I've been having hard times against Jund. Garruk, Vraska, Liliana and Huntmaster +Tusk are giving me such a hard time... Post SB i can turn 1-2 Appetite for Brains and usually make them discard Tusk or Garruk but seems like that's not enough, once they've established board control i can't do much.
Also, how is Snappy working for you guys? I feel like he is lackluster most of the time.
I have thought about running this list: http://mtgpulse.com/event/12986#182094
only with maybe replacing the highpriest with a putrefy (if the high priest has been good consistently for you tell me, but to me he feels kinda win more as he is only useful when you have board presence + a way to trigger him, additionally you usually dont want to tap your guys.
I am also not so sure about the memories journeys in the SB, against Junkrites I think it is better to just try to be faster than them, and even if you want to board in hate, cremate might be the better choice as it cantrips and most of the time I think you would only use the journey once, on one primary target.
This is purely theorycrafting as I have only played 3 matches with the deck yet.
If you want, you can read Eric's comments about his deck earlier in this thread. He wanted to make some drastic changes, and I don't think he is even playing it anymore.
I really want to test Blood Scrivener for some reason. I feel like there are many times when I drop my hand and go in top deck mode too often, and I feel like his essentially draw three when you have no cards in hand could be useful, and when stacked correctly with Duskmantle it is draw four. I feel like he isn't good enough, but still want to try.
Also, the only other rares I would try are Notion Thief, varolz and skylasher. Notion Thief would probably be an SB card, but he could be swapped for Dusckmantle Seer in the right matchups, like anything playing sphinx revelation. A singleton Varolz doesn't seem bad, and skylasher out of the board could be good against decks that use a lot of azorious charm or use augur of bolas to gum up the board.
As for Uncommons; Far/Away looks like a solid SB meta call.
Give/Take is probably a hair to slow and too cute, but it could draw cards or end games, so if should be tried.
Warped Physique Is not one I have seen mentioned here enough. This has all the parts we want for a solid SB card for removal. Especially once tragic slip rotates. Always keep this is mind, works great with Duskmantle too and will take care of a lot of different enemies.
[CARD]
Woodlot Crawler[/CARD] would be great if we didn't want to put rancor on it. However, it should be considered. In, color, and has big game against a lot of decks. SB card though, and probably not the best for us, but I could see it in other decks that want to use the pro and the forest walk combined with other good stuff.
out of the Commons, Beetleform Mage and Hidden strings are the only two that interest me. Hidden strigns can play the tempo game or pay for itself. It can allow us to swing and then untap our guys for blockers. It has a wide range of uses, but our list is so tight right now, I just don't know where to fit it in.
I'm not sure how Blood Scrivener works with Duskmantle Seer since Duskmantle doesn't actually draw you any cards. If I'm misunderstanding the interaction between the cards please let me know.
Warped Physique is not solid removal in a BUG Aggro deck where we can very quickly run out our hand.
Hidden Strings would be good if it were an instant and/or if we had more fliers or creatures with evasion. I think we get in a good attack one time with this spell and while the times it wins us the games it would look awesome I think in too many games when we're even or behind it would just not be worth a card. I think Hands of Binding is probably better and even then I don't think we have enough fliers to make it worth it.
Nevermind, it is a nonbo. Boo. A singleton Blood Scrivener still doesn't seem bad, but it is not good with Seer. I, for some reason, thought seer was a reveal then draw, but text is clearly put in your hand.
As for the other cards, I merely raised them since it seemed like no one was openly discussing options. There are lots of options, mainly SB cards. And Distorted Physique is a fine SB card, yes there are times when you drop your hand, and there are still many others where you slowly play out your game to avoid over extending.
I'm all for a discussion on sideboard cards but if you're thinking Blood Scrivener could be ok in this deck then I'm not sure how Warped Physique could be anything more than mediocre removal in this deck. What I have in my sideboard are answers to problems other decks present; I can't think of any match up where Warped Physique would be the best answer.
If Bant Hexproof picks up again I'll consider Skylasher.
Played in a standard DE with a very similar list to what I posted earlier, and didn't have the best run of it. Some due to variance and some due to my play.
I crushed RB aggro deck, which this deck should, and lost to naya blitz playing gruul war chant, where I mana screwed on keeping a 2 land hand (I know right) and then flooded. I have only lost to blitz twice now in 15 matches, so it made me mad. Second loss was to the psuedo mirror. Very similar lists except he was play predator oozes. Which seemed interesting but could also be harder to cast. Again in both those games maybe I could have mulled better, but it is tough to beat triple ooze with this deck.
