Naah, no one ever lies on the internet. Give me a break. I'm not stupid, don't treat me like I am. But if you're dead set on proving yourself, PM me with your real name and a site where I can see your placing.
Like I said, go ahead and play how you wantRedacted for Flaming/Trolling
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!
heh, same. I could figure out what I was playing against easy enough, but I am having a really hard time figuring out what to cut for games 2/3. I would have thought such a simple deck would be much simpler, but it's actually pretty hard to decide. I just figured out that Surge Mare is supposed to block stuff. Haven't got any use out of Entrancing Melody yet. Against control I've ended up taking out creatures to get more counter spells in, but taking out creatures never feels right.
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.
My deck does better against those decks, but really poorly against Boros aggro and a little worse against mono-red and mono-white. It's more heavily creature-based. Right now I'm trying to find a happy medium between mine and the latest generation that's more non-creature-based and a bit faster.
Slowgod -> Has anyone posted a sideboard guide recently?
Yeah. This deck aint that easy to board. Especially if you do not know what you are playing against, or what weaknesses there are.
A normal tournament deck is not made out of cards like these.
They are generic, and mostly sorta cheap uncommons.
Serious decks don't look like this one, and that matters in part, because real tournament players will not instinctively pick this one to play.
Only now it has won something will people see it on a top table, and decide to play it.
But that makes sideboarding even harder.
The basic components of the deck are really settled. What does and does not go in is borderline set. Sure, the last 4-6 cards do vary, but not by much.
And when a split does happen, it happens at the obviously weaker cards, and it goes down two or three fairly stable paths.
Mono-U is different.
The sideboard is made up of rares that replace commons.
Which commons gets replaced by which rares is a very hard thing to definitively state because the sideboards really are radically different, and being played by very different levels of players, in very different environments.
As example, When I am trying to figure out how to beat Golgari, I encounter people that think I am typing about Hydroid Krasis decks, which I spoze are Golgari-ish in colour, but, well, not Golgari.
And the cards I am playing in the sideboard, are just not the same.
You could go with the Winning sideboard plan I posted two pages back.
Or with the 4xSCG decklists I posted.
Slowgod -> 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!
Melody is AWESOME in the mirror, and sometimes against red / White. Think 1 cost.
Search for Azcanta, Negate, JaceCC, Benthic, and a whole heap of others can come in against control. But, since noone plays many of them, no one will advise you to play them. (Much like Sphinx)
If they do not target your creatures, Dive Down is often dead.
Against creature-less, or creature-lite Capture Essence can be dead.
Surge Mare is a tricky one.
Many people think they are awesome, but I don't.
On the previous page some mentions how he played them basedeck, sideboarded them out every game, and still wants them base.
And the quality of the sideboarding advice you come across is likely to be, ah, shallow, if they have just picked up the deck, because the hard cards, well, expensive compared to the uncommons, are unlikely to be there.
Everyone keeps playing Sleep in the board, but it only seems to win 1 game in 3, when it actually gets sideboarded in, and turns up.
But everyone keeps on playing it, no idea why.
Oh wow. Didn't expect to see a pissing contest here, though I guess I kinda was in one recently lol.
That said, if anyone has a pet card or a pet playstyle, I say let them have at it.
If the whole community, the pros, and the results + decklists from the Mythic Championship cannot change someone's mind that Sphinx of Foresight is trash, then nothing will. In the same vein, if the coverage videos cannot make one see that randomly tapping out with Mono-Blue Tempo is a bad idea, then nothing will.
Humans can be such fascinating creatures.
ps. Frank Karsten, who advocated for Sphinx, tested with CFB and Ultimate Guard, yet not a single player from that testing group ended up playing Sphinx. Clearly they are idiots beyond redemption. Just sayin'.
That said, if anyone has a pet card or a pet playstyle, I say let them have at it.
I didn't say any different, in fact I explicitly said exactly that.
As for numb nuts above, the insult is 'shove it where the sun don't shine.' Nice pic. Where'd you dig that up?
