[Deck] Nic Fit (GBx Explorer Zenith Control)

Lantern, i advise you to sign up for Pucatrade. It'll allow you to unload many of the cards you have but don't care about. It's the most cost effective way to stockpile legacy cards IMO.

I second Arianrhod's advice. The core of the deck is:
4 Veteran Explorer
4 Cabal Therapy
X Pernicious Deed
X Sensei's Divining Top
x Green Sun's Zenith

These numbers can be fudged to suit your budget, but I would definitely prioritize these cards over fetchlands, at least in the interim. These cards are pretty much essential to any NicFit build regardless of color, so tackle these first.
Happy hunting

Oh no, I agree with you Arian. I just like picking up the cards that will have a wider use first. GSZ, Therapy, Deed and Top are good examples of these. If he ever does drop Nic Fit in the future, he has the startings of other decks. Explorer is probably the only card in your listing of what to get first that doesnt see much use elsewhere, but its very cheap. Unlike a card such as Grindstone, which is seen in one deck (I consider imperial and UR similar enough) and is around $15-20 near me.

As for a prime time replacement, why not Kodama of the North Tree. Its a Craw Wurm with upside in that you cant swords it.

I mean prime time isn't expensive and it's only a 1 of. It just wins games

Furthermore, I heard non trustful rumors that fetches would be reprinted, so it might be worth to wait a little. It's just a rumor, but they were right about thoughtseize, so it might be worth to wait to get some fetches.

Enviado de meu Nexus 4 usando Tapatalk

0-2-1 drop on my first playthrough of Nic Fit
0-2 Lands and Tron (I am not joking and makes me sad)
1-1-1 UR Painter.
Lands guy said match-up was in my favor.... but im unsure there. How do you side against Lands? Im guessing games is pretty good, but....
I need a lot more playtime with the deck im guessing.... ugh this really sucks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kavaki

0-2-1 drop on my first playthrough of Nic Fit
0-2 Lands and Tron (I am not joking and makes me sad)
1-1-1 UR Painter.
Lands guy said match-up was in my favor.... but im unsure there. How do you side against Lands? Im guessing games is pretty good, but....
I need a lot more playtime with the deck im guessing.... ugh this really sucks

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Against Lands, getting rid of their loams is pretty key.
Which version of Nic Fit are you playing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jbone2016

Against Lands, getting rid of their loams is pretty key.
Which version of Nic Fit are you playing?

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Punishing Nic Fit, the list from the OP just to get my feet wet.

Planning on heading to SCG Las Vegas in December.
Going to start playtesting with this:

nic-fit bug by Picklock
Format: Legacy - THS

MAIN DECK
4 Baleful Strix
2 Eternal Witness
1 Hornet Queen
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Thragtusk
4 Veteran Explorer
Creatures [13]
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Liliana of the Veil
Planeswalkers [5]
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
4 Cabal Therapy
1 Counterspell
1 Diabolic Intent
3 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Negate
3 Pernicious Deed
Spells [20]
2 Bayou
2 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Forest
2 Island
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Phyrexian Tower
3 Polluted Delta
2 Swamp
2 Tropical Island
1 Underground Sea
2 Verdant Catacombs
Lands [23]

Last time I played bug fit I utilized Fierce Empath as a bomb tutor, which felt powerful, since I couldn't otherwise tutor for Grave Titan or Consecrated Sphinx (I don't know about anyone else, but that is by far my favorite creature to have the board). But it was a bit too clunky. This time I just fit all my bombs in the Zenith package, counting on Brainstorm and Jace to keep Sigarda in the deck. It might be wrong not to run Force of Will, but the blue count isn't exactly ideal. 14 if I squeezed in a playset, since Counterspell and Negate would be two of the cuts.

