I started with Tezz's Gambit because I like how it proliforates with the overseer and post board wipe it can get you more cards to put out on the field.
Since I was looking at putting in blue for the gambit, as I don't want to have to pay 2 life every time I play it, I started looking at the metamorph. For 3 or 4 mana I can either duplicate something I need on my side to win, or I can grab their titan, whatever flavor it may be, and mine will be pumped by Tempered Steel winning the battle. Seemed like a good idea for something to side in against any deck with some big creatures as a wincon. I would love to play this against Eldrazi Ramp. It's a stupid way to get rid of Emrakul but I wonder if copying it with the metamprph nets you the extra turn still? I mean you did cast the metamorph and it comes into play as the copied creature.
Anyway, I was also thinking Spellskite would be good either main or side. It is a 0/4 creature turn 2 that can hold off aggro decks, you can pay U or 2 life to stop spot removal, and it is an artifact. Seems to be a good fit, right?
I have not played tempered steel decks before and the only one I have played against was kinda weak in that it was more myr based. So, I kind worry that adding Tezzeret's Gambit and Phyrexian Metamorph wouls slow the deck down, but would be good sideboard. Spellskite I think is good either MD or SB.
My deck is kind of different from the more aggressive ones in this forum, the curve is a bit higher and it's more of a Stompy deck than an aggro deck. If there is another forum discussing the archetype please feel free send me right over, instead of flaming me.
I've always liked the idea of Lodestone Golems at the top of the curve, and with Phyrexian Metamorph we could now play eight (not considering Clone atm, though with a reliable way to get to my Lodestones I would).
It's still aggressive, everything still plays nice with Tempered Steel (Precursor becomes 5/5s, Lodestone is put out of bolt range, and everything else is pumped just like in the aggro version) and it can start locking opponents out of the game past turn 3/4 with Lodestones/Metamorphs and Tech Edge backup. It's still very rough, there are certainly cards I'm not so sure about and not drawing Lodestone could hurt, although the deck can still be quite aggressive without. I goldfished it a bit and was pleasantly surprised. Just a thought! Feel free to rip the deck apart.
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Standard: Humanimator
Modern: Jund, Wafo-Tapa UWR
Legacy: Witch-Maw Stoneblade
EDH: Ruhan of the Fomori, Hazezon Tamar, Maga, Traitor to Mortals
I have not played tempered steel decks before and the only one I have played against was kinda weak in that it was more myr based. So, I kind worry that adding Tezzeret's Gambit and Phyrexian Metamorph wouls slow the deck down, but would be good sideboard. Spellskite I think is good either MD or SB.
Any thoughts?
In my experience with the most aggressive form of this deck I'd rather be playing creatures that help with the swarm or leaving mana open for answers than drawing additional cards. This deck doesn't need one particular card to win (maybe Tempered Steel, but I've won games without playing it). I even go back and forth on Etched Champion because it's "too slow," especially when they have a way to deactivate Metalcraft for you.
In the case of Metamorph, because it costs more than all of your cards, you'd only really want to be cloning Titans, which doesn't do much after Inferno Titan wipes your board or Primeval Titan activates Valakut.
Although I like Spellskite in other decks, it's still too "expensive" for this deck, which shouldn't sweat the loss of one guy enough to invest 3 mana/2 mana and 2 life.
I like the idea of the midrange decks but without fliers/non-creature answers to fliers (Dispatch-ing a hawk seems terrible), you're basically auto-conceding to Caw-Blade.
Now that I've dumped on everyone else's ideas (constructively I hope! ;)), should we consider main-decking artifact removal? If someone flashes in a Batterskull via Stoneforge Mystic, I'd much rather destroy the equipment than exile a germ.
Also, I have been deciding whether to add Steel Overseer or not. I do know the added benefits and costs to running the card by looking over the thread, however I wanna see if Steel Overseer is reprinted in M12 before I make the investment. If I could, I would remove the Porcelain Legionnaires for Steel Overseers. I run 4 Hovermyr in my deck, so I would be replacing a High Risk/ High Gain early game card for a Mid/Late Game Rolf Stomper.
