[Deck] ANT (Ad Nauseam Tendrils)

[Tom T]

Funnily enough I put Fetchland Tendrils on my decklist at BoM, they chose to name it ANT though.

Regarding AdN/EtW: I'd play Ad Nauseam right now over here because of the large amount of combo decks (the last Dutch tournament easily had over 50% combo). I'm fine without AdN main versus Jund-esque decks though, although I definately sideboard it in if it's not already there.

Regarding hate: DDFT seems better fit in a world filled with hatebears and gy hate (DRS and the fact that Dredge did well in DC). UBr seems fine unless there is a lot of storm/stifle/snares. Sadly that deck has a really weak Sneak & Derp matchup, which is way too popular over here :(. Maybe TES works too, but it just feels much less consistent.

Theoretically, TES is better positioned right now, because it sort of has the same match-ups as ANT, while worse against Death and Taxes and stronger against ANT and Elves.

However the problem that's occurring last time is the diversity of opponents' hate. ANT can handle multiple kinds of hate way better than TES, because with ANT you can cast those answers more reliably. Next to that ANTs sideboard holds the full 15 cards, which makes the deck more flexible in it's answers. I like a deck where I can actually cast Abrupt Decay, which is actually quite hard to execute with TES against wasteland.dec.

Currently I'm testing ANT (Grim Tutor variant) because TES wasn't reliable enough the past couple of tournaments and I haven't figured out an answer to today's euro-meta yet.

[Lemnear]

Theoretically, TES is better positioned right now, because it sort of has the same match-ups as ANT, while worse against Death and Taxes and stronger against ANT and Elves.

However the problem that's occurring last time is the diversity of opponents' hate. ANT can handle multiple kinds of hate way better than TES, because with ANT you can cast those answers more reliably. Next to that ANTs sideboard holds the full 15 cards, which makes the deck more flexible in it's answers. I like a deck where I can actually cast Abrupt Decay, which is actually quite hard to execute with TES against wasteland.dec.

Currently I'm testing ANT (Grim Tutor variant) because TES wasn't reliable enough the past couple of tournaments and I haven't figured out an answer to today's euro-meta yet.

I'm still trying to figure out if the combination of hate like counter + discard + hatebears I had to face the whole BoM weekend out of the Sideboards is managable for ANY storm list.

Never lost to D&T with TES and i'm curious why you want to board Decays against Wasteland.dec. I even managed to find ways to gain an Edge against SFM->Batterskull to keep Goblins as an option in those matchups and added Telemin Performance as a Wish-target to the SB for the combo-mirror.

I still lack answers to the Tempo-archtypes with various hate :/

[nevilshute]

Hey there,

I'm running the version without burning wishes and with AN in the sideboard. I'm also running 2x Pithing Needle in the sideboard, mainly to bring in against Jund to name Deathrite Shaman and Liliana. I'm heading to a large tournament this weekend and will expect there to be quite a few sneak and show decks.

My question is, do you think it's prudent to side in the two needles to name sneak attack? I know they won't be boarding out their show and tells and as such that will still be their most likely game plan against storm, but I still think it might catch them off guard. My worry is that it brings my number of cards to side in alarmingly high as I already have 1x Karakas and 3x Xantid Swarm to bring in against them.

I'd be tempted to bring out my two basics lands (or maybe 1 basic + 1 fetch) and then something like of 2x probe, 2x therapy. My mana base and sideboard look like this:

Sideboard:

3x Xantid Swarm
2x Massacre
2x Abrupt Decay
2x Surgical Extraction
2x Pithing Needle
1x Karakas
1x Chain of Vapor
1x Echoing Truth
1x Ad Nauseam

Lands:
2x Underground Sea
1x Volcanic Island
1x Tropical Island
1x Island
1x Swamp
4x Polluted Delta
4x Scalding Tarn
1x Bloodstained Mire

[Asthereal]

@Nevil: Don't worry too much about their win. Worry about Leyline of Sanctity. Last time I played against Sneak&Show that card completely nailed me, effectively stopping my discard spells, and I forgot to board in a Chain so my only wincon was EtW. And tokens are weak against Annihilator 6...

I'd recommend adding some number of Swarms and at least one Chain of Vapor, perhaps even two (if you have sideboard space for a second). Chain of Vapor at least can work as a storm engine. Pithing Needle only helps against one of their wincons, and it cannot help you go off. Better not use those.

[bjholmes3]

Updated post. Added "Less Common Options" in the cards section to include LDV and Wish. Also, started work on the matchups section, beginning with Elves. Things I want to include are what to expect, how to play around hate, and what to aim for with discard.

