Hello and welcome to the FINALS of the fourth CCC&G Pro Tour! We're entering the last stretch now. All that's left to do is pick a winner.
That's no easy task, so I'm looking for you to help! I've got the finalists' decklists here. I'll be doing my own playtesting over the next week or so, but if any of you want to pair up and give the decks a spin, I'd be forever grateful. Give each pair of decks a few games together, record your thoughts, and let me know (either via PM or in this thread) which designer produced the better precons! Don't play across pairs though; the decks are paired and shouldn't be split. As for how to actually go about playtesting, the way that we've been doing it is importing a plaintext decklist into Cockatrice and playing with the cardlist next to us. There may be other, better ways, though...
Anyway, here are the decklists!
1 Acid-Quill Baloth
2 Aura of Awe
2 Auramancer
1 Balancing Mystic
1 Bowman Ambushers
1 Crusader of the Lost
1 Enduring Resolve
1 Fleeting Wisp
12 Forest
1 God-Touched Warrior
1 Hero of the People
1 Hero's Anthem
2 Heroic Sanctifier
1 Hopeful Eidolon
1 Huntmaster's Wiz
1 Keen Nymph
1 Legacy of Aggression
1 Legacy of Concinnity
1 Living Aegis
1 Luminous Halo
1 Net Champion
1 Nyxborn Hero
1 Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer
1 Paysoil
10 Plains
1 Setessan Wildmaster
2 Shrine to Parsenus
1 Spirit Wolf
1 Superiority
1 Training Guide
1 Traveling Pilgrim
1 Triumphant Strike
1 Uktabi Brute
1 Unending Conflict
1 Wingsteed Rider
1 Woodland Hero
Hopeful EidolonW
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (C)
Bestow 3W
Lifelink
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has lifelink.
1/1
Net Champion1W
Creature - Human Soldier (U)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Net Champion, put a +1/+1 counter on Net Champion, then you may tap target creature.
1/1
Triumphant Strike1W
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Wingsteed Rider1WW
Creature - Human Knight (C)
Flying
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Wingsteed Rider, put a +1/+1 counter on Wingsteed Rider.
2/2
Auramancer2W
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
When Auramancer enters the battlefield, you may return target enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Aura of AweW
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature you control
When Aura of Awe enters the battlefield, exile target creature with power less than enchanted creature's power until Aura of Awe leaves the battlefield.
Luminous Halo1W
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+2.
When Luminous Halo is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return Luminous Halo to its owner's hand at the end of turn.
Training Guide1W
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (U)
Bestow 2W 2W: Put a +1/+1 counter on Training Guide. If Training Guide is an Aura, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature instead.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
1/1
Nyxborn Hero1W
Enchantment Creature - Human Soldier (U)
Bestow 1WW
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Nyxborn Hero, if it's a creature, put a +1/+1 counter on Nyborn Hero.
Whenever you cast a spell that targets enchanted creature, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature.
1/1
Legacy of Concinnity1WW
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach Legacy of Resistance to that creature.
Crusader of the Lost3WW
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Crusader of the Lost, you may return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4
Enduring Resolve1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains trample until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
God-Touched Warrior1G
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets God-Touched Warrior, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2/2
Spirit Wolf2G
Enchantment Creature - Wolf (C)
Bestow 5G
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
You may have Spirit Wolf or enchanted creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked.
2/2
Unending Conflict3G
Sorcery (C)
Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Woodland Hero1G
Creature - Elf Druid (C) T: Add G to your mana pool.
Heroic - Whenever Woodland Hero becomes the target of a spell you control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and untap it.
1/1
Traveling PilgrimG
Creature - Human Nomad (C) T: Add W to your mana pool.
1/1
Huntmaster's Wiz3G
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, target creature blocks it this turn if able.
Keen Nymph1G
Enchantment Creature - Nymph (U)
Bestow 3G
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Whenever Keen Nymph or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
1/1
Legacy of Aggression1GG
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has trample.
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach Legacy of Ferocity to that creature.
Paysoil2GG
Enchantment (U)
Whenever an artifact is put into an opponent's graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
Bowman Ambushers2GG
Creature - Elf Archer (U)
Flash
Reach
When Elvish Ambushers enters the battlefield, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Heroic - Whenever Elvish Ambushers becomes the target of a spell you control, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/2
Uktabi Brute1GG
Creature - Human Berserker (U)
Haste
When Uktabi Brute enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
2/2
Setessan Wildmaster3GG
Creature - Human Warrior (R)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Setessan Wildmaster, creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain trample until end of turn.
4/4
Heroic SanctifierGW
Creature - Human Soldier (U)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Heroic Sanctifier, put a +1/+1 counter on Heroic Sanctifier, then exile target card from a graveyard. If a creature card was exiled this way, you gain 1 life.
1/1
Superiority1GW
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Balancing Mystic1GW
Creature - Human Cleric (U)
Enchantments cost 1 less to cast.
Artifacts cost 1 more to cast.
2/2
Living AegisWG
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (U)
Bestow 2GW
Living Aegis and enchanted creature get +X/+X, where X is the number of enchantments you control.
0/0
Hero's Anthem2GW
Enchantment (R)
When Hero's Anthem enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 green and white Human creature token onto the battlefield.
Creatures you control get +1/+1.
Hero of the People1GW
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Hero of the People, put a +1/+1 counter on it, then put a 1/1 green and white Human creature token onto the battlefield for each +1/+1 counter on Hero of the People.
1/1
Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer2GW
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier (MR)
Heroic - Whenever Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer becomes the target of a spell you control, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Parsenus has first strike as long as there is at least one +1/+1 counter on it, flying as long as there are at least two +1/+1 counters on it, and hexproof as long as there are at least three +1/+1 counters on it.
3/3
Shrine to Parsenus
Land (U)
Shrine to Parsenus enters the battlefield tapped, unless you control a card named Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer. T: Add G or W to your mana pool.
Apprentice Mechromancer1U
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer (C)
When Apprentice Mechromancer enters the battlefield, reveal the top four cards of your library. You may put an artifact card from among them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
1/1
Etherium Sculptor1U
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Artificer (C)
Artifact spells you cast cost 1 less to cast.
1/2
Quicksilver Guardian1U
Artifact Creature - Golem (U)
Defender
Ionized - U: If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, change Quicksilver Guardian's power to target creature's power until end of turn.
0/3
Recycling Drake1UU
Artifact Creature - Drake (C)
Flying
When Recycling Drake dies, if you control an artifact, draw a card.
2/2
Chain Forger1UU
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (U)
Whenever an artifact enters or leaves the battlefield, target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/3
Escape Thopter3U
Artifact Creature - Thopter (U)
Flash
Flying
When Escape Thopter enters the battlefield, you may return target artifact you control to its owner's hand.
2/2
Esperzoa2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish (U)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3
Magnetic Mage3U
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (U)
When Magnetic Mage enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. If you do, that creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step for as long as you control Magnetic Mage.
1/4
Corrosion HoundB
Artifact Creature - Imp (C)
Sacrifice an artifact: Corrosion Hound gains deathtouch until end of turn.
1/2
Scrap Slasher1B
Artifact Creature - Imp Zombie (C)
Flying
Ionized - As long as there are 5 or more artifact cards in your graveyard, Scrap Slasher gains +2/+2.
1/1
Salvage Sifter2B
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (U)
When Salvage Sifter enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card and put it into your graveyard. If you do shuffle your library.
2/2
Dementia Trawler2B
Artifact Creature - Horror (C)
Flying
Whenever Dementia Trawler attacks, if one or more cards were put into an opponent's graveyard from their library this turn, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Scrapdigger3B
Artifact Creature - Zombie (C)
When Scrapdigger enters the battlefield, you may return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/3
Vizcon's Lancer4BB
Artifact Creature - Human Knight (U)
When Vizcon's Lancer enters the battlefield, you may destroy target creature.
3/3
Augmenting Retriever5BB
Artifact Creature - Construct (R)
Flying, Trample
Whenever Augmenting Retriever deals combat damage to a player, you may return target creature card in a graveyard to the battlefield under your control. It is an artifact in addition to it's other types.
5/4
Brutal Migrane1B
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards a card. Put the top X cards of that player's library into their graveyard, where X is that card's converted mana cost.
