cann0nfodder
09-06-2007, 11:41 PM
My friend and I designed this deck to have a strong game against many of the most popular decks in Legacy. Most of the card choices that went into the mainboard of this deck are very straight forward. This is a metagame deck and work must constantly go into it in order for the deck to be successful. However, I would like to post this deck because I feel that the deck is strong enough and fun enough to warrant the attention of more experienced deckbuilders than myself. Here is the list that I have currently settled on.
4 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wasteland
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Chrome Mox
4 Psychatog
4 Looter il-Kor
3 Dark Confidant
3 Shadowmage Infiltrator
4 Force of Will
4 Stifle
3 Daze
3 Duress
4 Brainstorm
4 Smother
2 Damnation
2 Umezawa's Jitte
Side Board:
1 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Engineered Plague
3 Engineered Explosives
2 Snuff Out
1 Duress
2 Extract
3 Extirpate
Playing the Deck:
This deck is relatively simple to play. Like any aggro control deck you should lay down some creatures as early as you can and use your disruption wisely.
The secret is know when you should focus on playing control and when you should focus on playing aggro. For example, when facing a board full of goblins and holding a damnation psychatog is the only creature that you should consider playing. However, when facing a player with nothing but lands in play and a lone Tarmogoyf you should ussually drop several threats. This is because your men will help you draw into the removal necessary to maintain control of the board.
Single card Discussion:
I realize that I have chosen many cards in this deck that readers will feel should be addressed. Many of these cards are not often played but they are very useful in this deck.
Wasteland - Wasteland is a very good card. In a world full of dual lands and fetch lands Wasteland is the best reason to run less than three colors. Wasteland slows other decks down. Although trading a land on a one for one basis with an opponent's land is not always helpful thanks to cards like looter il-kor and Dark Confidant you should be able to find the necessary color lands before your opponent does
Mishra's Factory - Mishra's factory can survive damnation and other mass removal. Also, the two color manabase can easily support him.
Chrome Mox - Originally the spot occupied by Chrome Mox was occupied by two more fetchlands and a basic Island and a basic Swamp. However, after testing with the addition of shadowmage infiltrator the tempo boost provided by chrome mox was was worth its addition. Also, Chrome Mox cannot be destroyed by Wasteland.
Looter il-Kor - Looter il-Kor is probably the most harshly ridiculed card in this deck. This is because looter il-Kor does not seem broken enough as a 1/1 for 1U. Looter does not get you card advantage but he does get you card quality. I know that I am going to take a tongue-lashing for comparing him to Brainstorm but I would like to remind everyone that Brainstorm does not get you card advantage either, it helps create card quality. Looter also fills up the graveyard for Psychatog and he is handy for carrying Umezawa's Jitte. Thanks to Chrome mox Looter can get in for Jitte counters as early as turn 3 (or turn 2 off a nearly impossible draw).
Dark Confidant - This guy is good. Yes, I know that he hurts you. Sometimes he can hurt so bad you want to drop him like an abusive girlfriend. However, ussually this deck wins by turn six or seven at the latest and the cards are worth it.
Shadowmage Infiltrator - Orginially I suggested we run counterspells or sinkholes in this slot. The counterspells were good but so is Shadowmage Infiltrator. This guy is good for most of the same reasons as Looter only with a bigger investment and a bigger payoff.
Stifle - Stifle can help fight storm combo decks and it is great with wasteland.
Duress - Duress is good in this deck because this list like to tap out on turns two and three to play cards like Dark Confidant and Shadowmage infiltrator. Duress lets you disrupt your opponent so that you can tap out as normal or barring that outcome lets you know that tapping out on turn two would have been the most stupid idea you ever had.
Smother - Sorry guys, no white means to Swords to Ployshares. Dont worry, when it comes to smiting Tarmogoyf Smother is almost as efficient.
Umezawa's Jitte - This card is incredible against goblins and threshold. It can also help you beat random stuff like burn. I know im not the only one who thinks that a Psychatog who is weilding Umezawa's Jitte is scary.
Sideboard
Engineered Plague, Engineered Explosives - I think that it is obvious what these are in here for. By the way, Engineered explosives can take out almost every guy in a threshold deck.
Snuff Out - Meh, I ran out of ideas for sideboard teck. Besides, these are going to get boarded in almost every other match.
