I was thinking this as well. It's weird they would word it into separate lines if they both had a taxing effect of 2. I think the first line is 1 and the second line is 2.
We are definately not fast enough against them, and all the run are absolute BOMBS (Ballista, Collar, Ratcher BOMB xD, TKS)
They don't care about a few sea effects, if they have even just one map they will hit turn 3 TKS, and we can't finish them off early enough before they stabilize
You should go drop by the ET thread and see what they have to say about the Fish MU. A buddy of mine recently picked up the deck and he mentioned that all the threads he's read mention fish to be a bad MU for them. Personal opinion is we're fine against them.
5-0'd my 3rd Competitive league last night with Rothgar's exact 74 (for some reason the 2nd echoing truth never made it into SD and I didn't notice I was running with a 14 card SB till round 3). MU's were something like:
Rd1: Black White Tokens
Rd2: U/R Delver/Young Pyro
Rd3: Jeski As Fortold
Rd4: Bant Company
Rd5: U/R Delver/ Young Pyro (same guy from rd 2)
I brought in the extra seas in rounds 3&4. I have not dropped a round to As Foretold decks yet, but this Jeski list has shown to have the most promise for the deck right now. The mainboard Spell Pierces followed with more Countermagic in games 2&3 will be what keep us ahead of this deck. Without the namesake card, the deck is a worse Control deck.
I am also in agreement about the Mimic. Not enough Positives over the Negatives. I'd go back to playing Phantasmal Image (which was the first card I started comparing it to) before playing with mimic. Until of course, we start seeing actually play with it. If someone can put up results, then maybe I'll be more willing to come back to it.
As for Fatal Push, I think it will either completely replace or fight over slots with Murderous Cut in the B/G/x decks or B/x/x decks. While it does require more of a set up than the other 1 mana removal spells, I think if we just go back to playing Kira's main with an extra one sideboard we'll be fine. We can still play Spell Pierce main which will likely help with this too.
I'm guessing they just missed the Aether Vials while typing his list?
Other than the land base, which ad you all have state is off, I think the list was fine. With that many Tron in the top 8, the mainboard GQ's were probably the right call. Which also explains why he dropped a muta so he wouldn't have to many non blue sources.
I don't know why he tried fighting you on the Vapor Snag in response to his fetch. You get a chance to in between him cracking the fetch and going to get a land to respond. Should of just called a judge.
My Dredge Opponents must be really lucky then. Every time I turn 2-3 a Sea's if they are stuck on 2 mana, they either draw into it or dredge and hit Narcomoeba + Prized Amalgam in some number and put anywhere from 4 - 8 power on the board. I'm in the "Dredge is a Bad MU" camp here. Of course, it depends on our builds and if your running Spell Pierces (Like Rothgar) or Dispels (which do nothing besides hit Conflagrate).
I feel like they have two plans of attack. A PA combo kill and playing a sort of control style with Thing in the Ice as a win con. I feel that bouncing/killing Thing in the Ice as soon as possible is fine, but you really need a quick clock. It is unlikely that you will be able to counter the first PA/Thing. Dispelling burn spells is really the best way can keep our tempo, while unified will may be too slow here. Spreading Seas may be beneficial here as well. Turning off their White/Red mana for burn spells means you have more creatures in play to kill them.
Mardu deck is very removal heavy, with lingering soul and Planeswalkers for win cons. Walkers include but not limited to: Nahiri, Elspeth Sun's Champion, Ajani (W/R). Removal is everything from Path to Slaught Pact. I did resolve a Kira in game two, but double removal took care of it.
Well, I had a Modern PPTQ this weekend, and Boy was I looking forward to it. Sadly I ended up going 0-3 after starting off really strong at 2-0. It was a lot of locals, 20 people total. Most numbers of any kind of deck were Suicide Zoo - 2, Abzan/ Abzan Chord (2 Regular Abzan & 2 Chord), Affinity - 2. Singleton decks that I was aware of: U/B/r Prison with Mono-Blue Tezz, Burn, Nahiri Combo, Bogles, Grixis Delver, Merfolk (Me), Mardu Control, Mono Green Stompy & Bant Knightfall.
