After just reading a great article on UW in Standard I came here to note with excitement the revelation of using Teferi to tuck himself or one of your own permanents which though it might come up however infrequently could lead to interesting and unique play patterns that are likely the reason we all like these decks in the first place.
Now I'm wondering if you wrote that article?! Guessing based on your Screen-name.
I played 2 Deputy main at FNM as well. The only round I saw them in was against Jund and it was a great feeling bouncing a Kitesail in response to his removal. On another turn he played Lilly to Edict a Mantis Rider.. flashed in Dep to take one for the team.
Hey, I just had a conversation about the deck with another local player that I respect who is playing it at the upcoming GP.
He is very adamant about running with 18 lands... Seems wild to me as I know how often I'm having to mulligan for lands at 19.
Anyone tried a league out with 18? Could the top decked gas percentage really worth the risk of having to mull to oblivion.
FWIW he is cutting the 2nd SCC.
Excellent advice on the the matchup relevant considerations for sequencing! I really need as much of this discussion as possible going into my first GP this weekend in Hartford with Humans. I can understand these rationales described in context a lot easier than in abstract.
Maybe because of Boggles? Instead of Vithian Renegades, because the same SB hates more decks?
I guess my question was more about, where is this tech being discussed. Did I miss it on the thread here somewhere? I mean the Rec Sage looked boss on camera Sunday, but I'm wondering where the discusson took place where so many people were on the tech for the last 3-4 events+mocs etc...
So... looking at the lists from the last few week's events... Did 2x Rec Sage suddenly become stock in the SB and I missed the conversation? I can't imagine all these players came to the same conclusion separately, but I certainly don't recall a big discussion of it at least not around here. (I don't follow Twitter as closely as the FB group and here.)
Last night went 2/2 for the night
2-0 against a newer Ponza player- nothing to see here.
2-1 against Esper Control, sandbagging images and reflector mages won those games. He starts pushing damage with a Colonnade and a Snapcaster after *** my board, I was at 6 life but was able to Vial in an image copying the Colonnade and block the snapcaster and crackback for lethal. There was a question on if Image would become a land at EOT like my opp's Colonnade, Judge said no, it stays a 4/4 vigilant flyer that taps for mana. TMYK
0-2 against UB Thopter Sword Watch out for this variant of prison deck. It's like playing against Lantern except you think you have hope and outs.. Whir of Invention gets played so much faster than felt reasonable and puts the artifact directly into play so bridge on turn 3 from anywhere in their deck through a MMage... even if they can't connect with Thopters for a turn, Tezzeret ults and kills you. I brought in 2 Kataki, 1 Vithian, 2 Sin Col. In game two I got two Freebooters (holding bridge and Sword) a MMage naming Whir, and a Kataki on the board and he casts Damnation.. Pretty much over there.
1-2 against Fish, won g1 on a mull to 5 on the draw.. games 2 it was neck and neck until he got me with a vialed in Tidebinder mage, used an on board Reejery to tap down two blockers and then lorded up. Game three I might have had a win that I punted, he used another Tidebinder off vial to catch a Mantis Rider before it could get in. I had a Dismember in hand. He attacked with two lords with Islandwalk for 6 (putting me to 8) I contemplated dimembering a Lord and decided it wasn't worth it... he passed and I realized as I untapped I was supposed to kill the Tidebinder on his endstep to untap my Mantis Rider.. I would have had lethal crack back. :'(
I'm going to try going all-in on consistency with the core creatures. I have liked the additional 1-drop for sure
^I'm all aboard on this. When I talk with players who honestly act like Humans is the "boogeyman" of match-ups they always talk about the core cards... It was the "top-decked reflector mage" or the Mantis Rider or worse the Image copying Mantis Rider that broke the game.
I feel like the deck really only has one flex spot without reducing what makes it great and I think either another one-drop pilgrim/Inspector/Kytheon is as defensible as Dark Confidant or Kessig. If I were to cut one of the fundamental cards to a 3-of it would have to be a Thalia though. Having multiples of the Legend always hurts and when it is the most important card in the match-up I'd be just as happy to Vial in an Image in response to their targeted EOT removal that they were counting on giving them a "tax-free" next turn.
I totally concur with Image comment. I have had amazing shenanigans lately copying my opponents creatures to maintain board presence. Nice Wurmcoil you have there, I'd like to have one too.
Learning moment for me last week... against a 4c Zoo in game 3.
Cast two Images coping my opponents Kitchen Finks, gain 4 life, pass turn.
Block Op's alpha with said Images... Persist trigger, Image re-enters, choose new targets for Image ability..
How did you board in the Elves match-up? I've been struggling there and the conventional, mull to t2 Mantis, doesn't seem reasonable.
Also, did your Hollow One player brick? I have been trounced by that deck in testing and at a 4 round event last night. Burning inquiry's variance always hurt me more than them. Their sideboard Grim Lavamancer+removal.dec was soul crushing.
