Academy

[spevack]

Traditionally, Academy decks have used a transformational sideboard in order to combat control decks such as Keeper and MonoU, which were considered the worst matchups.  With these sideboards, the entire package would be brought in against control -- frequently 15 cards in, 15 cards out.  Combo becomes janky aggro-control.

These transformational sideboards used Negators to beat down, and based their strategy on the gambit that the control player would board out all the creature control, meaning that a single resolved Negator could go the distance, unless a Morphling could be found in time.

An example of the "old" sideboard:

4 Misdirection
4 Negator
3 REB
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 Balance
1 Mind Twist

However, the metagame has been shifting.  In my area, at least, Keeper has lost a lot of popularity, and MonoU is almost unseen.  URphidian makes an occasional appearance, and GAT is quite popular.  These two decks (along with some, but not much Keeper) essentially make up the control decks in the SF Bay Area metagame.

Negators suck gigantic donkey nuts against GAT and URphidian.  Against Keeper, as I have done more testing, I feel like the Negators are not necessary.  Keeper CAN be beaten with the combo in game 1, since Academy has at least as many "must counters" as Keeper has permission spells.  As such, I feel like a sideboard that strengthens the combo against all control is better than a transformational one that is not good against GAT or URphidian.

My idea is that against control, you will be slower in games 2 and 3, but have the ability to put up a stronger fight, generally focused around resolving an Abeyance or City of Solitude and then winning.

I want to focus on how we can sideboard Academy in order to combat GAT.  Maybe that will help us with the other matchups as well.

Proposed new sideboard:

2 Abeyance -- with 2 in the main deck
2 Seal of Cleansing -- crucial against Null Rod/Blood Moon
1 City of Solitude -- another "must counter" for the control decks.
1 Living Wish -- Extract has been showing up.  It really sucks.
1 Maze of Ith -- this has been gaining popularity as a GAT antimeasure.  Even better with Crop Rotation.  You let them attack and spend lots of cards/Beserk to pump their Tog.  Before damage, you rotate out the Maze and Ith them.
4 REB -- general utility against blue based control
1 Balance -- can buy you time against aggro if needed, useful in many situations
1 Impulse -- this slot is questionable.  I feel like there is a lot to bring in against control, and the 4th Impulse can help dig for what you need.
2 Misdirection -- can't think of anything better

Proposed Main Deck (for reference)

4 Force of Will
3 Meditate
3 Impulse
1 Braingeyser
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Time Spiral
1 Windfall
1 Tinker
1  Mystical Tutor
1 Capsize
1 Mind over Matter
1 Frantic Search

1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor

2 Abeyance

1 Wheel of Fortune

1 Fastbond
1 Crop Rotation
1 Regrowth

7 SoLoMoxen
3 Helm of Awakening
2 Candelabra of Tawnos
1 Mana Vault
1 Grim Monolith
1 Mana Crypt
1 Lotus Petal
1 Memory Jar

4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
2 Undiscovered Paradise
1 Tolarian Academy

Two more lands are needed.  They used to be Underground Seas, because of the 4 Negators coming in.  I am unsure what they should be now, but for the moment I think I would like to try:

1 Tundra -- 4 Abeyance. 2 Seal, Balance after board is lots of white
1 Island -- Can be helpful if a Blood Moon/B2B resolves while you search for a better answer

It is also entirely possible that the Island should be a Mox Diamond, since the deck is a bit over-manaed to begin with (as a response to Wasteland).  However, as GAT rises in popularity, the number of Wastelands running around will drop (since GAT doesn't run them).  Also, I frequently board out a land and never really notice.

Depending on how much interest this thread receives, I'll post more regarding what I think should come in/out against different matchups, and other Academy thoughts in general.

I'm not suggesting that this new sideboard is tuned.  I think it's probably on the right track, but I am very open to ideas and suggestions, from Academy players and also from control players, who can speak to the other side of the matchup.

--Max Spevack

ONE FINAL NOTE:  I am aware that a general point of debate in the Academy deck is YawgWill or no?  I would prefer not to have this thread turn into a re-hashing of that discussion, since a) no one ever changes anyone's mind, b) my decklist should make it clear where I come down on that issue, and c) I really want to focus on the sideboard.  Thanks.

