You're collecting staples from the wrong format. Get black bordered Vintage and Legacy cards, reserved list cards, and duals if you want your collection to go up. Other Vintage and Legacy cards that are specific to the block they were printed in (Eidolon of the Great Revel, an enchantment creature or something with a block-specific mechanic) are also good picks because they are unlikely to be reprinted.
Other than that, it is easy to watch for and anticipate reprints in order to move and buy cards and protect value. When MM2015 spoiler season was ongoing, two of the first cards were Karn and Emrakul. It was easy to guess that Wizards wasn't going to have the actual Tron deck be available in limited and that Grove wasn't going to be reprinted then. I bought 10 online at just over 10 tix each, and I should have bought more. 330 tix is nice, but if I'd bought 20 I could have a Vintage deck with the profit alone.
I like collecting magic. And as a collector, I don't plan to resell my collection. So I really don't care if my collection loses some value. I only care about value of cards I don't own. And if you "collecting" just to resell, you're not collector. You are speculator.
After watching most of your MBC match, I noticed a few things that I'd like to point out. First of all you played well, and I definitely appreciate/respect you for trying out the exact 75!
Against MBC it's correct/important to (almost) always play out lands rather than holding/bluffing them. This is mostly because of Chittering Rats, which punishes keeping lands in hand very hard in the late game.
A narrow/corner case exception is if they're also playing Wrench Mind. This will require situational awareness and weighing how likely they are to draw one or the other + how badly either will potentially hurt us.
In G2 had you used your Gideon's Reproach on his third Gray Merchant (instead of O-Ring) you would have had the Oblivion Ring to spare later for Gurmag Angler. It's important to try lining up the most appropriate answer with a given threat.
In this matchup Angler is more dangerous than Gray Merchant since we are good at keeping his devotion down. This game was a little strange since he didn't attack for several turns in a row...
Your instinct to leave in Serrated Arrows was totally correct. Remember that MBC is an attrition deck full of value and 2-for-1s. We have to beat them on that axis in order to win the day. Arrows is our only 2-for-1 removal spell and has some additional benefits that you mentioned.
This is one of the matchups where Deep Analysis is most important. We need to fight against their hand disruption like Duress, Chittering Rats, Wrench Mind, etc. AND we need to outclass their other card draw like Phyrexian Rager and Sign in Blood. I think you ended up cutting them for creatures anyway, but just keep in mind this will hurt your MBC matchup for sure, and MBC is a very popular deck.
Against MBC I typically board into the Curse of the Bloody Tome "plan." This is pretty much the same as our regular control game, but instead of relying on creatures to win (which MBC is very good at combating) we mill them out with our Curses.
This is a great plan because MBC plays a LOT of creature removal spells. By taking out our creature-based win conditions (leaving in Mulldrifters purely for defense/card draw) we leave MBC with a ton of blank removal spells in their deck, and present a win condition that they have absolutely no way of dealing with once it resolves! MBC is the number one reason that Curse of the Bloody Tome exists in the sideboard.
The primary cards to utilize against MBC from the sideboard are: +2 Curse of the Bloody Tome, +1 Faerie Trickery, +1 Oblivion Ring, +1 Outwit +1 (or 2, depending on how many Death Denieds/Font of Returs/Grim Harvests/ they have etc.) Relic of Progenitus. Typical cuts are -2 Dispel (we don't care about their removal after board) -2 Errant Ephemeron -2 Stormbound Geist.
Again, you played well and it was cool seeing the deck in action...from someone else's POV, that is.
You mentioned that modern lands and specifically Grove of the Burn Willows need to be reprinted. Like you I've always loved the collector aspect of MtG. Lately it seems like anything with a shred of value gets reprinted sending the price of the original version into a tailspin. I understand that lowering the cost-of-entry helps newer players get involved, but it can be infuriating to collectors who've spent countless hours and dollars amassing their collection only to watch them tank with every reprint. The collector draw of the game, specifically online where the majority of reprints happen, isn't anywhere close to where it was a few years ago. What's the motivation to collect anymore if we know the rare card we have today will be reprinted next year and then again 2 years later?
If you're looking to do any kind of BFZ Limited then I think it's worth going phantom only. The only thing of value there is Gideon + expeditions, which means a large portion of the time you'll open cards that are worthless. I imagine the same will hold true for Oath (expeditions + a mythic or two will be worth opening). Perhaps things will change when Khans + fetchlands rotate out and we're not playing what feels like Khans Block Constructed anymore?
I've switched to pretty much only phantom sealed events. With play points I often don't pay anything at all. I don't need to worry about crappy cards cluttering my collection as well. I buy what I need for constructed, but I don't think I'll play limited anymore if it's not phantom. I wish they had a phantom swiss though as sealed is fun, but not as fun to construct as swiss is.
You can't draft the current set (BFZ) in phantom formats, only sealed. You can't play the older Standard formats (Fate Reforged/Origins) AT ALL in Phantom formats.
