Hey people, I've built the Josh McClain 1st Place GP Detroit List but i have a couple of doubts i'm hoping someone here could help me out with.
I'd love to get a 3rd Chord of Calling and I can't get any Voice of Resurgence, is there any possible replacement? I can't get any Orzhov Pontiff over here in southern Argentina either, anything that could try and fill his place? but even after testing the ORzhov dude with proxy he doesn't seem to do much for me, so i'm not sure i'd even use him if I had him, any similar situations for you guys?
The replacements i've done for the time are a Restoration angel for the Chord, a Cartel Aristocrat for the 1 Voice (Using proxy of the other Voice and the Orzhov since i might be able to get them)
BTW, here in Argentina a Voice is 80us dollars, Chord 45us, so no it's not like i can actually buy them and if i wanted to get them from oversea orders there are many problems so it would probably no get here or get marked for an extra 80% price of order in the best case.
Thanks in advanced for any help!! It's greatly appreciated :3
I know how you feel. In Brazil cards are very expensive too, and the inflating prices don't help either. If I started building the deck now, I would spent more than double what I spent a year ago.
When I didn't have the Voices, I played more Meliras, mana dorks or bullets like Spellskite. It worked quite well, and sometimes I still come back to this configuration for testing purposes. I think that is a good place to start.
On Chord, unfortunately there are no subtitutes, the card is pretty unique at what it does (tutoring at instant speed for "free"). I would't replace them even if Green Sun's Zenith was legal.
I was actually thinking about Avacyn's Pilgrim, and then I thought about Arbor Elf. I like the Elf because it untaps Overgrown Tomb and Temple Garden to give access to black, white, and green while Pilgrim only gives access to white. Has anyone else tried Arbor Elves? I think that's what I'm going to try out.
If you don't have fetches, Arbor Elf is as reliable as Deathrite Shaman, if not less. Unless you play something like 7-8 green shock lands, you can't count on the elf. If you can, play Noble Hierarch, if not, play the Pilgrim. It's by far the best budget mana dork for the deck.
i won 3 games with the protean hulk combo last fnm. i'll use them until i get my chords.
I haven't said that the Hulk/Double combo is bad, just that it isn't better than the current version of the deck. Chord is an amazing card for the deck and you should get some as soon as possible.
On the other hand, this deck is one of the most versatile and tunable decks out there. So, if it's working for you, then you should at least consider keep playing Hulk, even after aquiring Chords, because no version is the definitive one and you could be breaking the format by trying new (in this case old) tech.
I played with Oloro today and while the deck was very powerful and able to answer one opponent after another, the games lasted too long to be enjoyable. I tried a stax list, so its slowliness is kinda obvious, and I feel that ultimately the deck will become boring. It just doesn't fit my playstyle I guess.
Anyway, I plan to test some more wirh both Oloro and Damia, so I can make a more "sure" decision, but I am 99% sure that Damia will be the chosen one (and I already have most of the manabase ). Thanks everyone for the insight, you have been very helpful and thoughtful, I will surely have a lot of fun thanks to you guys.
By the time either of the wurms makes some impact it's probably too late, especially Massacre Wurm, since in aggresive matchups you're already dead when it comes into play and is terrible against control and Jund. Yosei is only good if you're using the Protean Hulk/Body Double combo (btw, you shouldn't).
Sun Titan is great against Jund, U/W/R and midrange in general. It's a good sideboard option if your meta is full of those and it's the only 6-drop I would consider playing.
It can deal with anything. If you really are in a competitive meta, something like this could really shake things up.
I proxied that exact list yesterday then I started playing with my friends, and I got to say, that deck is really broken. I have won several games in a row while having a lot of fun. I plan to modify it to better suit my meta, but the list is incredible. Tomorrow I will test the Oloro list I came up with and will let you know how it went (Derevi is not really in consideration anymore since my friend replaced Rafiq for him yesterday)
Yeah, my problem with both Scion of the Ur-Dragon and Sharuum is the hate they attract. I already have toyed around with an Oloro stax list, but I will try Damia and Derevi as well. Plan to post some decklists later.
I need help in choosing and building a new deck. My meta is very cutthroat, with lots of combo, LD and other unforgiving stuff. The decks I already have are more fun-oriented, and while I dont mind losing when playing with them, they cant keep up with my friends' decks.
