Every matchup? I feel that it is way too slow in Burn, with twin we have the ability to kill their combo or not, affinty we just kill their creatures, merfolk is a toss up if they get more lords than our kill spells (or if they draw speading seas). For each of these matchups pack rats just seems too slow.
I almost always side pack rat out, am I just crazy or do other people do this?
What matchups are you having trouble in? What are you siding in? Twin and Affinity are generally good matchups. With the addition of Shambling Vent, Burn ranges from close to favorable if you're willing to devote sideboard space. Merfolk is definitely tough but I can't think of a two drop creature that would change it much. If I had to play against Merfolk a lot, I'd make sure Engineered Explosives or Damnation was in my sideboard and maybe even something like Ghostly Prison.
Spellskite and Shadow of Doubt are probably the weirdest things about this deck. Each maintains a high floor against the field and can be a true hoser in certain situations due to its unique disruptive effect. I like to play a controlling style so I will put cards like that in the main if I think they are good enough against the average opponent. Definitely among the most flexible slots in the deck.
That is an interesting direction to take the deck. I like it. Wish we could play a few matches head-to-head to see how our approaches play out. The Shambling Vent/Elspeth, Knight-Errant interaction does look very good. What are your win-cons?
How is pack rat working out for you? For me it is always in a weird spot, I either go all in on turn 2 if I see their hand turn one or I wait until turn 5. Most of the times I cast it I feel like I could win just with a different 2 drop. Plus you pretty much have to run mutavault with pack rat. With all of the other colorless lands we run it can lead to some very bad draws. What match ups against tier 1 decks do you feel that pack rat is good against? Possibly Jund?
How is shambling vent working for you? I played 2 in my main deck for a modern event tonight and I really didn't get a chance to test it. Jötun Grunt did feel like a strong creature in most match ups though.
Pack Rat for me is a strong closer in some games and in others is bait for removal so my Bob sticks around longer. I don't know of any other 2-drop that would win games faster, personally. I find T2 and T5 can both be good plays. It can be a great late-game card when there is a stagnant board state, especially with a Mutavault or two on the battlefield. Sometimes it does feel too slow.
Maybe someone tried phyrexian obliterators in abyssal spot? How it works? Path kill both. 3-4 urborgs is a must?
Phyrexian Obliterator is so hard to cast. I run 2 Urborgs and I would not advise any more than that. Obliterator dies without profit to Dismember, which can be played in almost any deck and is all over my meta.
That is an interesting direction to take the deck. I like it. Wish we could play a few matches head-to-head to see how our approaches play out. The Shambling Vent/Elspeth, Knight-Errant interaction does look very good. What are your win-cons?
I usually win with a motley crew of tokens, Dark Confidants, small (2/2 or 3/3) Pack Rats, manlands, maybe backed up by a planeswalker. You don't need much when most of your deck is disruption. The game slows down, players are strapped for resources, and a few random 2 power things can get there. Shambling Vent is particularly suited for this plan.
Pack Rat can be awkward but I still think it's the best option until they unban Stoneforge Mystic. Hangarback Walker could be good. My gut says it ends up being worse because it can't pressure the opponent as well.
Packrat isn't a great card but the upside of it is that a lot of pure cards are good early and useless otherwise. The allure of packrat(and the reason I'll never cut it even if we do get mystic) is that turn 9 thoughtseize draws are never completely dead in the deck. There are plenty of other grindy creatures but none of them give you this kind of outlet for your cards that suck in the late game.
I goldfished our decks against each other on tappedout.net and I like some of your approaches. Shambling Vent was a bummer to see opposing me on a late game empty board, which was a game state that came up a lot. Spellskite was also not fun to play against. Grunt was good at getting rid of Darkblast which was also a pain in the butt. Wargear continued to impress as long as it wasn't facing chump blockers. Whichever deck got Pack Rat out first, or drew into more Lingering Souls, seemed to be the probable winner in the mirror. I didn't do any sideboarding.
I may lose some lands for a 3x Vent. It was much better than I expected. I don't think I have room for Spellskite, but it sure would be good wearing Wargear. Food for thought. Thanks.
Another Modern event tonight and I'll write a play report. I made a notepad so I should be well-organized with my match records.
Play report from tonight, forgot to take out the Lili and add a Plains irl, instead of just online, and right away I gaped out big.
