And when considering what card I hate seeing the most, I am most certainly going to consider my outs. I also never board out decay if I suspect a Cage or Orb.
In my meta there certainly are a fair bit of true Wraths. I never really mind Anger, as I never have more than one "persist" style creature out at any given time against a game 2 red deck.
So, played in a small 3 rounder last night. Was on the "third 5 drop is either BBV or Baneslayer, depending on how many PtE show up" plan. Picked Baneslayer since no Paths that I'm aware of showed.
Got first. Here is the breakdown:
Match 1: Mirror, won 2-0.
This just came down to experience. Our first three plays were identical, but I was on the play: Dork, Voice, Rhino. I eventually just drew Baneslayer and completely took over the game, as he is sitting there drawing dorks, Decays, and tiny little creatures I can ignore. Game 2 He had me down to 0 cards in hand with 4 in hand and a massive board state with an active Gavony. I had boarded in Linvala, which he couldn't answer only because it has flying (and exalted from a hierarch). I'm making blocks here and there, trying to survive the Gavony onslaught. Finally I get a Gavony of my own followed by a Path. I -1/-1 his guys with a topdecked Pontiff, allowing me to attack with Linvala who has 2 counters on her (I killed his BoP blocker). Before blocks I path his Rhino, and his other blockers then die due to having -1/-1. He had to block or die, though. Next turn I just swung again with Linvala, with no other creatures on board, for the win. I have no idea how he didn't just crush me.
1-0.
Match 2: Living End.
Won, 2-0.
Game 1 he cycled and Shriekmawed all day, but my guys either had Persist or were Voice, and he never drew a cascader. I even Thoughtseized him only to reveal the lone nonland card of Simian Spirit Guide the turn before I felt he would "go off." Wasn't much of a game. Game 2 I turn 0 Leylined him and destroyed 3 of his lands with fulminator, slime, blink slime.
2-0.
Match 3: Mono Blue Tron. Won 2-1.
Game 1 I was able to Thoughtseize 3 times thanks to Eternal Witness plus Entomber Exarch him, taking anything threatening, and then beat him with Rhino and Baneslayer. I Will say that being on the play here was what allowed me to win, since alot of his countermagic would have been online for my stuff if he would have been able to play first. Game 2 he crushed me as Tron does with Karn and Engine. Game 3 I destroyed at least 2 of his lands, maybe 3, using Voice as bait, and got a Sigarda into play somehow, which he can't beat.
Notes: Never drew or played Pod all night. I had to check after the tournament to make sure they were still in there. There were 4 indeed. I even took them out vs Living End. Deck is great with or without them, as usual.
Baneslayer was sweet.
Land D is sweet, as is discard.
Leyline of the Void is sweet.
By the way, Chalice for 0 shuts down Living End, I realized last night. I boarded them in and never saw them, but that perhaps is our best answer if you aren't willing to add Leylines.
Deck just doesn't need Slaughter Games. Played vs Scapeshift afterward and just Choked and discarded him. No need for a 4th color IMO.
BBV seems good as a 5-drop in a comboless Pod. The problem is it gets blocked by rhinos, and chumped by red decks which can finish it with some burn. I assume Rhinos are still better, easier to Pod and cast (Podcast ? ^^), faster clocks.
It doesn't get blocked by Rhinos, and blocks them infinitely.
The block/burn thing is a real issue though. This is why Baneslayer might just be better. Just ask your self, how many Paths are you expecting? If many, BBV; if few, Baneslayer.
Lark has been mediocre for me, while Sigarda's type of advantage proved unncecessary maindeck. I am currently testing a Baneslayer with low to medium hope, and if that fails, I'll go back to Sigarda and stay. I do agree that the deck wants a massive beater at 5.
I did play it, for quite a while, and I would rather be playing a card that directly solves an issue. "Buying time" isn't solving a problem. Pierce is bad against us anyways. It's also a pretty mediocre racer unless you have Township, in which case it is still slow, and a second Pontiff deals with tokens better.
I'm not in a Remand meta, I suppose. The anti-counter clause on Thrun is much less relevant than I first thought it was.
I think Thragtusk is not good enough for the deck.