Still brainstorming -heh- on the sideboard. Figuring I'll want some number of the following:
Swan Song
Counterspell
Innocent Blood
Leyline of the Void
Scavenging Ooze? I'd prefer him in the main but I'm not sure what to cut..
Maelstrom Pulse
Engineered Plague

oh, and as terrible as it is.. I kind of have a goal. I want to cast Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker in legacy. So I'm going to squeeze him and a Badlands into the sideboard. I'm thinking the only time I'd get to cast him would be against Miracles so the one red source should do it.

1 Badlands
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Swan Song
2 Counterspell
1 Engineered Plague
1 Innocent Blood

Maybe?

EDIT: @Kavaki

If you're running the same 75 as the OP, Surgical and Slaughter Games look like your key sideboard cards. The Abrupt Decay could be good depending on their list. It hits all the deck's enablers and lock pieces.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by picklock

Planning on heading to SCG Las Vegas in December.
Going to start playtesting with this:

nic-fit bug by Picklock
Format: Legacy - THS...

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Hmmm, I'm also playtesting a BUG list.
I went harder for the PW plan. The punishing fire version of this deck was also sweet but all-in-all I feel like blue is better suited for fighting against combo.deck

I tried Bolas several times, but he really is too "cute" to be included. When you eventually land him, the game is already over.

1 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
2 Forest
2 Island
3 Swamp
3 Verdant Catacombs
4 Bayou
4 Underground Sea
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Veteran Explorer
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2 Vraska the Unseen
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Batterskull
2 Sensei's Divining Top
3 Pernicious Deed
1 Counterspell
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Brainstorm
3 Negate
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Hymn to Tourach
4 Cabal Therapy

SB: 3 Golgari Charm
SB: 3 Surgical extraction
SB: 2 Flusterstorm
SB: 4 Force of Will
SB: 3 Swan song

I've readed throught some lists, and decided that i want to build scapewish. according to my caclulations, it will fit my budget just fine (replacing fetches and ABU:s with shocks and elders), But i have a question about the sideB. Why do you run only ReB:s and not a split of Red elemental blasts's and Pyroblasts? I mean, arent they the same thing, but if they get extirpated/whatever you still have half of them left with a split.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by picklock

EDIT: @Kavaki

If you're running the same 75 as the OP, Surgical and Slaughter Games look like your key sideboard cards. The Abrupt Decay could be good depending on their list. It hits all the deck's enablers and lock pieces.

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I will admit that I didnt bring in games, but I brought in Extractions as I knew I could catch a loam in the yard. Afterwards I found out he still runs thickets, which is something people have been cutting, so I screwed up there.

I can say the deck is harder than it appears at first blush. It also doesnt help that I havent faced lands for 6-10 months, painter was never (although I know the deck), so I'll just keep practicing for Baltimore....

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Originally Posted by Lantern of Insight

I've readed throught some lists, and decided that i want to build scapewish. according to my caclulations, it will fit my budget just fine (replacing fetches and ABU:s with shocks and elders), But i have a question about the sideB. Why do you run only ReB:s and not a split of Red elemental blasts's and Pyroblasts? I mean, arent they the same thing, but if they get extirpated/whatever you still have half of them left with a split.

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Pyroblasts can be misdirected away from what we want to hit, REB's can't. We arent a storm deck, so the application of using it as free storm is lost on us.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ralf

Hmmm, I'm also playtesting a BUG list.
I went harder for the PW plan. The punishing fire version of this deck was also sweet but all-in-all I feel like blue is better suited for fighting against combo.deck

I tried Bolas several times, but he really is too "cute" to be included. When you eventually land him, the game is already over.

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I've like the GSZ plan because of the consistency (4 copies of Thrag, 3 copies of Sigarda, 4 of the Queen, etc.) plus the utility. But planeswalkers are definitely harder to deal with (cute Spell Pierce) and Brainstorm balances out the consistency a bit.

How have Ashiok and Vraska been for you? I've never played a single game with either of them.

Oh, and PW+P-Deed is a glorious thing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by picklock

I've like the GSZ plan because of the consistency (4 copies of Thrag, 3 copies of Sigarda, 4 of the Queen, etc.) plus the utility. But planeswalkers are definitely harder to deal with (cute Spell Pierce) and Brainstorm balances out the consistency a bit.

