Diabolic Tutor was already legal before that card was printed, and there's no reason to go into the sideboard in most games for this deck. The tutor costs too much and does too little.
Was going to play with a similar build this weekend, but I'll wait until next week when the unbanning goes live.
I don't think more than 2 JTMS are necessary, nor are they safe to play. The main objective of the deck is to draw into the combo, protect the combo, burn the opponent out, or to ultimate Jace. Playing more than 2 Jaces will clog up our hand, and will likely sit there until it is safe to play him. Because we play Blood Moon, there is a real chance that we can get Brainstorm-locked, but I've had no problem with slamming him with Cryptic Command backup and to just start Fatesealing (me or my opponent, depending on the circumstances).
EDIT: It's also worth noting that curving Blood Moon into JTMS is pretty degenerate, but it doesn't always win the game.
I am still playing the list, but have not yet tweaked it. In all honesty I've played very little Standard. Looking forward to seeing some new brews however! I think the inclusion of red may very well be the way to go, but I've not toyed with it enough.
If we copied the Grixis Energy (give or take) land base, then it would work. I like the idea of recurring Glorybringers, having access to red removal, and we could even have a transformative sideboard into regular Grixis Energy for postboard games.
This is worth brewing, so I'll update with a list later.
I haven't had much time to play Standard since I've been preparing for Modern at GP Kyoto next month.
However, this deck would still be my deck of choice for any FNM or Standard Showdown. I really like the version of the deck that plays with GPG, but can also just combo-win through stalled board states.
My most recent list posted above should be easily tweaked to combat the post-RIX meta, and could do without a lot of the cuteness (ie. Liliana, Metalwork Colossus, Hostage Taker). I still really like the Razaketh engine, as that is the ultimate in cheese-factor for the deck, but you could also do without him, as well.
This thread has been dead for 2 weeks, but hopefully this week I can actually attend an FNM! I've been incredibly busy as of late, but I have some new brews that I'll post soon.
The way this deck wants to do it is to Reanimate Razaketh, the Foulblooded and Mari, Fabricate 3 Servos into play, and either go digging for backup combo pieces in case of disruption/removal, or you can just go for the kill. Raza sacs the 3 Servos, pinging our opponent for 12, then you search up at least 2 Walking Ballista to play for X=0 for 8 more damage. If your opponent is threatening to remove either combo piece, just tutor up more combo pieces or ways to out-value your opponent for the rest of the game. 6 life may seem like a lot, but you're not dead until you're dead and Gifted Aetherborn can help to mitigate a lot of the life-loss over the course of a game. Metalwork Colossus can be a backup kill if you're not willing to pay the life, or if Raza has been exiled somehow. By sacrificing the 3 servos and the GPG, you ping your opponent for 16 damage.
The deck was piloted by James Buckingham to a 10th place finish at a SCG Team Constructed Open. I don't know if that discredits the decks viability in any way, as there's a possibility he was carried by his teammates, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt, because it looks pretty sweet!
I don't understand Hope of Ghirapur. You attack with it, then sacrifice it. They can't cast non-creature spells on their turn. Then it's your turn.
You make GPG. They cast Cast Out because Hope's effect ended.
And you can't effectively sac Hope before combat because you haven't dealt damage to enable the effect. So how and when is this card useful?
This was my exact train of thought as I was continuously boarding it out before I saw the strength of the card. It's another easy creature that can be put into your graveyard at any time, can effectively loot with Gate to the Afterlife, and can insulate us from troublesome planeswalkers and Approach. However, it won't protect us from everything, but neither does anything else in the deck.
What made the card excellent in my eyes was that it narrows the window in which our opponent can resolve threats AND still stop our gameplan. For example, we ping with HoG and sac it while we have Gate to the Afterlife on the field. Our opponent has an okay amount of mana but has to choose between resolving this turn's threat or keeping Abrade mana up. If they resolve the threat, we pop Gate. If they don't, we effectively had cast Time Walk and can further dig through our deck to find more threats and more Gates.
A lot of this is pretty narrow, though. And we are essentially forcing the opponent to have the answer, but that's how combo works. We could fix up the list to be safer by using Travis Woo's PT XLN list as a template.
Thanks for the great update! A really thorough tourney report, which is spread across different match-ups, really helps to visualise the events.
You boarded out WB in most of the match-ups, so i was wondering if there is a call to replace it entirely within this deck?
