MTG: Standard General

because decks like zombies revolve around vomiting their hand as early as possible. you're only helping them when they will never have more than 2 cards in hand.

Yeah I was playing around with the idea of a Hazoret in there somewhere. And I think I forgot to post I have 2 Cathartic Reunion in my current deck but might change it to just Tormenting Voice.

Too clunky and unfocused.
What's your budget? If you don't have much cash to burn I'd go monored. Drop invigorated rampage, distemper, and sideboard magma spray.
Pick up Ahncrop Crasher, Cartouches, Shocks, possibly Incendiary Flows. Soulscar Mage, Consuming Fervor (Or maybe Skin Invasion), Keys to the City, and a Hazoret or two if you can swing her.
If you have more money I can give you a list I've had a good deal of success with.
Because it's a pure anti-control card and UR control can ill afford to lose sideboard slots to a mirror.

It might seem that way, but I made it specifically to combat the decks I expect to see. I used to run a UR counterburn kind of thing, but I typically get screwed once something slips past my counterspells and stuff. The 1-drops, Magma Sprays and mainboard hand-hate prevents me from getting overwhelmed right away. I'm not too sure about the enchantment buffs...too worried about the 2-for-1.

Also looking for input, went to my first mtg event with the glorybringer/trueheart promo thing, 1/3 with a WG exert deck... to be expected, there were too many blue control decks for my liking. So with my limited cards of Amonkhet sets I have been trying to mix ways to counteract control while having power to clear wide threats. So I changed my tactics to an WR heck and back deck.

x4 Sacred Cat
x4 Anointer priest
x2 Unwavering Initiate
x3 Bloodrage Brawler
x4 Trueheart Duelist
x2 Hazoret the Fervent
x3 Oketra's Attendant
x2 Angel of Sanctions
x2 Cast out
x4 Magma Spray
x2 Tormenting Voice
x3 Sweltering Suns
x3 Embalmers Tools
x22 lands (12P/10M split)

so how exactly is your deck supposed to win?

most of your guys just come back as small stat beaters that will be ignored, angel and hazoret are the only things that really do much, your non creatures look good though but you shouldn't be paying hazorets mana cost for a 1/3 zombie token, embalmers tools also kinda sucks.
You need to cast atleast 3 embalms for it to even give you any value and the mill effect is useless you make a mill deck with it.

Hey guys look at my shit deck
2 Mausoleum Wanderer EMN
2 Village Messenger SOI
2 Baral, Chief of Compliance AER
2 Curious Homunculus EMN
2 Heart-Piercer Manticore AKH
4 Mercurial Geists EMN
3 Built to Smash KLD
4 Fling AKH
3 Cancel AKH
3 Slip Through Space OGW
3 Insult AKH
3 Renegade Map AER
2 Rhonas's Monument AKH
3 Consuming Fervor AKH
10 Island CMA
10 Mountain CMA
2 Spirebluff Canal KLD

Would someone be able to explain the state of the game at the moment? I haven't played for about a decade.

How much roughly would it cost me to get into standard? (In UK) Is it the most affordable format? Has the game turned to shit?

The new art is pretty awful

Formats in a weird place right now
A decent standard deck might be $100 usd
Art is alright at best

>state of the game
Well rn there seems to be several viable decks, the top one being temur (RUG) marvel, which cheats out a huge fatty about turn 4 and wins pretty quickly after that. Look up standard decks from these last couple events. Google is now your bff
>cost
Depends on the deck, but can honestly range from $20-$100+ usd
I'm currently playing semi budget gr pummeler (Google it) and it was a little over $20usd

Oh that's nice I thought it would be more expensive than that

The jist is to have staying power in the game and on the board, Mostly through spell power to control my opponent's board and cast out/angel any big threats away. Offering favorable trades while having the power to bring back creatures late into the game. "Embalmers tool's" is pretty bad, but the idea that sometime later into the game I can bring in "oketra's attendant" for cheaper than it costs, or angel of sanctions one mana more to secure that one big bad. I had "Heart-piercer manticore" in place of "Hazoret" for a time, I felt it didn't offer that much when you don't have a "Bloodrage" or 3/2 "initiate", but I switched due to how often I saw how useful "Hazoret" could be to a deck that isn't afraid or is losing too much to discard a creature. I personally am not a fan of the 1/3 priest, and am debating on switching them for "Nimble blade", keeping the 2 drop slot and allowing it to survive sweltering suns.

