Combo Elves post Worldwake

[Infinitium]

Maybe a more fitting title would be Combo Elves with Joraga Warcaller. I used to think that both the combo and aggro aspects of this archetype were too weak to warrant playing it over dedicated aggro/combo decks, but with the printing of several highly synergistic cards in the last few sets and now the Warcaller i'm starting to reconsider. For those of you not familiar with it:

Joraga Warcaller - G
Creature - Elf Warrior
Multikicker 1G
~ enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each time it was kicked.
Other Elf creatures you control gets +1/+1 for each +1/+1 counter on ~.

Now this critically does a few things for Elves in general and Glimpse of Nature versions in particular:

1) It allows the deck to go a plausible tribal aggro route alongside Elvish Archdruid should the Glimpses get countered or not drawn.

2) It's a massive manadump which means that one needs to chain far fewer creatures on the combo turn in order not to fizzle. More importantly it's a bomb even without Glimpse as bringing everything on your side of the table out of burn/tarmogoyf range is pretty swell anyway.

3) It's versatile enough never to clog your hand ever. In the little testing I've done with this deck I've been playing it for 1 midcombo or even during the setup turns all the time in order to ramp mana. Playing this on an empty battlefield unkicked is still far better than having it stuck on hand due to a lack of mana (because of the numerous effects in the deck that care for the number of elves on the battlefield).

Alongside other recent additions such as Elvish Archdruid (3cc Lord Priest of Titania) and Elvish Visionary (cantriping 2cc), what do you think of this decks prospects? Is the combo (or threat thereof) enough to warrant running some slightly inferior card choices compared to more aggressive or controlling versions? I've won as early as turn 2 on the play by drawing my library and beating down with Concordant Crossroads, but a more realistic goldfish is probably around the 3rd-4th turn.

[Illissius]

In general there's been two entirely distinct versions of Elves:


Extended-style Combo Elves with Glimpse of Nature, Heritage Druid, Birchlore Rangers, and Nettle Sentinel. These builds do not run Priest of Titania, Archdruid, or any kinds of Lords at all beyond maybe a Mirror Entity (if that's the combo finish they choose to go with), or anything that needs to wait a turn to use a tap ability besides Llanowar/Fyndhorn.

More traditional Elves with Priests, Archdruids, various untappers, plenty of Lords and pump effects, and so on. Sometimes these decks also incorporate a combo finish (with Survival of the Fittest or otherwise), sometimes they don't.

The Warcaller only seems truly apropos for the second kind of Elves deck; for the first it could at best take the place of the singleton Mirror Entity, but that's hardly earthshattering.

You could perhaps try to hybridize the two approaches, but I haven't seen that attempted very often, nor am I sure that it would work.

[Maveric78f]

Joraga Warcaller looks sweet with elves. This is at least what I thought first. Then I had this reflexion:
- how does it improve the elves well known difficulties?

Actually it doesn't in any direction. My small experience with elves revealed that Elves weaknesses are:
- early destruction of mana elves (fire/ice and pyroclasm to start with). To this extent, it does not help much more than any other lord. It's still the only weakness it can solve.
- Chalice@1 => gg
- Counterbalance => gg
- Deed/EE => gg
- Perish => gg
- Tendrils => gg

[Infinitium]

@Illissius: I guess I'm advocating some sort of hybrid list then (or rather the fact that hybrid lists might be plausible since the new printings). I can't shake the feeling that the Extended ports were never fully tweaked to the Legacy cardpool options before the deck was (rightly so at the time) discarded, and recent printings does warrant a revision of the concept.

@Maveric: Valid observation, although I'd argue that since any elf can at least indirectly generate mana off Gaea's Cradle, Heritage Druid and PoT effects the fact that this can be cast off 1 mana is very much relevant in the early game.

Maybe I should just post the list I'm currently using as a reference. I'm not going to explain the mechanics behind it in depth as this isn't a primer of any sort. Concordant Crossroads + PoT effects + Symbiote shenanigans is however a very much valid secondary engine that complement the Extended Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel one beautifully. The Archdruid in the side is tech for 43 lands, although it could probably be anything really.

