IRL we could just exclude him from discussion. The nature of a forum makes that impossible ~ what avenue do we have for excluding legitimately garbage posters? The standard mods have stated a position of 'soft touch' so if posters like tuna want they can basically fill the forum with poorly thought through dribble freely.
That sucks that there is more protection for pseudo-trolls and time wasters than for a community that has really made something special.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I write for Channel Fireball now! Read my CFB articles here. Read my Dies to Removal articles here. Read the definitive Red Deck Wins Primer here.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
I'm so dumb, 56 card deck James! I'll think through some options. I guess Delver does work though. With 22 'hits' you're getting close to 40% to flip I guess. Maybe 1 land, 1 stalker and two talrand?
Delver instead of Stalker could work; at that point I would probably want to be UR though; Stalker seems a lot better because its so hard to deal with right now; Delver dies to any removal. There are decks in the format that won't beat Stalker into Pike; any deck can beat Delver (if only because Verdict is uncounterable ;)).
What other unblockables did you have in mind?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I write for Channel Fireball now! Read my CFB articles here. Read my Dies to Removal articles here. Read the definitive Red Deck Wins Primer here.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Two maindeck Tribute to Hunger may be overkill, but a little lifegain seems pretty nice and it is another instant. JAoT in the board might not be the best use of those slots (I want a cheap card advantage engine) so am open to alternatives. Maybe Evil Twin could be a viable sideboard choice? Maybe Underworld Connections with more black sources.
Broadly speaking; although with fewer spells obviously (you only have room for 17 land). With the deck only wanting to have about 20 land, I don't think you can really afford to go 3 colour. Maybe UR is better than UB though? I don't think so though; the black cards seem more relevant given the current metagame (although, Izzet Charm is also very well positioned currently).
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I write for Channel Fireball now! Read my CFB articles here. Read my Dies to Removal articles here. Read the definitive Red Deck Wins Primer here.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
You'll have a bunch of maindeck counterspells for it (eg: Dimir Charm), and mutilate isn't any more effective than Supreme Verdict (both come down on turn 4 and kill anything in your deck), which is really bad against you ~ you're not a swarm deck and most of your threats are going to be 2-for-1s anyway. If they have to tap out to mutilate your Stalker, you're doing pretty well really.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I write for Channel Fireball now! Read my CFB articles here. Read my Dies to Removal articles here. Read the definitive Red Deck Wins Primer here.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Going to keep this relatively short, because you're all clever guys so if I don't fully explain something or gloss through something quickly, I trust in your ability to figure out what I am omitting.
What I am proposing is a deck not that unlike last seasons UW Delver deck; although with a slightly different core and leaning on black for hard removal.
Before we delve into individual card choices, my starting point for discussion is that the format looks like this:
- BTE aggro decks (eg: Jund Aggro, Gruul Aggro, Naya Blitz)
- UWx control decks (eg: Esper and Bant)
- UWR Tempo
- GRx Midrange (eg: Jund and Naya)
- Reanimator
It is my opinion that Ux Tempo is well positioned against all of these decks, to varying degrees. Let us delve into the core of the deck and see why:
4 Snapcaster Mage
We know that this card is absurd. It is terrific against every archetype and the spell selection in the deck is sufficient to give you real game everywhere.
4 Augur of Bolas
Also amazing at the moment. Very solid against the aggro decks in the format, and is a 2-for-1 against control decks that can apply a little pressure.
3 Invisible Stalker
A forgotten bugbear. Look at the list of decks above, then count up the ways that they can easily deal with him...there aren't a lot really, especially as maindeck edicts have fallen a little out of favour of late. Fights through any number of lingering souls and/or thragtusks.
Importantly, all of the above combine well with...
3 Runechanter's Pike
This is the key card in the archetype, and the card that really solidifies your plan against every other deck. It turns all of your 'weak' creatures into credible threats, and artifact removal is at an all time low. If you ever stick two, you start to enter the 'one hit kill' realm.
