This is my first on MTGS and I'm excited to participate.
I've been playing an architect deck for several weeks and monitoring these forums as a guest, so I'm fairly tuned into the current metagame.
I want to bring up a deck that went 4-0 a few days ago and seems both fun and promising. I don't know if the decklist is going to show up properly, so if I mess it up, could you point me to a place where I can learn how to do it?
I like this build but haven't tested it extensively yet. Notice, the main deck is 62 cards, so I took out 1 silver myr and 1 certarch to make a 60 card build.
The one question I have about the deck is who the platinum emperion is designed for. I haven't found the best time to board him in yet, but all the other cards seem to have a cozy home.
I have been using the deck monk last suggested. I have noticed a few things and would like to ask about them.
1) I feel like I get a ton of mana throughout, is this just an anomaly or a trend.
2) I feel like I do not get enough counters throughout a match, should I mulligan more to where I have a strong turn 3-4 instead of a strong set of cards ( like a precursor and myr BS in starting hand)
3) When I do have counters, should I attempt to use them against opposing creatures, or creature kill spells? Is it more situational and a matter of what I'm up against?
I enjoy the deck thus far, going about 50% W/L over the course of today, mostly knowing what I am going against is what is hindering me.
I have been using the deck monk last suggested. I have noticed a few things and would like to ask about them.
1) I feel like I get a ton of mana throughout, is this just an anomaly or a trend.
2) I feel like I do not get enough counters throughout a match, should I mulligan more to where I have a strong turn 3-4 instead of a strong set of cards ( like a precursor and myr BS in starting hand)
3) When I do have counters, should I attempt to use them against opposing creatures, or creature kill spells? Is it more situational and a matter of what I'm up against?
I enjoy the deck thus far, going about 50% W/L over the course of today, mostly knowing what I am going against is what is hindering me.
Thanks....
1) a ton of mana isn't too out of the blue. This deck is a deck that you definitely don't want to be missing your land drops in, so the manabase supports it.
2) Counters shouldn't be your main game plan. Also, mulligan hands that you dont have action on turn 2-3 on (grand architect, palladium myr, stoic rebuttal, etc)
3) Whatever is more important at the moment. Although if it isn't going to change your board position too much and you can deal with it, don't sweat it. This is also highly matchup dependent.
So I recently built this deck and will be piloting it in a daily tonight, but I'm a bit confused as to what the gameplan of this deck is. Is it like a ramp deck but with artifacts instead of Eldrazi in standard? Is it like a control/ramp deck? What are some of the ideal plays for this deck?
Edit:
played in two daily events.
1st one: won first round against mirror. lost second round against big red. lost third game against mirror.
2nd one: lost first round against mirror. Lost second round against big red.
The only two decks I've played against are big red and the mirror - honestly, it comes down to whether I get mana screwed or not. And by the way, i've been mana screwed FOUR games in a row. It's not even funny anymore how many wurmcoils I draw in a row.
Against red you want to control Koth with disperse/counterspell/sphinx and then have an answer for horde smelter dragon.
Against UW slow play using image and golems for CA and sphinx/disprse/counterspell to deal with walkers. Side out reins as they can bounce it multiple ways. Always expect them to have the sunblast angel, as they often will.
Against Infect you SB clasps/perilous/contagion engine etc. and do not put yourself in a position where you will lose to a grasp if you can help it(obviously).
Against WW you do the same as infect. Haven't played against it much.
Against R/B removal you have the same game plan as UW for the most part, except reins is good here. Wurmcoil is great as they can't exile it. Probably out hardest match-up, best way to bet is through the CA provided by the golem/image package.
In the mirror you bring in halt orders and image. Try to slow play it to catch them tapped out and then resolve something. If the opponent's deck isn't playing disperse and you land some fat their only out is reins, so keep counter mana up even if you don't have it. I know I won't play a spell if my opp has mana up, unless I have 3+threats and a counterspell as backup for their play. When it comes down to a war of attrition here the disperse/counterspell combination can really help to steal a game. Contagion engine are options as well, but I haven't tested either extensively.
Do you guys know what would happen if shape anew is casted and targeting the precursor golem? Would I get three new artifacts? Sounds pretty broken if that does work.