I didn't say to rely on Spellskite and Linvala. Board in all your disruption and hate, but Pods are something you will want anyway, whether you go for Linvala, Skite, Exarch, Collector, E-Witness to get back a Decay/Sieze, and so on.
R1: Jeskai Ascendancy (2-1)
G1: Opponent mills one Ascendancy with Thought Scour and I destroy two others with Decay. He had multiple DTTs and Cruise so found the fourth one and was able to combo off while I had letal next turn.
SB:
-2 Noble Hierarch, -1 Orzhov Pontiff, -1 Murderous Redcap, -2 Birthing Pod, -1 Kitchen Finks, -1 Spellskite, -1 Siege Rhino, -1 Thragtusk
+4 Thoughtseize, +2 Path to Exile, +1 Sin Collector, +2 Choke, +1 Entomber Exarch
G2 and G3 goes about the same. One game I land a Collector, bait a Bolt and land a Choke, then proceed to beatdown with Pridemage and Witness while my opponent struggles since his Islands are useless. The other one I go Thoughtseize, into Voice, into Witness recasting Thoughtseize, then Finks and Township pumping the team to seal the deal - my opponent misses land drops on turns 3 and 4, which helps a lot.
R2: UR Tempo Twin (2-1)
G1: Really close one as we go back and forth (after I mull a no lander to 6) trading removal and counters. Thought I had it after resolving Spellskite and drawing Linvala. He counters Linvala, double Bolts Kite and uses DTT plus a bunch of Serum Visions to find multiple tappers + Splinter Twin for the win. I had a board of BoP, Hierarch and Wall of Roots with 3 Township counters each - the only good beater I had was a 4/4 Ooze he double blocked with Snapcaster + Perstermite to stay alive - not sure I should've attacked there (no creatures in the graveyards to go to 5/5).
SB:
-2 Noble Hierarch, -4 Birthing Pod, -1 Murderous Redcap, -1 Orzhov Pontiff, -1 Kitchen Finks, -1 Siege Rhino, -1 Thragtusk, -1 Reclamation Sage
+2 Path to Exile, +2 Lingering Souls, +4 Thoughtseize, +1 Sin Collector, +2 Choke, +1 Thrun, the Last Troll
G2 and G3: Thoughtseize, Choke, Sin Collector, Decay, Path and Rhino did their jobs awesomely. G2 I go Sin Collector into Resto, into Linvala. He bounces Linvala with Cryptic after a couple attacks of the Angel team, but Township pumps Resto and that's enough. G3 I go Thoughtseize, Choke, Finks, Thrun, Thoughtseize with Decay and Path to kill his creatures.
R3: RG Tron (0-2)
G1: Well, first time playing this matchup and, gee, it's just awful. Never seen anything like this, it's an auto-lose. I even removed a Pyroclasm with a turn 2 Collector but my opponent goes natural Tron into double Wurmcoil while my board was BoP, Collector, Finks, Voice. No use playing the game so I just scoop as he draws another Tron land and casts a Map (that would just search for Eye of Ugin at that point).
SB, not that it matters, but I go:
-2 Noble Hierarch, -1 Orzhov Pontiff, -1 Voice of Resurgence, -1 Kitchen Finks, -1 Linvala, -1 Murderous Redcap, -1 Shriekmaw
+4 Thoughtseize, +2 Path to Exile, +1 Entomber Exarch, +1 Fracturing Gust
G2: I cast Thoughtseize twice and a Sin Collector. Opponent still goes natural Tron into Orb + Stone, then Karn. He exiles a Rhino and a land with Karn and I hit it twice with Witness getting it to 2 counters. Then he lands Ulamog destroying my BoP. I remove it with Path but at this point he has 7 Tron lands (only one tutored) and Eye of Ugin, so he searches and casts a Wurmcoil and I concede (0 cards, 3 lands and a Wall in play). Fun times. The whole match is over in less than five minutes including sideboarding.
R4: UR Delver (2-0)
G1: Well fought game but I had a pretty good draw going BoP into double Finks and Voice. He gets a Swiftspear, resolves a Cruise and two Pyromancers. I chump with Voice to get a 4/4 token, evoke a Shriekmaw to kill a Pyromancer, add a Pridemage to the team and he has to start chumping with tokens. After he taps out to Electrolyze a Finks, I land a Pod and sac the other Finks to get a Rhino as he scoops.