1-2 vs. Zoo: I beat her G1 with Percy and 2x Souls for chump blockers galore against her swarm. Then in G2 I searched for my nonexistent second Plains but ended up shocking myself to cast Path on her Voice of Resurgence. On her turn. Like a dope. Tunnel vision. Ugh. She won G3 riding Voice too after double Pathing both my Rats. Loxodon Smiter was a big player. Major misplay G2.
1-2 vs. Dredgevine: In G1 he pulled three Vengevines and swung too big for me. In G2, Relic bought me room for Percy to swing in, while Spirits chumped his creatures, just as happened in match 1. In G3, two early IoKs only helped him dredge, and no Grunt or Relic meant I should have mulliganed to 5 instead of held hand disruption. Another three Vengevines. Well, live and learn (or don't). Didn't see Grunt in hand once. Misplay G3.
2-0 vs. Mono-B devotion A Zombies/Griselbrand build. In G1 disruption and removal took care of his Obliterator and Griselbrand, leaving Pack Rat to easily clean up against Bloodghasts. G2 also fell quickly to Pack Rat.
2-1 vs. Burn: Not my buddy this time but a new player. I played cautiously G1 on the draw after seeing a Mountain. Lingering Souls x2 raced him FTW. In G2 I mulled to 3 and then ceded, a new experience for me. In G3 I won with Percy and Pack Rat even after my he Pathed my Firewalker right away.
I feel dumb about Match 1 and Match 2, but again that's how I learn, it seems. I made myself a neat little notebook to record matches in, so hopefully that'll help.
Shambling Vent made an appearance now and again, but neither felt like it was slowing me down, nor saw any meaningful play. I ran into some Ghost Quarter a couple of times. Wargear was always welcome except when I had both of em early. Percy was huge again. Used Miren once as an out. Lingering Souls was invaluable tonight. Pack Rat is really very good in the right circumstances.
I goldfished our decks against each other on tappedout.net and I like some of your approaches. Shambling Vent was a bummer to see opposing me on a late game empty board, which was a game state that came up a lot. Spellskite was also not fun to play against. Grunt was good at getting rid of Darkblast which was also a pain in the butt. Wargear continued to impress as long as it wasn't facing chump blockers. Whichever deck got Pack Rat out first, or drew into more Lingering Souls, seemed to be the probable winner in the mirror. I didn't do any sideboarding.
I may lose some lands for a 3x Vent. It was much better than I expected. I don't think I have room for Spellskite, but it sure would be good wearing Wargear. Food for thought. Thanks.
Another Modern event tonight and I'll write a play report. I made a notepad so I should be well-organized with my match records.
Very cool that you did some goldfishing. Shambling Vent is truly awesome. Darkblast is pretty high variance and could definitely be cut, probably the weakest card. Isn't Elspeth a lot like Wargear?
Very cool that you did some goldfishing. Shambling Vent is truly awesome. Darkblast is pretty high variance and could definitely be cut, probably the weakest card. Isn't Elspeth a lot like Wargear?
Well, yes and no. Wargear comes out T3 and can be put on Bob, Grunt, or Sculler to swing for 5+ a turn earlier than Elspeth. It grants no evasion but it makes room for a T4 Percy or Sorin play.
Wargear does away with Persecutor or Bob when needed (saving our removal for opponents' threats), and it is impossible for opponents to get rid of using Bolt or creature swarms. But Wargear dies to Abrupt Decay, unlike Elspeth. It also doesn't help the board state all by itself like Elspeth's Soldier tokens do. There is no doubt that Elspeth is far, far better with manlands, so a shift towards Vent makes the walker a better call, but then the 4 CMC spot gets clogged up. Maybe Sorin needs to go to make room for Elspeth? I kind of like the sound of that, actually. But there are a lot of variables in play.
Darkblast is so useless against so many threats, but it is also the nuts against so many other threats. It is very frustrating for an opponent who is trying to play Bob, Spirit tokens, Pack Rat, or any number of other early drops like Noble Hierarch, Glistener Elf, Birds of Paradise, Grim Lavamancer, Goblin Guide, etc. etc. etc. However it also nonbos with Grunt and sideboard graveyard hate.
It seems to me that our builds are optimized in different directions and that there may be only limited borrowing that works without compromising other things we are trying to do.
If we start running shambling vents as a 3 or 4 of, I feel like we can cut sorin out completly for gideon. He just seems like a huge beater and can provide an anthem that makes every creature larger.
