Hi there, sorry for the late post about this Tangle Wire. While I was typing the post, 4 new posts have come. Nevertheless, I just want to join.
Just want to comment a little about this Tangle Wire in addition to the established lock components of our beloved lock deck.
Recently we had a small gathering of T1 players, nothing too competitive about, just trying to win a set of dual lands. But everybody was eager to come with their own deck regardless of power, as really we were only trying to have some fun. Nevertheless to boost player's presence, those who owns more cards often lent them to those in need, to some reasonable extent. So, weird decks showed up there, as proxy was not allowed.
I came with this deck:
26 Mana Source, but -3 mountain -1 Mana Crypt + 4 Volcanic Islands
4 Bazaar
17 Core Locks
3 Uba Mask
3 Null Rod
3 Tangle Wire
3 Resistors
1 Memnarch
SB:
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Quicksand
3 Tormod's Crypt
2 Jester's Cap
2 Duplicant
I now the list is quite janky. What did that stupid Memnarch do in the deck, no shamans, no duplicants, etc. I now people will laugh at that decklist, but nevermind.
Anyway I only tried to have fun in that gathering. Because of no proxies, then I expected that more random aggro was going to come, so no high anticipation fo the popular and established power decks that would certainly come if not for the no proxy policy.
Anyway 24 people showed there, and we had a good time.
What I can say about the Tangle Wire is:
-It is quite useful to have in hand when I am on the draw, that is; going second. It will give
temporary timewalk effect to some troublesome openings like 1st turn goblin lackey, 1st turn
goblin vandal, etc. Sure its effect is only temporary, but with the deck that temporary time
often is suffice to buy time until heavier lock components start to show up from the
draw; either from natural draw phase or boost draw via bazaar; and it also buys time
until the mana to cast those more expensive lock components become available.
-It gives quite possibly the best opening if we are on the draw against random goblin
openings like the above, and maybe against random aggro in general, also for blue
mana opening from the opponent, if resistor is not in the opening hand.
-The aforementioned temporary timewalk effect I think also is quite useful to buy time
until smokestack or goblin welder can become online. Especially for the Smokestack,
waiting for this artifact to become truly online is like having summoning sickness for
1.5 turn, and I feel that the temporary timewalk effect given by the Tangle Wire
during those vulnerable period, with the help of other lock components or mana
denial; often quite enough to plug the hole when we commit Smokestack and/or
Goblin Welder on the table.
-I feel that although there can be times where casting multiple Tangle Wires
seem to be the only way to safe the day, its best effect generally can be felt when we
have on the table one at a time. Its advantages get decreased if we have it on the
table in multiples, as every turn its effect will be decreased by -2, -3, or -4, depending
on the number of Tangle Wires we put into play while the old one still exists.
-The interaction between Tangle Wire, Smokestack, and Welder is quite useful if
ripe opportunity shows up, and along with complement from other lock components,
mana denial, and maybe some permanent denial, will create quite a good lock for the
opponent.
-Tangle Wire is not a lock component that can and should stand alone, because its effect
is not permanent, but temporary, and its effect diminished over turns. That's why it
should be supported and followed by other lock components, or more mana denial
effects to become truly effective. I think that Mop effect is preferred to sweep the
board out of Moxen,token creatures, small creatures, etc., so the effect of Tangle Wire
will be optimal throughout its lifespan on the table, but as the deck still wants to carry
Null Rod because in general it is useful against more powered decks, then fitting such
mop effects in the form of Powder Keg or Engineered Explosives becomes quite
prohibitive to the deck. Generally we want the opponent's board to have less
permanents that can be tapped to the Tangle Wire, so later Smokestack's impact can be
harder.
-Fresh Tangle Wire on the table creates some more subtle effects for the opponent. In order to
alleviate the effect of our Tangle Wire, opponent is quite in a situation to up the number of
his/her permanents on the table so as to be able to use mana and comes out from the unwanted
situation created by the Tangle Wire. That means opponent will try to drop more lands, more
moxes and creatures on the table, than he originally intended. This should be exploited, and
if possible, forbidden. Therefore moxen need to be swept, small creatures that slipped by need to
be killed, lands need to be blown by strip effects, continuously if possible; casting cost of spells need
to be made more expensive for him, so as to squeeze the most effect from every single Tangle
Wire, while waiting to draw and cast Smokestacks, waiting for the Smokestack to become online,
and waiting for the Welder to just recreate the above effect albeit in more horrible condition for
the opponent.
Please, if anyone notice that this is not the case for the deck (Mop effect is not good),
then help me to know why it is not good in this type of deck, aside from the fact that
this deck still wants to carry the Null Rod. I have tried to figure it myself, but I haven't
come yet to any clear and logical answer for that.
-As the deck also carries a wide assortment of other lock components. mana denial, to
interact with Smokestack and Tangle Wire, we hope that the interacton between those
effect is quite enough to buy time and lock the board. And because of the above reason
and my general feelings that its effect is best while we are on the draw, then I suggest
that the number of Tangle Wire in the maindeck 3 is quite enough, so as not to
clutter opening hands and late game, and also to make room for other important lock
components or possible utility cards that one wants to carry.
I think for the time being that is all that I can say about this Tangle Wire. Some have already been mentioned in the earlier post, no doubt about it. If that is the case, then
please regard this post as maybe some support to the earlier post. Sorry if there's any
mistake in my post, or if it contradicts some of others' oppinion.
About the Null Rod, I notice that in some decklist posted in this thread the number of Rods had gone down. In my humble oppinion this can be tried if we expect less powered field, the less power others used, then I think resistors' effect is going to be more pronounced than Null Rods', but lowering the number of Null Rods can open some hole to some random decks like Workshop modular, or Dark Metalworker-Staff of Domination decks.
Oh, and by the way, if one wants to create a lock deck with chip token intensive usage,
Why not try to fit some Powder Kegs to the maindeck? Sure it's going to be merriful
with lots of different colored chips as well as lots of permanents on our side of the table:)
Cheers,
