U-Staxx, the next try

[Humphrey]

So, not much to say here. Im currently playing around with Staxx and im wondering if theres a chance for it becoming playable.

So. here is my list. In a few testing matches it was running very ok, but nobodys playing any DTB on MWS it seems.

// Lands
4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
1 [MM] Rishadan Port
4 [MPR] Wasteland
4 [EX] City of Traitors
4 [MR] Seat of the Synod
2 [TSP] Gemstone Caverns
3 [DS] Darksteel Citadel

// Creatures
4 [WWK] Lodestone Golem

// Spells
4 [NE] Tangle Wire
4 [US] Smokestack
2 [SH] Ensnaring Bridge
2 [FD] Crucible of Worlds
4 [DS] Trinisphere
4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
3 [EX] Sphere of Resistance
3 [SOM] Mox Opal
4 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
4 [UL] Grim Monolith

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [SH] Ensnaring Bridge
SB: 4 [DK] Maze of Ith

[Darth Nihilus]

missing esperzoa +tanglewire combo
also 1 karn , silver golem never hurts

[Roman Candle]

My first thought is that you're missing Mindsculptor. He's a four-of in this deck. He's a win con, creature control, and helps you not run out of steam, which stax tends to do. Also, Mox Opal is really bad here. If you manage to cast three artifacts you didn't need the mox in the first place. I really like Puca's Mischief in blue stax because you play a lot of artifacts that have global effects, that can be traded away. I would definitely play four Crucible, its the best card in the deck. I don't think Sphere and Golem are good enough. Here's basically how I'd do it.

4 Jace the Mind Sculptor

4 Trinisphere
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Smokestack
4 Crucible of Worlds
4 Pendrell Mists
4 Puca's Mischief
4 Tangle Wire (it's a meh card here, but it's good with Maze of Ith, which I think is probably the best creature control card the deck can run)

4 Mox Diamond
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Maze of Ith
1 Academy Ruins
1 Mishra's Factory
4 Wasteland
6 Island

I've been trying to make this deck work for a long time. The biggest problem for me has been the creature control slot. Geddon Stax has access to Armageddon + Magus of the Tabernacle, and we don't. Sunder is the only replacement for Geddon I could come up with, but that seems bad. Pendrell Mists is pretty meh, but between it, Tangle Wire, and Maze of Ith, you can keep the ground pretty well under control.

[whienot]

I ran U Staxx fairly successfully as a foil to Survival in it's heyday.


4x Tezzeret the Seeker
3x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4x Propaganda
4x Ensnaring Bridge
4x Trinisphere
4x Crucible of Worlds
4x Grim Monolith
3x Smokestack
2x Pendrell Mists
1x Damping Matrix

4x Mox Diamond
4x Ancient Tomb
3x City of Traitors
4x Wasteland
1x Ghost Quarter
1x The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
1x Academy Ruins
10x Island

Sideboard
4x Lodestone Golem
3x Razormane Masticore
4x Chalice of the Void
2x Damping Matrix
2x Pithing Needle


Again, this was more geared for Survival, but can still do well in the proper metagame. Ensnaring Bridge is hellagood against alot of decks. Tezzeret is the super tutor that smooths many things out with this deck. He is the lock piece you're looking for, as well as a win condition. Jace, well... is Jace. His Brainstorm can help maintain a Smokestack (even at 2 with a Crucible in play), his bounce is also awesome with Smokestack, and Fateseal wins when you have the advantage.

Damping Matrix was there mainly for a tutorable answer to Ooze and QPM, but is also good in other matchups. SDT, Vial, Equipment, SGC, Thopter Foundry... It only turns off Grim Monolith's untap ability for us.

As far as the sideboard goes, Razormane was my answer to Gaddock Teeg, as well as being aggressive on his own. Needle was extra insurance against Survival and Pridemage, as well as an answer to Pernicious Deed. Lodestone Golem is solid against control and awesome against combo. Many will side out creature removal after game 1 and being able to go aggro with Razormane and Lodestone Golem is golden.

Chalice in the board may be wrong, but at the time, outside of combo and burn, the only 1 drop I was truly concerned with was Noble Hierarch. And only then if it had a Jitte equipped to it. Today, Chalice would probably be main over 2x Pendrell Mists, 1x Grim Monolith and the Damping Matrix.

Other considerations included: Ratchet Bomb as all purpose removal, Squeeze stops Vindiate and Maelstrom Pulse, Expedition Map fetches Tabernacle, Maze of Ith (if ran), and In the Eye of Chaos... FoW, Krosan Grip, Daze be damned.

