maxx!: Swamp, Putrid Imp, Reanimate, Archon of Cruelty
1. Asthereal (TO): Savannah, Durkwood Baloth, Durkwood Baloth, Reciprocate
Reciprocate makes this tricky, but I think I can navigate this. If you never suspend a Baloth, I kill you with Putrid Imp, so you have to suspend at least one. As soon as your first Baloth unsuspends, I Reanimate Archon. You'll lose the Baloth in play and discard either a second Baloth or Reciprocate. You still can't remove Archon, so I can an attack trigger with it too, making you discard the rest of your hand. I can always get 2 Archon triggers before it deals damage to you, so there's no way for you to hold onto Reciprocate for it unless you never suspend a creature, which loses to Imp beatdown. 6-0
2. dte: smallpox, memnite, phyrexian tower, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Bleh. Smallpox gets me before I can do anything, and then you can kill me with Memnite. Nice deck. 0-6
3. Wrath of Pie: Mountain, Dwarven Ruins, Blood Moon, Keldon Halberdier
Blood Moon is a blank and Archon wrecks the Keldon. 6-0
4. alphastryk: Swamp, Encroach, Cauldron Familiar, Witch's Oven
Encroach is a blank and Archon is way faster than your kill. 6-0
5. Reeplcheep: Scrubland, Cry of Contrition, Serra Ascendant, Serra Ascendent
Since Cry is a sorcery, I just hold Archon as discard fodder until I'm ready to Reanimate on my turn. Imp attacks you until you play one Ascendant, and then Archon edicts it, then edicts or discard the other with attack triggers. 6-0
6. PJim: Stomping Ground, Orcish Lumberjack, Aluren, Acererak the Archlich
Why not Taiga? It doesn't matter (especially with 100 life), but I'm curious. OTP I make you discard a card before you go off. OTD you're too fast. 3-3
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Forest, Glistener Elf, Invigorate, Berserk
I expected this one. OTP I get Archon before you can attack, forcing you to discard. Your best line is to hold everything, discard Invigorate, and then try to use Berserk as removal for Archon. You can either play Elf or hold it, and then when I attack with Archon you'll lose it to the trigger either way. You can Berserk in response to the attack trigger, but I still have Putrid Imp to kill you. OTD I get Imp just in time to not die to Elf, but that means you can let them trade and then hold Berserk for removal (discarding Invigorate). 4-1
8. silkster: Scrubland, Inkmoth Nexus, Judge's Familiar, Mesmeric Fiend
This is absolutely brutal. OTP Familiar counters Reanimate, and OTD Fiend takes it. I can't ever get Archon in play. Inkmoth kills me no matter how the rest of the creatures shake out. 0-6
9. jhhdk: Pendelhaven, Inkmoth Nexus, Blight Mamba, Melira, Sylvok outcast
This is super interesting because I think it's a legitimate race and it's close. OTD you can lead with Inkmoth, then I play Imp. If you attack now, I pitch Archon to jump my Imp and block, locking you out of the game while I'm free to Reanimate. If you play one of your creatures, Archon gets to take both (sac 1 discard 1), so I think your best line is to pass. That lets me reanimate Archon (you're at 97 life) and attack (96). You can't attack into my Archon, and I can attack for 10 per turn (6 Archon, 3 trigger, 1 Imp). I can start the race first, so I should win against Inkmoth. 6-0
10. maxx!: Swamp, Putrid Imp, Reanimate, Archon of Cruelty
This is me :]
11. FTW: Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus, Fatal Push, Mesmeric Fiend
OTD Fiend takes Reanimate and I lose. OTP I get my Archon, but you still have a possible Inkmoth race, so let's work that out.
T1 Imp / Push (discard Archon in response)
T2 Archon / Inkmoth (0P vs 97L)
Now I need 11 attacks and you only need 10, so I can't race you. I have to sit back. 1-4
12. RoosterCocoa: Swamp, Encroach, Hangarback Walker, Mishra's Factory
Encroach is a blank and Archon should dominate your creatures. 6-0
6+0+6+6+6+3+4+0+6+1+6 = 44
I expected Infect, but expected more Serra Ascendant. It's so safe against Infect (especially Inkmoth), that I expected a bit less Inkmoth this time around. I thought there was probably a broken Phyrexian Tower deck too, but somehow didn't think of Smallpox Eldrazi 🙃. Reanimate seemed pretty good, and Archon could SOMETIMES let me race Inkmoth as long as my Imp stuck around, plus I get a turn 2 discard spell against other combo.
11. FTW: Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus, Fatal Push, Mesmeric Fiend
1. Asthereal (TO): Mesmeric Fiend exiles Reciprocate. 2x Baloth kills on Turn 16. Inkmoth kills on Turn 12. WW 6-0
2. dte: I do nothing. If you Smallpox first (Library = Smallpox, Ulamog, Tower, Memnite), I discard Fatal Push and can Mesmeric Fiend your Smallpox before you can loop again, then Inkmoth races Memnite. So you also do nothing. DD 2-2
3. Wrath of Pie: OTP I play Swamp. If you play tapped Ruins (for turn 2 Blood Moon), I Mesmeric Fiend the Halberdier and win on Turn 102. If you play Mountain + suspend Keldon, I Mesmeric Fiend the Blood Moon and Inkmoth races.
OTD you play tapped Ruins. I play Swamp. If you play T2 Moon, I play Fiend exiling Halberdier and win on Turn 102. If you play Halberdier first (Turn 2 Moon impossible), then T2 Fiend takes Moon and Inkmoth races. WW 6-0
4. alphastryk: OTD I lose to Encroach. OTP I play T1 Inkmoth, which races your deck. WL 3-3
5. Reeplcheep: OTP I play T1 Swamp. You cast Cry, I discard Fatal Push, then I play Mesmeric Fiend taking 1 Serra (if you play T1 Serra instead, I EOT Push, Fiend the 2nd Serra & win). You have 1 Serra (17 turn clock) vs Inkmoth (10 turn clock), so you defend to draw.
OTD you play T1 Serra. I Push it. You play T2 Serra, which draws with my Inkmoth. If you use Cry instead then I discard Push and Fiend the 2nd Serra, still a draw. DD 2-2
6. PJim: Fatal Push stops Lumberjack. WW 6-0
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Fatal Push stops Elf, then Fiend exiles Berserk so you can't kill Inkmoth. WW 6-0
8. silkster: I play T2 Fiend taking your Fiend. Push takes Familiar. I attack with Fiend (leaving Inkmoth to block yours). If you attack back, our Inkmoths trade and my Fiend kills you. If you block Fiend with Inkmoth, you can't recast your Fiend and my Inkmoth wins.
OTD you get the Fiend advantage. You play T1 Familiar, I Push it, then your Fiend exiles my Fiend. Same situation (Fiend + Inkmoth vs Inkmoth) except in your favor. WL 3-3
9. jhhdk: OTP T2 Fiend exiles Melira. If you tap out for Blight Mamba, I Fatal Push it. Our Inkmoths trade and my Fiend gets there.
OTD I play T1 Swamp. You play T2 Melira or Mamba, I EOT Push it, then I untap and Mesmeric Fiend the other one. Same board state (Fiend + Inkmoth vs Inkmoth). WW 6-0
10. maxx!: OTP I T2 Mesmeric Fiend your Reanimate, then Push your PImp and beatdown with Inkmoth.
OTD you play T1 PImp. I T1 Push it and you discard Archon, then you T2 Reanimate Archon. I discard Fiend to the trigger, then play Inkmoth. Archon can't force me to sacrifice Inkmoth and loses the race (11 turn clock vs 10), so you stay back to defend. WD 4-1
12. RoosterCocoa: OTD I lose to Encroach. OTP I play T1 Inkmoth under Encroach, then T2 Fiend exiling Hangarback. Inkmoth races Factory. WL 3-3
47 points (14 wins, 5 draws, 3 loss)
I wanted to play Serra Ascendant until I realized it's a slower clock than a 1/1 Infect (not true if it was 50 life). The life buffer was so high that Infect damage or something unfair seemed optimal to any fair win conditions.
I expected other Infect decks and even Melira, so I wanted instant speed removal to kill Melira OTD, stop T2 Infect combo OTD, and kill enemy Inkmoths if they animate.
I thought about Phyrexian Tower.dec but all the Spheres were banned and T1 Mesmeric Fiend wasn't good enough (maybe if Dismember wasn't banned). Never thought about it with Smallpox.
For me the catch was that playing Serra Ascendant would only draw vs enemy Serra, no better than Inkmoth does. But Inkmoth seemed better vs other things (except Encroach).
Berserk can be used as a removal spell to kill enemy attacker, especially at 100 life.
OTP your 1/1 Hangarback blocks 5/5 Invigorated Elf.
If 1/1 Thopter attacks, it gets Berserked and dies. Mishra has to stay back to block Elf (would lose the race). DL?
Blood Moon not turning sideways really hurts you here, as you're forced to choose between T2 Moon and playing out your threat earlier.
Last edited by FTW; 09-23-2021 at 04:59 PM.
PhyrexianSmashmaster Results for Round "Poison"
This round we play The Long Haul: Players start at 100 life. Effects that would make you win the game immediately instead do nothing.
