I played Logan Mize's maindeck (http://www.starcitygames.com/article/32952_The-Complete-Guide-To-Abzan-Company.html), with an adapted sideboard of: 3 Abrupt Decay, 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Aven Mindcensor, 1 Courser of Kruphix, 1 Pharika, 1, Qasali Pridemage, 1 Reclamation Sage, 1 Selfless Spirit, 1 Surgical Extraction.
R1: 2-0 GW Eldrazi (1-0)
Might have been Bant, but never saw blue. Game 1, I misplayed by firing off a Chord in response to a TKS. I knew what I wanted to do, but just said "In response" without specifying that I wanted to respond to the ETB trigger. I managed to get the infinite life/scry combo, but opponent insisted on playing in out. I pulled Redcap for the win. Game 2 was cleaner, but opponent again insisted on playing through infinite life. Locked up the win shortly thereafter.
R2: 2-1 RG Tron (2-0)
Game 1, I managed to eke out enough time to play Redcap alongside Viscera Seer, leaving just enough mana/creatures to Chord for Melira. Opponent had Tron, but had tapped two pieces to find the third and needed another turn to use them. Game 2, I almost got there, but opponent played Ulamog. I could have won during combat, but a main-step Karn backed up by a Warping Wail to hit Seer when I went for the combo in response was enough to sink me. Game 3, we played a game of Company > sweeper > Company > sweeper, but I managed to keep up enough pressure on to close out the game.
R3: 1-1 Abzan Company (2-0-1)
Game 1, opponent mulled to five. I would have comboed, but a turn-three [[Thalia, Heretic Cathar]] disrupted me enough for them to curve out and beat down. Game 2 ended up in a terrible board stall and went to time. I managed to pull off the Finks combo in Turn 0, then pulled the Redcap kill Turn 2.
R4: 0-2 Affinity (2-1-1)
Game 1, I kept a one-land hand blind to my opponent's deck. I had Birds, Hierarch, Wall of Roots and a Company, so I thought I'd get there even through a Bolt. They had double [[Galvanic Blast]] and I never drew a second land. Game 2, I had two Witnesses and Abrupt Decay, but I couldn't keep up and never drew into anything to help men stabilise.
R5: 2-1 Bant Eldrazi (3-1-1)
Game 1, my missed a turn-three exalted trigger on an Eldrazi Skyspawner and proceeded to beat down. I stablised and comboed for infinite life while on 1. Game 2, I get very little traction. I was on the cusp of stabilising when my oppoenent played a second Reality Smasher and swung for lethal. Game 3, I play a Fulminator Mage and sac it to destroy Eldrazi Temple. It's enough of a tempo swing to combo for infinite life. Opponent scoops.
T8: 2-0 Infect
Game 1, I played a natural Melira turn two, followed by Spellskite turn three. That gave me a few turns to eventually kill with an infinitely bolstered Birds. Game 2, I also hit natural Melira on turn two. My opponent stumbled on mana, letting beat down with an exalted Melira. My opponent managed to race for a while, but I was faster. To add insult, I chorded Pontiff to remove a [[Glister Elf]] and [[Blighted Agent]] before swinging in for the win.
T4: 0-2 Grixis Delver
This was the match I was dreading. I knew I was underprepared, and that my friend had been putting good results with this deck. I agonised over the sideboard, but eventually decided I had to play to the rest of the field and hope someone else put him out before I had to play him. They didn't. Game 1, I was racing a flipped Delver and might have got there, but my end-step Company met [[Countersquall]], and my main-step Company the following turn met the same, dropping me to 0. Game 2, he managed to land Kalitas and Tasigur, and I was unable to answer.