If so, what would you want to replace it with?
Is Metalspinner's Puzzleknot valid? It helps to stay on curve and get early draw - but you do lose out on creature count?
Do you ever suffer (i assume not, given the results you posted) from a lack of hard removal (FP as an example?)
I don't know if I could take the ballistas out completely, as they are far too versatile to no be at least 3x. They're not a great target for GPG, but you can cast them with CMC = 0 to get a free creature in your yard for surprise Gate to the Afterlife pops, and are excellent against Mono Black Aggro, Tokens, and Vampires. I don't think they're very good against Ramanup Red, I'd like to hear others' opinions on this.
I don't think Metalspinner's Puzzleknot is the direction that the GPG version wants to go in, but if you were to tune up the Conley Wood's list with it, it could probably work.
I didn't miss Fatal Push for a second, but I didn't play against Ramanup Red, so I can't be sure. I will do further testing this weekend!
Sorry that this tournament report is a day late, but real life beckoned. Anyways, I sleeved up a modified version of the UB Marionette Gift list that was featured on CFB and was created by RogueDeckBuilder. The tournament had 24 players, and was the last event to happen before the local PPTQ Richmond the next day. So the turnout was quite spike-y.
I felt like the change to the sideboard was good because Scrapheap Scrounger felt kind of out of place. However, in the mainboard, I changed +1 The Scarab God -1 Hope of Ghirapur. That was a mistake. Hope of Ghirapur was excellent everytime I drew it, as almost every deck in the format has a way to stop our God Pharaoh's Gift before we can make it to combat. So making their removal/answer useless for a turn (and then for another turn after that, as you will see) is what I believe makes this deck one of the more resilient builds of GPG. But, y'know, TSG is TSG so maybe I could cut a Walking Ballista for it. I like having a more resilient game if the GPG plan doesn't work out, and TSG is effectively another GPG that costs more. Speaking of archetypes, I should probably update the primer again...
So it was 4 rounds of Swiss and a Top 4 (because Japan):
Round 1 - Temur Energy
Game 1 - My opponent leads with Attune. I follow with Minister. He follows with Harnessed Lightning on my Minister. Minister doing work! I proceeded to fill up my yard with Chart a Course, Champion of Wits, and Strategic Planning shenanigans, then popped the Turn 5 GPG into Trophy Mage (getting another Gate) while staring down a Whirler and Hydra. My opponent didn't have Glorybringer so we went to Game 2.
Sideboard - -4 Walking Ballista, -1 Hope of Ghirapur (MISTAKE!!!), +2 Bontu's Last Reckoning, +2 Hostage Taker, +1 River's Rebuke
I really like Hostage Taker and River's Rebuke in this matchup. If the Confiscation Coups aren't already mainboard, then they're definitely coming in shortly after!
Game 2 - I mull to 6 (This was happening more than I was comfortable with throughout the day. Is 20 lands enough? With as much as we cantrip and basically Brainstorm/Fetch away the parts of our hands we don't like, could we go up to 21? The deck functioned amazingly when I did have lands, so I don't know. More testing is needed.)
Anyways, Opp. leads with Attune, again. I don't have a play, and he follows with Servant of the Conduit. These Temur curves are really scary. I Strategic planning a GPG into the GY and a Bontu's into my hand. Opponent runs out the Hydra, and I'm grateful it wasn't a Chandra! I develop a Champion to mold my hand even more, but it still seems we're a ways off from GPG, and I had opened myself to Deathgorge. My opponent drops the Glorybringer and exerts. I follow up with Bontu's and a HoG. HoG was definitely MVP! As my opponent develops a bit more with Rogue, he has yet to cast 1 unknown card in hand. My money is on Abrade... I hand him the HoG beats, sac to lock him down, pop Gate into GPG, eternalize a Marionette and make the servos. The opponent tanks but I don't have the combo kill. So next turn, I GPG the HoG and lock him down for another turn. Opponent tanks again, and I chart a course into the Metalwork Colossus to seal the deal. HoG. Record: 1-0
Round 2 - Grixis Pirates
This deck can be a contender in a world of BW Vampires, Mono Black Aggro, and Mardu Vehicles, but I think Opp. was trying to be a little too cute with card choices: Deadeye Plunderers?
