[Deck] U/G Stasis- can it work?

[ACE]

Ah stasis... The good old fashioned lock-down deck. Where has stasis gone? It has made somewhat of an appearance in type 2 with its counterpart- Soggy Pickles. The lock created was just against your opponent with brine elemental and vesuvan shapeshifter.

From days past, I remember stasis and it's power- and the fear it created when it was in place.

I have been working with building a stasis deck. I realized that no splash for white was needed because kismet was planes shifted to blue-Frozen Aether- so it could become a mono colored deck. Then, I realized that mono blue was not as strong- there was not enough acceleration. It was then that I decided to splash green- to give the deck that extra little kick. So, without further ado, I will present the list and then walk through my card choices.

Creatures:13
4x birds of paradise
3x llanowar elves
4x quirion ranger
1x morphling
1x serra sphinx

instans/sorceries:17
4x force of will
4x daze
4x brainstorm
4x impulse
2x recall

artifacts/enchantments:13
4x stasis
3x frozen aether
3x howling mine
1x claw of gix
1x feldon's cane

Lands:18
4x flooded strand
4x forsaken city
4x tropical island
6x island

Card Choices:
Birds of paradise- Obvious choice for card accelleration- adds any color of mana- aka, Blue.

llanowar elves- Another obvious choice for acceleration- at one green mana, it produces mana.

qurrion ranger- Great synergies with birds of paradise and stasis. I can pop up one tropical island per turn to be able to pay stasis' cost if I don't draw an island, or feel like pitching a card to forsaken city.

Morphling and Serra Sphinx- My kill creatures. Morphling is the original blue badass, and serra sphinx has vigilance- so it obviously doesn't tap when beating through the air.

Force of will and Daze- The two best counterspells in the format. Daze is even better because wether it matters or not I can play it to get an island back to help pay upcoming costs of stasis.

Brainstorm and Impulse- Both serve the same purpose- getting me what I need at the time. Impulse serves this purpose better because it digs deeper.

recall- Grabs dead cards- stasis, creatures, anything really. I am currently testing regrowth in this slot and it is working out about as well.

Stasis and Frozen Aether- They create the imfamous lock. Frozen Aether makes sure that if they play anything, it comes in tapped, stasis keeps it that way.

Howling mine- Allows me to draw more cards, and gives me another win condition. The extra cards also helps fuel the forsaken cities that will be in play.
(I have been testing with 3 mines and one crucible of worlds to be able to get land out if I need it- and also to create synergies with claws of gix- but I do not need it.)

claws of gix- allows me to plan ahead if i played an early stasis and i can sac the stasis to get to untap and play out threats.

feldon's cane- If I need to get a higher library count and avoid decking to the mines, this helps a lot.

Tropical Island and Forsaken City- Helps pay for the green splash. Trop gets the synergies with the dryad and forsaken city lets me stack triggers and pay for stasis as long as I have cards in hand.


The sideboard is unsure at the moment. Probably something like krosan grips, tormod's crypts, blue elemental blasts/hydroblasts, and stifle/trickbind. Maybe others. It all depends on who shows up at the store.

Ok, so, what do you all think? Can it work? Will it be sucessfull?

[Nydaeli]

Where's Root Maze? That's the best card that green has to offer you, in my opinion.

[ForceofWill]

that stops him from winning. Root maze is only good in the inf lock decks.

[Dark Hippo]

Here is a build i have designed for U/G Stasis.

Lands
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
4 forsaken city
4 tropical island
4 breeding pool
4 flood plain
5 island

Creatures
4 chronatog

Enchantments
4 stasis
4 root maze

Other
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 crop rotation
4 piracy charm
4 brainstorm
4 Lotus Petal
1 orb of dreams
1 gaea's blessing

Sideboard
4 mana short
4 drop of honey
4 Commandeer
3 Energy field

This deck to me seems a little more controlling then Ace's. This deck plays with a small land tool box using crop rotation. The Chronatog is used to skip your turns once the lockdown is in place. The piracy charm is there for removale and can be used as discard. Some cards that could be worked in are: maze of ith, frozen aether, and muddle the mixture. Also the sideboard could be worked on.

Any thoughts on this version?

[Cubus]

Hippo's version looks pretty solid.

I've been trying to make a U/G Stasis deck with Eladamri's Vineyard, both as acceleration and as a kill method. The only problem is that your opponents get to use it first, which can cost you the game in several matchups.