1) 2-1 Against Amulet Titan... Nothing particularly spicy here... Lost g3 to Sum pact Hornet Queen army of blockers. I am running a main board Heretic Cathar... I laughed when the Opponent played Amulet in game one... Well that's one dead card in the matchup!
2) 2-1 Against Naya-Blue Zoo.. Weird but powerful deck with Nacatls and Goyfs, BBE, Snaps +Path+Bolt+Helix. and Glittering wish!
I won this round on the back of Dire Fleet Daredevil playing opponent's Atarka's Command out of the yard.
3) 1-2 Esper Control I only won game two by having a great t1 Noble t2 Mantis t3 Mantis t4 Xathrid+Image on Mantis. Other than that he just killed Everything. Push Path and wraths.
4) 2-1 Merfolk, not much to say... I had turn two Mantis in the air for 4 on both games I won...
Now I'm wondering if you wrote that article?! Guessing based on your Screen-name.
He is very adamant about running with 18 lands... Seems wild to me as I know how often I'm having to mulligan for lands at 19.
Anyone tried a league out with 18? Could the top decked gas percentage really worth the risk of having to mull to oblivion.
FWIW he is cutting the 2nd SCC.
I guess my question was more about, where is this tech being discussed. Did I miss it on the thread here somewhere? I mean the Rec Sage looked boss on camera Sunday, but I'm wondering where the discusson took place where so many people were on the tech for the last 3-4 events+mocs etc...
^ I second that!
2-0 against a newer Ponza player- nothing to see here.
2-1 against Esper Control, sandbagging images and reflector mages won those games. He starts pushing damage with a Colonnade and a Snapcaster after *** my board, I was at 6 life but was able to Vial in an image copying the Colonnade and block the snapcaster and crackback for lethal. There was a question on if Image would become a land at EOT like my opp's Colonnade, Judge said no, it stays a 4/4 vigilant flyer that taps for mana.
0-2 against UB Thopter Sword Watch out for this variant of prison deck. It's like playing against Lantern except you think you have hope and outs.. Whir of Invention gets played so much faster than felt reasonable and puts the artifact directly into play so bridge on turn 3 from anywhere in their deck through a MMage... even if they can't connect with Thopters for a turn, Tezzeret ults and kills you. I brought in 2 Kataki, 1 Vithian, 2 Sin Col. In game two I got two Freebooters (holding bridge and Sword) a MMage naming Whir, and a Kataki on the board and he casts Damnation.. Pretty much over there.
1-2 against Fish, won g1 on a mull to 5 on the draw.. games 2 it was neck and neck until he got me with a vialed in Tidebinder mage, used an on board Reejery to tap down two blockers and then lorded up. Game three I might have had a win that I punted, he used another Tidebinder off vial to catch a Mantis Rider before it could get in. I had a Dismember in hand. He attacked with two lords with Islandwalk for 6 (putting me to 8) I contemplated dimembering a Lord and decided it wasn't worth it... he passed and I realized as I untapped I was supposed to kill the Tidebinder on his endstep to untap my Mantis Rider.. I would have had lethal crack back. :'(
^I'm all aboard on this. When I talk with players who honestly act like Humans is the "boogeyman" of match-ups they always talk about the core cards... It was the "top-decked reflector mage" or the Mantis Rider or worse the Image copying Mantis Rider that broke the game.
I feel like the deck really only has one flex spot without reducing what makes it great and I think either another one-drop pilgrim/Inspector/Kytheon is as defensible as Dark Confidant or Kessig. If I were to cut one of the fundamental cards to a 3-of it would have to be a Thalia though. Having multiples of the Legend always hurts and when it is the most important card in the match-up I'd be just as happy to Vial in an Image in response to their targeted EOT removal that they were counting on giving them a "tax-free" next turn.
Learning moment for me last week... against a 4c Zoo in game 3.
Cast two Images coping my opponents Kitchen Finks, gain 4 life, pass turn.
Block Op's alpha with said Images... Persist trigger, Image re-enters, choose new targets for Image ability..
Also, did your Hollow One player brick? I have been trounced by that deck in testing and at a 4 round event last night. Burning inquiry's variance always hurt me more than them. Their sideboard Grim Lavamancer+removal.dec was soul crushing.
1) 2-1 Against Amulet Titan... Nothing particularly spicy here... Lost g3 to Sum pact Hornet Queen army of blockers. I am running a main board Heretic Cathar... I laughed when the Opponent played Amulet in game one... Well that's one dead card in the matchup!
2) 2-1 Against Naya-Blue Zoo.. Weird but powerful deck with Nacatls and Goyfs, BBE, Snaps +Path+Bolt+Helix. and Glittering wish!
I won this round on the back of Dire Fleet Daredevil playing opponent's Atarka's Command out of the yard.
3) 1-2 Esper Control I only won game two by having a great t1 Noble t2 Mantis t3 Mantis t4 Xathrid+Image on Mantis. Other than that he just killed Everything. Push Path and wraths.
4) 2-1 Merfolk, not much to say... I had turn two Mantis in the air for 4 on both games I won...