Not regretting it, but I knew what I was getting into. Not like spending that money on a booster box would have been a better buy after seeing so many of them opened.... I would love something like RW Protection Burn or something. Problem is that other RW decks are just better right now. I played tokens for quite a while, but the mana is clunky and it's way too easy to lose post-board unless you shift into control (with poor win cons). Plus, Rabblemaster just wins the game if left unchecked. Mentor needs a constant flow of spells.
I am on the attack and swing in for 2. Opponent assigns no blocks. I strike his face and trigger prowess. Opponent who was facing 2 damage now takes 6 and I gain 3.
I am on the attack and swing in for 2. He declares a block with a Siege Rhino. I strike the Rhino and trigger prowess. Rhino dies from combined damage (3+3), Seeker trades, and I gain 3 life.
Opponent is in the attack and swings with his Siege Rhino. I declare block, strike the Rhino and trigger prowess. Rhino dies from combined damage (3+3), Seeker trades, and I gain 3 life.
For Monastery Swiftspear, it's all about mana efficiency. Nothing ruins a slow deck's day more than T1 Swiftspear, swing 1. T2 second Swiftspear and Titan's Strength, 7 damage coming across, opponent at 12. T3 three Wild Slash's to the face, tripple prowess trigger, 14 damage dealt, opponent at -2 and dead.
To be honest, Monastery Mentor hasn't really found a home yet. Dunno why. I hope it does soon, because I have a playset of them. The only time I see him now is either forcing his way into a tokens build or as a 3-drop filler in the Heroic decks.
Had an FNM of high highs, low lows, and a frustrating finish... I'm still playing around with the deck and some of the 3/1 splits are just due to cards I have, but I kind of like some of them. Seeker/Soulfire was a choice mostly because I had the foil prerelease SGM and wanted to play it. Actually does pretty good work if it doesn't die immediately. I only have 3 Stormbreath, but I think the "4th" Sarkhan works well too. Its -3 ability is relevant in some matchups and has saved me. Brimaz is a house in the local meta, which is lots of mirror matches, but if I can get a hold of a second Shaman, I would probably split them 2/2.
Match 1 - Abzan midrange (2-1)
Both this and the other Abzan matches were nail-biters and extremely close. Game 1 I just had good draws and solid focus. Answers to threats, burns to the face, Stormbreath over the top. Game 2 I had poor draws and couldn't keep up. Game 3 he had some poor sequencing when trying to kill my Seeker. I Strike/Slash him to save the seeker, then stoke + Seeker next turn to swing for lethal.
Match 2 - UB Control (0-2)
Not much to see here. Killed everything I played, countered every late game threat. Post board wasn't any better. He had 2 Bile Blight and 1 Downfall in opening hand, and drew the third Bile Blight before turn 4...
Match 3 - Abzan midrange (2-1)
Another tough, grindy matchup. This guy doesn't normally play here and doesn't know that our local meta is a LOT of red. Either Red Deck Wins or RW Aggro. Anyway, his was a little different with Elspeth and Sorin. First game, he was able to Elspeth almost to ultimate, but I ignored it completely. My Chandra always dealt with at least one token while Brimaz and Hordeling Outburst helped push through. Game 2 was Rhino-fest with Sorin lifelinking. Game 3 was a long attrition game, resolved Sorins and Rhinos that I killed as quick as I could. Managed to pull Chandra up to 7 and ultimate. He was on 8 life, and Chandra showed a Stoke. 12 damage for 0 mana is pretty cool.
Match 4 - BR Aggro (2-1)
An interesting deck, seems like warrior tribal, but in BR. Using Brutal Hordechief, but never actually able to cast it. Games 1 and 2 were pretty even and close, game 3 was a nightmare for him. Searing Blood out of the side followed by 3 Stoke the Flames and a top-decked Stormbreath for the kill.
Match 5 - Mono red aggro (0-2)
I have every answer to this deck, so it REALLY frustrated me to lose so poorly. Kept a poor hand game 1, not knowing what he was playing. Lost the dice roll and was killed before I could untap on turn 4. Second game I bring in every tool I have for the matchup. My opening hand is something like Searing Blood, Strike, Strike, Seeker, Stoke, Land, Land. I go 6 turns never drawing a third land and was killed with Rabblemaster, Rabblemaster, Stoke, Chandra, and Arc Lightning in my hand. I would have cashed out if I won this match, but instead just went home empty handed and extremely frustrated. But hey, that's variance...
I'm going to try out this build the next time I go in. Should be pretty good against the uptick of green devotion and G/R devotion. Will be able to pick off their dorks, kill bigger things, and fly over their blockers.
I'd run something like Hammer of Purphoros or Spear of Heliod or Godsend if I had a spot for another 3 drop. And that's assuming it's not already full of Brimaz, Rabblemaster, Mentor, and Outburst, like already mentioned. If I really wanted to go out of the box, I'd do Gift of Immortality.
