[Deck] T.E.S. - The EPIC Storm

The problem with Cabal Ritual is that it's not a good ritual post Ad Nauseam, because it's another 2cc reveal and can't be cast off a single Lotus Petal or Chrome Mox. When you start to cut Chrome Mox to two, one or none you are really going to need to draw as many cards as possible before you find an accelerant unless you float mana or haven't made your land drop. Just trimming Chrome Mox for lands adds enough, or at least more, consistency on your mulligans and I think Cabal Ritual was something of a misguided way of approaching the aggro-control match ups because they don't let you play around tax counters.

With Alexandre's article series coming to a close with tomorrow's article, I'm looking to pick up additional writers. If you're interested please private message me your article series concept with an example of MTG related writing that you've done. I do have some rules:

• Must be willing to learn basic wordpress.
• Please review for spelling/grammar.
• Never use the @ symbol (for example: Chalice of the Void at two).
• Try not to abbreviate if unnecessary, write things out.
• Don't use 3x or x anything (three times I mulliganed).
• Use card names appropriately (for example: Moxen versus Chrome Mox). Rewrite the sentence to include the full card name.

If we select a date for your articles to be published, I expect them with a day's notice for editing purposes.

Looks like the new mulligan rule is going to be a thing come Battle for Zen

Should be fun times :)

This couldn't have happened if you guys weren't there.

I'll stay in touch, trying to play on Cockatrice and ask various questions around in order to learn TES properly. With all friends leaving and no LGS around, I won't be able to push the limits where I would like to, so you guys better top 8 for me! It will be my pleasure to answer any questions, receive any criticism, or be corrected on anything I've done related to the articles.

Give it a last reading! :laugh:

Thanks again,

Alexandre

http://www.theepicstorm.com/the-epic...coast-the-end/

My take on the new mulligan rules: http://www.theepicstorm.com/new-mull...-for-zendikar/

i want to run this at my legacy monthly but i'm out two volcanic islands. steam vents in testing seem like a terrible replacement seeing as the represent 4-6 card of ad naus on average. seeing how "just borrow it" isn't an option,
are there any suggestions as to what to run in there place? My other deck options are enchantress and nic fit, both of which i'm on a consistent losing streak with.

Disappointed Scry doesn't stack, it would have had the most impact on mulliganing to 5. As is ill take it tho', the ability to dig for the manage source is way better for us than for them to dig for hate.

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Originally Posted by Wordslinger

i want to run this at my legacy monthly but i'm out two volcanic islands. steam vents in testing seem like a terrible replacement seeing as the represent 4-6 card of ad naus on average. seeing how "just borrow it" isn't an option,
are there any suggestions as to what to run in there place? My other deck options are enchantress and nic fit, both of which i'm on a consistent losing streak with.

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It goes without saying that there's no real replacement for Volcanic Island in the deck. That said, there's a guy at my LGS who's in the same boat as you. He plays some combination of Blackcleave Cliffs and Darkslick Shores, as they often do a good enough impression of revised duals. I'd try a few of those if you can borrow them, but with their current price tag from modern you're probably better off just saving for Volcanics than you are buying Scars duals.

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Originally Posted by Jesture

It goes without saying that there's no real replacement for Volcanic Island in the deck. That said, there's a guy at my LGS who's in the same boat as you. He plays some combination of Blackcleave Cliffs and Darkslick Shores, as they often do a good enough impression of revised duals. I'd try a few of those if you can borrow them, but with their current price tag from modern you're probably better off just saving for Volcanics than you are buying Scars duals.

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This, tho' if you can't afford the fetch and dual lands then I think using the older golden manabase could at least reduce the cost in the interim as you only need 1 Volcanic that way if you split it like 2 City of Brass, 3 Gemstone Mine, 4 Polluted Delta, 2 Underground Sea, 1 Volcanic Island, 3 Chrome Mox

that's the awkward thing though i have two underground sea and all the fetches. I was about to pick up my first volcanic island but then jersey prices happened and then the canadian dollar took a hit reletive to the american and now I
can't find an MP volc for less than 300 this side of the border. I'm just missing 2 Volcanics. Maybe someone suggest an alternate mana base? How does the maindeck change? The sideboard?

