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I like this idea =)Quote:
Originally Posted by HoneyT
So, since nobody said anything, I'm assuming that I'm the only one going to Edison? #SCGBlizzard
Also, who all here is going to Cinncinnati? I will not be, but I'd like to know how many we have there and who to keep an eye out for on the coverage.
I play storm. This shouldn't be a surprise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
I've followed this thread for a long time. Opinions can and should be challenged.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
Double post, but HoneyT's Punishing Fire Nic Fit list is probably the best suited for the current North American metagame.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
Beating a dead horse, but Kessig Wolf Run is a house.
Going forward, this deck should be playing Mindbreak Trap in the board. At least 2, 3 at most.
Agreed regarding Mindbreak Trap. The incoming Belcher/Storm metagame is only going to get worse before it gets better -- it's only natural that such a thing should happen in response to the midrange decks getting uppity.Quote:
Originally Posted by RaNDoMxGeSTuReS
PFire seems strong in that it has a weaker fair-deck matchup than Scapewish (though still absurdly good), but it less linear and has a sideboard to dedicate to combo. That ability to beat combo is a strong point in its favor as the dominant red-version list going forward. Once blue picks back up again, Scapewish will probably return to being the go-to red list...but for now, I agree -- PFire is stronger.
As for PFire compared to Rector, the Jace lists, G/B, and Junk, I dunno. I feel like it's better in the meta than Junk and Jace, but on par with or worse than Rector and G/B. G/B is actually in a very strong position currently, due to its extra disruption. I mean, the moment combo starts aggressively adopting Leyline of Sanctity, things get worse for G/B...but until then, I think G/B is a more solid choice than it has been for many months.
I dream of the day I build a deck and have that problem... I'm pretty sure the day I got my second Revised starter was the day I started having problems cutting to 60!Quote:
Originally Posted by Kich867
I'm debating Cincinnati since I found out the following Monday is a holiday for me which makes the 6 hour drive home less of an issue. If I do I'm not sure I'll be on Nic Fit; I have been itching to play some Stoneforge again...Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
LOLZ!!!!! Best thing I've read all week!!! :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by HoneyT
So I guess I'm still stuck on this one, maybe you guys can give me pointers. I'll try to use the best grammar I can. :wink: :tongue:
So I'm playing around with a G/B/w Rector build and I can't seem to decide on what's better or how to balance the removal suite. I have the following cards in my possesion -
4x Swords to Plowshares (owned these from WAY back)
4x Pernicious Deed (owned these from way back)
4x Vindicate (owned these from way back, plus they are signed)
4x Abrupt Decay
2x Maelstrom Pulse (these seem to be both harder to find and slightly more spendy than the above options for some reason)
Ok, now, this color build has a pretty sick selection of both spot and sweeping removal, right? The thing I don't like about Decay is the "converted mana cost 3 or less". What I'm struggling with also is, which ones really matter and how do you find room for what really matters? Swords gives your opponent life, which isn't all bad I know. But is the CMC 1 for a Sword or CMC 2 for Decay really a big deal in a deck that can ramp so well? I mean, it seems like I can get to the mana to cast a Vindicate or Pulse as quick as I need to cast a Swords anyway. So is the only real advantage to Swords the whole "Remove from game" bit and does that really matter?
Currently, my list has -
MB:
3x Pernicious Deed (running 2x Rector as well plus a solo Sun Titan for extra shenanigans)
2x Vindicate (running 1x Witness)
1x Maelstrom Pulse (see above)
SB:
1x Vindicate
1x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Abrupt Decay
Should I make some changes to that? What do you guys think?
I'm running Rector as well and my removal consists of 3 Deed, 1 Vindicate, 1 Pulse, 1 Decay. I think that's pretty typical, though the Decay comes and goes.Quote:
Originally Posted by TerribleTim68
When you're looking at mana costs, it's not just "how much can I reach" but "how soon will I need it." Plowshares is awesome because it will stop a T1 Goblin Lackey before it gets out of hand, not because it exiles something. Meanwhile there's a good chance if your removal is Vindicate that Lackey has done some serious harm to your well being. (Note, this is hypothetical. If you're on Rector and running Moat you shouldn't worry about goblins too much.)
