- MasterFlex
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Member for 11 years, 2 months, and 16 days
Last active Sun, May, 31 2015 13:26:58
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Sep 17, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW MidrangeThanks. If the name continues to be well received, I'll unify it across the primer before we roll it out.Posted in: MasterFlex
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Sep 17, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW MidrangeGreat recommendations. I'll roll them in!Posted in: MasterFlex
I agree about the Hawks, btw. They have value, but I think sculler is really the better choice. There's been chatter about them on the current thread, so I'll throw them a bone. -
Jun 19, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW Token PrimerBitterblossom is listed as an alternative token generator.Posted in: MasterFlex
BB trades immediate board impact for gradual dominance. It takes 3 turns (and 3 life) to produce as much as a spectral procession. In the early game, that's great, but in the mid to late game, that's not good. Couple that with the loss of life, while keeping in mind we also play shocklands, fetch lands, and thoughtseize, and BB can do as much to kill ourselves as our opponents. That's why it's not a core card.
It has been played successfully. I think (he can correct me if I'm wrong) Jango555 plays a BB list. -
Jun 19, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW Token PrimerAll good suggestions, Thanks!Posted in: MasterFlex
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Jun 19, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW Token PrimerThanks for the feedback! I fixed the spoilers (I never meant to remove then, but apparently if you mis-type a tag with this many tags on the page, you break them all). That "preview" button has become my best friend, lol.Posted in: MasterFlex
I'll update the matchups, and add Oring, fulminator mage, and pithing needle as sideboard options. -
Jun 19, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW Token Primer*Edit* I fixed the spoiler tagsPosted in: MasterFlex
I'll re-write the core-creatures section to clarify that you don't need 3 Brimaz (or even 3 Hero). As I see it, you want to start with a hero/brimaz type of creature, and then grab a few from the "alternatives" section. Those provide a way to adapt to meta/personal play style.
I agree that Zealous Persecution should be added back to the event decklist (probably -2 doom blade, -1 anthem), and the 3 creatures should be an either/or. I leaned toward Brimaz because he's in Standard, but you are correct, Hero is better bang for the buck.
Good recommendation on not over extending, I'll add it to the advice section. Since we don't really draw, it is smart to only produce tokens as needed to win.
A featured deck list option is a good idea. It may get canned if there is not enough decks placing (or I can't keep up with it). -
Jun 18, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW Token PrimerNot sure what I did, but the spoiler tags are not working.Posted in: MasterFlex
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Jun 17, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on BW Token PrimerPosted in: MasterFlexQuote from Jango555 »I absolutely think Zealous Persecution is a core card...I would never play less then three copies in the main.
also I think that Tidehollow Sculler should be in the main deck section...maybe that is just personal opinion, but I think it is a key part of the deck even of you chose not to run him
Thanks for the work you put into this! We really needed to restart this thread...
Let me know if anything in particular sounds too bias. I want to be pretty neutral, but I'm not a pro-writer, so it's tough.
I'm keeping sculler in the alternatives for now. He's pretty controversial and we've spent a TON of time hammering his role down. As I put it, "skuller always risks being situational, which is why I list him as an alternative to Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek"
Quote from krimsonviper »
A few things I would change:
The second sentence in section 2 has "cards cards." Might want to fix that typo. I would also say what amounts of each card to be considered for the deck, I.E. 2-4 Hero of Bladehold. Do not include any budget suggestions. Budget suggestions should be addressed as "we do not address budgeting" either verbally or just by not mentioning it. Allowing this can throw the deck thread of course. There's a budget forum for a reason. Though I know this is annoying having to point people into it's direction, it derails the fundamentals. In the MUs section, please include Burn, UWR Midrange, Gr Tron, all versions of Twin, UR Storm, and the mirror. Less "spoilers." I know it makes the thread nice and clean, but having to click on every single piece of the primer to read gets tiresome. Remove Zealous Persecution from the pictures at the top and maybe replace it with an actual core card. Having it there makes readers believe it's a core card when it's not.
