1. You make excellent point regarding Tidehollow Sculler but I don't take a card with it and then sacrifice it afterwards the very next turn, I sacrifice it at the opportune moment. Having an Eldritch Evolution in hand should not mean that you play it at the first possible moment.
Thalia, GOT, I'm thinking of replacing it with Meddling Mage or Voice of Resurgence, whichever ones I get my hands on first.
2. I've wanted to play Renegade Rallier before but since I'm only playing Thalia and Tidehollow as my 2cc, I opted not to.
3. Chord of Calling seems like an obvious choice. I might put 1-2 copies
I checked your deck out and it seems to be more deserving of the name Eldritch Evolution deck, I may have made a mistake of naming mine that as I am not overly dependent on Eldritch Evolution. In fact, I've won games holding 2 copies of Eldritch Evolution in my hand without ever playing them.
with Eldritch Evolution, i can get into play,creatures that the opponent doesn't like to see. For Example against PTE decks, we put down Stormbreath Dragons, against BW variants, we search for Blood Baron of Vizkopa. Annoying stalemate, find the restoration/Kiki jiki combo.
Toolbox doesn't have to just be on the defensive end.
I don't like how the 5C aggro deck just loses to blood moon. Mine doesn't automatically loses to blood moon because I can still win with the Stormbreath Dragon and delay with Kiki jiki and even combo with it and Zealous Conscript.
Why would I want to Eldritch Evolution a wall of omens, seems like a bad idea to get a 0/4 just to draw a card. Rather than Voice of Resurgence, I'd rather go for a Scavenging Ooze, which can deal with graveyard strategies.
Siege Rhino can provide you a tank, instead of a chump blocker like finks.
Matchup History
Burn Variant 0-4 - this is my worst matchup so far. If I'm not able to play my Kor Firewalker on the 2nd turn, It's all downhill from there. And once they find our that I have a Siege Rhino, they hold on to their Skull cracks
Affinity 0-1 - I could have won this matchup, had I blocked the inkmoth. or counter the number of artifacts he had in play. Kataki is a good SB for this matchup
Living End 5-0 - I love this matchup, especially if I can cast a 2nd turn Geist of Saint Traft, and then on the 3rd turn, I leave my mana untapped to cast Spell Queller on his Living End. If that didn't happen I just play Siege Rhino, which is bigger than most of his creatures.
UW Control 3-1-1 - That one draw was when I played around with him. GST to Queller and another Queller is the usual headache for the UW Control player. Stormbreath dragon too.
BG/x Variant 4-0 - Keranos is great in this matchup as they have no means of killing it AFAIK. and it gives me a pseudo-one sided Howling mine. Reflector mage is hilarious against Tarmogoyfs
Infect 0-3 - Inkmoth is my main problem as I have no instant speed removal, which is why I now have Acidic Slime on my SB.
Mono U Tron 1-1 - I didn't have a sower of temptation when I lost to this deck to take care of his ulamog, ceaseless hunger. I don't have that problem now.
BW Tokens 1-2 - I didn't have blood baron of vizkopa then, so he can chump block my Stormbreath Dragon with tokens from his Bitterblossoms.
Merfolk 0-1 - Need to find a way to stop Aether Vial early.
UB Mill 0-2 - Hence the Inverter of truth
Dredge 1-0 - they apparently don't have anything to deal with a Siege Rhino or anything attacking from the air.
Ad Nauseam 1-0 - Tidehollow Sculler and Spell Quellers are beautiful annoyance to their combo
Should I put dispatch on my sideboard?
What should I add on my SB?
*I know that I should use ethersworn canonist instead of Eidolon of rhetoric, but I couldn't get one, and the tourney will be this coming Weekend, so I doubt I can get one by then.
My Biggest problem has been Jund & Abzan
I'm preparing for our WMCQ this coming weekend, and I was hoping that you can provide some insights on my list.
Our country is pretty much dominated by Standard players, so whenever a major modern event happens, they usually pick up R/X burn, or whatever is on the top 8 of the latest Modern Tourney. In today's case that's Bogles and Affinity.
As a modern player, I have also observed a lot of Twin variants during modern events.