Were I you, I'd swap the second Vindicate in your main for a Decay. Decay hits a huge percentage of the format and being uncounterable sometimes matters. I'd drop the Pulse and Vindicate from the board and possibly the Decays.
Thanks for the quick response and phenomenal input guys! :smile:Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
So the core does stand mostly how I remembered it from months ago, and then the potential just appears to explode from there. I have some definite thinking to do. Although considering my first entry back in to Legacy was Goblins its a welcome change to have 'freedom' in deck choice. :tongue:
I'll probably be play testing a creature light PW build (I've been looking for an excuse to run Garruk <3) and a Scapeshift variant. Though I am interested in running a KotR build that abuses utility land, but I feel it might be underwhelming in the current meta.
Have any of the Scapeshift variant pilots found the comfortable number of Scapeshift to actually run? And should I leave 1 sideboard and run a Burning Wishboard? That's my only real debate with that for the time being. If I find something super successful or stumble across any awesome tech I'll be sure to post it here :cool:
lol storm, I always have the pleasure of destroying this with nic fit.Quote:
Originally Posted by RaNDoMxGeSTuReS
While I personally will not be going, Jesse Adams who you probably know from Jupiter's NELCs has told me he will be playing Scapewish in Edison, so you won't be the only Nic Fitter in the room.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
Yeah, Jesse's been asking me a few questions on facebook about it. Hopefully the pairings are kind to him -- he's skilled enough that he should be able to go deep as long as he doesn't hit too much combo.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrIggins
Agreed. Will you be on Scapewish or Rector this weekend?Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod
Speaking of Storm, I remembered something I've heard in regards to combo archetypes: that their 75 is pretty much set in stone. From what I understand, this is to optimize their chance of winning as soon as possible.
After a brief look through the TES thread, I also realized that the later an archetype intends to win, the more flexibility it has in terms of card choice. This is why Nic Fit has such variety compared to other non-Nic Fit archetypes: it plans to grind games out until they can drop a bomb and beat face.
There's a big difference between engine decks and piece decks. Fast engine decks are likely to be pretty homogenic, especially in the maindeck. Engine decks also can't board heavily without sabotaging themselves. TES is an extreme example - as fast as possible while having protection with a million engines and some outs from a Wishboard, and a lot of that speed predicated on having the best Ad Nauseams in the format. That's a lot of restrictions already in the mission statement. In contrast, ANT is a bit less defined, with people preferring different amounts of cantrips and disruption.
Piece-based decks like Twin, Painter, Hulk variants and of course everyone's "favourite" retarded baby Show and Tell can have a lot more variation because they just have to find a couple cards to win.
RectorQuote:
Originally Posted by MrIggins
Sam beat me to it. The muppet crew will be in Edison and while i was going to play scapewish Jesse wanted to play it so i took my list and give it to him. I blame this blizzard on my debating playing a fair deck =).
After playtesting on Cockatrice a bit, I'm tempted to play Hypnotic Spectre on the G/B list. Thoughts?:laugh:
I'm currently packing Vampire Nighthawk, and although he's underwhelming on most matches, it does help with:
1) BURN, Affinity, Goblins, whatever fast aggro deck.
2) It can randomly defend against Emrakul (given you have enough shit to sac to Annihilator)
3) Eats removal
4) Puts you in a better position against other late-game decks. Those few additional life you net early on can really add up.
Again, I have not had plenty of games playing this deck yet. I have about 10% of the deck left to build to have it on paper, but I've been playing the different versions in Cockatrice (mostly P. Fire and G/B lists). I'm really liking the G/B list better at the moment though. And I just love Prime Time into double Treetop Village against Miracles LOL.:laugh:
Also, props to kabards for: http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=4315 :tongue:
I was thinking that Living Wish could be great in Rector versions. A wishboard like this:
- Veteran Explorer
- Academy Rector
- Phyrexian Tower
- Karakas
- Removal (Shriekmaw or Fleshbag Marauder or Maze of Ith)
- Fattie (Yosei, Sigarda, Titan or Wurmcoil)
- Yard hate effect (Bojuka Bog, Scavenging Ooze)
- Disenchant effect (Acidic Slime, Qasali, Wickerbough)
- Anti Combo effect (Gaddock Teeg, Ethersworn Canonist)
would look pretty strong imo.
