I finally picked up a playset of Vials, so now I've only got the specialty lands left to pick up for Merfolk. Which would you prioritize first - a playset of Mutavaults or 2x Caverns?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Old-school MTG player... I like to come back to play in Prerelease/Release Limited events since everyone is back on an even playing field with new game mechanics!
We don't need more pump. We already have more muscle than decks comparable to us. The thing we need is more disruption.
@Iceweasel: Definitely the Mutavaults. This deck is perfectly functional with 0 Caverns. You'll give up a few points to control decks, but it's not an urgent need.
Weaver felt great and really shined against the matchups I played, in fact it was the card I most wanted to see past Spreading Seas + Lord combo. Also, Spell Pierce seems really well positioned at the moment vs. various midrange, combo, and big mana decks.
I agree with Rothgar that we don't need bigger dudes, we need more disruption. The 11-12 Lords we play provide all the muscle we need, just need more interaction, hence why I think Weaver is a staple in certain metagames, a 2/2 that is often a 3/3 or 4/4 that clears the way for attacks or helps us win the race.
Game 1 (draw): A Vault Skirge swing with Plating gives the opponent just enough life to survive my Lord-fueled crackback. Master of Waves is one turn too late, as he often tends to be in this matchup.
Game 3 (draw): My opponent and I trade resources early (my Dismember for their Vault Skirge, their Galvanic Blasts for 2 of my Lords), but I am able to hold up double Rejection while slowly outdoing them on the ground, which comes in handy when they attempt to cast Steel Overseer and Arcbound Ravager in the same turn. Their board state of manlands and an Ornithopter is no match for mine, and I wrap up the match.
Game 1 (play): A Lord-spam hand with Seas makes short work of them. The opponent has a Forked Bolt to remove the first Lord, but has no answer to the following 3.
Game 2 (draw): My opponent opens on a Noble Hierarch (?), which I Dismember. This stunts their development for long enough for me to get my forces untracked, at which point their Matter Reshapers and Thought-Knot Seers found themselves woefully outclassed. Easy win.
Game 1 (play): My opponent opens with basic land into discard spell, which makes me think they're on some sort of BGx deck. That notion quickly fades when they slam a T3 Ensnaring Bridge. I spam Lords and hit their life total down low, and they use a Collective Brutality to try and empty their hand. However, they do not quite get enough cards out to prevent a swarm of Master of Waves tokens from killing them off.
Game 2 (draw): My opponent is able to stick a T3 Bridge and empty their hand using Liliana of the Veil, which leaves me in topdeck mode hoping to find an Echoing Truth to bounce the Bridge and dispatch the Liliana (and a follow-up Chandra). I do not, but I also noticed that they have creatures for the first time. This leads me to alter my sideboarding plan.
Game 3 (play): I start hot with Vial into Silvergill and Cursecatcher, followed by Reejerey and another Silvergill. My opponent attempts to waylay me using Pack Rat, but an Echoing Truth clears the tokens, and the ensuing swing knocks their life total too low for them to come back.
Game 1 (play): My opponent has the typical Titanshift start (T1 Search, T2 ramp spell, T3 ramp spell), but I manage to find Silvergill into Reejerey into 2nd Reejerey, vomit out my hand, and smack them for lethal before any Titan-related silliness occurs.
Game 2 (draw): My opponent keeps a questionable 6 (only 2 lands, and both are Mountains) and proceeds to miss their 3rd land drop. This gives me the ability to surge ahead on tempo, and not even an Anger of the Gods was quite enough to get them back in the game.
Game 1 (play): Kind of a non-game. My opponent failed to find a 3rd land, and Kopala robbed them of the ability to interact with my board. Smooth sailing.
Game 2 (draw): My Vials allow me to hold countermagic up while developing my board, and my opponent eventually succumbs to double Master of Waves + a Mutavault.
It goes without saying that I was running hot - I never had to send back a 7 this league (though Merfolk mulligans less than most decks), and I was able to beat 2 matchups that I would not consider favorable in Titanshift and Affinity. However, I feel that this 75 gives me a decent chance to do so, and I would highly recommend it going forward.
Kopala all the way. My winrate is notably higher with him, and I have enough matches under my belt to make that determination with confidence. I've been very pleased with the card.
Prerelease is in 2 weeks and Wizards are starting articles in a week.
It will be a really crumped spoiler season and I wonder why we got nothing 2 days ago (their first Damnation spoiler years ago was pure success).
