[Primer/Deck] Pox

[Hardcore]

If it was that easy...

[Hardcore]

A problem is that aggro, combo and control comes in too many shapes. Storm is what we think of as achetypical combo. You get your win by play spells, preferably instans (solidarity). Elves otoh combo with creatures (?!).
We are used to think of Miracles as the classic control deck. Counters and answers.
Been in existence since revised if not earlier.
Death and Taxes is also control. Creature based control(?!). Boarding in discard and enchantment hate is reasonable against t the former but not the later.

The examples list is quite long. Too long to write down, let alone remember. For me it is easier to think of specifik decks and try have answer to them, than to the think of the classical division in combo, control and Aggro.

So what is the solution? Well, the hidden flaw of the decks above is that when they borrow the tools to function from another of magic, they get an accompanying weakness.
Elves,, for example, is vulnerable to sweepers because, you know CREATURES.
So Engineered Plague is obviously good, but against Storm it doesn't do much. Darn.

[OmniStrata]

Wouldn't being prepared for the three archetypes have you prepared or each specific deck? Both Elves and D&T use the same SB hatred, Anti-swarm. Most combo decks like to use their yard. But we are Hymn to Tourach decks. The discard is dangerous already, but sometimes losing the opening die roll is enough...
Since decks cross each other over, wouldn't being prepared for everything be a good idea?

[OmniStrata]

Land (27)
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Maze of Ith
1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
1 Ifnir Deadlands
1 Dunes of the Dead
4 Mishra's Factory
10 Snow-covered Swamp
4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Wasteland

Creatures (2)
2 Nether Spirit

Enchantment (1)
1 Nether Void

Artifact (5)
1 Crucible of Worlds
2 Cursed Scroll
1 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Ratchet Bomb

Planeswalker (4)
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Liliana, the Last Hope

Sorcery (21)
1 Beseech the Queen
4 Innocent Blood
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Sinkhole
4 Smallpox
4 Inquisition of Kozilek

Sideboard
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Defense Grid
4 Blood Scrivener
2 Cabal Therapy
4 Leyline of the Void
2 Pithing Needle
1 Bontu's Last Reckoning

Instead of the Tabernacle & Tomb of Urami Suite that was used in Osman's build, I'm going Ifnir Dunes of the Deadlands Crucible combo. Defense Grid seems stupid, I know. Being a mana denial pox, I figured if you can't get some Chains of Mephistopheles, at least slow up their instants. Formerly a slot for Uba Mask, but was too slow.

[Hardcore]

Eternal Atlas

2

Artifact
2, T: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control at least three lands with the same name.

[Mr. Safety]

Eternal Atlas

2

Artifact
2, T: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control at least three lands with the same name.

I was also looking at this:Arguel's Blood Fast. It's a little risky, but the likelihood of it flipping is pretty high if you are on big Pox. Sacrificing Bloodghasts for two life a turn after attacking seems good. The draw is a little pricey though. Likely not good enough, but interesting. I can see multiple Tombstalkers being good as well. In a pinch it can sacrifice a Factory for 3+ life.

[Hardcore]

All cards will be compared to the top, and be found wanting...

[OmniStrata]

Eternal Atlas

2

Artifact
2, T: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control at least three lands with the same name.

Damn. Too many non-basics with different names for me to consistently use . But yes, SDT was the be all/end all for card filtering. I tried and failed with Crystal Ball. Now if it was only 2 mana... I'd love it!!

[Erdvermampfa]

guys, do yourself a favor and try out Night's Whisper instead of this shitty card.

[ParisFlorian]

guys, do yourself a favor and try out Night's Whisper instead of this shitty card.

In most build (the non-aggro ones), Phyrexian Arena is even better I think.

[Erdvermampfa]

In most build (the non-aggro ones), Phyrexian Arena is even better I think.

It's not because 2 mana is a lot less than 3. Whisper also gives you the cards immediatly instead of over the course of several turns (which is also the problem this new artifact suffers from). Arena also is kind of problematic if you're not able to compensate the lifeloss. Arena is good as a "threat" other decks have to answer if your deck consists mostly of otherwise reactive cards (removal etc.) but has also got a lot of downsides that have made me questioning its playablity lately.

[fluuu]

Whats going on? I went with pox for my first time to 2 tournaments. I went just a simple 2-2

I already think the no ritual list is better. Thoughts?