Thought Battery2
Artifact (C) T, Put the top card from your library into your graveyard: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Vizkon's Drownyard
Land (R) T: Add 1 to your mana pool 1UB,T: Each player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Etherium Astronomer3U
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (R)
When Etherium Astronomer enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 blue Homunculus artifact creature token onto the battlefield. 1B, Sacrifice an artifact creature: Draw a card.
3/2
Drown in Quicksilver1U
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -5/-0 until end of turn.
Ionized - If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, if that creature's power is 0 or less, put it on the bottom of its owner's library.
Underfice Triage1B
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast Altar's Reap, sacrifice an artifact.
Draw two cards.
Flashback 3B.
Etherium Scofflaw2UB
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Rogue (U)
Flying
Whenever Etherium Scofflaw deals combat damage to an opponent, draw a card.
2/2
Vizcon, the Underficer3UB
Legendary Artifact Creature - Zombie (MR)
You may cast Vizcon, the Underficer from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card in addition to paying its other costs.
You may cast each artifact card from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card in addition to paying its other costs.
3/5
Bury Under Scrap1B
Instant (U)
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Ionized - If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, it gets -5/-5 instead.
Reconsider1UU
Instant (U)
Counter target non-creature spell. You may return all permanents it targeted to their owner's hands.
Underfice Bauble1
Artifact (C)
When Underfice Bauble is put into a graveyard from play, you may have each player put the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. UB,T, Sacrifice Underfice Bauble: Draw a card.
Vizcon's Void2UU
Instant (U)
Choose one or more: Counter target spell; counter target activated ability; and/or counter target triggered ability. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)
Yawning Abyss3BB
Sorcery (R)
All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact card in your graveyard.
Flashback 6BB
Nightwater Stone2
Artifact (U)
Nightwater Stone enters the battlefield tapped, unless you pay 2 life. T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
Silent DepartureU
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand.
Flashback 4U (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Thirst for Knowledge2U
Instant (U)
Draw three cards. Then discard two cards unless you discard an artifact card.
Increasing ConfusionXU
Sorcery (R)
Target player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. If Increasing Confusion was cast from a graveyard, that player puts twice that many cards into his or her graveyard instead.
Flashback XU (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Vizcon's Landfill
Land (U)
Vizcon's Landfill enters the battlefield tapped, unless you control a card named Vizcon, the Underficer. T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
1 Bond Beetle
1 Hopeful Eidolon
2 Inspired Recruit
1 Krosan Vergecaller
1 Battlefield Sanctifier
1 Boisterous Thyiad
2 Divine Warrior
1 Keen Nymph
1 Living Aegis
1 Net Champion
1 Trellis Elemental
1 Auramancer
1 Bludgeoning Ram
1 Boon Channeler
1 Hero of the Polis
2 Wingsteed Rider
1 Acid-Quill Baloth
1 Parsenus, Hythonia’s Slayer
1 Prismatic Guardian
1 Crusader for the Lost
1 Monarch of the Ethereal
2 Aura of Awe
1 Emerge Unscathed
1 One with Nature
1 Consecration Hymn
2 Enduring Resolve
1 Triumphant Strike
1 Legacy of Aggression
1 Nature’s Bounty
1 Grudge Match
1 Savage Stampede
2 Suntouched Grove
11 Forest
11 Plains
Suntouched Grove
Land (C)
Suntouched Grove enters the battlefield tapped t: Add G or W to your mana pool.
Inspired RecruitW
Creature – Human Soldier (U)
If you control a creature with a +1/+1 counter, Inspired Recruit gets +1/+1
1/1
Krosan VergecallerG
Creature – Nantuko Shaman (C) t: Add W to your mana pool.
1/1
Battlefield SanctifierWW
Creature – Human Cleric (C)
Whenever Battlefield Sanctifier attacks, you may exile up to two target cards in a single graveyard.
2/1
Boisterous Thyiad1G
Enchantment Creature – Nymph (U)
Bestow 3GG (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Whenever Bositerous Thyiad or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, you may destroy target artifact that player controls.
1/1
Divine Warrior1G
Creature – Human Warrior (C) Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Divine Warrior, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2/2
Keen Nymph1G
Enchantment Creature – Nymph (U)
Bestow 3G (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1
Whenever Keen Nymph or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
1/1
Living AegisGW
Enchantment Creature – Spirit (R)
Bestow 2GW (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Living Aegis and enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each creature and enchantment you control.
0/0
Net Champion1W
Creature – Human Soldier (C) Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Net Champion, put a +1/+1 counter on it, then tap target creature.
1/1
Trellis Elemental1G
Creature – Elemental (C)
Trellis Elemental enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters.
Defender, Reach
Remove a +1/+1 counter from Trellis Elemental: add G to your mana pool. Activate this ability only once per turn.
0/1
Bludgeoning Ram1GG
Enchantment Creature – Goat Beast (U)
Bestow 4GG (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Trample
Enchanted creature gets +3/+2 and trample.
3/2
Boon Channeler1GW
Creature – Nantuko Shaman (U)
Spells you cast that target a permanent you control cost 1 less.
1/3
Hero of the Polis1WW
Creature – Human Warrior (R) Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Hero of the Polis, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then put a 1/1 white Human Citizen token onto the battlefield for each +1/+1 counter on Hero of the Polis.
1/1
Parsenus, Hythonia’s Slayer2GW
Legendary Creature – Human Warrior (M) Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Parsenus, Hythonia’s Slayer, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Parsenus has flying as long as there is at least one +1/+1 counter on it, first strike as long as there are at least two +1/+1 counters on it, and hexproof as long as there are at least three +1/+1 counters on it.
Acid-Quill Baloth2GG
Creature – Beast (U)
Acid-Quill Baloth enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it. 1G,t, remove a +1/+1 counter from Acid-Quill Baloth: Destroy target artifact.
1/1
Prismatic Guardian3W
Creature – Spirit (U) Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Prismatic Guardian, it gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
2/3
Crusader for the Lost3WW
Creature – Angel (R)
Flying Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Crusader for the Lost, you may return target permanent card from a graveyard to its owner’s hand.
3/4
Monarch of the Ethereal5GW
Enchantment Creature – Spirit (R)
Enchantment creatures and enchanted creatures you control have trample.
You may look at the top card of your library.
You may cast the top of your library if it’s an enchantment card. (Do this only any time you could cast that creature card. You still pay the spell's costs.)
5/5
Aura of AweW
Enchantment – Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
When Aura of Awe enters the battlefield, choose target creature. That creature can’t attack or block if it has less power than the enchanted creature.
Consecration Hymn1W
Instant (C)
Exile up to three target cards in a single graveyard.
Draw a card.
Enduring Resolve1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Triumphant Strike1W
Instant (C)
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. It gets first strike until end of turn.
Legacy of Aggression1GG
Enchantment- Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted Creature gets +1/+1 and has haste and trample.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach Legacy of Aggression to it.
Nature’s Bounty2G
Enchantment (R)
When a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Grudge Match3G
Sorcery (U)
Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Savage Stampede3GG
Sorcery (U)
Creatures you control get +1/+1 and can’t be blocked this turn by creatures with less power.
Irrigated Fen
Land (C)
Irrigated Fen enters the battlefield tapped. t: Add U or B to your mana pool.
Corrosive CurB
Artifact Creature – Hound (C)
Sacrifice an artifact: Corrosive Cur gets deathtouch until end of turn.
1/1
Inspiring MechrofetchU
Artifact Creature – Homunculous (C)
When Inspiring Mechrofetch dies, you may exile it. If you do, draw a card.
0/1
Quicksilver Watchguard1U
Artifact Creature – Golem (U)
Defender Ionized – U: Quicksilver Watchguard’s Power becomes target creature’s power until end of turn. Activate this ability only if there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard.
1/3
Rust Slasher1B
Artifact Creature – Horror (C) Ionized – If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, Rust Slasher gets +2/+2 and has flying
1/1
Sewer Rover1U
Artifact Creature – Crocodile
If there are ten or more cards in the defending player’s graveyard, Sewer Rover is unblockable.
2/1
Chain Forger2U
Artifact Creature – Vedalken Wizard (U)
Whenever another artifact enters the battlefield under your control, target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/2
Dementia Trawler2B
Artifact Creature – Horror (C)
Flying
Whenever a card is put into an opponent’s graveyard from their library, Dementia Trawler gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Recycling Drake1UU
Artifact Creature – Drake (C)
Flying
When Recycling Drake dies, if you control an artifact, draw a card.
