-"Most everyone is playing Pauper not for the competition aspect of the game" is VERY debatable in the community. A lot of players (myself for example) play PDC as a purely competitive format. Being cheap, it is easier for participants to focus on making strong decks and playing well rather than the cost of cards. From this point of view, it is MORE competitive than non PDC.
-Your analysis of Arcane Denial was confusing. Namely "However, the risks do not outweigh the rewards, and I have a feeling you are going to get denied a lot in the coming months. " So it is not good (first part of sentence) but it will be played a lot soon (second part of sentence). In my opinion, AD will see very little play in MUC. MUC ra fights very hard to maintain card advantage and this gives it away (except when countering your own spells but that is rare enough that this would be a sideboard spot if even). Also, Prohibit in PDC is almost a counterspell, specially against the important matchups.
-Erg raiders is not playable. I can easily find 2 or 3 already existing card that would fit the 2-slot better for suicide black.
Black seemed really underpowered in this set. I know that they designed it with some sort of limited balance in mind, but Hymn to Tourach had it been a common, would be insane in Classic, instead we are stuck with awful Mindstab Thrull, which I tihnk would see as much play as you know, Mindstab.
Yeah. For black there's something better for almost every card in the set. The only card that might be worth playing in an aggro deck is Paralyze due to it auto-tapping the creature and keeping it from untapping.
I'd be surprised if it was strong enough to see play, but it's a decently powerful effect for the mana cost.
I'm looking forward to the Red, green and artifact coverage!
Funny you should mention that Evu, Spike came up with the idea of a UW silver bullets list and we then worked using the Zvi list as a basis to show what one looks like then adjusting it for PDC. Obviously Zvi's deck could be more focused and even maindecked crimson acoloyte, but we had to make certain concessions due to as you mention a much more random meta.
One comment on Dust to Dust is that it can only be played if there are two targets. I don't play pauper but between that and not being able to hit enchantments it doesn't seem like a very good sideboard card. (I may be wrong as I said I don't play.)
I do not see myself so much as a Pauper player. I see myself a lot more as a Magic player, Pauper is a blast, and I'm so glad that Alex introduced me to the format. It's nice not playing around stupid rares every so often :)
That is correct and I forgot to point that out. I'm sure used to playing Remand and only getting one, and forgetting that I could Denial my own card and get three back. Nice catch!
I had no idea you were a Pauper player as well, JXC. Kinda well-rounded, aren't you? :)
I actually see Arcane Denial as more of a splashable counter for the few combo decks in the format (where next turn doesn't matter), and/or for U/x aggro-control.
I'm not sure how good it is in MUC - there are some decks where stopping just one threat is worth it (as the other two cards aren't going to help your opponent that much), but other decks where countering one dork will just reload your opponent with dork+dork, dork+burn, or (worst case) land+burn. Aggro is fast enough in PDC that I don't see Arcane Denial edging out the conditional soft counters that had been making up the 2-slot.
I think Saprolings is absolutely aggro/combo. Burn Range I don't think of as aggro/combo; rather I think of decks that aren't as fast as Burn Range as "bad aggro". :P
The idea of maindecking Galina's Knights in today's Pauper environment reminds me of the story of Zvi Mowshowitz, who (if I'm remembering the details correctly) won an Invasion-era Pro Tour with a Blue/White deck built specifically to counteract the Red decks that were expected to be popular. The only problem with the idea is that Zvi could be much more assured of facing those Red decks than we can be of facing Burn Range at a Pauper tournament. Any given deck, no matter how dominant, rarely accounts for more than about a quarter of the field. I sometimes think that if Paupers were more serious about winning, it would be easier to beat them. :)
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS ! It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format. Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here : http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/ Greetings from Germany, don_quichote
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS ! It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format. Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here : http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/ Greetings from Germany, don_quichote
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS !
It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format.
Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here : http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS !
It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format.
Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here : http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/
I always thought that priest was awful, then again I'm not a fan of white in 10ed limited, as I have stated in my articles...Anywho, priest is a 1/1 for 1 with an ability that is mediocre at best. I would almost play tundra wolves over it, or better yet soul warden. So all in all, I'd say Ication Priest is stricty sb, and by sb I mean dont even play it. Lastly, in your future articles I would like to see your full card poll, you cant expect us to be able to critique you without adequate info.
With respect to Erg Raiders in suicide black, the following cards are almost all strictly better:
-Sangrophage,Wretched Anurid,Raving Oni-Slave,Blind Creeper,Wicked Akuba, Foul Imp...
Pretty good article on the whole.
A few things that irked me:
-"Most everyone is playing Pauper not for the competition aspect of the game" is VERY debatable in the community. A lot of players (myself for example) play PDC as a purely competitive format. Being cheap, it is easier for participants to focus on making strong decks and playing well rather than the cost of cards. From this point of view, it is MORE competitive than non PDC.
