[Deck] Food Chain Combo

[Manroe]

Hey guys, I'm going to play chain in next weekends team constructed. I'm going to keep the Leylines in as I've had great success with them locally and want to try them out in a bigger event.

That being said, what matchups do you guys feel like it is correct to board them out?

Right now, I board it out vs Reanimator , SnS and Infect.

Almost any fair deck cannot beat infinite life and Storm is kind of a crap shoot. On one hand, the life is great vs Storm but on the other, storm can just be faster.

Thanks in advance!



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[dull]

My take on it:
If you have the sideboard space for anti-combo, then you might consider boarding out the whole combo and just trying to control them until you can win with beating them down. The other possible approach is to accept that it's a bad matchup and "play to your outs" so to speak, by going all in on the combo.

[mcbain]

I would refer to the sideboard primer on Channel fireball. Storm and sneak and show matchups we bring out the combo and control them.

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[JackaBo]

I dont know.. versus storm would you tap out on turn 3/4 to present a 7 turn clock in a griffin? I kinda like to keep the combo in so you win when you tap out. You got 8 dead cards in decay and strix anyway and you could cut a griffin and a land. Do you have more than 10 cards to board in?

[Manroe]

I dont know.. versus storm would you tap out on turn 3/4 to present a 7 turn clock in a griffin? I kinda like to keep the combo in so you win when you tap out. You got 8 dead cards in decay and strix anyway and you could cut a griffin and a land. Do you have more than 10 cards to board in?

I've been really undecided on a board since the banning. My board right now is:

2 Golgari Charm
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Swan Song
3 Thoughtseize
2 Mindbreak
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Pithing Needle

I wanted to really focus on combo and Sneak and Show since I've been playing against both a lot lately. Haven't settled on this 100% though

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[.dk]

I've been really undecided on a board since the banning. My board right now is:

2 Golgari Charm
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Swan Song
3 Thoughtseize
2 Mindbreak
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Pithing Needle

I wanted to really focus on combo and Sneak and Show since I've been playing against both a lot lately. Haven't settled on this 100% though

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I've been testing a good bit against Storm and Sneak/OmniSneak lately as well. I've been having pretty decent results with my current list, although I don't believe it's quite there yet. My mainboard is currently running 2 Thoughtseize, 3 Ponder, 3 Abrupt Decay, 1 Murderous Cut along with the rest of the usual fare. My Sideboard config is currently:

1 Clique
2 Edict
2 Goglari Charm
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Surgical
1 Duress
2 Hymn to Tourach
1 Gravedigger's Cage
2 Pithing Needle

Generally my strategy has been similar to what JackaBo mentioned - I try not to dilute my combo too much, otherwise they get too long to rebuild. Against Sneak & Show I'll usually board something like:

+1 Clique +2 Mindbreak Trap +2 Surgical +1 Duress +2 Hymn
-3 Abrupt Decay -4 Baleful Strix -1 Murderous Cut

My goal is to fight them via their hand and on the stack, and if they actually land Omniscience or Sneak Attack, I'm probably in trouble, hence taking out Strix. I'm not 100% sold on this exact board configuration though, but Strix always seems mediocre at best in the face of a Griselbrand since they still draw cards. And it does nothing against Omniscience obviously. You still get to keep all of your cantrips so you have a good chance at landing your own combo to kill them in the meantime.

[Manroe]

I've been testing a good bit against Storm and Sneak/OmniSneak lately as well. I've been having pretty decent results with my current list, although I don't believe it's quite there yet. My mainboard is currently running 2 Thoughtseize, 3 Ponder, 3 Abrupt Decay, 1 Murderous Cut along with the rest of the usual fare. My Sideboard config is currently:

1 Clique
2 Edict
2 Goglari Charm
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Surgical
1 Duress
2 Hymn to Tourach
1 Gravedigger's Cage
2 Pithing Needle

Generally my strategy has been similar to what JackaBo mentioned - I try not to dilute my combo too much, otherwise they get too long to rebuild. Against Sneak & Show I'll usually board something like:

+1 Clique +2 Mindbreak Trap +2 Surgical +1 Duress +2 Hymn
-3 Abrupt Decay -4 Baleful Strix -1 Murderous Cut

My goal is to fight them via their hand and on the stack, and if they actually land Omniscience or Sneak Attack, I'm probably in trouble, hence taking out Strix. I'm not 100% sold on this exact board configuration though, but Strix always seems mediocre at best in the face of a Griselbrand since they still draw cards. And it does nothing against Omniscience obviously. You still get to keep all of your cantrips so you have a good chance at landing your own combo to kill them in the meantime.