Thanks for the feedback! Ultimately, the deck has TONS of optional cards, and I aim to address as many as possible, as almost all questions are "can I use this/what works in ____ match?". Can you think of ANY cards I failed to mention? I could probably throw a bone to Worship.
I fixed the typo, and scrubbed every use of the word "budget" (which I did only twice, actually). I understand the budget rule, but have never liked it, especially for a lower tier deck that I personally built due to budget. Anyway, that's a different topic.
Back on the subject of the prier: Zealous Persecution stays in the "Core" list, but I will use a different picture up top (mainly because I'm not a fan of the art). It is consistently recommended by the pro's, and appears in successful decklists.
I'll update the matches.
Can you recommend cards against Tron? I've honestly never played them.
I'll try cutting a few spoilers. Part of what they do is put heading info in the raw text of the spoiler. This thing is damn long, so having clear subdivisions is needed to make maintaining easier.
I did start off writing the number of each card you should play in the deck, but found that I was basically just telling people to build my deck (which isn't really right). Next, I listed a range, but found myself almost always typing "0-4", so instead, I listed amounts by category. I have gone back and added notes next to cards that are a mandatory 4x (lingering souls, etc).
Please be critical now, it's better to make modifications with the watchful eyes of a core group, then with the view of the whole forum. -
Feb 17, 2014MasterFlex posted a message on Standard DecksHere's the decklist, since it didn't publish for some reason.Posted in: MasterFlex
Jund MonstersMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards Creatures
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Courser of Kruphix
3 Scavenging Ooze
3 Polukranos, World Eater
3 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Arbor Colossus
2 Kalonian Hydra
1 Xenagos, God of Revels
Instants/Sorc
1 Hero's Downfall
3 DreadboreWalkers
3 Domri Rade
3 Xenagos, the Reveler
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
Lands
4 Temple of Abandon
4 Temple of Malic
4 Stomping Ground
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Forest
2 Mountain
1 SwampSideboard
3 Mistcutter Hydra
3 Golgari Charm
2 Bow of Nylea
3 Unravel the Aether
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Gruul Charm
To finish the deck, I still need: 2 temples of malice, 2 mizzium mortars, 1 golgari charm
Need: 1 Scourge, 1 Nykthos, 1 stormbreath (puts my total count to 4), 2 legion's initiative (if I like it)
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I'm far from a professional when it comes to wordsmithing. If you see a typo, please PM me so we don't flood the forum.
Post suggested names to the naming poll.
What's the story there? Is it a reference to the player?
"The Rock" is short for "The Rock and His Millions", which is very much an in joke referring to Phyrexian Plaguelord (the Rock) and Deranged Hermit (his squirrel millions). Neither of which are played in the deck anymore.
Hilariously, Deadguy Ale is winning. I had guessed that the regular complaints meant it wasn't a favored name, haha.
It's a generic mothership name. I should add it to the options. I guess "no unique name" is a name in itself.
I'm going with Humpty's recommendation of 2 booster boxes, and going with our favorites from there. How well do ya'll think the tribal, arcane, and retrace mechanics will fit in with the current mechanics (morbid, voting, flyers, tokens etc)?
As for how the legacy deck got the name, the deck was created by team "Deadguy", and the beer is often sited as being their brew of choice while brewing the deck (pun intended). So the name "Deadguy Ale" stuck.
I personally support either Tom and Jerry or The Rat Pack. Both make slick references to BW Mid's primary win con - pack rat. I like the originality over stealing a name from legacy.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/established-modern/572973-bw-midrange-vote-for-a-name
We'll have to archive this thread because there is no way to change the ownership of the OP. See you all over there
I'm far from a professional wordsmith. If you see any typos, or areas heavily tainted with personal preference, please PM me so we don't flood the forum.
