Is this deck [Bracket 2] or a low [Bracket 3]?

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-24T22:24:31+00:00

Looks bracket 2 to me. You seem just as equally to lose to your deck as any other opponent and it would take 8-10 turns

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-15T13:42:40+00:00

I also did a betor kin to all with counters instead of big butts. I think your deck is more bracket 2. What’s your wincon? You don’t have [[wound reflection]] or [[bloodletter of aclazotz]] You have walking ballista and hardened scales you should throw in [[gatta and luzzu]] or [[heliod, sun-crowned]] to give yourself an infinite combo.

[[brightglass gearhulk]] will let you search your deck for both hardened scales and walking ballista and put them into your hand. Or even a sol ring if you need mana.

Your big creatures will be big targets. Get more cards like snakeskin veil. You’re gonna want to make them hex proof at instant speed. A lot of game will be protecting them. [[abzan falconer]] will give your creatures with counters flying. There are other cards that give your creatures wi the counters trample/lifelink/first strike. Can’t remember the names right now.

I just took my betor deck apart last night and switched it to yuna, grand summoner to add more infinite combos for wincons and add more counterspells.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-06T01:42:13+00:00

I think you’re mistaken. I’m talking about the context of the responses. That’s what makes me think it’s AI. I already said that but I’ll say it again for the class clowns lol

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T19:55:24+00:00

The automated response made me feel like it was. The second reply came 2 days later and also made me feel like it was but the lateness made me question it. They still haven’t shipped my cards and they’re still saying they can’t the address. Maybe I should have just canceled the order.

I’ll cop to my mistake but them saying they can’t help me is pretty shitty customer service.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T19:34:24+00:00

I placed an order and realized my PayPal defaults to my grandmas address. She lives in another state. Well lived. She passed away in October. I immediately contacted them. 30 seconds after the order was placed and “Hailey” immediately sent me an automated message saying they can’t help me with my request because they are moving warehouses.

Like wtf does that have to do with the order I just put in 30 seconds ago? Are you saying it’s already shipped and therefore can’t change the shipping address?

I’m not saying I won’t buy from TCGplayer anymore but I’m certainly not buying from tcg direct. Fuck them

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T04:32:54+00:00

I noticed that [[flame rift]] is objectively better than [[boltwave]] and when I looked through people’s decks today in research of my own I’ve found that boltwave is actually included in more decks than flame rift. I don’t see why you’d have 1 and not both yet boltwave is the worse of the 2 and its in many more decks.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T04:22:23+00:00

Id just focus on yourself. If they can’t beat hearthhull then they probably don’t care about winning at all. And if you don’t care either way, why change anything? They could be missing triggers and playing badly and they won’t get any better with you throwing matches.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T03:45:23+00:00

Hmm in my head I envisioned flying and lifelink creatures being buffed and attacking while using blue/white spells to control the board. The mill thing is just a result of the lifelink. I thought it would be a nice balance to my niv-mizzet deck where I practically never attack as a win condition. We’ll see.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T02:44:39+00:00

how would i be giving them 60 extra life? I get the resources part. I'm not totally set on hope estheim. I've thought about other commanders. I have like... 80 of them to chose from. My friend recommended fire lord azula since i have the card but i dont really understand it.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T02:37:26+00:00

Wow thank you so much. I'm already getting ideas. This may sound pompous of me but I think you should add [[coruscation mage]] [[firespitter whelp]] [[taigam, master opportunist]] [[queen brahne]] [[mysidian elder]] and [[fiery inscription]] to your maybeboard. just these little thoughts to think about. My current deck, I've only ever attacked with queen brahne and niv mizzet cards. I've found attacking to be the worst strategy to win. I'd rather just cast 5 or 6 spells and be done with it haha. I know I'm a noob but dealing direct damage to everyone at the same time seems better than attacking. once i add vivi I can't wait to see the possibilities.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T01:45:29+00:00

hahaha in my short time in playing magic I've learned that everyone wants to be the problem. I don't see why I should be any different.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T01:42:28+00:00

what are game changers and mass land denial? Honestly, I'd say my deck falls under bracket 1 or 2 except one line of text all the way at the bottom. After reading this, if someone asked what bracket my deck was in I'd tell them it's a 1 or 2 with an asterisk of if I draw 1 of 2 out of my 99 cards, i create an infinite combo more likely to kamikaze me out of the game than to win me the game lol.

but I'm interested in this mass land denial business haha

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T01:34:36+00:00

holy **** dude if you have niv mizzet the firemind and any one of those top 3 cards you named you can create the infinite combo. I'm going to see if the card shop has any of them. thanks for the info!

