[Deck] UW Tempo

[markbris]

[QUOTE=pi4meterftw;439533]

You should not have wayfarered the first time you activate it during your main phase. This is one of those situations where an upkeep activation is appropriate.

Can you expound on this? I've seen forbiddian talk about this but never really figured out when I should do it before I draw and when I shouldn't? That is what you mean right? I should still be wayfaring that turn right?

Given that you topdecked arid mesa, you ought to have played that to threaten additional uses of wayfarer even if he did nothing. It also allows spell pierce.

This is def something I didn't think about. TY

At 5:20 you don't play jitte. You most definitely should've played jitte. This both guarantees your next wayfarer activation and avoids the cleanup step. Also, it stops the bleeding from vampire nighthawk. True that you're not desperate to stop the bleeding, but I can't see why you wouldn't start applying the pressure already. It's obvious you win this game. In a tournament, you'd be interested in finishing it as quickly as possible.

I didn't realize what you meant at first, but I see. I could have played the jitte, then wastelanded next turn and wayfarered in response whereas I couldnt wayfarer again the way I did it. TY again

I stopped watching at 6 minutes. You clearly win. Nothing more needs to be said. (Wait, you didn't punt and lose right? Just checking.)

Yes haha, ez game

[pi4meterftw]

You wayfarer before draw precisely when you're sure you will wayfarer that turn.

You actually wouldn't wayfarer if you could swing with a jitted wayfarer.

Unless he leaves nighthawk untapped. If he does that, he obviously loses. He's too committed to his nighthawk plan.

Don't forget, if jitte gets 2 counters, then you can remove the counters to make nighthawk a 0/1 to eat it cleanly if he blocks with it.

[pi4meterftw]

I think it's a great idea for others to post videos too. At this point, I only post my most interesting games (I might post a pro bant one later).

The general teaching aspect of the videos has mostly been extracted out to the point of severe diminishing returns.

But there are still things that we probably don't even think to bring out that we would see if we watched you playing.

[Damnosus]

Ok so just got back from a smaller tournament (like 13-18 people or so). It has been a while since i have played in such an event/I have never played anywhere that was this competitive/I am totally new to this deck. I wound up going 2-2 with a bye. Yea I suck. Gotta say though, not sure if I want to continue with the deck: I think it is just not me.

Decklist: first post decklist except the sideboard is different (don't have enough AoS, so one is a Needle, and one is an EE).

Round 1: LEDless Dredge.
Game 1: Longish game, I stall with Mom and he gets crap for dredges. I eventually find a Jitte+more critters and take it home.
Game 2: I have Grunt and I don't mull to something better (mistake). He gets a second turn kill.
Game 3: I mull down to five looking for hate. I find nothing other than a ghostly prison which I eventually have to fetch away because I simply do not have the lands to play it. I also do find an EE, but by then he has the Iona. GG.

What a strange change: Dredge losing game 1 and winning games 2-3. I wish I hadn't had to mull into oblivion that last game. I think I would have had a chance otherwise.

Round 2: ProBant
Game 1: I attempt to pull off the waste shindig and totally screw up forgetting about summoning sickness (yea totally rookie mistake). Even so, he simply plopped a Natural Order down and there was nothing I could do about it (washout is looking really good from the board).
Game 2: I get an aura of silence, then a prison down (not sure why I boarded in prison-was looking through boarding suggestions that you guys posted and could not find anything on pro bant). Stalled him for a bit, then he dropped a Trygon. Lame. This allowed him to play a counterbalance and win from there.

This match sucked. Yea I played horribly, but I really felt that there was little to nothing I could do. I don't like playing a controlling deck and feeling like that. Sigh.

Round 3: messed around with a byesexual. Yea, that was not at all funny...

Round 4: Belcher
Let me just say, I hate Belcher with a passion: when I lived on the east coast, the store I went to was overrun with it. What a lame deck.
Game 1: he confidently tries to belch me 1st turn. I show him the force, then beat him down with a Mom+Jitte.
Game 2: He mulls to 5 (!!!), and I keep a weird hand (waste, 2x fetch, needle, jitte, swords, and a BS), play the first turn needle knowing i have time. He gains cards and I get a tutor. He attempts to go off and screws up royally (grabs the EtW without saccing the 2 LED's he had in response). He groans as he realizes his mistake. I let him take it back because I could care less at this point, and because I know I have a way out. He plays 12 goblins. I take my turn and pass. He swings. I then end of turn tutor for my EE. I nuke them and finally find a creature/jitte and kill him before he is able to go off again (man the deck can be slow at times).

