Metagame Keeper: Chains Keeper, my build.

[Jakedasnake]

Keeper is in a very weird position right now. As I see it, it's nestled in between the best decks and the decks that just don't cut it as Tier 1.

Keeper has always been my deck of choice, but the fact is, it just isn't as strong as Hulk. Hulk just has a better game plan against many decks: and that's just to ignore the opponent. In fact, Hulk really just uses its counters to protect it's own draw spells, and win with a lard 'Tog. However, Keeper doesn't have this luxury. It's game plan it to survive, survive, survive, until it can bust out a game winning card, which almost always it Yawgmoth's Will.

In fact, it's been a long while since I've not utilized Yawgmoth's Will in a game; it's that vital to Keeper's game plan. However, it does seem pretty pathetic that this is pretty much the best way to win.

In my opinion, Keeper needs another tool to beat the problematic matchups, and this tool is Chains of Mephistopheles, and, of course, this tech belongs to Eastman.

Without further ado, my decklist:

Draw/Search
2 Cunning Wish
4 Impulse
2 Future Sight
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor

Utility/Removal
1 Gorilla Shaman
2 Swords to Plowshares
2 Fire/Ice
1 Balance
1 Time Walk

Counter
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
1 Mind Twist

Win/Bombs
1 Yawgmoth's Will
2 Chains of Mephistopheles
2 Decree of Justice
1 Exalted Angel

//Mana
6 SoloMox (no Emerald)
4 Flooded Strand
2 Volcanic Island
4 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
1 City of Brass
1 Island
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine



Sideboard:
4 Red Elemental Blast
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Fire/Ice
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Disenchant
1 Exalted Angel
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Chains of Mephistopheles
1 Perish
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Circle of Protection: Red

Right now, as I see it, the metagame is construed as such:
Aggro Control= GAT, Workshop Slaver
Combo Control= Hulk, Control Slaver
Combo= Draw7.dec
Aggro= Food Chain Goblins, Oshawa Stompy, Madness, TnT
Control= Zherbus Keeper, Chains Keeper

As it stands, there are currently a bunch of strong aggro decks in the metagame, however, there numbers as a whole aren't as high as the Hulk numbers, or Slaver number.

Chains of Mephistopheles is the perfect tool against these decks, effectively cutting off Thirst for Knowledge, Brainstorm, Accumulated Knowledge, etc. Most of the time, this swings the matchup in your favor, especially since you have the deck built to run around Chains.

Of course, there is a bunch of aggro out there, with TnT and Food Chain Goblins being the decks unnaffected by Chains. However, Keeper already has the tools for these matchups: Balance, Swords, Fire/Ice, and Exalted Angel. Not to mention artifact destruction against TnT.

Now to get into the interesting choices:

Lack of Isochron Scepter: I understand why Eastman plays this in his build, but I've NEVER liked the card, and have done quite a bit of testing with it. Essentially, it functions as an infinite Fire/Ice, which means you can draw an additional card on the opponents upkeep through Chains of Mephistopheles. However, this really seemed like a weak game plan, and the idea of having a 2for1 investment with tons of Null Rods and lots of artifact destruction floating around turned me away.

No Stifle: The card just provided a tempo boost, and while it did, on occasion, allow me to further my land destruction aspect, there were just stronger cards to include.

Gorilla Shaman is really strong right now, and I would never suggest running less than two between the main and the board.

Lack of Library of Alexandria: This build really has a strain on the manabase, plus, you won't really ever be drawing cards, just having extreme card quality. I've noticed it's only ever strong when I have it in my opening hand, and even then I often have it become innactive through threats I have to deal with.

The sideboard is really crazy. Perish is some awesome tech, completely ruining Big O and Madness. Sure, it's a sorcery, but siding it in along with Vampiric Tutor just means 'I win' in these matchups.

Circle of Protection works extremely well against FCG, and the strong gameplan is to tutor into a COP:Red, and use your counters to stop the opposing Naturalizes.

TnT is one of the more difficult aggro matches, however, Balance and Swords go a long way, obviously.

