I played a solid tournament today and wanted to share my experience, as well as some ruminations on the MB and SB. I piloted the UBg version for 5 rounds, with a cut to top 8. We used the SCG play/ draw rule. I went 3-1-1, enough for the 6th seed.
I think the maindeck is near perfect. 3 Lotus petals for velocity, and I feel like 15 lands is the correct number, at least for a 3 color list.
I want daze and thoughtseize, I like the varied disruption, and both cards shine in this deck. If only thoughtseize didn’t cost 2 life
Empyrial Archangel is the ever-changing flex spot of mine. When it is good, it is really good (like when you only have reanimate at lower life against a bolt deck), but it can be weak. I might try a sire of insanity in this slot, but I’m unsure. I was running Inkwell in this slot, but DnT is not very present around me anymore so I thought Empyrial the better choice.
I’m obviously not running maindeck SnT. Honestly, even when BUG Delver was #1 and deathrite was everywhere, SnT was still seldom used G1 to combo, so I really don’t think it belongs in the main right now. That gave me the ability to run the 10 disruption, as well as the full set of ponders for consistency. I only kept SnT in the list for the BUG Delver matchup, and maybe Jund, but I didn’t play either all day. I’m still unsure about cutting them completely (I moved down to 3), but they are a bit of a liability with all the blasts in the format. I didn’t use this card all day.
I still want to try Aetherling against miracles, but Iona is also pretty good here. Maybe Sire would be as well? Does anyone have any experience with this?
Also, you can see that I am not running an SB counters. I was debating between 2 Spell Pierce or 2 Surgical, but upon thinking realize that I never really even use Spell Pierce, and I think they might be unnecessary. Surgical is at least as good, but can be devastating against combo, fight GY decks, and honestly, I would almost rather surgical an opponent’s forces than board in pierce to fight counter wars and slow the deck down. What matches do you guys typically side in counterspells?
And here is a quick tournament report:
Round 1 vs G/B/W Junk 0-1 (0-2)
G1: I keep a hand with two reanimate spells and a couple ponders. I draw lands, lands, and more lands as my hand is thrashed with therapy. I lose.
SB: +3 AD, +1 Ashen Rider, +2 Massacre (was worried about thalia/ hatebear potential out of the board, but have little experience with this matchup) -3 TS, -1 Iona, -1 Ponder, -1 Animate Dead
G3: I keep a similar hand. Opponent lands a quick stoneforge, and has discard therapy/ veteran explorer going. End up getting an Archangel in the GY off of a careful study. I try to buy time with it but lose to some 4 mana trample creature with a sword and batterskull on it. I lose.
Round 2 vs Enchantress 1-1 (2-2)
G1: He mulls to 6. I reanimate Iona turn 2 on green.
SB: +3 AD, +1 K Grip (I saw he had helm combo), +1 Thoughtseize, -3 Daze, -1 Ponder, -1 CS
G2: I Turn 1 grizzle, turn two Iona. Profit.
Round 3 vs. Sneak and Show 2-1 (4-3)
G1: I turn 2 grizlebrand, and force his SnT next turn.
SB: I think it was +1 Ashen Rider, -1 Elesh, +2 Needle, +1 K Grip (in case of leyline mostly), +1 Thoughtseize, -3 Daze, -1 Ponder
G2: He gets out a T1 relic of progenitus. I force him to pop it turn 3 with entomb/ reanimate, and I’m just digging for another entomb/CS. He gets out through the breach on turn 4 or 5 and I die.
G3: Normally I might switch Daze/ Thoughtseize on play/ draw, but I kept in TS since I am playing combo. He SnT T3 with overmaster protection for my force. I play grizzle, he plays Emrakul. My turn, I dig 7 or 14 and get Ashen Rider and win.
Round 4 vs Miracles
G1 I turn 2 Iona on white with force backup, and ride it to victory.
SB: +3 AD, +1 K Grip, +1 Rider, +2 Needle -3 Daze, -1 Elesh, -1 CS, -1 Ponder, -1 exhume
G2: I get a turn 2 Iona on white, and ride it to victory.
Round 5 ID
Quarterfinals vs DDFT
G1: I keep the greediest hand, no land, but double force and reanimate and cantrips. Since I am on the draw, I decide to gamble knowing my opponent is on combo and I had 2 forces. I get duress’d and therapy’d, ruining the natural discard plan, and can’t rebuild fast enough. Don’t be this greedy! I was running hot and was too overconfident.
