Tidal Gifts -- High Tide Combo

[Whatever Works]

Introduction: I will begin with saying that I have been messing with this deck for several months, and I feel that I was finally able to pull together the proper combinations of cards neccessary to make a tier 1 deck. I am going to introduce the deck, what it is, how it works, and why it is good, and then follow it with a tournement report from the Mykatog tournement a few days ago.

I have always been a fan of gifts ungiven. For example I followed andy around for 3 rounds at a rhode island tournement to get his SSB decklist two months before it made its big debut at syracuse (and it got me 3 top 8's in a CS heavy field). I tested Toad's Salvagers gifts deck (even though it ran horrible white cards), and even messed around with other gifts decks of my own concept like "LacedGifts" (a reaplace deck). Then I stumbled upon high tide, and I new I had something.

The original lists I tried were based more on some of the legacy decklists, but I found that type 1 is way to broken to combo off on your opponents turn when you have moxes, and draw 7's, etc. From there I looked at everything. My original list featured a large mix of cards such as: Impulse, Ideas Unbound, Meditate, read the runes, etc. I quickly found that Ideas Unbound though often good could basically lose the game on the spot as well if anything afterword is countered, and the meditate was good it was also narrow.

From here I decided that I needed to start with a a skeleton list, and looked for inspiration from everything to the old turboland decks, and all the way back to old extended high tide lists, and modern day TPS, and meandeck gifts. I then focused on which concept best worked with what I wanted the deck to be able to achieve.

I have always had three strict rules for every deck I play:
1.) The deck must be consistent
2.) The deck must be resilant
3.) The deck must have no unwinable matchups

With all these factors in my mind I went to work and came up with this list for the Mykatog Mox Tourney:

This Is not my optimal list

TidalGifts

2 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandria (changed)
2 Island
2 Snow-Covered Island
3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island

5 Mox
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus Petal

Counters:

4 Force of Will
2 Twincast (changed)

Combo or whatever:

4 High Tide
3 Gifts Ungiven
2 Merchant Scroll
4 Brainstorm
1 Fastbond
1 Gush
1 Frantic Search
2 Cunning Wish (Changed)
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mind's Desire
1 Tinker
1 Memory Jar
1 Timetwister
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Tendrils Of Agony

Sideboard: (VERY CHANGED)
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Pernicous Deed
2 Ground Seal
1 Extract
2 Chalice of the Void
1 Brain Freeze
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Rushing River
1 Darksteel Collossus
1 Rebuild
1 Naturalize


Its Very hard to explain how this deck plays out unless you have seen it in action, because of this I will give examples through this tournement report from Saturdays Mykatog tournement to hopfully help explain how the deck wins.

Round 1 Vs. Jason Zheng (2 time waterbury champ playing workshop aggro)

Game 1: I am on the play and drop a mox, island, sol ring, merchant scroll ancestral, and pass the turn. He has a strong start of workshop, mox, juggy, pass. On my upkeep I vamp up fastbond, and then high tide, ancestral, gush, frantic search, and I at what point have about 8 blue floating with 4 lands untapped, and a full hand, I gifted for 4 lands to make sure I would have alot of mana as a side note etc. He doesnt know how i can get black for the kill... I mind's desire for about 20ish, and frantic search to untap my sea's and tendrils for alot.

Game 2: I cast about 10 spells on a single turn on about three seperate turns, and each time I decide to pull back to optimize my hand. He has a welder on the board, and sinse i am a bad player who was having to much fun he new I had mind's desire in my hand. I eventually tinker for collosus forcing him to weld it out or weld in his titan to take out half of my lands (i had alot), and he decides to weld in his titan, and take care of my collosus the next turn sinse he had about 15 life. I am able to find rushing river, and bounce titan and welder taking out his last red source in the process and swing for the win.

1-0 (2-0)
Round 2 Vs. Oath (version with like 12+ counters)

Game 1 - I lose the die role and we each spend the first few turns fighting over possition. Early on she misdirected my ancestral but I twincast it back to me, and then am able to resolve a gifts at EoT for (Fastbond, High Tide, Black Lotus, Mind's Desire) She ends up giving me high tide and lotus, because she saw fastbonds affect earlier in day. I cast high tide off a sapphire the following turn float all my mana and frantic search. With all my lands untapped and UUUB floating I cast gifts tap a land and twincast it. The game ends about 5 minute later (on the same turn) for a desire for around 25.