That said, I am not that big of a fan of Varolz, so he is out for me, leaving a slot open. I like 3 hybridizations, and 2 ruptures, still testing and working out sb choices, far and away seems like it is solid, but what I wouldn't give for a snuff out or similar effect right now. Really love lotleth troll too so I run 3. Considering 1 Jarad, as I have seen that in some lists. Also may try the ooze line too.
Sorry I'm late to updating my previous weekend testing of Hidden Strings and such. Here's the list I played to a 3-3 finish (report below the decklist).
So my primary goal was to test Hidden Strings and see if my ideas about making the deck more tempo oriented worked, and well it did really well. Early game opening with it on turn two to untap your lands for a two-drop and then untapping you lands post-combat was very very strong. Late game it worked tapping down attackers and either forcing bad blocks or pushing through lethal damage. So yeah, I liked running it. (Plus had a lot of people reading the card and somewhat slumping their shoulders once I untapped my lands post-combat.)
Anyway, report time!
Match 1: G/W ramp
I ran over my opponent since he was having mana issues, so it felt as if I was gold-fishing. Had a turn 4 and turn 5 kill both games. Hidden Strings plus Experiment One/Strangleroot with a third turn Dreg Mangler were insane.
1-0
Match 2: Jund
Game 1 = I mulled to 5 and he mauled everything I played
Game 2 = My opponent mulled to 6... Hidden Strings and haste creatures mauled my opponent
Game 3 = Rancored Duskmantle Seer laughs at your revealed Thragtusk. Yeah, he took 11 damage in a turn, and yes it was lethal...
2-0
Match 3: Junk Tokens
Game 1: Tempo game with an early Hidden Strings allowed me to keep up counter mana plus Simic Charm to bounce his wurm token.
Game 2: After I knew he was on tokens I kept counter mana for his walkers and Deathrite/attrition killed him.
3-0
Match 4: Junk Rites (ala Junk Value)
Game 1: Early Deathrite, but he his Fiend Hunter on my Deathrite spelled game for me. This was a 30 minute back and forth game where his health was at 4 at one point before exiling my Deathrite.
Game 2: Hidden Strings with Deathrite backup sealed the deal on his slow-ish start.
Game 3: I mulled myself into oblivion and his Sin Collector hit my counter when I did not have counter mana up. He took control of the game from there and I could not take out his Angels (one AoS and one Resto).
3-2
Match 5: Bant Hexproof
Both games were terrible. First game was ended on turn 4 and second game, I did not sideboard in every ounce of removal in my sideboard. It was ugly and I tilted due to him not sideboarding anything against me, and still wiping the floor with me. I had previously beat this same deck piloted by the same person a couple weeks before with BUG aggro, but heh, sometimes the cards do not come up right.
3-2
Match 6: Gruul Fight Club
Game 1: I have a shaky keep against a deck where I don't know what I'm playing against, and this was my undoing. Never, NEVER underestimate your opponent due to previous knowledge of what decks they play (ala this opponent usually plays very rampy green decks, which are not in the least aggro). So yeah, dead on turn 4 to a bloodrushed Predator Ooze and company.
Game 2: At least I saw the Ooze, so I was prepped for saving a slip for his ooze and bouncing a bloodrushed creature. Second game seemed like easy mode with a rancored Nighthawk going the distance.
Game 3: I keep a hand with lots of removal/bounce and a Mangler. It seemed like the right choice, but I misplayed by killing the wrong three drop (killed a Boar instead of the Splinterfright, and yes I'm a fool, but I don't ask opponents to let me take back targeting mistakes). And I died, like my squeeze into top 8 dreams did.
3-3
So my thoughts, Hidden Strings is insane in a tempo deck. Being able to untap your mana on turn two and either playing another creature or simply keeping your mana open for counter/bounce is just awesome.
Never drew the Krasis, so I can't give any good feedback on him
The mana base seems fine, and I'm not sure what changes I might make other than tweaking my sideboard a bit more since Junk/Jund/Bant Hexproof seem to be the dominant decks of the format. I would take out the Krasis, but I really don't have any +/- about it other than thinking the singleton guildmage might be a better choice (or just putting back in the 4th Mangler).
I am totally open to suggestions other than Snapcaster since I really don't like it in this deck (tried it, and hated it).
