[Premium Article] The Jan-Feb Metagame Report

[Smmenen]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/15594.html

At present, Vintage is full of entertaining and powerful options. The metagame is packed with great decks that run the gauntlet of Magical strategies. Today’s So Many Insane Plays sees Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian break down the important Vintage results from January and February… so, exactly where is the metagame headed?

[Shock Wave]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/15594.html

At present, Vintage is full of entertaining and powerful options. The metagame is packed with great decks that run the gauntlet of Magical strategies. Today’s So Many Insane Plays sees Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian break down the important Vintage results from January and February… so, exactly where is the metagame headed?

Good article Steve, I appreciate the raw data feedback. I have long thought that Merchant Scroll has been a problem and I would like to see it restricted. As I'm sure you know, I vehemently disagree with Flash remaining unchecked in its current state, but perhaps if Scroll takes a hit, Flash will become less consistent. I don't think allowing Gifts or Fact back is the right move, but I also don't think testing the waters is a bad idea.

What about just putting Merchant Scroll and Gush on the list, and taking some of the lesser cards off? The format is deadly fast right now. What about slowing it down a bit and allowing Mana Drain back into the game?

[diopter]

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/15594.html

At present, Vintage is full of entertaining and powerful options. The metagame is packed with great decks that run the gauntlet of Magical strategies. Today’s So Many Insane Plays sees Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian break down the important Vintage results from January and February… so, exactly where is the metagame headed?

Good article Steve, I appreciate the raw data feedback. I have long thought that Merchant Scroll has been a problem and I would like to see it restricted. As I'm sure you know, I vehemently disagree with Flash remaining unchecked in its current state, but perhaps if Scroll takes a hit, Flash will become less consistent. I don't think allowing Gifts or Fact back is the right move, but I also don't think testing the waters is a bad idea.

What about just putting Merchant Scroll and Gush on the list, and taking some of the lesser cards off? The format is deadly fast right now. What about slowing it down a bit and allowing Mana Drain back into the game?

Mana Drain doesn't really need to come back into dominance in Vintage. When the Vintage metagame is such that Drain decks don't need to worry about interacting on turn 1, that's when Drain into bomb becomes the only viable blue-based strategy. There isn't anything else in that time frame that provides the tempo boost that Drain does, except for maybe Workshop - and Workshops provide the Drain deck with the juiciest targets.

In short, I disagree with your proposed suggestions.

[Shock Wave]

Mana Drain doesn't really need to come back into dominance in Vintage. When the Vintage metagame is such that Drain decks don't need to worry about interacting on turn 1, that's when Drain into bomb becomes the only viable blue-based strategy. There isn't anything else in that time frame that provides the tempo boost that Drain does, except for maybe Workshop - and Workshops provide the Drain deck with the juiciest targets.

In short, I disagree with your proposed suggestions.

I suspect that if leaving Gifts alone and taking Scroll out of the mix would prevent Drain decks from enjoying the same level of dominance they had during the Meandeck Gifts/Pitch Long era. With the advent of Tarmogoyf, today's aggro-control decks are far more punishing and would give Drains a run for their money. Workshop decks now have 9 sphere effects that can push Drain back far enough to mount an intelligent offensive. I don't think you've fully considered how today's metagame and the heavy Drain metagame of old differ.

[diopter]

Mana Drain doesn't really need to come back into dominance in Vintage. When the Vintage metagame is such that Drain decks don't need to worry about interacting on turn 1, that's when Drain into bomb becomes the only viable blue-based strategy. There isn't anything else in that time frame that provides the tempo boost that Drain does, except for maybe Workshop - and Workshops provide the Drain deck with the juiciest targets.

In short, I disagree with your proposed suggestions.

I suspect that if leaving Gifts alone and taking Scroll out of the mix would prevent Drain decks from enjoying the same level of dominance they had during the Meandeck Gifts/Pitch Long era. With the advent of Tarmogoyf, today's aggro-control decks are far more punishing and would give Drains a run for their money. Workshop decks now have 9 sphere effects that can push Drain back far enough to mount an intelligent offensive. I don't think you've fully considered how today's metagame and the heavy Drain metagame of old differ.

I was thinking more of the Control Slaver era. Drain into Thirst into Welded bomb or just Drain into bomb can be just as devastating as it was back then. Moreover getting to run Drains, Welders and generally more basics and more lands really helps in the Workshop match. Remember the reason that Slaver was pushed out the metagame was that a faster Drain deck (Gifts) appeared. Now Slaver is not in the picture because it can't handle the faster Gush and Scroll decks and keep the Drains it so badly needs for its engine, at the same time. I really believe that Slaver would dominate (or at least be just as prevalent as GAT) if you removed the Gush and Scroll threats it faces.

[hitman]

Slaver was not pushed out by Gifts because Slaver had a really good matchup against Gifts.  What Slaver can't handle very well is an abundance of resources early in the game.  If Slaver's opponent can cast a slew of spells on turn one/two, Drain and Force probably aren't getting there.  Slaver can be tuned to beat GAT, but not Flash, Long, Ichorid, the new Dreadnought decks with Duress, Stifle, FOW, etc., and new versions of Stax, as well.  Big mana decks aren't going to be winning as long as they're fighting Duress and Force of Will on one side and multiple sphere and waste effects on the other.

[Harlequin]

Not to derail the thread, but I think this is exactly what Tyrant Blue does:

It can fight Fast spell/resource decks with Remora; while protecting itself from wasteland with a huge 6:5 basics and fetches count. 

It really is the "new" control slaver.  The days of needing multiple activations to win via slaver are over.  Today decks either lose to a single Slaver activation or they are too slow to race DSC.  This makes a card like Welder obsolete in a true "control" slaver deck.  With welder out, Thrist can be rexamined (and converted into synergistic Meditates).  This stratigy change lowers the dependance on off-blue solutions and bombs; which strengthens your match up against anything geared to punish Gush.  With Welder, Thirst, and off-blue cards gone, the deck can free itself from the constraint of running robots, Warrens or tendrils for the win - and instead go with a slightly more meta-geared and on-color Show and Tell Tyrant package.