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*I'm interested to hear more about how running Echoing Truth in the main is going for you. What exactly did you cut for it? It seems like between 13 Island, 2 Thrasher, 3 Daze, 2 Relic, and 2 Echoing Truth, you've managed to find space for nearly all the contested cards that folks like in this deck, just cutting down -1 on the maximum number that folks run for each of these slots... Were there any other cuts to accommodate these cards? Have you been finding them consistently enough for your tastes? For example, two Thrashers is fine, but have you had any bad luck so far not finding Echoing Truth or Relic when you need them?
I found Echoing Truth (or, rather, a bounce effect) to be very good. 2 seems like the right number of bounce spells, since I hardly ever wanted one before turn five or so. After that, it was never bad. It can bounce a big guy that you can't deal with, "lock" pieces (I bounced Two Ghost Quarters FTW in testing), their last blocker, or act as a pseudo-counterspell against spot removal. Right now, I am happy with the spot in the MD. Siding in bounce spells seems terrbily awkward, and two of these MD are almost always relevant.
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*How many creatures do you run main-deck? From doing a little deduction, it seems like you run 18 (the core 16, plus two Thrashers, since you don't run Kira). In my opinion, 18 isn't quite enough, even with Mutavault. We run 8 lord-creatures, it's in our best interest to maximize their effect. I'd look for a way to go up to at least 20. Suggestions include Kira, extra Thrasher[...]
18, plus 3 Mutavaults. You could be correct on this, as I test more I will let you know. I have considered playing a fourth Mutavault. There were a few times during testing when I needed a threat, but usually I was not actively dieing, attacking with Mutavaults, or a Standstill refilled me with gas.
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I think you should test against a couple decks that don't use their graveyard as a resource before you make the call on putting Relic SB or main-deck.
If I am cutting Relic from the MD, it will be ONLY because something else is better, not because Relic is bad in this format. I am convinced otherwise.
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*Kira gets a lot of debate around here, both pro's and con's. Personally, I'm testing two Jitte in the main in her slot, and I've found it to be a good amount.
As I said, I will be testing two bounce spells, two Jitte, two Kira, or my original configuration of 3 Thrashers, 3 Relic in my last two slots.
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*Also, with 13 Islands, are you running twenty lands?? Have you ever gotten mana-flooded yet? Because I run nineteen, and I've been both flooded and screwed so far in my testing, and it hurts both ways... I'm having a hard time deciding what our ideal number of lands is...
I am playing 13 Islands (20) because you almost have to have a blue source to keep your starting hand (You can keep a Wasteland, Mutavault, Vial opener against non-blue, probably). I realize that 12 can get there, but since I will be playing the deck at a GP, which will theoretically be 10+ rounds if I do well, I want a more consistent mana-base. As for getting flooded more, I have ONE more land than you. That much more flooded. I mean, the difference here is small, but I think important. Simply put, on the play, about2/3 of 13 Island hands will have an Island. With 12 Islands, it is a few percent under 2/3, if my math is correct.
