Fulminator is easier to cast with 1BR usually, also he does not get hit by negate type counterspells which are prominent to hard counters. Otherwise Molten Rain is a fine substitue.
It was brought up but never actually tested. I think it is basically this decks revelation. Although Glimmer of Genius looks appealing as well. 4 Kcommands could at least ping for 2 and instant discard at draw step or end step so it isn't that bad. You want to run your opp out of cards asap.
I'm testing 1 Tombstalker for 1 Angler and 1 Forked Bolt currently in a list with 4 Opt / 2 Serum. Won't know how good it goes until I actually play it. I want stalker for flying and forked bolt as a possible 2 for 1. Also, anyone consider Distortion Strike?
I won't go that far, I'll leave that testing to you. However, I want to add that I'm on Opt train right now. I really like card selection vs random card draw, scry 2. Snap Opt has also been great, letting you attack with snap on your turn. It also lets you bluff a stubborn denial which may throw your opponents off.
Let us know how dropping thought scour affects the deck!
Shadow of Doubt cycles at the worst case (and works well when you don't have much else to flashback with Snapcaster on opponents' end step). Nimble Obstructionist can be a decent flash threat if it doesn't hit a fetch so it won't really sit in your hand doing nothing.
I'd prefer either to a card like Befoul which is overcosted and not that good.
Vendilion Clique doesn't seem too bad either a 1x-of in the deck to present a flying clock and mess with opponents' hands.
I should have specified the three instants sit in your hand sometimes. I suppose a Clique or Stifle Bird (Nimble Obstructionist) would be a good addition somewhere in there. I'll consider adding them. And Hostage Taker would be included in the SB for now. A friend is testing this concept on XMage and he said it has been doing Ok. Especially against 3 color and ETron.
Removed:
- 2 Hostage Taker
- 1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
- 1 The Scarab God
Added:
+ 2 Liliana of the Veil
+ 1 Frost Titan (Grave is probably miles better but I like frosts tap ability)
+ 1 Bloodgift Demon
I liked Hostage taker since they are lower on curve and start interacting sooner. The Scarab God was also good because he can be difficult to get rid of and any creatures in the yard are utilized as threats. Plus if the opponent has a method of preventing attack (Ensnaring Bridge) you can slowly kill them with the life loss.
Cards like Squelch, Trickbind, Nimble Obstructionist, Shadow of Doubt can sit in your hand sometimes while they do their thing. I did consider these but I don't think they work out quite like you want them to half the time (countering fetches). I will experiment with the changes. I think a Liliana, The Last Hope sounds good too and would rather run Grave Titan alongside her for zombie synergy.
The difference from RG Ponza is we get early disruption through Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek and Mana Leak. Then turns 2/3/4 we start nuking their lands and cutting them off key colors through Fulminator Mage, Rain of Tears, Spreading Seas, and Befoul. Anything that gets through we have removal using Fatal Push for creatures or steal with Hostage Taker if it doesn't die to push.
Our finishers are Tasigur, the Golden Fang, The Scarab God and any stolen creatures.
Rejection is solid for sure, there's no doubt about that. I play with it in multiple decks. Im not opposed to it at all. Just didn't know where I'd put it. that being said, the sideboard will change per each individual meta im playing in. I've never had a "set" sideboard for any deck I've played. I would like to see Chapin's list as well.
Given you've built the shell for it, will you be a champ and test Liliana, Death's Majesty? Given the things she could bring back and her synergy with the deck overall, I believe she's a very strong wincon for your set up.
I'm glad someone else was thinking the same as me. I did at one point have a version of Grix Control with bombs to be recurred with Liliana, Death's Majesty. I've since scrapped the idea so I don't know the list anymore. I know I wasn't running any delve creatures and instead ran Kalitas, Grave Titan and Cryptic Serpent and some number of Liliana, The Last Hope.
Not quite a Phantasmal Bear. There is one difference even though it isn't huge. The token only dies when targeted by a spell. Abilities leave it alone.
Been playing GDS to mediocre success and after watching some Shok streams I got the U Tron itch again. Glad I got some Ballista early on before the craziness. My only difference is running 1 TKS main instead of 1 Snap. Not sure if that is going to make a difference or not. Maybe it is better having 2 Ballista MD?
I agree on Thought Scour. I've been wanting to exclude the card and see how it goes. To me, playing more business spells and less "fluff" spells seems correct. Otherwise, I like the list and keep on rockin' it.
