[Deck] Imperial Painter

@DrewliusMaximus- Thanks for the reply. I like how you took the deck in a more consistent combo role. What do you do though if you lose the ability to combo out on your oppenent? thank you for the advice on siding and I'm not sure how I missed it but taking out the servents does really make the matchup better. Not sure if I'm ready to drop the aggro plan. I have cut the figures down to three and it seems like a great number. I have been following Hollywood's general list except I also run two tops. Had to cut the goblin welder/sharpshooter to do this though. Also I have alternated between the different burns. I think I will stay with the bolt, but I added some fetches to make the tops a little stronger. I'll report after the tourny with results and my final decklist.

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Originally Posted by sroncor1

@DrewliusMaximus- Thanks for the reply. I like how you took the deck in a more consistent combo role. What do you do though if you lose the ability to combo out on your oppenent? thank you for the advice on siding and I'm not sure how I missed it but taking out the servents does really make the matchup better. Not sure if I'm ready to drop the aggro plan. I have cut the figures down to three and it seems like a great number. I have been following Hollywood's general list except I also run two tops. Had to cut the goblin welder/sharpshooter to do this though. Also I have alternated between the different burns. I think I will stay with the bolt, but I added some fetches to make the tops a little stronger. I'll report after the tourny with results and my final decklist.

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I probably should have made this point before, so I might as well now. The list I posted before was sort of preliminary and was by no means set in stone. I don't run those cards in the deck anymore. In fact, I've always been an advocate of Divining Top in Imperial Painter.

Just as a reference, I haven't been playing this deck a whole lot recently, so it is good to see new ideas prosper. I noticed there are hybrids that are appearing all over the place, be it R/w or R/u.

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@DrewliusMaximus- Thanks for the reply. I like how you took the deck in a more consistent combo role. What do you do though if you lose the ability to combo out on your oppenent? thank you for the advice on siding and I'm not sure how I missed it but taking out the servents does really make the matchup better. Not sure if I'm ready to drop the aggro plan. I have cut the figures down to three and it seems like a great number. I have been following Hollywood's general list except I also run two tops. Had to cut the goblin welder/sharpshooter to do this though. Also I have alternated between the different burns. I think I will stay with the bolt, but I added some fetches to make the tops a little stronger. I'll report after the tourny with results and my final decklist.

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The Welders and Gambles do make the combo more consistent, but they also allow for more flexibility. For example I can board in a Jitte and tutor for it to go aggro, or find a Relic to remove a Gaea's Blessing, or get a Bridge to buy some time, or even tutor for non artifact stuff (like Moons or Blasts) as long as I have enough cards in hand that the Gamble is worth it. The Welders especially reinforce this deck's main strategy really well. There are so many little tricks you can play with them like Welding out a Servant to protect it from a STP, or popping a Top but Welding it out in response so it goes into the graveyard instead of on your library. And I have only done this once in real game play, but if you have a Grindstone and a Welder out, you can blindly Grind yourself to put a Servant in your yard and then Weld it out for the combo. I do sacrifice the aggro plan to a certain extent, but just 1 Jitte in the SB is enough to provide a tutor-able and recur-able aggro plan on its own.

So I hope you did ok at the tournament man. You should give a report when you get a chance.

So the tournament did not go as well as planned. I ended the day 2-3 but I think it was more to a couple of play errors(guess it is harder to jump back into competitive games after 9 months than I thought) and some terrible luck on my part than anything. The deck is definitely strong and very consistent. I would venture a guess it is one of the most consistent and resilient “combo” decks. Onto the deck list and a short match report and a few thoughts on card choices moving forward.

4 Imperial Recruiter
4 Painter’s servent
4 Grindstone
4 Magus of the Moon
4 Litghning Bolt
4 SSG
3 Chrome Mox
3 Enlightened Tutor
3 Figure of Destiny
3 Pyroblast
2 tops
2 Jaya Ballard
1 Vexing Shusher
1 REB
4 City of Traitors
4 Ancient Tombs
4 Plataeu
3 Bloodstained Mire
3 Mountains

Side
4 Trinisphere
4 pyrokinesis
2 REB
1 Vexing Shusher
1 Goblin Welder
1 Relic of Progentis
1 faerie macabre
1

