Thanks, I'm going to give it a try. Unfortunately it still wouldn't solve RIP/leyline etc though
Also, I could not find much on Pieces of the Puzzle. Has anyone tested a Grixishoalbrand build with this? Seems like it'd add an increadible amount of consistency. Something like this.. perhaps?
Regarding bad match-ups:
- RUG Delver with Shoal and Infect were horror match-ups, but both got nerfed pretty hard with the banning of Probe. So the match-up is more like 60-40 in their favour now, before it was more towards the upper 60ies.
- Burn, when he knows what he is doing. If the opp has no idea how to play this match-up it should be an easy rofl stomp, but understand when and what the opp should do turns this match-up around, pretty darn hard even. Oh btw, Collective Brutality is the MVP in that match-up, takes Skullcrack effects, buys us time and enables another draw 7 usually
- Affinity, just because their goldfish is faster than ours usually. However, it is somewhat around 55-45 in my opinion, especially with a 2/2 MD split of Hugs + Collective Brutality. The first one makes us roughly half a turn faster/more consistent while the second one helps with the potential super early wins (Plating + Signal Pest draws and Master draws on turn 2)
- Ad Nauseam, if the opp knows what to do.
Basically any deck with a fast + early clock and interaction, which isn't that common anymore in Modern, as strange as it might sound. Death Shadow has the interaction and a fast clock, but not an early one. They usually start their beats on turn 4, which is to slow, especially on the draw.
Regarding Pieces of the Puzzle, I tested it, when it came out, but it was garbo. It doesn't dig far enough (if it would be 7 cards, it would have been fine) and is far to clunky (3 mana is a lot in this deck, especially for an sorcery).
If I want to play with U, I play the PT Version with the 10-12 one mana cantrips (Vision, Looting, Sleight of Hands) + 4 Izzet Charms. However, since I do want to win with instant speed and especially without the combat step, I usually steer away from that version pretty fast.
Greetings,
Kathal
PS: Regarding the anti counter cards, after testing with Defense Grid for a couple of tournaments my opinion is, that it is absolutely bonkers in U heavy metagames, but otherwise worse than the Bosejiu + 3 Pact set-up.
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What I play or have:
Modern/Legacy
either funpolice (Delver, Deathcloud, UW Control) or the fun decks (especially those ft. Griselbrand)
hmm thanks. it sounds good in theory at least but i jammed a few games with it and 3 mana sorcery speed is indeed a real cost
with burn i still think we are slightly favored. I try to look for the latest opportunity to proactively shoal when they are tapping out to play around skullcrack. usually you can tell pretty fast whether the splice on shoal is going matter in the game. and burn can't just leave up mana the entire game and ride a guide to victory
ad nauseum seems like an even matchup in my experience if you remember to cheat in borb on the end step to exhaust two graces at least. what kind of tricks do smart ad nauseum players have like the skullcrack timing trick?
I've generally felt clock+disruption and faster, creature based goldfish decks are the worst matchups for us. off the top that's affinity, infect (rip), delver, death's shadow, gifts storm (think they are slightly faster and more consistent), merfolk, spirits.
do you think deaths shadow is a good/even matchup Kathal? granted they don't generally start attacking until turn 4 and we have a lot of cantrips but assembling the right pieces in time still feels hard
The advantage from Defense Grid over Pact is, that it gives you a permanent based protection against counters, so that you can actually resolve your spells in your turn. I had it way to often, that the opponent landed a early clock and than just countered my dig spells and thus I wasn't able to cobble together a win.
So yes, Defense Grid is a good card, but not as universal usable as Pact.
@finalnub, Grixis Death Shadow is the worst version to play against, they have both Discard as 1 mana hard counters (Stubborn Denial). However, they can stumble with their draws more often than not, which gives us enough time. The Jund version, while being more consistent, is less annoying. It helps, that Blood Moon is also better vs the Jund version due to how their deck is set-up.
Greetings,
Kathal
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What I play or have:
Modern/Legacy
either funpolice (Delver, Deathcloud, UW Control) or the fun decks (especially those ft. Griselbrand)
I forgot about some of those decks and intentionally left out Ad Nauseam and Lantern, which are pretty terrible. I played at a MNM for a cut to 4 rounds.
Round 1 vs. Living End. Store owner didn't update the deck. But my draws were a bit weak and he got there. In the last game, I kept on 3 land, SSG, Through the Breach, Griselbrand, and some other cards. I fail to find a mana source and he does an early Living End, swinging me to lethal. I draw a land on the final turn, but it's a fetch and I'm now at 1 life. 1-2.
Round 2 vs. 4 Color Saheeli. Grand Prix winner and best player here hands down. He had a lot of hate for me in the 2nd and 3rd game, but I got through all of it because of a slow hand in game 3 (no pressure). 2-1.
Round 3 vs. Mono Blue Tron. He taps out to play Ratchet Bomb on turn 2 and taps it to put 1 counter on. Big mistake. I Breach the Wurm and win, now that the tokens are safe (who knows, maybe he could have had another). In the next game, I just build up a hand to win with. I finally get Griselbrand and can't wait longer because he drops Platinum Angel. EoT Goryo's Vengeance after making land drops. I go for another Goryo's Vengeance, with Pact of Negation on his Condescend. Another Pact of Negation later and I get there with a Breached Borborygmos Enraged. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Infect. I hadn't played against Infect since the Probe banning, but this is a guy who had beaten me 3 of 4 times with Infect, including a rare PPTQ where I missed the top 8 and he ended up winning. Misses a land drop. Doesn't kill me the turn after dropping a Glistener Elf and I get there with a Breached Wurm because he's at 15. I had Griselbrand as well and an almost sure kill, but the sure kill was safer. I do EoT Goryo's Vengeance and it is Spell Pierced. The next one resolves and I win. 2-0.
I finish 3-1, after losing the first round. So, a solid come back. I think I am going to keep grinding with this deck because I want to have as many reps as I can before the Grand Prix Las Vegas, considering this is the GP I'm hoping to do the best in.
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)
Played in a 14 person Wednesday GPT Las Vegas. Playing for points to get 2 Byes next season, as I already have it for this season and I won a GPT Las Vegas as well.
