[Deck] Quinn The Eskimo- Aka, The Mighty Quinn

[(nameless one)]

Prologue:

This would be my 1st tournament with Quinn. I personally am an aggro player (I would usually run Elves, Goblins or Merfolk). I wanted to try control and since I have most cards in this deck (thanks to my Lin Sivvi EDH deck), I decided to try something new. I also wanted to play mono-color because I never had the chance to purchase any duals or fetches (unfortunately, I only own 4 total fetches). This deck seemed the best candidate and I actually love the idea behind the deck. So why not give it a spin right?

So whenever I have free time (which is rarely), I tried playtesting with this deck. I have playtested but I wouldnt say its adequate testing. That would later show up when I face actual real competitive decks.

Tournament:

Well, the night before the tournament, I was having a late St. Paddy's day gathering with a couple of friends who brought their other friends. I dont remember anything else that night so I wont really talk about it that much.

The following morning, I woke up late. I was in a hurry, trying to grab my deck, traders, my sideboard, my Goblin and Merfolk decks and their sideboards (some friends of mine wanted to borrow them). To make things worst, I dont have a car, I just missed the bus and had to wait for another 30 mins for the next bus. I actually had to call the store owner if he could hold to tournament so that I could get in there in time. I got there about 15 minutes late. I missed my breakfast (which I really don't like) and my phone just died. My day is going just fine and dandy. Good thing though is that I already e-mailed my decklist to the store. The bad news is I didnt update it. Anyways, here was the decklist:

18 Snow-Covered Plains
4 Scrying Sheets

2 Eternal Dragon

4 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Isochron Scepter
1 Pithing Needle

2 Humility
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Runed Halo
1 Genju of the Fields
1 Sacred Mesa
1 Story Circle

4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Orim's Chant
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Abeyance
1 Path to Exile

3 Day of Judgement
2 Decree of Justice
1 Martial Coup

SB:
2 Ghostly Prison
2 Pulse of the Fields
2 Ray of Revelation
2 Rule of Law
2 Tormod's Crypt
1 Aura of Silence
1 Karmic Justice
1 Pithing Needle
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Runed Halo

The Needle on the side should have been Meekstone but since I was in a hurry, I forgot to change the decklist, so I left it anyways.

Round 1: Bye

(1-0)

I guess I needed a break from all that series of unfortunate events that has been happening to me that morning.

Round 2: G/R/U 8-post Slaver Lock combo.

Game 1: I had no clue what he was playing, all he playing spells that fetched his Cloudposts from his library. A couple Reap and Sow disrupting my land. At one point, I had 4 lands with removal in my hand (I thought it was a good hand) but he didnt play any creatures. Instead, he was playing all these cards that made me go "huh?" while I got stuck with two lands thanks to Reap and Sow and terrible shuffling. I got caught offguard and next thing you know he has me on a Slaver-Lock. It was really sad because I thought I was well set for a non-storm combo on main.

Sideboard: -3 D of Judgement, -2 Humility, -3 StP, +2 Ray of Revelation, +2 Tormod's Crypt, +1 Relic of Progenitus, +1 Runed Halo, +1 Aura of Silence, + Pithing Needle

Game 2: This time, I thought I had a good hand. I had Top, Halo, Ray, Crypt and Plains. I went Plains, Top on my 1st turn. Then second turn Halo on Slaver. Then I drew Needle and name Slaver again. I was so scared with tne Slaver that I had to make sure that if he Gripped, there was back up. I later realized that I misplayed there and should have named Academy Ruins on Needle instead. He did his thing about grabbing his Posts, while I was holding on to this cards that will stop him just in case he does something. He then played Triskelion, which saw a Ray right away. I took three from Trike. I made sure Trike doesnt see play again by using Crypt. Next turn he plays a Mountain, then procedeed to Banefire me for 18.

I find his deck to be interesting but everyone thought I was the one who had the interesting deck as they recognize the cards that I was playing. The thought I went crazy and started running highlander for a Legacy tournament and I have Jack Elgin to thank for.

I probably played the deck wrong against that deck and should have won. It looked like I had all the tools needed to hold him. I was just waiting for my win condition until He caught me with my pants down and ended the game when he had the opportunity. I really wished that I had some sort of mana denial or land destruction during that matchup.

