I'm pretty much set on the main deck, but I'm really unsure as to what I want for the sideboard. Board sweepers are my main threat, but I think that with Masked Admirers in the 'board, I should have enough gas to over come a sweeper. Any other ideas for this, without having to go into a second color for something like Prowess of the Fair or targeted discard? The second main threat is probably counterspell magic, hence the Gaea's Heralds. Thorn of Amethyst is good against any control, light creature deck, so it's an auto include. Naturalize is for opposing stuff like Loxodon Warhammers and Pithing Needles.
Overall, I think this deck is pretty strong. Please critique. Thanks.
As for the card choices, I think the one drops explain themselves. Mana accel is vital to this deck. The reason I might go with Skyshroud Ranger is because it will a) give me a more viable source of mana accel (land is harder to deal with then creatures) and b) it makes the Treetop Villages a little better in this deck honestly. The two drops are a little more complicated, Wren's Run Vanquisher is an auto include in this deck, but I decided to go with Leaf Gilder because it gives a little more mana boost without a power drop off. The new warrior elf, Bramblewood Paragon is another option, but I think that I'm going to go with that in the sideboard instead. Imperious Perfect is an amazing card, it should be in any deck sporting any kind of green, period. Wren's Run Packmaster is a back up plan if Garruk Wildspeaker doesn't show up. Gilt-Leaf Ambush is just a token generator that provides a very subtle, but powerful, option of sending the top card of your library bye-bye if it is unneeded. This clash has proven to be very helpful. Elvish Promenade is the unsung hero of the deck, acting very much like Empty the Warrens in this build. And now for the win condition, Garruk Wildspeaker. This is one of the most powerful cards in Standard, is a win condition on it's own, and is what makes this deck click. While goldfishing, this deck deals on average 21 to 40+ damage on turns 3, 4, or 5 consistently.
I don't have many people that play in my area, I have to travel about 20 minutes to play at a FNM. I plan on going to Regionals this year, and I want to take a deck built in this model. If anyone would like to help with developing this deck, that would be awesome. I don't have the internet at home, so I can't go to the forbidden programs to playtest either. My location sucks, lol. Please critique.
I really like this deck, it performed really well at the last FNM (I didn't get a chance to go to States, but from what I've heard from friends of mine, I think I would have done well with this decklist, even if Lorwyn light).
I'm torn right now what to put in the last sideboard slot, but I'm thinking of going with Tendrils of Corruption. Obivisouly I don't fear much control, and Creeping Mold and Extirpate are pretty good against the current control builds that I have been seeing.
As I'm sure you noticed, there is a lack of Tarmogoyf and Thoughtseize. First off, I'm not going to pay the amount of money they cost as I really don't think that they would really help me win (but I will say that if I get a playset of Thoughtsieze, then I will drop one Creeping Mold for them).
Another thing is the lack of Lorwyn, and I'll be honest, I'm thinking the only other thing that I want in here is Garruk Wildspeaker. Not sure what I would drop, but it will be fit in one at a time.
If this thread gets some buzz, then I will go further in depth of the card choices and matchups. I look forward to deck critique and comments, and if someone wants to test this stragety out, give it a whirl on the forbidden programs.
Just in case you didn't figure it out, the stragety is to acclerate into a Damnation, then use your mana advantage to power out superior creatures with Ohran Viper and Harmonize refilling/keeping your hand full. Shriekmaw is to deal with a problem creature if you miss your accleration and/or missed the third turn Damnation. Ramormane Masticore is a beast in the current format, that's all I'm going to say about him.
My bad, I meant Changeling Hero. Anyway, Elvish Harbinger is an excellent play on turn two, it fetches any of the champion guys, and accelerates/fixes your mana into the champion creature. Once they deal with the first Champ, it comes back into play to fetch the next one. They also fetch all the maindeck removal, which is pretty good too. Prowess of the Fair I think is a little overrated and not really a good card in constructed. Now if non-token elves were replaced, then it would be playable. The way to beat Wrath of God/Damnation is too not over extend into them.
