Dark Fish wins a Bazaar in Seattle 5/27. Deck list & Report

[Sean Ryan]

Tournament Report: 2nd place Seattle Vintage 5/27
Deck: Dark Fish u/b/w A.K.A. Fishy EBA

I’ve been working on this deck for awhile.  It’s designed to be a foil to the post Richmond metagame, particularly with Control Slaver in mind.

Since Dark Confidant was released I like many others thought that it most belonged in a Fish deck..  I also knew that I wanted to play Meddling Mage, one of the best disruptive creatures available.  So I set about putting together a U/b/w fish deck.  The deck ended up building itself so to speak.  I basically wanted to use the best tempo cards available in those three colors: Null Rod, Force of Will, Duress, Stiffle, Swords to Plowshares, Kataki War’s Wage.  As I was putting these cards together I remembered EBA another u/b/w tempo based deck that often used Negators.  The Negator was the perfect finisher for my creature base.  His drawback is practically non-existent in Vintage right now.  More importantly, he provides Fish with a real clock, one of Fish’s biggest weaknesses IMO.

Fast forward to Richmond.  I was playing Surprise Giftz and ended up facing Mark Perez (Phantom Tapewurm) and he was playing the same deck as I had been working on I the laboratory.  We exchanged a few ideas, and after the tournament  it became apparent that this kind of Fish might have promise post Richmond.     

 I posted a thread in the Improvement forum that didn’t generate much attention, but was informed that this deck had already shown results in European top8s and was refereed to Morphling.de.  The European builds were slightly different from what I had put together, lets say they just weren’t quite as Fishy.  None of the builds main decked Null Rod or Kataki, instead opting for a Full Set of Moxen with Rods in the SB.  Most used Mana Leak over Stiffle. 

I couldn’t argue with their results, but I felt that they really should be abusing tempo more and cutting off artifact mana with Null Rod main.  Basically, I think that in Vintage you either need to abuse Yawgmoth’s Will or prevent it, and the Fish strategy is great at this.

Dark Fish U/b/w

     Creatures: 14
4 Meddling Mage
4 Dark Confidant
2 Kataki, War's Wage
3 Phyrexian Negator
1 Withered Wretch

Disruption:16
4 Force of Will
4 Duress
3 Null Rod
3 Stifle
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Echoing Truth

Draw/Search/Brokenness: 7
4 Brainstorm
1 Time Walk
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Ancestral Recall

Mana: 22
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire

1 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Scrubland
3 Tundra
3 Underground Sea
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland

SB:
3 Arcane Lab
3 Energy Flux
3 Annul
2 Sacred Ground
2 Jitte
1 Darkblast
1 Sword’s to Plowshares

The sideboard has some weaknesses, Ichorid for example, but I knew that both Stax and combo would be out in full force, so I prepared accordingly.

Tournament report

Round 1: Win

James Perman with ICBM Oath

Funny, this was what I played 2 weeks ago placing 4th.  I’m familiar with the deck and the match up.  This one could really go either way, I’m just hoping he doesn’t have Simic Sky Swallowers games 2 & 3.

Game 1
James opens with stupidity: Orchard, Mox, Oath go...  I lack the Force.  I open with a Confidant, and my StP is Forced next turn.  Next.
Game 2
I keep this seven: Meddling Mage, Annul, Brainstorm, Black Lotus, Island, 2xDelta.  Seems good.  This time he doesn’t have first turn Oath.  I’m able to develop board position with a Mage naming Oath holding the Annul as back up.  We jockey for position, I win a battle over Ancestral and that’s about it.
Game3
James opens with an Orchard, Mox, Mana Vault, go. 
I mull to 5.  Bad news:(
I lead with Lotus, Duress, Dark Confidant.  I think I took his only draw spell, a Thirst for Knowledge.  Confidant does it’s thing and before you know it I’m back in the game with a Null Rod stunting his mana.  I manage to Force a Negator through that ends up going all the way.  Toward the end of the game an interesting situation arose where he plays Chalice at 1 while I have StP, Stiffle x2 and FoW x2.  I calculate the damage I have on the board and it looks like I will kill him even if he resolves Oath, his only other out would be Timewalk.  However, my life is at 7 which means Confidant could kill me.  I decide not to Fight over the Chalice at 1 with the reasoning that if he resolves Timewalk I will lose, leaving the Confidant damage to chance.  No Oath, No Timewalk, No death from Comfidant.  GG