Once Hidden Strings resolved I would usually trigger it 2-3 times. If you are going to run strings I highly suggest keeping the deck a tempo shell with counters/bounce. While I'm tempted to switch out the Simic Charms for Unsummons, but the hexproof/giant growth has proven too good in a few different matchups.
I did have one mid-game cast of it that resulted in tapping down their creatures to allow for only bad blocks. I eventually won the game off of that cast since it reduced the amount of blockers he had available.
I did have one instance of turn 1 Experiment One, turn 2 strings into geist (swing 4) into RH on their end step, turn 3 mangler swing for (swing 12) and my opponent conceded after his draw step.
The major performer of the deck really is Deathrite, while I did beat down a lot of opponents, having an active shaman was effective since I could leave up counter/RH mana for their turn and just activate the Deathrite on their end step. It allows you to race via damage or gaining life.
As for the sideboard, both games against bant hexproof I lost to a non-hexproof creature wearing a lot of pants. While I did not draw removal that I boarded in, my real issue in that match was not drawing a nighthawk to block since Spectral Flight was really what did me in. I do think Far//Away is a valid sideboard card, but it might be too slow :/
Once Hidden Strings resolved I would usually trigger it 2-3 times. If you are going to run strings I highly suggest keeping the deck a tempo shell with counters/bounce. While I'm tempted to switch out the Simic Charms for Unsummons, but the hexproof/giant growth has proven too good in a few different matchups.
I did have one mid-game cast of it that resulted in tapping down their creatures to allow for only bad blocks. I eventually won the game off of that cast since it reduced the amount of blockers he had available.
I did have one instance of turn 1 Experiment One, turn 2 strings into geist (swing 4) into RH on their end step, turn 3 mangler swing for (swing 12) and my opponent conceded after his draw step.
The major performer of the deck really is Deathrite, while I did beat down a lot of opponents, having an active shaman was effective since I could leave up counter/RH mana for their turn and just activate the Deathrite on their end step. It allows you to race via damage or gaining life.
As for the sideboard, both games against bant hexproof I lost to a non-hexproof creature wearing a lot of pants. While I did not draw removal that I boarded in, my real issue in that match was not drawing a nighthawk to block since Spectral Flight was really what did me in. I do think Far//Away is a valid sideboard card, but it might be too slow :/
I liked the look of Hidden Strings as well, but wasn't sure how effective it would be considering how much of the typical deck in this archtype uses the undying mechanic. I considered putting in a couple Invisible Stalker but that started to move the deck away from the rapid creature, evolve, undying synergy.
I'd leave the Simic Charms in, not only does it handle the unsummon, but as you pointed out it is also a giant growth, AND a hexproof. I am running 2 atm, but if I do try Hidden Strings I might even try to find space to bump up to 3...
Any Suggestions for my List ? I tried it with Lothleth Troll but really hated him, he never did well. Perhaps it was just bad luck. Also cant get myself to play more than 1 Priest, he often feels just win more.
Id love to play the Troll but I just dont know if hes worth it.
Furthermore Im not sure on Putrefy over Decay. I love that Putrefy can hit every creature but sometimes the cost feels a bit too high. In the Thai-Meta, aggro is like non existent and thats the matchup where decay shines. Sometimes there are some oddball aggro players, like me, but I dont think Decay is needed that much if there is basically no aggro.
2-3 times is a lot. I guess if you're focusing on a tempo build and bouncing their creatures that they put up as blockers Hidden Strings can do some work. I guess Hidden Strings on a trampler could also be good.
Deathrite in the main seems interesting. Against most decks you're not getting the mana ability but even then the reach that Deathrite can provide seems good. The fact he can evolve an Experiment One is nice as well. I might try one in the main and cut a High Priest.
@johnnydizzer: If nobody is playing aggro then Lotleth Troll will be pretty bad. He shines when you can drop him as a blocker and start picking off blitz's small attackers or chumping their biggest threat.
Here's my argument for Abrupt Decay: BUG aggro shines in the early game when it involves interaction with our opponents. Abrupt Decay gives you the most possible options in that early part of the game where we want to interact and Putrefy doesn't. Putrefy at 3 mana might mean that's the only spell we can cast that turn and Abrupt Decay at 2 means we might be able to squeeze in a Strangleroot Geist as well. Or we can Snap back Abrupt at 4 mana but we can't with use Putrefy. Sure Abrupt Decay sucks when your opponent resolves Angel of Serenity but even if that Abrupt Decay was a Putrefy it's not like we're going to win the game because it was a Putrefy. We would still need a lot to go right to win that game.