@magic geek Thanks for the info, I think I have been trying to way over sideboard. It's tough with so many playsets in the deck and many of them are very similar. I have been just taking out 1 or 2 of a lot of the creatures and end up not drawing enough to close out games. I just briefly looked at all the info a couple pages back, but I barely saw any mention of taking out most of the creatures. I have been taking out the Tricksters a lot for surge mares and counterspells, but it looks like most people never take those out. I guess the Mist-cloaked and maybe 1-2 Stormtamer are flexible? Still I think it's probably better to take out Dive Down before Stormtamer. I'm probably just overthinking everything being so used to modern.
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?
Since you're running 19 land, have you considered the extra Island SB?
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?
Since you're running 19 land, have you considered the extra Island SB?
Chart a Course is SB viable as well. CaC is a cantrip so it draws you into lands and fuels Pteramanders.
That leaves 8 flexible slots. You can add an Island or any of the cards that aren't yet maxed out. It is also possible to have some Essence Capture, Negate, or Surge Mare. Mix and match as per your local metagame.
I posted a Large and Varied compilation of Basedeck & Sideboard cards a couple of pages back.
Almost all of them have something wacky.
Some of the MANY winning decklists I have posted, do have Sphinx.
Shineyman - "Frank Karsten, who advocated for Sphinx . . ."
Cool. Well, go Frank
Transmogrifying Wand is something I tried SO hard to make playable in a mono-U basedeck standard.
I think it seems to work against Izzet Drakes really well from the sideboard in Mono-U Tempo.
A singleton Transmogrifying Wand seems like a REALLY GOOD decision.
You guys are not afraid of Izzet, except A_E_I_OWN_U, and he just stopped playing because of Izzet (& Golgari).
But, because you guys haven't seen it win major tournaments, you will not play it in the board, and you will not sideboard it in. So I must be wrong.
Rujasu - Since you're running 19 land, have you considered the extra Island SB?
It is a rare deck that plays extra land in the Sideboard. Maybe 1%, maybe less.
I think it was A_U that mentioned he did have trouble with Melody being too expensive.
Mana flooding can be a problem with this deck too since it relies so much on Obsession (& Chart a Course) for stability.
Cast a small creature and hit them until dead does work as a concept. If you get spell lite, and some of your spells counter their spells, ending up with nothing at all does happen. As a concept, Mana flood does destroy this deck when it happens, and it happens a lot more than expected because it is tempo. It does not recover.
Because the Mana Screw / Flood is so important to this deck in particular, how and when to Mulligan is critical.
A new player is going to get that wrong, a lot, and lose because of it.
Now, what is the hardest card in the available pool to play, and involves mana / draw control?
(Hint Frank Karsten thought it was worth trying)
Mono-U is way cheap, but it often is not easy.
Slowgod - "@magic geek Thanks for the info"
You, Slowgod, are welcome.
Had a good day today, went 19-2 in Bo1 play on Arena and went from Bronze to Gold (I just started playing Arena this week). Competition wasn't all that strong and no sideboarding, but still pretty happy with that record.
Rujasu - Since you're running 19 land, have you considered the extra Island SB?
It is a rare deck that plays extra land in the Sideboard. Maybe 1%, maybe less.
I mention it because it was in Burchett's SB when they won the MC. I don't know if it's optimal or not, just throwing it out there.
imo, Sphinx of Foresight is similar to Leyline of the Void. both are ideally in your opening hand and how many copies you run are dependent on your ease of casting it.
that being said, i think Sphinx is difficult for this deck to cast. maybe if 23+ lands were the norm...
So, what do you guys bring in or take out for the mirror? Seeing more and more of this deck in arena ranked and we lack the obvious answers (ie 1 mana removal)
Also, how many lands is too few? I'm running 19 and still feel like I get too many, too often. The only time lots of lands is good is for the djinn, but as great as the djinn is, its not worth having multiple extra lands instead of disruption
EDH RRGrenzo plays your deck, GGYeva's mono green control, WW9-tails trys desperately for monowhite not to suck RWBUTymna and Kraum's saboteur tribal, UWG Kestia's Enchantress Aggro, RUB Jeleva casts big dumb spells, RGB Vaevictis' big critters can kill your critters hard
jsNZ - So, what do you guys bring in or take out for the mirror? Seeing more and more of this deck in arena ranked and we lack the obvious answers (ie 1 mana removal)
If either side gets a quick lock, it is over
An active curious obsession is critical in this.
