I am always looking forward to reading your great articles, so thank you, and keep up
the good work!
Question from your R2G2, the turn in which you use the Torch to get rid of the Ripper:
After torching, you play the Shieldmate.
Why not play the ravager with WWR, and leave RR open to possibly trade with his Minotaur?
For extra blocking you could have then added the Kor Duelist aswell.
About the first pick of the new draft:
I would windmill slam the Emeria Angel. It could possibly win the entire match on it's own.
As good as the machette is (and it is REALLY good), I just think the angel is even a level higher.
Brave the Elements is simply an MVP. And that's my opinion as I've been on the receiving end of being foiled by that card more times than I can count. [I started playing with BR Blightning Aggro then Standard Vampires, then switched to UB Mill. The only Brave I liked was one that I was able to counter.]
of course for some of them its because they literally never get played anymore. They either had a newer better card printed or just lost favor. I have been playing on mtgo since rav block and I have never seen someone play a shivan wurm! Seems like it could be savage though.
The two cards that are up for discussion here are the pack's bombs. Anyone who misses that the good ole' trusty machete is a bomb needs more experience with the format. It puts all your bears and early curve critters(which is most of them for many decks) above the magic 3 toughness. It makes your guys very difficult to block profitably, and then when you equip it on your blockers it makes attacking profitably nearly impossible for your opponent. That's an awful lot of shenanigans for it's cost. It's true that it also fits into any deck, I'd gladly run it in pretty much anything.
Emeria Angel is a nice bomb for sure, and it goes very well at the top of an aggresive white deck's curve. For it to be really broken though you need a way to abuse the landfall trigger. If it goes off once or twice near the end of the game I don't think it's had quite the effect on the game that a early machete could have had, Zendikar is really, really fast. Unless I was sporting Harrows and Skyfishers I'd prefer the machete over the Angel in that deck if I had to choose. The machete is a lot tougher to remove than the creature, and it will simply dominate most games consistently when it comes down. On top of all this if white isn't open then I'd very much regret not taking the machete. I think choosing the equipment gives you the best chance of creating a very nasty deck.
Nice try in your second round btw, those were some nasty hands Villain drew. I think I learned a good bit from your second round. Thanks again.
In a draft I guess I could see # 1 happening, but you said significant prizes. I don't consider a draft to be significant. I am more willing to help someone there, but if it is a PE then more than likely I wouldn't be as helpful. I have only played classic tournaments and I have never ran across a situation where a player didn't know how to untap a land, in a draft I could easily see that happen.
I love the classic pack idea as I love to play in any draft where I can pull my classic goodies, I'm looking at you Mr. Overpriced Dreadnought.
A huge part of the issue with classic atm is the fact that packs are almost worthless compared to other boosters on the market. While I loved master edition, most of them weren't the greatest to draft.
Eh screw it, I say free Dual land sets to everyone!
Bummed to hear that you won't be appearing regularly on Thursdays anymore. Your articles have consistently been of very high quality, providing the types of decks and analysis I enjoy. Just don't be a stranger.
Re: the article: It's interesting to note that a lot of these "expensive" cards just aren't that expensive anymore. Shivan Wurm under 3 tix is just amazing to me.
It's funny you should have that opinion of Trusty Machete as I thought the same way you did thats why I only included two, but in most of the games I played I'd rather have the Trusty Machete than a creature on the draw.
Just a note about Game 2 of the second match. You have in hand Adventuring Gear, Molten Ravager, and Arrow Valley Trap. You played out Adventuring Gear and Equipped both that and the Scope and discuss some alternate plays. The one I think you missed was to Equip the Scope and attack. If you draw a land then play the Adventuring Gear and Ravager. If you dont draw a land then just play the Molten Ravager leaving a Mountain open.
That play masks your Arrow Valley Trap, still gives you an extra chance to draw a land, and MOST IMPORTANTLY prevents 2 damage from the Hexmage. It ends up that if you had played the Ravager then you would have prevented 4 damage because of his Crypt Ripper draw and completely changed the game state.
Against Black Red you dont want to try to race him, especially with the Trap in hand and the fact that he'll gain life from the Nighthawk. Taking an extra 2-damage when you have an alternate play thats just as good and stops that damage just seems incorrect.
yeah allies are for some reason my new fetish as far as decks go. The valakut deck is an odd beast. It wins by turn 8 most times which sound awful, but then I've only been testing it in the Casual room. Vampires is a surprisingly easy matchup as volcanic fallout kills all of them excpet for nocturnus and nighthawk. Luckily lightning bolt kills the nighthawk and a kicked burst lightning takes out the Lord. Its weird to play though especially trying to explain why you have two expeditions ready to break and terramorphic expanses just sitting in play.