Honor of the Pure & Spear of Heliod - As my local shop's meta is Death and Taxes, I find that a larger version of the taxes creature often is the key to winning
Jotun Grunt - I am expecting a lot of Tarmogoyfs
Paladin En-Vec - I would much rather this be an Auriok Champion but due to budget constraint.... In any case, I'm hoping it's good enough against Grixis decks.
Fiend Hunter - Additional Removal
Questionable Decisions:
No Tectonic Edge as I have a lot of spells that requires 2 white mana.
No Flickerwisp as I didn't originally had Aether Vial and was only able to borrow a playset today.
Sideboard:
Stony Silence - Tron and Affinity
Eidolon of Rhetoric - Living end
Ratchet Bomb - Tokens and empty the warrens as well as bogles
Relic of Progenitus - Graveyard Hate (I know Rest in peace is better, but I don't like top decking Rest in Peace)
Patrician's Scorn - Additional Bogles sideboard
Celestial Flare - additional removal and bogles hate
Circle of Protection: Red - I couldn't acquire Kor Firewalkers.
Something is wrong with the meta in our local store, 50% of the modern players run Death and Taxes. So the Merfolk guy usually wins. How do you deal with mirror matches? What do you sideboard against Death And Taxes?
I've tried Worship before, and it's nice except that it would be better if you had a Mutavault or more instant-speed token spells.
Living End will kill each creature you have in play, UR Storm would play a couple more spell to deal with your creatures first, so yeah surprise creature would be great in tandem with worship.
Round 1 - Death and Taxes 0-2
Played against a friend, who was a known Abzan player. I kept an opening hand of 1 Duress, 1 lingering souls 1 Spectral Procession, 1 Path to exile, 1 Dismember, 1 Intangible Virtue and 1 Godless Shrine.
Game 1 begins, He played a Plains, and said done, I played Duress, and found out he dusted off his old Death and Taxes, I removed a sword.
On his 2nd turn, he played Thalia.
And for the next 5 turns, I didnt draw a single land.
Game 2, I kept a hand of 5 lands and 1 path to exile and 1 intangible virtue. I didnt draw a single token spell for 5 turns.
Round 2 - Merfolk 2-0
Game 1
I have only been able to play a single lingering souls, and a blood baron of vizkopa that he couldnt deal with for some reason.
Game 2
I played Virtue 2nd turn, 3rd turn spectral, 4th turn Sorin, and won a couple of turns later.
Round 3 - Amulet Bloom 2-1
Kept a hand of 1 Duress, 2 tidehollow, honor of the pure, and 3 lands.
Game 1, He played a gemstone mine and amulet of vigor, on my turn, I played Duress, and saw a summer bloom and an Azusa and 4 lands, I picked summer bloom. On his next turn, he played a land and passed, on my turn I played my first tidehollow, and got his Azusa, 2 more tidehollow, later, and a few unimpeded attacks and won.
Game 2, I didnt draw any of my sideboard, and chose to mulligan, where I draw my sideboard but there was no land. So I mulliganed again, and kept a sub par hand, When I said im keeping it, he placed down his Leyline. So a few turn later, I lost to Summoner's Pact.
Game 3, I kept a hand of 1 sundering growth, 1 Duress, 2 Tidehollow, and 3 lands. I played a land and cast duress, and picked his summer bloom, on his turn he played a land and a topdecked amulet of vigor, on my next turn I destroyed the vigor, and passed. He only played a land the next turn, so I played my tidehollow the next turn, 2 more tidehollow, later, and a few unimpeded attacks and won.
Round 4, GW Hatebears 1-2
My opponent got a game loss due to random cards on his deck box.
Game 2 - No Sideboarding
My opponent started early with some blade splicer coupled with Flicker Wisp.
I didnt draw a single token spell for the first 3 turns.
Here's the part where Im not sure if I did the correct play, Opponent has a Flickerwisp, a Blade Splicer, 2 Golem Tokens and an Aven Mindcensor. I have 14 life and a zealous persecution, When he attacked, I played the zealous persecution killing the flicker wisp, the mind censor nad the Blade Splicer. and I only took 4 damage, but he played a Thalia after combat, which I PTE'd. Should I have taken 12 damage on the off-chance that he plays a Thalia?
