That's right, why play a deck when you can play ALL OF THE DECKS!!
This happened in Standard a long time ago. I didn't make that version, I only saw it. And it was beautiful. Flawless. It was during the time of Pod, Twin, and Hawks and so ganking things with Grasp was freaking amazing.
But it had more space for early control, a slightly slower meta, and a very clean meshing of the different strategies via Pod. This deck tries to use Traverse to that end as a 1cmc tutor for all of your disparate pieces. It's definitely not as smooth as PodHawkTwin.
So, if you want to play Death's Shadow Jumd without Kommands, Tron without Karn or Ulamog, Scapeshift without control or Titan, or Copycat without...well...anything. Then here you go, and have a great time!*
*Disclaimer: You will not have a great time because this deck is bad.
PS I had an Emrakul, the Promised End in the first few drafts and ended up cutting it for Saheeli, but it's probably really good here.
Hurkyl's is still very important because if you fizzle into Gifts, next turn pile of Retract, Outcome, Hurkyl's, Revival guarantees you can finish the combo.
jacobk I like the Gifts idea a lot, but I would suggest a pile of Paladin, Sram, Noxious, and then either Retract or Swan Song depending on how much safety you need.
Edit: Someone test a list with 5 Outcome/Gifts starting with 4 Gifts 1 Outcome.
For people trying to find a home for CoCo in a green shell, try my Commune list with one CoCo. Time of Need is also an option; it's reliable and cheap at the cost of Sorcery Speed and no potential for double-engine blowouts.
Summoner's Pact only searches for Green creatures.
Paradoxical Outcome is really, really good. CoCo digs 6 deep for an engine, and if it misses it does nothing. Outcome draws 4+ cards with no upper limit. An end of turn Outcome allows you to overwhelm removal-heavy hands with sheer value and even Storm out without an engine.
*Ok, important note here right off the bat. I remembered incorrectly when I said I faced 4 DS. I actually faced 3 DS and 1 Abzan.
We sit down, shuffle. "Low roll?" "Uh...sure?" I love starting with the offer of low roll. Sometimes closest to 7. This game is supposed to be fun, and the fun can start before Turn 1. I roll double 6s.
Game 1 (on the draw): I keep my solid 7, take a Turn 1 IoK. Land, pass. He taps out for Goyf. Cue Cary Elwes holding a goblet of poisoned wine. "You guessed wrong." Paladin comes down and draws a bajillionty cards and he dies.
Game 2 (on the draw): Turn 1 discard doesn't stop me cold. But the Paths do. 2 of them. And an Abrupt Decay. Never saw Outcome.
Game 3 (on the play): No Turn 1 Discard; Sram draws his one cast trigger and eats a Path. Second Sram draws 5 cards. 4 of them are Outcomes. Needless to say, hard brick. Abrupt Decay tidies him up. However; eot Outcome draws so much gas that I just overwhelm him instantly. Guys, Outcome is really really good against nonshadow BGx
1-0
Round 2 vs Death's Shadow
Game 1 (on the draw): I keep a 7 with 4 lands and a Sram. I do nothing for 5 turns and then double Goyf wrecks me.
I saw he was DS even though I never actually saw a Shadow; so I don't bring in Outcomes. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I'm pretty sure I either brought in Silences, or made no changes.
Game 2 (on the play): I keep a 6 with no engine. Scry away Opal. Die to double Goyf.
Lesson of the day: Don't keep *****y hands.
1-1
Round 3 vs Death's Shadow
I get paired with my buddy from a couple hours away. I know he's on DS. I know he's even more prepared than most DS decks for me. But we're both excited for a fun match.
Game 1 (on the draw): Ok I'll be totally honest. I don't remember the opening turns. I know that I Swan Song'd a discard spell and ended up facing down a bird and a biiiig Goyf on turn 2 or 3. It shouldn't have been a problem, since I dropped Sram and started going off while he was tapped out; but the exact nature of my brick led to yet another terrible decision. I stopped with a hand containing a second Opal, Grapeshot, and Paladin. I had EXACTLY enough Storm to kill birdy and the beast. I would then have untapped with Sram, on a pressureless board, and played Paladin. Instead I played Paladin. Guess what? Pressure kills. We dance for several turns, but none of my equipments is a Net and the math goes south for me real fast.
