[Deck] Merfolk

[JPoJohnson]

What do people think about running 8 man lands. I saw a bit ago it was a topic but it seams to have died away. I am interested in people's views though running Vault and Factory alongside Standstill.

So you're wanting to mix Landstill and Merfolk?

[Dice_Box]

To a point yes. See if we where to run 8 man lands, Standstill makes sense to me. It would be in that case though. There is talk of running Factory with Vault. If we examine the strengths of such a build and find it to be effective, then the logical conclusion is to add Standstill. Also, Vial does not hurt such a plan.

Still this build would be very different from the ones of the past. No Wasteland, no Daze, likely no Cursecatcher. It's going to be a total Aggro control build. I am not the first to pose the question, I only seek people's views on it. The pros and cons of such a plan.

[ThoSha]

The main approach of this build is to be superior against Control/Midrange strategies.
If you struggle against these archetypes, i can say the least it works out very well for me.
Esper and Miracles can't handle your valueapproach combined with many strong creatures/manlands.
Death and Taxes feels the same, I never lost to it yet.
BUG Delver needs more testing, but currently i rate the matchup 60/40 in our favor, as this list is ignoring -1/-1/sac effects for the most part.


Only downside I see is that you take a hit against RUG Delver, which isn't such a big deal right now.
You could argue that your combo matchups become worse without Daze/Cursecatcher, so your sideboard is very commited of having multiple counters.

[BVB09]

Has anybody seen the new Merfolk one-drop?
I can't send the image as I'm usung my phone.
Looks interesting to me. It costs 1 and it's a Merfolk, that's a good start, there are not a lot like her.
Now we have to discuss if it's ability it's better than being a 2/2 for U (Trickster). Tidal Warrior has proved to be too circunstancial, it's only good if opponent doesnt have islands and you have a lord.
Could this ability be relevant? As a tribal deck we get more value from extra draws than them. And milling the card... Could be good controlling opponents at top deck mode?
Discuss!

Edit:

[Dice_Box]

It does not fit into the decks plan, we can draw in other ways and its slow. BUT, and there is always a but, but it lets you screw with Top in a Countertop situation. I have to say that while my first impressions of this card are lackluster, it may just show up here and there.

[JPoJohnson]

This might work in Modern Merfolk, but I don't think it has a place in legacy.

[FANAttIC]

What would the rest of our mana be if we have 4 Muta and 4 Factory?
8 colorless lands probably means no Wastelands.
Do we play Cavern with that and how many?

Without testing that seems too radical for our ability to play Lords (without drawn Vial), our game 1 vs combo (not enough Islands to play Daze) and our ability to have mana for Pierce/Fluster/Swan or any other counter that wants Island open. I am not convinced (but I was also sceptical about Caverns, not anymore).

[Dice_Box]

Depending on meta you run either 14 islands or a combo of islands and Cavern. Since you have so many man lands, it's ok to cut some creatures for land.

[BVB09]

Mini-Nemesis!!!
1/1 unblockable for U!!
I always get too excited with spoilers, but this one seems perfect!
Probably better than flying! And everyone knows that what decides ganes against non-blue decks are TNN attacking thought their Symbiotes, Mother of runes, etc...
This one costs 1!!!!
I absolutely love it, already printing proxies

[Barsoom]

For reference:

[BVB09]

Thanks Barsoom
Come on guys, give the new Merfolk a try and post results!
2 interesting one-drops in the same set, and no one is discussing?

In regards to the black splash mentioned a few post earlier:
Another option for the manabase could be something like this, recently used in Blue&Taxes. Tries not to benefict DRS and also avoid the lifeloss from fecthlands.
http://www.tcdecks.net/visualview.ph...98532&id=13416

[FANAttIC]

Thanks Barsoom
Come on guys, give the new Merfolk a try and post results!
2 interesting one-drops in the same set, and no one is discussing?

In regards to the black splash mentioned a few post earlier:
Another option for the manabase could be something like this, recently used in Blue&Taxes. Tries not to benefict DRS and also avoid the lifeloss from fecthlands.
http://www.tcdecks.net/visualview.ph...98532&id=13416

Blue&Taxes ha? Interesting. What is that decks goal? It looks like Fish (nonmerfolk deck) port from vintage.

Born of the Gods was utter trash so Journey feels like fresh air for all my decks in legacy, modern and standard.
That unblockable merfolk could be fun if I cram second Jitte in the main. It even has nice art.