Game 2 - I bring in pernicous deed and tormod's crypt for this game, and a rushing river. The game hits a crucial stage when I cast turn 2 Pernicous deed, and she Forces, I twincast, and she counters. I have FoW in my hand still but decided to let it go, because I felt confident with a hand of: Timetwister, high tide, FoW. On her turn I let her resolve oath, and I draw merchant scroll. I cast it to get mystical to get tinker, and pass the turn. She oath's up akroma and puts me at about 10. On my turn I draw I get another high tide, but I decided to play it safe and just get DSC. I pass the turn she swings, and I cast rushing River, and counter her FoW (that she admitted to topdecking). and the game quickly ends after that.

2-0 (4-0)

Round 3 Vs. Mixing Mike Danials playing Control Slaver (mistaken for Sensei Sensei)

Game 1 - Mike's a cool kid so I was upset about having to play him. Especially sinse I showed him my entire deck earlier in the tournement and I would lose all my suprise element advantages. I start out pretty strong with early scroll for ancestral, and the ancestral is countered. Over the next 3 turns I get 2 more key spells countered (fastbond, and frantic search). I am finally able to resolve yawg's will that lets me replay fastbond, ancestral, and tinker for jar then pass the turn with a full hand. On my next turn I cast high tide and then timetwister. Mike doesnt seem to upset because he really had no hand, but I am pretty confident that I will win with fastbond on the table and already 1 high tide resolved. I basically play out my entire timetwister hand, and then jar afterwords ending the game with brain freeze with storm of 23.

Game 2 - We both start out slower but he is able to cast chalice at 0. This has little affect on me, but I am upset because I couldnt cast first turn gifts. WE both play a bunch of spells, and I had over 10 spells easily on multiple turns, but I wasnt able to capitalize mainly because I screwed up. Mike had to waste alot of his hand preventing me from comboing off... I then topdeck yawgmoth's will... Mike glances at my graveyard that is bigger then my library and scoops to save himself some time.

3-0 (6-0)

Round 4 - ID - We play out some games for fun but I am not really taking it to seriously. I dont rememeber the games vs. a odd bazaar deck, but I remember doing some funny things.

Round 5 - ID

Top 8 Vs. Stax

Game 1 - He wins the die role key word is die. He goes first turn city ---> Vamp, Mox, Crypt, Trinisphere... He then plays wasteland on consecutive turns... I cant stop it... first loss of day... A funny note is that the first card I drew was FoW but I found it more upsetting then funny.

Game 2 - Turn 1 Tinker, Collossus, he goes first turn welder that I FoW.. He stalls after 1 swing with tangle wire, but am able to drop a bunch of permanents the next turn, and collosus ends it.

Game 3 - not on play... so not very confident. He does not cast any lock piece turn 1 but does vamp. I am able to lay down a land, mox, scroll (ancestral), and pass. he plays 3sphere, and he passes. I play another land, and ancestral. He ancestrals in responce and unfortunetly it resolves. Next turn he casts tangle wire. I am forced to cast everything on his upkeep for the next 2 turns (FoF, gifts) the gifts was key to the game. I get (Rebuild, Black Lotus, tinker, Naturalize). He is forced to give me lotus, tinker, because I have a large hand and he knows I will combo out if 3sphere goes. He plays a smokestack and another tangle wire, and passes. On my upkeep I play rushing river from my hand bouncing the 3 sphere... Am forced to tap out, but then drop lotus to frantic search, untap all my lands, and cast yawgmoths will, and tendrils for 12 shortly after.

Top 4 Vs. Andy Probasco playing SSB varient.

Game 1 - I get horrible draws and double mulligan. I already know I have little to no chance of winning in this situation. I am able to keep it close however (even after having ancestral misdirected), and am about a turn away from winning with a hand that could win through 2 counters easily, but then he casts yawgs will out of knowhere... oops...

Game 2 - I mulligan again and drop an early chalice for 0. I have control most of the game, and get him to 2 life with DSC. he was able to bounce my DSC, and torod's crypt which I used in responce because chalice was on the table. I am able to vamp yawg's will with only a twincast in my hand so I new I was going to win next turn with 2 lands, and a ton of artifacts on the board. He topdecks Gorilla shaman, and decides to duress to make sure his shaman resolves. I twincast his duress taking his drain, and for a second he was shocked. His shaman topdeck was just able to save him though, because he had just ennough mana to eat my 2 moxes, sol ring, chalice for 0, and then I draw yawgmoth's will with only 2 lands... and a graveyard that says desire for 50.

Overall, I thought the deck performed well but I quickly noticed that the deck wasnt even close to where it could of been. I made several changes to the decklist the second after the tournement ended, and here is where the decklist is at right now and what I am testing.