Saying vault and shambling vent are accomplishing the same thing is a gross oversight. The death touch aspect of vault makes you're opponents life hell since that of activation when attacking and it turns all of your souls into removal spells.I feel gideon lends himself much better to be tokens than us.
Vault does act as a removal threat and it works to gain life with any creature. It is great to use as insurance while Percy is hanging around waiting to die. Vent can't swing at will like our flyers can, because it has no evasion and leads to a tempo loss if killed. Elspeth's second +1 makes Vent an own-turn beast though. I don't see Gideon as better than our other 4 drop options right now.
I played a little bit tonight with gideon instead of sorin. 100% of the time, I would of rather had sorin than gideon. Time to sell the ones I pulled for more deadguy ale sideboard cards!
I also tried out shambling vents, it was okay but not amazing. It would definatly be better with elspeth, but sorin has been too good to me the past few months. I feel that it is fine to run two of them because I only play two mutavaults.
After reading all of you guy's posts, I decided to go back up to 3 pack rats instead of 2. I realized that I was just a little too timid with him. He is a must answer threat I just have to be careful for wraths, anger of the gods, and maelstrom pulse.
Burn has dissapeared ("Dissapeared", is that a word? sorry for my english) from my meta, one guy who played it left the city, and the other has moved to Jund or Twin..
Hi FVN, I was just wondering how your lifegain version was working. You should run Go for the Throat and/or Victim of Night instead of Dismember, because Dismember does not get rid of Persecutor and you will need to make sure you can do that every time. You may find that Zealous Persecution is also less useful in a deck with Percy, but I haven't tried using both together.
Vault of the Archangel is rarely activated since you need five mana, a board presence, and no better options. It's not a must-play, especially now that there is Shambling Vent to power up the manabase. I'm on my way to cutting it.
I am not a fan of Sorin, Solemn Visitor. Gideon seems awesome to me and I'm interested to see how he plays out. I have found Hero of Bladehold to be great out of the board but I think Gideon might be versatile and resilient enough to play main and make Hero unnecessary
It seems to me that our builds are optimized in different directions and that there may be only limited borrowing that works without compromising other things we are trying to do.
We're both trying to win aren't we But seriously that is right.
So my idea with these play reports is to offer my own experience for others to learn from and/or critique. Hopefully most readers are not annoyed by my over posting. However I play in tournaments twice a week now so let me know.
3-1 tonight in a field of ~20 (forgot to ask the official count). There were lots of 12-13 year-olds tonight, who aren't really the opponents I'm looking to play against. There seem to be more young people at these Modern nights lately. If I keep seeing them at this shop I may have to find a more competitive environment.
2-0 vs. GW crapdeck: Easily killed a 7th grader at his first Modern event, nothing to tell here. Pack Rat FTW.
1-2 vs. Bogles: Not my usual Bogles opponent. Game 1 I took riding Rat after he mulled to 5 and then I IoK'ed his only creature. He was not able to catch up to the swarm of Rats. In G2 I mulled to 5 and he to 6 and I never stabilized. in G3 he mulled to 6 and I mulled to 4 on the play looking for disruption, keeping Flats, Shrine, Rat and Thoughtseize with Inquisition on top of my deck. Then I misplayed on T1, using Flats to fetch a Swamp and having to shuffle my IoK away. Still, I almost won with my sole Pack Rat, getting him within one turn of death to my Rat swarm. Pack Rat continues to feature as an indispensable card in this deck and was a major player in this match as well as the one prior. Misplay G3.
IN: Damnation x2, Disenchant x2
OUT: Victim of Night x2, Go for the Throat x1, Jötun Grunt x1
PLAY TIP: Post #1 of this forum suggests that Bogles is a tough matchup. This is not true in my experience. Targeted disruption on T1 and Lili on T3 are death to Bogles even in game 1, and Disenchant and Engineered Explosives are extremely good post-board. If you know what you are up against you should normally be able to win this matchup, if you can board against it. Tonight made me wish I hadn't swapped EE for Damnation, though. I always seem to have the one don't want. I also recently cut Lili to a two-of to make room for one Sorin, which hurt me for this match.
2-0 vs. Mono-G stompy: Another 7th grader with a home-brew goes down against Dead Guy. I did not sideboard in or out for this match (nor for the first match of the night) because why bother. Game 2 went long, however, while I flooded and he drew his big guys in the face of my Vault plus chumps. Percy closed it.
