Dispel is also good against whatever counts as control in this format, ie scapeshift, chapin grixis, or w/e else. Dispel also sees game against bolts, terminates, paths, and kommands, and whatever other instants find there way around the format. The issue is that you don't always want to side dispel in against decks like jund.
I agree, spell pierce is generally better and a safer card, as it hits stuff against affinity, it hits planeswalkers, stuff vs tron, bloom titan, etc. On top of that, its safer to leave mainboard, and it also hits all the stuff dispel hits. We should be closing games out fast enough that just the threat of pierce making them either spend mana inefficiently (by leaving it up)or throwing out spells and getting them countered should be enough of a win either way to keep us ahead. (This is also why cursecatcher is good, though its a more obvious counter).
I'm a lurker on the forum and has been using the SB guide here (http://tinyurl.com/monoUmerfolk) for a while. I'm trying to improve it but I am not really sure what to add.
What is your opinion? What should I include in the spreadsheet?
Yeah I warned about this a few pages back, Paul Rietzl's 30+ creature list should not become the norm. 26-28 creatures with some room for interaction in the mainboard is still the way to go given no meta knowledge
I used to play 2, 4 seems a bit high. I think the issue with dispel is that against decks like grixis or twin, we're already pretty good here, and especially considering that we're already pretty good against those decks. On top of that, dispel doesn't even counter the twin combo itself.
I have since cut the dispels, and while I do love the card, I don't think it really shines in this deck. I would rather start to play a more open counterspell at the point, something like negate, or unified will.
My feeling as well. Dispel only shines against burn, but tidebinder, MoW, and harbinger are all you really need. Moreover spell pierce is actually better that dispel because burn players run more sorcery cards that ever.
Dispel is good against blue decks in counter wars, especially against combo decks which rely on instants to kill their combo or counter their counter that was targeting your disruption spell intended to disrupt their combo.
We don't need it to beat any of those decks though. Scapeshift will still go off and the only thin worth countering in blue decks is supreme verdict, which just happens anyways.. It is a win more card.
I don't like Dispel as Dispel is meant to assist other counterspells. We generally don't care too much about 1 for 1 spot removal which usually is the target for Dispel other than counterwars, and care a lot about several non-instant spells (Oblivion Stone, Pyroclasm, Liliana of the Veil, Anger of the Gods, Ensnaring Bridge). Since we tend to be the initiator of counter wars, Dispel isn't as good for us as it is for twin or grixis
I think 19 is okay if you go with 8 seas effects especially. I run 4x Reejerey and only 2x MOW and have been doing just fine with 19. I use 20 sometimes just to see if I get too many lands...and it's kind of a 50/50 crapshoot.
Ok, guys. Jeff Hoogland just said Merfolk vs Tron is a bad matchup for us.
My personal experience differs from that. How do you see the Tron matchup? Good Bad, balanced? Please differenciate between 4 and 8 seas.
I run additional sea's effects in the sb (1x Sea's Claim) and 4x Tec Edge. I also run more disruption than a lot of lists I am seeing these days - the all out aggro lists will struggle against Tron. I am very happy to see Tron across the table.
Good match minus that fluke of a third game. Kinda stupid question as I used to be able to do it via Shift and ALT key together...how do you always zoom in on specific cards in your hand? It must've changed or it's something with my computer...not sure.
I seem to run into all kinds of fringe decks online and it angers me so damn much sometimes hahaha! I can't even remember a lot of them. I run into that Restore Balance deck a lot, the Heartless Summoning deck, and others I'm not thinking of at the moment. Kinda funny to think that Twin decks were more-or-less a troll deck a couple of years ago...at least it was in my area.
Good match minus that fluke of a third game. Kinda stupid question as I used to be able to do it via Shift and ALT key together...how do you always zoom in on specific cards in your hand? It must've changed or it's something with my computer...not sure.
On my Mac keyboard I hold down the Command key and then left click the mouse and hold down to maintain the zoomed image. I think it's really dumb that there isn't an easier shortcut to make that happen. Everything you NEED to make MTGO playable is from LEARNING the hotkeys.
