Oath of Auriok: Taking 3rd at SCG P9 Chicago

[moxpearl]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/9492.html

Here's my quasi-SCG report / quasi-deck strategy article on my take on Oath Salvagers.  Of note, it packs Duress, no Mana Drains, and the Tinker Colossus win in the main.  Happy to hear your thoughts on the deck and sideboarding strategies.

[Methuselahn]

Congrats on the win Tom!  Many would call your build unconventional.  Oath with only Force of Will for counters, but your aggressive approach paid off.  Good show!

[LotusHead]

  From Article: "...If you want a control version, play Mana Drains and Gifts Ungiven, but my success has come with a simple strategy of getting the Oath of Druids and Forbidden Orchard down as quick as possible and giving up on the long game."

Your build seems to be oriented to pure combo with little to deal with resolved hate (a lone Seal of Cleansing).  Obviously it worked because you finished so high.  Congrats by the way.

Are there any changes you would have made for your list? Mostly about the long game, or are you perfectly happy with pure combo game 1 and fighting through the hate games 2 and 3?

Congrats on the win again.

[moxpearl]

I’ve been fine-tuning this deck for a while, and I’ve realized that the primary strength of my Salvager Oath build is its speed and it’s ability to play all five colors.  The Chalice and Meandeck Oath builds are much better at playing a slightly slower / more control version, so if you want control, I think those decks are better than Salvagers Oath.  In other words, why put mana drains in Salvagers Oath, when you can just plain switch to Chalice Oath. 

As for hate, yes, there's so much graveyard and combo hate in Sphere of Resistance, Chalice, Null Rod, Ground Seal, Tormod’s Crypt, and Coffin Purge, but that’s why the Angels (Iridescent and Pristine) are sided in against every opponent with the exception of facing another combo deck.  I kept in one Salvagers, Lotus, Pyrite in case they didn’t bring in the hate. 

In addition, with red and black at your disposal, it’s fairly common that you can Turn 1 Duress, Turn 2 Oath; Or Turn 1 land, brainstorm Turn 2 mox-land-Oath protected by REB; or Turn 1 Oath-countered, Turn 2 tutor, Turn 3 Oath again.  Control decks have a tough time stopping that quick of a drop. 

And remember, with demonic, vampiric, enlightened, mystical, Rack and Ruin and Ray of Revelation in the side, and Gaea’s Blessing to reschuffle, and Yawgmoth’s Will, those few counter-hate cards can go a long ways.

The only change I might make is to switch Timetwister with some other draw card such as Skeletal Scrying.  And the sideboard is always in flux.  Again with five colors and 4 tutors, you can match their hate with better hate of your own.