Updated TidalGifts:

2 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Island
1 Snow-Covered Island
3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
2 Volcanic Island

5 Mox
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus Petal

Counters:

4 Force of Will

Combo or whatever:

4 High Tide
3 Gifts Ungiven
2 Merchant Scroll
4 Brainstorm
1 Fastbond
1 Gush
1 Frantic Search
1 Cunning Wish
1 Burning Wish
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mind's Desire
1 Tinker
1 Memory Jar
1 Timetwister
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Rebuild
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Tendrils Of Agony

Key Sideboard Changes:
1 Time Spiral
1 Tendrils of Agony
Good red board cards that green doesnt have

Things I am still trying to figure out and am testing.

Do I need Tendrils maindeck? I personally am a fan of it maindeck, but I really really should have collossus maindeck in the eyes of several people I have talked to, but I really try to focus in on the combo kill game 1 similar to meandeck tendrils, but that doesnt mean that Collosus cant steal games. Also the inclussion of burning wish could mean that tendrils in the main isnt all that neccessary. I found myself killing with tendrils more then brain freeze, but when this deck wins... It wins huge...

Is time spiral viable in the main? perhaps but it is an expensive cards and burning wishing for it isnt that bad, because when the deck starts to role it easily gets 10+ mana in the blink of an eye.

How good is twincast??? Honestly, I think its incredibly in this deck. Beyond the fact that you can twincast counters, you can twincast your own cards easily, because the deck generates so much mana. The revised list is not a final list it is just what I am testing currently to see if adding red is viable to improve some of the control matchups. I would definetly run twincast if you are expecting to see meandeck gifts, combo, or CS in your local metagame.

Is High tide a dead card? To my suprise it rarely is a dead card. I know it makes your opponents life easier for countering things, but when you cast tide you usually generate enough mana to cast at least 2 threats on the same turn easily. This was the case in many of my matches for example mike let high tide resolve so his 1 untapped island could drain my next spell.. He drained gifts, but I had enough mana to cast a second gifts for 4 lands (fastbond was out), and then follow that up with gush which drew more brokeness.

I think it is also important to state that I won several games without ever seeing high tide a single time. My Stax opponent thoguht I was playing TPS, until I showed him high tide at the end of the 3rd game. High tide is the equivilent of dark ritual, but it gives blue mana which in my opinion is better, and it often gives alot more then 3 mana.

In conclusion i think of this high tide deck to be a more explosive version of meandeck gifts, and shares several features with TPS, but it is more resilant to hate cards such as chalice for 0, and tormod's crypt (though crypt can be ennoying dont get me wrong). I currently am folling around with other cards like null rod in the maindeck, because this deck can often laugh at that card.

The decklists provided I do not believe are fully optimal, but I did my best considering I am not on a team, and when was the last time a new viable deck idea came from a person who was not on a team (besides RectorTop which was my idea to but its horrible never play it). I do belive TidalGifts is a very viable deck at any tournement if properly metagamed, and played correctly, and I have faith that it has alot of potential in the future.

Kyle Leith

[Machinus]

On her turn I let her resolve oath, and I draw merchant scroll. I cast it to get tinker, and pass the turn.

Apparently this is a common misconception about this card. If it did what people wanted it to there would be no reason to play with Gifts at all. However, Tinker is not an instant.

[Whatever Works]

On her turn I let her resolve oath, and I draw merchant scroll. I cast it to get tinker, and pass the turn.

Apparently this is a common misconception about this card. If it did what people wanted it to there would be no reason to play with Gifts at all. However, Tinker is not an instant.

oops I used it to get mystical actually... Tinker makes no sense because then I would never of passed the turn.

[Dralock]

On her turn I let her resolve oath, and I draw merchant scroll. I cast it to get tinker, and pass the turn.

Apparently this is a common misconception about this card. If it did what people wanted it to there would be no reason to play with Gifts at all. However, Tinker is not an instant.

A common misconception it can be, but considering you only ever really use it to get ancestral or mystical, his omission of that step really can't be considered a big deal.

[tehmajickguy]

Obviously, you did quite well with the deck this past weekend, and you deserve credit for it; and you've clearly come up with something quite innovative here as well. But I do have a question in regards to how well this deck deals with Chalice set on 1. You have no main deck way to deal with it other than 2 wishes, and only have 4 counters to defend them with. It seems like the deck would love at the very least to have a main deck rebuild, seeing as how you already run merchant scroll and this appears to be a deck that has the potential to take the already insane Mind's Desire to a whole new level. Any thoughts?


-Matt McNally

[Whatever Works]

Obviously, you did quite well with the deck this past weekend, and you deserve credit for it; and you've clearly come up with something quite innovative here as well. But I do have a question in regards to how well this deck deals with Chalice set on 1. You have no main deck way to deal with it other than 2 wishes, and only have 4 counters to defend them with. It seems like the deck would love at the very least to have a main deck rebuild, seeing as how you already run merchant scroll and this appears to be a deck that has the potential to take the already insane Mind's Desire to a whole new level. Any thoughts?

