It will destroy a fair deck meta. In my over a year of playing this deck, I can count on one hand the number of times I've lost to BGx. I've also only lost to UWx twice in this time.
What may give you problems in your meta would be Burn, sometimes Tron with the nut draw, and Humans if they get out of 3 toughness too quickly.
Played in a 51 person 1K today. Remnants of my slump continue.
Round 1 vs. Mono Green Tron. This guy just won a PTQ in Phoenix with Mono Green Taxes. We've seen each other in a lot of PPTQs, so we're pretty chummy. He gets turn 3 Tron and Wurmcoil Engine. With him at 23 life, I swing with Prime Time for 24 damage. In the next game, I dismantle a Wurmcoil Engine again and get there in the late game after a Crumble to Dust on a Tron land. Scared of 7th land and Karn, but I dodged it and I think Ulamog and 10th land is the only thing that would have for sure killed me. Great draws by me after mulling to 6 both games and awkward draws for him. That's Modern though. Take it or leave it! 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Jund. A guy who rode with us (4). We got into top deck wars after discard and Lily and we know who top decks better. We're playing one of the best top decking deck in Modern. Tell me what top decks better. I got Tireless Tracker and 4 Clues off double fetch in game 2, but he had removal and pressure and nearly got me. I top deck Prime Time, which keeps me at 4 life, safe from a Lightning Bolt that was revealed to Dark Confidant. The Prime Time swings for approximately 1,000 damage the next turn. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Humans. I played 3 Lightning Bolt on 3 Champion of the Parish and he couldn't get anything going before he did Kitesail Freebooter to see a lethal Scapeshift AND Slagstorm. I do Slagstorm to get the Scapeshift, then do it for lethal. He cracked 3 Horizon Canopy this game and thought he'd get there, but he drew more lands. In the next game, he mulled to 6 and couldn't find a 2nd land. He had Dark Confidant, 2 Phantasmal Image, and Meddling Mage in hand, so a 2nd land would have been golden. He had the ole Ancient Ziggurat/Aether Vial Nonbo hand. It was a good keep though. Out of all my opponents other than the next 2 who had easy draws in, I felt like THIS guy would top 8, but he ran into some really bad luck later on. We talked after the tournament at a restaurant while my friends were chatting at the next table. Cool guy! 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Infect. Dude won first place! Killed me with Inkmoth Nexus twice after I killed a total of 5 Infect creatures in 2 games. This is pretty much how the matchup goes. Even if we Anger of the Gods, Lightning Bolt, Roast, and Slagstorm everything, 1 creature will slip through and there's too many +4/+4s and Become Immense. I asked him how many Trons he played against today. He said none. He beat 2 Jund, 2-0 in both. 0-2.
Round 5 vs. Mono White Taxes. Game 1, double Leonin Arbiter into triple Ghost Quarter on 3 consecutive turns. I nearly get there, but Mirran Crusader shortens my clock and I can't find Lightning Bolt. On an empty board, I may have been too aggressive. I do a turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf, which cascades after 3 cards into Slagstorm, a card that would have won me the game easily any turn after this. I can't find Burn and he eventually swarms me after Path to Exile on BBE. In the next game, in the late game, I draw Roast. I Roast 1 of 3 Leonin Arbiters, end of his turn sacrifice STE and pay 4 mana, then go to my turn and pay 4 mana and Scapeshift for the win. In the final game, I find a Lightning Bolt for 1 Leonin Arbiter, but he has turn 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender, so a late game Anger of the Gods does nothing. I go to my turn, pay 2 mana for Arbiter to Summoner's Pact, then I STE sacrifice for a land, then use my last 4 mana to Scapeshift. He had 3 cards in hand and hadn't shown Restoration Angel any of the games. But...he had just gotten to 4 mana, and he HAD it. Used it on his Arbiter to make it a new Arbiter, Scapeshift doesn't resolve. (Well it can resolve, but I can't search.) I took a chance that he didn't have it, but I'm lucky I did because he probably draws his 4th Arbiter next turn to go with a Resto Angel. SEVEN Leonin Arbiter vs. 1 Lightning Bolt in 3 games. Kind of like how the Dodgers usually lose... I'm officially out. 1-2.
