[Deck] GW/x Maverick

[maktus]

Has anyone tried Dueling Grounds as an option vs. aggro decks? I've only been playing this deck (GW version) for a short time but I have found Affinity, Goblins and Burn to be quite problematic MUs. Haven't played Zoo, but surely it would be helpful in that MU as well.

I'm in doubt which one is better: Dueling Grounds or Gostly Prison

[majikal]

This deck is such a blast to play, I don't know why people don't play it more.

Because then it would be the only thing you'd ever play against? I mean, according to tournament data it appears to be the third most popular archetype.

[sdematt]

Third most popular? Not good enough. Time to hand out Savannahs to Standard players.

Worship actually seems like an interesting choice. Most decks might not even bring in outs to it. I know I don't bringing in Enchantment hate against Maverick...

-Matt

[zulander]

Has anyone tried Dueling Grounds as an option vs. aggro decks? I've only been playing this deck (GW version) for a short time but I have found Affinity, Goblins and Burn to be quite problematic MUs. Haven't played Zoo, but surely it would be helpful in that MU as well.

Jitte is the best card against those decks, bring in E. tutor

[Koby]

Jitte is the best card against those decks, bring in E. tutor

Uh... no.

Unless you run silver bullets like Serenity, Energy Flux, COP:red, Worhsip, etc - you don't bring in Etutor for Burn or Affinity; there is never a situation where you want to bring in Etutor vs Goblins.

[makochman]

My take on GWu Maverick.

mainboard: 60 cards
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Geist of Saint Traft
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
4 Mother of Runes

4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm

1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Fire and Ice

23 lands
3 Wasteland
1 Tundra
3 Savannah
2 Tropical Island
1 Forest
1 Plains
1 Karakas
2 Horizon Canopy
4 Windswept Heath
3 Misty Rainforest
1 Moorland Haunt
1 Dryad Arbor

SB: 15 cards
1 Circle of Protection: Red
1 Crucible of Worlds
2 Tormod's Crypt
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Pithing Needle
2 Enlightened Tutor
2 Path to Exile
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Krosan Grip
1 Tower of the Magistrate

I'm trying to develop the list of Morgan Burks, which can be found here:
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=43734

The sideboard is for a partially known, largely aggro metagame with a good chance of running into budget, but strong, decks like Burn or Dredge.

I decided not to play counters (Spell Pierce) in the sideboard because I feel they are not enough of a hindrance to combo decks that pack FoW... which, fortunately for us Maverick players, are not often seen today.

I am liking Moorland Haunt as a mid-game KotR target, an insurance policy of sorts against sweepers, although regrettably it is rather slow.

[zulander]

Uh... no.

Unless you run silver bullets like Serenity, Energy Flux, COP:red, Worhsip, etc - you don't bring in Etutor for Burn or Affinity; there is never a situation where you want to bring in Etutor vs Goblins.

You do realize people are putting cop:r in the board now right? E tutor in the affinity matchup isn't bad either if your running things like EE or O. Ring

[maktus]

what do you think of Cursed Scroll in sb against aggro and planes? with or without e. tutor?

[.:saturno:.]

yesterday i have played geist-mav list of M.Burk in a local tournament and is a bomb deck thx to geist but in mirror match with GW mav. i have missed punishing fire combo and i lost the game cuz my oppo do 5 StP in a game.
i have tested elspeth vs mirror but i dont like much, cursed scroll can do a good idea but 1 qasali resolve it to break.
anyone have idea for mirror and aggro match with geist mav?

sorry for my bad english

[Rafa]

yesterday i have played geist-mav list of M.Burk in a local tournament and is a bomb deck thx to geist but in mirror match with GW mav. i have missed punishing fire combo and i lost the game cuz my oppo do 5 StP in a game.
i have tested elspeth vs mirror but i dont like much, cursed scroll can do a good idea but 1 qasali resolve it to break.
anyone have idea for mirror and aggro match with geist mav?

sorry for my bad english

I've also played at a local tournament yesterday and I won a mirror match boarding in the Natural Order package. They usually have no answer for that!

[Koby]

Just wanted to chime in to report a quickie - played in a GPT last nite, went 4-0-2 into Top 8 as first seed (lots of draws...), then got my ass kicked by Reanimator in Top 8.

I'm playing my GW list, recent change has been to add Elspeth to the maindeck.

I boarded in 11 cards against reanimator, and saw only 3 of them in the 2 SB games. *shrug* Thems the breaks.

