how is that possible? with the exception of gargoyle castle as being one of your lands at the time i dont see any possible mana configuration where you have 5 mana and cant cast both counter squall and gatekeeper where you could cast gatekeeper and negate.
Running both Spreading Seas and Convincing Mirage in the side is too much, and at that point you'd be considering a transformational SB. Running a set of one of them (probably spreading seas) is a viable option because of decks like Crypt and Valakut that get around our Fogs.
I'm not sure since I haven't playtested at all, but I wonder if the singleton Path should remain in the deck. Calafell got to use it so his opponents would search and he could surprise them with archive traps. What I'm curious about is that since the deck did so well and got deck tech'ed, ie it got coverage, if people will know better than to grab the land and force us to hardcast our Traps. Not the end of the world, but I think it could go out for a 3rd trap or maybe a Twincast, etc. Another variation to test out.
Here's the list I'm planning on testing. The main deck is very close to the Worlds List, with the changes:
-1 Island, -1 Font; +1 Reliquary Tower, +1 Day of Judgment
I think the sideboard is the only place with room for changes, since the main deck is surprisingly tight. I like Pithing Needle as a proactive way to stop a wide range of threats. Wall of Denial is a nice roadblock, but it does get DOJed away. Relic is helpful against random graveyard decks like the Crabs deck that is getting more popular and the Pyromancer's Ascension decks. Tezz is an extra Font or Mine; or he animates as an alternate win condition. Felidar Sovereign is good anywhere that you aren't under pressure from damage (mirror, jank, etc), since you have so much lifegain possible. Spreading Seas are for any decks with weak manabases (4c Control, Jund, Jank) or for decks that try to abuse special lands (Emeria-Iona, Crypts-Crab, Valakut even). Luminarch is there as another win condition if you really need it... also, angels can block, so its good at stalling simple decks after fogs.
I haven't done any testing yet, so my sideboard might change a lot. I feel like Jund should be an alright matchup, that stays about the same post-board. I will have to test out the various counter options, which I see as a tossup between Flashfreeze, Hindering Light, and Negate. I could also see maybe throwing in Fetches and a single Mountain, but I dont know what you would splash for (Ajani Vengeant? Swerve?).
Some card choice analysis:
Marisi's Twinclaws - Double strike is what this deck tries to abuse, and Marisi is fat enough to live through most of the removal in the format. He's slower than Warren Instigator, but he lives longer and is much easier to cast when you want to.
Viashino Slaughtermaster - Double striker. Fits in the deck well, and into the curve.
Woolly Thoctar - This guy has been an MVP for me. He's a fattie that comes down early, so he often eats removal that might otherwise get aimed at a double striker. Its always fun to see people misplay because of his size. He'll be the guy they try to kill, ignoring the Viashino until they're staring at 18 damage from him.
Birds of Paradise - Yes, it sucks to cascade into Birds. But its acceleration (turn 2 for a 5/4?) and with this deck it can sneak the last few points of damage through the air.
Bloodbraid Elf - We're in red and green? We're an aggro deck? Auto-include.
Jund Hackblade - Fantastic to Bloodbraid into, and enough of your stuff is multicolor that he usually comes down as a hasty 3/2. Swinging for 6 off a post-wipe Bloodbraid is great, and he fills the 2-drop slot with an aggressive body.
Enlisted Wurm - Mostly intended for a strong topdeck, but he's a fattie that gets you card advantage. Tops out the curve.
Colossal Might - I only run 3 because 8 pump spells is too many, and I like the versitility that Vines gets me. You only ever need two well timed pumps to get the opponent dead, but you guys know how pump works in the deck.
Vines of Vastwood - Great as a tempo card, even if you dont kick it. Its also great off a Bloodbraid since it can be kicked (Just make sure you have an attacker besides the Elf to target!).
Behemoth Sledge - A little expensive, but it makes dudes more survivable and gives you life back, which is a very underestimated mechanic. People really like waiting for you to equip it to a guy to kill the guy, so you should have vines mana ready to decimate them.