Anyway, I lost Game 2.
Game 3, on the deciding draw, I stated that as long as I draw, any spell, I win. I f*cking drawn a swamp. and lost
Aftermath,
I did a last minute change of removing 2 Worship and putting in 2 more Tidehollow Sculler.
Is there anything in particular that I did wrong, besides keeping a bad hand?
Empty the Warrens? I would be so happy if that would be their kill card of choice on Game 2 onwards so that Zealous Persecution can do a one-sided wrath on them.
Granted some UR Storm has lightning bolt, but still usually when they go off, they spend all their resources, so after an angel's grace stops their 20 copies of grapeshot, they will usually need a top decked lightning bolt to kill you.
Sundering Growth? They can just go off without the pyromancer ascension
Rest in peace? they can echoing truth it at end of turn before they try to go off. Same with Leyline of Sanctity.
Surgical Extraction? which card? grapeshot? they generally board empty the warrens, right?
granted it costs zero mana so it shouldn't mess with your mana curve, same with leyline of sanctity most of the time.
also, these 3 cards are counterable, angel's grace isn't.
I'm pretty sure I said that in the primer "Run the hattiest hate possible", lol. Anyway, my side, and explanations Rest in Peace Storm, Living End (which I think could see more play) Stony Silence Affinity, Tron Aven Mindcensor Amulet Bloom, Scapeshift (I like this one, because it's very rarely used) Torpor Orb Twin, random jank like Elves and Soul Sisters Disenchant Affinity, Boggles (I chose this over sundering growth because of blood moon) Leyline of Sanctity Burn
Keep in mind that sideboards are also mildly tempered by the main. I main 6 discard, and 8 removal, so I don't have thoughtseize effects in my sideboard.
I think angels grace is a cute trick. It's at least worth a shot, although I think you'd be better off with Runed Halo naming valakut, splinter twin, lightning bolt, grapeshot, etc. The split second trick is definitely something Runed Halo lacks.
I think Liliana of the Veil may edge her way in over the Torpor Orb. I currently have little to no game against boggles, and control shells have had good results recently, too. Liliana really shines in the control match.
Now that I have thought about it, I may have gotten that thing about sideboards from you.
Anyway, Angel's Grace shines against UR storm and Ad Nauseam decks because they usually use all their gas on the turn that they try to kill you, an angel's grace on that turn when they try to do lethal damage on you will usually means that they won't have gas on their next turn, also both decks sides in echoing truth, in case of leyline of sanctity, so runed halo usually won't save you from lethal.
although, I only side-in Angel's Grace against those two decks plus Amulet of Bloom, Against any other deck, not so much.
But hey, that's 3 decks that it can screw, that is good enough for me to get it included on my SB.
Which creatures in modern do you think has the worst drawbacks.
The kind of drawback that would kill you if you didn't config your deck properly
Thanks
Thalia, GOT, I'm thinking of replacing it with Meddling Mage or Voice of Resurgence, whichever ones I get my hands on first.
2. I've wanted to play Renegade Rallier before but since I'm only playing Thalia and Tidehollow as my 2cc, I opted not to.
3. Chord of Calling seems like an obvious choice. I might put 1-2 copies
I checked your deck out and it seems to be more deserving of the name Eldritch Evolution deck, I may have made a mistake of naming mine that as I am not overly dependent on Eldritch Evolution. In fact, I've won games holding 2 copies of Eldritch Evolution in my hand without ever playing them.
with Eldritch Evolution, i can get into play,creatures that the opponent doesn't like to see. For Example against PTE decks, we put down Stormbreath Dragons, against BW variants, we search for Blood Baron of Vizkopa. Annoying stalemate, find the restoration/Kiki jiki combo.
Toolbox doesn't have to just be on the defensive end.
I don't like how the 5C aggro deck just loses to blood moon. Mine doesn't automatically loses to blood moon because I can still win with the Stormbreath Dragon and delay with Kiki jiki and even combo with it and Zealous Conscript.
Why would I want to Eldritch Evolution a wall of omens, seems like a bad idea to get a 0/4 just to draw a card. Rather than Voice of Resurgence, I'd rather go for a Scavenging Ooze, which can deal with graveyard strategies.
