[Deck] Next Level Threshold

[dsck]

@Dsck what does your current list look like and what are your sideboard plans for the normal RUG, Maverick, Control, and combo (sneak attack) matchups?
Friend is trying to get into the deck and usually play combo (T.E.S.) so this whole contorl deck is new to me.

thanks in advance
-Lamber101

Current list:
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Grim Lavamancer
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Tarmogoyf

2 Counterspell
1 Forked Bolt
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Spell Snare
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Stifle
1 Preordain
2 Ponder
1 Sylvan Library
2 Jace2.0

4 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Flooded Strand
1 Wooded Foothills
2 Island
1 Mountain
3 Tropical
3 Volcanic
4 Wasteland

SB:
1 Sulfur Elemental
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Mind Harness
2 Submerge
2 Ancient Grudge
1 Red Elemental Blast
2 Pyroblast
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Spell Pierce


Sideboarding often changes depending on if you are on the play or on the draw. Stifles for example are way weaker when on the draw and your opponent starts the game.

RUG:
-4 FOW, -2 Counterspell, some number of Snares and Stifles depending usually on if Im on the draw or play.
+2 Spell Pierce, +1 Relic, +3 Pyro/REB, +2 Submerge, +1 or 2 Surgical Extraction.

Sometimes I bring in Mind Harness if I know they dont have many red elemental blasts.

If RUG is very dominant around where you play you could use extra sideboard slot for another Relic of Progenitus and play 1 Life from the Loam in the sideboard or maindeck.

Use your relics just to minimaze their grave and you have 4 Lightning Bolt, 1 Forked Bolt, 3 REB/Pyro, 2 Lavamancer for Delvers so they only have Goyfs as their only creatures to fight you.

Remember to play around daze and fetch basics if you can, especially basic mountain early game so you dont die to delver. Then you can just search Tropicals and you have pretty solid mana.

Maverick:
-4 Force of Will, -2 Stifle, -2 Spell Snare, -2 Vendilion Clique
+2 Mind Harness, +2 Submerge, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Ancient Grudge, +1 Relic of Progenitus, +1 Sulfur Elemental

I have been considering switching Relics for 1 Krosan Grip (also good against counterbalance) and 1 Nature's Claim or Seal of Primordium as Choke is very nasty against us but I havent tested this yet. GRUDGES** are very good against artifact decks like MUD, Stax, Affinity, Blade Control and so on..


Miracle Control:
-1 Forked Bolt, -2 FOW, some number of lightning bolts and stifles depending on if you are on the draw or play.
+3 Pyro/REB, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Surgical Extraction

Surgicals arent necessary, but I like them against control decks. If they play Stoneforges bring in Grudges. If they play Lingering Souls bring in Sulfur Elemental.

Sneak Attack:
-2 Grim Lavamancer, -1 Forked Bolt, -3 Spell Snare, -1 Sylvan Library or Jace
+2 Surgical Extraction, 3 Pyro/REB, 2 Spell Pierce


Jace could win if you lose counterwar over show and tell and they drop emrakul, you drop land and then on your turn you play jace + bounce.

But that usually doesnt happen Some number of Flusterstorms or Spell Pierces for the sideboard would improve this matchup a bit but its still pretty even when you draw a good hand. Its important that you dont tap out early and try to get clique/snapcaster action on their end step.

[lambert101]

thanks for the help....i may try switching the spell snares for pierces

[ginger]

I've been testing NLT for GP: Atlanta and I love playing it. I started wish dsck's list but I found myself disliking Stifle. It was great versus Griselbrand decks, but RUG and Maverick have been giving me trouble so I switched to Engineered Explosives and love it.
My current list looks like this:

4 Tarmogoyf
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique

1 Sylvan Library
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Force of Will
2 Counterspell
3 Spell Snare
2 Spell Pierce
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Forked Bolt
4 Brainstorm
2 Preordain
1 Ponder

2 Engineered Explosives

4 Wasteland
4 Flooded Strand
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island
2 Island
1 Mountain

Sideboard:
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Sulfur Elemental
2 Mind Harness
2 Submerge
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Nature's Claim
1 Spell Pierce

Thoughts?

