IMO there's no point on using Essence Extraction over Moment of Craving, especially now that cubs, hydras and ferocidons (all basically 3-toughness creatures) are all gone.
Craving is WAY easier on the manabase, much faster and kills 90% of all aggressive 1 to 3 drops on the current meta. The ones that it doesn't kill, you can always fatal push anyway.
probably should have seen attune being banned, not sure how (if) the deck will recover.
It won't
There was a Temur Energy list going 5-0 on MOCS yesterday. They simply removed attune and replaced refiner with Jadelight Ranger.
Good to see the deck isn't completely dead, but I think if its going to remain on the meta, it'll probably change a lot, and maybe it won't be tier 1 anymore.
Guys I have a question: how do I beat your deck?
I'm currently playing UW Gifts and couldn't beat Temur a single time, I'm something like 0-7.
I don't know what to side in besides Angel of Sanction and Settle the Wreckage.
Any advice?
Step 1: Bring fumigates. It's the single best card vs temur. I've seen GPG running Fumigate main on a heavy Temur field with great success.
Step 2: Play the heavy combo version (Strategic Planning + Chart a Course for Refurbish GPG from grave). Do not play the Gate version, its too slow vs Temur.
Step 3: Play some Fairgrounds Warden on the maindeck. He's good for resetting cubs that might be giving you trouble.
All in all, you're supposedly on a favorable match, depending on how many Abrades or counters the temur has on the maindeck. In any case, a T4 refurbish into GPG into Angel of Invention should win 99% of the time on game 1.
Will Amonkhet rotate out at the same time as Kaladesh?
Yes, Kaladesh, Aether Revolt, Amonkhet and Hour of Devastiation will rotate out all together.
Which is really sad. I wouldn't mind if Amonkhet stayed forever...
Imagine what an even better set it would've been, had it not been overshadowed by Kaladesh (like pretty much everything else right now, especially Ixalan).
I often find Bristling Hydra is the MVP period. It's interesting to me that so many people play 3.
Every time I play the mirror, if the other guy sticks a Hydra--I find myself back pedaling the rest of the game. any tips?
I agree. I insist on playing 4 Hydra. It is an extremely strong Magic card and I'm generally happy to see it in my hand/on my side of the battlefield.
Opposing Hydras are tricky to deal with -- it depends on how much energy they have. Sometimes there are moments where you can coax the opponent into draining their energy to make thopters and hence burn the Hydra. Otherwise, I often meet their Hydra with my own Hydra, trade, and then play an additional threat to re-stabilise.
Thing is, as good as Hydras are, they're not the ones that push the game forward against other midrange decks (in part, because cub tends to trade very well against them). Instead they're the "meat shield" of the deck, the almost-eternal board presence.
Also they're a lot more vulnerable to control decks (which usually runs sweepers) compared to a card like Glorybringer, which not only pressures the midrange opponent much more, he always gets the value of an attack in case your opponent has Fumigate. And that attack might be just enough.
What I've been doing is use 3 hydras, 3 glorybringers and 2 Viziers main deck, that way I have a lot of versatility on which creatures I want to use, and having the Viziers on the grave means I always have a backup threat. It's been working out well, made one top8 and one top4 on this weekend's PPTQs.
I am also running 3 color (Esper Approach) with 2 x field of ruin . Working well so far: made top 8 in last weekend's PPTQ.
You mind posting your list? I have been trying to get Esper Approach to work but can't seem to find the right balance of the 3 colors and still have a smooth mana base.
Me too. Tried it for a while, but mana base kept being a huge issue. And I didn't even run any Field of Ruin.
I don't know if it can be consistent, but it'd be great if you could prove otherwise. I really like the deck.
Energy is a cool mechanic, it was just poorly designed.
It shouldn't be so easily obtained, nor it should be almost impossible to interact with (like a creature with an ETB that devours energy, yours or the opponent's; or a removal spell that deals damage and/or drains your opponent's energy, etc.). It also does some pretty amazing stuff for how easy it is to get and to maintain.
It would be a LOT more fun if we could interact more with it. I don't have a problem with the current standard and the predominance of Energy decks, but I admit, I'll be a lot happier once they're gone.
