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By: Xackee, Kevin Bono
Jul 03 2013 1:03pm
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Hello Everyone and Welcome to The Rogue Side of Pauper!

What another busy week of work that has kept me from the greatest game of all time, MAGIC THE GATHERING! But despite how busy I was, I still managed to get another deck for everyone who reads the article.

This deck is made by my friend and clan-mate, Pyro420deadman. This was inspired by jphsnake's Suicide White. To those of you who don't know Suicide White (which is quite impossible because Suicide White is such a famous deck), this is the list jphsnake went 4-0 in:

 

He said to me that the deck was somewhat a "Suicide White" without the so much suicide. He thought of calling it Not-So Suicide Suicide White. But it felt redundant so we came up with another name for the deck. It wasn't even Metal Claw. It was supposedly Metal Caw but when me and Dan had a match with it, I accidentally said Metal Claw, and it was catchy so we stuck with the name.

Here I present to you Metal Claw:

 

Now since I still haven't had the time to buy a microphone and my laptop mic sucks, I still can't have any commentary. So since I can't review or comment, I thought of another way to review card choices. Before I continue any further, I would like to stress out that I won't be talking about cards from that are also in Suicide White Deck. I will only review the additional cards that make this deck Metal Claw. Also, the way I talk about the cards may differ from another person so please if I may have described it wrong or said something lacking about it, please do tell me.

The additional cards:

Squadron Hawk

This card was in the deck called Caw Blade that broke the standard format not so long ago with his friends Stoneforge Mystic and Jace, the Mind Sculptor. I remembered everyone was either playing Caw Blade or a deck against Caw Blade. The addition of this card ensures the player has sufficient creatures in hand and has the ability to shuffle the deck especially after getting bad draws.

Sunspear Shikari

This card is just amazing in the deck. When this creature is equipped, he gets Lifelink and First Strike. He kills Carapace Forger and Myr Enforcer without even dying, assuming it is equipped with (Bone Splitter). The addition of this cards give you a little more life when you need it the most.

Glint Hawk IdolGlint Hawk

Since the deck runs only 12 Plains and 4 Ancient Den. I usually only have 1 to 2 mana in the first part of the game. But with the ability to drop Glint Hawk and return the Ancient Den, you get to use two or three mana that turn. Also with a lot of artifacts in the deck (27 artifacts with the artifact land), the chances of the ability of Glint Hawk Idol to activate without using mana is very high. The biggest plus of the Glint Hawk Idol is that we can still have a creature even after a board-wipe.

Journey to Nowhere

I think this card is self-explanatory. It temporarily stops the big aggro creatures i.e. Ulamog's Crusher. The ability to do this only gets better after sideboard.

Sideboard Card Explanation:

Aven Riftwatcher

Aven Riftwatcher is THE card against burn or any aggro deck that's not Affinity. It not only gives you a life when it comes into play, it also gives life when it leaves play. I will say it again, LEAVE play. Not only when it dies but even when it gets exiled you still gain life. Also, it leaves you with a flying beater for a couple of turns. How awesome is that?

Dust to Dust

Dust to Dust goes in against Affinity. Artifacts get exiled. With this, the two lands that Affinity will usually get during the early turns, get destroyed and they would have a hard time to get back up.

Standard Bearer

This card is awesome against Stompy and Hexproof. When this is out, the only way to get out of the ability is to destroy it. But does Stompy have a way to deal with it? Even if Hexproof does, they would need to board in a card like Journey to Nowhere or Oblivion Ring.

Reprisal

This card is used to face big dudes like Myr Enforcer and the like. People won't expect this card being boarded in.

Prismatic Strands

This card is also awesome against aggro decks. Especially now that Delver Fiend is running around and winning, this card is a must have in the sideboard.

Sideboard Plan against different decks as I see it:

Note: The sideboard plan is what I think we put in into different match-ups. But this may be different from person to person so this isn't necessarily set in stone.