How have Ashiok and Vraska been for you? I've never played a single game with either of them.

Oh, and PW+P-Deed is a glorious thing.

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Indeed.

Well generally opponents will focus hard to get rid of Jace and Liliana. Then you land Vraska and the game is usually over.
At first glance, her +1 is not THAT helpfull but between DRS +2 life activation, you can get to tank a little bit more, just enough to draw/cantrip into another sweeper/protection.
I found her very hard to deal with after a pernicious deed as she will most likely generate some CA while your opponent is digging for answers (creatures, direct damages) to prevent her from ulti. Eventually, Vraska will win you games like Jace can.

Finally the lock provided by a board with Jace, liliana & vraska is really insane, not that very common but it can happen from to time to time.

GSZ has been dismissed. DRS is, alone, a swiss army knife.
It provides life gain, another mana acceleration, fights very well graveyard based strategies and could help ending games. It is also a "must to be answered" for a lot of tempo deck.
GSZ provides these as well but in a very different way:
- fights better against counterbalance, chalice of the void
- but slower (1 more mana)
- and softer to the usual counterspell suite we have in legacy (spell pierce, daze for example)
- but provides better synergy with pernicious deed as sometimes DRS will be destoyed for your own sake.

Final words:

The deck has to be played as a "tapped out" one most likely. Best first turns are to power out:
Turn 1 = land + vet
Turn 2 = land + cabal + flashback cabal with vet + play hymn or save the 2 mana holding a counterspell
Turn 3 = (land or not) + PW

Ashiok is more of a "flex & cute" slot and could be considered as liliana n°4 or as hymn to tourach n°3.
When you have ripped apart oppo's hand or wipe the board, he could be a real beater (unlike liliana) by stealing opponent's creatures. He is harder to deal with than Liliana just for his +2 and they could be complementary to each other (I hate drawing liliana when one is already on board except for some "rare" tricks).
Anyway, as a one-of you'll see him sometimes but not that much.

In its place I used to play "Null brooch" that's just to say...

I'm thinking of building a standstill/bug pod list with multiple notion thiefs, factories, lots of spot removal and walkers. What do people think?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ralf

Indeed.


Final words:

The deck has to be played as a "tapped out" one most likely. Best first turns are to power out:
Turn 1 = land + vet
Turn 2 = land + cabal + flashback cabal with vet + play hymn or save the 2 mana holding a counterspell
Turn 3 = (land or not) + PW

...

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If you play like that i think you missplay Nic Fit
Turn 1 cabal
Turn 2 explo +flashback

otherwise your explorer will be removed too easily.

So i have proxied a Scapewish deck, and it has done well in my metagame so far. This is the list i have tested with: (slightly modified Arianhood's scapewish)

MB: 60 cards
CREATURES
4 Veteran Explorer
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder (as additional shuffle effects, since no fetches yet)
1 Wood Elves
1 Eternal Witness
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
2 Thragtusk
1 Primeval Titan
SPELLS
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Burning Wish
4 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Scapeshift
2 Slaughter games
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Sensei's Divining Top
LANDS - what manabase you would suggest? I'll get a few fetches in the near future.
5 Mountain
4 Forest
2 Swamp
2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Blood Crypt
3 Overgrown Tomb
4 Stomping Ground

SB: 15 cards
4 Red Elemental Blast - had big trouble with jace decks
3 Carpet of Flowers
1 Slaughter Games
1 Scapeshift
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Pyroclasm
1 Innocent Blood
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Thoughtseize

Thoughts?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by P-E

If you play like that i think you missplay Nic Fit
Turn 1 cabal
Turn 2 explo +flashback

otherwise your explorer will be removed too easily.

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On the play, I like to play vet first.
Why ?

