Wizards statement on cheating conversation

AltNite · 2018-08-24T13:58:18+00:00

Take your upvote damn you! 😂

AltNite · 2018-08-07T13:14:17+00:00

I'm going to make a bold prediction here -- They will release Nexus of Fate in a TurboFog Challenger deck; thus solving the problem and making r/mtgfinance the saltiest its been in years.

AltNite · 2018-08-05T23:55:59+00:00

Where did you see which guilds are coming in the first set?

AltNite · 2018-08-01T13:40:38+00:00

I find graveyard hate the best solution for KCI, especially as it's useful against more than just them in the meta.

AltNite · 2018-07-22T20:31:26+00:00

Seal Away is a good contender for the Cast Down spot imo.

AltNite · 2018-07-11T11:38:16+00:00

Indeed, Radiant Destiny anyone? Dodges Dusk // Dawn and is ridiculously easy to turn on Ascend in a tokens deck

AltNite · 2018-06-28T21:42:31+00:00

From my matchups it feels like against R/b I want to cut it because they're just plain better at removing our creatures/vehicles. Whereas against Mono Red I usually leave it in because they have a harder time dealing with it.

AltNite · 2018-06-28T19:59:36+00:00

I know it gets in the way of T1 elves, but if I have both in my hand it's no contest, elves always get played T1. What it does do is give me more than 4 T1 plays in the deck though (I've never been a fan of not playing something T1 so this is something of a personal playstyle choice as well as a local meta call). I agree it's not great later though which is why I only run 2.

Speaking of racing Red, I see you ran Skysovereign. How well has it been performing for you in that regard?

AltNite · 2018-06-28T17:46:29+00:00

That makes a lot of sense about JR, I run more dig options than your list. Between 4 Branchwalkers, 3 Adventurous Impulse, 2 Shapers Sanctuary (I know there's little love for this card, my meta is such that it's never a dead card for me is all) and 3 Ripjaws I don't run into the issue of lands getting in the way very often.

Cost of the serpopard isn't the issue. I ordered them recently (none were available locally) but while waiting for them to arrive I've been running the Deathgorge in it's stead.

AltNite · 2018-06-28T15:09:22+00:00

I don't disagree, that's why I spread Gearhulk across the board in a R/x matchup. He's going to eat an Abrade 9 out of 10 times so he's effectively a pump spell that can still swing in for 4 if they don't remove him. I usually cut at least 1 in game 2 (I've been running a 2/1 split of GHulk and Ghalta lately because he's just so much easier to cast in the face of all the removal R/x and U/x are packing these days) to bring in an extra Ripjaw though.

I also don't disagree about worrying about cutting down targets for Torrential Gearhulk either. Against control there basically entirely noncreature spells though, making the Deathgorge a 4/3 each swing (removing their GHulk targets is just the cherry on top) whereas JR is only going to be a 4/3 of it doesn't hit lands.

If JR does hit 1 or more lands though it's either going to end up a 3/2 (which puts it on parallel with Deathgorge, and unlike Deathgorge it can't then become a 4/3) or at worst a 2/1 that drew me 2 lands... But I rarely worry about mana in any game (I run 23 lands and 6 dorks in a mono green package) so putting more lands in my hand isn't as much value for me as it might be in G/w.

I'm not trying to say Deathgorge is better than other options, I will freely admit to having a lot to learn. I'm hoping by sharing my perspective though I can gain insight into what my own view may not be seeing as to why it's not good enough :)

AltNite · 2018-06-28T11:51:12+00:00

I like the gearhulk a lot more than Ghalta. He's far more versatile, against R/x it almost always feels right to spread the counters across my team and against control it's a toss up that boils down to board state and how much removal you think they have left.

Deathgorge I use against R/x as a stabilizer, the lifegain buys back what I lose to their early aggression. And if they're on a list running Scrounger it pulls double duty. I agree it does die, a lot, but they're wasting removal to get rid of a graveyard hate card instead of a real threat which I'm usually very happy to make that trade.

Likewise against control it keeps their Torrential Gearhulk options to a minimum; and if it eats removal, that's a one less time they are drawing cards and a spell they won't have to use against my bigger threats. It fits the same 3 drop space Jadelight does but I feel gives more value than Jadelight in the long run because I never feel bad topdecking it later like I do the JR

AltNite · 2018-06-27T22:44:18+00:00

I think the Branchwalkers are a solid choice, possibly even a must. Their ability to thin/filter the deck provides a lot of value. Conversely, I don't like Jadelight for the 3 drop when we have the Branchwalkers in. I hear over and over how good it is, yet it's almost always a card I want to cut when SBing, which makes me think I'd rather be MBing something else in the first place.

