I always make multiple decks if the sealed pool allows for it. But if I have enough -raw- power in my maindeck I'll generally stick to that and keep sideboard cards around for options.
Do you ever consider sideboarding to a color combination that you rejected but would be better against the archetype your facing? Your pools seemed deep enough to go flyers-heavy, for example.
Mana issues that can crop up in any format were definitely a part of it, but it frequently came down to the "better bomb" factor, which has *long* been the gripe good players have had about core-set limited. You can only outplay someone so much in a set with very vanilla cards sprinkled with neutron bombs.
Most of my match losses were 1-2, too, I was rarely blown out in a match, I just couldn't close the deal in the game threes.
I also just felt I kept getting the worst of the rock/scissors/paper matchup game. For example, in Flight #1 round 4, Zwick destroys me with a turn-three Illusionary Servant I can't target, despite my early Stag. In Flight #2 and #3, I kept facing white decks with multiple Blinding Mages againt *my* Illusionary Servants. I just kept running into rocks with my scissors.
I'll be sure to do an M10 draft coming up to see if I fare any better, but I think I'm done with M10 sealed...
Heh, you beat me fair and square (ggs!), but let's just say we probably had the two best 1-2 decks in the event.
I was particularly bummed to lose to a black/blue deck after making a turn-three Great Sable Stag! I'm pretty sure that's illegal, isn't it? You were just supposed to concede on the spot.
When a very strong player, from what Ive seen from his replays, cant muster a winning record in 3 events then methinks some random factors plays a huge roll in M10 sealed. Welcome back mana issues...I had missed you during ALA drafts...
Trouble is a Puca is more of a fey spirit than a demon, more of a trickster than a fount of unfettered malevolent evil. Mythologically speaking, there's a vast difference.
Well I recently got back into the game after 6 years, so I am really only familiar with M10 and ALA block as opposed to going back and buying expensive older cards that are just going to rotate out in a few months, so I've only been playing ALA online for now:
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Path of Exile
3 Traumatic Visions
2 Telemin Performance
4 Memory Erosion
4 Cancel
3 Resounding Wave
4 Couriers Capsule
4 Wall of Denial
2 Spell Snip
4 Mind Funeral
I used to have the Nemesis of Reason's maindeck, but they were just fodder for whatever creature removal they've been holding all game, side them and the demons in game 2 when they take out all their creature removal. I also used to play with Borderposts but they caused too much trouble as Maelstrom Pulse targets or needing 1 more mana to draw and getting that instead.
It does very well against Blightning, and a bit worse against more aggro type decks. Any suggestions?
Hey Godot, sorry about the bad beats in round 4 :P My bad luck in that flight was probably almost as bad as yours was... I got fed a mono black pool, for the most part. Sleep, Jace, Hypnotic Specter, Royal Assassin, 2x Doomblade, 2x Deathmark, 2x Consume, 2x Duress. I was sure I submitted the right deck, but I lost round 2 to overrun + lava axe, and round 3 to a great sable stag on turn 2 both games.
If I were to build a demon deck, I would definately use Puca's Mischief; that's a real demonic card. I would cast Illusionary Demon and donate it to my opponent the next turn. Then I would play a Yawgmoth Demon only to give it as a gift to my opponent. Kagemaro, First to Suffer would be my Wrath of God and to make all of this even more demonic, I would add Demonic Consultation and Demonic Tutor to the deck and use both to fetch my Puca's Mischief.
Actually I think 4 Memory Erosion is good because they work fine in multiples, they also work really well with bounce spells I run Resounding wake and used to run Call to Heel but wake is better cuz its useful for permanents. I've been playing this deck a lot with mixed results, anyone interested if i post it or want to play online?
Bane of the Living is a nice cheap option for mass creature removal. And when you don't need the removal he is still usable. At least it gives you options in the tribal decks you face.
Nice ideas, especially for taking it into Extended. The Master Transmuters would work, but it'd be too clunky to pull everything together I think. Still, interesting to hear where others would take the idea.
I would still side in Telemin Performance against Open the Vaults decks even though they play 2 Ethersworn Canonists main. Because I'm sure once they see what I'm playing in the first game, they will surely side them out. Maybe they won't but I would take that risk.
I wouldn't play Silence in Turbo Fog but maybe I would add it to the sideboard. I think that Silence belongs to another deck with Meddling Mage and especially Sen Triplets.
Batwing Brume is nice but it requires a splash to black which will increase the already high number of nonbasics in the deck. I don't want that for just one card since Anathemancer is a real threat and can be devastating especially during late game.
And yes, Memory Erosion really is a nice card and could be played in one of those decks above. Maybe not a full playset but I belive that one or two copies won't hurt.
I think Telemin Performance has lost most of it's value against Time Sieve combo, as most lists are copying Ruel, and running Ethersworn Canonist main. If you telemin their canonist, then you've just hamstringed yourself somewhat, without really affecting their deck (except probably putting loads of artifacts in the graveyard for them. You could board it in for game 2, assuming they board the canonists out, but as soon as they know you have it, they're going to keep at least 2 canonists in.
