for the deck.
- Fixes color to help cast thopter foundry/full prism turn 1 and allows a green splash sideboard which I think is necessary to fight the ubiquitous RIP/Stony universe we live in
- Gives you an extra card turn 1 every game to give you more looks/chances to assemble a combo
- Dumps your hand down absurdly quickly to help get under an ensnaring bridge
Seriously. This card put the deck over the top for me.
MISHRA'S BAUBLE (lack thereof) -
This is a budget call so feel free to disregard. Simply not paying $200 for four narrow uncommons. I think Death's Shadow is going to get nerfed and/or this is getting reprinted in a masters set making it plummet to $1 a piece, so I'll wait to even play test it because I don't want to be tempted.
MOX OPAL -
A must, on by turn two almost always. Sometimes you lunge for tezzeret, get your combo going and desperately need more mana. I can't tell you how many times I've plussed tez PRAYING for an opal. Absolute must 4x to me.
PENTAD PRISM -
So so so busted in this deck. I tested a Shota-y control build for years with talismans. I play talismans in my legacy version. It's a great card. Prism is a lot more important for what this deck does.
///////////////////////////////////Maindeck omissions///////////////////////////////////////////////
CHALICE OF THE VOID -
Being a gemstone deck you may be thinking "why aren't you just a four chalice build, cut the serums and just brick some match ups by turn 1?" Honestly another budget call. I got rid of my playset I got for $1 a piece when it hit $40 and now I'm crying at the prospect of getting more at $100. Magic is hard on the spirit sometimes. I'm actively trading for them, so this might happen in the near future. Serum is so good that to cut it I'd need at least 2 Chalice for main board.
SIMIAN SPIRIT GUIDE -
Turn 1 combo or Tezzeret? I don't know, seems pretty awesome. If I get more chalices I might just do this, cause who needs pithing needle and nihil spellbombs if you're the FASTEST, DANKEST DECK IN THE FORMAT?
Let me know if anything else if fishy to you.
/////////////////////////////SIDEBOARD CHAT/////////////////////////////////////////////
You made it this far. Hello. As for sideboard I think of two major issues.
1) Splash damage from affinity.
Stony/Rip/Grudge/Nature's Claim/Disenchant
the three main welding jars are a nod to a lot of this, and the abrupts/maelstroms more of that idea. As for the dreaded Recall-whos-name-we-shall-not-mention-lest-it-get-played-more (Hurkyl's) I just have nightmares about it and pretend it doesn't exist. Sometimes denial can be an important brewing tool.
2) Unfair land strategies
VALAKUT IS NOT A LEGENDARY LAND??? Cool. YOU CAN CAST A 7 CMC SPELL ON TURN 3 RELIABLY? Cool. TURN 2 THOUGHT KNOT FOLLOWED BY TURN 3 SMASHER? As if colorless mana is a downside in such a huge format? Dope. Super fun, Wizards. Thanks for the cool options and; might I add, the trill interactions.
I just went ham on all this.
2 Ceremonious (Oblivion Stone, Pithing Needle, Ratchet Bomb, Engineered Explosives, Eldrazi, Karn/Ugin, All is Dust, Kozilek's Return, Ballista)
3 Disdainful Stroke (Shatterstorm, Scapeshift, Titan, Karn/Ugin, Eldrazi, Cryptic, Angler/Tasigur, Collected Company, Chord of Calling)
2 Ghost Quarter --- Sometimes even if you stabilize they draw a sea gate wreckage or giant walking ballista, so you have to interact with lands.
To me this is a major problem of the deck. I am excited about quicksilver fountain. Any other archivist-type solutions to this problem are heartily accepted.
TOURNAMENT RESULTSSSSSSSSSS
I have never come close to scrubing out with this deck, and I'll say of all the matches I've played maybe one or two was absolutely hopeless. There is just aren't that many strategies who are ready to deal with this angle of attack. And may people make mistakes just in the deck's foreignness.
I'll try to recall the tournaments I've played with it so far.
Win a box. 4-0
Beat: Burn, Dredge, Goblins, Knightfall
Split the box with what turned out to be scapeshift. Whew!
Beat: Jund Shadow, Grixis Shadow, Knightfall, Naya creature/burn
FNM #1 3-0
Beat: Dredge, Spirits, BW Tax Bears
FNM #2 2-1
Beat: Esper Shadow, Ad Nauseum
Lost: GR Tron, kinda ugly
5k Open 4-2
Beat: Jeskai control, Jund, RW Prison, Grixis Shadow
Lost: Eldra Tron, Eldra Tron (first one because I named stupid stuff with needle, second because he was a maniac who played Ugin over Karn)
FNM #3 2-1
Beat: Burn, Elves
Lost: Abzan infinite (named the wrong thing with needle, quasali pridemage instead of devoted druid. Whoops. Lesson learned.)
I'll probably schlep this to more tournaments soon and will update. Any questions or thoughts welcome. Thanks guys!