I was going to play a GB build at a PPTQ I played over the weekend, but my fears were confirmed with the GP birmingham...goblin chainwhirleris a four of in likely the best aggro deck in the format currently. We can play our twelve lords, but all it takes is a simple removal spell, and then resolve chainwhirler, and the board is wrathed. Slimefood makes that a bit awkward, but since we can't play multiples, it's likely just going to hurt us more.
Honestly I think GW is a better build. You can play charge and Pride of Conquerors which can help deal with chain whirler, as well as push an aggro finish. Benalish Marshal might be tough as it's three white, but it's yet another lord to play.
I've played with the super fast aggro build with buffs and Buccaneer's Bravado, which can win turn four. Problem is that mono red is so consistent. I've considered a grixis build with the good admiral, as well as dreamcaller siren, warkite marauder, hostage taker(possibly side), and finally siren stormtamer is a great one drop. Also lookout's dispersal is a good utility card. Problem is we lose speed with blue, but we gain some things as well. Anyways, I haven't seen a build I like yet with all three colors.
Speaking of Grafdigger's cage, is it really better than relic of progenitus? Grafdigger is good, but it doesn't stop Tarmogoyf or Knight of the Reliquary from getting big, and relic draws a card, which is always nice...I know we're at 19 lands, so keeping 1 mana up for maybe a snapcaster mage entering the battlefield feels bad, but it feels like relic is just a better utility card.
Haven't played a ton against lantern control, but BOY does it look scary...anyone know how to play and sideboard against it? Apparently Noble Hierarch can still attack with ensnaring bridge out, but otherwise I don't know the right plays against his deck. I even considered Devout Chaplain as a sideboard card.
To my understanding, the Kopala will resolve first, then then spell will check if the extra two was cast...it was not, so the spell fizzles. The casing player can't "pay" two more mana. It's too late.
Like I said, I went to a 2k modern event and mulliganed EVERY match to FIVE at least one game. 18 lands is certainly enough, and it does stop you from a mana flood, but it feels like you can get mana screwed VERY easily.
How necessary are people finding horizon canopy? I'm hesitant to spend the money (since I just bought nobles) but I'd like to hear opinions on how you feel they push games.
Anyone consider dire fleet daredevil as a sideboard card? Against a deck with heavy removal (like death's shadow), it's an interesting play, as its still a creature but has a mana fixing component. It's also nice to get rid of snapcaster mage targets.
Wow Ari Lax, tell us how you really feel about Merfolk (granted this is more of a take on the Standard format, but I have a feeling he's tilting it more towards modern)
Merfolk
"Let me just speak my peace about this deck, and then everyone can get back to playing whatever they want and winning an arbitrary percentage of their matches.
Standard Merfolk is a million times more embarrassing than Modern Merfolk for all the same reasons.
Merfolk is a G/U deck. It is by default skewed towards sucking at interaction. It doesn't have some awesome free counterspell to save it. It isn't in the miracle position of all of its linear threats happening to be bigger than what they are crashing into. It isn't the G/U Madness deck of almost twenty years ago.
Merfolk is a pile of creatures that don't matter and a few that do. In the face of a midrange deck with some removal good enough to kill the real threats and some creatures better than the crappy cards, you are going to crumble. Great news: the default Standard deck for the last ten years has literally been a solid amount of good removal alongside some individually powerful threats. The other default strategies are more efficient creatures, and this time your giant Merfolk thing doesn't randomly have protection from red, and "removal or sweepers against your no-value-lands pile of 2/2s." These aren't good matchups either.
Your strategy is by default bad against Standard. Not the current Standard metagame, Standard as a generalized idea. Great job."
Same S@#$@, different day...another pro taking a swipe at the fish.
Question...should we have any representation in the sideboard for the mirror? I have the 2 mainboard dismember, and had two echoing truth side...anything else? the mirror is such a hit or miss matchup...basically it's a race to see who can topdeck the fastest...the past weekend I ran into the mirror twice (which I have had NEVER happen), and sadly had to mull to 5 game three of both matches...I actually did have removal in hand, but at the critical end of both matches, both fish players had TWO cursecatcher on board, making my removal useless. I don't know if there's a general mindset in the mirror other than "have gas, go fast." Anyways, just curious.
For the love of God, please do NOT go to 18 lands...did a $2k modern tournament this weekend, playing tropical merfolk and got KILLED by my mana base...I loved how low to the ground and how fast the deck gets off...with 16 lords, the biggest upside is that removal and hand disruption don't hurt as bad, as you will likely have at least two lords on board most of the game...but I mulled to 5 EVERY match, and it was brutal. I think 19 is the lowest we should go.
Honestly I think GW is a better build. You can play charge and Pride of Conquerors which can help deal with chain whirler, as well as push an aggro finish. Benalish Marshal might be tough as it's three white, but it's yet another lord to play.
Merfolk
"Let me just speak my peace about this deck, and then everyone can get back to playing whatever they want and winning an arbitrary percentage of their matches.
Standard Merfolk is a million times more embarrassing than Modern Merfolk for all the same reasons.
Merfolk is a G/U deck. It is by default skewed towards sucking at interaction. It doesn't have some awesome free counterspell to save it. It isn't in the miracle position of all of its linear threats happening to be bigger than what they are crashing into. It isn't the G/U Madness deck of almost twenty years ago.
Merfolk is a pile of creatures that don't matter and a few that do. In the face of a midrange deck with some removal good enough to kill the real threats and some creatures better than the crappy cards, you are going to crumble. Great news: the default Standard deck for the last ten years has literally been a solid amount of good removal alongside some individually powerful threats. The other default strategies are more efficient creatures, and this time your giant Merfolk thing doesn't randomly have protection from red, and "removal or sweepers against your no-value-lands pile of 2/2s." These aren't good matchups either.
Your strategy is by default bad against Standard. Not the current Standard metagame, Standard as a generalized idea. Great job."
Same S@#$@, different day...another pro taking a swipe at the fish.