Vintage Encyclopedia

[wiley]

The Vintage Encyclopedia

This thread is designed as an easy, quick-reference guide to the myriad decks of competitive vintage as well as a compendium of articles to help you become a better magic player/deck builder, a list of all historical changes to the Type 1/Vintage banned and restricted list and a catalog of metagame reports from past tournaments. Many of these entries simply provide a brief overview/history of the deck, a sample deck list or two, variants (where applicable), and sometimes basic match up information. If you're looking for a more in-depth primer, please check to see if there are any links at the end of the mini-primer. These are not intended to be full, in-depth primers (though some of the entries go more in-depth than others).


First and Foremost: This thread is *NOT* a "Post your deck lists here" thread. This resource is designed as an informative reference for successful, tournament-caliber, famous, or popular decks.


There are a few more guidelines that I would like to go through:
1. Please sign up to do one or more primers by posting in the thread, or by sending me a Private Message. This way, we can avoid having people do individual primers of the same deck... in the event that multiple primers of the same deck are received, I will either consolidate them into one primer, or I will take the more descriptive/accurate primer.
2. If you wish to submit a primer to a deck, send the primer to me in a Private Message. Even though I'll be linking to each deck type from the Index Post, I'd rather not have the thread unnecessarily long due to duplicate versions (submissions plus final versions) of each primer.
3. If you spot something that is incorrect, be it information or formatting, or something that needs to be re-worked/clarified, please tell me.  This document is not perfect, nor do I ever fully expect it to be, it will be going under constant revision which is a lot of work for just one person to do.
4. If you do sign up for a primer please attempt to use similar formatting as I have done with other posts.  Feel free to arrange the deck lists in a way that you believe is easiest for non-informed people to grasp the concept.


Without further ado, I present to you The Vintage Encyclopedia.

Table Of Contents:
Deck List
List of Useful Articles
Metagame Reports
History of the Banned and Restricted List
Instructions for Updating MWS

*Credits for the formatting of this thread in general go to AjaxUD and his Dictionary Deck-O-Pedia Thread

[wiley]

#

3-Color-Control (3cc) (aka Eon Blue Apocolypse/EBA)
4-Color-Control (4cc)
5/3
5c Fish (See Everything Wins Again)
5c Stax
7/10 Split

A

A Beautiful Mind
Affinity
AnkhSligh
Arcane Denial.dec
Arcborn Virus
Army of Squirrels

B

Balance (aka Maysonet Rack Balance)
Battle of Wits
Bazaar Storm
Belcher
Bloodghast Dredge
Blue Bull Shit
Bob Tendrils (AKA GWSx)
BomberMan
BroodstarRunner.dec
BUG Fish
Burning Slaver

C

Cerebral Assassin
Channelball
Christmas Beatings
Control Slaver
Crushing Chamber

D

Dark Illusions
Dark Times (AKA Dark Depths)
Dawn of the Dead
Death Long
Deez Naughts
Doomsday (also Next Level Doomsday)
Drain Tendrils
DRAW7

E

Easter Tendrils aka, Eggs
Elf-Ball
ELVES!
Emerald Alice
Enchantress
Eon Blue Apocalypse (See 3cc)
Everything Wins Again (EWA)

F

Faeries
Fish
Flame Vault
Flash Hulk
Flash Rector
Fluctuator
Food Chain Goblins
Full English Breakfast
Funker

G

G/W Aggro Control
Gay Fish
Gifts
GobLines
Gothenburg Slaver (aka Goth Slaver)
Grim Long
Gro-A-Tog (GAT)
GWSx (See Bob Tendrils)

H

Haterator
Helm/Leyline combo (See Two Card Monte)
Hermit Druid Combo
High Tide
Holden Tendrils
Hulk Smash (see Psychatog)

I

Intuition Tendrils (IT)
Iona Oath (See Vroman Oath)
Invincible Counter Troll (ICT)

J

K

Keeper
King James Oath
Kobold Clamp

L

Landstill
Leviat.dec
Lock & Stock
Long.dec

M

Madness
Mana'd Ichorid
Manaless Ichorid
MaskNaught
Maysonet Rack Balance
Meandeck Gifts
Meandeck Oath
Meandeck SX (aka Meandeck Tendrils)
Minus 6
Mirror Magique
Mirror, Mirror
Miss America
Mono-Black Control
Mono-Blue Control
Mono-Blue Trix
MS Paint
MUD

N

Neo-Academy
Nether Void
Next Level Doomsday
Ninja Mask
Noble Fish (AKA Selkie Strike)

O

Oath
Ophidian
Oshawa Stompy

P

PandeBurst
Paniter Combo
Parfait
Pebbles (Fruity, Cocoa)
Pitch Long
Pox
Psychatog

Q

R

ReapLace
Rector Tendrils
Rector Trix
Red Shop Aggro
Remora Painter
RG Beatz
Ritual Gifts

S

Salvagers Oath
Selkie Strike (See Noble Fish)
Sensei Sensei
Severance Belcher
Sex.dec
Shay-Mora
Shop Combo
Sligh
Sneak Attack
SquirrelCraft
Stacker
Stasis
Stax
Steel City Vault (SCV)
Stompy
Strategic Slaver
Suicide Black
Suicide Virus
Sullivan Solution

T

Tezzeret
The Deck
The Deck 2009
The Franchise
The Gilded Claw
The Perfect Storm (TPS)
The Tropical Storm (TTS)
The Mountains Win Again (TMWA)
The Riddler
The Shining
Thoughtcast Painter
Threshold
TnT (Tools 'n Tubbies)
Trinket Slaver
TurboLand
TurboLich
TurboSpaz
Two Card Monte
Tyrant Blue
Tyrant Oath

U

Uba Stax
UG Oath
UR Fish
URBana Fish
UW Fish
UWb Fish

V

Venguer Masque
Vercursion
Vroman Oath (AKA Iona Oath)
Vial Goblins

W

Workshop Aggro
Worldgorger Dragon (WGD, WGDX)
Worse Than Fish (WTF)
Worse Than Gro

X

Xerox

Y

Z
Zoo

[wiley]

#
2009 Vintage Year in Review - Stephen Menendian
2008 Vintage Year in Review - Stephen Menendian
2007 Vintage Year in Review - Stephen Menendian
2006 Vintage Year in Review, Part 2 - Stephen Menendian
2006 Vintage Year in Review, Part 1 - Stephen Menendian
2005 Vintage Year in Review, Part 2 - Stephen Menendian
2005 Vintage Year in Review, Part 1 - Stephen Menendian
2004 Vintage Year in Review - Stephen Menendian

A
Advanced Strategy: Investment - Mike Flores
Applied Interaction Advantage - Zac Hill
The Art Of The Mulligan - Ken Krouner
The Art Of The Mulligan: Eight Case Studies - Ken Krouner

B
Basic Rogue Deck Design: Natural Strategy, Anti-Strategy, and Strategy Superiority - Mike Flores
The Basics of Playing the Game: Paranoia is Good - Peter Jahn
Better Lucky Than Good: Seven Ways to Get Lucky - Patrick Chapin
Bluffing Drains and Storming Brains: How to Play Control in Vintage - Stephen Menendian
Building God, Part 3: Any Given Sunday - Mike Mason
Building God, Part 4: Playtesting, Tweaking, Conclusion - Mike Mason

C
Clear The Land And The Fundamental Turn - Zvi Mowshowitz

D
The Danger Of Cool Things.... - Chad Ellis
Deck Clinic 4: Drifting toward Counterphoenix - Zvi Mowshowitz

E
The Effects of Misplays - Richard Feldman
Everything is a Time Walk - Scott Keller
Examining The Theories Of Card Advantage And Quality - Will Rieffer

F
Finding the Tinker Deck - Mike Flores
Forgiveness - Adrian Sullivan
Forgotten Lore: Mind Over Magic - Robert Hahn
Fortress Theory - Richard Feldman

G
The Glass Cannon - Richard Feldman
Grinder Times - Standing Out in an Information Rich Time - Adrian Sullivan

H
How to Do Your Very Own Metagame Analysis - Adrian Sullivan

I
Information Cascades in Magic - Patrick Chapin
Interaction Advantage (or Card Advantage Is Wrong, Kinda) - Zac Hill
Investigating Fetchlands - Christopher Coppola
Is That Your Card? - The Ferrett

K
Know Thy Self - Introduction, Intuition, and Time Management - Scott Johns

L
Learning From The Big Mistakes - Adrian Sullivan
Lessons from Losses: First (and Foremost) - Ben Goodman
Lessons from Losses: Four Skullclamp - Ben Goodman

M
Maindeck Choices - Zac Hill
Math, Chance, and Winning - Adrian Sullivan
Mathemagics: Onslaught Fetchlands - Garrett Johnson
The Mathematics of Magic: The Gathering - Jon Prywes
The Metagame Clock - Leon Workman
Metagaming - Doug Linn
Mmmmmmmmmana...Five Rules For Avoiding Mana-Screw - Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar

