HERPES, a deck and disease

[MSR9889]

HERPES, co-created by myself and Keith Johnson.

For those of you who care to know, chances are that you yourself have one or more of the 7 different kinds of herpes :shock:
Now for the article...

I have been working on a deck list for a new and possibly good Type 1 deck. It is combo and aggro to an extent. The idea of the deck is based on getting out the 4 combo pieces:Krark-Klan Ironworks, Myr Retriever 2x, and Disciple of the Vault. You sacrifice the Retriever, they lose 1 life and 2 mana float. play the other retreiver and sacrafice him, return the other, they lose one more. Repeat until victorious.
This is most definetly a deck list for 5 proxie tournament play.

HERPES, the deck list:

Land
4 CoB
4 Glimmervoid
2 Gemstone Mine
4 Ancient Tomb
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Stripmine

Creatures
4 Myr Moonvessel
4 Myr Retriever
4 Boneshredder
3 Disciple of the Vault
2 Gorilla Shaman
1 Darksteel Colossus

draw
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Tinker
1 Jar
1 Windfall
4 Skull Clamp
2 Conjurer's Bauble

Tools and Such
4 Krark-Klan Ironworks
2 Helm of Awakening
1 Vamp. Tutor
1 D.T.
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Black Lotus/ lotus petal (if ur poor like me)
1 Mox Saphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Grim Monolith

SideBoard:
4 Rack n Ruin
3 FTK
1 Sundering Titan
1 Platinum Angel
2 Defense Grid
2 Phyrexian Furnace
2 Plaguebearer

cards of choice:

The Land Base This a three color deck. It collaberates well with todays metagame, as far as the sinister Sundering Titan. The lands are most affected by Back to Basics and Waste-Crucible. Otherwise, you can tough it out. The Ancient Tomb is in place of the Workshop, originally run by Keith. I prefer the Tomb, do to its ability to get off a second turn Wheel/Windfall and for clampage. All other lands correspond with the need of multiple colors, with the exception of the Tolarian and the Stripmine. I wanted to put in City of Traitors for more excel, but is doesnt collaberate with the need for mass mana for turn 3-4 kills. plus, Stripmine has won me many a game, whether its saving colored mana, or killing a Workshop and blowing through a Trinisphere.


creatures-

Myr Moonvessel- Aka baby suchi, he is great for clamping. The clamp basically wins you the game, seeing as how you draw through a third or more of your deck by turn 3. With things such as the helm, you can play him free and clamp him for the backup colorless. In addition, his is a one drop for the aggro in the description.

Myr Retriever- This guy makes the deck possible. He is the combo himself. Not to mention he fetches back a lost Skull Clamp, Jar, Helm, or Ironworks. Great under the Helm for optimum draw with the Clamp. Clamp the suchi, get him back, clamp the suchi. Under helm, this costs 3 mana for 6 cards and happens quite often.

bonshredder- I hate welders and all other goblins that matter. I hate dryads and other green weenies. i hate angels in most forms. I hate fish of any kind other than salmon and tuna(with tomato soup). This guy kills them all. He is a flying blocker and is clampable also at a 1/1. Originally, this slot was for Myr Servitor, but i always side him in and those guys out, EVERY DAMN TIME. This is just easier, and increases game one wins. 3 mana is hardly a problem. This guy is easily first turn and even easier second.

Disciple, of Wrath- The other combo creature. If they play artifacts too, then goody. I have won many a game under the 3sphere due to him. Simply get him and ironworks out and win. There is always a way, unless they get a Platinum(worst case senario).

Gorilla Shaman- This guy is simply the shit, so take a big wiff. He can eat up moxen, rings and vaults. He can take out a sphere or wire on an empty stomach, and has been known to get his iron from stax. Some people want to main deck disruption for some reason, and he solves the problem with this decks lack of it. And you guessed it, hes clamp food and a weenie turn one. He grabs attention from the Clamp and Ironworks cause he is the shit. He is mainly for the Chalace for 2 and moxen/ crypts. Definetly a must have.

Colossus- aka the alternate win. The best combo today in type one is Tinker- Colossus. Hes turn one and in this deck, castable by turn 4-5. He'll shut up a titan or blow through a sphere. Hes the big guy behind it all. He has won me many a game, as im sure he has for most of you reading this. He subs out for the titan or platinum.

draw

Ancestral- Blue, one mana, instant. Self explanitory

Wheel of Fortune- Helps your opponent on their next turn, wins you the game on your immediate turn...choices, you get alot of them. A great target for mystical or vamp. Generally taken if opponent has no cards for a Windfall.

