Dies to Removal

Went a cool 5-0 at FNM for first place.

Really don't think the mana supports Brimaz. Did a ton of damage to myself as it was with just 6 Pain lands. Though I did seem to draw them at a higher than typical rate.

Beat the following decks

Mirror Match 2-0
R/g devotion 2-1
Ensoul Artiface 2-1
Esper control 2-1
G/r Monsters 2-1

[deck]

4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Mantis Rider
4 Seeker of the Way

1 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
1 StormBreath Dragon
Lands (24)

2 Island
3 Mountain
2 Plains
3 Battlefield Forge
2 Flooded Strand
1 Mystic Monastery
3 Shivan Reef
4 Temple of Epiphany
4 Temple of Triumph
Spells (22)

2 Banishing Light
2 Dig Through Time
4 Jeskai Charm
4 Lightning Strike
4 Magma Jet
1 Steam Augury
4 Stoke the Flames


Sideboard
2 Arc Lightning
3 Disdainful Stroke
3 Magma Spray
1 Narset, Enlightened Master
2 Reprisal
1 Chandra
1 Stormbreath
2 Deflecting Palm
forget 15th card
[/deck]

Dragons were in there mostly cause I could only get 1 Sarkhan.

Found myself boarding out Chandra a lot, the Jace effect would have been nice a lot of the time. Think it might be worth the switch.

Could be better to run 3 of each temple and run 3 total Mystic Monastary.

Dig is awesome, never cast Steam Aug but boarded it out a lot.


Deflecting Palm could be a decent 1-of maindeck card.

3-1 with the list I posted above. I did not lose a single game where I got to cast something meaningful (Round 4 was mana screw followed by flood and Despised threats). Ride Down was a very neat trick that ate a Polukranos both times I cast it. I don't want them main deck though. Damage from lands was less than expected so adding the Brimaz proved worthwhile. I am very much loving this deck.

4-0 at States and drawing into top8.

Feel like I am playing awesome magic ,gonna take this shit down.

Won a game 1vs RUG Monsters on the draw where he had turn 3 PolyK and turn 4 dragon. I was at 1 for like 6 turns. Guy tilted so hard.


I'm main decking 2 Deflecting Palm over Chandra and Steam Aug. Its been great.

Nice work all

Would live to see updated lists for people putting up results

I went 3-2 last night at my local FNM with over 20 people.

x2 Deflecting palm mainboard. x1Narset, x2 chandra mainboard. No steam augery, No mantis riders, which were replaced with Monastery swiftspear.

My hardest match of the night was some artifact shrapnel burn shit, I won both games with less than 5 life both times, the pain lands!!! I have a lot of faith in this deck, even with a slow mana buildup I was able to come back from 5 life, with seeker and some lightning strikes/magama jets.

I can't wait for my paycheck, so I can get my keranos and sarkhan and mantis riders.

Goblin rabblemaster has only been winning me game 1. I am not liking him at all, or I just had bad luck with him last night, just my .02

Game 2 sideboarding in counter spells is just SOOOO FUN.

Ugh...was in Top4 of States but had to leave before we started for dinner plans.

Luckily I got everyone to split before I mentioned I had to leave =D

Went 4-0 to start so I got to double draw into Top8.

6 Rounds, like 70 people I think.

Got a full box of Kahns and 20 tcg points.

Here is my decklist

[deck]
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Mantis Rider
4 Seeker of the Way

1 Stormbreath Dragon
1 Sarkhan

2 Banishing Light
2 Dig Through Time
4 Jeskai Charm
4 Lightning Strike
4 Magma Jet
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Stoke the Flames

2 Island
3 Mountain
2 Plains
3 Battlefield Forge
2 Flooded Strand
1 Mystic Monastery
3 Shivan Reef
4 Temple of Epiphany
4 Temple of Triumph


Sideboard
1 Ashcloud Phoenix
3 Disdainful Stroke
3 Magma Spray
2 Arc Lightning
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
1 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Reprisal
1 Narset, Enlightened Master
[/deck]

Played the following decks

Round 1: B/r Aggro
Round 2: Junk Midrange
Round 3: R/G Monsters
Round 4 : RUG Monsters
draw
draw
Top8- Mono Black Aggro
top4- had to leave for dinner plans before it started but would have been the Junk rematch from round 2.

