I've been playtesting Condescend as a 2 of in my deck and it seems to be performing well. Not only do you get to counter their turn 2 spell if you are on the play, but you can also make them pay 0 and target yours or theirs to get a 1 mana scry 2 effect if needed. What do you guys think?
Have you guys seen the URb Fae Jeff Hoogland plays lately? http://www.themeadery.org/decks/deck/7194/ That is the list I am referring to. I was watching the stream today, was 1-1 on the daily didn't get to see the entire stream though so I don't know final result. The deck looked to perform quite ok.
This is the typical Jeff Hoogland deck, now splashing black for Kolaghan's Command instead of white for Hallow against Burn or directly nothing. From a quick Google search, you might find a primer written by himself: http://www.themeadery.org/b/jeffhoogland/read/urx-fae-primer/
This deck is closer to UR Delver than to UB Faeries, even if it uses Spellstutter Sprite instead of Young Pyromancer.
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Currently sleeved: WUR Copycat ft. Stoneforge Mystic
I'll give those a try. I played today but only did 1 round. I got a bye the 2nd round and I was not going to wait a whole hour until I can play 2 more games, especially when I have an early day tomorrow.
I lost to twin 2-1 only because I didn't have enough counters, so nothing to report as of yet. Not sure if I'll keep using the Geist in there. I'm gonna test it again next week and then I have a plan to try out an Esper list as well. After that I'll give a mono U list a go as well.
I'm really interested in playing faeries again but I am not a fan of the emphasis on control variants (tons of 4 drops in Cryptic and Mistbind, I think it is just too slow for Modern). So, I want to play a much more tempo based version. Has anyone had any success in playing a list like this?
I'm not a fan of cryptic in faeries, but I think you pretty much have to play atleast a couple mistbinds.
Its really the best card in the deck, and excluding vendilion, faeries isn't really able to put up much of a clock without it.
I've been playing a deck with a lot more cheap disruption and liking it a lot, but mistbind is so critical to winning games.
Someone earlier mentioned oona's blackguard, and I've liked it a lot. I've been playing 1, coupled with 2 harbingers, and its done great. People get super focused on killing it, since it + blossom will shred their hand, that they start to make bad decisions, or walk into quicklings/spellstutters/counterspells.
I'm not a fan of cryptic in faeries, but I think you pretty much have to play atleast a couple mistbinds.
Its really the best card in the deck, and excluding vendilion, faeries isn't really able to put up much of a clock without it.
I've been playing a deck with a lot more cheap disruption and liking it a lot, but mistbind is so critical to winning games.
Someone earlier mentioned oona's blackguard, and I've liked it a lot. I've been playing 1, coupled with 2 harbingers, and its done great. People get super focused on killing it, since it + blossom will shred their hand, that they start to make bad decisions, or walk into quicklings/spellstutters/counterspells.
Yeah, that may have been me, I'm trying the singleton blackguard too and it's an interesting card. Looking forward to testing more tomorrow. Quickling gets the counter too, so it gives you that chance to flash a rogue in with a counter and then swing with it next turn to force a discard. It's certainly not a plan, but it's there.
I find Cryptic to be one of the best cards for faeries when i play. It can turn around a game that isn't going well by countering and drawing into something, ,or can tap down their team to buy a turn where i don't take any damage and i can basically get 2 free rounds of attacking in. It's a great way to deal with things like enchantments, bouncing at end of their turn and leaving up counters to get it on the way back down.
I've tried oona's blackguard in various lists but it's always been fairly underwhelming for me. It does draw their removal so is decent for that but i'd rather have something that's going to be more impactful than a 2 drop 1/1 that doesn't really do much of anything until turn 5 since you have to either drop it or bb on turn 2 then the other on turn 3 and it takes a couple turns for bitterblossom to get going and have a 2/2 token that causes discard. If you get it unopposed and have a bitterblossom it's pretty great.
I like harbinger but haven't been running it lately, it sometimes seems underwhelming to set up my next draw for 4 mana and be left with something that dies to bolt abd due to the 4 drop slot being full of mistbinds and cryptic. I haven't cared for quickling when I've tested it so far, it ends up stranded in my hand sometimes and other times it can lead to a blowout not in my favor. When it's good it's good, when it's not it's not. I have been running a deck similar to Osmonds most recently listed deck here with a few slight changes for more counter magic and siege in the board instead of jace and love it so far.
