I’ve given a list with 4 Assassin’s Trophies a whirl today, and I’ve certainly enjoyed its versatility. Sure, it’s removed stuff that could have been taken care of by the usual suspects, but I’ve also used it on a threatening Gurmag Angler when I was struggling to put my combo together. One could argue it would have been better to draw said combo piece rather than the Trophy, but again, the versatility is great. It’s truly amazing to have a card in hand that can deal with ANYTHING.
On the other hand, it slows the deck a lot, as two colored reactive mana is a lot more than one colorless “preventive” mana for a Pithing Needle. I also met a elves deck that was packing it, I assume as a 4-of, and it ran me over. Sure, discard helps, but the fact they can respond by targeting any useful land you might already have in play if they feel like slowing you down really hurts.
I haven’t played much Depth in the past, so maybe I don’t have enough of a framework to work with, but I’d be surprised if the Trophy does not impact it one way or another, that card is something special.
The card is probably best for Depths as a sideboard card imo. The main deck can stay lean and focus on the kill. I'm testing a 2/2 Decay/Trophy split in the SB. It's great vs the non blue decks, but I prefer Decay when looking for answers to things like BTB/Counterbalance or creatures out of the tempo decks (shadow, etc). Trophy is flat out nuts in anything remotely resembling the mirror.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Sylvan Library is a given, Choke is *ok*, Bitterblossom is good. I've tried them all. Library is a staple, and is fine if I resolve it. Choke is actually a decent idea to try again, but I don't know how to find room in the sideboard. I'm already crammed tight.
Suggestions for how to work in Choke?
3x Abrupt Decay
3x Hymn to Tourach
2x Rite of Consumption
1x Karakas
2x Golgari Charm
2x Sylvan Library
2x Surgical Extraction
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I believe it does. They usually board in Trackers which is another annoying engine even if you Surgical their Loams. Previously, you either had to ignore it (aka win before they find it and it takes over), get lucky and nab it with discard, or run decays that are very mediocre in the mu. Trophy cleanly answers Tracker while hitting any of their lands, exploration, and any other random permanents that pop up. There will always be a good use for Trophy in the mu unless they lock you out before you get to BG mana.
As far as miracles goes, I like the mu vs the current AK version... but I'm on blue spells, so the mu is very different compared to BG. The traditional ways strong BG players have fought Miracles are Bob, Sylvan, Rite, etc.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I'm heading to FNM this week, taking this deck. Hope to do well, maybe pick up another Safekeeper if the shop has one.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Wish you great success dude!
How many Safekeepers do you own? I think you should be fine with two. I have tested Trophy in the main. I did a 3/2 Splitt of Needle and Trophy and wasn`t really impressed. Most of the time it doesn`t do anything that needle couldn`t have done too, or better. Needle is faster, pro active, which saves you your mana for your combo turn and colorless mana is easier to spend often times. I haven`t seen random stuff like Humility, that Decay couldn`t hit. Yes it`s never dead, but in a few situations the color combination was a bit of a problem. I think it`s a really good card for the side not for main. On the other hand, did you guys have much trouble with opponent`s Trophys?
I have 1 currently, with a copy of Green Sun's Zenith to fetch it out. It actually worked out well because I also maindecked a Dryad Arbor, which is another form of acceleration with GSZ. The maindeck Arbor also supports some doubled Cabal Therapy's. I toyed with doing a small toolbox, but meh, I think just getting another Safekeeper is the way to go.
I don't have any Assassin's Trophy's yet, and I predict the LGS will be sold out. I'm waiting until I see a good reason to buy them (the Lands matchup might push me over the edge.)
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I am trying to come up with a backup plan for the sideboard. I am nervous about Ego being played in delver, and Grixis control. Also elves just being able to slow us down with trophy to the point they go off.
Right now I am just thinking Lily TLH and crucible effects. I used to have trackers, which were awesome in the mirror.
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Ego? Did you mean Diabolic Edict?
