[Deck] T.E.S - The EPIC Storm

[Bryant Cook]

The EPIC Storm

I. Overview
II. History
III. Decklist
IV. Card Choices
a.) Manabase
b.) Acceleration and Mana
c.) Tutors and Draw
d.) Win Conditions and Bombs
e.) Protection/Utility
f.) Sideboard Options
V. Cards That Didn’t Make the Cut
a.) Manabase
b.) Acceleration and Mana
c.) Tutors and Draw
d.) Win Conditions and Bombs
e.) Protection/Utility
f.) Close Cuts
VI. Reasons to Play The EPIC Storm Over Other Storm Combo
a.) ANT – Ad Nauseam Tendrils
b.) Belcher
c.) Doomsday Variants
d.) SI – Spanish Inquisition
VII. Sample Hands and Sample Plays
a.) Sample Hand One
b.) Sample Hand Two
c.) Sample Hand Three
d.) Sample Hand Four
e.) Sample Hands For You
VIII. Additional Data
a.) Diminishing Returns Percentages
b.) Infernal Tutor Percentages
IX. Match-ups
a.) Countertop
b.) Merfolk
c.) Goblins
d.) Ichorid
e.) Landstill (UWx or BUG)
f.) Zoo
g.) Chalice Aggro
h.) Reanimator
i.) New Horizons
j.) Team America
k.) Painter
l.) UW Stoneforge
m.) UGx Natural Order
n.) BW/x Discard/Junk
X. Additional Information
a.) Readings
b.) Major Tournament reports from TES players
c.) Feature matches including The EPIC Storm
d.) Articles discussing The EPIC Storm
e.) Other


I. Overview

The EPIC Storm was created by me – Bryant Cook, along with assistance from The E.P.I.C. Syndicate.

The EPIC Storm (TES) is a deck with win conditions that use mechanic storm; mainly Tendrils of Agony and Empty the Warrens. Lists play Grapeshot in the sideboard as utility to get around hate and as an alternative win condition. The deck’s first and primary goal is to reach nine storm then cast Tendrils of Agony; however, it’s not always that simple. Often there’s problems in counter magic or not having enough resources, rest assured it’s not a problem because of Empty the Warrens - our secondary win condition. The EPIC Storm is a deck based around Tutors which are found in Burning Wish and Infernal Tutor. One of the deck’s strengths is the utilization and flexibility of Burning Wish. The EPIC Storm really came to power with the release of Coldsnap and Timespiral, when it received another powerful acceleration piece and win condition. Recently, the deck has changed its face due to a new powerful storm engine in Ad Nauseam. The EPIC Storm has gone from a niche deck to a powerhouse played all around the world, with some impressive Top 8’s (see reports below).

II. History

Back in march of 2006, I became fascinated with storm combo playing everything from Nausea in legacy to Pitch Long in Vintage. I began realizing flaws in each and every deck I tested, which caused me to shelve each one of them. Although, along this road I started to see the strengths and weaknesses in each deck became apparent. I decided I’d try and add all of the strengths into a single deck and have the fewest weaknesses that I could. Then in August 2006, I posted my first version of the deck ShLong (Shitlist Long). The deck opted to use creatures such as Priest of Gix and Trinket Mage (to find Lion’s Eye Diamond) for acceleration; Helm of Awakening and Second Sunrise were also used to “Go crazy”. As time went on I created a creatureless list about six months after my original incarnation, at this point in time I began to realize how creatures were under performing. Right about this time is when a new set was released, Coldsnap.

Coldsnap was a huge step in the right direction when I saw the card Rite of Flame. Rite of Flame was a consistent ritual effect that had potential to be equal to or greater than Dark Ritual. This card replaced Priest of Gix, which was only good with a Helm of Awakening or two in play.