Most of this comes from playing vs 3 U/B varients with cyclers, gearhulk, where I get 0 value for my 5 cost that gets countered by a 1-2 drop... At least with embalm I can bring them back and they need to waste more resources on the same card, while having the ability to remove a gearhulk from the game. I have thought about combat tricks like "in oketras name" for some powerful pump regardless, and having a few fliers in the back are always good.
I am new to the game, so I may not be looking at win con, but that is why I want to tweak in anything that could help while keeping it on a low-average budget while bringing something different to the table besides blue control and marvel...

Could someone help me make some tweaks to my deck before FNM? I've done pretty okay with it before (top 4), but last week was absolutely terrible trying to run this deck.
deckstats.net/deck-13317928-b52968a08539bd0838092e065c65fcd4.html

My biggest concern is the land base. To start, do I have enough lands?
I usually don't have a problem getting mana screwed outright, but my brother told me that 24 lands might not be enough. I do however get color screwed out of black a lot. Should I swap a forest for a swamp?

I'm not a huge fan of Splendid Agony or Crocodile of the Crossing either, but I'm not sure what to use in their place or if I should replace them at all since I need -1/-1 counter generation.

The deck originally ran 4 grasp of darkness, 2 in the main and 2 in the side, but I replaced the mainboard ones with pushes and just got the 3rd one the other day. Any suggestions on what to do with that?

21 is a baseline, but I have been using this to success. Count up ALL your cost of cards in your deck and divide by 60(deck count) and match number as you can. X cost just put them as the lowest cost you can pay

Looks like deckstats did that for me so 2.21 average should put me at 24. I'll just swap a forest for a swamp then and see how that works in some practice hands

Uhhh doing the calculation you have a fairly cheap deck cmc wise, your total cmc I 83 I believe and means 19-20 lands can do you, you really don't want you mana flooded.

Sorry 84 cmc, idk what the 2.21 means
15,6,8,4,2,2,6,8,12,8,4,3,6 if my cmc is right

Oh man I'm retarded. I have 22 lands in my maindeck. I kept counting the deserts for some reason.
Considering westvale only makes colorless and I have to pay mana for stuff like sniper and key to the city, should I still cut a land or two?

Are 'discard everything, splendid reclamation, repeat ad infinitum' decks all the rage now? Because I've seen a lot of people jacking themselves off on the other side of the table this week.

You also hve to weigh that you have initate producing mana herself, that is your call honestly, you making up for the mana theough the deck could allow you to put in more down the road

It's something different...

You could consider cutting 3 or 4 lands and playing a playset of Traverse the Ulvenwald. It looks like it's already pretty easy for you to turn on delirium between Concoction, Key, and Noose Constrictor, and in the early game you can just Traverse for a land on turn 1. If you do decide to play Traverse, I would also run around 3 copies of Evolving Wilds to help enable it.

Minor correction: I was recommending that you cut 3 or 4 lands when I though you were running 24. With a playset of Traverse the Ulvenwald, I would probably start at 20 lands, and then you could go up to 21 or down to 19 from there.

I'm thinking investing in esper vehicles but I don't know of i should do it?

Its not an adjustment I can make immediately but I'll think about it. I'm kind of iffy on dropping 20 bucks on cards that are going to rotate in a few months though

So what other guys forgot to mention is that 4 whole sets are rotating out in the fall which is why things are so cheap right now.
If you're okay with playing kitchen table after those cards rotate out then that's fine or just invest in anything KAL onward.

I think sacred cat/bloodrage brawler/hazoret and angel are all pretty good. anointer priest is also okay. maybe put in something like ahn-crop crasher and fit heart-piercer back in with maybe an agressive buff spell in place of embalmers tools.
Because your guys only come back once you need to really get a lot done with them in that one revive.
The secret to beating control is you kill it before they get enough land to cast much you're on the right track with this deck it just needs more action.

Hey guys, 40kfag looking to start magic here. I'm running down my local store to ask about the scene this weekend and I'll talk to the staff more but I wanted to get an idea of what shit is.

The guys in the last thread sent me some videos on how the game and formats work.

I like the feel of old fashion gothic horror stuff so I'm thinking of running a black deck and from what I've read I feel like it'd gel well with how I played Zombie Decks in Yugioh as a kid.

