Michelle, I can't remember which video I talk about it in, but at one point while watching or playing against SugarDaddy, he played Parallax Tide. What I talked about here is kind of topical to the topic of Parallax Wave as well, or the other variants of this deck.
This entire cycle is quite interesting in that they provide temporary card advantage (quite vast card advantage) with increasing parasitic results vice time the more you opt to use them. These cards are all designed such that it benefits their caster to use the temporary, but large boost in card advantage to win prior to having these cards vanish. If you can win prior to them vanishing, then they've been used well and done a great job for you all at the cost of one card. Where they fall short is when you miss with them, ie you don't kill the opponent, then you're looking at being down a card and likely a far more troubling board position. That all said, Parallax Wave is a beatdown card, or rather it's a beatdown enabling card. I would say in a lot of ways it acts like Propaganda did for Forbiddian decks back in the day...ie it broke the mirror wide open, because your opponent couldn't both attack with their Ophidian and leave up countermagic, so it continually gave its caster the momentum and mana advantage. Given that this example explains this concept with mana advantage as opposed to card advantage (although I tend to think both can become transmutable effects, because if you can't cast them, then the cards you have are worthless etc).
Faith's Fetters is a fine card and it definitely has a home in the format. Although, I would say that your analysis of the card that you've shared is slightly tainted with subjectivity: when analyzing a card do not assess it for what it has done for you previously, assess it for what it can do right now, in the matchup you're in, or the meta you expect--its history is irrelevant because its history is built inside of variables that have changed in the game you're in now. I've used Bitterblossom to beat RDW before; it still came out of my deck after boarding. This same ideology can be applied to play as well--and I think this has often helped me to keep composure after I misplay or simply lose due to poor luck--when you make an error, accept what it means for the game you're in now, and figure out how you win from it--a lot of folks get stuck in the world of before, when in this game (maybe life) the only one that matters is the one you're in now and how you want to shape its future toward success.
In regards to net decking--folks will do that--always have and always will. However, you can't always turn key a net deck, someone put a lot of effort into designing it and likely had a specific meta game that they were building their deck to beat--without understanding the context of their build design or play theory for the deck, you've only got about 50% of the equation (obviously this estimate is more deck specific, because some decks play themselves a bit easier than others). At this point, I know almost all of our players and their play style, capability and deck preferences--so my decks tend to have a lot of tech and be trickier to play for someone who is not me (the designer): this is why I originally played D&T in the format because I wanted a deck that accounted for many different peoples' play styles and try to force the meta to shift. Unfortunately, I was only half successful, and generated a larger volume of G/x decks, which culminated in the old format with 4CB, which was the best deck of the format. But, I gave this deck to ML to play with once and he didn't have a very good time with it; this isn't because he's not a fine player, it's because the deck is not a beat down deck, but rather an aggro-control deck that was built with specific cards in it to hate out different known players in the meta. Without having built this deck and pondered the many different main deck hate cards in it designed to stop specific players, it just plays out as a bad version of WW. The deck was truly a predatory deck that I designed to force people out of their given archetypes and try some new things. My overall point being, just because a deck has done historically well, doesn't mean you can hand it to a player and expect them to continue that string of events.
However, I will say that my recent designs, in the newer meta, have been more so pure natural strategies. For instance the Loam, 4CB, PatternRector, and WW builds (as well as the decks in my article) were all turn-key strategies that a newer player could pickup and win with easier than say D&T.
So, I'd say this to you; don't worry if folks pick up my ideas or anyone else's and try to run them. They haven't done the yeoman's work, and although they may beat you, on a statistical basis (ie long enough time) their lack of understanding of the deck will hinder their ability to win with it. Think a long ass time ago Michael J Flores wrote an article about templating decks and this sort of resonates here (if anyone else knows this content, please link it, think it's likely lost to the annals of time).
Take it easy everyone --KB
P.S.--also, if you think players are using my ideas, it should also give you an advantage against them, because you can prepare for one player and get several others through your preparations.
