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Magic: The Gathering |OT|
- Thread starter The Technomancer
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Blue white, games never went anywhere near long enough for angels to hit play.
The all stars were:
I'm still not entirely clear what the blue was for beyond flashing back Feeling of Dread.
It's a black/green/red zombie deck. Basically folks too greedy to pick B/G or B/R.
Here's the Human's list
I haven't watched the video but I imagine it has a great ratio against Zombie decks because of main deck Elite Inquisitor and Knight of Glory.
Jund isn't necessarily Zombies, it just means G/B/R. There are midrange decks with Thragtusk, Olivia etc as well.
I haven't watched the video but I imagine it has a great ratio against Zombie decks because of main deck Elite Inquisitor and Knight of Glory.
Jund isn't necessarily Zombies, it just means G/B/R. There are midrange decks with Thragtusk, Olivia etc as well.
divisionbyzorro
Member
No Geist of St. Traft in the top 8? I did not expect that.
Of course, the metagame is still just a screaming baby. Results from this weekend are preliminary at best.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
I can do that humans deck except for the sublime archangels. Maybe I can make a homebrew that's decent. :/
It's actually pretty close to the deck I've been playing for almost a year now. Replace Sublimes with Mirran Crusaders and it's basically my old deck.
divisionbyzorro
Member
A few more cohesive thoughts:
1) Obviously no Delver decks in the top 8. Watching the stream archive, the only Delver deck featured was Durward's UR Delver deck, and it looked like a complete mess. I think Izzet Tempo decks have potential, but they either need to cut Delver or cut some other creatures; without library manipulation, Delver isn't going to see instants or sorceries enough of the time.
2) UW(r) Miracles looked terrible. I don't think control is dead in this Standard just yet, but that deck isn't it. I honestly think that you can't play control without green right now (for Thragtusk); I would either be playing Bant or RUG in control decks.
3) If zombies emerges as the clear best deck in the format (fortunately it seems that Jund can hold them back for now), we're going to see an incredibly degenerate Standard. At least with Delver and Caw-Blade decks the more skilled player won more often in mirror matches. In Zombie mirrors, the die roll is the single most important part of the match, and that's not fun for players or spectators.
4) I thought that Bant creature decks would emerge on top; I'm quite surprised that they didn't make much of a splash.
5) All that being said, there weren't really any surprises this week, and that's to be expected. The brewers need more time to brew.
1) Obviously no Delver decks in the top 8. Watching the stream archive, the only Delver deck featured was Durward's UR Delver deck, and it looked like a complete mess. I think Izzet Tempo decks have potential, but they either need to cut Delver or cut some other creatures; without library manipulation, Delver isn't going to see instants or sorceries enough of the time.
2) UW(r) Miracles looked terrible. I don't think control is dead in this Standard just yet, but that deck isn't it. I honestly think that you can't play control without green right now (for Thragtusk); I would either be playing Bant or RUG in control decks.
3) If zombies emerges as the clear best deck in the format (fortunately it seems that Jund can hold them back for now), we're going to see an incredibly degenerate Standard. At least with Delver and Caw-Blade decks the more skilled player won more often in mirror matches. In Zombie mirrors, the die roll is the single most important part of the match, and that's not fun for players or spectators.
4) I thought that Bant creature decks would emerge on top; I'm quite surprised that they didn't make much of a splash.
5) All that being said, there weren't really any surprises this week, and that's to be expected. The brewers need more time to brew.
Well I'm still hunting every Jace I can get before they explode...
Vraska was never going to be valuable. People were fooled by her sexiness (I don't blame anyone)
Vraska will be a fun EDH and casual play planeswalker, but the idea that she would ever be useful in competitive play was bizarre. She's a 5 mana maelstrom pulse. I mean she's better than tibalt or nicol bolas or chandra nalaar in competitive play, but thats not saying much.
Owlowiscious
Member
well my goal of trading jace for a bonfire seems a lot more plausible
bunbun777
Member
Bought a box tonight. Scored 5 mythics, Trostani(yay), NivMizzit, Rakdos, Jarad(ugh), and the Red dragon. Only one shockland, bloodcrypt, and also an abrupt decay, lotleth troll, detention sphere, mizz mortors, foil rest in peace, supreme verdict on top of the promo one.
