ShaheenSoorani
10-15-2006, 03:43 PM
So again I decided to venture in the legacy format with an extended deck + a few legacy additions. Here is my list.
"Classic" UW Control
4 Brainstorm
4 Sword to Plowshares
4 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
2 Stifle
3 Decree of Justice
2 Eternal Dragon
2 Exalted Angel
1 Masticore
2 Cunning Wish
3 Wrath of God
2 Akromas Vengeance
3 Fact or Fiction
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
1 Scrubland
1 Underground Sea
4 Tundra
3 Plains
7 Islands
2 Temple of the False God
Sideboard
4 Meddling Mage
2 Arcane Lab
1 Rule of Law
3 Tsabos Decree
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Pulse of the Fields
1 Forbid
1 Disenchant
1 Fact or Fiction
Most people had to endure my constant criticisms of the legacy format as being "unskilled", "stale", and dead end. My criticisms have not changed.
We have a format with the same three decks, solidarity/threshold/goblins, winning and top 8ing every event without exception. These three decks have a paper/rock/scissors win record to the T, with a very boring matchup after matchup. Now we have an aggro deck, combo deck and aggro/control deck leading the format, so what are we missing? CONTROL. I havn't lost a game to threshold, playing in a dual for duals and this particular tournament with an overall record of 8-2-3, with my two losses to Goblins, but both going to game 3 and very close. I've played against threshold three times, with a record of 6-0, with zero close games. Against Goblins I am 2-2 and against solidarity I am 1-0-2. So with a slightly hard game against solidarity, game 1 being an auto loss and game 2/3 being a 60% to 40% in UW favor.
My point is a solid control deck will not only help fix this horrible stale format, but allow other tier 2-3 decks a good chance of coming up and actually standing a chance.
Here is my tournament report.
Round 1 vs Black/Red, Red Death whatever it's called. (Amead I think)
Game 1-
My opponent muls to 6, but has the turn 1 ritual Negator, and I do not have a Force or Sword to answer him, but instead turn 4 I wrath of God, leaving myself at a relatively low life. The game goes on for a long time, I counter his creatures from turn 4-7, but at three life another bolt effect will end me. I end up cunning wishing for Pulse of the Fields, and Pulse my way back to 17, and ending the game.
Game 2 -
This game wasn't even close, he turn 2 ritual into a hymn / s-hole, I force the hymn to protect my few land in hand, but he untaps and drops Negator, again no sword to answer, but no wrath either, game ends shortly after.
Game 3 -
He boards in that crazy enchantment that has cumulative upkeep 1 life, each player sacrifices a green/white permanent. I have a morphed angel that stays morphed for a while, and ends up flipping to lock hippy. I untap and drop another exalted angel, while he has a nantuko shade. I win the race and win the match.
1 - 0
Round 2 vs Survival
Game 1 -
This matchup is favorable for me I believe, with my opponent running creature mana accelerants that are vulnerable to wrath, and my prediction holds slightly true. Game 1 my opponent muligans but accidently draws seven again, so then muligans to five. The double mul on the play kill hims, and I try to win as fast as possible, dropping exalted angel, and running in there a few times.
Game 2 -
He doesn't muligan, but keeps a one land bird hand. He drops BOP and passes, and I sword the bird. He misses his second land drop for a few turns, and I drop masticore on turn 4. He untaps, draws mountain and drops tin street huligan. He takes a long time to get his mana ramped, and I again drop exalted angel, hard cast degree for a few more angels, and end the game.
2 - 0
Round 3 vs Solidarity (D. Gearhart)
Game 1 -
I'm not a huge fan of the matchup, where I know I lose game 1 but have a slight advantage game 2 and 3. I offer the draw jokingly, not really thinking David will accept, but he considers drawing just because he wants me in the top 8, aka have a future favorable matchup. We play for fun, but Intentional Draw.
2 - 0 - 1
Round 4 vs Goblins (Alex Hatfield)
Game 1 -
He has a pretty good start with vial, then following up with lackey and fanatic. I played a morphed creature, and my hand is looking ugly with few business spells, and I have to block lackey, and he shoots it with fanatic to kill it. I stall for a little bit with wrath, but my hand is too weak to battle his much more than average start.