Extract - This card can win the game against Cephalid Breakfast
Extirpate - One of the most swingy cards in a match against landstill. This can also be useful against a number of combo decks.
Experimental cards
Pithing needle + counterbalance - A good combo, but it doesnt quite seem to justifly the slots.
Match ups
Goblins: This matchup is difficult pre board but it is very winable as it depends heavily on the skill of the goblins player. Lay down a Psychatog and run amok with Jitte. Or Lay down a Psychatog and play damnation after the goblin player over extends. After you take command of the board (if you take command of the board) cards like shadowmage infiltrator and Jitte should help make sure you keep command.
-3 Duress
-3 Stifle
+3 Engineered Plague
+1 Umezawa's Jitte
+2 Snuff out
After boarding this matchup is much more easy. Snuff out helps take out troublesome men like goblin lackey and drawing a couple Engineered Plagues or a jitte will probably seal the game.
Threshold: This matchup is favorable. You have draw engines in Bob and Shadowmage infiltrator along with damnation, Psychatog and Jitte.
-2 Damnation
-3 Daze
-2 Duress
+1 Umezawa's Jitte
+3 Engineered Explosives
+2 Snuff out
After boarding this matchup is even more favorable. This match can stretch on a long time so Daze is less useful. Engineered explosives seems better than damnation because it destroys their guys but spares Psychatog and Shadowmage.
Epic Storm, Iggy pop: This matchup is surprisingly favorable. If you get a Looter il-Kor or a Dark Confidant online then the combo player will have an extremely tough time winning a counter war with you.
-2 Damnation
-4 Smother
-1 Umezawa's Jitte
+3 Engineered Explosives
+1 Duress
+3 Extirpate
Again, after sideboarding these matches become more favorable. Please note that I realize Extirpate is almost useless agaisnt TES but then again Smother is completely useless. If you are facing TES leave the damnations in and bring in only one extirpate. Thanks to Chrome Mox the damnations can actually kill ETW tokens. Cephalid Breakfast is basically the same except you should leave the smothers and the Jitte and find a way to bring in extirpate and extract. If you extract dread return then you have pretty much won the game.
I apologize in advance for the lack of more matchup information and for any typos but I have to go tuck myself in because I am writing this well past my bedtime:tongue:. If this board generates any discussion then I will return and post more matchups.
4 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wasteland
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Chrome Mox
4 Psychatog
4 Looter il-Kor
3 Dark Confidant
3 Shadowmage Infiltrator
4 Force of Will
4 Stifle
3 Daze
3 Duress
4 Brainstorm
4 Smother
2 Damnation
2 Umezawa's Jitte
Side Board:
1 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Engineered Plague
3 Engineered Explosives
2 Snuff Out
1 Duress
2 Extract
3 Extirpate
Playing the Deck:
This deck is relatively simple to play. Like any aggro control deck you should lay down some creatures as early as you can and use your disruption wisely.
The secret is know when you should focus on playing control and when you should focus on playing aggro. For example, when facing a board full of goblins and holding a damnation psychatog is the only creature that you should consider playing. However, when facing a player with nothing but lands in play and a lone Tarmogoyf you should ussually drop several threats. This is because your men will help you draw into the removal necessary to maintain control of the board.
Single card Discussion:
I realize that I have chosen many cards in this deck that readers will feel should be addressed. Many of these cards are not often played but they are very useful in this deck.
Wasteland - Wasteland is a very good card. In a world full of dual lands and fetch lands Wasteland is the best reason to run less than three colors. Wasteland slows other decks down. Although trading a land on a one for one basis with an opponent's land is not always helpful thanks to cards like looter il-kor and Dark Confidant you should be able to find the necessary color lands before your opponent does
Mishra's Factory - Mishra's factory can survive damnation and other mass removal. Also, the two color manabase can easily support him.
Chrome Mox - Originally the spot occupied by Chrome Mox was occupied by two more fetchlands and a basic Island and a basic Swamp. However, after testing with the addition of shadowmage infiltrator the tempo boost provided by chrome mox was was worth its addition. Also, Chrome Mox cannot be destroyed by Wasteland.
