The Resurgence of Mono-Blue: Islandcycling Flyers

[PsychoCid]

Ha!  I finally got around to adjusting Mono-Blue to include Shoreline Rangers.  I had assumed they would be worthy of 2-3 slots.  I had assumed they couldn't replace Morphling on their best day.  Let it be said that I was half correct.

I know Smmenen has gone back to working with MonoBlue, but I don't know if he has posted much about it.  I didn't see anything in recent threads, hence the creation of this one.

I tossed the deck together and blindly loaded it in a random game versus the ever-clever MattTG.  He was playing TnT, which is not usually a very pretty matchup before sideboarding.

I had in my head that I'd want to keep at least one Morphling in the maindeck for reliability, but when it came down to a room issue as I was building the deck (a few days ago) in a total of about 45 seconds, he got trashed.

Without further adeiu, I present for your viewing pleasure:

SHORELINE RANGER BLUE
SPELLS (23)
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
4 Impulse
4 Mana Drain
4 Mana Leak
2 Miscalculation
2 Misdirection
1 Time Walk
ARTIFACTS (10)
7 SoLoMoxen
3 Powder Keg
ENCHANTMENTS (4)
2 Back to Basics
2 Control Magic
CREATURES (7)
4 Ophidian
3 Shoreline Ranger
LAND (16) <--omg.
13 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
SIDEBOARD (15)
2 Back to Basics
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Disrupt
2 Control Magic
1 Forbid
1 Misdirection
1 Morphling
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Powder Keg
2 Psionic Blast
1 Thwart

Stevie (Menendian) had mentioned to me at some point that he was now testing Miscalculation, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  They don't seem half bad, so far.  Your alternatives cardpool is basically comprised of Prohibit.  Counterspell doesn't fit the bill because you want to be able to cast this with an Island-Mox opening.

The mana has been purely wonderful.  In four games, I have drawn 2 rangers each game, and have cycled one a total of once.

You'll note the total lack of Stifle anywhere in the maindeck or sideboard.  Here is my reasoning:
Should I run it in the maindeck? No. Why? Because as damn useful as it is, don't I want cards that ensure my survival rather than perform some -random- annoyance? Yes.
Should I run it in the sideboard? There's a small chance--but what would I side it in against? I have no idea.
Though it comes to mind that it might actually have focussed use versus combo where it can buy time by hitting a Rector, Illusions, card with Storm, etc.  The issue there is that you'd want to have multiples available, and the sideboard would need major adjustment to adhere to this theory.  As for a general sideboard, the only slot that seems fairly free is that which is currently occupied by BEB.  Sideboards are all about the metagame, though, so feel free to test, test, and test!


Rangers, as far as acting as a creature, have also been excellent.  Versus most things that aren't Keeper (stp-happy), they are difficult to kill in one shot (especially since Edicts are becoming somewhat scarce).

The sideboard is obviously junk I just happened to click on before hitting enter, but I shall provide reasoning for card choices that may not explain themselves.
-BEB: It does what it does.  Whatever.
-Forbid:  I wanted another hard counter and, for no apparent reason at that moment, just happened to crave the Phid synergy more than the reliability of Counterspell.
-Morphling:  A sturdy win condition to bring in versus control.
-Nev's Disk:  The oldschool reset.  Boy does this thing wipe out permanents versus those decks that...you know...run lots of...permanents.
-Thwart:  Yet another anti-control tool.  This is just a last-ditch effort trick you pull out of your sleeve at the end of a counter war.  I don't normally go with it unless the cardpool is limited or there is benefit to bouncing lands, but I kept wanting more help in the control match up and had already attained my fill of Disrupts, Misdirections, and hard counters that cost 2 or more mana.

At the moment, there are a total of zero things I'm even pondering changing in the maindeck.

On my final note, I ask of you to question, to comment, to test, and to tell us your findings.  Good luck.

