This card is sick....i would play it in any esper controllish deck. The repeatable effects on this card are just so good. I thought the card wasn't good at first and then I played against it. Quality card that goes way too late.
This no more damage on the stack thing is just making the game really really stupid. I hate how they're dumbing down the game to make it more newbie friendly. It's alienating the longtime players
*note* Sorry for posting a Naya list here. I saw Bloodbraid Aggro and assumed title was R/G aggro and not R/B. Sorry =(
Hey guys everyone has been posting Jund decks so I thought I would just post up this Naya deck that I've been playtesting for the past 3-4 months. It's undergone a lot of changes and I think this is probably the most optimal list I could come up with. Just thought I would share it with you before I start taking it to PTQ's. I'll just explain some stuff in the deck.
I do take a lot of pain in this deck. There are times when I've had 3 pain lands out and been very sad to have to play my Ram Gangs. For a time I thought of putting in Kitchen Finks MD to help counteract it, but it just slows down the deck too much.
The best reason I've come up with to play red over black (because this deck does look a lot like Doran) is Naya Charm. It's the best part of Cryptic Command against aggro decks and has just won me a number of games by itself. Excellent card. Other than that Fallout is obviously a great card against Faeries. Woolly Thoctar is just as big as Doran (as long as Doran isn't out), Figure and Ram Gang are obviously excellent creatures, and lastly red gives me access to Banefire out of the board.
I have tried both Ajani Vengeant as well as Bloodbraid Elf MD. Vengeant got cut once I realized how unsynergistic it is with Gaddock Teeg, and most of the time it was a 4 mana Lightning Helix. Bloodbraid Elf was ok, great when it hit Thoctar or Ram Gang, but everything else was very mediocre. I feel that Liege provides more "oompf"
Sideboard Choices: Wrath of God and Kitchen Finks are obviously boarded in against aggro matchups, like 5c Blood or kithkin (wrath more for kithkin or tokens). Pithing Needle is in there for Swans and also for tokens naming Ajani or Windbrisk. Banefire is to sb against faeries. I'm not sure this is the best spot for the sideboard, but I found that in playtesting I wasn't boarding in much against faeries besides the extra fallout, so I thought that this might help get in the extra damage. If anyone has any ideas on this spot, it would be greatly appreciated. Crib Swap/Path is for Doran/Bant/Dark Bant. I've found that Crib Swap is just a lot better than O-ring now that Doran is a deck to look out for. It plays Pridemage and Maelstrom Pulse, making O-ring pretty ineffective. I do miss out on O-ringing planeswalkers, but I feel its a minor setback compared to having to deal with the larger creatures in those decks I mentioned. And lastly, Fallouts obviously there for Faeries.
Any feedback on this deck would be greatly appreciated. Tell me what you guys think =)
I'd rather run the VF's over the Magma Sprays. It seems like it would help more in the B_W Tokens matchup, even if they have a Glorious Anthem or something. If VF won't work, then Magma Spray definitely won't. I'll take the dmg and uncounterability anyday, especially since Magma Spray is only better against Kitchen Finks.
I would definitely suggest not raredrafting the rares at the end. If they open money let them keep it, especially since there are prize packs.
Maybe if the more experience players want a steeper prize payout, you can change one of the tournaments in a month to one where you have everyone add an extra pack to the pool to raise the stakes a bit.
Also to keep the newer, more inexperienced players around, just make sure you're nice to them and inviting. I go to a store in my neighborhood where a group of people have been playing for over 5 years (probably around 7). I joined about 2 years ago, and from what I remember, I was pretty bad when I started out, and was fairly frustrated at my failures to win drafts. The people there were very receptive, however, and whenever I made a play or pick mistake in draft, they would politely tell me what I should have done, and I gradually got better.
The reason why I started coming to this site was for the spoilers. I feel really sorry for you zesty. I appreciated the spoilers you did greatly and I will miss them dearly.
As for Wizards, I somewhat understand what they are getting at that its their product and that it shouldn't be released beforehand, but I don't see who this is harming. By spoiling the cards, it serves as great marketing and advertising for the new set, persuading more people to come to the pre-release/release events. For us, the players, it gets us interested and gives us more information about the set so that way we aren't walking in blindly to pre-releases. It seems like a plus plus to me.