Ok that game felt good. Especially because i have so much angst against Belcher.


Overall I would have to say that, yes, I still suck with the deck. However, I don't really enjoy it-I feel bad cause I was very excited about playing it, but I just don't really connect with it the way I connected with Countertop. I think for future tournaments I will return to countertop, especially due to the high number of combo players at the store (saw belcher, 2 dredge-not sure which deck is better against dredge-Dream halls). Also, I never felt like wayfarer was at all effective. I think I just don't like playing with wasteland. Ah well. I was happy though because my friend who is really new to the game (first tournament) took his modded vampires and did better than me (going 2-2 also, but without any byes). But yea, I think I might have to save this deck for another time.

[pi4meterftw]

Ok so just got back from a smaller tournament (like 13-18 people or so). It has been a while since i have played in such an event/I have never played anywhere that was this competitive/I am totally new to this deck. I wound up going 2-2 with a bye. Yea I suck. Gotta say though, not sure if I want to continue with the deck: I think it is just not me.

Decklist: first post decklist except the sideboard is different (don't have enough AoS, so one is a Needle, and one is an EE).

Round 1: LEDless Dredge.
Game 1: Longish game, I stall with Mom and he gets crap for dredges. I eventually find a Jitte+more critters and take it home.
Game 2: I have Grunt and I don't mull to something better (mistake). He gets a second turn kill.
Game 3: I mull down to five looking for hate. I find nothing other than a ghostly prison which I eventually have to fetch away because I simply do not have the lands to play it. I also do find an EE, but by then he has the Iona. GG.

What a strange change: Dredge losing game 1 and winning games 2-3. I wish I hadn't had to mull into oblivion that last game. I think I would have had a chance otherwise.

Round 2: ProBant
Game 1: I attempt to pull off the waste shindig and totally screw up forgetting about summoning sickness (yea totally rookie mistake). Even so, he simply plopped a Natural Order down and there was nothing I could do about it (washout is looking really good from the board).
Game 2: I get an aura of silence, then a prison down (not sure why I boarded in prison-was looking through boarding suggestions that you guys posted and could not find anything on pro bant). Stalled him for a bit, then he dropped a Trygon. Lame. This allowed him to play a counterbalance and win from there.

This match sucked. Yea I played horribly, but I really felt that there was little to nothing I could do. I don't like playing a controlling deck and feeling like that. Sigh.

Round 3: messed around with a byesexual. Yea, that was not at all funny...

Round 4: Belcher
Let me just say, I hate Belcher with a passion: when I lived on the east coast, the store I went to was overrun with it. What a lame deck.
Game 1: he confidently tries to belch me 1st turn. I show him the force, then beat him down with a Mom+Jitte.
Game 2: He mulls to 5 (!!!), and I keep a weird hand (waste, 2x fetch, needle, jitte, swords, and a BS), play the first turn needle knowing i have time. He gains cards and I get a tutor. He attempts to go off and screws up royally (grabs the EtW without saccing the 2 LED's he had in response). He groans as he realizes his mistake. I let him take it back because I could care less at this point, and because I know I have a way out. He plays 12 goblins. I take my turn and pass. He swings. I then end of turn tutor for my EE. I nuke them and finally find a creature/jitte and kill him before he is able to go off again (man the deck can be slow at times).

Ok that game felt good. Especially because i have so much angst against Belcher.


Overall I would have to say that, yes, I still suck with the deck. However, I don't really enjoy it-I feel bad cause I was very excited about playing it, but I just don't really connect with it the way I connected with Countertop. I think for future tournaments I will return to countertop, especially due to the high number of combo players at the store (saw belcher, 2 dredge-not sure which deck is better against dredge-Dream halls). Also, I never felt like wayfarer was at all effective. I think I just don't like playing with wasteland. Ah well. I was happy though because my friend who is really new to the game (first tournament) took his modded vampires and did better than me (going 2-2 also, but without any byes). But yea, I think I might have to save this deck for another time.

