MTG Salvation

OK didn't do particularly well in the PTQ - went 3 wins, 2 losses and a draw (one loss was me conceeding because a draw wouldn't have helped either of us, or so I thought!).

The blinks did not help at all. Do I think they are a bad addition? Not at all.
Basically I played against no black decks - I faced no tendrils or damnation fun at all! That's not to say they weren't there, I just dodged all my best match-ups
I played against a lot of blue decks, and had a reasonablish match-up, improved post-side (with sunlance and serrated arrows helping against morphs). I'd feared these but they weren't as scary as I'd though, but again my luck was iffy (I never drew any of the riftsweepers against anything serious, in fact in the whole day I only managed to dump 1 suspend spell, and that was just the one that searches for a land!).

Was the deck bad? Not at all, and was far more consistant than my previous testing had shown - I got mana screwed a couple of times on 2 lands and still managed to win or get them very low on life.

I played against:

1x wild pair slivers (this was a draw I conceeded, about to win final game). Harmonic slivers were useful, both for piggy-backing off his abilities and also destroying his artifacts and enchantments.

1x 4-5 colour control (1 win), not exactly sure because he got mana screwed both games and played maybe 3 spells both games. Again, hurrah for my sliver killing his relic, leaving him unable to cast anything!

2x Morph w/ brine lock (1 draw, 1 win). Easier than I'd feared, although obviously I wished I had the sunlances main for this! Killing their morphs can be problematic, but an early rush soon sticks them in block mode making their morphs die. One game he had to play 3 teferis in a row just to chump my tarmagoyf

1x Angel control (1 loss). Would have been a draw if I hadn't made my opponent play quicker (something that always bugs me). He won on final turn of extra play 1 game was close, 1 I rushed, final game he dominated against my bad draws. This guy ended up winning the PTQ.

I also got a bye first round.

Would I play this deck again? Definately!

What would I change? This is tricky. For example, the blinks didn't help me all day, nor did the riftsweepers, despite there being a fair amount of suspend and targetted removal. I simply ran into neither! For what I played against, I'd definately have swapped the blinks for sunlances, the riftsweepers for archers and scryb sprites and some of the mystic enforcers for calciderm.
Of course if I did that, sod's law dictates I'd have played all the decks I just worsened the match-up with...

I think I did ok, made 1 or 2 mistakes (as usual) and conceeded to get a friend into the top 8, so wasn't that bad (plus I got a termagoyf from a prize booster), but I was just sad I didn't play a single deck that either:
1) Had major black
2) Had targetted / mass removal
despite there being plenty around.

I actually reached threshold only once when it was relevant to the game state - No-one was killing anything of mine so I had to do all the work of filling my graveyard!

After seeing a rise in the number of blue-based decks playing Riftwing Cloudskate and Venser, Shaper Savant, I've been thinking of adding some Calciderms maindeck myself. I'll probably try taking out one Call of the Herd, one Temporal Isolation, and one Thornweald Archer from my list on the previous page to try three Calciderms.

I have been running 4x Calciderms in the main for a while. I run them in place of the Mystic Enforcers. I know, everyone runs the enforcer, and he is awesome sauce, but my problem with him is that blue bounces him, and g/w isolates him. Calciderms have been HUGE for me in all my testing. "Shroud" wins me all of my matches. I love going against decks that are prepared for thrill of the hunt and mystic enforcers, and crushing their tricks with Calciderm or Stonewood Invocation.

I have also been running calciderms in the main and they have given me better results.

I know that, at least on MODO, blue makes up an absurdly large portion of the metagame. I'd say that close to 70% of the meta is Venser, Cloudskate, Brine Elemental, Shapeshifter based. It's fairly rediculous.

Mst3k, I absolutely adore the idea of running Calciderms and Stonewood Invocation main at this point. I will be making that adjustment immediately.

Going along the same train of thought, has anyone tried out Quagnoth or Scragnoth to improve the blue matchups that wreck us? I've even been considering Scryb Rangers to get around Brine Elemental.

Thoughts // Ideas?

I did have 3 Scryb Rangers in my deck at the last PTQ. It worked fairly well for me all day. If anything, my deck is short on fliers, so the Rangers were a good target for the Stonewood Invocations.

I have tried Quagnoth with mixed results. Right now it is fighting for sideboard space with about 20 other cards. I am not a fan of Scragnoth, because it is too small. They end up copying my big creatures with Shapeshifter, and Scragnoth dies to all of these copies.

Quote from Sycik

I know that, at least on MODO, blue makes up an absurdly large portion of the metagame. I'd say that close to 70% of the meta is Venser, Cloudskate, Brine Elemental, Shapeshifter based. It's fairly rediculous.

