Yes I didnt want to list all the possible cards you Can play against graveyard decks (against dredge I dont think you Need It for instance, also against kci, but It depends on the list of course), but as I said I think its a playable card even maindeck.
I dont see that either as playable. I am now trying Lone Missionary as a 1-of maindeck, with 1 in the sideboard. Meddling Mage is playable Imo, remorseful cleric might Be as well. As It was being said a while ago, though, It might also Be that we dont really Need anty-gy direct hate if you play other cards like settle the Wreckage or runed Halo.
I dont see Lavinia as that obvious, as a sb card I think there are Better choices even in uw builds, as a main choice her effect Is not general enough Imo, unless I am missing something. Nice tutor choice but yes gaddock teeg Will Be Better in the same matchups.
Well, also Damping Sphere is good against Combo, and also against Tron, which sounds slightly worse right now, except for the tutorable Gaddock Teeg. Still very difficult, I think, in game 1, even with Gaddock. The more consistent manabase attack the traditional UW Emeria has is at least as well effective. Sorry, I know I sound destructive, just trying to understand what could be good in this alternative decklist. I'll try building it myself and see how it works. Also, I'm not a big fan of Gideon Jura, honestly. What has he been doing for you so far?
Hey, I'm back again with the deck, after a few months trying out some alternatives that didnt work out as well as Azorius Emeria. I picked it up again and I am amazed again at how consistent it is (and fun to play, honestly, so many interactions and sinergies!).
Thank you for trying out a different version for us, I am a fan of tutor decks, but in practice I am a bit skeptical, honestly, about splashing a color and watering down the main strategy. In my opinion, if you want tutoring, I think there is enough draw and selection in simple Azorius to allow you to play singletons, as long as the key pieces remain intact (among these I include Flickerwisp, btw). The biggest challenge for me is to improve the control/combo matchups. There are a few options that are general enough, in my opinion, to see maindeck play and not hurt our aggro matchup too much, those being:
- Meddling Mage
- Sword of Light and Shadow
- Venser, the Sojourner (I am testing this mostly for fun, honestly; in this case I was looking for a card that would change the balance of a game against control, but was also useful in general; not really sure it's the right one, the sinergy is lovely but usually overkill)
- I mention Runed Halo, which is already present here and there
- Geist of Saint Traft seems like an obvious choice, but I dont think we have enough spot removal to cover him against aggro, but I am trying it in my SB
Sure, I still feel they are favoured in this matchup. If they are suffering multiple damage from bitterblossom, they can exploit it on Mistbind Clique. I think you really need specific draws on your and on the opponent's sides to reach the long game and hopefully win.
I struggle to think of a good tech in UW honestly, aside from the random hexproof flier like Ojutai. Is it playable as SB option?
Yes of course, it could have been 3-2 even with not too good pairings. Scapeshift was still good even in that version I Think, with my decklist at least, but things didnt really go my way. I could have won the d&t matchup too.
I struggle to think about a good strategy against faeries, what is the correct angle?
Ponza 1-2: Game 1 is turn 2 Blood Moon, I am ready with a few basics but he Stone Rains my single Island. He keeps flipping a Huntmaster and I find no mono-W answer. Game 2 he overextends and I punish him with a Supreme Verdict. Game 3 I am struggling at 4 life but I am going to restabilize the board with a Titan, he topdecks a Primal Command setting me back 1 turn and fishing for an Inferno Titan.
Rogue D&T 1-2: incredibly unlucky pairing, he plays no-ETB creatures (Hushwing Gryff and the RIX one) for his Eaters of Hope and whatnot, but, together with multiple Thalia effects, he affects me even more probably. His deck is a pile but I can only ramp to mass removal in 1 game out of 3 (he also plays turn 1 Aether Vial in 2 games out of 3 and plays very smoothly in general).
UB Faeries 0-2: game 1 he plays an early Bitterblossom which I cannot recover from. Game 2 I have Detention Sphere for his Bitterblossom, but he Cryptic Commands it and plays another, leaving mana open for a Spellstutter Sprite for my Sphere. I dont have many SB answers for this deck, and I dont play very well in this case. In general, anyway, I feel this is not a very good matchup.
Tokens 2-1: Game 1 he plays two Leylines of the Meek turn 0, I am not prepared for early 3/3-4/4 swarms. Game 2 and 3 run much smoother for me, I keep removing tokens with Flickerwisp/Sphere/mass removal, while he piles up token perk enchantments.
BtL Scapeshift 1-2: I feel pretty good for this matchup - I lose game 1 to Scapeshift - Negate - Remand, but whatever. I side in Leylines, Runed Halo and Disdainful Stroke, so I feel pretty prepared for what is to come. I never get Leylines in the following games. Game 2 he resolves Madcap Experiment, but I Sphere his Emperion for the win. I have RH on Valakut. Game 3 I get again RH on Valakut, but he plays 3 Cryptic Command for an EoT bounce, I can only counter the first 2 and he Scapeshifts.