@sherko
I think removal eating aggressive 3 drops don't really have a place in a control deck like nic fit. We'd need a really high threat density to make them worthwhile. If you are looking for some good cards to apply pressure I'd recommend some combination of thrun, wolfir silver heart, kodama of the north tree and garruk 2.0 or 3.0. They are a threat but aren't as soft to removal so it's ok to just have a few of them.
If you want the life gain too just add more thragtusks.
Well in Vampire Nighthawk's defense it sort of acts as a removal option as well (Deathtouch). Life isn't the only factor, and I just feel like having access to a low CMC threat/utility in G/B (with evasion!) will help a lot in fighting the more aggressive decks. I mean don't get me wrong, aggressive aggro decks aren't much of a problem with Nic Fit. Problems occur when we fail to draw the right cards, and I don't think adding in a 4th Deed and 2 more Pulses/Decays would help that much (especially against U/R Delver, Burn which are pretty prevalent in our meta).Quote:
Originally Posted by TheArchitect
Kodama though, is something I have not tried... :smile: Still would look like Garruk PH would make a better option than this guy though. Lemme try that out!
Just thought of some interesting anti-SnT tech for Nic Fit, but would like some feedback in regards to how effective it would be.
The package, post board, would look like this:
X Green Sun's Zenith
1 Fierce Empath
1 Angel of Despair
Essentially, you'd GSZ for the Empath, which in turn tutors the Angel to your hand. The obvious downside to this is that, well, it costs a whopping four mana for such a splashable answer to a combo. Thoughts?
Thats not a bad idea. Ive played the angel in rector before. But what happens when you tutor for a thing to put into play on a S&T (happens when you go Etutor>O-ring too), they will either just cast sneak, or wait till they have 2 S&T. Cast one and let you get your angel out, while they just put a land or nothing out, then drop the 2nd show into Emrakul. I dont play BUG, but if I did I would want 3-4 FoW and 2-3 other counters in the SB. That, along with therapies and any other general combo hate should be enough to fight S&T.Quote:
Originally Posted by EpicLevelCommoner
I agree that prime hunter is better than kodama, but its an option. If you want help against aggro decks, you can run 2 maindeck damnations like I use. Kitchen finks also seems better than nighthawk. I just dont think that card doesQuote:
Originally Posted by sherko7
Too slow, but Eladamri's Call does give me the occasional hijinks with Show & Tell...Quote:
Originally Posted by EpicLevelCommoner
Then again if you suspect they'll do this, you can just do the same (put a land in), and if both players are aware of this play, you'll still have a 50/50 shot of it working, at least. Unless they have 2x S&T targets too.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheArchitect
I will never say this enough: non-green creatures that cannot be tutored have no space in Nic Fit, there are very little exceptions to that rule. Some might argue that Baneslayer Angel and Olivia Voldaren have a place in their deck but that's just fantasy from where I stand. If you are having issues with U/R Delver, by all means, stick to the green alternatives. When I was having issues with that deck (some 180 pages back), I tried a singleton Sporecap Spider in my SB. Other traditional means of beating red decks include:Quote:
Originally Posted by sherko7
Scavenging Ooze
Selkie Hedge-Mage
Kitchen Finks
Loxodon Hierarch
Obstinate Baloth
Thragtusk
I usualy beat burn decks with only an Ooze and a Thragtusk nowadays but if my meta was infested, I would definitely re-include one of the above options to my SB. You don't really need more than that to nail the matchup though. Decay is also a very good tool in that matchup since it kills all of their threats including Sulfuric Vortex regardless of how many counters they are holding. The 4th Deed should be part of your 75. I used to play 3 Deeds main and 1 side but now, I never playless than 4 Deeds main. The reason why Nic Fit was ever a DtB is because it can blow up Deeds without any drawbacks, when Deed is a good card in the meta, Nic Fit is a DtB. Most other removal spells in your deck are merely speed bumps to buy time for the big D (pun intended).
