In almost every sporting event there is some type of “Halftime”.
Football has mini breaks between the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters, as well as a longer “Halftime” break in the middle.
Hockey has breaks between each of their 3 periods.
Soccer has a break between the 1st and 2nd half.
Basketball is the same as soccer, not including their allowed timeouts.
Baseball has the 7th inning stretch.
Heck, I even believe table tennis has a break if only a brief TV Timeout.
Just like all those sports, Magic has a “Halftime” as well.
Many times matches are won and lost during the sideboard time.
Personally, I believe this is one of the things missing from the casual room. Too many single games make too many players concede because who really wants to get beat by a deck they are not prepared for, let alone can’t win against. Then again, that is a topic for another day.
Enter stage left………sideboards.
Sideboards are crucial in all matchups and are vital to any good deck building skill.
My previous article about Legacy Cards can be found
here. The one about Land cards can be found
here and creatures
here.
Let’s take a look at some of the sideboard cards from those decklists I researched.
|
Card Name
|
# of Decks Using
|
Card Price
|
|
|
2
|
$ 7.50
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.08
|
|
|
3
|
$ 0.20
|
|
|
3
|
$ 0.25
|
|
|
7
|
$ 0.05
|
|
|
2
|
$ 1.15
|
|
|
9
|
$ 0.75
|
|
|
4
|
$ 0.70
|
|
|
4
|
$ 10.50
|
|
|
8
|
$ 0.65
|
|
|
14
|
$ 0.15
|
|
|
2
|
$ 8.00
|
|
|
4
|
$ 3.00
|
|
|
2
|
$ 3.00
|
|
|
3
|
$ 2.50
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.15
|
|
|
3
|
$ 2.50
|
|
|
3
|
$ 0.70
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.40
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.40
|
|
|
4
|
$ 0.08
|
|
|
18
|
$ 0.05
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.05
|
|
|
3
|
$ 0.12
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.03
|
|
|
2
|
$ 0.12
|
|
|
2
|
$ 3.25
|
|
|
22
|
$ 4.50
|
|
|
3
|
$ 0.35
|
|
Blue Elemental Blast
|
5
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Misdirection
|
2
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Red Elemental Blast
|
4
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Submerge
|
2
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
|
|
|
I’m not one to point fingers, but does anyone see a clear pattern here?
Let’s take a look at some sideboard cards that had singular deck showings.
|
Card Name
|
# of Decks Using
|
Card Price
|
|
|
1
|
$ 0.02
|
|
|
1
|
$ 6.75
|
|
|
1
|
$ 2.00
|
|
|
1
|
$ 38.00
|
|
|
1
|
$ 2.50
|
|
|
1
|
$ 0.15
|
|
|
1
|
$ 0.70
|
|
|
1
|
$ 2.25
|
|
|
1
|
$ 1.65
|
|
|
1
|
$ 0.04
|
|
|
1
|
$ 0.90
|
|
Back to Basics
|
1
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Energy Flux
|
1
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Rebuild
|
1
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Snap
|
1
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Stroke of Genius
|
1
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
Turnabout
|
1
|
Non-Mtgo
|
|
|
|
|
Now, before I get flamed, I know what you are thinking. How in the world can I cover every single sideboard card out there? The answer is simply, I can’t. Above you were 50 sideboard cards listed. There are thousands of possibilities out there.
One card that I think might see increased play is
Mindbreak Trap to combat storm. Another is
Sadistic Sacrament. This card seems to be a fan favorite against Oath of Druids in classic lately. I’ve actually played against some people running it main deck. While I am sure it has its place, the BBB casting cost makes it very unattractive to most decks.
Why don't we just take some time to look at each of these 50 cards.