I've had a lot of success running Suicide Black against the blue decks. 1st turn Dark Ritual into 2-3 creatures, especially on the play, is hard for them to deal with.
A lot of decks can deal with the creatures in a timely fashion but then lose to the recursion.
They try to hate on the recursion with graveyard removal and don't find enough removal.
*shrug*
One would have to highly tune a build to beat the familiars deck and then hope it still worked vs the field I suppose.
Yeah, it's solid, especially in the delver matchup. It often doesn't cut it against the Familiars deck, though. Not sure that the card I proposed would be enough either, honestly. The combination of removing the creature, stopping the untap effect, and turning off the possibility of getting the CoF back from graveyard seems like it would be more helpful in that matchup, but not as good against Delver.
I think it's conceivable to work a good flying creature hate card into green that would bump up some post-board percentages against familiars and delver, but I don't think main deck-worthy answers will be printed at common under modern design philosophy.
Something like: 1G, instant, the next time a creature with flying would enter the battlefield this turn, exile it instead.
This card would hit cloud of faeries and mulldrifter while occasionally sniping some skyfisher or something. It would be a decent sideboard option in Standard and Limited without being too strong at common, too, though realistically it does seem more like an uncommon effect.
The counter-rebels deck that went 5-0 last week looks like a good answer to CoF decks in the meantime, but probably has pretty weak game against the various black-based control decks. (Not sure on that, though).
Manamorphose could still be run off the red.
And you could potentially drop to just UR as a not quite kuldotha/not quite goblins hybrid.
Since the rites is just as effective with three tokens and six cards pitched as it is with 4/5 or 5/4 etc respectively.
Since all you care about is making through enough unblocked damage.
Bushwhacker and Prospecter would seem to fit in such a build.
Also potentially another deck that could abuse cloud of faeries to just rush out bodies for the rites.
While I agree with your assessment of CoF, I disagree with your analysis of impulse over ancient stirrings in Temur Tron.
It is already running blue, so an instant that guarantees you a card over a sorcery that likely will net you a card, seems like a gain. You can hold up counter mana then cast it on opponents end step. It also shuffles your deck, so if you had to bottom something important, it will not stay there.
Agreed - I included 2 in the sideboard in the second deck above. Definitely could be useful in some matchups.
It'll fit in nicely with my Modern Merieke Ri Barit Deck LOL
Ooze is a perennial favorite of mine.
Ayli, yes.
Fade away might be an option vs creatures as well, tap them out then get them to sacrifice.
Thanks for the feedback Jason! Your sideboarding plan makes sense, I'll have to keep that in mind.
Thanks @Deluxeicoff, hadn't come across that card!
That "Eternal Pilgrim" has a first name. You can make out letters behind the glare.
You're collecting staples from the wrong format. Get black bordered Vintage and Legacy cards, reserved list cards, and duals if you want your collection to go up. Other Vintage and Legacy cards that are specific to the block they were printed in (Eidolon of the Great Revel, an enchantment creature or something with a block-specific mechanic) are also good picks because they are unlikely to be reprinted.
Other than that, it is easy to watch for and anticipate reprints in order to move and buy cards and protect value. When MM2015 spoiler season was ongoing, two of the first cards were Karn and Emrakul. It was easy to guess that Wizards wasn't going to have the actual Tron deck be available in limited and that Grove wasn't going to be reprinted then. I bought 10 online at just over 10 tix each, and I should have bought more. 330 tix is nice, but if I'd bought 20 I could have a Vintage deck with the profit alone.
I like collecting magic. And as a collector, I don't plan to resell my collection. So I really don't care if my collection loses some value. I only care about value of cards I don't own. And if you "collecting" just to resell, you're not collector. You are speculator.
Thanks for the great article and kind words!
After watching most of your MBC match, I noticed a few things that I'd like to point out. First of all you played well, and I definitely appreciate/respect you for trying out the exact 75!
Against MBC it's correct/important to (almost) always play out lands rather than holding/bluffing them. This is mostly because of Chittering Rats, which punishes keeping lands in hand very hard in the late game.
A narrow/corner case exception is if they're also playing Wrench Mind. This will require situational awareness and weighing how likely they are to draw one or the other + how badly either will potentially hurt us.
In G2 had you used your Gideon's Reproach on his third Gray Merchant (instead of O-Ring) you would have had the Oblivion Ring to spare later for Gurmag Angler. It's important to try lining up the most appropriate answer with a given threat.
In this matchup Angler is more dangerous than Gray Merchant since we are good at keeping his devotion down. This game was a little strange since he didn't attack for several turns in a row...
Your instinct to leave in Serrated Arrows was totally correct. Remember that MBC is an attrition deck full of value and 2-for-1s. We have to beat them on that axis in order to win the day. Arrows is our only 2-for-1 removal spell and has some additional benefits that you mentioned.
This is one of the matchups where Deep Analysis is most important. We need to fight against their hand disruption like Duress, Chittering Rats, Wrench Mind, etc. AND we need to outclass their other card draw like Phyrexian Rager and Sign in Blood. I think you ended up cutting them for creatures anyway, but just keep in mind this will hurt your MBC matchup for sure, and MBC is a very popular deck.
