[Premium Article] Building a Better Mud!

[Smmenen]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/15408.html

In this article, I explore a ton of options with MUD and settle on a list that I think is incredible right now.   

It's also a ton of fun!! 

Check it out!

[MadManiac21]

Any chance someone can post the list here to have some discussion?

[GrandpaBelcher]

Artifacts
1 Black Lotus
4 Chalice Of The Void
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Memory Jar
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
4 Sphere Of Resistance
4 Sword Of Fire And Ice
4 Tangle Wire
4 Thorn Of Amethyst
1 Trinisphere

Artifact Creatures
4 Juggernaut
4 Metalworker
4 Triskelion


Lands
4 Ancient Tomb
2 City Of Traitors
2 Mishra's Factory
4 Mishra's Workshop
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland

Legendary Lands
1 Tolarian Academy
Sideboard:

2 Crucible Of Worlds
2 Serum Powder
4 Duplicant
4 Leyline Of The Void
2 Umezawa's Jitte


No Karn makes me sad, but that's mostly for personal reasons rather than important strategic ones.  This deck looks like an absolute beating.  When can you not start out with a crippling Chalice of the Void or a Sphere?  It's like 80% that you do.

[Troy_Costisick]

Wow,

That's a beautiful decklist.

Peace,

-Troy

[Sextiger]

I'm really surprised at no Eon Hubs because if Flux hits the table, its essentially game over. 

[SonataOfTheCathedral]

I think the deck loves Ravager, cutting Karn seems understandable. But Ravager is what gives you so much more reach.

[MadManiac21]

Couple of questions, some of which have already been said

1) You need some sort of way to stop flux, which has started to see more sideboards as workshops have started to run more rampant.

2) No staff? randomly comboing out is nice. I can see how the idea is that the 9 spheres make it so that your opponent gets shut out, but showing up with the occasionally turn 2-3 auto win never hurts. What's the point of the metalworkers exactly then? Trying to get shop + metalworker + a sphere on turn 1?

3) 4 SoFI seems too much for only 12 creatures and 2 factories. I'd like to see ravager - or even crusher - make an appearance. And no cranial plating?

You just seem to be replacing too many "I win" with "I slow you down" cards.

I love tangle wire here. I've been playing it in my 5c/Uba stax list the past couple of months and it's been spectacular even though no one else thinks so. When the format is back to swinging with guys instead of rebuild eot-->tendrils, it's great.

[xycsoscyx]

Hmm, with your articles on MUD lately, I decided to once again subscribe to SCG, I'll edit in my comments here once I read the article.

DOUBLE EDIT: Great articles, btw, it was worth the SCG subscription (rather than having to wait 6 months). 

EDIT: Ok, now that I had time to read it (and I'll be going back and reading the first one, too), here's some thoughts.

1) I think your initial thoughts on Factories were correct, 2 is just not enough.  The fact that you don't run Crucible makes Factory weaker, but that gets into my next point (needing MB Crucibles).  You're basically playing MUD Landstill, your Spheres lock them down and don't let them play anything, while your Factories swing in uncontended.

2) Crucible of Worlds, especially with the rise of Shop decks in general, this card is the MVP!  In the mirror, the person to get down a Crucible first is in the best position, without a doubt.  You're looking to strip away your opponent resources and limit their options, recurring Waste/Strip is the way to do this.  Crucible also makes your Factories stronger, since you now have recurring blockers (not useful against Colossus, but great against Titans/Goyfs/etc).

3) Wasteland, I think no Crucibles main would warrent a full set of Wastelands in the deck, Wasteland can be the critical card against many decks (either destroying their land or forcing them to make a sub-optimal fetch for a basic land when they really need another color).  First turn Metalworkers are incredible (really, they are just an amazing thing), but being able to Waste your opponents first turn land (hopefully after Mox, Mox, Sphere) is just too good to pass up, as well.  It's really a tough call since your list is packed as is, but I would seriously try to find room for that one extra Wasteland.

