@FreeRoaming Congratz on the result! One question: Why did you board out TS against Merfolk? Don't you think its important to catch a Master of Waves which is very hard to deal for us. Also getting additional chances to catch Spreading Seas seems very important to me.
Hmm you're definitely right. -2 K-Command and -1 Confidant? To be honest I don't know why I took them out. They're fantastic against Silvegirl/Spreading Seas which are the main problems. Master of Waves wasn't on my radar for problem cards since I never have a problem dealing with it at junk.
Unfortunately finished 2-4'd Day 2 of Vancouver for a final result of 10-5 for 118th of 1550 and one pro point. Here's a brief write up, if you have any specific questions just let me know:
Background: I'm usually on Junk, Junk is even what I piloted to grab my byes for the GP, however switched to Jund as I believed the meta at the GP would be Bant Eldrazi, Eldrazi Tron, Tron and R/G Breach. While obviously these are not great match ups for either Junk or Jund I decided Jund were better in these match ups. This was also my first GP as a player so I wanted to play something I knew.
Round 1: Bye (1-0)
Round 2: Bye (2-0)
Round 3: Merfolk (3-0, 2-0)
Opponent definitely was nervous for this match. She had no byes and was very surprised to be 2-0 going into round 3 and it showed. Game 1 she had a couple loose attacks that allowed Goyf to eat a lord for free twice. Game 2 she went to 6, kept a vial on top with a 1 land hand. While she did draw straight lands which a very solid hand, two bolts and two Finks crushed.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-3 Thoughtseize
-1 Collective Brutality
+2 Kitchen Finks
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 4: Boros Burn (4-0, 2-1)
Game 1 Opponent never found a second mountain for his hand of double Eidolon and Seering Blaze. A 5/6 Goyf ended up beating him down while I was still at 10. Game two I ended up getting stuck on a two land hand that had Anger of the Gods and Inquisition which a couple creatures. Opp had a handful of 3 bolts and a skullcrack but kept ripping Guides and swiftspears. Game 3 Opp drew a ton of lands while I had a Huntmaster flipped three times and a finks.
Sideboard:
-4 Dark Confidant
-3 Thoughtseize
+2 Kitchen Finks
+1 Collective Brutality
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 5: Boogles (5-0, 2-1)
First of many matches at the top tables, however always dodging coverage since my opponent was never anyone special in the eyes of coverage. Game 1 I keep a sketch hand with no interaction, a bob, goyf, two lilis and three lands while my opponent mulls to five. Turns out two Lilis is really good vs Boogles. He finds only one boogle to suit up and gets edict'd on turn 3. Game 2 I keep another two liliana hand but this time he has a fetchland to grab a dryad arbor to protect his dude. Game 3 I keep a anger of the gods + liliana + dark confidant hand and opponent muls to five again.
I stopped taking sideboard notes at this point but it was something like this:
Sideboard:
-2 Huntmaster of the Fells
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-1 Collective Brutality
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 6: Eldrazi Tron (6-0, 2-1)
Opponent never finds tron game 1 but ends up being able to recurr a batterskull every turn into my huntmaster. Eventually a dark confidant finds a K-Command to finally clear the way for lethal. Game two he has natural tron + Karn. And Game 3 all I have from my notes is goyf beats + pulse.
Round 7: Sultai Control (6-1, 0-2)
Get the downpair to a guy who is 5-0-1. I put him on some AV control list and right. Game 1 he has the play and has three leaks and a Grim Flayer to my no Abrupt Decay or bolt hand and he leaks to victory. Game 2 we're top decking. He turns Cryptic, Snap, Snap and I run Fetch, Tomb, Fetch (With no fetchables left), Fetch Ended with the deck having only 3 Raging Ravines and 2 Blackcleave Cliffs left in the sub 30 card deck.
Round 8: Bant Eldrazi (7-1, 2-0)
Unfortunately another downpair to a player who is 5-1-1. PJSalt a little since breakers were fairly poor. Dark Confidant was MVP both games as opponent never had a answer. That was my only not from this match. For some reason in game 2 I ended at 1 life and opponent was at 19 and he conceded before I could deal more damage to him. Hmm.