I'm really interested in playing faeries again but I am not a fan of the emphasis on control variants (tons of 4 drops in Cryptic and Mistbind, I think it is just too slow for Modern). So, I want to play a much more tempo based version. Has anyone had any success in playing a list like this?
I like the take, but with 21 lands and no cantrips you will get stuck a lot. In general, blue deck manabases with 17-20 lands use not less than 8 cantrips, and with 21/23 not less than 4.
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Cryptic is a good card, clearly, but I've been liking it less and less the more I play with it. 4 mana is a lot, cryptic always feels way too expensive. I do like harbingers, because sure, just setting up a draw isnt huge, but getting 2 scions in play is nuts, or just grabbing a mistbind and beginning the lockout, or grabbing blossom if the game is gonna go long, etc, is great. Since I don't play cryptic, it also feels ok to have another 4 drop. I would love harbinger to cost 3 though :/
I like the single blackguard. I wouldnt play more, but sometimes it gets things done, or atleast forces your opponent to care, which is not something that can be said for most of the rest of our creatures.
I do agree with you on the monastery siege. I've played that card in fish before, and it was nice, but it really shines here.
I recently dropped to 2 Cryptics and am not sad about it. In fact, Cryptic really isn't the most useful card in some match ups. It sets yourself up to be shot down in counter wars. It does have plenty of good modes though. Bouncing a troublesome plainswalker or enchantment to counter later has saved me in many games. But, I almost wonder if Repeal and Remand do a better job, they bounce/counter and draw... Also, the 3 blue sources has killed me more often than the card has saved me. I will probably still go 2 with 1 in side for now, but maybe I'd switch to 1 MB and 2 SB.
I recently dropped to 2 Cryptics and am not sad about it. In fact, Cryptic really isn't the most useful card in some match ups. It sets yourself up to be shot down in counter wars. It does have plenty of good modes though. Bouncing a troublesome plainswalker or enchantment to counter later has saved me in many games. But, I almost wonder if Repeal and Remand do a better job, they bounce/counter and draw... Also, the 3 blue sources has killed me more often than the card has saved me. I will probably still go 2 with 1 in side for now, but maybe I'd switch to 1 MB and 2 SB.
I actually run a couple delay right now in addition the the spell snare and remand package and it's really been overperforming for me. I really enjoy playing a counter heavy deck but like everyone here it seems like i just can't stop myself from chaniging it up pretty frequently. I was thinking about testing out a couple quicklings or oona's in their place. I've ran both before but never really gave quickling a chance after pretty much seeing everyone say it was awful on this forum but may have to give it another chance.
I saw your recent reaport and deck list. You say you don't miss the 3rd cryptic so I may go to testing with 2 of those and see if harbinger can do some work. Do you ever find yourself with a quickling or blackguard in your hand wishing it was another counter/removal or something like a scion or v clique or do you get super excited jumping up and down screaming "WOohoo! Quickling!" and then have to pretend like you didn't draw one to try to not give it away to your opponent.
Occasionally, quickling does get stuck in your hand. Its just the nature of the card. But think of him like spellstutter, or just a counterspell. Sure, its sitting in your hand, but thats because you're waiting for a good time to use it, trying to get value off of it. Rarely does it sit in your hand and actively punish you for running.
I usually just slam down blackguard if I have absolutely anything to back it up. It dies a lot. Maybe I should be more careful with it, but usually I just throw it out, fight over it a bit, let it die then play my harbinger or mistbind, or what-have-you like I would have anyways. Sometimes I even champion it to "save" it. It is nice that quickling to save blackguard does get the counter, potentially allowing you to recast blackguard and then make them discard with the quickling. I certainly wouldn't run blackguard without quicklings though, as we would have too few rogues. We do have bitterblossom which plays incredibly well with blackguard, but I wouldn't rely on just that as rogues.
Now that I think about it, maybe I'll try another blackguard just to see them more often (and another rogue!) and see if that changes how I play with the card.
I think blackguard would be fantastic if we had a couple more rogues to work with. It does hurt than spellstutter, harbinger, and both cliques are all wizards, and scion even being a soldier (whats up with that?). For morningtide being a class-focused block, faeries really got split up in that regard.
Harbinger is my only change from last week's list to this week's. I added a 2nd and moved Ashiok to sideboard. Harbinger was great.