Other than the fact I'd stick with Abrupt Decay's I think your main deck is good. Notion Thief in the sideboard seems a bit narrow. I know you're hedging against Sphinx's but Spell Rupture handles that and any decent control player is going to see you holding up 4 open mana each turn. By holding up the mana you're not going to be putting as much pressure on him so he doesn't need to cast the Sphinx's. Heck I'd just run Dispel or another Spell Rupture over Notion Thief, cast your aggro dudes and when he taps out for Sphinx you can dispel it with your one open U.
Thanks for the suggestions. I just wanted to try the Notion Thief but I see how just 2 Duress/Negate could be better overall in the matchups where I want Notion Thief.
Yeah thats right with Decay, but I just liked the option to putrefy Olivia, but Pongify gets the job done too.
The only thing Im scared about with this deck is the missing reach. Too often my oppenent stabilized at 2 Life an no top deck could ensure me the win. Was depressing sometimes.
Deathrite in the main seems interesting. Against most decks you're not getting the mana ability but even then the reach that Deathrite can provide seems good. The fact he can evolve an Experiment One is nice as well. I might try one in the main and cut a High Priest.
The Deathrite is a card I just can't quit. I'm not even sure what I would replace him with since he gives the deck late game reach, slows down rites, and evolves experiment one, all for one mana.
Hello all, I am taking Vollick's list tonight to FNM in preparation for a PTQ in a few weeks. I was wondering if I could get so sideboard advice. Here is my board:
The Simic Charm may become a third [CARD]Spell Rupture
[/CARD]. I was wondering which matches to side which cards. I think Deathrite Shaman's would come in for ESPER control. Far / Away for Bant Hexproof. Vampire Nighthawk in for aggro etc. Which cards would you take out? Any suggestions would be awesome.
Also, I was thinking of running 22 land. What is the reason for 23 in most lists? Consistency? I have noticed the deck floods occasionally which was my reasoning for dropping a land.
@MJR Boredom: Unless you know your environment is so heavy towards aggro I'd put the two Spell Ruptures back in the main and drop the slips. Spell Rupture just gives you a better matchup against more decks I think.
Take out Abrupt Decay's against Esper or any control deck.
I'd side in Nighthawks, Far/Away and Golgari Charm against Bant Hexproof, and since they aren't really interacting with your board with spells lose the Simic Charm, maybe a Duskmantle Seer and some Dreg Manglers. If you're on the play I'd keep Spell Ruptures in, but on the draw it's too slow. I'd also cut a Rancor and maybe an Experiment One. The Nighthawks can help deal with Spectral Flight Geist. Far/Away can just decimate their board and if you have to cast it for either half you're ok with that. Golgari Charm can deal with the 1/1 Stalker and their mana dorks and it can kill either spectral flight or ethereal armor at the right moment so we can kill their Geist. Skirsdag High Priest is really good against Bant Hexproof, partially because your opponent doesn't have a lot of interaction so they have trouble killing the Priest but also because the 5/5 flier really stops a lot of things in their tracks and can get online so quickly.
Against aggro it really depends whether you think you're the control or the beat down. If you're the control I'd run the Nighthawks, but if you're likely to be the beat down run Dreg Manglers.
You could try 22 lands but the colour requirements are quite steep. In my experience with BUG aggro we really want 3 lands and with that access to at least 2 Green mana and 1 Blue and 1 Black and because of the intensive colour requirements this deck doesn't particularly mulligan very well so I'd prefer to error on the side of too much mana rather than too little.
Got 5th Place in the GPT today. Was 1st after Swiss Rounds, where I went 4-1.
Lost the first Match vs Jund 0-2, because I mulled 2 times into oblivion.
Won the second Match vs Junk Rites 2-1.
Won the third match against Bant Midrange 2-1.
Won the fourth match against RUG Control 2-1.
Won the last Match against RG Aggro 2-0.
Lost in the first Round of Top 8 against Aristocrats 1-2.
High Priest was awesome today and Seer was MVP everytime I played him. Flippin Craterhoofs, Blast of Genius and Turn and Burns.
Followed your advice and switched Decay back in again. Was really good and I think better than Putrefy. Also changed the Notion Thiefs for 2 Duress but never got to use them.
Won against B/W Extort (tokens), Stuffy Doll/Blasphemous Act combo (rogue deck of the evening, which due to there being little Jund this evening this guy made top 8), Bant Ramp, and Bant Hexproof (in the top 8).
