Looking pretty cool. I once commented at woo's videos I thought the deck seems cool but could use more fatestitchers to make the combo more reliable. Feeling pretty good about that now ;).
To be honest I don't know whether this version is actually better or more resilient than the green version. This deck is clearly slower, has no hexproof dork and no silence, no wishboard and no turn 2 kill. Even t3 is pretty unlikely. I'd classify this more as control with combo finish rather than combo-control. More twin/scapeshift/uwr kiki control than ur storm.
On the other hand, this deck clearly doesn't kill itself and can actually intereact with the opponent, which I suppose is why the pros like it in that meta.
Since I saw how well this deck placed at worlds I've been working on my own version of this deck. There are so many cool possibilities to build around the core combo that I've been having trouble settling on a 60 I'm comfortable with, currently I've committed to a deck halfway between the Twoo and Worlds versions. It's more tempo than control but it fits this Jeskai Archetype pretty well so I'm posting it here rather than making a new thread:
The sideboard is still a w.i.p. so I won't bother with it here.
I really, really like Disrupting Shoal in this deck, it's very effective early game and great at protecting Pyromancer from bolt stopping your opponent's Eidolon from hitting the board. Making 6 spots available for it and Young Pyromancer was kind of tough but I'm glad I did it, I think the two combined give this deck a solid alternative rout to victory. Shoal is really good at covering your ass, especially the turn you lay down ascendancy or Pyromancer. Snapcaster Mage was also added in part to compensate for cutting out some paths, but to be honest I'm considering dropping it for 1 or two Noxious Renewal, which is an unorthodox choice but Renewal can also grab conclave and ascendancy from the graveyard, plus since it's a 'free' spell it synergizes well with ascendancy and Young Peezy. I'm also considering just dropping a remand for it since having 9 2cc blue spells should be enough to effectively enable shoal, but remand is really great against delve spells so I'm not sure.
Edit: I just removed Oust in favor of a path because I realized it is a sorcery. What a shame, it would have been amazing.
From playing the more traditional Glitter Ascendancy Storm, I really like how Wind Zendikon gives me an aggro plan and recovers better from fizzles, so here is my Wind Zendikon No Fatetstitcher version that attempts to have a Plan B in Game 1:
In one testing game against Jund, I couldn't stick the combo, got all 4 Ascendancies in the graveyard by the end of the game (at least one got blown up), but won with Celestial Colonnade beats!
...It was only one game, though; gotta test more...
In one testing game against RG Tron, I never found Ascendancy but won with Zendikon and Faerie Conclave beats, with Bolt as a finisher!
In another testing game against RG Tron, they stuck Oblivion Stone on the table, but I played around it with Vendilion Clique and Celestial Colonnade! They eventually blew up O. Stone when I would have dealt lethal that turn, then couldn't find Karn in the last turn they got.
The RG Tron match-up gets hairy as soon as they stick O. Stone, though, and Karn gets surprisingly annoying when he nukes manlands, Zendikon-enchanted lands, and colour-fixing lands. Karn can generally nuke me off Ascendancy mana the turn he ETB.
I think that the next way to take this deck will be in the same direction as this deck that went 4-0 in a legacy daily. The threat of Young Pyromancer will be putting pressure on the opponent, similar to how the old Aggro loam decks worked with Tarmogoyf and Seismic Assault. Slimslamers deck highlights this well although I'm not a super big fan of Disrupting Shoal myself. I think in the fiture a big part of the deck will come from its resilience to graveyard hate. Right now the amount of Thought Scour, Treasure Cruise/Dig Through Time and Fatetstitcher all rely on the graveyard, so either we play around Rest in Peace or we combo out without the graveyard. This is where Wind Zendikon can come in, as it triggers Jeskai Ascendancy and doesn't need the graveyard. A list I'd look into might look like:
Now I can't say if I 100% like these numbers yet. There is probably a big flaw in not playing 4 Lightning Bolts, but I feel like Izzet Charm is the best spell in the deck, because it does everything your other spells do just slightly worse each time. Perhaps bump up Remand to 3 and Path to Exile down to 2.
the faerie conclave, could one make it a creature at end of the opponents turn so it lasts through into your following turn? this seems mana intensive for switching on ceature mode and then using it to start comboing in the early turns.