Rd 1 versus Dragon Stompy
In game one we exchange beats and eventually I get a Magus and a Servant on the board and he has some mana and a Gathan Raiders backed up with Trinisphere. I decide to blow up the raiders with my REB because he only has one card in hand and I had Pyroblast in hand with Imperial Recruiter. On the next turn he drops Chalice for three. I try to keep beating but eventually he gets a bigger dude, not sure which one, and wins the war. I may have made a misplay here and blown up the Trinisphere but I really thought it wasn’t going to slow me down and I wanted to press my superior board position and leverage that for the win. I only sided in the Viashino Heretic, taking out a Magus. Game 2 was uneventful with me comboing off turn three under little pressure from him and we are onto game 3. I have to Mull down to 5 and then I set up the combo and stabilize the board, but I need a third mana source to activate. After 4 draws he drops a hellbent dragon and I am off to the losers bracket. I don’t think I messed anything up in the third game as I had so many outs that I could have drawn and my luck just wasn’t there.

Rd 2 versus Faerie Stompy
This match up really broke my heart. I knew playing FS that this should be in my favor. The modern versions of FS definitely have trouble with Imperial Painter, but who would have thought the guy would be playing a tricked out version of flash era FS. Either way game one was not close as he went double Cloud of Faeries into Jitte on the play. Couldn’t really do much and the game was over a few turns later. Onto game two with me siding in the Heretic, 2 REB, and the Shusher for , 2 Bolts and 2 Grindstones. The game starts off strong for my side of the board with early Grindstone and a couple REB in hand. He drops a SoFI followed up by an Serendib that he couldn’t equip. I draw into a Shusher. I play the Shusher knowing that from here on none of my spells are counterable and I will be able to combo off in a turn or two max. I use the Shusher’s ability to make the REB uncounterable and he stifles it then counters my spell. WTF. What competent FS player would waste slots on stifle. Needless to say he equipped and beat me faster than I could find a Servant.

Rd 3 versus Dreadstill
I think he had an optimal build except for not having a playset of the duals. Game one was a long affair with him eventually resolving a Dreadnought and beating me. I sided in the additional Shusher and the Welder and removed 2 Lightning Bolts. I was on the play and I drops first turn Servant with a REB off SSG to counter his FoW. Next turn I dropped the Shusher and then proceeded to get the Grindstone and mill him out without him able to counter my threats. Game 3 I had to end up going the beat down route. He countered an early grindstone but the Magus next turn followed by Imperial Recruiter and Figure where too much for him as his life total quickly dropped to 0.

Rd 4 versus Belcher
Not sure if it was a bad version of Belcher or not, although aren’t all versions of this deck bad? But sometimes bad decks win. He won the die roll and I didn’t get to lay a land the first game. Game 2 was slightly different with me having the turn 2 combo, except he again hit the turn one belcher. What are you to do?

Rd 5 versus MUC
I took this one in two games. Winning game one with the combo and game two through the beat down of 500 1/1’s. It was funny though as game two he hit a FoF turn four into three islands and 2 Pithing Needles. I gave him both needles as I had already decided I wasn’t going to try and combo him out and I didn’t want him to have the mana to be able to use multiple Shackles on me, or be able to get a fully pumped up Figure. By the end of the game he had three needle out naming Grindstone, Jaya Ballard , and Figure. Jaya and the Figure could still swing and that was that.
Overall I really do love the deck. I made a few misplays but overall in testing, I have to say the deck is really strong. I played a lot with some old friends in the area and I had no problem with Ichorid or the various Rock type decks floating around. I definitely think Goblin Welder needs to be in the main deck as he is just too strong and he is just too versatile and good. The Lightning Bolts were the card most sided out but I still hesitate to get rid of them as they help so much versus goblins and affinity and random dudes. I might cut on of the Enlightened Tutors down also. Either way I will keep experimenting with the deck as there are a few more Legacy tournaments in the coming weeks and hopefully I will not play like scrub this time.

sroncor1, what's the last card in your SB? Sorry to hear about the tourney outcome, but getting land screwed and first-turn Belched (twice?) isn't exactly good luck. FS with Stifle is kind of strange too. I will say that I usually board in Pyrokinesis against Dragon Stompy, and that might have helped but who knows. Also, I am a big fan of Welder in the MD now. The way I see it, this deck's main thing is to get and keep a Painter out, and Welder really helps that cause (as well as doing a bunch of other tricks).

Sorry it was a Viashino Heretic. Never got to actually have him resolve as he was always countered so I guess that means he is good. I have been playing with the deck a little more. I'll post again in a few days with some more results.