I posted it on youtube, but i strongly think Spellskite has to be played here. Bolt protection, is worth it here.
On a sidenode: In my testing of Citadel Siege i met a lot of Lifegain decks, a lot of Smallpox and a lot of Tron and 3 Scapeshifts.
Is it only me that happens to meet them, or is there a trend going on? I had actually problems getting a Twin, Grixis Control or Jundmatch!
Especially against scapeshift, a clock is very important and I don't want bolt protection, just something that can turn sideways. What would you propose I side out? I suppose a Snag. I also need to keep an island up at all times (not too hard honestly) because I can't afford to pay phyrexian life against Scapeshift which increases their clock by a full turn. I was also reasonably sure he had less removal than a normal scapeshift deck because he had to take out something for the planeswalkers. Maybe playtesting would prove me wrong but on paper spellskite looked pretty meh to me.
Edit* Upon closer inspection I didn't even have snag in the deck for game 3. I would just prefer creatures than have a 0/4 wall. There will be a lot of situations where the 0/4 is comparable to card disadvantage.
This is my merfolk build.. Going the 19 land route. Trying to balance out what merfolk has going for it most. 6 seas effects seems like a decent medium between 4 and balls-out 8 for islandwalk/land disruption. 10 draw effects with spreading seas, remands and silvergills, 8 return-to-hand effects with remand, snags and harbingers. With some other disruption and whatever else in the sideboard if needed. Though there are some things I find myself wanting to add to the side, like another tidebinder or mana leaks, or chalice of the voids, or a second kira.. but so tight on space lol. I find this to work pretty well though, but constructive criticism is always welcome. I know that going this route keeps the deck from shining in specific aspects but I just like a balance personally. At least for game 1.
Don't side in skite agaisnt scapeshift. Many scapeshift decks play a lot of mass removal and a small amount of spot removal. Sure skite might stop a bolt or two, but he doesn't stop firespouts. On top of that, he does absolutely nothing to stop the actual combo, and provides no pressure himself.
Its not worth cutting things for him. A 2/2 still does more than skite does.
Good match minus that fluke of a third game. Kinda stupid question as I used to be able to do it via Shift and ALT key together...how do you always zoom in on specific cards in your hand? It must've changed or it's something with my computer...not sure.
On a pc you can click with both mouse buttons at the same time to zoom
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern UMerfolkU WUBRGPeopleGRBUW U Turbo Turns U UB Fae BU WBG Aristocrats GBW
Good match minus that fluke of a third game. Kinda stupid question as I used to be able to do it via Shift and ALT key together...how do you always zoom in on specific cards in your hand? It must've changed or it's something with my computer...not sure.
On my Mac keyboard I hold down the Command key and then left click the mouse and hold down to maintain the zoomed image. I think it's really dumb that there isn't an easier shortcut to make that happen. Everything you NEED to make MTGO playable is from LEARNING the hotkeys.
Thanks for that. I don't have a MAC, but I'm sure I can figure something out on my Toshiba. I just know what I used to do doesn't work anymore. Hopefully clicking/holding with either shift or ALT will work. Sorry about that match too...I'm glad that you post most of your matches win-or-lose, because it gives a good way for us plebeians to measure the MTGO meta overall. Also shows that not everyone is perfect (or draws the best hands all the time!)
I agree with not bringing in Spellskite against Scapeshift - stopping the occasional Lightning Bolt isn't much to write home about. What you do need to side in against them is any and all counterspells you have in your board - Swan Song, Unified Will, Spell Pierce, etc. - and apply steady pressure.
Good match minus that fluke of a third game. Kinda stupid question as I used to be able to do it via Shift and ALT key together...how do you always zoom in on specific cards in your hand? It must've changed or it's something with my computer...not sure.
On a pc you can click with both mouse buttons at the same time to zoom
Can't believe I missed this post. Thank you for the insight!! That will help a bunch...and hell, I might even try my hand at streaming!