Round 6 vs. Dredge. Not much to see here. His dredges were bad. His draws were bad. His mulls were bad. I goldfished him in both games and won easily. He actually had 2 Prized Amalgam and 1 Narcomoeba out in game 2, but I immediately got Prime Time. Not a fair fight or fair draws. 2-0.
I finish 4-2, which got 9th place. This is my 2nd 9th place in a few weeks, so I'm pretty bummed. A 4-2 ended up making it on 59% tie breakers while my tie breakers were 54%. I saw 3 of my remaining 4 opponents lose in the final round. That can't be good for tie breakers.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
It will destroy a fair deck meta. In my over a year of playing this deck, I can count on one hand the number of times I've lost to BGx. I've also only lost to UWx twice in this time.
What may give you problems in your meta would be Burn, sometimes Tron with the nut draw, and Humans if they get out of 3 toughness too quickly.
Round 1 vs. Living End. I goldfished him and after he did Violent Outburst to get rid of my Prime Time, I did Scapeshift for lethal next turn. In the next game, he did Fulminator Mage, then Avalanche Riders, then Living End. I don't win this one. In the last game, I have all basics and fetches, so I play around Fulminator Mage hard and end up getting there. He does a mini Living End, putting Desert Cerodon and Street Wraith into play, but I get Prime Time and win the following turn after declining a block on the 6/4 Cerodon. I live at 4 life. 2-1.
Round 2 vs. Humans. I play Bolt and other stuff. Her hand is slow and Bolt opens up Scapeshift for me. In the next game, she explodes out of the gate and has large creatures that kill me on turn 4. In the final game, it is close, but I draw 4 straight lands and lose. The last 2 draws were Mountain (already had 2 in hand) and Valakut. If in the opposite order, the Valakut trigger would have killed the Freebooter, freeing up my Slagstorm and wiping her board. That would have given me a good chance to win. 1-2.
Round 3 vs. Jacekai. He missed his 3rd land drop on turn 3, I drew 2 more Bloodbraid Elves to go with the 1 in my opener and finished him off with Scapeshift, which I expected to get countered, to which I would respond with double Bolt to win. He didn't have the counter. In the next game, it is more of the same and I triple Bolt him for the win. I drew 2 more Bolt and 1 more Bloodbraid Elf this game. Very good draws. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Humans. He correctly identifies that I will have 6 land next turn, so he does Meddling Mage on Prime Time. I have 2 Scapeshift in hand and draw Search for Tomorrow to do it and Scapeshift for lethal. In the next game, he rushes me with pressure, sort of like what happened to me in game 2 of the other Human match. In the final game, he nearly locks me up with Meddling Mage on a Prime Time that he knew about, but I had Tireless Tracker, 3 clues, 8 mana, and just needed a Mountain or ramp for 2 Valakut triggers. I draw Bolt and it is much easier to Bolt the Mage, then Prime Time for lethal. 2-1.
Round 5 vs. Burn. He is about to kill me. I'm at 9 life and he has 2 cards in hand and a draw step. He can't get me to 0, so I Search for Tomorrow, taking 2 from Eidolon of the Great Revel, falling to 1 life, then doing a lethal Scapeshift. In the next game, there's not much to see. He misses his 2nd land drop and I turn 3 Summoner's Pact for Obstinate Baloth and 2 turns later I do Thragtusk. There is no chance for him now. He shows me a hand of 3 Boros Charm, 3 Lightning Helix, Eidolon, and some other cards. Unlucky. 2-0.
4-1 for 3rd place. Not bad. I had drawn very well vs. the girl in Round 2 the past 4 times we played, so I don't feel too badly at being outdrawn here. I did outdraw a lot of opponents tonight.