Round 2: Win
James with Urbana Fish     

Game 1
I win the die roll and open with Duress seeing: FoWx2, Ninja, Shaman, Dark Confidant, Mox Jet, Wasteland.  I take the Mox and hope he doesn’t top deck land.  He doesn’t, for like the next 2 or 3 turns.  I counter bait 2 Dark Confidants, then resolve Negator.  I counter his attempts at playing Dark Confidant.  I  waste his first land drop and the Negator goes all the way.

Game 2
I don’t remember exactly how this game starts but my opponent Mulls to five then plays some artifacts and a Confidant. I draw my single Darkblast and resolve the single Kataki I left in.  How Lucky!


Round 3: Win
Michael Gurney (ex-pro) w/ Control Slaver.
 
Michael is one of the best players in NW Vintage scene, so you know you have your work cut out for you whenever you face him.

Game 1
I lose the Die roll.
This game is a bit foggy, but I remember he resolves a Welder and is seeing a lot of cards via S.Top and Thirsts.  Tinker/DSC finishes me shortly therafter.

Game 2
Michael mulls to 5
Turn 1 I Duress seeing: DSC, S. Top, Mana Vault, Sea, and REB - I take REB.  Turn 2 I play Confidant.  This game is over before it even began.

Game 3
Michael leads with LOA but I Duress seeing: Sapphire, Tinker, Brainstorm, Trike, and Volcanic x2.  I take the Brainstorm as I plan on naming Tinker with my Meddling Mage next turn.  My deck is doing it’s thing well while Michale can’t seem to get off the ground.  I resolve a Null Rod, Keep Trike off the Table and my Negators are closing in.  In the final turns I Duress, Michael responds with Drain.  On his turn he attempts to crack a fetchland which I stiffle, leaving him unable to cast his only out: Will.

I can now draw in with 3-0-2

Round 4: Draw
Round 5: Draw

Matches: 3-0-2
Games: 6-2      

Randy Buehler(Grim Long), Rob Leidle(Slaver), ?(Cerebral Assasin), and Myself all draw in and go for Taco Del Mar.  Food is so tech.

Top8

I face Rob with Control Slaver.  Rob is a very competent player who usually piolets Gifts or Slaver.

Game 1
I mull to 3!!! and proceed to lose to Turbo Tinker.

Game2
I open with Duress seeing: FOW, TfK, Pyroclasm, Will, DSC, Island x2.  Wow.  I think for a long time and take the Thirst.  I resolve a Dark Confidant which meets Darkblast but I get Null Rod to stick and beat in with double Negator.

Game 3
This game was very intense and I didn’t take a single note.  I Duressed his Will early on and played Meddling Mage naming tinker.  We had a stand off between my army of dudes and his Trike (Nagator’s drawback came into play here, preventing me from attacking).  I Brainstormed into Ancestral, Null Rod, and something else.  So sexy!  I lead with Recall hoping to bait any counters, it resolved, and then so did Null Rod.  GG.

Top 4

Michael Gurney rematch with Control Slaver
Game1
I win the die roll and mull to 5 keeping: Lotus, Sapphire, Tundra, Withered Wretch, and Meddling Mage.  Michael leads with LOA, again.  This time he gets it going and starts drawing a bajillion cards, Slaves me with a Negator that eats my board.  Next!