In: 3 Abrupt Decay, 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Courser of Kruphix, 1 Pharika, 1 Qasali Pridemage, 1 Selfless Spirit
Out: 4 Birds of Paradise, 3 Noble Hierarch, 2 Wall of Roots, 1 Orzhov Pontiff, 1 Spellskite
Post-PPTQ thoughts: I'm looking for cards to shore up my Grixis match-up (and porbably other Ux control decks). Of my current sideboard, [[Pharika, God of Affliction]] and [[Surgical Extraction]] feel like the slots I'd be most happy to experiment with. The other Abzan Company pilot has also suggested that [[Wall of Roots]] could come out, though I'm not sure I'm convinced. I know others have advocated Tidehollow Sculler, but that seems to be an all or nothing gambit and I'm not sure I want to dedicate four slots. I'm wondering whether adding [[Sin Collector]] and [[Dromoka's Command]] in my last two sideboard slots might help. I'm curious to try the new Thalia - it wrecked my plans, and the pilot suggests it's pretty effective in most matchups. I also wonder whether some number of [[Voice of Resurgence]] should make the cut again, given that this Grixis player seems to be ever-present at the business end of these events.
I'm taking this deck to a PPTQ this weekend, and feel that I've got a reasonable grasp on the current meta, match-ups and sideboard. I'd be keen on a little advice, though.
Specifically, how should I play this deck against control? I'm fairly certain I'll face Grixis and/or Jeskai control decks at some point during the tournament, and I haven't had enough experience with those decks to know how to play or sideboard. Are there any resources available for these match-ups? Can more experienced players offer some strategy advice? Do you have any must-see sideboard tech to get you there against these decks?
Current thinking is to take out the mana dorks and Orzvhov Pontiff and add in Selfless Spirit, Courser of Kruphix, Pharika, and Paths... leaving four slots vacant. Should these be used for artifact/enchantment hate? Fulminator Mages? A cheeky Surgical Extraction to snipe Snapcaster targets and looted Emrakuls?
Then how do I play - pre board and post - to maximise my chances against these miserable griefers trying to spoil my fun?
That's my fear, yeah. Company and Negate are great targets, but that makes for very few hits. That said, I've not played many games against Company at this stage, so it's entirely possible I'm not getting it right yet. I'm leaning pretty heavily on Turtenwald's SB guide for this one.
I could maybe see a case for TKS in place of Dead Weight, as a good number of their early drops are x/3s. I do worry that it might be too slow though.
Would it maybe work on the play? Then we can revert to the Dead Weights on the draw. (Edit: One possible concern with this plan is that they can bounce TKS with Reflector Mage, then take another full turn to empty their hand before we can replay it. Repeated TKS castings is great if they always have a target in hand, but a possible liability once they know it's coming. Is this enough to make it a bad idea?)
Haven't seen a lot of Bant, but I bring in Kalitas, Ultimate Price, and Dead Weight. They replace Anguished Unmaking, Transgress the Mind and two Gideons.
Thanks for the feedback. Could you say a little more on the usefulness of Kalitas against Mono-U?
I can see that having Kalitas on the ground requires an extra three zombies for lethal (one dies to Kalitas, while two more have to counteract the lifelink) - is this the main point in favour? Having played the match-up that way, would you say Kalitas is more useful than sweepers?
My thinking in keeping in three sweepers is that my discard should be enough to keep them from playing Rise of the Tides and Part the Waterveil on the same turn, which could goad them into playing Rise the Tides alone and giving me a window to sweep the board. I think there's some merit in this line, but wonder whether your Kalitas play is more reliable.
I'm taking this deck to the local WMCQ this weekend, but have a few questions about facing some of the more "fringe" lists around and was hoping the thread could help me out. Specifically, I'll be playing the CFB creature-less version of the deck: http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/tuning-bw-control/
I'm pretty happy with the SBing advice in the CFB article, but there are a few decks I'm expecting that were not included. I'll provide a quick outline of my current SB plans for each deck and would appreciate any feedback on my choices. I'd also appreciate any general strategy advice for beating these decks from people who are more familiar with those match ups.
UR Fliers
Out: 4 Gideon, 2 Hallowed Moonlight, 2 Sorin
In: 1 Ultimate Price, 1 Bearer of Silence, 1 Eldrazi Displacer, 2 Transgress the Mind, 3 Kalitas
This deck seems frighteningly fast, and can easily take out Gideon with it's fliers. I want more removal, Kalitas for life-gain, and Displacer to blank Goldnight Castigator. Trangress also comes in to pick off Castigators, Fevered Visions, burn and counterspells. I'm even a little bit tempted to remove 2 Ob Nixilis (and possibly one Secure the Wastes) to make space for Duress, though unfortunately Duress won't hit Visions and the StW is probably still desirable to flip Abbey.