It felt worse then that after writing this, pairings were so-so and my opponents were quite lucky.
I think it's a really powerful list for the format, sometimes it feels like playing a Modern deck in Pauper. It honestly struggles with low curve decks, especially mono U, which have a way to cantrip their way out of land destruction. Also, if they land a Delver turn 1 you are going to suffer. I am working a lot with maindeck removal, trying now 2x Rolling Thunder. SB is also very much a WIP (I dont have Pyroblasts yet, unfortunately). THe list runs Swirling Sandstorm, but I think I have never been able to play it. I dont see how this deck can reach threshold consistantly. I am probably going to add some GY hate, because you are helping Delve strategies. But a lot of matchups are almost autowins.
I think it's a really powerful list for the format, sometimes it feels like playing a Modern deck in Pauper. It honestly struggles with low curve decks, especially mono U, which have a way to cantrip their way out of land destruction. Also, if they land a Delver turn 1 you are going to suffer. I am working a lot with maindeck removal, trying now 2x Rolling Thunder. SB is also very much a WIP (I dont have Pyroblasts yet, unfortunately). THe list runs Swirling Sandstorm, but I think I have never been able to play it. I dont see how this deck can reach threshold consistantly. I am probably going to add some GY hate, because you are helping Delve strategies. But a lot of matchups are almost autowins.
VanOccupanther, how well does your deck perform? Also, you say it is budget-ish, even though you have dual lands and Serra's Sanctums. What do you think will be your next additions to the deck and what will you remove, once (if) you add more budget to the deck?
Well, I think the deck is worth 100 tix, which is more or less exceptional for a semi-competitive Legacy deck. I cant name many other options for a 100 tix budget in Legacy (maybe some powered down versions of Burn, which are much less consistant than this list).
I will try definitely the Bant+B version with the Energy Field combo (1st link) as I am close to complete that version, but as I said I dont take for granted that it will be a better version. Having the additional access to Enchantress effects given by Living Wish (faster than Sterling Grove) is a strong asset. The Solemnity+Depths version (2nd link) is even less budget but it looks quite powerful (albeit odd).
I am playing now this budget-ish version. I like it, even though it has less control options, but it feels more explosive and has a lot of ways to get hold of an enchantress:
where I made a few SB changes to protect me from combo/reanimator decks /any more suggestions for Living Wish targets is welcome! - I've never used the Chupacabra and Sage+Pridemage feel redundant). Also I have never used the single Sigil as win condition. The deck still has a hard time against faster combo decks but it definitely feels stronger against control/midrange, compared to standard Enchantress builds which have less ways to acquire Enchantresses.
I am almost finished building a more standard Enchantress deck with blue (Energy Field + RIP combo), but I'm not sure its gonna be better. This is also a very interesting build, but not so budget for MTGO:
Yes, I mean, my games were not super, for sure. I didnt want to mulligan for Leyline in game 2, because I didnt feel it that necessary. I landed it later in the game and he had a Maelstrom Pulse ready, so more or less I stayed behind the whole time. I havent had much experience with Jund lately, strangely, so I dont have a feeling of how good this matchup is.
Last tournament on MTGO was a 3-2. I lost one match to BBE Jund, which totally thrashed me with multiple BBEs - I couldnt keep up both games. I lost the other game to Bant Eldrazi: I lost game 1 because of bad play. I had a Supreme Verdict in hand to reset a pretty full board (2 NH, 1 Thoughtknot, 1 flying Eldrazi, 1 Thalia), he had only 1 in hand. I stalled fearing a Collected Company or a Spell Queller (which they dont even play!) - I was probably out of my mind. Game 2 went pretty smooth for me, he was pretty lucky game 3 when he Stubborn Denial'd my 1 Wrath of God and topdecked Reality Smasher while I was gaining control of the board.
Wins against:
BR Hollow One 2-0: incredibly smooth since I had always lost during the last tournaments. I think I got max 5 damage in both games. I kept removing threats and attacking his manabase (game 1) or building board presence (game 2).
"Ironworks Combo" 2-1: it was in fact a kind of budget/alternate version with Sembiance Anvil and Aetherflux Reservoir/Altar of Brood as finishers. He surprised me game 1 (but I had no real answers other than the occasional Negate, which I wouldnt have known when to use, probably), game 2 and 3 I had multiple hate (Leylines, Runed Halo, Pithing Needle plus I drew and landed my only Stony Silence both games - at that point I just needed to Negate his Altar, I played very carefully leaving mana open or he could have closed the game even with all my hate in play, as he hadnt shown me the Altar game 1 - maybe it was an alternate win condition from his SB).