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If you lay down a T3 Ascendancy it's pretty easy and affordable to activate a conclave on your next turn. It's more mana intensive/vaguely less convenient than already having mana dorks out, but far more stable.
Also heads up guys: Disrupting Shoal is terrible in this deck, if you really want a cheap counter run Spell Pierce or Spell Snare. I got caught up in Twoo's hype but it's honestly just not a good card.
@Torpf: Wind Zendikon may well be a good card for this deck, but I think it's foolish to sleep on Fatesticher. A 2/2 or 3/2 split could work if you're worried about GY hate, but Stitcher is a total boss when not dealt with immediately, and increases the value of your Izzet Charms and Thought Scours.
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this is the deck list I suggested when JA was brand new and people were trying to figure out how to break it and people didn't know if TC was good or not. Granted with 0 testing, so I all the numbers are off.
I’m loving this deck, but I’m having some hard time vs burn.
Game 1 feels like already lost every time I lose the dice roll. The best way to beat burn g1 seems to be t3 Ascendancy into t4 combo with protection, but even with this, it is usually too slow if we are on the draw.
Games 2 and 3 are mostly around gifts since most times they can’t beat a resolved Iona.
Since most games 2 and 3 are already played around resolving a unburial rites, and gifts is much more reliable vs them than the Ascendancy combo, I’m thinking about completely siding the combo out for gifts pack and as much control elements as possible in order to maximize our odds of resolving a gifts, playing like a uwr gifts deck for game s2 and 3.
Anyone else doing this vs burn?
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Aside from manamorphose and grapeshot that doesn't seem like a terrible build by any stretch. I really like the removal suite for one, although there is a chance helix might be a little too slow? This has little basis in any sort of results but you should try to see what happens when you throw in 2x Pyroclasm and 4x Mana Leak in place of grapeshot and Manamorphose. Possibly Young Pyromancer also? Your build has me wondering how efficiently the current Ascendancy engine could fit into a more delver-esque shell.
Edit: Actually run Delay instead of mana leak, it will probably work a lot better, plus it doesn't feed their graveyards.
What about Surgical Extraction in side or possibly main? Activates Ascendancy and fills grave for no mana and can screw over opposing deck.
Another idea with Wind Zendikon, side board Rest In Peace and since we dont need grave yard for combo, we can side out some DTTs against something like Delver or in the mirror
Ive droped 3 remands and a faerie conclave for 3x monastery swiftspear and a treasure cruise. Monastery might seem wierd but she:
-Is a legitimate agro threat with all of the cantrips.
-Absorbs removal spells you would rather not hit stitchers/conclaves (when your permision is less useful)
-Is a haste creature to draw into on the combo turn
-Hard to lose tempo on a onedrop
All together she turns the deck into a a triple threat, game one you can control, combo, or agro. I would rather be winning the game than casting tempo control spells anyways. Creature removal is better than counterspells when it comes to controlling in modern anyways. You generally never win with conclave early, so i would rather cut down on those for more business treasure cruise busted, I might try going up to 3
The deck uses a transformative sideboard anyways, so I like having multiple packages I can mix and mach.
I tried a few games against Breach Trap. It gets tricky as soon as they land Chalice of the Void, especially if they land Chalice on Turn 2. Your best way to win pre-board when they stick Chalice at X = 1 is to land an Ascendancy and pump the snot out of your mana dorks. Fatestitcher versions should have a substantially easier time than my Wind Zendikon build.
Tried a couple more games with the Fatestitcher build. That build can easily combo off through Chalice at X = 1.
Wind zendikon build should be even more vulnerable to abrupt decay also (one of the more problematic and common md answer to the combo).
Fatestitcher being on 4 cmc is very huge vs bgx and pod decks. You fatestitcher first then cast ascendancy and when they decay it you can be ready to go off in response. Sometimes you can even hardcast the fatestitcher to tap their creatures and tap mana in order to prevent multiple decays.
Fatestitcher also allows turn 3 wins with probe, and cost 0 when going off while Wind Zendiko will allways cost 1, so you cant even go off turn 4 if you dont have the Ascendancy or the Wind Zendiko already in play from previous turns.