With the printing of Time Spiral, TES gained 2 new Storm weapons - Grapeshot and Empty the Warrens. Grapeshot was the secondary win condition that I set eyes on, not Empty the Warrens. It wasn’t until much later that it became apparent that it wasn’t really needed; Grapeshot generally was used to kill creatures like Meddling Mage and True Believer. Now Grapeshot is a sideboard card used to win around problem cards such as Meddling Mage or Runed Halo. Adam Barnello (Nightmare) was the first person to recommend Empty the Warrens in TES, The EPIC Syndicate saw a serious powerhouse in this card. It improved all of the difficult matchups for the deck, Landstill, Threshold, Solidarity, and even Mono Blue Control. With Empty the Warrens, you had the option of keeping hands that couldn’t or weren’t capable of creating storm ten. With Empty the Warrens you have the option of putting 6-10 goblins into play turn 1 and ride them to victory. Many of the decks at the time weren’t prepared for that many creatures one turn one and very rarely played anything that wasn’t spot removal. Because of this these blue decks were becoming much more favorable.

Later on in time I started to realize that The EPIC Storm was starting to become inconsistent with its draws. Cards such as Brainstorm, Careful Study, Serum Visions and Grim Tutor were tried at this time. Brainstorm ended up filling this niche nicely even with very few shuffle effects. Sometime after I won the second Mana Leak Open, The EPIC Storm became hated on. Cards such as Xantid Swarm and Defense Grid were no longer getting the job done. An outsider was called – Orim’s Chant, Chant to this very day is still one of the most powerful cards in TES. With new set after new set, cards are tested and added. Thoughtsieze was printed and ran for sometime over Duress. Cards such as Draw 4’s – Cruel Bargain, Infernal Contract, and Slithermuse were being used as additional bombs to compliment Diminishing Returns and Ill-Gotten Gains.

Then Ad Nauseam happened… Ad Nauseam changed the name and face of storm combo all on its own. Lists were thrown everywhere, however, The EPIC Storm adapted like many other decks to the card. First extra storm engines were shelved, Diminishing Returns, Slithermuse, and Infernal Contract. Empty the Warrens was originally shelved with the other cards, but was later added back into the main deck because of its strength and ability to beat blue decks. Thoughtsieze’s life loss was too much, Duress once again found a spot in the main deck. Simian Spirit Guides were cut for less damage for Ad Nauseam.

While the set M10 was being spoiled and right before it’s release, Wizards of the Coast made some rules changes. Two of these rules effected The EPIC Storm, the first rule being that Wishes could no longer retrieve cards that were removed from the game or “exiled”. Meaning the deck can no longer remove our Rite of Flame on a Chrome Mox and Burning Wish for them later. The second rule hurt the EPIC Storm quite badly, but it’s survived and gone on. This new rule being that we can no longer float mana through the upkeep into the draw step to cast spells. Meaning players can no longer break Lion’s Eye Diamond in our upkeep to cast Ad Nauseam during our draw step. This made Mystical Tutor much worse, going from a 3-4 of in many lists down to 2 or none. With the lack of Mystical Tutors in the deck, slots such as Chain of Vapor became weaker. Chain of Vapor left the main deck because of this and Empty the Warrens found it’s old home in the main deck.

With the banning of Mystical Tutor, the 4th Infernal Tutor found it’s way back into the main deck along with Silence (4th Orim's Chant Effect). Keeping threats in the deck was important, players don't want to be stuck searching for cards during their opening turns. Players should be focused on winning, not destroying Gemstone Mines playing cantrips. A new mana base was eventually included consisting of four fetchlands and three duals, including five color lands. However, Simian Spirit Guide had to leave in order to make this happen. Below is the current incarnation of the EPIC Storm…

III. Decklists

The EPIC Storm
Decklist as of 02/16/12

4 Gemstone Mine
2 City of Brass
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
1 Polluted Delta
1 Bloodstained Mire

4 Lion’s Eye Diamond
4 Lotus Petal
4 Chrome Mox
4 Dark Ritual
4 Rite of Flame
4 Burning Wish
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Infernal Tutor
3 Duress
3 Orim’s Chant
2 Silence
2 Ad Nauseam
1 Tendrils of Agony

3 Pyroblast
2 Echoing Truth
1 Wipeaway
1 Silent Departure
1 Shattering Spree
1 Duress
1 Grapeshot
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Ill-Gotten Gains
1 Diminishing Returns
1 Past in Flames