I prefer having more chance to hit twice with cabal. As it is easier to try to bet on opponent's hand after seeing his first land than the other way . And I hate having to face back a T1 discard and losing veteran.
Finally, only swords to plowshare gets rid of vet.

After side, your play could be correct though.

I guess it is a matter of personal playstyle. But you should play more Nic Fit by yourself if you continue to make such asumption.

For those playing BUG Nic Fit, have you considered Countersquall instead of Negate? Black mana usually won't be a problem. Thoughts?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SirTylerGalt

For those playing BUG Nic Fit, have you considered Countersquall instead of Negate? Black mana usually won't be a problem. Thoughts?

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I typically don't play negate in the first place. I guess if you do it would work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SirTylerGalt

For those playing BUG Nic Fit, have you considered Countersquall instead of Negate? Black mana usually won't be a problem. Thoughts?

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It seems like the mana would be more relevant than the 2 life, even if it is minimally relevant. The fact is we are not an aggro deck, and 2 life matters very little.

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Originally Posted by pfiremc13

Here's my current thune fit list

1 Bayou
4 Forest
2 Marsh Flats
2 Phyrexian Tower
3 Plains
1 Savannah
1 Scrubland
2 Swamp
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
4 Cabal Therapy
3 Birthing Pod
3 Pernicious Deed
1 Recurring Nightmare
3 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Academy Rector
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Eternal Witness
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Sun Titan
4 Veteran Explorer
1 Deathrite Shaman
3 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Thragtusk
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Restoration Angel
2 Archangel of Thune
1 Sylvan Ranger
2 Spike Feeder
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Necroplasm
1 Gaddock Teeg
SB: 1 Nether Void
SB: 1 Humility
SB: 2 Thoughtseize
SB: 1 Memoricide
SB: 1 Cranial Extraction
SB: 1 Orzhov Pontiff
SB: 3 Carpet of Flowers
SB: 1 Harmonic Sliver
SB: 2 Idyllic Tutor
SB: 1 Batterskull
SB: 1 Mindbreak Trap

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Forgot to update this

-1 wall of blossoms, move batterskull to main, +1 mindbreak trap in side

Back from a long hiatus. Out of curiosity, would throwing a singleton of both Thespian's Stage and Dark Depths to fetch with Prime Time be a good idea?

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Originally Posted by EpicLevelCommoner

Back from a long hiatus. Out of curiosity, would throwing a singleton of both Thespian's Stage and Dark Depths to fetch with Prime Time be a good idea?

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I feel like Resolved Prime Time in general means you are winning right? Not saying you are wrong or anything. Just my thought.

It was discussed at some point and decided that fetching two treetop villages wins in the same amount of time takes up the same amount of slots and are more useful individually in addition to producing green mana.

Fair enough. Even though its more damage overall, winming in two to three turns is the same no matter how ya go bout it.

Also, another train of thought for BUG variants: Echoing Truth or Maelstrom Pulse?

I feel like I'd much rather have Abrupt Decay than Echoing Truth, and Pulse vs Decay is a bit of a tossup, probably more of a metagame call than anything.

What situations do you want exactly Echoing Truth in? If you want that effect, wouldn't it be better in the sideboard?

Im lost.
Im not doing good at all playing the deck and its really starting to make me question if im really a decent player...
I just can't beat lands and everyone keeps saying that its not a bad match-up, but I just can't seem to win... at all.

I really want to play this deck well, but it seems like I keep hitting a wall where im not making any sort of progress in the slightest.
This is probably more of a expression of frustration that I needed to just put down, but argh is this bothering me something fierce.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kavaki

Im lost.
Im not doing good at all playing the deck and its really starting to make me question if im really a decent player...
I just can't beat lands and everyone keeps saying that its not a bad match-up, but I just can't seem to win... at all.

I really want to play this deck well, but it seems like I keep hitting a wall where im not making any sort of progress in the slightest.
This is probably more of a expression of frustration that I needed to just put down, but argh is this bothering me something fierce.

