[Deck] ANT (Ad Nauseam Tendrils) Storm Combo

[Said-In-Contest]

A question for Kai.
Well first things first, congratulations for the great result!! Keep checking the new editions spoiler: maybe they'll print the 4 mana led or reprint black lotus 😏

Now the question :)
You said that maybe, now that your Pyromancer strategy is becoming popular, you'll may abandon it. Do you have already some ideas for the next super secret tech?
I was thinking of trying Bitterblossom, but talking to my miracle friend (who loves smashing me and my poor ant) told me that lately miracles sideboard have sort of 2 explosives and lots of players, instead of keeping in some Plows, keep in a couple of Terminus. Even without terminus, Blossom is poor vs explosives.
Am I wrong?
Even if it is a superstar vs miracles, are there any other matchup in which it would be worth siding in?

[Lemnear]

A question for Kai.
Well first things first, congratulations for the great result!! Keep checking the new editions spoiler: maybe they'll print the 4 mana led or reprint black lotus ��

Now the question :)
You said that maybe, now that your Pyromancer strategy is becoming popular, you'll may abandon it. Do you have already some ideas for the next super secret tech?
I was thinking of trying Bitterblossom, but talking to my miracle friend (who loves smashing me and my poor ant) told me that lately miracles sideboard have sort of 2 explosives and lots of players, instead of keeping in some Plows, keep in a couple of Terminus. Even without terminus, Blossom is poor vs explosives.
Am I wrong?
Even if it is a superstar vs miracles, are there any other matchup in which it would be worth siding in?

any control-focused deck with less than 12 creatures

[nevilshute]

second senseis Devining Top is great,all in !
it's actually such a huge card in this particular matchup and acts sometimes like a duress-effect (gets hardcountered)


martin:
i wouldn't be so aggressive with empty the warrens as i refuse to loose to one engineered explosives or random terminus.

can imagine to cast it from hand for lets say just 4-8 goblins and see if if our opponent can deal those guys.meanwhile sculpt a hand for the real combo (pif,ad nauseam).
only all-in moves if you can win on the spot,otherwise grind.

***empty the warrens would have been great during Prague by the way.most of my delver opponents had no copy of any massremoval spell,just grim lavamancer who does nothing against green men***

I see where you're coming from with this, but I think it's fine to be aggressive if it puts them on a two turn clock (and with access to at least partial information about their hand - so that we know with some degree of certainty that we aren't playing into a board sweeper that's already in their hand).

I think it's a matter of temperament and playstyle.

Like, for instance, I was playing against UW blade control. I duress him and see a hand with 2x force, blue card, pierce (I had plenty of mana), stp and EE. I take the EE, then dump my entire hand which was some combinations of rituals, LEDs and an empty and made 14 goblins. He couldn't really have stopped this, only added to the storm with his forces because it was late in the game and he correctly just sat there. In that situation I feel very comfortable passing the turn knowing that he has precisely two draw steps to find his out (one of which is now in the GY).

But it comes with a risk no doubt. And sometimes it will backfire. Like in Round 9 at the BoM sitting at 7-1 and more less playing for top-8

Here I made 14 goblins on like turn 3, passed the turn. My BANT opponent played jace, brainstormed, passed the turn. I got in, through a few blockers and dropped him to 7 life with 12 goblins remaining. I passed the turn, he drew for the turn. Fetched, cliqued himself and drew EE blind of the top... ouch. He also had a jacestorm though so he wasn't on terrible odds... but yeah. It's a calculated risk and I think I'm prone to gamble

[Barbed Blightning]

Playing Storm for the first time ever. I've played "fair" for a long time now but I think I just want to break people Ivan Drago style.

My list I have thus far:

4 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion's Eye Diamond

4 Duress
4 Cabal Therapy

4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Infernal Tutor
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder

1 Ad Nauseam
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Past in Flames
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Grim Tutor

4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Swamp
1 Island
1 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island


SB: 3 Xantid Swarm
SB: 2 Chain of Vapor
SB: 3 Abrupt Decay
SB: 3 Young Pyromancer / Dread of Night
SB: 2 Massacre
SB: 2 Flusterstorm

I have no idea if this is garbage or good. In fact, I have only a layman's understanding of the deck. Any advice would be appreciated.

[davelin]

Playing Storm for the first time ever. I've played "fair" for a long time now but I think I just want to break people Ivan Drago style.

