You can check out my Primer on Manashift, (be sure to check the comments as well for corrections) but to answer your question:
Personally, before testing, running 4 Green Sun's Zenith is what most seems to be going with, and If you're running Green Sun's Zenith, then Battlement will serve better, since it makes Zenith, at worst, a 3 mana ramp spell, and many control decks can play around Emissary.
Also consider Slagstorm in place of Arc Trail as well, which can make Emissary better if you still want to run it, but is also a nice addition against Jace, and the other troubling Aggro decks.
Of course, this is all Meta-dependent, and you'll definitely want to adjust accordingly. I'll probably have an article up on which Besieged cards affect Valakut the most, both playing with and against.
I've played U/w for about 7 months. I was there fighting jund on the front lines, when oblivion ring was king and path to exile frightened people. Spreading seas was a must have, wall of omens saved the day and baneslayer angel was the king of creatures.
Now? I'm getting beaten by a rare land from zendikar and some silly large green mythic rares that are only worth something because of this deck. Primeval titan especially gets on my nerves because you can deduce that the only reason it was made was to make the eldrazi viable in standard.
This deck bothers me to no end. There is no interaction AT ALL for a u/w player and not even that, there's no THOUGHT involved with this deck.
1. Get two green sources and ramp.
2. Play primeval titan and get two valakuts.
3. Attack.
4. If that didn't work play avenger and play a land to get a billion 1/2's.
5. Still didn't work? Ok end of turn summoning trap.
I'm gonna start running spreading seas main deck + leonin arbiter and leyline of sancity AND 4x flashfreeze in the sideboard.
Anybody else have any tips to destroying the most inane deck in standard?
In☺☺☺☺☺☺on f☺r ce☺☺or ev☺☺☺on.
I'm offended, Andrew (I think you're Andrew, lol) =(
You know that you could ask me if you need help with that matchup, since most of the Valakut players we know are...well...bad.
I have a primer coming up on ManaSHIFT on Valakut, including how to beat it. check it out this week. =P
I'd be glad to help you out whenever you want, if you want.
NeoItems just listed an Infiltration Lens in his list, which is something I've been considering running for some time. Has anybody actually given this card a shot, particularly in an aggro build? This could be really powerful in this sort of build, although probably not as relevant in a control version.
I could see it being used in a build with Stoneforge Mystic. Definitely worth a shot.
This seems weak against aggro. I really don't understand how she did so well when it seems like her design is a control killer and nothing more (although the MD Linvala and Eldrazi Monuments are pretty hot)
It's simple, we didn't expect to play much against aggro. =)
Her sideboard took care of the 2 aggro decks she played against. (Mono Red being one of them)
Personally, before testing, running 4 Green Sun's Zenith is what most seems to be going with, and If you're running Green Sun's Zenith, then Battlement will serve better, since it makes Zenith, at worst, a 3 mana ramp spell, and many control decks can play around Emissary.
Also consider Slagstorm in place of Arc Trail as well, which can make Emissary better if you still want to run it, but is also a nice addition against Jace, and the other troubling Aggro decks.
Of course, this is all Meta-dependent, and you'll definitely want to adjust accordingly. I'll probably have an article up on which Besieged cards affect Valakut the most, both playing with and against.
Good luck! =P
I'm offended, Andrew (I think you're Andrew, lol) =(
You know that you could ask me if you need help with that matchup, since most of the Valakut players we know are...well...bad.
I have a primer coming up on ManaSHIFT on Valakut, including how to beat it. check it out this week. =P
I'd be glad to help you out whenever you want, if you want.
1 Avenger
The insane RUG deck that isn't afraid of trying new things and thinking on their own.
Mind you, U/R also goes under this category.
With that said, I don't feel like there's enough to proliferate here, and I'd rather have something that can affect the board, like Into the Roil.
Here are the decklists
I could see it being used in a build with Stoneforge Mystic. Definitely worth a shot.
It's simple, we didn't expect to play much against aggro. =)
Her sideboard took care of the 2 aggro decks she played against. (Mono Red being one of them)
Here is her list:
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Vengevine
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Lotus Cobra
1 Acidic Slime
1 Frost Titan
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
4 Mana Leak
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Elspeth Tirel
3 Eldrazi Monument
1 Venser, the Sojourner
Lands:
4 Celestial Colonnade
1 Stirring Wildwood
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
2 Glacial Fortress
3 Razorferge Thicket
1 Terramorphic Expanse
5 Forest
2 Island
2 Plains
I don't have the sideboard currently. I'll update that later.
I 2-2'd the second.
Overall, had a pretty chill weekend.
Vendillion Clique is pretty easy to hate out over here, so no one plays it.