[CrazyCarl]

I think this could lead to some good discussion, I say bring it on.

[Aroxisis]

Damn you Carl! You locked the thread just as I posted the reply!!!  
Anyways, here are my thoughts: redux. Why Abeyance over Orim's Chant? Chant is one cheaper(although I will concede that it rarely comes into play due to Helms), and if you have a second white, you can buy yourself a couple of turns from the attackers. I also wonder if the mana base in Academy can get Green mana on the board consistently enough to get the City of Solitude out early enough to help. Regrowth is the only Green card in there now, and it is only used in the late game to get timetwister back to inifinitely recur your deck.
Secondly, here is some Janky tech for the Tog MAtchup, Forcefield:

Forcefield
3
Artifact
A®/B®/U®  
Text (ABU+errata): : Prevent all but 1 combat damage that would be dealt this turn by target unblocked creature attacking you.

This hurts Tog a lot, taking away the effectiveness of their Tog/Beserk, not to mention their Dryad, and powers your Academy.

[BigChuck]

If anything, I would think you would want more city of solitudes against GAT. Seeing as the sideboard that you are trying to create has the general function of beating GAT, an unmisdirectable card which, if it resolves, would almost certainly mean a win for you, should appear in multiples. It also serves the purpose of being good against control. In the current environment, I don't think abeyance is all that good, seeing as the amount of misdirections right now is at an absurd level.  City doesn't cantrip or anything, but if you can't go off when your effectively playing solitaire, then you just aren't that great.

[spevack]

@Aroxisis -- You said it yourself.  Due to Helm, Abeyance often costs the same as Chant.  The "cantrip" ability is infinitely superior to the "fog" ability in this deck.

@BigChuck -- Multiple City of Solitude is a good thought.  I figured I'd start with 1, because it can be Tutored for, but since it's likely that you might remove the Mirage Tutors against control, having multiple Cities of Solitude might be right.  Let's see what other people think.

In terms of mana -- I think those two "floating" lands should be tweaked based on what the finalized sideboard ends up having in terms of color requirements.

What do other people think about Forcefield?  My initial feeling is that it is a bit too reactive, or that I'd rather try to resolve City of Solitude instead and just go off before Tog can kill.

[BigChuck]

If I had to pick on of those 3 mana spells to resolve, it would be the city. Any competant player WILL win playing solitaire academy, short of the deck fizzling, which will happen regarless of which card you decide to play.

I think the maze of ith slot is wasted. It is far too reactive, and narrow. Plus, it gives you no mana, and when you already play so few lands, if one of them doesn't give you mana, that's not a good thing.

[AxeMurder]

Defense Grid is quite amazing vs various gro variants and it powers academy, can be tinkered for, can't be misdirected and is significantly cheaper then city of sollitude, while it doesn't automaticly end the game like the city does being cheaper means it's alot easier to cast on turn 1 before the opponent can start brainstorming thier way into 3248372496823742387 cards including multiple force of wills. One of the keys I found with dragon beating tog was having so many non misdirectable threats (duress, defense grid, buried alive animate) unfortunatly that's not so easily possible in Academy as it has to be blue based and has to run the force of will which will always be misdirectable. With all those cards in your board that can help against GAT what do you plan to board out for all of them?

-AxeMurder |-}

[dandan]

I've always kept away from Defence Grid because of the lack of synergy with Helms but since you normally only need 1 Helm out, Defence Grid still slows down Tog even at 1-2 mana extra per spell. I'll give the Grid another try in the SB.

Regarding Forcefield, Icy costs 1 more and is far more flexible but I've never considered it so I think Forcefield is way too narrow.

Has anyone thought about Mystic Remora? Even if you slow them down by 1-2 turns, that should be enough IF they aren't searching out their limited counters.

[Amosw99]

As far as the mana is concerned, I would probably go with the
+1 Tundra (to help cast abeyance)
+1 Diamond

Even though I am no great academy player, I have a rudementary understanding of the deck and have played it IRL and I have always ran and loved the diamond.

I don't think this is viable, but my old transformational sideboard is:
4 Phyrexian Negator
4 Dark Ritual
4 Hypnotic Specter
3 Underground Sea

I basically side out all the 'combo' cards and beat down sui style. I don't think that this would actually work, but I wanted to display another sideboarding option.