Oblivion Ring - Originally I was playing Path to Exile in this slot, but I found myself coming up against decks with stuff Path can't hit and things that needed to be removed (Obelisk, Font of Mythos, Ezlari Monument, etc). Greatly improves game 1 matchups against random opponents.
Sweepers can be annoying because they get around Vines protection. The deck still plays very fast, but it has some staying power in the mid and late game.
I randomly played a match against Bad Green Aggro on MWS with warplord's deck and it was bad. I kept a hand with Spreading Seas and Convincing Mirage, but he went t1 - forest, scythe tiger, sac forest. t2 - forest, scythe tiger - sac forest. I was at a loss. It was really weird to get beat down by those, because they are just so bad in the format. In an event it wouldn't be as bad because I'd side in 'clasms, but man. To give them game 1 just like that is annoying.
Haha, MWS was of course where I was testing the decks earlier. I'll test out the 4 color version and get back to you with results. One question though, do you find the Cruels really worth it when you're running lands that don't produce the right colors for it? I guess a t8 or t9 Cruel isn't much worse than a t7 cruel if you've stabalized, but I question that slot most out of the list.
How does the manabase work for you Cold? It might just be my un-luck, but even in your pure esper build and warplord's grixis build I had trouble getting colors when I wanted them. It seems like adding the extra color would just make it worse, but I've been wanting to add Ajani to the deck since I saw it.
How many decks in standard right now are supporting 3 colors? Quite a few. When you run Blightning, they'll discard what they think they can't play, probably because they'll be screwed out of one of their colors. When they pitch their green cards, suddenly you can focus on denying another color instead. That's where Blightning really shines in this deck.
This deck caught my eye, and I thought I'd try testing it since I played White Weenie during Mirrodin/Kamigawa T2.
I am a bit wary of running Lynx because it is really underwhelming as a topdeck, but I also agree that it applies tremendous pressure in the early game. It also works well with White Orchid. You mostly consider it against your Vanguard, which is at a constant 2 power baseline. Its hard to say for sure which would be better, and since the Lynx is more explosive and less consistent, testing would have to be pretty extensive (read - way more than 10 or 15 games) to get an actual feel for its value.
Fetches and White Orchids mean you have 12 ways to get 2 lands in a single turn early. That seems like a high number for Lynx. And if your Crusades manage to stay on the board, the cat isn't a completely dead draw midgame.
Edit: I've found that since my meta is 50% Jund and 25% Vamps that I just mainboard Lightcaster and SB Hookmaster. The pseudo-card advantage you get from both is pretty sweet, especially when you can time a Skyfisher well.
3 Swamps 2 Islands.
-1 Island, -1 Font; +1 Reliquary Tower, +1 Day of Judgment
9 Island
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Kabira Crossroads
6 Plains
1 Reliquary Tower
Spells: 36
4 Howling Mine
4 Jace Beleren
3 Font of Mythos
4 Safe Passage
4 Angelsong
2 Sunspring Expedition
2 Archive Trap
4 Flashfreeze
4 Time Warp
4 Day of Judgment
1 Path to Exile
1 Sunspring Expedition
2 Pithing Needle
2 Wall of Denial
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Tezzeret, The Seeker
2 Felidar Sovereign
4 Spreading Seas
1 Luminarch Ascension
I think the sideboard is the only place with room for changes, since the main deck is surprisingly tight. I like Pithing Needle as a proactive way to stop a wide range of threats. Wall of Denial is a nice roadblock, but it does get DOJed away. Relic is helpful against random graveyard decks like the Crabs deck that is getting more popular and the Pyromancer's Ascension decks. Tezz is an extra Font or Mine; or he animates as an alternate win condition. Felidar Sovereign is good anywhere that you aren't under pressure from damage (mirror, jank, etc), since you have so much lifegain possible. Spreading Seas are for any decks with weak manabases (4c Control, Jund, Jank) or for decks that try to abuse special lands (Emeria-Iona, Crypts-Crab, Valakut even). Luminarch is there as another win condition if you really need it... also, angels can block, so its good at stalling simple decks after fogs.
