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The Vintage FAQ

Table of Contents:
1. The Format
2. The Archetypes
3. The Card Pool
4. Vintage Myths



Section 1: The Format

Vintage, otherwise known as Type One, is the oldest and most explosive format in Magic the Gathering. It was desgined to be the format which allows "all the cards ever printed" and still does, with exception of ante and dexterity cards (which use gambling and/or physical actions in the resolution of the spell). Vintage also allows the use of "broken" cards, including the infamous Power Nine. The Vintage format is commonly played in non-sanctioned events. In most cases, up to 10 proxies can be used to even the playing field.

Note: While these forums are for Sanctioned Tournament Decklists, I will continually note the role of proxies in Vintage play. The fact is, there aren't many sanctioned Vintage events, and due to that, the majority of the Vintage players compete in an unsanctioned, proxy environment.

Vintage does maintain its own banned and restricted list, which can be found here: Vintage B/R List. This list is very important. Unlike other formats which ban cards deemed too powerful for the game, Vintage utilizes a restricted list, allowing you to use these ultra-powerful cards in a limited capacity (1 per deck). It's good to be familiar with each of these cards. Most of them make up a common skeleton from which most decks are built.



Section 2: The Archetypes

A ton of time is spent trying to identify a tiered list of archetypes (deck types) and which builds belong in which tier. This is impossible. There are a ton of decks that get infinitely better as one progresses as a player. Likewise, there are a ton of archetypes that cap in effectiveness, despite the level of mastery the player has with the decklist.

Why list a deck as a Tier 1 archetype when only a handful of people can play it at a Tier 1 level?
Why list a deck as Tier 3 when great players continually abuse their opponents who are supposed to be playing better decks?

It's much better to catagorize decklists by style of play and how frequently a player may face such lists. That said, here is the list of decktypes organized by their type of play, complete with common archetypes for each decktype listed:

Drain-based Decklists
These archetypes are specifically desgined to work through the tempo created by Mana Drain . Common lists are heavy in blue control, looking to Drain into Gifts Ungiven , Thirst for Knowledge , Intuition , or large artifacts.

Common Drain-based Archetypes include Control Slaver, Meandeck Gifts, and Bomberman.

Shop-based Decklists
These lists are accelerated through the use of Mishra's Workshop . These decklists typically run heavy brown control to complete a prison or aggro gameplan.

Common Shop-based Archetypes include: Chang Stax, Shop Aggro, and Uba Stax.

Ritual-based Decklists
Explosive and spontaneous, these archetypes run a good amount of black, always looking to drop a huge turn 1 bomb through Dark Ritual .

Common Ritual-based Archetypes include: 2land Belcher, Grim Long, and Confidant Tendrils

Grave-based Decklists
Be it Milling or Discard, grave-based lists are generally bypassing heavy casting costs by returning cards from the graveyard to play. It is very common to see Bazaar of Baghdad in such lists.

Common Grave-based Archetypes include: Dragon and Ichorid

Oath-based Decklists
With Oath of Druids as an engine, these tend to win via flying, trample, evasive beatdown and a heavy counter wall... but then again, there's so many options once you've decked yourself.

Common Oath-based Archetypes include: GWS Oath, Salvagers Oath

Tempo-based Decklists
These decks create positive tempo and win through utility beatdown. This is the widest range of archetypes covering pure accelerated aggro to slow paced aggro control.

Common Tempo-based Archetypes include: Food Chain Goblins, Landstill, Sullivan Solution, and UW Fish.


If you're interested in researching which archetypes are played often, or if you're interested in monitoring which decks maintain good results, the StarCityGame Deck Database is a great place to start.



Section 3: The Card Pool

Black Lotus , Ancestral Recall , Time Walk , Mox Sapphire , Mox Jet , Mox Ruby , Mox Emerald , Mox Pearl , and Timetwister make up "The Power Nine." Each of these cards were limited in print through the Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited releases of Magic the Gathering. Each is on the restricted list and fairly expensive to purchase. These nine cards are very important for competing in the Vintage format and make up most of the proxies commonly seen in Vintage tournaments.

