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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 9:22AM
#11
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Date Joined:
Aug 11, 2008
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Good article! Inspires me to brew up my own Standard deck using the steps you outline. Of course it also reminds of step zero: find a lot of cash.
But really, enjoyed the read.
Strago! (Even if I like Relm and Shadow better as characters) I mean..uhm...heh...
I think I managed to circumvent step zero with my deck. Yes it has rares, but I built it rather well without spending a whole lot. (I think it helped that I had the dual lands from the previous cores.) I really did not have to shell out a lot and I've been putting up consistent positive results.
Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do.
I've seen angels fall from blinding heights.
But you yourself are nothing so divine.
Just next in line.
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 11:06AM
#12
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Date Joined:
May 15, 2010
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The more I think about it, the more dissatisfied I am with choosing Karn as a finisher for this deck. Quite simply, his ultimate doesn't win the game by itself. You only have a grand total of four threats in your deck, and all of them are 2-power creatures. While starting out with some power on the field is a good deal, that's not very much unless you get all four under Karn. You're going to be counting on exiling your opponent's threats to be able to win the restarted game, and you don't have the capacity to win much of anything without restarting. I don't know that I like counting on my opponent for my wincon. I'm also a bit concerned about keeping Karn on the field long enough to exile sufficient threats and restart the game, even assuming your opponent has threats to exile. Admittedly, none of the decks you're trying to beat seem to play Oblivion Ring  or Beast Within  , even in the side, but if they do answer Karn before you get restarted, you're flat out of luck.
Rules Nut Advisor
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 11:12AM
#13
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Date Joined:
Jul 26, 2008
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Can Gavin or someone please explain the singleton Chimeric Mass in the sideboard? I understand that you can fetch it with the trinket mage but what is it good for? Just blocking? What deck do you use it against and how?
Thanks!
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 11:54AM
#14
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Date Joined:
Jan 30, 2012
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The more I think about it, the more dissatisfied I am with choosing Karn as a finisher for this deck. Quite simply, his ultimate doesn't win the game by itself. You only have a grand total of four threats in your deck, and all of them are 2-power creatures. While starting out with some power on the field is a good deal, that's not very much unless you get all four under Karn. You're going to be counting on exiling your opponent's threats to be able to win the restarted game, and you don't have the capacity to win much of anything without restarting. I don't know that I like counting on my opponent for my wincon.
I'm also a bit concerned about keeping Karn on the field long enough to exile sufficient threats and restart the game, even assuming your opponent has threats to exile. Admittedly, none of the decks you're trying to beat seem to play Oblivion Ring or Beast Within , even in the side, but if they do answer Karn before you get restarted, you're flat out of luck.
I'm thinking that I'll try substituting Nicol Bolas for one of the three Karns, not least because I happen to have two of each. However, you're already in the colors and it creates an alternative win condition. My observation has been that one Planeswalker that doesn't provide offense won't win the game too often, but two is almost a sure thing. Just before M13 released, I tried running a very similar Grixis deck with multiple Karns that had been suggested in an article on Star City Games just after the Avacyn Restored release. As I recall, I ended up cutting down to one Karn and adding an extra Liliana of the Veil (the deck already had one) because I needed a presence early on to deal with Geist. It was moderately good then, but ultimately I decided to give up on control until after M13. Seeing as there are no M13 cards in the main deck and the format has gotten even more aggressive, I don't expect much difference. I do like the Thundermaw Hellkites and Phantasmal Images waiting in the wings when your opponent sides out most of their removal. I'm probably not going to shell out for three more Hellkites in addition to the one I opened for an experimental sideboard though. If I were, I might want to run a creatureless main deck just so they aren't tempted to leave a little in.
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 11:56AM
#15
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Date Joined:
Sep 19, 2011
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. . . Additionally, why not just throw in some Bonfire of the Damned while you're at it? Eh... just sayin'
Now that I think of it, this does seem like a strange absence. The Chimeric Mass  in the sideboard has me puzzled as well. 'Splain it to us, Gavin!
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 11:59AM
#16
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I admit - I too expected to see Nicol Bolas rather than Karn.
But you know what, why not Nicol Bolas?
You've got some mana ramping. You're in the right colours. And quite frankly, Nicol Bolas just seems better to me than Karn.
I'd much rather mind control a creature than exile it. (which also means Nicol Bolas also has an easier time protecting himself)
I'd much rather destroy a Birthing Pod and actually -add- counters to my planeswalker.
And Nicol's ultimate is always good, whereas Karn's can easily be quite underwhelming.
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 12:20PM
#17
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Date Joined:
Dec 27, 2003
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On Karn Vs. Bolas: I agree that Bolas is frequently the more powerful card on the table. However, the one mana is a very operable difference when you're trying to stabilize and usually they are of similar power levels. Often the creature you want to steal is tapped, meaning it doesn't even buy you the blocker you think it might. Overall, I would rather play the cheaper card. I disagree that Karn's ultimate won't win you the game. Even in a deck like this with so few creatures, you can swipe plenty good cards out of your opponent's grip/board - or even eventually exile a Karn to your Karn. With all that said, I think Xylovenious may be heading in the right direction with a 2 Karn/1 Bolas split. Being able to present two planeswalkers as a threat is powerful, and I'm all for versatility. . . . Additionally, why not just throw in some Bonfire of the Damned while you're at it? Eh... just sayin'
Now that I think of it, this does seem like a strange absence. The Chimeric Mass in the sideboard has me puzzled as well. 'Splain it to us, Gavin!
No problem! The Chimeric Mass is a Trinket Mage target for matchups that will go long, like control or some midrange decks. For the low cost of one sideboard slot, it increases your threat density and draws in a long game. In control mirrors, a creature that can't be Day of Judgmented or Go For the Throated can be a complete game changer.
There aren't any Bonfires because, in a deck that doesn't care about the damage to the opponent very much, I would much rather just be using Black Sun's Zenith or Whipflare to control the board early. If the game goes long enough to make Bonfire's damage relevant, I should have massive inevitability on my side anyway. The one situation where Bonfire is nice is when you have to fight through opposing planeswalkers, but that extra utility in the long game does not interest me more than the consistant versatility of something like Black Sun's Zenith.
Hope this helped answer your questions!
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 12:28PM
#18
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I liked your step by step breakdown of how to attack the three top decks. I'll be giving this deck a try.
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 1:06PM
#19
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Date Joined:
May 15, 2010
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Karn's ultimate will definitely win you the game more often than not. I just don't like that it can't win you the game on its own. All the decks to beat have plenty of threats for you to exile, but against a goldfish, or a burn deck, or a mill deck, or much of anything creatureless, your game 1 is going to be a long slog. The singleton Bolas would go a long way to fix that vulnerability.
Rules Nut Advisor
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11 months ago ::
Aug 07, 2012 - 4:04PM
#20
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Date Joined:
Apr 24, 2010
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Hmm, is it only me or is the decklist towards the end of the article not visible...
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