Our removal is almost totally useless in this match-up (though we need to be aware of Dragonlord Silumgar post-board). I want all my discard spells in to keep them off Part the Waterveil and Rise from the Tides. Eldrazi Displacer comes in to reset awakened lands and I'm keeping some number of sweepers in case they fire off Rise the Tides without the extra-turn spell.
GB Sacrifice
Out: 2 Hallowed Moonlight, 2 Transgress the Mind, 2 Secure the Wastes
In: 3 Kalitas, 1 Ultimate Price, 2 Dead Weight
Kalitas and extra spot removal seem key for this match up, but I'm unsure about the last two cards on the "Out" list. I'm debating whether one or both Secure the Wastes should be either Gideon or a sweeper instead. (Any recommendations here would be appreciated.)
I'm currently treating this deck much like any other ramp deck or Grixis Control (both require the same SBing strategy if not the same game plan). My only concern with this strategy is how to deal with Drowner of Hope, and I have wondered whether it's worth leaving in Planar Outburst for this reason. My intuition is that it isn't, and I should just stick to the current plan, but I'd appreciate further advice on this match up from other players who have been there before.
So, how did I do? Are these reasonable plans to carry into these match ups or do you have some insight that I'm missing?
Assuming the proposed combo does in fact work (and the card is printed), there's a nice interaction for EDH decks running green with Doubling Season effects: infinite tokens and infinite colourless mana.
I'm sure BGx mages don't need any help working out what to do with infinite mana.
As a Mardu Warriors player, the card I'll miss most is Thoughtseize, while I'll be most pleased to see the back of Courser of Kruphix, Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver and Drown in Sorrow. A slower, ramp-heavy format would help me, but I fear new hate cards to protect ramp decks against aggro strategies.
Eldrazi control is almost inevitable once the meta crystallises. An Eldrazi aggro deck may be possible if Forerunner of Slaughter gets some friends, but there's a lot that still needs to come together to make that viable.
Ugin may find a place in Eldrazi mid-range (and will find a place in Eldrazi control). *shudder*
New Gideon and Lantern Scout bode well for some sort of Ally tribal deck to emerge, but the deck will need much more that that to really take off. However, they could make useful additions to the Mono-White builds that Sam Black and Craig Wescoe have been running, even if all-in Ally tribal never takes off.
Thanks for the analysis. Liliana is really rough and if she sticks around for more than one turn it is very difficult to come back. My sideboard has 3 Pithing Needles and 3 Celestial Purge that all punish her. Additionally I run 2 Oblivion Ring main deck. Tell me more about the work Kami of False Hope did?
Kami was great in holding off beaters in the Jund and Twin match-ups (it never hit the board against Merfolk, but could be helpful there too). Even if it just buys that critical turn, it seems useful. My Jund matches usually go long, so getting Kami on Emeria is good, and better than Martyr with the often empty hand (though that may change with the Purges now in the 75 to deal with Lili). Although niche, a Kami against Living End is great as it buys you an extra turn to find your sweeper every time they combo.
Everyone has a prefered colour, and being able to garuntee at least one rare/mythic in thast colour as well as some support is always nice.
Not sure that's true. I find selecting a faction a totally agonising process: Which colour has the highest proportion of limited bomb rares? Which cards are likely candidates or promo treatment? Is this colour deep enough beyond the rares? Does it rely on critical uncommons to support it? Should I let constructed wants influence my faction choice?
Ultimately, I don't care what colours I play in sealed: I care about maximising my chances of going X-0. With no seeded boosters, I don't need to worry about making the "wrong" faction call and can just work at building the best deck I can from my pool.
Went 2-2 last night at a local Modern night. My deck is a fairly standard Orzhov list (w/out Crucible of Worlds or Sky Hussar, but otherwise similar to the current list in OP).
0-2 v Living End: Game 1 saw an early combo and I had no recourse. Game 2's first Living End was answered by Wrath of God, Castigate took his cascade spell, and two hardcast Living Ends also met Wrath of Gods. Failed to draw Martyr or Ranger despite having all the time in the world, and lost for lack of finishers. Sky Hussar may have helped with card draw, though keeping two creatures on the field may have been tough. May consider Hallowed Moonlight in the board if the deck sticks around.