@ Blacksummer: Looks like a solid list. Though I'm sure you're not running Contested Cliffs as it currently suggests ;).
On Hex Parasite, I have yet to have any issue with Planeswalkers (have had JTMS, Tezz,Koth, and Gideon played against me many times without any concern). However, there are times I wouldn't have minded having a Hex Parasite type card to use against Tumble Magnet, and to a lesser extent, mana producers such as Everflowing Chalice/Sphere of the Suns. If you've playtested with him in some fashion already, what do you tend to use him on, and how relevant has it been?
Occasionally my single Revoker would be drawn at key times, including being saved from Ratchet Bomb, but I can see where Hex Parasite may be better than him, so he'll definitely be worth testing.
I like the idea of a blue splash for counters, and one of my initial builds was U/W, but I rarely found the counters relevant. I see that the popularity of the ExarchTwin nonsense may increase their use, but the main things I would want a counter for have been BSZ (generally my biggest concern) and DoJ. Decks with DoJ don't seem to run 4 MB and often come out too late to make a difference. Decks with BSZ use a lot of targeted discard that can toss the counterspells anyway (I often beat these decks, but it seems to be a terrible match-up if I don't get a GHI on the board...if I do, I generally win). Against red, I've been content with Refraction Trap.
However, with Seachrome Coasts and such, there isn't a whole lot of negative to running counters in the SB either. I certainly wouldn't suggest that running blue is inferior to mono-white. There will be games that having a counterspell at the right time will win the game, but it's also possible to lose due to drawing counterspells instead of cards that promote an aggressive start (resulting in having less of a board to protect). Again, I prefer to race DoJ, and BSZ decks seem to be a crapshoot either way. I personally did much worse with my U/W build, so it again may be a local meta issue.
On a side note, I got beaten a couple days ago in a casual game by a ridiculous deck. We didn't actually get to finish as I had my draft called, but at that point he was already at 84 life... Everything he played was a wall. First turn Perimeter Captain, then Wall of Omens, a 5/3 flying wall that forces attacks, one that gains life (every turn based on a walls power), and one that deals damage for every wall he had out. I skipped over Eldrazi, so I'm not certain of the names. He'd lose to almost anything else, but I'd hate to play against that in an actual tournament with no real removal in the main.
Has anyone tested Shrine of Loyal legions yet? I know that I was just railing against non-aggressive cards a few posts ago, but it seems pretty good to crack one of these after getting blown out by a wrath.
Has anyone tested Shrine of Loyal legions yet? I know that I was just railing against non-aggressive cards a few posts ago, but it seems pretty good to crack one of these after getting blown out by a wrath.
It would have to go into a midrage version I would think. If you have few or no white spells it only get one counter per turn. I worry that you would also have to keep 3 mana open in case they go to destroy it.
The last three are possibles for a midrange build. I would like to test them out. Blade Splicer and Tezzes Gambit I am already going to try in a Shape Anew deck so I plan to pick them up anyway.
My deck is kind of different from the more aggressive ones in this forum, the curve is a bit higher and it's more of a Stompy deck than an aggro deck. If there is another forum discussing the archetype please feel free send me right over, instead of flaming me.
I've always liked the idea of Lodestone Golems at the top of the curve, and with Phyrexian Metamorph we could now play eight (not considering Clone atm, though with a reliable way to get to my Lodestones I would).
It's still aggressive, everything still plays nice with Tempered Steel (Precursor becomes 5/5s, Lodestone is put out of bolt range, and everything else is pumped just like in the aggro version) and it can start locking opponents out of the game past turn 3/4 with Lodestones/Metamorphs and Tech Edge backup. It's still very rough, there are certainly cards I'm not so sure about and not drawing Lodestone could hurt, although the deck can still be quite aggressive without. I goldfished it a bit and was pleasantly surprised. Just a thought! Feel free to rip the deck apart.