4) Ravager, I think you were looking at Ravager wrong.  Most of your analysis talked about early game Ravagers and how he eats up resources (which is true), but Ravager is not an early game creature in this deck.  You only want 1-2 max, because you want him as a finisher (especially with Trike).  Ravager is there to break stale mates and get past big blockers, he is not a 100% auto include, true, but I would definitely try to find room for him in a MUD list.

5) 4x Sword of Fire and Ice, this is a tricky call, you want to see it as early as possible (and multiples are rarely a bad thing), but 3x has always seemed to be the right number in a deck like this.  You're not pure aggro, you're aggro/lock, you don't want to just pump out critters and swing, you still want to "lock" down your opponent as much as possible.  I think 3x can give you an extra slot without hurting the deck too much.  Just to note, though, there's nothing wrong with 4x (I would run 8x in most of my aggro decks if I could), I just think that this build in particular doesn't need all 4.

6) Serum Powders in the SB, it's one of those all or none cards, I know you're only using it for a better chance of getting Leyline against Ichorid, but I'd almost think something like 2x Leylne of Singularity (or even 2x Tormod's Crypt) would be superior.  2x Serum Powder just seems like you needed to fill in two more slots in the SB and thought "what the hell, can't hurt".

7) Staff of Domination, this is stupid fresh!  It's not necesarily an auto include (and like I said, your list is already packed as is), but this card is too good to not at least try to find room for.  This card can win you games that you have no right of winning (it allows virtual second turn wins, even), it can even allow 17 damage on turn two (draw most of your deck, play and equip 4x SoFI to Metalworker, swing).  It's less likely (because of the mana requirements), but it can tap down a Colossus every turn, as well (or even just gain you a few extra points of life every turn to keep you in it).  This card basically gives the deck a certain "dumb luck" factor as it allows a combo finish.

[beder]

Couple of questions, some of which have already been said

1) You need some sort of way to stop flux, which has started to see more sideboards as workshops have started to run more rampant.
2) No staff? randomly comboing out is nice. I can see how the idea is that the 9 spheres make it so that your opponent gets shut out, but showing up with the occasionally turn 2-3 auto win never hurts. What's the point of the metalworkers exactly then? Trying to get shop + metalworker + a sphere on turn 1?

I don't want to provide answers for steve but i will try a few explanations from my experiences.

First metalworker is a nice answer to flux. Plus you can use ancient tomb. Given the huge threats the opponent has to face, you may often race them before being devasted by flux.

The second point for Metalworkers is the "9 spheres". The point is : in order to be able to play efficently under multiple spheres you cannot only rely on shop. Deks that only rely on shops and play 9 spheres - even wih crucibles - often face situation of auto lock or at least "huge slow down". With metalworkers and 4x Ancient tomb, spheres become nearly assymetric and you keep explosiveness.

3) 4 SoFI seems too much for only 12 creatures and 2 factories. I'd like to see ravager - or even crusher - make an appearance. And no cranial plating?

Thanks to metalworker, you can produce enough mana to play and equip multiple SoFI, sometimes in the same turn, before attacking, on the same creature if you have to. When you add 2 SoFI on a single juggernaut already in play, it means 5+8 damages and +2 cards - most of the time it may be sufficent to end the game. The cumulative effect of SoFI means it is really not so crazy to try 4 of them (i still don't understand why this artifact has not been designed as legendary - cf uwezawa - or restricted...).

As you american guys say, just my 2 cents

[MadManiac21]

First metalworker is a nice answer to flux. Plus you can use ancient tomb. Given the huge threats the opponent has to face, you may often race them before being devasted by flux.

The second point for Metalworkers is the "9 spheres". The point is : in order to be able to play efficently under multiple spheres you cannot only rely on shop. Deks that only rely on shops and play 9 spheres - even wih crucibles - often face situation of auto lock or at least "huge slow down". With metalworkers and 4x Ancient tomb, spheres become nearly assymetric and you keep explosiveness.

