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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 4:20 pm Post subject: Winning Decks: 2010-11 Standard Constructed |
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Hey all, b_b here. Just looking over our M:tG forum and noticed some things I'd like to improve on.
a) 100% of the stickies on this forum are from me.
b) The two stickied threads don't really get a lot of posts
c) We don't have a rules thread!
Well, now that's changed (c, particularly; as for a, no dice). In particular, I wanted to revamp the stickied threads. Since everyone (including myself) usually plays Standard and likes to keep an eye on the Standard metagame, I've decided to update the Deck Thread every Standard season. Since people don't usually post their decks in the Deck Thread anyway, I'd like to stress that this time around, please DO NOT post your decks in this thread. I'm sure everyone out there has some pretty capable Standard decks, but that isn't the point of this thread.
For a deck to be included in this thread, it must meet one of three possible criteria:
-The deck has had at least one Top 8 finish over the course of the season
-The deck is used widely in sanctioned events (say 15% of the playing field, minimum. FNM does NOT count.)
-Up-and-coming decks that have been used in sanctioned events, which utilize new or otherwise largely unexplored card tech (e.g. if Deck A dominates the metagame, and Deck B was created that utterly destroys Deck A, then Deck B would show up here)
These criteria may seem rather stringent, but the thread isn't called "Winning Decks" for no reason.
What is the purpose of this thread?
a) To give deck designers ideas as to what sort of deck to build
b) To give competitive players an idea of the metagame
c) So everybody can keep track of what's new in Magic, and what's being played
This thread will thus be populated pending the first sanctioned Scars of Mirrodin legal Constructed event of the season. Only then will we get to see what strategies people are using, and changes to the thread will be made accordingly. These changes will be made by me, for the most part, but I'd certainly appreciate some help. If there are any interested parties out there, please do PM me so we can work out a system.
Entries will follow the following Format:
<Deck Name>
<Quick primer on central strategy/key cards>
<Sample Decklists (may vary in number depending on how many variations a given archetype has>
Decklists will, in general, follow this format:
Lands - # of lands:
Creatures - # of creatures:
Other Spells - # of other spells:
Total: # of cards (really just a formality, but it's here if there should be any strange 60+ carder decks that do well in the future)
Sideboard (if any)
As the metagame starts to take shape, the format will also contain:
<Good Matchups>
<Bad Matchups>
For brevity, no explanations will be provided. After all, if you're piloting the deck, you're at the very least expected to play it correctly.
That's all for now. Updates should come soon  |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:21 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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Quick Hits: Scars White
(check also: Memnite White)
Scars White focuses on a card from Zendikar: Quest for the Holy Relic. The idea is to play things like Memnite, Ornithopter and Glint Hawk to get QftHR to five counters very quickly, then sac it to search for Argentum Armor and attach it onto one of your guys. It's a very popular Scars of Mirrodin pre-archetype that's already made Top 16 in TCGPlayer's Wizard World Series in New York, so I'm posting it here as something to look out for in early Standard events.
Memnite White is the most recent, and has a good finish already to boot. But there are a lot of variations on the same theme, really, so anything that plays cheap white creatures with Quest for the Holy Relic and various Equipment will be lumped under Scars White.
Look for this post to update as the lists evolve. And speaking of decklists...
Sample Decklist: Memnite White (Axel Jensen, Top 16 TCGPlayer Wizard World Series)
Lands - 20:
4 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats
12 Plains
Creatures - 28:
4 Glint Hawk
4 Kor Duelist
4 Kor Outfitter
4 Kor Skyfisher
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Stoneforge Mystic
Other Spells - 12:
3 Adventuring Gear
2 Argentum Armor
1 Darksteel Axe
1 Mox Opal
4 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Sword of Body and Mind
Total: 60 Cards
Sideboard:
2 Jinxed Idol
3 Kemba, Kha Regent
4 Kor Firewalker
2 Leonin Arbiter
4 Luminarch Ascension
15 sideboard cards
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Valakut Ramp
One of the stronger decks of the pre-Scars of Mirrodin Standard, Valakut Ramp focuses on getting lots of mana to play a quick Primeval Titan, which promptly searches up copies of Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, followed by Mountains on subsequent attacks.
There are many variations of Valakut Ramp, but right now differences only show up in an effort to get a better mirror match.
