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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:49 am 
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TITI does fit in the decks, although I agree that the Scourge Wolf/Delirium version slows it down too much. Being able to flip TITI on your opponent's end step turn 5 and hasting back any creatures you bounced with Expedite (or just being Stormchaser mage) presents you with 7 more damage than you would otherwise have had and a clear board.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:57 am 
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Gegliosch wrote:

Next problem: He eats removal like a boss. Don't confuse this with the old "dies to removal" argument.


no comprendo

I think the only way to make that argument is to say that you are getting 2for1'd if Mage gets removed when you have cast a non-creature spell specifically to boost him.

But if that spell is having an effect OTHER than boosting him as well, I think you're just saying he dies to removal which as we know doesn't mean anything


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:59 am 
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Gegliosch wrote:

Next problem: He eats removal like a boss. Don't confuse this with the old "dies to removal" argument.


no comprendo

I think the only way to make that argument is to say that you are getting 2for1'd if Mage gets removed when you have cast a non-creature spell specifically to boost him.

But if that spell is having an effect OTHER than boosting him as well, I think you're just saying he dies to removal which as we know doesn't mean anything


I think he's talking about the Scourge Wolf Barns...

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:02 am 
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ah...

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:14 am 
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Mage Ring is bad, so is the 1[cm]U[/cm] 2/1 prowess.

One is kamakazi suicide, the other one is weak af.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:33 am 
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Kamikaze indeed, if she gets blocked. I don't know about you, but I basically never get blocked. Either I give her evasion or I make way with Fiery Impulse, Fall of the Titans or both. You know, the 4 slots I don't waste on Alchemist's Vial add a lot of utility.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:49 am 
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TITI does fit in the decks, although I agree that the Scourge Wolf/Delirium version slows it down too much. Being able to flip TITI on your opponent's end step turn 5 and hasting back any creatures you bounced with Expedite (or just being Stormchaser mage) presents you with 7 more damage than you would otherwise have had and a clear board.

Yes, I know that flipping it is often the end of the game. I just can't find the right time to play it. I wanna pressure my opponent and therefore need my Prowess creatures asap. Once the Prowess creatures are out, I wanna swing in for the kill, not build up for later. I never wanna cast it - or rather, I always want to, but I prefer the immediate benefit. Every second game is against some kind of planeswalker deck and they're packed with mass removal. Better to get your 10 damage while you can, instead of playing a wall that dies along with the rest of the board.


Last edited by Gegliosch on Mon Apr 11, 2016 1:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 1:25 pm 
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Gegliosch wrote:
Kamikaze indeed, if she gets blocked. I don't know about you, but I basically never get blocked. Either I give her evasion or I make way with Fiery Impulse, Fall of the Titans or both. You know, the 4 slots I don't waste on Alchemist's Vial add a lot of utility.


I won't change your mind, but I believe your playing the Vial wrong. What it does is cycle the card draw faster while pushing a little prowess damage, so that you don't run out of cards. If Jori is on the board it works like magic. Then you use them when you hit critical mass for the big 10-20 point attack, to remove Blockers. Its advantage vs the cantrip instants is that sometimes you Don't have a good target for haste, or no blockers to evade so you just waste the effect, but you can always throw the Vial in as a mana sink, get a card and use it later.
I don't have any TITIs (no pun intended), but I'm with Gegliosch... Too slow for these decks.
What I have noticed is that I only activated the Fumarole once in like 30 games... Still probably better to have 'em around if you ever need them.
It makes me sad but I think I'm gonna try taking out the FireBird. Its good but unnecessary.
Glory chasers continue solid, and so is Infectious Bloodlust... Another way to trigger delirium and prowess. Its just awesome on a Stormchaser... No idea why noone else is using using them. I mean the buff sticks around... And if removal shows itself, you'll get another spell to play.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:05 pm 
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Bloodlust requires you to run multiples, and have creatures.

I don't want to add worse creatures to run auras on. I want to swing for 10 on T5, and this requires 3 things:
Good Creatures
Draw power/Cantrips
Good spells.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:25 pm 
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TITI does fit in the decks, although I agree that the Scourge Wolf/Delirium version slows it down too much. Being able to flip TITI on your opponent's end step turn 5 and hasting back any creatures you bounced with Expedite (or just being Stormchaser mage) presents you with 7 more damage than you would otherwise have had and a clear board.


