[Deck] T.E.S. - The EPIC Storm

[Megadeus]

I know that I burned a Petal to Cabal Therapy, but you're right that it seems very incorrect to not take both cantrips... I don't remember exactly what I took, all I know is that I have Ponder and Petal crossed out on my notepad. I know that he had a Petal in play when he cast Ad Naus, so maybe he just played it next turn. Megadeus, do you remember?

I think I may have had a wish or something... Or maybe Duress? I really dont remember much other than punting vs you and then punting the next Game 3 against Delver. Oh and I remember the epic donuts I ate after I left

[Lemnear]

I think I may have had a wish or something... Or maybe Duress? I really dont remember much other than punting vs you and then punting the next Game 3 against Delver. Oh and I remember the epic donuts I ate after I left

2 punts and donuts ... Sounds more like watching AFC Football than playing Magic :)

[Megadeus]

2 punts and donuts ... Sounds more like watching AFC Football than playing Magic :)

As a Miami Dolphins fan I do like AFC football. And I know all about punts as well!

I feel like my hands against you were fine. My G1 hand lacked disruption which sucked, but it was fast.

[jandax]

ANT has 4 modes:

1) massive discarding from the start, in which it pretty much equals the common BGx matchup sans any pressure
2) cantripping for 1-2 turns while being slower than TES and gett'n killed
3) drawing the nuts
4) loosing hard to Silence

So, you're saying it's a 50/50 match?

I've played against it a few times and tested some with ANT before I decided to build and play TES instead. That's all pretty much the jest of it. Never got to play Silence ftw though. Seems as silly as losing to a Mana Tithe.

[Jay_Gatz]

ANT has 4 modes:

1) massive discarding from the start, in which it pretty much equals the common BGx matchup sans any pressure
2) cantripping for 1-2 turns while being slower than TES and gett'n killed
3) drawing the nuts
4) loosing hard to Silence

5) Killing themselves with Ad Nauseam when they try to go off too fast.

[nedleeds]

Nedleeds could be right that it's because of degenerate combo players like myself, but combo is not an easy thing to give up... I played 4c cascade last week and got lifetilted when I lost to UR Delver in the Quarters piloted by a bad player.

<derail>

Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy. Turn out is small because of something. Then people stop showing because turn out is small. It becomes a waste to drive an hour round trip (more with traffic) to just play 3 rounds. One of which is inevitably against somebody I want to throw in front of a MARTA bus. Then a non interactive 5 minute game vs. combo. So maybe I get 40 minutes of meaningful gameplay for an hour drive and $5. I'm just not interested anymore. When we were getting 4-5 rounds you got to see a variety of different stuff. 3 rounds and 12 people; with 6 on some combo or another not so much.

[Megadeus]

<derail>

Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy. Turn out is small because of something. Then people stop showing because turn out is small. It becomes a waste to drive an hour round trip (more with traffic) to just play 3 rounds. One of which is inevitably against somebody I want to throw in front of a MARTA bus. Then a non interactive 5 minute game vs. combo. So maybe I get 40 minutes of meaningful gameplay for an hour drive and $5. I'm just not interested anymore. When we were getting 4-5 rounds you got to see a variety of different stuff. 3 rounds and 12 people; with 6 on some combo or another not so much.

That is a fair point. I mean it isn't like people in our meta dont have the cards to play RUG and smash through the combo decks. I was noticing that a lot of the regulars havent been there the past couple of weeks... Here's to hoping that the summer helps to pick up the attendance.

[Lemnear]

With 12-14 peeps you can still play 3 rounds + Top 4 like we did a few weeks ago

[Megadeus]

With 12-14 peeps you can still play 3 rounds + Top 4 like we did a few weeks ago

We are more used to 20-25 people. 4 rounds and cut to top 8, 90% of the time we split top 4. People have lives and stuff and nobody wants to be there until 1 AM

[monovfox]

I was practicing this deck on cockatrice (I know, not a great testing ground) and I hit an opponent with maindeck leyline.

Game 2 he concedes after I play an LED on turn 5, and then he calls me a "****** who cannot play a really deck". *sigh* I hate noobs sometimes.

[Dark Ritual]

I was practicing this deck on cockatrice (I know, not a great testing ground) and I hit an opponent with maindeck leyline.

Game 2 he concedes after I play an LED on turn 5, and then he calls me a "****** who cannot play a really deck". *sigh* I hate noobs sometimes.

I almost assume he was playing enchantress? LED on turn 5 is hilarious. An aggro deck would have won by turn 5, and you're complaining? I can also play 'real magic' quite well, I just choose to play combo 95% of the time.