I haven't done any testing yet, so my sideboard might change a lot. I feel like Jund should be an alright matchup, that stays about the same post-board. I will have to test out the various counter options, which I see as a tossup between Flashfreeze, Hindering Light, and Negate. I could also see maybe throwing in Fetches and a single Mountain, but I dont know what you would splash for (Ajani Vengeant? Swerve?).
Plenty of suggestions, card analysis, matchup reports, and more regarding the archtype.
3 Marisi's Twinclaws
4 Viashino Slaughtermaster
3 Woolly Thoctar
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Jund Hackblade
2 Enlisted Wurm
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Behemoth Sledge
4 Oblivion Ring
2 Arid Mesa
2 Plains
3 Mountain
4 Jungle Shrine
5 Forest
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Rootbound Crag
Some card choice analysis:
Marisi's Twinclaws - Double strike is what this deck tries to abuse, and Marisi is fat enough to live through most of the removal in the format. He's slower than Warren Instigator, but he lives longer and is much easier to cast when you want to.
Viashino Slaughtermaster - Double striker. Fits in the deck well, and into the curve.
Woolly Thoctar - This guy has been an MVP for me. He's a fattie that comes down early, so he often eats removal that might otherwise get aimed at a double striker. Its always fun to see people misplay because of his size. He'll be the guy they try to kill, ignoring the Viashino until they're staring at 18 damage from him.
Birds of Paradise - Yes, it sucks to cascade into Birds. But its acceleration (turn 2 for a 5/4?) and with this deck it can sneak the last few points of damage through the air.
Bloodbraid Elf - We're in red and green? We're an aggro deck? Auto-include.
Jund Hackblade - Fantastic to Bloodbraid into, and enough of your stuff is multicolor that he usually comes down as a hasty 3/2. Swinging for 6 off a post-wipe Bloodbraid is great, and he fills the 2-drop slot with an aggressive body.
Enlisted Wurm - Mostly intended for a strong topdeck, but he's a fattie that gets you card advantage. Tops out the curve.
Colossal Might - I only run 3 because 8 pump spells is too many, and I like the versitility that Vines gets me. You only ever need two well timed pumps to get the opponent dead, but you guys know how pump works in the deck.
Vines of Vastwood - Great as a tempo card, even if you dont kick it. Its also great off a Bloodbraid since it can be kicked (Just make sure you have an attacker besides the Elf to target!).
Behemoth Sledge - A little expensive, but it makes dudes more survivable and gives you life back, which is a very underestimated mechanic. People really like waiting for you to equip it to a guy to kill the guy, so you should have vines mana ready to decimate them.
Oblivion Ring - Originally I was playing Path to Exile in this slot, but I found myself coming up against decks with stuff Path can't hit and things that needed to be removed (Obelisk, Font of Mythos, Ezlari Monument, etc). Greatly improves game 1 matchups against random opponents.
Sweepers can be annoying because they get around Vines protection. The deck still plays very fast, but it has some staying power in the mid and late game.
I am a bit wary of running Lynx because it is really underwhelming as a topdeck, but I also agree that it applies tremendous pressure in the early game. It also works well with White Orchid. You mostly consider it against your Vanguard, which is at a constant 2 power baseline. Its hard to say for sure which would be better, and since the Lynx is more explosive and less consistent, testing would have to be pretty extensive (read - way more than 10 or 15 games) to get an actual feel for its value.
Fetches and White Orchids mean you have 12 ways to get 2 lands in a single turn early. That seems like a high number for Lynx. And if your Crusades manage to stay on the board, the cat isn't a completely dead draw midgame.
Edit: I've found that since my meta is 50% Jund and 25% Vamps that I just mainboard Lightcaster and SB Hookmaster. The pseudo-card advantage you get from both is pretty sweet, especially when you can time a Skyfisher well.