Drew into top 8 with the Bant Hexproof deck, and my loss was to Esper Control (first time I've played esper in a couple months, so I had few cards in my sideboard prepared for this match other than the Pithing Needle).
I've been toying around with this deck for a while. Let me know what you think about my list. Its pretty generic but anyway. Im getting out to test it later next week i think.
I rock out the woodlot crawlers because green creatures dominate the format and he is a great, and cheap answer. The watery graves and catacombs make hitting him on 2 not too scary. Let me know what you think, i know there is a glaring lack of Rancor....
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@xterra06: I haven't played with the Guildmage but nearly everyone who does says it's slow. Not necessarily slow in a bad sense but rather it's a grindy card. Hidden Strings is more of a tempo swing so I'd be very hesitant to play both in the same deck.
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Also, how is Snappy working for you guys? I feel like he is lackluster most of the time.
If you want, you can read Eric's comments about his deck earlier in this thread. He wanted to make some drastic changes, and I don't think he is even playing it anymore.
Also, the only other rares I would try are Notion Thief, varolz and skylasher. Notion Thief would probably be an SB card, but he could be swapped for Dusckmantle Seer in the right matchups, like anything playing sphinx revelation. A singleton Varolz doesn't seem bad, and skylasher out of the board could be good against decks that use a lot of azorious charm or use augur of bolas to gum up the board.
As for Uncommons;
Far/Away looks like a solid SB meta call.
Give/Take is probably a hair to slow and too cute, but it could draw cards or end games, so if should be tried.
Warped Physique Is not one I have seen mentioned here enough. This has all the parts we want for a solid SB card for removal. Especially once tragic slip rotates. Always keep this is mind, works great with Duskmantle too and will take care of a lot of different enemies.
[CARD]
Woodlot Crawler[/CARD] would be great if we didn't want to put rancor on it. However, it should be considered. In, color, and has big game against a lot of decks. SB card though, and probably not the best for us, but I could see it in other decks that want to use the pro and the forest walk combined with other good stuff.
out of the Commons, Beetleform Mage and Hidden strings are the only two that interest me. Hidden strigns can play the tempo game or pay for itself. It can allow us to swing and then untap our guys for blockers. It has a wide range of uses, but our list is so tight right now, I just don't know where to fit it in.
Warped Physique is not solid removal in a BUG Aggro deck where we can very quickly run out our hand.
Hidden Strings would be good if it were an instant and/or if we had more fliers or creatures with evasion. I think we get in a good attack one time with this spell and while the times it wins us the games it would look awesome I think in too many games when we're even or behind it would just not be worth a card. I think Hands of Binding is probably better and even then I don't think we have enough fliers to make it worth it.
As for the other cards, I merely raised them since it seemed like no one was openly discussing options. There are lots of options, mainly SB cards. And Distorted Physique is a fine SB card, yes there are times when you drop your hand, and there are still many others where you slowly play out your game to avoid over extending.
If Bant Hexproof picks up again I'll consider Skylasher.
I crushed RB aggro deck, which this deck should, and lost to naya blitz playing gruul war chant, where I mana screwed on keeping a 2 land hand (I know right) and then flooded. I have only lost to blitz twice now in 15 matches, so it made me mad. Second loss was to the psuedo mirror. Very similar lists except he was play predator oozes. Which seemed interesting but could also be harder to cast. Again in both those games maybe I could have mulled better, but it is tough to beat triple ooze with this deck.
That said, I am not that big of a fan of Varolz, so he is out for me, leaving a slot open. I like 3 hybridizations, and 2 ruptures, still testing and working out sb choices, far and away seems like it is solid, but what I wouldn't give for a snuff out or similar effect right now. Really love lotleth troll too so I run 3. Considering 1 Jarad, as I have seen that in some lists. Also may try the ooze line too.
