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Magic: the GAFering |OT2|

Totally agreed. I can't play it well, but UW Miracles is so much fun. If you're interested in getting more into it, I'd definitely recommend watching Joe Lossett's Twitch streams where he plays in Legacy dailies and 2-mans with miracles, he is impressive to watch.



I'm trying to make sure I can get that weekend off from work, if so I'll be there playing Punishing Jund.

I've seen Lossett a few times on the SCG circuit playing miracles. You can tell he's been piloting the deck for a while.
 

JulianImp

Member
Yeah, he's really good and annoying but....yeah.

Am I the only person who's working on BUG in the world? lol

PWs are good and this deck gets to play all the best ones AND play Farseek!

Don't you mean the dryad? Farseek rotated out already, since it was printed on M13.

Yesterday, I traded a spare Stomping Ground for a second Steam Vents plus some commons and uncommons! I think I might even get to trade for the two other Vents I need this Friday right before the FNM/Launch Party begins, and some other guy will be bringing his Rals and Jaces in case I have something he wants for them.

I'm really glad I'll be able to play with my deck with nearly all the cards I wanted to run so soon after rotation, since I've been wanting to build a relatively viable Izzet deck ever since the original Ravnica block. The Firemind's thirst for knowledge must be appeased!
 

OnPoint

Member
Yeah, he's really good and annoying but....yeah.

Am I the only person who's working on BUG in the world? lol

PWs are good and this deck gets to play all the best ones AND play Farseek!

I'd consider playing BUG, I really need to start looking into the strategies that could come up with that combo. I would like to start playing a bit more control, I feel like it would make me a better player.
 

kirblar

Member
So finally getting a chance to test against the derp critter decks and its having problems. It's fantastic vs midrange/control, but if you dont draw a cataryid (which just blocks every 1-2 drop) you're in trouble.
 

Lucario

Member
So finally getting a chance to test against the derp critter decks and its having problems. It's fantastic vs midrange/control, but if you dont draw a cataryid (which just blocks every 1-2 drop) you're in trouble.

I added 4x abrupt decay to your list (in the main) so the deck would have more ways to meaningfully interact on turn 2. Haven't tested yet, but I wanted at least 11 2-drops that interact with the board.

I imagine haste is still obnoxious, though.
 

kirblar

Member
I added 4x abrupt decay to your list (in the main) so the deck would have more ways to meaningfully interact on turn 2. Haven't tested yet, but I wanted at least 11 2-drops that interact with the board.

I imagine haste is still obnoxious, though.
Combined with the infinite # of 2-power 1 drops, yes it is. I'm probably going to start looking into BBD's list- Frostburn Weird actually takes things down with it.

Shock being like the only 1 mana removal spell is really annoying. Would kill for Disfigure.
 

Lucario

Member
Combined with the infinite # of 2-power 1 drops, yes it is. I'm probably going to start looking into BBD's list- Frostburn Weird actually takes things down with it.

Shock being like the only 1 mana removal spell is really annoying. Would kill for Disfigure.

I was thinking about Disfigure (and how much I want that card in Standard) last night :( Frostburn Weird is another thing I've been wanting to experiment with. Let me know how that goes.

I'm not convinced it'd be incorrect to throw a Master of Wavves or two in the sideboard to put a hilarious amount of pressure on red builds, if that's the way you're establishing board presence. Would be funny, at least, to have what would effectively be a four mana hexproof precursor golem.
 

kirblar

Member
Weird can't block soldier of the pantheon, derp. So that's out. Ugh. May just start fooling with G/W, which just gets to blank aggro with Cloak.
 

Lucario

Member
I'm gonna try a two color list. Pharika's Cure seems like it might be the real deal when it comes to turning off serious aggression.
 

Lucario

Member
I am going to build something around Lotleth Troll

do it do it do it

card has a ton of benefits, I'm tossing it in lists just as a way to shut off aggro and it seems reasonable (it can't block soldier of the motherfucking pantheon though)

there's a ton you can do with it, and I'd be hard pressed to not throw it and Varolz in any B/G/x midrange list I build
 

Firemind

Member
Don't you mean the dryad? Farseek rotated out already, since it was printed on M13.

Yesterday, I traded a spare Stomping Ground for a second Steam Vents plus some commons and uncommons! I think I might even get to trade for the two other Vents I need this Friday right before the FNM/Launch Party begins, and some other guy will be bringing his Rals and Jaces in case I have something he wants for them.

