I'm not here to stir the pot by any means, but my initial test with the pokedex went great this last weekend. I think the value of a permanent that allows you to scry every turn and draw off every creature cast should be considered. I won a couple games this weekend because I was able to load my hand, widen my board, and draw some companies all in the same turn.
Hey guys, long time reader and first time post. I've been playing Elves for the better part of 7 months now and just finished 6-0-2 at the Hobbytown Open in Lincoln, NE. Up until last week I had been playing G/W Elves with a Reid Duke-esque type sideboard with Pay No Heeds, Paths, Stony, and RIP. After going 4-4 drop at regionals in Minneapolis, I made the decision to switch to the G/B build. I decided this week I would test out the pokedex in the main to see if it could replace Lead the Stampede. I saw some earlier posts in this forum where people were having success and decided to test it against a sizable meta.
Hobbytown was 7 round swiss and then cut to top 8 with a healthy attendance of 122 people. Here's the list I ran
Alright so as I said, I had a pretty successful Sunday. I only lost two games on the day and went undefeated to a top 4 split. The two biggest things I took away from this tournament is that I'm now a believer in Shaman of the Pack and the pokedex seems really good. I was skeptical about pokedex before the tournament, but I was proven wrong every time I had it on the board. I even got comments from a couple opponents on how insane the pokedex is for Elves.
Round 1 - Merfolk 2-1
I was on the play and was able to company into an ezuri. By turn 4 I was able to swing for 40+.
The second game, the merfolk player was able to get 3 lords and a couple master of waves. I was unable to handle it. The third game I was able to coco and disrupt his early board (he had metallic mimic that I rec saged). After that I was able to get a wide board and cast a shaman of the pack to drain him.
Sideboard: In 2 Inquisition of Kozilek, 2 Reclamation Sage; Out 2 Lifecrafter's Beastiary, 2 Nettle Sentinel. I kept the same sideboard for game 3.
Round 2 - Affinity 2-0
I was able to steal game 1 on an amazing turn 3. By the end of turn 3 I had a three archdruids, an ezuri and a wide board. I was able to get him down to 4 and passed the turn. He was only able to hit me for 15 (while I was at 16 life) and scooped. The second game the pokedex and shaman helped me. I was able to scry away lands and top deck pokedex gas to draw two companys. Once the companies went off, I was able to destroy a steel overseer (rec sage) and take over the board.
Sideboard: In 2 Fracturing Gust, 2 Reclamation Sage; Out 2 Lifecrafter's Bestiary, 2 Nettle.
Round 3 - G/R Tron 2-0
I am quite lucky to get the 2-0 on this match up. Fortunately Shaman of the pack did wonders in these games. The first game I have a good opening hand with archdruid and shaman, the tron player nevers saw an O-stone or a pyroclasm so I was able to buld my board. On turn 3 I cast shaman to drain him for 7 life down to 13. On his turn he had tron and cast wurmcoil engine and passed back. On my turn 4 I drew a coco and passed turn, because I didn't want to swing into his wurmcoil. On his turn he cast Karn to exile my archdruid, in response I tapped and cast coco to find another archdruid and another shaman. So he goes down to 4 life. He passes the turn and I top deck a shaman to drain him. Game two he was able to pyroclasm turn 2 but I had the tools to refill my board. I was able to get in damage before tron and play shaman to take game 2.
Sideboard: In 2 Thoughtseize, 2 Heroic Intervention; Out 4 Nettles (I was planning on putting the nettles in for game 3 to up the chances of combo.)
Round 4 - Abzan Company 2-0
I was able to double company and overrun with Ezuri in game 1. Game 2 I was able to turn 1 inquisition to find a e. witness and a Orzhov in hand. I had him pitch the E. Witness. I very carefully was able to play around pontiff. He had it go three times to clear my board, but my conservative play allowed to refill. He fortunately wasn't hitting any of his threats on top deck and only hit a wall of roots on his first coco. I cast lifecrafter's after pontiff was off the board and was able to unload and refill my hand. I drew a chord and two shaman off the bestiary and bottomed lands on the upkeep scry. I was able to chord for a shaman for 8 life loss.He was able to coco again and found a anafenza with a seer already on the board for him. Fortunately he passed it back and I was able to cast double shaman for the win.
Sideboard: In 2 Inquisition, 1 Relic of Progenitus; Out 2 Nettle, 1 Lifecrafter's.
