Updating SmmenenBlue (mono blue) For a Post Gencon World

[Smmenen]

Here is what I played at Gencon:
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Mana Leak
2 Counterspell
1 Misdirection

4 Ophidian
4 Back to Basics
3 Powder Keg
2 Morphling

4 Impulse
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk

5 Moxen
5 Waste/Strip
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
8 Island
5 Fetchland
1 LoA

SB:
1 Counterspell
4 Propoganda
4 Energy Flux
3 BEB
3 Control Magic

You can go to SCG and read the article I wrote detailing my testing with my team.  

  I switched 3 weeks before Gencon from LongDeath to Mono Blue and I only had 3 weeks to work on it.  As you can probably tell from the article, I was changing my mind from day to day.

Since the deck is compeletely open source now, I thought we could do this the old mana drain way and discuss potential changes to the deck in a post-Gencon metagame.  I'll answer any questions and try to explain my testing results in a way that may not be clear - but we can use this thread to have everyone else post thier own testing results.

Although I designed the deck for Gencon, I think it is clear from the results of Gencon, that that metagame will continue to linger.

Here is a suggestion for a post Gencon metagame:

4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Mana Leak
3 Counterspell
1 Misdirection

4 Ophidian
3 Back to Basics
3 Powder Keg
2 Morphling

4 Impulse
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk

5 Moxen
5 Waste/Strip
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
8 Island
5 Fetchland
1 LoA

SB:
4 Propoganda
4 Energy Flux
3 BEB
3 Control Magic
1 Back to Basics

I only changed one card from the SB to the MB and vice versa.  I want to say at the outset that the deck is highly customizable.  

I really liked Chalice of the Void, and there were many, many times I would have preferred Chalice over Keg (like when I went first against David Allen game one of the quarters).  However, I found that the deck has too weak of a matchup against Tog and Dryads without Kegs.  

Chalice however, is probably objectively stronger than Keg if not for those weaknesses.

Here is a build that PTW came up with:

3 morphlng
4 phid
1 misd
2 mana leak
4 fow
4 manadrain
4 ak
1 time walk
1 ancestral
2 echoing truth
3 chalice of the void
3 b2b
3 veldaken shackles

6 lomoxen
1 strip
1 library
16 islands

The fatal mistake of this list is not to have a full complement of Wastelands.  Wastelands are absolutely essential for reasons I've detailed before.  he doesn't have them, becuase he doesn't have Fetchlands.  However, the more Fetchlands you add, the slightly weaker Shackles becomes.  

I think the combination of Shackles and Chalice can make up for the lack of Keg.  It's just a matter of putting it in the right build.  Thoughts?

[MaxxMatt]

Hi Steve,

Here are some of my thoughts and testing results with some MonoU build during these months.

I like you build and I think that it should have EXACTLY that number of Kegs and BtBs. You have 3 of them maindeck and it is the right equilibrium between Locking-Components and Removals.

On the other hand, as I said to you some days ago in your other MonoU's discussion, I feel that having both of them ( Kegs and BtBs ) AND CotVs is needed in this metagame for some reasons:

1) It stops Combo.
2) It slows down a lot Artifact.dec
3) At the right cc it slows the game enough to get the needed advantage against Control.
3) You don't lose a lot setting it automatically at 0 or 1 ( or both of them ).

As you read from my previous link and coerently with your testing, if you play CotVs AND BtB ( AND sometimes resetting the Board with a Keg ), you will give to the oppoent so many dead draws and unplayable cards that the game is totally in your favour.

The BtB's strategy slow a bit the mana development of a smart opponent with non-basic lands and CoWs in play ( he can Waste his needed lands to recurr them via graveyard. But it need so much time that you are able to always counter anyone of his threats )

CotVs are the "game ender". Especially at a low cc ( 0 and 1 ) it prevent opponent's possible recover thanks to cheap topdecked spells.

It is really too strong not to play it.


On the other hand, I perfectly realize that CotVs are sometimes a first or second turn extraordinary play while their impact on the game is progressively worse.

Even with this idea in mind, I use them in my deck with excellent results.
Sometimes, if my opponent go first, I side out CotVs for some "reactive" spells and then I reside them in when go first.