Amos

[spevack]

I'm happy to see some responses to the thread.  Here are some more of my thoughts:

@AxeMurder -- Defense Grid is good, though as Dandan pointed out, it has bad synergy with the Helms.  However, as you pointed out to me when we played, the helms were pretty good for GAT as well, so perhaps boarding the Helms out and the Grids in could be an option.  Clearly, it is easier to resolve a Grid than a City of Solitude, strictly from the colored mana perspective.

I'm planning to test the Academy/GAT matchup more tonight.  I will try Grids, Solitudes, and some other stuff and post again tomorrow with some actual results that can be discussed, so we can add some practical discussion to our theory.

[theorigamist]

I think in general GAT has more stuff without colorless in the CC anyway, so in theory Helm should be better for you.  So I would stick with Helms and no Defense Grid.  

For the lands, what you suggested (Tundra and Island) sounds sound.

[Godder]

Before coming up with a meaningful reply, which cards are available for siding out in a control match? I don't know the deck very well as such, but knowing how many slots are available makes it much easier to help with the discussion.

[dandan]

Just to clarify, although Helm plus Grid is not a combo, one Helm and one Grid in play will still slow Tog whilst speeding you up. Normally you wouldn't put out a second or third Helm if you had a Grid out anyway unless you had resolved an Abeyance.
The reason I don't normally use Grid is that Abeyance does the job better not that Helm and Grid have negative synergy, as this is a relatively minor effect. Grid is a hell of a lot easier to cast than City of Solitude. If you believe that stopping Tog from casting stuff on your turn is the way to go, I'd say Grid does the job pretty well.

[spevack]

I've finally had a chance to test a new sideboard for Academy, trying to find a way to still combo out the control decks.  Working with all of you guys, plus my roommate Jeff, we came up with the following sideboard to try out:

4 Defense Grid
4 Red Elemental Blast
2 Abeyance
2 City of Solitude
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 Impulse

Testing against GAT has not yet happened, but we did test against a URphid type deck, which post board had 11 counters and 3 blood moons in it.

Here is what we did:

+ all 15 cards
-4 Force of Will
-3 Meditate
-2 Helm of Awakening
-1 Stroke of Genius
-1 Mystical Tutor
-1 Fastbond
-1 Underground Sea
-1 Vampiric Tutor
-1 Mana Crypt

Reasoning behind these choices:

Defense Grid + City of Solitude is more *must counters* for the control deck.  In order to keep the number of artifacts high enough, the Force of Wills have to go.  In addition, we take out the Meditates since they are not particularly good while we are trying to set everything up.

2 Helms go out, since they have bad synergy with the Grids.  However, 1 Helm needs to remain in, since once we resolve 2 Grids or a City, the Helm is very helpful to us in trying to go off.

Stroke of Genius can go, but it's a risk.  A single Extract on Braingeyser kills you, but you're already losing to Extract, so it doesn't reall matter.  However, the sideboarding is very tight, and right now I feel like you need to go to only 1 win condition, since it's very hard to find room for 15 cards.

Mystical and Vampiric are out since they are the card disadvantage tutors.

Mana Crypt is removed because I expect the game to go fairly long, and I don't want to die to my own Crypt.

Fastbond and Underground Sea can go since speed is no longer an issue, and there's an extra land in the deck anyway.

*************************

What did we notice?  First off, the matchup is still *very hard*.  Academy is not an easy deck to play to begin with, and with those 15 cards of changes, it becomes even more difficult.  I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that a single suboptimal decision is probably enough to set off a chain of events which will make you lose.

However, I think it is still a better option than the Negators.

Zvi once wrote an article about the Fundamental Turn.  For control decks, he defines the Fundamental Turn essentially as "the turn at which the control deck's victory is inevitable."

Defense Grid and City of Solitude are here to try to push the opposing control deck's Fundamental Turn back a few, so that we can have a chance to combo them out.

More later....

P.S.  Against GAT, I would not board in the Seal of Cleansings, and I would leave the Underground Sea and possibly a Meditate in the deck.  We feel like it needs just a *little* bit more draw post-board.