SB:
-2 Noble Hierarch, -1 Birthing Pod, -1 Sin Collector, -1 Qasali Pridemage, -1 Reclamation Sage, -1 Eternal Witness, -1 Linvala
+2 Path to Exile, +2 Lingering Souls, +2 Choke, +1 Thrun, the Last Troll, +1 Orzhov Pontiff
G2: I mull a no lander keeping a slow hand (3 lands, Resto, Pontiff, Thrun) but also has a slow start with two Serum Visions, only resolving a threat (Pyromancer) on turn 3. He uses Probe to make a token. On my turn I think a bit and decide to cast Pontiff to get rid of the Pyromancer before it makes too many tokens. On his turn he casts a Cruise but still misses his third land drop. He's tapped out, so I can resolve a Rhino, which he double bolts. I cast Thrun, he resolves 2 Cruises though and fights back, using double Pyromancer to create multiple chump blockers (my board included Thrun, Finks and Rhino tanks to a resolved Pod). I kill one Pyromancer with Decay and later find a Voice, podding it into Pontiff, killing the remaining Pyromancer, 3 tokens, 1 Snapcaster and 1 unflipped Delver and that's enough.
I'm new to this deck and it was a fun event. I think Ascendancy and Twin are difficult matchups and was really happy to win both after falling 0-1. RG Tron is totally helpless and UR Delver appears to be even if they don't have a perfect curve and tempo you out - we have a lot of good creatures for that matchup (Finks, Resto, Rhino) and good removal, Pontiff being really good.
MD MVPs: Siege Rhino and Gavony Township
SB MVP: Choke
MD Meh: Eternal Witness - used it twice (to reclaim Thoughtseize) but I always side it out when I don't know what else to cut 'cause it seems unnecessary without a combo.
SB Meh: Fracturing Gust - mainly because I saw no Affinity/Bogles, so can't really evaluate it.
SB choices: against Twin I decided to remove all Pods and just play like a disruptive Junk deck. The idea was to blank artifact removal and play around annoying tappers. It worked quite well - how do you guys usually sideboard for that matchup?
Against RG Tron I feel there's no a solution unless you play the Melira combo and dedicate 6+ SB slots for hate cards. Fulminator Mage seems too slow. Just accept we auto-lose to that deck?
Against Delver I cut useless silver bullets, add removal and try to get them with Choke and lifegain. I don't like Thoughtseize because it feeds Cruise while helping them with damage. Also don't like Collector because it dies too easily to Electrolyze, giving them value for no board position. Well, I really don't like any x/1 that's not Pontiff in this matchup to be honest - I almost cut 1-2 BoPs too.
Choke should definitely be a staple in the SB while Cruise/DTT reign supreme.
Lingering Souls is also excellent. Add Gavony Township and that card just wins games by itself sometimes, while also providing good blockers and Pod fodder otherwise. Not sure if it's right to use it against Delver and Twin as it's more of an anti-Control, anti-Jund/k, anti-Affinity card, but it was amazing in all the Practice matches I had (resolved it only once in the DE and it helped a lot).
Thrun was pretty good against Twin and Delver. It generates a lot of pressure (unless you're already way behind) and they just can't remove it.
Well, that's a wall of text. Questions and suggestions are welcome.
I wouldn't cut Eternal Witness. That card has saved me so many times I can't even count them all. Gust is good. If you play mostly locally and continue to see no Affinity/Bogles, cut it.
I beat Tron by Thoughtseize, and an Acidic Slime + Fulminator in the board. The idea is to break a land, then put a blinkable repeating land-D source on board. Then if need be, you can E-Witness your Mage back and things. Not sure how turn 2 is slow for Fulminator. Care to elaborate?
For Twin I don't like cutting more than one Pod, as we need quick access to Linvala and Spellskite sometimes.
Choke is insane.
Lingering Souls is good, but not good enough to warrant a slot, mostly because we only have 15 spots, and Lingering Souls doesn't solve any problems, unlike the rest of our ultra-hatey sideboard cards. It doesn't go, "Hey, here's a problem, and I solve it quickly and efficiently."
