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By: JustSin, Dave
Oct 20 2010 1:24am
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Card Advantage Part 2!

Hey everyone, welcome to Part 2 in my exploration of Card Advantage!  For those who missed the first part you can find it here.  Now for those who have already read it you'll remember I talked about several different ways that players can gain card advantage in game.  In a wild example of coincidence there were two other writers here at PureMTGO who wrote about card advantage and gave us some great reads.  I recommend you check these out first:

Back to Basics: Card Advantage in Simple Form, By: Raddman
Card Advantage and Game Progression, By: dotstar

Just the fact that three people all realized the need for more attention to be brought to the idea of card advantage should be enough to convince you of this mechanic's importance.  Last week I talked about different types of card advantage and gave you a couple examples.  This week I'm going to take this idea into practical form and show you two deck applications as I try and determine whether or not you can win based on card advantage alone.


Card Draw

The first deck I'm going to show you is one based entirely on drawing cards.  The inspiration came from the newest oddity to come out of the core set, Jace's Erasure.  When I first saw this card I thought about another permanent that also triggers when you draw a card...

Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind

So I set out to see if there were more... and to my dismay there weren't any others cards that turned card draw into wins (edit: as I'm going back and editing this article I've realized that this statement isn't entirely true, Words of War).  So I had my base, a blue-red deck that used these cards and the rest would be all relating to drawing cards in order to get max triggers from these.  There was one card in particular that is the best part of this deck, but I only own one...

Jace, the Mind Sculptor

The "0" ability on Jace is a big time win for a deck based on Jace's Erasure and Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind.  Let's take a look at the deck and I'll add more explanations after...

 

Now blue-red offers us a few different options for "cantrip" control.  The two big ones came from Ravnica block along with Niv-Mizzet; Electrolyze and Remand.  With these we get additional burn as well as counter control.  This relates back to my last article where I talked about using Remand to make your opponent essentially skip their turn.

The next fantastic piece to this deck is Browbeat.  Ok now I heard some of you laughing, but hear me out on this.  Here's the set up, you have Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind in play and cast Browbeat.  Now your opponent can either take 5 damage from Browbeat in order to keep you from drawing cards or take only 3 damage by letting you draw cards and having Browbeat trigger Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind.  Another benefit comes from the fact that this deck is light on the damage since there are only 3 creatures.  With an opponent at 20 life they are usually more than willing to give up 5 life in order to keep you from drawing cards.  This means you can get a bit of additional damage through.

Now there are some odd choices here I know.  I had the two Propagandas in the deck in order to slow down faster decks and give myself a chance to get things moving.  The one card that I should have probably replaced was Spreading Seas.  Sure this has some power as a cantrip in Standard, but after playing with the deck I'm not quite sure it was worth it.  Also the Archmage Ascensions were a lot of fun when I got them online, but when you need 6 counters they don't tend to last long enough and often when I draw them I wanted to play something else instead.  Just something to keep in mind if you ever want to take this deck for a test run, but let's take a look at how the deck played out for me...


Chatter of the Squirrel Alpha Status Druid's Call

Game 1
Opponent: roytoy2323

Opening Hand:
MountainPropagandaElectrolyzeJace BelerenNiv-Mizzet, the FiremindIslandScalding Tarn

This was a pretty good start with Propaganda and Electrolyze for slowing aggro and Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind for a win condition.  On my opponent's first turn he plays Chatter of the Squirrel and I am even more happy to have Electrolyze.  Turn two equals a second Chatter of the Squirrel and I know there's trouble to be had because of the flashback.  On turn 3 I draw Archmage Ascension and decided that I'd take some damage in order to get that out first so it can start building counters.  On my opponent's turn 3 he enchants a squirrel with Alpha Status making it a 3/3, but I'm not worried because when I use Electrolyze next turn for one on each squirrel the 3/3 becomes a 1/1 again when the second squirrel dies.  A turn 4 Naturalize kills the Archmage Ascension, but I'm glad to have it out of the way since I draw a Jace's Erasure the turn before.  I put the Jace's Erasure in play and drop Jace Beleren to start milling.  Through (Propoganda) I pretty well stall out the game while drawing cards through Jace Beleren, Spreading Seas, etc.  On turn 7 I get a new Archmage Ascension into play, which will actually get online.  Druid's Call enters play on a squirrel token as well as another Alpha Status.  I make a mistake and decide to block the 3/3 squirrel with my 4/4 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind thinking my opponent was tapped out.  What I missed was the Arbor Elf that was played the turn before, which untaps a Forest and a Giant Growth kills my dragon.  Thanks to Electrolyze and Call to Mind I'm able to weed through the 1/1 squirrel tokens to cut down the size of the enchanted one.  With a new Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind, two Jace's Erasures, Jace Beleren, and an active Archmage Ascension in play my opponent cannot keep up and I win on turn 13.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 1 - 0

