Survival-Mask

[DEA]

woo
that's one interesting monoblack you've got there
anyway, i don't see how that should be happening
get survival in play and you should be set
your manabase shouldn't be that shaky that it'll crumble without birds
ramp it up to 4 mana (with sotf in play), drop a shapeshifter and if that gentleman decides to snuff out, drop a gigapede or phage to screw with him

[JACO]

If someone had problems with goblins i have big  problems against monoblack :

Contagion, Snuff Out, Cursed Scroll and Diabolic Edict burn my shapeshifter/birds/quirion....  :shock:

Duress, Tourach and Mind Twist discard my combo... :shock:


how can i find a good side for my survival mask BGw?

You should roll mono black, but if you are seriously having trouble with it, or you see a bevy of mono black decks in your area, you might consider running Compost in the side. Mono black usually wins by going TOTALLY NINJA on your ass (First turn Dark Ritual, Duress, Hymn to Tourach), and many decks will lose to mono black in that instance, not just yours. If it doesn't, you should win, and if you play Compost, you stand a much better chance, even if they do go ninja. Drawing so many extra cards (especially with more than one Compost) should definitely win you the match. You could also look into playing more than one Sylvan Safekeeper.

[BreathWeapon]

How do people feel about ESG in this deck? ESG allows first turn Survivals and Masks, and it is still an excellent source of Survival food. Thoughts?

[glimpsemask]

What about "true believer" IMHO is a good tech.. ....

or also spiritual focus....

what about these two cards?

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another very used deck in "my zone" is the "tendrill deck" and in that case the only solution that i find is stifle and/or Arcane Laboratory (slowww)

any ideas?
[/b]

[slighguy]

hi i have been playing mask now for about a week and i wanted to know if any one had any suggestions on my deck and a way to help me out against a meta of mostly gat and sui/sligh.this is the deck i have been playing any help or ideas are appriciated

comboe peices//
4-sotf
4-illusionary mask
win//
3-volraths shapeshifter
4-phyrexian dreadnought
mana dorks//
4-birds of paradies
2-quirion ranger
techy//
1-squee goblin nabob
1-gigapede
1-wall of roots(expendable)
1-tradewind rider(expendable)
1-voidmage apprentice
1-withered wretch
1-phage the untouchable
utility//
1-ancestral recall
1-timewalk
1-demonic tutor
3-duress
3-brainstorm
4-force of will
mana//
1-black lotus
1-mox sapphire
1-mox emerald
1-mox jet
4-wooded foothills
1-windswept heath
2-forest
4-bayou
4-tropical iasland


any help will be nice thanks

[glimpsemask]

slighguy: you need some artifact removal..

opponent: Damping Matrix  
you: lose  

[slighguy]

yeah i tried to gear the deck as fast as possible but i agree i need some artifact removal but i dont want to use the gangbang orangatan but i cant find any other choices cause i would realy like some blue removal if possible(force of will food). Is there any other good utility creatures besides the tradewind rider for this deck cause i never cast or use him.

i was thinking

-1tradewind rider
-1 wall of roots

+1 uktabi orangatan
+1 psycatog

and i was also thinking of removing 1 bird for another quirion ranger
whats your take on the idea??

[glimpsemask]

in my opinion:

-1tradewind rider
-1 wall of roots

+1 uktabi orangatan
+1 vigilante nantuko / Scavenger Folk


psycatog is a finiscer and you have 5 good finiscer: phage and the dreadnought why six?

[slighguy]

i use the tog because i can pitch him to force of will and i definetly need card to pitch. i try to keep it the same either way but if i need to i will play either the nantuko or a viridian zealot

[cssamerican]

Elvish Spirit Guide works in Full English Breakfast decks because you have more room in the deck. Another words, you are not running 4 Illusionary Masks, and you have to ask yourself while they are good are they better than anything else in the deck? The only cards I could possible see them replacing are the three Moxes, but I still think permanent mana sources are better than Elvish Spirit Guide. However, if you don't have the Moxes this is probably the direction I would go for a replacement.

Psychatog is an excellent finisher, cleans your graveyard for free, pitches to Force of Will, and is free discard outlet. And the nice thing about the Psychatog is it can do all of this even if you are playing with Ground Seal.

Do not bother running any creature for enchantment removal, it is a waste of time and resources. The reason for this is, if your enchantment removal can not remove Humility it is basically useless. Secondly Damping Matrix is not game; Volrath's Shapeshifter still works with Survival in play to do the pitching. You really do not need artifact removal maindecked, but if you do (Because Platinum Angel is rampant) then I would run Uktabi Orangutan as your answer.

On the above list I would do this
-1 Birds of Paradise, +1 Quirion Ranger (In a Suicide filled metagame land protection should be a high priority)
-1 Withered Wretch, +1 Psychatog (Against Sligh Psychatog is more effective since it can do some damage and it can't be removed as easily)
-1 Tradewind Rider, +1 Brainstorm (Helps get more consistent land drops, and helps get a creature, counter, or disruption in hand)
-1 Wall of Roots, +1 Duress (Remove non-creature and non-land threats before your opponent can play them, and is also very good against control. However, Wall of Roots is very solid if all you face is Sligh, Suicide, and Prison decks, it is just not as good against control decks as Duress is, so think about your metagame)
I do not like Voidmage Apprentice especially in the metagame you are talking about; I would rather have Sylvan Safekeeper. But if you need artifact removal more than protection from spells I would say this is the slot I would put Uktabi Orangutan in.

[DEA]

would like to confirm one thing with you guys
am i the only one who survivals for blue creatures to pitch?

[cssamerican]

No, if someone is casting Balance when I am about to smash their face in, or some other spell that can can change the game (Prevents me from winning or causes me to lose) I will survival up a blue dude and pitch him. It is better to do that, than to lose the game.  I am sure everyone can agree on that:)