The Exalted Humans vs Elves game 2 was an EPIC matchup. After blowing out our doors in game 1, the elves had the humans down almost 100 life to 2. Teferi's Moat came down, followed by steel of the godhead, and the Humans managed to completely reverse those totals.
Ermans Fishies wiped the floor with me. My only out would have been to have a Moat in my opening hand, and live til turn 4 or 5.
Here's my list
People are People.
1 Faerie Conclave
4 Sejiri Refuge
8 Island
8 Plains
2 Wrath of God
2 Steel of the Godhead
4 Ardent Plea
2 Teferi's Moat
4 Journey to Nowhere
1 Oona's Grace
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
The most expensive cards are the two WOG's (the only ones I own). I ran the Refuges as a budget consideration, but I was never unhappy to get the extra life.
The whole deck is Ext legal BTW, so I'm ready for Tribal Ext whenever you guys are.
I haven't been a big fan of this card in concept due to the Equip cost of 2. seems like it's antisynergistic w/ a fast creature deck. i feel like i'd want to be playing more creatures out on turn 3 and 4 rather than paying an equip cost of 2 on turn 3. thoughts on this by anybody else? i do realize that most creatures in this deck are 2/2 so having a 4/3 on turn 3 is pretty good...but it just feels like you're putting all your eggs in one creature basket if you will. i've read all the articles that say this is a top limited card and what-not...but for both limited and constructed, an equip cost of 2 seems like a lot to me for the benefit. i've not play w/ it yet myself, so just wondering if anybody else feels this way. thanks!
Would 100% draft the Emeria Angel in that pack without any other considerations. The Machete is a great card, but not as useful as a flier that produces more fliers. It's got such good card advantage. The machete would be pick 2 for me and then probably the harrow. I'm not a fan of the Steppe Lynx because it just doesn't get powered up enough unless you draw a bunch a land (which generally means your drawing was very good) and is generally a useless blocker during your opponents turn. I won about 6 drafts and second 3 times out of 14 drafts total and the only colours combinations I would draft would be red, or red/black or white/black and pack on the removal. The odd rare draft is necessary though...no one passes up Lotus Cobras or anything of that value.
Lol my deck is a pile but fun to play with. 1 ofs can be surprising because your opponent really can't be just prepared for one strategy. With random.dec he has to be wary of surprise tactics like Armageddon out of the blue etc. My deck of course was formed by my weirdo singleton based collection so not as tight as it could have been (loose as a goose as they say) but it did manage to overcome the angels deck and Scar and I had a tense battle game 3 for the decider of the match. Thanks again for running the weekly PRE.
Your ally deck is growing! :) It seems much better than at first. I built a hypothetical varient with just red green but of course can't play it because its just a list.
I like the Valakut deck. Hard to get right though, seems like it could fall to aggro.
Yeah, I generally try to find reasons to attack, and that's a fine default stance, but I agree it's overly-aggressive against RB in the format. Villain's mutiny on my giant later on supports the point...
That's a great point. You know, I see "trapped" Whiplash so infrequently (heck, have I ever?), I have totally stopped playing around it (and obviously even noticing it), but that's not a good trend in my game.
The overall lack of benefit from equipping via the outfitter in that spot makes simply paying the 4 to equip to the 7/1 the correct play. After all, the hook must be re-equipped next turn after the token goes away anyway, so may as well save the 4 mana next turn and avoid the potential trap blowout in that spot, good call.
"It’s funny that I actually have a Kor Outfitter at a time where it makes the most expensive equip cost in the set free, but at a time where I don’t really have anything else to do with the saved mana. In this spot, since there is no instant for U that can stop it, I like cracking the shrine and casting the outfitter to move the Grappling Hook onto the 7/1 trampler for 14 points of damage."
You actually opened yourself up to a Whiplash Trap here by casting the the Kor and popping the shrine.
You can manually edit the art for demonic tutor in your local source files if you really care about it..theres a thread about switching lots of cards to original versions somewhere out there..
Hi Godot,
I am always looking forward to reading your great articles, so thank you, and keep up
the good work!
Question from your R2G2, the turn in which you use the Torch to get rid of the Ripper:
After torching, you play the Shieldmate.
Why not play the ravager with WWR, and leave RR open to possibly trade with his Minotaur?
For extra blocking you could have then added the Kor Duelist aswell.
About the first pick of the new draft:
I would windmill slam the Emeria Angel. It could possibly win the entire match on it's own.
As good as the machette is (and it is REALLY good), I just think the angel is even a level higher.