All of these are powerful cards with a proven track record, so I think the core concept of the deck is viable. What will determine if it is actually good is how you can fill the deck out with spells, and how that resultantly positions the deck against the format.
The deck we obviously need to compare to is UWR Tempo; can this variation offer any improvements over that deck? I think it can.
- Dimir Charm is actually really good right now. Against the creature decks it kills most of their early stuff; against Reanimator and Midrange, it counters all their important spells. The 3rd move is obviously not 'good' but it can lock an opponent out of the game when you're sufficiently far ahead (eg: ensuring they can't draw into a wrath the turn before you lethal them with a stalker).
- Tragic Slip, Ultimate Price and Tribute to Hunger are all relevant at the moment and you get to run them all with the Snapcaster engine.
- You get to run Duress, Cremate and Dispel (possibly maindeck). They're narrow cards, but very powerful in the right matchup.
- Also, you can play some number of Planeswalkers out of the board for your control matchups (alternatively, Underworld Connections).
- Everyone has forgotten how good Forbidden Alchemy is. It combines super well with all your other cards and you will flash it back, more often than you might think.
Returning to our established archetypes:
- BTE aggro decks (eg: Jund Aggro, Gruul Aggro, Naya Blitz)
You can stabalize with Augur and Snappy as early 2-for-1s, backed up by removal. Anything with a pike then becomes a quickly game ending threat. You have heaps of early interaction, so you shouldn't be swarmed as easily as a traditional control deck would.
- UWx control decks (eg: Esper and Bant)
Your key cards are 2-for-1s; you have pikes to threaten huge chunks of damage and Azorius Charm and Supreme Verdict are horrible against you. Post board you can do some brutal things. Also, you really don't care about Thragtusk or Angel of Serenity.
- UWR Tempo
Not sure here. You're better able to deal with their Reckoners than they are your Stalkers; but they might have a little more overall power in their cards. Would need to test honestly.
- GRx Midrange (eg: Jund and Naya)
Plays out a bit like the control matchups; you don't really care about their top-end and they can't easily deal with your Stalkers. Early 2-for-1s should buy you enough time to set up.
- Reanimator
You have counterspells, graveyard hate and don't really care about Thragtusk or Angel of Serenity...that's kind of a big deal.
I need to crunch the numbers more, but say 20 land, 15 creatures and 3 pikes leaves room for 22 spells ~ the exact loadout of which will be very important obviously. At this point, I am more hypothesizing than really promoting, but I would love to hear some feedback.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I write for Channel Fireball now! Read my CFB articles here. Read my Dies to Removal articles here. Read the definitive Red Deck Wins Primer here.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
That sucks that there is more protection for pseudo-trolls and time wasters than for a community that has really made something special.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
What other unblockables did you have in mind?
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
3 Invisible Stalker
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Runechanter's Pike
2 Cremate
2 Forbidden Alchemy
4 Dimir Charm
2 Negate
4 Thought Scour
2 Tragic Slip
2 Tribute to Hunger
2 Ultimate Price
2 Unsummon
4 Watery Grave
10 Island
2 Swamp
2 Cremate
2 Dispel
4 Duress
2 Essence Scatter
2 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Tragic Slip
1 Tribute to Hunter
1 Ultimate Price
Two maindeck Tribute to Hunger may be overkill, but a little lifegain seems pretty nice and it is another instant. JAoT in the board might not be the best use of those slots (I want a cheap card advantage engine) so am open to alternatives. Maybe Evil Twin could be a viable sideboard choice? Maybe Underworld Connections with more black sources.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Broadly speaking; although with fewer spells obviously (you only have room for 17 land). With the deck only wanting to have about 20 land, I don't think you can really afford to go 3 colour. Maybe UR is better than UB though? I don't think so though; the black cards seem more relevant given the current metagame (although, Izzet Charm is also very well positioned currently).
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Going to keep this relatively short, because you're all clever guys so if I don't fully explain something or gloss through something quickly, I trust in your ability to figure out what I am omitting.