If I wanted to play a deck featuring mainly black cards what intro packs would be good for me? I generally have no clue what I should be looking at and I can't find a good website with all the intro packs on them listed, some seem to have some that others don't.

Thanks for any help guys.

How about discard, shadow of grave, discard, shadow of grave, fateful showdown

Its a grixis combo for the ages

intro packs kind of suck. my suggestion is to get something like cockatrice or forge and just use them as big databases for deck building.
Zombies are pretty top tier right now so they're a bit on the more expensive end for good decks right now. (which is still like around $100 and isn't bad)

So you wanted to play standard then or just casually until you get the hang of things?
I only ask because the gothic horror set is leaving standard at the end of september and I don't know if you want to buy cards that you wont be able to take to FNM in a few months.

If you don't mind the set rotating, I'd say pick up pic related. Its Black/Blue (I'm not sure if they make mono color starter decks anymore) but it has a zombie theme throughout.

You can see the decklist here if you scroll down to the one labeled "Shallow Graves"
magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/eldritch-moon-intro-pack-decklists-2016-07-13

That being said, I'd avoid getting in the habit of buying intro packs since they usually aren't very good. If you're brand new its probably fine since its only like 15 bucks.

First off dude, don't crack packs hoping to pull a specific card. They help build up trades but that's about it.
Secondly, here's a random black zombie list. Google and YouTube will help you out a lot.

OK, I have 0 clue what that is but I'll ask the store guys about it tomorrow I guess. Cheers user and that deck is actually a lot cheaper than I thought it would be, I guess GW has fucked me so hard this seems cheap.

Damn, love how that one looks. I'd like to have something I could use in Standard when I get used to the rules though. I might just get it to learn though, cheers user.

Thanks for the advice user, I'll get youtubing.

It will still be usable until Sept 29th. It will be shit but it's usable. Even if you're loaded I'd hold off at least a little bit before you go all in on a netdeck. Once you're confident in how the game works then go all out.

Thanks for the advice, I am just worried of having too many 4+ cost creatures makes it a mid range deck that doesn't have the power to shut down control fast enough. And what are thoughts on oketra's attendant, on paper she seems like a great card but isn't mentioned much?

Traverse is almost guaranteed to hold value past rotation.

There is a Standard league coming up near me, where you can use any currently standard-legal packs to add to your pool.

What is the best set to go with? I want to say Shadows, but I could be wrong.

oketra's attendant is almost good, its embalm cost is fine but idk why the fuck it cost 5 to hard cast it, and again it doesn't really "do" much, most all embalm decks don't run her because she's just too expensive for no actual effect.

You could also swap to W/B embalm if you're really wanting to do a lot with the mechanic, if you just want a W/R deck with evasion maybe make embalm a fall back plan with some aggression and the ability to bounce back your board from nukes as the main point.

Really your best bet is to just play (casual first not a tournament you paid for) and see what works and what doesn't.
Try showing up to FMN, play people before the tournament and while they are inbetween rounds.

Hey guys, I want to build a competitive deck for standard. Whats the safest bet?

>yo, how to netdeck?
Just try Aetherworks Marvel

I'm running 6 pump spells and 2 flings, 4x Invigorated Rampage and 2x Larger Than Life

Bump

Played MTG casually years ago, want to get into it, discovered I actually have a FLGS and they do Friday night magic.

Where should I start?

By opening the door

i'd pick transgress the mind instead of Harsh Scrutiny/Lay Bare the Heart

also hazoret and maybe lightning axe

marvel is gay af

play UR control or GB snek if you want to win without being hated by 90% of your opponents

tappedout.net/mtg-decks/gotta-lotta-energy/

First time building a standard deck, how'd I do?

>Gotta Lotta Energy
hehe

>No removal
>No card draw
>Almost no ramp
Looks like it will lose to interaction very easily, or if the other deck curves out more cleanly.
Your giant costed cards are almost never going to resolve due to their costs alone.
You should add some removal spells for creatures and artifacts. I'd recommend getting some ways to draw cards as well so you don't run out of cards quickly.

yea, will probably switch them out for 2 more angel of sanctions for more power exile power for the same price.
I assume you mean white/blue embalm? because black has 0 embalm as much as you would think it would have being the ZOMBIE archetype... but I would love to, but my collection is currently amonkhet only (first set) and I feel that red is needed to deal with the wide zombies and a brood monitor-anointed procession deck... and sweltering suns is the way to answer it personally.