Are the Breeding Pools really necessary?

[Cavius The Great]

Here is a build i have designed for U/G Stasis.

Lands
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
4 forsaken city
4 tropical island
4 breeding pool
4 flood plain
5 island

Creatures
4 chronatog

Enchantments
4 stasis
4 root maze

Other
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 crop rotation
4 piracy charm
4 brainstorm
4 Lotus Petal
1 orb of dreams
1 gaea's blessing

Sideboard
4 mana short
4 drop of honey
4 Commandeer
3 Energy field

This deck to me seems a little more controlling then Ace's. This deck plays with a small land tool box using crop rotation. The Chronatog is used to skip your turns once the lockdown is in place. The piracy charm is there for removale and can be used as discard. Some cards that could be worked in are: maze of ith, frozen aether, and muddle the mixture. Also the sideboard could be worked on.

Any thoughts on this version?

What on earth are the Piracy Charms for? Discard? I really think additional counters would be better, especially free ones, such as Force Spike, Thwart or Foil.

[Cubus]

Piracy charms are probably in because they can remove Lackeys, but are not completely dead in combo matchups. They are suboptimal though.

[Dark Hippo]

Yeah the piracy charms are in for removal and for discard. That was all I could think of at the time but they could be replaced. The Breeding pools i guess aren't totally necessary but they are another green source that can also produce blue mana.

[Brushwagg]

Ummm.. Exploration? Being able to play an extra land seems pretty good in this deck. I would probably cut Morphling, it's bad and replace it with something a little less mana intensive. Also I'd probably bump the Rangers up to 6.

@Rootmaze:Instead of Maze there is always Frozen Aether (Blue Kismet). Which only effects your opponent. That way anything a 1/1 can win the game.

[troopatroop]

Quirion Ranger maybe?

[Brushwagg]

Quirion Ranger maybe?


I totally missed that it was not in the deck. I saw Quirion and thought it was Ranger LOL. Ya that needs to be this deck at least as a 4 of. That way stuff can attack and you can keep the lock going, and not have to sit there board. (ie decking)

[ACE]

I totally missed that it was not in the deck. I saw Quirion and thought it was Ranger LOL. Ya that needs to be this deck at least as a 4 of. That way stuff can attack and you can keep the lock going, and not have to sit there board. (ie decking)

LOL!... Well, It was supposed to be ranger... I just posted the list late at night and was tired... I'll get right to changing that.

Oh, and the whole root maze thing is horrible.

YOUR lands are not supposed to come into play tapped.= Think about it- how will you be able to pay the stasis up-keep for long if they do? The same goes for breeding pools. They are horrible because you must pay two life each time to put them into play. The whole point of the green version is to keep your opponent locked down, not the both of you.

Also, on to the other guy who tried to commandeer my thread- no offence, but my list would run circles around yours. You did not use any kind of acceleration other than lotus petal. Your only deffinate way of paying stasis each turn is with forsaken city. You also only run one win condition- the chronatog. If he gets killed, and extirpated, you just lose. True, you can get one out, and keep your opponent tapped down and just keep skipping turns to make them draw out their deck, but that is the only SOLID win condition.
And with brainstorm as the only real draw in the deck, you will not be able to get to what you need soon enough most times.

As for vineyard being in the deck, it is an absolutly bad idea. If you think about it, they get naturalize mana. And if for some reason they get another mana source in play, they get krosan grip mana, which is even worse.

I am not trying to flame people, but it just seems as if you have never played with a stasis deck before.

Another suggestion to dark hippo would be to put crucible of worlds in the deck. With crop rotation, it will help you a lot more. Take out the orb of dreams. Also, put in a zuran orb to help with the whole land into grave thing. It helps a little against aggro, and if you replace root maze with something that only screws over opponents, you get at least two life per turn without losing a land. And, if you are short on mana, you can sac the tabernacle at the end of your opponents turn so you dont need to pay for your chronatog.

But with extirpate being played more, I would give the deck more win conditions. Also, you only have force/daze as an answer to pithing needle, which will shut down your only win.

So, people, please comment on MY list. I need help constructing it for upcoming tournements.

Thanks for replying!

