Originally Posted by
LarsLeif
Nice to see so many people playing Meddling Mage, been a long time fan myself. Some general thoughts on them though:
Firstly, I see a lot of people running only 3 mages, which I don't like. Meddling Mage is fantastic in multiples and many games against combo are decided on drawing more than one, or at least drawing one early. It is also important to diversify your hate, and thus the 4th mage is a better call than the 5:th discard etc.
Secondly, because they are live vs all combo decks (and against lands, burn etc) I very much prefer to max out on them before I add priests, which are better vs some combo decks, but do nothing against ANT/TES and lands etc.
Lastly, the argument that people nowadays pack more answers to MM (thus making them a worse option than usual) is slightly flawed. While it is true that most combo decks are equipped to deal with them post-board, doing so isn't that favourable for the combo deck. Each time combo decks have to devote a card to deal with one of your answers, that's one less card for them to actually employ their main game plan of going off. This makes mages a good way of not locking down, but slowing down combo decks just enough for you to find the next piece of disruption, and then the next, and after a while, your CA will make this 1-for-1 trade between your hate and the combo decks countermeasures very favourable for you. Sort of the like the deck operates against fair decks as well: trade 1-for-1 and then pull ahead with visions/jace. Apart from Elves, no combo deck can generate any meaningful CA over the course of long game (unless they go off that is).
Right, good luck at the GP and may the cascades be ever in your favour! :)
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