How often do you side out Censors? I always seem to get rid of them in most matchups where I have to put in more than 3 cards from the sideboard. For example versus Mardu, I need both some Negates and some creatures (2 Torrential Gearhulk and Linvala, the Preserver) and there is no clear cut from the deck. After removing 1-2 Hieroglyphic Illumination and an Approach of the Second Sun, I start shaving Censors. I don't know if it's correct.
Also vs Energy they seem to be decent vs turn three Rogue Refiner or Whirler Virtuoso but I really need the other spells in my deck more (there aren't any bad cards in the main deck vs energy but you can't hope to resolve your Fumigates and Approaches with their Negates flying around so you need your own counters to have a chance).
I almost never remove Censors. They're very good against aggro decks, especially when you're on the play, and even on the worst case scenario they get your Approach 1 turn earlier (Play Approach - Draw a card next turn - cycle 1 - Use supreme will or Ipnu Rivulet - Draw Approach again).
Only scenario where I tend to remove them are against Control, and even then I usually leave at least 2 for the Cycling (card draw that can't be countered).
It also allows some mindgames, like cycling a Censor on a specific turn, inducing your opponent to commit to an on-curve play, only to punish him with another Censor. I've won a few games ut of this.
How would the deck look post-rotation ?
It is getting some good cards from Ixalan from recent spoilers (Opt, Lightning Strike and Spell Pierce).
The main problem seems to be losing one the UR dual lands in Wandering Fumerole.
You can always use Ramunap Ruins. Been using a playset over Fumarole, and it's working a lot better, since it comes into play untapped.
Then again, my deck is a lot more aggro-focused than most lists I've seen here. I can't post the list now, but it's a UR Prowess with Dispels and Built to Smash (they've been great against damage-based removal), 3 Enigma Drakes and 4 Crash Trough / Slip Through Space / Expedite.
I'll use it on today's event and FNM, against a bunch of Monored and Temur Energy/GB Constrictor. I'll try to post the full list and the results here.
So let's talk sodeboarding and specific strategy again.
I got steamrolled by a Grixis Control deck. Game 1 he stopped me from dropping anything with counter spells, then managed to drop Nicol and it was game. Game 2, anything I did drop he removed and then dropped a blue gearhulk.
What are your suggestions on how to play against this deck? Sideboard options?
Maybe sideboard a couple of Dragonmaster Outcasts and/or Dreamstealers. But really, this is supposed to be a horrible matchup, I'd just accept the loss and focus on others. Especially now that Control is rarely being played.
How has the temur energy match been for you, played it abunch online and it's been terrible game one and getting abit better game 2/3 after board, kalitas aims up so poorly with Chandra on draw and glorybringer on play
In my experience, Kalitas (and also most creatures that aren't Glorybringer or Goblin DD) is pretty bad in that matchup. You'll need more Hour of Devastation and Chandra's Defeat against Temur. Doomfall is also pretty good, and your wincon should be either Chandra or Liliana.
I've been playing with 24 lands and haven't had any problems. The Canyon Sloughs are helpful against flood, but if you take them out for Aether Hubs, 24 is probably the way to go.
Chandra is absolutely amazing. I didn't play this deck for too long, but she was my MVP card every time I played her.
She provides pseudo card advantage, that sometimes helps you to filter blank draws. She ramps, she's removal, and her ult is game over on the spot (and not even that hard to get to).
Only problem with her is that you'll most likely not be able to run Hour of Devastation. But I wonder if you'd even need to, in the current meta.
Craving is WAY easier on the manabase, much faster and kills 90% of all aggressive 1 to 3 drops on the current meta. The ones that it doesn't kill, you can always fatal push anyway.
There was a Temur Energy list going 5-0 on MOCS yesterday. They simply removed attune and replaced refiner with Jadelight Ranger.
Good to see the deck isn't completely dead, but I think if its going to remain on the meta, it'll probably change a lot, and maybe it won't be tier 1 anymore.
Step 1: Bring fumigates. It's the single best card vs temur. I've seen GPG running Fumigate main on a heavy Temur field with great success.
