A 1/1 Hexproof Unblockable is not a threat even with Silverblade. The 'threats' are the Aura's and Geist, and as I said before Paraselene which is easily splashable deals with the Aura's, and Geist is a 2/2.
I guess I'm not too worried about it because I play Control and the deck is an almost auto-win for me, but it really is easily hated out. Duress makes the deck look so bad, just like Omnithrag and with Liliana to put the finishing touches, meaning that any mid-range deck that has access to black can easily deal with it, and decks that can access white can likewise do the same. In this environment that means almost everyone, and Control decks just annihilate it.
It won this event because it was an extremely favorable environment. Expect that to change, however.
Sorry man - I've played plenty of control decks and I've played against Duress. Much of what you're saying is naive. Not all of it - but enough.
Duress isn't really a problem. Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek in Modern (did I mention I play a similar deck in modern as well?) are huge problems but Duress can't grab a creature. Using Abrupt Decay is a much better choice if your mana-base supports it because it can take the same enchantment during combat - screwing up my combat math - or it can eliminate a Silverblade Paladin when it hits and take away the double strike.
Paraselene is an interesting case. We knew when we started building this that there might come a day when people would sideboard it in. I say if people are sideboarding against us with a card that affects only us then we must be doing something right. I look forward to the day when people fear us so much that they're playing Paraselene.
Having said that - I don't think it's going to happen. There are enough good decks in the format that you shouldn't be sideboarding against us.
Control decks are okay against us but I would rather play against control than against RDW. RDW kicks our butt. Control.... eh.
edit: Yes Ray of Revelation seems like a better choice to me. Not only the fact that it takes out an enchantment - seeing it in my opponent's graveyard would scare me out of attacking.
The Abrupt Decay can hit Ethereal Armor and that is often the best target of all. It's not uncommon to play 2 Abundant Growths and a Rancor before top-decking an Ethereal Armor. The Armor then makes the difference between GoST at 4/2 Trample vs. 8/6 Trample First Strike. You can't target the GoST but you can target the Ethereal Armor and then block the Geist and kill it with any 2 power creature.
Yeah but so can Golgari Charm. Golgari Charm can also bait out a Rancor and kill Invisible Stalker before he gets up and running.
After watching the matches/playing with the deck I've also realized how important Avacyn's Pilgrim is and Charm can deal with him as well.
As an added bonus, you can use the Charm to regenerate chump blockers.
I understand that Abrupt Decay sees actual MB play so you've taken notice to it, but if I had to choose between Decay and Charm, I'd take the Charm every time versus Bant Enchant.
Yeah but so can Golgari Charm. Golgari Charm can also bait out a Rancor and kill Invisible Stalker before he gets up and running.
After watching the matches/playing with the deck I've also realized how important Avacyn's Pilgrim is and Charm can deal with him as well.
As an added bonus, you can use the Charm to regenerate chump blockers.
I understand that Abrupt Decay sees actual MB play so you've taken notice to it, but if I had to choose between Decay and Charm, I'd take the Charm every time versus Bant Enchant.
I stand corrected. I forgot that it even had that mode because I have never come across someone using it. Yes I see your point.
You're also right about the Avacyn's Pilgrim. If you see a Pilgrim and you know that you're playing Bant Enchant then you should kill it if you can. Don't leave yourself vulnerable to Silverblade of course but if you have - for example - a pillar of flame and a searing spear in your hand then I wouldn't think twice about using the pillar on the Pilgrim.
I don't know if I'd kill every pilgrim on sight though. If the deck actually turns out to be GW aggro - which can look very similar through two turns - then you might not want to be wasting creature control on a dork in that case.
As an aside - I think I ought to mention that we've been through this discussion before and a good many of us think that eventually Loxodon Smiters will be in our own sideboards. It'll give us better odds against counters and discard and will be a nice post-board card to use once people side out their creature control. It doesn't have as much of a place until people are siding against us though - if you follow my thinking.