-Matt McNally

Your absolutely right. In all my new lists I am testing I have a maindeck rebuild, and it has been solid. I would go into further detail but unfortunetly I am in a rush, but I will talk in length later.

[Clown of Tresserhorn]

Why would you ever play this over Meandeck Gifts? Not to sound harsh, but there is no "I Win" Gifts config. Sure, it uses it, but it doesn't abuse it.

Also, I have been thinking about High tide. Have you considered Turnabout? the card isn't dead by itself (cast it EOT on opponent to force them to tap out) and can genrate assload of mana with high tide.

Draw7s seem dangerous in a deck like this, because you can basically give control the game if they draw a counter for your threat. Have you considered Ideas unbound? tapping an island to draw 3 cards is good I hear.

-Bob

[doylehancock]

twincast wtf?

wheres the mana drain?

[Dralock]

twincast wtf?

wheres the mana drain?

Obviously the mana drain effect is secondary to his ability to copy other relavent spells with twincast. Mana drain is not part of the gameplan when you are trying to go off every turn TPS style.

I have a question though, duress seems to be more than just worthwhile here, but being that it is black, it will be harder to run. Could the inclusion of mana drain help you out? Or are you trying to get around needing the disruption by playing more enablers? I can see from your revised list you went for enablers, but after just goldfishing with this list, I think the red is kinda crappy.

[Nantuko Rice]

what are you talking about dude. you didn't "find" rushing river. you topdecked it like a lucksack. that game was sooooo mine.

[Zeke]

what are you talking about dude. you didn't "find" rushing river. you topdecked it like a lucksack. that game was sooooo mine.

Someone is bitter...

Anyways, I actaully like the deck, though I'm not sure about the inclusion of red.  It just seems like wasteland or two would make your deck cry, have you tested the fish matchup (or any other wasteland.dec match)?

[Whatever Works]

OK time to answer questions:

@ Clown of Tresserhorn
-Why would I play this over Meandeck Gifts?

Honestly, I am not sure I would right now. I never directly said the deck is better the gifts, but I did say the deck has a TON of potential, and so far I cant argue with the results. My testing with the deck has been incredibly solid, and it does have its advantages. Here are my arguements about why it would be worth considering over meandeck gifts if I were to make a case right now.
1.) Suprise Factor - The deck never has to cast high tide to get 10 spells, and can play just like meandeck gifts if it wants to for the tendrils kill. Also, people have no idea what to counter or how to play against high tide. Even good players have to consider a million factors. For example in testing vs. rich shay I cast high tide with 4 islands open the question comes up... Do I counter the high tide to prevent me from having 8 mana, or do I counter it and risk the chance of me casting a bomb that could end the game.
2.) Resistance to hate - This deck laughs at Null Rod, and Laughs even harder at CoTV for 0, and isnt hurt as badly by graveyard hate as meandeck gifts.
3.) Speed - This deck can win turn alot faster if forced to.

The disadvantages are odvious in that deck doesnt completly focus itself around gifts, but I dont really consider that a disadvantage. The deck can combo off and hit 10 spells at will much easier then TPS, and rarely stalls out, and has the ability to "pull back" if it wants to, and by pull back I mean cast gifts, merchant scroll, and ancestral to fill the hand for next turn to guarantee a win, or basically the equivant of necro accept you choose the hand.
The deck doesnt run as many counters but the deck doesnt try to win counter wars. It trys to play passive similar to say tooth and nail, and trys to set up a hand that will win the game regardless of the game state.

To say the deck has no "I win" gifts hands is incredibly wrong. The deck can set up hands that guarantee wins very very easily just like meandeck gifts, and just because you dont see them at first doesnt mean the exist. Here are a few...

You have a underground sea, Island, Island, mox pearl, Lotus petal on board. You tap out and resolve gifts at EoT... Lets say you have no graveyard, and you hand consists of just a land, Mind's Desire, and merchant scroll... not incredibly strong. In this situation it wouldnt appear to easy to win? but it really is! You get this pile:
-High Tide
-Fastbond
-Yawgmoth's Will
-Tinker

No matter what you give me I am fairly sure I can win next turn. If I have no graveyard yawgmoth's will would appear weak, but If they do I recast fastbond, high tide will be active, and I merchant scroll for Gush... replay my lands, cast tinker for lotus, and cast desire for a minimum of 7. GG. So lets say they give me tinker, high tide... I fist cast tide... Tinker Jar with about 6 blue mana floating into a new hand... trust me thats game over... Give me fastbond and tide... that combination means I cast tide, fastbond, scroll for gush, replay lands... draw cards... hopfully get desire for 7+ easy.