O
Overcoming the 4-1 Dogma in Numbers - Adrian Sullivan

P
The Past as Prologue: Extended 1999-2000 - Peter Jahn
The Past as Prologue: Extended 2000-2001 - Peter Jahn
The Past as Prologue: Extended 2001-2002 - Peter Jahn
The Past as Prologue: Extended 2002-2003 - Peter Jahn
The Past as Prologue: Extended 2003-2004 - Peter Jahn
The Philosophy of Fire - Mike Flores
Playing and Winning in The Zone - Noah Weil
Play to Win, Part 1 - David Sirlin
Playing to Win, Part 2: Mailbag. Rebuttals and Clarifications - David Sirlin
Playing to Win, Part 3. Not Playing to Win - David Sirlin
Playing to Win Example: Richard Hatch on Survivor - David Sirlin
The Process of Choosing Your Deck - Richard Feldman
Putting It All Together - Jacob Orlove
Realizing How Bad You Are - Mike Flores

R
The Rule - Zvi Mowshowitz

S
Schools of Magic -  Rob Hahn
School of Sligh-Kimes - Frank S. Kusumoto
Sheldon Menery's Archives - Sheldon Menery
Stuck In The Middle With Bruce - John F. Rizzo
Study and Grow Strong - Tournament Reports - Dan Paskins
Swallowing Your Pride for Profit - Richard Feldman

T
Tempo And Card Advantage - Eric "Danger" Taylor, a.k.a. EDT
theoretical2: Game Theory "Optimal" - Bryce Paradis and Douglas Zare
Type 1, Take 2 - Mark Rosewater

V
The Vintage FAQ - [stew]

W
The Way of the Sideboard - Robert Dougherty
What Level Are You? Evaluating Magic Play - Raphael Levy
Who's The Beatdown? - Mike Flores
Why Decks Fail. - PipOC

Y
You CAN Play Type I series - Oscar Tan

[wiley]

Metegame reports, formatted in reverse chronological order

2010

2010-05-03 So Many Insane Plays – The Q1 2010 Vintage Earnings and Market Report
2010-02-22 So Many Insane Plays – The Vintage Market Report

2009

2009-09-21 So Many Insane Plays – Vintage/Legacy Split Article
2009-08-04 May/June 2009 LARGE-scale Metagame Report
2009-07-28 May/June Small-scale Metagame Report
2009-05-11 So Many Insane Plays – The Most Dominant Engine in Vintage History: The March/April Vintage Metagame Report
2009-03-16 So Many Insane Plays – Reflections on Chicago / The Jan-Feb Vintage Metagame Report
2009-01-19 So Many Insane Plays - Restrict Mana Drain? The November-December Metagame Report

2008

2008-11-10 So Many Insane Plays – What’s Winning in Vintage? The September/October Vintage Metagame Report
2008-09-22 So Many Insane Plays – Walking Through the Ruins of the Vintage Apocalypse
2008-07-21 So Many Insane Plays –The May/June Vintage Metagame Report
2008-06-16 So Many Insane Plays – The March/April Vintage Metagame Report
2008-03-17 So Many Insane Plays - The Jan-Feb Vintage Metagame Report
2008-01-02 So Many Insane Plays – Rounding Out The Vintage Year

2007

2007-11-07 So Many Insane Plays - Vintage By The Numbers
2007-08-15 So Many Insane Plays - Figures Don’t Lie, But Liars Figure: A Vintage Metagame Report

2005

2005-06-30 May-June Type One Metagame Breakdown
2005-06-01 April Type One Metagame Breakdown
2005-05-02 Vintage Metagame Breakdown: March
2005-03-14 As Much Info As You Can Handle - The Jan-Feb Vintage Metagame Report
2005-03-04 Functional Breakdown of Vintage Cards From Dec-Jan
2005-02-14 The December and January Vintage Metagame Report

2004

2004-12-10 Oct-Nov Vintage Metagame Summary
2004-12-02 Examining the Vintage Metagame - Analysis of The Ultimate Table, Part Deux
2004-11-08 Examining the Vintage Metagame - Analysis of The Ultimate Table
2004-10-12 The September Vintage Metagame Breakdown
2004-09-13 The August Vintage Metagame Breakdown
2004-08-20 The July Metagame Update and The Crucible Effect
2004-07-26 The June Vintage Metagame Breakdown
2004-07-02 April-May Type 1 Potpourri
2004-06-23 May Metagame Breakdown
2004-06-15 September to April, Part 2
2004-05-28 September to April: There and Back Again for Type One
2004-05-06 The April Type One Metagame Breakdown
2004-04-14 March Type One Potpourri
2004-04-06 March Metagame Breakdown for Type I
2004-03-25 All Request Live For Type One
2004-03-15 February Type One Potpourri
2004-03-08 February Type One Metagame Breakdown
2004-03-03 All The Little People - Metagames for Small Vintage Tournaments
2004-01-21 Designing Cards For Vintage, Part 2: And Most Popular Cards In Type I Are...
2004-01-13 Number Crunching Type I: Designing Cards For Vintage
2004-01-02 Number-Crunching Type 1 for 2003

[wiley]

Banned & Restricted list changes, formatted in reverse chronological order.

Current Banned & Restricted List

2015

Announcement and Explanation
2015/9/28 - Chalice of the Void is restricted
2015/9/28 - Dig Through Time is restricted
2015/9/28 - Thirst for Knowledge is unrestricted

Announcement and Explanation
2015/1/19 - Treasure Cruise is restricted
2015/1/19 - Gifts Ungiven is no longer restricted

2013

Announcement and Explanation
2013/4/22 - Regrowth is no longer restricted

2012

Announcement and Explanation
2012/9/20 - Burning Wish is no longer restricted

2011

Announcement and Explanation
2011/9/20 - Fact or Fiction is no longer restricted

2010

Announcement and Explanation
2010/9/20 - Frantic Search is no longer restricted
2010/9/20 - Gush is no longer restricted

2009

Announcement and Explanation
2009/6/19 - Thirst for Knowledge is restricted
2009/6/19 - Crop Rotation is no longer restricted
2009/6/19 - Enlightened Tutor is no longer restricted
2009/6/19 - Entomb is no longer restricted
2009/6/19 - Grim Monolith is no longer restricted

2008

Announcement and Explanation
2008/09/20 - Chrome Mox is no longer restricted
2008/09/20 - Dream Halls is no longer restricted
2008/09/20 - Mox Diamond is no longer restricted
2008/09/20 - Personal Tutor is no longer restricted
2008/09/20 - Time Spiral is no longer restricted
2008/09/20 - Time Vault is restricted

Announcement and Explanation 1, Explanation 2, Explanation 3
2008/06/20 - Brainstorm is restricted
2008/06/20 - Flash is restricted
2008/06/20 - Gush is restricted
2008/06/20 - Merchant Scroll is restricted
2008/06/20 - Ponder is restricted

2007

Announcement and Explanation
2007/09/20 - Shahrazad is banned

Announcement and Explanation
2007/06/20 - Black Vise is no longer restricted
2007/06/20 - Gifts Ungiven is restricted
2007/06/20 - Gush is no longer restricted
2007/06/20 - Mind Twist is no longer restricted
2007/06/20 - Voltaic Key is no longer restricted

2005

Announcement and Explanation
2005/10/20 - Imperial Seal is restricted
2005/10/20 - Personal Tutor is restricted
2005/10/20 - Portal and Starter sets become legal for play

Announcement and Explanation
2005/09/20 - Mind Over Matter is no longer restricted

Announcement and Explanation
2005/03/20 - Trinisphere is restricted

2004

Announcement and Explanation
2004/12/20 - Stroke of Genius is no longer restricted

Announcement and Explanation
Type 1 is renamed Vintage
2004/09/20 - Braingeyser is no longer restricted
2004/09/20 - Doomsday is no longer restricted
2004/09/20 - Earthcraft is no longer restricted
2004/09/20 - Fork is no longer restricted

Announcement and Explanation
2004/01/01 - Burning Wish is restricted
2004/01/01 - Chrome Mox is restricted
2004/01/01 - Lion's Eye Diamond is restricted

2003

Announcement and Explanation
2003/07/01 - Gush is restricted
2003/07/01 - Mind's Desire is restricted

Announcement and Explanation
2003/04/01 - Berserk is no longer restricted
2003/04/01 - Earthcraft is resticted
2003/04/01 - Entomb is restricted
2003/04/01 - Hurkyl's Recall is no longer restricted
2003/04/01 - Recall is no longer restricted

2002

Announcement and Explanation
2002/01/01 - Fact or Fiction is restricted

2000

Announcement and Explanation
2000/10/01 - Channel is restricted
2000/10/01 - Channel is unbanned
2000/10/01 - Demonic Consultation is restricted
2000/10/01 - Mind Twist is restricted
2000/10/01 - Mind Twist is unbanned
2000/10/01 - Necropotence is restricted

1999

Announcement and Explanation
1999/10/01 - Crop Rotation is restricted
1999/10/01 - Divine Intervention is unbanned
1999/10/01 - Doomsday is restricted
1999/10/01 - Dream Halls is restricted
1999/10/01 - Enlightened Tutor is restricted
1999/10/01 - Frantic Search is restricted
1999/10/01 - Ivory Tower is no longer restricted
1999/10/01 - Grim Monolith is restricted
1999/10/01 - Hurkyl's Recall is restricted
1999/10/01 - Lotus Petal is restricted
1999/10/01 - Mana Crypt is restricted
1999/10/01 - Mana Vault is restricted
1999/10/01 - Mind Over Matter is restricted
1999/10/01 - Mirror Universe is no longer restricted
1999/10/01 - Mox Diamond is restricted
1999/10/01 - Mystical Tutor is restricted
1999/10/01 - Shahrazad is unbanned
1999/10/01 - Tinker is restricted
1999/10/01 - Underworld Dreams is no longer restricted
1999/10/01 - Vampiric Tutor is restricted
1999/10/01 - Voltaic Key is restricted
1999/10/01 - Yawgmoth's Bargain is restricted
1999/10/01 - Yawgmoth's Will is restricted