Out -
Dive Down is often poor since we do not point at creatures. Sometimes it does boost defence in flyer vs flyer battles, but not often enough.
Surge Mare only blocks Trickster, and forces tapping mana in the main faze.
Chart a course is often too slow.
Ptermander is unlikely to Adapt in time, and the opponent has flyers. Maybe.
In -
Entrancing Melody
Exclusion mage
4th Spell Pierce
Blink of an eye
Slimebind
I do not know : Maybe ???
Essence capture?
Negate ?
I do not think these are going to work on the draw.
1-2-3-4 Deep Freeze ?
Deep Freeze (in theory haven't played it yet) seems like it might work. Might just get counterspelled as well, but, actually stopping the CO and the Tempest DJ seems good. Slimebind is obviously much better, but even so.
Likely this game will be determined in the first 3 turns.
Sleep ?
jsNZ - Also, how many lands is too few?
Too few is 18.
(Haven't seen a single deck with 18)
jsNZ - I'm running 19 and still feel like I get too many, too often.
Yes.
Flooding will kill this deck.
If you flood, and they fight, you will have serious problems.
jsNZ - The only time lots of lands is good is for the djinn, but as great as the djinn is, its not worth having multiple extra lands instead of disruption.
Yep.
If only there was a way to get more land, less land, and have something to do with it when flooding.
Hmmmmm.......
I'm not totally out of Mono-blue in my LGS, just taking a week off of it. I play like 5-6 decks so I switch out depending on my meta usually. I just didn't expect our whole shop to be on izzet/golgari after one weekend. Was a trouncing.
Midnightsun, yea I'm running the stock list and it does get minced by izzet. Everything they do is just bigger. And if I'm not a smoking gun, I lose. Something in between would be better for a meta pushing that.
I'm thinking of upping the land count and running 3 essence capture main. I also put in 2x syncopate in the sb cause nexus will be feeling around this week.
If I play this again, I'll need a better matchup vs the mirror and a better matchup vs Izzet cause I know for sure the two better players there are playing that.
As for the SB options, I have taken out the stormtamers for surgemare in the red matchup. Also the tricksters are my usual go to for SB take outs. That and chart.
rujasu- i did end up upping my island count. I love keeping 1 land hands with this and 19 land was just to low for that to be reliable.
I even tried magic_geeks's Sphinx gf. While it did absolutely win a few games, there were just as many where i had a dead card in my hand. So while i might be less harsh on the idea...i still can't see it geek. You have the games where it is absolute nuts when you can set the perfect game ending draws but games where you only set one card cause they other two suck, then get stuck with a dead drop later in the game is rough. At no point do i want that card in my hand except on turn 0. Wish it was, scry 2, draw 1, discard sphinx
A_U - I have repeatedly tried Syncopate. It just doesn't.
I think you would be much better off with another Negate
Also, I think the War-Kites are really good against Izzet.
They can't stop them.
Every creature they have doesn't stop Warkite.
Each Warkite must be burned individually, and Izzet is not a quick deck.
Why would you play a 4 drop creature that does nothing until turn 5, minimum?
I mean if "get stuck with a dead drop later in the game is rough", then . . . Why would you Play Murmuring Mystic?
Why would you play ONE? (Not, why would you play FOUR!)
Is the plan to hide behind his 5 defence and pump out a blocker every turn?
(Beacon Bolt is still going to cook it, but nuthin else will.)
Making a 1/1 isn't going to stop a Mistcloak with a CO.
And, it does seem fast enough against Golgari.
The Deep Freeze & Transmog wand might actually work against Mono-U. It certainly breaks the lock, or at least tries to.
I think the way to beat Iz might be War-Kites, and speed.
I can go about even with Golgari now.
Ravenous Chuppa's are just bad news, in part because they dodge spell pierce.
Essence capture is really good against both Iz & Gol
Essence scatter might even be good enough to be 5,6,7,8
I 100% put in the mystic to face the 3 people i knew were bringing white aggro. It was an absolute boss at stopping the white aggro lol. I did it cause i like to have a few spicy cards that no one expects...its basically our FNM so i dont care if I'm a little off balance sometimes. I was super happy with it over the trickster in the white matchup.
i went 5-1, lost in the finals vs the mirror again. Although, this time it was very even and we each took a game over and the last game came down to him having 4 counters in hand when i thought my 3 were enough lol *shrug*
Hey A_U, I don't get it.