There are several Piles that end games... And honestly most dont involve high tide, but most do end the game. Often I have fastbond out, and will just gifts for 4 lands, and usually high tide is active and I will get more mana from this. There are a billion things this deck can get that end the game.

Tinker, Will, Frantic Search, Twincast (in special cases), ancestral, vamp, mystical, mind's desire, lotus, gush... The deck has alot of choices that really do broken things, but when you gifts with this deck you have to be creative, curious, and constantly thinking, or you might miss the tricks that say I win. So I do belive that my deck does abuse gifts incredibly well.

I have tested turnabout, and I found it to be either really good or really great, but if I have 4 open mana I would rather try to cast gifts, FoF, etc. And when this deck begins to combo out... its over...

I adressed Ideas unbound in the post. I tested it and found that it could put me in really bad situations if I dont win, and with the 2 mana I would rather cast merchant scroll, or try to set up a kill rather then doing a short term ancestral that tends to tap me out early game. The biggest mistake made with the deck is trying to rush a kill. I had to slow myself down several times when I had 4 cards in hand and frantic search and tide... I know I can make 6 mana, but I really dont want to pitch anything, and I can guarantee a win if I do this EoT anyway...

@ DoyalHancock
To answer your "Twincast WTF" where is mana drain?

The answer is very simple. mana drain mana dont help the deck much. The deck generates huge mana with, or without high tide. The deck doesnt need to run counters because well... it plays around them, and through them. I tried drain, and it tended to be a dead card. Twincast though it looks horrible on paper is never a dead card. Opponents often try to scramble against this deck. In testing they will tap out EoT to cast a Gifts I twincast it... and get a pile where they choose between FoW, Ancestral, Yawg's Will, etc. They either let there gifts get countered, or they lose the game if they pass the turn. oh, and twincast can act as a counter, but also 2nd ancestral, tinker, gifts, time walk, high tide... you get the idea.

@ Nantuko Rice
Oh ok... i topdecked it... It wouldnt of mattered if you didnt misplay... and I would of won game 3 anyway...

@ Zeke

I am actually not sure if red is worth the inclussion. I belive that further testing is neccessary to find out if it is good or not. I played the wasteland matchup heavily and found with the first list that I posted that I can play the deck identical to mono blue, and only get the green source if fastbond appears, and I have yet to lose a game when that hits play.

The fish matchup in testing wasnt bad at all. I basically ignore them, and play passive then win turn 3-4. Tidal Gifts isnt hurt by null rod (it can generate obscene ammounts of mana without them), and the only concern is chalice for 1 that usually can be dealt with if it comes up.

@ JUGGERNAUGHTGO
Uh, Travis... Top 8 then come talk to me... Your still the man though and would kick my arse in poker... oh, and good decks lucksack more then bad 1's...

Lets try to focus more on the deck itself and less on the report... The report was just there to show how the deck worked, and to give it a little bit of credibility... What can be with deck is the focus... Ideas, Suggestions, thoughts???

[Ultima]

Especially with Gifts and green, why are you not playing Regrowth?

[islanderboi10]

I agree, why not play regrowth? If they end up countering a spell or something, regrowth is a way to get it back. It can also be key to winning a match. And, like others have said, I think you should run maindeck bounce of some kind.

[crazynlazy]

What would you generally gifts for? Just four bombs and hope for the best or is there some synergy I'm missing. Also where is duress, IMO it's better to run a proactive counter than a  reactive counter like FOW. Why frantic search, it generally isn't good w/o academy, I would suggest putting it in the wishboard for when you have an active academy.

[HeXuS]

It seems that in your 2nd list in the original post, you have 59 cards. What's the 60th? With a decklist as diverse as this one, it's kind of hard to discern what you meant that 60th card to be.

By the way, nice tournament report man, I'm looking forward to learning the ins and outs of this deck. Made great reading at 3am when I'm up with insomnia.

[crazynlazy]

It seems that in your 2nd list in the original post, you have 59 cards. What's the 60th? With a decklist as diverse as this one, it's kind of hard to discern what you meant that 60th card to be.

Probably mana vault but I'm not sure.

[Eddie]

Why frantic search, it generally isn't good w/o academy, I would suggest putting it in the wishboard for when you have an active academy

Frantic Search is also good with High Tide. Wishing for Frantic Search defeats the purpose of the card: generating mana. You could run another draw spell in you don't want to generate the mana.

[Whatever Works]

Especially with Gifts and green, why are you not playing Regrowth?

The main reason I didnt run it was space, but it probably will have inclusion in my next more updated list. It definetly deserves a slot. However, one of the reasons I didnt run it was because it was often a dead card early game, and the longer the game goes the greater chance that Tidal Gifts is going to win. So the reason I didnt include it was primarily to not weaken opening hands, but I no longer think of that as an issue. I was running crop rotation, but when I cut it I also cut regrowth from the original testing list, but i will give regrowth a closer look.