Yeah but so can Golgari Charm. Golgari Charm can also bait out a Rancor and kill Invisible Stalker before he gets up and running.
After watching the matches/playing with the deck I've also realized how important Avacyn's Pilgrim is and Charm can deal with him as well.
As an added bonus, you can use the Charm to regenerate chump blockers.
I understand that Abrupt Decay sees actual MB play so you've taken notice to it, but if I had to choose between Decay and Charm, I'd take the Charm every time versus Bant Enchant.
An old saying, "always bolt the bird" comes to mind here. Problem is t1, g1, you have no idea what your opponent is playing and laying down a dork is no indication of whats to come t2.
Regardless, I'm still not sure it'll be widespread, and it's not impossible to deal with. But I sure respect this much more than I ever did zombies when the sky was falling(RtR release).
Aurelias Fury is an insane card. Aurelias Fury will be at the Pro Tour in a few weeks. There will be copies in the top 8, and you can QUOTE me on that.
LP, I'm checking your article out as well. Behind all of your swag is the brain of one of the most intelligent Magic players I've ever known. I guess that's one more thing for you to add to the wall of ego that is your Sally sig.
I can go with that. LK, you are the Mace Windu of red mages...cool, tempered logic in deliberation, but capable of just flat kicking tail when the situation warrants it.
Bant enchant is very powerful but gets very boring very quickly. Loading up on Tribute to Hunger, Liliana and Golgari charm now for my Jund deck as Bant enchant will be everywhere on MODO in the coming days.
You won't easily beat that hexproof deck.
Sure, sweepers and Liliana interact with them. How many cards that would be total out of your 75? Yeah, and unless you draw them, you're dead.
Enchantment hate is easy to get around via savagery and soulbond, it won't help you.
If it gains popularity, it will warp standard big time.
You won't easily beat that hexproof deck.
Sure, sweepers and Liliana interact with them. How many cards that would be total out of your 75? Yeah, and unless you draw them, you're dead.
Enchantment hate is easy to get around via savagery and soulbond, it won't help you.
If it gains popularity, it will warp standard big time.
I don't see it warping standard, it will be a playable TIer 1 deck but theres lots of hate available for the deck.
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If you're gonna come at the King, you'd best not miss.
You won't easily beat that hexproof deck.
Sure, sweepers and Liliana interact with them. How many cards that would be total out of your 75? Yeah, and unless you draw them, you're dead.
Enchantment hate is easy to get around via savagery and soulbond, it won't help you.
If it gains popularity, it will warp standard big time.
its not like pumping hexproof creatures with enchantments has never been a thing before.
its a good deck, but it has it's weaknesses just like anything else. The mana is terrible and even though it's only playing one creature at a time, a wrath effect is still a 3 for 1, since that creature will usually have a couple of enchantments on it.
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Big thanks to DarkNightCavalier from heroes of the planes studios for the sig!
its not like pumping hexproof creatures with enchantments has never been a thing before.
And when did last time decks that pump hexproof creatures took 1st and 2nd place at GP filled with big Pro tour names?
That deck is at least tier 2 in power level. Maybe more, we don't know yet what will happen when a lot of people will play it.
You won't easily beat that hexproof deck.
Sure, sweepers and Liliana interact with them. How many cards that would be total out of your 75? Yeah, and unless you draw them, you're dead.
Enchantment hate is easy to get around via savagery and soulbond, it won't help you.
If it gains popularity, it will warp standard big time.
It was a great meta-call. It won't last. Ray of Revelation is around, making any attacks very bad if they blow up the right stuff at the right times.
Sorry man - I've played plenty of control decks and I've played against Duress. Much of what you're saying is naive. Not all of it - but enough.
Duress isn't really a problem. Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek in Modern (did I mention I play a similar deck in modern as well?) are huge problems but Duress can't grab a creature. Using Abrupt Decay is a much better choice if your mana-base supports it because it can take the same enchantment during combat - screwing up my combat math - or it can eliminate a Silverblade Paladin when it hits and take away the double strike.
