[Deck] CrystalMeph

[Lockdown]

Currently, this deck is just a concept in my head, which is why this is in the newbie forum.  Behold, the decklist:

//DECK: CrystalMeph

//Lock (8)
4x Chains of Mephistopheles
4x Anvil of Bogardan

//Kill (11)
3x Zombie Infestation
4x Squee, Goblin Nabob
4x Krovikan Horror

//Search (8)
Rx Vampiric Tutor
Rx Demonic Tutor
2x Buried Alive
4x Tainted Pact

//Disruption (13)
4x Duress
4x Hymn to Tourach
Rx Strip Mine
4x Wasteland

//Utility (2)
2x Ensnaring Bridge

//Mana (18)
4x Dark Ritual
7x Swamp
7x Snow Covered Swamp

Possible additions:
-Defense Grid
-an actual SB
-Other colors...

This is about as cheap as I can make this decklist with the Chains of Mephistopheles included (which granted, are definitely not budget).  As I said, this is only a concept in my head right now and can use plenty of work.  And yes, I realize that Chains + Zombie Infestation is not a combo.  They are two distinctly seperate parts of the deck.  Enjoy dissecting this deck at will.

[mtgmooner]

I like some of the basic concepts in the deck, but I need to ask what would be an ideal start in your mind?  A duress first turn is obviosuly a viable option as it would be in many decks, but in all truthfullness, I dont see enough first or second turn options that could pose threats to a competitive deck?  Has phyrexian negator been considered as an early threat??

I REALLY like the synergy between Squee and Chains...cant say Ive ever thought of that before...

[Fuzzedball]

Ashen Ghoul could be very good here as you grave constantly resets itself. I question tainted pact. You run many 4-ofs and there is obvious anti-synergy. Those can probably go for more broken like Lotus Petal, YawgWin, and other assorted goodies. Scroll Rack might actually be good here as "fake" card draw. You both have one or two cards, your Horrors and Squees come back, you trade your hand of 5 for four fresh ones.

[Dead-Pool]

My only question is...

How many cards do you have in your hand usually, cause the bridge's aren't that good if you keep 3-4 cards in you hand, and what do you need them agianst? TnT, O.Stompy, and Madness???

[Lunk]

I've had an interest in Chains for a long time, and have been messing with it casually on and off.  Here's some random thoughts that may or may not help:

Megrim can make a very efficient kill.  I can't honestly say I've tested the Horror or Infestation ideas, but Megrim offers a maximum of 5 turns for your opponent to break the lock, at a one time investiment.  The obvious problem being that it's not recurraable.

Mind's Eye may be worthwhile, despite the high mana cost.  Using it during your opponents draw phase offers you a draw unhindered by Chains.

I'd at least consider splashing white.  It offers, among other things, Enlightened Tutor, Balance, and instant-speed spot removal for after you have your lock set up, in the form of STP.  My personal favorite, however, is Island Sanctuary.  If you're going to lose your draws anyway, you may as well get something out of them.

Lastly, 4 Tainted Pacts and 14 identical cards don't mix.  Try switching 7 of the Swamps to snow-covered ones.

[Lockdown]

@mtgmooner
I admit, there isn't much of a first turn threat without a ritual.  Second turn threats include Chains, Zombie Infestation, and if you have Chains out, Anvil of Bogardan.  I suppose Negator might be considered, but the important thing is getting the lock down (no pun intended).

@Fuzzedball
I completely forgot about Ashen Ghoul.  Once again, the question becomes what to take out.  Yawgmoth's Will doesn't really have synergy in this deck since once I play it, I lose anything that I drop into the graveyard.  However, I appreciate the idea of Scroll Rack, I'll look into it.

@Dead-Pool
Bridge has amazing synergy with Zombie Infestation and Squee/Krovikan Horror.  Your turn, you have 2 Squees/Horrors in hand, attack, and then discard them to make a zombie so your opponent can't attack with creatures power greater than 0.

@Lunk
Megrim is yet another consideration, but what would you take out?  Mind's Eye does cost quite a bit as you say, and chances are, if you have the Chains in play, you've already won.  This deck really isn't about card advantage.  I was already considering white, mainly for the tutor, balance, and stp.  The job of Island Sanctuary is pretty much done by the Ensnaring Bridge.  Your point with the Tainted Pacts is noted.  The issue is that once you splash, you might as well make it into Eastman's Chain/Keeper.