2-0 vs. Bogles: My usual Bogles opponent. 1n G1 I got three Bobs out for the first time ever, and swung with them for major damage while he failed to draw into Auras. Wargear pumped Bob. In G2 Lili sealed the deal with Pack Rat finishing him off.
Shambling Vent was not a player tonight but did enter tapped, to my chagrin, a couple of times. I am still withholding judgment on this card. Dark Confidant was huge, and Pack Rat was my win con in several games. Wargear disposed of Persecutor in match 3 game 2, and I continue to find it absolutely amazing in a build that uses Persecutor and also Bob and Lingering Souls. As far as I am concerned, Percy and Wargear are what make this build truly competitive. They are a huge upgrade over the original Resto/Splicer approach. I still like Grunt but he is so conditional. Tonight he was never good.
EDIT: Added tourney from tonight (Monday 10/12). The average player count has gone down as the college students have gone back to school, tonight was 23. I went 2-2.
1-2 vs. Grixis Delver: In G1 Spirit tokens with Sorin took me up from 5 to 17 before he ceded. G2 I lost to Insectile Aberration after he countered my Persecutor. In G3 he drew a god hand with Delver of Secrets x2, Thoughtseze x2, Bolt, and two lands; one IoK was not enough to disrupt his game plan.
2-0 vs. UWRG Jeskai Ascendancy: First time I've played against this build. He was never able to combo off, G1 went to Percy with Spirit chump blockers. G2 went to Spirits with Wargear plus lots of Inquisitions.
2-1 vs. Naya Company: This was also a new deck for me to play against. In G1 Sorin was a beast with Percy, got me to 37 life with him at -2 before I could kill the demon. In G2 I stalled at 3 lands and his Collected Company x2 sealed the deal. In G3 he dropped Blood Moon and kept Percy hanging around for a while. Wargear killed Percy ftw.
0-2 vs. Grixis Twin: My second time playing against Twin and it was not close. G1 I shuffled away my scry with Marsh Flats again, second time I have made that mistake. I Thoughtseized him and saw the coast was clear, so I played my Grunt with full yards. He immediately drew into a Tasigur the next turn, wrecking my next few turns by delving away his yard and making Grunt a one-turn wonder. Lucky draw for him. But also not the first time that's happened. In G2 he combo'ed out after I stalled at two lands, more good luck for him.
Percy was huge again all night as were Spirit tokens and Wargear. The Percy/Bob/Souls/Wargear package is the real deal. (But watch out for a Kommand/Abrupt Decay/Destructive Revelry 2-for-1 threat if Wargear is equipped.) Opponents who do not play white for Path are virtually helpless in the face of a resolved Persecutor, unless they can go wide. And that's what Souls is for. Pack Rat never did more than chump for me tonight and I sided it out a lot. Damnation from the side was crucial in match 2 and 3. Sorin was great again and I would want two of him if it weren't for the 4 CMC (and no room). Shambling Vent never saw any action and I am thinking that I'll give it one or two more nights max. Jötun Grunt was very frustrating tonight and always seemed dead except when I played him and then he got immediately neutered.
Hopefully this info is helpful to some. Feedback is welcome.
Percy was huge again all night as were Spirit tokens and Wargear. The Percy/Bob/Souls/Wargear package is the real deal. (But watch out for a Kommand/Abrupt Decay/Destructive Revelry 2-for-1 threat if Wargear is equipped.) Opponents who do not play white for Path are virtually helpless in the face of a resolved Persecutor, unless they can go wide. And that's what Souls is for. Pack Rat never did more than chump for me tonight and I sided it out a lot. Damnation from the side was crucial in match 2 and 3. Sorin was great again and I would want two of him if it weren't for the 4 CMC (and no room). Shambling Vent never saw any action and I am thinking that I'll give it one or two more nights max. Jötun Grunt was very frustrating tonight and always seemed dead except when I played him and then he got immediately neutered.
I think I'm going to play a few games with your deck. It is so unbelievable to me that Grafted Wargear and Abyssal Persecutor are good that I need to see it for myself or I'll never be convinced.
I'm new here and I've absolutely fallen in love with this deck (Percy is actually the best nickname of any card I can think of), and since I've been looking for a new deck to build I decided on this!
