Expecting Storm, Elves, Merfolk, Affinity, Humans, Counters Company, Abzan Mid, UW Control, Eldrazi Tron, some burn but not usually a ton.
I'm not the biggest advocate of Palm decks, but Small creature decks are maybe what we want it vs. Helps seing the race in a big way.
1 might be ok--you usually don't want more than 1 at a time.
Could cut the firewalkers completely--Burn mirror seems to not come down to it a huge chunk of the time.
Could cut 1 copy of Searing Blood since they come in vs the same decks.
Yes Etron is a bad matchup but having a possible out is better than just straight up concession when Chalice goes on 2.
Spree while a decent card in the match does mean a narrow card vs a card that can be used in more matches.
Also what some people seem to be missing, so let’s say you literally have any artifact or enchantment removal in hand and they don’t have a target. The ability to cycle to close out the game seems really strong. Cool you have DRev in your hand with no target on board so the 2 damage potential you had is instead a dead card.
Having a specific card for Chalice on 1 and 2 is a very niche instance that it's what you want. It having cucling is even more niche. It's just too much worst case scenario.
Eldrazi Tron is a bad matchup. Accept it.
When you have a chance to win--you want your anti-chalice card to cost 2 instead of 3. You need to be fast, they need to be slow. Casting 3 drops doesn't help you.
Chalice on 1 and 2 is like being caught pulling the knife out of a victim's body--you're screwed. You don't pre-pay a good lawyer to get you put of that hopeless situation. You just hope to avoid it. Revlry or Smash to Smithereens Chalice on 1. Hope to draw good, hope they start out slow.
But understanding that certain matchups will probably be a loss--and tuning the deck to win where you can--is part of being a better player/doing better at tournaments.
You can still beat Eldrazi Tron. Side in your cards that are good against it, give it your best game. Play to your outs, be proud when you do. But don't water down the decj with less efficient spells because they get around chalice and or they have cycling.
I'm curious as to why you wouldn't split the two - it seems like a reasonable hedge for the likes of Leyline (it being in roughly 1 in 10 deck means I don't want to be cold to it, but I'm not going to devote 4 spots to addressing it), while Smash is basically a better Searing Blaze against the likes of Affinity. I'm open to be convinced in favor of either, I just thought Smash would be good to have as an effective 2-for-1 against decks where you can reliably expect artifacts.
@Renaud_256: I like the idea behind Forsake the Worldly, but that CMC3 scares the heck out of me.
Split the 2 meaning Revelry and Smash to Smithereens?
I guess my thoughts have always been--the card is incredibly oppressive, and I want to be safe if someone drops it. Since Revelry also has so much utility against other decks:
Affinity, Eldrazi Tron, Lantern, etc.
It definitely had a few more targets in the past, but overall, I think it's still a strong sideboard option.
Smash is better by 1 point, and maybe there are a few instances where that's the difference, but overall, I still think the card is great for burn.
With regards to color of course it would keep you in Boros which is the most consistent but let’s go over some of your points together.
2A. Sure and there are also games we flood. I have already stated that 3 is a tall order but some list already run other 3 mana spells. I’m pretty sure you may have “hard cast” a Rift Bolt before so it is doable.
2B. Control isn’t the only deck running Leyline, which is the reason I run Wear/Tear to hopefully pay 1 W to continue with the burn gameplan. So on this part we agree worse than Wear/Tear or Revelry.
2C. Revelry also costs you at least 2 life but more times than not 3 life to do 2 damage. Adding Eidolon to the mix means you paid 5 life to do 2 damage. Then let’s not hope that what you tried to target doesn’t get Welding Jar back to life. Exile also helps here.
2D. If you play against an experienced ETron player they will put Chalice on 2 first after game 1. So Revelry is a dead card along with Wear/Tear unless able to be fused which you are paying 3 mana for anyways. Shattering Spree is a good card and probably best in this particular matchup, but if they have Chalice on 1 and 2 you are playing Spree for 3 mana anyways. Granted this will free up all of your spells so that is a benefit over playing any other artifact hate in that particular matchup. So in short there are pros and cons to Spree and Forsake.
