After I have slung several lightning bolts to the face, then slap down an Eidolon, it feels like an incredibly powerful play; most Modern decks are flooded with cards that cost less than, or up to 3 mana, and like it has been mentioned above, EotGR changes the scope of the game when he hits the table, forcing opponents to Deal with him quickly, or Lose soon thereafter.
Nice job on the deck builder and I look forward to using this in the months and years to come.
One thing I have noticed, and probably not important to most, but when building a "standard" deck, it doesn't recognize "Welcome Deck 2017" cards as being legal in the format or standard; cards like Serra Angel, Sengir Vampire, Shivan Dragon, and stuff like that are in Welcome 2017 and are "standard legal," but they don't show up as relevant choices when constructing decks for deck builder.
Of course, this will be relevant to like 4 people EVER, but just thought I would point it out... Nice job; looks great!
You can also check out the relevant stores hosting FNM on Facebook, check out site reviews for the store, and maybe get a feel for what the store is like. I play at two different stores here in Greensboro, North Carolina and one of the stores is more Standard-driven, less Intense, and full of pretty cool people. The other store I frequent has a Great owner, great card selection, and a collection of high-minded players, playing established tournament decks. I get varied experiences from the two different stores; I like to try out rogue brews at the less high-minded stores, fine tune the deck idea, then take it to the store with "good" players and good decks.
By doing some research on Facebook, it might help you get a feel for the store, and if you have multiple stores in your area that do FNM's, you can see which will be the best fit for you and your experience.
You're less likely to get "pummeled" at a release than at FNM, to be honest... At least at a "release," everyone is starting with a limited pool of cards and cobbling together the best thing they can. Sure, the "best" players will probably still win, as they'll know the new cards beforehand, but at a pre-release, the playing field will be much more even.
Some stores are really "warm" with new players, as the owners of those stores realize that "new" players equals "more money." However, it's tough to get someone from being totally "raw" and inexperienced to being "FNM regular." The chasm/divide between "new player" to "FNM regular" can be pretty wide, and sometimes, players have been playing for 20 years, or 10, but at least 3 years most times... When that player plays the "new player," inevitably new player gets CRUSHED, and may lose the resolve to get better, buy more cards, and develop further ideas... So, that's a tough balance to tread there...
Other stores aren't very welcoming at all; usually those stores are populated by "regulars," who don't necessarily care about the "growth of the game," or the "growth of the store," more than the growth of their own "trade binder." Playing in these scenarios are often intimidating for the new player as well.
When investigating a new store, I have found Facebook "reviews" to be helpful. You can learn a lot by reading those, sometimes, and you can often get a general "feel" for the store before even going there... Disregard the most favorable, and the least favorable reviews, and read the others. You will often pick up on the general "mood" of the store that way... Hopefully, you find a good store with good people, and maybe that will improve your next gaming experience. Best of luck!!
...Doesn't have much to do with Burn, now does it?
I "replied" to an earlier comment, which mentioned "Surgical Extraction-ing" Lightning Bolts. I did not quote that post, which would have made it more germane to the thread, since it was in response to something SAID in this thread. So, my bad... Thanks for your concern.
I've been running a B/W Orzhov Control, library extraction deck for fun lately, and it is starting to have some wings... It's really fun to play, and runs in the mainboard, 4 Surgical Extraction, 2 Extirpates, and 1 Lost Legacy... It's way too early in its infancy to call it "successful," but after testing it and fine-tuning for the last 10 days or so, I like the direction the deck is taking...
I ran a mock game against my Mardu Burn deck last night... After a couple of Surgical Extraction, an Extirpate, and Lost Legacy, I had managed to exile away about 16 or so "redundant cards." The red deck still won the match, but Orzhov was able to win that game... Removing 16 "bolts" from a Red deck does severely limit the red deck, and hurts the red deck's top-decking power a lot... After all these cards are extracted, red deck keeps drawing lands, then fetching, only to draw more lands... I was pleased with the results.
I found it interesting that ElCascador said "no more Hydra" and I think this sort of underscores on the main problems of the deck. The Energy is good for mana fixing and development, but doesn't really have a powerful late game use for Energy. The beefier Energy creatures like the Hydra are "decent," but not game shifting, so what's the payoff for using Energy late game...
Here is my new construction, an Energy shell with solid beaters... This deck is so fun to play; although only in its infancy, with ZERO playtesting, it went 2-1-1 at FNM in its debut. The deck has legs, methinks and I look forward to playing it until the cards rotate... My take on Naya Energy...
Consulate Surveillance can be an excellent defensive card, buying me 2 turns or even more to construct a battlefield presence and win. No one likes this card, but I find it to be great tech in the late game. Use Energy early to accelerate and mana fix, use Energy late as a Forcefield?? I like this.
