1 Reply by Piranha

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

I appreciate the replies elpablo, I'm reading what you're saying and hearing what you have to say about the blood artist and aristocrat. I've also read both articles you cited prior to you posting them while i was doing my learning on current standard deck trends. You're 100% right in that those decks perform competitively, and you're 100% right on the sac outlet and damage potential that artist and aristocrat provide. I don't particularly like netdecking, I find that it's bullshit to sweep a FNM due to deckbuild that's more or less a copy of a current top performer. With that being said, us older players tend to be set in our ways, i'm sure you may have come across a couple of us at some point or another. Now with that being said it would be naive of me to ignore that netdecking is a strong way to play so i've scooped up decklists of some of the top performing decks out there, i believe one was the top performer for the theros qualification matches, and one was a monthly top performer for the month of july. Coincidentally the decklist that i grabbed was for a Black/White Zombie deck that had the specific strategy that you're referring to while still having the theme more or less of zombies. This is what it looks like http://deckbox.org/sets/448542 there were sideboard cards but this list is just to show you that i'm familiar with what you're talking about.

I keep hearing tutors are out, tutors are out..... yet nobody can give me a viable alternative to find the card i need when i need to have it in my hand. So far the solutions i've had are ones that just make me draw cards, which is good. That concept works and i agree with it, however short of me revamping my entire deck to bring it more inline to match other decks that are playing the cards with drawing capabilities, i speculate that they won't work in this deck. But like I said, I have yet to have someone say "Remove the tutor's for *Insert Cardname*, and this is why."

My overall goal is to make something new, that nobody's expecting. I haven't even tapped into the library of artifacts that are out there, i don't even know if there's anything that would benifit this deck other than pithing needles to smack down the retarded planeswalkers.

If you could look at the decklist for my zombie deck and give input on what could potentially work in addition to the removal of the corpse blockades for the artist/aristocrat combo it would be appreciated.

What are your thoughts on Crypt Ghast and Army Of The Damned? Anyone think they may have a place in here?

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2 Reply by Piranha

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Thank you psrex, that's more along the lines of the information i was looking for.
elpablo, i appreciate the input and the information but it came across more like "Abandon that deck and use this one" more than assistance to correct what i've already got to work with.

i can see where you're going with the 1:1 removal, and that's why i'm asking for help. Back when i played there were many other options for removal i.e chainers edict, engineered plague, smother, innocent blood, infest, mutilate, and even visara. I looked over everything that was available in standard with my decked app sorted by all standard cards and with text "Destroy" or "Sacrifice" and there wasn't much to choose from.

I can see where you would make the modifications, and the whole reasoning for the corpse blockades being in the deck are to boost my creatures with mikaeus on the field. That way i can either sac my geralf's for direct damage, and with mikaeus on the field i can boost all my solid creatures for +1/+1.

You would also be surprised how often endless ranks stays on the board, not too many people get worried about it when there's nothing on the board and i've got solid control of the game with those 1:1 removal, Only to pull a zombie apocalypse and start making exponential tokens. Now an idea for modification i had was minus the 2 zombie apocalypses and replace them with rise of the dark realms that way when i make the move for re-animation i can pull everything i've been controlling out of their graveyard and whatever is in mine as well.

Granted different areas have different play styles and deck compositions. I can see where an extra crawlers and butchers are benificial, i've also been told by several people i should cut the butchers altogether for 2 more geralf's and a couple crypt ghasts.

sadly all the other modifications were originally in the deck however the deck was closing in on 70 cards, and got tossed asside to speed up the deck play. i'd be interested in hearing what you'd cut for the modifications you're proposing. Looking at it briefly i can see i would be adding 10 cards, with only the 4 tutors being removed for modifications.

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3 Topic by Piranha

(7 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Returning after 14 years away from this game has really been bittersweet. The game has changed alot since odyssey block, some for the good and some for the bad.

I've made a fun little deck to play with, and in all honesty I'm kinda struggling and need to reach out for some pro advice. I'm basically looking to swoop into FNM and take it by storm, and from my deck testing here are my observations.

1. The deck has the tendency to either give you a strong win, followed by 2 losses by either being manascrewed or by having an over abundance of land.
2. Zombie Apocalypse isn't seeing play as much as I would have thought. I'm finding myself holding it as last card in hand more times than playing it.
3. I'm getting beat over the head by the red card that does damage and exiles the card instead of putting it to graveyard, therefore loosing my undying cards to exile.
4. i've learned that #3 and Planeswalkers are this deck's kryptonite so to speak as i have nothing other than corrupt to deal with the walkers, Normally tutored for.

Please keep in mind that #1 could be simply due to the digital engines I'm being forced to use (LackeyCCG and Magic Workstation) due to having to play magic on a budget.
Any and all Pro Modifications will be appreciated. Please explain why you would add/remove cards as I'm a returning player from back in the day and I'm still learning the what and why's of current standard format.

