4 Card Blind: The Silkster Seasons

Tirrit: Island, Elvish Spirit Guide, River Boa, Signal Pest, comment:
I really wanted to play no islands and Aku Djinn plus xathrid acolyte, with the idea that it would force a double block and the wall would have 3 counters and so be able to attack, but if someone was playing a copycat with a small islandwalker and a wall, then their wall would not be able to attack and xathrid acolyte would win. The problem was that it was just a terrible deck: it lost to any 2 power creature. It is so hard to get away from island stuff in the "season of the island".


GoblinSmashmaster: Volcanic Island, Goblin Lackey, Skoa, Embermage, Merfolk Spy, comment: Goblin smash!
I can't attack or goblin lackey will smash me, so I lose to merfolk spy. 0-6

Silkster: Subterranean Hangar, Xathrid Acolyte, Vesuva, Phantasmal Forces, comment: upkeeps!
Phantasmal forces is too slow vs my turn 8 goldfish. 6-0

dte: Rushwood Legate, Rushwood Legate, Tropical island, Mistbreath Elder, comment:
Legates smash me. 0-6

Wrath of Pie: Island, Island, Reef Shaman, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
Unfortunately for you my threat is worse than your stormdrake, so your stormdrake smashes you. 6-0

FTW: Cathedral of War, Island, Deeptread Merrow, Gilded Drake, comment:
I barely win the race by attacking first on the draw (again having a worse threat than gilded drake is important here). 6-0


18/30 points

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tirrit

Tirrit: Island, Elvish Spirit Guide, River Boa, Signal Pest, comment:
I really wanted to play no islands and Aku Djinn plus xathrid acolyte, with the idea that it would force a double block and the wall would have 3 counters and so be able to attack, but if someone was playing a copycat with a small islandwalker and a wall, then their wall would not be able to attack and xathrid acolyte would win. The problem was that it was just a terrible deck: it lost to any 2 power creature. It is so hard to get away from island stuff in the "season of the island".

---

I also tried to force Aku Djinn (or Sheltering Ancient), but those decks were losing to 3/x Islandwalk. In case someone found a better way to use them, Drake. I think you chose right with turbo 3/x.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silkster

It's a good thing I made the scoring system kind to such a thing! It's certainly easier to get 0 or 6 round points with fewer players. I think my Inquisition deck was my first time getting 6 round points. I can hardly remember anyone scoring 6 round points before my Inquisition deck. I even have strong memories someone in the pauper season playing Swamp, Ritual, Duress, Skittering Skirge and they went 6-0 in every matchup except for one 3-3 because it was the closest I'd seen to a full sweep.

---

The first round of my first full season (pauper bannathon that you won), I had a full sweep on a 11 players round with:
Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
I was very proud of it :)

And now I think tirrit did it at least twice in a single season?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dte

The first round of my first full season (pauper bannathon that you won), I had a full sweep on a 11 players round with:
Laboratory Maniac, Mortuary Mire, Izzet Boilerworks, Irrigation Ditch
I was very proud of it :)

And now I think tirrit did it at least twice in a single season?

---

Oh, I do remember the Lab Maniac now. I didn't realize it had been reprinted with a rarity drop. And you're right that Tirrit did it twice already. I think this format of floor/ceiling (which I call "Room" in my scrap excel sheets) is good for innovation and allows some really great finds. I think you've also commented on having a deck in your notes that would have swept. In the round where the floor deck was Therapy, Sadist, and Fumespitter, I thought people would play Deathspeakers, but it turned out that Mindslaver + EE would have swept that round.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silkster

I think you've also commented on having a deck in your notes that would have swept

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That I had a few times (I think FTW too), but I guess it reflects more on thinking of too many decks and/or choosing poorly between them.

Room is a good name for floor & ceiling :) I agree the format brings in surprises.

87d38539b12ac645791334cdd2e7814e02011f1330528ea9f568a648ab30fa81

Checking for legalities now.

Round 3

GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle?
dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands!
Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers' Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please
Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:
FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!
Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash!
Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment:

7 entries and 28 different cards! And very different strategies too. Only a few lands are close, like Stomping Ground and Grove of the Burnwillows, and a few triomes are pretty close, though still each chosen very specifically. The closest thing to repeat strategies is 3 goblin decks!

FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!

I thought Island and Vesuva would not be playable, since Frog gro is too good. But Seasinger and Blightbeetle are both good solutions.


GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds
A fellow Kobold! But your 2/2 goblin is much bigger than my 1/1 Dwarf. LL 6-0

dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard
Clever way to only beat the Frog. I did not notice the 1st ability wasn't a "may".
If you play Champion, I have 2 1/1s vs your 1/2. If you play BGH, I have 3 1/1s. If I trade with your attacking 2/2, then your 1/2 beats by 1/1. But if I let it through, I can race you 3 vs 2. WW 0-6

Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers' Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon
Island? I can Goad you into death. WW 0-6

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken
My 1/1 can't attack through Thermo-Alchemist, and your wall can't be Goaded. LL 6-0

Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger
Vesuva can copy my blue land, but you still can't keep Seasinger & I have too many creatures for Toady. WW 0-6

Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer
Kobold is too good! I have Channex fodder, so I can play my 1/1 and win. WW 0-6


12 points (4 loss, 8 wins)


Should have played one of my other contenders:
Exotic Orchard, Icatian Store, Hammerhead Shark, Kjeldoran Javelineer
Overgrown Tomb, Deepwood Legate, Land Cap, Acolyte of Xathrid

I was surprised to see no Deepwood Legates and few Forests playing around it.

Round 3

GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle?
Your goblin attacks while mine looks on timidly. That's a goblin paddling.
6-0

dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands!
I figured out mostly why this was legal, then saw the sneaky line of holding the elder until both players are at 3, and this deck got the dm of doubt, even though the line I proposed was winning for the Big Game Hunter. I'm curious about even how many unplayed lists 6-0 this. I had one that 6-0s this and I nearly played it, but I couldn't resist the allure of smashing with goblins.
0-6

Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please
Many rounds ago I had a Deathspeakers + Slayers' Stronghold deck, and I had a 2x blightbeetle deck, but I somehow didn't put this together. I'm also just realizing that I did the math to realize that this deck could play Island, but my list didn't have Island in it, and when I found Seasinger I was pretty sure I'd never activate it. Alas, the beetle does not fill its ears with wax, nor does it have its crew mates tie it to the mast of the ship, and the poor beetle sails straight into the rocks.
0-6

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:


FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!
I spent a few minutes trying to figure out how this deck was fast enough to kill the elder before it grows, and then finally remembered that you're not playing an island. I didn't think that for anyone else though. The Sea Clan just sounds like you're running an island, I guess.
I'm surprised that Taunting Kobold didn't get printed as "Taunting Goblin". We could have had even more goblins. I'm also amused that you could have played Taunting Elf, and it would have been the same.
6-0

Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash!
Surely no one will actually play an island, right?

Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment:
My Toady is way too fast for your Javelineers, but I can't resolve it through the Chancellor if you just never play a land.
2-2

I was very excited so I already commented that there are 28 different cards here. And the strategies too.
Race with a 2/2 and chump block once.
Forbidden Orchard specifically against Mistbreath's bounce.
Vigilance pro green, ft. The Lonely Island.
Block with an 0/3.
Shoot it down because it's on an island.
Steal it because it's on an island. (Maybe these two are the closest.)
Cumulative upkeep slowness with chancellor as the anti 2/2. (My Javelineers list was forced to play a blocker that could attack.)

GoblinSmashmaster Result for Round "Goblins"

GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle?
That's me, on the same goblin!

dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands!
Goblin smash! 0-6

Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please
Goblin smash! 0-6

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:
Wall 6-0

FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!
Goblin smash! 0-6

Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash!
Goblin smash! 0-6

Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment:
Goblin smash! 0-6

6 goblin points

GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle?
6-0, goblin smash! But not mine..
6

dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands!
That's me smashing with goblin (and stealing someone else's line.

Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please
6-0, beetle smash!
12

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:
6-0, goblin burnt.
18

FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!
6-0, dwarves smash!
I had almost the same deck with the elf one and other lands.
24

Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash!
6-0, goblin smash! But not mine.
Vesuva again! Will have to remember it.
30

Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment:
6-0. I can't beat chancellor
36

Two sweeps in a row! Unless I miscalculated, which happens.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FTW

Should have played one of my other contenders:
Exotic Orchard, Icatian Store, Hammerhead Shark, Kjeldoran Javelineer
Overgrown Tomb, Deepwood Legate, Land Cap, Acolyte of Xathrid

I was surprised to see no Deepwood Legates and few Forests playing around it.