P.P.S--not to be technical, but F Aristocrat is great vs. Faith's fetters because it eats up 4 mana and still leaves you without the life unless you're targeting a non-critter and leaving the Acrat in play, but the Acrat has generally done it's job if it hits for 4 on a deck like this and blanking 4 life gain by sacing in response is a fine action. Acrat is great vs. Wurmcoil in the same way--block with mana dork, sac prior to damage, and keep beating down in the air--so I think using Fetters to template against Acrat if your opponent is playing it right--is likely wrong, or at least you could do better. Not saying this is a reason to cut the card, but if you're using it to beat Acrat there's better options out there. One option is golgari charm (one of my pet cards)--it's a Swiss Army Knife of a card and randomly great against this card, as well as random hoser enchantments, weenie decks, and it can save a random threat or threats against removal--pretty flexible card.
Do either of you know which deck (which sees play in our CSM format) has the best chance to defeat RobertZDar's Fish list?
Curious to know. I personally think it is Izzet which has a lot of bolt-y type spells and access to mass removal in the form of Anger of the Gods, Sweltering Suns and Starstorm etc.
(Also, do you believe that Lowman's or stsung's 4C Blood list is better placed to deal with Rob's Fish?)
Fish is a predatory deck, just don't play controlling or midrange blue and you'll generally be favored. For instance, I think builds like Robs (given there are lord draws and TNN draws) will actually be weak to WW aggro (because WWs threats are singularly better, can out race most critters, and will tend to get under counter magic), and I think that 4C will generally just out attrite, grind decks like fish, or on more optimal draws go over the top of them. That's not to say that his deck couldn't beat well built versions of either of these decks, but I don't think the fish would be favored.
UMoon/Izzet is a fine choice, but unless you tune your list to have a lot of red based sweeper effects (making you a lot worse vs UW/b based control decks or in the mirror), I think Fish will tend to go under it, and you have to remember Fish has countermagic (generally very efficient countermagic) too, so saving a timely pyroclasm etc, could lead to disappointment. The other issue I think you run into izzet against Fish is that izzet generally does not win fast (in the way that Jeskai Tempo can); which means you're going to give your opponent a lot of time to find more threats (which they likely have more of). However, I don't think UMoon control or combo control is in a horrible place right now; it's a decent hedge against 4CB as it offers the best nonbasic hate in the format, it's decent vs WW aggro as well due to the volume of red based sweepers (however, I'd say take a look at my last WW deck's SB, they have tools against this sort of thing), and this deck tends to be a decent place against Loam style strategies. The only issue you run into with UMoon is that the deck's matchup against RDW is generally pretty terrible (ie like 50% of your board tends to go toward this matchup because you generally can't win it) if the opposing RDW pilot plays well and has average hands.
I think if you want to specifically beat fish, you need to understand what they're trying to do--eat U based control (like hate them into the earth) and control the more midrange strategies. I think typically fish is going to be challenged by other aggro decks, but will tend to out control midrange and out aggro U based control. So, yes and no, of the control decks that I think are pretty good, Izzet or UMoon likely has one of the better matchups against fish if you design it to utilize a higher volume of R based sweepers, but no because you're really playing into the strategy that Fish wants you to, which is Island, draw, go
RobertZDar is a very tough opponent for me, coz I love blue midrange and control strategies, and he islandwalks the cr*p out of me, and he also protects his fast threats more effectively than anyone else in the format.
However do you admit that Robert's Vedalken Shackles (when drawn) will almost certainly end in the Fish's victory over your D&T deck, as you have a low percentage chance of having an answer to the shackles when you need it. Also, True-Name Nemesis wielding any Sword is almost certain death for your D&T mage.
Robert, can I ask you: Would you consider running either Miscalculation or Trophy Mage over Hangarback Walker in your deck? Have you been satisfied with the Hangarback's performance?
Citing the off case of two cards that are good against almost any matchup outside of hard control, doesn't seem like the most sound argument. Yeah these cards wreck WW or D&T, but remember Shackles is a 5 mana play to have relevant impact, so is a sword. If the aggro deck goes 1, 2, 3 on the play or even on the draw, and each individual threat is better than: insert your version of Dakra Mystic or Cosi's Trickster here, then it's on a scale of probabilities more likely to win. In the event that the Fish pilot has TNN then yeah it's very tough to beat, but that's true regardless of what WW or D&T ends up facing, TNN is a hard card to beat with a critter based aggro strategy. So, I think you're right about TNN it's hard to beat, but Shackles when not backed up by relevant earlier plays and continued play is frankly just too slow and if you're grabbing a tapped threat with it, it's even another turn off from keeping you alive, etc. Shackles is actually better vs. midrange than it is aggro because of this. Try playing the card in modern against affinity (and pretend they don't have a Ravager to sac whatever you grab), it's just not as stellar as it used to be, the game is too fast to assume that shackles can singularly turn a game around. Shackles specifically is an attritional card, eventually it can win--if eventual/time is operative to your situation.
