I wasn’t planning on writing today, just to let you know from the gate, but sometimes the unexpected pops up. My regular column will be appearing Friday, though, so think of today as a little overtime. Some people have been asking me lately about the fact that I have been writing two articles a week lately, a feat that I certainly can’t always do. It’s just that lately, some people have been inspiring me and I appreciate our tireless editors, Teddy Cardgames, Mulldrifting, and The Ferrett giving me the green light to share a little bit extra. Also, thank you to you guys for putting up with so much of my gibber-gabber. I strive to bring you excellence with every offering and make StarCityGames.com the best site possible, so I don’t want to get a free pass just for producing an extra article in the week. As always, thanks for the feedback! It is a huge boon in my growth as a writer.
Okay, so I just read Abe Sargent
Revelations of a Magic Writer. Wow. I have rarely been so moved by writing of any genre as I was by this article. If you haven’t already read it, do yourself a favor and click over right now. Seriously, come back to this one after.
Abe’s preferred Magic may be “casual” but the lessons that can be learned from his writing transcend format. If you are entering the
StarCityGames.com 2010 Talent Search, you would do well to examine this master work, as it may be a completely different style than
“Who’s the Beatdown?” or
“Timmy, Johnny, and Spike”, but it is brilliant and inspired writing that is not just powerful because of the gravity, but because of timing, the voice, the poetry, the beauty, and the purpose. There is so much room for Magic writing to expand beyond just decklists, sideboarding guides, and tournament reports. I can’t wait to see what is in store as the talent search gets underway.
Additionally, if you are looking for inspiration or a model for excellence, you would do well to check out Ffej’s (Jeff Cunningham) most recent article
here.
Jeff is one of the defining writers in Magic’s history. Want to win the talent search? Study this master!
Anyway, this article is not about the Talent Search, nor is it even about Abe or his article (though they surely deserve far better than I could do justice to, here), nor even Ffej, himself. Actually, these awesome writers just have my brain racing and my blood pumping, filled with a burning desire to write about Magic. As I said, I’ll be back Friday, but today, I want to talk about the results of the 2010 State Championships and share some thoughts on tackling the metagame as it is shaping up.
This past week brought the 2010 State Championships and with them our first good look at the new format. Here are some ways of breaking down the new data.
Top 8 Appearance Breakdown
U/W Control 19%
Valakut 16%
Eldrazi Green 16%
Other U/x Control 13%
Red Deck Wins 8%
Elf Aggro 7%
Fauna Shaman 7%
R/U/G Titan 4%
Mono-B 4%White Weenie 2%
Other 4%
This is not a very unusual breakdown for a format, as we see four strategies that are the most popular, with a large selection of lesser played builds. From this perspective, the format looks wide open (and perhaps it is). Still, I think a better picture is painted when the format is viewed like this:
Macro Breakdown
Primeval Titan decks 36%
Blue Control 33%
Small Green Creatures 14%
Koth 11%
Other (includes ww 6%
Now before you are quick to call Primeval Titan the best card in the format, remember, Jace the Mind Sculptor appears in 48% of the decks that top 8’ed States. The sky is not falling, you don’t need Jace, in order to win. In fact, the maindeck I will be suggesting Friday doesn’t even use Jace, the Mind Sculptor in it, despite being a Blue deck!
Still, no need to get ahead of ourselves, here. Begin by focusing on the data. What can we learn? Let’s start with the gauntlet you should be testing this week if you are preparing for the SCG Open in Nashville this weekend, or even just an FNM.
Creatures (7)
Planeswalkers (7)
Lands (17)
Spells (29)
Creatures (9)
Planeswalkers (2)
Lands (9)
Spells (40)
- 4 Lightning Bolt
- 6 Forest
- 11 Mountain
- 4 Harrow
- 4 Khalni Heart Expedition
- 3 Summoning Trap
- 4 Explore
- 4 Cultivate
Sideboard
Creatures (19)
- 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
- 4 Joraga Treespeaker
- 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
- 4 Overgrown Battlement
- 2 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
- 4 Primeval Titan
- 3 Wurmcoil Engine
Lands (24)
Spells (17)
Sideboard
Creatures (6)
Planeswalkers (6)
Lands (25)
Spells (23)
Creatures (27)
- 4 Llanowar Elves
- 4 Elvish Archdruid
- 3 Nissa's Chosen
- 4 Arbor Elf
- 4 Joraga Treespeaker
- 4 Fauna Shaman
- 4 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Planeswalkers (6)
Lands (22)
Spells (5)
Sideboard
Creatures (20)
Planeswalkers (4)
Lands (11)
Spells (25)
Sideboard
This should provide a nice update to last week’s gauntlet, though the Blue control deck can easily be any other non-U/W Blue control deck. Gerry will be discussing his update to U/R control tomorrow, so I don’t want to steal his thunder (and that isn’t even touching on the
other
sick deck he came up with for last week…)
If you have three decks in your gauntlet, they should be:
1.U/W Control
2.Valakut
3.Mono-R
Depending on how much room you have, the gauntlet could add:
4.Eldrazi Green
5.Fauna Shaman or Elves
6.U/r/x Control
None of these decks are likely to be out of left-field to current tournament players, but it is still good to get updated lists. What else can we glean from this data? Let’s look at that marcro-breakdown, again.
