This one focuses on Mana Confluence. The card is about to rotate out and I take note of how I used it to success. The things I learned are applicable to all formats.
There is also a deck list for anyone looking to crush face on the last days of the format.
I will try to respond to as many comments as possible.
Edit: hoser2 you beat me to the punch! Sorry for the redundancy.
Yea I got a comment. Your deck is ******* sweet and an inspiration to my deckbuilding.
How do you feel about Bile Blight? The double black on turn 2 is IMO pretty hard even with a playset of Confluences. I guess if you were having trouble with it you wouldn't be using it, though.
You never want to start the game with a turn 2 removal spell. You really want your first 3 plays to be Creature, Creature then Removal. I honestly hate Bile Blight, because in a lot of match ups it just doesn't kill their big stuff, which is what you need to kill. But, Bile Blight is very good against Jeskai and the Hangarback Walker Abzan decks and they are both very popular. The card is usually fine but not great in other match ups, so I think it has the highest main deck EV, compared to the other options in my sideboard.
I don't think it would be my first choice in an aggressive meta, but I am comfortable facing other aggressive decks.
You could swap out the Surrak for a Sorin to be safe.
This one focuses on Mana Confluence. The card is about to rotate out and I take note of how I used it to success. The things I learned are applicable to all formats.
There is also a deck list for anyone looking to crush face on the last days of the format.
I will try to respond to as many comments as possible.
Edit: hoser2 you beat me to the punch! Sorry for the redundancy.
The only round I lost was when I drew 10 lands, 6 spells two games in a row. The deck was insane. I ran pretty well, but I thought the configuration was absolutely perfect for the event.
Fun little detail...
The week before the invitational, I played Reid Duke online while he is piloting the Gr Devotion deck that he got 2nd at the invitational with. It is the last match/game, we have an insane match where I ultimate Ajani twice and he has a 28/28 Polukranos, the board is a complete stall when I time out, but the turn I time out I draw my 1-of Setessan Tactics, LOL. Just needed another 30 seconds on the clock...
Turns out he was recording the match for CFB, hopefully it goes up soon.
Thanks,
Unsure of where this deck will go post rotation.
At the WMCQ I am definitely playing the version I went 7-1 with at the SCG Invi.
After that who knows. Ajani and Voice were the cornerstones of the deck for me. Even though it was an aggro deck those cards gave you card advantage, resilience and power. With those rotating out, I honestly don't know what I am going to play next. Need to wait for the full spoilers and Honolulu to figure it out.
NP, that build only had 22 lands, so playing any 4-drop seemed bad.
Generally speaking as a rule of thumb I like...
21 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 2 lands and you want to squeeze in 1-4 3cmc cards.
22 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 3 lands and your curve tops out at 3 cmc.
23 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 3 lands and you want to squeeze in 1-3 4cmc cards.
24 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 4 lands and your curve tops out at 4 cmc.
25 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 4 lands and you have 5-6 4cmc cards or 1 5cmc card.
I haven't thought about this deck in a while, but reflecting on it now, maybe I should have played with Nocturnus more.
I'm trying to build a zoo version too (no discards, except for Liliana, and few removals). The only thing I know is that I would like to run 4 copies of Captivating Vampire.
@Jadetiger: Why you played 4+4 lords and no Vampire Nocturnus? Results of the tests?
Mono Blue is difficult because it can kill you at a reasonable pace and there isn't much you can do to stop them.
Their creatures have evasion, Thassa gives unblockable and Master of Waves can completely overwhelm you.
The advantage GW has is that its' cards are individually more powerful and can pressure a faster kill.
So, you need to race them down before their draw comes together.
Skylasher is your best sideboard card because it can play defense and offense.
Archangel of Thune is great for the same reason.
Unflinching Courage and either Ajani is good for racing.
Banishing Light and Setessan Tactics can be good too.
Mistcutter is ok but not great, obviously bring it in if you have it.
Keep your curve reasonably low and your creature count high, curving out is still the best thing you can do.
One good trick is to sideboard out cards that are a similar cmc to what you are sideboarding in.
Also don't forget you can use Ajani, Boon Satyr and Selesnya Charm to counter Domestication.
I think some people are trying to control Mono Blue by playing as many as 4 Setessan Tactics. This is a route I have not explored, but could be valid.
You never want to start the game with a turn 2 removal spell. You really want your first 3 plays to be Creature, Creature then Removal. I honestly hate Bile Blight, because in a lot of match ups it just doesn't kill their big stuff, which is what you need to kill. But, Bile Blight is very good against Jeskai and the Hangarback Walker Abzan decks and they are both very popular. The card is usually fine but not great in other match ups, so I think it has the highest main deck EV, compared to the other options in my sideboard.
You could swap out the Surrak for a Sorin to be safe.
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/31550_Abzan-Confluence.html
This one focuses on Mana Confluence. The card is about to rotate out and I take note of how I used it to success. The things I learned are applicable to all formats.
There is also a deck list for anyone looking to crush face on the last days of the format.
I will try to respond to as many comments as possible.
Edit: hoser2 you beat me to the punch! Sorry for the redundancy.
Fun little detail...
The week before the invitational, I played Reid Duke online while he is piloting the Gr Devotion deck that he got 2nd at the invitational with. It is the last match/game, we have an insane match where I ultimate Ajani twice and he has a 28/28 Polukranos, the board is a complete stall when I time out, but the turn I time out I draw my 1-of Setessan Tactics, LOL. Just needed another 30 seconds on the clock...
Turns out he was recording the match for CFB, hopefully it goes up soon.
Unsure of where this deck will go post rotation.
At the WMCQ I am definitely playing the version I went 7-1 with at the SCG Invi.
After that who knows. Ajani and Voice were the cornerstones of the deck for me. Even though it was an aggro deck those cards gave you card advantage, resilience and power. With those rotating out, I honestly don't know what I am going to play next. Need to wait for the full spoilers and Honolulu to figure it out.
=)
Generally speaking as a rule of thumb I like...
21 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 2 lands and you want to squeeze in 1-4 3cmc cards.
22 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 3 lands and your curve tops out at 3 cmc.
23 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 3 lands and you want to squeeze in 1-3 4cmc cards.
24 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 4 lands and your curve tops out at 4 cmc.
25 Lands: If you want to consistently hit your first 4 lands and you have 5-6 4cmc cards or 1 5cmc card.
I haven't thought about this deck in a while, but reflecting on it now, maybe I should have played with Nocturnus more.
Hey which list are you refering to?
Courser is also slow, but give him some time and he will only help you stabilize against aggro and is still very beatable vs most forms of pressure.
Their creatures have evasion, Thassa gives unblockable and Master of Waves can completely overwhelm you.
The advantage GW has is that its' cards are individually more powerful and can pressure a faster kill.
So, you need to race them down before their draw comes together.
Skylasher is your best sideboard card because it can play defense and offense.
Archangel of Thune is great for the same reason.
Unflinching Courage and either Ajani is good for racing.
Banishing Light and Setessan Tactics can be good too.
Mistcutter is ok but not great, obviously bring it in if you have it.
Keep your curve reasonably low and your creature count high, curving out is still the best thing you can do.
One good trick is to sideboard out cards that are a similar cmc to what you are sideboarding in.
Also don't forget you can use Ajani, Boon Satyr and Selesnya Charm to counter Domestication.
I think some people are trying to control Mono Blue by playing as many as 4 Setessan Tactics. This is a route I have not explored, but could be valid.