Grixis. Windstrider's Grixis splash for Izzet Charm is so tempting. If I can find enough Sulfur Falls I will go Dos Grixis on Friday. It is very interesting.
I really like this grixis concept Windstrider. I think some amount of underworld connections is warrented since the 1BB is supported in the mana base. Maybe remove the mortars for Underworld Connections in the side?
I just want to thank you for this Primer and Rowan's very active involvement in any other Firemind or Dracogenius decks discussion. I plan on building this up starting with the budget version and moving toward the expensive one. The primer is amazing and I really appreciate the work that went into it.
I will probably give Nivix Guildmage a shot in my budget version too.
I playtested Jund Midrange for a few hours today. Only a couple of opponents but I find the deck is quite a bit of fun to play. I will give it a throw on Friday to see how it goes.
I like the deck as well, Tharkun...it runs some of my favorite creatures and removal. Alas, whereas you are short Lili 2's, I have not a single Thragtusk. The overuse of the card prevented me from ever trying to build with it last season, and at this point I kinda hate to consider paying for M13 stuff. Guess I could try to drum up some trades...Tusk would be worth having for casual play and such anyway.
It turns out some of my land is on loan too. I broke down and put an order in for the missing pieces and will run it for the next few weeks. I could use the practice.
Regarding decks that hate you. I find playing at a shop that runs 5+ rounds makes life easier. You realize that variance is an enemy who can't be slain in Standard. I don't like to play at 3 round stores at all, and 4 rounds is just bearable. I am also planning on running a version with arbor elf. He is farseek 5 and 6 as well as a potential early blocker.
I am getting to the point where I want to run Jund Midrange. I think I am going to build it and give it a try. I just need three Liliana of the Veil and a huntsmaster.
The setup, casual play post tournament:
I have a Boros Reckoner, open red mana and swing into my opponent. He assigns two blockers, each 2/1 Spirit tokens (due to emblem). I activate first strike in response to blocking.
My contention is that I can assign 3 points of damage to the one of the tokens during the first strike phase of combat, killing it and only it. And then during the regular phase the reckoner would take 2 pts of damage which I can redirect.
My opponent wasn't sure and a observer was sure I could not do that, that all I could do was order the spirits and assign just enough lethal damage in that order. In the end we just continued in this vein.
Hound is awesome vs midrange and control as is Zealous Conscripts. Cathedral of War is an experiment that has proven useful vs UW control in my meta. Forcing my opponent to wrath a single Knight of Infamy is just plain mean. I like running a large removal package which helps deal with this creature heavy meta. My reanimator hate is now limited to a well timed instant speed removal of Fiend Hunter as it tucks a Angel of Glory's rise. It doesn't really save me but it does give me an extra turn sometimes.
Devour Flesh is my removal for odd-ball stuff. Post board I run as much as 14 pieces of removal. This increases the marginal value of devour flesh since I am can reduce the choice factor.
I have definately seen improvement from just playing and knowing the game better. A lot of the information has settled. I see the difference when I try to play Modern or Legacy. I just don't know what is possible so I walk into crap all the time. At some point I will learn those formats as well but I am focusing on standard right now.
One of the things I am doing now is doing the math on my vulnerability vs my opponents vulnerability. It has helped me since I now use burn to the face with free mana when it can enable a kill shot in 1 to 2 turns ahead.
Without the R/x subforum and the Primer thread prior to the subforum I would be in the wilderness. We have a lot of talk about technical play, the math of deck building, how to bluff and when to just go all-in. Thank goodness for Redthirst, Z, Ham, LK and team.
I will probably give Nivix Guildmage a shot in my budget version too.
I really like this concept and plan on building it myself.
It turns out some of my land is on loan too. I broke down and put an order in for the missing pieces and will run it for the next few weeks. I could use the practice.
Regarding decks that hate you. I find playing at a shop that runs 5+ rounds makes life easier. You realize that variance is an enemy who can't be slain in Standard. I don't like to play at 3 round stores at all, and 4 rounds is just bearable. I am also planning on running a version with arbor elf. He is farseek 5 and 6 as well as a potential early blocker.
I have a Boros Reckoner, open red mana and swing into my opponent. He assigns two blockers, each 2/1 Spirit tokens (due to emblem). I activate first strike in response to blocking.
My contention is that I can assign 3 points of damage to the one of the tokens during the first strike phase of combat, killing it and only it. And then during the regular phase the reckoner would take 2 pts of damage which I can redirect.
My opponent wasn't sure and a observer was sure I could not do that, that all I could do was order the spirits and assign just enough lethal damage in that order. In the end we just continued in this vein.
Which approach is correct?
4 stromkirk noble
4 rakdos cackler
4 ash zealot
4 knight of infamy
4 boros reckoner
4 falkenrath aristocrat
2 stonewright
4 searing spear
4 dreadbore
2 pillar of flame
land 24
4 blood crypt
4 dragonskull summit
4 godless shrine
1 cathedral of war
11 mountain
2 Duress
3 ultimate price
2 rakdos's return
3 tragic slip
2 zealous conscripts
3 hound of griselbrand
Hound is awesome vs midrange and control as is Zealous Conscripts. Cathedral of War is an experiment that has proven useful vs UW control in my meta. Forcing my opponent to wrath a single Knight of Infamy is just plain mean. I like running a large removal package which helps deal with this creature heavy meta. My reanimator hate is now limited to a well timed instant speed removal of Fiend Hunter as it tucks a Angel of Glory's rise. It doesn't really save me but it does give me an extra turn sometimes.
Pink Snow doesn't sound good though.
4 dreadbore
4 searing spear
2 pillar of flame
4 devour flesh
3 ultimate price
Devour Flesh is my removal for odd-ball stuff. Post board I run as much as 14 pieces of removal. This increases the marginal value of devour flesh since I am can reduce the choice factor.
I have definately seen improvement from just playing and knowing the game better. A lot of the information has settled. I see the difference when I try to play Modern or Legacy. I just don't know what is possible so I walk into crap all the time. At some point I will learn those formats as well but I am focusing on standard right now.
One of the things I am doing now is doing the math on my vulnerability vs my opponents vulnerability. It has helped me since I now use burn to the face with free mana when it can enable a kill shot in 1 to 2 turns ahead.
Without the R/x subforum and the Primer thread prior to the subforum I would be in the wilderness. We have a lot of talk about technical play, the math of deck building, how to bluff and when to just go all-in. Thank goodness for Redthirst, Z, Ham, LK and team.