Game 2 (on the play): This 7 guys. This opening 7 was sent to me by the deities of fate and fortune and blessed by the Almighty Lolcat. Sram, Noxious, Swan Song, Opal, Retract, 2 lands. Any equipment chain will get me there through whatever wall of hatred he's holding. Plus, I draw another Sram almost immediately. All told, we have an epic contest of 2 discard spells, 2 Fatal Pushes, and an Abrupt Decay that ends with me sticking a Sram. Now he's hellbent and I'm holding Retract and Opal. I don't see any equipments. Ever. It takes him a while to kill me. No equipments the entire time.
On the bright side, this friend that came with a stack of removal spells was literally shaking the entire time. "Yeah, I can see this matchup being 50/50 for you. My hands were stacked, and your first one at least was just 'normal'. I was terrified of you every single turn."
Lesson of the day: What. Seriously, universe? Can I get statistics that are just a tiny bit more reasonable?
Round 4 vs Bogles
This guys is fun. He's really interested in the deck, and we chat and joke a lot while we play. But the match ends up exactly like you'd expect with one surprise twist.
Game 1 (on the play): Turn 1 fetch, pass. He plays a Gladecover Scout. I well up with sympathy. This poor, poor guy. EOT crack fetch. Play second land. Play Paladin. "I play Storm sometimes, so I totally love being on the other end and just watching someone else play Magic." I'm glad, friend, because you're not untapping with that Scout this game.
-1 Serum Visions
+1 Echoing Truth
Game 2 (on the draw): He mulls to 5 looking for his sideboard. Doesn't find it. Turn 1 Bogle, turn 2 Spirit Dancer. Now, here I have a choice to make, and it's a pretty easy one. My hand is loaded for the turn 2 kill: 4 equipments and Opal. But I have a second engine, he has 2 cards in hand, and I feel so unthreatened. "Pass." "Oh, uh, alright. Didn't think I'd get a third turn." He drops two Ethereal Armors on his Spirit Dancer, followed by a third one I don't remember, and smacks me for 14. Seeing he's tapped out, and that I have enough life to play my third land, My Sram graciously lets it through. My opponent then takes upwards of 40 damage.
2-2
Round 5 vs Grixis Control
I've still fallen far, however, and am seated in the back room. All of us in there are having a good time, though, and there's basically a 8-person Magic party at the table.
Game 1 (on the play): I see Island suspending Ancestral Visions. Maybe if I was more familiar with the format, I would've pegged him as Grixis. As it was, though, I killed him before he played a second land and assumed some blue thing that didn't worry me at all.
Game 2 (on the draw): Ooooooh, Watery Grave. Ok then. Well this just got about a thousand times worse. Yeah, I'm totally unprepared this game and end up casting Echoing Truth on 4 Snapcasters for lulz in response to his lethal Bolt.
-3 Stuffs
+3 Silence
Game 3 (on the play): We roughhouse for a while, I lose a dude to discard, fight back with Noxious, get a clean combo turn that bricks. My Sram on board sticks, but he casts one more discard spell while I'm holding Paladin and Silence. "Take Paladin." Now, I'll be fair. This is definitely the right choice. And I even feel a bit of despair knowing that Silence is just going to be cute and counter his suspended Visions before I die anyway. But this is Magic, and we play through to the bitter end.
This guy is a little down about where he's at, but still having a good enough time that I can make him smile and talk. I offer low roll. "High roll!" "Closest to 7?" "High roll!!" He's not tilting because I'm offering weird rolls; turns out he's been trying low roll all day and losing every time. Aaaand I accept high roll and he rolls 4. Feelsbad.
