4xPter, 2xChart, 4xTrickster, 4x WizRetort, 1x DD ?
Seems strange to sub Trickster&Wiz.
I reckon the place to attack Izzet Drakes is in their creatures.
Killing a cackling drake still gives them a card, but counter-spelling it can give us a +1/+1 counter.
Deep Freeze on a little Drake is fine.
Entrancing on a pter or little Drake is good.
The Trickster & Wiz seem important enough to keep because the Wiz Retort can target Their Creatures, well, except Niv. Negate just can't do that.
And if Surge mage ever does decide to attack, i spoze it can fight it's way past some Deep frozen creatures.
Trickster means my 4/4 can fight their X/4. And then flash blank the words on their creature, making them a 0/4 chump blocker.
Against Izzet Drakes, Negate & Surge mare can stay in my board, I reckon.
Maybe the Melody is the missing piece against U/R drakes.
Stealing a Pter after it has been adapted sounds like good times for 3.
Stealing a drake for 5 sounds worse since it will be looking at our graveyard, but still seems OK since the game will go long..
Stealing the Krasis for UU+2 is cute.
6 for the Cackler is getting harder.
8 for Niv Miz is pretty unlikely.
I think the most effective Izzet (ru) card is Beacon Bolt.
Kill then kill is exactly what they want.
Add Shock and Lava Coil and everything is looking a bit tricky.
Niv-Mizz is a complete beating, unless I draw my outs.
They just seems so specialised.
Though I won't dispute the GP results, I managed to go 3-0 in our small (8ppl) FNM last week using Karsten's 3-Sphinx list.
However, my point is that I've never been sold on Faerie Duelist in the SB, so I decided to use Slimebind instead, as I've forgotten to stock up on Deep Freeze, and well, the little enchantment was key winning both round 2 against another Mono U deck, and more importantly, round 3 against Mono R (MB Surge Mare was a star here too), I was able to shut down an obsessed merfolk one full turn earlier, and later a Goblin Chainwhirler,in both cases the Duelist would have been a simple chump blocker, instead of a permanent solution.
My advice for anyone playing this deck would be to consider whether to use Slimebind or Deep Freeze, the former is way better against Mono R or any other creature-heavy deck, you essentially shut down a creature at instant speed for 2 mana, that's a whole turn faster than freeze, and permanent, unlike the faerie speedbump, unless your meta is full of drakes or Niv-Mizzets, you're probably better off with the faster option
Faerie Duelist in both cases the Duelist would have been a simple chump blocker, instead of a permanent solution.
Yeah. I Don't like it either.
Slimebind
Mono U deck, Slimebind shut down an obsessed merfolk
Mono R Slimebind +(MB Surge Mare Goblin Chainwhirler
against Mono R or any other creature-heavy deck, you essentially shut down a creature at instant speed for 2 mana, that's a whole turn faster than freeze, and permanent, unlike the faerie speedbump,
Yeah. Both of those seem good times.
Deep Freeze,
Unless your meta is full of drakes or Niv-Mizzets, you're probably better off with the faster option
Niv-M beat me in my last tiny tournament.
I had the same problem of not having any Deep Freeze.
So, I bought 4 on the weekend.
I want to play all 4.
My problem with Slimeblind is the way a big Cackling Drake goes from a 12/4 to an 8/4
Same with a the 1RU Drake
Izzet Drakes are a bad fit.
And Niv Mizz is still a world of pain.
I keep floating the idea of playing a Deep Freeze main.
Catch that Lyra, Splat that Doom Whisperer, Pay 5 for a Ferrox, Stop a Steel Leaf, Brick a Tempest, A curious, Ram, or Thief.
And Slimeblind just can't seem to do any of that. There is always exceptions, and problems.
Cool !
Did the sphinxs actually do anything?
They only showed up in the first round (mirror against Mono U with Sphinxes), G1 and G3 I had it in my opening had and it helped me dig for an Obsession and trade with a Djinn on one occasion.
Catch that Lyra, Splat that Doom Whisperer, Pay 5 for a Ferrox, Stop a Steel Leaf, Brick a Tempest, A curious, Ram, or Thief.
And Slimeblind just can't seem to do any of that. There is always exceptions, and problems.
But it is actually Niv-M, mostly.
Yeah, that's why I said if your meta has a lot of Drakes or Nivs Slimebind isn't the best option, but against Mono R or other fast decks it's much better than Deep Freeze, and also in the mirror, it's unlikely the game will get so long that a Djinn is going to overcome that -4/-0 for a large margin.
Has anyone posted a sideboard guide recently? I'm brand new to the deck and the format so I don't really know which cards are good or bad for each matchup. Heck I don't even know the matchups!
Jace the cunning Castaway may be in the sideboard of the 'Best Version' of Mono-U, but if only a tiny % of players even try it, who knows?
Playing through a Jace, Cunning Castaway win, is a learning experience.
Transmogrifying Wand is very much a one off. But no more. A way cool one off, to be fair.
I like Transmogrifying wand, but Deep Freeze is more widely useful, Slimebind seems cool too.
This is the list i have put together atm. Anyone have any spice to switch things up? I'm not a fan of the Faerie Duelist...maybe i just dont know when to use him.
Doesn't even have to be good, just something that could steal a game cause they weren't ready for it.
I think I have to play this deck! Standard actually looks really cool right now. I took a year off from mostly modern and just started looking up standard again today. Was very surprised to see mono blue near the top.