There are other important and powerful cards to consider in Vintage Magic (especially when working with proxies). Mishra's Workshop , Bazaar of Baghdad , and Mana Drain are each very powerful, unrestricted cards that help define the format. These cards were mentioned in the Archetype descriptions. Library of Alexandria is another example of a fairly expensive card that may be "proxied" for competition.

Outside of the cards mentioned above, there are a ton of cards that make up the "staples" of Vintage Magic. To be fair to the populace. There are 2 sets of "staples" mentioned in this FAQ. There are the cards that drive the format, and those which disrupt it. Even still, this list will cause debate. However, it is important to identify cards of importance. This not only helps new players in developing better lists, it helps identify the card pool one would likely want to assemble. This is especially true for the player that likes to switch which archetype is played every now and then.

To limit any possible debates, here are the definitions that were used to determine which cards are driving the format and which disrupt it:

Drivers: Cards which accelerate the winning of a game. This includes mana accelerators, draw cards and tutors, creatures designed to attack or combo with other game pieces, direct damage and lifeloss cards, life gaining cards, and enchantments and artifacts that "buff" other cards for the purpose of winning.

Disruptors: Cards which are used to slow or lock the opponent from the winning a game. This includes mana decelerators, counterspells, creatures which hamper the opponent's progress, and cards which attack the opponent's hand, library, graveyard, or out of game cards.

Note: There are certainly cards which sit on the edge of both. I tried to catagorize these using commonsense. Here are a few examples:

Example 1: Meddling Mage and Withered Wretch . Obviously, these can be offensive and "drive" one to victory with constant attacks. However, these are listed as disruptors. Their focus isn't to attack first; Their focus is to disrupt the opponent first, attack second.

Example 2: Old Man of the Sea . Similar to Meddling Mage and Wretch, the Old Man can easily become the offense of the game. However, taking board control (especially in the form of creature control) is a defensive mechanic, thus this is listed as disruptors as well.

Example 3: Xantid Swarm . While this card disrupts the opponent's casting, it's done so during an attack phase. This makes the card a driving force towards winning the game. Swarm's true presence isn't to disrupt the opponent, but pave the way for you to do what you want on your turn. If this card was truly a disruptor, it would effect the opponent's turn as well. Similarly, Boseiju, Who Shelters All could be listed as a driving card. It is a catalyst that improves your offensive or defensive spells.

Also note this isn't meant to be a complete list. It's simply a list of common cards one should expect to see in a large tournament. There are certainly cards that work in Vintage Magic still not on this list. However, when building a decklist, especially one considered rogue and experimental, these 2 lists of staples will assist greatly in identifying some of the best card choices to fit in any decktype.



100 Notable Vintage Drivers
Spoiler: Show


100 Notable Vintage Disruptors
Spoiler: Show



Section 4: Vintage Myths


Is Vintage really that expensive to play?

It could be. Owning a full set of Power Nine, plus Mana Drains, Mishra's Workshps, and Bazaar of Baghdads can get very expensive. However, the true price of the format is determined by the decklists played and the gaming environment. For example, if you want to play a decklist which requires the Moxen and Black Lotus to be effective, playing where proxies are allowed can bypass the HUGE expense of buying all those cards. As described above, many Vintage tournaments now allow proxies. This drastically reduces the financial burden Vintage can create.

Additionally, there are decklists designed not to run the expensive cards, but stop them. UW Fish is a perfect example. Rather than flirting with a complete set of Moxen, it incorporates Chalice of the Void and/or Null Rod to nullify the advantages a powered decklist would provide.

Before playing Vintage, ask around to see what is played. Many times, local players do not have the higher priced cards. This reduces the need to own them. In these cases, many groups allow "open" proxies so the entire card pool associated with the Vintage format can be played. If your group doesn't allow for proxies, ask them if they'd reconsider. Not only will you be able to try more archetypes, you'll get a good idea on a card's effectiveness before you buy it. Buying only what you need is a quick way to save money in Magic.


Must a deck have a turn 1 kill to compete in Vintage?

