Tried Angel-Spike without redcap yesterday, in general feels okay. I think we can delve into more detailed analysis on the impact of specific matchups.
Cutting redcap would affect Affinity and Infect matchups the most, where the shock is good. Especially for the case of Affinity, infinite bolster/infinite large creatures may not always be a win if they got enough (flying) blockers. Angel being one mana more also be slow in combo matchups.
We have to note, the loss of Anafenza-Melira-Redcap infinite bolster combo do comes up. I roughly estimate it to be relevant every 5 matches or so. How would you value Angel-Spike or Seer-Finks-Angel? How about just Scooze-Angel, or Spike-Finks.
Also look at the nature of sideboard hate. Seer-Melira-Finks is fine against Relic/Nihil Spellbomb, not against Cage. Depending on meta, the two options are very very close.
Grixis control can hardly beat our eternal witness loops. They need multiple counterspells for that, which frees up our Collected Company and Kitchen Finks.
How come most people play 4x Bird and 3x Noble? I've literally never lacked black mana for Viscera or Murder and the exalted on Noble is often very relevant. Am I missing something?
Flying. Gavony Township gums up the ground and swing in the air.
I guess turn 2 Tidehollow Sculler/Orzhov Pontiff are also relevant.
I seem to be struggling what to take OUT against Kiki Chord when sideboarding. I want to board in cards like 3 Path, Linvala, Mindcensor and Pontiff. Should I take out some of the combo pieces like Melira or Seer?
Board out Melira in any matchup that isn't infect. Seer is fine.
I'd cut some Kitchen Finks and manadorks too.
Against jund, cut your irrelevant creatures (mana dorks and melira) and board in value. It's hard to combo off but you can out-grind them with Finks, Witness and Collected Company card advantage.
I still like Viscera Seer though, it gives you a scry off every removal they play.
Old chord decks run less chord because it is so bad against remands, and Abrupt Decay was in the main.
That was old stuff in Splinter Twin era.
-
A Japanese player in GP Melbourne told me to board in Sin Collector on the play in the mirror (11th Place). I'm pretty sure Matt Rogers board that in also (PTOGW 9-1, GP Melb top 32).
I am dissapointed by this thread's quality. It's a pity because there are so many interesting people in here.
Please get over it and pull it together. Let's talk about the game and the deck more.
So, I am trying to remove the basic Swamp in order to play a 3rd Razorverge thicket. I think it's worth it. What do you guys think? This is my mana base.
(Note that my local meta is thriving on Blood Moons and has some Burn as well hence the 3rd Forest and this tryout-although I think you rarely want to open a starting Seven with a Swamp in it.)
Why are you disappointed? I can see how people are phrasing their language poorly, but we are providing both sides of the arguments here in case somebody misses them.
There are some confusions going on here.
1. Abrupt Decay is not narrow. In fact, it is the most versatile answer to hate cards. Reclamation Sage and Qasali Pridemage are much narrower (and you still board them in 100% of the time). You can always board in 2x Decay against any matchup if you have them, as you always have targets. Even UW Eldrazi has Endless One and Eldrazi Displacer.
2. This deck, most of the time, is not a combo deck post sideboard. You should see that when we are boarding out combo pieces. It is much harder to combo off when your opponent is getting more removals AND powerful graveyard hate. The primary game plan is to slow down your opponents by threatening the combo, and apply pressure with beatdown at the same time. There's where the sideboard creatures like Sin Collector shine. There is also Collected Company, you have to maintain creature count for that.
Thoughtseize is better when your combo plan is slower than your opponents' goldfish (e.g. Grishoalbrand, Infect), or infinite life doesn't win you the game (Infect again, Tron).
3. Take each others' comments as suggestions. Add "IMO" in front of every sentence in any forums/subs.
Decay is more versatile. It can kill hatecards but also do other things. Sage gives +CA, and is a better hit off Collected Company. Mage can kill Torpor Orb which Sage cannot.
As long as you get 3~4 mana sources you should be fine. You can keep extra lands in your hand. Our deck is also pretty good at topdecks as we have quite a lot of high impact cards.
How many Gavony Township and Horizon Canopy are you playing?
Cutting redcap would affect Affinity and Infect matchups the most, where the shock is good. Especially for the case of Affinity, infinite bolster/infinite large creatures may not always be a win if they got enough (flying) blockers. Angel being one mana more also be slow in combo matchups.
We have to note, the loss of Anafenza-Melira-Redcap infinite bolster combo do comes up. I roughly estimate it to be relevant every 5 matches or so. How would you value Angel-Spike or Seer-Finks-Angel? How about just Scooze-Angel, or Spike-Finks.
Also look at the nature of sideboard hate. Seer-Melira-Finks is fine against Relic/Nihil Spellbomb, not against Cage. Depending on meta, the two options are very very close.
Flying. Gavony Township gums up the ground and swing in the air.
I guess turn 2 Tidehollow Sculler/Orzhov Pontiff are also relevant.
Board out Melira in any matchup that isn't infect. Seer is fine.
I'd cut some Kitchen Finks and manadorks too.
I still like Viscera Seer though, it gives you a scry off every removal they play.
That was old stuff in Splinter Twin era.
-
A Japanese player in GP Melbourne told me to board in Sin Collector on the play in the mirror (11th Place). I'm pretty sure Matt Rogers board that in also (PTOGW 9-1, GP Melb top 32).
You can always draw your whole deck and find Echoing Truth for whatever hate cards they have. Hate should target the setup, not the wincon.
Why are you disappointed? I can see how people are phrasing their language poorly, but we are providing both sides of the arguments here in case somebody misses them.
Any reason to not play Horizon Canopy?
1. Abrupt Decay is not narrow. In fact, it is the most versatile answer to hate cards. Reclamation Sage and Qasali Pridemage are much narrower (and you still board them in 100% of the time). You can always board in 2x Decay against any matchup if you have them, as you always have targets. Even UW Eldrazi has Endless One and Eldrazi Displacer.
Apart from Laboratory Maniac, it also hits Phyrexian Unlife and Pentad Prism (and to some degree Lotus Bloom). Hitting Lab Maniac is also important as that can beat infinite life.
2. This deck, most of the time, is not a combo deck post sideboard. You should see that when we are boarding out combo pieces. It is much harder to combo off when your opponent is getting more removals AND powerful graveyard hate. The primary game plan is to slow down your opponents by threatening the combo, and apply pressure with beatdown at the same time. There's where the sideboard creatures like Sin Collector shine. There is also Collected Company, you have to maintain creature count for that.
Thoughtseize is better when your combo plan is slower than your opponents' goldfish (e.g. Grishoalbrand, Infect), or infinite life doesn't win you the game (Infect again, Tron).
3. Take each others' comments as suggestions. Add "IMO" in front of every sentence in any forums/subs.
How many Gavony Township and Horizon Canopy are you playing?