I'm dying hard to mono-red. My sideboard needs serious overhaul for it. I know I want to add Coursers, but I don't know whether to mainboard them, or sideboard them. I feel like I don't need them against many other decks, and want them mainly for mono-red. But with mono-red so heavy in competitive tournaments, I'm not sure what to do. I also need more cards in my sideboard to side-in vs. mono-red.
One of the best traders I've encountered in my short time in Magic is a guy who is VERY stingy with his binder. He never makes a trade except when he wins. He's not a jerk about it or anything - he's just very savvy and wants motivation from the other party to make a trade. And he wins out every time. He is, basically, ruthless (meant in a non pejorative way). When I think about selling cards, I want to be like him. I will sell you a card, but only if you give me a good price for it. That price is, most often, what it can be bought for on eBay. And more - because I'm standing in front of you, you know I'm going to give you the card and not scam you (like happens on eBay from time to time), and you get immediate gratification.
I'm in San Francisco on Sunday and have some free time. If I bring my Standard and EDH decks, is there a store in the city somewhere that has anything going on? I did some searching, but didn't find anything - mostly comic shops with no events listed.
Will Modern Masters 2 cards be Standard legal? If so, when does it rotate out? If not, can you help this relative newbie understand why not - I don't quite understand why a set of 249 cards wouldn't be standard legal.
So I play G/W Midrange every day in Standard, on Cockatrice and at FNM.
I continue to work on strategies for dealing with Esper Control and still maintain a viable midrange deck. I've had some success beating Esper Control, but nothing fully consistent yet. One example is the addition of "Savage Summoning" to get attacks in. More than dealing with Esper Control, however, my problem has been finding the right deck balance for a meta that is dominated by Esper but sees a lot of aggro now. I feel like I'm making progress towards that balance, but unfortunately, time is quickly running out; JOU is just around the corner.
1) I like to have many decks available. So far I have a Standard deck, two EDH decks, and a Modern deck. I dont want to be forced into a "I can't" answer when someone says, "Hey! Up for a game of <x>?"
2) I'm only 6 months into my MTG career, but I don't understand all the Standard bashing both in this thread and on MTGS in general.
I play Standard and like most of the folks at my FNM and at the game stores I get to, I play one deck until rotation. I have made small shifts along the way, and will make more small shifts as each new set comes out or as I find adjustments I need for my meta. But the core of the deck is good for a year. And the adjustments shouldn't be big if you have a well-constructed core.
In contrast, a single Modern or Legacy deck costs way more than a few years of Standard decks, as far as I can tell.
3) I agree with the OP's take on Standard: "It's boring because it lacks combo moves OR it's great because it lacks combo". I like playing Standard matches right after Modern because it's faster, less thought is involved, and it's more fun. It's a relief from the "every decision in every second" counts that's in Legacy and some Modern decks. I like it for FNM because I've been working all day. I want to play MTG and I want to socialize, so Standard is a nice tempo for me. When I'm fresh-minded and focused and ready to play hard, then yeah, Legacy or Modern would be better.
Selesnya charm is not super relevant in the control matchup but a good spell in general. It belongs in the list.
Rootborn defenses is very nice. You have good things to populate and stopping a supreme verdict from control can well give you a win right there. It'll help you immensely.
Thanks for this. I hadn't realized that Rootborn Defenses would stop Supreme Verdict. I had it in my deck originally but took it out.
I've also been meaning to put Selesnya Charm back in, as it's the only way I think I can deal with Blood Baron/Desecration Demon decks.
Gotta figure out what to take out to put 8 cards back in.
Thank you for the replies, everyone. Someone asked for my deck list. It's Selesnya midrange with a few tweaks based on my local meta. I have not added BNG cards yet (though obviously I will soon, as I get a scryland now.) Does Garruk fit in here is the question.
I was reading A Few Control Tips, an article on SCG by someone who is characterized as an expert long-time Control player. In the article, he mentions that G/R Monsters is hard for him, and specifically, Garruk, Caller of Beasts is especially hard. Quote:
"The biggest threat is Garruk, Caller of Beasts because one activation ends the game more often than not."
I'm looking at the card and I don't understand. Why is Garruk good? My Selesnya Mid-range deck is suffering badly against control, and I'd like to improve it, so I'm very interested to know how Garruk could help me.
Sadly, I get off the plane at 6am having flown all night ... go home and spend a few hours with Mrs. Garp and the pets ... then hope I stay awake for the 11am sealed event. I'll have fun because my LGS is full of awesome folks. But I have no chance of being focused or at my sharpest
So I followed Tinfoil Hat's link, and the "Suspended List" caught my eye. Some of these are 6 month bans, some 1, 2, 5 years, and at the bottom are lifetime bans.
Pardon my gross ignorance, as I'm just a newbie FNM'er kinda player, but how are so many people on this list? What are examples of nefarious activities causing suspensions and lifetime bans? My first thought was just misbehavior at a GP-like event (yelling, making a scene, calling people names). But ...