Sideboard:
-1 Inqusition of Kozilek
-2 Kolaghan's Command
-4 Liliana of the Veil
+2 Kitchen Finks
+3 Fulminator Mage
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
Round 9: Affinity (8-1, 2-0)
Return to the top tables vs a Portland local who is 7-0-1. Feature matches are tables 1-5 and we're at table 6 Dream crushed big time for this guy who was going for undefeated. Game 1 opponent leads with with drum pass, which I IoQ back to take his only creature with a double plating, a Blinkmoth and Citadel. Dark Confidant keeps me head against his no pressure and a Kia/Kiran helps secure the win. Game 2 he mulls to 6, again leads with Drum pass. I IoQ him to reveal two blood moons, Inkmoth and Glimmervoid. He top decks Mox Opal but no way to turn it on. I turn double fetch but he's only able to get a forest before he blood moons. Luckily he again finds no threats to deal with bolts and a Pia/Kiran.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-3 Thoughtseize
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
+2 Ancient Grudge
+1 Engineered Explosives
End of Day One had me at 33rd overall at 8-1. For my first GP I was very very satisfied with this result. Breakers wise, everyone from rounds 6 to 9 advanced to Day Two so I felt solid. I can very confidently say that the deck was running on all cylinders all day except for its one loss. This was definitely not he case for Day Two.
Round 10: Ad Nauseam (9-1, 2-1)
There was four Level 2 Judges that advanced to Day 2 which all I knew. Jon and I were both at 8-1 so I was very suprised to see that I was playing against him the first round of Day Two. Yet again everyone round us was called over to coverage but us. While I was nervous I was happy I got to finally see how good of a match up Ad Nauseam is never having play against it before. Game 1 I never find a way to interact with him except for turn 1 IoQ. He's able to survive at 1 since I don't have any way to shove lots of damage through a Unlife. Game 2 and 3 were much easier with Grudges and Thoughtseizes. Opponent sideboard in Lingering Souls and Grave Titans which was cute. Game 2 I flip a Huntmaster off a Dark Confidant and was very confused as I thought I sided them out. Game 3 Kitchen Finks was MVP. The 3/2 beater for 3 was the pressure I needed (Shout out to FlyingDelver for pointing this out) before he was able to find a 6th land for a Grave Titan.
Sideboard:
-2 Huntmaster of the Fells
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-3 Terminate
+2 Kitchen Finks
+1 Collective Brutality
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+2 Surgical
**Round 11: Erik Severson (Eventual 1st seed) Abzan Company (9-2, 0-2)
Hate to say but the list never ever wanted to function nicely for the rest of the tournament. Game 1 I have Discard + Goyf but unable to answer chaining Ralliers and Gavony. Game 2 is incredibly memorable because it sums up my Day Two and talked to local Portland grinders to verify my line of play. I'd love everyone else to chim in here too.
Turn 1: Blackcleave Cliffs, Thoughtseize revealing Noble Hierarch, Eternal Witness, Eternal Witness, Horizon Conopy, Verdant Catacombs, Windswept Heath, Gavony Township. Take E-Witt with the goal of Ravine + E-Ewit next turn making his hand just 5 lands
Turn 1o: Windswept Heath for Temple Garden to Noble
Turn 2: Draw Bloodstained Mire, I want to take his E-Witt so he cant get start chaining E-Witts. Thoughtseize and reveals he drew Tracker. Well Dont want him to E-Wit tracker so I take E-Wit and play the Ravine Tapped.
Turn 2o: Draws Spike Feeder and plays it with Canopy.
Turn 3: Draw Scavenging Ooze. Fetch for a Overgrown Tomb with the Mire and play Ooze.
Turn 3o: Opponent Draws and plays Tracker + Verdant. I shoot a E-Wit and he fetches to get another clue.
Turn 4: Draw Stomping Ground. So my hand is now Goyf, Terminate, Dark Confidant, Stomping Grounds. Opponent's hand is Unknown + Gavony Township. What's the play?
My Play:
Play Tarmogoyf and Terminate Tracker. There's no way we win this game with Tracker living. If Opponent found Archangel of Thune in two draw steps GG.
Well he did on his first one.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-2 Kolaghan's Command
+1 Collective Brutality
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 12: Tron (9-3, 0-2)
Opponent never cast a Map or Sylvan Scrying but had natural tron + karn on turn 3 both games. Game 2 I IoQ him revealing Mine, Tower, Power Plant, Grove, Stone, K-Return and Stirrings. Having a Fulminator in my hand I take Stirrings. Turn 3 fulminate Tower. Opp has another stirrings and finds tower and turn 4 Karns
Sideboard:
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-3 Savenging Ooze
-1 Collective Brutality
-3 Terminate
+3 Fulminator Mage
+1 Maelstrome Pulse
+2 Surgical Extraction
+2 Ancient Grudge
Round 13: GW Elves (9-4, 0-2)
Another L2 from the area. Lucky to play against him as I was pretty steamy. Game One here's the boardstate:
Me: 4/5 Goyf, LotV at 4, K-Command is the only card in hand, no creatures in the graveyard.
Him: 4 1/1s (One is a Heritage Druid, nothing else really is relevant) and a 2/2. No cards in hand.
What's the play?
