Why is using team decks in a team format wrong? Did he mean that both players playing the same deck in a team format is wrong? And how is it wrong? Wrong as in broken, or wrong as in not what the format was intended to be?
I agree that this card is seldom seen, but really don't know why.
I main-deck it in both pauper and classic burn decks, both of which can make use of more 2-mana 3-damage spells than 4x Incinerate can provide. The sorcery-speed Volcanic Hammer can also act as removal, but the value of instants against a counter-heavy deck is often more important. If I`m using spells to kill opponent`s guys as a one-for-one trade, then I`ve lost the initiative, and am likely well on my way to losing the game anyways.
The rare run that iceage mentioned in his article and you do as well continues to astound me. Not that people figured it out, but that Wizards would actually have allowed an algorithm that would be that simple to figure out. Simply astounding.
I'm also surprised at Thunderbolt, just like last week. Are people putting this card in the sideboard just for MUC? I've played a billion burn decks and haven't seen it once. That's a pretty high price for a common card like that. Love it.
With the pauper format popularity on the rise, it would be nice if you could perhaps point out some of the most important cards in the most popular decks, and perhaps give some feedback on how easy it is to get them (along with prices)? Cards like muscle sliver and crypt rats spring to mind. Even if we could only see price charts depicting the most important commons and how their prices vary over time perhaps?
Bought 10x Explosives way back for a few tix each. Wish I hadn't sold the other six for 10ish tix... Might have to sell my Explosives and Moxes as 200 tix seems tempting.
this deck is really good (i relaly like fish archetype) : grea, nice build!
however, i saw 1 major lack in sb : nothing against Dredge deck, and this is a real problem because counter doent do enough the job imo, and meddling that could be useful in many case, is almost useless vs dredge decks...
Stifle is interesting to avoid some effects but in a traditionnal dredge deck you could find many many effect to counter (icho, cephalid, narco, ....), and i am almost sure that you will need much more than 4x stifle if it is your only defense without any tormod or relic.
It doesnt mean you cannot win : everything is possible, and a good management of the countes could help, however I think to put 1-2 echoing truth would be a good idea, but i have to test.
To optimize this deck, it could be interesting to try to integrate true believer (helpful vs tendrils/burn/discard) and/or maybe 1-2 serra avenger.
Last thing : Aether vial is interesting too as you mentionned vs standstil/counterdeck but make you more sensitive to needle that lots of player are actually running... and there is a problem with vial imo : to be really effecient, it has to be played in more than 2xto get it early in the game without tutor needed (if you have a late vial, i am not sure it really help you more than many other cards).
I did really well in Tempest limited, nearly always finding myself in Green, usually green-red, sometimes green-white or green-black.
Green is actually more than decent, because 3/3s are pretty good in the format. It also has some beefy uncommons, regenerators, and repeatable pump. I even played a nearly monogreen deck to the finals once. Skyshroud is also better than expected, letting you drop your 3/3 even a turn earlier being really, really good.
Trained Armodon is probably the most important pick for Green decks, usually better than Rootwallas, and I like Pincher Beetle as well, because it has fewer unfavorable trades than you'd expect (a lot of the 1/1s seeing play being pingers, and trading a pinger for a pincher being a good trade). Because Green is so underdrafted, you can use your first picks on good red or black removal then pick up beefy beaters in the mid picks.
P1P2 I didn't think it was that close. A tapland would be nice but have a much smaller effect on my deck than the awesome lizard. Bant is also the shard I least like to be in and think there are very few U cards Naya would like to splash.
P1P4 Resounding Scilence is a good card but only in defensive decks. My deck #1 looked like it would be attacking and #2 looked like it would be tapping out.
P3P3 Was a toss up went with Ambusher due to weak mana though it being gold kinda makes that a wash. I have no trouble with taking Iquanar there.
P3P5 Yeah, just had a brainfart or something and didn't see Drumhunter there.
Glad people liked it will look into future video options.
Pick one Brood Mate Dragon. Cha ching! Pretty smooth sailing from there. Congrats on the win and let's hope the year to come has more of the same for you. I will be joining the clan soon!
p1p2 - any consideration for citadel? strong even if you're planning on forcing naya (which it seems like you are) and otherwise keeps you more flexible.
p3p5 - don't you have enough 2 drops? drumhunter seems like the pick either way.
Well-written and a joy to read. The deck was a little removal-light, but you honestly didn't see too much removal in your colors. I think the Iguanar was the right pick, even with hindsight. I also would have taken Ambusher over Iguanar. I really don't have too many problems with your picks.
If you think the Vitae tech is from Sanchaz you need to look at the worlds coverage again. I'm also amazing that you were unaware of Hedge-Mage and how awesome it is. I also see pretty much zero reason to run more than one of each shock land. Fetches are much more flexable and get basics.
I like BoB's proposed mana-build, although I'd avoid Mutas.
