1/6/21 Casual Historic EDH Sealed. Two 3-man pods. Pod 2 Winner.
Casual = Unsanctioned. Historic = Legal Sets. EDH = 99 card singleton w/a commander. Sealed = Buy 1 sealed booster box and build sealed from it.
I chose War of the Spark for the uncommon planeswalkers.
(19) Spells:
Awakening of Vitu-Ghazi
Band Together
Callous Dismissal
Commence the Endgame
Contentious Plan
Courage In Crisis
Finale of Devastation
Flux Channeler
Forced Landing
God-Pharaoah's Statue
Kasmina's Transmutation
No Escape Planewide Celebration (finisher)
Relentless Advance
Return to Nature
Stealth Mission
Storm the Citadel
Teferi's Time Twist
Totally Lost
(44) Lands:
20 Forest
20 Island
Emergence Zone
Gateway Plaza
Interplanar Beacon
Mobilized District
Both opponents discussed running 34 lands in their decks. I told them I ran 44. Here's why:
1. Normal sealed = 17 land/40 cards. +1 land (Commander = mana sink) so 18 land/40 cards = 44% land.
2. 44% of 100 cards = 44 lands.
3. 34 land/100 cards = 14 land/40 cards, in a top-heavy sealed deck...
As expected, both opponents stalled on 3 lands and couldn't cast their 5 mana commanders in time.
I say, "Planewide Celebration: Proliferate for 4, my 4 planeswalkers +4, x tokens +4..." Both concede.
12/30/20 Update: +4 Ramosian Sergeant, -4 Journey to Nowhere. I goldfished a few games and had more removal than Rebel Searchers! Also, the deck kinda falls apart w/no Rebel engine -_-; Lastly, I don't want excessive enchantment-based removal, since Bound in Silence may bring in enchantment hate already.
I'd like to see every card given a power level number from 1 to 10 in each format. Add up the power levels of both decks and assign a handicap somehow. Yes this would be excruciating and time consuming to initially set up. And yes it would need to be updated yearly. But again, short of that competitive play will always be netdecking.
My old LGS had 3 seasons of something similar. First we ran Tempest sealed. I had UW control, notables being Tradewind Rider and Capsize. Season 2, Type 2 (standard) legal commons, uncommons and rares were assigned point values. I cut white and bought red cards, including Incinerate, Mogg Fanatic and Fireslinger in red. In Blue, I bought more Rootwater Hunter (8 total pingers!) Season 3, I went full-on RDW, buying Lava Hounds, Fireblast, Viashino Sandstalker, etc.
My competition didn't try to convert limited into constructed, like I did. It was glorious!
Sorry for veering off topic but I wanted to get something off my chest:
Many FNM players complain about the cost of competitive magic. Constructed takes a considerable investment in singles. Limited (esp sealed) has a hefty registration fee and the practice expense it takes to build skill adds up.
Enter paper. Singles are dirt cheap and there's no long term practice fees. In theory, this affordable format should appeal to everyone! But in reality, expense of cards is just an excuse. People want to win easily. That's why we net deck - it takes too much effort to brew. The problem w/net decking in pauper is - pauper isn't competitive among pros so you can't simply steal tier 1 lists... you have to put in some effort too.
I've seen so many ppl copy a competitive-looking list, lose and never return. It's like gamers feel entitled to success... even tho they realize (subconsciously) they've been taking short cuts the whole ride.
Pauper has been dying in my LGS since before lockdown. If it dies for good, so be it. I'm tired to listening to excuses and lies. You can afford it. You just have to work to win.
Seems like Scale the Heights could find a home somewhere. The card literally does 4 things at once, a +1 +1 counter, lifegain, ramp and cantrips. Has to have a home somewhere. Its a LAND not basic land too, maybe a Green Tron build???
I'm getting real tired of seeing Tormenting Voice reprinted ad nauseam. I know it's just one common slot in the whole set, but I just want to see something different for red.
As a red cantrip, I think it's quite good in limited. Boring but effective.
It's very tempting to find further reason to run Brainstorm in a deck that shuffles as much as a Rebels deck. Any ideas for Blue White?
During Masques Block Constructed (MBC,) "Counter-Rebels" was a legit deck. Leaving counter spell mana open, then searching during their end step is powerful synergy.
That being said, Brainstorm and Ponder are auto-includes. Since the cantrips are 1 drops, adjustments must be made to favor blue mana. Ramosian Sergeant must be cut since you can't Brainstorm/Ponder AND Ramosian Sergeant on the first turn... doing so will destroy your mana consistency. And since we are now blue heavy, 4 copies of actual Counterspell seem a perfect fit.