Game 1 (on the play): I mull to 5 and see no engine. I'm wary of going to 4 against an unknown deck; the room seems to be full of Tron and Infect and I've only been seeing the nightmares. I play my two Hallowed Fountains and nothing else all game.
Game 2 (on the play): Hooray, a keepable 7! Turn 1 fetch, eot crack for Fountain. "Hey, this looks familiar!" Next turn play Fountain. "Yep, I've definitely seen these before. But last time they didn't do anything!" "Don't worry, this time they will." "Good, I'd like to see what it is."
Paladin.
Guy next to me, to my opponent: "Bill, have you seen this deck before? Because you're about to have your mind blown."
Equipment. Equipment. Equipment. Equipment. Equipment. Opal. Retract. More equipments. Revival Retract. Still more equipments. (Spoiler alert: he dies on turn 2.)
Game 3 (on the draw): Opponent mulls to 5. I partially combo turn 2 and stick some stuff on Paladin. None, importantly, is Paradise Mantle. "Stony Silence." Turn 3, Sram, start going off again. Because I have only one land open, I have to stop early and discard down to the perfect 7 for next turn. Turn 4, Retract off a land, go full hog, Echoing Truth Stony Silence. Opponent shakes on that, there's no doubt at all that I have the kill from there.
Lesson of the day: ktkenshinx is right. Always bring in one Truth. I didn't even expect it to be useful here, but I would've lost.
4-2
Round 7 vs Death's Shadow
Last round of the day. This guy looks super srsbsns, but he's quick to laugh and we have a great time. A few of the games around us are all chatting with each other, and when I start bringing up Vintage decks we, being tired, get silly. "Yeah, I totally brought Vintage Belcher and nobody's called me on it yet, so I guess it's fine. My opponents were all just confused that they'd never seen Mox Ruby before because it's so good!"
Game 1 (on the play): My opponent mulligans to oblivion, and I turn 2 him. But he's clearly Jund from his lands.
Game 2 (on the draw): We have a real, exciting game of Magic. I try to outmaneuver him and land a Paladin safely, and it really does come down to the wire. Finally, he's empty on answers but has double Goyf shortening my time on this earth. His life total dips exceptionally low, and Grapeshot off the top would've been lethal even though I wasn't holding a Retract.
Game 3 (on the play): My turn to mulligan to my doom. I keep a 4 with 2 lands and Path. I keep myself alive an extra turn by Pathing his huge Shadow on the lethal swing, but I never see business.
neither of these are worth it in a deck with 20+ 0 mana artifacts.
But I just did a quick search and didn't see much talk about monastery mentor. I feel like some combination of that and bastion inventor must have been tried out? Realistically though this deck is only allowed so much resiliency before it becomes an issue.
Mentor has been heavily discused and utilized. The first real success the deck saw was Datka's list with maindeck Mentors.
Commune is a very solid option over Serum Visions if you go green. Looking 5 deep for Paladin is strong.
I personally have 4 Swan Songs in my maindeck, and I still struggle at fighting interactive decks. The archetype is overall super inconsistent and barely capable of coming back whether any of the key card is interacted with. It's based on luck in a huge portion of the games, as Grishoalbrand is.
In the way it's built right now (because we all built the same lists overall), I think the deck isn't competitive enough for the larger tournaments. I believe you need to concede some explosiveness and Turn-2 kills percentages for more protection and/or inevitability, in the way of Infect for example. If the testing doesn't dig into the wild, it's gonna take a long time for the archetype to rise.
If you're finding the deck "super inconsistent" and "barely capable of coming back" then you're either doing something wrong, having awful luck personally, or just not playing a statistically significant number of games. We have thousands of hours in this thread and the consensus is nearly the exact opposite of what you're saying.
Leyline of Anticipation has been a legitimate maindeck consideration for quite some time. It makes the combo turn slightly tighter, since you essentially had one less card in hand to start and their removal "counters" one of your equipments. But it wins in response to removal, and if they have a super hateful hand, then your one Paladin 2 or 3 for 1's them and the next dude is in the clear.
