Eldrazi Green for Chinese Nationals

[Peter Dun]

well, with nationals coming up soon, and the new bannings, I've gone from being 100% certain that I have the right deck, to very very uncertain and even slightly nervous that the metagame will be unhelpful...

 

for reference, this is the deck I am playing now:

// Lands
    4 [ROE] Eldrazi Temple
    2 [ARC] Khalni Garden
    3 [WWK] Tectonic Edge
    2 [M11] Mystifying Maze
    14 [P2] Forest (3)
    1 [WWK] Eye of Ugin
    2 [SOM] Forest (2)                   <-- different art to test whether I want 2 or 4 khalni garden

// Creatures
    4 [M11] Primeval Titan
    2 [SOM] Wall of Tanglecord
    4 [ROE] Overgrown Battlement
    4 [ROE] Joraga Treespeaker
    1 [ROE] Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
    1 [ROE] Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
    1 [WWK] Avenger of Zendikar
    2 [NPH] Spellskite
    1 [MBS] Viridian Corrupter
    1 [M11] Fauna Shaman

// Spells
    4 [MBS] Green Sun's Zenith
    2 [ZEN] Summoning Trap
    3 [NPH] Beast Within
    2 [DDD] Garruk Wildspeaker

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [NPH] Spellskite
SB: 1 [M11] Fauna Shaman
SB: 1 [ZEN] Summoning Trap
SB: 1 [NPH] Beast Within
SB: 3 [M11] Obstinate Baloth
SB: 1 [NPH] Karn Liberated
SB: 3 [ROE] Vengevine
SB: 2 [MBS] Phyrexian Revoker
SB: 2 [NPH] Dismember

 

with the banning of stoneforge mystic, valakut surely must become the default best deck in t2, how would you attack such a deck, or such a metagame. I HEAVILY dislike valakut because you cannot really play zeniths as mana acceleration, however, with spellskites existing to stop act of aggression, I don't see how the deck loses easily any more, at least eldrazi green just sideboards into a  midrange green deck, with some number of karn (I won 21-24 packs at the NQ... can't remember, opening 3 karns and 1 batterskull, so I'm ok cost wise).

 

I would prefer not to splash black for the obvious memoricides, but I won't rule it out, even if it means I must play lotus cobras md... :S

 

so, some advice/feedback would be useful (even if you think you have little experience with the deck... just random thoughts even if they sound terrible would be welcome... I have no idea how to start).

 

My metagame thoughts are as follows:

1) Dismember will become more popular (ppl are only now understanding how good this card is for some reason). This is annoying, as it kills treespeaker for 1 mana. However, the ramping is less important than it was before because you don't need to race sword.

 

2) Koth will see a lot more play. Red decks are cheap, supposedly have a good valakut matchup (especially with act of aggression sb) and koth is by far the best card in the red deck. This means that at least 1 vengevine to tutor as an answer to koth is necessary. ulamog actually pretty good vs rdw, as they can't kill him (her? it?), and if they act, you easily have 5 permanents to sac (4 + 1 blocker) and then wipe their board over a couple of attacks. This means that I want 1 md viridian corruptor, and definately more sb for shrine.

 

3) Valakut will see more play. I have no idea what my solution is for this. This matchup is probably unfavourable for you as they can kill your mana acceleration with bolt, slagstorm etc., whereas you can't easily kill theirs. I want titans and karns for this matchup, but I don't know  how to make it heavily favoured. Maybe the 4th edge over 2nd maze is required md, but that will weaken the matchup vs mirran crusaders (especially if they sb in spellskites in the matchup).

 

4) Other assorted decks like UB control and twin will see more play. Both of these matchups are very very favoured, so not really concerned.

 

Cards under consideration:

1) Fauna Shaman. This card is already amazing, now, I think I want more.

2) Phyrexian metamorph. Can tutor it, makes a titan (too late) for 3 mana.

3) More dismembers/beast withins (the 2WW 3/4 flyer that shuts of activated abilities and fauna shaman will see more play).

4) More karns <-- this card is awesome :)

5) Terrastradon/avenger of zendikars/traps. Necessary vs valakut as the only cards that matter are titan + acceleration, terrastradon kills acceleration, trap gets you titans more consistantly (4 trap, 2 fauna shaman, 4 zenith, 4 titan) and avenger sometimes steals wins even if they get titan first (although your avengers are much worse than theirs)

6) All is dust....

 

Concerns

1) How to beat valakut?

2) How to hate on memoricide (not actually a huge concern), whether to play memoricide?

3) Whether to trade Karns (awesome!) for lotus cobra (bleh...) in pursuit of success (but not happiness)

4) What ppl will play in the new t2...

