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

[apocolyps6]

Not to restart a discussion I'm sure has been thoroughly discussed in some part of this threat or elsewhere, but is it completely incorrect to have IGG now? I think it is pretty decent in my local meta (lack of the elements I assume pushed it out) but I'm by no means proficient at this deck.

[SScout]

Not to restart a discussion I'm sure has been thoroughly discussed in some part of this threat or elsewhere, but is it completely incorrect to have IGG now? I think it is pretty decent in my local meta (lack of the elements I assume pushed it out) but I'm by no means proficient at this deck.

Like every sideboard decision, this is one you should make based on your own local meta. If you find yourself reaching for IGG over DR 9/10 then its definitely a good card to have, Bryant's deck is merely his take on what should/shouldn't be played, its not gospel (although its pretty close at times!).

In saying that, I personally feel like DR is just a better card in most situations (but that's just my 2c).

[Lemnear]

Not to restart a discussion I'm sure has been thoroughly discussed in some part of this threat or elsewhere, but is it completely incorrect to have IGG now? I think it is pretty decent in my local meta (lack of the elements I assume pushed it out) but I'm by no means proficient at this deck.

Rest in Piece, Surgical Extraction and Deathrite Shaman are everywhere. It's pointless to play 2 graveyard-engines in the Sideboard just for the double-LED-scenarios, in which you can simply spin the Dim.Ret. Roulette for a similar effect instead.

[PartyMonster]

Just wanted to say I have been testing the Pyroblasts in the board and I am stoked on them. Thanks once again for the inovation, Bryant.

[Blitzkreuz]

Hey guys, i want to give TES a try, but i actually have no idea oh what to look at my starting seven etc. I have pondered about those starting hand samples in the primer, but i really dont get the clue. Sometimes it is of course easy, with a tutor in hand and enough rituals to get gobbos if i dont make it to 9 or 10 storm. but often there are hands of which i have no idea in which direction i should play.

Are there any explanations out there ( I once read an article, i think about ANT, in which there was written sth like that: reach x black mana with infernal in hand to kill, or x black and x red with burning wish for past in flames kill etc), that could help me get an idea, or do i just have to goldfish over and over again until i get it?

[Lemnear]

Hey guys, i want to give TES a try, but i actually have no idea oh what to look at my starting seven etc. I have pondered about those starting hand samples in the primer, but i really dont get the clue. Sometimes it is of course easy, with a tutor in hand and enough rituals to get gobbos if i dont make it to 9 or 10 storm. but often there are hands of which i have no idea in which direction i should play.

Are there any explanations out there ( I once read an article, i think about ANT, in which there was written sth like that: reach x black mana with infernal in hand to kill, or x black and x red with burning wish for past in flames kill etc), that could help me get an idea, or do i just have to goldfish over and over again until i get it?

May dip your nose into my reports to get a clue (That's why I wrote them for). They are all in my signature (start from Vol.5 and go back). A key skill to develop is reading the gameplan your hand dictates

Greetings from Berlin

[Blitzkreuz]

Thx, those reports are actually really well written and understandable, so let's see if i can manage to understand TES with those a bit better :)

[Lemnear]

Thx, those reports are actually really well written and understandable, so let's see if i can manage to understand TES with those a bit better :)

You are welcome to ask questions about particular plays and choices in those threads if something is unclear. I'll do my best to explain/clarify

[BrettF]

I have a sequencing question:

Opening 7, on the play blind matchup.

ponder
ponder
gitaxian probe
dark ritual
gemstone mine
city of brass
misty rainforest

Whats the gameplan with this hand? (I'd only mull this against TinFins/dredge/belcher/Oops. you?)

Most hands I lead with Gitaxian probe, but drawing a land blind at this point could be suicide so i would ponder first.

Other situations where you don't probe first on turn one:
If your hand has brainstorm and AdNauseam, hoping to brainstorm into an LED to set up Gitaxian breaking LED -> Adnauseam.

Thoughts? Is there a definitive number of situations where you don't lead with probe on turn 1?

[Final Fortune]

I have a sequencing question:

Opening 7, on the play blind matchup.

ponder
ponder
gitaxian probe
dark ritual
gemstone mine
city of brass
misty rainforest

Whats the gameplan with this hand? (I'd only mull this against TinFins/dredge/belcher/Oops. you?)

