Welcome to One Double O, the place to read about the 100 Card Singleton format. I've been insanely busy which is why this article is so far away from my previous one. Anyway, I'm here to take a look at the data of the tournaments that have gone by since the last time.
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One Double O Tournament Center
With weekly tournaments running, One Double O will have a new section to give a brief rundown of the top 8 decks of each week to keep you informed about what decks are currently doing well. Today's would be a big compilation of 4 tournaments.
As promised, here is the link to the first Singleton 100 Weekend Challenge decklists: http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/decks/mol425363
For the following events, the link would be in the subheading.
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- Weekend Challenge 28/06/09
This is the second Singleton 100 weekend challenge. Here are the top 8 decks:
Ace of Drafts - Mono-red splash green
BryTheFryGuy - GB elves (had no idea last week that it was an elves deck as the replays that I watched didn't seem to suggest that)
SICKSICKSICKSICKSICKSICKSICK - UW+B control
Lundstrom - UG from the previous week
Ludvik - GW beats
SorryMsJackson - Crosis Control
(From what I see, there is a change of Slave of Bolas in the sideboard over Sphinx Summoner)
The.Sensei - UGW (If you go to http://www.mtgovideos.com, you can watch this deck at work)
summertime bacchanalian - GW beats
This tournament has 33 people showing up and again, we have 7 different decks making top 8. Interestingly, RGW and RG beatdown, the previous talk of the town, are totally gone from the top 8. The reigns of the aggro color has dropped from red and is now overtaken by green. Like the previous week, 2 control decks made it in and both are similar to what was spotted then.
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Another neat observation is that both BryTheFryGuy and Lundstrom managed to make back to back top 8s with their decks from the previous week.
Combo in the form of storm and Hypergenesis cascade has been reported to have been played in the event as well but can combo be a performing archetype in a format where combo has not seen high placing for a very long while? Only time and deck building prowessness can tell.
(I didn't participate in this particular tournament as it started 2 hours before I had to wake up to leave for school.)
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Does it work?
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-Weekend Challenge 04/07/09
Here are the top 8 decks:
TheFriendlyHippo - "Impulse Power", the 4c (without black) deck filled with good creatures
so many trolls - 5c greedy deck which is covered by the pilot himself here: http://www.mtgoacademy.com/blog/?p=799
SorryMsJackson - Crosis Control
savagebeatdown - 4c mid-ranged (without red)
Damoclez - RG beatdown
Naoto - Crosis Control
keef0r - Mono black
Kerrick_ - Crosis Control
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In this tournament, Upheaval and Grindstone were reported to be banned for some unknown reason, probably some error from the update. This particular error might have had some influence in the tournament.
34 players showed up this week to fight for the newly released PR2 Armadillo Cloak or just to play Singleton 100 in a tournament setting.
This time, the top 8 consisted of 3 Crosis Control and 5 other distinct deck archetypes. The high showing of Crosis Control might have been influenced by my article which popped up a few days before the tournament.
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See. It works. |
TheFriendlyHippo's deck, that won the tournament, spots many creatures with come-into-play abilities and even has Momentary Blink and Tradewind Rider to maximize their effects. In a particular replay I caught, he simply reused Avalanche Riders a few times and won soon after. It runs on some basic lands to avoid getting wiped out by non-basic hate and also a variety of non-basics to let the deck work properly. With the creatures easy worth 2 cards at a time, the deck can easily overpower decks that want to interact with it without many tricks.
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so many trolls' deck on the other hand, approaches the format straight on with a mana base that has hardly any basics (only one as seen from his article). It runs many powerful spells and is highlighted by Maelstrom Nexus which turns every single spell into a powerhouse. Read about it in the link provided. It would probably say more than I would be able to.
savagebeatdown's 4c control is essentially a UGW, going the semi-creatures route with black for Necravolver, Psychatog, Pernicious Deed, Mystical teachings flashback, Gerrard's Verdict, Ghastly demise, Bitterblossom and some cards in the sideboard.
I personally don't think that Crosis Control is going to be a dominating deck because I know, in many ways, how much power I had given up while designing it to be resilient against aggressive decks. The problem with it is that it thrives against the faster aggressive decks but it is relatively weaker against mid-ranged decks or control decks as a result of trying to "not lose" to aggro so I don't expect it to hog top 8 spots in multiples in the future.
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Free cards = good.
Brainstorm into Ancestral Vision = sexy.
