Taking into consideration the advice I've been given, how about this? And would Elixir of Immortality be more inevitable than White Sun's Zenith? I thought since esper relishes games that never end, the former would be a better choice than the latter?
This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually can draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you win, it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
Taking into consideration the advice I've been given, how about this? And would Elixir of Immortality be more inevitable than White Sun's Zenith? I thought since esper relishes games that never end, the former would be a better choice than the latter?
This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually [i]can[/i] draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you [i]win[/i], it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
I run into the issue of the clock a lot on mtgo [i know, but i dont have time to play except for on mtgo at like 12am]
I think this is why I have been trying to maindeck a couple more finishers than I would in a normal setting, as clock restrictions can be brutal with this deck
Also, im not sure of gideon in the SB as a win con. I get it that its a strong card, but I feel like ugin will essentially end most games, and can be cast through a blood moon
Taking into consideration the advice I've been given, how about this? And would Elixir of Immortality be more inevitable than White Sun's Zenith? I thought since esper relishes games that never end, the former would be a better choice than the latter?
This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually [i]can[/i] draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you [i]win[/i], it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
I run into the issue of the clock a lot on mtgo [i know, but i dont have time to play except for on mtgo at like 12am]
I think this is why I have been trying to maindeck a couple more finishers than I would in a normal setting, as clock restrictions can be brutal with this deck
Also, im not sure of gideon in the SB as a win con. I get it that its a strong card, but I feel like ugin will essentially end most games, and can be cast through a blood moon
Taking into consideration the advice I've been given, how about this? And would Elixir of Immortality be more inevitable than White Sun's Zenith? I thought since esper relishes games that never end, the former would be a better choice than the latter?
This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually [i]can[/i] draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you [i]win[/i], it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
I run into the issue of the clock a lot on mtgo [i know, but i dont have time to play except for on mtgo at like 12am]
I think this is why I have been trying to maindeck a couple more finishers than I would in a normal setting, as clock restrictions can be brutal with this deck
Also, im not sure of gideon in the SB as a win con. I get it that its a strong card, but I feel like ugin will essentially end most games, and can be cast through a blood moon
Running extra wincons as time management training wheels is perfectly fine so long as you know that's why they're in the deck. If you're not used to playing this style of control they might be a necessity until you understand your deck and the format a little better. Nothing to be ashamed of, we all start somewhere. Of that's the case one of the best pure win the game cards you can play is grave titan and elspeth, sun's champion. They both end the game [i]very[/i] fast and not a lot of decks are able to even kill them. Although this is slightly less true now since a lot of decks are running dreadbore and extra copies of maelstrom pulse, but they're both solid and lead to many "oops, I win" moments.
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And on that day, Garfield said unto the world "Go ye forth and durdle!"
All in all, you always have to be very carefull in evaluating a card that is sorcery speed. It needs to have an amazing effect. For exemple, we play wrath effects because they are the best at what they do and answer a problem we otherwise cannot. Let's say it another way, if you evaluate a card 7/10 and its sorcery, you can drop it to 4/10. So to be playable, a sorcery needs to be at least a 9/10. Not tapping out on our turn is what keeps us alive. If you blink, you are dead.
Taking into consideration the advice I've been given, how about this? And would Elixir of Immortality be more inevitable than White Sun's Zenith? I thought since esper relishes games that never end, the former would be a better choice than the latter?
This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually [i]can[/i] draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you [i]win[/i], it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
I run into the issue of the clock a lot on mtgo [i know, but i dont have time to play except for on mtgo at like 12am]
I think this is why I have been trying to maindeck a couple more finishers than I would in a normal setting, as clock restrictions can be brutal with this deck
Also, im not sure of gideon in the SB as a win con. I get it that its a strong card, but I feel like ugin will essentially end most games, and can be cast through a blood moon
Yeah, I just jammed a few games on Cockatrice (my laptop isn't dowloading XMage QQ ) and really noticed a time difference without Elle. Not that the deck was worse, per se, but Elle finishes games [i]soooo[/i] fast. Now I'm starting to remember how people can routinely finish matches 1-0. I'm not about that life tho. I like playing to a 2-0 record or 2-1. Especially if I lose G1.
Also, Gideon is only in my board to be a Baneslayer that you can play against BGx -- it's only a wincon against decks with no removal.
Taking into consideration the advice I've been given, how about this? And would Elixir of Immortality be more inevitable than White Sun's Zenith? I thought since esper relishes games that never end, the former would be a better choice than the latter?
