Well, I'm about to do some playtesting for a GPT tomorrow, and I'm not really sure of what to pick. I'm currently thinking of running something similar to Craig Wescoe's Lightning Humans, as it seems to have the ability to crazy nut draw, while having mid/late game viability with a playset of Zealous Conscripts, Resto, and some Cloudshifts. I've played with the idea of that Bant Enchant list, but I'm not really sure that's what I want to take, as I would assume it will be meta'd for after last week's mirror match in the finals. Plus, it just feels bad to play...but alas, I'm in it to win it this weekend, not to go on some hipster rant about my cool nu-deck, so I want to play what works. I can build pretty much anything that doesn't need Thundermaw or Aristocrat...but even then, I can probably borrow them if I needed to. I've only Top 8'd one event with competitive REL (which I won with Junk Tokens about 2 months back), so I'd reaaaally like to be ready for this.
Suggestions? Thoughts? Any considerate input would be appreciated!
P.S. And along those lines...do you think Paraselene would be worth 2 sideboard slots? Or just too janky/slow?
I'm probably the last person to take advice on this matter as the only thing I play is FNM, but if I had only one choice to make, I'd play Bant Control. I think it is a strong deck if you can survive to turn 4. That's the critical turn with this deck with all the fast aggro out there.
The reason I wouldn't take an aggro deck is because if you don't nut draw, control WILL stop you eventually and take over the game from there.
But like I said, I'm the last person to be taking advice from, but that's what I would play.
You don't need to nut draw to win against control, though it is nice to pick up free-wins.
Mono Red is a great deck at the moment, although it might finally be starting to get some hate after its recent successes. Still, if you're comfortable with calculating lines 2-3-4 turns ahead, it's a great deck.
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You don't need to nut draw to win against control, though it is nice to pick up free-wins.
Mono Red is a great deck at the moment, although it might finally be starting to get some hate after its recent successes. Still, if you're comfortable with calculating lines 2-3-4 turns ahead, it's a great deck.
Yeah, I got totally wrecked last night by mono red playing OmniDoor. That's a tough matchup. Even after sideboarding (Thrag, Healer, more board wipes) it was still an uphill battle.
The problem with red is if it doesn't kill you quickly it tends to stall without efficient card draw. Our RDW player made top 8 but lost to a deck with more reach.
But yeah, you have a pretty good shot playing mono red.
I personally think Jund is very well placed right now.
Won a GPT today playing Jund w/ White (very greedy list). The archetype is really flexible so if you can read the metagame then you can pick and choose what to be strong against.
Straight jund is definitely safer though, the white splash was juuuust about worth the potential mana issues it could have caused. Play it conservative with how deep you go on each colour.
I personally think Jund is very well placed right now.
Won a GPT today playing Jund w/ White (very greedy list). The archetype is really flexible so if you can read the metagame then you can pick and choose what to be strong against.
Straight jund is definitely safer though, the white splash was juuuust about worth the potential mana issues it could have caused. Play it conservative with how deep you go on each colour.
What did you splash white for? Lingering Souls? Resto Angel?
Jund/Naya/Mono Red seem to me like the most solid bets right now.
If you can find a deck that solidly beats all 3 of those (and Bant Enchant) then you will be in very good shape, though.
What did you splash white for? Lingering Souls? Resto Angel?
Either one, depending on what you plan on facing the most. Resto Angel seems good with Huntmaster and Thragtusk.
Also I agree with HandWrittenHero because I was going to say that Jund is at a good place right now. Recently, Reid Duke wrote an article that said Jund in "all formats", meaning Modern, Standard, and Legacy. I wasn't too sure about it for 2 of those formats, but after seeing how well Jund has been placing in my local meta the past 2 weeks, I am now only unsure of 1 of those formats.
Personally, I would play Humanimator. I've been testing it and with decent play, it beats all of the midrange decks. That's what I've been seeing a lot of. (BTW, I personally don't know the Humanimator/Jund matchup, but I feel like it leans towards Humanimator.)
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
eh, making plans solely based on bant enchant isn't that great of an idea. The deck actually made up a pretty small portion of the meta. Bant control has a pretty terrible game against rdw and zombies, which actually made up a pretty large portion of the meta.
Either one, depending on what you plan on facing the most. Resto Angel seems good with Huntmaster and Thragtusk.
Also I agree with HandWrittenHero because I was going to say that Jund is at a good place right now. Recently, Reid Duke wrote an article that said Jund in "all formats", meaning Modern, Standard, and Legacy. I wasn't too sure about it for 2 of those formats, but after seeing how well Jund has been placing in my local meta the past 2 weeks, I am now only unsure of 1 of those formats.
Personally, I would play Humanimator. I've been testing it and with decent play, it beats all of the midrange decks. That's what I've been seeing a lot of. (BTW, I personally don't know the Humanimator/Jund matchup, but I feel like it leans towards Humanimator.)
Humanimator is a pretty solid deck... game 1. The only problem is that in the face of stuff like rest in peace and other GY hate, it just turns into a really bad midrange weenie deck.
Humanimator is a pretty solid deck... game 1. The only problem is that in the face of stuff like rest in peace and other GY hate, it just turns into a really bad midrange weenie deck.