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Originally Posted by sroncor1

Sorry it was a Viashino Heretic. Never got to actually have him resolve as he was always countered so I guess that means he is good. I have been playing with the deck a little more. I'll post again in a few days with some more results.

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Heretic has always been a threat whenever he hits play. I've only had him resolve a handful of times in sanctioned play because he always gets either countered or swept away by a Swords at EOT. His ability is very potent.

Also, I'd be interested in knowing how Jitte is doing for all of you. I noticed that is what everyone is playing in the deck now over Sword.

My experience with Heretic is the same. I've only had him stay on the board for a few turns in all the games I've played with him. I'll be playing this Sunday, and I'm dedicating a second slot in the SB for anti-artifact, and I'm debating on whether to have a 2nd Heretic or mix a Goblin Tinkerer in there as a lower-cost alternative. That way I might be better able to Recruit my artifact-hating creature and play it on the same turn.

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Also, I'd be interested in knowing how Jitte is doing for all of you. I noticed that is what everyone is playing in the deck now over Sword.

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Jitte has been really good for me. It's a Swiss Army equipment that handles a bunch of problems, and/or just allows you to go aggro. Here are some of the reasons I like Jitte:

1. You choose when it triggers - since our guys don't have evasion, the opponent often gets to have a say as to when a Sword's ability occurs.
2. It helps remove swarms of creatures, which can be a problem for this deck.
3. It's faster than Sword, and gains more life, which can really help stabilize against Burn/Sligh.
4. It gives you some outs against pro-red guys - and this is not just White Weenie. The Survival Elves deck I play against has a SB White Enchantment that gives his creatures protection from red (can't remember what it's called).
5. This is minor, but Jitte can actually kill Elspeth tokens even after they have been made indestructible...nice.

Also, since I play with Relics in the SB, I don't like the dis-synergy between the Sword and Relic. I definitely want either Sword or Jitte in my SB, since equipment is my favorite way to handle Humility, and until they make another amazing alternative, these two are the best ones. I would say the biggest advantage of Sword in my mind (aside from the pro white/black of course) is that once it's equipped, it is no longer vulnerable to Pithing Needle or Null Rod (which is appearing now in my metagame). But overall, those issues aren't enough to sway me away from Jitte for the time-being.

So I will be playing in two events this coming weekend. I'll be playing the same maindeck except for the fact that I switched out an Enlightened Tutor for a Goblin Welder. I have been happy with the results. While the Enlightened Tutor have been not so amazing in game one, they have allowed me to run singleton jittes, ensnaring bridge, and dredge stoppers to great effect. I haven't had the same results with Gamble although I will keep trying it. Ill post a decklist later in the week and then another report. I can say though that the jitte is amazing when you switch to the aggro plan, although I have figures in my build.

I got first in 16-person tournament yesterday with this list:

9 Mountain
1 Mire
1 Foothills
8 City/Tomb
3 Mox
4 SSG
4 Magus
4 Recruiter
4 Servant
2 Jaya
1 Shusher
1 Welder
7 Blast
2 Blood Moon
2 Magma Jet
4 Grindstone
3 Top
SB
4 Trinisphere
3 Relic
2 Jitte
3 Pyrokinesis
1 Viashino Heretic
1 Goblin Tinkerer
1 Shusher

Round 1: 2-1 against a non-traditional Tendrils deck
Round 2: 2-1 against UGR Gro
Round 3: 1-2 against ANT
Round 4: 2-0 against Enchantress
Top 4: 2-0 against UGW Dreadstill
Final: 2-1 against ANT

I agree with you sroncor1 that Gambles aren't that hot. They can do amazing things, but overall I'd say they make the deck less consistent. So I went back to Magma Jets - they're always useful. And I'm loving the MD Moons!

Obviously the deck did well, but I didn't have to play Zoo, which has been a problem for me. Also, I tested a little against my friend's Aggro Loam with a few MD v MD games, and that is a rough matchup pre-board. I'm wondering if I should put the 4th Relic in the SB for matches like that, especially since one of my friends is playing Ichorid now in our meta (and doing pretty well). Or, I could even go back to one of my older board choices: Stuffy Doll. I'm not sure what exactly I am going to do with the board (any thoughts are appreciated), but I like this MD. I am going to keep it unchanged for a little while and hopefully get to test it against a wider variety of decks in the next couple of weeks.

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Originally Posted by DrewliusMaximus

I got first in 16-person tournament yesterday with this list...

Obviously the deck did well, but I didn't have to play Zoo, which has been a problem for me.