Good showing to the tourney this weekend and glad you all could make it out.
Placings follow:
1st lowman02 (30 tix gift cert deferred to 2nd)
2nd ML_Berlin (30 tix gift cert, 8 tix deferred to the door prize winner)
X-1: AEFabricio, Goblin_hero, and Socanelas: all 2.6666 tix
Door Prize 1: Bandit Kieth (Nahiri, The Harbinger)
Door Prize 2: Deonmag (8 tix)
Hope you guys all enjoyed the tournament and I look forward to seeing you all next week. Just submitted a report on the tournament, decks of it, and some of my deckbuilding theory in 100c, to PMTGO, so hopefully it gets published midweek or so.
Can I recommend Trinket Mage in your Fish sideboard (instead of Saprazzan Legate), because the Trinket Mage will give you extra ways to find your graveyard hate in the right matchups, or find Hangarback Walker in grindy matchups or find Seat of Synod if you need to increase your chances of casting that Bribery on curve against the Primeval Titan decks.
Also, would you consider adding Karakas? It will help protect all your legendary creatures, and it will help you hose Lowman's Doran or Fenza or Brimaz or Kytheon or Thalias or Queen Marchesa or Braid or Saffi or Jace Vryn's Prodigy or Nissa Vastwood Seer or Leovold or the Sensei's Edric or Meloku that might come your way, many of which see regular play in our format. Sadly it doesn't deal very well with Titania or Vendillion Clique or Sigarda Host of Herons or Venser, but it can't do everything! Also, it works well with your main-deck Tolaria West coz it turns a random-hoser into a fetchable hoser.
Hi Lowman, may I ask if you would play Captain Sisay in any of your decks if she costed only 1GW mana (or if she costed her usual 2GW but had a nicer arse, say a 2/4 instead of a 2/2) and therefore out of Bolt and Trail range)? Is this what is keeping her back from our format?
I would love to play this lady in my decks but she is so fragile that I always end up cutting her.
Captain Sisay is a fine card advantage card but like you said she's just very slow and doesn't really end games on her own. That aside, I have run her in a deck that won the CSM: 5CReanimator, but there she was really used as a combo piece not a source of incremental advantage, ie endstep goryo's vengeance on my opponent's turn to find Griselbrand, Emrakul, or Jin-Gitaxias--this or using her off of sneak attack to do the same. Yeah if she had a bigger behind I think she'd be better and 4 mana as you said is a lot.
I might play her, I don't know if she costed less and had a giant spider body. But, realisitically, probably not because while she is sweet, there's just so many good threats now a days that just drawing one of them over her is probably just better--9/10 times I'm happier to just draw a Siege Rhino or Vampire Aristocrat--or just some random PW because they likely win faster than you can get value out of a card like this.
Thanks Lowman for your thoughts on Captain Sisay. I hope that one day in the future, WoTC gives us another similar creature that costs less or has a giant spider body, because I love what Captain Sisay is trying to do each turn but she is just too fragile at the moment.
I frankly think that 4CB if built right can race porphory nodes and it does frightfully little to stop PWs--so I don't think so, think the best weapon against this deck for UW is just to counter the walkers, wipe the board, and lock them out with Back to Basics. I played this match the other day actually (U/W vs 4CB, actually Socanelas' build--or rather he was piloting it) and I either combo'd him out with helm/RIP, beat hit to death with angels, or locked him out with BtB and just won with a Gideon or something. I'm not the biggest fan of nodes--just think it's too slow.
On second consideration, you could also look to use that new 4 mana instant speed wrath to shore up the 4CB matchup; given they can only find 1 basic off of that card, it's not bad--having to be played at condemn speed is a bit awkward, but the card is certainly good in this matchup. Just another idea.