2/2
Salvage Sifter1BB
Artifact Creature – Zombie (U)
When Salvage Sifter enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card and put it into your graveyard. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/2
Detritus Brawler2BB
Artifact Creature – Zombie Warrior (R)
Sacrifice an artifact: Detritus Brawler gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each artifact in your graveyard.
3/2
Escape Thopter3U
Artifact Creature – Thopter (U)
Flash
Flying
When Escape Thopter enters the battlefield, you may return an artifact you control to your hand.
2/2
Magnetic Mage3U
Artifact Creature – Vedalken Wizard (U)
When Magnetic Mage enters the battlefield, tap target creature. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step for as long as you control Magnetic Mage.
1/4
Scrapdigger3B
Artifact Creature – Zombie (C)
When Scrap digger enters the battlefield, return an artifact from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Vizcon, the Underficer3UB
Legendary Artifact Creature – Zombie Wizard (M)
You may cast Vizcon, the Underficer from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card from your hand in addition to paying its other costs.
You may cast artifact cards from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card from your hand in addition to paying their other costs.
3/5
Vizcon’s Lancer4BB
Artifact Creature – Skeleton Knight (U)
When Vizcon’s Lancer enters the battlefield, destroy target creature.
3/3
Augmenting Reclaimer5BB
Artifact Creature – Horror (R)
Flying, Trample
When Augmenting Reclaimer deals combat damage to a player, you may return target creature card from that player’s graveyard to the battlefield under your control. It is an artifact in addition to its other types.
5/4
Underfice Bauble1
Artifact (C)
When Underfice Bauble is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card. UB, t, sacrifice Underfice Bauble: Put the top three cards of target players library into his or her graveyard.
Brutal Migrane1B
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards a card. Put the top X cards of target players library into his or her graveyard, where X is that card’s converted mana cost.
Drown in the Lumengrid1U
Instant (U)
Target creature gets -4/-0 until end of turn. Ionized – If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, target creature instead gets -5/-0 until end of turn. Then, if its power is less than 0, put it and all cards attached to it on the bottom of its owner’s library in any order.
Reaving DispelUB
Instant (C)
Counter target creature spell. Its controller loses 2 life.
Thought Battery2
Artifact (U) t, put the top card of your library into your graveyard: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Scrapyard Sinkhole1BB
Instant (U)
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact in your graveyard.
Unnerving Gait2B
Sorcery (C)
Target creature gains intimidate until end of turn.
Flashback - B(You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Assimilate3UU
Sorcery (R)
Gain control of target creature. That creature is an artifact in addition to its other types. (This effect doesn’t end at end of turn)
Yawning Abyss3BB
Sorcery (R)
Each creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact in your graveyard.
Flashback - 6BB(You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
CARDS WITH THE SAME NAME ARE PROBABLY DIFFERENT ACROSS DECKLISTS. BE CAREFUL.
Let's not forget the long road we've traveled to get here! Congrats and thanks to all of the former teammates who brought the finalists to where they are today. For nostalgia's sake, here are the threads for the previous teams:
We are waiting for the results.
Seems like something came up for Megiddo, but I'm certain he didn't forget about us.
You'll just have to be patient, although I hope he's alright.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Figured as much. Speaking for me, take your time, I wouldn't want half-baked results.
Private Mod Note
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Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Testing has been concluded and a winner has been decided. I will announce the winner and close the contest as soon as I get testing notes in from my playtest partner and do my final writeup.
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i'm pretty sure i can find your ***** online within 3 minutes
Doomfish
We played about 7 games, and they were very lopsided (5-2) in favor of Parsenus. This came in large part for two reasons. First, Parsenus was much more focused and able to execute its gameplan than Vizcon. This makes some amount of sense (as one os the beatdown and the other is the control), but to the degree we experienced here, it just led to unfun times. Vizcon mostly only won when Parsenus bricked hard on either lands or spells, and a "fair game" would inevitably lead to a Parsenus victory.
The second reason that the decks felt lopsided was that Parsenus had a large amount of very strong artifact hate. It was almost comical at points when I (as Vizcon) would fight through Parsenus's growing board, only to be stymied by some top decked hate card that would destroy my best creature. Some interaction is fine, but it felt overboard.
By contrast, Vizcon did not have nearly enough ways to interact. The removal suite was very light. Yes, a single bounce spell can cripple Parsenus's game plan. But when there's only one in the entire deck… it's hard to plan around that even remotely.
Here are some card-specific notes:
-Rebound cards: These are, obviously, very powerful. With so few ways to interact at instant speed from Vizcon, plus the fact that they all trigger heroic, any rebound spell was pretty insane. The fight rebound spell in particular was hilariously powerful.
-We liked Auramancer as a way to recoup CA after getting hit by a removal spell, as well as a way to counter Vizcon's milling elements.
-Training guide gave me fits, since it was so cheap to use and created a giant monster that left behind another giant monster when it died. I guess it's not actually better than Nighthowler, for example, but it grows based on mana, so the upper bound is pretty high.
-Huntmaster's Wiz was deceptively strong. Vizcon's strategies often involved keeping particular creatures on the battlefield (Vizcon itself or Magnetic Mage, for example), and this card could just blast it apart completely. Provoke is a very powerful mechanic.
-Keen nymph made me scratch my head given Thassa's Emissary.
-Paysoil was just unnecessary, in my opinion. My testing partner rightfully pointed out that it's the only non-aura enchantment in the entire deck and it's pretty much just a win-more hate card.
-Acid-Quill Baloth was both a huge monster and mostly unbeatable. Throwing away one of your little bestow dorks to kill the best creature your opponent has is not exactly a fair trade.
-I think Uktabi Brute is fine, but in this context it is very powerful.
-Balancing Mystic was another superfluous hate card that kind of wasn't fun.
-Hero of the People gets out of hand very quickly, but that's ok.
-Shrine to Parsenus (and the mirror for Vizcon) was poor design. By the time you have your 4 drop out, you don't really need the land to come in untapped… you'd rather have it come into play untapped to assist you with casting your mythic.
-Quicksilver guardian was never exciting for me. It ended up chumping most of the time, and the ability was rarely relevant.
-Escape Thopter was very good. There were many tricky plays that one could assemble with it.
-Magnetic Mage was very critical to this deck's plan. It locked down the biggest guy and blocked smaller ones. I mentioned the provoke card above. Maybe having that as a sorcery would have been ok?
-Just in general, Ionized did play out fairly well.
-Dementia Trawler was awkward. if you were in a position to attack, it was very good. Otherwise… it was very, very bad. Its nickname is "I can chump a Wingsteed Rider."
-I forget if Augmenting Retriever changed along the way from a previous version, but this version is very, very good. Great finisher. I just wish I ever got a chance to use it.
-Brutal Migraine was cute. I used it to good effect a few times (milling 7 with Retriever is fun times), plus it can snipe a sandbagged trick. It's not good though. But having a few clunkers is fine.
-Underfice Triage was nice, though you forgot to change the name in your card text!
-I like the flying ophidian. It's very good, though slow. If Vizcon ever stabilizes, this card helps push through a win.
-Just so we're clear, you have for removal: 1 Drown in Quicksilver, 1 Bury Under Scrap, 1 Silent Departure. In the ENTIRE DECK. None of these cards outright kills a creature unless you have Ionized, and even then, the cap is 5 power or toughness, which is not enough. This suite was much too small. Yawning Abyss doesn't count since it costs 5.
-Vizcon's Void was too expensive. Keeping 4 mana up is a huge chore, especially when you need to be answering spells starting on turn 2.
---
Zoomba
I admit to not testing these decks as much as Doomfish's; we only got 5 games in. However, we got enough of a feel for the decks to write up an evaluation. We felt that this matchup was more balanced. It was very swingy, but the games could go either direction. We had a lot of exciting games where the winner was in question until the very last turn! There was an ebb and flow to the games.
Let me quote my playtest partner:
"On one memorable occasion, I had a nearly-unbeatable gamestate on board - I had a 5/5 Hero of the Polis with a bunch of tokens out, a Wingsteed Rider enchanted with a Hopeful Eidolon, and my opponent was at 7 life, with me at 26. I thought I could easily win this game until my opponent cast Yawning Abyss, which virtually wiped out my board. I was left topdecking until my opponent mised a Augmenting Reclaimer, and quickly beat down, getting my small stuff back from my grave. I made some sort of an effort to topdeck something good, but to no avail. I lost that game."
