Overall, I'd say the Shadow matchup comes down to patience. I take my Vials out and play slower, and I favor developing my board (since they have few, if any sweepers) over dealing damage quickly. I usually win by slipping past their blockers with a Lord, or by slamming Kira and/or Master of Waves, which are difficult for them to answer.
E-Tron requires a different approach. Here, I'm trying to aggro them out. Postboard, I bring in the aforementioned Rejection and E-Truth in favor of Master of Waves and shaving a Cursecatcher and try to go low to the ground.
Hey cap'n, noticed you didn't go the Smuggler's Copter route. Any opinion on where it would've been beneficial to have, or why you think you didn't want/need it?
I think Copter's a fine card, and it's pretty handy if you're expecting sweepers but no artifact removal, or fliers but little removal at all. I don't think I need it because I prefer the consistency provided by maxing out on Merfolk, and I think Kira is excellently positioned, so I wouldn't cut her either. There are meta contexts in which the Copter would probably out-do Kira in my mind (probably ones in which I need to use its loot ability to dig for relevant interaction and/or I expect little spot removal), but we're not currently in one.
I think Copter's a fine card, and it's pretty handy if you're expecting sweepers but no artifact removal, or fliers but little removal at all. I don't think I need it because I prefer the consistency provided by maxing out on Merfolk, and I think Kira is excellently positioned, so I wouldn't cut her either. There are meta contexts in which the Copter would probably out-do Kira in my mind (probably ones in which I need to use its loot ability to dig for relevant interaction and/or I expect little spot removal), but we're not currently in one.
Whats your plain against Hatebears? Kira was so poor in that match, lots of angels 3/3 and 3/4 flying around hitting....maybe my hands was bad ones, but I was smashed against a friend 3-0
Kira's OK in the Death & Taxes matchup - the 2/2 body is somewhat unimpressive (though it does trade with a Flickerwisp, which is occasionally important), but it's mostly there for its effect, which makes it a lot harder for them to stop your aggro rush. I consider it to be a pretty favorable matchup overall - most of their "tax" effects don't affect us, and it's easy for us to outmuscle them on the ground. You usually want pure aggro hands with lots of Lords and Silvergills (and maybe a Master of Waves to break a board stall), as they can't really deal with opponents going wider or taller than they do. I usually do very minor sideboarding against them - Harbinger's kind of hit-or-miss, so I shave a couple of copies in favor of Echoing Truth, which can mess with Vials, gives you outs to Worship (though that sees almost no play now), or with their Blade Splicer token value plan.
Was finally able to acquire my play set of FBB Lords of Atlantis. The white borders on my Revised and 7th Editions were finally bugging me out. Now, with school out for me, hopefully I can swim with the fishes again!
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be a lemming hunter. Don't be a lemming. Really, all you had to do was explain to him the popularity metric, not give him the lemming hunter manifesto...
I really want Korean LoAs... it just makes me sad that when we get the new art in the Duel Decks (because there BETTER be), they won't be available in Korean
I really want Korean LoAs... it just makes me sad that when we get the new art in the Duel Decks (because there BETTER be), they won't be available in Korean
Unfortunately, LoA has never been been printed in Korean
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be a lemming hunter. Don't be a lemming. Really, all you had to do was explain to him the popularity metric, not give him the lemming hunter manifesto...
Went to Pptq in another country today.
Won against Junk and Affinity, lost vs another Affinity (had great hands with CC into Lord, Lord, Lord... both games, but he had Skirge into Overseer game 1 and Skirge into Plating game 2; my dmg was greater every turn but his lifelink saved him just enough to recover and kill me), then surprisingly won against BW Eldrazi and Taxes (opponent had Inq and TSeize and TKnots for days but I had cantrips for weeks, including Imageing Adept and Waves), draw into top4.
Unfortunately, Grixis Shadow drew ok while I never missed a land drop, which is not ok. Even game 2, with 19 lands I sided out 4 Vials and died with 9 lands out. So SF was my exit.
Casual Modern is on Sunday. I will return Kira instead of Clique.
I won a small casual event today while most people were busy drafting (not my cup of sea).
Eldrazi Tron 2:0, UW Ctrl 2:0 and Living End 2:1, for foil Solemnity.
Have to prepare for Pptq next week, many players from other towns are coming for "our" slot.
Their armies will meet Moses of Waves.