I really appreciate the Impulse-Fetchland's build, but I tried a Brainstorm+Fetchland's one with a lot of positive feedbacks.


Counters - (14)
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Leak
2 Misdirection


Drawers and Tricks - (12)
4 Ophidian
4 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
2 Cunning Wish


Winners? - (2)
2 Morphling

Control Board - (10)
3 Back to Basic
3 Powder Keg
3 Wasteland
1 Stripmine
[/i]

Mana - (22)
8 Island
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus

I didn't like it too much because of the lack of CotVs, but it is a lot more sinergic than some of my other builds.

I see that you didn't use Cunning Wish, perhaps not to bastardize too much the sideboard.
I proposed to you this side. It has some good Wishable and Not-Wishable elements that positively resolved a lot of games.

Wishable Targets - [6]
1 Capsize ( Midgame game Ending Bouncer )
1 Rebuild ( against Artifact.dec especially during game 1 )
1 Echoing Truth ( Welders & Co. especially during Game 1 )
1 Rushing River ( 2 for 1 effect on different permanents )
1 Fact or Fiction ( A wishable drawer )
1 Blue Elemental Blast ( Worst card In the Side... )

Non Wishable Targets - [9]
3 Damping Matrix ( DRAgon e Welders e Atog )
4 Control Magics ( Aggro & Creatures with abilities)
1 Poweder Keg ( against Aggro)
1 Back to Basic ( against  Controllo )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I used this build now:

Mana Base(25):
8 Island
5 Fetchlands
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring

Winner(6):
4 Ophidian
2 Morphling

Search(8):
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
4 Impulse
2 Cunning Wish

Counter(12):
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Miscalculation

Control Board(9):
3 Back to Basics
3 Chalice of the Void
3 Powder Keg

Side(15):

Non-Wishable Targets
4 Control Magic
1 Chalice of the Void
1 Back to Basics
1 Powder Keg

Wishable Targets
1 Capsize
1 Rebuild
1 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Echoing Truth
1 Rushing River
1 Mana Short
1 Misdirection/ H.Recall
1 Fact or Fiction


Our decks are really similar, but mine has less counterspells because of the larger number of locking components and the few wishes.

Mana Leaks and Miscalculations are both really good. I choose miscalculations only because the entire deck as a strong denial plan and the amount of mana available to the opponent isn't so large. So playing 2 more for a spell is difficult if not impossible too. The cycling abilities is huge in the mid game, being sinergic with the thinning effects of the fetchlands.

I don't run LoA because of BtBs. It may be a poor choice, but until now 4 BtBs won me a lot more games that the single LoA.

Wishes add a bit more of redundancy and a large spread of solutions to strange situations that cannot covered by a counterspell because the opponent's threats just resolved.

The side lacks of Energy Fluxes. I didn't like them and their impact on the game is extremely good only if it resolve before artifacts locking components. If not, you would have and hard time to resolve a 3cc-sorcery-speed-spell.  On the other hand I feel that 4-5 dedicated istants that can get rid of all the differents permanents and they are more flexible solving my problems with artifacts as well.



What do you think?

MaxxMatt

[Smmenen]

First of all, Damping Matrix shuts down your own morphling and Ophidian.  Blue Elemental Blast is much stronger and fits the decks theme better.

I agree that Chalices were very strong. If you read my article on SCG, you'll see that I think they are strong becuase they resolve the issue of threat v. answer in a way that makes the deck even stronger.

I also think that despite using Chalices, Energy Flux is the strongest card in my sideboard.   Energy Flux is good becuase of the synergy it has with the deck.  With Chalice having prevented other things from coming into play and Back to Basics shutting off their land, Energy Flux is a slap to the face.

Arguing for the moment that we can run both Kegs and Chalices, I probably wouldn't run more than 2 Kegs.

What about this:

4 FoW
4 Mana Drain
1 Misdirection
4 Mana Leak
4 Chalice of the Void

2 Morphling
4 Ophidian

3 Back to Basics
2 Powder Keg
1 Ancestral
4 Impulse
1 Time Walk

8 Island
6 Fetchland
5 Moxen
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
5 Waste/Strip

SB:
4 Energy Flux
1 Back to Basics
3 Control Magic
3 Blue Elemental Blast
4 Propoganda

I really want to fit another Blue Elemental Blast, though.