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Which list are you playing? I have yet to experience that matchup with Scapewish which I imagine is probably an okay matchup, but I would not call it good and it's probably not even favored. I say it might be okay with Scape because you can sometimes just kill them, but I do remember having a really, really hard time with the matchup when I was still playing a more fair version of Nic Fit.

Some matchups are just really tough. Lands, in my experience at least, is one of them for most variants. I wouldn't let it get you down if you're struggling, they operate on a different axis than we want to, which is why Nic Fit is a hard deck for other fair legacy decks to beat. If you want to learn how play the deck well, I recommend practicing against Death and Taxes in particular, but really just jam games against everything, accepting that there are some decks- namely combo and apparently lands- that you will struggle to beat. It's possible that you're taking a wrong approach which we can also help with, but you'd need to give more information for that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kavaki

Im lost.
Im not doing good at all playing the deck and its really starting to make me question if im really a decent player...
I just can't beat lands and everyone keeps saying that its not a bad match-up, but I just can't seem to win... at all.

I really want to play this deck well, but it seems like I keep hitting a wall where im not making any sort of progress in the slightest.
This is probably more of a expression of frustration that I needed to just put down, but argh is this bothering me something fierce.

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If you're able to get an Ooze out fairly early to attack their graveyard you're pretty far ahead. Thrun beats usually wins it for me after that.

Has there been any word on splitting this thread to make it easier to follow there are three distinct decks being discussed that share the same engine but have little to do with each other if ant and tes deserve different threads I'd say scapewish junk and bug list should be seperated ant and tes differ by maybe ten cards and use the same win cons these decks do completely different things with the lands they get from explorer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MrIggins

Which list are you playing? I have yet to experience that matchup with Scapewish which I imagine is probably an okay matchup, but I would not call it good and it's probably not even favored. I say it might be okay with Scape because you can sometimes just kill them, but I do remember having a really, really hard time with the matchup when I was still playing a more fair version of Nic Fit.

Some matchups are just really tough. Lands, in my experience at least, is one of them for most variants. I wouldn't let it get you down if you're struggling, they operate on a different axis than we want to, which is why Nic Fit is a hard deck for other fair legacy decks to beat. If you want to learn how play the deck well, I recommend practicing against Death and Taxes in particular, but really just jam games against everything, accepting that there are some decks- namely combo and apparently lands- that you will struggle to beat. It's possible that you're taking a wrong approach which we can also help with, but you'd need to give more information for that.

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Im on a stock Punishing Fire list from the OP so I can get my bearings on whats what....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blastoderm

If you're able to get an Ooze out fairly early to attack their graveyard you're pretty far ahead. Thrun beats usually wins it for me after that.

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It either seems like I dont see a zenith, I dont see the Scooze, or they get the stage-depths combo before I can get ooze ready. It also doesnt help that im going up against someone who really has played the deck to a zenith point and knows a lot of its intricacies (It also doesnt help (er, I guess it actually does) that I play at a store where the competition is extremely high and people play decks that they really know...)

mh
had the lands matchup at gp vienna constructed event.
played scapewish so first game i was able to shoot 36 damage over that marit lage.
game 2 i wasn't able to find slaughter games or ramp up in time.
game 3 i slaughtered life from the loam, wished for innocent blood to kill marit lage and my huntmaster token, attacking him down to 4, he played chasm and i drew another burning wish for from the ashes.

tough matchup though.
a lot easier if you resolve slaughter games and play from the ashes in the wishboard.

so i think with punishing fit it will be kinda harder to beat lands ... ^_o

ooze can make this matchup better, exiling loams and/or problematic lands but you still have to watch out for marit lage.

i'll give the rnd md ooze a chance over the 3rd huntmaster, maybe it can improve the combo and lands matchups.

This thread should get split.

Punishing Fire / BUG / Junk (these three could be distinct threads, but they all have similar playstyles, unlike the other two)

Birthing Pod

Scapeshift

Quote:

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Originally Posted by guelahpapyrus

This thread should get split.