Thrun is great, but I find he just gets chump blocked alot. I'd recommend Sigarda instead. It has random upsides like not sac'ing vs Living End, too.
Avasatu, why did you take Sigarda out of the MB? Was it just not doing enough? Did you put Baneslayer back in that spot?
Assuming my Baneslayer arrives in the mail I think this is what I'm going with next time. The one change I'm still mulling over is -1 Overgrown Tomb for +1 Razorverge Thicket. I like saving the life, but at the same time I want 14 black sources rather than the 13 I would have with Razorverge.
I'm starting to think that 4 five drops is 1-2 too many. I'm now on the 4 Rhino/4 Finks plan. Let me know how you like Sigarda and Baneslayer in the main. I'm busy testing this new version. By the way, I have always loved the second Tomb because of Redcap and my maindeck Entomber Exarch.
I disagree that she shines in the mirror, and it's possible she is too slow for Ascendancy. I never care when people play her against me in mirror matches. And no one has shown up in my meta with Ascendancy yet, so that's a moot point for me to consider I think. Like I said, it's really just Twin and a little bit against Affinity. Most lists in my area have dropped Overseer, so that really leaves ravager, and I'm willing to suffer against Ravager game 1. As it is, I have been drawing Linvala way too much and having nothing to do with her, and then boarding her out every single match. I'm certainly not siding out both Skite and Linvala. I use Skite all the time.
Something like Rec Sage on the other hand is insane in the mirror, against Affinity, Twin (all my Twin guys play MB skites), Phyrexian Arena, Tron, Amulet, Token Anthems, Ensnaring Bridges/Racks, Batterskull. There should be a good little list of things that keep a card in your main.
She just isn't as good as another Rhino 90% of the time. She shines in Twin and Elves, and we both have to admit Elves isn't a thing, and Twin is on a downturn (not to mention we have a wide variety of answers for it already, including Spellskite!). I just think the card that does more in the meta, Spellskite, should be the mainboard choice.
Just tested Glen-Elendra in 3 games vs UWR and 3 vs Scapeshift, and it was lackluster. Too often I wasn't able to leave a second blue up to use her, and with all the PtE in my meta(s), that is a dangerous spot to be in. I think I will stick to 3 color, and move Linvala to the board. I also ended up cutting Reveillark after realizing that I have yet to actually use it since I put it in except to force Titan, who is now cut. Not to mention I kept a journal of how long it took me to get 2 relevant (non-mana dork) targets for Lark into the grave, and something like 90% of the time it either took too long, didn't happen at all, or me getting the two creatures back wasn't a large factor. Moved Sigarda into the board. There just isn't a reason to main her, but she is, I believe, the best Control bullet in the format, even beating out Thrun.
And when considering what card I hate seeing the most, I am most certainly going to consider my outs. I also never board out decay if I suspect a Cage or Orb.
In my meta there certainly are a fair bit of true Wraths. I never really mind Anger, as I never have more than one "persist" style creature out at any given time against a game 2 red deck.
Got first. Here is the breakdown:
Match 1: Mirror, won 2-0.
This just came down to experience. Our first three plays were identical, but I was on the play: Dork, Voice, Rhino. I eventually just drew Baneslayer and completely took over the game, as he is sitting there drawing dorks, Decays, and tiny little creatures I can ignore. Game 2 He had me down to 0 cards in hand with 4 in hand and a massive board state with an active Gavony. I had boarded in Linvala, which he couldn't answer only because it has flying (and exalted from a hierarch). I'm making blocks here and there, trying to survive the Gavony onslaught. Finally I get a Gavony of my own followed by a Path. I -1/-1 his guys with a topdecked Pontiff, allowing me to attack with Linvala who has 2 counters on her (I killed his BoP blocker). Before blocks I path his Rhino, and his other blockers then die due to having -1/-1. He had to block or die, though. Next turn I just swung again with Linvala, with no other creatures on board, for the win. I have no idea how he didn't just crush me.
1-0.
Match 2: Living End.
Won, 2-0.
