[Article] Unlocking Legacy - UWB Fish vs. Belcher - Matchup Analysis

[Nihil Credo]

New SCG article is up. (http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/14359.html)

In my opinion, a necessary reading for any UWB Fish player at any skill level, and a mostly optional reading for any minimally competent Belcher player. I would have liked to see a bit more about the post-SB games, probably at the expense of the mulligan explanations. Solid, if not quite jawdropping, stuff.

[Peter_Rotten]

/agree

This is an interesting piece indeed. Since Belcher is probably the deck getting the most hype right now, I also agree that this is a must read for any serious Legacy player.

[Whit3 Ghost]

Good piece, although I believe that 2 Maindeck EE and another Jitte would be better, not only against ETW, but against a more generalized metagame.

Yes, I'm aware that that is Nightmare's list.

[AnwarA101]

G/R Belcher

4 Goblin Charbelcher
4 Burning Wish
3 Empty the Warrens
4 Lotus Petal
4 Chrome Mox
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Land Grant
2 Taiga
4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Street Wraith
4 Rites of Flame
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Seething Song
4 Tinder Wall
3 Pyroblast

Sideboard
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Pyroblast
4 Shattering Spree
1 Seeds of Innocence
1 Simplify
1 Cave in
1 Pyroclasm
1 Taiga
1 Empty the Warrens


I'm sure this is just a typo, but you have 3 Pyroblasts main and 2 in the sideboard. I think you meant to have 1 Pyroblast in the board and the 4th Red Elemental Blast.



Fish will bring in fewer cards than Belcher likely will. Belcher will have to contend with an extra Duress and possibly a Stifle, but not much more.


Looking at the sideboard that you reference for Fish earlier in the article, it seems that the Fish player should also board in 4 Engineered Plagues, 2 Engineered Explosives, and possibly the 3 Vindicates. It seems that post-board the Fish player should be able to handle whatever the Belcher player is boarding.

The article was a good analysis of this matchup, but I'm left wondering why should we care about Fish? It seems to me that in every single instance UGR Threshold would have been better. You could even reference Paul Nicolo's build for GP Columbus that was in Top8. Not only do you have Force of Will and Stifle as well, but post-board you get Pyroclasm as well as Pithing Needle.

I'm not convinced that Belcher and more specifically Empty the Warrens is too good. Even if Belcher can go off alot turn 1, most of these will be via Empty the Warrens. ETW doesn't actually win the game until turn 3. Which means that cheap sweepers like Pyroclasm, Engineered Explosives, and possibly Engineered Plague (via Dark Ritual) will cause massive problems for this deck. I don't believe just being fast will make Belcher too good, but how it can actually deal with disruption. It seems that either Force of Will or cheap sweepers will usually beat the deck. Landstill anyone?

[MattH]

I'm sure this is just a typo, but you have 3 Pyroblasts main and 2 in the sideboard. I think you meant to have 1 Pyroblast in the board and the 4th Red Elemental Blast.
It's probably a holdover from when he was still running Wild Cantor maindeck, until I convinced him Pyroblast was a better choice.

[mikekelley]

Great article.

It brings the funnies:

Mascara Bobby
Can I has conclusion?

etc. lol. A good read.