Sample Decklists:
RG Valakut Ramp (Jack Vargas, 1st Place - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Lands - 26:
8 Forest
12 Mountain
1 Raging Ravine
1 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
Creatures - 12:
4 Avenger of Zendikar
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Primeval Titan
Other Spells - 22:
4 Cultivate
4 Harrow
4 Khalni Heart Expedition
2 Koth of the Hammer
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Summoning Trap
Sideboard
2 Acidic Slime
2 All Is Dust
4 Fog
2 Leyline of Punishment
4 Naturalize
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
----------------------------------------------
Brian Flynn (Top 8 - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Lands - 28:
3 Evolving Wilds
5 Forest
12 Mountain
3 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
1 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 13:
3 Avenger of Zendikar
2 Inferno Titan
3 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Primeval Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
Other Spells - 19:
4 Cultivate
4 Explore
4 Khalni Heart Expedition
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Summoning Trap
Sideboard
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Comet Storm
2 Gaea's Revenge
3 Memoricide
3 Naturalize
2 Pelakka Wurm
2 Pyroclasm
1 Swamp
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Eldrazi Ramp
Okay, Magic pop quiz. Which color is best at mana acceleration? Yep, green. And what are some of the most powerful fatties in Standard? That's right, Eldrazi. Put these two together and you've got a deck that tries to quickly get out various 10/10, 12/12, and 15/15 creatures to smash face on the 'field.
Lists will generally also play Summoning Trap in an effort to cheat Eldrazi onto the battlefield, though if that fails the backup plan is to just ramp up and hard cast (not a bad idea, really, because of bonus effects on Eldrazi when cast).
Sample Decklist:
Abbas Tapal (Top 8 - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Lands - 27:
4 Eldrazi Temple
1 Eye of Ugin
13 Forest
4 Khalni Garden
1 Mystifying Maze
4 Tectonic Edge
Creatures - 9:
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
4 Primeval Titan
3 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Other Spells - 24:
3 All Is Dust
3 Cultivate
4 Everflowing Chalice
4 Explore
3 Growth Spasm
3 Ratchet Bomb
4 Summoning Trap
Sideboard
3 Acidic Slime
4 Obstinate Baloth
4 Overgrown Battlement
1 Pelakka Wurm
2 Terastodon
1 Wurmcoil Engine
------------------------------------------------------
Tim Landale (2nd Place - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Chester Li (Top 8 - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Lands - 26:
4 Eldrazi Temple
1 Eye of Ugin
11 Forest
4 Khalni Garden
2 Mystifying Maze
4 Tectonic Edge
Creatures - 18:
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
4 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
4 Overgrown Battlement
4 Primeval Titan
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3 Wurmcoil Engine
Other Spells - 16:
2 Cultivate
2 Everflowing Chalice
4 Explore
4 Growth Spasm
4 Summoning Trap
Sideboard
2 All Is Dust
1 Eye of Ugin
2 Nature's Claim
3 Obstinate Baloth
2 Pelakka Wurm
4 Terastodon
1 Wurmcoil Engine
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Ezuri Elves
Elves has been around for quite a while now, and the strategy is usually the same: draw cards, cast spells. Elves traditionally will have plenty of acceleration, army-pumping lords, and some mean "tech" to put the deck over-the-top.
The latest incarnation has all those elements in spades: accel from Llanowar Elves, Arbor Elf, and Garruk Wildspeaker; a traditional lord in Elvish Archdruid and functional "lords" Ezuri, Renegade Leader and Eldrazi Monument; and awesome tech in Genesis Wave to take all that mana and turn them into permanents.
Basic win scenario is like this: after building up mana and casting Genesis Wave for X = huge, you try to alpha strike with your huge Elf swarm next turn behind either Ezuri's Overrun ability, Eldrazi Monument's mass pump and flying, or both.
Notice that some versions shamelessly play Eldrazi fatties for the counter-mill effect and for the fact that Elves generate huge mana so quickly, allowing you to actually hit their obscene converted mana costs via Genesis Wave.