4 Dreg Mangler
2 Duskmantle Seer
4 Experiment One
4 Gravecrawler
4 Lotleth Troll
2 Zameck Guildmage
2 Abrupt Decay
3 Rapid Hybridization
3 Simic Charm
3 Spell Rupture
2 Tragic Slip
2 Drowned Catacomb
3 Forest
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Watery Grave
2 Woodland Cemetery
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Aetherize
3 Deathrite Shaman
2 Dispel
4 Duress
2 Golgari Charm
1 Simic Charm
3x Young Wolf
4x Experiment One
2x Deathrite Shaman
1x Skirsdag High Priest
4x Strangleroot Geist
3x Dreg Mangler
1x Renegade Krasis
3x Duskmantle Seer
Spells: 16
3x Spell Rupture
2x Abrupt Decay
2x Simic Charm
3x Hidden Strings
3x Rapid Hybridization
3x Rancor
4x Woodland Cemetery
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Hinderland Harbor
4x Breeding Pool
3x Watery Grave
2x Drowned Catacomb
2x Forest
1x Memory's Journey
1x Negate
1x Sever the Bloodline
1x Abrupt Decay
2x Tragic Slip
2x Golgari Charm
1x Glaring Spotlight
2x Vampire Nighthawk
2x Evil Twin
1x Pithing Needle
1x Zameck Guildmage
So my primary goal was to test Hidden Strings and see if my ideas about making the deck more tempo oriented worked, and well it did really well. Early game opening with it on turn two to untap your lands for a two-drop and then untapping you lands post-combat was very very strong. Late game it worked tapping down attackers and either forcing bad blocks or pushing through lethal damage. So yeah, I liked running it. (Plus had a lot of people reading the card and somewhat slumping their shoulders once I untapped my lands post-combat.)
Anyway, report time!
Match 1: G/W ramp
I ran over my opponent since he was having mana issues, so it felt as if I was gold-fishing. Had a turn 4 and turn 5 kill both games. Hidden Strings plus Experiment One/Strangleroot with a third turn Dreg Mangler were insane.
1-0
Match 2: Jund
Game 1 = I mulled to 5 and he mauled everything I played
Game 2 = My opponent mulled to 6... Hidden Strings and haste creatures mauled my opponent
Game 3 = Rancored Duskmantle Seer laughs at your revealed Thragtusk. Yeah, he took 11 damage in a turn, and yes it was lethal...
2-0
Match 3: Junk Tokens
Game 1: Tempo game with an early Hidden Strings allowed me to keep up counter mana plus Simic Charm to bounce his wurm token.
Game 2: After I knew he was on tokens I kept counter mana for his walkers and Deathrite/attrition killed him.
3-0
Match 4: Junk Rites (ala Junk Value)
Game 1: Early Deathrite, but he his Fiend Hunter on my Deathrite spelled game for me. This was a 30 minute back and forth game where his health was at 4 at one point before exiling my Deathrite.
Game 2: Hidden Strings with Deathrite backup sealed the deal on his slow-ish start.
Game 3: I mulled myself into oblivion and his Sin Collector hit my counter when I did not have counter mana up. He took control of the game from there and I could not take out his Angels (one AoS and one Resto).
3-2
Match 5: Bant Hexproof
Both games were terrible. First game was ended on turn 4 and second game, I did not sideboard in every ounce of removal in my sideboard. It was ugly and I tilted due to him not sideboarding anything against me, and still wiping the floor with me. I had previously beat this same deck piloted by the same person a couple weeks before with BUG aggro, but heh, sometimes the cards do not come up right.
3-2
Match 6: Gruul Fight Club
Game 1: I have a shaky keep against a deck where I don't know what I'm playing against, and this was my undoing. Never, NEVER underestimate your opponent due to previous knowledge of what decks they play (ala this opponent usually plays very rampy green decks, which are not in the least aggro). So yeah, dead on turn 4 to a bloodrushed Predator Ooze and company.
Game 2: At least I saw the Ooze, so I was prepped for saving a slip for his ooze and bouncing a bloodrushed creature. Second game seemed like easy mode with a rancored Nighthawk going the distance.
Game 3: I keep a hand with lots of removal/bounce and a Mangler. It seemed like the right choice, but I misplayed by killing the wrong three drop (killed a Boar instead of the Splinterfright, and yes I'm a fool, but I don't ask opponents to let me take back targeting mistakes). And I died, like my squeeze into top 8 dreams did.
3-3
So my thoughts, Hidden Strings is insane in a tempo deck. Being able to untap your mana on turn two and either playing another creature or simply keeping your mana open for counter/bounce is just awesome.
Never drew the Krasis, so I can't give any good feedback on him
The mana base seems fine, and I'm not sure what changes I might make other than tweaking my sideboard a bit more since Junk/Jund/Bant Hexproof seem to be the dominant decks of the format. I would take out the Krasis, but I really don't have any +/- about it other than thinking the singleton guildmage might be a better choice (or just putting back in the 4th Mangler).
I am totally open to suggestions other than Snapcaster since I really don't like it in this deck (tried it, and hated it).
Good Luck this coming FNM and thanks for reading.
How often did you get to cast Hidden Strings off the encoded copy?