Also, I was wondering if Garruk Wildspeaker fits in this deck, it seems like he could be dropped for more removal/creatures. I'm not sure yet, I just really like him alot.
And lastly, how do you think that we could improve upon the orginal decklist, it leaves me wanting more (or less land for starters).
First off I'm going to say congraluations to the champ. Secondly, I think that he is running way to much land and where is Pendlehaven? I orginally thought that elves would be able to be competitive, but I believe that this proves the point. Anyway, this is a decklist that I have been looking into building and running at States:
As you can see, this decklist is very different from the 1st place deck. My deck is more about powering out one of the Champion creatures, "championing" the Elvish Harbinger for a later use. The Elvish Harbinger also fetches all the maindeck removal, which is pretty good in of itself. Now I know what the first question is going to be, where is the Wren's Run Vanquisher? While this is a great card, it just doesn't really fit with the deck theme, at all.
We can already see that WoTC is turning Green into an "evil" color in Lorwyn with Elves being the way they are on Lorwyn (and about time if you ask me). What I'm wondering is if, after reading the articles today about Planeswalkers, Green is going to turn into an evil color permantly. What I mean is how Garruk Wildspeaker is described, for the lack of better words, as a Predator from the comics/movies/games, traveling the Multiverse looking for the ultimate "trophy". I would really like to see this happen, because Green would serve as a terrific "evil" color in many future sets.
As for what I'm going to run at States, if I go, is probably a G/B deck that I have been building that has been showing a lot of promise. Garruk Wildspeaker I think is one of the best cards in the set, maybe the best.
The general idea of this deck is to accelerate into the Planeswalkers, as I see them as having powerful, lasting effects on games. Troll Ascetic is an amazing creature against aggro and control, so any deck that can support it should run it. Shriekmaw is in my opinion the best envoke guy in the set, plus he kills Tarmogoyf which is relevant. Late game he is also a 3/2 evasive beater. Rampart Growth and Edge of Autumn accelerate into the powerful turn four spells that this deck packs. Damnation is too good not to include in any black deck. Harmonize restocks the hand at the most important time in the game. Garruk Wildspeaker can and will win games on his own, and I believe that he is probably the best card in the set, even better then Thoughseize (at least in Standard). Liliana Vess is as well capable of winning the game by herself and allows for what I believe has been holding back G/B Rock style decks, a tutor engine. Loxodon Warhammer is a game changing card that has to be in any deck that produces creature and is a beatdown deck/mid-range aggro deck. Tendrils of Corruption is an awesome card at gaining life, but is a little slow and has a hard time being effective against Blink Decks/sac outlets. Riftsweeper is there just in case I need it (never know). Profane Command is as well a game changing spell, it can clear the path, bring back that Shriekmaw that you used earlier in the game, etc. Quagnoth is a beast against control.
Anyway, last night at the FNM that I played in I went 1-2-1, but was very capable of going 3-1. I'll get into that later, but first the decklist that I played last night:
In the second I played against a B/G/W Thallid/Saproling deck that packed Putrefy and Mortify as four-ofs. The first game I saw three land (with 2x Damnation in hand) the whole game, which was, thanks to Plague Boiler, about a 10 turn game. The second game I just kept the board clear until my superior creatures came into play and beat him down. The third game he staled a lot with Mycologist until I finally drew a Damnation, then he topdecked a Putrefy (he was Hellbent) for my game winning Korlash, Heir to Blackblade during turns, creating a draw. This guy went 2-1-1.
I played a U/W aggro-Momentary Blink deck in the third round. The first game I mulled down to THREE!!!! He proceeded to curve into a Calciderm, and I scooped after that. The second game I got stuck again on three land for too long and by the time I started making my land drops it was too late. Oh well, can't win them all, right. He went 3-1 on the night.
