I've seen a couple of lists running Botanical Sanctum. Why not run Razorverge Thicket so you can get either the dork of path turn 1?
I've been trying it after I tried 1 basic Island in the main (mostly to make casting Clique easier). I switched to Botanical Sanctum after realizing that Island made Voice harder to cast. Not saying it's 100% correct but that's my rationale.
Why is that deck running grim flayer? It only has 5 enchantments to enable delerium.
I have no clue. Like I said, it's a spicy one. It's worth noting that the pilot, Shawn Becker, did well with that list then reverted to a more standard Knightfall list (and still did well).
There have been several lists in the past using Chord as a 1-2 of (such as this or the spiciest list I've ever seen). I'm not a huge fan because GGG can be challenging with our awkward manabase (though convoke makes it easier), but primarily because I've found this to be a grindy midrange deck first, and a combo deck second. As powerful and versatile as it is, Chord is an overcosted creature where Company provides card and mana advantage.
I've been thinking of playing Geist of Saint Traft again, like I used to a year ago. Geist + exalted (or Elspeth, of which I would run 1-2) is good at giving non-interective decks the business. He's also good if people are leaning on Fatal Push.
How did you sideboard against humans? I think that matchup is like playing against a worse eldrazi. I would have kept the combo, included more removal and worship. Seems to be one of this weird matchups (like against lifegain) where you might think that grinding is a good idea but its not, and you need to be aggressive.
I believe I went -2 Pridemage -3 Retreat -2..Selfless Spirit, I think? +2 Alliance +2 Courser +2 Worship (which managed to steal me a game) +1 Baloth. This matchup felt a lot more like Goblins, tbh. They had a super aggressive curve of Champion of the Parish, Thalia's Lieutenant, Soldier of the Pantheon, Voltaic Brawler, Mayor of Avabruck and I just got swarmed. My cards were more powerful than theirs but they were able to dump theirs out much faster.
Took the following 75 to a GPT today, finished in 11th place at 4-2 (feelsbadman). Notes below.
I tried out a Fauna Shaman package because I love the card, and was not satisfied with Goyf because it and Knight suck vs graveyard hate. It allowed me to run a more toolbox-style board.
Round 1: Human tribal blitz (Loss, 1-2)
G1(L): Got run over by a swarm of midgets that turned into 5/5s
G2(W): Managed to not die and won a grind-fest
G3(L): See G1, got stuck on 2 lands
Good Stuff: Path, Queller, Wolf Run
Stuff to work on: Eelevant 2-drops, manabase, wanted more removal
Round 2: Abzan (Win, 2-0)
G1(W): Combo'd off after some grinding
G2(W): Kept a questionable 1-lander with a dork, got lucky and won the grind fair and square.
Good Stuff: Path, Courser, Knight, Wolf Run
Stuff to Work On: manabase
Round 3: Death's Shadow zoo (Win, 2-1)
G1(W): Killed/quelled relevant cards, stabilized at 1 and won from there.
G2(L): Got stuck on 2 lands, got smacked
G2(W): Won an easy grindy game
Good Stuff: Alliance, Path, Queller, Spellskite
Stuff to Work On: manabase, wanted more removal
Round 4: Affinity (2-0)
G1(W): Won a grindy game
G2(W): See G1
Good Stuff: Queller, Pridemage, ghost quarter, Clique and fliers in general
Stuff to Work On: Wanted more Pridemage/Staticaster
At this point, I wasn't able to take 2 draws into Top 8 so I had to play the rest of the rounds out. Got paired up Round 5 vs a 4-0
Round 5: Human tribal blitz (Loss, 1-2)
G1(L): Got run over by a swarm of midgets that turned into 5/5s (this seems to be a trend vs this deck)
G2(W): Stabilized and won the grind
G3(L): See G1
Good Stuff: Queller, Path
Stuff to Work On: Wanted more removal, maybe sweepers
Round 6: Burn (Win, 2-0)
G1(W): Combo'd him out and won with exactsies thanks to Wolf Run
G2(W): Won a grindy game
Good Stuff: Queller (surprisingly), Path
Stuff to Work On: Wanted more lifegain creatures in the board (Finks, War Monk)
Notes:
-Fauna Shaman did not perform. I used it once to tutor up an Ewitness for Path (which was good), but wasn't helpful otherwise. I cut Voice for Shaman after I had trouble casting Voice last week, but will probably try fitting it back in.
-Manabase was decent (basic Island was actually good), but I got stuck on lands more than I like. Will maybe try and fit the 23rd land in, and a Botanical Sanctum over the Island.
-I'm considering cutting red. Wolf Run is good, as is Staticaster, but the strain on the mana is pretty rough. Would maybe look something like this
-The Humans matchup apparently sucks. I'd never heard of the deck, then meet both people in the room running it and get smacked. Makes me want EE or something.
-Staticaster was ok. Was decent vs Affinity (by the time I found it, I was already winning) and surprisingly terrible vs Humans (too slow). Worth a slot or 2 for sure.
