One of the main differences between euro events and us events is that europeans have to build their decks to beat the un power and budget decks like rg aggro, fish varients, dark times, madness, etc.
I think this is a conjured stereotype. At the least, it's a really broad statement that isn't supported by data, as I read it. Let's talk about the anecdotal first: Goblins made top 4 of the last Waterbury. Dark Times made top 8 at the Vintage Championship, and, if I recall correctly, one the first NY/PA area tournament of the year. Nick vallas is a constant fixture in the NE. John Donovan made top 8 at Vintage Champs and the ICBM open last year with my GW Beats deck.
Now the non-anecdotal: the largest annual Vintage tournament in north america is non-proxy. That makes it identical to the conditions under which European tournaments are played. As for the European tournaments, we know exactly what proportion of the European touranments are budget or under powered. Go read the Bazaar of Moxen metagame breakdown. You may b e surprised.
Against decks full of small men juggernaut may be correct, however in the us these decks are seen a lot less then tezz decks because of less proxy limitations. So as an american pilot you(we) don't have to fight against the hate decks nearly as much.
Actually, against small men I'd prefer cards *other* than Juggernaut. I don't think that alot of the folks who are coming in here and bashing Juggernaut really understand why I included Juggernaut in Meandeck MUD. I don't think Meadbert really understood the tempo concept, until we have several posts of hashing it out.
Let me put it simply: the main reason I included Juggernaut is that I wanted to run Null Rod. Null Rod appeared to me to be very strong in the US metagame of just a few months ago. Fish has been on the decline, and Oath, Tez, and non-Null Rod Workshop decks have been the top performers. Null Rod is really good against these decks. Ask blue pilots what they are afraid of, and I guarantee it's Null Rod as much if not more than any other single card. If you are the Grand inquisitor or some other high profile blue pilot, Null Rod -- two months ago -- was your bane. Ask people like Paul Mastriano, etc. They'll say Null Rod, if they are being honest. If you were such a player, your response is: well, I'll likely have to destroy it. Read Matt Sperling's article on the subject, too.
I took a comprehensive examination of what people were playing in MUD. I looked at every single Mud list that had made a top 8 since the printing of Golem. Then, I decided to map out the synergies for myself. What cards are maximumly synergistic with Lodestone Golem, I asked? Certainly, Chalice of the Void. But, also, Null Rod. Both cards do the same thing with Golem: they deactivate the artifacts that Golem lets through. In that regard, Null has actually more synergy with Golem than Chalice.
And, in a deck with Null Rods and Golems, how do you build a maximumly synergistic deck? Well, Juggernaut has huge synergy with Null Rod. Turn one Jugg, turn two Sphere + Null Rod is usually enough tempo to win the game That's a big reason why I ran Rod. Meandeck MUD is a series of synergies that were attacking a particularly constituted metagame. Null Rod is a great lock part, but it's even better in a tempo role. The two most recent major printings for Workshops are Golem and Thorn. Both of these synergize more with an Aggro/Tempo role than a Smokestack/Control role.
Now, that doesn't mean that Workshop Aggro is inherently better. that doesn't mean that Juggernaut is inherently optimal. They are metagame decisions. Juggernaut is strong with Null Rod, and Null Rod is stronger in a highly powered environment, especially with lots of great blue pilots. That makes, by its pairing, Juggernaut better in those fields. I realize there are outs, but that's why I designed Meandeck MUD to have answers to those outs: Tangle Wire and Sculpting Steel deal with Tinker targets, etc.
One of the mistakes that Meadbert is making in this thread is making arguments against Null Rod and Juggernaut, seperately, when the two cards, in my mind, are paired. It was a joint decision to run Null Rod and Juggernaut, because of their synergy.
As for Nick being locked into ideas, considering he switched from 5c to mud seems to indicate differently,
I never said Nick was locked into ideas. What I was saying is that he was stating his position with -- imo -- unwarranted certainty. People who express certainty can change their minds, though. People can have a strong opinion, also, without being 'locked.' It can be a form of strong prejudice or bias, without being immovable.
not to mention I know that Nick and some of the long island guys have tested meandeck mud in the last few months.
Honestly and fairly? With a good faith attempt to understand why I built it the way I did? Even trying to learn from it and improve it? To shore up what they may see as weaknesses? Or skeptically and disdainfully? With an negative outlook or prejudice that it was just worse because it didn't run Smokestack or ran 'junk like Juggernaut'?