Round 5 - Merfolk 2-1
This one was not looking good from the start. I was on the draw and I got hosed the first game with a waves, two lords, and spreading seas for islandwalk. The second game I was able to get pokedex out and let it do its thing. This probably is the reason I won the second game. I was able to chain off draws on turn three that let me go nuts on turn 4 to seal the win. The third game I got the pokedex out and got value off the scry and was able to double cast shaman of the pack for the win.
Sideboard: Actually made a mistake here. I had the pile of what I was putting in and taking out of sideboard and I accidently kept my main the same and kept the sideboard cards out. Which thinking about it wouldn't be bad for when I was on the play game 2, but really got fortunate with being on the draw game 3. So no sideboard for these games.
Round 6 & 7 - ID'd
There were only 4 people left at x-0 and we did the math and we were able to draw out to top 8.
Top 8 - Grixis Control 2-0
Game one was typical of my first rounds with control. I was able to beat down before they could do much of anything. The second game I kept my opening 7 as I had a Overgrown Tomb, Horizon Canopy, heroic intervention, visionary, two dorks, and a shaman of the pack. I slow rolled putting out an elf a turn and keeping mana open for the heroic intervention. He had an unusual start where he thought scoured twice and serum visioned, while playing two islands. I was able to get an early cavern in play for any protection from counters. He missed his third land drop, which afforded to me to get a decent amount of damage in. He was able to bolt my archdruid, but I held out the intervention for an anger of the gods. By turn 6 he dropped his 5th land and passed the turn. He failed to cryptic the turn before, but I suspected he had cryptic in hand. At this point I was going in on the heroic intervention and really wanted to bait him into it. So my opponent is at 11 life and I cast Shaman with cavern mana, which drops his life to 4. Before combat he cryptic taps and draws a card. I have two mana open. I pass the turn and my opponent drops his sixth land and remarks "I might as well do it now" and plays Anger. I cast heroic intervention in response and my opponent is silent for a few moments and calmy remarks he made a mistake. My opponent had collective brutality in hand and a snapcaster, which he didn't have a spell (didn't have the mana for cryptic) in his yard to deal with the intervention or my board the next turn. I'm not sure what else he would been able to do. Unable to stop the lethal damage next turn, my opponent scoops.
Sideboard: In 2 Inquisition, 2 Heroic Intervention, 2 Guttural Response, 1 Chameleon Colossus; Out 4 Nettle, 2 Company, 1 Elvish Visionary
Hobbytown was 7 round swiss and then cut to top 8 with a healthy attendance of 122 people. Here's the list I ran
3 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
Creature
4 Dwynen's Elite
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
4 Elvish Archdruid
3 Elvish Mystic
3 Elvish Visionary
2 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Heritage Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Shaman of the Pack
1 Chord of Calling
4 Collected Company
Land
4 Blooming Marsh
2 Cavern of Souls
3 Forest
2 Horizon Canopy
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Pendelhaven
2 Verdant Catacombs
1 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Chameleon Colossus
1 Dismember
2 Fracturing Gust
2 Guttural Response
2 Heroic Intervention
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Reclamation Sage
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Thoughtseize
Alright so as I said, I had a pretty successful Sunday. I only lost two games on the day and went undefeated to a top 4 split. The two biggest things I took away from this tournament is that I'm now a believer in Shaman of the Pack and the pokedex seems really good. I was skeptical about pokedex before the tournament, but I was proven wrong every time I had it on the board. I even got comments from a couple opponents on how insane the pokedex is for Elves.
Round 1 - Merfolk 2-1
I was on the play and was able to company into an ezuri. By turn 4 I was able to swing for 40+.
The second game, the merfolk player was able to get 3 lords and a couple master of waves. I was unable to handle it. The third game I was able to coco and disrupt his early board (he had metallic mimic that I rec saged). After that I was able to get a wide board and cast a shaman of the pack to drain him.
Sideboard: In 2 Inquisition of Kozilek, 2 Reclamation Sage; Out 2 Lifecrafter's Beastiary, 2 Nettle Sentinel. I kept the same sideboard for game 3.
Round 2 - Affinity 2-0
I was able to steal game 1 on an amazing turn 3. By the end of turn 3 I had a three archdruids, an ezuri and a wide board. I was able to get him down to 4 and passed the turn. He was only able to hit me for 15 (while I was at 16 life) and scooped. The second game the pokedex and shaman helped me. I was able to scry away lands and top deck pokedex gas to draw two companys. Once the companies went off, I was able to destroy a steel overseer (rec sage) and take over the board.
