xsockmonkeyx
11-12-2006, 11:55 PM
Current List (12/12/06)
4 Ancient Tomb
3 Mishra's Factory
4 Wasteland
12 Swamps
2 Cabal Pit
4 Dark Ritual
3 Phyrexian Totem
4 Braids, Cabal Minion
3 Crucible of Worlds
4 Engineered Plague
4 Trinisphere
1 Pithing Needle
4 Diabolic Edict/Duress (meta call)
4 Smallpox
4 Sinkhole
(side)
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Dystopia
2 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Haunting Echoes
Pox vs Pox
Building your deck around Pox is difficult as you must sacrifice many of the traditional features of a deck (draw, creatures, mana). This is because you will lose 1/3 of your creatures, lands and hand, and you are punished for having many resources. With Smallpox, there is no need for this because of one thing:
Smallpox lacks the 1/3 of everything clause
(duh)
With Smallpox you are guarenteed no more than one of each type of card will be lost. This means that you can have more than 3 lands in play and 3 cards in your hand without screwing yourself over. Thereby, you can afford to to build your resources along more traditional means.
The big differences Between Big and Small is that BigPox is one mana more and will knock your life total into dubious position. This is an eventuallity against all kinds of aggro on a good draw. Burn. Etc. Think of it like this: the first Smallpox costs 2, does the same thing(mostly) as Bigpox, and knocks you down 1 life. The first Bigpox costs 3 and can put you down 7 life points!!
In summation, Smallpox is faster, easier to play with, easier to build around, easier to cast, and doesnt screw you over in terms of lands, hand size, and life total. The rest of the deck features removal, discard and general resource denial so getting rid of one of each of their lands, creatures and hand is going to mean more than usual. The opponant is already in dubious position and SP can push them over the edge.
Selected Choices
Braids - I blatantly stole this idea from Mr. Jank. Actually, she superceded, Smokestack and the Abyss after they proved to be slow and narrow, respectively. The fact that she is a creature is somewhat of an issue, however she comes online a turn quicker than Smokestack and isnt dead against combo like the Abyss.
Crucible of Worlds - Virtual card advantage + Wastelock, fun with Cabal Pit, replaying wasted Tombs, Factorys, play lands discarded to Smallpox, , etc.
Wasteland - Nonbasic removal and wastelock. Also spot mana to power out your artifacts.
Cabal Pit - Kills meddling creatures. Recurs for extra fun. Threshhold is not a problem.
Smallpox - Black Tremble. Oh, its an Innocent Blood too? And a Funeral Charm? Hamburgers!! Seriously, this card is usually a three for two on the board in an aggro environment (Three for three if you count the SP itself). Even if the tremble effect is its only function(combo matchup) it's still a pretty solid supplement to Sinkhole and Wasteland.
Sinkhole - Black Sinkhole, err....
Trinisphere. Wrecks combo and goes well with the deck. Ritual, 3sphere is a strong opening play against many decks on the play.. For now, Chalice is on the side as I feel its more specific hate for the combo matchup.
Phyrexian Totem - Totems are pretty decent because of their mana ability and ease to cast off of a Tomb. They also represent a decent clock in a tapped out/clear board. Makes creatureless decks pay (except burn). Watch out for mountains, stupid.
Pithing Needle - This deck's #1 problem card is Aether Vial. Also happens to pwn Belcher and Rifter if anyone bothers to play them.
Engineered Plague - Goblins used to be a large problems for this deck, but not anymore. Also good against random stuff like a little mongoose, wizards (dark confidant + meddling mage), slivers, ichorids and ghouls, etc. Thank your god(s) if you are paired up against elves.
Matchups
Goblins - 50/50. Goblins laughs at land destruction and creature control spells. E.Plague is your MVP (duh) and makes games much more reasonable. This is because its harder for them to keep multiple kings on the board with the kind of removal you play. Pithing Needle is awesome here out of the board, nabbing Vial, a major nuisance to your strategy. Infest can also be sided in for board control.
Solidarity - Favorable. Besides Chalices and Trinisphere, your strongest cards are your Smallpoxes and your Sinkholes. Dont underestimate the power of the discard off of a Smallpox as it may take them from a hand that can go off next turn to one that they have to wait on. 1)Tomb, Chalice. 2)Swamp, 3sphere is savage out of the board.
Threshold - Somewhat favorable. Again, 3sphere, Chalice and land destruction are strong. But they have a tendancy to disrupt and maindeck Pithing Needle is a big problem. Never, ever, ever, do a 1st turn smallpox off of a ritual unless you want to look really stupid when they Daze you. Its tempting if they drop a 1st turn mongoose but if it lives on a Tropical Island then you have a problem. 2nd turn Smallpox is sweet though and will often draw an ill advised FoW. Dystopia is pretty decent out of the sideboard. This MU really comes down to your level of competition and good thresh players will give you a run for your money.
