[AlexCombs]

Rock is just another name for Doran isn't it.

[imachampion]

Rock is just another name for Doran isn't it.

Not always. While this next phrase isn't always true...its pretty close. Every Doran Deck is "The Rock" but every "The Rock" deck is not Doran.

[BassmanARW]

RDWs losing Blood Knight and Marauders isn't much at all. Most decks started replacing Marauders with Blood Knight anyway so there is 1 down. As for Blood Knight, that had been legal for quite some time, yet people were always playing Marauders over it. The basic point is that neither are exceptionally crucial to the deck. You could just plug in Stigma Lasher and the deck still chugs on, without missing much of a beat.

[Infinite_Bob]

What's Rock's main strategy, if it's not Doran. And does anyone have a non-Doran decklist I could see? Honestly "the Rock" is a whole new idea to me.

[BassmanARW]

the Rock generally combines the best GB cards and puts them into action. Doran is a rock deck that just splashes white for Doran and maybe another removal spell. Doran is played like a rock deck with hand disruption, removal, and efficient beaters, which I believe is the Rock's strategy. Doran decks do not base the deck around him and this should be kept in mind. It is simply a Rock deck with Doran in it because he is an undercosted beater that can be easily included with the fancy lands in today's standard.

If you want a GB Rock list, take a normal Doran list. Remove Doran and add whatever you desire. Troll Ascetic and Loxodon Warhammer?

[Infinite_Bob]

O.K. I just found the B G Rock decklist sticky on Decks to Beat. Wow...

[dute]

I have been working on a B/W deck as well.

I run 4x Thoughtseize and 4x Soul Warden. This deck isn't fast enough to be competitive, but Soul Warden slows the game down for you some, and also starts getting you life for the Divinity of Pride. And no mater how sexy Nip Gwyllion + Edge of Destiny looks on paper, it really doesn't work, and you can usually get more life out of one Soul Warden.I also like that it has a target on its head and it dies to removal -- the more removal that is wasted early, the more likely it is that the hatchlings or lieges will actually see some play.

I've been thinking about adding Scuttlemutt for mana accel/fixing. And I haven't really experimented with Gwyllion Hedge-Mage yet. I've tried Figure of Destiny, and while he can be good if you have excess white mana, he's usually a waste of time in this incarnation of this deck.

But yeah. I think this is a fun color combination to work with, and it has the most powerful synergies of the enemy hybrids. Does anyone have any thoughts about how to speed it up?

[Infinite_Bob]

I run 4x Thoughtseize and 4x Soul Warden. This deck isn't fast enough to be competitive, but Soul Warden slows the game down for you some, and also starts getting you life for the Divinity of Pride. And no mater how sexy Nip Gwyllion + Edge of Destiny looks on paper, it really doesn't work, and you can usually get more life out of one Soul Warden.I also like that it has a target on its head and it dies to removal -- the more removal that is wasted early, the more likely it is that the hatchlings or lieges will actually see some play.

Well, Soul Warden would be amazing, I don't know how I missed it but anyhowz. I assume you went with more of an aggro style then, with the hatchlings.

[dute]

here's my decklist right now (obviously it's a work in progress):

Spells:

4x Thoughtseize
4x Batwing Brume
2x Unmake

Creatures:

4x Soul Warden
2x Mistmeadow Skulk
4x Nightsky Mimic
3x Stillmoon Cavalier
3x Scuttlemutt
4x Voracious Hatchling
4x Deathbringer Liege
2x Divinity of Pride

Lands:

10x Swamp
12x Plains
2x Fetid Heath


It works okay, but it's super fun to play. I really need it to be faster, but I'm not sure exactly how to manage that. How do you like the speed of your build?

[GodofRoads]

I played a similar deck for a while, and my main suggestion would be to add Edge of Divinty. It really speeds up the game for you by making Nightsky Mimic or Voracious Hatchling a huge threat. And somebody might just use a removal spell early instead of saving it for your big guns latter on.

Also I had some Knight of Meadowgrain in mine and it was really helpful early game, this could help with your speed problems, by allowing you some early life gain and solid blockers.


I would also suggest Oblivion Ring for the extra removal. On a related note, ss there any reason you aren't running 4 Unmakes?


and Personally, I love the card Armored Ascension. My deck actually had a pure white mana base, so the Ascension was a game breaking card in some instances, if you still want to run some black spells and use black mana, it might be useful, but in a sideboard.

Are you having enough trouble with mana that the Scuttlemutts are necessary?

[dute]

I've run Edge of the Divinity as well. I'm not sure why exactly I took it out the last time I went over my deck, but I'll think about putting it back. I like Knight of Meadowgrain and may try that.

The main reasons I have a B/W manabase are Thoughtseize and Batwing Burne. And Batwing wins games unless it's countered. It's easily my favorite card in the deck.

I took out two Unmakes because I felt that the curve was getting too high, but it's probably true that I don't have enough removal (and at least 1 too many cavaliers for the main deck). I was thinking about putting in some Terror. It's cheaper, and I can use the Scuttlemutt to de-black a target if I have to. Speaking of, I put in the Scuttlemutt not as mana fixer, but as a color fixer and a mana accelerator. Getting out the Deathbringer Liege on turn 4 is a world apart from turn 5. And  I can also make one of my W creatures W/B for the pumped alpha strike. Hell, it can even turn itself W/B after declaring block for a 4/4 blocker.

But thanks for the input. I never thought about Knight of Meadowgrain. I would definitely think about Armored Ascension if I was going more white for my manabase, esp. for the flying.

[Infinite_Bob]

Mines so super slow.. Unless I end up with a retrace, nip gwyllion & edge, or the persisting ghost thingy, um... restless apparition i think  (he's really amazing ).

I don't have all of everything kinda tight on money rite now. trying to make some trades to get the cards i need.

But basically (what I want to make):

4 Restless Apparition
4 Gwyllion Hedge-Mage
4 Voracious Hatchling
4 Stillmoon Cavalier
2 Deathbringer Liege
2 Fetid Heath
4 Loyal Sentry (newest idea)
4 Goldmeadow Harrier (in idea of controlling)
4 Cenn's Enlistment
4 Raven's Crime
18 Plains
10 Swamps


Been working on MWS for awhile now.

And I really need to fit in the Unmake's