2-0 v Temur Twin: Ghostly Prisons did their job, and angel beats duly delivered. Opponent's last-ditch attempt to Twin a Thragtusk to stay alive failed and was a joy to behold.
0-1-1 v Jund: Grindiest of grindfests. Game 1 took 40+ minutes, and could have turned back in my favour if I'd found an answer to that last poxy Goyf. Liliana wrecks me, but I knew going in I was light on hate there. Have ordered more Celestial Purges to keep from having my hand shredded next time we meet. (This guy also plays Night of Souls' Betrayal in the board, so I sided in an extra Utter End to keep from being locked out, but Game 2 never really got anywhere in the few minutes remaining.)
2-1 v Merfolk: Lost Game 2 (?) to quick beats and poor draws, but otherwise the match-up seemed alright. Prisons kept the fish on lockdown, though he was still threatening to bounce them and alpha-strike, which kept me on my toes in Game 3, until a third Martyr put me well beyond reach.
So far I prefer Prison mainboard, over Lingering Souls (though I see that may have to change to play Sky Hussar). Three Procs seemed a lot and I was rarely happy to draw them; considering dropping to two as I always sent at least one straight to the board. Castigates came in against Twin and Living End to great effect, and will be kept as a 4-of going forward. Kami of False Hope was the MVP all night; Weathered Wayfarer seemed all but useless.
Honestly, the thing I'm most disappointed about is not getting Emerge Unscathed reprinted. Worse, we get the same card at 1 more to cast.
I suspect dual lands have been saved for Origins. With the new two-set, three-block Standard coming in, a set of five duals per block seems about right. Given this "block" is effectively Dragons-Origins, I think we can comfortably wait one set for duals. (And yes, we'll likely get ZEN fetches soon enough.)
"Draconian" is highly unlikely: that word doesn't actually have anything to do with dragons. It means "rigorous" or "unusually severe or cruel", usually in reference to laws or rules.
Not a big reader of Uncharted Realms? The dragons speak Draconic. As in: "It was his voice! Narset reeled. It was Ojutai's voice that she was hearing in her ear. But how could it be? He was so far away. And didn't he speak in Draconic?"
And it slots right in at 134 in the number crunch. Draconic Roar is highly likely.
"Draconic" is fine - and "Draconic Roar" is almost certainly the correct name for the card.
I was objecting to "draconian", which some of the previous posters were using as if it had the same meaning. It doesn't.
I played Logan Mize's maindeck (http://www.starcitygames.com/article/32952_The-Complete-Guide-To-Abzan-Company.html), with an adapted sideboard of: 3 Abrupt Decay, 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Aven Mindcensor, 1 Courser of Kruphix, 1 Pharika, 1, Qasali Pridemage, 1 Reclamation Sage, 1 Selfless Spirit, 1 Surgical Extraction.
R1: 2-0 GW Eldrazi (1-0)
Might have been Bant, but never saw blue. Game 1, I misplayed by firing off a Chord in response to a TKS. I knew what I wanted to do, but just said "In response" without specifying that I wanted to respond to the ETB trigger. I managed to get the infinite life/scry combo, but opponent insisted on playing in out. I pulled Redcap for the win. Game 2 was cleaner, but opponent again insisted on playing through infinite life. Locked up the win shortly thereafter.
In: 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Reclamation Sage, 1 Qasali Pridemage
Out: 2 Chord of Calling, 1 Eternal Witness, 1 Melira, 1 Orzhov Pontiff, 1 Spellskite
R2: 2-1 RG Tron (2-0)
Game 1, I managed to eke out enough time to play Redcap alongside Viscera Seer, leaving just enough mana/creatures to Chord for Melira. Opponent had Tron, but had tapped two pieces to find the third and needed another turn to use them. Game 2, I almost got there, but opponent played Ulamog. I could have won during combat, but a main-step Karn backed up by a Warping Wail to hit Seer when I went for the combo in response was enough to sink me. Game 3, we played a game of Company > sweeper > Company > sweeper, but I managed to keep up enough pressure on to close out the game.
