I'm started doing this deck, I love it, what do you think about of this card of hour of devastation? - Wildfire Eternal
The biggest problem I see with this is that most (that I've seen) lists empty their hands pretty quickly, making its unblocked ability less useful as the game goes on. That said, it might still be worth testing. I currently don't have any, so I can't test it.
I've been running 3 Goblins since I first sleaved up Ponza and have tried 4, but found 3 was the perfect amount for me. But I guess your spell selection could affect how many you play too.
I'm still sceptical on Molten Rain's double red for turn two. I have tested it and it doesn't always cause a problem, I just don't want to be in a position where I can't cast it on turn two and that was what cost me the game.
I've been contemplating running a pair of Huntmaster of the Fells, but not sure if I should. Playing them would mean ordering them online._.
Hey Vampire, I've actually been meaning to ask for your thoughts on GDD regarding my particular build. I played around with them a while ago when I first got into the deck, but they didn't stay for too long. I'm always tweaking my decklist and lately I've been running the standard ponza shell + lightning bolt, Mizzium Mortars / Firespout, Molten Rain, etc. I'm also running some other unconventional tech, but these are just the cards I'm running that'd be relevant to GDD. I've been playing with Eidolon of the Great Revel, but after recently upping the number of Moltens/Bolts I'm playing, I've thought about swapping out 3x Eidolons for 3x GDD since the additions made Eidolon less one-sided. I see you're running three GDD, so that answers the first question I had. I'm also curious how many instants/sorceries w/ cmc </= 3 you run in that build? Thanks!
To add to what I said about the spell selection, the quantity will also affect the number of Goblin Dark-Dwellers you run. My list is surprisingly light on legal mainboard targets (4 Stone Rain, 2 Beast Within, and 4 Mizzium Mortars) and there have been a few times where I held back playing it a turn just to get a target into my graveyard, but I'm not disappointed in playing 3 copies. Despite pointing it out, and maybe because it's one small word on the card, most people forget that the Goblin has Menace, making it a decent threat.
The Goblin's inclusion has affected my sideboard some. I currently have 3 Anger of the Gods and 2 Destructive Revelry in the board. I like how the Goblin survives an Anger and because of its flashback effect, the more versatile Revelry has replaced Ancient Grudge.
Speaking of the board, anyone tried Manglehorn? Affinity relies a bit on mana rocks to play their stuff quickly / gain access to specific colours (Springleaf Drum, Mox Opal), but unless it's a turn two play, it may be too slow for Affinity's speed?
Round 1: 4-0 v Bye
-Game 1: This was a tough one, but in the end I choose spicy broccoli from the place next door.
-Game 2: The food was good, easy win.
-Game 3: For a drink I just had my water bottle, +1 win for health.
-Game 4: Watched some other games and checked out the meta. Metagaming=win.
Round 2: 2-0 v UW Control
-Game 1: He never untapped with a land
-Game 2: Blood Moon pulled the weight here and I won off Thrun and Stormbreath while he apparently had 3 Path in his hand.
Round 4: 2-1 v NehiriBWR
-Game 1: Solid and typical win off LD and Stormbreath
-Game 2: IOQ my Stone Rain and then Surgical Extraction He follows up with a LOV and locks me out of creatures.
-Game 3: We both hit topdeck but my Chandra pulls me more steam.
1st time trying Courser of Kruphix and I didn't like him when I saw him.
LOVED Goblin Dark-Dwellers I feel like I want more than 2. Maybe next week I will try 3-4 GDDand up the targets for him.
Molten Rain Overperformed. 2 different games my clock was a whole turn faster because of that 2 damage. Never had trouble casting it. I think I'll take it to 2 next week.
I personally like the fact that Mizzium Mortars hits for 4 instead of Boat's 3 and it can be turned into a one sided sweeper that doesn't rely on targeting the opponent like Bonfire of the Damned. I realise I'm losing the 3 to the face, but that often gets covered by the evasion of Goblin Dark-Dwellers and Stormbreath Dragon.
