Having been pestered by my test colleagues (mainly Styfen Batten, who is a contributor to StarCity) to write an article on a deck, I have decided to give it a go - even though I don't intend to be a regular as I do not consider myself to be a good writer. I would, however, appreciate any feedback on the article or the decks performance over the coming months (especially if played at the Worlds as a metagame choice, as I won't be attending myself due to money constraints and Wizards' lack of prize support for the Welsh Nationals - namely, no money or flights compared to what they gave the other British National events).
Why did they pester me? Well after going 7-0 with the deck (14-2 in games), they thought it would be a good idea for myself to get recognised for the deck before others claim the design and also explain how they were"losing to that pile!" I personally do not believe in publicising decks on the net, as it reduces personal creativity... But it keeps the group off my back.
Initially, the deck was designed to compete in the up and coming Odyssey block PTQs, where Quiet Roar and mono-Black should be dominating - and I thought it would be a good test for the deck if I could convert it to Standard to test it in a competitive environment where Blue/Green would be prevalent in the initial months. Also I wanted to have some fun playing with cards that are normally only played in Limited!
The deck wins by stalling the ground and flying in for the win... Or just beating opponents quickly. (You can pull off a possible turn 4 kill, which I'll explain later.) Unfortunately for me at the weekend, I didn't run into its best match up (Blue/Green Roar) but met the following bad matchups instead:
1: - Black/Green Junk (shade/deed, etc) - (2-0)
2: - Black/Green Junk - (2-1)
Deed hit the table, no answers in hand.
3: - Red Green - (2-0)
Meddling Mage on"Violent Eruption"(he was holding two at the end), followed by game 2 Worship and Crimson Acolyte.
4: - Psychatog - (2-0)
Which I hadn't tested against, ended up being a good matchup despite my opponent's attempt to cheat in game two by casting Upheaval for one less mana than he needed (so he could play a land afterwards).
5: - Mono black - (2-0)
He was mana screwed - luckily for me - but the Engineered Plague on"Nomad" did cause me some slight problems. Meddling Mage on Chainer's helped prevent removal.
6: - Squirrel/Opposition - (2-1)
Game 1 went with a one-land hand with two one-drops and regretted it.
(f3n: - Umm, this opponent was actually Jim Grimmett, and he was playing Quiet Roar with Oppositions main deck. Nice one 'Dog!)
7: - Psychatog - (2-0)
Aether Burst was key; after Upheaval, lay Familiar. (I kept mana open instead of playing a creature, as Upheaval was imminent after attacking for thirteen to get him down to one.)
The PILE:
Creatures: - 20 Cards
4 Spurnmage Advocate (a card overlooked by most people that should see more play)
1 Suntail Hawk (should have been more)
4 Meddling Mage (key against mono-Black and Green/Black Junk)
4 Phantom Nomad
4 Beloved Chaplain (used both to stall and as a beat stick)
3 Glory
Spells: - 19 Cards
3 Careful Study
4 Aether Burst
4 Battle Screech
4 Divine Sacrament
4 Breakthrough
Land: - 21 Cards
3 Skyshroud Expanse
10 Plains
4 Islands
4 Adarkar Wastes
Sideboard - (This definitely needs changing from what I ran on the day.)
2 Worship (vs. Red/Green and mono red)
These I wouldn't change.
4 Crimson Acolyte (vs. Red/green &mono red)
I wouldn't change these, either.
2 Disenchant
I needed more for the Opposition and Deed decks.
2 Aura Graft (vs. Nest)
One word: ARSE! It should have been Disenchant, as it's more versatile
3 Envelop (vs. Roar, Upheaval, Chainer's, Innocent Blood, Mutilate, Quiet Speculation, Deep Anal, etc.)
Never saw one and the game was over before I needed it half the time, they should have been Gainsay.
1 Vengeful Dreams
Will change
1 Upheaval
By now, you should have been able to work out that I built the sideboard five minutes before the start of the tournament; I now would add in one more Upheaval, two more Disenchants or Aura Blasts, some Gainsays and another Worship to give my opponents too many enchantments to remove them all - especially when they want to get rid of the Sacraments.
