[Primer] Nic Fit

[Echelon]

If your meta is so low on fair decks that you only want to run 2 spotremoval you should really consider playing another deck entirely. Junk Fit doesn't deal with unfair decks especially well and by running so little spotremoval you've also kinda ruined your Delver/fair MUs.

Tracker is great, it's become a mainstay for a lot of lists nowadays. It's run in everything, from Junk to Jund to BUG.

On the other stuff... Look man, if you want to keep Magical Chistmas Land-ing that's fine. Just don't expect much response from the community.

[Nargoron]

If your meta is so low on fair decks that you only want to run 2 spotremoval you should really consider playing another deck entirely. Junk Fit doesn't deal with unfair decks especially well and by running so little spotremoval you've also kinda ruined your Delver/fair MUs.

Tracker is great, it's become a mainstay for a lot of lists nowadays. It's run in everything, from Junk to Jund to BUG.

On the other stuff... Look man, if you want to keep Magical Chistmas Land-ing that's fine. Just don't expect much response from the community.

The crazy nastyass honey badger, indeed :)

As i mentioned... it's not fo tournament purpouses. I play elves. This is for fun with friends.
2x removal is low, ok try to shift it little bit for 4.
Junk is much better then Jund against combo. BUG is better ofc, but i just dont like blue.
Magical landing works fine for now, if i have problems with lands, i will keep in mind your advice, thank you.

[Mr. Safety]

I've settled on a list for now, still working on getting Trackers (shop didn't have them, nobody had them for trade at a recent 70 mana event.) I was able to trade into a Sigarda though, so it wasn't a total loss. Will adjust accordingly when Tracker is obtained. My replacement for now is Doran, which is janky, but I don't see anything else really at the 3 mana slot I would want. A 2nd Witness seems *ok*, and I don't want to go Knight of the Reliquary because it creates a complete change in approach (might as well do Maverick.) Ramanup Excavator just doesn't do enough, unless it's against Lands, and nobody at the local is on Lands. Suggestions welcome for that slot. I'm also flexible on the 1x Thoughtseize maindeck; it's a concession to the random nature of the LGS, where an odd Thoughtseize sometimes helps you win against Enchantress or Bomberman. However, people with more experience with the deck could easily sway me to do something different (note: I do not own Mirri's Guile, and I have been unsuccessful in obtaining them so far.)

4x Veteran Explorer
3x Deathrite Shaman
1x Dryad Arbor
4x Siege Rhino
1x Doran, the Siege Tower
1x Eternal Witness
1x Qasali Pridemage
1x Sigarda, Host of Herons
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1x Courser of Kruphix

4x Green Sun's Zenith
4x Cabal Therapy
1x Thoughtseize
3x Path to Exile
2x Abrupt Decay
1x Vindicate
3x Pernicious Deed
1x Nissa, Vital Force
2x Sylvan Library

4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Windswept Heath
1x Marsh Flats
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Savannah
1x Bayou
1x Scrubland
3x Forest
2x Swamp
1x Plains
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Rogue's Passage

Sideboard
3x Duress
2x Surgical Extraction
2x Lost Legacy
2x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Golgari Charm
1x Toxic Deluge
2x Pithing Needle
1x Bitterblossom (could become Choke, Deluge #2, GCharm #2, LLegacy #3)


Very solid so far, with really fun games. Rogues Passage is a little iffy, might just want another Forest. Urborg has been useful. I'm a little iffy on only playing 20 lands anyways...might drop to 2 Deathrites for land 21.

[Echelon]

You could also cut either the Thoughtseize or the Vindicate to accomodate for another land. Another option would be to add the land as your 61st card.

[Mr. Safety]

I've done 61 in the past, and in a toolbox deck like this it could work. But I don't, generally, like the idea of 61 cards. I would likely drop the Thoughtsieze for the land, probably a Forest.

While I have your attention...how does Dryad Arbor work out for you? I remember from the primer that GSZ for 1 is almost always better than GSZ for Arbor t1. I have found that I have definitely wanted to save it for GSZ = 1, and my most frequent target is Explorer. It waits a turn but it gives an explosion of mana that is just the nuts. The primer also talks about Deed killing Arbor, which is relevant. The best thing I've done so far is Therapy t1, then turned a fetchland into an Arbor so I can flash it back t2 and also play a Deathrite. It's good, but it if the DRS dies I'm not getting ahead in mana like I want to. In a nutshell, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to play with Dryad Arbor.