I went through a few pages and put together a quick rough draft of the list I think I'd like to put together. Any advice would be very much appreciated. It's pretty standard without a sideboard yet, but all the same tear into if you want to/can. I'd love some tips on to deck as I've been play UB Tezzeret for the better part of 2 and recently I've been on GB Elves, so this is a pretty drastic change from what I've played
What matchups are you having trouble in? What are you siding in? Twin and Affinity are generally good matchups. With the addition of Shambling Vent, Burn ranges from close to favorable if you're willing to devote sideboard space. Merfolk is definitely tough but I can't think of a two drop creature that would change it much. If I had to play against Merfolk a lot, I'd make sure Engineered Explosives or Damnation was in my sideboard and maybe even something like Ghostly Prison.
I usually win with a motley crew of tokens, Dark Confidants, small (2/2 or 3/3) Pack Rats, manlands, maybe backed up by a planeswalker. You don't need much when most of your deck is disruption. The game slows down, players are strapped for resources, and a few random 2 power things can get there. Shambling Vent is particularly suited for this plan.
Pack Rat can be awkward but I still think it's the best option until they unban Stoneforge Mystic. Hangarback Walker could be good. My gut says it ends up being worse because it can't pressure the opponent as well.
I may lose some lands for a 3x Vent. It was much better than I expected. I don't think I have room for Spellskite, but it sure would be good wearing Wargear. Food for thought. Thanks.
Another Modern event tonight and I'll write a play report. I made a notepad so I should be well-organized with my match records.
1-2 vs. Zoo: I beat her G1 with Percy and 2x Souls for chump blockers galore against her swarm. Then in G2 I searched for my nonexistent second Plains but ended up shocking myself to cast Path on her Voice of Resurgence. On her turn. Like a dope. Tunnel vision. Ugh. She won G3 riding Voice too after double Pathing both my Rats. Loxodon Smiter was a big player. Major misplay G2.
1-2 vs. Dredgevine: In G1 he pulled three Vengevines and swung too big for me. In G2, Relic bought me room for Percy to swing in, while Spirits chumped his creatures, just as happened in match 1. In G3, two early IoKs only helped him dredge, and no Grunt or Relic meant I should have mulliganed to 5 instead of held hand disruption. Another three Vengevines. Well, live and learn (or don't). Didn't see Grunt in hand once. Misplay G3.
2-0 vs. Mono-B devotion A Zombies/Griselbrand build. In G1 disruption and removal took care of his Obliterator and Griselbrand, leaving Pack Rat to easily clean up against Bloodghasts. G2 also fell quickly to Pack Rat.
2-1 vs. Burn: Not my buddy this time but a new player. I played cautiously G1 on the draw after seeing a Mountain. Lingering Souls x2 raced him FTW. In G2 I mulled to 3 and then ceded, a new experience for me. In G3 I won with Percy and Pack Rat even after my he Pathed my Firewalker right away.
I feel dumb about Match 1 and Match 2, but again that's how I learn, it seems. I made myself a neat little notebook to record matches in, so hopefully that'll help.
Shambling Vent made an appearance now and again, but neither felt like it was slowing me down, nor saw any meaningful play. I ran into some Ghost Quarter a couple of times. Wargear was always welcome except when I had both of em early. Percy was huge again. Used Miren once as an out. Lingering Souls was invaluable tonight. Pack Rat is really very good in the right circumstances.
Very cool that you did some goldfishing. Shambling Vent is truly awesome. Darkblast is pretty high variance and could definitely be cut, probably the weakest card. Isn't Elspeth a lot like Wargear?
Wargear does away with Persecutor or Bob when needed (saving our removal for opponents' threats), and it is impossible for opponents to get rid of using Bolt or creature swarms. But Wargear dies to Abrupt Decay, unlike Elspeth. It also doesn't help the board state all by itself like Elspeth's Soldier tokens do. There is no doubt that Elspeth is far, far better with manlands, so a shift towards Vent makes the walker a better call, but then the 4 CMC spot gets clogged up. Maybe Sorin needs to go to make room for Elspeth? I kind of like the sound of that, actually. But there are a lot of variables in play.
Darkblast is so useless against so many threats, but it is also the nuts against so many other threats. It is very frustrating for an opponent who is trying to play Bob, Spirit tokens, Pack Rat, or any number of other early drops like Noble Hierarch, Glistener Elf, Birds of Paradise, Grim Lavamancer, Goblin Guide, etc. etc. etc. However it also nonbos with Grunt and sideboard graveyard hate.
