I am a bit confused by the wording of this card. X is not determined at ETB, but rather at each activation. So let's say for example we imprint a Blue Sun's Zenith. Is it possible to cast a copy for 5 colorless that draws 2 cards, then next turn draw 3 for 6? Or must X=0 for the purposes of casting BSZ, as with most effects? The phrasing is somewhat ambiguous. It seems that if they wanted this card to act like every other X effect, it would read "You may exile a card with CMC X when ~ ETB." But if you imprint BSZ and cast for X=2 (5 colorless), the clause on Arcanist of "X=CMC" is technically correct, and you should be able to draw two cards. Any thoughts?
if i slap a Rancor on my Glissa, the Traitor, who my opponent then blocks with his White Knight, does my opponent take 3 or 4 damage? Id est, since deathtouch says any amount of damage is enough to kill, and pro says no amount of damage is enough to kill, is the trample damage determined in this case by the toughness of the defender, or simply the fact that the attacker has deathtouch and trample?
If you ask me, it's time wizards did something about the deathtouch and pro double standard with regards to trample. It feels as though tramplers are having their cake and eating it too, being that lethal damage is determined in the case of deathtouch to be 1 regardless of defender's toughness, whereas protection's inherent rule of "all damage is prevented," for some reason, does not directly translate to "no amount of damage is enough to kill." Either deathtouch tramplers should have to assign enough damage to be lethal if they didn't have deathtouch (as the ruling states for protected blockers) or protected blockers should need to be dealt truly lethal damage (which is by nature impossible) before tramplers get to get thru.
That seems to be the best luck anyone's had as far as fitting the combo into a shell. Entreat is a good plan B for the deck, being that it has so much in common with miracles. Jace works too, provided you're willing to bring in boardwipes. Supreme Verdict is really good in the deck.
unless i miss my guess, one of two things will happen. either someone will top 8 with the deck this weekend, or there will some form of decktech or media coverage at the event in indiana
I totally love the Orzhov list. I knew someone had the brains/balls to make it work. Do update once you have had a chance to test, as I am very interested to see how the dedicated combo list fares without the E. Fields.
ok, so has anyone else been on starcity to check the prices of these cards lately? both are sold out, and each is up to to fifteen bucks, from 6-7 each less than a month ago. did i call it, or did i call it, or did i call it? i'll be going on to see if i can't pick up another few playsets before everyone catches on, but unless i miss my guess, one of two things will happen. either someone will top 8 with the deck this weekend, or there will some form of decktech or media coverage at the event in indiana, and every outstanding copy at the old price will be gone by wednesday. this is your last chance, people. i'd suggest tcgplayer.com, as they seem to be the only site still offering combo pieces at under 10$ a pop.
It would seem Abrupt Decay is less of an issue than I had previously imagined. Despite being mostly good in a vacuum, it seems like it's really having trouble finding its place. Misdirection, Redirect, Divert all seem fairly irrelevant.
And yeah, giving an opponent card advantage is terrible, which is why Force of Will is such an awful card, especially in combo decks.
Also, extensive testing has revealed that the sol-lands, as you call them, Jiff, are actually less impressive than I had originally imagined, mostly becuase Back to Basics is so good in the deck. I guess if you're going tricolor for the enchantress theme, the situaltion might be different, but getting you to Helm faster doesn't really seem to be worth the drawbacks. Even at two colors, its very colored mana-intensive.
I was disappointed not to see any RIP lists in the Star City results. I also like the Luminarch's as an alternate wincon. I feel like Replenish is probably better than Open the Vaults, simply because the only realistic way Helm goes to and stays in the graveyard is when it's in the opener and gets duressed.
lets be clear about this...this is NOT a storm deck, as the wincon does NOT involve using multiple copies of a single spell to kill your opponent. The attempt here is to create an inkshoal-like deck that uses a single attack on a single turn to kill one's opponent before they have a chance to respond. and, despite inkshoal itself being a highly vulnerable, highly conditional trick to pull off, it was still the sole reason for the banning of one of the most terrible cards ever to see constructed play: Blazing Shoal. All I would seek to accomplish would be to have them ban Nivmagus because some people out there would be just stupid enough and just lucky enough to make this utterly horrible deck see just enough play for Wizards to deem it non-interactive enough to ban yet another horrible, terrible, no good, very bad card. just for funsies. ya'll be takin this mess way too serrus.
If you want the best chance of a FTW, play Belcher.
If you want to play the best deck that is capable of a turn-1 storm-win, Play Omni-tell.
If you want to play the best storm deck, play Doomsday (and be sure to be one of the 100 best magic players of all-time while you're at it).
If you want to play the best storm deck that is simple enough to wrap one's head around, play High-Tide.
If you want to show off your Underground Seas and Polluted Deltas, Play ANT.
these are all things that are good things to do if you want to accomplish things. personally, i'm just trying to have fun with it.
