[Deck] Merfolk

Here is my current Sideboard.

2x Relic of Progenitus -- Part of GY package
2x Tormod's Crypt -- Part of GY package and my meta demands 4 slots for this.
1x Spell Pierce -- #4 as 3 are maindeck; but you need it vs Control/Combo Decks
2x Hydroblast -- vs RUG, RU Delver, anything with R in it as they are that fast.
2x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner -- VS anything with heavy removal
2x Coralhelm Commander -- #3&4 as I run 4 Reejerey MD. The flying is needed in some matches such as Maverick.
3x Submerge -- vs anything with Forests in it.
1x Gilded Drake -- funky card for Show & Tell, Hypergenisis, etc.

It might not be optimal for big events; but it fits my meta well so far.

PS -- I am not a fan of Standstill either, I have found it not as good as other cards for me as I took the more Pure Aggro with Control added route. Jitte x2 maindeck are my removal; but honestly 14 Lords + Phantasmal Images gives you the gas to out size and/or race many decks (24 MD creatures for me) (4x AEther Vial, 2x Umezawa's Jitte, 3x Daze, 4x Force of Will, 3x Spell Pierce MD for me) (20 lands, no Cavern of Souls).

Hey thanks for the sideboard and comments! That is pretty similar to what I was considering. Although I think I will probably not be running Gilded Drake. The Sneak and Show player in my meta hasn't been to the shop in a bit and also plays RUG. So a dedicated slot for that is probably unnecessary for me. This is what I am considering:


2x Relic of Progenitus
2x Grafdigger's Cage
2x Spell Pierce
2x Hydroblast
2x Dismember
2x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
3x Submerge


My meta has a few RUG palyers (2-3), some Esperblade(2), some U/W miracles(2), some Dredge/Reanimator(2-4), a Maverick(1), and a few brews (the notable ones being mono-red storm). I think the above sideboard is probably pretty good for that. Thoughts?

Faced Fish w/ Maverick yesterday in our weekly, he was maindecking Sovereigns which actually caused me quite a bit of trouble. Normally, I think they're subpar (he admitted that he hadn't procured a playset Master yet), but could they be viable as a sideboard option vs Maverick/Goblins/other/nonU-decks?

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Originally Posted by Sturtzilla

Hey thanks for the sideboard and comments! That is pretty similar to what I was considering. Although I think I will probably not be running Gilded Drake. The Sneak and Show player in my meta hasn't been to the shop in a bit and also plays RUG. So a dedicated slot for that is probably unnecessary for me. This is what I am considering:


2x Relic of Progenitus
2x Grafdigger's Cage
2x Spell Pierce
2x Hydroblast
2x Dismember
2x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
3x Submerge


My meta has a few RUG palyers (2-3), some Esperblade(2), some U/W miracles(2), some Dredge/Reanimator(2-4), a Maverick(1), and a few brews (the notable ones being mono-red storm). I think the above sideboard is probably pretty good for that. Thoughts?

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If you have Esperblade, RUG, or Maverick in your meta, Dismember should be main, atleast as a 1 of. Dismember-ing their SFM ( Goyf/ Delver)( MoM) is a very relivant play before it gets online.

Gilded Drake is good since we can also Vial it into play and it works as a way to really screw with different decks. It can be a psudo lord against mirror or a steal your big creature against Sneak Show, Dredge, and Reanimator.

Hey guys I just noticed that the Fishheads are once again considered as a Deck To Beat.

Cheers

Hi guys!!

I need to improve the following matchups,

Goblins: T1 Lackey it's a nightmare, Piledriver and Haste Lords too... Ciclyng Removal, SB Pyrokinesis & REB's are simply uncontrollable...

Deadguy: Stoneforge is our worst enemy, MD Zealous Persecution & SB Engineered Plague, break our fishes

My local store meta is too narrow, so these decks are always going to be there, with that sideboard...

Any thoughst?? an appriopriate line of play? sideboard or maindeck options?

Thanks!!

(This post was written in Google translate English)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anfylion

Hi guys!!

I need to improve the following matchups,

Goblins: T1 Lackey it's a nightmare, Piledriver and Haste Lords too... Ciclyng Removal, SB Pyrokinesis & REB's are simply uncontrollable...

Deadguy: Stoneforge is our worst enemy, MD Zealous Persecution & SB Engineered Plague, break our fishes

My local store meta is too narrow, so these decks are always going to be there, with that sideboard...

Any thoughst?? an appriopriate line of play? sideboard or maindeck options?