Round 1 vs. Jund. The winner of the GPT at this same place 3 weeks ago. He is a solid Jund player and only plays Jund, but he is not one of the best. The first game is super slow. He plays nothing for 5 turns. I don't want to Breach Wurm because I fear Terminate into Maelstrom Pulse, so I wait for Griselbrand. I fail to go off, but build a hand to go off again. I get there short after. In the next game, he does turn 1 Inquisition of Kozilek, but doesn't take my Blood Moon. On the next turn, he does Thoughtseize, but I have drawn a 2nd Blood Moon. He takes Through the Breach instead of Simian Spirit Guide and I turn 2 the Moon. I save the other one in case he finds Forest and Maelstrom Pulse. I get there 3-4 turns later. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Eldrazi Tron. Pro Player that has been something like 7-2 vs. me life time. Modern is not "his format" per se. He is super good at Standard, Limited, and Legacy. He has a pretty slow hand, outside of turn 3 Thought-Knot Seer. I Nourishing Shoal Wurm in response since I have 2 other Shoal and Simian Spirit Guide in hand. I finally make it to 7 mana, exile SSG, and hard cast Griselbrand, but he has All is Dust and lethal on the field. In the next game, I try to go off, but fail badly. Siding out both Manamorphose and 1 Borborygmos hurt me, as I had 3 Wurm in my bottom 4 cards. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Kiki Chord. This was the guy who top 8ed with UW Control the GPT that I won. He came off slowly, but double Path to Exile got there on my Griselbrand. I won a few turns later. He does turn 2 Anafenza, the Foremost and I Anger of the Gods it and a Voice of Resurgence the next turn. But it gets there. In the last game, I fail to find the win that turn, but also don't realize for quite a while that I pass the turn, discard and then SSG and land for Goryo's Vengeance on the Borborygmos Enraged that was discarded and throw lands to win. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. DSJ. Friend and guy who rode with the Pro Player. Very strong player. He strips the hell out of my hand and gets there with a Tarmogoyf and a Death's Shadow. I miss out on a untapped land, SSG, or Desperate Ritual to win. The next game is similar, but I do find the extra mana and Breach Griselbrand to win. In the final game, I slowly build up. He mulled to 5, so it was tough for him to have as much gas. He also had Pithing Needle on Griselbrand, which slowed me down, but I eventually put Borborygmos Enraged into play after EoT Goryo's Vengeance on Griselbrand, which he knew I had from earlier, so he couldn't attack with double Goyf. 2-1.
Top 4 vs. Eldrazi Tron. Same guy from Round 2. We split the prizes, so he gave me the win. 2-0.
Finals vs. Affinity. We split the prizes and agreed to scoop, so I lost. 0-2.
I finish 4-2-1 or 3-1-1 in matches played. Not bad for a somewhat rough evening.
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. RG Ponza. He does turn 1 Utopia Sprawl. Turn 2 Stone Rain. Turn 3 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss and turn 4 Inferno Titan. I saw him tank a little bit on turn 4 before casting the Titan. Maybe he was considering land hate, which it turned out would have been better. But in most situations, especially following a Cathartic Reunion, it wouldn't have done much. For all I know, a land, SSG, or Desperate Ritual was the next card. I just did draw spells, but the turn before, I did Cathartic Reunion and it found a Desperate Ritual. I go off after he cast Inferno Titan for Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm and he scooped it up. In the next game, he had a Relic of Progenitus after turn 1 Utopia Sprawl, but was stuck on mana. So I Looted, Goryo's Vengeance a Borborygmos Enraged and found a land to go off with Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm a few turns later. He did Beast Within on the Wurm, but the tokens fill in just fine. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Eldrazi Tron. I keep a hand with an early Wurm, but he does turn 3 Thought-Knot Seer, exiling my Through the Breach. A few turns later I put in a Griselbrand to block Thought-Knot Seer, but he does double Dismember. I chain Shoals and leave myself at 13, so 4 more will put me at 9. I have an upkeep Borborygmos Enraged for him, discarding lethal lands. In the next game, I scrye and leave Shattering Spree. I get Mind Stone and Relic of Progenitus the following turn and then do Faithless Looting, Griselbrand, Goryo's Vengeance the turn after to win. Two of three kills by Griselbrand this tournament. This guy got the top seed at 4-1, after being scooped to in the final round. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Burn. He plays a million creatures. I do Goryo's Vengeance on Borborygmos Enraged, hoping to find lands to discard to kill him or at least some of 3 Monastery Swiftspears. I don't, so I only discard a single land to kill one. He adds Eidolon of the Great Revel next turn and I don't play Nourishing Shoal because I fear Skillcrack. It turns out he didn't have it and drew burn to kill me in response on the final turn. Sweet! In the next game, I try to sculpt my hand, but have 3 Nourishing Shoal and 3 Wurm in hand. I discard some, then eventually go for Griselbrand. He tries to do Deflecting Palm, but I chain Shoals to win with a Breached Borborygmos Enraged in response. In the final game, I basically draw a bunch of nothing. I do Borborygmos Enraged again, hoping to find 3 land to kill him or something else important. He does Deflecting Palm and I have a 6th land in hand and Nourishing Shoal. Not quite there. 1-2.
Round 4 vs. Storm. The only important piece of info. He wins the die roll. He plays a dude on turn 2. I Night's Whisper, hoping to find Goryo's Vengeance, but don't. Turn 1 was Faithless Looting for me, dumping Griselbrand. He kills me on his turn 3 - die roll. In the next game, I don't draw much. He doesn't kill me on turn 3 after his turn 2 dude. I was confused as to what he had, but maybe he was playing around Goryo's Vengeance, which I didn't have. I draw Inquisition of Kozilek to see Dispel, another dude, and some other stuff. I take Dispel, as even if I draw 1 way to win, it gets Dispelled. He draws Gifts Ungiven for the next card and kills me (turn 5, super late, but I played nothing except draw spells). 0-2.
Round 5 vs. DSJ. He strips my hand in both games and Temur Battle Rage on a Goyf the turn before I can draw a win out. But he scoops to me to help his friend's tie breakers since one 3-1-1 won't make it. 2-0.
I finish 3-2, or technically lost the last 3 matches, 0-2, which is super rare for me. I mulled five 0 land hands, but kept on some awkward hands, although admittedly I could care less during the final round.
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)
nice reports. What do you think about our Storm matchup? From the few games I've played I figure we are a slight dog, as they are more consistent and arguably has a faster goldfish by 0.5 turns (although some of those are empty turns that we can beat), plus remand MD and more permission post game are tough
nice reports. What do you think about our Storm matchup? From the few games I've played I figure we are a slight dog, as they are more consistent and arguably has a faster goldfish by 0.5 turns (although some of those are empty turns that we can beat), plus remand MD and more permission post game are tough
It's probably unfavored. We literally have nothing for them except 1 for 1 creature removal. Collective Brutality is often not quite as good when a Baral, Chief of Compliance is in play. I'm pretty sure we have to go off quickly since they are way more consistent.
That being said, I was more upset about the draws. I've played both decks for at least 3 months before. He drew stuff to kill me and I didn't. It was that simple, but it knocked me from top 8 contention when any other matchup would have been fine.
I went 1-3 on Monday Night.
Round 1 vs. Bye. I get the Bye out of 11 players. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Living End. I have nothing to do for around 6 turns. I can't go for Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm because Violent Outburst beats me. So I wait and try to draw Griselbrand. I don't and he keeps cycling until he has 25+ damage on board. I mull 0 land hands to a 0 land, 3 card hand. I choose not to play anything since there is nothing that I have that could possibly beat what he has (Violent Outburst, Faerie Macabre, Leyline of the Void, etc.). He does the Living End on turn 4 because he knows I'm not trying to play anything. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Infect. I am about to try Through the Breach on turn 3, despite missing a 3rd land drop. He Spell Pierces my Desperate Ritual, which was odd. Then he beats me with 5 infect (after the previous turn's 5 infect). In the next game, he just plays stuff to go off and I just try to draw more than just Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm. I die on turn 3. 0-2.
Round 4 vs. ?. I left, so I lost to something. 0-2.
1-3, with the only win being a Bye. Nice. Lots of poor shuffling in this one, shuffling my opponents to turn 3 wins, but myself with nothing but mulligan-type hands. Outside of the 3 card hand, I averaged 5.5 cards per game.
