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

[Lemnear]

I do belive you are wrong in your statement in regards to HotS.

Reading them help me grasp a better understanding of the TES/ANT matchup. I don't only see it as a ressource for current/future players of the deck, but also as a learning tool for people that might have to face the deck as it's becoming more and more popular.

Yes, detailed reports can be useful for both sides of the table which is ok with me. Everything that demystifies storm combo is good for the community to fight negative assiciations and prejudgement straped to the decktype and, in the end, may draw more players towards it. I like tough battles and everyone realizing that Mindbreak Trap is a one-trick-pony has done a step in the right direction.

Throwing some general questions out there after playing about 60-70 games with TES -

1) My winning % pre-SB game is much higher than post-SB (almost a difference of around 20-30 percentage points). Typical or says that I'm maybe over-sideboarding or not adjusting to my opponents' adjustments?

2) How often do you mull? I'm finding I mull about 15% or so of the time. Should I be more aggressive?

3) Some matchups like BUG control and RUG delver i'm having issues with. These decks can attack on several fronts (counters, wasteland effects, and/or discard) while throwing out a cheap threat as a clock. By the time our hands have been whittled away and I'm ready to PiF or DimRet, I'm facing lethal and still may have to throw it against their hand and hope they don't have a counter.

Thanks!

1) that's the goal: winning game 1 and fight through hate game 2/3. 30% less win% is too much regardless. Some matchups are attrition battles in game 2/3. Use Bryant's SB Guide link in the OP for hints against current contenders.

2) i mull rarely. Mull hands without initial manasources but mostly keep the rest and work yourself to victory with cantrips and Wish->Therapy. Being greedy with mulligans into a miraculous 6 or 5 looses more games than actual mistakes in playing it. Only exception from the named are prison decks which Lock you out after 2 turns. Here a mulligan into 8 goblins is often enough and preferable over "solid" hands with cantrips.

3) for BUG and RUG there should be more than enough advice in the HotS gallery. Grinding out cardadvantage is king. Sandbag your lands if possible. RUG is a dog to EtW. BUG tempo scoops to EtW, BUG control is so damn Slow that you just have to remove 1 spell of defense and they are wide open. Hiding wishes and infernal ontop of your lib while playing out Artifact mana is a general Way to fight discard.

[Bryant Cook]

P.S. Even if those tournaments aren't that meaningful, Bryant might consider the contained info valuable enough to add the reports to the opening posts List of links.

There's a current standard, they have to be high placing finishes. Otherwise, I have to allow everyone else's 56th place in an event. I just wouldn't be fair to people with lesser reports. I Hope you understand. Although, if you or anyone else has a high placing report that isn't in the opening post, this goes for feature matches, articles, links, etc. feel free to message me a link and I'll review before adding.

Thanks.

[Mindlash]

There's a current standard, they have to be high placing finishes. Otherwise, I have to allow everyone else's 56th place in an event. I just wouldn't be fair to people with lesser reports. I Hope you understand. Although, if you or anyone else has a high placing report that isn't in the opening post, this goes for feature matches, articles, links, etc. feel free to message me a link and I'll review before adding.

Thanks.

If I remember correctly he finished 1st in all of them :-)

[Lemnear]

If I remember correctly he finished 1st in all of them :-)

That's not the point. As expected Bryant collects Top performance reports of events with several hundred players. Battling through an event of about 34 players isn't THAT impressive even if you face RUG, BUG and S&T variants all day. I'm completely fine with the existing standard Bryant choose.

P.S. Bryant, did you ever had 5 minutes to waste and dip a nose in the mentioned reports? They are all linked in my sig and I would really appreciate some suggestions. Thx, pal

[Mindlash]

That's not the point. As expected Bryant collects Top performance reports of events with several hundred players. Battling through an event of about 34 players isn't THAT impressive even if you face RUG, BUG and S&T variants all day. I'm completely fine with the existing standard Bryant choose.

P.S. Bryant, did you ever had 5 minutes to waste and dip a nose in the mentioned reports? They are all linked in my sig and I would really appreciate some suggestions. Thx, pal

Oh ok I must have misread it. Thought it was about high finishes. Not about tournament size.

Nevertheless I think there is lots of valuable information in your HotS reports. You told us your thoughts about hands, some of your descision trees and your boarding against certain matchups. I miss those things in most of the reports I get to read...most of them are more like: G1 I AN into gg T1 - after boarding I empty for lethal goblins on T2.

I enjoyed reading them so thanks for your effords :)

I will probably try TES myself in the near future...but I think it will be with friends and some BBQ first ;)
Feel not confident enough with the deck right now for longer tournaments.
I have to admit ANT was a bit easier to get into.

Greetings Chris

[Lemnear]

Oh ok I must have misread it. Thought it was about high finishes. Not about tournament size.

