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  • posted a message on WUG midrange with BNG
    Sure Scooze and Thune work well together. But how exactly are you putting creatures in graveyards?
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on [Developing] UWR Midrange
    After seeing the Esper midrange deck that took 2nd at the GP this past week I started trying to throw together decks similar to it. Here is what I landed on.



    I know that Firemane Avenger and Lavinia seem, well, janky. I do like Lavinia a lot in this deck. Being able to shut down most opponents for an entire turn is just what the doctor ordered. She acts kind of like brave the elements but there are matchups where I rather have brave so I jammed them in the SB. I have done exactly 0 testing and this is all theoretical. I could find a better 4 drop than Firemane and I think it could do surprisingly well here. Our removal is basically the nuts and we have Boros Charm as our Supreme Verdict insurance.

    Thoughts?
    Questions?
    Complaints?

    Let 'er rip!
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on [[BaseSpec]] Orzhov and Dimir Mechanics
    Quote from Master Moja
    I would just like to say that I hope Mill is still a theme in Dimir, whether it's part of their mechanic or not. Mill has always been a cool thing for them.

    Since Dimir is all about looking for secrets, maybe the keyword will give you the option to manipulate a players deck. Perhaps a ponder on a stick? Something like this, for instance.

    Dimir Thoughthunter 2U
    Infiltrate (Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may look at the top X cards of that player's library, where X is equal to this creature's power, and put them back in any order.)
    3/2

    This ability is still very Dimir and far better than milling, because you can hold off your opponent for quite some time as long as you're getting damage in. Since blue and black have a lot of ways to sneak around blockers, Infiltrate would be a great ability.


    I am ABSOLUTELY in love with this idea.
    Posted in: Baseless Speculation
  • posted a message on B/G elf deck runs good but runs into issues can i get some help
    assasin's strike is really bad... Like why not ultimate price instead? And guildmage is pretty bad, throw in the beast tracker instead to put craterhoof of top of your library... seems real good
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on blistercoil weird+duel casting
    no, because it is a copy and isn't casted. But you basically get the spell 3 times. one for cast, one copy, untap, one more copy
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on [Developing] B/R Aggro [Primer]
    Black/Red Aggro a Primer



    Welcome to my First attempt at a deck Primer!

    I thought this would be a good way to get all of our B/R aggro deck Ideas together.

    I found myself wondering what I wanted to play come rotation time and stumbled upon this idea. I have been sculpting it for a while now and am feeling very confident in this deck's ability. We all know zombies is going to be a big thing, we've known it for months, I played B/R zombies and frankly hated it. This deck is for those of you that want to play an aggressive deck without shelling the cash out for all those zombies that skyrocketed in price. NTM I have hosed Zombies with this B/R Aggro variant.

    Why do I play B/R Aggro?
    -----I play this deck because I want to play an aggressive deck with answers for other aggro matchups (zombies) and something that is quick enough to beat control (U/W/r) and midrange decks (B/R/G, G/W).

    Card Choices

    Creatures


    1 Drops

    [B/]Rakdos Cackler- Definitely a Star, this guy is a sure 4-of

    [R]Stonewright- Very Efficient and only makes your dudes more agressive

    [R]Vexing Devil- Not entirely sold on this guy, but 4 to the face turn 1 speeds the clock, I run him but there are other options if you find it underwhelming

    [R]Stromkirk Noble - Real good beater, just wish he had haste, a good option if your meta is heavy with humans because he WILL get out of control

    [R]Diregraf Ghoul- More of a budget option here, only zombie I would use, having black turn 1 may be a problem though.

    2 Drops

    RR Ash Zealot- This is your best 2 drop option for this deck, you are going to have to have a high number of red sources because you won't want to miss out on her turn 2, especially if stonewright is on the field

    1R Lightning Mauler- Definitely a great option, I would pick this guy over shred freak for one reason, this makes your 3 drop hasty. Here's the deal, if you have your three drop in your hand and can play it turn three leaving mauler open so you can get the 3-drop in with haste. Such a good option

    (B/R)(B/R) Rakdos Shred-freak- This is a good option 2/1 hasty dude. But as I stated I prefer Mauler.

