This might be too situational to be a mainboard sweep. Most (read as all) creature you want to kill by turn 3 have less than 4 toughness and it can't kill vine mare. Hard sell for me.
Somewhat easier to cast than Nightveil Specter with a smaller behind and better card selection with a drawback built in vs graveyard decks. Seems pretty good.
You're trying to compare apples to oranges. Indestructible and regenerate, while being similar, operate on two very different axes. Regenerate tends to have an activation cost, while indestructible is a static effects. There should be ways to get around static effects.
Anyone who denies she will be a flip walker in soi is fooling themselves. The checklist card has, "ch1" on it ffs. I highly doubt Wizards would put a 1 next to something that doesn't at least have a 2 because it's wasted ink which costs money. Have some common sense people.
Played in a 13 player, 5 round, cut to top 4 Grand Prix Trial today and the report is as follows:
Round 1: Abzan Midrange, 1-2
I don't remember much from this match except for the fact that game 1, I hit an early lock and won quite easily and then in games 2 and 3, I kept sketchy hands at best in addition to sideboarding poorly in game 2 (he was telling everybody he was on Abzan Company before the tournament and even after not seeing Collected Company in game 1, I still fell for it, all of which resulted in a round 1 loss.
0-1
Round 2: Ad Nauseam, 2-1
Game 1 on the draw, my opponent plays turn 1 Temple of Deceit into Lotus Bloom; dead give away. I iquisitioned my opponent on my turn1, revealing an Ad Nauseam, a Temple of Deceit, an Angel's Grace, a Pentad Prism and a Lighting Storm. I took the Grace and passed. My hand had an early bridge, a surgical and a bell and that's about it. A few turns of pass/go and I drew a Thoughtseize. I thoughtseized, took an Ad Nauseam, then surgicaled it and we were off to game 2. I took out 2 bridges for game 2, then promptly died to a turn 3 Grave Titan off a Lotus Bloom... Game 3 I put an extra Bridge back in, assembled the lock on all his key pieces (Needle on Lightning Storm, Bridge for Grave Titan, all Angel's Grace Surgicaled and all Phyrexian Unlife in the yard) GG.
1-1
Round 3: Esper Control, 2-0, Pair Down
Not much to see here, his deck was a bit unoptimized with Battlelands instead of shocks, as well as no Snapcaster Mages and it cost him the match essentially.
2-1
Round 4: Infect, 2-1
Kept a bad hand and I got infected. Game 2, I got an early bridge and he couldn't punch through the last 3 poison. Game 3 was very back and forth with my opponent having both the infect an regular damage wins in hand if not for 2 key top decks in a bridge to stop the infect and an abrupt decay to stick at 1 life from a stupid Noble Heirarch plus some pump, but I got there.
3-1
Round 5: Affinity, ID
We actually had to play 35ish minutes of this match before we knew we could draw in and we did. I guess sometimes a long winded deck has its benefits; I want Affinity in the top 4 anyway
So the top 4 at this point is:
Lantern
Affinity
Affinity
Burn
Semi-Finals: Same Affinity Guy, 2-0
I just crushed him the way we often crush Affinity; Needle Ravager, Plating and Overseer, keep him off Signal Pest, win. Although, he did get me to 8 poison before finding a Bridge in game 2. He kept some very sketchy hands for being in the Semi-Finals as well as being the 3 time SCG State Standard Champion, shrugs.
Finals, Burn, Opponent Concession
Opponent asked me if I was going to Pittsburgh, I said, "If I get the byes." He says, "I found out earlier I can't go, so I concede." So I have 2 byes for Pittsburgh,
Amazing afternoon and now I have to start planning for GP Pitt!!!!!!
Went 4-3 at States yesterday for an unsatisfactory 35th place out of 100.
Round 1 - Temur Twin, 2-0
Twin is relatively easy, I think I've only lost to it 3 or 4 times out of 15 matches. Not much to see here as I assembled the combo and surgicaled cryptic both games, on to round 2.