Thanks to metalworker, you can produce enough mana to play and equip multiple SoFI, sometimes in the same turn, before attacking, on the same creature if you have to. When you add 2 SoFI on a single juggernaut already in play, it means 5+8 damages and +2 cards - most of the time it may be sufficent to end the game. The cumulative effect of SoFI means it is really not so crazy to try 4 of them (i still don't understand why this artifact has not been designed as legendary - cf uwezawa - or restricted...).

As you american guys say, just my 2 cents

Couple of responses:

1) I wasn't ever arguing against Metalworker - he is the core to any MUD deck. But you need to have a solution to flux. Counting on metalworker to provide mana is a bad choice - you want to be splooging all those cards in your hand onto the table, not keeping them in your hand to pay for the permanents that you already have in play.

2) The SoFI problem isn't a mana problem - it's a "do I have a dude to put it on" problem. With goyfs n co running everywhere, creature removal is being maindecked. An opponent swords/nukes your 1 jugg or metalworker in response to an equip, and your up shits creek until you top deck another one.

In a monobrown deck with metalworker, staff is a necessity. I'm curious as to why steve doesn't think so.

[Sean Ryan]

Todd, I agree with many of your observations in principle.  However, beside the 4th Sword, what would you propose cutting from Steve's list?  I often found myself cutting the 4th Trike, but then I didn't have to face Welders.

On the subject of Staff.  It's best coming out of the SB as a surprise that can overcome strategic superiority in against stuff like Ichorid and OAth.

Crusher/Plating are good they just do not belong in this deck.  The former is a horrible topdeck and the later requires a different build entirely. 

Eon Hub can be awesome, especially against Ichorid, not so much against Oath.  Flux is a beating but not unbeatable.  Too often EHub lends you to keep hands you shouldn't and to confuse your role.

The SB has many possibilities and is the area that will require the most work especially as it becomes a deck to beat.

Thanks
Sean   

[MadManiac21]

Crusher/Plating are good they just do not belong in this deck.  The former is a horrible topdeck and the later requires a different build entirely. 
 

I count 43 artifacts. Where else you wanna play plating?

[xycsoscyx]

Todd, who's Todd, I see no Todd here!

Anyways, I don't know if the Factories belong in this list in particular, like I said, they are seriously less powerful without Crucible (and not having a full set also makes them weaker).  I don't know if you can really replace them with Artifacts, though (I think those spots still need to be lands, possibly more Cities).  I don't think the list should cut a Trike, I agree that it's really good in the deck, you almost always want to play one.

Staff, I can understand it in the SB for a suprise, but just the chance of a lucky turn 2 win is just too good to pass up.  Like I said, if you absolutely can't find room, it doesn't hurt the deck not running it, but if you can find room, it's versatile enough that it should always be good to play.

Crusher/Plating, you're right that Crusher sucks late game, but I think for Plating, it's a great card.  Especially in this deck, though, Ravager would be just as good (and up the creature count).  Plating can be good anytime but still requires a creature out, Ravager is good anytime but is only better with a Trike on the field (by itself it's still at least a creature).

I count 43 artifacts. Where else you wanna play plating?

You want to play Plating when you actually have more creatures (ala Affinity), Plating also doesn't get through blockers right away (nothing in this deck gets through right away directly in the combat step), it's great in a deck like Affinity because they can pay BB to switch it to an unblocked creature.  This means it doesn't matter how big your creature is, if they keep blocking, then you keep crying as they get time to find answers.  Ravager at least lets you play tricks with the Modular, and like I said, is only better with a Trike on the field (sac to Ravager, then sac Ravager and modular the counters to Trike, ping for the win).

As for what to cut, it really is a tough call and I think requires knowing the meta.  With more and more creatures on the scene, Tanglewire is better and better, but if you're facing more combo or decks like that, then you can easily cut it as it becomes the weak link.  I've honestly never been 100% on Tanglewire, especially without Welders, but it is really strong in this deck, so it'd really depend on the meta.  There's also the possibility of a 4/3/1 split for the Spheres (typically cutting one Thorn), but that's only one spot, so it depends on what else can be modified.