This is the list i have put together atm. Anyone have any spice to switch things up? I'm not a fan of the Faerie Duelist...maybe i just dont know when to use him.
Doesn't even have to be good, just something that could steal a game cause they weren't ready for it.
Check out my previous posts, I've never liked Faerie Duelist either, so for my last FNM I ran Slimebind instead and that card ended up helping me win both the mirror and a final round against Mono R of all decks. I don't really compare Slimebind to Deep Freeze since the latter shuts our nightmare down or Drakes, which Slimebinddoesn't, but try Slimebind instead of that glorified chump blocker and you'll see, it can shut down an Adanto Vanguard, Goblin Chainwhirler or an Obsession-carrying creature permanently. In fact, the instant speed was crucial in the mirror match, I cast it EOT with Spell Pierce backup and bricked his Obsessed Herald, good luck trying to resolve aDeep Freeze in that scenario.
test vs boros, 2-0.
SB: not allowed.
notes: his lifelink was annoying but my drawing gas from curious obsession was too much.
r1 vs mirror, 2-1.
SB: +4 essence capture, -4 surge mare
notes: this was boros test guy.
r2 vs esper control, 2-1.
SB: (control swap) +4 negate, +2 disdainful stoke +2 jace, cunning castaway. -4 dive down, -4 surge mare.
notes: jace owned him games 2 & 3. he would tap out for a board wipe, then i'd jace the following turn. as long as i had at least 1 attacker, i kept +1/looting jace. when i got jace to -5 and reproduced him in games 2 & 3, i knew i won.
r3 vs mirror, 2-1.
SB: see r1.
notes: i had a post match conversation w/him after our match and we both agreed that 4 pteramander wants 4 chart a course. but you have to cut something to make space and we agreed on hating tapping out 2 mana sorcery speed for no board impact. i also informed him that i always used to side out all copies of chart of course in the past, to make space for SB cards.
summary:
-there were FOUR mono-blue tempo players tonight! i defeated 2 of them and the last one had an unfortunate budget problem (no curious obsession )':
-my build seems retro/old school but i like it. the only ravnica allegiance cards are essence captures.
-going forward, i'd still keep some main surge mares. they have synergy w/curious obsession/essence capture (+1/+1 to not need pump mana, also allows for more pumping.)
-neither of my mirror match opponents were able to adapt their pteramanders... too slow.
-Goblin Chainwhirler is still too scary for me to run more than eight 1-toughness creatures (pteramanders and war-kites.)
Well, Mono-Blue Tempo just won the Pro Tour (ahem, Mythic Championship). We're gonna face a lot more hate and a lot more mirror matches.
I guess we are now supposed to go 4 Dive Down maindeck, and 1-2 Entrancing Melody maindeck with the rest in the sideboard.
And Sphinx of Foresight is still trash btw. Try watching the top 8 and see for yourself if it would have been helpful to have Sphinx instead of the card you cut for it.
Well, Mono-Blue Tempo just won the Pro Tour (ahem, Mythic Championship). We're gonna face a lot more hate and a lot more mirror matches.
I guess we are now supposed to go 4 Dive Down maindeck, and 1-2 Entrancing Melody maindeck with the rest in the sideboard.
And Sphinx of Foresight is still trash btw. Try watching the top 8 and see for yourself if it would have been helpful to have Sphinx instead of the card you cut for it.
Well I went 3-1 in our 'store championship' that our store still holds.
Rd1 2-1: Gates (i didn't side)
Game one was a stomping and he didn't do anything of merit.
Game 2 I kept a one land siren/obsess/opt hand and didnt hit a 2nd land and he killed my guy when i put obsession on it.
Game 3 More of game 1, he sided firey cannonade and it did nothing lol
Rd2 Homebrew mill 2-1 (i didn't side)
Game 1 he never got off 3 lands, wasn't a game really
Game 2, he hit drowned secrets turn 2, 3 and 4 and i had no counters to stop em. Was slow going
Game 3, he tried to battle me with guys, out tempod him and he lost
Rd3 RDW 2-0
Game 1 I hit a T1 siren, and turn 2 obsession and he didn't have burn in resp. Was to much tempo
G2 I sided and hit like 3 SB cards, wasn't even fair imo. He cast 4 Risk Factor and it didn't make a difference.
+2 Surgemare
+2 Diamond Mare
+1 Dive Down
-2 Trickster
-2 Chart
-1 Blink
Rd4 Mirror 1-2
Game 1 i hit all my stuff on curve and he was always a turn behind
Game 2 I didn't get past 1 land, he just ran away with it
Game 3 Had an answer for my two exclusion mages on his double obsessed guy and that pretty much nailed the coffin.
I didn't have melody's in my SB so this was a tough one. I also didnt have enough essence capture. Was just unprepared for the matchup in my small LGS (mostly cause no one was playing it the day before)
Since mono U is the cheapest in the Land, and actually a real thing, all of the new and cheap arse versions of Mono-U are going to be the ultra cheap versions. Search for Azcanta is not the first card being purchased to make this deck. Same with Sleep, Treasure Map, Benthic BigGuy, SClaws, and almost everything else with a price.
Meh...my 75 cards are already overflowing. No way I have room for a mana-rich beast like Sphinx for a 1 in 9 chance of scrying 3 that's only feasibly castable when I have 5 or 6 lands out.
