[Deck] Hulk sideboard discussion

[tehmajickguy]

@ Wudil: While I can understand you stance on Firestorm, I feel that you're putting too much reliance upon Deed. Yes, Deed is amazing aginst FCG. But I see multiple issues with relying upon Deed against FCG, especially in Game 1:

 FCG is a FAST deck. Deed, while very powerful, is also pretty slow. Its cast cost is difficult in the early game, especially against a deck thats running a full set of Strips. The difference with Firestorm is that while you have to wish (at least in Game 1) to get it, its easy to cast and can even be used just to kill a Lacky and some other problematic goblin. To kill some of the nastier goblins (i.e. Siege-Gang Commander, Ringleader) it requires a signnificant investment in mana to have Deed remove these creatures. Depending upon your metagame, I would even go as far as to say that you should have 1 Deed main, and after boarding you should bring in another Deed and the Firestorm, along with BEBs to make this match much easier.

And regarding my choice to run Snuff Out in my board, it isn't just there to kill Angels, while it may very well be its primary use. Snuff Out can remove ANY non-black creature in the format. It can be a Welder, a Memnarch, an Arrogant Wurm, the list goes on. Now I understand that most people would argue that you can just use an artifact removal spell to kill Memnarch or Platinum Angel as opposed to Snuff Out. While this is true, the match-ups versus Slavery(both Control and Workshop) is a very mana intensive one, and any sort of tempo boost can be very key to winning the match. Snuff Out being relatively "free" is much bigger in the match than most people realize, since not leaving mana up to counter key spells can be game very quickly. And yes, I do realize that Artifact Mutation is a much bigger tempo swing than Snuff Out, but 2 off-color mana can be difficult at times.

[Matt]

Also, to preempt the issue of the lifeloss: there really aren't any decks right now that can do 14-16 damage to you but not 20.

[walkingdude]

Also, against gat if they tap out to drop an early dryad it is often important to kill it before things get out of hand. If you need to let it go a few turns before you can kill it that’s bad. If you need to tap a bunch of mana two turns in a row that’s also bad. Snuff out has helped me out here in testing. (incidentally GAT can deal 16 but not damage sometimes)

[Wudil]

If you as Hulk are able to consistenly ready to combo your opponent out by turn 3 or 4, then your Keeper opponents are not playing the deck well or not mulliganing properly. It's a VERY even matchup and 2 hits from the Angel pushes things into dangerous territory. In all of my playtest games, a turn 2-3 Angel (which is not very difficult)
If it's not big in your area, then fine, but if there are a lot of Angels at the top tables, having a wishable answer greatly helps out that matchup.

Hmmmmm when seeing the Dülmen results and what you are saying about GermBus, I think I should make more playtests against it because I wasn't seeing this matchup as an even one. It was more going like 60-40 if not more...

If my playtests conclude what you are saying, I also should manage a place for a removal and Snuff Out (the lifeloss is "nothing" compare to an active Angel...   ) could deal with an early Angel (not speaking about Dryads, Mongrels and more...), yes.

I'm not speaking about FCG (and the Firestorm issue) because it was usually a good matchup for me, I don't need any more playtests here and even if it can sometimes kill me (it's a combo creature based so...), this isn't a bad matchup.
With the second Deed in the side + the 2 BeB (and F/I if needed), I think this would be enough to fight over him.