1999/04/01 - Maze of Ith is no longer restricted
1999/04/01 - Memory Jar is restricted
1999/04/01 - Time Spiral is restricted

1999/01/01 - Stroke of Genius is restricted
1999/01/01 - Tolarian Academy is restricted
1999/01/01 - Windfall is restricted

1998

1998/01/01 - Strip Mine is restricted

1997

1997/10/01 - Candelabra of Tawnos is no longer restricted
1997/10/01 - Copy Artifact is no longer restricted
1997/10/01 - Feldon's Cane is no longer restricted
1997/10/01 - Mishra's Workshop is no longer restricted
1997/10/01 - Zuran Orb is no longer restricted


1997/07/01 - Black Vise is restricted

1996

1996/10/01 - Fastbond is restricted

1996/04/01 - Ali from Cairo is no longer restricted
1996/04/01 - Black Vise is no longer restricted
1996/04/01 - Sword of the Ages is no longer restricted
1996/04/01 - Time Vault is unbanned

Announcement and Explanation
1996/02/01 - Black Vise is restricted
1996/02/01 - Mind Twist is banned
1996/02/01 - Mind Twist is no longer restricted

1995

1995/11/01 - Channel is banned
1995/11/01 - Channel is no longer restricted
1995/11/01 - Chaos Orb is banned
1995/11/01 - Chaos orb is no longer restricted
1995/11/01 - Falling Star is banned
1995/11/01 - Falling Star is no longer restricted
1995/11/01 - Zuran Orb is restricted

1995/08/01 - Timmerian Fiends is banned *

1995/06/01 - Amulet of Quoz is banned *

1995/04/19 - Balance is restricted
1995/04/19 - Fork is restricted

1994

1994/10/10 - Maze of Ith is restricted

1994/08/01 - Chaos Orb is restricted
1994/08/01 - Divine Intervention is banned
1994/08/01 - Falling Star is restricted
1994/08/01 - Mind Twist is restricted
1994/08/01 - Mirror Universe is restricted
1994/08/01 - Recall is restricted
1994/08/01 - Sword of the Ages is restricted
1994/08/01 - Tempest Efreet is banned *
1994/08/01 - Underworld Dreams is restricted

1994/06/13 - Mishra's Workshop is restricted

1994/06/01 - Rebirth is banned *

Announcement
1994/05/02 - Bronze Tablet is banned *
1994/05/02 - Candelabra of Tawnos is restricted
1994/05/02 - Feldon's Cane is restricted
1994/05/02 - Ivory Tower is restricted
1994/05/02 - Library of Alexandria is restricted

1994/05/01 - Dingus Egg is no longer restricted
1994/05/01 - Gauntlet of Might is no longer restricted

1994/03/23 - Channel is restricted
1994/03/23 - Copy Artifact is restricted
1994/03/23 - Demonic Tutor is restricted
1994/03/23 - Icy Manipulator is no longer restricted
1994/03/23 - Regrowth is restricted
1994/03/23 - Time Vault is banned
1994/03/22 - Time Vault is no longer restricted
1994/03/23 - Wheel of Fortune is restricted

1994/02/23 - Orcish Oriflamme is no longer restricted
1994/02/23 - Rukh Egg is no longer restricted

Announcement
1994/01/25 - Ali from Cairo is restricted
1994/01/25 - Ancestral Recall is restricted
1994/01/25 - Berserk is restricted
1994/01/25 - Black Lotus is restricted
1994/01/25 - Braingeyser is restricted
1994/01/25 - Contract from Below is banned *
1994/01/25 - Darkpact is banned *
1994/01/25 - Demonic Attorney is banned *
1994/01/25 - Dingus Egg is restricted
1994/01/25 - Gauntlet of Might is restricted
1994/01/25 - Icy Manipulator is restricted
1994/01/25 - Jeweled Bird is banned *
1994/01/25 - Mox Emerald is restricted
1994/01/25 - Mox Jet is restricted
1994/01/25 - Mox Pearl is restricted
1994/01/25 - Mox Ruby is restricted
1994/01/25 - Mox Sapphire is restricted
1994/01/25 - Orcish Oriflamme is restricted
1994/01/25 - Rukh Egg is restricted
1994/01/25 - Shahrazad is banned
1994/01/25 - Sol Ring is restricted
1994/01/25 - Timetwister is restricted
1994/01/25 - Time Vault is restricted
1994/01/25 - Time Walk is restricted

* Banned for being an Ante card
Timeline of DCI bans and restrictions wiki

[wiley]

5/3


The Basics:
5/3 was the workshop aggro deck of '03-'04.  It used Mishra's Workshop to power out a turn 1 juggernaut and immediately start appliying pressure to the opponent.  With the ability to weld su-chi in and out of the graveyard mana was never a problem for the deck, so the draw spells like thirst for knowledge and wheel of fortune were always accesable.  Add to this a crucible of worlds +  strip mine lock, 3 [c=trinisphere]trinishperes, a sundering titan and time walk and you have a deck to be feared.  Indeed this was arguably the best deck for a time, winning the gen con tournament in '04.

5/3
David Allen, 1st Gencon Indy 8-20-04

LANDS (19):
4  Mishra's Workshop
2  Polluted Delta
3  Shivan Reef
1  Strip Mine
1  Tolarian Academy
4  Volcanic Island
4  Wasteland

CREATURES (14):
1  Duplicant
4  Goblin Welder
1  Gorilla Shaman
4  Juggernaut
2  Su-Chi
1  Sundering Titan
1  Triskelion

OTHER SPELLS (27):
1  Ancestral Recall
1  Black Lotus
3  Crucible of Worlds
2  Fire/Ice
1  Mana Crypt
1  Mana Vault
1  Memory Jar
1  Mox Emerald
1  Mox Jet
1  Mox Pearl
1  Mox Ruby
1  Mox Sapphire
1  Mystical Tutor
1  Sol Ring
4  Thirst for Knowledge
1  Time Walk
1  Tinker
3  Trinisphere
1  Wheel of Fortune

SIDEBOARD(15):
4  Chalice of the Void
3  Hydroblast
3  Rack and Ruin
3  Red Elemental Blast
1  Sundering Titan
1  Trinisphere

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
The deck did so well largely due to the omnipresence of fish, which simply could not handle the huge early creatures this deck put out regularly.

Relevant Links:

[wiley]

5c Stax


The Basics:
5c Stax is, as its name suggests, a stax variant that uses all 5 colors to control the game.  If you have never faced down a Stax deck toting Balance around consider yourself lucky.  Roland Chang won Vintage Champs '05 with 5c Stax (see the article in relevant links).

5c Stax
3rd - Type-One Olympic Cards and Comics april '08

LANDS (19):
4 City of Brass
3 Gemstone Mine
4 Mishras Workshop
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Barbarian Ring
1 Bazaar of Baghdad
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (8):
4 Goblin Welder
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Sundering Titan
1 Triskelion
1 Duplicant

OTHER SPELLS (34):
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Darksteel Ingot
4 Sphere of Resistance
4 Chalice of the Void
3 Smokestack
3 Crucible of Worlds
1 Trinisphere
2 In the Eye of Chaos
1 Memory Jar
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Crop Rotation
1 Tinker
1 Balance

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Ray of Revelation
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Duplicant
1 Jester's Cap
1 Darkblast

5c Stax
Mike Mazujian - 8th @ Cary, NC: September 15th, 2007

LANDS (18):
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 City of Brass
2 Gemstone Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Barbarian Ring
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Bazaar of Baghdad

CREATURES (8):
4 Goblin Welder
2 Gorilla Shaman
1 Triskelion
1 Sundering Titan

OTHER SPELLS (34):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Balance
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Tinker
1 Crop Rotation
1 Imperial Seal
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Coalition Relic
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Orb of Dreams
3 Crucible of Worlds
4 Sphere of Resistance
2 Powder Keg
2 Chalice of the Void
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Smokestack
1 Trinisphere

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Leyline of the Void
2 Powder Keg
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Duplicant
1 Orb of Dreams
1 Triskelion
1 Darkblast
1 Rule of Law
1 Jester's Cap
1 Viashino Heretic

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
2005 Vintage World Championships *Winner* - Roland Chang
Filling out 5 Colour Stax

[wiley]

7/10 Split


The Basics:
7/10 Split is a workshop aggro deck that came about after the release of darksteel.  The deck is named for mister 7/10 himself, sundering titan; often this guy worked as a one sided armageddon thanks to the dual lands commonly found in most decks.  This effect could be repeated ad nauseam thanks to goblin welder and the loss of lands was absolutely crippling after a trinisphere hit the board.