This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually [i]can[/i] draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you [i]win[/i], it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
I run into the issue of the clock a lot on mtgo [i know, but i dont have time to play except for on mtgo at like 12am]
I think this is why I have been trying to maindeck a couple more finishers than I would in a normal setting, as clock restrictions can be brutal with this deck
Also, im not sure of gideon in the SB as a win con. I get it that its a strong card, but I feel like ugin will essentially end most games, and can be cast through a blood moon
Running extra wincons as time management training wheels is perfectly fine so long as you know that's why they're in the deck. If you're not used to playing this style of control they might be a necessity until you understand your deck and the format a little better. Nothing to be ashamed of, we all start somewhere. Of that's the case one of the best pure win the game cards you can play is grave titan and elspeth, sun's champion. They both end the game [i]very[/i] fast and not a lot of decks are able to even kill them. Although this is slightly less true now since a lot of decks are running dreadbore and extra copies of maelstrom pulse, but they're both solid and lead to many "oops, I win" moments.
that's exactly it. I've run control/aggro/combo decks for years, but haven't touched this style of draw-go as often. I'm far more accustomed to tap out style, so I figure until I learn the clock better, I shouldn't drop games for specifically that reason.
I have since cut out a couple things, I still leave ugin in, but have started getting more used to making fast early turns and decisions, to save clock.
A few pages back someone posted a screenshot of someone on Reddit saying this thread was full of terrible people, I can't remember that wording. I was just thinking about that, and this community is really one of the best I've ever been a part of online. Everyone is so reasonable!
When I was losing 99% of the matches I played, I probably would have given up on this deck if the community weren't so open to helping others and trying new things. I'm still too bad to contribute, though! Thanks to everyone for the help so far! Just wanted to chime in something off-topic since it's been on my mind.
A few pages back someone posted a screenshot of someone on Reddit saying this thread was full of terrible people, I can't remember that wording. I was just thinking about that, and this community is really one of the best I've ever been a part of online. Everyone is so reasonable!
When I was losing 99% of the matches I played, I probably would have given up on this deck if the community weren't so open to helping others and trying new things. I'm still too bad to contribute, though! Thanks to everyone for the help so far! Just wanted to chime in something off-topic since it's been on my mind.
I don't believe that anyone is "too bad to contribute".
I get that it can be annoying, and I get that doing some relative research on this deck is important, but there are many times that you can read something, and still not fully understand it.
I would rather people ask questions, even if they are outlined in the primer, if they need a further explanation. I would never want someone to not post something, just because they feel the question is inadequate.
In a nutshell, if you are annoyed by reading the same questions over and over, then nobody is forcing you to read and reply. Just move past it, at least that's my feeling. If you have a question on cards to use/not to use, or need a further explanation on why the deck is accepted (for the most part) the way it is, then go ahead and post, and I'm sure that someone will be able to answer you without being annoyed.
As a heavy contributor, I have NO problem replying to someone's genuine question about "why don't you try ancestral vision"
What I DO have a problem with is the occasional "you guys are so wrong and backwards vision is way better than charm and you NEED to play 4 serum visions!!!!"
Nobody is too bad to contribute. When I first started sleeving up runed halos a year and a half ago or more, all my friends who are also hardcore control players told me I was being ridiculous by ever having any mainboard, or more than 1 in the 75
Except Donny. Donny is my dude. I mean the local guys I hang around. Donny and I are slightly too far to have a true control bromance right now :/
A few words on this deck, as I know there will probably be some sort of uproar from it
1) I don't have enough money for celestial colonnade, so until i get them, Shambling vents will have to do
2) I'm very U heavy, as for some reason MTGO likes to mess with my U mana sources. Probably punishment for not running colonnades
3) I need some kind of win-con outside of WSZ and Revelation, just too many things take too long right now for me
4) I have Peer in SB right now, as I don't typically need it. It's mainly against decks that I need to find a good answer fast, and this is also why I run primarily instants/sorc in SB
5) Bribery is in there, because against nahiri control and tron it can just outright win.
I am entering the competitive league, so I will keep you posted on results
Match 1 - 0-2 BW tokens
Game 1 mull to 5 to get 2 lands, first two hands had 0
Game 2 mull to 6 to get 2 lands, sequence of not drawing any land, plus 2 thoughtseize and 1 inquisition ripped everything out
As a heavy contributor, I have NO problem replying to someone's genuine question about "why don't you try ancestral vision"
What I DO have a problem with is the occasional "you guys are so wrong and backwards vision is way better than charm and you NEED to play 4 serum visions!!!!"