After talking with Nikachu a few nights before hand this is what I brought:
The Unified Will's I wanted for Valakut Decks as I thought there would be a few and they are pretty useful in control and combo matchups. Dispels were for all the other decks. The Truth was more for any token decks/ the Mardu list that I knew would be there. It came in for other decks but never saw it. Kira's got moved to the side for the tidebinders main because I thought a lot of G/B/x decks would be there. I wasn't wrong.
NOTE: All my opponents are people I play on a regular basis. We know what each other is playing as we sit down. Obvisally with only 20 people, it wasn't very hard to Scoop out the field, but when it's all locals who play the usual same decks, it's easier.
Round 1: Affinity 2-0 (Local player from LGS)
That's right. You read that correct. Our "Worst" Match up right off the back and I smash him 2-0. I don't remember what hand exactly, but it has at least 1-2 bounce or kill cards and the curve is fine. His start is land/opal pass. He never gets out of control this game.
Game two is similar, non-explosive hand from him, however, he does get a few powerful creatures. The critical point in the game: He has 4 lands one of which is a Blight Nexus, Ravenger & Champion. He's at 1 and I have no Snag. He needs to deal me 12, but can only 10.
Round 2: Grixis Delver 2-1 (Local Player from LGS)
He gets game one on the back of a blind flipping Delver into Bolt. Really not much goes on here.
I board in Gut Shots x 2, Dispels x 2, Kira's x 2 and the Truth. Board out something like Tidebinders, Reejereys, and Seas. Never boarded out the vials here though I should of.
I win game 2. Don't remember how.
Game 3 he's stuck on 3 mana, but He has no red because of a single Seas. Forces him to make awkward plays while I just drop lords.
Round 3: Abzan 1-2
This round got repaired, someone who had selected "drops" wasn't dropped. I was originally paired to Nahiri Control.
Game one I take easily. He has a turn 2 Grim Flayer which I dismember. I might have had a sea here somewhere to keep him off a color.
Game two: I keep a weak hand, 4 lands, two creatures ( maybe even a Seas/lord) and Dismember. The hand doesn't last long as after a single discard spell I'm left with the lord and Dismember. After drawing a few more lands, I scoop.
Game 3. From what I can remember, I was in a good position till Collective Brutality killed a creature and forced me to pitch my dismember. After that, all his removal lined up, including an Abrupt Decay on a Kira. Even though I lost, I still felt fine and looked forward to the next round.
Round 4 Mardu 0-2
Ok here's where I kinda lost it. I haven't beaten this deck once in the past few weeks. But felt good that I decided to play a Truth for the day.
He gets game 1 pretty handily. Don't remember anything else.
I think this was the only Match I didn't board much in. Think I brought in the Gut Shots for tokens, and the Echoing Truth but other than that nothing. The Tidebinders and something else came out.
Game 2: He gained 12 life off 2 Timely Reinforcements, and at least another 6 life of Lighting Helix and Similar effects. The 2nd Timely is what put me back and the helix effects were just too much.
Now, I was at the top of the 6 pointers going into this round, so I was looking to have a win and in for last round. As Standings went up, it was still in top 8, but really needed to win.
Round 5 U/R Tezz Prison. 1-2
I had mentioned to someone that I wanted this player to lose in round 4 because with my luck I would get paired with him in round 5. I'm very good at calling out my own misfortunes.
Game one I have him at 6 before he plays Tezz and -3's for an Ensnaring Bridge. Nothing I can do after that. He was keeping one card in hand for when he drew a Bridge.
I Board in all Recalls, Unified Wills, and Echoing Truth. All Spreading Seas come out, as well as the MoW's.
Game 2. He hits an early Bridge but has 4-5 cards in hand allowing me to still swing through. I hit a recall severals turns later to kill him.