Sorry man, but if the sphinx was in my hand, it wouldn't have helped me. I would have needed to scry into land/pierce/pierce.
I also ran 0 melody in my SB or main so i had no real answer to his own guys except mage....which he handled cause he knew this from looking at my deck earlier in the day lol
on a separate note, i'm playing again today. This is our normal standard day.
So I think I have the MB that I want to play. The only card I'm debating on is Warkite Marauder.
Also, I need one more card for my SB. Should I just keep Deep Freeze in the SB for Niv?
I have room for a mana-lite beast like Sphinx, since he costs ZERO.
By far the best time to draw it is in the opening grip. Obviously
It has no mana requirement if in first 7 cards
It is a magic card in a standard deck 7/60, which is about 1/9
It has no effect on games it does not get drawn at all, obviously.
A 1 in 9 chance of scrying 3, for free is fantastic.
Sphinx also has two modes, and is harder to play.
Sphinx is a zero cost set up cantrip, not a 4 cost Creature,
He transforms into that creature.
I have cast Sphinx on turn 4, and gone offence.
Pter is also a large flyer in the late game, with an early game effect as an OK Curious Obsession Holder.
I actively looked for that 4 cost flyer in the previous standard, it is that random massive bonus that seems OP to me.
That zero cost cantrip is 'scry 3', for free.
When I get them right, Sphinx wins me games.
Sphinx finds the Melody, and ups the number of land once found.
Sphinx enables melody in the pregame, and after hitting the table.
Sphinx is difficult to take while using Entrancing Melody for most decks since he costs 4, and 4UU is a lot for a blue deck
The steps to find a 2nd land, involve island, and looking.
All the sphinx has to do is find you the Land.
Drawing a random Dive Down or replacements is bonus.
Say it scryed perfect "land/pierce/pierce.", you still would hate Sphinx.
Either the pierces were fast enough, or they were not.
That means the only spells worth thinking about cost 2 at a maximum, one by default, or zero.
The game is not over by turn 2 if you have done something, and Sphinx sure takes up a lot of time by then.
By definition, if the game is over by turn 2, and 2 is the most a natural creature could cost and be useful, Sphinx looks like a blank. But it isn't. Pretend the entire rest of the card is blank. Pregame, Scrye 3, no cost
Sphinx is So Good in the first 7, and kinda ordinary outside of it. The worse example of this is when you fan your hand. See Islands And the One drops, go auto pilot and forget about the Sphinx entirely. Missing that trigger really sucks.
Casting the Sphinx on turn 4 of the play is actually quite good. Well. It's OK. The scry each turn does really help.
Sphinx is cheap at 1 Buck. It actually costs One whole Dollar. Come on Sphinx!
The Sphinx is a complex and difficult card to play in a deck that doesn't really quite want to understand it.
If you mulligan to 6, and then draw a Sphinx, remember to "scry 1" first , and then 'scry 3'.
I have stuffed up the Sphinx in so many ways.
But, On the Draw . . . Live a little. Roll that dice. I have done so. And very much failed, among the triumph.
It can be tricky to sequence.
Zero land hands on the play are always tossed.
Going first, working it all out into something glorious, and then realising you don't have any land as you do nothing, and say 'Your go?' Those 2 islands on top would look fantastic if I was on the draw.
It is so rude.
Part of why I like the Sphinx is because it is a psych out card.
It does stuff no other card allows.
It forces the first part of the game into something that you are not involved in, and is obviously good for me.
You have to wait while I have a pregame mini brainstorm effect that will sort out all my draw problems.
I mean, that is so rude because it forces them to wait in an entirely new part of the turn !
I counter spell your cocky swagger. Please wait.
The Sphinx has absolutely no further effect on the game, but here, look at a 4/4 for four flyer featuring flaming fckloads of funny words to read. Say out loud 3 times fast !
It is good at throwing the opponent off kilter.
And then the game starts.
Maybe on turn 4, might cast a Sphinx.
Might just counter spell everything instead. For a while. .
Getting a 1 cost flyer, CObsession, 2 islands, And a dodge (+Sphinx) seems easier when looking at 11 (draw = 12) cards
or :
Getting a 1 cost flyer, CObsession, 2 islands, And a dodge looking at 8 (draw =9) cards
7 in 60 I draw a Sphinx in opening hand, and I get you use the ridiculous ability on the Sphinx.
Sphinx is like a turn Zero cantrip.
Because the SCRY has no mana requirement, is why it is awesome.
Then it becomes a different card, a 4/4 for four.
Number of cards before cantrip effect = Number of cards after Cantrip effect
Hence, a card that does something, and becomes a different card, like a cantrip does.
There is certainly a huge 'Cantrip' effect, and the same number of cards in my hand.
A cantrip does not COST a card.
Cast the Sphinx for 2UU on turn 4, and they might use removal.
Fine. That's magic.
Casting creatures and hitting them is what this deck does.
Tempest DJ costs 3, not 6. 3 (+3 mana for the Wizards Retort)
Radical Idea does EXACTLY what you claim a cantrip does. Radical Idea is not a cantrip.
You knowing a card I have in my hand does not change any of my cards from being cantrips.
When I draw, and use, a starting Magic card I am not being 'Lucky', I am just starting a game.
If playing a specific Magic card makes me 'Lucky', why don't you?
Most of the time it is definitely a crappier version of a Tempest Djinn.
Except on turns 0,1 and 2.
