[Deck] PactMind

[heroicraptor]

Hive Mind + Pact combo deck.

// Mana
11 [EUL] Island (1)
4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
4 [EX] City of Traitors
2 [SC] Shoreline Ranger
4 [AL] Elvish Spirit Guide
4 [PLC] Simian Spirit Guide
4 [MR] Chrome Mox

Basic stompy mana base. Rangers are for Islandcycling. I know the Guides are really clunky and don't give blue, but with Hive Mind's :5::u: cost, I think they're almost necessary.

// Protection and Stall
4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
4 [NE] Tangle Wire
4 [AL] Force of Will

Chalice > format. I was originally gonna put in Trinisphere, but then I remembered how awfully it clashes with the Pacts. Tangle Wire seems good enough, but I'm unsure of it.

// Win
4 [M10] Hive Mind
2 [JU] Cunning Wish
4 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
4 [FUT] Pact of Negation
1 [FUT] Pact of the Titan
1 [FUT] Summoner's Pact

Gotta have 4 Hive Mind. I tried 3, but I always wanted the 4th. Cunning Wish is so I can EOT grab a Pact, then play a Hive Mind and a Pact. TFK for digging. I've got 12 artifacts. Dunno if that's enough to support it, but it seems alright. Negation stops a non-Grip answer to Hive Mind. One of each Titan and Summoner are main because they don't require targets.

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [FUT] Pact of the Titan
SB: 1 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
SB: 1 [FUT] Slaughter Pact
SB: 1 [FUT] Intervention Pact
SB: 4 [DK] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 [TE] Propaganda
SB: 3 [LE] Willbender

Pacts are for wishing. Crypt is grave hate. Propaganda stops swarms. Repeal is a placeholder. It seems like good enough utility, but there's probably something better. Willbender stops Grip.

I'm testing now on MWS.

This is a rough draft and there's probably some goodies that I'm missing. Suggestions?

[Pastorofmuppets]

Hive Mind + Pact combo deck.

// Mana
11 [EUL] Island (1)
4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
4 [EX] City of Traitors
2 [SC] Shoreline Ranger
4 [AL] Elvish Spirit Guide
4 [PLC] Simian Spirit Guide
4 [MR] Chrome Mox

Basic stompy mana base. Rangers are for Islandcycling. I know the Guides are really clunky and don't give blue, but with Hive Mind's :5::u: cost, I think they're almost necessary.

// Protection and Stall
4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
4 [NE] Tangle Wire
4 [AL] Force of Will

Chalice > format. I was originally gonna put in Trinisphere, but then I remembered how awfully it clashes with the Pacts. Tangle Wire seems good enough, but I'm unsure of it.

// Win
4 [M10] Hive Mind
2 [JU] Cunning Wish
4 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
4 [FUT] Pact of Negation
1 [FUT] Pact of the Titan
1 [FUT] Summoner's Pact

Gotta have 4 Hive Mind. I tried 3, but I always wanted the 4th. Cunning Wish is so I can EOT grab a Pact, then play a Hive Mind and a Pact. TFK for digging. I've got 12 artifacts. Dunno if that's enough to support it, but it seems alright. Negation stops a non-Grip answer to Hive Mind. One of each Titan and Summoner are main because they don't require targets.

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [FUT] Pact of the Titan
SB: 1 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
SB: 1 [FUT] Slaughter Pact
SB: 1 [FUT] Intervention Pact
SB: 4 [DK] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 [TE] Propaganda
SB: 3 [LE] Willbender

Pacts are for wishing. Crypt is grave hate. Propaganda stops swarms. Repeal is a placeholder. It seems like good enough utility, but there's probably something better. Willbender stops Grip.

I'm testing now on MWS.

This is a rough draft and there's probably some goodies that I'm missing. Suggestions?

test against Goblins and Zoo. Idk if you can outclock them.

[Shanghi Knights]

for as much mana as your running i can't help but be worried that you need more draw than just thrist for knowledge. to boot why don't you have academy rectors in the deck? they will be a major headache for any aggro players you face. plus you can enchantment toolbox with them in the side board.

[hungryLIKEALION]

I like the idea for the deck, but as built it seems pretty weak. I'm gonna make a list for kicks and get back to you.

[heroicraptor]

test against Goblins and Zoo. Idk if you can outclock them.

Wanna test with me?


for as much mana as your running i can't help but be worried that you need more draw than just thrist for knowledge.

What would you suggest?


to boot why don't you have academy rectors in the deck? they will be a major headache for any aggro players you face. plus you can enchantment toolbox with them in the side board.

I already have enough issues with mana without introducing more wasteland weakness, unless you're suggesting I go mono :W:, and then I've got no draw at all...


I'm gonna make a list for kicks and get back to you.

Thanks. Please do.

[Tacosnape]

I've personally been a fan of anything that can get me to six mana by turn three or four, depending on if I hit a tomb. Basalt Monolith has been great for me in mono blue, and I think it might be a better choice than ESG. Additionally, this allows you the really janky Power Artifact combo, and a Wish-Stroke kill, but meh that.

Also, where's Intuition? Grabbing Hive Mind is a necessity, and grabbing a Pact or mana helps.

Ethereal Usher also serves the role as a tutor for Hive Mind if necessary, but Intuition's better.

[dearleader]

This combo already has a thread.

http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14204

There's a lot of interesting ideas there.

