[Article] Examining Show and Tell: Sneak Attack and Hive Mind

[Di]

Link

This week I go over Show and Tell's place in Legacy and how it's outlook for how it should perform over the next few events.

The timing of this is rather interesting given Griselbrand was just spoiled as well. I wrote the article before I saw the card so it doesn't go through the possibilities with it, but I did make some last-minute adjustments to get some very brief mention of it in. Obviously that card has serious implications for Show and Tell, which I will likely go over when my next article comes out.

Discuss!

[Oiolosse]

Good article. Your writing style is easy to read.

Question, why main deck summoner's pact when there is no target. Wouldnt MD slaughterpactbe a bit more appropriate? Or is 2GG harder for them to pay? If so, I'd argue that since black is less played by quite a bit Slaughter Pact would still be more appropriate even costing 2B.

[Einherjer]

As I am playing Hive-Mind ill respond: Summoner's Pact can be played right away after dropping a Hive-Mind. Pact of the Slaughter cant. There are decks that don't play any creatures (or nontargetable) like Show and Tell itself, Stormcombo, Tempo when being on a lonely Mongo and so on and so on.
So Summoner's Pact is just way less conditional.

I am still thinking about which deck to bring to my first GP ever. Canadian or HiveMind.... still thinking and brewing^^

Btw I LOVE the 3 Flusterstorm Main - Ill be testing this for sure.

Greetings

[I am the brainwasher]

Obviously that card has serious implications for Show and Tell, which I will likely go over when my next article comes out.

Agreed that this bad boy will see a ton of play in Legacy and has a lot of potential.
Even if I am truly annoyed by the constant power-creep, I do like the fact that new sets have a greater impact on eternal formats in general. Btw, Gifts for Unburial Rites and Griselbrand in modern... .

Show&Tell-based combo-decks are definetly underplayed, I can not agree 100% that those are as good positioned as stated though.
The major-changes that the "trifecta" of the tier-decks have made are:


Maverick

-Splashing red for Punishing Fire also goes along with sb Red Elemental Blast and since those versions don't play Thalia (because of obvious shitty interacting with its engine) they are running Aven Mindcensor, which are, combined with the greater chance to pay for pacts and basic pre- and postboard Maverick-shenanigans, very painful from time to time.
-Playing Thalia maindeck. This can be a serious problem in straight GW lists that normally pack a full playset of Wastelands. Making even cantrips more expensive somewhat requires you to open yourself up to Wasteland which will cost you a ton of games.
-Splashing blue for Edric and/or sideboard Spell Pierce/Flusterstorm.

I do agree that this MU should be definetly winnable in the majority of games, but I for myself don't feel comfortable with keeping in mind that I can roll over even non-blue decks somewhat constant, depending heavily on both players draw.


Tempo

-Increasing their clock without the need to tap out for Tarmogoyf with playing Thought Scour and/or more to the dome while dropping precious REB's and/or Spell Pierce from the sb.
-It seems that the majority of players decided to stick to Stifle which should position Sneak & Show above Hive Mind here, especially with post-board Blood Moon or Trinisphere (which is a really underestimated sb-card for the deck).
-Postboard Surgical Extraction forces to board out Intuition which makes the deck way more inconsistent, but lateley people tend to give up GY-hate completeley or stick to artifact-based hate, which, in combination with the decreased number of post-board countermagic, should benefit Show&Tell allover.


Blade

-Playing Esper includes additional discard, but the lack of more Cliques and Forces and the lack of a threatening clock, shouldn't make things too unlikeley as long as you don't get hit by post-board extractions.
-Splashing red for sb REB's and/or maindeck Punishing Fire is as annoying as Flusterstorm.
The MU seems quite favourable as long as the deck doesn't durdle around too long before "comboing" out.



Conclusion: The deck needs to jump through a lot of whoops these days, but beeing able to simply rip of a missing combo-piece from the top and incredible speed make it still viable, but not clearly as Tier 1 as the before mentioned trifecta.

PS: Griselbrand into lethal Tendrils would be hilarious.

[Vacrix]

I think before Griselband, Sneak Attack was actually the weaker of the two cards since it takes 5 mana to swing with your dude on the same turn. Now I feel like Sneak Attack is a bit stronger because if you drop Griselband, you can draw 14 cards, effectively drawing enough countermagic to protect yourself. If you've played Sneak Attack on the turn before this one then you might even have an additional R open. Draw 14 means Griselband essentially allows you to play Emrakul that turn as well meaning that you should win the turn Griselband comes down much in the same way Emrakul wins the turn he comes down because you get to nuke 6 permanents and they take a whooping 15. Also, if the opponent has an answer like Innocent Blood or Liliana for a SnT'd creature, then Griselband at least replaces himself in your hand along with the pieces you need to go off again on the following turn.