-Regarding the "core" of Nic Fit, I have played multiple successful lists that only had 2 copies of Bayou and Forest. When building a Nic Fit manabase, prioritize Fetchlands over Duals (5-7) and Basics (6-7), they build a much stronger manabase and offer critical shuffle effects. Play no less than 7, and preferably 8-9. My prefered formula for 3colored lists is 6 duals, 6 basics, 8 fetches, 2-3 utility lands. The dual count should be higher in lists containing cards with double colored mana.
-Concerning the Angel/Empath answer to SnT, it has been part of the last 2 Nic Fit lists I have played and posted results with. The goal of playing Angel mainboard was exactly to fight back SnT decks via the Empath package already present in the deck. this is one of our only ways of beating SnT during G1. Coupled with additional discard and a couple O-Rings in the SB, I have had results comparable with BUG Fit where I bring Negates out of the board. Also, note that when an Angel has been tutored via Empath against a SnT player holding 2 SnT, the mind game is in your favor. I suggest quickly putting a non-Angel card from your hand in play at the sight of the first SnT in the advent that your opponent knows you are holding an Angel. However, it probaby won't work twice... :P
-The reasons to splash white are very narrow but very relevant. Here's why you should splash white in a GB Nic Fit deck:
1)Gaddock Teeg: maindeck answer to decks we cannot deal with pre-board. The most impactful card a deck containing 4 GSZ could have even if it mostly feels like garbage.
2)Sigarda, Host of Herons: The safest way to close out a game. Flying is a rare ability in any Nic Fit deck and the fact that it is tutorable and nearly impossible to remove is also a big plus.
3)Vindicate: Adds a much needed dimension to Maelstrom Pulse, it hits lands. Some lands such as Academy Ruins, Volrath's Stronghold, Riptide Laboratory, and Karakas are often brick walls that bring the game to a full stop until we succumb or time is called. Between squeezing a Wasteland, Dust Bowl, or an Acidic Slime, exchanging Pulses for Vindicates is by far the best option for the purpose of land destruction.
Qasali Pridemage is not a reason to splash as he is mostly redundant. Nic Fit already packs enough all-purpose removal as it is. While I have managed to loop it with Sun Titan before, it is more often a bad topdeck than a craved silver bullet.
@Tao,
For having testing Living Wish in Nic Fit, I can safely tell you that they don't work together, here's why:
-Wish overlaps with GSZ in purpose
-Wish eats up a lot of SB space that the GSZ package can already cover well
-Wish is slow and the silver bullets can be countered with no more possibilities of wishing for them again
-The advantages of Wish (non-green creature, and land) are marginal compared to the restrictions it puts on deck building
1: Overlapping sounds bad. You could also say complement or support. They do similar things, but not the same. GSZ can't deal with Emrakul, can't be combo hate G1. And the fact that both can be Explorer or threat that is not bad per se because you want these things to be done anyway, you like that effect, that is is why you play them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Qweerios
2: Yep, that is a severe disadvantage. Burning Wish is one reason why I do not like Scapewish that much.
3. It can be a bit slow, that is true. But it is also n additional way to get an Exporer so it is okay in slow draws. For Countermagic: Karakas can't be countered and the creatures can be brought back with Rector/Nightmare or GSZ/Witness. And Therapy can snipe Counterspells. Countermagic is the least problem for Rector versions.
4/summary:
these are the advantages:
- bouncing Emrakul G1, Combo hate in G1, Yard hate in G1
- flexibility
- a way to tutor for Rector
- 2 of the 4 slots for Wish are free because you can replace Starved Rusalka and an Explorer. That creates a higher threat density.
these are the disadvantages:
- less SB cards
- can be slow
Hmmm, seems Kitchen Finks it is then. Then main problem I'm having with Thragtusk is during those slow hands... Besides, I only have Eternal Witness as my 3 drop so 1 Kitchen Finks MD should be a fit!
@Qweerios: Would you consider a Batterskull a "non-green non-tutorable creature" in a BUG list? The reason I'm running it is to A) make Thrun, the Last Troll insane and B) turn all my leftover utility creatures into bombs, but I am having trouble finding a good number for my list.