My Play:
Pass. In Draw Step make him discard and shock the 2/2.
Well he drew Chord for Ezuri, Renegade Leader. Regenerate the 2/2.
Game 2 I bolt his turn one and two dork. He leads the stampede for 4 cards, two of which are Shamans of the Pack. Don't find much interaction just a handful of creatures. Next I lose 6 + 7 of them and survive at 1. EE wasn't able to do quite enough to save me. Wish I had any other sweeper instead.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Damnation
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 14: Eldrazi Tron (9-5, 1-2)
Yet again Eldrazi Tron opponent is able to chain Batterskulls, but this time I can't find a K-Command before he finds a smasher to make a 9/9. Get Game 2 with 3 5/6 goyfs. Round 2 have a 6/7 Goyf, him at 12 and both of us have no cards in hand. He draws All is Dust. I draw Thoughtseize. He draws Endbringer. I draw Surigcal Extraction. He draws Endbringer. I draw Overgrown Tomb. He draws Matter Reshaper. I draw Raging Ravine. He draws Batterskull and I saw enough.
Round 15: Death Shadow (10-5, 2-1)
Finally got to play against Death Shadow. Been ready all weekend after seeing it all around me at the top tables. He grabs Game 1 is close after I draw removals for his creatures. The board get clogged with opposing Goyfs. He traverses for Street Waith which Swampwalks to victory. Game 2 I grab with his lackluster draw and my goyfs being fueld by his yard. Game 3 comes down to a Raging Ravine with no counters vs a 5/5 death shadow while we both have no cards in hand I'm at 4 and he's at 3. I fetch to filter. He cuts me to a Abrupt Decay and I swing for lethal.
Sideboard:
-2 Huntmaster of the Fells
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-1 Collective Brutality
-3 Liliana of the Veil
+2 Kitchen Finks
+3 Fulminator Mage
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Engineered Explosives
Finish 118th of 1550 and secure one pro point. Happy I made the switch to Jund for the event. All but two matches I would have preferred to be Jund over Junk.
Main takeaway so far is that while our match ups are great vs most creature based decks now with Bob+Push, Eldrazi/Tron/Breach are on the rise and we have a hard time dealing with these types of strategies. Sideboard is used to combat these strategies even though Tron is pretty much a loss even with Fulminator+Surgical. While I enjoy Leyline of the Void much more than Surgical, it is not too realistic anymore with Bob in the list. Fulminator hits these bad match ups as well as being helpful vs any 3 color deck. Fulminators are what overlap the most SB wise for midrange/combo which is why they are staying in my list.
I'm having a touch time taking out any number of paths for more Fatal Push. With Tasigur/PTitan/Wurmcoil/Smasher on the rise I feel it is not right to be cutting our only card that attacks a resolved one of these. Our match up is already fairly good against aggro/midrange with just two Push.
I believe that having B/W up for path is going to be a lot more useful than having B/G. Turn 1 Path or Turn 2 tapped shock + Path. I feel like the fetch count needs to be changed for 4Verdant-3Heath-1Flats because the G count goes down with less G sources and a higher chance of hitting B without life turn 1.
Remorseless Brutality seems exactly like the card we've been waiting for to help the Zoo and Burn match up. Pitching Souls and Thoughtseize to remove burn and kill a dude (Maybe even gain life) seems exactly where we want to be in these match ups.
Kill Birds/Hiarch take Coco/Chord
Kill Goblin Guide/Eidolon/Swiftspear take Burn
Kill Glistener Elf/Hiarch take pump/protection
Kill Bob take removal
I am still running a one of Darkblast in the sideboard over Disfigure. Is this a fine substitute? What 2 toughness creatures you want Disfigure to hit that Darkblast can't? Its proven its worth against Affinity and Infect since you can just mow down their early game.
I've run Darkblast in the MB/SB for awhile as well and the main thing you miss is Kiki-Jiki, Goblin Guide, Wild Natal and Eidolon of the Great Revel. Though for everything but Kiki-Jiki (assuming you're dead) you can do the upkeep trick to kill them but it feels bad. I still find Darkblast to be better than Disfigure to stop multiple mana dorks, tokens and infect/affinity.
Nothing really to note other than Archangel Avacyn flipping is one of the best things you can do game 1 vs Kiki Chord
Changes I'm making are -1 Abrupt Decay for +1 Path to Exile. I was expecting tons of Thopter Sword decks, however there just wasn't at my LGS. Besides, Leyline and 3 Ooze should be good enough to mitigate against the combo.
i'll try to play test your build tonight and see how it performs. but without testing and just by looking at it, your curve is too high. don't know for sure until tested.
Sweet, appropriate it! The main thing about having a lower curve would be adding in a Ooze or two, which don't go so well with Damnation. Any ideas for additions?
