A Can of Merfolk @$$-Whupery

[Bone]

Found this list over at morphling.de

8. Pierrick Mode

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Null Rod
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
4 Cursecatcher
2 Daze
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
4 Lord of Atlantis
2 Merrow Reejerey
2 Misdirection
3 Silvergill Adept
3 Spell Snare
 3 Standstill
2 Stifle
1 Time Walk
2 Sygg, River Cutthroat

3 Flooded Strand
3 Island
2 Polluted Delta
3 Snow-Covered Island
1 Strip Mine
3 Volcanic Island
4 Wasteland
 
sb:
2 Annul
2 Fire/Ice
2 Pithing Needle
2 Rack and Ruin
2 Red Elemental Blast
3 Relic of Progenitus
2 Umezawa's Jitte

15 creatures seems a bit low?

EDIT:

After testing today I will change -2 Wake Thrasher, +1 Cold Eyed Selkie, +1 Merrow Reejerey md

And current sb is:
4 crypt
1 relic
3 curfew
2 spell snare
1 echoing truth
1 hurkyl's recall (instead of 2)
1 waterfront bouncer (instead of 2)
+2 energy flux =) yeah, it was nice

[the_lord_shaper]

It's a ok list I suppose, but I wouldn't play a merfolk deck with 2 Misdirections, any number of standstills, and with only 3 Null Rods. I think one Misdirection is more then enough. I haven't ben  a fan of standstill for a while now. It's just that you probably won't be playing it until turn 4 and by then it seems far too late to be of any real use. If you are going to use it, then at least use some man-lands. You need to up the Null Rods to 4, they are too good right now. They are going to be the most important card in your deck vs. most of the current meta.

[Bone]

True, this is my current list for Bom

Creatures:
4 Cursecatcher
1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Merrow Reejerey
3 Silvergill Adept
2 Sygg, River Cutthroat
0 Wake Thrasher

Spells:
3 Daze
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
4 Null Rod
3 Standstill
3 Stifle

Lands:
3 Flooded Strand
11 Island
3 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland

The sideboard:
1 Waterfront Bouncer
1 Hurkyl's Recall
3 Curfew
2 Spell Snare
1 Echoing Truth
4 Tormod's Crypt
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Energy Flux

Since you don't recommend 2xMisdirection then perhaps:

-1 Misdirection
+1 Riptide Pilferer or +1 Rootwater Thief
or perhaps a 1cc merfolk since I run 3 standstill?

[swawagon]

I'd consider a Rebuild or two main in this meta over some Misdirections, or Echoing Truth, or Standstills. (Standstill with no man lands?) Inkwells and Colossus are everywhere and you don't really have enough counters to reliably stop early Tinkers. With Rebuild, at best you have an answer to Inkwells/Colossus, and you have a great maindeck answer to Stax. At worst you cycle it.

Otherwise I'm really liking this deck...

[the_lord_shaper]

I would cut a Misdirection for a main deck Hurkyl's Recall, but I would keep Echoing truth as well. If you can add two MutaVaults, they help with a early game standstill and are usually 3/3 for a mana.

[Bone]

Thanks, did -1 Misdirection, +1 Hurkyl's Recall MD in my list. Hurkyl's can be misdirected and don't cycle, but it's [1] cheaper than Rebuild, both can pitch to fow. -1 Waterfront Bouncer, +1 Spell Snare SB. I don't have any Mutavaults but can probably get some. My current manabase is:

11 Islands
6 fetches
5 strip/waste

I have 10 cards (4 cursecatcher, 3 stifle, 3 daze) that wants U on turn 1
I have 6 cards (4 lords, 2 sygg) that wants UU on turn 2

So I would like to keep as much Islands in this deck as possible. And since the manadenial (5 strip/waste, 4 rods, 3 stifle) is so important in this deck I don't think I should cut any of the waste cards. I don't see a way of adding mutavault in this deck and still have good odds on getting UU turn 2 without cutting wastelands What do you think?

