Scars Preview

Planeswalkers: 2

Venser, The Sojourner x2

Creatures: 11

Triskelion x2

Putrefax x4

Ichor Rats x2

Etched Champion x3

Spells: 24

Contagion Clasp x2

Contagion Engine x2

Everflowing Chalice x4

Elixir of Immortality x2

Ratchet Bomb x2

Steady Progress x2

Explore x3

Inexorable Tide x3

Grasp of Darkness x2

Comet Storm x2

Lands: 23

Mountain

Island

Plains

Forest

Swamp

Raging Ravine x2

Dragonskull Summit x2

Kabria Crossroads x4

Drowned Catacomb x2

Lavaclaw Reaches x2

Graypelt Refuge x3

Kazandu Refuge x3

Keep in mind this goes completely untested, but is about what I'd like to run for standard in Scars as of now. So what are we after with this deck? Proliferation plain, and simple. What are win conditions? Well poison sadly, Triskelion, Vensoring permanents to reload Triskelion or gain life. Last though we have Proliferating Chalices until we have insane mana for Comet Storm, or to Firebreathe Reaches for murdering butt rape. At the same time we have Elixir of Immortality to reload the deck should we need, and ratchet bomb to erase the field after setting a ton of counters on it, or if it gets targeted for destruction. Can't wait to be the dick at the table who poisons into a draw.

Stop, Proliferate, and Listen

Ice is back with a brand new invention.


Nothing like your ex-fiancée contacting you out of nowhere to idly chat about how she moved on in life after leaving you to go on and blah blah blah while all you did was move in with a relative and go to college again right? Well, fuck it lets talk trading cards, I spent a minute looking at what I had since I picked up two of the Tezzert v Elspeth (I love her name) decks and decided to try and explore Proliferate before Scars to grasp what I'm going to do. So I took my mainly colorless cards, and threw them together with a few colored counterparts. Master of Etherium, Arsenal Thresher, and Glassdust Hulk make up the only colored creatures in the whole thing. Now for a full look at the piece put together in legacy shame.


Planeswalkers: 2

Tezzeret, The Seeker x2


Creatures: 18

Glassdust Hulk
Arsenal Thresher x2
Triskelion x2
Master of Etherium x2
Steel Overseer x2
Arcbound Worker x2
Ornithopter x3
Myr Servitor x4

Spells: 20

Eldrazi Conscription

Cranial Plating

Jinxed Idol

Thirst for Knowledge x2

Contagion Clasp x2

Elixir of Immortality x2

Energy Chamber x2

Argivian Restoration x2

Courier's Capsule x3

Everflowing Chalice x4

Lands: 20

Island x7

Plains x6

Seat of the Synod x2

Darksteel Citadel x2

Stalking Stones

Serjiri Refuge

Dread Statuary

A little weak, but we look to spread the love with proliferate which goes over fairly well. I didn't plan for the long game so it happens to be missing an X spell, and can desperately use one. So we either dig for Clasp or Tezzeret then hope to have counters out on the field to start multiplying. So we look to throw counters on anything and everything or build an insane mana source putting extra charge counters on Everflowing Chalice with a splash of red it could Comet Storm for damn near infinite; or if you read my last post could for infinite. I feel bad for not updating often so as a treat I'm going to put together a second deck in perfect condition (most of System CAI is still proxy), and put it up here in a bit.