In: 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Aven Mindcensor, 1 Qasali Pridemage, 1 Selfless Spirit
Out: 1 Eternal Witness, 1 Fiend Hunter, 1 Orzhov Pontiff, 1 Scavenging Ooze, 1 Spellskite
R3: 1-1 Abzan Company (2-0-1)
Game 1, opponent mulled to five. I would have comboed, but a turn-three [[Thalia, Heretic Cathar]] disrupted me enough for them to curve out and beat down. Game 2 ended up in a terrible board stall and went to time. I managed to pull off the Finks combo in Turn 0, then pulled the Redcap kill Turn 2.
In: 3 Abrupt Decay, 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Aven Mindcensor, 1 Pharika, 1 Qasali Pridemage
Out: 4 Birds of Paradise, 3 Noble Hierarch, 2 Wall of Roots, 1 Spellskite, 1 Viscera Seer
R4: 0-2 Affinity (2-1-1)
Game 1, I kept a one-land hand blind to my opponent's deck. I had Birds, Hierarch, Wall of Roots and a Company, so I thought I'd get there even through a Bolt. They had double [[Galvanic Blast]] and I never drew a second land. Game 2, I had two Witnesses and Abrupt Decay, but I couldn't keep up and never drew into anything to help men stabilise.
In: 3 Abrupt Decay, 1 Qasali Pridemage, 1 Reclamation Sage
Out: 2 Eternal Witness, 1 Chord of Calling, 1 Fiend Hunter, 1 Scavenging Ooze
R5: 2-1 Bant Eldrazi (3-1-1)
Game 1, my missed a turn-three exalted trigger on an Eldrazi Skyspawner and proceeded to beat down. I stablised and comboed for infinite life while on 1. Game 2, I get very little traction. I was on the cusp of stabilising when my oppoenent played a second Reality Smasher and swung for lethal. Game 3, I play a Fulminator Mage and sac it to destroy Eldrazi Temple. It's enough of a tempo swing to combo for infinite life. Opponent scoops.
In: 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Reclamation Sage, 1 Qasali Pridemage
Out: 2 Chord of Calling, 1 Eternal Witness, 1 Melira, 1 Orzhov Pontiff, 1 Spellskite
T8: 2-0 Infect
Game 1, I played a natural Melira turn two, followed by Spellskite turn three. That gave me a few turns to eventually kill with an infinitely bolstered Birds. Game 2, I also hit natural Melira on turn two. My opponent stumbled on mana, letting beat down with an exalted Melira. My opponent managed to race for a while, but I was faster. To add insult, I chorded Pontiff to remove a [[Glister Elf]] and [[Blighted Agent]] before swinging in for the win.
In: 3 Abrupt Decay, 3 Path to Exile
Out: 4 Kitchen Finks, 1 Eternal Witness, 1 Scavenging Ooze
T4: 0-2 Grixis Delver
This was the match I was dreading. I knew I was underprepared, and that my friend had been putting good results with this deck. I agonised over the sideboard, but eventually decided I had to play to the rest of the field and hope someone else put him out before I had to play him. They didn't. Game 1, I was racing a flipped Delver and might have got there, but my end-step Company met [[Countersquall]], and my main-step Company the following turn met the same, dropping me to 0. Game 2, he managed to land Kalitas and Tasigur, and I was unable to answer.
In: 3 Abrupt Decay, 3 Path to Exile, 2 Fulminator Mage, 1 Courser of Kruphix, 1 Pharika, 1 Qasali Pridemage, 1 Selfless Spirit
Out: 4 Birds of Paradise, 3 Noble Hierarch, 2 Wall of Roots, 1 Orzhov Pontiff, 1 Spellskite
Post-PPTQ thoughts: I'm looking for cards to shore up my Grixis match-up (and porbably other Ux control decks). Of my current sideboard, [[Pharika, God of Affliction]] and [[Surgical Extraction]] feel like the slots I'd be most happy to experiment with. The other Abzan Company pilot has also suggested that [[Wall of Roots]] could come out, though I'm not sure I'm convinced. I know others have advocated Tidehollow Sculler, but that seems to be an all or nothing gambit and I'm not sure I want to dedicate four slots. I'm wondering whether adding [[Sin Collector]] and [[Dromoka's Command]] in my last two sideboard slots might help. I'm curious to try the new Thalia - it wrecked my plans, and the pilot suggests it's pretty effective in most matchups. I also wonder whether some number of [[Voice of Resurgence]] should make the cut again, given that this Grixis player seems to be ever-present at the business end of these events.