Tested alot of games against tezzvault at the pre-release yesterday. t3 standstill with one or two merfolks in game was game

On the sideboarding tech:

My SB plans are:

Ichorid: +1 Relic of Progenitus, +4 Tormod's Crypt
                       -1 Hurkyl's Recall, -4 Null Rod

Angel Oath: +3 Spell Snare, +3 Curfew,  +1 Echoing Truth
                  -4 Null Rod, -3 Stifle,

Inkvell/Colossus/Platz Oath: +3 Spell Snare, +3 Curfew, +1 Hurkyl's Recall, +2 Energy Flux
                                       -4 Null Rod, -3 Stifle, -1 Misdirection, -1 ???

Vial Aggro: +3 Curfew, +3 Spell Snare
               -1 Misdirection, -1 Hurkyl's Recall, -3 Standstill, -1 Echoing Truth

Non-Vial Aggro: +3 Curfew, +3 Spell Snare
                      -4 Null Rod, -2 Standstill

Tezzvault: +1 Hurkyl's Recall, +2 Energy Flux, +3 Spell Snare
              Have tried many different possibilities (perhaps -1 Echoing Truth, -2 Daze, -3 Silvergill Adept?)

MUD/Stax/Slaver: +1 Hurkyl's Recall, +2 Energy Flux ??
                        -3 Stifle??? (have not tested this matchup or studied this deck)

Drain Tendrils: +1 Hurkyl's Recall, +2 Energy Flux, +3 Spell Snare ??
                    -6 ??? (have not tested this matchup or studied this deck)

Does it seem reasonable to sideboard like this? Or should I change something? Thanks for helping me twitching my deck btw

[the_lord_shaper]

Drain Tendrils: Here you really don't need to add anything to your deck, maybe one H. Recall in for Echoing Truth, just in case they have Inky. If you get a early Stifle, Cursecatcher, and Null Rod, then you pretty much have already won.

MUD/Stax: Take out Misdirection for sure, and depending on their build, Null Rod as well. If Null Rod is useful then ditch Standstill. But you should probably take out standstill anyway in this match. Also Daze is a pretty weak card vs. most stax builds. Just do not take out any creatures, add any if they are in your sideboard.

Slaver/Mana Drain Decks: You shouldn't combine slaver and stax they are very different decks. Here you need to bring in all of your Spellsnares and H. Recall. You should cut back on the Rej.'s, and for every two to three Merfolk you take out then take out one Adept. Energy Flux here is not your friend, you will be tapping out for Null Rod and you can't afford to do that.

And about the MutaVaults. Just add two and take out two islands. You will still be running more basic lands then pretty much any other deck, and you shouldn't have any mana problems.  Also Running 22 lands seems to much. You can differently cut one land, but I would cut two and still add the MutaVaults.  Also, add Brainstorm, it's simply too good to ignore.

[Bone]

Thanks

MD change: -1 Island, +1 Brainstorm (and when I get mutavaults -1 Island, +1 Mutavault)

Edit:

The changes where good, posted a small tournament report in tournament reports and results forum.

[the_lord_shaper]

I read your tourny report. I'm glade you're liking the deck, but for the Bazaar of Moxen or tourament, try out my blue/black list. In that list you have a much better match up vs Tezz, Oath, and Tendrils. That list isn't so reliant on Null Rod as a mono blue version is. You also get smothers for goyfs. Goyfs were on of the reasons why Thrasher was so good, he was normally bigger then goyf when he swung. It also has a much better dregde matvh up as well. I am glade to see someone playing my favorite creature type in type 1 though.

[Bone]

I'm consider playing this one in norwegian nationals, not 100% sure but I think it has a good shot.

