Living the Dream: The Journey of Dream Halls

[-Spooky-]

Living the Dream: The Journey of Dream Halls (http://mtgsalvation.com/1365-living-the-dream-the-journey-of-dream-halls.html)

In this article I go over how the now popular Mono-Blue shell of dream halls was developed as well as discuss Caleb Duwards list and an important lesson in deck building.

Thoughts?

[rooneg]

Interesting article. I've been playing the deck since Ari Lax wrote about it, and it's loads of fun. Took it to 64th place at the SCG Open in Providence, and I'll probably be playing it again this Sunday in Worcester.

One question I had was about win conditions. I can see the argument for switching to Coalition Victory/Prismatic Omen over False Cure/Beacon of Immortality, since having a win condition that doesn't target is appealing. That said, using Prismatic Omen means adding a 2 drop to the deck (beyond Daze, which doesn't really count). Have you found the added vulnerability to Spell Snare to be a problem, or is it one of those cases where normally if you're going off you have enough Force of Will backup by the time you cast it that the potential snare doesn't really matter?

I suppose the other argument against them is that they're enchantments, but I don't really buy that. I mean if your opponent had a way to kill enchantments they'd have used it on your Dream Halls already ;-)

[rooneg]

One question I had was about win conditions. I can see the argument for switching to Coalition Victory/Prismatic Omen over False Cure/Beacon of Immortality, since having a win condition that doesn't target is appealing. That said, using Prismatic Omen means adding a 2 drop to the deck (beyond Daze, which doesn't really count). Have you found the added vulnerability to Spell Snare to be a problem, or is it one of those cases where normally if you're going off you have enough Force of Will backup by the time you cast it that the potential snare doesn't really matter?
Ironic how I failed to notice that False Cure also costs 2. You can tell how often I've actually hardcast it, can't you? ;-)

[-Spooky-]

Ironic how I failed to notice that False Cure also costs 2. You can tell how often I've actually hardcast it, can't you? ;-)

Yeah, I was going to mention that to you, lol. :tongue:

Something that most people don't seem to realize, is that if Conflux resolves there is absolutely no way to win at that point. If the Dream Halls player is competent then he will conflux chain into multiple FoW and or Daze and Spell Snare to protect the actual win con. When you cast your Prismatic Omen you should have 2-4 FoW in hand with color cards to pitch. It is for this reason that Spell Snare was never an issue. I guess the only fear as far as dream halls being an enchantment is KGrip. However, If you maintain priority, conflux still resolves and another Dream halls can be found with it.

[rooneg]

Yeah, I was going to mention that to you, lol. :tongue:

Something that most people don't seem to realize, is that if Conflux resolves there is absolutely no way to win at that point. If the Dream Halls player is competent then he will conflux chain into multiple FoW and or Daze and Spell Snare to protect the actual win con. When you cast your Prismatic Omen you should have 2-4 FoW in hand with color cards to pitch. It is for this reason that Spell Snare was never an issue. I guess the only fear as far as dream halls being an enchantment is KGrip. However, If you maintain priority, conflux still resolves and another Dream halls can be found with it.
If you've got the means to resolve that second Dream Halls then it doesn't really matter one way or another. The problem is when you can't drop it this turn and passing the turn means you lose the game. Sometimes they drop a pridemage off your show and tell or have the kgrip and you only get the one Conflux off. If you've got time to resolve that second Dream Halls you're fine. If not, you lose. In general it's not a problem though.

[JDK]

Thanks for the article! I've just recently bought my foiled Confluxes, False Cure and Beacon to have usage for my Show and Tells outside of Reanimator.

After reading the article I have to get a foiled Coalition Victory and Prismatic Omen, though. I was concerned about losing to Leyline of Sanctity and didn't even think about Sulfuric Vortex, so thanks for pointing that out!

How often do you win by bringing Progenitus into play (and attacking twice) and how often do you win with the other win option (False Cure/Beacon of Immortailty or Prismatic Omen/Coalition Victory/Progenitus)?