Against MBC I typically board into the Curse of the Bloody Tome "plan." This is pretty much the same as our regular control game, but instead of relying on creatures to win (which MBC is very good at combating) we mill them out with our Curses.
This is a great plan because MBC plays a LOT of creature removal spells. By taking out our creature-based win conditions (leaving in Mulldrifters purely for defense/card draw) we leave MBC with a ton of blank removal spells in their deck, and present a win condition that they have absolutely no way of dealing with once it resolves! MBC is the number one reason that Curse of the Bloody Tome exists in the sideboard.
The primary cards to utilize against MBC from the sideboard are: +2 Curse of the Bloody Tome, +1 Faerie Trickery, +1 Oblivion Ring, +1 Outwit +1 (or 2, depending on how many Death Denieds/Font of Returs/Grim Harvests/ they have etc.) Relic of Progenitus. Typical cuts are -2 Dispel (we don't care about their removal after board) -2 Errant Ephemeron -2 Stormbound Geist.
Again, you played well and it was cool seeing the deck in action...from someone else's POV, that is.
Thanks again!
You mentioned that modern lands and specifically Grove of the Burn Willows need to be reprinted. Like you I've always loved the collector aspect of MtG. Lately it seems like anything with a shred of value gets reprinted sending the price of the original version into a tailspin. I understand that lowering the cost-of-entry helps newer players get involved, but it can be infuriating to collectors who've spent countless hours and dollars amassing their collection only to watch them tank with every reprint. The collector draw of the game, specifically online where the majority of reprints happen, isn't anywhere close to where it was a few years ago. What's the motivation to collect anymore if we know the rare card we have today will be reprinted next year and then again 2 years later?
If you're looking to do any kind of BFZ Limited then I think it's worth going phantom only. The only thing of value there is Gideon + expeditions, which means a large portion of the time you'll open cards that are worthless. I imagine the same will hold true for Oath (expeditions + a mythic or two will be worth opening). Perhaps things will change when Khans + fetchlands rotate out and we're not playing what feels like Khans Block Constructed anymore?
For some reason I just now discovered this piece. Thanks for trying out the deck and recommending my article!
Suicide Black sounds like a fun choice against Delver. I really like NO_Pride's Rebel list in that matchup, too.
I've switched to pretty much only phantom sealed events. With play points I often don't pay anything at all. I don't need to worry about crappy cards cluttering my collection as well. I buy what I need for constructed, but I don't think I'll play limited anymore if it's not phantom. I wish they had a phantom swiss though as sealed is fun, but not as fun to construct as swiss is.
You can't draft the current set (BFZ) in phantom formats, only sealed. You can't play the older Standard formats (Fate Reforged/Origins) AT ALL in Phantom formats.
I've had a lot of success running Suicide Black against the blue decks. 1st turn Dark Ritual into 2-3 creatures, especially on the play, is hard for them to deal with.
A lot of decks can deal with the creatures in a timely fashion but then lose to the recursion.
They try to hate on the recursion with graveyard removal and don't find enough removal.
*shrug*
One would have to highly tune a build to beat the familiars deck and then hope it still worked vs the field I suppose.
Yeah, it's solid, especially in the delver matchup. It often doesn't cut it against the Familiars deck, though. Not sure that the card I proposed would be enough either, honestly. The combination of removing the creature, stopping the untap effect, and turning off the possibility of getting the CoF back from graveyard seems like it would be more helpful in that matchup, but not as good against Delver.
Aerial Volley seems good for green
I think it's conceivable to work a good flying creature hate card into green that would bump up some post-board percentages against familiars and delver, but I don't think main deck-worthy answers will be printed at common under modern design philosophy.
Something like: 1G, instant, the next time a creature with flying would enter the battlefield this turn, exile it instead.
This card would hit cloud of faeries and mulldrifter while occasionally sniping some skyfisher or something. It would be a decent sideboard option in Standard and Limited without being too strong at common, too, though realistically it does seem more like an uncommon effect.
The counter-rebels deck that went 5-0 last week looks like a good answer to CoF decks in the meantime, but probably has pretty weak game against the various black-based control decks. (Not sure on that, though).
Manamorphose could still be run off the red.
And you could potentially drop to just UR as a not quite kuldotha/not quite goblins hybrid.
Since the rites is just as effective with three tokens and six cards pitched as it is with 4/5 or 5/4 etc respectively.
Since all you care about is making through enough unblocked damage.
Bushwhacker and Prospecter would seem to fit in such a build.
Also potentially another deck that could abuse cloud of faeries to just rush out bodies for the rites.
While I agree with your assessment of CoF, I disagree with your analysis of impulse over ancient stirrings in Temur Tron.
It is already running blue, so an instant that guarantees you a card over a sorcery that likely will net you a card, seems like a gain. You can hold up counter mana then cast it on opponents end step. It also shuffles your deck, so if you had to bottom something important, it will not stay there.