[Methuselahn]

I don't see how you will ever be able to use ZI if you are pitching squees to anvil/chains in order to keep cards.

Even with the 2 bridges, I see you rolling over quickly to fast aggro.  That really is the biggest drawback of Chains/Anvil/Squee, and it is a BIG problem.  Masticore may be nice.

[Lockdown]

Well, anvil/chains only necessitates the pitching of 2 cards a turn.  The fact that I am drawing 2 as well, means that I have a very good chance of getting multiples.  Not to mention, Krovikan Horror can serve the same purpose as Squee as long as I have other creatures to discard on top.  So in effect, I have 8 creatures that I can use to discard.  Superfast aggro is a problem, but Masticore is not the answer.  If you were complaining about not having cards for the Infestation, how is Masticore any better?  So, what other options are there?

[Methuselahn]

Well, anvil/chains only necessitates the pitching of 2 cards a turn.  The fact that I am drawing 2 as well, means that I have a very good chance of getting multiples.  Not to mention, Krovikan Horror can serve the same purpose as Squee as long as I have other creatures to discard on top.  So in effect, I have 8 creatures that I can use to discard.  Superfast aggro is a problem, but Masticore is not the answer.  If you were complaining about not having cards for the Infestation, how is Masticore any better?  So, what other options are there?

Masticore is good because it works with a single squee, plus you are running dark rituals to get him out turn 2.  

I still don't see how you will have enough resources to fuel ZI.  
I'm not sure what other options you want.

Here is one example of a Chains deck similar to yours that takes the Masticore approach, albeit, dated.

[Fuzzedball]

Have you considered splashing another color? Green could be immensely strong, because putting Survival of the Fittest in would let you net two or three cards each turn and even some on your opponents turns as well if Krovikan Horrors are recurring. From experience I can say that Wall of Roots+2 dead Horrors equals savage card advantage. Splashing Green would allow for the use of Pernicious deed as well, which solves both your aggro problems and your current inability to destroy artifacts and enchantments.

[Lockdown]

Splashing Colors
As I've mentioned before, I have considered splashing colors.  Let's take a look at what each color can bring:

White
As mentioned before, White's main advantage is removal (Balance, StP, Vindicate, Disenchant).  It also can let you run some other good cards like Decree of Justice or Orim's Chant for example if you fear control.

Green
Main aspect of what Green brings is anti-control.  While it does have decent removal (Pernicious Deed, Naturalize), it let's you use cards like Xantid Swarm and City of Solitude.  Another useful card that control is forced to counter, or lose, is Survival of the Fittest.

Blue
Consistency/Protection is what Blue gives the deck.  First of all, Impulse gets around Chains of Mephistopheles.  Then there are all those other broken blue cards to think of (Ancestral Recall, Time Walk, Timetwister).  And of course, the various counters

Red
In my opinion, red is the weakest color to splash.  While you get REBs/Pyroblasts and the best artifact removal along with some nonbasic hate (Blood Moon), it doesn't help you to the same degree that other colors could.

[Fuzzedball]

White and Red dont bring anything to the table worth splashing for. Blue gets you countermagic and fake card draw like Impulse, Future Sight, and Fact or Fiction. Green gives you anti-control measures and and anti-creature measures via Deed or fat of your own and a smattering of CA. Both give anti-combo elements with either Root Maze or counters. You can either make it more proactive (add green) or more controlling (add blue). Its really up to you at this point.

[Lockdown]

Fuzzedball, how can you say that white doesn't add anything worthwhile?  White's at least as good as Green in the removal department.  Using Deed requires almost a complete reconstruction of the deck because deeding for any decent amount will destroy practically everything you play (most permanents 2CC or less).  STP allows you to remove creatures from the game and Vindicate is very flexible.

[Fuzzedball]

My previous statement wasnt really to the point. I was saying that white doesnt net you anyting you can find in green or blue or black (aside from disenchant.) Its not a bad option, but it doesnt give you anything to overcome the Chains symmetry or help problem matchups ie combo or workshop. The only bomb it adds it Balance. Green and blue offer much more.

BTW, adding deed doesn't require a complete restructuring. You play it according to the situation. If you dont need the deed you are probably winning anyway. Chains seems like a midgame "seal the deal" kinda card here, which plays into deed anyway.

[Lord of Water]

Looking at your matchups here:

Combo - Chains is a house, duress is strong as always, look at sideboard Tormod's Crypt (planar void?) for more options.

