The Immolation Shaman dealing 1 damage when they activate Search for azcanta as a land is enough to hold it down? I guess my real question is, this only deals damage when activated abilities are used right? I feel like I've seen different wording on cards to mean the same thing, so I'm wondering if this is an oracle update or I'm remembering something improperly.
If things have gone well, they'll be at a low life total. It doesn't take much. Often you'll put them to a number less than 5 and have to pass the turn. Shaman, compared to a slower card, gives them fewer outs with Fogs etc.
Well, took a stock list to Mythic on Arena. The deck is very powerful and has game against a lot of the field. Rattled off 7 wins in about an hour and half. Those 7 seven wins were against:
Mono Red 2-0 (Gruul Version)
The Mirror (With Pelt Collectors 2-1)
Nexus of Gates (2-1, don't ask, but Domri was instrumental in me recovering from sweepers)
Sultai Midrange 2-0
Esper Control 2-0
UW Azorious Aggro 2-1
UB Midrange 2-1
I did run into a rough spot last night where I dropped ranks. The deck is very mana hungry, it needs to hit 3 mana by T4, and the matches where you stumble are very punishing. The 7-0 run was the deck working at it's best. When this deck curves, it is great.
Im confused by "Shaman being good against moment of craving" So you bring in shaman against esper and esper sides in or leaves craving in against this deck? How is the card good against wilderness reclamation, or is it just that it is good against the deck? Im pretty sure I get what your saying, just clarifying.
Immolation Shaman is good vs. Moment of Craving because it's an x/3. Esper will often board in Craving or leave them in, depending on their configuration.
It is also good against Wilderness Reclamation if they're trying to Nexus of Fate you. Generally, they have to stick a Search for Azcanta and flip it for a hard lock. That's hard to do without getting Shaman off the table. They have to find a Blink of an Eye to bounce it off the table or kill you with Hydras and looped Nexuses. Basically what you do with the card is make them jump through hoops to kill you. They have a moderately high fail rate when jumping through said hoops.
Additionally, it's a 2cmc creature that's good against Shock, Fiery Cannonade, and Shivan Fire. I'll bring it in when the games gets removal heavy as it doesn't line up with cheap removal quite like a Kraul Harpooner or others do. It lets you keep your curve low when you're trying to board in attrition-ey cards against midrange removal decks. You don't want a lot 5-6 mana cards. It's good vs. Gruul Midrange with Goblin Chainwhirler since you don't want them gaining tempo advantage with shock.
Shaman won't blow you away. It's not an "I win button" like some people hope their SB cards to be. I just fills the curve when you're sideboarding out bad cards like Kraul Harpooner or Lightning Strike.
Ravager Wurm is good vs. Sultai and other removal midrange decks (I had an opponent really regret trying to Hostage Taker it last night, which was delightful). It's also good in the mirror. Ravenous Chupacabra is good against us so ipso facto. Don't board in expensive creatures against Search for Azcanta decks. They're traps. If the game is about playing to the board, you should bring in Wurm.
I maybe logged 18 hours getting to mythic. There were whole weeks this season where I didn't touch the game. Don't quote me on that though, since I don't log "time played".
I played this 60 (I don't remember the SB but it's similar to above) at the Pittsburgh RPTQ.
I played against t2 Wildgrowth Walker t3 Jadelight Ranger all day. Not a great time. Room was like 30%-40% Sultai and I played 5 rounds of sultai out of 6.
I've danced up and down the Mythic Ranking -- mainly hovering somewhere between 95% and top 500.
A couple notes on this list:
I need a maindeck mana dump. Maybe it's MD Vivien Reids. I lose a lot of games due to mulliganing to 5 or keeping 7 and drawing 5 spells and 15 lands. I'd say the obvious (Skarrgan Hellkite) but there's enough spot removal flying around that it just eats a Mortify. If I do play Hellkite I definitely don't want more than 2. Dismissive Pyromancer is maybe also worth considering. I flood alot and find myself digging for spells trying to dump my 10th land. At 23 lands and 4 mana dorks, I don't really want to cut any of 'em.
