Hi Robrecht,

as you can see on the homepage, the attendance varies between 10 and 18 people. Until now, there are six reservations, though at least four regulars are still missing.

We'd appreciate you attendance.

In order to revive the West German Vintage scene, Team Mind Twisted started to hold tournaments once a month. The next one will be held at Novembre 6th.

Zu den vier Winden
Hofsteder Str. 94
44809 Bochum

Registration opens at 11:00, the tournament starts at 12:00. As you are allowed to use up to 15 proxy cards, it will be unsanctioned. In order to use the location, the bartender levels a cover charge of 2 € in addition to the entry fee of 12 €.

Further information is located here.

PS: The location is a taverna, so bringing your own food is prohibited. You won't mind though, as the pizza there is absolutely unmatched.

Pithing Needle. Yeah, it's alway a good solution to EEs. In addition, it shuts down Belcher, Grindstone and Time Vault. AND this friggin' Goblin Sharpshooter I lost to during testing (but then, who's playing Goblins?).

Is there a reason you run fetchlands? Without duals or Brainstorm, you open up yourself to Stifle without any benefits.

17 Snow-Covered Forest

4 Birchlore Rangers
4 Heritage Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Wirewood Hivemaster
4 Elvish Spirit Guide

4 Summoner's Pact
4 Glimpse of Nature
1 Fastbond
4 Skullclamp
1 Grape Shot
1 Regrowth

That's my maindeck. Fast forward, the only protection against blue based decks is going aggro. I run 17 lands because I really want to get a land down on turn two (and because of Fastbond, obv).

I did some testing with a black splash for Yawg Win in the main (instead of Regrowth) and Duress in the SB (against Combo), but in my opinion it's not worth the instable mana base.

How do you win the Stax MU with only 13 lands?

I'd love to tell you something about your SB, but without your maindeck, I've absolutely no clue what to add or to remove.

My current SB looks like this, without any Legacy nonsense (Engineered Plague is sooo 2004)

// Sideboard
4 Xantid Swarm
4 Viridian Shaman (none main, obv)
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Umezawa's Jitte

Swarm against Drain.dec (obv), Shamans against MUD/Stax/your favourite Chalice.dec (another obv), Leyline against Ichorid and Long (third obv) and Jitte against everything you either want to stretch the manacurve or you need some extra antiaggro power against.

My 2 eurocent

Elvish Harbinger is the most crappy card I could think of. Well, next to Momir Vig. If you are already splashing blue for Anc, I would play Walk as well. In conjunction with a lot of creatures, it should be a decent secondary wincondition.

Concordant Crossroads I dead on its own, the reason I don't play Food Chain in FCG anymore. Or FCG at all.

Mirror Entity + Wirewood Symbiote is win more, so no no.

Current list:

// Mana
14 Forest
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald

// Elves
4 Birchlore Rangers
3 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
2 Elvish Visionary
4 Wirewood Hivemaster
2 Viridian Shaman

// Insects
4 Wirewood Symbiote

// Spells
4 Summoner's Pact
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Skullclamp
1 Grapeshot

You could easily play some fetchlands + a single Tropical Island, in order to play Anc and Walk instead of Elvish Visionary. I just don't want to open a deck to Stifle, which doesn't have to suffer from it.

Did Florian really play Wooded Foothills instead of Windswept Heaths? Whom did he play against?

I tested Gaea's Cradle because Rich said it isn't worth it. With 15 permanent mana sources, you often have got only one in your opening hand. You really don't want it to be a nonbasic that does nothing without a creature on the table.

This version of Elves! does not generate mana via lands. On turn 2, Gaea's Cradle often generates two mana. In my opinion, it's not worth it.

After reading Rich's hilarious report, I played around with some cards, cutting black entirely (4 T Seize aren't that game breaking) and added Eternal Witness. It's one of the most broken creature decks I've laid my hands on (and I played a lot of Affinity back when it was good), yet it's perfectly playable without any p9.

// Lands
    14  Forest

// Creatures
    1  Regal Force
    1  Viridian Shaman
    4  Elvish Visionary
    4  Nettle Sentinel
    4  Heritage Druid
    4  Llanowar Elves
    4  Wirewood Symbiote
    4  Wirewood Hivemaster
    4  Birchlore Rangers
    1  Eternal Witness
    1  Elvish Spirit Guide

// Spells
    4  Glimpse of Nature
    4  Summoner's Pact
    3  Skullclamp
    1  Black Lotus
    1  Mox Emerald
    1  Grapeshot

// Sideboard
SB: 4  Xantid Swarm
SB: 4  Leyline of the Void
SB: 3  Gleeful Sabotage
SB: 4 Pithing Needle

If you didn't figure out yet, how to assemble the combo, read through the PT Berlin coverage. 2/3 of the field was Elves!