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The first would have been illegal : the token is bounced and the frog becomes 3/3, beating the shark. Otherwise I never thought of deepwood legate, but I had a saprazzan Legate deck until I realized it was against mountains and not forests :/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silkster

I was very excited so I already commented that there are 28 different cards here. And the strategies too.
Race with a 2/2 and chump block once.
Forbidden Orchard specifically against Mistbreath's bounce.
Vigilance pro green, ft. The Lonely Island.
Block with an 0/3.
Shoot it down because it's on an island.
Steal it because it's on an island. (Maybe these two are the closest.)
Cumulative upkeep slowness with chancellor as the anti 2/2. (My Javelineers list was forced to play a blocker that could attack.)

---

7 different strategies and 28 different cards is indeed remarkable, I don't remember seeing that diversity, even when we played with bonuses or penalties for redundancies. Pretty cool.

And I really thought there would be at least one phyrexian walker!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FTW

Should have played one of my other contenders:
Exotic Orchard, Icatian Store, Hammerhead Shark, Kjeldoran Javelineer
Overgrown Tomb, Deepwood Legate, Land Cap, Acolyte of Xathrid

I was surprised to see no Deepwood Legates and few Forests playing around it.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dte

The first would have been illegal : the token is bounced and the frog becomes 3/3, beating the shark. Otherwise I never thought of deepwood legate, but I had a saprazzan Legate deck until I realized it was against mountains and not forests :/

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That's Exotic Orchard not your Forbidden Orchard. It's funny because I had Exotic Orchard in a few decks, like Icatian Store, Kjeldoran Javelineers, Exotic Orchard, Keeper of Progenitus, so when I read it I read the right one, but your mind was elsewhere.

As far as the Legate goes, I was expecting the copycat Overgrown Tomb, Deepwood Legate, Shanodin Dryads. I submitted the only deck I had that went 6-0 against this copycat.

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:

GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle? - WW
dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands! - WW
Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please - LL
FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves! - WW
Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash! - WW
Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment: - LL

4l = 12 points

I probably should have stuck with exalted Dryad Arbor, blocking was too good.

Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment:
I had a couple of different decks I was considering (including reep's deck, almost exactly!), but all of the interesting ones seemed to 0-6 vs force spike so I thought I'd try it.


GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle?
6-0 you have an extra spell to throw into the force spike.

dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands!
0-6 Wow this deck is brilliant. It's always a good sign when I look at it and I think "wait, that's illegal!" and turn out to be wrong. Here I was in the same boat as FTW and I thought both parts of the trigger were optional.

Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please
6-0 you can pay for force spike on the beetle (too bad stronghold taps for mana, right?)

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:
0-6 you only have one thing and no extra mana.

FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!
6-0 you have a spare spell to throw into the force spike.

Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash!
2-2 we stare. (I initially thought this was 6-0 because I forgot how useless vesuva is!)

20 points

Does Frog return Seasinger on upkeep, returning control to opponent in time to attack once before Seasinger can activate again?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FTW

Does Frog return Seasinger on upkeep, returning control to opponent in time to attack once before Seasinger can activate again?

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I actually did forget about Frog returning my things on upkeep for a bit, but Frog returns Toady which I can recast. But, now that I think about it, the deck that I almost submitted that would have beaten dte was actually illegal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silkster

That's Exotic Orchard not your Forbidden Orchard. It's funny because I had Exotic Orchard in a few decks, like Icatian Store, Kjeldoran Javelineers, Exotic Orchard, Keeper of Progenitus, so when I read it I read the right one, but your mind was elsewhere.

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Indeed, I mixed my orchards :/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silkster

As far as the Legate goes, I was expecting the copycat Overgrown Tomb, Deepwood Legate, Shanodin Dryads. I submitted the only deck I had that went 6-0 against this copycat.

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Any deck with Forest loses to that. That's why I played Stomping Grounds (Forest). Was surprised to see no copycats and few Forest.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FTW

Any deck with Forest loses to that. That's why I played Stomping Grounds (Forest). Was surprised to see no copycats and few Forest.

---

Strangely enough, my Shanodin Dryads deck specifically ran a Forest because that's a weakness, but I wasn't doing that in my other decks because I was trying to run worse lands.

Our next ceiling deck is unambiguously the deck that went undefeated: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard,

Also banned are:
Rushwood Legate,
Tropical island,
Mistbreath Elder

Special note that Wood Elemental is once again legal. You wouldn't want to overlook that one by just automatically assuming that it's banned.