[OmniStrata]

Whats going on? I went with pox for my first time to 2 tournaments. I went just a simple 2-2

I already think the no ritual list is better. Thoughts?

It depends on your meta. Do you really need the speed at the cost of cards? My local meta has no combo, so a Dark Ritual-less deck is fine. If you're in a hurry, consequences be damned, then a full set of DR is your flavor. With 2 3 cmc planeswalkers in Black it's a very good idea to sacrifice your late game consistency and top deck strength to be at turn 3 on your first turn and drop a turn 1 Liliana Veil/Last Hope. Be wary of the force...

[Hardcore]

What to substitute the DR with? A Swamp obviously and then what?

[fluuu]

What to substitute the DR with? A Swamp obviously and then what?

I play the following list:

1 Cabal Pit
1 Maze of Ith
4 Mishra's factory
1 Spawning Pool
4 Urborg
1 bojuka bog
1 mikokoro, center of the sea
4 Wasteland
9 Swamp
1 Nether spirit
4 DR
1 Beseech the Q.
3 Hymn
4 Innocent blood
2 Sinkhole
4 Smallpox
2 Thoughtseize
1 Nether void
1 Crucible
2 IoK
1 Phyrexian totem
2 Ensnaring bridge
4 LOV
1 Liliana the last hope
1 Cursed scroll

SB:
1 the abyss
4 Leyline of the void
2 Dark confidant
1 Pithing needle
1 chains of Mep.
1 Phyrexian obliterator
1 toxic deluge
2 bitterblossom
2 lost legacy

Thoughts of my list? If i cut DR I problably will add another swamp, 2 sinkholes and another hymn.

What do you guys think about Karn scion of urza?

Thanks for your answers

[Hardcore]

Karn was hot but seems to have fallen out of fashion super quick. Don't know why.

[fluuu]

Karn was hot but seems to have fallen out of fashion super quick. Don't know why.

ya.. and what would u change over my list?

[Hardcore]

ya.. and what would u change over my list?

One Nihilith perhaps, since you are short on threats. You can suspend it under nether void. A fourth Hymn and two swamps.

[OmniStrata]

Karn was hot but seems to have fallen out of fashion super quick. Don't know why.

He does too little too slowly. That and his loyalty abilities don't help the deck. There's a reason lots of the recent top Pox decks don't include hard draw spells/abilities. Hell, even the old winning Pox decks never ran them either. For 4 mana, we could throw 2 Hymns at your dome. I'm glad I never purchased Karn now. Had my doubts due to the original Pox commandments: damage, mana, disruption. Karn does none of the above.

[aslidsiksoraksi]

ya.. and what would u change over my list?

as you are playing prison Pox not sure Nihilith is necessary, but it is a cool card and Fear is a sweet way to just clock them hard.

For my suggestions - I'd cut Totem and Nether Spirit for 2x Necropolis Fiend, 2 Innocent blood for 2 Fatal Push, and drop Crucible for a second Scroll

This gives you more closing power and more power over creatures.

Spirit is weak to the same things as Fiend (both only die to Swords, tho Spirit can be knocked out for a turn by other removal) but is way worse than Fiend on the table. Fiend doesn't have the same synergy with reciprocal discard, sure, but still has synergy in that discard fuels the yard for him. And fiend dominates the table brutally.

Totem ramps but you already have ritual. The creature mode is fine but it'll be your whole turn when you use it, and it's not only weak to Swords but also weak to any burn spell or even a flashed in snapcaster mage. Fiend is not weak to those and closes almost as fast without committing resources while also being harder to block, capable of blocking in his own right, and generally better from behind

Never been a huge fan of crucible, we have tons of late-game card already, and too often you draw it and it does nothing. Scroll is proactive and helps kill planeswalkers, which is important. This deck is all about recursive, permanent-based removal. I'd rather do repeated damage than repeated waste/mishra, miss land drops, etc. Not denying crucible is a powerhouse in the right situation, just that situation seems more rare than the scroll situation.

Push over blood is arguably better in general since you can choose the thing and won't get blown out by elves or Young Pyromancer/Mentor tokens. if you run Fiend it's better since you can cast it with Fiend in play.


TL;DR I love Necropolis Fiend in this deck and fewer cute cards more removal and CA generating!