[Deck] The Polar Express

[Cane818]

Its a nice deck, but leyline of the void really hurts you. I know u can just bounce it, but they should be able to pull a win by then.

[Hanni]

Benie, I actually did drop the 1 MD Chain of Vapor for Echoing Truth... but mainly because I'd find myself with it in hand after casting Ghoul and wanted to bounce a blocker. It does make answering Chalice @ 1 a little better and answers tokens too, so yea.

As far as having the wrong guy in hand... well, with only 3, it doesn't happen very often. When it does, I either Brainstorm it away (which I actually have more than 4 outs for because it is always possible to Mystical or Vault for one), but I can also simply not play a land drop first turn and discard it at end of turn. I've yet to run into any problems with running only 3 creatures thus far.

I'm also wondering how effective Psychatog would be in the SB, although my land count is too low to have a transformational board control SB.

I would run Cabal Therapy over Daze, but my blue spell count is at 20 right now and I don't wanna lower it beyond that.

As far as Leyline of the Void goes... who still plays that now that Flash is banned? The only deck I can think of would be IGGy Pop... I have MD bounce, additional bounce in the sideboard, and I still play lots of disruption. This is not to say that the matchup is necessarily favorable or unfavorable but I don't see Leyline as being nearly as much of a metagame concern as Tormod's Crypt.

[Hanni]

U/B/g Reanimator
Control/Combo

Lands (17)
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
2 Island
2 Swamp

Creatures (3)
1 Sutured Ghoul
2 Krosan Cloudscraper

Spells (40)
4 Brainstorm
3 Portent
4 Mystical Tutor
2 Lim-Dul's Vault
2 Sensei's Divining Top
3 Counterbalance
4 Force of Will
3 Duress
3 Ghastly Demise
2 Damnation
4 Buried Alive
4 Shallow Grave
1 Reanimate
1 Dark Ritual

Sideboard (15)
1 Darkblast
1 Duress
1 Exhume
4 Engineered Plague
1 Berserk
1 Krosan Grip
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Pithing Needle

The decklist differs quite it a bit, namely the lack of the "Polar" creatures. Reducing the creatures down makes it a little more vulnerable, but they get replaced with disruption. I cut down on a couple of Reanimates since the deck has time to find one. I also cut the accelerants, which slows the deck down a little... but the manabase is much more stable. The deck shifts into a far more controlling version. This deck utilizes strong anti stack cards in Duress, Force, and Counterbalance. This deck also has access to spot removal and mass removal. Postboard, the deck gains answers to artifacts/enchantments, among other things.

The deck utilizes the Counterbalance/Top combo. This deck only runs 2 Top's because both Mystical Tutor and Lim-Dul's Vault can instant tutor, and a card on top with Counterbalance, and counter the spell.

Why is this version better than the faster version? I wouldn't say either version is better. I like this version because it feels so much like the U/B/g Counterbalance Flash list I used to play with. The deck just fights through hate completely... and it still goes off fast enough to feel like combo. This is the sort of win condition I think Control decks of the format needed. The control shell of the deck is extremely strong and the deck can still produce turn 4 goldfishes.

Some noteable dysnergies:

Pernicious Deed + Counterbalance

Two points here. First of all, many matches you simply want to replace Deed with Counterbalance. Secondly, 1 Counterbalance on the table is useful... but the extras aren't. For this purpose, it's possible to play a second Counterbalance after playing a Deed. Deed helps deal with tons of hate, from Pithing Needle to Leyline of the Void to Meddling Mage to most aggro in general. Deed is necessary in a control deck... Deed is the transformation sideboard into Board Control. The maindeck configuration is Stack Control. The deck is Control/Combo.

Comments/Suggestions?

[etrigan]

Sorry for the necro, but whatever happened to this? This deck had so much style.

[Cait_Sith]

It has been completely outclassed by Cephalid Breakfast.

[Michael Keller]

A revision of the original list is in the works. This deck kind of fell off the map when Flash became legal. But now that the flood has long since subsided, I'd like to revisit this deck one more time.

Perhaps a newer version that can work multilaterally without relying too heavily on the graveyard and recursion. I'd like to try and see if I can fit this into a bizarre blue and black Stax variant.

I'll have a new list up soon. I want to wait until the new B/R list; you never know.

[beastman]

You have to dress like santa and bring me presents when you play it though.

[Michael Keller]

[sdematt]

Very nice poster. I actually lol'd at "Music by Josh Groban...and Tool". :D Polar opposites? I see the pun.

[umbowta]

A revision of the original list is in the works. This deck kind of fell off the map when Flash became legal. But now that the flood has long since subsided, I'd like to revisit this deck one more time.

Perhaps a newer version that can work multilaterally without relying too heavily on the graveyard and recursion. I'd like to try and see if I can fit this into a bizarre blue and black Stax variant.

I'll have a new list up soon. I want to wait until the new B/R list; you never know.

Holy Necro, Batman. Almost two years! Nonethelss, I am interested in what will come of this madness.

[Mystical_Jackass]

LOL, awesome poster.

Didn't even know a deck like this existed... I'll have to try it out

[Michael Keller]

Getting pumped up...

EDIT: I'll have a full in-depth report on how the deck fares at the box-office next weekend.

[Sevryn]

A few quick thoughts:
-Thoughtseize over duress? Hits creatures, can also hit yourself in a pinch.
-Why no entomb? I feel like I am missing something but shouldn't entomb be in reanimator?

[beastman]

The primer was written over two years ago dude.....

[android]

I've played SG based Reanimator for a number of years now and the list is constantly in flux. Typically, I like to have a backup plan for when I'm not able to run out Ghoul or he gets the old Swords treatment. This ranged anywhere from the now defunct reanimation targets like Akroma and Spirit of the Night to utility targets that give better odds vs Control decks. Anyhow, I'm getting off track because I really only have one bit of advice to offer; something which has worked for me and I truly believe in.

I understand the need for Cloudscraper or one of the Kraken to fatten up Ghoul but I always run Kuro, PitLord as a one off. Not only can he make Ghoul lethal when combined with another fatty, but he can be reanimated and machine gun problematic creatures. If you happen to have BBBB you can even have him stick around for awhile and swing.

[Michael Keller]

People can basically forget the original list. The new one I'm playing at Eli's is more competitive for today's Legacy scene.

[Michael Keller]

Earlier today, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tom Hanks and chat with him about the upcoming holiday feature, "The Polar Express II: When Hell Freezes Over". Here's what Tom had to say after attending a private screening of the film:

MK: Tom, what exactly were your thoughts and feelings about the hype surrounding such a high-profile sequel to the original "Polar Express"?

TH: One of the things I learned most in the film business is never say never. If it's important to the fans, it's important to me. When the studio folks get together and get a good story going with good actors, it's really hard to turn something like that down.

MK: What were your thoughts after the release of the original film?

TH: It certainly was a surprise [laughs]. I knew there was an audience for this sort of movie but I didn't realize it would have such a large effect on players around the world; I'm really pleased with its performance and wouldn't change a thing.

MK: Did you immediately anticipate a sequel?

TH: From what I understand, the studio wanted to stay away from competing that summer against "Hulk-Flash" because of the vast amount of graveyard hate infesting the metagame. I was never informed of a sequel.

MK: Can we expect more Polar Kraken in "II", or has the franchise gone in a different direction?

= ?

TH: Well I certainly don't want to spoil it for anyone! Without saying too much, fans of the original should be pleased. There are plenty of scenes with mayhem and death that it should satisfy even the most casual of deck-builders.

MK: From what I understand, "When Hell Freezes Over" actually was a nod to an incident on the set of your 1988 blockbuster, "Big". Can you elaborate a little?



TH: When I was finished shooting the piano scene, I ended up getting into a brief argument with the cinematographer about a possible second-take for a shot we had just done, and I said I would do it when hell froze over.

MK: That's interesting; I never would have imagined that. What were some of the elements of T.P.E. II that stood out most?

TH: One thing I really enjoyed about the film were the spells that the director used to make everything work. I really liked the landscapes and thought the animation effects were visually outstanding. There are lots of flying baddies in this film that also stood out more than the original; that's always neat to see. There were some major improvements on the quality of the film and how everything seemed to click. There were answers for everything.

MK: The DCI decided to rate this film "NC-17". Why wouldn't anyone under the age of seventeen be allowed to see this film? Is it really that grotesque?

TH: I spoke with Geoff [Smelksi] and asked what he thought of some of the scenes right after the movie was over, and he couldn't come up with any idea. They shot him in some very grotesque mannerisms. There was one scene in particular that especially stands out. From what I understand, Michael [Keller] had spent a lot of time and money getting the scene done right. It will blow your mind.

MK: Well, it certainly seems like a different approach than the original film took, utilizing Sutured Ghoul to scare audiences using a singular reanimation spell to win the game.

TH: Putting your eggs in one basket can be asking for trouble, so I am to understand this is what they decided to change about the movie from the first.

MK: Can you tell us what the story is about, or should we see the movie first?

TH: The film starts off with a young vampiress named "Hexmage" who is called upon to summon forth a mysteriously large creature, one far more dangerous than the Polar Kraken that brought destruction in the first film. Hexmage sets out in search of the Polar Kraken to help stop the death and global destruction the mysterious "entity" bestows upon the world, which sets up for a very memorable climax. It's quite enthralling.

MK: It certainly sounds like it, Tom. Thank you very much for your time and we can't wait to see "The Polar Express II: When Hell Freezes Over" in the theaters this Saturday.

TH: Thank you, Mike.

How exciting! I can't wait!

[Nidd]

I lol'd.

Hexmage + Dark Depths in a reanimator shell? I want to see that.

[Brushwagg]

I so wish I could go to this. It'd be worth it to just see this deck in action. I did watch Hollywood go beat down with a Kraken vs. Solidarity the first time he played this deck.

[Michael Keller]

Track Listing:

1. Josh Groban - Believe
2. Nico Vega - Beast
3. Tool - Undertow
4. Metropolis - The Darkest Side of the Night
5. Hurricane - Spark in My Heart
6. Blue Oyster Cult - Godzilla
7. Fear Factory - Zero Signal
8. Motorhead - The Line in the Sand
9. Tool - Stinkfist
10. Bobby Darin - Beyond the Sea
11. Ramallah - Days of Revenge
12. Skillet - Monster
13. Fuel - Won't Back Down
14. Chris Cornell - Black Hole Sun (Acoustic Suite)
15. Closure - Look Out Below (Theme From "The Polar Express II: When Hell Freezes Over")

Plot: "In the distant future, a forever young vampiress named Hexmage inadvertently discovers an ancient evil residing deep beneath the vast ice of an ancient frozen ocean. Once awoken, the entity goes on a legendary path of destruction, only to come face to face with the last known living kraken dwelling far in the northern polar ice-caps. Earth cannot handle the battle of these behemoths, in an ending that will change the face of the world forever."