[Deck] Merfolk

[cheerios]

@APodeschwa

do you mind posting your list containing the standstills? I'm also planning to bring it back in my deck but I'm having trouble choosing which cards to cut.

[APodeschwa]

4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Aether Vial
4 Force of Will
4 Daze
4 Coralhelm Commander
4 Cursecatcher
4 Mental Misstep
4 Silvergill Adept
13 Island
4 Mutavault
4 Wasteland
4 Lord of Atlantis
3 Standstill
SB: 3 Submerge
SB: 2 Umezawa's Jitte
SB: 3 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 Spell Pierce
SB: 2 Llawan, Cephalid Empress
2 free SB-slots

but for that argue on my post :P

[cheerios]

@APodeschwa

point
1. I agree with this, this is the reason why standstill is often a dead card in zoo matchups. First turn nacatl or grim lavamancer = dead standstill often. Mutavaults can also be wastelanded.
2. It boils down to who has better board position. It won't be much of a dead card once you have an aether vial on the board.
3. I won't be able to answer this since I haven't tested MM extensively. I guest i depends on the deck you are facing. Usually the fish are strong against control decks and kinda weak against deck that play hymn to tourach with lots of removal (junk and suicide black) and decks with better one drops with lots of removal (zoo).
4. I agree
5. Are you pointing to the countertop thopter matchup? Standstill allows us to hit critical mass faster before they can resolve bridge or humility. It also gives us the opportunity to get a fow off standstill when they decide to break it.
6. I agree
7. I agree

Please feel free to criticize since I am just new to this deck. Any form of constructive criticism is welcome :)

[Joe_C]

I've been testing Reef Shaman in curecatcher's place. So far it has been very good no matter when I drop it. In the early game I can wasteland their land, and then turn the other one into some basic that's outside the deck's colors during their upkeep. In the late game it can give you the ability to islandwalk any deck, which that fact has won me many matches versus goblins and zoo. In the mirror you can shut off opposing MV and protect your own from being wasted. Lastly, in the event you only have an island and non-basics, shaman can allow you to play your double blue spells as well.

I don't believe you can actually protect your mutavault with an effect that makes it into another land type. It is still a non basic land on top of it being a whatever land type it gets changed to. I'm not %100 that I am right but I believe what I just said is correct.

[Sims]

I don't believe you can actually protect your mutavault with an effect that makes it into another land type. It is still a non basic land on top of it being a whatever land type it gets changed to. I'm not %100 that I am right but I believe what I just said is correct.

Correct- it's still a non-basic land. Similarly to how Blood Moon makes non-basic Mountains.

[landwalker000]

Sorry about that guys. I wrote that response pretty late after work, which is still a lame excuse considering I played the hell out of some magus of the moon in vintage for quite some time. But even with that error aside, shaman isn't bad, it just serves a different purpose then catcher does. Shaman is much better vs. aggro decks, and catcher is much better for the combo/control matches. Also, wouldn't gilded drake be just better then sower for this deck? Does a 3/3 Flyer really matter?

[Star|Scream]

Sorry about that guys. I wrote that response pretty late after work, which is still a lame excuse considering I played the hell out of some magus of the moon in vintage for quite some time. But even with that error aside, shaman isn't bad, it just serves a different purpose then catcher does. Shaman is much better vs. aggro decks, and catcher is much better for the combo/control matches. Also, wouldn't gilded drake be just better then sower for this deck? Does a 3/3 Flyer really matter?

Well I think the point is to remove a blocker, not give the opponent a flying one. But now that I think about it, the drake is pretty cute with vial and echoing truth.

[lorddotm]

Are you guys seriously talking about Reef Shaman and Tidal Warrior?

They were talked about before Coralhelm, and they were shot down, why would they be good now?

[Star|Scream]

Are you guys seriously talking about Reef Shaman and Tidal Warrior?

They were talked about before Coralhelm, and they were shot down, why would they be good now?

I don't think the word "seriously" can be used in this instance.

[landwalker000]

Reef shaman has been pretty much forgotten, and it has neat tricks that tidal warrior can't do. Dropping this guys turn one, and then wasting turn two, is quite good honestly. Since at the beginning of their 2nd turn you can just turn their only land into a basic that produces a color that isn't in their deck. I understand that the card lacks a power, but it slows down most of your opponents too. Catcher is great, but he doesn't do much in the matches that the deck is bad against, where as shaman actually helps. Being able to islandwalk any aggro deck is a huge advantage. It's also nice that shaman can help you cast your double blue spells too. Both creatures have advantages and disadvantages to them. I just think that shaman helps you to get to the top 8. I understand without results my opinion of reef shaman matters little though.