Changes MD from Bom3 list: -4 Null Rod, -1 Hurkyl's Recall, +4 Spell Snare, +1 Echoing Truth

Sideboard: 3 Curfew, 4 Energy Flux, 4 Null Rod, 3 Umezawa's Jitte, 1 Hurkyl's Recall

It's a totally different deck but it's a totally different metagame. Here are my ideas about sideboarding and matchups:

TezzVault (in with the hate)
-1 Misdirection, -2 Echoing Truth, -3 Stifle, -2 Merrow Reejerey, -1 Silvergill Adept, +4 Null Rod, +4 Energy Flux, +1 Hurkyl's Recall

Unpowered Oath (better with Spell Snare than Null Rod in MD)
-2 Stifle, -1 Misdirection, +3 Curfew

Cripple (Pox, Duress, Hymn, Tombstalker. Should be okay)
-3 Stifle, +3 Curfew (keeping Misdirection for tricks vs Hymn)

Goblins and Aggro stuff (counter Piledriver and Lackey)
-3 Standstill, +3 Umezawa's Jitte

Fish (Lord of Atlantis for the Win)
-3 Standstill, +3 Umezwa's Jitte

Affinity (just counter cranial, ravager and master and it should be okay)
-3 Standstill, -1 Misdirection, -3 Stifle, -1 Spell Snare, +4 Energy Flux, +3 Umezawa's Jitte, +1 Hurkyl's Recall

What do you think? It looks like all those matchups are winnable. So just hope for the best pairings in t8

[Paupaipai]

Hi all

Merfolks decks depend a lot on the meta. Actually in Spain the meta involves lots of tezz vault, control, stax and so on. Null rods are a must. Maybe 4 is too much, 3 are ok. Standstill are another must, the time you have lots of tuna to play on earlier turns, and mutas to rape your rival. Remember to play muta AFTER standstill, just watch your opponents face lol.

The priority of this deck is to summon. Just summon as much as you can, breake the opponents mana curve, and stop with null rod and standstill. Play play and play. That's why the deck should include counterspells like fow, daze, cursecatcher and misdi backup. No need to stay untapped, unless you want to bluff. 

It's amazing how this deck works, you will grow your fishes with merrow and lords, the time your opponent realizes the small fish you summoned on the first turn has became a 4/4, it will be too late.

Pros: Fast, breaker, mono blue.

Contras: if there is no counter back up, you will be robbed. INKWELL... hate. And troubles to win goyfies...

[Paupaipai]

I wouldn't play umezawa. Maybe one or two sword of fire and ice sideboards right.

Another point, i would not use selkie, even if it is the second best merfolk ever (After cursecatcher). I'ts too slow for this deck

[the_lord_shaper]

Hi all

Merfolks decks depend a lot on the meta. Actually in Spain the meta involves lots of tezz vault, control, stax and so on. Null rods are a must. Maybe 4 is too much, 3 are ok. Standstill are another must, the time you have lots of tuna to play on earlier turns, and mutas to rape your rival. Remember to play muta AFTER standstill, just watch your opponents face lol.

The priority of this deck is to summon. Just summon as much as you can, breake the opponents mana curve, and stop with null rod and standstill. Play play and play. That's why the deck should include counterspells like fow, daze, cursecatcher and misdi backup. No need to stay untapped, unless you want to bluff. 

It's amazing how this deck works, you will grow your fishes with merrow and lords, the time your opponent realizes the small fish you summoned on the first turn has became a 4/4, it will be too late.

Pros: Fast, breaker, mono blue.

Contras: if there is no counter back up, you will be robbed. INKWELL... hate. And troubles to win goyfies...

First off I'm glad you like playing merfolk, but there are a few flaws in your prior two posts. If Tezz is in your meta? Why play less then 4 Null Rods. Against most decks in vintage, Null Rod is going to be the most important card in your deck to play, so 4 is not only fine but a must.
I will differently disagree with you about Standstill. You say it allows you to play more creatures, but that's just not true. Your chance of playing stand still turn 1 is about 0%. You don't want to play it turn two because you really need Null Rod here. And if you didn't get cursecatcer or a vault, then you won't be playing it this turn either. The point in which you can actually safely play Standstill isn't until turn 4, which is too slow. Honestly Selkie is better because you can play in a turn earlier and probably draw about the same amount of cards.
Also if goyf's and Inky are causing you trouble then splash black. It help kills goyf's with smother, you have duress effects, and edicts for both oath and inky. Adding black also mean dredge shouldn't stand a chance either.

I wouldn't play umezawa. Maybe one or two sword of fire and ice sideboards right.