I think it should do well vs. other midrange. RIP is only in White, which I know that a lot of decks run. So, you rely on your GY less. Certain decks like UWR or UW Flash are reluctant to use a card which will hurt their SCM and Pike. Sideboarding can be tougher with this deck.
Pillar of Flame and Rolling Temblor are answers to Deathrite Shaman and Thalia, as well as the Huntmaster flip + Staticaster/Peddler combo. You'd be surprised how well you can do with the deck when your opponent has to worry about your GY, Staticaster/Peddler combo, and Zealous Conscripts.
Still, with the hate, it still needs to be drawn.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Well, I brought my American Humans list I talked about. I won my first 3 matches, and only needed to win one more to get top 8. I proceeded to lose the next three to mostly horrible opening hands that I constantly mulliganed.
Round 1: vs Rakdos Aggro 2-0
Round 2: vs Jund 2-1
Round 3: vs Esper control 2-1
Round 4 (from here on, win-and-in): vs Rakdos Aggro 0-2 ( 4 knight of infamy and a nighthawk means you're gonna have a bad time.)
Round 5: vs GW Aggro 0-2 (absolutely horrible hands and draws)
Round 6: vs Jund 1-2 (literally lost to Rakdos's Return both losses. Draining my hand basically kills me).
I would definitely play it again, but with some tweaks. I think it's a pretty good meta call right now, and should transfer to a solid American midrange deck come GTC.
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Suggestions? Thoughts? Any considerate input would be appreciated!
P.S. And along those lines...do you think Paraselene would be worth 2 sideboard slots? Or just too janky/slow?
The reason I wouldn't take an aggro deck is because if you don't nut draw, control WILL stop you eventually and take over the game from there.
But like I said, I'm the last person to be taking advice from, but that's what I would play.
Mono Red is a great deck at the moment, although it might finally be starting to get some hate after its recent successes. Still, if you're comfortable with calculating lines 2-3-4 turns ahead, it's a great deck.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Yeah, I got totally wrecked last night by mono red playing OmniDoor. That's a tough matchup. Even after sideboarding (Thrag, Healer, more board wipes) it was still an uphill battle.
The problem with red is if it doesn't kill you quickly it tends to stall without efficient card draw. Our RDW player made top 8 but lost to a deck with more reach.
But yeah, you have a pretty good shot playing mono red.
Won a GPT today playing Jund w/ White (very greedy list). The archetype is really flexible so if you can read the metagame then you can pick and choose what to be strong against.
Straight jund is definitely safer though, the white splash was juuuust about worth the potential mana issues it could have caused. Play it conservative with how deep you go on each colour.
Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
What did you splash white for? Lingering Souls? Resto Angel?
If you can find a deck that solidly beats all 3 of those (and Bant Enchant) then you will be in very good shape, though.
honestly, I'd probably sleeve up esper control with a token theme. IMO that has most of the ground covered against a lot of the meta.
Modern:
Twinning End
Commander:
Mayael the Anema
Modern:
Twinning End
Commander:
Mayael the Anema
Either one, depending on what you plan on facing the most. Resto Angel seems good with Huntmaster and Thragtusk.
Also I agree with HandWrittenHero because I was going to say that Jund is at a good place right now. Recently, Reid Duke wrote an article that said Jund in "all formats", meaning Modern, Standard, and Legacy. I wasn't too sure about it for 2 of those formats, but after seeing how well Jund has been placing in my local meta the past 2 weeks, I am now only unsure of 1 of those formats.
Personally, I would play Humanimator. I've been testing it and with decent play, it beats all of the midrange decks. That's what I've been seeing a lot of. (BTW, I personally don't know the Humanimator/Jund matchup, but I feel like it leans towards Humanimator.)
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)ray of revelation > paraselene
eh, making plans solely based on bant enchant isn't that great of an idea. The deck actually made up a pretty small portion of the meta. Bant control has a pretty terrible game against rdw and zombies, which actually made up a pretty large portion of the meta.
Humanimator is a pretty solid deck... game 1. The only problem is that in the face of stuff like rest in peace and other GY hate, it just turns into a really bad midrange weenie deck.
Modern:
Twinning End
Commander:
Mayael the Anema
I think it should do well vs. other midrange. RIP is only in White, which I know that a lot of decks run. So, you rely on your GY less. Certain decks like UWR or UW Flash are reluctant to use a card which will hurt their SCM and Pike. Sideboarding can be tougher with this deck.
Pillar of Flame and Rolling Temblor are answers to Deathrite Shaman and Thalia, as well as the Huntmaster flip + Staticaster/Peddler combo. You'd be surprised how well you can do with the deck when your opponent has to worry about your GY, Staticaster/Peddler combo, and Zealous Conscripts.
Still, with the hate, it still needs to be drawn.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Round 1: vs Rakdos Aggro 2-0
Round 2: vs Jund 2-1
Round 3: vs Esper control 2-1
Round 4 (from here on, win-and-in): vs Rakdos Aggro 0-2 ( 4 knight of infamy and a nighthawk means you're gonna have a bad time.)
Round 5: vs GW Aggro 0-2 (absolutely horrible hands and draws)
Round 6: vs Jund 1-2 (literally lost to Rakdos's Return both losses. Draining my hand basically kills me).
I would definitely play it again, but with some tweaks. I think it's a pretty good meta call right now, and should transfer to a solid American midrange deck come GTC.