| Card Name |
The Purpose |
| Blood Moon |
Maindecked in Dragon Stompy lists, this card punishes weak mana bases, especially any lists not running basics. |
| Burrenton Forge-Tender |
A small 1/1 beater who has protection from red and prevents some of that red damage |
| Chain of Vapor |
Helps dredge get rid of those pesky Crypts and Relics if only temporarily |
| Chill |
This card just basically says, it's ok you are running red, as long as you kill me by Turn 2. |
| Choke |
This card says, it's ok you are running blue, just save your counters before I choke you out! |
| Divert |
Ahh, the good ole, you just played Thoughtseize on yourself trick! |
| Engineered Plague |
Elves, Goblins, Merfolk…..say hello to my little friend! |
| Ethersworn Canonist |
You thought about storming for a brief second. Oh you wanted to play stiflenought, I think NOT! |
| Extirpate |
Nothing says I love you like playing Wasteland on their Tropical Island and then casting this bad boy! |
| Hydroblast |
As if blue needs more counterspells, this one target anything red and takes care of it when it hits the board. |
| Krosan Grip |
Artifact and Enchantment removal at uncounterable speed, say it isn't so! |
| Leyline of the Void |
Serves 2 purposes, beat dredge and beat dredge, oh and I guess there is that whole Helm thing! |
| Meddling Mage |
A 2/2 beater who wins games, if only there was a card like this in one color. Runed Halo anyone! |
| Meditate |
So what if I have to skip my next turn, I draw 4 cards, then you die! |
| Path to Exile |
Swords to Plowshares younger brother without the life gain |
| Perish |
A Damnation for only greenies! |
| Propaganda |
Gerrad Butlers favorite card that laughs at heavy creature strategies |
| Pyroblast |
Even red jumped on the counterspell bandwagon! |
| Pyrokinesis |
0 cc that does 4 damage sliced your way, say it isn't so! |
| Pyrostatic Pillar |
Helps you weather the storm |
| Ravenous Trap |
Dredge, dredge, dredge, blah, blah, blah…….Trap! Good Game |
| Relic of Progenitus |
Another dredge target that also helps combat against Rock and Nimbles |
| Rushing River |
Double boomerang for 3 mana = yummy! |
| Shattering Spree |
Recurring Artifact destruction |
| Smash to Smithereens |
Burns creative way to turn Artifact destruction into direct damage! |
| Thorn of Amethyst |
Another fun way to irritate storm players or decks working on a small mana base |
| Threads of Disloyalty |
I love your tarmogoyf just a little bit more than you do! |
| Tormod's Crypt |
Dredge, dredge, dredge, blah, blah, blah…crap I forgot you have Pithing Needle! |
| Volcanic Fallout |
Uncounterable direct damage = good times! |
| Blue Elemental Blast |
Yay for Hydroblast |
| Misdirection |
Force of Wills younger brother changes targets for free |
| Red Elemental Blast |
Yay for Pyroblast |
| Submerge |
Hum, lets just put that Tarmogoyf on top of your Library without using any casting cost! |
Any good writer wants their readers to feel fulfilled. After I glanced back through this article I decided it didn't have enough substance.
So, I did more research and found some more sideboard cards for consideration.
40 more sideboard cards for you to ponder. I included one Worldwake card Bojuka Bog. I am interested to see if this has a major impact or not. I will hold my opinion of the card to myself for the time being.
Well I hope you feel fulfilled after this series. I have one more article in me, which will revolve around Legacy cards that aren't blue. Will it really make that much more of a financial impact to not run Force of Will?
Join me next time to find out.
Thanks for Reading
- Graig W. -
ImpinAintEasy on Mtgo
10 Comments
stiflenought says "i think yes" to Ethersworn Canonist.
I screwed that one up, must of been thinking arcane lab or rule of law due to having storm on the brain lately (Thanks alot Will!)
I think Mindbreak is really good and could also be boarded by non blue decks.
Bokuja Bog IMO is nutz.....
It cant be discarded,needled, bounced or destroyed( without good effect)...
only Stifle or shroud effects stops this puppy- which Ichorid has none-
As a writer I try to keep an open mind about different decks. Having said that I HATE DREDGE. So tired of playing against it in tourney practice. I hope bog is as nuts as you say. I don't think bog will make as big an impact as we think tho. In fast formats a land coming into play tapped is a huge problem.
I can see it getting play in certain decktypes tho. Evagreen and pox springs to mind.
The only problem with Bojuka Bog is that you have to play it at sorcery speed. It's good against Dredge, and relatively horrible against YawgWin Storm.
Bog does not stop them from winning on their turn, and lots of dredge lists can go from 0 cards in yard to win in 1 turn (plus the end of your turn). Bog is not a bad supplement to dredge hate, but I would not consider it dredge hate all by itself.
Couldn't agree more, I see Ravenous Trap as a much better solution and with the inclusion of Nature's claim in Worldwake I think the trap can easily replace those 4x Leylines.
The bog is good even at sorcery speed. Any GY hate alone will not win by itself, but in conjunction with Bog you now have a sure fire way to clear the yard.
They-dredge- can bounce your hate then therapy it away or needle it or destroy it.
It is something that can be maindecked is never a dead card at worst it is a citbt. Sorcery speed and a land drop are hinderances, small drawbacks for uncounterable-save stifle- undiscardable hate card that only takes 3-4 land slots. what else are you going to cast vs Dredge anyway?
Bog is okay, don't get me wrong, but as others have pointed out Dredge can win through a graveyard-clearing effect with remarkable ease sometimes. It's not uncommon for a Dredge game to go T1 Bazaar, T2 kill you -- how does Bog help in that sort of scenario? Leyline does get bounced, for sure, but it's a true shutdown until they can bounce it, and much better IMHO than a one-shot graveyard-clearing effect. Bog isn't functionally any better vs. Dredge than Tormod's Crypt is and I haven't really seen that showing up in peoples' sideboards in a while.
http://www.classicquarter.com/tournaments/card_usage.asp
top 10 cards in classic, Crypt is there