[DTB] Blade Control

Thanks man!

1) I really didn't test painful truths but it is obviously a strong card, but I think it shouldn't compete with ponder in a list with only 20 lands.
Ponder is most important at the beginning when you are sitting on 1-2 lands. You here need it to find your third land, because, that's the number of lands our deck needs to play magic.
So i would play it in a cc3 slot, maybe for the turtle in addition to the ponder.

2) The upside of Toxic Deluge over the 2nd supreme verdict are the casting costs. Nothing more but it matters in some matchups.
We have a lot of eldrazi, death an taxes and elves players here where it is hard to cast through maybe thalia, rishadan ports and wasteland or you need to cast the sweeper a turn earlier so the don't run you over. So it's mainly because it is only 3 mana.

To the colour issues.
I had to take 3 or 4 mulligans in the tournament cause of 1 land hands without ponder/brainstorm and 1 game where my enemy had 3 wasteland in both games with early death rite shaman and goyf which was really hard to play against and was the only match I lost.

3) I tested academy ruins in other decks and it was always disappointing.
It is only good in matches which go late an we already have a nice lategame.
Furthermore you really don't want to weaken your manabase with such a colourless land, so I really don't know if you want to play the karakas cause it's better to keep the nonblue lands at a minimum.

4) Diabolic Edict was useful as it killed marit lage 2 times.
I also cutted council's judgment for the vindicate, do I wanted to have a card more which can handle a True Name Nemesis or random shroud infect guys or inkmoth nexus but it is definetely not a must play card, i just like it and it rarely disappoints me.


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That was well thought out. Thank you very much for the explanations, hope to see you in a future top 8!

So has anyone here tried UWR Stoneblade in a while? I'm imagining that with Nahiri, one of the decks worst matchups in Miracles, is possibly winnable now?
I am not certain what a shell would look like incorporating Nahiri, but it's gotten a few of my testing team interested in it. Anyone else?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Minniehajj

So has anyone here tried UWR Stoneblade in a while? I'm imagining that with Nahiri, one of the decks worst matchups in Miracles, is possibly winnable now?
I am not certain what a shell would look like incorporating Nahiri, but it's gotten a few of my testing team interested in it. Anyone else?

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How's Stoneblade's Eldrazi MU?

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Originally Posted by Jaytron

How's Stoneblade's Eldrazi MU?

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Fancy seeing you here =P

I know SFM is a pain for Eldrazi outside of TKS/Dismember/WW, and I also know that TNN is a nightmare outside of Smasher, so with these things combined I can't imagine it's that bad.

I would prefer a UWR Stoneblade approach since I think the discard of UWB stoneblade is weaker these days, especially vs predict miracles (shameless plug, =P)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Minniehajj

Fancy seeing you here =P

I know SFM is a pain for Eldrazi outside of TKS/Dismember/WW, and I also know that TNN is a nightmare outside of Smasher, so with these things combined I can't imagine it's that bad.

I would prefer a UWR Stoneblade approach since I think the discard of UWB stoneblade is weaker these days, especially vs predict miracles (shameless plug, =P)

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:P

I had to ask! Playing all my games at the weekly vs Eldrazi has me salty. Hahaha.

Either I run Shardless, your other version of miracles, or I just insta scoop and tell them "now we both can't play magic" lmao

I've been pretty impressed with my Eldrazi testing. Could be on right side of variance, but active SFM into Batterskull is verrrry tough for them to beat. Once TNN hits the board, they need to somehow find a way to push through. Having maindeck EE helps as it'll clear away Chalice + Endless One. For now, I feel good vs Eldrazi (I'm on UWr version).

Painful Truths is really good. Should be an 1-off in every Esper list.

