ATTN TheKidsAren'tAllright I have no way to contact you, get my email, FB, or Twitter when you see me next. I'm ready to return the cards I borrowed whenever. I'd love to trade for the Mana Drain though! :)
Funny that you should mention that. I have been tooling around with a GR Aggro deck that was based heavily off some articles you put out back in 2006 or 2007, Alex. It isn't there, yet, but the potential seems to be there. Utilizing red removal to get blockers out of the way for Mongrels and Rootwallas is just something I can never give up.
I would like to mention that I've seen or heard of a few other people picking this deck up on Magic Online. It's a great list, and I suggest that people try it out.
Wizards has a thing called the Wizards Account Manager that is supposed to unify those things. I did write about it, and the problems it had, last fall. I might do an update sometime.
Plagued Rusalka and Gut Shot have been really fun cards to play with so far. X/1's have been feeling vulnerable on both sides of the table. I've lost turn 1 Delver of Secrets a few times and I've used it to deal with a variety of creatures, small, or big with help from other burn (see: Gurmag Angler's stupid 5 toughness needing a Flame Slash + Gut Shot).
Rusalka has made the Rakdos Tortured Existence brew I'm messing with a bit better. Another sac outlet is great for that deck and the ability to make opposing creatures smaller for the turn or to outright kill them is great.
WotC web and account migration, it is probably enough with these words and people will groan =)
If you are an mtgo and paper player(lgs/GPs), how many usernames and passwords do you "have to use" in order to log into the things that wotc offers ? Im talking mtgo customer service, plainswalker points web, wotc forums, etc ?`
Asking you, Pete, about how to make it work isn't fair, because everything is so messy and you dont work at wotc, but im asking: HOW MANY THINGS/pages should and can an mtg player log into on the web that is officially offered by wotc and is mtg related ?
Yeah. In Clinton's list there is a Grave Titan in the board which I assume is the intention of that card. However, I feel putting in 6 drops presupposes that I will be cheating them into play via Protean Hulk (otherwise they don't drop until Turn 6 which is probably a bit late) which is not where I need the backup. The backup is needed when we aren't able to combo off due to graveyard hate.
Clinton's list can play a 6 drop early off a Pentad Prism but our decklist doesn't have that option. Not sure adding 6 drops is necessarily the way to go.
Simple, I was lazy and didn't count, realizing I would've dealt exact if I had done it the way you suggested. What's funny is I usually spot my mistakes when I watch my replays, but even this one I missed. Good catch and thanks for bringing it to my attention. I'm glad you enjoyed the article!
Really enjoyed the article. Quick question. Round 3, game 1, your opponent was at 13 and you had 2 Experiment One, each a 3/3, one Leatherback Baloth and one Dungrove Elder (freshly cast). Your hand included 1 Vines of the Vastwood and 1 Aspect of the Hydra, and you and 1 mana available. You swung with the Experiment Ones and Baloth, for 10. You opponent was at 13. He cast Repeal, targeting one of the Experiment Ones. Why didn't you Aspect in response, pumping one of the other attackers by 6, and resulting in lethal damage?
I don't really like Landstill as a deck but I have to admit, it is one of the most difficult match ups for me playing Oath. It plays the waiting game well and has access to Decay. I'm glad the deck is difficult to play and also probably not very well positioned right now.
I'm starting to see the same issue with people using Collected Company in Modern. There are times, especially in the Elf deck, when casting it during your turn is certainly the correct move. It's hard to fight the urge to only cast it "before blockers" or "At EoT".
A great reminder of what improving play really means.
Totally agree.
In a more general sense this might be why red mages / the philosophy of fire gets looked down on by blue / control afficionados, and yet red decks win.
So, I agree totally. Brainstorm is an instant, and we learn soon in our MTG careers, as you mentioned, to end-step all of our instants. With Brainstorm, it's almost always better to wait and see one more card, and to have an uncracked fetch at the readu.