1) Introduction
2) The Deck
2.1) The Core
2.2) Additions and Alternatives
3) Sideboard
4) Articles
5) Decklists
6) Tips and Tricks
7) Match Analysis
1) Introdution:
In early 2014, the deck gained rapid popularity on MTGO, placing 4-0 in dailies, solidifying its possition as an established deck. From there, Chris Dearing (MTGsal's immapwner) earned 1st place at a PTQ in Little Rock, AR on June 2014, firmly putting BW Midrange on the map. The deck has also gained the attention of pro players such as Craig Wescoe.
The name "Deadguy Ale" dates back to the legacy midrange deck of the same name. The legacy deck was designed a decade ago by team Deadguy, which included big name magic players such as Jon Finkel, Dave Price, and Chris Pikula. As the story goes, Rogue Deadguy Ale was their brew of choice while brewing the deck, and the name has since become synonymous with BW Midrange. If you're wondering "why are we still using the name after all these years?" the subject has been discussed in depth here.
2) The Deck:
This is generally the core of the deck that should remain almost entirely unchanged. The number of thoughtseize equivalents is flexible so long as you keep at least 7 discard spells. I would suggest keeping 4 of every other card in this shell.
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
4 Path to Exile
Sorceries
4 lingering souls
4 thoughtseize
3 inquisition of kozilek
The cards below are the most common choices to make up the remaining core of the deck. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to run them, but all successful decks start with these core cards. The list is divided by what role the card plays in the deck.
Inquisition of Kozilek B It is to Thoughtseize what Riftbolt is to Lightning Bolt. While it's not as good, it still does a ton of work
Slaughter Pact 2B More expensive and conditional than Doom Blade, but being able to play it the turn before you pay for it allows you to tap out playing our numerous sorcery speed cards, and be ready for whatever craziness your opponent will cast on his turn.
Darkblast B Becoming popular thanks to the very common Robots match. The dredge mechanic is useful, as you can Darkblast on the upkeep, dredge instead of drawing, and Darkblast again. Also, if we have Bob on the field, we still get a card off the top. That's serious advantage.
Liliana of the Veil 1BB The premier 3 drop walker. Liliana can quickly chew up a players hand, or force our opponent to sac the creature left behind after our path to exile. It can also be run from the sideboard.
Lingering Souls 2W Always run 4. It is usually considered to be amongst the best spells in the Modern format, some decks splash white just so they can have it.
Dark Confidant 1B Should need no introduction. The card advantage Bob produces is unparalleled. It is important to keep the average cost of our deck low to minimize our life loss to him.
Pack Rat 1B Our winning creature of choice. Pack Rat can turn our extra draws from Bob into more rats, creating a serious amount of damage. It's important to make sure the field is safe before casting.
Hero of Bladehold 2WW Some use her as a alternative to the Planeswalkers. She does put a ton pressure on the opponent if she is active, but not doing anything for the first turn when costing 4cmc is pretty steep.
Brimaz, King of Oreskos 1WW Run no more than 3. Hail to the King! At first glance, Brimaz is a weaker Hero, that competes with our 3cmc slot token generators. In reality, the 3cmc is a benefit (see explanation below), and he puts serious pressure on your opponent. He also decreases your reliance on Intangible Virtue, as he produces Vigilance creatures.
Tidehollow Sculler WB In a perfect world, it’s a Thoughtseize with a 2/2 body for 2cmc. Sadly the world we live in (modern) is pretty far from perfect. The biggest problem is that he always eats removal, thus returning whatever card you chose. As such, an easy conclusion to draw is that Sculler should always take the removal spell. This is not entirely true, as Sculler really shines as a tempo choice. You get an opportunity to see your opponent's hand (always good), and then choose the card they most need. They can then waste a turn killing the sculler (a psuedo time walk), or try playing without a (hopefully) key piece of their deck. This can create a 1:1 trade. We both spend a card from our hand, and we both spend a turn of our time. Because we have Dark Confidant, stalling for a turn is still powerful as we can draw a card. TL:DR Sculler is worth 3 or 4 slots.
Arid Mesa The other fetchland that get get us plains. Not strictly needed, but it does help a bit.