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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)
I've definitely had those type of nights. It is always incredibly frustrating. Hopefully it only happens when the stakes are low.
Yep, definitely. More concerting is my feeling that I will be unable to bring something next Monday that beats Burn, Living End, Infect, and Storm. I'm strongly considering a deck with 4 mainboard Chalice of the Void with 4 Rest in Peace in the SB. My first inclination is RG Breach, splash White for RIP and FILL the SB with lifegain cards.
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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)
I've been thinking about this for bit.. is Emrakul really necessary in grishoalbrand? it's somewhat awkward to set up and is a dead card otherwise that rots in your hand. it is useful vs. path decks for surs, but those decks generally don't shock themselves below 15 so it's not even guaranteed kill. also, even in the face of path we routimely combo off in response all the time with borb. against burn i would never bring it in because of palm. I'm struggling to think of matchups where emrakul is essential and borbo is signiciantly worse.
I've been thinking about this for bit.. is Emrakul really necessary in grishoalbrand? it's somewhat awkward to set up and is a dead card otherwise that rots in your hand. it is useful vs. path decks for surs, but those decks generally don't shock themselves below 15 so it's not even guaranteed kill. also, even in the face of path we routimely combo off in response all the time with borb. against burn i would never bring it in because of palm. I'm struggling to think of matchups where emrakul is essential and borbo is signiciantly worse.
thoughts?
Emrakul, the Aeon's Torn (and Griselbrand) are my favorite 2 creatures of all time. I have the special RK Post Emrakul/Griselbrand playmat. I have an oversize card of each one in my binder at all times. My deck is nearly 100% foiled with Guru lands. Yes, I'm a bit of a fanatic.
Yet, I don't play any Emrakul in this deck. A one of in the SB is not going to "get" there for me in my opinion. There are certainly games where I can't find Griselbrand where I wish the Wurm in hand was an Emrakul, but it won't be in my hand in these situations.
Played in a small 4 round WNM.
Round 1 vs. Elves. In the first game, I am about to lose to some Elves and Ezuri, but I draw Griselbrand and go off and win. In the next game, my plan is a turn 4 Worldspine Wurm, but I draw Griselbrand and win the easier way. 2-0,
Round 2 vs. UW Control. I came with a friend, who I most recently have lent Burn to. But he got bored of it, so he went with UW today. The first game is long and drawn out. I never find Griselbrand and lose. In the next game, he does turn 2 Rest in Peace. He does Runed Halo on Worldspine Wurm a couple of turns later. This game goes the distance, as I have played all of the lands in my deck, but can't find Griselbrand. At 6 cards left, I find one. I cast it, but he finds removal after swapping some attacks of 2 Kitchen Finks and 2 Celestial Colonnade for a Griselbrand attack. After he kills one, I play another. He only has 5 cards left in his library and I have 3. He finds the other Runed Halo and I scoop since I deck before him. We are nearly at time and I know I don't win this game to tie it. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Affinity. In the first game, I am on the Wurm plan, but find Griselbrand and Cathartic Reunion into SSG/Goryo's Vengeance the Griselbrand on turn 3, right after he cast a Master of Etherium on his turn 2. Luckily for me, I barely find what I need to win. In the next game, I have a Shattering Spree. He Spell Pierces the part targeting his Steel Overseer. But I find another a few turns later and get him down to a single Vault Skirge with 5 counters on it. I find what I need to Goryo's Vengeance another Griselbrand to block it. He scoops. I still had another 2 Goryo's Vengeance in hand with a Through the Breach/Wurm, so it was a good scoop. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Burn. In the first game, I go for the turn 4 kill with Through the Breach/Wurm, but he has Lightning Helix to stay alive. He fails to draw a 3rd land to double burn me, now at 5 life with 3 blockers. The next game is similar, but he now has 4 land after a drop. I did the Breach/Wurm this time on turn 3 after topdecking another Simian Spirit Guide. But he only has Boros Charm and another Harsh Mentor in hand. The one in play did 6 damage with 2 triggers and an attack. 2-0.
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)
Actually there are plenty of match-ups where Emrakul is a KO and they play cards like Path. Burn, Abzan and Ad Nauseam come to mind where I really like Emrakul because sometimes they can have Leyline of Sanctity and it's useful to have an 1 hit KO. Deflecting Palm is annoying, but that's what Pact of Negation is for.
Has anybody found any effective plans for beating Jund Shadow?
Actually there are plenty of match-ups where Emrakul is a KO and they play cards like Path. Burn, Abzan and Ad Nauseam come to mind where I really like Emrakul because sometimes they can have Leyline of Sanctity and it's useful to have an 1 hit KO. Deflecting Palm is annoying, but that's what Pact of Negation is for.
Has anybody found any effective plans for beating Jund Shadow?
I'd argue for burn Borbo is more valuable because, with setup, it's a win condition that ignores path and (mostly) palm. That it pitches to shoal is not negligible either. Emrakul is most likely a 1 hit KO but you will likely need set up to get that pact. Abzan and Ad Nauseum are fair points especially where Leyline ruins your plan to end step borbo to make them have multiple graces. But my argument is that griselbrand into borbo is a win condition that's pretty resilient to path as well, so it may be worthwhile exploring another card for the SB slot. I'm not sure what I'd bring in though.
Main plan's been t2 mooning them and putting in more pushes in the sb. pretty tough matchup. Thought about Liliana Death's Majesty for it maybe but seems too slow/still weak to battle rage
Played in a small 11 person FNM - 4 rounds. I like to go to another store that has 24-32 players, but nobody wanted to carpool.
Round 1 vs. Mono Red Burn/Hate deck. He gets Goblin Guide and then Blood Moon, but I do Nourishing Shoal Worldspine Wurm when he does Molten Rain. A few turns later when I get to low double digits, I find Through the Breach/Worldspine Wurm after around 4-5 draw spells and finding a bunch of lands, discarding most of those to Faithless Lootings and flashback. The Wurm wins it. In the next game, he gets pressure and I make a mistake of doing Cathartic Reunion, discarding one of my 2 Simian Spirit Guides, thinking that I'll get a mana source in the 3 draws or draws afterward. He does Molten Rain with the Goblin Guide still swinging and I can't Breach the Wurm because I'm 1 mana short. I should also state that he stopped my turn 2 Goryo's Vengeance in both games with Surgical Extraction X 1 and X 2 in the 2nd game. Yes, mainboard. In the last game, I Anger of the Gods a Goblin Guide, a Grim Lavamancer, and a Harsh Mentor. This buys me a bunch of time and I have Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm again a bunch of turns after drawing some cards. 2-1.
