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Print Decklist
| Avg. CMC 1.79 |
| Card Color Breakdown |
| Card Type Breakdown |
Main Deck - 60 cards, 25 distinct
Sideboard - 44 cards, 22 distinct
 |
Name |
Edition | $ | Type | Cost | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Rarity | Color | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Creature (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Plague Engineer | $0.65 | Creature - Phyrexian Carrier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Scavenging Ooze | $0.45 | Creature - Ooze | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Instant (25) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Abrupt Decay | $1.38 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Ceremonious Rejection | $0.12 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Commandeer | $7.86 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Dark Betrayal | $0.17 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Fact or Fiction | $0.17 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Fatal Push | $1.87 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Force of Despair | $4.74 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Force of Negation | $41.42 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Mission Briefing | $0.20 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Nature's Claim | $0.91 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Spell Pierce | $0.16 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Veil of Summer | $6.45 | Instant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sorcery (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Collective Brutality | $0.90 | Sorcery | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Creeping Corrosion | $1.42 | Sorcery | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Damnation | $18.15 | Sorcery | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Liliana's Defeat | $0.05 | Sorcery | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Artifact (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Engineered Explosives | $6.79 | Artifact | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Pithing Needle | $0.50 | Artifact | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enchantment (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Leyline of the Void | $1.23 | Enchantment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Planeswalker (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Ashiok, Dream Render | $1.61 | Legendary Planeswalker - Ashiok | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
So scheming symetery really throws deck construction for a loop. The presence of four 1 mana tutors in the build should reduce variance quite a bit, and act as functional copies of all cards in this deck. This both means trimming redundant effects and diversifying "silver bullets" as they will be generally more accessible. I think this also makes the deck better than previous versions for the London mulligan world as I should be playing more functional silver bullets maindeck and have access to them with frequent regularity. Cantrips are also more incentivised by the scheming symetery paradigm, and have a low oppurtunity cost. Thoughtscour get's very desirable on all fronts, and visions of beyond also seems more worth it if we are actually firing archive traps more often. Mission briefing really compliments this package as well, and also plays well with the force cycle, which pairs well with the increased velocity we are working with.
The ratio's get tricky with how many mill and control spells we want, or how much velocity before we cease functioning as intended. It both encourages a greater spread and less room for a spread, the pressure seems at odds and is a little hard to balance. Can we function as a pseudo-manaless control strategy?
I have to play around with this list. I think I can run 18-20 lands, I want at least 6 cantrips, but I think this is a good base version. Playing 20 land is basically free as I have waterlogged __, field of ruin, and shelldock aisle as really useful utility land options. I remember getting stranded on mana at 18, but I also think my build was clunkier then. With everything being at basically 2 or less I function much lower, so 19-18 might be feasible. Still, that third mana turns on the whole deck and allows me to double spell, which is crucial. I should also look at some legacy bug builds to look at their fetch land ratio's, as I think my build is going to skew that way, but still needs plenty of fetch's for the crab. I really like my removal suite currently, it's like just enough interaction to really stimie some decks.
Sideboard I want some options of silver bullets as well as a full playset of leyline of the void. I also wonder if I can shift into a protect the queen strategy, swapping glimpse for action? Worth investigating, I certainly would be more willing to play counterspells in this version. I feel like I can side into a selective control deck that's light on mana requirements but needs more resources. I also need to look at the play of crab into fetch azcanta targeting myself both times to flip on T3 immediately. I'm really curious how much weight the visions can carry, as like when i played with the trap tutor, the games where my opponent has twenty plus cards in their graveyards immediately will be more often.
My testing with Fredo was fantastic! I feel like I had full access to my whole hand immediately, and with good results. Like, two CMC looked like a lot! I think I might cut search from the main in replacement for two thoughtscours, 1 scour and 1 visions as visions got much better. My takeaway's thus far are that having a more velocity based version really increased consistency. Scheming symetery does a number of things for the deck. I feel like I have more mill spells in a way, making the mind funeral's redundant. It was very typical to archive trap 2-3 times a game, which brings us back to the 5 spells should do it paradigm. It felt like milling was easier, and that I could race more often. It also gave us greater access to our answers, albeit a little slow. The most time I spent deciding was how to navigate my symmetry lines, as I had a lot of ways to utilize it for searching, negate the drawback, and maximize other cards in the hand. It also increased the desire for horizon lands as a way to have a "cantrip on tap". It was also a bit slow at times, as the higher CMC something was the more difficult to symetery/cantrip/cast. This then incentives more alternate cost options. Devastation tide and fog seem like they garner some interest as more fast ways to affect these states. I think I also would like a Jace, Vryn's Prodigy or two for the build, has the same problem as search but casting cards from the GY is really enticing and a looter effect on tap is great. Some other form of passive card draw would be cool to pair with scheming symetery.
The field I'm targeting:
Eldrazi Tron- If we can leave up interactions for Karn's/karn tutor's, they actually have a real hard time beating a bridge. In fact, blast zone is the only card that really does it, so destroying that and exiling it means their creatures can't attack. like ever. Anticipate if they are going to try to lattice lock us, as we need to leave a trophy up in response. Surgical on Karn is pretty fantastic. The game really comes down to getting a bridge in play and controlling there graveyard. Surgical's, Ooze, and Ashiok all decent here. Pithing needle is straight busted.