Game 2
I open with Duress seeing: Welder, Duress, Fire/Ice, Trike, Volcanic, Fetch, Pearl.  I debate between Fire/Ice and Duress choosing Duress after much thought.  Michael plays a Welder, which I Darkblast next turn.  He Duress’s me next and Strip s a land I think I Forced a Thirst.  At this point we are both in top deck mode.  I resolve Dark Confidant, he resolves Trike.  I Duress taking Pyroclasm and resolve Negator.  He Recalls I Force.  I DT finding and resolving my Recall, then Rod, Negator, Mage naming Will. GG.

Game 3
Michael opens with Lotus land pass.  I Duress into his Brainstorm seeing Walk, Brainstorm, Crypt, Fetch x2.  I take the Brainstorm.  Next turn my Demonic Tutor is Drained.  I’m able to get a Negator to stick and then Michel proceeds to Mindtwist my hand away but he has little left.  I resolve Meddling Mage naming Will.  He draws some cards and Brainstorms but doesn’t do much while I’m beating away.  I think I made a mis play by playing a second Negator with the possibility of him wiping my board with Pyrocalsm, but he didn’t so I win anyways.

Finals

Randy “the Jedi”  Buehler with Grim Long.

Against most players I wouldn’t be that worried playing Grim Long, but with Randy behind the Wheel it’s just scarry.

Game 1
I lose the die roll and Mull to 6 keeping this hand: Brainstorm, Stiffle, Walk, StP, Tundra.  Turn one Randy plays a Desire for 3 that sets him up to Grim Tutor.  On his second turn I opt to Brainstorm in response to his Ancestral instead of holding the mana for Stiffle.  Mistake.  I don’t find the Force and end up losing to Will that turn.  No Force, no 2nd turn = GG

Game2
I keep a hand with Force, Rod, Arcane Lab, Brainstorm and Mana.  I Force his Necro and end up getting Null Rod down turn 2.  Randy Brainstorms on his turn and passes.  Turn 3 I play Arcane Lab, things are looking good right?  Wrong!  The jedi master is holding REB.  We jockey for position the next turn with me Duressing away his Twister only for him to Brainstorm into Bargain the next turn.  GG

Final Record
Matches: 5-1-2
Games: 10 - 6         
      
Oh well, I needed the Bazaar to finish my play set anyway.

Comments

I think this build of Dark Fish was the perfect deck choice for the metagame and in particular this  tournament.  As long as Lightning Bolt and other aggro stay out of Vintage Negators really provides Fish with the clock it so desperately needs.  The maindeck destroys control while maintaining a solid game against combo and to a less extent Workshops.  Games 2 & 3 my sideboard absolutely destroys Stax with 12 possible cards coming in for that matchup.  The new Oath tech Simci Sky Swallower  poses a bit of  problem, making the argument for Annul even stronger as StP becomes useless post sideboard.  However, you have numerous premptive measures: Duress, Mage, Annul, Stiffle or even Seal of Cleansing.  If they don’t get an Oath down early you can still race them.  If you expect a lot of aggro or FCG don’t play this deck period.

Anyway, thank you for reading I hope this was  informative and at least a little enjoyable.  I would appreciate any critique or suggestions offered.

PROPS
* Card Haus for hosting a great event with awesome prize support!
* Truc for driving and skipping out on a baby shower so I could get a ride home.
* Randy for being a Jedi.  It was an honor to lose to you.
* Darren for the Negators
* Negators for providing Fish with a real clock
* Control Slaver players for being so numerous and my single best matchup.
* Me for metagaming right and performing with a new deck for the first time.

SLOPS
* To all those people who distract players in the Top 8.  Just shut up already!
* Quizznos, fix your oven!
*European players who built my deck before I knew it existed.  Oh wait they play with Mana Leak instead of more Fishy things
* Me for Brainstorming instead of keeping Stiffle ready.               
           

[The Chosen One]

You do know that as a handy failsafe you can protect your permanents by stifle"ling" your negators downside.

I like the build quite a bit, I play U/r fish and the best quick clock I can maintain is genju of the spires. Negators are a great creature but their downside can be a nuisance sometimes, but like I said you can stifle it!