Love how he conceded to just LED and not LED + infernal tutor/wish/AdN/SOMETHING that can actually kill him. My opponents never conceded to me casting LED. But this is just how bad people on cockatrice are. It's like conceding to a black lotus when the opponent has nothing to cast with said black lotus.

[monovfox]

I know right xD !

In other news, I'm new to the deck, but why do we run brainstorm over preordain (I'm using master cook's list). I feel like there are occasionally times where I'd much rather have a preordain than a brainstorm. Someone mind explaining why we run it this way?

[phazonmutant]

I know right xD !

In other news, I'm new to the deck, but why do we run brainstorm over preordain (I'm using master cook's list). I feel like there are occasionally times where I'd much rather have a preordain than a brainstorm. Someone mind explaining why we run it this way?

How about you make the swap and get back to us? You'll find out for yourself in a couple games why Brainstorm is the most powerful card in Legacy.

[Dark Ritual]

Brainstorm enables some very sick lines of play, increases the turn 1 win percentage, and is literally the best spell in legacy. You haven't lived until you brainstorm ad nauseam on top and crack two LED's in response to a probe/cantrip of some kind into AdN. Hands that would be otherwise unkeepable in TES are improved greatly by the card. I can assure you that preordain <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< brainstorm virtually every time. Whenever I cast brainstorm with 4 or more cards in hand in storm combo in general it isn't uncommon for me to win on the spot regardless of combo deck because the card is that good.

[monovfox]

Tested preordain. Now I understand. Brainstorm is more of a "I see 3 more cards" than a "I craft my top deck" kind of deal.

Also, is it fine if I run 2 duress 3 silence 2 cabal therapy main board? I don't like drawing too many silences, as they are kinda useless with chrome mox.

[jin]

Tested preordain. Now I understand. Brainstorm is more of a "I see 3 more cards" than a "I craft my top deck" kind of deal.

Also, is it fine if I run 2 duress 3 silence 2 cabal therapy main board? I don't like drawing too many silences, as they are kinda useless with chrome mox.

You can put the cards that you don't want in your hand back. It is draw 3 cards and then put 2 back. The 2 does not have to be in the 3 that you draw. I felt like I needed to make that clear, because it didn't seem like you got that from your responses. If you did, then I apologize. Most people that play Legacy magic know this.

This is why Brainstorm is considered the "best card" in Legacy. Also, it's the only format where Brainstorm can be played as a 4 of, so that speaks a lot about it.

Your disruption suit depends on your metagame. If you have more traditional blue control decks that play heavy counter magic, you'll find that Silence is better, but if you have more Counterbalance type decks or less blue control decks, then hand disruption might be better...

[Lemnear]

Also, is it fine if I run 2 duress 3 silence 2 cabal therapy main board? I don't like drawing too many silences, as they are kinda useless with chrome mox.

At this point i want to make a very bold Statement and say: If you want to chop down the playset of silences you don't use Silence properly.

We are more used to 20-25 people. 4 rounds and cut to top 8, 90% of the time we split top 4. People have lives and stuff and nobody wants to be there until 1 AM

Playing out Top 8 with less than 30 people is rather pointless imo. I rather play another regular round. I hate it to play only 5-6 rounds in a tournament and facing some peeps a second time in near each of the Elimination rounds. I will push the idea of get'n rid of our common Top 4 faceoff in favor of a pure Swiss-Concept to see more different opponents in my playtime

Edit: In 3 of the last tournaments i still have not played against all the regulars there because of that crap and i really want to face the problematic matchups like miracles/stoneblade which get often stomped by 12-Post/NicFit/Jund and shit in the rounds 1 or 2 and this being effectively out of my reach (most of the time). playing against Combo or Jund all Day gets boring

[Kayradis]

Tested against a standard build of Combo Elves yesterday with a good friend of mine who's getting more into legacy.
Even with tons of misplays from my part, I was able to do T1 kill once and T2 kill twice. The other games I was sticking to playing Silence during his upkeep to stop his combo.

Overall?
-I have a lot to learn about that deck;
-Pen and papers are a MUST! You were right guys!
-Damn, it's so amazing to play!

Thanks for introducing me to that list. Next step? Acquire LEDs.

[Megadeus]

Combo Elves is a damn good MU for us. I have never lost to them. Unless your hand is absolute garbage you should be fine vs them. Watch out for MB Trap in G2+3.

[phazonmutant]

Thanks for introducing me to that list. Next step? Acquire LEDs.

That one's going to hurt... The market price on Reserve List cards has shot through the roof across the board over the past few years. It's a worthwhile investment though! There's nothing quite like playing with 8 Demonic Tutors, 4 Ancestral Recalls, and 4 Black Lotuses (Loti?) in your deck.