Maniacs: I've explained why I run them in the article. Going to an above question, most Zoo lists run 12+ one-drops, but most do NOT run 12+ TWO-power one-drops. At the end of the article I talked about possibly swapping them.
The bigger point of the article was the slight tweaks to the mana-base that have won me a ridiculous amount of games. If you're siding Terror, you want a basic swamp. If not, it's fine to cut it for a fetch or even another Sacred Foundry (Or possibly one U-producing to get a little more gas off Flames).
I love how Sanchez proposed Vitae and suddenly it's the only acceptable card to run... when a better mana-base negates the need for it. ORing is not a must-have. I don't really want a more vulnerable Vindicate that can't hit lands. I don't mind if you do, but I don't run it.
I do have 3 Hedge Mages in my SB now. He's so versatile. Cut Terror for it, and bumped Thoughtseize to four.
What decks are you facing running Explosives, Shackles, Threads, Smother? Are UB fae popular on MTGO now? Smother doesn't even seem that good against this deck.
You say that Vortex is no good versus this deck because of the number of one drops. Most Zoo lists have at least 12 one drops.
With the R/G/B/domain configuration and 20 lands, I would run:
4 Wooded Foothills, 4 Bloodstained Mire (both fetches get mountains - utilize that)
4 Stomping Ground (your best dual)
1 Sacred Foundry, 1 Blood Crypt (mountains),
1 Steam Vents (even if you play no blue spells)
1 Overgrown Tomb (both fetches can get this, fortunately)
1 Forest (your best basic during Blood Moon times)
1 Plains (O-Ring for Moon yes, but probably not so important, the Dwarf, possibly Sculler, etc.)
2 other lands - doesn't much matter (Mutavaults perhaps), Swamp is pretty pointless since you don't really want to play those black spells post Moon anyways
Adding up to 2 more lands like the other Mutavaults can have the benefit of reducing mulligans without major meaningful flooding. I only mention this, not recommend it.
I like the States story.
Why is using team decks in a team format wrong? Did he mean that both players playing the same deck in a team format is wrong? And how is it wrong? Wrong as in broken, or wrong as in not what the format was intended to be?
I agree that this card is seldom seen, but really don't know why.
I main-deck it in both pauper and classic burn decks, both of which can make use of more 2-mana 3-damage spells than 4x Incinerate can provide. The sorcery-speed Volcanic Hammer can also act as removal, but the value of instants against a counter-heavy deck is often more important. If I`m using spells to kill opponent`s guys as a one-for-one trade, then I`ve lost the initiative, and am likely well on my way to losing the game anyways.
I have tried to download mtgo III, but get a "DotNetInstaller" error several times. The game does not seem to load.
Wuz up with that?
The rare run that iceage mentioned in his article and you do as well continues to astound me. Not that people figured it out, but that Wizards would actually have allowed an algorithm that would be that simple to figure out. Simply astounding.
I'm also surprised at Thunderbolt, just like last week. Are people putting this card in the sideboard just for MUC? I've played a billion burn decks and haven't seen it once. That's a pretty high price for a common card like that. Love it.
With the pauper format popularity on the rise, it would be nice if you could perhaps point out some of the most important cards in the most popular decks, and perhaps give some feedback on how easy it is to get them (along with prices)? Cards like muscle sliver and crypt rats spring to mind. Even if we could only see price charts depicting the most important commons and how their prices vary over time perhaps?
Bought 10x Explosives way back for a few tix each. Wish I hadn't sold the other six for 10ish tix... Might have to sell my Explosives and Moxes as 200 tix seems tempting.
this deck is really good (i relaly like fish archetype) : grea, nice build!
however, i saw 1 major lack in sb : nothing against Dredge deck, and this is a real problem because counter doent do enough the job imo, and meddling that could be useful in many case, is almost useless vs dredge decks...
Stifle is interesting to avoid some effects but in a traditionnal dredge deck you could find many many effect to counter (icho, cephalid, narco, ....), and i am almost sure that you will need much more than 4x stifle if it is your only defense without any tormod or relic.
It doesnt mean you cannot win : everything is possible, and a good management of the countes could help, however I think to put 1-2 echoing truth would be a good idea, but i have to test.
To optimize this deck, it could be interesting to try to integrate true believer (helpful vs tendrils/burn/discard) and/or maybe 1-2 serra avenger.
Last thing : Aether vial is interesting too as you mentionned vs standstil/counterdeck but make you more sensitive to needle that lots of player are actually running... and there is a problem with vial imo : to be really effecient, it has to be played in more than 2xto get it early in the game without tutor needed (if you have a late vial, i am not sure it really help you more than many other cards).
But great article, great results so => gg
LOurs
4322? Argh. Explains the stuff people passed to you.
I did really well in Tempest limited, nearly always finding myself in Green, usually green-red, sometimes green-white or green-black.
Green is actually more than decent, because 3/3s are pretty good in the format. It also has some beefy uncommons, regenerators, and repeatable pump. I even played a nearly monogreen deck to the finals once. Skyshroud is also better than expected, letting you drop your 3/3 even a turn earlier being really, really good.