[outsideangel]

If you're going to play creatures, you should play creatures that do something besides beat. Once you have the Stasis lock in place, you can pretty much win with whatever you want. Honestly, Quirion Ranger beatdown is probably good enough at that point. And if you're going to play a dedicated win condition, try Ebony-Owl Netsuke, as it is immune to all the copious amounts of creature hate in the format. Vedalken Mastermind is another cute dude to run in this sort of deck, and sort of a lock piece. If you were running white, I'd suggest Hokori, and the Grand Arbiter.

Also, I miss the point of a lot of the acceleration, tbh. Your combo isn't expensive, at all. The problem is more in assembling it than in paying for it. Run more dig/draw, maybe some tutors if you can come up with any that work. Lose the fat, as it will just clog up your hand when you want to be drawing combo pieces or ways to find combo pieces.

-3 Llanowar Elves
-2 Sphinx
-1 Morphling

[despo]

18 lands seems like too few, especially with 4 fetchland. Your acceleration doesn't help you to pay for stasis and you can't always have city. I would play at least 20-21 lands.

[Dark Hippo]

Well looking at your version despo and outsideangel are right. You are running to much acceleration and to little lands. Even with all those accelerating creatures the soonest the lock can come down is turn four. Also I don't like the howling mine because you don't want to give your opponent an extra card every turn before the lock making it almost a dead card in your hand until you lock them down. Also because you are playing creatures you could probably play with a living wish wish board. Plus you can add crop rotation for forbidden cities 5-8 but since your also running other ways to play stasis's upkeep cost you might not need it. And on a final note you should up the frozen aether count and add in that fourth daze.

[ACE]

If you're going to play creatures, you should play creatures that do something besides beat. Once you have the Stasis lock in place, you can pretty much win with whatever you want. Honestly, Quirion Ranger beatdown is probably good enough at that point. And if you're going to play a dedicated win condition, try Ebony-Owl Netsuke, as it is immune to all the copious amounts of creature hate in the format. Vedalken Mastermind is another cute dude to run in this sort of deck, and sort of a lock piece. If you were running white, I'd suggest Hokori, and the Grand Arbiter.

Also, I miss the point of a lot of the acceleration, tbh. Your combo isn't expensive, at all. The problem is more in assembling it than in paying for it. Run more dig/draw, maybe some tutors if you can come up with any that work. Lose the fat, as it will just clog up your hand when you want to be drawing combo pieces or ways to find combo pieces.

-3 Llanowar Elves
-2 Sphinx
-1 Morphling

Ok, the whole point of the acceleration is to be able to get a threat and the lock down ASAP. And if at all possible, on the same turn. The howling mine is and has long been basically a staple card in stasis decks because it is their main form of draw. It helps fuel stasis, force of will, forsaken city, morphling, etc. I have tested with more land, and it does not help any really. The deck needed more room for other cards. With the acceleration, the deck was perfectly fine at 18 land. With acceleration, you don't NEED to have upwards of 20 land.

As with everyone else, I came up with the list, then looked online and fine tuned it for maximum performace capabilities.

You are suggesting that I go with just the two win condition: ranger beats and one morphling. This will never happen. Ever. EVERY deck needs to have more outs than that. If they take away your only win condition, you lose.

I need the other creatures to be able to apply more pressure to combo decks. If I do not get the stasis lock with a threat on the table, I need to hold and wait until I get a fresh new hand and try it all on one turn and hope that they have not been saving a hand full of forces and dazes of their own.

Possibilities:

-1 Ranger = +1 daze
-1 morphling = +1 chronatog/ chronatog totem (more mana intensive, but it adds mana, and it is not a creature full time just sitting there waiting for removal).
-1 howling mine = +1 frozen aether.

I have been testing with each of these choices, and with different combinations of each. What do you each think?

Vedalken Mastermind is a very interesting card choice for this deck, and it could quite possibly be playable. For just 3 mana each turn, the stasis only locks out my opponent... Not bad after the lock has been initiated.

What could I take out for about 2 of these guys?

[outsideangel]

Your win condition isn't creatures, it's the Stasis lock. And that's a good thing, because honestly, your fatties suck. Morphling and a blue Serra Angel are not the answer to this format. You're not putting pressure on anyone, especially a turn four combo deck, with creatures that cost that much mana, and with only three of them.