Game 2 -
I mul to six on the play, and keep a one lander. I miss the second land drop, but manage to hit land 2 on turn 3, forcing a vial, swording a lackey. I cycle Eternal Dragon for land 3 and play it. He is attacking me with a fanatic, and adding counters to vial number 2 played, as I draw temple of the false god, giving me 3 land and a temple. I'm holding Tsabos Decree, as I watch him play ringleader and hit three more goblins , he attacks and passes. I rip the land to cast Tsabos and he drops the 6 goblins he was holding, and the game swings. I get lucky to hit temple then land, but better lucky than good sometimes and I steal the game.
Game 3 -
This game is a very close one. He has an average start, I battle with swords and early game counters, but it comes to having to draw wrath for the win. I miss, of course I rabbit hunt and it's the next card, and I lose the match.
2 - 1 - 1
Round 5 vs Palincron Survival (Scott, Unicorn Lesbian)
Game 1 -
This game looks close from a third party view, but I set the match up for a late game hard cast for a gaggle of decree tokens, knowing survival will not have an excellent answer for these flying angels. He tries to survive by grabbing bone shredder, witness for swords, but I counter the shredder and fly over for the win.
Game 2 -
My hand sucks but I keep it, counter spell decree five land. He starts off with duress/therapy, birds to accelerate, etc. But then has a five turn land drawing spree, I draw exalted, and hit him 5 times for the win.
3 - 1 - 1
Quarterfinals vs Goblins (James Buckingham)
Game 1 -
Playing against my friend I make an agreement that whatever happens, we split profits, then we play it out. I have a fantastic hand, with basic lands, 2 sac lands out, holding wish and temple. This game is over. Wish turn 4 for Tsabos Decree, blow him out of the water with the 7 point mind twist, and show the room that Goblins can lose to one card, and they do.
Game 2 -
No Tsabos Decree this game. We start off a pretty close match, and it comes to a main phase brainstorm, exalted angel already flipped and swinging, into a stifle. I have the option of playing another morphed angel lookin at his side of the board with a fanatic and already stifled matron, but I opt to pass, as he is holding one card and three land in play. He draws, plays a land, and drops ringleader, I stifle, and the game ends a turn or two later.
4 - 1 - 1
Semifinals vs Iggy Pop (Mike)
Game 1 -
I LOVE this matchup, LOVE it. Game one I shouldn't win but it's pretty close, he tried to go off, and only was able to tendrils for 14, it came down to having a turn and a cycle to hit a blue card to join force of will, it didn't happen. He was able to tutor for a tendrils, which gave me three turns and two more cycles to either hit a draw spell to hit a stifle or wish (pulse of the fields), but I fizzle and die.
Game 2 -
What can I say? After board 2 Arcane Lab, 4 Meddling Mage, 1 Rule of Law, being able to cunning with for Enlightened Tutor for the enchantments, adding Forbid to the main, and being able to board out dead cards. This game had a resolved Lab, with a few counter spells to back it up. Exalted Angel dealt the near lethal damage, before he conceded.
Game 3 -
My hand is sick. It's Mage, Force, Wish, Brainstorm, Tundra, Tundra, Counterspell. I end up brainstorming into zero land, but into another force, wish, and counterspell. Eventually I build land up, after mage has been beating him for a few turns. I named Infernal Tutor with mage, which he happened to have two of in his hand, but I should have named Tendrils. It comes from a slight inexperience with mage against this more rogue combo deck than solidarity, but the game ends relatively easy.
5 - 1 - 1
Finals vs Solidarity (David Gearhart)
Game 1 -
Obviously this cooks plan works, he helps me top 8, I top 8. He does it to have a favorable matchup eventually, he plays me in the final as I steamroll the rest of the field. But he want's to deal, so i deal. I ask him for $175 bucks, and I give him the Mox. We play for fun, where I lose 2-1, but mainly because of relatively poor draws game 2-3 with only seeing one sideboard card after fact or fictions, brainstorms and fetching. But alas, that's magic, and I was happy with the finish.
So I play a deck with cards that would make 99% of legacy player gag, temple of the false god, tsabos decree, akromas vengeance, random masticore, and really the whole deck in general. Well even if you think these cards are terrible, you have to wonder how I can win 8 competitive matches, get seven duals and 175 dollars from prize splits with this pile. I'll tell you why. You all have forgetten your roots in legacy magic. Goblins hasn't always been the insane best deck of all time, control gentlemen. Trying not playing ridiculous horrible idiot creatures like werebears and nimble mongosses, come on. Just play efficient card draw, mass removal, GOOD CREATURES, and a toolbox sideboard that will help your weaker matchups, and I swear to God you won't look like an idiot with 2 1/1 mongosses sitting there looking like an idiot against goblins.