    1B Daggerdrome Imp- Been testing the waters with this guy, kind of unsure. I like the idea of the flyer, lifelink helps us in aggro mirror, plus firebreathing on him in nice. But underwhelming overall.

    BR Rix-maadi Guildmage- Probably one of the better two drop options, but I wouldn't run it as a 4-of, 2 MAXIMUM. She is really good at helping you through land flooding if it ever occurs. Plus making your opponents blockers smaller is a real nice bonus.

    1R Gorehouse Chain-walker- Meh, I do not like unleash that much, but 3/2 for 2 is pretty good.

    1R Crimson Muckwader- Very, Very good option if you are running a good amount of swamps, 3/2 for 2 with regenerate.... YUUUUP!

    3 Drops

    1(B/R)(B/R) Cryptborn Horror- This guy seems like he could be really good in this deck, if you drop him turn three he is at best a 4/4 with trample, which I am ok with. Good for blocking the turn he comes in and good for running through dudes after that.

    2R Guttersnipe- The answer is no, don't get cute here... Better for a Delver deck

    1BB Vampire Nighthawk- Oh how I love the Nighthawk. Such a good creature, really everything you could ask for in a 3-drop, but the mana commitment is tough, have turn 2 RR and turn 3 [MANA]bbMANA] seems like it could be really tough. I have been using him but it doesn't seem worth it.

    1BR Hellhole Flailer- Out of the gate I hated on this guy... now I can see how usefully aggressive he is, not an auto-include but a sweet option for sure. Miss your 4-drop? swing the fences and blow up flailer, I like it Smile

    4 Drops

    2RR Hellrider- WOOOOOO DADDY! This is your most aggressive 4-drop and I would say an auto-include, this guy should help you finish games by turn 5

    BBRR Rakdos, Lord of Riots- Rakdos I feel is better suited if you were trying to play some huge bomb cards, but we should be winning turn 5 and 6 anyway. Maybe a waste of a slot here.

    5 Drops

    3RR Thundermaw Hellkite- FINISH HIM! This is our 2nd finisher. I would Top out any curve for b/r with this guy. Almost Always getting in for 5 really good hasty flyer that washes lingering souls.

    Non-Creature Spells



    Removal

    We need to clear a path for our dudes, these are our best options:

    R Pillar of Flame- The zombie hoser, also effective against mana dorks or any 2 toughness creature (huntmaster anyone?)

    B Tragic Slip- Things can and will be dying, good removal, and takes care of aristocrat

    xR Bonfire of the Damned- One sided board wipes will win you games. It is pretty pricey so if you don't want to spend the money here's your budget options....

    2R Flames of the Firebrand- This is such a good card, almost always getting you 2 for 1 sometimes 3 for 1, POWERHOUSE

    1R Mizzium Mortars- 4 to any creature? suck it searing spear... but no damage to players and the overload is a bit much for this deck to hit. A good budget option to bonfire

    1RR Annihilating Fire- Instant speed pillar, but I would stay away from it.

    BR Dreadbore- Bad terminate, but hits walkers...New Jace= Dead Jace

    Draw Spells/Hand Reload

    With all our aggression we need to Reload somehow here are our options:

    BB Sign in Blood- Ugh... The color commitment. Awesome card and can burn our opponent for 2 if we have to but I might stay away from this guy.

    1R Dangerous Wager- Crazy right? Wrong. We are going to unload our hand, I guarantee it, last card left, draw 2 for 2, or discard unnecessary lands. Seems ok.

    RR Wild Guess- Stay away from this guy, helps with land flooding, otherwise you have to discard some good and necessary business.

    3RRMiracle1R Reforge the Soul- Good in the right spots, I wouldn't want to miracle this early in the game, but probably a good 2-of choice.


    Land

    This should be pretty straight forward... But my suggestion is to run this deck as red heavy as possible only really splashing black for some things that only require one black source. Double black and double red would be really difficult. So stick to it being red and splashing black for help. In my list you will see I use 9 black sources, and nothing that requires BB.