In the last round I played a B/G aggro-control deck. This was a good series of games, really. The first game he just had more mana then me and that allowed him to overpower me. The second game was a battle of the Extirpates. He cast Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, I cast Damnation, he cast Extirpate on the Damnation and I pointed my Extirpate at his Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, taking the one in his hand. I then proceeded to drop Quagnoth and he sided out his Damnations, so he couldn't deal with that + Treetop Village and scooped. The third game was miserable. I made a series of bad plays (as I did in the second round) that I know costed me the game and round. He ended 3-1 on the night.
Oh well, like I said, I believe that this deck should have been 3-1 last night if their was a better pilot last night for it. This was the first time that I played constructed Magic in about two months, so I was a little rusty. I did learn a couple things last night about this deck though. First and foremost, it is a very mana hungry deck that can't afford to miss any land drops. Secondly, Plague Boiler is a very underrated card and did exactly what I wanted it to, stall my opponent allowing my discard to hurt them. And lastly, Beacon of Unrest is my favorite card in Standard now.
This deck is alot of fun to play, give it a try. I'm going to make some sutle changes for next week. I'm dropping two Brain Prys for one more each of Sylvan Scrying and Llanowar Wastes, and I'm dropping one each of Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Treetop Village for one more each of the basic snow-covered lands. In the sideboard, I'm dropping the Mystic Melting for a Riftsweeper. This is how the deck is going to look next week (if I can go, I'm usually out of town, thanks to work):
I personally like Plague Boiler and think that it is a card that was under used in it's Standard lifetime (much like Spiritmonger). Plague Boiler makes targeted removal less needed as I can use that to stunt my opponents board position and use my disruption suite (Distess, Brain Pry, Nightmare Void, and Muse Vessel) to take apart their game plan. Another plus about Plague Boiler is that it can be instant speed mass removal, and that's pretty good. Right now I'm thinking of dropping both Grave-Shell Scarab (I really like this guy, but I'm not sure about him in this deck like LeadMagnet stated) and Quagnoth for a fourth Korlash, Heir to Blackblade and a third Beacon of Unrest.
I'm going to play this deck tomorrow night at the FNM (if I can make it) and I'll post results as I really like this deck. Our FNM aren't very large, usually around 20 people, but it is pretty competitive (one of our regulars is one of the highest rated players in our state). If someone is willing to test on a forbidden program, please do and post results.
This is a B/G control deck that I have been looking into making. I have all these cards but the Beacon of Unrests. Without further ado, here is the decklist:
This deck has had no testing, so I can't really analyze any matchups yet. If anyone would like to help me with testing, it would be greatly apprecieted as I'm unable to do any online testing on the forbidden programs and I only get to play at the FNM that is about 20 minutes away from me. Critique is very much welcomed, and I really like this decklist and would like to make it as competitive as possible.
I looking to build B/G Rock, but like many others, I'm a) having a hard time choosing between cards and b) it's not testing well. So I'm asking all Rock players on what they think is a good build for B/G right now. I'm more of a control player, but I can play aggro decks as well.
Here is the current B/G control deck that I'm looking at playing this week at FNM. Critique is mandatory and welcomed.
What I'm trying to do here is have a good as possible game one against control as aggro decks are my better matchup. The first thing you will notice is the lack of accel, as I really don't think that it is necessary in the current Type Two. Some choices are easy to understand like Call of the Herd, Damnation, etc. For some of more odd choices I'd like to explain. Augur of Skulls is a good versatile card in that it can keep aggro decks at bay while also being a Seal of Mind Rot against control and late game hold the Hammer to win games. Dimir House Guard is a good uncounterable tutor, an evasive beater, and a sac outlet against Tendrils of Corruption, Lighting Helix, etc. Most of my creatures are good regenarators, which is awesome against aggro decks, and Grave-Shell Scarab is an awesome recurring threat against control decks.
Well, anyway, what I'm looking for is feedback from people that have been playtesting B/G decks and what they find to be good cards in certain matchups. I'll check back later to see what others think of my decklist and hopefully find some decklist to critique myself.
