What are some non-intuitive lines for the deck, or is it fairly straightforward to pilot? What cards do you often prioritize casting first against which decks, what do you often want to mulligan to in bad matchups. What sort of sideboard options do we have and why do you choose certain ones over others? i.e playing molten rain over fulminator mage, or surgical extraction over nihil spellbomb.
Is there a common sideboard tech/rule to run for an unknown metagame such as an FNM at a LGS?
Like how many gy hate slots (and type)
How many artifacts hate slots
And so on...
My main deck list is pretty classic (won’t post it now for iPhone issues)
For the flex spots of the deck I chose to run 2 manamorphose, 1 dreadbore, 1 terminate, 2 CB, 2 Pushes, 2 k-command, 1 Lili the last hope.
As a general rule, run 1-2 Wear//Tear, 3-4 GY Hate slots, some ways to deal with small creatures (EE, Anger) and usually some grindy cards like Liliana, the Last Hope or Liliana of the Veil. I also do recommend running 1 Hazoret as additional non-gy based threat. If you expect some Tron, then also run 1-2 Goblin Rabblemaster as additional speed. I also recommend running 3 BM in the 75 right now. These could all be maindeck, or some split like 2 maindeck and the third sb. Also, always play 3-4 CB in your 75. Kambal is also a decent option, and I like 1 copy in the SB right now.
To summarize, I would go with something like this (assuming you run 2 BM maindeck)
What are some non-intuitive lines for the deck, or is it fairly straightforward to pilot? What cards do you often prioritize casting first against which decks, what do you often want to mulligan to in bad matchups. What sort of sideboard options do we have and why do you choose certain ones over others? i.e playing molten rain over fulminator mage, or surgical extraction over nihil spellbomb.
If you keep a 1 land hand and have Looting and discard in hand, always, always play discard first. You can easily loot next turn to find your second land. Also don't be afraid to bin your Revelers early in the game, as you can usually recurr them later through KCommand. I personally don't mulligan any hand that contains at least one land and a looting in it. You have to understand that Looting is the best card in the deck. Every game is soo much easier to win if you have Lootings involved. And usually, if you don't have Looting, its the best topdeck besides Reveler. And for this reason, don't play out your excess lands. Keep unwanted cards (like useless BM for example) in your hand in case if you topdeck a looting. This is the most important aspect.
As for sideboard options, I like mixed solutions. But in general, I am not a fan of Fulminator or Molten Rain right now, I like BM much better. As for surgical and spellbomb, I would run both, like a mix of 2-3 SPellbombs and 1 Surgical.
Is there an optimal line or strategy behind Liliana, the Last Hope? I've never actually played the card in any format, so I'm not sure what her role is or what kind of expectations to set.
I personally like some mass- and/or hardremoval in the sideboar to beat some reality smashers or green stompy stuff. I'm also a fan of Kambal cause he is bonkers against burn and storm (and crazy stuff like egg-decks)
Is there an optimal line or strategy behind Liliana, the Last Hope? I've never actually played the card in any format, so I'm not sure what her role is or what kind of expectations to set.
She is synergistic with our deck in that she functions as spot removal or as a way to dig for a threat or dump more cards into the yard for a Reveler. Her ultimate is pretty much game ending.
She shines in attrition matchups and against small creature decks. Liliana of the Veil is still better against control.
Also it's important to remember that you can tick her up without a target.
So last night I played almost the exact 75 from the SCG just to test it. The ensnaring bridges were great. I only played 2 of them though and instead of the 3rd bridge, I played an Olivia Voldaren and she was abo****ely amazing against the small creature decks. I loved have a mana sink that didn't require me to do anything on my turn. I felt smoother to be able to flashback Faithless Lootings with a couple of more options in hand. Olivia allowed me to stack a couple of cards in my hand before flashing it back.
That being said, She is quite large but felt really good compared to Hazoret the Fervent. I think I would probably look to replace something else in the board to fit her in. Probably Kambal as a 2 of rather than 3 of. Not exactly sure yet.
Presumably because he thought he was going to see a lot of storm. I think 2 is fine but 3 was an unnecessarily large amount. I want to cut 1 for Olivia though. She seemed super sweet last night. I had an opponent cast a Hazoret against me and I was able to steal it from him. She's also just good as a creature that nukes a bunch of small creature decks.
In the fb group he said its also for additional clock against Tron plus its good vs Lantern and KCI. But I am still not thinking we need 3. 2 is max for me.