Arcbound Slith Brawn Fireshrieker

Game 2
Opponent: rdn

Opening Hand:
Jace's ErasureCryptic CommandArchmage AscensionElectrolyzeIslandElectrolyzeReflecting Pool

This game started off a bit shaky with a lack of red mana, but I did eventually get a Forgotten Cave into play, which gave me red through Reflecting Pool as well.  My first two turns, however, didn't need the red mana.  I got off a turn 2 Jace's Erasure and a turn 3 Archmage Ascension.  I manage to get in some early damage through a Browbeat that my opponent doesn't let me draw from.  On turn 6 my opponent removes my Jace's Erasure with Break Asunder, which leaves me looking for a new win condition.  On turn 7 my opponent drops (Archbound Slith) and equips it with Banshee's Blade so I have to use a Electrolyze to finish it off before it gets too out of hand.  My opponent tries to stop this by using Battlegrowth, but I use Cryptic Command to counter it and draw a card.  On turn 9 I find myself facing down Brawn, but I now have two Niv-Mizzet, the Fireminds in hand.  My opponent plays a Fireshrieker and drops me to 10 life.  I get a fantastic top-deck and draw Jace, the Mind Sculptor.  Like Brainstorm, Jace, the Mind Sculptor allows me to draw three cards every turn, which in turn triggers (Niv-Mizzet, the Mind Sculptor) three times.  With Jace in play I still have enough mana left to cast Cryptic Command to bounce Brawn on my opponent's next turn when he attacks.  With my opponent at 7 life I use Jace, the Mind Sculptor to deal three damage and attack for the remaining 4.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 2 - 0

Solemn Offering Divinity of Pride Sanguine Bond

Game 3
Opponent: likeajeenyus

Opening Hand:
RemandCryptic CommandSpreading SeasIslandIslandPropagandaCryptic Command

I was a little worried with this start and having no blue, but with Spreading Seas and Remand I have some early draw that I can use to find lands.  I use Spreading Seas on turn 2 to turn my opponent's only land into an Island.  Turn 4 comes and still no third land.  On my opponent's turn 4 he tries to use Solemn Offering to remove Spreading Seas, but I stall for a turn with Remand and draw into a Mountain.  On turn 5 I put Jace Beleren into play and start to dig for more land and a win.  On turn 6 I have just what I need, Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Jace, the Mind Sculptor.  Once I get Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind into play I kill off Jace Beleren and have the open mana to drop Jace, the Mind Sculptor.  My opponent's answer is to put Divinity of Pride into play, but I bounce it with Cryptic Command.  Thanks to 8 lands I'm able to use Remand and Cryptic Command to fend off Sanguine Bond and the replaying of Divinity of Pride, while Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Jace, the Mind Sculptor finish off my opponent.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 3 - 0

Lava Spike Azorius First-Wing Azorius Chancery

Game 4
Opponent: guidonaraharas

Opening Hand:
Call to MindJace BelerenJace's ErasureJace's ErasureRemandIslandCall to Mind
Mulligan to 6:
Steam VentsVolcanic IslandIslandBrowbeatReflecting PoolForgotten Cave

It's never fun to drop to 6, but it's not a bad hand.  I start off by cycling Forgotten Cave and put out Jace Beleren.  On turn 4 Jace draws me a Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and my opponent chooses to take 5 for Browbeat.  On turn 5 I use a second Browbeat and my opponent chooses not to take 5 damage this time.  With Lava Spike my opponent is able to finish off Jace Beleren and I put out Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind on turn 6.  My opponent puts out Azorius First-Wing as a blocker, but Electrolyze makes quick work of him.  On turn 7 I use Call to Mind to grab Browbeat and my opponent realizes that it's less damage to let me draw, triggering Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind for 3 and then attack for another 4 leaving my opponent at 1.  With two mana open and Remand in hand it's game over whether or not my opponent plays a spell.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 4 - 0

Living Wish Genesis Ancestor's Chosen

Game 5
Opponent: goin300mph

Opening Hand:
Jace's ErasureScalding TarnSpreading SeasJace BelerenSpreading SeasArchmage AscensionSpreading Seas
Mulligan to 6:
IslandJace's ErasureReflecting PoolScalding TarnElectrolyzeIsland