I like it but with 3 precursors I would throw in a way to abuse that. Like maybe even mighty leap
However, in today's culture of Justin Bieber, Jersey Shore, and Twilight, where every song on the radio, every program on television and every site on the internet is just another monument to the pinnacle of human stupidity, it's certainly not the worst thing that people could be watching.
I playtested today with my friend who had U/B Tezzerret. I played a total of 6 games with him and I won 4/6 games. Here is what I noticed.
1) Glint Hawk Idol is a boss in this matchup. He can't be kill by doom blade, go for the throat, and black Sun's Zenith. I never had a problem putting more than one of them. I might make space for 4 of them in my deck.
2) Hex parasite did its job of killing Tezz, but it did well when black sun's Zenith came out. You can rid of counters left on your creature from a Black Sun's Zenith because I already had a tempered steel out.
I think that Porcelain Legionnaire under performs in this deck because there are better 2 drop options you have and you might want to let up on the mana curve. I'm gonna replace it with Glint Hawk and see how it goes.
1) Glint Hawk Idol is a boss in this matchup. He can't be kill by doom blade, go for the throat, and black Sun's Zenith. I never had a problem putting more than one of them. I might make space for 4 of them in my deck.
2) Hex parasite did its job of killing Tezz, but it did well when black sun's Zenith came out. You can rid of counters left on your creature from a Black Sun's Zenith because I already had a tempered steel out.
I think that Porcelain Legionnaire under performs in this deck because there are better 2 drop options you have and you might want to let up on the mana curve. I'm gonna replace it with Glint Hawk and see how it goes.
Glint Hawk Idol actually CAN be killed with Doom Blade. It's nonblack.
How many Hex Parasite do you run? I'm trying to find the right number.
Glint Hawk Idol actually CAN be killed with Doom Blade. It's nonblack.
How many Hex Parasite do you run? I'm trying to find the right number.
Whoops, my bad.
I currently run 3 in my deck because although It's an artifact creature and it's effect is quite good, The 1 cmc creature slot is full with Vault Skirge and Signal Pest. However, this card helps against a lot of cards you go against.
Another point is that this card is tech against the combo decks because the new combo decks run either Pyromancer's Ascension or Bloodchief Ascension and we can make them wait longer for the effects to be active, which should be enough for us to win.
3 is a good number because It's enough to allow to get 1 per game, but not too much to where you get multiples in your hand.
spellskite useful in these lists? or maybe not so much because you can't redirect a sweeper to him alone and that's the only problem the list has?
I may run them in my sideboard to test. Swapping a Bolt/Arc Trail, etc. could be valuable, and of course it can grab Splinter Twin in case of the combo. In the main-deck, it would run the risk of being a wall, which may be too hard on the aggro aspect to include at 2cc.
The fact it can also swap abilities could be nice vs. Tumble Magnet/Jace, etc.
Undoubtedly a very "useful" card, but without guaranteed offensive power, the remaining ability is too situational.
I'm willing to test it, but may find that while it can swap many relevant spells/abilities in type 2, it will be limited to much less based on the opponents deck. Phyrexian Revoker/Hex Parasite may deal with Ratchet Bomb/Planesewalkers/Tumble Magnet, etc. better, and Refraction Trap/Mutagenic Growth may be preferred against burn. Torpor Orb/Dispatch/Dismember may be preferred against ExarchTwin. And of course some of us already run a counterspell package.
As it does survive Bolt/Pyroclasm/Slagstorm,etc. I wouldn't mind finding it test positively agaist red (namely ExarchTwin if that is played as much as the hype seems to suggest). If they can't burn it, it has the same issue Torpor Orb would have (bounce/counter).
I defintely like the card (played one last night in a midnight draft), but it can't be maindecked here, and it may not be worth the sideboard space. I'll look forward to next when once everyone has tested a few of these things.
On a side-note, I went to FNM with the deck last night (reeled in by $5 off a prerelease event for participating [I generally draft FNM]). Went 3-1-1 (draw was at the end to guarantee top 8). Won against K-Red (2-0), MBC (2-1), and Eldrazi Green (2-0). Deck I lost to was some W/G/R Vengevine deck running Hawks (1-2), though the losses were mainly the result of 2 unusually bad draws after mulligans.
