Regionals is almost here, a mere five weeks away. So I guess that means I should pick a deck and start to play test. Although after Hollywood, it is anyones guess what the format will look like. But with a mere two weeks between Hollywood and Regionals, might as well pick a deck now.
My goal this year is to avoid my historically terrible performance in this event. My DCI history doesn't have last years event on it. But I played B/W/r Slivers and didn't do great.
2006 I think I played Heartbeat and finished 208/256. Ironically I finished a heartbreaking 9th on tiebreakers in a GPT for Toronto that same day.
2005 was apparently unmemorable enough for me to not even remember what I played. I remember I wanted to play a B/g aggro deck me and Fugie interdependently developed. (I remembered what I played while I was typing this up. It a was Mono U Tron deck that came out of Brazil.) Finished 341/361 bleh.
2004 I played Affinity and got destroyed round one by RGHate.dec. Round two I punted against Tooth and Nail. Don't remember anything after that except it was the worst event I ever attended due to the massive number of people. It was at the old Pasttimes location, and something like 90+ degrees out. You had to go outside to cool down, and get away from the smell because the air conditioner did not keep up. Finish was 548/611.
2003 was my first sanctioned tournament ever. I was playing MBC Control. Round one I got pair against Greg Seaverson (better known as Ryan Seacrest). I got game one, he got game two. Game two I had cast a Skeletal Scrying for one and promptly pulled a TooSarcastic and got a game loss for round three. Welcome to tournament Magic me. I have not yet managed to pull a TooSarcastic off a second time, so lesson learned apparently. 395/443 go me.
So needless to say this is consistently my worst event of the year. According to the DCI I have never been able to get out of the bottom 50. My goal this year I consider modest. Stay in contention through round four. I don't have to Top 8 to consider regionals a success this year. I just want the monkey off my back. Round five and beyond I am considering a bonus.
My criteria for deck choice is pretty simple:
1. I want to play aggro.
2. I want to play something that is extremely consistent and doesn't the exact same thing every game.
3. A deck that top decks well.
4. A deck that doesn't just lose to the combo decks in the format. Preferably by playing Terror (to beat Swans) and Thoughtseize (to beat Dragonstorm).
5. A deck I can actually get the cards for. This could pose a serious problem as I have next to zero cards for the either of the two decks I would like to play.
So time to pick my pony as they say. These are the two decks that are vying for my love and attention. First up the deck I would prefer to play Aggro Doran.
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Treefolk Harbinger
2 Llanowar Elves
4 Kitchen Finks
3 Chameleon Colossus
4 Nameless Inversion
3 Profane Command
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Terror
1 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Murmuring Bosk
1 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Treetop Village
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Horizon Canopy
3 Forest
Sideboard (Guaranteed to change):
4 Squall Line
4 Thoughtseize
2 Darkheart Sliver
2 Riftsweeper
2 Mind Shatter
1 Spring Cleaning
Pretty normal build. The only card that is really unconventional is Treefolk Harbinger. Personally I think this guy is a must play. He gives you perfect mana by getting Murmuring Bosk. Allows you to play the full four Murmuring Bosk without ever having them come into play tapped (15 Treefolk in the deck). Finds you Nameless Inversion when you need removal. Doran or Chameleon Colossus when you want a dooder. Blocks Tattermunge Maniac all day long. Gets in for three with a Doran in play. And is a general joy to have at parties.
Other cards up for consideration in the main or side are:
Bitterblossom
Order of White Clay
Oversoul of Dusk
Shield of the Oversoul
Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
Wilt-Leaf Liege
Roughshod Mentor
Next up is the backup ELVES!
2 Boreal Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Imperious Perfect
3 Civic Wayfinder
2 Chameleon Collossus
2 Shriekmaw
4 Profane Command
4 Nameless Inversion
4 Thoughtseize
4 Glit Leaf Palace
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Treetop Village
4 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Mutavault
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Pendalhaven
Sideboard
2 Spring Cleaning
2 Shriekmaw
2 Mind Shatter
2 Primal Command
2 Cloudthresher
2 Squall Line
3 Kitchen Finks
This list is probably subject to change after PT: Hollywood based on how the person that gave it to me does. I am not really going to put a ton of work into until after Hollywood as I intend to just barn the updated list at that point.
