[Free Article] City of Brass - Vintage Besieged

[TheBrassMan]

Slightly in-depth set review

http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/vintage/21001_City_of_Brass_Vintage_Besieged.html

feel free to trash my card evaluations here!

[DubDub]

free

Operative word.

Is the article's non-premium status just related to it being a set review, or a new direction for your work with SCG?

On topic, I was glad to read your thoughts, thanks.  I think Tezz is being underrated, if that's possible.  He's such an efficient answer to fish decks without being dead in other matchups.  You talk about how Tezz1.0 'just wins the game' instead, but that's not true when facing 2+ power of dudes, or when the opponent has a way to destroy Time Vault, or when Vault is already in the bin, or when Null Rod is on the table, etc.  Tezz2.0 is better in several of these situations, the same situations that caused 'Tezz decks' to switch almost entirely to Jace2.0.

[TheBrassMan]

but to be fair, Tez decks still have Jace 2.0 for that.  I'm not comparing Old Tez vs New Tez -- I'm comparing Old Tez + Jace to New Tez + Jace, and in that case I think old tez gets the nod.  But you're right, New Tez is less conditional on what the board looks like - though I think it's a little more restrictive in how you build your deck, as the average Time Vault deck probably doesn't run enough artifacts to consistently hit on a +1.

I like the card more in Legacy, where I'm more comfortable playing with numbers.

[Smmenen]

free

Operative word.

Is the article's non-premium status just related to it being a set review, or a new direction for your work with SCG?

I was curious about this too.  I saw that Brian's article last week was free.  Has SCG moved you guys to freemium? 

Obviously, I think you missed the boat on a few cards, but I'll wait until my set review to tell you which

[Cyberpunker]

I disagree with you on Goblin Wardriver. I am going to really try it in my Legacy Goblins and I think it really strengthens the deck. But this is just theory  Results may or may not follow.

Nice review! On the side note you missed the fact that Sphinx still gains life and in the damage race it can be preferable to BSC in situations where you need to defend. (Although I am in the opinion that everyone should run BSC because of the fact that it exists and not running it would make my tinker worse than their tinker)

[TheBrassMan]

I disagree with you on Goblin Wardriver. I am going to really try it in my Legacy Goblins and I think it really strengthens the deck. But this is just theory  Results may or may not follow.

Hey man, I said I like the card!  I just think it synergizes more with a more aggressive build.  It's not as friendly with Goblin Matron/Goblin Ringleader as it is with Mogg War Marshall

Nice review! On the side note you missed the fact that Sphinx still gains life and in the damage race it can be preferable to BSC in situations where you need to defend. (Although I am in the opinion that everyone should run BSC because of the fact that it exists and not running it would make my tinker worse than their tinker)

Thanks! but I assure you, I didn't forget Spinxes lifelink , That's why I said it was better than Blightsteel against RG Beats!  Honestly, if you hadn't picked it up, I pretty much hate Sphinx, and am a little boggled by how popular it's been.  I am thinking about writing a Tinker-Target-Chosing article sometime, which would certainly include more in-depth Sphinxchats ... though Blightsteel makes that conversation slightly less interesting.

[Eastman]

Nice job on the article, it's a pretty solid analysis of the set so far.

I was wondering if you had any thoughts on Green Sun's Zenith in Hermit Druid?  I realize Druid isn't exactly a vintage staple, but neither are the elf combo lists that you discussed putting it in.  Realistically I think both hermit and elves are pretty weak decks that win mostly by surprise.  You note that elf combo would be fundamentally altered if a functional reprint of glimpse were printed, I agree.  Might GSZ be a functional reprint of hermit druid though, having a similarly substantial affect on the strength of the deck?  

@Steel Sabotage

I couldn't agree more.  People often forget the key point that you raise--countering a sphere/chalice/wire is usually cheaper and better than blowing it up would be.  You also make a good point about sideboard cards that don't win it all but that move you along.  Very often stopping something small that lets you play your big spells is just as (or more) important than laying a bullet out there.  

Moreover, I ran two MD trygon predators in my last tournament over the nature's claims in my shop/util slots.  I didn't do that because I thought trygon was better against shops, I did it because it is blue and can pitch to FoW against everything else.  Sabotage does the same and I will be carefully considering whether to swap the trygons out for them.  

[TheBrassMan]

My main problem with the Zenith-Druid idea is just that it feels worse than Worldly Tutor.  Lots of creature tutors exist already - Eladamri's Call does it for 2, Muddle the Mixture finds druid and also has an extremely relevant other mode.  I'm not even sure Zenith would be any better than the cards that already find Druid... but even if it was, it's probably not *so* much stronger that it changes anything.

of course, just like elves, I think there's a chance the deck was already better than we're aware, and that the attention brought by Zenith could get someone to make it work... but I don't see Zenith itself being that important

[hitman]

Honestly, if you hadn't picked it up, I pretty much hate Sphinx, and am a little boggled by how popular it's been.

Thank you.  I thought I was the only one that felt this way. 

[Cyberpunker]

Nice review! On the side note you missed the fact that Sphinx still gains life and in the damage race it can be preferable to BSC in situations where you need to defend. (Although I am in the opinion that everyone should run BSC because of the fact that it exists and not running it would make my tinker worse than their tinker)

Thanks! but I assure you, I didn't forget Spinxes lifelink , That's why I said it was better than Blightsteel against RG Beats!  Honestly, if you hadn't picked it up, I pretty much hate Sphinx, and am a little boggled by how popular it's been.  I am thinking about writing a Tinker-Target-Chosing article sometime, which would certainly include more in-depth Sphinxchats ... though Blightsteel makes that conversation slightly less interesting.

And I would love to have a debate with you and explain to you why I have chosen to run Sphinx as opposed to all other possible choices in my Elephant Oath deck. (I actually wrote a whole article on it and posted it here on TMD)

[AmbivalentDuck]

Great article!

I think we'll all be excited to see Flasher Myr and Knowledge Pool's impact on Workshops.

[brokenbacon]

"You want to win some games of Magic? GO FOR THE THROAT."
PERFECTION. YOU ARE A GENIUS, BRASSMAN.

[oshkoshhaitsyosh]

Nice article, I agree with your points!!! LOVE FREE-BEES!

[Mr. Type 4]

Andy, I thought your method of analysis here (what situations make this card good, when should we wantto play this etc) was very good.  it puts things into a pretty useful perspective instead of just spouting off random speculation.  Nice work.