There were other games with similar swings. The mind control sorcery was another big swingy spell that could change the tide of the game. But even with such haymakers, both decks had the resources to win.
The decks definitely had the same positioning as with Doomfish's: Parsenus is tightly constructed and focused, while Vizcon felt looser, but the matchup ultimately felt more fair.
Card-specific notes:
-It's weird how a card that is strictly worse than what Doomfish made (your land) just feels like a better-designed card.
-I really liked the little interactions built into this deck, for example, Inspired Recruit. It was very easy to turn on (either with heroic or with something like bond beetle), and made you care about your heroic card without actually being one.
-Battlefield Sanctifier was very good. We suspect that making it a combat damage to a player trigger might be better, but it's unclear.
-Boisterous Thyriad was a funny hate card, but (and this is important) it wasn't overpowering or overwhelming. It could be if it was added to a Wingsteed Rider, but on its own it was not.
-I feel compelled to point out your fantastic pun with Bludgeoning Ram.
-Your Acid-Quill Baloth was easier to use but less oppressive.
-We never actually got to see Monarch of the Ethereal, but good job putting a mirrored 7-drop into this deck. Nice touch.
-Aura of Awe is better if it exiles. Doomfish had it right. The problem with pacifism is that the aura sits on a DIFFERENT creature, so it's hard to remember which one was locked down.
-Grudge Match is still absurd.
-My testing partner did not like Savage Stampede, but I do. The little ways to take alternate gameplay paths are great. What if somehow you couldn't build up a big guy and have an army? Here's your answer.
-Inspiring Microfetch confuses me, since we want artifacts in the graveyard. Why exile?
-It's funny to compare your Rust Slasher with Doomfish's Scrap Slasher. I'm not sure which version I like more.
-Sewer Rover was mostly just a blocker. This is good, since the deck needs those, but the condition is weird and I don't think I ever achieved it (not that you can't or anything).
-I like this version of Dementia Trawler, but I think you had fewer ways to activate it.
-Detritus Brawler is a great card, by the way. It's beefy enough to give Parsenus's cards a run for their money. I think I may have misplayed with it and thought it was +1/+1… maybe not. I sort of remember him having to chump it. Hm. It's still good as +1/+0, since it can trade with even the beefiest heroic man. Oh, it also kills them.
-Augmenting Reclaimer I think is improved when it can only revive from the graveyard it hits. Flavor++
-I should have mentioned this above, but the two versions of Underfice Bauble made me chuckle. I wish it didn't cost UB to activate. I really wanted to use these as an early cantrip to draw into lands, but I could not (to be fair you also wisely included Wayfarer's Bauble). These were very important to the deck though, and they filled a role. I like that you chose to make the draw the trigger, since you have many sac effects.
-Drown in the Lumengrid is, as before, mostly bad.
-Reaving Dispel is more like it in terms of counterspells.
-Scrapyard Sinkhole is good, but I would have preferred a more reliable spell. My kingdom for a doom blade!
-Unnerving Gait was really weird to me, but then I used it on an Assimilated heroic guy and I had the aha moment. It was also good to push damage through with the Detritus Brawler.
-Assimilate and Yawning Abyss were very good. They were so powerful and swingy, which Vizcon needed to compete with Parsenus's overall more powerful game plan.
---
Oh, the winner, right...
Zoomba! Congratulations.
Thanks to EVERYBODY who played and assisted this month, with a special shout-out to Chemtrails and Prophylaxis, who helped me test. This went very well (aside from, you know, taking 5 months), and I'm glad that you guys lived up to my vision for the contest.
On a slightly-related note, because my time constraints disrupted this in such a huge way, I don't think I can responsibly say that I am able to run contests like these. So, I am going to officially retire from the CCC&G Pro Tour in a hosting capacity. I hope that if the community enjoys it that it gets picked up, but if not, we had a good run.
If anybody is seriously interested about taking up the reins, PM me and I'll help you get set up.
Thank you again, everybody!
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i'm pretty sure i can find your ***** online within 3 minutes
Oh well. Congratulations Zoomba.
Say, could it be that you almost completely ignored what we did with the deck in round 3?
I didn't check completely, but it looked like it at the first glance.
Then I really need to say I'm extremely confused.
I playtested the decks to no end and in our rounds Parsenus was WAY behind.
We felt like Vizcon would just take over most games, because of the completely insane answers he had often enough.
This just doesn't make sense, maybe I'll sit down again and play some more rounds...
Yep, played 6 rounds, Vizcon won 4:2. I don't know what we are doing differently. A single removal rips Parsenius apart in most cases.
I'd be happy to play against you sometime Megiddo. I'm fine with losing here, but not understanding why bothers me.
Training guide gave me fits, since it was so cheap to use and created a giant monster that left behind another giant monster when it died.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Oh well. Congratulations Zoomba.
Say, could it be that you almost completely ignored what we did with the deck in round 3?
I didn't check completely, but it looked like it at the first glance.
Then I really need to say I'm extremely confused.
I playtested the decks to no end and in our rounds Parsenus was WAY behind.
We felt like Vizcon would just take over most games, because of the completely insane answers he had often enough.
This just doesn't make sense, maybe I'll sit down again and play some more rounds...
Yep, played 6 rounds, Vizcon won 4:2. I don't know what we are doing differently. A single removal rips Parsenius apart in most cases.
I'd be happy to play against you sometime Megiddo. I'm fine with losing here, but not understanding why bothers me.
Training guide gave me fits, since it was so cheap to use and created a giant monster that left behind another giant monster when it died.
That's not how the card works.
I'm surprised that Vizcon came out ahead in your testing based on what I experienced. Though if Parsenus was "way behind," then you're just shifting the balance issues to the other foot, maybe? I dunno.
I am curious as to what's happening differently. In our games, Parsenus would make two or three threats and Vizcon would be so much on the back foot that even the removal spell (if I ever drew one) wouldn't be enough. Plus, Parsenus had more haymakers and hate to push through.
As for Training Guide, yes it may not work exactly that way, but it over time creates a giant monster that leaves behind a small creature that over time becomes another giant monster.
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i'm pretty sure i can find your ***** online within 3 minutes
It was more of a 3:2, Parsenus went really screwed one game. Another 2:1 for Vizcon now.
Last game I saw what you mean, but one Abyss cleared the board.
A 3:2 winrate for Vizcon is pretty much what we had in our games.
That's why Parsenus got all these sick answers later in playtest, like the Wiz and the Brute.
I was super happy with them, because finally the deck actually had a way to deal with things.
Training guide actually never came up, even though we played lots. Far more than 7 games.
I would have never submitted the decks if I had experienced anything like that 5:2 winrate.
Actually I feared Vizcon was still too strong, but I coulnd't help it, because it was Parsenus deck plan that made him so vulnerable.
Parsenus would need quick creatures, strong creatures at that, with the help of both combat tricks and longer lasting enchantments, plus answers to Vizcons cards to win.
Vizcon just needed a few creatues to stall a bit, one removal (even the Lancer would do turn 6) and something nice to pressure with.
I can't help but think your 7 games went rather odd, as it's completely different from what I saw in my 20.
Maybe these last few additions were actually too much and we just didn't get to see that, but they hit hard in your games.
I just don't understand. In our games Parsenus just didn't work out THAT well. It was just too much that'd need to come together to take over the game at the rate you describe.
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Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
It was more of a 3:2, Parsenus went really screwed one game. Another 2:1 for Vizcon now.
Last game I saw what you mean, but one Abyss cleared the board.
A 3:2 winrate for Vizcon is pretty much what we had in our games.
That's why Parsenus got all these sick answers later in playtest, like the Wiz and the Brute.
I was super happy with them, because finally the deck actually had a way to deal with things.
Training guide actually never came up, even though we played lots. Far more than 7 games.
I would have never submitted the decks if I had experienced anything like that 5:2 winrate.
Actually I feared Vizcon was still too strong, but I coulnd't help it, because it was Parsenus deck plan that made him so vulnerable.
Parsenus would need quick creatures, strong creatures at that, with the help of both combat tricks and longer lasting enchantments, plus answers to Vizcons cards to win.
Vizcon just needed a few creatues to stall a bit, one removal (even the Lancer would do turn 6) and something nice to pressure with.
