[Deck] Merfolk

[Telepathic]

I'm new to the forum and may have missed some of these topics in the previous pages. But has there been any tries of sejiri merfolk and could that be played with a tundra or two in a black splash version to counter act some of the life loss? Is life gain pointless in a tempo deck?

I also read the ari lax article. I thought the brainstorm suggestion was interesting as I always thought brainstorm had no place in merfolk. I might be too new to legacy to understand why now would be the time for brainstorm as opposed to the rest of merfolk's play history.

[lyracian]

Ari Lax has a premium article up SCG concerning the path that aggro decks (inlc Merfolk) should take. He suggested hard counters such as Spell Snare in lieu of the taxing counters such as Daze and Cursecatcher (which could be replaced by the 1CC Merfolk dude that flies when level-ed up.

Skywatcher Adept
4 Mana for a 2/2 Flyer; 10 mana for a 4/2 Flyer.

Seems a bit weak since you can only level up as a sorcery.

[Gunseng]

Hi everybody,

I am a new merfolk player. So far I have only taken the deck for a spinn on a local tournament, where I went 2:2 thanks to some bad luck and my suboptimal playing. I am confused about the role of [CARD]submerge[/CARD] in this deck. Against what kind of decks do you usually board it in? After all, it is only usable against opponents running green and isn't it better to dismember that pesky Goyf instead of bouncing it?

[lyracian]

Hi everybody,

I am a new merfolk player. So far I have only taken the deck for a spinn on a local tournament, where I went 2:2 thanks to some bad luck and my suboptimal playing. I am confused about the role of [CARD]submerge[/CARD] in this deck. Against what kind of decks do you usually board it in? After all, it is only usable against opponents running green and isn't it better to dismember that pesky Goyf instead of bouncing it?

However Dismember does very little againt a 10/10 knight of the reliquary you also get to cast it for zero mana and it slows the opponent down since they have to draw the card again. You can also be sneaky and cast it in response to a fetchland activation so the creature gets shuffled away. Yes killing the creature would be better, but you can not always do that.

[TheyCallMeTim]

Skywatcher Adept
4 Mana for a 2/2 Flyer; 10 mana for a 4/2 Flyer.

Seems a bit weak since you can only level up as a sorcery.

Personally, I like Cosi's Trickster. Works well with Path to Exile and may even have synergy with Sejiri Merfolk but seems janky.

You can also be sneaky and cast it in response to a fetchland activation so the creature gets shuffled away. Yes killing the creature would be better, but you can not always do that.

Or a KotR activation.

[KobeBryan]

Personally, I like Cosi's Trickster. Works well with Path to Exile and may even have synergy with Sejiri Merfolk but seems janky.



Or a KotR activation.

Cosi's seems very good, unfortunately, the creatures in the deck are pretty set. There are only 4 flex slots to play with and those need to be either removal, counters.

[Curby]

I don't think Cosi's seems that good, just as I don't think Wake Thrasher's that good. You get consistency through redundancy, by having creatures that build off each other. Any could be countered or removed, and the rest will make it work. If "beef is enough" worked, we'd splash green for Goyf. We need creatures that work with each other, or have other useful abilities like Adept or Cursecatcher.

Unfortunately, this makes the list very rigid, which was exactly the problem CounterSliver had. It couldn't evolve because the inviolable core of the deck was so large. It stayed stagnant as the rest of the field progressed, and eventually lost relevance. I hope that doesn't happen here. =)

[TheyCallMeTim]

Obviously we need removal and sideboard options to shore up our bad match ups (which at this point is SFM.dec really). I've been playing around with a variety of splashes (as opposed to Mono U with Dismember) running fetchlands and Brainstorm, primarily thanks to the awesome banning thread </sarcasm>. I know it's been tried and disregarded, but I think of it as replacing the slot that was once occupied by Standstill and that it's a good time in the metagame to be re-evaluated.

