How is going to work The Rack with the new legendary rule? Not sure if you could choose player o planeswalker as it enters the battlefield or just can't do damage to planeswalkers with it anymore.
Sorry to hear about the performance, but hey that is how we learn to play the deck! I agree, the Smallpox plan is clearly the way to go because of the shear amount of artifact hate that will become boarded in. Smallpox has a severely crippling effect early on to many decks and it is one of the ways we try and beat Tron with it. I understand why Bridge would be appealing with the amount of aggro builds and creature heavy builds in the modern meta; however, I found maining 1 Bontu's is a necessity along with the Pox plan. It appears also that CB may not be what you want to run with in the MB if you do not expect a lot of burn. How did the Rat plan go for you when you did play them out?
Collective Brutality is a very nice card in my deck because it helps me to run out of cards for bridge if needed and is a (nonpremiun) targeted removal. In nonbridge builds I prefer Collective Brutality in the sideboard.
Rat plan has worked pretty well for me always. In GP Madrid I sideboarded rats vs Abzan in second games choosing to start and they gave me a win. I also used them vs Bogles because of they are nice against Leyline of Sanctity and would have used vs The Rock if I would have lost a game and could play first.
11-3 at gp madrid with 8rack! good for 11th place, it was teams but my record was also 11-3
Congrats man!!
I played the same event with a very poor record: 4-5
Finally, I played a Ensnaring Bridge version, removing most of removal as we commented here. I tested in mtgo several leagues before the event and had decent results finishing 3-2 in most of them.
Played against:
R1: Abzan (0-2)
R2: Storm (2-0)
R3: Abzan (1-2) - Rat plan won me the second game
R4: Bogles (1-2) - really missed smallpox here
R5: Jeskay (1-2)
R6: Eldrazi Tron (2-0)
R7: Merfolk (1-2) - Don't let them play first if you go on the bridge plan, I could have won this match just playing first.
R8: The Rock (2-0)
R9: Scapeshift (2-1)
I always chose to draw first except when I went into the rat plan after sideboarding.
Seems pretty obvious that Smallpox plan is the way to go instead bridge plan but I think the main problem I had, were some mistakes I made.
Well I'd firstly point out that the list above is mixing two different routes with Bridge and the Non-Bridge Package of (Funeral Charm/Dismember/Fatal Push)... I think firstly removing Affliction is a mistake. Secondly, if you are wanting to run Bridge you need to remove the Package that Ross uses instead of Bridge. I think that might be where it's going wrong first before discussing whether we go on the play or not.
I haven´t removed affliction, not sure if you were talking about other card.
I usually play 2 Bitterblossom instead of Funeral Charm but I wanted to test the mix you are pointing, I went 2-3 in mtgo competitive league with it. I have tested with Lingering Souls instead too.
Would you play without any removal if you were playing Ensnaring Bridge? I think you need at least 2/3 Fatal Push/Dismember. Not sure about Smallpox in bridge constructions. Would love to hear about the list you would play if you wanted to play Ensnaring Bridge.
I ALWAYS draw first, but you could want to start if you are afraid of a drop @1 in the first turn. For 2 cmc drops is always better to draw so you can draw a discard and use it before opponent's second turn (for example with chalice of the void @1).
The majority of matches you take the draw. Sometimes depending on certain situations you may want to take the play (95% of the time this is wrong IMO) but you can. I personally took page out of the Boss's playbook and take the draw every time.
I draw first playing Tom Ross version but not sure if is the right choice in other builds, with Ensnaring Bridge for example. Would you choose play first with this list by default? I usually do but not 100% sure I'm doing right.
What i don't like here are the 2 removals in the dismember's slots. Casting Dismember off Mutavault is vital since there are so few ways to use the mana from Mutavault. The Rack, Liliana of the Veil, and other Mutavault activations are the others. Dismember isn't the greatest against Death's Shadow but can certainly get their creatures sometimes. It is the literal greatest against Gurmag Angler or Tasigur.
I like the deck, especially sideboard. I'll give it a try playing some leagues in mtgo. I think it could be a good list against Eldrazi Tron @stebolo93
I've played 4x Pack Rat with Ensnaring Bridge some time ago and it was fine. With Lightning Bolt rising again in the metagame I think it's a bad choice right now. I like rats in sideboard vs Leyline of Sanctity and also for third games when you can be on the play and your opponent doesn't expect an horde of rats.