Lily TLH seems solid, but it definitely puts you on the grinding plan. The biggest reason for me playing 2x Golgari Charm isn't just D&T, it also slows the Elves deck down a turn or 2. I'm not sure about the matchup, having yet to play it. The crucible effect I think we want is Ramanup Excavator, something I really want to jam in my sideboard but godammnit I can't find a slot to cut for it.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I might be late for this, but yes, I believe Assassin's Trophy improves the Miracles matchup. It'll do nothing to speed your game, and admittedly might even slow you down (by taking the place of a tutor or an accelerant), but it has been helpful in every game I have against them by taking away something important as the game was going long, usually a planeswalker or Azcanta.
At first, that might not seem much, as these cards are not direct threats, but stopping them from turning the corner after depleting their hands either through discard or simply by forcing them to counter your stuff has been key for me: when the combo comes, sometimes for the second time, they're defenceless. I have tried the alternative of putting pressure through Bitterblossom, and I think it's equally valid, but it's not nearly as versatile. Talking from a MODO perspective, this is even more true with Azorius Helm becoming a thing (again?).
I decided to give this deck a try and it is very interesting. Much faster than I thought it would be and even successfully won a game off of Bob beats while threatening a combo. I haven't played against UB shadow yet or any delver for that matter ( 2x burn, UB artifacts and some leyline jank) but I think you need Ass Trophy. It is such a good card. I think glacial chasm is a bad card in this deck. We don't have a lock with it like RG lands does. They can slowly do 1-2 points of damage a turn using punishing fire where GB can't. Needle goes a long way to help stop them in the stock list, but my fear with this deck is it doesn't have main deck answers to tempo. With punishing fire, you can generate card advantage and act as removal for their smaller threats. Part of me wonders if doing something crazy like a Jund build might work. The punishing fires are really key IMO. But if you can blend in black to give some speed and allow for decay or trophy that might be spicy. Seems like a hard mana base though.
*edit: the one thing I do see is, you need tabernacle in the main. It is such a hugely powerful card that it shouldn't really be overlooked. It makes delver decks cry.
Small update to the post above:
Beat UB shadow 2-1 (both wins post board), 4C Loam 2-0, lost to BR Reanimator 2-0 and SnS 1-2. Blood moon is still a big problem. I have moved 2 AT and 1 AD to main and I am trying out discard at the expense of loam and exploration.
I am going much more the mana denial plan with this deck, which may be wrong, but there are a lot of mana greedy decks since DRS has gone away. Still haven't played miracles, D&T or other delver variants.
Sry....double post
Last edited by ComplexPants; 10-08-2018 at 10:16 PM.
Well, once again I am going to try and get to FNM this week. I'm chomping at the bit get some real testing of Cabal Therapy/maindeck Dryad Arbor.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
This is what I am testing atm. I haven't been as thorough as I might want, work and all. But it has been able to out grind some grindy decks and out pace burn. Pretty pleased with it. I have talked to a few people and they have suggested at 4th urborg and doing something besides loam. The fear being that it opens up DD to surgical. So far, I haven't been using Loam as an engine, as much as game 1 surprise and to keep a land hate game going.
I am kind of worried about missing Steppe, as that is a great surprise finisher and important in the mirror. I am not sure where I want to fit it in the 75 though. The other thing I have been kicking around is morphing this into a bit of a 2 color loam deck. Perhaps drop some of the focus on Depths, maybe go down 2 combo pieces and put in some just plain beaters.
10 Creatures
2 Sylvan Safekeeper
4 Dark Confidant
4 Vampire Hexmage
20 Spells
4 Mox Diamond
4 Crop Rotation
3 Exploration
4 Thoughtseize
1 Abrupt Decay
2 Assassin's Trophy
2 Life from the Loam
30 Lands
2 Bayou
1 Bojuka Bog
4 Dark Depths
2 Forest
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Karakas
2 Maze of Ith
1 Swamp
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
4 Thespian's Stage
3 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Wasteland
15 Sideboard
1 Dryad Arbor
2 Dread of Night
2 Duress
2 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Pithing Needle
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Abrupt Decay
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Ramunap Excavator
1 Tireless Tracker
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