(0-2) 1-1

Round 3: Pox-Eva Green Budget Hybrid of some sort??? (He has Sinkholes but no Goyfs)

Game 1: This game is the most interesting Magic game I have played so far. He did managed to do what Eva Green does. He stripped my hand, Sinkholed my Plains, Smallpox here and there. He eventually got me to 1 but at that point I had 2 Halos on his Tombstalker and Bloodghast and Pithing Needle on his Mishra's Factory. His last hope was Nihilith since he doesnt have artifact/enchantment hate on main and all his Smallpoxes were used. I have StP on the Scepter with Humility on play and everything was going fine. However, I was actually doing all this with 4 lands (Wasteland, Sinkholes and Smallpoxes really hurt). I did manage to get a Genju. I tried attacking with my man-plains when he blocked with his Nihilith. On a normal Scenario, my man-plains would be a 2/5 with his abilities under Humility while his Nihilith would be a 1/1 but apparently they're both 1/1s and my both would die as a result of combat. I tried disputing this to the judge but right away, the judge said its the right call. I was furious. I was going crazy as I have never played a game this long before I was actually having a brain cramp. The events that happened the night before isnt helping my cause either. I was getting frustrated. All this turned into a series of misplays, which lead to my downfall. On about 90-92th turn, I Topped and saw Marshal Coup, Humility, Orim's Chant and thought I'll just try to swing for the win. His last Nihilith is suspened with one more counter. It was also his last win con. Hes at 8 (thanks to his Fetches, Night's Whisper and my soldier tokens from Decree). So on my turn, I casted Marshal Coup, putting two tokens into play. If he ever did manage to have Nihilith, I would just either micromanage with my tokens or straight out Sword (from the Scepter) his Nihilith. Tapping all my mana was a mistake as at the end of my turn doing that, he double casted two Diabolic Edict that he as been holding for quite a while. He then proceeded to bring his last Nihilith back into the field and hasted attack me for one for the win. I should have won that but a lot of misplays have happened. I should have won because as I have realized later on that day, Nihilith cant possibly have haste after being suspended because Humility was still online which will give me time to Swords him. I could have won that game because at the end of all this, when we counted our libraries, he had 12 cards left while I still had 16. I still think that I won that game because I did have the advantage of having Genju under Humility. However, I did learn alot from that experience. Also, Painter-Stone Combo would have been good at this scenario. Nonetheless, it was a learning experience, a grueling one however.

Game 2: Time was called and this game ended with a draw. The round goes to him :(

0-1 (1-2)

Round 4: Boros

Game 1: I managed to control the board with everything he throws at me. I have Story Circle on Red, and removed every creature plays. I Needled his Jitte just in case. Marshal Coup got there.

Game 2: I didnt really sideboard anything as I think anything non-blue aggro would be a good matchup. I managed to control the board pretty fast. I had Humility, Story Circle on Red, O-ring one of his creature. It eventually led to a Scepter-Lock. Scepter-Lock did see a Disenchant but my Scrying Top engine was working full scale and eventually got Sacred Mesa to go Pony Trampling.

2-0 (2-2)


Overall, I did not make top 8. I was 13th out of 27 people. I did learn a lot of other things that I didnt learn from my playtesting. It was a bad day that had a good learning experience. And that questionable call, the judge did correct himself later (while I was playing game 2 of round 4). I think he felt guilty so he gave me 2 packs which is about the same price as the tournament fee (I got a Comet Storm which I later traded and a Basilisk Collar!).

Pros:
The deck is awesome, so awesome that a couple of people actually wanted to borrow it for the next legacy tournament (the pure control players in my meta playtested it and absolutely loved the deck)
Everyone thinking that I was running a highlander goodstuf mono-white deck and getting a couple of cheers from it (Im sorry Jack Elgin, I kinda took all the credit this time)

Cons:
The deck definitely needs Painter-Stone combo
Really Long Games leading to brain cramps and hunger
Wrong calls by the Judge
Lets just say other than the packs and the bye, I was not having a good day.