With the few swamps and the opals it should be enough to not always have to pay the 2 life for the skirge or parasite and it still doesn't mess with the mana curve at all because I still get the 2 I need for Tempered Steel. Works pretty good actually through some play testing and can't wait to get the actual cards to use.
24 MD 'fliers' counting GHI and Pest. I wanted to rock Legionnaire but the evasion is more crucial to me than damage (it was between that and the Hovermyr). Torpor Orb so far is strictly for Valakut and MAYBE Caw. So many Valakut lists still not running Naturalize/Nature's Claim (myself included!) that it slows them down insanely.
Between that and the SCG Open, I should have some good information to contribute after next week. I don't believe I'll run Hovermyr, but will look forward to reading your experience with it (our flying power is certainly relevant, and a 3/4 flying, vigilance would be significant vs. Caw in the mid-late game)
I suggest running at least two Steel Overseer in your deck and perhaps -1 Revoker +1 Hex Parasite (or perhaps just -2 Revoker +2 Steel Overseer and side in the Revokers game 2 if necessary [though Glint Hawk can help with a reset]).
As for the Valakut match-up, Torpor Orb does stop the Corrupter from killing artifacts and slows the Titan (giving us the opporunity to remove him with Dispatch--even removing the Battlements and such could give us enough time to win).
@ Blacksummer: Looks like a solid list. Though I'm sure you're not running Contested Cliffs as it currently suggests ;).
On Hex Parasite, I have yet to have any issue with Planeswalkers (have had JTMS, Tezz,Koth, and Gideon played against me many times without any concern). However, there are times I wouldn't have minded having a Hex Parasite type card to use against Tumble Magnet, and to a lesser extent, mana producers such as Everflowing Chalice/Sphere of the Suns. If you've playtested with him in some fashion already, what do you tend to use him on, and how relevant has it been?
Occasionally my single Revoker would be drawn at key times, including being saved from Ratchet Bomb, but I can see where Hex Parasite may be better than him, so he'll definitely be worth testing.
I like the idea of a blue splash for counters, and one of my initial builds was U/W, but I rarely found the counters relevant. I see that the popularity of the ExarchTwin nonsense may increase their use, but the main things I would want a counter for have been BSZ (generally my biggest concern) and DoJ. Decks with DoJ don't seem to run 4 MB and often come out too late to make a difference. Decks with BSZ use a lot of targeted discard that can toss the counterspells anyway (I often beat these decks, but it seems to be a terrible match-up if I don't get a GHI on the board...if I do, I generally win). Against red, I've been content with Refraction Trap.
However, with Seachrome Coasts and such, there isn't a whole lot of negative to running counters in the SB either. I certainly wouldn't suggest that running blue is inferior to mono-white. There will be games that having a counterspell at the right time will win the game, but it's also possible to lose due to drawing counterspells instead of cards that promote an aggressive start (resulting in having less of a board to protect). Again, I prefer to race DoJ, and BSZ decks seem to be a crapshoot either way. I personally did much worse with my U/W build, so it again may be a local meta issue.
On a side note, I got beaten a couple days ago in a casual game by a ridiculous deck. We didn't actually get to finish as I had my draft called, but at that point he was already at 84 life... Everything he played was a wall. First turn Perimeter Captain, then Wall of Omens, a 5/3 flying wall that forces attacks, one that gains life (every turn based on a walls power), and one that deals damage for every wall he had out. I skipped over Eldrazi, so I'm not certain of the names. He'd lose to almost anything else, but I'd hate to play against that in an actual tournament with no real removal in the main.
The original list that made waves some time ago was actually UW, specifically for Spell Pierce. Why that's so is exactly because of mass removal spells, as one resolved mass removal spell can end the game in our opponent's favor in devastating fashion. I've played Spell Pierce against a turn 3 Slagstorm, 4 DoJ/BSZ, turn 5 Consume the Meek many times to bring in that last swing for the win the following turn.