Game 1 - I'm on the play, but I mull to 6 again. Did not feel too good. My hand was filled with cantrips but no early creatures, and my opponent eventually ran over me without knowing exactly what I was doing. Better than nothing, right?
Game 2 - Goes much better, and I actually pulled off the turn 5 kill. Opp. turn 1 Duresses me, but my hand is just lands, Champion, Trophy Mage, Filigree, and GPG. So I have a GPG in my GY now. I draw cantrips early, completely ignore my opponents attacks, develop a Gate on turn 4, and pop it on turn 5. I return Marionette Master and Fabricate the 3 servos. I swing with my new 4/4 and Opp. doesn't block. "Okay, you die." I had Colossus in the yard, and I explained that Sac'ing the artifacts is the only cost for it's ability. Many games would go exactly like this one.
Game 3 - My opponent doesn't lead on Duress, and actually sits around until turn 3. I turn 1'd Minister into turn 2 Crane, finding a HoG. My opponent casts Admiral Beckett Brass and gives me some beats, but I'm more than happy to chump with Crane. I cast HoG and get a Gate down while Minister is still filling up the yard. My opponent doesn't seem too flustered, so I'm guessing he has the Abrade. Oh well, I give him the HoG beats, sac it, Opp. responds with Abrading Gate, I pop Gate. And I took the Round shortly after. Record: 2-0
Around this point, I've realized how ridiculous HoG is and I've boarded out the WBs every game. Whoops.
Round 3 - Sultai Energy
Yay! A matchup that doesn't have me playing around Abrade! This match is a bit of a blur because I just slammed stuff down without fear, so we finished quite quickly.
Game 1 - I'm on the play and get a Minister down. He is then Fatal Pushed. Minister doing work! My opponent has Longtusk Cub, and I Crane for a Gate. I don't believe Sultai runs any mainboard Artifact hate, so I just develop the Gate the next turn and begin looting. I think my opponent was able to get a Constrictor down with a WB, but it was far too late by then. Marionette plus Colossus cleaned up far too quickly.
Sideboard - +2 Bontu's, +1 Search for Azcanta, +1 River's Rebuke, -2 HoG, -1 Marionette, -1 WB
My Sideboarding was VERY loose for this tourney, but my mainboard was jacked up, so there's not much I could do about it, I think. We don't bring in Hostage Takers here because of Blossoming Defense, and we can rely on boardwipes and speed to make sure our stuff can stick through it. Appetite for the unnatural is a card, but we only really need to worry about Deathgorge Scavenger.
Game 2 - Opp. leads with Attune. I turn 2 SP, and put Marionette and Colossus into the yard. The look on Opp.'s face was priceless. He Contrictors into Rishkar, but I'm able to chump with Champion and Trophy mage until I cast the Bontu's. Opp. runs out Siphoner, I cast WB and ping it. Opp. doesn't do anything for a while, and I can set up for the combo kill. This matchup felt amazing. Record - 3-0
Round 4 - ID.
I went to the nearby 7/11 to get some dinner. If you've never been to a convenience store in Japan, you're truly missing out! They have everything, from snacks and full-fledged meals to stationary, clothes, and pornography! I love this country. 3-0-1
Top 4 - 1st Seed against Esper Approach
I love how diverse the local meta has become, and I played against a different deck all night, so I wasn't anywhere near bored (which is weird for me concerning past Standard formats; cough Jund cough)
Game 1 - I get the play, and Opp. mulls to 5. Boy, did this game go by fast! My opponent used Supreme Will to Impulse, didn't find Glimmer of Genius, I set up the combo kill and he didn't have Settle the Wreckage. On to Sideboarding!
Sideboard - -4 WB, -1 Master, -1 Minister, -1 Crane, +2 Negate, +2 Blood Fast, +2 Lost Legacy, +1 Azcanta.
If my opponent went on the cat plan, this SB is pretty bad. Even worse against GotT, in my opinion, but it ended up doing fine.
