The one thing every deck needs though is interaction. Be it counters, removal, discard etc, interacting with your opponents is one of the reasons that make magic a great game.
Amen, brother. Removal and proper threat recognition are the ultimate keys to multiplayer game progression.
The real question is budget. Guildgates are, perforce, strictly worse than...
“List of conditionally untapped duals”...
This argument is beside the point. My original post was comparing Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds (“basic fetches”) to other ETB tapped duals (“guildgates”) in 2-color decks. We all understand there are better and more expensive options for mana-fixing, but what is your opinion on these “basic fetches?”
“I don’t use them and have no problem with them”
All of my EDH decks are multiplayer-based and geared toward allowing for the most Magic to be played as a group. I have tons of interraction cards and removal and shy away from infinites myself. I don’t play to win, so I never run infinites and try my best to use politics to get rid of the guy who is about to go off. This eventually establishes balance in the playgroup. Combos will happen but it’s nice to see it coming ahead of time. If fun is the focus, there won’t be any salty players.
I’ve looked at hundreds of 2-color EDH decks online and nearly every one of them runs Evolving Wilds and/or Terramorphic Expanse. Evolving Wilds is actually one of the top five most played cards in EDH and I just don’t understand why.
I can understand them in 3+ color decks, but not in 2-color. I played with a guy’s U/B deck once and my opening hand had an Evolving Wilds, so I had to decide on finding an Island or Swamp. It came up in a few turns that I needed the other color as well. I really wished it were just a Dimir Guildgate, Dismal Backwater, Jwar Isle Refuge, Frost Marsh, Salt Marsh, or Submerged Boneyard instead.
Since these two “basic fetches” find a basic land that enters tapped, why not just run as many guildgates as possible to fix your mana better?
Do you run these basic fetches in your 2-color decks? Why or why not?
After reading these replies, I literally just made an account because I wanted to answer the question...
First of all, people are free to play EDH however they choose. So if they play at a more competitive level with thousands of dollars invested into their perfectly tuned oppressive combo decks, so be it. The playgroup should be able to adapt and overcome.
I'm a strong believer that EDH is meant to be a casual (not competitive) format where player interaction and overall fun are most important. My goal is never to win, but rather to keep the game fun for everyone.
I learned an important leason with the first EDH deck I ever built. It was a Niv-Mizzet combo-heavy deck that would tutor up an infinite combo by turn four or five and protect it with efficient countermagic. It seemed bulletproof. But after I would win my first game with any playgroup, I was ganged up on and targetted until I died off first so that the other three players could actually have a chance to play some Magic. This wasn't fun for any of us, and I learned the importance of removal spells and in-game politics.
Now, I avoid all infinite combos and instead just play fun decks with as much interaction as possible. Whenever one player tries to steal a game, the rest of us agree that it makes sense to aim our removal at their combo pieces and attack into their open board in order to not all die at once.
So as I said before, my goal is never to win, but rather to make decisions that allow for the most fun to be had and the most Magic to be played. This method has led to many personal friendships and is healthy for introducing new players to the game.
Amen, brother. Removal and proper threat recognition are the ultimate keys to multiplayer game progression.
This argument is beside the point. My original post was comparing Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds (“basic fetches”) to other ETB tapped duals (“guildgates”) in 2-color decks. We all understand there are better and more expensive options for mana-fixing, but what is your opinion on these “basic fetches?”
All of my EDH decks are multiplayer-based and geared toward allowing for the most Magic to be played as a group. I have tons of interraction cards and removal and shy away from infinites myself. I don’t play to win, so I never run infinites and try my best to use politics to get rid of the guy who is about to go off. This eventually establishes balance in the playgroup. Combos will happen but it’s nice to see it coming ahead of time. If fun is the focus, there won’t be any salty players.
@Maximum_Intelligence: Also helps. Good point that all colors can run them. Thanks.
I can understand them in 3+ color decks, but not in 2-color. I played with a guy’s U/B deck once and my opening hand had an Evolving Wilds, so I had to decide on finding an Island or Swamp. It came up in a few turns that I needed the other color as well. I really wished it were just a Dimir Guildgate, Dismal Backwater, Jwar Isle Refuge, Frost Marsh, Salt Marsh, or Submerged Boneyard instead.
Since these two “basic fetches” find a basic land that enters tapped, why not just run as many guildgates as possible to fix your mana better?
Do you run these basic fetches in your 2-color decks? Why or why not?
First of all, people are free to play EDH however they choose. So if they play at a more competitive level with thousands of dollars invested into their perfectly tuned oppressive combo decks, so be it. The playgroup should be able to adapt and overcome.
I'm a strong believer that EDH is meant to be a casual (not competitive) format where player interaction and overall fun are most important. My goal is never to win, but rather to keep the game fun for everyone.
I learned an important leason with the first EDH deck I ever built. It was a Niv-Mizzet combo-heavy deck that would tutor up an infinite combo by turn four or five and protect it with efficient countermagic. It seemed bulletproof. But after I would win my first game with any playgroup, I was ganged up on and targetted until I died off first so that the other three players could actually have a chance to play some Magic. This wasn't fun for any of us, and I learned the importance of removal spells and in-game politics.
Now, I avoid all infinite combos and instead just play fun decks with as much interaction as possible. Whenever one player tries to steal a game, the rest of us agree that it makes sense to aim our removal at their combo pieces and attack into their open board in order to not all die at once.
So as I said before, my goal is never to win, but rather to make decisions that allow for the most fun to be had and the most Magic to be played. This method has led to many personal friendships and is healthy for introducing new players to the game.