Military intelligence provides a card draw similar to sygg but you can run multiples. It is at least worth looking at.
Hi guys, what are your thoughts on Ratchet Bomb?
At first sight looks terrible, yes. But I have seen some D&Taxes running 1-2 in the SB, I imagine primarly against Elves, but also kills Delver for 2 mana.
I don't know, does anybody know why does D&T sometimes run them and if they are effective? Maybe we could copy their tech :P
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Ratchet Bomb is an interesting idea. D+T is slower and has a lot more mana, so that is an issue. But that deck uses it for the same reason. Bomb has a lot of latitude to kill problem permanents. Merfolk certainly faces that issue.
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Yes! That was my reasoning and why I think it's an interesting option.Originally Posted by Finn
But what do you mean by "they have more mana"? We could just drop our hand and they play bomb if we aren't in a hurry, or play bomb first and they start to curve out (yes, slowing us down a turn)
What I don't know is if D&T sides them in other MU's than Delver and Elves. (Maybe Miracles to shut down their win-cons?)
I mean, would it be good enough to be sideboarded in to destroy equipment/lilianas/chokes/lavamancers/shamans, for example, taking in consideration that also hits our board? Probably not.
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All this talk about new cards has me wondering what people might like to see printed to make our deck stronger. I'm not talking about ridiculous cheese, but what kind of reasonable cards might we like to see?
Unsummon Merfolk U
Sac: Return target creature (artifact) to it's owner hand
1/1
Something that gives us intereraction with the board while being a Merfolk.
Add me on Magic Online to play Legacy: dm95
I like this idea. I expect it would end up costing us something like 1UU to case, however.
if it was 1UU I'd expect no less than a merfolk Aether Adept.
Something I've been trying out in my build the last few weeks is Muddle The Mixture. In the fair matchups it's mostly a tutor with targets in jitte, echoing truth, phantasmal image turning into TNN, or another lord. In the unfair matchups the actual straight-up card text is relevant. I've got null rod and cursed totem in the side I can tutor out as well. Ratchet bomb can be a target, but I'm scared of running it as it's very slow and the splash damage onto our own board is pretty bad. Other targets are spellskite for protection and spreading seas (taking a page out of modern). Unlike modern we don't want to pile on the seas, but it might be nice as a one-of tutor target to punch through the non-blue decks.
I would think having a sacrifice ability rather than an enters the battlefield ability is stronger for the same casting cost. There is something especially useful about having the choice to sacrifice it right away, almost emulating the Aether Adept ability (though not exactly, of course), while at the same time being able to be a threat on the board that can bide its time and that might keep an opponent from, say, using Natural Order.
Well, we have vials to instant-speed it, and at 3 mana it's late enough in the game that often you can just bounce anything and then win on the spot when you untap, with an extra body to boot. For a sac-to-bounce I wouldn't pay any more than 2 mana.
Also, you really can't bounce in response to neutralize an NO. They're either getting craterhoof and you just lose, or they get progenitus and you probably still just lose.
Won legacy tournament yesterday.
Unfortunately, low turnout because of holidays (people went to the beach).
R1 vs toughest matchup imaginable, Punishing Fire Lands.
I cracked a Wasteland on his first relevant land so he assembled Dark Depths combo on his turn and made a token.
I Vialed Image copying it, ticked Vial on 3, droped Reej, played 2 random merfolk to tap his token and Maze of Ith, attacked... and he showed me Punishing Fire laughing
Game 2 and 3 were won by slow rolling (best mtg card ever, for me) Relic of Progenitus, which destroyed any recursion (P. Fire, Life from the Loam), after paying for Tabernacle and overloading Maze of Ith.
R2 vs another bad matchup, Nic Fit.
I don't know about you, this matchup always feel bad for me.
Our soft counters don't work, our hard counters are easily dealt with Cabal Therapy, Hymn..., Deed destroys everything relevant, huge guys are huge, there is no Island...
Game 1, luckily I drew Reej and tapped his two Veteran Explorers to kill Lili and put him into range (I didn't attack mindlessly into Eplorers, he can use that mana better than we do).
Good thing that TNN is printed and I also play 2 Vendillion Clique so I managed to race his ground pounders and lifegain (Ooze, Finks, Thragtusk, various Titans, KotR...).
Relic of Progenitus was also MVP (again).
R3 vs mirror(Yay, fish!)
Never lost this mirror in my career so I declined a split.
Won a die roll (extremely important). He kept a sketchy hand and I Forced his first attempt to play a lord. That was enough tempo gained.
