Great work on the Primer, Pizzaz, sorry I couldn't contribute more! I have about 10 matchups from random local tourneys I'll report on after I add one more small tourney tomorrow.
Really feels like we are just breaking into this deck. Also feels like the best version will be discovered in the near future, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it ended up looking and feeling like a turboesque dredge deck.
The draw and random discard can fuel dredge while discarding fuels hallow and flameblades. Only issue I see is incorporating VV in here and space. Something will have to come out.
Between neonate and flameblades thats 8 1 drop guys to bring back VV. Probably need to either wait for another broken 1 drop to be printed or discover the next in line guy.... If going that route than the obvious direction is Lavamancer. 1 drop that deals direct damage at the cost of things you dont need in the yard.
Next most obvious choice is Angler. Since he can delve lands and useless lands to cost only 1 also.
Double post but seporate thoughts.
Okay so its kinda obvious, or atleast my playstyle, that turn 1 on the draw you go for it when you can. But on the play do y'all find yourselves going for it or setting up? Like when Im on the play and have neonate and looting I'll lead with looting. Maybe putting a VV in the yard or seeing if I draw into gas. Its possible to pitch a VV off of a looting and see you have wraith and 2 hallow ones. In which case you switch gears and ram it in there. But more often you don't have that hand. In which case just pitching the vv is fine because next turn you have your draw step and neonate to draw again while knowing that'll count as 1 for VV and 1 for HO.
All of the Pro-Tour variants are very one-dimensional. They're basically creature aggro with very little interaction. I prefer running less discard outlets/creatures and more burn/interaction.
So here are the last 13 matches I've played in the past few weeks at a few local events:
-Event 1- (4-0. First)
vs 8Rack: 2-0
Not a hard matchup, as he had very little to interact with threats, and making me discard does very little.
vs B/G Rock: 2-1
A much harder matchup! Got lucky Game 1 with double Turn 1 Hollow One off of Looting/Wraith. Game 2 was grindier, but Lili's and a Damnation got him there. Game 3 had a bunch of Bloodghasts he didn't have an answer for, pulling it through in the end.
vs Bring To Light Scapeshift: 2-0
Not enough answers for a versatile threat package. Counterspells and a slow win-con aren't great against our deck without good removal backing them up!
vs Bant Spirits: 2-1
Great match, grindy threats and good spot removal/reach really pulled through. Rakdos Charm for 5 seems legit and won me Game 3!
-Event 2- (5-1, Second)
vs Whir Lantern: 2-0
He didn't find Bridge fast enough Game 1, and was at 5 or 6 by the time he did. I burned him out no problem. Game 2 I dropped Blood Moon before he could Whir for a Bridge, and he lost to Adept beats.
vs B/G Tron: 2-1
Guy knows what he's doing with his version of Tron; normally it's a pretty easy matchup, but he found the discard to take my enablers and drop a Wurmcoil Game 1. Game 2 was double Hollow One on Turn 1, and Game 3 was Blood Moon with him digging for Green mana. Durdling with Stars left him easy prey to a small army of beaters.
vs U/G Fish: 2-1
Kill Fish with Bolts, win game. Game 2 he had the all-Lords backed by Spreading Seas kill. Game 3 he didn't. Rakdos Charms can both give reach or blow an early Vial, as I did Game 3 on the second turn.
vs Amulet Titan: 2-1
Game 1 was Turn 3 Titan, a real quick win, blegh. Game 2 I had Bolt for Azusa and some fast beats. Game 3 I had a Charm for her Amulet. Gotta have interaction!
