[Deck] GW/x Maverick

[door]

I have pretty horrible experiences with the Affinity matchup.
Lost without ever having a chance.
How come you rate that a good matchup?

By your calculation we improve these matchups:
- Zoo
- Nic Fit
- The Mirror
- Merfolk
At the expense of sometimes having dead cards, thus worsening your average game.

And Zoo and Merfolk I rarely encounter these days. Nic Fit to me looks more like a flavour of the week than a serious contenter in the long run. The interesting thing is the improvement of the mirror. My question stands: is this really worth it? Let alone investing $100+ on a Retainer...

These are the decks I often encounter in local tournaments. Lots of them are not popular on the big scene, but there's always some % you can meet some guy with nic fit during first rounds with no byes.
About affinity I can't really tell you how. I just don't remember me loosing to them. Perhaps that's because of the Peacekeeper in sb.
Merfolk is getting more and more popular with the new lords. The good news are that the lords do not help them with maverik.
On your last question: yes it is. Maverik is still tier1. After a uw/esper/rug top8 and no single sneak attack in top32 at gp Atlanta people will run maverik even more. I played mirror 4 or 5 times at BoM 2012 and didn't loose a game. Always but once I won with Elesh Norn. Once with Linvala after sb.

[Asthereal]

You could also focus more on getting Elesh Norn cast.
I'm thinking about a list that would not use Retainers, but just hardcast that dude.
Doesn't that sound like a better plan then using an edgy combo?
Haven't tested it yet though, I'm at work right now.

[door]

You could also focus more on getting Elesh Norn cast.
I'm thinking about a list that would not use Retainers, but just hardcast that dude.
Doesn't that sound like a better plan then using an edgy combo?
Haven't tested it yet though, I'm at work right now.

Yes, often it is just hardcasted, especially when you need to play around g/y hate. You could try playing crop rotation for that, which will also improve reanimator/sneak show m/u. But without the ability to cheat it into play on turn 4, I'm not sure if it's worth. Perhaps playing Linvala in the main deck would be a better solution?

[ScatmanX]

Yes, often it is just hardcasted, especially when you need to play around g/y hate. You could try playing crop rotation for that, which will also improve reanimator/sneak show m/u. But without the ability to cheat it into play on turn 4, I'm not sure if it's worth. Perhaps playing Linvala in the main deck would be a better solution?

Is your list still the same from the on posted here, post #2552?
If not, what were the changes?

[TheInfamousBearAssassin]

I have pretty horrible experiences with the Affinity matchup.
Lost without ever having a chance.
How come you rate that a good matchup?

Maze of Ith alone makes it a very good matchup.

Yes, often it is just hardcasted, especially when you need to play around g/y hate. You could try playing crop rotation for that, which will also improve reanimator/sneak show m/u. But without the ability to cheat it into play on turn 4, I'm not sure if it's worth. Perhaps playing Linvala in the main deck would be a better solution?

Paying four or seven (!!!) mana for a creature that can be StP'd is miserable. Seriously, people, try Parallax Wave, it does everything you would possibly want these cards for and much more.

It's like I'm taking crazy pills that cause me to vividly hallucinate that people are suggesting hard casting seven mana spells in Legacy that don't immediately win the game against the field.

[Hopo]

It's like I'm taking crazy pills that cause me to vividly hallucinate that people are suggesting hard casting seven mana spells in Legacy that don't immediately win the game against the field.

Maybe you just need to put things in perspective instead of making a huge drama out of it. You are talking about a tutorable combo piece in a deck that is perfectly capable of hardcasting it in the late game. Big deal. That said, I believe Iona should be your legendary monster of choice here if you insist on playing Retainers. GW has little problems with creature decks in general. There was a time when Elesh Norn was really good, I'm just not so sure about present day. There are tons of tools to fight the mirror, most of them cheaper than 7 mana. Parallax Wave, even. I'd rather play Wing Shards, though, for them being cheaper and immune to Mother of Runes.

