I can't agree or disagree with your premise because I don't have a way to verify the facts but it is an interesting topic to be sure. I know that I was taken aback by how cheap modo prices were when I first came back to it. Part of it was at that time the cheapness of tickets (.79 via paypal on some vendors I think) but also the massive amounts of drafted dumps hitting the bots in huge numbers. I for one probably won't be anymore prepared to play legacy than I am extended or classic. The expensive cards will continue to be out of reach while the cheap ones will be plentiful and largely irrelevant. Thanks for the food for thought.
Finally someone with an article on "bigA." Ive done at least 10 Ala drafts and its quite different from ACR. Removal and Fixing is much harder to snag up then it was in ACR. In those 10 drafts, I have not been passed one drag down. In ACR, it happens quite often. I always preferred playing Grixis in ACR and now in ALA its my fav. Esper has gotten much worse while Bant has gotten slightly better.
2x I drafted U/W/x Flybeats w/ counters; both times I lost. In ACR that would have succeeded w/out a doubt and losing esper if anything. G/W is bad, U/W seems good but will fall behind to bigger creatures (as you mentioned- random big creatures). I have a losing record when playing with or against Naya colors. Too many random big dudes to fight off against.
Overall- Ive won 3 of those and got 2nd place at least 5 times and sold off all but 3 FOIL packs because Wizzs is lame and got rid of the Sealed FOIL event. I hate them.
Overall, I prefer ACR but ALA provides something new.
My deck isn't Spread 'Em. It's UWr control. Spread 'Em relies on cascade effects to hit Spreading Seas and Convincing Mirage, while my deck just uses Spreading Seas as part of it's overall metagame-screwing mold.
I really like these articles, though--it's a great snapshot to see what you should do to tweak your deck. Keep it up.
suppose opponent target skyfisher with tendrils, you uses bodyguard to give pro black to skyfisher, then tendrils is countered - meaning the spell does not resolve (either part of it)
what you should have said to cover your butt is that you didn't use bodyguard, but rather, prismatic strands on black. that will save skyfisher from dying because the damage is prevented but the tendrils will still resolve and gain life.
To be clear, I'd ONLY suggest the Cloaks against storm. I respect that deck a lot, and if running TE, I'd try and maindeck either Okiba and/or Augur and run 4 cloak/4 duress for Storm, since they have little to no removal (depending on build)
I agree with you Baldr7 - getting to 4 is a luxury vs Storm, or a good player with it.
@doctor anime: in my experience i've found that you rarely need much against control, though discard does help. the main matchup i worry about is storm, where you rarely get to 4 mana, and there the cloaks are much better than okibas. but, you DID create the deck so i defer to you in this
Good article! Always nice to see a PE walkthrough. I disagree with the WW > swamps thing though, my experience has always been the other way around. It might be because my black control decks are always running 8x blood 8x edict though. Anyway, hit me up online sometime and we'll test.
I'd caution on the cloak of confusion though. I could see it replacing Okiba if you're afraid you wont hit 4 mana in time (okiba is better because it deals 3 damage and discards 2), but I always bring in my augurs vs. control, and enchantments are never a good idea against heavy removal.
Yeah I actually beat the dead dog player that top 8ed in the 2nd or 3rd round, I forget. Dead dog is a hard matchup for BG tempo, if they get TE and start making 3 guys a turn thanks to rootwalla and grave scrabblers BG just cannot keep up. I won 2-1 and the 2 wins were both very close, I grinded out those last few points of damage, and the time I lost i got absolutely demolished.
Goblins is the easy matchup, WW is difficult without nausea and a complete blowout with it. Storm can beat you, you have to mull aggresivly to get the rats going. Post side you can duress grapeshot and gain a bunch with nourish (they usually need 2 grapeshot to kill you through that)
Bu control seems like a good matchup too as thier 1 for 1 removal just doesnt cut it vs a deck full of cantripping beasts, and even if they gain a bunch of life, they actually have to KILL you, as you always will have a superior board presense.
I really like the deck and I wish I could play more chittering rats as I feel its the MVP.
I think there was a misunderstanding...if someone tendrils my skyfisher, and I save it via bodyguard...the skyfisher lives, AND the opp gains life = to swamps...that's what I meant :)
I'd run the cloaks with augur to play it safe :) I'm giving Kami of False hope a try for extra time vs. bushwacker madness
Thanks for the feedback I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying the series. If you think its funny how people leave games stay tuned because I make notes on it in each article and some of the instances are quite amusing.
