I could understand the call on this if the opponent didn't play a 1st main phase card that directly interacted with the vehicle on the board. But man, it was so blatantly obvious what he was trying to do that it's embarrassing for the game that they didn't allow this non english speaking player to DO what he WANTED to do, rather that what his opponent forced him to do.
The card itself kinda sucks though, right? It's a non-creature card for a deck that wants to run as many humans as possible, and it does almost nothing when you're behind...
Hmm, well, maybe if you are behind you hope against hope that you don't draw this card?
Don't expect to be too competitive without Ugin. Ugin makes the deck tick. Much more than Ulamog.
As a side note, anyone noticed the increase use of infinite obliteration?
Geez, every deck online is playing it now, so I dropped my Ulamogs to 2. I also added 2 void winnowers in my sideboard along with geae's revenge.
Once I side in my other creatures, I have enough threats to survive some obliterations.
Lastly, I am having pretty good success online with a Gwr build. White for Dragonlord Dromoka and red for Dragonlord Atarka. I also run 3 haven of the spirit dragons. So couple havens + sanctum of ugins, you can get some really good value out of your lands.
Then there are the games where you die turn 6 because you durdled. I'm not saying Ulamog is bad, I'm just saying we should be more non-linear. But yes, people do just concede stupidly after 1 ulamog resolving
You got to pick a strat though. You can't say I want to ramp into Ulamogs at 10 mana, and instead be casting a 4 and 5 mana creatures (instead of ramping)
You also can't say you want to be a mid range G/R deck and have a bunch of Ulamogs you expect to cast.
I know there are a bunch of times i will side out my ulamogs and become more of a mid-range creature deck, but that is only after sideboard when it's obvious my ulamog strat won't work.
That Zvi build is bad. Kiora is too slow and might be better as another 4-drop ramp. He plays 23 lands and often your dorks are your land drops. 6-mana time walk is cool, but I'd rather be doing something more impactful for 6 mana. The upside is huge, but come on, really? He has 4 lands in the board and never tells you when to bring them in. Frustrating.
As for McClain's suggestions. I don't buy you needing 4 ulamog. Infinite Obliteration is a card now and we can't depend on it solely. My build has atarkas in the main and whisper wood in the side. Sometimes, you can just win with creatures if they board out all their cuts, paths, roasts, etc.
I don't think you can play the game of "I'm going to ramp to Ulamog/Ugin? Can you beat it?"
"No."
"Okay I win" or
"Yes."
"Okay I lose." You need more flexibility than that.
You'd be surprised how many games end in "I cast ulamog/ugin, can you beat it?".
Especially if you sac'd a land to find a 2nd ulamog
Yeah, it feels great when my 4 mana Utter End kills a 2 mana Jace. LOL.
That's a great example. They can print a 2 costing card that can just win the game, without any 'viable' removal for it. And I don't consider 'silk wrap' and 'fiery impulse' as viable removal. Against control those cards are dead as well as against ramp decks. We need lightning bolt/lightning strike or banishing light/oblivion ring, or just bring back doom blade!
This is the consequences when R&D do not print value removal and print a ton of value creatures.
Man, I feel the same way. I know people can get pissed if their 2 mana doom blade kill a 7 mana creature... but it's the only way to keep creature decks in check.
We really need some better removal. Plus, no lighting strike/incinerate just seems insane.
I am sure I will get some solid disagreement here, but I feel that standard is more 'who draws best' than I can remember. In the past their were certain cards that just evened the battlefield fairly quickly. Thragtusk is a good example (I know rhino is like that now, but you still have to do something the first few turns or even rhino might not save you).
I feel that because of this 'who draws best' so many decks can exist. It doesn't necessarily mean that standard is really as open as it seems... it just means that wizards has done such a good job of neutering cards that once you get ahead.. it's hard to lose it, regardless of the deck you are playing.
