Magic seems on the way up in my hometown, and new players appear every day. I'm glad to see fresh blood, because it gets me further away from the bottom. And it's thanks to this revival that I've found playtesting a gauntlet easier now than ever before.

I started with Block immediately after Onslaught came out, but it took inspiration from Darwin Kastle's Top Eight Deck at Pro Tour: Venice to get me motivated. Reading Rob Dougherty's article on the R/G Vegetation deck inspired me to build it.

I spent weeks on Apprentice learning the deck - but Scourge threw an ape-sized monkey wrench in my preparations. You see, most of the competitive players I know only care for Block when the Block is complete, so I have gotten a lot more experience at it than they have. However, new archetypes proved a challenge. My original build followed Kastle's build for all but two cards, as I never liked Contested Cliffs. But much playtesting has shifted it even more to suit both my play style and my metagame. All the matchup analysis in my article is from real matches at the rather large Block tournaments run by my local stores. What follows is my matchup analysis of the new Claw against four decks in the field, with both post- and pre-sideboard analysis and common sideboarding options.

The Claw 2.2
3 Rorix Bladewing
4 Kilnmouth Dragon
4 Imperial Hellkite
4 Ravenous Baloth
3 Gempalm Incinerator
4 Krosan Tusker
4 Wirewood Elf
4 Explosive Vegetation
4 Starstorm
2 Decree of Annihilation
12 Forest
11 Mountain
2 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard:
2 Decree of Annihilation
2 Insurrection
3 Naturalize
4 Shock
4 Silklash Spider

• Win % Pre-Sideboard: 33%
• Win % Post-Sideboard: 40%

I won't lie; Goblins is a horrible matchup. Pre-Scourge, it wasn't quite as difficult, but the frailty of Wirewood Elf was still evident. Even turn 3 Goblin Goon wasn't so dangerous, thanks to a turn 4 amplified Kilnmouth Dragon... But Goblin Warchief ruins all that. Goblin Warchief essentially makes the deck one whole turn faster, and an active turn 3 Goblin Goon is almost game over. I agree with The Ferrett that Goblin Goon is a poor metagame choice due to Silver Knight and Wing Shards. However, it's the most difficult thing to handle for this deck thanks solely to its rather large toughness.

Potential Sideboard Options: - 4 Explosive Vegetation, - 2 Decree of Annihilation, -2 Kilnmouth Dragon, +4 Silklash Spider, +4 Shock

This seems quite odd, but Ravenous Baloth serves only as fodder post-sideboard, thanks to any combination of Threaten and Sulfuric Vortex. Gempalm Incinerator shines in this matchup, usually keeping Skirk Prospector from becoming useful or taking down a Goblin Warchief after they play another creature. Shock and Silklash Spider prove awesome, the former stopping Goblin Warchief in his tracks, and the latter successfully blocking all but the biggest Clickslither and your Threatened buddies. I've also noted the more common main decking of Threaten and Sulfuric Vortex - and that could spell bad news for The Claw.

• Win % Pre-Sideboard: 60%
• Win % Post-Sideboard: 75%

This is a fantastic matchup where Dragons really shine. With Akroma's Vengeance and Oblation being your worst fears, they often buckle over to a twice-amplified Kilnmouth, an unexpected Biorhythm, or a swarm of Imperial Hellkites. And in these long games, Imperial Hellkite, as quoted by a much better player, serves as an Avarax on crack.

Potential Sideboard Options: -1 Rorix Bladewing, - 4 Ravenous Baloth, - 3 Gempalm Incinerator, + 4 Silklash Spider, + 2 Decree of Annihilation, + 2 Insurrection

Hasted dragons serve only to draw out Wing Shards, so a Rorix gets axed. Ravenous Baloth is either attacking fodder or lifegain in an already long match... So the strategy shifts towards the massive game ending spells, and any of these expensive monsters can end the game outright.

I feel less comfortable with Biorhythm post-board due to full compliments of Decree of Justice and Oblation; I've still won a game or two with it, though, so maybe my fears are unjustified. The big red spells are completely solid in this matchup. Insurrection is there as insurance for both Akroma and multiple anti-red cards, like Silver Knight and Dawn Elemental.