I'm splashing Black for Blightspeaker and Venomous Changeling. You don't need that much mana to splash Rebels since you often don't even pay coloured mana for them anyways.
I'm pretty satisfied with the mana base. I feel comfortable going to 23 lands with Orzhov Basilica and Cave of Temptation gives some finishing power to our rebels without requiring deck space... Oh and it also fixes your mana and comes into play untapped.
Venomous Changeling is interesting. It's another "rebel" so there's definite potential.
Lastly we have Blightspeaker, ranked #4 b/c he is terrible on attacking AND blocking. He IS a finisher but I don't know if you need him. I will say that my earlier incarnations of this deck ran Bonesplitter to equip on fliers or Zealot il-Vec's so maybe I've developed a prejudice against him. Your Cave of Temptation looks good on a flier or Zealot il-Vec!
Speaking of Cave of Temptation, it's attractive as a way to add a finisher w/out sacrificing deck space. I will definitely test this in my mono white build. Thanks!
My Kabira Crossroads entering tapped doesn't hurt me too often. My only other 1 drop is Ramosian Sergeant so my 1st turn (and sometimes 3rd turn) plays are open. Life gain helps against burn/Kiln Fiend decks.
Your Orzhov Basilica enters tapped as well but I guess the payoff is when you run out of lands, you now have 1 extra mana (compared to my build.)
I haven't played vs Tron recently but Bojuka Bog gives you black mana while saving Relic of Progenitus SB slots. I admit the sorcery speed isn't optimal vs Tron's Ghostly Flicker or GB Fog's recursion tho.
4 Serendib Efreet
2 Atog
(16) Instants/Sorceries:
4 Balance
4 Chain Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Disenchant
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
(16) Artifacts:
4 The Rack
3 Library of Leng
3 Relic Barrier
1 Black Lotus
1 Candelabra of Tawnos
1 Chaos Orb
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Plateau
4 Tundra
4 Volcanic Island
2 City of Brass
4 Consecrate Land
4 Red Elemental Blast
2 Circle of Protection: Red
2 Sleight of Mind
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Disenchant
Casual = Unsanctioned. Historic = Legal Sets. EDH = 99 card singleton w/a commander. Sealed = Buy 1 sealed booster box and build sealed from it.
I chose War of the Spark for the uncommon planeswalkers.
(1) Commander: Roalesk, Apex Hybrid
(27) Creatures:
Arlinn's Wolf
Ashoik's Skulker
Aven Eternal
Bloom Hulk
Centaur Nurturer
Erratic Visionary
Eternal Skylord
Evolution Sage
Iron Bully
Kiora's Dambreaker
Kraul Stinger
Kronch Wrangler
Merfolk Skydiver
Paradise Druid (MVP)
Pollenbright Druid
Primodial Wurm
Prismite
Rescue Sphinx
Saheeli's Silverwing
Sky Theatre Strix
Snarespinner
Spark Double
Spellkeeper Weird
Thunder Drake
Thundering Ceratok
Vivien's Grizzly
Wardrobe Crocodile
(19) Spells:
Awakening of Vitu-Ghazi
Band Together
Callous Dismissal
Commence the Endgame
Contentious Plan
Courage In Crisis
Finale of Devastation
Flux Channeler
Forced Landing
God-Pharaoah's Statue
Kasmina's Transmutation
No Escape
Planewide Celebration (finisher)
Relentless Advance
Return to Nature
Stealth Mission
Storm the Citadel
Teferi's Time Twist
Totally Lost
(44) Lands:
20 Forest
20 Island
Emergence Zone
Gateway Plaza
Interplanar Beacon
Mobilized District
(9) Planeswalkers:
Arlinn, Voice of the Pack
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter
Karn, the Great Creator
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
Narset, Parter of Veils
Nissa, Who Shakes the World
Tamiyo, Collector of Tales
Ugin, the Ineffable
Both opponents discussed running 34 lands in their decks. I told them I ran 44. Here's why:
1. Normal sealed = 17 land/40 cards. +1 land (Commander = mana sink) so 18 land/40 cards = 44% land.
2. 44% of 100 cards = 44 lands.
3. 34 land/100 cards = 14 land/40 cards, in a top-heavy sealed deck...
As expected, both opponents stalled on 3 lands and couldn't cast their 5 mana commanders in time.