Not a great start at all to a not so great game.  My Jace's Erasures are pretty much useless since I'm sitting across from a 300 card deck.  Despite the setback I still play Jace's Erasure on turn 2 and 3 in hopes that at the least I can skim off some good cards from my opponent's deck.  I try to add a bit of control to the game through Spreading Seas on the Ravnica bounce lands, but he simply keeps drawing into new bounce lands that allow him to clear the enchantment.  I also know I'm going to have to burn this guy down as fast as I can so any Electrolyze I draw goes straight to the head.  On turn 7 my opponent plays Living Wish and I decide that instead of countering the wish that I'll instead counter whatever he fetches.  This is usually a good plan, but it turns wrong when that fetched creature is Genesis.  If I counter Genesis then he gets the recursion and if I let it play then I'm facing down a creature I can't control through 2 damage off of Electrolyze.  On turn 8 I get Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind into play and think that there is hope here.  However, that changes quickly as my opponent responds with Tooth and Nail fetching Clone and Ancestor's Chosen.  With these creatures he kills my win condition and goes up to almost 50 life.  There is very little chance of me winning this game at this point, but I play on any ways.  I simply am able to stall for time with Cryptic Command, but I can't escape the outcome.  At the very least I managed to get my opponent's deck down to 227 cards, milling off 73, and proving that the deck does have some mill power if you can get multiple Jace's Erasures into play.

Winner: goin300mph
Record: 4 - 1


Now it's always a bit frustrating and disappointing to lose in a match like that last one where you come up against a deck that isn't exactly a perfect counter to your deck, but at the very least my opponent got all the right cards at the right time.  However, there is a highlight to this game.  My opponent gave me quite the compliment afterwards and I was very thankful for it...

Ok let's move onto the next deck shall we?


Discard

Now like the draw deck you can't just win by discarding cards from your opponent's hand.  Instead you need a damage trigger as a result of this.  For this purpose we have The Rack and Nezumi Shortfang.  Unlike the draw deck this deck is going to have a lot of cards in it that aren't directly discard spells.  This is because when you cast a bunch of draw spells you get to draw infinitely.  In discard once you get your opponent's hand to 0 cards that's that.  In most cases they go into "top deck" mode from there meaning that they only have the top card of their library to rely on as an out good or bad.  So let's see what I put together shall we?

 

I'd like to think most of these choices are pretty self-explanatory.  I've added Dark Confidants as a means to draw and accelerate this deck.  Quag Sickness isn't your typical creature kill, but its become kind of a pet card of mine and in this deck it basically gives target creature -3/-3 or more when played.  Finally I added Dark Rituals in order to ramp the deck a bit.  With Dark Ritual you can keep a one land hand and it's ok.  You can also get off great turn 1 plays like Dark Ritual > Hymn to Tourach > Thoughtseize.  It's great all around in any black deck.


**Now as anyone who has tried to play discard in the Casual Room knows I played a LOT of games to get five that actually played the game to the end.  Several conceded at first discard spell others when I played The Rack, etc.**

D'Avenant Healer Vengeful Archon Story Circle

Game 1
Opponent: Lord Phobos

Opening Hand:
BlightningBloodstained MireShimian SpecterThoughtseizeSwampGuul Draz SpecterSwamp

It's always nice to get off to a Thoughtseize start, which I use to get rid of Vengeful Archon.  On turn 2 I draw a Dark Ritual that let's me put out an early Shimian Specter.  Then a Dark Ritual draw on turn 3 let's me put out Guul Draz Specter early as well.  On the next two turns I remove all of my opponent's Faith's Fetters and Cage of Hands thanks to Shimian Specter.  A D'Avenant Healer slows things down a little and then Story Circle brings the game to a halt.  Thankfully I draw The Rack on turn 9, which gets around the prevention of Story Circle.  Finally a Quag Sickness on turn 11 stops the D'Avenant Healer from slowing me down and The Rack finishes off my opponent.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 1 - 0

Shield Sphere Ornithopter Myr Retriever

Game 2
Opponent: armandox69

Opening Hand:
Blood CryptDark RitualGuul Draz SpecterBadlandsNezumi ShortfangHymn to TourachThoughtseize