If you don't like the deck, nothing can be done. But rest assured, it soundly beats dredge and other combo, except possibly for reanimator. (The exception is made due to lack of thinking/testing.) It also enjoys about a 50% MU against CB top/pro bant etc.

[Nelis]

Hi guys I want to try this deck out this sunday (first time without serious testing) and this is the expected metagame:

BGW Rock
Bant (Mystic EquiBant possibly) / Otherwise unknown
Landstill
Survival Bant / Aluren / Dredge (not sure which one)
Zoo / Belcher (probably Zoo)
TreshTresh
White Rock
UBg countertop / Otherwise unknown possibly a discard like deck.
Merfolk

But I have a few questions.
1. With above metagame in mind(aggro/aggro control) is it smart to pick up this deck? I've tested a wee bit versus Zoo and I find it hard to win at times. I wonder if its the same vs other aggro decks.
2. I'm also wondering if I should play Spell Snare instead of Spell Pierce in this case since spell pierce doesn't counter creatures (obviously). And it's also handy vs Hymn and Sinkhole and such.
3. Did you guys test stifle in the side? Seems handy to complement Wasteland to fight Zoo's manabase. And I expect to encounter Pernicious Deed as well.

[Forbiddian]

Hi guys I want to try this deck out this sunday (first time without serious testing) and this is the expected metagame:

BGW Rock
Bant (Mystic EquiBant possibly) / Otherwise unknown
Landstill
Survival Bant / Aluren / Dredge (not sure which one)
Zoo / Belcher (probably Zoo)
TreshTresh
White Rock
UBg countertop / Otherwise unknown possibly a discard like deck.
Merfolk

But I have a few questions.
1. With above metagame in mind(aggro/aggro control) is it smart to pick up this deck? I've tested a wee bit versus Zoo and I find it hard to win at times. I wonder if its the same vs other aggro decks.
2. I'm also wondering if I should play Spell Snare instead of Spell Pierce in this case since spell pierce doesn't counter creatures (obviously). And it's also handy vs Hymn and Sinkhole and such.
3. Did you guys test stifle in the side? Seems handy to complement Wasteland to fight Zoo's manabase. And I expect to encounter Pernicious Deed as well.

This deck is pretty good in any metagame. It's best in a combo-heavy metagame, because you 1) have great matchups against every combo deck and 2) aren't affected at all by combo hate.

You can lose matches when other people cut corners on combo decks, and occasionally bad matchups like Mono White stax will show up (but these decks are bullied out of more developed metagames.


UW Tempo splits a lot of those matchups, or no data (Equibant, WhiteRock (wtf is that?). Nothing there is a bad matchup for UW Tempo. But if you actually want to just crush that metagame for shits (or maybe convert it to a healthier metagame) roll with Ichorid. There's no other deck in the metagame for people to want to bring yard hate in for, so there's likely almost no yard hate, and Ichorid has a dominating matchup against every deck there except Merfolk.

[Nelis]

Yeah I know Ichorid or any combo for that matter will be the best choice for our meta but I really suck at combo (and also don't have the cards for it). And we definitely do not want to convert it to a healthier metagame. Nobody really likes combo and it's not appreciated at all. The bigger tournaments in Holland are very developed so if we want to play a healthy metagame we can go there.

White rock (I just called it so) is just a BGW rock deck. Equibant is the only deck on Deckcheck that features 4 Stoneforge Mystic and SoFI which I know someone will play because he wants to borrow those cards for his deck. Otherwise he'll probably pick up Dragon Stompy.

If I want to have a fair chance winning I can pick up Zoo. I crushed everybody 2 months ago playing Zoo going 5-0-0. The same players who are not there this sunday weren't there that time either (ones I have a bigger chance losing to) But I wanted to play another deck for a change and I've been following this thread for a long while now.

So I guess if I adjust the sideboard a bit vs aggro I should be ok with this deck? Do you think I should put in Spell Snare instead of Spell Pierce?