*Regarding Bloodbraid Elf, I've played in 3 tournaments with it so far and I think it's really a meta call. I think that Bloodbraid Elf is better in the current meta, especially if you expect a lot of Midrange and Control. I got the list from a friend who is Thien's friend. The list I have is Thien's list, although I'm not sure if he did the Growth Spasm list before or after the list that I have. Bloodbraid Elf has ranged from very bad to pretty good for me so far.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Straight from Thien Nyugen's friend. Although I don't know if the Growth Spasm list came after or before this one.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Round 1 vs. BUG. I mull to 6. Good six. In the first game, he does Inquisition of Kozilek to get a ramp card, and I get a turn 4 Prime Time Logic Knotted, but I resolve the next one and it ends things. In the next game, I mull to 6 again. I keep on 5 land, Obstinate Baloth. He does turn 1, shock and Thoughtseize. Gooooot Em! This makes it tough for him to win. He nearly stabilizes, but I then get a Tireless Tracker off a Bloodbraid Elf and he scoops. We play 3 more for fun and he wins 2 of them. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Enchantress. Only plays Enchantress. Usually has a somewhat rough time, but said after the final round that the new Wr list is 6-1-1 so far. Hasn't faced Tron yet. Before the game double Leyline of Sanctity. Plays some Runed Halos on Prime Time and Bloodbraid Elf. I get all the lands out of my deck, trying to find Thragtusk to beat him. I can't find it until there are 14 cards left in my deck. At this point, he has Assemble the Legion with 5 counters on it. I kept swinging away with double Sakura Tribe-Elder, but that Assemble came in time. He was at 7 life. I had double Slagstorm in my hand, so if he went to 6, the game would be over. He didn't and chump blocked until he had lethal. My mistake was not saving some Mountains for Valakut triggers. If I could have killed a few more Assemble tokens, I'd swing with STE until he was at 6, then double Slagstorm, going around Leyline of Sanctity to do 6 to each of us. Big mistake, but I was trying to draw to 1 Thragtusk or 2 Summoner's Pact. Tough to find cards! I mull to 4 in the next game, keeping on 1 land. I couldn't find another for a while and he resolved Enduring Ideal. I cascaded past Crumble to Dust twice. I couldn't find the card, which would have gotten the Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, which tapped for 15 mana in order to pay for Story Circle through his own double Suppression Field. I know. Nobody knows these cards. I could play a deck that doesn't fold to before the game Leyline of Sanctity to hedge against him, but outside of Round 1, I don't expect to have the same W/L as him. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Mono Green Tron. I mull to 6. I ramp up. He gets a Wurmcoil Engine, then takes 36 damage. In then next game, he does the Map into Tron on turn 3 again, but only Wurmcoil Engine. He gets 2 swings in and a 3/3 lifelink token in to put him at 35. I have Scapeshift, so I have 36 next turn. I draw a land, so now I have more. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Zoo. I am paired up, so I give him the win and a 60/40 split in prizing. He's also on my team and was 1 land drop (needed it for Kozilek's Return) from winning Game 3 in the last round of GP Phoenix vs. Alex Majlaton on Affinity. Really good player and seems to draw nutty hands vs. me. Wins the die roll, I mull to 5, plays Noble Hierarch into Loxodon Smiter. I do Lightning Bolt on Noble Hierarch to prevent a turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf, but he has Dromoka's Command. Kills me a few turns later. I miss on a land drop, which would have allowed for Search for Tomorrow into Scapeshift for lethal. I don't get it. In the next game after a mull to 6, I do turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf into Summoner's Pact. I tank on whether to cast it or not, because of the possibility of him having land/Blood Moon. I feel like Blood Moon is a 2 of, so I go for it. He does Molten Rain the next turn so I can't pay Pact. I scoop. 0-2.