Its worth noting that Sneak Attack lets you attack with Griselband that turn so you can effectively draw 21 cards on that turn post-damage lifelink.

I predict this deck will be the DTB pretty soon.

So glad I picked up ma Pithing Needles the other day.

[Ignithas_]

Sneak Show is more consistant and doesn't have to go suicidal with pacts (what some hate pieces and mana acceleration can punish). Plus Hive Mind costs more than Snaek Attack. So Snaek Show>Hive Mind even without Griselbrand.

[Einherjer]

You may have never played these decks right? Ive played SneakShow once, switched to HiveMind and came back to SneakShow now with the printing of this Grislebrand.

SneakShow is more consistent: Yes it does put the combo on board more consistent.
SneakShow kills more consistent: No as there are a lot of ways to handle your creatures like Edicts, Bounce, Bridge...

HiveMind is weak to Stifle. In theory yes. But as a practicalist I can tell you that you get blown out by an opponents stifle 1/10 games (all 10 games vs decks with stifle).(when you play tight and think before you pact) When you lay down 2-3-4 pacts the opponent will not have Stifles for all of these so in general:

Hive Mind >>> Sneak Show

since Griselbrand

Sneak Show >>> Hive Mind

Greetings

EDIT: Oh yeah the cost-part. Does SneakShow play Grim Monolith? Tell me.

[Ignithas_]

You may have never played these decks right? Ive played SneakShow once, switched to HiveMind and came back to SneakShow now with the printing of this Grislebrand.

SneakShow is more consistent: Yes it does put the combo on board more consistent.
SneakShow kills more consistent: No as there are a lot of ways to handle your creatures like Edicts, Bounce, Bridge...

HiveMind is weak to Stifle. In theory yes. But as a practicalist I can tell you that you get blown out by an opponents stifle 1/10 games (all 10 games vs decks with stifle).(when you play tight and think before you pact) When you lay down 2-3-4 pacts the opponent will not have Stifles for all of these so in general:

Hive Mind >>> Sneak Show

since Griselbrand

Sneak Show >>> Hive Mind

Greetings

EDIT: Oh yeah the cost-part. Does SneakShow play Grim Monolith? Tell me.

1) But Sneak Attack can easily come back after the countering/stopping of a resolving crature or the card itself, where with Hive Mind succesfull disruption is pretty much GG.
2) Sneak Show isn't dead when facing a resolving Iona.
3) You need a pact for your combo. This is one more card you need and the pacts are very likely to be dead cards, when you can't go for Hive Mind.
4) Red anti U cards just kill Hive Mind
5) Hive Mind is strong, because it's a rogue deck. When it would be a DTB, you can expect Angels Grace in enemys SB, what is insta win against a resolving Hive Mind.
6) There has to be a reason, why Sneak Show is DTB and Hive Mind isn't.

[JPA]

Very nice article!

Hive Mind and Sneak Show are pretty similar, even though it IS true that Hive Mind kills more consistently and can't be raced.

Negative part about Hive Mind is that it is far more mulligan delicate. Ignitas is right about the pacts being dead, so even though they are part of the combo you wouldn't want to keep a hand with Pacts and Cantrips/Counters while you would definitely keep a hand of Sneak Attack and Cantrips or Counters.

But, Hive Mind can win games that seem absolutely lost. If the opponent (the Maverick one, let's say) has an army of creatures on the field (like 2 Knights, equipped Thrun, Hierarchs and other stuff), even Emrakul won't save the day, while a Hive Mind + some pacts can win a game like that.

So for raw power, Hive Mind is better and it needs a bit more practice and knowledge of legacy and Magic in general. Sneak Show is more consistent and easier to play. But the past SCG Open showed that Hive Mind is definitely just as generally strong, since 2 made it to the Top 16.
Even though I kind of think they would stand there too, if they would have played Sneak Show.
Show and Tell decks in general are pretty degenerate in the current metagame.

[rxavage]

Thanks for the article. Grislebrand is beast. Anyways, why no mention of dream halls? Ive been seriously considering running dream halls and more insight would be nice.

[Di]

Thanks for the article. Grislebrand is beast. Anyways, why no mention of dream halls? Ive been seriously considering running dream halls and more insight would be nice.

I touched upon this in the article and also commented it on the feedback for it. Here's what I said on this:

"There are a few other Show and Tell decks out there, but given their lack of success and relative unpopularity, i've decided to omit them."

Because Dream Halls hasn't seen much action lately, and hasn't put up results I didn't include it. Now this was written long before it made top8 at the recent SCG, but beyond that the deck just isn't up to par given what the other Show and Tell decks have done.