Siege Rhino can provide you a tank, instead of a chump blocker like finks.
Here is the deck
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Tidehollow Sculler
2 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Reflector Mage
4 Spell Queller
3 Restoration Angel
3 Siege Rhino
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Stormbreath Dragon
1 Zealous Conscripts
4 Eldritch Evolution
4 Ancient Ziggurat
4 City of Brass
4 Forest
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Mana Confluence
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Kor Firewalker
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Inverter of Truth
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Acidic Slime
1 Caldera Hellion
1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
1 Keranos, God of Storms
Matchup History
Burn Variant 0-4 - this is my worst matchup so far. If I'm not able to play my Kor Firewalker on the 2nd turn, It's all downhill from there. And once they find our that I have a Siege Rhino, they hold on to their Skull cracks
Affinity 0-1 - I could have won this matchup, had I blocked the inkmoth. or counter the number of artifacts he had in play. Kataki is a good SB for this matchup
Living End 5-0 - I love this matchup, especially if I can cast a 2nd turn Geist of Saint Traft, and then on the 3rd turn, I leave my mana untapped to cast Spell Queller on his Living End. If that didn't happen I just play Siege Rhino, which is bigger than most of his creatures.
UW Control 3-1-1 - That one draw was when I played around with him. GST to Queller and another Queller is the usual headache for the UW Control player. Stormbreath dragon too.
BG/x Variant 4-0 - Keranos is great in this matchup as they have no means of killing it AFAIK. and it gives me a pseudo-one sided Howling mine. Reflector mage is hilarious against Tarmogoyfs
Infect 0-3 - Inkmoth is my main problem as I have no instant speed removal, which is why I now have Acidic Slime on my SB.
Mono U Tron 1-1 - I didn't have a sower of temptation when I lost to this deck to take care of his ulamog, ceaseless hunger. I don't have that problem now.
BW Tokens 1-2 - I didn't have blood baron of vizkopa then, so he can chump block my Stormbreath Dragon with tokens from his Bitterblossoms.
Merfolk 0-1 - Need to find a way to stop Aether Vial early.
UB Mill 0-2 - Hence the Inverter of truth
Dredge 1-0 - they apparently don't have anything to deal with a Siege Rhino or anything attacking from the air.
Ad Nauseam 1-0 - Tidehollow Sculler and Spell Quellers are beautiful annoyance to their combo
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I don't need the deck to be Tier 1 powerful, I just want it to be able to have a fighting chance with my bad matchups like infect and burn.
I like the deck because it has a decent chance against most deck, and it's heck of fun to play since it can play like an Aggro, Control, Combo.
I personally find Etched Champion slow, if not for the jund/jank matchup, I would have removed it all.
Also, I don't understand why I should cut Shrapnel Blast because I have no way to regenerate artifacts.
I've seen top 8 lists that included Ancient Grudge, though I am not really sure why, Is it for ensnaring bridge only?
And I agree with you on the whipflare, I already have 2 on my SB.
Thank you again for your input.
I need some help in fine-tuning my deck for this coming weekend tournament. I need help especially on my SB.
Here's the deck list
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
3 Etched Champion
4 Signal Pest
4 Vault Skirge
Artifacts
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Cranial Plating
Enchantments
4 Ensoul Artifact
Instant
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Galvanic Blast
2 Shrapnel Blast
2 Thoughtcast
1 Day's Undoing
Land
2 Mountain
2 Island
4 City of Brass
4 Mana Confluence
4 Darksteel Citadel
1 Pithing Needle
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
2 Whipflare
2 Back to Nature
2 Silence
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Dragon's Claw
2 Ratchet Bomb
Should I put dispatch on my sideboard?
What should I add on my SB?
*I know that I should use ethersworn canonist instead of Eidolon of rhetoric, but I couldn't get one, and the tourney will be this coming Weekend, so I doubt I can get one by then.
My Biggest problem has been Jund & Abzan
around what time do they usually post the april 4 articles?
I'm preparing for our WMCQ this coming weekend, and I was hoping that you can provide some insights on my list.