2E. I’m sure I already touched on this but I will dive further on this. If you draw multiples and you are close to ending the game ie. have the opponent within 3-4 life and just need the top deck to win this helps. Some decks are playing Leyline that aren’t even playing white. So unless they have it in their opener they won’t be able to play the other copy stuck in their hand. Cycle is instant speed so if they don’t drop something relevant on their turn you can just cycle on their EOT and get the last points of burn in.
I will end with this... I already stated I will do a good amount of play testing to see how it performs and report back. I have a guy in my meta who plays ETron and another person who is just a couple cards short to completing affinity so he is going to proxy up the remaining pieces so we can practice.
An experienced E-Tron Player WILL NOT play Chalice on two first. Waiting until they have 4 mana means more turns to do whatever I want. Chalice on 2 counters Chalice on 1.
Sure, there are times we cast Rift Bolt for 2. Usually it means I'm winning the game right then. 95% of the time, I'm suspending it. When this has a suspend clause, I'll be more open to it. In general, 3 mana spells are not good for us. When they cost 3 mana--they are Board wipes or Ensnaring Bridge which have a HUGE impact. This to blow up a leyline--sweet mother of inefficiency.
This costing 3 vs Affinity means I likely won't ever cast more than 1. If you don't want Revelry because of the green, you want Wear//Tear.
And also again, Eldrazi Tron is just a bad matchup. You're digging really deep and diluting the rest of the deck to tune it for this one matchup.
My friend plays E-Tron and after a few hundred games the past few months:
I'm over it.
It's a bad matchup.
When they have a slow clunky start--we blow them out of the water.
When they have a medium to good start--we're losing.
I don't think it's worth trying to stretch the Sideboard in an effort to make it winnable.
If they get Chalice on 1 and 2, you've all but lost. It's silly to me to bring in worse cards in order to try to get out of this misesrable situation against a very bad matchup.
Let's talk about Revelry vs Forsake vs other things
1. Color--Running this/Disenchant/Wear Tear would get you totally off Green. There is benefit in that.
2. CMC:
A. We play a lot of games on 2 lands for a long time.
B. I'd much rather blow up Leyline on Turn 2, than Turn 3. You give control decks a turn or more to untap to protect it, find counterspells, etc.
C: Revelry is a 2 for 1 vs Affinity. This is not. Also, how many 3 mana spells can we cast vs Affinity? Not a lot.
D. You say that this gets around Chalice on 1 and 2. I think that's just an exercise in futility. You want to revelry away Chalice on 1. If you don't have revelry for Chalice on 1--what makes you anymore likely to have Forsake for Chalice on 2. Even if you decide you want to play the futility game--is Shattering Spree just not a better answer?
E. This is the only card with cycle. How often is Cycle relevant? With Revelry--if it's coming in, it's for something specific. I'm not going to cycle away a Revelry even if I had the option--because if they topdeck a leyline late, I'm in trouble again.
Round 1: Jund 2-1
Game 1 was a lot of creatures early. Just hard to stablize for him.
In: 3 Relic, 3 Path. Out: 4 Boros Charm, 1 Lavamancer, 1 LavaSpike
Game 2: I had a slower start and T3 LoTV ate my hand. I bolted her after the tickdown to get rid of my Eidolon because I had I think 5 or 6 cards in hand--felt like she would get several cards out of me. I played a Grim lavamaner and passed, he played another Lilly and ate my hand. Never really got close.
Game 3: I don't remember a whole lot--He Collective Brutality'd for the Look at my hand mode and the lifegain mode, skullcrack was clutch. I misplayed. He played a Goyf when I had a Swift Spear out. I fetched and shocked to path at the end of his turn, but took away my only landfall source for the Searing Blaze in my hand--could have gotten him dead from 6. As it stood, I had to durdle and draw cards. I got there though.
Round 2: Merfolk 2-1
Game 1: I was on the play. Came out fast with Guide into 2 swift spears. I find that Spreading Seas is bad against a creature heavy start. It wasn't much of a game.