7/10 Split
Steven Stoots, 4th place, 2004-04-18 East Coast Vintage Championship

LANDS (16):
2  Ancient Tomb
2  City of Brass
1  Gemstone Mine
2  Glimmervoid
4  Mishra's Workshop
4  Shivan Reef
1  Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (11):
1  Duplicant
4  Goblin Welder
1  Memnarch
3  Sundering Titan
2  Triskelion

OTHER SPELLS (33):
1  Ancestral Recall
1  Black Lotus
4  Brainstorm
4  Chalice of the Void
1  Fact or Fiction
4  Gilded Lotus
1  Mana Crypt
1  Mana Vault
1  Memory Jar
1  Mox Emerald
1  Mox Jet
1  Mox Pearl
1  Mox Ruby
1  Mox Sapphire
1  Mystical Tutor
1  Shattering Pulse
1  Sol Ring
4  Thirst for Knowledge
1  Timetwister
1  Tinker
1  Wheel of Fortune

SIDEBOARD(15):
2  Blue Elemental Blast
1  Duplicant
3  Rack and Ruin
3  Red Elemental Blast
4  Trinisphere
2  Viashino Heretic

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:

[wiley]

A Beautiful Mind


The Basics:
This aggro control deck is based around the extreme draw engine that is scroll rack and land tax.  The deck is designed to have as few lands in play as possible so that you can tax even against other aggro decks that usually only require 2 lands to operate.  In addition all the creatures in this deck provide cheap disruption and bodies to beat with.  Often able to tax twice in one turn and tax away up to 14 cards the deck could play an extremely efficient control role using pitch counters like force of will and misdirection with little to no drawback.  The deck was widely criticized during its initial appearance in mid 2002 but eventually was vindicated by strong tournament showing by multiple players.

A Beautiful Mind
NaClhv

LANDS (17):
5 plains
4 island
2 city of brass
2 gemstone mine
2 undiscovered paradise
1 library of alexandria
1 tolarian academy

CREATURES (9):
2 whirlpool warrior
2 meddling mage
2 devout witness
1 gorilla shaman
2 mystic enforcer

OTHER SPELLS (34):
1 mox diamond
1 mox pearl
1 mox sapphire
1 mox jet
1 mox emerald
1 sol ring
4 land tax
4 scroll rack
1 trade routes
1 zuran orb
4 force of will
1 [c=fire]fire/ice
1 swords to plowshares
2 back to basics
1 balance
1 mind twist
1 ancestral recall
1 merchant scroll
1 demonic tutor
1 mystical tutor
1 cunning wish
1 regrowth
1 yawgmoth's will
1 time walk

SIDEBOARD(15):
3 swords to plowshares
1 diabolic edict
1 dismantling blow
1 abolish
1 vengeful dreams
1 misdirection
2 blood moon
2 meddling mage
2 extract
1 tormod's crypt

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
As is rather well known, the original for of the deck (see "Presenting: A Beautiful Mind" below) was a horrible, horrible flop.  With many inconsistencies and trumped up, unsubstantiated match percentages it drew a huge wall of flame.  Even though it eventually turned into a semi-consistent part casual part vintage deck with a few wins and top 8's behind it, it never really became popular largely because it couldn't shake off the initial bad reputation (even though its creator made plenty of strong, thought out arguments to try and correct this).

Relevant Links:
Presenting: A Beautiful Mind
The state of "A Beautiful Mind"
Whats this ABM I keep hearing about?

[wiley]

AnkhSligh


The Basics:
AnkSligh is a version of sligh designed to take maximum advantage of the repeatable damage from Ankh of Mishra, especially thanks to the rise in use of fetch lands.

AnkhSligh

LANDS (22):
15 Mountain
2 Barbarian Ring
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland

CREATURES (16):
4 Goblin Cadets
4 Jackal Pup
4 Mogg Fanatic

OTHER SPELLS (26):
1 Mox Ruby
4 Cursed Scroll
1 Black Vice
2 Fireblast
4 Chain Lightning
4 Incinerate
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Ankh of Mishra
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Fork

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Gorilla Shaman
3 Pyrokinesis
4 Price of Progress
4 Red Elemental Blast

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
The Evolution of AnkhSligh

[wiley]

Arcborn Virus


The Basics:
Arcborn Virus is Stephen Menendian's evolution to Mike Long's 'Suicide Virus'.  Just like its predecessor it uses skull clamp and artificer's intuition as an engine to either combo off or produce a small army backing up an arcbound ravager.

Arcborn Virus
Stephen Menendian

LANDS (12):
1 Tolarian Academy
4 City Of Brass
1 Gemstone Mine
1 Glimmervoid
4 Seat Of The Synod
1 Vault Of Whispers

CREATURES (17):
3 Arcbound Ravager
4 Myr Servitor
3 Ornithopter
3 Cloud Of Faeries
4 Disciple Of The Vault

OTHER SPELLS (31):
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Black Lotus
1 Chrome Mox
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
4 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
4 Artificer's Intuition
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Crop Rotation
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Thoughtcast
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
The Arcborn Virus
[Premium Article] The Arcborn Virus

[wiley]

Army of Squirrels & Squirrel Craft


The Basics:
Earthcraft + Squirrel nest + Alter of dementia = drown your opponent in squirrel blood
This deck was basically either mono control splashing green for the combo or pure green enchantress for speedy, resiliant combo.

Army of Squirrels

LANDS (22):
3 Forest
5 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
2 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
4 Tropical Island
2 Wasteland
1 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
2 Yavimaya Coast

CREATURES (0):

OTHER SPELLS (38):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
2 Cunning Wish
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
4 Impulse
4 Intuition
4 Mana Drain
1 Merchant Scroll
2 Misdirection
1 Time Walk
4 Earthcraft
1 Regrowth
4 Squirrel Nest
1 Sylvan Library

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Boomerang
1 Disrupt
1 Gainsay
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Interdict
1 Mana Short
1 Naturalize
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Sylvan Library
1 Tangle
1 Teferi's Response
1 Timetwister
2 Tormod's Crypt

Squirrel Craft

LANDS (12):
12 Forest

CREATURES (12):
4 Argothian Enchantress
4 Verduran Enchantress
4 Elvish Spirit Guide

OTHER SPELLS (36):
4 Earthcraft
4 Squirrel Nest
2 Altar Of Dementia
4 Enchantress's Presence
4 Eladamri's Vineyard
4 Exploration
4 Gaea's Touch
4 Wild Growth
4 Fertile Ground
2 Whip Silk (often played on opponent's creatures)

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:

[wiley]

Battle of Wits


The Basics:
Battle of Wits is a deck based around it's namesake.  The deck runs a library 3 times larger than normal, sacrificing consistancy for the ability to win out of nowhere.  It's tutor and draw power as well as multiple silver bullets allow it to play a flexible control roll until it can catch the opponent without a counter and resolve a battle of wits.

Battle of Wits 5c
Matthieu Durand

LANDS (75):
4 Tundra
4 Underground Sea
4 Volcanic Island
4 Tropical Island
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
4 City of Brass
4 Adarkar Wastes
4 Underground River
4 Swamp
4 Wasteland
4 Snow-Covered Island
4 Shoreline Ranger
3 Snow-Covered Plains
3 Snow-Covered Swamp
3 Yavimaya Coast
3 Plains
2 Bad River
2 Flood Plain
2 Shivan Reef
2 Mirrodin's Core
1 Windswept Heath
1 Strip Mine
1 Library of Alexandria

CREATURES (7):
4 Morphling
3 Academy Rector

OTHER SPELLS (149):
4 Decree of Justice
4 Battle of Wits
4 Pernicious Deed
4 Engineered Explosives
4 Recoil
4 Fire / Ice
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Vindicate
4 Disenchant
1 Balance
3 Sterling Grove
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Tainted Pact
4 Living Wish
4 Intuition
4 Cunning Wish
4 Night's Whispers
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Skeletal Scrying
3 Deep Analysis
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Peek
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Cremate
4 Brainstorm
4 Impulse
1 Time Walk
4 Duress
4 Abeyance
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
4 Mana Leak
4 Prohibit
4 Disrupt
4 Miscalculation
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Auramancer
1 Viashino Heretic
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Peacekeeper
1 Academy Rector
1 Exalted Angel
1 Plaguebearer
1 Dismantling Blow
1 Rack and Ruin
1 Coffin Purge
1 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Mana Short
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Terminate
1 Red Elemental Blast

Battle of Wits 3c
Ben Kowal

LANDS (76):
13 Island
13 Snow-Covered Island
4 Scrubland
4 Underground Sea
4 Tundra
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
4 City of Brass
4 Wasteland
4 City of Traitors
3 Bloodstained Mire
3 Windswept Heath
3 Undiscovered Paradise
2 Ancient Tomb
2 Plains
1 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Swamp
1 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine

CREATURES (8):
4 Academy Rector
4 Meddling Mage

OTHER SPELLS (164):
4 Battle of Wits
3 Decree of Justice
4 Back to Basics
3 Show and Tell
2 Replenish
1 Plagiarize
1 Mind Twist
1 Balance
1 Timetwister
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Time Walk
4 Intuition
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Cunning Wish
4 Tainted Pact
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Peek
4 Brainstorm
4 Impulse
4 Serum Visions
4 Opt
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Cremate
4 Night's Whisper
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Diabolic Edict
4 Innocent Blood
4 Vindicate
3 Swords to Plowshares
2 Wing Shards
1 Recoil
4 Duress
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Abeyance
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Mana Leak
4 Counterspell
4 Misdirection
4 Miscalculation
4 Disrupt
3 Force Spike
3 Prohibit
3 Divert
2 Daze
2 Dromar's Charm
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Diamond
1 Chrome Mox
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Lotus Petal
1 Grim Monolith

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Mindslaver
2 Replenish
1 Plagiarize
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Stifle
1 Disenchant
1 Long-Term Plans
1 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Orim's Chant
1 Tinker
1 Darksteel Colossus

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
I Challenge You to a Battle of Wits! A Vintage Primer Part 1 - Ben Kowal and Matthieu Durand
I Challenge You to a Battle of Wits! A Vintage Primer Part 2 - Ben Kowal and Matthieu Durand

[wiley]

Bazaar Storm


The Basics:
Created and piloted to a top 8 finish in Chicago during 2007 by Eric Becker, this deck seeks to sculpt a perfect graveyard ripe for abuse with yawgmoth's will by drawing and discarding cards with bazaar of baghdad.  The bazaar not only allows control over what is in the graveyard but also what is in the hand, making this storm deck extremely flexible to control of any kind in game 1.  During games 2-3 graveyard hate will usually come in, so switching to a straight tendrils deck and siding out the graveyard dependent strategy automatically blanks your opponent's sideboard cards.