In my opinion there's already too many good cards fighting for slots as it is. A 3 mana 1/2 seems really hard to justify, because all it will ever do is find your Chained,and cost 4 mana to find/cast it. I'd rather just run the 3-4 Chained and use the other slot for something more useful. At 3cmc, there are tons of good choices.
Besides, Rhino decks are just green decks at heart. Value creatures at the core, then splash white and black for the best removal and disruption available in standard.
It's just me i think..but i'm wanting more and more to start on the draw...that extra card in hand..everytime made the difference to me..and start on the draw helped my mulligan decisions....this past weekend i won FRF Gameday and that awesome playmat...i've lost the dice roll on 7 rounds...and won all of those matchs....i'm getting confident that this deck is way better on the draw than on the play...but...it must be build correctly...
There were games I definitely could have won if I wasn't stuck on things like Plains, Battlefield Forge, Battlefield Forge for 5 turns+ in the mirror, after 1 mull already. I also had at least 1 mull every round, and at least two mulls were to 5. The problem with being on the draw was one of my matchups was mono red burn and did 12 damage by turn 3, including landing back to back Eidolon of the Great Revel and using main deck Searing Blood on every one of my threats. The other knockout mulligan/draw match was destroyed by a Jund ramp deck that had boards full of Hornet Queen tokens by turn 3 or 4 pretty regularly. Not to mention Doomwake Giant, Whip of Erebos, and an easy finisher Crater's Claws. I just couldn't draw answers, even after sideboard. Just a bad day I guess.
I had terrible draws and terrible opening hands last FNM. Not to mention, all 5 rounds I lost the dice roll and had to start on the draw. This deck does not want to start on the draw.... ended up barely pulling 2-3, and one match was almost a gimme, since I was at the bottom of the food chain that round. Definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. This is what I was running:
I've been very disappointed so far with Monastery Mentor. I think the card is amazing (and have a playset) but I just can't seem to find a deck he wants to be in. I could see something like a Jeskai build with card draw spells and burn. Maybe Jeskai Ascendancy with the token cards replaced by more cheap burn. He needs lots of prowess triggers to be relevant, and you need card draw to keep your hand full. Every time he was in my hand when playing RW, I was wishing he was a Goblin Rabblemaster or Brimaz, King of Oreskos, or just about anything else. Without lots of prowess triggers, he's worse than Seeker of the Way, IMO.
Decklists were finally posted for the San Diego regional. With the final tally from 1st to 8th, UW Heroic, Abzan Aggro, UW Heroic, GR Monsters, Mono Red Aggro, Abzan Aggro, GR Monsters, and UB Control. Not exactly what I expected, to be honest.... But then again, maybe most of the field tuned their decks to run against the slower green ramp decks.
That's exactly what I thought. I went for a playmat and an afternoon of fun. I figured I wasn't going to win cash, so I went in with the expectation to enjoy a few matches, drop, watch, and love my playmat. I'm motivated to do better at the next big event (whenever so cal gets another), but little incentives like that will definitely draw crowds. We had a little over 200 here.
I went to my local one with an off the wall control/combo deck I borrowed from a friend. Did horrible, but had fun and watched a lot of other good matches. I regretted not playing my own deck and it was definitely a last minute decision, but when the combo did hit, it was pretty epic. Plus, the free playmat was awesome. The local organizer (San Diego Games and Comics) have name listings for the top positions, but says decklists won't be available until a little later.
Let's say I have a Seeker of the Way on the board and a Lightning Strike in hand.
For Monastery Swiftspear, it's all about mana efficiency. Nothing ruins a slow deck's day more than T1 Swiftspear, swing 1. T2 second Swiftspear and Titan's Strength, 7 damage coming across, opponent at 12. T3 three Wild Slash's to the face, tripple prowess trigger, 14 damage dealt, opponent at -2 and dead.
To be honest, Monastery Mentor hasn't really found a home yet. Dunno why. I hope it does soon, because I have a playset of them. The only time I see him now is either forcing his way into a tokens build or as a 3-drop filler in the Heroic decks.
3x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4x Goblin Rabblemaster
3x Seeker of the Way
1x Shaman of the Great Hunt
1x Soulfire Grand Master
3x Stormbreath Dragon
Instant (12)
4x Lightning Strike
4x Stoke the Flames
2x Valorous Stance
2x Wild Slash
2x Chandra, Pyromaster
1x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Sorcery (3)
3x Hordeling Outburst
Enchantment (3)
3x Chained to the Rocks
Land (24)
4x Battlefield Forge
2x Evolving Wilds
1x Mana Confluence
9x Mountain
4x Plains
4x Temple of Triumph
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Arc Lightning
2x End Hostilities
1x Erase
1x Outpost Siege
3x Searing Blood
2x Valorous Stance
2x Wild Slash
Match 1 - Abzan midrange (2-1)
Both this and the other Abzan matches were nail-biters and extremely close. Game 1 I just had good draws and solid focus. Answers to threats, burns to the face, Stormbreath over the top. Game 2 I had poor draws and couldn't keep up. Game 3 he had some poor sequencing when trying to kill my Seeker. I Strike/Slash him to save the seeker, then stoke + Seeker next turn to swing for lethal.