To add to more current discussion, I personally think that Hovermyr is slow and too dependent on the pump spells that I really don't like it. Caw-Blade is not really this deck's problem anyway.
Some of my experience: Steel Overseer is indeed our best 5th pumper. However, for an aggro deck, battle cry sometimes can be better than Steel Overseer pump.
Let's see what Steel Overseer can do:
Typically it drops at turn 2, and pump up 2~3 creatures at turn 3 (brings 2~3 more damage) if it survived. At turn 4, it pumps again or attacks(brings 4~6 more damage). Then you win with GHI or lose. Accorder Paladin can do the same job with more resilience. Drop at 2, attack at 3(brings 3+1~3 damage). attack at 4, brings(3+1~3 damage). Besides, it can get over 0/4 walls with Signal Pest or CWZ. The only problem for him is: He didn't get benefit from Tempered Steel. The question is: Would you attack with Steel Overseer while the Tempered Steel is at battle ground?
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The cards that beat the deck (Gideon Jura, Day of Judgement, Pyroclasm, Splinter Twin) are all handled pretty easily by that one card.
I completely agree. Anytime I go up against U/W, U/B, or U/R I always side in four Spell Pierce and two Unified Will.
I started with Tezz's Gambit because I like how it proliforates with the overseer and post board wipe it can get you more cards to put out on the field.
Since I was looking at putting in blue for the gambit, as I don't want to have to pay 2 life every time I play it, I started looking at the metamorph. For 3 or 4 mana I can either duplicate something I need on my side to win, or I can grab their titan, whatever flavor it may be, and mine will be pumped by Tempered Steel winning the battle. Seemed like a good idea for something to side in against any deck with some big creatures as a wincon. I would love to play this against Eldrazi Ramp. It's a stupid way to get rid of Emrakul but I wonder if copying it with the metamprph nets you the extra turn still? I mean you did cast the metamorph and it comes into play as the copied creature.
Anyway, I was also thinking Spellskite would be good either main or side. It is a 0/4 creature turn 2 that can hold off aggro decks, you can pay U or 2 life to stop spot removal, and it is an artifact. Seems to be a good fit, right?
I have not played tempered steel decks before and the only one I have played against was kinda weak in that it was more myr based. So, I kind worry that adding Tezzeret's Gambit and Phyrexian Metamorph wouls slow the deck down, but would be good sideboard. Spellskite I think is good either MD or SB.
Any thoughts?
I've always liked the idea of Lodestone Golems at the top of the curve, and with Phyrexian Metamorph we could now play eight (not considering Clone atm, though with a reliable way to get to my Lodestones I would).
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Porcelain Legionnaire
3 Precursor Golem
4 Signal Pest
4 Steel Overseer
3 Everflowing Chalice
3 Mox Opal
4 Dispatch
4 Tectonic Edge
15 Plains
It's still aggressive, everything still plays nice with Tempered Steel (Precursor becomes 5/5s, Lodestone is put out of bolt range, and everything else is pumped just like in the aggro version) and it can start locking opponents out of the game past turn 3/4 with Lodestones/Metamorphs and Tech Edge backup. It's still very rough, there are certainly cards I'm not so sure about and not drawing Lodestone could hurt, although the deck can still be quite aggressive without. I goldfished it a bit and was pleasantly surprised. Just a thought! Feel free to rip the deck apart.
Modern: Jund, Wafo-Tapa UWR
Legacy: Witch-Maw Stoneblade
EDH: Ruhan of the Fomori, Hazezon Tamar, Maga, Traitor to Mortals
In my experience with the most aggressive form of this deck I'd rather be playing creatures that help with the swarm or leaving mana open for answers than drawing additional cards. This deck doesn't need one particular card to win (maybe Tempered Steel, but I've won games without playing it). I even go back and forth on Etched Champion because it's "too slow," especially when they have a way to deactivate Metalcraft for you.
