deckstats.net
You need to be logged in to do this.
The buttons above will open in a new window. Please return to this window after you have logged in. When you have logged in, click the Refresh Session button and then try again.

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - bradcoish23

Pages: 1 2 [3]
31
Deck Comments / Re: No Chainwhirler you say (post-rotation) - Comments
« on: October 01, 2018, 01:27:16 pm »
I left Field of Ruin out of the list because it does not let me fix my mana until turn three (setting up turn 4). It actually makes it difficult to cast Chainwhirler on curve. It is a very strong card that I wish I could play comfortably.

As far as the equipment go, I can't remember the last time I played one in standard. Equipment are so powerful that I feel WotC has neutered them to the point that it is hard to put them in your 75. That being said, I have run into an equipment or two online that have give me fits. With Abrade gone, equipment may stand some chance. I just tend to feel that the mana you sink into equipping the equipments printed these days could be better utilized. I guess it is just not my style of play (unless they reprint some swords or something bonkers, but I think the Kaladesh vehicles made sure we won't see that kind of power level in standard again).

32
Deck Comments / Re: Best tokens build? 3 of 4 (Naya) - Comments
« on: September 29, 2018, 04:28:03 pm »
I never liked the card at first, (tapping out and wasting an attack step) but I watched a couple pro's play it in different tokens builds and it is pretty crazy. If I was to sleeve up these decks again I think I'd have to find some slots for it. Once I saw it played using tokens with vigilance I was sold since you get to attack and then still give those tokens counters in the next main phase.

33
I just looked up the pre-sale price of Assassin's Trophy and almost fell over. I get pre-sale is no where near the normal price once things level off, but lets say $15-18 is the price of this thing for the next while. That means any deck that runs this is paying out that x3/x4 while also playing Vraska's Contempt. Your removal suite is running you $100.

Now lets look at the influence of Shock Lands. I'm estimating that most tier 1 decks will be tri-colored (at least by the time Guilds Allegiance comes out). Lets average them out at $8 each for the next while and multiply that by 8. Another $60-70 for 8 lands. A Sultai, Abzan deck, or other alternative after GA, will have a starting point of $170 for 7-8 removal spells and 8 lands. Now you just have to add Pw's and creatures... sure to be super budget.

Lets go another way and look at pure control decks. You want Teferi so that is ~$200, plus 8 shock lands... gets ugly quick.

Other midrange strategies won't be a lot better, as Grixis has you buying into Bolas, Phoenix/Karn and well again 8 shock lands.

Another worry I have is that these prices will push people towards the mono-colored stategies. A Chainwhirler deck would likely be fairly inexpensive or a mono-green stompy as well (if you do not splash black to play x4 Assassin's Trophy). Haven't we all had enough of playing against these decks by now?

I guess there is a bright side... some of us already own playsets of all the shock lands and have coughed up the cash for the majority of these pricey standard linchpins. I just pity any newer player who wants to buy into competitive standard right now.

34
General Magic / What will control look like after rotation? Thoughts?
« on: September 08, 2018, 02:12:33 pm »
I personally thought control looked like the leader right now to be the best deck after rotation. It keeps the best pieces and has replacements for those it loses. But is the mana base going to hold it back?

Control's mana base looks like it is going to be awful. It will have Glacial Fortress, Field of Ruin, and a whole lot of basics available to it (in Azorius). So it would be running somewhere in the range of 20 basic lands, not going to happen.

So my next thought was "well, it will just be a three color control deck". Problem there is the only three color combination with both white and blue would be Jeskai and the common color to each shock land available is red. As of today, you would not want red as your dominant color in control. White needs to be dominant, you want to play some combination of Settle the Wreckage and Cleansing Nova. If you don't play blue as a dominant color you lose Sinister Sabotage (a lose, but manageable).

I have seen it suggested on the web that maybe control will not have white and blue, that you go a different direction. In my opinion, and it seems like many others as well, the whole point of playing control is to play Teferi. It is the most powerful card control has to offer by a large margain.

I am just wondering if control gets put on the shelf as a top tier deck until Ravnica Allegiance fixes the mana base? Or am I being crazy and it will be a Jeskai build that goes a little lighter on the blue?

Thoughts?

35
General Magic / The potential of brawl being great.
« on: May 14, 2018, 04:25:53 pm »
I was looking at posts on forums about brawl today and noticed the same sentiment over and over. It was the same harsh MTG community speak you hear about anything that lies outside the norm. The format is being slammed before it was given a chance.

Here is a short list of the arguments against it:
1) Tiny leaders failed, so will this.
2) It is just a watered down version of EDH.
3) It's just another rotating format that players will quit after rotation.
4) And perhaps the biggest of all "WOTC cash grab".

I would like to briefly offer arguments against these points, simply in terms of playing devil's advocate, as I both agree and disagree with their validity.

