[Deck] Canadian Thresh (a.k.a. RUG Tempo, Tempo Thresh)

[Bed Decks Palyer]

I played against a similar merfolk build multiple times at my store, with 4 TNN, 4 Phantasmal Images, 2 Cavern and Vials. MU is a total Nightmare, it feels like playing Merfolks this way is a no-brainer. Yet I managed to improve the mu a little via inclusion of 2 Grim Lavamancer's in my board. If one sticks and do its job, only TNN is a problem and with no Lords it's actually possible to race this... card... Still I don't think the mu could become any better, at least I have no idea how (I don't want to pack 18 burn spells and die to all the other decks). IMO the Merfolk Build with the full set of TNN and Images is the most relevant example of how dumb TNN is. Transforming a game between two fair decks into an uninteractive one.

I'm afraid you're right. Seems like I may stop caring about this mu.

[Contract Killer]

So currently I'm looking at running this for an upcoming tournament:
54 + 4chain, 2 spell pierce
SB
3 submerge
2 rough
3 pyroblast
2 price of progress
flusterstorm
ancient grudge
vendilion clique
sulfur elemental
grafdigger's cage

Not sure how much I like the 8 bolt plan, but so far in testing it seems good. Another thing what should I side in price against aside the obvious stoneblade, shardless and lands matchups? I kind of want to put it in against the tempo mirrors. When we're on the draw we have so many bad cards in tempo mirrors since we want to side out forces and dazes and stifle isn't particularly amazing either.

[HammafistRoob]

Looking through the primer of this deck is so confusing and misleading. For example, it says that the deck was first seen in 2007, with Tarmogoyfs in it. Threshold was a thing long before Goyf was even printed, so I'm completely lost on where that information came from.

Anyways, why are people not playing 4 Spell Pierce? And is 4 Goyf still the right number? I would think yes but I'm curious as to what others think.

[Contract Killer]

Looking through the primer of this deck is so confusing and misleading. For example, it says that the deck was first seen in 2007, with Tarmogoyfs in it. Threshold was a thing long before Goyf was even printed, so I'm completely lost on where that information came from.

Anyways, why are people not playing 4 Spell Pierce? And is 4 Goyf still the right number? I would think yes but I'm curious as to what others think.

4 spell pierce is just a meta game call. The 6 flex spots no one has really come to a consensus as to what should be in those spots. There's been everything from spell pierce to dismember to forked bolt to gitaxian probe and the list goes on. The point is 4 spell pierce may be right against combo (and some midrange), but sucks against D&T, Fish, Goblins and Elves. Now more burn centric removal forked bolt, tarfire and chain lightning are great in the 4 matchups I just stated. Four goyfs is still pretty standard he's kind of the worst creature in the deck so some cut one for a sylvan library which is great against combo and midrange/control like miracles. The only reason why goyf is bad is because he's two mana and has no type of evasion such as shroud and flying.

As for the origins all I really know is it got it's name "Canadian Threshold" from the original creator, or so I've been told.

[Akinos]

Concerning the primer, is someone is working to write a new one? The actually primer is really out of date...

[HammafistRoob]

4 spell pierce is just a meta game call. The 6 flex spots no one has really come to a consensus as to what should be in those spots. There's been everything from spell pierce to dismember to forked bolt to gitaxian probe and the list goes on. The point is 4 spell pierce may be right against combo (and some midrange), but sucks against D&T, Fish, Goblins and Elves. Now more burn centric removal forked bolt, tarfire and chain lightning are great in the 4 matchups I just stated. Four goyfs is still pretty standard he's kind of the worst creature in the deck so some cut one for a sylvan library which is great against combo and midrange/control like miracles. The only reason why goyf is bad is because he's two mana and has no type of evasion such as shroud and flying.

As for the origins all I really know is it got it's name "Canadian Threshold" from the original creator, or so I've been told.