I think this list, might be even stronger than the list I played at Gencon - it's a hybrid of my last two builds.  Chalices ARE insane.  

Stephen

[Pyromaniac]

In general, this deck looks pretty good. However, doesn't it lose to FCG when they get first turn lackey? Seems like you have to mulligan into FoW vs them a little too much.

First of all, Damping Matrix shuts down your own morphling and Ophidian.  

From the Oracle:

Ophidian

Creature -- Snake
1/3
Whenever Ophidian attacks and isn't blocked, you may draw a card. If you do, Ophidian deals no combat damage this turn.

Damping matrix only stops activated abilities, not triggered ones, right?

All in all, this looks pretty ok, I might give it a go some day, even though it isn't exactly my kind of deck.

Hero

[Smmenen]

In general, this deck looks pretty good. However, doesn't it lose to FCG when they get first turn lackey? Seems like you have to mulligan into FoW vs them a little too much.

Hero

Only game one.  Or if you are playing first, you can drop CHalice 1 or Keg, or Leak.  And only part of the time.  You could always go, Lotus Phid, or Sol Ring, Mox, Island Phid.   Game two you can drop Propoganda or BEB.

Re: Matrix

It still turns of Powder Keg and Morphling.

[rvs]

How has the random misdirection been?

It seems like a fine list, but what advantage does this deck have over Landstill? Is it just pure that you want to play with more basics?

[Smmenen]

Rudy, go read my article becuase that will answer your second question.

As for Misdirection, two was too many, but one has been perfect.

[Grand Inquisitor]

Chalice for two looks like game over for a lot of these builds.  Right now thats not one of the more popular lock parts, but its not difficult for workshop players to find room.

For this and numerous other reasons I really like Cunning Wish to give this deck some flexibility.  How did this work out in testing (both cunning wishes, and playing against chalice for two)?

[Smmenen]

There are far more decks that die HORRIBLY to Chalice 2 than this one.  Tog is an example of a deck that shrivles to Chalice 2.  You can beat chalice for two with Energy Flux, Back to Basics, Chalices of your own, Wastelands and a Morphling.

[Azhrei]

My only complaint is that in the first game you have a really tough time if you go second and someone plays a fast 5/X-- you're not realistically going to get the defense running in time. Secondly, I have reservations about using Ophidian as the main draw card in such a creature heavy environment.

I also don't think you have enough Islands, but that's just me. Seems like Stax or something similar is going to steal your lunch money. Making every land drop early on seems so important. I'd probably prefer 4 B2Bs and no Strips, running 4-5 Fetch and about 12 Islands. But then, I tend to play very balls-to-the-wall so I'd be trying to ramp up the speed in every way possible.

[MolotDET]

I am not going to claim to be an expert on monoU but I have tended to fiddle with it for a year or so at a time, so let me say/ask this...

One would think that playing maindeck Back to Basics and Wastelands would be at a counterpoint.  In the new CoW enviroment we find ourselves, playing back to basics seems advantagous but putting wasted lands into a COW players grave seems like a lost cause.  If you have them locked down B2B what are the wastes going to net you other than colorless lands you only going to be able to tap once.

Also... using early wastelands (which I dont think you would want to do anyway since the deck needs UU as quick as it can get it) will only slow your ability to play a quick B2B.  You want to drop it ASAP correct?


Now I would guess that the decks clock is amazingly slow. So we are looking at a turn 15 win.  I know Blue doesn't have the depth of spells that would alllow a full wishable SB but wouldn't you gain some flexability from 4 of 5 wishable targets?

Ok questions asked and so-forth and so-on.

Mo

[Machinus]

I think perhaps it would be better to approach this in the way Eastman tried to construct the optimal Hulk build a while back on this board. He examined the core components and analyzed how much space was available in the deck and for what kind of components. So here is my brief start on that.


Here is the core of the deck.

