[Deck] Deadguy Ale (B/w Confidant)

[Megadeus]

Eh. This deck is so good vs tempo already that I never board her in, but I do see what you are saying.

[Collman]

Please let me know if this doesn't belong here.

I've played with around with this deck for a bit and now I'm buying the cards I'm missing for it. The problem I have is that I only own 3 Scrublands and can't buy the forth right now but want to get some practice with the deck.

Ideally my mana base would be:

4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marsh Flats
4 Wasteland
4 Scrublands
1 Bayou
2 Isolated Chapel
2 Swamp
1 Plains

I think my options are using a shock so I have 4 white sources to fetch with Verdant, play another Chapel (but I worry it'll EtB tapped too often) or play another basic (probably a swamp, since that's what the deck want T1). Right now I'm mostly between shock and basic, thinking probably shock is better since I occasionally lose a bit more life but get better consistency out of my fetchs.

Any comment on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Rizso]

Please let me know if this doesn't belong here.

I've played with around with this deck for a bit and now I'm buying the cards I'm missing for it. The problem I have is that I only own 3 Scrublands and can't buy the forth right now but want to get some practice with the deck.

Ideally my mana base would be:

4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marsh Flats
4 Wasteland
4 Scrublands
1 Bayou
2 Isolated Chapel
2 Swamp
1 Plains

I think my options are using a shock so I have 4 white sources to fetch with Verdant, play another Chapel (but I worry it'll EtB tapped too often) or play another basic (probably a swamp, since that's what the deck want T1). Right now I'm mostly between shock and basic, thinking probably shock is better since I occasionally lose a bit more life but get better consistency out of my fetchs.

Any comment on this would be greatly appreciated.

Running an extra fetch is ok to do tbh. Its almost the same.

[Valech]

Please let me know if this doesn't belong here.

I've played with around with this deck for a bit and now I'm buying the cards I'm missing for it. The problem I have is that I only own 3 Scrublands and can't buy the forth right now but want to get some practice with the deck.

Ideally my mana base would be:

4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marsh Flats
4 Wasteland
4 Scrublands
1 Bayou
2 Isolated Chapel
2 Swamp
1 Plains

I think my options are using a shock so I have 4 white sources to fetch with Verdant, play another Chapel (but I worry it'll EtB tapped too often) or play another basic (probably a swamp, since that's what the deck want T1). Right now I'm mostly between shock and basic, thinking probably shock is better since I occasionally lose a bit more life but get better consistency out of my fetchs.

Any comment on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cut a Chapel. Add a Karakas. Also, 22 is in my eyes minimum. Do you plan to run Moxes?

[Collman]

Running an extra fetch is ok to do tbh. Its almost the same.

Right, haven't thought of that. I'll try to find a Windswept Heath and use an Arid Mesa in the mean time. Thanks a lot!

Cut a Chapel. Add a Karakas. Also, 22 is in my eyes minimum. Do you plan to run Moxes?

You're right that I probably should have a Karakas in there, but that'll have to wait for the time being. They are pretty hard to locate in my country too.

22 lands seem fine to me, but I'll keep that in mind going forward.

I'm not using moxes right now. You do get some awesome turn ones with them but often I felt like the card disadvantage was too much for a deck that doesn't really get to draw a lot of cards often, and getting it decayed just felt too bad for me. I'd certainly like to play it, but it never felt right. I'll give it another try when I get more experienced with the deck though.

My current maindeck is close to what Megadeus played last weekend (congrats on the top 8 by the way!), with a pretty different sideboard.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Wilkin]

Yeah I would try and find a way to put in a karakas. Not a huge fan of Isolated Chapel either. I'd Cut one for either a fetchland or a swamp.

I personally don't bother putting in Thalia vs Tempo decks. I usually board in even more removal and a RIP if it's Goyf based. So I go from 15 removal main to about 18-19 post board.


I like Chrome Mox, but I can understand why people won't use it. For me, I play 2 and see it often enough in opening hands to make it really worth it. Playing Bob, Hymn, Mystic or Thalia first turn can be devastating for the opponent.

[maharis]

Last local before SCG NJ.