Nobody is too bad to contribute. When I first started sleeving up runed halos a year and a half ago or more, all my friends who are also hardcore control players told me I was being ridiculous by ever having any mainboard, or more than 1 in the 75
Except Donny. Donny is my dude. I mean the local guys I hang around. Donny and I are slightly too far to have a true control bromance right now :/
Just watch out for SES. I've bought more random cards based on his experiments...
Not saying you're wrong or that Gideon Jura is bad in this deck, but doesn't he hit the field far too late versus Infect (and Aggro, to a lesser extent) to make a huge difference? I mean we have plenty of counterspells and discard, but even so (not trying to hate on your choice!).
I have been playing a single Gideon for a while. What I can tell is this: (if you have different experiences you are welcomed to expose them) It is usually a good card, but a card I would categorize as a "win more". In a lot of match up, it will close a game faster than if you were just playing wsz and colonnades. But those games are the ones you win anyway. In very few cases, it did something exceptional, blocking lethal creature damage and surviving, allowing me to wrath the board and ride him to victory. Considering how tight the shell of our deck is, I don't think he is that useful even tho its a good card. To new players tho, it's an additional clock, it's sometime an absolute beast. I think that with better understanding of the deck, it is very easy to just stay with the 5 wincons we have (wsz + 4 colonnades) and use our slots better. I would add that our deck is not made to crush the opponent life total, we are here to crush their spirit. The moment they are hellbent, we have 3-4 cards and just counter/destroy everything they play and draw more cards. God the feeling they must have... We are anti-gamers If you crush their spirit game 1, just like this, you will often win game 2 out of their hopelessness. The true essence of control, make it painful!
Been a long time since I've been in this thread...
Would it be feasible to run 4 Ghost Quarters in the main deck? I ask this because my meta is all sorts of wacky right now. Tron decks are running rampant at my FNM, and there's at least 3-5 people playing it with attendance of about 12-16. And it's not just all G/R tron either, there's U Tron, and a G/W tron. The main G/R player has to be worst. Crumble to Dust doesn't even work against him half the time since he has 3 sideboard Warping Wails and his main plan against red decks is to use Karn, 3 Worldbreakers, and 3 Ulamogs to keep people from getting 4 lands. The best way I've found to beat tron is to take them off of tron permanently and completely. I've starting running 4 Ghost Quarters and 3 maindeck Surgical Extractions. Then the G/W tron deck has 4 Pithing Needles in his sideboard for my ghost quarters <_<. It's insanity.
Right now I'm running a U/B control deck with Inquisition of Kozilek, Tasigur, and such. There's a fair bit of control, but I usually do ok with control mirrors (heck, I don't remember the last time I lost a control mirror), living end, ad nauseum, other random combo decks, affinity, merfolk, abzan coco, Kiki Chord, and a bit of burn.
The more I keep tuning my deck, the more I keep wishing I had white for Paths, Verdicts, lifegain (like Kitchen Finks), and Sphinx's Rev. Right now I'm running Disfigures and 2 Plumeveil and a Vedalken Shackles to deal with creatures. Would some sort of Esper deck be good for my situation, and would it even be feasible to run 25-26 land with 4 Ghost Quarters and 3 Surgicals?
On an unrelated note, a buddy of mine gave me a pretty sweet sideboarding strategy, not sure if it would work out in any of your sideboards, but I've been trying it and loving it, so I thought I'd share. Basically you put Relic of Progenitus, Pithing Needle, Hangarback Walker, and Engineered Explosives in the side, and a 1-of Trinket Mage to fetch them. So basically you have 2 copies of each of these artifacts while only using 5 sideboard slots instead of using 8 to put 2 each in.
Not saying you're wrong or that Gideon Jura is bad in this deck, but doesn't he hit the field far too late versus Infect (and Aggro, to a lesser extent) to make a huge difference? I mean we have plenty of counterspells and discard, but even so (not trying to hate on your choice!).
I don't play Gideon in the deck, but I have. And in my experience, he's actually very good against Infect. Sure, he comes down turn 5. But he puts them in the no-win position of having to expend several pump spells to take him down or letting him pick off their non-land threats one-by-one. Either way, I've experienced him buying me far more than one turn, usually enough to stabilize.