[AlterEgo]

I'm pretty sure, the Nihilith had haste:
There are two continuous effects trying to affect it - the "loses all abilities" from Humility and the "gains haste until you lose conrtol of the spell or the permanent it becomes" from suspend ability. Neither effect is dependant on the other because although the ability text on Nihilith will be deleted, that doesn't affect the triggered ability already on the stack.

Just as your plains is granted the "lifelink" ability by its activated ability, Nihilith gains haste from suspend. That's because both have a later time stamp that Humility and are therefore applied later.

(Well, being consistent with the judge's decision on Genju, it hasn't haste...)

[(nameless one)]

I'm pretty sure, the Nihilith had haste:
There are two continuous effects trying to affect it - the "loses all abilities" from Humility and the "gains haste until you lose conrtol of the spell or the permanent it becomes" from suspend ability. Neither effect is dependant on the other because although the ability text on Nihilith will be deleted, that doesn't affect the triggered ability already on the stack.

Just as your plains is granted the "lifelink" ability by its activated ability, Nihilith gains haste from suspend. That's because both have a later time stamp that Humility and are therefore applied later.

(Well, being consistent with the judge's decision on Genju, it hasn't haste...)

I know what you are saying, its either the later timestamps didnt apply or it did. Anyways, it was a learning experience for me and the in house judge. I will keep playing this deck along with D&T. I will sideline my other decks (Merfolk, Goblins, Elves) for now and try to master the deck.

My buddy who was a control player at heart has no clue what the deck was. All he knows is I took all the aspect of my EDH deck and turned it into Legacy and he loves the deck. He even considered borrowing the deck for a next tournament.

He started playtesting the deck and gave me some ideas. A couple of things he said:

- He considered moving one Ghostly Prison in main for Sacred Mesa. He believes that with Painter-Stone combo and back up Genju, the win condition should be enough. I would love it if it was Moat as sometimes Humility cannot save you.

- He considered a single Nevinyrral's Disk as a Tutor target. I told him that it does affect the deck too but he mentioned that you would only do it anyways if I dont have control of the board. Kind of like an emergency kill-switch

Any opinions?

[AlterEgo]

To add something constructive, this is my current list:

// win conditions (7)
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Eternal Dragon
1 Genju of the Fields
2 Grindstone
2 Painter's Servant

// lockdown (12)
1 Abeyance
1 Humility
3 Isochron Scepter
4 Orim's Chant
2 Runed Halo
1 Thunderstaff

// removal (11)
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Wrath of God
1 Day of Judgment
4 Oblivion Ring

// tutor/draw/other (11)
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Scrying Sheets
3 Sensei's Divining Top

// mana production
19 Snow-covered Plains

I'm still missing some cards (especially Grindstones), so no tournament results yet. But I do practice hard and I think next month I can afford what's missing (well, Moat will have to wait a little longer - but for now the Staff does its job just fine)

I really LOVE Genju in there, they might even become two.
I'd never play less than 4 O-Rings main, they provide a (sometimes even tutorable) answer to Chalices, Walkers, Balances... (there are many of those around here).
I'm not yet satisfied with the number of win conditions - I feel like seven is too few, even if I can tutor for them.
The 3rd Isochron Scepter is likely to leave for a Story Circle, but I don't possess one yet - and I missed the Scepter or a tutor for it way too often.
I also haven't built a Sideboard, as I first have to learn playing the deck, but it will certainly contain Relic, Crypt and 1-2 Canonists.

What do you think?

[(nameless one)]

Your build seems okay AlterEgo, however I would suggest having 4 SDTs and 3 Tutors instead. SDT is like our Aether Vial. It's an important 1st turn card. I never had any problems with just 3 Tutors. Also, I would suggest 2 Humilities as I always find that the 1st one will always be a must answer. Either that or run Argivian Find.

I do agree with your call on O-rings. They can Aldo be tutorable if you need to remove something right away.

I find that Abeyance is our weakest card outside combo and no one really runs any storm based combo around my meta. What was your reason on only running one?

Also, how's Elspeth treating you?

