My Uba Stax

[yespuhyren]

I've tested with Bazaars, and never liked it.  Therefore, here is my version.  I play in Ontario, so we don't have that much Stax, and we have TONS of fish decks everywhere.  This is why I don't include null rod in my version.



// Lands
    4  Mishra's Workshop
    1  Tolarian Academy
    4  Wasteland
    1  Strip Mine
    4  Barbarian Ring
    3  Mountain

// Creatures
    4  Goblin Welder
    2  Duplicant
    1  Gorilla Shaman (1)
    1  Gorilla Shaman (2)
    2  Karn, Silver Golem
    2  Triskelion
   

// Spells
    1  Mox Pearl
    1  Trinisphere
    1  Sol Ring
    1  Mox Sapphire
    1  Mox Ruby
    1  Black Lotus
    1  Mox Jet
    1  Mox Emerald
    1  Mana Vault
    1  Mana Crypt
    4  Chalice of the Void
    4  Uba Mask
    4  Grafted Skullcap
    4  Crucible of Worlds
    4  Smokestack
    1  Wheel of Fortune

// Sideboard
SB: 3  Red Elemental Blast
SB: 3  Tormod's Crypt
SB: 3  Viashino Heretic
SB: 3  Ensnaring Bridge
SB: 3  Defense Grid


I'm still not that happy with the SB, but its coming along.

The most important concept is the anti aggro part

Ensnaring bridge

Works best with Grafted Skullcap and Uba mask, as you will never draw cards again.

The main reason I chose to replace Bazaar with Skullcap is that Skullcap is great even without Uba mask, and can really draw you a lot of cards.  It might not mill you for as much, but if you have crucible or uba mask destroyed, I would never want to have a bazaar over this thing.  Also, its great with Karn, as I said.

[Lunar]

so you want to replace an uncounterable card that digs for 2 and discards for 3 with a 4cc card that digs for 1 and discards for 0-7 somewhat randomly (or so)?

You point out that Ensnaring Bridge is the most important part....well you can always run that in your SB with vroman's build....if you really are worrying about aggro for some reason...

I just really really really dont understand Bazaar/skullcap....you make an amazing build vs control bad in a hurry by doing that...

Please justify your choice a little more.

[Buttons]

...

Okay, Bazaar + Uba Mask = COMBO.  You get the ability to draw three cards a turn with only one bazaar + uba out.  With two bazaars, you get five cards.  You're bound to get something you like, especially cruicible.

UbaStax ROLLS on Aggro.  You don't need Ensnaring Bridge.

If you really want to, you can even put the Stack count up to two, because you're ROLLING on aggro via card advantage by Bazaar.

UbaStax is the MOST OFFENSIVE deck in Vintage right now, and in my opinion, the best.

Do you understand how Bazaar works with Uba Mask, and how Goblin Welder works with Uba Mask?  If you get two welders out + Uba Mask, you can have your opponent never draw another card if nothing in his hand can possibly draw him more cards - it's the hardest lock well, probably ever.

Bazzar + Uba Mask works like this:

Tap your bazaar, put two in the RFG zone.  You can play those cards until the end of the turn, including another bazaar or cruicible, smokestack, etc.  Discard your hand.  (doesn't matter, because you've got crazy card drawing advantage right now.)

You say go after playing like nutz.  Your opponent reveals his card, and you weld out your uba mask for a null rod or something.  They LOSE that card into the RFG zone forever.  If you have two welders out, you can weld the Uba mask in during your upkeep, abusing Bazaar even further, then weld it out AGAIN during his draw step.

Aside Smokestack+Cruicible (which you should be running 4 of each, btw,) the most important two card combination is Bazaar + Welder, (NOT Bazaar + Uba Mask).  (you can also get away with running 3 Uba Mask, but I prefer 4).