Just thge other day, I almost passed the turn, and planned on using my stoneforge mystic to play my batterskull at my opponent's end step. I stopped, and did it main phase while my opponent was tapped out. Why? Because I remembered that this player had sided in a Sudden Shock to kill my Monastery Mentors. He might be able to split second kill my SFM if I passed priority during his turn! So, I made the right play, that would be wrong much of the time.
Good read this week, I'm really into the strategy side of things.
This comes up a lot in Pauper, where people quickly learn that yes, you kill the Kiln Fiend on your turn when Apostle's Blessing doesn't feed it 3 points of power.
There are a lot of 6CMC creatures that would be good backup plans (Dragonlord Dromoka or Dragonlord Silumgar come to mind) to deal with graveyard hate.
This whole thing reminds me of another thing that Marshall gets excited about (or at least, excited to tell people to not do): Best Case Scenario Mentality.
Getting that two for one is the best case scenario. The worst case is what you talk about, where they might have some kind of counterspell. The average case is probably killing the creature, but not getting an extra card.
I think players tend to learn something, and then do that thing every time, until they improve enough to know when not to do it.
Well, there's still three tundras and three volcanic islands, if you replaced a tundra with karakas, so I think that you are probably ok.
Honestly, I am probably going to try it out for myself. I think a karakas is a good idea. Random reanimator decks are always around, karakas has lots of utility.
Once I get more cards, I'll finish stoneblade as well. But delver has been great so far.
Lots of counterspells, removal, and efficient creatures make a good deck.
Someone suggested that I cut a dig through time for a stp, so I did. But i love having a dtt to play every game. It's so powerful, and the card selection allows you to hit the removal when you need to, so playing a bit less probably is fine.
ATTN TheKidsAren'tAllright I have no way to contact you, get my email, FB, or Twitter when you see me next. I'm ready to return the cards I borrowed whenever. I'd love to trade for the Mana Drain though! :)
Funny that you should mention that. I have been tooling around with a GR Aggro deck that was based heavily off some articles you put out back in 2006 or 2007, Alex. It isn't there, yet, but the potential seems to be there. Utilizing red removal to get blockers out of the way for Mongrels and Rootwallas is just something I can never give up.
I would try Madcap Skills. Or branch into green for Rancor and Colossal Might.
I have not, but I imagine in a deck full of Hammerhands and Titan's Strength, it isn't bad.
Have you tried viashino slaughtermaster in your red deck wins?
I would like to mention that I've seen or heard of a few other people picking this deck up on Magic Online. It's a great list, and I suggest that people try it out.
Wizards has a thing called the Wizards Account Manager that is supposed to unify those things. I did write about it, and the problems it had, last fall. I might do an update sometime.
Plagued Rusalka and Gut Shot have been really fun cards to play with so far. X/1's have been feeling vulnerable on both sides of the table. I've lost turn 1 Delver of Secrets a few times and I've used it to deal with a variety of creatures, small, or big with help from other burn (see: Gurmag Angler's stupid 5 toughness needing a Flame Slash + Gut Shot).
Rusalka has made the Rakdos Tortured Existence brew I'm messing with a bit better. Another sac outlet is great for that deck and the ability to make opposing creatures smaller for the turn or to outright kill them is great.
An idea for you Pete in future article !
WotC web and account migration, it is probably enough with these words and people will groan =)
If you are an mtgo and paper player(lgs/GPs), how many usernames and passwords do you "have to use" in order to log into the things that wotc offers ? Im talking mtgo customer service, plainswalker points web, wotc forums, etc ?`
Asking you, Pete, about how to make it work isn't fair, because everything is so messy and you dont work at wotc, but im asking: HOW MANY THINGS/pages should and can an mtg player log into on the web that is officially offered by wotc and is mtg related ?
Thanks Kumagoro!
100 Card Singleton is run every Friday at 5PM EDT
I just won my first match with it. Against what I think was Mentor/TPS based on a Mentor and Vampiric Tutor I saw.
I'll say this for sure, you won't be lacking in counters when you're playing Landstill! I had too many almost!