I want to say I'd keep this but I'm not sure. Against an aggro deck, you have the bolt + Mountain to stop their turn 1 play and kind of hide the fact that you're Mardu for a couple of turns. However, this hand needs a lot of help.
If you're playing against control, this hand looks like a pretty easy keep. Thoughtseize is a fine card to have to cast later.
If you're playing against combo, this hand is just the worst.
I think in the dark though, I'm probably gonna mull this one. I think we can do better at 6.
Easily a mulligan. Your best move against an unknown opponent is to turn 1 Thoughtseize/IoK and you have no way to cast the one in hand. Additionally, the hand is very clunky.
Mull, that hand can only cast a single bolt before relying on the top of your deck to provide. Would be closer if the foundry was a fetch, would be an acceptable keep if bedlam reveler or kommand was a faithless looting.
I played a 50-person tournament this weekend with the Ensnaring Bridge sideboard. It was my first time playing the deck, and it felt great!
The rounds were:
1. Burn. Won. 1-0
2. Burn. Lost. 1-1 (they had a god hand)
3. Humans. Won. 2-1
4. Jeskai Control. Lost 2-2 (only one was a real game, they others were decided by mana screw).
5. Bant Company. Won 3-2
6. Jeskai Control. Won 4-2
Enough to get me 12th place and still get a tiny prize.
The lost against burn felt like it was inevitable. They had great hands and I wasn't able to do much about it (even with 4 Brutalities). The round against Jeskai was definitely winnable.
Overall the deck was great. Looking forward to playing it more.
Hi,
GBx player here, which i love and will keep playing, though this deck seems like so much so i want take it for a spin.
Mainboard seems pretty much the same overall, except for some player playing blood moon main or not.
Got a Couple of Questions:
Why does the deck have 2 mainboard mountains? Just to make some fetches more painless?
I saw very little SB against aggro, except for some having Ensnaring Bridge, but wouldn't Grim lavamancer and Kalitas be really good here?
Against what do you board in Kambal? Storm seems obvious. Against every Midrange and Control deck?
{*] As for grave hate i see mostly Leylines. Why is this chosen over Nihil Spellbomb for example?
The mountains are needed to support a painless manabase, yes. Burn is a matchup which can be dicey and red is the most important colour in the deck, so you want mountains. Black is supported enough.
Ensnaring Bridge is not a typical card to run in Mardu. It only saw play now due to the win of Arthur which played 3 copies of it the first time. It was there to hedge against Bogles. Typically, you see 2 EE and 1 Anger in that spot as aggro hate. We also play a number of LtLH as well.
Kalitas is an option to run, but keep in mind that this deck has a very good aggro matchup in the first place, so its questionbale whether you want that extra commitment or not.
Kambal can be boarded in against any deck running a lot of noncreature spells, and as an extra threat in general if you expect much GY hate.
Leylines are not a must have, there are plently of people running a combination of Surgical and Spellbomb as well.
Hi,
GBx player here, which i love and will keep playing, though this deck seems like so much so i want take it for a spin.
Mainboard seems pretty much the same overall, except for some player playing blood moon main or not.
Got a Couple of Questions:
Why does the deck have 2 mainboard mountains? Just to make some fetches more painless?
I saw very little SB against aggro, except for some having Ensnaring Bridge, but wouldn't Grim lavamancer and Kalitas be really good here?
Against what do you board in Kambal? Storm seems obvious. Against every Midrange and Control deck?
As for grave hate i see mostly Leylines. Why is this chosen over Nihil Spellbomb for example?
1) Like Flying Delver said, yes this is for more painless mana base
2) I have fallen in love with Ensnaring Bridge since I started using it. I am also messing around with Olivia to hedge against some of the other Mardu lists. I have her as a 1 of in my board and she has been a house so far.
3) Kambal seems to only come in against storm, burn and sometimes I bring him in against control. It really depends on their build. If it's UW, he's probably decent. If it's Jeskai, he's probably poor.
4) I stay away from Leyline. I think the card is particularly awful in the deck. It doesn't fit the deck. On the other hand, it is probably the most effective/efficient GY hate for this deck. I use Surgical. I also have a singleton Anger (though technically not "GY Hate") in the board as well because there's still some Dredge players lingering around out there at my LGS.
