[Free Article] So Many Insane Plays -- The Parfait Ambush!

[Purple Hat]

if you're splashing black it should be noted that your draw engine is completely uneffected by chains of mephistopheles.

[Anusien]

steve tested this against me and it was a lot better than I gave it credit for.  I thought I'd be crushing it, but I ended up going 50/50.  Aven mindcensor is sooo annoying. It's mox diamond (a card that I usually think is total garbage) that makes the deck viable.  A little bit of acceleration goes a long way here.

Without Land Tax, Diamond isn't a mana source on its own.  It's sort of like imprinting Elvish Spirit Guide on Chrome Mox.

Why is Mox Diamond so much better here than it is out of Bomberman? 

If the question wasn't framed as a comparison to Bomberman (Huh????), I might attempt an answer.   

Sorry, I meant to ask about Aven Mindcensor, not Mox Diamond there.

[Commandant]

Scourglass?

Good, Bad, Terrible?

Needed or Totally useless?

Does hit Aura of Silence and Land Tax. 

[jamestosetti]

Not to discredit this deck or workshop or anything but does anyone else think that type 1 needs one more creature or spell to disrupt the playing of spells? The only thing we're missing is an artifact that says no more playing spells. When wizards made cannonist white instead of say green or black its obvious what people will be doing with the card. I'd rather see the banning of tendrils before the next round of spell disruption is printed. If they did not print cannonist or thorn of amethyst it would have forced them to be way more creative in there attempts at making new cards for type 1. I think cannonist is way more of a realistic card than thorn or sphere because creatures are easier to deal with and there is actually a chance youll get to cast a spell without your own mishra's workshop. Workshop players are gonna hate me now lol.

Please fix your grammar (and don't remove this text).

Rich Shay

[Smmenen]

steve tested this against me and it was a lot better than I gave it credit for.  I thought I'd be crushing it, but I ended up going 50/50.  Aven mindcensor is sooo annoying. It's mox diamond (a card that I usually think is total garbage) that makes the deck viable.  A little bit of acceleration goes a long way here.

Without Land Tax, Diamond isn't a mana source on its own.  It's sort of like imprinting Elvish Spirit Guide on Chrome Mox.

Why is Mox Diamond so much better here than it is out of Bomberman? 

If the question wasn't framed as a comparison to Bomberman (Huh????), I might attempt an answer.   

Sorry, I meant to ask about Aven Mindcensor, not Mox Diamond there.

Well, for starters, this deck has 4 Wastelands and a Strip Mine.   It also plays Aura of Silence.   

[LotusHead]

If the list evolves away from the 4-sets of Avens and Canonists and towards more utility instants, Isochron Scepter would have a nice home here.    It's often the most brutal play in most Parfait decks I've faced over the past few years, with the Plowshares, Finds, Chants (esp), and Red Blasts (in "Razor" Parfait which splashes red). 

I was wondering also if Isochron Scepter was considered and/or tested.

I just finished playing against (I assume) this list, and it hates chalice for 1 and 0. (most decks do).

Abeyance did nothing ever (except cantrip) against shops, but I'm sure Shops aren't the reason for it's inclusion.

[Smmenen]

If the list evolves away from the 4-sets of Avens and Canonists and towards more utility instants, Isochron Scepter would have a nice home here.    It's often the most brutal play in most Parfait decks I've faced over the past few years, with the Plowshares, Finds, Chants (esp), and Red Blasts (in "Razor" Parfait which splashes red). 

I was wondering also if Isochron Scepter was considered and/or tested.

Yes.   

[benthetenor]

Isochron Scepter seems very win-more, like Crucible. There aren't a lot of positions that you'd get yourself into where you'd need more than one or two Orim's Chants, a lot like Wasteland recursion via Crucible; it's nice, but not necessary.

Did you seriously consider other splashes, besides black?

[Smmenen]

Isochron Scepter seems very win-more, like Crucible. There aren't a lot of positions that you'd get yourself into where you'd need more than one or two Orim's Chants, a lot like Wasteland recursion via Crucible; it's nice, but not necessary.

Exactly. 

Did you seriously consider other splashes, besides black?

Of course. 

[benthetenor]

How enlightening.

[Smmenen]

How enlightening.

It would take alot of time and effort to canvass the full range of possibilities.   There are so many possible permutations of colors and cards.  You can do all sorts of splashes with 4 Mox Diamond and Land Taxes.  You can play like 8 Plains, 1 Swamp, 1 Mountain, etc.   

