[Free Article] Vintage Double-Shot

[voltron00x]

This week's article is 5,000 words of Vintage tournament reports & analysis, including a Finals split with Oath on 9/12, and a near-miss with Elves on 10/3:

http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/vintage/18136_The_Long_Winding_Road_Vintage_DoubleShot.html

[Troy_Costisick]

Thanks for writing about Elf combo.  I've been messing around with it lately.  I was wondering if you have tried any of the following cards:

Elvish Harbinger
Banefire
Fierce Empath
Wirewood Herald

I've been doing some interesting things with them.  I was wondering what you might think.

Peace,

-Troy

[voltron00x]

Thanks for writing about Elf combo.  I've been messing around with it lately.  I was wondering if you have tried any of the following cards:

Elvish Harbinger
Banefire
Fierce Empath
Wirewood Herald

I've been doing some interesting things with them.  I was wondering what you might think.

Peace,

-Troy

Elvish Harbinger is too slow IMO and can't tutor up some of the cards you'd want ot find, like Regal Force or E. Witness.

I tried Banefire, but I like Grapeshot better, because it doesn't require you to build up an obscene mana count to win.

Wirewood Herald is interesting with Skullclamp, but I'm not sure how it would fit in.

Fierce Empath is kind of interesting since it lets you tutor up Regal Force, but again, what would you cut?

Hivemaster is another card I've considered, b/c it gives you extra tokens to clamp and can sometimes really speed up your aggro clock; its also very good against decks like Fish or Shops.  I just haven't found any room... the list is pretty tight.

[Smmenen]

nice reports!

[DubDub]

In round one with Elves you mention boarding out Fastbond, and then that hitting it mid-combo in game two allowed you to successfully finish.  I assume there's a slight error on one end there.

I enjoyed the reports, thanks.

[voltron00x]

In round one with Elves you mention boarding out Fastbond, and then that hitting it mid-combo in game two allowed you to successfully finish.  I assume there's a slight error on one end there.

I enjoyed the reports, thanks.

You're right, I believe I took out three Symbiotes and left the Fastbond in.

[Beralt]

I feel like a broken record about Banefire, but just making sure this gets said Banefire can be Misdirected and now it can be Mindbreak Trap-ed.  Kaervek's Torch is usually superior in just about all instances.  But I prefer the Grapeshot, which allows you to Grapeshot a Meddling Mage then regrow it with Eternal Witness - Mindbreak Trap lurks in the background now.

Curious about other cards you might have considered.

Time Walk spashing a Tropical. A single attack phase can mean a lot.
Horizon Canopy for a bit of alternative card draw.
White would give you access to Orim's Chant and black would give you access to Thoughtseize/Cabal Therapy.

This is even crazier and another type of deck altogether but Second Sunrise is probably just a win more card, and it costs WW.

Words of Waste could help clear the way, but Thoughtseize just seems more useful - course it does stop you from decking if you have the mana.  All the Words are semi-useful in this respect.

[voltron00x]

I feel like a broken record about Banefire, but just making sure this gets said Banefire can be Misdirected and now it can be Mindbreak Trap-ed.  Kaervek's Torch is usually superior in just about all instances.  But I prefer the Grapeshot, which allows you to Grapeshot a Meddling Mage then regrow it with Eternal Witness - Mindbreak Trap lurks in the background now.

Curious about other cards you might have considered.

Time Walk spashing a Tropical. A single attack phase can mean a lot.
Horizon Canopy for a bit of alternative card draw.
White would give you access to Orim's Chant and black would give you access to Thoughtseize/Cabal Therapy.

This is even crazier and another type of deck altogether but Second Sunrise is probably just a win more card, and it costs WW.

Words of Waste could help clear the way, but Thoughtseize just seems more useful - course it does stop you from decking if you have the mana.  All the Words are semi-useful in this respect.

I tried Horizon Canopy but hated it.  You can't protect it from Wasteland with Quirion Ranger, and there were times when I fizzled because I had no forest to bounce with a Ranger.  B/C you have a secondary draw engine in Clamp, you don't need the weaker draw spells from Extended (Visionary, Canopy).

I've definitely considered the Time Walk - not only is it another win condition but its a powerful early game accelerant.  I don't think blue adds much to the sideboard, though, whereas Black adds discard and removal, and red can add Grudge.

[Womba]

Sorry if I had sloppy play in the last round. We weren't playing for much and you should have probably won 2-0 due to the hand I kept game one, but I love the deck you had and hopefully we will be playing something this weekend...

[voltron00x]

Sorry if I had sloppy play in the last round. We weren't playing for much and you should have probably won 2-0 due to the hand I kept game one, but I love the deck you had and hopefully we will be playing something this weekend...

I think we both played sloppily.  I more or less punted Game 1.  I drew Pact and went for Wirewood Symbiote based on the mana I had when I drew it, but I didnt need to play it when I did.  I should've maxed out the resources I had and then played it.  I could've fetched Eternal Witness, brought back Skullclamp, and clamped off the Symbiotes and that should've been enough to win.

Anyway I will probably see you on Saturday, hopefully we can play a match with more at stake...

[gamegeek2]

I realize that Natural Order may be too slow, but it acts as a tinker for any creature in your deck, including Regal Force, and you can put in Progenitus for a fast clock as well.