1) This is not Tiny Leaders. This has the full support of WotC. This is another means of selling singles from current sets, therefore creating an expanded marketplace for new product. This means increased sales of packs of new sets.

2) A watered-down version of EDH is exactly what it is, and what may potentially make it great. When EDH first gained popularity is was a great format. Then it moved forward and gained mass attention and with it came the need for "competitive" EDH decks. These decks are fine, but the amount of tutoring and amazingly long turns went up dramatically. Watching someone try to combo off for 20 minutes is not my idea of fun gameplay. Brawl will never have a strong enough card pool to allow for decks that work in this manor.

3) Rotation does suck for new players. It really does. The difference for brawl is it is singelton. No need for x4 of any card that costs $40. I've taken a look at the prices and for the price of one tier-1 competitive standard deck I can buy one of every staple in the brawl format for MTGO. That might be pushing it slightly, but I'm not far off. You are looking at maybe $300-$350 to own one copy of every staple. (More in paper of course but the logic still remains consistent) And for lower budget players you can build very competitive decks for $100 or less. That takes a great amount of the sting out of rotation.

4) The biggest attack on brawl I've seen is that it is a cash grab. Well, WotC should be looking at ways to make a continuing source of revenue. That only makes the company stronger, therefore making the game stronger. I'm sure they will milk this for all it is worth. They may even use it as a platform to push MTG Arena (as many have suggested). I say good on them.

I believe any format that thrives is good for MTG. WotC has clearly decided it has put too many eggs in the standard basket for too long now. When the format is at its best it is by far my favorite format to play. But how often is it really good. 3 months out of every 3 years, maybe even 5 years. Lets be real here, standard is rarely healthy. Bannings, under-powered blocks, over-powered blocks, over-powered cards, solved two deck formats, and decks that remain tier-1 for way too long without much opposition. Brawl will face many of the same potential problems, but now you have two horses in the race instead of one.

The other amazing development with brawl is the 1v1 community. This is where my interest peaked. Being able to build decks that are for multiplayer, but then with a few changes can be played in a competitive 1v1 environment is a major factor to consider for the longevity of the format. What if your standard deck could morph into an EDH deck? Impossible (well to be competitive anyway.) Brawl holds these possibilities. New players could have a deck to play against their buddies at the kitchen table, but also bring it to an FNM, after a few substitutions.

I get the skepticism and understand the hate. My first reaction to the format was: cash grab, watered down EDH, rotating mess...tiny leaders does not register as being worth a comparison in my opinion. I really believe if you feel this format is going to fail then you would be wrong. I think this format is going to take off in a wild way. Just think of it this way... It can be competitive or casual, 1v1 or multiplayer, the card pool is affordable, it will never be stale for too long (hopefully), and WotC has every reason to support it to the fullest.

My only true concern is that the gameplay will be poor. Rosewater has the table set, the candles are lit, Barry White is playing in the background, he is wearing his sharpest cardigan, Gavin (in his waiters tuxedo) enters with a bottle of cabernet, but where the lobster should be there is instead a bowl of Mr. Noodle.

From my viewpoint the mana bases are going to be weak. At any given time you will only have a couple of dual colored lands available to you in a two colored deck. So lets say you need to run 25 lands in your deck and I have 3 dual lands available to me in those colors. Maybe I have two more lands that serve a purpose (Aether Hub, Field of Ruin,...), this leaves the deck playing 20 basic lands. That allows for a giant problem with mana screw. I fear that if this issue is left unchecked the format will fall accustomed to having a lot of mono-colored decks. And you can forget about three colored decks being reliable. 

Sorry, very long-winded. Interested to see other's thoughts. Does anyone have a different take or see another potential pitfall for the format?

36
General Magic / New eternal format possibilities.
« on: March 15, 2018, 05:09:24 pm »
I myself expect a new eternal format to be sanctioned by WotC within the next five years. I see it as an alternate revenue stream for them to tap into at some point. I'm interested if others think the same way.

37
General Magic / Frontier: what cards could greatly improve the format?
« on: March 08, 2018, 02:43:13 pm »
I am a frontier junky. I build decks on a daily basis. Building so many decks has allowed me to identify some places where cards are lacking for the format. I figure the best way to identify cards that could really bolster the format is to do so on a color by color basis. Some colors need more than one thing, but I have chosen what that color needs most.

I realize WotC does not print cards with frontier in mind, obviously, this is a list of what cards would greatly benefit the format.

***Before we start I have created a list of format staples in case anyone wants to take a peek or may find it useful. The cards on there are cards that pop up on a regular basis, some very narrow cards may be left off.***
http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/78900

White.