In the hyperaggressive lists, it also allows you to win on opponent's upkeep on the draw a la Flash Hulk. Not likely, but lulzy.
If you want Outcomes maindeck, you have to keep Retracts and probably your one Hurkyl's, but they would come in over flex slots like Swan Songs. Some lists run Inspiring Statuary to make it free.
So guys. I just got home from States. I went 4-3 and will write a full report later, but for now:
I faced 4 Death's Shadow decks in 7 rounds. And even though I only beat one of them, the matchup feels about 50/50. I lost to really stupid stuff, like sticking a dude through 2 discard spells and 3 removal spells but not drawing an equipment for 6 turns. Or choosing to drop a Paladin instead of Grapeshotting his board. Or keeping absolutely awful hands because my manabomb (Red Bull mixed with a mana potion) totally wrecked my thinking.
Their clock is much more explosive than normal Jund, but I think the biggest take aways about the matchup are as follows:
1) DO NOT sit down thinking you've lost. Don't even think you're in a bad matchup. "Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration." The matchup is not as bad as you think, and you have a pretty decent chance. This is absolutely the most important thing.
2) Mulligans are important. Don't keep 4+ lands, even if it has a dude. Don't keep hands without dudes. Do not throw away a good hand looking for resilience.
3) I'm pretty convinced the sideboard tech in DS heavy metas is 3 more Grapeshots. Literally every game I played (except the ones I just combo'd off Turn 2, obviously), Grapeshot would've been a lethal topdeck for a decent number of turns before I actually died. The ability to just dump a few equipments, cast 1 Retract, and then natural storm for 8-12 is absolutely bonkers against this deck. Outcome is too slow. Path doesn't swing the game enough. Silence is ok, but doesn't shine as much as it does against normal Jund, Abzan, and Grixis. Grapeshot is surprising, dodges their removal, can clear their board to buy time, and punishes their life loss.
4) Smart DS pilots are more scared of you then you are of them. This totally shook me to my core. If they know the deck, and know what it's capable of, they are terrified that they won't have enough answers. They will NEVER tap out. They will make suboptimal plays just to try to put more removal in their hand. You're scared they'll bolt your Paladin; they are scared they will die from the most dominant game state they can imagine having. This more than anything should show where this deck is. "Reasonably powerful" decks in a format do not make their unfavored matchups shake with fear.
5) Always practice smart play. <----This is where I failed all day. Seriously, keeping a 6 with no engine? What. For the inventor of the deck, and one who constantly tells people to mulligan aggressively, I sure do stink in actual games. Always think carefully, don't act quickly. The deck is about speed, not being sloppy. Use your Noxious Revivals carefully. Keep calm at all times. Keep track of the gamestate. Know your deck as well as you possibly can.
Anyways, I had an absolutely great time. Played a ton of fun magic, saw lots of cool people, and got amazing Goblin tokens from a close judge friend of mine. Hope you guys are having as much fun as I am, and are trying to spread the good feels to opponents as much as possible. If I leave any legacy with this deck, more than a ban or a busted format or even a stupid Top 8 at some big event; I want more people to play Magic for the purpose of having fun, and making other people smile. Tell jokes. Ask them about themselves. Be helpful and fair in the game; you'd be amazed at how far the smallest acts of good sportsmanship will go towards making people feel good about playing the game. And do it with whatever makes you happiest and most fulfilled. For me, this is the silliest, most euphoric combo sequence ever. Each draw trigger releases endorphins; hitting the Grapeshot feels so rewarding.
Went off the rails a bit there, sorry. Very mentally exhausted. Hopefully I'll be able to do a write up tomorrow, but if not look for it Tuesday, and in the meantime let's have some discussion on the Death's Shadow thing.
I realize this is a long shot, but if anyone here is going to be at NC States tomorrow and has a spare Retract...I lost one of mine and am in pretty dire straits if I can't find one. None of my local shops have any in stock and I can't look further out because I work until about 10pm.
Also, look for me tomorrow anyway. I'd love to meet my copilots and talk tech and swap stories.