On turn 0,1 & 2 it is also a crappier Island, Curious Obsession, Spell Pierce, Divedown, Opt, Stormtamer, Pter and Herald.
It is on turns 0-1-2 that Sphinx is AWESOME, & Tempest is useless.
Tempest Djinn however is never an Island on turn 1, nor a Curious obsession on turn 2.
Sphinx is a crappier version of Djinn most of the time.
By the time you can actually use the other scry, on Turn 5, it is highly likely you will bed actively involved in the game since you likely did something on turns 1,2 & 3, . . . because you drew a sphinx.
And none of this changes the fact Sphinx is rarely played in Mono-U, even if it should be.
I am, in part, continuing purely because the slings and arrows being thrown at the Sphinx are just SO WRONG.
Complaining about requiring 6 mana, or that 7/60 is unlikely or other silly stuff just doesn't cut it.
Sphinx gets Islands, and should be counted as a single Island when in initial hand, on the draw.
Sphinx also stops Islands. When Islands 4+5+6 are the first 3 draws, Maybe Island 5+6 should become something else.
That is the stuff that is 'a very small chance'.
Sphinx stops stuff no one here even mentions, Mana Floods.
Play enough and 'a very small chance' will always happen, eventually.
And Mana Floods are common.
The only other cards that help deal with that sorta stuff are Curious Obsession, Mystic Archaeologist, Search for Azcanta, dedicated Blue card draw, . . and Sphinx.
Playing this deck for the first time and also haven't played standard in years, but getting completely slaughtered. No idea how to sideboard because all the cards are so redundant... So I guess what are the "flex slots" or plan for aggro/control?
Midnight Sun - No way I have room for a mana-rich beast like Sphinx
It costs ZERO
It has no mana requirement if in first 7 cards
Midnight Sun - 1 in 9 chance of scrying 3
So?
It is a magic card in a standard deck 7/60, which is about 1/9
And yes, it has no effect on games it does not get drawn at all.
By far the best time to draw it is in the opening grip. Obviously
Midnight Sun - only feasibly castable when I have 5 or 6 lands out.
Why?
I have cast Sphinx on turn 4.
This deck can go offence.
Pter is also a large flyer in the late game, with an early game effect as an OK Curious Obsession Holder.
Sphinx also has two modes, and is harder to play.
You are approaching the wrong end of the beast.
You see it as a 4 cost Creature, which it isn't.
It is a zero cost set up cantrip that transforms into that creature.
I actively looked for that 4 cost flyer in the previous standard, it is that random massive bonus that seems OP to me.
That zero cost cantrip is 'scry 3', for free.
When I get them right, Sphinx wins me games.
(edited to only responses to my comments)
Redacted for Flaming/TrollingI developed it independently, with a couple of additions from Ken Yukuhiro and, much later, Nikachu. (Check out my listing for Riptide, which I published two days after Yukuhiro semi'ed in the Japan Nationals, and actually developed mostly before that from my Deep Blue Sea People II deck. Both are in my sig. Look at the earliest dates in my revision histories.) I was one of the originators of this deck. Certainly not the only one, but I did my work on my own. I've played it ever since.
The SCRY has no mana requirement, and it's a 1 in 9 chance to be able to do so. (In case you didn't realize it, that's a very small chance.) The creature still costs 4 mana to cast. That's what UU2 means. Cast it with 4 lands out and your opponent says, "Oh, tapped out? Guess this is a good time to use my removal." Hence the 5 or 6 lands, when you have Spell Pierce (5 lands), most other counters (6 lands), or Wizard's Retort unsupported by a wizard on the board (7 lands). If you want to cast it turn 4, assuming you can, more power to you. If it survives to the next turn, you got lucky, unless against certain very specific decks or some other rare situation like opponent being out of cards by that point, and you still got lucky he didn't topdeck removal. Overall it's a losing tactic.
And Sphinx is most assuredly not a cantrip. A cantrip DRAWS a card. It doesn't transform into anything either, and your opponent knows you have it if you're lucky enough to be able to use it to scry 3. It's a crappier version of Djinn most of the time, and by the time you can actually use the other scry it's generally either too late or you were winning anyway.
Not going to continue quoting walls of text. You're right. It's not 1 in 9. It's 11.7%. I rounded. And yeah, that's very small. You could aggressively mull for it if you wanted, but I don't find trading cards for scrys a very good strategy either.
You're arguing for tapping out as a strategy? With mono-blue? Sorry, I couldn't stop laughing... But hey, good luck with that, superstar.
Turns 0, 1, or 2? Try turn 0/1, IF you draw it in your opening hand. This is a simple concept.
Btw, I played in '95. And I don't buy your '9th in Worlds' line. Interesting how you picked the place just outside of the top 8, which isn't listed for the '95 Worlds. Nice try, though.
No reason to argue the sphinx. Magic Geek likes it, no one else does. Take it with a grain of salt.
At our standard event last night I got 100% polished. Our entire shop was either blue tempo, izzet drakes or golgari. Was a disaster. I would have loved a mirror but nope....2 drakes and a golgari.
Finished 0-3
Kruul Harpooner is a pita. Plaguecrafter is a pita too. As fast as I was all about mono-blue, I think I'll shelf it again already. It is real good when people aren't actively hating it but man, every deck strat has solid hate for it.