In the case of Metamorph, because it costs more than all of your cards, you'd only really want to be cloning Titans, which doesn't do much after Inferno Titan wipes your board or Primeval Titan activates Valakut.
Although I like Spellskite in other decks, it's still too "expensive" for this deck, which shouldn't sweat the loss of one guy enough to invest 3 mana/2 mana and 2 life.
I like the idea of the midrange decks but without fliers/non-creature answers to fliers (Dispatch-ing a hawk seems terrible), you're basically auto-conceding to Caw-Blade.
Now that I've dumped on everyone else's ideas (constructively I hope! ;)), should we consider main-decking artifact removal? If someone flashes in a Batterskull via Stoneforge Mystic, I'd much rather destroy the equipment than exile a germ.
@MarkBGH on Twitter | Bloody Good Horror
I run a playset of Seachrome Coast in my deck for the extra blue.
2 Unified Will
3 Divine Offering
3 Island
3 Dispatch
Also, I have been deciding whether to add Steel Overseer or not. I do know the added benefits and costs to running the card by looking over the thread, however I wanna see if Steel Overseer is reprinted in M12 before I make the investment. If I could, I would remove the Porcelain Legionnaires for Steel Overseers. I run 4 Hovermyr in my deck, so I would be replacing a High Risk/ High Gain early game card for a Mid/Late Game Rolf Stomper.
4 Signal Pest
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Glint Hawk
4 Ardent Recruit
4 Vault Skirge
2 Hex Parasite
1 Chimeric Idol
4 Tempered Steel
3 Mox Opal
4 Seachrome Coast
1 Glacial Fortress
3 Contested Warzone
10 Plains
4 Spell Pierce
2 Unified Will
3 Refraction Trap
1 Hex Parasite
2 Ratchet Bomb
3 Phyrexian Revoker
standard
BU control
BG infect
modern:
mill
edh:
devour for power
Shizuko ramp
On Hex Parasite, I have yet to have any issue with Planeswalkers (have had JTMS, Tezz,Koth, and Gideon played against me many times without any concern). However, there are times I wouldn't have minded having a Hex Parasite type card to use against Tumble Magnet, and to a lesser extent, mana producers such as Everflowing Chalice/Sphere of the Suns. If you've playtested with him in some fashion already, what do you tend to use him on, and how relevant has it been?
Occasionally my single Revoker would be drawn at key times, including being saved from Ratchet Bomb, but I can see where Hex Parasite may be better than him, so he'll definitely be worth testing.
I like the idea of a blue splash for counters, and one of my initial builds was U/W, but I rarely found the counters relevant. I see that the popularity of the ExarchTwin nonsense may increase their use, but the main things I would want a counter for have been BSZ (generally my biggest concern) and DoJ. Decks with DoJ don't seem to run 4 MB and often come out too late to make a difference. Decks with BSZ use a lot of targeted discard that can toss the counterspells anyway (I often beat these decks, but it seems to be a terrible match-up if I don't get a GHI on the board...if I do, I generally win). Against red, I've been content with Refraction Trap.
However, with Seachrome Coasts and such, there isn't a whole lot of negative to running counters in the SB either. I certainly wouldn't suggest that running blue is inferior to mono-white. There will be games that having a counterspell at the right time will win the game, but it's also possible to lose due to drawing counterspells instead of cards that promote an aggressive start (resulting in having less of a board to protect). Again, I prefer to race DoJ, and BSZ decks seem to be a crapshoot either way. I personally did much worse with my U/W build, so it again may be a local meta issue.
On a side note, I got beaten a couple days ago in a casual game by a ridiculous deck. We didn't actually get to finish as I had my draft called, but at that point he was already at 84 life... Everything he played was a wall. First turn Perimeter Captain, then Wall of Omens, a 5/3 flying wall that forces attacks, one that gains life (every turn based on a walls power), and one that deals damage for every wall he had out. I skipped over Eldrazi, so I'm not certain of the names. He'd lose to almost anything else, but I'd hate to play against that in an actual tournament with no real removal in the main.