...And it'll be a while longer. Because instead of a deck today, I am posting a literal pile of trash.
3 Tarmogoyf
3 Matter Reshaper
2 Thought-Knot Seer
1 Felidar Guardian
1 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Saheeli Rai
4 Thoughtseize
2 Dismember
4 Chromatic Star
1 Prismatic Omen
4 Traverse the Ulvenwald
1 Expedition Map
2 Scapeshift
2 Eldrazi Temple
1 Urza's Tower
1 Urza's Power Plant
1 Urza's Mine
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
1 Mana Confluence
3 Stomping Ground
3 Blood Crypt
3 Verdant Catacombs
1 Steam Vents
1 Marsh Flats
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Windswept Heath
1 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Wastes
That's right, why play a deck when you can play ALL OF THE DECKS!!
This happened in Standard a long time ago. I didn't make that version, I only saw it. And it was beautiful. Flawless. It was during the time of Pod, Twin, and Hawks and so ganking things with Grasp was freaking amazing.
But it had more space for early control, a slightly slower meta, and a very clean meshing of the different strategies via Pod. This deck tries to use Traverse to that end as a 1cmc tutor for all of your disparate pieces. It's definitely not as smooth as PodHawkTwin.
So, if you want to play Death's Shadow Jumd without Kommands, Tron without Karn or Ulamog, Scapeshift without control or Titan, or Copycat without...well...anything. Then here you go, and have a great time!*
*Disclaimer: You will not have a great time because this deck is bad.
PS I had an Emrakul, the Promised End in the first few drafts and ended up cutting it for Saheeli, but it's probably really good here.
4 Sram
3 Gifts Ungiven
1 Paradoxical Outcome
4 Retract
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Grapeshot
1 Noxious Revival
4 Accorder's Shield
4 Cathar's Shield
4 Spidersilk Net
3 Bone Saw
4 Mox Opal
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Seachrome Coast
4 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats
2 Plains
I think that's 61, not sure what the cut is.
Hurkyl's is still very important because if you fizzle into Gifts, next turn pile of Retract, Outcome, Hurkyl's, Revival guarantees you can finish the combo.
Main pile would be EOT for Outcome, Paladin, Sram, Noxious. Can also Gifts for 4 equipments if you've bricked.
1 Inspiring Statuary would be good in this list. Allows Gifts to be useful on the combo turn.
Edit: Someone test a list with 5 Outcome/Gifts starting with 4 Gifts 1 Outcome.
I laughed so hard. I will admit though, Emracool is cookin'.
With maindeck Emrakul. You're certifiable, bro.
Paradoxical Outcome is really, really good. CoCo digs 6 deep for an engine, and if it misses it does nothing. Outcome draws 4+ cards with no upper limit. An end of turn Outcome allows you to overwhelm removal-heavy hands with sheer value and even Storm out without an engine.
Round 1 vs Abzan
*Ok, important note here right off the bat. I remembered incorrectly when I said I faced 4 DS. I actually faced 3 DS and 1 Abzan.
We sit down, shuffle. "Low roll?" "Uh...sure?" I love starting with the offer of low roll. Sometimes closest to 7. This game is supposed to be fun, and the fun can start before Turn 1. I roll double 6s.
Game 1 (on the draw): I keep my solid 7, take a Turn 1 IoK. Land, pass. He taps out for Goyf. Cue Cary Elwes holding a goblet of poisoned wine. "You guessed wrong." Paladin comes down and draws a bajillionty cards and he dies.
I saw he was Abzan from his lands, so
-2 Serum Visions
-1 Equipment
-1 Hurkyl's
+4 Paradoxical Outcome
Game 2 (on the draw): Turn 1 discard doesn't stop me cold. But the Paths do. 2 of them. And an Abrupt Decay. Never saw Outcome.