I have never played Delirium Skeins so I can't help with that.
This deck finished 10th in SCG Team Baltimore. Playing 21 lands with Smallpox, Raven's Crime and Pack Rat seems a bad idea to me but... Of course, we don't really know how many matches won, any thoughts?
Results have been very poor and I'm asking myself if I should choose other deck for GP and play 8-Rack just for fun in FNMs. I haven't played other decks but I have a month to test.
My team is playing
P1: Bant CoCo or Humans
P2: Titanshift
P3: ????
I played a PPTQ last week, went 4-2 and finished 10th. I played both Smallpox and Ensnaring Bridge and felt better than expected. Bontu's Last Reckoning was very good too in the sideboard. You can see my decklist and report (in spanish :gaping:) here if you want.
Random Thought: Have anyone tried a different style of 8-rack with eldrazis? Seems that Thought-Knot Seer and Reality Smasher could have very good sinergy with discard theme.
@esperino, Which deck would you play in a modern GP today? BW list in the primer?
Well, my teammates are ok with playing other decks like: Tron, Affinity, Scapeshift or Storm, so I'm able to play 8 rack, which is the deck I will do my best surely. So your point is not playing 8-rack?
Anyway, I would love to hear thoughts asumming you were going to playing the deck.
What do you think about playing 8-Rack in a team unified tournament? It's the deck which I feel more confortable with so it would be my choice 90% sure, but I have zero experience in this kind of tournament:
I think these decks should be the most popular:
- GB (Jund, Abzan, Death's Shadow...)
- Tron
- Affinity
- Ad-Nauseam
So I think Smallpox version is better than Ensnaring Bridge version, perhaps including Ghost Quarter somewhere in the maindeck over some Mutavaults.
Should I consider something special for maindeck or sideboard? This is the list I'm going to test.
I like the idea of maining Bontu's Last Reckoning in nonbridge builds.
Collective Brutality is a very nice card in my deck because it helps me to run out of cards for bridge if needed and is a (nonpremiun) targeted removal. In nonbridge builds I prefer Collective Brutality in the sideboard.
Rat plan has worked pretty well for me always. In GP Madrid I sideboarded rats vs Abzan in second games choosing to start and they gave me a win. I also used them vs Bogles because of they are nice against Leyline of Sanctity and would have used vs The Rock if I would have lost a game and could play first.
Congrats man!!
I played the same event with a very poor record: 4-5
Finally, I played a Ensnaring Bridge version, removing most of removal as we commented here. I tested in mtgo several leagues before the event and had decent results finishing 3-2 in most of them.
4 Thoughtseize
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Raven's Crime
4 Wrench Mind
2 Collective Brutality
2 Fatal Push
4 The Rack
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Shrieking Affliction
4 Liliana of the Veil
4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Marsh Flats
3 Concealed Courtyard
1 Godless Shrine
8 Swamp
3 Disenchant
4 Pack Rat
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Shadow of Doubt
1 Timely Reinforcements
2 Bontu's Last Reckoning
Played against:
R1: Abzan (0-2)
R2: Storm (2-0)
R3: Abzan (1-2) - Rat plan won me the second game
R4: Bogles (1-2) - really missed smallpox here
R5: Jeskay (1-2)
R6: Eldrazi Tron (2-0)
R7: Merfolk (1-2) - Don't let them play first if you go on the bridge plan, I could have won this match just playing first.
R8: The Rock (2-0)
R9: Scapeshift (2-1)
I always chose to draw first except when I went into the rat plan after sideboarding.
Seems pretty obvious that Smallpox plan is the way to go instead bridge plan but I think the main problem I had, were some mistakes I made.
I haven´t removed affliction, not sure if you were talking about other card.
I usually play 2 Bitterblossom instead of Funeral Charm but I wanted to test the mix you are pointing, I went 2-3 in mtgo competitive league with it. I have tested with Lingering Souls instead too.
Would you play without any removal if you were playing Ensnaring Bridge? I think you need at least 2/3 Fatal Push/Dismember. Not sure about Smallpox in bridge constructions. Would love to hear about the list you would play if you wanted to play Ensnaring Bridge.