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-Weekend Challenge 11/07/09
Unfortunately, this top 8 did not have a showdown so the standings you see are from the end of swiss. If I'm not mistakened, all 4 of the weekend challenges had the same problem. Another problem going into the tournament was that the banned list problem was not rectified with the downtime.
This was the prerelease weekend so only 24 players showed up. (I turned up for neither this event nor the prerelease so I'm quite sad about it)
Kharlis - GW Elves
Ludvik - GW beats
Lundstrom - UG
platipus10 - RGW Ramp
Chriskool - UW splash G splash B Control
thekid - RGW beats
Ace of Drafts - RGW zoo
Zimbardo - Artifacts (look at his article on it here: http://mymtgo.com/Zimbardo/blog/437/)
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So is it or is it not banned? |
Again, GW has become a force to beat. GW elves and GW beatdown is somewhat similar, just that one has more elves in it, giving it more synergy over raw power and vice versa. I value synergy over raw power but elves requires a number of them in play before it works well so it would depend slightly on what the metagame looks like. The more "interaction-forcing" the environment is, the more hostile it would be for elves.
Chriskool's deck is essentially a UW control deck that uses the kill condition of Goblin Charbelcher + Mana severance, splashing green for Simic sky swallower and Empyrial archangel and also spashling a tinge of black to flashback Mystical Teachings. When I look at the 2 creatures in the deck, I immediately think about playing cards like Proteus Staff or Polymorph to swap tokens/manlands for those. Other than that, it's a UW control deck which should be good in an environment filled with GW creatures.
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Both RGW decks look very odd to me because of their inclusion of a few cards that look really hard to cast like Soltari Priest. Ace of Drafts' deck looks like it would have an easier time casting spells than thekid's because his is more similar to RG+W while thekid's has a rather conflicting choice of cards that look dependant on filterlands (even odyssey ones) to work consistently. I personally recommend choosing cards that can be cast with random lands that are in the deck.
Finally, Zimbardo's deck is similar to a UWB control that uses artifact creatures to support the deck, using the Sphinx Summoner and Razormane masticore or the Sharuum the hegemon combo which can get back a dead sphinx into Sanctum Gargoyle. It has Cryptic Command as its only counter magic which I'm not too comfortable with because there are quite a few dangerous spells lurking in the metagame but that is probably plain paranoia on my side.
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-Weekend Challenge 18/07/09
Continuing from the week before, the banned list problem was again not rectified. Even so, 27 players showed up for the event. Thankfully, the top 8 was back this time and here are the top 8 decks:
so many trolls - 5c greedy.dec
savagebeatdown - 4c control (without red)
platipus10 - GW aggro
Lundstrom - UG
Kharlis - GW Elves
Naoto - UBG Goodstuff
el_fake - RGW zoo
Ludvik - GW aggro
This week, again GW decks have made their place in the format as the archetype to beat but one reason I can come up with for its success is that people just aren't trying to beat it yet. Of course, it might simply have been because I didn't write in a few weeks (so people aren't too conscious about the deck) or that it's just hiding under the impression that it's just a deck that is winning because it wins its aggro matchups. I have no real clue because since week 2, I've been rather conscious about GW decks and the numbers should go down if people are prepared to face it. Still, it continues on its path to glory for many players.
Decks that have proven to work continue to work for their pilots with 5 of the 8 decks in the top 8s played by the same pilots to similar success.
platipus10 changed his deck to a GW deck, el_fake made it in with a RGW zoo list and...
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Deck of the Week: UBG Goodstuff
The UBG deck is one that I put together over a few days, with the intention of making it work. The best card in the deck is.... Lord of Extinction which easily ends the game in the matter of a few turns. Pernicious Deed should go somewhere into the deck after I realized what it I was actually missing.
The main idea of the deck is to abuse Upheaval and win shamelessly with fat creatures...
Of course, Upheaval is currently banned for some odd reason, making the Mystical Tutor in the deck look rather out of place. Besides counter magic and creatures, the distinguishing factor to this deck is the fact that it runs Loxodon Warhammer and Wonder over the usual Sword of Fire and Ice and Sword of Light and Shadow because I recognize that green is one of the most heavily played colors in the metagame and both swords don't help against green as green can usually throw dumb blockers into the tracks of your monsters. These 2 cards are played to go around that particular fact.
The deck is not at its "final" build yet so many areas can be worked on but even so, it managed to go 4-1 in the swiss so it's pretty decent. The sideboard needs additional work as well but as of now, it features Corpse Connoisseur which can throw Wonder and Genesis into the bin to improve certain matchups.