That said, he's utter garbage to Path, Terminate, GftT, and so on and so on. One of the ways we outdraw our opponents is to turn off their removal with few, resilient wincons. Gideon weakens that game plan.
To those of you who buy cards for testing -- GET ON XMAGE OR COCKATRICE. Test cards online beforehand. It works out really well for me. =D
Just having a bit of fun. I've only played a few years, so most of my pickups are cards I've never heard of, like this weird Runed Halo thing that I'm happy to have in my collection, irrespective of whether they make my deck now. Meta games shift and all...
our deck is not made to crush the opponent life total, we are here to crush their spirit. The moment they are hellbent, we have 3-4 cards and just counter/destroy everything they play and draw more cards. God the feeling they must have... We are anti-gamers If you crush their spirit game 1, just like this, you will often win game 2 out of their hopelessness. The true essence of control, make it painful!
FWIW, I think playing remands make the cryptics a lot more appealing, and without them, spell snare is probably worth the slot more than the cryptic.
In the previous times its been mentioned, telling time has always proven better for me than anticipate, assuming 8 fetchlands.
Even when I ran only 5 fetches in UW, telling time was always better because we almost always want land + business. It isn't particularly often that we need one card specifically while at the same time having nothing else to hold us over until we find it. Unless you're like me and never draw supreme verdicts like a scrub.
I'm like you
For counterspells, BA makes negate more appealing, but plenty of people already play the negates. Theres not really anything else I'd be dying to play, since snare and knot have never caused me problems, and cryptic is the best at what it does.
The issue is that BA and negate are likely to slots normally filled with cantrips, which isn't something I'm excited about.
Yea, sorcery speed really kills the new accumulated knowledge. Looking at only one graveyard isnt really enough to change it, but sorcery speed is too much of a killer to play it over think twice.
Gideon is a stronger sideboard card because an 8 mana ugin isn't as good as a 5 mana gideon against faster decks.
Blood moon is honestly not too much of an issue for this deck, either.
As someone all about that 1-0, elspeth is a great sideboard card, especially since losing game 1 isn't certain doom this way.
Gideon is definitely worse against dreadbores now, unfortunately. Batterskull would be the suggestion, but maelstrom pulse/kolaghan's commands are still around. Nephalia drownyard it is!
(Darkwater catacombs isn't modern legal, but drowned catacomb is )
Seachrome coast is also to be avoided, as casting wraths turn 4 is what keeps you alive fairly often.
You seem to not play any plains, which is a mistake.
Colonnade, unfortunately, is a huge part of this deck, both in U sources, and in wincons. Definitely prioritize them.
Gideon, elspeth, batterskull, grave titan, baneslayer, and clique, among others, are some of the most popular creatures/threats.
Gideon isn't mean to replace wraths, hes here to come down the next turn and efficiently mop up everything else they play till the game is over.
If you were to play 4 gq, I'd probably play 27 lands, and I'd definitely play shadow of doubts. 3 colorless sources has been ok to be (I played 3 cryptics usually, though), though I've never tried 4.
Thoughtseize and vendilion clique are you friends against tron.
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This is definitely a list that I can get behind! You catch on quick, that's good.
As for Zenith vs. Elixir, Zenith actually can draw the game out infinitely -- you just play until you have no deck and start casting Zenith every turn. Every time you cast it, you shuffle it in and draw it the next turn. Doing this every turn prevents you from ever decking. I'm not a huge fan of Elixir becuase of what the others mentioned -- it shuffles back in dead fetches too. That said, you could delve them away with Knot with the main upside of Elixir being that it gains life. One of the biggest issues with it is that Elixir doesn't actually let you win, it just prevents you from losing and some people won't scoop to it, saying "I'll make you actually kill me." Zenith does actually kill the opponent, which is huge from a time perspective.
UWB Esper Draw-Go Control (clicky)
UW Azorius Control (clicky)
Currently pursuing a degree in Biochemistry.
EDH: I've decided I don't like multiplayer formats.
I think this is why I have been trying to maindeck a couple more finishers than I would in a normal setting, as clock restrictions can be brutal with this deck
Also, im not sure of gideon in the SB as a win con. I get it that its a strong card, but I feel like ugin will essentially end most games, and can be cast through a blood moon
Don't forget Elspeth 6
Running extra wincons as time management training wheels is perfectly fine so long as you know that's why they're in the deck. If you're not used to playing this style of control they might be a necessity until you understand your deck and the format a little better. Nothing to be ashamed of, we all start somewhere. Of that's the case one of the best pure win the game cards you can play is grave titan and elspeth, sun's champion. They both end the game [i]very[/i] fast and not a lot of decks are able to even kill them. Although this is slightly less true now since a lot of decks are running dreadbore and extra copies of maelstrom pulse, but they're both solid and lead to many "oops, I win" moments.