Izzet Pheonix- G1 get a bridge in play, destroy aria after it gains us life by leaving a trophy up on their turn (plays around force). G2 we do it again with more sweepers and graveyard hate. Surgicals, ashiok, crypt, and ooze. No leyline (want our draw three).
Humans- Crypt Incursion Baby. Set it up, smash them down. Just race them and crypt incursion when appropriate. Use control elements to keep them crippled, pre- and post- board.
Azorius Control- I think my general role in this matchup is to clock them aggressively. Card flow and stack based interaction will be crucial. Using my hand disruption spells to push through spells and playing on their turn is how I will accomplish this. I need to make the game about hand control and battlefield presence, so disrupting card flow and generating my own really necessary. They have a suite of planeswalkers, which they need to tap down for. Post board they bring in more threats to close as well as more stack based interaction, take out a fair amount of removal. I can try to stick an early threat (Nimble Mongosse would be outstanding here), I can also try to take control of the game sooner with my free control spells. Commandeer seems awesome against this deck and accomplishes much of what force of negation does, and stealing a planeswalker should be K-O. Veil of summer seems like a more versatile and useful dispel. As an opt deck I need to be wary of the use of scheming symetery into open mana, and trimming some number might be appropriate post board. Don't forget, they can't force on their turn, it's important.
Dredge/Hogaak- here we go threading the needle again. First, I should slow down and hold off on milling them, trying to reserve until later in the game after I have stabilized. Dealing with their early starts and pressure while getting a bridge down is the first priority. Scheming symetery is really wierd in this matchup, as they are likely to put cards like Hogaak and creeping chill on top and either dredge or be glad i milled them. I basically need to get a big swing off of crypt incursion G1. Surgical can buy some time. G2 Leylines, Ooze, Ashiok, and perhaps force of negation? I have so many anti graveyard options it's kind of ridiculous. I certainly have to side out visions, but other options are unclear. Leyline games should be much easier.
Jund- Plays a lot of hand disruption, controls permanents, and presents several threats. They can squeeze me, and kolaghan's command becomes tutor like when you are milling them. With the goyf's, wrenn, command's I think it's paramount that we control the graveyard, but we do need the draw three, so surgical's, ooze's, crypt incursion, and ashiok? Perhaps I make the grave a big enough issue that leyline is what's needed. A bridge will be a stop gap, and EE is no guarantee. Force of despair will lose some value, veil of summer gains a lot. Damnation is a must. I don't think I win the long game, I think it's a fast race both games. None the less, EE does help, especially against hexdrinker. A lot of lists are lighter on threats and more 4 ofs, so surgical is probably serviceable to try to pick off their threats. We can go long if we neuter them. So I think we need to develop a neuter them strategy, and a racing strategy, then decide what we want to use.
Grixis Urza- Why do they keep making this deck worse and worse? It's like every get's excited about new toys, but lantern control is still the truth. Graveyard dependent artifact combo that doesn't play welding jar or academy ruins??? I run all the graveyard hate, they can't combo out, Manage the thopters, GG? G! race them so that their good stuff hits the bin, their only recursion outlet is the engineer, so we deal with that and were golden. They can't protect anything, it's all hand disruption, so den't get womped by that. G2 watch out for pithing needle on EE off a whir, Tezzeret alternate win con, blood moon, and have something for the witchbane orb. Spine of Ish sah might come in, be ready for it.
The ratio's get tricky with how many mill and control spells we want, or how much velocity before we cease functioning as intended. It both encourages a greater spread and less room for a spread, the pressure seems at odds and is a little hard to balance. Can we function as a pseudo-manaless control strategy?
I have to play around with this list. I think I can run 18-20 lands, I want at least 6 cantrips, but I think this is a good base version. Playing 20 land is basically free as I have waterlogged __, field of ruin, and shelldock aisle as really useful utility land options. I remember getting stranded on mana at 18, but I also think my build was clunkier then. With everything being at basically 2 or less I function much lower, so 19-18 might be feasible. Still, that third mana turns on the whole deck and allows me to double spell, which is crucial. I should also look at some legacy bug builds to look at their fetch land ratio's, as I think my build is going to skew that way, but still needs plenty of fetch's for the crab. I really like my removal suite currently, it's like just enough interaction to really stimie some decks.
Sideboard I want some options of silver bullets as well as a full playset of leyline of the void. I also wonder if I can shift into a protect the queen strategy, swapping glimpse for action? Worth investigating, I certainly would be more willing to play counterspells in this version. I feel like I can side into a selective control deck that's light on mana requirements but needs more resources. I also need to look at the play of crab into fetch azcanta targeting myself both times to flip on T3 immediately. I'm really curious how much weight the visions can carry, as like when i played with the trap tutor, the games where my opponent has twenty plus cards in their graveyards immediately will be more often.