Zesty also did a much better job spoiling cards than anyone on the magicthegathering.com site has. It got me more hyped than Rosewater ever could hope.
I know but both were uncommons before in the same set. And which blue big flier would they reprint then at uncommon?
My bet is rather that we see Fire Elemental again then removing Air.
But yes its possible it gets removed, but is Serra Angel the reason to not print worse uncommons anymore?
Edit: Well they could make a new card
New Air Elemental
3UU
Creature - Elemental
Flying
Can block only creatures with flying.
5/4
Well I'm not sure what other big blue flier that could reprint in its place, but Serra Angel has been rare in all the core sets I can remember it being in so far, so this change to uncommon will definitely affect Air Elemental. The whole point of the core sets is for players to get a new feel for cards, and printing two cards which are almost identical defeats that purpose.
Also another note is that I doubt they would take out ***. It's such an iconic card and it gets across a very "core-set" kind of feel. It's powerful, simple, and useful in constructed as well as casual, seeing as how its not overpriced. My opinion *** stays.
As for the others I really have no idea. Probably some simple stuff like Fear and Regeneration are out since they can print creatures with those abilities and still get the point across. Those cards to me are redundant.
Just going to say that since Serra Angel is now in the uncommon slot, I doubt they would reprint Air Elemental, which is also in the uncommon slot, seeing as how they are both 4/4 flyers for 5 but Angel has strict advantage over AE with vigilance. They wouldn't print two cards so similar to each other in the same core set.
Just something to think about. If you're not going to go with the Ultimatum first pick (which is the most powerful card of all the cards there), why would you pick another red card over it. More than likely, the next 3-4 picks out of that pack are going to be Red, so you can send signals to the people on your right that red is open and avoid it altogether with picks like Tidehollow Sculler or Bone Splinters. If I'm to your left and I see Violent Ultimatum and Skeletonize in the pack, I'm jumping into red/Jund. And the person after me will probably feel similarly.
It's risky and you definitely are picking a weaker card, but I've done things like this before and I've definitely been rewarded in pack 2 where the 3 people next to me have fought over colors and I'm receive the benefits. Just a thought.
I think you drafted this fine. I didn't see any overwhelmingly persuasive reason to go into blue over green. You saw the Grixis Charm, but the Violent Ultimatum, Carrion Thrash, and Branching Bolt are more than enough to stay in green at that point. I think you drafted well. I was sad to see you pick the Viscera Dragger over the Algae Gharial though. The pick is fine but I really wanted to see you play with the card.
The only HUGE mistake that I remember while you were playing was the non-mulligan in Round 2 but you said something about that. You actually had a very very similar hand Game 2 of Round 3 and auto-mulled. Probably because of that bad experience Round 2.
Benediction is NOT better than magma spray. The spray is very good for eliminating pretty much all grixis creatures, as well as for killing a fattie after chumping with a token. Benediction is only good offensively, and doesn't do anything by itself, and is thus conditional. Magma spray is way better.
The only reason I say Magma Spray is not as good in this format is because the format lacks a lot of 2 power creatures that I feel I need to get rid of as compared to other sets. The only times I've ever been happy with my Magma Sprays are probably on my Turn 1 after my opponent has just layed down a Nacatl or a Squire. Those plays and Jund/Naya Battlemages are the only times where I feel like the card shines.
On the other hand, I have won on the back of Angelic Benediction many more times than I have with Magma Spray. Yes it is a strictly offensive card, but when compared to Magma Spray, which is a sub-par removal spell compared to others in the format, I would rather take the back-breakingly offensive card. This is especially true in colors like Naya, where you swing with your biggest creature and still have average to large guys defending as compared to Bant.
Just my two cents. I completely understand where you're coming from though. Removal is removal. I just would have gone with the Benediction. (And I wouldn't have picked the Sigiled Paladin because the WW in this format can be hard to come by on T2)
One thing I've noticed in all your drafts is that you overvalue Magma Spray way too much. Albeit your first pack was pretty weak I would have gone with the Paladin or the Angelic Benediction (probably the Benediction). Though you're right that Bant is really fragile, Benediction is good in everything honestly. Magma Spray has underperformed in my opinion.