I've contemplated Batterskull for a while and it is a fine card for Nic Fit. I wouldn't play more than 1 though because having multiples becomes bothersome and it isn't an integral part of the deck. It is one of those cards like Planeswalkers that are good in certain matchups when you happen to stumble upon them, and those tend to be the cards that get cut first when a list becomes tight. Besides, Thragtusk provides similar effects and can be GSZ'd so I would probably play additional Thragtusks before any Batterskulls for the sake of consistency.Quote:
Originally Posted by EpicLevelCommoner
I won a small local tourney with Rector today. As I was a little bit disappointed with Punishing Nic Fit lately I switched to Rector which I hadn't touched for at least 6 months.
I played Aris linked list -1 Master of the Wild Hunt + 1 Garruk Relentless MD and -1 Garruk Relentless - 1 Deathgrip - 1 Extirpate + 3 Abrupt Decay SB (expected quite a few tempo decks so I wanted some cheap removal). The deck felt insanely powerful, and I didn't even get to start Recycle action (Yosei - Nightmare lock was the most unfair thing today). Especially the matches against BUG und Jund were brutal, for example against Jund: Sigarda -> scoop. G2 -> GSZ -> Sigarda -> Scoop.
Also Leyline was really nice to have, I'm currently looking for more slots in the SB for it. Thanks to everyone for the good work.
I too played Rector Fit in a local tournament today. I went 3-1 loosing to belcher (1-2). I think i am satisfied with my current version and will be taking this to SCG Cincy. Based mainly of Arianrhod's list, here are my changes.
-1 Master of the Wild Hunt
-1 Baneslayer Angel
+1 Thrun
=60 cards.
MY SB:
3x Carpet of Flowers
3x Abrupt Deay
2x Memoricide
1x Obstinate Baloth
1x Restoraton Angel
1x Leyline of the Void
2x Leyline of Sanctity
1x Choke
1x Faith's Fetters
Good to hear cRich. That's a pretty interesting sideboard. I was curious if the choke ever came in handy and what the resto angel is for?
Can anyone give me a decent Rector list without the MONEY enchantments? Moat and The Abyss/Nether Void? I managed to pickup some NM Academy Rectors at a really good price and since my GB list is almost done anyway might as well plan to splash :) I am not spending 300 USD on that MOAT. :laugh::laugh::laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by nottz
I'm sure we can come up with budget replacements or another semi-reasonable list, but at that point why are you even trying to play a Rector version? The biggest pull to playing Rector is the ability to tutor up all those powerful (expensive) enchantments. There is no real replacement for them. At that point you're watering down the Rector deck when you could be playing a more tuned and fully powered deck with any other given version.Quote:
Originally Posted by sherko7
Hmm . . . I think I might be going insane, because I'm considering putting Dinrova Horror in my 60/15 BUG list in place of Angel of Despair.
Reasons to include both:
1. Tutorable with Empath (also going into the SB)
2. EtB permanent removal helps against SnT decks.
Reasons to include Horror:
1. It's in my colors, so I can actually hardcast it if in a desperate situation (or better yet, loop it with Two Towers).
2. It's 1 CMC less.
3. It hits Ulamog (for Turbo Eldrazi Only)
Reasons to include Angel:
1. It has evasion.
2. Faster clock (1 turn faster based on clear board with 20 life).
3. It guarantees that whatever you hit will hit the bin, regardless of player handsize.
Is Choke better than Tsunami (or Boiling Seas, I guess)? I get that it's one mana less and has a somewhat more lasting effect, but against combo decks, they only tap out once and it essentially requires them to counter it, unlike Choke.