2 Essence Capture
4 Negate
2 Surge Mare
4 Deep Freeze
2 Entrancing Melody
1 Transmogrifying Wand
4xPter, 2xChart, 4xTrickster, 4x WizRetort, 1x DD ?
Seems strange to sub Trickster&Wiz.
I reckon the place to attack Izzet Drakes is in their creatures.
Killing a cackling drake still gives them a card, but counter-spelling it can give us a +1/+1 counter.
Deep Freeze on a little Drake is fine.
Entrancing on a pter or little Drake is good.
The Trickster & Wiz seem important enough to keep because the Wiz Retort can target Their Creatures, well, except Niv. Negate just can't do that.
And if Surge mage ever does decide to attack, i spoze it can fight it's way past some Deep frozen creatures.
Trickster means my 4/4 can fight their X/4. And then flash blank the words on their creature, making them a 0/4 chump blocker.
Against Izzet Drakes, Negate & Surge mare can stay in my board, I reckon.
Maybe the Melody is the missing piece against U/R drakes.
Stealing a Pter after it has been adapted sounds like good times for 3.
Stealing a drake for 5 sounds worse since it will be looking at our graveyard, but still seems OK since the game will go long..
Stealing the Krasis for UU+2 is cute.
6 for the Cackler is getting harder.
8 for Niv Miz is pretty unlikely.
I think the most effective Izzet (ru) card is Beacon Bolt.
Kill then kill is exactly what they want.
Add Shock and Lava Coil and everything is looking a bit tricky.
Niv-Mizz is a complete beating, unless I draw my outs.
They just seems so specialised.
However, my point is that I've never been sold on Faerie Duelist in the SB, so I decided to use Slimebind instead, as I've forgotten to stock up on Deep Freeze, and well, the little enchantment was key winning both round 2 against another Mono U deck, and more importantly, round 3 against Mono R (MB Surge Mare was a star here too), I was able to shut down an obsessed merfolk one full turn earlier, and later a Goblin Chainwhirler,in both cases the Duelist would have been a simple chump blocker, instead of a permanent solution.
My advice for anyone playing this deck would be to consider whether to use Slimebind or Deep Freeze, the former is way better against Mono R or any other creature-heavy deck, you essentially shut down a creature at instant speed for 2 mana, that's a whole turn faster than freeze, and permanent, unlike the faerie speedbump, unless your meta is full of drakes or Niv-Mizzets, you're probably better off with the faster option
Cool !
Did the sphinxs actually do anything?
Faerie Duelist in both cases the Duelist would have been a simple chump blocker, instead of a permanent solution.
Yeah. I Don't like it either.
Slimebind
Mono U deck, Slimebind shut down an obsessed merfolk
Mono R Slimebind +(MB Surge Mare Goblin Chainwhirler
against Mono R or any other creature-heavy deck, you essentially shut down a creature at instant speed for 2 mana, that's a whole turn faster than freeze, and permanent, unlike the faerie speedbump,
Yeah. Both of those seem good times.
Deep Freeze,
Unless your meta is full of drakes or Niv-Mizzets, you're probably better off with the faster option
Niv-M beat me in my last tiny tournament.
I had the same problem of not having any Deep Freeze.
So, I bought 4 on the weekend.
I want to play all 4.
My problem with Slimeblind is the way a big Cackling Drake goes from a 12/4 to an 8/4
Same with a the 1RU Drake
Izzet Drakes are a bad fit.
And Niv Mizz is still a world of pain.
I keep floating the idea of playing a Deep Freeze main.
Catch that Lyra, Splat that Doom Whisperer, Pay 5 for a Ferrox, Stop a Steel Leaf, Brick a Tempest, A curious, Ram, or Thief.
And Slimeblind just can't seem to do any of that. There is always exceptions, and problems.
But it is actually Niv-M, mostly.
Yeah, that's why I said if your meta has a lot of Drakes or Nivs Slimebind isn't the best option, but against Mono R or other fast decks it's much better than Deep Freeze, and also in the mirror, it's unlikely the game will get so long that a Djinn is going to overcome that -4/-0 for a large margin.
Playing through a Jace, Cunning Castaway win, is a learning experience.
Transmogrifying Wand is very much a one off. But no more. A way cool one off, to be fair.
I like Transmogrifying wand, but Deep Freeze is more widely useful, Slimebind seems cool too.
4x Tempest Djinn
4x Pteramander
4x Merfolk Trickster
4x Siren Stormtamer
3x Mist-cloacked herald
Noncreature: (22)
4x Opt
4x Wizard's Retort
3x Spell Pierce
1x Essence Capture
4x Curious Obsession
3x Dive Down
1x Blink of an Eye
2x Chart a Course
19x Island
3x Negate
2x Surge Mare
3x Exclusion Mage
2x Faerie Duelist
2x Deep Sleep
2x Entrancing Melody
1x Search for Azcanta
This is the list i have put together atm. Anyone have any spice to switch things up? I'm not a fan of the Faerie Duelist...maybe i just dont know when to use him.
Doesn't even have to be good, just something that could steal a game cause they weren't ready for it.
Check out my previous posts, I've never liked Faerie Duelist either, so for my last FNM I ran Slimebind instead and that card ended up helping me win both the mirror and a final round against Mono R of all decks. I don't really compare Slimebind to Deep Freeze since the latter shuts our nightmare down or Drakes, which Slimebinddoesn't, but try Slimebind instead of that glorified chump blocker and you'll see, it can shut down an Adanto Vanguard, Goblin Chainwhirler or an Obsession-carrying creature permanently. In fact, the instant speed was crucial in the mirror match, I cast it EOT with Spell Pierce backup and bricked his Obsessed Herald, good luck trying to resolve aDeep Freeze in that scenario.
