[Deck] GW/x Maverick

[Megadeus]

I'm pretty sure it triggers at the beginning of the end step. So eot too sneak it into play and it UN taps then can attack

[ironclad8690]

I'm pretty sure it triggers at the beginning of the end step. So eot too sneak it into play and it UN taps then can attack

Oh, nevermind my comment. that was dumb.

[slikwilly]

I have picked up Vial Maverick again and plan on running it for a while as it is very fun. My meta is mostly fair so not too worried about combo. Last night was my first time running the deck and in truly insane fashion vial decks were everywhere:
My Mav deck
2 Goblins
Merfolk
D&T

This was out of 15 players. This never happens.

Anyway, I played one of the Goblins decks and he DEMOLISHED me. What should I be boarding against that? Thinking Dueling Grounds, but no clue beyond that. Should I be mulling to a plowshares so I can answer Lackey? G2 I was on the play and kept w/ a Thalia. He played T1 Lackey, then T2 cycled an Incinerator to kill my Thalia on the way to steamrolling me.

Would GSZ be a better call in a meta like this. If we end up heavy on vials then the mana denial plan of wasting them out is not so good.

Also wouldn't mind any advice on beating 4 color loam. I drew with that.

[Barook]

I have picked up Vial Maverick again and plan on running it for a while as it is very fun. My meta is mostly fair so not too worried about combo. Last night was my first time running the deck and in truly insane fashion vial decks were everywhere:
My Mav deck
2 Goblins
Merfolk
D&T

This was out of 15 players. This never happens.

Anyway, I played one of the Goblins decks and he DEMOLISHED me. What should I be boarding against that? Thinking Dueling Grounds, but no clue beyond that. Should I be mulling to a plowshares so I can answer Lackey? G2 I was on the play and kept w/ a Thalia. He played T1 Lackey, then T2 cycled an Incinerator to kill my Thalia on the way to steamrolling me.

Would GSZ be a better call in a meta like this. If we end up heavy on vials then the mana denial plan of wasting them out is not so good.

Also wouldn't mind any advice on beating 4 color loam. I drew with that.

I don't think Vial Maverick is positioned well in the current metagame, that's why I switched to Black Maverick.

If you run DRS, you have another viable answer to T1 Lackey since he can block him like a boss.

I can imagine that DRS + Ooze + GSZ should help in the Loam match-up.

[nicoleptik]

[...]Here's a rather unpolished list. Most likely needs to cut some corners to make some room for Thalias to get at least some MD disruption going (since it's mostly the list I'm using minus discard and slight modifications).

3 Deathrite Shaman
4 Noble Hierarch

Maybe you should cut some dudes here, as 7 mana accelerants seems too much. I run a 3 DRS/ 1 Noble split in my Dark Mav and have no mana issue at all. But you should definitively make room for Thalia as she is a MVP in this deck.

[slikwilly]

I don't think Vial Maverick is positioned well in the current metagame, that's why I switched to Black Maverick.

If you run DRS, you have another viable answer to T1 Lackey since he can block him like a boss.

I can imagine that DRS + Ooze + GSZ should help in the Loam match-up.

My meta is very fair. Most weeks we get around 15 players and only 1-2 are on combo. One TES, one ANT. The black splash is intended to improve the combo match-up, right? If that's the case, it doesn't get me much. Many of the decks don't get punished by Wasteland as much as I'd like though, so maybe moving away from Vial (and Wayfarer) makes sense for that reason.

DRS does seem like a good add, though BoP has been a rock star carrying swords and Jittes for me in my limited play so far.

[AlbyLegacy]

OK question. I was playing a friend. I activated knight of the reliquary and he stifles it. In repose I mother of rune my knight pro blue. But from my understanding stifle still counters the ability?

[Barook]

OK question. I was playing a friend. I activated knight of the reliquary and he stifles it. In repose I mother of rune my knight pro blue. But from my understanding stifle still counters the ability?

Yes, because the ability is the target, not the Knight itself

@slikwilly: Maybe Punishing Maverick is a better fit for your meta?

[AlbyLegacy]

Yes, because the ability is the target, not the Knight itself

@slikwilly: Maybe Punishing Maverick is a better fit for your meta?

thank you.

[dcosiem]

Hello people. I just want some critique. I've been trying to build bant since I got enough cards to do it. This is what I came up with. It feels like you're playing Maverick but with Brainstorm and Ponder which feels like orgasm.