Apologies, but real life and returning home after 6 months on foreign soil has taken it's toll. First thank you to everyone for your participation and support of the event. Special shout outs to Michelle and Stsung, I appreciate you making the trophy in my dereliction of the same task and Stsung I'm glad you felt my article was worth inclusion in your blog--I like to think it had some interesting things to say about the deck and what it's about.
From event 4.07 the following prize support was issued:
1st Place: GoldenLin (1x True-Name Nemesis)
Prize winners: Socanelas, totalhate, MLBerlin, and BoozeMongoose were all awarded 4 tix through our sponser.
Michelle Wong took the Pepsi Challenge for the 30 tix gift cert to MTGO traders and dualed me for it, she unfortunately lost and forwent her X-1 prize pool requirements as did I for the event, so our larger volume of X-1 players had a 4 way split instead.
Door prize was given to DuckX, including 1xGideon, AZ.
Trophy is included below and both from the last events have been uploaded.
Does anyone know how RobZDar (Fish) defeated mathguy (WW) last weekend? How did Robert manage to achieve this feat? Did anyone see the match? Curious to know how Robert emerged victorious from this nightmare matchup.
Hi lowman, there seems to be a calculation mistake from last event.3 players lost once, last time. 16 tix divided by 3 = 5.333, but I've got 4.30 tix. RobZdar and Golden_Lin, how about you?
Don't know how many of you still traverse the world of MTGS for 100C news, but big prize announcement:
This coming weekend we're doing the pre-Christmas event, unfortunately I won't make it for the 23rd event due to family obligations and celebration of the holiday.
However big money on the table this next event on 16 DEC:
1st Place: A full playset of Power Nine (VMA) (If you're unfamiliar with vintage this includes Black Lotus, All 5xMoxen, Ancestral Recall, Timetwister, and Time Walk) this is valued likely somewhere around 100 tik, so if vintage isn't your thing you can sell them for a tidy sum.
Door Prize will be a card valued at 30 tiks but not yet disclosed.
Thanks for putting it up man, and for everyone else, if you're a stone age person like me discord is actually pretty useful for finding a game and collectivizing format dialogue.
Stsung,
Now you know how I felt about having three sets :P, except you're better at selling than I am
--K
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Michelle, I can't remember which video I talk about it in, but at one point while watching or playing against SugarDaddy, he played Parallax Tide. What I talked about here is kind of topical to the topic of Parallax Wave as well, or the other variants of this deck.
This entire cycle is quite interesting in that they provide temporary card advantage (quite vast card advantage) with increasing parasitic results vice time the more you opt to use them. These cards are all designed such that it benefits their caster to use the temporary, but large boost in card advantage to win prior to having these cards vanish. If you can win prior to them vanishing, then they've been used well and done a great job for you all at the cost of one card. Where they fall short is when you miss with them, ie you don't kill the opponent, then you're looking at being down a card and likely a far more troubling board position. That all said, Parallax Wave is a beatdown card, or rather it's a beatdown enabling card. I would say in a lot of ways it acts like Propaganda did for Forbiddian decks back in the day...ie it broke the mirror wide open, because your opponent couldn't both attack with their Ophidian and leave up countermagic, so it continually gave its caster the momentum and mana advantage. Given that this example explains this concept with mana advantage as opposed to card advantage (although I tend to think both can become transmutable effects, because if you can't cast them, then the cards you have are worthless etc).
Faith's Fetters is a fine card and it definitely has a home in the format. Although, I would say that your analysis of the card that you've shared is slightly tainted with subjectivity: when analyzing a card do not assess it for what it has done for you previously, assess it for what it can do right now, in the matchup you're in, or the meta you expect--its history is irrelevant because its history is built inside of variables that have changed in the game you're in now. I've used Bitterblossom to beat RDW before; it still came out of my deck after boarding. This same ideology can be applied to play as well--and I think this has often helped me to keep composure after I misplay or simply lose due to poor luck--when you make an error, accept what it means for the game you're in now, and figure out how you win from it--a lot of folks get stuck in the world of before, when in this game (maybe life) the only one that matters is the one you're in now and how you want to shape its future toward success.