Godless Shrine Always run 4. Our shock land.
Isolated Chapel We run Plains and Swamps and need white and black mana.
Fetid Heath Filter that mana! So we can drop a Auriok Champion on turn 2 from our turn 1 Thoughtseize enabling Swamp into a turn 3 Lilana. As it only provides a colorless mana on it’s own and doesn’t synergize with Isolated Chapel, running more than two is not recommended.
Vault of the Archangel It really helps restore our life total. Because the deck doesn't require too many colored mana sources, we can get away with a few colorless option.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth Helps us get a color our of our colorless land. It's a solid singleton replacing a swamp.
Mutavault It's a Rat! It's a Golem! It's a 2/2! It's a land! Like most midrange or control decks, it's good to have a man-land win con back up. Mutavault is our clear choice due to the synergies listed above.
Elspeth Tirel 3WW Considered the premier walker for BW Tokens, Tirel's power should not be underestimated in this build. Every ability is relevant to our game-plan. Even the final wrath ability leaves our Rat tokens untouched. Unlike the other walkers, Tirel can actively recover a bad board state.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant 2WW One of the best walkers in Modern, she can provide a chump blocker each turn for that goyf, give you card advantage vs. control or provide you with a faster clock. Starting on 4 loyalty and having two +1’s means she is very resilient. It should be noted that only buffing or producing 1 creature a turn is great for stabilizing a powerful board state, but not for creating one from scratch.
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad 2WB In this deck he proves to be very much like the Knight-Errant. His -2 for a permanent anthem is great, and the lifelink on the tokens he produces should not be underestimated.
Swords can provide protection to our creatures while making them more threatening, and putting your opponent on a shorter clock.
Sword of War and Peace 3 Making a creature (like Brimaz, King of Oreskos, or Mirran Crusader) Lightning Bolt and Path to Exile proof is a huge bonus. Gaining life when it hits is the icing on the cake.
Sword of Fire and Ice 3Also provides relevant protections, deals extra damage to players, and lets you draw. All around solid card.
Sword of Feast and Famine 3Again, the colors of protection are relevant, and being able to untap all land going into your second main phase can set up a dominate board state quickly.
Batterskull 5A solid choice of closer for any control type deck, especially paired with our lingering soul tokens.
Disfigure B 1cmc instant speed removal that works against the majority of modern staples is never a bad thing.
Engineered Explosives X It can shut down bogles, robots, and merfolk easily. Definitely an option over doom blade, depending on your meta.
Doom Blade 1B It's simple and effective. Sometimes, you just need to kill something.
Zealous PersecutionWB A one turn anthem for your team, and negative anthem for theirs. It can act as a pseudo sweeper against robots and bogles (in response to them casting an enchantment). It has the benefit in the late game of making an attack lethal, and ruining your opponents combat math.
Auriok Champion WW Being protection from black and red means she won’t be getting removed too easily. Giving 1 life for each creature entering the battlefield means you’ll be gaining pretty much life from all your tokens.
If you have two in play she acts as a hard counter for the combos of Splinter Twin and Murderous Redcap.
Still, in some match-ups she is close to a dead card and usually the first one to be side-boarded out.
Blade Splicer 2W A colorless Golem with First Strike can swing for real damage, and can block creatures with color protection (eg, etched champion). She can also chump block, and has the benefit of giving Mutavault First Strike, too.
Kitchen Finks 1(G/W)(G/W) A great option to compensate for the deck's self damaging nature. The WW casting cost can be a deterrent. It also doesn't pair well with RiP, which is a common sideboard card.
Restoration Angel 3W A 3/4 Flyer with Flash can be a great surprise play all on its own. Couple that with the ability to blink Blade Splicer, reset Kitchen Finks, or take a second peek at an opponents hand with Tidehollow Sculler is very powerful. Still, it can be gimicky, so currently resides in the "alternatives" section.
