Dies to Removal

2-1 vs ANOTHER Esper control player. Played masterfully in g3 and won through Fiendslayer Paladin. All three games should have been saved so I can stream them later.

Just lost to mono red. He had a really good run g1 with a triple Emissary chain, then g2 drew three Boros Reckoners, three Searing Blood, and a Phoenix (LOL). So 2-2 in the DE. Oh well.

Synopsis of findings:

1) Swapping out the Toil / Troubles for Duress was correct. It feels bad as a topdeck but because we are more creature focused and less burn focused it performs great early in the game. Fate will be happy I am playing it now, and Alex will be happy I'm not playing Toil.

2) I should split Ultimate Price and Doom Blade in the board. Six postboard terminates for mono black should be fine, especially now that mono black is decreasing in popularity.

3) As long as mono red doesn't nut draw you, you should be slightly favored in the match.

4) HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PLAYING ESPER CONTROL ONLINE?!?! Holy crap. As long as this deck is popular on MODO this is exactly what I want to be playing.

5) I think I should just conceed the
Hexproof matchup and dedicate the Spotlights to something more applicable to the field at large, especially now that I have Duress in the board.

[deck]

Creatures (20)
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Spike Jester
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (19)
3 Shock
4 Searing Blood
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
4 Dreadbore

Lands (21)
4 Temple of Malice
4 Blood Crypt
3 Swamp
10 Mountain

[/deck]

Is this the list you are referring to? Where are you at with the sideboard now?

[Deck]
4 rakdos cackler
4 firedrinker satyr
4 young pyromancer
4 spike jester
4 chandra's phoenix

3 shock
4 magma jet
4 lightning strike
4 searing blood
4 dreadbore

4 temple of malice
4 blood crypt
3 swamp
10 mountain

1 shock
4 duress
3 doom blade
2 ultimate price
4 skullcrack
1 open
[/deck]

I'm also considering increasing the curve slightly, cutting shocks for two Exava and a Guildgate.

Might it be better to go down to 2 Shock / 2 Searing Blood, have a split? Is Searing Blood the nut in this deck? Thumbs up for Exava though .

It's good against everything except Esper control, and it isn't totally dead against them because I can either kill Mutavault, kill my own Pyromancer in response to removal to get a token, or kill my own Phoenix in response to Last Breath. I've been considering going down to three now that Esper is getting more popular.

The best thing about Searing Blood is that I can suicide my dudes into fatties and not feel bad about it. With Searing Blood dealing damage upstairs it's no longer a 2 for 1.

The best thing about Searing Blood is that I can suicide my dudes into fatties and not feel bad about it. With Searing Blood dealing damage upstairs it's no longer a 2 for 1.

And it's even better with Firedancer.

Speaking of Firedancer, attacking into and killing a Polukranos with a Firedancer and Boros Charm is tons of fun.

Card is insane with Firedancer.

Val whatever happened to Tymaret in Pyro builds? Seems like you were having a lot of success with him there for awhile.

I'm thinking of moving a Dreadbore to the board for one Tymaret.

Card is insane with Firedancer.

And don't forget, Firedancer redirect kills Fiendslayer Paladin.

[deck]
Creatures (21)
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Spike Jester
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Tymaret, the Murder King
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (18)
3 Shock
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
3 Searing Blood
4 Dreadbore

Lands (21)
4 Temple of Malice
4 Blood Crypt
3 Swamp
10 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
1 Shock
3 Duress
2 Doom Blade
2 Ultimate Price
1 Searing Blood
4 Skullcrack
2 Peak Eruption
[/deck]

This is where I'm at right now.

Won two matches against Mono Black and Naya Hexproof. The deck feels a lot better now that the 75 is more focused.

Mental note: as long as Esper control players are boarding in Fiendslayer Paladin, I'm going to need an answer. I just don't know what that answer is.

Devour Flesh. It gets Fiendslayer Paladin, Blood Baron of Vizkopa, and Obzedat, Ghost Council.

It just seems so incredibly reactive to me. Should I really board in one card that only deals with one of theirs?

Maybe my Duress should be Thoughtseize? I like Duress for Burn but it's not nearly as popular as Esper Control.

is it really worth it to NOT have access to A power 4-drop? Like either Chandra/Exava?

You can trim dreadbore/searing bloods and have just a stronger thing to do? Just seems a crime not to

Ninja:

Lol

Chandra is the answer

it forces them to attack with it and you race back faster...

its literally your only answer

Also Exava can swing into it

funny how my suggestion lines up with your problem

Yep, that's pretty much the answer. Good thinking, Fate.