I often can make 4 colors of mana by turn 3. Woodland Wanderer is nice as a 6/6. The rest is pretty standard Standard... but this deck is Fun to play and I have enjoyed pounding faces with Gearhulks and Wanderers for the last week, and look forward to this week's FNM.
The Brain in the Jar deck probably would've beat me regardless, as I was land short, and never could gain momentum back.
I didn't sideboard properly for the Bogles deck. Although, I wasn't running the Anguished Unmakings that I wished I had had, I did have some Wear//Tear in my sideboard that I didn't bring in... Never saw the Leyline the first two matches, so didn't expect to see it... I think I just played sloppily to close, which was sort of frustrating since I started so strongly...
I see the merits of Jund burn, but I'm strictly Mardu... I think my black sideboarding options (when I sideboard correctly) help me more than just DRev will... I do see the power of Atarka's Command, though, but it doesn't entice me enough to drop black and go green for my 3rd color. I have had Rakdos Charm and Bump in the Night win me several games before, so I'm loyal to those cards and the Mardu configuration...
I go to FNM most weeks, but have been playing my Abzan Toolbox deck, and a Suicide Bloo variant for the last month or two, letting my Lightning Bolts collect dust, and wanting a change of Magic "pace." I guess I had grown tired of Burn's sort of 1-track focus, and although very explosive out of the gate, can be a letdown once games get to Turn 5 or so... Well, I decided to bust out my Mardu burn deck this week, and went to FNM.
I start out strong, going 2-0 against a nice Jund deck (he hated losing to my little $400 deck, when his costs $2000) and then beating a real bad "brew" that was Rakdos oriented, but playing lots of suboptimal cards. I know that means I'm in the top half for the rest of the night, and I'm hoping I can win one more match and most likely make Top 8 (27 people playing Friday). My next match goes dreadfully, playing some discard oriented, Brain in the Jar deck that was quite cool and unique. I get mana screwed both matches and die with no dignity. But 2-1 is still okay... Maybe I'll get lucky in Round 4 with my matchup.
Bogles.
I win game 1 pretty handily, but she takes game 2... We go to game 3, she mulligans to 5, drops Leyline of Sanctity and I grimace. I'm holding creatures though, so I'm hoping I can just out muscle her and win, Especially with EotGR in my hand... She casts Spirit Link on my Eidolon, which proves to be a rather brilliant play... I do end up casting Wrath of God from my sideboard once she starts building up an enchanted creature, and then we go into topdeck mode... I end up getting her to 4 life over the course of combat, but she pulls out the win. I was grumpy, sitting in the corner...
I run a Mardu version, as I like what Black can bring from the sideboard... I find myself sitting there, wishing I had put 4 copies of Anguished Unmaking in my sideboard. The 3 life paid stinks, but looking at a Leyline of Sanctity for 10 turns stinks even more... I end the game with about 7 bolts in my hand, and her at like 4 life. Anguished Unmaking could have won that game for me, and moving forward, I do imagine that will be a prominent piece for my Mardu Burn sideboard.
Since you have specified "aggro," it does seem like Lightning Bolt is an auto-include. I mean, even most Control decks are going to want 3 damage for 1 mana, instant speed, at any non-hexproof target. That's "value" right there, and any aggro deck is going to want the best value for their mana spent. With this in mind, it does seem like Lightning Bolt fits in "most" red decks, but pretty much all "aggro" decks for sure. I'm hard pressed to think of a board state or a scenario where the red mage doesn't want his Lightning Bolts available.
Rakdos Charm is a useful, unassuming little card that can really pack some damage, and is useful in lots of different ways. I run 3 in my Mardu Burn sideboard for that very reason.
I was in a bad lock fighting Lantern Control with Lantern of Insight and Ghoulcaller's Bell basically grinding away my whole library. I have a Bump In the Night ground into my graveyard. He is at 2 life. He sees that he has ground the Bump (which I can cast for its 6-mana "flashback" cost from the grave). He prepares to cast some instant that will allow him to retrieve Surgical Extraction from the graveyard and recast it again; in response, I cast the Rakdos Charm in my hand (holding 2 of them thankfully), exile his graveyard, his retrieval attempt fizzles, and then I cast Bump at Flashback price to win the game...
It may have been my favorite Magic "win" of all time... I was ground out, and going to lose, but got lucky and WON, thanks to Rakdos Charm and Bump in the Night...
I ended up getting a second set of Goblin Guides last week, after a dude at FNM lusted hard for my Phyrexian Obliterators, lying dormant in a binder... I hope they don't get reprinted now, so I can trade for something good with them...
I run a nice little Mardu burn deck... Trying to figure out what to do with another set of Guides, if they don't trade...
Maybe some Copter-fueled Madness thing in Modern... Hmmm... Interesting.
I think the Abzan Toolbox name is pretty appropriate, so nice job on that front.