Baneslayer Angel 3WW A very quick game ender. She's our Thundermaw Hellkite. Some players avoid her due to the high cost (and risk of flipping it to Bob), but untapping with one is probably a win.
Blood Baron of Vizkopa 3WB Similar to Baneslayer Angel, but trades flying a 1 point of power/toughness for pro white and black. Since WB are the most common removal spells, this increases the odds of untapping with it still alive.
Squadron Hawk 1W Hawks used to be staples. They can be pitched to Liliana, Pack Rat, or be equipped with a sword to become a real threat. Unfortunately, the are weak on their own, and the deck risks loosing consistency to run them over Tidehollow Sculler.
Emeria Angel 2WW In a build with 8 Fetchlands, she can be an army in a can. She does die to removal/bolt, but we are playing disruption. As a flier, it can be an evasive threat vs Tarmogoyf while leaving behind chump blockers and pingers. Because she's a 3/3 the risk of loosing a 4 mana investment is still very high.
Ghost Quarter/Tectonic Edge Having a way to remove pesky land is great. Generally the goal is to remove land with powerful effects, like man lands, or to stop Tron/Scapeshift. Keeping your opponent off a color of mana is a secondary goal.
More to come!
We could talk about sideboard for days. Ultimately, run what works in your meta. If you don't know what that is, there are a few solid options for "unknown" metas, but the ideal option is to go to events, and learn the meta.
In general, it is best to run the Hatiest Hate Possible. You don't want to inconvenience your opponent, you want to ruin their day. Keep that in mind when making sideboard selections.
Rest in Peace 1W A ‘hard’ alternative to Relic of Progenitus, as it has a continuous effect. Does tamper with your own Lingering Souls, so don't bring it in against Snapcaster Mage. It's not worth locking out one of your best cards, too.
Grafdigger's Cage 1 The cage DOES NOT STOP LIVING END. It does, however, stop Storm and Pod (and our own Lingering Souls). It is a powerful solution to 2 very specific decks. Rest in Peace also hurts those decks, and has broader applications, so generally, the cage is not recommended.
Stony Silence 1W Artifact hate. Shuts down the most troublesome cards that Affinity has, as well as significantly slowing down Tron (and stopping Birthing Pod). Seeing as those two decks are amongst the most popular, the consensus is that anything between 1-3 of this particular card is common sense.
Burrenton Forge-Tender W Anti-hate. Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods can wipe our board presence. This is our 1cmc answer to it.
Kor FirewalkerWW A good counter to Red Deck Win or Burn by stonewalling their creatures, and acting as our personal dragon claw
Pulse the Fields1WW A good counter to Red Deck Win or Burn because it's an inverse Flames of the Bloodhand that keeps coming back to our hand.
Aven Mindcensor 2W Flashing this guy in can severely hamper decks that like to search their library, such Pod, Amulet of Vigor, and Scapeshift. It can slow down Tron as well. Being a 2/1 flyer means he’ll be pulling some extra weight as a damage dealer, especially with a sword.
Runed Halo WW A very popular "unknown meta" catch all, Runed Halo can shut down anything trying to hit you. A slippery bogle, goyf, or even Deceiver Exarch.
Leyline of Sanctity 2WW Another "unknow meta" catch all. It can stop opposing thoughtseizes, lightning bolts to the face (Burn in general), Liliana of the Veil and random mill decks.
Rule of Law 2W Shuts down living end and Storm. Can be substituted for Ethersworn Canonist or Eidolon of Rhetoric. Eidolon also has the benefit of being a lightning bolt proof creature for the same cost.
Celestial Flare WW Totally anti-Bogle tech.
Torpor Orb 1 Stops ETB effects, most notably souls sisters, combo elves, and amulet of vigor (namely Primeval Titan). Obviously, it's a big no no if you're using Blade Splicer or Kitchen Finks. A good choice against local metas with budget players, as the decks listed above are lower tier, but cheap decks.
Suppression Field 1W Stops twin, and slows down pod. Good option if you play against both decks in your meta.