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I am seeing a lot of lists that are now running Riddlesmith and Silver Myr...what deck does this help against? The mirror? It looks to me like these lists roll over and die to Big Red with their Spikeshots and Arc Trails. Giving U/W targets for their Contagion Clasps doesn't seem like a good idea.
Monk, I've got an insignificant question that no one else seems to care about. In reading through the thread I noticed that you swapped out perilous myrs in your sideboard for Necropedes.
Are the necropedes that much better, or was the idea simply that you'd be boarding them in with the clasps anyway so hopefully you could proliferate and take out two x/2 creatures instead of one?
Monk, how's your testing been going vs. that UB Control deck? (Or if you haven't, want to play on MTGO?) I've been having it as a solid match for UB, but something tells me that people are playing the matchup wrong. You seem to the the semi-authority on Architect these days ;x
No more Riddlesmith? I was just starting to warm up to that guy. And what does your sideboard plan look like? I always have the hardest time sideboarding with this deck.
UW:
-3 Silver Myr (no free stuff for clasps), -3 twisted image ( you might consider running 2 instead of trigon if you see them playing golem), +2 disperse (get your volition back, cool with precursor if you have the mana, dont get ulted by venser, etc..) , +2 trigon of thought ( UW is going to trade 1 for 1 and this can give you the edge), +2 mindslaver ( game winner when activated, not hard to play and activate in the same turn in this match).
That is about it for the relevant decks in the format.
Twisted image will win you the game vs. U/W. Why would you want to pay 5 mana to have a trigon revoked when you have the opportunity to play Golem on turn 4 with 1 blue up to twisted? This deck produces 6 mana on turn 4 a lot!
I've been playing this deck because it seemed like the cheapest way to get into a competitive Constructed environment on Magic Online, and I've been having great fun with it. I'm using pretty much exactly Azraeliz's last list, except I don't want to shell out for Mindslavers in the board. My hardest matchup is the UW control deck, and for some reason, infect. I never seem to draw my flyers or clasps, and they just Plague Stinger me to death... anyway.
The deck plays pretty well against a lot of the standard decks I've play tested against but I'd like a second opinion.
The first thing I notice is that this seems to be a much more balls-out aggro build than previous lists. I wonder how that works.. probably better against UW (as you can get more threats faster than they can get answers) and worse against Red (since Red's threats will always be better than your threats).
Now, some of the card choices. Masticore is an interesting choice over Wurmcoil Engine. The Wurm is obviously better against Red, but the Masticore deals direct damage, which could be a quick way to kill one of UW's planeswalkers (and in that matchup you'll often have enough mana to cast and activate it in the same turn). Too bad Sunblast Angel has 5 toughness.
I like Masticore's synergy with Perilous Myr and Riddlesmith, though I'm not convinced they're good enough on their own to warrant inclusion. I initially objected to Memnite, but playing lots of Control v. Control matches made me realize the value of a threat that doesn't take up valuable counterspell mana (and one that my opponent will not want to waste a counterspell on).
Culling Dais is just not very good, I'm afraid, but it is this deck's only source of card advantage. The Spellbomb is just cycling, and Riddlesmith is just filtering. I do like how you can get around Revoke Existence by sacrificing your Wurm, thus getting the 3/3 tokens, and I like the synergy with Contagion Clasp (and also Clasp + Trigon).
The lack of Volition Reins is huge. Without it, you have no late game - I can't tell you how many times I've won by stealing my opponent's Phoenix or Skithiryx or whatever. By omitting Volition Reins, you are committing to winning the game in the first few turns - or losing.
There are no flyers in this deck. Contagion Clasp is your only answer to Plague Stinger. And I don't think the spellbomb counts.
All in all, this is an interesting take on the deck, and I'm interested in playtesting it, but my first impression is skeptical.
Edit: I also like how this list, as opposed to Azraeliz's, gives you something to do on your opponent's turn if he doesn't do anything. Too often I'm holding a counterspell, he doesn't play anything, and the mana just goes to waste.