Just some thoughts, might drop the Arbor and I wanted some experienced advice.

[Echelon]

Arbor is mostly valuable vs. fast combo decks. On the play it enables you to cast T2 Lost Legacy before your opponent is likely to kill you, which can either buy you a lot of time or just outright win the game if your opponent has been sloppy with his/her win conditions. On the draw though don't ever GSZ for it on any T1 when you could be casting discard instead.

In other MUs it's mostly a delicate precision tool. You use it to coax your opponent into wasting spotremoval or a Wasteland on it, to (surprise) fog an incoming creature (either just once or permanently, in conjunction w/ Meren of Clan Nel Toth), surprise counter check in the late game by flashing back a Therapy before casting a crucial threat (or answer) or from time to time even to turn a fetchland into exactly lethal damage (although that case is obviously very rare, but I have pulled it off a non-zero number of times). It won't ever have a huge impact on the game, but very often it does make a difference. I hope that kinda makes sense.

Yes, it sometimes dies to Deed, but that's what the deck does. You have to be willing to sever a limb to save the whole and usually blowing up Deed hurts your opponent more than it hurts you.

[Mr. Safety]

Arbor is mostly valuable vs. fast combo decks. On the play it enables you to cast T2 Lost Legacy before your opponent is likely to kill you, which can either buy you a lot of time or just outright win the game if your opponent has been sloppy with his/her win conditions. On the draw though don't ever GSZ for it on any T1 when you could be casting discard instead.

In other MUs it's mostly a delicate precision tool. You use it to coax your opponent into wasting spotremoval or a Wasteland on it, to (surprise) fog an incoming creature (either just once or permanently, in conjunction w/ Meren of Clan Nel Toth), surprise counter check in the late game by flashing back a Therapy before casting a crucial threat (or answer) or from time to time even to turn a fetchland into exactly lethal damage (although that case is obviously very rare, but I have pulled it off a non-zero number of times). It won't ever have a huge impact on the game, but very often it does make a difference. I hope that kinda makes sense.

Yes, it sometimes dies to Deed, but that's what the deck does. You have to be willing to sever a limb to save the whole and usually blowing up Deed hurts your opponent more than it hurts you.

Great points, thank you. I would have gotten there eventually, but this is a clear case where I *knew* the community could help me get there quicker.

[Echelon]

Happy to help!

[Nargoron]

I've settled on a list for now, still working on getting Trackers (shop didn't have them, nobody had them for trade at a recent 70 mana event.) I was able to trade into a Sigarda though, so it wasn't a total loss. Will adjust accordingly when Tracker is obtained. My replacement for now is Doran, which is janky, but I don't see anything else really at the 3 mana slot I would want. A 2nd Witness seems *ok*, and I don't want to go Knight of the Reliquary because it creates a complete change in approach (might as well do Maverick.) Ramanup Excavator just doesn't do enough, unless it's against Lands, and nobody at the local is on Lands. Suggestions welcome for that slot.

Hi Mr. Safety,
i would rather play
Anafenza, the Foremost
Kitchen Finks
Steel Leaf Champion (but GGG could be a problem to hardcast :( )
GL :)

[Mr. Safety]

Thanks for the suggestions. Anafenza has some decent anti-reanimator synergy, but it's waaaaay too slow. Kitchen Finks is another grindy card, but I don't think it adds anything to the deck that Doran doesn't do better (hosing True Name, blocking just about anything ground-based, making my Courser/Meren/Rhino's better.) Steel Leaf Champion is a definite no, as you say the mana cost is way too prohibitive. Doran also hits for 5 and has a better effect on the board.

[Nargoron]

Thanks for the suggestions. Anafenza has some decent anti-reanimator synergy, but it's waaaaay too slow. Kitchen Finks is another grindy card, but I don't think it adds anything to the deck that Doran doesn't do better (hosing True Name, blocking just about anything ground-based, making my Courser/Meren/Rhino's better.) Steel Leaf Champion is a definite no, as you say the mana cost is way too prohibitive. Doran also hits for 5 and has a better effect on the board.

