[Deck] ANT (Ad Nauseam Tendrils)

[Megadeus]

Here's my current list. I'm pretty sure that I got it off of someone on here though I'm not sure who. I just put it onto cockatrice and then changed the SB up to my likings.

4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Duress
2 Thoughtseize
2 Preordain
4 Ponder
4 Brainstorm
4 Infernal Tutor
3 Burning Wish
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Past in Flames
1 Tendrils of Agony
4 Polluted Delta
2 Island
1 Swamp
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Badlands
2 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
SB: 1 Virtue's Ruin
SB: 1 Empty the Warrens
SB: 1 Past in Flames
SB: 1 Cabal Therapy
SB: 1 Tendrils of Agony
SB: 1 Massacre
SB: 1 Perish
SB: 3 Dread of Night
SB: 1 Shattering Spree
SB: 1 Eye of Nowhere
SB: 1 Pyroclasm
SB: 2 Angel of Despair

[aaronm678]

Here's my current list. I'm pretty sure that I got it off of someone on here though I'm not sure who. I just put it onto cockatrice and then changed the SB up to my likings.

4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Duress
2 Thoughtseize
2 Preordain
4 Ponder
4 Brainstorm
4 Infernal Tutor
3 Burning Wish
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Past in Flames
1 Tendrils of Agony
4 Polluted Delta
2 Island
1 Swamp
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Badlands
2 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
SB: 1 Virtue's Ruin
SB: 1 Empty the Warrens
SB: 1 Past in Flames
SB: 1 Cabal Therapy
SB: 1 Tendrils of Agony
SB: 1 Massacre
SB: 1 Perish
SB: 3 Dread of Night
SB: 1 Shattering Spree
SB: 1 Eye of Nowhere
SB: 1 Pyroclasm
SB: 2 Angel of Despair

You have way too many BW targets, you should probably cut, at the very least,
Shattering Spree
Perish
Virtue's Ruin or Massacre
Eye of Nowhere

And try to have some semblance of a sideboard. Also, FWIW, I don't really like the Angel Plan -- that matchup isn't difficult enough to warrant such a specific sideboard slot (particularly when it's not even that awesome of a sideboard slot). Just board in either discard or Xantid Swarms and race them, Tendrils is pretty easily a turn faster than S&T, since it generally takes them so long to assemble their combo, bringing in a narrow card that doesn't help the racing plan doesn't seem like what you want to do (Also, not irrelevant, it forces you to board out Ad Nauseam, which is excellent in the matchup).

[Jessenator]

Here's my current list. I'm pretty sure that I got it off of someone on here though I'm not sure who. I just put it onto cockatrice and then changed the SB up to my likings.

4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Duress
2 Thoughtseize
2 Preordain
4 Ponder
4 Brainstorm
4 Infernal Tutor
3 Burning Wish
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Past in Flames
1 Tendrils of Agony
4 Polluted Delta
2 Island
1 Swamp
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Badlands
2 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
SB: 1 Virtue's Ruin
SB: 1 Empty the Warrens
SB: 1 Past in Flames
SB: 1 Cabal Therapy
SB: 1 Tendrils of Agony
SB: 1 Massacre
SB: 1 Perish
SB: 3 Dread of Night
SB: 1 Shattering Spree
SB: 1 Eye of Nowhere
SB: 1 Pyroclasm
SB: 2 Angel of Despair

How do you expect to beat Counterbalance with this list? :(

[Jessenator]

While we're in the Grim Tutor discussion, could someone familiar with the UBr (burning wish) and the UBg (2 grim tutor) version do a quick summary of the pro's and con's of each build? I do know the main details such as abrupt decay being great at clearing CB's, and burning wishes giving you an alternative win con with the EtW. However, I'm curious as to which build is a bit more resilient, quicker, etc. Also, in the BW build, do you usually burning wish for a grim tutor the turn before going off, or is it somehow incorporated in the combo turn?

I never thought Burning Wish was a bad card the whole tournament I played in yesterday except for when I played against RUG Delver. The card is simply too slow in the matchup when you're trying to find hand disruption. I usually just Burning Wish for a Duress / Inquisition if there's nothing to do. Burning Wish also makes your Ad Nauseam more consistent because you're running more "tutors" than the 2x Grim Tutor in the mainboard version. I actually mained a Bayou over the 2nd basic island, and a Tropical Island in the sideboard for 3x Xantid Swarm and Reverent Silence! Burning Wish for that was pretty much the nuts all day. Just Burning Wishing for a Duress is an extremely powerful play against slower blue decks. Pyroclasm in the sideboard buys you a ton of time or the ability to kill hatebears. Also it allows you to win with cards like Empty the Warrens if they have some sort of weird board state, or if you just want to go off with 10+ goblins. In summary, I think Burning Wish is extremely good in my opinion! Having a Grim Tutor in the SB is extremely important in the Burning Wish version though.