Bazaar Storm
Eric Becker

LANDS (15):
4 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Underground Sea
1 Bayou
1 Tropical Island
1 Swamp
4 Bazaar of Baghdad

CREATURES (4):
4 Xantid Swarm

OTHER SPELLS (41):
1 Black Lotus
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Duress
1 Chain of Vapor
3 Night's Whisper
3 Infernal Tutor
3 Tendrils of Agony
2 Brainstorm
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Necropotence
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Twister
1 Tinker
1 Memory Jar
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vamp Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Brainstorm
1 Mox Pearl
1 Sol Ring
2 Island
2 Massacre
2 Repeal
2 Rebuild
3 Tormod’s Crypt

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
[Deck Primer] The Bazaar Storm (the BS)

[wiley]

Belcher
By Lochinvar81


The Basics:
The Belcher archetype has been around for a long time.  Michael Simister developed the deck soon after Goblin Charbelcher's release in Mirrodin in October 2003 and took it to Glory and a third-place finish at the 2004 Vintage World Championships the following summer.  The deck filled an interesting role then as it could win (or at least establish itself) turn one, before a then unrestricted Trinisphere would hit play and before Mana Drain became active.  "What happens if your opponent has Force of Will?" the decks detractors would ask.  To which the Belcher pilot would reply, "What happens when they don't?"

RGu 0-Land Belcher
Nat Moes

LANDS (0):

CREATURES (20):
4 Tinder Wall
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Goblin Welder
4 Street Wraith

OTHER SPELLS (40):
4 Goblin Charbelcher
4 Empty the Warrens
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Memory Jar
1 Timetwister
1 Tinker
4 Rite of Flame
4 Chrome Mox
4 Manamorphose
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus
1 Lion’s Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Channel
3 Guttural Response
1 Pyroblast

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Gaea’s Blessing
2 Pyroblast
4 Deus of Calamity
4 Tormod’s Crypt
4 Seething Song

Rugburn Belcher aka 4-Color 0-Land Belcher
Nat Moes

LANDS (0):

CREATURES (19):
4 Tinder Wall
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Street Wraith
3 Wild Cantor

OTHER SPELLS (41):
4 Goblin Charbelcher
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Memory Jar
1 Tinker
1 Timetwister
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Rite of Flame
4 Dark Ritual
4 Manamorphose
4 Chrome Mox
1 Channel
1 Black Lotus
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Empty the Warrens
4 Goblin Welder
4 Tormod's Crypt
3 Pyroblast

2 Land Belcher
Justin Droba - SCG Chicago 2005

LANDS (2):
1 Bayou
1 Taiga

CREATURES (12):
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Goblin Welder
4 Tinder Wall

OTHER SPELLS (46):
1 Black Lotus
4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Goblin Charbelcher
1 Grim Monolith
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Memory Jar
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Necropotence
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
3 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Channel
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Duress
1 Imperial Seal
4 Land Grant
2 Living Wish
1 Wheel Of Fortune
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Dark Confidant
1 Elvish Scrapper
1 Eternal Witness
1 Uktabi Orangutan
4 Xantid Swarm
1 Artifact Mutation
2 Naturalize
1 Oxidize
1 City Of Brass
1 City Of Traitors
1 Tolarian Academy

The Original Belcher
Michael Simister's 3rd Place Gencon '04 List

LANDS (2):
1 Bayou
1 Tropical Island

CREATURES (11):
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Tinder Wall
3 Goblin Welder

OTHER SPELLS (47):
4 Land Grant
1 Black Lotus
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Chrome Mox
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Channel
4 Dark Ritual
2 Cabal Ritual
4 Chromatic Sphere
2 Living Wish
1 Mana Cylix
2 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Timetwister
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Memory Jar
1 Necropotence
1 Tinker
1 Tendrils of Agony
4 Goblin Charbelcher

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Goblin Welder
3 Oxidize
4 Xantid Swarm
1 Artifact Mutation
1 Mishra's Workshop
1 Uktabi Orangutan
1 Taiga
1 Gemstone Mine
1 Scavenger Folk
1 Darksteel Colossus

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
[Deck] Charbelcher Combo 2004
1-Land Belcher
Be Aggressive, B E Aggressive - 0 Land Belcher in Vintage
Vintage Spotlight on the Belcher Deck - Stephen Menendian
TMD Open T16 - RG Belcher gets the job done

[wiley]

Bob Tendrils


The Basics:
Bob Tendrils is a storm deck designed to kill with multiple smaller tendrils of agony.  Opting for a slightly slower game plan than other tendrils decks it uses dark confidant (bob) as a potent source of continuous card advantage and a way to ease the storm requirement for lethal tendrils (every hit bob makes means 1 less storm count).  The deck is most often characterized by these two cards, hence the name.

GWSx
Mike Solymossy

LANDS (13):
3 Underground Sea
1 BadlandS
1 Island
2 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
1 Flooded Strand
1 Bloodstained Mire

CREATURES (4):
4 Dark Confidant

OTHER SPELLS (43):
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Lotus Petal
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Ponder
1 Brainstorm
1 Mind's Desire
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Rebuild
2 Repeal
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Dark Ritual
3 Cabal Ritual
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Necropotence
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Imperial Seal
3 Tendrils of Agony
4 Duress
2 Sensei's Divining Top

SIDEBOARD(15):
3 Tormod's Crpyt
1 Island
1 Massacre
2 Extirpate
1 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Envelop
3 Hymn To Tourach
1 Empty The Warrens
1 Planar Void

GWSx for a MUD-heavy meta
Duncan Keijzer of Team R&D, T8 at the XI Edition of the Dutch Vintage Tournament Series

LANDS (14):
3 Underground Sea
3 Swamp
2 Island
4 Polluted Delta
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Scalding Tarn

CREATURES (4):
4 Dark Confidant

OTHER SPELLS (42):
3 Tendrils of Agony
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Necropotence
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Mind's Desire
1 Timetwister
1 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Duress
3 Thoughtseize
1 Chain of Vapor
3 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Rebuild
4 Dark Ritual
3 Cabal Ritual
1 Lotus Petal
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Helm of Obedience
1 Island
1 Bayou
1 Tinker
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
2 Xantid Swarm
2 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Massacre

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
GWSx: Dark Confidant fueled Ritual combo
GWSx (Vintage Imporvement forum thread)
GWSx: Ritual combo after the printing of Lodestone Golem

[wiley]

BomberMan


The Basics:
Bomberman is a canadian brainchild that inserted the auriok salvagers combo into a fish shell.  This allowed for a strong aggro/control deck to combo out of nowhere in the blink of an eye.  Many variations of bomberman have come along (much like the fish shell that surrounds this combo).

For the uninitiated, the combo goes like this:
Play Auriok Salvagers and Black Lotus.  Sacrifice the lotus for and activate the salvagers ability bringing the lotus back to your hand, netting you .  Repeat until you have an arbitrarily large amount of in your mana poll and start sacrificing the lotus for .  Play Aether Spellbomb and bounce any creatures your opponent has on the field, then draw the majority of your deck, play out 20+ power worth of creatures (cycling the lotus for whatever color mana you require) and cast time walk.  Swing for lethal in your extra turn.

The original lists killed with Pyrite Spellbomb, this was mostly abandoned after testing, since it was found to be a 'win more' card and the slot was better taken up by another aether spellbomb, which is more useful when you don't have the salvagers combo on the board.

During the secong Gush era this deck had fallen behind in terms of raw power to gush decks since they could reload their entire hand from a losing position in the blink of an eye.  The solution to this was to add the gush engine to bomberman, Anusien was the first to do this and his list is shown below under the header "Gushman".

Previously, the deck tried a splash for black in order to add draw power from dark confidant and tutor power from demonic and vampiric tutor, an example of this is listed below as "Bob-erMan".