I'm pretty sure the sideboard needs edict effects or Bant Hexproof is just a very difficult race for BUG aggro.
I did have one mid-game cast of it that resulted in tapping down their creatures to allow for only bad blocks. I eventually won the game off of that cast since it reduced the amount of blockers he had available.
I did have one instance of turn 1 Experiment One, turn 2 strings into geist (swing 4) into RH on their end step, turn 3 mangler swing for (swing 12) and my opponent conceded after his draw step.
The major performer of the deck really is Deathrite, while I did beat down a lot of opponents, having an active shaman was effective since I could leave up counter/RH mana for their turn and just activate the Deathrite on their end step. It allows you to race via damage or gaining life.
As for the sideboard, both games against bant hexproof I lost to a non-hexproof creature wearing a lot of pants. While I did not draw removal that I boarded in, my real issue in that match was not drawing a nighthawk to block since Spectral Flight was really what did me in. I do think Far//Away is a valid sideboard card, but it might be too slow :/
I liked the look of Hidden Strings as well, but wasn't sure how effective it would be considering how much of the typical deck in this archtype uses the undying mechanic. I considered putting in a couple Invisible Stalker but that started to move the deck away from the rapid creature, evolve, undying synergy.
I'd leave the Simic Charms in, not only does it handle the unsummon, but as you pointed out it is also a giant growth, AND a hexproof. I am running 2 atm, but if I do try Hidden Strings I might even try to find space to bump up to 3...
4 Experiment One
3 Young Wolf
4 Strangleroot Geist
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Skirsdag High Priest
4 Dreg Mangler
2 Wolfir Avenger
4 Duskmantle Seer
Spells 13
3 Rancor
2 Putrefy
2 Simic Charm
3 Rapid Hybridization
3 Spell Rupture
4 Breeding Pool
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Woodland Cemetery
3 Watery Grave
2 Drowned Catacomb
2 Forest
3 Deathrite Shaman
3 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Notion Thief
2 Golgari Charm
3 Appetite for Brains
2 Far/Away
Any Suggestions for my List ? I tried it with Lothleth Troll but really hated him, he never did well. Perhaps it was just bad luck. Also cant get myself to play more than 1 Priest, he often feels just win more.
Id love to play the Troll but I just dont know if hes worth it.
Furthermore Im not sure on Putrefy over Decay. I love that Putrefy can hit every creature but sometimes the cost feels a bit too high. In the Thai-Meta, aggro is like non existent and thats the matchup where decay shines. Sometimes there are some oddball aggro players, like me, but I dont think Decay is needed that much if there is basically no aggro.
BUG Aggro
Deathrite in the main seems interesting. Against most decks you're not getting the mana ability but even then the reach that Deathrite can provide seems good. The fact he can evolve an Experiment One is nice as well. I might try one in the main and cut a High Priest.
Here's my argument for Abrupt Decay: BUG aggro shines in the early game when it involves interaction with our opponents. Abrupt Decay gives you the most possible options in that early part of the game where we want to interact and Putrefy doesn't. Putrefy at 3 mana might mean that's the only spell we can cast that turn and Abrupt Decay at 2 means we might be able to squeeze in a Strangleroot Geist as well. Or we can Snap back Abrupt at 4 mana but we can't with use Putrefy. Sure Abrupt Decay sucks when your opponent resolves Angel of Serenity but even if that Abrupt Decay was a Putrefy it's not like we're going to win the game because it was a Putrefy. We would still need a lot to go right to win that game.
Other than the fact I'd stick with Abrupt Decay's I think your main deck is good. Notion Thief in the sideboard seems a bit narrow. I know you're hedging against Sphinx's but Spell Rupture handles that and any decent control player is going to see you holding up 4 open mana each turn. By holding up the mana you're not going to be putting as much pressure on him so he doesn't need to cast the Sphinx's. Heck I'd just run Dispel or another Spell Rupture over Notion Thief, cast your aggro dudes and when he taps out for Sphinx you can dispel it with your one open U.
Yeah thats right with Decay, but I just liked the option to putrefy Olivia, but Pongify gets the job done too.
The only thing Im scared about with this deck is the missing reach. Too often my oppenent stabilized at 2 Life an no top deck could ensure me the win. Was depressing sometimes.
BUG Aggro
The Deathrite is a card I just can't quit. I'm not even sure what I would replace him with since he gives the deck late game reach, slows down rites, and evolves experiment one, all for one mana.