1-0
Round 2 - Burn, 0-2
He had turn 2 and 3 eidolon in game 1 and I kept a hand with an early bridge, but no hand disruption. In game 2, we went back and forth for awhile, sun droplet keeping me alive and bridge keeping the creatures at bay, with a shredder, a bell and a lantern at 4 life. I milled a boros charm, then a skullcrack, showing an atarka command on top which I allowed him to draw instead of blowing my lantern. I gained 1 in his upkeep going to 5 life, he only has the command in hand, but has a bolt on top. I untapped, he commanded my sun droplet trigger and dealt 3 to me down to 2. I milled the second bridge off the top, revealing a land for me and a skull crack for my opponent, so I draw the land and shred him revealing... lava spike, so I force him to shuffle and pass. I go up to 3 from droplet, he draws and atarkas commands my face, gg.
1-1
Round 3 - Amulet Bloom, 0-2
I was a bit tilted after this 10 minute match, where I had great hands in both games, but it doesn't matter when your opponent gets turn 1 amulet into turn 2 amulet, double summers bloom, double titan both games. Sometimes they get the god draw.
1-2
At this point I knew I was pretty much out of top 8 contention unless I win out and my tie breakers are really good, but might as well play on, top 16 would still be acceptable.
Round 4 - Grishoalbrand, 2-0
My opponent decided to be on the play and then proceeded to go turn 1 pass. I immediately knew what he was playing and wondered why he chose the play. At any re ate my hand had an thoughtseize and a surgical in it, so I drew, Thoughtseize him, took griselbrand and surgicaled it, he looked at me for a second and scooped. Game 2 he decided to play again, plays turn 1 faithless looting discarding griselbrand and borborygmos. I untapped and casually played grafdigger's cage, he looks at his hand, looks at me and offers the handshake.
2-2
Round 5 Amulet Bloom, 2-0
Turns out the games are more in your favor when they don't have the nut draw. I had bridge down and I surgicaled hive mind after milling it both games.
3-2
Round 6 - Burn, 2-1
At this point I'm just praying nit to play against burn, but as I sit down my opponent is tr alking to his friend about how he boros charmed for the win last game and my heart dank just a bit, but at least I knew what he was playing and I could mulligan accordingly. Game 1 was a blowout that lasted 3 turns before I scooped for time concessions. Game 2 got me the turn 2 and 3 Sun droplet plus an empty hand for a turn 3 bridge thanks to welding jars and mox opal, he scooped when I was still at 15 life on turn 16ish. Game 3 was a barn burner. We had about 5 people watching the match by the end because word had gotten around that a burn player had a lantern player at 1 life, with no sun droplet down, but can't punch through. I had 2 spellkite, 3 blue sources, 3 mill rocks and bridge out with lantern and the pyrite spellbomb win available if the game went to long. The gane went long and he was at 15, so I set up the spellbomb win, somehow managing to keep him off lava spike, boros charm, atarkas command and skullcrack for 7 turns. Gg.
4-2
Round 7 - Affinity, 0-2
So I am really pumped, knowing this was going to be my first top 16 in a larger event and as long as I can dodge burn I got this. Opponent Belches his hand out on turn 1, my hand is a bit slow, but I should be able to get bridge down in time. He top decks galvanic blast and nukes my face down, bridge was 1 turn too late. Game 2 he got me down to 1 life after swing with his 1/1s through bridge, I only have 3 mana sources with another bridge in hand down a lantern after he grudged it on 2. My turn comes, I draw and it's... pyroclasm while he has a blinkmoth out. Gg
4-3
// Spells
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Codex Shredder
1 Duress
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Ghoulcaller's Bell
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lantern of Insight
4 Mox Opal
1 Noxious Revival
3 Pithing Needle
2 Pyrite Spellbomb
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize
// Sideboard
SB: 2 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 4 Leyline of Sanctity
SB: 1 Nature's Claim
SB: 1 Pithing Needle
SB: 3 Pyroclasm
SB: 2 Sun Droplet/Circle of Protection: Red
SB: 2 Welding Jar
My list for reference, haven't decided whether I like droplets more than cop:red or vice versa as they both have their merits. Droplet is much better early, since you don't have to leave mana open for it, but cop:red is a much better mid/late game top deck when you only have a few health points left and droplet is essentially a dead draw.