Disenchant 1W Simple and effective. It's a good way to take out artifacts and enchantments (big surprise, right?). Bring it in against Bogles, Robots, and lower tier strategies like Heartless Summoning and combo elve's Cloudstone Curio.
Sundering Growth (G/W)(G/W) Probably the "better" disenchant, as the ability is the same, but will almost always net you another token. The only draw back is the WW casting cost.
Pithing Needle 1 A great way to stop pesky planeswalkers, namely Karn Liberated.
Oblivion Ring 2W Oring needs no introduction. It's fantastic, broad hate against anything that needs to go away. It is sometimes played over Disenchant or Sundering Growth as it has further applications in other matches.
Fulminator Mage 1(B/R)(B/R) Another card with very clear uses. He brings the added bonus of letting us tap out on our turn to play token producing sorceries, while still having an answer to Urza Lands and Scapeshift. Can be subbed for Rain of Tears.
Celestial Purge 1W Removes Bloodmoon, Liliana of the Veil, Splinter Twin, Dark Confidant, Olivia Voldaren, and Huntermaster of the Fells. A strong spell against Jund and Twin heavy metas, as well as covering targets our Doom Blade or Slaughter Pact miss.
Surgical Extraction (B/P) A great way to remove all possibility of a combo after forcing a discard with Thoughtseize. When played properly, it can be utterly back breaking, and doesn't even require mana.
Extirpate B Similar to Surgical Extraction, but requires mana for the benefit of Split Second.
Memoricide 3B A more expensive Surgical Extraction, but has the benefit of not needing a target in the graveyard. Make sure you know the correct name of the card you want gone.
Stain the Mind 4B A memoricide with convoke. It can still cannot be played before turn 4 (as we have no turn 1 creatures), but with Bob + Spirit Tokens already on the field, it can leave mana open for other spells.
Damnation 2BB Very powerful against decks that win via creatures. Often, a well timed field wipe is a win against Pod, Affinity, or Merfolk. The "can't be regenerated" clause is also very important against Jund win cons like Thrun the Last Troll. Damnation gets a slight nod over Wrath of God, because of the BB cost. That mirrors the BB cost we're looking for in Liliana of the Veil and Fulminator Mage.
Wrath of God 2WW Can be run over or alongside damnation. The WW casting cost is a slight step in the wrong direction for our curve.
4) Articles:
Here are some in depth articles about BW Midrange, taking a look at the decks strengths, weaknesses, specific matchups and so on.
I highly recommend that you read them.
Craig Wescoe discussing the power of Pack Rat
Frank Lepore playing and analyzing another Craig Wescoe list
5) Decklists:
First up, MTGsal's own Immapwner's PTQ winning list
4 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Marsh Flats
2 Temple of Silence
2 Verdant Catacombs
2 Plains
2 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Mutavault
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Vault of the Archangel
Creatures: 13
2 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Dark Confidant
3 Pack Rat
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2 Baneslayer Angel
1 Slaughter Pact
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Thoughtseize
1 Darkblast
4 Path to Exile
1 Smother
4 Lingering Souls
1 Dismember
1 Phyrexian Arena
Planeswalkers: 3
3 Liliana of the Veil
2 Disenchant
2 Stony Silence
1 Rest in Peace
3 Fulminator Mage
2 Damnation
2 Memoricide
3 Leyline of Sanctity
2 Arid Mesa
1 Caves of Koilos
4 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Marsh Flats
3 Mutavault
3 Plains
2 Swamp
3 Tectonic Edge
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Baneslayer Angel
3 Blade Splicer
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
1 Tidehollow Sculler
Spells: 21
2 Darkblast
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
3 Mana Tithe
4 Path to Exile
1 Smother
4 Thoughtseize
1 Aven Mindcensor
2 Cranial Extraction
1 Damnation
2 Disenchant
1 Doom Blade
3 Fulminator Mage
1 Smother
2 Stony Silence
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Zealous Persecution
2 Arid Mesa
4 Godless Shrine
2 Island