[Grand Inquisitor]

Did you ever feel your mana base was stretched?  22 sources, 4 of which get shut off by your own rod and only 2 basic seems really light for a 3-color deck.

[Metman]

Sean, it was cool watching you play in the top 8.  I didn't get to see your finals against Randy, I had a long drive.  Anyway congrats on the finish.  I have to say that your deck was amazing metagamed for the environment.  You really nailed it on the head.  I didn't think your Oath matchup was that strong until you told me you had a good SB for it. 

A couple of questions for you though, how was the single Wretch in the MD?  I have always really liked it and would have expected more in the MD.  What was the reason for the single? 

How did you like Null Rod and Kataki both in the MD.  Did they ever conflict with each other?  Having to pay for Null rod because you have Kataki out seems counterproductive.  Would You rather have had more or less of either one of them? 

How handy were the Stifles.  My testing has shown that some matchups Stifle is insane, others really blah.  What were your thoughts on it in the metagame? 

[Dante]

Reports go in this forum.  If you can't post new topics here, I'll bet the rules tells you where you should...   

- Dante

[Sean Ryan]

@ Bruenor,

Stiffle the Negator? Sweet! That's per source of damage, not for each damage?  Oh and by the way Stiffle was great for me all day, except when I didn't keep my mana open for it.

@ Grand Inquisitor,

In short, yes.  My mana base was stretched, but it didn't burn me.  However, I didn't play any Stax.   I originally had 23 sources, but I compared my list to some of the European lists and I thought I'd also try 22.  The Europeans didn't even have use single basic.  Confidant and Brainstorm help quite a bit, and being mana flooded is definitely worse than being mana light with this deck.  I also considered this mana base:
4 Artifacts
4 Waste/ Strip
6 Fetch
2 Sea
2 Tundra
1 Scrub
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains

13 ways to find Island
7 each for Swamp and Plains
(not counting artifacts or considering Duals, Brainstorm, Confidant)

I would often keep a one land/mox hand if I thought I could get Confidant to stick.


@ Metman,

Thanks!  The sideboard is very important to this deck and is something that will require constant work to stay competitive.  Right now I am loving Annul, but a little worried about being able to shore up all the necessary matchups.   I now call for a 20 card sideboard in Vintage.

Withered Wretch: I like him but the double black is risky and I find 2 Kataki's more important.  Wretch actually took the place of the 3rd Kataki.  I see him as similar to C. Slavers single Tormod's Crypt.  He's useful against mos decks but I really never want to see more than one in play.  You also must ask, what to cut.  Look at the deck list again, it's tight. 

Kataki: He acts as a weaker Null Rod and acts as a potential bomb against Stax, which can be rough game 1.  When I dropped from 3 to 2 I stopped having problems dealing with Rod/Kataki overflow.  Against most decks I want them both out by the mid game once I get 3 land drops.  Stunting mana is crucial.  Kataki helps here.

Stiffle: I would be hardpressed to drop these.  Stiffling Fetchlands is devastating to control.  They play an important role in nearly every match up. Stax-Smokestack, crucial Welder activations, Chalice at 2 (very bad!)  Oath - Oath.  Combo - Tendrils/Desire.  This deck abuse tempo like no other, and Stiffle is one of the tools that let you do so.  I tested the Mana Leaks over Stiffle and found the only matched the improved was Stax.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Sean     

[seer]

It's not even per source of damage. The ability triggers every time damage is dealt to the negator. If I block your negator (in combat) with a 1/1 and a 2/2 the saccing permanents ability only triggers once. Thus you only need to stifle one thing on the stack.

[Lunar]

Anywhere where I might find the top 8 lists for this tourney? Curious about the Cerebral Assasin list in the top there.

[Sean Ryan]

I sent a request out to our local boards for decklists.   Running a deck like Cerebral Assasin gives you huge surprise value against alot of players. 

Sean