Bomberman
Darío González

LANDS (16):
4 Flooded Strand
4 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Tundra

CREATURES (9):
4 Trinket Mage
2 Auriok Salvagers
3 Aven Mindcensor

OTHER SPELLS (35):
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Black Lotus
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Pithing Needle
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
3 Repeal
2 Spell Snare
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Time Walk

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Arcane Laboratory
1 Engineered Explosives
3 Meddling Mage
1 Pithing Needle
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 Serenity
1 Spell Snare
3 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tormod's Crypt

GushMan
Anusien

LANDS (14):
4 Flooded Strand
4 Island
1 Polluted Delta
2 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
2 Underground Sea

CREATURES (7):
2 Auriok Salvagers
1 Darksteel Colossus
4 Trinket Mage

OTHER SPELLS (39):
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus Petal
1 Black Lotus
1 AEther Spellbomb
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
4 Brainstorm
4 Gush
3 Merchant Scroll
4 Force of Will
3 Duress
3 Mana Drain
1 Echoing Truth
1 Fastbond
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Claws of Gix
2 Extirpate
1 Engineered Explosives
2 Yixlid Jailer
1 Pithing Needle
1 Tropical Island
4 Tarmogoyf
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Balance
1 Seal of Cleansing

BomberMan
Brian Legrow - http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=35237.msg491952

LANDS (16):
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Plains
2 Polluted Delta
3 Tundra
2 Volcanic Island
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (8):
4 Trinket Mage
3 Auriok Salvagers
1 Darksteel Colossus

OTHER SPELLS (36):
1 AEther Spellbomb
1 Black Lotus
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Repeal
3 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Time Walk
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Tinker
2 Empty the Warrens
1 Pyrite Spellbomb

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Engineered Explosives
3 Flametongue Kavu
4 Leyline of the Void
4 Red Elemental Blast
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Lion's Eye Diamond

Bob-erMan

LANDS (17):
2 Island
1 Swamp
1 Strip Mine
2 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
3 Wasteland
2 Tundra
3 Underground Sea

CREATURES (13):
4 Dark Confidant
2 Dimir Cutpurse
3 Auriok Salvagers
4 Trinket Mage

OTHER SPELLS (30):
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
1 Pithing Needle
2 Aether Spellbomb
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Tormod's Crypt
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Echoing Truth
3 Cabal Therapy
3 Duress
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Time Walk

Much Older Version of BomberMan
Toad - http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=18802.0
LANDS (17):
2 City of Brass
3 Underground Sea
4 Cloudpost
4 Polluted Delta
4 Tropical Island

CREATURES (3):
1 Auriok Salvagers
1 Eternal Witness
1 Trinket Mage

OTHER SPELLS (40):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
4 Sylvan Scrying
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Pyrite Spellbomb
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Cunning Wish
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
3 Duress
4 Tooth and Nail

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Oxidize
1 Duplicant
1 Darksteel Colossus
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Pernicious Deed
1 Naturalize
1 Viridian Shaman
2 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Coffin Purge
1 Daze
1 Lose Hope

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
New Bomberman Thread
GushMan
Lets discuss Bomberman today

[wiley]

Cerebral Assassin
By hiirasteve
*Copied from Deck-O-Pedia entry and reformatted


The Basics:
Cerebral Assasin is a fairly obscure deck, and never became that popular as a competitive, tourney-winning deck. On paper, it looks like it's great-but it falls short of completing it's many goals.

The concept of Cerebral Assassin is, essentially, win. There are a number of win conditions built in to this deck, from Triskelion+WGD+Animate Dead to the number of tricks you can pull off with Welder. The problem with the deck is that it tries to use so many combos that you end up drawing the wrong things at the wrong time quite often. Though this deck is still quite good, it's not very viable for a powerful Vintage metagame. The object here is to do what you can to get either Welder fodder in the grave or Animate Dead Worldgorger Dragon with a Triskelion in play to create an infinite damage loop (you can also use Titan with this to some effect).

Cerebral Assassin

LANDS (16):
1 Riftstone Portal
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
1 Shivan Reef
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Seat of the Synod

CREATURES (14):
1 Triskelion
2 Sundering Titan
1 Eternal Witness
1 Worldgorger Dragon
4 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Platinum Angel
4 Goblin Welder

OTHER SPELLS (30):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
4 Force of Will
1 Possessed Portal
3 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Entomb
3 Intuition
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Animate Dead
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Necromancy

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
[Deck] Hadley Cerebral Assassin, Fun + Winning = Awesome
Updated cerebral assasin for 2006

[wiley]

Control Slaver


The Basics:
Control Slavers's role in almost every matchup is to be the control deck - meaning that it wants to stop an opponent from winning the game early and then set up a superior board position and win on the basis of more powerful cards - generally Mindslaver, Goblin Welder, and Yawgmoth's Will. As a result, Slaver's biggest weakness (and its worst matchups) are decks that try to win in the first few turns.

Control Slaver
Jeremiah Rudolph, 16th place at a Waterbury tournament on 2007-07-29

LANDS (16):
1 Academy Ruins
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Flooded Strand
1 Library Of Alexandria
3 Polluted Delta
1 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island
2 Snow-covered Island
2 Island

CREATURES (11):
1 Memnarch
3 Goblin Welder
1 Gorilla Shaman
3 Magus Of The Moon
1 Duplicant
1 Sundering Titan
1 Triskelion

OTHER SPELLS (33):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Memory Jar
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force Of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Mindslaver
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Platinum Angel
1 Magus Of The Moon
4 Leyline Of The Void
1 Pyroblast
2 Red Elemental Blast
3 Spell Snare
3 Shattering Spree

Control Slaver
Jeffrey Tussi

LANDS (15):
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Flooded Strand
4 Volcanic Island
5 Island

CREATURES (6):
1 Platinum Angel
1 Pentavus
4 Goblin Welder

OTHER SPELLS (39):
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
4 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Brainstorm
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Cunning Wish
2 Intuition
1 Lava Dart
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mindslaver
1 Tinker
1 Time Walk
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Lava Dart
3 Red Elemental Blast
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Duplicant
1 Platinum Angel
3 Rack and Ruin
2 Blood Moon
3 Arcane Lab

Control Slaver
Rich Shay

LANDS (18):
1 Library of Alexandria
2 Darksteel Citadel
2 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
4 Volcanic Island
5 Island

CREATURES (6):
1 Platinum Angel
1 Pentavus
4 Goblin Welder

OTHER SPELLS (36):
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
4 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Brainstorm
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Ancestral Recall
2 Blood Moon
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Cunning Wish
2 Mindslaver
1 Tinker
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus

SIDEBOARD(15):
3 Lava Dart
1 Mogg Salvage
1 Shattering Pulse
1 Blood Moon
3 Red Elemental Blast
3 Old Man of the Sea
3 Sphere of Resistance

Control Slaver
Brian Demars

LANDS (16):
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Underground Sea
4 Volcanic Island
3 Island
2 Darksteel Citadel

CREATURES (8):
4 Goblin Welder
2 Gorilla Shaman
1 Pentavus
1 Triskelion

OTHER SPELLS (36):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
1 Echoing Truth
1 Fact Or Fiction
1 [c=fire]Fire / Ice
4 Force Of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Thirst For Knowledge
2 Mindslaver
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Pyrite Spellbomb
2 Tormod's Crypt
1 Darksteel Colossus
2 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Echoing Truth
2 Rack And Ruin
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Stifle

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Training Wheels - A Reflection on the Use of the Intuition/AK Draw Engine in Control Slaver - Rich Shay
How to Play Control Slaver Now - Brian DeMars
Gothenburg Slaver

[wiley]

Dawn of the Dead


The Basics:
This metagame deck is almost unique in that it is designed as a highly disruptive deck that runs little to no permanent based disruption.  It is able to accomplish this feat thanks to the synergy of squee, goblin nabob and the uncouterable draw machine bazaar of baghdad.  Squee also fuels a horde of 2/2 zombies thanks to zombie infestation, which serve both as fast clocks and defense against other creature decks.

Dawn of the Dead (5c)
Vroman

LANDS (18):
1 Badlands
1 Underground Sea
1 Maze of Ith
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
1 Scrubland
4 City of Brass
1 Riftstone Portal
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
2 Undiscovered Paradise

CREATURES (16):
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Squee, Goblin Nabob
4 Cursecatcher

OTHER SPELLS (26):
1 Time Walk
1 Duress
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Hide/Seek
1 Zombie Infestation
1 Balance
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Crop Rotation
1 Mox Diamond
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Life from the Loam
4 Thoughtseize
1 Chrome Mox
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald

SIDEBOARD(15):
3 Ray of Revelation
3 Viashino Heretic
2 Maze of Ith
3 Duress
4 Mogg Fanatic

Dawn of the Dead
Elgoff

LANDS (20):
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
2 Riftstone Portal
2 Scrubland
3 Bayou
1 Swamp
2 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland

CREATURES (16):
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Gaddock Teeg
2 Jotun Grunt
4 Squee, Goblin Nabob

OTHER SPELLS (24):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Zombie Infestation
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
2 Life from the Loam
3 Duress
4 Thoughtseize

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Leylines of the Void
4 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Oxidize
3 Ray of Revelation
2 Meta choice

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Dawn of the Dead (TMD Thread)
Dawn of the Dead (Wizards thread)

[wiley]

Deathlong


The Basics:
An evolution of Long.dec after it was crippled by the DCI.  This deck seeks to create a high storm count with rituals/yawgmoth's will and cast a death wish for tendrils of agony.  Death wish can also be used as an extremely cumbersome tutor for silver bullets.

Deathlong
Stephen Menendian

LANDS (11):
4 Gemstone Mine
4 City of Brass
1 Glimmervoid
1 Underground Sea
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (2):
2 Elvish Spirit Guide

OTHER SPELLS (47):
1 Black Lotus
1 Chrome Mox
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Diamond
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Crop Rotation
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
4 Brainstorm
1 Hurkyl's Recall
4 Death Wish
1 Burning Wish
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Tinker
1 Timetwister
1 Memory Jar
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Windfall
1 Necropotence
1 Mind's Desire
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Tendrils of Agony

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Tendrils of Agony
4 Xantid Swarm
1 Diminishing Returns
1 Time Spiral
1 Balance
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Primitive Justice
1 Oxidize
1 Regrowth
1 Simplify
1 Hull Breach

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
The Case For MeanDeath - Stephen Menendian
The Case for MeanDeath, Part II - How the Heck Do I Play This Thing? - Stephen Menendian
The Case for MeanDeath Part III - Sideboarding and Matchup Analysis - Stephen Menendian

[wiley]

DRAW7


The Basics:
Draw7 was designed to abuse diminishing returns to its utmost.  The deck used Xantid Swarm to try and protect a huge storm turn casting multiple draw7s and winning with a tendrils of agony.  It was one of the fastest combo decks around, but had a glass jaw when it came to decks packing more instant disruption than it like fish (which is why it ran xantids to try and cut the opponent off for a turn).  As with many combo decks of the era, it practically rolled over to a resolved trinisphere.  This was an overall popular archetype, it just didn't stay around very long.