In: 3 Path, 1 Lavamancer, 2 Searing Blood. Out: 4 Eidolon, 2 Boros Charm.
Game 2: It was close, but I didn't do a good job of keeping track of the math. He had 4 lands, and a lord+Mutavault activation meant lethal. I tapped out to play I forget what, but realized my mistake shortly thereafter.
Game 3: Back on the play. Grim Lavamancer Grim Lavamancer GrimLavamancer. I got him down to 4, and he asked if he was dead at the end of his turn, and I said well I'm going to activate this Lavamancer, and then untap and do it again unless you have something to stop that. He then looked confused and said he had dispel. I think he was trying to be cute? I don't know. I don't know how he didn't see he was dead.
Round 3: Storm 2-0
Game 1: Goblin Guide, Swift spear, bolt bolt bolt bolt bolt bolt bolt. Absolutely silly hand.
In: 3 Relic, 3 path. Out: 4 Skullcrrack, 2 Lavaspike
Game 2: Turn 3 Baral, he casts a ritual, I searing Blaze Baral in response. He draws a Gifts ungiven on his next turn and casts it to dig up 4 lands. He plays 1 and passes. I burn end of turn, untap and kill him. No Eidolons or Relics either game. Felt good.
Round 4: Elves: 0-0-3
We played for fun, he multed to 5 and then 6, I wound up winning. Searing Blood was great.
Went to top 4 as 1st place--Elves, Merfolk, and Storm were the other 3.
Same Merfolk guy as round 2. He's on MonoU
Game 1 on the play--again fast start with creatures. He got a good board state late, and swung out, blocked with Swiftspear to stay alive, untap and win.
Same Sideboard plan as above
Game 2: Drew all 3 basics, couldn't cast Path to Exile or Lightning Helix in my hand or I think I win this. Cursecatcher also slowed my cards down.
Game 3: T1 Swift spear, marched home by a sea of burn spells aimed at his creatures. T2 searing blaze ,T3 Searing Blood. Lavamancer came down and start picking off guys. He just couldn't keep a threatening board state.
Top 2: Storm--we drew. It was 11 something, and I was ready to get out of there lol.
Overall, happy with the Sideboard. Trying to figure out what's the best maindeck card to cut for 1x Grim Lavamancer. I cut a Rift Bolt that night and it did ok, but I think Rift Bolt is something I want 4-of. Especially vs Eldrazi Tron. Boros Charm or Lightning Helix seem like the most logical candidates.
There's always the land option, but I'm pretty happy at 20 lands.
1. Sudden Shock is garbage.
What do we want it against? Infect--we're already great against it, and the deck isn't popular at all right now.
Affinity--we already have plenty of sideboard hate. You can manipulate Arcbound with 2 burn spells.
Counterspell decks:
A. We can just bottle neck their mana
B. Exquisite Firecraft is better--They're more likely to get you stuck when they're at 3-4 than when they're at 2.
C. Firecraft costing 3 means it gets around Chalice on 1-2, so it could provide Value in the Eldrazi Tron Matchup.
Ultimately, 2 mana for 3 damage is bad bad bad.
2. Forsake the Worldly--I don't like it. How often is the Cycling likely to matter. The fact that it costs 3 makes it an extremely tough option. I'd rather have Disenchant.
I'm trying to figure out how to get Lavaman back into the main.
Currently running 20 lands and 10 4-of's.
Humans on the rise makes me want to play Palm rather than other cards. Their Champions get big, Thalia's Lieutenant gets big. All of my games vs them have seemed close--except for when they drop back to back copies of Kambal, Consul of Allocatiion.
It seems like a race, and overall, I think it's one that we can win. A lot of their guys will be 4/4's and 5/5's.
If you're cracking it turn 5, how much damage are you dealing? 3 upkeep triggers, 3-4 spells. 5 mana for 6-7 damage? Seems bad. Burn is largely about mana edficiency. 7 may seem impressive on paper, but for 5 mana, it is not.
Eidolon shreds certain decks. Storm and Elves are both bery popular right now, and it's bery good against both.
