Can someone please help me with young Pyro in the SB. Do I just bring her in for the midrange/control matchup? If anyone has experience on what matchups in particular she shines that would be helpful. Thanks!
Besides midrange and control matchups as you mention, it's good against,
Go-wide strategies (I've turned many Humans games around with a YP that stuck around for a couple of turns)
Games where you're expecting graveyard hate (in place of Anglers)
Since when does GW Tron play Horizon Canopy? My last info was 3/1 on Razorverge Thicket/Brushland? Playing 4 lands that are basically worse painlands does not seem appealing to me.
I am aware that they can cycle away for a mana but we already have 8 eggs and 4 stirrings to find our threats...?
Tom Ross popularized Canopy some months ago, IIRC. I think it has its place as a 1- or 2-of in place of Brushland. The ability to cycle should not be underestimated - do we not play Relics main, knowing that we can cycle them in irrelevant matchups?
First of all, Flooded Strand does not fetch for Blood Crypt, which is not that problematic as you play 2 Steam Vents, but it can be a problem when you need BB for LtLH. Scalding Tarn is just better, but Strands are okay (budget I guess?).
Yeah, forgot to mention that. No Tarns for me, unfortunately It doesn't hurt too bad though.
I really don't like Devour Flesh, the card is really bad and is not a substitute for LotV at all. The card doesn't do anything against half the decks you listed and I wouldn't play it. Instead, I would go for 4 Serum Visions. I only play 1 Kommand in the main deck, because I find it kinda clunky and in your case it is not particularty good against most of the decks you regularly play against at FNM. That leaves you with 1 more flex slot, which could be TBR, Bolt or whatever floats your boat.
These are the cards I'm having the most trouble deciding, to be honest. Going down to 1 Kommand makes sense, and my choice of fun-of is TBR, which I'll probably do. As for Devour Flesh, I think I have to try and see what happens with at least a 1-of in the SB We'll see.
Stubborn Denial is really good against most of the decks you mentioned (especially burn, mill, storm etc.), and I would never leave the house without access to the full playset (in my case 2+2). The card is just too good. Hope that helps!
I know it's quite good, but a lot of times it just sits dead in your hand. 4 may be too much, but 3 makes a lot sense.
With the recent meta shift, I'm trying to fine-tune my list. Here's the Top 8 of a recent local tournament:
R/W/g Burn
Affinity
Eldrazi Tron
Bant Knightfall
Abzan
Titanshift
R/W/g Burn
Bant Eldrazi
Decks I regularly play against at FNM include:
Eldrazi Tron
Esper Mill
Storm
Burn
Goblin Aggro
Grixis DS
With this meta in mind, can I get some feedback on my list (especially my sideboard)? I don't have LotV, so I'm looking for a similar replacement in Devour Flesh. I have 2 main uses for it:
It removes creatures that have protection
It can bring you back from the brink against Burn and Storm
Yes, it's no LotV, but for these main uses, I think it gets the job done well (and it can be flashbacked with Snapcaster Mage).
Looks like claim fame is getting lukewarm results on here, Reddit and Facebook.
The issue is that the card is another added tool for the graveyard, which the meta is already hating out. Grixis needs to find different angles to attack from so that it isn't destroyed by only attacking on one axis.
I'm going to say something that may get laughed at into oblivion: what about Eternal Scourge? I think it may be a good sideboard tech against things like Mirran Crusader and Etched Champion, and also allows us to get some value out of Leyline of the Void and other graveyard hate. Worth trying as a 1-of, at least? It also beats non-revolted Fatal Push, so it's not as easy to remove as other options.
Bube, your sideboard looks as if you were trying to solve too many problems at once without really solving one.
If you are worried about Dredge, 3 Surgical Extractions and 2 or 3 Anger of the Gods will do much more for you than any combination of Nihil Spellbomb, Rakdos Charm or TBR. These last three cards are just mediocre against Dredge. Occasionally, they might save the day, but they won't do that with any consistency. And you need this consistency against Dredge because winning game one is very tough, so you probably need to win two games in a row. The Dredge player will often side in Thoughtseizes and Collective Brutalities against you, so catching them off-guard or casting TBR on a Death's Shadow of reasonable size will not be easy.