Control - Chains keeps the control player from outdrawing you. This is golden. You lack card advantage, however- Ritual into a Mind's Eye or Necropotence gives you plenty of "fake" or "fixed" draw even in the presence of Chains, and Mind's Eye is a house agianst control when chains isn't present (Look at eye, then look at Brainstorm, etc). When they can't outdraw you, they can't control you.

Aggro (fat/madness) - Ensnaring Bridge may save you. On the other hand, you probably won't draw it. Chains is almost dead (will shut down Bazaar, that's about it). Difficult matchup, you'll probably either find a bridge/lock down soon or lose. Infestation might create chumpers. Look out for removal from sideboard in game 2! Look at Chainer's Edict in the sideboard for additional removal.

Aggro (goblins/stompy/"homegrown") Persistant, fast wins. Maybe easy to disrupt, but your deck could get swarmed easily without any sweeper or difinitive maindeck answer. Infestations are the best viable option in mainboard, look at Powder Keg (Masticore?) as a sideboard option.

As I gague them, your worst matchups are against aggro decks.  Here's a short discussion of the sideboard cards I recommended:

Tormod's Crypt - stops combo decks, particularly Dragon.deq. Your graveyard hate is always important. A more permanent solution would be Planar Void, with your objective being to drop it turn 1 and hope your opponent scoops. It might seem corny but I've used it as an option with Devil's Bile and it works more often than not. One aspect to look at is its resilliance to the popular Stifle.

Chainer's Edict - Non-specific removal. This is good against old-school Draw-Go decks that run Morphling. Chains can easily force Draw-Go into a "suicide" morphling, or a morphling without backup. Edict is also good against fast fat and madness where your lock will keep their threat count down. Creatures that slip through the cracks are happily met by instant-speed non-specific removal.

Powder Keg - Classic removal against weenies. Goblin sligh decks can catch you by suprise and you need a sweeping answer. Keg for 1 against masses of goblins or keg for 2 against Goblin Piledrivers is an answer that Gob Sligh is usually powerless to avoid. This is also strong agianst stompy and homegrown aggro decks sporting hordes of low-cost creatures. Chalice of the Void also works in this spot but many of your spells cost 1 or 2, so CoTV might hurt as much as it helps. Overall, a metagame choice.


Changes I would make to your mainboard would include at least 1 early game threat (Phyrexian Negator in for 1 pact, 1 horror, and 2 Buried Alive) and the remaining Tainted Pacts replaced with Spoils of the Vault cards. Your deck is redundant and it's looking for consistantcy and this is exactly what Spoils gives, for one black mana at instant speed. I would also consider replacing Vampiric Tutor with a Spoils, since spoils dosn't set you behind regarding card advantage. The early game threat is justified by the edge it gives against control decks, drawing out a FoW or smashing face while you look for lock pieces or dump a few squee cards into the yard.

Another consideration is Mind's Eye and/or Necropotence in the maindeck. These would replace the Tainted Pacts and generate card advantage essential to the control matchup. Obviously my comments above regarding Spoils of the Vault are counter-intuitive with the Necropotence plan, so you'd want to count them out.

Overall I love the lock and the deck looks like a lot of fun to play. When I get home I'll load it onto Apprentice and give you a more experienced account of its matchups.

My two cents, another two to come soon.
LoW

[Fuzzedball]

Mind's Eye still says "draw" so it doesn't get around chains.

[Lunk]

It does get you 1 extra, un-chained draw during each of your opponent's turns.

Chains reads:
"If a player would draw a card except the first one he or she draws in a draw step"

Notice that it doesn't say during their own draw step, simplying during any draw step.  Additionally, before you get a lock down it can help dig out the chains.  Especially with an anvil out pre-chains, you can then get an additional 2 draws without discarding.

[Lockdown]

@LoW
Necropotence and Powder Keg aren't bad ides.  Powder Keg, unlike Pernicious Deed, is a "board sweeper" that doesn't necessarily destroy Infestation tokens.  Mind's Eye's casting cost is a bit prohibitive so Necro, which also gets around Chains, would probably be my first choice.  However, Planar Void wouldn't work as it would destroy my Squee/Horror engine, and Negator, while it is an early threat, doesn't help the aggro matchups, which as you noted, are the greatest problems.  Still looking for a solution (though Powder Kegs/Masticore may be all that you need).