• Win % Pre-Sideboard: 60%
• Win % Post-Sideboard: 50%

Now here's a deck that is hard to put your finger on. It comes down to whether or not they play Patriarch's Bidding. You're in for a treat if they do, because that means usually very little maindeck disruption or removal. Their weenies are much more vulnerable to Starstorm, and give you a much longer clock than Goblins. It's all about saving the Starstorm for the right moment. Holding a Dragon or two in hand can place a Kilnmouth Dragon out of lethal Noxious Ghoul range.

Potential Sideboard Options: - 1 Krosan Tusker, - 1 Wirewood Elf, - 2 Explosive Vegetation, + 4 Shock, + 2 Insurrection

The Insurrections give you multiple outs against the big Patriarch's Bidding... But if they don't play it, you can bring in Naturalize instead to handle Call to the Grave. However, Call to the Grave rarely becomes a pain, and it's not too hard to play around. You can drop a lamb in its way (like a mana accelerator) or Starstorm for a lot to clear the board. The post-sideboarded matchup is usually much worse because a couple of their anti-control cards work well against this deck - namely, Unburden and Cruel Revival. Shocks help to prevent abuse of Rotlung Reanimator before it's too late, but Biorhythm usually goes out due to potential burn from Gempalm Polluter.

• Win % Pre-Sideboard: 50%
• Win % Post-Sideboard: 66%

The slew of control decks based around white (including Astral Slide, Slide-less Glide, and W/B Control) can play a mean game one. They pack the best spells from MWC, with a slew of good spells from other colors, including Lightning Rift, Visara the Dreadful, Graveborn Muse, and Decree of Annihilation. The most important thing is not to overextend, and to play conservatively in order to not give your opponent card advantage. Rushing a dragon into play isn't just risky - it can be suicidal.

Potential Sideboard Options: - 2 Biorhythm, - 2 Ravenous Baloth, - 1 Rorix, - 3 Gempalm Incinerator, + 2 Naturalize, + 2 Decree of Annihilation, + 2 Silklash Spider, + 2 Insurrection

Depending on their reliance on flying creatures, an extra Silklash Spider or two can go in for another Goblin Clearcutter or Ravenous Baloth. Much like the matchup against Mono White, the big spells can simply win games... But Biorhythm can leave thanks to both more removal and the chance of getting burned. Once again, learning not to pour everything into a single Dragon is vital to the long game. About three creatures on the board is optimal, to keep them guessing on when to Vengeance. Don't let them figure it out.

Here are some decks that I've only played a few games against, but would still like to share my findings in testing.

Form of the Dragon
The amount of burn they throw at you head is rather harsh, but Ravenous Baloth helps a little. Just get a big dude out fast before multiple Lightning Rifts thrash you.

Wirewood Channeler/Pemmin's Aura Infinite Combo
The ability to win turn 4 in Block remains impressive, but just far too many things just say no. Side in Shock, and try to keep elves off the board (remember, your elves count too). I doubt it will ever make much of a splash.

Beasts
Insurrection. It's all about Insurrection. Cast it and either A) watch the board clear (and life totals shift) or B) watch the opponent scoop. All in all, Beasts is an even matchup.

Elves
Never discount the little pointy-eared ones; Caller of the Claw is still a force to be reckoned. It's only the other tiny red men that threaten them - but Wirewood Symbiote helps that, too. Insurrection is the lynchpin of your anti-Elf strategy. Only Starstorm when it will rid you of all of their guys.

The Mirror and other Veggies Decks
You're fine if you play bigger guys, and siding in the two big red spells for Starstorm and Gempalm Incinerator makes it even better.

Closing Notes
Gempalm Incinerator is great. It filters through your cards while thumping creatures in the Goblins and most Zombie matchups (Festering Goblin attracts as much burn as his cousins, often trading).

I plan to compete with this deck at my local PTQ, and recommend it as a way to break the monotony of Goblins vs."Insert color here" control.

I mustn't close my article without thanking Rob Dougherty for his well-written article, Designing Dragons. All the information he presented proved useful; he writes far more eloquently than I, and anything I say about the core strategy of the deck would be a mere repeat. And I intend never to plagiarize. I will close with the most important lesson I've learned in Magic....

The key to victory is to know when to rush into play, and when to"slow-roll it."