Hammertime 2: Electric Boogaloo

Ok so some of you may or may not have built a deck for Lurking Predators some time ago, lets now look back at decks using really massive creatures. Scars brings about some opportunity with Genesis Wave, XGG to look at the top X and put permanents with CMC X or less on the battlefield; just insane. Well I can think of two ways to utilize this card. We talked about Koth, and his kinda sorta Seething Song; now we break it. In any deck with Koth there is a super accelerant giving you 11 mana on turn 6, turn 4 drop a fourth mountain and place Koth on the field and use his +1 to untap a mountain it can either swing as a 4/4 or sit back and be a bolt bluff. Next turn we flop out a fifth mountain and use Koth for his -2 adding 5R to our pool and pool up 5R more from the Mountains which then becomes 5 counters on a Everflowing Chalice. Whoa 5 mana still to spend that turn is nice, but next turn 11 for w/e now lets say turns 2 and 3 you dropped Copper Myrs you happen to have GG ready to Genesis Wave for 12. What dig 12 cards deep and put any permanents cost 12 or lower into play? Not only all your land but any planeswalkers, creatures, auras, enchantments, or artifacts to name a few. That is just silly 12 not deep enough any lands you dropped should that have been a mana pocket let you dig deeper. Still not enough lets pick up the whole deck, and throw it on the field; how you ask? Well even more silliness, Scars gives us Myr Galvanizer other Myrs get +1/+1 and for 1T: Untap all other Myr not too bad for 3 CMC now with 2 other mana Myrs on the board lets say 2 more Copper Myr we throw on a Splinter Twin for Myr Galvanizer. For the followthrough we tap the Galvanizer to make a token then we tap the two Myrs for mana and then the second Galvanizer and 1 to untap everyone net 1 mana and repeat until satisfied you can then Genesis wave for everything you want, empty out your hand, and swing with unlimited myrs. Should you try to pull this off please let me know what shenanigans ensue.

Thank You, Thehelldragon

This comes courtesy of Thehelldragon of Hellfirecomms check them out at www.hellfirecomms.com

Apology.

Hello readers, I'd like to take a moment, and apologize for irregular updates. I don't lead an exciting life so it gets difficult to have topics of decent length; I also don't have a massive card pool to build a lot from. I did miss Thursday however, now Thursday felt like an off day almost none of the decks I had on hand wanted to work right I had recently restructured a Red Deck I've used since Mirrodin. Win conditions include War Elemental, and Megatog this deck will see a second revamp with SOM coming. Anyways I was facing an Izzet theme with Eye of The Storm on field, and then hit with Prophetic Bolt. He passed turn back, and saw a shitstorm go off; leading off with a Pyretic Ritual into Lightning Bolt followed by a second Lightning Bolt. In total he took 21 damage, and I was left to continue playing spells, and digging into my library that game was mine. Anyways I'm still debating what i want to do T2wise with Scars, I'm thinking maybe something GR with Metalcraft with a want to avoid Infect. I know Myrs is going to be a hit, but I might do that anyways. Also up to Part 26 of my commentary on The Darkness is up with Nine more well on their way; for a school project I'm working on a commercial for my two channels. I will also redo my dispute for putting back The Evil Dead since I am covered under the Fair Use clause. For those who don't subscribe check me out over at www.youtube.com/rilst

Hammer Time?

Sorry could help myself on that one. Mike Flores made a recent point about planeswalkers "Look at all the big planeswalkers ... The first one was Garruk Wildspeaker, adopted by the State Championships immediately after Lorwyn's release and a Pro Tour winner before season's end. Then there was the first truly format-dominating planeswalker, Ajani Goldmane—powerhouse in White-Black Tokens, excellent in all the Windbrisk Heights decks, from Green-White Tokens to White Weenie Kithkin. Ajani Vengeant. The bridge: awesome in control, awesome in creature decks aplenty against control. The clunky Lightning Helix against red decks, and the only Lightning Helix we have had in Standard. Yeah, yeah yeah ... Ajani Vengeant was red (but not really). If you look at the decks in which Ajani Vengeant was good, it was basically green and maybe blue.This year's darling planeswalkers, Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Elspeth, Knight-Errant; both allegedly the "best" planeswalker in Standard at one time or another according to different pundits / Premium deck designers. See a trend here? They all cost four. Even Nissa Revane—who surrounded herself with Nissa's Chosen, Leatherback Baloths, and Wolf tokens in the Eldrazi Green days (before blending back into the shadows)—costs four." Before reading this article I had never considered it, all the 'good' Planeswalkers cost four mana? Seems true, Jace Belern is probably the exception at his three. Now for Red comes around Koth, The Hammer now in Red Koth comes around being very toolboxy. On that turn a Mountain can come swinging as a 4/4; or Koth can hop to One Loyalty, and cast a second four cost Red card like a Cyclops Gladiator dealing something around eight damage the next turn. Flores also took the time to point out the acceleration allowing you on turn five to be able to drop an Inferno Titan without Green to accelerate. Koth also sits with a decent "Ultimate" Ability giving you an Emblem to be able to Comet Storm every turn. What is an Emblem, Emblems are nifty little things that give things you control nifty little abilities. So far only three cards deal with Emblems; Elspeth, Koth, and Venser nothing else can give, or effect Emblems. Where do they go, Emblems go into the "Command Zone" where Archenemy Schemes, Planchase Cards, Vanguards, and EDH Generals go. Thoughts of Koth toolboxing makes me happy, in a world that has long since crushed my dreams. I am currently breaking up the later half of The Darkness for YouTube upload, so new parts are sure to come soon enough.