[Lockdown]

Due to various factors, I am unable to actually test this deck against real opponents.  However, I was able to goldfish about 10 games on Apprentice using my first list.  (Kinda silly goldfishing with control, but you'll see how it turned out)

Games Played: 10

Turn Stopped - Results
Turn 4 – Chains/Anvil lock (with Squee) after two Hymns
Turn 2 – Infestation (2 Squees) after Duress, Strip Mine in hand
Turn 3 – Two anvils, 4 Squees, Wasteland in Play
Turn 2 – Infestation (1 Squee) after Hymn, Pact, V. Tutor& Bridge in hand, Wasteland in Play
Turn 3 – Infestation (1 Squee 1 horror), 2 Chains, in play Bridge in hand
Turn 3 – Chains/Anvil (1 Horror), wasteland in hand and play, after 1 duress
Turn 5 – Infestation/Bridge, Strip Mine, Anvil, after Duress, Hymn with 1 more hymn in hand
Turn 9 – Infestation/Anvil (3 Horror) after 2 hymns, 2 wastelands in play,  failed tainted pact
Turn 3 – Infestation/Bridge (1 squee, 1 horror), Strip Mine, Anvil, Hymn in hand
Turn 3 – Chains/Anvil (1 squee), wasteland in play after 1 duress, Infestation/Bridge in hand + V. Tutor

#of Mulligans 1 (Not the Turn 9 finish, shoulda mullagan'd that one but didn't)

It looks pretty good, seeing as how I was usually in control by turn 4-5.  Now, since these games weren't against real opponents, it doesn't really count for anything.  But still, it's nice how it turned out.  I almost definitely would have lost the Turn 9 one, but getting the lock turn 2-3 without any power is impressive.

[Lord of Water]

I've tested this deck about 50 times and though I've neglected to record all my results, here's the "jist" of what I found:

Against "home-grown" aggro that comes up at local tournaments, it's a bomb. They can't deal with your lock and they can't do very well to disrupt it either.

Against control, you've got major problems. One well-placed Misdirection really hurts you because your deck is very disruptable. You have no way to gain a marked card advantage - I'd like to suggest Skeletal Scrying here.

Your matchups are terrible against $t4ks and Welder MUD (And Slavery) because you let them dump all kinds of cards into their graveyard. All they have to do is resolve an early welder and you've got nothing. Trinisphere and Chalice of the Void are both very disruptive to your deck.

O'Stompy, Legend Sligh, and other fast aggro decks (Suiblack, etc) are bad matchups for you because your only option is to eat damage. There is a chance that you can drop Infestation with multiple returning creatures in your hand, but even then O'Stompy's creatutes are bigger than yours and Sligh packs removal. Suiblack's disruption hurts you terribly, denying you of your lock and basically giving you no chance at having the anwers to their threats.

By far your worst matchup is Madness. Your lock is actually a great benefit to Madness, givign him the equivilant of a free Bazaar activation every turn! I found myself totally at a loss to handle Stompy, as its creatures are bigger than your zombies and your lock is actually beneficial to them. Your only hope is to drop the bridge, but even then many madness decks run counermagic or even maindeck artifact hate, so good luck ever beating a Madness opponent.

Your deck has its merits and the lock is a lot of fun, but I wouldn't be taking it to any more tournaments in the future.

That's another two cents, good luck!
 -LoW

[Lockdown]

I agree with most of your analyses.  I realized control would be a big problem from the start, even with the Chains (they are counterable after all), which is why green/white were considered for splashes.  White had the added bonus of removal which would help in some of the matchups you mentioned (Disenchant, StP).  How was the disruption in the deck for you?  It's identical to suiblack minus Sinkholes, which can help in a lot of situations.  As you mentioned, Aggro is an issue.  Which is why when I was thinking of a sideboard, it was mostly aggro hate.

SB for monoB
4 Powder Keg
3 Smother (possibly Plaguebearer?)
2 Ensnaring Bridge
3 Tormod's Crypt
3 Damping Matrix

Of course, this like the decklist is subject to change.  But it seems to touch base with most of the deck's weaknesses.  Also, maybe I was just lucky, but I had Ensnaring Bridge in hand/play 5 of the 10 games I goldfished and tutors in others.  

Anyways, assuming I ever actually get a playset of Chains, I think this will be the rogue deck that I play for fun, in tournaments or out.  I mean, come on, its gotta win sometimes  That's the thing about rogue decks.  You can play, not do well, and still have fun because it's your deck, that you made and that's already an accomplishment.  Plus, if I want to win, I have other decks.