2
2
1
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Forest
4 Hinterland Harbor
2 Island
4 Overgrown Tomb
2 Swamp
4 Watery Grave
4 Woodland Cemetery
// Creatures
4 Carnage Tyrant
4 Assassin's Trophy
4 Cast Down
2 Mission Briefing
3 Ritual of Soot
3 Search for Azcanta
4 Sinister Sabotage
4 Thought Erasure
4 Vraska's Contempt
2 Vraska, Relic Seeker
4 Deathgorge Scavenger
3 Duress
4 Moment of Craving
4 Negate
This is my starting point for a Sultai control list. Still trying figure how best to splash the white for Teferi, Hero of Dominaria lol
3
2
2
1
6
2 Academy Ruins
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Copperline Gorge
1 Forest
2 Ghost Quarter
4 Glimmervoid
4 Llanowar Wastes
1 Tendo Ice Bridge
// Creatures
3 Spellskite
// Spells
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Codex Shredder
1 Duress
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Ghoulcaller's Bell
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lantern of Insight
4 Mox Opal
1 Noxious Revival
3 Pithing Needle
2 Pyrite Spellbomb
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize
// Sideboard
SB: 1 Duress
SB: 2 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 4 Leyline of Sanctity
SB: 1 Nature's Claim
SB: 1 Pithing Needle
SB: 3 Pyroclasm
SB: 3 Welding Jar
Played in a 13 player, 5 round, cut to top 4 Grand Prix Trial today and the report is as follows:
Round 1: Abzan Midrange, 1-2
I don't remember much from this match except for the fact that game 1, I hit an early lock and won quite easily and then in games 2 and 3, I kept sketchy hands at best in addition to sideboarding poorly in game 2 (he was telling everybody he was on Abzan Company before the tournament and even after not seeing Collected Company in game 1, I still fell for it, all of which resulted in a round 1 loss.
0-1
Round 2: Ad Nauseam, 2-1
Game 1 on the draw, my opponent plays turn 1 Temple of Deceit into Lotus Bloom; dead give away. I iquisitioned my opponent on my turn1, revealing an Ad Nauseam, a Temple of Deceit, an Angel's Grace, a Pentad Prism and a Lighting Storm. I took the Grace and passed. My hand had an early bridge, a surgical and a bell and that's about it. A few turns of pass/go and I drew a Thoughtseize. I thoughtseized, took an Ad Nauseam, then surgicaled it and we were off to game 2. I took out 2 bridges for game 2, then promptly died to a turn 3 Grave Titan off a Lotus Bloom... Game 3 I put an extra Bridge back in, assembled the lock on all his key pieces (Needle on Lightning Storm, Bridge for Grave Titan, all Angel's Grace Surgicaled and all Phyrexian Unlife in the yard) GG.
1-1
Round 3: Esper Control, 2-0, Pair Down
Not much to see here, his deck was a bit unoptimized with Battlelands instead of shocks, as well as no Snapcaster Mages and it cost him the match essentially.
2-1
Round 4: Infect, 2-1
Kept a bad hand and I got infected. Game 2, I got an early bridge and he couldn't punch through the last 3 poison. Game 3 was very back and forth with my opponent having both the infect an regular damage wins in hand if not for 2 key top decks in a bridge to stop the infect and an abrupt decay to stick at 1 life from a stupid Noble Heirarch plus some pump, but I got there.
3-1
Round 5: Affinity, ID
We actually had to play 35ish minutes of this match before we knew we could draw in and we did. I guess sometimes a long winded deck has its benefits; I want Affinity in the top 4 anyway
So the top 4 at this point is:
Lantern
Affinity
Affinity
Burn
Semi-Finals: Same Affinity Guy, 2-0
I just crushed him the way we often crush Affinity; Needle Ravager, Plating and Overseer, keep him off Signal Pest, win. Although, he did get me to 8 poison before finding a Bridge in game 2. He kept some very sketchy hands for being in the Semi-Finals as well as being the 3 time SCG State Standard Champion, shrugs.
Finals, Burn, Opponent Concession
Opponent asked me if I was going to Pittsburgh, I said, "If I get the byes." He says, "I found out earlier I can't go, so I concede." So I have 2 byes for Pittsburgh,
Amazing afternoon and now I have to start planning for GP Pitt!!!!!!
1
Round 1 - Temur Twin, 2-0
Twin is relatively easy, I think I've only lost to it 3 or 4 times out of 15 matches. Not much to see here as I assembled the combo and surgicaled cryptic both games, on to round 2.