Yeah, I just jammed a few games on Cockatrice (my laptop isn't dowloading XMage QQ ) and really noticed a time difference without Elle. Not that the deck was worse, per se, but Elle finishes games [i]soooo[/i] fast. Now I'm starting to remember how people can routinely finish matches 1-0. I'm not about that life tho.
Also, Gideon is only in my board to be a Baneslayer that you can play against BGx -- it's only a wincon against decks with no removal.
UWB Esper Draw-Go Control (clicky)
UW Azorius Control (clicky)
Currently pursuing a degree in Biochemistry.
EDH: I've decided I don't like multiplayer formats.
that's exactly it. I've run control/aggro/combo decks for years, but haven't touched this style of draw-go as often. I'm far more accustomed to tap out style, so I figure until I learn the clock better, I shouldn't drop games for specifically that reason.
I have since cut out a couple things, I still leave ugin in, but have started getting more used to making fast early turns and decisions, to save clock.
When I was losing 99% of the matches I played, I probably would have given up on this deck if the community weren't so open to helping others and trying new things. I'm still too bad to contribute, though! Thanks to everyone for the help so far! Just wanted to chime in something off-topic since it's been on my mind.
I don't believe that anyone is "too bad to contribute".
I get that it can be annoying, and I get that doing some relative research on this deck is important, but there are many times that you can read something, and still not fully understand it.
I would rather people ask questions, even if they are outlined in the primer, if they need a further explanation. I would never want someone to not post something, just because they feel the question is inadequate.
In a nutshell, if you are annoyed by reading the same questions over and over, then nobody is forcing you to read and reply. Just move past it, at least that's my feeling. If you have a question on cards to use/not to use, or need a further explanation on why the deck is accepted (for the most part) the way it is, then go ahead and post, and I'm sure that someone will be able to answer you without being annoyed.
What I DO have a problem with is the occasional "you guys are so wrong and backwards vision is way better than charm and you NEED to play 4 serum visions!!!!"
Nobody is too bad to contribute. When I first started sleeving up runed halos a year and a half ago or more, all my friends who are also hardcore control players told me I was being ridiculous by ever having any mainboard, or more than 1 in the 75
Except Donny. Donny is my dude. I mean the local guys I hang around. Donny and I are slightly too far to have a true control bromance right now :/
1 Darkwater Catacombs
4 Flooded Strand
1 Ghost Quarter
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Island
4 Polluted Delta
2 Seachrome Coast
3 Shambling Vent
1 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Watery Grave
Creatures:
3 Snapcaster Mage
Instants:
1 Condemn
4 Path to Exile
3 Spell Snare
1 Negate
1 Remand
4 Think Twice
2 Logic Knot
1 Anguished Unamking
4 Esper Charm
4 Cryptic Command
1 White Sun's Zenith
2 Sphinx's Revelation
3 Supreme Verdict
Planeswalkers:
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1 Stony Silence
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Pulse of the Fields
3 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Dismember
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Night of Souls' Betrayal
1 Bribery
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Scour from Existence
2 Peer Through Depths
A few words on this deck, as I know there will probably be some sort of uproar from it
1) I don't have enough money for celestial colonnade, so until i get them, Shambling vents will have to do
2) I'm very U heavy, as for some reason MTGO likes to mess with my U mana sources. Probably punishment for not running colonnades
3) I need some kind of win-con outside of WSZ and Revelation, just too many things take too long right now for me
4) I have Peer in SB right now, as I don't typically need it. It's mainly against decks that I need to find a good answer fast, and this is also why I run primarily instants/sorc in SB
5) Bribery is in there, because against nahiri control and tron it can just outright win.
I am entering the competitive league, so I will keep you posted on results
Match 1 - 0-2 BW tokens
Game 1 mull to 5 to get 2 lands, first two hands had 0
Game 2 mull to 6 to get 2 lands, sequence of not drawing any land, plus 2 thoughtseize and 1 inquisition ripped everything out
Just watch out for SES. I've bought more random cards based on his experiments...
UWB Esper Draw-Go Control (clicky)
UW Azorius Control (clicky)
Currently pursuing a degree in Biochemistry.
EDH: I've decided I don't like multiplayer formats.