The list you posted already just loses to combo. Stasis the card does. It's miserable against a deck that only needs its mana for 1 turn. You might as well make the deck playable against the other two-thirds of the field and throw together an Elgin-esque sideboard.

[Radley]

Black vise is the best kill condition in my opinion. I think Ivory tower also helps the deck and library of meng(lol). Chronatog is really great but in tournaments, it might suck because your opponent might go the delaying tactics way, especially if your opponent won the first game.

[Cait_Sith]

Chronatog is far too easy to kill. However if you really want to go with Chronatog invest in Tangle Wire so your opponent is actually locked out.

I would think that some way of bouncing the Stasis as needed would be good, I have seen someone use Opposition alongside Stasis and Tradewind Rider to perform this. He then used Spectral Force for the kill card.

[Radley]

If your opponent is already locked(their permanents comes into play tapped, all their lands is tapped, you have a stasis and forsaken city), There is no way your chronatog will be dead. Pyrokinesis is the only closest thing to kill chronatog but chrona gets +3/+3. It can kill chronatog if you time it right but who uses pyrokinesis?

All you need really is a way to get stasis and other components fast. Enlightened tutor is the best way to get it, and you can splash green for sterling grove but it's too much and will slow the deck. The addition of green gives you crop rotation and/or living wish to search for forsaken city(yeah right living wish again).

As for a way to bounce stasis, rescue(for temporary) or vedalken mastermind is a good card to bounce it. But I'd rather have a deck that has alot of tutors to get the lock really fast rather than risk drawing more combo pieces or just something to bounce back stasis.

[Cait_Sith]

I will put it simply. Their permanents are untapped. One Lightning Bolt, Sudden Shock, Swords to Plowshares, or any other instant speed removal is all it takes to end your lock (also some sorcery speed removal works as well)

[Radley]

That can't be possible, they don't untap if stasis is in play and if your lock is complete, permanents comes into play tapped. So instants can't really harm your chronatog.

[Cait_Sith]

I have an untapped plains in play. You drop Stasis. The untapped Plains never untaps, but that goes without saying.

[Radley]

That means the game is not yet locked. The old stasis has icy manipulator for tapping. I think rishadan port, mishra's helix, turnabout, mana short, ring of gix or icy manipulator is needed for tapping. Tapping also helps before you are ready for lock.

[Cait_Sith]

See earlier recommendation of Tangle Wire. Consider that since you never untap either, you need a card that can tap mana producing artifacts, creatures, and lands to avoid and surprises hitting Chronatog or Stasis.

[Rood]

Black vise is the best kill condition in my opinion.

-Sigged.

[Cait_Sith]

Oh yea I forgot to mention Black Vise is banned in Legacy for obvious reasons. Your best bet is Ebony Owl Netsuke.

[Radley]

Tangle wire @ It helps in early part of game.

Well this deck needs to be tested to know if it will work. I suggest to use at least 1 black vise for win condition. Put 4 enlightened tutor to search for all the combo parts. Living wish and/or crop rotation if you will splash green to get forsaken city faster but you need a card that let's you draw like howling mine(not a good choice because you are giving your opponent cards but if your lock is on, it doesn't matter anymore). Boomerang and/or rescue so you get to untap.

[Cait_Sith]

Oh yea I forgot to mention Black Vise is banned in Legacy for obvious reasons. Your best bet is Ebony Owl Netsuke.


I suggest to use at least 1 black vise for win condition.

Adding Enlightened Tutor adds another color, a vicious prospect for Legacy in general (due to the wasteland heavy environment). Serum Visions/Brainstorm could work.

[Radley]

Nice, my name is sigged. I got a fanatic now :laugh:

@enlightened tutor - But it's the only tutor for enchantments you can get as far as I know other than black's tutors.

Ebony owl or black vise, it doesn't really matter because you'll win anyway.

[Rood]

Nice, my name is sigged. I got a fanatic now :laugh:

@enlightened tutor - But it's the only tutor for enchantments you can get as far as I know other than black's tutors.

Ebony owl or black vise, it doesn't really matter because you'll win anyway.

No that was just simple a funny comment, GOOD job though lol.

[Cait_Sith]

@enlightened tutor - But it's the only tutor for enchantments you can get as far as I know other than black's tutors.

Blue and green do have card drawing abilities. Especially blue, the color of card drawing. Abuse it, not your mana base!

[ACE]

@enlightened tutor - But it's the only tutor for enchantments you can get as far as I know other than black's tutors.