1-0
Round 2 - Burn, 0-2
He had turn 2 and 3 eidolon in game 1 and I kept a hand with an early bridge, but no hand disruption. In game 2, we went back and forth for awhile, sun droplet keeping me alive and bridge keeping the creatures at bay, with a shredder, a bell and a lantern at 4 life. I milled a boros charm, then a skullcrack, showing an atarka command on top which I allowed him to draw instead of blowing my lantern. I gained 1 in his upkeep going to 5 life, he only has the command in hand, but has a bolt on top. I untapped, he commanded my sun droplet trigger and dealt 3 to me down to 2. I milled the second bridge off the top, revealing a land for me and a skull crack for my opponent, so I draw the land and shred him revealing... lava spike, so I force him to shuffle and pass. I go up to 3 from droplet, he draws and atarkas commands my face, gg.
1-1
Round 3 - Amulet Bloom, 0-2
I was a bit tilted after this 10 minute match, where I had great hands in both games, but it doesn't matter when your opponent gets turn 1 amulet into turn 2 amulet, double summers bloom, double titan both games. Sometimes they get the god draw.
1-2
At this point I knew I was pretty much out of top 8 contention unless I win out and my tie breakers are really good, but might as well play on, top 16 would still be acceptable.
Round 4 - Grishoalbrand, 2-0
My opponent decided to be on the play and then proceeded to go turn 1 pass. I immediately knew what he was playing and wondered why he chose the play. At any re ate my hand had an thoughtseize and a surgical in it, so I drew, Thoughtseize him, took griselbrand and surgicaled it, he looked at me for a second and scooped. Game 2 he decided to play again, plays turn 1 faithless looting discarding griselbrand and borborygmos. I untapped and casually played grafdigger's cage, he looks at his hand, looks at me and offers the handshake.
2-2
Round 5 Amulet Bloom, 2-0
Turns out the games are more in your favor when they don't have the nut draw. I had bridge down and I surgicaled hive mind after milling it both games.
3-2
Round 6 - Burn, 2-1
At this point I'm just praying nit to play against burn, but as I sit down my opponent is tr alking to his friend about how he boros charmed for the win last game and my heart dank just a bit, but at least I knew what he was playing and I could mulligan accordingly. Game 1 was a blowout that lasted 3 turns before I scooped for time concessions. Game 2 got me the turn 2 and 3 Sun droplet plus an empty hand for a turn 3 bridge thanks to welding jars and mox opal, he scooped when I was still at 15 life on turn 16ish. Game 3 was a barn burner. We had about 5 people watching the match by the end because word had gotten around that a burn player had a lantern player at 1 life, with no sun droplet down, but can't punch through. I had 2 spellkite, 3 blue sources, 3 mill rocks and bridge out with lantern and the pyrite spellbomb win available if the game went to long. The gane went long and he was at 15, so I set up the spellbomb win, somehow managing to keep him off lava spike, boros charm, atarkas command and skullcrack for 7 turns. Gg.
4-2
Round 7 - Affinity, 0-2
So I am really pumped, knowing this was going to be my first top 16 in a larger event and as long as I can dodge burn I got this. Opponent Belches his hand out on turn 1, my hand is a bit slow, but I should be able to get bridge down in time. He top decks galvanic blast and nukes my face down, bridge was 1 turn too late. Game 2 he got me down to 1 life after swing with his 1/1s through bridge, I only have 3 mana sources with another bridge in hand down a lantern after he grudged it on 2. My turn comes, I draw and it's... pyroclasm while he has a blinkmoth out. Gg
4-3
1
// Lands
2 Academy Ruins
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Copperline Gorge
1 Forest
2 Ghost Quarter
4 Glimmervoid
4 Llanowar Wastes
1 Tendo Ice Bridge
// Creatures
3 Spellskite
// Spells
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Codex Shredder
1 Duress
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Ghoulcaller's Bell
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lantern of Insight
4 Mox Opal
1 Noxious Revival
3 Pithing Needle
2 Pyrite Spellbomb
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize
// Sideboard
SB: 2 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 4 Leyline of Sanctity
SB: 1 Nature's Claim
SB: 1 Pithing Needle
SB: 3 Pyroclasm
SB: 2 Sun Droplet/Circle of Protection: Red
SB: 2 Welding Jar
My list for reference, haven't decided whether I like droplets more than cop:red or vice versa as they both have their merits. Droplet is much better early, since you don't have to leave mana open for it, but cop:red is a much better mid/late game top deck when you only have a few health points left and droplet is essentially a dead draw.