Believe me, I know that this is a needlessly complicated and lossy idea. I was really more interested in whether or not it is in fact possible. You could always cram a million pacts and lotus petals and such with a fling, then exile the pacts before resolution, then flusterstorm the final pact and exile everything on the stack, then ideally fling your 21/22 dood at their face for the FTW. I know it would never work, and that Belcher is by far a better FTW deck, but I just think it's cute to think that it could. Until someone plays a divert, anyway
So, first of all, would this actually work? As in, play a bunch of lotus petals and kobolds and such, then brain freeze or grapeshot, exile all copies and make your 1/2 into an 11/12 or some such. And secondly, would this actually be a good and worthwhile tactic in, for instance, Cheerios or Belcher?
Thalia is indeed a problem that I've been running into. And abrupt decay alone is worth devoting two sideboard slots to Misdirection. That card is quite the magic bullet against this deck. I've been doing a lot of testing online and found that goblins, burn, and dredge are maybe 20% to win the match, simply because they are short on answers, and by turn 3 or 4 are completely shut down. RUG is a rough matchup, but not unwinnable, especially if you don't play into daze. Misthollow is great as a 2-of in the sideboard, and is great for the corner cases where the having a creature-based wincon is helpful, including decks with abrupt decay.
Testing has revealed two things:
1. Misthollow is a viable alt-win condition.
2. I was very, VERY wrong about Jace.
The list that I've gravitated towards makes good use of good ol' counterspell, and I quite prefer it to conditional counters like spell pierce and snare, as the deck is generally in it for the long haul. I've cut a tutor or two, as the disadvantage is mostly bad. I've been running 2 git probes, and they seem to be worthwhile enough in the deck. Often simply knowing what my opponent is holding is enough. Divining top is great in the deck, so right now i'm running 2 with a single counterbalance, just in case i have a top and nothing to do with it. It also tends to draw an Abrupt Decay. B2B is not as great as first thought, and may have to move to the board. I'm running Lab, Canonist, and Misthollow in the board for storm. G1 is turning out to be less unwinnable than I had imagined. Entreat is very awkward, and not nearly as good as imagined.
If you ask me, it's time wizards did something about the deathtouch and pro double standard with regards to trample. It feels as though tramplers are having their cake and eating it too, being that lethal damage is determined in the case of deathtouch to be 1 regardless of defender's toughness, whereas protection's inherent rule of "all damage is prevented," for some reason, does not directly translate to "no amount of damage is enough to kill." Either deathtouch tramplers should have to assign enough damage to be lethal if they didn't have deathtouch (as the ruling states for protected blockers) or protected blockers should need to be dealt truly lethal damage (which is by nature impossible) before tramplers get to get thru.
http://www.starcitygames.com/events/coverage/deck_tech_helm_combo_with_rob_.html
i'm getting real good at this predicting the future thing...
And yeah, giving an opponent card advantage is terrible, which is why Force of Will is such an awful card, especially in combo decks.
If you want the best chance of a FTW, play Belcher.
If you want to play the best deck that is capable of a turn-1 storm-win, Play Omni-tell.
If you want to play the best storm deck, play Doomsday (and be sure to be one of the 100 best magic players of all-time while you're at it).
If you want to play the best storm deck that is simple enough to wrap one's head around, play High-Tide.
If you want to show off your Underground Seas and Polluted Deltas, Play ANT.
these are all things that are good things to do if you want to accomplish things. personally, i'm just trying to have fun with it.
(no particular order, i'm just transcribing from the napkin)
4x Concordant Crossroads
4x Land Grant
4x Lotus Petal
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Pact of the Titan
4x Summoner's Pact
4x Nivmagus Elemental
4x Simian Spirit Guide
4x Ground Rift
4x Street Wraith
4x Gamble
4x Crimson Wisps
4x Elvish Spirit Guide
4x Winds of Change
3x Chrome Mox
1x Taiga
SB:
4x Pact of Negation
1x Tropical Island
4x Flusterstorm
3x Slaughter Pact
3x Fling
and the nivmagus elemental FTW deck was born. Yes, it's terrible. No it will never work. But boy, is it cute.
1. Misthollow is a viable alt-win condition.
2. I was very, VERY wrong about Jace.
The list that I've gravitated towards makes good use of good ol' counterspell, and I quite prefer it to conditional counters like spell pierce and snare, as the deck is generally in it for the long haul. I've cut a tutor or two, as the disadvantage is mostly bad. I've been running 2 git probes, and they seem to be worthwhile enough in the deck. Often simply knowing what my opponent is holding is enough. Divining top is great in the deck, so right now i'm running 2 with a single counterbalance, just in case i have a top and nothing to do with it. It also tends to draw an Abrupt Decay. B2B is not as great as first thought, and may have to move to the board. I'm running Lab, Canonist, and Misthollow in the board for storm. G1 is turning out to be less unwinnable than I had imagined. Entreat is very awkward, and not nearly as good as imagined.