[dsck]

You are aiming to get to mid game with this deck, you usually pull ahead with stifles/snapcasters. Then you have enough advantage to tapout for Jace or resolve Tarmogoyf with counter backup. Not playing stifles is a mistake in my opinion.

[Dark Ritual]

Stifle is pretty good against canadian thresh, especially if you go island pass on turn 1 or you lay down an island when your opponent has an uncracked fetchland. The real point of stifle in this deck is to help stall until you land a jace or some bomb, as playing jace when the opponent is still playing 2 drops is quite good. Controlling the pace of the game is quite good when you're the one controlling the pace. And stifle + snapcaster is straight dirty.

I wouldn't run mind harness right now. Gilded drake is the card against show and tell decks as well as reanimator, as stealing griselbrand beats stealing just red or green creatures.

[Koby]

My favorite thing about Gilded Drake in this deck is that it plays like EDH - steal your dude, Jace-bounce my Drake. /grin/

[dsck]

Good notes about Gilded Drake, its on my to-get list. I'd probably replace submerges before Mind Harnesses as they are slightly weaker overall.

I've also been testing Life from the Loam as 1-of maindeck instead of 1 preordain, so many times it gets me the land I need (which I'd have preordained for) or wastelocks the opponent. Its also ridiculous card advantage with jace and brainstorms.

The minus points of it is you dont want to use 2 mana for the loam where as using 1 mana for preordain lets you keep stifle/snare/counterspell open. It may just get snared and you get out tempoed before you get your engine going.

I think ranc0r originally suggested it here so all credit to him.

[lambert101]

In testing with dsck's list I find Maverick the hardest match-up. If you do not have stifles early you are done.

[dsck]

In testing with dsck's list I find Maverick the hardest match-up. If you do not have stifles early you are done.

I wouldnt say hardest, but its tough. If maverick gets mom to stick and things are starting to look grim, its good idea to pack it up and go to sideboard games as those are definitely favorable and time maybe an issue. Look out for Thrun (you need goyf) and be aware of Choke.

[SirTylerGalt]

I've been testing AJ Sacher's U/R Delver list from a few months ago: http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/dec...0&iddeck=62381 It has some similarities with NLT.

With the printing of Nivmagus Elemental in RtR, I wonder if NLT could go UR (or maybe just a very small green splash for SB cards like Ancient Grudge), replacing Goyf with Nivmagus, and adding a few Flusterstorm to combo with it?

Also, I'd love to revive Gro-A-Tog, replacing Psychatog with Kiln Fiend and Nivmagus Elemental, and adding Cunning Wish + Berserk in the SB. Not sure if a Next Level Threshold shell would work, though...

[Dyvith]

I've been playing this deck again as I think it is really well positioned against all the combo in the field. Traditionally, the deck has run lavamancer and lightning bolt, but I think that the format has shifted - Lavamancer is simply not good enough.

This is what I am proposing.

4 Tarmogoyf
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendillion Clique
2 Jace, The Mind Sculptor (Possibly 3?)

3 Forked Bolt
3 Punishing Fire
3 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
4 Brainstorm
3 Preordain
4 Force of Will
4 Stifle
1 Engineered Explosives

3 Grove
3 Trop
3 Volc
2 Island
4 Waste
7 blue fetches

[Dyvith]

I imagine the sideboard resembles the following:

2 Counterspell
1 Vendillion Clique
1 REB
1 Pyroblast
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Nature's Claim
1 Krosan Grip
2 Relic of Progenitus (This may come out)
2 Izzet Staticaster (This may come out)
1 Pyroclasm (This may come out)
2 Mind Harness

[The Treefolk Master]

I've been playing this deck again as I think it is really well positioned against all the combo in the field. Traditionally, the deck has run lavamancer and lightning bolt, but I think that the format has shifted - Lavamancer is simply not good enough.