Trained Armodon is probably the most important pick for Green decks, usually better than Rootwallas, and I like Pincher Beetle as well, because it has fewer unfavorable trades than you'd expect (a lot of the 1/1s seeing play being pingers, and trading a pinger for a pincher being a good trade). Because Green is so underdrafted, you can use your first picks on good red or black removal then pick up beefy beaters in the mid picks.
Just what I was looking for to put me back in touch with the format. Thx a lot for the write-up, Tarmo.
P1P2 I didn't think it was that close. A tapland would be nice but have a much smaller effect on my deck than the awesome lizard. Bant is also the shard I least like to be in and think there are very few U cards Naya would like to splash.
P1P4 Resounding Scilence is a good card but only in defensive decks. My deck #1 looked like it would be attacking and #2 looked like it would be tapping out.
P3P3 Was a toss up went with Ambusher due to weak mana though it being gold kinda makes that a wash. I have no trouble with taking Iquanar there.
P3P5 Yeah, just had a brainfart or something and didn't see Drumhunter there.
Glad people liked it will look into future video options.
http://beta.gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=21197
My first impression of that picture was (Land Tax). Just the first thing that came to mind.
Great article and congrats on the win. I for one would love to see some video content in future draft caps.
Pick one Brood Mate Dragon. Cha ching! Pretty smooth sailing from there. Congrats on the win and let's hope the year to come has more of the same for you. I will be joining the clan soon!
p1p2 - any consideration for citadel? strong even if you're planning on forcing naya (which it seems like you are) and otherwise keeps you more flexible.
p3p5 - don't you have enough 2 drops? drumhunter seems like the pick either way.
good article all around though, keep em' coming
Fetchs also cost more pain. I missed other people using Vitae. It's ok I guess, but not a must-have by any means.
Isn't resounding silence (pack1 pick4) really good removal, or is knight captain that much of a bomb in this format?
Well-written and a joy to read. The deck was a little removal-light, but you honestly didn't see too much removal in your colors. I think the Iguanar was the right pick, even with hindsight. I also would have taken Ambusher over Iguanar. I really don't have too many problems with your picks.
If you think the Vitae tech is from Sanchaz you need to look at the worlds coverage again. I'm also amazing that you were unaware of Hedge-Mage and how awesome it is. I also see pretty much zero reason to run more than one of each shock land. Fetches are much more flexable and get basics.
I like BoB's proposed mana-build, although I'd avoid Mutas.
Maniacs: I've explained why I run them in the article. Going to an above question, most Zoo lists run 12+ one-drops, but most do NOT run 12+ TWO-power one-drops. At the end of the article I talked about possibly swapping them.
The bigger point of the article was the slight tweaks to the mana-base that have won me a ridiculous amount of games. If you're siding Terror, you want a basic swamp. If not, it's fine to cut it for a fetch or even another Sacred Foundry (Or possibly one U-producing to get a little more gas off Flames).
I love how Sanchez proposed Vitae and suddenly it's the only acceptable card to run... when a better mana-base negates the need for it. ORing is not a must-have. I don't really want a more vulnerable Vindicate that can't hit lands. I don't mind if you do, but I don't run it.
I do have 3 Hedge Mages in my SB now. He's so versatile. Cut Terror for it, and bumped Thoughtseize to four.
Thanks for reading.
To follow up on my other post, I think my other 2 suggested lands should just be more fetchlands (#s 9 + 10), probably Windswept Heaths
What decks are you facing running Explosives, Shackles, Threads, Smother? Are UB fae popular on MTGO now? Smother doesn't even seem that good against this deck.
You say that Vortex is no good versus this deck because of the number of one drops. Most Zoo lists have at least 12 one drops.
I guess he must be lying about the win streak then.
1) A 20% weaker Tribal Flames.
2) No Tidehollow Sculler.
3) Rift Slowbolt.
4) Tattermunge Maniac over better, less suicidal options.
5) Basic Swamp messing with x% of your starting hands.
6) No O-Ring/Sundering Vitae anywhere.
1+2+3+4+5+6 = worst Zoo list ever.
With the R/G/B/domain configuration and 20 lands, I would run:
4 Wooded Foothills, 4 Bloodstained Mire (both fetches get mountains - utilize that)
4 Stomping Ground (your best dual)
1 Sacred Foundry, 1 Blood Crypt (mountains),
1 Steam Vents (even if you play no blue spells)
1 Overgrown Tomb (both fetches can get this, fortunately)
1 Forest (your best basic during Blood Moon times)
1 Plains (O-Ring for Moon yes, but probably not so important, the Dwarf, possibly Sculler, etc.)
2 other lands - doesn't much matter (Mutavaults perhaps), Swamp is pretty pointless since you don't really want to play those black spells post Moon anyways
Adding up to 2 more lands like the other Mutavaults can have the benefit of reducing mulligans without major meaningful flooding. I only mention this, not recommend it.