Here's my typical shell:

4 Cursecatcher
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Coralhelm Commander
4 Merrow Reejerey

4 Aether Vial
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze
// Or a combination of Spell Snare and/or Spell Pierce
4 Force of Will

4 Wasteland
3 Mutavault
5 Island
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta

This leaves 5 spots for 1-2 Dual Lands and 3-4 removal cards. Here are the options:

Black
Ghastly Demise
Go for the Throat
Dismember
Dark Confidant

//Sideboard:
Extirpate
Surgical Extraction
Deathmark
Perish
Dystopia
Leyline of the Void
Engineered Plague
//Doesn't have an answer to Batterskull?

White
Swords to Plowshares

//Sideboard:
Disenchant
Divine Offering
Tariff
Retribution of the Meek
Enlightened Tutor
//with package
Ethersworn Canonist

My new, sub-par idea:

Red
Lightning Bolt

//Sideboard:
Red Elemental Blast
Shattering Spree
Crush
Combust
Disorder
Lightning Dart

Any thoughts or constructive criticism? Which of these colors adresses our issues the most? Would you play Mono U Fetchland/Brainstorm? Standstill?

[DukeDemonKn1ght]

Obviously we need removal and sideboard options to shore up our bad match ups (which at this point is SFM.dec really). I've been playing around with a variety of splashes (as opposed to Mono U with Dismember) running fetchlands and Brainstorm, primarily thanks to the awesome banning thread </sarcasm>. I know it's been tried and disregarded, but I think of it as replacing the slot that was once occupied by Standstill and that it's a good time in the metagame to be re-evaluated.

I'd be interested to hear what you think of Brainstorm after some testing. I think it could be potentially worthwhile in a splashed list. But to answer your question towards the end now: No. I wouldn't use Brainstorm in a mono-blue build. The quality of Brainstorm in any given deck is contingent on how badly you need to find the cards that it gives you. This is a deck with a lot of redundancies, so your build needs to justify its use of Brainstorm, IMO, and mono-blue just doesn't, again IMO.

Here's my typical shell:...

This leaves 5 spots for 1-2 Dual Lands and 3-4 removal cards. Here are the options:

Black
Ghastly Demise
Go for the Throat
Dismember
Dark Confidant

//Sideboard:
Extirpate
Surgical Extraction
Deathmark
Perish
Dystopia
Leyline of the Void
Engineered Plague
//Doesn't have an answer to Batterskull?

Tower of the Magistrate is about the best "answer to Batterskull" card that is available in blue, black, or colorless. Also, I wouldn't run Dystopia, particularly if you only can find space for two dual lands in your list. It could be good against a very specific meta, but most decks that it will hit are going to have an easy time using Wasteland to keep you from ever getting .
In general, black still seems like the best splash color to me. I'd load up on Spell Pierce in the sideboard though, since it does nothing to cover your ass on the "resolved artifacts/enchantments" problem, so countering shit seems like your best shot in this build.
Also, Planar Void should be tested as well as Leyline. Granted, you may waste a turn of board presence by playing it, but with Leyline, you're basically not getting it out there unless you mull into it. Void, you can choose to try to mull for, or you can actually just resolve it, if you happen to draw into it. Either option should probably be supplemented by some sort of Crypt/Relic effect though, since they're both not going to solve any existing problems in your opponent's graveyard.

White
Swords to Plowshares

//Sideboard:
Disenchant
Divine Offering
Tariff
Retribution of the Meek
Enlightened Tutor
//with package
Ethersworn Canonist

Tariff seems sort of ineffective, unless you expect a lot of Reanimator. Back in the day (over a year ago) when I put in a fair amount of time testing the white splash, I was having some minor good times with Burrenton Forge Tender. I understand that Goblins are not big in the meta right now, but this little fucker is stalwart against them, and he also has utility against Zoo, since he saves your lords from getting burned out (acting in this match-up almost like a cheaper, one-shot Kira-- the difference is you can Vial in Forge Tender to save a creature). Also, he's good against random outliers like Dragon Stompy (not that this is the most convincing selling point...) Just a random suggestion. White has fairly deep splash options for this deck, IMO, but they're not all immediately obvious. I think Retribution of the Meek does have the potential to be a really strong sideboard card for us though. Just be careful how you stack those lords and level up those Commanders if you anticipate having to play it.

