maybe you want to consider dark deal? i saw a guy play Abzan Soulflaye, mainly for siege rhino reach.... but he was also running waste not which was very interesting with dark deal.
Played game today went 5-1-1 and split for 1st and 2nd place.
It was a small turn out but enough to get it going.
I have the same list as magicdownunder except with 3 skullcracks and 3 stoke the flames because I felt like I needed another flexible burn spell that could hit blood baron and other 4 toughness creatures.
The reckoners and the rams were for the mirror match which i heavily anticipated (3 other burn decks in the tournament) but i never faced one.
The 1 ofs I feel are flex spots but I really like banishing and pillar.
To all the Maze's End players with experience at a decent sized tourney, how important have Negates been? I'm working up a list to start playing at my local store and possibly Star City stuff in my area, and I'm curious how important they are main board. I also kind of want to run Azorius Charms in the board somewhere, maybe over Defend the Hearth. Anywho, this is what I have at the moment
Ive been playing this deck for a good month or two now and i do like negates in my sideboard as a 2 of because in the main board id rather have dedicated things to get me the win faster (card draw, sweepers, fog effects) game 1. As for the Azorious Charm i think its a bad decision, 2 of the 3 modes are relevant and you really want to maximize your cards potential as the game progresses. Thats why fog effects are so good, one card stops several cards (creatures and sometimes direct damage) but AZ charm just one for ones.
EDIT- I would consider Essence Scatter because it stops many problem creatures (except mist cutter) and gods.
@BK44
A friend and I were also experiencing the same thing yesterday and we call it the "Durrdle" effect. We were trying to figure out if there was anything that could help allievate that problem where you have all the right parts but missing that one thing to win either Maze's End, Fog effect, or sweeper. I completely agree with you in trying diabolic tutor. Probably replacing a divination for it (2 remaining in the deck).
Played in a TCG Gold today, went 4-2 in the Swiss placing 9th. I lost a match in 3 to Mono Blue due to mill Jace and me getting stuck on 3 lands for a while. Lost a match in 2 games to MBD after mulligans and hand disruption. Gary is a house that we need to worry about. Out of the three MBD that I faced today, two of them had problems getting Gary on time, but I was living on the edge. They had plenty of time and draw to get there but got unlucky.
After today I'll be sideboarding two Slaughter Games.
AGREED!
Funny I also played in a TCG GOLD today....:);)
Anyways I went 4-1-1 Beating Dega Midrange, Esper Control, 2 G/R Monsters and losing to W/R BURN. I got into top 8 but losing to the same guy running the W/R Burn deck. WTF!? I got 7th place.
This deck was straight up fun to play. Never had this much fun playing standard in a while. Burn is a really a problem like Torrez talked about in his article.
Aetherize was amazing....totally blew out the monster decks like nothing. Its just a sick card in that match up.
Im highly considering the Saruli Gatekeepers for the burn match up and maybe Mono black.
@Coldlogik - Running Thassa was the only reason why I was running Domestication at the time, but since I dropped Thassa I didn't think i needed domestication. After last night though Im reconsidering the card for the aggro match.
I played this version of UB control last night. Went 2-3 Beating GR Monsters and White weenie but losing to 2 white weenie decks and a mono blue. I got really unlucky with my draws the games that I lost.
I have to say that Ashiok was great. Sometimes it whiffed on the mill but that was fine. Specter was also great vs aggro applying pressure form the skies and being a 2/3 for blocking. Dimir Charm was good, didn't see any sorceries but plenty of creatures and the last mode has potential in conjunction with Specter and Ashiok. Aetherling was AMAZING as always not a lot of players expected to see that card (or this build for that matter).
Ratchet Bomb seemed slow. Boros Charm was a punch in the gut in response to blowing up.
Notion Thief I never got to play. Lifebane Zombie was good against G/R Monsters and White Weenie, I really wish it had pro green and white rather than intimidate.
You can, and as far as I know you can sideboard with any of the cards you opened...
I had a guy who went to grab his side board, then said, "Actual, this is what I wanted to play" and proceeded to play the 2nd game with another deck he made with his packs. I don't think your supposed to do this but if not, watch out for stuff like this. This was my first event also.
Oh, and if the guy your playing in the last round before the top 8 start trying to tell you how this works and how where both probably not gonna make it in and this or that, tell him to stfu and play because hes trying to manipulate you.
You actually can have a side deck completely different from your first deck. Prerelease's dont enforce writing down decklists so your free to change between rounds/matches.
edit: Isn't Possibility Storm a hardlock with Curse of Exhaustion by itself? The first spell that triggers PS is cast, exiled, and they flip cards until they hit another of the same type. At that point, they have the choice to cast that spell or not, but they can't play a second. Right?
They're just gonna give their creature Trample with Kessig or Rancor and stomp the damage over to you anyway.
Agreed. If you dont see any kessig or rancor then woodlot crawler is really good. Now that i think about it if your playing those colors i would rather use temp or kill cards.
It was a small turn out but enough to get it going.
I have the same list as magicdownunder except with 3 skullcracks and 3 stoke the flames because I felt like I needed another flexible burn spell that could hit blood baron and other 4 toughness creatures.
