I’m the freaking Innovator. Innovating is what I do.
There is a Magical Card Tournament in Baltimore eleven days from now, called the U.S. National Championships. After winning my Regionals with Korlash, I am invited. I figure I mise well play. After all, the tournament is one of the relatively few high-profile events to take place in the U.S. this year. Seeing as I probably won’t be able to attend any international tournaments any time soon, I have to make the most of the ones I can attend.
Nationals is an interesting mix of formats. This year it starts with three rounds of Standard, followed by four rounds of TPF draft (sigh, four rounds with one deck is always awkward). Day 2 begins with three rounds of TPF draft followed by four rounds of Standard. A cut to Top 8 is made, and Day 3 consists of a single elimination standard event, best three out of five. This is an important point for players considering playing strategies that are affected heavily by sideboarding. For instance, you may feel Dredge is the best, but are you really going to win three out of five with it? That is a hard thing to do when four of the games involve Tormod’s Crypts, Leylines, Extirpates, or Jailors.
As of right now, I am planning on playing a Mystical Teachings deck. My primary reservation with this deck is the difficulty of finishing rounds in time. The Top 8 is essentially not timed, so if I can just make it there, I should be golden, but it is hard when I will likely never finish my second game in control matches and will time out dangerously frequently. That said, I am working on playing as fast as Herberholz. Also, I have been making concessions to the clock, by adding more victory conditions. First I added more lands to win with. Now, I even added a Teferi to tutor up when it is time to beat down. Many thanks to Brian Demars for invaluable input on the theory behind the deck. Some of the technology seen here is directly lifted from his Regionals deck.
Here is what I would play if Nationals were today.
Creatures (2)
Lands (24)
Spells (35)
Mystical Teachings and Careful Consideration headline a card-drawing suite rivaled by few. With 28 cards that provide card advantage or selection, this deck has an incredible ability to draw into what it needs in any given situation.
Mystical Teachings is the underlying engine that drives this deck, like it does many others. It provides the answers you need, as well as continuing to provide uncounterable card drawing. It is tempting to play only three, as drawing a second one isn’t great, but I just really want to draw one every game. They may be slow, but they are just so back-breaking with Tendrils or Careful Consideration.
Speaking of Careful Consideration, I used to run a mixture of Compulsive Researches and Careful Considerations, but I just found that in this deck, looking deeper and not having to pitch a land or tap out on your own turn was just worth the extra mana. This is the most common target, aside from Gaea’s Blessing, for your Blessings. You eventually want to reach a point where you are casting this every turn, cycling through your deck, looking for Gaea’s Blessing. You probably main phase this 80% of the time, but is nice to be able to run it on the opponent’s turn, as you will have more dead cards (removal) against the people that this works best.
Remand – This is arguably the best card in Standard, competing with Damnation and Tarmogoyf. I still remember when people would play three Remand and three Mana Leak, or some such nonsense (yes, they really did).
Spell Burst – A fine Teachings target that can easily lock up the game late, as ICE draws so many cards and develops such a massive manabase that Spell Burst with the Buyback is a done deal. Set it up with Pact and Remand back-up, as they will have to try to bait you with something. You Spell Burst it, then when they drop the real threat, you counter it as well.
Pact of Negation – A key role player, not just as the last ditch counterspell, but also for value with Tolaria West. Being able to hard-counter a spell, then Blessing the Pact back, then Transmute to it is so vital to this deck’s defense. It is very possible that I will play two of these.
Time Stop – This is your ace in the hole. It is one of the most versatile cards of all time. It serves as a Time Walk, the ultimate hard counter (even stopping Demonfire or Dragonstorm), a Fog, or whatever you need. I only wish it didn’t strand itself removed from the game. An interesting point to remember is that after sideboarding in Pull, you can actually go infinite and Time Stop lock someone by Stopping the turn on their upkeep, pulling your Time Stop, then Gaea’s Blessing both the Time Stop and the Pull.
Repeal – a versatile answer to a variety of problems that just helps you survive whatever awkward situation your opponent tries to put you in. It just gives you a little value as card draw, a little value as permanent removal, a little value as a way to slow an attack, and so on.