// Lands
14 Forest
3 Gaea's Cradle

// Creatures
4 Elvish Visionary
1 Viridian Zealot
4 Joraga Warcaller
2 Sylvan Messenger
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Heritage Druid
2 Priest of Titania
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Wirewood Symbiote
2 Fyndhorn Elves

// Spells
4 Glimpse of Nature
2 Summoner's Pact
2 Concordant Crossroads

// Sideboard
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Krosan Grip
3 Pithing Needle
1 Gilt-Leaf Archdruid
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Loaming Shaman

[Maveric78f]

Infinitum: have you ever played with or against Elfball (the glimpse combo version)?

It has some sort of solution against all I said in the name of Chords of Calling into (depending on what you need) Dauntless Escort, Viridian Shaman, Burrenton Forge-Tender, Vexing Shusher, Gaddock Teeg, ...

It's just that CoC is slow.

[Infinitium]

Only against it, and since I'm pretty much confined to the interwebs as far as playing goes I have some doubts as to the quality of those ports. I don't do Extended and stopped playing standard around the time it got popular there. Chord looks weaker than Summoners Pact, and even Demonic Tutor for 0 isn't really strong enough to warrant an all out toolbox imo (it used to be a 4-of that could grab Caller of the Claw, but losing to bounce on whatever mana Elf I had got old pretty fast).

I'd say the above version consistently goldfish around turn 4 with or without Glimpse available with possible turn 2/3 finishes being possible, but this obviously changes once the (smart) opponent burns the key components on sight. It is pretty resilient however what with the draw elements and decent number of standalone must-deal-with threats. Counterbalance and Chalice are obviously problems that Viridian Zealot in itself barely answers, but they get better postside with Grips coming in, and board sweepers whilst bad can still be played around (and the deck can threaten the combo win without anything in play anyhow).

[evilgorrilaz]

I don't think warcaller makes the combo deck any better really. It doesn't make the combo any better, it just makes the aggro route a more plausible back-up plan.

[Kangaxx]

@Illissius: I guess I'm advocating some sort of hybrid list then (or rather the fact that hybrid lists might be plausible since the new printings). I can't shake the feeling that the Extended ports were never fully tweaked to the Legacy cardpool options before the deck was (rightly so at the time) discarded, and recent printings does warrant a revision of the concept.

@Maveric: Valid observation, although I'd argue that since any elf can at least indirectly generate mana off Gaea's Cradle, Heritage Druid and PoT effects the fact that this can be cast off 1 mana is very much relevant in the early game.

Maybe I should just post the list I'm currently using as a reference. I'm not going to explain the mechanics behind it in depth as this isn't a primer of any sort. Concordant Crossroads + PoT effects + Symbiote shenanigans is however a very much valid secondary engine that complement the Extended Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel one beautifully. The Archdruid in the side is tech for 43 lands, although it could probably be anything really.

// Lands
14 [TE] Forest (1)
3 [US] Gaea's Cradle

// Creatures
4 [ALA] Elvish Visionary
1 [DS] Viridian Zealot
4 [WWK] Joraga Warcaller
2 [EVG] Sylvan Messenger
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
4 [MOR] Heritage Druid
2 [FNM] Priest of Titania
4 [EVE] Nettle Sentinel
4 [M10] Elvish Archdruid
4 [EVG] Wirewood Symbiote
2 [DM] Fyndhorn Elves

// Spells
4 [CHK] Glimpse of Nature
2 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
2 [CH] Concordant Crossroads

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4 [TSP] Krosan Grip
SB: 3 [10E] Pithing Needle
SB: 1 [MOR] Gilt-Leaf Archdruid
SB: 2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte

Run Sword of the Ages and Amulet of Vigor for an instant kill. :p

[popeye79]

Run Sword of the Ages and Amulet of Vigor for an instant kill. :p

stifle would really screw over that plan... one blue mana wrath of god!

I know I changed a few things, this is my list from a few months ago...