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The thing is with Imperial Painter, every match is winnable because the deck can play so many different ways. There's some powerful defense weapons the deck implies against storm-combo (Trinisphere, Blast), which I noticed you lost to. It happens.

Other aggro decks packing cards like Swords to Plowshares and Lightning Bolt have traditionally been a problem for this version of Painter. It's just the nature of the beast. However, that doesn't mean there are options to improve those match-ups. Cards like Umazawa's Jitte really help in taking out dudes who are bigger than yours. And, like Sword of Light and Shadow before it, Jitte also provides a much needed boost of life to offset Ancient Tombs and to pump your guys to take out other creatures.

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The thing is with Imperial Painter, every match is winnable because the deck can play so many different ways. There's some powerful defense weapons the deck implies against storm-combo (Trinisphere, Blast), which I noticed you lost to. It happens.

Other aggro decks packing cards like Swords to Plowshares and Lightning Bolt have traditionally been a problem for this version of Painter. It's just the nature of the beast. However, that doesn't mean there are options to improve those match-ups. Cards like Umazawa's Jitte really help in taking out dudes who are bigger than yours. And, like Sword of Light and Shadow before it, Jitte also provides a much needed boost of life to offset Ancient Tombs and to pump your guys to take out other creatures.

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Yeah, the combo matchup really depends on the die roll. And even after you drop Trinisphere, you have to close the deal because of cards like Serenity. Overall IP has the cards to deal with combo, but I also accept that there isn't anything you can do tunr 1 and 2 wins sometimes.

As for the aggro match, I assume you meant to use the double negative "that doesn't mean there aren't...", in which case I agree. There are options to improve the matchup, and I also agree that equipment are maybe the best of them. I think this particular build of IP needs to approach many aggro decks by becoming less dependent on Servant because they can too easily remove him.

Absolutely. To reiterate, Imperial Painter can defeat every deck in the format - with the right draws. When performing with this deck, you need to make decisions expeditiously. Winning a dice roll puts you in the drivers seat, and that is very important because of your options when examining your opening hand. Here are some things to consider:

1.) I don't know what I'm playing against, but I have a feeling they're packing control. Should I hold back dropping that Painter until next turn when I can support my Blast effect?

2.) Am I going to go for their lands off the bat with Painter/Blast?

3.) Do I feel it necessary to exhaust my hand in dropping a turn one Magus? Will that ultimately matter?

4.) Should I play Figure of Destiny turn one and bait a Swords rather than playing my Grindstone and preparing next turn to drop Painter or Imperial Recruiter?

5.) Should I wait a turn to play a creature and bait Daze with Simian Spirit Guide?

Some people just don't understand: This deck arguably focuses more on the chain of events stemming from the first turn than any other deck in the format. This deck really is about baiting; your opponent has no idea what you are trying to do in the first few turns, and you need to therefore take advantage of his or her lack of knowing by devising your plan as you move along. It will give you the tools of survival late game because you have understood what it means to start a game the appropriate way. This is also critical for games two and three, respectively.

So I played in a FNM event and went 2-1. Two notes, I forgot to deside before the tournament began and I had Pyrokinesis in the main instead of the lightning bolts. The other thing is that throughout the week the white cards of the deck continued to be cut down to eventually not part of it at all. I never removed the plateau though since I’m lazing and it was FNM so I said fuck it.

The Deck
4 Imperial Recruiter
4 Painter’s Servant
4 Grindstone
4 Magus of the Moon
3 Chrome Mox
4SSG
3Pyroblast
4REB
3 Pyrokinesis
2 top
3Figure of Destiny
2 Jaya Ballard
1 Vexing Shusher
1 Goblin Welder
4 City of Traitors
4 Ancient Tomb
3 Mountains
3 Fetchland
4 Plateau

Side
4 Trinisphere
4 Lightning Bolts
1 Pyrokenisis
2 Shattering Spree
1 Vexing Shusher
1 Viashino Heretic
1 Fearie Macabre
1REB

Round 1 vs Merfolk
In the first game my Painter’s Servant walks into a daze on the second turn after I landed a first turn Figure. We trade damage for a while but with an active Vial I am quickly behind in tempo and board position and a Wakethraser is big enough to finish the deal. Game two I play around daze and combo off on my second turn. The third turn again saw the deck do what it does and combo off the third turn with REB backup on the Echoing Truth that was played in response to Grindstone activation.