I've been running 3 Goblins since I first sleaved up Ponza and have tried 4, but found 3 was the perfect amount for me. But I guess your spell selection could affect how many you play too.
I'm still sceptical on Molten Rain's double red for turn two. I have tested it and it doesn't always cause a problem, I just don't want to be in a position where I can't cast it on turn two and that was what cost me the game.
I've been contemplating running a pair of Huntmaster of the Fells, but not sure if I should. Playing them would mean ordering them online._.
It's surprising how often opponents forget that Goblin Dark-Dwellers has Menace as they seem to only care about the wall of text that lets you recast most of your Instants and Sorceries. I also like how it survives flashing back Anger of the Gods.
I personally don't see a problem with relying more on Stormbreath Dragon than Inferno Titan. I'm actually thinking of trying a dragon heavy build myself, especially after these results.
So, has anyone tried Deus of Calamity? It begs to be blocked just to avoid the "free" land destruction. I realise it's vulnerable to removal, but everything is vulnerable to some form of removal.
"Q: How would Trinisphere interact with something like a Blazing Shoal? --Travis B.
A: Trinisphere is strange in that it looks at what the player is actually going to spend. If you Blazing Shoal by paying mana, and X is 1 or more, Trinisphere doesn't notice. If you pitch a card to pay for Blazing Shoal's cost, you haven't paid any mana, so Trinisphere will make you spend . Let's say you pitch a card to pay the mana cost and also splice on Glacial Ray. When Trinisphere takes a look, it sees you actually spending , so it'll tack on an extra to make you spend three."
Awesome. Definitely need to get those Trini's now.
1. I think its clear you don't want to go hellbent in modern Hazoret can't be better than the green god. Just my opinion...
2. Trinisphere doesn't add 3 to Shoal. What Dubarrini said is 100% wrong. X spells don't react the same way as force or suspend cards. Just look at the way the card is written. Force cost 3 because no mana is being paid, Living end cost 3 because no mana is being paid. Shoal is 2 + x where x is the additional mana being paid in the cost of the spell. Trinisphere says wow you paid 10 for that spell good job...
I'm actually thinking of working in two Rhonas mainboard.
I delved into the rules after asking (my head hurts from all the reading) and the Shoal having X and the alternative cost affecting X does get around Trini.
I also decided to drop Bonfire of the Damned completely. It's a nightmare when you have it in your opening hand, drawing it means you have to commit and drawing it without the intend of playing it feels horrible aswell. It's just so situational and I think I can do better with a smiliar effect.
So, question that I ask myself now is, Mizzium Mortars or Sweltering Suns? I playtested with Mortars so far and I like it.
I have yet to test Sweltering Suns, but I think you want the one sidedness of Mizzium Mortars. It's the same reason we have Anger of the Gods sideboard and not mainboard (it kills the bird and elf). I've had some success with Mortars, but that could be related to my 3 mainboard Goblin Dark-Dwellers.
I tested Hazoret the Fervent and Rhonas the Indomitable at an FNM last week. Hazoret was not good. I often had way too many cards in hand or ended up using my cards in hand in sub optimal ways just to be able to attack / block. Rhonas on the other hand is awesome as most of our other creatures keep it online and it supplies trample for the few times we need it.
Had a matchup on Friday where I think a turn two Trinisphere would have helped some: Grishoalbrand. I think that over and above Blood Moon hindering the land base, making cards like Goryo's Vengeance, Desperate Ritual, and Manamorphose cost 3 will hinder the deck a lot. Not to mention the affect on the cantrips and looting cards.
I'd also like to get confirmation on the interaction between Trini and Nourishing Shoal using its alternative cost. The way I understand it is its cmc on the stack will be 13 (11 from exiling Worldspine Wurm + 2 because of the 2 green in its normal cmc) or 10 (8 from Borborygmos Enraged + 2); so Trini doesn't affect it.
How good is Chandra flamecaller in the list? I feel like the 6 mana is a bit much for two 3/1s -- though the hand ditch/card draw seems sweet? I've curved my list to less 6 drops ingerneral for multiple plays per turn and just wondering if Chandra torch of defiance is all we need?