IV. Card Choices

a.) Manabase - Since The EPIC Storm is technically a five color deck, it needs to able to support all five colors. I ported the Grim Long mana base to Legacy, obviously removing Tolarian Academy and adding the Legacy legal lands – Underground Sea and Volcanic Island. Forbidden Orchard and Undiscovered Paradise were cut because of their drawbacks. Often games and sometimes even rounds were lost because of these drawbacks. I decided to cut Simian Spirit Guide due to damage on Ad Nauseam and wanted more lands, since there aren't any other great five color lands I added four “fetchlands” to go with the few duals. These “Fetchlands” were Polluted Delta, Bloodstained Mire, and Scalding Tarn.

b.) Acceleration and Mana - 4 Dark Ritual, 4 Lion’s Eye Diamond, 4 Lotus Petal, 4 Chrome Mox, and 3 Rite of Flame are a necessity. There has been discussion to where the fourth Rite of Flame belongs. I personally believe that Rite of Flame in the sideboard is not worth it. Players are better off increasing potential turn 1 and 2 wins. Another debate for fast-mana is the number of Chrome Mox, I believe the best chance of winning on turn 1 and the best chance of winning after an Ad Nauseam is with the most possible Chrome Moxen. If Ad Nauseam doesn’t reveal 0cc mana players must pass the turn. The deck needs to play the maximum amount of 0cc artifacts.

c.) Tutors and Draw - Burning Wish along with Infernal Tutor were auto includes into The EPIC Storm because well, paired with Lion’s Eye Diamond they might be the most broken plays in Legacy. For a while Plunge into Darkness was included but it became apparent that it was a weakness in the deck. Plunge into Darkness was later replaced with Ponder. Which happens to be Brainstorm 5-8 in The EPIC Storm, digging for tutor effects is huge in TES. Don't forget that with Ponder it is possible to shuffle away and draw a new card. Turn one, Brainstorm or Ponder? If it’s possible the hand can win on turn 1 with 1 or 2 different cards Brainstorm is the right card; otherwise Ponder. With the banning of Mystical Tutor, people are looking at Pre-Ordain. I think it's just better to play the additional Infernal Tutor main deck to increase threat density and then side it out making Infernal Tutor a Burning Wish target.

d.) Win Conditions and Bombs - Tendrils of Agony is the primary win condition - a must include. Empty the Warrens was a huge addition to The EPIC Storm, for a while it was a 3 of in the main deck. However, times change and the metagame adapted to Empty the Warrens. Players had to cut back, currently Warrens is in the deck as a one of. Tutors in The EPIC Storm are used mainly to find one of two cards- Ad Nauseam or Empty the Warrens. Since this format has no Yawgmoth’s Will, I guess T.E.S will settle for the next best thing in Yawgmoth’s Bargain in Ad Nauseam. This card is often our “engine” in the combo. There’s also our former engines in Diminishing Returns and [Yawgmoth’s W]Ill-Gotten Gains in the sideboard to help in sticky situations or if Burning Wish is in hand. By engine I mean they ramp our storm count high enough for the deck to win the game, since chaining Infernal Tutors won’t always win the game. People like to use Ad Nauseam because it’s easy, however, not always necessary. Don’t forget the deck can always Ill-Gotten Gains loop to win.

e.) Protection/Utility - In the early days of The EPIC Storm the deck relied on laying down a Xantid Swarm and winning the turn after. Blue decks adapted to answer X/1 creatures on turn 1, meaning that the deck had to adapt to compete. Xantid was cut for Orim’s Chant, but is often in and out of the main deck to compliment Orim’s Chant. Also complimenting Chant is Duress, Duress is there to protect Orim’s Chant or to take problematic cards like Counterbalance out of the opponent’s hand. Out of the sideboard the deck plays Red Elemental Blast and/or Pyroblast to deal with Force of Will on Orim’s Chant mainly. However, it can also be used to kill a Counterbalance- a huge threat to The EPIC Storm. Recently with the printing of Silence, many people opt for a split between Orim’s Chant and Silence because of cards that name cards, such as – Runed Halo, Meddling mage, Cabal Therapy, ect.

f.) Sideboard Options – The sideboard needs to be a mixture between business, utility, and cards to be sided in. For business theres two win conditions, Tendrils of Agony and Empty the Warrens, and then two Storm engines in Diminishing Returns and Ill-Gotten Gains, these are necessary because they provide a storm engine that doesn’t require life. They also are sorceries while Ad Nauseam is not, meaning they can be Wished for.

