[Deck] GW/x Maverick

[Lans89]

I played RUG Tempo at the GP in Ghent. The 3th round I won game 3 vs Maverick with two flipped Delvers. After the match was over he revealed 2 useless Gutt Shots out of his hand

[Esper3k]

Why are people liking Gut Shot so much over PtE these days anyways? Just because the CFB list did alright at Atlanta?

[Reagens]

Why are people liking Gut Shot so much over PtE these days anyways? Just because the CFB list did alright at Atlanta?

Because it's 'free' removal and RUG delver heavily relies on taxing counters to avoid their creatures getting the axe.
It is also quite effective in the mirror where mother of runes is key.

Personally I prefer PtE. I went 6-2-1 in Ghent with 3 on sideboard (lost my last 2 rounds :().

[Koby]

Perhaps im not making myself clear enough.

DONT BOARD IN GUT SHOT AGAINST RUG DELVER.

It only kills one target and preflipped at that. Anecdotal evidence from a fee posts above should be reason enough to show yall why its terrible in that matchup. Against Mirror and Elves, yes its great board it in, play four if you feel so inclined.

[Esper3k]

Because it's 'free' removal and RUG delver heavily relies on taxing counters to avoid their creatures getting the axe.
It is also quite effective in the mirror where mother of runes is key.

Personally I prefer PtE. I went 6-2-1 in Ghent with 3 on sideboard (lost my last 2 rounds :().

Yeah but against RUG you can only ever hit a preflipped Delver with it.

In the mirror, there is no countermagic to worry about so you'll always have an opportunity to hit a Mom with it before it gets active, not to mention PtE can of course deal with a Knight or Ooze.

[TheXile]

The discussion about Sulfur Elemental is old. From my experience, against RUG Thalia comes out cause it doesn't do that much and in comes PtE and/or Gut Shut. Between StP/PtE/GS the chances for a T1 delver surviving are prettey slim. After that, Tarmos and Gooses can be handled with our big creatures. I don't see the reason keeping Thalias in and taking out ...........(what actually?), for conditional cards. The closest of creatures I came to like was ulvenwald tracker, since its good against mirror and can be GSZed.

Um..actually Thalia is BRUTAL against RUG if you are on the play. Keep in mind their deck plays around 12-13 actual threats which they need to ride to victory and with only 17-18 lands that means she thorns them for basically 1/2 their deck...and as mentioned with only 17-18 lands she can really slow them down. Yes she can't really block profitably (without a sword or active Jitte) but she is still pretty damn good against them. Now, on the play I can see potentially taking her out, given the fact that if they get their 2nd land in play they are pretty solid (and can drop their most expensive threat...Tarmogoyf).

[xiaocho]

I'm afraid that it has been pointed out how great thalia can be against RUG. Just a few pages ago.

2 flipped delvers are quite a clock. Kinda natural that ure going to loose this match unless u get very lucky.

But I dont get why ppl keep discussing the match up against RUG. It's not a bad match up after all. I'd be glad to get to play against RUG instead of U/W Miracle, Sneak&Tell or Storm. These are - in my opinion - our worst match ups.

[timmycolossus]

Speaking of which... What are the best cards to board in against sneak and show? There is not really anything in the primer about it so I thought I would ask. If I had 2 cards in the board I could side in and have in my hand if the show and tell what would they be? Is it humility oblivion ring revoker, ensaring bridge. I just want to eliminate the threat or stop them from attacking me. My big problem is when they show and tell progenitus. The big guy hits hard and fast.

2nd question What about u/w miracles. What are the best cards to board in against U/w miracles? Is it 2 choke, 2 krosan grip or do you guys have other cards that you know are very effective in this matchup? I already board in 1 teeg, and protect it with a sword of light and shadow. Thanks guys. Let me know what you think.

[Esper3k]

Against Sneak and Show, I tend to like more flexible answers like O-ring or Revoker.

Against Uw Choke, Test, Thrun, etc are all good. Thorns are good, especially when stacking with Thalia.

[Vandalize]

Hi. I've been brewing a list, could I get some advice from people here?

The list:

Lands [23]
4 Wasteland
4 Windswepth Heath
4 Savannah
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Forest
2 Horizon Canopy
1 Karakas
1 Plains
1 Gaea's Craddle
1 Maze of Ith
1 Dryad Arbor

Creatures [26]
4 Mother of Runes
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Qasali Pridemage
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Terravore
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Gaddock Teeg

Spells [11]
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sylvan Library

Sideboard [15]
2 Krosan Grip
2 Enlightened Tutor
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Ethersworn Cannonist
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Pithing Needle
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Crop Rotation
1 Oblivion Ring

Maindeck flex slots are: Terravore and Linvala. Sometimes they go out for Sylvan Library #2, or another good singleton, like Sigarda (against Pox and Nic Fit) or Ulvenwald Tracker (against Merfolk and aggro in general). Terravore is there to break clogged boards with his massive body and trample. It's pretty good against RUG, I'd say better than a Knight.