Reeplcheep: Blightbeetle, Slayers Stronghold, Raffine's Tower, Sunbaked Canyon, comment: No phantasms please
The most interesting thing to me was to figure out how to play island. Blightbeetle answered both the racing and bouncing very elegantly while being a 1/1.

GoblinSmashmaster: Crystal Vein, Simian Spirit Guide, Goblin Flotilla, Crookshank Kobolds, comment: Goblin paddle?
I have an Island. LL

dte: Goblin Champion, Bazaar of Baghdad, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, comment: Goblin smash! With real vintage lands!
Elegant deck. WW

Wrath of Pie: Grove of the Burnwillows, Elvish Spirit Guide, Thermo-Alchemist, Polar Kraken, comment:
There weren't a ton of other ways to give the bug vigilance... WW

FTW: Stomping Ground, Svyelunite Temple, Dwarven Sea Clan, Taunting Kobold, comment: Dwarves!
I have an Island. LL

Silkster: Vesuva, Izzet Boilerworks, Mogg Toady, Seasinger, comment: Goblin smash!
I have an island LL

Tirrit: Chancellor of the Annex, Sand Silos, Indatha Triome, Kjeldoran Javelineer, comment:
I can pay for tax. WW

6w 6l for 18/36

747dde442916721ace181ed56fb612dfff2d9a4a5670ce24da791fcdeebf9c87

Checking now. No news is good news.

I'm here, but one entry seems to be illegal (FTW), and then the site was down for a while, so I'm going to wait a while.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silkster

I'm here, but one entry seems to be illegal (FTW), and then the site was down for a while, so I'm going to wait a while.

---

Thanks, did not see your message while the site was down. Submitted a new deck. Should be legal and allow round to proceed.

Round 4 - Ceiling

Reeplcheep: Cavern of Souls, Peat Bog, Rhonas the Indomitable, Master of the Feast, comment:
dte: The Mycosynth Gardens, Saprazzan Skerry, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
Tirrit: Darkslick Shores, Karakas, Wanted Scoundrels, Vantress Transmuter, comment:
Wrath of Pie: Saltcrusted Steppe, Baneslayer Angel, Gavony Township, Karakas, comment:
Silkster: Saprazzan Skerry, Volatile Stormdrake, The Mycosynth Gardens, Phyrexian Dreadnought, comment: but memnite is banned
GoblinSmashmaster: Ancient Tomb, Gruul Turf, Volley Veteran, Life of the Party, comment: Goblin smash!
FTW: Eldrazi Temple, Dimir Aqueduct, Thought-Knot Seer, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:

Damn, missed the opportunity of a third sweep with strip mine/volatile stormdrake.

Reeplcheep: Cavern of Souls, Peat Bog, Rhonas the Indomitable, Master of the Feast, comment:
Master of the Feast is too good when I take it.
6-0

dte: The Mycosynth Gardens, Saprazzan Skerry, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
Our creatures can't evade one another, so it's DD instead of WL.
2-2

Tirrit: Darkslick Shores, Karakas, Wanted Scoundrels, Vantress Transmuter, comment:
I thought this was an easy win, but after stealing the scoundrels, I can't force them through the drake because trading gives you mana for the Transmuter. If only the scoundrels were a better card, like a 4/4 or gave 1 treasure!
2-2

Wrath of Pie: Saltcrusted Steppe, Baneslayer Angel, Gavony Township, Karakas, comment:
Dreadnought goes real fast.
6-0

Silkster: Saprazzan Skerry, Volatile Stormdrake, The Mycosynth Gardens, Phyrexian Dreadnought, comment: but memnite is banned

GoblinSmashmaster: Ancient Tomb, Gruul Turf, Volley Veteran, Life of the Party, comment: Goblin smash!
Dreadnought goes real fast.
6-0

FTW: Eldrazi Temple, Dimir Aqueduct, Thought-Knot Seer, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
I almost submitted this deck (with slightly different but equivalent lands). It took a bit of testing to decide that T3 drake and T3 seer was better than T2 drake and T4 seer. I knew this was WL against my deck, and these two decks were beating everything else I could come up with anyway, so I went with the faster game-ender. I had a bit of a restless night last night and was sure that Phyrexian Dreadnought would be the next floor and had already brewed a handful of decks for it, but I think this one sneaks ahead.
On my play, I kill fast enough. On your play you can eat one hit while clearing the drake from my hand.
3-3

When this round was first determined, I was a little worried and excited that the power level was going to be ridiculously low. That floor deck is so bad it barely functions. But it does have a removal spell, so you get to play some really powerful threats into that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dte

Damn, missed the opportunity of a third sweep with strip mine/volatile stormdrake.