I'm really glad I'll be able to play with my deck with nearly all the cards I wanted to run so soon after rotation, since I've been wanting to build a relatively viable Izzet deck ever since the original Ravnica block. The Firemind's thirst for knowledge must be appeased!

It's good to be an Izzet mage! Going to try to participate Game Day with U/R Control and GP Antwerp next month with U/R Tron.
 

Lucario

Member
Pharika's Cure seems sweet in 2-color -- at least I can cast it regularly (with some minimal solitare though so YMMV), but it's really either that or Frostburn. Running both in the same deck is bad.

I don't really know how to feel about that. Warped Physique and Devour Flesh also probably merit some testing. All I want to run is 4x Ashiok and 4x Jace in the same deck, because of the amount of pressure it creates.

Adding green for Sylvan Caryatid, Abrupt Decay, Reaper of the Wilds, Putrefy, and Vraska seems to be just as good if not better, but I'm still very much afraid of burning earth. BUx control is my favored non-aggro deck right now.
 

kirblar

Member
Pharika's Cure seems sweet in 2-color -- at least I can cast it regularly (with some minimal solitare though so YMMV), but it's really either that or Frostburn. Running both in the same deck is bad.

I don't really know how to feel about that. Warped Physique and Devour Flesh also probably merit some testing. All I want to run is 4x Ashiok and 4x Jace in the same deck, because of the amount of pressure it creates.

Adding green for Sylvan Caryatid, Abrupt Decay, Reaper of the Wilds, Putrefy, and Vraska seems to be just as good if not better, but I'm still very much afraid of burning earth. BUx control is my favored non-aggro deck right now.
Why is a deck playing 3-4 Golgari Charm worried about Burning Earth? :p

Ashiok is really bad in multiples. I love the card, but wouldn't play more than 2-3 main. (Of course, run the full 4 vs control.)
 

Lucario

Member
Why is a deck playing 3-4 Golgari Charm worried about Burning Earth? :p

Ashiok is really bad in multiples. I love the card, but wouldn't play more than 2-3 main. (Of course, run the full 4 vs control.)

I like using the first as a 'force you to overextend, gain 5-7 life' and running out another (or, quite possibly, a board wipe). However, that was in esper/grixis lists where I could just wipe the board before dropping the second copy. I need to test these lists more extensively before I decide I don't like 4 (which will likely be the case, but oh man is two mana removal spell + ashiok a compelling hand)

Lands (26)
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Watery Grave
4 Dimir Guildgate
9 Swamp
5 Island

2 Thoughtseize

4 Pharika's Cure (all small creatures)
3 Doom Blade (soldier of the pantheon and most midrange creatures but no rakdos cackler)
2 Warped Physique (rakdos cackler but no midrange creatures or soldier of the pantheon) or Devour Flesh

2 Far//Away (kind of mediocre against aggro, not gonn' lie, but you really want this card when you start seeing Reckoners, Stormbreaths, and Ghost Council)

4 Ashiok, NM
3 Hero's Downfall (possibly correct to SB this out for something more efficient against aggro, but you reaaalllly want to have it if they're running Domri)

4 Jace, AoT

2 Prognostic Sphincter

2 Aetherling
2 Opportunity

4 Syncopate//Essence Scatter//Psychic Strike (all curve dependent)
 

OnPoint

Member
2. Yeah, I guess she kills it too. :p

I really like the idea of BUG and using Vraska. As another idea, I'm really leaning more and more toward Esper Control PW with Ashiok, Jace RTR, and Surpreme Verdict, with Aetherling (and maybe trying bad Gideon? lol) as a win con. I like the control aspects of Verdict, Azorious Charm, that one that makes people sac a creature in black. Not to mention Hero's Demise in such a list. I don't know... I'd like to give it a shot.

Imagine Azorious Charming a great creature away, Ashiok-ing it off the top on the next turn then casting Verdict. The turn after then steal it. Oh man, it's totally unrealistic. But Magical Xmasland, I love you.
 

kirblar

Member
I really like the idea of BUG and using Vraska. As another idea, I'm really leaning more and more toward Esper Control PW with Ashiok, Jace RTR, and Surpreme Verdict, with Aetherling (and maybe trying bad Gideon? lol) as a win con. I like the control aspects of Verdict, Azorious Charm, that one that makes people sac a creature in black. Not to mention Hero's Demise in such a list. I don't know... I'd like to give it a shot.

