Voice chat would make play testing nice. It'd suck if you couldn't turn it off in dailies though. It's bad enough having to listen to typed complaining.
I think Unburden is a great option. I run 3 copies in a MBCr variation as Blightning numbers 5 through 7. In a discard heavy deck, an opponent will often get to the point of playing every card they draw, making Unburden's cycle ability important to maintaining a significant card advantage.
I agree, great point! This is one of the thoughts that wouldn't have crossed my mind either if I were in your shoes after playing two rollercoaster games and having my opponent down to only 3 minutes. But after this recommendation, I will factor time into my future side boarding decisions. Thank you!
I like that hand just fine as a keeper for the last game. Without drawing anything relevant, it's guaranteed to be able to neutralize 2-3 cards from the other guy. 3 if he auras up a creature and you narcolepsy it, which is one of the most dangerous scenarios for you if he's gonna have any chance to win quickly. A guaranteed Narcolepsy is a huge incentive to keep against his Boar Umbra, one of his biggest chances here. The Adept can potentially even trade for an X/4 given a little time, and if you draw a red source or fixer the Staggershock turns the hand into pure gold. As it played out, even Nest Invader + Forest, hardly an amazing draw, buys you a good deal of time to draw into something bigger.
Congrats on the win, and on still being open to seeking out and learning from mistakes!
I love Compulsive Research too and it used to be my go-to draw card, but Probe is just too strong to ignore when you're in the colors to play it. I also wanted to have more maindeck discard against Storm and Control.
Most of my removal spells don't have a way to reliably deal with Spire Golem / EE in MUC, Behemoth / Enforcer in Affinity, and GotG in Pestilence. That's the reason for the Terminates. I don't run a full playset maindeck for the reason that you pointed out.
I had grander plans for the mighty Meldrifter, flavor text and all, but unfortunately my photoshop skills are quite limited. When I learn a bit more he'll make a triumphant return!
Red's nicest benefit is being able to kill creatures with burn meant for players...as these cards are never 'dead' against storm/creature-light decks...So for the list "Goodstuff" above, I'm wondering why terminate? Is the Guardian of Guildpact THAT scary? Seems adding targeted, creature-only removal lessen's it's focus while inviting dead draws. Echoing Decay I totally favor/understand, as this is great vs. storm too.
Personally, Probe (when I play it anyways) reminds me of Plow Under - great when your already smashing face, or on the downhill slope towards victory. It's obviously super powerful blah, blah...but a card I've fallen in total, head-over-heels-love with is Compulsive Research. Any deck I make with islands, IMO should have 4x of both Mulldrifter and Compulsive Research. Backbreakers that always deliver.
"I don't really want to hear a stream of profanity from a teenager who believes with every fiber of his being that he is superior to me in every way except for luck. Especially if my 2-year old daughter happens to be playing in the same room...."
Love the article, but seeing another bit that highlights Unearth, I need to vent this...
I have an astigmatism, no depth perception in one eye, and my retinas are scarred, and I have a visual acuity of 20/175 , all as a result of my albinism...
As a result, every time I look at unearth I immediately see someone giving my the finger >.<
True story, I have to take a second look every time I see the card lol.
Draft #2 went a lot better than Draft #1, I think. I don't disagree with a single one of your picks this time. The mana base seems off however; if ever there was a deck that needed 18 lands this is it. In fact, in ROE draft format I have found it is very rare that I play fewer than 18 lands, unless I have a ton of ramp. Even in the so-called "fast" decks like UW or UB levelers, you still have tons of mana sinks with the levelers so you're never at risk of getting flooded. In your deck you could probably lose one of the Bulwarks for another Forest, or put in your Ancient Stirrings as an 18th land and replace an Island with a Forest.
Regarding win conditions, three should be enough with the two Wurms and the Tuskcaller. I don't agree that this is too few win conditions, since your games will always go long with multiple Mnemonic Walls + removal, and you have counterspell and bounce backup.
Regarding cliffhanger endings, this is the great Dylan Pratt we're talking about here. Easy 3-0, not even a challenge.
This why I don't argue about picks online. There are differing opinions to be had at every turn. I am definitely of the school that removal >> creature unless the creature is a bomb with removal protection or just wins the game when it is played.
Probe's ability to be played unkicked is pretty darn crucial in my opinion. As the good Doctor mentioned, sometimes you just need to dig early or use your mana elsewhere, sometimes the 1B is useless since your opponent has no cards in hand (or in the most dire case a land and you need to dig for a chittering rats to time walk his draw step).
I like Unburden as a main deck choice in certain decks (MBC), but Distress tends to come in for storm combo primarily and seeing their hand + taking their best card on turn 2 is generally recognized as being better than just taking their worst two cards on turn 3. The only other time one would be likely to board it in, Burn, the cycling could indeed be useful, but most people would consider storm a bigger threat than burn, especially given the strength of your post-board package (hydroblast, duress, chittering, tendrils, with excess removal still around for kiln fiend/topdecked spark elementals). Lastly, this is pretty much 3 drop.dek already and unburden just aggravates that.
Voice chat would make play testing nice. It'd suck if you couldn't turn it off in dailies though. It's bad enough having to listen to typed complaining.
just adding two bogs for other yard shenanagans
Last minute change up for me Doc, I'm gonna give your list a go :) - best endorsement I can make
Indeed unkicked probe can be a game winner. Turn 3 draw is so crucial. But kicking it can be even better :D
Awesome article I would definently like to see more like this. Keep the good work
I think Unburden is a great option. I run 3 copies in a MBCr variation as Blightning numbers 5 through 7. In a discard heavy deck, an opponent will often get to the point of playing every card they draw, making Unburden's cycle ability important to maintaining a significant card advantage.