Would it be feasible to run 4 Ghost Quarters in the main deck? I ask this because my meta is all sorts of wacky right now. Tron decks are running rampant at my FNM, and there's at least 3-5 people playing it with attendance of about 12-16. And it's not just all G/R tron either, there's U Tron, and a G/W tron. The main G/R player has to be worst. Crumble to Dust doesn't even work against him half the time since he has 3 sideboard Warping Wails and his main plan against red decks is to use Karn, 3 Worldbreakers, and 3 Ulamogs to keep people from getting 4 lands. The best way I've found to beat tron is to take them off of tron permanently and completely. I've starting running 4 Ghost Quarters and 3 maindeck Surgical Extractions. Then the G/W tron deck has 4 Pithing Needles in his sideboard for my ghost quarters <_<. It's insanity.
Right now I'm running a U/B control deck with Inquisition of Kozilek, Tasigur, and such. There's a fair bit of control, but I usually do ok with control mirrors (heck, I don't remember the last time I lost a control mirror), living end, ad nauseum, other random combo decks, affinity, merfolk, abzan coco, Kiki Chord, and a bit of burn.
The more I keep tuning my deck, the more I keep wishing I had white for Paths, Verdicts, lifegain (like Kitchen Finks), and Sphinx's Rev. Right now I'm running Disfigures and 2 Plumeveil and a Vedalken Shackles to deal with creatures. Would some sort of Esper deck be good for my situation, and would it even be feasible to run 25-26 land with 4 Ghost Quarters and 3 Surgicals?
On an unrelated note, a buddy of mine gave me a pretty sweet sideboarding strategy, not sure if it would work out in any of your sideboards, but I've been trying it and loving it, so I thought I'd share. Basically you put Relic of Progenitus, Pithing Needle, Hangarback Walker, and Engineered Explosives in the side, and a 1-of Trinket Mage to fetch them. So basically you have 2 copies of each of these artifacts while only using 5 sideboard slots instead of using 8 to put 2 each in.
I don't play Gideon in the deck, but I have. And in my experience, he's actually very good against Infect. Sure, he comes down turn 5. But he puts them in the no-win position of having to expend several pump spells to take him down or letting him pick off their non-land threats one-by-one. Either way, I've experienced him buying me far more than one turn, usually enough to stabilize.
That said, he's utter garbage to Path, Terminate, GftT, and so on and so on. One of the ways we outdraw our opponents is to turn off their removal with few, resilient wincons. Gideon weakens that game plan.
Just having a bit of fun. I've only played a few years, so most of my pickups are cards I've never heard of, like this weird Runed Halo thing that I'm happy to have in my collection, irrespective of whether they make my deck now. Meta games shift and all...
I love this.
I'm like you
For counterspells, BA makes negate more appealing, but plenty of people already play the negates. Theres not really anything else I'd be dying to play, since snare and knot have never caused me problems, and cryptic is the best at what it does.
The issue is that BA and negate are likely to slots normally filled with cantrips, which isn't something I'm excited about.
Yea, sorcery speed really kills the new accumulated knowledge. Looking at only one graveyard isnt really enough to change it, but sorcery speed is too much of a killer to play it over think twice.
Gideon is a stronger sideboard card because an 8 mana ugin isn't as good as a 5 mana gideon against faster decks.
Blood moon is honestly not too much of an issue for this deck, either.
As someone all about that 1-0, elspeth is a great sideboard card, especially since losing game 1 isn't certain doom this way.
Gideon is definitely worse against dreadbores now, unfortunately. Batterskull would be the suggestion, but maelstrom pulse/kolaghan's commands are still around. Nephalia drownyard it is!
(Darkwater catacombs isn't modern legal, but drowned catacomb is
Seachrome coast is also to be avoided, as casting wraths turn 4 is what keeps you alive fairly often.
You seem to not play any plains, which is a mistake.
Colonnade, unfortunately, is a huge part of this deck, both in U sources, and in wincons. Definitely prioritize them.
Gideon, elspeth, batterskull, grave titan, baneslayer, and clique, among others, are some of the most popular creatures/threats.
Gideon isn't mean to replace wraths, hes here to come down the next turn and efficiently mop up everything else they play till the game is over.
If you were to play 4 gq, I'd probably play 27 lands, and I'd definitely play shadow of doubts. 3 colorless sources has been ok to be (I played 3 cryptics usually, though), though I've never tried 4.
Thoughtseize and vendilion clique are you friends against tron.