[Deck] Zherbus Control (Keeper 04)

[Tristal]

Interesting.  In other words, the majority of the decks it 'should' be sided in against I don't even see (Very few workshops and even fewer masks here).  Maybe this means I can take them out and add more Red Blasts finally.

[MaxxMatt]

@Damping Matrix.

I thought a lot about adding Matrix EVEN agaisnt Dragon, but I usually use the same strategy Zherbus is using.
I add only StP, BeB, Crypts, Disenchants keeping, Stiffles, and all the other maindeck hate for a simple reason. Usually Dragon pack In a lot o Deed and Verdant against Keeper. So Matrix would be REALLY effective only if I maindecked it for a Metagame Reason. After siding, only the Combo Part of the Dragon Strategy would be touched by D.M., while all the other Reanimating One is totally free of be used in a vey effective way. So, talking about Space, I dind't found useful to add ALL the other hate cards AND D.M. . To side all this things I'm sure that I have to diluite too much the power of Keeper post side.
This is one of the few matchup during which I wish I had up to 8 StP

Against Tog, I fear that D.M. should be used because of "Tempo".
Atog is really effective if, while you are running to fight is better draw engine and his better winner and his better defences, he can submerge you in few turns.
D.M., as CotV some weeks before, let you have the Tempo needed to steal Crucial Turns to this solid opponent. If Atog would act in his near unstoppable ComboMode, so few things could be done to slow him down. In all the other situations, D.M. is the only way to slow the game and let you breath before the possible win.

What do you think?

[Zherbus]

Dragon can still go infinite, which really does you no good.

Tog can win without using Cunning Wish to Berserk, so they'd just as easily Naturalize/Mutation the DM when they are ready to win. Meanwhile, you have wasted a card in the fight to establish a dominant position.

[Grand Inquisitor]

Against Tog, I fear that D.M. should be used because of "Tempo".
Atog is really effective if, while you are running to fight is better draw engine and his better winner and his better defences, he can submerge you in few turns.

From what I can see Damping Matrix doesn't look any better than, say, Swords to Plowshares.  The only difference is Damping Matrix is pro-active (which lets the Hulk player work with better information), and it costs more (which is actually a tempo loss).  And we all know what Hulk players think of Swords to Plowshares.


On a separate note, I noticed in CCarl's article (SSG.com) on control that he runs two Deep Analysis in the sideboard of his Keeper list (which is associated with you and the rest of Team Meandeck).  I was wondering what has changed your mind about this card, or if its just one of Carl's picks.  If the latter, while I know internal disagreements aren't rare, what is Carl's contention for using DA?

[Zherbus]

Actually, it's come and gone. I merely gave it another chance and it did nothing. Each victory over Tog had nothing to do with this card, though a few times it appeared in hand I wish it hadn't. They've been cut needless to say.

(NOTE: Carl ran a list I presented on Meandeck. He mostly just took my word for it and ran it. There really has been no disagreement there.)

As far as Matrix goes - my current build runs Matrix main. GI said it perfectly that against Tog, it's no better than an STP and I agree. I would not side it in with the build listed here, and I would definetly side it out in the build with Matrix maindecked.

[Tristal]

With Matrix main, have you cut Gorilla Shaman?

[Zherbus]

No, I've left one maindecked. The 1 Shaman is working well enough. It seems to be very polite in that it doesn't show up when not wanted and it waits patiently to be tutored up when the time comes.

[CrazyCarl]

On a separate note, I noticed in CCarl's article (SSG.com) on control that he runs two Deep Analysis in the sideboard of his Keeper list (which is associated with you and the rest of Team Meandeck).  I was wondering what has changed your mind about this card, or if its just one of Carl's picks.  If the latter, while I know internal disagreements aren't rare, what is Carl's contention for using DA?

It's no matter of disagreement, I just have a hard on for Deep Analysis which has recently been replaced by Exalted Angel.