[Deck] Baby's First Tezz Deck

[honestabe]

Yup, I've turned to the dark side and decided to play the deck I've always feared to play.
The restriction of Thirst did (at least I think) turn this deck from unbeatable to still really F%&@-ing good.
I've been doing A LOT of MWS testing and here's what I beleive is my ideal list

Lands (15)
3x Polluted Delta
3x Flooded Strand
4x Underground Sea
2x Volcanic Island
2x Island
1x Tolarian Academy

Creatures (1)
1x Darksteel Colossus/Inkwell

Sorceries (12)
1x Time Walk
1x Ponder
1x Tinker
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Merchant Scroll
3x Night's Whisper
3x Duress
1x Yawgmoth's Will

Instants (18)
4x Force of Will
4x Mana Drain
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Brainstorm
1x Gifts Ungiven
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Thirst for Knowledge
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Echoing Truth
1x Hurkyls Recall
1x Red Elemental Blast

Artifacts (11)
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Ruby
1x Mox Pearl
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Mox Jet
1x Black Lotus
1x Time Vault
1x Voltaic Key
2x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Mana Crypt

Planeswalkers (2)
2x Tezzeret, the Seeker


This Leaves me with one open Spot.  I've been doing a bit of testing and have settled upon either Dark Confidant or Impulse.  The reason I don't like playing 3-4 Confidants in Tezz is because there is the possibilty that Bob may end up killing you after you get vault/key.  I know it sounds ridiculous, but I've tested it, and it happens, especially, when there's more than 1 out.  due to this, I didn't want Dark Confidant to be my main draw engine.  But I think one Confidant would be a nice addition.  The other option I could think of would be impulse.  It does nothing in terms of card advantage, but it's not expensive, and can dig 4 cards deep, which is often enought to snag a force, tutor, or piece of vault/key.
I've also been toying with the Idea of grim tutor....

[MirariKnight]

A better card than Confidant/Impulse/Grim Tutor is Imperial Seal, at least for the purpose you're desiring.

[FAVO!!!!1]

What about Jace? He has been testing pretty well for me as a 1-of. Sure, he is slowly than Bob or Impulse, but the idea is that you have a recurring pain free source of card advantage.

[mmcgeach]

I feel like Intuition may be better than Impulse.  Intuition gets Force.  I feel like even without AK/deep analysis, it's gifts-light, setting up your win.

In lists with 2 tops, i usually see 4 bobs.  I agree bob can interact poorly with infinite turns.  But if you like the Tops, maybe you want a single Trinket Mage instead of a single confidant?

I like your list.  It makes me want to try it, but, personally, I'd swap out hurkyls for rebuild, then take that extra slot + 1 top, 1 REB to put in three Spell Snare.  And maybe I want Sphinx instead of Inkwell.

eh, just some ideas.

[honestabe]

I feel like Intuition may be better than Impulse.  Intuition gets Force.  I feel like even without AK/deep analysis, it's gifts-light, setting up your win.

In lists with 2 tops, i usually see 4 bobs.  I agree bob can interact poorly with infinite turns.  But if you like the Tops, maybe you want a single Trinket Mage instead of a single confidant?

I like your list.  It makes me want to try it, but, personally, I'd swap out hurkyls for rebuild, then take that extra slot + 1 top, 1 REB to put in three Spell Snare.  And maybe I want Sphinx instead of Inkwell.

eh, just some ideas.

Well, the REB and hyrkls are just meta choises and could be anything.

As far as Sphinx/Inkwell/Darksteel goes, I was a HUGE inkwell supporter when he first came out, but now I feel that noone really runs spot removal now, do to the fact that you can just play inky.  This makes me want to lean to darksteel, but I'm not sure where I stand.

Also, Intuition/Jace sounds like a great idea.  I'll start testing with it now, but as far as the Impulse/Bob despute, I'm leaning impulse


EDIT I just realized I don't run Sol Ring, but I don't feel that I need it.  I'm having no problems with mana, but I'll keep in mind that maybe that open spot should be a sol ring

[lawnboy]

Well, the REB and hyrkls are just meta choises and could be anything.

As far as Sphinx/Inkwell/Darksteel goes, I was a HUGE inkwell supporter when he first came out, but now I feel that noone really runs spot removal now, do to the fact that you can just play inky.  This makes me want to lean to darksteel, but I'm not sure where I stand.

Also, Intuition/Jace sounds like a great idea.  I'll start testing with it now, but as far as the Impulse/Bob despute, I'm leaning impulse

I prefer Inkwell because he can't be Welded -- don't underestimate this advantage if you play against Shop decks.

If you're not going to commit to a Bob-based draw engine, I think a 1-of in the deck is pretty useless. You have to wait until the turn after playing him to start getting card advantage, and you'll very rarely draw him in your opening hand. Bob Tezz draw engines are useful because as a 4-of you can usually drop him on turn 1 or 2, reaping the maximum card advantage. In this build, it might as well be another Night's Whisper, though I would strongly suggest Skeletal Scrying -- it's a much more explosive midgame play, takes advantage of drain mana, and can swing a match in your direction immediately.