@ Crazynlazy

Eddie basically covered why frantic search is so good. It is amazing with high tide. I would go as far to say that with the acception of fastbond, frantic search is the most powerful card in the deck. Everyone knows its synergy with tolarian, but when all your lands can produce 2-3 mana Its extremely easy to cast this directly into Gifts, tendrils, minds desire, etc.

@ Hexus

The 60th card missing I would assume is rebuild. Mana Vault wasnt very good in testing, and most of the time I would rather have another island in the deck.

I was also asked about some gifts hands I would get... Its really hard to say because it all depends directly on the situation. Here are some of the more common 1's in typical situations.

With 3+ Islands in play at EoT:

High Tide
Demonic
Gush
Fastbond

With something like this they cant give me fastbond... Demonic would get yawg's will and end the game if they give it with tide... Giving me Tide with Gush (then whatevers in my hand could end game easily), and the most likely play would be gush, demonic, and depending on my hand you can do alot with that. The rule is you dont have to force the kill... this deck can get around almost anything, and unless they are going to win for sure the following turn you could spend the next turn improving the hand through manipulation if need be, but in my experience kills just "happen" because of synergy and the right cards falling in place.

The deck can also get gifts that look much more familar to the common eye such as:
Demonic
Vamp
Mystical
Tinker

Or:

Rebuild
Mind's Desire
Black Lotus
Timetwister

The best gifts happen when you have fastbond on the table. The card this deck demonics/vamps for the most is fastbond. It is by far the best card in the entire deck, and it costs just 1 green mana to cost. Ask anyone who has played the deck... If fastbond resolves you can pick up your cards and go to the next game.

here are gift's you can get with fastbond in play:

My favorite is:
High Tide
Gush
Frantic Seach
Tinker (always to get Jar)

In this situation your opponent will lose the game no matter what happens. If they give you tinker in any combination you get Jar, and essentially play out an entirely new hand that will let you play several more lands. Gush will net you 2 cards, and 2+ mana (4 or 6 if high tide's cast), and frantic search alows for so many crazy things to happen in combination with gush or high tide, and they cant give you search with tinker, because if you get tinker (again the game will be over).

The other common gifts with fastbond in play, and at least 1 high tide in effect is this:
Island
Snow-Covered Island
Underground Sea
Polluted Delta

You get 2 more lands into play, and basically the gifts you cast will be free, and you can continue to combo off with more lands to work with, and less lands to draw in the deck, or less lands to get in the way of mind's desire.

[mongrel12]

Just a brief aside about the tourney report--talked to mixingmike and evidently he was A) playing CS, B) didn't run chalices or have any with him.

[Whatever Works]

Just a brief aside about the tourney report--talked to mixingmike and evidently he was A) playing CS, B) didn't run chalices or have any with him.

Really? He showed me a future sight from his hand... I did win the first game pretty quick, and game 2 I put alot of pressure on him so I didnt see much beyond FoW/Drain/mindslaver/Thirst/ancestral... and thirst is run in some versions of top.

[Purple Hat]

why aren't you playing timespiral?  if you're gonna be playing draw7's it seems like an obvious choice with high tide.  additionally what about MOM?  when you play a draw 7 you can discard your hand to make tons of mana in response.  Thats how old school high tide ran, not sure about the MOM, but timespiral is a must here.

[sampling_percus]

Just a quick question about the deck, has a fourth gifts ungiven been considered. also, if you have decided against it what is the reason?

[Whatever Works]

why aren't you playing timespiral?  if you're gonna be playing draw7's it seems like an obvious choice with high tide.  additionally what about MOM?  when you play a draw 7 you can discard your hand to make tons of mana in response.  Thats how old school high tide ran, not sure about the MOM, but timespiral is a must here.

I original didnt run time spiral because it was to mana intensive, but I have recently been running it maindeck in versions without red, and in the board for burning wish in the versions that do run red. Mind over matter was another card I considered, but usually i found it to be just over kill. However, your 100% correct about spiral, and I believe it was a mistake for me not to run it in my tournement list.

@ Sampling Percus

I have tried and tested 4 gifts and I just found it to be way to mana intensive, and the deck really doesnt want to see more then 1 gifts. Unlike Meandeck Gifts the deck doesnt 100% revolve around this card (because there are so many other cards that end the game by themselves), and because of that I found that 3 was a nice number. Also, space was another key issue in me choosing this #. I originally had it at 4, but then I had to answer questions such as... Is the 4th copy of this better then a maindeck rebuild or a 2nd cunning wish, or a 15-16th blue source, and the answer was always no.

