I Strike Again!

[lorddotm]

Enjoy.


I wrote a new article, let me know what you guys think.

[ivanpei]

I play a UBr ANT list too with a few differences. I don't play Iggy maindeck, and I prefer 4 MD Infernals. Small nit pick here but I also prefer rite of flame over cabals. Though Rite is worst against misstep, most likely its your brainstorm/thoughtseizes/dark rituals that are going to eat Misstep anyway. I like rite because you need double red when wishing for Empty the Warrens. I felt that too often I can ramp up to cast something off a wish but I can't get double red. Rite helps in this case.

I see from your list that you still plan to go Thresholded Cabal into Wish into Tutor into ANT, but UBr versions don't run as many cantrips so getting Threshold is gonna be challenging. I also think 1 island, 1 swamp is enough since you usually plan on going off on T3 or you can leave an uncracked fetch to dodge wasteland. Great article BTW, nice work on the NPH wrap up.

[evanmartyr]

I'll admit to skipping over your discussion of Mental Misstep and storm decks, as I've been up for far too many hours for it to still be before noon. If that makes sense. It's not noon yet. Wtf.

However, I have two small issues with your assessment of the non-MMS cards. Dismember is not as great as I initially thought, and I think your analysis is spot on. Team America, and other black-centric/splashing decks gain the most utility out of this, but I think a nod to artifact-based midrange decks is in order. It is a very, very good removal spell for stompy variants.

Your analysis of Gitaxian Probe, I think, is way off. Probe actually does what people thought Mental Misstep would do: reduce the size of decks that care about streamlining to 56. Comparing it to Street Wraith, while not fallacious, doesn't do it justice.

Street Wraith can't show you what to name for Cabal Therapy, Pithing Needle, Meddling Mage, or Phyrexian Revoker. It doesn't add to the Storm count. It doesn't pitch to Force of Will or Misdirection.

That being said, Probe can be countered, which leaves it open to MMS, Counterbalance, Spell Pierce, Nix, Daze, etc. Force of Will, obviously, but I dunno when that would be worth it.

But the biggest thing, I think, is a zero mana, no card advantage "cost", storm +1. That's fairly absurd in some decks.

[lorddotm]

But the biggest thing, I think, is a zero mana, no card advantage "cost", storm +1. That's fairly absurd in some decks.

It still costs two life. Not many non-Suicidal combo deck want this kind of effect. Plus, most Legacy lists are very very tight, so I don't know what you would cut.

[Tammit67]

Street Wraith can't show you what to name for Cabal Therapy, Pithing Needle, Meddling Mage, or Phyrexian Revoker. It doesn't add to the Storm count. It doesn't pitch to Force of Will or Misdirection.

I can't think of many decks that begged for peek, and are overly delighted now that it can be played for life. Certainly a deck playing the 4 cards you mention does not want peek all that much, at least considering what cards you usually see paired with them.

[Mr_Miyagi]

I'm fairly certain that Gitaxian Probe will go into various Doomsday-decks. The fact that it slims down DD-piles adding stormcount and checks for disruption pre-go-off makes it a valueable asset.

[Forbiddian]

I'm fairly certain that Gitaxian Probe will go into various Doomsday-decks. The fact that it slims down DD-piles adding stormcount and checks for disruption pre-go-off makes it a valueable asset.

Yep. Many piles that needed SDT beforehand can run off of Gitaxian Probe, so it will probably see some play. At any rate, I think it's an improvement on Street Wraith in Doomsday decks that are running Street Wraith now.

The problem is that if you're relying on it to complete your pile, you necessarily make yourself vulnerable to Misstep. Relying on it to draw you into your combo is a risky proposition.

[mchainmail]

Yep. Many piles that needed SDT beforehand can run off of Gitaxian Probe, so it will probably see some play. At any rate, I think it's an improvement on Street Wraith in Doomsday decks that are running Street Wraith now.

The problem is that if you're relying on it to complete your pile, you necessarily make yourself vulnerable to Misstep. Relying on it to draw you into your combo is a risky proposition.

As opposed to Brainstorm or Top...

[lordofthepit]

As opposed to Brainstorm or Top...

Sensei's Divining Top could be dropped earlier before you go balls out with Doomsday.

But since most of the non-pass the turn piles often include a cantrip, Duress, Chain of Vapor, or recasting that SDT anyway, your point still stands. (Yes, you can construct a pile to beat anything but then it takes that much more mana.)

[ivanpei]

I'd rather have a standard cantrip like preordain over the probe though. It seems pretty narrow and messes up your mulligan decisions (like street wraith). If you are using it to draw off doomsday, the peek purpose is abit too late. If you are peeking early, the cantrip effect is pretty weak too.