Slither Blade aggro. It is a thing. I've stumbled into drafting versions of this deck three times and gone 3-0, 2-1, 3-0 with it. The 3-0s were both U/R. The 2-1 was U/W. This is the 3-0 (6-0) from yesterday.
I actually started the draft thinking I was going to be R/G. Had an early Cartouche of Strength and Mouth // Feed. But I got late Blue Cartouches and it just paired better. Naturally opened Samut, Voice of Dissent p1p3, debated splashing for Green stuff at that point (had the R/G scryland + a Painted Bluffs) but passed it for 2nd Ahn-Crop Crasher.
I think on the surface the deck looks like a complete pile, that can only ever win by getting lucky with the Trial + Cartouche synergy, but the fact was I only ever drew the Trial of Zeal one time, the very last turn of the last game.
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Ambush Krotiq makes me laugh so much. I keep rereading the card and it keeps not having Flash. In what sense is this an ambush again? I just have visions of this huge Krotiq poorly concealed in some bushes, feeling slightly sad that his carefully planned ambushes never seem to work.
I think on the surface the deck looks like a complete pile, that can only ever win by getting lucky with the Trial + Cartouche synergy, but the fact was I only ever drew the Trial of Zeal one time, the very last turn of the last game.
Nah, I've played against a few of these in the competitive queues since that 5 Slither Blade deck dominated the Pro Tour. It's a real thing with enough support, which used to happen because the key cards would reliably wheel picks 12-14 since everyone rated them 1.0s.
This reminds me of triple Gatecrash limited, which got hyper aggro with Boros 2-drop.dec, so players started going EVEN MORE aggro with 5 Spire Tracer+Madcap Skills 1-drop aggro. Again, that archetype only worked when it was a secret and key cards would come around picks 12-14.
I'm not convinced this deck is supportable most of the time now that a lot of people know about it. I've faced players that just had 2 Slither Blade, only 2-4 Cartouches/Equipment, and creatures as big as 5-drops and 6-drops. The deck doesn't work with Naga Oracles and Shimmerscale Drakes. Your list looks good.
Two 3-0 decks from today's hot streak, one controlling and one aggressive. Aggressive deck is probably the 2nd best deck I've drafted this format, second only to a RG aggressive deck with Glorybringer.
Pasted face 4-0 with this deck in draft tonight. Game record 8-2 on the night, with losses only because of a) Sweltering Suns, and b) keeping a slow hand against a slow deck.
This week of bonus prizes on Magic Online has spurred me to go a little overboard...but with 2 more 3-0s to show for it! One with an aggressive WB deck, one with a more midrange/Zombie focused WB deck.
The problem with defining this format by what is "fun" is that everyone seems to define fun as what they don't lose to. If you keep losing to easily answered cards, that means you should improve your deck. If you don't want to improve your deck, then you should come to peace with the idea that you are going to lose because you chose to not interact with better strategies.
The Nuts 3-0 U/B Pirates Deck for Ixalan's "Dino-Sized" Weekend! Went 6-2 in games which 1 was lost by top deck Wakening Sun's Avatar and the other was lost due to mana screw (Variance, got to love it...). Oh and yes! That is a Foil Hostage Taker
Put the rest of my write up in spoilers since it was long.
Pick 1 was Sunbird's Invocation (Foil). There was a Pious Interdiction in the pack, but I picked Sunbird since it can just win games on its own. Pick two was a Thaumatic Compass due to the fact I really like it transformed in any deck. Pick three was Burning Sun's Avatar. Fourth was a Lightning Strike which signaled to me red was wide open. Fifth I took a Ruthless Knave since there was nothing else in the pack worth taking, but ended up being great in the deck I was drafting. Frenzied Raptor as my sixth. And a way too late Firecannon Blast as my seventh. The rest of pack 1 was mostly red cards as I dabbled to see what other color I should go into. A late Contract Killing and Mark of the Vampire (which I didn’t even end up playing) pointed to me that black was probably open.