Have a GPT tomorrow and I think this is what I'm gonna take, though I am not quite sure. I have very very limited experience regarding the new meta as I was gonna take a break until eldrazi gets banned out, but well now we're here.
The main think I wanted was 2 Damnation in the main. I imagine this will help with Eldrazi, and any aggro list. Same line as Kitchen Finks. The sideboard has been a fine to figure out. On one end, I've always been a fan of Leyline of the Void because people are bound to come with random pet decks, and Grixis, that are destroyed by Leyline. Also need some chance against Abzan Company. However in theory, because of Eldrazi is around, espcially the ones running relic, Leyline shouldn't be needed. On the other hand i'm sacrificing the burn match up (Would be +2 Feed the Clan, +1 Thoughtseize over Leylines).
What are your sideboards looking like now? I have a feeling after the dust settles Junk will be the better positioned G/B/x deck with all the hate we have access to. I redid mine in wake of the bannings along with a few tweaks main deck
I like what you're suggesting. My initial thought was to go back to running 4 Fulminator Mages and increase stony silence to 3. Sadly Tron is not going to be a match up we're going to be able to avoid. In this reality it is hard to stay on the BGx train but I'd rather not get out of the archetype. This is my current sideboard plan:
Just a thought regarding the newest batch of spoilers:
Crumbling Vestige seems like it would be Simic Growth Chamber 5-8 in Bloom Titan. Is this more likely a sign that some piece of the deck is going to be banned, or perhaps a signal it's here to stay.
feed the clan is indeed a good card (agree that better than timely), but as was already said, it's a burn-only card. to a meta full of burn deck i would just play 1-2 GW Filterlands and Leylines with Kor Firewalkers
in my sideboard there are 3 copies of Kitchen Finks. first, unlike jund, we can pay both cards of the split mana which means fetching into basics is fine. second, they are amazing in many other matchups as well. so why play burn-only card if i can have something that's better and serves it's purpose in ZOO, Merfolk, maybe even Affinity and other Matchups? i would even consider bringing them in against Jund for pure card advantage.
so : Timely Reinforcements : 6 life, but conditional. 3 chump blockers, usually to kill one creature. worst case scenario : -2 life (eidolon in play), kills a goblin guide. Feed the Clan : needs a big goyf in play to be really good. harder to skullcrack, but still doesn't stop their creatures. worst case scenario : do nothing if skullcracked. Kitchen Finks : 2-4 life, kills 1-2 creatures. worst case scenario : O life (eidolon in play) gets pathed. but then a siege rhino will not.
so i pick no.3.
The problem with this reasoning is thinking Kitchen Finks is enough to beat the various burn decks currently in the meta. Straight up red burn, yes. Rhino and Finks are enough. But Atarka's Command decks are sprouting up not and though Rhino and Finks are good speed bumps, I'm still getting steamrolled by early dudes with efficient burn spells. Feed the Clan or Timely Reinforcements are required ontop of Finks even though they might be a restrictive SB slot. Much like Stony Silence. It has its place in the SB. It's very strong vs a tier 1 deck and other niche decks, and very dead versus others.
My favorite card is Birthing Pod because it was my first card I ever built a deck around in Standard and Modern. Snagged up a playset of signed ones for $4 gotta admit it feels pretty good.
Hmm you're definitely right. -2 K-Command and -1 Confidant? To be honest I don't know why I took them out. They're fantastic against Silvegirl/Spreading Seas which are the main problems. Master of Waves wasn't on my radar for problem cards since I never have a problem dealing with it at junk.
Background: I'm usually on Junk, Junk is even what I piloted to grab my byes for the GP, however switched to Jund as I believed the meta at the GP would be Bant Eldrazi, Eldrazi Tron, Tron and R/G Breach. While obviously these are not great match ups for either Junk or Jund I decided Jund were better in these match ups. This was also my first GP as a player so I wanted to play something I knew.