I agree, great point! This is one of the thoughts that wouldn't have crossed my mind either if I were in your shoes after playing two rollercoaster games and having my opponent down to only 3 minutes. But after this recommendation, I will factor time into my future side boarding decisions. Thank you!
I like that hand just fine as a keeper for the last game. Without drawing anything relevant, it's guaranteed to be able to neutralize 2-3 cards from the other guy. 3 if he auras up a creature and you narcolepsy it, which is one of the most dangerous scenarios for you if he's gonna have any chance to win quickly. A guaranteed Narcolepsy is a huge incentive to keep against his Boar Umbra, one of his biggest chances here. The Adept can potentially even trade for an X/4 given a little time, and if you draw a red source or fixer the Staggershock turns the hand into pure gold. As it played out, even Nest Invader + Forest, hardly an amazing draw, buys you a good deal of time to draw into something bigger.
Congrats on the win, and on still being open to seeking out and learning from mistakes!
congrats at Meldrifter :)
and quite a nice deck too.
I love Compulsive Research too and it used to be my go-to draw card, but Probe is just too strong to ignore when you're in the colors to play it. I also wanted to have more maindeck discard against Storm and Control.
Most of my removal spells don't have a way to reliably deal with Spire Golem / EE in MUC, Behemoth / Enforcer in Affinity, and GotG in Pestilence. That's the reason for the Terminates. I don't run a full playset maindeck for the reason that you pointed out.
I had grander plans for the mighty Meldrifter, flavor text and all, but unfortunately my photoshop skills are quite limited. When I learn a bit more he'll make a triumphant return!
Red's nicest benefit is being able to kill creatures with burn meant for players...as these cards are never 'dead' against storm/creature-light decks...So for the list "Goodstuff" above, I'm wondering why terminate? Is the Guardian of Guildpact THAT scary? Seems adding targeted, creature-only removal lessen's it's focus while inviting dead draws. Echoing Decay I totally favor/understand, as this is great vs. storm too.
Should be changed to "You need a bat in the side of your &*@$ing head!" In honor of his recent controversies.
I do, because I'm the kind of guy who would reply with "u mad?".
Doh! >.<
rofl at "Meldrifter"... flavor text should be changed to something about a rose garden
Lol
Personally, Probe (when I play it anyways) reminds me of Plow Under - great when your already smashing face, or on the downhill slope towards victory. It's obviously super powerful blah, blah...but a card I've fallen in total, head-over-heels-love with is Compulsive Research. Any deck I make with islands, IMO should have 4x of both Mulldrifter and Compulsive Research. Backbreakers that always deliver.
"I don't really want to hear a stream of profanity from a teenager who believes with every fiber of his being that he is superior to me in every way except for luck. Especially if my 2-year old daughter happens to be playing in the same room...."
Says it all
http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss111/ShardFenix/Unearth.jpg
Its all for you buddy.
Love the article, but seeing another bit that highlights Unearth, I need to vent this...
I have an astigmatism, no depth perception in one eye, and my retinas are scarred, and I have a visual acuity of 20/175 , all as a result of my albinism...
As a result, every time I look at unearth I immediately see someone giving my the finger >.<
True story, I have to take a second look every time I see the card lol.
Ah crap...
Bass/Baritone LF2m For 3v3 - Need Tenor and Alto - PST
Draft #2 went a lot better than Draft #1, I think. I don't disagree with a single one of your picks this time. The mana base seems off however; if ever there was a deck that needed 18 lands this is it. In fact, in ROE draft format I have found it is very rare that I play fewer than 18 lands, unless I have a ton of ramp. Even in the so-called "fast" decks like UW or UB levelers, you still have tons of mana sinks with the levelers so you're never at risk of getting flooded. In your deck you could probably lose one of the Bulwarks for another Forest, or put in your Ancient Stirrings as an 18th land and replace an Island with a Forest.
Regarding win conditions, three should be enough with the two Wurms and the Tuskcaller. I don't agree that this is too few win conditions, since your games will always go long with multiple Mnemonic Walls + removal, and you have counterspell and bounce backup.
Regarding cliffhanger endings, this is the great Dylan Pratt we're talking about here. Easy 3-0, not even a challenge.
This why I don't argue about picks online. There are differing opinions to be had at every turn. I am definitely of the school that removal >> creature unless the creature is a bomb with removal protection or just wins the game when it is played.
Probe's ability to be played unkicked is pretty darn crucial in my opinion. As the good Doctor mentioned, sometimes you just need to dig early or use your mana elsewhere, sometimes the 1B is useless since your opponent has no cards in hand (or in the most dire case a land and you need to dig for a chittering rats to time walk his draw step).
I like Unburden as a main deck choice in certain decks (MBC), but Distress tends to come in for storm combo primarily and seeing their hand + taking their best card on turn 2 is generally recognized as being better than just taking their worst two cards on turn 3. The only other time one would be likely to board it in, Burn, the cycling could indeed be useful, but most people would consider storm a bigger threat than burn, especially given the strength of your post-board package (hydroblast, duress, chittering, tendrils, with excess removal still around for kiln fiend/topdecked spark elementals). Lastly, this is pretty much 3 drop.dek already and unburden just aggravates that.
Just think though you could hear people curse in 3 part harmony in multiplayer. :p