You said there's a risk in the 2 damage you give up--but that's EVERYTHING in this deck. We don't take risks. We have to turn our cards into 20 damage. Each 1 we lose is a significant set back. The sureness of the 2 damage from Eidolon is often the difference in winning and losing some games. You want to maximize your certainty. When shrine works and deals 7-8 it feels cool, and it validates to you that it is the better option.
The times it gets blown up, burn can't afford that. I want Safe cards. Shrine isn't that.
Round 1: GW company 2-1
2 well-Timed Skullcracks stole game 1
In: 3 Path, 1 Lavamancer, 1 Searing Blaze, 1 Searing Blood, 2 Relic. Out: 4 Eidolon, 4 Boros Chsrm
Double Courser=GG
Game 3: Eidolons in, Relics out, 1 Spike, 1 Rift bolt out.
Double swift spears swinging in with multiple prowess triggers cleared the way. Rift bolt off suspend at Finks into skullcrack gets rid of Finks. He has. Noble Hierarch left and plays a Ramunap excavator, My turn searing blaze sans Landfall at Noble and Bolt at opponent leaves him at 1 after blocks. He draws and concedes
Round 2: 5 Color Humans 0-2
I think this is very winnable. Neither game felt out of reach.
Game 1: Champion into leuteniant is really good. He got big fast. I was able to get him to 1, but needed one more turn.
In: 3 Path, 1 blaze, 1 blood, 1 lavamancer.. out: 4 Eidolon, 2 Boros Charm
Mulled to 6, kept a 1 lander, missed land drops. He played 2 Kambal, and that was GG. I had him at 9 with 4 burnspells in hand. Hit those pand drops and I think I get game 2.
Round 3: Elves. 1-2
Won the roll, mulliganned to 5, had 2 lands,1 swift spear, Eidolon and a Rift bolt. T2 Eidolon did a ton of work. He got an army with Ezyri and swung for 21, I had 2 Swiftspears and a Helix. I shot him to bring my life total to 18, blocked 6, and took 15 down to 3. The Helix put him at 4, no cards in hand. Boros charm was my only out, didn't get it. But was darn close for 5 cards.
In: 3 Path, 1 Blaze, 1 Blood, 1 Lavamancer: out: 4 Boros Charm, 2 Spike
T1 swiftspear, T2 swift spear, I pathed mis manadork in his upkeep. He had to use heritage druid and tap his guys to make mana which made blocks hard. T3 Eidolon ate him up.
In: 2 Lavaspike, 2 Boros Charm. Out: 4 Eidolon.
He had an insane draw and killed me turn 4. Not a lot of interaction.
Round 4: RW Prison 2-1
Game 1 was double swift spear and sorcery speed bolts to the face. A timely skullcrack stopped Helix.
Game 2: Turn 0 double leylines vs a creature heavy hand, but turn 2 chalice on 1.
I led with Swift spear followed by eidolon, but maybe should have played the 2 swift spears. He played 2 Gideons and the rest was history.
Game 3: Guide into Eidolon into Eidolon. He had Chalice on 1. Anger of the Gods brought him to 5. I was able to untap, blow up Chalice with revelry and cast a lavaspike for the win.
SB: in: 4 Revelry, out: 4 Searing Blaze
1 Burn list in the top 32--31st place. Was on Camera vs counters company, didn't bolt the bird with summoning sickness and the opponent had 3 lands. Didnt find another land for a few turns--he woubd up bolting the bird after Coco hit the 3 drop that lets him reutrn a card. He was up 1 game--0. I wonder if the game goes differently. However, this is better than I've done at SCG events, so I'm not trying to hate or criticize--just pointing out how cose he was.
I've tested with a lot of goofy stuff over the last 2 months, I've arrived at a solid 12-13cards.
4 Revelry
3 Path
3 Relic
2 Firewalker
Either 1 Lavamancer--or Move the Lavamancer to the Side and put a Searing Blaze in the board.
That leaves me with 2 spots that I think are fairly open. Searing Blood is nice in testing.
Firecraft is fine, but I don't know that we need it. But maybe it gives us another out if we don't draw several burn spells to fire off.
