[Primer/Deck] Nic Fit

More in depth explanation: Priest has a replacement effect, which checks before an event would happen (i.e., instead of entering the battlefield, it'll get exiled instead). But it's a static ability of the creature, which only works when it's already on the battlefield (not "as it's entering the battlefield").

But the real reason I came in here. Serious question. What do you name with Cabal Therapy when they're Hellbent? My go-to is Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII, but if I've already named that in the match, I'll fall back on Homarid. Other suggestions? Obviously, the more ridiculous the better. Or .. I guess .. is there a legitimate reason to name an actual card?

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Originally Posted by prof_shine

More in depth explanation: Priest has a replacement effect, which checks before an event would happen (i.e., instead of entering the battlefield, it'll get exiled instead). But it's a static ability of the creature, which only works when it's already on the battlefield (not "as it's entering the battlefield").

But the real reason I came in here. Serious question. What do you name with Cabal Therapy when they're Hellbent? My go-to is Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII, but if I've already named that in the match, I'll fall back on Homarid. Other suggestions? Obviously, the more ridiculous the better. Or .. I guess .. is there a legitimate reason to name an actual card?

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Always Black Lotus, same as my call with Revoker if there's nothing.

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Originally Posted by sdematt

Always Black Lotus, same as my call with Revoker if there's nothing.

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Really?!? I always thought it would of been survival.

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Originally Posted by sdematt

Always Black Lotus, same as my call with Revoker if there's nothing.

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Somebody once told me that you can't actually name an illegal target. This does not stop me from defaulting to Mishra's Workshop.

*ed illegal as in, not legal in the format.

"Judge!!!! My opponent named Black lotus with cabal therapy when I had no cards in hand! Thats illegal, game loss right?!?!?"

I may have told this story before, but at GP NJ, my round 7 opponent was a deaf man playing Dredge. He was very pleasant and we communicated by writing on a pad. At one point I had flashed back a Therapy and targeted him, even though I knew he didn't have anything I wanted him to discard, because I didn't want to reveal my hand and give away information. So I picked up our pad and wrote the first thing that came to mind: Mons's Goblin Raiders. I really think that may have been the only time in Magic history that Mons's Goblin Raiders has been named by Cabal Therapy, and of course it was recorded in writing for posterity due to the nature of our match.

Anyway, he made like 48 zombies and knocked me out.

I named Giant Turtle vs dredge at my LGS last night. Look at that beast!

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...1528&type=card

EDIT: Just so I don't look like an idiot, I knew his hand was Dread Return and City of Brass, so no actual cards like Breakthrough etc to name.

Yeah, it has to be a card legal for the format:

201.3. If an effect instructs a player to name a card, the player must choose the name of a card that ... is legal in the format of the game the player is playing.

So no Lotus or Survival. I like the Giant Turtle and the Goblin Raiders though!

Other things I might rotate in:
Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded
Jace, the Living Guildpact
Meandering Towershell
Catacomb Slug
Maritime Guard

Oohh, or maybe some sweet crappy random cards from my Keranos Coin Flip Commander deck:
Goblin Game
Scrambleverse
Trading Post
Krark's Thumb

Thieving magpie or questing pheldagrif are the go tos.

Haven't posted here in a while since I've been too busy to play any of our Legacy nights. Here's a question I have, I'm on the BUG version still with Pod. One of the most useful things to Pod into is Trinket Mage for the artifact suite. Lately I've been thinking about Hangarback Walker as a threat the Trinket Mage can tutor. With this decks acceleration it shouldn't be too far out of the realm of possibility to pod for Trinket Mage and then turn around and Walker for X=3 (Walker probably coming in for Chalice). It seems to me like flashing back a Cabal Therapy right afterwards would be fantastic as well, or even using it as a threat that survives Deed by giving me some bodies.

Is this being too optimistic? Is Swords to Plowshares or Terminus just too big of a blowout after making such a play?

You're playing Nic Fit and want to close the game with a 3/3..? You might just as well Pod for Trinket Mage, get Chalice, Pod Trinket for Academy Rector and go for profit.

