GWB Viable?

[SKRules]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone thought something like this would be good or could suggest cards for it.
What I'm thinking of:
 
Creatures
4x Doran, the Siege Tower
4x Gaddock Teeg
4x Dark Confidant
3x Watchwolf
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Savannah Lions
4x Skyshroud Elite
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda

Disruption
4x Duress
3x Thoughtseize
4x Exitirpate

Mana
1x Black Lotus
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Pearl
2x Bayou
2x Savannah
2x Scrubland
4x Windswept Heath
3x Bloodstained Mire
3x Flooded Strand
1x Wooded Foothills

Thoughts? Viable? Any cards I'm missing? Good sideboard options?  Please let me know.
Thx,
SK

[elmarfud]

A nice idea, but in my opinion it still needs some modification. First of all, I would leave out Skyshroud Elite or savannah lions. They are very good, don't get me wrong, but they simply are not good enough. Once they hit the board they only beat. That's it. I've noticed these creatures are rather useless against combo because they don't have the disrupt aspect like meddling mage or they don't bring the advantage of a dark confidant. A possible alternative is glowrider. Since you're not playing that many non-creature spells.

A second card which is really necesarry: Null rod. Nowadays null rod is one of the most powerful cards in the format so I would definitely add 3 of them and maybe even 4 since you really want to have this card in your opening hand.
You might also consider some removal cards like swords to plowshares and dust to dust (or any other artifact/enchantment removal card). With this list, you don't stand a chance against stax or any other artifact-built deck (e.g. slaver). You might say you'll try to litteraly beat them to it, but you'll find out you are just too slow for that.

Last but not least: when playing aggro you might consider wasteland/strip mine as another way of disrupting...

greetings

Elmar Fud

[SKRules]

Well the reason Savannah Lions is really there is to have another 1-drop.  I could probably get away with only 4 1-drops though as I'll want to Thoughtseize/Duress 1st turn anyways. 

The problem with Glowrider is that, unaided, it comes down turn 3 when most decks will either have the mana to counter it, or have already gone off. 

I hear a lot of talk about Null Rod but I don't quite understand it.  What does it shut down besides Moxen and the occasional Top?  And since I play 3 Moxen myself, I don't really think it would be too great here.  Am I missing something?

I was thinking about LD but everything I play is so color intensive that it really sets me back a turn...

I don't know what I should do :S

SK

[IthilanorStPete]

Against Control Slaver, it turns off their 5 moxen, Lotus, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Sol Ring, Slaver, Triskelion/Triskelavus if they're running it. Against you, it shuts off 4 moxen and Lotus. That's why you play it.

[SKRules]

I can definately see Null Rod as a sideboard card because it kills Slaver, but I don't think it's worth putting in the main because that's the only deck it hurts terribly.

I was thinking of putting in Jotun Grunt though, but I'm not sure I can support it.  I think between my discard and the amount of cards opposing decks get into the bin normally, it will be good.  Not to mention it stops graveyard tricks from dredge and welder, etc.
Should I cut the Watchwolves or the Savannah Lions for it?

Thoughts?
SK

[elmarfud]

I totally disagree with you on this one. Saying null rod should be more of a sideboard card instead of main board is ridiculous. These cards are all useless due to null rod: 5 moxen, Lotus, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Sol Ring, Slaver, Triskelion/Triskelavus, devining top, illusionary mask, powder keg, engineered explosives, tormod's crypt, memory jar, aether vial, goblin charbelcher, ....

All these cards are used in today's metagame. Of course there are still decks like Fish or Ichroid in which null rod is useless, but that's what sideboard is for. I would say 80% if not 90% of today's type 1 decks use many of the cards above so Null rod is one of the most usefull disruptions at this time.

About Jotun grunt: I play grunt in Fish, but that's because I play blue as well. Brainstorm, ponder, stifle, ancestral, time walk, ... They all fill up your graveyard very nicely to support grunt. Your deck might have some difficulties as you point out so I can only advice you to test it and see where it brings you.

If I were you I would cut the savannah lions. As well as 1 duress. I believe 6 discard-disruptions is enough. Of course you really want to have one in your opening hand, but you shouldn't overdo it. 6 is enough, I think.

Maybe you should also put in at least 2 basic lands (maybe forest and swamp). With wasteland on the table you can have some real trouble because you are playing aggro and you really need at least 2 mana to function properly.

Greetings

Elmar Fud

[SKRules]

Ah, wow, excuse me for forgetting about Engineered Explosives and Charbelcher, I haven't been playing vintage too long.  Yu're right, both of those cards hurt this deck terribly.

What I'll start testing:

Creatures
4x Doran, the Siege Tower
4x Gaddock Teeg
4x Dark Confidant
4x Jotun Grunt
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Skyshroud Elite
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda

Disruption
4x Duress
3x Thoughtseize
4x Exitirpate
3x Null Rod

Mana
1x Black Lotus
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Pearl
2x Bayou
2x Savannah
2x Scrubland
4x Windswept Heath
3x Bloodstained Mire
3x Flooded Strand
1x Wooded Foothills

Thanks again for your help,
SK