[Schulz]

// win conditions (7)
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Eternal Dragon
1 Genju of the Fields
2 Grindstone
2 Painter's Servant

// lockdown (12)
1 Abeyance
1 Humility
3 Isochron Scepter
4 Orim's Chant
2 Runed Halo
1 Thunderstaff

// removal (11)
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Wrath of God
1 Day of Judgment
4 Oblivion Ring

// tutor/draw/other (11)
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Scrying Sheets
3 Sensei's Divining Top

// mana production
19 Snow-covered Plains

Just some suggestions on what i think you should change:

-1 Genju of Fields, -1 Thunderstaff, -1 Isochron Scepter, -1 Oblivion Ring, -1 Enlightened Tutor, -1 Snow-Covered Plain.

+1 Eternal Dragon, +2 Abeyance, +1 Runed Halo, +1 Humility, +1 Sensei's Divining top.

[kinda]

Has anyone had any recent success with this deck, or have a recent list they think is testing well?

[(nameless one)]

Has anyone had any recent success with this deck, or have a recent list they think is testing well?

Currently, my list is good in my meta. Half of the deck is somehow meta call.

[AlterEgo]

I find that Abeyance is our weakest card outside combo and no one really runs any storm based combo around my meta. What was your reason on only running one?

Only having one.
Chant is far superior of course and Silence is a card I'll definitely try out in this slot. But Abeyance cantrips (quite useful in a scepter) and is as effective as both against any counterspells (sadly it also doesn't cross Counterbalances) to force through a win condition.

On Tutor/Top:
I do want to play four Tops, but I already keep drawing far too few tutors...

I also agree with you on Humility. But what to cut? The 3rd Scepter (as suggested by Schulz, too) is one spot, but the second?
I won't cut Genju, Elspeth, Dragon or the combo, as I already feel too light with win conditions. I can't cut a plains, because even with 23 lands, I keep drawing one-land hands. Thunderstaff is my replacement for Moat (and even has won me a game so far!) it won't go, too.

Elspeth is a bomb. I can't even protect her, but still she wins me games. By now, I can't further specify that as I've played yet too few games.

[Schulz]

@AlterEgo

The trade off of a land for an Etrnal Dragon is a fair trade due to the fact that E. Dragon can get you a land and still come back to your hand later in the game and thats another win con so you could cut the Genju of Fields. I would still just put in another Humility over thunderstaff because it is just far superior. The Abeyances are good for more then just stopping combo. They also make it so CounterTop can't top etc. I still think you should make the suggested changes i posted above.

[(nameless one)]

I agree with Schulz on Thunderstaff.

Thunderstaff + Humility trick is cute but we already have a damn good match up against aggro. Plus Thunderstaff is a dead card by itself.

[the Thin White Duke]

Only having one.
Chant is far superior of course and Silence is a card I'll definitely try out in this slot. But Abeyance cantrips (quite useful in a scepter) and is as effective as both against any counterspells (sadly it also doesn't cross Counterbalances) to force through a win condition.

Elspeth is a bomb. I can't even protect her, but still she wins me games. By now, I can't further specify that as I've played yet too few games.

I love Abeyance in traditional Wombat type MWC builds, but I think it should be relegated to side boards for Quinn.
Elspeth is tits. She may get taken out soon after you play her, but sometimes her purpose is to create a diversion and buy you some time. If you can get your opponent to concentrate on dealing with Elspeth and diverting attention to you for a turn or two (or more) then she's more than paid for her 4cc.

[kinda]

I checked deckcheck to try and figure out the what wombat is and it look the same as quinn...am I missing something? On a side note I put this deck together minus moat and will probably be playing it the next time I play legacy...which looks like in april. On that note...I don't really want to buy a moat but if I feel like it's really worth it I will. So I was looking at moat vs. humility in matchups and it looks like: (this is assuming that you won't be able to reasonably get both during a game most of the time)

Humility:
zoo
reanimator
survival decks with iona
really any deck with iona
pretty much any deck running qasali pridemage
decks running dark confidant along with enchantment/artifact hate
faeries/sea stompy/angel stomy/decks with flying win cons

moat:
goblin (slim to none in my meta)
merfolk (somewhat prevalent)
43 land (slime to none again)
aggro loam (not sure of prevalence)

So bascially I haven't done enough testing to come to any conclusions so...
1) how does everyone feel about the merfolk matchup?
2) despite pridemage do people still tutor up moat against wgx?