I get 2-2. Rough beats.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Round 1 vs. BUG. I mull to 6. Good six. In the first game, he does Inquisition of Kozilek to get a ramp card, and I get a turn 4 Prime Time Logic Knotted, but I resolve the next one and it ends things. In the next game, I mull to 6 again. I keep on 5 land, Obstinate Baloth. He does turn 1, shock and Thoughtseize. Gooooot Em! This makes it tough for him to win. He nearly stabilizes, but I then get a Tireless Tracker off a Bloodbraid Elf and he scoops. We play 3 more for fun and he wins 2 of them. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Enchantress. Only plays Enchantress. Usually has a somewhat rough time, but said after the final round that the new Wr list is 6-1-1 so far. Hasn't faced Tron yet. Before the game double Leyline of Sanctity. Plays some Runed Halos on Prime Time and Bloodbraid Elf. I get all the lands out of my deck, trying to find Thragtusk to beat him. I can't find it until there are 14 cards left in my deck. At this point, he has Assemble the Legion with 5 counters on it. I kept swinging away with double Sakura Tribe-Elder, but that Assemble came in time. He was at 7 life. I had double Slagstorm in my hand, so if he went to 6, the game would be over. He didn't and chump blocked until he had lethal. My mistake was not saving some Mountains for Valakut triggers. If I could have killed a few more Assemble tokens, I'd swing with STE until he was at 6, then double Slagstorm, going around Leyline of Sanctity to do 6 to each of us. Big mistake, but I was trying to draw to 1 Thragtusk or 2 Summoner's Pact. Tough to find cards! I mull to 4 in the next game, keeping on 1 land. I couldn't find another for a while and he resolved Enduring Ideal. I cascaded past Crumble to Dust twice. I couldn't find the card, which would have gotten the Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, which tapped for 15 mana in order to pay for Story Circle through his own double Suppression Field. I know. Nobody knows these cards. I could play a deck that doesn't fold to before the game Leyline of Sanctity to hedge against him, but outside of Round 1, I don't expect to have the same W/L as him. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Mono Green Tron. I mull to 6. I ramp up. He gets a Wurmcoil Engine, then takes 36 damage. In then next game, he does the Map into Tron on turn 3 again, but only Wurmcoil Engine. He gets 2 swings in and a 3/3 lifelink token in to put him at 35. I have Scapeshift, so I have 36 next turn. I draw a land, so now I have more. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Zoo. I am paired up, so I give him the win and a 60/40 split in prizing. He's also on my team and was 1 land drop (needed it for Kozilek's Return) from winning Game 3 in the last round of GP Phoenix vs. Alex Majlaton on Affinity. Really good player and seems to draw nutty hands vs. me. Wins the die roll, I mull to 5, plays Noble Hierarch into Loxodon Smiter. I do Lightning Bolt on Noble Hierarch to prevent a turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf, but he has Dromoka's Command. Kills me a few turns later. I miss on a land drop, which would have allowed for Search for Tomorrow into Scapeshift for lethal. I don't get it. In the next game after a mull to 6, I do turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf into Summoner's Pact. I tank on whether to cast it or not, because of the possibility of him having land/Blood Moon. I feel like Blood Moon is a 2 of, so I go for it. He does Molten Rain the next turn so I can't pay Pact. I scoop. 0-2.
Yes. There have been some bad cascades and there have been some good cascades, but I think in the current meta, we need some other way to attack our opponents. It's good because of the different angle that it gives us. That being said, 90% of my cascades so far have been Lightning Bolt, Sakura Tribe-Elder, Roast, and Summoner's Pact. STE has been super good, Bolt has been bad, and the others have been both. But the haste body is important, as you can see above, I even took down a Wurmcoil Engine with it and Bolt.
Against decks like Jund or Ux decks, it is pretty valuable. If you see above where I drew a million of them vs. UWR, it just puts so much pressure on them while I'm ramping up. Obviously there's some matchups where you would rather have Hour of Promise, but I think there's more matchups where BBE is valuable.