I run a totally different version of the deck, less toolbox-y, more beat your face in with undercosted beaters, good disruption, and a nice tutor package. My version of the deck may be less "versatile" or resourceful, but I have fallen in love with my version, and feel like I have a chance in most matchups.
Having said all that, I took my version to FNM Friday night... I had a "decent" night, some good matchups, and some really Bad ones... I end up placing like 10th out of 25, but had a fun night at the shop. My favorite moment though, came while playing against a nicely assembled JUND deck. I see like 3 Bobs, 3 LOTV's, and 3 Tarmogoyf. I do the math... Those 9 cards cost like 4 times as much as my whole deck. I have a good match with him, and end up winning 2 games to 1.
It was a cool to beat a really Expensive deck. Sure, you don't need an expensive deck to play, but it's still hard to beat a well-designed, Expensive deck when you are running a deck more in the "reasonable" region of cost. I was thrilled, although Bill, my opponent was NOT. Good beats equal good times, and I had real fun squeaking by with that win.
I considered cutting my Skullcracks for Gonti's Machinations, as the Skullcracks, while reliable, were kind of boring. Along comes this new card, and I was inclined to test it out... Although Chalice of the Void stinks extra bad, I was interested in what 20 main deck "bolts" would be like.
In playtesting over the last few days, mainly with my son, I have had at least two games where I was in Top Deck mode, and needed to KILL my opponent like Post Haste. Gonti's Machinations is not very good in any sort of "post haste" arrangement.
"Sylvan" is an adjective, and not a location. "Sylvan" means "of or related to the woods or wooded areas." So, the caryatid and the library were merely in wooded locations, and thus were "sylvan."
Internet "trolls" basically have no life, and their mission is to get under your skin. If you are letting the trolls win, then you either need to re-evaluate your goals, re-evaluate the places you frequent on the Internet, or re-evaluate where and how you "display" yourself on the web.
I fail to see why this young lady is even important to the MtG community. It's not apparently because she plays Magic well, it's because she displays herself in skimpy costumes dressed like Chandra or Liliana... She wants a million followers on Instagram or something...
When you freely display yourself on the web, you're going to be subject to some ugly talk. I hate that for the young lady, but this isn't a MtG problem, this is an Internet/Real World problem. Does this girl play tournament level Magic? If she doesn't, then why do we care? I'm not attacking the young lady in my free time, but this hardly seems germane to the conversation on mtgsalvation.com.
One thing I have noticed, and probably not important to most, but when building a "standard" deck, it doesn't recognize "Welcome Deck 2017" cards as being legal in the format or standard; cards like Serra Angel, Sengir Vampire, Shivan Dragon, and stuff like that are in Welcome 2017 and are "standard legal," but they don't show up as relevant choices when constructing decks for deck builder.
Of course, this will be relevant to like 4 people EVER, but just thought I would point it out... Nice job; looks great!
By doing some research on Facebook, it might help you get a feel for the store, and if you have multiple stores in your area that do FNM's, you can see which will be the best fit for you and your experience.
Other stores aren't very welcoming at all; usually those stores are populated by "regulars," who don't necessarily care about the "growth of the game," or the "growth of the store," more than the growth of their own "trade binder." Playing in these scenarios are often intimidating for the new player as well.
When investigating a new store, I have found Facebook "reviews" to be helpful. You can learn a lot by reading those, sometimes, and you can often get a general "feel" for the store before even going there... Disregard the most favorable, and the least favorable reviews, and read the others. You will often pick up on the general "mood" of the store that way... Hopefully, you find a good store with good people, and maybe that will improve your next gaming experience. Best of luck!!
I "replied" to an earlier comment, which mentioned "Surgical Extraction-ing" Lightning Bolts. I did not quote that post, which would have made it more germane to the thread, since it was in response to something SAID in this thread. So, my bad... Thanks for your concern.
I ran a mock game against my Mardu Burn deck last night... After a couple of Surgical Extraction, an Extirpate, and Lost Legacy, I had managed to exile away about 16 or so "redundant cards." The red deck still won the match, but Orzhov was able to win that game... Removing 16 "bolts" from a Red deck does severely limit the red deck, and hurts the red deck's top-decking power a lot... After all these cards are extracted, red deck keeps drawing lands, then fetching, only to draw more lands... I was pleased with the results.
I'm using Energy late game for "protection," via Consulate Surveillance.
Here is my new construction, an Energy shell with solid beaters... This deck is so fun to play; although only in its infancy, with ZERO playtesting, it went 2-1-1 at FNM in its debut. The deck has legs, methinks and I look forward to playing it until the cards rotate... My take on Naya Energy...
Consulate Surveillance can be an excellent defensive card, buying me 2 turns or even more to construct a battlefield presence and win. No one likes this card, but I find it to be great tech in the late game. Use Energy early to accelerate and mana fix, use Energy late as a Forcefield?? I like this.