Pack 2 I opened a second Thaumatic Compass, which I took since I had a lot of removal and win conditions which meant I was drafting a control deck. Fun aside there was a third Thaumatic Compass opened in my pod meaning that there were three non-foil Thaumatic Compasses in the box we used (watched owner unwrapped it, so can confirm all packs used from unopened box). Second pick was the second Lightning Strike. Picked up some cheaper creatures since I was so top heavy after pack one. Also got a fourth pick Pirate's Cutlass, which was nice. Also got a seventh pick Trove of Temptation, which is great in a control deck since you can force them into unfavorable attacks. I was really excited to get it.
Pack 3 I opened a Captain Lannery Storm (Foil) which fit perfect in my deck with all the treasures. The other rare in that pack was Dragonskull Summit. Also there was a Makeshift Munitions, which I really wanted, but was hoping I could table. Even though it fit my colors I felt I didn’t need the fixing and Lannery was better with all of my treasure generation. Picked up Skulduggery, Sure Strike, and Vanquish the Weak to round out my tricks/removal. The real stars of pack three were the Makeshift Munitions, one I got as pick 4 and one as pick 9 when it tabled.
Game 2 he was stuck on two lands and I curved out nicely with some creatures. Only game I didn’t win because of Makeshift Munitions.
Match 3 – UBr Flying Pirates
Played it out because guy I was facing was moving and he wanted to. Game 1 he had Wanted Scoundrels on turn two. Was light on lands, but he still played most of his hand due to having such an aggressive mana curve, but couldn’t stop my combination of Burning Sun's Avatar, Makeshift Munitions, double flipped Thaumatic Compass, and tons of treasure.
Game 2 he sent out a ton of flyers, I stabilized somewhat with Burning Sun's Avatar, but he stole it with a top decked Admiral Beckett Brass. Luckily it was tapped when stolen and I ripped Makeshift Munitions off the top of my deck, which allowed me to attack with everything and then sacrifice my board for the win.
I went into match 1 unsure how good the deck would be. I got everything I wanted, especially the two pack 3 Makeshift Munitions that I had been looking for. But the deck was so different than anything I had drafted in this format (or really any format that I had drafted) that I wasn’t sure how it was going to perform in this format that can both be fast, has a lot of flyers, and big creatures, which all seemed good against my deck. But the deck performed better than my wildest dreams.
And while Burning Sun's Avatar did a ton of work and my other rares were great when I got them, I didn’t need them to win. Makeshift Munitions on the other hand, it straight up won me every game but the one were my opponent was mana screwed. RB Makeshift Munitions is definitely an archetype I will be looking to draft again if I get the chance. And I’ve come to the conclusion that Makeshift Munitions in any deck that can make a lot of treasures (or tokens) will probably be good.
The other good thing is that at least from my experience in this draft most of the key cards you want in a Makeshift Munitions deck are not top picks in most other decks so you can pick them up late.
Here's something a LITTLE spicier than a some 3-0 FNM deck. No offense.
This is my sealed deck from the Portland GP PTQ where I went 7-0-1, placing first in the sealed portion out of 228 people. 7 is the most consecutive match wins I've ever had in a single tournament. I ended up losing in the semifinals of the top 8, sadly, but I got lucky enough already to have gotten such an insane pool.
Pretty much every vampire you could ever hope to get, all the best common removal, excellent early, mid, and late-game plans, along with THREE insane bomb rares on-color and on-theme. There were still a lot of close calls, but I played well and had a great deck, and I never lost a match. To make it even sweeter, I beat the player who had previously defeated me last time I made top 8 at a PTQ, during khans. It was quite a ride.
This is one of the strongest non-Cube decks I've ever drafted; I pulled off a triple 2-0 with it. Somehow I got passed a Profane Procession for Pack 1 Pick 3 (!!!), so I immediately snapped it up and moved into B/W Vampires/Control. There was a lot of B/W removal going around in all three packs and only one other Vampire drafter in the pod, so I had plenty of good choices. Not to mention, somehow the bomb rares just kept coming....All the lifegain made Arguel's Blood Fast and Champion of Dusk well worth it, and after I used some big-creature removal, Ascend-activated Golden Demise cleaned up whatever was left, ending board stalls in a heartbeat. (Assuming I didn't get Procession out and effectively win on the spot.) If anything could beat the deck, it would be a hyperaggressive deck that goes under Profane Procession or a hexproof voltron deck, but I managed to avoid running into either.