Imagine Azorious Charming a great creature away, Ashiok-ing it off the top on the next turn then casting Verdict. The turn after then steal it. Oh man, it's totally unrealistic. But Magical Xmasland, I love you.
I really am not a fan of Verdict right now. Too many (golgari charm, boros charm, advent, the 2W populate one) ways around it.
 

OnPoint

Member
I really am not a fan of Verdict right now. Too many (golgari charm, boros charm, advent, the 2W populate one) ways around it.

If you turn 4 slam Verdict, yeah. But if you turn 5 Verdict with Dispel up? Or turn 5 Verdict with Quicken after the tap out on their turn? I'm new to control strategies, maybe I'm trying to aggro the control. Are those things not worth doing?
 

Lucario

Member
If you turn 4 slam Verdict, yeah. But if you turn 5 Verdict with Dispel up? Or turn 5 Verdict with Quicken after the tap out on their turn? I'm new to control strategies, maybe I'm trying to aggro the control. Are those things not worth doing?

Dispel is a decent sideboard card, but is kind of narrow just as a way to get out of that situation. Answering an answer for an answer is what I like to call Xzibit Control.
 

Lucario

Member
Quicken is a very cool card. But w/ no Snapcaster, not sure how good it is. It wasn't playable in the old days, but Tron was a thing back then.

Pretty much this. I'm really not sure what'd happen if you tried it as a 1-2 of.

If you ever get the chance to test it out, let us know how it works.
 

Lucario

Member
If not Verdict, what about Baconater!

I have no idea what it does. Seems like exiling is something blue really wants to have access to, but it's also not a color that has a lot of ways to deal with 2/2s. Much better players than me have been testing with it though, so I'm far from writing it off, but I'm personally not interested in the 'combo' of it and ratchet bomb. Seems like a lot of hoops to jump through for a merciless eviction.

I'll lean towards 'no', but it's a card I'm prepared to be wrong about.

gawd my card evaluations are wimpy
 

OnPoint

Member
I have no idea what it does. Seems like exiling is something blue really wants to have access to, but it's also not a color that has a lot of ways to deal with 2/2s. Much better players than me have been testing with it though, so I'm far from writing it off, but I'm personally not interested in the 'combo' of it and ratchet bomb. Seems like a lot of hoops to jump through for a merciless eviction.

I'll lean towards 'no', but it's a card I'm prepared to be wrong about.

I was going to say Ratchet Bomb would be good for it, but it's possible that's too slow However, putting out a Ratchet Bomb, telegraphing a Curse of Swine, might cause people to slow down and not over extend, which would be good for a control deck, no?

In unrealistic, borderline idiotic scenarios, I'd love to do it to my own creatures with the red God out as a kill condition. Would be hilarious.
 

ultron87

Member
Pretty much this. I'm really not sure what'd happen if you tried it as a 1-2 of.

If you ever get the chance to test it out, let us know how it works.

I ran Quicken for a bit in UW Control pre-rotation and it was only ever okay. I occasionally pulled off the dream Quicken + Verdict (or Quicken + Terminus) but the vast majority of the time I'd just cycle it as soon as possible to hit a land drop or an answer. So it didn't really make sense to run it when you had Azorius Charm and Think Twice. It also wasn't that great since the Wraths were the only real relevant sorceries.

It might work better in a Blue/Red control kind of thing since there are more relevant Sorceries with Anger of the Gods and Mortars. I'll definitely try it at least since I really want that card to be good.
 

Lucario

Member
You can- I was running a Caryatid based shell, and Anger doesn't get along with that.

this pissed me off so much when I was building RUG

just

ugh

When I noticed the cards I wanted to play hated each other, I reluctantly switched over to grixis.

I ran Quicken for a bit in UW Control pre-rotation and it was only ever okay. I occasionally pulled off the dream Quicken + Verdict (or Quicken + Terminus) but the vast majority of the time I'd just cycle it as soon as possible to hit a land drop or an answer. So it didn't really make sense to run it when you had Azorius Charm and Think Twice. It also wasn't that great since the Wraths were the only real relevant sorceries.

It might work better in a Blue/Red control kind of thing since there are more relevant Sorceries with Anger of the Gods and Mortars. I'll definitely try it at least since I really want that card to be good.

sounds about right, thanks for the info
 

Sinatar

Official GAF Bottom Feeder
Limited tournaments are such a chore to play as well as watch. Sooooo much dead time for the constant deck building.
 
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