Creatures:26
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Boreal Druid
2x Skyshroud Ranger
4x Wren's Run Vanquisher
4x Bramblewood Paragon
4x Wolf-Skull Shaman
4x Imperious Perfect
Planeswalkers:4
4x Garruk Wildspeaker
Other Spells:8
4x Gilt-Leaf Ambush
4x Elvish Promenade
Lands:22
2x Pendlehaven
4x Treetop Village
16x Forest
Sideboard:(still working on)
4x Gaea's Herald
4x Naturalize
3x Masked Admirers
4x Thorn of Amethyst
I'm pretty much set on the main deck, but I'm really unsure as to what I want for the sideboard. Board sweepers are my main threat, but I think that with Masked Admirers in the 'board, I should have enough gas to over come a sweeper. Any other ideas for this, without having to go into a second color for something like Prowess of the Fair or targeted discard? The second main threat is probably counterspell magic, hence the Gaea's Heralds. Thorn of Amethyst is good against any control, light creature deck, so it's an auto include. Naturalize is for opposing stuff like Loxodon Warhammers and Pithing Needles.
Overall, I think this deck is pretty strong. Please critique. Thanks.
Creatures:26
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Boreal Druid (might go with Skyshroud Ranger)
4x Leaf Gilder
4x Wren's Run Vanquisher
4x Imperious Perfect
2x Wren's Run Packmaster
Other Spells:8
4x Gilt-Leaf Ambush (The clash helps this deck ALOT!!)
4x Elvish Promenade
Planeswalkers:4
4x Garruk Wildspeaker
Lands:22
4x Treetop Village
18x Forest
I have no idea for a sideboard yet, but I was thinking a mixture of Eyes of the Wisent and/or Gaea's Herald, more Wren's Run Packmaster, Pithing Needle, etc. I'm really unsure about the sideboard right now.
As for the card choices, I think the one drops explain themselves. Mana accel is vital to this deck. The reason I might go with Skyshroud Ranger is because it will a) give me a more viable source of mana accel (land is harder to deal with then creatures) and b) it makes the Treetop Villages a little better in this deck honestly. The two drops are a little more complicated, Wren's Run Vanquisher is an auto include in this deck, but I decided to go with Leaf Gilder because it gives a little more mana boost without a power drop off. The new warrior elf, Bramblewood Paragon is another option, but I think that I'm going to go with that in the sideboard instead. Imperious Perfect is an amazing card, it should be in any deck sporting any kind of green, period. Wren's Run Packmaster is a back up plan if Garruk Wildspeaker doesn't show up. Gilt-Leaf Ambush is just a token generator that provides a very subtle, but powerful, option of sending the top card of your library bye-bye if it is unneeded. This clash has proven to be very helpful. Elvish Promenade is the unsung hero of the deck, acting very much like Empty the Warrens in this build. And now for the win condition, Garruk Wildspeaker. This is one of the most powerful cards in Standard, is a win condition on it's own, and is what makes this deck click. While goldfishing, this deck deals on average 21 to 40+ damage on turns 3, 4, or 5 consistently.
I don't have many people that play in my area, I have to travel about 20 minutes to play at a FNM. I plan on going to Regionals this year, and I want to take a deck built in this model. If anyone would like to help with developing this deck, that would be awesome. I don't have the internet at home, so I can't go to the forbidden programs to playtest either. My location sucks, lol. Please critique.
4x Wall of Roots
4x Ohran Viper
4x Troll Ascetic
4x Shriekmaw
2x Razormane Masticore
Sorceries:16
4x Damnation
4x Call of the Herd
3x Edge of Autumn
2x Rampart Growth
3x Harmonize
3x Loxodon Warhammer
Land:23
1x Urza's Factory
3x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4x Treetop Village
4x Llanowar Waste
3x Swamp
8x Forest
4x Creeping Mold
4x Extirpate
4x Deathmark
3x Garza's Assassin
I really like this deck, it performed really well at the last FNM (I didn't get a chance to go to States, but from what I've heard from friends of mine, I think I would have done well with this decklist, even if Lorwyn light).
