and, it's a control element that works well w/ this sort of aggro build. just knowing you have it in your deck compels your opponent (if he's smart) to play around it. if not, gg.
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neg. it's never a bad idea to have a sweeper -- that is unless you're running suicide-aggro WW or goblins or tempered steel. there are decks that are quicker than mine and players that overextend. i like being ready for both. let tokens pour out their hand the turn before they overrun. how else am i going to get rid of a dozen hexproof illusions.? it's a good card. it stays for now. but thanks for the criticism.
nah. i'll probably put him in the side for mirror matches or something. this deck is just a hair faster than the other, so i took him out for blade's. if it's not smooth, garruk to the rescue!
too big for this deck. alas! what it really needs is another sword..grin grin, nudge nudge. it's basically what i ran the other fnm, but minus all the garruks and + all the mayors. getting arc trailed early shouldn't cripple this deck like the last one. and twins? nah dawg, i don't know nothin' 'bout no twins. heard they're sick-nasty though.
drawing sample hands on that deck is pretty frustrating w/ 0 lands. i'm going to put it into a list and see how it goes.
@ Ethan -- thank you for elucidating your point. i'm not a gitaxian fanatic (why i don't run them), but i don't think they're as big of an obstacle as you make them out to be. however, i appreciate your measured and careful response. thanks for that. and to address your last para. from "I still know...opponent's hand" -- i could not agree more that learning to inference and playing accordingly while saving resources is infinitely more valuable than spending resources to get a concrete view. but when you can work that concrete view into your gameplan to exact your scheme to fruition -- joy. 2 pts. for keeping it civil.
b/c venser bounces it for free whenever he needs card draw.
point taken. but you failed to mention the real reason anyone puts probe in their deck: look at target player's hand. yes, chances are high that i'd like to draw a card i'd enjoy to draw. however, chances are also high that i'd like to see my opponent's hand, too -- early OR late game. and if it's late game and my life-total is low, chances are good i'll have enough land out that tapping 1 island won't interrupt my playing. so, while we're talking about chances, chances are i'd like to have as much information about the game i'm in before i make my next move. gitaxian probe takes out the guess work. however, let's continue with your line of thinking and use your example: let's say you're in desperate need of a timely, b/c the game is very close. in fact, your life total is the same as your opponent's. opponent passes turn to you. upkeep, draw card...SHIT...it's gitaxian probe. man, i really could've used a timely then. oh wait, i'll hit myself for 2 life, dropping my life total to less than that of my opponent, then the card that probe got in the way of (timely to follow your example) is drawn. now the +6 life can trigger, giving me the advantage to ____ and win. ...seems like a legit possibility, if gitaxian is always getting in the way of what one needs. think about the gitaxian combos and espionage rather than hyperventilating over the deck being more than 60 cards. that is unless you can address how the card is NOT, in fact, a free card (still waiting) thanks ;)
"regardless of the fact that you can draw a card off of it..."? that's a pretty big fact to disregard in the argument that this card takes up essential space. please see my above reply to your earlier post and respond contrapuntally. thanks ;)
"I...rarely even run 60. You should really cut to 60." the man's got a point.
Okay, lest this start another diatribe, let's make this less about MTG and more about flaws in logical thinking (which in this instance I might own -- let me know): -let's accept Ethan's proposal that gitaxian fills your opening hand instead of the card after it (the card you would have ostensibly drawn were the probe not in your deck. -you play the probe (either w/ 2 life or an island) -now you get to see the player's hand, record their secrets, and play accordingly. -then you get to draw to the next card in your library (remember the card we talked about that wasn't in your opening hand? now that card's in your hand turn 1...that's about as "opening hand" as it gets) will someone please explain to me how this is not a free card, especially in this deck that runs blue. at worst you are shocking yourself, but 2 life is negligible when considering the timely's, wurmcoils, and other cards that pressure the opponent in this deck. help me to understand why 65 w/ 4 gitaxian probes is inferior to 61 w/ 0. thanks.
goblin offensive
DoJ hurts this deck hard. Cool idea though. Just don't ever extend and get swept. (aggro = overextend?)
I was going to suggest leonin in the side -- maybe even main -- but i see you 've got that covered. it's so nice to remove an o-ring and get a 3/3 (w/ honor) who might be able to fly soon for WW. b/w gut-shot and probe -- gut shot can def. slow the tempo down of some fast decks, yes. but it's far from a free card. it costs 2 life, and running 4 you'll often draw into it when you'd rather have another card. gitaxian probe, on the other hand, is always free (sometimes 2 life). it fits in w/ the blue in this deck, you get to see what the opponent has (invaluable), AND you just draw into the next card when you're done recording all their secrets as if nothing happened. free spells for the win! i'd +4 gitaxian and side the gut shot (i don't know, take out the divine offerings if you're going for leonin) i like the mana leak (i dislike playing against it). wurmcoil might be a bit fat for this deck, but if there's a deck he doesn't improve (according to some), i'd like to see it. agreeing w/ dimdizzle, i don't do the 65 thing, but that hasn't stopped you from stomping me. play what works for you. +1 frousand.
check that, 11 damage turn 3.
that's a lot to ask for. and i'm not sure if that should be a maxim. for example: i just drew 3 memnites, 2 signal pest, 1 mountain, and a brimstone volley. 6 damage turn 2. 10 damage turn 3. gg's turn 4. here's to siding in marrow shards ;)
i don't know, man. i've never really played a metalcraft deck, but it seems like you're trying to work towards jor kadeen. if so, add a couple more. memnites and accorder shield help maintain metalcraft, too (being 0 to cost). cool concept. i'd like to see it in action. and thanks for commenting on my deck. +1.
"i never play or like red" probably b/c you never succeed w/ it. and that's probably b/c you build decks like this one, troll. 22 lands and 15 cards w/ 4+ cmc? good luck getting to play your win-cons. happy thanksgiving ;)
steal titans, trample ftw.
i would up the land, esp. if you're playing w/ titans and overseers. 25 is a good number. drop champion of the parish -- he's a dead draw late, and vanilla early. yeah, he can get big, but he's too easy to remove. replace w/ blade splicer. if you really want this deck to pop, exchange some of those plains for forests, add some birds of paradise, and drop blade splicer or mirran crusader on turn 2, hero on turn 3, then proceed to win. what decks can handle that pressure? i have a decklist that's trying to do the same thing. i haven't tested the new version at FNM, but a similar build got top 4 and 1st at two different FNM's. here it is: http://www.mtgvault.com/ViewDeck.aspx?DeckID=257632 +1.
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