It seems to me that our builds are optimized in different directions and that there may be only limited borrowing that works without compromising other things we are trying to do.
What does everybody think of gideon, ally of zendikar? I am considering running this planeswalker package:
If we start running shambling vents as a 3 or 4 of, I feel like we can cut sorin out completly for gideon. He just seems like a huge beater and can provide an anthem that makes every creature larger.
CBW midrange deck
CBW eldrazi processor deck
CBW bw eldrazi shadow midrange
I dont like the 1 of each one =P
I also tried out shambling vents, it was okay but not amazing. It would definatly be better with elspeth, but sorin has been too good to me the past few months. I feel that it is fine to run two of them because I only play two mutavaults.
After reading all of you guy's posts, I decided to go back up to 3 pack rats instead of 2. I realized that I was just a little too timid with him. He is a must answer threat I just have to be careful for wraths, anger of the gods, and maelstrom pulse.
CBW midrange deck
CBW eldrazi processor deck
CBW bw eldrazi shadow midrange
Sorin, he's brutal lifegain, a flying bear and an "I win" button vs other midrange and Twin. Gideon is only a beater and Glorious Anthem for 2WW.
So Im removing my 4 Kitchen Finks from the deck... in consequence -3 Restoration Angel (Unless I return to Blade Splicers)... Also -4 Kor Firewalker in sideboard
I think i will go to the "Every creature is a must answer" deck.-
4 Dark Confidant
2-3 Abyssal Persecutor
2-3 Pack Rat
3-4 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Lingering Souls
Disruption Pack:
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Path to Exile
2 Dismember
0-1 Go for the throat?
2 Thoughtseize
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Duress
Extra:
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2 Zealous Persecution
Lands: 23 (6 Fetchs, 5 Basics, 2 Mutas, 2 Tectonic, 1 Urborg)
What do you think about that new land in battle for zendikar?:
Tap: Add colorless mana
4B, Sacrifice this land: Target oponent sacrifices a creature.
I think that Blighted Fen is not as good as other utility lands we could be running. I would definitely favor Vault of the Archangel, another Mutavault, or Miren, the Moaning Well, which is great insurance for Percy.
I am jealous of the open slots in your sideboard, Firewalker x3 is uncuttable for me but it is also narrow.
(And yes, disappeared is the right word . Your english is very good.)
I am not a fan of Sorin, Solemn Visitor. Gideon seems awesome to me and I'm interested to see how he plays out. I have found Hero of Bladehold to be great out of the board but I think Gideon might be versatile and resilient enough to play main and make Hero unnecessary
We're both trying to win aren't we But seriously that is right.
3-1 tonight in a field of ~20 (forgot to ask the official count). There were lots of 12-13 year-olds tonight, who aren't really the opponents I'm looking to play against. There seem to be more young people at these Modern nights lately. If I keep seeing them at this shop I may have to find a more competitive environment.
2-0 vs. GW crapdeck: Easily killed a 7th grader at his first Modern event, nothing to tell here. Pack Rat FTW.
1-2 vs. Bogles: Not my usual Bogles opponent. Game 1 I took riding Rat after he mulled to 5 and then I IoK'ed his only creature. He was not able to catch up to the swarm of Rats. In G2 I mulled to 5 and he to 6 and I never stabilized. in G3 he mulled to 6 and I mulled to 4 on the play looking for disruption, keeping Flats, Shrine, Rat and Thoughtseize with Inquisition on top of my deck. Then I misplayed on T1, using Flats to fetch a Swamp and having to shuffle my IoK away. Still, I almost won with my sole Pack Rat, getting him within one turn of death to my Rat swarm. Pack Rat continues to feature as an indispensable card in this deck and was a major player in this match as well as the one prior. Misplay G3.
IN: Damnation x2, Disenchant x2
OUT: Victim of Night x2, Go for the Throat x1, Jötun Grunt x1
PLAY TIP: Post #1 of this forum suggests that Bogles is a tough matchup. This is not true in my experience. Targeted disruption on T1 and Lili on T3 are death to Bogles even in game 1, and Disenchant and Engineered Explosives are extremely good post-board. If you know what you are up against you should normally be able to win this matchup, if you can board against it. Tonight made me wish I hadn't swapped EE for Damnation, though. I always seem to have the one don't want. I also recently cut Lili to a two-of to make room for one Sorin, which hurt me for this match.
