Thanks for the fix on the decklists. I completely agree on the note of Gideon, being that I love having him as both a defender to my life total and a sword-bearer but the problem is the decks I bring him in against, he literally turns into a 5 cost Fog. However after spending some more research on it, I think I have found the answer...and it not only strengthens my matchup against Elves but it also improves the UR Twin matchup and even the mirror to some extent. Linvala, Keeper of Silence. This card is a huge beating, and definitely better than Gideon right now. I'd think it'd be right to take out that lone Gideon Jura and maybe a Jace Beleren for it.
Hey guys this is my version of the UW Caw-blade list, I've been testing this one out for a while on MWS as well as at FNM and I feel like its the most well versed to deal with almost the entire meta, however after playing a certain matchup several times I'm noticing that I really have little to no answers to this one deck and I'm trying to figure out what I can change that would change that. That deck is elves.
The above list is taken from Gavin Verhey over at SCG, but it's basically what I want to prepare against because at least 2-3 people are playing nearly the exact same thing at my FNM, and I imagine as Days and Gideons begin to disappear more it will be seeing more play at higher end tournaments.
Fauna Shaman is probably the worst. If this card hits turn 2 on the play and I do not have a dismember in my hand I can not win. They search up all their Vengevines, their Archdruids, and then their Leaders and just stomp my face in before the deck can even get online. In short, Fauna Shaman can NOT make it to turn 3 online.
2. Ezuri, Renegade Leader
He is simply insane for Elves. Throwing him down not only puts my clock on literally one turn, but it also prevents me from resetting the board because they can regenerate each other elf as I attempt to use Day of Judgment.
3. Elvish Archdruid
Their ultimate mana source, sure they can get by on arbor elves and llanowar elves, but when they want that triple overrun from Ezuri, they need Archdruid to do it.
I'm thinking maybe it's correct to take the 2 Jace Beleren and possibly the Gideon Jura out of my sideboard for specific answers to this archetype and my reasoning is this. Jace Beleren is literally only good in the Caw mirrors or against UB Control/Infect, and the only reason it gets there is because it keeps my opponent off his jace. Gideon on the other hand does nearly nothing against this deck (as well as the Tempered Steel deck which Caw tends to have a problem with).
Any ideas as to what 3 cards I can put in to better my matchup? The only one that REALLY comes to mind is Phyrexian Revoker but considering all the Artifact hate that they have, it doesn't seem like it's going to get there.
P.S.
Sorry if the deck tags do not work, I tried my best previewing this multiple times and I just couldn't get it to work for some reason.
I cast Metallic Mastery on my opponent's Batterskull when he is tapped out. After gaining control of it I still have 3 open mana, if I activate Batterskull's ability who's hand does it go to?
I ask because I've seen it ruled in tournament that you can activate that man land, but it cannot attack that turn because it was not a valid attacker during the entering combat phase.
There's no errata and I am a bit confused on the targeting since everyone seems to ask the same question via what I searched for Google.
Situation: I have Lotus Cobra and an Eldrazi Spawn token. He casts Arc Trail targeting 2 damage to Cobra and 1 damage to my Spawn. If I sack the spawn in response does that counter Arc Trail? Basically can I get around my Cobra (or any other creature I have) dying if I sack my Spawn tokens in response to their cast if they target a token.
So the whole point of this deck is to be a heavily aggro win by turn 4 or 5 (ideally) kind of deck, if there's problems I have paths, orings, and journeys to get rid of them. I feel like the biggest problem with the deck is that I constantly run into hands with an excess amount of land, and even after cutting the land count this still keeps happening. Also I clearly know that in a mono colored deck running 8 fetches is ideal, obviously that advice is not what I am looking for as I already know that once I can get this deck perfect I'll buy the fetches. What I'm looking for is how to get this deck to win against decks it has poor matchups against like UW control, Vamps, Mythic Bant, etc.
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of War and Peace
3 Into the Roil
3 Mana Leak
4 Spell Pierce
4 Preordain
2 Divine Offering
2 Dismember
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Celestial Colonnade
5 Island
3 Plains
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Divine Offering
2 Sun Titan
2 Day of Judgment
3 Oust
1 Gideon Jura
2 Flashfreeze
2 Spellskite
2 Jace Beleren
Hey guys this is my version of the UW Caw-blade list, I've been testing this one out for a while on MWS as well as at FNM and I feel like its the most well versed to deal with almost the entire meta, however after playing a certain matchup several times I'm noticing that I really have little to no answers to this one deck and I'm trying to figure out what I can change that would change that. That deck is elves.
