Am I wrong to think that there needs to be more blue sources? I like the sideboard quite a bit, actually. It seems geared towards attrition matchups with the Deeproot Waters. It'd be cool to get some insight from Jeremy on that one.
Eh, what can you do, though? He still made top 8 and rep'd us well. He drew really bad and perhaps that's what coerced him into making some greedy attacks with lords. Looked like he just missed the Silvergill Adept trading there, unfortunately.
I'm really curious to what his maindeck looks like. Zero Cursecatchers (from the looks) + at least one Master of Waves in his deck. The realization that this deck is far from refined is great news for the future of the UG variant. Looking forward to more lists popping up to experiment with!
Not trying to derail the U/G train, but for the sake of conversation, and perhaps for the sake of the tribe, have any of you dropped blue in favor of black? I ask because in our pre-meta gauntlet, we had a merfolk build and the more we played the more it actually felt like blue was a trap. The bulk of your power is in green, so we paired the green merfolk with a snek package and added fatal push. Now its up for debate if you don't just end up with a worse energy deck, but it tested much better than any of the U/G variants we tried. And we tried a *bunch.*
This was basically the same conclusion I came to as well. Replacing the blue with black made the deck feel a bit more refined and explosive, however, it also just felt like running a nerfed version of GB Energy. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't so much that it was a bad deck (it wasn't), I just didn't see a point for forcing the tribal aspect.
After all that, I decided to go back to the UG version to try and make it work. While it is still underpowered for this standard format, it's definitely capable of taking down your an FNM or two. Maindeck Spell Pierce is great and allows us to steal games.
And here's some explanations on some of my less than popular choices so far:
1x Shapers of Nature - I'm trying this guy out. I know it just straight up dies to removal, but it's a very impactful 3-drop that can take over the game if left unchecked or with the proper protection.
2x Tempest Caller - Normally this slot would be for Herald of Secret Streams, but I actually like Tempest Caller better in our current supposed meta. I feel like the blowout potential for us to attack into our opponents creatures only to have the Herald of Secret Streams removed before blocks is enough of a reason to stay off of it for now. Tempest Caller doesn't get around vehicles, though. That could become a problem in the future, but that's a bit easier to play around.
2x Nissa, Steward of Elements - She's just great, really. I see no reason not to run her. She is card advantage and a win condition all in one easy to cast planeswalker.
So those are my thoughts for now. It's definitely not a tier one deck, but I'm hoping to at least build a solid base for some potential upgrades from Rivals of Ixalan. Perhaps we can some decent fringe playability out of it in the meantime.
3 mana do nothing? No thanks. It'll make Merfolk a thing in Standard, but the card's too slow for Modern.
Unfortunately, I agree. Unless there's something in this block makes us not want to vial in Merfolk; it probably won't even have a place in the sideboard.
Drake Haven might be a good fit for the deck, although im not really sure considering you only have 16 cyclers, 8 of which are lands, it is also a nonbo with engulf the shore. I could see it maybe being a good sideboard option against opposing control decks, but I think you have better options anyway.
My list has 20 ways to trigger Drake Haven (including Pull from Tomorrow and Curator of Mysteries). I'm going to try out the version that includes Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, but I can just see myself getting stuck with the card in my hand in the early stages of a game. Galestrike also seems like an interesting option.
Hey guys was wondering what the best sweeper to bring in from the sideboard against Merfolk would be that also has applications against other high threat based decks like Elves and Tokens?
I'm playing a 4 colour control deck (WURB) with more UB mana sources than RW and I understand you play a fair amount of mana screwing techniqus:
I'v got room for 2 and my options are:
Damnation/Wrath of God
Pyroclasm
Engineered Explosives
Supreme Verdict
Anger of the Gods
Any other sweepers I've missed?
Pyroclasm and EE are the easiest on my mana base with Damnation being easier to cast than Wrath and Verdict.
Any particular sweeper you don't like particularly playing against?
Engineered Explosives by far. It also hirs Spreading Seas and Seas Claim which will ruin you if you don't also have an answer for them.
