The Daily Deck will be on Christmas break until January 4, 2010.
Enjoy the holidays and the end of the year!
See you on the other side of Standard!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Seas and Slimes
// Lands
1 Kazandu Refuge
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Island
3 Forest
3 Mountain
// Creatures
3 Borderland Ranger
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Master of the Wild Hunt
4 Acidic Slime
4 Mold Shambler
// Spells
4 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Convincing Mirage
4 Spreading Seas
3 Jace Beleren
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Grazing Gladehart
SB: 4 Spellbreaker Behemoth
SB: 3 Swerve
SB: 2 Chandra Nalaar
SB: 2 Earthquake
It's Conley Wood's new deck from this article. It is very weirdly constructed but it looks like it can actually do some damage, assuming it draws the right cards, of course. Only testing can tell for sure.
1 Kazandu Refuge
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Island
3 Forest
3 Mountain
// Creatures
3 Borderland Ranger
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Master of the Wild Hunt
4 Acidic Slime
4 Mold Shambler
// Spells
4 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Convincing Mirage
4 Spreading Seas
3 Jace Beleren
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Grazing Gladehart
SB: 4 Spellbreaker Behemoth
SB: 3 Swerve
SB: 2 Chandra Nalaar
SB: 2 Earthquake
It's Conley Wood's new deck from this article. It is very weirdly constructed but it looks like it can actually do some damage, assuming it draws the right cards, of course. Only testing can tell for sure.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Grixis Control
// Lands
4 Crumbling Necropolis
2 Akoum Refuge
2 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Dragonskull Summit
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Island
3 Swamp
2 Mountain
// Creatures
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
// Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Courier's Capsule
4 Terminate
3 Essence Scatter
3 Flashfreeze
2 Negate
3 Divination
3 Earthquake
1 Chandra Nalaar
1 Sorin Markov
3 Cruel Ultimatum
// Sideboard
SB: 3 Vampire Nighthawk
SB: 2 Deathmark
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Double Negative
SB: 2 Malakir Bloodwitch
SB: 2 Banefire
SB: 1 Negate
SB: 1 Swerve
I'm currently testing the list as an exact duplicate of the list as it took 5th in the SCG 5k Open here. A duplicate list also took 8th here.
Right now all I want is tips on how to board and maybe another Sorin (or two) in the board.
4 Crumbling Necropolis
2 Akoum Refuge
2 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Dragonskull Summit
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Island
3 Swamp
2 Mountain
// Creatures
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
// Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Courier's Capsule
4 Terminate
3 Essence Scatter
3 Flashfreeze
2 Negate
3 Divination
3 Earthquake
1 Chandra Nalaar
1 Sorin Markov
3 Cruel Ultimatum
// Sideboard
SB: 3 Vampire Nighthawk
SB: 2 Deathmark
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Double Negative
SB: 2 Malakir Bloodwitch
SB: 2 Banefire
SB: 1 Negate
SB: 1 Swerve
I'm currently testing the list as an exact duplicate of the list as it took 5th in the SCG 5k Open here. A duplicate list also took 8th here.
Right now all I want is tips on how to board and maybe another Sorin (or two) in the board.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
UW Iona Control II
The New Deck:
// Lands
4 Sejiri Refuge
4 Glacial Fortress
11 Plains
4 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight of the White Orchid
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
// Spells
4 Path to Exile
4 Flashfreeze
2 Essence Scatter
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Day of Judgment
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3 Kiss of the Amesha
3 Mind Spring
3 Martial Coup
// Sideboard
SB: 4 [Baneslayer Angel
SB: 4 Hindering Light
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Luminarch Ascension
~
The Changes & The Why:
-1 Plains, -4 Island / +4 Sejiri Refuge:
The manabase was occasionally having trouble reaching double white, and 28 land-borderposts was just 1 land-borderpost too many.