4 Arbor Elf
3 Copperhorn Scout
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Joraga Treespeaker
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Vengevine
1 Viridian Corrupter
4 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
20 Forest
1 Tectonic Edge
2 Bonehoard
1 Acidic Slime
2 Obstinate Baloth
4 Leyline of Vitality
4 Nature's Claim
2 Tectonic Edge
The above list is taken from Gavin Verhey over at SCG, but it's basically what I want to prepare against because at least 2-3 people are playing nearly the exact same thing at my FNM, and I imagine as Days and Gideons begin to disappear more it will be seeing more play at higher end tournaments.
I'm finding the main problems I'm having deals with 3 cards. Fauna Shaman Ezuri, Renegade Leader and Elvish Archdruid, so let's break down WHY these cards are a problem for the deck.
1. Fauna Shaman
Fauna Shaman is probably the worst. If this card hits turn 2 on the play and I do not have a dismember in my hand I can not win. They search up all their Vengevines, their Archdruids, and then their Leaders and just stomp my face in before the deck can even get online. In short, Fauna Shaman can NOT make it to turn 3 online.
2. Ezuri, Renegade Leader
He is simply insane for Elves. Throwing him down not only puts my clock on literally one turn, but it also prevents me from resetting the board because they can regenerate each other elf as I attempt to use Day of Judgment.
3. Elvish Archdruid
Their ultimate mana source, sure they can get by on arbor elves and llanowar elves, but when they want that triple overrun from Ezuri, they need Archdruid to do it.
I'm thinking maybe it's correct to take the 2 Jace Beleren and possibly the Gideon Jura out of my sideboard for specific answers to this archetype and my reasoning is this. Jace Beleren is literally only good in the Caw mirrors or against UB Control/Infect, and the only reason it gets there is because it keeps my opponent off his jace. Gideon on the other hand does nearly nothing against this deck (as well as the Tempered Steel deck which Caw tends to have a problem with).
Any ideas as to what 3 cards I can put in to better my matchup? The only one that REALLY comes to mind is Phyrexian Revoker but considering all the Artifact hate that they have, it doesn't seem like it's going to get there.
P.S.
Sorry if the deck tags do not work, I tried my best previewing this multiple times and I just couldn't get it to work for some reason.
I ask because I've seen it ruled in tournament that you can activate that man land, but it cannot attack that turn because it was not a valid attacker during the entering combat phase.
Situation: I have Lotus Cobra and an Eldrazi Spawn token. He casts Arc Trail targeting 2 damage to Cobra and 1 damage to my Spawn. If I sack the spawn in response does that counter Arc Trail? Basically can I get around my Cobra (or any other creature I have) dying if I sack my Spawn tokens in response to their cast if they target a token.
I'd love to run Ajani Goldmane and Elspeth, Knight-Errant the only problem I'm finding is where to fit them in...maybe the Journey to Nowheres?
4 Kazandu Blademaster
4 Hada Freeblade
3 Kabira Evangel
3 Ondu Cleric
2 Student of Warfare
2 Ranger of Eos
2 Talus Paladin
1 Emeria Angel
4 Path to Exile
2 Join the Ranks
2 Brave the Elements
Artifacts/Enchantments x10
4 Honor of the Pure
3 Journey to Nowhere
3 Oblivion Ring
1 Ajani Goldmane
Lands x21
18 Plains
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Arid Mesa
Sideboard
2 Kor Firewalker
2 White Knight
1 Talus Paladin
3 Harm's Way
2 Celestial Purge
1 Silence
1 Join the Ranks
1 Hyena Umbra
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Pithing Needle
So the whole point of this deck is to be a heavily aggro win by turn 4 or 5 (ideally) kind of deck, if there's problems I have paths, orings, and journeys to get rid of them. I feel like the biggest problem with the deck is that I constantly run into hands with an excess amount of land, and even after cutting the land count this still keeps happening. Also I clearly know that in a mono colored deck running 8 fetches is ideal, obviously that advice is not what I am looking for as I already know that once I can get this deck perfect I'll buy the fetches. What I'm looking for is how to get this deck to win against decks it has poor matchups against like UW control, Vamps, Mythic Bant, etc.