I felt I was super close to top 8'ing TCG States. Used mostly my same list as the one when I split the finals of a local playset tournament last week. (-1 Keranos main, +1 Lightning Strike, -1 Chandra side, +1 Keranos side, -1 Mountain, +1 Mystic Monastery). I know the deck is significantly different from the more burn heavy approach, but you guys might find this list interesting if you like the longer & grindier games in tempo decks.

[deck]Creatures (17)
4x Seeker of the Way
4x Mantis Rider
4x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2x Ashcloud Phoenix
3x Stormbreath Dragon

Instants (14)
3x Magma Jet
4x Lightning Strike
2x Jeskai Charm
2x Stoke the Flames
2x Steam Augury
1x Dig Through Time

Enchantments (3)
3x Banishing Light

Planeswalkers (2)
1x Chandra, Pyromaster
1x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker

Lands (24)
4x Battlefield Forge
3x Shivan Reef
4x Flooded Strand
1x Island
3x Plains
1x Temple of Enlightenment
2x Temple of Epiphany
4x Temple of Triumph
2x Mystic Monastery

Sideboard (15)
1x Keranos, God of Storms
1x Hushwing Gryff
3x Disdainful Stroke
3x Magma Spray
2x Nyx-Fleece Ram
1x Pillar of Light
1x Reprisal
3x Suspension Field[/deck]

Tournament Mini-Report: 6 rounds, ~65 people

Round 1: Esper Control. 2-1 Win
-Game 1 I kept a super loose hand, and didn't get there. Couldn't apply pressure and he stole a Dragon with Ashiok & I couldn't do anything about it. Games 2 and 3 I stick a Seeker of the Way and force him to 1 for 1 every follow up threat (Brimaz, Mantis, ect.) while getting hit for 2 a turn. One game, he taps low for Ashiok after I didn't play a follow-up threat, so I Magma Jet, Lightning Strike, and hit him for 9 while he was at 13. One Stormbreath later & gg.

Round 2: R/W Burn (I think his deck is sweet). 0-2
-I don't recall much, but basically I don't run enough life gain effects to combat this. He'd kill my Seeker of the Way, Chained any hard threat (Brimaz, ect.) early and then just burn burn burn. I actually went -1 Steam Augury +1 Jeskai Charm after the tournament because of this (and another burn deck).

Round 3: U/W Control. 2-0
-His deck just durdled. Like he'd keep me off of stuff for a while, but random Magma Jets and the occasional Mantis Rider sneaking in brought him down to around 12 life. All I did was find openings where he'd tap low to sneak in a planeswalker or something, and he just couldn't deal with something like Keranos or Chandra. Since his deck offers no real pressure, I could just sit back with a hand full of gas. And the deck was forced to 1 for 1 stuff like turn 8 Seeker of the Ways too. This round & the round vs Esper makes me think this archetype will have a pretty good matchup versus control.

Round 4: Mardu Midrange/Control. 2-0
-I played this guy before. This deck is really sweet, but I just think the mana is a bit off. I think this is a very favorable matchup for us. They typically only cast 1 spell a turn, so you respond to removal by laying another threat & respond to threats with tempo plays. Once we get to a point that we cast more than 1 spell a turn, they fall behind very quickly. And they also take a good bit of damage from their lands to make it even easier. Also after the dust settles, I think they have a very hard time coming back from a Dig Through Time or even a decent Steam Augury. Even Chandra is a nightmare for them.

