The reason why you use Hammerhand over Infectious Blood is because you can sandbag your Piledriver until Turn 3 and not "lose" tempo. Foundry Street into Dragon Fodder/2 1-drops looks rather innocent, until Piledriver shows up with 8 power and neutralizes a blocker. Playing him naked T2 screams Kill On Sight.
I've heard a suggestion that I like somewhere else--running a medium Goblin package. So far this weekend, I've had a ton of trouble finding Goblin Tinkerer to smooth the deck over. So we can do the ol' Goblin Deck of Yore route and do this:
I'm also a massive proponent of Shrapnel Blast. Removal + protecting Pentavus/your Wurmcoil or Scuttling Doom Engine of choice + just fat damage + a free "sac outlet" of sorts = too tasty not to.
Soul of New Phyrexia is nothing short of insane. It's a late game bomb and useful from the yard to stop desperation attempts to wreck your board when you're in a tight spot. Plus it's another closer besides the twin Engines.
I'm playing 3 Anger main as a concession to mono red/black/white aggro (aside: would not be surprised if Athreos shows up). The bonus is that you get a free sweep of green mana dorks as well. It's also not bad because we can do fun things killing X/4's with Rabblemaster tokens.
2 Bile Blight
3 Anger of the Gods
3 Hero's Downfall
1 Utter End
2 Sarkhan
is my current mainboard removal package, subject to change within 24 hours.
I just realized that mardu charm white warrior tokens have first strike until end of turn. That card can pretty much wreck alot of aggro strategies without even losing a token.
Kizzercrate, I think you are going to regret having that many discard noncreature spells when you are top decking them over and over again. At least with Brain Maggots you get a body to block with in worst case scenarios. Just my opinion. That's the reason Mono Black Devotion never ran duress in the main board.
Technically speaking, I have 0 discard noncreature spells if I so choose. The beauty of Mardu Charm is that it has a role against every archetype without changing anything out or in. It creates bodies just as well as Brain Maggot, except 1) it blocks better against weenies 'cause First Strike, and 2) if I choose to make them discard a card, they don't get it back later.
I just wasn't happy casting Brain Maggot against Red Deck Wins. I was able to create some cute plays against control (Maggot away Negate to Thoughtseize End Hostilities), but I'd more often than not just prefer to Distress. It works much more flexibly around the concession of playing Temple/Triland and casting two spells in one turn.
I'm loving this deck, mainly because these colors have the best removal. I will NOT lose to aggro in the first few weeks so expect my deck to have lots of removal.
What do people this about running sign in blood AND read the bones, I know it is a lot of damage we are taking but we can negate that with butcher of the horde and maybe Sorin, Solemn Visitor. With the charm and rabblemaster/Brimaz, we can clutter up the board until we get to our finishers in either Elspeth, Sarkhan, Stormbreath Dragon.
what do people this abour rabblemaster vs Brimaz? they both have pros and cons
Brimaz...just doesn't get there. If I'm spending 3 mana, it's either wiping the board (Anger), killing a standalone threat (Downfall), doing something silly (Mardu Charm), or casting a threat that I don't have to worry about fiddling with for the rest of the game (Rabblemaster). Rabble works better with Butcher (don't have to wait another turn to sac a token to attack, which is the whole point of the card plus generates a token whether he attacks or blocks or not), still ends the game in a hurry, and you can cast multiples and completely ruin your opponent's day. Oh, and single R compared to WW, 'cause chances are nobody is that deep in White to begin with.
Speaking of deep in white...Elspeth is slower than dirt. I relegated her to the sideboard for grindier matchups (where she, of course, is still queen), but feels like crap game 1 when we're out of the gates early with Rabble/Butcher/Stormbreath Sarkhan and don't even need to see her. Plus you can catch a lot of people unaware post-board when all the Negates get sided out because lolcreatures.
-Mardu Charm is the best card in the deck, bar none. Ripping apart hands at instant speed to protect your own threats is absurd. Aggro decks run headlong into first strikers because they have no choice, and instant speed Mizzium Mortars is never bad.
-I started out with 8 discard effects (Thoughtseize and Mardu Charm), decided to plug in Brain Maggots for a 2-slot body and more hand disruption. After playing it about 20 games, I realized that I probably don't need all four of them, and I value the discard over the body. Thus, I cut them to play 3 Despise main. It also helps to be able to play more mana efficient spells so I can play around my own tapped lands or clear the way T4 for a Rabblemaster.
-Sorin got added in because I'm sick of killing myself. Originally, I was gonna play Whip of Erebos, but I think it'll be a bit more solid to play another standalone threat that can take over the game and stress the opponent's removal even further.
The problem is that it costs XGG and can only search the top X cards. So unless you can cast this for 6-7 mana at least it's not going to be great.