Maze of Ith seems really good here, good call Roman Candle. With multiple Propanadas, a single Maze is back-breaking. Though, they should be in spell slots and not land slots.

[death]

Jace 2.0 seems interesting but I dunno what to cut in my list. Propagandas and Pendrell Mists look underwhelming without Tangle Wires and both are untutorable by Tezzeret. Tangle Wires have done pretty well for me, disabling Show and Tell'd/Reanimated fatties until I drop a permanent solution. For my build, I chose an all-artifact lock pieces which are all "must answer" threats (except for Bottled Cloister) else the game ends being one-sided i.e. asymmetrical.

Without further ado, may I present my pet deck, Te33eret C0ntr0l Stax/Seeker Staxx:

Old Skool Lock:
4 Smokestack
4 Tangle Wire
4 Sphere de résistance
4 Trinisphere
4 Chalices of the Void
3 Crucible of Worlds

Artifact Tutor + Win:
3 Tezzeret the Seeker

Anti-creature Lock:
3 Ensnaring Bridge
3 Bottled Cloister

Mana/Accel/Denial:
4 Mox Diamond
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Wasteland
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Seat of the Synod (5/5 Artifact Land)
8 Island

I wanted to test Uba Mask in place of Bottled Cloisters as I have a strong feeling Bridge + Uba Mask is insanely better against control and combo. Any thoughts? emidln?

I had a tough time finding out if Rishadan Port > Ghost Quarter. In the end, I liked the fact that GQ eats up "any land" even basics. I discovered Crucible + GQ recursion is an outright one-sided play, if opponent doesn't drop 2 lands a turn it's GAME OVER. Plus, I don't need to worry about keeping :1: open to Port. I discarded Academy Ruins because it's slow and it's taxing me for card disadvantage.


edit:
I guess it's noteworthy to mention why I deliberately excluded creatures from the deck (Metalworker, Golems, Masticores). Without Chalice on the board, they are just dead meat to every creature removal. Metalworker is also a dead draw mid game, same as Grim Monolith. With the limited slots available I stayed away from cards that didn't have impact on the board directly. I am advocating 1st turn play of Sphere/Trini or Chalice as still the best opener in Magic than say Metalworker, go.

[Humphrey]

After quiet a few testings im currently with the following list.

// Lands
4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
4 [MM] Rishadan Port
4 [MPR] Wasteland
4 [EX] City of Traitors
4 [MR] Seat of the Synod
2 [TSP] Gemstone Caverns
2 [DS] Darksteel Citadel

// Creatures
4 [WWK] Lodestone Golem

// Spells
4 [NE] Tangle Wire
3 [US] Smokestack
2 [SH] Ensnaring Bridge
2 [FD] Crucible of Worlds
4 [DS] Trinisphere
4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
3 [EX] Sphere of Resistance
3 [UL] Grim Monolith
4 [SH] Mox Diamond
3 [RAV] Bottled Cloister

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [SH] Ensnaring Bridge
SB: 4 [DK] Maze of Ith
SB: 4 [TE] Propaganda

So far i find the Golem a good wincon plus he has more permission. I dont think running planeswalkers is the best choice because of the colored and high manacost, with spheres in play it doesnt become better.
Not sure about the monolith atm, sometimes its a good boost and later its another permanent for smokestacktrigger, but i dont know what else to run. I think this deck needs manaaccleration.
I only run 2 crucible, to have it really shine you need a smokestack and since this card is kind of wincon when the opp is already locked i think 2 is enough.
Also only 2 Bridges, you already need an empty hand or cloister, so you dont want it on the starting hand and its dead against control.


I currently have good results agains control decks and a 50/50 matchup vs merfolk. Vials are annoying here. Aggro is the bigger problem for this kind of deck, so all the sb slots are dedicated to it.

But something is missing to make that deck more unfair, like 4 more tangle wires :D

[Roman Candle]

The problem with Propaganda is it doesn't protect Planeswalkers. That's why I went with Maze of Ith with Pendrell Mists, plus Puca's Mischief. Puca's Mischief is a lot better than it looks, just taking one Tarmogoyf trading away a Pendrell Mists is pretty backbreaking.

I really really think its wrong not to play all four Jaces in this deck. You want to see them all the time. It's everything the deck needs: creature control, a way to not run out of steam, and a win condition.

[Mr. Safety]

Parax, dude...what the heck? This is what we were talking about on fanatic! I made a post on the Round Table thread BTW about it.