4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Dark Confidant
4 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Aven Mindcensor

3 Liliana of the Veil

4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Lingering Souls
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
2 Vindicate
2 Zealous Persecution

1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sensei's Divining Top

4 Marsh Flats
4 Scrubland
4 Wasteland
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
2 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Karakas
1 Bayou

2 Pithing Needle
2 Rest in Peace
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Humility
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Enlightened Tutor

Rd 1: vs. noble fish (the looter il kor/edric deck): Game 1 I resolved Zealous Persecution. Game 2 I had an EE on 2 for what seemed like forever after he Stoneforged up a Jitte. I flooded out which allowed him to sequence some stuff onto the battlefield and win. Game 3 I resolved Zealous Persecution. 2-1

Rd 2: vs. UWR delver. Game 1 I resolved Zealous Persecution. game 2 I flooded out again. game 3 went to time but he scooped to me because he felt he took a long time to resolve cantrips. Lucky day for me. 2-1

Rd 3: vs. Tezzeret. game 1 he got thopters going and it looked grim. but I vindicated the foundry and later when he attacked with about 11 of them, including one with a sword of the meek, I flashed in Mindcensor to block the one that was suited up, then resolved Zealous Persecution. Game 2 he opened on Leyline of the void into signet into turn 2 tezz. I meekly played a turn 2 Teeg because of course. But I vindicated tezz and got going from there. However, he ripped Helm and killed me with it. Game 3 I had wasteland for his colored sources and yes, I resolved Zealous Persecution when he had a Baleful Strix guarding a Tezz. 2-1

Rd 4: vs. BUG delver. Dreams crushed as I mulled to 5 in the first game then kept a one-lander in the second game. I hate mulliganing. 0-2

so 2-1-1 but 3-1 when it came to collect store credit. However I will take it, the deck felt great and I really believe in this build for Sunday.

Aven Mindcensor was the absolute nuts. The search hate wasn't really relevant, but being able to deploy a creature at instant speed was as it allowed me to untap and equip or cast other things. We have so much sorcery speed stuff.

And Zealous Persecution... Well it turns out two-mana instant plague wind is good. Every time I cast it not only did I win, but it was a complete blowout and utterly devastating. I finally got to play against some blue creature decks tonight and it showed its power.

It is also hugely important to fetch basics as the noble fish and UWR players died at points with 2 wastelands in play. Now that everything in my deck can be cast off swamp-swamp-plains it feels great. I borrowed the 4th scrub, and I'm honestly not sure If it was that important. Maybe it could just be a swamp or another bayou. Will have to make that call game day if I can't wrangle one by then.

[Megadeus]

Congrats! ZP doing work! Andyeah, I love being able to sit onthree basics. It feels so good. Mindcensor seems awesome. Sounds like your reasoning is similar to my restoration angel reasoning

[maharis]

Congrats! ZP doing work! Andyeah, I love being able to sit onthree basics. It feels so good. Mindcensor seems awesome. Sounds like your reasoning is similar to my restoration angel reasoning

Thanks, it felt good to finally get the monkey off my back and finish above .500. Right on time for the open...

And yes, Mindcensor vs. Resto was the decision. I knew Gatekeeper had to go because I just wasn't getting value enough times — either they had more than one creature, or I couldn't cast it, or it was just a bear with a Jitte frantically racing a combo deck. Ultimately it came down to CMC and a little bit extra combo hate (we could run into Intuition, Infernal Tutor, Manipulate Fate, Merchant Scroll, Entomb or Imperial Recruiter at any given time.) I never got anyone with a fetchland, but it's just great value — 2/1 flying EOT works, especially when you can untap, equip and bash. That's also why I went up to 4 SFM.

I also was happy with the performance of the second EE that I cut Spirit of the Labyrinth for (Now watch me play High Tide in round 1 of the open...)

I guess I only have a couple questions to answer for Sunday:

—Am I OK against show and tell? My plan now is to side out ZP and STP for Needle effects, O-ring, humility, and Enlightened Tutor. Then trim a bob and SFM for Thalias. i think that plus discard plus Mindcensor for their fetches and Intuitions is solid. Can't do much about tomb, lotus petal, blargh of course.

—these are the lands I have to choose from if I can't get another scrubland: Swamp, Savannah, Urborg, Verdant Catacombs, Godless Shrine, Isolated Chapel. Right now I'm just leaning toward Swamp, especially since I added a Karakas as another white source when I cut the Urborgs. Savannah is good in matches where I board in Teeg but bad almost any other time, I think. A single Urborg could save me from having to fetch in the late game if I'm trying to preserve my life total for Bob, and make Karakas into a dual, but opens me up to more wastable hands.