In regards to net decking--folks will do that--always have and always will. However, you can't always turn key a net deck, someone put a lot of effort into designing it and likely had a specific meta game that they were building their deck to beat--without understanding the context of their build design or play theory for the deck, you've only got about 50% of the equation (obviously this estimate is more deck specific, because some decks play themselves a bit easier than others). At this point, I know almost all of our players and their play style, capability and deck preferences--so my decks tend to have a lot of tech and be trickier to play for someone who is not me (the designer): this is why I originally played D&T in the format because I wanted a deck that accounted for many different peoples' play styles and try to force the meta to shift. Unfortunately, I was only half successful, and generated a larger volume of G/x decks, which culminated in the old format with 4CB, which was the best deck of the format. But, I gave this deck to ML to play with once and he didn't have a very good time with it; this isn't because he's not a fine player, it's because the deck is not a beat down deck, but rather an aggro-control deck that was built with specific cards in it to hate out different known players in the meta. Without having built this deck and pondered the many different main deck hate cards in it designed to stop specific players, it just plays out as a bad version of WW. The deck was truly a predatory deck that I designed to force people out of their given archetypes and try some new things. My overall point being, just because a deck has done historically well, doesn't mean you can hand it to a player and expect them to continue that string of events.
However, I will say that my recent designs, in the newer meta, have been more so pure natural strategies. For instance the Loam, 4CB, PatternRector, and WW builds (as well as the decks in my article) were all turn-key strategies that a newer player could pickup and win with easier than say D&T.
So, I'd say this to you; don't worry if folks pick up my ideas or anyone else's and try to run them. They haven't done the yeoman's work, and although they may beat you, on a statistical basis (ie long enough time) their lack of understanding of the deck will hinder their ability to win with it. Think a long ass time ago Michael J Flores wrote an article about templating decks and this sort of resonates here (if anyone else knows this content, please link it, think it's likely lost to the annals of time).
Take it easy everyone --KB
P.S.--also, if you think players are using my ideas, it should also give you an advantage against them, because you can prepare for one player and get several others through your preparations.
P.P.S--not to be technical, but F Aristocrat is great vs. Faith's fetters because it eats up 4 mana and still leaves you without the life unless you're targeting a non-critter and leaving the Acrat in play, but the Acrat has generally done it's job if it hits for 4 on a deck like this and blanking 4 life gain by sacing in response is a fine action. Acrat is great vs. Wurmcoil in the same way--block with mana dork, sac prior to damage, and keep beating down in the air--so I think using Fetters to template against Acrat if your opponent is playing it right--is likely wrong, or at least you could do better. Not saying this is a reason to cut the card, but if you're using it to beat Acrat there's better options out there. One option is golgari charm (one of my pet cards)--it's a Swiss Army Knife of a card and randomly great against this card, as well as random hoser enchantments, weenie decks, and it can save a random threat or threats against removal--pretty flexible card.
Do either of you know which deck (which sees play in our CSM format) has the best chance to defeat RobertZDar's Fish list?
Curious to know. I personally think it is Izzet which has a lot of bolt-y type spells and access to mass removal in the form of Anger of the Gods, Sweltering Suns and Starstorm etc.
(Also, do you believe that Lowman's or stsung's 4C Blood list is better placed to deal with Rob's Fish?)
Fish is a predatory deck, just don't play controlling or midrange blue and you'll generally be favored. For instance, I think builds like Robs (given there are lord draws and TNN draws) will actually be weak to WW aggro (because WWs threats are singularly better, can out race most critters, and will tend to get under counter magic), and I think that 4C will generally just out attrite, grind decks like fish, or on more optimal draws go over the top of them. That's not to say that his deck couldn't beat well built versions of either of these decks, but I don't think the fish would be favored.
UMoon/Izzet is a fine choice, but unless you tune your list to have a lot of red based sweeper effects (making you a lot worse vs UW/b based control decks or in the mirror), I think Fish will tend to go under it, and you have to remember Fish has countermagic (generally very efficient countermagic) too, so saving a timely pyroclasm etc, could lead to disappointment. The other issue I think you run into izzet against Fish is that izzet generally does not win fast (in the way that Jeskai Tempo can); which means you're going to give your opponent a lot of time to find more threats (which they likely have more of). However, I don't think UMoon control or combo control is in a horrible place right now; it's a decent hedge against 4CB as it offers the best nonbasic hate in the format, it's decent vs WW aggro as well due to the volume of red based sweepers (however, I'd say take a look at my last WW deck's SB, they have tools against this sort of thing), and this deck tends to be a decent place against Loam style strategies. The only issue you run into with UMoon is that the deck's matchup against RDW is generally pretty terrible (ie like 50% of your board tends to go toward this matchup because you generally can't win it) if the opposing RDW pilot plays well and has average hands.