My list I have thus far:

4 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion's Eye Diamond

4 Duress
4 Cabal Therapy

4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Infernal Tutor
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder

1 Ad Nauseam
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Past in Flames
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Grim Tutor

4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Swamp
1 Island
1 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island


SB: 3 Xantid Swarm
SB: 2 Chain of Vapor
SB: 3 Abrupt Decay
SB: 3 Young Pyromancer / Dread of Night
SB: 2 Massacre
SB: 2 Flusterstorm

I have no idea if this is garbage or good. In fact, I have only a layman's understanding of the deck. Any advice would be appreciated.

This list is fine as a starting point, some card slots are up to preferences and playstyle. Check out the primer for advice and links to other articles on storming out your opponents. Good luck!

[sawatarix]

@Said-In-Contest:

Thank you man, As you said Young Pyroboy was not that impressive anymore during Prague Eternal and now everyone seems to know my Tech so it isn't a 'tech' anymore :D
I can still imagine to still bring them in against miracle and delver decks in g2 only to board them out in g3 to make some of his cards in the deck 'dead' like terminus, engineered explosives and swords to plowshares.reeding the opponent is important here, sometimes your gut tells you what to do (that's what i do so my sideboard strategies change from time to time)
even if you play against 6 miracle players in a row you will board differnetly because of their playstyle and so on.
bitterblossom was an idea we had after the big tournament but i hadn't the time to test it - i don't know how good the card is,seems a bit slow for my taste but i'll let you know when i have some testing results.
yesterday i also had some weird ideas, one of them was sulfuric vortex and a notion thief/vendillion clique package to have a completey new angle to attack their life total.
notion thief is actually a sweet card i saw in martins decklist from gp paris this year and vendillion clique is also a nice one, i listed the reasons in my tournament report.
sulfuric vortex is just like a faster bitterblossom which is also a sideboard card in many tempodecks to combat miracle control.
but again, i have to test vortex in the deck.what i really like about it is that it's an enchantment and really hard to get rid of.

my head is full of new techs to fight popular archetypes in the format - good or not, (next level-)ideas and innovation are pretty important to fight decks and opposing strategies :)
lets get creative

[CabalTherapy]

Yesterday's best play

ANT vs. Burg Delver
CabalTherapy vs. sawatarix

My hand consists of 3 DRit, 2 CRit, 2 LED; I have 3 lands in play. Sawatarix Kai has Clique + Shaman, some random lands and some cards in hand.
He knows my hand except for the third Dark Ritual. In his end step I said something like this: "I would like to play Brainstorm!", while tapping an Island and holding a Ritual up high.
Sawatarix pondered and let it resolve, then I untapped and went for my turn. (we both laughed at this) Our legacy group makes it possible since we are a bunch of guys playing not that much spikey on Thursdays.
I am not sure which penalty I would have received for such a play. (Of course, it is clear that this is a no-go at any real tournament!) Warning? As a sidenote, I lost anyway and went 3-1. (Mono Red Stuff 2:0, Burn 2:0, Burg 0:2, Rug 2:0)

[Togores]

Lately I have seen hight tide players side in counterbalance vs us and other decks.
So they have now:
More of less T4 combo
Flusterstorms
Fows
Sensei
Counterbalance
Cunning wish

So what u guys think should be our sidding aproach with in and outs for this matchup? Thinking of a normal list with 3 xantids 3 decays 2 chain in board.

[Jin Gitaxias]

I would just board in my swarms vs high tide and try to be faster, if i see any other hate cards like counterbalance I board in additional hate. Then again, how often do you play vs high tide in a bigger tournament?

[Togores]

Yeah usualy I play vs tide when I go to one locals once a week.
My usual plan was obv xantid but they grow to a better control deck tan miracles after boarding in the counterbalances.


But yeah, in bigger events playing vs them happens not oftern. But its never bad to have a plan already for this case.

[sawatarix]

High tide decks have a ton of countermagic (including cunning wish which can grab another copy of force of will, flusterstorm) + counterbalance toplock postboard so it's like playing againt miracle control without creature removal.
Guess what - Young Pyromancer is the tool we need to overcome the wall of blue magic.
We have to kill the opponent via creature combat backed up with a ton of discard to prevent them to execute their combo.
Xantid Swarm is also an all-star and makes it possible to combo through all countermagic - just make sure to have counterbalance under control.