4x Tarmogoyf
3x Scavenging Ooze
2x Huntmaster of the Fells
1x Pia and Kiran Nalaar
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
3x Thoughtseize
1x Collective Brutality
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Terminate
2x Abrupt Decay
2x Kolaghan's Command
4x Verdant Catacombs
4x Bloodstained Mire
1x Wooded Foothils
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Blood Crypt
1x Stomping Grounds
4x Blackcleave Cliffs
3x Raging Ravine
1x Twilight Mire
2x Swamp
1x Forest
2x Kitchen Finks
3x Fulminator Mage
1x Collective Brutality
1x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Anger of hte gods
1x Damnation
2x Surgical Extraction
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Engineered Explosives
Round 1: Bye (1-0)
Round 2: Bye (2-0)
Round 3: Merfolk (3-0, 2-0)
Opponent definitely was nervous for this match. She had no byes and was very surprised to be 2-0 going into round 3 and it showed. Game 1 she had a couple loose attacks that allowed Goyf to eat a lord for free twice. Game 2 she went to 6, kept a vial on top with a 1 land hand. While she did draw straight lands which a very solid hand, two bolts and two Finks crushed.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-3 Thoughtseize
-1 Collective Brutality
+2 Kitchen Finks
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 4: Boros Burn (4-0, 2-1)
Game 1 Opponent never found a second mountain for his hand of double Eidolon and Seering Blaze. A 5/6 Goyf ended up beating him down while I was still at 10. Game two I ended up getting stuck on a two land hand that had Anger of the Gods and Inquisition which a couple creatures. Opp had a handful of 3 bolts and a skullcrack but kept ripping Guides and swiftspears. Game 3 Opp drew a ton of lands while I had a Huntmaster flipped three times and a finks.
Sideboard:
-4 Dark Confidant
-3 Thoughtseize
+2 Kitchen Finks
+1 Collective Brutality
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 5: Boogles (5-0, 2-1)
First of many matches at the top tables, however always dodging coverage since my opponent was never anyone special in the eyes of coverage. Game 1 I keep a sketch hand with no interaction, a bob, goyf, two lilis and three lands while my opponent mulls to five. Turns out two Lilis is really good vs Boogles. He finds only one boogle to suit up and gets edict'd on turn 3. Game 2 I keep another two liliana hand but this time he has a fetchland to grab a dryad arbor to protect his dude. Game 3 I keep a anger of the gods + liliana + dark confidant hand and opponent muls to five again.
I stopped taking sideboard notes at this point but it was something like this:
Sideboard:
-2 Huntmaster of the Fells
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-1 Collective Brutality
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 6: Eldrazi Tron (6-0, 2-1)
Opponent never finds tron game 1 but ends up being able to recurr a batterskull every turn into my huntmaster. Eventually a dark confidant finds a K-Command to finally clear the way for lethal. Game two he has natural tron + Karn. And Game 3 all I have from my notes is goyf beats + pulse.
Sideboard:
-3 Inqusition of Kozilek
-1 Collective Brutality
-2 Abrupt Decay
+2 Kitchen Finks
+3 Fulminator Mage
+2 Surgical Extraction
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Round 7: Sultai Control (6-1, 0-2)
Get the downpair to a guy who is 5-0-1. I put him on some AV control list and right. Game 1 he has the play and has three leaks and a Grim Flayer to my no Abrupt Decay or bolt hand and he leaks to victory. Game 2 we're top decking. He turns Cryptic, Snap, Snap and I run Fetch, Tomb, Fetch (With no fetchables left), Fetch
Sideboard:
-2 Decay
-1 Bolt
+2 Finks
+1 Collective Brutality
Round 8: Bant Eldrazi (7-1, 2-0)
Unfortunately another downpair to a player who is 5-1-1. PJSalt a little since breakers were fairly poor. Dark Confidant was MVP both games as opponent never had a answer. That was my only not from this match. For some reason in game 2 I ended at 1 life and opponent was at 19 and he conceded before I could deal more damage to him. Hmm.
Sideboard:
-1 Inqusition of Kozilek
-2 Kolaghan's Command
-4 Liliana of the Veil
+2 Kitchen Finks
+3 Fulminator Mage
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
Round 9: Affinity (8-1, 2-0)
Return to the top tables vs a Portland local who is 7-0-1. Feature matches are tables 1-5 and we're at table 6
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-3 Thoughtseize
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
+2 Ancient Grudge
+1 Engineered Explosives
End of Day One had me at 33rd overall at 8-1. For my first GP I was very very satisfied with this result. Breakers wise, everyone from rounds 6 to 9 advanced to Day Two so I felt solid. I can very confidently say that the deck was running on all cylinders all day except for its one loss. This was definitely not he case for Day Two.
Round 10: Ad Nauseam (9-1, 2-1)
There was four Level 2 Judges that advanced to Day 2 which all I knew. Jon and I were both at 8-1 so I was very suprised to see that I was playing against him the first round of Day Two. Yet again everyone round us was called over to coverage but us. While I was nervous I was happy I got to finally see how good of a match up Ad Nauseam is never having play against it before. Game 1 I never find a way to interact with him except for turn 1 IoQ. He's able to survive at 1 since I don't have any way to shove lots of damage through a Unlife. Game 2 and 3 were much easier with Grudges and Thoughtseizes. Opponent sideboard in Lingering Souls and Grave Titans which was cute. Game 2 I flip a Huntmaster off a Dark Confidant and was very confused as I thought I sided them out. Game 3 Kitchen Finks was MVP. The 3/2 beater for 3 was the pressure I needed (Shout out to FlyingDelver for pointing this out) before he was able to find a 6th land for a Grave Titan.