Idk man relearn the rules and shit, Google the top decks rn, watch the pros play, pick a deck you like and learn it.

>missing Saturday night standard because of girlfriends extended family having a baby shower
I just want to play with my new deck

all the power to ya brother

What do you cards do you rec?

If you want to stick to G and making energy, I'd look into electro static pummeler builds. It's the only thing that uses energy besides Aetherworks Marvel.

>go to standard show down
>dodge marvel fags like a black guy dodging his kids
>go 5-0 in swiss and beat out 4c vehicles in the finals
got a chandra in my showdown pack and a nissa in one of my amonkhet packs, thank you based BG and vehicles for putting bad marvel players on suicide watch

Like this guy, except I haven't played since Urza's Saga came out.

Rudy, is that you?

Mana Burn is gone. Planeswalkers are a thing. The art is fine, but divisive (I like it tho) and Standard is funny right now, but I'm having fun with budget alternative decks.

I guess you find yourself at home in Modern or even Legacy tho

My LGS has a bunch of showdown packs but never advertises the event, so no one ever shows except me and another guy.
I'm pretty sure they just bust open all the packs.

No blossoming defense?
Currently running 4 built to smash, 4 blossoming defense, 1 invigorated rampage, 3 larger than life, 3 uncaged fury, and 1 fling

Starting standard again so going to pick up a net deck to get used to the meta. Which decks should I consider picking up? Don't want to run marvelas to not get hated by everyone from the getgo. What decks are strong in the meta but are also able to take some games off of marvel?

Anyone know of any good guides for people trying to get into deck crafting? What are good stats for specific mana costs, what makes underpowered cards viable because of their effects, what makes strong cards weak because of the curve, etc. Basically, what makes a card good?

I'd say the two hardest parts of deckbuilding are coming up with a concept (i.e. - what does your deck do? does it win with a combo? does it control the game and play big threats? does it get a card advantage and grind it out?) and then sticking to that concept. some concepts won't be good but a deck that does SOMETHING, and ONLY THAT SOMETHING and isn't just a hodgepodge of decent cards or half-baked ideas will be more fun to play and likely will be more successful than a deck that doesn't.

channelfireball.com/articles/frank-analysis-how-many-colored-mana-sources-do-you-need-to-consistently-cast-your-spells/

Lands are pretty fundamental.

What makes attune with aether only $1? It seems broken as fuck.

I'm guessing because Marvel doesn't really care too much about coloured energy?

What he said. Typically you can subtract half a land from your total for each of your dorks.

its a common from a recent set that's really only used in standard, its surprising its even as pricey as it is really. if your LGS is selling it for a dollar that seems like a steep markup, its .75 in mine (though I live in a big city with many nearby so that makes things a bit cheaper)

It's 1$ common card in a set that is and will stay in print for a while. I wouldnt call that cheap.
It also doesnt see much play in other formats than standard since Energy is a pretty parasitic mechanic which doesnt cling well if your deck isnt full of it. At which point youre just playing mostly recent KLD/AER cards in a Format which has much more broken cards

Is it? I don't really understand the intricacies of magic's history enough to know if a one-mana fixer in green is busted

It's super strong. It lets you play really greedy colours very consistently and it fuels an energy engine which is one of strongest things you can be doing even without Marvel.

If you play Metallic Mimic and name Zombie, when it enters your graveyard, does it still count as a Zombie?

If you're playing Temur Aetherworks and you choose to muligan and your scry card is Ulamog, is the better play to draw it or put it on the bottom of your deck?

Ask yourself if you want a card you're not going to be able to play until turn 7-8 in your hand from the beginning, or put it in your deck will your marvel will then have a better chance of getting a hit.

No, when metallic mimic hits the graveyard it becomes a shapeshifter again. The effect is only active when its on the board.

>I want the best deck that isn't marvel but is able to beat marvel...
>paradox
>netdecker
If you can't make your own deck, don't come back... We don't need anymore copycats that just make the game bland

I misread that. It will enter the graveyard as a zombie, but once its in there it will be a shapeshifter
So if there is some "when a zombie dies" effect, it should still work with mimic if it dies.

It'd probably be better to put it on the bottom and wait for a card like Attune with Aether to potentially shuffle it back into Aetherworks range.