[lorddotm]

Reef shaman has been pretty much forgotten, and it has neat tricks that tidal warrior can't do. Dropping this guys turn one, and then wasting turn two, is quite good honestly. Since at the beginning of their 2nd turn you can just turn their only land into a basic that produces a color that isn't in their deck. I understand that the card lacks a power, but it slows down most of your opponents too. Catcher is great, but he doesn't do much in the matches that the deck is bad against, where as shaman actually helps. Being able to islandwalk any aggro deck is a huge advantage. It's also nice that shaman can help you cast your double blue spells too. Both creatures have advantages and disadvantages to them. I just think that shaman helps you to get to the top 8. I understand without results my opinion of reef shaman matters little though.

You realize a lot of cards in Legacy have colourless in their mana cost right?

Also, your play requires you to know their deck. If they go Island, go, what are you changing their Island into? Also, if they just ignore it and drop another dual and a Goyf, you have literally wasted your turn one where you could've played a Cursecatcher to help disrupt them, or a Vial and ignore them.

All in all, Reef Shaman is absolutely horrible, don't run it.

[lorddotm]

Reef shaman has been pretty much forgotten, and it has neat tricks that tidal warrior can't do. Dropping this guys turn one, and then wasting turn two, is quite good honestly. Since at the beginning of their 2nd turn you can just turn their only land into a basic that produces a color that isn't in their deck. I understand that the card lacks a power, but it slows down most of your opponents too. Catcher is great, but he doesn't do much in the matches that the deck is bad against, where as shaman actually helps. Being able to islandwalk any aggro deck is a huge advantage. It's also nice that shaman can help you cast your double blue spells too. Both creatures have advantages and disadvantages to them. I just think that shaman helps you to get to the top 8. I understand without results my opinion of reef shaman matters little though.

You realize a lot of cards in Legacy have colourless in their mana cost right?

Also, your play requires you to know their deck. If they go Island, go, what are you changing their Island into? Also, if they just ignore it and drop another dual and a Goyf, you have literally wasted your turn one where you could've played a Cursecatcher to help disrupt them, or a Vial and ignore them.

All in all, Reef Shaman is absolutely horrible, don't run it.

[DrHealex]

While those two 1 drop merfolk arent great, cursecatcher isn;'t that far above them. He makes our good matchups even better, and does nothing for our bad ones. Now, if there was a 1 drop merfolk that was sac to counter an activated ability unless they pay2 or something.... then we would have something. I have ran stifles in the cursecather slot before, and you rarely miss the little guy.

[Humphrey]

What about Manta Raiders or Cosi Trickster?

[SlopeeJ]

Why don't you guys test these cards instead of just randomly asking about bad cards? Why don't you test and then give us the details, post your results.....

Anyone tried Merfolk of the Pearl Trident?

[Whippoorwill]

Anyone tried Merfolk of the Pearl Trident?

http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/s...n-Rhode-Island

lol

[(nameless one)]

What about Manta Raiders or Cosi Trickster?

Coralhelm Commander fulfills Manta Rider's role: an alternative evasive creature.

Cosi's Tricksters are only good with decks that have a lot of shuffle effects, such as CounterTop deck but we already have a good matchup with that. Against Zoo, he won't live past 2 turns. Against Storm-based combo, Cursecatcher is just better. Against Junk type decks, he won't get as big as a Goyf, let alone a KotReliquary. Junk decks have a greater chance of flipping Tombstalker with Bob than Trickster getting bigger than the mentioned creatures.

Why don't you guys test these cards instead of just randomly asking about bad cards? Why don't you test and then give us the details, post your results.....

Anyone tried Merfolk of the Pearl Trident?

I tried them too. Its the worst 1-drop merfolk for this deck. At best, they're just tunashields with no purpose.

[Star|Scream]

http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/s...n-Rhode-Island

lol

You can't argue with results. He "beat like a champ" and pitched to force, apparently.

[chags]

You can't argue with results. He "beat like a champ" and pitched to force, apparently.

zomg tech

[Star|Scream]

zomg tech

wait a tick... our vials and cursecatchers are def going to be misstepped, so why NOT run pearl trident instead? Who in their right mind is going to counter that??