Game 2 - Opp. and I pass. Instead of keeping up Censor, he plays a tap land. I take advantage and slam Arguel's blood fast. Easily the best card in my deck in this matchup. Opp. and me just sit across from each other while I draw copious amounts of cards and discard creatures into the yard on my cleanup. I finally draw TSG for once today, and am trying to find a good time to drop him (But never do...). I try to develop Gate, gets countered. I try again with Negate back up and it resolves. Opp. still has many cards, so I'm guessing win-cons, board-wipes, and Cast Out. Again, I just mold my hand until my Opp. messes up because Blood Fast is a busted card. I guess my Opp. realized he didn't have a clock, so he goes for Approach on 9 mana with Censor or Negate back up. Great, I play another Gate, Opp. tries to Negate, I negate back, pop both Gates for 2 GPGs, double Marionette swing, and Colossus ping for the win into Finals! Record - 4-0-1
Finals Against Esper GPG
My Opp. beat UW GPG in Round 2 or 3, and just beat Ramanup Red to make it to the Finals. I don't know if variance was a huge factor in how our match played out, but I felt pretty bad for Opp. afterward.
Game 1 - I get the play, Opp. mulls to 5... Yaaaaay No one would be happy after mulling to 5 in the Finals, but Opp. was especially unhappy. I do the basic curve of Minister, into SP, into Champ. I'm trying not to show too much unless I have to, which ultimately pays off because Opp. never found land 3 and scoops it up to go to Game 2.
Game 2 - We both keep 7. Opp. plays land, I play Minister, Minister eats Fatal Push (wooooo). Opp. plays turn 3 Champ, I play Gate. Opp. gets the most s**t-eating grin on his face as he casts Hostage Taker, taking my Gate hostage. I bounce back with my own Hostage Taker. Suddenly, Opp.'s grin is gone, and he desperately tries to explore for an on his next turn, but doesn't find any. I cast his hostage taker taking his champion, which is then cast the following turn, and I keep up Negate for the rest of the game while I GPG for the win. Record - 5-0-1
I went home with a box of Iconic Masters and didn't open a single mythic from it! It's almost poetic...
Anyways, the deck ran hot the entire tournament, and I will be taking this to the next PPTQ or Grand Prix in my area.
I'm going back to the original mainboard, but I feel like I wanted the third Negate in the sideboard, so I'll -1 Lost Legacy for now.
I played the UB GPG list posted last week with alterations to the mainboard and sideboard at a decently-attended Standard tourney for my area (23 players, but our LGS Owner also played so that there wouldn't be any byes). I will post the tournament report tomorrow. Spoiler alert: I went undefeated and won through Top 4. I hope others are having as good of results as I did!
I guess you don't remember my post about it. But Kevin (rogue deckbuilder) the creator of this version actually has gone 5-0 on mtgo competitive leagues. So it's got a shot. I just still feel like it still needs a good tweak before it becomes a true threat. Being able to do the metalworker colossus sac ability and they can do nothing in respond because it's a part of the activation cost, is so dirty with marionette master!
I just looked back through the posts and found that you posted a link to Kevin's Youtube. I was wondering why I had never seen the decklist, but I know you posted about it. Sorry about that!
The interactions in the list are what make it great for me. I was a big fan of the Esper Conley Woods build because of all of the little interactions that could net you insane amounts of value over the course of a game, but this list can just downright win. Definitely worth sleeving up for this weekend!
I'll do a tournament report after the events, of course!
I dont typically use the "loses to X" argument but this deck actually does just lose to abrade and with pretty much every top deck outside of approach (and some approach do) playing red i think that is relevent. 2 win cons. That die to the same card feels pretty fragile. And not having refurbish to cheat in gift makes it worse that typical gift decks
I would agree with this if there weren't so many ways to play around Abrade, and to rebuild after being Abrade'd. Trophy Mage and Glint-nest Crane cushion us if we happen to get screwed by our opponent having the Abrade or X amount of variance. Second, Hope of Ghirapur should insulate most of the hate for at least a couple of turns while we set up for either GPG or a Marionette combo.
I've yet to test it, but, on paper, it looks relatively strong even against Abrade.
The numbers for creatures and removal probably need real fixing.
4x Gifted Aetherborn
3x Kitesail Freebooter
3x Marionette Master
1x Metalwork Colossus
2x Ravenous Chupacabra
4x Walking Ballista
2x Moment of Craving
4x Aether Hub
3x Dragonskull Summit
4x Drowned Catacomb
2x Fetid Pools
4x Island
7x Swamp
3x Strategic Planning
4x Gate to the Afterlife
2x God-Pharaoh's Gift
4x Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
2x Glorybringer
2x Harnessed Lightning
3x Rekindling Phoenix
2x The Scarab God
Diabolic Tutor was already legal before that card was printed, and there's no reason to go into the sideboard in most games for this deck. The tutor costs too much and does too little.