As for Kelvin's list, I'm surprised by the 4x Scooze main. I've been looking to settle on some my last two 2-drops (been trying Voice/Shaman), but I'm surprised by his choice. Clearly it worked out.
I've been trying it after I tried 1 basic Island in the main (mostly to make casting Clique easier). I switched to Botanical Sanctum after realizing that Island made Voice harder to cast. Not saying it's 100% correct but that's my rationale.
I have no clue. Like I said, it's a spicy one. It's worth noting that the pilot, Shawn Becker, did well with that list then reverted to a more standard Knightfall list (and still did well).
I believe I went -2 Pridemage -3 Retreat -2..Selfless Spirit, I think? +2 Alliance +2 Courser +2 Worship (which managed to steal me a game) +1 Baloth. This matchup felt a lot more like Goblins, tbh. They had a super aggressive curve of Champion of the Parish, Thalia's Lieutenant, Soldier of the Pantheon, Voltaic Brawler, Mayor of Avabruck and I just got swarmed. My cards were more powerful than theirs but they were able to dump theirs out much faster.
I tried out a Fauna Shaman package because I love the card, and was not satisfied with Goyf because it and Knight suck vs graveyard hate. It allowed me to run a more toolbox-style board.
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Selfless Spirit
2 Spellskite
2 Fauana Shaman
2 Vendilion Clique
3 Birds of Paradise
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Noble Hierarch
3 Spell Queller
1 Eternal Witness
4 Collected Company
4 Path to Exile
3 Retreat to Coralhelm
1 Flooded Strand
1 Gavony Township
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Island
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Plains
1 Stomping Ground
3 Forest
1 Temple Garden
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Windswept Heath
2 Blessed Alliance
2 Courser of Kruphix
2 Worship
2 Negate
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Intrepid Hero
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Loaming Shaman
Round 1: Human tribal blitz (Loss, 1-2)
G1(L): Got run over by a swarm of midgets that turned into 5/5s
G2(W): Managed to not die and won a grind-fest
G3(L): See G1, got stuck on 2 lands
Good Stuff: Path, Queller, Wolf Run
Stuff to work on: Eelevant 2-drops, manabase, wanted more removal
Round 2: Abzan (Win, 2-0)
G1(W): Combo'd off after some grinding
G2(W): Kept a questionable 1-lander with a dork, got lucky and won the grind fair and square.
Good Stuff: Path, Courser, Knight, Wolf Run
Stuff to Work On: manabase
Round 3: Death's Shadow zoo (Win, 2-1)
G1(W): Killed/quelled relevant cards, stabilized at 1 and won from there.
G2(L): Got stuck on 2 lands, got smacked
G2(W): Won an easy grindy game
Good Stuff: Alliance, Path, Queller, Spellskite
Stuff to Work On: manabase, wanted more removal
Round 4: Affinity (2-0)
G1(W): Won a grindy game
G2(W): See G1
Good Stuff: Queller, Pridemage, ghost quarter, Clique and fliers in general
Stuff to Work On: Wanted more Pridemage/Staticaster
At this point, I wasn't able to take 2 draws into Top 8 so I had to play the rest of the rounds out. Got paired up Round 5 vs a 4-0
Round 5: Human tribal blitz (Loss, 1-2)
G1(L): Got run over by a swarm of midgets that turned into 5/5s (this seems to be a trend vs this deck)
G2(W): Stabilized and won the grind
G3(L): See G1
Good Stuff: Queller, Path
Stuff to Work On: Wanted more removal, maybe sweepers
Round 6: Burn (Win, 2-0)
G1(W): Combo'd him out and won with exactsies thanks to Wolf Run
G2(W): Won a grindy game
Good Stuff: Queller (surprisingly), Path
Stuff to Work On: Wanted more lifegain creatures in the board (Finks, War Monk)
Notes:
-Fauna Shaman did not perform. I used it once to tutor up an Ewitness for Path (which was good), but wasn't helpful otherwise. I cut Voice for Shaman after I had trouble casting Voice last week, but will probably try fitting it back in.
-Manabase was decent (basic Island was actually good), but I got stuck on lands more than I like. Will maybe try and fit the 23rd land in, and a Botanical Sanctum over the Island.
-I'm considering cutting red. Wolf Run is good, as is Staticaster, but the strain on the mana is pretty rough. Would maybe look something like this
-The Humans matchup apparently sucks. I'd never heard of the deck, then meet both people in the room running it and get smacked. Makes me want EE or something.
-Staticaster was ok. Was decent vs Affinity (by the time I found it, I was already winning) and surprisingly terrible vs Humans (too slow). Worth a slot or 2 for sure.
As for Kelvin's list, I'm surprised by the 4x Scooze main. I've been looking to settle on some my last two 2-drops (been trying Voice/Shaman), but I'm surprised by his choice. Clearly it worked out.