When I originally put Ponza together, I wanted 4 Titans, but due to time restrictions I couldn't get a 4th in time, so I subbed the 4th with a Chandra, Flamecaller. From my experience, the constant 6 power attacking and the sweep from her [-X] is actually very good. I almost never used the hand cycling ability. It just depends on how many 6 drops you want.
(what are the reason not running 1-2 copy of Choke those days? It is so good vs blue control decks)
If you feel your meta is heavy enough on basic Islands to warrant inclusion of Choke, go ahead and include a few in your sideboard. Just remember Blood Moon removes "Island" from nonbasic Islands, and cuts them off their blue all together, and makes Choke less useful the more nonbasic there are.
But what REALLY annoyed me here was the player behind the deck, I couldn't focus, because she danced between her phases, kept forgetting triggers. It all ended in me trying to resolve a Mwonvuli Acid-Moss on her untapped Island. She said okay and I took me deck to search for the forest. While I happily searched through it she said "Wait, my Vial is on 1, I vial in Cursecatcher and counter it.". I said "Uhm, no? Spell has already resolved, Atlantis has sunk, you can't ask some fishpeople now to pull it back up", which she replied with "You didn't give me time to think properly". My answer "Well, saying "okay" is enough for me" made her really mad.
The rest of the game also played like this, wasn't fun at all.
Letting you start searching means she already let your spell resolve, and thus must live with the consequences. If she insists that you let it go back, just let her call a judge to resolve the problem.
Hard luck on the rest of the matches. Hope that doesn't happen to me this week. I'm thinking of loaning a few Courser to try out in addition to testing my two Hazoret.
Heaven // Earth is definitely not good for us. I've stated my dislike for Bonfire of the Damned a number of times, but the one sidedness of it and Mizzium Mortars makes them much better than most other sweepers. The exception being Anger of the Gods in the sideboard. When we need Anger, we NEED Anger. The exile clause is just too useful for when we need it.
I really like Mizzium in Bonfire's spot as it gives me the option to not waist mana to nuke only one creature and it a viable target for Goblin Dark-Dwellers. The 3 red for the Overload has complicated it in some games, but not often enough to deter me from using it.
Overall the deck performed poorly, I didn't like Trini maindeck because on the draw (50% of the time) it's not the card I would to see.
Hazoret is very very strong, impossible to put out by non-white decks in current meta.
Sheltered thicket and Cinder Glade are not for this deck, because we can't afford a land miss (which ETB is) until 6 mana.
I'm not saying any of you do, but I sometimes feel that people think this is deck is easy to pilot. While it may seem like the choices are easy, they really aren't. You need to know what colour to destroy, when to play the Moon, what land to fetch, what threat to drop, and when to do all that. Each deck we play against changes the what and when, so we need to not only know our own deck, but the archetype the opponent is playing and plan our plays accordingly.
While I like Trinisphere, I like it exclusively as a sideboard option.
I'm not a fan of any land that doesn't have the option to enter untapped, like Sheltered Thicket. I'm also not a fan of dealing myself too much damage with the fetches and shocks. This is why I only run 3 duals (2 Stomping Ground and 1 Cinder Glade), with 8 fetches (can't skimp on these), 1 Mountain (mostly for Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter), and 9 Forests. Admittedly, I rely heavily on Blood Moon and Utopia Sprawl for the red mana, but the opponent doesn't need to know that
To add to what I said about the spell selection, the quantity will also affect the number of Goblin Dark-Dwellers you run. My list is surprisingly light on legal mainboard targets (4 Stone Rain, 2 Beast Within, and 4 Mizzium Mortars) and there have been a few times where I held back playing it a turn just to get a target into my graveyard, but I'm not disappointed in playing 3 copies. Despite pointing it out, and maybe because it's one small word on the card, most people forget that the Goblin has Menace, making it a decent threat.
The Goblin's inclusion has affected my sideboard some. I currently have 3 Anger of the Gods and 2 Destructive Revelry in the board. I like how the Goblin survives an Anger and because of its flashback effect, the more versatile Revelry has replaced Ancient Grudge.
