Quote Originally Posted by XiaN View Post
I would consider running only 3 if you have 7 cantrips.
What's your reasoning? As I have said, Vial is best early, no cantripping into it on turn 3.

What reasons would they have to run it?
Uncounterable threats
Instant speed threats
Acceleration
More mana for Survival

There are reasons to run it and trying to ignore them by saying flash is the same thing or playing cards with a higher cmc makes them uncounterable is bad reasoning. I don't run it because it just sucks to draw it late and to maximize when you want to see it, running 4 is the answer.

No, he just drew normal. 1 Stifle, 1 Wasteland and 1 EE is no god draw
And he played the EE after i vialed in the hierarch. Think i drew RWM, Clique and Rafiq on my turns.
So how did you lose? If you still had a land and good cards in hand, what did he draw to make the game just end? I'm guessing Goyf, which means you saw no Swords, no second Land, no Vial, no Hierarch in 5 turns (Goyf being a 4/5). Sucks hard man.

I disagree here. Kira does the same as the mage simply better if you face spot removal.
Exactly, so why not run a card that does the same thing as Kira but can come in to help other MUs?

And S.Assault. But maybe you're right, shutting down loam should slow them down enought to develop a good board position against them. However the game is far away from being over. They can get rid of the mage with many maindeck weapons.
That's why Mage is great. It slows them down while you can still do your stuff and beat for two. I left out Assault because I've never seen it come down early.

Missed that one again ? Lets try it once more, what was your question again
Okay, again, how did Mongoose get in the list? I thought you tested versus Counterbalance Threshold which Mongoose isn't present in. Did you just randomly throw in advice for Tempo Thresh or something?
Maybe in an aggro heavy meta? They might be to slow against a lot of Burn, Zoo and Goblins?
I honestly don't think you should. Playing it as a surprise blocker, taking the Price of Progress/Fireblast/Siege Gang Commander, and then getting rid of their Nacatl/Warchief/Chieftan is still pretty awesome.

And one question i'm always asking myself : If you have a sprite in hand and your opponent plays SDT. Do you counter this one? I normally don't, but SDT seems worth it. I don't know. Do you / would you counter SDT this way?
YES. Sure it can be used as protection, but countering things like SDT are what you dream of.