My testing with Fredo was fantastic! I feel like I had full access to my whole hand immediately, and with good results. Like, two CMC looked like a lot! I think I might cut search from the main in replacement for two thoughtscours, 1 scour and 1 visions as visions got much better. My takeaway's thus far are that having a more velocity based version really increased consistency. Scheming symetery does a number of things for the deck. I feel like I have more mill spells in a way, making the mind funeral's redundant. It was very typical to archive trap 2-3 times a game, which brings us back to the 5 spells should do it paradigm. It felt like milling was easier, and that I could race more often. It also gave us greater access to our answers, albeit a little slow. The most time I spent deciding was how to navigate my symmetry lines, as I had a lot of ways to utilize it for searching, negate the drawback, and maximize other cards in the hand. It also increased the desire for horizon lands as a way to have a "cantrip on tap". It was also a bit slow at times, as the higher CMC something was the more difficult to symetery/cantrip/cast. This then incentives more alternate cost options. Devastation tide and fog seem like they garner some interest as more fast ways to affect these states. I think I also would like a Jace, Vryn's Prodigy or two for the build, has the same problem as search but casting cards from the GY is really enticing and a looter effect on tap is great. Some other form of passive card draw would be cool to pair with scheming symetery.
The field I'm targeting:
Eldrazi Tron- If we can leave up interactions for Karn's/karn tutor's, they actually have a real hard time beating a bridge. In fact, blast zone is the only card that really does it, so destroying that and exiling it means their creatures can't attack. like ever. Anticipate if they are going to try to lattice lock us, as we need to leave a trophy up in response. Surgical on Karn is pretty fantastic. The game really comes down to getting a bridge in play and controlling there graveyard. Surgical's, Ooze, and Ashiok all decent here. Pithing needle is straight busted.
Izzet Pheonix- G1 get a bridge in play, destroy aria after it gains us life by leaving a trophy up on their turn (plays around force). G2 we do it again with more sweepers and graveyard hate. Surgicals, ashiok, crypt, and ooze. No leyline (want our draw three).
Humans- Crypt Incursion Baby. Set it up, smash them down. Just race them and crypt incursion when appropriate. Use control elements to keep them crippled, pre- and post- board.
Azorius Control- I think my general role in this matchup is to clock them aggressively. Card flow and stack based interaction will be crucial. Using my hand disruption spells to push through spells and playing on their turn is how I will accomplish this. I need to make the game about hand control and battlefield presence, so disrupting card flow and generating my own really necessary. They have a suite of planeswalkers, which they need to tap down for. Post board they bring in more threats to close as well as more stack based interaction, take out a fair amount of removal. I can try to stick an early threat (Nimble Mongosse would be outstanding here), I can also try to take control of the game sooner with my free control spells. Commandeer seems awesome against this deck and accomplishes much of what force of negation does, and stealing a planeswalker should be K-O. Veil of summer seems like a more versatile and useful dispel. As an opt deck I need to be wary of the use of scheming symetery into open mana, and trimming some number might be appropriate post board. Don't forget, they can't force on their turn, it's important.
Dredge/Hogaak- here we go threading the needle again. First, I should slow down and hold off on milling them, trying to reserve until later in the game after I have stabilized. Dealing with their early starts and pressure while getting a bridge down is the first priority. Scheming symetery is really wierd in this matchup, as they are likely to put cards like Hogaak and creeping chill on top and either dredge or be glad i milled them. I basically need to get a big swing off of crypt incursion G1. Surgical can buy some time. G2 Leylines, Ooze, Ashiok, and perhaps force of negation? I have so many anti graveyard options it's kind of ridiculous. I certainly have to side out visions, but other options are unclear. Leyline games should be much easier.
Jund- Plays a lot of hand disruption, controls permanents, and presents several threats. They can squeeze me, and kolaghan's command becomes tutor like when you are milling them. With the goyf's, wrenn, command's I think it's paramount that we control the graveyard, but we do need the draw three, so surgical's, ooze's, crypt incursion, and ashiok? Perhaps I make the grave a big enough issue that leyline is what's needed. A bridge will be a stop gap, and EE is no guarantee. Force of despair will lose some value, veil of summer gains a lot. Damnation is a must. I don't think I win the long game, I think it's a fast race both games. None the less, EE does help, especially against hexdrinker. A lot of lists are lighter on threats and more 4 ofs, so surgical is probably serviceable to try to pick off their threats. We can go long if we neuter them. So I think we need to develop a neuter them strategy, and a racing strategy, then decide what we want to use.
Grixis Urza- Why do they keep making this deck worse and worse? It's like every get's excited about new toys, but lantern control is still the truth. Graveyard dependent artifact combo that doesn't play welding jar or academy ruins??? I run all the graveyard hate, they can't combo out, Manage the thopters, GG? G! race them so that their good stuff hits the bin, their only recursion outlet is the engineer, so we deal with that and were golden. They can't protect anything, it's all hand disruption, so den't get womped by that. G2 watch out for pithing needle on EE off a whir, Tezzeret alternate win con, blood moon, and have something for the witchbane orb. Spine of Ish sah might come in, be ready for it.
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