Suddenly Thopters thousands of them.

I missed my chance to play yesterday since school's big days are Tuesday, and Thursday I blame my car for being a pile of fail, and AIDS. Anyways heres one I've been working on altering into something scarier; most people who keep up with the sport of magic know Thopter Combo, and that it got Sword of the Meek banned in Extended. Well here let's make it even worse.

Creatures: 0

Spells: 36
Thopter Foundry x4
Sword of the Meek x4
Muddle the Mixture x3
Ponder x2
Consult the Necrosages x2
Countersquall x2
Krark-Clan Ironworks x3
Faith's Fetters x3
Doom Blade x2
Repeal x3
Compulsive Research x2
Cancel x2
Negate x2
Repel the Darkness x2

Land: 24
Terramorphic Expanse x3
Plains x5
Swamp x8
Island x8

I would use more dual lands if I had them or Arcane Sanctums, but I don't. Anyways ideally on turn three we have Thopter Combo on the board which is basically game as is. Though the difference is we have the Ironworks dropped on turn four we have infinite life, and Thopter Tokens the next turn coming.
For those wondering how it works the breakdown goes something like this. Turn five pay two for a second Sword of the Meek, sacrfice one sword to Krark-Clan Ironworks adding 2 to your manapool; now sacrifice the second sword to the Thopter Foundry as per usual with the one of your two new mana when the Thopter Token hits the field both Sword of the Meek in your graveyard see this and come back equipped to the token, and Lather, Rinse, Repeat. It would be best to wait and do this in response to their attack because you can waste their creatures off, or on the end of their turn, and swing with the 1/1 tokens if they didn't scoop already. Seeing as Ravinca, and Mirrodin block are now new extended this deck is legal for its format. It is strange for me to be running nine hard counters but Muddle the Mixture is intended for Transmuting either Sword of the Meek or Thopter Foundry, or stopping opponent counters, build it and let me know how it works out for you.

To answer some questions from before, I play generally Tuesday, and Thursday weekly unless that changes next school term. Other than that whenever I'm with my friends, and we decide to play. Mass Polymorph has 31 spells, because I want to guarantee that I hit those creatures, and not something silly like an Eager Cadet I want to be the end game. As far as this deck being creatureless I was trying to move off of being creature heavy, this really helped I've seen a version with Tezzeret the Seeker, and more artifacts and artifact creatures that worked really well. People I play with usually get pissed when I play this so I don't often, and its usually because this deck tends to not lose it kinda turns on anal rape mode.

Busy days.

On vacation from [undisclosed retailer] and loving it, but working to catch up on schoolwork put off in order to unwind depression from a shitty job. That isn't why you're here though lets talk wrecking faces, Tuesday I finally put together Mass Polymorph with a stand-in proxy of Kozilek, the Butcher of Truth since the post system seems to want to hold him away from me. unimportant things aside the deck looks something like this.


Creatures: 3
Mad Rush Cyclops
Emrakul, The Aeons Torn <-- Pre-release promo
Kozilek, The Butchr of Truth


Spells: 31
Mass Polymorph x3
Explore x3
Cultivate x2
Growth Spasm x3
Spectral Precession x4
Bestial Menace x3
See Beyond x3
Ponder x2
Narcolepsy x2
Negate x2
Overrun x2
Leyline of Vitality
Leyline of Sanctity


Land: 26
Terramorphic Expanse x3
Evolving Wilds
Forest x6
Khlani Garden x2
Island x6
Halimar Depths
Plains x7