Oh also...as far as wrath is concerned, does everyone feel it's quick enough on the draw? I remember feeling that it was too slow even during ravnica era standard against zoo.

Edit: Oh and did anyone try cenn's enlistment as a 1-2 off to go with humility and the land draw engine?

[lordofthepit]

I checked deckcheck to try and figure out the what wombat is and it look the same as quinn...am I missing something? On a side note I put this deck together minus moat and will probably be playing it the next time I play legacy...which looks like in april. On that note...I don't really want to buy a moat but if I feel like it's really worth it I will. So I was looking at moat vs. humility in matchups and it looks like: (this is assuming that you won't be able to reasonably get both during a game most of the time)

Humility:
zoo
reanimator
survival decks with iona
really any deck with iona
pretty much any deck running qasali pridemage
decks running dark confidant along with enchantment/artifact hate
faeries/sea stompy/angel stomy/decks with flying win cons

moat:
goblin (slim to none in my meta)
merfolk (somewhat prevalent)
43 land (slime to none again)
aggro loam (not sure of prevalence)

So bascially I haven't done enough testing to come to any conclusions so...
1) how does everyone feel about the merfolk matchup?
2) despite pridemage do people still tutor up moat against wgx?

Oh also...as far as wrath is concerned, does everyone feel it's quick enough on the draw? I remember feeling that it was too slow even during ravnica era standard against zoo.

Edit: Oh and did anyone try cenn's enlistment as a 1-2 off to go with humility and the land draw engine?

I've had no intention of getting a copy of Moat ever since the M10 rules allowed Humility to play nicely with Painter's Servant. That's not to suggest there aren't instances where Moat wouldn't be useful, but I'd much rather run go without Moat than without Humility (and in fact, I'd rather run the second Humility than a Moat, despite the disadvantages of the redundancy).

[kinda]

Do you still run eternal dragon? I've found that I'm not satisfied with three shuffle effects...at the very least I think I'll up the tutors to 4.

[(nameless one)]

I didnt really need to shuffle with Quinn.

E Dragons are there to fetch me some Plains and recur them late game if I need them and Tutors are there to fetch me something that I need. I find that two is enough.

I am still skeptical on Abeyance since I am currently not running the Painter-Stone Combo. Its good as protection against something like Counter-Top or other non-storm combo shenanigans. But for the most part, its just there to give me a card.

[Schulz]

I didnt really need to shuffle with Quinn.

E Dragons are there to fetch me some Plains and recur them late game if I need them and Tutors are there to fetch me something that I need. I find that two is enough.

I am still skeptical on Abeyance since I am currently not running the Painter-Stone Combo. Its good as protection against something like Counter-Top or other non-storm combo shenanigans. But for the most part, its just there to give me a card.

What are you talking about? abeyace is good agaimst storm combo. "Until end of turn, target player cannot play instants, interrupts sorceries, or abilities requiring an activation cost. Draw a dard." -Abeyance. storm is instants and sorceries. the win cons are all sorceries. you can play after they get the storm count pretty high and before they play their win cons and now they are screwed.

[(nameless one)]

I actually meant combo in general... Not just non-storm. I must have been high when I typed that.

Another question: how low should my life be when I start to worry. Throughout my playtesting, I found that I've lost a match when the following happens: I get land screwed/my opponents destroy my mana-base or my opponent has that reach.

Should I worry if I haven't stabilized when I'm at 5 life? Would Pulse of the Fields on main help or is it too much?

[Pastorofmuppets]

So I'm new to this, but exactly WHY does this deck run itself in white? I mean, every color has its kill conditions, and every basic land comes in a snow form.

[(nameless one)]

I find that whenever I splash something with it to make more agressive, the deck just falters. Not enough defense and not enough win condition. I have also tried splashing blue and black for more control but it just doesn't synergize with the main control pieces anyways. Maybe I have been playing it wrong but I find the mono-white version fine. Also, splashing comes with duals to make it effective and less snow permanents doesn't really work out

On the other hand, when it comes to stalling, has anyone tested Sun Droplet or Convalescent Care? Possibly Pulse of the Fields on main?