I been running 1 Entreat the Angels, 2-3 Jace the Mndsculptor and 2 Monastery Mentor for win conditions for awhile. Tested 2 Jace 2 Nahiri + an Emrakul for awhile but decided Nahiri wasn't worth it. Recently considering cut a Jace to go to 2 Jace. I like having the option end of turn entreat for a bunch to win out of no where. It can be hard to win with mentor or jace in some match ups.
Nahiri was decent online where there are many miracles mirrors and against Eldrazi. Other match ups you don't want more 4 mana walkers. I actually would run Nahiri if Nahiri could destroy untapped stuff since that would be able to get rid of Chalice, Null Rod, Needle. The tapped clause really hurts it. I would not run Nahiri in paper events. I did like it in a Miracles infested online though especially with less people on the legends build and people cutting to 2 Jace and Nahiri can't get red blasted.
I can't really see running only 1 Plains with all the Death and Taxes and Lands in the US. I also run Entreat the Angels and Council's Judgement which require 2 plains.
What are people's thoughts on Izzet Staticaster vs Kozilek's Return or Pyroclasm in regards to D+T, tokens, Storm and other match ups?
Are you running Pyroclasm or Kozilek's return in addition to staticaster or replacing Staticaster?
I been running Izzet Staticaster for awhile and its great against token decks like Pyromancer, storm with empty the warrens or anything with lots of x/1s. Miracles mirror, Death and Taxes. It does not get spell peirced or fluster stormed which comes up in Miracles mirrors and against grixis pyromancer.
Kozilek's Return seems only really better against Death and Taxes where it kills Mother of Runes and is an instant so you can cast it as they port you. Izzet Staticaster only kills X/1s. 3 mana Kozilek's Return seems worse then Pyroclasm against Elves where they might Natural Order kill you turn 3 on the play or against Pyromancer where they may Spell Pierce or Daze.
Kozilek's Return, while potentially 4+ mana against DnT, is colorless so gets around Mom, and is also instant-speed which is better against more decks than just DnT (Elves comes to mind). I think it's better than Staticaster as most decks have x/2 or better now. You've hit all the main points, but don't underestimate the value of instant speed.
The purpose of any moat is to impede attack. Some are filled with water, some with thistles. Some are filled with things best left unseen.
Playing some sweet Predictables over at twitch.tv/quasim0ff :)
that's why 2 + mulligans and diggers.
I find that when you want one you need him very fast that's why the second.
it's a card which is very unlikely to have a big impact after turn 3-4 in me matchups that you want him.
What other cards would you play for ANT TES and DnT?
2/3 Flusterstorm and 4 Counterbalance are already a given
Good argument. I've no idea why people play Tarmogoyf either, it dies to Doom Blade.
I've had great experiences with Staticaster vs ANT, if I played two in the SB I'd bring them both in. It means you don't have to hedge some amount of StP or Terminus vs Xantid Swarm/Dark Confidant (mostly the insect) or Empty.
Fine vs Infect? It's incredible in the matchup.
Do you leave in Terminus vs TES?
I would not hedge against swarm, as is, from storm. The things they usually play are 4(5) removal spells for balance as well as extra tendris.
I think you underestimated my "fine vs infect"; If your plan is to jund them out of the game (as in, kill every god damn thing they play.), staticaster is really good.
I'm not hedging against TES. TES is a worse ANT, though I'd play ee + clasm vs them, I assume.
seen that Staticaster is so great against
Infect
DnT
Miracle
Grixis
soso against
Tes and Storm
zero against
Eldrazi
Doesn't this make him a very good card?
In the event you play some "Electrickery" card effect like Fire Ants or Pyroclasm/Return it's as effettive as Wrath of God.
I feel we only have a terribile matchup against Eldrazi without some dedicated hate liks Ensnaring Bridge, Forcefield, Humility or Moat
May be 3x Entreat + Moat (1+1) can be a good option for next meta
it kills all mages and Cliques of your opponent leaving you the flying edge..
99% of the times we are all playing 2 Mentors 1 Entreat 3 Snapmage 3 Clique.
If you strip him out of all the blue cards you get a very fine edge.. even though the real edge of the match remains being able to have a free board countertop set
Well then we play the Storm matchup differently. Swarm is still seeing a lot of play, having no answer to it post board and them having Decays is a bad spot.
What's your plan against Infect then? Yes I plan to 'jund them out', playing proactively sounds dangerous as their spells are so much more efficient than ours and they have threats (Inkmoth) that are hard to interact with.
Being a worse version of a similar style of deck is no reason not to hedge, if anything TES wants you to hedge even more as they're faster so you want narrower answers. The main difference in boarding from ANT vs TES is a bring in/leave in more sweepers over GY disruption vs the latter.
Hardly anybody is playing a full set of Snapcasters, it's usually two or three at the moment. Blast are three to four.
He does. There aren't a lot of proactive instant speed spells in the matchup, usually just Brainstorm and Predict. It won't be uncommon to ping a monk end of turn, they then need to decide if they want to spend (or have) two spells to keep it in check when you untap. It's not a clean answer, but saying it does jack shit is foolish.
You're also not going to just jam it on an empty board, play it when you can pick off a Clique or a Snapcaster at least. If they waste a Blast on it, fantastic! One less for a Counterbalance fight.
If I was not playing 2 Staticaster, 1 Pyroclasm, 1 Koz. Return I would be playing Tsabo's Web for Inkmoth (and then I would cross hate Eye of Ugin, Wasteland, Karakas, Rishadan).
4 StP
1 Pyro
1 Return
4 Termini
3 Blasts (for Agent)
and 2 Staticaster are barely enough for their freaking turn 1 Glistener Elf, turn 2 GG
Played this at my weekly yesterday and went 3-0-1. Played Grix Delver (2-0), Maverick (2-1), Maverick (1-1-1 attacking for exact with two angels on turn 6 of extra turns... ugh), NicFit (2-0). Overall really like the list. Humility was in the side doing its best Moat impression, but didn't get to run it out so still up in the air.
Creatures:5
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Monastery Mentor
Spells:35
1 Engineered Explosives
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Counterbalance
3 Counterspell
1 Council's Judgment
1 Entreat the Angels
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Force of Will
4 Terminus
Lands:20
2 Arid Mesa
4 Flooded Strand
4 Island
2 Plains
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Tundra
2 Volcanic Island
Sideboard:15
1 Containment Priest
1 Izzet Staticaster
3 Flusterstorm
3 Pyroblast
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Wear // Tear
1 Kozilek's Return
1 Humility
1 Mountain
yes, but it's so narrow in that matchup.
If he has an Elf or an Agent it just sits in your hand. Pyroclasm, K.Return, StP and Staticaster are much more effective.
I consider Tear a little worse than Blast in that matchup. Narrow creature removal. Lightning Bolt would just be so much better.
Has someone considered Sudden Shock in SB?
It kills Prelate in DnT even with MoR around
It kills Teeg in Maverick even with Karakas/MoR around
It kills Mentor in the mirror
It is stellar against Infect
It kills everything but Angler against Grixis
I can definitly see myself playing 1 or 2 of it. May be in the spot of 1 Staticaster and 1 something else..
It can also be Snapbacked
Using sideboard slots to trade 1 for 1 is normally a waste. In the case of Wear/Tear, a Pithing Needle is worth way more than a card, but unless you're worried about something like Gaddock Teeg I wouldn't put Path or Lightning Bolt in my sideboard.
A quick note about Wear / Tear against Infect: in addition to killing Inkmoths it also hits Pithing Needle and Sylvan Library which a both cards I would expect to be boarded in against us.
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