Macro Breakdown
Primeval Titan decks 36%
Blue Control 33%
Small Green Creatures 14%
Koth 11%
Other (includes ww 6%
That’s really not that many different types of strategies, making it perfect for metagame-connoisseurs such as ourselves! With so few angles of attack, we can focus our efforts on cards that match up well against them. What do we see when we look at that list?
The field appears to be about a third ramp decks that try to go over the top with Titans, Avengers, Aliens, and more, as well as key lands that can rip open a game late, such as Valakut and Eye of Ugin. Another third of the field plays Blue control decks, generally relying on a fairly even mixture of card draw, removal, permission, and fatties or extra Planeswalkers. The final third are all sorts of aggro decks ranging from RDW to Elves, Fauna Shaman to White Weenie. What do they all have in common? They all feature a surplus of cheap small creatures that are extremely deadly if you don’t have early removal. Regardless of whether it’s a Plated Geopede, a Fauna Shaman, an Elvish Archdruid, or a Kor Duelist, if you can’t deal with these early creatures, you are facing a lethal threat
fast.
Build a deck that can beat these three elements and you have a winner on your hands!
Part of the way that I arrived at the build of U/w/r Venser that I have been advocating is by examining this exact trinity and asking myself how to attack all three parts at once. My leaning towards Blue (even more so than usual) is because of the effectiveness against both Ramp and Control. Mana Leak and Stoic Rebuttal are good against both, and Flashfreeze and Negate go a long way towards giving you excellent tools against these “Big” Strategies. Additional weapons are needed, of course. Spreading Seas or Tectonic Edge can go a long way towards combating problem lands that would otherwise prove devastating “back-up plans.” Additionally, having more Blue Planeswalker action (Jace, Jace, and Venser) is the right way to be fighting Blue decks. Topping out, Frost Titan is an ideal endgame against Ramp decks, even if it is not so effective against Blue decks. Still, your fatty is generally not where you get your edge against Blue anyway, so it is not a major issue.
When it comes time to breakdown the aggro decks, the first thing that I am drawn to is a similar element that GerryT noticed; the abundance of cheap and deadly creatures with a low toughness. Every one of the aggro decks features tons of one and two toughness creatures that are extremely punishing if not dealt with swiftly. This makes cards like Lightning Bolt, Burst Lightning, and Pyroclasm especially enticing. Some other colors offer reasonable cheap removal as well, but Red’s is particularly nice because of its strength in combating other Blue decks and their Planeswalkers. Still, just because Gerry and I have been pulled in this direction doesn’t mean it is the only way. Let’s look at some potential experiments to consider for other archetypes.
Mono-Red is a potent strategy on the rise, armed with the new and sexy Koth of the Hammer, but the right way to build the deck is still up in the air. Cedric Phillips style (listed above) is strong, but there are a lot of different directions one can head. What Mono-Red cards exist that can exploit these three pillars? To start with, it is easy to imagine attacking ramp decks with land destruction. Trying to hit non-basics is better than nothing, as you can hit a Valakut or Eldrazi Temple, but given the amount of basics being played, a land destruction spell that hits basics is worth much more. Roiling Terrain has not seen a lot of play lately, but maybe it is a consideration? Another possible option that is often overlooked is Lodestone Golem. It can be easy to forget that Lodestone Golem slows down Eldrazi, despite their colorlessness. It always sucks to have a Lodestone Golem Bolt’ed, but Lightning Bolt is going to be good against Mono-Red regardless.