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Originally Posted by Echelon

You're playing Nic Fit and want to close the game with a 3/3..? You might just as well Pod for Trinket Mage, get Chalice, Pod Trinket for Academy Rector and go for profit.

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First of all, it's not just a 3/3. It grows itself and then creates a small army of thopters, nice if you're being beaten down by an insect. He's also not advocating it as the sole target for Mage, but a tutorable creature. I can definitely see this as a viable inclusion, best thing is to try it out though. Theory doesn't win games!

Secondly, he's not playing White, so Rector is a bit of a silly suggestion. The only enchantment the BUG Pod decks play generally is Deed too, so Rector isn't exactly at its finest.

Think I'll pick up a Hangarback Walker to try it out too.

Pod doesn't need to hardcast Rector and running Rector could open up a number of silly lines. Pod it to Titania, fetch the green Archetype & crack a returned fetch for 16 hexproof power on the table. Or Pod it to Sidisi and Omniscience an Emrakul on the board. Be creative, lol.

It's very nice that Hangarback can make itself grow, but it's just so incredibly slow. Also, Brael is very spot on about StP/Terminus (at least when looking at my own meta).

Key word being "Silly". I think he is looking to make a more consistent BUG list.

Meh, Hangarback is silly without the punch. It seems like a lot of durdlemuch while you rather just smash face with a random fattie.

I just don't find having to tap Hangarback to give it +1/+1 a number of turns in a row (b/c it isn't big enough yet to start smashing face) all that appealing.

Instead of Podding to a Trinket Mage, you can just as wel Pod to a Fierce Empath and fetch a Tasigur or Gurmag Angler. Low manacost, immediate threat.

All valid points. Those lines of play being the exact reason that I do not play pod and do not think it is worth building around. I would recommend switching Pods or Jaces, they cost the same but one is going to be good more of the time. Pod does have some higher upside in the tutoring effect but most of the lists I have seen with pod are just looking to chain value. Jace is better at doing that.

Plus you get to drop the meh creatures and run a more homogeneous list of value bros.

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Originally Posted by Echelon

You're playing Nic Fit and want to close the game with a 3/3..? You might just as well Pod for Trinket Mage, get Chalice, Pod Trinket for Academy Rector and go for profit.

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Not so much close the game but get extra value. Right now Trinket Mage is generally just a tutor target when you need some sort of utility like Engineered Explosives (since you can't tutor Deed), Pithing Needle, or Top (Trinket for Top is the most used play with it). Sometimes that's not what you need though and you're just looking to pod into a board presence. The two to three pod represents the smallest upgrade in board presence. Your 3's are typically Eternal Witness, Reclamation Sage, Trinket Mage, Kitchen Finks, or Vendilion Clique.

Out of those Finks is the conservative play, it gains you life and with two bodies is resilient so you can probably pod from 3 to 4 on the following turn. But if you eat StP or Terminus or any other random exile removal people are playing you're out everything.

Clique is good when you need interaction either in the form of a flier or when you just need to disrupt their hand. It's even ok at putting a card back into your deck to pod into it but it's super fragile, it's usually the aggressive play where you just want to establish a clock and disruption.

Reclamation Sage is more of a utility play, sometimes things just need to die. Trinket Mage is in the same boat fetching up utility artifacts. Trinket Mage into Sensei's Divning Top is the most common play but it's not the only one.

Eternal Witness gets value but it's dependent on the state of the game. Early on the only good Eternal Witness target might be the Baleful Strix you just podded away for a 3 drop. This can be great when you're battling attrition but I wouldn't call it a high pressure play. Depending on the opponents deck this is your conservative play instead of Finks since it guarantees two bodies so you're probably getting to pod on the following turn.

I guess my point is that Trinket Mage into Hangarback Walker gives you another line that puts two bodies on the field (though you can only pod one), it also puts more power onto the board than any other option at that pod slot.

The Academy Rector line requires either being 4 colors, or dropping blue (which removes the point of Pod).

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Originally Posted by Echelon

Meh, Hangarback is silly without the punch. It seems like a lot of durdlemuch while you rather just smash face with a random fattie.