I think I'd go with 1 Steam Vents,

4 Polluted Delta
2 Underground Sea
1 Steam Vents
4 Gemstone Mine
1 Mana Confluence
3 Chrome Mox

The Shock isn't ideal, but with the 3rd Chrome Mox and being able to EOT search for Steam Vents I don't think it would be that bad. In the SB you'd have to cut Massacre, Thoughtseize and maybe consider playing with Diminishing Returns again.

I don't think there is a good solution other than running steam vents and adjusting the playstyle, which means simply evading the turn 1 Ponder from the start if possible. T1 fetch, go and getting a tapped Steam Vents during your opponents eot to Ponder/Brainstorm in your T2 mainphase into a second fetch.

Yeah, but it's also not like you can't go for Steam Vents and Ponder and just try to combo off 2 health down as well, you're just going to have to better judge aggro-control's clock.

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Originally Posted by Final Fortune

Yeah, but it's also not like you can't go for Steam Vents and Ponder and just try to combo off 2 health down as well, you're just going to have to better judge aggro-control's clock.

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Sure. You just don't want to find yourself to T1 value-ponder against unknown just to find yourself sitting across Burn/Delver. As we're talking about a specific opener where the Steam Vents vs. Volcanic really matters and the fact that the additional self-inflicted damage per game is rarely exceeding the two lifepoints, I would favor running the Vents than touching the rainbow manabase.

It would be honestly a lot more complicated if he had no Underground Seas and was going to substitute these as the eot-option isn't given

The "I don't have the proper mana base" question was asked for the third TES Mailbox as well. You'll get my opinion then!

I have the bayou too. Literally just missing volcanic island.

Bryant, when does your article go up?

Hey guys, Been goldfishing for quite a bit with the deck(0 tournament play yet), and it happened a couple of times(few overall) that I miss a Badlands.

Does that ever happen to you guys, or am I unable to fetch properly?

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Originally Posted by Pilhas

Hey guys, Been goldfishing for quite a bit with the deck(0 tournament play yet), and it happened a couple of times(few overall) that I miss a Badlands.

Does that ever happen to you guys, or am I unable to fetch properly?

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Hi, yes that has happen to me too. Therefore I cut one Therapy for a Badlands which plays out better than 13 lands. Ultimately, Badlands combines the two combo mana, so it is not surprising that
you want one in play. Nevertheless, I played 2 tournaments with TES this month and the mana base and more importantly the 3 necessary colors of the deck made me put the red spells back in the shelf.

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Originally Posted by Pilhas

Hey guys, Been goldfishing for quite a bit with the deck(0 tournament play yet), and it happened a couple of times(few overall) that I miss a Badlands.

Does that ever happen to you guys, or am I unable to fetch properly?

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I dropped my 0.02$ on the matter within the last three pages. Badlands is pointless and I have a tough time understanding how one can miss Badlands other than for hilariously sketchy hands like Bloodstained Mire, Duress, Rite, Rite, LED, Wish, Wish.

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Originally Posted by Lemnear

I dropped my 0.02$ on the matter within the last three pages. Badlands is pointless and I have a tough time understanding how one can miss Badlands other than for hilariously sketchy hands like Bloodstained Mire, Duress, Rite, Rite, LED, Wish, Wish.

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Funny enough, I had close to that hand the 3 times I missed it. Maybe it is just variance.

I Had Mire, therapy, Rite, Rite, LED, Wish, Probe x2 and I missed it for the tX BW, tx+1 2Black producing lands.
I just never want the 2nd Volcanic(In real games it will probably change).
It is also completely and entirely possible that I am playing it wrong, I am a noob with the deck after all.