Pierce isn't actually that bad against Elves and D&T, but I agree that extra Burn would be more profitable in those matchups. What's everyone's opinion on going to 3 Stifle and 3 Daze? I generally wouldn't want to see more than one a game and they are so bad once the opponent has set up their mana base.

I'm on the Forked Bolt train myself, it's so much better against Elves and D&T than Chain Lightning. I also never want to have a situation arise where I have my Delver die to my own card, yuck.

And yes, Ugr Thresh was originally designed by David Kaplan, from Canada. He still plays magic and he was actually at Pro Tour Theros where he did quite well. I dunno if he plays Legacy anymore though.

[Purgatory]

Speaking of the primer, I have a two-parter that I've written for a Swedish website that was recieved very well. I could quite easily translate it, but I'm not sure if I have the name recognition to post it as a primer here.

[HammafistRoob]

Just send a PM to Nihil Credo or Zilla and ask them. I'm sure they're well aware of how old this thread is.

[Akinos]

What's everyone's opinion on going to 3 Stifle and 3 Daze? I generally wouldn't want to see more than one a game and they are so bad once the opponent has set up their mana base.

I think it's a meta call. This configuration will work better in a metagame where there will be several decks working well through your mana denial strategy (like D&T, Elfball, OmniTell, etc...) because it save you 2 slots to play more relevants cards.
Typically, against three-colored midrange decks that play a mana base composed of lot of fetchs / duals, it will be better to keep your 4 Daze / 4 Stifle to support your basic strategy: Keep the game in early by forcing your opponent to play with 2/3 lands max and to keep your cheap counterspells efficients as long as possible.

[Bed Decks Palyer]

Speaking of primer and such: I'd love if there'd be some history lesson on both UGr Thresh (non-Waste, Fledgling Dragon version) and the UG(r) Canadian Thresh version (Stifle, Waste). I find it really amusing that for a deck that's here about a decade, one can't tell a lots of things for sure. It's like if the history was deliberately obscured *tinfoilhaton*

[Purgatory]

Speaking of primer and such: I'd love if there'd be some history lesson on both UGr Thresh (non-Waste, Fledgling Dragon version) and the UG(r) Canadian Thresh version (Stifle, Waste). I find it really amusing that for a deck that's here about a decade, one can't tell a lots of things for sure. It's like if the history was deliberately obscured *tinfoilhaton*

My primer dates the deck's roots back to 2004-2005 vintage :)

[Bed Decks Palyer]

My primer dates the deck's roots back to 2004-2005 vintage :)

I hope that it also touches the Extended roots!
Maybe you should really contact the mods.

[GoldenCid]

Went to a GP side event with RUG. The first time i run the deck in a tournament. Went 3-2. Not bad not good. At first i felt that the deck was difficult to pilot. I started with mirror match and the quantity of goyf each player controled defined the winner. Game 1 he got more goyfs, me the second and he the third.
Lost to elves and the got a Fuc''¿'0 bye....

Won to goblins (White and black splash) and to UWR delver.

Always won at least 1 match in each round!!!

My decklist was:

54 RUG
2 chian lightning (loved)
1 forked
1 Fire ice (loved)
2 Pierce

SB:

3 submerge
2 Cage
2 REB
1 surgical (really needed?)
2 rough (loved)
2 flusterstorm
1 Pithing needle
2 Destructive revelry

Thoughts?

GC

[Bed Decks Palyer]

I started with mirror match and the quantity of goyf each player controled defined the winner. Game 1 he got more goyfs, me the second and he the third.

My decklist was:

54 RUG
no Snare

Thoughts?