Sample Decklist:
Michael Lapine (Top 8 - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Lands - 23:
8 Forest
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 26:
4 Arbor Elf
4 Elvish Archdruid
3 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Leatherback Baloth
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Lotus Cobra
3 Nissa's Chosen
Other Spells - 11:
3 Eldrazi Monument
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Genesis Wave
3 Nissa Revane
Sideboard
1 Eldrazi Monument
4 Leyline of Vitality
4 Obstinate Baloth
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Sylvan Ranger
4 Tajuru Preserver
------------------------------------------------
Mark Miller (1st Place, 2010 WV State Championships)
Lands - 24:
20 Forest
4 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
Creatures - 26:
4 Arbor Elf
4 Elvish Archdruid
2 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Joraga Treespeaker
2 Joraga Warcaller
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nissa's Chosen
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Other Spells - 10:
3 Eldrazi Monument
4 Genesis Wave
3 Nissa Revane
Sideboard
2 Acidic Slime
1 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Leyline of Vitality
3 Naturalize
1 Nissa Revane
3 Overwhelming Stampede
1 Tajuru Preserver
----------------------------------------------
Sean McKeown's Elves
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open–Boston, MA
Lands - 20:
8 Forest
4 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Swamp
3 Tectonic Edge
4 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 36:
4 Arbor Elf
4 Copperhorn Scout
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Joraga Treespeaker
4 Joraga Warcaller
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Sylvan Ranger
Other Spells - 4:
4 Eldrazi Monument
Sideboard
1 Acidic Slime
4 Doom Blade
1 Gaea's Revenge
4 Memoricide
4 Molten-Tail Masticore
1 Tajuru Preserver
A no-nonsense Elves list here, topping up on Eldrazi Monuments and various Elves. Note the one swamp; good times with Sylvan Ranger and the sideboarded spells.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:48 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: WU Control
One of the oldest archetypes in Magic, WU control is, in theory, the perfect defense: Blue will counter stuff, and White will get rid of things that happen to slip past the counter wall. Anything you don't eliminate or counter won't be of any circumstance once you cast your finisher-of-choice.
The important thing to note is that WU doesn't strictly follow a Draw-Go playstyle (unlike Mono-Blue Control). Rather, the focus is on board control. You will, from time to time, tap-out as the WU player, but usually it will result in tremendous tempo gain and/or card advantage.
Contemporary WU decks are usually along this vein, packing powerful planeswalkers like Elspeth Tirel, Jace the Mind Sculptor, and Gideon Jura, all of which make it easier to control the board and, thus, the flow of the game. Of course, note that this is for "usual" threats; there's just enough countermagic in the deck to take care of everything else, or otherwise protect a lead.
Sample Decklist:
Pedro Quintero (Top 8 - TCGPlayer.com WWS–New York City)
Lands - 25:
1 Arid Mesa
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Island
4 Plains
1 Scalding Tarn
3 Seachrome Coast
4 Tectonic Edge
Creatures - 8:
2 Baneslayer Angel
2 Sun Titan
4 Wall of Omens
Other Spells - 27:
3 Condemn
3 Day of Judgment
2 Elspeth Tirel
1 Gideon Jura
2 Jace Beleren
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Jace's Ingenuity
4 Mana Leak
2 Negate
4 Preordain
2 Ratchet Bomb
Sideboard
1 Condemn
2 Flashfreeze
2 Kor Sanctifiers
3 Leonin Arbiter
1 Negate
2 Revoke Existence
2 Trigon of Mending
2 Volition Reins
15 sideboard cards
----------------------------------
Kurt Spiess's White-Blue Control
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open–Boston, MA
Lands - 25:
1 Arid Mesa
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Glacial Fortress
5 Island
3 Plains
1 Scalding Tarn
4 Seachrome Coast
3 Tectonic Edge
Creatures - 2:
2 Frost Titan
Other Spells - 33:
4 Condemn
2 Contagion Clasp
2 Day of Judgment
3 Everflowing Chalice
2 Gideon Jura
1 Into the Roil
2 Jace Beleren
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Luminarch Ascension
4 Mana Leak
2 Negate
4 Preordain
Sideboard
3 Baneslayer Angel
2 Day of Judgment
3 Flashfreeze
1 Into the Roil
1 Luminarch Ascension
1 Negate
1 Revoke Existence
2 Spell Pierce
1 Volition Reins
Luminarch Ascension gets the nod here, as its a great choice against the mirror (or most other control decks, for that matter).
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Xtian
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Goderator
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 3259 |
| Location: Avernus |
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 12:03 am Post subject: |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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You can generally comment here. I'll only make another thread if comments focus too much on a specific archetype; if it's about half a page's worth then it will certainly deserve its own thread.
Otherwise, feel free to comment and discuss in this thread.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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KuyaKinit
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Very Young Dragon
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| Joined: 10 Oct 2010 |
| Posts: 11 |
| Location: Elven Forest |
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Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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I looked through the top 16 deck lists of the said tourney and I suggest the addition of GUr Shaman in the list, since it caters powerhouse cards like Vengevine, Lotus Cobra and even Jace TMS. We are probably looking at the new form of Fauna Naya, which was a powerful deck pre-SoM.