Round 2 vs. BW Tokens. In the first game after a turn 1 Inquisition of Kozilek nabs Goryo's Vengeance, he doesn't have much else. I Through the Breach Griselbrand and go through Path to Exile to win easily. In the next game, he has Inquisition of Kozilek into Tidehollow Sculler. I made a mistake of not casting my Simian Spirit Guide a turn earlier because I wanted to save mana for Through the Breach if I draw it. But, Path to Exile would accelerate me into it anyway. I do it a turn late, taking 2 damage unnecessarily, and it gets Pathed. I cast Anger of the Gods next turn after he put in 2 Soldier tokens with Raise the Alarm. Then later, I do Through the Breach Griselbrand and it gets Pathed. I don't find enough to win, but cast Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm the next turn to have it Pathed as well. Finally the next turn I do Goryo's Vengeance that I just drew on Griselbrand and splice Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm to win. I just needed him to Path 1 more time and I had a hard cast Griselbrand, which was in my hand, next turn. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Eldrazi Tron. This guy has done well with this deck, averaging 2-3 Thought-Knot Seer/Reality Smasher against me per game. He doesn't find anything except a Smasher in the midgame in the first one and I Breach Worldspine Wurm to win. In the next game, he has grave hate and my hand fails to draw another mana source as I lose to a singleton Smasher and an Endbringer that he drew with me on 7 life, never finding another mana source since my opening hand to Breach a Wurm. In the final game, He has grave hate, but on double Relic of Progenitus and Expedition Map with 2 mana up, I do Shattering Spree, targeting all 3. He lets the Map die, but cracks both Relics to draw 2 cards. He casts a Thought-Knot Seer a bit late and I find the land to Breach a Worldspine Wurm, knowing that he can't cast Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or All is Dust without the use of Simian Spirit Guide, which I'm pretty sure he doesn't have. He doesn't and I win. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. GW Tron. I play a friend, who is 2-1. He scoops to me since I get a bonus for 4-0. I promised to buy an Aetherworks Marvel for $13 store credit from him, which I need to play at a Standard PPTQ. Probably a HUGE mistake since Standard is probably the worst format of all times in Magic, but it's the only way to win a PPTQ. 2-0. We play for fun and he eeks out a win, with me missing a land or mana source for 9 turns in the 3rd game to not Nourishing Shoal/Worldspine Wurm, splice Through the Breach off Desperate Ritual and SSG to pretty much win the game, outside of Ugin. Ulamog, Karn, and Ugin crush me.
I finish 4-0, but technically 3-1 in matches played.
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)
g1 is a standard combo. I note some soul sisters so i side in explosive for them/thalia/rip. also side in pyroclasm for their dorks even though it won't kill buffed pridemates or ascendants. he also waited until i drew around 21 cards before pathing griselbrand so he is likely not familar with this deck
g2 he goes t1 ascendant, t2 martyr revealing 4 for 12 life. t2 attack with a 6/6 flying lifelinker. ok then
g3 i get really fortunate. he goes t1 ascendant into t2 matyr recealing 4 again (path, rip, pridemate, soul sister). the hand is very problematic to my otherwise good hand of griselbrand, temple, land, goryo, looting, goryo, shoal. i try to start cobbling together a ttb win but his t3 is actually pridemate into ascendant. i count my lucky stars and combo off
1-0
round 2: vs Nick with Goblins.
i knew he was on goblins as his match went to time. g1 he t1 foundry street citizen, t2 loyalist plus citizen and t3 citizen into bushwhacker and attacks me for 16 forcing me to shoal and i dont get there
i bring in pyroclasms and ee
g2 i keep a hand with ssg swamp griselbrand and goryo so i plan on discarding into t3 grisebrand. his t1 is a loyalist plus tormods crypt. plan B time. he plays a few more crypts so i just breach him as he had little pressure.
g3 i have temple griselbrand shoal borb borb goryo goryo looting and draw land t1. unfortunately he has another crypt and starts beating me down.t2 i scry a hug to the top thinking i can afford to and i need to draw ttb. he goes devestating summons into bushwhacker and hits me for 22 on t3 or t4 and i again am forced to shoal a a borb. at this point i have a griselbrand km the gy 2 lands shattering spree and goryo and need an untapped mana source to spree into goryo but i dont get there. next card was ssg so my bad scry cost me
1-2
round 3: Matthew vs omenshift
standard two games as this is a good matchup. there was a spot on t3 in g2 where i could moon them with them at 3 lands and khalni heart expedition or goryo into griselbrand with 1 spare mana and no shoals/wurms. i choose to moon him as i dont think they can win in the next few turns with moon i get there even after he summoners Pact for rec sage. apparently he had omen in hand and could've won next turn but moon probably was right anywY
2-0
r4 id into top 8
round 8:Goblins again
Neither of the games were particularly close. g1 he is the higher seed and goes and t3 kills me essential. i mulligan to 6 both games looking for the combo or pyroclasm but find none. some loyalist/piledriver/devestating summom into bushwhacker shenInagans and i get crushed. whacky deck and something i did not expect at all let alone lose twice to it
I took this to a 71 player Face to Face Games Open in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. I've been playing this deck occasionally since summer 2015 with good results.
Round 1 - Affinity
g1 - Turn 3 Worldspine Wurm hits for 15 and opponent can't stop the three Wurm tokens.
-3 Night's Whisper, -1 Manamorphose, +1 Shattering Spree, +1 Engineered Explosives, +1 Pyroclasm, +1 Anger of the Gods
g2 - I lose to a Ravager putting counters on an Inkmoth Nexus. I could have killed the Ravager with Shattering Spree but Pyroclasmed away two Ornithopters instead. Probably a punt.
g3 - Opponent mulligans to 5 and is helpless as I kill on turn 4
Round 2 - Abzan Control
g1 - I go off with Griselbrand and it gets Pathed but I load up on cards and get a Worldspine Wurm out and opponent doesn't have a second Path.
g2 - I have a bad hand, my Blood Moon gets Abrupt Decayed, and a Scavenging Ooze beats me to death.
g3 - I get Blood Moon out and am forced to go for Worldspine Wurm into Path mana. He doesn't have Path.
Round 3 - Jeskai Control
g1 - I load up on lands and start end-stepping and splicing to grind through all the counters.
-3 Cathartic Reunion, -1 Manamorphose, -1 Desperate Ritual, +2 Pact of Negation, +1 Boseiju, +2 Chalice of the Void
g2 - Opponent mulls to 5 and plays land as I play Chalice for 1. Game goes slowly until opponent taps out for Elspeth, Sun's Champion. I go off and win. (A Path to Exile was stranded by the Chalice.)
Round 4 - Living End
g1 - I Goryo's on turn 3 and kill.
- 1 Manamorphose, -1 Desperate Ritual, -1 Night's Whisper, +3 Chalice of the Void
g2 - I play a Chalice of the Void for 0 and opponent can't kill it before I get Griselbrand and kill.
Round 5 - Merfolk
g1 - Opponent has a slow double Spreading Seas draw but my mana is fine and I kill him with a Worldspine Wurm.
-3 Cathartic Reunion, -1 Manamorphose, +1 Engineered Explosives, +1 Pyroclasm, +2 Anger of the Gods
g2 - Opponent disrupts me lightly while I cast a sweeper but I lose to double Mutavault.
- 1 Desperate Ritual, +1 Blood Moon (sigh)
g3 - Opponent gets stuck on two lands, taps out for a Merfolk, and I hit with Worldspine.