I feel favored against certain midrange strategies like monoblue aggro and drakes. I feel even against Sultai.
Against gates, you just need to get out front.
I need help against Wu aggro. I usually just board in Lava Coil and Ghalta, Primal Hunger -- basically removal and good ways to close the game quickly.
Maybe I want a super efficient card to take down their threats like Mutiny? Shock won't kill their lords. Maybe I need Fiery Cannonade but I play so many x/2s. Alternatively, I can play something like Atzocan Archer. I don't know. I don't really like a card like that either. Mono-White is a bad MU because they will often play to the board faster and go wider. Maybe something as silly as Shake the Foundations.
Onto Jerusalem by Alan Moore.
If things have gone well, they'll be at a low life total. It doesn't take much. Often you'll put them to a number less than 5 and have to pass the turn. Shaman, compared to a slower card, gives them fewer outs with Fogs etc.
_____________________________________
My SB out for those strategies:
Elves and Strikes vs. Esper
High cmc cards vs. Reclamation
Nice. What's a rough estimate of the 75?
Immolation Shaman is good vs. Moment of Craving because it's an x/3. Esper will often board in Craving or leave them in, depending on their configuration.
It is also good against Wilderness Reclamation if they're trying to Nexus of Fate you. Generally, they have to stick a Search for Azcanta and flip it for a hard lock. That's hard to do without getting Shaman off the table. They have to find a Blink of an Eye to bounce it off the table or kill you with Hydras and looped Nexuses. Basically what you do with the card is make them jump through hoops to kill you. They have a moderately high fail rate when jumping through said hoops.
Shaman is multipurpose.
Good vs. Search for Azcanta and Moment of Craving. So vs. Esper and Wilderness Reclamation.
Additionally, it's a 2cmc creature that's good against Shock, Fiery Cannonade, and Shivan Fire. I'll bring it in when the games gets removal heavy as it doesn't line up with cheap removal quite like a Kraul Harpooner or others do. It lets you keep your curve low when you're trying to board in attrition-ey cards against midrange removal decks. You don't want a lot 5-6 mana cards. It's good vs. Gruul Midrange with Goblin Chainwhirler since you don't want them gaining tempo advantage with shock.
Shaman won't blow you away. It's not an "I win button" like some people hope their SB cards to be. I just fills the curve when you're sideboarding out bad cards like Kraul Harpooner or Lightning Strike.
Ravager Wurm is good vs. Sultai and other removal midrange decks (I had an opponent really regret trying to Hostage Taker it last night, which was delightful). It's also good in the mirror. Ravenous Chupacabra is good against us so ipso facto. Don't board in expensive creatures against Search for Azcanta decks. They're traps. If the game is about playing to the board, you should bring in Wurm.
I maybe logged 18 hours getting to mythic. There were whole weeks this season where I didn't touch the game. Don't quote me on that though, since I don't log "time played".
4x Pelt Collector
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
3x Zhur-Taa Goblin
3x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
2x Legion Warboss
4x Rekindling Phoenix
2x Skarrgan Hellkite
3x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
9x Forest
6x Mountain
1x Ravager Wurm
2x Banefire
3x Cindervines
2x Immolation Shaman
2x Fiery Cannonade
3x Lava Coil
2x Thrashing Brontodon
I've been playing something almost identical for a few months.
The deck feels very powerful, if a little redundant and boring to play.
I dislike his mana base quite a bit.
This format is fantastic.
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
3x Zhur-Taa Goblin
3x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spell Breaker
1x Legion Warboss
4x Rekindling Phoenix
2x Skarrgan Hellkite
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
9x Forest
6x Mountain
2x Ravager Wurm
1x Banefire
3x Lava Coil
2x Deathgorge Scavenger
3x Cindervines
1x Vivien Reid
1x Shivan Fire
Just plugging away.
5 drops aren't as in vogue right now as the control decks and big mana decks take hold. Zhur-Taa still sucks tbh.