Nevertheless I think there is lots of valuable information in your HotS reports. You told us your thoughts about hands, some of your descision trees and your boarding against certain matchups. I miss those things in most of the reports I get to read...most of them are more like: G1 I AN into gg T1 - after boarding I empty for lethal goblins on T2.

I enjoyed reading them so thanks for your effords :)

I will probably try TES myself in the near future...but I think it will be with friends and some BBQ first ;)
Feel not confident enough with the deck right now for longer tournaments.
I have to admit ANT was a bit easier to get into.

Greetings Chris

Dunno, it's possible that I mistook Bryant here about the "high place finishes". I may bore him via PM during the next days unless he reads the thread in the meantime ;)

Thx for enjoying. If you have any issues or questions just PM me or if the questions are more of generalistic, type them in here. If you're visiting Lille in France or Berlin lemme know ;)


P.S.: make sure to have the BBQ first. Grapeshooting in the High 40's does not leave the "friends" thing unharmed nor does bringing TES to a Kitchentable Event ;D

[Bryant Cook]

Dunno, it's possible that I mistook Bryant here about the "high place finishes". I may bore him via PM during the next days unless he reads the thread in the meantime ;)

Thx for enjoying. If you have any issues or questions just PM me or if the questions are more of generalistic, type them in here. If you're visiting Lille in France or Berlin lemme know ;)


P.S.: make sure to have the BBQ first. Grapeshooting in the High 40's does not leave the "friends" thing unharmed nor does bringing TES to a Kitchentable Event ;D

It's not right to include events with so few players, many areas have local events the size of the attendance of these reports. I think Lemnear is doing a decent job at providing content while I've been incredibly busy over the last few months. I'm in the middle of switching jobs, so depending on my workload at this new place I may be posting more frequently. However, I wouldn't get your hopes up. I think his reports are fine where they are at the moment.

To be honest, there just isn't anything to say about TES right now. The list is ideal in my opinion until something new comes out that causes the deck to change, may it be something that requires answering or a new card for the deck. But as of right now, there's no real reason for me to participate in these discussions. I've written countless articles and reports explaining how to pilot the deck. Continuing to explain to new players has become sort of redundant.

[Mindlash]

Dunno, it's possible that I mistook Bryant here about the "high place finishes". I may bore him via PM during the next days unless he reads the thread in the meantime ;)

Thx for enjoying. If you have any issues or questions just PM me or if the questions are more of generalistic, type them in here. If you're visiting Lille in France or Berlin lemme know ;)


P.S.: make sure to have the BBQ first. Grapeshooting in the High 40's does not leave the "friends" thing unharmed nor does bringing TES to a Kitchentable Event ;D

Thanks for your offer. I will PM you if there are any questions, not already answered in this thread or HotS :-)

Next time I am in France will be BoM in Paris. Perhaps you will be there too?
Berlin might be a thing for the Magiccardmarket tournament. If I find some peeps for the trip I will let you know.

Our Kitchentable is a horrible place full of Dredge, Belcher, ANT, Jund and Doomsday. TES will perfectly fit in there ;) Will be quite the turbo goldfish BBQ i guess.

Some blue guys would be nice to play through counterspells though...

Greetings Chris

[Tammit67]

Ended the Legacy portion of SCG Invitational at 6-2. Losses were to the T.E.S. mirror and to Chris anderson on elves (eternal shame). Met a few Sourcers too :) Hope to see more for the Legacy portion.

[thefringthing]

Hey, don't feel bad. Managing to lose to Elves with TES is quite the feat!

[davelin]

Found myself in the following situation while playing online and wanted to see what line others would take.

Situation:
Playing against mono-red painter pre-SB game one. Opponent has 2 tapped mountains, 2 untapped Tombs, 2 Painter's Servant and a Figure of Destiny with one counter on it. He is at 18 life and has one unknown card in hand.

We have three lands (1 Underground Sea, 1 Volcanic and 1 Gemstone Mine with three counters) in play, 3 LEDs in hand and just drew Burning Wish. Our GY consists of Brainstorm, Dark Ritual, Cabal Therapy, 2 Probes and 1 Ponder.

Scenario:
With a painter in play and plenty of mana, our opponent can draw a grindstone and immediately win the game. We have plenty of mana and four storm in hand. So what would you fetch with Burning Wish and how would you appropriately break your LEDs in response?

1) Past in Flames hoping to use cantrips in graveyard to find another business spell?
2) Diminishing Returns relying and what we draw with new 7?
3) Empty the Warrens and hope opponent doesn't topdeck grindstone?

[Megadeus]

Found myself in the following situation while playing online and wanted to see what line others would take.

Situation:
Playing against mono-red painter pre-SB game one. Opponent has 2 tapped mountains, 2 untapped Tombs, 2 Painter's Servant and a Figure of Destiny with one counter on it. He is at 18 life and has one unknown card in hand.