I just don't find having to tap Hangarback to give it +1/+1 a number of turns in a row (b/c it isn't big enough yet to start smashing face) all that appealing.

Instead of Podding to a Trinket Mage, you can just as wel Pod to a Fierce Empath and fetch a Tasigur or Gurmag Angler. Low manacost, immediate threat.

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Pod definitely durdles there's no denying that. But you're not going to sit around putting +1/+1 counters on it every turn. The way I was thinking about it, I either simply use it as a 3/3 and get what value I can out of it or I tap it to add a single counter and then flashback Cabal Therapy on it (but even then I think I would rather swing than add a counter).

I actually hadn't realized Fierce Empath was a card. Why is it usually not run? Seems like any typical list would love to GSZ to Empath fetching Grave Titan. Not a single list in the primer uses it, and none mention it either. As far as fetching Tasigur goes, I tried that when he first came out. The first two rounds I played right afterwards involved Karakas and I decided he wasn't worth it. Angler at 7 means I can't pod chain into it so that one is out too. Most of the format just can't deal with Grave Titan or Frost Titan though and those are 6, I prefer Frost because he can pitch to FoW in postboard games, though if I was running Empath I think I would drop Pod and Blue entirely so that wouldn't be a factor.

Empath has been run in the past. Nic fit has reduced its curve so that many of the "Bombs" people are playing are actually not 6. Things like Sigarda, Baneslayer, Rhino, Thrun, Glen elendra, Thragtusk. Many of them also happen to be green making empath not needed. It lets you turn your green sun into a 6 drop from another color which hasnt been needed in most lists now.

You could also use Tasigur/Angler to ramp up your Pod from an Empath to a 7 or 8 drop, since those fatties cost you 1/2 mana at best. That opens up even more fun options, like Elesh Norn or Griselbrand.

Hello all. Would like to share a short tournament report for the interested. I was on Junk Pod with the following list:

Main

3 Deathrite Shaman
4 Veteran Explorer
3 Wall of Blossom
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Orzhov Pontiff
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Eternal Witness
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Restoration Angel
1 Siege Rhino
1 Shriekmaw
1 Thragtusk
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Grave Titan

4 Cabal Therapy
4 Birthing Pod
3 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Pernicious Deed
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Recurring Nightmare

4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Windswept Heath
2 Marsh Flats
2 Bayou
2 Savannah
1 Scrubland
2 Forest
2 Plains
2 Swamp

Board

4 Thoughtseize
2 Golgari charm
1 Pernicious Deed
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
2 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Acidic Slime
1 Hypnotic Specter

On the decklist: I'm aware that Junk Pod is strictly inferior to Bug Pod (having played Bug Pod online), and that some creatures available to Bug Pod (notably Glen Elendra Archmage) just can't be replicated in Junk colors. Nonetheless, I tried to base my list off of Bug Pod lists I've seen and off of the one Junk Pod list I've seen on mtgtop8. If this were my only Legacy deck, I'd most certainly want to build Bug Pod, but the necessary Forces and Tropical Islands are just out of my price range unless I want to trade in my other deck (RG Lands), which I don't. Otherwise, while I realize that there's not really a set Junk Pod list, I wanted to talk about three card choices which probably stand out, and these are Wall of Blossoms, Hypnotic Specter, and Ajani, Mentor of Heroes. Having tested with Voice of Resurgence, I ultimately decided on Wall because 1) Voice strikes me as far too anti-synergistic with Pernicious Deed in both effect and mana cost to be worth it, and 2) while Wall is probably only sixty-five percent as good as Baleful Strix, it's still pretty good, especially with Top. Hypnotic Specter, on the other hand, was just a who knows kind of card that I was interested in trying out based on the theory that it might have some uses against combo if I could either Pod or accelerate into it soon enough. Ajani is the board as extra insurance against grindy decks like Esper Stoneblade or Miracles, included based on the idea that, in a deck with twenty-three creatures, Ajani's plus-one acts somewhat like a Jacestorm and his other plus-one speeds up my clock a great deal. (His ultimate, while intriguing, would probably never be used.) I happy to hear ideas on how to make the list better and would love to read arguments about why certain cards might be better than others, provided that everyone understands that I can't make the switch to Bug Pod at this moment.

