[Discussion] Optimizing Vial Raffinity

[TheDarkshineKnight]

Well, I was looking at the deck listings on SCG for the past few Legacy tournies and noticed that the two Vial Affinity decks, which placed 3rd in their tournaments, looked extremely similar, even though the metagames they were in were completely different. As such, I compiled a little list of what cards were in both lists:

4 Aether Vial
1 Ancient Den
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Arcbound Worker
3 Atog
2 Blinkmoth Nexus
3 Cranial Plating
4 Disciple Of The Vault
3 Fling
4 Frogmite
2 Glimmervoid
4 Great Furnace
2 Ornithopter
4 Seat Of The Synod
4 Terrarion
4 Thoughtcast
4 Vault Of Whispers

3 Engineered Plague
3 Pithing Needle
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Winter Orb

All together, the only differences are four cards in the main deck and five in the sideboard. Clearly, we're approching some optimal build for Vial Affnity. What I want to ask is, what would you believe that the four missing main deck cards and the five missing sideboard cards should be in a completely unknown metagame?

[Mirrislegend]

Completely unknown meta? Does that exist?

Anyways, it comes down to personal taste. I, for example, like 4x Ornithopter and, usually, 4x Cranial Plating my Affinity builds. Also, evasion is hot, last I heard, so I would run Somber Hoverguard as well.

[Bongo]

Terrarion?

Wouldn't Chromatic Sphere or Lotus Petal be a lot better than that?

This is my current list:

4 Glimmervoid
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat Of The Synod
4 Vault Of Whispers
4 Lotus Petal

4 Ornithopter
4 Disciple Of The Vault
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Dark Confidant
2 Atog
4 Frogmite

4 Aether Vial
4 Cranial Plating
4 Thoughtcast
2 Shrapnel Blast


SB:
3 Engineered Plague
4 Pithing Needle
4 Tormod's Crypt
4 Cabal Therapy


Confidant and Thoughtcast provide the fuel.
I think Shrapnel Blast is better than Fling because you need Ravager or Atog to make Fling really good.
Lotus Petal might be iffy, but so far it's been pure gold.

Let me know what you think about this version.

[al the great]

Completely unknown meta? Does that exist?

Anyways, it comes down to personal taste. I, for example, like 4x Ornithopter and, usually, 4x Cranial Plating my Affinity builds. Also, evasion is hot, last I heard, so I would run Somber Hoverguard as well.

The meta in my area for Legacy is real janky. Everyone plays weird decks for small tournaments and weekly tourneys. Then when big tourneys come up the meta suddenly turns different. It's rediculously random here, so I could relate.

[Eldariel]

Time Spiral is out; play Chromatic Star.

[Mirrislegend]

I believe that the whole point of Terrarion is that its a little slower. Its a awesome color fixer a little later, if your speedy start doesnt do it. And it can be sacrificed just like Lotus Petal or Chromatic Sphere to Ravager/Atog, and you get to draw a card.

This brings up Eldariel's point. Chromatic Star has all the benefits of Terrarion (artifact color fixing, card draw) and the only drawback is that it doesnt produce 2 colored mana. But is that important?

I think that Chromatic Star vs Terrarion needs to be specifically tested, and that will determine where Vial Raffinity will go in the future.

[SillyMetalGAT]

I believe that the whole point of Terrarion is that its a little slower. Its a awesome color fixer a little later, if your speedy start doesnt do it. And it can be sacrificed just like Lotus Petal or Chromatic Sphere to Ravager/Atog, and you get to draw a card.

This brings up Eldariel's point. Chromatic Star has all the benefits of Terrarion (artifact color fixing, card draw) and the only drawback is that it doesnt produce 2 colored mana. But is that important?

I think that Chromatic Star vs Terrarion needs to be specifically tested, and that will determine where Vial Raffinity will go in the future.

Theres no reason to try to test this. Chromatic Star is the best. Bottom line. Its the way Chromatic Sphere should have been printed. You never need double black or red or blue in this deck anyways, so whats the point of Terrarion? Its slower, takes more mana to use, and just isn't that great all around. If anyone cares, this is the list I currently run. I played this last week and would have done a lot better if DCI didnt hate me and pair me against my playtest partner. We played it out and I scooped to him because he had a better chance at winning the whole tournement then I did.

4 Great Furnace
4 Vault Of Whispers
4 Darksteel Citadel
2 Blinkmoth Nexus
2 Glimmervoid

4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Ornithopter
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Frogmite
4 Dark Confidant
3 Atog

4 Chromatic Sphere (soon to be Star)
4 Cranial Plating
4 AEther Vial
3 Chrome Mox
2 Tormods Crypt (Questionable as of right now)

SB:
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Shrapnel Blast
4 Shattering Spree
3 Winter Orb

Note that I dont use blue. I dont think its needed. Dark Confidant > Thoughtcast. The thing about this deck thats amazing is the most I ever took from Bob damage IN A GAME was 7. Thats because Bob was out for 6 turns. He is the MVP for Affinity. My only problem with this deck is that it scoops with CoTV at 1 or 2. Trinisphere pwns this deck too for the most part. Drawing multiple Disciples is like drawing multiple Piledrivers in Goblins. It usually spells disaster for your opponent. Did I also mention its INSTANT speed disaster with a Ravager or Atog? But im sure you all knew that already, at least I hope.

[Iranon]

Terrarion warrants consideration if and only if you want Meddling Mage. Plating alone doesn't seem to be a strong enough reason to run it over Chromatic Star.

2 Questions:

What about Mox Diamond? You never want to see two in a game, but they enable some pretty broken plays. Is this playable as a singleton or possibly a 2-of?

With Chromatic Star (and Terrarion before it), Goblin Welder looks like it would get quite a bit better. Enough to be wroth including? If yes, will it warrant further changes (more modular - Arcbound Stinger?).

[SillyMetalGAT]

Terrarion warrants consideration if and only if you want Meddling Mage. Plating alone doesn't seem to be a strong enough reason to run it over Chromatic Star.

2 Questions:

What about Mox Diamond? You never want to see two in a game, but they enable some pretty broken plays. Is this playable as a singleton or possibly a 2-of?

With Chromatic Star (and Terrarion before it), Goblin Welder looks like it would get quite a bit better. Enough to be wroth including? If yes, will it warrant further changes (more modular - Arcbound Stinger?).

Ewww....... Goblin Welder? Not to mention Welder is SUCH a huge target, he will always be killed first just because of his power and he's WAY too slow for affinity IMO. Remember that Affinity can get the fabled 3rd turn kill. Mox Diamond isn't really as great of an option either since you really only play between 16-18 lands anyways. Try Chrome Mox though, its freakin amazing. The other debate I've had is Chrome Mox VS Paradise Mantle. Mantle is slower, but you can equip it to creatures like Bobs and Disciples, the guys you dont usually swing with, making them useful.

[Bane of the Living]

We dont need this thread. There are multiple affinity threads. 3 at least. Berserk Affinity, Skynet Affinity, and Dark Affinity. Find the appropriate thread for discussion.

We played it out and I scooped to him because he had a better chance at winning the whole tournement then I did.

I beat you to death with Humility and Confinement. You cried for a draw more than Lego Army Man.

[SillyMetalGAT]

I beat you to death with Humility and Confinement. You cried for a draw more than Lego Army Man.

Me?? You were the one that wanted to draw, then you had AoD back you up by calling me an asshole to play it out. You even had me call a judge over to find out if we could draw. Oh its on motherfucker, its on. Ill see you in Springfield bitch.

And FYI, You didnt drop Humility, I scooped to that shit.