Murmuring Mystic is a four cost creature, and you were 'super happy with it over trickster'.
Huh?
It is on the ground, and does nothing (other than be a 1/5 blocker) until next untap.
Whereas a Trickster will tap and blank the Benalish Marshal, and block & kill any of their creatures (or counterattack for damage) AND you take less damage from unblocked other creatures.
Block and kill Adanto Vanguard seems good.
I mean, even if you are trying to make the Mystic work, . . Why would you take out the best supporting card for them?
Murmuring Mystic seems the definition of your quote "While it did absolutely win a few games, there were just as many where i had a dead card in my hand. So while i might be less harsh on the idea...i still can't see it"
It slow, more likely to never get cast, defensive, ground based . . . Huh?
If the 4th land arrives late, and Mystic is your last card, you get a 1/5 wall.
Murmuring Mystic seems the definition of your continuation "You have the games where it is absolute nuts when you can set the perfect game ending draws but ... get stuck with a dead drop later in the game is rough. At no point do i want that card in my hand except on turn 0"
Mono-U will never want MM in hand on turns 0-1-2-3. And on turn 4-5-6, when it is cast, it does nothing.
Best case, on turn 4 you get a 1/5 wall, which is poor against cast a 3/3 Benalish Marshal, and attack.
Even the tokens in future are going to do very little since everyone will have 2 defence, minimum.
Until turn 5 (minimum) MM just blows chunks.
Especially since you are bringing it in especially against White Weenie charge. If that is what you need to stop, then you are on the play in the second game. So, one less card, and even less chance of it being there on turn 4.
How is Sphinx (a flying 4/4), a 'dead card', if Murmuring Mystic is a ground based 1/5, and a live one?
They cost the same, and the primary effect of the Sphinx happened already on turn 0.
Oh, you definitely got me wrong there geek. I don't think MM is a good card. Not even a little bit. Was just a fun SB card. It 100% stops knights from getting through. While it didn't actually win the games, it mostly just stalled benalia enough for me to finish them in the air. I don't know if trickster was a good option to take out for it but it doesn't do much against most of the cards in white aggro. secondly, this white aggro isn't that fast. turn 3,4 and 5 are their turns. Just in time for the MM. I literally went from mono-u tempo to a control deck when i added them. So my quote that you mentioned, doesn't apply here. This was 100% a fun SB spice and not a card I was actually trying to tune with.
So to sum up, MM was just a fun spice card i added that actually put in work against a deck that has no evasion. Not recommending it, but it worked for me in the SB at least. *shrug*
If every single post you are going to make is going to be trying to push your sphinx agenda on every comment someone makes, just stop. Play your sphinx. You like it, play it. Why waste your breath with us over it? Beating a dead horse at this point with the 5 other active players playing mono-U. I actually appreciate your SB talk and other strategies though. On your other post I did end up not playing syncopate. Was considering them vs Nexus Gates but just wasn't a point since I already just beat on that deck.
Like I said, go ahead and play how you wantRedacted for Flaming/Trolling
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)
My deck does better against those decks, but really poorly against Boros aggro and a little worse against mono-red and mono-white. It's more heavily creature-based. Right now I'm trying to find a happy medium between mine and the latest generation that's more non-creature-based and a bit faster.
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)
Yeah. This deck aint that easy to board. Especially if you do not know what you are playing against, or what weaknesses there are.
A normal tournament deck is not made out of cards like these.
They are generic, and mostly sorta cheap uncommons.
Serious decks don't look like this one, and that matters in part, because real tournament players will not instinctively pick this one to play.
Only now it has won something will people see it on a top table, and decide to play it.
But that makes sideboarding even harder.
The basic components of the deck are really settled. What does and does not go in is borderline set. Sure, the last 4-6 cards do vary, but not by much.
And when a split does happen, it happens at the obviously weaker cards, and it goes down two or three fairly stable paths.
Mono-U is different.
The sideboard is made up of rares that replace commons.
Which commons gets replaced by which rares is a very hard thing to definitively state because the sideboards really are radically different, and being played by very different levels of players, in very different environments.