This is a great starting hand that has a lot of options for turn 2.  My opponent's turn 1 is Island > Ornithopter > Shield Sphere and that has me worried as to what he has in store.  This becomes a non-issue thanks to the heavy discard.  What I decide to do turn 1 is Swamp > Dark Ritual > Nezumi Shortfang > Thoughtseize.  The discard continues on from there and I make quick work of my opponent's hand with Blightning and Hymn to Tourach.  On turn 3 I draw The Rack and turn 4 I finish off my opponent's hand and now he's taking damage from Nezumi Shortfang and The Rack.  With the added damage and lack of a hand my opponent can't keep up and dies on turn 7.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 2 - 0

Chill to the Bone Chronozoa Phthisis

Game 3
Opponent: agusod

Opening Hand:
Blood CryptBadlandsSwampNyxathidHypnotic SpecterThe RackBlood Crypt

Now this opening hand seems a little land heavy, but has great potential.  On my first two turns I put out double The Racks followed by a turn 3 Hypnotic Specter and I think I'm sitting pretty.  On my opponent's turn 4 he responds by killing the specter with Chill to the Bone.  On my turn 4 I put out The Rack number 3 and Nyxathid thinking life doesn't get any better.  My opponent puts out Chronozoa on turn 5 and starts the beats.  On turn 6 my Nyxathid is killed by Phthisis.  I can't do anything because I am just drawing lands and no discard spells and my opponent holds 3 cards in hand so he takes 0 damage to the three The Racks that I have in play.

Winner: agusod
Record: 2 - 1

Swords to Plowshares Knight Exemplar Wrath of God

Game 4
Opponent: darksilversun

Opening Hand:
SwampQuag SicknessQuag SicknessQuag SicknessThoughtseizeBlightningHymn to Tourach
Mulligan to 6:
SwampNyxathidUrborg, Tomb of YawgmothHymn to TourachHypnotic SpecterDark Confidant

Gotta love the shuffler huh?  Well I start with Dark Confidant, but it gets hit with Swords to Plowshares.  I slowly start eating away at my opponent's hand and put out a 7/7 Nyxathid on turn 5.  We exchange blows between that and my opponent's Knight Exemplar and then he casts Wrath of God.  Luckily I'm able to top off a Hypnotic Specter and Guul Draz Specter that will finish him off.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 3 - 1

Seasinger Spreading Seas Psychic Venom

Game 5
Opponent: blackomen

Opening Hand:
Dark ConfidantGuul Draz SpecterGuul Draz SpecterDark RitualBlightningSwampQuag Sickness

Now this is what I was talking about earlier, I kept a hand with one land, a Dark Ritual, and Dark Confidant.  With the extra draw on Dark Confidant I get into a land right away.  My opponent tries to slow me down with Psychic Venom, but I take the damage and cast a Blightning.  Then on turn 4 I cast a second Blightning followed by a turn 5 Blightning.  On turn 6 I draw a The Rack, which finishes off my opponent on his following turn 6.  This was a great example of how the deck can be fast on the draw.

Winner: JustSin
Record: 4 - 1


So there you have it!  Two decks with two different approaches to card advantage!  The first deck used draw spells to gain card advantage and proved that you can win by drawing cards with a little help from Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Jace's Erasure.  The second deck took advantage of an opponent's lack of a hand thanks to The Rack and Nezumi Shortfang.  Simple ways to win by card advantage!  I hope you guys enjoyed this casual look at card advantage and I'll be back soon with my tribal series and another Special Edition of Anything But!  So stay tuned!!!! Exclamation Points = Excitement!!!!!!

-JustSin

9 Comments

Little is more inexplicably by Xaoslegend at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 03:08
Xaoslegend's picture
5

Little is more inexplicably satisfying than card advantage to me. Maybe it comes from playing so much limited since it's so much more important there than most anywhere else, since I'll often lose in constructed while being way ahead on card advantage, perfectly happy until I lose miserably lol.

Good article, I like the game reports and deck lists. Makes for a good read.

X-

The first deck of yours is by Lord Erman at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 06:44
Lord Erman's picture
5

The first deck of yours is also something I'm working on currently. Jace + Niv-Mizzet is really crazy, considering you can keep the dragon alive. Adding Jace's Erasure to the mix is also a good decision.

A question though: As your deck is Classic legal, why not add Brainstorm as well? Or how about adding some cycling to the deck? Think about it: Uncounterable card drawing! Wouldn't it be nice? Lay Waste? Miscalculation? Starstorm? Complicate? Slice and Dice? All are nice on their own and cycling makes them even better. You already have one Forgotten Cave and one Lonely Sandbar but why stop there? But of course Brainstorm must be in.

