[Deck] U/B Fish

[Jak]

I just saw the new PC card called Extirpate. I really hope it is for real because I wanted to put it into a deck I have been working on for some time. For those of you who don't know, this is Extirpate:

Extirpate B
Instant
Split Second
Remove target non-land card in a graveyard from the game and all copies in that players yard, library, and hand.

It is amazing and hoses a lot of decks, like combo. Well here is a deck that has been working out pretty well and needs some tweaking. I give you my version of U/B Fish.

Lands 18
4 Wasteland
4 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
3 Island
1 Swamp

Counters 10
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
3 Counterspell

Hand Disruption 4
4 Duress

More Tech 10
4 Extirpate
4 Stifle
2 Umezawa's Jitte

Draw 8
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions

Creatures 11
4 Dark Confidant
4 Rootwater Thief
3 Rotting Giant

Sideboard 15
4 Engineered Plague
3 Pithing Needle
4 Hydroblast
2 Umezawa's Jitte
2 ???

I really enjoy playing with this deck for is mana denial to wasteland, stifle fetches and then romove them with Extirpate or something. It is just an all around fun deck to play. The thing I am worried about is the board. I am not sure if it is really that great. It is more geared to goblins, but I am worried about chalice and other bad artifacts if I don't have a way of getting rid of them. I would like to fill the 2 remaining slots too pick off random permanents, but have not a clue. I would also like to cut a card if possible, but it hasn't been affecting me that much. Another thing is the spot removal. I have been thinking about diabolic edict or something which may be good. Thoughts?

For the MUs, they have all been going extremely well for my limited testing done. All combo is not difficult at all and gobs is pretty good postboard with at least 13 cards going in (much? Yeah I know) Thresh s good getting creatures down early and using Extirpate to get there creatures out of the way and disrupt their lands as much as possible. If you can do that you will have a really easy victory.

This deck is really strong in a lot of aspects. Card draw, counters, mana denial, disrupting the opponent, and some good beatdown. Thoughts and suggestions on the deck?

[Brushwagg]

A few things.

1.You have no creature or anything removal at all. I really think you can drop the Stifle and Extirpate counts down to add some in. You can't counter everything.

2.Dark Confidant is your best creature and it has an ass of 1. I'd look into finding some bigger beaters. Rotting Giant is kinda meh. He dies to Bolt and can't attack or block if you don't have a Yard. Rootwater is nice, be theres the small ass again. I'd try to rework your creature base some.

3.With only 11 creatures do you really need 2 Jittes in the board? Those slots can go to other utility slots.

[Jak]

Well those were why I posted the deck. I really want all those things. I tried serendib efreet, but the life loss hurt with the deck. Not great synergy. What removal would you suggest? I have thought about stuff like edicts or darkblast, but they aren't StP. I wish that was black. Maybe the new PC card Monkey's Uncle or whatever it is called. Destroy their creature and then stifle the 3/3 body coming into play. If the ability is triggered. Suggestions?

[Aggro_zombies]

I messed around with a U/B fish deck for a while called Haunter. It tried to use the Anti-Spell Counterbalance Engine to keep nasty stuff off the board while it beat down with its guys. It was a steaming pile, to be sure, but there are a few things that might be transferable to your deck.

1) Evasion dude are your friends. Most of the creatures you'd run in a deck like this don't fare too well in combat. Therefore, all of the things you have that'll be attacking regularly (Bob excepted) should have some form or another of evasion.

2) Shadowmage Infiltrator is a really good card. With an ass of 3 it's out of range of a lot of creatures in Goblins and safe from most burn. It also has fear and allows you to draw into more counters.

3) Kira, Great Glass Spinner is a really good creature as well. It essentially frees you from having to expend a lot of resources to protect fragile creatures from removal by making your opponent have to Swords your guy twice to make it actually die. And the last time I heard, 2-for-1's weren't in vogue.

4) Urborg Drake is a decent beater in U/B. Two flying power for three mana isn't bad.

5) I'd try to stay away from Psychatog here. You don't really want to discard much and you don't want to be susceptible to graveyard hate.

6) Smother and Echoing Truth are two really good removal cards for you. The new Midnight Charm from PC might also warrant some testing as it gives you an answer to turn one Lackey and can handle larger creatures as well.

7) If you find yourself with about 14-16 slots dedicated to creatures, it might be wise to consider running Jitte maindeck as it is a good removal spell and decent pump to boot. In Haunter, I also ran Dimir Infiltrator, which server multiple roles as Jitte and Counterbalance tutor, an early blocker, and a good Jitte carrier late-game. Doesn't work so well with Kira, but Kira is just too good for you to pass over...it's worth the 4 you'll have to invest to equip the Jitte.

[Tacosnape]

You could always maindeck the Plagues for removal and a better goblin match and run Hunted Phantasm. You've got four Stifles backing it up. It's enormous, it evades, it carrys Jitte for the win.