[heroicraptor]

I've personally been a fan of anything that can get me to six mana by turn three or four, depending on if I hit a tomb. Basalt Monolith has been great for me in mono blue, and I think it might be a better choice than ESG. Additionally, this allows you the really janky Power Artifact combo, and a Wish-Stroke kill, but meh that.
Also, where's Intuition? Grabbing Hive Mind is a necessity, and grabbing a Pact or mana helps.
Ethereal Usher also serves the role as a tutor for Hive Mind if necessary, but Intuition's better.
Basalt Monolith is great for super explosive starts, like this one I just had against TES, game 2 (at least I think it was TES):
Opp turn 1: Gemstone Mine
Me turn 1: City --> Chalice @1, Opp responds with Mystical for Grip
Opp turn 2: Draw, go
Me turn 2: City + SSG --> Basalt --> Tangle Wire --> System <Player Lost>.
Plus, it pitches to TFK.

Where should I fit Intuition in? I can't even find a card to cut to go to 60.


This combo already has a thread.
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14204
There's a lot of interesting ideas there.

That deck wants to use Show and Tell to cheat Hive Mind into play and then win. This deck wants to use a Stompy build to keep the opponent off-balance and then drop a Hive Mind and win. Different deck philosophy.

[Zinch]

Willbender stops Grip.



You don't need defense against krosan grip (or any disenchant efect fot that matter), because you can play the pact after the hive mind without passing priority. Then the trigger goes to the stack and is unaffected by the destruction of hive mind.
You can't make this movement with pact of negation (you need a target), so if you're afraid of krosan grip, just don't rely on it.

[heroicraptor]

You don't need defense against krosan grip (or any disenchant efect fot that matter), because you can play the pact after the hive mind without passing priority.
Yeah, I dunno why I thought I needed it.

New decklist:

// Mana
11 [EUL] Island (1)
4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
4 [EX] City of Traitors
2 [SC] Shoreline Ranger
4 [PLC] Simian Spirit Guide
4 [MR] Chrome Mox
3 [B] Basalt Monolith

// Stall/Protection
4 [NE] Tangle Wire
4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
4 [AL] Force of Will
3 [FUT] Pact of Negation

// Digging
4 [SC] Long-Term Plans
4 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge

// Win
2 [M10] Hive Mind
2 [FUT] Pact of the Titan
1 [FUT] Summoner's Pact

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [B] Basalt Monolith
SB: 2 [M10] Hive Mind
SB: 1 [FUT] Pact of the Titan
SB: 2 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
SB: 4 [DK] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 3 [TE] Propaganda
SB: 2 [CHK] Thoughtbind

While looking for more draw at :2::u:, I came across Long-Term Plans, which can fetch either part of the win. Third from top seems bad at first, but if followed up with a Tangle Wire or Thirst For Knowledge, it's good.

Thoughtbind is there as additional protection vs Smokestacks and Armageddon, both which fuck this deck so hard.

[Maveric78f]

Why not play Slaughter Pact to fight Meddling Mage on Hive Mind? (or Gaddock Teeg)
Why not play ESG instead of SSG, because ESG is tutored with Summoner's pact?
Why play Shoreline Ranger instead of islands?
Long-Term Plans is definitely too slow.

Ps: what are the cards that own the combo? Stifle, Trickbind, Spellstutter Sprite That's already a lot.

[heroicraptor]

Why not play Slaughter Pact to fight Meddling Mage on Hive Mind? (or Gaddock Teeg)
I haven't run into either of them. I'll keep that in mind.


Why not play ESG instead of SSG, because ESG is tutored with Summoner's pact?
How does that matter?


Why play Shoreline Ranger instead of islands?
Because if I need the island, it's an island. If I don't, then it pitches to force or chrome mox.

Long-Term Plans is definitely too slow.
I've played with it a bit, and it seems fine.


Ps: what are the cards that own the combo?Stifle, Trickbind, Spellstutter Sprite That's already a lot.
chalice of the void.

[Maveric78f]

Originally Posted by Maveric78f
Why not play ESG instead of SSG, because ESG is tutored with Summoner's pact?

How does that matter?
Play summoner's pact to fetch ESG, play Hive Mind thanks to the mana of ESG. Play another pact, win at your opponent upkeep.

Have you thought about playing a GU creature to tutor with Summoner's Pact to pitch it to FoW ? Cold-Eyed Selkie for instance (I did not find anything better).

[Pastorofmuppets]

Wanna test with me?


Yes.

[bruno_tiete]

Chalice at zero could be a problem, even though you play 6 MD outs. Same to Counterbalance.

What do you think are the strong points of PactMind?

[heroicraptor]

Chalice at zero could be a problem, even though you play 6 MD outs. Same to Counterbalance.

Chalice at zero means nothing. The copy that Hive Mind creates is never cast, so Chalice won't trigger.


What do you think are the strong points of PactMind?

It's a relatively unknown combo, so opponents may not know how to combat it.
It's an odd/interesting card combination.
It's (imo) fun to play.

[bruno_tiete]

Oh shit! Brainfarted!

It's much better now! :)

Gonna give it some thought.

[pippo84]

I would play lotus petals for the Blue you need and would play black for Dark Rituals and tutors. And many accelerators. Btw with many accelerators you could always play a second win condition..
I know chances are really low, or close to 0, but: swamp, dark ritual, dark ritual, petal, hive mind and pact you can win first turn.. :)