[Deck] Quicksilver

[The Marco]

Hey everyone,
I just wanted your opinion on a deck my team and I designed. We gave it the name Quicksilver but its not definitive. The deck is basically a hybrid of Faerie Stompy and Angel Stompy, using in my opinion the best elements of both.
Here is the deck list:

EDITED on 10-09-06
3- Meddling Mage
4- Sea Drake
4- Serendib Efreet
3- Exalted Angel
4 -Jotun Grunt (yes main deck)

4- Force of Will
4- Daze
4- STP
4- Brainstorm

2- SOFI
2- Jitte


4- Chrome Mox
4- Ancient Tomb
2- City of Traitor
4- Tundra
4- Flooded Strand
2- Windswept Heath
1- Island
1- Plain

SB:
4- Propaganda
4- Chalice of the void
3- Tormod Crypt
2- Disenchant
2- Needle

The basic idea of the deck is to beat fast (very fast) with large flying creature, while packing enough disruption to get you creature to stick and hit. The sideboard is design to transform from a stompy aggro deck into a more aggro/control deck (kind of like a Faerie Stompy). The mana base is surprisingly stable, I've only had problems casting or morphing an angel when under heavy land destruction, at worst I use them for the mox.

We've tested a few matchups and here how it went

Goblins: As you've noticed I have main deck STP, SOFI, Angel and several free counters. My creatures come in fast and are stronger then theirs. The matchup is by no mean a bye but is not a very hard one. Their LD is a concern and thas why I have needle main deck. I basically don't board in anything...maybe a Trinket or 2 to fetch mox or the needle.

Thresh: Pre board this matchup is much harder but you have large creatures, you are fast and you have disruption. In my testing the matchup is like 50/50. After board you bring in the Trinket, the Chalice, the Crypt and you take out the brainstorms, 2 STP, the needles and a SOFI. Post side if you are on the play its almost impossible for you to lose. Turn one chalice for one is rather good especially if its followed up by a second one at 2 for the win.

Solidarity: Similar strategy than with Thresh. Game one is pretty hard but you do have insane pressure, plus disruption. Post side, You bring in the trinket team, siding out creature removal. Its very hard for them to survive a chalice at 1 or 2 backed by disruption.

Deadguy Ale:This matchup is pretty hard, you need a very agressive hand. If you get to stick a large creature then you are ok, if not their LD and hand destruction will eventually get you. I bring in the trinket to get the mox or the needles.

We have tested aslo several other matchups with a lot of success.

Tell me what you think and any advices.

Thanks!

[quicksilver]

Holy Crap, a deck named after me! I'm honored! How did I not notice this earlier.


The basic idea of the deck is to beat fast (very fast)
Well I am the king of beatdown so that makes sense.


Also this deck looks remarkably similar to fairy stompy, only with a white splash for angel and mage.

[The Marco]

Like I said the name is not definitive, but Quicksilver is a prety cool one.

And you are right, the deck looks like Faerie Stompy but there are still about a 20 different cards (not counting the lands) in the main deck. Post board the decks do look similar except that I have the option of bringing Disenchant and Armageddon. But I can see why you would say that the deck is very similar, after all the deck is inspired after that one and Angel Stompy.

[noobslayer]

Nothing personal, I love deck evolution. But Faerie Stompy has a shaky mana base as is. I believe adding a second color adds more problems. I'd cut angel. My logic? You already have some huge beaters, so don't screw yourself trying to get more. There is likely another creature that fills the roll better than a 6cc, 4 mana Morph.

[The Marco]

Nothing personal, I love deck evolution. But Faerie Stompy has a shaky mana base as is. I believe adding a second color adds more problems. I'd cut angel. My logic? You already have some huge beaters, so don't screw yourself trying to get more. There is likely another creature that fills the roll better than a 6cc, 4 mana Morph.
I can see your point, but honestly I've not had really any problems with the mana base so far. If you notice I cut 2 City of Traitors from the stompy list for more fetch. Also you must notice that I play STP and Meddling Mage, both cards are pretty awesome in many matchups. The sideboard also gain from the addition of white, Disenchant and Armageddon are quite useful. The addition of white is not only for the Angel but also for the mage and STP. Its almost impossible for combo to beat you post side (4 mage, 4 force, 4 Chalice, 3 Trinket, 2 Needle, 2 Crypt).
But in all fairness to your point I agree that Angel might not be the best creature and that another creature might fill this role better.

Any suggestions???