    Also you should note my use of a singleton hellion crucible. I have thrown this in here because it helps with land flooding and can give you a hasty 4/4 in a time you may need extra power or to poop out a blocker.


    Freja's Decklist



    Matchups

    So we aren't entirely sure what the meta is going to shape up to be, but I do believe we will see a lot of these decks:

    G/W Aggro/Midrange
    Jund Midrange
    Zombies (GB and Jund)
    U/W or U/W/R Control
    Jund Control

    This deck will have a way to beat each of them but will have the most trouble against decks that utilize thragtusk. He is such a house and absolutely hoses this deck, unless we prepare a sideboard with plans for mr. tusk.

    Sideboard Plans:

    Duress
    Appetite for Brains
    Zealous Conscripts
    Thundermaw Hellkite
    Smelt
    Annihilating Fire
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on Rakdos Aggro
    Now that you've updated your list....

    I think you have TOO many dudes. You need some way to help clear the board out for them to get there. Even some burn backup.

    I feel like you do not need THAT many thundermaw hellkites, like 2 max, and you only really need two Rakdos, This deck should be fast with kills consistent on T5.

    Did you consider running a Hellion Crucible or Rix-Maadi Guildmage to help with games where you are flooded with land?
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on Rakdos Aggro
    Card-by-card I will help you because this is attrocious.

    Here we go.

    1 Blood Crypt- THIS IS A FOUR OF
    4 Dragonskull Summit- Good
    9 Mountain- good
    4 Rakdos Guildgate- BAD, ETB tapped sucks drop the money on 3 more crypts
    6 Swamp- good

    Land: Personally I would run 22, not that 23 is too many but your curve shouldn't be too high.


    2 Stromkirk Noble- cut this dude, Why not 4 Stonewright? So good for firebreathing pairs
    4 Vexing Devil - I like devil, insta 4 to the face
    2 Ash Zealot- This is another obvious 4 of, This is by far your best 2-drop option
    2 Grim Roustabout- absolute trash for T2
    2 Rakdos Shred-Freak- Better than grim, but my favorite 2 drops right now are lightning mauler (its either shred freak or makes your 3-drop hasty.... seems real good), and daggerdrome imp, Lifelink could be relevant in other aggro matchups that dont have flyers (aka zombies)
    4 Thrill-Kill Assassin- Ugly cut this Bull, you should have 3 different 1 drops not 3 different 2 drops
    2 Guttersnipe- Not the worst but I prefer to see the best black 3 drop available here, Vampire Nighthawk, this card is nuts, gives you reach, and slap firebreathing on it with stonewright and its a blowout
    2 Hellhole Flailerth- Really? Bad, unleash isnt that good and this guy's ability isnt that effective
    2 Rakdos, Lord of Riots- I am ok with this, i like Hellrider more but your choice
    2 Thundermaw Hellkite- good to top out at maybe 1 of, you should really win with hellrider out there
    2 Harvester of Souls- too high, you're trying to do too much, simplify your game, its red/black, turn dudes sideways, and cast kill spells to get stuff out of their way.

    2 Mizzium Mortars- I liked this at first... but the overload is too much for an agressive deck
    2 Rakdos's Return- Also a card I liked a lot, but better in a jund midrage, or jund control, think about it... Control will counter it, zoombies just says thanks, so its only viable vs. G/W aggro/midrange, or jund midrange. I just don't see you gaining much here. Add more kill spells instead like dreadbore, which also hits walkers.
    4 Murder- Good but I am on the Pillar Plan, freaking zombies
    1 Underworld Connections- good for CA, why not just throw in Sign in blood, you need to win quickly, BR is not a midrangy deck
    1 Chandra, the Firebrand- Meh... more kill spells instead

    Sideboard
    2 Sewer Shambler- I like the idea here with swampwalk and the scavenge effect, I do not dislike it. I prefer to have my SB set up for anti control
    4 Electrickery- Pretty bad SB card IMO need to be ready for control matchups
    4 Searing Spear- underwhelming card, who are you trying to burn out?
    3 Rakdos Cackler- MB if anywhere.
    2 Mizzium Mortars- still not that effective in this deck, just run bonfire
    15 sideboard cards


    Phew... Those are my suggestions if you want this to be competetive
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on [[Official]] The "Complain About Standard Card Prices" Thread
    Honestly you can play the cards like a stock market, I snatched up Aristocrats at 6 KNOWING it would jump. You knew Junds Zombies was going to be a hit. You just have to see the angles and attack, you will never get burned when you buy a card at a low cost, oh no my $6 rare went to $3, as opposed to the huge drop off with marginal planeswalkers and expensive-at-first rares.