I don't think Dredge is currently worth that many sideboard slots, because it is usually only 5% of the field and other decks have an easier time hating it out. But if you want to have a reasonable chance to win against this deck, you need to have the right tools in your sideboard.
Thank you for the insight, first of all.
You may have missed it, but my main concern was my local meta filled with token and Eldrazi decks.
We're a small community, and we have 1 ocassional Dredge player. I was actually thinking of going 2 Spellbomb, 2 Anger, 1 Surgical for graveyard hate, but it was too much for an almost non-existent opponent. With the rise of go-wide decks, I was looking for a different solution. Can you comment with that in mind?
I've noticed a lot of people not playing a single Temur Battle Rage in their 75 lately, and I am 100% confident that this is the wrong approach for so many reasons (I think it has been thoroughly discussed).
After my previous post, I gave my sideboard another thought, and I've also come to the conclusion that I need TBR. Why try to clear the way when you can just push through? Here's my new sideboard:
I am also thinking of playing Rakdos Charm instead of Nihil Spellbomb. With only the 2 MB KCommand, I think I need more artifact hate. Plus, I think that Charm catches Dredge much more off-guard.
I played against the Goblin Aggro (loss), Boros Aggro/Burn (win), Bant Eldrazi (loss) and WUB Mill (win) decks. I was expecting hate, but not on a scale of "playset of Relic of Progenitus out of the sideboard from the Bant Eldrazi player".
Is this too hostile of a meta for us? I have no idea what to, honestly, and thinking if I should go back to my GW Tron deck.
My mainboard and "blind meta" sideboard are as follows. Any pointers?
Leyline of the Void, unlike RiP doesn't exile on ETB, so our yard will still be able to delve/snap back to some extent. If they tap out T4 to replay the Leyline we're most likely in a good spot to win. If not, they are so far ahead that whether or not they actually cast the Leyline will most likely be irrelevant.
Besides, they have to worry about both Stubborn Denial and Thoughtseize at that point, so you're able to fight it if you think it's worth it.
I agree with you on all of your points. With this in mind, I might actually consider playing Truth now (and not just for LotV).
But isn't Echoing Truth just a temporary solution? I mean, they can just cast it the next turn, can't they?
At most, it buys you 2-3 turns (until they get the lands to hard cast it). To be fair, 2-3 turns is nice, but it's a best case scenario (casting Truth on T2).
Now that Grixis Shadow is firmly on the map, I think it's time to start thinking about defending against dedicated hate.
It seems Leyline of the Void (and other graveyard hate pieces) will see a bit more play, seeing as how it really changes how the deck plays, and we're really helpless against enchantments.
Rizzi had a really solid plan going early beatdown with Snapcasters after a T0 Leyline (in the semifinals, I think), but he got a bit lucky with very early pressure, IMO.
It may be a good time to discuss strategies against specific hate cards.
Hey all! I've been a follower of this thread from the start, but it's my first post here. Thank you for all the valuable help!
I'd just like to start a discussion on enchantment removal. Some are quite tough to play around (like a Leyline of Sanctity on T0), or Intangible Virtue which a local player has in their tokens deck.
Do we need enchantment removal? And what would our best options be?
Besides midrange and control matchups as you mention, it's good against,
Tom Ross popularized Canopy some months ago, IIRC. I think it has its place as a 1- or 2-of in place of Brushland. The ability to cycle should not be underestimated - do we not play Relics main, knowing that we can cycle them in irrelevant matchups?
Yeah, forgot to mention that. No Tarns for me, unfortunately It doesn't hurt too bad though.
These are the cards I'm having the most trouble deciding, to be honest. Going down to 1 Kommand makes sense, and my choice of fun-of is TBR, which I'll probably do. As for Devour Flesh, I think I have to try and see what happens with at least a 1-of in the SB We'll see.
