I struggle when it comes to damage prevention and effects that trigger off of damage and the such. I hardly ever have to deal with it in game so when it came down to taking the rules advisory test I bombed out on a few questions dealing with it. I got 80% with 84% passing
I need the nitty-gritty details on the following scenarios, if it's written out for me I'll understand it for sure. Also, these were NOT the questions from the test, I made these up on my own to reflect what I need to learn. Thanks in advance.
I attack with a Wurmcoil Engine and my opponent blocks with a Steel Hellkite and activates Abuna Acolyte's ability at the end of Declare Blockers Step targeting the Hellkite. What happens in the damage step?
I control an Abuna Acolyte and a Phyrexian Negator. My opponent Lightning Bolts my Negator and in response I activate the Acolyte's ability targeting the Negator. How does all that resolve?
Thanks once again and the more detailed the answer the better!
I placed 6th at a small 22 person Legacy event held at Fables in Southington CT. My first attempt at piloting/building burn so I used urdjur's current decklist a starting point. After reading the primer, attached article, and all other pertinant information I could find on burn, I felt his list had the best choices for an unknown meta game. I tuned my SB to what I believed would best fit the meta and my playstyle.
Round 1: Dream Halls Combo (0-2)
Playing against a friend who knew I was running burn so he played his land drops smart. I start off good, however he casts a turn 3 Show and Tell dropping Dream Halls then casts Cruel Ultimatum the following turn going from 5 to 10 life. My top deck is bad so I scoop and move to game 2.
Siding in Needle was a big mistake as I thought Dream Halls read differently. I mull to 6 keeping a hand that has the needle thinking I can lock him out. But I was quickly proven wrong and paid for my mistake and he was able to combo off on turn 3.
0-1
Round 2: Premium Deck Series: Fire and Lightning(2-0)
Here's where my question a few weeks ago comes in. I knew there was going to be a good amount of burn thanks to Fire and Lightning, however I never expected to face the deck straight out of the package. Games 1 and 2 played out perfectly for me and I ended up at 2 life at the end of both.
Didn't have anything useful in the SB but figure this would be the best option. Thanks to Tzunamii for heightening my awareness of Chain Lightnings, I definitely took it into account and used it to my advantage.
1-1
Round 3: Proper Burn(2-0)
Two mirrors in a row. Unfortuneatly he was stuck on one mountain BOTH games and I draw smooth and win with little effort. I really wish there was more to report, but even with Guides on my side he was never able to find a second one of his 19 Mountains.
Round 4: White Weenie(1-2)
Keep a quick hand with a Guide and several Bolts. He missed a couple land drops but eventually landed some weenies. It was too late though as I topdecked enough burn to ignore his hoard and win.
So glad I dropped $20 on those PoPs! This game was much more difficult as he landed dudes consistantly including a turn 3 Firewalker which luckily I had an answer to thanks to a top decked R. Bomb. Sadly though it wasn't enough as my top decks failed me and he drops a Crusade and swings in for the win.
Game 3 was much more brutal. I make the mistake of keeping a 1 land hand and I can't keep up as I started to find myself wasting burn on his creatures just in the hopes of staying alive. It didn't work
2-2
Round 5: MBC(2-1)
This turned out to be an easy match up for me. Game 1 I landed a couple guides and Marauders and he ends up having to chump with his Nantuko Shades in order to keep up with the burn I throw at him. At 2 life he taps a Wasteland for Mana to cast something and I respond to his spell by casting the PoP I've been holding since turn 2.
At least PoP paid off once. I mull to 6 and keep a 2 lander with a Rift Bolt, Lightning Bolt, Goblin Guide and Shard Volley. My next two top decks are Mountains and with the L. Bolt, Shard Volley and a Mountain in hand he resolves a Hymn to Tourach and pulls both bolt effects. I end up flooding and he beats me easily with a shade with 2 points of life to spare
Game 3 I had out 3 Goblin Guides on turn 3 and a full hand of burn to help the boys finish the job.
3-2
There were a lot of players that went 3-2 luckily Dream Halls went on to finish 2nd and WW ended up 3rd so my tie breakers were good enough to land me in the upper part of the 3-2 players.