Scavenger Drake is definitely not better than Gharial. Gharial is absolutely house. With the rate that creatures tend to hit the graveyard and the fact that your opponent can't kill it outside of combat makes the Gharial absolutely amazing.
P3 P1 I would chosen the Jund Battlemage. I love Nacatl but token generation is great in Limited.
I haven't seen Manabarbs in very many SB's on this forum. Why? I really think I haven't lost a game where I've gotten it out versus QnT. Consider the fact that by 4th turn and on a half decent draw, QnT has already taken about 7-8 damage and is most likely tapped out for Wrath/board sweeper. If you put down Manabarbs there, they only have 12 mana to work with for the rest of the game.
Even if they don't tap out on T4, wait until they do. It's never been stuck in my hand in the games I playtested. It's well worth a thought in the SB.
Apparently no one who says FoD is bad has actually ever playtested with the guy because he is no doubt the best one drop in Standard at the moment. There's not even any question about this guys. The amount of flexibility in this card is absolutely ridiculous. Dropping FoD turn one drop gives you flexibility on T2 to do something with the extra mana if you don't have a 2 drop. Drawing him late game he's not a dead card and often times will be a perfectly fine draw that can help turn the tables of the game.
Seriously play with him. Once. Just once and you'll see what I'm talking about. Sure he dies to removal. So does every other creature in this format. Doesn't matter.
3 Wooded Bastion
2 Brushland
4 Jungleshrine
3 Fire-Lit Thicket
2 Treetop Village
2 Forest
1 Plains
1 Mountain
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Qasali Pridemage
3 Knotvine Paladin
3 Gaddock Teeg
4 Woolly Thoctar
4 Boggart Ram Gang
4 Wilt-Leaf Liege
3 Volcanic Fallout
3 Naya Charm
4 Kitchen Finks
1 Path to Exile
1 Volcanic Fallout
2 Pithing Needle
3 Wrath of God
2 Banefire
2 Crib Swap
*note* Sorry for posting a Naya list here. I saw Bloodbraid Aggro and assumed title was R/G aggro and not R/B. Sorry =(
Hey guys everyone has been posting Jund decks so I thought I would just post up this Naya deck that I've been playtesting for the past 3-4 months. It's undergone a lot of changes and I think this is probably the most optimal list I could come up with. Just thought I would share it with you before I start taking it to PTQ's. I'll just explain some stuff in the deck.
I do take a lot of pain in this deck. There are times when I've had 3 pain lands out and been very sad to have to play my Ram Gangs. For a time I thought of putting in Kitchen Finks MD to help counteract it, but it just slows down the deck too much.
The best reason I've come up with to play red over black (because this deck does look a lot like Doran) is Naya Charm. It's the best part of Cryptic Command against aggro decks and has just won me a number of games by itself. Excellent card. Other than that Fallout is obviously a great card against Faeries. Woolly Thoctar is just as big as Doran (as long as Doran isn't out), Figure and Ram Gang are obviously excellent creatures, and lastly red gives me access to Banefire out of the board.
I have tried both Ajani Vengeant as well as Bloodbraid Elf MD. Vengeant got cut once I realized how unsynergistic it is with Gaddock Teeg, and most of the time it was a 4 mana Lightning Helix. Bloodbraid Elf was ok, great when it hit Thoctar or Ram Gang, but everything else was very mediocre. I feel that Liege provides more "oompf"
Sideboard Choices: Wrath of God and Kitchen Finks are obviously boarded in against aggro matchups, like 5c Blood or kithkin (wrath more for kithkin or tokens). Pithing Needle is in there for Swans and also for tokens naming Ajani or Windbrisk. Banefire is to sb against faeries. I'm not sure this is the best spot for the sideboard, but I found that in playtesting I wasn't boarding in much against faeries besides the extra fallout, so I thought that this might help get in the extra damage. If anyone has any ideas on this spot, it would be greatly appreciated. Crib Swap/Path is for Doran/Bant/Dark Bant. I've found that Crib Swap is just a lot better than O-ring now that Doran is a deck to look out for. It plays Pridemage and Maelstrom Pulse, making O-ring pretty ineffective. I do miss out on O-ringing planeswalkers, but I feel its a minor setback compared to having to deal with the larger creatures in those decks I mentioned. And lastly, Fallouts obviously there for Faeries.
