[Free Article] Instant Analysis - SCG St. Louis Legacy $5K

[JACO]

Eternal-Central.com is back again with another free article for you, and this time we're breaking down this weekend's StarCityGames St. Louis Legacy $5K event.
Instant Analysis - SCG St. Louis Legacy $5K (http://www.eternal-central.com/?p=109)

I talk about the Top 16 decks, name drop Nightmare, and talk about technology from this tournament that can be applied to the post-July 1 Legacy environment leading into GP Columbus next month.

As always, your criticism, ideas, and thoughts are appreciated. Eternal Central is going to try to do a series of Instant Analysis articles where we do quick/timely reviews of large tournaments, so what are some things you'd like to read? What did you like, dislike, and what would you like to see more of?

[Finn]

Jaco, your research seemed good and facts were fine, with all respect to HiVal. But I can't help thinking that the article feels like a mouthpiece to this site. I am not sure if that is a bad thing. It was also a bit short. There is a small trend with Merfolk seeing players go without Standsill. You could have remarked about which, if any of the Merfolk decks were sporting that version. Or perhaps how Zoo is likely to change after this tournament. Or Lands. Or reanimator. Not bad, and a fun read, but there was definitely room for more.

[FoulQ]

I was looking at Noah Swartz's RB goblins list,
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=33469

did he actually play 4 goblin ruinblaster and 0 goblin ringleader? Please tell me that was a typo..

[JACO]

I was looking at Noah Swartz's RB goblins list,
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=33469

did he actually play 4 goblin ruinblaster and 0 goblin ringleader? Please tell me that was a typo..He played Ringleader, but whoever typed up the decklist just jacked it up.


Jaco, your research seemed good and facts were fine, with all respect to HiVal. But I can't help thinking that the article feels like a mouthpiece to this site. I am not sure if that is a bad thing. It was also a bit short. There is a small trend with Merfolk seeing players go without Standsill. You could have remarked about which, if any of the Merfolk decks were sporting that version. Or perhaps how Zoo is likely to change after this tournament. Or Lands. Or reanimator. Not bad, and a fun read, but there was definitely room for more.TheSource IS the biggest site for Legacy, so I'll link to stuff here from time to time, but I'm not sure why my article would be a mouthpiece for TheSource. That being said, if there's some dumb shit going on like Bill Stark's coverage, I'm going to point it out.

The 'Instant Analysis' articles will be short, and just a quick review of the tournaments and anything interesting in terms of technology. I'll keep your suggestions in mind, and see if they can be more forward pointing.

What else?

[Nizmox]

Anyone else find it interesting that the must 'overpowered' card in the format didn't make a single appearance in the top 16.

Also as Doug Linn pointed out in his article Aether Vial had 16 copies in the top 8. This is only going to get worse, with combo neutered Aggro decks are going to be even more popular, i'd not be surprised if it's next on the ban list (assuming they don't just fix their mistake and unban mystical *sigh*)

[DrJones]

Aether Vial cannot be banned because is one of the very few measures against permission in the format.

Edit: So sad that, apart from that belcher deck, the Top 8 were entirely combo decks running blue permission, or decks designed to beat blue permission decks.

[pippo84]

Aether Vial cannot be banned because is one of the very few measures against permission in the format.

Edit: So sad that, apart from that belcher deck, the Top 8 were entirely combo decks running blue permission, or decks designed to beat blue permission decks.

With less combo around the meta will be: aggro and other decks designed to resist to aggro. Nothing more. Zoo was already popular, think of what it will be now! Anyways Landstill will probably come back and also Enchantress and Aggro-Loam will become more popular again. It's like shifting back before ANT was playable. And Counterbalance decks will see less play.
At least this is my meta expectation.. Hope I'm wrong!! :wink:

[MMogg]

Anyone else find it interesting that the must 'overpowered' card in the format didn't make a single appearance in the top 16.


Didn't you get the memo? Apparently, precisely because ANT and Reanimator are in fact so good and dominate, they are few in number in top 8s. You see, as explained by those happy about the Mystical Tutor ban, because ANT/Reanimator are so strong, blue decks pwn them, and because of that über pwnage, Merfolk then – in turn – pwn said blue decks, and because Goblins and Zoo pwn Merfolk, that is why they appear so much in St. Louis top 16. See how it all fits, and all because ANT and Reanimator are just too dominate. :wink:

[kkoie]

What would really be nice would be an analsys of what the entire meta for the tournament was like, so we could compare that to the top16. It's quite possible that a significant number of reanimator and combo was their, but did poorly. Of course the 8 decks I faced kind of go against that idea. I faced the following decks playing Lands:

BUG Thress
Zoo
Renimator
Dredge
TPS
Faeries (Starcity called it Team America for some silly reason)
Zoo
Zoo

[DragoFireheart]

Didn't you get the memo? Apparently, precisely because ANT and Reanimator are in fact so good and dominate, they are few in number in top 8s. You see, as explained by those happy about the Mystical Tutor ban, because ANT/Reanimator are so strong, blue decks pwn them, and because of that über pwnage, Merfolk then – in turn – pwn said blue decks, and because Goblins and Zoo pwn Merfolk, that is why they appear so much in St. Louis top 16. See how it all fits, and all because ANT and Reanimator are just too dominate. :wink:


Back in reality, Zoo dominates the format while Lands! acts as the preminum control deck. Countertop mutants into a freak of artifact nature ala thoper-sword combo. Tempo Thresh finally dies since goose is too weak, but is reborn as New Horizons. Combo decks live, but don't thrive. Merfolk get shit on by all of the people playing Zoo.

[JACO]

With less combo around the meta will be: aggro and other decks designed to resist to aggro. Nothing more. Zoo was already popular, think of what it will be now! Anyways Landstill will probably come back and also Enchantress and Aggro-Loam will become more popular again. It's like shifting back before ANT was playable. And Counterbalance decks will see less play.
At least this is my meta expectation.. Hope I'm wrong!! :wink:I don't know that CounterTop will see less play, as its numbers already seemed on the decline. I think we'll see the fracture among Blue players continue though, as there should logically be more Landstill (to prey upon aggro decks and permanent based decks) and probably more NOPro decks. Enchantress and Lands/Aggro Loam variants should increase too because of this.