The 4 new nonbasics came in under the justification that Jund can already kill your manabase if they want to -- your Borderposts are pulsable (even Duressable!) and your Fortresses are already Ruinblasterable. It's nicer to have a fully functional and slightly more Ruinblasterable manabase than one that was less good, and already vulnerable.
Besides, Flashfreeze already protects from both Ruinblaster and Pulse -- just like SB Hindering Light.
Also, you can easily afford the CIPT.
+2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
I wanted a wincon that sat below 7cmc. I'm not sold on Sphinxy but he's solid against a bunch of archetypes.
-4 Oblivion Ring / +2 Essence Scatter
This change in removal is a different approach to protecting yourself. The Oblivion Rings tapped you out, were pulsable, and didn't really answer anything that absolutely needed to be answered. Instead the Scatters gave you an answer against Ruinblaster -- is better against Broodmate, Siege-Gang Commander, and Bloodwitch -- and answers Sprouting Thrinax the exact same. The downside is it doesn't handle Ajani Vengeant, which this deck now lacks answers for.
Other options are Into the Roil, but that doesn't really seem to gain you any positive movement -- it just buys you a turn.
-1 Kiss of the Amesha
Kiss is good, but not 4-of good. It's 6cmc so it actually can clog up your hand.
+2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Elspeth is a legitimate threat and is a nice inclusion for this deck. It also generates more CA.
SB: -3 Pithing Needle / +3 Luminarch Ascension
Luminarch is better against Needle decks except Planeswalkers.
~
Expected Change in Matchups:
With the loss of Oblivion Rings, Ajani Vengeant decks will be harder to beat, and Million Planeswalker decks will now be a bad matchup. Jund and Vampires will be better with easier/stronger handling of their key threats (Ruinblaster, Broodmate, Bloodwitch). Control/Fog will be easier with Elspeths and Luminarchs.
// Lands
4 Sejiri Refuge
4 Glacial Fortress
11 Plains
4 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight of the White Orchid
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
// Spells
4 Path to Exile
4 Flashfreeze
2 Essence Scatter
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Day of Judgment
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3 Kiss of the Amesha
3 Mind Spring
3 Martial Coup
// Sideboard
SB: 4 [Baneslayer Angel
SB: 4 Hindering Light
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Luminarch Ascension
~
The Changes & The Why:
-1 Plains, -4 Island / +4 Sejiri Refuge:
The manabase was occasionally having trouble reaching double white, and 28 land-borderposts was just 1 land-borderpost too many.
The 4 new nonbasics came in under the justification that Jund can already kill your manabase if they want to -- your Borderposts are pulsable (even Duressable!) and your Fortresses are already Ruinblasterable. It's nicer to have a fully functional and slightly more Ruinblasterable manabase than one that was less good, and already vulnerable.
Besides, Flashfreeze already protects from both Ruinblaster and Pulse -- just like SB Hindering Light.
Also, you can easily afford the CIPT.
+2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
I wanted a wincon that sat below 7cmc. I'm not sold on Sphinxy but he's solid against a bunch of archetypes.
-4 Oblivion Ring / +2 Essence Scatter
This change in removal is a different approach to protecting yourself. The Oblivion Rings tapped you out, were pulsable, and didn't really answer anything that absolutely needed to be answered. Instead the Scatters gave you an answer against Ruinblaster -- is better against Broodmate, Siege-Gang Commander, and Bloodwitch -- and answers Sprouting Thrinax the exact same. The downside is it doesn't handle Ajani Vengeant, which this deck now lacks answers for.
Other options are Into the Roil, but that doesn't really seem to gain you any positive movement -- it just buys you a turn.
-1 Kiss of the Amesha
Kiss is good, but not 4-of good. It's 6cmc so it actually can clog up your hand.
+2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Elspeth is a legitimate threat and is a nice inclusion for this deck. It also generates more CA.
SB: -3 Pithing Needle / +3 Luminarch Ascension
Luminarch is better against Needle decks except Planeswalkers.