Another possible tool for Mono-R is Tunnel Ignus. He is a house against ramp decks when not dealt with, and still provides passable beats against everyone else. Too inbred? Maybe, but he is at least worth a consideration. Another possible tool for hosing ramp decks is Mark of Mutiny and its ilk. That is just the most insane follow up to a Primeval Titan, right? I mean, you are just about always winning with a Mark on a Primeval Titan, as it is not just 7 damage (in addition to whatever other creatures might get through), it is also fetching up two killer lands, such as Teetering Peaks for max pain, or one of the two Smoldering Spires you were clever enough to add for just such an occasion (which are fine anyway).
Mark isn’t going to be nearly as good against other decks, but it can still provide a brutal finishing blow. Many Blue decks will try to stabilize by tapping out to drop a Baneslayer or Wurmcoil Engine. Mark of Mutiny doesn’t just add six or seven damage to your attack, but it clears away a blocker that your opponent was probably counting on to block and gain DI life from. Some smart opponents will have Frost Titans that you might not be able to steal as easily (particularly if they are locking down your land), but fortunately it still seems like most people haven’t got the memo about Frost Titan yet.
As for aggro decks, you still try to use it in deathblow scenarios, though it can also be used as a very crude way to pump your creature (potentially even after combat if you need to block with it). Generally, it is best sided out in these matchups, but the card can really help break open the first two and might be worth considering
maindeck.
Another potential way Red decks can exploit this meta is by using more creatures that take advantage of both ramp decks and most aggro decks having a shortage of removal. Explosive creatures like Kargan Dragonlord, Kiln Fiend, Geopede, and more are all even better in against a field that can’t reliably kill them. Playing up on this angle can be clutch. Additionally, Burn is very well suited for this format, as we discussed above, though you can take it even further.
What about Forked Bolt? Arc Trail? Both are perfectly reasonable twists to your direction damage to try to completely ruin the aggro decks, while still getting your shock in against Ramp and Control. Forked Bolt is obviously a classic at just one mana, but Arc Trail is particularly well suited to Fauna Shaman decks and Red decks. Flame Slash doesn’t quite fit in this same camp, but is a strong card, nonetheless, as Overgrown Battlement, Joraga Treespeaker, and Wall of Omens help make it worth considering.
By the way, if I can go off on a little bit of a tangent about Wall of Omens, for a moment, what is up with that card in this format? Who is it good against? My answer: is No One of Consequence.
U/W Control – Obviously not the worst, as it cycles, but it is just two wasted mana every time.
Valakut – Again, two wasted mana.
Eldrazi Green – Continuing to waste two mana for little discernible reason.
Mono-R – Ok, at least it blocks
something
here, but I would much rather remove a Geopede than hold it off a turn. Besides it matches up poorly with Dragonlord, Koth, Spikeshot Elder, and at the end of the day, what are you doing besides making their Searing Blazes live?
U/r/x control – Two wasted mana
Elves – Wall of Omens-ing an Elvish Archdruid or Ezuri is not the same as removing it outright.
Fauna Shaman Decks – There are no Bloodbraid Elves or Ranger of Eos’s. What are you going to block? Vengevine? Cunning Sparkmage? Squadron Hawk?
White Weenie – Outside of crazy Agentum Armor shenanigans, ask yourself what you are blocking here. Every white aggro deck I have seen lately builds bad-ass dudes with Adventuring Gear, various Swords, and more. It is passable to soak up five damage with your Wall, but a removal spell would prevent more.
It is time to put down the Wall of Omens, even if just for now. It is just not the right time for that card. Do yourself a favor and cut it from your lists!
Back to pimping our decks against the paper-rock-siscors metagame (Ramp beats Control which beats Aggro which beats Ramp, or so they say)…
Are you one of those true American (or Canadian or whatever…) heroes that always tries to make Mono-B work? Well, it might actually be time! What has been Black been missing for years? Card draw! Yes, Black is pretty awful in Standard at the moment, but at least we finally have a respectable card drawer in Mimic Vat. Before we examine Mimic Vat, here is an interesting look at the format:
Colors of Spells in Standard
Green – 39%
Blue -Â 20%
Red -Â Â 14%
White 12%
Artifact – 8%
Black -Â 3%
That about sums it up, doesn’t it? I sure hope the Green mages aren’t complaining, as www.awkward.com is not currently operational.