While it does stop the things you mentioned it does nothing against Skinrender, Scrapmelter, Horde-Smelter, or Tumble Magnet. It also does not work on Precursor like it used to. While it is effective at stopping Revoke Shatter and Grasp I don't think that it warrants an inclusion in the SB over Image/Disperse, Halt Order etc. It does nothing to stop the actual threats that can give us some trouble. I know I would rather be hit with turn 2 coating turn 3 shatter, than turn 2 myr turn 3 scrapmelter.
Treasure Mage 2U
Creature - Human Wizard
Uncommon
When Treasure Mage enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 6 or greater, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/2
Is this recently spoiled card as good for this deck as I think it is?
any lists now that mbs is out? and can some one suggest some good white cards for a more controlish build
Venser + Spine of Ish Sah and perhaps some removal. I'm not sure the typical U/W control can take advantage of this combo, but venser is pretty strong in this deck. Think about how many times you might have been locked out and his -1 would have won you the game.
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
I've come across many times liquidmetal decks running Sylvok artifact, Scrapmelter and Shatters. Usually the liquidmetal comes out before I have enough mana to rebuttal, and once he starts removing my lands I'm screwed.
Once the opponent sees that I'm playing grand architect mono blue, along comes memoricide to take away my volition reins. I don't always have the mana or a rebuttal in hand to counter it.
I fail to see why I see so many lists running more than two of this deck's big spells.
Here's what I propose: Run Treasure Mage. Probably 4. Then 1-2 Hellkite, 1-2 Wurmcoil, 1-2 Contagion Engine, that kind of thing. Consider this:
T1: Island
T2: Island, Riddlesmith
T3: Island, Treasure Mage (if you don't already have a big spell)
T4: Island, Grand Architect, Steel Hellkite/Contagion Engine/Wurmcoil Engine/Myr Battlesphere.
They're now on the clock. And if you already have the big spell spell in hand, it goes off on turn three.
Hell, run Shimmer Myr, and they're suddenly seeing you drop big nasty spells before the start of your turn.
Splash White for Venser + Spine of Ish Shah, and this deck will run STUPID.
I fail to see why I see so many lists running more than two of this deck's big spells.
Here's what I propose: Run Treasure Mage. Probably 4. Then 1-2 Hellkite, 1-2 Wurmcoil, 1-2 Contagion Engine, that kind of thing. Consider this:
T1: Island
T2: Island, Riddlesmith
T3: Island, Treasure Mage (if you don't already have a big spell)
T4: Island, Grand Architect, Steel Hellkite/Contagion Engine/Wurmcoil Engine/Myr Battlesphere.
They're now on the clock. And if you already have the big spell spell in hand, it goes off on turn three.
Hell, run Shimmer Myr, and they're suddenly seeing you drop big nasty spells before the start of your turn.
Splash White for Venser + Spine of Ish Shah, and this deck will run STUPID.
Or, you could just run 3-4 copies of the important ones of Golem, Wurmcoil etc and then run 1x Hellkite 1x Battlesphere etc. Contagion Engine is SB material at best, and that's only if infect is around.
Riddlesmith isn't needed. Run cards that actually do something themselves. And another way to not scoop to Revoker is Contagion Clasp. I'm not a fan of the Venser splash idea. If you want to run Venser, then just play U/W which can make great use of him beyond just a 7 drop.
I fail to see why I see so many lists running more than two of this deck's big spells.
Here's what I propose: Run Treasure Mage. Probably 4. Then 1-2 Hellkite, 1-2 Wurmcoil, 1-2 Contagion Engine, that kind of thing. Consider this:
T1: Island
T2: Island, Riddlesmith
T3: Island, Treasure Mage (if you don't already have a big spell)
T4: Island, Grand Architect, Steel Hellkite/Contagion Engine/Wurmcoil Engine/Myr Battlesphere.
They're now on the clock. And if you already have the big spell spell in hand, it goes off on turn three.
Hell, run Shimmer Myr, and they're suddenly seeing you drop big nasty spells before the start of your turn.
Splash White for Venser + Spine of Ish Shah, and this deck will run STUPID.
