What dark said, last season with Thragtusk around, the counter was act of treason which was overall more damage if you had any decent creature base at that point.
This season, most of the decks with serious lifegain are doing it without the card advantage engine which makes the 1 for 1 fine.
I would probably side the mortars for a couple more spells that can bring back phoenix but that's with no experience with the dragon version of the deck. Subject to meta I suppose.
With Firedrinker you can. Underworld connections does as well. Turns life into cards anyways. Life is a resource. Assuming you have no lifegain spells you spend like 19 life in a given game without loosing.
Sorry but it doesn't matter if you win at 1 life or 20. You won. The matchmaker software looks at your points, game win precentage, and opponents gamewin percentage. ASAIK there is no where to input life totals at the end of games.
I...I thought my sarcasm was obvious in that paragraph. Particularly with the following one.
Anyway, so yeah, i agree the only time cackler is better is versus black.
Tanro, the problem with damaging yourself with Satyr is it is really hard to make top 8 tiebreakers if you win most of your games at less than 10 life instead of around 18. Sure, you might lose a few more games but in the end, it's worth it when people check what your life totals were in the games you win.
I don't think it helps to say "yeah, it's bad in X matches but run it game 1 anyway", particularly because I don't think it's true. While there are plenty of matches it's bad game 2-3, I would be quite happy to see Satyr game 1 facing down walls, smiters, etc. Even in its worst matchup, red, it has value in being able to block mutavaults, BTE, etc that Cackler/Loyalist can't effectively do. Yes, you want to protect your life total but in these matches that it's "bad", you still need to remove their creatures, even at the cost of your life total.
It's bad game 2 and 3 because those decks are bringing in higher impact spells that make it obsolete and force you into the control position. Mortars, flames of the firebrand, buff spells, life gain, etc shut down the power of the card.
More play testing I suppose, but I have cut a lot of junk looking to streamline the deck against flavor of the week aggro's (RDW/Rakdos) and the control lists, so far so good.
I can understand how nightveil specter is being used in a lot of decks but I have so much trouble putting it in my BUG lists. I feel like I'm forcing it and taking away from other options. My turn 3 I'd rather be casting a demon, reaper, or holding mana for a removal spell or two. I'm going to keep trying it out and will post a couple videos with it but it just doesn't feel right to me.
Nightveil specter gives you the card advantage that you desperately need. Plus it walls off some things which is something desecration demon is poor at as a whole. That, and you aren't always going to hit a carytid early.
Personally, I'm kind of with him. The counterspells have felt clunky because I would rather advance my board. Mind you, he's probably able to get away with 4 maindeck thoughtseize because MTGO had been a little agro light for a bit though I hear that's swerving back.
Not a great plan unless you're a control deck effectively running anger of the gods.
This season, most of the decks with serious lifegain are doing it without the card advantage engine which makes the 1 for 1 fine.
I would probably side the mortars for a couple more spells that can bring back phoenix but that's with no experience with the dragon version of the deck. Subject to meta I suppose.
I...I thought my sarcasm was obvious in that paragraph. Particularly with the following one.
Anyway, so yeah, i agree the only time cackler is better is versus black.
I don't think it helps to say "yeah, it's bad in X matches but run it game 1 anyway", particularly because I don't think it's true. While there are plenty of matches it's bad game 2-3, I would be quite happy to see Satyr game 1 facing down walls, smiters, etc. Even in its worst matchup, red, it has value in being able to block mutavaults, BTE, etc that Cackler/Loyalist can't effectively do. Yes, you want to protect your life total but in these matches that it's "bad", you still need to remove their creatures, even at the cost of your life total.
It's bad game 2 and 3 because those decks are bringing in higher impact spells that make it obsolete and force you into the control position. Mortars, flames of the firebrand, buff spells, life gain, etc shut down the power of the card.
I thought some of his decisions were questionable, particularly versus control.
I've got a burn decklist over at DTR I want to test out once I get some blood crypts in that uses some of that list's ideas.
Straight swap of shortcutter to firefist striker is your first step and bringing BTE up to 4.
2 Hammers is too much for a 21 land deck. 2 dragons are impossible to cast reliably. Even with Nykthos.
That's a starting point.
UUGG and UUBB seems really optimistic to be able to cast regularly without any mana fixing
Nerf: I'm of the same opinion. I'll try it.
Nightveil specter gives you the card advantage that you desperately need. Plus it walls off some things which is something desecration demon is poor at as a whole. That, and you aren't always going to hit a carytid early.