I am thinking of going W/G. Sublime archangels with thragtusks, silverblade pallys, knight of glory, rancors. Maybe wolfir silverhearts? Will not be able to play regularily till November so going to think on it some more.
I am thinking of going W/G. Sublime archangels with thragtusks, silverblade pallys, knight of glory, rancors. Maybe wolfir silverhearts? Will not be able to play regularily till November so going to think on it some more.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Okay, this Frites deck is sweet. 10-0-1 on the day so far? I would love to see this deck win the tournament.
Amazing how powerful creatures with lifegain are in this environment. Thragtusk and Centaur Healer are doing work.
Amazing how powerful creatures with lifegain are in this environment. Thragtusk and Centaur Healer are doing work.
As long as it beats that boring as sin Miracles deck
divisionbyzorro
Member
That Miracles deck shouldn't even be there. His semifinals opponent took the match win for granted, didn't mulligan aggressively enough, and drew terribly from the top of his deck.
I've seen a lot of terrible play this tournament in general. I guess with so many new cards people are making more mistakes than usual.
Jesus christ I can't believe miracles dude just reached across the table and scooped up all the other players land. I will hand you my fucking cards, do NOT grab them off my side of the table.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
He's doing it with the graveyard too. He seems to reach a lot. :lol
Edit: This game is lame, miracles dude isn't even playing well he's just gambling and getting lucky.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Geez; this game just never ends!
You have to imagine that if Chris had Bonfire maindeck, this entire match would be over by now.
You have to imagine that if Chris had Bonfire maindeck, this entire match would be over by now.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Haha, I said I would take a shower after the first game... That was like 45mins ago.
Edit: Ugh, loses on huge misplay. You can't go to one there if he has burn spells.
It's one of my big pet peeves. These are not your cards, not your deck, not your property and I know don't know you from short dick Harry. I don't know where you're hands have been or what your intentions are. If you need to see my cards, I will lay them out for you or hand them to you if I don't see semen and cheeto stains all over your pudgy little hands.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Ya, I'm afraid of people bending too because some people pick up cards pretty aggressively.
I don't know, frites played pretty damn well so far but miracles dude has gotten so lucky. Topdecking the negate on the dreadbore is just luck, nothing else.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
divisionbyzorro
Member
*sigh* When the miracles deck runs good, it runs really good.
I'm still very excited by the Frites deck. Obviously there's a shitload of graveyard hate in the format, so it shouldn't be too hard for the metagame to hate it out, but I like seeing it do well.
I'm still very excited by the Frites deck. Obviously there's a shitload of graveyard hate in the format, so it shouldn't be too hard for the metagame to hate it out, but I like seeing it do well.
That would drive me nuts if I didn't know the person. Even with friends it's not too cool. Just ask, for fuck's sake.
Still think Zombies will dominate once people get a handle on the right balance of cards. And humans has potential as well, surprised we didn't see more detain, it seems like a very powerful ability if used right.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Humans get a bunch of cheap first strike/pro-black/pro-zombie creatures, so I could see them as being the natural predators for the zombies.
But if you look at the metagame right now, it seems fairly healthy right off the bat. You've got aggro, midrange, combo, and control decks, all playing their appropriate role in the Magic Circle of Life. The question of course is: will it stay that way?
One deck I really want to see explored more is Prosak's Jund Graveyard deck, where he throws Veilborn Ghouls through Lotleth Trolls and Liliana, then recurs them back with swamps to do it again. That interaction seems quite powerful - the question of course is whether or not that's better than playing the more standard Jund midrange deck.
That's what I'm hoping for. We don't need another Delver domination era, whatever deck may rise to the top. There should always be a best deck, but not in the way Delver was.
All I know is I miss playing limited like a motherfucker.
Knowing everyone was playing in drafts this weekend was killing me. Both my standard decks become irrelevant when scars block rotated (tempered steel and dungrove/wurmcoil ramp) so I'm far enough removed from any mindframe of playing standard. But I was just starting to get really really good at limited. Like top 4 every time good. Whenever I previously quit it was because I either lost interest or ran out of money. Now I am both still very interested and have more money than anytime before in my life. BLAARHG! And knowing that two countries right near me play a ton of magic isn't helping.
