[Deck] T.E.S - The EPIC Storm

[Final Ritual]

TES top 8's under a pilot who doesn't have -that- much experience with the deck. People need to play more Dark ritual

I think the metagame is begining to shift towards more G/W based aggro decks. Before the go to hate U deck was merfolk which given a good draw could present issues to a storm deck. Now everyone abandoned fish to play maverick. Also reanimator has slipped back some.

I agree this seems to be a very good time to be casting rituals.

[Clown of Tresserhorn]

-1 Chrome Mox
-1 Silence

+2 Gitaxian Probe

Get there

[j_rb]

-1 Chrome Mox
-1 Silence

+2 Gitaxian Probe

Get there

I agree, probe is rather useful in multiple situations. I have been playing 3 in TES and really like it.

[Tammit67]

I agree, probe is rather useful in multiple situations. I have been playing 3 in TES and really like it.

Play the deck enough without probe, and you start to be able to tell what the opponent has in hand to stop you. You'd really rather not have probe in the long run.

[Bryant Cook]

Someone top 8'd SCG: DC with T.E.S... Hopefully he had some feature matches for the opening post.

Decklist

[Damoxx]

Someone top 8'd SCG: DC with T.E.S... Hopefully he had some feature matches for the opening post.

Decklist

I did see it in action during the coverage, the T8 matchup against Ali's Loam/Pox. It did seem that Ali was always one step ahead. Can't wait for the replay.


Spoiler Alert: Extraction on Burning Wish with Tendrils in the 'yard is rough. [/sarcasm]

[thefringthing]

Let me start out by saying this thread has one of the best opening posts on the forum. Don't knock it until you write and compile something better.

I wrote the Belcher primer on Sally (which, admittedly, I have allowed to become out-of-date since I seldom read the Sally forums anymore). I agree that your primer is one of the better ones on the Source.

[Clown of Tresserhorn]

Play the deck enough without probe, and you start to be able to tell what the opponent has in hand to stop you. You'd really rather not have probe in the long run.

I'm no master of the deck, so I need the information. Especially at high level events.

Also, the main reason for probe is that it acts as a free storm. Including 2 means you can drop a mana source (worst one being Chrome mox), while also upping the cantrip count.

These changes have worked for me. If you've been having success with the stock list, more power to you.

[Bryant Cook]

I wrote the Belcher primer on Sally (which, admittedly, I have allowed to become out-of-date since I seldom read the Sally forums anymore). I agree that your primer is one of the better ones on the Source.

I just looked at, I'm just missing an image on top and one line describing each card in the deck...

I'm no master of the deck, so I need the information. Especially at high level events.

Also, the main reason for probe is that it acts as a free storm. Including 2 means you can drop a mana source (worst one being Chrome mox), while also upping the cantrip count.

These changes have worked for me. If you've been having success with the stock list, more power to you.

Paying two life for free storm is never worth it in a deck that uses it's life total as a resource in order to win the game. Well, you could just pay a blue and draw a random card. Then realize your opponent still has all of those counterspells. Probe doesn't actually do anything, players are better off running more Duress if they want a peak at the opponents hand.

[j_rb]

Paying two life for free storm is never worth it in a deck that uses it's life total as a resource in order to win the game. Well, you could just pay a blue and draw a random card. Then realize your opponent still has all of those counterspells. Probe doesn't actually do anything, players are better off running more Duress if they want a peak at the opponents hand.