Sideboard flex slots are: Grafdigger's Cage and Gaddock Teeg #2. I hate storm with all my heart, so I've build a pretty hateful sideboard: Thorn of Amethyst, Cannonist, Teeg#2, Needle and Tutors comes for the Swords to Plowshares and weak singletons, like Scryb Ranger.

By the way, Scryb Ranger is really, really fine at the moment. Blocks Delver and Clique like a champ, and untaps Knights for tricks, and Thalia for blocking.

Anyway, my only struggle, is Sneak and Show (as expected). This matchup is pretty bad, and I'd like to fit a Karakas somewhere in the maindeck, whitout messing with the curve. Should I go for the Fetchland #6 or the basic Plains? Moreover, the second Teeg is really necessary? I mean, UW Miracles is on the rise, and it wrecks them pretty bad.

[Fatal]

Don't know is second Karakas helps against sneak. Good player will cantrip until having S&T ->Sneak->free mana.

Nice deal vs S&S is Pacekeeper specially when you have fauna shaman.

VS Miracle controls I found that Teeg + Sylvan Safekeeper is a nice combo, first fetching Sylvan Safekeeper then Teeg, second Teeg on SB would be very good if meta is infested by UW Miracles, also nice tries are Needles vs SDT, Miracle Control have problems without it.

I have also some controversive idea vs UW miracles -> Caverns and Chalice of the Void=1, wwithout recursive STP/PTE/Brainstorm UW can't do too much.

[Koby]

I like these approaches Fatal. Good thinking there. I like Tsunami or Armageddon (Tsunami might just be better here).

@Vandalize
I've always enjoyed Terravore in metas where I anticipate a lot of Wastelands. He is indeed a house against RUG. He's very much a dud against control and combo though, and for that reason I often remove him from my list. He's very very good against Stoneblade decks in breaking through Batterskull recursion.

[lambert101]

Here is the list I have been brewing and testing:

Main:

Dudes-
4 Mother of Runes
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Gaddock Teeg
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Knight of the Reliquary
2 Scryb Ranger
1 Sylvan Safekeeper

Spells-
2 Sylvan Library
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Umezawa's Jitte

Lands-
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Maze of Ith
4 Wasteland
2 Forest
1 Plains
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Gavony Township
4 Windswept heath
1 Karakas
4 Savannah

I like the two Scryb Rangers main. They block delver, add flying, and add tricks with knight.

Sideboard:
1 Dauntless Escort
1 Peacekeeper
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
3 Gut Shot
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Choke

[Fozzie]

[...] I have also some controversive idea vs UW miracles -> Caverns and Chalice of the Void=1, wwithout recursive STP/PTE/Brainstorm UW can't do too much.

I like these approaches Fatal. Good thinking there. I like Tsunami or Armageddon (Tsunami might just be better here). [...]

This idea has made me register and actually answer. Finally! :)

Let me just add a tiny thought to the quotes above. If you consider going the CotV route, do not lose sight of Vexing Shusher. I have surprised many a professional vintage player with CotV and Vexing Shusher and my UW miracle opponent at GP Ghent (where I only ended up 6-2-1) was quite astonished too.

[Asthereal]

Sideboard [15]
2 Krosan Grip
2 Enlightened Tutor
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Ethersworn Cannonist
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Pithing Needle
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Crop Rotation
1 Oblivion Ring

Right now I advise against the eTutor package, but it's still useable.
For your toolbox: Crypt, Cage and Wheel is probably overkill. Especially since you are already packing Bog and a Crop Rotation to find it at instant speed. Cage is the first I'd cut, since it stops your own Zeniths. I would replace him with a CoP: Red. If you play a eTutor toolbox, never go without a card like that. It just single handedly destroys Burn, and it only costs you one slot. Another card always worth tying to fit in is Serenity. That card will win you the Mud, Affinity and Enchantress matchups. Especially the artifacts can be difficult to beat. Last one I'm missing is the Phyrexian Metamorph. Gives you a chance against Show and Tell (not against the Sneak Attack plan, but we have Teeg, Karakas and Needle/Revoker to stop that).