That's not a problem, that's a feature.
Considering the disgusting amount of ramp we have available to us, slamming this on turn 5 for X=7 or 8 via turn 4 Nissa is quite practical. Besides, I can't be the only one that's missed the Cascade Lottery (TM).
Oops, my fault. I was thinking of the CMC wrong. Sorry.
I still think Cloudfin might play well in the deck. But I'm pretty inexperienced.
I originally thought the same, but it's not really gonna get past 2 power, and that's a best-case scenario. Now, along those lines, Judge's Familiar might work out just as well. Quick checklist:
-1 CMC
-Blue
-Plays nice with Springleaf Drum
-Tempo play to disrupt opponent's removal even if tapped
-isn't utterly useless later
Aside from that, has anyone given niv-mizzet, dracogenius a try? If so, how has it faired for you? I'm thinking of running it in my deck
Against anyone other than control and Mono-B, Niv is better than Aetherling as it lets you turn the corner in a jiffy. Removal, card draw, and a 4-turn clock all at once is pretty ridiculous, all things considered. You'll probably have to adjust your counter suite a tad to protect him though (read: Dispel mainboard).
After doing some playtesting and studying the SCG Open/Saito decks from last night, I'd like to make a proposal or two.
1) 4 Magma Jets in the main.
2) Either board or cut the Izzet Charms.
The raw power of filtering two cards at a time while doubling as a removal spell and reach is too good to pass up. Furthermore, I've never been impressed with Izzet Charm as a card in Standard, and unfortunately this time is no different.
Now on a slightly different path, I'm testing Steam Augury as a swap for Jace. If I'm going to draw two cards, I'd rather not pay four mana at sorcery speed to do so. It feels so bad to pretty much telegraph your hand by tapping out, -2, taking two cards (or the emergency out to fix board state), and then Jace going away, or just getting it countered flat out and opening up for your opponent to go nuts. Getting 2-3 cards at instant speed just seems so much better for our purposes (plus it gives actual incentive to run an Elixir of Immortality in the main).
The amount of manipulation you get for the top of your deck is insane. I've been playtesting pretty hard this past week and I really like the overall feel of the deck. The sticking point/glaring omission here so far is Jace, Architect of Thought. At the end of the day, at least in this build, he's a four-mana Divination. So why not get the same amount of value at instant speed instead? Enter EOT Steam Augury.
It's an argument for mono-black devotion to not splash, say green for things like Unravel the Aether. Being able to exile active gods without "weakening" the mana base or having narrow answers is nice. It's not necessarily the go-to answer, but having deckbuilding options is never bad.
Might I suggest Garruk, Caller of Beasts? Ripping 3-5 threats a turn after Kara's done her thing in thinning your deck seems REALLY good, not gonna lie. And if by some strange miracle he ults....
Artifact Mutation is a total house, second only to Krosan Grip. I have never, ever been disappointed in it. I'll figure out what's going in place of Avenger this week. I got distracted this weekend slapping a Prime Speaker Zegana deck for a change of pace. Drawing 12-15 cards per turn seems pretty legit, lol.
Goblin Matron gets either Tinkerer itself or Goblin Recruiter, stacking Goblin Ringleader, Goblin Tinkerer, Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer, Squee, Goblin Nabob, and Tuktuk The Explorer.
I'm also a massive proponent of Shrapnel Blast. Removal + protecting Pentavus/your Wurmcoil or Scuttling Doom Engine of choice + just fat damage + a free "sac outlet" of sorts = too tasty not to.
Worth considering: Great Furnace, Darksteel Citadel, and Hammer of Purphoros synergy, especially with Crucible of Worlds. Free 3/3's every turn is nothing to sneeze at.
Soul of New Phyrexia is nothing short of insane. It's a late game bomb and useful from the yard to stop desperation attempts to wreck your board when you're in a tight spot. Plus it's another closer besides the twin Engines.
2 Bile Blight
3 Anger of the Gods
3 Hero's Downfall
1 Utter End
2 Sarkhan
is my current mainboard removal package, subject to change within 24 hours.
Technically speaking, I have 0 discard noncreature spells if I so choose. The beauty of Mardu Charm is that it has a role against every archetype without changing anything out or in. It creates bodies just as well as Brain Maggot, except 1) it blocks better against weenies 'cause First Strike, and 2) if I choose to make them discard a card, they don't get it back later.
I just wasn't happy casting Brain Maggot against Red Deck Wins. I was able to create some cute plays against control (Maggot away Negate to Thoughtseize End Hostilities), but I'd more often than not just prefer to Distress. It works much more flexibly around the concession of playing Temple/Triland and casting two spells in one turn.