-Edit-
Notes:  The Disrupts, I believe, are much better off as vanilla Counterspells.  As it turns out, what they'd replace in the maindeck versus, say, Keeper, would be the Mana Leaks--reason being that Mana Leak is severely weakened if not used incredibly early on in such a match up.  Disrupt may cantrip, but chances are you're better off simply countering the spell.

For the record, in the games versus TnT, I sideboarded as follows:
-2 Mana Leak, +1 Nevinyrral's Disk, +1 Forbid
-2 Miscalculation, +2 Psionic Blast
-2 Misdirection, +2 Control Magic
-1 Shoreline Ranger, +1 Powder Keg (ph33r that Welder)

Theoretic sideboarding pattern for Keeper:
-2 Control Magic, +2 Back to Basics
-2 Mana Leak, +2 Counterspell
-3 Powder Keg, +1 Misdirection, +1 Morphling, +1 Thwart
(-1 Mana Leak/Miscalculation, +1 Forbid)\n\n

[Fever]

I really dont get how Shoreline Ranger is a reliable finisher for this deck. He takes 7 turns to kill and he dies to every form of removal i can think of. Im not saying dont run it, im just saying i think a single Morphling should be in the main.

If you insist on keeping the creature base the way it is, then you might consider running a third Misdirection for added protection.

[bebe]

Well, as Psychocid already knows I've been testing mono-blue for a budget deck and I like the Rangers a lot. I do not use a third MisD now - I added two Stifle main deck for a MisD and Capsize. I love them. Beats Trix, acts as a mini Time Walk ( something I lack), and I do use four Wasteland. They can be more than just a minor annoyance swinging tewmpo in my favour.

The absence of a third MisD has not hurt me in the least.
Of course without the luxury of Moxen and Library, I need a bit more land


I would not add the third MisD and Mr. SemenMan's build is exceptional. Now, I cannot give test results with the budget version as they would be rather meaningless. I will say I'm pleased with it and Rangers stick.

I don't use Disk sideboard ( just too expensive without jewelry so I cannot comment on it). I did test Disrupt, Annul and Forbid though. I just cannot get around the fact that Forbid is a whopping disadvantage at times. Disrupt was not bad as it at least cantrips and Annul never was useful.  As to thwart - would not Daze be better as a last ditch effort?

Please let me know if you change your budget version at all. I have only the one deck to play with now and you and Steve are clearly expert at the arch type.

[PsychoCid]

Fever, I can only imagine that your knowledge of removal is quite limited.  -Common- removal in type 1 that will off a Ranger is limited to basically Swords to Plowshares.  Edict is the same versus Morphling and Ranger.  I'll point out that Ranger is efficiently a -6- turn clock, as most decks these days will do at least 2 damage to themselves.

In all honestly, though, the lack of Morphling making an appearance in the maindeck is the hardest thing to argue if the other party doesn't have experience with the deck.  Believe me, the last thing I thought I'd do is drop to zero maindeck Morphling, but it happened, and with the way the deck handles, I'm surprisingly happy with it.  There's really nothing else one can say about it.

It's natural to want to add a third MisD when you have more things to protect, but I think, especially with Misdirectable spells becoming a bit less common, you have a critical mass of hard counters necessary, and you want to keep Misdirections to a necessitated minimum.

Discussion about a powerless build should be kept to its own thread, but I'll mention that I do believe the budget builds are where Disk should shine.  Less moxen means less removal of your own permanents.  Disk can make up for your lack of speed by neutralizing many cards at once.  Play the survive-until-I-can-Disk-my-way-to-freedom game.

Really, Daze is a possibility, but not a strong one.  Thwart isn't that much closer to absolutely useless on its own. \n\n

[Radagast]

Have you considered Drifting Djinn? Big flying blue thing that cycles, like Shoreline Ranger, except it draws a card instead of fetching an Island.