Even when going off and looking for a second creature Wind Zendiko sems quite bad, with Fatestitcher you can go off with just 1 mana because next Fatestitcher will be free, but not with Wind Zendiko, you need atleast 2 free mana to go off. You will also flizze less with Fatestitcher since you play them from gy so you are not losing any card when you use bolts or pacts to go off.
While Wind Zendiko dodges gy hate it will make you vulnerable to ghost quarter and tectonic edge also.
I would only consider runing Wind Zendiko as sb card.
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"Of course you should fight fire with fire. You should fight everything with fire."
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Running Zendikon SB is probably a decent idea but it should definitely be part of your 75 since Fatesticher is pretty vulnerable to GY hate, which has been more prevalent since Delve hit the scene.
I've been playtesting this deck a decent amount on MWS and I am really impressed with it's consistency so far. Young Pyromancer has been an all-star in my variant. At worst he eats a bolt/path/decay and saves you damage, protects ascendancy or nets you a land, but when he gets going he puts enormous pressure on the opponent and is great for chump blocking. What changes have you guys made to the deck that have worked for you? I'm especially curious about the Keranos and Swiftspear packages.
Furthermore what are this deck's worst matchups? I feel like Burn, G/W hatebears and Pod would be pretty brutal? Eidolon of the Great Revel and Quasali Pridemage spell death for a deck like this. Thalia also seems like a problem to a lesser extent, but she can be powered through w/ two fatestitchers.
I'm going back and forth on throwing Young Pyro into the deck. I really want to put him in, but I'm kind of afraid of diluting the combo even more. What did you drop for him?
Wind zendikon build should be even more vulnerable to abrupt decay also (one of the more problematic and common md answer to the combo).
Fatestitcher being on 4 cmc is very huge vs bgx and pod decks. You fatestitcher first then cast ascendancy and when they decay it you can be ready to go off in response. Sometimes you can even hardcast the fatestitcher to tap their creatures and tap mana in order to prevent multiple decays.
Fatestitcher also allows turn 3 wins with probe, and cost 0 when going off while Wind Zendiko will allways cost 1, so you cant even go off turn 4 if you dont have the Ascendancy or the Wind Zendiko already in play from previous turns.
Even when going off and looking for a second creature Wind Zendiko sems quite bad, with Fatestitcher you can go off with just 1 mana because next Fatestitcher will be free, but not with Wind Zendiko, you need atleast 2 free mana to go off. You will also flizze less with Fatestitcher since you play them from gy so you are not losing any card when you use bolts or pacts to go off.
While Wind Zendiko dodges gy hate it will make you vulnerable to ghost quarter and tectonic edge also.
I would only consider runing Wind Zendiko as sb card.
It's definitely true that Wind Zendikon builds are slightly slower than Fatestitcher builds. Fatestitcher definitely allows Turn 3 wins with Probe if it's milled, while Zendikon builds are forced to combo off on Turns 4+ or play Zendikon on Turn 2, then go off on Turn 3 with Probe (and Turn 2 Zendikon can bite you in the butt pretty hard if they kill it).
You can combo off on Turn 4 from an empty board with Ascendancy into Zendikon into Probe, though.
As far as I can tell, the only added resistance Fatestitcher brings against Abrupt Decay is that Fatestitcher builds can combo off earlier from an empty board (and therefore have more mana up given the same number of lands as the Zendikon build), Decay can't hit Fatestitcher, and hardcast Fatestitchers can partially tap opponents out during your upkeep/draw step. If you play the dude first, then play Ascendancy, then tap out casting a noncreature spell, your opponent should Decay in response to the untap trigger and give neither Ascendancy deck an opportunity to cast spells in response.
Zendikon fixes mana worse than Fatestitcher and can't tap out their guys or mana, but it has 2 power and it untaps, pumps, and loots when cast with Ascendancy up to compensate. You can go off with 1 mana just as well with Zendikon as with Fatestitcher because Zendikon is a 1-mana noncreature spell. You probably do fizzle less often with Fatestitcher builds, mainly because they fix mana better, and slightly because they can be discarded. Drawing Fatestitcher when you have no noncreature spells in hand and no discard triggers is the worst feeling in the world, though, while Zendikon can salvage that hand a bit better by letting you loot lands away or being a cheap, evasive Haste dude.