I can't help but think your 7 games went rather odd, as it's completely different from what I saw in my 20.
Maybe these last few additions were actually too much and we just didn't get to see that, but they hit hard in your games.
I just don't understand. In our games Parsenus just didn't work out THAT well. It was just too much that'd need to come together to take over the game at the rate you describe.
The lancer is great but it wasn't often that we'd get to turn 6.
I really don't know how our experiences could have been so divergent. Maybe I just got extremely unlucky in my games. Unfortunately, that's the limitation of what we had.
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Duel Decks: Parsenus vs Vizcon
Hello and welcome to the FINALS of the fourth CCC&G Pro Tour! We're entering the last stretch now. All that's left to do is pick a winner.
That's no easy task, so I'm looking for you to help! I've got the finalists' decklists here. I'll be doing my own playtesting over the next week or so, but if any of you want to pair up and give the decks a spin, I'd be forever grateful. Give each pair of decks a few games together, record your thoughts, and let me know (either via PM or in this thread) which designer produced the better precons! Don't play across pairs though; the decks are paired and shouldn't be split. As for how to actually go about playtesting, the way that we've been doing it is importing a plaintext decklist into Cockatrice and playing with the cardlist next to us. There may be other, better ways, though...
Anyway, here are the decklists!
2 Aura of Awe
2 Auramancer
1 Balancing Mystic
1 Bowman Ambushers
1 Crusader of the Lost
1 Enduring Resolve
1 Fleeting Wisp
12 Forest
1 God-Touched Warrior
1 Hero of the People
1 Hero's Anthem
2 Heroic Sanctifier
1 Hopeful Eidolon
1 Huntmaster's Wiz
1 Keen Nymph
1 Legacy of Aggression
1 Legacy of Concinnity
1 Living Aegis
1 Luminous Halo
1 Net Champion
1 Nyxborn Hero
1 Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer
1 Paysoil
10 Plains
1 Setessan Wildmaster
2 Shrine to Parsenus
1 Spirit Wolf
1 Superiority
1 Training Guide
1 Traveling Pilgrim
1 Triumphant Strike
1 Uktabi Brute
1 Unending Conflict
1 Wingsteed Rider
1 Woodland Hero
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (C)
Bestow 3W
Lifelink
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has lifelink.
1/1
Net Champion 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (U)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Net Champion, put a +1/+1 counter on Net Champion, then you may tap target creature.
1/1
Triumphant Strike 1W
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Wingsteed Rider 1WW
Creature - Human Knight (C)
Flying
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Wingsteed Rider, put a +1/+1 counter on Wingsteed Rider.
2/2
Fleeting Wisp W
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (C)
Flash
Bestow 2W
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1
1/1
Auramancer 2W
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
When Auramancer enters the battlefield, you may return target enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Aura of Awe W
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature you control
When Aura of Awe enters the battlefield, exile target creature with power less than enchanted creature's power until Aura of Awe leaves the battlefield.
Luminous Halo 1W
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+2.
When Luminous Halo is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return Luminous Halo to its owner's hand at the end of turn.
Training Guide 1W
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (U)
Bestow 2W
2W: Put a +1/+1 counter on Training Guide. If Training Guide is an Aura, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature instead.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
1/1
Nyxborn Hero 1W
Enchantment Creature - Human Soldier (U)
Bestow 1WW
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Nyxborn Hero, if it's a creature, put a +1/+1 counter on Nyborn Hero.
Whenever you cast a spell that targets enchanted creature, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature.
1/1
Legacy of Concinnity 1WW
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach Legacy of Resistance to that creature.
Crusader of the Lost 3WW
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Crusader of the Lost, you may return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4
Enduring Resolve 1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains trample until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
God-Touched Warrior 1G
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets God-Touched Warrior, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2/2
Spirit Wolf 2G
Enchantment Creature - Wolf (C)
Bestow 5G
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
You may have Spirit Wolf or enchanted creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked.
2/2
Unending Conflict 3G
Sorcery (C)
Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Woodland Hero 1G
Creature - Elf Druid (C)
T: Add G to your mana pool.
Heroic - Whenever Woodland Hero becomes the target of a spell you control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and untap it.
1/1
Traveling Pilgrim G
Creature - Human Nomad (C)
T: Add W to your mana pool.
1/1
Huntmaster's Wiz 3G
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, target creature blocks it this turn if able.
Keen Nymph 1G
Enchantment Creature - Nymph (U)
Bestow 3G
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Whenever Keen Nymph or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
1/1
Legacy of Aggression 1GG
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has trample.
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach Legacy of Ferocity to that creature.
Paysoil 2GG
Enchantment (U)
Whenever an artifact is put into an opponent's graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
Bowman Ambushers 2GG
Creature - Elf Archer (U)
Flash
Reach
When Elvish Ambushers enters the battlefield, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Heroic - Whenever Elvish Ambushers becomes the target of a spell you control, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/2
Acid-Quill Baloth 3GG
Creature - Beast (U)
2G, Sacrifice an enchantment: Destroy target artifact.
4/4
Uktabi Brute 1GG
Creature - Human Berserker (U)
Haste
When Uktabi Brute enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
2/2
Setessan Wildmaster 3GG
Creature - Human Warrior (R)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Setessan Wildmaster, creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain trample until end of turn.
4/4
Heroic Sanctifier GW
Creature - Human Soldier (U)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Heroic Sanctifier, put a +1/+1 counter on Heroic Sanctifier, then exile target card from a graveyard. If a creature card was exiled this way, you gain 1 life.
1/1
Superiority 1GW
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Balancing Mystic 1GW
Creature - Human Cleric (U)
Enchantments cost 1 less to cast.
Artifacts cost 1 more to cast.
2/2
Living Aegis WG
Enchantment Creature - Spirit (U)
Bestow 2GW
Living Aegis and enchanted creature get +X/+X, where X is the number of enchantments you control.
0/0
Hero's Anthem 2GW
Enchantment (R)
When Hero's Anthem enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 green and white Human creature token onto the battlefield.
Creatures you control get +1/+1.
Hero of the People 1GW
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Hero of the People, put a +1/+1 counter on it, then put a 1/1 green and white Human creature token onto the battlefield for each +1/+1 counter on Hero of the People.
1/1
Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer 2GW
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier (MR)
Heroic - Whenever Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer becomes the target of a spell you control, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Parsenus has first strike as long as there is at least one +1/+1 counter on it, flying as long as there are at least two +1/+1 counters on it, and hexproof as long as there are at least three +1/+1 counters on it.
3/3
Shrine to Parsenus
Land (U)
Shrine to Parsenus enters the battlefield tapped, unless you control a card named Parsenus, Hythonia's Slayer.
T: Add G or W to your mana pool.
1 Augmenting Retriever
1 Brutal Migrane
1 Bury Under Scrap
1 Chain Forger
1 Corrosion Hound
2 Dementia Trawler
1 Drown in Quicksilver
1 Escape Thopter
1 Esperzoa
1 Etherium Astronomer
1 Etherium Scofflaw
1 Etherium Sculptor
1 Increasing Confusion
11 Island
1 Magnetic Mage
2 Nightwater Stone
1 Quicksilver Guardian
1 Reconsider
1 Recycling Drake
1 Salvage Sifter
2 Scrap Slasher
2 Scrapdigger
1 Silent Departure
10 Swamp
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Thought Battery
2 Underfice Bauble
1 Underfice Triage
1 Vizcon's Lancer
2 Vizcon's Landfill
1 Vizcon's Void
1 Vizcon, the Underficer
1 Vizkon's Drownyard
1 Yawning Abyss
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer (C)
When Apprentice Mechromancer enters the battlefield, reveal the top four cards of your library. You may put an artifact card from among them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
1/1
Etherium Sculptor 1U
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Artificer (C)
Artifact spells you cast cost 1 less to cast.
1/2
Quicksilver Guardian 1U
Artifact Creature - Golem (U)
Defender
Ionized - U: If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, change Quicksilver Guardian's power to target creature's power until end of turn.
0/3
Recycling Drake 1UU
Artifact Creature - Drake (C)
Flying
When Recycling Drake dies, if you control an artifact, draw a card.
2/2
Chain Forger 1UU
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (U)
Whenever an artifact enters or leaves the battlefield, target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/3
Escape Thopter 3U
Artifact Creature - Thopter (U)
Flash
Flying
When Escape Thopter enters the battlefield, you may return target artifact you control to its owner's hand.