I'm torn right now what to put in the last sideboard slot, but I'm thinking of going with Tendrils of Corruption. Obivisouly I don't fear much control, and Creeping Mold and Extirpate are pretty good against the current control builds that I have been seeing.
As I'm sure you noticed, there is a lack of Tarmogoyf and Thoughtseize. First off, I'm not going to pay the amount of money they cost as I really don't think that they would really help me win (but I will say that if I get a playset of Thoughtsieze, then I will drop one Creeping Mold for them).
Another thing is the lack of Lorwyn, and I'll be honest, I'm thinking the only other thing that I want in here is Garruk Wildspeaker. Not sure what I would drop, but it will be fit in one at a time.
If this thread gets some buzz, then I will go further in depth of the card choices and matchups. I look forward to deck critique and comments, and if someone wants to test this stragety out, give it a whirl on the forbidden programs.
Just in case you didn't figure it out, the stragety is to acclerate into a Damnation, then use your mana advantage to power out superior creatures with Ohran Viper and Harmonize refilling/keeping your hand full. Shriekmaw is to deal with a problem creature if you miss your accleration and/or missed the third turn Damnation. Ramormane Masticore is a beast in the current format, that's all I'm going to say about him.
-4 Llanowar Mentor
+3 Treetop Village
+1 Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
I really like the Elvish Harbinger, it fetches any thing in the deck sans the land and Garruk Wildspeaker.
-1 Pendlehaven/Mosswort Bridge
-2 Forest
+3 Treetop Village
That's what I would do, but 3 may be to many.
Also, I was wondering if Garruk Wildspeaker fits in this deck, it seems like he could be dropped for more removal/creatures. I'm not sure yet, I just really like him alot.
And lastly, how do you think that we could improve upon the orginal decklist, it leaves me wanting more (or less land for starters).
4x Elvish Champion
4x Imperious Perfect
4x Llanowar Elves
2x Masked Admirers
4x Thornweld Archer
3x Wren's Run Packmaster
4x Wren's Run Vanquisher
2x Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
3x Boreal Druid
3x Garruk Wildspeaker
Instants:4
4x Eyeblight's Ending
Land:23
13x Forest
2x Swamp
4x Gilt-Leaf Palace
4x Llanowar Wastes
4x Thorn of Amethyst
4x Riftsweeper
3x Naturalize
4x Prowess of the Fair
First off I'm going to say congraluations to the champ. Secondly, I think that he is running way to much land and where is Pendlehaven? I orginally thought that elves would be able to be competitive, but I believe that this proves the point. Anyway, this is a decklist that I have been looking into building and running at States:
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Boreal Druid
4x Elvish Harbinger
4x Imperious Perfect
3x Wren's Run Packmaster
3x Changeling Titan
2x Changeling Hero
2x Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
3x Garruk Wildspeaker
Instants:8
4x Nameless Inversion
4x Eyeblight's Ending
Land:23
11x Forest
4x Gilt-Leaf Palace
4x Llanowar Wastes
1x Pendlehaven
3x Treetop Village
4x Deathmark
4x Krosan Grip
3x Riftsweeper
4x Stupor
As you can see, this decklist is very different from the 1st place deck. My deck is more about powering out one of the Champion creatures, "championing" the Elvish Harbinger for a later use. The Elvish Harbinger also fetches all the maindeck removal, which is pretty good in of itself. Now I know what the first question is going to be, where is the Wren's Run Vanquisher? While this is a great card, it just doesn't really fit with the deck theme, at all.
As for what I'm going to run at States, if I go, is probably a G/B deck that I have been building that has been showing a lot of promise. Garruk Wildspeaker I think is one of the best cards in the set, maybe the best.