[ipvitk]

Yesterday I top-8ed russian national legacy cup with my trusted merfolk deck. My deck list:
11 Island
1 Cavern of Souls
4 Mutavault
4 Wasteland
4 Aether Vial
4 Cursecatcher
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
3 Phantasmal Image
4 Merrow Reejerey
2 Vendilion Clique
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
2 Spell Pierce
1 Spell Snare
Sideboard:
3 Submerge
3 Stifle
2 Pithing Needle
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Echoing Truth
1 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
1 Spell Pierce
1 Flusterstorm
1 Umezawa's Jitte

My matchups were: Thopter-Tezzeret win, UW Miracles lose, UW Landstill win, UWR Delver win, High Tide win, Team America BUG win, Sneak-Show win. Quarterfinals I lost a very close game against UWR Delver 1-2. This is one of a few matchups for merfolks where True-Name Nemesis is very good. Still I was very pleased with how my deck performed, and I am convinced that for current meta this is a good deck choice.

[BVB09]

Congrats on the result!! Very impressive. Do you know the number of players?
UWR Delver is not as easy as it my seem. Sometimes it's tricky.
Miracles on the other hand depends on the opponent. Sometimes extremely easy, but perfectly played is almost unbeatable.

Blue&Taxes ha? Interesting. What is that decks goal? It looks like Fish (nonmerfolk deck) port from vintage.

Honesly I have no idea. I don't know how a deck like that can work lol
However the interesting thing for me is the manabase, I wonder if that's better than fechtes.

[ipvitk]

Congrats on the result!! Very impressive. Do you know the number of players?
UWR Delver is not as easy as it my seem. Sometimes it's tricky.
Miracles on the other hand depends on the opponent. Sometimes extremely easy, but perfectly played is almost unbeatable.

I guess about 100 players. Top8 was all RUG, BUG and UWR Delver decks.

[FANAttIC]

Congrats on the result!
Nice to see 2 Cliques in the main, they are performing great in my deck too.
Are you trying to say that Nemesisssss are not important?
There are not many answers to TNN when I play 3 Caverns, at least in my experience.
Biggest decks in my metagame are D&T, bug delver, uwr delver and various miracles and blades, and I would not cut them.

[ipvitk]

Thanks!
I am still not convinced of Nemesis, I am pretty conservative :) With Nemesis you do not need significant board presence, you just want to disrupt your opponent on early turns then cast Nemesis and protect it. In that case, you do not need Merfolk shell for this fish. The best probably be UW or UB(g). Anyway, for Nemesis in Merfolk deck I want to try to cut creatures a little bit and add more early disruption main deck - stifles, maybe like 1 counterspell etc... since it could be that you do not want to cast creatures every turn like in TNN-less merfolks.
Anyway, as you see in my match ups TNN wouldn't be great except UWR delver, as decks like Sneak-Show, Miracles, High Tide do not care much about it.

[FANAttIC]

I think that miracles care about Nemesis, especially when you already play 2 Vendillions that rule against Terminus or Verdict.
You also said

Top8 was all RUG, BUG and UWR Delver decks.

and that is exactly what I would expect and where Nemesis would be the best (with Caverns of course, no need to have your spells countered )

[BVB09]

The unblockeable merfolk is not as good as I thought, at least for me. Being only 1/1 is a huge deal.
I will try the Cliques in the main. And cut one Daze to fit 2 Preordains. Am I the only one playing them? Give them a try, they are much better than Ponder or BS, and they serve at mana-fixing (hands with just one island become playable), finds creatures (TNN in the mu's it's crucial, SB cards...) and extra counters against combo.

Dakra Mystic also was underwhelming. But I just realised it helps fighting Ensnaring bridge, which is becoming more and more popular.
In the last 24h I found 3 times, and not in a Painter deck. (UWB Junk, UB Tezz, Goblins)
I hate that card, but I don't want to waste sb spaces with Echoing truth. It's a good card, but it could be sideboarded in almost any MU and doesn't do anything really. Not a powerfull SB card.

[FANAttIC]

Yep, Preordain is better than Ponder or BS in merfolk, but I would probably first try to find some slots for Gitaxian Probes before all of them.
Since I play some Spell Pierces in the main, the information is vital to know what to play turn one (and what to play around, when to overextend and what are crucial and bait spells).

Regarding Echoing Truth I have to strongly disagree. That one-of have bailed me out of so many bad situations that the only thing I am thinking about is finding one slot for the main.
It will probably never happen but my sideboard is always 1 Truth, 2 Relic of Progenitus and 12 other.

Haven't tested the new Jou stuff yet, but I am glad they exist.