Rounds 6 and 7 - ID into Top 8 and #2 seed
Top 8 - Naya Burn
g1 - Getting hit with Monastery Swiftspear and Eidolon of the Great Revel, I get out a Griselbrand. Opponent waits for attack to Atarka's Command so I respond with two Nourishing Shoals and kill with Borborygmos.
g2 - Turn 2 Chalice for 1, turn 3 Worldspine (a Path to Exile was locked in hand)
Top 4 - Bant Eldrazi
g1 - I mull to a bad 6 and get run over by turn 2 Thought-Knot, turn 3 Thought-Knot.
g2 - Blood Moon cuts off blue mana for opponent. One Griselbrand gets Pathed but I load up on cards and the second is lethal.
g3 - I keep Blood Crypt, Griselbrand, Faithless Looting, Goryo's, Goryo's, Shoal, Shoal on the draw. I miss land 2 on turn 2 despite the Faithless Looting and have to pass. My next draw is Temple of Malice (argh!) and I scry a third land to the top but I get Thought-Knotted for one of my Goryo's Vengeances. I try to splice the second Goryo's but it gets Negated. Then a second Thought-Knot takes my other Goryo's and I die.
In conclusion, Chalice of the Void rules and everyone should be playing it!
Thanks, I'm going to give it a try. Unfortunately it still wouldn't solve RIP/leyline etc though
Also, I could not find much on Pieces of the Puzzle. Has anyone tested a Grixishoalbrand build with this? Seems like it'd add an increadible amount of consistency. Something like this.. perhaps?
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Steam Vents
1 Blood Crypt
1 Watery Grave
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Bloodstained Mire
1 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Spirebluff Canal
3 Polluted Delta
1 Darkslick Shores
4 Worldspine Wurm
2 Borborygmos Enraged
4 Griselbrand
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Nourishing Shoal
4 Goryo's Vengeance
4 Through the Breach
2 Desperate Ritual
4 Serum Visions
2 Izzet Charm
3 Pieces of the Puzzle
1 Manamorphose
4 Faithless Looting
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
2 Shatterstorm
2 Pact of Negation
2 Painful Truths
2 Fatal Push
2 Pyroclasm
2 Echoing Truth
2 Collective Brutality
- RUG Delver with Shoal and Infect were horror match-ups, but both got nerfed pretty hard with the banning of Probe. So the match-up is more like 60-40 in their favour now, before it was more towards the upper 60ies.
- Burn, when he knows what he is doing. If the opp has no idea how to play this match-up it should be an easy rofl stomp, but understand when and what the opp should do turns this match-up around, pretty darn hard even. Oh btw, Collective Brutality is the MVP in that match-up, takes Skullcrack effects, buys us time and enables another draw 7 usually
- Affinity, just because their goldfish is faster than ours usually. However, it is somewhat around 55-45 in my opinion, especially with a 2/2 MD split of Hugs + Collective Brutality. The first one makes us roughly half a turn faster/more consistent while the second one helps with the potential super early wins (Plating + Signal Pest draws and Master draws on turn 2)
- Ad Nauseam, if the opp knows what to do.
Basically any deck with a fast + early clock and interaction, which isn't that common anymore in Modern, as strange as it might sound. Death Shadow has the interaction and a fast clock, but not an early one. They usually start their beats on turn 4, which is to slow, especially on the draw.
Regarding Pieces of the Puzzle, I tested it, when it came out, but it was garbo. It doesn't dig far enough (if it would be 7 cards, it would have been fine) and is far to clunky (3 mana is a lot in this deck, especially for an sorcery).
If I want to play with U, I play the PT Version with the 10-12 one mana cantrips (Vision, Looting, Sleight of Hands) + 4 Izzet Charms. However, since I do want to win with instant speed and especially without the combat step, I usually steer away from that version pretty fast.
Greetings,
Kathal
PS: Regarding the anti counter cards, after testing with Defense Grid for a couple of tournaments my opinion is, that it is absolutely bonkers in U heavy metagames, but otherwise worse than the Bosejiu + 3 Pact set-up.
Modern/Legacy
either funpolice (Delver, Deathcloud, UW Control) or the fun decks (especially those ft. Griselbrand)
with burn i still think we are slightly favored. I try to look for the latest opportunity to proactively shoal when they are tapping out to play around skullcrack. usually you can tell pretty fast whether the splice on shoal is going matter in the game. and burn can't just leave up mana the entire game and ride a guide to victory
ad nauseum seems like an even matchup in my experience if you remember to cheat in borb on the end step to exhaust two graces at least. what kind of tricks do smart ad nauseum players have like the skullcrack timing trick?
I've generally felt clock+disruption and faster, creature based goldfish decks are the worst matchups for us. off the top that's affinity, infect (rip), delver, death's shadow, gifts storm (think they are slightly faster and more consistent), merfolk, spirits.
do you think deaths shadow is a good/even matchup Kathal? granted they don't generally start attacking until turn 4 and we have a lot of cantrips but assembling the right pieces in time still feels hard
So yes, Defense Grid is a good card, but not as universal usable as Pact.
@finalnub, Grixis Death Shadow is the worst version to play against, they have both Discard as 1 mana hard counters (Stubborn Denial). However, they can stumble with their draws more often than not, which gives us enough time. The Jund version, while being more consistent, is less annoying. It helps, that Blood Moon is also better vs the Jund version due to how their deck is set-up.
Greetings,
Kathal
Modern/Legacy
either funpolice (Delver, Deathcloud, UW Control) or the fun decks (especially those ft. Griselbrand)
Round 1 vs. Living End. Store owner didn't update the deck. But my draws were a bit weak and he got there. In the last game, I kept on 3 land, SSG, Through the Breach, Griselbrand, and some other cards. I fail to find a mana source and he does an early Living End, swinging me to lethal. I draw a land on the final turn, but it's a fetch and I'm now at 1 life. 1-2.
Round 2 vs. 4 Color Saheeli. Grand Prix winner and best player here hands down. He had a lot of hate for me in the 2nd and 3rd game, but I got through all of it because of a slow hand in game 3 (no pressure). 2-1.
Round 3 vs. Mono Blue Tron. He taps out to play Ratchet Bomb on turn 2 and taps it to put 1 counter on. Big mistake. I Breach the Wurm and win, now that the tokens are safe (who knows, maybe he could have had another). In the next game, I just build up a hand to win with. I finally get Griselbrand and can't wait longer because he drops Platinum Angel. EoT Goryo's Vengeance after making land drops. I go for another Goryo's Vengeance, with Pact of Negation on his Condescend. Another Pact of Negation later and I get there with a Breached Borborygmos Enraged. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Infect. I hadn't played against Infect since the Probe banning, but this is a guy who had beaten me 3 of 4 times with Infect, including a rare PPTQ where I missed the top 8 and he ended up winning. Misses a land drop. Doesn't kill me the turn after dropping a Glistener Elf and I get there with a Breached Wurm because he's at 15. I had Griselbrand as well and an almost sure kill, but the sure kill was safer. I do EoT Goryo's Vengeance and it is Spell Pierced. The next one resolves and I win. 2-0.
I finish 3-1, after losing the first round. So, a solid come back. I think I am going to keep grinding with this deck because I want to have as many reps as I can before the Grand Prix Las Vegas, considering this is the GP I'm hoping to do the best in.