Mst3k, I absolutely adore the idea of running Calciderms and Stonewood Invocation main at this point. I will be making that adjustment immediately.

Going along the same train of thought, has anyone tried out Quagnoth or Scragnoth to improve the blue matchups that wreck us? I've even been considering Scryb Rangers to get around Brine Elemental.

Thoughts // Ideas?

I originally had some Quagnoths in the sideboard, but I took them out when Tendrils of Corruption based decks started appearing everywhere (Because Whirling Dervish can't be targeted by Tendrils and can't be blocked by Korlash, Heir to Blackblade). I don't think they'd be bad, but I just have a hard time trying to decide whether they'd be better to play than Whirling Dervish or Riftsweeper.

Quote from Iceman8352

I originally had some Quagnoths in the sideboard, but I took them out when Tendrils of Corruption based decks started appearing everywhere (Because Whirling Dervish can't be targeted by Tendrils and can't be blocked by Korlash, Heir to Blackblade). I don't think they'd be bad, but I just have a hard time trying to decide whether they'd be better to play than Whirling Dervish or Riftsweeper.

Can you find the space for both? 'Cause that would probably be keen.

Quote from Iceman8352

I originally had some Quagnoths in the sideboard, but I took them out when Tendrils of Corruption based decks started appearing everywhere (Because Whirling Dervish can't be targeted by Tendrils and can't be blocked by Korlash, Heir to Blackblade). I don't think they'd be bad, but I just have a hard time trying to decide whether they'd be better to play than Whirling Dervish or Riftsweeper.

I'm not a big fan of Whirling Dervish, at least not online. It seems that I never play against mono-black and any deck that I do play running Tendrils is also running either white or blue for other removal. I'd rather just have other creatures in the board. Stonecloaker fills that gap nicely. He gets around Tendrils, hurts random reanimator, doesn't clog up the 2-drop slot, gets around other removal etc..

I'm thinking of a sideboard like this:


It's mainly geared to beat the large amount of blue bounce decks out there in which Riftsweeper is an absolute all-star. He should be no less than a 4-of in online play.

Hello!

Here is the build I'm thinking to use at the PTQ next week.



I played a lot of games with the deck and got a very positive result, even against UB, when blink and harmonic sliver shines.

What you think?

Honestly, I don't think the 2 Timbermare are a great fit - I much prefer the Calciderm, as it gives you a little more endurance.

Yes, Calciderm is nice, but I won some games by blinking my Timbermare to tap all creatures EOT, untap only mine during my turn and win t he game.

It is also a "direct damage" spell when you need and have less creatures...you also can play Timbermare, blink your goyf(for example) and attack for 10 or more....

He is awesome at mid and long games!

Quote from Equinox²

Yes, Calciderm is nice, but I won some games by blinking my Timbermare to tap all creatures EOT, untap only mine during my turn and win t he game.

It is also a "direct damage" spell when you need and have less creatures...you also can play Timbermare, blink your goyf(for example) and attack for 10 or more....

He is awesome at mid and long games!

Just so your aware, you cannot Play the Mare, and blink the goyf, and attack with both, as the goyf will have summoning sickness. A neat trick is to just blink your mare at EoT though, tapping down all your opp's men, and then crunching through with your guys on your turn.

On a more related note, why are there not seperate threads for each version, G/W/r, G/W/u, and straight G/W each one serves a different purpose for a different meta, and they all play pretty differently.

you are right...I wrote the answer at work and typing fast, so I couldnt remember all rules...but I never played this "wrong" trick....hehe

Pat Chapin wrote an article a week ago on improving the mirror match, with the short Rebel Chain. It's on starcity if you search. What are the thoughts on it?

I'm going to the PTQ in NM in a couple of weeks, and this is the deck I've been working on, the meta there is mostly aggro and that is why I made some of the choices I have, really want to fine tune for the tourney so any comments or suggestions would be greatly appriciated



Sideboard is

• 2 Sulfur Elemental
  
• 3 Greater Gargadon
  
• 4 Call of the Herd
  
• 4 Whirling Dervish
  
• 2 Rift Sweeper
  

I might take out the sulfur elementals for 1 more Riftsweeper / Gargadon
well there you have it.

I really like the lastest version of g/w goyf. it completely cut griffin guide to sideboard. it uses 4x maideck calciderm and 4x maindecked sunlance

I've never played TSP Block Constructed, and PTQ Valencia is my first time. I have until Sunday to playtest, but...what do you guys think of this list? Does it stand a fair chance?