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Brainstorm
1 Scryb Ranger
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Windswept Heath
2 Flooded Strand
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Tropical Island
2 Savannah
2 Tundra
1 Dryad Arbor
3 Wasteland
1 Karakas
1 Maze of Ith
1 Scavenging Ooze
3 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Gaea's Cradle
2 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Ponder
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Dryad Militant
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
3 Mother of Runes
SB: 4 Spell Pierce
SB: 4 Force of Will
SB: 2 Flusterstorm
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 Bojuka Bog
SB: 2 Krosan Grip

[Barook]

Hello people. I just want some critique. I've been trying to build bant since I got enough cards to do it. This is what I came up with. It feels like you're playing Maverick but with Brainstorm and Ponder which feels like orgasm.

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Brainstorm
1 Scryb Ranger
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Windswept Heath
2 Flooded Strand
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Tropical Island
2 Savannah
2 Tundra
1 Dryad Arbor
3 Wasteland
1 Karakas
1 Maze of Ith
1 Scavenging Ooze
3 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Gaea's Cradle
2 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Ponder
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Dryad Militant
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
3 Mother of Runes
SB: 4 Spell Pierce
SB: 4 Force of Will
SB: 2 Flusterstorm
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 Bojuka Bog
SB: 2 Krosan Grip

What are you trying to accomplish here? Beating combo post-board? The Sb looks kinda terrible.

If you run Geist, I would definitely try a thrid equipment in the MD.

Rhox War Monk as a GSZ target against aggro might be nice.

[ThediscoPower]

Hello people. I just want some critique. I've been trying to build bant since I got enough cards to do it. This is what I came up with. It feels like you're playing Maverick but with Brainstorm and Ponder which feels like orgasm.

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Brainstorm
1 Scryb Ranger
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Windswept Heath
2 Flooded Strand
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Tropical Island
2 Savannah
2 Tundra
1 Dryad Arbor
3 Wasteland
1 Karakas
1 Maze of Ith
1 Scavenging Ooze
3 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Gaea's Cradle
2 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Ponder
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Dryad Militant
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
3 Mother of Runes
SB: 4 Spell Pierce
SB: 4 Force of Will
SB: 2 Flusterstorm
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 Bojuka Bog
SB: 2 Krosan Grip

so how do you sideboard against combo already? Or, more accurately, what 13 cards are you sideding out for those matchup? And I assume that you are bringing the whole side against show and tell? It seems totally overboard to me, to the point where I would just play bant at that point, and maindeck counterspells, play jace TMS.

[dcosiem]

The deck is design is more designed to beat fair game controls like: Esper, Esper Deathblade, Rug, Jund, and Shardless Agent But. I guess I would have to say if you're playing against combo decks, you're going to lose probably in the first game. Game 2 gets better with counter spells. The whole idea is to put people in if they are playing any of the decks i mentioned above. The idea of playing Jace was it was too hard to produce double blue when most spells are g/w variant. I thought about Rhox War Monk, but Geist had replaced Jace when I first started building this deck. Exalted on Geist is really cool.

[useL]

There's a BANT-thread on MTGsource already, your post belongs there probably. Oh, and theres a reason why it's four pages long, cause the blue splash is terrible =(

[dcosiem]

There's a BANT-thread on MTGsource already, your post belongs there probably. Oh, and theres a reason why it's four pages long, cause the blue splash is terrible =(

Yea, i guess i have to agree.

[ThediscoPower]

The deck is design is more designed to beat fair game controls like: Esper, Esper Deathblade, Rug, Jund, and Shardless Agent But. I guess I would have to say if you're playing against combo decks, you're going to lose probably in the first game. Game 2 gets better with counter spells. The whole idea is to put people in if they are playing any of the decks i mentioned above. The idea of playing Jace was it was too hard to produce double blue when most spells are g/w variant. I thought about Rhox War Monk, but Geist had replaced Jace when I first started building this deck. Exalted on Geist is really cool.

too hard to produce double blue? you are playing exactly the same manabase as the normal bant decks (well, they play 23 lands usually with one not producing mana, when you are playing 21 with 1 not producing mana and craddle which only produces mana with creatures on board, however that's another point), the point being that you should be able to power double blue rather easily. however you probably should up the number of lands to 22-23, and I still think that your sideboard isn't that good, and that you are bringing way more cards that you can take out.