Creatures: (31)
4x Heritage Druid
4x Nettle Sentinel
4x Birchlore Rangers
4x Wirewood Symbiote
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Quirion Ranger
3x Elvish Visionary
1x Priest of Titania
1x eternal witness
1x Regal Force
1x Mirror Entity

Spells: (14)
4x Summoner's Pact
4x Glimpse of Nature
3x Chord of Calling
1x Grapeshot
1x Brain Freeze
1x banefire

Mana sources :(16)
6 Forest
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 land grant
1 gea’s cradle
1 crop rotation

[Infinitium]

stifle would really screw over that plan... one blue mana wrath of god!

It's a joke. My list already wins at instant speed courtesy of Concordant Crossroads and multiple Dreadnought+ Sized Elves bearing down on the opposition.

Also, no offense but that list you posted is horrible. You've got 5 (!) spells that are not only win conditions in the sense that they're utterly useless unless you've managed to go off alredy but are also literally uncastable without Birchlore Rangers. There's 8 untappers but only 1 creature worth untapping (priest), you run 7 clunky tutors that can only fetch more mana or Regal Force (which is win more if I ever saw it). I guess Witness is pretty good and all but the only useful thing that it recurs that Messenger won't get for you is Glimpse, at which point you have to ask yourself that if you're going to spend 7+ mana to gain some card advantage why not go for the unconditional options instead? And the manabase.. aside for the fact that you run 11 permanent sources of mana (or 7, since grant is counterable and has some seriously awful synergy with Cradle. Mana dorks doesn't count since any competent player will prioritize killing them to slow down your setup.), why on earth is the Crop Rotation there over a second Cradle? If you at least ran 2+ Cradles you could use it to ramp mana, but seeing as it should only ever fetch cradle it's effectively that with a sac and a mana cost attached.

[Infinitium]

After some further playtesting I'm revising my current list a smitheren. Nettle Sentinel and one of the forests are out in favor of more Priests and Quirion Rangers, making the deck play like a more traditional Elf build with a (very common) "oops, I play solitaire for 5 minutes straight and win" factor, complete with abundant ways to create card advantage in order to fight through control as well as ridiculus amounts of mana in a single turn in order to ultimately beat face.

Gentlemen..

THIS IS ELVEN TAP v. 1.00

13 Forest
3 Gaea's Cradle

3 Llanowar Elves
3 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
4 Priest of Titania

4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Joraga Warcaller

4 Elvish Visionary
3 Sylvan Messenger
1 Viridian Zealot

4 Wirewood Symbiote
2 Quirion Ranger

4 Glimpse of Nature
2 Summoner's Pact
2 Concordant Crossroads

SIDEBOARD
3 Pithing Needle
4 Relic of Progenitus
2 Umezava's Jitte
4 Krosan Grip
1 Loaming Shaman
1 Gilt-Leaf Archdruid

PLAY INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Play out a lot of elves.

2) Go to eleven.

[rufus]

I find myself wondering about 'stupid elf ball' stuff like:

4x Llanowar
4x Fydhorn
4x Arbor

4x Priest of Titania
4x Rofellos
4x Viridan Joiner/Elvish Archdruid

4x Umbral Mantle
4x Steelshaper's Gift
4x Enlightened Tutor
4x Gaddock Teeg

Fetch/Dual/Forest/Plains

The concept here is really simple: Get a critter that taps for 3 or more,and swing for the fences with Umbral Mantle.

[Eldariel]

Since the deck wants a toolbox tutor anyways, how about just running Survival of the Fittest in that slot? It has the advantage of giving the deck a fine Plan B and enables using Anger as a Haste-enabler to combo off using Big Mana Elves instead. Hell, you could further hybridize it by playing some number of Natural Orders with a singleton Progenitus and maybe two Regal Forces to effectively threaten Glimpse-combo at any point (augmented by 4-mana Regal Forces and "every creature in my deck is a tutor+Haste" enhancement) while maintaining the ability to play classic beatdown Elves or just resolve NO and Progenitus a win, depending on which is most functional in any given situation.