As example, When I am trying to figure out how to beat Golgari, I encounter people that think I am typing about Hydroid Krasis decks, which I spoze are Golgari-ish in colour, but, well, not Golgari.
And the cards I am playing in the sideboard, are just not the same.
You could go with the Winning sideboard plan I posted two pages back.
Or with the 4xSCG decklists I posted.
Both seem good places to start.
Melody is AWESOME in the mirror, and sometimes against red / White. Think 1 cost.
Search for Azcanta, Negate, JaceCC, Benthic, and a whole heap of others can come in against control. But, since noone plays many of them, no one will advise you to play them. (Much like Sphinx)
If they do not target your creatures, Dive Down is often dead.
Against creature-less, or creature-lite Capture Essence can be dead.
Surge Mare is a tricky one.
Many people think they are awesome, but I don't.
On the previous page some mentions how he played them basedeck, sideboarded them out every game, and still wants them base.
And the quality of the sideboarding advice you come across is likely to be, ah, shallow, if they have just picked up the deck, because the hard cards, well, expensive compared to the uncommons, are unlikely to be there.
Everyone keeps playing Sleep in the board, but it only seems to win 1 game in 3, when it actually gets sideboarded in, and turns up.
But everyone keeps on playing it, no idea why.
That said, if anyone has a pet card or a pet playstyle, I say let them have at it.
If the whole community, the pros, and the results + decklists from the Mythic Championship cannot change someone's mind that Sphinx of Foresight is trash, then nothing will. In the same vein, if the coverage videos cannot make one see that randomly tapping out with Mono-Blue Tempo is a bad idea, then nothing will.
Humans can be such fascinating creatures.
ps. Frank Karsten, who advocated for Sphinx, tested with CFB and Ultimate Guard, yet not a single player from that testing group ended up playing Sphinx. Clearly they are idiots beyond redemption. Just sayin'.
I didn't say any different, in fact I explicitly said exactly that.
As for numb nuts above, the insult is 'shove it where the sun don't shine.' Nice pic. Where'd you dig that up?
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)
Since you're running 19 land, have you considered the extra Island SB?
Chart a Course is SB viable as well. CaC is a cantrip so it draws you into lands and fuels Pteramanders.
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
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNr_4ubfMg
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcwpxraL-g
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8MyVNLVYNw
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-M5ffoArnY
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yQEBOPi_w&feature=emb_logo
extended - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpUB9zpyr4&feature=emb_logo
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
The followings are the common denominators in pretty much all decks;
4 Siren Stormtamer
4 Pteramander
1 Mist-Cloaked Herald
4 Merfolk Trockster
4 Tempest Djinn
4 Wizards Retort
4 Curious Obsession
4 Opt
2 Spell Pierce
2 Dive Down
1 Chart a Course
19 Island
That leaves 8 flexible slots. You can add an Island or any of the cards that aren't yet maxed out. It is also possible to have some Essence Capture, Negate, or Surge Mare. Mix and match as per your local metagame.
Almost all of them have something wacky.
Some of the MANY winning decklists I have posted, do have Sphinx.
Shineyman - "Frank Karsten, who advocated for Sphinx . . ."
Cool. Well, go Frank
Transmogrifying Wand is something I tried SO hard to make playable in a mono-U basedeck standard.
I think it seems to work against Izzet Drakes really well from the sideboard in Mono-U Tempo.
A singleton Transmogrifying Wand seems like a REALLY GOOD decision.
You guys are not afraid of Izzet, except A_E_I_OWN_U, and he just stopped playing because of Izzet (& Golgari).
But, because you guys haven't seen it win major tournaments, you will not play it in the board, and you will not sideboard it in. So I must be wrong.
Rujasu - Since you're running 19 land, have you considered the extra Island SB?
It is a rare deck that plays extra land in the Sideboard. Maybe 1%, maybe less.
I think it was A_U that mentioned he did have trouble with Melody being too expensive.
Mana flooding can be a problem with this deck too since it relies so much on Obsession (& Chart a Course) for stability.
Cast a small creature and hit them until dead does work as a concept. If you get spell lite, and some of your spells counter their spells, ending up with nothing at all does happen. As a concept, Mana flood does destroy this deck when it happens, and it happens a lot more than expected because it is tempo. It does not recover.