Unfortunately Go for the Throat, Grasp of Darkness, or Burn the Impure on architect ruins your entire tempo. Architect is too easy to disrupt now. You'll get a 1 time shot use out of him before he dies and you're dropping an artifact. Too much artifact hate out there now for this plan to reliable.
Spin is actually what you'll be fetching with treasure mage. You'll get value out of it when you play it and you can combo it. Its much more of a threat than a creature that can just get hit by removal.
I don't really consider this an aggro deck. Architect is a toolbox. And Treasure Mage is your Fauna Shaman. It's the card that lets you go fishing for your bomb spells, which you can probably play immediately, thanks to Architect.
So we have the Spine, the Hellkite, Cont Engine, Wurmcoil, Myr Battlesphere, and Thopter Assembly. Each can be fished with the Treasure Mage. And with Venser, you can flicker your Treasure Mage, and keep getting your bombs.
And consider this Venser combo: Play Cont Engine, play Venser, Use the Engine, Venser goes to 5. Flicker the Engine, Venser goes to 7. Use Engine when it comes back in untapped, Venser goes to 9. Suddenly, Venser is a looming and serious threat that they need an answer for, right now. Otherwise they may as well scoop if they don't topdeck an answer.
And with the Architect, if you run all blue creatures, you can do all of this with 4 blue creatures and 5 mana. I play a Venser/Proliferate combo in Type 2, and so many people scoop when Venser goes big the turn I play him. This is a turn slower, but with creatures like Thrummingbird and spells like Steady progress, you could probably make him go off on his opening turn.
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This is my first on MTGS and I'm excited to participate.
I've been playing an architect deck for several weeks and monitoring these forums as a guest, so I'm fairly tuned into the current metagame.
I want to bring up a deck that went 4-0 a few days ago and seems both fun and promising. I don't know if the decklist is going to show up properly, so if I mess it up, could you point me to a place where I can learn how to do it?
14 Island
4 Plains
4 Seachrome Coast
22 lands
3 Gold Myr
4 Grand Architect
1 Myr Battlesphere
3 Precursor Golem
4 Riddlesmith
3 Silver Myr
2 Steel Hellkite
4 Vedalken Certarch
1 Wurmcoil Engine
25 creatures 3 Contagion Clasp
1 Contagion Engine
2 Disperse
2 Mox Opal
4 Stoic Rebuttal
3 Venser, the Sojourner
15 other spells
2 Indomitable Archangel
3 Lux Cannon
1 Platinum Emperion
3 Ratchet Bomb
4 Revoke Existence
15 sideboard cards
I like this build but haven't tested it extensively yet. Notice, the main deck is 62 cards, so I took out 1 silver myr and 1 certarch to make a 60 card build.
The one question I have about the deck is who the platinum emperion is designed for. I haven't found the best time to board him in yet, but all the other cards seem to have a cozy home.
What do you all think of this deck?
I have been using the deck monk last suggested. I have noticed a few things and would like to ask about them.
1) I feel like I get a ton of mana throughout, is this just an anomaly or a trend.
2) I feel like I do not get enough counters throughout a match, should I mulligan more to where I have a strong turn 3-4 instead of a strong set of cards ( like a precursor and myr BS in starting hand)
3) When I do have counters, should I attempt to use them against opposing creatures, or creature kill spells? Is it more situational and a matter of what I'm up against?
I enjoy the deck thus far, going about 50% W/L over the course of today, mostly knowing what I am going against is what is hindering me.
Thanks....
1) a ton of mana isn't too out of the blue. This deck is a deck that you definitely don't want to be missing your land drops in, so the manabase supports it.
2) Counters shouldn't be your main game plan. Also, mulligan hands that you dont have action on turn 2-3 on (grand architect, palladium myr, stoic rebuttal, etc)
3) Whatever is more important at the moment. Although if it isn't going to change your board position too much and you can deal with it, don't sweat it. This is also highly matchup dependent.
Edit:
played in two daily events.
1st one: won first round against mirror. lost second round against big red. lost third game against mirror.
2nd one: lost first round against mirror. Lost second round against big red.
The only two decks I've played against are big red and the mirror - honestly, it comes down to whether I get mana screwed or not. And by the way, i've been mana screwed FOUR games in a row. It's not even funny anymore how many wurmcoils I draw in a row.