A random Survival Combo Elves-list I threw together (could of course incorporate a Joraga Warcaller as wincon too):
// Lands
4 [U] Forest (1)
4 [ON] Windswept Heath
2 [A] Taiga
4 [ON] Wooded Foothills

// Creatures
3 [SC] Wirewood Symbiote
3 [AL] Elvish Spirit Guide
3 [M10] Elvish Archdruid
2 [ON] Birchlore Rangers
1 [EVE] Regal Force
4 [A] Llanowar Elves
4 [MOR] Heritage Druid
1 [10E] Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 [JU] Anger
1 [AP] Sylvan Messenger
4 [EVE] Nettle Sentinel
4 [M10] Elvish Visionary
4 [US] Priest of Titania

// Spells
3 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
4 [CHK] Glimpse of Nature
4 [EX] Survival of the Fittest

Kinda less lands than I initially wanted, but Land Grant has too big drawbacks IMHO (the whole "Force, GG"-part) and Elvish Spirit Guide turned out much better than I expected, being a free cast once comboing off while also fueling earlier comboes by giving mana. Of course, it presently doesn't play Natural Order nor any singleton answers and the numbers can certainly be tweaked, but it felt surprisingly playable; that is, the idea didn't appear a complete trainwreck.

Of course, were Natural Order-component incorporated, Sylvan Messenger would have to bow out as the Elf-count simply drops too low for it to be efficient. But yeah, something to consider. Overall, I just like the idea of cramming so much power into single deck; the Glimpse-combo is obviously strong and having two other equally strong components in Survival and Natural Order just has the feel of being able to win matches by simply playing enough ridiculous cards. Now, it doesn't execute its plan quite as redundantly as classic combo elves, but as it can threaten to just win by untapping (or simply getting Anger in grave) with a Priest/Druid in play, I think that's not too big an issue.

[Aggro_zombies]

That deck needs more Grapeshot.

Also, it's funny that you post this today: I was actually thinking about this deck earlier. One thing that seems worth looking at from the Extended versions: Cloudstone Curio.

[Eldariel]

That deck needs more Grapeshot.

Also, it's funny that you post this today: I was actually thinking about this deck earlier. One thing that seems worth looking at from the Extended versions: Cloudstone Curio.

Thanks to Anger, you can just swing for the win; no need to spend a slot on a do-nothing card, I think. I mean, the most efficient Extended builds just ran Mirror Entity-kill to combo out and here you don't even need that; your tutor enables you to win on the spot. And Curio is a discovery of this season to make up for the lack of consistency Onslaught rotating caused; I think it's better for us in Legacy to play upon the Onslaught-based builds since they are closer to our cardpool.

If a joker-slot were included in MD, I'd say it should be Viridian Zealot instead. That enables winning through anything (played in Legacy) but Engineered Plague (not that likely MD) and Humility.

[Infinitium]

@Eldariel: Idk about the Survival package. I've been thinking about it as well, but has generally shyed away from the necessity to splash red. The reason that the deck can somewhat get away with 13-14 mana-producing lands turn 1 is because it's unaffected by Stifle/Wasteland. Also, because of it's cost (1GG + Card just to get the engine started in a build lacking Gaea's Cradle) Survival is probably better suited to a deck that can play mid/lategame answers in the glimpse slots instead.

Natural Order might be worth pursuing however since it presents yet another must counter for decka out there (as opposed to Pact which is generally a freebie versus decks packing removal in general and counters in particular), but I'm not sure if it's worth cutting Sylvan Messenger and a lot of Elves in general just for the threat of Progenitus (which again is more prone to backfire due to the lack of Brainstorm, and are decidedly clunky midcombo). Again, this might be better suited to a different kind of deck.

@A_Z: Why? Comboing out with Crossroads and Joraga Warcaller typically ends you up with several hasted 20+/20+ Elves on the table + Zealot to remove whatever would otherwise would keep you from winning anyway, and unlike Grapeshot Crossroads and Warcaller has plenty of other applications. No need to overdo it. Also, Birchlore Rangers are outclassed by the other 1-drops. A half-a-mana return per Elf on the table plain isn't good enough.

