[Report] Stoneforge Mystic tops at Outpost Masters Brussels

[Shugyosha]

"I attended the first MTG Outpost Masters in Brussels yesterday. The road trip was quite tedious as..."

Read the rest on my mtg evolution blog (http://mtgevo.blogspot.com/2010/04/mystic-version-2.html)

[Raptor]

"I attended the first MTG Outpost Masters in Brussels yesterday. The road trip was quite tedious as..."

Read the rest on my mtg evolution blog (http://mtgevo.blogspot.com/2010/04/mystic-version-2.html)

I like the idea of stoneforge mystic in CB decks and yesterday I was seriously thinking about including him as a 3 or 4 of.
Although, I would probally include 2x Thopther foundry and 1x Sword of the meek to improve the aggro match up. With enlightned tutor in the SB it would be ridiculously easy to assemble.

The report was a nice read too.

[BackDr0p]

I really like the inclusion of 4 Pridemages. Although, you'll have a hard time getting them through a CB, their speed and efficiency more than make of for it. They also allow you to be much more aggressive in the long run.

Personally I find that Stoneforge Mystic is only needed as a 2-of, when included. I too agree that it makes a great addition in CB Top decks, since it creates needed card advantage and gives it an edge against aggro. No matter how you look at it, an uncountered Mystic correlates into a Jitte in hand (and who the hell say no to a jitte?).

How is path working for you? Don't you find yourself in situations where using it will greatly advantage your opponent (e.i: Goblins)? Would you consider other forms of removal, like EE?

In your report, you mentioned that you are having difficulty with the mirror (NO Pro). What are you doing to resolve this? Hibernation? Runed Halo? Tariff?

[Shimi]

No nobles and only 19 lands , is it enought to play CB + Top and abuse the Mystic + Equip costs??

[sauce]

Is 2 Mystic to 2 Equipment ratio correct?
I guess in blue builds it is fine since you can always brainstorm the 2nd mystic away if you somehow draw both equipments...

I am testing 1 Mystic 2 equipment in Zoo right now, not sure if 2 Mystics is correct or not.

[BreathWeapon]

Do you think RWM and Spellsnare are better than Trinket Mage and Daze here? Trinket Mage for Engineered Explosives or Trinket Mage for Basilisk Collar usually give you good board position vs. Zoo and other CB/Top decks and he's less color intensive and easier to slip thru' CB than Pridemage. I honestly don't know how Spellsnare is playable in this deck, because you are going to be tapping out for Equipment and free counters are worth their weight in gold in that situation. Tinket Mage also has the side benefit of absolutely destroying Dredge, which is like your worst match up IMO. Your also going to want Academy Ruins, believe me that land just break the Mystic vs Mystic mirrors where you're fighting over who resolves the Jitte and it's just a good land in general for CB/Top especially if you run Trinket Mage.

[Shugyosha]

@Thopter/Sword: I really like the combo but with 4 Rhox and 6 Stop/Path I don't need more lifegain against Aggro. I think Thopter is better in a deck fully dedicated to it.

@Mystics+Equipment: 2 and 2 are the correct number. I basically run 4 virtual equipments and Brainstorm, Top with 9 Fetches, the added Path's and if needed Tutor out of the board all help to find it in time. You can run more Mystics and equipment but then I would recommend the MysticControl list from GP Madrdid w/o CB but with Vial and other stuff. In all the tournaments it happened only once that a Mystic couldn't fetch anything because I already had Jitte in the grave and Sword in my hand. The Mystic was still good as I putted the Sword into play to pay one mana less.

@Landbase and Snares: I played Noble Hierarch and Daze but don't like them in this list. CB/Top is currently the best control deck and I only wan't strong cards in a control deck. Hierarch never did much unless I had him in my opener. With Daze it is basically the same although bad players run into Daze later on but I won't rely on my opponents. Spell Snare is also a virtual CMC 1 and 2 counter with CB/Top assembled.
The deck has to be played a bit slower than the usual CB/Top Deck. You very rarely tap out and with all the hardcounters and removal you usually have enough time to assemble your mana and creature base.

@RWM/Trinket: I would never go below 3 RWM because it is just Tarmogoyf 5-7 for me. Trinket Mage is good but Basilisk Collar is not enough. Jitte and Sowrd absolutely destroy Goblins, Merfolk and Zoo. I very rarely lost these matches after resolving a Mystic. EE and Ruins is in the board already with Tutors. I basically run the package with Tutor instead of Trinket in the Sideboard as you need to fetch Canonist and CB/Top. Wheel of Sun and Moon is possibly one of the most underrated cards of Legacy. So many people are absolutely cold to it as they think you only have Crypt/Relic. It is a metacall I think, as aggro and combo are quite numerous here.

@Pridemage: I will probably change it to 3 PM 1 Predator.

Many questions and ideas. Thanks for it.

[Philipp2293]

Do you think that you have the edge over Merfolk with 6 Swords-effects MD and the 2 Equipments, or how would you consider your chances in this MU?

[Shugyosha]

Do you think that you have the edge over Merfolk with 6 Swords-effects MD and the 2 Equipments, or how would you consider your chances in this MU?

I consider the MU around even, maybe slightly positive preboard based on the fact that your opponent doesn't expect Mystic and it is therefore easy to get thrrough. After they have countered some stuff you play equipment or Mystic. The other route is to remove all their Lords which is also much easier with 6 removal but depends on their draw obv.
Postboard you won't get much out of the Sideboard but the Merfolk player boards some nasty stuff so it gets worse but is still manageable. The trick in this matchup is to never counter Vial unless you know they are screwed and most of the time I use Balance as counterbait or pitchcard.

The reason I've cut Trygon Predator btw. is that one Merfolk player once took mine with Mind Harness and destroyed my Sword of Fire and Ice with it, which would have otherwise completely raped him :-(

EDIT: As a comparison I think CounterTop w/o the cards I added has a really bad matchup against Merfolk. Like 30/70 depending on the lists.

[Valdez]

Have you ever conciderd KotR als a 2 of, irt wins games on its own and it provides additionals shuffle effects for balance, plus you can tutor the Ruins from your SB for EE lock..

[Shugyosha]

Have you ever conciderd KotR als a 2 of, irt wins games on its own and it provides additionals shuffle effects for balance, plus you can tutor the Ruins from your SB for EE lock..

I played KotR from times to times but it rarely impressed me. Fetching Ruins is nice but I don't think it warrants its inclusion. Vendilion Clique and Trygon Predator and even Trinket are higher on the list as I need more solutions against CB/Top and Natrual Order. Also quite weird to talk english with you :-)

Thought about Trinket Mage again... maybe:

-1 Land
-1 Pmage
-1 Rhox
+1 Ruins
+1 Trinket
+1 Explosives

And of course more targets in the board. Seems a bit random but I will give it a try.