SB: +2 Surgical, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Thoughtseize, -3 Daze, -1 ponder, -reanimate (I think)
G2: I turn 2 Grizle. I get him low life but he finds karakas. I dig 14, and exhume an ashen rider on his xantid swarm, and he scoops when I show him my forces.
G3: I turn 1 Grizzle. Wait. He ponders into his only Karakas. I draw 14, thinking I need to rebuild ASAP and find disruption. I get 5 lands in my first 7 His turn 3 he plays a SDT, I force. He plays another, I force again. Pitching two brainstorms and leaving me with combo pieces but no disruption. I get out a t3 Ashen, but being at one life from TS him, forcing, and drawing with GBrand, he burning wishes into tendrils and I lose.
This last game, should I have fought so hard over the tops? My idea was that he had little cards in hand, maybe 3, and top was going to find him business and discard to use on me before going off. Also, I know top is used in a LOT of piles. In hindsight, it seems like a poor choice but it seemed to make sense at the time.
I would be very interested in hearing from experienced players what they think of my sideboarding.
All in all, I had a great day. Until next time, keep on reanimating!
I think you can drop a land and add another thoughtseize, 15 lands and 4 lotus petals is as high as you need to be (I run 15 and 3). Definitely add the trop and bayou main, or at least one of them. As for the SB, that depends on the meta. But looking at it, and considering you will add at least 1 dual from the board to MD, I would add a massacre, another pithing needle, and at least one echoing truth (need an out to leyline). I would get to 3 thoughtseize main, one SB, allowing for another slot as well. Also,I have always been fine casting SnT with petals, giving me extra SB slots in place of CoT, but that is more of a play-style/ meta choice I think.
There are two reasons I can't pull myself to get rid of Show and Tell. One: It is a game 1 out to t1 DRS and other forms or potential game 1 hate (I know the tricks to getting around DRS, but they don't always work). Two: It is a way around multiple levels of hate (e.g., player has two DRS, and tormod's crypt in play). Even though I have converted to the abrupt decay SB plan, there are still situations where I can't get through multiple levels of hate. However, I don't feel that city of traitors is necessary for the SnT plan, I have found that lands and petals work more than well enough.
On the subject of running 3 or 4 griselbrand. I run 3 and haven't looked back, at least in my meta, it seems that I have a lot of match-ups where a toolbox creature is better or as good as grisel. I think the slightly lower percentage of studying or showing him into play is negligible. And as a somewhat insignificant bonus, you slightly hedge your deck against extraction effects by diversifying your threats.
All of our creatures are pretty good against UR, but I typically go for Elesh.
On U/B/G, I finally tried it and am loving it. 3 decays in the board has been absolutely amazing. Obviously it is an out to miracles, but it is also so good against delver decks packing lots of counters. I haven't decided on the right manabase for it, though. Right now I'm at 3 petals, 4 Seas, Trop, Bayou, Island, Swamp, 7 fetches. I think 3 seas and 8 fetches could also be correct.
I was also considering a single K grip instead of echoing truth. I cut echoing truth to 1 in the SB because of the decays.
The day I join legacy (competitively with a deck I WANT to play) will most likely be after counterfeits have crashed the market. I will happily play with quality proxies, and even spend a decent amount on them. If the TO/Judges give me crap about it, then I didn't have good enough counterfeits.
Before you say it, I realize that my actions would not be good for the game overall. However, WOTC isn't doing anything about it so I'll wait for a 3rd party to come in and profit where WOTC could have. The only way I would not go with the above method is if the Reserved list is abolished and they announce Legacy Masters (limited print run is fine! Stabilize, don't crash!), complete with any $100+ staples as rares or uncommons.
It is my opinion that for every legacy player they lose due to their collection value plummeting, they will gain 3 players who would otherwise not be able to play. These players will buy packs, singles, attend tournaments, and contribute to the community just as the 1 player that they lost did (if not better since they are newly invigorated by this new exciting format).
Your account should be suspended for violation of the TOS - supporting/discussion of engaging in illegal activities on this forum. Short-sighted and motivated by instant gratification - forget working hard and earning anything when you can commit a felony by supporting forgeries. I'd like to think it would take more than a trading card game for my moral compass and self-respect to be compromised. /end rant.