Because the Mana Screw / Flood is so important to this deck in particular, how and when to Mulligan is critical.
A new player is going to get that wrong, a lot, and lose because of it.
Now, what is the hardest card in the available pool to play, and involves mana / draw control?
(Hint Frank Karsten thought it was worth trying)
Mono-U is way cheap, but it often is not easy.
Slowgod - "@magic geek Thanks for the info"
You, Slowgod, are welcome.
Redacted for Flaming/Trolling
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 mention it because it was in Burchett's SB when they won the MC. I don't know if it's optimal or not, just throwing it out there.
that being said, i think Sphinx is difficult for this deck to cast. maybe if 23+ lands were the norm...
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
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNr_4ubfMg
standard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcwpxraL-g
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8MyVNLVYNw
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-M5ffoArnY
modern - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yQEBOPi_w&feature=emb_logo
extended - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpUB9zpyr4&feature=emb_logo
Also, how many lands is too few? I'm running 19 and still feel like I get too many, too often. The only time lots of lands is good is for the djinn, but as great as the djinn is, its not worth having multiple extra lands instead of disruption
RRGrenzo plays your deck, GGYeva's mono green control, WW9-tails trys desperately for monowhite not to suck
RWBUTymna and Kraum's saboteur tribal, UWG Kestia's Enchantress Aggro, RUB Jeleva casts big dumb spells, RGB Vaevictis' big critters can kill your critters hard
Arena Standard
UUUU Tempo, since before it was cool
Various Wx decks running Fountain of Renewal and Day of Glory
Anything I can cram Chaos Wand in to
If either side gets a quick lock, it is over
An active curious obsession is critical in this.
Out -
Dive Down is often poor since we do not point at creatures. Sometimes it does boost defence in flyer vs flyer battles, but not often enough.
Surge Mare only blocks Trickster, and forces tapping mana in the main faze.
Chart a course is often too slow.
Ptermander is unlikely to Adapt in time, and the opponent has flyers. Maybe.
In -
Entrancing Melody
Exclusion mage
4th Spell Pierce
Blink of an eye
Slimebind
I do not know : Maybe ???
Essence capture?
Negate ?
I do not think these are going to work on the draw.
1-2-3-4 Deep Freeze ?
Deep Freeze (in theory haven't played it yet) seems like it might work. Might just get counterspelled as well, but, actually stopping the CO and the Tempest DJ seems good. Slimebind is obviously much better, but even so.
Likely this game will be determined in the first 3 turns.
Sleep ?
jsNZ - Also, how many lands is too few?
Too few is 18.
(Haven't seen a single deck with 18)
jsNZ - I'm running 19 and still feel like I get too many, too often.
Yes.
Flooding will kill this deck.
If you flood, and they fight, you will have serious problems.
jsNZ - The only time lots of lands is good is for the djinn, but as great as the djinn is, its not worth having multiple extra lands instead of disruption.
Yep.
If only there was a way to get more land, less land, and have something to do with it when flooding.
Hmmmmm.......
Midnightsun, yea I'm running the stock list and it does get minced by izzet. Everything they do is just bigger. And if I'm not a smoking gun, I lose. Something in between would be better for a meta pushing that.
I'm thinking of upping the land count and running 3 essence capture main. I also put in 2x syncopate in the sb cause nexus will be feeling around this week.
If I play this again, I'll need a better matchup vs the mirror and a better matchup vs Izzet cause I know for sure the two better players there are playing that.
As for the SB options, I have taken out the stormtamers for surgemare in the red matchup. Also the tricksters are my usual go to for SB take outs. That and chart.
rujasu- i did end up upping my island count. I love keeping 1 land hands with this and 19 land was just to low for that to be reliable.