The Tournament

Round One: Storm (ANT variety)

Game One: I get stormed out. Not much to do as my lone Cabal Therapy sets him back less than a turn.

I board in: 4 Thoughtseize, 1 Gaddock Teeg, 2 Ethersworn Canonist, 1 Hypnotic Specter
I board out: 2 Abrupt Decay, 1 Deed, 1 Recurring Nightmare, 1 Vampire Hexmage, 2 Wall of Blossoms, 1 Orzhov Pontiff

Game Two: I keep a hand with an Ethersworn Canonist and the ability to play it. On my second turn, I draw Teeg and play it before Canonist, since that means Storm won't be able to play Massacre. When on my third turn I play Canonist, Storm concedes, not having seen any white during the first game and not knowing that he needed to board in cards to get rid of hate bears.

Game Three: I keep another hand with Canonist and the ability to play it. I also see Thoughtseize but Storm Duresses that away. I play Canonist and then Storm plays Dread of Night. I get to keep my Canonist for a while but my clock is slowed. Eventually, I'm able to add a Siege Rhino to the board, and then a Baneslayer Angel. This gives me enough life to stay out of range when Storm plays a second Dread of Night to kill my Canonist. On the turn before I alpha swing, Storm storms into a few Goblin tokens, not enough to save him.

1-0

Round Two: Esper Stoneblade

Game One: This game involves a lot of back and forth without a clear winner. I drop a threat which Stoneblade deals with and then he drops a threat that I deal with. Eventually, I Pod from a Thragtusk into a Grave Titan and from there Stoneblade can't win. He concedes with about fifteen minutes left on the clock. (Incidentally, in this game I am able to live the dream of Podding into a Hexmage to kill a Jace.) I feel pretty good about my chances, thinking that at the worst I can stall out the second game into a draw and win the round 1-0-1.

I board in: 1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, 1 Acidic Slime
I board out: 1 Recurring Nightmare, 1 Shriekmaw

Game Two: I have difficulty getting anything going, while Stoneblade sets up Jace and Vendilion Clique. Eventually, I get a Pod online, but I'm too far behind. On the last turn of turns, Stoneblade kills me with his Clique. We don't have time for a third game.

1-0-1

Round Three: Monoblack Pox

Game One: I'm playing against my buddy, and we both know how this match goes. He attacks my hand and mana base but isn't able to establish a fast enough clock to keep me from stabilizing with a top-decked fatty.

I board in: 1 Abrupt Decay, 1 Acidic Slime, 1 Hypnotic Specter, 1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
I board out: 1 Recurring Nightmare, 1 Orzhov Pontiff, 1 Eternal Witness, 1 Shriekmaw

Game Two: This one goes as the first one did, with the exception that we start the game with a Leyline of the Void in play, which shuts off my persist guys and the Nightmare and the Witness that I board out. Otherwise, I establish Pod and get it going when he can't kill anymore of my creatures.

2-0-1

Round Four: Grixis Delver

Game One: Nothing I attempt to cast resolves beyond a Wall of Blossoms that continually blocked a Young Pyromancer but not all its tokens.

I board in: 2 Abrupt Decay, 2 Golgari Charm, 1 Pernicious Deed
I board out: 1 Recurring Nightmare, 1 Reclamation Sage, 1 Vampire Hexmage, 1 Eternal Witness, 1 Wall of Blossoms

Game Two: I keep a land-heavy hand, thinking it will be decent against soft counterspells. I see an Abrupt Decay, a Pod, and a couple other spells, but the Pod gets hosed by a Grafidigger's Cage on Delver's side and the Abrupt Decay isn't enough to stop his army.

2-1-1

Good enough for ten bucks store credit, but the final round sucked, especially since tempo is supposed to be a good match for Nic Fit. It happens, though. Should have mulled for a better hand during the second game. In any case, it was a blast to play the deck, and while I probably wouldn't take it to a larger event, I'm sure I'll try it out again at my LGS.