Burn 2-1: I feel relieved after he goes Arid Mesa - Mountain - Swiftspear - good matchup for me. Game 1, though, he has a lot of gas and wins through a Gideon, so I prepare to mulligan aggressively for Leylines. I am lucky enough to find them with 1 mulligan max, I keep Negates in hand for Tear and wipe out creatures. I play very defensively and take a lot of time to win, but I make sure he has no way to come back into the game (apart from waiting for my time to expire).
I am now still playing with Negates mainboard. I guess I feel more comfortable playing with some maindeck generic instant-speed answer. It is indeed a late-game finisher in a sense, and it won a few first games in difficult matchups (Living End). I was pretty impressed by how unplayable the Jund match felt, but I wasnt particularly lucky. Surely if you dont remove Bobs fast you're going to lose most of the time.
Hey, I'm back again with the deck, after a few months trying out some alternatives that didnt work out as well as Azorius Emeria. I picked it up again and I am amazed again at how consistent it is (and fun to play, honestly, so many interactions and sinergies!).
Thank you for trying out a different version for us, I am a fan of tutor decks, but in practice I am a bit skeptical, honestly, about splashing a color and watering down the main strategy. In my opinion, if you want tutoring, I think there is enough draw and selection in simple Azorius to allow you to play singletons, as long as the key pieces remain intact (among these I include Flickerwisp, btw). The biggest challenge for me is to improve the control/combo matchups. There are a few options that are general enough, in my opinion, to see maindeck play and not hurt our aggro matchup too much, those being:
- Meddling Mage
- Sword of Light and Shadow
- Venser, the Sojourner (I am testing this mostly for fun, honestly; in this case I was looking for a card that would change the balance of a game against control, but was also useful in general; not really sure it's the right one, the sinergy is lovely but usually overkill)
- I mention Runed Halo, which is already present here and there
- Geist of Saint Traft seems like an obvious choice, but I dont think we have enough spot removal to cover him against aggro, but I am trying it in my SB
Any other ideas? Thanks.
I struggle to think of a good tech in UW honestly, aside from the random hexproof flier like Ojutai. Is it playable as SB option?
I struggle to think about a good strategy against faeries, what is the correct angle?
Ponza 1-2: Game 1 is turn 2 Blood Moon, I am ready with a few basics but he Stone Rains my single Island. He keeps flipping a Huntmaster and I find no mono-W answer. Game 2 he overextends and I punish him with a Supreme Verdict. Game 3 I am struggling at 4 life but I am going to restabilize the board with a Titan, he topdecks a Primal Command setting me back 1 turn and fishing for an Inferno Titan.
Rogue D&T 1-2: incredibly unlucky pairing, he plays no-ETB creatures (Hushwing Gryff and the RIX one) for his Eaters of Hope and whatnot, but, together with multiple Thalia effects, he affects me even more probably. His deck is a pile but I can only ramp to mass removal in 1 game out of 3 (he also plays turn 1 Aether Vial in 2 games out of 3 and plays very smoothly in general).
UB Faeries 0-2: game 1 he plays an early Bitterblossom which I cannot recover from. Game 2 I have Detention Sphere for his Bitterblossom, but he Cryptic Commands it and plays another, leaving mana open for a Spellstutter Sprite for my Sphere. I dont have many SB answers for this deck, and I dont play very well in this case. In general, anyway, I feel this is not a very good matchup.
Tokens 2-1: Game 1 he plays two Leylines of the Meek turn 0, I am not prepared for early 3/3-4/4 swarms. Game 2 and 3 run much smoother for me, I keep removing tokens with Flickerwisp/Sphere/mass removal, while he piles up token perk enchantments.
BtL Scapeshift 1-2: I feel pretty good for this matchup - I lose game 1 to Scapeshift - Negate - Remand, but whatever. I side in Leylines, Runed Halo and Disdainful Stroke, so I feel pretty prepared for what is to come. I never get Leylines in the following games. Game 2 he resolves Madcap Experiment, but I Sphere his Emperion for the win. I have RH on Valakut. Game 3 I get again RH on Valakut, but he plays 3 Cryptic Command for an EoT bounce, I can only counter the first 2 and he Scapeshifts.