@MarkBGH on Twitter | Bloody Good Horror
It would have to go into a midrage version I would think. If you have few or no white spells it only get one counter per turn. I worry that you would also have to keep 3 mana open in case they go to destroy it.
Cards that interact with it:
Tempered Steel
Porcelain Legionnaire
Dispatch
Blade Splicer
Apostles Blessing
Tezzeret's Gambit
The last three are possibles for a midrange build. I would like to test them out. Blade Splicer and Tezzes Gambit I am already going to try in a Shape Anew deck so I plan to pick them up anyway.
I like it but with 3 precursors I would throw in a way to abuse that. Like maybe even mighty leap
I'm Da_Man on Cockatrice
1) Glint Hawk Idol is a boss in this matchup. He can't be kill by doom blade, go for the throat, and black Sun's Zenith. I never had a problem putting more than one of them. I might make space for 4 of them in my deck.
2) Hex parasite did its job of killing Tezz, but it did well when black sun's Zenith came out. You can rid of counters left on your creature from a Black Sun's Zenith because I already had a tempered steel out.
I think that Porcelain Legionnaire under performs in this deck because there are better 2 drop options you have and you might want to let up on the mana curve. I'm gonna replace it with Glint Hawk and see how it goes.
Glint Hawk Idol actually CAN be killed with Doom Blade. It's nonblack.
How many Hex Parasite do you run? I'm trying to find the right number.
Whoops, my bad.
I currently run 3 in my deck because although It's an artifact creature and it's effect is quite good, The 1 cmc creature slot is full with Vault Skirge and Signal Pest. However, this card helps against a lot of cards you go against.
Another point is that this card is tech against the combo decks because the new combo decks run either Pyromancer's Ascension or Bloodchief Ascension and we can make them wait longer for the effects to be active, which should be enough for us to win.
3 is a good number because It's enough to allow to get 1 per game, but not too much to where you get multiples in your hand.
My Trades Thread!
I may run them in my sideboard to test. Swapping a Bolt/Arc Trail, etc. could be valuable, and of course it can grab Splinter Twin in case of the combo. In the main-deck, it would run the risk of being a wall, which may be too hard on the aggro aspect to include at 2cc.
The fact it can also swap abilities could be nice vs. Tumble Magnet/Jace, etc.
Undoubtedly a very "useful" card, but without guaranteed offensive power, the remaining ability is too situational.
I'm willing to test it, but may find that while it can swap many relevant spells/abilities in type 2, it will be limited to much less based on the opponents deck. Phyrexian Revoker/Hex Parasite may deal with Ratchet Bomb/Planesewalkers/Tumble Magnet, etc. better, and Refraction Trap/Mutagenic Growth may be preferred against burn. Torpor Orb/Dispatch/Dismember may be preferred against ExarchTwin. And of course some of us already run a counterspell package.
As it does survive Bolt/Pyroclasm/Slagstorm,etc. I wouldn't mind finding it test positively agaist red (namely ExarchTwin if that is played as much as the hype seems to suggest). If they can't burn it, it has the same issue Torpor Orb would have (bounce/counter).
I defintely like the card (played one last night in a midnight draft), but it can't be maindecked here, and it may not be worth the sideboard space. I'll look forward to next when once everyone has tested a few of these things.
On a side-note, I went to FNM with the deck last night (reeled in by $5 off a prerelease event for participating [I generally draft FNM]). Went 3-1-1 (draw was at the end to guarantee top 8). Won against K-Red (2-0), MBC (2-1), and Eldrazi Green (2-0). Deck I lost to was some W/G/R Vengevine deck running Hawks (1-2), though the losses were mainly the result of 2 unusually bad draws after mulligans.
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Signal Pest
4 Steel Overseer
2 Master's Call
4 Go for the Throat
4 Tempered Steel
2 Chimeric Mass
3 Mox Opal
4 Glint Hawk Idol
3 Swamp
4 Contested War Zone
4 Inkmoth Nexus
11 Plains
2 Hero of Bladehold
3 Leonin Arbiter
3 Memoricide
3 Refraction Trap
2 ?
