Topic: U/G (Simic) in Standard? Advice appreciated.

So, I love U/G. And I really loved Simic. So I'm trying to get into the FNM standard arena running green/blue.

I tried once and got hosed: http://deckbox.org/sets/481356  Here I focused to much on the card, life gain engine of Horizon Chimera without really considering how little that process gave me in attacking. I love Simic Manipulator, but he only works here and there and is very dependent on the timing of when he enters the battlefield

So, I made (haven't bought the cards or tested yet) a new Blue/Green, with the hopes it would be stronger going. but it still might not be up to snuff. This is the one i'm looking for real critique on: http://deckbox.org/sets/529839

Any suggestions would be swell, I don't know what else to drop in the sideboard. And I'm not really interested in adding any colors just yet. But all suggestions are welcome.

Re: U/G (Simic) in Standard? Advice appreciated.

swan song is pretty bad in standard. its narrow, and can completely miss against some decks. in addition it gives your opponent a threat. plasm capture is a pretty awesome counterspell in ug, and i would consider adding 1 or 2. prognostic sphinx and aetherling are kinda a nonbo with your garruk since he only puts green creatures into play. mystcutter hydra would be a nice addition as it is good early and good late in the game. i would also add the 4th elvish mystic. your best opening hands are always going to contain that card.

you have very little to do early in the game. i would consider adding 4 of some 3cmc creature. i personally like biovisionary...but its probably not good.

thats my two cents

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Re: U/G (Simic) in Standard? Advice appreciated.

jiminichristmas wrote:

swan song is pretty bad in standard. its narrow, and can completely miss against some decks. in addition it gives your opponent a threat. plasm capture is a pretty awesome counterspell in ug, and i would consider adding 1 or 2. prognostic sphinx and aetherling are kinda a nonbo with your garruk since he only puts green creatures into play. mystcutter hydra would be a nice addition as it is good early and good late in the game. i would also add the 4th elvish mystic. your best opening hands are always going to contain that card.

you have very little to do early in the game. i would consider adding 4 of some 3cmc creature. i personally like biovisionary...but its probably not good.

thats my two cents

I appreciate the input! The idea behind swan song is a cheap easy way to disrupt the abundance of kill spells that monoblack (the most difficult opponent I have faced in standard thusfar) and the 2/2 swan would be eliminated with Arbor (reach) or Prognostic. But i understand what you are saying. Do you suggest Negate instead? Would it, swan song, be worth sideboarding? How about Curse of the Swine, which is in the SB, that creates threats, but it disrupts devotion pretty effectively I find.

As for the nonbo between the all blue creatures and Garruk I was thinking that his +1 and bottom abilty would be of the main concern. Just accelerating into creaturewith those two and using Prophet to get out the surplus. But perhaps ignoring his middle ability is too big of a deal. Would either of the Jace's be a better idea?

Re: U/G (Simic) in Standard? Advice appreciated.

I think that drawing with Garruk seems better for you than drawing with Jace, because you'll be able to do more things with what you draw with Garruk. With Jace AoT, You'll have more time to set up with his +1, but I feel that he's much better in a control build. This is more of a midrange build, so Garruk will prove to be more of a benefit.

Swan Song is good for getting away from all the enchantment stuff, but I think it's more of a sideboard card. I'd feel more comfortable with a catch-all like negate or syncopate.

I do like this build, but I would watch out for early aggressors like spike jester. The only real defense that you have for that is Sylvan Caryatid. I looked at the deck a couple of hours ago, so I can't remember what exactly you've got, but something like boon satyr, perhaps some lighter stuff like dryad militant or cloudfin raptor.

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Re: U/G (Simic) in Standard? Advice appreciated.

DarrenM wrote:

I think that drawing with Garruk seems better for you than drawing with Jace, because you'll be able to do more things with what you draw with Garruk. With Jace AoT, You'll have more time to set up with his +1, but I feel that he's much better in a control build. This is more of a midrange build, so Garruk will prove to be more of a benefit.

Swan Song is good for getting away from all the enchantment stuff, but I think it's more of a sideboard card. I'd feel more comfortable with a catch-all like negate or syncopate.

I do like this build, but I would watch out for early aggressors like spike jester. The only real defense that you have for that is Sylvan Caryatid. I looked at the deck a couple of hours ago, so I can't remember what exactly you've got, but something like boon satyr, perhaps some lighter stuff like dryad militant or cloudfin raptor.

Thank you for the input as well!  Do you think the green creature aspect of Garruk is a problem as well? Or rather do you also favor pushing out aetherling and prognostic sphinx for more green creatures? And I have had mixed results with Master Biomancer, would his spot be a good place to move in favor of lower cmc creatures if the blue guys aren't much of a problem? Honestly at my local fnm spot its pretty much all american control and mono black. A couple people play a boros and golgari build but not much else. Monoblack kill spot removal and underworld connections is my main reason for swan song. So I still advocate for it in the sb

Re: U/G (Simic) in Standard? Advice appreciated.

So some things to consider: 

Keep in mind that U/G really doesn't give you very good options for interacting with the opponent in a lot of scenarios.  You have some counters, but unless you really set up with more counter-magic, odds are you aren't going to have that many answers for the opponent.

I like the mid-range feel, but I think you have a bit too much at the top end of the spectrum without much ramping to get you there.  Essentially, if someone can drop your mana dorks, they have you dead to rights.  If you're not really playing a threat until turn 5-6, you will be done - whether you're going against aggro or just a mid-range deck (nevermind the fact that a control build will love the added turns to set up their long game.

So, how do you tackle these issues?  My suggestion would be to focus on the few big hitters you're aiming to use and then drop the rest of them.  For instance, you don't really want Aetherling in here, as you really should consider it to be a 7-drop (you always want one more to flicker it).  Other creatures that are really out of place here, Master Biomancer and Progenitor Mimic.  Master really just pumps creatures that are already big enough to be a threat (that's pretty win-more), and Progenitor is unlikely to generate more than one copy given the removal available in the format - so if that's what you want, why not just run Clone?  In essence, the only six-drop creature that you would want to consider running is Prime Speaker Zegana and that's primarily for the card advantage she generates.  I would consider sliding at least 2x Polukranos, World Eater into the build to give yourself a solid four-drop threat that has to be answered (which also works rather well with Bow of Nylea if you decide to keep it in there).

As for Swan Song, you can certainly leave it in if it has performed for you, but I can see where Syncopate will be more effective.  Additionally, I would consider some Rapid Hybridizations as a spot removal/combat trick to deal with BIG threats (or alternately Curse of the Swine if you have them - note it EXILES, so you can take out the Gods with it too!).  Cyclonic Rift is a MUST for you as well.

I would also suggest some added ramp options, whether they come in the form of Voyaging Satyr or something else, as you're going to want to get to six mana as quickly as possible as consistently as possible.  If you'd like, I tossed together a quick build that might be more to your liking (http://deckbox.org/sets/534192) or, alternately, there is a version that I saw the other day posted by Frank Lepore (http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=11492) you could investigate, AND, as another alternative, he reviewed a different UG list a while back that is more along the lines of what you're doing (http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=11466) and, lastly, here's a BUG list he tried out a while back (http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=11427).

What I can say, Prognostic Sphinx is an epic threat when paired with Bident of Thassa... I won my FNM last night.  I hope some of those lists I've linked you to can help.  I think it's an under-appreciated color pairing, but in the same respect, the lack of clear, meaningful removal is a serious problem.