More excited about this Pro Tour than any PT in years! Debuting brand new format = very interesting. Looking forward to seeing what happens, seeing the new tech, and seeing what we can learn about this format.
Is there no live coverage? GGslive has nothing on their stream and there's nothing on the Wizards site besides stupid Rich Hagon talking about nothing.
Is there no live coverage? GGslive has nothing on their stream and there's nothing on the Wizards site besides stupid Rich Hagon talking about nothing.
Well, the PT's only just started. Feature match coverage articles and deck tech videos will go up throughout the day.
It's sort of dumb that SCG Opens and GPs have better coverage than the Pro Tour. I'm pretty sure everyone would rather have video coverage than coverage articles. How hard is it to put up a camera above a table and stream it?
Early scuttlebutt I'm hearing is that Infect-Shoal decks are going to be really good. Can't confirm if that's true or not, but that's what I'm hearing. What do you guys think? Heard the same?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WoTC, thank you for finally announcing the Modern format, an eternal format where everyone can participate.
I'm pretty upset that there's no live coverage. Twitter is going nuts over the feature match between Chapin and Finkel. Who wouldn't want to see a stream of that match?
In life all we can do is try to make things better. Sitting lost in old ways and fearing change only makes us outdated and ignorant.
Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.
Albert Einstein
Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.
Burning Shoal + Infect is big this weekend, but lets be honest, the combo folds to 1cmc removal, so it's not exactly hard to hate out. Zoo probably gives the deck fits.
Burning Shoal + Infect is big this weekend, but lets be honest, the combo folds to 1cmc removal, so it's not exactly hard to hate out. Zoo probably gives the deck fits.
thats not right. it goes to some random dude talking about defense
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
In life all we can do is try to make things better. Sitting lost in old ways and fearing change only makes us outdated and ignorant.
Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.
Albert Einstein
Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.
Combo feels rampant
The vast majority of tweets from PT Philly are in agreement; combo feels like it is out of control
Hive Mind, Ascension, Melira, Kiki Twin, Dragonstorm, Infect Shoal, Belcher, Grapeshot Swath, Elves, etc. Turn 3 kills? Check. Turn 2 kills??? Oh yeah, believe it. While it is currently unclear what percentage of the metagame is actually combo, the combo decks are making a big impression on people. Part of this is just combo's flashiness; combo looks the coolest, so it is going to make the most lasting and powerful impression. But these decks are fast, and some serious and well-tuned control is going to be needed to reign them in.
I specify that it FEELS like combo is out of control, because it is not yet clear. Tweets are going to be biased towards the coolest and most visible decks, and turn 2 kills are some kind of silver standard of Magic (turn 1 being the gold). So of course we are getting a lot of coverage of these decks.
MY PREDICTION
Combo is not going to make it to the top tables. The top decks are going to be highly refined control decks which are able to answer the glass cannon combos of the format. We will learn for sure later, but expect to see a healthy amount of Gifts, Teachings, and Doran Rock control up there. It doesn't take much to bust up these fast combos, and these decks can pack in the hate.
In life all we can do is try to make things better. Sitting lost in old ways and fearing change only makes us outdated and ignorant.
Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.
Albert Einstein
Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.
The burning shoals deck is a turn two kill but it is UBER hateable. Nonetheless if you are playing 12 post, you lose. The deck folds to any removal, and it also folds to countering the pump, and it also folds to fog effects, and it also folds to flying blockers (or any blockers) but in a format filled with U/R combo decks running little removal and no counter at one mana, and with another portion running 12 post it is well positioned. It won't last though.
We also know that Cedric Phillips is playing Infect Shoal, which is not at all surprising given his Legacy penchant for Belcher.
Based on earlier tweets, I am confident that at least one Japanese team is running Gifts/Teachings control. I am confident that this deck is going to do quite well against the glass cannon combos that are tearing up the twitter feed.
The burning shoals deck is a turn two kill but it is UBER hateable. Nonetheless if you are playing 12 post, you lose. The deck folds to any removal, and it also folds to countering the pump, and it also folds to fog effects, and it also folds to flying blockers (or any blockers) but in a format filled with U/R combo decks running little removal and no counter at one mana, and with another portion running 12 post it is well positioned. It won't last though.
Well, based on all the dailies with 12Post in it, it might just work.
Can someone explain how uber infect is so hateable? I mean winning on turn two is living the dream but I'm assuming everyone realizes there are ways to play around removal and such.