4 Ancient Tomb
3 Mishra's Factory
4 Wasteland
12 Swamps
2 Cabal Pit
4 Dark Ritual
3 Phyrexian Totem
4 Braids, Cabal Minion
3 Crucible of Worlds
4 Engineered Plague
4 Trinisphere
1 Pithing Needle
4 Diabolic Edict/Duress (meta call)
4 Smallpox
4 Sinkhole
(side)
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Dystopia
2 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Haunting Echoes
Pox vs Pox
Building your deck around Pox is difficult as you must sacrifice many of the traditional features of a deck (draw, creatures, mana). This is because you will lose 1/3 of your creatures, lands and hand, and you are punished for having many resources. With Smallpox, there is no need for this because of one thing:
Smallpox lacks the 1/3 of everything clause
(duh)
With Smallpox you are guarenteed no more than one of each type of card will be lost. This means that you can have more than 3 lands in play and 3 cards in your hand without screwing yourself over. Thereby, you can afford to to build your resources along more traditional means.
The big differences Between Big and Small is that BigPox is one mana more and will knock your life total into dubious position. This is an eventuallity against all kinds of aggro on a good draw. Burn. Etc. Think of it like this: the first Smallpox costs 2, does the same thing(mostly) as Bigpox, and knocks you down 1 life. The first Bigpox costs 3 and can put you down 7 life points!!
In summation, Smallpox is faster, easier to play with, easier to build around, easier to cast, and doesnt screw you over in terms of lands, hand size, and life total. The rest of the deck features removal, discard and general resource denial so getting rid of one of each of their lands, creatures and hand is going to mean more than usual. The opponant is already in dubious position and SP can push them over the edge.
Selected Choices
Braids - I blatantly stole this idea from Mr. Jank. Actually, she superceded, Smokestack and the Abyss after they proved to be slow and narrow, respectively. The fact that she is a creature is somewhat of an issue, however she comes online a turn quicker than Smokestack and isnt dead against combo like the Abyss.
Crucible of Worlds - Virtual card advantage + Wastelock, fun with Cabal Pit, replaying wasted Tombs, Factorys, play lands discarded to Smallpox, , etc.
Wasteland - Nonbasic removal and wastelock. Also spot mana to power out your artifacts.
Cabal Pit - Kills meddling creatures. Recurs for extra fun. Threshhold is not a problem.
Smallpox - Black Tremble. Oh, its an Innocent Blood too? And a Funeral Charm? Hamburgers!! Seriously, this card is usually a three for two on the board in an aggro environment (Three for three if you count the SP itself). Even if the tremble effect is its only function(combo matchup) it's still a pretty solid supplement to Sinkhole and Wasteland.
Sinkhole - Black Sinkhole, err....
Trinisphere. Wrecks combo and goes well with the deck. Ritual, 3sphere is a strong opening play against many decks on the play.. For now, Chalice is on the side as I feel its more specific hate for the combo matchup.
Phyrexian Totem - Totems are pretty decent because of their mana ability and ease to cast off of a Tomb. They also represent a decent clock in a tapped out/clear board. Makes creatureless decks pay (except burn). Watch out for mountains, stupid.
Pithing Needle - This deck's #1 problem card is Aether Vial. Also happens to pwn Belcher and Rifter if anyone bothers to play them.
Engineered Plague - Goblins used to be a large problems for this deck, but not anymore. Also good against random stuff like a little mongoose, wizards (dark confidant + meddling mage), slivers, ichorids and ghouls, etc. Thank your god(s) if you are paired up against elves.
Matchups
Goblins - 50/50. Goblins laughs at land destruction and creature control spells. E.Plague is your MVP (duh) and makes games much more reasonable. This is because its harder for them to keep multiple kings on the board with the kind of removal you play. Pithing Needle is awesome here out of the board, nabbing Vial, a major nuisance to your strategy. Infest can also be sided in for board control.
Solidarity - Favorable. Besides Chalices and Trinisphere, your strongest cards are your Smallpoxes and your Sinkholes. Dont underestimate the power of the discard off of a Smallpox as it may take them from a hand that can go off next turn to one that they have to wait on. 1)Tomb, Chalice. 2)Swamp, 3sphere is savage out of the board.
Threshold - Somewhat favorable. Again, 3sphere, Chalice and land destruction are strong. But they have a tendancy to disrupt and maindeck Pithing Needle is a big problem. Never, ever, ever, do a 1st turn smallpox off of a ritual unless you want to look really stupid when they Daze you. Its tempting if they drop a 1st turn mongoose but if it lives on a Tropical Island then you have a problem. 2nd turn Smallpox is sweet though and will often draw an ill advised FoW. Dystopia is pretty decent out of the sideboard. This MU really comes down to your level of competition and good thresh players will give you a run for your money.