Speaking of the board, anyone tried Manglehorn? Affinity relies a bit on mana rocks to play their stuff quickly / gain access to specific colours (Springleaf Drum, Mox Opal), but unless it's a turn two play, it may be too slow for Affinity's speed?
I've been running 3 Goblins since I first sleaved up Ponza and have tried 4, but found 3 was the perfect amount for me. But I guess your spell selection could affect how many you play too.
I'm still sceptical on Molten Rain's double red for turn two. I have tested it and it doesn't always cause a problem, I just don't want to be in a position where I can't cast it on turn two and that was what cost me the game.
I've been contemplating running a pair of Huntmaster of the Fells, but not sure if I should. Playing them would mean ordering them online._.
I personally don't see a problem with relying more on Stormbreath Dragon than Inferno Titan. I'm actually thinking of trying a dragon heavy build myself, especially after these results.
If Solemnity + Phyrexian Unlife becomes a thing, instead of a fringe deck, I think Primeval Light might be worth considering as we don't really want to lose our Blood Moons and Utopia Sprawls to stuff like Fracturing Gust and Back to Nature.
I delved into the rules after asking (my head hurts from all the reading) and the Shoal having X and the alternative cost affecting X does get around Trini.
I have yet to test Sweltering Suns, but I think you want the one sidedness of Mizzium Mortars. It's the same reason we have Anger of the Gods sideboard and not mainboard (it kills the bird and elf). I've had some success with Mortars, but that could be related to my 3 mainboard Goblin Dark-Dwellers.
I've been testing Destructive Revelry in place of Ancient Grudge in my sideboard as I have 3 Goblin Dark-Dwellers mainboard. So far it's been a good "upgrade".
Had a matchup on Friday where I think a turn two Trinisphere would have helped some: Grishoalbrand. I think that over and above Blood Moon hindering the land base, making cards like Goryo's Vengeance, Desperate Ritual, and Manamorphose cost 3 will hinder the deck a lot. Not to mention the affect on the cantrips and looting cards.
I'd also like to get confirmation on the interaction between Trini and Nourishing Shoal using its alternative cost. The way I understand it is its cmc on the stack will be 13 (11 from exiling Worldspine Wurm + 2 because of the 2 green in its normal cmc) or 10 (8 from Borborygmos Enraged + 2); so Trini doesn't affect it.
All hail the greatness that is Ponza!
If you feel your meta is heavy enough on basic Islands to warrant inclusion of Choke, go ahead and include a few in your sideboard. Just remember Blood Moon removes "Island" from nonbasic Islands, and cuts them off their blue all together, and makes Choke less useful the more nonbasic there are.
Hard luck on the rest of the matches. Hope that doesn't happen to me this week. I'm thinking of loaning a few Courser to try out in addition to testing my two Hazoret.
I really like Mizzium in Bonfire's spot as it gives me the option to not waist mana to nuke only one creature and it a viable target for Goblin Dark-Dwellers. The 3 red for the Overload has complicated it in some games, but not often enough to deter me from using it.
While I like Trinisphere, I like it exclusively as a sideboard option.
I'm not a fan of any land that doesn't have the option to enter untapped, like Sheltered Thicket. I'm also not a fan of dealing myself too much damage with the fetches and shocks. This is why I only run 3 duals (2 Stomping Ground and 1 Cinder Glade), with 8 fetches (can't skimp on these), 1 Mountain (mostly for Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter), and 9 Forests. Admittedly, I rely heavily on Blood Moon and Utopia Sprawl for the red mana, but the opponent doesn't need to know that
I can see it helping against Hatebears as it kills Blade Splicer, Flickerwisp,Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Burrenton Forge-Tender, Brimaz, King of Oreskos's tokens, and Aven Mindcensor.
Against Martyr Life it kills Martyr of Sands, Serra Ascendant (before it gets big), and Squadron Hawk.
Hatebears is especially troublesome as they can use Aether Vial to get around our land control.
What's your thoughts on this?