It felt worse then that after writing this, pairings were so-so and my opponents were quite lucky.
https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/conley-5-0-decklist-by-conley-740269
I think it's a really powerful list for the format, sometimes it feels like playing a Modern deck in Pauper. It honestly struggles with low curve decks, especially mono U, which have a way to cantrip their way out of land destruction. Also, if they land a Delver turn 1 you are going to suffer. I am working a lot with maindeck removal, trying now 2x Rolling Thunder. SB is also very much a WIP (I dont have Pyroblasts yet, unfortunately). THe list runs Swirling Sandstorm, but I think I have never been able to play it. I dont see how this deck can reach threshold consistantly. I am probably going to add some GY hate, because you are helping Delve strategies. But a lot of matchups are almost autowins.
https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/conley-5-0-decklist-by-conley-740269
I think it's a really powerful list for the format, sometimes it feels like playing a Modern deck in Pauper. It honestly struggles with low curve decks, especially mono U, which have a way to cantrip their way out of land destruction. Also, if they land a Delver turn 1 you are going to suffer. I am working a lot with maindeck removal, trying now 2x Rolling Thunder. SB is also very much a WIP (I dont have Pyroblasts yet, unfortunately). THe list runs Swirling Sandstorm, but I think I have never been able to play it. I dont see how this deck can reach threshold consistantly. I am probably going to add some GY hate, because you are helping Delve strategies. But a lot of matchups are almost autowins.
Well, I think the deck is worth 100 tix, which is more or less exceptional for a semi-competitive Legacy deck. I cant name many other options for a 100 tix budget in Legacy (maybe some powered down versions of Burn, which are much less consistant than this list).
I will try definitely the Bant+B version with the Energy Field combo (1st link) as I am close to complete that version, but as I said I dont take for granted that it will be a better version. Having the additional access to Enchantress effects given by Living Wish (faster than Sterling Grove) is a strong asset. The Solemnity+Depths version (2nd link) is even less budget but it looks quite powerful (albeit odd).
1 Bayou
1 Dryad Arbor
9 Forest
1 Karakas
1 Plains
2 Serra's Sanctum
1 Savannah
4 Windswept Heath
Creature
3 Argothian Enchantress
2 Doomwake Giant
Artifact
1 Helm of Obedience
Sorcery
3 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Living Wish
3 Abundant Growth
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Wild Growth
2 Gaea's Touch
2 Elephant Grass
2 Rest In Peace
2 Solitary Confinement
1 Sterling Grove
4 Enchantress's Presence
2 Ixalan's Binding
1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
1 Rest In Peace
2 Choke
1 Doomwake Giant
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Ravenous Chupacabra
1 Leafcrown Dryad
1 Argothian Enchantress
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Karakas
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
1 Phyrexian Revoker
This taken from this MTGO 5-0 list
https://mtgdecks.net/Legacy/synapsetwitch-5-0-decklist-by-synapsetwitch-733574
where I made a few SB changes to protect me from combo/reanimator decks /any more suggestions for Living Wish targets is welcome! - I've never used the Chupacabra and Sage+Pridemage feel redundant). Also I have never used the single Sigil as win condition. The deck still has a hard time against faster combo decks but it definitely feels stronger against control/midrange, compared to standard Enchantress builds which have less ways to acquire Enchantresses.
I am almost finished building a more standard Enchantress deck with blue (Energy Field + RIP combo), but I'm not sure its gonna be better. This is also a very interesting build, but not so budget for MTGO:
https://mtgdecks.net/Legacy/deck-decklist-by-triplekriz-734965
Wins against:
BR Hollow One 2-0: incredibly smooth since I had always lost during the last tournaments. I think I got max 5 damage in both games. I kept removing threats and attacking his manabase (game 1) or building board presence (game 2).
"Ironworks Combo" 2-1: it was in fact a kind of budget/alternate version with Sembiance Anvil and Aetherflux Reservoir/Altar of Brood as finishers. He surprised me game 1 (but I had no real answers other than the occasional Negate, which I wouldnt have known when to use, probably), game 2 and 3 I had multiple hate (Leylines, Runed Halo, Pithing Needle plus I drew and landed my only Stony Silence both games - at that point I just needed to Negate his Altar, I played very carefully leaving mana open or he could have closed the game even with all my hate in play, as he hadnt shown me the Altar game 1 - maybe it was an alternate win condition from his SB).
Burn 2-1: I feel relieved after he goes Arid Mesa - Mountain - Swiftspear - good matchup for me. Game 1, though, he has a lot of gas and wins through a Gideon, so I prepare to mulligan aggressively for Leylines. I am lucky enough to find them with 1 mulligan max, I keep Negates in hand for Tear and wipe out creatures. I play very defensively and take a lot of time to win, but I make sure he has no way to come back into the game (apart from waiting for my time to expire).
I am now still playing with Negates mainboard. I guess I feel more comfortable playing with some maindeck generic instant-speed answer. It is indeed a late-game finisher in a sense, and it won a few first games in difficult matchups (Living End). I was pretty impressed by how unplayable the Jund match felt, but I wasnt particularly lucky. Surely if you dont remove Bobs fast you're going to lose most of the time.