Drafted A25 last night. For all the flack the set has gotten for the monetary value of its content, it's a total blast to actually draft. This is perhaps the most fun I have ever had drafting a master's set of any kind. I went into the set with an open mind (except that I just love morph) and was richly rewarded. Managed to draft this ultra-consistent combo-control deck that had all of the tools to draw into my combo, protect my pieces, durdle, and even scout opposing hands for answers near flawlessly.
1 Flameblade Adept
2 Nimble-Blade Khenra
1 Pathmaker Initiate
2 Tah-Crop Skirmisher
2 Ahn-Crop Crasher
1 Minotaur Sureshot
1 Thresher Lizard
1 Manticore of the Gauntlet
1 River Serpent
1 Desert Cerodon
2 Honed Khopesh
2 Magma Spray
3 Cartouche of Knowledge
1 Trial of Zeal
1 Commit // Memory (which I decided to swap out for Decision Paralysis, which just seemed better for this deck)
I actually started the draft thinking I was going to be R/G. Had an early Cartouche of Strength and Mouth // Feed. But I got late Blue Cartouches and it just paired better. Naturally opened Samut, Voice of Dissent p1p3, debated splashing for Green stuff at that point (had the R/G scryland + a Painted Bluffs) but passed it for 2nd Ahn-Crop Crasher.
I think on the surface the deck looks like a complete pile, that can only ever win by getting lucky with the Trial + Cartouche synergy, but the fact was I only ever drew the Trial of Zeal one time, the very last turn of the last game.
Nah, I've played against a few of these in the competitive queues since that 5 Slither Blade deck dominated the Pro Tour. It's a real thing with enough support, which used to happen because the key cards would reliably wheel picks 12-14 since everyone rated them 1.0s.
This reminds me of triple Gatecrash limited, which got hyper aggro with Boros 2-drop.dec, so players started going EVEN MORE aggro with 5 Spire Tracer+Madcap Skills 1-drop aggro. Again, that archetype only worked when it was a secret and key cards would come around picks 12-14.
I'm not convinced this deck is supportable most of the time now that a lot of people know about it. I've faced players that just had 2 Slither Blade, only 2-4 Cartouches/Equipment, and creatures as big as 5-drops and 6-drops. The deck doesn't work with Naga Oracles and Shimmerscale Drakes. Your list looks good.
2 Bloodlust Inciter
2 Bitterblade Warrior
1 Bloodrage Brawler
1 Exemplar of Strength
1 Nef-Crop Entangler
2 Hooded Brawler
1 Ornery Kudu
1 Thresher Lizard
1 Watchful Naga
2 Trueheart Twins
1 Greater Sandworm
1 Cartouche of Zeal
1 Magma Spray
1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
2 Cartouche of Strength
1 Synchronized Strike
1 Trial of Strength
1 Electrify
1 Deem Worthy
1 Scattered Groves
7 Forest
8 Mountain
GGG [Primer] Omnath, Big Green Beatstick Machine GGG
1 Kumena's Speaker
4 Shaper Apprentice
1 Deeproot Warrior
2 Merfolk Branchwalker
1 Watertrap Weaver
2 Tishana's Wayfinder
1 Shapers of Nature
1 Jade Guardian
1 Tempest Caller
2 Storm Sculptor
1 Grazing Whiptail
1 River Heralds' Boon
2 One With the Wind
1 Chart a Course
1 Deeproot Waters
2 Run Aground
Lands: 16
8 Island
8 Forest
This thing was pretty sweet. I kinda feel like it needed another Watertrap Weaver and River Heralds' Boon, though.
Curving a two-drop into a three-drop into two more two-drops, then tempo-ing the opponent with Run Aground, Watertrap Weaver, and Tempest Caller was enough to close out most games.