I don't think more than 2 JTMS are necessary, nor are they safe to play. The main objective of the deck is to draw into the combo, protect the combo, burn the opponent out, or to ultimate Jace. Playing more than 2 Jaces will clog up our hand, and will likely sit there until it is safe to play him. Because we play Blood Moon, there is a real chance that we can get Brainstorm-locked, but I've had no problem with slamming him with Cryptic Command backup and to just start Fatesealing (me or my opponent, depending on the circumstances).
EDIT: It's also worth noting that curving Blood Moon into JTMS is pretty degenerate, but it doesn't always win the game.
3x Flooded Strand
6x Island
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Mountain
2x Polluted Delta
4x Scalding Tarn
2x Steam Vents
2x Sulfur Falls
4x Serum Visions
2x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3x Cryptic Command
1x Electrolyze
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Opt
4x Remand
1x Spell Snare
4x Through the Breach
4x Snapcaster Mage
1x Vendilion Clique
3x Blood Moon
2x Anger of the Gods
1x Disdainful Stroke
2x Dispel
1x Entrancing Melody
1x Izzet Staticaster
3x Madcap Experiment
2x Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2x Platinum Emperion
If we copied the Grixis Energy (give or take) land base, then it would work. I like the idea of recurring Glorybringers, having access to red removal, and we could even have a transformative sideboard into regular Grixis Energy for postboard games.
This is worth brewing, so I'll update with a list later.
However, this deck would still be my deck of choice for any FNM or Standard Showdown. I really like the version of the deck that plays with GPG, but can also just combo-win through stalled board states.
My most recent list posted above should be easily tweaked to combat the post-RIX meta, and could do without a lot of the cuteness (ie. Liliana, Metalwork Colossus, Hostage Taker). I still really like the Razaketh engine, as that is the ultimate in cheese-factor for the deck, but you could also do without him, as well.
4x Gifted Aetherborn
4x Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
2x Hostage Taker
3x Kitesail Freebooter
3x Marionette Master
1x Metalwork Colossus
1x Razaketh, the Foulblooded
1x The Scarab God
3x Walking Ballista
4x Aether Hub
4x Drowned Catacomb
2x Ipnu Rivulet
2x Island
8x Swamp
3x Strategic Planning
4x Gate to the Afterlife
2x God-Pharaoh's Gift
1x Liliana, Death's Majesty
2x Fatal Push
1x Gonti, Lord of Luxury
1x Liliana, Death's Majesty
1x Lost Legacy
3x Negate
2x Noxious Gearhulk
1x Spell Swindle
2x Vraska's Contempt
The way this deck wants to do it is to Reanimate Razaketh, the Foulblooded and Mari, Fabricate 3 Servos into play, and either go digging for backup combo pieces in case of disruption/removal, or you can just go for the kill. Raza sacs the 3 Servos, pinging our opponent for 12, then you search up at least 2 Walking Ballista to play for X=0 for 8 more damage. If your opponent is threatening to remove either combo piece, just tutor up more combo pieces or ways to out-value your opponent for the rest of the game. 6 life may seem like a lot, but you're not dead until you're dead and Gifted Aetherborn can help to mitigate a lot of the life-loss over the course of a game. Metalwork Colossus can be a backup kill if you're not willing to pay the life, or if Raza has been exiled somehow. By sacrificing the 3 servos and the GPG, you ping your opponent for 16 damage.
Would you mind posting your list?
As a matter of fact, this was posted recently by SCG: http://www.starcitygames.com/article/36228_Video-Four-Color-Marionette-In-Standard.html
The deck was piloted by James Buckingham to a 10th place finish at a SCG Team Constructed Open. I don't know if that discredits the decks viability in any way, as there's a possibility he was carried by his teammates, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt, because it looks pretty sweet!
3 Marionette Master
4 Maverick Thopterist
3 Captain Lannery Storm
2 Pia Nalaar
3 Tezzeret the Schemer
1 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
2 Swamp
4 Aether Hub
1 Canyon Slough
3 Concealed Courtyard
1 Drowned Catacomb
3 Evolving Wilds
1 Fetid Pools
3 Spire of Industry
2 Spirebluff Canal
4 Treasure Map
4 Hidden Stockpile
2 Abrade
4 Fatal Push
2 Crook of Condemnation
2 Sunscourge Champion
2 Vizier of Many Faces
1 Abrade
2 Magma Spray
2 Negate
2 Vraska's Contempt
2 Duress
This was my exact train of thought as I was continuously boarding it out before I saw the strength of the card. It's another easy creature that can be put into your graveyard at any time, can effectively loot with Gate to the Afterlife, and can insulate us from troublesome planeswalkers and Approach. However, it won't protect us from everything, but neither does anything else in the deck.