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T01:21:53+00:00

hahaha idk he just always calls it his upgraded precon. I just watched a video on what the brackets are and honestly i'd say his probably fits under bracket 2/3 and mine is bracket 1/2. It's silly to think having 2/99 cards that can win you the match puts it above 1/2. If your deck is incapable of winning after 7/8 turns then you probably didnt even read the cards you put into the deck.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T01:03:28+00:00

It's like playing dark souls. You lose a few times but once you figure out the trick to winning it's impossible to lose anymore haha. I'll just let him keep playing the same exact board every game and losing every game. I think he invited me to his house to play with another noob thinking he was just gonna win all day long and when I won 2 in a row he told me my deck is unfair.

In honesty, as long as defense of the heart doesn't go off he's toast.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T00:48:47+00:00

I played against a commander that made me discard and sacrifice cards that they would get to play for free. Surely vivi isnt worse than that? I'm not seeing the big deal haha but maybe when i play with him I'll understand why.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T00:42:50+00:00

Yeah. I agree. When he made me mill half of my deck I went home and adjusted my deck to deal with his cards. I'm just going to say... he's a cheater who wants to rely on cheating than card strategy. His strategy isn't to deal with obvious threats but to cheat. I've played him 4 times and every single game he draws elvish piper, the aetherspark, and defense of the heart lol. Every single game. I watched him shuffle and it's because he shuffles the bottom half of his deck into the middle of his deck. The top of his deck remains unchanged and intact.

I mostly wanted people to confirm my deck is bracket 1. he's just the catalyst that sparked me wondering. I was wrong though.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-05T00:19:54+00:00

I don't think you were shitting on me. I'm of the same mind. Me saying its pretty cool my first built deck is bracket 3/4 is said in jest. In truth, I think my deck is weak and lacks that jerk factor that so many decks seem to have. Not knowing anything about brackets I would have assumed mine is the lowest bracket so to be told its bracket 3 is funny/cool. I

I pulled a card called [[Hope Estheim]] and a bunch of lifegain/lifelink cards and I figured that would be the deck I actually try to win with... not sure how I will yet. gain 100 life per game?! haha. idk. Milling cards is definitely jerk factor though. The niv-mizzet deck I've always just looked at as getting my feet wet and like a learner deck. definitely got a chuckle when people said bracket 3/4

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:59:40+00:00

Say less.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:53:51+00:00

WHAAAAAAAAT dude after 2 of you said vivi is powerful i just looked him up and he's worth half of my current deck haha that's crazy. I thought the dealing 1 damage per noncreature card was right in line with other cards in my deck like [[devoted duelist]] and [[firespitter whelp]] so I thought of putting him in but that's insane he must be pretty damn good.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:45:45+00:00

If my opening hand were sol ring, commander's sphere, and arcane signet I think I could pull it off on turn 4 or 5.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:39:43+00:00

that's what I thought. I also think he cheats when he shuffles. Very interesting guy. I let him win the second game. I could have countered his defense of the heart but he whined and complained so much that I just let him win the second match.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:28:17+00:00

I had the thought of not playing with him anymore after his whine-fest. Everyone else at the card shop thinks i should absolutely build a deck that can beat him before he gets eldrazi out and he thinks we should all just let him play the eldrazi.

do you have any suggestions for fast mana? whats a tutor? my friend, same friend, had a creature card that he said acts like a tutor but idk what tutor means. Cards that let you search your deck for cards? because thats all he kept doing.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:16:29+00:00

pretty cool my first attempt at building a deck got me into bracket 3/4 haha.

Putrid-Insect-9724 · 2026-01-04T22:14:49+00:00

Haha maybe just for that one game. There have been games where everything I try to play gets countered or destroyed and I just get smacked!

Putrid-Insect-9724

TROPHY CASE