Well, that's kinda short, I don't have the time to into depth, but let me know what you think.

[Zherbus]

What metagame is this?

[Jakedasnake]

My meta. Forgot to mention.

Lots of Control Slaver, BigO, and Hulk, along with a decent amount of FCG. Not to mention a bit of the rest, but these are the most prevelant.

[Toad]

You need 2 more lands.

[Plainswalker]

Lack of Library of Alexandria: This build really has a strain on the manabase, plus, you won't really ever be drawing cards, just having extreme card quality.

Just do it during the draw step like you would with Fire/Ice. I know there's been lots of argument on whether this card is good as of late, but if your meta, which it does, consists of a lot of control I don't see why not. Also agree with Toad, your gonna need to bump the land count up, I know both Hulk and Slaver don't useally run wastelands, but TNT, Big O and FCG do and they will hurt a lot with only 26 sources.

I don't useally like to comment on sideboards, but it seems like Humility is a really nice silver bullet right now for Keeper, Vs anything except for Control slaver maybe, it makes them dig for an answer while you set up and play out the game on your terms. It works against more decks then Perish also. Which I don't think is all that good as long as the Big O/Madness player doesn't overextend. Just change Wild Mongrel's color and play out the threats you were holding on your turn after they probably just tapped out for Perish (since you would need it early to take back control.) Obviously it's not always that ideal, but at least all your removal and creatures can now deal with any creature in there deck. Come on, firing two arrogant wurms feels good  

[Eastman]

In my experience keeper has a strong matchup against FCG. Do the FCG players in your area side heavily against keeper, warranting your 2 SB Cop:red ? You did mention naturalize so perhaps they're hating you and forcing you to bring in the cops as well ?

[Zherbus]

Food Chain Goblins hates Keeper. Any amount of testing should show that this is actually one match (well Dragon too) where Keeper is really on top of shit, instead of being a close game. You absolutely don't need COP: Red for them. Even if it were more difficult, COP: Red likely would be of little use.

EDIT: Damn you Dave. JINX

[Phele]

Lack of Isochron Scepter: I understand why Eastman plays this in his build, but I've NEVER liked the card, and have done quite a bit of testing with it. Essentially, it functions as an infinite Fire/Ice, which means you can draw an additional card on the opponents upkeep through Chains of Mephistopheles. However, this really seemed like a weak game plan, and the idea of having a 2for1 investment with tons of Null Rods and lots of artifact destruction floating around turned me away.
Lack of Library of Alexandria: This build really has a strain on the manabase, plus, you won't really ever be drawing cards, just having extreme card quality. I've noticed it's only ever strong when I have it in my opening hand, and even then I often have it become innactive through threats I have to deal with.

Without both of them it seems you just don't have enough "draw". In my Eyes the Lack of Scepters leaves you even more vulnerable to aggro. Not every aggressive build is running a playset of Null Rods, not to mention that they have to get them out first.

[Jakedasnake]

The FCG build in my meta are pretty crazy. Quite often they get a crazy good start, and there's just nothing you can do about it.

Sure, you have the tools to deal with the problems, i.e. 8 counters, 3 swords, 3 fire/ice, but, I'm siding out Chains anyway, plus Cunning Wish and a Future Sight, so I have the room to make the matchup really simple. And, it's the most common deck around, probably about 20% of the field, and 90% of the aggro. And yes, they do really have the tools against Control, pretty much using their entire sideboard to hate you out, basically 4 ReB's and Price of Progress, etc. It's pretty crazy, their board almost turns them into a sligh type of deck.

Without both of them it seems you just don't have enough "draw". In my Eyes the Lack of Scepters leaves you even more vulnerable to aggro. Not every aggressive build is running a playset of Null Rods, not to mention that they have to get them out first.

I've not really noticed the lack of "draw", especially since you don't always put a Fire/Ice or Impulse on a Scepter. In fact, Fact or Fiction has been a perfect replacement, filling up all the "draw" that you think I lack.