No, this is false. Whether or not a deck is competitive is really determined by the skill level of the player piloting the decklist and the competition its played against. A slow-paced decklist like UW Fish can easily rout a field of fully-powered combo decklists well known for their turn 1 antics. Additionally, a pro-caliber player could play an awful decklist and earn respectible results against less experienced competition. However, take that UW Fish up against a field of Ichorid lists or drop that pro player into a field of pro players and watch each struggle.

Most people agreed that the critical turn in Vintage play is turn 3. By then a control deck should be controlling, an aggro deck should be tapping to attack, and a combo deck should be looking to the end game. Keep in mind, this does not excuse a decklist from having good 1st and 2nd turn plays. Decklists that win on turn 1, commonly do so through an outrageous play and a lot of luck. A great decklist like Grim Long has capacity to win on turn 1, but to do so quite a bit of luck is required. The player needs to draw a great hand and be able to play that hand uninterrupted.

There are other moves that create a first-turn kill "feel" as well. Turn 1 Mishra's Workshop , Trinisphere isn't a turn 1 kill, though if you looked at the success rate of those with that opening play, one could easily consider it a turn 1 win. Same can be said with Turn 1 Tinker for Darksteel Colossus . In each of these situations, the cards required to break out from under these circumstances can be hard to come by. A blue control deck could and should consider Tinker to Colossus its first turn kill. As should Stax with its first turn Trinisphere .


Is it true that there are very few decks which can compete and win?

Again, that could be the case. It could also be false. As mentioned above, one of the first things to consider is the gaming environment. If the competition is using "pet" decks and randomly testing new things often, an archetype normally thought as underpowered could flourish. However, if one continually plays in large scale tournaments against the best regional competition available, the amount of viable archetypes can become limited.

By determining the competiton and budget of the gaming environment (also called the Metagame), one can determine which decks are lost causes and which really have a shot to consistently win.

Remeber, not everyone is competing for thousands in prizes, a lot of Vintage players play the format to use their entire cardpool and really don't require the best of the best to compete.




This FAQ was last updated 02-13-07. Feel free to contact [stew] for any needed updates.

Here is a link to a thread on The Mana Drain that is useful articles. Some are a little old, but all are very helpful.

Ember_Twilight]Hi!

Welcome to Vintage! There are several different "packages" of cards in vintage. These packages are fairly portable from one deck archetype to the next. Some are more expensive than the others. If you have a subscription to SCG, you may want to check out Steven Menendian's article about playing Vintage on a Budget: http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/a … 15784.html and his Ultimate Vintage Primer: http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/a … 15567.html IMHO, it is definately worth the small fee to get access to such detailed and informative articles.

Now about those packages. Like I said, there are some that are more expensive than others. As with any format in Magic, the most vital (and usually the most costly) is the mana base. I'll start with that and work my way down.

Land Package:

Unlimited/Revised Dual-lands: -
Onslought Fetch Lands: -20
Ravinica Dual Lands: -15
Tolarian Academy: -30
City of Brass:
Gemstone Mine:

The Ravinca Duals are quite as good as the Revised Duals, but they cost half as much or even less. If your budget doesn't allow for big money spending on the origonaly duals, the Ravinica lands are an adequate substitue. You'll only even need 1 Tolarian Academy, and while it can be pricey, you'll never regret buying it IMO. It goes in a lot of decks and can produce a lot of blue mana. It's definately worth considering.

Artifact Mana Package:

Sol Ring: -10
Mana Vault: -3
Grim Monolith: -5
Lotus Petal: -5
Mana Crypt: -50

This is one of the more important packages in Vintage. Each of these is restricted, so you'll only need one. Getting one of each is a really good idea. You will use them in many, many different decks.

Counterspell Package:

Mana Drain: $outrageous
Force of Will: -25
Misdirection: -15
Stifle: -10

Mana Drain is a really overpriced card and not as widely played as it once was. Force of Will is a superior card IMO, and should be a top priority to buy. Most decks only run 1-2 maybe 3 at the most Misdirections. Collect them slowly unless you are running a heavy blue deck.

Card Drawing/Filtering Package:

Brainstorm: $.50
Ponder: $.50
Thirst for Knowledge:

These are cheap and should be pretty high on you priority list. Brainstorm is especially portable from one deck archetype to the next. Get these.