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. Jund. The winner of the GPT at this same place 3 weeks ago. He is a solid Jund player and only plays Jund, but he is not one of the best. The first game is super slow. He plays nothing for 5 turns. I don't want to Breach Wurm because I fear Terminate into Maelstrom Pulse, so I wait for Griselbrand. I fail to go off, but build a hand to go off again. I get there short after. In the next game, he does turn 1 Inquisition of Kozilek, but doesn't take my Blood Moon. On the next turn, he does Thoughtseize, but I have drawn a 2nd Blood Moon. He takes Through the Breach instead of Simian Spirit Guide and I turn 2 the Moon. I save the other one in case he finds Forest and Maelstrom Pulse. I get there 3-4 turns later. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Eldrazi Tron. Pro Player that has been something like 7-2 vs. me life time. Modern is not "his format" per se. He is super good at Standard, Limited, and Legacy. He has a pretty slow hand, outside of turn 3 Thought-Knot Seer. I Nourishing Shoal Wurm in response since I have 2 other Shoal and Simian Spirit Guide in hand. I finally make it to 7 mana, exile SSG, and hard cast Griselbrand, but he has All is Dust and lethal on the field. In the next game, I try to go off, but fail badly. Siding out both Manamorphose and 1 Borborygmos hurt me, as I had 3 Wurm in my bottom 4 cards. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Kiki Chord. This was the guy who top 8ed with UW Control the GPT that I won. He came off slowly, but double Path to Exile got there on my Griselbrand. I won a few turns later. He does turn 2 Anafenza, the Foremost and I Anger of the Gods it and a Voice of Resurgence the next turn. But it gets there. In the last game, I fail to find the win that turn, but also don't realize for quite a while that I pass the turn, discard and then SSG and land for Goryo's Vengeance on the Borborygmos Enraged that was discarded and throw lands to win. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. DSJ. Friend and guy who rode with the Pro Player. Very strong player. He strips the hell out of my hand and gets there with a Tarmogoyf and a Death's Shadow. I miss out on a untapped land, SSG, or Desperate Ritual to win. The next game is similar, but I do find the extra mana and Breach Griselbrand to win. In the final game, I slowly build up. He mulled to 5, so it was tough for him to have as much gas. He also had Pithing Needle on Griselbrand, which slowed me down, but I eventually put Borborygmos Enraged into play after EoT Goryo's Vengeance on Griselbrand, which he knew I had from earlier, so he couldn't attack with double Goyf. 2-1.
Top 4 vs. Eldrazi Tron. Same guy from Round 2. We split the prizes, so he gave me the win. 2-0.
Finals vs. Affinity. We split the prizes and agreed to scoop, so I lost. 0-2.
I finish 4-2-1 or 3-1-1 in matches played. Not bad for a somewhat rough evening.
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. RG Ponza. He does turn 1 Utopia Sprawl. Turn 2 Stone Rain. Turn 3 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss and turn 4 Inferno Titan. I saw him tank a little bit on turn 4 before casting the Titan. Maybe he was considering land hate, which it turned out would have been better. But in most situations, especially following a Cathartic Reunion, it wouldn't have done much. For all I know, a land, SSG, or Desperate Ritual was the next card. I just did draw spells, but the turn before, I did Cathartic Reunion and it found a Desperate Ritual. I go off after he cast Inferno Titan for Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm and he scooped it up. In the next game, he had a Relic of Progenitus after turn 1 Utopia Sprawl, but was stuck on mana. So I Looted, Goryo's Vengeance a Borborygmos Enraged and found a land to go off with Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm a few turns later. He did Beast Within on the Wurm, but the tokens fill in just fine. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Eldrazi Tron. I keep a hand with an early Wurm, but he does turn 3 Thought-Knot Seer, exiling my Through the Breach. A few turns later I put in a Griselbrand to block Thought-Knot Seer, but he does double Dismember. I chain Shoals and leave myself at 13, so 4 more will put me at 9. I have an upkeep Borborygmos Enraged for him, discarding lethal lands. In the next game, I scrye and leave Shattering Spree. I get Mind Stone and Relic of Progenitus the following turn and then do Faithless Looting, Griselbrand, Goryo's Vengeance the turn after to win. Two of three kills by Griselbrand this tournament. This guy got the top seed at 4-1, after being scooped to in the final round. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Burn. He plays a million creatures. I do Goryo's Vengeance on Borborygmos Enraged, hoping to find lands to discard to kill him or at least some of 3 Monastery Swiftspears. I don't, so I only discard a single land to kill one. He adds Eidolon of the Great Revel next turn and I don't play Nourishing Shoal because I fear Skillcrack. It turns out he didn't have it and drew burn to kill me in response on the final turn. Sweet! In the next game, I try to sculpt my hand, but have 3 Nourishing Shoal and 3 Wurm in hand. I discard some, then eventually go for Griselbrand. He tries to do Deflecting Palm, but I chain Shoals to win with a Breached Borborygmos Enraged in response. In the final game, I basically draw a bunch of nothing. I do Borborygmos Enraged again, hoping to find 3 land to kill him or something else important. He does Deflecting Palm and I have a 6th land in hand and Nourishing Shoal. Not quite there. 1-2.
Round 4 vs. Storm. The only important piece of info. He wins the die roll. He plays a dude on turn 2. I Night's Whisper, hoping to find Goryo's Vengeance, but don't. Turn 1 was Faithless Looting for me, dumping Griselbrand. He kills me on his turn 3 - die roll. In the next game, I don't draw much. He doesn't kill me on turn 3 after his turn 2 dude. I was confused as to what he had, but maybe he was playing around Goryo's Vengeance, which I didn't have. I draw Inquisition of Kozilek to see Dispel, another dude, and some other stuff. I take Dispel, as even if I draw 1 way to win, it gets Dispelled. He draws Gifts Ungiven for the next card and kills me (turn 5, super late, but I played nothing except draw spells). 0-2.
Round 5 vs. DSJ. He strips my hand in both games and Temur Battle Rage on a Goyf the turn before I can draw a win out. But he scoops to me to help his friend's tie breakers since one 3-1-1 won't make it. 2-0.
I finish 3-2, or technically lost the last 3 matches, 0-2, which is super rare for me. I mulled five 0 land hands, but kept on some awkward hands, although admittedly I could care less during the final round.
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's probably unfavored. We literally have nothing for them except 1 for 1 creature removal. Collective Brutality is often not quite as good when a Baral, Chief of Compliance is in play. I'm pretty sure we have to go off quickly since they are way more consistent.
That being said, I was more upset about the draws. I've played both decks for at least 3 months before. He drew stuff to kill me and I didn't. It was that simple, but it knocked me from top 8 contention when any other matchup would have been fine.
I went 1-3 on Monday Night.
Round 1 vs. Bye. I get the Bye out of 11 players. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Living End. I have nothing to do for around 6 turns. I can't go for Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm because Violent Outburst beats me. So I wait and try to draw Griselbrand. I don't and he keeps cycling until he has 25+ damage on board. I mull 0 land hands to a 0 land, 3 card hand. I choose not to play anything since there is nothing that I have that could possibly beat what he has (Violent Outburst, Faerie Macabre, Leyline of the Void, etc.). He does the Living End on turn 4 because he knows I'm not trying to play anything. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Infect. I am about to try Through the Breach on turn 3, despite missing a 3rd land drop. He Spell Pierces my Desperate Ritual, which was odd. Then he beats me with 5 infect (after the previous turn's 5 infect). In the next game, he just plays stuff to go off and I just try to draw more than just Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm. I die on turn 3. 0-2.
Round 4 vs. ?. I left, so I lost to something. 0-2.
1-3, with the only win being a Bye. Nice. Lots of poor shuffling in this one, shuffling my opponents to turn 3 wins, but myself with nothing but mulligan-type hands. Outside of the 3 card hand, I averaged 5.5 cards per game.