Windfall- A great card drawing machine in any combo deck it seems. Restricted for a reason. I have so very often Jared, tutored or searched/ dug for a Wheel or Winfall and played it turn 3. Not to hard. Usually, drawing 14+ cards in a combo deck wins you the game, if not next turn. You apply pressure with all of the widespread card draws. It doesnt add up like AKs or brainstorms and such. It gets you the cards right away, same as the Wheel.

The infamous Memory Jar- This is the card tinkered for so very often. This card sets up the win or the lock (in this case, win). 7 cards are great. Running into other draw cards after that is amazingly fun. Also hard castable turn 2-3 for the win turn 3-4.

Tinker- Scariest card in the game. What are they gonna get? Jar is for win. Colossus is for first turn or last resort. ets out the plat and titan easy. Gives more search for a retriever or ironworks.

Conjurer's Bauble- Not the best choice you'd think, but you're wrong, not me. This is another turn one draw/search card. He gets a card to the bottom of the deck for re-tutoring, or to replace a lost disciple or ironworks. Fixes the jet/lotus inplace for when you draw your whole deck and need the 1 black for the win. Better than it seems by far. Try it.


tools and such

Ironworks- The combo itself. This will win you the majority of your games. Kills artifacts for the disciple and produces mana for a hardcast colossus or to kill a mana crypt. Only 4 mana for an easy 2nd turn casting.

Helm of awakening- Only 2 so not to help your oppenent so much, but enough to be considered broken. Cast this turn 1, and follow with a free clamp, creature, creatue/ bauble. Very handy indeed. Allows for the creation of infinite mana with the ironworks and 2 retrievers, and draw your deck with the clamp. Cancels out the lesser-played SoR. Nuff said...

Tutos of all kinds- Self explanitory. Step 1- get card needed to win. Step 2- win. Gets you out of a one land senario with an ancestral or clamp. Even a monkey can be fetched with these bad boys. As in any combo deck, a must.

Mana excel of all kinds- Sadly, type 1 is all about speed. The longer a control deck drags the game out, the better the chance of it winning. You dont want this deck to be dragged out if ever possible to prevent. Mana means first turn possibilities. So fast, makes your opponent furious. The rest is plainly understood as cards for winning.

SideBoard:

What i think is the weakest part of the deck, i am open to any and all suggestions for this segment. I struggle in general with SBs, and this is a hard deck to SB with. Im thinking about taking out the PBers, and trying Cran. Extractions. As far as im concerned, those are 2 empty slots. As for the rest...

Titan- side in for colossus to stop tog/ dryad and 4cc or maybe even Fish.

Platinum Angel- For other combo and weenie. The ultimate game staller. A tinker choice for sure.

Rack n Ruin- in almost every red SB for a reason. I kill not one but to artifacts in my way for only 3 mana. Perfect for your opponents first-second turn blow your mind crap. GOD against any workshop/aggro artifact deck. Known to win games all in itself.

FTK- As we all have either read or posted about, 5/3 is HUGE. This guy is for basically this type of deck. I have been known to go all out and kill the combo for complete control of my opponents field with my permanents. Kill control if you will, or not.

The Furnace- I think this is under rated and better than a crypt. Great for Dragon, going all in, and vs tog-ish decks. First turn idea follower, and you can get a card out of it. I may develop this further in another post/ arguement.

Defense Grid- For counter of any kind. this turn one is game by turn 4. another part of all in vs. Control Slaver and other such decks. Sooooooo Good. FoW target, along with RnR and shatter type stuffs.

THE MATCH-UPS:

Not many tough match-ups
Honestly, the hardest 2 would be 4cc and Mono Blue. Kegs and Counter hurt. Fish is tough, but nullrod has nothin on DC.

Ravager- Perfect if you get the disciple out quick. Normally a win.

Stax of all kinds- I tend to go all in depending on the game count and type of deck. In any case, RnR powns all. Shred the welders and your set. You'll have many more permanents then they will for the wire and/ or stax.

Cerebral Assasin- 50-50, it depends on whether or not they can get the portal lock on or not. Side in the plat., since they tend to use the dragon in this case.

Long/TPS/D-DAY- Tendrils in general, side out the helms. Definetly the plat. comes in. This is the best you can do. Watch the draw 7s and such, until you have the win. Chances depend on hand and player. Usually a win by turn 7-8 if you last that long. But like I said, it depends on both players hands.

The tough match-ups- Side in FTK for anything PHID, maybe fish. Plaguebearer for fish and decree 4cc. Fich and chips/tokens= full tummy for the sick one.

tog/dryad(if anyone still plays this)- Let it be. Nuthin but the titan and grids go in, unless they have some abstract version of the deck. You are about 60-40 for win percentage. This is still a good deck today, but no one plays it, so you will always run into it..

Slaver- I refuse to lose to a heavy artifact based deck. Go all in, side out the combo. Every card in the SB but plat./ Titan (based on build) and the PB in most cases should go in. So much fun watching them scream on the inside :lol: .