Here i want to argue, that a game in which he just doesn't have a removal, you win anyway.
The only time Skite is bad if it is your only creature. But hell, if its your only creature, it doesn't really matter if its a Harbinger or a Skite. 2 dmg per turn isn't a real clock anyway.
You talked the talk. In the future I would side out 2 Harbingers.
Though I'll disagree with 2 damage not being a real clock. if I have 2 creatures out, Lord and Harbinger, thats 5 damage a turn. If I have Lord and Spellskite out, thats 2 damage a turn. Each creature counts.
I agree, spell pierce is generally better and a safer card, as it hits stuff against affinity, it hits planeswalkers, stuff vs tron, bloom titan, etc. On top of that, its safer to leave mainboard, and it also hits all the stuff dispel hits. We should be closing games out fast enough that just the threat of pierce making them either spend mana inefficiently (by leaving it up)or throwing out spells and getting them countered should be enough of a win either way to keep us ahead. (This is also why cursecatcher is good, though its a more obvious counter).
What is your opinion? What should I include in the spreadsheet?
UMerfolkU
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wxXtmjT0T1o3dcgqpJWkKNqcfkIobksJFA2rkK7Gf9o/edit?usp=sharing
We don't need it to beat any of those decks though. Scapeshift will still go off and the only thin worth countering in blue decks is supreme verdict, which just happens anyways.. It is a win more card.
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
Bant Eldrazi
UW Control
U Merfolk
Legacy
Merfolk
UR Delver
I run additional sea's effects in the sb (1x Sea's Claim) and 4x Tec Edge. I also run more disruption than a lot of lists I am seeing these days - the all out aggro lists will struggle against Tron. I am very happy to see Tron across the table.
Bant Eldrazi
UW Control
U Merfolk
Legacy
Merfolk
UR Delver
https://youtu.be/KEHSXmC0Nrs
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
Edit* Upon closer inspection I didn't even have snag in the deck for game 3. I would just prefer creatures than have a 0/4 wall. There will be a lot of situations where the 0/4 is comparable to card disadvantage.
4 Cursecatcher
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Silvergill Adept
3 Merrow Reejery
3 Master of Waves
3 Harbinger of the Tides
1 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
Spells - 15
4 Spreading Seas
2 Sea's Claim
4 Aether Vial
3 Vapor Snag
2 Remand
4 Mutavault
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
3 Wanderwine Hub
9 Island
3 Hurkyl's Recall
3 Spell Pierce
3 Dismember
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Tidebinder mage
2 Echoing Truth
This is my merfolk build.. Going the 19 land route. Trying to balance out what merfolk has going for it most. 6 seas effects seems like a decent medium between 4 and balls-out 8 for islandwalk/land disruption. 10 draw effects with spreading seas, remands and silvergills, 8 return-to-hand effects with remand, snags and harbingers. With some other disruption and whatever else in the sideboard if needed. Though there are some things I find myself wanting to add to the side, like another tidebinder or mana leaks, or chalice of the voids, or a second kira.. but so tight on space lol. I find this to work pretty well though, but constructive criticism is always welcome. I know that going this route keeps the deck from shining in specific aspects but I just like a balance personally. At least for game 1.
Its not worth cutting things for him. A 2/2 still does more than skite does.
On a pc you can click with both mouse buttons at the same time to zoom
U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
Thanks for that. I don't have a MAC, but I'm sure I can figure something out on my Toshiba. I just know what I used to do doesn't work anymore. Hopefully clicking/holding with either shift or ALT will work. Sorry about that match too...I'm glad that you post most of your matches win-or-lose, because it gives a good way for us plebeians to measure the MTGO meta overall. Also shows that not everyone is perfect (or draws the best hands all the time!)
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Can't believe I missed this post. Thank you for the insight!! That will help a bunch...and hell, I might even try my hand at streaming!
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
Though I'll disagree with 2 damage not being a real clock. if I have 2 creatures out, Lord and Harbinger, thats 5 damage a turn. If I have Lord and Spellskite out, thats 2 damage a turn. Each creature counts.