[Infinitium]

Accidentally double posted, but might as well share this as some food for thought: Gaea's Herald as a sideboard card to fight Chalice@1 game 2? It's easily answered by most decks playing counters of course, and I'd probably go for actual threat density versus those anyway; but in this isolated case it seems good enough. Because of the linear nature of this deck it doesn't sideboard gracefully anyway (usually it only brings in Krosan Grip when necessary in lieu of Summoner's Pact and whathaveyou).

Current Sideboard for comparison:

4 Krosan Grip
2 Tormod's crypt
2 Ravenous Trap
3 Gaea's Herald
1 Eternal Witness
3 undecided - used to be storm hate but that's probably a lost cause anyway.

[Eldariel]

Birchlore...thanks to Nettle Sentinel, it seems good enough. With Nettle, it's one mana per Elf (that is, most pay for themselves) and with two Nettles, better than that (the more Nettles, the more mana of course). Just yesterday, in testing I had to go off with Birchlore since I had two Heritages StPd, but it worked well enough; I had two Glimpses, one paid for itself and I was just drawing enough until I found Survival to finish it by finding Druid and then chaining Visionaries and Symbiotes to ensure I don't fizzle.

And the manabase, hmm, you could of course just run 8 Taiga/Grounds. Not the most elegant solution, but it does return Stifle to its non-issue role. Of course, Wasteland still remains relevant and the deckthinning is actually relevant in a deck that plans on drawing itself. Still, it's the best solution I can come up with off-hand. I don't like the mana vulnerability one bit, but I'm thinking the gain might just be worth it. Or rather, I'm thinking it's not close enough to be obvious and as such, this path seems worth testing too.


For Natural Order, you're right about Progenitus, of course, especially without Survival (Survival makes it fine enough to draw). However, 4-mana Regal Forces seem like Der Gas. Of course, requiring Elf in play sorta sucks (Sylvan just recharges on an empty board), but still, this decks tends to have plenty. And I don't like Sylvan Messenger as much here as Ringleader in Goblins as the Elf-count is slightly lower out of necessity.

[Infinitium]

The real question as I see it is whether Nettle Sentinel is good enough? It doesn't generate mana on its own, and I've found the P/T largely irrelevant for the aggro plan. That leaves it as a complement to heritage Druid/Rangers, and that engine isn't necessarily better nor faster than the one provided by Priest of Titania/Archdruid and untap effects because of the requirement to build up a critical mass of elves beforehand (and unlike Sentinel Wirewood Symbiote and to a lesser degree Quirion Ranger are plenty busted on their own). Not having to pass the turn or find a haste effect is admittedly nice, but then again most relevant removal spells in legacy are Instant-speed.

That said I'm currently testing a build with Survival to get a feel whether the obvious strenghts of the card outweighs the concessions.

[Shabbaman]

Eh? Nettle sentinel is what keeps the mana engine purring.

[Eldariel]

The real question as I see it is whether Nettle Sentinel is good enough? It doesn't generate mana on its own, and I've found the P/T largely irrelevant for the aggro plan. That leaves it as a complement to heritage Druid/Rangers, and that engine isn't necessarily better nor faster than the one provided by Priest of Titania/Archdruid and untap effects because of the requirement to build up a critical mass of elves beforehand (and unlike Sentinel Wirewood Symbiote and to a lesser degree Quirion Ranger are plenty busted on their own). Not having to pass the turn or find a haste effect is admittedly nice, but then again most relevant removal spells in legacy are Instant-speed.

That said I'm currently testing a build with Survival to get a feel whether the obvious strenghts of the card outweighs the concessions.

That is, indeed, the question. I've found Nettle Sentinel to be excellent. Getting few extra points in early on means you need less Elves for the alpha strike when beating down, and more importantly, being able to combo out of nowhere (empty board) is incredible; it allows you to punish opponent for tapping out like nothing else (e.g. if they Pyroclasm turn 2, you can just go off with no fear of removal). That's what made the deck so fearsome in Extended in the first place, and why it's such a powerful strategy; when opponent knows you can go off at any point, he'll have to keep more mana open than he'd like making it difficult for him to advance his own strategy.