(Top 4)
vs Mardu Midrange: 2-0
Souls is good aganst us, Path is good against us. This poor guy saw 0 Paths both games, and Bloodghasts just pushed through all of his interaction. Saw Damnation against a Ghast, Phoenix, and Adept Game 2, didn't care. Dropped Angler and got everything back next turn, he had Lilis and Bolts in hand that did very little. Didn't see any Revelers, and I Tempered his Pyromancer, though, so I think he just got pretty unlucky.
vs U/W Control: 0-2
NOPE. Game 1 he locked out my Ghasts with D-Sphere and dropped Gideon to slow my roll. Game 2 I go T1 Adept, T2 2x Hollow One (he Paths one), T3 Ghast into play and a Phoenix swinging, T4 swing for lethal, get Settle the Wreckaged! REKT AM I. Good stuff, haha.
-Event 3- (3-0, First)
vs Mono-W Taxes: 2-0
He had a SUPER slow start Game 1, and once I'd Tempered his Thalia, I pretty much had him. Game 2 was Hollow One Turn 1 into Tasigur Turn 2 into Phoenix x2 Turn 3. Really nasty start, he didn't have much in the way of answers other than a single Path.
vs Elves: 2-1
Game 1 my opener was 2 Bolts, a Temper, a Bloodghast, and a Collective Brutality. He got smote. Game 2 he did the Elves thing with Relic of Progenitus backup, and I almost turned it around, but in the end it was just too much. Game 3 I kept a Grim Lavamancer out to protect a single Adept, who went the whole way, with Bolts and the Lavaman dinging blockers to keep the Board clear for Adept to do alllll the work.
vs U/B Mill: 2-0
It was mill. He put three Phoenixes into my GY at one point, then immediately died to them and a Delve dude over the next two turns. Easy match, though Game 2 he surprised me with a Bridge out of his SB! Fortunately, I brought in Charms to hit his Mesmeric Orbs anyway, so it all worked out.
Hello there, im currently running Ken Yukihiro version with a little bit modifications. I like Faerie Macabre as extra discard and graveyard key removal, also with Call Netherworld to get back faerie and discard again or Gurmag. In sideboard playing with 3 Ravenous Trap since i can't afford Leyline yet. Any thoughts?
Pizzap, would you mind putting your list on a site like mtggoldfish for easier access? I would love to give it a try online. Also any side boarding tips would be appreciated.
Today at work while cutting onions (I'm working at a restaurant)I started to think about the blue splash(Temur version) when suddenly I remembered a planar chaos card that might be worth trying: Magus of the bazaar! Also cards like Izzet Charm, Izzet Staticaster and Stubborn Denial in the sideboard seems like synergistic with the theme of the deck. What you guys think? (I thought giving a try in the R/G aggro build with 30+ creatures)
I was looking at some Hellbent cards, as it seems like we rarely have cards in our hand around turn 3 or 4. The list just isn't that great, seems like there is more synergy with Madness cards (https://scryfall.com/search?as=&order=&q=o:hellbent). However Infernal Tutor could be beneficial in the late game or to grab some SB cards to hate on the opponent and create some much needed consistency. Also, Keldon Megaliths would be an interesting way to punch in an extra damage per turn in the late game.
As far as Madness cards go; Stromkirk Occultist could be a nice option to play instead of the Phoenix. Works as a Bob for us, and can be played turn three with a Faithless Looting discard, but is ultimately probably too slow. Grave Scrabbler can help us grab any Hollow Ones that were discarded, which if we are paying it's madness cost means there would be a good chance we could play the Hollow One after bringing it back to our hand. But the card I really like is Alms of the Vein. I've actually had difficulty using Collective Brutality correctly, as there are many times I do not have other cards to discard. The -2 to opponent and +2 to me is really beneficial to speed the game up and pad it in our favor. This card let's us use that ability on the fly and is a -3/+3.
Another card I really like is Blightning for the same reason where I feel I am often only getting to use one of the Collective's ability. This card disrupts and damages, and if the opponent doesn't have a hand, I don't feel as bad for discarding it.
I have an abnormal affection for Lupine Prototype in any such deck (aggro, quick hand dumping, no need for combat trick instants). Not sure it works here but it may be worth a consider.