Hmmm... Ghalta, Primal Hunter in this deck? 10GG 12/12 trample, costs X less for your total creature power on board. Find him with traverse. Forces opponent to have Path / Terminate / Wrath. Something this deck is missing is an un-pushable creature maybe?
Decklist
Edit to include metagame #:
Abzan 2
Ad Nauseum 1
Affinity 4
Bant Knightfall 1
BR Hollow One 1
Burn 3
Bushwhacker Zoo 1
Vizier Company 2
Death & Taxes 2
Eldrazi Tron 1
Elves 1
Gifts Storm 1
Grixis Control 1
Grixis Shadow 2
Gx Tron 3
Humans 1
Jeskai Ascendency 1
Jeskai Control 1
Jund 2
Jund Shadow 1
KCI Combo 1
Lantern Control 1
Living End 1
Merfolk 2
Titan Shift 1
U Tron 2
UR Kiki Exarch 1
UW Control 1
WB Processors 1
Usual turnout is between 8 to 20 people and some people have multiple decks. Notice Affinity being the most popular next to Gx Tron variants.
Let us know how dropping thought scour affects the deck!
I should have specified the three instants sit in your hand sometimes. I suppose a Clique or Stifle Bird (Nimble Obstructionist) would be a good addition somewhere in there. I'll consider adding them. And Hostage Taker would be included in the SB for now. A friend is testing this concept on XMage and he said it has been doing Ok. Especially against 3 color and ETron.
3x Darkslick Shores
4x Drowned Catacomb
3x Island
4x Polluted Delta
1x River of Tears
1x Sunken Ruins
4x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Fulminator Mage
2x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2x Snapcaster Mage
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1x Frost Titan
1x Bloodgift Demon
Enchantment (3)
3x Spreading Seas
Sorcery (13)
1x Befoul
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Rain of Tears
4x Serum Visions
2x Thoughtseize
3x Fatal Push
2x Mana Leak
3x Opt
PW (2)
2x Liliana of the Veil
Removed:
- 2 Hostage Taker
- 1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
- 1 The Scarab God
Added:
+ 2 Liliana of the Veil
+ 1 Frost Titan (Grave is probably miles better but I like frosts tap ability)
+ 1 Bloodgift Demon
I liked Hostage taker since they are lower on curve and start interacting sooner. The Scarab God was also good because he can be difficult to get rid of and any creatures in the yard are utilized as threats. Plus if the opponent has a method of preventing attack (Ensnaring Bridge) you can slowly kill them with the life loss.
Cards like Squelch, Trickbind, Nimble Obstructionist, Shadow of Doubt can sit in your hand sometimes while they do their thing. I did consider these but I don't think they work out quite like you want them to half the time (countering fetches). I will experiment with the changes. I think a Liliana, The Last Hope sounds good too and would rather run Grave Titan alongside her for zombie synergy.
3x Darkslick Shores
4x Drowned Catacomb
3x Island
4x Polluted Delta
1x River of Tears
1x Sunken Ruins
4x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Fulminator Mage
2x Hostage Taker
2x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2x Snapcaster Mage
2x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1x The Scarab God
Enchantment (3)
3x Spreading Seas
1x Befoul
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Rain of Tears
4x Serum Visions
2x Thoughtseize
Instant (8)
3x Fatal Push
2x Mana Leak
3x Opt
Direct copy from Tappedout
Work in progress.
The difference from RG Ponza is we get early disruption through Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek and Mana Leak. Then turns 2/3/4 we start nuking their lands and cutting them off key colors through Fulminator Mage, Rain of Tears, Spreading Seas, and Befoul. Anything that gets through we have removal using Fatal Push for creatures or steal with Hostage Taker if it doesn't die to push.
Our finishers are Tasigur, the Golden Fang, The Scarab God and any stolen creatures.
Sideboard is still in question.
I'm glad someone else was thinking the same as me. I did at one point have a version of Grix Control with bombs to be recurred with Liliana, Death's Majesty. I've since scrapped the idea so I don't know the list anymore. I know I wasn't running any delve creatures and instead ran Kalitas, Grave Titan and Cryptic Serpent and some number of Liliana, The Last Hope.
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Electrolyze
4 Fatal Push
2 Kolaghan's Command
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Opt
4 Spell Snare
4 Terminate
4 Serum Visions
3 Bloodstained Mire
2 Island
1 Mountain
4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
1 Swamp
2 Watery Grave
1 Anger of the Gods
3 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Collective Brutality
3 Countersquall
1 Dispel
1 Engineered Explosives
2 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Spell Pierce