-Your analysis of Arcane Denial was confusing. Namely "However, the risks do not outweigh the rewards, and I have a feeling you are going to get denied a lot in the coming months. " So it is not good (first part of sentence) but it will be played a lot soon (second part of sentence). In my opinion, AD will see very little play in MUC. MUC ra fights very hard to maintain card advantage and this gives it away (except when countering your own spells but that is rare enough that this would be a sideboard spot if even). Also, Prohibit in PDC is almost a counterspell, specially against the important matchups.
-Erg raiders is not playable. I can easily find 2 or 3 already existing card that would fit the 2-slot better for suicide black.
Mindstab does see quite some play in PDC, both std and classic.
Black seemed really underpowered in this set. I know that they designed it with some sort of limited balance in mind, but Hymn to Tourach had it been a common, would be insane in Classic, instead we are stuck with awful Mindstab Thrull, which I tihnk would see as much play as you know, Mindstab.
I was thinking when I read that about how cool it would be to own 4 counterspell... 2 tix apiece on mtgotraders.com.
Yeah. For black there's something better for almost every card in the set. The only card that might be worth playing in an aggro deck is Paralyze due to it auto-tapping the creature and keeping it from untapping.
I'd be surprised if it was strong enough to see play, but it's a decently powerful effect for the mana cost.
I'm looking forward to the Red, green and artifact coverage!
Funny you should mention that Evu, Spike came up with the idea of a UW silver bullets list and we then worked using the Zvi list as a basis to show what one looks like then adjusting it for PDC. Obviously Zvi's deck could be more focused and even maindecked crimson acoloyte, but we had to make certain concessions due to as you mention a much more random meta.
I am working Dust to Dust in the angle that it is fantastic against affinity.
One comment on Dust to Dust is that it can only be played if there are two targets. I don't play pauper but between that and not being able to hit enchantments it doesn't seem like a very good sideboard card. (I may be wrong as I said I don't play.)
I do not see myself so much as a Pauper player. I see myself a lot more as a Magic player, Pauper is a blast, and I'm so glad that Alex introduced me to the format. It's nice not playing around stupid rares every so often :)
Most of the times it has been River Boa. But I have nailed the Wild Mongrel every so often, because they do not change it's color to white.
That is correct and I forgot to point that out. I'm sure used to playing Remand and only getting one, and forgetting that I could Denial my own card and get three back. Nice catch!
The purpose of Arcane Denial is to counter your spell which was being countered anyway, then draw 3 cards.
I had no idea you were a Pauper player as well, JXC. Kinda well-rounded, aren't you? :)
I actually see Arcane Denial as more of a splashable counter for the few combo decks in the format (where next turn doesn't matter), and/or for U/x aggro-control.
I'm not sure how good it is in MUC - there are some decks where stopping just one threat is worth it (as the other two cards aren't going to help your opponent that much), but other decks where countering one dork will just reload your opponent with dork+dork, dork+burn, or (worst case) land+burn. Aggro is fast enough in PDC that I don't see Arcane Denial edging out the conditional soft counters that had been making up the 2-slot.
I think Saprolings is absolutely aggro/combo. Burn Range I don't think of as aggro/combo; rather I think of decks that aren't as fast as Burn Range as "bad aggro". :P
The idea of maindecking Galina's Knights in today's Pauper environment reminds me of the story of Zvi Mowshowitz, who (if I'm remembering the details correctly) won an Invasion-era Pro Tour with a Blue/White deck built specifically to counteract the Red decks that were expected to be popular. The only problem with the idea is that Zvi could be much more assured of facing those Red decks than we can be of facing Burn Range at a Pauper tournament. Any given deck, no matter how dominant, rarely accounts for more than about a quarter of the field. I sometimes think that if Paupers were more serious about winning, it would be easier to beat them. :)
Interesting review!
Out of curiosity, which non-white, targetable creature did the Cloak player put said enchantment on?
I'm sorry, this is a continuation from the article League 101 - The Full lists were posted there. Thank you for your comments about the Priests.
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS ! It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format. Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here : http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/ Greetings from Germany, don_quichote
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS ! It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format. Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here : http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/ Greetings from Germany, don_quichote
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS !
It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format.
Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here :
http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/
Greetings from Germany,
don_quichote
Hi Brandon and congratulations on a fine article about PPS !
It makes me happy that more and more people are getting interested in this very entertaining and challenging format.
Meanwhile we have started a dedicated forum for PPS strategies here :
http://www.atfreeforum.com/pps/
Greetings from Germany,
don_quichote
I always thought that priest was awful, then again I'm not a fan of white in 10ed limited, as I have stated in my articles...Anywho, priest is a 1/1 for 1 with an ability that is mediocre at best. I would almost play tundra wolves over it, or better yet soul warden. So all in all, I'd say Ication Priest is stricty sb, and by sb I mean dont even play it. Lastly, in your future articles I would like to see your full card poll, you cant expect us to be able to critique you without adequate info.
some love the priest, some say it's a skilltester
Any reasson why it didn't work for you? Constuctive critique is better then saying something sucks.
Plus, If you had actually tried to read the article.. it's build arround a supposed to be bad card on purpose.
Oh, and maybe you want to actually use a nickname next time, not that I mind knowing your IP.
When I played with a BDWesque deck, I played GotG, and it seemed to work fine as an almost unstopable threat.