PS: I think Abzan Aggro/Midrange/Control is still the best. When every card of yours is above the curve, as long as you draw decently you have a really good chance of winning. So many other color combo's you get a couple great cards mixed in with a couple crappy cards.
Perhaps this is just a non-constructive post, so I'll apologize in advance. But...why do Ashioks over Ojutais make you feel like you're playing a "pure control" deck?
Maybe if Ojutai was an Ophidian that did no damage when it triggered, he'd be a "pure control" card? Or if Ashiok put tokens in play with his plus instead of being pure variance-based, he'd be an "aggressive" card. The irony is, Ashiok is fundamentally a far more aggressive card than Ojutai. Ojutai gives you improved JTMS activations and Ashiok gives you nerfed Garruk activations. You can even pop Ojutai's ultimate after 4 activations. It reads: "Target opponent loses the game". I'd rank it somewhere between Karn and Tamiyo ultimates in regards to power level...
I'd also point out that you have the same number of Thoughtseize/counterspells, except yours are far crappier (Cancel instead of Counterspell). All the rest of the changes are things you could simply do to the Esper Dragons list. I personally run 2 Vaults in my maindeck, now. I also run 4 Bile Blights, 4 Downfall, etc. I guess it's just painful to see people still playing a deck so underpowered that R&D felt comfortable reprinting Counterspell. Ashiok is sideboard fodder at best, especially in a "pure control deck". A win-condition that doesn't draw cards or cycle through your deck? Doesn't exactly seem traditional. Why not replace it with a 4-5 mana permanent that spirals the game out of control while you hold up counterspells? You know, maybe a planeswalker, or like a creature with hexproof...
maybe his thought is he will ashiok their Ojutai and win the game?
Hmm, well, maybe if you are behind you hope against hope that you don't draw this card?
As a side note, anyone noticed the increase use of infinite obliteration?
Geez, every deck online is playing it now, so I dropped my Ulamogs to 2. I also added 2 void winnowers in my sideboard along with geae's revenge.
Once I side in my other creatures, I have enough threats to survive some obliterations.
Lastly, I am having pretty good success online with a Gwr build. White for Dragonlord Dromoka and red for Dragonlord Atarka. I also run 3 haven of the spirit dragons. So couple havens + sanctum of ugins, you can get some really good value out of your lands.
You got to pick a strat though. You can't say I want to ramp into Ulamogs at 10 mana, and instead be casting a 4 and 5 mana creatures (instead of ramping)
You also can't say you want to be a mid range G/R deck and have a bunch of Ulamogs you expect to cast.
I know there are a bunch of times i will side out my ulamogs and become more of a mid-range creature deck, but that is only after sideboard when it's obvious my ulamog strat won't work.
You'd be surprised how many games end in "I cast ulamog/ugin, can you beat it?".
Especially if you sac'd a land to find a 2nd ulamog
That's a great example. They can print a 2 costing card that can just win the game, without any 'viable' removal for it. And I don't consider 'silk wrap' and 'fiery impulse' as viable removal. Against control those cards are dead as well as against ramp decks. We need lightning bolt/lightning strike or banishing light/oblivion ring, or just bring back doom blade!
If it sticks, this card just wins by itself. But, since it doesn't have the ETB effect, it still isn't better than Rhino.
Man, I feel the same way. I know people can get pissed if their 2 mana doom blade kill a 7 mana creature... but it's the only way to keep creature decks in check.
We really need some better removal. Plus, no lighting strike/incinerate just seems insane.
I feel that because of this 'who draws best' so many decks can exist. It doesn't necessarily mean that standard is really as open as it seems... it just means that wizards has done such a good job of neutering cards that once you get ahead.. it's hard to lose it, regardless of the deck you are playing.
PS: I think Abzan Aggro/Midrange/Control is still the best. When every card of yours is above the curve, as long as you draw decently you have a really good chance of winning. So many other color combo's you get a couple great cards mixed in with a couple crappy cards.