Zendikon is more vulnerable to GQ and Tec Edge. However, since Fatestitcher's ability is not a mana ability, you opponent will GQ/Tec Edge the first land you try to untap with Fatestitcher to deny you mana. Thus, Fatestitcher should tap GQ/Tec Edge first (this normally baits Tec Edge into popping in response), then untap lands. You never get an opportunity to bait GQ/Tec Edge with Zendikon, though, which definitely hurts it. (Both Fatestitcher and Zendikon ignore Tec Edge fairly well if they target only basics.) On the other hand, Fatestitcher can't function through a Spellskite (Spellskite's controller pays 2 life to force you to untap it instead of a land, so you better have a lot of noncreature spells and they better have little life), while Zendikon can!
But all of Zendikon's drawbacks are compensated by the fact that it is a 1-mana Flying 2/2 that doesn't boot itself at EOT when played for 1 mana. This means that Zendikon helps you have an actual beatdown plan. A hand with 4 Fatestitchers is likely to be an auto-mulligan, while a hand of 4 Zendikons is keepable against controlling decks. Zendikon also kills planeswalkers like a king compared to Fatestitcher (although Faerie Conclave is already OK at killing walkers). Blocking Affinity/Infect dudes is a bonus (although you'll likely still lose if you're using Zendikon as a blocker).
As Tempo Twin has shown us, having a beatdown plan that actually kills opponents some of the time helps make your deck significantly more viable in a grindy meta. Fatestitcher helps you combo off faster and a bit more consistently, but it surrenders against Oblivion Stone, heavy control, and Slaughter Games on Ascendancy.
Yes Wind Zendiko gives you a better agro plan while making your combo worse and more likely to flizzle.
About the abrupt decay: you play Fatestitcher first, play Ascendancy, and when they decay your ascendancy in response to Fatestitcher untap effect, you just respond with an instant to untap Fatestitcher again and keep going instant speed until the kill or until you find another Ascendancy. The problem with Win Zendiko against decays is that you can never have both combo pieces in play against a decay because they will allways decay first one in response to the second.
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http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/developing-competitive-modern/689978-jeskai-ascension
In the 2014 World Championship, Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, Tom Martell, and Josh Utter-Leyton were all caught playing this deck:
4 Faerie Conclave
1 Seachrome Coast
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Flooded Strand
1 Arid Mesa
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Steam Vents
2 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
4 Fatestitcher
Spells
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
4 Serum Visions
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Thought Scour
4 Dig Through Time
1 Treasure Cruise
4 Izzet Charm
3 Remand
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Path to Exile
3 Wear // Tear
3 Gifts Ungiven
1 Unburial Rites
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2 Swan Song
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Deprive
1 Pact of Negation
Word is that they went 8-4 combined in the Modern portion, so they must have done something right.
In some ways, this is a spiritual successor to Travis Woo's Next Level Jeskai Ascendancy (although Woo went in a different direction). Maybe it's a cousin of Possibility Storm Combo-Control or Scapeshift speed-wise.
One more thing--from my playtesting against midrange decks, this Ascendancy build doesn't tend to fizzle.
To be honest I don't know whether this version is actually better or more resilient than the green version. This deck is clearly slower, has no hexproof dork and no silence, no wishboard and no turn 2 kill. Even t3 is pretty unlikely. I'd classify this more as control with combo finish rather than combo-control. More twin/scapeshift/uwr kiki control than ur storm.
On the other hand, this deck clearly doesn't kill itself and can actually intereact with the opponent, which I suppose is why the pros like it in that meta.
Tempting..
4x Scalding Tarn
4x Flooded Strand
3x Faerie Conclave
2x Steam vents
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Seachrome coast
1x Arid Mesa
1x Island
1x Mountain
1x Plains
//Creatures (8)
4x Fatestitcher
3x Young Pyromancer
1x Snapcaster Mage
4x Jeskai Ascendancy
//Spells (28)
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Serum Visions
4x Treasure Cruise
3x Izzet Charm
3x Remand
3x Thought Scour
3x Lightning Bolt
3x Disrupting Shoal
1x Path to Exile
2x Pyroclasm
3x Path to exile
3x Wear//Tear
3x Gifts Ungiven
1x Ionia, Shield of Emeria
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Unubrial Rites
1x Timely Reinforcements
The sideboard is still a w.i.p. so I won't bother with it here.