My list:

Lands [21]
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
1 Marsh Flats
3 Tundra
3 Underground Sea
1 Scrubland
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Karakas
1 Creeping Tar Pit

Creatures [10]
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 True-Name Nemesis
3 Snapcaster Mage

Spells [29]
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Force of Will
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Thoughtseize
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Lingering Souls
1 Vindicate
1 Spell Snare
1 Painful Truths
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte

Sideboard [15]
3 Meddling Mage
2 Council's Judgement
2 Rest In Peace
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Path to Exile
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Flusterstorm
1 Vendilion Clique

I've been trying to squeeze Sword of Light and Shadow (or even Sword of Feast and Famine) in the board, but I just can't, every slot seems so important. Life would be great if we could make a 20 card sideboard.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gabelmeister

Horned turtle is just my pet card so I decided to maindeck this little guy to give him an appearance at a big tournament..
I mean he is boltproof and blocks thalia all night long.

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I guess my question is why not Deceiver Exarch? Stats the same, but has flash and other useful text.

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Originally Posted by Bosque

I guess my question is why not Deceiver Exarch? Stats the same, but has flash and other useful text.

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Cause the turtle is my pet card... one does not simply change his pet card.
Of course Deceiver Exarch is a better card :laugh:, and True Name Nemesis would be even better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Minniehajj

So has anyone here tried UWR Stoneblade in a while? I'm imagining that with Nahiri, one of the decks worst matchups in Miracles, is possibly winnable now?
I am not certain what a shell would look like incorporating Nahiri, but it's gotten a few of my testing team interested in it. Anyone else?

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I play UWR all the time. I don't think the combo MU is that bad and it's got the better removal. I don't think RW Nahiri is justified the Miracles MU. I'd play the Lithomancer in the side. Tokens are a problem for them, and so are recurring equipments (after trading with wear/tear). For Counterbalance I play 2 Spell Snare main and Snapcaster, postboard Wear/Tear and Council's Judgement are justified.
I guess Harbinger would only make sense if you have some sort of fatty to ultimate for.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BigBopper

I play UWR all the time. I don't think the combo MU is that bad and it's got the better removal. I don't think RW Nahiri is justified the Miracles MU. I'd play the Lithomancer in the side. Tokens are a problem for them, and so are recurring equipments (after trading with wear/tear). For Counterbalance I play 2 Spell Snare main and Snapcaster, postboard Wear/Tear and Council's Judgement are justified.
I guess Harbinger would only make sense if you have some sort of fatty to ultimate for.

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When I say Nahiri, I mean combining it with Emrakul as well.

I've been on UWr for quite some time, recently finishing 5-2 at SCG Milwaukee. RE: Nahiri, the Harbinger + Emrakul, it is definitely something I'm going to test in the sb. I'm thinking 2 Nahiri + 1 Emrakul initially.

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Originally Posted by Arsenal

I've been on UWr for quite some time, recently finishing 5-2 at SCG Milwaukee. RE: Nahiri, the Harbinger + Emrakul, it is definitely something I'm going to test in the sb. I'm thinking 2 Nahiri + 1 Emrakul initially.

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I don't think Nahiri + Emrakul is where we want to be for UWR. Other token producing pw's are probably better vs miracles, shardless and the other grindy matchups. Ultimating nahiri vs miracles isn't game over, they have several outs (terminus, karakas, venser). An active gideon, or older nahiri are probably both better.

In response to the talk of painful truths, I have found it to not be good enough, usually. It's obviously powerful, and can be great, but it's often too slow and not blue enough. I cut it for esper charm, which I liked more and then ended up cutting charm for ponder as there were just too many games where I was stuck on too few lands (partially due to the unusually high amount of wasteland decks currently seeing play on MTGO).

I've only played esper since eldrazi has existed, not UWR, but my eldrazi match up has been great. I posted my list a couple pages back for reference. I'm some where around 15-2 vs eldrazi. It's a small sample size, but the games don't feel particularly close. The games I lose are when eldrazi reality smashers get out of hand. I think my list plays more supreme verdicts and engineered explosives than most stoneblade lists do. A SFM equiped with a batterskull is usually GG by itself. Don't sb out force of will, I know most people do in fair match ups, but they are important vs eldrazi.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gabelmeister

Cause the turtle is my pet card... one does not simply change his pet card.
Of course Deceiver Exarch is a better card :laugh:, and True Name Nemesis would be even better.

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I must know, how many times during the tournament did you actually cast the turtle?