Round 2 vs a Rock variant
I lost the first two games, but I think it was due to me keeping suspect hands. Both games saw me draw incredible amounts of mana sources. The first game I was able to 3 for 1 him by killing two Bobs and a Hyppie with a Pyrokinesis and I still lost. The Pyrokinesis was hard casted btw. Eventually my early Magus is Vindicated and a couple goyfs hit the board and my life total goes to below 0. Game two he swords a first turn magus and again I draw lots of mana, namely my first two draws were the other Chrome Mox in the deck. Oh well what can you do, I guess I still have to work on hand recognition.

Round 3 vs Landstill(?)
The first game saw me cast a Magus off the City of Traitors and SSG. He tops for like 10 turns and I slowly swing his life total to 0. I think an Imperial Recruiter joins the party sometime, but not sure when. Game two sees him FoW a first turn magus followed by a second turn Trinisphere. He wasn’t too worried about it I guess since as he said he has lots of things that cost three, but it does take away his free counters so I was happy. I follow it up into an Imperial Recruiter and a Magus and he again can not find the basics. He did have a Bob beating me for a bit but again I never really saw what he was playing as I basically locked him out early and fast. He told me after the match that he dropped pyroclasm because he dropped red to make his mana base better. I guess he didn’t realize that as Magus defense it still works great as he can produce red. He also kept in Shackles and took out EE. I tried to tell him that EE is still really strong against the deck, but I think he missed the point that with only two basic islands he was going to get stuck getting shit with the shackles while the EE will stop me from comboing while taking my best aggo creature.

Overall I loved the deck and I really feel as if it can handle any deck. I will not be dropping below 6 REB effects. I really liked Pyrokinesis in the maindeck. Not sure if I will keep it but I will continue to look at. I did have to drop the Ensnaring Bridge from the side but then I decided to say fuck it to Progenitus decks as they suck anyway. While I may have lost to a Rock style deck I have to say they seem very weak for the current meta. In play testing, I have found them to be fairly easy to beat as their mana isn’t the best and the spells cost so much and they are fairly slow.

I think that the three different version of Imperial Painter that could be competitive are:

• mono R or RW version that could abuse of Gamble/Enlightened to tutor artifacts you need

• Epic painter that control the board with a countertop strategy or just combo rapidly thanks to Lim's Dul and offers a sideboardable plan B

• UR version maybe a lil less competitive but this is the version I'm playing just 'cuz I love tutor everything I need

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Originally Posted by Hollywood

This deck really is about baiting; your opponent has no idea what you are trying to do in the first few turns, and you need to therefore take advantage of his or her lack of knowing by devising your plan as you move along.

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That's true and it represent the strategy to adopt in the early game, you are able to understand what your opponent is playing while he will rarely stifles an Imperial Painter or a Trinket Mage and if a combo pieces is already in your hand... :laugh:

Imperial Painter by Comeback

LANDS
1 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Volcanic Island
3 Island
2 Mountain
4 Ancient Tomb
1 Academy Ruins

CREATURES
4 Imperial Recruiter
4 Painter's Servant
3 Trinket Mage
3 Simian Spirit Guide
2 Magus of the Moon
1 Vexing Shusher
1 Llawan Cephalid Empress

ARTIFACTS
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Pithing Needle
2 Grindstone
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Relic of Progenitus

OTHER SPELLS
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Force of Will
2 Repeal
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Pyroblast

SIDEBOARD
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Vexing Shusher
1 Kira Great Glass Spinner
2 Pithing Needle
1 Engineered Explosives
4 Thorn of Ametyst
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Tormod's Crypt
2 Divert
1 Misdirection

I would be interested in what your results have been. I had thought about adding blue since I missed having FoW in the deck I was playing. On first glance though it seems your deck tries to do to much while not doing any of it as well as the other builds. I am interested though as I love the dual tutor effect you have in the deck.

I also wanted to throw out there that the elimination of mana burn helps Imperial Painter alot. It can be quite annoying taking two damage off an Ancient Tomb and a subsequent one loss of life because of mana burn. Similar situation with City of Traitors.

I'm not sure about everyone else's experiences with burn in this deck, but I can't honestly remember the last time I played a game with I.P. and didn't take burn. Interesting.

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Originally Posted by sroncor1

On first glance though it seems your deck tries to do to much while not doing any of it as well as the other builds.

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It's quite true, I've just to manage the game for the combo solution 'cuz Imperial Recruiter & Trinket Mage aren't only tutors, they simply block goyfs, qasali or coatl or let u take cards like Llawan or Engineered.

