This is the build I have been using, and it's been testing way better than I thought it would. I had been playing monoblack for fun (I know it's not tier 1) but Goblins is a blast to play and it's competitive. I'd like comments if you have any, especially about the sideboard. I'm not sure what to put in there, but right now I have Mana Barbs for control decks and Vul Refugee for RDW matchups. Might put dismember in there too.
It depends on what your goals are. If you want to do well at serious events you should shell out the money for UB, but if you want to play a decent deck without paying for all the stuff you need, then just play mbi.
Mind sludge strikes me as more of a sideboard card to bring in against control builds late game when their counters are exhausted or they tap out to play a titan or expensive planeswalker like Gideon. It's dead in your hand against other decks and can easily be replaced with something like Despise in the MB.
so i have a question: my local is plagued by Tsteel aggro and surprisingly I have really bad matchups against them, since they run Blade Splicer and now Bladehold Hero, but I never see Tsteel making top 8s or even top 16s at any big venues.
compared with other archetypes its the only 1 that gives me the willies, so going into a PTQ should I be prepared for it or not?
and by prepared I mean mainboarding alot more removal, lands and distress
any thoughts?
What sort of creatures are you running in your build? If you are running 4 Gatekeeper and 4 Vault Skirge you should be able to handle Tsteel game 1 unless they draw an insane hand. The lifelink ability granted by Nighthawk and Vault Skirge are important in this match just like it is against RDW.
I think it is just a matter of capitalizing on what black does that blue can't. I mean I think it is wise to examine what UB Control has for a black shell and model off of that, considering how well that deck has been doing, but we just have to do some things differently.
I agree on needing more draw, for one thing. UB has preodrain, Jace's Ingenuity, Jace, into the roil, and spreading seas. Right now we've got Sign in Blood. I think step one would be to find a core draw package, maybe:
Sign in Blood
Tezerret's Gambit
Phyrexian Rager
Not as optimal, but its a start. The obvious problem is that all of our draw hurts us, which means we need some way to counteract that. Nighthawks are the obvious solution, and Lashwrithes make them perfect for this, but if we look at the MBC list from the recent Chinese nationals, he might be on to something with the Vault Skirges. They may or may not require another 2 life to bring out, but they can make up for it decently quick if they aren't dealt with immediately and they are another target for Lashwrithe.
I play with Vault Skirge and I like it a lot. It's a great 1 drop and late game it can make it impossible for RDW and other aggressive deck and it doesn't die to Go for the Throat. I think it's a good idea to play 4.
Does anyone think that Tezz Gambit is a good replacement for Sign In Blood now that it is rotation out of standard? I was surprised they didn't reprint it in M12, but I am hopeful that black will get some good card draw once the next block hits.
Edit: I have been trying out Evil Presence in my sideboard, and I think it really hoses Valakut. If your local meta has a lot of people playing it you should think of including it.
I've been testing this deck and it has reasonable matchups against RDW, Valakut, and Splinter Twin variants. After sideboarding I usually beat those decks. Playing creatures with life like really helps you deal with RDW, especially if they have no answer to PO, which they usually don't. This is a great matchup and you will usually win, especially after you bring in spellskite. When facing Valakut, I take out despise and dismember to add in spellskite and duress. It is important to try to disrupt their early ramp spells using discard and then to beat them down before they have a chance to really get rolling. Against splinter twin memoricide is absolutely killer and will destroy their deck if you resolve it targeting splinter twin.
The decks that I am having the most trouble dealing with are UB control and UW control. The stuff that removes counters is in there to deal with their planeswalkers, but in a long game their card advantage can make the difference between victory and defeat razor thin. I am thinking of trying to find a place for Mind Sludge since I think it is great against these kinds of decks. I also don't know what to replace Duress with. I wish it wasn't rotating out, but I think that it means some good black discard will be printed in the next set.
21 Mountains
4 Teetering Peaks
Creatures
4 Spikeshot Elder
4 Goblin Chieftain
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
3 Ember Hauler
4 Goblin Wardriver
4 Goblin Guide
4 Incinerate
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Goblin Grenade
3 Vulshok Refugee
3 Mana Barbs
2 Dismember
3 Act of Aggression
Mind sludge strikes me as more of a sideboard card to bring in against control builds late game when their counters are exhausted or they tap out to play a titan or expensive planeswalker like Gideon. It's dead in your hand against other decks and can easily be replaced with something like Despise in the MB.
What sort of creatures are you running in your build? If you are running 4 Gatekeeper and 4 Vault Skirge you should be able to handle Tsteel game 1 unless they draw an insane hand. The lifelink ability granted by Nighthawk and Vault Skirge are important in this match just like it is against RDW.
Edit: I have been trying out Evil Presence in my sideboard, and I think it really hoses Valakut. If your local meta has a lot of people playing it you should think of including it.
You caught my mistake. there is only 1 grave titan.
25 Swamp
Non-Creature Artifacts
4 Lashwrithe
Instants and Sorcery
3 Go for the Throat
3 Sign In Blood
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Despise
2 Dismember
4 Vault Skirge
2 Grave Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
3 Phyrexian Obliterator
4 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Spellskite
3 Memoricide
2 Black Sun's Zenith
4 Duress
3 Hex Parasite
I've been testing this deck and it has reasonable matchups against RDW, Valakut, and Splinter Twin variants. After sideboarding I usually beat those decks. Playing creatures with life like really helps you deal with RDW, especially if they have no answer to PO, which they usually don't. This is a great matchup and you will usually win, especially after you bring in spellskite. When facing Valakut, I take out despise and dismember to add in spellskite and duress. It is important to try to disrupt their early ramp spells using discard and then to beat them down before they have a chance to really get rolling. Against splinter twin memoricide is absolutely killer and will destroy their deck if you resolve it targeting splinter twin.
The decks that I am having the most trouble dealing with are UB control and UW control. The stuff that removes counters is in there to deal with their planeswalkers, but in a long game their card advantage can make the difference between victory and defeat razor thin. I am thinking of trying to find a place for Mind Sludge since I think it is great against these kinds of decks. I also don't know what to replace Duress with. I wish it wasn't rotating out, but I think that it means some good black discard will be printed in the next set.