Thanks!!

(This post was written in Google translate English)

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Switch decks or metagame back harder.

Goblins is always going to be Merfolk's nightmare matchup. If Cavern/Lackey doesn't slaughter you, Piledriver will, whether on the offense or the defense.

The best option, obviously, is to splash black for Engineered Plague.

If you don't want to do this to avoid one matchup, you need an active Umezawa's Jitte. So you obviously run Jitte. Then you need a way to deal with Lackey's speed and Piledriver stopping your Jitte from getting counters. Dismember is probably your best bet here, as it's almost your only option to get rid of either one. And even with both of these en masse, you're still going to have trouble with Goblins.

Deadguy Ale's a little less awful. Mono blue can handle this. Practice a lot. Counter the right things. Time your assaults. Dismember's the best card you have going for you out of the sideboard here, but wait for the right moment.

Sea's Claim is an off the wall move in either of these matchups, also. It can allow you a little disruption and/or an alpha strike.

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Originally Posted by Anfylion

Goblins: T1 Lackey it's a nightmare, Piledriver and Haste Lords too... Ciclyng Removal, SB Pyrokinesis & REB's are simply uncontrollable...

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Lacky- Dismember, counter it, or drop a creature early and hope it doesnt get burned
Piledriver- Extra man lands ( ex. Mishra's Factory), Dismember, Jitte, or counter
Removal- Kira or Spellskite

One option as stated is to add black for but that would give them extra lands to wasteland but it would help greatly. Also as stated as before, if you expect to face a matchup as putrid as this one, choose a different deck.

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Originally Posted by Anfylion

Deadguy: Stoneforge is our worst enemy, MD Zealous Persecution & SB Engineered Plague, break our fishes

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Never really faced this much but...

SFM- Dismember, pithing needle, Vendilion Clique... There are several answers to this card
Zealous Persecution and E. Plague- Counter it or over run them with lords would be my guess

E plague isn't nearly as good vs Merfolk as it is vs Goblins

@Tacosnape
@Gaddle

Thanks for the tips!

For now, I will make the following changes in the md

+2 Dismember
+1 Umezawa jitte

Is Spell Snare, in Merfolks, a suboptimal resp vs Threats like, SFM, Piledriver, Bob, Hymn, Tarmo, Thalia? (all, cards not want to see)

do not fit into our tempo gameplan?

Here are the two problems with Spell Snare, in my book.

1. Merfolk isn't what most people consider a tempo deck. It plays nothing like RUG Delver lists. Merfolk is pretty much close to a true aggro deck. Drop guys. Drop more guys. Turn guys sideways. Like all aggro decks, you get a little disruption: Force, Daze, Wasteland, and a plethora of decent sideboard options. But for the most part? You swarm them with fish. Because of this, cards that require you to keep your mana open always have an inherent drawback - You're slowing yourself down. Sometimes you might get the exact perfect opportunity to use the Spell Snare at the right time. Sometimes you'll end up with nothing to show for keeping your mana open when your board presence could have been improved. I'm not saying that keeping your mana open makes a spell unplayable in Merfolk. I'm just saying that the drawback in a deck like this versus a RUG Delver deck that can stick one dude and ride it to victory is quite real.

2. If you do want spells that keep your mana open, Spell Pierce is better than Spell Snare. Pierce hits everything except creatures, regardless of CMC. Cavern of Souls exists, making the counterability of creatures questionable nowadays.

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Originally Posted by Tacosnape

Here are the two problems with Spell Snare, in my book.

1. Merfolk isn't what most people consider a tempo deck. It plays nothing like RUG Delver lists. Merfolk is pretty much close to a true aggro deck. Drop guys. Drop more guys. Turn guys sideways. Like all aggro decks, you get a little disruption: Force, Daze, Wasteland, and a plethora of decent sideboard options. But for the most part? You swarm them with fish. Because of this, cards that require you to keep your mana open always have an inherent drawback - You're slowing yourself down. Sometimes you might get the exact perfect opportunity to use the Spell Snare at the right time. Sometimes you'll end up with nothing to show for keeping your mana open when your board presence could have been improved. I'm not saying that keeping your mana open makes a spell unplayable in Merfolk. I'm just saying that the drawback in a deck like this versus a RUG Delver deck that can stick one dude and ride it to victory is quite real.

2. If you do want spells that keep your mana open, Spell Pierce is better than Spell Snare. Pierce hits everything except creatures, regardless of CMC. Cavern of Souls exists, making the counterability of creatures questionable nowadays.