Going to come back and exclusively play Marvel just because of you

Marvel isn't much fun to play, either. The only folks I know that play it are the type that want to win at any cost.

>Soccer is so bland now. We should have less winning strategies and more creativity. Why would you have a defence if you can just put everyone on offence to make it more exciting. How dare people use winning strategies and make tweaks on them!!!!

Rate my shit deck, I'm new to magic

2 Bloodlust Inciter
3 Thraben Inspector
4 Thalia’s Lieutenant
4 Glorybound Initiate
3 Devoted Cropmate
3 Ahn-Crop Crasher
3 Combat Celebrant
4 Glorybringer

3 Always Watching
3 Djeru’s Resolve
3 Blessed Alliance
2 Cast Out

4 Needle Spires
4 Inspiring Vantage
7 Mountain
7 Plains

Sideboard

2 Haunted Cloak
1 Always Watching
1 Ahn Crop Crasher
4 Gideon’s Intervention
2 Cast Out
2 Magma Spray
1 Shock
2 Flame Lash

pls gib advize

Your deck lacks focus and your shit is all over the place. Your three drops are overloaded, which means your deck is going to be slower than you think it'll be. Combat Celebrant is also pretty bad overall because unless you can give it haste, it's going to die instantly. It's also a win-more card as if you're in a position where you can use it advantageously, you're already in a winning position.
Djeru's resolve is a poor combat trick. Blessed alliance is better in the sideboard.

Drop the inciters, ahn-crop crashers, two glorybringers, add in more humans, 22 lands isn't enough if you're going to be running five drops.

I've gone into 4 colors because I have lost control of my life

ESPER CYCLES

CREATURES - 7
-------
2x ENIGMA DRAKE
2X CURATOR OF MYSTERIES
1x KEFNET THE MINDFUL
2X TORRENTIAL GEARHULK

ARTIFACT - 2
------
2X METALSPINNER'S PUZZLEKNOT

INSTANTS - 23
-------
2x NEGATE
2X ESSENCE SCATTER
2X REDUCE///RUBBLE
3X FAILURE///COMPLY
4X CENSOR
3X HEIROGLYPHIC ILLUMINATION
2X PULL FROM TOMORROW
3X FATAL PUSH
2X UNLICENSED DISINTEGRATION

SORCERIES - 1
-------
1X YAHENNI'S EXPERTISE

ENCHANTMENTS - 4
-------
4X CAST OUT

LAND - 23
-------
2X FETID POOLS
2X CANYON SLOUGH
1X SPIREBLUFF CANAL
3X EVOLVING WILDS
3X IRRIGATED FARMLAND
1X CONCEALED COURTYARD
3X ISLAND
2X SWAMP
2X MOUNTAIN
3X PLAINS

SIDEBOARD
-------
1X LOST LEGACY
1X GIDEON'S INTERVENTION
1X CANYON SLOUGH
2X GLORYBRINGER
2X DISAPPEARING ACT
2X MAGMA SPRAY
2X SWELTERING SUNS
2X AUTHORITY OF THE CONSULS
2X FORSAKE THE WORLDLY

thoughts? this has been the slow evolution of my esper cylcing deck, now it's just a 4ccontrol with cycling being a useful tool

and when it is banned monday I will laugh harder

You're comparing apples to oranges mate, if 40% of the game is one fucking thing there is a problem....
Soccer is a test of physical skills, any autist with the money can play marvel.
Marvel is built to do unfair things, there is one thing if you get wiped by a wide board, or good control, but when you can do things you are allowed to play a 10 drop on turn 4, you are mental.
Enjoy the ban on marvel Monday.

Would you rather have a format with Marvel that makes up 35% of the metagame and then a bunch of different decks beneath it. Most of it being different aggro decks that can beat Marvel if it doesn't curve out perfectly.

Or would you rather have a two deck format between Mardu and Zombies.

as a new magic player, how can i tell which cards are good?

experience

Dude that's retarded. The reason why 35% of the decks in standard are Temur Marvel is because every other deck has to main or sideboard cards that can disrupt the marvel combo.

If it were to be removed, it would allow players to try something different and help the meta settle into something that isn't so heavily weighted towards a single deck. A duopoly is still better than a monopoly.

Either way, you only have a few more months of being one of the big boys at fnm. Yes it's that fucking obvious when you defend it as shittily as you did.