I think if you want to specifically beat fish, you need to understand what they're trying to do--eat U based control (like hate them into the earth) and control the more midrange strategies. I think typically fish is going to be challenged by other aggro decks, but will tend to out control midrange and out aggro U based control. So, yes and no, of the control decks that I think are pretty good, Izzet or UMoon likely has one of the better matchups against fish if you design it to utilize a higher volume of R based sweepers, but no because you're really playing into the strategy that Fish wants you to, which is Island, draw, go
Food for thought and hope it helps.
--KB
RobertZDar is a very tough opponent for me, coz I love blue midrange and control strategies, and he islandwalks the cr*p out of me, and he also protects his fast threats more effectively than anyone else in the format.
However do you admit that Robert's Vedalken Shackles (when drawn) will almost certainly end in the Fish's victory over your D&T deck, as you have a low percentage chance of having an answer to the shackles when you need it. Also, True-Name Nemesis wielding any Sword is almost certain death for your D&T mage.
Robert, can I ask you: Would you consider running either Miscalculation or Trophy Mage over Hangarback Walker in your deck? Have you been satisfied with the Hangarback's performance?
Citing the off case of two cards that are good against almost any matchup outside of hard control, doesn't seem like the most sound argument. Yeah these cards wreck WW or D&T, but remember Shackles is a 5 mana play to have relevant impact, so is a sword. If the aggro deck goes 1, 2, 3 on the play or even on the draw, and each individual threat is better than: insert your version of Dakra Mystic or Cosi's Trickster here, then it's on a scale of probabilities more likely to win. In the event that the Fish pilot has TNN then yeah it's very tough to beat, but that's true regardless of what WW or D&T ends up facing, TNN is a hard card to beat with a critter based aggro strategy. So, I think you're right about TNN it's hard to beat, but Shackles when not backed up by relevant earlier plays and continued play is frankly just too slow and if you're grabbing a tapped threat with it, it's even another turn off from keeping you alive, etc. Shackles is actually better vs. midrange than it is aggro because of this. Try playing the card in modern against affinity (and pretend they don't have a Ravager to sac whatever you grab), it's just not as stellar as it used to be, the game is too fast to assume that shackles can singularly turn a game around. Shackles specifically is an attritional card, eventually it can win--if eventual/time is operative to your situation.
Take it easy
Good showing to the tourney this weekend and glad you all could make it out.
Placings follow:
1st lowman02 (30 tix gift cert deferred to 2nd)
2nd ML_Berlin (30 tix gift cert, 8 tix deferred to the door prize winner)
X-1: AEFabricio, Goblin_hero, and Socanelas: all 2.6666 tix
Door Prize 1: Bandit Kieth (Nahiri, The Harbinger)
Door Prize 2: Deonmag (8 tix)
Hope you guys all enjoyed the tournament and I look forward to seeing you all next week. Just submitted a report on the tournament, decks of it, and some of my deckbuilding theory in 100c, to PMTGO, so hopefully it gets published midweek or so.
Take care everyone
Can I recommend Trinket Mage in your Fish sideboard (instead of Saprazzan Legate), because the Trinket Mage will give you extra ways to find your graveyard hate in the right matchups, or find Hangarback Walker in grindy matchups or find Seat of Synod if you need to increase your chances of casting that Bribery on curve against the Primeval Titan decks.
Also, would you consider adding Karakas? It will help protect all your legendary creatures, and it will help you hose Lowman's Doran or Fenza or Brimaz or Kytheon or Thalias or Queen Marchesa or Braid or Saffi or Jace Vryn's Prodigy or Nissa Vastwood Seer or Leovold or the Sensei's Edric or Meloku that might come your way, many of which see regular play in our format. Sadly it doesn't deal very well with Titania or Vendillion Clique or Sigarda Host of Herons or Venser, but it can't do everything! Also, it works well with your main-deck Tolaria West coz it turns a random-hoser into a fetchable hoser.
I would love to play this lady in my decks but she is so fragile that I always end up cutting her.
