[Article - Premium] Meandeck Tendrils, Part Two, Card Choice

[Smmenen]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/expandnews.php?Article=8884

In the first part of this series, I introduced a new Type One deck. It was an attempt to break the format - A deck that will take a great deal of time to completely master, will test your limits, hone your skills, and demand elevated focus. In this article, I’m going to explain and justify the various card choices and show how to play them correctly.

Next week I hand the reigns over to Justin Walters - and you don't want to miss that.

Here is a cool quote that will hopefully get you interested:

One of the cards I considered was Culling of The Weak.
I believe Culling of the Weak to be ridiculously broken. Lion's Eye Diamond gave you three mana at the price of what was left of your hand. This nets you three mana at the price of a zero-mana creature.

Thoughts, comments, spare change?

[Moxlotus]

Again, very nice article.  I think you could've explained about Elvish Spirit Guide since that was played in Meandeath and Belcher but not in this.  I know that it doesnt up storm count, but at first glance it seems like a natural inclusion to those who haven't tried the deck out.

It was a very good explanation of many of the cards, especially the disagreement about Necro.  I will look forward to next week's.

[Smmenen]

I knew I would forget some cards.  ESG was in the original list.  The problem with ESG was the same problem as Vampiric Tutor - the storm issue.  It didn't test very well and I'm not sure that I have anything else to add.

Which reminds me - I also tried Quiron Dryad in the deck.  Which didn't work either.

[Zherbus]

Very nice Stephen. It's hard to squeeze everything that crossed our minds in that article, but you didn't pretty good there. I look forward to seeing Justin's article in the finish form.

[mr_amn]

I have to say that I enjoyed the article.  I was considering trying the deck out, and after reading your card choices, I understood the deck a bit more.  Now that I finally got my Ancestral in (I hate to proxy cards), I'll take the deck up to the local shop and test it out.  The only problem I have here in ND is that there's not really a T1 crowd, then again I am the only damned person that actually owns any P9 . . . or even any duals for that matter.

One more thing, I only joined SCG premium in order to read your articles, hopefully I'll get more out of it.

[majestyk1136]

I knew that joining SCG premium would be worth it Smmenen.  If nothing else I get to read you and Zvi.  Hilarious.

About the deck:  I understand the importance of Night's Whisper as a pure card advantage device.  It is doubtless a good route for restocking for a second try after having been disrupted.  I have found in repeated Goldfishing (both pure goldfish and a 'fish with a FoW on the first critical component) that the fourth Night's Whisper tends to get in the way unless I have resolved a Cabal Ritual with Threshold.  That action wins the game pretty much regardless, but I tend to be forced to Brainstorm away the spare copy.  Having (hesitantly) placed Vampiric Tutor in the rotation for the fourth Whisper has had the effect of powering up the cantrip eggs to a higher level than the current random draw.  That statement bars Brainstorm stacking of course.

At this point I haven't done an exhaustive simulation in order to provide statistics, but as with any restricted card drawing it is as random an event as is drawing DT.  The aggregate effect however is to essentially give you a third chance (1.5 times as many opportunities) to get either a Lotus or Ancestral.  You have Goldfished the deck and played it in more tournaments so I lay at your feet the question of whether or not this is a line of reasoning that you have pursued aggressively and whether I am barking up the wrong tree.

[Smmenen]

I have to say that I enjoyed the article.  I was considering trying the deck out, and after reading your card choices, I understood the deck a bit more.  Now that I finally got my Ancestral in (I hate to proxy cards), I'll take the deck up to the local shop and test it out.  The only problem I have here in ND is that there's not really a T1 crowd, then again I am the only damned person that actually owns any P9 . . . or even any duals for that matter.

One more thing, I only joined SCG premium in order to read your articles, hopefully I'll get more out of it.

Unfortunately, I think this deck is mostly a deck for you to flex your magic mucles with.  I wouldn't play this deck in an entirely unpowered environment becuase the risk that you die to your own mistakes or spoils is too high relative to any number of given decks you could pilot to ruin your local field.

I'm glad you guys did get premium.  Here is a little roadmap of what I'm writing about in the next few weeks:

* Next week will be my recommendations for the restricted list - so mostly a policy argument

* The following week is an article that I'm really looking forward to putting up and I hope people will get a kick out of - it's going to be a comprehensive look at the Slaver lists - I'm going to weigh with a categorical analysis on two important questions: a) Shay Slaver or Goth Slaver and b) U/R Goth or U/R/b Goth?  The hope is that anyone who wants to stake out a position differently than mine will have to, at the least, rebut the reasoning presented in this article.

[Vegeta2711]

It was a good read, I liked hearing the thoughts behind a lot of the choices. Even if some were self explanatory.

EDIT:

* The following week is an article that I'm really looking forward to putting up and I hope people will get a kick out of - it's going to be a comprehensive look at the Slaver lists - I'm going to weigh with a categorical analysis on two important questions: a) Shay Slaver or Goth Slaver

This should be intresting. Rich himself just submitted his own article on some of the key differences.

[BreathWeapon]

@Steve,

Isn't writing a policy suggestion on Premium asking to be ignored? If the idea is to influence reader's thoughts on what should and should not be on the restricted list, then why would you submit such an argument to such a small venue of readers? I fully agree with the decision to use Premium as a way to make people pay for tech and advice, but starting private arguments about the B&R list on Premium seems questionable from one published ccg auther to another.

I'd also think the reverse is true, if a private argument turned into a reason to restrict some one elses cards (say Dark Ritual or Trinisphere) I'd imagine I'd be pissed about it.

I know I'm really not interested in paying for Premium simply to read some one elses thoughts on the B&R list.

But on the flipside, if you could get Burning Wish and Regrowth unrestricted that would be awesome

[jpmeyer]

Issues articles are always free.  That's why my last article and Chad Ellis's article from today were free while our strategery articles will be Premium.

[BreathWeapon]

Issues articles are always free.  That's why my last article and Chad Ellis's article from today were free while our strategery articles will be Premium.

Ah, I misinterpretred Steve's comments to meen the issues article was included in his Premium section. That's good to hear.