Before Hollow One came along, the similar play style Vengevine decks liked to play a lot of Burning Tree Emissary into Myr Superion. In that build I found Lupine slotted in nicely as Superions 5-8 - another fat colourless 2-drop that could be the second creature after BTE to trigger a Vengevine return, in a deck that was prone to be at zero cards quickly and needed to hold no surprises for combat.
lupine prototype is good and all, but 1 rewards more artifact hate, which can often be dead cards for the opponent. and 2, is a 2 mana 5/5... in a deck that plays 1 mana 5/5s... meh.
madness cards in general are just not good in the deck unless it has a madness cost of 0... basking rootwalla and call to the netherworld are the only ones i know of, and not really worth a slot.
infernal tutor however, i could get behind. seems legit. find a pyroclasm, or e.e. ... maybe a hazoret, maybe just reveal a hollow one and find one to give higher odds of playing multiples in one turn. Kinda slow, but we can get fairly grindy with the deck sometimes, especially post board.
Hey everyone. A friend from the Lantern Discord was asking me if I could make a spreadsheet that tracks the deck's performance, like I've done with Lantern. Got it mostly set up, but it could definitely use some more game data. I talked to him about maybe contacting you all to see if you would be interested in all working together to enter data so that you all could benefit. Anyways, here's the link for it. It's relatively easy to input data and have it calculate everything. Unless he gives all of you editing access, you'll have to create a copy and edit that to input your own data. I'll be standing by if any help is needed, and I hope you all find it useful!
Question. Do you have a script that generates the Weighted Data Trends sheet? I'm no pro at Excel, but I do have some experience with it. I basically understand pivot tables, but I can't figure out how you generated the Data Trends table without having to type the formula for each row (Card) in separately.
I don't, unfortunately. With the help of LQ from the MTGSalvation IRC channel, I got the functions for the weighing of the data, and then used the built-in "drag-down-to-copy-the-function-to-other-cells" tool built into Google Sheets (Excel also has it) to copy it for each card.
Appreciate the response. I've tried that, but I must be doing something wrong. When I do the drag-down-to-copy thing, it wants to change the cell number, but not the sheet number.
So, for example, when I copy down, 'Card 1'!A2 turns into 'Card 1'!A3, 'Card 1'!A4, and so on. Do you know how I do it so that it becomes 'Card 2'!A2, 'Card 3'!A2, etc?
The $ makes the next row/column identifier a constant that doesn’t try to make it follow a series.
(Edit) oh, that only solves half your problem. I can’t think of an automatic way for it to increment sheet names. There are definitely clumsy ways, like a hidden column with incrementing numbers then a concatenation function to rebuild your page name incorporating the number in that hidden column.
https://magic.wizards.com/en/events/coverage/ptrix/21-23-point-decklists-2018-02-03
CG
PT Top 8, whoo!
The draw and random discard can fuel dredge while discarding fuels hallow and flameblades. Only issue I see is incorporating VV in here and space. Something will have to come out.
Between neonate and flameblades thats 8 1 drop guys to bring back VV. Probably need to either wait for another broken 1 drop to be printed or discover the next in line guy.... If going that route than the obvious direction is Lavamancer. 1 drop that deals direct damage at the cost of things you dont need in the yard.
Next most obvious choice is Angler. Since he can delve lands and useless lands to cost only 1 also.
Okay so its kinda obvious, or atleast my playstyle, that turn 1 on the draw you go for it when you can. But on the play do y'all find yourselves going for it or setting up? Like when Im on the play and have neonate and looting I'll lead with looting. Maybe putting a VV in the yard or seeing if I draw into gas. Its possible to pitch a VV off of a looting and see you have wraith and 2 hallow ones. In which case you switch gears and ram it in there. But more often you don't have that hand. In which case just pitching the vv is fine because next turn you have your draw step and neonate to draw again while knowing that'll count as 1 for VV and 1 for HO.
