A morphboard or transformative sideboard isn't a new idea in magic by any means, it's not even a new idea in dredge, but I don't think that the idea has been presented in anything but half whispers of deck lists rather than in detail. Why try a morph board?
1.) You're a terrible dredge player and can't play around the hate.--Playing around the hate is what makes a dredge player good, but it's getting harder and harder game two, with opponents regularly resolving two ore more hate cards within the first turn or two forcing you to dig and dig for removal that you might never be lucky enough to have.
2.) You hate playing against the hate game two. Sometimes it's annoying to watch an opponent start the game with leylines in play only to drop a cage on the play, and chase it with a crypt. By the numbers it shouldn't happen, but if it feels like this is every game to you, then a morphboard might be a good idea.
3.) The element of surprise. When your opponent sides in 8 pieces of graveyard hate and then mulligans to find it only to see you shrug and ignore it, that can be a great feeling. Thanks everyone.
Lets start with the main deck list that I'm currently testing around:
The list is a Dr-less version of dredge that is very similar to what Court Schuett played at Gencon. It seemed like the best place to start as the deck list has proven it's self stable and viable against a large field of players. Two small changes were made to incorporate main deck chain of vapor and 2 riftstone portal. The rifstone portals give access to a larger amount of mana for the deck in game 2, and chain of vapor is an out to someone running main deck lines. I question if vapor is the correct card for the task at hand, as there are many options that might play better in game two.
The idea is pretty simple. Drop out the highest priced cards, side in the dark depths combo, and assemble it. Urborg helps to even out the mana in the deck, and you can sometimes win games just by playing creatures and turning sideways after your opponent has mulliganed to hate.
The problem with this list is that it's hard to assemble against decks like use sphere effects, it's fairly inconsistent (particularly it's mana base), and bob can still hit for a lot as most of dredge's engine cards carry high casting costs. In the end the morph to dark times doesn't play consistently enough for my taste, but it has potential.
Again, post board we're looking to assemble a combo. Leyline/helm or painter/stone. Assembling either will win you games---but there in lies the problem. Two card Monty has always had the issue of starting the game with the wrong combo's in hand, and unlike a blue control shell trying to power out the combo's dredge doesn't have the drawing, tutors, counterspells, or backup plan to pull off the morph. It can work, but it's inconsistency often causes problems.
This version gets rid of the idea of assembling a combo, and looks to drop and efficient beat stick and smash face while the opponent tries to stabilize. Against yard hate (excluding R.I.P. and leylines) it can still make use of bridges, and yard size to grow out the goyf. Against some decks pridemage can hit the board, remove yard hate, and replace himself with zombies to set up for a big turn dredging out a win. This is probably the most effective morph. Though inconsistent land drops are still a problem.
I wont claim that any of these are perfect, or even favorable to the good old "pack 15 removal spells' option, but I think there is potential to the idea, and with the right maindeck, a morph board could bring a lot to the table for dredge.
Any ideas for additional board plans, main deck card changes, or changes to any of the board lists would be appreciated. I'm not the best deck builder in the world, but with the communities help I'd like to think this idea could be made viable in the format.
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1.) You're a terrible dredge player and can't play around the hate.--Playing around the hate is what makes a dredge player good, but it's getting harder and harder game two, with opponents regularly resolving two ore more hate cards within the first turn or two forcing you to dig and dig for removal that you might never be lucky enough to have.
2.) You hate playing against the hate game two. Sometimes it's annoying to watch an opponent start the game with leylines in play only to drop a cage on the play, and chase it with a crypt. By the numbers it shouldn't happen, but if it feels like this is every game to you, then a morphboard might be a good idea.
3.) The element of surprise. When your opponent sides in 8 pieces of graveyard hate and then mulligans to find it only to see you shrug and ignore it, that can be a great feeling. Thanks everyone.
Lets start with the main deck list that I'm currently testing around:
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Undiscovered Paradise
4 City of Brass
2 Petrified Field
1 Dakmor Salvage
2 Riftstone Portal
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Narcomoeba
4 Ingot Chewer
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
4 Bloodghast
3 Ichorid
2 Golgari Thug
4 Cabal Therapy
2 chain of vapor
OTHER SPELLS
4 Serum Powder
4 Leyline of the Void
4 Bridge from Below
The list is a Dr-less version of dredge that is very similar to what Court Schuett played at Gencon. It seemed like the best place to start as the deck list has proven it's self stable and viable against a large field of players. Two small changes were made to incorporate main deck chain of vapor and 2 riftstone portal. The rifstone portals give access to a larger amount of mana for the deck in game 2, and chain of vapor is an out to someone running main deck lines. I question if vapor is the correct card for the task at hand, as there are many options that might play better in game two.
Now the morphboard ideas:
Dredge to dark depth:
2 dark depths
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 dark confidant
1 demonic tutor
1 vampiric tutor
1 imperial seal
The idea is pretty simple. Drop out the highest priced cards, side in the dark depths combo, and assemble it. Urborg helps to even out the mana in the deck, and you can sometimes win games just by playing creatures and turning sideways after your opponent has mulliganed to hate.
The problem with this list is that it's hard to assemble against decks like use sphere effects, it's fairly inconsistent (particularly it's mana base), and bob can still hit for a lot as most of dredge's engine cards carry high casting costs. In the end the morph to dark times doesn't play consistently enough for my taste, but it has potential.
The Two Card Monty board.
4 Painter's Servant
4 Grindstone
1 enlightened tutor
1 vampiric tutor
1 imperial seal
Again, post board we're looking to assemble a combo. Leyline/helm or painter/stone. Assembling either will win you games---but there in lies the problem. Two card Monty has always had the issue of starting the game with the wrong combo's in hand, and unlike a blue control shell trying to power out the combo's dredge doesn't have the drawing, tutors, counterspells, or backup plan to pull off the morph. It can work, but it's inconsistency often causes problems.
Fish
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Lotleth Troll
3 Qasali Pridemage
This version gets rid of the idea of assembling a combo, and looks to drop and efficient beat stick and smash face while the opponent tries to stabilize. Against yard hate (excluding R.I.P. and leylines) it can still make use of bridges, and yard size to grow out the goyf. Against some decks pridemage can hit the board, remove yard hate, and replace himself with zombies to set up for a big turn dredging out a win. This is probably the most effective morph. Though inconsistent land drops are still a problem.
I wont claim that any of these are perfect, or even favorable to the good old "pack 15 removal spells' option, but I think there is potential to the idea, and with the right maindeck, a morph board could bring a lot to the table for dredge.
Any ideas for additional board plans, main deck card changes, or changes to any of the board lists would be appreciated. I'm not the best deck builder in the world, but with the communities help I'd like to think this idea could be made viable in the format.