Nice to see this thread active again.
That really is the sad truth about belcher it is an all-in deck.
You can devote about just about 4-8 slots of Sideboard hate for blue, because you really can't change much in the main deck.
Going with a transformational sideboard to grind against blue like carpet of flowers, by doing this I think you are just becoming a worse TES/ANT deck. So it will be better to just switch to that deck as they combat blue better.
To force or not to force? That is the question.
My experience with Xantid Swarm is that it either gets countered (which is fine, but you don't get much benefit from it because you almost always waste a card to cast it and your opponent has a chance to make another land drop/cast another Duress/etc), or gets removed (which is also fine, but generally worse for you than them). Autumn's Veil does almost exactly the same thing while dodging Lightning Bolt and Swords to Plowshares, so...there's not much reason to run Xantid Swarm anymore, especially since you can only take so much out of the deck to make room for sb cards before you wreck the whole plan A.
I honestly wouldn't play Belcher these days, there are FAR too many Thalias running around...if you wanted to grind through a long tournament at least.
I'm curious about one thing.. how do the Street Wraiths fit on this deck? What are they for?
They are just to cycle, nothing more. Basically they make the deck -4 cards. So the lists that run 4 Street Wraith, 4 Gitaxian Probe & 4 Manamorphose are in essence like playing a 48 card deck. your odds of hitting your money spells are much better that way. In theory any way.![]()
Well, you could replace them with 4 Burning Wish and go that route.![]()
Depends on who you ask. Some swear you have to have them. I don't miss them. I think it comes down to your choice. I think running them dictates what you do with your sideboard and uses a lot more sideboard room. Going without them means you can do more with the sideboard since you don't use any slots for wish targets. But it also means you dillute the deck some when you do sideboard.
So in short - It's 6 in one, a half dozen in the other.![]()
Last edited by TerribleTim68; 08-09-2012 at 06:04 PM. Reason: spelling
Actually, I don't find it "limiting" at all. If anything, the only thing this deck doesn't straight roll IS blue. So what I'm doing is looking for a sideboard method that WILL beat blue and not worrying about anything else. With that in mind, the sideboard should be more open since you only need to worry about 1 thing instead of needing an answer for 15 different things.
I like playing the burning wish because it lets you play 7 empty the warrens.
And note that blue is not the only enemy, there is thalia, thorn of amethyst and chalice of the void. Admittedly, the times you have a chance to use the wishboard is not that often, still it is nice to have the option to answer other non-blue threats if given the chance.
To force or not to force? That is the question.
The problem with Burning Wish is that it makes Empty the Warrens cost +2, becomes Spell Snareable as well as any other countermagic. So its having 7 with 4 out 7 being counterable vs. 4 that are not counterable. Also, yeah the wishboard rarely ever comes up. People can make it through the whole tournament without even using it. Its much better in TES.
I really think this deck needs to learn how to transform with the sideboard somehow. There are plenty of different ways to go with it.
Luck is a residue of design.
I'm an aspiring Psychedelic Trance musician. Please feel free to enjoy my sense of life:
http://soundcloud.com/vacrix
Expect me or die. I play SI.
It's a fun deck. I don't get bored of playing with it, but I'm kinda a jerk. I'll take my lumps and lose to blue, but pretty much beat other decks. (Because of spirit guides and lotus petals, it's possible to win through a Cannonist and that is a wonderful feeling.)
If you play in a very heavy blue Meta, I would advise against playing Belcher, you'll have long games and they'll be unfun, assuming you refuse to scoop/rage quit like I won't. (F your Mirsha's factory, keep attacking and ultimate Jace, I paid money to sit here and have all my stuff countered...) The glory of Belcher is to be winning and finishing within the first... 11.45 minutes. That way you can make a trip to food place of choice like a boss.
Also, it makes you smarter because of the frequent math involved. True fact, Belcher players are smarter due to the mental exercises of counting, both of storm and mana.
Cheers,
no whammy no whammy no whammy
Lol! I tend to agree with most of that. I do love playing the deck. But I tend to favor combo over anything else. I'm not much into that whole "cast critters and spend lots of turns attacking, trading and blocking" deal.
Besides, there is something satisfying to me about spitting out 20 goblins on turn 1 when your opponent hasn't even drawn yet. Yes, I've done it. Yes, it happens with this deck. No, your opponent won't have much respect for you or your deck. But he will scoop before ever drawing a card.![]()
the "4 gitaxian probe 4 manamorphose 4 street wraith" (essentially making it a 48 card deck) no wish sideboard seems to be, becoming more popular
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=47820
this one got 2nd place, sooo close, oooh so close!
Last edited by feline; 08-12-2012 at 04:44 PM. Reason: Your font color makes our eyes bleed. Please refrain from using it.
Primary legacy deck High Tide primer
That part is true, no surprise there.
Capitalization is required.
-4eak
Last edited by feline; 08-12-2012 at 04:44 PM. Reason: Your font color makes our eyes bleed. Please refrain from using it.
Primary legacy deck High Tide primer
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)