1600 or the Server Fries - Part 3
All right, at the time I bought the notebook from Dollar General to start writing this down, the day is February 7. I've started typing this the following day. I know by now that Betrayers is coming to Magic Online on the 28th, know a good lot about the metagame behind Kamigawa Block Constructed, and even got some more tips on my GR Spiritcraft deck I'm focusing here in my playordraw.com column. That's ample material for me to write Chapter 3, just as this column gets moved over to Brainburst.com.
Just to remind you, the reader, what is going on; I entitled my column '1600 or the Server Fries!!' for a reason. I am not a professional player. My rating isn't even above the 1600 level that comes with a freshly opened account on Magic Online. I'm just an average Joe Schmoe who wants to have a decent rating (read: above 1600) before the end of the year at best, or before I die at the least. I made this column so I can get some feedback, assistance, and with hope at least some people cheering me on. I know when I started this column that I'll be making some mistakes, and it's clear that I had.
The Deck so Far
GR Spiritcraft has been getting more popular with each passing day I log on my computer. At the time of my fingers on the keyboard, at least two articles have GR Spiritcraft decks, and there should be more by the time you actually see it in your browser. Here's the version of the deck I've finalized on until Betrayers show up:
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It appears that I was wrong about Yamabushi's Flame for starters. I was convinced of this while I was in the casual rooms. It was kingritz on MTGO who suggested not only the Flame, but also Kumano. Not only do they provide more burn, but they also have the remove from game feature that is just as desirable.
The advice was much needed, and just as appreciated.
Just as appreciated is Kultcher, who was the first to comment on this column showing me what I was doing right and wrong about this deck. As someone who didn't know where he was headed in his column, much less his deck, I soaked in as much advice as I could. I don't know at this time if Kultcher is also Eugene Kolinko who made a GR Spiritcraft article with sideboarding guide (You can find it here!) but he did state his intentions of doing so. He thought up some ideas I didn't count on, like the use of the artifacts like Long-Forgotten Gohei and Nine-Ringed Bo. Counter to my initial misgivings-again, I was wrong-Cunning Bandit made the maindeck because of its legend-snatching qualities after it gets flipped. Like kingritz he puts in added burn in Pain Kami and the maindecked Frostling.
However, as I stated before, I'm hesitant to use Pinecrest Ridge because of it's one-turn penalty that kicks in when you tap it for colored mana. I preferred the Invasion-block lands that come in tapped and have it over with. Tendo Ice Bridge seems slightly better because of its one-time painless City of Brass ability.
Eugene's deck also had a working sideboard and suggestions on how to use it, something to be applauded. However, I'm still wondering about the metagame in MTGO's Kamigawa Block Constructed. However, from his deck, as well as Mason Peatross's 'Pimp my Deck' column, I now have some clues over the kinds of decks I'll be facing in Kami Block.
Kamigawa Block Constructed Metagame, First Impression
There's no hyper-dominant uber-deck like Affinity to worry about, thank God.
White Weenie, with or without a red splash.
Possible Strategy: Direct Damage and Artifact Destruction.
A classic constructed deck formula is returning to prominence, if the Champs tournaments was any indication, and they'll continue to gain popularity with each new set. I think that the defining moment will come when Ravnica comes in and Mirrodin Block gets cycled out of Standard (and there will be cheers, celebrations, and mass rioting in the streets in the new all-city plane). White Weenie will become the deck most looked at in Kami Block because it'll be the one most likely to graduate into the larger format. I will be doing the same, although I won't be looking at this deck in Block.
GB Spiritcraft
Possible Strategy: Crit Theft, Direct Damage, Remove from Game
This deck doesn't have the cooperation with it's creature spells like GR Spiritcraft, but it makes up for it in life gain, the Fear mechanic, and a dragon legend that, in effect, would give it's victim a ten life disadvantage when it dies. I see this matchup in a similar vein as a Robot Wars match between a Hammer robot (GB) and a Spinner (GR). The flipped Cunning Bandit will be your best friend in this matchup, especially against opposing Dragon Spirits. Keep in mind that, when damage is in the stack, you can steal Kokusho, have the damage resolve, and you end up sucking five from your opponent.
Black Control, either Mono or with a Red Splash
Possible Strategy: Crit Theft, Remove from Game, Arcane Spell Retrieval
This concept came up with Torment, and kept popping up in Block and Standard. Black now has huge crits like Kokusho and nasty spells like Hideous Laughter which can wipe out your side and send you into your tap out phase. This deck would be the worst deck for GR Spiritcraft, but it remains to be seen if the metagame will keep this deck from becoming too prominent.
RU Counterburn
Possible Strategy: Direct Damage, Multiple Splices, Arcane Spell Retrieval
This deck uses the Splice mechanic in a control setting, using counter spells with damage spliced onto them. In Mason's article, the deck listed there still is 100% Champions, so you can get all the cards before Betrayers. I'm considering this deck to replace White Weenie as the alternate deck for Block.
WU Dampen Thought
Possible Strategy: Crit Synergy, Enchantment Removal, Arcane Spell Retrieval
The Decker deck, which wins by emptying out the victim's deck, is the proverbial "Quiet One" in card games. This matchup to me is a race. Can you bring the Dampen Thought deck to zero life before your library gets to zero cards? This race was more formidable in Onslaught Block because of Brain Freeze's storm mechanic. In Kami Block my money's more on my deck.
Snakes, either MonoGreen or Green with a Red splash
Possible Strategy: Crit burn, possible artifact removal, Crit Theft
I've been seeing a lot of these decks early in Kami block, and this is the deck that made me feel that my deck needs more burn. It's like Elves or Goblins with their legends beefing up the rest of the crits on the board, and the Venom feature that puts damaged creatures into the graveyard-That mechanic's getting the next keyword, I know it. Without the ability to snatch the legends this deck can outrace GR Spiritcraft very quickly.
There are and will be other decks in Kami block; we haven't seen Saviors yet, folks. Examples are the Zubera/Honden decks, also known as "Get this deck over to Prismatic where it belongs!" Manson's pimped out Sligh deck, which I hope will be the first of many. But I have a list of decks vying for Tier I and that's something for me to study further as I get my Betrayer cards and nurse my decks. Before that are the Betrayers release and I'll be facing a format that I have yet to get any luck in; Limited. I still do research on that and prepare for these events with a research cheat sheet which I'll share with you in the next chapter.
---To Be Continued.
David "Daveykins FoxFire" Gonterman