I suppose this could work as a transformational sb in the wishless version in the sideboard since you play the required 12 cantrips main.
Or in the version with wishes, you could side in 4 cantrips, 3 recross the paths, 1 meditate. This takes up alot of sb space though and you're giving up an anti-blue sb.
Oh and I love your belcher analysis!!! Amazing work.
Absolutely. I almost never have a strong desire to win at an event, I just love making other players happy, and I think the reactions so get are well worth the $40. One guy was so intensely affected that he thanked me several times for "just doing what you're doing, and making the world a better place like you did just now with me".
On a competitive note, however, I can honestly say that as much as it sounds like the tired fallback of noobs and sore losers, I really did lose to bad luck in the games I lost. I've learned that Summoner's Pact is somewhat dangerous against control decks, where you might need to recover later. But other than that, my hands were amazing, the numbers were on my side, I faced down SO MANY Forceless hands and even pushed through a Spell Pierce once. I even went down to 3 Gambles to minimize bricks in testing. I may re-cut the Land Grants for Shield Spheres, Skyshroud Cutter was a champ, but rarely was getting him down a problem (though I'm not sure whether that's because of the Land Grants). Everyone agreed that bricking on double Glimpse is rare enough, doing it 5 times in one event is just brutally terrible fortune.
So, I'm considering cutting Grants and having sideboard options for lowering the Pact count against blue decks (probably 4th Guide, 3rd land, leave one or two Pacts in). I'm also planning to actually build the sideboard I keep telling you guys to build. I am such a slacker.
Aside from those minor tweaks, I think the list I played with could easily make it to the winner's table in a major event. The turn 1 rate, percentage of decks that can't interact, and percentage of games the other decks don't have Force of Will all combine to make it a crap shoot with heavily tilted odds in your favor. Smart play and sideboarding against blue decks gives you even more strength, and surprise factor is still prevalent enough to give you a powerful advantage.
I'm happy to hear you had a great time! What was your final record? Everyone loves it when I play Cheeri0s as well...how could they not?!
I'm having huge success with a new card from commander 2013..:curse of predation. I admit I play a different version, more like affinity but it is definitely explosive and quite resilient.
I'll recommend you NOT to build this deck, because it isn't competitive. Glimpse is banned and the next best thing is Beck/Call. But Beck/Call doesn't really measure up, because of 2 factors:
1) It costs 2 mana instead of 1, so you need more resources (i.e. lands/mana dorks) to get it started. Didn't draw enough of those resources? Had a mana dork killed? Whoops, you brick.
2) It costs 1 blue mana, which means you can't cast it off Heritage Druid alone. You need an untapped Breeding Pool or Deathrite Shaman (side note: Birchlore Rangers is not in Modern).
The above two are bad enough, but when you combine them, it means that Beck/Call cannot be chained. If you've played with Glimpse, you'd know that if you draw a second (or third, or fourth) Glimpse, you can just cast it and start drawing double the cards. Not so for Beck/Call. The second one you draw is completely dead.
From time to time, someone manages to 3-1 or 4-0 a Daily with it. That's luck. I wouldn't advise you to play this deck if your goal is winning.
Agreed. I've had success with 3 cloudstone curio and 3 intruder alarm in the main and removed beck call completely.
I would suggest to ignore it and punch through. Azusa is reeeeallly fast. In mono green try to ramp into eldrazi or craterhoof/avenger of zendikar/regal force.
To be honest I think white is the right choice for a third color. Black Green is very bad against combo. Blue forces you to go 3 colors really early in the game especially with strix. Some things I would suggest:
White is VERY strong against combo, you get:
Thalia, Gaddock Teeg, Cannonist, Oblivion ring (against show and tell +other stuff)
Good stuff against all:
Restoration angel, academy rector, stoneforge mystic
Maindeck gaddock teeg is something I've thought about. You're designed to beat the decks that teeg isnt great against. In a long tournament you're bound to face combo and having a g1 answer (or even 2 like revoker/thalia) you'll have more consistent win %.
I'd also suggest shriekmaw. It's a 1G removal spell that is also a 5 cost creature. Podding rector into nightmare shriekmaw over and over again. I'll comment more later.
It really depends on your opponent's play, or if they're playing combo. For instance turn 1 my opponent goes: bayou, thoughtseize --> take your abrupt decay. I therapy naming dark confidant and hit it.
Or vs miracles turn 1 I usually blind name top. Otherwise I save it for turn 3 to name jace. But it really depends on your hand, his play and the board state. I also like saving it for stoneforge mystic to take whatever they fetch.
Vs combo it's different because you can die at any time. I usually name LED or infernal tutor.
If you want, you could do the recross the paths version. Check this link: http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?25698-Primer-Deck-Belcher&p=785626&viewfull=1#post785626
I suppose this could work as a transformational sb in the wishless version in the sideboard since you play the required 12 cantrips main.
Or in the version with wishes, you could side in 4 cantrips, 3 recross the paths, 1 meditate. This takes up alot of sb space though and you're giving up an anti-blue sb.
Oh and I love your belcher analysis!!! Amazing work.
I'm happy to hear you had a great time! What was your final record? Everyone loves it when I play Cheeri0s as well...how could they not?!
What about Chrome Mox instead of summoner's pact?
I'm having huge success with a new card from commander 2013..:curse of predation. I admit I play a different version, more like affinity but it is definitely explosive and quite resilient.
turn 2 krenko(general) + skullclamp
infinite combo turn 4 ->>infinite goblins, mana, draw
Might be a bit expensive but....
It that Betrays
Wherever/whenever I play Legacy irl, everyone wants to have a great time, get better at the game and help each other out.
Agreed. I've had success with 3 cloudstone curio and 3 intruder alarm in the main and removed beck call completely.
To be honest I think white is the right choice for a third color. Black Green is very bad against combo. Blue forces you to go 3 colors really early in the game especially with strix. Some things I would suggest:
White is VERY strong against combo, you get:
Thalia, Gaddock Teeg, Cannonist, Oblivion ring (against show and tell +other stuff)
Good stuff against all:
Restoration angel, academy rector, stoneforge mystic
Maindeck gaddock teeg is something I've thought about. You're designed to beat the decks that teeg isnt great against. In a long tournament you're bound to face combo and having a g1 answer (or even 2 like revoker/thalia) you'll have more consistent win %.
I'd also suggest shriekmaw. It's a 1G removal spell that is also a 5 cost creature. Podding rector into nightmare shriekmaw over and over again. I'll comment more later.
Or vs miracles turn 1 I usually blind name top. Otherwise I save it for turn 3 to name jace. But it really depends on your hand, his play and the board state. I also like saving it for stoneforge mystic to take whatever they fetch.
Vs combo it's different because you can die at any time. I usually name LED or infernal tutor.