4 merfolk trickster
4 mist-cloaked herald
4 siren stormtamer
4 surge mare (aggro should be the worst match up for tempo. while i sided these out every match, i felt secure having them main.)
4 tempest djinn
4 curious obsession
4 dive down
4 opt
4 spell pierce
4 wizard’s retort
4 negate (control)
2 disdainful stroke (control)
2 jace, cunning castaway (control)
4 essence capture (aggro)
3 transmogrifying wand (midrange)
test vs boros, 2-0.
SB: not allowed.
notes: his lifelink was annoying but my drawing gas from curious obsession was too much.
r1 vs mirror, 2-1.
SB: +4 essence capture, -4 surge mare
notes: this was boros test guy.
r2 vs esper control, 2-1.
SB: (control swap) +4 negate, +2 disdainful stoke +2 jace, cunning castaway. -4 dive down, -4 surge mare.
notes: jace owned him games 2 & 3. he would tap out for a board wipe, then i'd jace the following turn. as long as i had at least 1 attacker, i kept +1/looting jace. when i got jace to -5 and reproduced him in games 2 & 3, i knew i won.
r3 vs mirror, 2-1.
SB: see r1.
notes: i had a post match conversation w/him after our match and we both agreed that 4 pteramander wants 4 chart a course. but you have to cut something to make space and we agreed on hating tapping out 2 mana sorcery speed for no board impact. i also informed him that i always used to side out all copies of chart of course in the past, to make space for SB cards.
summary:
-there were FOUR mono-blue tempo players tonight! i defeated 2 of them and the last one had an unfortunate budget problem (no curious obsession )':
-my build seems retro/old school but i like it. the only ravnica allegiance cards are essence captures.
-going forward, i'd still keep some main surge mares. they have synergy w/curious obsession/essence capture (+1/+1 to not need pump mana, also allows for more pumping.)
-neither of my mirror match opponents were able to adapt their pteramanders... too slow.
-Goblin Chainwhirler is still too scary for me to run more than eight 1-toughness creatures (pteramanders and war-kites.)
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfx2kA8gok&feature=emb_logo
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3RYiZJFCK0
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j18HlKybrm8&feature=emb_logo
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiAEzfAgpbI&t=1s
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNr_4ubfMg&t=1s
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcwpxraL-g&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8MyVNLVYNw&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-M5ffoArnY&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yQEBOPi_w&feature=emb_logo
extended - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpUB9zpyr4&feature=emb_logo
I guess we are now supposed to go 4 Dive Down maindeck, and 1-2 Entrancing Melody maindeck with the rest in the sideboard.
And Sphinx of Foresight is still trash btw. Try watching the top 8 and see for yourself if it would have been helpful to have Sphinx instead of the card you cut for it.
Sphinx of Foresight is tech vs Entrancing Melody (;
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfx2kA8gok&feature=emb_logo
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3RYiZJFCK0
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j18HlKybrm8&feature=emb_logo
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiAEzfAgpbI&t=1s
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNr_4ubfMg&t=1s
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcwpxraL-g&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8MyVNLVYNw&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-M5ffoArnY&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yQEBOPi_w&feature=emb_logo
extended - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpUB9zpyr4&feature=emb_logo
is your username from King of the Hill?
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfx2kA8gok&feature=emb_logo
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3RYiZJFCK0
limited - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j18HlKybrm8&feature=emb_logo
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiAEzfAgpbI&t=1s
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNr_4ubfMg&t=1s
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcwpxraL-g&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8MyVNLVYNw&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-M5ffoArnY&t=1s
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yQEBOPi_w&feature=emb_logo
extended - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpUB9zpyr4&feature=emb_logo
Rd1 2-1: Gates (i didn't side)
Game one was a stomping and he didn't do anything of merit.
Game 2 I kept a one land siren/obsess/opt hand and didnt hit a 2nd land and he killed my guy when i put obsession on it.
Game 3 More of game 1, he sided firey cannonade and it did nothing lol
Rd2 Homebrew mill 2-1 (i didn't side)
Game 1 he never got off 3 lands, wasn't a game really
Game 2, he hit drowned secrets turn 2, 3 and 4 and i had no counters to stop em. Was slow going
Game 3, he tried to battle me with guys, out tempod him and he lost
Rd3 RDW 2-0
Game 1 I hit a T1 siren, and turn 2 obsession and he didn't have burn in resp. Was to much tempo
G2 I sided and hit like 3 SB cards, wasn't even fair imo. He cast 4 Risk Factor and it didn't make a difference.
+2 Surgemare
+2 Diamond Mare
+1 Dive Down
-2 Trickster
-2 Chart
-1 Blink
Rd4 Mirror 1-2
Game 1 i hit all my stuff on curve and he was always a turn behind
Game 2 I didn't get past 1 land, he just ran away with it
Game 3 Had an answer for my two exclusion mages on his double obsessed guy and that pretty much nailed the coffin.