The other card I'm curious about:
Molten Rain.
A list placed 3rd in the SCG Classic this weekend. Had 3 Searing Blood and 2 Molten Rain
2 lists that made top 32 in sCG Charolette had 2 copies each.
Against Eldrazi Tron: Huge tempo swing early, especially on the play. Late game, costs 3, gets around Chalice on 1-2.
Abzan--Shambling Vent is a pain. Their mana base is rough as is.
Valakut--obvious
Blue-White control--they tap out a lot turn 2-3 for Wall of Omen/Spreading seas.
Exquisite Firecraft also checks the 3 cmc cost for getting around Chalice--maybe that's something to consider.
If your meta is a lot of decks where you take it out regardless of play/draw: affinity, Eldrazi Tron, Bant Eldrazi--then maybe go without Eidolon--I still think you have better options than Shrine.
Want two Lavamancers in the main.
Currently
4 Goblin Guide
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
2 Grim Lavamancer
Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike
4 Boros Charm
4 Searing Blaze
3 Lightning Helix
3 Skullcrack
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Arid Mesa
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
3 Inspiring Vantage
3 Mountain
4 Destructive Revelry
3 Path to Exile
3 Relic of Progenitus
2 Searing Blood
1 Skullcrack
1 Kor Firewalker
1 Deflecting Palm
Expecting Storm, Elves, Merfolk, Affinity, Humans, Counters Company, Abzan Mid, UW Control, Eldrazi Tron, some burn but not usually a ton.
I'm not the biggest advocate of Palm decks, but Small creature decks are maybe what we want it vs. Helps seing the race in a big way.
1 might be ok--you usually don't want more than 1 at a time.
Could cut the firewalkers completely--Burn mirror seems to not come down to it a huge chunk of the time.
Could cut 1 copy of Searing Blood since they come in vs the same decks.
Having a specific card for Chalice on 1 and 2 is a very niche instance that it's what you want. It having cucling is even more niche. It's just too much worst case scenario.
Eldrazi Tron is a bad matchup. Accept it.
When you have a chance to win--you want your anti-chalice card to cost 2 instead of 3. You need to be fast, they need to be slow. Casting 3 drops doesn't help you.
Chalice on 1 and 2 is like being caught pulling the knife out of a victim's body--you're screwed. You don't pre-pay a good lawyer to get you put of that hopeless situation. You just hope to avoid it. Revlry or Smash to Smithereens Chalice on 1. Hope to draw good, hope they start out slow.
But understanding that certain matchups will probably be a loss--and tuning the deck to win where you can--is part of being a better player/doing better at tournaments.
You can still beat Eldrazi Tron. Side in your cards that are good against it, give it your best game. Play to your outs, be proud when you do. But don't water down the decj with less efficient spells because they get around chalice and or they have cycling.
Split the 2 meaning Revelry and Smash to Smithereens?
I guess my thoughts have always been--the card is incredibly oppressive, and I want to be safe if someone drops it. Since Revelry also has so much utility against other decks:
Affinity, Eldrazi Tron, Lantern, etc.
It definitely had a few more targets in the past, but overall, I think it's still a strong sideboard option.
Smash is better by 1 point, and maybe there are a few instances where that's the difference, but overall, I still think the card is great for burn.
An experienced E-Tron Player WILL NOT play Chalice on two first. Waiting until they have 4 mana means more turns to do whatever I want. Chalice on 2 counters Chalice on 1.
Sure, there are times we cast Rift Bolt for 2. Usually it means I'm winning the game right then. 95% of the time, I'm suspending it. When this has a suspend clause, I'll be more open to it. In general, 3 mana spells are not good for us. When they cost 3 mana--they are Board wipes or Ensnaring Bridge which have a HUGE impact. This to blow up a leyline--sweet mother of inefficiency.
This costing 3 vs Affinity means I likely won't ever cast more than 1. If you don't want Revelry because of the green, you want Wear//Tear.
And also again, Eldrazi Tron is just a bad matchup. You're digging really deep and diluting the rest of the deck to tune it for this one matchup.
