[esternaefil]

Hey guys,

So, since I'm starting out here, I figured I might as well let you in on my standard deck.  This is the deck I was going to play at Regionals if I went (I did not end up going because my drive bailed and I wasn't able to find a replacement drive for the 2.5 hour trip).

4 Shivan Reef
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Vivid Creek
2 Dreadship Reef
1 Urza's Factory
7 Island
5 Mountain

3 Mulldrifter
3 Vendillion Clique
2 Oona, Queen of the Fae
2 Bogardan Hellkite
1 Aeon Chronicler

4 Cryptic Command
4 Rune Snag
4 Incinerate
4 Flame Javelin
3 Sulfurous Blast
3 Careful Consideration

Sideboard:
4 Fulminator Mage
2 Detritivore
4 Flashfreeze
1 Draining Whelk
1 Sulfurous Blast
1 Pyroclasm
2 Sower of Temptation

--

Pre-Regionals, with the metagame shaking up like I expected, this deck posted a perfect record against Faeries and Merfolk, with single game losses to Elves (no lost matches in over fifteen attempts), and only two lost matches to Reveillark in twelve (both of which going to three).

I was fortunate to have a good testing crew who were able to play the major decks correctly (give or take) and give me a reasonable sampling of the deck's potential.

Of course, if you expect to face Doran, know that you will be kold.  the deck has few answers and no solutions to the creature or the archetype.  You will need to be fortunate and squeak a rune snag onto his early doran, and then just play as aggressively as possible.  You cannot let him gain any momentum on you, his colossi, his profane commands, his dorans, his garruks, his primal commands... all of these things are major threats that you need to handle quickly.  While you do have a lot of removal, you cannot find yourself pantsed when the tree starts a knocking.

The deck posts good to great matchups against the major decks in the field, with few BAD matchups (the RDW matchup is also quite weak).

I think this is a great choice for FNM, and with Eventide it might just improve enough to be considered for Nationals.

[nova707]

ive always believed that the "enemy colors of magic were always the strongest no matter what format, and this just proves it further. this deck has all the basis covered. it has removal, burn, beatdown, card adv. the complete package. for the RDW matchup just rely on your board and your descision making. you still have sulfurous blast that wipes out marauders and ram-gangsjust throw some water on the fire wit your counterspells. Doran is tough but if thats its only weakness, you should have no problem     

[imachampion]

There should be quite a few more goodies once we see all of Eventide. I would wait until then because your deck will probably drastically change with the large amount of relevant cards.

[esternaefil]

Hi guys, I played this deck again at FNM and went 3-1 (winning against RG aggro, GW midrange, and UWB Zur, but losing to RB Tokens).

It's possible thatthis is an unsolveable matchup, but I don't think so, I rarely think that matchups are unsolveable.  I think that I would have been better off, but I missed a lot of land drops and had to mulligan three times in the two games.  Not to blame luck, because they are things that he was able to do that I wasn't able to easily solve (gargadon being a big one).  uncounterable effects that are also unremoveable?  seems like a tough combination to beat.  Makes me think that detritivore would also make for a bad situation.

In my sideboard, I ended up running consign to dream over the sower of temptations and let me tell you they were amazing!  crushing tempo, incredible ability to continue a progressive lockdown communicated by cryptic command and fulminator mages... they singlehandedly won me games, and it was a great feeling.  I have a feeling I'll be running consign to dream in whatever block deck I decie on.

[Ashnod]

something that could be fun and would fit here is Greater Gargadon + Dominus of Will

[Ashnod]

This could be very useful in a red/blue Deck

Mindwrack Liege
   3{ur}{ur}{ur}
Creature - Horror   Rare
Other blue creatures you control get +1/+1.
Other red creatures you control get +1/+1.
{ur}{ur}{ur}{ur}: You may put a red or blue creature card from your hand into play.
   #104/180   4/4

[esternaefil]

Yeah, my friend and I were talking on MSN when that one was spoiled, and I think the reaction turned to AWESOME when that one was spoiled.

Though I think in fairness Eventie will force a redesign of the deck into angelfire.  Mindwreack Liege really looks like it's asking for lightning angels to pump... while the UR hedge mage is strong, I think that having some additional creatures to help make the liege as good as it can be (I mena, 4cc uncounterable 6/6 oonas with flash seem pretty strong).

I am also loving Call the Skybreaker (I'm sure I've mentioned it before).  As I love jamming my decks full of lands (27 in this version, 28 in previous iterations), having something to do with the land later in the game outside o just tapping it to mill a card seems really great.  Being virtually uncounterable (especially in the late game when you will have access to tons of mana for cryptic commands and negates) will create something of a great inevitability.  I'm not sure if the deck needs both the liege and the call, and having both might top-heavy the curve a bit too much... I am hesitant to replace oona with the liege, so I think that the call and the liege are fighting over bogardan Hellkite's spot in the current build.  unless I perform a redesign with lightning angels and perhaps some other creatures, so far it looks like the call is winning.  Hellkite was amazing because it provided certainty, I think that the call provides that same certainty, though perhaps differently.

Still 40 cards to be spoiled, there's bound to be a gem left undiscovered.

[Ashnod]

Word, and Blue Red is MY favorite!!!!

[esternaefil]

Hey guys, back with an update.  I went 4-0 at my FNM this week, defeating Kithkin, Merfolk, BW Aggro, and mono red elementals.  Not particularly tough matchups, but the merfolk deck was played by one of the better players at my FNM (1800 constructed rating) and it was a tight pair of games.  I did manage to squeak the win in but he had me on the bubble the whole time.

I'll give you my post-eventide list. Admitedly this list will change, but it's what I used tonight.

4 Cascade Bluffs
4 Shivan Reef
4 REflecting Pool
4 Vivid Creek
2 Vivid Crag
1 Urza's FActory
9 Island

3 Mulldrifter
2 Bogardan Hellkite
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
1 Aeon Chronicler
1 Detritivore

4 Incinerate
4 Flame Javelin
3 Sulfurous Blast
3 Careful Consideration
4 Rune Snag
4 Cryptic Command
1 Oona's Grace
1 Call the Skybreaker

Sideboard:
4 Fulminator Mage
4 Flashfreeze
3 FAerie Macabre
2 Consign To Dream
2 Pyroclasm


The sideboard was fine, of course it would have been nice to play agaisnt some control decks, and the Call the Skybreaker, Detritivore, Oona's Grace and Aeon Chronicler were mediocre-to-dead all night long as I faced three virtually mono-coloured aggro decks... but my sideboard consign to dream and pyroclasms were awesome.

And then in my six packs, I open Twilight Mire, Deity of Scars, Hallowed Burial, Necroskitter, Thunderblust, and Wake Thrasher

Pretty good for five bucks.