Alright guys, see you after Pro Tour Kobe.
"Classic" UW Control
4 Brainstorm
4 Sword to Plowshares
4 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
2 Stifle
3 Decree of Justice
2 Eternal Dragon
2 Exalted Angel
1 Masticore
2 Cunning Wish
3 Wrath of God
2 Akromas Vengeance
3 Fact or Fiction
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
1 Scrubland
1 Underground Sea
4 Tundra
3 Plains
7 Islands
2 Temple of the False God
Sideboard
4 Meddling Mage
2 Arcane Lab
1 Rule of Law
3 Tsabos Decree
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Pulse of the Fields
1 Forbid
1 Disenchant
1 Fact or Fiction
Most people had to endure my constant criticisms of the legacy format as being "unskilled", "stale", and dead end. My criticisms have not changed.
We have a format with the same three decks, solidarity/threshold/goblins, winning and top 8ing every event without exception. These three decks have a paper/rock/scissors win record to the T, with a very boring matchup after matchup. Now we have an aggro deck, combo deck and aggro/control deck leading the format, so what are we missing? CONTROL. I havn't lost a game to threshold, playing in a dual for duals and this particular tournament with an overall record of 8-2-3, with my two losses to Goblins, but both going to game 3 and very close. I've played against threshold three times, with a record of 6-0, with zero close games. Against Goblins I am 2-2 and against solidarity I am 1-0-2. So with a slightly hard game against solidarity, game 1 being an auto loss and game 2/3 being a 60% to 40% in UW favor.
My point is a solid control deck will not only help fix this horrible stale format, but allow other tier 2-3 decks a good chance of coming up and actually standing a chance.
Here is my tournament report.
Round 1 vs Black/Red, Red Death whatever it's called. (Amead I think)
Game 1-
My opponent muls to 6, but has the turn 1 ritual Negator, and I do not have a Force or Sword to answer him, but instead turn 4 I wrath of God, leaving myself at a relatively low life. The game goes on for a long time, I counter his creatures from turn 4-7, but at three life another bolt effect will end me. I end up cunning wishing for Pulse of the Fields, and Pulse my way back to 17, and ending the game.
Game 2 -
This game wasn't even close, he turn 2 ritual into a hymn / s-hole, I force the hymn to protect my few land in hand, but he untaps and drops Negator, again no sword to answer, but no wrath either, game ends shortly after.
Game 3 -
He boards in that crazy enchantment that has cumulative upkeep 1 life, each player sacrifices a green/white permanent. I have a morphed angel that stays morphed for a while, and ends up flipping to lock hippy. I untap and drop another exalted angel, while he has a nantuko shade. I win the race and win the match.
1 - 0
Round 2 vs Survival
Game 1 -
This matchup is favorable for me I believe, with my opponent running creature mana accelerants that are vulnerable to wrath, and my prediction holds slightly true. Game 1 my opponent muligans but accidently draws seven again, so then muligans to five. The double mul on the play kill hims, and I try to win as fast as possible, dropping exalted angel, and running in there a few times.
Game 2 -
He doesn't muligan, but keeps a one land bird hand. He drops BOP and passes, and I sword the bird. He misses his second land drop for a few turns, and I drop masticore on turn 4. He untaps, draws mountain and drops tin street huligan. He takes a long time to get his mana ramped, and I again drop exalted angel, hard cast degree for a few more angels, and end the game.
2 - 0
Round 3 vs Solidarity (D. Gearhart)
Game 1 -
I'm not a huge fan of the matchup, where I know I lose game 1 but have a slight advantage game 2 and 3. I offer the draw jokingly, not really thinking David will accept, but he considers drawing just because he wants me in the top 8, aka have a future favorable matchup. We play for fun, but Intentional Draw.
2 - 0 - 1
Round 4 vs Goblins (Alex Hatfield)
Game 1 -
He has a pretty good start with vial, then following up with lackey and fanatic. I played a morphed creature, and my hand is looking ugly with few business spells, and I have to block lackey, and he shoots it with fanatic to kill it. I stall for a little bit with wrath, but my hand is too weak to battle his much more than average start.
Game 2 -
I mul to six on the play, and keep a one lander. I miss the second land drop, but manage to hit land 2 on turn 3, forcing a vial, swording a lackey. I cycle Eternal Dragon for land 3 and play it. He is attacking me with a fanatic, and adding counters to vial number 2 played, as I draw temple of the false god, giving me 3 land and a temple. I'm holding Tsabos Decree, as I watch him play ringleader and hit three more goblins , he attacks and passes. I rip the land to cast Tsabos and he drops the 6 goblins he was holding, and the game swings. I get lucky to hit temple then land, but better lucky than good sometimes and I steal the game.