I'm over it.
It's a bad matchup.
When they have a slow clunky start--we blow them out of the water.
When they have a medium to good start--we're losing.
I don't think it's worth trying to stretch the Sideboard in an effort to make it winnable.
If they get Chalice on 1 and 2, you've all but lost. It's silly to me to bring in worse cards in order to try to get out of this misesrable situation against a very bad matchup.
Let's talk about Revelry vs Forsake vs other things
1. Color--Running this/Disenchant/Wear Tear would get you totally off Green. There is benefit in that.
2. CMC:
A. We play a lot of games on 2 lands for a long time.
B. I'd much rather blow up Leyline on Turn 2, than Turn 3. You give control decks a turn or more to untap to protect it, find counterspells, etc.
C: Revelry is a 2 for 1 vs Affinity. This is not. Also, how many 3 mana spells can we cast vs Affinity? Not a lot.
D. You say that this gets around Chalice on 1 and 2. I think that's just an exercise in futility. You want to revelry away Chalice on 1. If you don't have revelry for Chalice on 1--what makes you anymore likely to have Forsake for Chalice on 2. Even if you decide you want to play the futility game--is Shattering Spree just not a better answer?
E. This is the only card with cycle. How often is Cycle relevant? With Revelry--if it's coming in, it's for something specific. I'm not going to cycle away a Revelry even if I had the option--because if they topdeck a leyline late, I'm in trouble again.
4x Monastery SwiftSpear
4x Goblin Guide
4x Eidolon of the Great Revel
1x Grim Lavamancer
Spells
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Lava Spike
3x Rift Bolt
4x Searing Blaze
4x Lightning Helix
4x Boros Charm
4x Skullcrack
4x Wooded Foothills
4x Bloodstained Mire
3x Arid Mesa
3x Inspiring Vantage
2x Sacred Foundry
1x Stomping Ground
3x Mountain
4x Destructive Revelry
3x Path to Exile
3x Relic of Progenitus
1x Grim Lavamancer
2x Kor Firewalker
2x Searing Blood
Round 1: Jund 2-1
Game 1 was a lot of creatures early. Just hard to stablize for him.
In: 3 Relic, 3 Path. Out: 4 Boros Charm, 1 Lavamancer, 1 LavaSpike
Game 2: I had a slower start and T3 LoTV ate my hand. I bolted her after the tickdown to get rid of my Eidolon because I had I think 5 or 6 cards in hand--felt like she would get several cards out of me. I played a Grim lavamaner and passed, he played another Lilly and ate my hand. Never really got close.
Game 3: I don't remember a whole lot--He Collective Brutality'd for the Look at my hand mode and the lifegain mode, skullcrack was clutch. I misplayed. He played a Goyf when I had a Swift Spear out. I fetched and shocked to path at the end of his turn, but took away my only landfall source for the Searing Blaze in my hand--could have gotten him dead from 6. As it stood, I had to durdle and draw cards. I got there though.
Round 2: Merfolk 2-1
Game 1: I was on the play. Came out fast with Guide into 2 swift spears. I find that Spreading Seas is bad against a creature heavy start. It wasn't much of a game.
In: 3 Path, 1 Lavamancer, 2 Searing Blood. Out: 4 Eidolon, 2 Boros Charm.
Game 2: It was close, but I didn't do a good job of keeping track of the math. He had 4 lands, and a lord+Mutavault activation meant lethal. I tapped out to play I forget what, but realized my mistake shortly thereafter.
Game 3: Back on the play. Grim Lavamancer Grim Lavamancer GrimLavamancer. I got him down to 4, and he asked if he was dead at the end of his turn, and I said well I'm going to activate this Lavamancer, and then untap and do it again unless you have something to stop that. He then looked confused and said he had dispel. I think he was trying to be cute? I don't know. I don't know how he didn't see he was dead.
Round 3: Storm 2-0
Game 1: Goblin Guide, Swift spear, bolt bolt bolt bolt bolt bolt bolt. Absolutely silly hand.