So far, the measly 4 match ups I've played with this list so far, quickling never hurt me. It's been decent so far, but I'm not willing to say he works or doesn't yet.
Oonas blackguard was only drawn one game and it was late in the game. I played it, but I had the game in hand by then. More testing needed.
Btw, new miscreant is a rogue.
Let me know how the double Oonas goes.
Also, with no discard in deck, I tend to have more answers in hand, so I don't mind holding a quickling if need be. After all, mistbind tends to wait forever to join the field.
I think terminate is awesome but just not right for this deck. With so many 1 mana removal like dismember, disfigure, etc., it just starts to feel like a worse grixis. But you'll have to play test that for yourself.
Something definitely feels missing from the deck playing without cryptic command I think. I went to 0 cryptic several times and the turn of events was testing one, then testing two, and this happens every so often. We need a card that has an impact on the timespan or card advantage scheme of the game (unfortunately apparently black blue together makes weak cards or overcosted cards) and even then I think most of us would play 2 of the new card and cryptic just because cryptic is so helpful in maximizing profit on the turn effectively
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Decks I have in my bag of tricks- Needless to say, someone who wants to play will probably have a deck UB/x Faeries UR Storm XURWB Affinity G Elves UW control
Game 1
I wasn't familiar with this deck, but I killed/countered all the spirits he tried to get out. I had played Oona's Blackguard, which apparently people don't like much. He tried to Helix it, but I played a Quickling and bounced it (plus getting the +1/+1 counter) and fizzled his Helix. I replay the Blackguard. He tries to bolt it, I spellstutter that one. He bolts again and it finally dies. It took 3 bolts aimed at it, so I feel success for both the blackguard and the quickling. He is top decking and tries to land a Godo, which I had crytpic for. He would have grabbed Batterskull, so good thing I stopped it.
Game 2
I stop his early snapcaster and lingering souls and I resolve a BB. He lands Olivia though and I didn't have a removal spell. Olivia won the game.
Game 3
He played gifts and through an Elesh Norn in his grave. So I played very very conservatively. I played harbinger end of turn to get 2nd harbinger. Then harbinger to spellstutter. I was pecking him down while he resolved some lingering souls and other small fry I wasn't going to counter. I held 3 spell snares and 2 spell stutters. He Kolaghan's Commands, but I had plenty in hand to discard.
Game 2
Well, he started off stronger. He T2 Ensoul Artifact his Darksteel Citadel and he bashed me for 10 damage before I was able to Cryptic to counter his Juggernaut and bounce the land. He never recovered. or even touched me again. I did side in both Hurkyl's Recall but never saw one as usual.
Not much to say as they weren't much interaction.
Round 3 - Affinity (0-2)
Game 1
He spills hand and I was a little off balance. Fairly quick pummeling. I only hit him for 2 dmg. He ran a standard list it appeared.
Game 2
This game was fully under my control, I had him stuck a Cranial Plating out and no real creatures. Was bashing in. He finally lands an Etched Champion (after I remanded it twice) I have him at 6 with lethal next turn. He top decks a 2nd cranial plating and swings for 17 which was my life total...
Game 1
He plays some hasty creatures, but I get a BB out and am able to trade and chump for a while. He terminates my good creatures, I had to Dismember a Ashenmoor Liege but luckily I did not have to pay even more life for the dismember. This game was frustrating. I had drawn 11 lands, 2 BB, a Remand, a Mistbind, and a dismember. He was at 4 life and I was at 1. I had 4 swinging faeries, with him holding one card. All he had to do was stop 1 pt of dmg or deal 1 pt of dmg first, but he couldn't.
Game 2
Little easier, he got some quick burst damage on me with a double Titan's Stength, but I stablaized, had counters ready and dealt with his threats.
Round 5 - Affinity (1-2)
Game 1
She spews her hand, gets the Vault Skirge with Cranial Plating and quickly goes up to 36 life... I got her back to 24, but couldn't get a board. I did do a fun interaction though with Quickling. So I had 4 mana. Needed to counter a 2 drop and I had spellstutter and quickling in hand. I cast Quickling, with trigger on stack, I cast Spellstutter, countered the spell, then bounced spellstutter to hand and had a 2/2 body to block with. Wasn't enough, but fun.
Game 2
On the play, I was much better equipped to stop threats. I just kept tempo the whole game, got BB and scions and smashed face.