I really, really like Disrupting Shoal in this deck, it's very effective early game and great at protecting Pyromancer from bolt stopping your opponent's Eidolon from hitting the board. Making 6 spots available for it and Young Pyromancer was kind of tough but I'm glad I did it, I think the two combined give this deck a solid alternative rout to victory. Shoal is really good at covering your ass, especially the turn you lay down ascendancy or Pyromancer.
Snapcaster Mage was also added in part to compensate for cutting out some paths, but to be honest I'm considering dropping it for 1 or two Noxious Renewal, which is an unorthodox choice but Renewal can also grab conclave and ascendancy from the graveyard, plus since it's a 'free' spell it synergizes well with ascendancy and Young Peezy. I'm also considering just dropping a remand for it since having 9 2cc blue spells should be enough to effectively enable shoal, but remand is really great against delve spells so I'm not sure.
Edit: I just removed Oust in favor of a path because I realized it is a sorcery. What a shame, it would have been amazing.
4 Faerie Conclave
1 Celestial Colonnade
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Flooded Strand
1 Arid Mesa
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Steam Vents
2 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
Creatures
1 Vendilion Clique
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
4 Wind Zendikon
4 Serum Visions
4 Gitaxian Probe
2 Sleight of Hand
2 Thought Scour
4 Dig Through Time
1 Treasure Cruise
3 Izzet Charm
3 Remand
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Path to Exile
3 Wear // Tear
1 Keranos, God of Storms
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Batterskull
2 Swan Song
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Lightning Helix
1 Deprive
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Pyroclasm
In one testing game against Jund, I couldn't stick the combo, got all 4 Ascendancies in the graveyard by the end of the game (at least one got blown up), but won with Celestial Colonnade beats!
...It was only one game, though; gotta test more...
In one testing game against RG Tron, I never found Ascendancy but won with Zendikon and Faerie Conclave beats, with Bolt as a finisher!
In another testing game against RG Tron, they stuck Oblivion Stone on the table, but I played around it with Vendilion Clique and Celestial Colonnade! They eventually blew up O. Stone when I would have dealt lethal that turn, then couldn't find Karn in the last turn they got.
The RG Tron match-up gets hairy as soon as they stick O. Stone, though, and Karn gets surprisingly annoying when he nukes manlands, Zendikon-enchanted lands, and colour-fixing lands. Karn can generally nuke me off Ascendancy mana the turn he ETB.
4 Faerie Conclave
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Flooded Strand
1 Arid Mesa
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Steam Vents
2 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
Creatures
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
4 Wind Zendikon
Sorceries
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
3 Sleight of Hand
1 Treasure Cruise
Instants
2 Thought Scour
4 Izzet Charm
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Path to Exile
2 Remand
3 Dig Through Time
3 Wear // Tear
1 Keranos, God of Storms
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Batterskull
1 Path to Exile
1 Counterflux
2 Swan Song
2 Timely Reinforcements
3 Pyroclasm
Now I can't say if I 100% like these numbers yet. There is probably a big flaw in not playing 4 Lightning Bolts, but I feel like Izzet Charm is the best spell in the deck, because it does everything your other spells do just slightly worse each time. Perhaps bump up Remand to 3 and Path to Exile down to 2.
MTGO/MTGA: Tyclone
My Primers ~ GWx Vizier Company ~ Knightfall ~ RG Eldrazi ~ Green's Sun's Zenith
More Brews ~ Modern Four Horsemen ~ Gitrog Dredge
the faerie conclave, could one make it a creature at end of the opponents turn so it lasts through into your following turn? this seems mana intensive for switching on ceature mode and then using it to start comboing in the early turns.
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Also heads up guys: Disrupting Shoal is terrible in this deck, if you really want a cheap counter run Spell Pierce or Spell Snare. I got caught up in Twoo's hype but it's honestly just not a good card.
@Torpf: Wind Zendikon may well be a good card for this deck, but I think it's foolish to sleep on Fatesticher. A 2/2 or 3/2 split could work if you're worried about GY hate, but Stitcher is a total boss when not dealt with immediately, and increases the value of your Izzet Charms and Thought Scours.