Chris
Brave the Elements is simply an MVP. And that's my opinion as I've been on the receiving end of being foiled by that card more times than I can count. [I started playing with BR Blightning Aggro then Standard Vampires, then switched to UB Mill. The only Brave I liked was one that I was able to counter.]
great article! very fun for casual gamers
however i would not compromise pro games with any of these, sorcery to instant can be a big difference
but yeah great article and works with fun games/drafts cheers
Suppression Field is another good card that can be substituted for Null Rod if you're on a budget.
of course for some of them its because they literally never get played anymore. They either had a newer better card printed or just lost favor. I have been playing on mtgo since rav block and I have never seen someone play a shivan wurm! Seems like it could be savage though.
The two cards that are up for discussion here are the pack's bombs. Anyone who misses that the good ole' trusty machete is a bomb needs more experience with the format. It puts all your bears and early curve critters(which is most of them for many decks) above the magic 3 toughness. It makes your guys very difficult to block profitably, and then when you equip it on your blockers it makes attacking profitably nearly impossible for your opponent. That's an awful lot of shenanigans for it's cost. It's true that it also fits into any deck, I'd gladly run it in pretty much anything.
Emeria Angel is a nice bomb for sure, and it goes very well at the top of an aggresive white deck's curve. For it to be really broken though you need a way to abuse the landfall trigger. If it goes off once or twice near the end of the game I don't think it's had quite the effect on the game that a early machete could have had, Zendikar is really, really fast. Unless I was sporting Harrows and Skyfishers I'd prefer the machete over the Angel in that deck if I had to choose. The machete is a lot tougher to remove than the creature, and it will simply dominate most games consistently when it comes down. On top of all this if white isn't open then I'd very much regret not taking the machete. I think choosing the equipment gives you the best chance of creating a very nasty deck.
Nice try in your second round btw, those were some nasty hands Villain drew. I think I learned a good bit from your second round. Thanks again.
Really, really enjoyed this. It's useful in every sense of the word, especially for those of us trying to improve our games.
In a draft I guess I could see # 1 happening, but you said significant prizes. I don't consider a draft to be significant. I am more willing to help someone there, but if it is a PE then more than likely I wouldn't be as helpful. I have only played classic tournaments and I have never ran across a situation where a player didn't know how to untap a land, in a draft I could easily see that happen.
I love the classic pack idea as I love to play in any draft where I can pull my classic goodies, I'm looking at you Mr. Overpriced Dreadnought.
A huge part of the issue with classic atm is the fact that packs are almost worthless compared to other boosters on the market. While I loved master edition, most of them weren't the greatest to draft.
Eh screw it, I say free Dual land sets to everyone!
Bummed to hear that you won't be appearing regularly on Thursdays anymore. Your articles have consistently been of very high quality, providing the types of decks and analysis I enjoy. Just don't be a stranger.
Re: the article: It's interesting to note that a lot of these "expensive" cards just aren't that expensive anymore. Shivan Wurm under 3 tix is just amazing to me.
Brave the Elements and Devout Lightcaster I found are very useful in block due to the amount of black decks.
I'm not sure about Cliff Threader I think I should have replaced that card.
Yeah Kor Duelist is very nice. If I had gone the pure Kor route and had more equipment I would have ran a playset as well.
Me being me though I had to give a bit of love to the unused white Zen cards as I wanted to see how they played out.
It's funny you should have that opinion of Trusty Machete as I thought the same way you did thats why I only included two, but in most of the games I played I'd rather have the Trusty Machete than a creature on the draw.
i'd comment but Odindusk said everything I wanted to say.
Just a note about Game 2 of the second match. You have in hand Adventuring Gear, Molten Ravager, and Arrow Valley Trap. You played out Adventuring Gear and Equipped both that and the Scope and discuss some alternate plays. The one I think you missed was to Equip the Scope and attack. If you draw a land then play the Adventuring Gear and Ravager. If you dont draw a land then just play the Molten Ravager leaving a Mountain open.
That play masks your Arrow Valley Trap, still gives you an extra chance to draw a land, and MOST IMPORTANTLY prevents 2 damage from the Hexmage. It ends up that if you had played the Ravager then you would have prevented 4 damage because of his Crypt Ripper draw and completely changed the game state.
Against Black Red you dont want to try to race him, especially with the Trap in hand and the fact that he'll gain life from the Nighthawk. Taking an extra 2-damage when you have an alternate play thats just as good and stops that damage just seems incorrect.
Thoughts?