[Jak]

Wow, thanks you guys for all the help. I have been working with the creature base, and found this list that I like. Losing some control was hard, but it was worth it.

Lands
4 Wasteland
4 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
3 Island
1 Swamp

Counters
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
3 Counterspell

Hand Disruption
4 Duress

More Control
2 Extirpate
4 Stifle

Draw
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions

Creatures
4 Dark Confidant
4 Rootwater Thief
3 Shadowmage Infiltrator???
3 ???

Sideboard
4 Engineered Plague
2 Pithing Needle
4 Hydroblast
3 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Extirpate

I really would like a big flyer for 2 or something in the last slot. I really need a finisher for this deck. I thought about Hunted Phantasm and tested it a bit, but it was no good with having to have stifle also and plague MD. Any thoughts?

[nightshade81]

I really would like a big flyer for 2 or something in the last slot. I really need a finisher for this deck. I thought about Hunted Phantasm and tested it a bit, but it was no good with having to have stifle also and plague MD. Any thoughts?

Sea Drake
Serendib Efreet
Waterspout Djinn
Possessed Aven
Moroii

[C-Aleric]

What about something that kills creatures directly, such as
Smother, or Ghastly Demise. I think you will need something to this effect to deal with aggro.

The list there looks like it would just get walked over by a high tempo aggro deck.

[Jak]

Sea Drake
Serendib Efreet
Waterspout Djinn
Possessed Aven
Moroii


I would be running sea drake if I could find/afford one. Serendib and Moroii are out because I can't afford the life loss. I really like the other 2 however. Waterspout Djinn has no real drawback because I wondn't need more than 4 lands and Possessed Aven can help the FS MU. I am going to test the Djinn.

@C-Aleric
I forgot to put the smothers in when typing up the list. No wonder I had left over slots. My bad. I am going to try out this list. How does it look?

Lands
4 Wasteland
4 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
3 Island
1 Swamp

Counters
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
3 Counterspell

Hand Disruption
4 Duress

More Control
2 Extirpate
4 Stifle
4 Smother

Draw
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions

Creatures
4 Dark Confidant
4 Rotting Giant
3 Waterspout Djinn

Sideboard
4 Engineered Plague
2 Pithing Needle
4 Hydroblast
3 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Extirpate

How does that creature base look?

[lolosoon]

Hi all,

I'm not sure my post belongs to this thread, but I'll ask nonetheless.

I've got a Legacy Tourney (10-12 players, no clues about the metagame there...) at a local shop, and I'ld like to bring a B/u deck. Not sure it's fish though... So if it's not, please feel free to move this post elsewhere if needed.

I'll start with the decklist :

Lands : 19
4 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Tainted Isle
6 Swamp
1 Island

Spells : 26
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
4 Brainstorm
2 Serum Visions
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Duress
3 Cabal Therapy
2 Ghastly Demise

Creatures : 15
4 Dark Confidant
4 Nantuko Shade
4 Hypnotic Specter
3 Shadowmage Infiltrator

(Current) Sideboard
4 Dystopia
4 Engineered Plague
2 Darkblast
1 Cabal Therapy
+ Pithing Needle // Phyrexian Negator // Tormod's Crypt // Massacre ?!?!


In short : Early discard and counters, followed by CA critters like Bob, Finkel or Hyppie often set the board for the Shades I'm packing. (The deck is mainly Black due to those sweeties)

The deck is working fine (playstested against W/u AngelStompy, Mono-R Goblin, Stompy, Burn) but I feel like it's lacking something. Dunno what, maybe extra MD creature kill (for those pesky angels) or rough power (Big finisher ?!). Still those 2'of seems a bit janky...

Sometimes I wish I would draw into a Jitte, but I'm not sure they're needed or the deck has rooms for 2-3 of'em MD or SB.

Please help !
Regards,
(lolo)Soon.

[nightshade81]

Both of you need to include Umezawa's Jitte in your current builds. The card is ridiculous virtual card advantage. Acting as removal, pump (faster clock), and life gain.The reason Gro (#1 fish variant) doesn't run it is because of Nimble Mongoose. I'm actually a strong advocate of running 3 Jittes in most fish builds. 1 crit + 1 Jitte = Win vs. most aggro decks and generally the only way to beat Burn.

[Jak]

I know it is good and am trying to include it, but it is really hard to find space for it. I have no clue what to cut for it.

[Brushwagg]

@Creature removal:I'd probably go with Ghastly Demise or Smother. They are your best bet. For Smother most cretures played in the format have a CC of 3. Ghastly Demise is a house, except aganist Black decks. One or the other.

I have to agree with Nightshade. Jitte needs in. I've seen 56 random cards and 4 Jittes win games they shouldn't, because of Jitte.