Game 3
She again got 2 Skirges out early. In fact, I had no T1 play, so on T2 I counted 7 dmg coming at me next turn. I had spellstutter or BB. I went with BB, dropping to 10 on her swing. 9 with BB, then took another 5 on her next swing. I drop to 4... 3 and then manage to get the board and use Mistbind to exile BB. A Galvanic Blast finishes the job though.
Game 1
Kinda shut him down. I was on the play. He throws out a land, then casts a Signal Pest. He tries to cast Opal and I disfigure the Pest in response. He throws out a Ornithopter but, no metalcraft for him so he was stopped. I spellstutter his Springleaf Drum and he passes again. I just answer turn and after turn. Got a BB out and he just couldn't get anything going. I took 6 ticks off BB before winning.
Game 2
I had a good opening 7 for most match ups, but I mul to 6 and keep. I get lucky being able to spell pierce his cranial plating on T2 after he hand dumped. He is only able to peck in for 4 with a couple Memnites and signal pest. I got a BB out and stopped his board from going up. I couldn't push much damage through so it was sorta a stalemate with me ticking down for a while. He tried to Whipflare but spellsnare is good. I ticked from 14 to 6 before finally being able to get the win. He did have a plating out and one skirge, so he gained 11 life that game.
Hurkyl's Recall FFFFF this card!!!! I have sided two copies in since I started playing Faeries in May or June anytime I play affinity and NEVER not even once have I even drawn the card to my hand. I played 4 artifact rounds tonight. 5 games where I had sideboard cards in, one mulligan opening hand and not one Recall was drawn tonight (or EVER in my lifetime). So annoyed.
Faerie Harbinger Really glad I went to two copies. Going Harbinger, grab Harbinger is a good value. I pulled Harbinger, Spellstutter, Mistbind, Quickling and Scion with this card tonight. I never pulled Vendi or a BB with it. I love Harbinger.
Scion of Oona - Again, 2 copies is great. I still got 2 out to protect against terminate on the other and provide shroud to each other.
Quickling - He has never been a dead card in hand. I mean, yeah, he's not a T2 2/2 flyer, but I used it for so much value. My opponents were fairly impressed/annoyed at the value I kept getting off it. Protect my mutavault that swung and was about to die. Reuse spellstutters or Mistbinds or Harbingers. And a 2/2 body is relevant... sometimes that extra toughness makes a big difference.
The oona's blackguard still pulls hate like mad. Apparently people don't like 1/1 tokens every turn, and really don't like the idea of 2/2 tokens every turn. I will likely still go 1 copy.
I got stuck on 2 blue mana and a cryptic in hand often. It's very painful to be sitting on such a powerful card and have to pass priority and let their spells resolve that should be stopped.
I have not missed taking out my other man lands. I like keeping mana open and mutavault does enough work for me at the right activation cost.
Had some good compliments on the deck tonight. One guy went over my list after and we discussed the cards and how I'm not running discard. He said it worked for me, he (the affinity match up I had twice) said I always had a perfect answer and perfect curve. He really liked the deck and said he wasn't sure how he beat me in the swiss.
I'm getting a lot of respect and lots of good interactions with my list. I think I want to add Vampiric Link at some point, need a little lifegain somewhere.
Another card I want to try is Notorious Throng I feel like I can hit with a rogue easy enough, and if I do, I can pay 6 mana for an extra turn. Or hit them hard with my team, not leaving back blockers. Then pay 4 to get a field of chump blockers.
I know the thought is, its sorcery speed. It's a win-more card. But, I can see the situations, especially against affinity where this card is great. I got to a board state I could sit with 3 creatures back and swing in with a couple, but if I could swing with team and take an extra turn with extra creatures... probably a deal closer. Not a win-more, it's actually a stale-mate breaker. Because stalemates favor the opponent.
EDIT: Hopefully this is useful to post, it takes a long to type up. Maybe give me feedback about what parts are useful or informational and what parts aren't. I want to help provide my experience and also get critiques too.
You've now arrived to a list nearly identical to mine. +1 mistbind, -2 cryptic, +1 blackguard is where I am, with a slightly different spell package. Though the second blackguard could easily be another spell.
But as you said, cryptic gets stuck in your hand a lot more than quickling does.