Ebony owl or black vise, it doesn't really matter because you'll win anyway.

Ok... Stop suggesting banned cards.

Blue has tutors as well. And prety good ones at that. Have you seen this good card called Intuition? It's prety nice when you have 3 and 4 of's in a deck. Also, even gifts ungiven is prety decent. I like intuition better, but I do not own any. I MAY be able to find people to lend them to me though.

Oh yeah, also, sith made yet ANOTHER good point:

Blue and green do have card drawing abilities. Especially blue, the color of card drawing. Abuse it, not your mana base!

Also, outsideangel, the lock does not win games. People see past it and will play it out if they realize I am bluffing no win condition. The lock does not win. The reduction of your opponents life to zero or less is the win. The lock meerly insures that you will not have to worry about much while you steadily drop their life down.

And as stated before, the serra sphinx is in the deck because it does not tap.
Morphling is in the deck because he is one of the best creatures ever printed. He can also untap, pump, and not be the target of spells or abilities; especially with the free mana I will be having due to multiple qurion rangers.

I am cutting one morphling for one frozen aether to lower the mana curve, and help instill the lock.

Tangle wire does seem like a card that would fit in this deck, but only if I get a way to bounce my permanents. Or I could do what the classic stasis decks did and run despotic scepter. With a scepter down, I could drop a tangle wire, be sure that they tap out, and then blow it at eot. Droping a stasis next turn would be killer.

Again, I need to get the list arranged to have room for all of this. What do you guys think I should do?

I could move the recall to the sideboard for 2 other cards. Should they be the vedalkin mastermind? ... lol, I am having a little difficulty trying to fegure out what should be in and what should be out.

I'll update the list. ( I think there is only the one change).

[Radley]

I don't think Intuition can be reliable at all times. You can't just get a card you needed if you got 2 in the deck and 1-2 is in your graveyard.

@Ebony owl or black vise, it doesn't really matter because you'll win anyway.
That comment means it doesn't matter if you use ebony owl because black vise is banned. So there's no problem at all, just a different card with almost the same ability.

[Cait_Sith]

I don't think Intuition can be reliable at all times. You can't just get a card you needed if you got 2 in the deck and 1-2 is in your graveyard.

I have to agree with this and with Extirpate running around you should be at least a little careful. Fact or Fiction is expensive, although it is a house.

[Radley]

Fact or fiction was my fave type 2 card in its time. Honestly, it costs too much, It will prolly fit in stax blue but not in stasis. What you have to do is to add enlightened tutor or more 1-2 casting cost draw spells and hope to get your stasis really fast.

[Cait_Sith]

Once against, adding Enlightened Tutor adds another color. If you want it you need to run U/W Stasis. Cheap cantrips like Opt and Serum Visions can get the job done on most cases.

[Radley]

It's the most reliable way to get an enchantment. Cheap draw spells doesn't do much IMO. It would be like 4 enlightened tutor against 8 cheap draw spells spot.

[ACE]

It's the most reliable way to get an enchantment. Cheap draw spells doesn't do much IMO. It would be like 4 enlightened tutor against 8 cheap draw spells spot.

I have to agree with sith- Adding another color is bad because I would need to get more duals in the deck, therefore making the mana base weaker. Especialy in a format that is saturated with wastelands.

If I wanted to play my old UW stasis, I would. But I wanted a new approach to it; so white is out.

[Dark Hippo]

Im not sure of a way to help get frozen aether into your hand but muddle the mixture is a solid card to use for retrieving stasis and can work for ebony owl netsuke, or even chronatog. Also mana short could find a way into the deck.

[Radley]

So only intuition can get you a stasis then?

[Cait_Sith]

So only intuition can get you a stasis then?

Unless they use Muddle the Mixture like Dark Hippo suggested. Muddle is a pretty decent tutor and more resilient to counters (for when people actually counter your tutors).

[Cubus]

Just a quick idea: Gaea's Blessing? It can function as a win condition as well as a savior against Solidarity.

[Cait_Sith]

Just a quick idea: Gaea's Blessing? It can function as a win condition as well as a savior against Solidarity.

As a wincon...? Ir you have Chronatog out then you will naturally deck them anyway. And as for Solidarity, the MU is all strange, but a Blessing or 2 would be nice.