Edit: Also in another thread someone pointed out that if pacts are the plan, pact of negation is awesome here. GET EM BOYS!
Can someone explain how uber infect is so hateable? I mean winning on turn two is living the dream but I'm assuming everyone realizes there are ways to play around removal and such.
Here's the problem with that deck. It's already a 3 card combo, although admittedly 2 of the pieces are in multiples: Glistener Elf/Inkmoth Nexus and Progenitus/Reaper King/Summoner's Pact. But Blazing Shoal is a necessary part of the combo, so you are automatically looking at a sub-25% chance of having all 3 in your opening hand. Now, if you get all three, the chances of you also having countermagic or disruption to stop burn/discard/enemy countermagic is even lower. If you try to go off without it, you are going to lose to even the smallest glitch in your plans, whether a Spell Pierce, a Path to Exile, or a Thoughtseize.
This makes the deck a lot more fragile, even if you are also running your own Pact of Negation or Spell Pierce or what have you. It's just improbable to draw those cards and win over the course of many games.
I quickly compiled all of the known decks based on the twitter feed. THIS MIGHT NOT BE 100% ACCURATE because I am working with partial information.
PLAYER - DECK: ROUND 3 STANDING
Cedric Phillips – Infect Shoal: 2-1
Patrick Chapin – Twin: 1-2
Luis Scott Vargas – Twin: 3-0
Martin Juza – Infect Shoal: 2-1
David Sharfman – BG Deathcloud: 2-1
Robert Van Medevoort – Ascension: 2-1
Todd Anderson – Twelvepost: 2-1
Nassif – UBW Tezzeret: 1-2
Timothy Thomason – Hive Mind: 3-0
Adam Yurchick – RG Twelvepost: 3-0
Kyle Boggemes – Mono G Twelvepost: 0-3
Brad Nelson – Zoo: 2-1
Pat Cox – Zoo: 2-1
Christian Valenti – Twelvepost: 3-0
Brian Eason – Mono G Twelvepost: 0-3
Ferrari Spampinato – Twin: 1-2
Eetu Perttula – Ascension: 0-3
Johannes Lochert – UG ScapePost: 2-1
Stephen Murray – Twin: 0-3
Florian Pils – Affinity: 1-2
Pierre Dagen – Elves Combo: 1-2
Christopher Bennett – Hive Mind: 2-1
Daniel Grafensteiner – Affinity: 1-2
Frank Karsten - UR Gifts Ascension Combo: 1-2
Gaudenis Vidugiris - Grapeshot Swath: 2-1
I will edit this to show the standings of these players.
ALSO, here is a quote from the MTGProtour Twitter feed:
(Bill Stark) Did the archetype breakdown with Rashad Miller. This format is aggressive, but people are overstating it a lot.
Remember, as I said before: We have a massive sampling bias in the twitter feed. A lot of the combo decks are going to make a big impression when they win, but they won't when they lose. We just aren't hearing about all the other decks because they aren't as cool. So hold out hope for a stable and healthy format!
More excited about this Pro Tour than any PT in years! Debuting brand new format = very interesting. Looking forward to seeing what happens, seeing the new tech, and seeing what we can learn about this format.
L2 Judge
Well, the PT's only just started. Feature match coverage articles and deck tech videos will go up throughout the day.
L2 Judge
Albert Einstein
Thomas Jefferson
Burning Shoal + Infect is big this weekend, but lets be honest, the combo folds to 1cmc removal, so it's not exactly hard to hate out. Zoo probably gives the deck fits.
thats not right. it goes to some random dude talking about defense
Albert Einstein
Thomas Jefferson
Errr #MWPhi My bad, so used to thinking Philly
12:35 Eastern Time
Combo feels rampant
The vast majority of tweets from PT Philly are in agreement; combo feels like it is out of control
Hive Mind, Ascension, Melira, Kiki Twin, Dragonstorm, Infect Shoal, Belcher, Grapeshot Swath, Elves, etc. Turn 3 kills? Check. Turn 2 kills??? Oh yeah, believe it. While it is currently unclear what percentage of the metagame is actually combo, the combo decks are making a big impression on people. Part of this is just combo's flashiness; combo looks the coolest, so it is going to make the most lasting and powerful impression. But these decks are fast, and some serious and well-tuned control is going to be needed to reign them in.