~
Expected Change in Matchups:
With the loss of Oblivion Rings, Ajani Vengeant decks will be harder to beat, and Million Planeswalker decks will now be a bad matchup. Jund and Vampires will be better with easier/stronger handling of their key threats (Ruinblaster, Broodmate, Bloodwitch). Control/Fog will be easier with Elspeths and Luminarchs.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
UW Iona Control
I can't really seem to get a good connection to MWS today, but if I could, I would probably be testing this:
// Lands
4 Glacial Fortress
12 Plains
8 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight of the White Orchid
2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
// Spells
4 Path to Exile
4 Flashfreeze
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Oblivion Ring
4 Day of Judgment
4 Kiss of the Amesha
3 Mind Spring
3 Martial Coup
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Hindering Light
SB: 4 Baneslayer Angel
SB: 3 Pithing Needle
I'd explain it, but it's currently unchanged from this article where I found the list, so it would be like reinventing the wheel.
// Lands
4 Glacial Fortress
12 Plains
8 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight of the White Orchid
2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
// Spells
4 Path to Exile
4 Flashfreeze
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
4 Oblivion Ring
4 Day of Judgment
4 Kiss of the Amesha
3 Mind Spring
3 Martial Coup
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 Hindering Light
SB: 4 Baneslayer Angel
SB: 3 Pithing Needle
I'd explain it, but it's currently unchanged from this article where I found the list, so it would be like reinventing the wheel.
Monday, December 7, 2009
WU Control
// Lands
4 Sejiri Refuge
4 Glacial Fortress
2 Kabira Crossroads
8 Plains
4 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight Of The White Orchid
3 Baneslayer Angel
2 Sphinx Of Jwar Isle
1 Iona, Shield Of Emeria
// Spells
4 Path To Exile
4 Flashfreeze
3 Essence Scatter
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
3 Jace Beleren
4 Day Of Judgment
2 Elspeth, Knight-errant
2 Mind Spring
2 Martial Coup
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Luminarch Ascension
SB: 4 Celestial Purge
SB: 4 Cancel
SB: 3 Wall Of Reverence
This seems like it could be interesting too.
4 Sejiri Refuge
4 Glacial Fortress
2 Kabira Crossroads
8 Plains
4 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight Of The White Orchid
3 Baneslayer Angel
2 Sphinx Of Jwar Isle
1 Iona, Shield Of Emeria
// Spells
4 Path To Exile
4 Flashfreeze
3 Essence Scatter
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
3 Jace Beleren
4 Day Of Judgment
2 Elspeth, Knight-errant
2 Mind Spring
2 Martial Coup
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Luminarch Ascension
SB: 4 Celestial Purge
SB: 4 Cancel
SB: 3 Wall Of Reverence
This seems like it could be interesting too.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
UW Aggro
// Lands
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
8 Plains
2 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight of the White Orchid
4 Vedalken Outlander
4 White Knight
2 Devout Lightcaster
4 Emeria Angel
4 Baneslayer Angel
// Spells
4 Path to Exile
2 Brave the Elements
4 Honor of the Pure
2 Negate
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Celestial Purge
SB: 4 Day of Judgment
SB: 3 Wall of Reverence
SB: 2 Devout Lightcaster
SB: 1 Brave the Elements
SB: 1 Negate
From the Department of "Maybe you can beat Jund by playing with a lot of protection and hate cards" comes UW Aggro. I'm not personally super-assured that blue is really the strongest in the long run, and sadly Blightnings are keeping Ajani from being playable.
This is currently just an "idea", but along with Spreading Seas it may be worth looking into.
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
8 Plains
2 Island
// Creatures
4 Knight of the White Orchid
4 Vedalken Outlander
4 White Knight
2 Devout Lightcaster
4 Emeria Angel
4 Baneslayer Angel
// Spells
4 Path to Exile
2 Brave the Elements
4 Honor of the Pure
2 Negate
4 Fieldmist Borderpost
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Celestial Purge
SB: 4 Day of Judgment
SB: 3 Wall of Reverence
SB: 2 Devout Lightcaster
SB: 1 Brave the Elements
SB: 1 Negate
From the Department of "Maybe you can beat Jund by playing with a lot of protection and hate cards" comes UW Aggro. I'm not personally super-assured that blue is really the strongest in the long run, and sadly Blightnings are keeping Ajani from being playable.