Game 3 (on the play): No Turn 1 Discard; Sram draws his one cast trigger and eats a Path. Second Sram draws 5 cards. 4 of them are Outcomes. Needless to say, hard brick. Abrupt Decay tidies him up. However; eot Outcome draws so much gas that I just overwhelm him instantly. Guys, Outcome is really really good against nonshadow BGx
1-0
Round 2 vs Death's Shadow
Game 1 (on the draw): I keep a 7 with 4 lands and a Sram. I do nothing for 5 turns and then double Goyf wrecks me.
I saw he was DS even though I never actually saw a Shadow; so I don't bring in Outcomes. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I'm pretty sure I either brought in Silences, or made no changes.
Game 2 (on the play): I keep a 6 with no engine. Scry away Opal. Die to double Goyf.
Lesson of the day: Don't keep *****y hands.
1-1
Round 3 vs Death's Shadow
I get paired with my buddy from a couple hours away. I know he's on DS. I know he's even more prepared than most DS decks for me. But we're both excited for a fun match.
Game 1 (on the draw): Ok I'll be totally honest. I don't remember the opening turns. I know that I Swan Song'd a discard spell and ended up facing down a bird and a biiiig Goyf on turn 2 or 3. It shouldn't have been a problem, since I dropped Sram and started going off while he was tapped out; but the exact nature of my brick led to yet another terrible decision. I stopped with a hand containing a second Opal, Grapeshot, and Paladin. I had EXACTLY enough Storm to kill birdy and the beast. I would then have untapped with Sram, on a pressureless board, and played Paladin. Instead I played Paladin. Guess what? Pressure kills. We dance for several turns, but none of my equipments is a Net and the math goes south for me real fast.
Game 2 (on the play): This 7 guys. This opening 7 was sent to me by the deities of fate and fortune and blessed by the Almighty Lolcat. Sram, Noxious, Swan Song, Opal, Retract, 2 lands. Any equipment chain will get me there through whatever wall of hatred he's holding. Plus, I draw another Sram almost immediately. All told, we have an epic contest of 2 discard spells, 2 Fatal Pushes, and an Abrupt Decay that ends with me sticking a Sram. Now he's hellbent and I'm holding Retract and Opal. I don't see any equipments. Ever. It takes him a while to kill me. No equipments the entire time.
On the bright side, this friend that came with a stack of removal spells was literally shaking the entire time. "Yeah, I can see this matchup being 50/50 for you. My hands were stacked, and your first one at least was just 'normal'. I was terrified of you every single turn."
Lesson of the day: What. Seriously, universe? Can I get statistics that are just a tiny bit more reasonable?
Round 4 vs Bogles
This guys is fun. He's really interested in the deck, and we chat and joke a lot while we play. But the match ends up exactly like you'd expect with one surprise twist.
Game 1 (on the play): Turn 1 fetch, pass. He plays a Gladecover Scout. I well up with sympathy. This poor, poor guy. EOT crack fetch. Play second land. Play Paladin. "I play Storm sometimes, so I totally love being on the other end and just watching someone else play Magic." I'm glad, friend, because you're not untapping with that Scout this game.
-1 Serum Visions
+1 Echoing Truth
Game 2 (on the draw): He mulls to 5 looking for his sideboard. Doesn't find it. Turn 1 Bogle, turn 2 Spirit Dancer. Now, here I have a choice to make, and it's a pretty easy one. My hand is loaded for the turn 2 kill: 4 equipments and Opal. But I have a second engine, he has 2 cards in hand, and I feel so unthreatened. "Pass." "Oh, uh, alright. Didn't think I'd get a third turn." He drops two Ethereal Armors on his Spirit Dancer, followed by a third one I don't remember, and smacks me for 14. Seeing he's tapped out, and that I have enough life to play my third land, My Sram graciously lets it through. My opponent then takes upwards of 40 damage.
2-2
Round 5 vs Grixis Control
I've still fallen far, however, and am seated in the back room. All of us in there are having a good time, though, and there's basically a 8-person Magic party at the table.