_________________
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
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Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Well, Fauna Shaman decks do deserve a place here, but I don't know if GUr will be the color combination to go (as opposed to the other archetypes, which in addition to having already established a post-rotation reputation also have a rather solid central core of cards). Frankly, there simply have not been enough tourneys yet. So let's wait for one or two more tourneys before we post that as an archetype.
Thanks for the tip, though 
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Apparently State Championships have concluded, so expect big updates soon.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Aggro Red
The gameplan, on paper, is simple: cast efficient creatures and burn spells at a rapid rate then try to win the game as fast as humanly possible. But any seasoned pilot of Red will tell you that the execution is anything but.
There are many different types of red decks out there, some creature-based (e.g. Goblins, Sligh) and others more burn-reliant (e.g. Red Deck Wins). The common denominator, of course, is speed.
(Not to be confused with Big Red)
Sample Decklists:
Chris Cannon - Metalcraft Goblins (1st Place, 2010 GA State Championships)
Lands - 21:
4 Arid Mesa
11 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Smoldering Spires
1 Teetering Peaks
Creatures - 19:
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Goblin Chieftain
4 Goblin Guide
4 Memnite
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
2 Spikeshot Elder
Other Spells - 20:
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Darksteel Axe
3 Galvanic Blast
1 Infiltration Lens
4 Kuldotha Rebirth
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mox Opal
3 Panic Spellbomb
Sideboard
3 Arc Trail
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Mark of Mutiny
3 Shatter
3 Tunnel Ignus
(Note the nearly 20-20-20 split; a time-old rule of thumb of Red deck construction)
------------------------------------------------
Brian Siu - Red Deck Wins (1st Place, 2010 NH State Championships)
Lands - 24:
4 Arid Mesa
10 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Smoldering Spires
2 Teetering Peaks
Creatures - 14
4 Goblin Guide
2 Kargan Dragonlord
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Plated Geopede
Other Spells - 22:
4 Assault Strobe
2 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Mark of Mutiny
3 Panic Spellbomb
3 Searing Blaze
4 Zektar Shrine Expedition
Sideboard
3 Arc Trail
2 Brittle Effigy
2 Kargan Dragonlord
4 Koth of the Hammer
2 Mark of Mutiny
1 Searing Blaze
1 Teetering Peaks
Innovative use of Assault Strobe in this one.
------------------------------------------------
Christopher Cannon's Goblins
Standard - 2nd Place - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 19:
4 Arid Mesa
9 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Smoldering Spires
1 Teetering Peaks
Creatures - 20:
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Goblin Chieftain
4 Goblin Guide
4 Memnite
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
3 Spikeshot Elder
Other Spells - 21:
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Chimeric Mass
1 Devastating Summons
1 Forked Bolt
2 Galvanic Blast
1 Infiltration Lens
4 Kuldotha Rebirth
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Mox Opal
3 Panic Spellbomb
1 Trusty Machete
Sideboard
3 Arc Trail
1 Chimeric Mass
3 Mark of Mutiny
2 Molten-Tail Masticore
2 Perilous Myr
2 Shatter
2 Sylvok Lifestaff
This is something of a hybridization of certain Red Aggro archetypes, with a large focus on Goblins because of incentives in Kuldotha Rebirth, Spikeshot Elder, and the haste-enabling tandem of Goblin Bushwhacker and Goblin Chieftain. Quite a customizable list, and from the looks of it, also very fast.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Big Red
Red, by and large, is as much a weenie color as White. But from time to time Red gets its share of choice fatties, and ways to get them out onto the battlefield.
This is the essence of Big Red: it tries to dominate when other red decks would try to race. It will be aggressive at times, but the main concern will be getting even a slim lead in the life race early on so that later you can drop a finisher onto the field and dominate.
This can be done fairly quickly due to Red's fast mana, and in the current Standard, few cards generate fast mana like Koth of the Hammer. One turn it's Koth, the next, Inferno Titan, possibly with Basilisk Collar accompaniment.