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Marsh Flats
3 Mutavault
2 Plains
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures: 13
1 Baneslayer Angel
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
2 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Batterskull
1 Dismember
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
4 Path to Exile
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Smother
4 Thoughtseize
Planeswalkers: 3
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Damnation
1 Darkblast
2 Disenchant
3 Fulminator Mage
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Rest in Peace
2 Stony Silence
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Wrath of God
1 Zealous Persecution
2 Arid Mesa
4 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Marsh Flats
3 Mutavault
2 Plains
2 Swamp
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures: 13
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
3 Tidehollow Sculler
2 Dismember
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
4 Path to Exile
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
4 Thoughtseize
Planeswalkers: 4
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Damnation
2 Disenchant
3 Fulminator Mage
2 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Rest in Peace
2 Sin Collector
2 Stony Silence
1 Wrath of God
1 Zealous Persecution
2 Arid Mesa
4 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
4 Marsh Flats
3 Mutavault
2 Plains
2 Swamp
3 Tectonic Edge
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures: 14
2 Blade Splicer
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
1 Restoration Angel
3 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Darkblast
1 Doom Blade
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
4 Path to Exile
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
3 Thoughtseize
1 Zealous Persecution
Planeswalkers: 1
1 Ajani Steadfast
1 Damnation
1 Darkblast
2 Disenchant
3 Fulminator Mage
2 Memoricide
2 Peace of Mind
1 Rule of Law
2 Stony Silence
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
At its simplest, the combination of hand disruption, spot removal, super efficient creatures, and the best hate/sideboard cards in the game can spell VICTORY in any meta. Still, to really push the deck over the top, it is important to understand the decks various interactions.
Since we have powerful black control cards, and fantastic White hate, if you have previous knowledge of your opponent's deck, mulligan to a card that helps. This is especially true in game 2/3.
If there is no advanced knowledge to draw on, focus on having a playable hand. This means two sources of two colored sources of mana, ideally (W/B)(W/B), but BW isn't horrible. Finally, the deck plays best on a curve. Thoughtseize into Dark Confidant into Liliana of the Veil or a 3cmc creatures is a classic midrange environment.
Mutavault is all creature types, including Rat and Golem (if you use Blade Splicer). Remember to include it when you count Pack Rat's power/toughness
Darkblast can be played multiple times in a turn. Cast on your upkeep, then dredge back into your hand on your draw. You can do this AGAIN if you have a draw trigger from a sword.
The first from Reid Duke: http://www.starcitygames.com/article/26855_Thoughtseize-You.html
And the second from Conley Woods: http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=11723
Finally, don't over extend. A common mistake is to flood the field with all we got (despite having enough already in play to push for lethal), only to get blown out by a sweeper. Sometimes, you have to aggro it up, but do not do that unless it is mandatory.
7) Match Analysis:
There is plenty of room for variation in BW Midrange. For the matchups section, I've listed the major competing decks, and all none-core cards that help against that match. Your sideboard will not fit all these cards. Generally, you need to pad your mainboard a bit with what you think you're going to fight.
In general, BW Midrange decks have flexible slots in their main deck removal, and probably a few personal touches. These will be what your drop for appropriate sideboard cards. It's important to not harm the core of the deck when sideboarding.