We have three lands (1 Underground Sea, 1 Volcanic and 1 Gemstone Mine with three counters) in play, 3 LEDs in hand and just drew Burning Wish. Our GY consists of Brainstorm, Dark Ritual, Cabal Therapy, 2 Probes and 1 Ponder.

Scenario:
With a painter in play and plenty of mana, our opponent can draw a grindstone and immediately win the game. If have plenty of mana and four storm in hand. So what would you fetch with Burning Wish and how would you appropriately break your LEDs in response?

1) Past in Flames hoping to use cantrips in graveyard to find another business spell?
2) Diminishing Returns relying and what we draw with new 7?
3) Empty the Warrens and hope opponent doesn't topdeck grindstone?

Id go with PiF. Not a sure thing, but it will probably get there. Im not sure of the odds, but I can dig it. (get it?) Im not a huge fan of the DReturns Roulette.

[maritlage]

Found myself in the following situation while playing online and wanted to see what line others would take.

Situation:
Playing against mono-red painter pre-SB game one. Opponent has 2 tapped mountains, 2 untapped Tombs, 2 Painter's Servant and a Figure of Destiny with one counter on it. He is at 18 life and has one unknown card in hand.

We have three lands (1 Underground Sea, 1 Volcanic and 1 Gemstone Mine with three counters) in play, 3 LEbDs in hand and just drew Burning Wish. Our GY consists of Brainstorm, Dark Ritual, Cabal Therapy, 2 Probes and 1 Ponder.

Scenario:
With a painter in play and plenty of mana, our opponent can draw a grindstone and immediately win the game. We have plenty of mana and four storm in hand. So what would you fetch with Burning Wish and how would you appropriately break your LEDs in response?

1) Past in Flames hoping to use cantrips in graveyard to find another business spell?
2) Diminishing Returns relying and what we draw with new 7?
3) Empty the Warrens and hope opponent doesn't topdeck grindstone?

DReturns all day tap volc, sea, play BW crack LED 1,2 & 3 for Black Blue Red. Grab DReturns paying 2 Blue a Black and a Red leaving 1 Blue 2 Black and 2 Red in pool. Shuffling in 3 LED 2 Probe 1 Ponder 1 Dark Ritual 1 Cabal Therapy and 1 Brainstorm or decks total # of cards left is 56 meaning that we have 8 rituals 12 cantrips 9 lands 7 disruption 7 tutors 11 artifact mana 1 combo piece and 1 win con. So with that all in effect looking at the win % off of DReturns from the OP is 70% if not more. Were as with PiF your looking at maybe a total of 4 cantrips to get to a win condition and be able to win. I also DReturns is away to just naturally time walk your opponent depending on what color they have named for painter.

[paeng4983]

I'll go PiF and pray hard for me to dig out a wincon.
DR is not feasible because this decks have main board REBs and Force of Wills.

[Niggurath]

I'll go PiF and pray hard for me to dig out a wincon.
DR is not feasible because this decks have main board REBs and Force of Wills.

But with no colored mana and only 1 card at hand (FOW couldn't be casted), DR was the best way, imo.

[Lemnear]

Dunno why anyone is advocating for DR here. There is more than enough stormcount in the Grave and enough cantrips to see the next 9 cards in your Library.

Don't play the DR Roulette into FoW or a Brick. PIF is an almost 86% kill here.

Burning Wish off Volcanic and Underground Sea, pop 3 LED's for UUURRRBBB, Grab PIF and cast it with UUURB (+Gemstone Mine) remaining, Probe (Life), Probe (Life), DR, Ponder and then see if you found the Wish/Infernal. Otherwise shuffle, draw and cast Brainstorm.

You have 4 cantrips with PIF to find a Wish or Infernal (+Brainstorm away the bricking cards) but a total random number of Tutors/Cantrips with DR but also the Problem of bringing back FoW into the mix which requires you to cast Silence or a Duress if you go or DR. There is still the possibility left that you just draw mana and a Single cantrip off DR.

[Kayradis]

Ended the Legacy portion of SCG Invitational at 6-2. Losses were to the T.E.S. mirror and to Chris anderson on elves (eternal shame). Met a few Sourcers too :) Hope to see more for the Legacy portion.

Chris is one effin' master with Elves tho. No shame in that!

[Megadeus]

But with no colored mana and only 1 card at hand (FOW couldn't be casted), DR was the best way, imo.

But if you DR then you give them a new hand in which they can draw a force. And if you give them a new hand you are almost for sure losing next turn.

[Niggurath]

But if you DR then you give them a new hand in which they can draw a force. And if you give them a new hand you are almost for sure losing next turn.

True, my bad. I don't play this deck yet (but wish I), so that was a bad reasoning.

[Royce Walter]

Lost in the top8 of scg Somerset to ANT. Sadface. The list felt very good overall, I really like boarding out all the hand disruption against show and tell decks since they are on leyline. Of course, if they know this, it gets worse, but Xantid Swarm is awesome regardless of whether they have leyline or not.