[Poron]

Sea Drake? get back 2 tapped island and beat them as WC. It untap with Quirion Ranger and Scryb Ranger

Anyway I prefer the mono-U Chronatog/Tangle Wire version. More solid, faster and cheaper.

[ACE]

As soon as I can find the forsaken cities, and a fourth stasis, I can test the deck out next week. Not this friday because I am going to the Dragonforce Concert. But then I will be able to post match reports.

Keep up with the suggestions, brainstorming is always good.


Thanks for all the help so far gang.

[Dark Hippo]

I would like to discuss the idea of mana short in the deck. It seems like it could be a good idea letting you drain all their land sourced mana.

[ACE]

I would like to discuss the idea of mana short in the deck. It seems like it could be a good idea letting you drain all their land sourced mana.

I do agree. I have been trying to explore the idea of getting them tapped down at EOT, then next turn play stasis. I have tried to get mana short in the deck, but cant find a spot. I also though of putting in 3 cunning wish and having a wish utility board which I can use to get cards that can help not only by tapping lands, but ther creatures as well.

Also, I have tried to play icy manipulator like in the old days. I like the card, but it is too slow.

I have though about early frost. I fegure, that If my objective is to get the combo down fast and efficiently, this two mana cost card will cut down their land when I need it. But mana short is far better because for just one extra mana (not hard to get with my accel.), It taps them out completely whenever I resolve it.

But, the question still remains... (1)Cunning wish or mana short main? To keep the speed, I would vote for mana short. And... (2)Where to fit it in the deck?

[Radley]

Unless they use Muddle the Mixture like Dark Hippo suggested. Muddle is a pretty decent tutor and more resilient to counters (for when people actually counter your tutors).

So you'd rather add transmute that can only get you a stasis. You'd rather add that to deck rather than add enlightened tutor that can fetch any of all the combo pieces.

[outsideangel]

So you'd rather add transmute that can only get you a stasis. You'd rather add that to deck rather than add enlightened tutor that can fetch any of all the combo pieces.

a) That's not true. Enlightened Tutor won't get you a City or a Ranger to pay the upkeep on Stasis.

b) Adding Enlightened Tutor means an additional color, which, in a format full of Wasteland, is a serious consideration.

c) Stasis is the most important piece of the combo, and you do not have redundant pieces for it. It is the piece you are most likely to tutor for.

d) This is a question mark: ? When you ask a question, even if it's rhetorical, you should still use one.

[Radley]

a) That's not true. Enlightened Tutor won't get you a City or a Ranger to pay the upkeep on Stasis.

b) Adding Enlightened Tutor means an additional color, which, in a format full of Wasteland, is a serious consideration.

c) Stasis is the most important piece of the combo, and you do not have redundant pieces for it. It is the piece you are most likely to tutor for.

d) This is a question mark: ? When you ask a question, even if it's rhetorical, you should still use one.

a) Are you trying to say that muddle the mixture is worse than I thought? So, it can't search for the other combo pieces including ranger and forgotten city. Ok, to make it clear to you, that's not a question but a statement.

b) Then good, let them waste a land in early start of game so you can start building your hand for a lock. You can just pretend you're the one who wasteland them ^_^

c) So you'll search for stasis then wait till you get the other combo pieces? Wait for the kismet-like card?

d) I don't need a lesson in making sentences. And try to stick in the topic, this thread isn't made for me and my grammar.

[Dark Hippo]

Radley has some good points but i'm also against adding a third colour as well. To make it easier to get the forgotten city you can add crop rotation which also is like a counter to wasteland and other similar land removal. Also Ace could you post your current deck list?

[Cait_Sith]

a) Are you trying to say that muddle the mixture is worse than I thought? So, it can't search for the other combo pieces including ranger and forgotten city. Ok, to make it clear to you, that's not a question but a statement.

b) Then good, let them waste a land in early start of game so you can start building your hand for a lock. You can just pretend you're the one who wasteland them ^_^

c) So you'll search for stasis then wait till you get the other combo pieces? Wait for the kismet-like card?

d) I don't need a lesson in making sentences. And try to stick in the topic, this thread isn't made for me and my grammar.

1) Neither can Enlightened Tutor, but if you run Chronatog Muddle the Mixture can fetch that, which Enlightened Tutor cannot.