Mana Base, 26

1 Lotus
5 Moxen
1 Strip
4 Waste
1 Library
6 Fetch
8 Island

Counters, 12

4 FoW
4 Drain
4 Leak

Draw, 6

4 Phid
1 Walk
1 Recall

Disruption & Kill, 5

3 Back to Basics
2 Morphling

This leaves eleven slots. The deck needs more draw and more disruption. Up for discussion are these cards:

Impulse vs AK
FoF
TFK
Sol Ring
Misdirection
Chalce vs. Keg

I think it is a mistake not to include chalice in this deck. Dropping chalice for 1 early buys you a significant amount of time against Welder.dec, Brainstorm, Duress, StP, REB, and large parts of FCG, GAT, Gay/R, and Belcher. The downside to this card is getting it in the late game, where it does nothing. But I do not think Keg automatically fills this role better, because your opponent always gets a whole turn to deal with it. So if chalice is used, some kind of answer is needed for permanents that slip past your counterwall or are uncounterable. The strips deal with the lands pretty well, so we are focusing more on win conditions like dryad, tog, and angel, should she come down. This is the main point of contention in building bbs decks now.

This is also where I want to try out a new idea:

Traditionally, the ideal game plan was to drain something on turn two, drop a phid the next turn with the spare mana, and still have counter mana available, with pitch backup. This works pretty well, as in the long run, "ophie" can draw you enough to win the game. Of course, if you don't get this draw, your deck can stall out on you. What I would say is more common is having the drain but no phid, or the phid but you don't want to tap out for it. Ophidian isn't always a guaranteed card per turn, as many decks will be able to kill or block it, and this can shut down the necessary card generation to survive the game. This is the fundamental obstacle for monoblue - dealing with the early game, and still having the resources to overpower the opponent in the late game. The tension between the draw engine and defense has always been the focus of this problem, and the success of the compromise between these two elements is the reason other decks like 4c or Tog have been better than monoblue. So my idea is to employ Thirst for Knowledge as the draw engine instead of Ophidian. This will free up the deck to deal with the early game more strongly, and give it a recycler for cards which may be dead in the late game, like chalice, sol ring, or moxen. We can then add the rest of the cards accordingly.

-4 Ophidian
+4 Thirst for Knowledge

+4 Chalice of the Void
+1 Sol Ring

+3 Impulse
+1 FoF

+2 Capsize

Capsize is viable in the deck since it can produce UU and buyback is realistic since you won't be tapping out, and there is a lot of colorless acceleration. However, it can be expensive, so other choices such as echoing truth can be used here also.

The lotus could become the fourth impulse, or a third morphling, depending on your preference. I am not confident that the lotus is worth the spot since the last thing this deck wants in the late game is mana, and it doesn't do a whole lot in the early game. So I think the following changes could be made:

-1 Lotus
+1 Morphling

or

-1 Lotus
+1 Impulse

I would personally add the impulse. Here is what the deck would look like, roughly:

5 Mox
1 Sol Ring
4 Waste
1 Strip
6 Fetch
8 Island
1 Library

4 Force
4 Drain
4 Leak
4 Chalice

4 TfK
4 Impulse
1 FoF
1 Walk
1 Recall

3 B2B
2 Echoing Truth

2 Morphling

There are other switches that can be made also. The FoF could become a MisD in case there is a need for more early game disruption, but as it is, the deck doesn't want to throw away many cards since the long term draw power is admittedly less than a deck with Ophidian. Anyway, I would like to hear what people think about TfK, this direction of deck for monoblue, or any comments on this kind of post.

[Azhrei]

This is what I was trying. I had another list that used 4 Cunning Wishes and ran a heavily instant-based sideboard, but I think this is better.  You absolutely cannot lose to a control deck.  Propaganda is a good sideboard choice as well, but I tend to opt for anti-control stuff. In this metagame, maybe Propaganda is a better choice, but it's not what I'd bring normally.  I'm basically trying to abuse Intuition here, obviously, and I went away from Fetchlands because once your AKs are in the dirt you can thin the deck by Intuitioning for Islands.  The Chalices are the best defense against weenies and they can also help with the mana denial component far better than Wastelands since they shut off Moxen and aren't redundant with B2B. Three Morphlings might be too many, but I like the ability to Intuition for them. I'd also try cutting one for a Misdirection.