I never have anything for a mirror in my sideboard. Only one Dismember and one Echoing Truth for 2 Spell Pierce. People play one or two Llawan, I have no room for stuff like that.
He started strong and put me to one but my Jitted TNN saved the day. He also had Jitte in hand but with 3 lands he decided to pressure me instead of wasting turns to play and equip TNN.
The list is mostly standard, with few additions.
21 land:
12 Island
4 Muta
3 Cavern
2 Waste
I play this configuration for a while now and have no problems.
Shawed a few numbers to fit 2 Clique and 1 Jitte. Like those too.
Wanted to play no Vial, 3 or 4 Chalice version but that will wait for better times.
Hi FANAttIC,
Could you please post your list? I am curious to see what did you cut for Cliques
On a side note - I run in the last 2 months no vial and 3 chalice version - I basically started to low down my victory percentage drastically...
It's still a cool card in 2x in sideboard against few decks is super effective but imho not maindeck material
Thanks for sharing!
12 Island
4 Mutavault
3 Cavern of Souls
2 Wasteland
4 Ęther Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Cursecatcher
2 Phantasmal Image
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Lord of Atlantis
3 Merrow Reejerey
4 True-Name Nemesis
2 Vendilion Clique
4 Force of Will
2 Daze
2 Spell Pierce
//Sideboard
SB: 2 Swan Song
SB: 3 Chalice of the Void
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 1 Dismember
SB: 2 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Submerge
SB: 1 Echoing Truth
SB: 2 Pithing Needle
SB: 1 Hydroblast
The sideboard is completely not relevant. It was based on expected meta for the last tournament.
It would be changed for unknown metagame.
But I am satisfied with maindeck. The numbers are not aesthetically pleasing but it worked like it should.
I tested yesterday your 75 card list against Miracles (8 games in total...4 pre side and 4 post side 4victories and 4losses as a result)
Having access to Vendilion Clique is excellent to "counter" his terminus/angels and I really appreciate the card maindeck
However I found "heavy" the presence of 9 creatures with cmc 3.
I changed it by reducing reejereys to a single copy, adding a 3rd daze (de gustibus here...i do believe it's fundamental to have it turn one to play vial) and a third phantasmal image (nemesis #5-6-7 is always good)
In sideboard I replaced Hydroblast and Dismember with 2 copies of flusterstorm...but just because in my metagame there are a lot of ANT.
Tomorrow I will play 4 rounds tournament I will let you know how it goes
I appreciate you taking time on my list.
Yes, somewhat heavy on 3-drops and I will try to explain my reasoning.
When people play against me or Merfolk in general, they try to play around Daze and Wasteland.
They postpone their better cards and fetch basics if they have them.
That prolongs our match allowing me to resolve higher mana cost cards (more powerful) and changes how our match play out in general.
Regular merfolk list (something like 3-4 Daze and 3-4 Wasteland) would lost steam by having dead cards instead of gas (if our opponent successfully played aroung taxing effects).
Those 9 3-drops are the main reason for upping land count by one (from regular 20), cutting Wasteland by 2 copies (never regretted this decision, opponents still play around them and I still have some) and cutting daze to 2 copies (mostly the same reasons as Wasteland cuts). That also means that I will more often have 3 mana for our 40$ cards (and Reej) without losing lands in play.
I have no problem if you cut Reej to one copy but I wouldn't add Daze (because of reasons above). Image is fine replacement.
I hope for some good news
Big Eternal weekend for me starting today here in Prague...Legacy today, big Legacy tomorrow and Modern on SundayI appreciate you taking time on my list.
Yes, somewhat heavy on 3-drops and I will try to explain my reasoning.
When people play against me or Merfolk in general, they try to play around Daze and Wasteland.
They postpone their better cards and fetch basics if they have them.
That prolongs our match allowing me to resolve higher mana cost cards (more powerful) and changes how our match play out in general.
Regular merfolk list (something like 3-4 Daze and 3-4 Wasteland) would lost steam by having dead cards instead of gas (if our opponent successfully played aroung taxing effects).
Those 9 3-drops are the main reason for upping land count by one (from regular 20), cutting Wasteland by 2 copies (never regretted this decision, opponents still play around them and I still have some) and cutting daze to 2 copies (mostly the same reasons as Wasteland cuts). That also means that I will more often have 3 mana for our 40$ cards (and Reej
I have no problem if you cut Reej to one copy but I wouldn't add Daze (because of reasons above). Image is fine replacement.