I don't useally like to comment on sideboards, but it seems like Humility is a really nice silver bullet right now for Keeper, Vs anything except for Control slaver maybe, it makes them dig for an answer while you set up and play out the game on your terms. It works against more decks then Perish also.

I've never really thought I had enough consistent white sources to play Humility as often as I like. If I were to have a Humility in the board, I'd probably want a basic plains, and maybe even a fourth Tundra. It's just not worth it.

Also agree with Toad, your gonna need to bump the land count up, I know both Hulk and Slaver don't useally run wastelands, but TNT, Big O and FCG do and they will hurt a lot with only 26 sources.

I've never had a problem with 26 lands...ever. Sure, with Impulse, I mulligan a little bit more, but 26 lands has always worked, even against Wastelands.[/quote]

[Ultima]

I really think that if your gonna play Exalted or Shaman, they have to come in 2's.  Both seem to have no middle ground as playing 1 each feels very weak while playing 2 each is extremely strong.

I really don't think that you need the COPs either.  If sligh is giving you more of a hassle them you'd like then side more BEB's because they have a much wider application as well as say more stifles in FCG situation.  Stifle is amazing against FCG.

[Jakedasnake]

I've been thinking about BeB's for a while, as they are pretty effective.

I really like running 1 Exalted Angel, I don't really want it super early, so it's kind of like running another bomb to tutor up through Cunning Wish.

Gorilla Shaman is weak in some matchups that I play, but I completely agree that 2 is pretty effective. That's why I have one in the board.

[FireFall26]

I would never cut LOA from control.  It is still the best land in the game.  Just because you run chains, is like justifying cutting ancestral because you run chains.  LOA is obvsiuosuyl a house in the control mirror, and decks like slaver that dont run wastelands.

[jpmeyer]

Exalted Angel early is awesome since it can just randomly win you a game

[FireFall26]

Why not cut a sea?  Are 4 seas necessary.  That leaves you still to all the white mana for a angel as early as possible.  I just want to hear your logic why NOT to run LOA?  It taps for colorless even if you dont have 7 cards in your hand, and when you do it is game winning.

[Jakedasnake]

I did say why. I've never really been able to abuse it when I don't have the ability to draw cards, and the strain on the mana base is pretty intense.

However, the City of Brass is a new addition, so I might consider cutting an Underground Sea for a Library, but I'll just have to see.

Exalted Angel is pretty awesome, but as of yet I've been completely satisfied with running 1. I'll test a second, though.

[Irish31]

Ya, I would definitely try running  a 2nd main, or altogether.  The fact that it will never sit in your hand due to being able to morph it just makes it too good, that and it will win you the odd game by itself from time to time vs certain matchups.

Jay

[Justinsane]

What happened to superman???

He hasn't been even remotely good in months, thats what. Please don't make posts like that. If you don't understand why he's not good, you probably shouldn't be posting in a Keeper thread.


-Kerz

[LoA]

I'm focusing more on non-Chains Keeper right now, but I would consider adding a second Angel if you're not running Scepter since Chains become dead cards in some aggro matchups.

Morphling left Keeper a long time ago.  It's far too slow and clunky in Type 1 (or Extended) right now.

[Jakedasnake]

Okay, I guess everybody has been impressed with a second Angel. I guess I'll try it out.  

[hellswarm]

http://forums.mtgnews.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=109324


hehe ive been running keeper chains since 2000 thats my thread on it from a long time ago....

just pointing it out..

some fun tech cards to try out

side board.
Wheel And Deal - their hand is nuked and u get a card!

[Jakedasnake]

Wheel and Deal: Talk about a wasted Sideboard slot.

Even if you've been running Chains for a long while, Eastman is the d00d that brought it to prominance.

[hellswarm]

I play with 4 main deck chains so its not really a wastes sideboard slot

just have some fun with it its goten me more then one surprise win by milling 7 cards and trashing their hand!

i do like eastmans version of keeper chains though...

i still haven't posted an updated build of my deck n e where... abusing Isoceptors rocks!

i still say try it out