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I agree on everything Tacosnape already sad; Pierce with Wasteland help have more target and is helpful in Combo match too!

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Originally Posted by Tacosnape

Here are the two problems with Spell Snare, in my book.

1. Merfolk isn't what most people consider a tempo deck. It plays nothing like RUG Delver lists. Merfolk is pretty much close to a true aggro deck. Drop guys. Drop more guys. Turn guys sideways. Like all aggro decks, you get a little disruption: Force, Daze, Wasteland, and a plethora of decent sideboard options. But for the most part? You swarm them with fish. Because of this, cards that require you to keep your mana open always have an inherent drawback - You're slowing yourself down. Sometimes you might get the exact perfect opportunity to use the Spell Snare at the right time. Sometimes you'll end up with nothing to show for keeping your mana open when your board presence could have been improved. I'm not saying that keeping your mana open makes a spell unplayable in Merfolk. I'm just saying that the drawback in a deck like this versus a RUG Delver deck that can stick one dude and ride it to victory is quite real.

2. If you do want spells that keep your mana open, Spell Pierce is better than Spell Snare. Pierce hits everything except creatures, regardless of CMC. Cavern of Souls exists, making the counterability of creatures questionable nowadays.

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Thanks "Tacosnape, the Merrow Mentor" :tongue:

i agree with the two points...

CoS => Relicary/SFM/Any Goblin, are giving us some troubles nowadays

By the way, i call Merfolks, a tempo deck because our strategy is fill the board quickly with cheaps threats, and counter any card that can push the early//mid game, to a lategame (Removal, Sweepers, Strong creatures, Planeswalkers)

I think i'm mistaken the term...

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Originally Posted by tonedown

Faced Fish w/ Maverick yesterday in our weekly, he was maindecking Sovereigns which actually caused me quite a bit of trouble. Normally, I think they're subpar (he admitted that he hadn't procured a playset Master yet), but could they be viable as a sideboard option vs Maverick/Goblins/other/nonU-decks?

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Merfolk Sovereign isn't as bad as people claim, I use the 16 Lords and I have a better game vs Goblins because of it, it's smoother than Corralhelm Commander because you don't have to invest 4 mana into him and get RFGed in order to boost your army and your army is immune to Lightning Bolt that much faster.

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Originally Posted by Final Fortune

Merfolk Sovereign isn't as bad as people claim, I use the 16 Lords and I have a better game vs Goblins because of it, it's smoother than Corralhelm Commander because you don't have to invest 4 mana into him and get RFGed in order to boost your army and your army is immune to Lightning Bolt that much faster.

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Coralhelm's Flying is usually more useful than his Lord ability, I mean, not every deck is blue, yaknow.

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Originally Posted by Vandalize

Coralhelm's Flying is usually more useful than his Lord ability, I mean, not every deck is blue, yaknow.

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I just prefer to hit a critical mass of lords earlier vs aggro, hitting 3/3 as soon as possible vs Goblins is really important, and the reason Corralhelm Commander's Flying is more useful than his lord ability is because his lord ability has a delay on it.

P.S. Merfolk Sovereign gives creatures flying too.

So, I've only been playing Magic competetively for the last year or so (and by competitive I mean non-casualfag. Usually only play at FNM's and play a few tournaments online) Anyways, Ive only been playing legacy for a few weeks, and merfolk for a few days. I only play legacy online (even tho I have fish on paper) because there's no local scene around me and my life is hectic as hell.

Anyways, Ive been brainstorming some ideas, and most of them are horrible, being im an average player at best, but ive been trying to think of ways to add decent card-draw besides standstill. What about scroll thief? I know the card is laughable at best, but if you untap with him, then hopefully you will ahve some recurring draws, and with a lord on board, he's out of bolt range. If someone wastes removal on him, well, good, then your lord is hopefully still alive.

Any thoughts on this? I haven't tested it or anything near it yet, just had a thought about it while I was at work.

its been said here quite a lot of times but I will repeat it for u again:

merfolk is a tempodeck. U want to win fast with an overwhelming merfolk army pumped by various lords.

Scroll Thief is way too expensive for a 1/3. On top of that he's very unlikely to get through. -> Playing Scroll Thief slows ur deck down.

What do you guys think of a white splash for removals and enchantment/artifact removal?

its possible. although I'd play energy flux against affinity, echoing truth against permanent enchantments or artifacts and Dismember/Vapor Snag as "Removal". Although all those cards might not be the best possible solutions, they tend to do their jobs.