Paraselene is an interesting case. We knew when we started building this that there might come a day when people would sideboard it in. I say if people are sideboarding against us with a card that affects only us then we must be doing something right. I look forward to the day when people fear us so much that they're playing Paraselene.
Having said that - I don't think it's going to happen. There are enough good decks in the format that you shouldn't be sideboarding against us.
Control decks are okay against us but I would rather play against control than against RDW. RDW kicks our butt. Control.... eh.
edit: Yes Ray of Revelation seems like a better choice to me. Not only the fact that it takes out an enchantment - seeing it in my opponent's graveyard would scare me out of attacking.
Yeah but so can Golgari Charm. Golgari Charm can also bait out a Rancor and kill Invisible Stalker before he gets up and running.
After watching the matches/playing with the deck I've also realized how important Avacyn's Pilgrim is and Charm can deal with him as well.
As an added bonus, you can use the Charm to regenerate chump blockers.
I understand that Abrupt Decay sees actual MB play so you've taken notice to it, but if I had to choose between Decay and Charm, I'd take the Charm every time versus Bant Enchant.
I stand corrected. I forgot that it even had that mode because I have never come across someone using it. Yes I see your point.
You're also right about the Avacyn's Pilgrim. If you see a Pilgrim and you know that you're playing Bant Enchant then you should kill it if you can. Don't leave yourself vulnerable to Silverblade of course but if you have - for example - a pillar of flame and a searing spear in your hand then I wouldn't think twice about using the pillar on the Pilgrim.
I don't know if I'd kill every pilgrim on sight though. If the deck actually turns out to be GW aggro - which can look very similar through two turns - then you might not want to be wasting creature control on a dork in that case.
As an aside - I think I ought to mention that we've been through this discussion before and a good many of us think that eventually Loxodon Smiters will be in our own sideboards. It'll give us better odds against counters and discard and will be a nice post-board card to use once people side out their creature control. It doesn't have as much of a place until people are siding against us though - if you follow my thinking.
An old saying, "always bolt the bird" comes to mind here. Problem is t1, g1, you have no idea what your opponent is playing and laying down a dork is no indication of whats to come t2.
Regardless, I'm still not sure it'll be widespread, and it's not impossible to deal with. But I sure respect this much more than I ever did zombies when the sky was falling(RtR release).
It's been around forever. I think Wrapter described his decision to play the deck something like this:
"I saw it on MODO and I didn't feel like playing actual Magic: The Gathering so it seemed like a good choice."
That's all paraphrased from memory.
But it is powerful. Man, is it powerful. All it takes to beat it though is for it to be slightly on the radar.
=
"Sup dawg! I herd u like mountains so I equipped a mountain on your mountain so your can swing with land while you swing with land!"
Sure, sweepers and Liliana interact with them. How many cards that would be total out of your 75? Yeah, and unless you draw them, you're dead.
Enchantment hate is easy to get around via savagery and soulbond, it won't help you.
If it gains popularity, it will warp standard big time.
I don't see it warping standard, it will be a playable TIer 1 deck but theres lots of hate available for the deck.
its not like pumping hexproof creatures with enchantments has never been a thing before.
its a good deck, but it has it's weaknesses just like anything else. The mana is terrible and even though it's only playing one creature at a time, a wrath effect is still a 3 for 1, since that creature will usually have a couple of enchantments on it.
Modern:
Twinning End
Commander:
Mayael the Anema
And when did last time decks that pump hexproof creatures took 1st and 2nd place at GP filled with big Pro tour names?
That deck is at least tier 2 in power level. Maybe more, we don't know yet what will happen when a lot of people will play it.
It was a great meta-call. It won't last. Ray of Revelation is around, making any attacks very bad if they blow up the right stuff at the right times.
=
"Sup dawg! I herd u like mountains so I equipped a mountain on your mountain so your can swing with land while you swing with land!"