BBS:

7 SoLoMoxen
16 Islands

4 B2B
3 Chalice of the Void

3 Morphling

4 Mana Leak
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
2 Counterspell

4 Impulse
3 Intuition
4 Accumulated Knowledge

1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk

SB:

1 Chalice of the Void
4 Energy Flux
3 Control Magic
4 Deep Analysis
3 BEB

[ELD]

I'm amazed that people are not listing 4 wastes and a strip in every list.  Once you have even 5 islands and 4 fetches you have enough basics.  Anything past that really doesn't add any consistancy.  I ran back to basics tog at last years PT:Boston type 1 and won.  It had 5 islands.  Why would you even need 16 islands.  Jester's Cap perhaps?  It is never acceptable to run cards just because.  Every card must be carefully thought out.  This includes ones mana base.  

When you look at the decks that could have made T8 at Gencon, realize that Dragon could have made up 3 of the 8 slots.  Why auto lose to dragon by not having a quick way deal with Bazaar in a slow control deck.  With fish all over the place, Why be held off by a single mishra's factory which could block and kill your phids.  

Sure Back to Basics helps out, but by not running wastes and a strip, you are putting yourself in a bad spot for no reason.  You don't need to walk away from counter mana early to handle non basics.  You can handle a them easily with a card that should be main anyways.

One last note, I've won against back to basics many times.  PM Kowal about our match when he had BtB and Enery Flux on the table.  A couple strip effects would make it impossible to save up enough mana to force through something game winning spell.

[Grand Inquisitor]

There are far more decks that die HORRIBLY to Chalice 2 than this one. Tog is an example of a deck that shrivles to Chalice 2.

I don't really see how you can say this.  Using the tog example...

Mana Drain         Both
AK/Impulse        Both
Time Walk          Both
Demonic Tutor    Hulk
Mana Leak          Mono U
Chalice for 1       Mono U
Powder Keg        Mono U

and some of your builds ran counterspell, which makes this worse.  Not to mention that Hulk's non 2cc spells usually answer chalice (wish, deed, shaman).

You can beat chalice for two with Energy Flux, Back to Basics, Chalices of your own, Wastelands and a Morphling.

Energy Flux is superb.  No question.  However, the problem with flux, is the same problem with B2B against non-basics.  Its a great general answer to the strategy, however, its not removal.  If a workshop player has a volcanic and a wasteland, and he can keep out a juggernaut, a crucible, or something, he may be able to continue to apply pressure.  If he's maintaining a chalice for 2, he may keep your counter/removal down long enough to get workshops out and lay threats.

Flux in conjuntion with B2B is a lock for sure, but lets not make it sound like this is an easy task against aggro-workshop.

I fail to see how B2B, Chalices (you're going to pay 8 for it?), or wastelands help here.  Morphling is a win condition, but he's not going to stave off a team of artifact fat, thats what your countermagic (and flux) is for.

Given how strong workshop based decks are right now, I don't really see how mono blue is a particularly strong choice.  Sure it has energy flux, but I can run that in practically any blue based deck (same for control magic).

I'm amazed that people are not listing 4 wastes and a strip in every list. Once you have even 5 islands and 4 fetches you have enough basics. Anything past that really doesn't add any consistancy.

I agree from a standpoint of building a stable manabase.  I also agree that pro-active strip effects bring a lot to the table thatn B2B doesn't.  However, I think the problem for Mono-Blue is that since Wasteland is basically a missed land drop, it takes longer for its already slow bombs (Phid, B2B, SB) to come online.  If you don't draw moxen in your opening hand, strips exacerbate the problem that this deck has a higher curve, and is almost strictly reactive compared to the rest of the format.

[paradigm]

Using the tog example...

Mana Drain Both
AK/Impulse Both
Time Walk Both
Demonic Tutor Hulk
Mana Leak Mono U
Chalice for 1 Mono U
Powder Keg Mono U

and some of your builds ran counterspell, which makes this worse. Not to mention that Hulk's non 2cc spells usually answer chalice (wish, deed, shaman).