So Black is the nut low? Well, that may be, but that isn’t a total deal breaker. Magic is a pretty big game and there is room for quite a bit under the five suns of Mirrodin. You want to play a dedicated Black deck? You don’t have to go this route:
Creatures (29)
- 4 Bloodghast
- 4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
- 3 Vampire Hexmage
- 3 Vampire Nighthawk
- 4 Kalastria Highborn
- 4 Bloodthrone Vampire
- 4 Viscera Seer
- 3 Captivating Vampire
Lands (22)
Spells (9)
Sideboard
Mimic Vat is the solution!
Spells (24)
Mid-West Grind-Master, Akil Steele, has a Mono-B list that does a pretty good job of demonstrating that you don’t actually need any combos to make Mimic Vat work. So many people get hung up on two-for-one creatures, they miss just how insanely strong and versatile Mimic Vat is outright. To start with, you can tap out to play it, so “setting it up” doesn’t require holding mana open. Additionally, Doomblade effects are extraordinary on it. how is someone supposed to beat you when you put a Primeval Titan or a Wurmcoil Engine in your Mimic Vat?
If you use it on your opponent’s creatures, it is often better than a Vedalken Shackles, as you now always have their best guy, no matter how many
times they kill it. Additionally, this is such a brilliant solution to Vengevine, it is almost poetic. Even if you don’t get anything insane (like
just
a Dragonlord) you can block with it every turn, often trading in combat with their guys. When the time is right, you can go on the offensive without being vulnerable to creature elim.
On your own creatures, the card is way to ensure that you have some inevitability. Think about it, even if you are just tapping to hit them with an Abyssal Persecutor, it is like Ball Lightnings on demand (that fly and can block!) I especially love the Vampire Hexmage combo, as it basically locks your opponents out of Planeswalkers, Everflowing Chalices, Ratchet Bombs, and more. I think Vampire Hexmage is pretty well suited to the current format, other than being Black. Steele keeps him in the board, figuring he is only excellent against control, but it is a good card to consider.
Another creature I like with the Mimic Vat is Skinrender. Skinrender is a good value creature that can really push the aggro match-ups over the edge. The card is a little weak against Ramp decks, as well as leaving much to be desired against control, but the one-two punch of Gatekeeper and Skinrender would be very tough for an aggro deck to beat, especially if you put a Skinrender in the Vat (which is easy enough to do).
One final creatures I would strongly consider sticking in there is Liliana’s Specter. The Specter is a reasonable card in the format, providing a good honest two-for-one and getting some halfway decent flying beats in. If you can end up with a Specter in the Vat, you can set up a pretty strong soft lock, hitting your opponent with a Specter during each of their draw steps.
On the subject of Liliana’s Specter, another card that I think is so underrated, right now, is Mind Rot. Most Black mages are quick to select Mindludge, wanting to get paid top-dollar for their investment in the color, but I think Mind Rot can be very effective, especially if you are packing Inquisition of Kozilek or Duress, to totally rip apart their hand early. Mind Rot is good against almost everyone, right now, as it does at least two-thirds of a Blightning in a time where Blightning would rule. Mind Rot is also much less demanding on your colors, if you have a second color.
Whatever build you may be looking at, try to imagine how you would optimize it against ramp decks, then control, then aggro. Build three lists, one for each sort of deck, then try to see where the overlap is. Amalgamating these three lists can provide a very revealing look into how you may want your maindeck configured. Still, be wary of falling into the trap of assuming that every strategy under the sun can be made to beat everything else.
Half the questions I get asked (regarding) Magic are equivalent to “Can you help me make my rusty tin can competitive with that Star Destroyer?” –
@FiveWithFlores
Want to beat Star Destroyers? Build your own
Starship
and be open to discarding
Deathstars
with fatal weak points that can be destroyed with just a pair of Proton Torpedos in the reactor core. It can be fine to have a soft match-up against a mainstream deck, if it is just a deck, but if you think a match-up is vital to overcome and you can’t, remember you can always set down your weapon and pick another.
Outside of just pushing an existing strategy like Mono-R, or pioneering a new deck like Mono-B, there is a third option; revisiting something from the past that has been discarded. One possible area to explore is Boros (when was the last time you heard anything about it?) Another area is Pyromancer’s Ascension. Michael Flores got me thinking about Pyromancer’s Ascension recently, and after talking to GerryT, Brian Kowal, and of course, Flores, I think we have discovered the missing link. My column is moving back to Monday, next week, but let’s meet back here, Friday, and I will tell you all about it. I think we may have broken it…
Patrick Chapin
“The Innovator”