P.S. - There's been a lot of matchups where I wanted BBE to cascade into Slagstorm or Anger of the Gods, like Humans for one. When it eventually does, I clear the board, then swing for 3, and then probably will be in LOVE with Bloodbraid Elf. Right now, I realize it's probably necessary in this meta. If the meta gets more noninteractive, then she will get the boot.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Yes. There have been some bad cascades and there have been some good cascades, but I think in the current meta, we need some other way to attack our opponents. It's good because of the different angle that it gives us. That being said, 90% of my cascades so far have been Lightning Bolt, Sakura Tribe-Elder, Roast, and Summoner's Pact. STE has been super good, Bolt has been bad, and the others have been both. But the haste body is important, as you can see above, I even took down a Wurmcoil Engine with it and Bolt.
Against decks like Jund or Ux decks, it is pretty valuable. If you see above where I drew a million of them vs. UWR, it just puts so much pressure on them while I'm ramping up. Obviously there's some matchups where you would rather have Hour of Promise, but I think there's more matchups where BBE is valuable.
P.S. - There's been a lot of matchups where I wanted BBE to cascade into Slagstorm or Anger of the Gods, like Humans for one. When it eventually does, I clear the board, then swing for 3, and then probably will be in LOVE with Bloodbraid Elf. Right now, I realize it's probably necessary in this meta. If the meta gets more noninteractive, then she will get the boot.
So in a fair meta, shes really good? My local meta is mostly fair decks
So in a fair meta, shes really good? My local meta is mostly fair decks
AMAZING there.
I didn't like Thien's list with no grave hate in the 75 at first, but after trying it, it is pretty strong. My friend told me to at least try it first before bringing about judgment. I know that recently, he's done 2 Grafdigger's Cage, but this current list is one that he said he had a lot of success with.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
So, I did some testing vs. Humans today. Here's what I found. Some of it seemed to jive with what my limited experience told me. Some was new to me.
Before Sideboard.
Humans on the play: 5-5
Titanshift on the play: 8-2
After Sideboard
Humans on the play: 9-5
Titanshift on the play: 7-6
I realize this is limited experience, but it took literally hours, so I thought I'd share it. Happy time shifting!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
You ever spent 4 mana to grab a land AND put a 3/2 into play?
It’s very nice
Yes, it is. That's pretty much is the goal. Doing a Turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf into ramp sets up a Turn 4 Prime Time very well.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
hey guys, I haven't used my valakut deck in probably a year now. gunna update it and get back into it, but I saw a guy using chandra, torch of defiance, is that a mainboard or sideboard addition?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
What may give you problems in your meta would be Burn, sometimes Tron with the nut draw, and Humans if they get out of 3 toughness too quickly.
The rest you stomp.
Round 1 vs. Mono Green Tron. This guy just won a PTQ in Phoenix with Mono Green Taxes. We've seen each other in a lot of PPTQs, so we're pretty chummy. He gets turn 3 Tron and Wurmcoil Engine. With him at 23 life, I swing with Prime Time for 24 damage. In the next game, I dismantle a Wurmcoil Engine again and get there in the late game after a Crumble to Dust on a Tron land. Scared of 7th land and Karn, but I dodged it and I think Ulamog and 10th land is the only thing that would have for sure killed me. Great draws by me after mulling to 6 both games and awkward draws for him. That's Modern though. Take it or leave it! 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Jund. A guy who rode with us (4). We got into top deck wars after discard and Lily and we know who top decks better. We're playing one of the best top decking deck in Modern. Tell me what top decks better. I got Tireless Tracker and 4 Clues off double fetch in game 2, but he had removal and pressure and nearly got me. I top deck Prime Time, which keeps me at 4 life, safe from a Lightning Bolt that was revealed to Dark Confidant. The Prime Time swings for approximately 1,000 damage the next turn. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Humans. I played 3 Lightning Bolt on 3 Champion of the Parish and he couldn't get anything going before he did Kitesail Freebooter to see a lethal Scapeshift AND Slagstorm. I do Slagstorm to get the Scapeshift, then do it for lethal. He cracked 3 Horizon Canopy this game and thought he'd get there, but he drew more lands. In the next game, he mulled to 6 and couldn't find a 2nd land. He had Dark Confidant, 2 Phantasmal Image, and Meddling Mage in hand, so a 2nd land would have been golden. He had the ole Ancient Ziggurat/Aether Vial Nonbo hand. It was a good keep though. Out of all my opponents other than the next 2 who had easy draws in, I felt like THIS guy would top 8, but he ran into some really bad luck later on. We talked after the tournament at a restaurant while my friends were chatting at the next table. Cool guy! 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Infect. Dude won first place! Killed me with Inkmoth Nexus twice after I killed a total of 5 Infect creatures in 2 games. This is pretty much how the matchup goes. Even if we Anger of the Gods, Lightning Bolt, Roast, and Slagstorm everything, 1 creature will slip through and there's too many +4/+4s and Become Immense. I asked him how many Trons he played against today. He said none. He beat 2 Jund, 2-0 in both. 0-2.