Eh. If someone wants to build Rector but doesn't have Moat and Nether Void, that's fine -- but I would then recommend to that person in the strongest possible terms that they use their winnings with the deck to work towards those two cards, because they add a ton to the deck.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoneyT
-----------
Before I get into the details of what happened at Edison playing-wise, I wanted to quickly notify you all that Steve had his bag stolen at Edison, including his Rector deck which was inside. So, if you see someone selling Japanese Foil Therapies, Vindicate, Green Suns, Sigarda, Sun Titan, and Rectors, PLEASE let me know so I can try to alert the authorities. I'm not even really sure how I could -prove- it beyond a shadow of a doubt such that even we found the guy, we could get Steve his stuff back, but I feel like if it's within my power to try, I should. All I can hope is that the thief is stupid and tries to sell them as a lot on eBay or something. Anyway, please, please, please keep your eyes out, guys. As it stands, barring a miracle where we can get his stuff back, he's going to have to quit the game -- the only cards he owns to his name now are his two foil Tops =(
-----------
Now, as for the details of the event:
My maindeck stayed exactly the same as my signature, so I'm not going to bother listing that. My sideboard for the event was as follows:
3 Carpet of Flowers
3 Mindbreak Trap
2 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Cranial Extraction
1 Memoricide
1 Nether Void
1 Humility
1 Karn Liberated
1 Angel of Despair
1 Harmonic Sliver
The Karn and Angel slots were originally the two Garruk Relentless slots, and at one point were in serious contention of being Necrotic Sliver. I wanted those slots to be something good vs both Show and Tell-based decks -and- vs "fair" decks like Jund -- the really grindy attritiony games that tend to go long, where Recycle isn't an option.
We all stayed at my friend Timur (Zirath on here)'s house, which ended up being packed with something approaching 20 magic players from the Central PA, NYC, and Ithaca playgroups. Our groupthink agreed that combo was going to be the big story at Edison, so we loaded up appropriately, although some of us (Ning and Timur, in particular) opted to be the "bad guy," and jammed combo.
Round one I got paired up against Timur, of course. We saw the pairing board and we were both just like, really? He was playing Permit Hermit / Oops all spells / whatever the fuck that deck is being called.
Game one I mull for Therapy, because I know it's the only chance I have at all. I go down to 3 until I hit one, keeping GSZ, Therapy, Phyrexian Tower. He probes me and bricks. I draw another Therapy. Deck be trollin'. He bricks for another turn, and I rip a swamp off the top. He's played out an LED, because I like to name that and he wanted to protect it. So, I called Infernal Tutor instead. I don't have my notes with me, so I don't remember what I saw, but I know it wasn't good for him. Moral of the story, I ended up therapying him like 6 times while beating slowly with X/1s. Eventually Thragtusk came down and cleaned up. His draw steps for the game included Azami, Narcomoeba, Dread Return, and Lab Maniac. I got pretty fucking stupid lucky here.
Game two I Mindbreaked his Spy, and then Rectored into Nether Void. He died quickly.
Round two was against Miracles. I'm pretty sure I put the kid on lifetilt. Once I had an appropriate setup (aka, an active Top with him not having Counterbalance in play), I grabbed Recycle and started going nuts. I drew something like 20 cards and locked him out with Yosei/Nightmare. This was a classic case of my opponent being confused by what Recycle does and why it is in the deck, and then by the end of the match, him just sitting there in a daze wondering how exactly that card is fair.
Game one took something approximating 35 or 40 minutes. We both played briskly in game two, but there was no way for either of us to end it in time. I was going to win in a few more turns, and if I'd been a little more aggressive I might have got there --- or I might have lost. I learned from my matchup vs Joey Manner at Jupiter about what happens when you go too aggressive. I always made sure to keep a Deed in play with at least two mana to crack it to kill a RIP. He'd tutored for Helm some time previously, and both of my Therapies were exiled already, so I couldn't make him discard it. Winning 1-0-1 is much better than drawing 1-1-1.
Round 3 was against High Tide. Game one he did what he does. Game two he misplayed very slightly while attempting to go off, and gave me two turns. I Therapied out both of his counterspells (force and pact), and then proceeded to drop Nether Void. Game three I mulled to 5, keeping 3 lands, Sakura-Tribe, and Cranial Extraction. He went off turn 3, before I could cast it. I Spiraled into a Mindbreak Trap at one point, and used it on a Meditate with him having 4ish cards in hand, hoping that he was land-heavy....but he Brainstormed into Force in response, and there went there. He went off turn 3 all three games, and I never hit a Mindbreak in my opening hand that I could use to try to stop him from going off, nor did I draw into any Carpet of Flowers in any game, nor did I hit a Therapy in game 3 on any of my hands.