    All you can do is either put the money into the game to either A.) buy the cards... or B.) Buy packs to find trade stock for the cards you need.

    The big deal for me is I play something new every week and find myself scrambling for cards... do not be <<this guy. Now is a great time to put a list together grab up all the cards you need and run it week in and week out adjusting only for your LGS meta
    Posted in: Standard (Type 2)
  • posted a message on Grixis Zombies
    So I haven't exactly seen this as an idea through the forums... but why not combine the two (BU and BR) to create a pretty nice powerhouse... I know that Scars is rotating out soon but I like where my list was going regardless.



    The sideboard obviously depends on your meta. I also am noticing a lack of Images and Metamorphs, personally I do not feel as though they are THAT necessary, although I do see how practical their application is when copying Messenger or Artist, or even Aristocrat....

    Thoughts?
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on [[Official]] [Developing] UR Tempo
    Here is my decklist for Friday BTW
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on [[Official]] [Developing] UR Tempo
    I am currently going to be running a version of this at FNM this week. I feel like in such a creature heavy meta you need the three R's... Removal, Removal, Removal. So for my deck I am using Grim Lavamancer. I feel like he is an absolute beast in this deck in combination with Delver of Secrets. He helps clear the battlefield to gain you the advantage and then hurls a 2 damage fireball in your opponents face every turn. I am also running Snapcaster Mage as a 2 of (mostly because I only own 2) but 4 would be better. People are arguing that these two bosses are anti-synergistic but I do not believe that to be true. The deck I am piloting curves out at three... THREE!!!! With the cantrips available you can certainly fill up your graveyard with spells for Lavamancer or Snapcaster. And sure you exile a bunch with Lavamancer but you should have a good idea what you're up against and what cards you want for flashback material with Snapcaster. I also tested a version with Forbidden Alchemy in it as a 2 of; and a couple dual sources for the FB cost. It fills up your graveyard while helping you find answers, and sometimes getting you through those patches of Lands you would otherwise be stuck drawing. I do feel like Runechanter's Pike is lack-luster. In this meta I feel that Sword of Feast and Famine is a much better choice. Tap out, Swing for 5 with abberation, you discard, I untap (good luck ever having any threats).... Seems pretty good

    I feel like this is a deck that could compeat with the best of them, having the ability to out do opponents by removing all of their threats and not letting some hit the field at all. Then just beating away or hurling fireballs.

    There are some cons however. This deck lacks the ability to handle a control deck. There is absolutely no way this will ever make it past a good control deck if it isn't swinging for wins quickly... But then again using the burn in the deck to go for the face is always an option. I just don't see this not getting owned by Esper or UB control
    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on New to Salvation not to MTG
    What's crackin' fellow Salvationists?!

    My name is Craig aka Freja. Decided to finally join the forums after reading many primers and deck ideas and wanting to post some info of my own. I also hated that I couldn't give my input in many instances because I didn't have an account. It also would have been nice to have one for GP Worcester (oh btw I live in NH). I have play magic casually for many years, taking a long break during High School and College because I was too cool. But now that I am no longer cool I take the game more seriously and it is a hobby I love to do competetively. I try to win every FNM and have only been successful 3 times in the 8-10 weeks I have attended; not bad considering I have never played the same deck twice. I am a huge fan of games involving so much strategy... combining known information and implied information. Much like Poker, my favorite hobby. Recently had to set that one aside after losing my job but ya know... stuff happens. Anyway, just looking to become more involved in a community I have only actually watched. Now it's time to interact.
    Posted in: Introduce Yourself
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