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir – The 61st card. I am not sure what to cut yet, although Heezy says to cut the Crucible. I don’t actually want a Teferi in the deck on his own merits, I just need a victory condition that I can Teachings up that will let me finish games. Teachings for Teferi sets up Teachings for Triskelavus, which can certainly end a game quickly. Also, I suppose there are worst cards than Teferi in my deck…
Damnation – While I am normally never one to run less than four Damnations, I think with 28 card drawers, it may be warranted. Damnation may be the best in the abstract, but practically speaking, I need more versatility to maximize my library manipulation. Still, it is possible I will end up with four, and I will certainly be maxing after board.
Tendrils – Some life gain is vital, although it is unfortunate that Mogg Fanatic adds yet another un-Tendrilsable man to R/G. Tendrils plus Urborg is obviously one of the defining elements of block, and its strength carries over to Standard, for the most part. Definitely must be able to max out after boarding.
Slaughter Pact – The weakest of my elimination suite… however, the flexibility of being able to transmute to it is a very useful tool versus Tarmogoyf (and other cards, I suppose).
Gaea’s Blessing – A key component that is easy to underestimate. For more on why Gaea’s Blessing is so good in this archetype, read what Adrian Sullivan has to say HERE when he qualified with a deck packing them. I would really like to play three, but I don’t know how to make room. The primary targets are Gaea’s Blessing (you always want to shuffle your other Blessing back), whatever solutions you may need (often Pact of Negation), and Careful Consideration. Don’t forget, against Dredge, there is nothing wrong with Gaea’s Blessing targeting them. Man, do I need to make room for a third.
Putrefy – A solid answer to Korlash, Tarmogoyf, Gargadon, Bottled Cloister, Loxodon Warhammer, whatever. Certainly better than Mortify (which, for some reason, can’t kill Korlash).
Clutch of the Undercity – My fourth Damnation (that happens to also fetch Mystical or Careful Consideration). In addition, I have had to loop it to kill opponents with damage before. Being able to bounce any permanent is a very nice option to have.
Mind Stone – The best artifact mana legal. This card is amazing. Seriously, you think your Signets are hot stuff? Try this bad boy. It is the Horizon Canopy of artifact mana. It may not make colored mana, but it doesn’t hurt you either. When you are making room for them in your decks, you don’t just cut Signets. For instance, my Korlash deck now uses four Dimir Signets and four Mind Stones. I replaced the Prismatic Lenses with Mind Stones, and took out a land and a spell for the other two. This card is ridiculously underrated. Play it. You will thank me later.
Coalition Relic – Block players have already seen the power of this card, and it is no different in Standard. The part that sucks is that it is in the wrong place on your mana curve. Still, it is so powerful that it would be a crime not to run some.
Prismatic Lens – I wanted to play four Relics, but as a concession to my mana curve, I have replaced one with another two-drop artifact. Lens is superior to Dimir Signet, as you obviously have to cast Blessing and Pull somehow.
Crucible of Worlds – This card is certainly on the chopping block, but it is just such a solid source of card advantage that helps set up the Spell Burst with buyback. That said, it might be a “win more” card (although it is the nut high versus The Rack decks). Look at this first when trying to make room.
Triskelavus – Nobody ever really beats this guy going long with Academy Ruins. You can actually usually beat Project X even if they go off, by establishing control, drawing up your library and making three Triskelavites every turn, as well as Gaea’s Blessing whatever you need, eventually decking them. Flores hates this guy, so I am pretty sure he must be good.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth – Vital to the Tendrils plan. I’d play four if not for the ability to Tolaria West one up.
Tolaria West – Added versatility, getting everything from a counter to a removal spell, from a victory condition to an answer to their Factory, from your Urborg to a Karoo to pick up another Tolaria to generate card advantage. This card is important for increasing your consistency. Still, it is slow, and you only want to Transmute so many times a game. As such, I cut one for a Faerie Conclave to try and speed things up a little.
Faerie Conclave – Another road to victory. Not a bad combo with Damnation or Crucible.
Urza’s Factory – A solid plan going long, not just as a victory condition, but as an answer to the other guy’s Factory, or as a card advantage engine comboing with Damnation.
Ghost Quarter – It wasn’t in the first draft, but it is absolutely vital to have an answer to Factory that you can Tutor up. It also helps a great deal with Treetop Village. The Crucible / Ghost Quarter combo is so sick versus many players, it is the primary reason I still play Crucible. Hitting a storage land or Karoo is always solid too.