Yeah. In Clinton's list there is a Grave Titan in the board which I assume is the intention of that card. However, I feel putting in 6 drops presupposes that I will be cheating them into play via Protean Hulk (otherwise they don't drop until Turn 6 which is probably a bit late) which is not where I need the backup. The backup is needed when we aren't able to combo off due to graveyard hate.
Clinton's list can play a 6 drop early off a Pentad Prism but our decklist doesn't have that option. Not sure adding 6 drops is necessarily the way to go.
I had a chair like that once! :)
Simple, I was lazy and didn't count, realizing I would've dealt exact if I had done it the way you suggested. What's funny is I usually spot my mistakes when I watch my replays, but even this one I missed. Good catch and thanks for bringing it to my attention. I'm glad you enjoyed the article!
Really enjoyed the article. Quick question. Round 3, game 1, your opponent was at 13 and you had 2 Experiment One, each a 3/3, one Leatherback Baloth and one Dungrove Elder (freshly cast). Your hand included 1 Vines of the Vastwood and 1 Aspect of the Hydra, and you and 1 mana available. You swung with the Experiment Ones and Baloth, for 10. You opponent was at 13. He cast Repeal, targeting one of the Experiment Ones. Why didn't you Aspect in response, pumping one of the other attackers by 6, and resulting in lethal damage?
I don't really like Landstill as a deck but I have to admit, it is one of the most difficult match ups for me playing Oath. It plays the waiting game well and has access to Decay. I'm glad the deck is difficult to play and also probably not very well positioned right now.
I'm starting to see the same issue with people using Collected Company in Modern. There are times, especially in the Elf deck, when casting it during your turn is certainly the correct move. It's hard to fight the urge to only cast it "before blockers" or "At EoT".
A great reminder of what improving play really means.
Have fun in Vegas!
- Gio
Totally agree.
In a more general sense this might be why red mages / the philosophy of fire gets looked down on by blue / control afficionados, and yet red decks win.
So, I agree totally. Brainstorm is an instant, and we learn soon in our MTG careers, as you mentioned, to end-step all of our instants. With Brainstorm, it's almost always better to wait and see one more card, and to have an uncracked fetch at the readu.
Just thge other day, I almost passed the turn, and planned on using my stoneforge mystic to play my batterskull at my opponent's end step. I stopped, and did it main phase while my opponent was tapped out. Why? Because I remembered that this player had sided in a Sudden Shock to kill my Monastery Mentors. He might be able to split second kill my SFM if I passed priority during his turn! So, I made the right play, that would be wrong much of the time.
Good read this week, I'm really into the strategy side of things.
This comes up a lot in Pauper, where people quickly learn that yes, you kill the Kiln Fiend on your turn when Apostle's Blessing doesn't feed it 3 points of power.
There are a lot of 6CMC creatures that would be good backup plans (Dragonlord Dromoka or Dragonlord Silumgar come to mind) to deal with graveyard hate.
Great article Pete!
This whole thing reminds me of another thing that Marshall gets excited about (or at least, excited to tell people to not do): Best Case Scenario Mentality.
Getting that two for one is the best case scenario. The worst case is what you talk about, where they might have some kind of counterspell. The average case is probably killing the creature, but not getting an extra card.
I think players tend to learn something, and then do that thing every time, until they improve enough to know when not to do it.
This article is a little old... cool decks though.
By the way, thekidsarentallright was nice enough to lend me the rest of Landstill, so since it got the most votes, I'll be playing that next week.
Well, there's still three tundras and three volcanic islands, if you replaced a tundra with karakas, so I think that you are probably ok.
Honestly, I am probably going to try it out for myself. I think a karakas is a good idea. Random reanimator decks are always around, karakas has lots of utility.
Once I get more cards, I'll finish stoneblade as well. But delver has been great so far.
Lots of counterspells, removal, and efficient creatures make a good deck.
Someone suggested that I cut a dig through time for a stp, so I did. But i love having a dtt to play every game. It's so powerful, and the card selection allows you to hit the removal when you need to, so playing a bit less probably is fine.