I also don't think if you are using probe for a storm you are using it correctly. It isn't a free storm, it's a setup for a business spell. It lets you brainstorm and put some business spell on top then probe into it for the win and it lets you do it early in the game. I'm sure most people are seeing probe and thinking you just wait for your combo turn and use it for a free card and storm, but you would be mistaken.
I've played the stock version and the gp amsterdam version with a couple changes (I.E. one with probe) and the probes aren't necessary I was merely stating they are useful in certain situations (I'm sure some have been discussed) and can help the deck be faster (even though it's already pretty fast). I feel they aren't necessary in terms of adding storm or peeking (which isn't useful in most cases), but they can setup some ridiculous plays that, in some cases, would require 2 brainstorms, which takes up your precious mana. Also, on the point of using your life total as a resource, yes the deck does, but the decks curve is sooo low you can win at really low life totals. I have rarely fizzled off of an ad nauseam at lower life totals. Hell, I've won a game or 2 off of ad nauseam at 6 before. It requires some luck but it happens. Now if you are looking to rapeshot someone for 100 damage, yea it requires a nice life total to ad nauseam from, but for the straight up tendrils win can be done easily at 12. Also, probe sets up situations where you don't even need ad nauseam to hit 10 storm.

ps. I'm not advocating the strict use of gitaxian probe in tes, I'm just throwing out some reasoning on why it CAN be played in tes.

[John Cox]

I also don't think if you are using probe for a storm you are using it correctly. It isn't a free storm, it's a setup for a business spell. It lets you brainstorm and put some business spell on top then probe into it for the win and it lets you do it early in the game.

I agree in that people shouldn't use it for free storm. However, I wouldn't advocate your play. It would make more sense to probe first, then brainstorm and put 2 cards back, seeing an extra card from the deal.
Probe is really only good for a free peek, the deck doesn't need to ramp up it's storm count as it has Ad Nauseam and Ill-Gotten Gains for that and I have doubts as to how useful a free peek really is.

[thefringthing]

I just looked at, I'm just missing an image on top and one line describing each card in the deck...

Your primer is definitely a bit more in-depth than that one. My point was just that I'm aware of what goes into writing and maintaining one.

[Trentemoller]

I agree in that people shouldn't use it for free storm. However, I wouldn't advocate your play. It would make more sense to probe first, then brainstorm and put 2 cards back, seeing an extra card from the deal.
Probe is really only good for a free peek, the deck doesn't need to ramp up it's storm count as it has Ad Nauseam and Ill-Gotten Gains for that and I have doubts as to how useful a free peek really is.

I think he is talking about shenanigans with LED, which is a big reason to play with Gitaxian Probe. If you draw into your Ad Nauseam or sometimes even a wish with 2 LEDs you can brainstorm the business on top, play your ritual(s)/LED(s) and probe, saccing the LEDs in response to grab your Ad Nauseam or your Wish to cast it with mana from the LEDs. Yes, sometimes you can do this with 2 Brainstorms but this costs more blue mana which is very relevant. This is the most important function of the card but the information it gives is very relevant and if you are going for Goblins one more storm can certainly make the difference.

[Tammit67]

I think he is talking about shenanigans with LED, which is a big reason to play with Gitaxian Probe. If you draw into your Ad Nauseam or sometimes even a wish with 2 LEDs you can brainstorm the business on top, play your ritual(s)/LED(s) and probe, saccing the LEDs in response to grab your Ad Nauseam or your Wish to cast it with mana from the LEDs. Yes, sometimes you can do this with 2 Brainstorms but this costs more blue mana which is very relevant. This is the most important function of the card but the information it gives is very relevant and if you are going for Goblins one more storm can certainly make the difference.

I don't think up'ing the cantrips from 8 to 10 just for LED tricks is worth cutting our protection and initial mana sources post ad naus. When I'm cracking LED, I usually have enough mana, and I don't want to pay life if I can avoid it. Storm is never an issue, its making sure I draw those 2-3 extra cards off ad nausem that is really important.

[Trentemoller]

But you can use Ponder/Brainstorm + Gitaxian Probe + LED to pay for Ad Nauseam if you draw it naturally which is relevant (because you cannot pay for Ad Nauseam with LED unless you Infernal Tutor for it) and with some flips you can stop earlier with Ad Nauseam because you have 2 LEDs but only 1 Mox/Petal and a Brainstorm + Probe to pay for Wish so it can actually help. Storm is the least relevant but can and will be relevant around once a tournament.