[Smmenen]

Update:

Meandeck Parfait
10/18/08

10 Plains
  1 Strip Mine
  4 Wasteland

  4 Mox Diamond
  1 Mox Pearl
  1 Mox Emerald
  1 Mox Sapphire
  1 Mox Jet
  1 Black Lotus
  1 Sol Ring

  4 Ethersword Canonist
  4 Aven Mindcensor

  4 Land Tax
  4 Scroll Rack
  4 Aura of Silence
  3 Argivian Find
  3 Swords to Plowshares
  1 Balance
  1 Seal of Cleansing
  1 Zuran Orb
  1 Trinisphere
  2 Orim's Chant
  2 Abeyance
  1 Enlightened Tutor

Sideboard:
2 Pithing Needle
1 Rule of Law
3 Moat
2 Orim's Chant
2 Abeyance
1 Swords to Plowshares
4 Tormod's Crypt
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon

I made a couple of changes.  I cut the mainboard Tormod's Crypt for Seal of Cleansing.  It just seemed that wherever I turned, I wanted more artifact removal spells.   Seal is recurrable with Find.   Old Parfait lists used to run 2, so it's something of a return to form.   It's great against everything from Time Vault to Painter to Oath to Stax.   It's even great against Fish. 

In addition, I've tweaked the sideboard some more.   I've added a third Moat, moved the crypt into the board, and cut down to 1 Rule of Law.  I also cut the very rarely-used Jester's Cap.

Further tweaking will probably be required. 

When K-Run said to try 3 Mox Diamonds and add one more land or put in the 5th off color Mox, I was tempted, but I'm not yet there.    More, I'm sure, later.

[BruiZar]

Smmenen: What about Abolish if you're looking for artifact destruction? Although not recurring, it is an instant speed removal spell that has synergy with land tax

[Dr.KnowMaD]

This is refreshing, oldie but goody. To bad i don't have premium yet.

I have to say when I first glanced at the list and saw you playing 4 Aura of Silence and 4 Mox diamond I thought you were powering out the Auras right away if possible.  Slowing people down and then Tax'n the hell out. They can (auras) be strong with there primary ability and the secondary is super bonus . 4 is the right number for this build.  Also the diamonds are a must at 4.  I believe the unrestriction of Mox diamond helped speed up the decks that can support 4 a lot. The diamond can be very shiny.

I like how this thing (the deck) is flexible in many areas.  Building styles mostly.  There are many directions but I do like simplicity this build.

I have already got a first draft of my own I going to have to test somewhere.

                                                                                                                                                                   Dr.KnowMaD

[Smmenen]

This is refreshing, oldie but goody. To bad i don't have premium yet.

I have to say when I first glanced at the list and saw you playing 4 Aura of Silence and 4 Mox diamond I thought you were powering out the Auras right away if possible.  Slowing people down and then Tax'n the hell out.

That's the idea!

[lastbeliever]

I tinkered around with this list for a bit and I found cutting cutting a Find and a Swords to Plowshares (along with swapping a Plains for a Mountain) for two copies of Blood Moon to be pretty effective. Compounding the decks mana denial goals with color denial proved to simply fold many decks. It has a similar effect to Aura of Silence in the workshop match-up and helped make Aven Mind Censor EVEN better. That said, turning top-decked Wastelands into mountains was unfortunate some times, but the symmetry was far out weighed by its power. It could easily be that Magus of the Moon is better but being able to tutor up and recur Blood Moon seems superior to me.

[the boogie man]

This deck is really low on threats, so maybe the magus would be superior.

[demonic effect]

up front I will admit I have not playtested this deck yet so I was wondering if someone could give me advice on how well this deck is able to maintain the threats...  Usually decks pack numerous draw/search effecets yet this deck only has 4... granted these 4 are great once they come online especially with land tax online, However this tends to take some time.  The deck is clearly consistant, but when your resources are being spent casting spells to prevent their bombs, you will run out of gas when they do yet they can out draw you unless you top deck a scroll... Has this ever been a problem?  Why or why not?  (if this is explained in premium, i apologize but I do not have it.  Additionally, this seems to be a pretty big issue so at least clarify a bit beyond "go playtest this" to figure it out.  If nothing else, this helps clarify how the deck runs)

[Nevermore]

I love this deck!

However, I was wondering if this deck would benefit from 2 exalted angels for threat density and increasing the clock.
I would think it would help with several matches, or at least be beneficial in the sideboard.

[Smmenen]

I love this deck!

However, I was wondering if this deck would benefit from 2 exalted angels for threat density and increasing the clock.
I would think it would help with several matches, or at least be beneficial in the sideboard.

That is a very good suggestion.   I hadn't considered Exalted.  It fits well because it can be played for three (where the deck curves out) and flies!   It also works well with Moat. 

[brianpk80]

Isochron Scepter seems very win-more, like Crucible. There aren't a lot of positions that you'd get yourself into where you'd need more than one or two Orim's Chants, a lot like Wasteland recursion via Crucible; it's nice, but not necessary.

Exactly. 