Those are the decks I usually play against: Shirei combo, Grand Arbiter Augustin, Skullbriar LD/voltron, Rafiq, Momir Vig, Sisay and Kiki Jiki.
I want to play something combo or control oriented. I have narrowed down my options to:
Damia combo/control
Oloro control
Sharuum combo
Derevi combo (need to work on this one)
Scion of the Ur-Dragon
If any of you guys could help me on deciding which is the best one for the job I would really apreciate.
Yesterday I was playing my Karador deck against Krenko, Shirei and Maelstrom Wanderer. Shirei was stripping everyone's hands with Thrull Surgeon and a few other cards, so we were basically relying on a topdecked card. Krenko had a lot of tokens, and Wanderer had Primeval Titan + Clone. The only one without a board was me, only with Karador and 8 lands in play. I topdecked Akroma's Vengeance and wiped everyone's board. Everybody just passed without doing anything important and then I topdecked a Rise of the Dark Realms with the 9th land in my hand. I ended up with Sylvan Primordial, Clone on the Primordial, RestoAngel on the Primordial to blow up everyone's lands, and Kiki-Jiki + Resto to combo everyone out of the game.
A little bit out of this discussion lately, but I'm going on holiday soon.
I am playing MeliraPod for about three months now. But I experience the difficulty of playing it.
Personally I want to play this deck for some time.
To become a better Pod player I have to learn a lot about the different match ups. What to side out and what in against specific decks, that kind of stuff..
On holiday I would like to read articles about matchups.
However, I don't want to spend my ink on papers which don't include relevant information (I could print out 106 pages now but that seems a waste)
My question is, where can I find good printable articles about relevant, today's, matchups?
Thanks
There is an article on ChannelFireball writen by Sam Pardee when he won a GP. The sideboard tips are still accurate (most of it) and so is the explanation on how the deck works.
The last couple of days I have dedicated almost all of my spare time to writing a very elaborate topic about it since I could very much use some help with development on it. As soon as it's finished (hopefully tomorrow) you're welcome to come and check it out.
If you actually make it work, I would be really impressed, and would gadly say that I was wrong. Until then, though, I'll remain sceptical. Good luck anyway
On another topic, Lingering Souls is probably the best card in my sideboard. It helps in every matchup that isn't Tron or full-mode combo, which ususally is less than half the field. So, I believe that a card that is good against aggro, midrange and control alike is worth its slots
Ok, this discussion is getting pointless. What hqql is suggesting is a whole other deck, since he's adding 8+ cards that do not relate to the Melira Pod philosofy. I've been playing Melira since the beginning of the format and honestly the Hulk combo has never been great, it just wastes precious slots. Also, the only card that you suggested that is good is Fauna Shaman, and it isn't that good because we do not play a combo deck, it usually is a waste of tempo. Melira is a Township + hatebears deck, adding your combo would messes up the manabase, dilutes the consistency of the deck and would help our opponents mora than ourselves ( weird harvest is only good in combo elves, and just because they have access to a near-infinite amount of mana).
Also, you should never rely only on your mana dorks to cast something, in a format where EVERY deck plays awesome removal.
We don't play Metamorph for the Lark combo, we play it because he essencially is a second copy of every card in the deck. The combo is just something we can do when in trouble. And this is how this deck should be played, a disruptive aggro deck with a game-winning combo when in trouble.
What you're doing is just making a great deck into a weird, bad mixing of 2 combos that are not good enough on their own, with serious problems of consistency, even with the ton of tutors you're planning to play.
Blasting Station is actually playable, it's easier to cast, acts as reliable removal (sort of) and avoid an stalemate when we need another turn to win and we get wiped out, for example. The problem with it is that it ins't tutorable, as said, and there are better options as far as sac outlets go. Varolz is an example with the same CC.
Sorry for the double post, I just think it would more organized.
Some cards you could take out
Brittle Effigy: not a good enough removal spell.
Hornet Queen: not a great finisher, there are better ones.
Karn Liberated: good removal, great card, but you could do SO much more with 7 mana.
Khalni Garden: it's fun with Avenger of Zendikar but coming into play tapped for a 0/1 insn't good enough.
Recross the Path / Skyshroud Claim / Ranger's Path: there is enough ramp in there, as I said. Nature's Lore should be in, though.