Yes! You're very right about Kumano. I have to say I was a bit disappointed because this seemed like the perfect outlet for it. I think that if I wanted to move it more to the front I'd have to up the count to at least three because the few times it saw play I was having more fun with the Obsidian Firehearts or was going for a kill with Rakdos Pit Dragon, both of which just outshined Kumano.
Congrats for the article. I've found it (and the previous ones also) very amusing and well written. It's a pity to face all those stupid concede games without much sense, but you continue and make the deck work so well.
I'm enjoying these last articles on enchanments and I think you're taking them to some interesting places.
On the deck itself I have to ask about Kumano. It didn't seem to have so much game, did it?
no, that's wrong. it's countered because of no legal targets before resolution. if the damage would be prevented instead of the target becoming illegal, then you would still gain the life. cloak of confusion looks awesome by the way! think i'll definitely be putting that in my sideboard instead of my okiba gang shinobis and maybe an augur of skulls.
Wow, Dead Dog AND BGTempo both made it to the top8 last PE! That's insane. Grats, orvn! Honestly I haven't put as much playtesting with that deck as I should've. STE was just there as a 2drop to chump + Rampant Growth, making sure chittering / penumbra be cast on time. I totally agree that Putrid Leech is a house, and you're probably right about the swap. I'll keep testing it. I'm very happy that the meta is shaking up and new decks are proving their worth!
Oh, and about the editor: I think it's a misleading title. He approves articles, I don't think he actually edits anything. That responsibility rests on the writers. However, since I'm terrible at editing, I've got a friend to edit my stuff from now on. Quality will go up!
You're correct. That should read "draws you a card."
Thought th shock lands were "when" not "as" a well. Sorry this set could not offer more goblin options llarack. Did you notice the merfolk?
Explore does not put you up a card.
I can't agree or disagree with your premise because I don't have a way to verify the facts but it is an interesting topic to be sure. I know that I was taken aback by how cheap modo prices were when I first came back to it. Part of it was at that time the cheapness of tickets (.79 via paypal on some vendors I think) but also the massive amounts of drafted dumps hitting the bots in huge numbers. I for one probably won't be anymore prepared to play legacy than I am extended or classic. The expensive cards will continue to be out of reach while the cheap ones will be plentiful and largely irrelevant. Thanks for the food for thought.
Finally someone with an article on "bigA." Ive done at least 10 Ala drafts and its quite different from ACR. Removal and Fixing is much harder to snag up then it was in ACR. In those 10 drafts, I have not been passed one drag down. In ACR, it happens quite often. I always preferred playing Grixis in ACR and now in ALA its my fav. Esper has gotten much worse while Bant has gotten slightly better.
2x I drafted U/W/x Flybeats w/ counters; both times I lost. In ACR that would have succeeded w/out a doubt and losing esper if anything. G/W is bad, U/W seems good but will fall behind to bigger creatures (as you mentioned- random big creatures). I have a losing record when playing with or against Naya colors. Too many random big dudes to fight off against.
Overall- Ive won 3 of those and got 2nd place at least 5 times and sold off all but 3 FOIL packs because Wizzs is lame and got rid of the Sealed FOIL event. I hate them.
Overall, I prefer ACR but ALA provides something new.
Thanks for the article.
My deck isn't Spread 'Em. It's UWr control. Spread 'Em relies on cascade effects to hit Spreading Seas and Convincing Mirage, while my deck just uses Spreading Seas as part of it's overall metagame-screwing mold.
I really like these articles, though--it's a great snapshot to see what you should do to tweak your deck. Keep it up.
I think Mono Blue will be back just because of "Wind Zendikon" - tons of control and a skybear = goodtimes.
Remember everyone, 2pm this Saturday (PST) is the next one - mark your calendars...
you shouldn't swear then :(
flaring pain wins everytime.
I swear I've done that a dozen times and they still gain life...
Something I've wondered, is if I have P.strands cast...then opp casts flaring pain, if I recast P.Strands...what happens?
no misunderstanding - you are still wrong.
suppose opponent target skyfisher with tendrils, you uses bodyguard to give pro black to skyfisher, then tendrils is countered - meaning the spell does not resolve (either part of it)
what you should have said to cover your butt is that you didn't use bodyguard, but rather, prismatic strands on black. that will save skyfisher from dying because the damage is prevented but the tendrils will still resolve and gain life.
good job on ur t4.
