[Deck] TES - The EPIC Storm

[Arsenal]

Like I was saying, it is also really good against Chalice. No one sees it coming.
Goblins lays out the chalice for 0 and suddenly it isn't buying them time because you just play Determined and lay your crap to go off.

Also, don't underestimate its power to be imprinted. Having a Chrome Mox that can make blue AND black is better than you think.
That's not as narrow as it looks, trust me.

This is true. CotV is running rampant in all sorts of decks (Stompy variants) and in sideboards. Being able to combo through a CotV @ 0 or CotV @ 1 is helpful. Chant, Swarm, and Abeyance do nothing to address this. The best option is to (a.) combo around the CotV, or (b.) tutor/Wish up an answer for CotV, then proceed to combo... maybe.

Meh, Determined looks interesting enough to warrant serious testing, no?

[BreathWeapon]

Chalice of the Void isn't an argument for Bound/Determined tho', most of the decks using Chalice of the Void in the SB are 2-x regardless, because the first game belongs to TES and the third game TES is on the play. I also disagree that Orim's Chant doesn't address Chalice of the Void, Time Walking yourself against disruption is half the reason to run Orim's Chant in the first place. It's not either/or, but Bound/Determined shouldn't be used in favor of Blasts when Counterbalance is the card the deck has to address.

As an aside, are people MDing/SBing the full set of Empty the Warrens against Counterbalance? I find the best solution to Counterbalance is to be able to either resolve two Tendrils of Agony, one Empty the Warrens or a Goblin Charbelcher from hand. If the deck is too reliant on LED->Tutor->IGG/D7->Win condition, it chokes when Counterbalance resolves. I SB them in and out against control based on whether or not it's focused on Counterbalance or Pernicious Deed to good effect

[Media314r8]

My buddy plays the hell out of some TES, and from over 9000 games against him, determined is shit against CB. The best way to deal with it is probably REB or a good EtW before they get countertop online.

"But how to you reslove REB if they have countertop Media?" Simple, play something they want to counter like rite, chant, or rit (assuming they dont have a CMC 1 in the top 3) and they will likely tap top, this is when you REB the CB, with top's draw ability on the stack. In my experience, they usually float CMC2 and land in the top 3, as lands counter all your artifact mana, and CMC 2 spells counter all your tutors. (while they beat with 1 goyf or a couple of geese)

Also, IMO, bob is hot in TES (MB if you've got brass balls, otherwise SB after they side out removal). turn one or two bob will give you the gas you need to combo off turn 2-4 with backup EtW. (the 'making their removal relevant' argument against bob is not valid for those of you running swarms.)

My $.02

Also, if you broke A$$ N!@s cant afford chant, just wait until the extended rotation, they'll probably drop $5-$10.

[Arsenal]

Shadowmoor's Vexing Shusher out of the SB to absolutely rape Counterbalance?

[Dilettante]

Shadowmoor's Vexing Shusher out of the SB to absolutely rape Counterbalance?

It's only for one spell, but yeah... it dances around Chalice also. I like it, don't love it, but it can work for playing around certain things... Unlike Bound/Determined, Chalice/Counterbalance at 2 does not stop it... I guess in just about any matchup with Counterbalance or Chalice at 2, you can generally expect to have enough breathing room to cast it and go off...

Hrm, I misread it... I thought it took 2 mana to activate :) Forgot about Hybrid mana. Better than I thought... It also allows you to make your pyroblast uncounterable...

[yawg07]

Interesting card, I'd really hate putting creatures back into the board of this deck, but he ain't bad haha.
Basically he's gonna say "Pay an extra and Pyroblast is uncounterable."

[Arsenal]

It allows you to ramp up, then go all in knowing for sure that you'll combo, unless your opponent is playing a split second creature removal card...

EDIT: Or it'll say, "Pay RW. Orim's Chant is uncounterable and your opponent cannot play spells this turn." That's pretty nice.

[matelml]

It allows you to ramp up, then go all in knowing for sure that you'll combo, unless your opponent is playing a split second creature removal card...

EDIT: Or it'll say, "Pay RW. Orim's Chant is uncounterable and your opponent cannot play spells this turn." That's pretty nice.

He doesn't need any help to protect: you just combo until your opponent wants to counter something, then you just pay 1 and protect it. It doesn't help against Stifle though. At first sight he is too mana hungry for the TES Sb, but he'll be good in some other deck.

[Arsenal]

Is mana really any issue in this deck? I was always under the impression that half this deck is just raw mana sources, with 16 cards producing multiple mana. TES should have plenty of fuel to add an additional R or RR when comboing out to protect/force through key spells.

[Bryant Cook]

I really, really like this guy. He may be an automatic 4x in the SB.

[BreathWeapon]

A 2cc uncounterable Xantid Swarm that can resolve spells thru' Counterbalance? It's an automatic 4x in the SB, and no one is ever going to SB out their creature removal against TES game 2.

