MTG Salvation

My version that I used yesterday going 3-1.


I managed to beat a Venser Pod deck round 1. RDW round 2. Some form of Green Token/Werewolf deck round 3. Lost to a Pod deck round 4. MVP was vengeance in all the games won. Cast on turn 7, and flashback on turn 9 ends the games quite nicely.

Would like some critique as to what to change and make it better.

Quote from Goldenbelmont

My version that I used yesterday going 3-1.

dreamstealer's DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
LANDS 4x Ghost Quarter 2x Nephalia Drownyard 4x Darkslick Shores 4x Drowned Catacomb 6x Island 5x Swamp CREATURES 1x Evil Twin 4x Snapcaster Mage 2x Consecrated Sphinx 1x Grave Titan	INSTANTS 4x Dissipate 4x Mana Leak 2x Cancel 3x Forbidden Alchemy 4x Think Twice 1x Blue Sun's Zenith 1x Tribute to Hunger 2x Doom Blade SORCERIES 2x Black Sun's Zenith 3x Despise 1x Sorin's Vengeanec	SIDEBOARD 1x Grave Titan 1x Wurmcoil Engine 2x Flashfreeze 2x Steel Sabotage 2x Nihil Spellbomb 1x Black Sun's Zenith 3x Surgical Extraction 1x Witchbane Orb 2x Ratchet Bomb

I managed to beat a Venser Pod deck round 1. RDW round 2. Some form of Green Token/Werewolf deck round 3. Lost to a Pod deck round 4. MVP was vengeance in all the games won. Cast on turn 7, and flashback on turn 9 ends the games quite nicely.

Would like some critique as to what to change and make it better.

Hows evil twin working for you? Have you had a chance to use it? Ive been thinking about metamorph but with the same converted cost and the ability to destroy evil twin as a singleton looks good. Also good choice on the Sorin's Vengeance, I run 1 also from my previous standard build and I think its a mistake to take it out at all. Its just a win condition and hurts so much.

Quote from Dreamstealer

Hows evil twin working for you? Have you had a chance to use it? Ive been thinking about metamorph but with the same converted cost and the ability to destroy evil twin as a singleton looks good. Also good choice on the Sorin's Vengeance, I run 1 also from my previous standard build and I think its a mistake to take it out at all. Its just a win condition and hurts so much.

Unfortunately I never got to play it. I put it in there incase a small chance my opponent managed a titan/wurm... I ended up just using it as SB fodder. I'm thinking of maybe dropping it. Sorin's Vengeance is just a hurt in the sack. RDW didnt know what hit him. He shrined me for 5, and a few burn spells after i wiped the board dropped me to 3. Sat at 3 for a while outlasting whatever he drew, and the game ended a few turns afterwards. Such an amazing comeback card.

Quote from tronist

what is everyone doing to effectively combat RDW?

is it a non-issue, or would something like mental misstep main (as like 1 or 2, plus more side) help?

is there enough stuff in other decks to warrant the use of misstep main for the RDW matchup?



also: is ghost quarter needed?

I was really worried about RDW when I first built a UB list(fast red being the traditional enemy of draw-go decks) however i've yet to have any problems against it.

So far in a 3 round FNM and a 4 round FNM this week i've played against RDW 4 times and won every match(and all but 1 game).

The way to fight against RDW is simple-
1. Stall the early aggro with counters removal etc.(BSZ for 1BB is amazing as is 2nd turn Doom Blade 4th turn Snapcaster Doomblade)
2. Counter their important plays: Shine and Koth(of which shrine can be really difficult if they go first and play it 2nd turn).
3. Land a finisher and win (Batterskull and/or wurmcoil are best for the life gain but Sphinx and Titan are also nearly impossible for them to deal with).

Siding in an extra Wurmcoil/Batterskull, some Spellskites and some extra cheap removal(I like Virulent Wound) tends to seal the deal. Spellskite is the best card possible for the matchup being able to block all the early game and only dying 1 for 1 to a morbid Volley or a 4+ counter Shrine(either of which is well worth the trade).

Mental Misstep just isn't worth it, yes it counters all their 1 drops and 1cc burn spells but it's only worthwhile when you have it in hand whereas a 1cc removal spell like Virulent Wound can deal with the 1 drops after their already in play. Even if you prefer it over 1cc removal it's only worth it as a sideboard Misstep is great against RDW and Steel but it's the last thing you want against Solarflare or UW sword aggro.

I'm currently not running Ghost Quarter and haven't been missing it. The coloured mana requirements for the deck mean that we can only justify 3-4 colourless lands and I personally find Inkmoth Nexus the better option(i've actually won 3 games with them, particularly good with Batterskull and it's also decent as a flying chump blocker that shrinks opposing creatures by -1/-1). Ghost Quarter is only really any good against lands with special abilities like Inkmoth, Township, Wolf Run and Moorland Haunt and they aren't enough to justify it over Inkmoth for me.