I draw first playing Tom Ross version but not sure if is the right choice in other builds, with Ensnaring Bridge for example. Would you choose play first with this list by default? I usually do but not 100% sure I'm doing right.
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Raven's Crime
4 Thoughtseize
3 Smallpox
3 Wrench Mind
Instant
2 Fatal Push
1 Dismember
2 Funeral Charm
4 Liliana of the Veil
Artifact
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 The Rack
Enchantment
4 Shrieking Affliction
Land
7 Swamp
3 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Mutavault
4 Concealed Courtyard
4 Marsh Flat
1 Godless Shrine
Agree. I prefer Dismember over Victim of Night (which doesn't hit Gurmag Angler, Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet, Tidehollow Sculler) and Murderous Cut wich is bad in first turns of the game.
3 Fatal Push
2 Funeral Charm
1 Murderous Cut
1 Victim of Night
Sorcery
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Raven's Crime
4 Smallpox
3 Thoughtseize
4 Wrench Mind
4 Shrieking Affliction
Artifact
4 The Rack
Planeswalker
4 Liliana of the Veil
Land
1 Bloodstained Mire
4 Concealed Courtyard
1 Godless Shrine
4 Mutavault
4 Polluted Delta
6 Swamp
3 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Fulminator Mage
2 Disenchant
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Bontu's Last Reckoning
1 Fragmentize
3 Lingering Souls
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Engineered Explosives
I like the deck, especially sideboard. I'll give it a try playing some leagues in mtgo. I think it could be a good list against Eldrazi Tron @stebolo93
I've played 4x Pack Rat with Ensnaring Bridge some time ago and it was fine. With Lightning Bolt rising again in the metagame I think it's a bad choice right now. I like rats in sideboard vs Leyline of Sanctity and also for third games when you can be on the play and your opponent doesn't expect an horde of rats.
I have never played Delirium Skeins so I can't help with that.
4 Pack Rat
Sorcery
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Raven's Crime
2 Thoughtseize
4 Smallpox
3 Wrench Mind
Instants
1 Dismember
2 Funeral Charm
3 Fatal Push
4 Shrieking Affliction
Planeswalker
4 Liliana of the Veil
Artifact
4 The Rack
Lands
15 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Mutavault
2 Bontu's Last Reckoning
1 Fatal Push
1 Collective Brutality
1 Hero's Downfall
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Ghost Quarter
3 Leyline of the Void
2 Pithing Needle
1 Ensnaring Bridge
- Tom Ross version (without bridges) with 23 and 24 lands
- Ensnaring Bridge version with and without Bitterblossom
- BW with Ensnaring Bridge and Lingering Souls
- With Smallpox + Ensnaring Bridge
- With and without Collective Brutality in mainboard
Results have been very poor and I'm asking myself if I should choose other deck for GP and play 8-Rack just for fun in FNMs. I haven't played other decks but I have a month to test.
My team is playing
P1: Bant CoCo or Humans
P2: Titanshift
P3: ????
Would you play other deck? Which deck?
See report
Playing 23 lands instead of 24 has been the major improvement I have done recently with the deck.
Random Thought: Have anyone tried a different style of 8-rack with eldrazis? Seems that Thought-Knot Seer and Reality Smasher could have very good sinergy with discard theme.
@esperino, Which deck would you play in a modern GP today? BW list in the primer?
Anyway, I would love to hear thoughts asumming you were going to playing the deck.
Thanks!!
I think these decks should be the most popular:
- GB (Jund, Abzan, Death's Shadow...)
- Tron
- Affinity
- Ad-Nauseam
So I think Smallpox version is better than Ensnaring Bridge version, perhaps including Ghost Quarter somewhere in the maindeck over some Mutavaults.
Should I consider something special for maindeck or sideboard? This is the list I'm going to test.
16 Swamp
1 Mutavault
2 Ghost Quarter
4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Sorceries
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Raven's Crime
4 Smallpox
3 Thoughtseize
3 Wrench Mind
3 Fatal Push
2 Funeral Charm
1 Dismember
Enchantments
4 Shrieking Affliction
Artifacts
4 The Rack
Planeswalkers
4 Liliana of the Veil
3 Surgical Extraction
4 Pack Rat
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Fatal Push
1 Dismember
1 Flaying Tendrils
2 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Asylum Visitor