A look at a deck..

[laughoverlunch]

As I was reading magicthegathering.com as part of my routine every day, I got around to Mark's column. In it was a deck that I noticed was very interesting and so I put it together. It goldfishes turn 1 and turn 2 consistantly. I changed a few cards to make it more suitable to me, to make me more comfortable, and here is what I've gotten:

4 Crimson Kobolds
4 Crookshank Kobolds
4 Kobolds of Kher Keep
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Ornithopter
4 Phyrexian Marauder
4 Phyrexian Walker
4 Shield Sphere
4 Myr Servitor
3 Vine Dryad

4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Land Grant

2 Bombardment

4 Taiga
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Fastbond

The point of the deck is to get an early (at the latest turn 2) Glimpse of Nature and to start laying the cheap creatures. As you draw cards, you will run into more mana, allowing you to play Fastbond to lay down other lands to eventually drop the Bombardment kill.

I have played 20 games with this so far and no later than turn 3 did it win, or it flopped. The problems I see are Duress(ing) my starting hand Glimpse, Cranial Extraction for the Glimpse, or countering my Glimpse or even Bombardment. I wish I had a way to secure this deck against them, but decks that run them, I just lose to.

Now, you might ask why I would run this deck? I like the deck because its combo-esque and relatively cheap to throw together. The Black Lotus and two on-color moxes are very nice to have, as they enable a much easier turn 1 kill, however, they are not needed. I'll cover some choices other than the obvious Glimpse + free creatures:

Myr Servitor: I decided to run a set of these, albeit reluctantly, because even if I draw dead hands, each turn, I can bring them back and reuse them. If nothing else, they are a quick 1 damage to take care of welders.

Paradise Mantel: I chose to run these to fix my mana. If I am somehow getting screwed and need red mana, I can toss an ESG for the mana to equip it and tap that creature (if it doesn't have summoning sickness.) These can be replaced, but I've yet to find a replacement.

Goblin Bombardment: This is the kill of the deck. After playing all those free creatures and drawing cards off them, I can drop this and sac all those creatures to finish the opponent, or to kill some creatures that might have me on a short clock.

Overall, the deck is enjoyable, although after a few runs, the deck can get redundant because of the straight-forwardness. If you have any insight on what to play instead of what, I'm open. This deck is not supposed to be a major contender, I just want to play it, and thus, my asking for your opinions.
-lol (laughoverlunch)

edit: Envelop absolutely shuts this down. All it took was U to shut me down. =(

[Necrologia]

The problem with this deck is that it has absolutely no way to get a Glimpse into it's hand. This deck is much like Fluctuator decks in that a single counter shuts it down, and it still has the ability to stall when going off.

Try cutting some of the weaker creatures (dryad, servitor) and fitting in brainstorm, impulse and perhaps duress for some protection. You'll need to change your manabase appropriately.

Another possibility would be adding Multaini's Presence and chalice of the void as an alternate way of combing off. It's not much more reliable, but it keeps you from having to add extra colors.

[Cpt_Ginu]

You need to go with a tendrils route. Add songs of the damned skull clamp and dark ritual, it's much more reliable. A friend of mine won a local type 1 with Kobald clamp and got 3 1st turn wins along the way. But then agin he did lose the first game if anyone maindecked null rods.

[oyzar]

This deck does sutch things as no-glimpse mulligans. Why did you remove the Serum powders  from MaGo's build? it is what makes it work... http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mg147

The First thing i though when i saw MaGo's build was why no Skullclamps? I think that those might been neded in your build too, they might be a litle mana intensive though, and then you would end up with the common kobold clam deck. This deck should definatly run some tutors.

[An_American_Heart]

your deck will never win a big type 1 tournament with a semi-advanced metagame.  you might be able to beat some child who still thinks his 5th turn thorn elemental off a couple llanowar elves is savage tech, but anything in the metagame will tear you apart.

you might get lucky on food chains, since it's not blue.  But this deck looses to tons of things:

Trinishpere
chalice
Mana drain
force of will
daze!

that's just to name a couple.

the funny thing about that deck is it is like a weaker version of klampbolds.dec with even MORE losses.

Tremor anyone?

[laughoverlunch]

your deck will never win a big type 1 tournament with a semi-advanced metagame.

Now, I believe I said this, and also:

But this deck looses to tons of things:

Trinishpere
chalice
Mana drain
force of will
daze!

If you read what I wrote, I knew these things. I didn't need that to be pointed out. You, I am done with.

@Oyzar

I did try Skullclamp at first. And yes, it is a bit mana intensive, and I can give you the reason MaGo didn't include them in his build either. Theres no mana to support it. And if I did add them and mana, it would in fact be a much weaker clampkobold deck. I appreciate the idea.

Also, about Serum Powders. I just missed them I guess. I was just copying the basic idea, I didn't get all the details of it. I am going to continue to run this thing so I can play it soon. Thanks for bringing those back up.

@Cpt_Ginu

Think I should just do a G/B version instead of R/G and have Mox Jet replace Ruby, Tendrils replace Bombardment, and Bayou replace Taiga. I understand I'd still need better draw as not to stall, but I don't want to dilute the manabase (color wise) too much. I might just have to do a 3-color.

@Necrologia

I can see what you are saying, and I did notice this myself. What would you suggest I replace with certain cards? Since I probably won't be relying on Bombardment as a kill anymore, I can stand less on creature amount (still needed though, since it is the base of the combo) and more on utility/overall use of cards. Any ideas are appreciated!

Thanks guys for the positive responses .. I'm sure you can all understand the need to play some stupid shit every now and again.
-lol (laughoverlunch)

[Cpt_Ginu]

I'm going to talk to my friend this weekend and try to get his list up on sunday. But like i said it was a kobald-klamp deck but did turn out to be very consistant. His version was G/B and included such nice things as land grants and such. It's basicaly a belcher deck without the belcher but includes all the other acceleration. I'll  also try to pick his mind for information on snagpoints as well as improvements and plays.