Brimaz...just doesn't get there. If I'm spending 3 mana, it's either wiping the board (Anger), killing a standalone threat (Downfall), doing something silly (Mardu Charm), or casting a threat that I don't have to worry about fiddling with for the rest of the game (Rabblemaster). Rabble works better with Butcher (don't have to wait another turn to sac a token to attack, which is the whole point of the card plus generates a token whether he attacks or blocks or not), still ends the game in a hurry, and you can cast multiples and completely ruin your opponent's day. Oh, and single R compared to WW, 'cause chances are nobody is that deep in White to begin with.
Speaking of deep in white...Elspeth is slower than dirt. I relegated her to the sideboard for grindier matchups (where she, of course, is still queen), but feels like crap game 1 when we're out of the gates early with Rabble/Butcher/Stormbreath Sarkhan and don't even need to see her. Plus you can catch a lot of people unaware post-board when all the Negates get sided out because lolcreatures.
3 Temple of Malice
3 Temple of Silence
2 Caves of Koilos
4 Battlefield Forge
2 Mana Confluence
2 Mountain
2 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Butcher of the Horde
3 Stormbreath Dragon
4 Thoughtseize
3 Despise
3 Sign in Blood
2 Bile Blight
3 Hero's Downfall
3 Anger of the Gods
4 Mardu Charm
Planeswalkers: 3
2 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
4 Nyx-Fleece Ram
2 Bile Blight
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Utter End
3 Crackling Doom
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Some notes from testing last night:
-Mardu Charm is the best card in the deck, bar none. Ripping apart hands at instant speed to protect your own threats is absurd. Aggro decks run headlong into first strikers because they have no choice, and instant speed Mizzium Mortars is never bad.
-I started out with 8 discard effects (Thoughtseize and Mardu Charm), decided to plug in Brain Maggots for a 2-slot body and more hand disruption. After playing it about 20 games, I realized that I probably don't need all four of them, and I value the discard over the body. Thus, I cut them to play 3 Despise main. It also helps to be able to play more mana efficient spells so I can play around my own tapped lands or clear the way T4 for a Rabblemaster.
-Sorin got added in because I'm sick of killing myself. Originally, I was gonna play Whip of Erebos, but I think it'll be a bit more solid to play another standalone threat that can take over the game and stress the opponent's removal even further.
Edit: because Urborg
That's not a problem, that's a feature.
Considering the disgusting amount of ramp we have available to us, slamming this on turn 5 for X=7 or 8 via turn 4 Nissa is quite practical. Besides, I can't be the only one that's missed the Cascade Lottery (TM).
I originally thought the same, but it's not really gonna get past 2 power, and that's a best-case scenario. Now, along those lines, Judge's Familiar might work out just as well. Quick checklist:
-1 CMC
-Blue
-Plays nice with Springleaf Drum
-Tempo play to disrupt opponent's removal even if tapped
-isn't utterly useless later
Against anyone other than control and Mono-B, Niv is better than Aetherling as it lets you turn the corner in a jiffy. Removal, card draw, and a 4-turn clock all at once is pretty ridiculous, all things considered. You'll probably have to adjust your counter suite a tad to protect him though (read: Dispel mainboard).
1) 4 Magma Jets in the main.
2) Either board or cut the Izzet Charms.
The raw power of filtering two cards at a time while doubling as a removal spell and reach is too good to pass up. Furthermore, I've never been impressed with Izzet Charm as a card in Standard, and unfortunately this time is no different.
Now on a slightly different path, I'm testing Steam Augury as a swap for Jace. If I'm going to draw two cards, I'd rather not pay four mana at sorcery speed to do so. It feels so bad to pretty much telegraph your hand by tapping out, -2, taking two cards (or the emergency out to fix board state), and then Jace going away, or just getting it countered flat out and opening up for your opponent to go nuts. Getting 2-3 cards at instant speed just seems so much better for our purposes (plus it gives actual incentive to run an Elixir of Immortality in the main).
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Island
2 Plains
3 Sacred Foundry
3 Steam Vents
4 Temple of Enlightenment
3 Temple of Triumph
3 Temple of Epiphany
creatures: 2
2 Keranos, God of Storms
Spells: 32
1 Assemble the Legion
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 Detention Sphere
3 Dissolve
1 Syncopate
1 Negate
2 Steam Augury
2 Revoke Existence
4 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Warleader's Helix
4 Magma Jet
3 Fiendslayer Paladin
3 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Turn // Burn
2 Counterflux
2 Blind Obedience
2 Dispel
1 Ætherling
The amount of manipulation you get for the top of your deck is insane. I've been playtesting pretty hard this past week and I really like the overall feel of the deck. The sticking point/glaring omission here so far is Jace, Architect of Thought. At the end of the day, at least in this build, he's a four-mana Divination. So why not get the same amount of value at instant speed instead? Enter EOT Steam Augury.