For Utility there’s Duress, Meltdown, Shattering Spree, and Grapeshot. Sometimes players don’t draw protection, so Burning Wish might as well find it. Other times there’s problematic artifacts, T.E.S doesn’t play anything wishable to destroy Enchantments. This is because there are no Enchantments game one that the deck cares about besides Counterbalance, Counterbalance will just counter whatever kills it. That and there isn’t a great card for the deck to remove Enchantments with. Then there’s Grapeshot, Grapeshot is used to kill problematic creatures as well as provide an alternative win condition for cards such as Runed Halo. People are always trying to play Pyroclasm over this card, it’s just wrong. Grapeshot often provides outs where Pyroclasm doesn’t, where Tendrils wasn’t able to finish off an opponent, Grapeshot steps in to hit them for that additional few damage. Often the deck will draw hands with Tendrils and a Wish, Wish for Grapeshot, play out the hand and cast them both. Take away the luck element of Storm Engines and just win. There’s other scenarios too, but I personally use it most to showboat up to storm twenty and Wish for it.

Lastly, cards that are sided in. I like to play bounce because it’s versatile in dealing with whatever random card opponents bring in to hinder chances of comboing. For bounce there’s 2 Echoing truth and a Wipeaway, Wipeaway will answer that pesky Counterbalance. Currently there’s four cards for blue, 2 Xantid Swarm and 2 Pyroblast. These slots are often in flux for the metagame.

V. Cards That Didn’t Make The Cut

a.) Manabase - Tarnished Citadel, Undiscovered Paradise, Forbidden Orchard, Glimmervoid, Cabal Pit, Tomb of Urami, Chrystal Vein.

b.) Acceleration and Mana – Cabal Ritual, Elvish Spirit Guide, Simian Spirit Guide, Manamorphose, Channel of the Suns, Priest of Gix, Culling the Weak, Helm of Awakening, Desperate Ritual, Seething Song, Tinder Wall, Mox Diamond, Carpet of Flowers.

c.) Tutors and Draw – Mystical Tutor, Death Wish, Grim Tutor, Plunge into Darkness, Rhystic Tutor, Spoils of the Vault, Pre-Ordain, Infernal Contract, Cruel Bargain, Lim-Dul’s Vault, Meditate, Trinket Mage, Diabolic Intent, Night’s Whisper, Dark Confidant, Sensei’s Diving Top.

d.) Win Conditions and Bombs – Slithermuse, Doomsday, Storm Entity, Goblin Charbelcher, Hunting Pack.

e.) Protection/Utility- Wipe Away, Washout, Repeal, Snap, Rushing River, Cabal Therapy, Inquisition of Kozilek, Sudden Death, Pyroclasm, Tranquility, Cleanfall, Reverent Silence, Hull Breach.

f.) Close Cuts- Thoughtsieze, Cabal Ritual, Abeyance, Krosan Grip, Deathmark, Chain of Vapor, Red Elemental Blast, Silence.

There are some cards I choose to leave off this list because they we’re tried a very long time ago and didn’t work out, then some others that just seemed ridiculous.


VI. Reasons to Play The EPIC Storm Over Other Storm Combo

a.) Why play The EPIC Storm (TES) over Ad Nauseam Tendrils (ANT)? TES has no clear cut game plan; it’s very versatile and can end things many ways – unlike ANT. Ad Nauseam Tendrils is often forced to go for Ad Nauseam because lists don’t play Orim’s Chant (some lists do, but few). Without Orim’s Chant their Ill-Gotten Gains is shut off. Leaving them with one path to victory. TES because it plays five color lands has all of the best protection available (Orim’s Chant, Xantid Swarm, Duress, and Pyroblast), while various ANT lists play 2 of the 4, it’s hard for them to play all of these without destroying their mana base. Playing four colors on duals and fetches can hurt. Especially against the tempo decks of today, the stifle wasteland package already hurts ANT, while it doesn’t affect TES as much because there’s less Stifle targets. TES I feel has an edge on ANT because of the speed factor also, TES plays less land and more acceleration in order to win faster. While ANT goes for a more controlling feeling against blue (Which always doesn’t work), post-board the deck have 2 less protection spells than ANT. A marginal difference, I’ll take speed and protection against just two more protection spells. The most important reason to play TES over ANT is Burning Wish and it’s raw power. Burning Wish acts as an Infernal Tutor that doesn’t need Hellbent that can get answers to help out in sticky situations. Where ANT lists play more cantrips such as preordain.