What changes would you guys do to this deck after NPH is legal?
Are the option i want to use.
thinking of maybe going UB to use Tezz, not asure yet, though
:symw::symb:Steel Wb Weenie
4 Contested War Zone
3 Swamp
11 Plains
Creature (30)
4 Ornithopter
4 Memnite
4 Signal Pest
4 Hex Parasite
4 Vault Skirge
4 Steel Overseer
4 Porcelain Legionnaire
2 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Chimeric Mass
3 Mox Opal
4 Glint Hawk Idol
Enchantment (4)
4 Tempered Steel
With the few swamps and the opals it should be enough to not always have to pay the 2 life for the skirge or parasite and it still doesn't mess with the mana curve at all because I still get the 2 I need for Tempered Steel. Works pretty good actually through some play testing and can't wait to get the actual cards to use.
10 Plains
4 Seachrome Coast
2 Contested War Zone
2 Glacial Fortress
Creatures (27)
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Signal Pest
4 Glint Hawk
4 Vault Skirge
4 Hovermyr
2 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Hex Parasite
4 Tempered Steel
4 Glint Hawk Idol
4 Unified Will
3 Mox Opal
4 Spell Pierce
4 Dispatch
3 Torpor Orb
2 Chimeric Mass
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Island
24 MD 'fliers' counting GHI and Pest. I wanted to rock Legionnaire but the evasion is more crucial to me than damage (it was between that and the Hovermyr). Torpor Orb so far is strictly for Valakut and MAYBE Caw. So many Valakut lists still not running Naturalize/Nature's Claim (myself included!) that it slows them down insanely.
Same, my LGS is doing a $500 FNM for it: http://www.coolstuffgames.com/2011/05/02/500-friday-night-magic-13-2011/
Between that and the SCG Open, I should have some good information to contribute after next week. I don't believe I'll run Hovermyr, but will look forward to reading your experience with it (our flying power is certainly relevant, and a 3/4 flying, vigilance would be significant vs. Caw in the mid-late game)
I suggest running at least two Steel Overseer in your deck and perhaps -1 Revoker +1 Hex Parasite (or perhaps just -2 Revoker +2 Steel Overseer and side in the Revokers game 2 if necessary [though Glint Hawk can help with a reset]).
As for the Valakut match-up, Torpor Orb does stop the Corrupter from killing artifacts and slows the Titan (giving us the opporunity to remove him with Dispatch--even removing the Battlements and such could give us enough time to win).
Yes, it's supposed to Contested Warzone. My bad.
The original list that made waves some time ago was actually UW, specifically for Spell Pierce. Why that's so is exactly because of mass removal spells, as one resolved mass removal spell can end the game in our opponent's favor in devastating fashion. I've played Spell Pierce against a turn 3 Slagstorm, 4 DoJ/BSZ, turn 5 Consume the Meek many times to bring in that last swing for the win the following turn.
To add to more current discussion, I personally think that Hovermyr is slow and too dependent on the pump spells that I really don't like it. Caw-Blade is not really this deck's problem anyway.
I think ExarchTwin won't be a bad match-up for this deck since both Phyrexian Revoker and Spell Pierce can stop the combo.
Steel Overseer is indeed our best 5th pumper. However, for an aggro deck, battle cry sometimes can be better than Steel Overseer pump.
Let's see what Steel Overseer can do:
Typically it drops at turn 2, and pump up 2~3 creatures at turn 3 (brings 2~3 more damage) if it survived. At turn 4, it pumps again or attacks(brings 4~6 more damage). Then you win with GHI or lose.
Accorder Paladin can do the same job with more resilience. Drop at 2, attack at 3(brings 3+1~3 damage). attack at 4, brings(3+1~3 damage). Besides, it can get over 0/4 walls with Signal Pest or CWZ. The only problem for him is: He didn't get benefit from Tempered Steel. The question is: Would you attack with Steel Overseer while the Tempered Steel is at battle ground?