I just started playing a fairly standered Meandeck Ichorid list with Brainstorm. I am unsure what to sideboard and how to sideboard against decks that bring in Tormod's Crypt and such things. My current board looks like this:
3 Chain of Vapor
4 Null Rod
4 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Viod
I have found Null Rod a bit hard to cast and I am not sure if it is worth the slot. Help?
I am running Chalice main, I was thinking that Null Rod was not needed. What would you board out for Needles/Chain of Vapor to deal with Tormod's Crypt and other such hate?
From personal expereince, I have found 2 mana spells fairly useless in Ichorid (balance, walk, etc.) as they can be difficult to cast and drain your precious mana resources. Also, i dont really see the point of thug, but that might just be me.
As for enchantment removal, the best two spells are Ray of Revalation and Wax/Wane. The prior can be used from the yard, which is solid, but also is vulnerable to yard hate. The latter must be used from the hand, but it can also serve as a finishing blow.
From your list, if you want to bring in crypt hate, remove darkblast if playing aginst non-welder, non-fish decks, remove chalice if playing against decks that dont rely on moxen (the mirror, fish, etc), remove balance, remove thug, etc. What you remove is very match-dependent, but it should be fairly obvious. Take out the worst cards, and basically re-build your deck with the other deck in mind.
When I sideboard, I usually board in everything, then remove the 15 worst cards in a matchup. The same is true here, I think.
It is difficult to cast the two mana spells but they are such bombs when they do resolve. I like the idea of Wax/Wane, it has some extra utility that Demistify doesn't. I usually use the board in everything board out 15 method, but it can be time consuming.
My current version runs Brainstorm Imp in case Bazaar gets waste/needled or whatever. I feel like this Brainstorm and Imp hinder the deck because they only work really well together. Only without them I scoop if bazaar is answered, so I think I do need an alternative. I have been looking for a replacement draw engine but I couldn't find much. Thoughts?
I am trying to form a budget version of this deck and would like to find out what are the main defenses against yard hate like Leyline of the Void if I am only running B and U. I won't be able to afford to splash other colours without splashing out $$ to get the lands.
3 Chain of Vapor
4 Null Rod
4 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Viod
I have found Null Rod a bit hard to cast and I am not sure if it is worth the slot. Help?
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Personally, I don't really like null rod. It's usually too sow to utalize.
On that note, I think you could use some sb enchantment hate. Things like Leyline of the Void can really screw you over.
4 City of Brass
1 Tarnished Citadel
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Lotus Petal
1 Black Lotus
1 Chrome Mox
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Troll
1 Darkblast
1 Golgari Thug
4 Ichorid
4 Ashen Ghoul
4 Putrid Imp
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Brainstorm
1 Time Walk*
1 Ancestral Recall*
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Imperial Seal*
1 Balance
1 Crop Rotation
4 Chalice of the Viod
4 Cabal Therapy
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Strip Mine
SB:
3 Chain of Vapor
4 Null Rod
4 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Viod
Chain of Vapor handles Leyline alright, I may try boarding Erase or Ray of Revealtion for some additional enchantment hate.
As for enchantment removal, the best two spells are Ray of Revalation and Wax/Wane. The prior can be used from the yard, which is solid, but also is vulnerable to yard hate. The latter must be used from the hand, but it can also serve as a finishing blow.
From your list, if you want to bring in crypt hate, remove darkblast if playing aginst non-welder, non-fish decks, remove chalice if playing against decks that dont rely on moxen (the mirror, fish, etc), remove balance, remove thug, etc. What you remove is very match-dependent, but it should be fairly obvious. Take out the worst cards, and basically re-build your deck with the other deck in mind.
When I sideboard, I usually board in everything, then remove the 15 worst cards in a matchup. The same is true here, I think.
My current version runs Brainstorm Imp in case Bazaar gets waste/needled or whatever. I feel like this Brainstorm and Imp hinder the deck because they only work really well together. Only without them I scoop if bazaar is answered, so I think I do need an alternative. I have been looking for a replacement draw engine but I couldn't find much. Thoughts?
Bazaar.