b.) Why play The EPIC Storm (TES) over Belcher? TES is fast, resilient, and has main deck protection and can fight through the hate. Many people played Belcher for awhile because it’s a fundament turn faster than TES, until they realized the unstableness and how fragile the deck was; The EPIC Storm doesn’t have to go for Empty the Warrens. Belcher often can’t choose what win condition to go for; it’s whatever it draws, not with TES. The player chooses between Tendrils or Empty the Warrens and sometimes Grapeshot. Because of this you will win more games due to the fact there is so many Engineered Explosives running around. Belcher doesn’t play any main deck protection whatsoever; here in TES there are 4 Orim’s Chant/Silence and 3/4 Duress to make sure the deck has a fighting chance to beat Countertop. One last reason to play TES over Belcher is that if the deck somehow manages to fizzle The EPIC Storm recovers a lot faster than Belcher thanks to storm engines in Ad Nauseam, Ill-Gotten Gains and mainly Diminishing Returns.

c.) Why play The EPIC Storm (TES) over Doomsday combo? Mainly because Sensei’s Diving Top is a slow card in nature, which means that Doomsday combo in nature is slow. Slow combo decks aren’t good because decks like Zoo or Goblins now stand a chance, this is a mistake that players learned from Solidarity. On top of being slow, there are many “pass the turn” piles. Losing half of your life to Doomsday and passing the turn is a very dangerous thing to do but is necessary sometimes with Doomsday variants. My largest problem with the current Doomsday decks is their alternative routes to beating Countertop. Using a comes into play tapped land, forces a player to pass the turn, now the combo is susceptible to wasteland and stifle. Increasing the amount hate against the deck is just something I don’t think is worth doing. TES is faster, doesn’t pass the turn, and doesn’t lose to a Wasteland.

d.) Why play The EPIC Storm (TES) over Spanish Inquisition (SI) variants? SI variants are very much like the belcher decks where their turn one percentages are higher, but they’re more likely to lose to Force of Will and other blue cards. This comes from not playing protection, something TES prides it’s self on. SI can also lose from not drawing a zero casting cost creature to sacrifice to Culling the Weak or Diabolic Intent. These decks relate to the Doomsday Variants in that they need to lose half of their life in order to win, sometimes, multiple times in order to draw a Tendrils of Agony. Meaning that a well-timed Lightning Bolt/Fireblast could take them out of the game. Because these decks rely on draw four cards such as Infernal Contract and Cruel Bargain the fizzle rates are much higher than a resolved Ad Nauseam from TES.


VII. Sample Hands and Sample Plays
“Keep, Mulligan, or I’d play it like this…”

a.) Sample Hand One:
Underground Sea, Brainstorm, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Dark Ritual, Infernal Tutor, Chrome Mox, Gemstone Mine.
[Keep]

Underground Sea, Dark Ritual (BBB), Lion’s Eye Diamond, Chrome Mox (Brainstorm), Infernal Tutor – Break Lion’s Eye Diamond for BBB (BBBB). Tap Mox. Ad Nauseam.

Ad Nauseam (Revealing: City of Brass (20), Brainstorm (19), Ponder (18), Empty the Warrens (14), Dark Ritual (13), Rite of Flame (12), Burning Wish (10), Lotus Petal (10), Chrome Mox (10), Rite of Flame (9), Infernal Tutor (7), Burning Wish (5). Stop.)