So here are the last 13 matches I've played in the past few weeks at a few local events:
-Event 1- (4-0. First)
vs 8Rack: 2-0
Not a hard matchup, as he had very little to interact with threats, and making me discard does very little.
vs B/G Rock: 2-1
A much harder matchup! Got lucky Game 1 with double Turn 1 Hollow One off of Looting/Wraith. Game 2 was grindier, but Lili's and a Damnation got him there. Game 3 had a bunch of Bloodghasts he didn't have an answer for, pulling it through in the end.
vs Bring To Light Scapeshift: 2-0
Not enough answers for a versatile threat package. Counterspells and a slow win-con aren't great against our deck without good removal backing them up!
vs Bant Spirits: 2-1
Great match, grindy threats and good spot removal/reach really pulled through. Rakdos Charm for 5 seems legit and won me Game 3!
-Event 2- (5-1, Second)
vs Whir Lantern: 2-0
He didn't find Bridge fast enough Game 1, and was at 5 or 6 by the time he did. I burned him out no problem. Game 2 I dropped Blood Moon before he could Whir for a Bridge, and he lost to Adept beats.
vs B/G Tron: 2-1
Guy knows what he's doing with his version of Tron; normally it's a pretty easy matchup, but he found the discard to take my enablers and drop a Wurmcoil Game 1. Game 2 was double Hollow One on Turn 1, and Game 3 was Blood Moon with him digging for Green mana. Durdling with Stars left him easy prey to a small army of beaters.
vs U/G Fish: 2-1
Kill Fish with Bolts, win game. Game 2 he had the all-Lords backed by Spreading Seas kill. Game 3 he didn't. Rakdos Charms can both give reach or blow an early Vial, as I did Game 3 on the second turn.
vs Amulet Titan: 2-1
Game 1 was Turn 3 Titan, a real quick win, blegh. Game 2 I had Bolt for Azusa and some fast beats. Game 3 I had a Charm for her Amulet. Gotta have interaction!
(Top 4)
vs Mardu Midrange: 2-0
Souls is good aganst us, Path is good against us. This poor guy saw 0 Paths both games, and Bloodghasts just pushed through all of his interaction. Saw Damnation against a Ghast, Phoenix, and Adept Game 2, didn't care. Dropped Angler and got everything back next turn, he had Lilis and Bolts in hand that did very little. Didn't see any Revelers, and I Tempered his Pyromancer, though, so I think he just got pretty unlucky.
vs U/W Control: 0-2
NOPE. Game 1 he locked out my Ghasts with D-Sphere and dropped Gideon to slow my roll. Game 2 I go T1 Adept, T2 2x Hollow One (he Paths one), T3 Ghast into play and a Phoenix swinging, T4 swing for lethal, get Settle the Wreckaged! REKT AM I. Good stuff, haha.
-Event 3- (3-0, First)
vs Mono-W Taxes: 2-0
He had a SUPER slow start Game 1, and once I'd Tempered his Thalia, I pretty much had him. Game 2 was Hollow One Turn 1 into Tasigur Turn 2 into Phoenix x2 Turn 3. Really nasty start, he didn't have much in the way of answers other than a single Path.
vs Elves: 2-1
Game 1 my opener was 2 Bolts, a Temper, a Bloodghast, and a Collective Brutality. He got smote. Game 2 he did the Elves thing with Relic of Progenitus backup, and I almost turned it around, but in the end it was just too much. Game 3 I kept a Grim Lavamancer out to protect a single Adept, who went the whole way, with Bolts and the Lavaman dinging blockers to keep the Board clear for Adept to do alllll the work.
vs U/B Mill: 2-0
It was mill. He put three Phoenixes into my GY at one point, then immediately died to them and a Delve dude over the next two turns. Easy match, though Game 2 he surprised me with a Bridge out of his SB! Fortunately, I brought in Charms to hit his Mesmeric Orbs anyway, so it all worked out.