2 SDTs is just a bad idea -- 1 is already borderline in a deck without Dark Confidants. Replace this with another tutor, a Duress effect, or Impulse like someone else mentioned. I've never played with Jace but that has some potential as well.

Edit: Your maindeck REB suggests you play in a Tezz-dominated meta. Glen Elendra Archmage could be a strong 1x addition.

[Harlequin]

For the record, Sphinx can't be welded either.  If we agree that most blue decks favor mass artifact bounce to targeted bounce then  the only realistic cards that effect Sphinx but not inkwell are targeted white removal (seal of clensing, STP, Path).  Then there is Dupe and maybe Trike (but they have to have a way to kill trike).  The point is that well over half of the targeted removal for artifacts is red and green (welder, grudge and other such effects, oxidize, seal of primortia, qasali pridemage).  

[honestabe]

For the record, Sphinx can't be welded either.  If we agree that most blue decks favor mass artifact bounce to targeted bounce then
 the only realistic cards that effect Sphinx but not inkwell are targeted white removal (seal of clensing, STP, Path).  Then there is Dupe and maybe Trike (but they have to have a way to kill trike).  The point is that well over half of the targeted removal for artifacts is red and green (welder, grudge and other such effects, oxidize, seal of primortia, qasali pridemage).  

Sphinx takes too long for my liking, and can be chumped.  I'm going to stick with inkwell.


I will cut a top for Sol ring, and have replaced hurkyls with rebuild. 

As far as the open slot, I still really like impulse.  Granted it doesn't give you much card advantage, but it does dig deep for a small price.  I'll continue to try intuition, as it can result in a win if used properly

[Harlequin]

Sphinx getting chumped almost never comes up, becuase he flys.  He also has vigilance and life link which means he can race/win against Oath running Double Hellkite!!  Inkwell has the unfortunate problem of causing stalemates even when they run Islands, where you can't attack because you lose the race - and they can't attack because they throw too much away.  Against an Agro deck, this is bad because every other card they draw puts another dude on the board.  And there's always the chance they run edict.

Sphinx makes your worst matches better... in that decks designed to "hate" you have few outs to him; and with vigilance he never causes a stalemate.  
Inkwell makes your most common matches slightly better.  In that he is a faster clock against an opposing control deck.

So Its really do you want the best card for your worst matches - dispite it being uncommon.  OR do you want a better card for your most common matches - dispite it leaving your more vunerable to a Hate deck.
And there is no "right" answer.

[Stormanimagus]

Sphinx getting chumped almost never comes up, becuase he flys.  He also has vigilance and life link which means he can race/win against Oath running Double Hellkite!!  Inkwell has the unfortunate problem of causing stalemates even when they run Islands, where you can't attack because you lose the race - and they can't attack because they throw too much away.  Against an Agro deck, this is bad because every other card they draw puts another dude on the board.  And there's always the chance they run edict.

Sphinx makes your worst matches better... in that decks designed to "hate" you have few outs to him; and with vigilance he never causes a stalemate.  
Inkwell makes your most common matches slightly better.  In that he is a faster clock against an opposing control deck.

So Its really do you want the best card for your worst matches - dispite it being uncommon.  OR do you want a better card for your most common matches - dispite it leaving your more vunerable to a Hate deck.
And there is no "right" answer.

I'm curious Harlequin. Do you think that decks don't really need to MD specific bounce or removal for Inkwell anymore? Are the days of Hurkyl's being necessary MD over? I pose this question with regards to Selkie and GW beats and other decks that feel they need an answer for Inky. Is racing a better possibility than it was then?

-Storm

[zeus-online]

I agree on sphinx....I only go for tinker against aggro or aggro/control decks anyway, in all other match-ups i only use tinker(for a beater) if it's my only option...

And against aggro and aggro/control sphinx is superior to most other tinker targets since it's virtually impossible to race and is pretty hard to remove for most current T1 decks.

The most all-round tinker target is probably still DSC since it kills in 2 quick swings...Which is very relevant against allmost every deck.

Inkwell will probably go up and down in effectivity...since it's only really good if there's alot of targeted effects. If people have adapted it's alot worse then DSC or sphinx.

[Yare]

I personally find the pitchability of Inkwell to be fairly important, especially since Brainstorm is now restricted. While previously you could Brainstorm your DSC/Inkwell/whatever back to the library and then shuffle it away with a fetchland, that is no longer the case. With Thirst for Knowledge also being restricted, you hardly have a chance to dump it if you draw it (short of hardcasting), so I still like Inkwell in the slot. DSC does have its merits, though. I haven't played Sphinx enough to have an opinion yet.

[Sporkcore]

Sphinx takes too long for my liking, and can be chumped.  I'm going to stick with inkwell.