There are still many games we can win via fast ad nauseam on turn 1 or 2 with just a single discard spell so don't give up this route.
- all roads lead to Rome -

[Said-In-Contest]

What do you Think about this sideboarding plans?
I'm feeling good about someone, totally lost in some others!
Here we go

ANT 2014

LANDS 15
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
2 Underground Sea
2 Island
1 Swamp
1 Volcanic Island
1 Tropical Island

SPELLS 45
4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Infernal Tutor
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Duress
3 Cabal Therapy
2 Preordain
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Past in Flames
1 Tendrils of Agony

SIDEBOARD
3 Dread of Night
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Chain of Vapor
3 Xantid Swarm
2 Tendrils of Agony
1 Sensei's Divining Top


•VS AFFINITY 5
-3 Cabal Therapy
-2 Duress

+3 Chain of Vapor
+2 Abrupt Decay


• VS ANT 0

No sideboard


•VS BANT NEMESIS 5
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Duress
-1 Cabal Ritual
-1 Preordain

+3 Abrupt Decay
+2 Chain of Vapor


•VS BELCHER
No side


•VS BUG DELVER 0/2
-2 Gitaxian Probe

+2 Chain of Vapor

[is SDT too slow? Is it worth siding in?]


• VS BURN 2
-2/3 Gitaxian Probe / Duress

+2/3 Chain of Vapor

Therapy for Eidolon of The Great Revel


• CANADIAN THRESHOLD
???????????

Don't have Carpets anymore (and never liked them)
So now do I go for a non side g2-g3? I guess so...

• VS DEATH AND TAXES 6
-3 Cabal Therapy
-2 Duress
-1 Gitaxian Probe

+3 Dread of Night
+3 Chain of Vapor


• VS DEATHBLADE 6
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Preordain
-1 Duress
-1 Cabal Ritual

+3 Abrupt Decay
+2 Chain of Vapor
+1 Sensei's Divining Top


• VS DREDGE 3
-3 Cabal Therapy

+3 Chain of Vapor


• VS ELVES 0

No Sideboard


•VS ESPER STONEBLADE 6
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Preordain
-1 Duress
-1 Cabal Ritual

+3 Abrupt Decay
+2 Chain of Vapor
+1 Sensei's Divining Top


• VS GOBLINS 3
-3 Cabal Therapy

+3 Chain of Vapor


• VS JUND 0 or 2
-1 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Cabal Therapy

+2 Chain of Vapor

I side like this to be ready for Null Rods or Chains of Mephistopheles, or even to bouce a Deathrite and go for the PIF kill


• VS MAVERIK 5
-3 Cabal Therapy
-2 Duress

+3 Dread of Night
+2 Chain of Vapor


• VS MERFOLKS 0

No Sideboard


• VS MIRACLE 8
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Preordain
-1 Cabal Therapy
-1 Cabal Ritual
-1 Lion's Eye Diamond
-1 Island

+3 Abrupt Decay
+2 Xantid Swarm
+2 Tendrils of Agony
+1 Sensei's Divining Top

Still trying to figure out what I wanna do with this matchup, my career,y life...total shade ah ah ah

• VS OMITELL 6
-3 Cabal Therapy
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Duress

+3 Chain of Vapor
+3 Xantid Swarm

Maybe it's just me, but I'm paranoid and still "scared" by Leyline...

•VS PAINTER 3
-3 Cabal Therapy

+3 Chain of Vapor / Abrupt Decay

Lately I go with chain instead of decay...reason being: thorn of amethyst, blood moon and stuff which make decay close to be uncastable


•PATRIOT
??????????????

No idea....I just now I want Decays for meddling or Canonist


• VS REANIMATOR 0-3
Anyone suggest Xantid, and I might like them, but it feels risky to board out 1 sensei, 2 preordain, for them. Am I wrong?


• VS SHARDLESS BUG 0

No Sideboard


• VS SNEAK & SHOW 5
-3 Cabal Therapy
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Duress

+3 Chain of Vapor (No Leyline anymore? )
+3 Xantid Swarm


• VS TES 0

No Sideboard


•UW STONEBLADE 5
-2 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Duress
-1 Cabal Ritual
-1 Preordain

+3 Abrupt Decay
+2 Xantid Swarm

Please give me some tips and considerations :)
Only thing: If your plan is different than mine, please tell me why! I'm always glad to hear different motivations and thoughts!!

[davelin]

In general you should very rarely side out Gitaxian Probes, they are just too good in this deck. I'd also not bring in Chains for the Goblin (unless they have Thalias), Dredge and BUG matchup.

[Lemnear]

I disagree with the whole random boarding of Gitaxian Probes but keeping the Therapies in. I consider Preordains the very first slots to board as Probes not only give you an idea of how to play around your opponents softcounters but also feeds Thres.hold

[Zombie]

I disagree with the whole random boarding of Gitaxian Probes but keeping the Therapies in. I consider Preordains the very first slots to board as Probes not only give you an idea of how to play around your opponents softcounters but also feeds Thres.hold

They also work superbly with Young Pyromancer and enable LED shenanigans. Would much rather side out Preordains as well.