Another point, i would not use selkie, even if it is the second best merfolk ever (After cursecatcher). I'ts too slow for this deck

Also I have to say the most important merfolk is Lord of Atlantis, because with out him, you wouldn't be playing this deck in the first place.

[Paupaipai]

Hi!

I think 3 null rods are enough. You don't need it turn 1, as you can cut combo on the 2-3 first turns, and dig for it. It is not blue, so you may eat it with fow or missdi. I tryed 4 and 3, and i prefer having 3

Lord of atlantis is good VS blue (80% of the meta), thank's to the islandwalk, but most of thoose decks don't have many creatures, so it will just break the game on your site sometimes.

I really think cursecatcher is the best creature of the deck. It's an amazing backup at turn 1, and helps after that. And it's the only thing to save you from ichorid :S

Do you play Lotus? Try muta + lotus + tuna + standstill on turn 1.. 

17% + 12,5% + 45% + 34% that's the chances, not including mooligans, or the opponent starting, and you drawing an 8th card.

[Kaiser von Hugal]

Im liking the mono-blue merfolk list.  I really the sideboarding techniques discussed, not something seen alot in these threads,  Im a budget player.  I wanted to post my own list for a critique but didnt want to add another post as this one is relevant - - Lord Shaper, I dont mean to hijack your thread.  Personally, Im not a fan of Standstill.

Creatures:
4 Cursecatcher
4 Cold-Eyed Selkie - this may go down to 3 as I dont like having 8 3cc critters...
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Merrow Reejerey
3 Silvergill Adept
3 Voidmage Prodigy - instead of standstill, there's 10 wizards in the deck


Spells:
4 Daze - i went with 4 as I may need to tap out on turn 2...
2 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
4 Null Rod
3 Stifle

Lands:
16 Island
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland

The sideboard:
3 Hurkyl's Recall - inkwell and stax
3 Extract - tinker, yawg will
3 Spell Snare - goyf, oath
2 Curfew - oath and tinker critters
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Relic of Progenitus

[the_lord_shaper]

Im liking the mono-blue merfolk list.  I really the sideboarding techniques discussed, not something seen alot in these threads,  Im a budget player.  I wanted to post my own list for a critique but didnt want to add another post as this one is relevant - - Lord Shaper, I dont mean to hijack your thread.  Personally, Im not a fan of Standstill.

Creatures:
4 Cursecatcher
4 Cold-Eyed Selkie - this may go down to 3 as I dont like having 8 3cc critters...
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Merrow Reejerey
3 Silvergill Adept
3 Voidmage Prodigy - instead of standstill, there's 10 wizards in the deck


Spells:
4 Daze - i went with 4 as I may need to tap out on turn 2...
2 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
4 Null Rod
3 Stifle

Lands:
16 Island
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland

The sideboard:
3 Hurkyl's Recall - inkwell and stax
3 Extract - tinker, yawg will
3 Spell Snare - goyf, oath
2 Curfew - oath and tinker critters
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Relic of Progenitus

    First off,your not hijaking my thread. It's actualy quit nice to have people interested in playing vintage mefolk. Now on to your deck, these are the few changes I would suggest; take out one daze for a misdiection, cut all the Voidmages, cut at least one Reej and one Sulkie, make one E. Thruth into a Hurkyl's Recall, add 5 to  six sack lands, add two Muta Vaults, add Brainstorm, add Merchant Scroll, and if you have proxies, add Black Lotus, Mox Sappire, Ancestral Recall, and Time Walk. Also in your side board, take out the Extracts and if you want a effect like this use Rootwater Thief, also change the H. Recall's to Energy Flux, and add some more dredge hate as well.

   Also guys give the black splash a try. It really does improve merfolk quit a lot.

[FlyFlySideOfFry]

Do you play Lotus? Try muta + lotus + tuna + standstill on turn 1.. 

17% + 12,5% + 45% + 34% that's the chances, not including mooligans, or the opponent starting, and you drawing an 8th card.