Instant speed catch-all exile spell for 2cmc, with slight drawback.
*Declaration in Stone is decent, however it is not instant speed and comes with a drawback.
*Stasis Snare is 3cmc and double white, making it hard to splash.
*Cast Out is 4cmc. While it is effective as a catch all, white needs something lower costed.
*1cmc is too low and 3cmc is too high for white to be viable.

Answers: It needs Declaration in Stone at instant speed, but to nerf it have it only capable of hitting one target.

Blue.

A quality planeswalker.
*Lets stop being afraid to print quality blue planeswalkers.
*Not asking for Mind Sculptor here, just something playable.
*3/4cmc preferred.

Answer: a comparable card to Jace, Architect of Thought.

Black.

Improved creatures.
*In truth, due to the lackluster black creatures, black tends to be a splash color for its strong removal suite.
*Black tends to have creatures that fit in very specific decks (Zombies, sac,...)
*Cards like Ravenous Chupacabra and Gonti serve purposes, but are not world beaters.
*Kalitas and The Scarab God are great, but do not work well together.
*Delve creatures are strong in the right decks, but again Tasigur needs either blue or green to reach its full potential.

Answer: There needs to be a staple black creature printed in the midrange. Something you can play along side of Kalitas or Scarab God so that black can be the primary color in a deck. The 4cmc slot would be ideal as 3cmc is occupied by utility spells in black. This would make Liliana, the Last Hope that much more powerful as well.

Red.

Better removal for recurring/indestructible creatures.
*Red cannot effectively kill its own best 4cmc creatures.
*Rekindling Phoenix requires two spells to be permanently removed.
*Hazoret cannot be killed by any red card for a reasonable cost.
*The Scarab God cannot be permanently removed in any way.

Answer: We need a card that does at least 4 damage, strips indestructibility, and then if creature dies exile it. It can be 4cmc at instant speed or 3cmc at sorcery speed, but the color has to have at least one answer for these cards.


Green.

Better midrange creatures.
*Green is the color of creatures, is it not.
*Green has all the ramp pieces, but I find I'm never ramping into a mono green creature.
*When I build midrange decks, I hardly ever play 4cmc or 5cmc mono green creatures.
*The plan seems to be to just give green creatures crazy P/T, but not much else.
*The best three green midrange creatures are very deck specific. Verdurous Gearhulk is counters driven, Bristling Hydra needs energy, and Ishkanah needs delirium. There are no green midrange creatures that could just go in any build, the way Avacyn, Rekindling Phoenix, and Glorybringer can.

Answer: The color needs a blow the doors open 4cmc creature. The best ramp is at 2cmc, so you are skipping to 4cmc. You need a really strong green creature to drop on turn 3 to make the commitment worth it.


Colorless

Better colorless mana sources.
*I want to play Thought-Knot Seer and Reality Smasher in more decks, without destroying my mana base.
*Two of the best cards in the format are nearly unplayable in quality deck lists.
*Unclaimed Territory and Spire of Industry require very specific deck builds, which narrows down where you can use the Eldrazi.

Answer: Another card that taps for colorless mana, but also mana of any color for something specific, yet useful. It would be great if it didn't cost you 1 life, as many of the best lands for Eldrazi cost 1 life to produce a color.


Land

Shock lands (full cycle) or Battle lands (enemy cycle)
*I'd be happy enough if there were no fetches in the format, or if they were banned. Since they exist, we need enemy colored lands to fetch.
*mana bases for shards are way better to build than wedges right now.
*enemy colors are lacking quality dual lands: pain lands are painful on the life total, Kaladesh lands are better in aggressive decks, and man lands are better in slower decks.

Answer: It feels like we are soon returning to Ravnica, so we are likely to see Shocks, which will make wedge mana bases much easier to build.

***Those are my hopes for printings moving forward. If you have any other suggestions for cards to better the format, please post. And lets remember they have to go through standard, so be reasonable lol.***

38
Deck Comments / Re: Naya Midrange (Dinosaur core) - Comments
« on: January 15, 2018, 01:38:11 pm »
I completely missed the reclassification of those Dino's. I never read the article about the changes because I thought the only important change was the planeswalker legendary rule. Deathmist Raptor totally changes everything at 3cc in the deck, 3cc is the decks weakness. Thanks for the heads up. Such a good card in this deck.

39
Revisions have made the deck much more consistent and able to deal with a wider range of threats. Card for card the deck is much stronger.

41
Mana base revisions were needed after some testing. Draws run much smoother now.

42
Deck Comments / Re: Werewolf Company - Comments
« on: April 10, 2016, 12:55:26 am »
You're really going deep. You might be looking the right way. I just can't get a mix that feels powerful enough to go up against the other decks I've been testing. I feel I need to either go all in on the targeting cards like you are playing or get out of them entirely and just go straight Werewolves (which is not powerful enough by what I have tried at least). Maybe with the next set. If you crack it let me know.

Pages: 1 2 [3]