Our country is pretty much dominated by Standard players, so whenever a major modern event happens, they usually pick up R/X burn, or whatever is on the top 8 of the latest Modern Tourney. In today's case that's Bogles and Affinity.
As a modern player, I have also observed a lot of Twin variants during modern events.
So here is my list
4 aether vial
4 path to exile
4 Honor of the pure
1 dismember
2 spear of heliod
Creatures:
3 judge's familiar
2 Jotun Grunt
3 Thalia, Guardian of thraben
4 leonin arbiter
1 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Paladin en-vec
3 fiend hunter
3 Vryn wingmare
20 plains
4 ghost quarter
3 Stony Silence
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Patrician's Scorn
2 Celestial Flare
3 Circle of Protection: Red
Honor of the Pure & Spear of Heliod - As my local shop's meta is Death and Taxes, I find that a larger version of the taxes creature often is the key to winning
Jotun Grunt - I am expecting a lot of Tarmogoyfs
Paladin En-Vec - I would much rather this be an Auriok Champion but due to budget constraint.... In any case, I'm hoping it's good enough against Grixis decks.
Fiend Hunter - Additional Removal
Questionable Decisions:
No Tectonic Edge as I have a lot of spells that requires 2 white mana.
No Flickerwisp as I didn't originally had Aether Vial and was only able to borrow a playset today.
Sideboard:
Stony Silence - Tron and Affinity
Eidolon of Rhetoric - Living end
Ratchet Bomb - Tokens and empty the warrens as well as bogles
Relic of Progenitus - Graveyard Hate (I know Rest in peace is better, but I don't like top decking Rest in Peace)
Patrician's Scorn - Additional Bogles sideboard
Celestial Flare - additional removal and bogles hate
Circle of Protection: Red - I couldn't acquire Kor Firewalkers.
Thoughts?
Living End will kill each creature you have in play, UR Storm would play a couple more spell to deal with your creatures first, so yeah surprise creature would be great in tandem with worship.
4 Path to Exile
4 Duress - I don't have thoughtseize yet
3 Zealous Persecution
4 Intangible Virtue
4 Tidehollow Sculler - Debating between this and Castigate.
2 Dismember
4 Lingering Souls
4 Spectral Procession
2 Honor of the Pure
4 Timely Reinforcements - trying this over raise the alarm.
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor - My Planeswalker of choice
4 Godless Shrine
2 Isolated Chapel
4 Flooded Strand - Marsh Flats are too expensive
10 Plains
2 Swamp
1 Ghost Quarter - Will change to Vault of the Archangel as soon as I get one.
3 Rest In Peace - Graveyard Hate
3 Stony Silence - Artifact Hate
2 Sundering Growth - Virulent Plague Hate
2 Angel's Grace - Debating between this and Faith's Shield
3 Eidolon of Rhetoric - Anti Storm and Living End
2 Celestial Purge - Virulent Plague Hate
Played in a GPT today. Ended up with a 2-2 record
Tourney Report:
Round 1 - Death and Taxes 0-2
Played against a friend, who was a known Abzan player. I kept an opening hand of 1 Duress, 1 lingering souls 1 Spectral Procession, 1 Path to exile, 1 Dismember, 1 Intangible Virtue and 1 Godless Shrine.
Game 1 begins, He played a Plains, and said done, I played Duress, and found out he dusted off his old Death and Taxes, I removed a sword.
On his 2nd turn, he played Thalia.
And for the next 5 turns, I didnt draw a single land.
Game 2, I kept a hand of 5 lands and 1 path to exile and 1 intangible virtue. I didnt draw a single token spell for 5 turns.
Round 2 - Merfolk 2-0
Game 1
I have only been able to play a single lingering souls, and a blood baron of vizkopa that he couldnt deal with for some reason.
Game 2
I played Virtue 2nd turn, 3rd turn spectral, 4th turn Sorin, and won a couple of turns later.
Round 3 - Amulet Bloom 2-1
Kept a hand of 1 Duress, 2 tidehollow, honor of the pure, and 3 lands.
Game 1, He played a gemstone mine and amulet of vigor, on my turn, I played Duress, and saw a summer bloom and an Azusa and 4 lands, I picked summer bloom. On his next turn, he played a land and passed, on my turn I played my first tidehollow, and got his Azusa, 2 more tidehollow, later, and a few unimpeded attacks and won.