2/2
Esperzoa 2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish (U)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3
Magnetic Mage 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (U)
When Magnetic Mage enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature. If you do, that creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step for as long as you control Magnetic Mage.
1/4
Corrosion Hound B
Artifact Creature - Imp (C)
Sacrifice an artifact: Corrosion Hound gains deathtouch until end of turn.
1/2
Scrap Slasher 1B
Artifact Creature - Imp Zombie (C)
Flying
Ionized - As long as there are 5 or more artifact cards in your graveyard, Scrap Slasher gains +2/+2.
1/1
Salvage Sifter 2B
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (U)
When Salvage Sifter enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card and put it into your graveyard. If you do shuffle your library.
2/2
Dementia Trawler 2B
Artifact Creature - Horror (C)
Flying
Whenever Dementia Trawler attacks, if one or more cards were put into an opponent's graveyard from their library this turn, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Scrapdigger 3B
Artifact Creature - Zombie (C)
When Scrapdigger enters the battlefield, you may return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/3
Vizcon's Lancer 4BB
Artifact Creature - Human Knight (U)
When Vizcon's Lancer enters the battlefield, you may destroy target creature.
3/3
Augmenting Retriever 5BB
Artifact Creature - Construct (R)
Flying, Trample
Whenever Augmenting Retriever deals combat damage to a player, you may return target creature card in a graveyard to the battlefield under your control. It is an artifact in addition to it's other types.
5/4
Brutal Migrane 1B
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards a card. Put the top X cards of that player's library into their graveyard, where X is that card's converted mana cost.
Thought Battery 2
Artifact (C)
T, Put the top card from your library into your graveyard: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Vizkon's Drownyard
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool
1UB,T: Each player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Etherium Astronomer 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard (R)
When Etherium Astronomer enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 blue Homunculus artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
1B, Sacrifice an artifact creature: Draw a card.
3/2
Drown in Quicksilver 1U
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -5/-0 until end of turn.
Ionized - If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, if that creature's power is 0 or less, put it on the bottom of its owner's library.
Underfice Triage 1B
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast Altar's Reap, sacrifice an artifact.
Draw two cards.
Flashback 3B.
Etherium Scofflaw 2UB
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Rogue (U)
Flying
Whenever Etherium Scofflaw deals combat damage to an opponent, draw a card.
2/2
Vizcon, the Underficer 3UB
Legendary Artifact Creature - Zombie (MR)
You may cast Vizcon, the Underficer from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card in addition to paying its other costs.
You may cast each artifact card from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card in addition to paying its other costs.
3/5
Bury Under Scrap 1B
Instant (U)
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Ionized - If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, it gets -5/-5 instead.
Reconsider 1UU
Instant (U)
Counter target non-creature spell. You may return all permanents it targeted to their owner's hands.
Underfice Bauble 1
Artifact (C)
When Underfice Bauble is put into a graveyard from play, you may have each player put the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
UB,T, Sacrifice Underfice Bauble: Draw a card.
Vizcon's Void 2UU
Instant (U)
Choose one or more: Counter target spell; counter target activated ability; and/or counter target triggered ability. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)
Yawning Abyss 3BB
Sorcery (R)
All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact card in your graveyard.
Flashback 6BB
Nightwater Stone 2
Artifact (U)
Nightwater Stone enters the battlefield tapped, unless you pay 2 life.
T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
Silent Departure U
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand.
Flashback 4U (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Thirst for Knowledge 2U
Instant (U)
Draw three cards. Then discard two cards unless you discard an artifact card.
Increasing Confusion XU
Sorcery (R)
Target player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. If Increasing Confusion was cast from a graveyard, that player puts twice that many cards into his or her graveyard instead.
Flashback XU (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Vizcon's Landfill
Land (U)
Vizcon's Landfill enters the battlefield tapped, unless you control a card named Vizcon, the Underficer.
T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
1 Hopeful Eidolon
2 Inspired Recruit
1 Krosan Vergecaller
1 Battlefield Sanctifier
1 Boisterous Thyiad
2 Divine Warrior
1 Keen Nymph
1 Living Aegis
1 Net Champion
1 Trellis Elemental
1 Auramancer
1 Bludgeoning Ram
1 Boon Channeler
1 Hero of the Polis
2 Wingsteed Rider
1 Acid-Quill Baloth
1 Parsenus, Hythonia’s Slayer
1 Prismatic Guardian
1 Crusader for the Lost
1 Monarch of the Ethereal
2 Aura of Awe
1 Emerge Unscathed
1 One with Nature
1 Consecration Hymn
2 Enduring Resolve
1 Triumphant Strike
1 Legacy of Aggression
1 Nature’s Bounty
1 Grudge Match
1 Savage Stampede
2 Suntouched Grove
11 Forest
11 Plains
Land (C)
Suntouched Grove enters the battlefield tapped
t: Add G or W to your mana pool.
Inspired Recruit W
Creature – Human Soldier (U)
If you control a creature with a +1/+1 counter, Inspired Recruit gets +1/+1
1/1
Krosan Vergecaller G
Creature – Nantuko Shaman (C)
t: Add W to your mana pool.
1/1
Battlefield Sanctifier WW
Creature – Human Cleric (C)
Whenever Battlefield Sanctifier attacks, you may exile up to two target cards in a single graveyard.
2/1
Boisterous Thyiad 1G
Enchantment Creature – Nymph (U)
Bestow 3GG (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Whenever Bositerous Thyiad or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, you may destroy target artifact that player controls.
1/1
Divine Warrior 1G
Creature – Human Warrior (C)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Divine Warrior, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2/2
Keen Nymph 1G
Enchantment Creature – Nymph (U)
Bestow 3G (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1
Whenever Keen Nymph or enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
1/1
Living Aegis GW
Enchantment Creature – Spirit (R)
Bestow 2GW (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Living Aegis and enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each creature and enchantment you control.
0/0
Net Champion 1W
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Net Champion, put a +1/+1 counter on it, then tap target creature.
1/1
Trellis Elemental 1G
Creature – Elemental (C)
Trellis Elemental enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters.
Defender, Reach
Remove a +1/+1 counter from Trellis Elemental: add G to your mana pool. Activate this ability only once per turn.
0/1
Bludgeoning Ram 1GG
Enchantment Creature – Goat Beast (U)
Bestow 4GG (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Trample
Enchanted creature gets +3/+2 and trample.
3/2
Boon Channeler 1GW
Creature – Nantuko Shaman (U)
Spells you cast that target a permanent you control cost 1 less.
1/3
Hero of the Polis 1WW
Creature – Human Warrior (R)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Hero of the Polis, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then put a 1/1 white Human Citizen token onto the battlefield for each +1/+1 counter on Hero of the Polis.
1/1
Parsenus, Hythonia’s Slayer 2GW
Legendary Creature – Human Warrior (M)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Parsenus, Hythonia’s Slayer, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Parsenus has flying as long as there is at least one +1/+1 counter on it, first strike as long as there are at least two +1/+1 counters on it, and hexproof as long as there are at least three +1/+1 counters on it.
Acid-Quill Baloth 2GG
Creature – Beast (U)
Acid-Quill Baloth enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
1G,t, remove a +1/+1 counter from Acid-Quill Baloth: Destroy target artifact.
1/1
Prismatic Guardian 3W
Creature – Spirit (U)
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Prismatic Guardian, it gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
2/3
Crusader for the Lost 3WW
Creature – Angel (R)
Flying
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Crusader for the Lost, you may return target permanent card from a graveyard to its owner’s hand.
3/4
Monarch of the Ethereal 5GW
Enchantment Creature – Spirit (R)
Enchantment creatures and enchanted creatures you control have trample.
You may look at the top card of your library.
You may cast the top of your library if it’s an enchantment card. (Do this only any time you could cast that creature card. You still pay the spell's costs.)
5/5
Aura of Awe W
Enchantment – Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
When Aura of Awe enters the battlefield, choose target creature. That creature can’t attack or block if it has less power than the enchanted creature.
Consecration Hymn 1W
Instant (C)
Exile up to three target cards in a single graveyard.
Draw a card.
Enduring Resolve 1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Triumphant Strike 1W
Instant (C)
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. It gets first strike until end of turn.