It's a shame Phage rotated, eh? I saw that happen once, in a 2hg game, and enjoyed it immensely.
Another possible replacement for Arcanis in Standard would be Overbeing of Myth.
Re-reading the game summaries, it seems obvious that I was light on win conditions. What else does Extended offer us that could have finished games sooner?
Capricious Efreet: 33% destroy one of your toys, 66% break one of theirs
Stuart's Capricious Efreet: 66% break one of their toys, 33% sigh and act bored
Katastrophe's Capricious Efreet: 100% break one of their toys
Put the Capricious Efreet trigger on the stack. Then bounce, flicker, or phase your permanent (even the Efreet itself, if that's what you had to choose). The ability will resolve with just two legal targets and you'll destroy one of them.
The best way to do this is to have two Master Transmuters trade places during your upkeep. I can't think of any other repeatable bounce. Sacrificing something that you were going to sacrifice anyway is nice, but not consistent. Announce that the Efreet will destroy either your Pyrite Spellbomb, your opponent's Platinum Angel, or your opponent's goblin token. Then blow your spellbomb to shock your opponent. Or if you want, use the Pyrite Spellbomb to take out the goblin token. Then you roll 1D1 and destroy the Platinum Angel. :)
Be aware that people can play around Capricious Efteet by having only one non-land permanent in play. So if I'm hanging around at -40 life from Efreet beatdown, then as long as Platinum Angel is all I have besides lands, then I can take as long as I want to draw Banefire.
If you go extended, U/R dual + Hatching Plans. Be the first person to smash Hatching Plans with a mono-red card!
On mtgo i've been playing a Alara block deck very similar to this, with white for path of exile, oblivion ring, and wall of denial but the main card is Memory Erosion which is really fun and no one has a clue what do with at least for the first game heh
I always make multiple decks if the sealed pool allows for it. But if I have enough -raw- power in my maindeck I'll generally stick to that and keep sideboard cards around for options.
Do you ever consider sideboarding to a color combination that you rejected but would be better against the archetype your facing? Your pools seemed deep enough to go flyers-heavy, for example.
I think I figured out the problem...
"I just kept running into rocks with my scissors."
Always.... No. Never. Run with scissors.
That's all I got.
Rough beats in the event... I guess the silver lining is that due to the lower prize payouts you didn't miss out on much prizes.
Or something.
Nice article we will have to name this day "National Demon Day" from now on lol, may the dark gods bless ye all.
tome scour from M10 is the new card to toss into mill decks, 5 for 1 is incredibly efficient.
Mana issues that can crop up in any format were definitely a part of it, but it frequently came down to the "better bomb" factor, which has *long* been the gripe good players have had about core-set limited. You can only outplay someone so much in a set with very vanilla cards sprinkled with neutron bombs.
Most of my match losses were 1-2, too, I was rarely blown out in a match, I just couldn't close the deal in the game threes.
I also just felt I kept getting the worst of the rock/scissors/paper matchup game. For example, in Flight #1 round 4, Zwick destroys me with a turn-three Illusionary Servant I can't target, despite my early Stag. In Flight #2 and #3, I kept facing white decks with multiple Blinding Mages againt *my* Illusionary Servants. I just kept running into rocks with my scissors.
I'll be sure to do an M10 draft coming up to see if I fare any better, but I think I'm done with M10 sealed...
Amusing, we seem to have a theme running today. Interesting to get your perspective on the available imps and demons.
Heh, you beat me fair and square (ggs!), but let's just say we probably had the two best 1-2 decks in the event.
I was particularly bummed to lose to a black/blue deck after making a turn-three Great Sable Stag! I'm pretty sure that's illegal, isn't it? You were just supposed to concede on the spot.
When a very strong player, from what Ive seen from his replays, cant muster a winning record in 3 events then methinks some random factors plays a huge roll in M10 sealed. Welcome back mana issues...I had missed you during ALA drafts...
-M
Trouble is a Puca is more of a fey spirit than a demon, more of a trickster than a fount of unfettered malevolent evil. Mythologically speaking, there's a vast difference.
Well I recently got back into the game after 6 years, so I am really only familiar with M10 and ALA block as opposed to going back and buying expensive older cards that are just going to rotate out in a few months, so I've only been playing ALA online for now:
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Path of Exile
3 Traumatic Visions
2 Telemin Performance
4 Memory Erosion
4 Cancel
3 Resounding Wave
4 Couriers Capsule
4 Wall of Denial
2 Spell Snip
4 Mind Funeral
4 Arcane Sanctum
5 Plains
6 Island
5 Swamp
4 Esper Panorama
SB:
4 Celestial Purge
2 Extractor Demon
2 Nemesis of Reason
4 Hindering Light
3 Infest
I used to have the Nemesis of Reason's maindeck, but they were just fodder for whatever creature removal they've been holding all game, side them and the demons in game 2 when they take out all their creature removal. I also used to play with Borderposts but they caused too much trouble as Maelstrom Pulse targets or needing 1 more mana to draw and getting that instead.