Deeproot Waters did a great job of buying extra turns to keep chipping away with fliers, especially with Storm Sculptor.
2 Desperate Castaways
1 Kitesail Freebooter
1 Wanted Scoundrels
1 Shipwreck Looter
1 Daring Saboteur
2 Skymarch Bloodletter
1 Ruthless Knave
1 Sailor of Means
2 Siren Lookout
1 Hostage Taker
1 Prosperous Pirates
2 Skulduggery
1 Walk the Plank
1 Siren's Ruse
2 Vanquish the Weak
1 Pirate's Cutlass
1 Fell Flagship
1 Contract Killing
Land: 17
9 Swamp
8 Island
1 Siren Stormtamer
2 Deadeye Tormentor
2 Sailor of Means
BB8-RackBB
Pauper:
UUDelverlUU
BB8-RackBB
Pauper:
UUDelverlUU
9 Mountain
7 Swamp
Creatures: 10
2 Dire Fleet Hoarder
1 Wily Goblin
1 Captain Lannery Storm
1 Lightning-Rig Crew
1 Ruthless Knave
1 Fathom Fleet Cutthroat
1 Brazen Buccaneers
1 Storm Fleet Pyromancer
1 Burning Sun's Avatar
1 Firecannon Blast
1 Contract Killing
Instants: 5
1 Skulduggery
2 Lightning Strike
1 Sure Strike
1 Vanquish the Weak
Artifacts: 3
2 Thaumatic Compass
1 Pirate's Cutlass
Enchantments: 4
2 Makeshift Munitions
1 Trove of Temptation
1 Sunbird's Invocation
2 Desperate Castaways
2 Mark of the Vampire
2 Frenzied Raptor
1 Blight Keeper
1 Rummaging Goblin
1 Hijack
1 Dual Shot
1 Spreading Rot
1 Cobbled Wings
1 Legion's Judgment
1 Jade Guardian
1 Jungle Delver
1 Favorable Winds
1 Crushing Canopy
1 Tishana's Wayfinder
Put the rest of my write up in spoilers since it was long.
Pack 2 I opened a second Thaumatic Compass, which I took since I had a lot of removal and win conditions which meant I was drafting a control deck. Fun aside there was a third Thaumatic Compass opened in my pod meaning that there were three non-foil Thaumatic Compasses in the box we used (watched owner unwrapped it, so can confirm all packs used from unopened box). Second pick was the second Lightning Strike. Picked up some cheaper creatures since I was so top heavy after pack one. Also got a fourth pick Pirate's Cutlass, which was nice. Also got a seventh pick Trove of Temptation, which is great in a control deck since you can force them into unfavorable attacks. I was really excited to get it.
Pack 3 I opened a Captain Lannery Storm (Foil) which fit perfect in my deck with all the treasures. The other rare in that pack was Dragonskull Summit. Also there was a Makeshift Munitions, which I really wanted, but was hoping I could table. Even though it fit my colors I felt I didn’t need the fixing and Lannery was better with all of my treasure generation. Picked up Skulduggery, Sure Strike, and Vanquish the Weak to round out my tricks/removal. The real stars of pack three were the Makeshift Munitions, one I got as pick 4 and one as pick 9 when it tabled.
Match 1 – WGr Vance's Blasting Cannons
Had Vance's Blasting Cannons and four Blossom Dryads and the entire deck was built around winning with Spitfire Bastion.
Game 1 he stabilized with Grazing Whiptails, but I had Lightning-Rig Crew and Makeshift Munitions and did 9 damage to him when he had lethal on board with only those two cards.
Game 2 he had Vance's Blasting Cannons on turn 4, but I had a turn 5 Sunbird's Invocation (thanks to treasure), turn 6 Burning Sun's Avatar which hit a Contract Killing off of the Sunbird trigger to kill his Glorifier of Dusk. From there I overwhelmed him with Makeshift Munitions and Sunbird activations, while forcing him to play out cards so he couldn't build up enough spells to flip Vance's Blasting Cannons. While I won this game pretty easily looking back on it I should've sideboarded in Spreading Rot and maybe even a Forest and a Crushing Canopy to deal with Vance's Blasting Cannon since the deck was so focused on finding and flipping that card.