Interesting. I'm curious, have you tried Swan Song? I've only gotten to cast it once. Also, I'm probably wrong but the two decays in my side are the only ones in my 75. My meta just has been terrible for decay.

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[.dk]

Interesting. I'm curious, have you tried Swan Song? I've only gotten to cast it once. Also, I'm probably wrong but the two decays in my side are the only ones in my 75. My meta just has been terrible for decay.

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I haven't - although I think I would usually run Flusterstorm before that. Broader applications, etc. Doesn't hit Sneak Attack, but better at protecting our own combo, I think.

My meta has a lot of Delver, shit-blade, and D&T - decay is very useful in all of those matchups. Storm has been markedly absent for a while (granted, me playing this deck is one of the reasons), but Show and Tell variants are certainly popping back up.

[Whitefaces]

Deck to beat, well done guys!

[Manroe]

Deck to beat, well done guys!

Agreed, we'll done!
Im thrilled Food Chain has been doing so well.

Yet here I am, debating taking Aluren to SCG Team Constructed instead because of the improved Show and Tell matchup.

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[Manipulato]

Cant imagine that we're really DTB...I think this should be a mistake or a really really strange calculation

[Dice_Box]

Cant imagine that we're really DTB...I think this should be a mistake or a really really strange calculation

You guys are not here by accident. It's not like your points came out of thin air.

[JackaBo]

Wow I never thought I'd find my deck here!! With that said, I went 4-0 last night beating Big Red, Painter, Elves and UB Reanimator. All games were tight and awesome. I'm still on the 4 decay plan.

[mike1987]

If i am playing a stock list with 2 thoughtseize in the main, removing an extra land and ponder.

And my sb goes like this:

1 Krosan Grip
2 Engineered Plague
2 Flusterstorm
1 Grafdigger cage
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Vendillion CLique
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Thoughtseize
1 Duress

I know what i want to bring in against elves - the 2 Plague, 1 cage, 1 vendllion clique

What i ain't sure is what to board out against them. Is it 4 abrupt decays? Since it is kinda slow and it only trades one for one?

[JackaBo]

I board out 4 strix versus elves. Decay is good to slow them down, specially OTP. I board in 3 sweepers and 1 flusterstorm. If i ran cage i would run that.

[Irvin]

I'm going to try 1 academy ruins (maby indead of the 11th fetch)
It works well with strix and can bring Walking ballista back.
maby even add maindeck explosives?

[JackaBo]

I've thinking along that line too. Just putting strix on top can be very poweful versus certain decks. Also forcing certain opponents into boarding graveyard hate by comitting one land could be very beneficial.

[Lightless]

Hello Boys and Girls...

Quite cozy here in the Dtb-section ;)

Just wanted to share my experience at the legacy challenge last week.

I played the following list


//Creature (18)
4 Baleful Strix
4 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Scourge
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
3 Misthollow Griffin
4 Walking Ballista

//Sorcery (8)
3 Manipulate Fate
3 Ponder
2 Thoughtseize

//Instant (11)
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will

//Enchantment (4)
4 Food Chain

//Land (19)
1 Bayou
1 Forest
2 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
2 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
3 Verdant Catacombs


//Sideboard (15)
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Duress
1 Flusterstorm
2 Golgari Charm
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Hydroblast
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Surgical Extraction


Overall my tournament went pretty well and I'm mostly satisfied with the list,
maybe I cut a Hydroblast for another Duress at some point, but right now I'm fine.

1st Round Vs Shardless BUG

The first game he was able to waste one of my lands and with only 2 in play,
I wasn't able to do much with my draw. At some point I had 3 food chains in my hand.
In the second game he had discard and double decay and I wasn't able to establish the combo fast enough,
while he beat me down with his creatures.

2nd Round Vs BUG Control

He took a mull to 5 and scooped rather quickly, so i had to deduce from 2 Leovolds 1 Deathrite and 1 Force of will, what he was playing.
The second game went grindy and he won it.
In the third game I was able to establish the combo with around 3 minutes on the clock but went the „safer“ route just playing leovold
and a small ballista to finish him off. On hindsight I should have just gone for it, but I still won.

3rd Round Vs UWR Thing in The Ice

The first game went south when he flipped his thing and I didn't have an abrupt decay for the next turns.
The two following games leovold just dominated, especially with counterbackup it just doesn't seem fair, what he does.