2x Spell Rupture
3x Golgari Charm
3x Deathrite Shaman
2x Vampire Nighthawk
2x Far / Away
1x Simic charm
2x Evil Twin
The Simic Charm may become a third [CARD]Spell Rupture
[/CARD]. I was wondering which matches to side which cards. I think Deathrite Shaman's would come in for ESPER control. Far / Away for Bant Hexproof. Vampire Nighthawk in for aggro etc. Which cards would you take out? Any suggestions would be awesome.
Also, I was thinking of running 22 land. What is the reason for 23 in most lists? Consistency? I have noticed the deck floods occasionally which was my reasoning for dropping a land.
Take out Abrupt Decay's against Esper or any control deck.
I'd side in Nighthawks, Far/Away and Golgari Charm against Bant Hexproof, and since they aren't really interacting with your board with spells lose the Simic Charm, maybe a Duskmantle Seer and some Dreg Manglers. If you're on the play I'd keep Spell Ruptures in, but on the draw it's too slow. I'd also cut a Rancor and maybe an Experiment One. The Nighthawks can help deal with Spectral Flight Geist. Far/Away can just decimate their board and if you have to cast it for either half you're ok with that. Golgari Charm can deal with the 1/1 Stalker and their mana dorks and it can kill either spectral flight or ethereal armor at the right moment so we can kill their Geist. Skirsdag High Priest is really good against Bant Hexproof, partially because your opponent doesn't have a lot of interaction so they have trouble killing the Priest but also because the 5/5 flier really stops a lot of things in their tracks and can get online so quickly.
Against aggro it really depends whether you think you're the control or the beat down. If you're the control I'd run the Nighthawks, but if you're likely to be the beat down run Dreg Manglers.
You could try 22 lands but the colour requirements are quite steep. In my experience with BUG aggro we really want 3 lands and with that access to at least 2 Green mana and 1 Blue and 1 Black and because of the intensive colour requirements this deck doesn't particularly mulligan very well so I'd prefer to error on the side of too much mana rather than too little.
Lost the first Match vs Jund 0-2, because I mulled 2 times into oblivion.
Won the second Match vs Junk Rites 2-1.
Won the third match against Bant Midrange 2-1.
Won the fourth match against RUG Control 2-1.
Won the last Match against RG Aggro 2-0.
Lost in the first Round of Top 8 against Aristocrats 1-2.
High Priest was awesome today and Seer was MVP everytime I played him. Flippin Craterhoofs, Blast of Genius and Turn and Burns.
BUG Aggro
BUG Aggro
2x Vampire Nighthawk
1x Zameck Guildmage
2x Golgari Charm
1x Abrupt Decay
2x Tragic Slip
2x Ultimate Price
1x Pithing Needle
1x Sever the Bloodline
2x Evil Twin
Won against B/W Extort (tokens), Stuffy Doll/Blasphemous Act combo (rogue deck of the evening, which due to there being little Jund this evening this guy made top 8), Bant Ramp, and Bant Hexproof (in the top 8).
Drew into top 8 with the Bant Hexproof deck, and my loss was to Esper Control (first time I've played esper in a couple months, so I had few cards in my sideboard prepared for this match other than the Pithing Needle).
Going to change the Glaring Spotlight into a Barter in Blood or Far // Away. Not sure about the Ultimate Price, but it worked well against Bant Hexproof.
Most sided in cards of the night were Golgari Charm and my third Abrupt Decay.
4 Breeding pool
4 Overgrown tomb
2 Watery grave
4 Hinterland Harbor
3 Woodland cemetery
2 Drowned catacomb
3 forest
4 Young wolf
4 experiment one
4 Strangleroot giest
2 Zameck guild mage
4 dreg mangler
1 wolfir avenger
4 duskmantle seer
3 rapid Hybridization
1 unsummon
2 abrupt decay
3 hidden strings
1 simic charm
3 spell rupture
2 putrefy
4 Deathrite shaman
2 woodlot crawler
1 abrupt decay
2 evil twin
2 liliana of the veil
1 simic charm
1 spell rupture
2 syncopate
I rock out the woodlot crawlers because green creatures dominate the format and he is a great, and cheap answer. The watery graves and catacombs make hitting him on 2 not too scary. Let me know what you think, i know there is a glaring lack of Rancor....
Decks Im Playing:
Ghost ride the whipRWB
Modern:
Creatureless loamRGBW
TronU
Enduring RenewalW
BurnR
Legacy:
PoxB
Nic-fit GWB
Junk GWB
BurnR