Creatures:8
4x Troll Ascetic
4x Shriekmaw
Sorceries:17
4x Damnation
4x Call of the Herd
3x Rampart Growth
3x Harmonize
3x Edge of Autumn
Planeswalkers:6
3x Garruk Wildspeaker
3x Liliana Vess
Liliana Vess Toolbox:6
1x Loxodon Warhammer
1x Tendrils of Corruption
1x Riftsweeper
1x Profane Command
1x Quagnoth
1x Sudden Death
Land:23
6x Forest
5x Swamp
4x Llanowar Wastes
3x Gilt-Leaf Palace(probably not going to run these actually)
3x Treetop Village
1x Urza's Factory
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Sideboard:15
4x Deathmark
4x Extirpate(not sure about these as well)
4x Stupor
1x Haakon, Stromgald Scourge
1x Nameless Inversion
1x Krosan Grip
The general idea of this deck is to accelerate into the Planeswalkers, as I see them as having powerful, lasting effects on games. Troll Ascetic is an amazing creature against aggro and control, so any deck that can support it should run it. Shriekmaw is in my opinion the best envoke guy in the set, plus he kills Tarmogoyf which is relevant. Late game he is also a 3/2 evasive beater. Rampart Growth and Edge of Autumn accelerate into the powerful turn four spells that this deck packs. Damnation is too good not to include in any black deck. Harmonize restocks the hand at the most important time in the game. Garruk Wildspeaker can and will win games on his own, and I believe that he is probably the best card in the set, even better then Thoughseize (at least in Standard). Liliana Vess is as well capable of winning the game by herself and allows for what I believe has been holding back G/B Rock style decks, a tutor engine. Loxodon Warhammer is a game changing card that has to be in any deck that produces creature and is a beatdown deck/mid-range aggro deck. Tendrils of Corruption is an awesome card at gaining life, but is a little slow and has a hard time being effective against Blink Decks/sac outlets. Riftsweeper is there just in case I need it (never know). Profane Command is as well a game changing spell, it can clear the path, bring back that Shriekmaw that you used earlier in the game, etc. Quagnoth is a beast against control.
Anyway, last night at the FNM that I played in I went 1-2-1, but was very capable of going 3-1. I'll get into that later, but first the decklist that I played last night:
4x Brain Pry
4x Distress
Board Sweepers:7
4x Damnation
3x Plague Boiler
Mana Acceleration:4
4x Search for Tomorrow
Win Conditions:7
3x Beacon of Unrest
1x Quagnoth
3x Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Tutors:5
3x Dimir House Guard
2x Diabolic Tutor
Tutor Targets:4
1x Nightmare Void
1x Muse Vessel
1x Tendrils of Corruption
1x Thelonite Hermit
1x Into the North
1x Sylvan Scrying
Land Tutor Targets:4
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Vesuva
1x Urza's Factory
1x Mouth of Ronom
Other Land:19
4x Overgrown Tomb
3x Llanowar Wastes
3x Treetop Village
3x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3x Snow-Covered Forest
3x Snow-Covered Swamp
1x Mystic Melting
1x Tendrils of Corruption
1x Serrated Arrows
1x Creeping Mold
1x Seize the Soul
1x Nekretaal
1x Pithing Needle
4x Extirpate
4x Sudden Death
In the first round I played a U/W control deck with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, Rule of Law, Wrath of God, etc.. I beat him 2-0. The first game my early discard + Nightmare Void raped his hand, allowing my Quagnoth to go unmolested, with Treetop Village and Quagnoth finishing him off. The second game was my favorite of the night. It was a lot of draw, pass the turn for a while with my Plague Boiler keeping him from wanting to play any creatures. This went on for a while when he finally decided to play Akroma, Angel of Wrath, so I popped the Plague Boiler, then casted Beacon of Unrest targeting Akroma, Angel of Wrath and Extirpated his Wrath of Gods and finished him off with Akroma, Angel of Wrath and Treetop Village. This guy finished 1-3 I believe.