Academy Ruins – See Triskelavus. I have also reached situations in which I was recurring Mind Stones to ensure that my library never got so low that I would deck myself. Once you have DI mana, this is actually a very strong play, as it lets you build your manabase but at the same time be able to cash in your Mind Stones later to recover the card you lost when you drew it. Even recurring a Relic can be fine if they destroy it, color-screwing you. Obviously Crucible is a powerful threat versus control, and the ability to replay it every turn, through permission, is useful.
Shocklands – No surprise here, though it is important to note that it is useful to have a White land to Tutor up to cast your Pulls.
Dimir Aqueducts – Strong cards, but you can only play so many “comes into play tapped” lands. It is vital that any Karoo you play in this style of deck be able to help cast your Damnation or Wrath.
Five Snow-Basics are enough to power the Mouth of Ronom out of the sideboard. I would like to note that I will probably make room for a Mouth main deck, possibly in for an Island, a Conclave, or a Factory.
Tormod’s Crypts are obviously for setting up the Academy Ruins plus Crypt lock against Dredge.
Pull from Eternity – For Detritivore primarily, but also for Gargadon and Chronicler, and I suppose Lotus Bloom.
Ribbons of Night – My fifth Tendrils. I really want to make room for another one of these.
Seize the Soul – I am not sold on this, but it does seem good against Tarmogoyf.
Extirpate – Bullet for Teachings against Dredge, Teachings, whatever.
Imp’s Mischief – More Block technology ported directly over. I am not sure if it or Twincast is better, though.
Mystic Melting – Another bullet to Teach to. My only enchantment removal besides bounce. I think it is better for me than Naturalize, as the mana shouldn’t matter once I can Teach, and drawing cards is good. Plus, it can be Clutched or used on my own Lens or something.
Evacuation – Of course, it is a very sexy target for Teachings that can be used to buy a ton of time.
Mouth of Ronom – More land is always good in the control mirror, and this one kills Teferi. Should probably be maindeck.
This is where I am at so far. I will keep you guys up to date as I work on the format. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Advice you guys gave me on Korlash has proved very useful.
It has been Suggested to me that ICE’s weak points are:
1. Winning in fifty minutes.
2. Aggressive Red decks splashing Tarmogoyf.
3. The card Dark Confidant is very strong against me.
Ideas on how to shore up these weaknesses would be much appreciated. Flores says these kinds of decks always test better than they perform because when you are playtesting, you walk through the plays to find the best one, where as in a tournament, you will not have that luxury. In addition, in testing you can’t help but know most of what you are up against, and can prepare accordingly. Under real conditions, you won’t know what all to play around. Also, in testing, time isn’t a big factor. It is remarkable how much slower people are willing to play in a tournament setting, especially if they are up a game and game 2 isn’t looking good.
Still, I really like ICE and think it has a lot of potential. The format has slowed down a lot, with the loss of Kird Ape, Savannah Lion, Seething Song, Sleight of Hand, and Persecute. Now is a perfect opportunity to play a slow control deck. We’ll see how things develop.
No strippers this week. Instead, I bring you the next best thing…
Bonus Type 1 Decklist!
Creatures (5)
Lands (12)
Spells (43)
- 2 Sensei's Divining Top
- 4 Brainstorm
- 3 Mana Drain
- 1 Yawgmoth's Will
- 4 Force of Will
- 1 Mana Vault
- 1 Sol Ring
- 1 Demonic Tutor
- 3 Island
- 1 Time Walk
- 1 Ancestral Recall
- 1 Mana Crypt
- 3 Merchant Scroll
- 4 Thirst for Knowledge
- 1 Mindslaver
- 1 Echoing Truth
- 1 Pyrite Spellbomb
- 1 Tinker
- 1 Black Lotus
- 1 Mox Emerald
- 1 Mox Jet
- 1 Mox Pearl
- 1 Mox Ruby
- 1 Mox Sapphire
- 1 Tormod's Crypt
- 2 Counterbalance
Sideboard
This list is a fusion of Brian Demar’s love of Thirst for Knowledge and my love of Merchant Scroll, along with our mutual love for Counterbalance. I am playing in a Lotus tournament Sunday (yesterday for the readers), and this is probably what I am running, though I could always run Gush or Flash. All I know is that I am playing Merchant Scroll. I want four Merchant Scrolls in this deck, but how many Blue card drawers can you really play? It pains me to say, but Thirst is probably better than Scroll in Slaver (though Scroll is still far and away the more objectively powerful card).
Patrick Chapin
“The Innovator”