Most hands I lead with Gitaxian probe, but drawing a land blind at this point could be suicide so i would ponder first.

Other situations where you don't probe first on turn one:
If your hand has brainstorm and AdNauseam, hoping to brainstorm into an LED to set up Gitaxian breaking LED -> Adnauseam.

Thoughts? Is there a definitive number of situations where you don't lead with probe on turn 1?

I'd City of Brass, Ponder and keep the fetchland and Probe back to dig as deep as possible while waiting to collect as much information as possible. People are way too aggressive with Probe when they don't need to be, if you can't go off immediately it pays to wait.

[apocolyps6]

What is the correct way to handle a situation like this:

We start win the roll and see Probe, Rite, Rite, fetch, BW, Gemstone Mine, LED

We probe and see no turn 0 interaction but after that it’ll be harder to go off. We also see an answer to goblins so thats best avoided. (for example EE, flusterstorm)

Is it generally correct to wait and play through whatever hate there may be or go for diminishing returns?
If the fetch was a cantrip, does the answer change?

Perhaps I'm just unsure the role that diminishing returns serves. How okay should I be using it sub-optimally?

I’ve also been a bit confused on what to do with silence against non blue control/hatebear decks. Do I leave them in to chantwalk so that I don’t have to deal with thalia etc leaving them wasteland or either vial, or do I board in CoVs and Abrupt Decays to deal with whatever they manage to stick?

[trollking21]

What is the correct way to handle a situation like this:

We start win the roll and see Probe, Rite, Rite, fetch, BW, Gemstone Mine, LED

We probe and see no turn 0 interaction but after that it’ll be harder to go off. We also see an answer to goblins so thats best avoided. (for example EE, flusterstorm)

Is it generally correct to wait and play through whatever hate there may be or go for diminishing returns?
If the fetch was a cantrip, does the answer change?

Perhaps I'm just unsure the role that diminishing returns serves. How okay should I be using it sub-optimally?

What did you draw off probe? If you draw a blank then there is no problem spinning d-returns as you will have a land drop a new 7 card hand and a blue floating. This is pretty much the exact time you use d-returns (lemnear or Bryant correct me if I'm wrong) well this and Hail Mary's- though Hail Mary's are to be avoided if you can.

[Lemnear]

What is the correct way to handle a situation like this:

We start win the roll and see Probe, Rite, Rite, fetch, BW, Gemstone Mine, LED

We probe and see no turn 0 interaction but after that it’ll be harder to go off. We also see an answer to goblins so thats best avoided. (for example EE, flusterstorm)

Is it generally correct to wait and play through whatever hate there may be or go for diminishing returns?
If the fetch was a cantrip, does the answer change?

Perhaps I'm just unsure the role that diminishing returns serves. How okay should I be using it sub-optimally?

I’ve also been a bit confused on what to do with silence against non blue control/hatebear decks. Do I leave them in to chantwalk so that I don’t have to deal with thalia etc leaving them wasteland or either vial, or do I board in CoVs and Abrupt Decays to deal with whatever they manage to stick?

The Path you need to choose here depends on the hand of your opponent and the card drawn off G.Probe here. If your opponent holds a solution to the SB EtW (G.Charm, EE, SFM, Zealous Persecution, etc.) you obviously spin the Dim.Ret. Roulette here (or fetch Telemin if you can identify ANT and Co. And you run the 5cc Sorcery). Otherwise you have 12 Goblins guaranteed. Dim.Ret. is best used turn 1/2 to make up for the carddisadvantage via Chrome Mox/Mulligan, as a life-Independent storm engine against non-blue decks, to float mana into a new grip of 7 and to mess with your opponents hand turn 1. It's the worst card possible past turn 3 against blue/black decks without the help of Silence, therefore using Dim.Ret. as a panic button to refill your hand is a losing play.

Decay is uncastable against Thalia in most cases, therefore using Silence to "timewalk" against shit like SFM and Thalia is a thing, as disrupting opposing storm pilots is. If you board Permanent Removal or keep the Silences in for preventing the landing of their permanents is IMO a question of playstyle unless you play against something that contains hatebears + counter ... in that case I board in the Decays. Preference.