Round 5 vs. Mono White Taxes. Game 1, double Leonin Arbiter into triple Ghost Quarter on 3 consecutive turns. I nearly get there, but Mirran Crusader shortens my clock and I can't find Lightning Bolt. On an empty board, I may have been too aggressive. I do a turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf, which cascades after 3 cards into Slagstorm, a card that would have won me the game easily any turn after this. I can't find Burn and he eventually swarms me after Path to Exile on BBE. In the next game, in the late game, I draw Roast. I Roast 1 of 3 Leonin Arbiters, end of his turn sacrifice STE and pay 4 mana, then go to my turn and pay 4 mana and Scapeshift for the win. In the final game, I find a Lightning Bolt for 1 Leonin Arbiter, but he has turn 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender, so a late game Anger of the Gods does nothing. I go to my turn, pay 2 mana for Arbiter to Summoner's Pact, then I STE sacrifice for a land, then use my last 4 mana to Scapeshift. He had 3 cards in hand and hadn't shown Restoration Angel any of the games. But...he had just gotten to 4 mana, and he HAD it. Used it on his Arbiter to make it a new Arbiter, Scapeshift doesn't resolve. (Well it can resolve, but I can't search.) I took a chance that he didn't have it, but I'm lucky I did because he probably draws his 4th Arbiter next turn to go with a Resto Angel. SEVEN Leonin Arbiter vs. 1 Lightning Bolt in 3 games. Kind of like how the Dodgers usually lose... I'm officially out. 1-2.
Round 6 vs. Dredge. Not much to see here. His dredges were bad. His draws were bad. His mulls were bad. I goldfished him in both games and won easily. He actually had 2 Prized Amalgam and 1 Narcomoeba out in game 2, but I immediately got Prime Time. Not a fair fight or fair draws. 2-0.
I finish 4-2, which got 9th place. This is my 2nd 9th place in a few weeks, so I'm pretty bummed. A 4-2 ended up making it on 59% tie breakers while my tie breakers were 54%. I saw 3 of my remaining 4 opponents lose in the final round. That can't be good for tie breakers.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Is the BBE version the way to go?
URStormRU
GRTitanshift[mana]RG/mana]
I've played both lists and prefer the traditional builds with Hour of Promise.
BBE builds do have an additional angle of attack and can hold the ground better. 2 for 1's are good as well.
Don't discount either build, proxy both and see which suits your play style.
Round 1 vs. Living End. I goldfished him and after he did Violent Outburst to get rid of my Prime Time, I did Scapeshift for lethal next turn. In the next game, he did Fulminator Mage, then Avalanche Riders, then Living End. I don't win this one. In the last game, I have all basics and fetches, so I play around Fulminator Mage hard and end up getting there. He does a mini Living End, putting Desert Cerodon and Street Wraith into play, but I get Prime Time and win the following turn after declining a block on the 6/4 Cerodon. I live at 4 life. 2-1.
Round 2 vs. Humans. I play Bolt and other stuff. Her hand is slow and Bolt opens up Scapeshift for me. In the next game, she explodes out of the gate and has large creatures that kill me on turn 4. In the final game, it is close, but I draw 4 straight lands and lose. The last 2 draws were Mountain (already had 2 in hand) and Valakut. If in the opposite order, the Valakut trigger would have killed the Freebooter, freeing up my Slagstorm and wiping her board. That would have given me a good chance to win. 1-2.