What made the card excellent in my eyes was that it narrows the window in which our opponent can resolve threats AND still stop our gameplan. For example, we ping with HoG and sac it while we have Gate to the Afterlife on the field. Our opponent has an okay amount of mana but has to choose between resolving this turn's threat or keeping Abrade mana up. If they resolve the threat, we pop Gate. If they don't, we effectively had cast Time Walk and can further dig through our deck to find more threats and more Gates.
A lot of this is pretty narrow, though. And we are essentially forcing the opponent to have the answer, but that's how combo works. We could fix up the list to be safer by using Travis Woo's PT XLN list as a template.
I don't know if I could take the ballistas out completely, as they are far too versatile to no be at least 3x. They're not a great target for GPG, but you can cast them with CMC = 0 to get a free creature in your yard for surprise Gate to the Afterlife pops, and are excellent against Mono Black Aggro, Tokens, and Vampires. I don't think they're very good against Ramanup Red, I'd like to hear others' opinions on this.
I don't think Metalspinner's Puzzleknot is the direction that the GPG version wants to go in, but if you were to tune up the Conley Wood's list with it, it could probably work.
I didn't miss Fatal Push for a second, but I didn't play against Ramanup Red, so I can't be sure. I will do further testing this weekend!
Here is the list I played:
4x Glint-Nest Crane
2x Hope of Ghirapur
4x Marionette Master
2x Metalwork Colossus
4x Minister of Inquiries
2x Trophy Mage
4x Walking Ballista
1x The Scarab God
4x Aether Hub
4x Drowned Catacomb
3x Ipnu Rivulet
6x Island
3x Swamp
3x Strategic Planning
4x Gate to the Afterlife
2x God-Pharaoh's Gift
2x Bontu's Last Reckoning
3x Filigree Familiar
2x Hostage Taker
2x Lost Legacy
2x Negate
1x River's Rebuke
1x Search for Azcanta
I felt like the change to the sideboard was good because Scrapheap Scrounger felt kind of out of place. However, in the mainboard, I changed +1 The Scarab God -1 Hope of Ghirapur. That was a mistake. Hope of Ghirapur was excellent everytime I drew it, as almost every deck in the format has a way to stop our God Pharaoh's Gift before we can make it to combat. So making their removal/answer useless for a turn (and then for another turn after that, as you will see) is what I believe makes this deck one of the more resilient builds of GPG. But, y'know, TSG is TSG so maybe I could cut a Walking Ballista for it. I like having a more resilient game if the GPG plan doesn't work out, and TSG is effectively another GPG that costs more. Speaking of archetypes, I should probably update the primer again...
So it was 4 rounds of Swiss and a Top 4 (because Japan):
Round 1 - Temur Energy
Game 1 - My opponent leads with Attune. I follow with Minister. He follows with Harnessed Lightning on my Minister. Minister doing work! I proceeded to fill up my yard with Chart a Course, Champion of Wits, and Strategic Planning shenanigans, then popped the Turn 5 GPG into Trophy Mage (getting another Gate) while staring down a Whirler and Hydra. My opponent didn't have Glorybringer so we went to Game 2.
Sideboard - -4 Walking Ballista, -1 Hope of Ghirapur (MISTAKE!!!), +2 Bontu's Last Reckoning, +2 Hostage Taker, +1 River's Rebuke
I really like Hostage Taker and River's Rebuke in this matchup. If the Confiscation Coups aren't already mainboard, then they're definitely coming in shortly after!
Game 2 - I mull to 6 (This was happening more than I was comfortable with throughout the day. Is 20 lands enough? With as much as we cantrip and basically Brainstorm/Fetch away the parts of our hands we don't like, could we go up to 21? The deck functioned amazingly when I did have lands, so I don't know. More testing is needed.)