Legacy of Aggression 1GG
Enchantment- Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted Creature gets +1/+1 and has haste and trample.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach Legacy of Aggression to it.
Nature’s Bounty 2G
Enchantment (R)
When a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Grudge Match 3G
Sorcery (U)
Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Savage Stampede 3GG
Sorcery (U)
Creatures you control get +1/+1 and can’t be blocked this turn by creatures with less power.
1 Inspiring Mechrofetch
1 Etherium Sculptor
1 Quicksilver Guardian
2 Rust Slasher
1 Sewer Rover
1 Chain Forger
2 Dementia Trawler
1 Esperzoa
1 Recycling Drake
1 Scrap Sifter
1 Detritus Brawler
1 Escape Thopter
1 Magnetic Mage
1 Scrap Collector
1 Vizcon the Underficer
1 Vizcon’s Lancer
1 Augmenting Automaton
1 Silent Departure
2 Underfice Bauble
1 Wayfarer’s Bauble
1 Brutal Migrane
1 Drown in the Lumengrid
1 Reaving Dispel
2 Thought Battery
1 Scrapyard Sinkhole
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Unnerving Gait
1 Induce Paranoia
1 Assimilate
1 Yawning Abyss
1 Increasing Confusion
2 Irrigated Fen
11 Island
11 Swamp
Land (C)
Irrigated Fen enters the battlefield tapped.
t: Add U or B to your mana pool.
Corrosive Cur B
Artifact Creature – Hound (C)
Sacrifice an artifact: Corrosive Cur gets deathtouch until end of turn.
1/1
Inspiring Mechrofetch U
Artifact Creature – Homunculous (C)
When Inspiring Mechrofetch dies, you may exile it. If you do, draw a card.
0/1
Quicksilver Watchguard 1U
Artifact Creature – Golem (U)
Defender
Ionized – U: Quicksilver Watchguard’s Power becomes target creature’s power until end of turn. Activate this ability only if there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard.
1/3
Rust Slasher 1B
Artifact Creature – Horror (C)
Ionized – If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, Rust Slasher gets +2/+2 and has flying
1/1
Sewer Rover 1U
Artifact Creature – Crocodile
If there are ten or more cards in the defending player’s graveyard, Sewer Rover is unblockable.
2/1
Chain Forger 2U
Artifact Creature – Vedalken Wizard (U)
Whenever another artifact enters the battlefield under your control, target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/2
Dementia Trawler 2B
Artifact Creature – Horror (C)
Flying
Whenever a card is put into an opponent’s graveyard from their library, Dementia Trawler gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Recycling Drake 1UU
Artifact Creature – Drake (C)
Flying
When Recycling Drake dies, if you control an artifact, draw a card.
2/2
Salvage Sifter 1BB
Artifact Creature – Zombie (U)
When Salvage Sifter enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card and put it into your graveyard. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/2
Detritus Brawler 2BB
Artifact Creature – Zombie Warrior (R)
Sacrifice an artifact: Detritus Brawler gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each artifact in your graveyard.
3/2
Escape Thopter 3U
Artifact Creature – Thopter (U)
Flash
Flying
When Escape Thopter enters the battlefield, you may return an artifact you control to your hand.
2/2
Magnetic Mage 3U
Artifact Creature – Vedalken Wizard (U)
When Magnetic Mage enters the battlefield, tap target creature. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step for as long as you control Magnetic Mage.
1/4
Scrapdigger 3B
Artifact Creature – Zombie (C)
When Scrap digger enters the battlefield, return an artifact from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Vizcon, the Underficer 3UB
Legendary Artifact Creature – Zombie Wizard (M)
You may cast Vizcon, the Underficer from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card from your hand in addition to paying its other costs.
You may cast artifact cards from your graveyard by discarding an artifact card from your hand in addition to paying their other costs.
3/5
Vizcon’s Lancer 4BB
Artifact Creature – Skeleton Knight (U)
When Vizcon’s Lancer enters the battlefield, destroy target creature.
3/3
Augmenting Reclaimer 5BB
Artifact Creature – Horror (R)
Flying, Trample
When Augmenting Reclaimer deals combat damage to a player, you may return target creature card from that player’s graveyard to the battlefield under your control. It is an artifact in addition to its other types.
5/4
Underfice Bauble 1
Artifact (C)
When Underfice Bauble is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
UB, t, sacrifice Underfice Bauble: Put the top three cards of target players library into his or her graveyard.
Brutal Migrane 1B
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards a card. Put the top X cards of target players library into his or her graveyard, where X is that card’s converted mana cost.
Drown in the Lumengrid 1U
Instant (U)
Target creature gets -4/-0 until end of turn.
Ionized – If there are five or more artifacts in your graveyard, target creature instead gets -5/-0 until end of turn. Then, if its power is less than 0, put it and all cards attached to it on the bottom of its owner’s library in any order.
Reaving Dispel UB
Instant (C)
Counter target creature spell. Its controller loses 2 life.
Thought Battery 2
Artifact (U)
t, put the top card of your library into your graveyard: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Scrapyard Sinkhole 1BB
Instant (U)
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact in your graveyard.
Unnerving Gait 2B
Sorcery (C)
Target creature gains intimidate until end of turn.
Flashback - B (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Assimilate 3UU
Sorcery (R)
Gain control of target creature. That creature is an artifact in addition to its other types. (This effect doesn’t end at end of turn)
Yawning Abyss 3BB
Sorcery (R)
Each creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact in your graveyard.
Flashback - 6BB (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Thanks, and I'll see you in a week!
Team A (Zoomba)
Team B (Doomfish)
Seems like something came up for Megiddo, but I'm certain he didn't forget about us.
You'll just have to be patient, although I hope he's alright.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Testing has been concluded and a winner has been decided. I will announce the winner and close the contest as soon as I get testing notes in from my playtest partner and do my final writeup.
Deck Comments
Doomfish
We played about 7 games, and they were very lopsided (5-2) in favor of Parsenus. This came in large part for two reasons. First, Parsenus was much more focused and able to execute its gameplan than Vizcon. This makes some amount of sense (as one os the beatdown and the other is the control), but to the degree we experienced here, it just led to unfun times. Vizcon mostly only won when Parsenus bricked hard on either lands or spells, and a "fair game" would inevitably lead to a Parsenus victory.
The second reason that the decks felt lopsided was that Parsenus had a large amount of very strong artifact hate. It was almost comical at points when I (as Vizcon) would fight through Parsenus's growing board, only to be stymied by some top decked hate card that would destroy my best creature. Some interaction is fine, but it felt overboard.
By contrast, Vizcon did not have nearly enough ways to interact. The removal suite was very light. Yes, a single bounce spell can cripple Parsenus's game plan. But when there's only one in the entire deck… it's hard to plan around that even remotely.
Here are some card-specific notes:
-Rebound cards: These are, obviously, very powerful. With so few ways to interact at instant speed from Vizcon, plus the fact that they all trigger heroic, any rebound spell was pretty insane. The fight rebound spell in particular was hilariously powerful.
-We liked Auramancer as a way to recoup CA after getting hit by a removal spell, as well as a way to counter Vizcon's milling elements.
-Training guide gave me fits, since it was so cheap to use and created a giant monster that left behind another giant monster when it died. I guess it's not actually better than Nighthowler, for example, but it grows based on mana, so the upper bound is pretty high.
-Huntmaster's Wiz was deceptively strong. Vizcon's strategies often involved keeping particular creatures on the battlefield (Vizcon itself or Magnetic Mage, for example), and this card could just blast it apart completely. Provoke is a very powerful mechanic.
-Keen nymph made me scratch my head given Thassa's Emissary.
-Paysoil was just unnecessary, in my opinion. My testing partner rightfully pointed out that it's the only non-aura enchantment in the entire deck and it's pretty much just a win-more hate card.
-Acid-Quill Baloth was both a huge monster and mostly unbeatable. Throwing away one of your little bestow dorks to kill the best creature your opponent has is not exactly a fair trade.
-I think Uktabi Brute is fine, but in this context it is very powerful.
-Balancing Mystic was another superfluous hate card that kind of wasn't fun.
-Hero of the People gets out of hand very quickly, but that's ok.
-Shrine to Parsenus (and the mirror for Vizcon) was poor design. By the time you have your 4 drop out, you don't really need the land to come in untapped… you'd rather have it come into play untapped to assist you with casting your mythic.