I can't even believe how insane this card is.

Edit: It even gives the deck enough creatures to support Cabal Therapy flashback for the IGG chain instead of hard casting Simian Spirit Guide or sacrificing Tinder Wall.

[Serbitar]

So what about this new gem:

Beseech the Queen

Intriguing at first sight, a little less great when thinking about it. I mean, how often are you going to have more than 2 land out? So it won't fetch a win condition/enabler (4cc). With BBB it's also quite hard to cast and clunky without a ritual (compare Draw4) and the other possible costs are just not worth it... So, basically it would have to be a setup spell to fetch LED or Wish/Infernal. Testing pending, but I doubt it will make it.

[kicks_422]

Vexing Shusher:

Is the ability to work through a Counterbalance for an additional R for every spell better than countering/destroying CB?

Beseech the Queen:

As the deck runs a really low land count (sometimes it wins even with no lands in play), this becomes a black-mana draining LED fetcher. I don't think it would be too good here. Maybe in FT it could make the cut, but not in TES.

[Dilettante]

I doubt Beseech the Queen would make the cut... It's a little slow. It works better in a daisy chain of spells that draws more efficiently (i.e. emphasizes on draw as its method for storming). TES is a precise tutor chain that relies on card 'quality' than quantity instead. It works better for Fetchland, but not the other stormers out there... unless they print a lower CMC kill condition...

[Arsenal]

kicks -

You would primarily be using Susher's ability on the turn you're planning on going off; whether the Counterbalance is destroyed or is just made unuseable, it doesn't matter because your opponent should be dying that turn anyway. It's sorta a moot point imo.

[emidln]

Almost any storm deck will run Grim Tutor before Beseech the Queen. Given that TES doesn't play Grim Tutor, I doubt it'll play Beseech the Queen.

[kicks_422]

kicks -

You would primarily be using Susher's ability on the turn you're planning on going off; whether the Counterbalance is destroyed or is just made unuseable, it doesn't matter because your opponent should be dying that turn anyway. It's sorta a moot point imo.

Of course you would, though being able to protect set-up Wishes and Tutors are also hot as well. I'm just wondering if Pyroblasts' permanent solution to CB (though it can get countered, of course) is readily replaced by an uncounterable but mana-intensive and removable source of protection.

The need for lots of red mana might be a concern though... Seething Songs back in? I guess in a storm turn, you only really need to Shush around 2-3 spells.

[Dilettante]

Of course you would, though being able to protect set-up Wishes and Tutors are also hot as well. I'm just wondering if Pyroblasts' permanent solution to CB (though it can get countered, of course) is readily replaced by an uncounterable but mana-intensive and removable source of protection.

The need for lots of red mana might be a concern though... Seething Songs back in? I guess in a storm turn, you only really need to Shush around 2-3 spells.

On your jesting aside... the issue with Seething Song is... You still need 3 black or some blue on top if you want to go off on Tendrils...

I think Pyroblast and Husher in tandem would make for a good sideboard... but do you have the slots to do so? I'm pretty tempted to cut Thoughtseize in favor of... Therapy in sideboard now. Get *all* their orim's chants out of their hand...

Possible new sideboard:
4x Vexing Husher
1x Cabal Therapy
1x Cleanfall
1x Diminishing Returns
1x Tendrils of Agony
1x Empty the Warrens
1x Pyroclasm
1x Shattering Spree
1x Ill-Gotten Gains
1x Red Elemental Blast
2x Pyroblast

[Jak]

Possible new sideboard:
4x Vexing Husher
1x Cabal Therapy
1x Cleanfall
1x Diminishing Returns
1x Tendrils of Agony
1x Empty the Warrens
1x Pyroclasm
1x Shattering Spree
1x Ill-Gotten Gains
1x Red Elemental Blast
2x Pyroblast

I plan on running this

4 Shusher
4 Pyroblast
1 Igg
1 Tendrils
1 EtW
1 DR
1 Pyroclasm
1 Shattering Spree
1 Tranquility

That seems very strong against ANYTHING. I doubt that I will change the MD for this card because you shouldn't need to. If they have CB out but no top, it should be easy to win. It does make me want to run Determined more though, but UGR to go off smoothly would be hard to get.

[Dilettante]

I plan on running this

4 Shusher
4 Pyroblast
1 Igg
1 Tendrils
1 EtW
1 DR
1 Pyroclasm
1 Shattering Spree
1 Tranquility

That seems very strong against ANYTHING. I doubt that I will change the MD for this card because you shouldn't need to. If they have CB out but no top, it should be easy to win. It does make me want to run Determined more though, but UGR to go off smoothly would be hard to get.

I'm just wary of 4x Pyroblast because of fun fun happy Extirpate.