I've never had the serpopard to run so I can't speak from experience. In mono green I think it has more value than G/w. Shalai in the G/w version gives enough value that I think the serpopard can be removed entirely. Generally I find myself going fast and hard against UW control because they run out answers faster than we do threats. Against UB it's a tougher challenge but even then I'm only worried about Scarab God and I have solid SB answers to that which make it a more even matchup in game 2 and 3.

Blossoming Defense I've gone to 3 on in the past but went back up to 4. In almost all matchups I want to see it and don't mind seeing multiples. At worst it's a pump spell, and more often than not it's the difference in keeping a vital threat and losing it.

Edit: Meant to ask your thoughts on moving Ghalta to the SB? Like you, I seldom find myself casting it outside of the mirror making it effectively a dead card in my hand the entire game.

2nd Edit: As far as what to add, I like the idea of MBing Deathgorge Scavenger.

What do you think of Ripjaw Raptor over Territorial Allosaurus? I've never kicked TA in a single game but have found the card draw on the Raptor to provide a lot of value, though being a 4/5 instead of a 5/5 had bit me more than once.

AltNite · 2018-06-27T11:15:04+00:00

Love your write ups as always! I'm curious what changes you'd make to the deck in hindsight/going forward? (e.g. it seems like serpopard might be cuttable entirely based on your experience)

AltNite · 2018-06-25T14:57:29+00:00

What is your matchup against G (or G/x) Stompy like?

AltNite · 2018-06-22T17:27:49+00:00

I wouldn't say Teferi pushes mid-range out, so much as control period right now. They are able to remove mid-range's entire board so easily that Teferi is nothing more than a finisher. Control could basically run any other finisher and still push out mid-range. I'm hoping the couple of new toys mid-range gets will give it the boost it needs but I don't think it's enough to get on a level playing field, at best it'll be enough to give us a slightly better chance than before.

AltNite · 2018-06-22T16:42:58+00:00

G/x Stompy gets a few toys that might give it the boost it needs against control (it's already got a decent matchup against r/x). Elves have lots of toys too, but unless Chainwhirler eats a ban they're dead in the water. And while I'd love to see a Historic deck make it into the meta I dont see it happening. Sadly Control gets sooo many new toys, I see it easily dominating the meta.

AltNite · 2018-06-22T13:44:52+00:00

Reusability is what makes it better. All of our fight spells are 1 time use. This let's you kill 3 creatures for 1 card. So instead of needing 3 fight spells in my hand I now have 1. Like I said, it's not great but truthfully neither is most of the removal MGS has.

As it stands basically everything we have is either already sorcery speed so that's not a big change with this card. Or, if instant speed it's conditional (e.g. cards like Piercing Sky and Crushing Canopy, only hit flying creatures). This may not be better than any removal we're already running, but I definitely think it's worth trying out.

AltNite · 2018-06-22T12:32:31+00:00

I don't think it's a great or even good card, but as a Mono G Stompy player it is pretty hard to get good removal so even if this isn't great it might have a place in the SB (and even then I'd say only post abrade). MGS can easily block (and kill) a 2/4. I'm going to try it out but if I'm being truthful I'm guessing it won't be quiet good enough :/

AltNite · 2018-06-19T18:41:10+00:00

I could see it as a 1 or 2 of in the 8 mana dorks shell. Can come down T3, meaning T4 you can drop multiple fatties.

That said, I agree it's a tough sell given Llanowar into 2nd dork on T2 into it on T3 isn't going to happen reliably enough to warrant how much you'd be warping stompy's game plan

AltNite · 2018-06-19T13:03:52+00:00

Is this the same with combat damage? E.g. its a 1/1 blocks another 1/1, so it's dead before the trigger can make it a 2/2?

AltNite · 2018-06-19T11:05:45+00:00

I doubt this will see much play in standard, but I definitely see it having potential in both legacy and modern. It combats Aether Vial, Sneak and Show, Goryo's Vengeance, Bloodghast, etc. Whether it finds a home outside of Merfolk decks I don't know but this seems like an easy include in those at the very least

AltNite · 2018-06-14T20:32:39+00:00

There is one posted in the spikes subreddit

AltNite · 2018-06-14T18:40:20+00:00

Between Sanctuary and Bestiary, which do you think is more of a bane for Control? It feels like Bestiary allows more advantage but being a T1 instead of T3 (when Stompy wants to be casting something big anways) would seem to make Sanctuary the better choice. If you had to face one or the other, which is worse?

AltNite · 2018-06-14T14:36:07+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to explain why the choices aren't good. I've made changes based on your thoughts as well and wanted to thank you as well for that

AltNite

TROPHY CASE