We know we are getting some fish and mostly Merfolk Lord among them.
I am thinking about something like this:
Yet Another Lord 2U
Oher +1/+1
ETB Unsummon
Flash +2 on mana
2/2
Now we know our Lord is (expectedly) called Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca.
But that would mean that Lord is Legendary and we are probably not playing all four.
Maybe it is to powerful to have several on the battlefield.
Fun times ahead.
in the story kumena embodies the most G aspect of Ixalan's merfolk, so we can expect a green card (or green-blue), with a more aggressive approach than kopala, or tishana.
The fact he's a tyrant makes me think he's either summoning minions to defend is power or (more likely) having some aggressive attitude in order to get rid of who stands in his way. In the story he doesn't seem the guy who avoids conflict, so i wouldn't expect forestwalk to be a thing)
explore and fight?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Deck(s): TappedOut Would love to have more input to improve!
Having access to a good fight mechanic would be a big plus to Tropical Fish, given that Dismember tends to be harder there. Probably too much to hope for that in Basic Fish; that would be absurd.
Curious what folks' here that are on the Tropical Train feel about possibly running Beast Within as our premier removal spell. Doesn't hurt to cast, deals with everything, minor drawback. I haven't tried it yet but have been looking for a good Dismember replacement. Fetch/shock + phyrexian mana don't mix well.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks Standard : WB Orzhov Vampires BWGUB Sultai Constrictor BUG Brawl : GB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons BG Modern : GB Golgari Elves BGGR Atarka Goblins RG Pauper : W Heroic WGB Delve BG
You know, I wonder why Pongify and Rapid Hybridization were mostly shot down by the top Merfolk players. They seem good, especially with MD Harbingers. There are also a number of problems that they can remove but Dismember cannot (Wurmcoil Engine, Primeval Titan, and a big Death's Shadow or late-game Tarmogoyf come to mind).
@Iceweasel: Definitely the Mutavaults. This deck is perfectly functional with 0 Caverns. You'll give up a few points to control decks, but it's not an urgent need.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Weaver felt great and really shined against the matchups I played, in fact it was the card I most wanted to see past Spreading Seas + Lord combo. Also, Spell Pierce seems really well positioned at the moment vs. various midrange, combo, and big mana decks.
I agree with Rothgar that we don't need bigger dudes, we need more disruption. The 11-12 Lords we play provide all the muscle we need, just need more interaction, hence why I think Weaver is a staple in certain metagames, a 2/2 that is often a 3/3 or 4/4 that clears the way for attacks or helps us win the race.
List here.
Matchups Faced:
Affinity (2-1)
Game 1 (draw): A Vault Skirge swing with Plating gives the opponent just enough life to survive my Lord-fueled crackback. Master of Waves is one turn too late, as he often tends to be in this matchup.
Game 2 (play): I start fast with Cursecatcher into double Lord, and a Ceremonious Rejection on their Cranial Plating along with Reejerey + Echoing Truth allow me to outmuscle their Steel Overseer hand.
Game 3 (draw): My opponent and I trade resources early (my Dismember for their Vault Skirge, their Galvanic Blasts for 2 of my Lords), but I am able to hold up double Rejection while slowly outdoing them on the ground, which comes in handy when they attempt to cast Steel Overseer and Arcbound Ravager in the same turn. Their board state of manlands and an Ornithopter is no match for mine, and I wrap up the match.
Sideboarding: +3 Ceremonious Rejection, +2 Echoing Truth, -1 Cursecatcher, -4 Master of Waves
RG Eldrazi (2-0)
Game 1 (play): A Lord-spam hand with Seas makes short work of them. The opponent has a Forked Bolt to remove the first Lord, but has no answer to the following 3.
Game 2 (draw): My opponent opens on a Noble Hierarch (?), which I Dismember. This stunts their development for long enough for me to get my forces untracked, at which point their Matter Reshapers and Thought-Knot Seers found themselves woefully outclassed. Easy win.
Sideboarding: +3 Ceremonious Rejection, +2 Echoing Truth, -4 Cursecatcher, -1 Master of Waves
BR Prison (2-1)
Game 1 (play): My opponent opens with basic land into discard spell, which makes me think they're on some sort of BGx deck. That notion quickly fades when they slam a T3 Ensnaring Bridge. I spam Lords and hit their life total down low, and they use a Collective Brutality to try and empty their hand. However, they do not quite get enough cards out to prevent a swarm of Master of Waves tokens from killing them off.