Round 5: Naya Monsters. 1-2
-This is my punt and what made me feel so close to top 8. I would've won the deciding game 3 if it wasn't for a severe miscalculation (fucking dumb ass mistake too). Game 1, we get in a racing scenario that I'm confident I win. He has a monstrous Fleecemane, but I'm going to play a Stormbreath Dragon and equalize the life total, and I have Stoke + Jeskai Charm in my hand. I play Dragon, swing. Pass. He attacks, plays Wingmate Roc. If it wasn't for that lifegain trigger, I would just hold back Dragon, burn burn. But now I need to burn Stoke on the Roc which forces me to swing with Dragon. But it's fine because Fleecemane + Roc token still doesn't kill me and he is dead when I untap. He topdecks Stormbreath for the win. RIP. Game 2 I just did my tempo thing. Killed all his dudes with my nasty sideboard and when he got to 5 mana, I just sat on Disdainful Stroke in case he can play Elspeth. The game just felt too easy. Game 3, we were trading blows, but I felt I had the upper hand because I was actually forcing damage through while he wasn't. Shit happens that I don't remember, but I end up having a Chandra, a Mantis Rider, and mana to Stoke the Flames his Stormbreath. For some reason, I look at his available mana and think it's 6. It's actually 7. I pass. I Stoke the Dragon...and he just activates monstrous in response. FML I just threw the game. I still end up getting him low enough that a topdeck Sarkhan, Dragon, or 4 pt burn spell wins me the game, but I don't get there. If I would've just Stoked on my turn, I win the game because he doesn't have a Stormbreath. Simple as that.

Round 6: R/W Token Burn. 1-2
-I was out of top 8 at this point, so I wasn't really putting my heart into the game. Games 1 and 3, I keep iffy hands & they don't get there. I don't even think they were bad keep decisions.

Then I joined a win a box standard 8-man and split the finals. Also traded away 2 Rabblemasters for 2 Polluted Deltas (lol wut?) so overall successful day I'd say. I felt if I wouldn't have punted, I'd have a really strong chance to win round 6 because it was all Junk Midrange & Green devotion at the top tables...which my sideboard is built for and what I have been playing and testing against.

I think I am really struggling with what cards to SB out in each matchup, I feel like I am making my deck TOO reactive post board, and just getting overwhelmed. Dpaine, with your states list, how often was charm/rabble coming out?

Purp, can you go into specifically what difficulties you are having along with your 75? It could be as simple as having the wrong deck configuration.

[deck]

SB

3 Disdainful Stroke
1 Deflecting Palm
2 Anger
2 Arc Lightning
2 Narset
2 Negate
1 Magma Spray
2 AShcloud

[/deck]

Was the SB I ran yesterday. MD 60 was pretty close to Dpaines.

I am just having difficulty recognize which cards are bad in matchups. i feel like these cards are the cards I am looking to side out: seeker, rabblemaster, deflecting palm, sarkhan, and charm. Lightning strike also seems terrible in most matchups.

Also, this deck straight loses to whip of erebos and ashiok. It's also really weak to thoughseize. I might have to go back up to 4 magma jets because I feel like a lot of my losses are NOT drawing lands.

I'm going to be honest and say that I don't like dpaine's list at all, and lack of efficient building could be a source of the issues you are having. With that out of the way, building a good sideboard is pretty difficult right now since the meta hasn't fully shaped up and there's such a large variety of decks in the field.

Basically, you need to diversify your board a bit and run answers to multiple decks. I am high on Erase right now as an answer to both Courser, mono black, and reanimator strategies. I also like the full playset of Magma Spray postboard to really hose small aggro. Mana efficiency is key in this deck so subbing them and taking out Stoke the Flames is what you want to be doing. I am also fond of Arc Lightning for obvious reasons.

For midrange matchups I really like Reprisal.

Ashcloud is good against control decks but there really aren't many of those out right now so it could be wasted slots.

Glare of Heresy is a pretty solid one-of as well. There are a lot of white cards out there right now and this is a versatile answer.

Hushwing Gryff seems suspect but if Reanimator strategies become more of a thing I expect this to be a decent answer to Ashen Rider and Hornet Queen.

I am definitely giving serious thought to Erase as well. I have seen a lot of Bows and Whips running around.

I think Ashcloud is great against midrange and aggro also. It's a 2 for 1 blocker versus aggro, and a flying beater versus midrange. I think a lot of decks are soft to fliers in general right now.

There's really no room for it in aggro because you want to be playing more efficient cards against them. Arc Lightning does the same thing for one mana less.