@Markhaim: I'm on Dismember at the moment. I'm a fan of Vapor Snag, but I feel that Dismember is simply better positioned.
@Shadowwarrior346: Glad to see the list performed for you overall! Feel free to do something else with the E-Truth slot if the card isn't coming in much. I do bring it in against Shadow and E-Tron, though you didn't face either (which might be the main difference between the MTGO meta I face and yours).
@sibin: Tough luck facing Lantern, but Jeskai Control has always felt good to me. Walk me through your list and sideboarding plan and we'll get to the bottom of that.
Hi, can I ask you what is the general consensus on mainboard instant removal/bounce spell? Is it vapor snag or dismember? Right now its most likely dismember, but in an unknown meta what would you prefer?
Also, has anyone ever tried counterbalance? I know we can't set the top of our library, but with all those one and two drops we might have a good chance countering a lot of spells
Thanks for your help.
I'm currently running 4 Snag and 2 Dismember, all mainboard. It's a bit removal heavy for a Merfolk build, but it's been doing very well for me.
Overall, I'd say the Shadow matchup comes down to patience. I take my Vials out and play slower, and I favor developing my board (since they have few, if any sweepers) over dealing damage quickly. I usually win by slipping past their blockers with a Lord, or by slamming Kira and/or Master of Waves, which are difficult for them to answer.
E-Tron requires a different approach. Here, I'm trying to aggro them out. Postboard, I bring in the aforementioned Rejection and E-Truth in favor of Master of Waves and shaving a Cursecatcher and try to go low to the ground.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Thanks and awesome job!
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Whats your plain against Hatebears? Kira was so poor in that match, lots of angels 3/3 and 3/4 flying around hitting....maybe my hands was bad ones, but I was smashed against a friend 3-0
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Before and after Turn 5 Main Phase
U Merfolk U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Be a lemming hunter. Don't be a lemming.
Really, all you had to do was explain to him the popularity metric, not give him the lemming hunter manifesto...
Originally posted by MemoryLapse and DotMatrix
Unfortunately, LoA has never been been printed in Korean
Be a lemming hunter. Don't be a lemming.
Really, all you had to do was explain to him the popularity metric, not give him the lemming hunter manifesto...
Originally posted by MemoryLapse and DotMatrix
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1X-Lord-of-Atlantis-Fourth-Edition-FBB-Korean-SEE-PICTURES-MTG-GIANT-/152481945525?hash=item2380a1d7b5:g:sBUAAOSwSlBY0rws
It's also available on SCG but the link won't paste properly.
U Merfolk U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
Won against Junk and Affinity, lost vs another Affinity (had great hands with CC into Lord, Lord, Lord... both games, but he had Skirge into Overseer game 1 and Skirge into Plating game 2; my dmg was greater every turn but his lifelink saved him just enough to recover and kill me), then surprisingly won against BW Eldrazi and Taxes (opponent had Inq and TSeize and TKnots for days but I had cantrips for weeks, including Imageing Adept and Waves), draw into top4.
Unfortunately, Grixis Shadow drew ok while I never missed a land drop, which is not ok. Even game 2, with 19 lands I sided out 4 Vials and died with 9 lands out. So SF was my exit.
Casual Modern is on Sunday. I will return Kira instead of Clique.
I won a small casual event today while most people were busy drafting (not my cup of sea).
Eldrazi Tron 2:0, UW Ctrl 2:0 and Living End 2:1, for foil Solemnity.
Have to prepare for Pptq next week, many players from other towns are coming for "our" slot.
Their armies will meet Moses of Waves.
I started like a beast 2-0 (ETron and Elves)....then, I got UWR control and Lantern Control 2-2 LOL I hate these 2 decks
Bolt, Helix, Path, Snap, more bolts more helix...very hard....Kira was double bolted wasily both games haha
@Shadowwarrior346: Glad to see the list performed for you overall! Feel free to do something else with the E-Truth slot if the card isn't coming in much. I do bring it in against Shadow and E-Tron, though you didn't face either (which might be the main difference between the MTGO meta I face and yours).
@sibin: Tough luck facing Lantern, but Jeskai Control has always felt good to me. Walk me through your list and sideboarding plan and we'll get to the bottom of that.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
I'm currently running 4 Snag and 2 Dismember, all mainboard. It's a bit removal heavy for a Merfolk build, but it's been doing very well for me.