The only matchup that I’m still not sure on how I should sideboard against is still Hollow One, and to a certain extent for mardu and UR Pyromancer too. How do we actually want to tackle them? And sideboarding against death shadow deck, do we actually want fulminator mage in to try and cut them off a color although they frequently floods with all their draws? Is there major difference in sideboarding for Grixis Death’s Shadow and other Death’s Shadow deck?
In my upcoming primer, I will have a sideboard guide included for that matchups. As for Hollow One, we do have a guide from Reid Duke, but I am not sure its 100 % correct.
Against 4 or 5c DS you definitely want Fulminator. Against Grixis its ok but not exciting. I like to keep more discard against Grixis DS than against 4/5c DS.
I'm not positive on this but I think Scooze does what Kalitas can but Scooze is better at it considering it's half the cost, takes instant/sorcery and is really only susceptible to a few things that Kalitas isn't. I don't think theres a reason for him.
If you’re running a list with no path, doesn’t it make sense to have Kalitas somewhere in the 75?
It's a flex spot. You can run it if you want, especially if there is a lot of creatures decks or burn in your meta. GBx often does, Jund sometimes (they have more options), Abzan rarely, but that was because Abzan used to run Path to Exile.
Looking at Dukes's list, you could replace the singleton Tireless Tracker if you want: Kalitas is better in some matchups, Tracker in others.
If you want to run Path though, I think you need to adjust your manabase a bit. I would either run 2 Shambling Vents and only 1 Treetop for it (going from 12 to 13 white sources), which I personally dont like as much, or just run a Concealed Yourtyard over the second basic Forest for example.
Flayer is better to race and filter to get needed SB cards or important cards in the matchup, which is important against Big Mana and Combo. Flayer doesnt produce CA, wheras Tracker does.
If you want to run Path though, I think you need to adjust your manabase a bit. I would either run 2 Shambling Vents and only 1 Treetop for it (going from 12 to 13 white sources), which I personally dont like as much, or just run a Concealed Yourtyard over the second basic Forest for example.
Sorry but I’m really not sure about the needs to run so much (12-13) white sources just to be able to reliably cast those 3-4 lingering souls and 2-3 path to exile in the deck. all along I’ve been having only between 6 to 9 white sources and it’s been working well for me. I can pretty much agree on the number of black and green sources required that you have been mentioning but not really on the number of white sources required. When running only 6 white sources, I only have issues with animating shambling vent at times but no issues with having no white sources to cast souls and path while with 8-9 white sources, I can more reliably animate shambling vents and casting any or all white spells that requires only 1 white mana. and if we run 2-3 grim flayer as well as playset of lily veil, we might not be needing white sources on that specific turn to cast lingering souls since we could be discarding it or killing it, casting it via its flashback for more “value”. And with only 2 path, we might not even draw it until turn 3-5 to be needing that white source. This is just my thoughts and from my experience with the deck so far.
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Current Deck(s): TappedOut Would love to have more input to improve!
just wanna throw in my input on this whole path issue.
I think path is worthy of a SB slot, meta has shifted to a point where being able to efficiently deal with things like delve creatures and reveler (wurmcoil, titan etc) has become a necessity and i cannot see it being worse than the second!! damnation that reid ran in bilbao. I am currently running a list that is basically the same as reids except -1 CB and -1 Damnation for 2 paths in the sb.
Also changed the temple garden to a basic plains just cause i want to be able to fetch it out early for path plus basics are just very useful atm. 19 G sources is already a bit over the top so the math should be ok. I also changed a marsh flats to a heath to compensate for this.
If you want to run Path though, I think you need to adjust your manabase a bit. I would either run 2 Shambling Vents and only 1 Treetop for it (going from 12 to 13 white sources), which I personally dont like as much, or just run a Concealed Yourtyard over the second basic Forest for example.
Sorry but I’m really not sure about the needs to run so much (12-13) white sources just to be able to reliably cast those 3-4 lingering souls and 2-3 path to exile in the deck. all along I’ve been having only between 6 to 9 white sources and it’s been working well for me. I can pretty much agree on the number of black and green sources required that you have been mentioning but not really on the number of white sources required. When running only 6 white sources, I only have issues with animating shambling vent at times but no issues with having no white sources to cast souls and path while with 8-9 white sources, I can more reliably animate shambling vents and casting any or all white spells that requires only 1 white mana. and if we run 2-3 grim flayer as well as playset of lily veil, we might not be needing white sources on that specific turn to cast lingering souls since we could be discarding it or killing it, casting it via its flashback for more “value”. And with only 2 path, we might not even draw it until turn 3-5 to be needing that white source. This is just my thoughts and from my experience with the deck so far.
I have referenced numerous times on this piece of gold already, pls have a read on it: Click.
If you run 13 white sources you can consistantly cast Path on turn 2 on, if you run 12 you can cast it on turn 3 on. If you want to run Path I want to be able to cast it on turn 3 at latest on average. So you need that 12 sources at least. If you are fine with that you can run the exact manabase of Reid, which contains 12 sources. For Souls alone less white Sources would be sufficient due to Liliana and flashback, but for path, I absolutely want that 12 sources at least.