I didn't have melody's in my SB so this was a tough one. I also didnt have enough essence capture. Was just unprepared for the matchup in my small LGS (mostly cause no one was playing it the day before)
Standard: Fileted By Fish (UG aggro Merfolk), A Fine Kettle of Fish (UG swarm Merfolk), The Deep Blue Sea-People II (Umidrange Merfolk/Wizards),
Greek Fire (UR Wizards), Riptide (U Tempo)
I also ran 0 melody in my SB or main so i had no real answer to his own guys except mage....which he handled cause he knew this from looking at my deck earlier in the day lol
on a separate note, i'm playing again today. This is our normal standard day.
4x Tempest Djinn
4x Siren Stormtamer
2x Mist-cloaked Herald
4x Pteramander
4x Merfolk Trickster
Instant/Sorcery (23)
4x Curious Obsession
4x Dive Down
3x Spell Pierce
2x Essence Capture
2x Chart a Course
4x Opt
4x Wizard's Retort
19x Island
2x Essence Capture
4x Negate
1x Search for Azcanta
2x Surge Mare
2x Diamond Mare
2x Entrancing Melody
1x NEED TO FILL THIS SLOT
So I think I have the MB that I want to play. The only card I'm debating on is Warkite Marauder.
Also, I need one more card for my SB. Should I just keep Deep Freeze in the SB for Niv?
By far the best time to draw it is in the opening grip. Obviously
It has no mana requirement if in first 7 cards
It is a magic card in a standard deck 7/60, which is about 1/9
It has no effect on games it does not get drawn at all, obviously.
A 1 in 9 chance of scrying 3, for free is fantastic.
Sphinx also has two modes, and is harder to play.
Sphinx is a zero cost set up cantrip, not a 4 cost Creature,
He transforms into that creature.
I have cast Sphinx on turn 4, and gone offence.
Pter is also a large flyer in the late game, with an early game effect as an OK Curious Obsession Holder.
I actively looked for that 4 cost flyer in the previous standard, it is that random massive bonus that seems OP to me.
That zero cost cantrip is 'scry 3', for free.
When I get them right, Sphinx wins me games.
Sphinx finds the Melody, and ups the number of land once found.
Sphinx enables melody in the pregame, and after hitting the table.
Sphinx is difficult to take while using Entrancing Melody for most decks since he costs 4, and 4UU is a lot for a blue deck
The steps to find a 2nd land, involve island, and looking.
All the sphinx has to do is find you the Land.
Drawing a random Dive Down or replacements is bonus.
Say it scryed perfect "land/pierce/pierce.", you still would hate Sphinx.
Either the pierces were fast enough, or they were not.
That means the only spells worth thinking about cost 2 at a maximum, one by default, or zero.
The game is not over by turn 2 if you have done something, and Sphinx sure takes up a lot of time by then.
By definition, if the game is over by turn 2, and 2 is the most a natural creature could cost and be useful, Sphinx looks like a blank. But it isn't. Pretend the entire rest of the card is blank. Pregame, Scrye 3, no cost
Sphinx is So Good in the first 7, and kinda ordinary outside of it. The worse example of this is when you fan your hand. See Islands And the One drops, go auto pilot and forget about the Sphinx entirely. Missing that trigger really sucks.
Casting the Sphinx on turn 4 of the play is actually quite good. Well. It's OK. The scry each turn does really help.
Sphinx is cheap at 1 Buck. It actually costs One whole Dollar. Come on Sphinx!
The Sphinx is a complex and difficult card to play in a deck that doesn't really quite want to understand it.
If you mulligan to 6, and then draw a Sphinx, remember to "scry 1" first , and then 'scry 3'.
I have stuffed up the Sphinx in so many ways.
But, On the Draw . . . Live a little. Roll that dice. I have done so. And very much failed, among the triumph.
It can be tricky to sequence.
Zero land hands on the play are always tossed.
Going first, working it all out into something glorious, and then realising you don't have any land as you do nothing, and say 'Your go?' Those 2 islands on top would look fantastic if I was on the draw.
It is so rude.
Part of why I like the Sphinx is because it is a psych out card.
It does stuff no other card allows.
It forces the first part of the game into something that you are not involved in, and is obviously good for me.
You have to wait while I have a pregame mini brainstorm effect that will sort out all my draw problems.
I mean, that is so rude because it forces them to wait in an entirely new part of the turn !
I counter spell your cocky swagger. Please wait.
The Sphinx has absolutely no further effect on the game, but here, look at a 4/4 for four flyer featuring flaming fckloads of funny words to read. Say out loud 3 times fast !
It is good at throwing the opponent off kilter.
And then the game starts.
Maybe on turn 4, might cast a Sphinx.
Might just counter spell everything instead. For a while. .
(Sphinx+6)= Opening 7
(8+9+10 Sphinx) Effect
11 (first unknown pick up)
12 (second Unknown)
Getting a 1 cost flyer, CObsession, 2 islands, And a dodge (+Sphinx) seems easier when looking at 11 (draw = 12) cards
or :
Getting a 1 cost flyer, CObsession, 2 islands, And a dodge looking at 8 (draw =9) cards
7 in 60 I draw a Sphinx in opening hand, and I get you use the ridiculous ability on the Sphinx.
Sphinx is like a turn Zero cantrip.
Because the SCRY has no mana requirement, is why it is awesome.
Then it becomes a different card, a 4/4 for four.
Number of cards before cantrip effect = Number of cards after Cantrip effect
Hence, a card that does something, and becomes a different card, like a cantrip does.