Game 2, I didnt draw any of my sideboard, and chose to mulligan, where I draw my sideboard but there was no land. So I mulliganed again, and kept a sub par hand, When I said im keeping it, he placed down his Leyline. So a few turn later, I lost to Summoner's Pact.
Game 3, I kept a hand of 1 sundering growth, 1 Duress, 2 Tidehollow, and 3 lands. I played a land and cast duress, and picked his summer bloom, on his turn he played a land and a topdecked amulet of vigor, on my next turn I destroyed the vigor, and passed. He only played a land the next turn, so I played my tidehollow the next turn, 2 more tidehollow, later, and a few unimpeded attacks and won.
Round 4, GW Hatebears 1-2
My opponent got a game loss due to random cards on his deck box.
Game 2 - No Sideboarding
My opponent started early with some blade splicer coupled with Flicker Wisp.
I didnt draw a single token spell for the first 3 turns.
Here's the part where Im not sure if I did the correct play, Opponent has a Flickerwisp, a Blade Splicer, 2 Golem Tokens and an Aven Mindcensor. I have 14 life and a zealous persecution, When he attacked, I played the zealous persecution killing the flicker wisp, the mind censor nad the Blade Splicer. and I only took 4 damage, but he played a Thalia after combat, which I PTE'd. Should I have taken 12 damage on the off-chance that he plays a Thalia?
Anyway, I lost Game 2.
Game 3, on the deciding draw, I stated that as long as I draw, any spell, I win. I f*cking drawn a swamp. and lost
Aftermath,
I did a last minute change of removing 2 Worship and putting in 2 more Tidehollow Sculler.
Is there anything in particular that I did wrong, besides keeping a bad hand?
4 Path to Exile
4 Duress - I don't have thoughtseize yet
3 Zealous Persecution
4 Intangible Virtue
2 Tidehollow Sculler - Debating between this and Castigate.
2 Dismember
4 Lingering Souls
4 Spectral Procession
2 Honor of the Pure
4 Timely Reinforcements - trying this over raise the alarm.
2 Worship - I'm getting tired of losing game 1 to combo decks
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor - My Planeswalker of choice
4 Godless Shrine
2 Isolated Chapel
4 Flooded Strand - Marsh Flats are too expensive
10 Plains
2 Swamp
1 Ghost Quarter - Will change to Vault of the Archangel as soon as I get one.
3 Rest In Peace - Graveyard Hate
3 Stony Silence - Artifact Hate
1 Sundering Growth - Virulent Plague Hate
3 Angel's Grace - Debating between this and Faith's Shield
3 Eidolon of Rhetoric - Anti Storm and Living End
2 Celestial Purge - Virulent Plague Hate
What do you guys think?
Do you play Timely Reinforcements whenever you can, or do you wait until the board state will let you get the two effects of Timely Reinforcements?
Granted some UR Storm has lightning bolt, but still usually when they go off, they spend all their resources, so after an angel's grace stops their 20 copies of grapeshot, they will usually need a top decked lightning bolt to kill you.
Sundering Growth? They can just go off without the pyromancer ascension
Rest in peace? they can echoing truth it at end of turn before they try to go off. Same with Leyline of Sanctity.
Surgical Extraction? which card? grapeshot? they generally board empty the warrens, right?
granted it costs zero mana so it shouldn't mess with your mana curve, same with leyline of sanctity most of the time.
also, these 3 cards are counterable, angel's grace isn't.
Now that I have thought about it, I may have gotten that thing about sideboards from you.
Anyway, Angel's Grace shines against UR storm and Ad Nauseam decks because they usually use all their gas on the turn that they try to kill you, an angel's grace on that turn when they try to do lethal damage on you will usually means that they won't have gas on their next turn, also both decks sides in echoing truth, in case of leyline of sanctity, so runed halo usually won't save you from lethal.
although, I only side-in Angel's Grace against those two decks plus Amulet of Bloom, Against any other deck, not so much.
But hey, that's 3 decks that it can screw, that is good enough for me to get it included on my SB.