Against red you want to control Koth with disperse/counterspell/sphinx and then have an answer for horde smelter dragon.
Against UW slow play using image and golems for CA and sphinx/disprse/counterspell to deal with walkers. Side out reins as they can bounce it multiple ways. Always expect them to have the sunblast angel, as they often will.
Against Infect you SB clasps/perilous/contagion engine etc. and do not put yourself in a position where you will lose to a grasp if you can help it(obviously).
Against WW you do the same as infect. Haven't played against it much.
Against R/B removal you have the same game plan as UW for the most part, except reins is good here. Wurmcoil is great as they can't exile it. Probably out hardest match-up, best way to bet is through the CA provided by the golem/image package.
In the mirror you bring in halt orders and image. Try to slow play it to catch them tapped out and then resolve something. If the opponent's deck isn't playing disperse and you land some fat their only out is reins, so keep counter mana up even if you don't have it. I know I won't play a spell if my opp has mana up, unless I have 3+threats and a counterspell as backup for their play. When it comes down to a war of attrition here the disperse/counterspell combination can really help to steal a game. Contagion engine are options as well, but I haven't tested either extensively.
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1959
Are the necropedes that much better, or was the idea simply that you'd be boarding them in with the clasps anyway so hopefully you could proliferate and take out two x/2 creatures instead of one?
3 Contagion Clasp
4 Necropede
3 Throne of Geth
3 Thrummingbird
4 Grand Architect
1 Trinket Mage
3 Wurmcoil Engine
3 Stoic Rebuttal
1 Sylvok Lifestaff
4 Lux Cannon
1 Contagion Engine
1 Chimeric Mass
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1959
Twisted image will win you the game vs. U/W. Why would you want to pay 5 mana to have a trigon revoked when you have the opportunity to play Golem on turn 4 with 1 blue up to twisted? This deck produces 6 mana on turn 4 a lot!
4x Memnite
4x Perilous Myr
4x Riddlesmith
4x Grand Architect
4x Molten-Tail Masticore
2x Wurmcoil Engine
4x Flight Spellbomb
3x Contagion Clasp
2x Culling Dias
1x Trigon of Corruption
4x Stoic Rebuttal
The deck plays pretty well against a lot of the standard decks I've play tested against but I'd like a second opinion.
Fruit don't talk. Fruit just listen. And wait.
The first thing I notice is that this seems to be a much more balls-out aggro build than previous lists. I wonder how that works.. probably better against UW (as you can get more threats faster than they can get answers) and worse against Red (since Red's threats will always be better than your threats).
Now, some of the card choices. Masticore is an interesting choice over Wurmcoil Engine. The Wurm is obviously better against Red, but the Masticore deals direct damage, which could be a quick way to kill one of UW's planeswalkers (and in that matchup you'll often have enough mana to cast and activate it in the same turn). Too bad Sunblast Angel has 5 toughness.
I like Masticore's synergy with Perilous Myr and Riddlesmith, though I'm not convinced they're good enough on their own to warrant inclusion. I initially objected to Memnite, but playing lots of Control v. Control matches made me realize the value of a threat that doesn't take up valuable counterspell mana (and one that my opponent will not want to waste a counterspell on).
Culling Dais is just not very good, I'm afraid, but it is this deck's only source of card advantage. The Spellbomb is just cycling, and Riddlesmith is just filtering. I do like how you can get around Revoke Existence by sacrificing your Wurm, thus getting the 3/3 tokens, and I like the synergy with Contagion Clasp (and also Clasp + Trigon).
The lack of Volition Reins is huge. Without it, you have no late game - I can't tell you how many times I've won by stealing my opponent's Phoenix or Skithiryx or whatever. By omitting Volition Reins, you are committing to winning the game in the first few turns - or losing.
There are no flyers in this deck. Contagion Clasp is your only answer to Plague Stinger. And I don't think the spellbomb counts.
All in all, this is an interesting take on the deck, and I'm interested in playtesting it, but my first impression is skeptical.