Anyways, Opp. leads with Attune, again. I don't have a play, and he follows with Servant of the Conduit. These Temur curves are really scary. I Strategic planning a GPG into the GY and a Bontu's into my hand. Opponent runs out the Hydra, and I'm grateful it wasn't a Chandra! I develop a Champion to mold my hand even more, but it still seems we're a ways off from GPG, and I had opened myself to Deathgorge. My opponent drops the Glorybringer and exerts. I follow up with Bontu's and a HoG. HoG was definitely MVP! As my opponent develops a bit more with Rogue, he has yet to cast 1 unknown card in hand. My money is on Abrade... I hand him the HoG beats, sac to lock him down, pop Gate into GPG, eternalize a Marionette and make the servos. The opponent tanks but I don't have the combo kill. So next turn, I GPG the HoG and lock him down for another turn. Opponent tanks again, and I chart a course into the Metalwork Colossus to seal the deal. HoG. Record: 1-0
Round 2 - Grixis Pirates
This deck can be a contender in a world of BW Vampires, Mono Black Aggro, and Mardu Vehicles, but I think Opp. was trying to be a little too cute with card choices: Deadeye Plunderers?
Game 1 - I'm on the play, but I mull to 6 again. Did not feel too good. My hand was filled with cantrips but no early creatures, and my opponent eventually ran over me without knowing exactly what I was doing. Better than nothing, right?
Sideboard - -4 WB, -1 TSG, +2 Bontu's, +3 Filigree Familiar
Game 2 - Goes much better, and I actually pulled off the turn 5 kill. Opp. turn 1 Duresses me, but my hand is just lands, Champion, Trophy Mage, Filigree, and GPG. So I have a GPG in my GY now. I draw cantrips early, completely ignore my opponents attacks, develop a Gate on turn 4, and pop it on turn 5. I return Marionette Master and Fabricate the 3 servos. I swing with my new 4/4 and Opp. doesn't block. "Okay, you die." I had Colossus in the yard, and I explained that Sac'ing the artifacts is the only cost for it's ability. Many games would go exactly like this one.
Game 3 - My opponent doesn't lead on Duress, and actually sits around until turn 3. I turn 1'd Minister into turn 2 Crane, finding a HoG. My opponent casts Admiral Beckett Brass and gives me some beats, but I'm more than happy to chump with Crane. I cast HoG and get a Gate down while Minister is still filling up the yard. My opponent doesn't seem too flustered, so I'm guessing he has the Abrade. Oh well, I give him the HoG beats, sac it, Opp. responds with Abrading Gate, I pop Gate. And I took the Round shortly after. Record: 2-0
Around this point, I've realized how ridiculous HoG is and I've boarded out the WBs every game. Whoops.
Round 3 - Sultai Energy
Yay! A matchup that doesn't have me playing around Abrade! This match is a bit of a blur because I just slammed stuff down without fear, so we finished quite quickly.
Game 1 - I'm on the play and get a Minister down. He is then Fatal Pushed. Minister doing work! My opponent has Longtusk Cub, and I Crane for a Gate. I don't believe Sultai runs any mainboard Artifact hate, so I just develop the Gate the next turn and begin looting. I think my opponent was able to get a Constrictor down with a WB, but it was far too late by then. Marionette plus Colossus cleaned up far too quickly.
Sideboard - +2 Bontu's, +1 Search for Azcanta, +1 River's Rebuke, -2 HoG, -1 Marionette, -1 WB
My Sideboarding was VERY loose for this tourney, but my mainboard was jacked up, so there's not much I could do about it, I think. We don't bring in Hostage Takers here because of Blossoming Defense, and we can rely on boardwipes and speed to make sure our stuff can stick through it. Appetite for the unnatural is a card, but we only really need to worry about Deathgorge Scavenger.
Game 2 - Opp. leads with Attune. I turn 2 SP, and put Marionette and Colossus into the yard. The look on Opp.'s face was priceless. He Contrictors into Rishkar, but I'm able to chump with Champion and Trophy mage until I cast the Bontu's. Opp. runs out Siphoner, I cast WB and ping it. Opp. doesn't do anything for a while, and I can set up for the combo kill. This matchup felt amazing. Record - 3-0
Round 4 - ID.
