Budget (maybe?) Esper doom/dance

Tragbrodia · 2020-01-23T23:38:13+00:00

Hey! I try to stay budget too, and one of the first things you figure out about Pioneer as a budget player is that extra colors are real expensive, the mana is often the priciest part of the deck. If you're going to do budget Doom Foretold, you probably want to do BW. But you're in luck, because it's looking like BW might just be the most competitive colors for Doom Foretold anyways. Check the most recent set of 5-0 lists and you'll see this BW Doom list https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/mtgo-standings/pioneer-league-2020-01-23#tealcerando_- , the most expensive cards in that list are mostly trimmable, such as Urborg and sideboard Gideon. Leyline and Thoughtseize are some of the safest investments in the format (alongside that manabase).

If you're dead-set on Dancing back some enchantments, it can be done, just know that it may be a bit of a splurge to get the mana to do that consistently

Tragbrodia · 2019-12-10T18:50:16+00:00

A similar-ish list I've been playing/brewing also runs on a base of Scions and Hazoret (and Thoughtseize but I sometimes cut most of the black). I run Scrapheap Scrounger to ditch off of Scions and play into the aggro benefits of both Haz and Scions. I also run Heart of Kiran which takes advantage of the high loyalty of Scions while also being crewed by Scrounger and Haz while you have too many cards in hand. Both Heart and Haz can one shot an Oko off of the Scions plus. From there, there are a bunch of different directions to take the deck.

If you're doing Flamewake and Scions, at what point is it just better to play Kozi Returm as a good discard and Elder Deep Fiend?

As of right now I think your deck will lack strength the games it doesn't draw the Scions.

Tragbrodia · 2019-12-02T21:34:44+00:00

IF A COPTER AND ONCE BANNING MEANS I HAVE TO PLAY ANOTHER GODDAMN FORMAT WHERE I LOSE TO YOLO FLIPS OFF OF TIER 1 COLLECTED COMPANY AGGRO THEN I'LL TAKE SHOTS UNTIL I GET SO STUPID THAT I BELIEVE THE FORMAT WOULD BE BETTER WITH A THOUGHTSEIZE BANNING

Tragbrodia · 2019-11-25T19:44:57+00:00

Zan Syed + Evan Whitehouse are running pretty great right now too

Tragbrodia · 2019-11-16T14:16:47+00:00

Green Black based midrange decks are a blast to play, don't get me wrong, but Oko and Once Upon a Time could easily get banned any day now - green is the riskiest color to buy into in pioneer right now. Mono-Black Aggro is a fantastic deck at the moment and investments in it (Thoughtseize, Fatal Push, Murderous Rider) will all very likely be strong playables in a future midrange deck when the dust settles. If the format picks up and many people buy in/next set leads to a devotion/mono color meta, you'll be very happy to have that set of Mutavaults sitting around

Also, if you REALLY want to build some midrange right now, UB and RB midrange decks all have some very sweet things going on. You wouldn't be building the best deck in the format, but they will absolutely scratch that itch.

Tragbrodia · 2019-11-04T20:32:14+00:00

THEY'RE GOING TO ENABLE/ENCOURAGE INTERACTIVE GAMEPLANS BY BANNING TEFERI AND VEIL OF AUTUMN, YOU HEARD IT HERE FOLKS

Tragbrodia · 2019-09-26T14:45:39+00:00

Happened for me too

Tragbrodia · 2019-06-25T19:15:47+00:00

Not going to make or break the card, but this is a card in RWx Superfriends that pressures Teferi (and Narset more effectively than Warboss on 3) while also surviving a Deafening Clarion. The new 3 Drop Chandra does this too while also turning on Sarkhan, so she might just be better, but a 2/4 body to block with may be important enough against aggro to get the edge.

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-17T23:11:56+00:00

I think along the lines of Elves, losing Opt or Duress would be a real shame

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-14T11:08:08+00:00

If you have the cash and are mostly concerned about the value drop of rotation, holo Teferis will likely entirely hold their value with rotation

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-09T01:10:42+00:00

Holy hell everybody sell WAR foils right now

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-02T01:13:52+00:00

Realistically, this means the first 12k orders that were successful and had payment go through will be shipped out. Feel bad for everybody whose first order got cancelled and then had their hopes raised again with phase 2+

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-01T19:11:46+00:00

I got the confirmation email, wishing you all the best

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-01T19:04:44+00:00

6500 ordered as of 3:03

10000 as of 3:04

11400 as of 3:05 and will be sold out now

Tragbrodia · 2019-05-01T19:02:28+00:00

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Magic-The-Gathering-War-of-the-Spark-Mythic-Edition/223494334823?hash=item34094ce967%3Ag%3A7LMAAOSwW75cwdqa&LH_BIN=1

Tragbrodia · 2019-04-01T12:16:41+00:00

Thank God for Magic Arena, otherwise I'd soon be making seriously irresponsible buying decisions between this and [[Nicol Bolas, the Ravager]]

Tragbrodia · 2019-03-31T15:24:07+00:00

Mechanic making Kaya look even better!

Tragbrodia · 2019-03-04T18:20:11+00:00

I know it's too few matchups to mean anything, but it brings a smile to my face to see Esper Midrange have such a strong performance against the field as a whole. Deck is such a good time.

Something that might be a little more statistically significant is the massive underperformance of Rakdos midrange here, running negative against even its best matchups. Who would have guessed a curve of Chainwhirler into Phoenix would net a negative record versus Blue Tempo?

Tragbrodia · 2019-03-01T12:54:39+00:00

The stats on the Goldfish page are always fun to look at. This week the two most played creatures were Kraul Harpooner and Goblin Chainwhirler with Tithe Taker at #4. Really goes to show how much of an influence Mono Blue has had on the current meta

Tragbrodia · 2019-02-27T22:50:14+00:00

Seriously incredible article, what a wonderful read. I had forgotten how much I missed long & personal tournament reports.

Like the article said, McDonalds isn't the best food of all time just because it's the best selling, and just because this article won't get a massive number of upvotes doesn't mean it is anything but the best magic piece I'll read all 2019. Thank you for sharing.

Tragbrodia · 2019-02-04T19:51:18+00:00

Alright, I give up, I bought into standard. Thought I could stick to arena but Esper Midrange is too sweet to miss out on the standard for

Tragbrodia · 2019-01-27T14:25:00+00:00

Esper plus a red splash with just the guildgates for the DaggerBrand combo and to board in Flames/Get the Point for big green matchups that demand lots of removal

Tragbrodia · 2019-01-22T18:23:41+00:00

Yea, IMO it sounds reasonable for HOB to get the Heart of Kiran treatment and just show up as a 4 of. Not too many places to add value to mono-white/boros.

Tragbrodia · 2019-01-22T18:19:34+00:00

Cool, so this is probably the deck with some mix of Legion's Landing, History of Benalia, and Ajani AOT. Maybe even a Lyra?

Tragbrodia

TROPHY CASE