To be clear, I'd ONLY suggest the Cloaks against storm. I respect that deck a lot, and if running TE, I'd try and maindeck either Okiba and/or Augur and run 4 cloak/4 duress for Storm, since they have little to no removal (depending on build)
I agree with you Baldr7 - getting to 4 is a luxury vs Storm, or a good player with it.
@doctor anime: in my experience i've found that you rarely need much against control, though discard does help. the main matchup i worry about is storm, where you rarely get to 4 mana, and there the cloaks are much better than okibas. but, you DID create the deck so i defer to you in this
You suck Tim.
Good article! Always nice to see a PE walkthrough. I disagree with the WW > swamps thing though, my experience has always been the other way around. It might be because my black control decks are always running 8x blood 8x edict though. Anyway, hit me up online sometime and we'll test.
I'd caution on the cloak of confusion though. I could see it replacing Okiba if you're afraid you wont hit 4 mana in time (okiba is better because it deals 3 damage and discards 2), but I always bring in my augurs vs. control, and enchantments are never a good idea against heavy removal.
Yeah I actually beat the dead dog player that top 8ed in the 2nd or 3rd round, I forget. Dead dog is a hard matchup for BG tempo, if they get TE and start making 3 guys a turn thanks to rootwalla and grave scrabblers BG just cannot keep up. I won 2-1 and the 2 wins were both very close, I grinded out those last few points of damage, and the time I lost i got absolutely demolished.
Goblins is the easy matchup, WW is difficult without nausea and a complete blowout with it. Storm can beat you, you have to mull aggresivly to get the rats going. Post side you can duress grapeshot and gain a bunch with nourish (they usually need 2 grapeshot to kill you through that)
Bu control seems like a good matchup too as thier 1 for 1 removal just doesnt cut it vs a deck full of cantripping beasts, and even if they gain a bunch of life, they actually have to KILL you, as you always will have a superior board presense.
I really like the deck and I wish I could play more chittering rats as I feel its the MVP.
-orvn
Thanks for reading, sorry it got a bit more rushed towards the end, the matches were getting longer/harder :)
I think there was a misunderstanding...if someone tendrils my skyfisher, and I save it via bodyguard...the skyfisher lives, AND the opp gains life = to swamps...that's what I meant :)
I'd run the cloaks with augur to play it safe :) I'm giving Kami of False hope a try for extra time vs. bushwacker madness
Thanks for the feedback I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying the series. If you think its funny how people leave games stay tuned because I make notes on it in each article and some of the instances are quite amusing.
Yes! You're very right about Kumano. I have to say I was a bit disappointed because this seemed like the perfect outlet for it. I think that if I wanted to move it more to the front I'd have to up the count to at least three because the few times it saw play I was having more fun with the Obsidian Firehearts or was going for a kill with Rakdos Pit Dragon, both of which just outshined Kumano.
Congrats for the article. I've found it (and the previous ones also) very amusing and well written. It's a pity to face all those stupid concede games without much sense, but you continue and make the deck work so well.
I'm enjoying these last articles on enchanments and I think you're taking them to some interesting places.
On the deck itself I have to ask about Kumano. It didn't seem to have so much game, did it?
no, that's wrong. it's countered because of no legal targets before resolution. if the damage would be prevented instead of the target becoming illegal, then you would still gain the life. cloak of confusion looks awesome by the way! think i'll definitely be putting that in my sideboard instead of my okiba gang shinobis and maybe an augur of skulls.
Very Entertaining and a good finish. Glad see you did well with the pious deck. :)
Wow, Dead Dog AND BGTempo both made it to the top8 last PE! That's insane. Grats, orvn! Honestly I haven't put as much playtesting with that deck as I should've. STE was just there as a 2drop to chump + Rampant Growth, making sure chittering / penumbra be cast on time. I totally agree that Putrid Leech is a house, and you're probably right about the swap. I'll keep testing it. I'm very happy that the meta is shaking up and new decks are proving their worth!
Oh, and about the editor: I think it's a misleading title. He approves articles, I don't think he actually edits anything. That responsibility rests on the writers. However, since I'm terrible at editing, I've got a friend to edit my stuff from now on. Quality will go up!
"but I can see a deck combining Dead Reckoning with Mournwhelk to control an opponent's hand and inflicting 7 damage for 3 mana."
Unfortunately, Dead Reckoning deals damage equal to the creatures power, not CMC.
yes, but you still gain life for the # of swamps you control, it's two steps