Np. Let me know when you live the dream of Tymaret+YP$

Np. Let me know when you live the dream of Tymaret+YP$

I've actually done it before and it is sooo awesome. Really nice.

It just seems so incredibly reactive to me. Should I really board in one card that only deals with one of theirs?

Considering you just flat-out lose to those cards most of the time...yes?

[deck]
Creatures (21)
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Spike Jester
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Tymaret, the Murder King
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (16)
2 Shock
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
3 Searing Blood
3 Dreadbore

Planeswalkers (2)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands (21)
4 Temple of Malice
4 Blood Crypt
3 Swamp
10 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
2 Shock
3 Duress
2 Doom Blade
2 Ultimate Price
1 Searing Blood
4 Skullcrack
1 Dreadbore
[/deck]

Maybe?

Is Chandra consistently castable on only 21 land?

What happened to your idea of adding Exava? I really liked the sound of that.

Alex and I have spoken and I am a strong proponent of devour flesh for a lot of these builds- I almost beat him over the head with it. Helps with the Hexproof game as well as other annoying creatures. You have enough other kill and burn to direct the spell in a way you want most of the time. I also am willing to concede to him AotG might be a possible answer as well depending on the meta- a lot of aggro and hexproof would warrant AotG as well since it wipes almost all the hexproof as long as you do it early.

Either way, I basically would nix all the dreadbore and a chunk of the mortars since you probably won't get a profitable overload by the time you can cast it.

I've been playing hexproof and the major thing I've noticed is that you really need to take advantage of them stumbling. They are low on creatures and it takes a few turns to assemble the tron and then a few more turns for them to win. Still tricky but if
you are fearing the matchup strike early and spend your time putting guys onto the field more than anything else. I basically have found ignoring the voices benefits you and as long as they don't drop the Unflinching Courage it can be winnable. Flyers are amazing here.

If the meta consists of a lot of BW, then I would go with devour flesh. BBoV and Obzedat are bad news- a dragon can whiff those but having more answers is nice that don't involve turn 5. Again, you have enough burn and other kill to make DF relevant. In Alex's board I feel like removing the flames and an ultimate price for 2x DF is acceptable- I almost want to fit in a third one but I'd be willing to try 2 first and see how it goes. I'd be willing to aggressively mulligan for it in the hexproof matchup and aggressively scry for it in the BW matchup.

I got beaten pretty god damned badly by Obzedat. I'm not saying Devour Flesh is bad (despite what I might have said at 4am in my living room) but my biggest apprehension about it in a list like mine is that there are a lot of games that I have to win for exacties.

If Naya Hexproof becomes an actual deck, which I still don't think it will, I would be more in favor of playing it over the Ultimate Price. I played the UPs because I was expecting to see RG and Jund everywhere, and I'm glad I played them because they were stellar for the weekend.

Right now the worst card in that board for me has been Boros Reckoner. It often does nothing, because the matchups that I want to bring it in for don't really care about a roadblock since they just go bigger. I think if I were going to bring out anything it would be those.

Is Chandra consistently castable on only 21 land?

What happened to your idea of adding Exava? I really liked the sound of that.

I love Exava but if I were to go with her I'd want to take the deck in a different direction (read: Ash Zealot for Pyromancer). Exava does line up well against Fiendslayer, but not as well as Chandra. Chandra also synergies with the smaller guys in the deck and plays well with Phoenix.

I think the Duress should be Thoughtseize to hedge for Fiendslayer and other midrange nasties. Duress is no longer part of my postboard plan for burn. I will note that Duress worked well against hexproof, buying me time to race.

THOUGHTSEIZE >>> DEVOUR FLESH FOR OBZEDAT BLOOD BARON AND ALL THAT OTHER SHIT


PEOPLE PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE

if you can only fit in one 4-drop Chandra is better in the pyromancer builds than Exava

Thoughtseize should actually be really good vs hexproof, a lot of their hands fall apart if you take even one card (their only creature, etc).

Pretty sure I'm gonna jam some version of this deck at the GPT tonight.

[deck]
Creatures (21)
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Spike Jester
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Tymaret, the Murder King
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (16)
2 Shock
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
3 Searing Blood
3 Dreadbore

Planeswalkers (2)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands (21)
4 Temple of Malice
4 Blood Crypt
3 Swamp
10 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
2 Shock
3 Duress
2 Doom Blade
2 Ultimate Price
1 Searing Blood
4 Skullcrack
1 Dreadbore
[/deck]

Maybe?