Punishing Fire / BUG / Junk (these three could be distinct threads, but they all have similar playstyles, unlike the other two)

Birthing Pod

Scapeshift

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The split has been suggested many times in this thread and it does not work. That is why some players put the deck they are currently playing in their signature so we all know what they might be talking about. I do agree it is very confusing to read Nic Fit threads but since we nic fitters are good at confusing people we all fit in really well :smile:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MasterHerC

i'll give the rnd md ooze a chance over the 3rd huntmaster, maybe it can improve the combo and lands matchups.

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That was my approach for BOM Paris and since Ooze has not left the main board.

Here are some more "small" changes I've made:

-1 cabal therapy MD
+1 cabal therapy SB.
+1 Thoughtseize MD
-1 Thoughtseize SB.

My meta is combo "infested". Overall, it is a minor change, but it has proven to be a huge asset during game 1 against combo.deck where I want to punish their hand as hard as I can. Having access to 7 "potential" cabal therapy instead of 4 gave me a couple of wins where I would have simply lost, either to accelerate for playing more hate with a veteran in play and no way to get rid of him, or to rip their hand apart.
No need to say that with some luck you could have TS + BW/Cabal therapy in your opening hand for a slug feast...

-1 wood elves

For now, I'm back on the 60 cards plan. The inclusion of slaughter games MD had, what I first thought would not be a problem (but I was wrong), an impact on the mana curve. Basically, we have 2 flexible slots. It used to be "abrupt decay" or whatever...

I stated weeks ago that I've started having more than usual losses against tempo.deck
We could spend hours talking about the "abrupt decay" replacement but I want for now to increase my chances against them without decreasing my combo match-up.

Yeah, I want the milk, the cream, the creammaker and the cream's cash.

So cutting 1 wood elves is a first testing attempt (test is pending). The second (on top of the first) will be to cut a sakura-tribe and put back a couple of abrupt decay.
The last attempt (reverting the previous changes) will be to replace "slaughter games" MD for more discards (2 thoughtseize), freeing 1 slot in SB (hell yeah !). My assumption here being that discard is not THAT bad against tempo (taking a counter/stifle to resolve a deed for instance) and good against combo.

Finally here is my updated SB:

3 carpet
4 REB
1 Thoughtseize
1 Cabal therapy
1 Innocent blood
1 Pyroclasm
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Maelstrom pulse
1 Scape
1 Slaughter

Mark my words here, Meta is changing a bit as we are seeing more and more decks packing creatures with evasion (flying) to counter TNN's arrival. Wood elves and Sakura are no longer as good chump blockers as they were against ground aggro based strategy (for tempo.deck and others). Maybe just a small disturbance in Tarmo's reign or...maybe not !

As you can see from my signature I play 3 decks. Since I will be playing the open Dutch nationals on the 15th of December I wondered how well scapeshift would be positioned in comparison to shardless or team America in a meta that seems to be full of TNN and combo.
Out of these 3 scapeshift is probably the most fun to play but I am not sure about it's chances?
Any input or ideas are welcome.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cire_dk

As you can see from my signature I play 3 decks. Since I will be playing the open Dutch nationals on the 15th of December I wondered how well scapeshift would be positioned in comparison to shardless or team America in a meta that seems to be full of TNN and combo.
Out of these 3 scapeshift is probably the most fun to play but I am not sure about it's chances?
Any input or ideas are welcome.

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I would say Team America (BUG.Delver) should be a very good choice to fight TNN.decks and combo.
In any case, practise a lot before your tournament.

I've got a local legacy event this weekend and I'm trying to get the drop on the combo decks that seem to plague this town.
I've been testing 2 Slaughter games MB with 4 Cabal Therapy 3 Thoughtseize. In theory, I should have a discard spell in every opening hand this way.
Last night I did some Storm grinding and found that, even with more combo hate, game 1 is like 20% or something stupid like that. I could simply be doing it wrong. Game 2 is significantly better (goes without saying) with Surgical and REB. Keep in mind I was playing against my roommate with a proxy Storm, so he didn't really have a SB to fight me.
What do these bottom-feeders usually bring in against us?