-------------------------------------
I think I'm going to cut down on the Shard Volleys as I never liked seeing more than 1. I'd rather have the power of multiple Fireblasts as I've been often stalling out on mountains when my opponent dips below 10 life.
Also, I gotta move the PoPs SB for this meta as I only faced one multi-color deck all day. Don't know what to put in their stead, Hellspark maybe?
What about the mirror match? Is there anything that can be sideboarded or is it just a slug fest and whoever wins the die roll will win the match (providing average topdecks for both players)? I have a Legacy event coming up and I'm anticipating a moderate number of Burn decks thanks to F&L Deck Series being released so I would like to be prepared for that match-up.
How can land thinning be disproved.....? Who disproved it and how did they do it...? Also, what the heck are they smoking........?
To me it's a simplistic mathematic calculation that says when you draw 2 lands from your deck per turn, via a fetch, chances are you will be drawing less land off the top.......? Or am I going nuts here....? Seems like both math and logic have taken a serious knock here.....
I do agree with you on the Moxen, but again I disagree on Koth.
I have won many games by turning my mountains into pingers.
Thats just me, but hey, maybe I am nuts....
It was disproved back when the Onslaught fetches came out:
And monk is exactly right. You'd need to crack roughly 7 fetches to get close to a 1% less chance to draw land and that's 7 life lost. Doesn't seem worth it to me.
Obviously I'm not referring to current standard decks when I referenced the above archetypes. Apparently you haven't been playing Magic long if you don't recognize the significance of those decks. What I'm trying to get at is aggro isn't limited to Green and suggesting that it is is wrong.
I'm sorry, your point on Mana Leak, Gideon, and DoJ got lost in translation.
only need or gideom Day Of Judgement, and you lose.
lucky
Only if you over-extend and play out your entire hand. You should always keep a dude or two in hand if you're expecting a wrath effect.
I also don't understand you're reasoning that a creature heavy deck is limited to Green only... Fairies, Merfolk, Goblins, White Weenie all are creature heavy and reliant on creatures and none are green.
This is the build I'm currently running. I don't know how I feel about the 3 spikeshots but they've been good late game and even if you don't get to use his ability, it's still a 1/1 threat for 1. Any thoughts or suggestions?
You are sacrificing consistency for flare. Some cards you really don't need:
Koth: Turbo Gobs should never ever have a 4 drop! Koth brings nothing to our game.
Moxen: You are sacrificing land slots to run two questionable mana sources that more than likely will end up a Rebirth target.
Fetchlands: No Adv. Gear and no Geopede means you have ZERO use for them and 'land thinning' is a disproved theory.
I wouldn't run less than 20 lands: 18 Mountains 2 Peeks. I do suggest 21 lands as I found it to be the right number to ensure 1 in hand and a second with in the next couple of turns at worse. Which brings me to Dev. Summons, I've never found it useful in testing. I would either win with a landslide of Gobs or I would be so S.O.L that even a Summons with Bushwhacker kicked wouldn't turn the game around. If you feel like you should keep in the Dev. Summons then run no less than 22 lands.
I wouldn't recommend running a 'mixed bag' of Equipments. The likelihood of pulling what you need is very slim. I would stick to Machetes and/or Collars in the MD as they work best with Spikeshot (he's going to end up equipped more than the others). Mass falls in the same stigma as Dev. Summons only in the sense that the average Mass is going to be 2 or 3 and it will more than likely be a Rebirth target again.
I wouldn't.... Vs. Control I like to keep my threat density high and I rarely side out a creature for a sideboard card. If they have a counter in hand, they will counter something, no sense in siding out a card on that basis.
Not to mention, if you do stick a Chieftain you will probably win.
I run 3 Spikeshot Elders in my build with 2 Machete to pump 'em. A 1/1 one drop is not bad in a deck with 4 Bushwhackers and 4 Chieftains, and if the game does go past the 5th turn then Spikeshot is what's going to turn the board around in your favor.
Not to mention his ability is the perfect use for spare mana and he tends to be a high priority target so he'll draw out the opponents targeted removal as well.