4x Collected Company
Creatures
4x Shorecrasher Elemental
4x Silumgar Sorcerer
4x Stratus Dancer
4x Frost Walker
4x Thornwood Falls
4x Hypnotic Siren
4x Kiora's Follower
4x Thassa, God of the Sea
4x Master of Waves
12x Island
4x Temple of Mystery
4x Yavimaya Coast
3x Sidisi's Faithful
4x Encase in Ice
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Aetherspouts
2x Wall of Frost
2x Negate
4x Deathmist Raptor
2x Den Protector
1x Genesis Hydra
1x Hidden Dragonslayer
2x Hornet Queen
4x Polukranos, World Eater
1x Temur Sabertooth
4x Whisperwood Elemental
Planeswalkers
1x Nissa, Worldwaker
Mana Dorks
4x Elvish Mystic
4x Sylvan Caryatid
3x Voyaging Satyr
2x Dromoka's Command
3x Mastery of the Unseen
Lands
2x Blossoming Sands
7x Forest
1x Mana Confluence
4x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2x Plains
4x Temple of Plenty
4x Windswept Heath
2x Ainok Survivalist
2x Display of Dominance
2x Fleecemane Lion
1x Genesis Hydra
2x Glare of Heresy
1x Mastery of the Unseen
1x Nissa, Worldwaker
1x Nylea, God of the Hunt
2x Setessan Tactics
2x Valorous Stance
I'm dying hard to mono-red. My sideboard needs serious overhaul for it. I know I want to add Coursers, but I don't know whether to mainboard them, or sideboard them. I feel like I don't need them against many other decks, and want them mainly for mono-red. But with mono-red so heavy in competitive tournaments, I'm not sure what to do. I also need more cards in my sideboard to side-in vs. mono-red.
Any and all help welcome, and thank you!
Best regards,
Garp74
Just my opinion.
I'm in San Francisco on Sunday and have some free time. If I bring my Standard and EDH decks, is there a store in the city somewhere that has anything going on? I did some searching, but didn't find anything - mostly comic shops with no events listed.
Thank you!
Garp74
Will Modern Masters 2 cards be Standard legal? If so, when does it rotate out? If not, can you help this relative newbie understand why not - I don't quite understand why a set of 249 cards wouldn't be standard legal.
Thank you!
Garp74
I continue to work on strategies for dealing with Esper Control and still maintain a viable midrange deck. I've had some success beating Esper Control, but nothing fully consistent yet. One example is the addition of "Savage Summoning" to get attacks in. More than dealing with Esper Control, however, my problem has been finding the right deck balance for a meta that is dominated by Esper but sees a lot of aggro now. I feel like I'm making progress towards that balance, but unfortunately, time is quickly running out; JOU is just around the corner.
Why is Sire of Insanity in your SB, please?
Thanks!
2) I'm only 6 months into my MTG career, but I don't understand all the Standard bashing both in this thread and on MTGS in general.
I play Standard and like most of the folks at my FNM and at the game stores I get to, I play one deck until rotation. I have made small shifts along the way, and will make more small shifts as each new set comes out or as I find adjustments I need for my meta. But the core of the deck is good for a year. And the adjustments shouldn't be big if you have a well-constructed core.
In contrast, a single Modern or Legacy deck costs way more than a few years of Standard decks, as far as I can tell.
3) I agree with the OP's take on Standard: "It's boring because it lacks combo moves OR it's great because it lacks combo". I like playing Standard matches right after Modern because it's faster, less thought is involved, and it's more fun. It's a relief from the "every decision in every second" counts that's in Legacy and some Modern decks. I like it for FNM because I've been working all day. I want to play MTG and I want to socialize, so Standard is a nice tempo for me. When I'm fresh-minded and focused and ready to play hard, then yeah, Legacy or Modern would be better.
Just my opinions.
Garp74
Thanks for this. I hadn't realized that Rootborn Defenses would stop Supreme Verdict. I had it in my deck originally but took it out.
I've also been meaning to put Selesnya Charm back in, as it's the only way I think I can deal with Blood Baron/Desecration Demon decks.
Gotta figure out what to take out to put 8 cards back in.
Thank you.
8 Forest
8 Plains
4 Selesnya Guildgate
4 Temple Garden
Creatures (26)
2 Archangel of Thune
2 Armada Wurm
4 Boon Satyr
4 Fiendslayer Paladin
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Sylvan Caryatid
2 Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
4 Voice of Resurgence
4 Advent of the Wurm
4 Call of the Conclave
2 Nylea, God of the Hunt
2 Skylasher
4 Soul Tithe
4 Sundering Growth
3 Witchstalker
I was reading A Few Control Tips, an article on SCG by someone who is characterized as an expert long-time Control player. In the article, he mentions that G/R Monsters is hard for him, and specifically, Garruk, Caller of Beasts is especially hard. Quote:
"The biggest threat is Garruk, Caller of Beasts because one activation ends the game more often than not."
I'm looking at the card and I don't understand. Why is Garruk good? My Selesnya Mid-range deck is suffering badly against control, and I'd like to improve it, so I'm very interested to know how Garruk could help me.
Thanks and with regards,
Garp74
Pardon my gross ignorance, as I'm just a newbie FNM'er kinda player, but how are so many people on this list? What are examples of nefarious activities causing suspensions and lifetime bans? My first thought was just misbehavior at a GP-like event (yelling, making a scene, calling people names). But ...