Lotus Cobra: without any fetchlands, this is just a BIG removal target.
Reliquary Tower: if your meta is filled with Jin-Gitaxias, then keep it.
I know how you feel. In Brazil cards are very expensive too, and the inflating prices don't help either. If I started building the deck now, I would spent more than double what I spent a year ago.
When I didn't have the Voices, I played more Meliras, mana dorks or bullets like Spellskite. It worked quite well, and sometimes I still come back to this configuration for testing purposes. I think that is a good place to start.
On Chord, unfortunately there are no subtitutes, the card is pretty unique at what it does (tutoring at instant speed for "free"). I would't replace them even if Green Sun's Zenith was legal.
If you don't have fetches, Arbor Elf is as reliable as Deathrite Shaman, if not less. Unless you play something like 7-8 green shock lands, you can't count on the elf. If you can, play Noble Hierarch, if not, play the Pilgrim. It's by far the best budget mana dork for the deck.
I haven't said that the Hulk/Double combo is bad, just that it isn't better than the current version of the deck. Chord is an amazing card for the deck and you should get some as soon as possible.
On the other hand, this deck is one of the most versatile and tunable decks out there. So, if it's working for you, then you should at least consider keep playing Hulk, even after aquiring Chords, because no version is the definitive one and you could be breaking the format by trying new (in this case old) tech.
Anyway, I plan to test some more wirh both Oloro and Damia, so I can make a more "sure" decision, but I am 99% sure that Damia will be the chosen one (and I already have most of the manabase
By the time either of the wurms makes some impact it's probably too late, especially Massacre Wurm, since in aggresive matchups you're already dead when it comes into play and is terrible against control and Jund. Yosei is only good if you're using the Protean Hulk/Body Double combo (btw, you shouldn't).
Sun Titan is great against Jund, U/W/R and midrange in general. It's a good sideboard option if your meta is full of those and it's the only 6-drop I would consider playing.
I proxied that exact list yesterday then I started playing with my friends, and I got to say, that deck is really broken. I have won several games in a row while having a lot of fun. I plan to modify it to better suit my meta, but the list is incredible. Tomorrow I will test the Oloro list I came up with and will let you know how it went (Derevi is not really in consideration anymore since my friend replaced Rafiq for him yesterday)
Those are the decks I usually play against: Shirei combo, Grand Arbiter Augustin, Skullbriar LD/voltron, Rafiq, Momir Vig, Sisay and Kiki Jiki.
I want to play something combo or control oriented. I have narrowed down my options to:
Damia combo/control
Oloro control
Sharuum combo
Derevi combo (need to work on this one)
Scion of the Ur-Dragon
If any of you guys could help me on deciding which is the best one for the job I would really apreciate.
There is an article on ChannelFireball writen by Sam Pardee when he won a GP. The sideboard tips are still accurate (most of it) and so is the explanation on how the deck works.
Here it is: http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/tournament-report-gp-portland-1st/
Also, Lectrys posted a few pages back an extensive sideboarding guide, you should check it out.
If you actually make it work, I would be really impressed, and would gadly say that I was wrong. Until then, though, I'll remain sceptical. Good luck anyway
Also, you should never rely only on your mana dorks to cast something, in a format where EVERY deck plays awesome removal.
We don't play Metamorph for the Lark combo, we play it because he essencially is a second copy of every card in the deck. The combo is just something we can do when in trouble. And this is how this deck should be played, a disruptive aggro deck with a game-winning combo when in trouble.
What you're doing is just making a great deck into a weird, bad mixing of 2 combos that are not good enough on their own, with serious problems of consistency, even with the ton of tutors you're planning to play.
Some cards you could take out
Brittle Effigy: not a good enough removal spell.
Hornet Queen: not a great finisher, there are better ones.
Karn Liberated: good removal, great card, but you could do SO much more with 7 mana.
Khalni Garden: it's fun with Avenger of Zendikar but coming into play tapped for a 0/1 insn't good enough.
Recross the Path / Skyshroud Claim / Ranger's Path: there is enough ramp in there, as I said. Nature's Lore should be in, though.
Lotus Cobra: without any fetchlands, this is just a BIG removal target.
Reliquary Tower: if your meta is filled with Jin-Gitaxias, then keep it.
Hope it helps