Analysis of deck
Number of cards per casting cost slot:
1: 8
2: 16 (20)
3: 4 (8)
4: 4 (8)
5: 3 (7)
X: 4
Total: 39
The numbers in the () are including Breakthrough.
Card drawing: - 7
Removal: - 8 (Spurnmage and Aether Burst)
White Spells: - 28
Lands: - 17
Blue Spells: - 15
Lands: - 11
Strengths:
- It's an unknown deck (well, it used to be anyway).
- Fast.
- Consistent.
- Good against current field (Blue/Green Red/Green and Tog.)
- Relatively cheap to build.
Weaknesses:
- If others play White Weenie, your Sacraments are weak.
- Pernicious Deed.
- Mutilate or other mass removal.
- Sylvan Safekeeper kills your Aether Bursts.
- Others can play their own Bursts on your tokens.
- Wonder in graveyard can kill this deck.
Opportunities:
- It's portable to OBC.
- Can catch new environment out.
- A lot of Quiet Speculation being played.
Threats:
- Blue/Green is starting to play Brawn in the sideboard.
- Engineered Plague on Birds or Nomads can kill you.
Analysis card by card:
Spurnmage Advocate
Totally changes the way your opponent plays against you. Stops Roars, Togs, and Mongrels attacking early on and prevents the Quiet Speculation from being cast.
Beloved Chaplain
After playing with this guy, I am totally converted; he is a total pain for opponent, he stops everything that doesn't fly. He also nips away at their life total and can't be targeted by a Flametongue.
Battle Screech
The main beatstick, he causes problems for control, as if it's countered and you have creatures in play you can just flash it back.
Phantom Nomad
Early offence and can't be killed by damage with a Divine Sacrament in play. (I think these should probably be Hawks - but it depends on the prevalence of R/G in your area.)
Glory
Either cast late for another flyer or ditched to Breakthrough/Careful Study for defence or offence.
Suntail Hawk
Early flyer for initial damage . There should have been more in the deck - I need to find space.
Meddling Mage
Another annoying card for the opponent. Name Deed vs. Black/Green, Mutilate vs. mono-Black (ensuring another creature in play to prevent the Innocent Blood or Chainer's), name Opposition in that match up or any other card you've just returned to your opponents hand using the Spurnmage so they can't recast it.
Aether Burst
Used both offensively early on to remove blockers or tokens, or defensively vs. mass removal. Especially useful against Tog after forcing the Upheaval to go early due to early pressure.
Careful Study
Helps to get threshold, ditches the Glory, and helps search for the Sacrament to turn everything huge.
Breakthrough
Instant threshold early on if cast for zero (draw four, discard four); play creatures, lay Divine Sacrament, then Breakthrough. Helps late game for card drawing vs. control and helps to find the Sacrament or ditch the Glory.
Divine Sacrament
Early kills revolve around this card; it also makes Nomad un-killable.
Earliest kill (turn 4):
Turn 1: Lay 1 drop
Turn 2: Lay 2 1 drops attack for 1 - (19)
Turn 3: Lay a 2-drop and a 1-drop attack for 3 - (16)
Turn 4: Lay Divine Sacrament, cast Breakthrough for zero (gaining threshold), attack for 16 - (0)
Notes:
Remember to gang block when necessary with Chaplains and Nomads to kill Mongrels and the like.
Recovers well after Upheaval
Meddling Mage is key vs. Pernicious Deed and Mutilate
Need more space for Hawks (possibly cut Nomads or Careful, but that gives us less ways to ditch Glory)
Glory is key for attack and defence (nice to see a good pre-release card for a change!)
Breakthrough can be used offensively early on (with Sacrament for instant threshold) or late game for card drawing.
Feedback appreciated on article and listing - especially what to cut for the Hawks.
Hope you enjoy playing the deck as much as I did and just watch your opponent's faces when you lay the Chaplain and Spurnmage against the Mongrels and Roars.
Madog Williams
mmw583@hotmail.com.
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