AKA: this is karma for my good luck in beating Timur game one on a mull to 3.
Round 4 was against Next Level Thresh. If you're not familiar with the deck, it's basically "big RUG." It runs Stifle and Waste, but not Delver or Goose. Instead, it goes for Goyf, Clique, Jace, and Bolt/Snap-bolt. It also runs Grim Lavamancer. It's a pretty solid choice in the meta right now, since it's capable of going late if it has to (unlike RUG), but still has a respectable amount of pressure and countermagic vs combo.
Game one I Fetters his Jace and we both flood out. I eventually land Sun Titan and he scoops. Game two he goes Volc->Ponder. I go Bayou->Carpet. Second main, use Carpet mana to play Carpet. Things got arbitrarily stupid from there. Sigarda eventually cleaned up, after a Baneslayer did some work.
Round 5 is vs Jund. First time actually playing against it with Rector. Game one goes stupid long, and he draws into all 4 Groves, which means he can literally Fire away all of my creatures (he successfully Fires a Sun Titan, although it takes him a ton to do it). Eventually Sigarda kills him. Game two also goes stupid long, and he hits multiple discard spells into double Liliana. I get a little mana fucked as he hits Loam + Wasteland, and I fail to off an Explorer despite my best efforts (including Rusalka). I realize somewhere in the middle of the game that I derped and forgot to bring in my Leylines. We have 7 minutes for game 3, so we're both in turbofast mode. I make a critical error here due to the rush: I deploy a Deed against his board without the mana to activate it. This is a lesson I've learned countless times against decks like Jund and Maverick, and in my haste to try to get the game in under 7 minutes, I just fucked myself. He untapped and Pulsed it, and proceeded to kill me really quick (he had a highly aggro start, with double Goyf and double Bob). I managed to clear his board, but he ripped a Punishing Fire off the top and was able to use it to get me for the last few points of my life before I could untap and drop Angel of Despair to kill his Grove.
R6 I'm tilted, and I proceed to play against some turd with a Naruto TCG playmat, which pisses me off even more. He's on Death and Taxes, which is usually a fine matchup....but his deck drew like jesus tapdancing christ, and I died by the skin of my teeth.
At this point, I'm 3-3, as is everyone else in my car (except for poo Phil, who was 2-2-2. awkward), so we all decide to drop and start the drive home. Since we did that, we got home at 9:30, as opposed to the 12:30 if we'd played out the last 3 rounds. Even if we'd won out, that wouldn't have been worth the $50.
So...yeah.
Rector is insanely well positioned right now -- every bit as well positioned as Scapewish was a few months ago, when Rector fell off. Sigarda is strictly better than Jund, but I do think that we need another trump or two in that matchup, just because I fully expect them to start sideboarding Virtue's Ruin or Perish within the next few months. Also, Liliana of the Veil is still a skank. Otherwise, the only matches I lost were because I can't stop GOT ALL DEEZ / mulls to 5 / not drawing hate. Mindbreak Trap seems really good, although it's only great vs High Tide if you combine it with other disruption.
The Karn and Angel slots are kind of meh. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of things that are good vs Show and Tell decks -and- vs grindy/attritiony decks. I boarded the Karn/Angel in vs Miracles and Jund, and never cast them / never Empathed for the Angel.
Moving forward, I'll probably end up cutting the Master of the Wild Hunt, well aware that I've been raving about him lately. I think I'm going to opt for the 4th Green Sun, finally. Rector's been okay without it, but I feel like I want a little more consistency, especially with getting and setting off Rectors, and the 4th Green Sun will go a long way towards that. It also gives us more ways to hit Sigarda vs Jund, for example, which is important.
I had been thinking about this too. Seems awesome in a BuG list. Messes with an empty handed with batterskull as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by EpicLevelCommoner
Seems like there was a lot of theft at Edison this weekend. More then I remember at any Starcity event.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arianrhod