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Thread: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

  1. #1

    S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    I'll be adding more to this later, but basically been playing a deck that is designed to abuse enchantments that have a separate ETB/LTB ability (O-Ring, Detention Sphere, etc.) with something that allows us to sacrifice the enchantment with the exile trigger on the stack, hence the name "Sack on Stack". The benefit is that you still get the removal of the ETB enchantment, but it's permanent instead of temporary. Also, you get some benefit (creature pump or life) from whatever you sacrificed it to. Here are the key elements:

    1) ETB/LTB enchantments - Right now my suite includes: Journey to Nowhere, Oblivion Ring, Detention Sphere for general removal. I also am playing around with Reality Acid and Parallax Tide for super-abuse. Nothing quite like casting Parallax Wave and then, while retaining priority the whole time, remove all five counters to remove 5 of their lands and then sacrifice the Wave.
    2) A sacrifice outlet - I have identified three that are viable: First is Claws of Gix. This is awesome in that it costs 0-CMC so it comes down quick and can sacrifice anything for life. The downside is that it costs 1 to use. Second is Auratog. Great at 2-CMC and a solid finisher after a Replenish. Third is Phantatog. The usual finisher as after recurring lots of stuff with Replenish and getting a huge hand, this can alpha strike for lots.
    3) Gas - Two cards that are great at filling the hand/yard with gas are Hatching Plans and Attunement. HP is basically a 2-CMC Ancestral with a sac outlet on the board, with the added bonus of being able to abuse it over and over with Replenish. Attunement is great at mega-looting to just discard enchantments to the GY to find that Replenish/missing combo piece to go nuts. The last piece is Replenish which is what breaks the deck and allows it to go crazy. Up until a Replenish the deck typically just does 1-for-1 with opponent on threat/removal. By then getting all the pieces back without casting them, things break down quickly.
    4) Control - I know, playing U/W without playing Ponder/Brainstorm or any counters (except out of the SB) seems very odd. I get that the deck isn't tier 1 but it's so linear and redundant that it mulligans great! So, the deck does play 4 Ancient Tombs and 4 Chalice of the Void main-deck. This get some % of "free wins" when it shuts off BUG Delver and the like on T1, but can come out against decks that don't rely on 1-CMC stuff.

    Thoughts:
    1) The deck is VERY tricky to play as you have to set the stack up well as to not screw up and mess up the triggers. I've punted games I should have won by having my Reality Acids trigger wrong or not holding CTRL down when using Parallax Tide/Wave.
    2) The deck is a bit hard to finish with as you basically have to stick an Atog and peck away until you can Replenish and hit them for a bunch in one turn.

    I will be putting up the full decklist shortly with all the card tags and stuff so stay tuned!

    PS. If you want to see the deck in action, I have some vids on a YT channel. Search for "marcagel"
    Last edited by magiclovr; 08-18-2017 at 09:53 PM. Reason: You Tube information

  2. #2

    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    Have you looked at Starfield of Nyx?

  3. #3
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    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    Seems like you just resolve Parallax Tide, nuke 5 lands, and have it sit on the field through opponent's turn. Sac it to itself on your upkeep (after untapping) and Stifle the single trigger to return all lands exiled. This trick also works with Sundial of the Infinite. Not sure how intent you are with trying to pull all this off on same turn vs getting an untap step.

  4. #4

    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    Quote Originally Posted by morgan_coke View Post
    Have you looked at Starfield of Nyx?
    Not yet, but I do play with a couple Opalescence out of the SB. I will try Starfield shortly.

  5. #5

    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    Quote Originally Posted by Fox View Post
    Seems like you just resolve Parallax Tide, nuke 5 lands, and have it sit on the field through opponent's turn. Sac it to itself on your upkeep (after untapping) and Stifle the single trigger to return all lands exiled. This trick also works with Sundial of the Infinite. Not sure how intent you are with trying to pull all this off on same turn vs getting an untap step.
    Sure, it would work, but it would require playing a 1-cmc spell (nonbo with the Chalices) and not get any value out of the sacrificing (like the atogs or Claws). I guess if I just wanted to stifle a great trigger I'd play Stifle/'Naught.

  6. #6

  7. #7

    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    This seems like a deck for my favorite bad card: Ancestral Knowledge. Another bad card that I have a soft spot for is Dance of Many,

    Serra's Sanctum could be OK.

    You can try Stasis or one or two bounce effects like Rite of Undoing , Echoing Truth or Chain of Vapor.

    Leyline of Anticipation might fit somehow.

  8. #8

    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    Quote Originally Posted by magiclovr View Post
    Sure, it would work, but it would require playing a 1-cmc spell (nonbo with the Chalices) and not get any value out of the sacrificing (like the atogs or Claws). I guess if I just wanted to stifle a great trigger I'd play Stifle/'Naught.
    Trickbind says hi. 2-mana NOPE for those return triggers.

  9. #9

    Re: S.O.S. (Sack on Stack)

    Fun update for the deck since it got a fair amount of support from recent sets! Here is the current list, which is not running the fast-mana chalice package, but is now more control-based.

    4x Detention Sphere
    2x Oblivion Ring
    2x Journey to Nowhere
    2x Seal of Cleansing
    4x Hatching Plans
    3x Induced Amnesia
    1x Starfield of Nyx
    1x Opalescence
    4x Claws of Gix
    3x Auratog
    2x Phantatog
    2x Starfield Mystic
    3x Replenish
    8x Island
    6x Plains
    4x Flooded Strand
    4x Prismatic Vista
    1x Hall of Heliod's Generosity

    SB
    4x Force of Will
    2x Parallax Wave
    2x Parallax Tide
    1x Back to Basics
    2x Pithing Needle
    2x Narset, Parter of Veils
    2x Estrid's Invocation


    1) The deck got a great draw engine with Induced Amnesia. Effectively, it doubles your hand size or can offensively mess with your opponent's hand if needed (really nasty with Narset).
    2) Starfield Mystic is great in the deck as effective mana reducer for enchantments since all of them have at least one generic mana in their cost. Also can be a great beater late game when it's bigger than most anything on the battlefield.
    3) The deck is almost immune to Back to Basics, doesn't care about Wasteland, and is only temporarily hindered by Stifle. Sadly, Stifle is VERY live against the entire deck as it's all triggers so that card is an issue...

    Been having fun playing this in a non-companion field and always looking for suggestions!

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