Dragon- Just gets the titan and furnace. So simple, yet so good. Easy win. about 70-30 depending on both hands and whats in the SB.

Oath- Clamp the tokens and your set till you go off. Side in the grids and titan. Play this carefully, a tough matchup for any deck.

For a tip on playing this deck, paris and clamp aggresively. Dont be affraid to kill of a disciple of monkey or go down to 3-5 cards. I have won 2nd turn off 4 cards. Its definetly doable.
This about sums up HERPES. I am still looking for suggestions on the Sb, so leave a post or PM me with your thoughts. THANKS!!!

P.S.-  MIAMI DOLPHINS are the best team 1-8. Ask anyone.

[VGB]

Just thought you'd like to know;

Ashnod's Altar is almost strictly better in this build, and Junk Diver does the same thing with Helm.

If it didn't work before, why would it work now?

And what if I sport all the simplexes?  Do I get a cookie?

[MSR9889]

With all due respect, your wrong. the alter works similar, but not as well in this build. sometimes you dont have the creature to get mana from. you can tap a mox sac it then wheel or windall or tinker. plus, the alter needs a creature for mana. the ironworks needs an artifact, like an extra clamp or a mana crypt thats killing you. very rarely will you sac a creature thats clampable when u can kill a mix, mana crypt/vault or a tapped monolith. trust me, in every way chape and form, the ironworks is better.

[VGB]

More to the point, what you have is a 4 card combo:

KCI
2 x Retriever
Disciple

or

KCI
2 x Retriever
Skullclamp
Helm

Which is reasonably a 4 card combo assuming you have Clamp in the 'yard.

Which is OK for type 2 and block constructed, but not viable in other formats unless you find a multifunctional engine that powers out multiple pieces at once.

Combos in T1 are also helped if their components aren't useless by themselves, such as Disciple.  KCI and Retriever are marginally useful by themselves, at least.  Deckspace is that important.

[MSR9889]

the cards in the deck almost all do something by themselves. KCI makes more mana fast, and gets rid of things killing me like crypt and vault. it is also a target to go after by my oppenent. disciple can fend for himself. all decks use artifacts, and a good portion use massive amounts. he attacks, clamps, and kills them with ther own dying artifacts. the retreivers do the best of all 3 by themselves. they get back other artifacts that have been lost. they attack, block and clamp. and if u get one, u only need 1 more to win. also, the clamp is only for draw and possibly setting up the combo. it isnt part of the combo, but it creates a combo in itself.
dont critisize the cards individually until youve seen them together. the 4 cards are easily gotten. as i said earlier, the deck wins as fast as turn 2 on a regular basis.

[Moxlotus]

*waits for the "you're stifling innovation"*

If you post a deck, expect criticism.  When posting a combo deck especially you must answer a few questions.

Is this deck faster than any other combo decks?
Is this deck more resiliant than other combo decks?
Why would I play this over any of the other combo decks?

[MSR9889]

it is not as fast as something like dragon or long which wins 2-3 turns in every time, but i would say that this deck holds its own in a speed matchup. but as in any case, it depends on both players hands. u just have to watch what you play. dont use any draw 7s until neseccary. you should still go off by 5-6th turn. this deck is very consistent, especially with the ability to draw massive cards off 2-3 mana. this is why the plat. is in the board. you also have the furnaces to dominate. i posted most of the match-ups i have played against, and how they fair. scroll back up and look

[Toad]

The thing you are typing on is a keyboard, not a cellular phone.

[MSR9889]

thanks to who ever unlocked the post and allowed me to fix it. im assuming it was toad or zherbus, but either way, thanks a lot.
MORE DISCUSION!!!!!!!!

[David55513]

Oh man, this deck is rather sick, i like it very much. I have played it and it is like impossible to beat. I really think that iut is a very good deck. It';s only missing one thing and thats a lich.  Besides that it's awsome.

[Zherbus]

MSR9889, I unlocked it under the condition that you clean up your posts. I'll give it a day before we lock it again.

[VGB]

the cards in the deck almost all do something by themselves. KCI makes more mana fast, and gets rid of things killing me like crypt and vault.

Obviously, KCI lets you sacrifice artifacts.  So does Arcbound Ravager, which also beats for t3h win.  Winning > 4 card clunky combos.

If you are playing a combo deck and are worried about dying from Vault and Crypt, there is something horribly wrong, btw.

it is also a target to go after by my oppenent. disciple can fend for himself. all decks use artifacts, and a good portion use massive amounts. he attacks, clamps, and kills them with ther own dying artifacts.