Match 2 – WG Dinos
Game 1 he curved out nicely with large dinos, but he couldn’t stop the combination of Burning Sun's Avatar, Makeshift Munitions, Treasure Trove, and a ton of treasure. In fact I killed a Pterodon Knight and Spike-Tailed Ceratops in back to back turns just by sacrificing treasures.
Game 2 he was stuck on two lands and I curved out nicely with some creatures. Only game I didn’t win because of Makeshift Munitions.
Match 3 – UBr Flying Pirates
Played it out because guy I was facing was moving and he wanted to. Game 1 he had Wanted Scoundrels on turn two. Was light on lands, but he still played most of his hand due to having such an aggressive mana curve, but couldn’t stop my combination of Burning Sun's Avatar, Makeshift Munitions, double flipped Thaumatic Compass, and tons of treasure.
Game 2 he sent out a ton of flyers, I stabilized somewhat with Burning Sun's Avatar, but he stole it with a top decked Admiral Beckett Brass. Luckily it was tapped when stolen and I ripped Makeshift Munitions off the top of my deck, which allowed me to attack with everything and then sacrifice my board for the win.
And while Burning Sun's Avatar did a ton of work and my other rares were great when I got them, I didn’t need them to win. Makeshift Munitions on the other hand, it straight up won me every game but the one were my opponent was mana screwed. RB Makeshift Munitions is definitely an archetype I will be looking to draft again if I get the chance. And I’ve come to the conclusion that Makeshift Munitions in any deck that can make a lot of treasures (or tokens) will probably be good.
The other good thing is that at least from my experience in this draft most of the key cards you want in a Makeshift Munitions deck are not top picks in most other decks so you can pick them up late.
This is my sealed deck from the Portland GP PTQ where I went 7-0-1, placing first in the sealed portion out of 228 people. 7 is the most consecutive match wins I've ever had in a single tournament. I ended up losing in the semifinals of the top 8, sadly, but I got lucky enough already to have gotten such an insane pool.
1 Sanctum Seeker
1 Ruin Raider
1 Bishop's Soldier
1 Anointed Deacon
1 Inspiring Cleric
1 Deathless Ancient
1 Skyblade of the Legion
1 Skymarch Bloodletter
1 Glorifier of Dusk
1 Adanto Vanguard
1 Skittering Heartstopper
1 Seekers' Squire
1 Emissary of Sunrise
1 Desperate Castaways
1 Vanquish the Weak
1 Contract Killing
1 Slash of Talons
1 Dark Nourishment
1 Pious Interdiction
1 Queen's Commission
1 Pirate's Cutlass
8 Plains
Pretty much every vampire you could ever hope to get, all the best common removal, excellent early, mid, and late-game plans, along with THREE insane bomb rares on-color and on-theme. There were still a lot of close calls, but I played well and had a great deck, and I never lost a match. To make it even sweeter, I beat the player who had previously defeated me last time I made top 8 at a PTQ, during khans. It was quite a ride.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
2 Bishop's Soldier
1 Martyr of Dusk
1 Legion Lieutenant
1 Gleaming Barrier
2 Legion Conquistador
1 Sanguine Glorifier
1 Hostage Taker
1 Champion of Dusk
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
2 Moment of Craving
1 Baffling End
1 Walk the Plank
1 Profane Procession
1 Golden Demise
1 Vanquish the Weak
1 Call to the Feast
2 Divine Verdict
1 Island
8 Swamp
7 Plains
https://m.imgur.com/a/XUdy4
The five drops cut off from the photo of the UW deck are a second Sun-Crested Pterodon and an Air Elemental.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
2 Dragon's Eye Savants
2 Fathom Seer
2 Skirk Commando
2 Ghost Ship
1 Phantasmal Bear
3 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Kindle
2 Counterspell
1 Exclude
1 Brainstorm
1 Prophetic Prism
5 Mountain