GC

One Spell Snare main? I'm curious about the Chain Lightning. How exactly you used it? As reach, as removal, in both roles? Because I definitely can see a pros of 54 RUG, 2/1 SP/SS, 2/1 FB/F-I.
2 SPierce: Good against Swords, Liliana, JTMS, Terminus, Top, CB, Thoughtseize and anything in combo.
1 Spell Snare: "I personally like spell snare against 2 cc spells, but it really isn't good against spells that aren't 2 cc." One SS to have the edge over opposing Goyfs.
2 Forked Bolt: To have your turn1 answer for DRS.
1 Fire//Ice: Flexible yet expensive spell. So just a single one, it's not like you want it in your opening hand. But lately it may help, esp. when it taps some big bad wall like KotR, Stalker, Goyf, Germ, SCooze, Wurmcoil, Kozilek or Autochton Wurm.

[Exuberance]

I still haven't worked up the nerve to play Fire // Ice in a tournament setting yet. I guess I'm just worried that it's going to be super underwhelming, and I should have played something I've played before? I'll probably play one in Charlotte. Hopefully I still have the DCI foil one. Or else I'll need to buy an original. Hmm.

[GoldenCid]

One Spell Snare main? I'm curious about the Chain Lightning. How exactly you used it? As reach, as removal, in both roles? Because I definitely can see a pros of 54 RUG, 2/1 SP/SS, 2/1 FB/F-I.
2 SPierce: Good against Swords, Liliana, JTMS, Terminus, Top, CB, Thoughtseize and anything in combo.
1 Spell Snare: "I personally like spell snare against 2 cc spells, but it really isn't good against spells that aren't 2 cc." One SS to have the edge over opposing Goyfs.
2 Forked Bolt: To have your turn1 answer for DRS.
1 Fire//Ice: Flexible yet expensive spell. So just a single one, it's not like you want it in your opening hand. But lately it may help, esp. when it taps some big bad wall like KotR, Stalker, Goyf, Germ, SCooze, Wurmcoil, Kozilek or Autochton Wurm.

Yap, no snares...i was testing with 1 MD and it was a marginal advantage. You know it conters, goyfs, mystic, snapy and so on, but i wanted a deck that could solve theats that got rid from SS. That's why i included chain lightning. I used it as removal spells (or killing walkers spell) more than a finisher and i was great feeding my goyf also. With six 3 damage spells main, i felt free to run 1 forked and 1 fire ice and i felt confortalbe, however you could cut the f//I if you dont like it.

The building of side was hard to me: i considered sulfur elemental, clique and loam but they finally kept out. Was it right?

I dunno...

cheers,

GC.

[cheerios]

What's the recommended sb plan vs uwr delver or tnn decks in general? Do we really have to board in 3 rebs? I never liked the rebs vs them but it felt neccessary against tnn.

Cheers

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[Bed Decks Palyer]

What's the recommended sb plan vs uwr delver or tnn decks in general? Do we really have to board in 3 rebs? I never liked the rebs vs them but it felt neccessary against tnn.

Cheers

Depends what that TNN.dec look like. 4 TNNs, 4 Phantasmal Images, 4 Vials, 2-3 Caverns? Good luck with REBs...

[cheerios]

Depends what that TNN.dec look like. 4 TNNs, 4 Phantasmal Images, 4 Vials, 2-3 Caverns? Good luck with REBs...

I was pertaining mostly to tnn-blade decks. But yeah, uncounterable tnns would spell doom for us. If merfolk becomes a thing again, it might be time to bring in a single llawan or engineered explosives.

Cheers



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[Bed Decks Palyer]

I was pertaining mostly to tnn-blade decks. But yeah, uncounterable tnns would spell doom for us. If merfolk becomes a thing again, it might be time to bring in a single llawan or engineered explosives.

Cheers

TNN-Blade decks are easier than Merfolk. You may counter their TNNs (or better said: all critters), and they tend to have worse manabase than Folks. Also, they don't pack Clones.
Basically it's about:

- StifleWaste so that they can't play spells
- Blast the TNN
- Daze/FoW/w-e the spels they get to play once they reach 2+ mana
- Grudge/Mutate the equipment so that they're left with Squires.
- fly over the TNNs that get through the counterwall
- burn FTW

Sadly, this ain't completely easy.