Sideboard:
-2 Huntmaster of the Fells
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-3 Terminate
+2 Kitchen Finks
+1 Collective Brutality
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+2 Surgical
**Round 11: Erik Severson (Eventual 1st seed) Abzan Company (9-2, 0-2)
Hate to say but the list never ever wanted to function nicely for the rest of the tournament. Game 1 I have Discard + Goyf but unable to answer chaining Ralliers and Gavony. Game 2 is incredibly memorable because it sums up my Day Two and talked to local Portland grinders to verify my line of play. I'd love everyone else to chim in here too.
Keep: Blackcleave Cliffs, Raging Ravine, Thoughtseize, Thoughtseize, Tarmogoyf, Dark Confidant, Terminate. Opponent keeps 7
Turn 1: Blackcleave Cliffs, Thoughtseize revealing Noble Hierarch, Eternal Witness, Eternal Witness, Horizon Conopy, Verdant Catacombs, Windswept Heath, Gavony Township. Take E-Witt with the goal of Ravine + E-Ewit next turn making his hand just 5 lands
Turn 1o: Windswept Heath for Temple Garden to Noble
Turn 2: Draw Bloodstained Mire, I want to take his E-Witt so he cant get start chaining E-Witts. Thoughtseize and reveals he drew Tracker. Well Dont want him to E-Wit tracker so I take E-Wit and play the Ravine Tapped.
Turn 2o: Draws Spike Feeder and plays it with Canopy.
Turn 3: Draw Scavenging Ooze. Fetch for a Overgrown Tomb with the Mire and play Ooze.
Turn 3o: Opponent Draws and plays Tracker + Verdant. I shoot a E-Wit and he fetches to get another clue.
Turn 4: Draw Stomping Ground. So my hand is now Goyf, Terminate, Dark Confidant, Stomping Grounds. Opponent's hand is Unknown + Gavony Township. What's the play?
My Play:
Play Tarmogoyf and Terminate Tracker. There's no way we win this game with Tracker living. If Opponent found Archangel of Thune in two draw steps GG.
Well he did on his first one.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-2 Kolaghan's Command
+1 Collective Brutality
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Damnation
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 12: Tron (9-3, 0-2)
Opponent never cast a Map or Sylvan Scrying but had natural tron + karn on turn 3 both games. Game 2 I IoQ him revealing Mine, Tower, Power Plant, Grove, Stone, K-Return and Stirrings. Having a Fulminator in my hand I take Stirrings. Turn 3 fulminate Tower. Opp has another stirrings and finds tower and turn 4 Karns
Sideboard:
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-3 Savenging Ooze
-1 Collective Brutality
-3 Terminate
+3 Fulminator Mage
+1 Maelstrome Pulse
+2 Surgical Extraction
+2 Ancient Grudge
Round 13: GW Elves (9-4, 0-2)
Another L2 from the area. Lucky to play against him as I was pretty steamy. Game One here's the boardstate:
Me: 4/5 Goyf, LotV at 4, K-Command is the only card in hand, no creatures in the graveyard.
Him: 4 1/1s (One is a Heritage Druid, nothing else really is relevant) and a 2/2. No cards in hand.
What's the play?
My Play:
Pass. In Draw Step make him discard and shock the 2/2.
Well he drew Chord for Ezuri, Renegade Leader. Regenerate the 2/2.
Game 2 I bolt his turn one and two dork. He leads the stampede for 4 cards, two of which are Shamans of the Pack. Don't find much interaction just a handful of creatures. Next I lose 6 + 7 of them and survive at 1. EE wasn't able to do quite enough to save me. Wish I had any other sweeper instead.
Sideboard:
-4 Liliana of the Veil
+2 Anger of the Gods
+1 Damnation
+1 Engineered Explosives
Round 14: Eldrazi Tron (9-5, 1-2)
Yet again Eldrazi Tron opponent is able to chain Batterskulls, but this time I can't find a K-Command before he finds a smasher to make a 9/9. Get Game 2 with 3 5/6 goyfs. Round 2 have a 6/7 Goyf, him at 12 and both of us have no cards in hand. He draws All is Dust. I draw Thoughtseize. He draws Endbringer. I draw Surigcal Extraction. He draws Endbringer. I draw Overgrown Tomb. He draws Matter Reshaper. I draw Raging Ravine. He draws Batterskull and I saw enough.
