Threads is a good shout for the Jund matchup. Seems like a solid sideboard option for quite a few other matchups too. Shadow of Doubt is an option I really hadn't considered for the sideboard, seems worth a try.
I have yet to try Tidebinder Mage but it doesn't really excite me as an option. I feel like Jund is the only real matchup you would want it for, so it's probably not worth a lot of sideboard slots. Even then it's a Grizzly Bear with a pretty circumstantial ability. Perhaps I'm being too dismissive but it's not a card I'm super keen to put in the deck.
Hey, Cotton. I wanted to send you an email about an idea of mine for a collaborative article, but it appears you're a most elusive guy (meaning that I couldn't find any way to contact you except this one). If you're curious, drop a line at my gmail.com account aicardigianluca :)
And before I switched into only 8-4 for RTR I was in the finals in 16/20, winning 9 in swiss and/or 4322. I made a profit getting my 15 QP in season 8 doing RTR drafts. It's a lot easier to do well at lower payout events, and I notice you didn't bother to specify which you play in.
I've played through about 300 tix (entry fee only, I provided the packs every time) worth of rtr events, and if I feel like playing boros or gruul or rakdos, I can draft that archetype 100% of the time. However, since rares win more games than consistent commons, I chose to be flexible. I don't draft low cost 'mana efficent' cards, instead I draft high-power archetype specific rares and get my bears on the second pass because the draft pool has a huge percentage of playable cards.
Threads of Disloyalty is probably one of the better choices, but it's rather pricey these days.
You could test out SB Tidebinder Mage? While not a magic cure-all, it might let you keep tempo against them long enough to pull out the win? Otherwise more Kira to blank most of the removal might up the % a tad.
If Pod is worriesome, Shadow of Doubt in the SB would be good, but it also went up in price recently.
It's in my first answer to miha:
"The Machines will have some exceptions, in that they can use the other two Machine tribes as off-tribe creatures, and Artificers as well."
Sure. I was originally going to do that, but I couldn't find an email that worked from the combination of things at the end of your article. If you can give it to me, I'll shoot you that correction. If you have access to mine, send me an email and I'll just reply to yours.
Hey, Josh, sorry to hop on the comments of your article, but mine that went up yesterday doesn't seem to have a Comments Section? I was going to post a correction to something I'd written, but uhm, I can't? Not sure if that is something you can fix?
In regards to your article, I know how it feels when you are playing a deck that starts tanking and it takes your attitude with it. I played Niv Magus/Kiln Fiend in WAFTT a few weeks ago "for fun" and even though I knew it wasn't a great choice, it was still pretty depressing just how badly the matchups were going. Once the fun of a deck is gone, time to step away from it.
Yeah, I really don't like the idea of running Sea's Claim seen as though it really does nothing against decks already running Islands. At least Spreading Seas is a cantrip if a slightly expensive one.
I hate leaving in spreading seas after board because it means I am either playing Tron or Jund (tron it's fine) but jund if your game plan is to try to color screw them you're gonna have a bad time.
I've seen lists that ran seas claim, I've just accepted the matchup is miserable and not in the merfolk decks favor.
Yeah, I didn't get a video playing against Jund but the matchup seems very miserable. They have no Islands, tons of removal, Tarmogoyf and Huntmasters clogging up the board, not ideal for a Merfolk deck.
Yes, all fell to the fishes last Eurodrive! :) Also, I'm thinking the Birthing Pod matchup might not be as bad as I thought after taking down two Pod decks on the way, but I still don't think it's a matchup I'd choose to go up against.
Yeah, the replays have been bugged for a very long time now. I don't understand how they could possibly have broken such a thing or how they haven't addressed it. The conspiracy theorist in me makes me think it's just a ploy to get us to use Shiny - let's break a few things that worked fine to make our new version look better.
Threads is a good shout for the Jund matchup. Seems like a solid sideboard option for quite a few other matchups too. Shadow of Doubt is an option I really hadn't considered for the sideboard, seems worth a try.
I have yet to try Tidebinder Mage but it doesn't really excite me as an option. I feel like Jund is the only real matchup you would want it for, so it's probably not worth a lot of sideboard slots. Even then it's a Grizzly Bear with a pretty circumstantial ability. Perhaps I'm being too dismissive but it's not a card I'm super keen to put in the deck.