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
1x District Guide
4x Rekindling Phoenix
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
6x Mountain
9x Forest
I played this 60 (I don't remember the SB but it's similar to above) at the Pittsburgh RPTQ.
I played against t2 Wildgrowth Walker t3 Jadelight Ranger all day. Not a great time. Room was like 30%-40% Sultai and I played 5 rounds of sultai out of 6.
I've danced up and down the Mythic Ranking -- mainly hovering somewhere between 95% and top 500.
A couple notes on this list:
I need a maindeck mana dump. Maybe it's MD Vivien Reids. I lose a lot of games due to mulliganing to 5 or keeping 7 and drawing 5 spells and 15 lands. I'd say the obvious (Skarrgan Hellkite) but there's enough spot removal flying around that it just eats a Mortify. If I do play Hellkite I definitely don't want more than 2. Dismissive Pyromancer is maybe also worth considering. I flood alot and find myself digging for spells trying to dump my 10th land. At 23 lands and 4 mana dorks, I don't really want to cut any of 'em.
Anyway, here's Wonderwall:
4x Pelt Collector
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
2x Dismissive Pyromancer
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
4x Rekindling Phoenix
2x Skarrgan Hellkite
3x Lightning Strike
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
9x Forest
6x Mountain
4 Goblin Chainwhirler
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Rekindling Phoenix
3 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Zhur-Taa Goblin
2 Collision // Colossus
2 Lava Coil
2 Lightning Strike
4 Shock
2 Gruul Guildgate
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
4 Unclaimed Territory
1 Forest
9 Mountain
3 Cindervines
1 Collision // Colossus
2 Fiery Cannonade
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Kraul Harpooner
1 Lava Coil
3 Legion Warboss
1 The Immortal Sun
A big red version of this deck did well in Memphis (4th place).
I lost to GerryT while he was playing this list last night. It looks excellent against Sultai. Thoughts?
In Bo3, I beat a Gates Ablaze, Gatebreaker Ram, followed up by a Hydroid Krasis for 8. The game lasted for about 8-10 turns and the highest CMC I drew was 2.
Anyway, maindeck is still the same but here's what I'm playing at the RPTQ on Sunday:
4x Elvish Mystic
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
1x District Guide
4x Rekindling Phoenix
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground
9x Forest
6x Mountain
3x Lava Coil
1x Banefire
2x Ghalta, Primal Hunger
3x Cindervines
1x Vivien Reid
1x Skarrgan Hellkite
2x Domri, Chaos Bringer
2x Deathgorge Scavenger
http://www.starcitygames.com/decks/118113
The deck is interesting and I had thought of it when I saw Gruul Spellbreaker.
The mana base is much better against Burn than Naya -- sometimes you lose because of a diceroll. Burn, notably, got faster with this set.
A deck like this is bad against bigger idiots. Hollow One could very well be a problem simply because of only 2x Goyfs and other threats.
4x Pelt Collector
4x Growth-Chamber Guardian
4x Kraul Harpooner
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
4x Rekindling Phoenix
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Collision // Colossus
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Stomping Ground
9x Forest
7x Mountain
3x Lava Coil
1x Banefire
2x Domri, Chaos Bringer
3x Deathgorge Scavenger
2x Ghalta, Primal Hunger
3x Cindervines
1x Nullhide Ferox
I feel favored against certain midrange strategies like monoblue aggro and drakes. I feel even against Sultai.
Against gates, you just need to get out front.
I need help against Wu aggro. I usually just board in Lava Coil and Ghalta, Primal Hunger -- basically removal and good ways to close the game quickly.
Maybe I want a super efficient card to take down their threats like Mutiny? Shock won't kill their lords. Maybe I need Fiery Cannonade but I play so many x/2s. Alternatively, I can play something like Atzocan Archer. I don't know. I don't really like a card like that either. Mono-White is a bad MU because they will often play to the board faster and go wider. Maybe something as silly as Shake the Foundations.