I say, "Planewide Celebration: Proliferate for 4, my 4 planeswalkers +4, x tokens +4..." Both concede.
4 Bonesplitter
4 Brainstorm
4 Gut Shot
4 Ponder
(16) 2 Drops:
4 Counterspell (credit to sbfinley)
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 Looter il-Kor
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Trinket Mage (fetches Seat of the Synod)
(4) 4 Drops:
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
(20) Lands:
6 Island
4 Ash Barrens
4 Tranquil Cove
2 Ancient Den
2 Plains
2 Seat of the Synod (Counterspell mana)
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Sylvok Lifestaff
3 Patrician's Scorn
2 Circle of Protection: Black
2 Circle of Protection: Red
12/30/20 Update: I decided to take sbfinley's advice about adding Counterspell.
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Bound in Silence
4 Defiant Falcon
4 Ramosian Lieutenant
4 Ramosian Sergeant
4 Zealot il-Vec
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
4 Gut Shot
4 Unmake
(24) Land
16 Plains
4 Bojuka Bog
4 Cave of Temptation (hard cast Gut Shot)
4 Patrician’s Scorn
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Venomous Changeling
3 Amrou Scout
12/30/20 Update: +4 Ramosian Sergeant, -4 Journey to Nowhere. I goldfished a few games and had more removal than Rebel Searchers! Also, the deck kinda falls apart w/no Rebel engine -_-; Lastly, I don't want excessive enchantment-based removal, since Bound in Silence may bring in enchantment hate already.
CounterRebels 1.1
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Bound in Silence
4 Defiant Falcon
4 Ramosian Lieutenant
4 Zealot il-Vec
(20) Non-Rebels:
4 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 Ponder
8 Island
4 Ash Barrens
4 Plains
4 Tranquil Cove
4 Gut Shot
4 Patrician's Scorn
4 Relic of Progenitus
3 Amrou Scout
12/30/20 Update: Gliders (Nightwind Glider, Thermal Glider) don't determine games. Black kills pro-black Nightwind Glider w/Nausea or various "Edicts." Red fears Aven Riftwatcher's 4 life more than Thermal Glider's pro-red. Therefore, more rebel searchers (Amrou Scouts) in the SB.
My old LGS had 3 seasons of something similar. First we ran Tempest sealed. I had UW control, notables being Tradewind Rider and Capsize. Season 2, Type 2 (standard) legal commons, uncommons and rares were assigned point values. I cut white and bought red cards, including Incinerate, Mogg Fanatic and Fireslinger in red. In Blue, I bought more Rootwater Hunter (8 total pingers!) Season 3, I went full-on RDW, buying Lava Hounds, Fireblast, Viashino Sandstalker, etc.
My competition didn't try to convert limited into constructed, like I did. It was glorious!
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/pauper/paper-pauper-and-peasant/811852-ug-dredge
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/pauper/paper-pauper-and-peasant/815531-cawblade
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/pauper/paper-pauper-and-peasant/812854-mercs
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/pauper/paper-pauper-and-peasant/815366-gr-ld
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/pauper/paper-pauper-and-peasant/808934-monouninjas
Please check out my pauper brews. Feedback is appreciated. Thanks!
Many FNM players complain about the cost of competitive magic. Constructed takes a considerable investment in singles. Limited (esp sealed) has a hefty registration fee and the practice expense it takes to build skill adds up.
Enter paper. Singles are dirt cheap and there's no long term practice fees. In theory, this affordable format should appeal to everyone! But in reality, expense of cards is just an excuse. People want to win easily. That's why we net deck - it takes too much effort to brew. The problem w/net decking in pauper is - pauper isn't competitive among pros so you can't simply steal tier 1 lists... you have to put in some effort too.
I've seen so many ppl copy a competitive-looking list, lose and never return. It's like gamers feel entitled to success... even tho they realize (subconsciously) they've been taking short cuts the whole ride.
Pauper has been dying in my LGS since before lockdown. If it dies for good, so be it. I'm tired to listening to excuses and lies. You can afford it. You just have to work to win.
3 mana is a lot. Idk if it'll catch on.
As a red cantrip, I think it's quite good in limited. Boring but effective.