[rxavage]

Maze of Ith alone makes it a very good matchup.



Paying four or seven (!!!) mana for a creature that can be StP'd is miserable. Seriously, people, try Parallax Wave, it does everything you would possibly want these cards for and much more.

It's like I'm taking crazy pills that cause me to vividly hallucinate that people are suggesting hard casting seven mana spells in Legacy that don't immediately win the game against the field.

I play Sneakshow and can say that IBA is right P-wave sucks to play against. I've only come across a single Mav player running P-wave and we tested the matchup with good results for Mav. I always ask myself why no one else runs the card, but hey I'm not complaining keep playing bad cards and giving me free wins.

[door]

Is your list still the same from the on posted here, post #2552?
If not, what were the changes?

I changed my board slightly since I havn't seen any storm-combo recently. Also eladamri's call >> wordly tutor in most of the situations (except playing against discard-heavy decks and storm). SFM went away, as it doesn't do enough today. I put second Sylvan Library instead which proved to be better (also thanks to Infectious for the idea).

"Surviving maverik"

61 cards in maindeck, 22 lands incl. Dryad Arbor
4 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Verdant Catacombs
2 Horizon Canopy
3 Savannah
2 Forest
2 Plains
1 Karakas
1 Gaea's Cradle
4 Wasteland
1 Dryad Arbor

3 Noble Hierarch
1 Birds of Paradise
3 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Sylvan Library
4 Mother of Runes
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Knight of the Reliquary
2 Qasali Pridemage
3 Fauna Shaman
2 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Quirion Ranger
1 Loyal Retainers
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Lightning Greaves

Sideboard
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
2 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Peacekeeper
1 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Eladamri's Call
1 Bojuka Bog

There are 2 floating slots, which I adjust according to metagame. Usually it is something against burn and a second canonist or SFI or second ensn bridge or peacekeeper or extra removal or just mindbreak traps

[Deckerator]

What experiences have you done with Lightning Greaves.
Is it better than a second Jitte?
The 2x Sylvan libraries are for supporting the fauna shaman?

[door]

What experiences have you done with Lightning Greaves.
Is it better than a second Jitte?
The 2x Sylvan libraries are for supporting the fauna shaman?

Lightning Greaves allowed to save my creatures in critical situations several times, 4 mother of runes is not enough sometimes.

In more details: Lightning Greaves is not for fun. Gaddock Teeg or Thalia, Guardian of Thraben resolved does not mean that you already won against combo; Elesh Norn without protection can catch STP; sometimes it's just crucial to make maximum damage in one turn with a hasty creature; KOTR activation the turn it comes into play can also change the board situation. Just equipping your Hierarch means making your manabase concrete, the key against RUG and Mirror.
I see a lot of people test Sylvan Safekeeper and other cards as the 5th Mother of Runes, cause so much times you god damn need it. Lots of times the boots are just better, being uncounterable with a mystic and giving haste.

I don't need a second jitte since I play Mystics.

Sylvan Library doesn't just feed Fauna Shaman. I found that I don't want to side out it against any deck, even burn. You just don't need to draw extras always. Moreover, it's an extra filtering of some cards which are not always good in my deck, like Elesh Norn/Reatainers, equipments, etc.

[xiaocho]

one question:

since terminus' miracle ability is a triggered ability that can be stifled, is dread return's flashback ability an activated ability that can be prevented with phyrexian revoker naming the aforementioned card?

[HoneyT]

No it's not an activated ability. Flashback is simply being cast from the graveyard. Miracle is triggered when it's revealed as the first card drawn for the turn, that's why it can be stifled.

[matunos]

A couple of pages back, people were talking about Sigarda. If you're considering Sigarda mostly for the anti-sacrifice ability, there is Tajuru Preserver. Much smaller body, but much easier to cast/GSZ.