Quote from Shinjutsei

Iceman8352's DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
Lands (22) 4 Forest 3 Plains 3 Island 4 Terramorphic Expanse 2 Llanowar Reborn 3 Horizon Canopy 3 Flagstones of Trokair Creatures (16) 4 Tarmogoyf 2 Saffi Eriksdotter 2 Riftsweeper 3 Calciderm 3 Mystic Enforcer 2 Vesuvan Shapeshifter	Other Spells (22) 4 Call of the Herd 2 Griffin Guide 3 Delay 3 Psionic Blast 2 Snapback 4 Chromatic Star 4 Edge of Autumn	Sideboard 1 Mystic Enforcer 1 Calciderm 1 Mystic Snake 2 Snapback 1 Tormod's Crypt 2 Seal of Primordium 2 Stonewood Invocation 1 Saffi Eriksdotter 4 Sunlance

I've never played TSP Block Constructed, and PTQ Valencia is my first time. I have until Sunday to playtest, but...what do you guys think of this list? Does it stand a fair chance?

I think that you're playing three colors for the wrong reasons. It seems like you're trying to make a hybrid of the two main 'Goyf decks (GW and GU), and you're losing the strengths that each possess.

Personally, if I were going to play a three-colored 'Goyf build, I'd playing something like this.



-Significant Changes from Your List-

#1: Llanowar Reborn. This card is just way too important in the 'Goyf mirror matches, at it allows your own 'Goyf to be bigger than theirs. Definately needs to be a 4-of.

#2: Riftwing Cloudskate, Venser, Shaper Savant, Mystic Snake. Playing these guys allow you the ability to control the board to an extent, by giving you massive tempo. And they're very synergetic with....

#3: Momentary Blink. This allows you to reuse the awesome comes-into-play abilities of the Riftwing Cloudskates, Venser, Shaper Savants, Riftsweepers, and Mystic Snakes. It also protects your creatures from the likes of Tendrils of Corruption, which is very important in the control matchups.

The only main thing that I'd probably change to the above list is the inclusion of a few Calciderms. You may want to try that for yourself and see how it works.

Hope that gives you some idea on what a tri-colored 'Goyf deck should be able to accomplish.

Well, here is the list I based it off of: http://sales.starcitygames.com/deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=22163

I chose to play Snapback over Momentary Blink simply because it doubles as removal. However...do you honestly think what you posted will turn out better? I really have no way to judge, so...

EDIT: I saw where you got the list from, and I've made some changes to it.
-2 Pongify
-1 Island
-2 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
+2 Mystic Enforcer
+3 Chromatic Star

For a pure GW build, what are everyone's thoughts about Hedge Troll?

I've been testing with it online, and so far I've found it to be a surprisingly good addition to the deck. On defense, it can hold off goyfs, calciderms, gargadons, elephants, and enforcers (even past threshold with griffin guide), along with the occasional korlash or chronicler. On offense, it's like you're running an extra 4 elephant tokens, but with extra resiliency.

The only flaw that I've found is that if you're short on white mana, it's hard to keep up the pressure with more creatures while leaving regeneration mana open. Luckily, since it is only a 3/3 for 3, losing it really isn't that much of a setback.

Hello guys!

I just wanna give you a feedback from the PTQ that I played today.

I'm a good player, with 1800+ points, but I work and study all the week, plus I'm married, so I dont have the necessary time to test, but...

My record was 3-2 drop, the total of rounds was 7, but I was tired and with little chances to play the top 8 I droped.

I built this list for the tournament:



Note that the deck have 61 cards.

The main focus of this list is win UBx, with and without SB.

I played against 3 UBx decks and won ALL 2-0! with no problems.

I lost to a WEIRD GW build of friend when I was 2-0, his list have a lot of enchantments and Retether, plus GW good creatures base....I couldnt won Keen Sense card advantage and some tricks of his deck.

My other lost, when I was 3-1, was against RG ManaRamp, but just becouse I got mana screewed for the first TWO times in the tournament, so I just lost and became very, very frustrated...You know, when you play with a better deck and is a better player and lost for this reason...its just sad, my english is not that good to give you the exact sensation I'm feeling now.

I know this happen, but....forget about it, its just a way to feel better write here.

Now, if i recomend you to play this deck, I would say YES! Its awesome, but I would make some changes that I have to think about...

cya...:mad::D

Pickles is a huge deck, Scryb Ranger must be somewhere. It completely wrecks the deck with no remorse.

Pickles isn't a huge deck, but the combo is splashed everywhere. Shapeshifter straight up kicks my ass all over (granted, I still run GWr Goyf), so I have to mainboard Isolation.

Well it depends on your metagame, but on the East Coast, Pickles is huge.