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Strip Mine is still banned right? I had considered it too

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FTW

Strip Mine is still banned right? I had considered it too

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Not as far as I know?
No cards banned, full vintage open?

Otherwise same scores as Silkster.
Except I think the MU vs tirrit is 4-1.
Silkster /dte OTP:

T2 drake
T2 4/3
T3 dreadnought, attack t17
T3 curse, attack d16
T4 attack t13
T4 attack d12
T5 attack t9
T5 attack d8
T6 attack t5
T6 attack d4
T7 attack with Drake only, t2
T7 attack, block with cursed dreadnought
T8 kill tirrit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dte

Not as far as I know?
No cards banned, full vintage open?

Otherwise same scores as Silkster.

---

I thought we were continuing with the same banlist: Lab Man, Thassa, Jace, Strip Mine, Wasteland, Ghost Quarter, Volatile Fault. Is Thassa unbanned?

Everything is unbanned*. The initial ceiling season was beginning to circle around the broken stuff, so I wanted to put those away for more variety. And I did keep them last season as a precaution, but this time it's full vintage leaning on the ceiling/floor structure to keep Thassa's Oracle in check. Honestly, I haven't been thinking about it recently.

Did I miss a ceiling round when Oracle/Labman was legal?
*Jace, Wielder of Mysteries is banned for not being a creature.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dte

Except I think the MU vs tirrit is 4-1.
Silkster /dte OTP:

T2 drake
...
T8 kill tirrit.

---

Oh, I missed going on the offensive outright with the drake. I think you're right. I had thought about going on the offensive when brainstorming the deck, but all the other creatures ended up being so powerful that it never happened in my own matches. I did not think of Wanted Scoundrels.

FTW: Eldrazi Temple, Dimir Aqueduct, Thought-Knot Seer, Volatile Stormdrake

My illegal Emrakul idea still only WL vs TKS but looked more fun. Past the deadline, I defaulted to my original idea. Turns out this was good.

Reeplcheep: Cavern of Souls, Peat Bog, Rhonas the Indomitable, Master of the Feast
If you play Master, Drake steals it & 4/4 + 5/5 races 3/2. If you don't play it, TKS takes it. WW 6-0

dte: The Mycosynth Gardens, Saprazzan Skerry, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Volatile Stormdrake
OTP if you play T2 Dreadnought, I play T3 TKS exiling Drake, I take 12, you take 4, then my Drake steals your 12/12 and I win the race.
If you play T2 Drake, TKS takes Dreadnought, then TKS beats down and I play Drake to block yours.
OTD you get T2 Dreadnought & attack for 12 before I can play anything. If I steal with Drake, you steal back and win. If I play TKS exiling your Drake, Dreadnought tramples over for exactly lethal before I could steal it.
WL 3-3

Tirrit: Darkslick Shores, Karakas, Wanted Scoundrels, Vantress Transmuter
Your removal is sorcery speed, so TKS exiles it. Then, if you haven't traded Scoundrels with TKS, Drake steals it and 4/4 + 4/3 races 3/2. WW 6-0

Wrath of Pie: Saltcrusted Steppe, Baneslayer Angel, Gavony Township, Karakas
You'd think Baneslayer would be protection from Drakes too, but it isn't. TKS takes it first. WW 6-0

Silkster: Saprazzan Skerry, Volatile Stormdrake, The Mycosynth Gardens, Phyrexian Dreadnought
Same as dte WL 3-3

GoblinSmashmaster: Ancient Tomb, Gruul Turf, Volley Veteran, Life of the Party
OTD you can play T3 Volley Veteran to have a 4/2 vs TKS, but then Drake steals it. WW 6-0

30 points (10 wins, 2 loss)


I really wanted to make Emrakul, the Aeons Torn work under T3 discard. Unfortunately large creatures like Elvish Piper, Hapless Researcher and Jace, Vryn's Prodigy beat the ceiling deck on their own! I thought I cracked it and submitted this illegal "copycat":
Saprazzan Skerry, Shelldock Isle, Magus of the Bazaar, Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

Even 0/1 Magus is too big! It blocks 1 turn, then Champion loses the race. dte's last deck is very good at losing.