Step 2: Play the heavy combo version (Strategic Planning + Chart a Course for Refurbish GPG from grave). Do not play the Gate version, its too slow vs Temur.
Step 3: Play some Fairgrounds Warden on the maindeck. He's good for resetting cubs that might be giving you trouble.
All in all, you're supposedly on a favorable match, depending on how many Abrades or counters the temur has on the maindeck. In any case, a T4 refurbish into GPG into Angel of Invention should win 99% of the time on game 1.
Which is really sad. I wouldn't mind if Amonkhet stayed forever...
Imagine what an even better set it would've been, had it not been overshadowed by Kaladesh (like pretty much everything else right now, especially Ixalan).
Thing is, as good as Hydras are, they're not the ones that push the game forward against other midrange decks (in part, because cub tends to trade very well against them). Instead they're the "meat shield" of the deck, the almost-eternal board presence.
Also they're a lot more vulnerable to control decks (which usually runs sweepers) compared to a card like Glorybringer, which not only pressures the midrange opponent much more, he always gets the value of an attack in case your opponent has Fumigate. And that attack might be just enough.
What I've been doing is use 3 hydras, 3 glorybringers and 2 Viziers main deck, that way I have a lot of versatility on which creatures I want to use, and having the Viziers on the grave means I always have a backup threat. It's been working out well, made one top8 and one top4 on this weekend's PPTQs.
Me too. Tried it for a while, but mana base kept being a huge issue. And I didn't even run any Field of Ruin.
I don't know if it can be consistent, but it'd be great if you could prove otherwise. I really like the deck.
It shouldn't be so easily obtained, nor it should be almost impossible to interact with (like a creature with an ETB that devours energy, yours or the opponent's; or a removal spell that deals damage and/or drains your opponent's energy, etc.). It also does some pretty amazing stuff for how easy it is to get and to maintain.
It would be a LOT more fun if we could interact more with it. I don't have a problem with the current standard and the predominance of Energy decks, but I admit, I'll be a lot happier once they're gone.
Pretty much. UWx Approach will be the way to go now IMO.
I almost never remove Censors. They're very good against aggro decks, especially when you're on the play, and even on the worst case scenario they get your Approach 1 turn earlier (Play Approach - Draw a card next turn - cycle 1 - Use supreme will or Ipnu Rivulet - Draw Approach again).
Only scenario where I tend to remove them are against Control, and even then I usually leave at least 2 for the Cycling (card draw that can't be countered).
It also allows some mindgames, like cycling a Censor on a specific turn, inducing your opponent to commit to an on-curve play, only to punish him with another Censor. I've won a few games ut of this.
You can always use Ramunap Ruins. Been using a playset over Fumarole, and it's working a lot better, since it comes into play untapped.
Then again, my deck is a lot more aggro-focused than most lists I've seen here. I can't post the list now, but it's a UR Prowess with Dispels and Built to Smash (they've been great against damage-based removal), 3 Enigma Drakes and 4 Crash Trough / Slip Through Space / Expedite.
I'll use it on today's event and FNM, against a bunch of Monored and Temur Energy/GB Constrictor. I'll try to post the full list and the results here.
Maybe sideboard a couple of Dragonmaster Outcasts and/or Dreamstealers. But really, this is supposed to be a horrible matchup, I'd just accept the loss and focus on others. Especially now that Control is rarely being played.
Use Boardwipes and/or Doomfall against them.
In my experience, Kalitas (and also most creatures that aren't Glorybringer or Goblin DD) is pretty bad in that matchup. You'll need more Hour of Devastation and Chandra's Defeat against Temur. Doomfall is also pretty good, and your wincon should be either Chandra or Liliana.
Chandra is absolutely amazing. I didn't play this deck for too long, but she was my MVP card every time I played her.
She provides pseudo card advantage, that sometimes helps you to filter blank draws. She ramps, she's removal, and her ult is game over on the spot (and not even that hard to get to).
Only problem with her is that you'll most likely not be able to run Hour of Devastation. But I wonder if you'd even need to, in the current meta.