[deck] Hyper MUD

[dicemanx]

Here is a little side project of mine that I prepared for Gencon aside from the Dragon deck that I ended up running in four of the five events. While this deck didn’t perform very well in its debut tournament, I still think it can be a decent choice or at least can use some additional tweaking. Workshop-based decks never seem to be very kind to me, and I got leveled when I played this deck by amazingly broken starts by my opponents. Since I don’t plan on working on this deck any further, I thought that I would release the list:


Hyper MUD
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4x Lodestone Myr
3x Time Vault

4x Metalworker
3x Staff of Domination

4x Smokestack
4x Tangle Wire
4x Crucible of Worlds
4x Trinisphere
2x Culling Scales

4x Well of Knowledge

1x Black Lotus
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Mox Ruby
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Pearl
1x Sol Ring
1x Mana Crypt
4x Mishra’s Workshop
3x Ancient Tomb
4x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine
1x Tolarian Academy
3x Rishadan Port


SB:
===

4x Chalice of the Void
3x Triskelion
4x Tormod’s Crypt
4x Powder Keg


This deck has four paths to victory: two instant-win combos, Smokestack lockdown, or Lodestone Myr beatdown. Here is a description of the synergies within the deck:


Instant-win combos:
=============

1) Lodestone Myr + Time Vault: This combo creates an arbitrarily large trampling creature. The Time Vault can be untapped by skipping the next turn, then can be tapped to give the Myr +1/+1; this can be repeated an infinite number of times. You have to be careful using this combo in case your opponent has creature removal; Tangle Wire and Trinisphere help to insure this if need be. A turn two kill is possible if you drop a first turn Myr.

2) Metalworker + Staff of Domination: As long as you have at least 3 artifacts in hand, this combo allows you to gain infinite life, generate infinite mana, and draw as many cards as you want. To kill off your opponent you can draw all but 1-2 cards, cast all of your disruption spells (especially Tangle Wire and Trinisphere) then win via either Myr beatdown or via Time Vault lock next turn. A turn 2 kill is possible if you drop a first turn Metalworker.


Lockdown:
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1) Smokestack/Tangle Wire + Time Vault/Crucible: Smokestack by itself does a lot of damage, but its power is amplified if you are sacrificing lands with Crucible in play or if you are skipping turns under Time Vault to clear the opponent’s board.

2) Crucible of Worlds + Wasteland/Strip Mine: Made even stronger with the presence of Trinisphere, this combination not only can win games all by itself, but it gives you a measure of protection versus opposing Crucibles.


Beatdown:
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1) Lodestone Myr + Staff of Domination: The Myr can get pretty large all by itself, but you can use the Staff to make it bigger outside of the Time Vault combo. For each mana you have untapped, you can use the staff to pump the Myr +1/+1.


Card drawing:
=========

1) Metalworker + Well of Knowledge: Make sure that you draw the card for the turn first before making decisions about the Well. If your opponent has no removal, this little combo can get quite disgusting pretty quickly, and it’s not unusual to end the game by drawing most of your deck within 2-3 turns.


Comments:

This deck is designed to overcome certain problems associated with MUD: it allows you to draw into “oops, I win� combinations in the event that the opponent succeeds in breaking out of the Prison lock, giving this deck some middle/late game potential. It works in similar fashion to straight MUD and packs just as much disruption, but having different avenues to victory give this deck some much needed flexibility. If anything, the deck can win in spectacular fashion by drawing nearly the entire library via either the Staff or Well, which makes for some fun games. Culling Scales and Rishadan Port were added at the last minute for different reasons. The Scales can help deal with Null Rods and three were originally brought into the MD to help fight against Fish. The Ports were brought in because they seemed to be the best choices for the remaining land slots. They help tap-down lands to take Mana Drain off line, or to otherwise help enhance the locks in the deck. The SB is there to mainly deal with Welder-based decks (Triskelion and Kegs can come in, as well as Chalices against Control Slaver), or with combo (Crypts for Dragon, and Chalices for Tendrils-based decks/Belcher).

The limited amount of testing that I was able to do revealed that this deck can probably go 50/50 against most decks in the field probably on the strength of Crucible or Trinisphere alone, although the added punch of the two card combos actually give it a bit more consistency than straight MUD.

Discuss

[WildWillieWonderboy]

Since you've added several compact winning combos, why not just focus exclusively on the early game? It seems that this particular variant of the brown machine is predisposed to producing more often those godhands that everyone dreads when they play against the workshop prison decks. If I understand you correctly, the lock parts are meant as sort of brown FoWs and Duresses, in terms of the disruption they are supposed to effect on the opponent, but it seems that chalice would be better suited to taking control of the early game than smokestacks, as it is for the most part replaced in its mana denial role by crucible and doesn't do anything for a whole turn anyway. Culling scales seem that they would produce a mox monkey-like effect , the only catch being that without smokestacks, your opponent has to have more inexpensive things than you. As such, I propose changing the list as follows:
-4 Smokestack
-2 Culling Scales
+4 Chalice
and
+2 Sphere of Resistance to help control the early game better.