In: 3 Relic, 3 path. Out: 4 Skullcrrack, 2 Lavaspike
Game 2: Turn 3 Baral, he casts a ritual, I searing Blaze Baral in response. He draws a Gifts ungiven on his next turn and casts it to dig up 4 lands. He plays 1 and passes. I burn end of turn, untap and kill him. No Eidolons or Relics either game. Felt good.
Round 4: Elves: 0-0-3
We played for fun, he multed to 5 and then 6, I wound up winning. Searing Blood was great.
Went to top 4 as 1st place--Elves, Merfolk, and Storm were the other 3.
Same Merfolk guy as round 2. He's on MonoU
Game 1 on the play--again fast start with creatures. He got a good board state late, and swung out, blocked with Swiftspear to stay alive, untap and win.
Same Sideboard plan as above
Game 2: Drew all 3 basics, couldn't cast Path to Exile or Lightning Helix in my hand or I think I win this. Cursecatcher also slowed my cards down.
Game 3: T1 Swift spear, marched home by a sea of burn spells aimed at his creatures. T2 searing blaze ,T3 Searing Blood. Lavamancer came down and start picking off guys. He just couldn't keep a threatening board state.
Top 2: Storm--we drew. It was 11 something, and I was ready to get out of there lol.
Overall, happy with the Sideboard. Trying to figure out what's the best maindeck card to cut for 1x Grim Lavamancer. I cut a Rift Bolt that night and it did ok, but I think Rift Bolt is something I want 4-of. Especially vs Eldrazi Tron. Boros Charm or Lightning Helix seem like the most logical candidates.
There's always the land option, but I'm pretty happy at 20 lands.
What do we want it against? Infect--we're already great against it, and the deck isn't popular at all right now.
Affinity--we already have plenty of sideboard hate. You can manipulate Arcbound with 2 burn spells.
Counterspell decks:
A. We can just bottle neck their mana
B. Exquisite Firecraft is better--They're more likely to get you stuck when they're at 3-4 than when they're at 2.
C. Firecraft costing 3 means it gets around Chalice on 1-2, so it could provide Value in the Eldrazi Tron Matchup.
Ultimately, 2 mana for 3 damage is bad bad bad.
2. Forsake the Worldly--I don't like it. How often is the Cycling likely to matter. The fact that it costs 3 makes it an extremely tough option. I'd rather have Disenchant.
Currently running 20 lands and 10 4-of's.
Humans on the rise makes me want to play Palm rather than other cards. Their Champions get big, Thalia's Lieutenant gets big. All of my games vs them have seemed close--except for when they drop back to back copies of Kambal, Consul of Allocatiion.
It seems like a race, and overall, I think it's one that we can win. A lot of their guys will be 4/4's and 5/5's.
If you're cracking it turn 5, how much damage are you dealing? 3 upkeep triggers, 3-4 spells. 5 mana for 6-7 damage? Seems bad. Burn is largely about mana edficiency. 7 may seem impressive on paper, but for 5 mana, it is not.
Eidolon shreds certain decks. Storm and Elves are both bery popular right now, and it's bery good against both.
You said there's a risk in the 2 damage you give up--but that's EVERYTHING in this deck. We don't take risks. We have to turn our cards into 20 damage. Each 1 we lose is a significant set back. The sureness of the 2 damage from Eidolon is often the difference in winning and losing some games. You want to maximize your certainty. When shrine works and deals 7-8 it feels cool, and it validates to you that it is the better option.
The times it gets blown up, burn can't afford that. I want Safe cards. Shrine isn't that.
Round 1: GW company 2-1
2 well-Timed Skullcracks stole game 1
In: 3 Path, 1 Lavamancer, 1 Searing Blaze, 1 Searing Blood, 2 Relic. Out: 4 Eidolon, 4 Boros Chsrm
Double Courser=GG
Game 3: Eidolons in, Relics out, 1 Spike, 1 Rift bolt out.