I have a sequencing question:

Opening 7, on the play blind matchup.

ponder
ponder
gitaxian probe
dark ritual
gemstone mine
city of brass
misty rainforest

Whats the gameplan with this hand? (I'd only mull this against TinFins/dredge/belcher/Oops. you?)

Most hands I lead with Gitaxian probe, but drawing a land blind at this point could be suicide so i would ponder first.

Other situations where you don't probe first on turn one:
If your hand has brainstorm and AdNauseam, hoping to brainstorm into an LED to set up Gitaxian breaking LED -> Adnauseam.

Thoughts? Is there a definitive number of situations where you don't lead with probe on turn 1?

That mana will reveal what you are playing regardless of your sequencing unless you really want to slow roll with Misty -> Volcanic -> Ponder which plain sucks in case you find a Brainstorm with a Ponder, natural draw or if you wish to shuffle after a Ponder. I would lead with the Gemstone as the most fragile land after Probing, just to see what you are against and one more card off your library, as drawing a land isn't that likely. You are looking for either a Brainstorm or a nut draw like Tutor + LED with your cantrips here.

One of the few situations I'd keep the Probe back is defenitiv the one I can setup a Tutor/Wish/EtW/AN with a Brainstorm, having a shitload of mana already in hand (LEDs) to setup something with Probe and LED or to keep me disguised as a RUG Delver etc with a Ponder off a Volcanic + Fetch

[gibbousm]

As someone just starting to play storm do you more seasoned pilots have any advise. I've read through the primer a few times as well as the tournament reports all of which were very helpful.

I'm mostly confused about sideboarding with this deck. Knowing what to bring in isn't that difficult, its knowing what to take out thats hard.
Also with Wishing for a storm engine how do you decide which one to grab, Diminishing Returns, Ill-Gotten Gains, or Past in Flames?

[Lemnear]

As someone just starting to play storm do you more seasoned pilots have any advise. I've read through the primer a few times as well as the tournament reports all of which were very helpful.

I'm mostly confused about sideboarding with this deck. Knowing what to bring in isn't that difficult, its knowing what to take out thats hard.
Also with Wishing for a storm engine how do you decide which one to grab, Diminishing Returns, Ill-Gotten Gains, or Past in Flames?

Welcome to this thread! Advice in best given according to specific questions and scenarios due to the decks dozen of lines to play in different situations.

Wishing for a SB Engine is an often asked question. I thought there's a part about that in the primer. Hmmmmmm. However, IGG was cut a while ago because the only situation it is good is the double Tutor, double LED scenario and essentially Dim.Ret. does similar and more even on a more random base than IGG. DR serves as an Life Independent Storm engine like PIF against decks that deal a lot of damage early, but PIF serves an unique purpose against discard-decks being immune to that mind of disruption thanks to flashback. An additional use is to fuel storm post AD in case that is needed. I already wrote about Dim.Ret. in the previous post. It serves a purpose to be the #1 choice if. EtW isn't an option in case of opposing sweepers or combo decks which EtW is simply too slow

[BrettF]

How much can you gain playing "Gitaxian, Misty for Volc, ponder, go." Posing as rugdelver VS playing correctly and saving the misty for a mid ponder shuffle on turn two?


Regarding my opening hand quandry a couple posts ago.

[Zombie]

How much can you gain playing "Gitaxian, Misty for Volc, ponder, go." Posing as rugdelver VS playing correctly and saving the misty for a mid ponder shuffle on turn two?


Regarding my opening hand quandry a couple posts ago.

To me a start like that reads like Storm, not RUG. I don't know why, but that's what my gut tells me.

[Secretly.A.Bee]

Gitaxian probe puts you on combo, either SnT or storm. I wouldn't put you on rug after seeing a probe.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Lemnear]

You misread there. Misty, Volcanic, Ponder indicates RUG. I would save the Probe to fake being RUG in certain situations like having a second fetch or double LED etc. In the Situation named, leading with Misty is wrong, therefore the whole topic of keeping the Probe is pretty pointless. You can't fake RUG here without fucking yourself all over. Like I said: I'd lead with Probe into Gemstone into Ponder digging for a BS or Wish/Tutor + LED/DR

[Bryant Cook]

Updated the sideboarding guide (It's really not much different) and added a few links.

Merry Christmas everyone.