Current SB plan:
2 E-tutor
2 Choke
2 Ethersworn Canonist
2 Path to Exile
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Maze of Ith
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Worship

I brought in everything but Choke and Canonist, but ended up getting Jin-gixatias'd out on turn 2, with FoW backup against my removal. Turn 1 Thoughtseize taking the relevant card didn't help me either.

[sdematt]

Did you get anyone to Worship you?

-Matt

[Neuad]

Played in SCG Cinci with this list

// Lands
1 [FUT] Dryad Arbor
1 [LG] Karakas
4 [MPR] Wasteland
1 [ISD] Forest (3)
2 [FUT] Horizon Canopy
2 [ON] Flooded Strand
4 [ON] Windswept Heath
4 [B] Savannah
3 [9E] Plains (3)

// Creatures
3 [LRW] Gaddock Teeg
3 [WWK] Stoneforge Mystic
3 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
1 [CMD] Scavenging Ooze
4 [CHP] Serra Avenger
4 [FNM] Mother of Runes
4 [DDH] Qasali Pridemage
3 [CFX] Knight of the Reliquary

// Spells
2 [4E] Sylvan Library
1 [DS] Sword of Light and Shadow
1 [JGC] Sword of Fire and Ice
1 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
4 [V10] AEther Vial
4 [IA] Swords to Plowshares

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [ALA] Ethersworn Canonist
SB: 3 [DDD] Faerie Macabre
SB: 1 [WWK] Bojuka Bog
SB: 2 [HOP] Oblivion Ring
SB: 3 [CFX] Path to Exile
SB: 2 [FNM] Krosan Grip


Round 1 - Lost to Bant. I couldn't find removal game 1 and he just rolled me with multiple plows. Game 2 I got a vial down and was just able to pump out more guys. Game 3 he found his counters finally and countered some relevant stuff.

Boarding
-3 Teeg
+3 Path

Round 2 - Beat B/W. The deck is bad. Game 1 I kept a risky hand, he thoughtseized my vial on 1 and I got color screwed. Game 2 and 3 he was stuck on 1-2 the whole game and I just rolled him.

Boarding
-3 Teeg
+3 Path

Round 3 - Beat affinity. KGrips, ORings, extra removal got there. He played out his hand and rolled me game 1, game 2 and 3 I was able to get timely removal, and then a sword of light and shadow recurring pridemage to just dominate his board.

Boarding
-3 Teeg
-4 Mother
+2 Oblivion Ring
+2 Krosan Grip
+3 Path

Round 4 - Beat U/W/r Countertop Thopters, a really good friend of mine. Game 1 he got an early counterlock on me, and I got beat pretty handily.

Boarding
-4 Swords"
-1 Scavenging Ooze
+1 Bog
+2 Krosan Grip
+2 Oblivion Ring

I brought the Bog in knowing my friend was relatively new to the deck, and hoping I could hit a Sword of the Meek. It actually worked when he tapped out to make thopters to block my unprofitable attack, I was able to blow up his sword with a Qasali I vialed in, then play my bog.

Round 5 - Beat affinity again. This deck isn't real is it? Game 1 I was able to stabilize with an Avenger with equipment, and removal for his flyers. Game 2 he showed me Tezz and Etched Champion, lost that game. Game 3 he got mana flooded and I was able to get LNS on an Avenger recurring Pridemages.

Boarding
-3 Teeg
-4 Mother of Runs
+3 paths
+2 ORing
+2 KGrip

Round 6 - Beat burn. Almost stabilized game 1 but it was a turn to late, then stomped him game 2 and 3 with equipment and vials pumping out guys.

Boarding
-3 Serra
-3 Knight
+4 Cannonist
+2 Paths

Round 7 - Lost to RUG. Lost game 1 to a turn 2 blindflip Delver for 19 points.. Won game 2 because their mana base blows and wasteland is real, pumping out guys with vial and drawing 3 wastelands. Game 3 I played like complete shit and walked into a Daze when I had the land in my hand. Nerves of being 2 wins away from top 8 really just killed me.

Boarding
-3 Teeg
+3 Paths

Round 8 - Lost to Mono Blue Control piloted by Chris K. Turn 2 Counterbalance, Turn 3 Trinket Mage for top, turn 4 Needle naming Qasali and then countertop lock in place. Game 2 was turn 1 top, turn 2 balance, turn 3 Shackles, turn 4 shackles. No way to beat that shit.

Boarding
I don't really remember but I'm pretty sure it was
-4 Swords
+2 Oblivion Ring
+2 KGrip

I dropped at 5-3 because I was so pissed at my misplay, and then getting shit stomped by MUC that I didn't want to play round 9 even though I had a slim chance at top 32 with a win.