(Not to be confused with plain Aggro Red)
Sample Decklist:
Mike Stewart - Big Red (1st Place, 2010 NV State Championships)
Lands - 24:
24 Mountain
Creatures - 20:
4 Cunning Sparkmage
4 Goblin Guide
2 Inferno Titan
4 Iron Myr
2 Molten-Tail Masticore
4 Wurmcoil Engine
Other Spells - 16:
2 Basilisk Collar
4 Everflowing Chalice
2 Flame Slash
4 Koth of the Hammer
4 Lightning Bolt
Sideboard
3 Contagion Clasp
4 Manic Vandal
3 Pyroclasm
1 Ratchet Bomb
4 Tunnel Ignus
No fancy land tricks; all Mountains are played to utilize Koth, which is really the only reason to play Big Red.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Destructive Force
Quick M:tG history lesson: back in Kamigawa/Ravnica Standard, there was a red card called Wildfire. This card spawned an archetype called U/R Tron, which had you playing Signets, countermagic, and the UrzaTron to set up a devastating Wildfire, which often net a massive advantage in board position and, ultimately, the game.
The spirit of Wildfire lives on in its slightly more expensive (cmc-wise, at least) successor, Destructive Force. While the Signets and the 'Tron are no more, there are several ways to gain advantage from a resolved Force; namely, the Titans.
Inferno Titan is, of course, in the right color, and Primeval Titan amounts to incremental land advantage, but Frost Titan is quite possibly the best choice. It keeps opposing lands tapped, requires a goodly bit of mana to answer, and more importantly, through color choice, grants access to Jace the Mind Sculptor, which keeps an opponent from drawing more lands. The quintessential counterspell of the previous standard, Mana Leak, is back this season, and it is a perfect fit in a deck that seeks to keep opponents mana light.
Sample Decklist:
Brad Wantz - GuR Titan Force (1st Place, 2010 DE State Championships)
Lands - 26:
4 Forest
4 Halimar Depths
2 Island
1 Khalni Garden
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Mountain
1 Mystifying Maze
4 Raging Ravine
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Tectonic Edge
Creatures - 7:
3 Frost Titan
4 Primeval Titan
Other Spells - 27:
3 Cultivate
3 Destructive Force
4 Explore
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Into the Roil
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
Sideboard
2 Burst Lightning
3 Combust
4 Negate
3 Pyroclasm
1 Tectonic Edge
2 Volition Reins
This version eschews Inferno Titan completely, running the two that matter most. Three colors? No problem for a green deck of course, and with all the fast mana in the deck that Destructive Force is going to get cast rather quickly.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
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Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: UB Control
Arguably the two most powerful colors in magic (just check any Vintage tourney tally of decks; at least 80% of the decks will run these colors, guaranteed), UB Control is all about disruption. This archetype is less concerned with board control, as the colors themselves have fewer answers to noncreature permanents than, say, WU Control. Instead this deck is all about removing the threats before they can be cast, and countering whatever is not removed.
Indeed, some of the most successful decks in the game ran UB: Psychatog, Pickles, and the more recent Faeries. The most recent incarnation seems to be more of a meta choice, playing Memoricide to take out Primeval Titan before they can be cast, Frost Titan as a traditional finisher and a singleton Grave Titan to take out opposing Mind Sculptors. In addition, the inclusion of a Trinket Mage package including Elixir of Immortality and Brittle Effigy gives the deck great resilience against aggro.
The list below is rather specialized in that there are few core cards in the list. But it goes to show how a list of good quality cards can trump an apparent lack of synergy.
Sample Decklist:
Nick Spagnolo - U/B Elixir (1st Place, 2010 NY States)
Lands - 25:
4 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
6 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
3 Swamp
3 Tectonic Edge
1 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 7:
3 Frost Titan
1 Grave Titan
3 Trinket Mage
Other Spells - 28:
1 Brittle Effigy
1 Consuming Vapors
1 Disfigure
3 Doom Blade
1 Elixir of Immortality
2 Everflowing Chalice
2 Into the Roil
2 Jace Beleren
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Mana Leak
1 Memoricide
1 Negate
4 Preordain
1 Stoic Rebuttal
Sideboard
2 Disfigure
1 Dispel
1 Doom Blade
3 Flashfreeze
1 Jace Beleren
2 Memoricide
2 Negate
1 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Spell Pierce
Packing tons of lifegain and removal coupled with just the right amount of countermagic makes this deck the bane of aggro. Plenty of instant speed removal lets you go toe-to-toe with Red, which traditionally eats control for breakfast. The sideboard, with its 3 Flashfreeze, makes it a fine choice for any metagame rife with aggro or ramp decks.