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)Yep, definitely. More concerting is my feeling that I will be unable to bring something next Monday that beats Burn, Living End, Infect, and Storm. I'm strongly considering a deck with 4 mainboard Chalice of the Void with 4 Rest in Peace in the SB. My first inclination is RG Breach, splash White for RIP and FILL the SB with lifegain cards.
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)thoughts?
Emrakul, the Aeon's Torn (and Griselbrand) are my favorite 2 creatures of all time. I have the special RK Post Emrakul/Griselbrand playmat. I have an oversize card of each one in my binder at all times. My deck is nearly 100% foiled with Guru lands. Yes, I'm a bit of a fanatic.
Yet, I don't play any Emrakul in this deck. A one of in the SB is not going to "get" there for me in my opinion. There are certainly games where I can't find Griselbrand where I wish the Wurm in hand was an Emrakul, but it won't be in my hand in these situations.
Played in a small 4 round WNM.
Round 1 vs. Elves. In the first game, I am about to lose to some Elves and Ezuri, but I draw Griselbrand and go off and win. In the next game, my plan is a turn 4 Worldspine Wurm, but I draw Griselbrand and win the easier way. 2-0,
Round 2 vs. UW Control. I came with a friend, who I most recently have lent Burn to. But he got bored of it, so he went with UW today. The first game is long and drawn out. I never find Griselbrand and lose. In the next game, he does turn 2 Rest in Peace. He does Runed Halo on Worldspine Wurm a couple of turns later. This game goes the distance, as I have played all of the lands in my deck, but can't find Griselbrand. At 6 cards left, I find one. I cast it, but he finds removal after swapping some attacks of 2 Kitchen Finks and 2 Celestial Colonnade for a Griselbrand attack. After he kills one, I play another. He only has 5 cards left in his library and I have 3. He finds the other Runed Halo and I scoop since I deck before him. We are nearly at time and I know I don't win this game to tie it. 0-2.
Round 3 vs. Affinity. In the first game, I am on the Wurm plan, but find Griselbrand and Cathartic Reunion into SSG/Goryo's Vengeance the Griselbrand on turn 3, right after he cast a Master of Etherium on his turn 2. Luckily for me, I barely find what I need to win. In the next game, I have a Shattering Spree. He Spell Pierces the part targeting his Steel Overseer. But I find another a few turns later and get him down to a single Vault Skirge with 5 counters on it. I find what I need to Goryo's Vengeance another Griselbrand to block it. He scoops. I still had another 2 Goryo's Vengeance in hand with a Through the Breach/Wurm, so it was a good scoop. 2-0.
Round 4 vs. Burn. In the first game, I go for the turn 4 kill with Through the Breach/Wurm, but he has Lightning Helix to stay alive. He fails to draw a 3rd land to double burn me, now at 5 life with 3 blockers. The next game is similar, but he now has 4 land after a drop. I did the Breach/Wurm this time on turn 3 after topdecking another Simian Spirit Guide. But he only has Boros Charm and another Harsh Mentor in hand. The one in play did 6 damage with 2 triggers and an attack. 2-0.
I get 3-1, which is good for some store credit.
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)Has anybody found any effective plans for beating Jund Shadow?
I'd argue for burn Borbo is more valuable because, with setup, it's a win condition that ignores path and (mostly) palm. That it pitches to shoal is not negligible either. Emrakul is most likely a 1 hit KO but you will likely need set up to get that pact. Abzan and Ad Nauseum are fair points especially where Leyline ruins your plan to end step borbo to make them have multiple graces. But my argument is that griselbrand into borbo is a win condition that's pretty resilient to path as well, so it may be worthwhile exploring another card for the SB slot. I'm not sure what I'd bring in though.
Main plan's been t2 mooning them and putting in more pushes in the sb. pretty tough matchup. Thought about Liliana Death's Majesty for it maybe but seems too slow/still weak to battle rage
Played in a small 11 person FNM - 4 rounds. I like to go to another store that has 24-32 players, but nobody wanted to carpool.
Round 1 vs. Mono Red Burn/Hate deck. He gets Goblin Guide and then Blood Moon, but I do Nourishing Shoal Worldspine Wurm when he does Molten Rain. A few turns later when I get to low double digits, I find Through the Breach/Worldspine Wurm after around 4-5 draw spells and finding a bunch of lands, discarding most of those to Faithless Lootings and flashback. The Wurm wins it. In the next game, he gets pressure and I make a mistake of doing Cathartic Reunion, discarding one of my 2 Simian Spirit Guides, thinking that I'll get a mana source in the 3 draws or draws afterward. He does Molten Rain with the Goblin Guide still swinging and I can't Breach the Wurm because I'm 1 mana short. I should also state that he stopped my turn 2 Goryo's Vengeance in both games with Surgical Extraction X 1 and X 2 in the 2nd game. Yes, mainboard. In the last game, I Anger of the Gods a Goblin Guide, a Grim Lavamancer, and a Harsh Mentor. This buys me a bunch of time and I have Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm again a bunch of turns after drawing some cards. 2-1.
Round 2 vs. BW Tokens. In the first game after a turn 1 Inquisition of Kozilek nabs Goryo's Vengeance, he doesn't have much else. I Through the Breach Griselbrand and go through Path to Exile to win easily. In the next game, he has Inquisition of Kozilek into Tidehollow Sculler. I made a mistake of not casting my Simian Spirit Guide a turn earlier because I wanted to save mana for Through the Breach if I draw it. But, Path to Exile would accelerate me into it anyway. I do it a turn late, taking 2 damage unnecessarily, and it gets Pathed. I cast Anger of the Gods next turn after he put in 2 Soldier tokens with Raise the Alarm. Then later, I do Through the Breach Griselbrand and it gets Pathed. I don't find enough to win, but cast Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm the next turn to have it Pathed as well. Finally the next turn I do Goryo's Vengeance that I just drew on Griselbrand and splice Through the Breach Worldspine Wurm to win. I just needed him to Path 1 more time and I had a hard cast Griselbrand, which was in my hand, next turn. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Eldrazi Tron. This guy has done well with this deck, averaging 2-3 Thought-Knot Seer/Reality Smasher against me per game. He doesn't find anything except a Smasher in the midgame in the first one and I Breach Worldspine Wurm to win. In the next game, he has grave hate and my hand fails to draw another mana source as I lose to a singleton Smasher and an Endbringer that he drew with me on 7 life, never finding another mana source since my opening hand to Breach a Wurm. In the final game, He has grave hate, but on double Relic of Progenitus and Expedition Map with 2 mana up, I do Shattering Spree, targeting all 3. He lets the Map die, but cracks both Relics to draw 2 cards. He casts a Thought-Knot Seer a bit late and I find the land to Breach a Worldspine Wurm, knowing that he can't cast Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or All is Dust without the use of Simian Spirit Guide, which I'm pretty sure he doesn't have. He doesn't and I win. 2-1.