I've always been very satisfied casting Ashcloud Phoenix versus aggro. It's not as good as cards like Arc Lightning, but I don't think Arc Lightning is necessary considering how well positioned we are versus aggro. So this is a fine alternative that also has uses versus control decks and grindy midrange decks...hell I even like it versus green devotion (even though I think it is at it's weakest there) because it's just a big flying beatstick.

[deck]
Creatures (14)
4 seeker of the way
4 mantis rider
3 brimaz, king of oreskos
3 goblin rabblemaster

Spells (22)
4 magma jet
4 lightning strike
4 jeskai charm
2 banishing light
4 stoke the flames
2 chandra, pyromaster
2 sarkhan, the dragonspeaker

Lands (24)
4 shivan reef
4 battlefield forge
4 temple of triumph
1 temple of epiphany
2 temple of enlightenment
3 mystic monastery
2 flooded strand
1 island
3 plains

Sideboard (15)
2 erase
4 magma spray
2 reprisal
1 glare of heresy
1 spear of heliod
3 arc lightning
2 open slots
[/deck]

This is what I'm thinking of running for FNM just to give you an idea of where I'm coming from.

I think Ashcloud is fine on the play against green decks but not where I'd want to be on the draw. Could say the same thing about Chandra though (and to an extent Sarkhan).

I cut my Sarkhans for Stormbreaths and add the Phoenixes against mono green. The green decks have few answers for fliers outside of Arbor Colossus and Hornet Queen but can easily trample a Sarkhan.

I can't imagine rabblemaster (or SBD) is better than sarkhan vs green. Sarkhan can kill a courser, disciple, hydra, nissa land...

The problem with Sarkhan is that he usually does that once and then promptly dies to the counterattack.

Anything particularly good in the mirror?

Anything particularly good in the mirror?

Boarding in Deflecting Palm is a nice blowout in the same vein that Wild Ricochet was in last season's Boros Burn mirror.

Anything particularly good in the mirror?

Being on the play.

Searing Blood, Lightning Strike. Anything that lets you kill one of their creatures at instant speed while being behind 1 land.


Edit: Anything that you can do, while on the draw, to answer their threat when they tap out for it. This lets you untap, and play an uncontested threat. Swings the tempo back into your favor.

I let my friend borrow my deck for states sunday.

Here is the sideboard guide I made him and pretty close to how I actually sideboarded.

VS green devotion decks(With Nykthos)

-3 Rabble
-2 Dig through time

+ 3 Disdainful Stroke
+2 Reprisal

Vs Green/Monsters/Midrage( Junk or R/G)
- 2 Magma Jet
-1 Rabble

-2 Dig Through Time
+3 Disdainful Stroke
+ 2 Reprisal

Vs Aggro decks- Red or Black
-2 Dig through Time
-2 Banishing Lighht
-2 Deflecting Palm
-1 Rabble

+2 Arc Lightning
+3 Magma Spray
+2 Chandra

VS Control or removal-heavy midrange
- 2 Banishing Light
-2 Delfecting Palm
-1 Magma Jet

+ 1 Dragon
+ 1 Narset
+ 1 Phoenix
+2 Chandra

I'm going to be honest and say that I don't like dpaine's list at all, and lack of efficient building could be a source of the issues you are having. With that out of the way, building a good sideboard is pretty difficult right now since the meta hasn't fully shaped up and there's such a large variety of decks in the field.

Basically, you need to diversify your board a bit and run answers to multiple decks. I am high on Erase right now as an answer to both Courser, mono black, and reanimator strategies. I also like the full playset of Magma Spray postboard to really hose small aggro. Mana efficiency is key in this deck so subbing them and taking out Stoke the Flames is what you want to be doing. I am also fond of Arc Lightning for obvious reasons.

For midrange matchups I really like Reprisal.

Ashcloud is good against control decks but there really aren't many of those out right now so it could be wasted slots.

Glare of Heresy is a pretty solid one-of as well. There are a lot of white cards out there right now and this is a versatile answer.

Hushwing Gryff seems suspect but if Reanimator strategies become more of a thing I expect this to be a decent answer to Ashen Rider and Hornet Queen.

what didnt you like about my list? I am currently 10-0-2 with it across FNM and States.