[TheIneffable]

Without Scales or Smokestacks this deck ends up without a way to deal with permanents of any kind other than land.

[WildWillieWonderboy]

Yes, but in the early game such a strategy could be perfectly valid.

[dicemanx]

The problem is that it's difficult to devote this deck to the "early game" without tutoring power; splashing colors is not an option because it weakens the Metalworker/Staff combo. The two card combos don't always come up quickly enough, and even if they do, they could be easily disrupted. I think that Smokestack is too powerful not to include, but the Culling Scales could go. I was thinking:

-2 Culling Scales
-1 Well of Knowledge

+3 Chalice of the Void

Chalices might be the better answer to Null Rod game 1, and they are already strong vs 4cc (set to either 1 or 2) and combo decks (set either to 0, 1 or 2 depending on whether it's Belcher, Deathlong, or Dragon respectively).

[Kinarus]

It seems like the 4th Ancient Tomb should be in there, or possibly a City of Traitors. Turn 1 Metalworker is just so good, I'd want as many ways to get it as possible. Are the Rishadan Ports performing well enough?

I also like the Chalices.

[BreathWeapon]

Are Lodestone Myr, Time Vault and Well of Knowledge necessary? Staff of Domination has been more than enough, in playtesting, to give MUD a FCGish "Combo Out.". Lodestone, Vault and Well are all pretty awful cards by themselves, while Staff of Domination has numerous independant uses.

Having the ability to play Chalice for 1 or 2 with out reprecussion is savage. I'd replace Crucibles with Chalices immediately, because Crucible does dick vs Combo, Drain Slaver or Mono U.

Have you found Rishadan Ports to be superior to Petrified Fields?

[theorigamist]

Have you found Rishadan Ports to be superior to Petrified Fields?

With Crucibles in the deck, Rishadan Port is by far the better choice.

But I would think you'd rather have Ancient Tomb #4 than Rishadan Port #3.  Everything in the deck costs three or four mana.

[mrieff]

Interesting take. I never considered Culling Scales before as a potential artifact answer against Null Rod. As a SB card, It definetely has potential.

I'd say that both Staff of Domination and Well of Knowledge is too much. If you want to keep the combo potential in your deck, I'd go with the staff since it is much more flexible, and has other uses as well.

Lodestone-Time Vault is nice. Both cards also have some use out of the combo. The Myr is obvious, but even the Vault can come in handy with Smokestack. I'm not sure whether thats enough to justify playing 3 however.

[dicemanx]

It seems like the 4th Ancient Tomb should be in there, or possibly a City of Traitors.

But I would think you'd rather have Ancient Tomb #4 than Rishadan Port #3. Everything in the deck costs three or four mana.

I'd say that both Staff of Domination and Well of Knowledge is too much. If you want to keep the combo potential in your deck, I'd go with the staff since it is much more flexible, and has other uses as well.

Initially, this deck ran 4 Ancient Tombs and 2 City of Traitors due to the numerous 3cc artifacts. However, I found that they did not mesh well with the Well of Knowledge, so I decided to replace one Tomb and two Cities with basic Mountains. Those Mountains then became Ports as running a few basics was not terribly important. The Wells and Staffs might seem a bit much for the Metalworker combo, but the Well is supposed to be a decent card drawer outside of that combo. Even if your opponent has the opportunity to draw cards, they have to tap down mana on their turn, which makes it particularly unappealing if there is a Trinisphere in play. This deck needs some sort of card drawing, and the Staff is too weak in that department. There are other possibilities like Skullcap and Mind's Eye, but the Well does have that combo potential.

Running a 4th Ancient Tomb is very possible, although so far I didn't miss it and between the 3 Tombs and 4 Workshops getting 3 mana turn 1 not too difficult. I simply want to find a balance between getting that 3 mana 1st turn and powering the Well without having to take so much damage. Perhaps the 4th Tomb is in fact the way to go.

Lodestone-Time Vault is nice. Both cards also have some use out of the combo. The Myr is obvious, but even the Vault can come in handy with Smokestack. I'm not sure whether thats enough to justify playing 3 however.

The Vault and the Staff are weak draws, but this deck is willing to make that sacrifice in the interest of increasing the chances of comboing out. Still, the Myr is pretty good on its own and I could see cutting down the Vaults to two.

Are Lodestone Myr, Time Vault and Well of Knowledge necessary? Staff of Domination has been more than enough, in playtesting, to give MUD a FCGish "Combo Out.". Lodestone, Vault and Well are all pretty awful cards by themselves, while Staff of Domination has numerous independant uses.