[LotusHead]

Perhaps Lodestone Myr would be better than Juggernaught?

Lodestone Myr 4
Artifact Creature - Myr
2/2 Trample
Tap and artifact: Lodestone Myr gets +1/+1

With all the sphere's/Chali out, Myr could possibly get there while Jugg might die.

[Wagner]

Perhaps Lodestone Myr would be better than Juggernaught?

Lodestone Myr 4
Artifact Creature - Myr
2/2 Trample
Tap and artifact: Lodestone Myr gets +1/+1

With all the sphere's/Chali out, Myr could possibly get there while Jugg might die.

If you keep the Metalworker and if you play with Lodestone Myr, then please do play a couple of Staffs since those have incredible synergy together. (All mana (except shops) now give +1+1).

Otherwise, since the deck seems to generate ridiculous amounts of mana, wouldn't it be feasible to squeeze a Sundering Titan instead of a Trike?

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

I strongly disagree with staff being on "optional" inclusion to this build reserved for "when you can find room". Staff is definitely a spell that needs to be main decked in any Mud build. Staff is one spell you opponent has to do something about in a way that sphere's and wire is not, especially in a mana heavy build like this. It draws you cards, double threats, neutralizes aggro, and wins you games. If you haven't tried play testing it, I recommend it.

Also there was a comment on 2x powder. I had built a list running 2 in sb for a while; I like it so much I moved it to the main. Serum powder not only helps you get a leyline if your looking for it, but makes those terrible workshop mulligans better not to mention you can hard cast powder to improve your mana base where extra leylines would just be trash. They also make neat Karn targets. It's been a while science i did the testing, but I remember running 2x was still relevant and never cost me any explosive turn 1 plays, had they been other mana producers, and superior to late game mana producers.

[Sean Ryan]

On the subject of Staff,

You have to measure the difference between Staff comboing with Metal worker vs all the times when you draw it in isolation and wish it was something that effected the game more.  Then there is the issue of space.

These appear to be a must include:
30 mana producers, including Worker
1 Trini
1 Jar
4 Trike
4 COTV
4 SoR
3/4 Thorn

Then you have to start asking questions and looking to what strategy is the most effective in a given metagame.

Juggs follow your central strategy and Wires compliment this as do the Swords.  These are the only slots you have to work with.

Testing Staff in place of Swords is an option.  As is the value of Jugg.  Without Jugg or Smokestack Wire seems obsolete.

[dicemanx]

Staff is one of the best MUD weapons in any Shop Aggro mirror. MUD already is at a disadvantage against red based Shop Aggro (on account of Shattering Spree/Rack and Ruin and Welders), so Staff should at least make an appearance as a 4-of in the SB, if not the main deck, to even the chances.

I also feel that there should be 4 Eon Hubs in the SB against Oath, Ichorid, and any decks packing Flux (in case you cannot get a Metalworker to stick). The alternative against Oath is to run Jester's Cap in the SB, although Cap is less effective with so many aggro-control archetypes in the meta - it would be better in Gifts/Tendrils-combo infested metas.

[Smmenen]

FYI: I published Eon Hub in my previous MUD list from Jan. 16:
http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/15308.html

[maatn]

I recently piloted a slightly altered version of Meandeck MUD 2.0 in a small 12proxy Vintage tournament in the eastern part of Holland, in Hengelo.
The tournament consisted of five rounds swiss, of which I won 3 and lost 2.

Overall I was very pleased with the deck, the games I lost were against Drain-TPS and a 'home-made' TPS-like deck. As an aside, both decks ended up in the T8, no. 1 and 8 respectively. A short report can be found further down this post.