Anyway, I really enjoy my version, and feel it still has good legs on it. List: https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/empty-questions/
3 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Mountain
2 Stomping Ground
1 Swamp
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures
4 Bloodghast
2 Faerie Macabre
4 Flameblade Adept
4 Flamewake Phoenix
3 Gurmag Angler
4 Hollow One
4 Street Wraith
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4 Burning Inquiry
2 Call to the Netherworld
4 Faithless Looting
4 Goblin Lore
2 Lightning Bolt
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
3 Collective Brutality
1 Lightning Axe
2 Lightning Bolt
3 Ravenous Trap
As far as Madness cards go; Stromkirk Occultist could be a nice option to play instead of the Phoenix. Works as a Bob for us, and can be played turn three with a Faithless Looting discard, but is ultimately probably too slow. Grave Scrabbler can help us grab any Hollow Ones that were discarded, which if we are paying it's madness cost means there would be a good chance we could play the Hollow One after bringing it back to our hand. But the card I really like is Alms of the Vein. I've actually had difficulty using Collective Brutality correctly, as there are many times I do not have other cards to discard. The -2 to opponent and +2 to me is really beneficial to speed the game up and pad it in our favor. This card let's us use that ability on the fly and is a -3/+3.
Another card I really like is Blightning for the same reason where I feel I am often only getting to use one of the Collective's ability. This card disrupts and damages, and if the opponent doesn't have a hand, I don't feel as bad for discarding it.
Before Hollow One came along, the similar play style Vengevine decks liked to play a lot of Burning Tree Emissary into Myr Superion. In that build I found Lupine slotted in nicely as Superions 5-8 - another fat colourless 2-drop that could be the second creature after BTE to trigger a Vengevine return, in a deck that was prone to be at zero cards quickly and needed to hold no surprises for combat.
lupine prototype is good and all, but 1 rewards more artifact hate, which can often be dead cards for the opponent. and 2, is a 2 mana 5/5... in a deck that plays 1 mana 5/5s... meh.
madness cards in general are just not good in the deck unless it has a madness cost of 0... basking rootwalla and call to the netherworld are the only ones i know of, and not really worth a slot.
infernal tutor however, i could get behind. seems legit. find a pyroclasm, or e.e. ... maybe a hazoret, maybe just reveal a hollow one and find one to give higher odds of playing multiples in one turn. Kinda slow, but we can get fairly grindy with the deck sometimes, especially post board.
(edit) oh, Gurmag Angler is the creature-for-1 you're talking about, never mind.
Lantern Control
(with videos)
Uc Tron
Netdecking explained
Netdecking explained, Part 2
On speculators and counterfeits
On Interaction
Every single competitive deck in existence is designed to limit the opponent's ability to interact in a meaningful way.
Record number of exclamation points on SCG homepage: 71 (6 January, 2018)
"I don't want to believe, I want to know."
-Carl Sagan
Question. Do you have a script that generates the Weighted Data Trends sheet? I'm no pro at Excel, but I do have some experience with it. I basically understand pivot tables, but I can't figure out how you generated the Data Trends table without having to type the formula for each row (Card) in separately.
Lantern Control
(with videos)
Uc Tron
Netdecking explained
Netdecking explained, Part 2
On speculators and counterfeits
On Interaction
Every single competitive deck in existence is designed to limit the opponent's ability to interact in a meaningful way.
Record number of exclamation points on SCG homepage: 71 (6 January, 2018)
"I don't want to believe, I want to know."
-Carl Sagan
So, for example, when I copy down, 'Card 1'!A2 turns into 'Card 1'!A3, 'Card 1'!A4, and so on. Do you know how I do it so that it becomes 'Card 2'!A2, 'Card 3'!A2, etc?
The $ makes the next row/column identifier a constant that doesn’t try to make it follow a series.
(Edit) oh, that only solves half your problem. I can’t think of an automatic way for it to increment sheet names. There are definitely clumsy ways, like a hidden column with incrementing numbers then a concatenation function to rebuild your page name incorporating the number in that hidden column.