It does very well against Blightning, and a bit worse against more aggro type decks. Any suggestions?
Hey Godot, sorry about the bad beats in round 4 :P My bad luck in that flight was probably almost as bad as yours was... I got fed a mono black pool, for the most part. Sleep, Jace, Hypnotic Specter, Royal Assassin, 2x Doomblade, 2x Deathmark, 2x Consume, 2x Duress. I was sure I submitted the right deck, but I lost round 2 to overrun + lava axe, and round 3 to a great sable stag on turn 2 both games.
Post it here please, I'm sure it would help players who are interested in this kind of decks.
LE
Your demons deck is not demonic enough!
If I were to build a demon deck, I would definately use Puca's Mischief; that's a real demonic card. I would cast Illusionary Demon and donate it to my opponent the next turn. Then I would play a Yawgmoth Demon only to give it as a gift to my opponent. Kagemaro, First to Suffer would be my Wrath of God and to make all of this even more demonic, I would add Demonic Consultation and Demonic Tutor to the deck and use both to fetch my Puca's Mischief.
Now that would be real demonic!
LE
Actually I think 4 Memory Erosion is good because they work fine in multiples, they also work really well with bounce spells I run Resounding wake and used to run Call to Heel but wake is better cuz its useful for permanents. I've been playing this deck a lot with mixed results, anyone interested if i post it or want to play online?
Bane of the Living is a nice cheap option for mass creature removal. And when you don't need the removal he is still usable. At least it gives you options in the tribal decks you face.
Nice ideas, especially for taking it into Extended. The Master Transmuters would work, but it'd be too clunky to pull everything together I think. Still, interesting to hear where others would take the idea.
Thanks for the comments guys.
I would still side in Telemin Performance against Open the Vaults decks even though they play 2 Ethersworn Canonists main. Because I'm sure once they see what I'm playing in the first game, they will surely side them out. Maybe they won't but I would take that risk.
I wouldn't play Silence in Turbo Fog but maybe I would add it to the sideboard. I think that Silence belongs to another deck with Meddling Mage and especially Sen Triplets.
Batwing Brume is nice but it requires a splash to black which will increase the already high number of nonbasics in the deck. I don't want that for just one card since Anathemancer is a real threat and can be devastating especially during late game.
And yes, Memory Erosion really is a nice card and could be played in one of those decks above. Maybe not a full playset but I belive that one or two copies won't hurt.
Thanks again for all the comments.
LE
Also, it feels like duress or thoughtsieze might want a slot somehwere in the board.
I think Telemin Performance has lost most of it's value against Time Sieve combo, as most lists are copying Ruel, and running Ethersworn Canonist main. If you telemin their canonist, then you've just hamstringed yourself somewhat, without really affecting their deck (except probably putting loads of artifacts in the graveyard for them. You could board it in for game 2, assuming they board the canonists out, but as soon as they know you have it, they're going to keep at least 2 canonists in.
It's a shame Phage rotated, eh? I saw that happen once, in a 2hg game, and enjoyed it immensely.
Another possible replacement for Arcanis in Standard would be Overbeing of Myth.
Re-reading the game summaries, it seems obvious that I was light on win conditions. What else does Extended offer us that could have finished games sooner?
Stupid (Crack the Earth). Well, you'll probably still be the first. Heh.
Greater Gargadon, too. A wonderful sac outlet, but it requires extended.
Capricious Efreet: 33% destroy one of your toys, 66% break one of theirs
Stuart's Capricious Efreet: 66% break one of their toys, 33% sigh and act bored
Katastrophe's Capricious Efreet: 100% break one of their toys
Put the Capricious Efreet trigger on the stack. Then bounce, flicker, or phase your permanent (even the Efreet itself, if that's what you had to choose). The ability will resolve with just two legal targets and you'll destroy one of them.
The best way to do this is to have two Master Transmuters trade places during your upkeep. I can't think of any other repeatable bounce. Sacrificing something that you were going to sacrifice anyway is nice, but not consistent. Announce that the Efreet will destroy either your Pyrite Spellbomb, your opponent's Platinum Angel, or your opponent's goblin token. Then blow your spellbomb to shock your opponent. Or if you want, use the Pyrite Spellbomb to take out the goblin token. Then you roll 1D1 and destroy the Platinum Angel. :)
Be aware that people can play around Capricious Efteet by having only one non-land permanent in play. So if I'm hanging around at -40 life from Efreet beatdown, then as long as Platinum Angel is all I have besides lands, then I can take as long as I want to draw Banefire.
If you go extended, U/R dual + Hatching Plans. Be the first person to smash Hatching Plans with a mono-red card!
On mtgo i've been playing a Alara block deck very similar to this, with white for path of exile, oblivion ring, and wall of denial but the main card is Memory Erosion which is really fun and no one has a clue what do with at least for the first game heh
Actually, you CAN do broken things with it if you get a Vedlalken Orrery or Quicken :).