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Tech of the Week: Congregation at Dawn
With cascade being as strong as it is, this is a card that would let you "draw and cast 3 cards" if you have sufficient mana.
The main idea is to find Enlisted Wurm, Bloodbraid Elf and something else 3 casting cost or less.
Of course, if you can support it, why not put Enigma Sphinx over Enlisted Wurm and Bloodbraid Elf?
The thing is, it can go into a GW deck with minimal red sources and still work great against certain matchups.
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Do you remember me?
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One Double O Random Stuff
Lundstrom and his UG deck has taken the most top 8s in the weekend challenges, making Lundstrom the player with the most number of 100 card Singleton weekend challenges top 8s (4 of 5).
GW is a deck that is coming at full force so people need to give it more recognition.
Crosis control (and its various pilots) almost totally did not show up after its "success". Was it just too much of a "netdeck" (because I published it) for the format?
(I was called a netdecker when playing the deck not as "Tarmotog" but why does netdecking matter in a tournament setting?)
People like to have their own decks and tend to stick to them quite religiously which is one reason why I am not putting up any charts to show how many of which decks have done well because I personally feel that ever since the start of the weekend challenges, the format has been a rather healthy one which is not dominated by any particular deck, unlike the past that was really dominated by zoo and friends. The thing is that Singleton 100 is a format that can accept new ideas, as seen by the success of various archetypes that come out of nowhere but are made with proper planning.
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Last Words
Again, I want to advertise the myMTGO.com's 100 card Singleton group. It is a small community with many of the names you see often discussing issues, keeping up to date with the format and just sharing decks.
Also, with the entire article on just the weekend challenges, I urge people to try it because it's fun and gives away a promo card exclusive to the weekend challenges.
Other than that, I've got to go so...
Have fun with Singleton!
Tarmotog
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Links
Top 8 decklists:
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/decks/mol425363
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/decks/mol438677
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/decks/mol449972
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/decks/mol460241
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/decks/mol469714
Additional Resources:
http://www.mtgoacademy.com/blog/?p=799 (so many troll's article)
http://mymtgo.com/Zimbardo/blog/437/ (zimbardo's article)
13 Comments
no idea as to why it's repeated.. =(
I'm not seeing anything repeated here.
I'm curious about this format. I have a few questions about it:
Are there any budget decks that still preform well? (For example, Elves in Classic)
Are there staples in the format? (Any card you deck must play if it's in that color, or have to splash for)
First, great article, thanks for the time and effort you put into the format.
I have an interest in playing 100s tournaments and your column really is my best resource for deck ideas. So I thought I would inquire about the practicality of the deck I've been building. I like the idea of a combo finish in 100s so when grindstone was unbanned I built a deck around painter/stone. With tezzeret and a package of other tutors thrown into a UWb control skeleton I found that the combo was rarely firing for the win. So I added helm/leyline to the mix as the same 4cc transmutes get your combo pieces (and you can go for the other combo once painter is hit with StP). At this point the deck plays like a UWb control deck that wins in one turn.
So, I'm thinking that maybe adding the belcher/severance combo might be interesting. Do you think a deck running Leyline, Helm, Grindstone, Painter, Severance, Belcher is giving up to many control/interactive slots in the decklist to compete in the tournament environment? I guess there is no real knowing without trying (and no trying with grindstone faux banned). I just thought I would ask for an opinion before I spend even more money...
And since we are on the subject is there a best place to practice for 100s tournys? I'm asking because "tournament practice" never seems to have 100s (and yes I've put up games and waited... and waited) and casual tends to be... casual.
Sorry for the wall of text. Dig the articles & dig the format, thanks
I made GW elves because it had more unfair plays than the GB version (and no other deck abuses Ranger of Eos anywhere near as much).
The mana disruption really punishes slow starts by contol or the "greedy" multi colour decks, whilst against opposing aggro the elf synergies allow much more unfair things than the individually more poweful elements of the "good stuff" aggro decks. Forestwalking is really extremely powerful in this format with many of the decks running green for various things (fat, recursion, fixing or just because they feel they can.
So far i've only lost to my own terrible mistakes (ask savage beatdown about my pro pacting) which is partially me being generally bad and the timing of these events (im a brit and these all start at really akward time either too early or too late).
Obviously its better for me if people thinks its terrible but, like many singleton decks, just looking at a bunch of card names and trying to evaluate the decks power isn't enough.
Things like synergy and curve are of utmost importance in a deck like this and those don't come across in a simple decklist.