I like where you are moving with this. Personally, 21 lands feels bad and I have gone +1 Swamp +1 Dreadbore/Searing Blood (not sure which yet), -2 Shock. I wanna see how badly I miss the Shocks.

I'm starting to move in that direction as well, Darth.

I like the Shocks vs. the Mana Dork decks, and lately I've faced more decks with random junk like Satyr Wayfinder, Deathrite Shaman, Voice of Resurgence, and Precinct Captain--the Shocks are a nice and cheap way to clean up that garbage. Having a turn 3 where I can Shock something and play a 2 drop is nice, too. Sometimes in the build without them, I have clunky draws where I am overloaded with too many 2 drops.

Searing Blood is a way more powerful card, however, so I'm gonna try to make that work and see if I can get by without the Shocks.

Also, with all that random crap on the ground I'm seeing lately, Ash Zealot is better than Spike Jester and my Jesters are getting brick walled by Voice tokens and Wayfinders so much I wanna punch a puppy. Ash Zealot can also swing in the face of a Fiendslayer and either trade or get through.

[deck]
Creatures (21)
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Ash Zealot
4
Young Pyromancer
1 Tymaret, the Murder King
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (15)
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
3 Searing Blood
4 Dreadbore

Planeswalkers (2)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands (22)
4 Temple of Malice
4 Blood Crypt
2 Swamp
12 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
3 Thoughtseize
2 Doom Blade
2 Ultimate Price
4 Skullcrack
3 Mizzium Mortars
1 Fated Conflagration
[/deck]

This is what I'm testing today and will probably take for a spin tonight at my LGS.

Top 4'ed GPT Phoenix (12 people, lol).

[deck]Creatures (20)
4 Firedrinker Satyr
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Ash Zealot
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Chandra's Phoenix

Spells (17)
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Strike
3 Searing Blood
4 Dreadbore
2 Shock

Planeswalkers (2)
2 Chandra, Pyromaster

Lands (21)
4 Temple of Malice
4 Blood Crypt
3 Swamp
10 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
3 Thoughtseize
2 Doom Blade
2 Ultimate Price
4 Skullcrack
3 Devour Flesh
1 Dark Betrayal[/deck]

In the 4 rounds of swiss I played:

Round 1, Golgari Dredge, win 2-0
Round 2, Boros Burn, win 2-0
Round 3, DXI-Edge on Mono Uw, ID into locked for top 8.
Round 4, BW Midrange, lose 1-2 in 3 VERY grindy games, if Mortars had been in my board I'd have been fine.

Top 8,
Quarterfinals, BW Midrange (same player) realizes he has to leave and isn't going to the GP anyway, says he'll scoop to me, I win the games we play out for fun before his
ride gets there anyway.

Semifinals, the top 4 is myself, DXI-Edge, and 2 players who are both going to GP Phoenix, DXI and myself both scooped them into the finals so they could play it out for the byes. I already have 2 byes from my planeswalker points, and we split prizing, so I have 22 packs of Journey into Nyx waiting for me.

THOUGHTSEIZE >>> DEVOUR FLESH FOR OBZEDAT BLOOD BARON AND ALL THAT OTHER SHIT


PEOPLE PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE

Thoughtseize is pretty fucking terrible in a deck with 8 black sources, 4 of which come into play tapped. The card becomes essentially useless if not castable on curve.

THOUGHTSEIZE >>> DEVOUR FLESH FOR OBZEDAT BLOOD BARON AND ALL THAT OTHER SHIT


PEOPLE PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE

Thoughtseize is pretty fucking terrible in a deck with 8 black sources, 4 of which come into play tapped. The card becomes essentially useless if not castable on curve.

The list a few people have been playing runs 11-12 black sources, which is fine for Thoughtseize.

Again, unplayable off curve. I would rather have a card that I can cast at any point for supreme value.

I would rather that too, Alex, but we aren't playing white so we don't have those tools available. We have to live with Thoughtseize and risk not casting it until t3 or t4.

Or we can just go on the plan of auto losing to Unflinching Courage and Fiendslayer Paladin.

I was on the no Duress/Thoughtseize train for awhile so take that for what it's worth. If Fiendslayer Paladin and Hexproof weren't a thing I wouldn't run it.