DRAW7
Stephen Menendian

LANDS (11):
4  City of Brass
4  Gemstone Mine
2  Glimmervoid
1  Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (4):
4  Elvish Spirit Guide

OTHER SPELLS (45):
1  Ancestral Recall
1  Black Lotus
4  Brainstorm
1  Chrome Mox
1  Crop Rotation
4  Dark Ritual
1  Demonic Tutor
4  Diminishing Returns
1  Fastbond
4  Force of Will
1  Lotus Petal
1  Mana Crypt
1  Mana Vault
1  Memory Jar
1  Mind's Desire
1  Mox Diamond
1  Mox Emerald
1  Mox Jet
1  Mox Pearl
1  Mox Ruby
1  Mox Sapphire
1  Necropotence
1  Sol Ring
2  Tendrils of Agony
1  Time Walk
1  Timetwister
1  Tinker
1  Vampiric Tutor
1  Wheel of Fortune
1  Windfall
1  Yawgmoth's Bargain
1  Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
3  Abeyance
3  Chain of Vapor
3  Hurkyl's Recall
1  Lion's Eye Diamond
1  Tendrils of Agony
4  Xantid Swarm

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
New Combo: NotLong.dec OR Draw7.dec

[wiley]

Doomsday

The Basics:
Doomsday is certianly the coolest win condition in vintage.  The main idea is to cast a doomsday and make a deck of 5 cards that wins the game (typically [read: exclusively] with tendrils of agony).

Doomsday v1.0

LANDS (14):
3 Island
1 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
4 Underground Sea

CREATURES (0):

OTHER SPELLS (46):
4 Doomsday
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Dark Ritual
2 Cabal Ritual
1 Chromatic Sphere
1 Necropotence
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Timetwister
1 Lim-Dul's Vault
1 Gush
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Mind's Desire
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Force of Will
1 Hurkyl's Recall
4 Brainstorm
4 Duress
4 Unmask
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Beacon of Destruction

SIDEBOARD(15):
3 Old Man of the Sea
3 Back to Basics
3 Energy Flux
3 Defense Grid
2 Null Rod
1 Chain of Vapor

Doomsday v2.0

LANDS (13):
3 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
3 Underground Sea
3 Island
1 Swamp

CREATURES (4):
4 Street Wraith

OTHER SPELLS (43):
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Doomsday
3 Duress
1 Imperial Seal
1 Mind's Desire
1 Tendrils Of Agony
1 Time Walk
3 Unmask
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
2 Cabal Ritual
1 Chain Of Vapor
4 Dark Ritual
4 Force Of Will
1 Gush
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Pact Of Negation
1 Research / Development
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Necropotence
1 Black Lotus
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire

Next Level Doomsday

LANDS (14):
2 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Tropical Island
4 Underground Sea
3 Island

CREATURES (0):

OTHER SPELLS (46):
1 Demonic Tutor
2 Doomsday
4 Duress
4 Merchant Scroll
3 Ponder
1 Tendrils Of Agony
1 Thoughtseize
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
1 Chain Of Vapor
4 Dark Ritual
4 Force Of Will
4 Gush
1 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Research / Development
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Fastbond
1 Necropotence
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Engineered Explosives
4 Dark Confidant
4 Leyline Of The Void
2 Extirpate
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Thoughtseize
1 Swamp


UBr Doomsday
AmbivalentDuck

LANDS (14):
4  Underground Sea
1  Snow-Covered Island
4  Polluted Delta
2  Bloodstained Mire
1  Swamp
2  Volcanic Island

CREATURES (4):
3  Dark Confidant
1  Ingot Chewer

OTHER SPELLS (42):
1  Black Lotus
1  Lotus Petal
1  Mox Jet
1  Mox Sapphire
1  Mox Ruby
4  Dark Ritual
2  Thoughtseize
4  Duress
4  Force of Will
1  Mind's Desire
1  Tendrils of Agony
1  Empty the Warrens
1  Yawgmoth's Will
1  Research/Development
3  Doomsday
1  Vampiric Tutor
1  Demonic Tutor
1  Mystical Tutor
1  Ancestral Recall
4  Brainstorm
3  Gush
1  Time Walk
1  Chain of Vapor
1  Extirpate
1  Engineered Explosives

SIDEBOARD(15):
1  Ingot Chewer
1  Empty the Warrens
1  Fire/Ice
3  Extirpate
1  Necropotence
2  Pyroclasm
2  Engineered Explosives
1  Hurkyl's Recall
2  Threads of Disloyalty
1  Tormod's Crypt

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
I strongly suggest reading through the NLD primer thread.

Simply put, the fundamental problem with Doomsday is that you will very often have a decision to make where it is too unclear what to do. Let me break that down further. The vast majority of decisions in Vintage, while not necessarily simple or even rudimentary, can be pretty much and safely determined after some practice and testing. Although proper decision-making can be defeated by luck on the other side, a little bit of experience and some thought goes a long way to helping you choose one decision over another.

Sometimes, however, there are basically 50-50 choices in Vintage, but most often those choices don’t matter. For example, one of the key questions that Vintage players often face is whether to play Brainstorm or Duress on turn 1. I don’t think there is necessarily a "right" answer to that question a lot of the time. My instinct, especially if I am on the play, however, is to play Duress. On the draw, it’s a much more difficult choice. You could imagine even closer decisions.

Playing with Doomsday, however, will constantly put you in the position of having to make those sorts of decisions. Since Doomsday is disrupted by so many cards, from Leyline, to Stifle, to Force of Will, to Chalice of the Void, to Extirpate, and so on and so on, there will be real risks every time that you cast Doomsday. Granted, you have plenty of cards to help protect your combo, and Gush makes it much more likely that you will just be able to win on the spot. Nonetheless, you will often be facing a decision where, given the imperfect information in the game, you will have to decide based on your intuition what to do.

A few years ago, when I was testing Doomsday, I remember opening up Magic Workstation and piloting Doomsday against Control Slaver. If I played with hands face up, so to speak, Doomsday was very easy to pilot. With that information, I could see the path to victory. However, if I played like I didn’t know what the Control Slaver player had in hand, my decisions became much more agonizing, and just as often as not I made the wrong decision.

Doomsday today should be even more difficult to play, despite having more Gush. First of all, there are cards in the format now that didn’t exist then that disrupt you, such as Extirpate (in which shuffling the library alone can be game-ending). But more importantly, Vintage decks are now better than ever at topdecking. It’s not even just Ponder and the popularity of Merchant Scroll, it’s also cards like Sensei’s Divining Top and even printings such as Thorn of Amethyst which make it much more likely that your opponent will topdeck something harmful.

With Flash, it is possible a lot of the time to just build a counterwall of protection for your combo. With Doomsday, that often won’t be possible. In any case, even if your Flash combo is interrupted, as often as not you won’t lose the game because of it. Not so with Doomsday.

I think Doomsday is a deck that is capable of winning tournaments… I just wouldn’t feel comfortable playing it without an incredible amount of practice and experience so that I could rely more on my intuition and subconscious pattern recognition.

Relevant Links:
Papal Bull: Doomsday’s Back and in Non-hoax Form! - JP Meyer
The Doomsday Device: The Coolest Win Condition In Magic - Stephen Menendian
Eternal Potpourri: Doomsday - Stephen Menendian
[Primer] Doomsday
[Deck/Primer] NLD- Next Level Doomsday - Negator13

[wiley]

Drain Tendrils


The Basics:
A Mana Drain based control/combo deck developed by Cody Vinci that tries to lock the game under its control until it can use a chunk of drained mana to fuel a lethal tendrils of agony.

Drain Tendrils
Cody Vinci - proposed list post 6/20/08 (after the restriction of brainstorm)

LANDS (14):
3 Flooded Strand
4 Island
2 Polluted Delta
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Underground Sea

CREATURES (0):

OTHER SPELLS (46):
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Gush
1 Merchant Scroll
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Intuition
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Chain of Vapor
2 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Rebuild
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
2 Tendrils of Agony
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Pithing Needle
1 Echoing Truth
1 Darkblast
1 Tinker
1 Darksteel Colossus
4 Thoughtseize

Drain Tendrils
Cody Vinci - see the thread under relevant links section to view his accomplishments

LANDS (14):
3 Flooded Strand
4 Island
2 Polluted Delta
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Underground Sea

CREATURES (0):

OTHER SPELLS (46):
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Intuition
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Chain of Vapor
2 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Rebuild
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
2 Tendrils of Agony
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Pithing Needle
1 Echoing Truth
1 Darkblast
1 Tinker
1 Darksteel Colossus
4 Thoughtseize

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Drain Tendrils

[wiley]

Eon Blue Apocalypse/3cc


The Basics:
Eon Blue Apocalypse is a control deck that was chalk to the brim with disruption, using meddling mage to combat many problem cards throughout the field in addition to 4 Force of Will and 4 Mana Drain the deck could keep most threats at bay.  Any that sliped through met a swift swords to plowshares or vindicate.  The deck also packed an excellent clock in phyrexian negator and exalted angel, the latter of which could easily put you out of harms way even if she were dealt with in a timely manner.