Tendrils of Agony turns your opponents life into cards, and requires only 2 slots, and sometimes just one.  Without Skullclamp or KCI in play, Disciple is a worthless dork, and just helps your opponent activate their Oath.

the retreivers do the best of all 3 by themselves. they get back other artifacts that have been lost. they attack, block and clamp. and if u get one, u only need 1 more to win. also, the clamp is only for draw and possibly setting up the combo. it isnt part of the combo, but it creates a combo in itself.

I'm not saying that there isn't some synergy there, but this combo is way too clunky to work in T1.  It is a simple matter of:

1) Control decks exist (see clunky 4 card combo).
2) Null Rod exists.
3) Faster combo exists.
4) Decks that drop turn 1 Trinisphere exist (Ancient Tomb isn't going to magically save your ass, either).

and in order for this deck to be viable, you have to expect to dodge all four of these pitfalls, which isn't going to happen.

[MSR9889]

"I'm not saying that there isn't some synergy there, but this combo is way too clunky to work in T1.  It is a simple matter of:

1) Control decks exist (see clunky 4 card combo).
2) Null Rod exists.
3) Faster combo exists.
4) Decks that drop turn 1 Trinisphere exist (Ancient Tomb isn't going to magically save your ass, either).

and in order for this deck to be viable, you have to expect to dodge all four of these pitfalls, which isn't going to happen."
                                                VideoGameBoy

you couldnt be more wrong about what you just said. all you did was state the senarios of what MAY or MAY NOT come up. as i said before, I refuse to lose to an artifact based deck. Ask anyone who has played or played against this deck before. ANCIENT TOMB IS GOD. Trinisphere has nothing on this deck at all. even if they get the sphere out before you have had a turn, it has nothing at all. I have never lost a match due to trinisphere, ever. Like i stated in the post, the only challenges this deck faces is counter and mass distuction, aka fish, 4cc, and Mono Blue. if i had money to bet, i would take this deck over any non-counter deck in a tournament. In the lat major tourney i entered with this deck, I started off playing my 2 worst match-ups in URphid and 4cc. and even then, if you ask them how the match went, they both went late into the round and deep into the third game. this deck isnt completely stopped by anything except the Platnum Angel. Nullrod is just a nuesence, but doesnt make you say 'i cant win so im quiting". as far as faster combo decks, again it depends on both players hands. i can win just as fast as them, with a possible turn 1 win and a difficult turn 2 win. I have lpayed deathlong 3 times with this deck, and i have lost 1 of those times, due to playnig wisely and usng the sideboard. the sideboard, as weak as it is, is what wins games 2 or 3.
I have hit every topic brought up. I ask that you dont critisize the deck without reading the WHOLE POST. From what i can tell, i clearly answered these problems before, just not in this detail. my worst loss ever came to fish with a nullrod and energy flux out. and again, thats why the colossus is in the deck. hes the alternate win if i cant get off the combo. this deck will only roll over and die to a plat. that is ALL. Keep em comin.
NEXT!!!

[Toad]

I have never lost a match due to trinisphere, ever.

Change your testing partners. Your deck horribly dies to a turn 1 Trinisphere when playing.

[Moxlotus]

Dear God man, use some freaking punctuation!!!

I agree with Toad. If you have never lost to turn 1 Trinisphere your opponent sucks flaccid monkey wang.

So how has this deck done in any tournaments if the deck is so good at beating everything?

Also, all VGB did is state situations that come up MULTIPLE TIMES EVERY TOURNAMENT.  These are the most common big plays in tournaments and if you didn't know that then you need to go to a big tournament.

[MSR9889]

i will bet the deck that it wont die completely to a turn 1 trinisphere. it is only slowed down. if they happen to win owe well. but again, going all in has never failed either. more control than keeper in that matchup.
for those of you who havent read it yet, I WILL NEVER LOSE TO AN ARTIFACT BASED DECK EVER!!!!!. control slaver, shop slaver, stax, what ever. they all have nothing on this deck. if you haev something like MWS or apprentice, test it out. or even make the deck if you have the cards. it wont die to anything artifact but the PLATINUM ANGEL. anyone who wishes to challenge this can refer to those who have lost to it or wait and see it in action. i plan on entering the next power tourney i can, and i will post a report. im garunteeing(spell check) no worse than top 16. if you would care to play a game or to at some tourney, i try to make it to all TMDOs so see ya ther. if you still wish to continue this arguement, keep posting new senarios or PM me with another trinisphere embelishment. it doesnt beat every deck. if yours cant handle it, im sorry. but i will never role over and lose to trinisphere. keep um comin

[Eastman]

In the lat major tourney i entered with this deck, I started off playing my 2 worst match-ups in URphid and 4cc. and even then, if you ask them how the match went, they both went late into the round and deep into the third game.

So you're saying you went 0-2 at the last tourney you played in, but we're supposed to be convinced because they were good games?

[jpmeyer]

Ugh