Round 4 vs. GW Tron. I play a friend, who is 2-1. He scoops to me since I get a bonus for 4-0. I promised to buy an Aetherworks Marvel for $13 store credit from him, which I need to play at a Standard PPTQ. Probably a HUGE mistake since Standard is probably the worst format of all times in Magic, but it's the only way to win a PPTQ. 2-0. We play for fun and he eeks out a win, with me missing a land or mana source for 9 turns in the 3rd game to not Nourishing Shoal/Worldspine Wurm, splice Through the Breach off Desperate Ritual and SSG to pretty much win the game, outside of Ugin. Ulamog, Karn, and Ugin crush me.
I finish 4-0, but technically 3-1 in matches played.
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: David vs soul sisters/martyr proc
g1 is a standard combo. I note some soul sisters so i side in explosive for them/thalia/rip. also side in pyroclasm for their dorks even though it won't kill buffed pridemates or ascendants. he also waited until i drew around 21 cards before pathing griselbrand so he is likely not familar with this deck
g2 he goes t1 ascendant, t2 martyr revealing 4 for 12 life. t2 attack with a 6/6 flying lifelinker. ok then
g3 i get really fortunate. he goes t1 ascendant into t2 matyr recealing 4 again (path, rip, pridemate, soul sister). the hand is very problematic to my otherwise good hand of griselbrand, temple, land, goryo, looting, goryo, shoal. i try to start cobbling together a ttb win but his t3 is actually pridemate into ascendant. i count my lucky stars and combo off
1-0
round 2: vs Nick with Goblins.
i knew he was on goblins as his match went to time. g1 he t1 foundry street citizen, t2 loyalist plus citizen and t3 citizen into bushwhacker and attacks me for 16 forcing me to shoal and i dont get there
i bring in pyroclasms and ee
g2 i keep a hand with ssg swamp griselbrand and goryo so i plan on discarding into t3 grisebrand. his t1 is a loyalist plus tormods crypt. plan B time. he plays a few more crypts so i just breach him as he had little pressure.
g3 i have temple griselbrand shoal borb borb goryo goryo looting and draw land t1. unfortunately he has another crypt and starts beating me down.t2 i scry a hug to the top thinking i can afford to and i need to draw ttb. he goes devestating summons into bushwhacker and hits me for 22 on t3 or t4 and i again am forced to shoal a a borb. at this point i have a griselbrand km the gy 2 lands shattering spree and goryo and need an untapped mana source to spree into goryo but i dont get there. next card was ssg so my bad scry cost me
1-2
round 3: Matthew vs omenshift
standard two games as this is a good matchup. there was a spot on t3 in g2 where i could moon them with them at 3 lands and khalni heart expedition or goryo into griselbrand with 1 spare mana and no shoals/wurms. i choose to moon him as i dont think they can win in the next few turns with moon i get there even after he summoners Pact for rec sage. apparently he had omen in hand and could've won next turn but moon probably was right anywY
2-0
r4 id into top 8
round 8:Goblins again
Neither of the games were particularly close. g1 he is the higher seed and goes and t3 kills me essential. i mulligan to 6 both games looking for the combo or pyroclasm but find none. some loyalist/piledriver/devestating summom into bushwhacker shenInagans and i get crushed. whacky deck and something i did not expect at all let alone lose twice to it
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Polluted Delta
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
4 Temple of Malice
4 Swamp
2 Mountain
Creatures - 14
4 Simian Spirit Guide
2 Borborygmos Enraged
4 Griselbrand
4 Worldspine Wurm
4 Faithless Looting
3 Cathartic Reunion
3 Desperate Ritual
4 Goryo's Vengeance
2 Manamorphose
3 Night's Whisper
4 Through the Breach
4 Nourishing Shoal
3 Blood Moon
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Pyroclasm
2 Pact of Negation
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Shattering Spree
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Round 1 - Affinity
g1 - Turn 3 Worldspine Wurm hits for 15 and opponent can't stop the three Wurm tokens.
-3 Night's Whisper, -1 Manamorphose, +1 Shattering Spree, +1 Engineered Explosives, +1 Pyroclasm, +1 Anger of the Gods
g2 - I lose to a Ravager putting counters on an Inkmoth Nexus. I could have killed the Ravager with Shattering Spree but Pyroclasmed away two Ornithopters instead. Probably a punt.
g3 - Opponent mulligans to 5 and is helpless as I kill on turn 4
Round 2 - Abzan Control
g1 - I go off with Griselbrand and it gets Pathed but I load up on cards and get a Worldspine Wurm out and opponent doesn't have a second Path.
-1 Manamorphose, -1 Desperate Ritual, -1 Cathartic Reunion, +3 Blood Moon
g2 - I have a bad hand, my Blood Moon gets Abrupt Decayed, and a Scavenging Ooze beats me to death.
g3 - I get Blood Moon out and am forced to go for Worldspine Wurm into Path mana. He doesn't have Path.
Round 3 - Jeskai Control
g1 - I load up on lands and start end-stepping and splicing to grind through all the counters.
-3 Cathartic Reunion, -1 Manamorphose, -1 Desperate Ritual, +2 Pact of Negation, +1 Boseiju, +2 Chalice of the Void
g2 - Opponent mulls to 5 and plays land as I play Chalice for 1. Game goes slowly until opponent taps out for Elspeth, Sun's Champion. I go off and win. (A Path to Exile was stranded by the Chalice.)
Round 4 - Living End
g1 - I Goryo's on turn 3 and kill.
- 1 Manamorphose, -1 Desperate Ritual, -1 Night's Whisper, +3 Chalice of the Void
g2 - I play a Chalice of the Void for 0 and opponent can't kill it before I get Griselbrand and kill.
Round 5 - Merfolk
g1 - Opponent has a slow double Spreading Seas draw but my mana is fine and I kill him with a Worldspine Wurm.
-3 Cathartic Reunion, -1 Manamorphose, +1 Engineered Explosives, +1 Pyroclasm, +2 Anger of the Gods
g2 - Opponent disrupts me lightly while I cast a sweeper but I lose to double Mutavault.
- 1 Desperate Ritual, +1 Blood Moon (sigh)
g3 - Opponent gets stuck on two lands, taps out for a Merfolk, and I hit with Worldspine.
Rounds 6 and 7 - ID into Top 8 and #2 seed
Top 8 - Naya Burn
g1 - Getting hit with Monastery Swiftspear and Eidolon of the Great Revel, I get out a Griselbrand. Opponent waits for attack to Atarka's Command so I respond with two Nourishing Shoals and kill with Borborygmos.
g2 - Turn 2 Chalice for 1, turn 3 Worldspine (a Path to Exile was locked in hand)
Top 4 - Bant Eldrazi
g1 - I mull to a bad 6 and get run over by turn 2 Thought-Knot, turn 3 Thought-Knot.
-3 Night's Whisper, -1 Manamorphose, +3 Blood Moon, +1 Engineered Explosives
g2 - Blood Moon cuts off blue mana for opponent. One Griselbrand gets Pathed but I load up on cards and the second is lethal.
g3 - I keep Blood Crypt, Griselbrand, Faithless Looting, Goryo's, Goryo's, Shoal, Shoal on the draw. I miss land 2 on turn 2 despite the Faithless Looting and have to pass. My next draw is Temple of Malice (argh!) and I scry a third land to the top but I get Thought-Knotted for one of my Goryo's Vengeances. I try to splice the second Goryo's but it gets Negated. Then a second Thought-Knot takes my other Goryo's and I die.
In conclusion, Chalice of the Void rules and everyone should be playing it!