2) All decks that run Wasteland are designed to take advantage of the tempo dip they just gave you. And now you are down a land of that color as well. Oops.

3) Kismet is STILL not a cure all. You need something to tap them out easily. Also, you run 4 copies of Stasis. They simply need to counter them all for you to run a VERY bad tempo deck. Enlightened Tutor can give early notice of COUNTER ME SOON! if not used correctly (and takes away a draw) where as Muddle can - Counter their Counter Spells - Act as a shuffle effect - Tutor Stasis and possibly another card - Is in color - Can drop the fetched Stasis right then if needed. It is useful and versatile. Enlightened Tutor is not so much.

[outsideangel]

Enlightened Tutor gets one (1) more combo piece than Muddle. It does so at the cost of a third color, card disadvantage, counterability, and the occassional vulnerability to Chalice of the Void and Predict.

Sith already put down the advantages of Muddle, put I'll just go ahead and repeat them in case you didn't get it the first time. Muddle tutors for one (1) less combo piece than Enlightened Tutor, with the benefits of being on-color, card advanatage neutral, and an additional counterspell against combo. If you run Force of Will, it's also another blue card to pitch.

[Radley]

Well, I guess this deck can't be tier 1 then ^_^ This deck can be fun to play for casual.

Frozen aether(the kismet-like blue enchantment) is really important for a complete lock, mana short can't be enough although mana short is great for tapping out your opponent's mana before or after stasis is in play.

[Dark Hippo]

Muddle does seem to be superior. It gets the card the turn you play it and can be used as a counter. Enlightened tutor does neither of these things. I guess people are getting tired of this argument so lets move on to a sideboard if one isn't already decided on.

[Cait_Sith]

2 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Hydroblast

Gobs will annihilate you otherwise.

[Radley]

Muddle does seem to be superior. It gets the card the turn you play it and can be used as a counter. Enlightened tutor does neither of these things. I guess people are getting tired of this argument so lets move on to a sideboard if one isn't already decided on.

You get the card the turn you got it by transmute but can't cast it that turn because your lands are all tapped out. with tutor, you cast it at end of your opponent's turn then cast it at your turn and It's cc is 1. Would you go faster and with tutor or 2 mana slower with muddle?

[Cait_Sith]

If you have only 2-3 lands you are royally screwed anyway. If you are facing a deck running a fair amount of counters spells losing a draw hurts by a massive amount. Think this way: If you have 5 lands Muddle is superior in many ways (and it can fetch Chronatog if you go that route). If nothing else you can counter and nasty Instant or Sorcery.

[outsideangel]

Well, I guess this deck can't be tier 1 then ^_^ This deck can be fun to play for casual.


It's genuinely stupid to conclude that a Stasis deck can't be tier 1 because it runs a tutor that cannot fetch a Kismet.

Of course, it probably can't be tier 1 for a whole variety of other reasons, which include but are not limited to the fact that the lock takes a million pieces and is slow, it takes forever to kill someone once you get the lock down, and you usually end up running Howling Mine, which, let's be honest, is a bad card.

Re: The sideboard- Answers to problem artifacts/enchantments would be spiffy. Also, Arcane Lab for combo should probably find a spot.

Re: The win condition- If you're going to run one, it should be Ebony Owl Netsuke, with maybe a way to deck them as a backup singleton. It should not be a creature.

[Radley]

It's genuinely stupid to conclude that a Stasis deck can't be tier 1 because it runs a tutor that cannot fetch a Kismet.


It's genuinely more stupid to assume that I think the deck can't be tier 1 because it can't tutor a kismet. First of all, if you go mono blue, you'll be waiting to draw frozen aether to complete the lock. 2nd, you need 3 combo pieces to complete the lock. 3rd, If you add tutor, it makes you more vulnerable to wasteland, 4th, If you use muddle the mixture, the deck becomes slower and how many combo decks are out there that can combo at turn 4 consistently?

[Cait_Sith]

It's genuinely more stupid to assume that I think the deck can't be tier 1 because it can't tutor a kismet. First of all, if you go mono blue, you'll be waiting to draw frozen aether to complete the lock. 2nd, you need 3 combo pieces to complete the lock. 3rd, If you add tutor, it makes you more vulnerable to wasteland, 4th, If you use muddle the mixture, the deck becomes slower and how many combo decks are out there that can combo at turn 4 consistently?

Ignoring the flames.