 

Little help? :)

[Peter Dun]

I think I'll do a feed here... I can't get twitter or youtube or anything like that up... and nothing to podcast from... ppl in Shanghai were also hoping for a feed... hmmm :S

 

EDIT: hehe, tks for that link, always nice to see work is appreciated ;)

[Peter Dun]

lots of people playing valakut in the lcqs.... :S

almost wish I was playing ub control now... (no chance to buy that deck from scratch)

this means that:

a) I'm def. not playing valakut (horrible mirror)

b) I'm consider a last minute switch to mono red (although will hate myself if I do and do badly in the tournament)

 

Current list for play tomorrow:

// Lands
    4 [ROE] Eldrazi Temple
    2 [ARC] Khalni Garden
    4 [WWK] Tectonic Edge
    1 [M11] Mystifying Maze
    14 [P2] Forest (3)
    1 [WWK] Eye of Ugin
    2 [SOM] Forest (2)

// Creatures
    4 [M11] Primeval Titan
    4 [ROE] Overgrown Battlement
    4 [ROE] Joraga Treespeaker
    1 [ROE] Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
    1 [ROE] Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
    1 [WWK] Avenger of Zendikar
    2 [NPH] Spellskite
    2 [M11] Fauna Shaman
    1 [SOM] Wall of Tanglecord
    1 [MBS] Viridian Corrupter
    1 [NPH] Vital Splicer (or wurmcoil engine vs vampires/mono red/crusader)

// Spells
    4 [MBS] Green Sun's Zenith
    2 [ZEN] Summoning Trap
    2 [NPH] Beast Within
    2 [DDD] Garruk Wildspeaker

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [NPH] Spellskite
SB: 1 [ZEN] Summoning Trap (OR SOMETHING ELSE VS. VALAKUT)
SB: 2 [NPH] Beast Within
SB: 4 [M11] Obstinate Baloth
SB: 2 [NPH] Karn Liberated
SB: 2 [NPH] Dismember
SB: 2 [MBS] Phyrexian Revoker

 

WANTS:

2nd Maze md (must play 4 edge if I expect valakut to be most played deck)

2 more cards to sb vs valakut (cutting 1 spellskite/revoker and summoning trap... atm I'm consdiring an extra ulamog and an extra trap)

a plan (preferably in under 100 words) for tezzeret

 

other than that very happy, I've gone several pages on magic-league without more than 1-2 losses (no idea how many games that is... 30? so something like 120-8...). The bad matchups seem to be:

a) a valakut deck on the play that plays turn 4 titan

b) mono black midrange decks (only vampires if they draw 2 more gatekeepers than you draw khalni garden... which does unfortunately happen)

c) mirror

 

tested various ub decks and honestly don't like how they play out... and how bad the late game trump (primeval titan) feels in comparison to past late game trumps in the sort of deck (reveillark, baneslayer angel etc.)

tested mono red (and like it very much)

tested twin and valakut and find both too random (although if I was playing uk nats I guarentee I would have a birthing pod variant for twin... maybe with life combo too... just no time to find it in 10 days since bannings)

tested vampires/steel and find both to be less to my playstyle preference than mono red

 

the last argument that is swaying me to eldrazi green is that I think the life combo is for real... and this deck can't lose to the life combo, whereas valakut and others can.

 

not much more to say... Beijing is horrible and poluted, hotel is nice, trip down reminded me of what it must feel like to be a non-organic animal on the way to the slaughterhouse (no moral judgement, I don't eat organic anyway)...

 

wish me luck ;)

[Jason Savage]

Good luck.

[Dan Barrett]

Good luck Pete, keep us updated when you can!

[Paul Hodgson]

Best of luck mate, have fun!

[Glenn Goldsworthy]

best of luck man, you have certainly done your homework

[Ben Titmarsh]

Kick some arse Pete!

[Daniel Royde]

glhf

[Ben Titmarsh]

When is Chinese Nationals and how do we follow your progress?

[Peter Dun]

Chinese nationals begins in precisely 1 hour. I am leaving now...

 

http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/nationals/china

[Tom Reeve]

Good luck!

[Peter Dun]

On Site Report (with thought process)

Deck Played:

// Lands
    4 [ROE] Eldrazi Temple
    2 [ARC] Khalni Garden
    4 [WWK] Tectonic Edge
    1 [M11] Mystifying Maze
    14 [P2] Forest (3)
    1 [WWK] Eye of Ugin
    2 [SOM] Forest (2)

// Creatures
    4 [M11] Primeval Titan
    4 [ROE] Overgrown Battlement
    4 [ROE] Joraga Treespeaker
    1 [ROE] Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
    1 [ROE] Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
    1 [WWK] Avenger of Zendikar
    2 [NPH] Spellskite
    2 [M11] Fauna Shaman
    1 [SOM] Wall of Tanglecord
    1 [MBS] Viridian Corrupter
    1 [SOM] Wurmcoil Engine

// Spells
    4 [MBS] Green Sun's Zenith
    2 [ZEN] Summoning Trap
    2 [NPH] Beast Within
    1 [DDD] Garruk Wildspeaker
    1 [NPH] Dismember