-Quicksilver guardian was never exciting for me. It ended up chumping most of the time, and the ability was rarely relevant.
-Escape Thopter was very good. There were many tricky plays that one could assemble with it.
-Magnetic Mage was very critical to this deck's plan. It locked down the biggest guy and blocked smaller ones. I mentioned the provoke card above. Maybe having that as a sorcery would have been ok?
-Just in general, Ionized did play out fairly well.
-Dementia Trawler was awkward. if you were in a position to attack, it was very good. Otherwise… it was very, very bad. Its nickname is "I can chump a Wingsteed Rider."
-I forget if Augmenting Retriever changed along the way from a previous version, but this version is very, very good. Great finisher. I just wish I ever got a chance to use it.
-Brutal Migraine was cute. I used it to good effect a few times (milling 7 with Retriever is fun times), plus it can snipe a sandbagged trick. It's not good though. But having a few clunkers is fine.
-Underfice Triage was nice, though you forgot to change the name in your card text!
-I like the flying ophidian. It's very good, though slow. If Vizcon ever stabilizes, this card helps push through a win.
-Just so we're clear, you have for removal: 1 Drown in Quicksilver, 1 Bury Under Scrap, 1 Silent Departure. In the ENTIRE DECK. None of these cards outright kills a creature unless you have Ionized, and even then, the cap is 5 power or toughness, which is not enough. This suite was much too small. Yawning Abyss doesn't count since it costs 5.
-Vizcon's Void was too expensive. Keeping 4 mana up is a huge chore, especially when you need to be answering spells starting on turn 2.
---
Zoomba
I admit to not testing these decks as much as Doomfish's; we only got 5 games in. However, we got enough of a feel for the decks to write up an evaluation. We felt that this matchup was more balanced. It was very swingy, but the games could go either direction. We had a lot of exciting games where the winner was in question until the very last turn! There was an ebb and flow to the games.
Let me quote my playtest partner:
"On one memorable occasion, I had a nearly-unbeatable gamestate on board - I had a 5/5 Hero of the Polis with a bunch of tokens out, a Wingsteed Rider enchanted with a Hopeful Eidolon, and my opponent was at 7 life, with me at 26. I thought I could easily win this game until my opponent cast Yawning Abyss, which virtually wiped out my board. I was left topdecking until my opponent mised a Augmenting Reclaimer, and quickly beat down, getting my small stuff back from my grave. I made some sort of an effort to topdeck something good, but to no avail. I lost that game."
There were other games with similar swings. The mind control sorcery was another big swingy spell that could change the tide of the game. But even with such haymakers, both decks had the resources to win.
The decks definitely had the same positioning as with Doomfish's: Parsenus is tightly constructed and focused, while Vizcon felt looser, but the matchup ultimately felt more fair.
Card-specific notes:
-It's weird how a card that is strictly worse than what Doomfish made (your land) just feels like a better-designed card.
-I really liked the little interactions built into this deck, for example, Inspired Recruit. It was very easy to turn on (either with heroic or with something like bond beetle), and made you care about your heroic card without actually being one.
-Battlefield Sanctifier was very good. We suspect that making it a combat damage to a player trigger might be better, but it's unclear.
-Boisterous Thyriad was a funny hate card, but (and this is important) it wasn't overpowering or overwhelming. It could be if it was added to a Wingsteed Rider, but on its own it was not.
-I feel compelled to point out your fantastic pun with Bludgeoning Ram.
-Your Acid-Quill Baloth was easier to use but less oppressive.
-We never actually got to see Monarch of the Ethereal, but good job putting a mirrored 7-drop into this deck. Nice touch.
-Aura of Awe is better if it exiles. Doomfish had it right. The problem with pacifism is that the aura sits on a DIFFERENT creature, so it's hard to remember which one was locked down.
-Grudge Match is still absurd.
-My testing partner did not like Savage Stampede, but I do. The little ways to take alternate gameplay paths are great. What if somehow you couldn't build up a big guy and have an army? Here's your answer.
-Inspiring Microfetch confuses me, since we want artifacts in the graveyard. Why exile?
-It's funny to compare your Rust Slasher with Doomfish's Scrap Slasher. I'm not sure which version I like more.
-Sewer Rover was mostly just a blocker. This is good, since the deck needs those, but the condition is weird and I don't think I ever achieved it (not that you can't or anything).
-I like this version of Dementia Trawler, but I think you had fewer ways to activate it.
-Detritus Brawler is a great card, by the way. It's beefy enough to give Parsenus's cards a run for their money. I think I may have misplayed with it and thought it was +1/+1… maybe not. I sort of remember him having to chump it. Hm. It's still good as +1/+0, since it can trade with even the beefiest heroic man. Oh, it also kills them.
-Augmenting Reclaimer I think is improved when it can only revive from the graveyard it hits. Flavor++
-I should have mentioned this above, but the two versions of Underfice Bauble made me chuckle. I wish it didn't cost UB to activate. I really wanted to use these as an early cantrip to draw into lands, but I could not (to be fair you also wisely included Wayfarer's Bauble). These were very important to the deck though, and they filled a role. I like that you chose to make the draw the trigger, since you have many sac effects.
-Drown in the Lumengrid is, as before, mostly bad.
-Reaving Dispel is more like it in terms of counterspells.
-Scrapyard Sinkhole is good, but I would have preferred a more reliable spell. My kingdom for a doom blade!
-Unnerving Gait was really weird to me, but then I used it on an Assimilated heroic guy and I had the aha moment. It was also good to push damage through with the Detritus Brawler.
-Assimilate and Yawning Abyss were very good. They were so powerful and swingy, which Vizcon needed to compete with Parsenus's overall more powerful game plan.
---
Oh, the winner, right...
On a slightly-related note, because my time constraints disrupted this in such a huge way, I don't think I can responsibly say that I am able to run contests like these. So, I am going to officially retire from the CCC&G Pro Tour in a hosting capacity. I hope that if the community enjoys it that it gets picked up, but if not, we had a good run.
If anybody is seriously interested about taking up the reins, PM me and I'll help you get set up.
Thank you again, everybody!
Say, could it be that you almost completely ignored what we did with the deck in round 3?
I didn't check completely, but it looked like it at the first glance.
Then I really need to say I'm extremely confused.
I playtested the decks to no end and in our rounds Parsenus was WAY behind.
We felt like Vizcon would just take over most games, because of the completely insane answers he had often enough.
This just doesn't make sense, maybe I'll sit down again and play some more rounds...
Yep, played 6 rounds, Vizcon won 4:2. I don't know what we are doing differently. A single removal rips Parsenius apart in most cases.
I'd be happy to play against you sometime Megiddo. I'm fine with losing here, but not understanding why bothers me.
That's not how the card works.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
I am curious as to what's happening differently. In our games, Parsenus would make two or three threats and Vizcon would be so much on the back foot that even the removal spell (if I ever drew one) wouldn't be enough. Plus, Parsenus had more haymakers and hate to push through.
As for Training Guide, yes it may not work exactly that way, but it over time creates a giant monster that leaves behind a small creature that over time becomes another giant monster.
Last game I saw what you mean, but one Abyss cleared the board.
A 3:2 winrate for Vizcon is pretty much what we had in our games.
That's why Parsenus got all these sick answers later in playtest, like the Wiz and the Brute.
I was super happy with them, because finally the deck actually had a way to deal with things.
Training guide actually never came up, even though we played lots. Far more than 7 games.
I would have never submitted the decks if I had experienced anything like that 5:2 winrate.
Actually I feared Vizcon was still too strong, but I coulnd't help it, because it was Parsenus deck plan that made him so vulnerable.
Parsenus would need quick creatures, strong creatures at that, with the help of both combat tricks and longer lasting enchantments, plus answers to Vizcons cards to win.
Vizcon just needed a few creatues to stall a bit, one removal (even the Lancer would do turn 6) and something nice to pressure with.
I can't help but think your 7 games went rather odd, as it's completely different from what I saw in my 20.
Maybe these last few additions were actually too much and we just didn't get to see that, but they hit hard in your games.
I just don't understand. In our games Parsenus just didn't work out THAT well. It was just too much that'd need to come together to take over the game at the rate you describe.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
I have to say I loved working with everyone on the Viscom deck.
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
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Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
I really don't know how our experiences could have been so divergent. Maybe I just got extremely unlucky in my games. Unfortunately, that's the limitation of what we had.