[-Spooky-]

Thanks for the article! I've just recently bought my foiled Confluxes, False Cure and Beacon to have usage for my Show and Tells outside of Reanimator.

After reading the article I have to get a foiled Coalition Victory and Prismatic Omen, though. I was concerned about losing to Leyline of Sanctity and didn't even think about Sulfuric Vortex, so thanks for pointing that out!

How often do you win by bringing Progenitus into play (and attacking twice) and how often do you win with the other win option (False Cure/Beacon of Immortailty or Prismatic Omen/Coalition Victory/Progenitus)?

that really depends on what your opening hand is, what your opponent is playing and how the first 3 turns or so of the game pan out. What you win with can and in some cases must change based on all of these factors. That being said, it is actually a surprising 50/50. Or at least, that is what is seems like to me. I don't really keep track of it.

[JDK]

Yeah I know that it depends on hands, matchups and boardstates. I was just curious about your average distribution, thanks. :)

Why do you have so many Ravenous Traps and only one Surgical Extraction in your Sideboard? Wouldn't it be better to make a split like 2 Traps, 3 Surgical? Trap most likely only hits when your opponent plays a careful study, when playing against Reanimator. Do you think the Reanimator matchup is that neglectable and your only concern is Dredge (but then again Surgical is a beast against Dredge as well)?

[-Spooky-]

Yeah I know that it depends on hands, matchups and boardstates. I was just curious about your average distribution, thanks. :)

Why do you have so many Ravenous Traps and only one Surgical Extraction in your Sideboard? Wouldn't it be better to make a split like 2 Traps, 3 Surgical? Trap most likely only hits when your opponent plays a careful study, when playing against Reanimator. Do you think the Reanimator matchup is that neglectable and your only concern is Dredge (but then again Surgical is a beast against Dredge as well)?

dredge is made so much better from the traps. Surgical doesnt do enough to them. From a competitive standpoint you also have to look at the fact that because of ooze and other things reanimator is pretty much dead as an archetype right now, but dredge is not.

[JDK]

I admit, I've only searched for a way to play the new spell, but it isn't that bad: http://magiccards.info/pc2/en/107.html + http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=132213&d=1339512405

Pros: Doesn't care about Leyline, Vortex or Misdirection* and you don't need to cast Progenitus (Coalition Victory)
Cons: Fizzles to Removal* and Karakas

*not relevant, because we can dig for counters

[-Spooky-]

correct me if I am wrong, but because of the way the new card is worded, wouldn't they lose the 1 life before their life total became one? Or would all of it's abilities need to resolve before Vela's does.

[rxavage]

I admit, I've only searched for a way to play the new spell, but it isn't that bad: http://magiccards.info/pc2/en/107.html + http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=132213&d=1339512405

Pros: Doesn't care about Leyline, Vortex or Misdirection* and you don't need to cast Progenitus (Coalition Victory)
Cons: Fizzles to Removal* and Karakas

*not relevant, because we can dig for counters



It is THAT bad.

[JDK]

correct me if I am wrong, but because of the way the new card is worded, wouldn't they lose the 1 life before their life total became one? Or would all of it's abilities need to resolve before Vela's does.

As I understand it, Worldfire has to resolve completely, before the Vela-Trigger deals it's damage.

edit: Looks like I was right: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showpost.php?p=8529560&postcount=80
see comprehensive rules 603 for more information.

[Nekrataal]

... and with no mana and no cards the triggers are likely to ... happen :eek: nice find

[JDK]

It evens wins against Platinum Emperion and Platinum Angel without previously bouncing them.

[Darkenslight]

...Looks like Dream Halls has a new wincon set. :D

Vela + Worldfire (possible Overmaster/Autumn's Veil?)

[JDK]

...Looks like Dream Halls has a new wincon set. :D

Vela + Worldfire (possible Overmaster/Autumn's Veil?)

Did you read the previous posts? O.o

Cards like Overmaster and Autumn's Veil are a waste of space. If they don't counter your Conflux you can dig for counters anyway.