In the second I played against a B/G/W Thallid/Saproling deck that packed Putrefy and Mortify as four-ofs. The first game I saw three land (with 2x Damnation in hand) the whole game, which was, thanks to Plague Boiler, about a 10 turn game. The second game I just kept the board clear until my superior creatures came into play and beat him down. The third game he staled a lot with Mycologist until I finally drew a Damnation, then he topdecked a Putrefy (he was Hellbent) for my game winning Korlash, Heir to Blackblade during turns, creating a draw. This guy went 2-1-1.
I played a U/W aggro-Momentary Blink deck in the third round. The first game I mulled down to THREE!!!! He proceeded to curve into a Calciderm, and I scooped after that. The second game I got stuck again on three land for too long and by the time I started making my land drops it was too late. Oh well, can't win them all, right. He went 3-1 on the night.
In the last round I played a B/G aggro-control deck. This was a good series of games, really. The first game he just had more mana then me and that allowed him to overpower me. The second game was a battle of the Extirpates. He cast Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, I cast Damnation, he cast Extirpate on the Damnation and I pointed my Extirpate at his Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, taking the one in his hand. I then proceeded to drop Quagnoth and he sided out his Damnations, so he couldn't deal with that + Treetop Village and scooped. The third game was miserable. I made a series of bad plays (as I did in the second round) that I know costed me the game and round. He ended 3-1 on the night.
Oh well, like I said, I believe that this deck should have been 3-1 last night if their was a better pilot last night for it. This was the first time that I played constructed Magic in about two months, so I was a little rusty. I did learn a couple things last night about this deck though. First and foremost, it is a very mana hungry deck that can't afford to miss any land drops. Secondly, Plague Boiler is a very underrated card and did exactly what I wanted it to, stall my opponent allowing my discard to hurt them. And lastly, Beacon of Unrest is my favorite card in Standard now.
This deck is alot of fun to play, give it a try. I'm going to make some sutle changes for next week. I'm dropping two Brain Prys for one more each of Sylvan Scrying and Llanowar Wastes, and I'm dropping one each of Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Treetop Village for one more each of the basic snow-covered lands. In the sideboard, I'm dropping the Mystic Melting for a Riftsweeper. This is how the deck is going to look next week (if I can go, I'm usually out of town, thanks to work):
4x Distess
2x Brain Pry
Board Sweepers:7
4x Damnation
3x Plague Boiler
Mana Acceleration:4
4x Search for Tomorrow
Win Conditions:7
3x Beacon of Unrest
1x Quagnoth
3x Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Tutors:5
3x Dimir House Guard
2x Diabolic Tutor
Tutor Targets:4
1x Nightmare Void
1x Muse Vessel
1x Tendrils of Corruption
1x Thelonite Hermit
2x Sylvan Srcying
1x Into the North
Land Tutor Targets:4
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Vesuva
1x Urza's Factory
1x Mouth of Ronom
Other Land:20
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Llanowar Wastes
4x Snow-Covered Forest
4x Snow-Covered Swamp
2x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2x Treetop Village
1x Tendrils of Corruption
1x Serrated Arrows
1x Creeping Mold
1x Seize the Soul
1x Nekretaal
1x Riftsweeper
1x Pithing Needle
4x Extirpate
4x Sudden Death
One last thing, I'm thinking of dropping Seize the Soul for a Krosan Grip, but I'm not sure yet. Any thoughts or comments?
As for some of my other card choices, I like Vesuva because it would allow me to a) Abuse Muse Vessel better and b) Get's rid of those pesky legendary lands such as Academy Ruins, Pendelhaven, and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (think Strip Mine or Wasteland). Mouth of Ronom is my out against Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and/or the "Pickles Lock" among other things (and the reason why Sudden Death is a four-of in the sideboard). If you would like to know other explanations behind card choices, please ask.