[Rakso]

Well, glad to see you're liking it in mono blue. I found it a hassle sometimes in Keeper, and it didn't finish neatly when you needed it to.

However, if you can fit in four Impulse and four Rangers, why not add Brainstorm instead of the more peripheral counters?

[PsychoCid]

Drifting Djinn is sort of beside the point.  With such a low mana (and Island) count, I think it best that they nab an Island.  Additionally, the Djinn has an upkeep, which is lame.

There are three Shoreline Rangers.  I've not felt the want for more smoothing and less business, but I'll keep the Brainstorm idea in mind when I draw/use Miscalcs.

[Smmenen]

In the quite substantial Mono Blue thread I started in the Unreggie Forum (went over 125 posts), I did more than just preliminary testing of the archetype.

The rangers never take 7 turns to win (usually 5 - in combination with Phids and the fact that the opponent always deals at least 2 points to themslves) - which often (when you want counter mana up) is about how many turns it can take to win with Morphling.

The rationale behind the use of Miscalculation was that with 6 Fetchlands that I was using, and the 3 Rangers (which I really liked), You would rarely late-game cycle into a non-business spell.    Thus, you had what mono blue has always wanted: a 1U counterspell that isn't dead in the late game.  In the proper environment, (I am not kidding), Prohibit can be excellent - esp in a world littered with control decks.  But as Workshop and Combo decks infiltrate - with spells that are cast on turn one that cost 3-4, prohibit no longer makes the cut.

As such I found Miscalculation, in actual testing, to be quite good.  

My final build - which I beleive could be tinkered was this:
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
7 Island
6 Fetchland
5 Moxen
1 Lotus

3 Shoreline Ranger
4 Ophidians

4 Impulse
1 Ancestral
1 Time Walk

4 Mana Drain
2 Misdirection
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
4 Miscalculation
1 Mana Leak

3 Powder Keg
1 Capsize
2 Back to Basics

I agree that 3 Misdirections don't belong.  So the third (or maybe even more) can be cut for something else.

Also, I would like to point out that Brainstorm was the biggest dissapointment in the world.  I was really excited to try it out - and used four Brainstorm and 4 Impulse like Chapins 1999 Invitational deck, but Brainstorm was absolutely terrible.  Even with 6 Fetchlands, and 3 Island Cyclers.

This deck could be quite good in a field of combo and control.  But even then its success is not assured.  It requires patience, PERFECT play skillz, and lots of dedication - something Keeper players need as well.  

It's not something that could easily win a tournament, but I do beleive it to be the best mono blue _permission_ deck (the concept that is -  much better than my Origins decks from 2002 - becuase of Fetchlands and Rangers).  

Good Luck,

Steve Menendian\n\n

[Rakso]

So I suppose the deck is so redundant already you want more counters instead of more manipulation?

Steve, you must have had one long vacation before going off to Oxford. (Your signed cards have not yet arrived.)

[PsychoCid]

4 Brainstorm and 4 Impulse together haven't been halfway decent since Thawing Glaciers was the best engine in town.  Welcome to late 1997, Stevie.

Sorry, I didn't check the unregged forum.  Either way, your build seems to be identical in general form to mine.  You simply have more counters and Capsize in place of Control Magic and Fact or Fiction.

My question is: How satisfied are you with Miscalculation as a four-of and with only 7 Islands?  I will admit I -was- pondering adding fetchlands, but not 6.  I had 3 MAYBE 4 in mind...and then I figured I didn't want to be weakened versus Sligh's Ankhs and just left well enough alone.  Here's your opportunity to convince me, Steve.  Go for it.

[Fever]

If your running all basic Islands and no Brainstorm, i really doubt that you can make a strong case for running Fetchies. Deck-thining is fine, but is it worth opening yourself up to potential Ankh/Stifle beatings?

[Smmenen]

@Oscar,

I had a whole month before - so, yes, quite a while.   I'm really upset that those cards haven't arrived.  I didn't send it first class or anything - but I really put alot of effort into that - plus I sent you good cards.  