---------------------------------------
Josh Herr's Blue-Black Mimic Vat
Standard - 3rd Place - StarCityGames.com Open–Boston, MA
Lands - 25:
4 Creeping Tar Pit
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
5 Island
1 Misty Rainforest
3 Swamp
3 Tectonic Edge
1 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 9:
3 Abyssal Persecutor
2 Grave Titan
4 Sea Gate Oracle
Other Spells - 26:
2 Consuming Vapors
4 Doom Blade
3 Everflowing Chalice
2 Into the Roil
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Mana Leak
3 Mimic Vat
4 Preordain
Sideboard
3 Consume the Meek
4 Disfigure
2 Dispel
2 Flashfreeze
3 Memoricide
1 Tectonic Edge
A fresh take on a contemporary classic, the inclusion of Mimic Vat opens up a range of creature thievery, with opposing Titans as prime targets, of course.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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KuyaKinit
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Very Young Dragon
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| Joined: 10 Oct 2010 |
| Posts: 11 |
| Location: Elven Forest |
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Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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Things I noted upon reading the lists and discussing with others are:
1.Like what we already know, the meta lacks good removal.
2. Mana curves bend more towards bigger drops.
3. Frost Titan is actually showing up. despite it being the least preferred titan pre-SoM. Meanwhile, Baneslayer Angel is "less" used.
4. In SoM, the tempo of the decks slowed down a little, but apparently enough for control to take over.
5. True to what the forum tells us, Vala Ramp can be the new Jund.
6. Artifacts generally help the current decks but don't deliver much impact as expected from an artifact block. Probably its too early to say, since we are still in the first set.
7. Well important for me, Elves are back in the meta and probably are going to stay.
P.S. If anything I wrote is wrong please correct me to further enhance our understanding of the meta.
_________________
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
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Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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I agree, though with one caveat: the meta is currently still rather formative. During its early stages of development designers tend to stick to "good stuff" type decks, playing whatever tends to have the most power. Some of these stay for the long run, but others may rise to the occasion eventually.
A rather more balanced meta than previous seasons, I think, despite the apparent popularity of ramp variants. For example, there are enough tools out there to really punish a player for choosing to play mana ramp, so it's not like the Jund/Fae boogeymen that simply could not be beat.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: UrG Control
UrG is all about playing the colors: Blue for card drawing and some control, Green for massive mana and quality creatures, and a Red splash for cheap removal and some good card advantage. By and large this is the successor to Turbo Land, but there are other variants such as UrG Shaman (props to KuyaKinit for the tip) or just generally UrG aggro.
Again, the focus lies in board position more than actually saying "no," as decklists are usually counter light in the main (though in general there will be more counters coming in from the sideboard). Frost Titan is the finisher of choice, supplemented by Jace the Mind Sculptor (who digs for counters, bounces other creatures, or threatens to win all by itself, begging for a desperate answer).
These lists are in many ways reminiscent of the CHK/RAV-dominating Solar Flare decks, or last season's King of Standard Jund; while there is little cohesion in these lists relative to other choices in the meta, the deck wins using sheer card quality, smart play, and sound deckbuilding concepts.
Sample Decklists:
Daniel Jordan's Blue-Red-Green Control
Standard - 1st Place - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 27:
3 Copperline Gorge
3 Forest
2 Halimar Depths
5 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Mountain
4 Raging Ravine
4 Scalding Tarn
Creatures - 11:
1 Avenger of Zendikar
3 Frost Titan
4 Lotus Cobra
3 Oracle of Mul Daya
Other Spells - 22:
1 Deprive
4 Explore
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Preordain
1 Volition Reins
Sideboard
2 Flashfreeze
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
2 Obstinate Baloth
3 Pyroclasm
1 Ratchet Bomb
2 Spell Pierce
1 Volition Reins
Back-to-back SCG wins for Dan Jordan, actually, with minor alterations of the same list (the most recent events played 3 Goblin Ruinblaster main, cutting Avenger of Zendikar, Deprive, and Volition Reins). This is a deck that's performing very well right now, and should be a good choice for those with the card pool to support it.