[Megadeus]

Your game is decent vs show and tell. My main board revokers give me better game,but I think you can win game one with decent consistency,and post board your needles don't get pyroclasmed. Seems fine. As for the land, I'd add a fetch. It's essentially a scrub, plus it's more food for the death rite

[Rizso]

So you are no longer playing with shriekmaws? Its good against both delver, fair decks and the declining show and tell decks.

[Megadeus]

I'm still on Shriekmaw as a Singleton in the main. I'll be playing Deaths Shadow ale for fun this week, but my normal build is still on Shriekmaw. It is awesome vs the fair decks.

[Rizso]

I'm still on Shriekmaw as a Singleton in the main. I'll be playing Deaths Shadow ale for fun this week, but my normal build is still on Shriekmaw. It is awesome vs the fair decks.

Are you runnig Range of Eos in that Death's Shadow version? :D

[Megadeus]

That.... Sounds sweet. Possibly too sweet to be good. Inaugural run was a disappointing 1-2 finish. Meh whatever. I doubt it was optimal, as I got lazy and kinda just made it my SCG list and cut good cards for bad ones. Deaths Shadow was actually REALLY good all night. Will probably play it again tomorrow. The thrill of balancing out your life total with fetches, shocks, thoughtseizes, and deathrite activations is really fun. Also pretty hilarious when you opponent is forced to chump block your deaths shadow who is randomly like an 8/8. Unfortunately I never got to live the dream and Orzhov Charm a Deaths Shadow back to life since I played vs dumb Swords to Plowshares decks.

[Rizso]

With death's shadow kinda want probes and Probes are so sexy with cabal therapy :P When I played with death's shadow I used Dismember, probe, therapy and a singleton ranger of eos, searching for either pair of deathrite / Death's shadow is sweet as hell.

[maharis]

I want to like shriekmaw but i can't find a good cut for it and it makes me nervous with Bob. I feel like I'll regret it against S&S at some point.

I was hoping that I can get some opinions on my sb plans for the open Sunday. List is here:

http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/s...l=1#post812830

BUG/RUG: -3 Thoughtseize, -2 Zealous Persecution, +1 Enlightened Tutor, +2 Engineered Explosives, +2 Rest in Peace. I think I might want Oblivion Ring against BUG for Tombstalker. I also considered Humility but it seems very ambitious against Wasteland-Daze decks.

Patriot: -3 Thoughtseize, +1 Enlightened Tutor, +2 Engineered Explosives. Basically I side out Thoughtseize against any bolt deck.

Blade variants/random TNN decks like Bant/UR delver: I think the same as Patriot? Should I also trim IoKs for needle effects for Deathblade's Jaces and Creeping Tar Pits? I haven't really thought about this one since it's not that popular at my store.

Elves: -1 SoFI, -2 Vindicate, -1 Lingering Souls, -3 Liliana, +1 Phyrexian Revoker, +2 Pithing Needle, +2 Engineered Explosives, +1 Grafdigger's Cage, +1 Enlightened Tutor. I think I might want Teeg here too but it turns off EE if they're on the overrun plan. Too much considering maindeck is good against them?

Storm: -4 Swords to Plowshares, -2 Vindicate, -3 Lingering Souls, +2 Rest in Peace, +2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, +1 Phyrexian Revoker, +1 Gaddock Teeg, +1 Grafdigger's Cage, +1 Ethersworn Canonist, +1 Enlightened Tutor. I think I keep zealous in in case of Empty the Warrens, right? And souls can go out because at 3 mana sorcery speed I should have better stuff to do?

Show and Tell: -4 Swords to Plowshares, -2 Zealous Persecution, -1 Dark Confidant, -1 Stoneforge Mystic, +2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Phyrexian Revoker, +1 Oblivion Ring, +1 Humility, +1 Enlightened Tutor. I guess I could take Vindicate out instead of the 4th bob/sfm but it does kill Sneak Attack + Jace after board.