Game 1 (on the play): I see Island suspending Ancestral Visions. Maybe if I was more familiar with the format, I would've pegged him as Grixis. As it was, though, I killed him before he played a second land and assumed some blue thing that didn't worry me at all.
Game 2 (on the draw): Ooooooh, Watery Grave. Ok then. Well this just got about a thousand times worse. Yeah, I'm totally unprepared this game and end up casting Echoing Truth on 4 Snapcasters for lulz in response to his lethal Bolt.
-3 Stuffs
+3 Silence
Game 3 (on the play): We roughhouse for a while, I lose a dude to discard, fight back with Noxious, get a clean combo turn that bricks. My Sram on board sticks, but he casts one more discard spell while I'm holding Paladin and Silence. "Take Paladin." Now, I'll be fair. This is definitely the right choice. And I even feel a bit of despair knowing that Silence is just going to be cute and counter his suspended Visions before I die anyway. But this is Magic, and we play through to the bitter end.
UUD
"....Silence you?" "Ugh. Sure." "........Retract."
3-2
Round 6 vs KirdApes.dec??
This guy is a little down about where he's at, but still having a good enough time that I can make him smile and talk. I offer low roll. "High roll!" "Closest to 7?" "High roll!!" He's not tilting because I'm offering weird rolls; turns out he's been trying low roll all day and losing every time. Aaaand I accept high roll and he rolls 4. Feelsbad.
Game 1 (on the play): I mull to 5 and see no engine. I'm wary of going to 4 against an unknown deck; the room seems to be full of Tron and Infect and I've only been seeing the nightmares. I play my two Hallowed Fountains and nothing else all game.
Game 2 (on the play): Hooray, a keepable 7! Turn 1 fetch, eot crack for Fountain. "Hey, this looks familiar!" Next turn play Fountain. "Yep, I've definitely seen these before. But last time they didn't do anything!" "Don't worry, this time they will." "Good, I'd like to see what it is."
Paladin.
Guy next to me, to my opponent: "Bill, have you seen this deck before? Because you're about to have your mind blown."
Equipment. Equipment. Equipment. Equipment. Equipment. Opal. Retract. More equipments. Revival Retract. Still more equipments. (Spoiler alert: he dies on turn 2.)
Game 3 (on the draw): Opponent mulls to 5. I partially combo turn 2 and stick some stuff on Paladin. None, importantly, is Paradise Mantle. "Stony Silence." Turn 3, Sram, start going off again. Because I have only one land open, I have to stop early and discard down to the perfect 7 for next turn. Turn 4, Retract off a land, go full hog, Echoing Truth Stony Silence. Opponent shakes on that, there's no doubt at all that I have the kill from there.
Lesson of the day: ktkenshinx is right. Always bring in one Truth. I didn't even expect it to be useful here, but I would've lost.
4-2
Round 7 vs Death's Shadow
Last round of the day. This guy looks super srsbsns, but he's quick to laugh and we have a great time. A few of the games around us are all chatting with each other, and when I start bringing up Vintage decks we, being tired, get silly. "Yeah, I totally brought Vintage Belcher and nobody's called me on it yet, so I guess it's fine. My opponents were all just confused that they'd never seen Mox Ruby before because it's so good!"
Game 1 (on the play): My opponent mulligans to oblivion, and I turn 2 him. But he's clearly Jund from his lands.
Game 2 (on the draw): We have a real, exciting game of Magic. I try to outmaneuver him and land a Paladin safely, and it really does come down to the wire. Finally, he's empty on answers but has double Goyf shortening my time on this earth. His life total dips exceptionally low, and Grapeshot off the top would've been lethal even though I wasn't holding a Retract.
Game 3 (on the play): My turn to mulligan to my doom. I keep a 4 with 2 lands and Path. I keep myself alive an extra turn by Pathing his huge Shadow on the lethal swing, but I never see business.
4-3
Mentor has been heavily discused and utilized. The first real success the deck saw was Datka's list with maindeck Mentors.
Commune is a very solid option over Serum Visions if you go green. Looking 5 deep for Paladin is strong.