Any feedback on this deck would be greatly appreciated. Tell me what you guys think =)
I'd rather run the VF's over the Magma Sprays. It seems like it would help more in the B_W Tokens matchup, even if they have a Glorious Anthem or something. If VF won't work, then Magma Spray definitely won't. I'll take the dmg and uncounterability anyday, especially since Magma Spray is only better against Kitchen Finks.
Maybe if the more experience players want a steeper prize payout, you can change one of the tournaments in a month to one where you have everyone add an extra pack to the pool to raise the stakes a bit.
Also to keep the newer, more inexperienced players around, just make sure you're nice to them and inviting. I go to a store in my neighborhood where a group of people have been playing for over 5 years (probably around 7). I joined about 2 years ago, and from what I remember, I was pretty bad when I started out, and was fairly frustrated at my failures to win drafts. The people there were very receptive, however, and whenever I made a play or pick mistake in draft, they would politely tell me what I should have done, and I gradually got better.
As for Wizards, I somewhat understand what they are getting at that its their product and that it shouldn't be released beforehand, but I don't see who this is harming. By spoiling the cards, it serves as great marketing and advertising for the new set, persuading more people to come to the pre-release/release events. For us, the players, it gets us interested and gives us more information about the set so that way we aren't walking in blindly to pre-releases. It seems like a plus plus to me.
Zesty also did a much better job spoiling cards than anyone on the magicthegathering.com site has. It got me more hyped than Rosewater ever could hope.
Well I'm not sure what other big blue flier that could reprint in its place, but Serra Angel has been rare in all the core sets I can remember it being in so far, so this change to uncommon will definitely affect Air Elemental. The whole point of the core sets is for players to get a new feel for cards, and printing two cards which are almost identical defeats that purpose.
Also another note is that I doubt they would take out ***. It's such an iconic card and it gets across a very "core-set" kind of feel. It's powerful, simple, and useful in constructed as well as casual, seeing as how its not overpriced. My opinion *** stays.
As for the others I really have no idea. Probably some simple stuff like Fear and Regeneration are out since they can print creatures with those abilities and still get the point across. Those cards to me are redundant.
It's risky and you definitely are picking a weaker card, but I've done things like this before and I've definitely been rewarded in pack 2 where the 3 people next to me have fought over colors and I'm receive the benefits. Just a thought.
The only HUGE mistake that I remember while you were playing was the non-mulligan in Round 2 but you said something about that. You actually had a very very similar hand Game 2 of Round 3 and auto-mulled. Probably because of that bad experience Round 2.
The only reason I say Magma Spray is not as good in this format is because the format lacks a lot of 2 power creatures that I feel I need to get rid of as compared to other sets. The only times I've ever been happy with my Magma Sprays are probably on my Turn 1 after my opponent has just layed down a Nacatl or a Squire. Those plays and Jund/Naya Battlemages are the only times where I feel like the card shines.
On the other hand, I have won on the back of Angelic Benediction many more times than I have with Magma Spray. Yes it is a strictly offensive card, but when compared to Magma Spray, which is a sub-par removal spell compared to others in the format, I would rather take the back-breakingly offensive card. This is especially true in colors like Naya, where you swing with your biggest creature and still have average to large guys defending as compared to Bant.
Just my two cents. I completely understand where you're coming from though. Removal is removal. I just would have gone with the Benediction. (And I wouldn't have picked the Sigiled Paladin because the WW in this format can be hard to come by on T2)
Scavenger Drake is definitely not better than Gharial. Gharial is absolutely house. With the rate that creatures tend to hit the graveyard and the fact that your opponent can't kill it outside of combat makes the Gharial absolutely amazing.
P3 P1 I would chosen the Jund Battlemage. I love Nacatl but token generation is great in Limited.
Even if they don't tap out on T4, wait until they do. It's never been stuck in my hand in the games I playtested. It's well worth a thought in the SB.
Seriously play with him. Once. Just once and you'll see what I'm talking about. Sure he dies to removal. So does every other creature in this format. Doesn't matter.