I also thought I found a way to cheat a 1/1 by using Tabernacle to kill the 1st Spirit if you cast your spell. But it doesn't work. You can play only Tabernacle, do nothing, and Champion cannot win through an endless wall of 1/1 blocks. Illegal "must play Tabernacle" decks:
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, Lotus Vale, Intrepid Hero
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Dimir Aqueduct, Mesmeric Fiend, Volatile Stormdrake

Tirrit: Darkslick Shores, Karakas, Wanted Scoundrels, Vantress Transmuter, comment:
I actually did figure out how to play emrakul. The trick is to cheat and play a non-creature spell to discard (that is still technically a creature card!): {shelldock isle, volcanic island, merchant of the vale, emrakul, the aeons torn}, but since this was the first deck I thought of I was worried everyone would be playing karakas. Turns out Emrakul would have served me a lot better than my anti-Emrakul deck.


Reeplcheep: Cavern of Souls, Peat Bog, Rhonas the Indomitable, Master of the Feast, comment:
I make master a 1/1 and then race it since Rhonas is pacified. I also could bounce Rhonas. 6-0

dte: The Mycosynth Gardens, Saprazzan Skerry, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
I agree with your assessment. 1-4

Wrath of Pie: Saltcrusted Steppe, Baneslayer Angel, Gavony Township, Karakas, comment:
A fellow Emrakul-fearing citizen! When I'm on the draw Baneslayer angel comes down on your turn 5, and I am attacking for the 3rd time on my turn 5, dropping you to 8. I also curse the angel. You would be able to activate gavony on turns 9 and 12 to stabilize. You attack me on your turns 6 to 8, gaining 3 while I deal 12 killing you or forcing the chump which is winning. 6-0

Silkster: Saprazzan Skerry, Volatile Stormdrake, The Mycosynth Gardens, Phyrexian Dreadnought, comment: but memnite is banned
1-4 as with dte

GoblinSmashmaster: Ancient Tomb, Gruul Turf, Volley Veteran, Life of the Party, comment: Goblin smash!
I curse volley veteran and then race it. 6-0

FTW: Eldrazi Temple, Dimir Aqueduct, Thought-Knot Seer, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
TKS beats my sorcery speed removal plan. I sure wish you'd figured out and played emrakul! 0-6

20 points

I dismissed Emrakul because the extra turn from the cast trigger makes a difference against the ceiling, so it would have been illegal. (I was ready for Kozilek though!)

GoblinSmashmaster Results for Round "Bigger than goblins"

Reeplcheep: Cavern of Souls, Peat Bog, Rhonas the Indomitable, Master of the Feast, comment:
Bigger than goblins :( 0-6

dte: The Mycosynth Gardens, Saprazzan Skerry, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
Bigger than goblins :( 0-6

Tirrit: Darkslick Shores, Karakas, Wanted Scoundrels, Vantress Transmuter, comment:
Bigger than goblins :( 0-6

Wrath of Pie: Saltcrusted Steppe, Baneslayer Angel, Gavony Township, Karakas, comment:
Bigger than goblins :( 0-6

Silkster: Saprazzan Skerry, Volatile Stormdrake, The Mycosynth Gardens, Phyrexian Dreadnought, comment: but memnite is banned
Bigger than goblins :( 0-6

GoblinSmashmaster: Ancient Tomb, Gruul Turf, Volley Veteran, Life of the Party, comment: Goblin smash!
Goblins :(

FTW: Eldrazi Temple, Dimir Aqueduct, Thought-Knot Seer, Volatile Stormdrake, comment:
Bigger than goblins :( 0-6

0 goblin points

So FTW's TKS/drake is the new floor deck, right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dte

So FTW's TKS/drake is the new floor deck, right?

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Correct. Goblin Champion, Big Game Hunter, Forbidden Orchard, and Bazaar of Baghdad remain banned.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wrath of Pie

I dismissed Emrakul because the extra turn from the cast trigger makes a difference against the ceiling, so it would have been illegal. (I was ready for Kozilek though!)

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You're right, it would have had to be shivan reef to deal with the extra turn/ambush as fog

bfa472510ffcc3dcaa5110265c480c806fdd542fe77f6b16afd129f6886b153a

Forgot what day it was. Looking now, updating shortly.

Decks look legal, but missing Reeplcheep. I'll wait until the end of the day, about 12 hours.

Edit: I posted the lists, but they're on page 57 which isn't loading for me for some reason. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Hopefully they load soon.