My side board is a bit different:
4 Satyr Firedancer
2 Nyx-Fleece Ram
1 Banishing Light
1 Pillar of light
1 Wear / Tear
1 Dictate of the Twin Gods
1 Mizzium Mortars
The reckoners and the rams were for the mirror match which i heavily anticipated (3 other burn decks in the tournament) but i never faced one.
The 1 ofs I feel are flex spots but I really like banishing and pillar.
Ive been playing this deck for a good month or two now and i do like negates in my sideboard as a 2 of because in the main board id rather have dedicated things to get me the win faster (card draw, sweepers, fog effects) game 1. As for the Azorious Charm i think its a bad decision, 2 of the 3 modes are relevant and you really want to maximize your cards potential as the game progresses. Thats why fog effects are so good, one card stops several cards (creatures and sometimes direct damage) but AZ charm just one for ones.
EDIT- I would consider Essence Scatter because it stops many problem creatures (except mist cutter) and gods.
Yes I agree with you 100% D-spheres are a must. What did you replace for the 2 kioras?
A friend and I were also experiencing the same thing yesterday and we call it the "Durrdle" effect. We were trying to figure out if there was anything that could help allievate that problem where you have all the right parts but missing that one thing to win either Maze's End, Fog effect, or sweeper. I completely agree with you in trying diabolic tutor. Probably replacing a divination for it (2 remaining in the deck).
AGREED!
Funny I also played in a TCG GOLD today....:);)
Anyways I went 4-1-1 Beating Dega Midrange, Esper Control, 2 G/R Monsters and losing to W/R BURN. I got into top 8 but losing to the same guy running the W/R Burn deck. WTF!? I got 7th place.
Here is my deck list for reference...
4 Detention Sphere
4 Fog
4 Druid’s Deliverance
4 Defend the Hearth
4 Riot Control
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 AEtherize
2 Quicken
4 Supreme Verdict
1 Merciless Eviction
2 Urban Evolution
3 Divination
2 Boros Guildgate
2 Dimir Guildgate
2 Gruul Guildgate
2 Golgari Guildgate
2 Izzet Guildgate
2 Orzhov Guildgate
2 Rakdos Guildgate
2 Simic Guildgate
3 Selesnya Guildgate
1 Breeding Pool
1 Hallowed Fountain
4 Maze’s end
2 Unravel the Aether
3 Turn // Burn
2 Gainsay
1 Pithing Needle
2 Negate
1 Elixir of Immortality
This deck was straight up fun to play. Never had this much fun playing standard in a while. Burn is a really a problem like Torrez talked about in his article.
Aetherize was amazing....totally blew out the monster decks like nothing. Its just a sick card in that match up.
Im highly considering the Saruli Gatekeepers for the burn match up and maybe Mono black.
I played this version of UB control last night. Went 2-3 Beating GR Monsters and White weenie but losing to 2 white weenie decks and a mono blue. I got really unlucky with my draws the games that I lost.
Creatures (6)
4 Nightveil Specter
1 Prognostic Sphinx
1 Aetherling
Planeswalker (5)
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
3 Jace, Architect of Thought
Spells (25)
2 Ratchet Bomb
3 Syncopate
2 Dissolve
1 Essence Scatter
2 Ultimate Price
3 Hero's Downfall
2 Devour Flesh
2 Doom Blade
3 Dimir Charm
2 Divination
3 Thoughtseize
7 Island
5 Swamp
4 Mutavault
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Watery Grave
1 Pithing Needle
1 Negate
1 Doom Blade
2 Lifebane Zombie
2 Gainsay
2 Notion Thief
2 Duress
2 Tidebinder Mage
2 Dark Betrayal
I have to say that Ashiok was great. Sometimes it whiffed on the mill but that was fine. Specter was also great vs aggro applying pressure form the skies and being a 2/3 for blocking. Dimir Charm was good, didn't see any sorceries but plenty of creatures and the last mode has potential in conjunction with Specter and Ashiok. Aetherling was AMAZING as always not a lot of players expected to see that card (or this build for that matter).
Ratchet Bomb seemed slow. Boros Charm was a punch in the gut in response to blowing up.
Notion Thief I never got to play. Lifebane Zombie was good against G/R Monsters and White Weenie, I really wish it had pro green and white rather than intimidate.
Some cards I'm considering:
Blustersquall
Aetherize
Domestication
Far// Away
Shrivel
Psychic Strike - Sometimes easier to cast than Dissolve. Mills whatever they left on top from scrying last turn. It might be a little cute but testing it couldn't hurt.
Of course feedback and suggestions are always welcome.
You actually can have a side deck completely different from your first deck. Prerelease's dont enforce writing down decklists so your free to change between rounds/matches.
Third or fourth paragraph down explains it a little bit.
http://blogs.magicjudges.org/rulestips/2012/06/in-limited-events-without-decklists-you-can-change-your-deck-between-matches/
EDIT: ULTRA Snarthed! At least i attached some sorta information about it.
Yes that is correct.
Your joking right?
Agreed. If you dont see any kessig or rancor then woodlot crawler is really good. Now that i think about it if your playing those colors i would rather use temp or kill cards.
Have fun!