Double swift spears swinging in with multiple prowess triggers cleared the way. Rift bolt off suspend at Finks into skullcrack gets rid of Finks. He has. Noble Hierarch left and plays a Ramunap excavator, My turn searing blaze sans Landfall at Noble and Bolt at opponent leaves him at 1 after blocks. He draws and concedes
Round 2: 5 Color Humans 0-2
I think this is very winnable. Neither game felt out of reach.
Game 1: Champion into leuteniant is really good. He got big fast. I was able to get him to 1, but needed one more turn.
In: 3 Path, 1 blaze, 1 blood, 1 lavamancer.. out: 4 Eidolon, 2 Boros Charm
Mulled to 6, kept a 1 lander, missed land drops. He played 2 Kambal, and that was GG. I had him at 9 with 4 burnspells in hand. Hit those pand drops and I think I get game 2.
Round 3: Elves. 1-2
Won the roll, mulliganned to 5, had 2 lands,1 swift spear, Eidolon and a Rift bolt. T2 Eidolon did a ton of work. He got an army with Ezyri and swung for 21, I had 2 Swiftspears and a Helix. I shot him to bring my life total to 18, blocked 6, and took 15 down to 3. The Helix put him at 4, no cards in hand. Boros charm was my only out, didn't get it. But was darn close for 5 cards.
In: 3 Path, 1 Blaze, 1 Blood, 1 Lavamancer: out: 4 Boros Charm, 2 Spike
T1 swiftspear, T2 swift spear, I pathed mis manadork in his upkeep. He had to use heritage druid and tap his guys to make mana which made blocks hard. T3 Eidolon ate him up.
In: 2 Lavaspike, 2 Boros Charm. Out: 4 Eidolon.
He had an insane draw and killed me turn 4. Not a lot of interaction.
Round 4: RW Prison 2-1
Game 1 was double swift spear and sorcery speed bolts to the face. A timely skullcrack stopped Helix.
Game 2: Turn 0 double leylines vs a creature heavy hand, but turn 2 chalice on 1.
I led with Swift spear followed by eidolon, but maybe should have played the 2 swift spears. He played 2 Gideons and the rest was history.
Game 3: Guide into Eidolon into Eidolon. He had Chalice on 1. Anger of the Gods brought him to 5. I was able to untap, blow up Chalice with revelry and cast a lavaspike for the win.
SB: in: 4 Revelry, out: 4 Searing Blaze
1 Burn list in the top 32--31st place. Was on Camera vs counters company, didn't bolt the bird with summoning sickness and the opponent had 3 lands. Didnt find another land for a few turns--he woubd up bolting the bird after Coco hit the 3 drop that lets him reutrn a card. He was up 1 game--0. I wonder if the game goes differently. However, this is better than I've done at SCG events, so I'm not trying to hate or criticize--just pointing out how cose he was.
Interesting sideboard: No GY hate
3 Searing Blood
2 Exquisite Firecraft
I've tested with a lot of goofy stuff over the last 2 months, I've arrived at a solid 12-13cards.
4 Revelry
3 Path
3 Relic
2 Firewalker
Either 1 Lavamancer--or Move the Lavamancer to the Side and put a Searing Blaze in the board.
That leaves me with 2 spots that I think are fairly open. Searing Blood is nice in testing.
Firecraft is fine, but I don't know that we need it. But maybe it gives us another out if we don't draw several burn spells to fire off.
The other card I'm curious about:
Molten Rain.
A list placed 3rd in the SCG Classic this weekend. Had 3 Searing Blood and 2 Molten Rain
2 lists that made top 32 in sCG Charolette had 2 copies each.
Against Eldrazi Tron: Huge tempo swing early, especially on the play. Late game, costs 3, gets around Chalice on 1-2.
Abzan--Shambling Vent is a pain. Their mana base is rough as is.
Valakut--obvious
Blue-White control--they tap out a lot turn 2-3 for Wall of Omen/Spreading seas.
Exquisite Firecraft also checks the 3 cmc cost for getting around Chalice--maybe that's something to consider.
If your meta is a lot of decks where you take it out regardless of play/draw: affinity, Eldrazi Tron, Bant Eldrazi--then maybe go without Eidolon--I still think you have better options than Shrine.