9Sphere Package:

Trinisphere: -2
Sphere of Resistance: -6
Thorn of Amethyst: -5

This is one of the less expensive packages. This group of cards is very popular to use with a Mishra's Workshop. which you can proxy. If you are interested in a Workshop decks, these cards can be picked up on the cheap.

Hulk-Flash Package:

Flash: -10
Protean Hulk: -6
Carrion Feeder: $.25

There's a lot of different Hulk-Flash builds out there. Some use Virulent Sliver and Heart Sliver for the kill. Some use Reveillark and Body Double for the kill. And some use Karmic Guide and Kikki-Jikki, Mirror Breaker for the kill. Whichever one works best for you goes well with this package and isn't too expensive to assemble.

Waste Package:

Strip Mine: -3
Wasteland: -15

Disrupting your opponent's mana base can be a key strategy in Vintage. It's more commonly used in Workshop, Fish, and Mountains Win Again type decks. Strip Mine is cheap and restricted, so it is easy to pick one up. Wastelands are more expensive and dependant upon what type of deck you want to run. But they are all fairly portable between archetypes.

Tutor Package:

Demonic Tutor: -10
Vampiric Tutor: -15
Mystical Tutor: -5
Enlightened Tutor: -5
Merchant Scroll: -3
Cunning Wish: -7
Burning Wish: -12

Tutors are extreemly protable. Demonic, Vampiric, and Mystical Tutor should all be a top priority to buy. You will use them in a great number of decks. Check the restricted list when purchasing these items. Don't buy more than you have to.

2 Mana Land Package:

Ancient Tomb: -5
City of Traitors: -10
Crystal Vein: $.50

These lands can be used to power out cards like Sphere of Resistance or Painter's Servant. They're mainly used in conjuction with Mishra's Workshop, but not always. They aren't a real priority unless that's the direction you want to go.

Bounce Package:

Chain of Vapor: -2
Echoing Truth: $.50
Wipe Away: $.50

Chain of Vapor and Echoing Truth see a lot of play. These are inexpesnive and can be very important to your build. A medium-high priority to buy.

Anti-Artifact Package:

Gorilla Shaman: $.25
Ancient Grudge: $.25
Oxidize: $.50
Meltdown: $.50
Ingot Chewer: $.25
Rack and Ruin: $.75
Hurkyl's Recall: -2
Rebuild: $.75
Energy Flux: $.25

These are all fairly cheap and mostly relegated to the sidboard. Pick them all up and decide which is best for your build.

Sideboard Package:

Red Elemental Blast: $.25
Leyline of the Void: -12
Pithing Needle:
Engineered Explosives: -10

Sideboards can be expensive to purchase, and not many cards are portable from one sideboard to the next. These 4 tend to see a lot of play. Reserach your deck choice before making any sideboard purchases.

Tinker-Colossus Package:

Tinker: -5
Darksteel Colossus: -15

The Tinker-Colossus combo is a great secondary win condition for any deck running blue. It's relatively cheap and fun to play with. Alternately, you can substitute Platinum Angel for the DSC. You only need 1 of each.

Storm Package:

Empty the Warrens: $.25
Brain Freeze: -5
Tendrils of Agony: -3

These storm cards are used in many blue-based decks. You only need one of each, and since they are cheap they are worth the trouble to get IMO.

Gush-Bond Package:

Gush:
Fastbond: -10

The Gush-Fastbond combo is all over the place right now. Fastbond is restricted, so for less than you get the most powerful engine in Vintage. This should be decently high on your list.

Oath Package:

Oath of Druids: -12
Forbidden Orchage: -5

Oath of Druids is a powerful combo when matched with Forbidden Orchard. Players use it to put ower powerhouse creatures like Akroma, Angel of Wrath or Tidespout Tyrant . This is a fairly good choice in the current meta.

This should give you a good idea where to start. Again, I highly recomend Steven's two articles. They'll be more informative than me, I think. Good luck, and I really hope you enjoy playing Vintage!

ET

I thought this would be very useful information for prospective vintage players t wrote: