Vintage Encyclopedia

[wiley]

Severance Belcher


The Basics:
Severance Belcher is an evolution to the original landless belcher decks by adding a robust control package and fueling the combo of Goblin Charbelcher and Mana Severance with the amazing Gifts Ungiven engine.  The earliest renditions worked off playing an extremely controlling deck and powering out belcher with Gifts Ungiven for tinker, mana severence, recoup and yawgmoth's will.  Now, after the restriction of gifts, belcher decks have gone back to their light land base roots for the most part.  However, there are some who stick mana severance in the side to be wished for.  Both recent and older examples are listed below.

Shortbus Severence Belcher
Matthieu Durand circa 2005

LANDS (17):
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island
2 Snow-covered Island
2 Island

CREATURES (1):
1 Darksteel Colossus

OTHER SPELLS (43):
1 Burning Wish
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Duress
1 Mana Severance
1 Recoup
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
4 Force Of Will
3 Gifts Ungiven
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Skeletal Scrying
3 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Black Lotus
1 Goblin Charbelcher
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Phyrexian Furnace
1 Sol Ring

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Coffin Purge
1 Lava Dart
1 Pyroblast
1 Rack And Ruin
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Chainer's Edict
1 Cranial Extraction
1 Duress
1 Mind Twist
1 Primitive Justice
1 Pyroclasm
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All

Severence Belcher
Antonio Escamilla, 2nd @ 45 player event in Alcoy 13.04.08

LANDS (15):
2 Flooded Strand
3 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
2 Polluted Delta
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island

CREATURES (6):
1 Darksteel Colossus
1 Platinum Angel
2 Goblin Welder
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Triskelion

OTHER SPELLS (39):
1 Black Lotus
1 Goblin Charbelcher
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Duress
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
1 Echoing Truth
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Burning Wish

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Mana Severance
2 Pithing Needle
1 Pyroblast
1 Pyroclasm
2 Rack and Ruin
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Sundering Titan
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Thoughtseize
2 Tormod's Crypt

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Gifts Ungiven Belcher Control - The Primer-Type Thing - Andy Probasco
Some Tech Out Of The CAB-Labs - Carsten Kotter
Shortbus Severance Belcher in Action - Andy Probasco
A Second Gift From The Other Side Of The Ocean - Matthieu Durand
Deck Tech - Gifts Ungiven Belcher - JP Meyer

[wiley]

MUD
By gamegeek2

The Basics:
MUD is a mono-brown prison deck. It slows the game down with cards like Sphere of Resistance and Tangle Wire, nukes the opponent's lands with Wasteland, with Crucible of Worlds for recursion, and locks the opponent out of the game with Chalice of the Void and Smokestack. Staff of Domination + Metalworker is one of the latest additions to the deck, providing a devastatingly fast combo.

History:
MUD has a history tracing back to pre-Mirrodin decks such as Teletubbies - it borrows heavily from Stax, containing many of the same prison elements. During late 2007 and early 2008, a more beatdown version of MUD using Juggernaut and Sword of Fire and Ice to put the opponent on a fast clock, following up with lighter but still powerful prison elements. Modern versions tend to pack more prison elements to fight the dominant Mana Drain-based control decks.

MUD
Stephen Menendian

LANDS (18):
4 Ancient Tomb
2 City Of Traitors
2 Mishra's Factory
4 Mishra's Workshop
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (11):
4 Metalworker
2 Triskelion
2 Karn, Silver Golem
2 Arcbound Ravager
1 Sundering Titan

OTHER SPELLS (31):
1 Black Lotus
4 Chalice Of The Void
3 Crucible Of Worlds
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Smokestack
1 Sol Ring
4 Sphere Of Resistance
2 Staff Of Domination
4 Tangle Wire
2 Thorn Of Amethyst
1 Trinisphere

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Defense Grid
2 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Jester's Cap
2 Orb Of Dreams
2 Powder Keg
2 Tormod's Crypt
1 Duplicant
1 Razormane Masticore
1 Silent Arbiter

MUD
gamegeek2

LANDS (18):
4 Ancient Tomb
2 City Of Traitors
2 Mishra's Factory
4 Mishra's Workshop
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (11):
4 Metalworker
3 Sundering Titan
2 Triskelion
2 Duplicant

OTHER SPELLS (31):
1 Black Lotus
4 Chalice Of The Void
3 Crucible Of Worlds
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Smokestack
1 Sol Ring
4 Sphere Of Resistance
4 Tangle Wire
4 Thorn Of Amethyst
1 Trinisphere

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Jester's Cap
3 Staff of Domination
2 Powder Keg
4 Tormod's Crypt
2 Duplicant

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc:[/U]
Be wary of Hurkyl's Recall and Rebuild post-board - Chalice on 2 is a good way to stop this (Rebuild is less common). Very favorable against TPS pre-board (they just can't win through Sphere/Thorn, Sundering Titan is devastating), they will be prepaared. Oath tends to be unfavorable preboard - if you're more concerned, pack more Duplicants (like my build), which also answer Colossus (though not Leviathan).

Relevant Links[/U]
The 2009 Player's Guide to Vintage
Building a Better Beatdown MUD
As Clear as MUD
The Complete MUD Primer: Part 1
The Complete MUD Primer: Part 2
The Complete MUD Primer: Part 3

[wiley]

Ninja Mask
By glwiley


The Basics:
Ninja Mask is the next evolution of mask decks from tainted mask.

This deck is called Ninja Mask because it focusses on trickery and deception in order to force your opponent into making "play errors".
Ninjas also rely on trickery and deception to exact pain, bloody death and general unpleasantry upon those who have angered them.

Ninja Mask
Ben Kowal

LANDS (16):
4* Bayou
4* Tropical Island
2* Forest
4* Wooded Foothills
2* Windswept Heath

CREATURES (18):
4* Volrath's Shapeshifter
4* Phyrexian Dreadnought
1* Phage the Untouchable
1* Squee, Goblin Nabob
1* Gigapede
1* Psychatog
3* Birds of Paradise
3* Quirion Ranger

OTHER SPELLS (26):
1* Black Lotus
1* Mox Emerald
1* Mox Jet
1* Mox Sapphire
4* Brainstorm
4* Force of Will
4* Duress
1* Ancestral Recallv
1* Time Walk
4* Illusionary Mask
4* Survival of the Fittest

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Ninja Mask

[wiley]

Vengeur Masque
By glwiley


The Basics:
An evolution to Full English Breakfast and the finalist for the first Type I world championship, this deck uses survival of the fittest to fuel a string of control and combo creatures together to make one of the best aggro control strategies of the day.  The deck went through a lot of evolutions after this version including Survival Mask, Tainted Mask, Ninja Mask, Spoils Mask and even some expiramental changes such as GroMask.

Vengeur Masque
Carl Devos

LANDS (15):
2* Forest
4* Savannah
4* Tropical Island
2* Windswept Heath
3* Wooded Foothills

CREATURES (20):
4* Phyrexian Dreadnought
2* Meddling Mage
1* Tradewind Rider
1* Voidmage Apprentice
3* Volrath's Shapeshifter
1* Squee, Goblin Nabob
1* Phage the Untouchable
4* Birds of Paradise
2* Quirion Ranger
1* Devout Witness

OTHER SPELLS (25):
1* Black Lotus
1* Mox Sapphire
1* Mox Emerald
1* Mox Pearl
4* Illusionary Mask
1* Ancestral Recall
3* Brainstorm
4* Force of Will
1* Time Walk
4* Survival of the Fittest
1* Sylvan Library
1* Enlightened Tutor
2* Swords to Plowshares

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Vengeur Masqué

[wiley]

BUG Fish
By Lurker101


The Basics:
BUG Fish is a black-blue-green null rod Fish deck that rose in popularity during the rise of Time Vault/Voltaic Key combo decks which was also a period that saw fewer Oath decks. It has largely been replaced by Noble Fish, but could still be a viable deck.

BUG Fish
by Yan Lampron

LANDS (20):
1 Bayou
1 Forest
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
1 Swamp
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
4 Wasteland

CREATURES (11):
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Trygon Predator
1 Vendilion Clique

OTHER SPELLS (29):
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Darkblast
4 Daze
1 Diabolic Edict
4 Force of Will
3 Stifle
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Thoughtseize
1 Time Walk
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Null Rod


BUG Fish
by Eric Becker

LANDS (18):
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
3 Underground Sea
3 Tropical Island
1 Bayou
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand

CREATURES (12):
4 Dark Confidant
4 Cursecatcher
4 Tarmogoyf

OTHER SPELLS (30):
4 Force of Will
4 Null Rod
2 Stifle
3 Negate
3 Thoughtseize
2 Duress
1 Echoing Truth
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
BUG Fish was known for having a great combo match-up and decent aggro match-ups but originally had to devote lots of sideboard space to Dredge.

Relevant Links:
BUG Fish - Innovating Null Rod Strategies in Vintage

[wiley]

Dark Times (AKA Dark Depths)
By Lurker101


The Basics:
This deck is primarily based on the Vampire Hexmage/Dark Depths combo where you cast Vampire Hexmage with Dark Depths in play and use Hexmage's ability to remove all the counters from Dark Depths giving you a 20/20 indestructible flier.

The deck is also very disruption heavy and plays the Helm of Obedience/Leyline of the Void combo as a back-up plan and runs Sadistic Sacrament to exile multiple win conditions from the opponent, as well as main deck Null Rod, Darkblast, Diabolic Edict, and Pithing Needle making it more resistant to a variety of strategies.

Dark Times
Max Brown, 1 out of 64 at Blue Bell 02.01.2010

LANDS (20):
2 Dark Depths
1 Strip Mine
11 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Wasteland

CREATURES (8):
4 Vampire Hexmage
4 Dark Confidant

OTHER SPELLS (32):
4 Dark Ritual
1 Darkblast
1 Demonic Consultation
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Duress
1 Grim Discovery
1 Imperial Seal
1 Sadistic Sacrament
4 Thoughtseize
1 Yawgmoth's Will
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Black Lotus
1 Helm of Obedience
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Jet
1 Null Rod
1 Pithing Needle

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Emissary of Despair
1 Phyrexian Negator
2 Yixlid Jailer
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Chainer's Edict
2 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Chains of Mephistopheles
1 Engineered Plague
3 Null Rod
1 Pithing Needle

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
Off hand the deck seems to have lots of flexibility and a variety of good match-ups that only improve post board but the Hexmage/Depths combo can be fragile at times and is extremely vulnerable to removal.

Relevant Links:

[wiley]

Hermit Druid Combo
By Lurker101


The Basics:
Hermit Druid Combo revolves around milling your deck with Hermit Druid, getting multiple Narcomoebas into play and then dread returning Sutured Ghoul into play with either Lord of Extinction, multiple Phyrexian Dreadnoughts, or multiple Tarmogoyfs in the graveyard. You remove whichever creatures are in your graveyard with Sutured Ghoul and attach Dragon's Breath to it to have a massive hasty trampler,

Sometimes Sutured Ghoul is replaced by Cognivore (with a lot of instants) or Sharuum, the Hegemon with Bridge from Below and Akroma's Memorial. In the Sharuum version you dread return Sharuum to put zombies into play and get Akroma's Memorial into play from your graveyard. Transformational Oath sideboards are fairly common.

Hermit Combo
Victor Fraile

LANDS (16):
3 Flooded Strand
4 Forbidden Orchard
3 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea

CREATURES (14):
1 Darksteel Colossus
4 Hermit Druid
4 Narcomoeba
1 Sutured Ghoul
4 Tarmogoyf

OTHER SPELLS (30):
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
3 Daze
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
1 Lim-Dul's Vault
2 Misdirection
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Cabal Therapy
2 Careful Study
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Dread Return
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Dragon Breath
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Empyrial Archangel
2 Extirpate
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Gaea's Blessing
4 Thoughtseize
4 Oath of Druids
1 Tropical Island

Hermit Vault
Darien Elderfield

LANDS (15):
1 Wooded Foothills
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
1 Bayou
4 Tropical Island
1 Underground Sea

CREATURES (8):
3 Narcomoeba
1 Cognivore
4 Hermit Druid

OTHER SPELLS (37):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
4 Lim-Dul's Vault
1 Dragon Breath
1 Bridge From Below
1 Dread Return
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Imperial Seal
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Time Walk
4 Force Of Will
1 Gush
4 Misdirection
4 Daze
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
4 Worldly Tutor

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Forbidden Orchard
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
3 Progenitus
1 Ponder
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Oath Of Druids

Hermit Blaster
Eastman

LANDS (14):
7 Fetchlands
2 Bayou
2 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
1 Pendelhaven

CREATURES (11):
1 Sutured Ghoul
1 Lord of Extinction
4 Narcomoeba
4 Hermit Druid
1 Darksteel Colossus

OTHER SPELLS (35):
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Black Lotus
1 Dragon Breath
1 Dread Return
4 Sleight of Hand
3 Night's Whisper
4 Force of Will
3 Duress
2 Cabal Therapy
3 Repeal
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Time Walk
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Imperial Seal
1 Tinker

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Hermit Druid Resource and Guide
Hermit Blaster Primer

[wiley]

Minus 6
By Lurker101


The Basics:
Minus 6 is a Tezzeret/Dragon hybrid developed by Demonic Attorney. The game plan is to play a basic Dragon combo win but with making the opponent think you're playing Tezzeret for as long as it takes before you go off. This is done by setting up in the early game with cards like Dark Confidant game 1 and then sideboard in the Tezzeret components while removing the main Dragon combo to confuse the opponent and leave them unprepared games two and three as they bring in cards to hate Dragon out while ignoring hate for Tezzeret. This deck relies a lot on the surprise factor it has and thus it's not a deck you would want to play regularly as people will catch on.

Minus 6
Demonic Attorney, 3. out of 30 at Hadley 11.10.2009

LANDS (18):
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
4 Underground Sea
2 Island
1 Swamp

CREATURES (8):
4 Dark Confidant
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
3 Worldgorger Dragon

OTHER SPELLS (34):
4  Force of Will
4  Duress
2  Animate Dead
2  Necromancy
1  Dance of the Dead
2  Intuition
2  Read the Runes
1  Echoing Truth
1  Sensei’s Divining Top
1  Ancestral Recall
1  Time Walk
1  Demonic Tutor
1  Vampiric Tutor
1  Merchant Scroll
1  Brainstorm
1  Thirst for Knowledge
1  Mox Ruby
1  Mox Sapphire
1  Mox Pearl
1  Mox Emerald
1  Mox Jet
1  Sol Ring
1  Mana Crypt
1  Black Lotus

SIDEBOARD(15):
4 Mana Drain
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Voltaic Key
1 Volcanic Island
1 Fire//Ice
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Ponder
1 Tinker
1 Time Vault
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Tolarian Academy

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Minus 6 Primer

[wiley]

Mirroire Magique
By Lurker101


The Basics:
Mirror Magique is a fairly budget friendly combo deck created in Montreal in late 2008/early 2009. It revolves around the card Lich's Mirror from Shards of Alara and Channel. In a way it's a throwback to old-school Channel-Fireball decks from the early days of Type 1.

The deck runs a massive amount of tutors including 4 Personal Tutor to find Channel as quickly as possible and and then cast Channel with Pact of Negation or Force of Will back-up. Next you Channel into Lich's Mirror (which is found with Fabricate) and keep going until you have killed yourself, then Lich's Mirror triggers and you have infinite mana as long as you can keep channeling into mirrors. The deck usually wins with a massive Kaervek's Torch. There is also the alternate routes of Tinker for Platinum Angel or using your mana for repeat Memory Jar activations to deck the opponent.

Mirroire Magique
by Martin Bonneville

LANDS (15):
4 City of Brass
4 Forbidden Orchard
4 Gemstone Mine
3 Tropical Island

CREATURES (1):
1 Platinum Angel

OTHER SPELLS (44):
1 Black Lotus
4 Chromatic Star
4 Lich's Mirror
1 Lotus Petal
1 Memory Jar
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphirel
4 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Imperial Seal
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
4 Fabricate
4 Force of Will
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Pact of Negation
4 Personal Tutor
1 Ponder
1 Timetwister
1 Tinker
1 Channel
1 Kaervek's Torch


Mirroire Magique
 by Hidekazu Fujii

LANDS (15):
1 Academy Ruins
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Tropical Island

CREATURES (1):
1 Triskelion


OTHER SPELLS (44):
1 Black Lotus
4 Chromatic Star
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Kaleidostone
4 Lich's Mirror
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Zuran Orb
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
2 Fabricate
4 Force of Will
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Timetwister
1 Tinker
1 Channel
1 Fastbond
1 Balance
1 Kaervek's Torch
2 Orim's Chant

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Mini-Primer: Miroir Magique

[wiley]

Noble Fish (AkA Selkie-Strike)
By Lurker101


The Basics:
Named after Noble Hierarch or Cold-Water Selkie depending on the build. Noble Fish is a GUW fish variant that uses the Qasali Pridemage and Noble Hierarch's stacking Exalted ability as well as getting a mana boost from Hierarch (which provides on color mana).

In builds using Cold-Water Selkie this can create amazing card advantage with Selkie potentially drawing 9 cards while dealing 9 damage in one attack. Since Worldwake became legal a few decks have also used Thada Adel, Acquisitor to steal or exile opponent's artifacts.

Selkie Strike
by Archie Bryan Co

LANDS (17):
3 Flooded Strand
1 Forest
1 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Strip Mine
3 Tropical Island
3 Tundra
3 Wasteland

CREATURES (20):
4 Cold-eyed Selkie
3 Meddling Mage
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Qasali Pridemage
3 Tarmogoyf
2 Trygon Predator

OTHER SPELLS (23):
3 Daze
4 Force of Will
2 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Spell Pierce
3 Stifle
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Null Rod

Noble Fish
by Juan Carlos Marchal

LANDS (18):
1 Flooded Strand
1 Forest
1 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Strip Mine
3 Tropical Island
3 Tundra
4 Wasteland

CREATURES (18):
4 Cold-Eyed Selkie
2 Meddling Mage
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Qasali Pridemage
4 Tarmogoyf

OTHER SPELLS (24):
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Daze
4 Force of Will
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Rebuild
3 Spell Pierce
3 Swords to Plowshares
1 Time Walk
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Null Rod

Noble Fish
by Chris Materewicz

LANDS (17):
2 Flooded Strand
1 Forest
1 Island
3 Misty Rainforest
1 Strip Mine
3 Tropical Island
3 Tundra
3 Wasteland

CREATURES (20):
3 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
2 Meddling Mage
4 Qasali Pridemage
3 Trygon Predator
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Tarmogoyf

OTHER SPELLS (23):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Null Rod
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Daze
4 Force of Will
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Spell Pierce
1 Time Walk
2 Swords to Plowshares

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
Thada Adel seems like it could be a beating against Vault/Key decks with the ability to steal vault and Key and exile the tinker target. Noble Fish seems to do well against Tezzeret and other blue based decks in general. Against dredge pre-board it seems bleak, maybe with Meddling Mage naming Dread Return and Qasali Pridemage's ability to sacrifice itself could remove bridges.

Relevant Links:
Noble Fish Variants and Evolution Over Time

[wiley]

The Deck 2009
By Lurker101


The Basics:
The Deck 2009 is a 4-5 color control deck that is an update of the original The Deck that was created by Brian Weissman in the early days of Vintage. The approach of the updated The Deck however, focuses more on what to expect in a specific metagame and trying to build a deck to combat what you would expect to find in that metagame. There really is no optimal list for every metagame and thus builds of The Deck tend to be more varied depending on local metagames.

The Deck
Stephen Menendian

LANDS (20):
1 Island
4 City of Brass
1 Flooded Strand
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Tropical Island
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
2 Volcanic Island
2 Underground Sea

CREATURES (3):
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Sundering Titan

OTHER SPELLS (37):
1 Black Lotus
1 Crucible Of Worlds
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Ancestral Recall
2 Ancient Grudge
1 Brainstorm
1 Cunning Wish
1 Fact Or Fiction
1 Fire / Ice
4 Force Of Will
1 Gifts Ungiven
4 Mana Drain
1 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mind Twist
1 Ponder
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Helm Of Obedience
2 Sower Of Temptation
4 Leyline Of The Void
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Extirpate
1 Krosan Grip
2 Mindbreak Trap
1 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Stroke Of Genius

The Deck 2009
Patrick Chapin

LANDS (19):
1 Island
3 City Of Brass
2 Flooded Strand
1 Library Of Alexandria
2 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
1 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
4 Wasteland

CREATURES (4):
1 Sundering Titan
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror

OTHER SPELLS (37):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Brainstorm
1 Cunning Wish
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Fact Or Fiction
1 Fire / Ice
4 Force Of Will
1 Gifts Ungiven
4 Mana Drain
1 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Rebuild
1 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mind Twist
1 Ponder
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Helm Of Obedience
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Sower Of Temptation
4 Leyline Of The Void
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Naturalize
1 Pyroblast
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Skeletal Scrying

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
If the deck is built properly for the expected metagame it should have a good matchups against most of the field, especially postboard.

Relevant Links:
The Return of the Deck
The Deck 2009: Bringing Back the Glory Days of Vintage

[wiley]

Two Card Monte
By Lurker101


The Basics:
Created by Matt Elias in early 2010, Two Card Monte is a workshop build that revolves around two combos designed to deck the opponent. The first is the traditional Painter's Servant and Grindstone combo. The second is the more recently discovered Helm of Obedience and Leyline of the Void combo, which works by activating Helm of Obediance with Leyline in play to avoid Helm's trigger and remove the opponent's library from the game. Leyline also has the built in function of disabling graveyard oriented decks, especially Dredge.

The deck mulligans aggressively using Serum Powder if necessary to get the combo pieces early and often and can consistently pull off a turn 1 or turn 2 win.

Two Card Monte
by Matt Elias

LANDS (17):
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Brass
4 Mishra's Workshop

CREATURES (9):
4 Goblin Welder
4 Painter's Servant
1 Sundering Titan

OTHER SPELLS (34):
1 Black Lotus
3 Grindstone
4 Helm of Obedience
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Memory Jar
1 Sol Ring
4 Serum Powder
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Red Elemental Blast
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Tinker

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Pithing Needle
2 Tormod's Crypt
4 Dark Confidant
2 Ancient Grudge
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Echoing Truth
1 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Nature's Claim
1 Balance

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:
Dredge is generally a good matchup as you have maindeck Leylines and Serum Powders to get them. According to Matt Elias, Tezzeret is the worst matchup but sideboarding in Dark Confidant improves it dramatically.

Relevant Links:
Introducing Two Card Monte: A Vintage Primer

[wiley]

Vroman Oath (AKA Iona Oath)
By Lurker101


The Basics:
Vroman Oath is a combo-control Oath variant developed by Robert Vroman that uses Iona, Shield of Emeria to shut out opposing decks of their most common or disruptive color while using the Time Vault/Voltiac Key combo as a back-up win condition.

Vroman Oath
Robert Vroman

LANDS (17):
4 Forbidden Orchard
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Mishra's Factory
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea

CREATURES (1):
Iona, Shield of Emeria

OTHER SPELLS (42):
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Flash of Insight
4 Force of Will
1 Gifts Ungiven
2 Mana Drain
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Ponder
3 Spell Pierce
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Krosan Reclamation
4 Oath of Druids
1 Regrowth
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Balance

SIDEBOARD(15):
2 Extirpate
1 Nullstone Gargoyle
2 Oxidize
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Pithing Needle
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Rebuild
3 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Trinisphere

Iona Oath
Joey Smith

LANDS (17):
4 Forbidden Orchard
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea

CREATURES (1):
Iona,Shield of Emeria

OTHER SPELLS (42):
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Brainstorm
1 Flash of Insight
4 Force of Will
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Krosan Reclamation
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Rebuild
4 Spell Pierce
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Ponder
1 Regrowth
1 Thoughtseize
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Yawgmoth's Will
4 Oath of Druids
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key

SIDEBOARD(15):
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
2 Extirpate
1 Oxidize
2 Ravenous Trap
1 Rebuild
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Balance
2 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Tinker
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Tezzeret the Seeker

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Oath of Druids Post-Zendikar

[wiley]

Affinity
By Lurker 101

The Basics:
Affinity is a deck based around the Mirrodin era Ravager-Affinity decks that were dominating almost every other format at the time. Basically you just play a bunch of cheap artifacts (including artifact lands) and start dropping affinity creatures for free then sacrificing them to Arcbound Ravager to make a huge ravager or Ornithopter and also trigger Disciple of the Vault's lifeloss ability. Some decks also included Shrapnel Blast to deal more direct damage. The deck completely folds to Null Rod and is easily hated out.

RGB Raffinity
Eugen Perman 2004

LANDS (19):
1 Badlands
2 Darksteel Citadel
4 Glimmervoid
4 Great Furnace
4 Tree of Tales
4 Vault of Whispers

CREATURES (20):
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Frogmite
4 Ornithopter

OTHER SPELLS (21):
2 Diabolic Edict
4 Shrapnel Blast
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Rancor
1 Black Vise
1 Chrome Mox
1 Lotus Petal
3 Skullclamp
1 The Rack
3 Welding Jar

Painted Affinity
Kandri Thibauld 2008

LANDS (12):
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers

CREATURES (25):
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Arcbound Worker
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Frogmite
3 Myr Enforcer
2 Painter's Servant
4 Trinket Mage

OTHER SPELLS (23):
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Black Lotus
1 Chalice of the Void
3 Cranial Plating
1 Grindstone
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
2 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
4 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Tormod's Crypt

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links:

[wiley]

Arcane Denial
by Lurker 101

The Basics:
Arcane Denial.dec is a deck invented by Meadbert that runs the draw engine of Arcane Denial and Mishra's/Urza's Bauble. Basically you counter your own Bauble with  Arcane Denial and Draw 3 cards for 1U. Arcane Denial can also act as extra disruption if needed. Before Thirst for Knowledge was restricted it used Thirst for more raw draw power.

Arcane Denial.dec
by Meadbert

LANDS (12):
1 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
1 Volcanic Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Cephalid Colliseum
3 Island
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (1):
1 Darksteel Colossus

OTHER SPELLS(47):
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Urza's Bauble
1 Empty The Warrens
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
2 Skeletal Scrying
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Tinker
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
4 Force Of Will
2 Misdirection
4 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Chain Of Vapor
4 Arcane Denial
4 Mana Drain
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Mystical Tutor

SIDEBOARD:
4 Pithing Needle
4 Engineered Explosives
4 Tormod's Crypt
1 Rebuild
2 Hurkyl's Recall

La Bulle a Bonvil
Martin Bonneville

LANDS(13):
2 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
3 Polluted Delta
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island

CREATURES (1):
1 Darksteel Colossus

OTHER SPELLS (46)
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Arcane Denial
1 Brainstorm
1 Chain of Vapor
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Ponder
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
4 Mishra's Bauble
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Vault
4 Urza's Bauble
1 Voltaic Key

SIDEBOARD:
1 Platinum Angel
2 Yixlid Jailer
1 Darkblast
2 Extirpate
2 Rack and Ruin
3 Pyroclasm
2 Blood Moon
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Tormod's Crypt

Post-Restriction Arcane Denial
Meadbert

LANDS(12):
2 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
2 Underground Sea
2 Cephalid Colliseum
3 Island
1 Tolarian Academy

CREATURES (1):
1 Darksteel Colossus

OTHER SPELLS (47)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Urza's Bauble
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Skeletal Scrying
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Tinker
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
4 Force Of Will
3 Misdirection
1 Fact Or Fiction
1 Thirst For Knowledge
4 Arcane Denial
4 Mana Drain
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Chain Of Vapor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Repeal

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.

Relevant Links:
Post-Restriction Arcane Denial Primer
Testing Results

[wiley]

Bloodghast Dredge
by Lurker 101

The Basics:
Bloodghast Dredge is the next evolution of the Dredge, or Ichorid, decktype that uses the card Bloodghast and recurring lands (usually Undiscovered Paradise) to trigger Bloodghast's Landfall ability. In some decks Bloodghast has replaced Ichorid entirely but most Bloodghast Dredge decks run the usual suspects of dredgers, Narcomoebas, Bazaars, etc.

Manaless Ichorid
Sam Berse

LANDS (14):
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Undiscovered Paradise
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Seat of the Synod
4 Cephalid Coliseum

CREATURES (27):
4 Bloodghast
4 Narcomoeba
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
4 Golgari Thug
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Fatestitcher
3 Sharuum, the Hegemon

OTHER SPELLS (19)
4 Bridge from Below
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Serum Powder
3 Dread Return
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Possessed Portal
1 Black Lotus
1 Lion's Eye Diamond

SIDEBOARD:
4 Unmask
4 Force of Will
3 Echoing Truth
4 Chain of Vapor

Dredge
Mark Homung

LANDS (14):
4 Bazaar Of Baghdad
3 Cephalid Coliseum
3 City Of Brass
1 Dakmor Salvage
3 Undiscovered Paradise

CREATURES (24):
1 Angel Of Despair
4 Bloodghast
1 Flame-kin Zealot
4 Golgari Grave-troll
2 Golgari Thug
3 Ichorid
4 Narcomoeba
4 Stinkweed Imp
1 Iona, Shield Of Emeria