1) And Richard Garfield said "Let there be card draw" and so there was drawing spells. And Richard Garfield called this color "blue." And so ended the 2nd Turn. Genesis: 1, 6-8

2) Correct. Draw spells find all 3 (I am including Intuition in the draw spells)

3) If you add a blue tutor the deck becomes more vulnerable no Wasteland?

4) Muddle does not slow the deck much more than Enlightened Tutor would. Not to mention it gets better if the game drags on.

[ACE]

Ok. Number one- I am not, I repeat, NOT, adding another color. It weakens the mana base, makes it more vulnerable to wasteland, screws my tempo up to high heaven, and makes me cut even more cards to fit in the other color.

Number two, here is the current deck list I am testing:

Creatures:16
4x birds of paradise
3x llanowar elves
4x quirion ranger
2x vedalken mastermind
1x Chronatog
1x Morphling
1x Serra Sphinx

instans/sorceries:19
3x mana short
4x force of will
3x daze
4x brainstorm
4x impulse
1x recall

artifacts/enchantments:7
4x stasis
3x frozen aether


Lands:18
3x flooded strand
1x windswept heath
4x forsaken city
4x tropical island
5x island
1x forest

Sideboard:15
3x hydroblast-------------
3x blue elemental blast---- Can be two each for more sideboard cards.
3x krosan grip
2x tormod's crypt
4x ---other---

My playtesting buddy is out of town now, but this is the current list I have been testing with. The geese was at a 4 of, but I only need 3 because they are untargetable, and just a single one can win me the game- unless there is a wall in the way, in which case it becomes a problem. This is where I was testing with cards like:
Hunted Phantasm and Cephalid Inkshrouder. The Phantasm has synergies with the frozen aether, giving them useless, tapped tokens. The Inkshrouder can be a problem without the howling mines, but I can make it untargetable. But this is unreliable to split-second removal.

So, The hunted phantasms may be about a two of in the sideboard once they fegure they should side out their creature removal.

What do you think of the list so far? Like I said, it is a working list, and is still a bit shakey.

[outsideangel]

As you mentioned, Nimble Mongoose looses to Wall of Blossoms. That doesn't seem good to me.

Why are you so adamantly against Ebony Owl Netsuke? To the point where you're considering Hunted Phantasm over it? Seriously, if there's a problem with the Owl as your win-con, I'm not seeing it.

[ACE]

As you mentioned, Nimble Mongoose looses to Wall of Blossoms. That doesn't seem good to me.

Why are you so adamantly against Ebony Owl Netsuke? To the point where you're considering Hunted Phantasm over it? Seriously, if there's a problem with the Owl as your win-con, I'm not seeing it.

You are right, I'm sorry. I Just keep forgetting about that card.

The thing is, if I use that as my win con, I should be running howling mines as well. It will be sure that they have 7 cards in hand at all times.

[Hummingbird TG]

With Stasis down, they can't play spells, and thus would probably have seven cards in hand soon enough anyway...

[Zork]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you not untap mongoose with ranger? Which would leave Vedalken Mastermind as a must-have for the combo, which is bad because he is a target for creature removal.

[Dark Hippo]

nimble mongoose cant be returned by the mastermind either now that you mention it.

[ACE]

Yes. I realized this after the post. So I am going to have 1 each Chronatog, Morphling, and Serra Sphinx for my win creatures.

[ACE]

Ok, so I made a few revisions to my deck with help from some friends.

Here is the updated list:


Creatures:15
4x birds of paradise
3x llanowar elves
4x quirion ranger
2x vedalken mastermind
2x Chronatog

instans/sorceries:20
3x mana short
4x force of will
3x daze
4x brainstorm
4x impulse
2x rescue

artifacts/enchantments:7
4x stasis
3x frozen aether


Lands:18
3x flooded strand
1x windswept heath
4x forsaken city
4x tropical island
5x island
1x forest


Also, I was thinking about the addition of ghost quarter. It has synergies with frozen aether, but I would need to up the land count to about 20 to keep my colored mana. Rescue is working nicely, Recall was not. With the Chronatogs, it cuts my curve down a lot more.

Btw- does anyone know where I can go to get mancurve and color pie statistics of my deck?

[Dark Hippo]

The deck looks pretty solid. Can you post testing results when you get some? And you can get colour statistics using MWS.