Game 2 (draw): My opponent is able to stick a T3 Bridge and empty their hand using Liliana of the Veil, which leaves me in topdeck mode hoping to find an Echoing Truth to bounce the Bridge and dispatch the Liliana (and a follow-up Chandra). I do not, but I also noticed that they have creatures for the first time. This leads me to alter my sideboarding plan.
Game 3 (play): I start hot with Vial into Silvergill and Cursecatcher, followed by Reejerey and another Silvergill. My opponent attempts to waylay me using Pack Rat, but an Echoing Truth clears the tokens, and the ensuing swing knocks their life total too low for them to come back.
Sideboarding: +3 Ceremonious Rejection, +2 Echoing Truth, +4 Negate, -1 Cursecatcher, -4 Harbinger of the Tides, -4 Spreading Seas
Titanshift (2-0)
Game 1 (play): My opponent has the typical Titanshift start (T1 Search, T2 ramp spell, T3 ramp spell), but I manage to find Silvergill into Reejerey into 2nd Reejerey, vomit out my hand, and smack them for lethal before any Titan-related silliness occurs.
Game 2 (draw): My opponent keeps a questionable 6 (only 2 lands, and both are Mountains) and proceeds to miss their 3rd land drop. This gives me the ability to surge ahead on tempo, and not even an Anger of the Gods was quite enough to get them back in the game.
Sideboarding: +2 Dispel, +2 Echoing Truth, +4 Negate, -2 Dismember, -2 Kopala, Warden of Waves, -4 Harbinger of the Tides
UR Breach (2-0)
Game 1 (play): Kind of a non-game. My opponent failed to find a 3rd land, and Kopala robbed them of the ability to interact with my board. Smooth sailing.
Game 2 (draw): My Vials allow me to hold countermagic up while developing my board, and my opponent eventually succumbs to double Master of Waves + a Mutavault.
Sideboarding: +2 Dispel, +4 Negate, +4 Relic of Progenitus, -2 Dismember, -4 Harbinger of the Tides, -4 Spreading Seas
Notes and Observations:
It goes without saying that I was running hot - I never had to send back a 7 this league (though Merfolk mulligans less than most decks), and I was able to beat 2 matchups that I would not consider favorable in Titanshift and Affinity. However, I feel that this 75 gives me a decent chance to do so, and I would highly recommend it going forward.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
One question. How are you feeling about Kopala vs Kira at this stage?
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
It will be a really crumped spoiler season and I wonder why we got nothing 2 days ago (their first Damnation spoiler years ago was pure success).
We know we are getting some fish and mostly Merfolk Lord among them.
I am thinking about something like this:
Yet Another Lord 2U
Oher +1/+1
ETB Unsummon
Flash +2 on mana
2/2
Waiting is so annoying.
TappedOut
Would love to have more input to improve!
Current Decks
Standard : WB Orzhov Vampires BW GUB Sultai Constrictor BUG
Brawl : GB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons BG
Modern : GB Golgari Elves BG GR Atarka Goblins RG
Pauper : W Heroic W GB Delve BG
Considering Ixalan's fish tends to care more about +1/+1 counters, that's probably what's coming out.
EDIT: I just thought about it, I would like to see an Echoing Truth on a 3CMC creature.
Standard: BG Golgari Midrange
Modern: U Merfolk GWUBR 5 Color Humans UBW Esper Gifts GW Bogles
U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
Current Decks
Standard : WB Orzhov Vampires BW GUB Sultai Constrictor BUG
Brawl : GB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons BG
Modern : GB Golgari Elves BG GR Atarka Goblins RG
Pauper : W Heroic W GB Delve BG
GHardened Steel
WUBRG Slivers
U Merfolk
Legacy
G Hardened Steel
GUWB Counter Slivers
UMerfolk
CG Eldrazi
Commander
WUB Sydri, Galvanic Genius
WUBRGSliver Overlord
But that would mean that Lord is Legendary and we are probably not playing all four.
Maybe it is to powerful to have several on the battlefield.
Fun times ahead.
explore and fight?
TappedOut
Would love to have more input to improve!
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Current Decks
Standard : WB Orzhov Vampires BW GUB Sultai Constrictor BUG
Brawl : GB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons BG
Modern : GB Golgari Elves BG GR Atarka Goblins RG
Pauper : W Heroic W GB Delve BG
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB