"Xantid Swarm doesn't create virtual card advantage unless the opponent has multiples of an instant based hate card that couldn't counter Xantid Swarm or disrupt Xantid Swarm, and what card would that be? Threshold with double Daze on the draw? I could argue that Xantid Swarm decreases virtual card advantage because it is giving the opponent targets for his removal."

And if the opponnent has double FoW, single blue card? I think Ill Gotten Gains is the main reason to run Xantid, though, the same reason why Iggy runs leyline.

If you aren't using Ill gotten gains or returns to build storm count, what are you using? With both cards Xantid seems inf. superior.

A pro for Duress is that it can be cast turn one and take a duress from your opponents hand, pre-emptively protecting the combo. Most decks running discard are good matchups anyway though.

Also of note: A lightning bolt/StP from Thresh could mean they aren't able to dig w/ brainstorm to hit a FoW, or that they won't be able to play the counterspell in their hand (if they were on the play, and serum visioned or something turn one).


The ETW question is a little silly. You can't really state a black and white number, as the number will change depending on the game state. Allow me to elaborate.

Turn 1: 8-10 tokens. Decks can deal with/race 6 too easily, so I never keep a hand that only has 6 tokens going for it. If I have taken multiple mulligans, and a 6 token hand comes up, of course I'll go for it.

Turn 2: Depends on what I'm facing. Against some decks EtW is no longer an option on turn 2. After turn one I'd generally rather wait a turn and try for the tendrils combo than make answerable tokens, especially if those tokens wont finish things until turn 4. Sometime's it's all you can do though, so 12-16 is my minimum, in harsh situations. Ideally you'd be better off making 20+, to hopefully end things on turn 3, but this only occurs when tendrils is no longer an option.

Turn 3: See turn 2, only becoming even more of a desperate play.

EtW is almost never the best play after turn one, but sometimes (as in with returns) you just have to go for it because it's all you can do.