[Article] Minor Deck Customization in Vintage

[Vegeta2711]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/14724.html

It's kind of grabbagish, I talk about a bunch of different topics, although I spend the most time on how small changes in Vintage decks have major impacts.

READ A BOOK READ A BOOK. READ A MOTHERFUCKING BOOK.

[diopter]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/14724.html

It's kind of grabbagish, I talk about a bunch of different topics, although I spend the most time on how small changes in Vintage decks have major impacts.

READ A BOOK READ A BOOK. READ A MOTHERFUCKING BOOK.

I think you're overrating Gaddock Teeg. Firstly it's in G/W which is (like) the worst color combination (ever). Secondly it doesn't affect deck fundamentals the way that Meddling Mage (on say, Dark Ritual or Brainstorm) or Aven fricking Mindcensor does. Thirdly (and this is related to the firstly and the secondly) why play Gaddock Teeg in G/W when I can play Meddling Mage in U/W, thus eliminating green and not playing the worst manabase (ever)?

[The Atog Lord]

Gaddock might be strong in a deck like Vroman's excellent deck from worlds. It's even on-color. Also, I wonder if DanYarington will do something clever with Gaddock.

[Dxfiler]

why play Gaddock Teeg in G/W when I can play Meddling Mage in U/W, thus eliminating green and not playing the worst manabase (ever)?

Why not play both in Birdshit?

That deck, which was basically UGW fish, could realitstically make a comeback with this card and possibly other things like ponder.  I don't know if Gaddock is worth committing to green as a third color in a 3 color fish build when you have black right now with confidant and duress, but it's certainly worth consideration. 
With Tarmogoyf and maybe mongoose or other green things, UGW could be a serious contender as a deck once again.
 
One thing I'm sure of... Lam Phan will probably have a heart attack over this card.

- Dave

[Vegeta2711]

why play Gaddock Teeg in G/W when I can play Meddling Mage in U/W, thus eliminating green and not playing the worst manabase (ever)?

Because you run fetchlands so it's infinitely easy to play him as a splash? This is Vintage, every mana base is the same. It's hard to have a worse mana base than anyone elses unless you run Strips, because it's the same fucking fetches and duals.

Like I'd run Teeg, because he does way more damage to GAT and Ichorid than Meddling Mage and he incidentally also stomps other cards like FOW and such against a variety of archetypes. He also can be played turn 1 far more often. If something is ever restricted, if anything his value goes up, because he wrecks storm combo; since no matter how many cards they draw they won't be able to back-up the bounce spell with counters.

[zeus-online]

I hate that creature already

I think it's gonna be VERY viable..With both the Goyf and this guy blue/white/green might become the "correct" fish colors now.

I do, however, think that vintage will be the format where he will have the LEAST effect...sure vintage is the only real spell-based format left, but it's also the only format where most cards that cost more then 2-3 mana is pretty much unplayable.

It's a shame that magic has become more creature based in recent years though...makes it look alot like other TCG's.

/Zeus

[Methuselahn]

Yet another article where Josh cuts out the fat and spells it out how it is.  His grasp of Vintage is as good as it gets.

It's a shame that magic has become more creature based in recent years though...makes it look alot like other TCG's.

what.

creatures=more interaction.  more interaction=less whining.  less whining=more fun. 

This guy will make a relatively strong wave in the general Vintage meta and then die down a bit, much like Mindcensor, I imagine.

[Grand Inquisitor]

Good read.

I'd like to hear more about this:

In the literal sense (i.e. at tournaments), the format has stayed the same, and in some ways slowed down - at least for the early rounds - but in the “ideal” metagame the format has actually gotten much faster.

because he wrecks storm combo; since no matter how many cards they draw they won't be able to back-up the bounce spell with counters.

Does this matter since you can't either?

[Dante]

Good read.

I'd like to hear more about this:

In the literal sense (i.e. at tournaments), the format has stayed the same, and in some ways slowed down - at least for the early rounds - but in the “ideal” metagame the format has actually gotten much faster.

because he wrecks storm combo; since no matter how many cards they draw they won't be able to back-up the bounce spell with counters.

Does this matter since you can't either?

But it's totally feasible to run it in a 3-color deck and either have blue (Drain, Mana Leak) or Red (Rebs) to support it.

[sorcutt]

READ A BOOK READ A BOOK. READ A MOTHERFUCKING BOOK.

Buy some land, buy some land, by some GODDAMN LAND.
FUCK SPINNIN' RIMS.


On a serious note I did some brief testing with him in staxless stax and the mana base just really didn't support him.  I think the best usage for him would be in a birdshit varient running Aether Vials. This guy is sick with vials.

[KnowmaD]

When I see or hear the words "can't be played," I think really!? When I see spells with mana cost  4+ and anything with  can't be played (excluding creatures,) I think damn, why not just print this at 3+ and X and really go unfun (for everyone else... insert crazy laughter here)  Thankfully testing did good at their job.

I have to wonder if this isn't an attempt for WOTC to counter-balance their recent decision to unrestrict Gush.  I don't want to think that R&D would just do it to see if Gush may still be broken.  No, I'd hope decisions that affect an entire community of players wouldn't be so sloppy.  If this is the direction we are heading, then bring it on, but that means we'll definately need to see more card insertions for the format and while we're at it, we'd better clean up the restricted list seeing that the majority has the opinion to do one thing or another with it, including myself.  I've always seen the list as a pedestal for a few cards that help define the format and have proven to be worthy.

I do, however, think that vintage will be the format where he will have the LEAST effect...sure vintage is the only real spell-based format left, but it's also the only format where most cards that cost more then 2-3 mana is pretty much unplayable.

I agree about the 2-3 mana range but the cards he does hit tend to be important.  As a standalone I don't have much of a concern for this guy, but with other pieces of the puzzles there's reason for an alarm to be raised.  I'm thinking something along the lines of Sphere of Resistance and a plethora of other cards that hinder spells from being played .

 What really interests me at the moment is watching a possible convergence  of archetypes.  We'll have to think about it more before coming to too many conclusions on the subject.

p.s. I'm not sure how this would happen, but i wouldn't want to see Trinasphere/Teeg across the table

[Dante]

I have to wonder if this isn't an attempt for WOTC to counter-balance their recent decision to unrestrict Gush.  I don't want to think that R&D would just do it to see if Gush may still be broken.  No, I'd hope decisions that affect an entire community of players wouldn't be so sloppy.  If this is the direction we are heading, then bring it on, but that means we'll definately need to see more card insertions for the format and while we're at it, we'd better clean up the restricted list seeing that the majority has the opinion to do one thing or another with it, including myself.  I've always seen the list as a pedestal for a few cards that help define the format and have proven to be worthy.

The development cycle on this card was probably much longer than when they decided to unrestrict Gush.

[KnowmaD]

   Too true Dante , though that doesn't change what i was saying , actually i 'm sure that wizards knows what there doing and has a good  plan  for the direction  they' re  taking things. And i'd like to think that wotc has taken more of an interest  vintage and we’ll see more changes happening  to  keep things interesting.