Sideboard:
-3 Inqusition of Kozilek
-1 Collective Brutality
-2 Abrupt Decay
+2 Kitchen Finks
+3 Fulminator Mage
+2 Surgical Extraction
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
Round 15: Death Shadow (10-5, 2-1)
Finally got to play against Death Shadow. Been ready all weekend after seeing it all around me at the top tables. He grabs Game 1 is close after I draw removals for his creatures. The board get clogged with opposing Goyfs. He traverses for Street Waith which Swampwalks to victory. Game 2 I grab with his lackluster draw and my goyfs being fueld by his yard. Game 3 comes down to a Raging Ravine with no counters vs a 5/5 death shadow while we both have no cards in hand I'm at 4 and he's at 3. I fetch to filter. He cuts me to a Abrupt Decay and I swing for lethal.
Sideboard:
-2 Huntmaster of the Fells
-1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
-1 Collective Brutality
-3 Liliana of the Veil
+2 Kitchen Finks
+3 Fulminator Mage
+1 Maelstrom Pulse
+1 Engineered Explosives
Finish 118th of 1550 and secure one pro point. Happy I made the switch to Jund for the event. All but two matches I would have preferred to be Jund over Junk.
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Dark Confidant
2x Scavenging Ooze
1x Kitchen Finks
2x Siege Rhino
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Thoughtseize
2x Collective Brutality
4x Lingering Souls
4x Path to Exile
2x Fatal Push
2x Abrupt Decay
3x Liliana of the Veil
1x Liliana, the Last Hope
3x Marsh Flats
2x Windswept Heath
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Temple Garden
1x Godless Shrine
3x Blooming Marsh
1x Twilight Mire
2x Shambling Vent
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Plains
4x Fulminator Mage
1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1x Thoughtseize
1x Collective Brutality
2x Damnation
3x Surgical Extraction
2x Stony Silence
1x Engineered Explosives
5-0 FNM (2-0 Jund; 2-0 Infect; 2-1 UB Faries; 2-1 Comboless Junk Chord; 2-0 Affinity)
1-3 Monday Modern (0-2 Bant Company; 1-2 Eldrazi Tron; 1-2 Jeskai Burn; 2-0 UR Kilnd Fiend)
3-0 8-man GPT (2-0 Merfolk; 2-0 GriShoalBrand; 2-1 RG Breach)
Main takeaway so far is that while our match ups are great vs most creature based decks now with Bob+Push, Eldrazi/Tron/Breach are on the rise and we have a hard time dealing with these types of strategies. Sideboard is used to combat these strategies even though Tron is pretty much a loss even with Fulminator+Surgical. While I enjoy Leyline of the Void much more than Surgical, it is not too realistic anymore with Bob in the list. Fulminator hits these bad match ups as well as being helpful vs any 3 color deck. Fulminators are what overlap the most SB wise for midrange/combo which is why they are staying in my list.
I'm having a touch time taking out any number of paths for more Fatal Push. With Tasigur/PTitan/Wurmcoil/Smasher on the rise I feel it is not right to be cutting our only card that attacks a resolved one of these. Our match up is already fairly good against aggro/midrange with just two Push.
4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Marsh Flats
1x Windswept Heath
2x Overgrown Tmb
1x Godless Shrine
1x Temple Garden
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Plains
1x Vault of the Archangel
1x Twilight Mire
1x Stirring Wildwood
1x Shambling Vent
Cutting this:
-1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
-1 Ghost Quarter
-1 Stirring Wildwood
-1 Windswept Heath
I believe that having B/W up for path is going to be a lot more useful than having B/G. Turn 1 Path or Turn 2 tapped shock + Path. I feel like the fetch count needs to be changed for 4Verdant-3Heath-1Flats because the G count goes down with less G sources and a higher chance of hitting B without life turn 1.
Kill Birds/Hiarch take Coco/Chord
Kill Goblin Guide/Eidolon/Swiftspear take Burn
Kill Glistener Elf/Hiarch take pump/protection
Kill Bob take removal
4x Tarmogoyf
3x Scavenging Ooze
1x Kitchen Finks
4x Siege Rhino
1x Restoration Angel
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
3x Thoughtseize
4x Lingering Souls
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Damnation
3x Path to Exile
3x Abrupt Decay
1x Bitterblossom
3x Liliana of the Veil
3x Marsh Flats
2x Windswept Heath
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Temple Garden
1x Godless Shrine
1x Twilight Mire
2x Stirring Wildwood
1x Shambling Vent
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Vault of the Archangel
1x Ghost Quarter
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Plains
2x Kitchen Finks
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
1x Painful Truths
1x Damnation
1x Celestiral Purge
1x Choke
2x Stony Silence
3x Leyline of the Void
1x Engineered Explosives
2x Grafdigger's Cage
This is the list I'm running at a local 1k tomorrow. Expecting a decent amount of CoCo, Zoo and UWx. Would love any input.