The information it gives when you Probe them turn 1 can be very valuable. Knowing which deck you are facing, which and how many counters they have, how much time you have, if they have a discard spell, if they have a Stoneforge Mystic (relevant for Empty) all make your cantrips a lot better. I won two games in the tournament I played it in based on the information of probe. I won the die roll and I had a hand with a Ponder, a Silence and a Probe. I probed him and saw he could go off turn 1. I wrote down his hand, thought for 2 minutes, fake counted a couple of times and passed the turn with City open. I silenced him in response to the tutor and won the game 1-2 turns later. Being able to form a game plan based on what your opponent has in his hand instead of in his deck and possibly in his hand gives you quite the edge.

[j_rb]

Being able to form a game plan based on what your opponent has in his hand instead of in his deck and possibly in his hand gives you quite the edge.

Yep, and your example is perfect because if you didn't have probe you would probably spend a turn pondering or something then lose turn 1. Now if you know what every single opponent is playing then the peek is irrelevant, but still using it for other things is useful. The main thing is casting ad nauseam with LED. Of course you can do this easily with a tutor or wish but if you happen to have a nauseam stuck in your hand with 1 cantrip you can't cast it off of LED, and this is very relevant as the situation will come up after many months of playing this deck. If this situation hasn't come up give it time and it will, and if it doesn't then don't play it. I'm not saying playing it is the best, but it can get you out of certain sticky situations you can find yourself in while playing this deck.

[Tammit67]

Between 4 rite, 4 rits, 4 lotus petals, 4 chrome mox and the lands, casting ad naus isn't hard. Hell, we recently increased the count to 2 BECAUSE its so awesome to draw. I can do the LED tricks anyway.

I don;t know how correct first turn ponder is against an unknown opponent. Why wouldnt you just hold onto it for another turn? Against the decks that can't kill you ASAP, you have the time to see an extra card, and against the decks that do you get protection.

Can't you tell the deck you are facing by the time they make a second land drop? Do they run daze? Snare? Doesn't matter, silence resolved.

[j_rb]

Between 4 rite, 4 rits, 4 lotus petals, 4 chrome mox and the lands, casting ad naus isn't hard. Hell, we recently increased the count to 2 BECAUSE its so awesome to draw. I can do the LED tricks anyway.

I mean, I completely agree and that's why I was never using probe forever just testing it a little bit, but I can see why someone would want to run it.

I was also just giving reasons why you can use probe.

I mainly cut it when I came across the situation of t1 killing someone playing stupid gw deck and probed into burning wish with no rite of flame or chrome mox. Was horrible as TES never loses to that deck.

I don;t know how correct first turn ponder is against an unknown opponent. Why wouldnt you just hold onto it for another turn? Against the decks that can't kill you ASAP, you have the time to see an extra card, and against the decks that do you get protection.

I could justify pondering T1 if you know you are going to just win t2 if you hit anything other than land or draw.

The worse thing that can happen passing is they t2 gaddock teeg and it slows you down, but it's not a problem usually.

Also, this would be correct if you had brainstorm in your hand. I was just using ponder as an example, keyword EXAMPLE here.

Can't you tell the deck you are facing by the time they make a second land drop? Do they run daze? Snare? Doesn't matter, silence resolved.

I can usually tell what I'm playing by the first land drop and play to that.

And yes chant > everything these are all things I know, I was just justifying the reasons you can play probe and giving random a random example of what they can do, and to be honest I don't need someone telling me stuff I already know, I was just throwing it out there for everyone who reads this and is unfamiliar with the deck that probe can be run in it with success.

[Damoxx]

SCGDC Top8 Vid #1
SCGDC Top8 Vid #2

[Oiolosse]

In the first video at ~11:40 he Infernal Tutors for an LED by tapping a Chrome Mox and a Polluted Delta. Ali had his ass from the get go.