Using Burning Wish version makes you rely on the red mana sources in the deck more than I like. The 2x Grim Version is only splashing red mana for Past in Flames in the mainboard. I think that makes the mana base more consistent. You can splash a green dual in the main for sideboard cards like Xantid Swarm and Abrupt Decay. Although you may need to sideboard in awkward cards like Chain of Vapor in order to deal with hate. That's something Burning Wish decks have an advantage over. Sometimes you simply cannot win game 1 due to random enchantment and board states. I think the consistency with the Grim Tutor version is where the advantage is at. Its basically the UB ANT deck with a small red/green splash.

Reverent Silence is pretty sick when you Wish for it, the look on your opponent's face is pretty much priceless when he has 2 counterbalance up..

[Megadeus]

How do you expect to beat Counterbalance with this list? :(

Thats kind of what I am worried about. Im new to storm though. What are my outs?

[aaronm678]

Thats kind of what I am worried about. Im new to storm though. What are my outs?

Make your sideboard an actual sideboard instead of a maindeck extension. I'd go to

1x Iggy
1x Pyroclasm
1x Tendrils
1x EtW
1x Thoughtseize

For wish targets, then you have room for Abrupt Decays in the board, and you still have some extra space. You can probably also cut the Tendrils from the board, as you'll generally have a line that doesn't need to wish for tendrils.

It's always a mistake to run a million wish targets in the SB - the card isn't meant to get any of 10 options from the board.

[ponder]

Your board needs a grim tutor

[egosum]

Although you may need to sideboard in awkward cards like Chain of Vapor in order to deal with hate. That's something Burning Wish decks have an advantage over.

Sorry? Chain of vapor is just insane in any ANT build, it gives everything you may want for just 1 mana and at instant speed: threshold, Storm (a bunch), and anti hate piece. I just tell you to reconsider it and play it (3x) in the side to see how good it is. Is basically the most versatile sideboard slot you can have and is super efficient at what it does.

Greetings,

Iñaki.-

[Sigyn]

Sorry? Chain of vapor is just insane in any ANT build, it gives everything you may want for just 1 mana and at instant speed: threshold, Storm (a bunch), and anti hate piece. I just tell you to reconsider it and play it (3x) in the side to see how good it is. Is basically the most versatile sideboard slot you can have and is super efficient at what it does.

Greetings,

Iñaki.-

I've been thinking about that while i was building my SB, why running chain of Vapor is better than running Dread of night+Abrupt decay instead?,
i mean, asuming you're playing with a 2 Grim tutor MD build (as i am), don't you think a SB with Abrupt decay + Dread of night can handle GW's hatebears more efficiently?, the only pairing not covered with a SB like that is MUD, but is not a common pairing.

[Koby]

I wish I had 2-3 Chain of Vapor yesterday in the tournament I played. Playing only 1 is a waste. Virtue's Ruin vs Dread of Night -- the former allows you to play more room in your Sideboard against Maverick (2 cards vs 4 Dread of Night). Going forward, I'm playing 2 Chain at minimum.

Here's my current board for UBrg ANT:
3 Karakas
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Xantid Swarm
2 Chain of Vapor
1 Tendrils of Agony
2 Virtue's Ruin

My maindeck is the same as Inaki's (egosum), however I'm thinking that I might cut one land for Chrome Mox. It would be nice to make Ad Nauseum feasible for matches where being fast is important (Belcher, Elves, Burn, etc)

[RaNDoMxGeSTuReS]

I wish I had 2-3 Chain of Vapor yesterday in the tournament I played. Playing only 1 is a waste. Virtue's Ruin vs Dread of Night -- the former allows you to play more room in your Sideboard against Maverick (2 cards vs 4 Dread of Night). Going forward, I'm playing 2 Chain at minimum.

Here's my current board for UBrg ANT:
3 Karakas
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Xantid Swarm
2 Chain of Vapor
1 Tendrils of Agony
2 Virtue's Ruin

Maverick is back?

[Koby]

Maverick is back?

Not at all, but killing Gaddock Teeg is still a thing. I hear the Junk decks still play him, and possible Thalia or Canonist. Luckily, they don't also run Mother of Runes, which is nice.

I hedged against a lot of Mavercik by running 3 Dread of Night, then ended up losing to triple Hymn to Tourach followed by Nether Void. Ya, real decks.

[RaNDoMxGeSTuReS]

Not at all, but killing Gaddock Teeg is still a thing. I hear the Junk decks still play him, and possible Thalia or Canonist. Luckily, they don't also run Mother of Runes, which is nice.

I hedged against a lot of Mavercik by running 3 Dread of Night, then ended up losing to triple Hymn to Tourach followed by Nether Void. Ya, real decks.

Why didn't you win on turn one?