Match 2 - UB Control (0-2)
Not much to see here. Killed everything I played, countered every late game threat. Post board wasn't any better. He had 2 Bile Blight and 1 Downfall in opening hand, and drew the third Bile Blight before turn 4...
Match 3 - Abzan midrange (2-1)
Another tough, grindy matchup. This guy doesn't normally play here and doesn't know that our local meta is a LOT of red. Either Red Deck Wins or RW Aggro. Anyway, his was a little different with Elspeth and Sorin. First game, he was able to Elspeth almost to ultimate, but I ignored it completely. My Chandra always dealt with at least one token while Brimaz and Hordeling Outburst helped push through. Game 2 was Rhino-fest with Sorin lifelinking. Game 3 was a long attrition game, resolved Sorins and Rhinos that I killed as quick as I could. Managed to pull Chandra up to 7 and ultimate. He was on 8 life, and Chandra showed a Stoke. 12 damage for 0 mana is pretty cool.
Match 4 - BR Aggro (2-1)
An interesting deck, seems like warrior tribal, but in BR. Using Brutal Hordechief, but never actually able to cast it. Games 1 and 2 were pretty even and close, game 3 was a nightmare for him. Searing Blood out of the side followed by 3 Stoke the Flames and a top-decked Stormbreath for the kill.
Match 5 - Mono red aggro (0-2)
I have every answer to this deck, so it REALLY frustrated me to lose so poorly. Kept a poor hand game 1, not knowing what he was playing. Lost the dice roll and was killed before I could untap on turn 4. Second game I bring in every tool I have for the matchup. My opening hand is something like Searing Blood, Strike, Strike, Seeker, Stoke, Land, Land. I go 6 turns never drawing a third land and was killed with Rabblemaster, Rabblemaster, Stoke, Chandra, and Arc Lightning in my hand. I would have cashed out if I won this match, but instead just went home empty handed and extremely frustrated. But hey, that's variance...
1x Treasure Cruise
2x Dig Through Time
2x Monastery Siege
Interaction
4x Lightning Strike
4x Wild Slash
2x Stoke the Flames
3x Valorous Stance
3x Jeskai Charm
Creature
4x Goblin Rabblemaster
4x Mantis Rider
4x Seeker of the Way
3x Stormbreath Dragon
3x Battlefield Forge
3x Shivan Reef
4x Flooded Strand
2x Plains
2x Island
1x Mana Confluence
4x Mystic Monastery
2x Temple of Epiphany
3x Temple of Triumph
2x Anger of the Gods
1x Arc Lightning
1x Banishing Light
2x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3x Disdainful Stroke
1x End Hostilities
2x Keranos, God of Storms
2x Negate
1x Valorous Stance
There were games I definitely could have won if I wasn't stuck on things like Plains, Battlefield Forge, Battlefield Forge for 5 turns+ in the mirror, after 1 mull already. I also had at least 1 mull every round, and at least two mulls were to 5. The problem with being on the draw was one of my matchups was mono red burn and did 12 damage by turn 3, including landing back to back Eidolon of the Great Revel and using main deck Searing Blood on every one of my threats. The other knockout mulligan/draw match was destroyed by a Jund ramp deck that had boards full of Hornet Queen tokens by turn 3 or 4 pretty regularly. Not to mention Doomwake Giant, Whip of Erebos, and an easy finisher Crater's Claws. I just couldn't draw answers, even after sideboard. Just a bad day I guess.
4x Battlefield Forge
1x Evolving Wilds
1x Mana Confluence
9x Mountain
4x Plains
4x Temple of Triumph
1x Wind-Scarred Crag
Enchantment (6)
3x Chained to the Rocks
3x Outpost Siege
3x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4x Goblin Rabblemaster
4x Seeker of the Way
3x Stormbreath Dragon
Instant (11)
4x Lightning Strike
4x Stoke the Flames
3x Wild Slash
Sorcery (4)
4x Hordeling Outburst
Planeswalker (1)
1x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Arc Lightning
1x Chained to the Rocks
2x Chandra, Pyromaster
2x Glare of Heresy
3x Hushwing Gryff
3x Valorous Stance
Yeah, which is funny when you pre order a playset of them only to realize how totally garbage they are in the current field.