I think Clique has added value when playing Dispel over Spell Pierce. It can nab Sorcery speed cards that are problematic, such as board wipes and walkers.
Indeed. Control was a big part of my local meta some months back. I started running Venser to basically instant speed time walk my opponents. The meta has now shifted to be a lot more combo based where playing clique is now required for me.
It's a non-creature spell. Creature spells are the suspend cards with haste.
I'm really curious to what his maindeck looks like. Zero Cursecatchers (from the looks) + at least one Master of Waves in his deck. The realization that this deck is far from refined is great news for the future of the UG variant. Looking forward to more lists popping up to experiment with!
http://www.starcitygames.com/events/211017_cincinnati.html
This was basically the same conclusion I came to as well. Replacing the blue with black made the deck feel a bit more refined and explosive, however, it also just felt like running a nerfed version of GB Energy. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't so much that it was a bad deck (it wasn't), I just didn't see a point for forcing the tribal aspect.
After all that, I decided to go back to the UG version to try and make it work. While it is still underpowered for this standard format, it's definitely capable of taking down your an FNM or two. Maindeck Spell Pierce is great and allows us to steal games.
Here's the shell I am currently working with:
4 Merfolk Branchwalker
4 Metallic Mimic
4 River Sneak
1 Shapers of Nature
4 Vineshaper Mystic
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
2 Tempest Caller
4 Blossoming Defense
4 Spell Pierce
3 Unsummon
4 Botanical Sanctum
4 Hashep Oasis
6 Forest
8 Island
And here's some explanations on some of my less than popular choices so far:
1x Shapers of Nature - I'm trying this guy out. I know it just straight up dies to removal, but it's a very impactful 3-drop that can take over the game if left unchecked or with the proper protection.
4x Vineshaper Mystic/2x Rishkar, Peema Renegade - I think you want as many of these effects as you can possibly play. Rishkar, Peema Renegade also has the relevant mana producing ability that can help accelerate out a Nissa, Steward of Elements ultimate very early.
2x Tempest Caller - Normally this slot would be for Herald of Secret Streams, but I actually like Tempest Caller better in our current supposed meta. I feel like the blowout potential for us to attack into our opponents creatures only to have the Herald of Secret Streams removed before blocks is enough of a reason to stay off of it for now. Tempest Caller doesn't get around vehicles, though. That could become a problem in the future, but that's a bit easier to play around.
2x Nissa, Steward of Elements - She's just great, really. I see no reason not to run her. She is card advantage and a win condition all in one easy to cast planeswalker.
So those are my thoughts for now. It's definitely not a tier one deck, but I'm hoping to at least build a solid base for some potential upgrades from Rivals of Ixalan. Perhaps we can some decent fringe playability out of it in the meantime.
Unfortunately, I agree. Unless there's something in this block makes us not want to vial in Merfolk; it probably won't even have a place in the sideboard.
Great card for standard and EDH, though!
Good read. Glad to know Copter is still doing work for you!
Haven't had too much time to delve into Modern and Legacy recently. So many limited events near me.
My list has 20 ways to trigger Drake Haven (including Pull from Tomorrow and Curator of Mysteries). I'm going to try out the version that includes Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, but I can just see myself getting stuck with the card in my hand in the early stages of a game. Galestrike also seems like an interesting option.
My list is basically:
-1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
-2 Confiscation Coup
-4 Glimmer of Genius
-1 Island
+3 Drake Haven
+1 Curator of Mysteries
+4 Hieroglyphic Illumination
I've been having a lot of success by finishing games with end of turn Torrential Gearhulk casting Memory then unleashing hordes of Drakes.
Engineered Explosives by far. It also hirs Spreading Seas and Seas Claim which will ruin you if you don't also have an answer for them.
Indeed. Control was a big part of my local meta some months back. I started running Venser to basically instant speed time walk my opponents. The meta has now shifted to be a lot more combo based where playing clique is now required for me.
Kinda hilarious if you ask me. Perhaps this the based shell we should be starting with. Vendillion Clique is the real deal.