Lotus Petal, Dark Ritual, Chrome Mox (Empty the Warrens), Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Burning Wish, Tendrils of Agony for 22.

b.) Sample Hand Two:
Gemstone Mine, Lotus Petal, Infernal Tutor, Infernal Tutor, Burning Wish, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Rite of Flame.
[Keep]

Gemstone Mine, Lotus Petal, Rite of Flame, Lion's Eye Diamond, Infernal Tutor (RBBB), Empty the Warrens (10 Goblins).

c.) Sample Hand Three:
Gemstone Mine, Lotus Petal, Infernal Tutor, Infernal Tutor, Burning Wish, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Rite of Flame.
[Keep]

Gemstone Mine, Lotus Petal, Rite of Flame, Lion's Eye Diamond, Burning Wish (RUUU), Diminishing Returns.
(Remove 10 cards from the game)

Scalding Tarn, Underground Sea, Lotus Petal , Lotus Petal, Chrome Mox, Dark Ritual, Tendrils of Agony.

Lotus Petal , Lotus Petal, Chrome Mox, Dark Ritual, Tendrils of Agony for 20.

d.)Sample Hand Four:
Scalding Tarn, Dark Ritual, Infernal Tutor, Tendrils of Agony, Chrome Mox, Lion's Eye Diamond, Burning Wish.
[Keep]

Scalding Tarn, Volcanic Island, Chrome Mox (Imprint: Tendrils of Agony), Dark Ritual, Infernal Tutor, Lion's Eye Diamond, Lion's Eye Diamond, Burning Wish. Ill-Gotten Gains, Lion's Eye Diamond, Lion's Eye Diamond, Infernal Tutor, Burning Wish, Tendrils of Agony for 24.

e.) Sample Hands For You

1.) Brainstorm, Brainstorm, Chrome Mox, Chrome Mox, Duress, Infernal Tutor, Lion’s Eye Diamond.

2.) Underground Sea, Bloodstained Mire, Chrome Mox, Dark Ritual, Duress, Burning Wish, Infernal Tutor.

3.) Chrome Mox, Chrome Mox, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Lotus Petal, Scalding Tarn, Dark Ritual, Rite of Flame.

4.) Polluted Delta, Ponder, Ponder, Brainstorm, Gemstone Mine, Burning Wish, Burning Wish.

5.) Ad Nauseam, Ponder, Brainstorm, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Rite of Flame, Volcanic Island, Polluted Delta.

6.) Duress, Xantid Swarm, Gemstone Mine, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Lotus Petal, Dark Ritual, Burning Wish.

7.) Lion’s Eye Diamond, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Rite of Flame, Rite of Flame, Burning Wish, Empty the Warrens, Lotus Petal.

8.) Lotus Petal, Dark Ritual, Rite of Flame, Gemstone Mine, Infernal Tutor, Chrome Mox, Duress.

9.) Xantid Swarm, Orim’s Chant, Underground Sea, Burning Wish, Infernal Tutor, Chrome Mox, Tendrils of Agony.

10.) Duress, Tendrils of Agony, Gemstone Mine, Bloodstained Mire, Dark Ritual, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Burning Wish.


VIII. Additional Data

a.) Diminishing Returns Percentages (By OurSerratedDust)
Situation
-One Burning Wish is exiled.
-You have two tapped gold lands in play (Gemstone Mine, and City of Brass.)
-The opponent is at 20 life.
-The storm count is four (including DR.)
-You are at a safe life total for Ad Nauseam.
-You haven't played a land yet this turn.

Mana Floating/Win Percentage

None: 18%
U: 38%
R: 42%
B: 42%
UU: 54%
UR: 66%
UB: 66%
RR: 54%
RB: 66%
BB: 60%

(U/B/R): 48%
(U/B/R) (U/B/R): 70%
U (U/B/R): 66%
R (U/B/R): 70%
B (U/B/R): 70%

b.) Infernal Tutor Percentages

4 Infernal Tutor in deck

33.6280% 1 infernal drawn, 4 in deck, 7 card hand, 60 card deck

5.9344% 2 infernal drawn 4 in deck 7 card hand 60 card deck

0.3804% 3 drawn 4 in deck 7 card hand 60 cards

0.0072% 4 drawn 4 in deck 7 card hand 60 cards

= 39.95% chance of drawing total


3 Infernal Tutor in deck

28.1882% 1 drawn 3 in deck 7 card hand 60 card deck

3.2525% 2 drawn 3 in deck 7 cards 60 card deck

0.1023% 3 drawn 3 in deck 7 cards 60 card deck

= 31.5430% chance of drawing