Quote Originally Posted by Khamul View Post

Life Link is pretty relevant against Storm, that's why I'm currently even at Darkheart over Syphon (which can change soon, btw. But I feel more comfortable with Darkheart in the unfair matches) I boarded Syphon out because it's the slowest Sliver, and I'm unsure about boarding out Lords. Now I see that it's a mistake boarding out lifelink and agree with you that it should stay in.
For boarding out lords, you really kill their Ad Nauseam with fast Aggro starts, but I can see no other slots, other than maybe 1 Galerider.
I for my part don't like Echoing Truth against Storm at all, because it only works against Empty, a kill condition I'm naturally resilient against as I'm a swarm deck. Xanthid Swarm is annoying, but Truth just buys you a turn against it. Laying a Lord instead, making you faster might even provoke a block, if not outright kill the storm player. And with more than half of my hate being sorcery speed, Xanthid Swarm is not as backbreaking as it is for other decks.
I usually just go for a kill as fast as possible, with a Chalice @0 and Force as Backup in the early turns, and after Turn 2 I can afford leaving 1 Mana open for Flusterstorm. Vial Turn 1 allows me to lay the Chalice @1 Turn 2 while still providing a very fast clock from Turn 3 onwards, something you couldn't accomplish with a start not having Vial. Yeah, you could just lay the Chalice @0 instead, but that gives them the opportunity to Brainstorm away the Petals and LEDs, while Chalice @1 completely shuts off their cantrips. Sometimes it's just a matter of luck to find out which one's better...

Storm is a really tricky Matchup, and I really appreciate the input on that topic. It can just help everyone.
I know that I don't devote that much of my SB against Storm, but that's mainly because I went through my boarding plans and found only a few cards to board out. With the input of you all I can see what you're doing different and may be able to adapt my playstyle to a better mode. Thank you all in advance :)
Sure, let's keep talking about Storm as our approach is different.


1) Against Fast Combo deck, I don't try to win fast. I am rather playing the control role here.

That's why I like, the hatebear approach, better. Sure, a bunch of 2/2 is not a very impressive clock but 2 of them is already 4 lifes per turn, etc...
Losing "Lords" is not very important as long as I prevent my opponent from winning.


2) I've pondered a lot about the Chalice @ 1 or @ 0.

Chalice @ 1 is far more effective against ANT, much less against TES.
But Chalice @ 0 is my modjo.

Why ?
It just slows down the game to a pace where we can almost fairly win (by neutering the LED + IT non sense).
It also make sure that you will get to cast those hatebears to further slow him down on his other victory route (DR, DR, CR, AdN etc...)
Eventually, the more your opponent is spending turns digging, the better.


3) Reactive cards (FOW, Fluster)

These cards are hit by their conditional discard (duress) as Chalice and Thorn so we can call it even (between your version and mine).
What I dislike is that:
1) Fluster forces you to keep a blue mana open.
2) And to keep a blue mana open (meaning you won't be able to slam a threat on T2 where I don't care as I will slam my Thorn/bear/slivo anyway for example), you have to keep your vial in, so that you can still advance your game while disturbing your oppo.

This strategy is "viable" but you don't have enough reactive cards (to my taste) to fight back their discard engine.
I would further add, the reactive strategy is even worse in a deck not playing BS.

Those are the main reasons why I have forgo the reactive strategy and so why I am focusing on hatebears.


4) Meddling Mage

MM is currently in my sideboard as an experiment.
As a long time Nic Fit player, I can say that it is our "Cabal Therapy":

**You name whatever kills you**

Nevertheless, I don't like him as you will never get to see your opponent's hand (unlike the white version of Shardless for example or any esperblade). So MM is just a freaking "life insurance" that hits or misses.

Depending on the state board/hands, you will likely name the following (not ordered):
- DR
- Tendrils
- Decay
- IT

I did name Tendril last time to just get killed by DR, DR, CR, AdN -> find decay for MM, kill you with Tendril...

So MM alone does not win you a game.

I will be testing Leonin Arbiter to see whether I can get more value out of him than MM (with a wider application against many more MU).

Please also note that I truly think Canonist > MM. As you are not playing Canonist consider it before including MM (and don't raise the blue count issue because blablabla)


5) Echoing Truth

I agree ET is pretty much useless but as long as I am playing the control role, I'll pack them against Storm.
Here are a few usecases that happened to me in the past (not all with Slivers)

1) You can get a chrome mox responding to an IT (hilarious) for those storm decks that play it.
2) I hate losing to Goblins and if you don't have Syphon in hand, you have 0.01% chance to win the race (mark my words).
3) It pitches to FOW
4)"EOT bounce COTV, replay chalice @ 1 during your turn" is one of those plays that makes your oppo cry hard.
5) Bounce a hatebear/COTV/whatever bouncable to save it from Abrupt Decay

I'll be posting my sideboarding strategy for 12 MU in the next few hours/days.

Keep discussing !

Ralf