P.P.S.  I still am not sure that those final lands should be Underground Seas.  Thinking Tundra, since Abeyance is very important.

[Rico Suave]

Have you considered taking out Mind over Matter/Capsize (one of them) instead of taking out Stroke?  That would help a little with the draw problem.

Also, have you considered Aura Fracture for handling Blood Moon, as opposed to Seal?

[spevack]

Rico,

I would consider taking out the capsize (and thus one or both candelabras) and possibly putting the Stroke and maybe some meditates back in.  I'll test that and post some thoughts.

I don't want to board out Mind Over Matter.  There's just so many amazing tricks you can do with that card.  Discard for Twiddle?  Broken beyond belief.

Regarding Aura Fracture -- I prefer Seal of Cleansing because it can get Null Rods also, which are *very* bad for Academy.

[obithrawn]

This is not related in any way, shape, or form, but it amuses me.

Years ago, during the dawn of real combo in T2 (everyone's favorite: Prosbloom) the standard means of protection was 2 Abeyance 4 counters main, with 2 abeyance and a few pyros in the side.

I find it funny that this is nearly identical to the standard Academy build of today's T1 (FoWs replacing the crappy counters bloom used).

[Wayfarer]

If you want to board Grids you could consider playing 2 Helms and 2 Medallions maindeck. Side out helms when Grids go in.

Just a thought.

[rout]

So what about Future Sight?  Does it have the potential to replace maybe Mind over Matter?

[Razor]

Mr.rout: the very moment I saw Future Sight I knew I woould try it in my next version of Academy.  If ever there were a deck able to abuse this card....

Has there been much discussion over Vexing Beatle?  He *might* do the job better than Negator versus Control decks with limited numbers of creatures.  'Course using it would make an opposing Mox Monkey even more devastating....\n\n

[IICEman]

concerning the use of city of solitude, you have to think to the fact that you will not because to play an abeyance or a counterspell or even a vampiric or a mystical tutor during your opponents turn, which could be critical if playing possibly another combo or against sligh.  yes it does help when its your turn but it equally hurts you when its your opponents turn.

Future Sight great card, though the mana used to cast it could be better used on a draw/search spell or a peice to the combo or to help set it up.  the casting cost is the same as mind over mater but its benifit is not as powerful. most of the time you run out of mana trying to reach the next card in your deck. yes it may help when you mystical or vampiric, but there are many cards in the deck to help you reach the next card ie. impulse, ancestral recall, impulse, wheel of fortune, memory jay, ect...  It is better left in control decks where you can sit with a counterspell on top intimidating your opponent.

Defense Grid great card to start out to slow down another control deck, but again slows your chances to stop someone else.  yes I know it would be used in certain matchups but other more useful cards could be used in its place.  maybe something like a balance could be more benificial to slow down aggro. unless your metagame is that control heavy.

my current side board is:

4 Red Elemental Blast
3 Phyrexian Negators
3 Misdirection
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 Balance
1 Abeyance
1 Lingering Mirage

Though my decklist may vary slightly the same purpose is at hand to deck your opponent.  my proposal for your mana base is to use a mox diamond and a power artifact in your last to slots.  leaving you with an alternative source for any color mana and an infinate loop of mana to use with braingeyser or to cast other spells as needed.

With the release of sourge I intend to modify my sideboard to the following:

3 Red Elemental Blast
3 Forgotten Ancient
3 Misdirection
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 balance
1 abeyance
1 lingering mirage
1 upwelling

the use of forgotten ancient in place of negator is definately benifitial. all though it doesn't have trample, it will be too large when it attacks for your opponent to not sacrafice a creature to block it or to use a removal spell.  and with the amount of mana capable of being produced by the deck, it should be no problem casting it for only 1 more colorless than negator.

the proposal of upwelling in academy is a definate use.  you tap the academy for so much many and you only have a few cards in hand, you play a random draw spell to continue and its countered, and you are left with extra mana that you may not be able to use.  so instead of taking the burn you now have extra mana during your next turn.  easier to cast spell that you may intially ran out of mana for this turn if it didnt float over from the turn before.

its late at night so some of this may make sense and some may not, but I hope that my insight may help you out.

Dan