What I am proposing is a deck not that unlike last seasons UW Delver deck; although with a slightly different core and leaning on black for hard removal.
Before we delve into individual card choices, my starting point for discussion is that the format looks like this:
- BTE aggro decks (eg: Jund Aggro, Gruul Aggro, Naya Blitz)
- UWx control decks (eg: Esper and Bant)
- UWR Tempo
- GRx Midrange (eg: Jund and Naya)
- Reanimator
It is my opinion that Ux Tempo is well positioned against all of these decks, to varying degrees. Let us delve into the core of the deck and see why:
4 Snapcaster Mage
We know that this card is absurd. It is terrific against every archetype and the spell selection in the deck is sufficient to give you real game everywhere.
4 Augur of Bolas
Also amazing at the moment. Very solid against the aggro decks in the format, and is a 2-for-1 against control decks that can apply a little pressure.
3 Invisible Stalker
A forgotten bugbear. Look at the list of decks above, then count up the ways that they can easily deal with him...there aren't a lot really, especially as maindeck edicts have fallen a little out of favour of late. Fights through any number of lingering souls and/or thragtusks.
Importantly, all of the above combine well with...
3 Runechanter's Pike
This is the key card in the archetype, and the card that really solidifies your plan against every other deck. It turns all of your 'weak' creatures into credible threats, and artifact removal is at an all time low. If you ever stick two, you start to enter the 'one hit kill' realm.
All of these are powerful cards with a proven track record, so I think the core concept of the deck is viable. What will determine if it is actually good is how you can fill the deck out with spells, and how that resultantly positions the deck against the format.
The deck we obviously need to compare to is UWR Tempo; can this variation offer any improvements over that deck? I think it can.
- Dimir Charm is actually really good right now. Against the creature decks it kills most of their early stuff; against Reanimator and Midrange, it counters all their important spells. The 3rd move is obviously not 'good' but it can lock an opponent out of the game when you're sufficiently far ahead (eg: ensuring they can't draw into a wrath the turn before you lethal them with a stalker).
- Tragic Slip, Ultimate Price and Tribute to Hunger are all relevant at the moment and you get to run them all with the Snapcaster engine.
- You get to run Duress, Cremate and Dispel (possibly maindeck). They're narrow cards, but very powerful in the right matchup.
- Also, you can play some number of Planeswalkers out of the board for your control matchups (alternatively, Underworld Connections).
- Everyone has forgotten how good Forbidden Alchemy is. It combines super well with all your other cards and you will flash it back, more often than you might think.
Returning to our established archetypes:
- BTE aggro decks (eg: Jund Aggro, Gruul Aggro, Naya Blitz)
You can stabalize with Augur and Snappy as early 2-for-1s, backed up by removal. Anything with a pike then becomes a quickly game ending threat. You have heaps of early interaction, so you shouldn't be swarmed as easily as a traditional control deck would.
- UWx control decks (eg: Esper and Bant)
Your key cards are 2-for-1s; you have pikes to threaten huge chunks of damage and Azorius Charm and Supreme Verdict are horrible against you. Post board you can do some brutal things. Also, you really don't care about Thragtusk or Angel of Serenity.
- UWR Tempo
Not sure here. You're better able to deal with their Reckoners than they are your Stalkers; but they might have a little more overall power in their cards. Would need to test honestly.
- GRx Midrange (eg: Jund and Naya)
Plays out a bit like the control matchups; you don't really care about their top-end and they can't easily deal with your Stalkers. Early 2-for-1s should buy you enough time to set up.
- Reanimator
You have counterspells, graveyard hate and don't really care about Thragtusk or Angel of Serenity...that's kind of a big deal.
I need to crunch the numbers more, but say 20 land, 15 creatures and 3 pikes leaves room for 22 spells ~ the exact loadout of which will be very important obviously. At this point, I am more hypothesizing than really promoting, but I would love to hear some feedback.
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com
Want to see me in action? Check out my stream! Currently broadcasting Boros Burn in Standard. Full archive available.
Want to play better magic? Come join us at diestoremoval.com