Went 4-1-0 tonight for some practice games with the aforementioned list. Tried Damping Spheres instead of Molten Rains and Ghost Quarter instead of Blood Moon. Though i've never had to side them in.
Amongst the wins where: Bant Eldrazi (didn't know after game one since he drew very bad so i didn't board in spheres), Boros Prison, UB-Mill, and Jund. I drew against Death&Taxes/MonoW Legends due to time. Won Game one though.
Deck felt pretty good and have been able to either out-aggro of out-grind my opponent. BBE into Rallier into goyf/voice/anything really, is still pretty sick and happens more often than you might think as long as you stay prepared for it. Always keep a fetch/seal/other sac outlet up to respond on the trigger and you're good to go. 1vs1 decks just can't keep up.
Honarable mention, Fiery Justice was a blowout against the D&T player.
Fellow zookeepers, I'm seriously considering my Big Zoo list for the next FNM.
Amongst my other, also very competitive decks, this is the deck i enjoy playing the most. Due to it's nature, it's very well positioned against Jund and other 1for1 non-exile-removal heavy decks, of which i'm certain i will encounter a few in an otherwise unknown meta.
I'd like to hear what you think of the (sideboard) choices and if you see any obvious flaws.
I'm still in doubt wheter the 3rd Path to Exile is preferable over a copy of Lightning Helix for H1 and other recursive threats.
I also might sacrifice one sideboard slot to take an extra Ghost Quarter or similar effect in case Tron or something ramp-y pops up.
I'm with you on this. I also think Thalia is a gem and i want her on the battlefield every game. Only in the mirror the tax effect is worthless, everywhere else she's good, whereas Meddling Mage is a strategy hoser agains some and sometimes a gamble against others.
Together with Kitesail Freebooter i'd rather have a follow up mage though.
What i know for certain is that the meta has adapted its plan for dealing with humans, in that is has spread the removal over more cards. you don't see 4 fatal push as a staple removal spell in every black deck anymore. Even Jeskai has gone up and wider in removal in favor of countermagic.
Against decks like that, on the play: T1 Vial, T2 Thalia + hiararch, T3 Freebooter + mage + image is the dream (and probably magical Christmas land but lights out if you hit it) with the opponent only able to remove one human and you can just lock out the rest of the spells.
Does anyone else feel this set has more staples/replrints and potentially mmodern playable cards than any other set in the last two years, including two out of three of the masters sets?
The set is shaping up to be far more interesting than i originally had anticipated.
No games with it yet, but your comment on being able to copy it with image and then get something new is just great when image is otherwise rotting in your hand. The immediate value and the dig for your answer is great. Cards like Kataki come to mind, which are arguably better when dropped down a little later in the game.
Love the fact you took jeskai as your foe of choise, the deck has all the tools to battle Humans. And let's be honest, all humans die to all of their removal, so wearing them out truely is a remakable feat.
I hope i'm in the right subforum here Let's talk removal for a second.
Top decks in pro level competitive play have gone down in copies of Vraska's Contempt as the threats have moved away from Gods and all that.
Though on FNM level play with no knowledge of what to expect in terms of meta, would people still prefer Vraska's Contempt over any other destroy target creature/planeswalker effect? If so, why?
At the moment, i'm trying to descide if an extra copy of Vraska's Contempt main is worth it over damage based removal spell. 3/3 in favour of 4/2.
Edit: FWIW, i'm a brewer and i have a fairly competitive brew, though i dont play standard on FNM level at all.
I have a question to you all, where would the SFM package slot into the deck?
I guess the deck needs some serious reworking. I mean, it is 5 cards main at least, and a few side board cards to really profit from it.
Last week I've been playng some more serious matches with Sultai. Amongst them where BR Hollow One, Jund and Mardu Pyromancer. The deck feels strong and has game vs most. Like said before, some tech v.s. go wide strategies might be usefull.
And there, out of nowhere, a dark horse emerges. This reasonably costed, traversable creature will hose mardu's and spirit tokens.
So far the new core set is shaping up to be good for my decks.
Amongst the wins where: Bant Eldrazi (didn't know after game one since he drew very bad so i didn't board in spheres), Boros Prison, UB-Mill, and Jund. I drew against Death&Taxes/MonoW Legends due to time. Won Game one though.
Deck felt pretty good and have been able to either out-aggro of out-grind my opponent. BBE into Rallier into goyf/voice/anything really, is still pretty sick and happens more often than you might think as long as you stay prepared for it. Always keep a fetch/seal/other sac outlet up to respond on the trigger and you're good to go. 1vs1 decks just can't keep up.
Honarable mention, Fiery Justice was a blowout against the D&T player.
Amongst my other, also very competitive decks, this is the deck i enjoy playing the most. Due to it's nature, it's very well positioned against Jund and other 1for1 non-exile-removal heavy decks, of which i'm certain i will encounter a few in an otherwise unknown meta.
I'd like to hear what you think of the (sideboard) choices and if you see any obvious flaws.
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Arid Mesa
2 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Forest
1 Plains
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Treetop Village
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Voice of Resurgence
1 Qasali Pridemage
4 Renegade Rallier
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Bloodbraid Elf
Spells (12)
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Seal of Fire
3 Lightning Helix
2 Path to Exile
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Stony Silence
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Selfless Spirit
2 Gaddock Teeg
2 Kitchen Finks
2 Molten Rain
1 Blood Moon
1 Fiery Justice
I'm still in doubt wheter the 3rd Path to Exile is preferable over a copy of Lightning Helix for H1 and other recursive threats.
I also might sacrifice one sideboard slot to take an extra Ghost Quarter or similar effect in case Tron or something ramp-y pops up.
What do you think.
Together with Kitesail Freebooter i'd rather have a follow up mage though.
What i know for certain is that the meta has adapted its plan for dealing with humans, in that is has spread the removal over more cards. you don't see 4 fatal push as a staple removal spell in every black deck anymore. Even Jeskai has gone up and wider in removal in favor of countermagic.
Against decks like that, on the play: T1 Vial, T2 Thalia + hiararch, T3 Freebooter + mage + image is the dream (and probably magical Christmas land but lights out if you hit it) with the opponent only able to remove one human and you can just lock out the rest of the spells.
This.
Lord of Atlantis should get it's modern frame reprint. Though i doubt they will ever bring back landwalk.
The set is shaping up to be far more interesting than i originally had anticipated.
Love the fact you took jeskai as your foe of choise, the deck has all the tools to battle Humans. And let's be honest, all humans die to all of their removal, so wearing them out truely is a remakable feat.
I'll sure be trying out a copy or two.
Top decks in pro level competitive play have gone down in copies of Vraska's Contempt as the threats have moved away from Gods and all that.
Though on FNM level play with no knowledge of what to expect in terms of meta, would people still prefer Vraska's Contempt over any other destroy target creature/planeswalker effect? If so, why?
At the moment, i'm trying to descide if an extra copy of Vraska's Contempt main is worth it over damage based removal spell. 3/3 in favour of 4/2.
Edit: FWIW, i'm a brewer and i have a fairly competitive brew, though i dont play standard on FNM level at all.
I guess the deck needs some serious reworking. I mean, it is 5 cards main at least, and a few side board cards to really profit from it.
If drawing a card is your goal, Bob, Rogue Refiner and offcourse the newly spoiled Bugler are far better options.
And there, out of nowhere, a dark horse emerges. This reasonably costed, traversable creature will hose mardu's and spirit tokens.
So far the new core set is shaping up to be good for my decks.