[Fatal]

Just made top8 on GP Warsaw side event with Punishing Dark Maverick :].

Record 4-1-1

quick report:

the list:

1 Gaddock Teeg
4 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Dryad Arbor
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Sylvan Library
1 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Knight of the Reliquary
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Qasali Pridemage
3 Mother of Runes
1 Karakas
4 Wasteland
1 Forest
1 Plains
4 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Savannah
1 Scryb Ranger
3 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Punishing Fire
1 Batterskull
3 Grove of the Burnwillows
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
1 Taiga
1 Plateau
1 Life from the Loam
3 Deathrite Shaman
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Bayou
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
//SB
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Engineered Plague
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Abrupt Decay
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Cabal Therapy
2 Oblivion Ring
1 Engineered Explosives


Played 6 rounds:

Round 1: D&T

Game 1 - I keep hand without stp to his mom which dominate the game he won the roll and steam roll me with mother (tried to scryb ranger with jitte to break the lock - he had Serra Avenger from vial) - good for me I didnt show him any splash

SB:

Plague on humans, Decay, Ancient Grudge, EE in
Gaddock, Ooze, Sylvan Safekeeper, Elspeth out

Game 2 & 3 - I just steamroll him with removal and hugh Ooze / Knight, equips.

Round 2: RUG he won the roll

Steamroll both games - nothing to say about it, just keep the hand with a lands. Game 2 he cast 3 submerges..

I sided:
2 Rebs, 1 EE, 1 Abrupt decay

side out:
1 Qasali, Elspeth, 1 Sylvan Safekeeper (he is bad vs tempo decks - you need lands), Gaddock Teeg - I know he stops submerge but also stop my GSZ - Submerge is just removal you can play around it.

Round 3: Sneak Show 2-1 lose, I won the roll.

That MU is though probably Pithing Needle would help:
Game 1 I... won the race which was quite surprising - fast KotR steal the match.

SB:
2 Cabal Therapy
2 Oblivion Ring
3 Red Elemental Blast

out:
4 STP - if you have to stp Grisel you are dead anyway.
1 Elspeth
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Sylvan Safekeeper - most sneak lists uses pyrocasm which is why he is useless vs them.

I made quite a big mistake in game 2 which cost me a game - I fetched wrong which mean he Blood Moon me - which stops me playing my Gaddock (draw him), then Sneak -> Emrakul.

Game 3 Was a punishment for that mistake - I had very good board position with wastelock next turn Gaddock (Mom active) and Reb as a answer to counter - He has very tiny window - had 4 cards - he needed Sol land, Petal, Sneak, Emrakul (I was on 15 after I draw extra card from Library). He had all of them, dies from Spagetti Monster..


Round 4: RUG
Same as games in round 5 - Except he was my buddy which was very unlucky for him. Ended both games with Giant KotRs on table.

Round 5: BUG Shardless he win the roll
it is a though MU - but I know the key is to survive to active Punishing Fire to deal with all the 2/2 Cascade dudes/Strix, Shamans and Planeswalkers - I didnt draw any KotR/GSZ/Grove - sad Panda - game 1 was very long since I develop quite fast Elspeth which negate his advantage from 3 Visions - after all that time I drew my first StP but It was really too late - he kill me with 3 goyfs (had batterskull / and some dude punishes active but had to sacrafice Mom activation to kill the jace though the Strix. at the end he found single Pulse which deals with Elspeth and the we go to game 2. Which was in about 3 minutes I steam roll him with Punishing Fires and Active KotR wasteland canon he ended game with empty board.

Round 6: rANT - with Burning Wishes and Cabal Rituals

Game 1: This was really strange game - he win the roll and started basic swamp with thoughtseize - and took my gaddock - mean storm. But that was all spells which he cast all game (no I didnt waste basic swamp XD), he also had island - probably drawing very poor. Dies in turn 6 - really strange game that I was for a moment not sure it was a storm.

SB:
2 Cabal Therapy to have next attack angle - hand.
2 MBT vs fast kills
2 Surgical Exctration it helps really
3 Red Elemental Blast vs Bounce/Brainstorms
1 Engineered Explosives vs EtW
1 E. Plague vs EtW

4 StP
1 Qasali Pridemage
3 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Elspeth
1 Punishing Fire
1 Life from the Loam - he show me enough basics :)

Game 2: I died turn 2 -I didnt had answer he therapy me after probe, he win via Ad N from hand with 2 darks,he took cards and move his lives down to 3.