[Deckerator]

I wanna go on a tournament next week but im not really sure about my sideboard:
Im playing a Fauna shaman, Green sun toolbox. With Loyal Retainers Combo
My meta is the following: 1 elves player, 2-3 High Tide, some U/W miracle, a lot of RUG/UR-Delver, 1 Merfolk, a lot of maverick versions, 2x Dredge players, 1x BUG player

How would you make your sideboard in this meta?
I thought about the following:
1x Bojuka Bog
2x Choke
3x Path to Exile
3x Ethersworn Canonist
2x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
2x Tormods Crypt
1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
1x Sigarda, Host of Herons

[lavafrogg]

As a rock player I am really glad you are wasting your deck space to make yourself more vulnerable to graveyard hate and an active ooze. We appreciate you lowering your decks consistency and giving us other GSZ decks a chance to win some games.

[Deckerator]

yeah maybe i am bit more vulnerable to graveyard hate. But on the otherside when Elesh comes on the table against creature decks. The game is often over for my opponent.
Therefore i think it is okay to be a little bit more vulnerable against graveyard decks. The most important thing is to sword the Ooze. Otherwise it will often make your "big" Knights to little kids. Against other decks i would swap Elesh with Iona

[Fizban]

A couple of pages back, people were talking about Sigarda. If you're considering Sigarda mostly for the anti-sacrifice ability, there is Tajuru Preserver. Much smaller body, but much easier to cast/GSZ.

Sigarda is good because she's a 5/5 hexproof flyer, the anti-sacrifice ability is relevant but not the main reason I choose to play Sigarda. I did have the preserver in my board a while ago (2 pox in the meta) but the angel is much better as she's a serious clock.

[door]

I wanna go on a tournament next week but im not really sure about my sideboard:
Im playing a Fauna shaman, Green sun toolbox. With Loyal Retainers Combo
My meta is the following: 1 elves player, 2-3 High Tide, some U/W miracle, a lot of RUG/UR-Delver, 1 Merfolk, a lot of maverick versions, 2x Dredge players, 1x BUG player

How would you make your sideboard in this meta?
I thought about the following:
1x Bojuka Bog
2x Choke
3x Path to Exile
3x Ethersworn Canonist
2x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
2x Tormods Crypt
1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
1x Sigarda, Host of Herons

You don't really need 2x Linvala, 1 is enough since you're already with Elesh Norn. I would play sigarda only in a pox-heavy metagame, otherwise it is an expensive flyer that doesn't help you in problematic situations. I'd recommend running an extra Gaddock teeg, since it's good against everything except mirror in your meta. Iona makes sence only against High Tide. Also surgical extractions are better than crypts against tide.

[Deckerator]

Then I should cut Sigarda and tormods crypt? and add a second teeg for the sideboard and surgicals? But are surgicals good enough against dredge? Because last time i played Surgicals and bojuka bog and last to dredge

My actual list:

4 Windswept Heath
1 Misty Rainforest
3 Savannah
3 Wasteland
2 Forest
2 Plains
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Karakas
1 Maze of Ith
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Dryad Arbor

4 Mother of Runes
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Fauna Shaman
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Loyal Retainers
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Griselbrand
1 Peacekeeper

4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares

2 Umezawa's Jitte


Any comments on the list are welcomed.
I thought about adding Lightning Greaves because door had a really good argument. But i have no space.
Furthermore would it be good to add Sylvan Library and/or Stoneforge Mystic?
Comments on Griselbrand: I add him because of my second loyal Retainers. I like him because of his lifelink, flying and draw 7. he can grow really big with exalted.

[Thorondor]

I don't see why you need 3 fauna shaman, 2 loyal retainers, elesh norn and griselbrand, this is more a combo deck than a maverick deck.
If I would run a maverick list it would look like ben starks from the GP:
http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/dec...2&iddeck=62912

looking at your deck I would cut -1 retainers, -1 Griselbrand, -1 Fauna Shaman and add +2 Sylvan library and +1 Stoneforge, Thalia or Pridemage.