This is currently just an "idea", but along with Spreading Seas it may be worth looking into.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
4c Spreading Seas II
Gerry Thompson just released a new list and described it at this article here.
Here's the list that I'm going to test for myself:
// Lands
4 Jungle Shrine
4 Seaside Citadel
2 Terramorphic Expanse
3 Arid Mesa
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
4 Island
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Forest
// Creatures
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Baneslayer Angel
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
// Spells
4 Spreading Seas
3 Convincing Mirage
4 Ardent Plea
4 Captured Sunlight
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Day of Judgment
2 Sigil of the Empty Throne
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Lightning Bolt
SB: 4 Wall of Denial
SB: 4 Rhox War Monk
SB: 1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
SB: 1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
SB: 1 Convincing Mirage
-
I'm still personally liking Pyroclasm better than Lightning Bolt, but we'll see.
Here's the list that I'm going to test for myself:
// Lands
4 Jungle Shrine
4 Seaside Citadel
2 Terramorphic Expanse
3 Arid Mesa
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
4 Island
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Forest
// Creatures
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Baneslayer Angel
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
// Spells
4 Spreading Seas
3 Convincing Mirage
4 Ardent Plea
4 Captured Sunlight
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Day of Judgment
2 Sigil of the Empty Throne
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Lightning Bolt
SB: 4 Wall of Denial
SB: 4 Rhox War Monk
SB: 1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
SB: 1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
SB: 1 Convincing Mirage
-
I'm still personally liking Pyroclasm better than Lightning Bolt, but we'll see.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Jund
Seeing as how this blog is all about discussing the "best decks", it seems remiss to not mention the "best deck in the format". Here's my version of the Jund deck that's rampaging everywhere:
// Lands
4 Savage Lands
2 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Forest
3 Mountain
3 Swamp
// Creatures
4 Putrid Leech
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Master of the Wild Hunt
2 Broodmate Dragon
// Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Terminate
4 Blightning
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Bituminous Blast
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Goblin Ruinblaster
SB: 3 Great Sable Stag
SB: 3 Jund Charm
SB: 3 Duress
SB: 2 Thought Hemorrhage
You end up playing a deck made entirely out of the best cards in the format. Putrid Leeches can occasionally be a sucky cascade, but they still win against certain decks if you manage to drop them turn 2, and there aren't very many cards worth replacing Leech with.
The rest of the deck is fairly common. The Master of the Wild Hunt is tech from Worlds, but I didn't like playing it over Garruk because Garruk is also strong on its own and can seriously hurt control decks. Sure the entire deck is vulnerable to Lightning Bolt, but that's what the Oran Rief is supposedly for -- it may be slow, but it's also really powerful when online.
// Lands
4 Savage Lands
2 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Forest
3 Mountain
3 Swamp
// Creatures
4 Putrid Leech
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Master of the Wild Hunt
2 Broodmate Dragon
// Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Terminate
4 Blightning
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Bituminous Blast
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Goblin Ruinblaster
SB: 3 Great Sable Stag
SB: 3 Jund Charm
SB: 3 Duress
SB: 2 Thought Hemorrhage
You end up playing a deck made entirely out of the best cards in the format. Putrid Leeches can occasionally be a sucky cascade, but they still win against certain decks if you manage to drop them turn 2, and there aren't very many cards worth replacing Leech with.
The rest of the deck is fairly common. The Master of the Wild Hunt is tech from Worlds, but I didn't like playing it over Garruk because Garruk is also strong on its own and can seriously hurt control decks. Sure the entire deck is vulnerable to Lightning Bolt, but that's what the Oran Rief is supposedly for -- it may be slow, but it's also really powerful when online.
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