-M
I think I go with Machete here. The power level with Emeria is really close, but fitting into ANY deck puts it over the top.
yeah allies are for some reason my new fetish as far as decks go. The valakut deck is an odd beast. It wins by turn 8 most times which sound awful, but then I've only been testing it in the Casual room. Vampires is a surprisingly easy matchup as volcanic fallout kills all of them excpet for nocturnus and nighthawk. Luckily lightning bolt kills the nighthawk and a kicked burst lightning takes out the Lord. Its weird to play though especially trying to explain why you have two expeditions ready to break and terramorphic expanses just sitting in play.
The Exalted Humans vs Elves game 2 was an EPIC matchup. After blowing out our doors in game 1, the elves had the humans down almost 100 life to 2. Teferi's Moat came down, followed by steel of the godhead, and the Humans managed to completely reverse those totals.
Ermans Fishies wiped the floor with me. My only out would have been to have a Moat in my opening hand, and live til turn 4 or 5.
Here's my list
People are People.
1 Faerie Conclave
4 Sejiri Refuge
8 Island
8 Plains
3 Bant Sureblade
4 Sigiled Paladin
4 Akrasan Squire
3 Sky Hussar
2 Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
4 Ethercaste Knight
2 Wrath of God
2 Steel of the Godhead
4 Ardent Plea
2 Teferi's Moat
4 Journey to Nowhere
1 Oona's Grace
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
The most expensive cards are the two WOG's (the only ones I own). I ran the Refuges as a budget consideration, but I was never unhappy to get the extra life.
The whole deck is Ext legal BTW, so I'm ready for Tribal Ext whenever you guys are.
I haven't been a big fan of this card in concept due to the Equip cost of 2. seems like it's antisynergistic w/ a fast creature deck. i feel like i'd want to be playing more creatures out on turn 3 and 4 rather than paying an equip cost of 2 on turn 3. thoughts on this by anybody else? i do realize that most creatures in this deck are 2/2 so having a 4/3 on turn 3 is pretty good...but it just feels like you're putting all your eggs in one creature basket if you will. i've read all the articles that say this is a top limited card and what-not...but for both limited and constructed, an equip cost of 2 seems like a lot to me for the benefit. i've not play w/ it yet myself, so just wondering if anybody else feels this way. thanks!
Would 100% draft the Emeria Angel in that pack without any other considerations. The Machete is a great card, but not as useful as a flier that produces more fliers. It's got such good card advantage. The machete would be pick 2 for me and then probably the harrow. I'm not a fan of the Steppe Lynx because it just doesn't get powered up enough unless you draw a bunch a land (which generally means your drawing was very good) and is generally a useless blocker during your opponents turn. I won about 6 drafts and second 3 times out of 14 drafts total and the only colours combinations I would draft would be red, or red/black or white/black and pack on the removal. The odd rare draft is necessary though...no one passes up Lotus Cobras or anything of that value.
Fun and informative. Maybe your wife to be can take over your duties on off weeks?
Lol my deck is a pile but fun to play with. 1 ofs can be surprising because your opponent really can't be just prepared for one strategy. With random.dec he has to be wary of surprise tactics like Armageddon out of the blue etc. My deck of course was formed by my weirdo singleton based collection so not as tight as it could have been (loose as a goose as they say) but it did manage to overcome the angels deck and Scar and I had a tense battle game 3 for the decider of the match. Thanks again for running the weekly PRE.
Your ally deck is growing! :) It seems much better than at first. I built a hypothetical varient with just red green but of course can't play it because its just a list.
I like the Valakut deck. Hard to get right though, seems like it could fall to aggro.
Yeah, I generally try to find reasons to attack, and that's a fine default stance, but I agree it's overly-aggressive against RB in the format. Villain's mutiny on my giant later on supports the point...
That's a great point. You know, I see "trapped" Whiplash so infrequently (heck, have I ever?), I have totally stopped playing around it (and obviously even noticing it), but that's not a good trend in my game.
The overall lack of benefit from equipping via the outfitter in that spot makes simply paying the 4 to equip to the 7/1 the correct play. After all, the hook must be re-equipped next turn after the token goes away anyway, so may as well save the 4 mana next turn and avoid the potential trap blowout in that spot, good call.
In R1G2 #2, you said:
"It’s funny that I actually have a Kor Outfitter at a time where it makes the most expensive equip cost in the set free, but at a time where I don’t really have anything else to do with the saved mana. In this spot, since there is no instant for U that can stop it, I like cracking the shrine and casting the outfitter to move the Grappling Hook onto the 7/1 trampler for 14 points of damage."
You actually opened yourself up to a Whiplash Trap here by casting the the Kor and popping the shrine.
All in all, a great read as always.
You can manually edit the art for demonic tutor in your local source files if you really care about it..theres a thread about switching lots of cards to original versions somewhere out there..
Great article ! thanks!