Also, few points about Survival: When going off with it, it's generally worth at least considering turning every drop you make into an Elvish Visionary or Wirewood Symbiote once you have the mana in place. That reduces chances of fizzling to almost nil, drawing you a ridiculous number of cards. And of course, running out a turn 2 Survival is a great way to draw counters or removal, and if they let it stick and are playing something slightly slower, no reason not to start building advantage with Squee-nonsense while forcing answers each turn with Archdruids, Priests and Sentinels.

Overall, the deck felt more powerful (initially) with it, but more difficult to play. When every card you draw can be any card in your deck for G, and when there are so many different ways to combo, it's hard for opponent to stop but takes tight playing from you to take most out of it all, and gives you plenty of opportunities to screw up.

EDIT:
I made a slight update on the last list, incorporating Natural Order-engine too:

// Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
5 [U] Forest (1)
4 [A] Taiga
4 [GP] Stomping Ground
1 [LG] Pendelhaven

// Creatures
3 [AL] Elvish Spirit Guide
2 [M10] Elvish Archdruid
2 [ON] Birchlore Rangers
1 [EVE] Regal Force
4 [A] Llanowar Elves
4 [MOR] Heritage Druid
1 [10E] Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 [JU] Anger
4 [EVE] Nettle Sentinel
3 [M10] Elvish Visionary
3 [US] Priest of Titania
2 [SC] Wirewood Symbiote
1 [10E] Elvish Champion
1 [CFX] Progenitus
1 [FD] Eternal Witness
1 [DS] Viridian Zealot

// Spells
2 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
4 [CHK] Glimpse of Nature
3 [EX] Survival of the Fittest
3 [VI] Natural Order

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [M10] Elvish Archdruid
SB: 2 [SC] Wirewood Symbiote
SB: 2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
SB: 2 [10E] Elvish Champion
SB: 1 [SHM] Faerie Macabre
SB: 1 [SHM] Vexing Shusher
SB: 3 [ZEN] Mindbreak Trap
SB: 1 [DS] Viridian Zealot
SB: 1 [MR] Viridian Shaman
SB: 1 [PT] Fire Imp


Have to say, I really liked Natural Order. I tried no-Proge main first and did manage to win some matches with Regal Force-chain that I wouldn't have won otherwise (played vs. UWg, he Forced both of my Glimpses and had double Goyf + StPs for my Symbiotes); it's good enough much of the time, but vs. removal heavy opponents (particularly Deed-decks; when they have multiple StPs and you can't go off early, that card is a beating), you really just want the Progenitus for the "I-win" factor (generally, they can't deal with it other than through discard).

I tossed Proge main, but cut one Regal, which again lessens NO's function somewhat while going off. Also, I tossed Elvish Champion in the main to fuel the beatdown plan. Having him as a singleton enables Summoning Pacting or Survivaling him out and swinging FTW out of nowhere. Feels obvious now that I tested how the beatdown plan goes in practice; would want more of 'em, but can't really fit it. I also ran into Meddling Mages and they seem to be picking up a bit of steam again, so one probably wants some tutorable creature removal in the SB, as if they name Nettle Sentinel and just focus on stopping Survival and Natural Order, there's little one can do. Trying Fire Imp in that role right now.

[Eldariel]

Small report from Magic-League Masters [1st]


Elf Combo Survival - A One-Day Brew

// Lands
5 [U] Forest
4 [A] Taiga
4 [GP] Stomping Ground
1 [LG] Pendelhaven

// Creatures
3 [AL] Elvish Spirit Guide
2 [M10] Elvish Archdruid
2 [ON] Birchlore Rangers
1 [EVE] Regal Force
4 [A] Llanowar Elves
4 [MOR] Heritage Druid
1 [10E] Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 [JU] Anger
4 [EVE] Nettle Sentinel
3 [M10] Elvish Visionary
3 [US] Priest of Titania
1 [10E] Elvish Champion
1 [FD] Eternal Witness
1 [CFX] Progenitus
1 [DS] Viridian Zealot
2 [SC] Wirewood Symbiote

// Spells
2 [FUT] Summoner's Pact
4 [CHK] Glimpse of Nature
3 [EX] Survival of the Fittest
3 [VI] Natural Order

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [M10] Elvish Archdruid
SB: 2 [10E] Elvish Champion
SB: 1 [SC] Wirewood Symbiote
SB: 1 [VI] Natural Order
SB: 1 [SHM] Faerie Macabre
SB: 4 [ZEN] Mindbreak Trap
SB: 1 [PT] Fire Imp
SB: 1 [MR] Viridian Shaman
SB: 1 [SHM] Vexing Shusher
SB: 2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte


My match-ups in order:

Round 1: Bye

Round 2: Ironicus with BW Pox.