My changes:

1. Cutting a Forest in favour of a single Elvish Spirit Guide: ESG is an Elve now and it's really good with Summoner's Pact (turning it into an unrestricted Lotus Petal). You can easily cut the both pieces of power in favour of another ESG and a 15th Forest, in order to make the deck dirt cheap.

2. Cutting a Clamp in favour of Eternal Witness (aka Ms. Regrowth): Clamp is more like Glimpse 5 - 7, so you don't need the full playset. Witness on the other hand is really broken: I wouldn't play the deck without her ever again because she's so good against control.

3. Dropping black: I cut black after I noticed how bad Yawgmoth's Will is in this deck. I tested it in the Witness' slot for about 50 games and it was win more most of the time. Without fetchlands, you are immune against Stifle effects.

Has anyone of you have some experience with the deck? What do you think of my changes?

Well, I missed the point then. I didn't read the article because I am a non-prem SCG user (although I pondered often to sign up because of your articles in the past).

Maybe we have to agree to differ over it, but I would never run a deck like Suicide Black without Sinkhole and Hymn to Tourach. It might look vastly different overseas, though.

3 Swamp
3 Bayou
4 Polluted Delta
3 Bloodstained Mire
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
4 Dark Ritual

4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Phyrexian Negator
3 Tombstalker

4 Duress
4 Hymn to Tourach
3 Mind Twist

4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
4 Null Rod
4 Sinkhole

This is the list I like most at the moment. It has been developed by Timo Schünemann and runs very smoothly in the German metagame.

To be honest - while I really liked your Parfait list - this is absolutely the worst Sui list I've seen in a while.

Vampiric Tutor in a deck, which lacks CA even with a one off Necro? No black staples like Hymn to Tourach or Sinkhole? Why do you run misdirectable Diabolic Edict in favour of like Imperial Edict in a proactive deck? I am no fan of Chalice without Workshop, either.

So, without a harsh tone, what decks did you test against?

My current take on mono red TMWA (post ALA):

// Lands
    12  Snow-Covered Mountain
    4  Mishra's Factory
    1  Strip Mine

// Creatures
    4  Gorilla Shaman
    4  Jackal Pup
    4  Mogg Fanatic
    4  Magus of the Moon
    4  Simian Spirit Guide

// Spells
    4  Lightning Bolt
    4  Magma Jet
    4  Null Rod
    4  Pyrostatic Pillar
    2  Genju of the Spires
    2  Smash to Smithereens
    1  Mana Crypt
    1  Mox Ruby
    1  Sol Ring

// Sideboard
SB: 4  Relic of Progenitus
SB: 4  Greater Gargadon
SB: 3  Viashino Heretic
SB: 2  Pyroblast
SB: 2  Red Elemental Blast

MB changes: I cut Fireblast, as it sucked more and more lately. The deck lacked a serious clock (like Goyf), so I desided to give Genju of the Spires a second chance. In order to make it good against other creature based decks (like Shop Aggro and Fish), I run 8 + 2 burn spells.

Smash to Smithereens is a very underrated card in the current metagame, as it says "Pay 1R, choose one - Destroy target artifact. Smash to Smithereens deals 3 damage to that artifact's controller and gains you some tempo; or destroy two target winconditions if you play against Tezzeret.dec."

SB changes: I cut Martyr of Ashes and added Relic of Progenitus because it's really good in this deck and screams versatility: On the one hand, it is your GY hate of choice against Ichorid and Will, on the other hand it crushes Goyf.dec AND nets you a card. Beautiful one.

As far as I can tell, mono red TMWA has got two ways to defeat Oath: Goblin Bombardment and Greater Gargadon. The first is really good in lists with many creatures to support the plan, while the second needs a lot of burn to work.

I really like Smash to Smithereens in my current list, which plays 4 copies of it (cut 2 Incinerate). Smashing Time Vault and Tezzeret with your opponents' pants down is a lot of fun.

btw. are there other European TMWA players around?

Dear TMWA fellows,

I finally converted to Vintage! Due to budget reasons, I decided to run a mono red TMWA version, mostly focused on the old Sligh concept (e.g. its curve, its creature to burn ratio, etc.). Although I am able to play up to 15 proxies, I don't want to run one at all. In my opinions, it's like having a sports car for driving school lessons.