In addition though, it might be "fine" to run less than 12 sources for Path, but, I bet more often than not you actively have to fetch for white sources to be able to cast Path in the first place. That measn you either put more tension on your other colour requirements or you take more dmg. By runnin Reids manabase, you can more often fetch for basics and still have enough white sources to draw later when you finally want Path/Souls. If you run less, you need to fetch that white source earlier, making you more susceptible to aggro decks (lifeloss) and Blood Moon.
Concerning the new Primer update, I have got some news for you guys. I was basically granted to take over the primer, however, I was told that I need to make a new thread for it. I will work on the primer and then create a new thread when its done, so just to warn you, we will have a new thread after the exchange.
In my upcoming primer, I will have a sideboard guide included for that matchups. As for Hollow One, we do have a guide from Reid Duke, but I am not sure its 100 % correct.
Against 4 or 5c DS you definitely want Fulminator. Against Grixis its ok but not exciting. I like to keep more discard against Grixis DS than against 4/5c DS.
Ofc, in my opinion a Primer needs a SB guide. It will be included as soon as I get to take over the threat and when my primer is finished.
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/36586_BG-Midrange-At-Pro-Tour-Rivals-Of-Ixalan.html
He wrote things like boarding out all copies of Goyf against Humans, all copies of Bob against Affinity, and all copies of Bob against Jeskai
I had to call him out on it, he's a a relevant player but...like, it horrified me and I hope people new to GBx doesn't read that article
JundBGR
RW Blood MoonRW
Pauper
Delver U
Elves G
Control B
Commander
Edgar Markov BRW
Captain Sisay GW
Niv-Mizzet, Parun UR
Tymna and Ravos WB
It's a flex spot. You can run it if you want, especially if there is a lot of creatures decks or burn in your meta. GBx often does, Jund sometimes (they have more options), Abzan rarely, but that was because Abzan used to run Path to Exile.
Looking at Dukes's list, you could replace the singleton Tireless Tracker if you want: Kalitas is better in some matchups, Tracker in others.
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
He's a card worth keeping in the toolbox kit but I don't recommend him in any decks for the current meta.
Casting a 3/4 life link for 4 mana against combo decks, control is...not good.
I think for the time being I'm pretty on board with Reids list, if you don't like the spell bombs or last hope I guess you could play path.
I never thought the centralized list was good, and siege rhino is grossly underpowered now; power creep caught up to him.
TappedOut
Would love to have more input to improve!
Flayer is better to race and filter to get needed SB cards or important cards in the matchup, which is important against Big Mana and Combo. Flayer doesnt produce CA, wheras Tracker does.
Sorry but I’m really not sure about the needs to run so much (12-13) white sources just to be able to reliably cast those 3-4 lingering souls and 2-3 path to exile in the deck. all along I’ve been having only between 6 to 9 white sources and it’s been working well for me. I can pretty much agree on the number of black and green sources required that you have been mentioning but not really on the number of white sources required. When running only 6 white sources, I only have issues with animating shambling vent at times but no issues with having no white sources to cast souls and path while with 8-9 white sources, I can more reliably animate shambling vents and casting any or all white spells that requires only 1 white mana. and if we run 2-3 grim flayer as well as playset of lily veil, we might not be needing white sources on that specific turn to cast lingering souls since we could be discarding it or killing it, casting it via its flashback for more “value”. And with only 2 path, we might not even draw it until turn 3-5 to be needing that white source. This is just my thoughts and from my experience with the deck so far.
TappedOut
Would love to have more input to improve!
I think path is worthy of a SB slot, meta has shifted to a point where being able to efficiently deal with things like delve creatures and reveler (wurmcoil, titan etc) has become a necessity and i cannot see it being worse than the second!! damnation that reid ran in bilbao. I am currently running a list that is basically the same as reids except -1 CB and -1 Damnation for 2 paths in the sb.
Also changed the temple garden to a basic plains just cause i want to be able to fetch it out early for path plus basics are just very useful atm. 19 G sources is already a bit over the top so the math should be ok. I also changed a marsh flats to a heath to compensate for this.
I have referenced numerous times on this piece of gold already, pls have a read on it: Click.
If you run 13 white sources you can consistantly cast Path on turn 2 on, if you run 12 you can cast it on turn 3 on. If you want to run Path I want to be able to cast it on turn 3 at latest on average. So you need that 12 sources at least. If you are fine with that you can run the exact manabase of Reid, which contains 12 sources. For Souls alone less white Sources would be sufficient due to Liliana and flashback, but for path, I absolutely want that 12 sources at least.
In addition though, it might be "fine" to run less than 12 sources for Path, but, I bet more often than not you actively have to fetch for white sources to be able to cast Path in the first place. That measn you either put more tension on your other colour requirements or you take more dmg. By runnin Reids manabase, you can more often fetch for basics and still have enough white sources to draw later when you finally want Path/Souls. If you run less, you need to fetch that white source earlier, making you more susceptible to aggro decks (lifeloss) and Blood Moon.
If I am fast maybe today. But I guess by the end of the week for sure.