If you have that card and metalcraft, Grasp of Darkness doesn't kill it. Ridiculously overpowered. Triple anthem for 2 types of creatures on a 4/4 for WW? Nice card. Can you even imagine multiples?
You're right... It needs an 'Instead' clause or drop the +2/+2 to +1/+1 on the Metalcraft ability... Totally over looked that.
All for WW, right. You realize how strong that is?
Maybe just a little, but not really. A.) It's on a creature, the easiest thing to deal with in the game and B.) its WW + 3 other cards to make it really strong.
I doubt I'm even close especially since Tempered Steel and True Conviction are in SoM and this would pretty much wash them out.
WW
Creature-Knight
All other White and Artifact creatures you control get +1/+1 Metalcraft ~ All White and Artifact creatures you control get +2/+2, first strike, and lifelink. "Let us unite! For this very well may be the last day we draw breath..."
2/2
I need the nitty-gritty details on the following scenarios, if it's written out for me I'll understand it for sure. Also, these were NOT the questions from the test, I made these up on my own to reflect what I need to learn. Thanks in advance.
I attack with a Wurmcoil Engine and my opponent blocks with a Tel-Jilad Fallen. What happens in the damage step?
I attack with a Wurmcoil Engine and my opponent blocks with a Steel Hellkite and activates Abuna Acolyte's ability at the end of Declare Blockers Step targeting the Hellkite. What happens in the damage step?
I control an Abuna Acolyte and a Phyrexian Negator. My opponent Lightning Bolts my Negator and in response I activate the Acolyte's ability targeting the Negator. How does all that resolve?
Thanks once again and the more detailed the answer the better!
4 Goblin Guide
3 Keldon Marauders
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike
2 Volcanic Fallout
2 Sulfuric Vortex
4 Shard Volley
3 Fireblast
3 Price of Progress
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Pithing Needle
4 Red Elemental Blast
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Smash to Smithereens
1 Sulfuric Vortex
1 Null Rod
1 Volcanic Fallout
Round 1: Dream Halls Combo (0-2)
Playing against a friend who knew I was running burn so he played his land drops smart. I start off good, however he casts a turn 3 Show and Tell dropping Dream Halls then casts Cruel Ultimatum the following turn going from 5 to 10 life. My top deck is bad so I scoop and move to game 2.
Out: 3 PoP 3 Marauders In: 4 REB 2 Pithing Needle
Siding in Needle was a big mistake as I thought Dream Halls read differently. I mull to 6 keeping a hand that has the needle thinking I can lock him out. But I was quickly proven wrong and paid for my mistake and he was able to combo off on turn 3.
0-1
Round 2: Premium Deck Series: Fire and Lightning(2-0)
Here's where my question a few weeks ago comes in. I knew there was going to be a good amount of burn thanks to Fire and Lightning, however I never expected to face the deck straight out of the package. Games 1 and 2 played out perfectly for me and I ended up at 2 life at the end of both.
Out: 3 PoP In: 2 R. Bomb 1 Volcanic Fallout
Didn't have anything useful in the SB but figure this would be the best option. Thanks to Tzunamii for heightening my awareness of Chain Lightnings, I definitely took it into account and used it to my advantage.
1-1
Round 3: Proper Burn(2-0)
Two mirrors in a row. Unfortuneatly he was stuck on one mountain BOTH games and I draw smooth and win with little effort. I really wish there was more to report, but even with Guides on my side he was never able to find a second one of his 19 Mountains.
Out: 3 PoP In: 2 R. Bomb 1 Volcanic Fallout
For same reasons as above.
2-1
Round 4: White Weenie(1-2)
Keep a quick hand with a Guide and several Bolts. He missed a couple land drops but eventually landed some weenies. It was too late though as I topdecked enough burn to ignore his hoard and win.
Out: 3 PoP In: 2 R. Bomb 1 Sulfuric Vortex
So glad I dropped $20 on those PoPs!
Game 3 was much more brutal. I make the mistake of keeping a 1 land hand and I can't keep up as I started to find myself wasting burn on his creatures just in the hopes of staying alive. It didn't work
2-2
Round 5: MBC(2-1)
This turned out to be an easy match up for me. Game 1 I landed a couple guides and Marauders and he ends up having to chump with his Nantuko Shades in order to keep up with the burn I throw at him. At 2 life he taps a Wasteland for Mana to cast something and I respond to his spell by casting the PoP I've been holding since turn 2.