G1 I get Thoughtseized for my only other creature after turn 1 ESG > Priest, blanking the Glimpse in my hand. I proceed to draw nothing of relevance, he plays Smallpox and we're done.

G2 I instead open with two creatures. He does nothing of relevance, I land Elvish Archdruid and begin the beats. He plays Tabernacle, but Druid conveniently blanks that, I drop Survival and second Druid takes it home.

G3 I again open with two creatures; he doesn't have immediate disruption. He Seizes Natural Order while I rip Archdruid, do some Elf shenanigans to drop it and swing. He has nothing relevant, I Druid some crap into play, replay a Visionary, swing and put him a turn from death. A meek Ghostly Prison is all she wrote.

2-0 (2-1 games)


Round 3: DH with ANT.

G1 he's one turn too fast for me.

G2 I begin to combo on turn 3 and run into Chant, but beat him with multiple Druids anyways. He tries to go off next turn and runs into my 3 Mindbreak Traps.

G3 he never really does much what with 3 Chants and few Rituals in hand, while I pummel him with Survival.

3-0 (4-2 games)


Round 4: Foxy with Zoo.

G1 he manages to keep me off the board with Grim Lavamancers, Paths and burn while beating with Qasali, Goyf and Nacatl. Somewhat helped by me flooding with 7 lands (half of my entire deck's lands!) in play by the end.

G2 I Glimpse for some cards, drop Elvish Archdruid around turn 3 (with some aid from two Pathed Symbiotes providing mana), upgrade into Progenitus, chump with Elves and win.

G3 is more of the same, except the Natural Order happens already on turn 3.

4-0 (6-3 games)


Round 5: meagel with ANT

G1 he wins turn 2 when I missed only Glimpse from my own turn 2 win. I look at the top card; there it is.

G2 I lay some Elves and he Duresses me, but is forced to take Glimpse to stop me from winning next turn leaving Mindbreak Trap in hand. I lay some Elves and beat, he's forced to go off but can't with Trap and I take it.

G3 he lays two Petals and land to my Pendelhaven > Dude; I've got turn 2 combo with Mindbreak Trap in hand, but he only plays Ritual > Ad Nauseam next turn and my Trap is powerless to stop him.

4-1 (7-5 games)


Round 6: Tird_Ape with UW Fish

G1 I drop few Elves, he plays Serra Avenger into Standstill which I immediately break, using Symbiote and tons of mana elves to play and replay Elvish Visionary. He plays second Standstill which I again break drawing some cards of my own, but failing to find anything but lands. I do land Priest of Titania and Elvish Archdruid giving me tons of mana, followed by Summoning Pact to get the second Symbiote, start drawing some more cards and get some lords in play to swing. His board is composed of Serra Avenger, 2 Grunts, Mutavault, Factory and Silver Knight. He tries to kill me with my own Elvish Champion's effect, but Symbiote to the rescue and my team takes G1, with help from hardcast Anger and Squee as Survival never showed up (literally went through over 30 cards there; no, no NO or Glimpse either).

G2 he keeps a 2-card hand, but Sprites my two plays after the initial Nettle Sentinel. However, Sentinel is fine on beatdown and Pendelhaven doesn't hurt either. He's stuck on two mana and I play stuff. I get some other things to resolve like Heritage Druid and Elvish Visionary, and he's finally forced to trade his Mutavault and Sprites for crap. This is his cue to draw a Mishra's. I hardcast Anger and swing him to 3, and his Tundra next turn is way too late. Totally dysfunctional game on both sides with neither really doing much, but 1-drops are better at doing nothing than 2-drops.