Specifically, how should I play this deck against control? I'm fairly certain I'll face Grixis and/or Jeskai control decks at some point during the tournament, and I haven't had enough experience with those decks to know how to play or sideboard. Are there any resources available for these match-ups? Can more experienced players offer some strategy advice? Do you have any must-see sideboard tech to get you there against these decks?
Current thinking is to take out the mana dorks and Orzvhov Pontiff and add in Selfless Spirit, Courser of Kruphix, Pharika, and Paths... leaving four slots vacant. Should these be used for artifact/enchantment hate? Fulminator Mages? A cheeky Surgical Extraction to snipe Snapcaster targets and looted Emrakuls?
Then how do I play - pre board and post - to maximise my chances against these miserable griefers trying to spoil my fun?
I could maybe see a case for TKS in place of Dead Weight, as a good number of their early drops are x/3s. I do worry that it might be too slow though.
Would it maybe work on the play? Then we can revert to the Dead Weights on the draw. (Edit: One possible concern with this plan is that they can bounce TKS with Reflector Mage, then take another full turn to empty their hand before we can replay it. Repeated TKS castings is great if they always have a target in hand, but a possible liability once they know it's coming. Is this enough to make it a bad idea?)
I can see that having Kalitas on the ground requires an extra three zombies for lethal (one dies to Kalitas, while two more have to counteract the lifelink) - is this the main point in favour? Having played the match-up that way, would you say Kalitas is more useful than sweepers?
My thinking in keeping in three sweepers is that my discard should be enough to keep them from playing Rise of the Tides and Part the Waterveil on the same turn, which could goad them into playing Rise the Tides alone and giving me a window to sweep the board. I think there's some merit in this line, but wonder whether your Kalitas play is more reliable.
I'm pretty happy with the SBing advice in the CFB article, but there are a few decks I'm expecting that were not included. I'll provide a quick outline of my current SB plans for each deck and would appreciate any feedback on my choices. I'd also appreciate any general strategy advice for beating these decks from people who are more familiar with those match ups.
UR Fliers
Out: 4 Gideon, 2 Hallowed Moonlight, 2 Sorin
In: 1 Ultimate Price, 1 Bearer of Silence, 1 Eldrazi Displacer, 2 Transgress the Mind, 3 Kalitas
This deck seems frighteningly fast, and can easily take out Gideon with it's fliers. I want more removal, Kalitas for life-gain, and Displacer to blank Goldnight Castigator. Trangress also comes in to pick off Castigators, Fevered Visions, burn and counterspells. I'm even a little bit tempted to remove 2 Ob Nixilis (and possibly one Secure the Wastes) to make space for Duress, though unfortunately Duress won't hit Visions and the StW is probably still desirable to flip Abbey.
Mono-U Prison
Out: 4 Grasp of Darkness, 2 Languish, 2 Ultimate Price
In: 3 Duress, 2 Transgress the Mind, 1 Eldrazi Displacer, 2 Thought-Knot Seer
Our removal is almost totally useless in this match-up (though we need to be aware of Dragonlord Silumgar post-board). I want all my discard spells in to keep them off Part the Waterveil and Rise from the Tides. Eldrazi Displacer comes in to reset awakened lands and I'm keeping some number of sweepers in case they fire off Rise the Tides without the extra-turn spell.
GB Sacrifice
Out: 2 Hallowed Moonlight, 2 Transgress the Mind, 2 Secure the Wastes
In: 3 Kalitas, 1 Ultimate Price, 2 Dead Weight
Kalitas and extra spot removal seem key for this match up, but I'm unsure about the last two cards on the "Out" list. I'm debating whether one or both Secure the Wastes should be either Gideon or a sweeper instead. (Any recommendations here would be appreciated.)