But those are what I am going from for now. Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, or advice?
6 comments:
Hmmm... I was thinking RG aggro, but Swans is definitely going to be a problem for that. Hopefully it'll tank at PT:Movie Star and go away.
Speaking of combo...are people still playing Reveillark builds? I was kind of interested in those. Hmm... Stupid Constructed.
It doesn't matter a ton if it tanks. People will still play it because they want to play the new deck.
As far as I know people still play Lark decks.
I can get you most of the cards for Aggro Doran, except for the Dorans and Goyfs.
I will probably be playing Doran. Primal Command is sooo stupid, play that card. Also why would anyone ever play Squall Line again while Cloudthresher is legal? Sure it is also a fireball, but Cloudthresher can be tutored for (thanks Prime Command) and if you are a good player you are already playing 4 Black Fireball Commands in your deck.
A list for the Doran deck that Jamison and I have been playing is:
Creatures
4 Birds Of Paradise
2 Llanowar Elves
1 Shriekmaw
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Doran, The Siege Tower
Planeswalkers
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
Sorceries
2 Primal Command
4 Profane Command
4 Thoughtseize
Tribal Enchantments
4 Bitterblossom
Tribal Instants
4 Nameless Inversion
Lands
2 Forest
3 Swamp
1 Brushland
1 Caves Of Koilos
2 Gilt-leaf Palace
4 Horizon Canopy
4 Llanowar Wastes
1 Murmuring Bosk
4 Treetop Village
1 Pendelhaven
1 Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
Sideboard:
3 Cloudthresher
2 Damnation
1 Primal Command
1 Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
2 Mystic Enforcer
other cards I can't remember
Update. I have been playing this deck a ton in the last 24 hours or so since I wrote it up. Currently I am 22-3 in completed matches on MWS where my opponent did not quit.
Updated list:
2 Gilt-Leaf palace
4 Murmuring Bosk
1 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Treetop Village
4 Llanowar Wastes
3 Horizon Canopy
3 Forest
1 Wooded Bastion
3 Doran
3 Tarmogoyf (I have had to many times where I play this guy on turn two or three and he is a 0/1-2/3 for to many turns doing nothing.)
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Treefol harbinger
2 Llanowar Elves
4 Kitchen Finks
1 Chameleon Colossus
2 Order of Whiteclay (undecided. Wilt Leaf Cavaliers might just be better.)
3 Wilt-Leaf Liedge (This guy is soooo retarded it is not even fair.)
3 Nameless Inversion
3 Profane Command (I might make it 2x. It can be absolutely amazing. But it keeps rotting in my hand. And I never want to draw two in a game.)
3 Terror
1 Crib Swap (Chameleon Colossus suxors for me.)
2 Primal Command (Agreed this card is really good. GG red deck.)
SB:
2 Squall Line (My build has a super tight curve and you don't always want to spend 2GG when Hurricaning for one is just as good.)
4 Thoughtseize
2 Darkheart Sliver
3 Riftsweeper
2 Mind Shatter (Redumb against Blink and control. They tap out for Sower or Venser early and you just crush them.)
2 Cloudthresher
Cards I'm not playing.
Bitterblossom: While I agree this card is insane. My problem is I am consistently beating decks that play it. It also feels to slow for this build. Which focuses on being incredibly aggressive. My opinion on this card has come down a lot in the last two days.
Also my mana base is incredibly painful and I do a lot of damage to myself. I have a feeling it could be much better and I have been relying on Finks to much to compensate. This might make Bitterblossom more appealing.
Shriekmaw: I think Terror is just better. Being an instant is huge.
Pendelhaven/Urborg: I feel this deck gets minimal benefit out of these cards. The mana base also has a ton of non basics and Magus of the Moon is a blow out. I also hate being randomly Strip Mined which means these are a no go for me.
4th Treetop Village: This should probably be in there somewhere.
Damnation: I have Darkheart Sliver here. I am going to try out Incremental Blight. Not sure if it will be any good though.
Garruk: He has only ever been good for me when I am winning. I abhor playing win more cards. He can be amazing at breaking up a stalemate, but Liege can do the same thing. And the deck doesn't get into stalemates very often.
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