Round 3 vs. Jacekai. He missed his 3rd land drop on turn 3, I drew 2 more Bloodbraid Elves to go with the 1 in my opener and finished him off with Scapeshift, which I expected to get countered, to which I would respond with double Bolt to win. He didn't have the counter. In the next game, it is more of the same and I triple Bolt him for the win. I drew 2 more Bolt and 1 more Bloodbraid Elf this game. Very good draws. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Humans. He correctly identifies that I will have 6 land next turn, so he does Meddling Mage on Prime Time. I have 2 Scapeshift in hand and draw Search for Tomorrow to do it and Scapeshift for lethal. In the next game, he rushes me with pressure, sort of like what happened to me in game 2 of the other Human match. In the final game, he nearly locks me up with Meddling Mage on a Prime Time that he knew about, but I had Tireless Tracker, 3 clues, 8 mana, and just needed a Mountain or ramp for 2 Valakut triggers. I draw Bolt and it is much easier to Bolt the Mage, then Prime Time for lethal. 2-1.
Round 5 vs. Burn. He is about to kill me. I'm at 9 life and he has 2 cards in hand and a draw step. He can't get me to 0, so I Search for Tomorrow, taking 2 from Eidolon of the Great Revel, falling to 1 life, then doing a lethal Scapeshift. In the next game, there's not much to see. He misses his 2nd land drop and I turn 3 Summoner's Pact for Obstinate Baloth and 2 turns later I do Thragtusk. There is no chance for him now. He shows me a hand of 3 Boros Charm, 3 Lightning Helix, Eidolon, and some other cards. Unlucky. 2-0.
4-1 for 3rd place. Not bad. I had drawn very well vs. the girl in Round 2 the past 4 times we played, so I don't feel too badly at being outdrawn here. I did outdraw a lot of opponents tonight.
*Regarding Bloodbraid Elf, I've played in 3 tournaments with it so far and I think it's really a meta call. I think that Bloodbraid Elf is better in the current meta, especially if you expect a lot of Midrange and Control. I got the list from a friend who is Thien's friend. The list I have is Thien's list, although I'm not sure if he did the Growth Spasm list before or after the list that I have. Bloodbraid Elf has ranged from very bad to pretty good for me so far.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/04-03-18-titanshift/
Straight from Thien Nyugen's friend. Although I don't know if the Growth Spasm list came after or before this one.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)https://www.reddit.com/r/Scapeshift/comments/86zhwc/thien_ngyuens_list_at_scg_cincinati/
Round 1 vs. BUG. I mull to 6. Good six. In the first game, he does Inquisition of Kozilek to get a ramp card, and I get a turn 4 Prime Time Logic Knotted, but I resolve the next one and it ends things. In the next game, I mull to 6 again. I keep on 5 land, Obstinate Baloth. He does turn 1, shock and Thoughtseize. Gooooot Em! This makes it tough for him to win. He nearly stabilizes, but I then get a Tireless Tracker off a Bloodbraid Elf and he scoops. We play 3 more for fun and he wins 2 of them. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Enchantress. Only plays Enchantress. Usually has a somewhat rough time, but said after the final round that the new Wr list is 6-1-1 so far. Hasn't faced Tron yet. Before the game double Leyline of Sanctity. Plays some Runed Halos on Prime Time and Bloodbraid Elf. I get all the lands out of my deck, trying to find Thragtusk to beat him. I can't find it until there are 14 cards left in my deck. At this point, he has Assemble the Legion with 5 counters on it. I kept swinging away with double Sakura Tribe-Elder, but that Assemble came in time. He was at 7 life. I had double Slagstorm in my hand, so if he went to 6, the game would be over. He didn't and chump blocked until he had lethal. My mistake was not saving some Mountains for Valakut triggers. If I could have killed a few more Assemble tokens, I'd swing with STE until he was at 6, then double Slagstorm, going around Leyline of Sanctity to do 6 to each of us. Big mistake, but I was trying to draw to 1 Thragtusk or 2 Summoner's Pact. Tough to find cards! I mull to 4 in the next game, keeping on 1 land. I couldn't find another for a while and he resolved Enduring Ideal. I cascaded past Crumble to Dust twice. I couldn't find the card, which would have gotten the Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, which tapped for 15 mana in order to pay for Story Circle through his own double Suppression Field. I know. Nobody knows these cards. I could play a deck that doesn't fold to before the game Leyline of Sanctity to hedge against him, but outside of Round 1, I don't expect to have the same W/L as him. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Mono Green Tron. I mull to 6. I ramp up. He gets a Wurmcoil Engine, then takes 36 damage. In then next game, he does the Map into Tron on turn 3 again, but only Wurmcoil Engine. He gets 2 swings in and a 3/3 lifelink token in to put him at 35. I have Scapeshift, so I have 36 next turn. I draw a land, so now I have more. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Zoo. I am paired up, so I give him the win and a 60/40 split in prizing. He's also on my team and was 1 land drop (needed it for Kozilek's Return) from winning Game 3 in the last round of GP Phoenix vs. Alex Majlaton on Affinity. Really good player and seems to draw nutty hands vs. me. Wins the die roll, I mull to 5, plays Noble Hierarch into Loxodon Smiter. I do Lightning Bolt on Noble Hierarch to prevent a turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf, but he has Dromoka's Command. Kills me a few turns later. I miss on a land drop, which would have allowed for Search for Tomorrow into Scapeshift for lethal. I don't get it. In the next game after a mull to 6, I do turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf into Summoner's Pact. I tank on whether to cast it or not, because of the possibility of him having land/Blood Moon. I feel like Blood Moon is a 2 of, so I go for it. He does Molten Rain the next turn so I can't pay Pact. I scoop. 0-2.
I get 2-2. Rough beats.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)So are you liking Bloodbraid in the deck so far?
URStormRU
GRTitanshift[mana]RG/mana]
Against decks like Jund or Ux decks, it is pretty valuable. If you see above where I drew a million of them vs. UWR, it just puts so much pressure on them while I'm ramping up. Obviously there's some matchups where you would rather have Hour of Promise, but I think there's more matchups where BBE is valuable.
P.S. - There's been a lot of matchups where I wanted BBE to cascade into Slagstorm or Anger of the Gods, like Humans for one. When it eventually does, I clear the board, then swing for 3, and then probably will be in LOVE with Bloodbraid Elf. Right now, I realize it's probably necessary in this meta. If the meta gets more noninteractive, then she will get the boot.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)So in a fair meta, shes really good? My local meta is mostly fair decks
URStormRU
GRTitanshift[mana]RG/mana]
AMAZING there.
I didn't like Thien's list with no grave hate in the 75 at first, but after trying it, it is pretty strong. My friend told me to at least try it first before bringing about judgment. I know that recently, he's done 2 Grafdigger's Cage, but this current list is one that he said he had a lot of success with.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Before Sideboard.
Humans on the play: 5-5
Titanshift on the play: 8-2
After Sideboard
Humans on the play: 9-5
Titanshift on the play: 7-6
I realize this is limited experience, but it took literally hours, so I thought I'd share it. Happy time shifting!
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Been thinking about converting my RUG Scapeshift.
It’s very nice
@Robo_Memer on Twitter, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube
Feel free to PM me about Affinity decks in any format!
Yes, it is. That's pretty much is the goal. Doing a Turn 3 Bloodbraid Elf into ramp sets up a Turn 4 Prime Time very well.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Whats your current list? Is Hour of Promise or Prismatic Omen used anymore? I assume Hour of Promise isn't anymore. What about Chandra, Torch of Defiance?
URStormRU
GRTitanshift[mana]RG/mana]
Same as above, but I haven't played it since last Monday.
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/04-03-18-titanshift/
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)