5-1 (9-5)


Round 7: ID

5-1-1 (9-5) going into Top 8.


Quarterfinals: Capoeira with Eva Green

G1 he Thoughtseizes me for a Glimpse, I drop Llany, he double rits into Gatekeeper+Tarmogoyf. I drop a second Elf, he swings, I drop Nettle Sentinel and it takes one for greater good, taking out Keeper. He Seizes again, taking Regal Force from my hand. At this point I'm just playing into Topdeck Natural Order or Survival with double ESG+Anger in hand and Land+Llany in play. Natural Order it is and my Progenitus takes it in two swings with Wirewood Symbiote joining in to pre-empt any future Gatekeepers.

G2 he mulligans to 6 but doesn't find Plague. He seizes me taking Glimpse over Natural Order. Then I play some mana elves (Druid/Sentinel/Llany I think) while he drops Nantuko Shade, I build up board and he Hymns trying to hit Natural Order but getting Druid and Visionary instead. Natural Order resolves and he scoops 'em up as he can't exactly gatekeeper all the Elves away and Sentinel survives a Plague, even.

6-1-1 (11-5)


Semifinals: Malakai with Countertop

G1 he Islands, I Symbiote, he plays Top, I drop Llany+Priest, he StPs Priest which jumps to my hand. Then he drops Goyf, I drop Visionary and use Symbiote to gain mana to Priest again. He Trinkets for EE, drops it at 1 and swings with Goyf. I drop Survival, get Anger into the grave before dropping Elvish Archdruid and Pacting for second Symbiote, and then playing two Visionaries twice for cards. Hit only lands tho. After that, Visionaries swing, one trades with Trinket while other hits.

Opp pops EE for 1 in resp to Top-activation to get rid of it (return Llany and Visionary to hand), plays his second Top and cheats a bit. I pay Pact, redrop Llany and Sentinel, play second Archdruid (pitching Visionary), swing and he scoops it up in face of the Elf horde.

G2 he has Top > Counterbalance against my turn 1 Sentinel/Druid into turn 2 Viridian Zealot (swung before thinking it'd be countered, it wasn't but it sat around). Moot point as opp drops second Counterbalance, flips StP on top to counter Glimpse and dies to Natural Order.

7-1-1 (13-5)


Finals: Alakai with UR Dreadstill

G1 he has turn 1 Top turn 2 Balance on the play, blind-hits my Priest and uses Top to stop my Glimpses. I Witness Priest back and resolve it, but he drops Trinket for Dread, Dread+Stifle and as my deck continues to provide me with no solution, I succumb two turns later.

G2 I have Vexing Shusher + Llany and he drops Standstill with a Mishran in play. We play draw-go for a while with my hand being relatively light on gas so I welcome this chance to restock. I get to discard my Progenitus back in the library and he ends up breaking his own Still with Bolt on my Shusher. He Trinkets for Dread and passes. On my turn, I combo off, meet no real resistance, get Survival in play and it's G3.

G3...well, sufficient to say, we trade beats (Symbiote for Factory) under Standstill as I'm building up on gas again, I break it at 6 with Druid+Sentinel, having another Sentinel, a Natural Order, a Shaman, a Survival and Druid in hand. At this point, he uses his only open mana to fetch responding to my first Sentinel. Then he disconnects and we get a very anti-climatic end to a tight series. He most likely would've forced me to return Druid to my hand, forcing me to settle for Survival for this turn; might get countered. Either way, he prolly either sweeps the board or drops Dread. Either way, I'm looking great next turn with still some mana elves and lots of lands along with NO and possible Survival online. But disconnect means I'll never find out.

8-1-1 (14-5)



Surprisingly solid finish; I was expecting to Top 8, but not win. I'll definitely want to reconsider anti-combo SB options; Null Rod came up as did Gaddock Teeg and I most certainly want few more slots for that MU as it's quite winnable (due to our clock), but still unfavorable, especially with Duresses acting as disruption too. It's also a MU where you can't really outplay the opponent meaning it just comes down to who has the better draw/deck for the match-up.

[Shabbaman]

Null rod helps against a lot against combo, it might even help against CB top.