[Hanni]

I think the problem is the synergy between Sea Drake and Exalted Angel moreso than Exalted Angel itself. The problem Faerie Stompy typically has with the mana base isn't the manabase itself or the cost of the spells but the land bouncing that occurs from Daze and Sea Drake.

You obviously don't want to cut Daze, so it becomes a choice between Sea Drake and Serendib Efreet. I would personally go with the Exalted Angel because the additional bouncing with the Sea Drakes also makes playing Sword of Fire and Ice alot slower.

However, this is an aggro deck so you will want to replace those 4 slots with more aggro. For cheap fat U/W there is Jotun Grunt, but its upkeep and lack of evasion probably take it out of consideration. Phyrexian War Beast could be what your looking for if you want more fat but its destruction to your land is just as bad as Sea Drake. For evasion and speed, you could run Cloud of Faeries. Or you could run Spiketail Hatchling. You could run Trinket Mage maindeck. Not sure what you'd want to do, but I wouldn't run both Exalted Angel and Sea Drake in the same deck.

Also, have you considered Psionic Blast? The removal isn't nearly as good as StP but you can fling the direct damage to the opponent's face for quicker wins. I'd probably stick with the StP though.

[The Marco]

I think the problem is the synergy between Sea Drake and Exalted Angel moreso than Exalted Angel itself. The problem Faerie Stompy typically has with the mana base isn't the manabase itself or the cost of the spells but the land bouncing that occurs from Daze and Sea Drake.

You obviously don't want to cut Daze, so it becomes a choice between Sea Drake and Serendib Efreet. I would personally go with the Exalted Angel because the additional bouncing with the Sea Drakes also makes playing Sword of Fire and Ice alot slower.

However, this is an aggro deck so you will want to replace those 4 slots with more aggro. For cheap fat U/W there is Jotun Grunt, but its upkeep and lack of evasion probably take it out of consideration. Phyrexian War Beast could be what your looking for if you want more fat but its destruction to your land is just as bad as Sea Drake. For evasion and speed, you could run Cloud of Faeries. Or you could run Spiketail Hatchling. You could run Trinket Mage maindeck. Not sure what you'd want to do, but I wouldn't run both Exalted Angel and Sea Drake in the same deck.

Also, have you considered Psionic Blast? The removal isn't nearly as good as StP but you can fling the direct damage to the opponent's face for quicker wins. I'd probably stick with the StP though.

Thanks for the input, I thought about Psionic Blast for a while and even tested it a bit. No doubt its really good but what would I cut for it... STP is strictly better creature removal. to replace Angel I tought about Galina's Knight and I am currently testing it...But I do miss my Angels hitting turn 3 or even 2. Grunt could probably take a slot or two in the side, but with Triket I have to have Crypt.

Angel has often been hard casted late game (in the rare occasions that there is a late game) and can smooth out the loss of life from fetches and tombs.

[Hanni]

Yea, I wouldn't drop the StP either.

Cloud of Faerie's could be useful, allowing you to play turn 1 Faerie turn 1 Jitte. Just food for thought.

[The Marco]

Yea, I wouldn't drop the StP either.

Cloud of Faerie's could be useful, allowing you to play turn 1 Faerie turn 1 Jitte. Just food for thought.

Interesting, maybee I could cut 2 angels for 2 Cloud of Faeries or is Galina's Knight better than both???

[The Marco]

I finally decided to give the deck a real try at my local Legacy tournamment and I am quite please with the results.

First things first the current deck list:
3- Meddling Mage
4- Sea Drake
4- Serendib Efreet
3- Exalted Angel
4 -Jotun Grunt (yes main deck)

4- Force of Will
4- Daze
4- STP
4- Brainstorm

2- SOFI
2- Jitte


4- Chrome Mox
4- Ancient Tomb
2- City of Traitor
4- Tundra
4- Flooded Strand
2- Windswept Heath
1- Island
1- Plain

SB:
4- Propaganda
4- Chalice of the void
3- Tormod Crypt
2- Disenchant
2- Needle


on to the tournament: I do not have complete a description of every matches as I did not take notes...

Round One
Smart Goblins
G1- Jotun grunt with a SOFI is quite good. The Grunt only needed to stick for 2 turns until the gobo player was dead.
G2- Turn 1 propaganda, turn 2 propaganda, turn 3...guess what...propaganda. At this point the win condition is anything that fly or has pro red...By the way he never made it to 6 lands to attack me.

Round 2
Iggy Pop
G1- I have no idea what he is playing and it is pretty irrelevant as he kills me turn 2.
G2 I make a play error (play only one tormod crypt when I have 2 in hands) and he kills me turn 2...again. This is usually a good matchup but the deck is pretty fast...not much I could do.