[Machahiko]

I think sideboarding guides that tell you what to take out and what to put in are always bad for the person learning how to play. How about a sideboarding guide that teaches people what to take out and what to put in depending on what they expect to face in games 2&3? Matchups could be gone through by telling what are popular and not so popular sideboard options in those decks?

[Tammit67]

The last time I tinkered with ANT lists, and keeping track of matchups, I was about 35% against FoW decks, and about 55% against the format as a whole. I think the post is buried somewhere from late December 2012 or January 2013. Anyways, the DeathBlade lists were a real problem due to what you're describing. Maybe he's time to set aside ANT for a faster deck?

I've been beating the blue decks fine for now, but when the rest of them realize how potent any combination of two [counters + discard + permanent based hate] is against combo in general (and more specifically how TNN allows you to skimp on hedges in the non-combo matchups), I don't really want to be playing storm.

The goal for me is to play a deck that both cares very little about TNN but can navigate through the flurry of answers people are now starting to pack. AnT was my decision recently but after seeing Owen's sideboard I no longer want to interact along those axes round after round.

[Lemnear]

I've been beating the blue decks fine for now, but when the rest of them realize how potent any combination of two [counters + discard + permanent based hate] is against combo in general (and more specifically how TNN allows you to skimp on hedges in the non-combo matchups), I don't really want to be playing storm.

The goal for me is to play a deck that both cares very little about TNN but can navigate through the flurry of answers people are now starting to pack. AnT was my decision recently but after seeing Owen's sideboard I no longer want to interact along those axes round after round.

I did for full 4 weeks now with TES and it's becoming a torture

[Sloshthedark]

Can't see what's wrong with Turtenwalds build... I went 3-1 today losing to TNN esper deck with better SB than this, in fact I scooped to him to avoid draw in extra turns after I fucked up seriously with spell sequencing in suicide mode trying to win at all costs...should have won all of our 3 games I think ...

[entreri_fans]

Updated post. Added "Less Common Options" in the cards section to include LDV and Wish. Also, started work on the matchups section, beginning with Elves. Things I want to include are what to expect, how to play around hate, and what to aim for with discard.

The primer is awesome! thx for your work bjholmes3!

as to the sideboard choice , there seems to be a minor mistake. we are not able to abrupt decay a omniscience

[bjholmes3]

lol, oops, that was supposed to be in the Chain of Vapor section. Thanks for catching that.

[entreri_fans]

just thanks for carrying on the work, can't wait to see more matchups analysis +_+

[cheerios]

Can't see what's wrong with Turtenwalds build... I went 3-1 today losing to TNN esper deck with better SB than this, in fact I scooped to him to avoid draw in extra turns after I fucked up seriously with spell sequencing in suicide mode trying to win at all costs...should have won all of our 3 games I think ...

Would you care to shed some light on the sideboarding strategy?

[alphastryk]

Snapcaster Mage when they attack with their Mage/Canonist

While I think you were joking, is this completely crazy? Would Vendilion Clique be better since it doubles as disruption? (neither deals with Thalia of course)

[Jonathan Alexander]

I have actually tried Clique and no, it is not good enough. Against blue decks, it's usually an inferior version of Meditate, where they counter it most of the time, only that it's not as impactful if it actually resolves. They also tend to leave in removal for Xantid Swarms. Against non-blue, how is it better than Massacre, Dread of Night, or even Sudden Shock? There are just way more elegant ways to do both jobs, and this deck is not desperately looking for a card to do these two at the same time.

[DarkJester]

I don't think that Mr.Snappy was a joke. He has performed before and doubles as a business-spell when needed. Clique can disrupt, but not give you business. Snappy can.

[Dark Ritual]

I don't think that Mr.Snappy was a joke. He has performed before and doubles as a business-spell when needed. Clique can disrupt, but not give you business. Snappy can.

I ran snapcaster before deathrite shaman was printed just like Emidln who pioneered the idea of snapcaster in ANT. Played 2 copies and it was quite fun when I went snapcaster in response crack 2 LED's, flashback ad nauseam with the floating mana. After deathrite snapcaster got shelved quite fast.

[Sloshthedark]

While I think you were joking, is this completely crazy? Would Vendilion Clique be better since it doubles as disruption? (neither deals with Thalia of course)

SnapC wasnt much good to me except chumping a canonist g1 once...
Hmm I have 3 clique 2 karakas experiment on my mind for some time... Dont have the cliques yet...

SB strategy - Ill edit when to my computer, it's rather complicated

[MTG Junkie]

Considering trying 3 Hymn To Turach in the board tonight for my local event.

Have you ever tryed it? How was it?

[Jay_Gatz]

Playing a tempo card in a combo deck seems weak