Game 3 -
This game is a very close one. He has an average start, I battle with swords and early game counters, but it comes to having to draw wrath for the win. I miss, of course I rabbit hunt and it's the next card, and I lose the match.
2 - 1 - 1
Round 5 vs Palincron Survival (Scott, Unicorn Lesbian)
Game 1 -
This game looks close from a third party view, but I set the match up for a late game hard cast for a gaggle of decree tokens, knowing survival will not have an excellent answer for these flying angels. He tries to survive by grabbing bone shredder, witness for swords, but I counter the shredder and fly over for the win.
Game 2 -
My hand sucks but I keep it, counter spell decree five land. He starts off with duress/therapy, birds to accelerate, etc. But then has a five turn land drawing spree, I draw exalted, and hit him 5 times for the win.
3 - 1 - 1
Quarterfinals vs Goblins (James Buckingham)
Game 1 -
Playing against my friend I make an agreement that whatever happens, we split profits, then we play it out. I have a fantastic hand, with basic lands, 2 sac lands out, holding wish and temple. This game is over. Wish turn 4 for Tsabos Decree, blow him out of the water with the 7 point mind twist, and show the room that Goblins can lose to one card, and they do.
Game 2 -
No Tsabos Decree this game. We start off a pretty close match, and it comes to a main phase brainstorm, exalted angel already flipped and swinging, into a stifle. I have the option of playing another morphed angel lookin at his side of the board with a fanatic and already stifled matron, but I opt to pass, as he is holding one card and three land in play. He draws, plays a land, and drops ringleader, I stifle, and the game ends a turn or two later.
4 - 1 - 1
Semifinals vs Iggy Pop (Mike)
Game 1 -
I LOVE this matchup, LOVE it. Game one I shouldn't win but it's pretty close, he tried to go off, and only was able to tendrils for 14, it came down to having a turn and a cycle to hit a blue card to join force of will, it didn't happen. He was able to tutor for a tendrils, which gave me three turns and two more cycles to either hit a draw spell to hit a stifle or wish (pulse of the fields), but I fizzle and die.
Game 2 -
What can I say? After board 2 Arcane Lab, 4 Meddling Mage, 1 Rule of Law, being able to cunning with for Enlightened Tutor for the enchantments, adding Forbid to the main, and being able to board out dead cards. This game had a resolved Lab, with a few counter spells to back it up. Exalted Angel dealt the near lethal damage, before he conceded.
Game 3 -
My hand is sick. It's Mage, Force, Wish, Brainstorm, Tundra, Tundra, Counterspell. I end up brainstorming into zero land, but into another force, wish, and counterspell. Eventually I build land up, after mage has been beating him for a few turns. I named Infernal Tutor with mage, which he happened to have two of in his hand, but I should have named Tendrils. It comes from a slight inexperience with mage against this more rogue combo deck than solidarity, but the game ends relatively easy.
5 - 1 - 1
Finals vs Solidarity (David Gearhart)
Game 1 -
Obviously this cooks plan works, he helps me top 8, I top 8. He does it to have a favorable matchup eventually, he plays me in the final as I steamroll the rest of the field. But he want's to deal, so i deal. I ask him for $175 bucks, and I give him the Mox. We play for fun, where I lose 2-1, but mainly because of relatively poor draws game 2-3 with only seeing one sideboard card after fact or fictions, brainstorms and fetching. But alas, that's magic, and I was happy with the finish.
So I play a deck with cards that would make 99% of legacy player gag, temple of the false god, tsabos decree, akromas vengeance, random masticore, and really the whole deck in general. Well even if you think these cards are terrible, you have to wonder how I can win 8 competitive matches, get seven duals and 175 dollars from prize splits with this pile. I'll tell you why. You all have forgetten your roots in legacy magic. Goblins hasn't always been the insane best deck of all time, control gentlemen. Trying not playing ridiculous horrible idiot creatures like werebears and nimble mongosses, come on. Just play efficient card draw, mass removal, GOOD CREATURES, and a toolbox sideboard that will help your weaker matchups, and I swear to God you won't look like an idiot with 2 1/1 mongosses sitting there looking like an idiot against goblins.
Alright guys, see you after Pro Tour Kobe.