Eon Blue Apocalypse
Seth Levy

LANDS (19):
1  City of Brass
2  Flooded Strand
1  Island
1  Plains
2  Polluted Delta
1  Strip Mine
4  Tundra
3  Underground Sea
4  Wasteland

CREATURES (12):
2  Exalted Angel
4  Meddling Mage
3  Ophidian
3  Phyrexian Negator

OTHER SPELLS (29):
1  Ancestral Recall
1  Black Lotus
4  Brainstorm
1  Demonic Tutor
3  Duress
1  Fact or Fiction
4  Force of Will
4  Mana Drain
1  Mox Jet
1  Mox Pearl
1  Mox Sapphire
1  Mystical Tutor
1  Sol Ring
1  Swords to Plowshares
1  Time Walk
2  Vindicate
1  Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1  Blue Elemental Blast
3  Damping Matrix
1  Disenchant
1  Ebony Charm
1  Energy Flux
1  Exalted Angel
1  Hurkyl's Recall
1  Moat
1  Serenity
2  Stifle
2  Swords to Plowshares

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Eon Blue Apocalypse wins the mox @ concord

[wiley]

Easter Tendrils aka, Eggs
By hiirasteve
*Copied from Deck-O-Pedia entry and reformatted

The Basics:
Easter Tendrils is a pretty simple combo deck for the budget Type 1 player. It focuses on the Odyssy block 'eggs' (and Chromatic Sphere or Chromatic Star), which added mana and drew you a card, to generate enough mana to drop/sacrifice as many mana-producing artifacts as you could for a giant Storm count. Of course, the deck really revolves around Helm of Awakening, which makes the deck run smoothly and quickly (it makes your Eggs/Spheres completely free to play.). The premise of this deck is pretty simple, really-win with Tendrils of Agony after casting/sacrificing your artifacts. The deck includes Draw7s to help speed up the deck, as well as tutors to help get the card you need. Obviously.

Easter Tendrils

LANDS (12):
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine

CREATURES (0):

OTHER SPELLS (48):
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
4 Helm of Awakening
4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Darkwater Egg
4 Skycloud Egg
1 Tinker
1 Windfall
4 Diminishing Returns
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Necropotence
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Memory Jar
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation
4 Duress
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
2 Tendrils of Agony

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
This is a budget tendrils option.

Relevant Links:

[wiley]

Elf Ball


The Basics:
Elf Ball was a popular archetype during the beginnings of vintage (then called Type 1) as it was a cheap and fairly competitive deck in a no proxy environment.  The general idea was to produce large amounts of mana through elves like Priest of Titania and Quirion Ranger to fuel a lethal Kaervek's Torch or Braingeyser.

GU ElfBall

LANDS (18):
4 Wirewood Lodge
4 Yavimaya Coast
10 Forest

CREATURES (28):
4 Priest of Titania
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
3 Skyshroud Poacher
3 Quirion Ranger
4 Quirion Elves
4 Wirewood Channeler
2 Morphling

OTHER SPELLS (14):
1 Braingeyser
1 Stroke of Genius
3 Slate of Ancestry
3 Collective Unconsious
3 Wellwisher
3 Intruder Alarm

GB ElfBall

LANDS (18):
4 Wirewood Lodge
2 Wooded Foothills
4 Bayou
7 Forest
1 Swamp

CREATURES (32):
3 Wellwisher
4 Priest of Titania
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
2 Skyshroud Poacher
4 Urborg Elf
4 Quirion Elves
3 Elves of Deep Shadow
4 Wirewood Channeler

OTHER SPELLS (10):
4 Consume Spirit
3 Slate of Ancestry
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Necropotence

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
Since the deck is pre 2000 for the most part it is extremely hard to find original deck lists for the archetype.  As such these are simple examples of various ways to build the deck that I would be comfortable taking into a no proxy (with very little power expected) environment after some minor tweaking and updates.  While the popularity of the deck has died down tremendously over the years, it can be expected that an elf deck of some kind could show up at any given tournament.

Relevant Links:
Elfball - Some different ways to go
Ten Land Stompy/Elf Balls

[wiley]

ELVES!


The Basics:
ELVES! is the vintage port of an extended deck by the same name that swept the top 4 slots of pro tour Berlin in 2008.  The idea of the deck is to cast glimpse of nature, after which every creature you play draws you another card, and begin playing a slew of tiny elves thanks to Birchlore Rangers and Nettle Sentinel.  The deck often finishes off with a storm spell such as grapeshot however, if necessary it can swing in for the win with its large number of creatures.

PT Berlin.dec
Owen Turtenwald

LANDS (13):
2 Gaea's Cradle
11 Forest

CREATURES (32):
4 Birchlore Rangers
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Qurion Ranger
1 Viridan Shaman
1 Elvish Spirit guide
1 Eternal Witness
1 Elvish Visionary

OTHER SPELLS (15):
4 Skullclamp
4 Summoner's Pact
4 Glimpse of Nature
1 Grapeshot
1 Black lotus
1 Mox Emerald

SIDEBOARD(15):
3 Viridian Shaman
3 Thorn Of Amethyst
2 Wren's Run Packmaster
1 Mycoloth
1 seal of Primordium
1 Pendelhaven
4 Xantid Swarms

ELVES!
Rich Shay

LANDS (13):
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Forest
4 Windswept Heath
1 Bayou

CREATURES (32):
4 Birchlore Rangers
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Wirewood Symbiote
1 Regal Force
2 Elvish Visionary
4 Quirion Ranger
1 Viridian Shaman

OTHER SPELLS (15):
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus
4 Skullclamp
4 Glimpse of Nature
1 Grapeshot
4 Summoner's Pact

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Viridian Shaman
3 Gleeful Sabotage
4 Thoughtseize
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Xantid Swarm

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
The biggest key to defeating this deck is countering both glimpse and skullclamp.  Cutting the deck off its draw is a death knell it cannot escape.

Relevant Links:
The Other Side of Pro Tour–Berlin
Elves! Top Eight at Myriad

[wiley]

Emerald Alice


The Basics:
Emerald Alice was basically a aggro control deck that utilized a curve similar to gro decks of the time.  It also used an oath transformational side board plan to shore up its game against stronger aggro decks.

Emerald Alice
acoly - 2002

LANDS (12):
4 Tropical Island
1 Forest
7 Island

CREATURES (9):
2 Morphling
3 Werebear
4 Quirion Dryad

OTHER SPELLS (39):
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Powder Keg
1 Sylvan Library
1 Time Walk
4 Land Grant
3 Brainstorm
4 Impulse
4 Gush
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Ancestral Recall
2 Mana Leak
4 Mana Drain
3 Misdirection
4 Force of Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Tranquil Domain
1 Flash Counter
2 Drop of Honey
3 Back to Basics
1 Spike Feeder
1 Spike Weaver
2 Gaea's Blessing
4 Oath of Druids

Emerald Alice
acoly

LANDS (12):
7 Island
1 Forest
4 Tropical Island

CREATURES (9):
4 Quirion Dryad
4 Werebear
1 Morphling

OTHER SPELLS (39):
4 Land Grant
1 Mox Saphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
3 Powder Keg
4 Force of Will
4 Misdirection
3 Mana Drain
3 Mana Leak
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Gush
4 Impulse
3 Brainstorm

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Oath of Druids
2 Gaea's Blessing
1 Spike Feeder
1 Spike Weaver
4 Hydroblast
3 Back to Basics

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Emerald Alice: A derivative of T1 Dryad

[wiley]

Enchantress


The Basics:

Enchantress is the "evolution" of Parfait by adding green and buffing up the controlling enchantments.  Adding Argothian Enchantress and Sterling Grove to a control deck that already ran a huge number of enchantments was a serious boost in power.  After adding in the groves and already having permanent based removal that required sacrificing, Replenish was added to the deck which created yet another super shot in the arm, giving some serious explosive power to the deck.  Eventually adding black for the proper tempo of disruption in Duress and better, tutorable answers like The Abyss gave it a final level of power to control games.

Enchantress
Dan Rosenheck aka CooberP, January 2002

LANDS (21):
4 Savannah
4 City of Brass
3 Bayou
2 Scrubland
2 Brushland
2 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Undiscovered Paradise
1 Serra's Sanctum
1 Library of Alexandria

CREATURES (4):
4 Argothian Enchantress

OTHER SPELLS (35):
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus
2 Sylvan Library
1 Pursuit of Knowledge
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Duress
1 Mind Twist
1 City of Solitude
1 Choke
4 Sterling Grove
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Replenish
1 Regrowth
1 Seal of Cleansing
1 Pariah
1 Balance
1 The Abyss
1 Moat
1 Worship
1 Overgrown Estate
2 Sacred Mesa

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Swords to Plowshares
2 Powder Keg
2 Femeref Enchantress
2 Circle of Protection: Red
2 Aura Fracture
2 Compost
1 Choke
1 City of Solitude
1 Karmic Justice

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
CooberP's Enchantress Primer
Enchantress Onslaught changes
Enchantress tweaks