Bloodbriar played far better than i thought it would. Clues (and Terrarion) make this guy sweet. Prey Upon was not nearly what it needs to be, too many fat butts. Cryptbreaker is disgusting.
GB Monster Party
s
MVPs: Neglected Heirloom. It worked pretty well even as a Leonin Scimitar; this set seems well positioned for incremental board advantages. Even though I only had two means to flip it (three, if you count searching for a werewolf with Traverse the Uvenwald,) it still usually flipped; for some reason, it didn't initially occur to me that Heirloom will also transform when the equipped creature transforms back into a human; threw it on the Pacifist and cast another spell, it was sweet. Traverse the Uvenwald. Surprised me, too. Digging for the splash color, or an early land drop. Never waited for delerium.
LVP: nothing, really. Everything did its job. Normally I wouldn't have included the Stromkirk Mentors, but it has 4 power for the Pacifist, and bulks the Bloodsworn up (fairly important, as they hurt when they become irrelevant) while being a hastable Vampire in their own right.
UR Aggro Control
MVPs: Malevolent Whispers. Nobody ever expects Acts of Treason in the early stages of a format. The power boost represents a lot of damage out of nowhere in any sort of race; it's a pretty common move to swing in with a 3-4 drop, the play something like Gastaf Arsonists, thinking it'll be enough to stop attacks. Ghostly Wings. I've played a few of these, and I've yet to cast on on an opposing creature, as popping one on a Bloodmad Vampire is just cheating, and protecting your own unbeatables is sweet. The power on the ground in this set is scary in the air.
LVP: Pyre Hound, but that's no surprise. My deck was just too fast to wait for this to accrue value.
But whatever, to crap with those decks. This is the real one; possibly the most fun I'll ever have with a deck.
Most Valuable Combos (most of these cards were sick on their own): The Gitrog Monster + Ghostly Wings or Forgotten Creation. Creation was sick on its own; I could discard Twins + Just the Wind, drawing three cards (for the turn,) bouncing a creature, and playing a 3/5 for four mana... add Gitrog, and I'd be in danger of decking myself if Creation wasn't a "may" ability. Protecting the Chubbiest Toad while sending a 7/7 deathtouch flier was cool, and the fact that you could pitch a land and draw your card back anyway was sweet. One game, drew both Wings while my Monster was out and the opp was at 8 life... hee hee hee. Triskaidekaphobia + Farbog Revenant. Skulk + lifelink really helps dial in that 13 life requirement.
Man, this deck was sick. So many must-deal-with cards, so many Just the Winds...
I've had success with a few different decks (my 3-0s have been UR, BG and UB) and honestly have just found that going with the signals will net you a good deck. There are enough decks in the format that something will be open.
I think it's borderline maindeckable; there are commons in every color with one toughness you'll be glad to take down (Nibilis of Dusk, that 2/1 werewolf, various vampires) and, failing those, it can be a little combat trick, especially with prowess. I haven't picked one yet, but I often fear them.
Four-mana auras without built-in protection are bad. As an extra downside, if you enchant a werewolf an it flips, you lose trample. Also, flavor fail. Also, the word "equestrian" sounds elitist.
I don't mind Slab Hammer 2: the Slabbening. We have enough flyers make make it a plan, even a duder to search em out if we so choose. Whether that's out main plan, or a sb plan, I'm into consistency.
I see this being a common mistake, so I figured I'd point out that Stern Constable does not combo the way people would want with Murderous Compulsion. Discarding a card is a cost, and the madness trigger goes on top of the ability. So if you target an untapped creature with Stern Constable, and discard Murderous Compulsion, then the creature won't be tapped in time for Murderous Compulsion to target it.
The last time I can remember timing issues like this would be... huh, the last time Madness was around (TSP block, and that was not nearly all Madness's fault), and perhaps Eventide?
s
MVPs: Neglected Heirloom. It worked pretty well even as a Leonin Scimitar; this set seems well positioned for incremental board advantages. Even though I only had two means to flip it (three, if you count searching for a werewolf with Traverse the Uvenwald,) it still usually flipped; for some reason, it didn't initially occur to me that Heirloom will also transform when the equipped creature transforms back into a human; threw it on the Pacifist and cast another spell, it was sweet.
Traverse the Uvenwald. Surprised me, too. Digging for the splash color, or an early land drop. Never waited for delerium.
LVP: nothing, really. Everything did its job. Normally I wouldn't have included the Stromkirk Mentors, but it has 4 power for the Pacifist, and bulks the Bloodsworn up (fairly important, as they hurt when they become irrelevant) while being a hastable Vampire in their own right.
UR Aggro Control
MVPs: Malevolent Whispers. Nobody ever expects Acts of Treason in the early stages of a format. The power boost represents a lot of damage out of nowhere in any sort of race; it's a pretty common move to swing in with a 3-4 drop, the play something like Gastaf Arsonists, thinking it'll be enough to stop attacks.
Ghostly Wings. I've played a few of these, and I've yet to cast on on an opposing creature, as popping one on a Bloodmad Vampire is just cheating, and protecting your own unbeatables is sweet. The power on the ground in this set is scary in the air.
LVP: Pyre Hound, but that's no surprise. My deck was just too fast to wait for this to accrue value.
But whatever, to crap with those decks. This is the real one; possibly the most fun I'll ever have with a deck.
2 Aberrant Researcher
2 Farbog Revenant
1 Wild-Field Scarecrow
2 Twins of Maurer Estate
1 Tooth Collector
1 The Gitrog Monster
1 Prized Amalgam
1 Wicker Witch
1 Stitched Mangler
1 Forgotten Creation
1 Rancid Rats
1 Seagraf Skaab
1 Dead Weight
3 Just the Wind
1 Triskaidekaphobia
1 Macabre Waltz
2 Ghostly Wings
Land
2 Woodland Stream
1 Forest
7 Swamp
7 Island
Most Valuable Combos (most of these cards were sick on their own): The Gitrog Monster + Ghostly Wings or Forgotten Creation. Creation was sick on its own; I could discard Twins + Just the Wind, drawing three cards (for the turn,) bouncing a creature, and playing a 3/5 for four mana... add Gitrog, and I'd be in danger of decking myself if Creation wasn't a "may" ability. Protecting the Chubbiest Toad while sending a 7/7 deathtouch flier was cool, and the fact that you could pitch a land and draw your card back anyway was sweet. One game, drew both Wings while my Monster was out and the opp was at 8 life... hee hee hee.
Triskaidekaphobia + Farbog Revenant. Skulk + lifelink really helps dial in that 13 life requirement.
Man, this deck was sick. So many must-deal-with cards, so many Just the Winds...
Wolves get a lot of removal.
Good points, I'll edit them!