2-0 vs. Mono-G stompy: Another 7th grader with a home-brew goes down against Dead Guy. I did not sideboard in or out for this match (nor for the first match of the night) because why bother. Game 2 went long, however, while I flooded and he drew his big guys in the face of my Vault plus chumps. Percy closed it.
2-0 vs. Bogles: My usual Bogles opponent. 1n G1 I got three Bobs out for the first time ever, and swung with them for major damage while he failed to draw into Auras. Wargear pumped Bob. In G2 Lili sealed the deal with Pack Rat finishing him off.
Shambling Vent was not a player tonight but did enter tapped, to my chagrin, a couple of times. I am still withholding judgment on this card. Dark Confidant was huge, and Pack Rat was my win con in several games. Wargear disposed of Persecutor in match 3 game 2, and I continue to find it absolutely amazing in a build that uses Persecutor and also Bob and Lingering Souls. As far as I am concerned, Percy and Wargear are what make this build truly competitive. They are a huge upgrade over the original Resto/Splicer approach. I still like Grunt but he is so conditional. Tonight he was never good.
EDIT: Added tourney from tonight (Monday 10/12). The average player count has gone down as the college students have gone back to school, tonight was 23. I went 2-2.
1-2 vs. Grixis Delver: In G1 Spirit tokens with Sorin took me up from 5 to 17 before he ceded. G2 I lost to Insectile Aberration after he countered my Persecutor. In G3 he drew a god hand with Delver of Secrets x2, Thoughtseze x2, Bolt, and two lands; one IoK was not enough to disrupt his game plan.
2-0 vs. UWRG Jeskai Ascendancy: First time I've played against this build. He was never able to combo off, G1 went to Percy with Spirit chump blockers. G2 went to Spirits with Wargear plus lots of Inquisitions.
2-1 vs. Naya Company: This was also a new deck for me to play against. In G1 Sorin was a beast with Percy, got me to 37 life with him at -2 before I could kill the demon. In G2 I stalled at 3 lands and his Collected Company x2 sealed the deal. In G3 he dropped Blood Moon and kept Percy hanging around for a while. Wargear killed Percy ftw.
0-2 vs. Grixis Twin: My second time playing against Twin and it was not close. G1 I shuffled away my scry with Marsh Flats again, second time I have made that mistake. I Thoughtseized him and saw the coast was clear, so I played my Grunt with full yards. He immediately drew into a Tasigur the next turn, wrecking my next few turns by delving away his yard and making Grunt a one-turn wonder. Lucky draw for him. But also not the first time that's happened. In G2 he combo'ed out after I stalled at two lands, more good luck for him.
Percy was huge again all night as were Spirit tokens and Wargear. The Percy/Bob/Souls/Wargear package is the real deal. (But watch out for a Kommand/Abrupt Decay/Destructive Revelry 2-for-1 threat if Wargear is equipped.) Opponents who do not play white for Path are virtually helpless in the face of a resolved Persecutor, unless they can go wide. And that's what Souls is for. Pack Rat never did more than chump for me tonight and I sided it out a lot. Damnation from the side was crucial in match 2 and 3. Sorin was great again and I would want two of him if it weren't for the 4 CMC (and no room). Shambling Vent never saw any action and I am thinking that I'll give it one or two more nights max. Jötun Grunt was very frustrating tonight and always seemed dead except when I played him and then he got immediately neutered.
Hopefully this info is helpful to some. Feedback is welcome.
I think I'm going to play a few games with your deck. It is so unbelievable to me that Grafted Wargear and Abyssal Persecutor are good that I need to see it for myself or I'll never be convinced.
I'm new here and I've absolutely fallen in love with this deck (Percy is actually the best nickname of any card I can think of), and since I've been looking for a new deck to build I decided on this!
I went through a few pages and put together a quick rough draft of the list I think I'd like to put together. Any advice would be very much appreciated. It's pretty standard without a sideboard yet, but all the same tear into if you want to/can. I'd love some tips on to deck as I've been play UB Tezzeret for the better part of 2 and recently I've been on GB Elves, so this is a pretty drastic change from what I've played
4x Dark Confidant
2x Dismember
4x Godless Shrine
3x Grafted Wargear
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Lingering Souls
4x Marsh Flats
4x Mutavault
4x Pack Rat
4x Path to Exile
2x Plains
4x Shambling Vent
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
5x Swamp
2x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2x Thoughtseize
2x Tidehollow Sculler
1x Vault of the Archangel