I'm going to play this deck tomorrow night at the FNM (if I can make it) and I'll post results as I really like this deck. Our FNM aren't very large, usually around 20 people, but it is pretty competitive (one of our regulars is one of the highest rated players in our state). If someone is willing to test on a forbidden program, please do and post results.
4x Brain Pry
4x Distress
Tutor Engine-3
3x Dimir House Guard
Tutor Targets-13
2x Diabolic Tutor
1x Nightmare Void
1x Muse Vessel
1x Tendrils of Corruption
4x Damnation
3x Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
1x Thelonite Hermit
Other-7
3x Plague Boiler
1x Grave-Shell Scarab
1x Quagnoth
2x Beacon of Unrest
4x Search for Tomorrow
Land Tutors-2
1x Into the North
1x Sylvan Scrying
"Silver Bullet" Lands-4
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Mouth of Ronom
1x Vesuva
1x Urza's Factory
Other Lands-19
3x Llanowar Wastes
4x Overgrown Tomb
3x Snow-Covered Forest
3x Snow-Covered Swamp
3x Treetop Village
3x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Serrated Arrows
1x Seize the Soul
1x Mystic Melting
1x Pithing Needle
1x Krosan Grip
1x Nekretaal
1x Tendrils of Corruption
4x Extirpate
4x Sudden Death
This is basically a tutor deck that uses Distress and Brain Pry (thinking of using Lost Hours instead, but I like that Brain Pry can draw a card late game if not needed) to disrupt the early game. Damnation and Plague Boiler are there to be your creature removal (and Beacon of Unrest can recur Plague Boiler if needed) and board sweepers. Dimir House Guard and Diabolic Tutor (which can be tutored for by said Dimir House Guard) tutor for "silver" bullets that are needed in certain matchups. The win conditions are difficult creatures to deal with and Beacon of Unrest makes for a great end game card. I like the land base, but I might drop a Treetop Village and an Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth for one more each of the snow-covered basic lands. I like the sideboard, but Nekretaal, Mystic Melting, and Seize the Soul (which is a bomb against MGA and Gruul) I'm not to sure about yet.
This deck has had no testing, so I can't really analyze any matchups yet. If anyone would like to help me with testing, it would be greatly apprecieted as I'm unable to do any online testing on the forbidden programs and I only get to play at the FNM that is about 20 minutes away from me. Critique is very much welcomed, and I really like this decklist and would like to make it as competitive as possible.
Here is the current B/G control deck that I'm looking at playing this week at FNM. Critique is mandatory and welcomed.
3x Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
4x Troll Ascetic
3x Dimir House Guard
4x Augur of Skulls
2x Grave-Shell Scarab
Artifacts:2
2x Loxodon Warhammer
Instants:5
1x Tendrils of Corruption
4x Putrefy
Sorceries:14
4x Damnation
4x Harmonize
4x Call of the Herd
1x Nightmare Void
1x Agonizing Memories
4x Overgrown Tomb
3x Llanowar Wastes
3x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3x Treetop Village
5x Forest
4x Swamp
1x Urza's Factory
4x Extirpate
4x Distess
4x Sudden Death
3x Krosan Grip
What I'm trying to do here is have a good as possible game one against control as aggro decks are my better matchup. The first thing you will notice is the lack of accel, as I really don't think that it is necessary in the current Type Two. Some choices are easy to understand like Call of the Herd, Damnation, etc. For some of more odd choices I'd like to explain. Augur of Skulls is a good versatile card in that it can keep aggro decks at bay while also being a Seal of Mind Rot against control and late game hold the Hammer to win games. Dimir House Guard is a good uncounterable tutor, an evasive beater, and a sac outlet against Tendrils of Corruption, Lighting Helix, etc. Most of my creatures are good regenarators, which is awesome against aggro decks, and Grave-Shell Scarab is an awesome recurring threat against control decks.
Well, anyway, what I'm looking for is feedback from people that have been playtesting B/G decks and what they find to be good cards in certain matchups. I'll check back later to see what others think of my decklist and hopefully find some decklist to critique myself.
Peace.