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [NPH] Spellskite
SB: 1 [ZEN] Summoning Trap
SB: 2 [NPH] Beast Within
SB: 4 [M11] Obstinate Baloth
SB: 2 [NPH] Karn Liberated
SB: 1 [NPH] Dismember
SB: 1 [MBS] Phyrexian Revoker
SB: 1 [WWK] Terastodon
SB: 1 [DDD] Garruk Wildspeaker

 

Round 1: Xu Shing

G1

So what is my first hand of Chinese nationals 2011? I flip one at a time

Titan.... good

Fauna Shaman... good

Battlementx2... looking very good, now if only I could have 3 lands

Joraga Treespeaker... ok not a land, but if Icould just get 2 more

Emrakul... hmmm, I'll keep if it's a forest

Titan... sigh

Mulligan

 

Then to a solid 5 (can't keep 5 lands + trap): 2 lands, treespeaker, shaman, battelement

 

He wins the die roll. First land, valakut... sigh. I have turn 4 titan with a fauna shaman in play (which I used to search up titan), after his turn 4 urabrask. There's still hope in this game... oh wait, no... titan... death... urghh.

 

G2

(On the play, all that matters in this matchup is landing the first titan)

+1 Dismember, +1 Garruk, +2 Beast Within, +1 Terastrodon, +1 Summoning Trap

-2 Spellskite, -1 Wall of Tanglechord, -1 Viridian Corruptor, -1 Wurmcoil Engine, -1 Avenger of Zendikar

I make turn 3 titan, turn 4 zenith for terastrodon eat your lands, om nom nom nom.

 

G3:

(On the draw. garruk is slightly worse than the mana denial potential of revoker)

-1 Garruk, +1 Revoker

He makes turn 4 titan, I kill it with beast within, he is visably upset and casts urabrask with one card in hand and 4 mountains in play. I make titan, searching up 2 edges, if I can untap, I can zenith up a second titan and the game is mine.... but then he topdecks titan and I lose...

 

an inauspicious start...

 

 

Round 2: Tu Nan

He looks very very young (about 15?) but speaks good english and I find out later he tested a lot on modo with some relatively well known ppl... will have to look him up after

 

G1:

I win the die roll and keep:

1 Forest, 1 Eldrazi Temple, 1 Mystifying Maze, Beast Within, Treespeaker, Titan, Ulamog

 

This is a pretty solid hand, will get me my turn 4 titan, and has mana sources/denial against most decks. I would prefer more vs. vampires, but I can beast within my own lands, so it's actually not bad there either.

He makes: turn 1 valakut....

I will describe my thought process:

 

Turn 2, draw dismember (ok, this is pretty solid, he makes a turn 2 accelerator I kill it... still going well)

He explores into a land.

 

Turn 3, draw primeval titan (ok, not what I wanted... a land or zenith would have been better... still one more turn)

He cultivates.

 

Turn 4, peek at top card... (YES it's a land... oh wait, it's Eye of UGIN FUFUFUFUFUFUFU)

Turn 4 he makes titan, I kill it

 

Turn 5 (I can win if it's just a land.... OMG IT IS? oh wait, it's a khalni garden FUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUFU)

Turn 5 he zeniths for titan, I die

 

G2: Side as above

I make turn 3 titan, he loses.

 

G3:

Mull a slow 7 card hand to 3 lands, garruk, titan, revoker... too slow go to 5 (my opponent is sympathetic, but he doesn't know I mulled an ok hand to 5)

5 Cards: Treespeakerx2, Dismember, Forest, Titan (almost as good as I dare hope for)

Turn 1: Draw revoker (...ok, not a land, but it will slow him down) ... Make treespeaker

 

Turn 2: He makes lotus cobra (soon to be dead)..

I peek... IT'S A LAND... OH WAIT IT'S an EYE OF UGIN AGAIN WHO THE HELL PLAYS TERRIBLE CARDS LIKE THAT, dismember cobra

 

Turn 3: He makes another cobra into khalni heart

I peek... IT'S A KHALNI GARDEN....LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL...FUFUFUFUFUFUFUFU.... (although I maintain a perfect poker face throughout)... he makes titan I die soon after, he showed me the sb plan of swamp into memoricide. Quite a good idea... he sided out his urabrasks (is this card good in valakut ramp? my opponents seem to think so)

 

 

R3: Zhao Yisong

He wins the roll makes turn 1 valakut and I feel like punching someone (where are all the other decks... on the tables next to me...)

G1

He has a turn 4+zenith draw and I die

 

G2

I make turn 4 titan and he loses

 

G3

He makes turn 4 avenger, I make turn 4 titan after killing his avenger, he topdecks titan on turn 6, but I trap into emrakul and it's over (see all that matters is titan...)

 

Standard: 1-2

 

Drafting to come...