UR Eldrazi
Out: 2 Hallowed Moonlight, 4 Languish, 1 Planar Outburst, 2 Ultimate Price
In: 3 Duress, 2 Transgress the Mind, 1 Eldrazi Displacer, 2 Thought-Knot Seer, 1 Bearer of Silence
I'm currently treating this deck much like any other ramp deck or Grixis Control (both require the same SBing strategy if not the same game plan). My only concern with this strategy is how to deal with Drowner of Hope, and I have wondered whether it's worth leaving in Planar Outburst for this reason. My intuition is that it isn't, and I should just stick to the current plan, but I'd appreciate further advice on this match up from other players who have been there before.
So, how did I do? Are these reasonable plans to carry into these match ups or do you have some insight that I'm missing?
Mother of Runes
Swords to Plowshares
Green Sun's Zenith
Shardless Agent
Disfigure
Will NOT be reprinted:
Thoughtseize
Terminus
Snapcaster Mage
Infernal Tutor
Liliana of the Veil
I'm sure BGx mages don't need any help working out what to do with infinite mana.
Predictions for new Standard:
Kami was great in holding off beaters in the Jund and Twin match-ups (it never hit the board against Merfolk, but could be helpful there too). Even if it just buys that critical turn, it seems useful. My Jund matches usually go long, so getting Kami on Emeria is good, and better than Martyr with the often empty hand (though that may change with the Purges now in the 75 to deal with Lili). Although niche, a Kami against Living End is great as it buys you an extra turn to find your sweeper every time they combo.
Not sure that's true. I find selecting a faction a totally agonising process: Which colour has the highest proportion of limited bomb rares? Which cards are likely candidates or promo treatment? Is this colour deep enough beyond the rares? Does it rely on critical uncommons to support it? Should I let constructed wants influence my faction choice?
Ultimately, I don't care what colours I play in sealed: I care about maximising my chances of going X-0. With no seeded boosters, I don't need to worry about making the "wrong" faction call and can just work at building the best deck I can from my pool.
0-2 v Living End: Game 1 saw an early combo and I had no recourse. Game 2's first Living End was answered by Wrath of God, Castigate took his cascade spell, and two hardcast Living Ends also met Wrath of Gods. Failed to draw Martyr or Ranger despite having all the time in the world, and lost for lack of finishers. Sky Hussar may have helped with card draw, though keeping two creatures on the field may have been tough. May consider Hallowed Moonlight in the board if the deck sticks around.
2-0 v Temur Twin: Ghostly Prisons did their job, and angel beats duly delivered. Opponent's last-ditch attempt to Twin a Thragtusk to stay alive failed and was a joy to behold.
0-1-1 v Jund: Grindiest of grindfests. Game 1 took 40+ minutes, and could have turned back in my favour if I'd found an answer to that last poxy Goyf. Liliana wrecks me, but I knew going in I was light on hate there. Have ordered more Celestial Purges to keep from having my hand shredded next time we meet. (This guy also plays Night of Souls' Betrayal in the board, so I sided in an extra Utter End to keep from being locked out, but Game 2 never really got anywhere in the few minutes remaining.)
2-1 v Merfolk: Lost Game 2 (?) to quick beats and poor draws, but otherwise the match-up seemed alright. Prisons kept the fish on lockdown, though he was still threatening to bounce them and alpha-strike, which kept me on my toes in Game 3, until a third Martyr put me well beyond reach.
So far I prefer Prison mainboard, over Lingering Souls (though I see that may have to change to play Sky Hussar). Three Procs seemed a lot and I was rarely happy to draw them; considering dropping to two as I always sent at least one straight to the board. Castigates came in against Twin and Living End to great effect, and will be kept as a 4-of going forward. Kami of False Hope was the MVP all night; Weathered Wayfarer seemed all but useless.
I suspect dual lands have been saved for Origins. With the new two-set, three-block Standard coming in, a set of five duals per block seems about right. Given this "block" is effectively Dragons-Origins, I think we can comfortably wait one set for duals. (And yes, we'll likely get ZEN fetches soon enough.)
"Draconic" is fine - and "Draconic Roar" is almost certainly the correct name for the card.
I was objecting to "draconian", which some of the previous posters were using as if it had the same meaning. It doesn't.