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4 Young Pyromancer
4 Fatestitcher
4 Wind Zendikon
4 Jeskai Ascendancy
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Path to Exile
4 Remand
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
3 Treasure Cruise
4 Flooded Strand
2 Steam Vents
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Flagstones of Trokair
2 Island
1 Plains
The only reason I obnoxiously post this, is for you guys to pad me on my back and say "good boy"
(bear with me, I have relatively few of these moments)
Game 1 feels like already lost every time I lose the dice roll. The best way to beat burn g1 seems to be t3 Ascendancy into t4 combo with protection, but even with this, it is usually too slow if we are on the draw.
Games 2 and 3 are mostly around gifts since most times they can’t beat a resolved Iona.
Since most games 2 and 3 are already played around resolving a unburial rites, and gifts is much more reliable vs them than the Ascendancy combo, I’m thinking about completely siding the combo out for gifts pack and as much control elements as possible in order to maximize our odds of resolving a gifts, playing like a uwr gifts deck for game s2 and 3.
Anyone else doing this vs burn?
-Jaya Ballard, task mage
Edit: Actually run Delay instead of mana leak, it will probably work a lot better, plus it doesn't feed their graveyards.
Another idea with Wind Zendikon, side board Rest In Peace and since we dont need grave yard for combo, we can side out some DTTs against something like Delver or in the mirror
URStormRU
GRTitanshift[mana]RG/mana]
-Is a legitimate agro threat with all of the cantrips.
-Absorbs removal spells you would rather not hit stitchers/conclaves (when your permision is less useful)
-Is a haste creature to draw into on the combo turn
-Hard to lose tempo on a onedrop
All together she turns the deck into a a triple threat, game one you can control, combo, or agro. I would rather be winning the game than casting tempo control spells anyways. Creature removal is better than counterspells when it comes to controlling in modern anyways. You generally never win with conclave early, so i would rather cut down on those for more business treasure cruise busted, I might try going up to 3
The deck uses a transformative sideboard anyways, so I like having multiple packages I can mix and mach.
Sample gifts pile:
Jeskai Ascendancy/unburial rites/Elesh norn/Izzit charm
Active:
BGRock/Jund/JunkRW
GRTron
0Affinity0
WGRZoo
Tried a couple more games with the Fatestitcher build. That build can easily combo off through Chalice at X = 1.
Fatestitcher being on 4 cmc is very huge vs bgx and pod decks. You fatestitcher first then cast ascendancy and when they decay it you can be ready to go off in response. Sometimes you can even hardcast the fatestitcher to tap their creatures and tap mana in order to prevent multiple decays.
Fatestitcher also allows turn 3 wins with probe, and cost 0 when going off while Wind Zendiko will allways cost 1, so you cant even go off turn 4 if you dont have the Ascendancy or the Wind Zendiko already in play from previous turns.
Even when going off and looking for a second creature Wind Zendiko sems quite bad, with Fatestitcher you can go off with just 1 mana because next Fatestitcher will be free, but not with Wind Zendiko, you need atleast 2 free mana to go off. You will also flizze less with Fatestitcher since you play them from gy so you are not losing any card when you use bolts or pacts to go off.
While Wind Zendiko dodges gy hate it will make you vulnerable to ghost quarter and tectonic edge also.
I would only consider runing Wind Zendiko as sb card.
-Jaya Ballard, task mage
I've been playtesting this deck a decent amount on MWS and I am really impressed with it's consistency so far. Young Pyromancer has been an all-star in my variant. At worst he eats a bolt/path/decay and saves you damage, protects ascendancy or nets you a land, but when he gets going he puts enormous pressure on the opponent and is great for chump blocking. What changes have you guys made to the deck that have worked for you? I'm especially curious about the Keranos and Swiftspear packages.
Furthermore what are this deck's worst matchups? I feel like Burn, G/W hatebears and Pod would be pretty brutal? Eidolon of the Great Revel and Quasali Pridemage spell death for a deck like this. Thalia also seems like a problem to a lesser extent, but she can be powered through w/ two fatestitchers.
