[Deck Discussion] Pitch Long - its been left behind?

[akabane]

Hi all again, i didn't post for a long ( ) time, but now i'm back here to discuss with you about a deck i'm currently playing.
As you probably argued from the topic title, that deck is Pitch Long.

I really wonder WHY no one posted a really serious recent discussion about this - i read the old topic about it but it's really not updated.

For you, is it outdated? It's been outraced by other decks? It's weak? It's too difficult to manage for playing it in tournaments?
Really, i don't get the point.
This is one of the bomb-o-decks in the format, fun to play, difficult to master; for me, it's one of the best decks in vintage right now.
It seems that all of you combo-players forgot about it when gush has been unrestricted - all playing gushstorm, tts, and so on...
do you really think they're so MUCH better than long?
I read lots of reports, no one is taking this anymore in tourneys and really don't get why.

So i'd like to start a NEW discussion about Pitch Long here, to know your opinions, maybe expand it, i'd really like to hear the opinion of all the players who took it in play, and all the great open-minded players TMD has who still like it and maybe, for a reason or two, don't play it.


By the way, here's the list i'm playing right now:

1 Island
1 Swamp
2 USea
4 PollutedD
1 Badlands
1 B/R Fetch
1 Tolarian
5 Mox
1 Lotus
1 SolR
1 MCrypt
1 MVault
1 LPetal
4 DRituals
2 CabalRits

3 Street Wraith

4 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral
3 GrimT
1 DemonicT
1 VampiricT
1 MysticalT
1 TimeWalk

1 Chain
1 Hurkyl

4 FoW
2 MisD

1 Necro
1 Bargain
1 Desire
1 Tinker
1 Jar
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Twister
1 YWill

2 Tendrils


SIDE:
3 SSG
2 Hurkyls
4 Duress
2 DefGrid
2 Tormod's
1 DColossus
1 Chain of Vapor


Hope this topic will capture some of those who didn't talk about it only because they didn't know where to 
Really, IMO PitchLong is a really neat deck, capable of doing miracles 

Hope you think this too and join this topic!

Akabane

[Liam-K]

Unfortunately the deck is largely outmoded by new cards and b/r changes.  Ponder and Gush in addition to Brainstorm allow you to reduce the concentration of card disadvantage mana, leading to more slots that do stuff, so pitch long's classic "good cards in bad configurations" problem looks really awful in comparison to other options.  This shell is also extremely merchant scroll friendly if you choose to go that route, which is better than grim tutor by a colored mana.  In addition, its traditional advantage in the pitch counter department is no longer really present... everyone has misdirections.  Lastly, its single bomb centric playstyle has much more trouble reloading than gush based lists.

This is without taking into account the Flash deck.

[ErkBek]

As the creator of Pitch Long, here's what I've got to say:

Grim Tutor is inefficient and in a metagame packed with Gush and Duress efficiency matters. That's why you won't find any Grim Long or Pitch Long at the top tables at most events.

To combat Gush's efficiency storm combo has adapted by cutting back on tutors in favor of more "small" draw effects like Gush and Ponder so it can recover from disruption (specifically duress) faster as well as sculpt hands that win through counters better.

Beyond this, GushBond enables all decks running it, a Yawg Will that is equivalent to any deck with Rituals.

I doubt Pitch Long will ever resurface as a tier 1 deck unless shops make a comeback. It's important to understand, Pitch Long was built for a different metagame.

I split in tournament recently with about as pure of a storm combo deck as you'll find. All the draw7's, none of the Ponder/Gush shit. I'll post a list after the SCG p9 weekend.

[arj]

I think it's still highly relevant in the current meta and here's why.

Gush Tendrils gets utterly destroyed by workshop, if workshop has a decent pilot (at least pre-board). Chalice 1?

Secondly while one would think draw 7's are quite bad in a meta with lots of flash, it really puts the deck over the edge. Making it bombalicious. See 3. And often you fire off the draw 7's before flash has enough mana to use the instant win.

Third, it doesn't die to a single force. The deck has so many bombs that it can consistently fight a high number of counter spells and duresses.

Forth, you can run the red spirit guide, which is just house against workshop.

Fifth with fish as low as it is now, combo is just a good answer.

Sixth, it can race ichorid's speed in pure combo mode.

I have played a lot of combo and after dipping my feet in the gushy waters I have returned to bomb long as I like to call it.

[Ufactor]

Reguardless of how valid this deck is, I have to give props for including Street Wraith.  It fills holes that Ponder (bah!) does not:

1a) Mana-tight hands - one land in your opening draw, and you want to use it on something other than Ponder.

1b) Similarly, it's casting cost allows you to cycle multiples in one turn.

1c) Cycles through spheres

4) Cool tricks with topdeck tutors.

Good show!!

[The Demon]

The issue I have with Pitch Long is that I don't see it beating any of the top decks right now.  Have fun taking that deck into a format that is filled with decks that are packing tons of duress effects, four scrolls to get FoW, and a real draw engine. 

Now that the Painter deck is one of the best decks in the format, it is going to be a mind fuck of epic proportions trying to beat a deck that not only runs 8 red blasts main, but makes all of your shit red blastable.

I wouldn't say that the deck is forever dead, because people have said that about Slaver, Bomberman, Oath, Ichorid, Dragon, etc etc etc.  But right now I wouldn't want to play it. 

[Tobi]

I split in tournament recently with about as pure of a storm combo deck as you'll find. All the draw7's, none of the Ponder/Gush shit. I'll post a list after the SCG p9 weekend.

Any chance to see this list, now the SCG p9 weekend is passed?

[frolll]

Any chance to see this list, now the SCG p9 weekend is passed?

Actually, any chance to view this tournament's top 8 (or top 4) ? :p
A deck playing with all the draw7, that puts me on tilt !

[Ged]

I split in tournament recently with about as pure of a storm combo deck as you'll find. All the draw7's, none of the Ponder/Gush shit. I'll post a list after the SCG p9 weekend.

Any chance to see this list, now the SCG p9 weekend is passed?

Seconded.
Additionally, some explanation on card choices and if you'd change anything after the tournament wouldn't be too bad either.