Edit: I also like how this list, as opposed to Azraeliz's, gives you something to do on your opponent's turn if he doesn't do anything. Too often I'm holding a counterspell, he doesn't play anything, and the mana just goes to waste.
Can you explain your sideboarding choices against UW and Infect?
Treasure Mage 2U
Creature - Human Wizard
Uncommon
When Treasure Mage enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 6 or greater, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/2
Is this recently spoiled card as good for this deck as I think it is?
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1959
Sig and avy made the good folks at heros of the plane studios
quotes
Venser + Spine of Ish Sah and perhaps some removal. I'm not sure the typical U/W control can take advantage of this combo, but venser is pretty strong in this deck. Think about how many times you might have been locked out and his -1 would have won you the game.
I've been playing this deck on MTGO but doing badly. Seems like most people have tuned their decks to play against grand architect.
4 Argent Sphinx
4 Grand Architect
3 Myr Battlesphere
4 Palladium Myr
4 Precursor Golem
1 Steel Hellkite
2 Wurmcoil Engine 4 Twisted Image
4 Stoic Rebuttal
3 Volition Reins
4 Disperse
4 Contagion Clasp
2 Contagion Engines
3 Necropede
2 Tumble Magnet
2 Riddlesmith
1 Trigon of thought
I've come across many times liquidmetal decks running Sylvok artifact, Scrapmelter and Shatters. Usually the liquidmetal comes out before I have enough mana to rebuttal, and once he starts removing my lands I'm screwed.
Once the opponent sees that I'm playing grand architect mono blue, along comes memoricide to take away my volition reins. I don't always have the mana or a rebuttal in hand to counter it.
Is this build not viable anymore in Constructed?
Here's what I propose: Run Treasure Mage. Probably 4. Then 1-2 Hellkite, 1-2 Wurmcoil, 1-2 Contagion Engine, that kind of thing. Consider this:
T1: Island
T2: Island, Riddlesmith
T3: Island, Treasure Mage (if you don't already have a big spell)
T4: Island, Grand Architect, Steel Hellkite/Contagion Engine/Wurmcoil Engine/Myr Battlesphere.
They're now on the clock. And if you already have the big spell spell in hand, it goes off on turn three.
Hell, run Shimmer Myr, and they're suddenly seeing you drop big nasty spells before the start of your turn.
Splash White for Venser + Spine of Ish Shah, and this deck will run STUPID.
Or, you could just run 3-4 copies of the important ones of Golem, Wurmcoil etc and then run 1x Hellkite 1x Battlesphere etc. Contagion Engine is SB material at best, and that's only if infect is around.
Riddlesmith isn't needed. Run cards that actually do something themselves. And another way to not scoop to Revoker is Contagion Clasp. I'm not a fan of the Venser splash idea. If you want to run Venser, then just play U/W which can make great use of him beyond just a 7 drop.
Unfortunately Go for the Throat, Grasp of Darkness, or Burn the Impure on architect ruins your entire tempo. Architect is too easy to disrupt now. You'll get a 1 time shot use out of him before he dies and you're dropping an artifact. Too much artifact hate out there now for this plan to reliable.
Spin is actually what you'll be fetching with treasure mage. You'll get value out of it when you play it and you can combo it. Its much more of a threat than a creature that can just get hit by removal.
So we have the Spine, the Hellkite, Cont Engine, Wurmcoil, Myr Battlesphere, and Thopter Assembly. Each can be fished with the Treasure Mage. And with Venser, you can flicker your Treasure Mage, and keep getting your bombs.
And consider this Venser combo: Play Cont Engine, play Venser, Use the Engine, Venser goes to 5. Flicker the Engine, Venser goes to 7. Use Engine when it comes back in untapped, Venser goes to 9. Suddenly, Venser is a looming and serious threat that they need an answer for, right now. Otherwise they may as well scoop if they don't topdeck an answer.
And with the Architect, if you run all blue creatures, you can do all of this with 4 blue creatures and 5 mana. I play a Venser/Proliferate combo in Type 2, and so many people scoop when Venser goes big the turn I play him. This is a turn slower, but with creatures like Thrummingbird and spells like Steady progress, you could probably make him go off on his opening turn.