The Monday Mulligan #11: Overdue

I will post the Gatherling entry for the event (which I would have edited to include at least all decknames and colors), so you can browse the meta yourselves. The play-offs and metagame paragraphs will list the archetypes that were played (aggro, control, etc.) and how many.

Gatherling Metagame Breakdown

Play-offs:
RDW by SypherSun
Storm Control by JMason
URw Burn Blink by cRUMMYdUMMY
WW by stiffdiddypinky
RDW by Baklazan79PL
WW by hokusai22
GUB Control by uktabi_shinobi
Blue Beats by ZeroFusion

Metagame:
Aggro - 9
Control: - 5
Aggro-Control: - 3
Aggro-Combo: - 2
Unclassifiable - 0

Discussion:
Finally my meta indication skills were working. I got the feeling people won with decks that have a worse matchup against the Red deck, with White Weenie winnings last weeks MPDC, Storm Control winning SPDC and Blue Beats (BB) being relativily popular. As long as WW doesn't bring Martyr of Sands, all these three decks are very much beatable with RDW. And luckely for me it worked! Alongside the expected SC (x2), WW and BB, the burn deck beat a Green Elves and a URw aggro-control deck to reach the top of the pile.

Without massive lifegain in the meta, this deck is still a serious contender, even with only two (as of yesterday) trophies under his wings. Martyr of Sands is a problem, and so is blinking Riftwatchers, but Tendrils of Corruption, who hasn't been around lately, can be beaten by transforming into Red Deck Storms after sideboarding. I seriously don't know what is holding this deck back, who doesn't love crafting your hand over multiple turns to burn your opponent out from 18 in one turn, about a turn before he would win. Thank you Grapeshot! One other RDW was being played, he lost in the quarter finals against URw Blink.

Lets continue: four Storm Control decks intered the fray, only one left unscathed with a silver medal pinned on its chest. The other three faced either RDW or BB and stuck around in the Swiss. White Weenie made a decent showing too, three entered, one made top eight (crashing in the mirror), one made top four (facing SC). The play-offs were rounded out by three one-offs; an unusual URw Blink deck made top four, Blue Beats and GUB control both made top eigth.

Looking at the rest of the meta, we see that Elves! is getting pretty popular, but it remains unsuccesfull. With three (one ) lists and no play-off places it underperformed again today. Two people brought Jungle Storm, but neither made play-offs (although one of the two dropped before round 3 while being 2-0). Another 2-0 + drop was by a new name, BenitoUK1, playing UR Aggro. He made top eigth based on his first two rounds alone, if he just would have stayed.

If the cyclic nature of the meta continues, we might see more RDW next week. But people will be prepared so it might not be a good choice. If you expect a lot of the burn deck, tuning Kehmesis last Blinkdrifter deck might be a good idea. I suggest looking at Blue Beats lists for advise on beating Standards other monstrosity; Storm. A combination of BB (good against control) and Drifter (good against burn) looks nice in theory.

Burn Blink, as piloted by cRUMMYdUMMY at MPDC 2.07

Creatures
4 Infiltrator il-Kor
4 Keldon Marauders
4 Mulldrifter
4 Prodigal Pyromancer
2 Aethersnipe

Spells
4 Incinerate
4 Momentary Blink
4 Negate
4 Ponder
4 Tarfire

Lands
8 Island
8 Mountain
4 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Plains

SIDEBOARD
4 Grapeshot
3 Faerie Trickery
3 Martyr of Ashes
3 Rift Bolt
2 Hurly-Burly

Discussion:
The first deck instanteniously reminded of Burnt Nemo. Burnt archetypes, UR(w) aggro-control decks with a history dating back to Burnt Fish at SPDC 1.12, have been somewhat succesfull throughout last season. It was played nine times and didn't make play-offs just once. On the other hand, it hasn't achieved more than second place, at the start of the season. The lists are horribly outdated, but the idea is obvious: control the board untill you can drop a fattie or flyer (or both in EE), then protect the flyer and go to town.

The first list has things in common with the older one, mainly its color combinations and the fact it tries to protect a beater (Infiltrator or Mulldrifter). But instead of the counterspells and card draw, it uses cheap aggressive creatures to put quick pressure on the opponent. Negate and Blink both counter removal aimed at your beaters, while Blink also reuses your Marauders and Mulldrifters. The game should end with a small amount of burn aimed at your opponents head, which finishes the job your unanswered beaters started. A quick clock, burn endgame and a powerfull CA strategy (blinking drifters)? Sounds like a new contender to me!

That doesn't mean the deck is perfect, according to my "humble" opinion (I don't think you can call yourself humble if you immediatly start suggesting changes). Tarfire is a misfit. Both Rift Bolt and Shard Volley do more damage for the same mana. I suggest Rift Bolt, because the change from instant to sorcery isn't really a problem if you want to clear the way for your beaters or if you are going for the throat (there aren't decks that want to go counter-control versus this, in which case instant speed would be preferable). The deck likes to play its lands in the early- to midgame, the same time Shard Volley would steal your tempo if you'd remove a pesky blocker.

I also think Prodigal Pyromancer is suboptimal. I really do like the card, but it is way to controlly for a tempo deck such as this one. It keeps players from casting x/1 creatures and makes blocking favorable for its control, but there aren't one-butted creatures played in Standard (some lonely Slivers and Illusions and Pit Keeper?). It just hasn't got an impact once you play it, making it bad for tempo decks. I'd rather have Ephemeron or some other high powered two drop, because that would also better the curve. At the moment the curve is: 1) nothing, 2) Marauders, Infiltrator, 3) Pim, 4) nothing, 5) Mulldrifter. That isn't great for a tempo orientated deck. If you have a lot of high powered two-drops, you can consitently play a turn two beater and protect it from turn three onwards. Also, Inner-Flame Shaman works really nice with Blink and the burn strategy and it fits the curve.

I might also find some room for a couple Subterranean Shamblers main, because you will need them against Storm. The sideboard should contain Shamblers instead of Martyrs, because you have Blink. Also; you need Riftwatcher against burn based aggro.

Tuning this deck might help in metas that contain both WW and red based aggro, because it has the tools to defeat them both, but can also lay the beats on control decks relativily quick. Storm will still be bad, it has more removal than you have protection, multiple sweepers, and eigth problematic finishers.

Previous decks:
Fearie Rogues
Blinkdrifter
Gruul Warriors
Dreamspore Rock
Lorwyn Season:
Red Deck Wins
Storm Control
New Tricks and Grimdrifter
Use UR Illusion
GW Changelings

Last week, MPDC 2.06, I tried to run the event at 6PM GMT, one hour earlier than usual. This didn't help attendance at all, which was already down because of v3. Don't expect that experiment to return. After consulting myself, I also realized that I can host 7 round events at the time, if we ever return to those numbers of players.

Yesterday I finally got a response on my MPDC open job; ZeroFusion will be helping me do the data handling of the event. Operating the MPDC meta threads and the seasonpoints, I show him my gratitude and I wish him the best of luck.

Next Monday I won't be hosting, it is the day we mourn for war-victims and celebrate freedom, primarily those of WWII (man, that sounds far more cheesy than should be). I hope stiffdiddypinky sees you Monday, for another MPDC!