Where exactly did you get your math on this? The odds of you getting muta+lotus+standstill all in your opening hand is nowhere near even 12.5% let alone the 108.5% chance you somehow arrived at. In fact the odds of just getting Lotus is less than 12.5%. I mean if you're getting muta+lotus+standstill on turn 1 with any regularity you should either play the lottery or stop cheating.

I won't even touch the fact that with no tutors and basically no draw engine you somehow find 3xNull Rod to be enough in a metagame that is 80% blue.

[Bongo]

I'm also trying to get my Merfolk deck working, my list so far:


4 Cursecatcher
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Silvergill Adept
2 Sygg, River Cutthroat

4 Force of Will
4 Daze
4 Null Rod
3 Stifle
1 Misdirection
1 Echoing Truth
1 Hurkyls Recall

1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll


13 Island
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire


While Selkie seemed nice in theory, in actual games it was too slow. The deck can barely manage the Reejereys, any more 3 drops and the deck gets clunky.
I really wanted to include some Mutavaults, but I couldnt get UU for Lord of Atlantis constantly, so I had to throw them out. I also didn't include fetchlands because I don't want to get hit by Stifle and the additional lifepoints may matter against Storm or in a race situation.
Sygg is the odd choice, but so far it has helped, costing one less than Selkie was a big difference.

I'm not entirely sure about the Stifles, maybe Spell Snare would be better?

[the_lord_shaper]

I'm also trying to get my Merfolk deck working, my list so far:


4 Cursecatcher
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Silvergill Adept
2 Sygg, River Cutthroat

4 Force of Will
4 Daze
4 Null Rod
3 Stifle
1 Misdirection
1 Echoing Truth
1 Hurkyls Recall

1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll


13 Island
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire


While Selkie seemed nice in theory, in actual games it was too slow. The deck can barely manage the Reejereys, any more 3 drops and the deck gets clunky.
I really wanted to include some Mutavaults, but I couldnt get UU for Lord of Atlantis constantly, so I had to throw them out. I also didn't include fetchlands because I don't want to get hit by Stifle and the additional lifepoints may matter against Storm or in a race situation.
Sygg is the odd choice, but so far it has helped, costing one less than Selkie was a big difference.

I'm not entirely sure about the Stifles, maybe Spell Snare would be better?

     Here's the changes that I would make; Take out 2 Reej., 1 Adept, 1 daze, 6 island, and put in 2 Wake Thrasher, 1 Merchant Scroll, 1 Mystical Tutor,  3 Polluted Delta, and 3 Flooded Strand. You do not have to worry about stifles in Vintage, this isn't Legacy. 10 percent of the meta is fish, so out of a normal sized tourney, there would probable be about 2 to 3 fish decks. The act of thinning out your deck is much more important then worrying about stifles. And go back to using the Muta Vaults, they are too good not use. Also you need the tutors in this deck, encase tinker resolves, you need a better way of digging out your H. Recall. Lastly stifle is fine, but Duress or Thoughseize is better. Honestly guys, mono blue merfolk is simply not as good as merfolk deck with a splash of another color, black being the best, but the advantages of both white and green make since as well.

[the_lord_shaper]

Hello,


I am so tired and drained from pursuing a career. I am a full-fledged career woman with a satisfactory marketing job. I have challenged myself many times in the corporate world. I now feel that I have missed so many precious and enjoyable moments in my life, because work became before everything and how do I keep climbing the corporate ladder when I feel stuck and in the same old routine. I need a break!

=================================
julia
search keyword
broadband isp

WHAT!!!!!
Do you have any idea what kind of forum you're on. This is about magic the gathering, not about climbing so stupid corporate ladder. Why post this here, especially in a Merfolk thread. I mean this has to be f'ing fake, other wise WTF!!!!!!!!!!! 

[wjcuttler]

That's Julia Roberts! She can post in any thread she pleases!
You should be grateful she chose to confide in you here on TMD.
She's having a hard time with marketing right now, have a heart!

[the_lord_shaper]

That's Julia Roberts! She can post in any thread she pleases!
You should be grateful she chose to confide in you here on TMD.
She's having a hard time with marketing right now, have a heart!

Turf Wound
Very funny sir. *chuckles*