Sideboard: In 2 Fracturing Gust, 2 Reclamation Sage; Out 2 Lifecrafter's Bestiary, 2 Nettle.
Round 3 - G/R Tron 2-0
I am quite lucky to get the 2-0 on this match up. Fortunately Shaman of the pack did wonders in these games. The first game I have a good opening hand with archdruid and shaman, the tron player nevers saw an O-stone or a pyroclasm so I was able to buld my board. On turn 3 I cast shaman to drain him for 7 life down to 13. On his turn he had tron and cast wurmcoil engine and passed back. On my turn 4 I drew a coco and passed turn, because I didn't want to swing into his wurmcoil. On his turn he cast Karn to exile my archdruid, in response I tapped and cast coco to find another archdruid and another shaman. So he goes down to 4 life. He passes the turn and I top deck a shaman to drain him. Game two he was able to pyroclasm turn 2 but I had the tools to refill my board. I was able to get in damage before tron and play shaman to take game 2.
Sideboard: In 2 Thoughtseize, 2 Heroic Intervention; Out 4 Nettles (I was planning on putting the nettles in for game 3 to up the chances of combo.)
Round 4 - Abzan Company 2-0
I was able to double company and overrun with Ezuri in game 1. Game 2 I was able to turn 1 inquisition to find a e. witness and a Orzhov in hand. I had him pitch the E. Witness. I very carefully was able to play around pontiff. He had it go three times to clear my board, but my conservative play allowed to refill. He fortunately wasn't hitting any of his threats on top deck and only hit a wall of roots on his first coco. I cast lifecrafter's after pontiff was off the board and was able to unload and refill my hand. I drew a chord and two shaman off the bestiary and bottomed lands on the upkeep scry. I was able to chord for a shaman for 8 life loss.He was able to coco again and found a anafenza with a seer already on the board for him. Fortunately he passed it back and I was able to cast double shaman for the win.
Sideboard: In 2 Inquisition, 1 Relic of Progenitus; Out 2 Nettle, 1 Lifecrafter's.
Round 5 - Merfolk 2-1
This one was not looking good from the start. I was on the draw and I got hosed the first game with a waves, two lords, and spreading seas for islandwalk. The second game I was able to get pokedex out and let it do its thing. This probably is the reason I won the second game. I was able to chain off draws on turn three that let me go nuts on turn 4 to seal the win. The third game I got the pokedex out and got value off the scry and was able to double cast shaman of the pack for the win.
Sideboard: Actually made a mistake here. I had the pile of what I was putting in and taking out of sideboard and I accidently kept my main the same and kept the sideboard cards out. Which thinking about it wouldn't be bad for when I was on the play game 2, but really got fortunate with being on the draw game 3. So no sideboard for these games.
Round 6 & 7 - ID'd
There were only 4 people left at x-0 and we did the math and we were able to draw out to top 8.
Top 8 - Grixis Control 2-0
Game one was typical of my first rounds with control. I was able to beat down before they could do much of anything. The second game I kept my opening 7 as I had a Overgrown Tomb, Horizon Canopy, heroic intervention, visionary, two dorks, and a shaman of the pack. I slow rolled putting out an elf a turn and keeping mana open for the heroic intervention. He had an unusual start where he thought scoured twice and serum visioned, while playing two islands. I was able to get an early cavern in play for any protection from counters. He missed his third land drop, which afforded to me to get a decent amount of damage in. He was able to bolt my archdruid, but I held out the intervention for an anger of the gods. By turn 6 he dropped his 5th land and passed the turn. He failed to cryptic the turn before, but I suspected he had cryptic in hand. At this point I was going in on the heroic intervention and really wanted to bait him into it. So my opponent is at 11 life and I cast Shaman with cavern mana, which drops his life to 4. Before combat he cryptic taps and draws a card. I have two mana open. I pass the turn and my opponent drops his sixth land and remarks "I might as well do it now" and plays Anger. I cast heroic intervention in response and my opponent is silent for a few moments and calmy remarks he made a mistake. My opponent had collective brutality in hand and a snapcaster, which he didn't have a spell (didn't have the mana for cryptic) in his yard to deal with the intervention or my board the next turn. I'm not sure what else he would been able to do. Unable to stop the lethal damage next turn, my opponent scoops.
Sideboard: In 2 Inquisition, 2 Heroic Intervention, 2 Guttural Response, 1 Chameleon Colossus; Out 4 Nettle, 2 Company, 1 Elvish Visionary