I hope for some good news
I removed 2 Reej for 1 Image and 1 Daze - I will try to replace that Daze with the second copy of Jitte
In sideboard I removed 1 Dismember and 1 Beb for 2 Flusterstorm but I will replace 1 Flusterstorm for 1 extra copy of Echoing Thruth
Will let you know how it goes!
Go Go Go Fishes!
Have fun when I can't (no big legacy events near me, standard and modern only, for months).
hodně těstķ!
How did that landbase work out for you? I wanted to try something like that but I felt like I would not have enough blue sources to cast my spells. I've really wanted to put wasteland back in my list for a long time, a good timed wasteland can do miracles against decks like deathblade. It does sort of work awkwardly with TNN though.
I came in 2nd at a Legacy IQ yesterday with Merfolk. This was my first time playing Merfolk, and my first time playing Legacy period, so I was pleasantly surprised I made it to the finals.
This was the list I registered:
1 Cosi's Trickster
1 Dakra Mystic
4 Cursecatcher
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Phantasmal Image
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 True-Name Nemesis
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
2 Spell Pierce
4 Aether Vial
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Mutavault
12 Island
SB:
4 Chalice of the Void
1 Dismember
3 Submerge
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Pithing Needle
1 Vision Charm
1 Tidal Warrior
1 Umezawa's Jitte
I was heavily debating whether or not to go with a 4 Aether Vial or 4 Chalice in the main build. I ultimately settled on the Vial build, but if the tournament was any indication, I want to go with a 4 Chalice in the MB build at my next event. I sided the Chalices in every match save two, and Aether Vial never really felt like it was living up to its full potential in the deck.
I was also debating a few slots in the mainboard. Did I want Cosi Trickster, Spell Pierces, Coralhelm Commander? I couldn't find any Coralhelm Commanders before the tournament started, so I couldn't put any in. Ultimately I settled on 1 Cosi's Trickster and 2 Spell Pierces in the main, but if I could go back I would have taken the 2 Spell Pierces out for 2 more Cosi's Tricksters - the card felt great in the early stages of the game, and won me a game against UW Miracles on a mull to 4 with that as my first play of the game, whereas Spell Pierce felt like a dead card in my hand almost the entire time.
I really wanted to try out Dakra Mystic, I felt there was some potential, so I put one in the MB to see how it went. It helped out a lot in two match ups, though because it was a one of I didn't see it often. Against UW Miracles, I was able to keep them from using Terminus or Entreat for the miracle cost, and later, in a very unusual situation, I was able to use her ability in my main phase against Painter to draw a Vision Charm to phase out an Ensaring Bridge to swing for lethal. So it felt good in those situations, but it also felt counter-intuitive to my game plan (which is to keep attacking and playing Merfolk creatures, not keeping a creature back and holding mana up to durdle with my library). Nevertheless, I want to keep trying her out for future events.
Here was my matchups:
Match 1: 1-2 loss against UW Miracles
Game 1 I mulled to four, kept a hand of one land, Cosi's Trickster, TNN and Silvergill Adept. Cosi was quickly a 4/4 and I was able to "get there" by drawing two more lands off the top to seal the deal with TNN. Game 2 I walked into a Terminus and lost. Game 3 was mine to win - I had him at 1 life, but instead of keeping Dakra Mystic up to check the top card of his library, I tapped out and allowed him to use Terminus followed soon by a big Entreat.
Match 2: 2-1 against Painter
He had a game loss for game 1, so we proceeded to game 2 (no sideboard). I had never seen Painter in action before, so I promptly lost on turn 2. Game 3 I kept a hand with Pithing Needle, cast it on the first turn to name Grindstone. He never found an answer, but I was unable to finish him off because of Ensaring Bridge. My Dakra Mystic found me a Vision Charm which enabled me to win a turn faster (I would have drawn it next turn, obviously, but he could have easily found his answer within that time).
Match 3: 2-1 UR Delver
I was familiar with the RUG/UWR/BUG Delver lists, but not the UR one, so when he led off with a turn 1, turn 2 and turn 3 Goblin Guide I thought I was playing against Burn. However, he wasn't able to draw enough lands and I was able to stabilize with multiple TNNs and win game 1. Game 2 I play Chalice for 1 on turn 2 and lock him out of the rest of the game. As an aside, I mulled to five in both games against this opponent, and I know it's wrong, but Goblin Guide really helped me get to the lands I needed to stabilize.
