Guide to Dredge and tips on how to build yours

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=307947

Sideboarding: If they use: (use this tactic/card)

Graveyard Hate
Leyline of the Void (worst card to fight. either hope they don't have it in opening hand or sideboard in Vapor in game 3 if you se it in game 2. I'ts unlikely that both they got leyline and you got Vapor in opening hand, so might not be worth it)

Yixlid Jailer, Jotun Grunt and Gaddock Teeg (kill them with firestorm or Therapy)

Wheel of Sun and Moon (Hits the board turn 2. Therapy for it if you expect it or go off asap, don't side ench hate to race it, but firestorm might help)

Extirpate and Surgical Extraction (unpredictable effects to play against. Different players use them in different ways and often what they target depends as much on their deck as the situation in which they're casting it. Use Therapy before dredging)

As a general rule cutting Therapies makes you worse against combo cutting Ichorids makes you worse against beatdown and cutting either makes you worse against countermagic. Elesh Norn tends to be better than Iona against beatdown whereas Iona tends to be better against Storm Combo. So for example if you really wanted to hate on combo and were not really worried about beatdown +2 Iona and -2 Ichorid would probably make the most sense.

If you go down this route and decide to incorporate Sphinx of Lost Truths remember that you will also need to find room for a third Dread Return if you want to consistently locate both the other DR target and a second DR when you first reanimate Sphinx.


VS High Tide: Focus Therapy on high tide and cunning wish
-3 Ichorid
+3 winds of change

VS Tendrils: Always keep Therapy in opening hand. Dark ritual is a good target. LED is also a good target if you go first and therapy first round.
-3 Ichorid
+3 winds of change

VS Elves: Resistant to Cabal Therapy, Hardest combodeck to defeat that way.
+4 Firestorm
+3 Winds of Change
+2 Elesh Norn Grand Cenobite
-4 Tireless Tribe
-3 Ichorid
-2 Cabal Therapy

VS Painted Stone: Therapy for painter's servant.
+1 Blightsteel Colossus
+1 Ichorid
+1 Angel of Despair
-3 Breakthrough

VS Goblins: This matchup is neither tricky nor difficult. Just remember that they can blow up your Bridges by killing their own guys with Gempalm Incinerator Goblin Sharpshooter and so on.
+4 Firestorm
+1 Ichorid
+1 Elesh Norn Grand Cenobite
-4 Breakthrough
-2 Cabal Therapy

VS Merfolk: Cursecatcher kills bridges but needs a target. Don't overvalue the the cleanup step as it gives time walks for him.
+4 Firestorm
+1 Ichorid
+1 Elesh Norn Grand Cenobite
-4 Breakthrough
-2 Cabal Therapy

VS Dredge Mirror: Therapy agressivly for Careful Study and Breakthough. Look out for darkblast. Before Dread Return for Elesh Norn, remember to Therapy for Chain of Vapor.
+3 Leyline of the Void OR Winds of Change
+2 Elesh Norn Grand Cenobite
-3 Ichorid
-2 Cabal Therapy

VS Junk: Therapy for Knighht of the Releqary (Bojuka Bog)
+2 Firestorm
+1 Ichorid
+1 Elesh Norn Grand Cenobite
-4 Breakthrough

VS Zoo: Name Gaddock Teeg with Therapy.
+4 Firestorm
+1 Ichorid
+1 Elesh Norn Grand Cenobite
-4 Breakthrough
-2 Careful Study

VS Team America/Italia/Counterbalance/RUG Control: Swords to Plowshares can take out Ichorid. Dread Return Angel to kill Terravore or equipments that can race you. Firestorm gives uncounterable discarding.
+2 Firestorm
+1 Ichorid
+1 Angel of Despair
-4 Breakthrough