[Moonlight]

If you expect many rockish lists sundray, it might be good to think about a solution for those MU's.
Ive found it to be a hard MU (dutch rocklists).. especially those running 3-4 elspeth, 6 spotremoval and 5+ discardspells.
I dont recomand the change to spell snare, spell pierce is better with that meta i guess.
Why do you want spell snare over spell pierce?

[Nelis]

Because the metagame is more aggro I can counter creatures as well. I dont want to be losing matches because the deck has problems against creature decks.

[pi4meterftw]

Spell pierce is much better than spell snare in almost any metagame. I hope you'll just take my word for it, but if you have to try it out, do it in testing, not at a tournament.

There are lists running like 10 removal spells, many planeswalkers, and some hand disruption. Those are typically the deck's worst matchup. Decks approximately fitting into this model even include blue ones: the 4 color landstill.

Sometimes you can board in relic to stop their engine. For example, if they have loam and goyf, or goyf and witness, or witness, goyf, recurring nightmare, etc. you bring it in.

Occasionally it might make sense to bring in AOS.

We're still testing EE, and I'm looking for a zoo sparring partner. Additionally, if anybody has well thought suggestions on control hate in the colors, then I'll consider it. Thanks.

[Tinefol]

Lol, I suck at this game. Went 2-2-1 today, winning against ANT, Faerie Stompy, losing to UW Mystic Fish (by huuuge blunders both games), Reanimator (got beaten by lousy Empyrial Archangel g3. Guess what, I only could topdeck into 2 creatures (both 1/1, yeah) from 14 cards) and drawing with Zoo. I hate being flooded, and this is exactly what I experienced today a couple of times.

EE utterly sucks against Zoo. Need some other card in that slot.

@pi4meterftw I'd be glad to be a sparring partner, how can I contact you (over some IM)?

[pi4meterftw]

I can be reached at pi4meterftw. Matt can be reached at LetsgoSJ

[Nelis]

1.Spell pierce is much better than spell snare in almost any metagame. I hope you'll just take my word for it, but if you have to try it out, do it in testing, not at a tournament.

2. There are lists running like 10 removal spells, many planeswalkers, and some hand disruption. Those are typically the deck's worst matchup. Decks approximately fitting into this model even include blue ones: the 4 color landstill.

3. Occasionally it might make sense to bring in AOS.

1. I'll take your word for it.

2. Thanx for this advise. This way I know what to take in mind constructing the sideboard. Thanks to u 2 Moonlight.

3. AOS?

[Citrus-God]

3. AOS?

Aura of Silence, yo.

[Nelis]

Ok, even though I played absolutely terrible today I ended 3rd/2nd, 13 people attended.

Round 1 Win (bye)
Round 2 Loss (0-2) vs Thoctar combo with countertop. I played bad even though I was a bit unlucky (I drew a plains which otherwise would've been my 4th Tundra if i'd own it. Otherwise I probably would've won the 2nd game.
Round 3 Draw (1-1) vs Dragon Stompy, we went to extra time. I should've won game 3 but I wasn't paying attention.
Round 4 Win (2-1) vs Fearies homebrew. I absolutely played terrible but my opponent played even worse! (we were laughed at by many)
Round 5 Win (2-1) vs Dredge. Game 1 he won turn 1. game two I managed to get 2 Relic of progenitus into play. game 3 he was so unlucky with his dredges but I also had a 2 Relic again.

The deck I played:

Creature [21]
4 Fathom Seer
2 Jötun Grunt
4 Mother of Runes
4 Serra Avenger
2 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Weathered Wayfarer

Instant [17]
4 Brainstorm
3 Daze
4 Force of Will
3 Spell Pierce
4 Swords to Plowshares

Artifact [5]
3 AEther Vial
2 Umezawa’s Jitte

Land [17]
4 Flooded Strand
1 Island
2 Plains
4 Tundra
3 Wasteland
3 Windswept Heath

I didn't have much time working on the sideboard:

Sideboard [15]
2 Aura of Silence
3 Enlightened Tutor
1 Ethersworn Canonist
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Elspeth, Knight Errant (did't face them but they were played today)
1 Wrath Of God
1 Engineered Explosives
3 Wall of Denial

I was a bit worried about creature decks so that's why I put in 3 Wall of Denial and 1 Wrath of God. I forgot to put in Wheel of Sun and Moon. Even though I didn't needed it I would've been more comfortable vs Ichorid.