Reanimator: -2 Zealous Persecution, -3 Thoughtseize, +2 Rest in Peace, +1 Grafdigger's Cage, +1 Enlightened Tutor, +1 Humility. I guess O-ring should come in here too. Do I want lili in this matchup or is she just a 3 mana sorcery speed edict at best? I figure it's safe to keep IoK in because it can't accidentally discard their fatties (like if they brainstorm in response and keep a hand of land, land, Griz, Griz while floating a Reanimate).

Miracles: -4 STP, -2 Zealous Persecution, -1 Sensei's Divining Top, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Phyrexian Revoker, +2 Engineered Explosives, +1 Gaddock Teeg, +1 Oblivion Ring. So I can safely name Top with a needle effect. I added an extra EE to my board to deal with Counterbalance, but Terminus seems like the real problem here. I think my plan would be to hold Aven Mindcensor as long as I can so I can deploy it post boardwipe (whenever that may be). Also worth bringing Thalia in here? Is IoK good against them?

These are the decks I expect to see in force, anything else I should also be extra prepared for?

[Collman]

What's the best plan we can have against Punishing Fire and Loam decks?

I usually try to get a quick batterskull out against PFire and ocasionally get to equip something with a SoF&I but thats pretty slow, fragile and hardly guarantees a win.

Loam decks I feel get too much CA and I can't catch up (plus usually play PFire too). If i'm lucky enough I'll have my 3 basics in play and they'll have a huge Knight and StP is not that great when my only clock is 2 1/1s. Maze of Ith is also pretty good since it blanks the batterskull or equipment + evasive dude plan completely.

I have RIP + E Tutor in the side as my only grave hate right now, but even if I do find it they can usually decay/golgari charm the RIP after a few turns and I only play the one. Should I play 2 instead?

I'm really not sure what's the best way to approach the match up.

[Richard Cheese]

What's the best plan we can have against Punishing Fire and Loam decks?

I usually try to get a quick batterskull out against PFire and ocasionally get to equip something with a SoF&I but thats pretty slow, fragile and hardly guarantees a win.

Loam decks I feel get too much CA and I can't catch up (plus usually play PFire too). If i'm lucky enough I'll have my 3 basics in play and they'll have a huge Knight and StP is not that great when my only clock is 2 1/1s. Maze of Ith is also pretty good since it blanks the batterskull or equipment + evasive dude plan completely.

I have RIP + E Tutor in the side as my only grave hate right now, but even if I do find it they can usually decay/golgari charm the RIP after a few turns and I only play the one. Should I play 2 instead?

I'm really not sure what's the best way to approach the match up.

Yes to multiple RiPs. It's also one of your best sb cards against RUG, Jund, and TA. You might also want Surgical/Extirpate. Still not going to be a great matchup though, your discard is mostly dead, they play bigger guys, and have a better late-game card advantage engine.

[maharis]

What's the best plan we can have against Punishing Fire and Loam decks?

I usually try to get a quick batterskull out against PFire and ocasionally get to equip something with a SoF&I but thats pretty slow, fragile and hardly guarantees a win.

Loam decks I feel get too much CA and I can't catch up (plus usually play PFire too). If i'm lucky enough I'll have my 3 basics in play and they'll have a huge Knight and StP is not that great when my only clock is 2 1/1s. Maze of Ith is also pretty good since it blanks the batterskull or equipment + evasive dude plan completely.

I have RIP + E Tutor in the side as my only grave hate right now, but even if I do find it they can usually decay/golgari charm the RIP after a few turns and I only play the one. Should I play 2 instead?

I'm really not sure what's the best way to approach the match up.

You definitely want more than one RiP. It's good in so many matchups. If they play a Maze, Needle it — it wastes a land drop for them. Bringing in Revoker against the PFire deck seems uncomfortable though.

Also, EE on 0 hits Chalice of the Void and Mox Diamond.

[Megadeus]

Revoker is interesting vs lands. Sometimes shutting down EE is actually just REALLY good. Also well timed wastelands on Green sources plus a revoker on a diamond and you can cut them from green mana. Yeah my board is pretty weak vs Lands and PFire in general. I think the remedy would be at least a second, maybe a third RIP. At some point I'm going to try a Non ETutor sideboard. Just dunno exactly what to put into it. Thinking along the lines of:

3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Rest in Peace
1 Pithing Needle
1 Perish
2 Zealous Persecution
1 Choke
2 Lifebane Zombie
1 Disenchant
2 Engineered Explosives