My new, sub-par idea:

Red
Lightning Bolt

//Sideboard:
Red Elemental Blast
Shattering Spree
Crush
Combust
Disorder
Lightning Dart

Don't. You have what is usually more reliable and versatile artifact hate in green (Krosan Grip, although sadly green lacks many other incentives-- Goyf is meh in this deck usually) or white. You don't really need to double down on anti-blue hate with REB, since Merfolk already has the added benefit of preying on other blue decks. Unless your local meta is like, "Counterbalance, Mono Blue Control, Spiral Tide, other Merfolk deck, etc." -- you don't really need it (and in that imaginary meta, you're almost automatically the best deck anyways). I don't know. If your meta has a lot of aggro, and you're dead set on still playing Merfolk (despite that you probably shouldn't if your meta has a lot of aggro), maybe Lightning Bolt makes it worth it. But this does seem a little sub-par, as you say.

Any thoughts or constructive criticism? Which of these colors adresses our issues the most? Would you play Mono U Fetchland/Brainstorm? Standstill?

I'm still thinking black is the best these days. White is probably viable, but would require more playtesting and finessing, since it is less of an established variation on the deck. Retribution of the Meek seems good, and an Enlightened Tutor package could be very good, if you build it judiciously as all hell. However, I think black does more to solve Merfolks' problems (ie, best-in-class graveyard hate, sweepers against big dumb beaters, Plague for metas where you expect Goblins or Elves, etc.), despite lacking anything good for artifacts and enchantments (Gate to Phyrexia absolutely isn't viable for this deck, lol).

Also, in general: I think two dual lands is cutting it a little close for a splashed version. I've usually found that I like three, or sometimes even four duals, in my testing with splashed versions. It just sucks getting Wastelanded out of being able to play the splash cards you boarded in for some given matchup, plain and simple.

[yoshencranz]

Havent sleeved up Merfolk in awhile, but I've been thinking of adding Snapcaster to the mix.

4 Aether Vial

4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Silvergil Adept
4 Coralhelm Commander
4 Merrow Reejery
2 Cursecatcher
4 Snapcaster Mage

2 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
2 Spell Snare
1 Spell Pierce

4 Mutavault
4 Wasteland
1 Mishra's Factory
11 Island

This is just off the top of my head, but since everyone is playing Snapcaster these days, why not Merfolk? I mean, we are talking Brainstorm which use to be a big NO NO with this deck, why not just make use of the best Blue creature ever printed?

I can see the obvious non-tribal synergy with the deck, but I think its worth a try.

[Koby]

Swordfish (UW Merfolk + SFM) has been one of the better Merfolk U/x splashes that I've seen over the last year. You already have the mechanism to make it work (Aether Vial), and it provides the deck with the best removal in the format.

[DukeDemonKn1ght]

Swordfish (UW Merfolk + SFM) has been one of the better Merfolk U/x splashes that I've seen over the last year. You already have the mechanism to make it work (Aether Vial), and it provides the deck with the best removal in the format.

What equipments do you use in that build? How many copies of SFM? How many merfolk? And with all that, is there room for StP in the maindeck?

It seems like he could be a pretty good inclusion, but it also seems like his package takes up a bit more room than some of the more standard "just toss this into the core" types of splashes.

[KobeBryan]

Swordfish (UW Merfolk + SFM) has been one of the better Merfolk U/x splashes that I've seen over the last year. You already have the mechanism to make it work (Aether Vial), and it provides the deck with the best removal in the format.

How do you like the white splash. So far, I only use splash for removal and not for the blades. removal and for enchantment removal.