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GW Death and Taxes WG
As a general rule, run 1-2 Wear//Tear, 3-4 GY Hate slots, some ways to deal with small creatures (EE, Anger) and usually some grindy cards like Liliana, the Last Hope or Liliana of the Veil. I also do recommend running 1 Hazoret as additional non-gy based threat. If you expect some Tron, then also run 1-2 Goblin Rabblemaster as additional speed. I also recommend running 3 BM in the 75 right now. These could all be maindeck, or some split like 2 maindeck and the third sb. Also, always play 3-4 CB in your 75. Kambal is also a decent option, and I like 1 copy in the SB right now.
To summarize, I would go with something like this (assuming you run 2 BM maindeck)
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Blood Moon
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Liliana of the Veil
2 Wear // Tear
1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
1 Collective Brutality
1 Hazoret the Fervent
If you keep a 1 land hand and have Looting and discard in hand, always, always play discard first. You can easily loot next turn to find your second land. Also don't be afraid to bin your Revelers early in the game, as you can usually recurr them later through KCommand. I personally don't mulligan any hand that contains at least one land and a looting in it. You have to understand that Looting is the best card in the deck. Every game is soo much easier to win if you have Lootings involved. And usually, if you don't have Looting, its the best topdeck besides Reveler. And for this reason, don't play out your excess lands. Keep unwanted cards (like useless BM for example) in your hand in case if you topdeck a looting. This is the most important aspect.
As for sideboard options, I like mixed solutions. But in general, I am not a fan of Fulminator or Molten Rain right now, I like BM much better. As for surgical and spellbomb, I would run both, like a mix of 2-3 SPellbombs and 1 Surgical.
She is synergistic with our deck in that she functions as spot removal or as a way to dig for a threat or dump more cards into the yard for a Reveler. Her ultimate is pretty much game ending.
She shines in attrition matchups and against small creature decks. Liliana of the Veil is still better against control.
Also it's important to remember that you can tick her up without a target.
That being said, She is quite large but felt really good compared to Hazoret the Fervent. I think I would probably look to replace something else in the board to fit her in. Probably Kambal as a 2 of rather than 3 of. Not exactly sure yet.
If you're playing against control, this hand looks like a pretty easy keep. Thoughtseize is a fine card to have to cast later.
If you're playing against combo, this hand is just the worst.
I think in the dark though, I'm probably gonna mull this one. I think we can do better at 6.
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
The rounds were:
1. Burn. Won. 1-0
2. Burn. Lost. 1-1 (they had a god hand)
3. Humans. Won. 2-1
4. Jeskai Control. Lost 2-2 (only one was a real game, they others were decided by mana screw).
5. Bant Company. Won 3-2
6. Jeskai Control. Won 4-2
Enough to get me 12th place and still get a tiny prize.
The lost against burn felt like it was inevitable. They had great hands and I wasn't able to do much about it (even with 4 Brutalities). The round against Jeskai was definitely winnable.
Overall the deck was great. Looking forward to playing it more.
The mountains are needed to support a painless manabase, yes. Burn is a matchup which can be dicey and red is the most important colour in the deck, so you want mountains. Black is supported enough.
Ensnaring Bridge is not a typical card to run in Mardu. It only saw play now due to the win of Arthur which played 3 copies of it the first time. It was there to hedge against Bogles. Typically, you see 2 EE and 1 Anger in that spot as aggro hate. We also play a number of LtLH as well.
Kalitas is an option to run, but keep in mind that this deck has a very good aggro matchup in the first place, so its questionbale whether you want that extra commitment or not.
Kambal can be boarded in against any deck running a lot of noncreature spells, and as an extra threat in general if you expect much GY hate.
Leylines are not a must have, there are plently of people running a combination of Surgical and Spellbomb as well.
1) Like Flying Delver said, yes this is for more painless mana base
2) I have fallen in love with Ensnaring Bridge since I started using it. I am also messing around with Olivia to hedge against some of the other Mardu lists. I have her as a 1 of in my board and she has been a house so far.
3) Kambal seems to only come in against storm, burn and sometimes I bring him in against control. It really depends on their build. If it's UW, he's probably decent. If it's Jeskai, he's probably poor.
4) I stay away from Leyline. I think the card is particularly awful in the deck. It doesn't fit the deck. On the other hand, it is probably the most effective/efficient GY hate for this deck. I use Surgical. I also have a singleton Anger (though technically not "GY Hate") in the board as well because there's still some Dredge players lingering around out there at my LGS.