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/format-s...full/creatures
Hmm its better then i thought.
Good against:
Delver, Nemesis, thalia, Pyromancer...
And u r right, i didnt noticed, that u r running 4 rhinos :) even DtS gets little boost. You have to tell us how u were happy with this card.
Steel Leaf Champion - its more or less that he cant be chumpblocked. But GGG in 3color is just... no way :(

[Mr. Safety]

It's just a place-holder anyways, I definitely think even 1 Tracker would be better (most lists use 2.)

[fapsik]

Hey guys,

after some time playing Aluren I got back to my roots - to Nic Fit. I suited up a RhinoFit like this:


4 Veteran Explorer
3 Siege Rhino
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Thragtusk
1 Dryad Arbor
2 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Witness
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
2 Sylvan Library
2 Pernicious Deed
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Path to Exile
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Windswept Heath
2 Bayou
1 Scrubland
2 Savannah
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Volrath's Stronghold
3 Forest
2 Swamp
2 Plains
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Toxic Deluge

2 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Pithing Needle
2 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Ashen Rider
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Golgari Charm
1 To the Slaughter
2 Lost Legacy
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Thoughtseize


I played few games and it looks super fine, especially against fair decks. It has an answer almost to everything, it grinds well and wins eventually. The problem, of course, is combo - Sneak and Show, Storm, Turbo Depths. I have some troubles fighting them, I felt I can beat them but in the end their top deck was always better :-( I guess I must get used to it. Btw, Sylvan Library was awsome and super well functioning. Maybe Mirri's Guile can be handy.

[Echelon]

Guiles are awesome.

The only real standout card in your list is Thrun. Nowadays it's pretty much obsolete.

[Matsu]

Did anyone tried recently to spice things up with the inclusion of new cards:
1. Mastermind acquisition as a tutor?
2. Yawgmoth Vile offering in a legendary build?
3. New Multani as a finisher 6 drop?
4. Angrath in a GBR build?

[Mr. Safety]

How good is To the Slaughter? I know it's an edict effect that also hits Jace, but is that needed when you can just smash Jace with Siege Rhinos and Deed the board away? Just curious, I have a couple copies of To the Slaughter but I never considered using it in Nic Fit.

[Matsu]

How good is To the Slaughter? I know it's an edict effect that also hits Jace, but is that needed when you can just smash Jace with Siege Rhinos and Deed the board away? Just curious, I have a couple copies of To the Slaughter but I never considered using it in Nic Fit.

It kills TNN and Emrakul, Planeswalkers if you manage your board properly and if you are lucky enough you can go 2 for 1. I use one copy of it depends of the metagame. If you expect a lot of Miracles / Jund / Czech Pile I will stick a copy in. In another case Diabolic Edict might be better and cheaper.

[Mr. Safety]

I'm not worried about the 1 mana difference, this is a mana-ramp deck after all. Just wondering if it is really necessary. Going to a tournament on 6/6, likely bringing Rhino Fit, so I'd like to know if I should include it in my sideboard. I expect a fairly stock mix of tier 1-2 decks: Grixis Delver, Czech Pile, Death and Taxes, Lands, Elves, TES, ANT, Dragon Stompy, Eldrazi,, Miracles, BR Reanimator, and Show and Tell. I always see the fringes as well, with Burn, Enchantress, 12Post, Manaless Dredge, and Pox. As a whole the metagame is mostly fair with the combo decks of choice being S&T, Reanimator, and Elves. I think this could be a good place to play Nic Fit. At the last 1k I got 16th with Junk Stoneblade, going 4-2. My losses were to Burn and Maverick. I think Nic Fit is a better 'big' deck than Maverick and the Burn matchup isn't as problematic with 4x Rhino and Courser.

How important are Phyrexian Tower/Volrath's Stronghold? I haven't been able to find them, but I'll try harder if they are definitely necessary. Right now my lands are streamlined for mana consistency rather than utility, no frills, no thrills.