Overall, while I see the attraction of having Green Sun for more silver bullets, like my Ooze which is just in there to be 'oops I win' and not having to play 3 Teegs, Serra Avenger with equipment is just such a house, and being able to cheat stuff into play left and right with vials is just too broken.

[majikal]

Did you get anyone to Worship you?

[Koby]

Heh, no. never drew it or was in a situation where I needed to tutor for it. It may have been better off as Grizzly Bears.

I played:
Round 1 - Canadian Threshold 2-1
Round 2 - UR Painter - 2-0
Round 3 - Sneak Show - 2-1 (Blood Moon vs Choke, Choke wins :D)
Round 4 - Rbg Goblins 2-1 (Jitte FTW)
Round 5/6 - ID
Top 8 - Reanimator 1-2

Lost to Reanimator's turn 1 Thoughtseize on each game. Game 3 I mulligan'd into:

Savannah, GSZ, Wasteland, StP, PtE, KotR; on the play. Turn 1 Seize takes the Knight, then we joustle for a few turns, and he gets Jin out and counters my mainphase PtE, and I'm out of white mana to remove it. :\

EDIT: 2nd or even 3rd Jitte isn't a bad idea going into the GP. You want to win Jitte wars.

[arcannys]

terrible list ^, your missing the point on this deck.

This is my list:

// Lands
1 [JGC] Maze of Ith
1 [FUT] Dryad Arbor
2 [FUT] Horizon Canopy
1 [US] Gaea's Cradle
1 [LG] Karakas
4 [R] Savannah
4 [TE] Wasteland
4 [JGC] Windswept Heath
1 [CHK] Plains (4)
2 [SOM] Forest (3)

// Creatures
4 [FNM] Mother of Runes
3 [CFX] Noble Hierarch
1 [RAV] Birds of Paradise
2 [FNM] Qasali Pridemage
3 [CFX] Knight of the Reliquary
4 [WWK] Stoneforge Mystic
1 [LRW] Gaddock Teeg
2 [TSP] Scryb Ranger
1 [CMD] Scavenging Ooze
1 [MBS] Thrun, the Last Troll
3 [DKA] Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

// Spells
4 [MBS] Green Sun's Zenith
4 [FNM] Swords to Plowshares
2 [4E] Sylvan Library
1 [V10] Sword of Body and Mind
1 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
1 [DS] Sword of Light and Shadow
1 [NPH] Apostle's Blessing <-- :D (ok, put w/e you want here)

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [GTW] Path to Exile
SB: 1 [WWK] Bojuka Bog
SB: 3 [ALA] Ethersworn Canonist
SB: 2 [FBP] Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 [ALA] Elspeth, Knight-Errant
SB: 2 [WWK] Nature's Claim
SB: 1 [ISD] Garruk Relentless/Garruk, the Veil-Cursed
SB: 1 [ALA] Rhox War Monk/Battreskull
SB: 2 [FNM] Kitchen Finks

People dont realize that the punishing version is terrible, it has an awful mana base, it scoops to a thrun in the mirror, and it cant play thalia (which is 100% wrong if you're playing this sort of deck).

I dont know how ppl keep looking at SCG top8's....

[Neuad]

terrible list ^, your missing the point on this deck.

Who are you talking to?

[majikal]

People dont realize that the punishing version is terrible, it has an awful mana base, it scoops to a thrun in the mirror, and it cant play thalia (which is 100% wrong if you're playing this sort of deck).

Pretty much, this. I did extensive testing with the Punishing Fires version and just found it inferior in the matchups that count. The only advantage I found was that it can run Ajani Vengeant, which is actually amazing. If I were going to splash red, it would be 2 Taigas, max, just for that card and REB in the board.

[Koby]

Pretty much, this. I did extensive testing with the Punishing Fires version and just found it inferior in the matchups that count. The only advantage I found was that it can run Ajani Vengeant, which is actually amazing. If I were going to splash red, it would be 2 Taigas, max, just for that card and REB in the board.

I can corroborate this with my buddy Chuck's experience. He boarded Fires out all tournament long. It's too slow, and the mirror still comes down to Mom / KotR advantage rather than Fires. I also support the red splash for everything but Punishing Fires (that is, REB, Ajani Vengeant, Ancient Grudge, maybe if you're really bold - Huntmaster of the Fells / Ravager of the Fells)

[lavafrogg]

As a loam player I feel that it stretches the mana base too thin for a deck that is actually quite weak to wasteland/manabase disruption. It also ties up a lot of mana that you want to be casting creatures or equipping and smashing face.

The repeated removal for weenies is nice but as time goes on the creatures in legacy get bigger. Tarmogoyf is still a very real threat for maverick decks and fires does not answer the big green goon.