Hey, Cotton. I wanted to send you an email about an idea of mine for a collaborative article, but it appears you're a most elusive guy (meaning that I couldn't find any way to contact you except this one). If you're curious, drop a line at my gmail.com account aicardigianluca :)
And before I switched into only 8-4 for RTR I was in the finals in 16/20, winning 9 in swiss and/or 4322. I made a profit getting my 15 QP in season 8 doing RTR drafts. It's a lot easier to do well at lower payout events, and I notice you didn't bother to specify which you play in.
I've played through about 300 tix (entry fee only, I provided the packs every time) worth of rtr events, and if I feel like playing boros or gruul or rakdos, I can draft that archetype 100% of the time. However, since rares win more games than consistent commons, I chose to be flexible. I don't draft low cost 'mana efficent' cards, instead I draft high-power archetype specific rares and get my bears on the second pass because the draft pool has a huge percentage of playable cards.
Thanks - I worked that out after I submitted the article. And Emrakul's protection renders Makeshift's drawback fairly irrelevant. Good times.
Threads of Disloyalty is probably one of the better choices, but it's rather pricey these days.
You could test out SB Tidebinder Mage? While not a magic cure-all, it might let you keep tempo against them long enough to pull out the win? Otherwise more Kira to blank most of the removal might up the % a tad.
If Pod is worriesome, Shadow of Doubt in the SB would be good, but it also went up in price recently.
Makeshift Mannequin does indeed work on an Emrakul in the grave. Protection only matters on the battlefield.
It does deal with manlands.
It's in my first answer to miha:
"The Machines will have some exceptions, in that they can use the other two Machine tribes as off-tribe creatures, and Artificers as well."
Sure. I was originally going to do that, but I couldn't find an email that worked from the combination of things at the end of your article. If you can give it to me, I'll shoot you that correction. If you have access to mine, send me an email and I'll just reply to yours.
Thanks!
Or, if you want to email the correction to me, I can just add it in when I turn on the comments.
yeah I'll open up the comments, I sometimes forget to turn them on, my apologies.
Hey, Josh, sorry to hop on the comments of your article, but mine that went up yesterday doesn't seem to have a Comments Section? I was going to post a correction to something I'd written, but uhm, I can't? Not sure if that is something you can fix?
In regards to your article, I know how it feels when you are playing a deck that starts tanking and it takes your attitude with it. I played Niv Magus/Kiln Fiend in WAFTT a few weeks ago "for fun" and even though I knew it wasn't a great choice, it was still pretty depressing just how badly the matchups were going. Once the fun of a deck is gone, time to step away from it.
Yeah, I really don't like the idea of running Sea's Claim seen as though it really does nothing against decks already running Islands. At least Spreading Seas is a cantrip if a slightly expensive one.
I hate leaving in spreading seas after board because it means I am either playing Tron or Jund (tron it's fine) but jund if your game plan is to try to color screw them you're gonna have a bad time.
I've seen lists that ran seas claim, I've just accepted the matchup is miserable and not in the merfolk decks favor.
Yeah, I didn't get a video playing against Jund but the matchup seems very miserable. They have no Islands, tons of removal, Tarmogoyf and Huntmasters clogging up the board, not ideal for a Merfolk deck.
"I don't know why people say a double-edged sword is bad. It's a sword. With two edges."
—Kamahl, pit fighter
I got the reference AJ!
Pod is not the worst match up ever, but jund just might be.
I almost believe you on that.
It should be used to get some freebies from the store or something. I always get upto 1 to 3 qps each month. It sucks that i don't get to use it. hehe
The characters are really good. I like the idea on this. Keep up the good work. - Integrity Spas
The prices are good and reasonable. I want to invest on this. - Integrity Spas
Yes, all fell to the fishes last Eurodrive! :) Also, I'm thinking the Birthing Pod matchup might not be as bad as I thought after taking down two Pod decks on the way, but I still don't think it's a matchup I'd choose to go up against.
Yeah, the replays have been bugged for a very long time now. I don't understand how they could possibly have broken such a thing or how they haven't addressed it. The conspiracy theorist in me makes me think it's just a ploy to get us to use Shiny - let's break a few things that worked fine to make our new version look better.
Hi. Great article.
Do you have any update on your list? Do you think it´s still a good deck in pauper?
A doubt, why you use "spore frog" and not "fog"?
And would you use "wild mongrel" or "river boa"?
Those damn fishes that got me on the last Eurodrive! :P
But the replays now ALL have the weird detached hand/player on top setup? It's very annoying, aren't they going to fix this?
I thought there were no off-tribe creatures allowed??
Also to be clear I am not for banning AID or any other card that isn't absolutely necessary.