I've run Darkblast in the MB/SB for awhile as well and the main thing you miss is Kiki-Jiki, Goblin Guide, Wild Natal and Eidolon of the Great Revel. Though for everything but Kiki-Jiki (assuming you're dead) you can do the upkeep trick to kill them but it feels bad. I still find Darkblast to be better than Disfigure to stop multiple mana dorks, tokens and infect/affinity.
Uhh, drawing multiples of Thoughtseize to beat CoCo/Chord is the way to victory in this match up.
Shardless Agent
Lotus Petal
Arid Mesa
True-Name Nemesis
Mother of Runes
Will not be reprinted:
Liliana of the Veil
Snapcaster Mage
Sensei's Divining Top
Deathrite Shaman
Pithing Needle
4x Tarmogoyf
3x Scavenging Ooze
1x Kitchen Finks
4x Siege Rhino
1x Archangel Avacyn
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
3x Thoughtseize
1x Painful Truths
1x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Path to Exile
4x Abrupt Decay
4x Lingering Souls
1x Bitterblossom
3x Liliana of the Veil
3x Marsh Flats
2x Windswept Heath
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Temple Garden
1x Godless Shrine
1x Twilight Mire
2x Stirring Wildwood
1x Shambling Vent
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Vault of the Archangel
1x Ghost Quarter
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Plains
2x Fulminator Mage
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
1x Thoughtseize
1x Painful Truths
1x Damnation
3x Feed the Clan
1x Golgari Charm
2x Stony Silence
3x Leyline of the Void
Went
2-0 Kiki Chord
0-2 Kiki Chord
0-2 U Tron
Nothing really to note other than Archangel Avacyn flipping is one of the best things you can do game 1 vs Kiki Chord
Changes I'm making are -1 Abrupt Decay for +1 Path to Exile. I was expecting tons of Thopter Sword decks, however there just wasn't at my LGS. Besides, Leyline and 3 Ooze should be good enough to mitigate against the combo.
Sweet, appropriate it! The main thing about having a lower curve would be adding in a Ooze or two, which don't go so well with Damnation. Any ideas for additions?
4x Tarmogoyf
1x Scavenging Ooze
3x Kitchen Finks
3x Siege Rhino
1x Restoration Angel
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Thoughtseize
3x Path to Exile
3x Abrupt Decay
4x Lingering Souls
1x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Damnation
3x Liliana of the Veil
3x Marsh Flats
3x Windswept Heath
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Temple Garden
1x Godless Shrine
1x Twilight Mire
2x Shambling Vent
1x Hissing Quagmire
1x Stirring Wildwood
1x Vault of the Archangel
1x Ghost Quarter
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Plains
1x Scavenging Ooze
2x Fulminator Mage
1x Painful Truths
2x Creeping Corrosion
1x Celestial Purge
2x Zealous Persecution
2x Stony Silence
3x Leyline of the Void
1x Engineered Explosives
The main think I wanted was 2 Damnation in the main. I imagine this will help with Eldrazi, and any aggro list. Same line as Kitchen Finks. The sideboard has been a fine to figure out. On one end, I've always been a fan of Leyline of the Void because people are bound to come with random pet decks, and Grixis, that are destroyed by Leyline. Also need some chance against Abzan Company. However in theory, because of Eldrazi is around, espcially the ones running relic, Leyline shouldn't be needed. On the other hand i'm sacrificing the burn match up (Would be +2 Feed the Clan, +1 Thoughtseize over Leylines).
Any thoughts?
I like what you're suggesting. My initial thought was to go back to running 4 Fulminator Mages and increase stony silence to 3. Sadly Tron is not going to be a match up we're going to be able to avoid. In this reality it is hard to stay on the BGx train but I'd rather not get out of the archetype. This is my current sideboard plan:
1x Thoughtseize
1x Damnation
3x Feed the Clan
3x Stony Silence
3x Leyline of the Void
My next thought I have yet to try out is to add 2x Fulminator Mages in the main or the second Ghost Quarter to help combat Tron/Eldrazi even more.
The problem with this reasoning is thinking Kitchen Finks is enough to beat the various burn decks currently in the meta. Straight up red burn, yes. Rhino and Finks are enough. But Atarka's Command decks are sprouting up not and though Rhino and Finks are good speed bumps, I'm still getting steamrolled by early dudes with efficient burn spells. Feed the Clan or Timely Reinforcements are required ontop of Finks even though they might be a restrictive SB slot. Much like Stony Silence. It has its place in the SB. It's very strong vs a tier 1 deck and other niche decks, and very dead versus others.