[cssamerican]

The main reason why Grafted Skullcap went out of favor with Workshop players is instant bounce. Opponent waits for Grafted Skullcap's discard trigger to go on the stack then in response they cast Hurkyl's Recall or Rebuild and you entire board is basically toast. The risk pretty much out weighs any reward. In this case there is no need to to even contemplate Grafted Skullcap because you have a solution in Bazaar of Baghdad that is arguably better even if there were no downside associated with Grafted Skullcap.

[Komatteru]

Opponent waits for Grafted Skullcap's discard trigger to go on the stack then in response they cast Hurkyl's Recall or Rebuild and you entire board is toast.

Bazaar + Welder is a far more important Synergy to the deck than Mask + Bazaar.

Because the deck is monored, it doesn't get to play tutors, like 5c Stax does.  That's part of the reason you run 4 of the all-important Crucible and Ring (5c Stax doesn't have to do that).  Bazaar helps you dig deeper and find the cards you need.  It's a big part of the 4 Rings.  You need to win the Welder war because the deck abuses Bazaar/Welder.  When all you really have in the deck is artifacts and lands, and you play with cards that let you play those things from the graveyard, and have a way to locate 3 of these new cards per turn, you're really cookin'.

However, using Mask means you rely more on Welder, since you can't let your opponent win the Welder war with a Mask on the table, lest you never get a draw step.  In that repsect, you might as well play Bazaar because it offers you a lot more than Skullcap can.

[Buttons]

Wow.  Yeah, sorry, I DEFINITELY meant Bazaar + Welder.  Not, Bazaar + Uba Mask.

Bazaar + Uba is definitely important, but if you have a Welder online and a bazaar in play, you can abuse stuff like none else.  Uba just makes it so that you can play multiple things.

Heck, Welder is important to GET UBA OUT.

Huge Slops to me for the TYPO.  I changed it, and it looks fine now.

[yespuhyren]

The main reason I did the change, was because I don't want to be stuck with a bazaar and no welder/uba.  Without those 2 cards, bazaar is weak.  With those 2, sure, its better.  The reason I tried the change was because of frustration of having a bazaar and no reason to use it because I had nothing to abuse it with, and milling myself for 2 isn't that strong

so you want to replace an uncounterable card that digs for 2 and discards for 3 with a 4cc card that digs for 1 and discards for 0-7 somewhat randomly (or so)?

You point out that Ensnaring Bridge is the most important part....well you can always run that in your SB with vroman's build....if you really are worrying about aggro for some reason...

I just really really really dont understand Bazaar/skullcap....you make an amazing build vs control bad in a hurry by doing that...

Please justify your choice a little more.

I stated that this is a heavy fish metagame.  In your drain heavy metagame, I wouldn't play this.  In heavy fish, its a lot stronger.

[vroman]

Bazaar makes this deck, no question. if you cant figure out why bazaar is a major asset even with no other card in play you probably shouldnt be playing ubastax

[Lunar]

The reason I tried the change was because of frustration of having a bazaar and no reason to use it because I had nothing to abuse it with, and milling myself for 2 isn't that strong

so milling yourself for your whole hand is better (early in the game obviously before your hand is depleted)? Please explain in further detail. Sure you dont have to discard right away, but you only dig 1 extra instead of 2...it costs 4 to drop (which means you dont get to drop something more important right now) and it can be countered and destroyed (whereas bazaar can only be destroyed...not to mention that wastelands are going to head towards workshops long before they head for bazaars more often than not...)

I stated that this is a heavy fish metagame.  In your drain heavy metagame, I wouldn't play this.  In heavy fish, its a lot stronger.

If you are really that worried about fish with vromans build then you are doing something drastically wrong...

We gave you a decent amount of advice about why we feel this is much weaker than bazaar...you can ignore us if you want, but if you want us to start agreeing with you, you really need to give much more detail on why you feel cap is so much better against fish and in the deck overall...Just saying "hey listen jerks, cap is sooo much better against fish cause I say so" isnt going to win anybody over.

EDIT: Vroman beat me to it with a much easier reply, heh...

[Evilkin]

Maybe he's worried about Fish in Canada cause they run maindeck Old Men of the Sea, Crucible of Worlds, Seal of Cleansings, and STP's.