OTHER SPELLS (22):
4 Breakthrough
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Careful Study
3 Dread Return
1 Life From The Loam
4 Bridge From Below
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus

SIDEBOARD:
1 Wispmare
4 Chain Of Vapor
2 Contagion
4 Force Of Will
4 Unmask

D3G Dredge
Matt Elias

LANDS (13):
4 Bazaar Of Baghdad
2 City Of Brass
1 Dakmor Salvage
2 Petrified Field
4 Undiscovered Paradise

CREATURES (22):
4 Bloodghast
1 Flame-kin Zealot
4 Golgari Grave-troll
2 Golgari Thug
2 Ichorid
4 Narcomoeba
4 Stinkweed Imp
1 Woodfall Primus

OTHER SPELLS (25)
4 Chalice Of The Void
4 Serum Powder
4 Bridge From Below
4 Leyline Of The Void
1 Darkblast
2 Nature's Claim
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Dread Return

SIDEBOARD:
2 Pithing Needle
1 Ichorid
4 Chain Of Vapor
1 Darkblast
2 Nature's Claim
3 Unmask
2 City Of Brass

Other notes, Match-up info, etc.:

Relevant Links:
Night of the Living Dead: The Ultimate Vintage Dredge Primer Part 1
Night of the Living Dead: The Ultimate Vintage Dredge Primer Part 2
Bloodghast Dredge Primer

[wiley]

PandeBurst
By Lurker 101

The Basics:
PandeBurst decks, also known as 21, relied on the combo of Pandemonium and Saproling Burst to deal 21 damage to the opponent in a single turn. The way this worked was by removing fading counters from Saproling Burst with Pandemonium out to make several saprolings into play, the first one having 6 power, the next 5, the next 4 and so on until you got to 1 and it added up to 21 damage. This was usually accomplished with the help of Replenish to put both enchantments into play at the same time after dumping them in your graveyard.

PandeBurst
by Koen 2002

LANDS (17):
1 Island
4 City of Brass
4 Tundra
4 Volcanic Island
4 Tropical Island

OTHER SPELLS (43):
4 Replenish
3 Saproling Burst
3 Pandemonium
1 Regrowth
1 Fire / Ice
1 Frantic Search
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Intuition
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault

SIDEBOARD:
4 Red Elemental Blast
3 Roar of the Wurm
3 Morphling
3 Light of Day
2 Blue Elemental Blast

PandeBurst
by Koichiro Maki, Magic Invitational 1999-2000

LANDS (16):
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
1 Library of Alexandria
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
2 Scrubland
1 Underground Sea

CREATURES (4):
4 Squee, Goblin Nabob

OTHER SPELLS (40):
4 Saproling Burst
4 Pandemonium
4 Replenish
4 Duress
4 Dark Ritual
2 Demonic Consultation
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Lim-Dul's Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Balance
1 Intuition
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
1 The Abyss
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.:

Relevant Links
PandeBurst Tournament Report

[wiley]

Shay-Mora
By Lurker 101

The Basics:
Shay-Mora was a deck created in early 2009 by Rich Shay that utilized the draw engine of Meditate and Mystic Remora. This engine works by playing Mystic Remora and then following up with Meditate, you draw 4 cards off Meditate and avoid paying Mystic Remora's upkeep cost for a turn. During your opponent's extra turn you get to draw a card for each spell they play giving you huge card advantage and allowing you to make use of spells like Commandeer to take a control role. The deck's main win condition was Time Vault/Voltaic Key with a Tinker back-up plan. Some players used the draw engine to fuel Psychatogs as well.

Meditate Remora
by Rich Shay

LANDS (16):
3 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
5 Island
3 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
1 Library of Alexandria

CREATURES (5):
1 Darksteel Colossus
4 Old Man of the Sea

OTHER SPELLS (39):
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
3 Commandeer
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Meditate
1 Misdirection
2 Repeal
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Ponder
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will
4 Mystic Remora
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key

SIDEBOARD:
1 Viashino Heretic
1 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Pyroblast
1 Rack and Ruin
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Energy Flux
3 Relic of Progenitus
4 Tormod's Crypt

Other Notes, Matchup Info, etc.

Relevant Links:
Shay-Mora Primer

[Power9man]

i suppose that themanadrain.com is no longer active... isn't it?