Match 4: 2-1 against BUG Delver
I don't remember much about game 1, but I won rather quickly. Game 2 I brought in Chalices and soon realized it was a mistake - he destroyed two of them with Abrupt Decay, tore apart my hand with Hymn, and resolved Tarmogoyfs to win. I didn't think Chalice was going to be good enough in this match up so I sided them back out. Game 3 I kept a hand of Cursecatcher, Aether Vial and a few other cards. If I had been thinking I probably would have led off with Vial on turn 1, but I was moving quickly and cast the Cursecatcher first. I initially thought it was a mistake, but it ended up working out in my favor as I was able to counter his Brainstorm when he was mana screwed and lock him out of the game. I won pretty quickly after that.
Match 5: Draw into top 8
Jim Davis from SCG was in the top 8 with me playing Goblins, so that was kinda cool. This was my second top 8 of an IQ, and my first Legacy event ever, so I was pretty excited.
Match 6: 2-1 against ANT
I thought I was going to lose for sure. I had heard there was an ANT player in the tournie, and I wanted to avoid it at all costs. I didn't fully understand the combo, so I was learning on the spot. Game 1 was a complete slaughter. But I regained my bearings and sided in all my hate, and won game 2. Game 3 was close. I brought in a Dismember to deal with Xantid Swarm. I drew a Chalice for my turn and another Chalice off Silvergill, so I cast one of them for 1 and another for 0 (I was really debating whether to do it for 0 or hold it back to do it for 2 to deal with Infernal Tutor). I then drew a Grafdigger and felt confident I had a good lock on the game. But he drew two Abrupt Decays to deal with the Chalices, but he was in an awkward spot where he could only Tendrils me for 10 but be unable to cast it again from the GY due to the Cage, and he had used up all his Abrupt Decays, so I was able to clinch the win.
Match 7: 2-1 against UR Delver
There was another UR Delver player, and the match went pretty similar. He had a fast start with Goblin Guide, which actually helped me since I kept a one lander. I drew my lands due to the Guide and was able to resolve a TNN off Cavern to seal the win. Game 2 I punted - I felt I really needed to deal with his flipped Delver, as it was chipping away at my life total and I had no way of killing it (I didn't side in DIsmember because I felt the four life was not worth it when facing a deck with Delvers, Guides and a lot of burn), so I Vial'd in a Phantasmal Image to copy the Delver and trade. He responded before blocks by bringing in a Snapcaster Mage and flashing back a REB. This tapped him out, and I had a Cursecatcher, but I did not sacrifice the Cursecatcher in response to counter the REB.
Match 8: 0-2 against Elves
A complete slaughter. I used up three Force of Wills in game 1 to keep him from going off, but he always found another way. Game 2 he hard cast the Craterhoof but I countered it with a FoW, but he ended up resolving a Wren's Run Packmaster and proceeded to win from there by making lots and lots of wolves. I was hoping to draw a Tidal Warrior or Vision Charm to swing for lethal, but never found em.
All in all I was happy with the deck and my performance, and look forward to playing it again in the near future. Definitely gonna try a 4 Chalice build in the future. I won on a mull to four and twice on mull to fives in the same match, so I feel the deck is very strong on multiple mulligans. All your stuff is the same, so don't be afraid to mulligan to the right combination of cards. If I didn't have Pithing Needle or FoW in my hand against Painter I would have mulled until I found one.
Previously, our mana base was (is) :
12 Island
4 Waste
4 Muta
We all know how that can be awkward with so many UU cards.
I have 15 blue sources for merfolk and "standard" 12 Islands for nonmerfolk spells. Depending on a matchup or a game state, Cavern can cast Image or Clique.
Maybe my match count is too low, or is skewed by other factors, but I am playing this deck since they printed Silvergill and I was never happy with my mana base until now.
There are some flex slots which can go either way, but my testing so far tells me that this is how my mana will be for a while.
Not relevant for legacy but modern merfolk seems to have found the "sweet spot" for its mana:
13 Island
3 Cavern
4 Muta
Which means I am on to something
Touching the Deathblade matchup, I don't understand how that atrocious 4color deck plays Wastelands of its own. We are screwed with monocolor deck...
Anyway, I mostly expect the worst: they are going to have Deathrite Shaman turn one and from that point our Wastelands are completely irrelevant.
I can't burn Force on Deathrite, there are so many worse cards to handle. I still have 2 of them so there is chance.
That is my opinion.
Congrats kreldin!
Always nice to hear that merfolk is not trash.
Even better for first time playing fish and legacy!
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