Question: Do people feel we need a specific sideboard against Tempered Steel decks? I've currently got 3 Steel Sabotage in the sideboard specifically for the matchup(and possibly UB tezzeret) but it feels like the anti RDW and aggro cards like a 3rd BSZ, a Wurmcoil, Virulent Wounds etc. are already good enough as a sideboard against Steel and those 3 slots could be better used as something else(i'm thinking maybe a Negate(v. Control), a Tribute to Hunger(v. Aggro) and a Bloodline Keeper(v. Control)).

Hallo all, I've been following this thread for a while and just fell in love with the concept. My deck list is above and i think its pretty much to the letter, no real innovations.
Just a couple of notes:

1.The Azure is in there be cause it was a proxy for Snappy but i decided to test her instead while i waited on the fourth one. She is pretty awesome late game with that instant speed draw and she has a place in my heart now.

2. I MD Tribute as a way to mitigate the inevitable damage i take. I know some of you will say its a bit odd at three but i find my self casting dismember for 2 a lot and that paired with the chunk of damage i take makes tribute look pretty good to me. Its a total pain after you wipe the board and then Snap it back on their only recovery creature.

3. I love Batterskull but im wondering if 2 Wurms would be better, but then i'd feel the need to up the buried ruin to 2.


I havent completed a side board but my biggest fear is Surgical Extraction. So far its been the only thorn in my side, usually catching my mana leaks or dissipate. I've been able to play around it using Snappy but it always feels like a waste. I've been toying around with the idea of Noxious Revival as a SB tech but the potential mill factor makes me a bit uncertain. Virulent wound seems like a must along with spellskite but that leave me with 9 free slots in the SB...well 8 cuz i SB 1 Life's Finale (kind of weird but i love it :D).

Anywho, I'd really appreciate any input you guys have a bout the deck or the on going Surgical/SB dilemma

Quote from slipknot72102

Jace is going to be terribad. if you want this to be competitive, he would not be in it.

Jace has been savage in the mirror and against Solar Flare. I'm running 1 Jace and 1 Karn in my sideboard for those matchups.

It's also not bad against more midrange style u/w decks but I probably wouldn't want it over anything in my MD for that matchup.

Milling solar flare seems to be doing them a favor

In alot of cases I would agree with you, but if you can either stop them from resolving an Unburial Rites or just surgical extraction it away it's very easy to win by milling them. Even if they do manage to slip a creature into play, you can just kill it and continue milling. Solar Flare wins long games by grinding out card advantage with Unburial Rites; their clock is way too slow to actually race a potential 4-turn clock via mill.

Anyone know if this deck is doing well in Nashville?

I've been building a prototype list, I have been playing Solar Flare, but see the strength in cards in these colors alone being to take the game from them and Mono-R also. Negates would likely go sideboard in favor of Black-Sun Zenith

You have to pay 2 life. You do realise that right? So saying it costs 0 is misleading. It's also sorcery, so if you wanna snapcaster it it has to be in your turn.

This is the list that made top 8 in Nashville:

Thats a weird list. I guess its effective against aggro, but I dunno about some of those card choices.

This is a decklist I put together while watching the SCG coverage. Honestly I'm confused as to how the UB list made it to the top 8, it looks too spotty and inconsistent.

Quote from dpg20

I'm more confused that you think the decklist you posted is a UB Draw-go deck.

I mean Apostle's Blessing and Delver of Secrets really? both of those cards are horrible in this archetype and in general.

Er, didn't read the draw go part.... Blessing is actually a nice way to dodge spot-removal and it's never really something that anyone expects.

For people who have played mono red numerous times, do you guys bring extraction effects in against chandra's phoenix? Also, I think the twisted image is in that list to kill elesh norn with bsz(and dismember for titans) or phantasmal image.

After testing UB control for awhile, the one match up I don't feel like I have enough data on is Solar Flare. What are your experiences with playing against or testing against the deck?

playing nihil spellbomb is the board with buried ruin seems good against flare

Quote from dpg20

Really I have the most data on it since everyone and their mother around here is playing it or mono red.

My experiences against it are most matches go to time funny about that isn't it.:rolleyes: oh well at least it's better than Valakut mirrors

I figured they would go to time fairly often, however do you feel you can take game 1? I guess that's what's important. There are a few flares in my meta but for whatever reason I have yet to be paired against it. So far in testing I have a decent match up against it, around 60/40, but testing only goes so far.

Quote from Harbinger

This is a decklist I put together while watching the SCG coverage. Honestly I'm confused as to how the UB list made it to the top 8, it looks too spotty and inconsistent.

Probably because Caleb Durward was one of the best players in the room, and the deck does look like it has game against solar flare if nothing else.