1. Asthereal (TO): Savannah, Durkwood Baloth, Durkwood Baloth, Reciprocate
Elf smash! 6-0
2. dte: smallpox, memnite, phyrexian tower, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Smallpox :( 0-6
3. Wrath of Pie: Mountain, Dwarven Ruins, Blood Moon, Keldon Halberdier
Elf smash! 6-0
4. alphastryk: Swamp, Encroach, Cauldron Familiar, Witch's Oven
Elf smash! 6-0
5. Reeplcheep: Scrubland, Cry of Contrition, Serra Ascendant, Serra Ascendent
Elf stare 2-2
6. PJim: Stomping Ground, Orcish Lumberjack, Aluren, Acererak the Archlich
Combo mirror 3-3
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Forest, Glistener Elf, Invigorate, Berserk
That's me, smashing with Poison!
8. silkster: Scrubland, Inkmoth Nexus, Judge's Familiar, Mesmeric Fiend
Judgy fiend 0-6
9. jhhdk: Pendelhaven, Inkmoth Nexus, Blight Mamba, Melira, Sylvok outcast
Elf smash, then Melira 3-3
10. maxx!: Swamp, Putrid Imp, Reanimate, Archon of Cruelty
Too cruel 1-4
11. FTW: Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus, Fatal Push, Mesmeric Fiend
Pushed down 0-6
12. RoosterCocoa: Swamp, Encroach, Hangarback Walker, Mishra's Factory
Elf smash, then blocker 4-1
Total: 31 points
Asthereal's scores for round I failed to read my removal card and also failed to use Gatherer properly:
1. Asthereal (TO): Savannah, Durkwood Baloth, Durkwood Baloth, Reciprocate <-me
2. dte: smallpox, memnite, phyrexian tower, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre LL 0-6
3. Wrath of Pie: Mountain, Dwarven Ruins, Blood Moon, Keldon Halberdier WW 6-0
4. alphastryk: Swamp, Encroach, Cauldron Familiar, Witch's Oven WL 3-3
5. Reeplcheep: Scrubland, Cry of Contrition, Serra Ascendant, Serra Ascendent LL 0-6
6. PJim: Stomping Ground, Orcish Lumberjack, Aluren, Acererak the Archlich LL 0-6
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Forest, Glistener Elf, Invigorate, Berserk LL 0-6
8. silkster: Scrubland, Inkmoth Nexus, Judge's Familiar, Mesmeric Fiend LL 0-6
9. jhhdk: Pendelhaven, Inkmoth Nexus, Blight Mamba, Melira, Sylvok outcast LL 0-6
10. maxx!: Swamp, Putrid Imp, Reanimate, Archon of Cruelty LL 0-6
(EDIT: Archon makes me lose two cards, which I can't recover from. You just don't attack until my guys resolve, however many I choose to play. Then if I chose to keep removal, I will die to PImp. If not, my Baloths just die to Archon.)
11. FTW: Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus, Fatal Push, Mesmeric Fiend LL 0-6
12. RoosterCocoa: Swamp, Encroach, Hangarback Walker, Mishra's Factory LL 0-6
Total: 9 points. Pff...
Join the 4 Card Blind competition!
I don't quite understand this. Why not block Putrid Imp when your Baloth's finally join the party?
Testing if I understand this correctly.
He leads with Pimp and starts swinging, keeping archon in hand.
If you suspend a Baloth he waits for it to unsuspend and reanimates Archon
If you suspend another Baloth he attacks when that unsuspends, at that point you can exile the archon but still lose to Pimp.
Yeah that's what he posted himself.
But he can also just drop Archon ASAP, making me discard either the removal spell of a creature. Then he just waits until the other Baloth resolves.
If I discarded the Baloth, he attacks once with Archon, Baloth dies, Recip eats Archon and PImp kills me.
If I discarded Recip, I get to make my second Baloth, but I'll have to sac my team anyway when he attacks with Archon, which I can't block because it flies.
Join the 4 Card Blind competition!
Small question related to next round (I thought better early than late), wouldn't it be better to add counters at the beginning of the main phase?
Text:
14. Vials Galore: Each player starts the game with an Aether Vial emblem in play that has "During your upkeep, you may put a Vial counter on this emblem." and has "(0): Put a creature card from your hand with converted mana cost equal to the number of Vial counters on this emblem onto the battlefield. You can use this ability only once per turn, and then not anymore until your next turn." Additional banning: Suppression Field
Unresolved after both posted, so I'll attempt it.
Melira is useless and gets discarded. It's a race between 2 Infect creatures and 2 Serras.
2 Serras kill on turn 10.
Mamba + Inkmoth kill on turn 7.
Infect is faster in a race.