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Ryan Rolan's Blue-Red-Green Control
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 27:
3 Copperline Gorge
4 Forest
2 Halimar Depths
4 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Mountain
4 Raging Ravine
4 Scalding Tarn
Creatures - 11:
2 Avenger of Zendikar
2 Frost Titan
4 Lotus Cobra
3 Oracle of Mul Daya
Other Spells - 22:
4 Explore
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Preordain
1 Volition Reins
Sideboard
2 Flame Slash
3 Flashfreeze
1 Gaea's Revenge
3 Obstinate Baloth
3 Pyroclasm
3 Spell Pierce
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Donnie Noland's Blue-Red-Green Control
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 25:
4 Copperline Gorge
4 Forest
3 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
4 Raging Ravine
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 21:
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Frost Titan
2 Goblin Ruinblaster
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Nest Invader
4 Vengevine
Other Spells - 14:
2 Arc Trail
2 Explore
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Mana Leak
Sideboard
2 Acidic Slime
2 Arc Trail
3 Flashfreeze
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Mind Control
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
2 Obstinate Baloth
2 Sleep
1 Wurmcoil Engine
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Alex Hon's Blue-Red-Green Control
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 25:
2 Copperline Gorge
5 Forest
4 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Mountain
4 Raging Ravine
4 Scalding Tarn
Creatures - 10:
4 Frost Titan
1 Inferno Titan
4 Lotus Cobra
1 Primeval Titan
Other Spells - 25:
2 Destructive Force
4 Explore
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Preordain
Sideboard
2 Flashfreeze
1 Forked Bolt
2 Jace Beleren
1 Negate
3 Obstinate Baloth
3 Pyroclasm
3 Spell Pierce
Notice how, even in decks that pack myriad mana-producing creatures, the land count never goes lower than 25. That is because in the current meta, land drops absolutely cannot be missed as there is such intense focus on superior board position. In addition, with the advent of Destructive Force in the current meta, those few extra lands may keep you in the game should your opponent resolve the said sorcery.
This is something deck builders should keep well in mind.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Fri Nov 12, 2010 4:19 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Fauna Shaman
Survival of the Fittest has quite the reputation for a Magic card. While the ability to turn current creatures in hand into other creatures in hand may not sound like much, its power rises considerably when a) current creatures in hand are things you want to discard or are otherwise okay to dump into the yard anyway and/or b) your deck contains a good quantity of "silver bullet" creatures that deal with particular cards or are good against popular decks in the meta.
Though SotF hasn't been Standard legal in a very long time, we instead have its successor in Fauna Shaman. Packing the Survival ability at the additional cost of having to tap, it is better in that it comes with a fairly priced 2/2 body but is worse in that the ability will mostly only be usable once per turn, and after summoning sickness has worn off. The ability, however, is no less lethal. Utility creatures combine with select finishers and Vengevine fodder to make for a very resilient aggro deck.
Sample Decklist:
Michael McDermott's Blue-Black-Green Shaman
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 25:
4 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Darkslick Shores
1 Drowned Catacomb
6 Forest
2 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 19:
1 Avenger of Zendikar
3 Birds of Paradise
1 Bloodhusk Ritualist
4 Fauna Shaman
2 Frost Titan
3 Lotus Cobra
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Vampire Hexmage
3 Vengevine
Other Spells - 16:
3 Doom Blade
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Jace Beleren
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Mana Leak
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Ratchet Bomb
Sideboard
3 Duress
2 Marsh Casualties
2 Nihil Spellbomb
4 Obstinate Baloth
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Spell Pierce
Blue is there for essentially three things: Mana Leak, Frost Titan, and Jace (both of them). Three "business" spells that show up almost everywhere in the meta, even in creature-dedicated lists like this one. Other than that, a good number of singletons (Ob Nixilis, Vampire Hexmage, Avenger of Zendikar) keeps opponents on their toes and doesn't let them play too carelessly.
-----------------------------------------------------
Laurence Swasey's Blue-Green Vengevine
Standard - 2nd Place - StarCityGames.com Open–Boston, MA
Lands - 25:
1 Evolving Wilds
7 Forest
5 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
4 Terramorphic Expanse
3 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 28:
3 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
4 Birds of Paradise
1 Clone
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Frost Titan
4 Lotus Cobra
3 Nest Invader
4 Vengevine
Other Spells - 7:
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Sideboard
4 Flashfreeze
4 Obstinate Baloth
4 River Boa
3 Unified Will
A very focused "pure" UG list, playing the creme de la creme of Standard Planeswalkers in the respective colors and all creatures elsewhere. This is as much about the Vengevines as it is about Fauna Shaman, mind; then again, these two are often played hand-in-hand, and really, there's no reason to do otherwise.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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Last edited by boy_bakal on Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Pyromancer Ascension
Last season, with M10, Pyromancer Ascension had a crazy infinite turn combo in Call to Mind + Time Warp. The combo goes like this: with an online PA, cast Time Warp to get two extra turns. Next turn, cast Call to Mind to return Time Warp and Call to Mind, then if you have mana cast Time Warp again, otherwise just do it next turn... etc. etc. etc.