I often can make 4 colors of mana by turn 3. Woodland Wanderer is nice as a 6/6. The rest is pretty standard Standard... but this deck is Fun to play and I have enjoyed pounding faces with Gearhulks and Wanderers for the last week, and look forward to this week's FNM.
I didn't sideboard properly for the Bogles deck. Although, I wasn't running the Anguished Unmakings that I wished I had had, I did have some Wear//Tear in my sideboard that I didn't bring in... Never saw the Leyline the first two matches, so didn't expect to see it... I think I just played sloppily to close, which was sort of frustrating since I started so strongly...
I see the merits of Jund burn, but I'm strictly Mardu... I think my black sideboarding options (when I sideboard correctly) help me more than just DRev will... I do see the power of Atarka's Command, though, but it doesn't entice me enough to drop black and go green for my 3rd color. I have had Rakdos Charm and Bump in the Night win me several games before, so I'm loyal to those cards and the Mardu configuration...
I start out strong, going 2-0 against a nice Jund deck (he hated losing to my little $400 deck, when his costs $2000) and then beating a real bad "brew" that was Rakdos oriented, but playing lots of suboptimal cards. I know that means I'm in the top half for the rest of the night, and I'm hoping I can win one more match and most likely make Top 8 (27 people playing Friday). My next match goes dreadfully, playing some discard oriented, Brain in the Jar deck that was quite cool and unique. I get mana screwed both matches and die with no dignity. But 2-1 is still okay... Maybe I'll get lucky in Round 4 with my matchup.
Bogles.
I win game 1 pretty handily, but she takes game 2... We go to game 3, she mulligans to 5, drops Leyline of Sanctity and I grimace. I'm holding creatures though, so I'm hoping I can just out muscle her and win, Especially with EotGR in my hand... She casts Spirit Link on my Eidolon, which proves to be a rather brilliant play... I do end up casting Wrath of God from my sideboard once she starts building up an enchanted creature, and then we go into topdeck mode... I end up getting her to 4 life over the course of combat, but she pulls out the win. I was grumpy, sitting in the corner...
I run a Mardu version, as I like what Black can bring from the sideboard... I find myself sitting there, wishing I had put 4 copies of Anguished Unmaking in my sideboard. The 3 life paid stinks, but looking at a Leyline of Sanctity for 10 turns stinks even more... I end the game with about 7 bolts in my hand, and her at like 4 life. Anguished Unmaking could have won that game for me, and moving forward, I do imagine that will be a prominent piece for my Mardu Burn sideboard.
I was in a bad lock fighting Lantern Control with Lantern of Insight and Ghoulcaller's Bell basically grinding away my whole library. I have a Bump In the Night ground into my graveyard. He is at 2 life. He sees that he has ground the Bump (which I can cast for its 6-mana "flashback" cost from the grave). He prepares to cast some instant that will allow him to retrieve Surgical Extraction from the graveyard and recast it again; in response, I cast the Rakdos Charm in my hand (holding 2 of them thankfully), exile his graveyard, his retrieval attempt fizzles, and then I cast Bump at Flashback price to win the game...
It may have been my favorite Magic "win" of all time... I was ground out, and going to lose, but got lucky and WON, thanks to Rakdos Charm and Bump in the Night...
I run a nice little Mardu burn deck... Trying to figure out what to do with another set of Guides, if they don't trade...
Maybe some Copter-fueled Madness thing in Modern... Hmmm... Interesting.
I run a totally different version of the deck, less toolbox-y, more beat your face in with undercosted beaters, good disruption, and a nice tutor package. My version of the deck may be less "versatile" or resourceful, but I have fallen in love with my version, and feel like I have a chance in most matchups.
Having said all that, I took my version to FNM Friday night... I had a "decent" night, some good matchups, and some really Bad ones... I end up placing like 10th out of 25, but had a fun night at the shop. My favorite moment though, came while playing against a nicely assembled JUND deck. I see like 3 Bobs, 3 LOTV's, and 3 Tarmogoyf. I do the math... Those 9 cards cost like 4 times as much as my whole deck. I have a good match with him, and end up winning 2 games to 1.
It was a cool to beat a really Expensive deck. Sure, you don't need an expensive deck to play, but it's still hard to beat a well-designed, Expensive deck when you are running a deck more in the "reasonable" region of cost. I was thrilled, although Bill, my opponent was NOT. Good beats equal good times, and I had real fun squeaking by with that win.
In playtesting over the last few days, mainly with my son, I have had at least two games where I was in Top Deck mode, and needed to KILL my opponent like Post Haste. Gonti's Machinations is not very good in any sort of "post haste" arrangement.
I have gone back to the boring Skullcracks.