Isochron Scepter is "win-more" in a Drain deck where it's employed as a juvenile trick to recur Brainstorms, Mana Drains, or the "lucky" Ancestral on a stick.  In Parfait, it serves a completely different function.  It's a versatile threat that gives the deck its best hard-lock (Chant), best recurring defense (Red Blast), downright brutality v. Fish (Swords), or whatever a creative deck designer implements.  It's the kind of "deal with it or lose" play a deck like Parfait needs to pack some real teeth and an advantage gainer that helps compensate for the lack of blue.  The card can't be assessed in a vacuum; context matters.  FWIW, I see another instance of a dedicated commitment to addressing my points only vicariously, but if that somehow enhances your state of mind, by all means continue. 

[Smmenen]

You raise good points.  What would you cut for Scepter, if you were to play one?

[brianpk80]

You raise good points.  What would you cut for Scepter, if you were to play one?

It wouldn't fit well into the shell you have here because it's too light on instants.  My instinct says that the Aven Mindcensors could be filled by a different suite of cards.  While I can't reconstruct your list with any respectable degree of scrutiny offhand, a red splash sounds like the best direction for the deck, for Blasts, Moon effects, and that RW Goblin enchantment that allows land-sacrificing to create tokens, doubling as both a win-condition and a means of forcing the Tax; it could stand in for Zuran Orb.  Humility is worth considering as well, given the wide range of opposition it blankets (everything from Ichorid, to Fish, to Dragon).  Absent Humility, I'd consider swapping the sideboard's Moat with Magus of the Moat since one would anticipate an opponent post-sideboard would bring in a lot of artifact/enchantment removal (Serenity, etc.) but be caught off guard by a creature threat. 

[LordHomerCat]

I would expect that the opponents I wanted to Moat the most (like Fish) would not worry so much about the enchantments like Serenity, since I want to Moat against decks full of dudes and those decks are not the same decks the super hardcore artifact hate is usually good against.  I guess the exception is like MUD, but they can't touch enchantments anyway so its a moot point.  Magus, however, gets his with Swords and Jitte counters and Trike tokens and Smothers and stuff like that.

[brianpk80]

I would expect that the opponents I wanted to Moat the most (like Fish) would not worry so much about the enchantments like Serenity, since I want to Moat against decks full of dudes and those decks are not the same decks the super hardcore artifact hate is usually good against.  I guess the exception is like MUD, but they can't touch enchantments anyway so its a moot point.  Magus, however, gets his with Swords and Jitte counters and Trike tokens and Smothers and stuff like that.

I'm not sure I follow your comment completely, but Fish isn't afraid of Serenity; rather, most good white-based Fish decks pack Serenity in the sideboard, and occasionally the maindeck, and would certainly be happy to put it in g2 and g3 against Parfait (given that it destroys every non-land permanent in this build, aside from Avens).  A smart Fish player will not be siding in Swords to Plowshares, Smothers, or Umezawa's Jitte against Parfait.  A Magus of the Moat is a bait and switch sideboard technique.  The opponent anticipates threatening artifacts and enchantments; you bring in a creature. 

[BruiZar]

Why aren't you running a LoA? This deck can easily get back to 7 cards and Orim's Chant / Abeyance make the advantage of an active LoA even greater.

drawstep, Activate LoA, draw a card, pass turn
Chant, pass turn
drawstep, Activate LoA, draw a card

Looks good to me.

[Beatdown]

I think the goblin trenches idea sounds pretty solid. Like it was said above it allows you to tax every turn and will overwhelm an opponent if not taken care of quickly. With all of the land sacking and mox diamonds it would require crucible probably, but it seems like a solid idea to me. Also it helps you win the permanent war against stax and would give fish and goblins a hard time getting through on the ground.

[Soon-Man]

I love this deck!

However, I was wondering if this deck would benefit from 2 exalted angels for threat density and increasing the clock.
I would think it would help with several matches, or at least be beneficial in the sideboard.

That is a very good suggestion.   I hadn't considered Exalted.  It fits well because it can be played for three (where the deck curves out) and flies!   It also works well with Moat. 

Does devoting mana to play it and then in a later turn paying to flip it slow the deck down at all? I realize that you are paying for what is most likely going to win you the game, but does it make you skip playing other stuff that keeps you from loosing it first?

[brianpk80]

Why aren't you running a LoA? This deck can easily get back to 7 cards and Orim's Chant / Abeyance make the advantage of an active LoA even greater.

drawstep, Activate LoA, draw a card, pass turn
Chant, pass turn
drawstep, Activate LoA, draw a card

Looks good to me.

LoA is a very great card in a general sense, but it doesn't have the best synergy with Parfait since the draw engine depends on having less lands in play than the opponent.  It's also very hungry for colored mana so the LoA's colorless mana ability can't be taken advantage of as much here.  The ideal first turn play is Mox Diamond, Land Tax.  With a Scroll Rack, the draw engine is then the equivalent of an Ancestral every turn in terms of quantity and a dig as deep as 11 cards at times for selection. 

[BruiZar]

hi brian,

In hindsight I think you're right about LoA.