U/R Tron

[hi-val]

I've decided on UR Tron for the GP, but the sideboard is giving me trouble. Here's the list:

Creatures (4)

1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

Spells (31)

1 Electrolyze
2 Repeal
4 Remand
4 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Through the Breach
3 Compulsive Research
4 Pyroclasm
1 Prismatic Lens
4 Expedition Map
4 Izzet Signet

Lands (25)


4 Island
1 Stomping Ground
1 Steam Vents
2 Shivan Reef
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower
1 Eye of Ugin


I have a feeling that X-Pod decks are going to be big at the GP and I'm currently unequipped with byes, so Burn makes me nervous. I'm considering a sideboard like:

2 Cage
2 Torpor Orb
2 Damping Matrix
3-4 Grudge
X Dispel

I understand that Combust is a thing and you can Combust Angels, but I really don't see bringing in Combust against decks like Faeries or Pod when I have Orbs. Orb alone crunches Faeries something fierce. I like the combo of Cage and Orb, too - in testing against Naya Pod, they couldn't really do a thing when you had both out. Cage lets you Clasm away Finks and be rid of them. It stops Grudges from flashing back, too. I don't have enough spots to board out stuff for Combusts against Pod decks, since Pyroclasm is still very much alive against them and I want to draw Remands every day of the week. The Matrices are there as a nod to Qasali Pridemage blowouts and it also stops Plating, Pod, Kiki and other stuff.

My biggest conundrum right now is what to consider against other long-term control decks. Against something like Teachings (which is bad but played) and Tron mirrors, the Pyroclasms do nothing. I want Dispels there to a degree, but I was even considering something like Consecrated Sphinx. I also want a plan against Jund that doesn't involve keeping Pyroclasms in, since they are considerably weak against their deck. I'm thinking about Annex, but that card is pretty slow and doesn't do much against Jund. I'm also thinking about Take Possession, which has been fine in the past in my Tron decks.

I plan on just losing to RG Tron so I don't really care about that deck. I might go so far as to run Chalice of the Void or Sun Droplet as a hedge against burn/Boros, though.

Any help is appreciated.

[Phoenix Ignition]

I understand that Combust is a thing and you can Combust Angels, but I really don't see bringing in Combust against decks like Faeries or Pod when I have Orbs. Orb alone crunches Faeries something fierce. I like the combo of Cage and Orb, too - in testing against Naya Pod, they couldn't really do a thing when you had both out. Cage lets you Clasm away Finks and be rid of them. It stops Grudges from flashing back, too. I don't have enough spots to board out stuff for Combusts against Pod decks, since Pyroclasm is still very much alive against them and I want to draw Remands every day of the week. The Matrices are there as a nod to Qasali Pridemage blowouts and it also stops Plating, Pod, Kiki and other stuff. As this is your slot against both Melira pod, kiki-jiki pod, splinter twin, and Faeries, you might consider running more copies than 4 total (2 torpors only might not be enough). Also you might consider something like Pithing Needle against the infinite creatures decks and also pretty decent against a lot of things (Seismic Assault, Karn in the mirrorish match, etc.). I've also found Spell Pierce to be an all around better card than Dispel, I know the drawbacks, but it's so good against such a wide variety of decks.


My biggest conundrum right now is what to consider against other long-term control decks. Against something like Teachings (which is bad but played) and Tron mirrors, the Pyroclasms do nothing. I want Dispels there to a degree, but I was even considering something like Consecrated Sphinx. I also want a plan against Jund that doesn't involve keeping Pyroclasms in, since they are considerably weak against their deck. I'm thinking about Annex, but that card is pretty slow and doesn't do much against Jund. I'm also thinking about Take Possession, which has been fine in the past in my Tron decks.
Jund is hard to hate, you basically just have to race them with Tron. There really aren't any long term control decks, at least I haven't seen any at all in the past few months. My understanding was that you beat the crap out of them anyway, what with uncounterable Emrakuls and all. I wouldn't worry about that at all, especially at a GP, the thing you're going to see en masse is Burn, boros, and boros + blue. Those decks are cheap, super easy to pilot, and you can give them to any bum friend who has no deck and expect relatively the same results as a good player.



I plan on just losing to RG Tron so I don't really care about that deck.
Exactly, if you cared about this matchup you might as well just be playing RG Tron, since it basically will beat you.



I might go so far as to run Chalice of the Void or Sun Droplet as a hedge against burn/Boros, though.

For some reason I seem to like Chalice better. Sun Droplet giving you 2 a turn at best isn't going to stop them from killing you with a crapload of 4/5s for 1. UR is not the greatest colors for stopping boros, but you probably do want a board sweeper like Firespout or Pyroclasm. Blue versions with Geists are absolutely terrible to try to deal with, and you'll want to be killing Goblin Guides off before they get more than 4 damage on you. I really can't think of any other cards that can help you out in such few sideboard slots. Added bonus of slowing down Melira/kiki-jiki decks, hopefully long enough for you to drop Emrakul.

[(nameless one)]

I'm trying to prepare for GP Toronto this December and I'm planning on picking up this deck. What are usually this deck's good and bad matchups?

Also, would Izzet Charm be a good Electrolize replacement? Is Gifts package doing too much?

[jarvisyu]

I'm trying to prepare for GP Toronto this December and I'm planning on picking up this deck. What are usually this deck's good and bad matchups?

Also, would Izzet Charm be a good Electrolize replacement? Is Gifts package doing too much?

Jund is like slightly unfavorable. Burn is unwinnable.

Any midrange-esque or creature combo deck is favorable.

Izzet Charm seems awful. Gifts Ungiven is incredibly slow compared to Compulsive Research and Thirst for Knowledge.

[jarvisyu]

For anyone going to Toronto, I have updated my Tron list that I won a PTQ with:

//25
4 Urza's Tower
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Mine
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Island
1 Mountain
1 Stomping Ground
3 Steam Vents
1 Shivan Reef
1 Eye of Ugin

//30
4 Expedition Map
4 Izzet Signet
4 Remand
4 Pyroclasm
2 Electrolyze
4 Thirst for Knowledge
2 Compulsive Research
2 Repeal
4 Through the Breach

//5
3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Ulamog the Infinite Gyre
1 Wurmcoil Engine

Sideboard
1 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Spellskite
3 Relic of Progenitus
3 Ancient Grudge
1 Grafdigger's Cage
3 Negate

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

[TraxDaMax]

Hi,

I'm curious if anybody still plays this.
I have it online and it's fun to play. With Dodecapod and extra removal in sideboard I think it could be pretty good right now vs all the G/B/x decks flying around. Fulminator Mage is somewhat annoying but Through the Breach only requires 5 mana and imo is very underplayed for the effect it provides.

edit: Scapeshift is pretty hard, as they never really seem to stumble on mana, only flood sometimes.
Have never lost against Melira Pod yet, Kiki pod I have due to an annoying Faerie.
Burn is duable, as long as they don't nutdraw, and we don't have to damage ourselves too much. The fun thing about this deck is often it'll be turn 3-4 and we'll still be chilling on 20 life. Usually it's pretty impossible to loose from that point unless you're playing against some combo.