@Cid and Fever,
Take a look at the Unreggie discussion if you want:
http://www.themanadrain.com/cgi-bin....;t=7681

I really don't feel the need to argue for Fetchlands.  I think they remain vastly underused - that is there potential - even as this stage of the game, remains misunderstood.  

The reasoning is quite simple though: All the manipulations I made to my previous mono blue builds mana bases were in pursuit of one goal: figure out how to best minimize land draws, yet have sufficient mana to function.  Why?  Becuase this deck has to counter every threat.  As a result, you Need a really light mana base.  The Fetchlands help do what all my tuning couldn't: make sure that I don't draw land in the late game.  I don't know if 6 is the right number.  But I sure as hell woudln't go  below 5.  

All I can say is: test it.  

Steve

[Akuma (gio)]

I guess I'll jump in.

I really like Psychosid's version of Mono Blue. My gauntlet deck is almost the same.

On the Morphling thing, losing Morphling from the maindeck will weaken the deck in certain matchups, but overall, I think the islandcycler is better. Morphling is powerful enough to be dropped on certain decks and just end them, think dropping an early Morphling against another mono blue or U/R deck. I know I hate to see that damn early Morphling when using Void and the such because he hoses a good amount of creatures.

The problem stems with the Morphling's utility, the islandcycler has all the same applications as the Morphling, albeit a weaker, higher cc creature, but the cycling ability improves your decks consistency.

The point that was brought up of each being an "x" turn clock is actually not an issue. After Mono blue establishes control with a solid hand and active phids, it could beat you down with whatever it wants. There are pros and cons to using each, but each side is viable. I personally still use Morphling, but it probably stems more from the fact that I have grown attached to it.

Thwart and Daze perform different functions. Daze is only useful early, while Thwart, IMO, has the specific purpose of allowing you to fight and win counter wars against a deck that also packs a high amount of counters.

I'm going to avoid making any comments about the Drifting Djinn suggestion.    

Brainstorm vs. Impulse - I think you have to choose one and Impulse works better in this deck.

Mono Blue is still competitive although it suffers against Workshop based decks (that's why I like the red splash, but that's another discussion altogether).

[Matt The Great]

As a side note, the speed difference between Morphling and Ranger never came into play in the TNT games, because I was Sylvaning like mad.

I wouldn't necessarily call the results conclusive either, as I got almost NO acceleration in my hands. I never once saw a Workshop before turn ten, and only once did I get to go Mox-Land-Sol Ring - and that game, he had a quick Disk.

But, that's what happens on Apprentice (Cid is afraid of what MWS TnT will do to him!)

[PsychoCid]

Right.  The post was more of an invitation to the masses to re-explore the lost paradise of Mono F'n Blue.

Steve went out and fussed with a whole lot of variations which, frankly, were things I had tried to get U/W to work comfortably.  Using information brought from both Steve and myself, this was the build I came up with.  All I'm saying about it is that it feels comfortable.  That does not mean that it is easy to play.  That does not mean that it is the optimal build.  It means that the deck handles decently enough to be considered somewhere along the range of viability and worthy of testing.

I'd like to add that I preferred Brainstorm in the very counter heavy builds (17+) so that I could frequently trade two extra lands and a Brainstorm for 3 new useful cards.  The only problem with this was that late game I'd have used up all of my counterpower and would only be able to trade 2 dead cards and a Brainstorm for 3 dead cards--fortunately I was always ending the game exactly at this point.  I am much happier with Impulse where I have less counters and more specific items like Control Magic and Back to Basics.

At the moment I am beginning to feel like the set of Miscalcs and load of fetches would be an improvement, as the ability to cycle into business stuff later is excellent if not necessary.  Leak just isn't the card it used to be.

Gio: Bastardo!  The name shows on the page multiple times and you still fail to spell it correctly. \n\n