Notorious throng with a blackguard completely ends a game. You deal a lot of damage and they discard their hand, more or less.
My sideboard is a bit different, but I'll post my testing-list, since it seems to be in the same direction you're going:
Sideboard is still a bit of a mess, but its been doing alright for me.
2 blackguards and 1 throng seems reasonable, numbers might change after I've played more with it.
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UB Faeries
U Taking Turns
BGW Abzan Midrange
EDH Decks
MonoU Sakashima the Impostor and the Clone Army
UG Rashmi, Eternities Crafter
Dralnu, Lich LordUBR Kess, Dissident MageThis is the typical Jeff Hoogland deck, now splashing black for Kolaghan's Command instead of white for Hallow against Burn or directly nothing. From a quick Google search, you might find a primer written by himself: http://www.themeadery.org/b/jeffhoogland/read/urx-fae-primer/
This deck is closer to UR Delver than to UB Faeries, even if it uses Spellstutter Sprite instead of Young Pyromancer.
Currently sleeved:
WUR Copycat ft. Stoneforge Mystic
I lost to twin 2-1 only because I didn't have enough counters, so nothing to report as of yet. Not sure if I'll keep using the Geist in there. I'm gonna test it again next week and then I have a plan to try out an Esper list as well. After that I'll give a mono U list a go as well.
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Scion of Oona
3 Vendilion Clique
Sorcery (6)
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
Instant (14)
4 Vapor Snag
2 Spell Snare
2 Spell Pierce
3 Remand
2 Mana Leak
1 Murderous Cut
4 Bitterblossom
Lands (21)
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Mutavault
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
2 Watery Grave
2 Island
1 Swamp
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Darkblast
1 Deathmark
1 Slaughter Pact
2 Engineered Explosives
2 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Dispel
1 Duress
1 Negate
2 Spellskite
2 Jace Beleren
Its really the best card in the deck, and excluding vendilion, faeries isn't really able to put up much of a clock without it.
I've been playing a deck with a lot more cheap disruption and liking it a lot, but mistbind is so critical to winning games.
Someone earlier mentioned oona's blackguard, and I've liked it a lot. I've been playing 1, coupled with 2 harbingers, and its done great. People get super focused on killing it, since it + blossom will shred their hand, that they start to make bad decisions, or walk into quicklings/spellstutters/counterspells.
Yeah, that may have been me, I'm trying the singleton blackguard too and it's an interesting card. Looking forward to testing more tomorrow. Quickling gets the counter too, so it gives you that chance to flash a rogue in with a counter and then swing with it next turn to force a discard. It's certainly not a plan, but it's there.
I've tried oona's blackguard in various lists but it's always been fairly underwhelming for me. It does draw their removal so is decent for that but i'd rather have something that's going to be more impactful than a 2 drop 1/1 that doesn't really do much of anything until turn 5 since you have to either drop it or bb on turn 2 then the other on turn 3 and it takes a couple turns for bitterblossom to get going and have a 2/2 token that causes discard. If you get it unopposed and have a bitterblossom it's pretty great.
I like harbinger but haven't been running it lately, it sometimes seems underwhelming to set up my next draw for 4 mana and be left with something that dies to bolt abd due to the 4 drop slot being full of mistbinds and cryptic. I haven't cared for quickling when I've tested it so far, it ends up stranded in my hand sometimes and other times it can lead to a blowout not in my favor. When it's good it's good, when it's not it's not. I have been running a deck similar to Osmonds most recently listed deck here with a few slight changes for more counter magic and siege in the board instead of jace and love it so far.
I like the take, but with 21 lands and no cantrips you will get stuck a lot. In general, blue deck manabases with 17-20 lands use not less than 8 cantrips, and with 21/23 not less than 4.
I like the single blackguard. I wouldnt play more, but sometimes it gets things done, or atleast forces your opponent to care, which is not something that can be said for most of the rest of our creatures.
I do agree with you on the monastery siege. I've played that card in fish before, and it was nice, but it really shines here.
I actually run a couple delay right now in addition the the spell snare and remand package and it's really been overperforming for me. I really enjoy playing a counter heavy deck but like everyone here it seems like i just can't stop myself from chaniging it up pretty frequently. I was thinking about testing out a couple quicklings or oona's in their place. I've ran both before but never really gave quickling a chance after pretty much seeing everyone say it was awful on this forum but may have to give it another chance.
