Quote Originally Posted by Hanni View Post
I don't think Gurmag Angler is very good, at least in the creature-heavier list, even as a transformational plan out of the sideboard. My list simply does not put enough fodder in the graveyard. Even if I were to switch to an 8+ fetch manabase + Lotus Petal, there's still not enough fodder. The cards that I discard are intended to be returned to play. I don't run any cantrips, and very few instants/sorceries.

Gurmag would probably work in lists with Faithless Looting and such, and certainly works if you're running Stinkweed Imp, but I almost never hit Threshold for Putrid Imp in my current rainbow list, and Gurmag would be completely uncastable for me.

Against the targeted graveyard hate where Gurmag would excel, I would rather board into Silent Gravestone, I think.

Another interesting fact about the faster all-in list, is that it can get underneath the slower hate like Rest in Peace and Containment Priest.

Honestly, the more I think about the deck, its matchups, and the sideboard plans, the more convinced I am that this deck is better than Dredge. It's not quite as powerful in game one, but still powerful enough to beat the fair matchups all the same, and is significantly more resilient to graveyard hate postboard.

Cavern of Souls making the initial discard outlet uncounterable is huge, and gives the deck a resilience to Force of Will and Daze that (LED) Dredge doesn't have.

I've been trying to make a viable Vengevine deck for years to no avail, but I really feel like we're onto something here. Again, this isn't Tier 1 by any means, but I certainly think the deck could achieve a 5-0 run on MTGO.
All good points. If I wasn't playing Stinkweed Imp I would have to cut the Gurmags. So far Stinkweeds are my flex slots for sideboarding, which again is a different strategy (sideboard Rock.)

Hell, I might have to just get all the cards to play any/all versions.