However, M10 has rotated out, and Time Warp with it. But this is still a viable deck simply because of the massive card selection and drawing afforded by an online Ascension, using burn as the eventual win condition. One caveat: as burn spells are limited they must be cast with some measure of restraint, but when multiples of the Ascension are in play then you can point burn at the opponent like mad.
Sample Decklist:
Stephen Mercatoris's Pyromancer Ascension
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open Series–Charlotte, NC
Lands - 23:
3 Halimar Depths
9 Island
7 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
Creatures - 0:
Other Spells - 37:
4 Burst Lightning
2 Call to Mind
4 Foresee
3 Into the Roil
2 Jace Beleren
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Preordain
4 Pyromancer Ascension
4 See Beyond
2 Spell Pierce
Sideboard
4 Flashfreeze
2 Frost Titan
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Pyroclasm
2 Spell Pierce
Note the pair of Frost Titans in the sideboard; clearly this is not a deck that plays no creatures simply for the sake of playing no creatures. It merely chooses to focus on the primary win strategy, at least in the main, but there is enough flexibility here to pursue other routes to victory.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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Archetype: Vampires
R&D's pick for Zombie successors has been popular ever since they were previewed in Zendikar, and when all is said and done there is a rather solid aggressive list here. Vampires is roughly the contemporary equivalent to SuiBlack, playing cheap creatures that hit hard along with just a touch of signature Black removal to clear the way for dudes swinging into the red zone.
MBV staples Gatekeeper of Malakir, Bloodghast, and Kalastria Highborn are all present and accounted for. Newcomers Viscera Seer, Bloodthrone Vampire, and Blade of the Bloodchief combine with the aforementioned cards to create a solid base. The rest is entirely up to the deckbuilder; there is certainly no lack of usable Vampires or utility Black spells to round out any list. In general the deck is meant to be played aggressively, generating card advantage with Bloodghast sacrifice tricks (of course, leaving plenty of open mana for Kalastria Highborn lifedrain).
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Caleb Durward's Vampires
Standard - Top 8 - StarCityGames.com Open–Boston, MA
Lands - 22:
4 Marsh Flats
14 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
Creatures - 31:
4 Bloodghast
4 Bloodthrone Vampire
3 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Kalastria Highborn
4 Pawn of Ulamog
4 Pulse Tracker
4 Vampire Lacerator
4 Viscera Seer
Other Spells - 7:
3 Blade of the Bloodchief
4 Vendetta
Sideboard
4 Dark Tutelage
1 Disfigure
4 Doom Blade
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
2 Skinrender
3 Smother
The only SotM inclusion is Skinrender, brought in for those creature-heavy matchups. Everything else, as mentioned, is from ZEN/WWK/ROE/M11, which is next to rotate but only after quite a few months has passed. In actuality, Vampires as a deck is a rather practical purchase for deckbuilders on a budget given its efficiency-to-financial cost ratio, which may also explain its popularity all across the board (mostly in casual circles, though there are the inevitable good tournament performances here and there).
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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Let me go over 2010 Worlds just really quickly here.
Top 8 Deck Breakdown:
UB Control - 5 (including the winner, Guillaume Matignon)
Mono-Green Ramp - 1
BR Vampires - 1
WU Control - 1
It seems UB Control has really established itself as the dominant deck of the format right now. I mean, these are Faeries-like numbers. Even more interesting is the absence of early season boogeyman, RG Valakut Ramp.
One of the newer decks amongst the lists that didn't quite make it is a modified RW Landfall list. Recall last season's "Boros Bushwhacker" deck, and add Sword of Body and Mind, Koth of the Hammer, and Spikeshot Elder. I didn't include it here because it didn't finish in the Top 8, but the deck is fairly well-represented in the field. Keep an eye out for it.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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boy_bakal
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Lord of Pwnage
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| Joined: 30 Nov 2006 |
| Posts: 1920 |
| Location: Zero |
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Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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More on Worlds here.
Good analysis of the metagame there.
_________________
And I'm still, still longing. Still cold... so cold. |
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