Yeah, I agree with this completely. Even my slower deck flips TITI (and subsequently reestablishes an aggressive board state) easily.

What I dislike about Scourge Wolf is that you're relying on the somewhat arbitrary process of establishing delirium. Conversely, with prowess creatures you're able to affect their power/toughness directly in response to the threat, and better able to protect your creature investment.


Last edited by madwren on Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:28 pm 
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Haven_pt wrote:
I won't change your mind, but I believe your playing the Vial wrong.

Oh, I can be persuaded, that's why I gave TITI and Scourge Wolf another chance, even if it wasn't good enough to convince me. The Vial has some properties that really fit the deck: It cantrips, removes a blocker when needed and enables delirium when needed. I still have some issues with it.

One is that I already run much better cantrips. The fact that you'd rather pay 2 for a blank cantrip than "waste" your 1 cmc ones is very telling. If you play Vial in this deck, you play it mainly for delirium - without delirium creatures there's better stuff.

My other problem is that it slows down the deck. It takes a spot in my hand that could be a useful spell instead. It will replace itself, but I have to pay 2 for a blank cantrip first. That is ok for a control deck, but I am the beatdown and I'm trying to murder somebody as fast as possible. For 2 mana I can play 90% of my creatures or buff the board with 10+ damage, so why would I waste a turn like that?

If Scourge Wolf performed well enough to justify the slowdown caused by the Vials, that would be a fair deal. In my experience he didn't.

Infectious Bloodlust: I had it in my first brew and it was pretty good. I just wouldn't play them in addition to Expedite and I personally prefer the latter. It's easier to chain spells with it, it can be used as a combat trick, draw me a card in desperate topdeck situations and is another cheap surge enabler for Fall of the Titans, which has been an awesome card for me btw. It makes the deck a little more flexible and I tend to prefer the cute stuff over brute force. I absolutely can't fault you for going the other route, though. Bloodlust is a good card.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 4:26 pm 
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I think it's time for an updated list. The deck got much faster, but lost a little flexibility in its instant suite:

Creatures (15)
1x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
4x Umara Entangler
2x Abbot of Keral Keep
3x Stormchaser Mage
3x Jhessian Thief
2x Jori En, Ruin Diver

Instants & Sorceries (22)
2x Fall of the Titans
4x Fiery Impulse
4x Titan's Strength
4x Rush of Adrenaline
4x Slip Through Space
4x Expedite

Enchantments (2)
2x Fevered Visions

Land (21)
10x Mountain
7x Island
2x Sulfur Falls
2x Wandering Fumarole

Thing in the Ice is still on my Maybe-Worth-Playing-List. Needs more testing until I figure out why it seems to work for everybody else and not me. I want to like the card, but it misses no opportunity to disappoint. If you like it, kick out 2 Entanglers.
Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh needs some more testing. I like that she is on theme, racking up the damage per spell cast and topping it off with more damage after the transformation. However, the priority issues hurt and the deck doesn't offer much protection from attacks against planeswalkers. Still a decent creature, so she's in for now.
Geistblast is a card I really liked in this deck, but in the end I wanted more creature buffs for the consistent finishing blow.
Clutch of Currents was mainly there to move a blocker out of the way and get ahead in the race. Single blockers haven't been much of an issue lately, so I try to maximize the damage in the opportunities I get.
Rush of Adrenaline vs Brute Strength: Matter of taste. I've been playing with Brute Strength for hours now and there are these situations where you think "if only I had one more mana". I think this comes up more often than you win with exact damage and the 1 power really makes the difference.

Edit: Chandra disappointed a couple of times. She needs Slip Through Space and a red spell to swing and flip. Even then an Umara would've dealt 1 more damage on the swing, but it wouldn't have flipped for 2 damage (unless priority bug). The question is: Do i even prefer a flipped Chandra over an Entangler? Without defenders she probably dies next turn, whereas the Entangler lives to swing another day. And with 3 she's on the expensive side for this deck. Out!