But J is constrained on mana. J can't regenerate or pump Mamba while attacking with Inkmoth. J also loses regeneration mana if Inkmoth dies first. So R can attack with 1 Serra and leave the other to block. J can only attack with Mamba (otherwise Inkmoth dies & regen mana lost). Serra blocks, Mamba regenerates, and Serra gets a -1/-1 counter. Serra can buy several turns blocking and absorbing -1/-1 counters, tying up J's mana.
Is that enough for Serras to win the race?
R vs J OTP
T1 Serra #1 / Inkmoth
T2 Serra #2, attack for 6 / Mamba [J=94]
T3 Cry discards Melira. Attack for 12 / Attack for 2 Infect [82 life / 2 poison]
T4 Attack for 12 / Attack for 2 Infect [70 life / 4 poison]
T5 Attack for 12 / Attack for 2 Infect [58 life / 6 poison]
T6 Attack for 12 / Attack for 2 Infect [46 life / 8 poison]
T7 Attack for 6, must leave 1 blocker to prevent lethal / Attack with Mamba only. Serra blocks. Regenerate. Serra 5/5 [40 life / 8 poison]
T8 Same thing. Serra 4/4 [34 life / 8 poison]
T9 Same thing. Serra 3/3 [28 life / 8 poison]
T10 Same thing. Serra 2/2 [22 life / 8 poison]
T11 Attack for 6, leave 2/2 blocker / Attack with Mamba. Pendelhaven pumps to 2/3 to kill 2/2 blocker. [16 life / 8 poison]
T12 6/6 Serra must stay back to block / Mamba attacks into 2nd Serra & slowly kills it
J wins at 16 life
R can buy more time by leaving the 6/6 to block on turn 11, so it doesn't die to the next attack.
T11 Attack for 2, leave 6/6 blocker / Attack with Mamba. 6/6 Serra blocks & shrinks to 5/5. [20 life / 8 poison]
T12 Attack for 2 / Serra 4/4 [18 life / 8 poison]
T13 Attack for 2 / Serra 3/3 [16 life / 8 poison]
T14 Attack for 2 / Serra 2/2 [14 life / 8 poison]
T15 Attack for 2 / Pendelhaven pump to 2/3 Mamba, killing Serra [12 life / 8 poison]
T16 Last 2/2 Serra must stay back to block / Mamba attacks and slowly kills it
J wins at 12 life
R still can't win the race.
Blocking earlier with Serra is even worse. R gets in less damage before 2nd Serra is forced to block and J wins at 30+ life.
R can't play for the draw because Blight Mamba can attack through blockers and -1/-1 them to death.
J wins 6-0
Blight Mamba is very strong in this round. It clocks like a 10/10, winning most races. If opponent tries to block, it can regenerate and Wither them down. Anyone who can't answer Blight Mamba probably loses. Unfortunately playing Pendelhaven over Forest cost several matches.
Disagreement here.
I think GoblinSmashmaster is right. alphastryk can't both maintain the combo and block all the trample damage.
G attacks with 1/1 Elf
Cat blocks
G casts Invigorate only (5/5 Elf)
A gets priority
If A sacrifices the Cat to the Oven, G casts Berserk. 10/5 trample vs missing blocker -> all 10 trample infect damage is assigned to A. G wins.
If A does not sacrifice, combat damage happens. 5/5 kills Cat. No food created. Cat cannot return & 1/1 Elf kills. G wins.
6. PJim: Stomping Ground, Orcish Lumberjack, Aluren, Acererak the Archlich
I found myself completely lacking in inspiration, more due to the now large banlist than the round rule, I think. As such, here I am repeating myself.
1. Asthereal (TO): Savannah, Durkwood Baloth, Durkwood Baloth, Reciprocate / 6-0
2. dte: smallpox, memnite, phyrexian tower, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre / 0-6
3. Wrath of Pie: Mountain, Dwarven Ruins, Blood Moon, Keldon Halberdier / 3-3
4. alphastryk: Swamp, Encroach, Cauldron Familiar, Witch's Oven / 3-3
5. Reeplcheep: Scrubland, Cry of Contrition, Serra Ascendant, Serra Ascendent / 0-6
7. GoblinSmashmaster: Forest, Glistener Elf, Invigorate, Berserk / 3-3
8. silkster: Scrubland, Inkmoth Nexus, Judge's Familiar, Mesmeric Fiend / 3-3
9. jhhdk: Pendelhaven, Inkmoth Nexus, Blight Mamba, Melira, Sylvok outcast / 6-0
10. maxx!: Swamp, Putrid Imp, Reanimate, Archon of Cruelty / 3-3
11. FTW: Swamp, Inkmoth Nexus, Fatal Push, Mesmeric Fiend / 3-3
12. RoosterCocoa: Swamp, Encroach, Hangarback Walker, Mishra's Factory / 3-3
33 points
Last edited by PJim; 09-24-2021 at 08:18 AM.
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