Miracle.Deck

[Gary Lynch]

Didnt watch top 8 live so hadnt seen this deck yet.

Glad he won, good on him for pushing the deck more than most people probably tried.

 

Will have to watch replays as apparently he started 1-4 or something so there must be things in block that beat it.

 

Was interesting to just watch the deck tech and listen to some of the things he was saying.

 

Just think people told me making a Miracle deck was a bad idea. This has definatly inspired me to keep working on my constructed deck.

[Paul Hodgson]

I don't think that this will necessarily stand up in Standard though, ratchet bomb is a good answer to entreat for example (and Mana Leak is still a card). Of the other miracles, Terminus is probably the best, and translates the best to the standard envrionment, although Day is probably just better (Terminus as wrath 5-6 works).

In block though, it is pretty ace

[James Mills]

Block constucted tends to translate quite well post rotation, so maybe this will be viable. However, I couldn't think of anything worse than playing the mirror #slitwrists

[Louis Mackie]

The deck went 2-3 in the first 5 rounds, but on day 2 there weren't as many RW decks - the deck struggles with fast aggro decks, so I don't see it doing much against Delver and RG Aggro.

[Dan Barrett]

When mana leak rotates out this may well be good, as James has noted.

[Peter Dun]

as long as negate is in the format, this deck will be fine in t2. I'm not sure delver is as good against it post rotation, especially with swords and spell pierce leaving the format. the miracle deck is actually pretty difficult to play, which is why he started out so badly, it can also lose some games to itself... I think the deck probably loses to WR humans too, which I suspect was almost non-existent day 2

 

whilst I am glad Hayne won, this was actually a pretty frustrating pro tour. spent a long time discussing decks with various team members, and couldn't quite manage to find a good enough deck to abuse the mechanic enough, so everyone ended up playing GWr, which was GREAT for day 1, but pretty horrible for day 2, when all the metagame decks came and beat up on them. Glad some Brits (GOGO ROYDE!!!) made something of the tournament....

 

I actually think that the card that makes the deck work isn't any of the broken miracles, but actully devastation tide. You need a critical mass of miracles, and Entreat/Terminus/Time Walk are not QUITE enough to dedicate your deck to the mechanic. The reason that we couldn't find the deck was that we a) overated lighthouse, and b) underated tide (playing the 5W vindicate for non lands instead in testing). Oh well, lesson learned for next time :S

[Gary Lynch]

Yeah James actually hit the nail on the head. Good block decks tend to do well after rotation.

 

Entreat is a REALLY powerfull card, wizards already printed 2 good answers to it in the same set though. You opponent basically has one turn to have a Devastation Tide or a Bonfire of the Damned or they are in trouble.

 

In standard, Ratchet Bomb is actually the card that stopped me winning against Esper Control.

 

Mana leaks and Negates are not really that much of a problem as you can play your own. Yes this requires you to have a lot more mana but all control mirrors are like that.

 

The Devastation Tide is good and is basically at least a Time Walk. I was only running 1 in my standard deck for the reason I only had one and didnt realise how good it was.

 

The main thing I took from his decklist was actually the Though Scours. The ability to draw cards on your opponents turn is a really big deal.

 

I found when I played my deck in Standard that it has the opposite problem to the block version. Aggro is basically a bye but control is too hard to beat.

 

As for the mirror, I have no idea what you would do there. Probably just ends up being a control mirror where who ever has the most lands wins.

 

Its true that the deck can be harder than it looks. When you draw a miracle card you really have to think about if you want to cast it then or if you would be better off holding back.

[Yew Vern]

Been playing around with the ideas of miracles, but only as 1-2 offs in some decks :/

[Gary Lynch]

I think they are a lot worse in smaller numbers.  The less you have the less chance you will get the "Miracle Draw" when you need it.

Obviously the regular costings are not bad on some of them but its much more fun when they come at the exact right time.

Just wish I had the opportunity to test more.

[Peter Dun]

this is EXACTLY the problem. how many support cards can you hope to run in your miracle focussed deck if you want the deck to be good.... its a very linear mechanic.

 

you need:

a) 15-20 miracle cards

b) 25+ lands (so you can hardcast your miracles late game)

c) 8-12 enablers (1-2cc cantrips) that let you draw a card on your opponents turn

d) 3-4 kill conditions (you can't just rely on entreat)

 

that gives you AT MOST 5 slots for support cards, which you could have as negates, but more likely you would like as catch all answer like more bounce or oblivion rings. The deck is likely fine, but if negate is in the format (as opposed to leak, which is probably easier to play around), this is not going to be an easy deck to play with or build in t2

Gary Lynch said:

I think they are a lot worse in smaller numbers.  The less you have the less chance you will get the "Miracle Draw" when you need it.

Obviously the regular costings are not bad on some of them but its much more fun when they come at the exact right time.

Just wish I had the opportunity to test more.

[Thomas David Baker]

Primer that Hayne sent to his teammates (very good): http://manadeprived.com/2012/05/hallelujah-a-primer-for-the-lucksac...

[Gary Lynch]

Enjoyed the primer.

 

He is right about tilting people though. When I pulled of the Terminus in my opponents combat step his face was priceless.

 

I actually think the deck makes gains in standard as it gains a lot more support cards that are not Miracles and also has the ability to go more than 2 colours.

 

If the guy who has the cards im missing is there on Saturday I will give it another spin, if not I will be on Ramp or Pod.

[Yew Vern]

Looking at the list the stuff it comes down to is:

Entreat, Devastation, Terminus, Bonfire(?), Temporal as your miracles

Ponder, Thought Scour, Think Twice, Desperate Ravings, Desolate Lighthouse as enablers

Entreat, Planeswalker (Gideon? Tamiyo?), Bonfire as your win cons

For block I think the miracles.deck is solid but in t2, I'm not so sure. Does the addition of red miracles actually help the deck? Bonfire is sweet, but that's about it. The rest look like sideboard cards, blue or white support seems more relevant.

The builds I'm coming up with either look a lot like UW delver (with miracles), UW control (with miracles) or UW aggro (with miracles). Not very inspired, to be honest. But that's because I haven't played standard for like, years.

Let me know how the miracle deck works out for you Gary, I'll replicate your success over here :D