Breaking Block: Investing in AIG (All-In Green)

In an earlier post, I explored what I thought to be the most important axis of the new Zendikar block format, abundant high-quality mass removal. Today, I’m going to look at what I think is the second most important choke point: explosive mana. There are conservative ways to exercise curve jumping like Everflowing Chalice and Eldrazi Temple, and I looked at them in some of my earliest posts (here and here) because that is where I expect the best decks to settle.

But I’m not going to be conservative today. I’m going to present the most powerful piece of mana-bludgeoning I can devise. The exciting thing is, while I expect some hybrid conservatively-big-mana control deck to be the best performing big-mana deck, I wouldn’t be shocked if some All-in-Green iteration was a major player in the format. Green mana is on steroids this block, both in terms of power and incidental functionality, and the outputs for that mana are also wonderful. I previously noted that much of the green mana is creature based and vulnerable to the format’s mass removal.

Breaking Block: Where Should I Wedge This Stick? Part 1

When you approach a deckbuilding exercise, for instance Pro Tour San Juan at the end of May, you are going to spend a lot of time poring through spoilers and brainstorming new creations. Sure, there’s a wealth of 2-set information to use as a jump off point, but the influx of cards from Rise of the Eldrazi and metagame influences from players who aren’t weaned on MTGO queues means that you and your team will have to figure out a lot for yourselves. It’s an exciting time, but also an overwhelming one.

You may prefer to play a certain kind of deck all the time, in which case your job is a lot easier. Just find the best tools available to that strategy. Probably though, your goal is a comprehensive (or as close as you can get) understanding of the new metagame and a reasonable prediction of what the best deck is going to be. To that end, you can, of course, bash your head against a brick wall. Eyeball cards that seem good and groups of cards that seem synergistic and throw best-estimate lists together. Throw them against each other and you’ll see what sticks out. Accentuate the strong parts, refine the numbers, sand off the soft masses. Decide these are the decks people will be playing. Then set about trying to beat those decks.

Polly Wanna Morph Part 2

The red version is obviously going to be a little more aggressive. Featuring treats like Dragon Fodder (which would be sweet if we were ‘morphing into dragons), Goblin Assault, and Zektar Shrine Expedition, it…doesn’t quite seem close to playable. I do like that there’s a second monster combo to insert into the deck, namely Explosive Revelation into Emrakul, as set up by Jace. Ok, let’s see what we can do with that.

The Deep End of the Pool – The Reality of an Eldrazi Endgame

Tonight I spent some time testing the UW control list from the previous post and learned the following:

The slowest, longest long-game axis of the Standard format will not be defined by manlands crashing through on empty boards after control has been established, but by this 6-8 card package: 4 Eldrazi Temple, 1 Eye of Ugin, 1 Ulamog/Kozilek/Emrakul. It’s possible that an extra Eye become necessary as the format adopts the package. It’s possible that you want 2 of the Eldrazi overlords. It’s also probable that the 15-drop becomes the finisher of choice as Path to Exile returns to vogue as the best answer for this Eye powered onslaught.

For Brian Kibler: Testing ‘All is Dust’ Tonight

Rough Draft:

UW Eldrazi Control

3 All is Dust
4 Wall of Omens
4 Everflowing Chalice
3 Treasure Hunt
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Sphinx of Lost Truths
2 Into the Roil
1 Day of Judgment
2 Wall of Denial
1 Martial Coup
1 Kiss of Amesha
1 Hindering Light
2 Negate
1 Mind Control
3 Flash Freeze
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
2 Path to Exile
4 Eldrazi Temple
1 Eye of Ugin
4 Celestial Colonnade
3 Halimar Depths
2 Sejiri Refuge
2 Marsh Flats
3 Plains
5 Island