I tried Exquisite Firecraft in her place, but it didn't perform well. It's too expensive for combo plays - at least Fall of the Titans can be cast for 1 for Prowess and it's the better finisher aswell, imo. No need to run both.

I ended up adding the 4th Expedite.

Also dropped Highland Lake for now and it seems to be fine. Needs more testing, though.


Last edited by Gegliosch on Wed Apr 13, 2016 5:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:55 pm 
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Gegliosch wrote:
I think it's time for an updated list. The deck got much faster, but lost a little flexibility in its instant suite:

Creatures (16)
1x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
4x Umara Entangler
2x Abbot of Keral Keep
3x Stormchaser Mage
3x Jhessian Thief
2x Jori En, Ruin Diver
1x Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh

Instants & Sorceries (21)
2x Fall of the Titans
4x Fiery Impulse
4x Titan's Strength
4x Rush of Adrenaline
4x Slip Through Space
3x Expedite

Enchantments (2)
2x Fevered Visions

Land (21)
8x Mountain
5x Island
4x Highland Lake
2x Sulfur Falls
2x Wandering Fumarole

Thing in the Ice is still on my Maybe-Worth-Playing-List. Needs more testing until I figure out why it seems to work for everybody else and not me. I want to like the card, but it misses no opportunity to disappoint. If you like it, kick out 2 Entanglers.
Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh needs some more testing. I like that she is on theme, racking up the damage per spell cast and topping it off with more damage after the transformation. However, the priority issues hurt and the deck doesn't offer much protection from attacks against planeswalkers. Still a decent creature, so she's in for now.
Geistblast is a card I really liked in this deck, but in the end I wanted more creature buffs for the consistent finishing blow.
Clutch of Currents was mainly there to move a blocker out of the way and get ahead in the race. Single blockers haven't been much of an issue lately, so I try to maximize the damage in the opportunities I get.
Rush of Adrenaline vs Brute Strength: Matter of taste. I've been playing with Brute Strength for hours now and there are these situations where you think "if only I had one more mana". I think this comes up more often than you win with exact damage and the 1 power really makes the difference.


I'm officially a convert to Fevered Visions. You're right, it's awesome. Well done, sir. Too bad I only have one at the moment. Arrgh.

Anyway, I revamped my deck earlier, as promised, and it wound up pretty similar to your list.

-2 Abbot
+2 Thing in the Ice

-1 Jori En
-1 Chandra
+2 Exquisite Firecraft

I find uncounterable player damage to be a valuable potential finisher in case of a creature stalemate or an out-and-out race (say with Rakdos vampires). Chandra doesn't seem fast enough to be effective, and I'd rather have a more versatile burn spell that powers prowess. I just feel like she'd get stuck as a 2/2 pinger that really isn't contributing much in what are hopefully quick games.

I also don't run Highland Lake, sticking with basics. I find that the cantrip effects on Slip and Expedite are awesome for helping ensure consistent lands. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve used Expedite to give haste more than once or twice in several games. It’s usually superfluous, but as a Prowess-powering cantrip, it’s exceptional.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:33 am 
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Exquisite Firecraft is also on my wanted list. If Jace and Chandra don't live up to expectations, I'm gonna switch them out.

When I played without Highland Lakes, I kept getting unkeepable two-landers. Now I still get two-landers all the time, but they're absolutely fine with the right colours. I don't have 1-drop creatures, which gives me time to set them up and once I'm at 3 mana, I'm not super reliant on staying on curve. Often enough I draw excess land anyway and can weave the tappers in when I don't need the mana.

I also use Expedite as an empty cantrip if I have to, but it's actually my favourite turn 3 play to drop a second prowess creature and haste it for 5-6 total damage. I usually prefer this to Jhessian Thief, unless my opponent has burn mana open or a blocker in the way.