Kyle L

[Nehptis]

@ Whatever Works:

I am very excited about this deck.  I'm planning on attending a 10 proxy tourney very soon and I'd like to bring this deck.  I have been playing TPS style decks exclusively for some time now.  So, I am no stranger to the archetype.

I've recently grown frustrated with TPS and was planning on switching to a MDGifts deck.  But, I think the surprise factor with this deck is more strategic and I feel so empty with out my maindecked Mind's Desire.  I love how this deck not only uses it, but seemingly abuses it.  Please feel free to broaden the conversation via PMs if you wish.  I've bolded my changes.

1) Mana Base - What are your thoughts on this land / arti mana base?

I always try and construct mana bases to be as Waste-proof as possible, hence the 6 fetches.  I would play this like TPS / Gifts and drop/fetch the non-basics only when I need to go off or must use them or lose.

3 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Island
1 Snow-Covered Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island

My standard list.  I think the Vault is always a must include.

5 Mox
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Vault


2) Black - What are your current thoughts on TOA main vs SB?

I think as minimal Black as possible.  TOA definitely should be in the main since it is the main kill and as you mentioned a lot of times it comes from a monster Desire.

1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Tendrils Of Agony

3) Blue - What are your thoughts / deck's issues with only having 4 MD counter / disruption protection?  As you know the combo / control meta is all about winning the counter war.  So much so that MDGifts basically has 11 counters, CS has 8, TPS has 8, Fish...etc.  I'm concerned that 4 FOW is just not enough  I don't want to go the TPS route with Duress.  So, what are your latest thoughts on 3 Drains or 3 Twincast or 3 MisD?

Today's combo decks need a MD Rebuild and a Truth.  I really don't see it any other way to be successful.

Will only 2 Gifts hurt the deck?  Is 3 a must?

Will 3 Tides hurt?  Is 4 essential to the deck?

4 Force of Will
3 High Tide
4 Brainstorm
2 Gifts Ungiven
2 Merchant Scroll
1 Frantic Search
1 Gush
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mind's Desire
1 Tinker
1 Timetwister
1 Rebuild
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Echoing Truth
3 Mana Drain / Twincast / MisD

4) Green - No changes.  If I could fit Regrowth, I would.  But as you say, it is not strong enough too make the cut and early game it seems dead.

5) Red - I'd like to eliminate it all together.  It makes the mana more complex, and it seems to be the weakest color.  Your thoughts?

6) Artifacts  - Jar comes out.  I dislike refilling my opponent's hand with counters.  DSC takes its spot. Your thoughts?

7) Draw 7s - Except for Twister, I dislike using Draw 7s in general.  Especially, with a deck that is lite (by today's standards) on counters / disruption.  Therefore WOF, Spiral, and Jar went. Your thoughts?

[Glix]

I've been testing this deck quite a lot lately, and I have to say that I like it a lot.  The major change I've made is the addition of Regrowth, and it has been amazing. It makes your Gifts better, gives you an "I win" gifts akin to Will-Recoup-Tinker-Walk.  4 Tides are a must.  If I ever have to wait for a win, its usually for a Tide.  Casting it with a few lands out is usually game winning.  Once the deck gets going, you can produce 8 or more mana off each island, and the first few tides are the most important for winning.  Time Spiral is SO good.  So very good.  It generates a ridiculous amount of mana, refills your hand, restocks your deck, allowing you to cast multiple buisness spells.  I gifts for Time Spiral, Mind's Desire, Regrowth, Will a lot, and it is usually a game winning stack.  You garentee yourself a spiral, and with enough storm, you get a ridicoulus desire, and perhaps both.  Anyway you see it, Spiral is a must.  Jar as well is imortant.  Its castable, although I dislike casting it, but restocking your hand can be very important.  The only draw 7,in fact, that I've had problems with is Wheel.  I'm not sure about red at this point, and if it weren't for Burning Wish, I'd dump it without a second thought.  However, burning wish has been so good to me.  Sometimes its useless, but more times it can win you the game.  Despite that fact, I have since dumped the color.  It just isn't worth it imo.  While 4 Gifts is bad, I feel 2 is too few.  Gifts, while being mana intensive, also wins games.  I feel 3 is the right number.  I have been using 5 fetches right now, and I have added another s-c Island.  While going off, especially with fastbond, you really want real lands.  After they are gone, fetches are dead cards.

@Nehptis:  This isn't a control deck, and as such your "Drain/Twin/MisD." slots, imho, should be cut.  You want gas.  Whats worse than comboing off and Recallin into a land and two drains.  Also, colossus is in the SB in my list.  Game 1, I want to combo off before my opponant knows what's going on, and once again, I'd just rather have a gas spell like Jar.