The only modification I made to the maindeck, is to move Crucible of Worlds from the sideboard to the main. As I read here on TMD, not only does CoW seriously improve the mirror (which I was expecting as MUD is becoming quite popular) CoW provides you with an infinite blocker TKDeeznauts and basically any other list that includes Tarmogoyf in the form of Mishra’s Factory. Furthermore, top-decking CoW-lock is always nice. And, CoW is ultimate counterbait. In fact, I could go on and on about CoW. I guess cows love mud .

Testing MUD showed me 9spheres is a lot. Redundancy is good, but so is flexibility. Furthermore, I read here on TMD that 4 Sofi’s could also be too much. In short:

-1 Thorn of Amethyst
-1 Sword of Fire and Ice
+2 Crucible of Worlds

This left me with an even shorter sideboard however. Since playing 4 copies of CoW just didn't feel right, I decided to search for alternatives. Testing also showed me that Serum Powder + Leyline of the Void didn’t really ‘seal the deal’ post-board against grave-loving decks. Including 6 cards meant removing 6 cards, which is never easy in such a tight list. Much like the comments on Eon Hub, boarding in Leylines makes you keep hands ‘you shouldn’t have’. It makes you underestimate your opponent and overestimate your chances. Furthermore, Leylines only attack one part of the problem. Relying on just the Leylines seemed unwise to me (or my brother to be precise). Replacing the Serum Powders with Pithing Needles seemed the better choice. Needles attack a wide variety of cards and improve your matchup against Bazaar-decks.

SHORT REPORT:
Decklist of the top 8 can be found here: http://www.magic-hengelo.nl/resultaten/080217%20Vintage/T8%20decklists.php. I played (and lost) against numbers 1 and 8.

1st Round: TPS? This deck ended up as no. 8 in the tourney. I won the roll and decided to keep an aggressive hand with metalworker, sofi and several juggs. My first turn metalworker gets countered unfortunately (and I learn that it is better to ‘lure’ counters with spheres!). Next turn I drop mox, juggernaut and start beating with equipped juggernaut on turn 3. Game 2 I drop an early CotV (set on 0). The CotV was the counterbait in this case, although my opponent didn’t get it. CotV resolves, leaving me unable to follow up with mana crypt. The next turn my opponent Duresses my second CotV away, that I wanted to set on 1…I lose to tinker-DSC. Game 3 gives my opponent an early tinker-DSC, but no Duplicants for me.
(0-1-0)
 
2nd Round: DrainTPS. Decklist see link above. This deck ended up as no.1 in the tourney. I keep a sub-optimal hand with Memory Jar and metalworker. I manage to get metalworker out and play memory jar of it. Jar gets MD-ed unfortunately, giving my opponent an awesome 5 mana in his turn to go nuts with. Result: Hurkyl’s Recall (no more spheres), Tutor for Tinker, Tinker DSC FTW. Game 2 I side all triskeys for duplicants and an ancient tomb for the random Jester’s Cap. I start beating but run into a Hurkyl’s Recall that gives my opponent a lethal amount of storm counters to kill me with Tendrills.

(0-2-0)

Both lists were TPS-based. The problem I ran into, is that TPS uses Hurkyl’s Recall or Rebuild on moxes and lotus to increase the storm-count. Those cards are slowed down by spheres, or sometimes even prevented by Chalice. They don’t stop them, I learned. And once they resolve, you don’t get the time you need to rebuild your team of spheres, metalworkers and juggs…

Round 3: Flash-slivers.
1st game starts with an early tangle wire (second turn). In spite of this, flash wins in his second turn.
Game 2 provides me with an initial hand that included something of workshop, tangle wire, metal worker, sphere, CotV and some other mana producing card I forgot. I seem to get out sphere, CotV (set on 1) early and follow up with three (!) tangle wires in succession. Keeping his lands and moxen tangled-up, I beat with juggs and sofi FTW. Game 3 is more or less the same, although Flash resolves near the end of the match, leaving me with 8 poison counters. Next turn I swing FTW.