I don't see how Sphinx takes too long. In my opinion, Inkwell and Sphinx are the same clock. Sure, one's dealing six and one's dealing seven, but there aren't many games where a player doesn't deal themselves two damage from something like Force and a Fetch making both Inkwell and Sphinx the same speed.

[hvndr3d y34r h3x]

after playing akroma razia oath almost religiously when that deck was good int he format, people deal themselves a lot less dmg than you'd think.

[LotusHead]

How would you guys play Jace? I haven't seen it in use yet (tho I've seen it in lists, sometimes).

What is the ideal situation with Jace on the board?

[Sporkcore]

Two damage isn't that much. Hell, most decks play Vamp tutor or Thoughtseize and those 2 damage by themselves.

[honestabe]

Sphinx getting chumped almost never comes up, becuase he flys.  He also has vigilance and life link which means he can race/win against Oath running Double Hellkite!!  Inkwell has the unfortunate problem of causing stalemates even when they run Islands, where you can't attack because you lose the race - and they can't attack because they throw too much away.  Against an Agro deck, this is bad because every other card they draw puts another dude on the board.  And there's always the chance they run edict.

Sphinx makes your worst matches better... in that decks designed to "hate" you have few outs to him; and with vigilance he never causes a stalemate.  
Inkwell makes your most common matches slightly better.  In that he is a faster clock against an opposing control deck.

So Its really do you want the best card for your worst matches - dispite it being uncommon.  OR do you want a better card for your most common matches - dispite it leaving your more vunerable to a Hate deck.
And there is no "right" answer.

I agree that there is no "right" choise.  Personally, here in New England, I've never actually played an aggro deck in any competition, so I'm not too worried about having to race one.  But i know that sphinx is FANTASTIC against aggro.

Also, I chose to run merchant scroll over lotus petal.  Is that a bad idea?  Granted, it makes the deck a bit slower, but it's not a fast deck anyway.  It can help the turn 1 drains, but most of the time, I really won't want to drain turn 1. 

[mmcgeach]

Eh, I thought lotus petal was to help with Turn 1 confidant/nights whisper.  Most Tezz lists don't run Petal, but I see it in lists with a lot of 2cc spells.  Seems like T1 nights whisper off the Petal makes up for using the petal.  As long as you didn't have the drain in hand, that seems like a strong play.  Or, maybe it just cycles the petal and nightswhisper for 2 life.  :/

Merchant Scroll definately belongs in the deck.  But it sounds like you don't need convincing of that.

I'd like to hear more about how Jace is working for people.  It seems good in the mirror, but if he's only good there, is he better than Library?

[honestabe]

Lands (15)
3x Polluted Delta
3x Flooded Strand
4x Underground Sea
2x Volcanic Island
1x Island
1x Tolarian Academy
1x Library of Alexandria

Creatures (1)
1x Inkwell Leviathan

Sorceries (12)
1x Time Walk
1x Ponder
1x Tinker
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Merchant Scroll
3x Night's Whisper
3x Duress
1x Yawgmoth's Will

Instants (19)
4x Force of Will
4x Mana Drain
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Brainstorm
1x Gifts Ungiven
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Thirst for Knowledge
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Echoing Truth
1x Hurkyls Recall
1x Red Elemental Blast
1x Fire/Ice

Artifacts (11)
1x Mox Emerald
1x Mox Ruby
1x Mox Pearl
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Mox Jet
1x Black Lotus
1x Time Vault
1x Voltaic Key
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Mana Crypt
1x Sol Ring

Planeswalkers (2)
2x Tezzeret, the Seeker



So here's the new list.  Although I think Impulse is a good, realiable quick card, I feel that intuition is too powerful to be left out, as I've had people scoop upon my casting of it, where I doubt someone would quit if I cast impulse, so unless I find I no longer like it, intuition is in the open spot.  This also increases my blue spell count to 4 forces and 20 other spells, which i beleive should be enough to fuel 4 of the games best counterspell

[honestabe]

Sideboard
2x Smother
1x Hurkyls Recall
2x Pyroblast
1x Red Elemental Blast
2x Tormods Crypt
1x Relic of Progenitus
1x Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
1x Pithing Needle
2x Yixilid Jailer
1x Pyroclasm
1x Rack and Ruin

Ok, so with all the Dark Confidant Tezzeret lists going around, I'm thinking that maybe I should pack a little more creature removal.. Mainly, I'm afraid that I'm going to cast Tezzeret, only to have him killed by a bunch of attacking Confidants (or any creature, really).

To counter this, I'm going to replace the Maindecked intuition with Fire/Ice, and I will cut a Hurklys recall on the board for Pyroclasm.

This leaves me vulnerable to Stax, with only 1 rebuild, 1 hurkyls recall and 1 rack and ruin.

Should I cut pithing needle for another rack and ruin?

[mmcgeach]

question: what do you use smother for that pyroclasm/infest won't kill?  just tarmogoyfs?

[zeus-online]

I honestly don't really dedicate more then 2 slots to shops...Maybe some cross hate like needles or something. But i'm running far more islands then you are, so you might need more then i do.