Game 3. He turn 1's a CotV be pitching a Spirit Guide. I play Cavern Cursecatcher. I get stuck on 3 lands and have a Unified will in hand. My plan was to hold the will and just attack with what I had in play, but I felt that I needed to still put more guys on the field, so I kept tapping out to play things. Well, he goes Bridge turn 4 into Tezz turn 5 because I KEPT TAPPING OUT. He finds a 2nd CotV before I find a recalls ( I had the Echoing in hand but he had resolved a Spellskite on turn 2) and plays it on 2, shutting me out of my remaining outs.
This game was probably win-able for me had I not kept tapping out and just left mana open to counter either the Bridge or the Tezz. The Tezz allowed him to find Steel Citadels to add to his mana, as well as the 2nd CotV. He had sac'ed the 2nd Chalice to a Trading Post and got it back with Academy ruins the following turn. This player ended up 8th going into the top 8 (I would have been 8th as well) and goes on to win the whole thing.
Not only that, but Valakut hits MoW. I have started boarding Unified Will for the MU. Counters Anger the Gods which they usually cast right before we can get our creatures to 4 toughness, and of course counters Titan. Just trying to keep them off Valakut in my experience has done no good.
EDIT: Went to 5 (possible 4). Tron had Nat Tron turn 3. Hunter Unified Will'd a Karn, but O-stone clears the 2 creatures hunter is able to assemble.
You should go drop by the ET thread and see what they have to say about the Fish MU. A buddy of mine recently picked up the deck and he mentioned that all the threads he's read mention fish to be a bad MU for them. Personal opinion is we're fine against them.
Rd1: Black White Tokens
Rd2: U/R Delver/Young Pyro
Rd3: Jeski As Fortold
Rd4: Bant Company
Rd5: U/R Delver/ Young Pyro (same guy from rd 2)
I brought in the extra seas in rounds 3&4. I have not dropped a round to As Foretold decks yet, but this Jeski list has shown to have the most promise for the deck right now. The mainboard Spell Pierces followed with more Countermagic in games 2&3 will be what keep us ahead of this deck. Without the namesake card, the deck is a worse Control deck.
As for Fatal Push, I think it will either completely replace or fight over slots with Murderous Cut in the B/G/x decks or B/x/x decks. While it does require more of a set up than the other 1 mana removal spells, I think if we just go back to playing Kira's main with an extra one sideboard we'll be fine. We can still play Spell Pierce main which will likely help with this too.
Other than the land base, which ad you all have state is off, I think the list was fine. With that many Tron in the top 8, the mainboard GQ's were probably the right call. Which also explains why he dropped a muta so he wouldn't have to many non blue sources.
After talking with Nikachu a few nights before hand this is what I brought:
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Harbinger of the Tides
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
2 Tidebinder Mage
3 Merrow Reejerey
3 Master of Waves
2 Vapor Snag
4 Spreading Seas
2 Dismember
4 Aether Vial
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
4 Mutavault
2 Wanderwine Hub
11 Islands
1 Echoing Truth
4 Hurkyl's Recall
3 Unified Will
2 Kira, Great-Glass Spinner
2 Gut Shot
The Unified Will's I wanted for Valakut Decks as I thought there would be a few and they are pretty useful in control and combo matchups. Dispels were for all the other decks. The Truth was more for any token decks/ the Mardu list that I knew would be there. It came in for other decks but never saw it. Kira's got moved to the side for the tidebinders main because I thought a lot of G/B/x decks would be there. I wasn't wrong.
NOTE: All my opponents are people I play on a regular basis. We know what each other is playing as we sit down. Obvisally with only 20 people, it wasn't very hard to Scoop out the field, but when it's all locals who play the usual same decks, it's easier.
Round 1: Affinity 2-0 (Local player from LGS)
That's right. You read that correct. Our "Worst" Match up right off the back and I smash him 2-0. I don't remember what hand exactly, but it has at least 1-2 bounce or kill cards and the curve is fine. His start is land/opal pass. He never gets out of control this game.
