Dark Stage

[KrauserKrauser]

So, with the new Legendary rules, Vintage (and Legacy) get a new uncounterable combo that will give you a 20/20 indestructible monster as early as turn 2.

While this is by no means game winning as bounce, Jace, Swords, etc. all get rid of the token, it is definitely a strong combination.

Here is my first run at a basic shell to build from:

4 Vampire Hexmage
4 Dark Depths
4 Thespain Stage

4 Dark Confidant
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Imperial Seal

1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Jet

From there you could go straight Dark Depths and add in rituals, thoughtsiezes and even the Helm/Leyline combo

You could also splash blue for Ancestral, Time Walk and Countermagic

Another option is a Green splash for Explore, Tarmogoyf and Regrowth

Alternatively you could easily work it into a MUD shell of 5C Stax, though it would probably be sub par compared to Key/Vault.

Loets of options available and the uncounterability of the combo makes it pretty interesting.

[nataz]

Green also gets life from the loam, crop rotation, fastbond, and living wish. Mox diamond is also a consideration with so many dead lands.

other random ideas have included bazaar and crucible.

[StanleyAugust]

Previously I've been working on a GWB Dark Times build which I definitely will take up again. I actually think it could be really good.

[Stormanimagus]

I'm not sure that hexmage is the best fit for this combo anymore and I'm relatively sure that a 3-color deck isn't going to support 6-8 copies of colorless lands too well. Why not try this in a UR Landstill or Shop shell first? That seems like a more natural fit and gives a combo finish to any otherwise slower deck.

-Storm

[StanleyAugust]

Well, I wouldn't play 6-8 copies. Most like just 2 Dark Depths and 1 Thespian's Stage in a modified three color Dark Times shell with Knight of the Reliquary.
That said, I too think that the best shell would be Landstill, perhaps with Expedition Map. Thespian's Stage is probably better here than in any other deck and Dark Depths is less dead on its own here than in any other deck as well.

[MaximumCDawg]

Someone over at MTGTheSource suggested Scapeshift.  I can dig that.  You Shift 3 lands for Ancient Tomb, Stage, and Depths.  It sort of makes Shift into Natural Order, which admittedly doesn't see Vintage play at the moment anyway...

[Mith]

While I like the notion of strengthening Dark Times with more combo redundancy, Landstill is probably the first place this. That being said, I really want Dark Times to be viable deck...

[MTGFan]

How about putting this in a Shop deck?

You can play 4 Expedition Map to search out both parts of the combo, or to get more Workshops or Wastelands.

Crucible helps get pieces back too.

The combo can win games under Sphere lock that otherwise would drag on long enough for the opponent to get back in the game.

[Random Noob]

This extremly made my morning. Something nice to toy around with. Instantly got my 4 copies. Sure it will fit into Dark Times, maybe cutting the Wasties. Copying Mud Playser Ancient Tomb to get gas under Spheres could be nice. Can't say what it does in Landstill, because i am unexperianced with this, but the Mud Shell idea around Expedition Maps sounds good, too.

[brianpk80]

The problem with putting it in Landstill is that Landstill would have to sacrifice what makes it good at doing its thing.  Taking out the Factories for this would weaken its position in Jace wars.  Replacing it with combo pieces that are suboptimal on their own and very fragile even when together in a deck without tutors seems to be a downgrade.  There might be a viable deck with this combo that uses Standstill, but it would operate very differently from Landstill as we know it.  

[StanleyAugust]

The problem with putting it in Landstill is that Landstill would have to sacrifice what makes it good at doing its thing.  Taking out the Factories for this would weaken its position in Jace wars.  Replacing it with combo pieces that are suboptimal on their own and very fragile even when together in a deck without tutors seems to be a downgrade.  There might be a viable deck with this combo that uses Standstill, but it would operate very differently from Landstill as we know it.  

I'm not so sure. I tried adding 2 Thespian's Stage, 1 Dark Depths and 1 Expedition Map to a UR Landstill shell, and my early testing shows me that it could be very viable.

[tito del monte]

You guys may have to excuse my ignorance here, but I'm curious as to why Lands has never been ported from Legacy over to Vintage - and whether this new combo might have any bearing on that. Is it too grave-dependent for Vintage? If so, this combo could surely help. Or does Workshops simply do prison better?

I've never played Lands in Legacy, so I'm not sure how it plays out. But it does seem like an interesting shell that gains from this combo - and what Vintage has to offer it, namely Fastbond, original moxen over Mox Diamond and possibly Bazaar.

[vaughnbros]

You guys may have to excuse my ignorance here, but I'm curious as to why Lands has never been ported from Legacy over to Vintage - and whether this new combo might have any bearing on that. Is it too grave-dependent for Vintage? If so, this combo could surely help. Or does Workshops simply do prison better?

I've never played Lands in Legacy, so I'm not sure how it plays out. But it does seem like an interesting shell that gains from this combo - and what Vintage has to offer it, namely Fastbond, original moxen over Mox Diamond and possibly Bazaar.

You hit the nail on the head with graveyard dependency.  The legacy lands deck leans pretty heavily upon reccuring lands with loam.  The current clock speed of lands is extremely slow so adding a 2 card I win combo is huge for it.

A colorless combo of this power level definitely opens the door for pretty much every deck to use it.  It will be interesting to see which one can capitalize the best on it.