Everyone's meta is different but here it is 75% green courser decks or even higher.... Then a little bit of control decks and aggro.

When this deck gets its mana, it feels like you cant lose. Even when you dont I have won several games.

Looking back I think it's fine for the most part. I think I may have mixed up the two decks you posted into one bad deck in my mind. For instance, I don't think Steam Augury or Deflecting Palm are remotely playable. Dig Through Time is okay but I don't think it's where this deck wants to be, though I'd gladly be wrong there.

Deflecting Palm was great maindeck actually, I suggest testing it. Until there are more control decks to punish you for playing it , it is often Warleaders helix-ish.

Dig is also very solid as a 2-of. Everytime I cast it, it has been very good.

Sure I would rather have another good 4 damage burn spell but there isnt.

You could cut the 2 Dig and 2 Palm(or Banishing Light) for 4 Searing Blood potentially.

There are lots of mana dorks running around and the green pilots have no problem playing them in the later turns making searing blood live.

Also great vs Rabble

We just disagree on what the deck should actually be. I think Deflecting Palm is a niche sideboard card at best and a wasted slot at worst. It's pretty good to "get em" for a bunch from their attacking fatty, but that's about it. I'd feel pretty dumb drawing it against small aggro decks where I actually care about killing their creatures and not 0-for-1ing myself.

Searing Blood is really pushing it in a deck that's already stretching the mana base. I happen to think the deck wants to play Brimaz as well and that makes Searing Blood a no-go.

Niche in a meta dominated by big green creatures and rabblemasters???

Plus game 1 no one will play around it, giving you huge blowout potential. People think it is in the board.

It is bare minimum Do 3 dmg to target player, gain 3 life.

It can easily be 4 or 5 damage.

Niche in a meta dominated by big green creatures and rabblemasters???

Plus game 1 no one will play around it, giving you huge blowout potential. People think it is in the board.

It is bare minimum Do 3 dmg to target player, gain 3 life.

It can easily be 4 or 5 damage.

I personally agree. You'd be insane to not be playing this in the main deck right now. It's just free wins. Not only is it good against Green archetypes, but it's also good in the mirror.

Good call Jasper, its fucking insane in the mirror if you hit a Stoke or Charm.

I'm 100% with Val on Deflecting Palm. The card is situational and gets worse the better your opponent is and the more likely it is that he/she expects you have it. The more you lean on the card and integrate it into your plan A, the more its value drops. It also contributes to inconsistency which is probably the number one reason this deck loses games.

That said, control has absolutely zero presence which raises the stock of the card considerably. I would probably play 2 in my board.

Aren't most sideboard cards "niche?"

Good sideboard cards are applicable to a wide range of matchups. Niche ones are sometimes necessary based on meta considerations or specific weaknesses of a deck.

Deflecting Palm and Rabblemaster are best cards in the mirror. Narset can be as well, unless your opponent brings in Anger, which isn't bad either.

I also like 2 negates in the board, its the best card vs Ashiok

I would argue that

1) No one is expecting Palm game 1.
2) It can entirely change the way your opponent plays. They can make suboptimal lines based on if you have it or not.

How are we "leaning on it as our game-plan" when it is a 2-of?

I have yet to see someone recommend something better.

For 2 mana, it is often at least 3 damage to the dome, just like Skullcrack was.

I know that the opponents whom I have gotten with Palm start cringing every time they attack with anything of reasonable size into open mana. That hesitation alone is almost worth the card against the Monsters matchup.

"gets worse the better your opponent is". They can know I have palm all they want, they have to attack eventually.

If the card stops them from attacking while I durdle, card seems pretty good. Oh they attack? Palm.

In a format that has existed for less than a month, every opponent is bad

Ina format where 90% of decks have Polukranos, Palm is good.

I'd support playing it as a 1-of main. I think game 1, having access to one is good for inducing misplays, but I wouldn't want multiples as it's a fairly reactionary card. Postboard it seems excellent as a giant trump to giant green creatures and I am interested in how it performs in the mirror.