12 Forest
4 Inkmoth Nexus (2 swings ftw w/Batterskull.)
4 Swamp
4 Woodland Cemetery
(20) Creatures:
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Obstinate Baloth
4 Primeval Titan
4 Solemn Simulacrum*
3 Grave Titan
1 Glissa, the Traitor
4 Batterskull*
4 Go For The Throat
4 Green Sun’s Zenith
4 Thoughtseize
4 Nihil Spellbomb*
4 Ratchet Bomb*
4 Summoning Trap
2 Acidic Slime
1 Melira, Sylvok Outcast
*Artifacts for Glissa, the Traitor. I locked out a SpiritTokens deck in the finals w/Glissa + Ratchet Bomb.
My take on Orzhov Rebels:
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Bound in Silence
4 Defiant Falcon
4 Ramosian Lieutenant
4 Ramosian Sergeant
4 Venomous Changeling
4 Zealot il-Vec
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
4 Journey to Nowhere
(24) Lands:
16 Plains
4 Bojuka Bog
4 Cave of Temptation
4 Gut Shot
4 Patrician's Scorn
4 Unmake (vs Guardian of the Guildpact)
3 Relic of Progenitus
During Masques Block Constructed (MBC,) "Counter-Rebels" was a legit deck. Leaving counter spell mana open, then searching during their end step is powerful synergy.
That being said, Brainstorm and Ponder are auto-includes. Since the cantrips are 1 drops, adjustments must be made to favor blue mana. Ramosian Sergeant must be cut since you can't Brainstorm/Ponder AND Ramosian Sergeant on the first turn... doing so will destroy your mana consistency. And since we are now blue heavy, 4 copies of actual Counterspell seem a perfect fit.
My first draft:
8 Island
4 Ash Barrens (fix mana + shuffle)
4 Plains
4 Tranquil Cove
4 Brainstorm (4 cantrips = 2 land)
4 Ponder (4 cantrips = 2 land)
(20) Rebels:
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Bound in Silence
4 Defiant Falcon
4 Ramosian Lieutenant
4 Zealot il-Vec
4 Counterspell
4 Guardian of the Guildpact
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 Gut Shot
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Patriarch's Scorn
1 Amrou Scout
1 Nightwind Glider
1 Thermal Glider
Venomous Changeling is interesting. It's another "rebel" so there's definite potential.
I don't like Blightspeaker b/c he's the worst 2 mana searcher imo. Ramosian Lieutenant is #1 b/c 2 toughness survives Cuombajj Witches, Gut Shot and Nausea. Defiant Falcon is #2 b/c he flies... besides offense and defense, flying evades Swirling Sandstorm. Amrou Scout is #3 b/c you sometimes need an emergency blocker to fetch from Ramosian Sergeant to block 2 toughness attackers, like Ninja of the Deep Hours or Kiln Fiend.
Lastly we have Blightspeaker, ranked #4 b/c he is terrible on attacking AND blocking. He IS a finisher but I don't know if you need him. I will say that my earlier incarnations of this deck ran Bonesplitter to equip on fliers or Zealot il-Vec's so maybe I've developed a prejudice against him. Your Cave of Temptation looks good on a flier or Zealot il-Vec!
Speaking of Cave of Temptation, it's attractive as a way to add a finisher w/out sacrificing deck space. I will definitely test this in my mono white build. Thanks!
My Kabira Crossroads entering tapped doesn't hurt me too often. My only other 1 drop is Ramosian Sergeant so my 1st turn (and sometimes 3rd turn) plays are open. Life gain helps against burn/Kiln Fiend decks.
Your Orzhov Basilica enters tapped as well but I guess the payoff is when you run out of lands, you now have 1 extra mana (compared to my build.)
I haven't played vs Tron recently but Bojuka Bog gives you black mana while saving Relic of Progenitus SB slots. I admit the sorcery speed isn't optimal vs Tron's Ghostly Flicker or GB Fog's recursion tho.
4 Deep Analysis
4 Looter il-Kor
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Rune Snag
(16) G spells:
4 Hooting Mandrills
4 Moldervine Cloak (credit to Darkninja107)
4 Werebear
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Gut Shot
(20) Lands:
8 Island
4 Ash Barrens
4 Forest
4 Thornwood Falls
4 Faerie Macabre (vs Tron: -4 Gut Shot.)
4 Feed the Clan (vs RDW: -4 Gut Shot.)
4 Reverent Silence (vs Boggles: -4 Gut Shot.)
3 Aerial Volley
Replace Looter il-Kor's "loot" w/Moldervine Cloak's dredge for maximum value.
Dredge synergies w/Deep Analysis (flashback), Hooting Mandrills (delve), Werebear (threshold) and Rune Snag.
12/29/20 Update: Realized Daze was banned, doh! Replaced by Rune Snag.