What do you call with Slaughter Games against Dredge?

Also played a few against RUG Delver with the changes and they didn't seem to interfere much when facing a "fairer" deck. I recall seeing 1 Slaughter Games and I used it to name Stifle, not a suboptimal play by any means. That card can single-handedly steal victory from us. Landing a Thrun against RUG is... it's just unfair. Mind you, his regenerate ability can be stifled!

I definitely advise all of you to make proxy decks and have a buddy pilot them against you. It allows you to get into a rhythm of Therapy calls, when to Vet, what to Extract. Plus if your roommate/friend/confidant actually wants you to get better, you can talk about your plays while you make them to decide what's optimal.

I haven't played in a tournament since TNN dropped. My concern is, by gauging my deck more toward combo, this little bastard is going to ambush me.
Of course I have 3 Pernicious Deed 3 Liliana MB, but those confounded blue players sure know how to use counter spells. I also have 1 Toxic Deluge SB which could easily sweep most boards. I'm considering playing 2 in the board. It makes sense considering my Main is slightly more weak to aggro/control, therefore my Side should cater more toward those matches. Yes?

List is in the signature btw. Thanks for your thoughts kiddies!


Edit: I'm also considering a Show and Tell silver bullet in the SB. Hornet Queen? Cute?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hymntotourcock

Last night I did some Storm grinding and found that, even with more combo hate, game 1 is like 20% or something stupid like that. I could simply be doing it wrong. Game 2 is significantly better (goes without saying) with Surgical and REB. Keep in mind I was playing against my roommate with a proxy Storm, so he didn't really have a SB to fight me.
What do these bottom-feeders usually bring in against us?

What do you call with Slaughter Games against Dredge?

Edit: I'm also considering a Show and Tell silver bullet in the SB. Hornet Queen? Cute?

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Yes Storm is a bad MU. Discard will not always help against a good storm player as they have access to brainstorm and they will likely hide their key spell. Furthermore, with PIF, they can replay every discarded sorcery or instant spells.
Take their tutor (IT, BW), AD or mana boost (DR, CR) depending of their hand / if not go for discard spell.

AD -> LED at EOT or during upkeep.

Your key spell here is "Ooze". Game 1 if you have time to stick him, you will likely win as they have no answer for him. So keep him under discard pressure and land an Ooze. Start eating cantrips and mana boost in the yard.

Game 2, you will likely face spot & mass removal (pyroclasm, chain of vapor, massacre, toxic deluge) -> Same plan as game 1. Surgical extraction on mana boost/tutor will give you a lot of time. Stick an ooze and kill him.

Against dredge -> Ooze again !!!
they will likely bring some mass removal such as firestorm, maybe chain etc..

With Slaughter I would name "Ichorid".
On a blind therapy, turn 1 -> call LED because if they have one in hand, you are likely dead by turn 2 or 3 maximum.

IMO, Worldspine wurm >>>> Hornet Queen.

From my perspective, if you want to fight against combo, you should diversify your threats. For example, lower the discard count by 1, add a DRS to the board -> you will boost your win % against grave.deck strategy.

My Current BUG list right now:

13 Creatures
4 Veteran Explorer
2 Coiling Oracle
2 Eternal Witness
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
2 Thragtusk
1 Primeval Titan

4 Planeswalkers
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

10 Disruption/Removal
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Pernicious Deed
2 Echoing Truth

10 Other Spells
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Brainstorm
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Diabolic Intent
1 Batterskull

23 Land
2 Tropical Island
2 Bayou
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Forest
3 Swamp
3 Island
1 Phyrexian Tower
2 Creeping Tar Pit

15 Side
4 Force of Will
3 Carpet of Flowers
2 Negate
2 Gilded Drake
2 Leyline of the Void
2 Mindbreak Trap