I specify that it FEELS like combo is out of control, because it is not yet clear. Tweets are going to be biased towards the coolest and most visible decks, and turn 2 kills are some kind of silver standard of Magic (turn 1 being the gold). So of course we are getting a lot of coverage of these decks.
MY PREDICTION
Combo is not going to make it to the top tables. The top decks are going to be highly refined control decks which are able to answer the glass cannon combos of the format. We will learn for sure later, but expect to see a healthy amount of Gifts, Teachings, and Doran Rock control up there. It doesn't take much to bust up these fast combos, and these decks can pack in the hate.
-ktkenshinx-
Patrick Chapin is playing Splinter Twin
Martin Juza is playing Burning Shoal Infect
WBG Karador GBW
R Daretti R
RG Omnath GR
WRG Modern Burn GRW
WB Modern Tokens BW
DCI Rules Advisor as of 5/18/2015
Why am I not surprised?
Albert Einstein
Thomas Jefferson
Based on earlier tweets, I am confident that at least one Japanese team is running Gifts/Teachings control. I am confident that this deck is going to do quite well against the glass cannon combos that are tearing up the twitter feed.
-ktkenshinx-
Well, based on all the dailies with 12Post in it, it might just work.
WBG Karador GBW
R Daretti R
RG Omnath GR
WRG Modern Burn GRW
WB Modern Tokens BW
DCI Rules Advisor as of 5/18/2015
Edit: Also in another thread someone pointed out that if pacts are the plan, pact of negation is awesome here. GET EM BOYS!
Legacy URDelverUR 11-2
M15 Limited format 32-7
They see me trollin...
Here's the problem with that deck. It's already a 3 card combo, although admittedly 2 of the pieces are in multiples: Glistener Elf/Inkmoth Nexus and Progenitus/Reaper King/Summoner's Pact. But Blazing Shoal is a necessary part of the combo, so you are automatically looking at a sub-25% chance of having all 3 in your opening hand. Now, if you get all three, the chances of you also having countermagic or disruption to stop burn/discard/enemy countermagic is even lower. If you try to go off without it, you are going to lose to even the smallest glitch in your plans, whether a Spell Pierce, a Path to Exile, or a Thoughtseize.
This makes the deck a lot more fragile, even if you are also running your own Pact of Negation or Spell Pierce or what have you. It's just improbable to draw those cards and win over the course of many games.
-ktkenshinx-
Legacy URDelverUR 11-2
M15 Limited format 32-7
They see me trollin...
1:31 PM Eastern USA
I quickly compiled all of the known decks based on the twitter feed. THIS MIGHT NOT BE 100% ACCURATE because I am working with partial information.
PLAYER - DECK: ROUND 3 STANDING
Cedric Phillips – Infect Shoal: 2-1
Patrick Chapin – Twin: 1-2
Luis Scott Vargas – Twin: 3-0
Martin Juza – Infect Shoal: 2-1
David Sharfman – BG Deathcloud: 2-1
Robert Van Medevoort – Ascension: 2-1
Todd Anderson – Twelvepost: 2-1
Nassif – UBW Tezzeret: 1-2
Timothy Thomason – Hive Mind: 3-0
Adam Yurchick – RG Twelvepost: 3-0
Kyle Boggemes – Mono G Twelvepost: 0-3
Brad Nelson – Zoo: 2-1
Pat Cox – Zoo: 2-1
Christian Valenti – Twelvepost: 3-0
Brian Eason – Mono G Twelvepost: 0-3
Ferrari Spampinato – Twin: 1-2
Eetu Perttula – Ascension: 0-3
Johannes Lochert – UG ScapePost: 2-1
Stephen Murray – Twin: 0-3
Florian Pils – Affinity: 1-2
Pierre Dagen – Elves Combo: 1-2
Christopher Bennett – Hive Mind: 2-1
Daniel Grafensteiner – Affinity: 1-2
Frank Karsten - UR Gifts Ascension Combo: 1-2
Gaudenis Vidugiris - Grapeshot Swath: 2-1
I will edit this to show the standings of these players.
ALSO, here is a quote from the MTGProtour Twitter feed:
Remember, as I said before: We have a massive sampling bias in the twitter feed. A lot of the combo decks are going to make a big impression when they win, but they won't when they lose. We just aren't hearing about all the other decks because they aren't as cool. So hold out hope for a stable and healthy format!
-ktkenshinx-
Also, based on that list I think fish could do well. Not much grove action going on, lots of stuff that seems to fold to 1-2 counters.