I know it's quite good, but a lot of times it just sits dead in your hand. 4 may be too much, but 3 makes a lot sense.
With this meta in mind, can I get some feedback on my list (especially my sideboard)? I don't have LotV, so I'm looking for a similar replacement in Devour Flesh. I have 2 main uses for it:
Would love any and all opinions. Thanks!
1 Blood Crypt
2 Watery Grave
2 Steam Vents
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Swamp
Sorcery
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Serum Visions
4 Thoughtseize
4 Fatal Push
2 Kolaghan's Command
2 Stubborn Denial
4 Thought Scour
2 Terminate
2 Opt
1 Devour Flesh
Creature
4 Death's Shadow
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Street Wraith
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2 Gurmag Angler
1 Engineered Explosives
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Disdainful Stroke
1 Lilana, the Last Hope
2 Kozilek's Return
2 Collective Brutality
1 Dreadbore
1 By Force
1 Devour Flesh
1 Izzet Staticaster
I'm going to say something that may get laughed at into oblivion: what about Eternal Scourge? I think it may be a good sideboard tech against things like Mirran Crusader and Etched Champion, and also allows us to get some value out of Leyline of the Void and other graveyard hate. Worth trying as a 1-of, at least? It also beats non-revolted Fatal Push, so it's not as easy to remove as other options.
Thank you for the insight, first of all.
You may have missed it, but my main concern was my local meta filled with token and Eldrazi decks.
We're a small community, and we have 1 ocassional Dredge player. I was actually thinking of going 2 Spellbomb, 2 Anger, 1 Surgical for graveyard hate, but it was too much for an almost non-existent opponent. With the rise of go-wide decks, I was looking for a different solution. Can you comment with that in mind?
Thank you!
After my previous post, I gave my sideboard another thought, and I've also come to the conclusion that I need TBR. Why try to clear the way when you can just push through? Here's my new sideboard:
2 Collective Brutality
2 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Stubborn Denial
2 Liliana, the Last Hope
2 Temur Battle Rage
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Echoing Truth
1 Terminate
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Nihil Spellbomb
I am also thinking of playing Rakdos Charm instead of Nihil Spellbomb. With only the 2 MB KCommand, I think I need more artifact hate. Plus, I think that Charm catches Dredge much more off-guard.
We were 12 players, and from what I was able to see, we had the following decks:
Is this too hostile of a meta for us? I have no idea what to, honestly, and thinking if I should go back to my GW Tron deck.
My mainboard and "blind meta" sideboard are as follows. Any pointers?
2 Blood Crypt
1 Steam Vents
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Swamp
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Serum Visions
4 Thoughtseize
2 Kolaghan's Command
2 Lightning Bolt
2 Stubborn Denial
4 Thought Scour
2 Terminate
4 Death's Shadow
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Street Wraith
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2 Gurmag Angler
2 Collective Brutality
2 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Stubborn Denial
1 Kozilek's Return
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Terminate
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Kolaghan's Command
1 Echoing Truth
I agree with you on all of your points. With this in mind, I might actually consider playing Truth now (and not just for LotV).
At most, it buys you 2-3 turns (until they get the lands to hard cast it). To be fair, 2-3 turns is nice, but it's a best case scenario (casting Truth on T2).
It seems Leyline of the Void (and other graveyard hate pieces) will see a bit more play, seeing as how it really changes how the deck plays, and we're really helpless against enchantments.
Rizzi had a really solid plan going early beatdown with Snapcasters after a T0 Leyline (in the semifinals, I think), but he got a bit lucky with very early pressure, IMO.
It may be a good time to discuss strategies against specific hate cards.
I'd just like to start a discussion on enchantment removal. Some are quite tough to play around (like a Leyline of Sanctity on T0), or Intangible Virtue which a local player has in their tokens deck.
Do we need enchantment removal? And what would our best options be?