Out: 3 PoP In: 2 Relic 1 Smash to Smithereens
At least PoP paid off once. I mull to 6 and keep a 2 lander with a Rift Bolt, Lightning Bolt, Goblin Guide and Shard Volley. My next two top decks are Mountains and with the L. Bolt, Shard Volley and a Mountain in hand he resolves a Hymn to Tourach and pulls both bolt effects. I end up flooding and he beats me easily with a shade with 2 points of life to spare
Game 3 I had out 3 Goblin Guides on turn 3 and a full hand of burn to help the boys finish the job.
3-2
There were a lot of players that went 3-2 luckily Dream Halls went on to finish 2nd and WW ended up 3rd so my tie breakers were good enough to land me in the upper part of the 3-2 players.
-------------------------------------
I think I'm going to cut down on the Shard Volleys as I never liked seeing more than 1. I'd rather have the power of multiple Fireblasts as I've been often stalling out on mountains when my opponent dips below 10 life.
Also, I gotta move the PoPs SB for this meta as I only faced one multi-color deck all day. Don't know what to put in their stead, Hellspark maybe?
It was disproved back when the Onslaught fetches came out:
http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/print.asp?ID=3096
And monk is exactly right. You'd need to crack roughly 7 fetches to get close to a 1% less chance to draw land and that's 7 life lost. Doesn't seem worth it to me.
I'm sorry, your point on Mana Leak, Gideon, and DoJ got lost in translation.
Only if you over-extend and play out your entire hand. You should always keep a dude or two in hand if you're expecting a wrath effect.
I also don't understand you're reasoning that a creature heavy deck is limited to Green only... Fairies, Merfolk, Goblins, White Weenie all are creature heavy and reliant on creatures and none are green.
You are sacrificing consistency for flare. Some cards you really don't need:
Koth: Turbo Gobs should never ever have a 4 drop! Koth brings nothing to our game.
Moxen: You are sacrificing land slots to run two questionable mana sources that more than likely will end up a Rebirth target.
Fetchlands: No Adv. Gear and no Geopede means you have ZERO use for them and 'land thinning' is a disproved theory.
I wouldn't run less than 20 lands: 18 Mountains 2 Peeks. I do suggest 21 lands as I found it to be the right number to ensure 1 in hand and a second with in the next couple of turns at worse. Which brings me to Dev. Summons, I've never found it useful in testing. I would either win with a landslide of Gobs or I would be so S.O.L that even a Summons with Bushwhacker kicked wouldn't turn the game around. If you feel like you should keep in the Dev. Summons then run no less than 22 lands.
I wouldn't recommend running a 'mixed bag' of Equipments. The likelihood of pulling what you need is very slim. I would stick to Machetes and/or Collars in the MD as they work best with Spikeshot (he's going to end up equipped more than the others). Mass falls in the same stigma as Dev. Summons only in the sense that the average Mass is going to be 2 or 3 and it will more than likely be a Rebirth target again.
You need another Burst Lightning, Panic Spellbomb, and fill any unused space with Goblin Arsonist.
Good luck!
Not to mention, if you do stick a Chieftain you will probably win.
Not to mention his ability is the perfect use for spare mana and he tends to be a high priority target so he'll draw out the opponents targeted removal as well.
You're right... It needs an 'Instead' clause or drop the +2/+2 to +1/+1 on the Metalcraft ability... Totally over looked that.
Maybe just a little, but not really. A.) It's on a creature, the easiest thing to deal with in the game and B.) its WW + 3 other cards to make it really strong.
I doubt I'm even close especially since Tempered Steel and True Conviction are in SoM and this would pretty much wash them out.
WW
Creature-Knight
All other White and Artifact creatures you control get +1/+1
Metalcraft ~ All White and Artifact creatures you control get +2/+2, first strike, and lifelink.
"Let us unite! For this very well may be the last day we draw breath..."
2/2
Nope. The Titan is Exiled not Countered so the Summoning Trap won't trigger for the trap cost.