I saw your recent reaport and deck list. You say you don't miss the 3rd cryptic so I may go to testing with 2 of those and see if harbinger can do some work. Do you ever find yourself with a quickling or blackguard in your hand wishing it was another counter/removal or something like a scion or v clique or do you get super excited jumping up and down screaming "WOohoo! Quickling!" and then have to pretend like you didn't draw one to try to not give it away to your opponent.
I usually just slam down blackguard if I have absolutely anything to back it up. It dies a lot. Maybe I should be more careful with it, but usually I just throw it out, fight over it a bit, let it die then play my harbinger or mistbind, or what-have-you like I would have anyways. Sometimes I even champion it to "save" it. It is nice that quickling to save blackguard does get the counter, potentially allowing you to recast blackguard and then make them discard with the quickling. I certainly wouldn't run blackguard without quicklings though, as we would have too few rogues. We do have bitterblossom which plays incredibly well with blackguard, but I wouldn't rely on just that as rogues.
Now that I think about it, maybe I'll try another blackguard just to see them more often (and another rogue!) and see if that changes how I play with the card.
I think blackguard would be fantastic if we had a couple more rogues to work with. It does hurt than spellstutter, harbinger, and both cliques are all wizards, and scion even being a soldier (whats up with that?). For morningtide being a class-focused block, faeries really got split up in that regard.
So far, the measly 4 match ups I've played with this list so far, quickling never hurt me. It's been decent so far, but I'm not willing to say he works or doesn't yet.
Oonas blackguard was only drawn one game and it was late in the game. I played it, but I had the game in hand by then. More testing needed.
Btw, new miscreant is a rogue.
Let me know how the double Oonas goes.
Also, with no discard in deck, I tend to have more answers in hand, so I don't mind holding a quickling if need be. After all, mistbind tends to wait forever to join the field.
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Spellstutter Sprite
3 Scion of Oona
3 Vendilion Clique
4 Serum Visions
Instant (17)
4 Terminate
3 Remand
3 Mana Leak
4 Lightning Bolt/Thoughtsieze
2 Spell Snare
1 Spell Pierce
4 Bitterblossom
What do you guys think about terminate? And is 4 Bblossom too much?
UB Faeries
U Taking Turns
BGW Abzan Midrange
EDH Decks
MonoU Sakashima the Impostor and the Clone Army
UG Rashmi, Eternities Crafter
Dralnu, Lich LordUBR Kess, Dissident MageUB/x Faeries
UR Storm
XURWB Affinity
G Elves
UW control
Criaturas
4 Spellstuster Sprite
2 Scion of Oona
2 Vendilion Clique
3 Mistbind Clique
Conjuros
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
Instantaneos
2 Vapor Snag
4 Remand
2 Anticipate
2 Smother
1 Go for the Throat
2 Dismember
3 Cryptic Command
Encantamientos
4 Bitterblossom
Tierras
4 Secluded Glen
4 Darkslick Shores
4 River of Tears
2 Creeping Tar Pit
4 Mutavault
1 Tectonic Edge
4 Island
1 Swamp
I went 4-2 (and drew top 4)
Here's the list I ran:
2x Faerie Harbinger
3x Mistbind Clique
1x Oona's Blackguard
2x Quickling
2x Scion of Oona
4x Spellstutter Sprite
2x Vendilion Clique
Instant (15)
2x Cryptic Command
2x Disfigure
3x Dismember
3x Remand
2x Smother
3x Spell Snare
4x Bitterblossom
Land (25)
4x Darkslick Shores
1x Ghost Quarter
5x Island
4x Mutavault
4x River of Tears
4x Secluded Glen
3x Swamp
1x Cryptic Command
2x Glen Elendra Archmage
2x Go for the Throat
2x Hurkyl's Recall
1x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1x Languish
2x Monastery Siege
2x Spell Pierce
2x Spellskite
As I said, only changed +1 Faerie Harbinger, kicked Ashiok to Sideboard, and -1 Languish from side.
Nothing but good things to say about this decklist. Quickling is pulling his own and then some.
The match ups:
Round 1 - 4-Color Gifts (2-1)
He played Lingering Souls, Lightning Bolts, Lightning Helix, Gifts Ungiven, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Godo, Bandit Warlord, Unburial Rites, Olivia Voldaren, Snap Caster.