Game 3 That was really strange end - I win via Surgical the Infernal Tutor and ... Jitte - I overload his possible tendrils and keep his GY clean - his life was enough low that any ad N would kill him.


After all I would probably change 1 Cabal Therapy, maybe 1 Red Elemental blast for 2 Needles vs Sneak - but I really like the blast - Maybe other slot. Still don't know all sideboard was useful.

[dcosiem]

Alright, enough of bant. Let's talk about Dark Maverick. Here's my list. I need some critique. I plan on taking this to SCG:Baltimore in 2 weeks. Ideally, I wouldn't play this deck at SCG because I would rather play some form of control deck. This deck seems to play fair all around. It is I believe a very powerful deck, and with the right pilot, someone can make top 8 SCG. I'm very new to this deck. I usually play Death and Taxes and Sneak Attack as my main decks. I've been practicing this deck for the last 2 days. Here's my record so far with it.

dark maverick

2-0 dredge
2-0 lands
2-0 rwu punishing
0-2 ant
2-0 rug
1-2 shardless agent
0-2 elves
1-2 reanimator
2-0 uw miracles
0-2 jund
0-2 DEathblade
1-0 4 color control
2-0 dark depths
0-2 esper
2-0 goblins

3 Deathrite Shaman
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Verdant Catacombs
3 Windswept Heath
2 Marsh Flats
3 Wasteland
1 Scrubland
1 Bayou
2 Savannah
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Karakas
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Scryb Ranger
4 Mother of Runes
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Maze of Ith
1 Gaddock Teeg
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Plains
1 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Birds of Paradise
3 Abrupt Decay
1 Sylvan Library
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Garruk Relentless
3 Phyrexian Revoker
SB: 1 Choke
SB: 1 Oblivion Ring
SB: 1 Ethersworn Canonist
SB: 1 Engineered Plague
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Enlightened Tutor
SB: 1 Engineered Explosives
SB: 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 1 Pithing Needle
SB: 1 Life from the Loam
SB: 1 Garruk, the Veil-Cursed
SB: 1 Maelstrom Pulse
SB: 1 Bojuka Bog

So how can i improve my deathblade, esperblade, jund, ant, and elves match-ups? Any suggestion?

[dcosiem]

Cavern is actually underwhelming because I'm run 3 colors and too many spread creature types.

For now, I'm going with the 4th Savannah. I'm not a fan of the basic swamp since the deck isn't that black-intensive and it might hinder my actual spells if I have it in my opening seven.

MD Bog might be a possibility. Although 4 DRS + Ooze + GSZ give the deck already plenty of ways to attack the GY MD. Although it would open up a SB slot, which might be actually interesting.

To go back to the PW discussion: Has anybody tried running both Elspeth and Garruk Relentless in the same 75? It would double the chance to draw a walker without screwing yourself when you draw the second one.

So, candidates for the "flex spot": Garruk, Choke, Thrun, Zealous Persecution or Sigarda, Host of Herons

Edit: Why are people only talking about LftL when considering a Wastelock? CoW should work as well, without spending mana all the time, and it can be E-tutored. Yes, it's vulnerable to AD and the likes, but LftL gets hit just as hard by GY hate.

So, I'm testing the 2 Plainswalkers in my list of 75, and it is simply amazing. When they hit, they are destructive. They make literally blow out my opponents. Also, I like the idea of Volrath's Stronghold. That is a good idea.

[Koby]

1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Garruk Relentless
3 Phyrexian Revoker
SB: 1 Choke
SB: 1 Oblivion Ring
SB: 1 Ethersworn Canonist
SB: 1 Engineered Plague
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Enlightened Tutor
SB: 1 Engineered Explosives
SB: 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 1 Pithing Needle
SB: 1 Life from the Loam
SB: 1 Garruk, the Veil-Cursed
SB: 1 Maelstrom Pulse
SB: 1 Bojuka Bog

So how can i improve my deathblade, esperblade, jund, ant, and elves match-ups? Any suggestion?

For the first three, you would benefit greatly from Umezawa's Jitte. In fact, it's instrumental in winning every creature matchup bar none. ANT is more of a special case, and there you really need to maximize the Thalias and Wasteland and other hate-bears you run to stand a chance. It's still a hard matchup because they have a high potential of winning before you're set-up.

I would start by cutting some of the 4cc cards from the deck in favor of two Jitte.