The metagame today:
2 Dutch Rock (BGW)
ANT (winner)
Kavu Predator homebrew
******** (I think it was UBG)
Dragon Stompy
Faeries homebrew
Merfolk
Ichorid
Thoctar Foundry
Goblins
Monowhite aggro
UW Tempo (me)

I have mixed feelings about the deck. Genarally speaking I'm not that good playing these kind of decks anyway. And because I didn't have any experience with the deck its hard for me to know it's real strength because of all the bad plays I made. But I do have the feeling that it's very easy to go wrong if you make even small mistakes. I think mulliganing is the most important part when playing this deck. If you keep bad hands you will be severely punished by your opponent. I'll have to practice a bit more before I take it to another tournament again because I think I was lucky today.

[Forbiddian]

If you don't make mistakes, then you'll win easily. It's only if you're really horrible that you'll have better luck playing an easy deck -- but then again the decks that are "easy" are terrible. A bad player on UW Tempo is going to beat a great player packing burn every time.

But no, you're not punished for small mistakes by this deck. I still win consistently. Aaron still wins consistently. Stuckpixel wins consistently. We all have > 66% win ratio including top 8s/top 4s, etc. despite making a ton of errors.

[pi4meterftw]

Nelis, if you didn't have much time to work on the sideboard, you most definitely should've copied one of the sideboards that I've suggested in this thread. That is, unless you meant you didn't have time to find the right cards in your collection.

Currently, I am testing the following:

// Lands
4 [ON] Flooded Strand
4 [A] Tundra
3 [ON] Windswept Heath
3 [TE] Wasteland
2 [9E] Plains (1)
1 [BD] Island (3)

// Creatures
4 [ON] Weathered Wayfarer
2 [CS] Jotun Grunt
4 [DD2] Fathom Seer
4 [UL] Mother of Runes
4 [TSP] Serra Avenger
2 [WWK] Stoneforge Mystic
1 [ALA] Knight of the White Orchid

// Spells
4 [BD] Brainstorm
4 [AL] Force of Will
4 [OV] Swords to Plowshares
2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
2 [DS] AEther Vial
3 [NE] Daze
2 [ZEN] Spell Pierce
1 [MR] Bonesplitter

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [LRW] Thorn of Amethyst
SB: 3 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 [MI] Enlightened Tutor
SB: 1 [SHM] Wheel of Sun and Moon
SB: 2 [ALA] Ethersworn Canonist
SB: 2 [WL] Aura of Silence
SB: 3 [REW] Condemn


The only thing I'm really testing is the bonesplitter, but it might be interesting for me to see condemn in action.

Bonesplitter accomplishes the following: it's cheap enough that it's actually kind of a good thing to have two equipments. (The reason it's not usually good is that you invest too much into equipping your creatures, cause suggestions were like SOFI etc.)

Bonesplitter is hence an investment-light equipment that makes SFMs useful even after you have jitte.

It's sufficiently threatening that opponents will still remove it if they can, or else our creatures become able to trade with those of other decks like zoo. We tested the 3rd grunt and it was horrible. It has even been removed from the sideboard and KOTWO has been reinstated. I recommend you cut the bonesplitter for a vial if you want a deck that's sure to be reasonably good. I'll get back to you on how well bonesplitter worked.

[Vacrix]

Bonesplitter looks good in some situations and win-more in others. SOFI/SOLS might be investments of 3, but you can always use Stoneforger's ability to bring either into play. SOLS rapes in so many matchups. Is it really that hard to land? I'd imagine Bonesplitter is playable when you have a Mom, KOTWO, or Avenger on the field, but even then.. I'm curious as to how that change turns out.

[Nelis]

Nelis, if you didn't have much time to work on the sideboard, you most definitely should've copied one of the sideboards that I've suggested in this thread. That is, unless you meant you didn't have time to find the right cards in your collection.

Yeah. I probably should've.