Also: here's my list
1x Bloodstained Mire
4x Faerie Conclave
3x Flooded Strand
1x Hallowed Fountain
3x Island
2x Mountain
1x Plains
1x Polluted Delta
2x Sacred Foundry
1x Seachrome Coast
1x Steam Vents
2x Wooded Foothills
4x Dig Through Time
4x Izzet Charm
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Path to Exile
4x Thought Scour
Enchantment (4)
4x Jeskai Ascendancy
Creature (4)
4x Fatestitcher
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Serum Visions
2x Sleight of Hand
1x Treasure Cruise
Just ignore my off-color fetches, they're all I have! Working on getting them replaced through. (:
It's definitely true that Wind Zendikon builds are slightly slower than Fatestitcher builds. Fatestitcher definitely allows Turn 3 wins with Probe if it's milled, while Zendikon builds are forced to combo off on Turns 4+ or play Zendikon on Turn 2, then go off on Turn 3 with Probe (and Turn 2 Zendikon can bite you in the butt pretty hard if they kill it).
You can combo off on Turn 4 from an empty board with Ascendancy into Zendikon into Probe, though.
As far as I can tell, the only added resistance Fatestitcher brings against Abrupt Decay is that Fatestitcher builds can combo off earlier from an empty board (and therefore have more mana up given the same number of lands as the Zendikon build), Decay can't hit Fatestitcher, and hardcast Fatestitchers can partially tap opponents out during your upkeep/draw step. If you play the dude first, then play Ascendancy, then tap out casting a noncreature spell, your opponent should Decay in response to the untap trigger and give neither Ascendancy deck an opportunity to cast spells in response.
Zendikon fixes mana worse than Fatestitcher and can't tap out their guys or mana, but it has 2 power and it untaps, pumps, and loots when cast with Ascendancy up to compensate. You can go off with 1 mana just as well with Zendikon as with Fatestitcher because Zendikon is a 1-mana noncreature spell. You probably do fizzle less often with Fatestitcher builds, mainly because they fix mana better, and slightly because they can be discarded. Drawing Fatestitcher when you have no noncreature spells in hand and no discard triggers is the worst feeling in the world, though, while Zendikon can salvage that hand a bit better by letting you loot lands away or being a cheap, evasive Haste dude.
Zendikon is more vulnerable to GQ and Tec Edge. However, since Fatestitcher's ability is not a mana ability, you opponent will GQ/Tec Edge the first land you try to untap with Fatestitcher to deny you mana. Thus, Fatestitcher should tap GQ/Tec Edge first (this normally baits Tec Edge into popping in response), then untap lands. You never get an opportunity to bait GQ/Tec Edge with Zendikon, though, which definitely hurts it. (Both Fatestitcher and Zendikon ignore Tec Edge fairly well if they target only basics.) On the other hand, Fatestitcher can't function through a Spellskite (Spellskite's controller pays 2 life to force you to untap it instead of a land, so you better have a lot of noncreature spells and they better have little life), while Zendikon can!
But all of Zendikon's drawbacks are compensated by the fact that it is a 1-mana Flying 2/2 that doesn't boot itself at EOT when played for 1 mana. This means that Zendikon helps you have an actual beatdown plan. A hand with 4 Fatestitchers is likely to be an auto-mulligan, while a hand of 4 Zendikons is keepable against controlling decks. Zendikon also kills planeswalkers like a king compared to Fatestitcher (although Faerie Conclave is already OK at killing walkers). Blocking Affinity/Infect dudes is a bonus (although you'll likely still lose if you're using Zendikon as a blocker).
As Tempo Twin has shown us, having a beatdown plan that actually kills opponents some of the time helps make your deck significantly more viable in a grindy meta. Fatestitcher helps you combo off faster and a bit more consistently, but it surrenders against Oblivion Stone, heavy control, and Slaughter Games on Ascendancy.
About the abrupt decay: you play Fatestitcher first, play Ascendancy, and when they decay your ascendancy in response to Fatestitcher untap effect, you just respond with an instant to untap Fatestitcher again and keep going instant speed until the kill or until you find another Ascendancy. The problem with Win Zendiko against decays is that you can never have both combo pieces in play against a decay because they will allways decay first one in response to the second.
-Jaya Ballard, task mage