[egosum]

I've been thinking about that while i was building my SB, why running chain of Vapor is better than running Dread of night+Abrupt decay instead?,
i mean, asuming you're playing with a 2 Grim tutor MD build (as i am), don't you think a SB with Abrupt decay + Dread of night can handle GW's hatebears more efficiently?, the only pairing not covered with a SB like that is MUD, but is not a common pairing.

My current sideboard:


SB: 4 Xantid Swarm
SB: 3 Chain of Vapor
SB: 3 Abrupt Decay
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 2 Karakas

Enough to deal with bears, Dread of night while it is excellent at what it does, is just too narrow, I would only consider it in a ver dedicated G/W meta, which is not my case.

Greetings,

Iñaki.-

[Koby]

Why didn't you win on turn one?

Ok I guess it's report time. Or at least this matchup. Actually. I need to my notes to recall what happened. Short n sweet version until I get my notes up later today:

Game 1 - Go off turn 2 or 3.
Game 2 - Leyline on opener, Inquisition my Petal to be able to go off.
Game 3 - Duress my opponent's hand:
Bayou
Dark Ritual
Inquisition of Kozilek
Inquisition of Kozilek
Lilliana of the Veil
Lilliana of the Veil
Sinkhole

Obviously I take the Dark Ritual. Opponent draws 3 lands in a row, plays Inquisition/Sinkhole/Liliana on turns 1/2/3. Turn 5, after having 4 lands in play, he topdecks Nether Void and locks me out.

ya........ I'm cursed

[RaNDoMxGeSTuReS]

Ok I guess it's report time. Or at least this matchup. Actually. I need to my notes to recall what happened. Short n sweet version until I get my notes up later today:

Game 1 - Go off turn 2 or 3.
Game 2 - Leyline on opener, Inquisition my Petal to be able to go off.
Game 3 - Duress my opponent's hand:
Bayou
Dark Ritual
Inquisition of Kozilek
Inquisition of Kozilek
Lilliana of the Veil
Lilliana of the Veil
Sinkhole

Obviously I take the Dark Ritual. Opponent draws 3 lands in a row, plays Inquisition/Sinkhole/Liliana on turns 1/2/3. Turn 5, after having 4 lands in play, he topdecks Nether Void and locks me out.

ya........ I'm cursed

Ok did some testing with my own take on GSZ based Junk with multiple goyfs last nite on MTGO.
About the only thing I can say for certain are twofold:

1. This deck has a tough time against monoblack Pox decks.
2. The MTGO casual testing room metagame is comprised of 100% monoblack Pox decks.

There goes that method to testing :\

I'm going to tweak the list a bit and run it in actual 2-man Prizes-on-the-line matches, since that's better testing than in the Tournament Practice room.

P.S.:
Turn 2 on the draw against me: Dark Ritual, Nether Void with Deathrite Shaman in play for me. I hate the people on MTGO sometimes.

[Sigyn]

My current sideboard:


SB: 4 Xantid Swarm
SB: 3 Chain of Vapor
SB: 3 Abrupt Decay
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 2 Karakas

Enough to deal with bears, Dread of night while it is excellent at what it does, is just too narrow, I would only consider it in a ver dedicated G/W meta, which is not my case.

Greetings,

Iñaki.-

I like those 2 Karakas, good against Thalia/Gaddock and also helps against S&T and reanimator, against GW... what is your SB plan?,

Did you try extirpate as GY-hate? (It's also good in the mirror match).

[Koby]

I like those 2 Karakas, good against Thalia/Gaddock and also helps against S&T and reanimator, against GW... what is your SB plan?,

Did you try extirpate as GY-hate? (It's also good in the mirror match).

vs. Reanimator
Out:
-4x Gitaxian Probe
-1x Ponder
-1x Cabal Therapy
-1x Cabal Ritual
-1x Verdant Catacombs
In:
+2x Karakas
+3x Chain of Vapor
+3x Tormod's Crypt

Extirpate is not an ideal card in the mirror. It assumes you already have used a discard spell, in which case, you should already be good to win without Extirpate. Tormod's Crypt is a good against both mirror and Reanimator.

[Sigyn]

I'm definetly gonna try that SB, seems pretty solid.

Thanks for the answers!

[Sloshthedark]

vs. Reanimator
Out:
-4x Gitaxian Probe
-1x Ponder
-1x Cabal Therapy
-1x Cabal Ritual
-1x Verdant Catacombs
In:
+2x Karakas
+3x Chain of Vapor
+3x Tormod's Crypt

Extirpate is not an ideal card in the mirror. It assumes you already have used a discard spell, in which case, you should already be good to win without Extirpate. Tormod's Crypt is a good against both mirror and Reanimator.

Extirpate is insane in the mirror (aka top-deck lottery) way better than Crypt (which shuts down just one route), I also don't feel comfortable with less than 2 probes, the card is to good, speeds you up and eases the combo turn, also -1 basic rather than fetchland, that doesn't make sense...