Sorry you feel this way. In no way is the situation anywhere near as serious as you're making it out to be. I equate my hypothetical actions to buying a pair of knockoff gucci sunglasses from a streetvendor. Im never paying $400 for the name brand, so I'll pay 20 for the ones that are pretty close.
Wotc has the opportunity to do something, and ill continue to be patient. But there will come a time when it will be too late.
Let me guess: you are also pro DRM, pro "anti piracy/privacy laws", and have a nice fat legacy collection that stands to lose based on my scenario?
Torrents/pirating intellectual property are a great way to get immediate gratification for yourself and screw over the artist who created the property you stole. Buying a song for 99 cents on amazon isn't a hardship but for many it seems easier to use self-serving logic to justify theft - much like your admission to commit a felony by knowingly engaging in criminal possession of forged items. You do this with the intent to defraud individuals and organizations all so you can enrich yourself by winning prize money and other goods. You seem to feel WotC owes you something - that you are entitled to play with pieces of cardboard that are 20 years old and if WotC doesn't fix your problem then by default you have every right to commit said felony.
Actually, this has been proven false. Pirating has been shown to have little to no affect on sales, at least for the music industry: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-21856720
The Twin Cities has a lot of good restaurants and bars. Is there anything specific you are looking for? Downtown is more of the posh/ night club scene. Uptown is more of the hipster neighborhood. North East has more dive bars and brew pubs. St. Paul is more of the laid back area. If you are looking for anything specific, I'd be glad to help.
Hey,
I recently bought an Italian Volcanic Island in great condition. I do have a slight concern for it's authenticity (I am getting it checked out) because of how much more vivid the color is as compared to my revised english volcanic islands. Does anyone here have experience with this, and could share his or her knowledge? Thanks!
Here is the list that I ran:
Creatures:
3 Grizzle
1 Tidespout
1 Elesh
1 Iona
1 Empyrial Archangel
Business:
4 Entomb
4 Careful Study
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
1 Animate Dead
Cantrip:
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
Disruption:
4 FoW
3 Daze
3 Thoughtseize
Lands:
3 Lotus Petal
4 U Sea
1 Trop
1 Bayou
1 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
4 Verdant Catacombs
Sideboard:
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Show and Tell
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Pithing Needle
2 Massacre
1 Krosan Grip
1 Ashen Rider
1 Thoughtseize
Some comments on the list:
I think the maindeck is near perfect. 3 Lotus petals for velocity, and I feel like 15 lands is the correct number, at least for a 3 color list.
I want daze and thoughtseize, I like the varied disruption, and both cards shine in this deck. If only thoughtseize didn’t cost 2 life
Empyrial Archangel is the ever-changing flex spot of mine. When it is good, it is really good (like when you only have reanimate at lower life against a bolt deck), but it can be weak. I might try a sire of insanity in this slot, but I’m unsure. I was running Inkwell in this slot, but DnT is not very present around me anymore so I thought Empyrial the better choice.
I’m obviously not running maindeck SnT. Honestly, even when BUG Delver was #1 and deathrite was everywhere, SnT was still seldom used G1 to combo, so I really don’t think it belongs in the main right now. That gave me the ability to run the 10 disruption, as well as the full set of ponders for consistency. I only kept SnT in the list for the BUG Delver matchup, and maybe Jund, but I didn’t play either all day. I’m still unsure about cutting them completely (I moved down to 3), but they are a bit of a liability with all the blasts in the format. I didn’t use this card all day.
I still want to try Aetherling against miracles, but Iona is also pretty good here. Maybe Sire would be as well? Does anyone have any experience with this?
Also, you can see that I am not running an SB counters. I was debating between 2 Spell Pierce or 2 Surgical, but upon thinking realize that I never really even use Spell Pierce, and I think they might be unnecessary. Surgical is at least as good, but can be devastating against combo, fight GY decks, and honestly, I would almost rather surgical an opponent’s forces than board in pierce to fight counter wars and slow the deck down. What matches do you guys typically side in counterspells?
And here is a quick tournament report:
Round 1 vs G/B/W Junk 0-1 (0-2)
G1: I keep a hand with two reanimate spells and a couple ponders. I draw lands, lands, and more lands as my hand is thrashed with therapy. I lose.