Round 3
UGW Thresh
You may notice that my deck is pretty decent against Thresh.
G1- Jotun Grunt steals the show, I actually drew three and he sworded all three of them but it put me at a high life total and him with no graveyard. Meddling mage with soFI and Jitte sealed the deal.
G2- He basically counters everything I throw at him and does what Thresh usually do play insanely good creatures for half of what they should cost.
G3- Chalice for 1 turn 1, Angel flipped turn 3 and counter back up. He did manage to put up a fight somehow but the speed and disruption of the deck overwhelmed him.

Round 4
Iggy Pop
G1- All I remember is that I countered one of his key spell played Mage, played SOFI, pLayed Jitte and gg
G2- Chalice at 0, he manages to tendril me for like 10. He is down to 4 and I have a Drake and an Efreet and he top deck the only card that could save him (Ill Gotten blablabla...).
G3- Turn 1 Mage on Ill Gotten and turn 2 Mage on Chain of Vapor followed by mage beatdown.

Round 5
Scepter Chant
G1- He locks the game with like 15 counter magic, cycles a Decree.
G2- Grunt beatdown with SOFi and counter backup
G3- Drake beatdown (I actually drew all 4), Chalice at 1, Chalice at 2 and needle on the board. He actually played Decree for like 3 angels but I managed to to deal enough damages.

It was a good tournament with a lot of competent players 4-1 was good for first. The Grunts main deck were stars all day, propaganda is the shit against beatdown especially turn 1 or 2. I lost only one Round to a very good matchup that ended up getting the god draws. I am very pleased with the deck and will probably play it on Thursday at another local tourney. I did not get mana screwed in any games and only ran out off gas twice.

Tell me what you think.

[Benie Bederios]

Hmm I would like to play the deck if I just was as lucky as you. I think with your luck you would even win some games with Island.dec.

You just seems to draw what you needed, with the only draw being a 2-off, without tutoring.

I don't know how your deck can support Exalted Angel with only 12 real white sources. And even with Chrome Mox, you only have 10 spells( 4 Grunts, 4 StP and 2 other angels) to imprint them for white. Maybe it works for you, but I'm not as lucky as you so I wouln't dare te play it.

4 Grunts seems a little to much too. Supporting one is already though, except against *****. But having multiple is almost impossible. You don't have alot of cantrips( *****) or proactive disruption( Bw Confidant) to support it as a 4 off. I should downsize them to 3 or maybe even 2.

Also what up with Daze. It is a good card in a deck that only has cheap cards(1 and 2 cc( fish/ *****)) but not in a deck as expensive as this one. Also it seems that you won't always play a T1 Island to be able to daze something. Your perfect start is Mox/double land. If you want to keep it please downsize it too, even ***** plays 3 and that deck has only Islands except 1 or 2 lands. Maybe Misdirection is better in the deck or other control cards.

As for some tips from a IGGy-pop player:

Put your first Chalice always to 1. That way it stops Mystical Tutor and Dark Ritual. Also if they play Chain of Vapor( hardly no one does these days, because it gives opponents the change to bounce Leyline) you only need a Mage on Tendrils to win.
Also Force of Will is devastating for IGGy-pop, you might want to mull into one. It is better than Chalice against IGGy-pop.
With Mage I wouldn't call Ill-Gotten Gains, when you play a deck with counters. I should choose Tendrils and try to protect the Mage against Bounce( SoFI) and your done.

[The Marco]

Thanks for the comments,

First on the issue of white sources to imprint on the mox, you forgot Meddling Mage, which pushes it up to 13 white sources pre board and I only really need one.

Regarding the Angel, I too was always worried that I would not be able to cast it, it does happen sometimes that I am unable to until the fifth turn, but I feel that with 1 plain, 4 Tundra, 6 fetches and 4 mox I can pretty easily get double white.

Regarding the Grunt, I tought about cutting one for the 4 mage in main but I gotta tell you that he is surprisingly good in several matchup, mid game he can stick around for 2 or 3 turn just using your yard. I use can use him as a wall while my flyers attack, I can equip it...

As far as Daze is concerned, I really like it in the deck so far but maybee I could try a 2/2 split with misdirection (its actually a very good idea that I did not test so far).

I am not a particurlarily lucky player if you must know, like I said in the report I did not take notes so the descriptions only highlights the best plays.

Again thanks for the comments and the advice on Iggy Pop... I was not sure what to call with mage Tendrils or Ill Gotten...