Looter il-Kor - Looter il-Kor is probably the most harshly ridiculed card in this deck. This is because looter il-Kor does not seem broken enough as a 1/1 for 1U. Looter does not get you card advantage but he does get you card quality. I know that I am going to take a tongue-lashing for comparing him to Brainstorm but I would like to remind everyone that Brainstorm does not get you card advantage either, it helps create card quality. Looter also fills up the graveyard for Psychatog and he is handy for carrying Umezawa's Jitte. Thanks to Chrome mox Looter can get in for Jitte counters as early as turn 3 (or turn 2 off a nearly impossible draw).
Dark Confidant - This guy is good. Yes, I know that he hurts you. Sometimes he can hurt so bad you want to drop him like an abusive girlfriend. However, ussually this deck wins by turn six or seven at the latest and the cards are worth it.
Shadowmage Infiltrator - Orginially I suggested we run counterspells or sinkholes in this slot. The counterspells were good but so is Shadowmage Infiltrator. This guy is good for most of the same reasons as Looter only with a bigger investment and a bigger payoff.
Stifle - Stifle can help fight storm combo decks and it is great with wasteland.
Duress - Duress is good in this deck because this list like to tap out on turns two and three to play cards like Dark Confidant and Shadowmage infiltrator. Duress lets you disrupt your opponent so that you can tap out as normal or barring that outcome lets you know that tapping out on turn two would have been the most stupid idea you ever had.
Smother - Sorry guys, no white means to Swords to Ployshares. Dont worry, when it comes to smiting Tarmogoyf Smother is almost as efficient.
Umezawa's Jitte - This card is incredible against goblins and threshold. It can also help you beat random stuff like burn. I know im not the only one who thinks that a Psychatog who is weilding Umezawa's Jitte is scary.
Sideboard
Engineered Plague, Engineered Explosives - I think that it is obvious what these are in here for. By the way, Engineered explosives can take out almost every guy in a threshold deck.
Snuff Out - Meh, I ran out of ideas for sideboard teck. Besides, these are going to get boarded in almost every other match.
Extract - This card can win the game against Cephalid Breakfast
Extirpate - One of the most swingy cards in a match against landstill. This can also be useful against a number of combo decks.
Experimental cards
Pithing needle + counterbalance - A good combo, but it doesnt quite seem to justifly the slots.
Match ups
Goblins: This matchup is difficult pre board but it is very winable as it depends heavily on the skill of the goblins player. Lay down a Psychatog and run amok with Jitte. Or Lay down a Psychatog and play damnation after the goblin player over extends. After you take command of the board (if you take command of the board) cards like shadowmage infiltrator and Jitte should help make sure you keep command.
-3 Duress
-3 Stifle
+3 Engineered Plague
+1 Umezawa's Jitte
+2 Snuff out
After boarding this matchup is much more easy. Snuff out helps take out troublesome men like goblin lackey and drawing a couple Engineered Plagues or a jitte will probably seal the game.
Threshold: This matchup is favorable. You have draw engines in Bob and Shadowmage infiltrator along with damnation, Psychatog and Jitte.
-2 Damnation
-3 Daze
-2 Duress
+1 Umezawa's Jitte
+3 Engineered Explosives
+2 Snuff out
After boarding this matchup is even more favorable. This match can stretch on a long time so Daze is less useful. Engineered explosives seems better than damnation because it destroys their guys but spares Psychatog and Shadowmage.
Epic Storm, Iggy pop: This matchup is surprisingly favorable. If you get a Looter il-Kor or a Dark Confidant online then the combo player will have an extremely tough time winning a counter war with you.
-2 Damnation
-4 Smother
-1 Umezawa's Jitte
+3 Engineered Explosives
+1 Duress
+3 Extirpate
Again, after sideboarding these matches become more favorable. Please note that I realize Extirpate is almost useless agaisnt TES but then again Smother is completely useless. If you are facing TES leave the damnations in and bring in only one extirpate. Thanks to Chrome Mox the damnations can actually kill ETW tokens. Cephalid Breakfast is basically the same except you should leave the smothers and the Jitte and find a way to bring in extirpate and extract. If you extract dread return then you have pretty much won the game.
I apologize in advance for the lack of more matchup information and for any typos but I have to go tuck myself in because I am writing this well past my bedtime:tongue:. If this board generates any discussion then I will return and post more matchups.