Thnx Jamuraa~ =)
@parabola01: the most budget of singleton 100 decks would probably be RDW because of its many mountains or maybe GW elves with many elves.. counterspells are relatively cheaper than most good spells too.
Usually, the greatest value in a deck is found when you use cards that do very specific functions like having dual lands or maybe "rare" spells like vindicate/force of will/pernicious deed (and maybe the two swords?).. If you look at most decks, the general bulk of good cards are relatively affordable but that being said, that effect is cumulative so a deck would end up quite expensive because of the sheer count of decent cards most people play but most cards have high replayability value unless they belong to a highly specific archetype (which is not very common)...
So far, the only must play card I've had in a color is green=> tarmogoyf and probably sensei's divining top for every deck that cannot find a reason to exclude it.
Staples for me would be most lands and powerful spells like tarmogoyf, fact or fiction, shriekmaw, flametongue kavu, oblivion ring? (cards that are strong and tend to have more generic or colorless mana in their casting cost because they fit even with a minor splash)
@relapsed: From what I found, the painter + grindstone combo is one that goes off when you think it's safe to do so. (or maybe I'm just a chicken) which means you'd usually play into the mid/long game and wear out your opponent's hand or try to exploit a possible blank hand of your opponent at which point there isn't really a difference as to which combo kill you'd want to use to initiate a kill with. Because of that, using a combo that is less vulnerable might actually become a better choice (such as the belcher + mana severance combo).
From personal experience, I've once tried a deck with a bunch of 2 card kills but it did not work out too well as some of the parts just came with others and they did not really work well together on their own.
I would think that 2 2-card combos are more than enough to win the game with. 1 would be optimal but slightly risky.
In my opinion, goblin charbelcher (because you can try to be lucky and aim it at your opponent and still win) and mana severance (lets you draw a spell every turn) have the most relevant effects without having to try.
Leyline helps a little unlike helm...
grindstone stops tutors but might hit creatures like genesis while painter does things you'd have to build around to abuse (persecute?) so they are not too useful when alone but this combo benefits from both being artifacts and needing a total of 6 mana to go off if you overlook the fact that one side is a 1/3 creature.
I built a few casual singleton decks including a 100s deck and a commander 100s deck. I have yet to really play with them though. My collection while not poor isn't great either. I am afraid my 50cent rares wont hold water against the $3-40 rares.
For someone trying to enter 100CS, how do the new Commander theme decks look? Obviously, I'd take out the Commander and have to work on making the mana base a litle more $$$, but the rest of the deck is packed with very little chaff.
Commander theme decks:
I would get them because they have "new cards". I've not seen the decklists (although I have a small list of what the "new cards" are) so I'm afraid I can't say accurately how good a "base for a deck" they are at the moment.
paul: I don't think 50c rares would be very effective too... but the good uncommons tend to be able give you more value for your buck so I'd invest in those to start.
kha: congrats with your deck.. =)
I hate the timings for the tournaments too... =(
tournament practice: it has been said that tournament practice room should be used for tournament practice but at this point in time, people don't tend to go there. I think a relatively effective way would be to advertise your game with "tournament decks" in the comments and set the game to a match. I'm not very sure whether or not most people use the table view (there isn't another view is there?) like I do and click on the name to arrange the format in alphabetical order (this puts 100c singleton at the top of the list) to find a game. If so, the comments on the left should stick out rather prominently. Anyway, the past few times I've played in the tournament practice room looking for a competitive deck for mainstream formats (not 100c singleton), I've met (sorry to be rude) crappy decks that do not belong at all in that room.
Commander theme decks:
Go to the Deck Editor. Hit Load, then the Look In tab. Go to Theme Decks -> Masters Edition III, then load either one.
I realize these will be pretty bad at tournament-level, but as a jumping point/casual play/easy way to snag a bunch of singletons of decent cards...?
Judging from the list of cards from there, I'd say it's a pretty good buy for someone who needs a base but... value-wise, if you consider how much these would probably cost at retail rates, I think you might be better off buying from bots (mtgotraders ones since you're here =p)
Of course, they have yet to make any announcements regarding the price so I would think it would be good to see whether or not the value is worth what you are paying.
(I'll be getting it for the "new" cards....... they generally know how to sell stuff... unless they start banning their "star buys" like they did with demonic tutor for DvD)
do note: there are 3 unplayable cards in there due to bannings in the 100c singleton format
I think these give you the most bang for your buck
sensei's divining top -every deck
upheaval -any deck with blue (was fixed with the most recent update)
coalition relic -any control deck
ravages/geddon