Knowing everyone was playing in drafts this weekend was killing me. Both my standard decks become irrelevant when scars block rotated (tempered steel and dungrove/wurmcoil ramp) so I'm far enough removed from any mindframe of playing standard. But I was just starting to get really really good at limited. Like top 4 every time good. Whenever I previously quit it was because I either lost interest or ran out of money. Now I am both still very interested and have more money than anytime before in my life. BLAARHG! And knowing that two countries right near me play a ton of magic isn't helping.
The big things warping the format are the Zombies deck and Thragtusk. If you can combat those effectively, you can do whatever else you want.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Does Zombies rely heavily on the graveyard? (Gravecrawler spcifically) Haven't they printed like two different one-mana answers to that?
You have to draw them consistently, of course.
Its reach comes from Gravecrawler/Messenger/Aristocrat/Dreg Mangler being very, very difficult to answer efficiently. All of them are very resilient.
FreedomFrisbee
Member
Yes, Gravecrawler and Undying and any Lotleth Troll synergy needs it. There is a LOT of hate for graveyards. 2 colorless (Grafdiggers Cage, Tormads Crypt), and 2 colored ones that effect zombies (Rest In Peace, Deathrite Shaman). In red there are a lot of spells that will straight up remove them from the game. On top of this, any board wipe completely stalls it, like with any aggro deck. Topdecking a Terminus gets rid of them without putting them in the graveyard. Ramping into an Angel of Glory's Rise is not gonna happen a lot, but hoses zombies hard.
With all that in mind, I'm personally not super worried about zombies.
That and they take up room in your deck or sideboard and become completely useless against every other non graveyard based decks. It's hard to find enough room for consistent graveyard hate if it means your deck suffers to the point of losing against everything else.
FreedomFrisbee
Member
Well, the ideal cards obviously have double uses. Deathrite hoses and gains life. Pillar of Flame can get rid of a zombie permanently or hit them for damage.
Straight graveyard hate is obviously not something to rely on, and isn't going to save you. But sideboarded into a competant deck, perhaps taking out removal cards that would generally be less useful, is a legitimate strategy.
I have no issue dedicated some cards in my sideboard to dealing with a common archetype in a more efficient manner.
Ok, here's my first draft of an updated Rakdos Curse Control deck:
Maybe I should be running 26 land... The idea for those of you who didn't see the last iteration of this deck is basically to stall until 5 mana, at which point curses win the game.
I have no playtesting practice with this deck so I really have no idea which of these removal I should be running mainboard, but I took my best guess.
I have a feeling Rakdos Keyrune will be an all-star. 3 power first strike completely stops a ton of cards right now, including Thragtusk and Geralf's Messenger. Not to mention the additional mana fixing which will help me get my curses started.
Code:
[B]Enchantments 9[/B]
Curse of Bloodletting 2
Curse of Misfortunes 3
Curse of Thirst 2
Curse of Death's Hold 2
[B]Creatures 4[/B]
Bitterheart Witch 4
[B]Sorcery 12[/B]
Bonfire of the Damned 2
Devil's Play 2
Dreadbore 4
Mizzium Mortars 4
[B]Instant 8[/B]
Ultimate Price 3
Tragic Slip 4
[B]Artifact 3[/B]
Rakdos Keyrune 3
[B]Land 24[/B]
Dragonskull Summit 4
Blood Crypt 4
Hellion Crucible 2
Swamp 8
Mountain 6
[b]Sideboard:[/b]
Mutilate 2
Killing Wave 2
Slaughter Games 2
Rakdos's Return 2
Tribute to Hunger 2
Elecktrickery 3
Pillar of Flame 2Maybe I should be running 26 land... The idea for those of you who didn't see the last iteration of this deck is basically to stall until 5 mana, at which point curses win the game.
I have no playtesting practice with this deck so I really have no idea which of these removal I should be running mainboard, but I took my best guess.
I have a feeling Rakdos Keyrune will be an all-star. 3 power first strike completely stops a ton of cards right now, including Thragtusk and Geralf's Messenger. Not to mention the additional mana fixing which will help me get my curses started.
I missed this what the hell happened after this? :lol
narcosis219
Member
bonfire for 3 wipes the board except the 7/7 champion, next turn top decks a geralf's to do lethal after an alpha strike.
Yup, that's what bonfire does. lol.
Was a funny as hell miracle moment
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