Game 1
I wasn't familiar with this deck, but I killed/countered all the spirits he tried to get out. I had played Oona's Blackguard, which apparently people don't like much. He tried to Helix it, but I played a Quickling and bounced it (plus getting the +1/+1 counter) and fizzled his Helix. I replay the Blackguard. He tries to bolt it, I spellstutter that one. He bolts again and it finally dies. It took 3 bolts aimed at it, so I feel success for both the blackguard and the quickling. He is top decking and tries to land a Godo, which I had crytpic for. He would have grabbed Batterskull, so good thing I stopped it.
Game 2
I stop his early snapcaster and lingering souls and I resolve a BB. He lands Olivia though and I didn't have a removal spell. Olivia won the game.
Game 3
He played gifts and through an Elesh Norn in his grave. So I played very very conservatively. I played harbinger end of turn to get 2nd harbinger. Then harbinger to spellstutter. I was pecking him down while he resolved some lingering souls and other small fry I wasn't going to counter. I held 3 spell snares and 2 spell stutters. He Kolaghan's Commands, but I had plenty in hand to discard.
Round 2 - Janky artifacts (2-0)
Game 1
This was just a crushing. BB, Blackguard, 2nd BB, Scion. Was just lol. Meanwhile he played things like Elixir of Immortality, Sword of the Animist, Juggernaut, Shrapnel Blast weird stuff....
Game 2
Well, he started off stronger. He T2 Ensoul Artifact his Darksteel Citadel and he bashed me for 10 damage before I was able to Cryptic to counter his Juggernaut and bounce the land. He never recovered. or even touched me again. I did side in both Hurkyl's Recall but never saw one as usual.
Not much to say as they weren't much interaction.
Round 3 - Affinity (0-2)
Game 1
He spills hand and I was a little off balance. Fairly quick pummeling. I only hit him for 2 dmg. He ran a standard list it appeared.
Game 2
This game was fully under my control, I had him stuck a Cranial Plating out and no real creatures. Was bashing in. He finally lands an Etched Champion (after I remanded it twice) I have him at 6 with lethal next turn. He top decks a 2nd cranial plating and swings for 17 which was my life total...
Also, no Hurkyl's Recall again.
Round 4 - Rakdos aggro (2-0)
Game 1
He plays some hasty creatures, but I get a BB out and am able to trade and chump for a while. He terminates my good creatures, I had to Dismember a Ashenmoor Liege but luckily I did not have to pay even more life for the dismember. This game was frustrating. I had drawn 11 lands, 2 BB, a Remand, a Mistbind, and a dismember. He was at 4 life and I was at 1. I had 4 swinging faeries, with him holding one card. All he had to do was stop 1 pt of dmg or deal 1 pt of dmg first, but he couldn't.
Game 2
Little easier, he got some quick burst damage on me with a double Titan's Stength, but I stablaized, had counters ready and dealt with his threats.
Round 5 - Affinity (1-2)
Game 1
She spews her hand, gets the Vault Skirge with Cranial Plating and quickly goes up to 36 life... I got her back to 24, but couldn't get a board. I did do a fun interaction though with Quickling. So I had 4 mana. Needed to counter a 2 drop and I had spellstutter and quickling in hand. I cast Quickling, with trigger on stack, I cast Spellstutter, countered the spell, then bounced spellstutter to hand and had a 2/2 body to block with. Wasn't enough, but fun.
Game 2
On the play, I was much better equipped to stop threats. I just kept tempo the whole game, got BB and scions and smashed face.
Game 3
She again got 2 Skirges out early. In fact, I had no T1 play, so on T2 I counted 7 dmg coming at me next turn. I had spellstutter or BB. I went with BB, dropping to 10 on her swing. 9 with BB, then took another 5 on her next swing. I drop to 4... 3 and then manage to get the board and use Mistbind to exile BB. A Galvanic Blast finishes the job though.
Again, no Hurkyl's Recalls again.
Round 6 - Affinity (2-0)
This was the same guy that beat me in round 3.
Game 1
Kinda shut him down. I was on the play. He throws out a land, then casts a Signal Pest. He tries to cast Opal and I disfigure the Pest in response. He throws out a Ornithopter but, no metalcraft for him so he was stopped. I spellstutter his Springleaf Drum and he passes again. I just answer turn and after turn. Got a BB out and he just couldn't get anything going. I took 6 ticks off BB before winning.