Game two is similar, non-explosive hand from him, however, he does get a few powerful creatures. The critical point in the game: He has 4 lands one of which is a Blight Nexus, Ravenger & Champion. He's at 1 and I have no Snag. He needs to deal me 12, but can only 10.
Round 2: Grixis Delver 2-1 (Local Player from LGS)
He gets game one on the back of a blind flipping Delver into Bolt. Really not much goes on here.
I board in Gut Shots x 2, Dispels x 2, Kira's x 2 and the Truth. Board out something like Tidebinders, Reejereys, and Seas. Never boarded out the vials here though I should of.
I win game 2. Don't remember how.
Game 3 he's stuck on 3 mana, but He has no red because of a single Seas. Forces him to make awkward plays while I just drop lords.
Round 3: Abzan 1-2
This round got repaired, someone who had selected "drops" wasn't dropped. I was originally paired to Nahiri Control.
Game one I take easily. He has a turn 2 Grim Flayer which I dismember. I might have had a sea here somewhere to keep him off a color.
Game two: I keep a weak hand, 4 lands, two creatures ( maybe even a Seas/lord) and Dismember. The hand doesn't last long as after a single discard spell I'm left with the lord and Dismember. After drawing a few more lands, I scoop.
Game 3. From what I can remember, I was in a good position till Collective Brutality killed a creature and forced me to pitch my dismember. After that, all his removal lined up, including an Abrupt Decay on a Kira. Even though I lost, I still felt fine and looked forward to the next round.
Round 4 Mardu 0-2
Ok here's where I kinda lost it. I haven't beaten this deck once in the past few weeks. But felt good that I decided to play a Truth for the day.
He gets game 1 pretty handily. Don't remember anything else.
I think this was the only Match I didn't board much in. Think I brought in the Gut Shots for tokens, and the Echoing Truth but other than that nothing. The Tidebinders and something else came out.
Game 2: He gained 12 life off 2 Timely Reinforcements, and at least another 6 life of Lighting Helix and Similar effects. The 2nd Timely is what put me back and the helix effects were just too much.
Now, I was at the top of the 6 pointers going into this round, so I was looking to have a win and in for last round. As Standings went up, it was still in top 8, but really needed to win.
Round 5 U/R Tezz Prison. 1-2
I had mentioned to someone that I wanted this player to lose in round 4 because with my luck I would get paired with him in round 5. I'm very good at calling out my own misfortunes.
Game one I have him at 6 before he plays Tezz and -3's for an Ensnaring Bridge. Nothing I can do after that. He was keeping one card in hand for when he drew a Bridge.
I Board in all Recalls, Unified Wills, and Echoing Truth. All Spreading Seas come out, as well as the MoW's.
Game 2. He hits an early Bridge but has 4-5 cards in hand allowing me to still swing through. I hit a recall severals turns later to kill him.
Game 3. He turn 1's a CotV be pitching a Spirit Guide. I play Cavern Cursecatcher. I get stuck on 3 lands and have a Unified will in hand. My plan was to hold the will and just attack with what I had in play, but I felt that I needed to still put more guys on the field, so I kept tapping out to play things. Well, he goes Bridge turn 4 into Tezz turn 5 because I KEPT TAPPING OUT. He finds a 2nd CotV before I find a recalls ( I had the Echoing in hand but he had resolved a Spellskite on turn 2) and plays it on 2, shutting me out of my remaining outs.
This game was probably win-able for me had I not kept tapping out and just left mana open to counter either the Bridge or the Tezz. The Tezz allowed him to find Steel Citadels to add to his mana, as well as the 2nd CotV. He had sac'ed the 2nd Chalice to a Trading Post and got it back with Academy ruins the following turn. This player ended up 8th going into the top 8 (I would have been 8th as well) and goes on to win the whole thing.
Format: Modern
Deck: Merfolk.
Feel free to add me, just when you do, tell me you got my name off here. I'm on a lot. I'm good for testing and just bouncing ideas.