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Originally Posted by Ephemeron

I must know, how many times during the tournament did you actually cast the turtle?

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Turtle was cast 4 or 5 times during the tournament, never got countered.
And is still a huge threat equipped with Jitte and Batterskull ;)

EDIT: Judge even told me I may not use legal tournament cards as token, his face as I told him that it's the turtle and not a spirit token was priceless

Hi guys.
I've been playing Stoneblade for about 8 months now. (been on Miracles and DnT before that)
I play a classic UWr list I suppose, nothing fancy, and I've been crushing lately with this list at the monthly legacy of my LGS.

But I keep reading/earing that Jeskai Blade is dead and that Esper is better and the likes.
I feel the list I play is not "that bad" and when I play it I feel I have a real chance to win in most matchups.


I guess the other angle of attack that Thoughtseize mainboard offers instead of spell pierce/pyroblast mainboard is the decisive factor between
both build. Am-I right? Should I focus on an Esper Blade build ?


Here's the 75 I play :



4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 True-Name Nemesis
2 Vendilion Clique

4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder

4 Force of Will
3 Spell Pierce
2 Counterspell
1 Pyroblast

4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Council's Judgment

3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Batterskull


4 Island
2 Plains
3 Tundra
1 Volcanic Island
1 Plateau

4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Windswept Heath

3 Wasteland
1 Karakas

Sideboard

2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Hydroblast
2 Ethersworn Canonist
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Blood Moon
2 Rest in Peace
2 Disenchant
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Pithing Needle

I've gotten somewhat bored with Shardless and Grixis lately, so I figured, I'd try out Esper Blade for the first time

4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Baleful Strix
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique

1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Batterskull

2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Brainstorm
3 Ponder
2 Painful Truths

4 Force of Will
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Thoughtseize
2 Spell Pierce
1 Counterspell
1 Vindicate
1 Council's Judgement

4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
3 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
3 Island
2 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Karakas

Sideboard
2 Meddling Mage
2 Flusterstorm
2 Rest in Peace
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Containment Priest
1 Baleful Strix
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Thoughtsize
1 Negate
1 Disenchant
1 Council's Judgement

The list is from memory, so there might be an error or two. I went went 3-1 in my first set with it, beating Grixis Delver (2-0), Eldrazi (2-1), and Miracles (2-1, with some admittedly strong draws on my part) and losing to Lands (0-2), which just seems awful, especially without TNN. I'd like to find room for Back to Basics in the board, but I also don't want to drop the anti-combo cards. Maybe over the Negate?

The deck felt much smoother than Shardless, but seemed lacking in overall power. I'd love to get either an Elspeth, Knight Errant or Gideon, Ally of Zendikar into the main as well, but I can't think of anything to cut. Strix is unorthodox, but was great in every matchup.

@coricho

I'm also on UWr Blade instead of Esperblade (have played both extensively). I prefer UWr Blade as it better suits my playstyle and I don't really feel that one is significantly better than the other, at least not to any superlative degree. IMO, stick with what you like/know.

@btm10

I'd honestly try shaving a Jace for a Gideon and see how you like it. I've been on 1 Jace for the longest time ever since going up to 4 Ponder and haven't looked back. I run a sb Gideon and he is an absolute house in the fair matchups and can single handedly beat anything/everything that Miracles can possibly throw at it save a Council's Judgment. He's very, very good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Arsenal

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@btm10

I'd honestly try shaving a Jace for a Gideon and see how you like it. I've been on 1 Jace for the longest time ever since going up to 4 Ponder and haven't looked back. I run a sb Gideon and he is an absolute house in the fair matchups and can single handedly beat anything/everything that Miracles can possibly throw at it save a Council's Judgment. He's very, very good.

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I'll do that. I'm interested in testing Elspeth in that slot as well, do you have any experience with her? The other thing I was wondering is whether you think that it's worthwhile to try and add a source of card draw to Jeskai Blade. Painful Truths is the major reason I went for Esper over Jeskai whe I decided to try out Stoneforge Mystic, but maybe something like 1-2 Fact or Fiction?