Against Affinity:

+2 Journey to Nowhere
+2 Reprisal
+2 Dust to Dust
-2 Flayer Husk
-2 Porcelain Legionnaire
-2 Vault Skirge

 

Against Stompy:

+3 Standard Bearer
-1 Flayer Husk
-1 Porcelain Legionnaire
-1 Vault Skirge

Against DelverFiend:

+2 Prismatic Strands
+2 Journey to Nowhere
+2 Reprisal
-2 Flayer Husk
-2 Porcelain Legionnaire
-2 Vault Skirge

Against Burn:

+2 Prismatic Strands
+4 Aven Riftwatcher
-2 Porcelain Legionnaire
-2 Vault Skirge
-2 Flayer Husk

Against DelverBlue:

+2 Journey to Nowhere
-1 Porcelain Legionnaire
-1 Flayer Husk

Against Hexproof:

+3 Standard Bearer
+2 Journey to Nowhere (for the Gnarlid)
-2 Flayer Husk
-2 Porcelain Legionnaire
-1 Vault Skirge


Against Post Decks:
When I faced post or storm decks I didn't know what to sideboard. I was thinking of +3 Standard Bearer, but standard bearer isn't an efficient answer.
I didn't want to record matches without any commentary in them so I couldn't show you the other matches I've played with the deck. But here are the matches Dan and I have played. Since I don't have the microphone for commentary, he did the commentary. I will do my commentary in writing after every match.

Metal Claw vs Affinity


Artifact vs Artifact. Who was going to win? Well in Game 1, Metal Claw died from a Beefed up Atog and THREE Disciple of the Vaults. So yeah, that was pretty much game. But in the next games, Metal Claw struck back and ran over Affinity in Games 2 and 3.

Metal Claw vs Simic Stormpost

This matchup is very hard to win against. Even when you get him to a low life, he will stabilize and he will win. Against Post and Storm Decks it’s very hard to race them. We aren't as fast as Affinity or as explosive as Stompy. We just can't race them. I don't have a sideboard plan for this but I tried boarding in Standard Bearer. It worked for a while but still got temporal fissured away.

Metal Claw vs Kobold

Metal Claw reigned supreme against this match-up. In Game 1, Vault Skirge led the battle with two equipped [mtg_card]Bone Splitter[/mtg_card] flying pass the Kobolds. I didn't sideboard against this match because I wanted to be fast. Game 2 was the same but it was Auriok Sunchaser who led it this time.

Metal Claw vs Death Deluxe

This match was very horrible. Creature after creature died when it came down. Game 1 was so horrible. This is what I sideboarded in:

+2 Journey to Nowhere
+2 Prismatic Strands
-4 Porcelain Legionnaire

Game 2 started out pretty good but in the end, he got to stabilize and I just lost. Dealing 16 damage but still not able to win. Metal Claw is fast but not that fast.

Metal Claw vs Familiar Storm

Same as Simic Stormpost, this match-up is just an auto lose in my opinion. There is nothing we can do against this deck. The only way we can win against this if he gets VERY bad draws or he gets delayed. But still if he stabilizes, he wins.

Metal Claw vs Hexproof

Game 1 against Hexproof wasn't good. We lost to an overly buffed Silhana Ledgewalker. But I think I made a major misplay by not equipping the Glinthawk with the Bonesplitter and Flayerhusk and not attacking with it. That cost me the game. In games 2 and 3 we made our revenge and fought back like a boss! Standard Bearer is our hero in this match-up as she steals the auras away.

Metal Claw vs UB Trinket Control

Okay this match-up is just horrible. Trinket has answers with whatever we cast. We just lose unless they don't draw creature removal but what are the chances?

Overall:

Metal Claw was an amazing deck to run even beating the Meta's most explosive deck that is Affinity. Looking at the deck the first time made me think of Caw Blade (maybe because of the Squadron Hawks and the equipment). One of the deck's major advantages are the big creatures it has. One to cast for 3/3 isn't bad now is it? But it's major disadvantage is when your opponents has tons of removal. You just lose. But I see potential in this deck. For me, the sideboard is well equipped for the Meta. It does answer a lot of the current decks except for Post. We have no answer to post.

If you want a deck that's fast and yet buffed then this deck is for you. It surprises your opponent, especially those who think it's suicide white at first. They might anticipate the combo.

I am still looking for decks for the next articles so please don't hesitate to talk to me online (Xackee) or email me at kevinjacalanbono@gmail.com. Also if you have suggestions or reactions to what I've written or how I'm writing please don't hesitate to email me as well.

I think I will end it up here guys and thank you for reading The Rogue Side of Pauper. Until next time.

Yours,

Kevin B.