   // Lands
13   Snow-Covered Mountain
4   Mishra's Factory
1   Barbarian Ring

   // Creatures
4   Gorilla Shaman
4   Jackal Pup
4   Mogg Fanatic - Kills Dark Confidant and Goblin Welder on the spot, whereas Grim Lavamancer has to wait a round.
4   Magus of the Moon
4   Simian Spirit Guide

   // Spells
4   Lightning Bolt
4   Fireblast
2   Incinerate - Kills Juggernaut, Magus of the Future, Painter's Servant.
2   Smash to Smithereens - Crucible of Worlds, Karn, Platinum Angel, Smokestack, Time Vault or simply a Moxen to gain tempo.
4   Null Rod
4   Pyrostatic Pillar
1   Mana Crypt
1   Sol Ring

   // Sideboard
4   Martyr of Ashes
4   Greater Gargadon
3   Viashino Heretic
2   Pyroblast
2   Red Elemental Blast

The key concept is to disrupt your opponent as much as needed to win. Most disruption spells (apart from Null Rod, which is a house on its own) are aggressive enough to keep up a clock while delaying the opponent (Gorilla Shaman, Pyrostatic Pillar, Magus of the Moon).

I am not sold on the four slots I consider metagame slots (currently 2 Incinerate / 2 Smash to Smithereens). I tested Incinerate, Magma Jet, Price of Progress, Shrapnel Blast, Smash to Smithereens and most combinations.

I play in the western Germany metagame (i.e. Iserlohn and Dülmen): Many Drain decks (more control than combo), many Workshop decks (Stax, MUD), a lot more Oath than I'd like to have (hence the Greater Gargadon in the board), aggro (Goblins, Ichorid, Suicide) and some fastcombo (Grim Long).

What do you suggest to play in my metagame slot?

Hey guys,

I am currently working on a WBR aggroish build. To my mind, Hide / Seek is the best card against the current format - take this Slaver, bounce that Oath and don't be longer afraid of Tinkerlossus.

"Team Hoppelnde Bobbel - Seek'n'Destroy"

// Mana
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Badlands
2 Plateau
1 Scrubland
1 Mountain
6 LoMoxen
1 Mana Crypt

// Creatures
4 Gorilla Shaman
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Dark Confidant
3 Jötun Grunt

// Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Magma Jet
3 Shrapnel Blast
4 Duress
4 Pyrostatic Pillar
4 Hide / Seek

// Sideboard
4 Children of Korlis
4 Pithing Needle
3 Kataki, War's Wage
3 Rack and Ruin
1 Mountain

MD: 11 burn spells to clear the way or burning their head. Magma Jet shines at toasting Goblin Welder. The 'mancer helps against aggro, as well as Welder. I played Mogg Fanatic in its slot, but the grim mage is way more sustainable. Hide/Seek and Duress (haven't tested Thoughtseize yet) are good at fighting combo, Oath and Tinkerlossus.

SB: Children of Korlis doubles as Tendrilscombo and Ichorid hate. Pithing Needle comes in handy against Belcher, Slaver and random stuff. While R'n'R and Kataki are the mandatory Stax/MUD hate, I really like basics against Wasteland/CoW.

A metagame breakdown of the last event:

6 x Drain Control (Slaver, Bomberman, Landstill)
6 x Fish (Mostly Uw, Ubg, Faeries)
4 x Long / TPS (Grim Long, Remora TPS)
4 x Random Combo (Belcher and Highlander Combo)
3 x Aggro (Sui, Goblins, White Stompy)
3 x GY Combo (Ichorid, Dragon)
2 x Oath
1 x Drain Combo
1 x Highlander
1 x Workshop Aggro
1 x Workshop Prison

Your list looks very strange, though. No AEther Vials in a field full of GAT, 2 Warchiefs, 2 Ringleaders, 2 Strips ... What consists your actual testing gauntlet of?

After reading this article, I considered an unpowered Vial Goblins list utilising Earwig Squad. It served me very well during testing, esp. against GAT, Flash (assuming a Leyline in my opening grip) and Oath.

Rbg Vial Goblins

// Lands (19)
4 Mountain
4 Wasteland
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Badlands
2 Taiga
1 Barbarian Ring
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Strip Mine

// Creatures (31)
4 Goblin Lackey
4 Goblin Piledriver
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Goblin Matron
4 Goblin Warchief
4 Goblin Ringleader
3 Earwig Squad
1 Goblin Tinkerer
1 Stingscourger
1 Wort, Boggart Auntie
1 Siege-Gang Commander

// Spells (10)
4 AEther Vial
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring

// Sideboard (15)
4 Pyrostatic Pillar
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Krosan Grip
2 Artifact Mutation
1 Stingscourger

Wort, Boggart Auntie provides an amazing recursion engine. In my opinion, 3 Squads are enough, as one in your first seven cards should be the way to go.

The sideboard is focused on beating storm combo, GAT, Oath and Staxx, as they are the major forces in my metagame.

Feel free to discuss my list.