In conclusion, add Regrowth.  Love regrowth.  Regrowth is your friend.

Just my 2 cents.

[Whatever Works]

I have to agree with most of the things you have said Gix. Because of the interest in the topic I will post my up to date list. I find that it is much better then the old list, and I now firmly believe that red likely does not have a place in the deck.

// Lands
    3  Flooded Strand
    3  Island
    3  Polluted Delta
    1  Snow-Covered Island
    1  Tolarian Academy
    2  Tropical Island
    2  Underground Sea

// Creatures
    1  Darksteel Colossus

// Spells
    1  Ancestral Recall
    1  Black Lotus
    4  Brainstorm
    1  Cunning Wish
    1  Demonic Tutor
    1  Fact or Fiction
    1  Fastbond
    4  Force of Will
    1  Frantic Search
    2  Gifts Ungiven
    1  Gush
    4  High Tide (2)
    1  Lotus Petal
    1  Mana Crypt
    2  Merchant Scroll
    1  Mind's Desire
    1  Mox Emerald
    1  Mox Jet
    1  Mox Pearl
    1  Mox Ruby
    1  Mox Sapphire
    1  Mystical Tutor
    1  Rebuild
    1  Regrowth
    1  Relearn
    1  Sol Ring
    1  Tendrils of Agony
    1  Time Spiral
    1  Time Walk
    1  Timetwister
    1  Tinker
    1  Vampiric Tutor
    1  Yawgmoth's Will

Kyle L

[Negator13]

The new list looks alot more streamlined, I like it. Couple questions:

Why no Memory Jar? Tinker --> Jar seems alot better than DSC from turn 3 on.

Are you running too many fetches? I'd think a 5/5 Fetch/Island split would be better for Tide.

How often do your expensive and/or situational cards get in the way and make you fizzle out or mulligan? I'm talking about things like Time Spiral, Tendrils, Relearn, Regrowth, etc... cards that aren't useful unless you either have a ton of mana or are going off already.

Have you tried Sensei's Divining Top? I'm giving it a test run in my current TPS to help alleviate the aforementioned problem by smoothing draws. With 6 Fetches and 7+ tutors, it looks like it would be really good.

Finally, the big question... is this better than TPS? Or, more specifically, is High Tide better than Dark Ritual, and if so, worth sacrificing Duress? You probably know how I feel on this matter, but I'd like to hear your thoughts about it.

[Whatever Works]

@ Negator13

About Jar, Personally I believe it belongs a spot but the list I am currently trying has collosus over it. However, I will find room for jar in the deck shortly.

I am not sure about the fetch # at the moment. Having the high # of fetches can be either very good, or perhaps a real irritation during late game gifts ungiven when I want to get 4 lands, and fetches become weak because of no targets... that being said I might go to 4 fetches instead of 5.

I havent had to much trouble with the expensive/clunky cards. Primarily because I mulligan agressively, and the expensive cards become extremely easy to cast after just 1 high tide, or if fastbond hits play...

I havent tried sensei divining top, but I will put it on my list of cards to test. It kinda conflicts with brainstorm a bit, and this deck draws pretty well so I am not sure.

Now comparing Tidal Gifts to TPS... Which is better? To be honest I really cant say. They play similar and each have there seperate advantages... Both decks can win through multiple counters (though I believe even without duress) that TidalGifts is slightly more resilant... Both decks can get auto win hands (TPS god hands are odvious...Tide god hands involve fastbond usually)... TPS is slightly faster, and could be argued more "broken", but it can be said that once The tide combo starts it cant be stopped. So its really a judgement call though TPS is alot more proven deck it is also much more refined.

[Nehptis]

I'm having really problems with this deck in my testing thus far.  I really wanted to try it this weeekend in a tourney but just don't feel confident with it thus far.  As with most 10 Proxy tournies in my area I expect to see the Tier 1 decks.  A majority of my the 8s are filled with Control Slaver and UR Fish.

CS is absolutely owning me in testing.  If I try and go off relatively quickly then I usually run into a FOW or Drain.  My own 4 FOWs don't give me enough protection.  When I try and slow play CS they simply draw or tutor up the Crucible / Strip lock or the Slaver lock.  I can't prevent them from doing so since 1 only have 4 FOWs to stop the Welder.

Fish is a better matchup since they have such a slow clock and late game HT can play through multiple Counters.

In both matchups the smart or well informed players simply counter the Fastbond.  And again, we only have 4 FOWs so I can not always cast the FB with FOW back-up.  I'm really feeling the pain of no Duress (TPS) or no MD + MisDs (MDGifts).

I'm talking pre-SB testing only for both CS and Fish.  Any advice would be appreciated.