With the addition of OGW, Reflector Mage becomes one of the best cards in the deck. After reading Michael Major's SCG article, I had to try the more Esper Version of the deck on Cockatrice. I've been grinding a lot of games and Reflector Mage in combination with Sidisi's Faithful makes the "good" hate cards like Kalitas, Anafenza, etc look very very poor. These cards also embarrass anyone who isn't Dark Jeskai while trying to contribute to the board and give you a great tempo game. However, I have also fiddled with the mana to include Matter Reshaper and can say that it is legitimately busted. I may have gone too far with the mana but I don't usually have trouble making it work. I just fetch the best Battleland to complement my other lands in hand on the first turn and almost all the rest of the lands come in untapped. I'd say I take 5 or 6 damage from lands per game, which is pretty average.
I believe this deck is genuinely tournament ready. Let me know what you think!
Do you not miss the draw from Elvish Visionary's/Scry from sifters? I really like the consistency that the visionary/sifter combo gives you. Matter reshaper is pretty damn awesome though....the curse of having too many options
So question to some more experienced pilots - how did you guys handle the dark jeskai matchup? The turn 3 mantis rider has been giving me some major headaches. I've been able to grind them down usually the game goes long, but turn 3 (and especially turn 3 + 4) mantis rider has just been killing me.
Just an idea to toss out - what do you guys think about Conifer Strider? Maybe not as MB, but SB option against control/creature light decks? Hexproof means it dodges a lot of direct removal (haven't seen too many edict/wrath effects in testing), and can be tutored through BtL.
I've always been curious on how impactful Jeleva really is. Given the lack of haste enablers, have you ever had any issues with Jeleva getting killed before you can get off an attack with her?
Would you ever use something like Defense Grid for protection against counters?
Going the spellbomb route and ironworks starts to push the deck towards eggs combo - and I'm not sure that engine is compatible with storm. I'll give it a try though - can turn mana rocks into ritual effects with ironworks out. Especially with that new red living death - but that might be too narrow of a use lol.
I've personally never been too impressed with most transmute since they just seem to be really really slow tutors. To the point I'd probably add in a diabolic tutor before a transmute lol. Only exception would be something like 3cmc transmutes in doomsday or one card combo engines.
I'd love to hear your opinion on adapting this to the French 1v1 banned list. I've been trying to work around the loss of the mana rocks, tutors, and draw power (no necropotence, and ad nauseum is a bit more painful - especially since aggro is much more of a thing) - but very inconsistent results. Most recent iteration was fiddling with dropping ad nauseum in favour of more looter effects to feed treasure cruise/dig through time/past in flames/yagwin since only 14 storm is (usually) needed for the kill in 1v1.
Turn 3 win:
1.) Misty rainforest -> Underground sea, Imperial Seal-> LED
2.) Polluted delta -> Watery grave, Play LED, Demonic Tutor - Crack LED in response for BBB ->Doomsday, play Doomsday
Pile:
Gush
Night's Whisper
LED
Lab Maniac
Probe
3.) Tap lands for UB, Gush bouncing both lands, play LED, Night's Whisper - crack LED in response for UUU, cast Lab Man, Probe paying 2 life, win
Other Turn 4
1.) Misty rainforest -> Underground sea, Imperial Seal-> Dark Ritual
2.) Polluted delta -> Watery grave, Demonic Tutor -> Ad Nauseum
3.) Island, EOT Dark Ritual + Ad Naueseum
4.) ....Win?
Didn't play either line because 0 protection (Discarded pact in turn 3 win, can't use pact for protection in turn 4 win)
Are there any adaptations you would make if there's someone in your group who has a high counter density? I think I made an arch enemy of sorts in my group lol :s
Yeah, after playing around with it some more definitely agree about meditate. A bit too cute of a card to include. Actually thought about cutting ideas unbound as well since due to the early game card disadvantage - especially since my initial use for it (doomsday win for only UU) could actually be replaced by Predict (1U):
Super vulnerable to disruption though. But ideas unbound is pretty useful for beating GY hate. Probably could also be used for better protection in the piles as well. Something I definitely need to work on are making piles with protection. I generally just default to the standard abeyance pile if I need a protected pile, but with probe instead of street wraith - definitely need to diversify in that regard.
Do you not miss the draw from Elvish Visionary's/Scry from sifters? I really like the consistency that the visionary/sifter combo gives you. Matter reshaper is pretty damn awesome though....the curse of having too many options
Would you ever use something like Defense Grid for protection against counters?
I've personally never been too impressed with most transmute since they just seem to be really really slow tutors. To the point I'd probably add in a diabolic tutor before a transmute lol. Only exception would be something like 3cmc transmutes in doomsday or one card combo engines.
Turn 3 win:
1.) Misty rainforest -> Underground sea, Imperial Seal-> LED
2.) Polluted delta -> Watery grave, Play LED, Demonic Tutor - Crack LED in response for BBB ->Doomsday, play Doomsday
Pile:
Gush
Night's Whisper
LED
Lab Maniac
Probe
3.) Tap lands for UB, Gush bouncing both lands, play LED, Night's Whisper - crack LED in response for UUU, cast Lab Man, Probe paying 2 life, win
Other Turn 4
1.) Misty rainforest -> Underground sea, Imperial Seal-> Dark Ritual
2.) Polluted delta -> Watery grave, Demonic Tutor -> Ad Nauseum
3.) Island, EOT Dark Ritual + Ad Naueseum
4.) ....Win?
Didn't play either line because 0 protection (Discarded pact in turn 3 win, can't use pact for protection in turn 4 win)
Are there any adaptations you would make if there's someone in your group who has a high counter density? I think I made an arch enemy of sorts in my group lol :s
Pile Cost: 1U + 4 life
Predict
Laboratory Maniac
Lion's Eye Diamond
Gitaxian Probe
Yawgmoth's Will
Super vulnerable to disruption though. But ideas unbound is pretty useful for beating GY hate. Probably could also be used for better protection in the piles as well. Something I definitely need to work on are making piles with protection. I generally just default to the standard abeyance pile if I need a protected pile, but with probe instead of street wraith - definitely need to diversify in that regard.
How come you aren't using Dark Confidant?
And what do you think about Ideas Unbound/Meditate? To narrow for use in doomsday piles?