CoCo is too expensive.
If you're finding the deck "super inconsistent" and "barely capable of coming back" then you're either doing something wrong, having awful luck personally, or just not playing a statistically significant number of games. We have thousands of hours in this thread and the consensus is nearly the exact opposite of what you're saying.
In the hyperaggressive lists, it also allows you to win on opponent's upkeep on the draw a la Flash Hulk. Not likely, but lulzy.
If you want Outcomes maindeck, you have to keep Retracts and probably your one Hurkyl's, but they would come in over flex slots like Swan Songs. Some lists run Inspiring Statuary to make it free.
I faced 4 Death's Shadow decks in 7 rounds. And even though I only beat one of them, the matchup feels about 50/50. I lost to really stupid stuff, like sticking a dude through 2 discard spells and 3 removal spells but not drawing an equipment for 6 turns. Or choosing to drop a Paladin instead of Grapeshotting his board. Or keeping absolutely awful hands because my manabomb (Red Bull mixed with a mana potion) totally wrecked my thinking.
Their clock is much more explosive than normal Jund, but I think the biggest take aways about the matchup are as follows:
1) DO NOT sit down thinking you've lost. Don't even think you're in a bad matchup. "Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration." The matchup is not as bad as you think, and you have a pretty decent chance. This is absolutely the most important thing.
2) Mulligans are important. Don't keep 4+ lands, even if it has a dude. Don't keep hands without dudes. Do not throw away a good hand looking for resilience.
3) I'm pretty convinced the sideboard tech in DS heavy metas is 3 more Grapeshots. Literally every game I played (except the ones I just combo'd off Turn 2, obviously), Grapeshot would've been a lethal topdeck for a decent number of turns before I actually died. The ability to just dump a few equipments, cast 1 Retract, and then natural storm for 8-12 is absolutely bonkers against this deck. Outcome is too slow. Path doesn't swing the game enough. Silence is ok, but doesn't shine as much as it does against normal Jund, Abzan, and Grixis. Grapeshot is surprising, dodges their removal, can clear their board to buy time, and punishes their life loss.
4) Smart DS pilots are more scared of you then you are of them. This totally shook me to my core. If they know the deck, and know what it's capable of, they are terrified that they won't have enough answers. They will NEVER tap out. They will make suboptimal plays just to try to put more removal in their hand. You're scared they'll bolt your Paladin; they are scared they will die from the most dominant game state they can imagine having. This more than anything should show where this deck is. "Reasonably powerful" decks in a format do not make their unfavored matchups shake with fear.
5) Always practice smart play. <----This is where I failed all day. Seriously, keeping a 6 with no engine? What. For the inventor of the deck, and one who constantly tells people to mulligan aggressively, I sure do stink in actual games. Always think carefully, don't act quickly. The deck is about speed, not being sloppy. Use your Noxious Revivals carefully. Keep calm at all times. Keep track of the gamestate. Know your deck as well as you possibly can.
Anyways, I had an absolutely great time. Played a ton of fun magic, saw lots of cool people, and got amazing Goblin tokens from a close judge friend of mine. Hope you guys are having as much fun as I am, and are trying to spread the good feels to opponents as much as possible. If I leave any legacy with this deck, more than a ban or a busted format or even a stupid Top 8 at some big event; I want more people to play Magic for the purpose of having fun, and making other people smile. Tell jokes. Ask them about themselves. Be helpful and fair in the game; you'd be amazed at how far the smallest acts of good sportsmanship will go towards making people feel good about playing the game. And do it with whatever makes you happiest and most fulfilled. For me, this is the silliest, most euphoric combo sequence ever. Each draw trigger releases endorphins; hitting the Grapeshot feels so rewarding.
Went off the rails a bit there, sorry. Very mentally exhausted. Hopefully I'll be able to do a write up tomorrow, but if not look for it Tuesday, and in the meantime let's have some discussion on the Death's Shadow thing.
Also, look for me tomorrow anyway. I'd love to meet my copilots and talk tech and swap stories.