I went to the nearby 7/11 to get some dinner. If you've never been to a convenience store in Japan, you're truly missing out! They have everything, from snacks and full-fledged meals to stationary, clothes, and pornography! I love this country. 3-0-1
Top 4 - 1st Seed against Esper Approach
I love how diverse the local meta has become, and I played against a different deck all night, so I wasn't anywhere near bored (which is weird for me concerning past Standard formats; cough Jund cough)
Game 1 - I get the play, and Opp. mulls to 5. Boy, did this game go by fast! My opponent used Supreme Will to Impulse, didn't find Glimmer of Genius, I set up the combo kill and he didn't have Settle the Wreckage. On to Sideboarding!
Sideboard - -4 WB, -1 Master, -1 Minister, -1 Crane, +2 Negate, +2 Blood Fast, +2 Lost Legacy, +1 Azcanta.
If my opponent went on the cat plan, this SB is pretty bad. Even worse against GotT, in my opinion, but it ended up doing fine.
Game 2 - Opp. and I pass. Instead of keeping up Censor, he plays a tap land. I take advantage and slam Arguel's blood fast. Easily the best card in my deck in this matchup. Opp. and me just sit across from each other while I draw copious amounts of cards and discard creatures into the yard on my cleanup. I finally draw TSG for once today, and am trying to find a good time to drop him (But never do...). I try to develop Gate, gets countered. I try again with Negate back up and it resolves. Opp. still has many cards, so I'm guessing win-cons, board-wipes, and Cast Out. Again, I just mold my hand until my Opp. messes up because Blood Fast is a busted card. I guess my Opp. realized he didn't have a clock, so he goes for Approach on 9 mana with Censor or Negate back up. Great, I play another Gate, Opp. tries to Negate, I negate back, pop both Gates for 2 GPGs, double Marionette swing, and Colossus ping for the win into Finals! Record - 4-0-1
Finals Against Esper GPG
My Opp. beat UW GPG in Round 2 or 3, and just beat Ramanup Red to make it to the Finals. I don't know if variance was a huge factor in how our match played out, but I felt pretty bad for Opp. afterward.
Game 1 - I get the play, Opp. mulls to 5... Yaaaaay
Sideboard - -4 WB, -1 Master, +2 Hostage Taker, +2 Negate, +1 River's Rebuke
Game 2 - We both keep 7. Opp. plays land, I play Minister, Minister eats Fatal Push (wooooo). Opp. plays turn 3 Champ, I play Gate. Opp. gets the most s**t-eating grin on his face as he casts Hostage Taker, taking my Gate hostage. I bounce back with my own Hostage Taker. Suddenly, Opp.'s grin is gone, and he desperately tries to explore for an on his next turn, but doesn't find any. I cast his hostage taker taking his champion, which is then cast the following turn, and I keep up Negate for the rest of the game while I GPG for the win. Record - 5-0-1
I went home with a box of Iconic Masters and didn't open a single mythic from it! It's almost poetic...
Anyways, the deck ran hot the entire tournament, and I will be taking this to the next PPTQ or Grand Prix in my area.
I'm going back to the original mainboard, but I feel like I wanted the third Negate in the sideboard, so I'll -1 Lost Legacy for now.
4x Glint-Nest Crane
3x Hope of Ghirapur
4x Marionette Master
2x Metalwork Colossus
4x Minister of Inquiries
2x Trophy Mage
3x Walking Ballista
1x The Scarab God
4x Aether Hub
4x Drowned Catacomb
3x Ipnu Rivulet
6x Island
3x Swamp
3x Strategic Planning
4x Gate to the Afterlife
2x God-Pharaoh's Gift
2x Bontu's Last Reckoning
3x Filigree Familiar
2x Hostage Taker
1x Lost Legacy
3x Negate
1x River's Rebuke
1x Search for Azcanta
I just looked back through the posts and found that you posted a link to Kevin's Youtube. I was wondering why I had never seen the decklist, but I know you posted about it. Sorry about that!
The interactions in the list are what make it great for me. I was a big fan of the Esper Conley Woods build because of all of the little interactions that could net you insane amounts of value over the course of a game, but this list can just downright win. Definitely worth sleeving up for this weekend!
I'll do a tournament report after the events, of course!
I would agree with this if there weren't so many ways to play around Abrade, and to rebuild after being Abrade'd. Trophy Mage and Glint-nest Crane cushion us if we happen to get screwed by our opponent having the Abrade or X amount of variance. Second, Hope of Ghirapur should insulate most of the hate for at least a couple of turns while we set up for either GPG or a Marionette combo.
I've yet to test it, but, on paper, it looks relatively strong even against Abrade.