This is what I am proposing.

4 Tarmogoyf
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendillion Clique
2 Jace, The Mind Sculptor (Possibly 3?)

3 Forked Bolt
3 Punishing Fire
3 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
4 Brainstorm
3 Preordain
4 Force of Will
4 Stifle
1 Engineered Explosives

3 Grove
3 Trop
3 Volc
2 Island
4 Waste
7 blue fetches

Having faced 4 combo decks out of 7 rounds last saturday, I'm looking into playing something like this. RUG Delver is a bit too aggro for my taste, while this deck has all the controlling elements + the ability to crush someone with Goyf beats, elements which I enjoy.

I like your list, although I have no experience to assess how good it is. Is P. Fire currentl better than Grimm lavamancer? (I've found lavamancer in most lists I've seen).

Does anyone have an updated stock list (should that exist) I can use as a starting point?

[Dungaurd]

As a former canadian thresh player, this deck looks very interesting. It appears it might be a better choice versus a lot of what is out there right now. Anybody have any updated list to talk about?

[rancOr_]

Hi,
I've been playing this deck for a very long time with great succes! If I were to play this right now(which is a really good choice btw) I'd probably play this list:

2 island
1 mountain
3 volcanic island
3 tropical island
4 scalding tarn
5 blue fetch(pref. polluted delta to hide stifle)
3 wasteland
4 tarmogoyf
4 snapcaster mage
3 vendilion clique
2 jace,the mind sculptor
1 sylvan library
4 brainstorm
4 stifle
4 force of will
3 spell snare
2 spell pierce
1 counterspell
2 ponder
4 lightning bolt
1 fire//ice

- First off, snapcaster mage is mvp in this deck,its correct to play 4 as u have so many targets(+post board reb/fluster,..)
- Next is V. Clique, this card is amazing in this deck,would not go below 3.
- No 4wasteland, I like the 9th fetch over it as u need alot of UU.
- I dont like P fire,as again LB is faster and way better with SCM.
- Ponder/Preordain both are actually really good in this deck,play whatever u prefer.
- I've always been really happy with the S. Library. This flex spot can also be a LftL.

Grtz

[copywriter]

Are anyone still playing this deck? I sleeved up this today and it felt really versatile, strong and consistent.

4 Tarmogoyf
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Vendilion Clique
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder
4 Force of Will
3 Spell Snare
2 Spell Pierce
1 Counterspell
4 Stifle
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Chain Lightning
1 Fire // Ice
4 Wasteland
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island
2 Island
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest

Sideboard
2 Mind Harness
2 Grim Lavamancer
1 Firespout
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Pyroblast
2 Flusterstorm
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Life from the Loam


I do have a lot of questions though. Hopefully someone is still playing this, or have played a lot of it in the past. Help?

[The Treefolk Master]

I second that, I really like the deck and would greatly appreciate if someone with more experience talks about it in the current metagame.

BTW; I have 0 experience with the deck, but is Chain Lightning actually good? Its 3 damage for R, but I don't like it being sorcery speed. I'd rather have a second Fire // Ice actually. Please note that I am only theory-crafting.

[Zirath]

Your list is pretty outdated. Chain Lightning is not good enough for this deck.

[Megadeus]

I dont mean to be nosing in and making a non constructive statement, but Next Level Thresh is a very misleading deck name.... Theres no Thresh in this deck! Its RUG control essentially?

[Zirath]

I dont mean to be nosing in and making a non constructive statement, but Next Level Thresh is a very misleading deck name.... Theres no Thresh in this deck! Its RUG control essentially?

It's based on the fact that this was supposed to be an evolution of Canadian Thresh. The cards in this deck are actually very similar (originally) to Canadian, just with more lands and more hard controlling elements. This is a midrange control deck, like Stoneblade, not a true control deck.