I even tried magic_geeks's Sphinx gf. While it did absolutely win a few games, there were just as many where i had a dead card in my hand. So while i might be less harsh on the idea...i still can't see it geek. You have the games where it is absolute nuts when you can set the perfect game ending draws but games where you only set one card cause they other two suck, then get stuck with a dead drop later in the game is rough. At no point do i want that card in my hand except on turn 0. Wish it was, scry 2, draw 1, discard sphinx
4x Pteramander
4x Siren Stormtamer
4x Merfolk Trickster
4x Tempest Djinn
3x Mist-cloaked Herald
1x Warkite Marauder
Not Dudes (20)
3x Dive Down
3x Spell Pierce
4x Opt
2x Chart a Course
4x Wizard's Retort
2x Essence Capture
1x Blink of an Eye
1x Entrancing Melody
20x Island
3x Negate
1x Dive Down
2x Surge Mare
4x murmuring mystic
2x Entrancing Melody
2x Syncopate
I'm gonna try this jank tomorrow at our weekly standard event.
I think you would be much better off with another Negate
Also, I think the War-Kites are really good against Izzet.
They can't stop them.
Every creature they have doesn't stop Warkite.
Each Warkite must be burned individually, and Izzet is not a quick deck.
Why would you play a 4 drop creature that does nothing until turn 5, minimum?
I mean if "get stuck with a dead drop later in the game is rough", then . . . Why would you Play Murmuring Mystic?
Why would you play ONE? (Not, why would you play FOUR!)
Is the plan to hide behind his 5 defence and pump out a blocker every turn?
(Beacon Bolt is still going to cook it, but nuthin else will.)
Making a 1/1 isn't going to stop a Mistcloak with a CO.
And, it does seem fast enough against Golgari.
The Deep Freeze & Transmog wand might actually work against Mono-U. It certainly breaks the lock, or at least tries to.
I think the way to beat Iz might be War-Kites, and speed.
I can go about even with Golgari now.
Ravenous Chuppa's are just bad news, in part because they dodge spell pierce.
Essence capture is really good against both Iz & Gol
Essence scatter might even be good enough to be 5,6,7,8
i went 5-1, lost in the finals vs the mirror again. Although, this time it was very even and we each took a game over and the last game came down to him having 4 counters in hand when i thought my 3 were enough lol *shrug*
Murmuring Mystic is a four cost creature, and you were 'super happy with it over trickster'.
Huh?
It is on the ground, and does nothing (other than be a 1/5 blocker) until next untap.
Whereas a Trickster will tap and blank the Benalish Marshal, and block & kill any of their creatures (or counterattack for damage) AND you take less damage from unblocked other creatures.
Block and kill Adanto Vanguard seems good.
I mean, even if you are trying to make the Mystic work, . . Why would you take out the best supporting card for them?
Murmuring Mystic seems the definition of your quote "While it did absolutely win a few games, there were just as many where i had a dead card in my hand. So while i might be less harsh on the idea...i still can't see it"
It slow, more likely to never get cast, defensive, ground based . . . Huh?
If the 4th land arrives late, and Mystic is your last card, you get a 1/5 wall.
Murmuring Mystic seems the definition of your continuation "You have the games where it is absolute nuts when you can set the perfect game ending draws but ... get stuck with a dead drop later in the game is rough. At no point do i want that card in my hand except on turn 0"
Mono-U will never want MM in hand on turns 0-1-2-3. And on turn 4-5-6, when it is cast, it does nothing.
Best case, on turn 4 you get a 1/5 wall, which is poor against cast a 3/3 Benalish Marshal, and attack.
Even the tokens in future are going to do very little since everyone will have 2 defence, minimum.
Until turn 5 (minimum) MM just blows chunks.
Especially since you are bringing it in especially against White Weenie charge. If that is what you need to stop, then you are on the play in the second game. So, one less card, and even less chance of it being there on turn 4.
How is Sphinx (a flying 4/4), a 'dead card', if Murmuring Mystic is a ground based 1/5, and a live one?
They cost the same, and the primary effect of the Sphinx happened already on turn 0.
Huh?
So to sum up, MM was just a fun spice card i added that actually put in work against a deck that has no evasion. Not recommending it, but it worked for me in the SB at least. *shrug*
If every single post you are going to make is going to be trying to push your sphinx agenda on every comment someone makes, just stop. Play your sphinx. You like it, play it. Why waste your breath with us over it? Beating a dead horse at this point with the 5 other active players playing mono-U. I actually appreciate your SB talk and other strategies though. On your other post I did end up not playing syncopate. Was considering them vs Nexus Gates but just wasn't a point since I already just beat on that deck.