SB: +3 AD, +1 Ashen Rider, +2 Massacre (was worried about thalia/ hatebear potential out of the board, but have little experience with this matchup) -3 TS, -1 Iona, -1 Ponder, -1 Animate Dead
G3: I keep a similar hand. Opponent lands a quick stoneforge, and has discard therapy/ veteran explorer going. End up getting an Archangel in the GY off of a careful study. I try to buy time with it but lose to some 4 mana trample creature with a sword and batterskull on it. I lose.
Round 2 vs Enchantress 1-1 (2-2)
G1: He mulls to 6. I reanimate Iona turn 2 on green.
SB: +3 AD, +1 K Grip (I saw he had helm combo), +1 Thoughtseize, -3 Daze, -1 Ponder, -1 CS
G2: I Turn 1 grizzle, turn two Iona. Profit.
Round 3 vs. Sneak and Show 2-1 (4-3)
G1: I turn 2 grizlebrand, and force his SnT next turn.
SB: I think it was +1 Ashen Rider, -1 Elesh, +2 Needle, +1 K Grip (in case of leyline mostly), +1 Thoughtseize, -3 Daze, -1 Ponder
G2: He gets out a T1 relic of progenitus. I force him to pop it turn 3 with entomb/ reanimate, and I’m just digging for another entomb/CS. He gets out through the breach on turn 4 or 5 and I die.
G3: Normally I might switch Daze/ Thoughtseize on play/ draw, but I kept in TS since I am playing combo. He SnT T3 with overmaster protection for my force. I play grizzle, he plays Emrakul. My turn, I dig 7 or 14 and get Ashen Rider and win.
Round 4 vs Miracles
G1 I turn 2 Iona on white with force backup, and ride it to victory.
SB: +3 AD, +1 K Grip, +1 Rider, +2 Needle -3 Daze, -1 Elesh, -1 CS, -1 Ponder, -1 exhume
G2: I get a turn 2 Iona on white, and ride it to victory.
Round 5 ID
Quarterfinals vs DDFT
G1: I keep the greediest hand, no land, but double force and reanimate and cantrips. Since I am on the draw, I decide to gamble knowing my opponent is on combo and I had 2 forces. I get duress’d and therapy’d, ruining the natural discard plan, and can’t rebuild fast enough. Don’t be this greedy! I was running hot and was too overconfident.
SB: +2 Surgical, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Thoughtseize, -3 Daze, -1 ponder, -reanimate (I think)
G2: I turn 2 Grizle. I get him low life but he finds karakas. I dig 14, and exhume an ashen rider on his xantid swarm, and he scoops when I show him my forces.
G3: I turn 1 Grizzle. Wait. He ponders into his only Karakas. I draw 14, thinking I need to rebuild ASAP and find disruption. I get 5 lands in my first 7 His turn 3 he plays a SDT, I force. He plays another, I force again. Pitching two brainstorms and leaving me with combo pieces but no disruption. I get out a t3 Ashen, but being at one life from TS him, forcing, and drawing with GBrand, he burning wishes into tendrils and I lose.
This last game, should I have fought so hard over the tops? My idea was that he had little cards in hand, maybe 3, and top was going to find him business and discard to use on me before going off. Also, I know top is used in a LOT of piles. In hindsight, it seems like a poor choice but it seemed to make sense at the time.
I would be very interested in hearing from experienced players what they think of my sideboarding.
All in all, I had a great day. Until next time, keep on reanimating!
On the subject of running 3 or 4 griselbrand. I run 3 and haven't looked back, at least in my meta, it seems that I have a lot of match-ups where a toolbox creature is better or as good as grisel. I think the slightly lower percentage of studying or showing him into play is negligible. And as a somewhat insignificant bonus, you slightly hedge your deck against extraction effects by diversifying your threats.
On U/B/G, I finally tried it and am loving it. 3 decays in the board has been absolutely amazing. Obviously it is an out to miracles, but it is also so good against delver decks packing lots of counters. I haven't decided on the right manabase for it, though. Right now I'm at 3 petals, 4 Seas, Trop, Bayou, Island, Swamp, 7 fetches. I think 3 seas and 8 fetches could also be correct.
I was also considering a single K grip instead of echoing truth. I cut echoing truth to 1 in the SB because of the decays.
Actually, this has been proven false. Pirating has been shown to have little to no affect on sales, at least for the music industry: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-21856720
I recently bought an Italian Volcanic Island in great condition. I do have a slight concern for it's authenticity (I am getting it checked out) because of how much more vivid the color is as compared to my revised english volcanic islands. Does anyone here have experience with this, and could share his or her knowledge? Thanks!