(1-2-0)

Round 4: TKdeeznauts. I tested TKDeeznauts extensively, since I was expecting to see several of them this tournament. Game 1, I drop a first turn chalice for 2 and luck sack turn 2 Crucible-strip mine. I beat with Triskey and ping FTW. Sideboard: -4 trike, -1 thorn, -1 ancient tomb +4 leylines +2 Needles. Game 2 I start with leyline (preventing his goyfs to grow bigger than 2/3) and an early CotV for 2. My opponent forfeits the game.

(2-2-0)

Round 5: Dawn of the dead. Games 1 and 2 were almost identical to TKDeeznauts: chalice for 2 hurts a lot! In game 2, I needled Zombie Infestation just to add insult to injury. Sideboard: -4 trike, -1 thorn, -1 ancient tomb vs +4 leylines +2 Needles

(3-2-0)

I ended up somewhere between number 9 and 12 I guess. Nonetheless, I was very pleased with this list! It was very consistent, I rarely needed to mulligan. Against combo, I guess I needed a little more tournament-experience in order to succeed in the art of counterbaiting. From the third round onward, I think I did O.K. though. Apart from the horrible sideboarding against Flash in round 3. I believe I added duplicants in favour of triskeys… The art of sideboarding is something I’m working on right now .

As a final note, could adding Jester’s Cap be a way of improving the combo-matchup? I also thought of running 4 copies of Psychogenic Probe (shuffling is something everybody does a lot in vintage). Staff of Domination however...

Thanks Stephen for posting this list.

[Tareth]

I have been running a version of Meandeck MUD 2.0  for the last 2 weeks now at a local 10 proxy tournament, and I guess I'll write up my report from the last one I went to. There were only 11 people at this one so there were 3 rounds of swiss. They were originally going to cut to the top 4, but they cut to the top 8 just for kicks.

The changes I made to the original deck:
Main Deck:
None
SB:
-2 CoW
-2 Serum Powders
-2 Jittes
+4 Staff of Domination
+2 Jester's Cap

Explanations:
CoW - I had them the first time I played and they were just under preforming. I sided them in and either never saw them or wished they were something else at the time.

Serum Powders - Only once did I ever mull to 4 without getting a Leyline against Flash and I still pulled it out.

Jittes - See CoW

SoD - Comboing out is always fun, but it's even nicer coming from the sideboard when they don't expect it.

Jester's Cap - I really wanted a 3rd one but couldn't find one around town. They performed exceptionally well every game they came in.

Some more explanation:
I am no good at sideboarding. No, really. I can hardly ever decide what to take out. I always know what I want to bring in, but never know what to take out.

The Tourney

Round 1 against some sort of Fish deck? (I never got to see a lot of his deck, you'll see why)
Game 1: Turn 1 Juggernaut followed by turn 2 SoFI + equip proved to be too much.
SB: +4 Staffs, -1 Tangle Wire, -1 SoFI, -1 Chalice of the Void, -1 Mana Crypt
Game 2: Turn 1 Metalworker into a turn 2 Staff. Combo'd out on turn 2.
(1-0)

Round 2 against Mono Red Burn-Beats?
Game 1: I get an early Sphere while they keep dropping power and mountains. I get a chalice for one and after 6 turns they concede.
SB: See round 1
Game 2: Their turn 1 consisted of Mountain->Spark Elemental->Blazing Shoal pitching Dragon Tyrant. I take 13. A couple turns later after some Tangle Wires I get a Chalice for 1 plus Metalworker/Staff. I combo out and they concede.

(2-0)

So far so good.

Round 3 against Supreme Stax
Game 1: I get a turn 1 Metalworker. He drops a Goblin Weilder which Trisk takes care of on my next turn. I ride the Trisk and Metalworker equipped with a SoFI to the finish.
SB: See round 1
Game 2: Turn 1 Tinker->DSC. My Duplicants were in the sideboard so I concede.
SB: +4 Duplicants, -4 can't remember
Game 3: Turn 2 Metalworker Staff combo seals the deal.

(3-0)

I'm 2nd/tied for 1st after 3 rounds of swiss.