I disagree with the assessment that the Myr is awful by itself. It's a huge creature that can be made even bigger via the Staff combo. The Well is also quite good on its own, as this deck attempts to break the symmetry of this card. It does backfire on occasion, but I feel it's a necessary risk to take at this time. Nevertheless, it might be possible to cut the Vaults and add more control elements (like 3 Triskelions and 1 Chalice).

Having the ability to play Chalice for 1 or 2 with out reprecussion is savage. I'd replace Crucibles with Chalices immediately, because Crucible does dick vs Combo, Drain Slaver or Mono U.

Crucible is not great versus Combo (non-Dragon) and Mono-U, but its quite effective vs everything else outside of aggro including CS. However, very few people play combo and I doubt we'll be seeing a lot of mono-U. I'd rather leave Crucibles in, because at worst they will protect you against opposing Wastelands (and partial protection versus mono-U Back to Basics, as you can reuse tapped Workshops by Wasting/Stripping them). Also, don't forget the mini-combo with Smokestack and Crucible.

Have you found Rishadan Ports to be superior to Petrified Fields?

I didn't try Fields, but they seem a bit too slow for recurring Wastes/Strip. With 4 Crucibles, Ports look like the better choice to me.

[BreathWeapon]

Awful was probably too strong of a word for Myr/Vault/Well, I'll just say their inferior to other existing card choices when taken seperately.

As an aside, I was looking through Apprentice for Brown Lands and came across Desert. Considering Fish's strength vs Prison and consistant success, 4 Deserts could be a HUGE Boon. They also stop Goblin Lackey cold.

[jdl]

4 Deserts could be a HUGE Boon. They also stop Goblin Lackey cold.

I'm not a judge, but I'm pretty sure that Desert won't stop a Goblin Lackey.

[DI419!]

As an aside, I was looking through Apprentice for Brown Lands and came across Desert. Considering Fish's strength vs Prison and consistant success, 4 Deserts could be a HUGE Boon. They also stop Goblin Lackey cold.

No, it doesn't.  They still get to play a SCG/Warchief/whatever, just only one of them.  Read Desert again.

[BreathWeapon]

As an aside, I was looking through Apprentice for Brown Lands and came across Desert. Considering Fish's strength vs Prison and consistant success, 4 Deserts could be a HUGE Boon. They also stop Goblin Lackey cold.

No, it doesn't.  They still get to play a SCG/Warchief/whatever, just only one of them.  Read Desert again.

I'm aware of this, however it does stop a single Lackey from becoming an exponential threat over the course of 2-3 turns left unchecked. Short of a lucky Siege Gang Commander, I'm not worried. A single Lackey drop isn't that menacing.  As long as you can Desert the Lackey, you'll have them in Tangle Wire range.

I probably should have articluated my point further in the quoted text.

At any rate, Desert is still worth a try IMO.

[dicemanx]

Desert is a pretty neat suggestion. It can hold off nearly all of Fish's creatures and negate half their card-drawing cards, which I find to be the main advantage of that card. Goblin Lackey isn't much of a problem because you don't need to rely on Deserts - this deck has an excellent match up against FCG already.

[BreathWeapon]

I agree that FCG is a favorable match up, I was just trying to think of every possible "Perq" for Desert. So far, I haven't found a Fish player yet that didn't say "WTF!?" when I dropped Desert online, hahaha. I also checked out Quicksand, because of its synergy with Crucible of Worlds. It proved to be fairly unimpressive vs everything but FCG and U/g Madness, and I can't say I phe@r either of those decks as much as I do Fish.

Here is my current version,

Draw Engine (5)
4xMinds Eye
1xMemory Jar

Lock Pieces (16)
4xSmokestack
4xTangle Wire
4xTrinisphere
4xChalice of the Void

Kill Conditions (6)
2xKarn, Silver Golemn
4xMetalworker

Combo (4)
4xStaff of Domination

Metagame (4)
4xCrucible of Worlds

Mana Sources (25)
1xTolarian Academy
4xMishras Workshop
4xAncient Tomb
1xStrip Mine
4xWasteland
4xDesert (Yeah, OWNed)
1xBlack Lotus
1xMox Saphire
1xMox Emerald
1xMox Pearl
1xMox Ruby
1xMox Jet
1xMana Crypt

The 4 Metagame slots are up for debate, IMO. More FAT would be nice, but I'll live with it.. I cut both Mana Vault and Sol Ring from the manabase and haven't missed them so far; I needed the room and they Top Deck like ass with Chalice=1.

[dicemanx]

I moved the Chalice of the Voids to the main deck, and have been pretty pleased with that decision. The swaps I made were:

-3 Culling Scales
-1 Well of Knowledge

+4 Chalice of the Void

Chalice is pretty amazing in the current meta - its also important to try to contain a Welder by setting it to 1 if you go 1st, or contain a Null Rod by setting if for 2. Since this deck is low on 1cc and 2cc spells, it makes Chalice a very flexible card. Setting it for 0 can also be a great play if you can get Crucible out 1st turn with Waste/Strip back-up.