If u know meta and decklists, u are quickly able to understand that maindeck contain everything u need but in each game your strategy is:

• reply to your opponent strategy and beat with stupid creatures
• reply to your opponent strategy and combo in mg or lg
• just combo asap

Sometimes the strategy plan of your opponent is to lock u so he keeps hands with COTV or a countertop stuff and u have just to tutor the correct creature like shusher or EE, BTW it's not impossible to win thanks to the creatures combo Painter-Llawan or just with a turn 2 magus and some protections that guarantee it in play.

For The Source tournament, I'll be piloting my new version of Imperial Painter. I'll give details through each round (W, L, or D) and how the deck fares along the way.

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For The Source tournament, I'll be piloting my new version of Imperial Painter. I'll give details through each round (W, L, or D) and how the deck fares along the way.

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Represent yo!

I went a disappointing 1-2 on Sunday after making a few mistakes, so let me share....

I used the following list:

9 Mountain
1 Mire
1 Foothills
8 City/Tomb
3 Mox
4 SSG
4 Magus
4 Recruiter
4 Servant
2 Jaya
1 Shusher
1 Welder
7 Blast
2 Moon
2 Magma Jet
4 Grindstone
3 Top
SB
4 Trinisphere
3 Relic
2 Jitte
3 Pyrokinesis
1 Heretic
1 Tinkerer
1 Shusher

I went 2-1 against White Stax in round 1. First game I think I got the combo, I lost the second game, and beat down for the win in game 3 with something stupid like 2 Recruiters and a Tinkerer. I think my only sideboarding was -3 Blasts, +1 Tinkerer, +1 Heretic, +1 Shusher. In game 3, Magma Jet was key because I killed Exalted Angel before it could morph.

Round 2 was against RGW Zoo, which is a matchup that I have been trying different things with to improve. I lost game 1 after a first turn Magus was killed, and then my next 2 creatures were killed, and his dudes attacked, and I hate Zoo. In game 2, since I was on the draw I decided to try something new against my better judgement and boarded in 4 Trinispheres along with 3 Pyrokinesis and 3 Relics, taking out 2 Blood Moon, 3 Top, 2 Blast, and Shusher. I had already thought about how this is a bad idea, but I wanted to try and lock him out of plays for a few turns and combo for the win. What ended up happening was that I got a Trinisphere in my first 7 but my only land was a City. After mulling to 5, I had a slightly playable hand with 2 lands, Pyrokinesis, and 2 creatures. I played Welder turn 1, drew into Trinisphere turn 2, but only had 2 mountain down. I drew a land and Pyro'd his Nactl before playing Trinisphere. But he got his 3rd land and dropped Goyf, and I died. I know some people have said they liked Trinisphere against Zoo and other aggro decks, but in my opinion, it SUCKS. And I'm not just saying this from one experience. Of course Trinisphere was not my only mistake here. Boarding out Moons was a bad idea, and keeping the combo plan was also not good. As of now, I think the best way to approach Zoo is to outlast them, and/or disrupt them with Moon. If I could do it over again, I would have boarded something like -4 Grindstone, -3 Blast, -1 Shusher, +3 Relic, +3 Pyrokinesis, +2 Jitte. I think Tops and Relics would have really helped put pressure on him to keep up the gas (since he didn't run Null Rod).

Round 3 was against Aggro Loam. I won game 1 with a turn 3 combo. I boarded -3 Blast, -2 Moon, -3 Top, -1 Welder, +3 Relic, +3 Pyrokinesis, +1 Heretic, +1 Tinkerer, +1 Shusher. Game 2 I was in control with Servant, Jaya, and Grindstone in hand, but he had Chalice out for 1. I made the impatient play and used Jaya to kill the Chalice on my turn so I could play Grindstone and win the next turn. The problem, is that he got a third land, and was able to Wish for Shattering Spree and killed the Servant. Afterwards, Crushers came down and got big before Jaya could kill them, and killed me. With him at low land, I should have used Jaya to kill his mana. I'll have to remind myself that Servant + Jaya can be more surefire (but prolonged) win even if the combo is available. Then I lost game 3 after keeping an iffy hand that had 2 Blasts (with no Servant), Pyrokinesis, 2 lands, Welder and Shusher. I proceeded to draw my other 2 Blasts on consecutive turns and Crushers and/or Goyf killed me (I can't remember).