[CabalTherapy]

I disagree with the whole random boarding of Gitaxian Probes but keeping the Therapies in. I consider Preordains the very first slots to board as Probes not only give you an idea of how to play around your opponents softcounters but also feeds Thres.hold

Not against:

The mirror
Team America
Jund
Shardless BUG
(Deathblade)
TES
Pox
... and other decks with discard. Probe should also stay in but Preordain is the better against these decks.

[Said-In-Contest]

I was following the tips of Adam Prosak.
So if you don't board out Gitaxians, what do you board out? It cannot be always just preordains, even because you need to cantrip to win games.
Anyone disagreeing with me can post his sideboarding plans?
Also I'd like to know Kai's opinion XD
Thanks

[Patrunkenphat7]

I think there is an unnecessary number of permanent removal spells coming in against a lot of your matchups. Also I absolutely never board out Probes. Keeping Therapies post-SB and taking out Probes when the opponent brings in more diversified hate doesn't make much sense.

[Lemnear]

I was following the tips of Adam Prosak.
So if you don't board out Gitaxians, what do you board out? It cannot be always just preordains, even because you need to cantrip to win games.
Anyone disagreeing with me can post his sideboarding plans?
Also I'd like to know Kai's opinion XD
Thanks

Well, you want to board out Duress against hatebear matchups or creature heavy matchups in general at times and replace those with CoV as Therapy is a clear cut for Xantids/CoV against SneakShow

[Togores]

Also thats my list and more or less how I would side. I would never cut the Gitaxian cause is one of the best cards vs every deck.



ANT 2014

LANDS 15
4 Polluted Delta
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Underground Sea
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Volcanic Island
1 Tropical Island
1 Bayou

SPELLS 45
4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Infernal Tutor
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Duress
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Preordain
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Past in Flames
1 Tendrils of Agony

SIDEBOARD
2 Massacre
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Chain of Vapor
3 Xantid Swarm
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Burning wish
1 Emty the Warrens
2 flusterstorm


•VS AFFINITY 5
-3 duress
-2 sensei

+3 Chain of Vapor
+2 Abrupt Decay


• VS ANT 0
-1 preordain
-1 swamp

+2 fluster


•VS BANT NEMESIS 5
-2 sensei
-1 preordain

+3 decay/chain (or also massacre)


•VS BELCHER
-2 sensei

+2 fluster


•VS BUG DELVER 0/2
- 1 preordian
+ 1 burning wish


• VS BURN 2
-4 duress
-2 sensei

+ 3 decay
+ 2 chain
+ 1 fluster


• CANADIAN THRESHOLD
-1 preordian
-1 nauseam
-1 sensei

+2 flsuter
+1 empty

• VS DEATH AND TAXES 6
-4 duress
-2 sensei
-1 nauseam
-1 preordain

+2 massacre
+1 empty
+3 decay
+2 chain


• VS DEATHBLADE 6
-1 preordain
-1 petal
-1 led

+1 bw
+2 decay


• VS DREDGE 3
-2 sensei

+2 chain


• VS ELVES 0

-2 sensei

+2 chain


•VS ESPER STONEBLADE 6
-1 preordain
-1 petal
-1 led

+1 bw
+2 decay


• VS GOBLINS 3
-4 duress

+2 decay
+2 chain


• VS JUND 0 or 2
-3 therapy

+1 burning
+2 chain




• VS MAVERIK 5
-4 duress
-2 sensei
-1 preordain

+2 massacre
+3 decay
+2 chain


• VS MERFOLKS 0

-2 dures
-1 therapy (if they dont have swansong just -3 therapy instead of duress)
-2 sensei

+3 xantid
+2 decay/chain




• VS MIRACLE 8
-1 preordain
-1 led
-1 petal
-1 island
-1 infernal/pif/led/petal


+1 bw
+1 tendrills
+3 decay



• VS OMITELL 6
-2 sensei
-3 therapy

+2 chain
+3 xantid



•VS PAINTER 3
-1 prerodain
-3 therapy

+2 chain
+2 decay

•PATRIOT
-1 preordain
-2 sensei

+3 chain/decay


• VS REANIMATOR 0-3
-3 therapy
-2 sensei

+2 chain/flsuter
+3 xantid


• VS SHARDLESS BUG 0

-1 preordain
+1 burning wish

if they play meddling +2 chain


• VS SNEAK & SHOW 5
-3 cabal
-2 sensei


+2 fluster
+3 xantid

for leyline
-1 dures
-1 preordain
+2 chain



• VS TES 0
-1 swamp
-1 preordian

+2 fluster


•UW STONEBLADE 5
-1 preordain
-1 island
-1 petal
-1 led


+1 tendrills
+3 decay