The difference is that Tog needs its Drains very badly for the deck to function. Mono U doesn't. While it may hit the same things, Mono U has Phids as available draw while Tog has lesser options, and is already mana choked under Waste effects and B2B. If they expend their energy answering Chalice for 2, the other effects do them in. (Esp if they are using Shaman, and therefore, red)

[DavidHernandez]

This was only touched on, so i'll clarify it: Damping Matrix does NOT stop Ophidian. You will still draw cards. But as Steve said, it will shut down your Morphling and that's not acceptable.

Chalice is a house but as G.I. pointed out, it's not removal.

What did you find in testing with Nev's Disk? I read the articles on SCG but only see Disks listed in a historical build from ages ago. With Dryad's out of the current meta, Disk may offer more security than Keg and can give an answer for an opponents superior board position (should it exist).

Dave.

[Akuma]

If you are planning on using Chalice of the Void in Mono U, you better make sure you can drop it for 0 and 1 and not cripple yourself. This means no Brainstorm. The core of the deck, as mentioned earlier is pretty much set, there are 11 or so slots to tinker around with.

I was originally running Chalice maindeck, but in the end I removed them. The problem with Chalice is that you don't get to go first every game. It's also difficult to drop a Chalice for anything other than 0 early. If you have 1U, you will typically not tap it to play Chalice, you will leave it open to Impulse or Mana Leak. Powder Keg is a must (hell, I even run a couple of Disks), otherwise you have to actually try to counter just about everything a good opponent plays.

Mono U is an extremely rigid deck. You can do well in a tournament with it (as proven by Smmenen), but things definitely have to be going your way.

[Shock Wave]

Mono U is an extremely rigid deck. You can do well in a tournament with it (as proven by Smmenen), but things definitely have to be going your way.

That's the most fitting description of how this deck can be successful. Things just "have to be going your way". For what my opinion is worth, I think it is a relatively awful deck that was piloted by a really good player who was fortunate enough to slip through some pretty hopeless matchups.

[Smmenen]

Ouch.

For what it's worth, before Gencon I would have totally agreed with you.  I almost played LongDeath at the main event instead of mono blue.  In testing I learned pretty quickly that the deck does NOT lose to random bad decks like Sligh, Suicide or FCG.  That was the first misconception that I realized.  The second is that the deck is really inherently powerful.  Counterspells are ridiculous both conceptually and practically and the fact that this deck is based on that idea has proved a great foil to the current metagame - a metagame which will continue for a little while, at least.

I think its no more rigid than UR Fish.  In fact, I think Mono Blue is basically the new Fish in a sense.

On a scale of 0-100 with Belcher being a 0-100 deck (terrible and impossible to lose hands), Fish is a 40-60 deck - it very consistently does one thing and it never really poops on itself, but it can't do something amazingly broken and win on turn 1.  The range of things it can do is 40-60.  Mono Blue is a 35-65 deck.  It won't do anything incredibly broken, but it is rather consistent.  Being inherently underpowered doesn't mean the deck is bad.  Fish should teach that lesson.

[Magi]

Smmenen

I ran your deck at a recent tournament, and I had some trouble deciding which cards to side in/out against certain decks, especially things like Workshop aggro, where I could have potentially sided in 8-10 cards. I almost always cut the MisD and MiscalC for my SB cards, but after that I was torn between taking out Leaks, or Kegs, which I didn't really want to do but feel I had no choice, as the cards I was bringing in would seem to be stronger against them. I would just like to hear your take on this.

Also, regarding Chalice of the Void, I thought the only way to stop a Chalice for 2 with Chalices was to set your own Chalice for 2, which is kinda dumb.

[Smmenen]

My own plan against these deck wasn't as developed as it should have been.  For some reason I was thinking like a month and a half ago that there would be mad Workshop aggro at Gencon, but then put it out of my mind a bit as I was testing more against Fish, Control Slaver, Stax, and Tog in my team testing.  That isn't to say I was unprepared - I knew what to do, but I think to a large degree my plan depended on specific builds, which was based upon my historical knowledge.