I'm also not a fan of Krosan Grip if you are already playing Oblivion Ring anyway. You could replace them with Path to Exiles, which are always nice to help in the mirror, or against heavy aggro and RUG Delver. I usually board in Paths about 50% of my games, so I never pack less than three in my 75.

So perhaps:
2 Path to Exile
2 Entlightened Tutor
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Circle of Protection: Red
1 Serenity
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Crop Rotation /15

Or perhaps you could squeeze in a Sylvan Safekeeper. That guy will help protect Teeg and such in the Combo and UW Miracles matchups.

[timmycolossus]

Hey guys I was looking on gatherer and I saw something interesting. What do u guys think of Voidstone Gargoyle against sneak and show...

[dsck]

Hey guys I was looking on gatherer and I saw something interesting. What do u guys think of Voidstone Gargoyle against sneak and show...

Linvala, Keeper of Silence does the same thing better.

It does hose sneak attack but so does Revoker and Pithing Needle and they cost way less to cast.

[FieryBalrog]

Played Maverick on Sunday SCG DC to a 4-2 finish. Dropped after that as my friend wasn't doing as well and I was tired anyway.

Beat 2 Merfolk and 2 RUG in long, super complicated matches that could have gone either way. Was really satisfying to crush some blue decks. Lost to Esper Stoneblade (not a surprise, it's the matchup I playtested the most and have a lot of trouble with) and lost the mirror due to both luck and not having enough sideboard cards for the mirror (which was stupid, I saw a lot of Maverick).

Looks like combo isn't quite the big bad wolf after all, and the top 16 looks very much like a three ring circus of UW Miracle, Maverick, and RUG Delver.

My List:
4x Noble Hierarch
4x Mother of Runes
4x Knight of the Reliquary
3x Scavenging Ooze
3x Qasali Pridemage
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1x Fauna Shaman
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Scryb Ranger

4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Green Sun's Zenith
2x Umezawa's Jitte
2x Sylvan Library

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

Sideboard:
3x Choke
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Phyrexian Revoker
2x Tormod's Crypt
2x Krosan Grip
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Linvala, Keeper of Secrets


MVP of the day by FAR: Scryb Ranger. What a monster of a card. Every match I won, I won on the back of this guy, often barely surviving or pulling off a win the turn before I'm dead on board. Scrybbie and Knight and Mom together beat double flipped Delver on turns 2 and 3, a board of 7 merfolk with multiple lords, etc. Jitte was a house against Merfolk.
Worst card: Fauna Shaman. I never wanted to Zenith for it, drew it once and wished I hadn't, and boarded it out in every matchup except the mirror.

[KobeBryan]

Played Maverick on Sunday SCG DC to a 4-2 finish. Dropped after that as my friend wasn't doing as well and I was tired anyway.

Beat 2 Merfolk and 2 RUG in long, super complicated matches that could have gone either way. Was really satisfying to crush some blue decks. Lost to Esper Stoneblade (not a surprise, it's the matchup I playtested the most and have a lot of trouble with) and lost the mirror due to both luck and not having enough sideboard cards for the mirror (which was stupid, I saw a lot of Maverick).

Looks like combo isn't quite the big bad wolf after all, and the top 16 looks very much like a three ring circus of UW Miracle, Maverick, and RUG Delver.

My List:
4x Noble Hierarch
4x Mother of Runes
4x Knight of the Reliquary
3x Scavenging Ooze
3x Qasali Pridemage
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1x Fauna Shaman
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Scryb Ranger

4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Green Sun's Zenith
2x Umezawa's Jitte
2x Sylvan Library

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

Sideboard:
3x Choke
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Phyrexian Revoker
2x Tormod's Crypt
2x Krosan Grip
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Linvala, Keeper of Secrets


MVP of the day by FAR: Scryb Ranger. What a monster of a card. Every match I won, I won on the back of this guy, often barely surviving or pulling off a win the turn before I'm dead on board. Scrybbie and Knight and Mom together beat double flipped Delver on turns 2 and 3, a board of 7 merfolk with multiple lords, etc. Jitte was a house against Merfolk.
Worst card: Fauna Shaman. I never wanted to Zenith for it, drew it once and wished I hadn't, and boarded it out in every matchup except the mirror.

You should thank merfolk for the lack of combo decks showing up.

[FieryBalrog]

You should thank merfolk for the lack of combo decks showing up.

I went 3-1 in the side event and faced two combo decks. The ANT guy in round 2 fucked up his colors of mana in game 2 thanks to a Revoker on lotus petal, and killed himself with a bad Ad Nauseam in game 3 Unfortunately my luck didn't quite hold for Belcher, I got to game 3 on the play and had a Turn 2 Thalia, except he went off on Turn 1

But yeah.