MTG Salvation

What's good y'all, I want to learn tempo and was wondering what a solid version is. I know it's still early in the format and hard to tell. As far as I know, I've seen a Temur Gro, UG Gro, UR, and UB pirates. How good actually is Deeproot Champion, like that's the only reason why green is in the Temur version and has far as I can tell that extra color for one card just adds inconsistency to the mana base. The builds of the UB Pirates decks have looked more like tribal aggro, but I'd be interested in playing a more spell heavy version that plays more like traditional tempo.
Per Standard Main Forum- What Belongs Here, 'What does not belong: ... "What Should I Play" threads (there's a thread for that)'. I believe that the intent is for all "What should I play?" threads to run in that thread. Merging this thread there. Thanks -hoser2

I see good buzz! I forgot about the Mesoamerican undertones, I haven't seen a lot of those jungle temples, like the Aztecs, in MTG at least outside of maybe a dual land so that feels really fresh and interesting to me. It's another thing that doesn't necessarily have to go with Pirates or dinosaurs, but it fits naturally because historically pirates where in that area and with the dense jungles that is sort of like prehistoric times where dinosaurs were. It adds another angle to illustrate the world and stylize the look, which feels really imaginative but still cohesive so I'm loving the originality.

I don't know if this is the place for this, but I just read about the premise of Ixalan and I'm pumped! Lately I've been just a casual MTG fan in and out of the game, so I'm totally going to keep an eye on this one. I've found the premises for the last two blocks kind of stale, like it didn't seem very creative to me to just find an unused mythology and then make a magic set out of it, like I'm bracing myself for the Hawaiian mythology block . I'm not saying those last two blocks weren't good, like I thought it was fun how they weaved robots into the Hindu mythology, the premise of Amonket was bland but at least they owned the Egyptian theme and went full tilt on the art. I have been missing me some classic sword and sorcery sets, the core sets are coming back ya, but I thought it would be cool if wizards subverted that genre more for new settings, like Zendikar has the classic sword and sorcery stuff, but subverts it with the lovecraftian Eldrazi and an emphasis the the terrain and the literal land of Zendikar itself. So Wizards went out there with Ixalan and I love it. Dinosaurs and Pirates in the same place is dope, my five year old self would be sporting wood! The set seems closer to sword and sorcery, Pirates/Rogues and beasts are part of the genre and here they are focusing on a specific type. These are the types of creative decisions that I would like to see more of out of Wizards in the future, because I'll pay up to play in this block.

Hi everyone, I am not the biggest FNM player anymore, but I have noticed once the tournament is over or in the last round I get a splitting headache. Last Saturday after the tournament it was so bad that I got sick for the rest of the day and couldn't do anything. I'm not quite sure what the cause is. It could be dehydration. It could be the fluorescent lighting in the stores. It could be from the focus and stress in the game. However, those usually don't bother me when I'm not playing MTG. Also, if I am playing MTG with friends at home for too long this happens as well. I usually like to play decks were you don't have to make too many decisions, but lately I've been dipping my toe into control, perhaps that play style contributes to the headaches. Does this happen to anyone else? Any suggestions for remedies?

Thanks!

Does Dynavolt Tower make energy when the spell you cast is countered?

Thanks for that article, I will read it sometime! I get the consistency argument, but if you are on a tight budget sacrificing some consistency/quality is common. Why it's worth it to me is, because sometimes the alternative is not playing at all. Yes, it definitely makes the better deck, but that is a romantic notion if those cards are inaccessible. I just wanted to raise the point that someone shouldn't be completely deterred from playing a 2 color budget deck with only basic lands, because the deck will still very much be playable and fun.

However, I personally feel more comfortable rolling out a budget deck with a simple manabase. If I don't have dual lands that can come into play untapped, I don't like to run one-drops that are different colors from each other or two-drops with two mana symbols in their casting cost. Essentially, having a dominant color over the other in your budget deck is my rule of thumb.

That Zombie deck I link, isn't a good example for using only basics. I just liked the design and structure of that deck and wanted to share it.

Also, there frequently are common or uncommon dual lands that come into play tapped, which is another budget players option. They slow your deck down, but they are a good option if you have like a 4 drop with 2 mana symbols in the casting cost. I am not playing standard right now, so I can't really give any suggestions for examples.

I have to disagree about dual lands being the most important cards to invest in. They do help with consistency, making it less likely to get stuck on colors, but it can still happen anyway, it doesn't make a huge difference in my experience especially if you are running like 23 lands and not like BBB or RRR casting cost creatures. Most of the time in budget aggro decks the creatures you are playing are a bit underwhelming on their own in the first place, so having expensive lands to cast them possibly more reliably doesn't win you games. I am more in the school of thought to hope you draw a basic of each of the two colors, if you get stuck for a turn or two waiting for a color of mana to show up that's not always the end of the game. Sometimes as a budget player there is a little less consistency, in exchange for less money spent, that applies to expensive non-land cards as well, and that trade off is worth it to me.

Anyway, I like BR Zombies best. The R provides nice late game reach. I found this cool list: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/513140#paper it's not budget so you'll have to cut and replace the expensive cards, but the core is pretty cheap.

Thanks! I actually just saw that line when I clicked on the card.

Hi, I need some clarification, does Falkenrath Gorger replace the madness cost on a card with madness already or does it just add another one.

For example, if I discard Incorrigible Youths with the Gorger in play would I have to pay it's mama cost or could I still cast it for it's original madness cost.

Love the idea! Since the Gorger isn't over $3 I will buy them and probably try to get back into standard, because I love Innistrad! What sideboard cards would you suggest? I don't really know anything about the current meta. I would assume Call the Bloodline x3 against a control deck to stop them from locking you down, maybe some amount of Stensia Masquerade if there is a deck that uses chump blockers that could kill your Vampires.

Man, I'd love to see Gravecrawler reprinted... nostalgia.

My advice to Wizards... DON'T MESS THIS UP.

Agreed, it's an SB card.

Keep in mind that Molten Nursery is a 3 mana enchantment that has no immediate effect, it definitely slows your assault down. If you had more tokens then it would be powerful, but I'd say it's at least a good sideboard option against control/slow mid-range decks.