Here is the link to it: http://deckbox.org/sets/447997

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4 Reply by Piranha

(11 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

So far I think I'm grasping a bit more than I'm even realizing. When I used to play, I had one deck that followed along with current trends and one that nobody will ever expect. I'm currently building another concept deck that nobody will expect. It is basically a vamp deck, with vampires that grow when they do damage or something hits the graveyard, And lots of gain control spells. I've tested it against a couple hardcore decks and since its something that's not from the "NEW" game, they're not sure how to deal with it. The concept is simple, bide my time playing all low cost vamp weenies, while holding counter spells and creature-jack spells. Then when I can read my opponent when he goes to lay down his win combination I'll jack them and sac them to my vampires disrupting their game and returning a formidable counter attack. That's the main strategy with my win condition being based around the bloodline vampire that transforms for 2/2 to all vampires and flying. I'm still trying to trim down the deck tho, all the old cards had the effects on them. Now I'm stuck at 70 cards because of needing 2 and 3 cards to get the effect of what used to be on the cards. I.e enchants and spells that return cards from graveyard to hand, then replay instead of the control cards having flashback.

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5 Reply by Piranha

(11 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

i appreciate all the info.

in the short time i've been back and reading, I've gone through probably about a couple thousand posts so far of research. The game more or less has turned into who can get into their win concept by turn 4 or less. I've been playing online with magic workstation but it would seem that that has changed too. I've played against all types of fail, which seems to include rude people, impatient people, people who have no idea what they're doing and lastly people who will do anything to win.

I have pretty much resorted to sharpies and lands to make a couple proxy decks. I'm trying to avoid "NetDecking" because I'm a firm believer of building versus just downloading a decklist of someone who's better than myself. But the more I try to stick to the core values I had back when I played the more i'm being punished so to speak. I can officially say I'm sad to see that ante games have gone away, but I guess it was inevitable with the way the community and game has changed.

I'll go ahead and keep researching what people are using for their win conditions. I will also be keeping an eye out for what new things people will be using, Mainly because I can't see paying anything over 10 dollars for a planeswalker this close to rotation. I think it may just be wise for me to work on a modern deck for the time being that way I can make sure the money I'm going to invest into a deck will be for something I will actually get to play for a while.

I like the deck that was linked, from what i can tell it looks like it's a lot of burn to control the little weenies that people are playing till you can get your win combo on the table. Is that accurate? or have I managed to overlook something?

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6 Reply by Piranha

(11 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Well to be honest, I'm on the fence if I wanna go full force and get back into the game and play competitively (tourneys and whatnot). My old library is extensive but magic has changed soo much in the time I have been away. When I played I used to be able to look forward to upcoming sets because 3/4 of my mono black was reprinted with a splash of new cards just to make things more interesting. now I get as far as knowing I want a first turn duress, and a 4th turn tutor and everything beyond that point is so convoluted. I've broken apart and rebuilt this prototype so many times, but it never seems to do much of anything. I manage to get out a first turn grave crawler and its flounder around from there till turn 4 when I can either tutor for an endless ranks, or struggle being mana screwed and have to worry when I'll get enough mana to play something.

The information about the planes walker you mentioned is appreciated.

And as for ante games, it's more of a I'll put up one of my old valuables for one of the new valuables so I'm more or less looking for something I can stomp someone's face in with and walk away happy with my new rare or whatever was ante'd. That way I can get in the game faster.

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7 Reply by Piranha

(11 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

Info I lack that someone else may have:

Is MonoBlack a viable deck now-a-days?

What does black currently have to "Mana Ramp" for big beasties if they're recommended to be used?

Are there any Planeswalkers worth putting in here?

If this is a scrub/noob direction I'm headed in, what direction would you take for playing ante games to win cards?

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8 Topic by Piranha

(11 replies, posted in Decks and Deckbuilding)

First off a little information. I haven't played in quite a while, and I've just now started to get back into the game. It all started with the MTG: 2014 steam game download. I figured if it's in the 2014 game I should be able to play it. Boy was I wrong, turns out that when I unlocked all the cards for liliana's deck, and then did a deck manage there's a bunch of cards that are not standard. I've found that Grave Titan, Lord of the Undead, Undead Warchief, Corpse Baron and vampiric tutor are not reprinted in M14 and therefore I cannot use them. However they do make a nice sideboard to add for "Modern" games, all but the vampiric tutors as they are visions.

This is a modified version of that same zombie love deck to play in standard. I dumped all the cards that weren't in the standard block currently and changed around some things. Now instead of making my zombie tokens really really strong, I'm using creature control untill my horde becomes un-manageable and I swing them  for the win.

Deck is Mono-Black Zombie Token Zerg.

Win condition concept is "Control" till you can "Zerg" opponent with token army.

First Turn Gravecrawler, 4th turn "Tutor" for Endless ranks if it wasn't in your initial draw. Any other turn will be spent on opponent creature control. (boy do I miss my chainers edict and smothers.)

Any Input/Sugguestions would be appreciated as I've just returned from 14 years away from the game and I'm still dusting the cobwebs off.

Here is the link.
http://deckbox.org/sets/426731?v=v

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