Against TnT I would probably side as follows:

- 3 Kegs
- 1 Misdirection
- 2 Counterspells
- 1 Back to Basics
- 4 Mana Drain or Leak (whichever one testing worse in testing post board)
- 2 Morphling

+ 4 Energy Flux
+ 3 Blue Elemental Blasts
+ 4 Propoganda
+ 2 Control Magic

The problem with this plan is that I didn't actually test it before the tournament.  The rationale is simple for this plan - they will try and pay for Flux, which is the first card you want down, then you can Blast and Steal their Welders or Drop B2B or Control Magic.  

Against the Man Show, I'd do it more like this:
+ 4 Flux
+ 3 Control Magic
since they have almost no Welders, if any
- 1 Misd
- 3 Keg
- 2 Morphling
- 1 Counterspell

Against Stacker - which David Allen played, here is what I did:
- 2 Morphling
- 1 Back to Basics
- 1 Misdirection
- 3 Powder Keg
- 2 Counterspell

+ 4 Energy Flux
+ 3 Blue Elemental Blast
+ 2 Control Magic

This way I have 5 ways to answer Welder and I have plenty of mana denail to keep the tempo up.  Flux needs to come down before Back to Basics, however, the most important card to deal with is Welder.  Propoganda could come in, but I'm not 100% - I'm sure the sleightest bit of testing would show which is correct.  

TnT appears to me to be the most creature aggressive of the bunch and the one that warrants Propoganda the most.  

If you have Chalices maindeck, I'd keep them in going first, but take them out going second.  Going first, dropping Chalice 0 is just incredibly strong and will severely restrict what they can do to you - with Welder or anything.

[Magi]

Awesome, thanks.

Also, I was wondering what you think of using a Capsize maindeck in a build with Chalices, in place of something like MisD for instance. Capsize, aside from being an excellent utility card, would allow you to bounce their 1cc spells they manage to sneak under your Chalice. It would also get rid of things like Chalice for 2, and other randomness that can slip by like Oath. And also, it's blue

[PsychoCid]

Although Azhrei uses that line in just about every serious deck-discussion thread I've seen him post in over the past 5+ years, I have to agree with him.

Balls to the wall, balls to the walls, balls to the wall.  If your balls aren't to the wall, here, you're going to lose them.

I would not at all be opposed to a more aggressive (heavy b2b and morphling) blue build, in an environment like this.

I CAN'T say I'd like to see Strips go, though, as I think Stevie hit that right on the head. They are necessary, and do so many wonderful things.  Islands are wonderful, but you only need so many.

--

I have always, always, always, including the days of 4 FoF, included at -least- 1 Nevinyrral's Disk in the sideboard.

In our case, it's sort of a Timetwister.  When playing Timetwister, you had to be careful, and try to wedge/pray that the odds of who comes out on top would be in your favor (in dire cases, I mean--obviously you're gaining more if you lost 0 and opponent lost 7 in hand).

Disk is more reset than removal.  You clean the bored, and then bank (hopefully making an -educated- move) on the fact that your hand should be prepared for your opponents hand.

I don't quite advocate playing exactly in an all-or-nothing form, but it WILL, not too rarely, work out so that all you have to do is walk your way into a turn 3 (turn 4 active) Disk.

Just think Reset, not Removal.

--

As for Fact or Fiction as a whole, it CAN belong, but doesn't, the way Smmenen's deck is designed to flow.

If you're running with Scrolls or Wishes (and in these cases, 5x Ancestral/AK may already be enough...), then, yeah, maybe FoF can be a nice accent.

With this particular type of build, though, I came to notice (and I will admit that I opposed Smmenen on this issue for quite some time, those years ago) that FoF existed as somewhat of a ...speedbump.

Fact is an -incredible- card when you can link them, but in cases where all you're going to do, basically, is spend 4 mana for 2 cards, there's a lot more we could be doing, in type 1.

It's the casting cost that just doesn't agree with the rest of the deck.  The entire rest of the deck functions in twos, fives, and morphlings (five+).

Trying to fit a lone 4cc card into this base is like trying to build a bridge between two towers without having it touch either.