I don't think Archmage Ascension belongs to this deck; it looks like a win more card. You are already drawing cards like crazy with that deck and therefore tutoring won't be needed. I also wouldn't play Browbeat. The opponent can take five to the dome and move on. Yours isn't an Aggro deck and that five damage won't hurt him that much; at least not in the short run.

And finally Propaganda in my opinion should be a mass burn spell such as Earthquake; or better Starstorm! Some creatures never attack but do some other nasty things (such as Fauna Shaman). Propaganda won't do anything against such creatures but burn spells will.

Oh and you should at least have one Invoke the Firemind in the deck too. I would even consider Sphinx of Lost Truths. Two copies would be enough. The final card that should be considered is that Blue Honden in my opinion.

Of course I'm aware that I named lots of cards and that all of them can't go into the deck, but they are at least worth a try.

Just some thoughts.

LE

this is the same problem I by JustSin at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 09:32
JustSin's picture

this is the same problem I ran into, too many good choices haha yea cycling is a great addition unfortunately I just used the lands, as I kind of elluded to I would probably end up cutting 4x Spreading Seas and 2x Ascension and I like your idea of switching Prop to earthquake or maybe even starstorm since it burns out creatures as well as provides cycling, brainstorm/jace + niv is a great combo like I said I wish I owned more Jace for the deck. And I have to disagree with browbeat, I know its unusual, but it is basically a 5 dmg burn for 3 and with Niv its lightningbolt + draw three... While Erasure was a fun addition perhaps it is better dropped because you'll never deck your opponent with this deck so perhaps its better served to switch it out in order to focus the deck more, I guess I'd do something like this given the cards

-2 Jace Beleren
+2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

-4 Jace's Erasure
+4 Brainstorm

-2 Propaganda
+2 Starstorm

-4 Spreading Seas
+1 Invoke the Firemind
+3 Complicate (maybe switched to miscalc, but I'm partial to complicate)

-3 Reflecting Pool
-1 Island
+2 Volcanic Island
+1 Lonely Sandbar
+1 Forgotten Cave

You probably already know by blau at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 14:51
blau's picture

You probably already know where I'm going with this, but here it is anyway. Your first deck is morphing into red/blue control and losing it's card drawing theme. Take off your Spike hat and put on your Vorthos/Melvin hat.

Your deck is about card drawing, which is how you should win. Right now it wins really slowly with Niv or by playing so much control that your opponent concedes. If you're going to be drawing A LOT of cards. There's only one card that should be on your mind, and in your deck in the amount of 4X, and that is (Spiraling Embers). Now if you REALLY wanted to get into the whole card drawing theme you would add Pyromancer's Ascension or Eye of the Storm. Most people might concede to blue/red ascension control, thus denying the fun of the deck, so I would recommend Eye of the Storm. With Invoke, Niv Mizzit, and Spiraling Embers you should get a fair amount of satisfaction using card advantage for the win.

I actually have that deck for multiplayer. Seething Songs, Spiraling Embers, card draw and Eye of the Storm. Makes for good times when you can go infinite.

that's just the combo player by JustSin at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 16:51
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that's just the combo player bias in you

+1 Brainstorm. by NO_Peace at Thu, 10/21/2010 - 03:41
NO_Peace's picture

Just no reason to ever not play brainstorm in a classic deck.

And Erasure is horrible. I get that you want to play around with the drawing synergy, but you are making more of the "I draw lot" than you should. "I draw a lot" synergy should = "I draw good/better cards a lot" that is synergy enough. Every good classic deck has options for mill, particularly cas cas as you should be building for utility. If you aren't playing Leyline of the Void Mill in Classic is an amusing subplot to your opponent beating you. IMHO. There are lots more fun stuff to do with Niv Mizzet than teaming it with Erasure.

it was just a casual deck and by JustSin at Thu, 10/21/2010 - 08:59
JustSin's picture

it was just a casual deck and ya never know until you try, it was fun, but of course it wasn't a true win con

First card draw into wins by Paul Leicht at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 07:47
Paul Leicht's picture

First card draw into wins Deck Was ProsperBloom. 2nd Stroking Moma.

Ways to win from Card Advantage by Felorin at Wed, 10/20/2010 - 20:48
Felorin's picture

In blue/red, I would also suggest Sokenzan Spellblade, and Aeon Chronicler. He both generates and benefits from card drawing.