Captain Sisay is a fine card advantage card but like you said she's just very slow and doesn't really end games on her own. That aside, I have run her in a deck that won the CSM: 5CReanimator, but there she was really used as a combo piece not a source of incremental advantage, ie endstep goryo's vengeance on my opponent's turn to find Griselbrand, Emrakul, or Jin-Gitaxias--this or using her off of sneak attack to do the same. Yeah if she had a bigger behind I think she'd be better and 4 mana as you said is a lot.
I might play her, I don't know if she costed less and had a giant spider body. But, realisitically, probably not because while she is sweet, there's just so many good threats now a days that just drawing one of them over her is probably just better--9/10 times I'm happier to just draw a Siege Rhino or Vampire Aristocrat--or just some random PW because they likely win faster than you can get value out of a card like this.
Hope this helps
You just reminded me. Very happy that Karakas now able to bounce Gideon Planeswalkers (after it activates to turn into a creature).
May I ask if you would recommend to my Azorius Control mage to bring in the card Porphyry Nodes against 4C Blood (Soca version) post-board?
Interested to know if 4C Blood fears this card post-board. I think a big resounding YES, but I'd be interested to know your view.
I frankly think that 4CB if built right can race porphory nodes and it does frightfully little to stop PWs--so I don't think so, think the best weapon against this deck for UW is just to counter the walkers, wipe the board, and lock them out with Back to Basics. I played this match the other day actually (U/W vs 4CB, actually Socanelas' build--or rather he was piloting it) and I either combo'd him out with helm/RIP, beat hit to death with angels, or locked him out with BtB and just won with a Gideon or something. I'm not the biggest fan of nodes--just think it's too slow.
KB
I will continue to reflect on whether to sideboard Nodes against Soca and ilk.
On second consideration, you could also look to use that new 4 mana instant speed wrath to shore up the 4CB matchup; given they can only find 1 basic off of that card, it's not bad--having to be played at condemn speed is a bit awkward, but the card is certainly good in this matchup. Just another idea.
KB
Apologies, but real life and returning home after 6 months on foreign soil has taken it's toll. First thank you to everyone for your participation and support of the event. Special shout outs to Michelle and Stsung, I appreciate you making the trophy in my dereliction of the same task and Stsung I'm glad you felt my article was worth inclusion in your blog--I like to think it had some interesting things to say about the deck and what it's about.
From event 4.07 the following prize support was issued:
1st Place: GoldenLin (1x True-Name Nemesis)
Prize winners: Socanelas, totalhate, MLBerlin, and BoozeMongoose were all awarded 4 tix through our sponser.
Michelle Wong took the Pepsi Challenge for the 30 tix gift cert to MTGO traders and dualed me for it, she unfortunately lost and forwent her X-1 prize pool requirements as did I for the event, so our larger volume of X-1 players had a 4 way split instead.
Door prize was given to DuckX, including 1xGideon, AZ.
Trophy is included below and both from the last events have been uploaded.
Thanks guys and hope to see you all this Saturday
Take it easy.
See you next week in the tournament.
Attached is the trophy.
I say to you: I look forward to locking horns with you Ben in a future chainsaw tournament.
I must go now and prepare myself for the red mages.
Don't know how many of you still traverse the world of MTGS for 100C news, but big prize announcement:
This coming weekend we're doing the pre-Christmas event, unfortunately I won't make it for the 23rd event due to family obligations and celebration of the holiday.
However big money on the table this next event on 16 DEC:
1st Place: A full playset of Power Nine (VMA) (If you're unfamiliar with vintage this includes Black Lotus, All 5xMoxen, Ancestral Recall, Timetwister, and Time Walk) this is valued likely somewhere around 100 tik, so if vintage isn't your thing you can sell them for a tidy sum.
Door Prize will be a card valued at 30 tiks but not yet disclosed.
All other prizes will go to our X-1 population.
Let your friends know. Thanks.
--KB
I fail to see how one year could have passed since stsung became our Christmas massacre champion! Wow 2017 went by quickly?
Thanks for putting it up man, and for everyone else, if you're a stone age person like me discord is actually pretty useful for finding a game and collectivizing format dialogue.
Stsung,
Now you know how I felt about having three sets :P, except you're better at selling than I am
--K