4th Round Vs Fast Big Red

1st turn. Mountain + Petal + Spirit Guide → Seething Song → Sneak Attack → Griselbrand (Draw 14) into Petal + Emrakul.
The other games I was able to counter most of his stuff and present at least somewhat of a clock.

5th Round Vs Soldier Stompy

... I got stomped... pretty hard pretty good... nothing to say here lost 0-2 with nothing to do.

6th Round Vs Amonkhet Red Stompy.

Interesting List Hazoret and Harsh Mentor made an appearance and so he played main deck ensnaring bridge.
Bad for him he dealt some dmg to himself with Ancient Tomb and 3 Strixes attacked whn he still had cards in hand.
I was able to kill him with the combo even though there was a mentor on board. In the second game he flooded out and the combo finished the game.

7th Round Vs Sneak&Show(Black Splash for best card in Legacy... Thoughtseize)

Nothing much to say here either, if I had disruption I won,if not... Lucky me, I had enough disruption in 2 of 3 games.

Result 5-2 - 15th Place

[mcbain]

Hello Boys and Girls...

Quite cozy here in the Dtb-section ;)

Just wanted to share my experience at the legacy challenge last week.

I played the following list


//Creature (18)
4 Baleful Strix
4 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Scourge
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
3 Misthollow Griffin
4 Walking Ballista

//Sorcery (8)
3 Manipulate Fate
3 Ponder
2 Thoughtseize

//Instant (11)
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will

//Enchantment (4)
4 Food Chain

//Land (19)
1 Bayou
1 Forest
2 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
2 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
3 Verdant Catacombs


//Sideboard (15)
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Duress
1 Flusterstorm
2 Golgari Charm
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Hydroblast
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Surgical Extraction


Overall my tournament went pretty well and I'm mostly satisfied with the list,
maybe I cut a Hydroblast for another Duress at some point, but right now I'm fine.

1st Round Vs Shardless BUG

The first game he was able to waste one of my lands and with only 2 in play,
I wasn't able to do much with my draw. At some point I had 3 food chains in my hand.
In the second game he had discard and double decay and I wasn't able to establish the combo fast enough,
while he beat me down with his creatures.

2nd Round Vs BUG Control

He took a mull to 5 and scooped rather quickly, so i had to deduce from 2 Leovolds 1 Deathrite and 1 Force of will, what he was playing.
The second game went grindy and he won it.
In the third game I was able to establish the combo with around 3 minutes on the clock but went the „safer“ route just playing leovold
and a small ballista to finish him off. On hindsight I should have just gone for it, but I still won.

3rd Round Vs UWR Thing in The Ice

The first game went south when he flipped his thing and I didn't have an abrupt decay for the next turns.
The two following games leovold just dominated, especially with counterbackup it just doesn't seem fair, what he does.

4th Round Vs Fast Big Red

1st turn. Mountain + Petal + Spirit Guide → Seething Song → Sneak Attack → Griselbrand (Draw 14) into Petal + Emrakul.
The other games I was able to counter most of his stuff and present at least somewhat of a clock.

5th Round Vs Soldier Stompy

... I got stomped... pretty hard pretty good... nothing to say here lost 0-2 with nothing to do.

6th Round Vs Amonkhet Red Stompy.

Interesting List Hazoret and Harsh Mentor made an appearance and so he played main deck ensnaring bridge.
Bad for him he dealt some dmg to himself with Ancient Tomb and 3 Strixes attacked whn he still had cards in hand.
I was able to kill him with the combo even though there was a mentor on board. In the second game he flooded out and the combo finished the game.

7th Round Vs Sneak&Show(Black Splash for best card in Legacy... Thoughtseize)

Nothing much to say here either, if I had disruption I won,if not... Lucky me, I had enough disruption in 2 of 3 games.

Result 5-2 - 15th Place

How much time does the combo take if your fast at it? Do you have concerns over running this online?

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[.dk]

I've thinking along that line too. Just putting strix on top can be very poweful versus certain decks. Also forcing certain opponents into boarding graveyard hate by comitting one land could be very beneficial.

Depending on how you build, that could also be Volrath's Stronghold as well. 1 of those 2 lands is currently my 20th land, when I play it. I haven't been recently - probably depends on how grinds or combo heavy your meta is. Getting Leovold and Deathrite back can also be very powerful as well. So if you're only getting back Strix and Ballista, you may want to go the Stronghold route.