Stick of the Patriot

[Weapon X]

Wasn’t sure where to post this so I’ve opted for a new thread because of the sceptre challenge I was given. This is the current state of what I will be playing in our next tournament:

2 Teferi, time raveler
1 comet, stellar pup
1 jace, the mind sculptor
1 back to basics
3 ponder
2 lightning helix
2 counterbalance
2 isochron scepter
3 swords to plowshares
3 monastery mentor
1 counterspell
3 snapcaster mage
4 orim’s chant
4 lightning bolt
4 brainstorm
4 force of will
1 flusterstorm
1 mountain
2 plains
4 island
3 scalding tarn
4 flooded strand
1 plateau
2 volcanic island
2 tundra

Sideboard
1 disenchant
1 rest in peace
1 back to basics
2 surgical extraction
1 force of negation
1 flusterstorm
1 supreme verdict
2 enlightened tutor
1 dress down
1 unholy heat
1 wear//tear
2 forth eorlingas!

[Weapon X]

Deck was awesome to play. The no stick still can get there. The minus was combo, notably reanimator tonight. They go first, they win. I go first, I win. So I think I tweak to focus more on combo may be the correct adjustment. I did want a cast into the fire somewhere, but that was only an issue once anyway. Comet is amazing. Seemed to win games off his back way more then expected. Also happy I still kept 2 helix main, made for the strangest “burn mirror.”

Something to be said about the old archetypes, they can still be strong.

[FTW]

Rest in Peace is too slow to interact with Reanimator. You might want to try something else ETutorable like Tormod's Crypt or Relic of Progenitus (good in many fair matches too). Still, if they go first then they can shred your hand apart, so it's a tough position. You just need as much T0-T1 interaction as possible post-board. FoW, FoN, Surgical, Fluster, Swords, etc.

I think Counterbalance isn't good enough in enough matches to maindeck, especially with that little support. I've been trying to play it for a while with various support but it's been medium. How was it for you? Perhaps that could be something like +1 Ponder +1 Force of Negation (from SB). That might help the combo matchup. You could always move CB to the side and bring it in when it's good.

Was Mentor still a good wincon? It's been kind of out-classed lately. That slot could just be Forth Eorlingas! maindeck.

Fire // Ice seems good to have somewhere in the 75 just as a way to 2-for-1 two X/1s, especially Delver creatures or Bowmaster + army. It's always been a classic to put on Isochron.

[Weapon X]

That is what happened against reanimator, it’s shredded my hand the games it went first. If I went first I was fine.

Can’t imprint fire//ice on scepter anymore, unless that changed again. But it’s always been a go to for me.

Counterbalance I find interesting. With how many he format plays it can generally counter half of the spells randomly in that 0-2 cmc which is nice. It makes the free counters better in that respect. Best counterbalance deck I played recently was miracles though. Take that for what you will.

I feel mentor is still good purely because it will add pressure as you just play the game. That’s the strength in it. When I sided into eorlingas it was to speed up the pressure and win faster. If that clarifies it at all.

[FTW]

Can’t imprint fire//ice on scepter anymore, unless that changed again. But it’s always been a go to for me.

Forgot about the rule change. That's how long it's been since I've played Scepter.

Counterbalance I find interesting. With how many he format plays it can generally counter half of the spells randomly in that 0-2 cmc which is nice. It makes the free counters better in that respect. Best counterbalance deck I played recently was miracles though. Take that for what you will.

I've tried CB in a few UWx Miracles shells since the Top ban. They typically had 4 Brainstorm, 4 Ponder/Portent, Predict, 8-9 fetches, maybe Omen of the Sea or Scroll Rack. Much more library manipulation, more at instant speed. Even then CB was good but not amazing. Nothing like the Top days.

You've just got the 4 Brainstorm 3 Ponder 1 Jace. At instant speed only Brainstorm. Is that enough to use CB?

Sure, you can get lucky with blind CB. But you can also get unlucky even at 0-2 cmc. They might play 2cmc when you reveal 1s, or 1cmc when you reveal land. A good opponent will wait and cast a bait spell first, to check the top card, then cast business if the coast is clear. If you don't have much instant manipulation then you can't do much to stop that line.

Most top Miracles and UWr decks don't play CB anymore and haven't for a while.

This is a recent Miracles deck that still does play CB:
https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=48972&d=561074&f=LE
It's a weird build splashing green for Beanstalk and Loam (18 land Loam control deck??), with a lot of high CMC cards, and 1 CB in the side only. Beanstalk + CB makes no sense to me. There are 19 cards at 4+cmc!! CB at least fits your curve better.

If you do keep CB, I like ETutor as another instant enabler. You can time tutoring so that you also counter a card of that CMC before you get the card you want. It undoes the -1 card ETutor normally costs.

Edit: This is a more reasonable-looking CB Miracle deck. It uses Scroll Rack, Predict, and Palantir.
https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=47735&d=551472&f=LE

CounterTop Goyf 2023

//Lands: 20
4 Flooded Strand
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Polluted Delta
1 Misty Rainforest
4 Island
2 Plains
2 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
1 Karakas
2 Mystic Sanctuary

//CounterTop: 5
2 Counterbalance
1 Scroll Rack
2 Palantír of Orthanc

//Goyf: 3
3 Murktide Regent

//Spells: 30
4 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Prismatic Ending
2 Spell Snare
2 Predict
2 Lórien Revealed
3 Terminus
1 Entreat the Angels

//Planeswalkers: 2
2 Teferi, Time Raveler

//Sideboard: 15
4 Veil of Summer
3 Carpet of Flowers
2 Flusterstorm
2 Containment Priest
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle
1 Force of Negation
1 Back to Basics

This really hates on Bowmasters with Spell Snare and Veil. It has a ton of library manipulation to support Counterbalance.

[Weapon X]

Honestly I’m still not sure how I feel about counterbalance overall. The top era is when I liked it. Now I feel like investing into other cards to try to optimize is almost a mistake. I’m really in it for the random flips at this point. Worst case it pitches to force, but it is a way to get some minor info as well. So grain of salt, I don’t hate it here but it also isn’t necessary.

[FTW]

On another note, why no Pyroblast or Hydroblast in the side? They're generally strong SB cards for UWr right now. In your deck they also go on Scepter for reusable 2-mana counter/Vindicates.

[Weapon X]

Honestly it was just because of what I was expecting and that I felt counterbalance would randomly hit things.