Top 8 against StormTendrils
Game 1: Tinker->DSC. Enough said.
SB: I take a chance here and only side in 2 Duplicants along with my 2 Jester's Cap.
Game 2: I Cap him and remove his 2 Tendrils and Will. He concedes.
SB: I take an even bigger chance siding out the 2 Dups and 2 other things for 4 Staffs.
Game 3: I get an early Metalworker, but no Staff. He gets a turn 2 Tinker and I am preparing for a loss when he says, "Oh.. I sided out my DSC." Whew. He gets a Mana Crypt and ends his turn. Turns out it wouldn't have mattered since I top deck a staff and combo out.

(4-0)

Top 4 against Supreme Stax
Game 1: It's a little fuzzy but it came down to Jugg beats.
SB: Same SB as before.
Game 2: He gets CoW/Strip lock on me and I concede.
Game 3: This game took a little over an hour to finish. It came down to him getting a Weilder and a Trisk to ping me to death. He had a terrible start and I kept a terrible hand. If I mulled to 6 I might have won.

(4-1)

Overall I came in 3rd.

Thoughts on Staffs: I sided them in for 7 games and combo'd out 4 of those games. I wouldn't take these out for anything.

Thoughts on Jester's Cap: I believe the Caps greatly improved my combo matchup and I will probably add a 3rd to my SB.

Changes I am currently considering: I am thinking of moving the Staffs to the main deck along with 2 Duplicants.

[Smmenen]

Thanks for the reports!  Nice reads!

[maatn]

@Tareth:
Thanks for the report! I guess I'll be taking Staff of Domination and Jester's Cap with me next time. The random combo-kill is just what you need. Also, I'm glad to read that Jester's Cap really is that nasty I thought it would be.

[Tareth]

Some observations from the local tournament I went to last Saturday:

I went 2-1 in the 3 rounds of swiss and lost to the same person in the Top 8.

Overall I got 7th.

Vashino Heretic absolutely tears this deck apart, with the only main deck answer being the Trisks. Pithing needle in from the sideboard might be a viable option, but I don't know what to cut for it.

[sorcutt]

I really don't understand all the hype about Staff of Domination.  Sure, the card is pretty good for a surprise option to combo out in Mud.  I don't think it's really a viable/optimal option for mud for two reasons:

a) It is dependent on 2 cards.  Staff is pretty craptacular without a worker out.  Thus, you have potentially 3-4 dead cards in your deck sans worker.
b) There is TONS of artifact disruption out there nowadays.  Oodles.  Force, Drain, Duress, Thoughtsieze, Oxidize, Shattering Spree, bounce, and the list goes on and on.  It just seems like a janky cane half the time when you draw it more than a staff of awesomeness.  I'd rather have 3-4 other legitimate threats in my deck.

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

I really don't understand all the hype about Staff of Domination.  Sure, the card is pretty good for a surprise option to combo out in Mud.  I don't think it's really a viable/optimal option for mud for two reasons:

a) It is dependent on 2 cards.  Staff is pretty craptacular without a worker out.  Thus, you have potentially 3-4 dead cards in your deck sans worker.
b) There is TONS of artifact disruption out there nowadays.  Oodles.  Force, Drain, Duress, Thoughtsieze, Oxidize, Shattering Spree, bounce, and the list goes on and on.  It just seems like a janky cane half the time when you draw it more than a staff of awesomeness.  I'd rather have 3-4 other legitimate threats in my deck.

there are a few problems with this assessment.
a) Staff on its own is very good, it taps down goyf, dsc, and naught. between wire, stax, and sphere. this buy you A LOT of time. Staff draws you other threats, staff gets you out of storm range. I've been testing staff in various mud configurations for a couple months now, playing 3 in every build, and staff apart from worker has defiantly been a factor in the win count.
b) by this logic, you shouldn't play cards that are artifacts, not just staff, because they get hit by, fow, drain, toughtsieze, oxidize, shattering spree, bounce, the list goes on.