Game 1 he cycled and Shriekmawed all day, but my guys either had Persist or were Voice, and he never drew a cascader. I even Thoughtseized him only to reveal the lone nonland card of Simian Spirit Guide the turn before I felt he would "go off." Wasn't much of a game. Game 2 I turn 0 Leylined him and destroyed 3 of his lands with fulminator, slime, blink slime.
2-0.
Match 3: Mono Blue Tron. Won 2-1.
Game 1 I was able to Thoughtseize 3 times thanks to Eternal Witness plus Entomber Exarch him, taking anything threatening, and then beat him with Rhino and Baneslayer. I Will say that being on the play here was what allowed me to win, since alot of his countermagic would have been online for my stuff if he would have been able to play first. Game 2 he crushed me as Tron does with Karn and Engine. Game 3 I destroyed at least 2 of his lands, maybe 3, using Voice as bait, and got a Sigarda into play somehow, which he can't beat.
Notes: Never drew or played Pod all night. I had to check after the tournament to make sure they were still in there. There were 4 indeed. I even took them out vs Living End. Deck is great with or without them, as usual.
Baneslayer was sweet.
Land D is sweet, as is discard.
Leyline of the Void is sweet.
By the way, Chalice for 0 shuts down Living End, I realized last night. I boarded them in and never saw them, but that perhaps is our best answer if you aren't willing to add Leylines.
Deck just doesn't need Slaughter Games. Played vs Scapeshift afterward and just Choked and discarded him. No need for a 4th color IMO.
It doesn't get blocked by Rhinos, and blocks them infinitely.
The block/burn thing is a real issue though. This is why Baneslayer might just be better. Just ask your self, how many Paths are you expecting? If many, BBV; if few, Baneslayer.
Might try out Blood Baron actually. Seems good.
I think Thragtusk is not good enough for the deck.
I didn't say to rely on Spellskite and Linvala. Board in all your disruption and hate, but Pods are something you will want anyway, whether you go for Linvala, Skite, Exarch, Collector, E-Witness to get back a Decay/Sieze, and so on.
I wouldn't cut Eternal Witness. That card has saved me so many times I can't even count them all. Gust is good. If you play mostly locally and continue to see no Affinity/Bogles, cut it.
I beat Tron by Thoughtseize, and an Acidic Slime + Fulminator in the board. The idea is to break a land, then put a blinkable repeating land-D source on board. Then if need be, you can E-Witness your Mage back and things. Not sure how turn 2 is slow for Fulminator. Care to elaborate?
For Twin I don't like cutting more than one Pod, as we need quick access to Linvala and Spellskite sometimes.
Choke is insane.
Lingering Souls is good, but not good enough to warrant a slot, mostly because we only have 15 spots, and Lingering Souls doesn't solve any problems, unlike the rest of our ultra-hatey sideboard cards. It doesn't go, "Hey, here's a problem, and I solve it quickly and efficiently."
Thrun is great, but I find he just gets chump blocked alot. I'd recommend Sigarda instead. It has random upsides like not sac'ing vs Living End, too.
I'm starting to think that 4 five drops is 1-2 too many. I'm now on the 4 Rhino/4 Finks plan. Let me know how you like Sigarda and Baneslayer in the main. I'm busy testing this new version. By the way, I have always loved the second Tomb because of Redcap and my maindeck Entomber Exarch.
Something like Rec Sage on the other hand is insane in the mirror, against Affinity, Twin (all my Twin guys play MB skites), Phyrexian Arena, Tron, Amulet, Token Anthems, Ensnaring Bridges/Racks, Batterskull. There should be a good little list of things that keep a card in your main.
Just tested Glen-Elendra in 3 games vs UWR and 3 vs Scapeshift, and it was lackluster. Too often I wasn't able to leave a second blue up to use her, and with all the PtE in my meta(s), that is a dangerous spot to be in. I think I will stick to 3 color, and move Linvala to the board. I also ended up cutting Reveillark after realizing that I have yet to actually use it since I put it in except to force Titan, who is now cut. Not to mention I kept a journal of how long it took me to get 2 relevant (non-mana dork) targets for Lark into the grave, and something like 90% of the time it either took too long, didn't happen at all, or me getting the two creatures back wasn't a large factor. Moved Sigarda into the board. There just isn't a reason to main her, but she is, I believe, the best Control bullet in the format, even beating out Thrun.