[Koby]

What equipments do you use in that build? How many copies of SFM? How many merfolk? And with all that, is there room for StP in the maindeck?

It seems like he could be a pretty good inclusion, but it also seems like his package takes up a bit more room than some of the more standard "just toss this into the core" types of splashes.

3 SFM
1 Jitte
1 Sword of Light & Shadow (seems most relevant here)
2-4 StP (remainder in the SB)

Cutting 4 Standstill slots, and some number of Spell Pierce, Cursecatcher, or Daze. I'm not sure of the exact list, but that seems to be about what I saw. SoFF wouldn't be bad either (considering that the deck has Manlands to take advantage, or relevant protection)

[Magic_Shortbus9]

Havent sleeved up Merfolk in awhile, but I've been thinking of adding Snapcaster to the mix.

4 Aether Vial

4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Silvergil Adept
4 Coralhelm Commander
4 Merrow Reejery
2 Cursecatcher
4 Snapcaster Mage

2 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
2 Spell Snare
1 Spell Pierce

4 Mutavault
4 Wasteland
1 Mishra's Factory
11 Island

This is just off the top of my head, but since everyone is playing Snapcaster these days, why not Merfolk? I mean, we are talking Brainstorm which use to be a big NO NO with this deck, why not just make use of the best Blue creature ever printed?

I can see the obvious non-tribal synergy with the deck, but I think its worth a try.

I thought about him also but the redundancy of merfolk is what makes it good. You really only have 8 targets for snaps as u have to pay full cost for FoW. In order to make him work u would have to take out some of the redundancy of the deck which IMO would weaken the deck. but anything is worth testing.

[Curby]

I thought about him also but the redundancy of merfolk is what makes it good. You really only have 8 targets for snaps as u have to pay full cost for FoW. In order to make him work u would have to take out some of the redundancy of the deck which IMO would weaken the deck. but anything is worth testing.

I'd pare that down to 5 real targets. How often are you going to pay 4 mana to Daze the opponent, when your land is being used to attack, disrupt, and cast your Merfolk army?

Hell, instead of Snapcaster in the list as given I'd just run more Brainstorm and countermagic. Then you realize that the deck is consistent enough that you'd rather just draw and keep three, so then you take out Brainstorm for Standstill. Then you're back to square one, and you realize why the deck's constructed the way it is. =)

By all means though, test it out and let us know how it works out. In the spirit of my sig, I don't think it will be a net improvement.

[TheyCallMeTim]

Hell, instead of Snapcaster in the list as given I'd just run more Brainstorm and countermagic. Then you realize that the deck is consistent enough that you'd rather just draw and keep three, so then you take out Brainstorm for Standstill. Then you're back to square one, and you realize why the deck's constructed the way it is. =)

What's your list then? Are you running the classic FOW, Daze, Standstill, Stifle?

[Curby]

Always a little in flux due to meta/scouting. I think something like this is currently sleeved:

12 Island
4 Waste
4 Muta

4 Vial
4 FoW
3 Daze
3 Standstill
3 Pierce/Snare

4 Cursecatcher
4 Adept
4 LoA
4 Commander
3 Image
3 Reejerey

It probably doesn't add up to 60 but you get the idea. As I said, it's just off the top of my head.

[KobeBryan]

Always a little in flux due to meta/scouting. I think something like this is currently sleeved:

12 Island
4 Waste
4 Muta

4 Vial
4 FoW
3 Daze
3 Standstill
3 Pierce/Snare

4 Cursecatcher
4 Adept
4 LoA
4 Commander
3 Image
3 Reejerey

It probably doesn't add up to 60 but you get the idea. As I said, it's just off the top of my head.

Rukus here suggested doing a small blade package of 4-5 cards. Do you guys think this is a good idea?

It will replace the 3rd counter package and some removal. what do you guys think

[cheerios]

I'm wondering, which matchups are the stoneblade package beneficial? Thanks!