[Kobra_D]

I'm not worried about the 1 mana difference, this is a mana-ramp deck after all. Just wondering if it is really necessary. Going to a tournament on 6/6, likely bringing Rhino Fit, so I'd like to know if I should include it in my sideboard. I expect a fairly stock mix of tier 1-2 decks: Grixis Delver, Czech Pile, Death and Taxes, Lands, Elves, TES, ANT, Dragon Stompy, Eldrazi,, Miracles, BR Reanimator, and Show and Tell. I always see the fringes as well, with Burn, Enchantress, 12Post, Manaless Dredge, and Pox. As a whole the metagame is mostly fair with the combo decks of choice being S&T, Reanimator, and Elves. I think this could be a good place to play Nic Fit. At the last 1k I got 16th with Junk Stoneblade, going 4-2. My losses were to Burn and Maverick. I think Nic Fit is a better 'big' deck than Maverick and the Burn matchup isn't as problematic with 4x Rhino and Courser.

How important are Phyrexian Tower/Volrath's Stronghold? I haven't been able to find them, but I'll try harder if they are definitely necessary. Right now my lands are streamlined for mana consistency rather than utility, no frills, no thrills.

I've always been a huge fan of 1 To the Slaughter in my Rhino Fit list. Delirium is easy enough to hit that the card is almost always worth a consideration. From the obvious use of edict effects and tagging a jace, to post board D&T where they likely board in Gideon, or red prison with an out of control chandra under a bridge.

I enjoy the two towers, but you don't need them. DRS has made stronghold significantly worse over the years, that being said, since colors are so easily fixed in nic fit I usually run it if I have a flex spot. Phyrexian tower is a bit better imo, but only because it can speed up the deck deploying 5 mana on T2, the problem is both are useful in fair match-ups which we are already good against (or most builds are good against), our harder matches have historically been against combo which neither land does much for and can hurt openers by not providing colored mana for disruption (not often but can happen).

In building up a complete book of nic fit cards, at some point you will want the lands, but they are not keeping the deck from being playable. One land not to overlook in Junk builds in Horizon Canopy. I've fallen all types of in love with that card to the point where a flex slot in non-junk decks probably means I will still sleeve it up as a 1 of.

_______________________
Deck of the week:
The brew I'm working on was mentioned in the tertiary variants part of the primer, GB Storm,


//Creatures
4 Veteran Explorer
3 Deathrite Shaman
4 Tireless Tracker
1 Ob Nixilis, the fallen
1 Dryad Arbor

//Inst. & Sorc.
4 Cabal Therapy
2 abrupt decay
2 Collective Brutality
2 Innocent Blood
2 Masterminds Aquisition
2 Scapeshift
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Thoughtseize
1 Diabolic Intent

//Other
2 Pernicious Deed
1 Pithing Needle
2 Nissa, Vital Force

//Lands
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Wooded Foothills
3 Bayou
4 Forest
3 Swamp
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Horizon Canopy

//SB
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Damnation
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Noxious Revival
1 Rite's of Consumption
2 Choke
1 Pithing Needle
2 Diabolic Edict
1 To the Slaughter
3 Dampening Sphere

[Matsu]

I'm not worried about the 1 mana difference, this is a mana-ramp deck after all. Just wondering if it is really necessary. Going to a tournament on 6/6, likely bringing Rhino Fit, so I'd like to know if I should include it in my sideboard. I expect a fairly stock mix of tier 1-2 decks: Grixis Delver, Czech Pile, Death and Taxes, Lands, Elves, TES, ANT, Dragon Stompy, Eldrazi,, Miracles, BR Reanimator, and Show and Tell. I always see the fringes as well, with Burn, Enchantress, 12Post, Manaless Dredge, and Pox. As a whole the metagame is mostly fair with the combo decks of choice being S&T, Reanimator, and Elves. I think this could be a good place to play Nic Fit. At the last 1k I got 16th with Junk Stoneblade, going 4-2. My losses were to Burn and Maverick. I think Nic Fit is a better 'big' deck than Maverick and the Burn matchup isn't as problematic with 4x Rhino and Courser.

How important are Phyrexian Tower/Volrath's Stronghold? I haven't been able to find them, but I'll try harder if they are definitely necessary. Right now my lands are streamlined for mana consistency rather than utility, no frills, no thrills.

I will agree with Kobra, Stronghold is not necessary. I thing it should be played in specific builds.
Tower let you go T2 Thragtusk/Sigarda or extent your board. It is a non counterable sac outlet. It is useful if you do not draw your therapies having an Explorer on board and facing flying delvers, which you will. Some people play diabolic intent as a 6th sac outlet and tutor.

If you really want to play a card that work like stronghold i will play in the main Eternal Witness and in the board Pulse of Murasa.