The deck goes off early as turn four unchecked, this is possible off two different acceleration patterns probably more. On my first time playing it I managed a 1v1 with someone dubbed Harry Potter because he shares my name, and it helps end confusion between us. I hit the ground running with Mass Polymorph, Bestial Menace, Plains, Khlani Garden, Cultivate, Explore, Leyline of Vitality. As planned turn four with nothing in my way Mass polymorph for three, and swinging for 30 with Annihilator 10. It could have been turn five I don't know that game wasn't more than three minutes long. So anyways Mad Rush seems out of place, but fits in I like to swing when they hit the field, and not wait for summoning sickness to wear-off. He also officially makes the deck five colors. Ideally it should Mass Poly for three, but nothing less than two on two I'm either swinging with an Eldrazi, or sitting behind two massive fatties waiting to destroy. Running two-up on Negate also seems strange, but it is mainly for the late game to counter counters; most responses where to run Dispel instead, but Negate also allows me to put a halt to non-creature spells looking to ruin myself or my plans. I was worried about defending myself, but as it seems there wasn't a whole lot of need for it in multiplayer situations I'm under the radar until I go off and 1v1 it gives false security; also it goes roughly the speed of light with that acceleration. Next on my list is a Living Death with the ability to finish off two players at once.

Long weekend.

Nothing went up over the weekend, but I blame visiting family for that one. Anyways Pro-tour Amsterdam just passed by showing a lot of interesting decks played by familiar names. Extended format all around the constructed part of the tournament saw a lot of combo decks. As a personal pick I like the UB Dredge from Ben Lundquist; with such silliness as a turn two Iona. Constructing Mass Polymorph is giving me a couple issues I have a few open slots, and no idea what to devote to them; I would like to not rely on the Polymorph to win, but don't have a great card pool for it. In my research of this issue I came across the plot of Hagra Diabolist or Halimar Excavator. Typical of allies they have 'Enters the battlefield' triggers, off the Mass Polymorph for four is an instant win causing a loss of 64 life, or milling 64 cards. Instead I saw the potential to gain more dirty looks at school, and slate up all eight of them for a Living Death, and erase two players in a group setting. The deck would function on legacy format, run Dimir colors, and look like it isn't doing anything until it kills. With nothing else interesting, check back tomorrow for a recap on kills, and plays.

Arabian nights...... like Arabian days?

Sorry I just wanted to remind you of the Aladdin TV show. Days with very few card games are very uninteresting days. Play of the day causing the death of Acidic Slime at his owner's hands; it was a three man free for all, and on turn four I cast Followed Footsteps on an Acidic Slime holding a Sword of Vengeance. As it got to his turn Acidic Slime came swinging for my unguarded face, and in order to not have me blowing up lands every turn he cast Harms Way to kill Acidic Slime dealing three to me. So I thought I would post the list for Sentai Samurai, keep in mind this deck is a year old and holds only one card from the ban list.

Creatures: 22

XX-Saber Fullhelmknight x2
Marauding Captain x2
The Six Samurai Zanji x3
The Six Samurai Irou x2
The Six Samurai Yaichi x3
The Six Samurai Kamon
Spirit of The Six Samurai x2
Grandmaster of the Six Samurai x3
Enishi, Shien's Chancellor
Great Shogun Shien x3

Spells: 16

Fissure x3
Six Samurai United
Lightning Vortex
The A. Forces
Heavy Storm
Gateway of the Six
Pot of Avarice
Reasoning
Mystical Space Typhoon
Reinforcement of the Army
Six Scrolls of the Samurai
The Warrior Returning Alive
Solidarity
Shien's Castle of Mist

Traps: 8

Solemn Judgement
Reckless Greed x2
Call of the Haunted
Negate Attack
Compulsory Evacuation Device
Bottomless Trap Hole x2

Extra Deck: 2

Goyo Guardian
Colossal Fighter

For Solidarity I tried to keep it straight Warriors for when they die, which they do, and with it out or in hand when placing on in my grave the rest of them hit for a lot more. They say Samurai are too slow for the metagame, but this can kill on the word go. Turn One Zanji, Grandmaster, Shogun attacks, Scrolls, Kill. It turns this result often and even without it the deck murders all kinds of other things. Also parts 23-25 have been posted of The Darkness on YouTube. Tomorrow I should be able to get together Mass Polymorph with a possible turn four kill on the perfect hand.