Game 2
I had a good opening 7 for most match ups, but I mul to 6 and keep. I get lucky being able to spell pierce his cranial plating on T2 after he hand dumped. He is only able to peck in for 4 with a couple Memnites and signal pest. I got a BB out and stopped his board from going up. I couldn't push much damage through so it was sorta a stalemate with me ticking down for a while. He tried to Whipflare but spellsnare is good. I ticked from 14 to 6 before finally being able to get the win. He did have a plating out and one skirge, so he gained 11 life that game.
Again, no Hurkyl's Recalls again.
Some Thoughts
Hurkyl's Recall FFFFF this card!!!! I have sided two copies in since I started playing Faeries in May or June anytime I play affinity and NEVER not even once have I even drawn the card to my hand. I played 4 artifact rounds tonight. 5 games where I had sideboard cards in, one mulligan opening hand and not one Recall was drawn tonight (or EVER in my lifetime). So annoyed.
Faerie Harbinger Really glad I went to two copies. Going Harbinger, grab Harbinger is a good value. I pulled Harbinger, Spellstutter, Mistbind, Quickling and Scion with this card tonight. I never pulled Vendi or a BB with it. I love Harbinger.
Scion of Oona - Again, 2 copies is great. I still got 2 out to protect against terminate on the other and provide shroud to each other.
Quickling - He has never been a dead card in hand. I mean, yeah, he's not a T2 2/2 flyer, but I used it for so much value. My opponents were fairly impressed/annoyed at the value I kept getting off it. Protect my mutavault that swung and was about to die. Reuse spellstutters or Mistbinds or Harbingers. And a 2/2 body is relevant... sometimes that extra toughness makes a big difference.
The oona's blackguard still pulls hate like mad. Apparently people don't like 1/1 tokens every turn, and really don't like the idea of 2/2 tokens every turn. I will likely still go 1 copy.
I got stuck on 2 blue mana and a cryptic in hand often. It's very painful to be sitting on such a powerful card and have to pass priority and let their spells resolve that should be stopped.
I have not missed taking out my other man lands. I like keeping mana open and mutavault does enough work for me at the right activation cost.
Had some good compliments on the deck tonight. One guy went over my list after and we discussed the cards and how I'm not running discard. He said it worked for me, he (the affinity match up I had twice) said I always had a perfect answer and perfect curve. He really liked the deck and said he wasn't sure how he beat me in the swiss.
I'm getting a lot of respect and lots of good interactions with my list. I think I want to add Vampiric Link at some point, need a little lifegain somewhere.
Another card I want to try is Notorious Throng I feel like I can hit with a rogue easy enough, and if I do, I can pay 6 mana for an extra turn. Or hit them hard with my team, not leaving back blockers. Then pay 4 to get a field of chump blockers.
I know the thought is, its sorcery speed. It's a win-more card. But, I can see the situations, especially against affinity where this card is great. I got to a board state I could sit with 3 creatures back and swing in with a couple, but if I could swing with team and take an extra turn with extra creatures... probably a deal closer. Not a win-more, it's actually a stale-mate breaker. Because stalemates favor the opponent.
EDIT: Hopefully this is useful to post, it takes a long to type up. Maybe give me feedback about what parts are useful or informational and what parts aren't. I want to help provide my experience and also get critiques too.
But as you said, cryptic gets stuck in your hand a lot more than quickling does.
Notorious throng with a blackguard completely ends a game. You deal a lot of damage and they discard their hand, more or less.
My sideboard is a bit different, but I'll post my testing-list, since it seems to be in the same direction you're going:
4 mistbind clique
2 oona's blackguard
2 quickling
2 scion of oona
4 spellstutter sprite
2 vendilion clique
4 bitterblossom
4 dismember
3 smother
2 spell pierce
2 spell snare
1 tragic slip
1 notorious throng
6 island
4 mutavault
4 secluded glen
5 swamp
1 ghost quarter
1 urborg, tomb of yawgmoth
1 glen elendra archmage
2 sower of temptation
2 monastery siege
1 vampiric link
2 annul
2 dispel
2 hurkyl's recall
2 tribute to hunger
1 damnation
Sideboard is still a bit of a mess, but its been doing alright for me.
2 blackguards and 1 throng seems reasonable, numbers might change after I've played more with it.