May I ask why you play -2 Abbot instead of -2 Entangler? I know, the priority, but you can only gain value. I often get something very nice out of his ability, when I'm careful enough to play him before I drop my land, which you should anyway, so you can use the lands he finds.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:25 am 
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3 x Lightning Axe

2 x Thing in the Ice
2 x Horribly Awry
3 x Nagging Thoughts
2 x Avacyn's Judgment

2 x Fevered Visions
2 x Scatter to the Winds
3 x Broken Concentration
4 x Catalog
2 x Artificer's Epiphany
2 x Geistblast
2 x Exquisite Firecraft
4 x Fiery Temper

2 x Confirm Suspicions
1 x Jace, Unraveler of Secrets

1 x Chandra, Flamecaller

7 x Island
4 x Mountain
2 x Wandering Fumarole
2 x Sulfur Falls
4 x Evolving Wilds
4 x Highland Lake


biggest change in this version of the deck is Horribly Awry, I've found that there are just too many good targets now to not include this card


Last edited by babassoonist on Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:14 pm 
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Gegliosch wrote:
Exquisite Firecraft is also on my wanted list. If Jace and Chandra don't live up to expectations, I'm gonna switch them out.

When I played without Highland Lakes, I kept getting unkeepable two-landers. Now I still get two-landers all the time, but they're absolutely fine with the right colours. I don't have 1-drop creatures, which gives me time to set them up and once I'm at 3 mana, I'm not super reliant on staying on curve. Often enough I draw excess land anyway and can weave the tappers in when I don't need the mana.

I also use Expedite as an empty cantrip if I have to, but it's actually my favourite turn 3 play to drop a second prowess creature and haste it for 5-6 total damage. I usually prefer this to Jhessian Thief, unless my opponent has burn mana open or a blocker in the way.

May I ask why you play -2 Abbot instead of -2 Entangler? I know, the priority, but you can only gain value. I often get something very nice out of his ability, when I'm careful enough to play him before I drop my land, which you should anyway, so you can use the lands he finds.


Sorry, I should have clarified--it's because of the priority issue. I think Abbot is the strictly superior option once they fix it, but realize I didn't say that. I'm definitely an advocate of the Abbot-on-turn-3-and-hope-he-gets-a-land strategy.

Now that I've played with Expedite a bit, I am finding that the majority of the time it's only a cantrip. Don't get me wrong, that has value for enabling both prowess and surge, but I can't help wishing I had a different 1cc. Slip Through Space is almost always useful, but a lot of times, Expedite's simply a poor-man's Roar of the Kha. I might go back to Clutch of Currents. I'm torn.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:34 pm 
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madwren wrote:
Sorry, I should have clarified--it's because of the priority issue. I think Abbot is the strictly superior option once they fix it, but realize I didn't say that. I'm definitely an advocate of the Abbot-on-turn-3-and-hope-he-gets-a-land strategy.

The priority issues would explain why you cut him in favour of other stuff - I can understand when people think that he's not worth playing when the "bug" reduces him to an Umara Entangler. But you cut him and still have 2 Entanglers in there and that doesn't really make sense to me. He's not strictly superior once they fix him, he's strictly superior period.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:56 pm 
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Gegliosch wrote:
madwren wrote:
Sorry, I should have clarified--it's because of the priority issue. I think Abbot is the strictly superior option once they fix it, but realize I didn't say that. I'm definitely an advocate of the Abbot-on-turn-3-and-hope-he-gets-a-land strategy.

The priority issues would explain why you cut him in favour of other stuff - I can understand when people think that he's not worth playing when the "bug" reduces him to an Umara Entangler. But you cut him and still have 2 Entanglers in there and that doesn't really make sense to me. He's not strictly superior once they fix him, he's strictly superior period.


Yeah, but the Entanglers don't make me want to put my fist through the monitor pre-fix. =)


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:35 pm 
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Having played with it, I agree that TITI is a hard sell if you are trying to run prowess as aggressively as possible. Maybe it fits if you are not stomping the gas quite so hard. But if I am trying to be the lightning, then for my money the risk of playing out the thing instead of something more aggressive, letting it sit there for 2-3 turns while I work around my board and spells in hand to flip it without ruining my position, only to have it get bounced or killed at instant speed after it bounces my board, is just too high.

This card has high risk to go with the high reward. It's the same with Abbey, you don't flip it if you can't guarantee a win with it unless you have no other choice. Except with Abbey, I choose when to flip it; with TITI in a prowess pile you are forced to flip at some point, ready or not, by the nature of the deck.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 5:32 pm 
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Just when I thought I was insane :D

The only time I wish I had TITI is against mono white aggro, because it's faster on the play. Even then I don't know if it would change anything.


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