There is certainly a huge 'Cantrip' effect, and the same number of cards in my hand.
A cantrip does not COST a card.
Cast the Sphinx for 2UU on turn 4, and they might use removal.
Fine. That's magic.
Casting creatures and hitting them is what this deck does.
Tempest DJ costs 3, not 6. 3 (+3 mana for the Wizards Retort)
Radical Idea does EXACTLY what you claim a cantrip does. Radical Idea is not a cantrip.
You knowing a card I have in my hand does not change any of my cards from being cantrips.
When I draw, and use, a starting Magic card I am not being 'Lucky', I am just starting a game.
If playing a specific Magic card makes me 'Lucky', why don't you?
Most of the time it is definitely a crappier version of a Tempest Djinn.
Except on turns 0,1 and 2.
On turn 0,1 & 2 it is also a crappier Island, Curious Obsession, Spell Pierce, Divedown, Opt, Stormtamer, Pter and Herald.
It is on turns 0-1-2 that Sphinx is AWESOME, & Tempest is useless.
Tempest Djinn however is never an Island on turn 1, nor a Curious obsession on turn 2.
Sphinx is a crappier version of Djinn most of the time.
By the time you can actually use the other scry, on Turn 5, it is highly likely you will bed actively involved in the game since you likely did something on turns 1,2 & 3, . . . because you drew a sphinx.
And none of this changes the fact Sphinx is rarely played in Mono-U, even if it should be.
I am, in part, continuing purely because the slings and arrows being thrown at the Sphinx are just SO WRONG.
Complaining about requiring 6 mana, or that 7/60 is unlikely or other silly stuff just doesn't cut it.
Sphinx gets Islands, and should be counted as a single Island when in initial hand, on the draw.
Sphinx also stops Islands. When Islands 4+5+6 are the first 3 draws, Maybe Island 5+6 should become something else.
That is the stuff that is 'a very small chance'.
Sphinx stops stuff no one here even mentions, Mana Floods.
Play enough and 'a very small chance' will always happen, eventually.
And Mana Floods are common.
The only other cards that help deal with that sorta stuff are Curious Obsession, Mystic Archaeologist, Search for Azcanta, dedicated Blue card draw, . . and Sphinx.
(edited to only responses to my comments)
Redacted for Flaming/TrollingI developed it independently, with a couple of additions from Ken Yukuhiro and, much later, Nikachu. (Check out my listing for Riptide, which I published two days after Yukuhiro semi'ed in the Japan Nationals, and actually developed mostly before that from my Deep Blue Sea People II deck. Both are in my sig. Look at the earliest dates in my revision histories.) I was one of the originators of this deck. Certainly not the only one, but I did my work on my own. I've played it ever since.
The SCRY has no mana requirement, and it's a 1 in 9 chance to be able to do so. (In case you didn't realize it, that's a very small chance.) The creature still costs 4 mana to cast. That's what UU2 means. Cast it with 4 lands out and your opponent says, "Oh, tapped out? Guess this is a good time to use my removal." Hence the 5 or 6 lands, when you have Spell Pierce (5 lands), most other counters (6 lands), or Wizard's Retort unsupported by a wizard on the board (7 lands). If you want to cast it turn 4, assuming you can, more power to you. If it survives to the next turn, you got lucky, unless against certain very specific decks or some other rare situation like opponent being out of cards by that point, and you still got lucky he didn't topdeck removal. Overall it's a losing tactic.
And Sphinx is most assuredly not a cantrip. A cantrip DRAWS a card. It doesn't transform into anything either, and your opponent knows you have it if you're lucky enough to be able to use it to scry 3. It's a crappier version of Djinn most of the time, and by the time you can actually use the other scry it's generally either too late or you were winning anyway.
Standard: Fileted By Fish (UG aggro Merfolk), A Fine Kettle of Fish (UG swarm Merfolk), The Deep Blue Sea-People II (Umidrange Merfolk/Wizards),
Greek Fire (UR Wizards), Riptide (U Tempo)
Any Blue creature that can stop a Carnage Tyrant has got to be worth a look.
You're arguing for tapping out as a strategy? With mono-blue? Sorry, I couldn't stop laughing... But hey, good luck with that, superstar.
Turns 0, 1, or 2? Try turn 0/1, IF you draw it in your opening hand. This is a simple concept.
Read it for yourself. https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Cantrip I would think such an experienced player would know that. Guess not...
Btw, I played in '95. And I don't buy your '9th in Worlds' line. Interesting how you picked the place just outside of the top 8, which isn't listed for the '95 Worlds. Nice try, though.
Standard: Fileted By Fish (UG aggro Merfolk), A Fine Kettle of Fish (UG swarm Merfolk), The Deep Blue Sea-People II (Umidrange Merfolk/Wizards),
Greek Fire (UR Wizards), Riptide (U Tempo)
At our standard event last night I got 100% polished. Our entire shop was either blue tempo, izzet drakes or golgari. Was a disaster. I would have loved a mirror but nope....2 drakes and a golgari.
Finished 0-3
Kruul Harpooner is a pita. Plaguecrafter is a pita too. As fast as I was all about mono-blue, I think I'll shelf it again already. It is real good when people aren't actively hating it but man, every deck strat has solid hate for it.
Very Small in Magic is 1/60, so 1/9 seems a lot
A-U - Yep, Kruul Harpooner is heinous. Izzet drakes is a beating, and GOLGARI is harsh.