[Discussion] Article: Learning the basics of TEPS

[ErkBek]

The article has been submitted here: http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=31884.0
I'm turning this into its own thread because it's more of a discussion thread than a feedback thread.
-Jacob

Another great article Jeff. I really liked how you did the storm X win percentages, as I have often been unsure on Desires for 4 or 5.

I'm a bit of a hater on this deck, largely since I've created and played variations of it long before coldsnap and through TS, and I've had very little success with the deck online (then again I haven't played it in many tourneys). Maybe its bad luck, but I think the deck has a number of problems. The first and without a doubt biggest problem is Orim's Chant. That card wrecks this deck more than any other deck I've seen. Every aggro deck, running white should run 3 or 4 on their sideboard if they expect this deck to show up at all. In post board games, I've never seen an aggro deck lose a game in which it drew chant vs. TEPS (something like 15-0 when drawing it). The reason why this is so effective is simply TEPS can't board in duress, because they need strictly business post board and they don't have time to wish for duress. Stifle is very painful too, but not quite as bad. Another problem is UB control (tog like) decks that run duress and counters together are such a beating, luckily they've mostly fallen out of the current metagame.

You had an overall record of 26-22 in matches and you didn't go into scepter chant, the deck's worst matchup which probably would be about 4-8 (or worse), bringing you to a record of 50-50. Now maybe its just me, but don't you think that there is a better deck out there? I sure do.

Again, thanks for another article. I hope SCG's reluctance to publish them won't cause you to quit writing. I feel that your articles a much better than most of the others on the site (http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/13574.html).

[Gekoratel]

I do agree that Orim's Chant is the worst card for this deck but decks that run that as there out to TEPS also need to put the deck under a fast clock.  So decks like Boros can really take advantage of Chant while decks like Astral Slide it will not do very much for.  This actually has some similar parallels to vintage where with a deck like Pitch even if your opponent has Stifle/Trickbind action if they aren't putting you on a clock it wont matter.  The overall result of TEPS wasn't that impressive but extended is so open now and there are only a few decks that I really don't want to play against with TEPS so I think it is a solid choice for the extended season.  I most likely will continue to write because I find it enjoyable but I plan on focusing on Vintage because theres a good place to post articles still.

[Mr. Nightmare]

Xantid Swarm solves Orim's Chant.  Just saying.

I've been following the development of this deck over on mtgSalvation since it's inception, and can honestly say I can't see any reason to play any other deck in Extended right now.  Excellent article, Jeff.

[ErkBek]

Xantid Swarm solves Orim's Chant.  Just saying.

So should you bring in Xantid vs. Boros? What about when scepter chant draws a Helix or has chant on a scepter?

[Gekoratel]

Against Boros I would just board in Duress if I knew they had Chant because worse case scenario it will trade for a burn spell or may even hit a Molten Rain.  Boarding in an 0/1 against a burn heavy deck can't be correct.  I'm going to add Defense Grid to my newest list because it seems solid against Chant and UW Tron cutting Chant's from my board because the mirror match is so luck dependant it seems pointless to dedicate slots for it.

Fire and Ice killing Xantid seems more reasonable because if the Chant player has any relevant cards in the board they are going to take out Wraths and Helix's.  Personally against Control decks like UW Tron and Scepter Chant I bring in 3x Duress and hope that is enough to go the distance.  I've noticed that a lot of players are pretty clueless about how to properly disrupt TEPS which is another incentive to play the deck.  For example in the PTQ I attended my Scepter Chant opponent had 2 Scepters, 1 on Counterspell and 1 on Fire/Ice, so he upkeeped tapped my fresh Lotus Bloom which was correct but then he used the other Scepter to counter my Rite of Flame.  So storm was already 4 so I just Seeting Song'd into B. Wish-> Empty the Warrens and killed him.  In another round my Trinket Angel opponent tapped out for Trinket Mage fetching Tormod's Crypt so I couldn't use Sins of the Past.  Since he was tapped out I had no fear of Stifle and a decent sized Desire finished the job.

[Mr. Nightmare]

Against Boros I would just board in Duress if I knew they had Chant because worse case scenario it will trade for a burn spell or may even hit a Molten Rain.  Boarding in an 0/1 against a burn heavy deck can't be correct.  I'm going to add Defense Grid to my newest list because it seems solid against Chant and UW Tron cutting Chant's from my board because the mirror match is so luck dependant it seems pointless to dedicate slots for it.

Fire and Ice killing Xantid seems more reasonable because if the Chant player has any relevant cards in the board they are going to take out Wraths and Helix's.  Personally against Control decks like UW Tron and Scepter Chant I bring in 3x Duress and hope that is enough to go the distance.  I've noticed that a lot of players are pretty clueless about how to properly disrupt TEPS which is another incentive to play the deck.  For example in the PTQ I attended my Scepter Chant opponent had 2 Scepters, 1 on Counterspell and 1 on Fire/Ice, so he upkeeped tapped my fresh Lotus Bloom which was correct but then he used the other Scepter to counter my Rite of Flame.  So storm was already 4 so I just Seeting Song'd into B. Wish-> Empty the Warrens and killed him.  In another round my Trinket Angel opponent tapped out for Trinket Mage fetching Tormod's Crypt so I couldn't use Sins of the Past.  Since he was tapped out I had no fear of Stifle and a decent sized Desire finished the job.

I definately wouldn't side in Swarm vs. Boros, I was being facetious.  In fact, I doubt I'd board them at all, since they're basically terrible vs anything other than straight control, and you have a built in strategy to win those matchups (storm).  Defense grid seems to be a good card to use, effectively making their chants cost 5 with scepter, or 4 without. 

I've seen suggestions on running Dark Confidant in the board.  I am vehemently opposed to this idea.  Aggro is your worst matchup (aside from Flow-Rock and MBC), and hitting yourself in the head for 6 is rarely a good use of Dark Confidant.  Has anyone tried running Compost in the board?

[Gekoratel]

Has anyone tried running Compost in the board?

What matchup do you want Compost for, the rock decks of the format?  I've found they make up a pretty small portion of the field so I would rather have the Grid's for Tron and Chant which make up a larger part of the meta.  Compost is probably insane against Ichorid but thats already a good matchup for TEPS.

[Mr. Nightmare]

Has anyone tried running Compost in the board?

What matchup do you want Compost for, the rock decks of the format?  I've found they make up a pretty small portion of the field so I would rather have the Grid's for Tron and Chant which make up a larger part of the meta.  Compost is probably insane against Ichorid but thats already a good matchup for TEPS.

Basically, I'd want it for the worst matchups, those being the ones with a clock and hand disruption.  Decks like the MBC deck with Ghost Quarter that popped up here and there are a beating, and are getting more popular around my area for some reason.  Boros is about an even matcup when they don't have Chant, since it's basically a race, with Chant it's a bit worse, but if you both have Chants you can use them as Fogs to buy time.  Defense Grid is probably your best bet vs. Chant, but doesn't help against black disruption.