+ Stony Silence
+ Runed Halo
+ Engineered Explosives
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage
+ Damnation
+ Liliana of the Veil
+ Burrenton Forge-Tender
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage
+ Sword of Fire and Ice
+ Rest in Peace (maybe)
+ Sword of Fire and Ice
+ Sword of War and Peace
+ Rest in Peace (maybe, same issue from UWR Control)
+ Aven Mindcensor
+ Burrenton Forge-Tender
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage (in my experience, this is overkill)
+ Stony Silence
+ Aven Mindcensor
+ Rest In Peace (maybe. It was great against the melira win con, but doesn't stop Archangel of Thune + Spike Feeder)
+ Grafdigger's Cage
+ Damnation
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage targeting Gavony Township
+ Celestial Flare
+ Engineered Explosives
+ Liliana of the Veil
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage(stops dryad arbors)
+ Burrenton Forge-Tender
+ Auriok Champion
+ Kor Firewalker
+ Pulse the Fields
+ Burrenton Forge-Tender(if needed)
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage (for the man lands)
+ Mirran Crusader
+ Sword of Feast and Famine
+ Celestial Purge
+ Damnation (possibly as a way to kill Thrun the last Troll)
+ Rest in Peace
+ Rule of Law
+ Liliana of the Veil
+ Engineered Explosives
+ Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage
+ Damnation
+ Leyline of Sanctity
+ Runed Halo (naming Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle)
+ Liliana of the Veil
+ Burrenton Forge-Tender (Protection against red sweepers)
+ Aven Mindcensor
+ Tectonic Edge or Fulminator Mage
+ Memoricide effect (naming Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle)
+ Engineered Explosives
+ Torpor Orb
+ Rule of Law or Ethersworn Canonist
+ Rest in Peace
+ Leyline of Sanctity
+ Runed Halo (name Grapeshot)
+ Stony Silence
+ Aven Mindcensor
+ Tectonic Edge, Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage
+ Burrenton Forge-Tender (Protection against red sweepers)
+ Pithing Needle or Oblivion Ring against Karn.
+ Stony Silence
+ Aven Mindcensor
+ Tectonic Edge, Ghost Quarter or Fulminator Mage
+ Torpor Orb
+ Memoricide effect (naming Splinter Twin)
+ Torpor Orb
+ Mirran Crusader
+ Rest in Peace (for this match, shutting out their goyf, scooze, and snap caster are enough to be okay with the loss of our Lingering Souls)
+ Memoricide effect (naming Splinter Twin)
+ Torpor Orb
+ Memoricide effect (naming Splinter Twin)
I'm posting the official BW Midrange primer to the established section. As part of having a cohesive primer, we should have a unified name. The mods have requested that the name "BW Midrange" be kept in the title as the deck is new, and BW Mid is a simple and accurate description of the deck. The community can (and I believe it is our duty) to come up with a fun name for the deck. I've listed the 4 I've seen the most on the current thread. The final name of the deck will appear as - BW Midrange/"The name you vote on here"
If you have another suggestion, please post it. I'll update the poll (I believe that's possible).
If you have a reason why we should choose a particular name, please post it. Don't just complain about the other names.
I posted the deck because many people had asked how it played, and I finally got a chance to try it. I was also trying to decide if it was similar or not.
GREAT report. I started running Hour of Reckoning last year, and love it. It's sooooo back breaking, and not very common. People often ask if they can read it.
I've been thinking about this, but didn't want to say anything until I'd played both decks and could compare. I think BW Tokens and BW Midrange are 2 different decks. The deadguy thread is still arguing out a name, as most don't like "deadguy ale" due to it not having any relation to the deadguy team who created (and named) the legacy deck. I support "The Rat Pack", btw.
My thoughts:
Tokens - Control/Aggro. Early hand disruption to established control followed by token generators to flood the field and push for an aggro style win.
Midrange - Also control, but favors larger, resilient creatures (namely pack rat to close out the game. In other terms, it has no way to swing with 3 3/3 flyiers on turn 4.
Where things get blurry is that a slow moving Token deck can play out very much like a midrange deck. The reverse is not true.
I think this thread should focus on BW decks aiming at utilizing the control/aggro strategy. That includes the BitterBlossom builds we've seen on this thread.
The great midrange strategy of pack rat + thoughtseize + lingering souls + bob will be handled by the "Rat Pack" thread (I really want that name to stick, lol).
Finally, I think it's important both decks continue to be supported by the community for two very big reasons:
1) play style. The agro nature of tokens is a different animal
2) cost. The Rat Pack requires dark confidant, so $280. That's why I finally tried it now, and not 4 months ago.
Ultimately, I think the threads will remain separate, and we'll continue to be sister decks.