[Article]Owen’s a Win – Gush Back in Vintage

[Marske]

http://www.channelfireball.com/home/owens-a-win-gush-back-in-vintage/

As of October 1st, Gush and Frantic Search are no longer restricted in the Vintage format. Now I don’t know how many readers of this website played Vintage when Gush was unrestricted the first time around, but I can tell you from first-hand experience it was pretty degenerate. The first SCG p9 tournament I ever played in was in the Gush era and the top8 was 7 Gush decks and 1 Ichorid; it just dominated tournaments for as long as it was legal and now its back. Now I know you must be thinking, “Why would they unrestricted it, realize it’s too powerful, restrict it again, only to unrestrict it a second time now?”

[TheBrassMan]

Have you messed around with the list enough to know what the shop matchup's like?

[DubDub]

Wow, I almost missed this, thanks.

A nice little read, although I believe the naming convention for Owen's "GAT" list would really be "Tropical Storm", no?

Semantics aside, I hope we do see Gush enabling multiple different decks; GAT, Tropical Storm, Doomsday, Tyrant-Oath, etc. though I'm not sure how well they're stand up against the current crop of Shops decks.  The tools available to Shops pilots are numerous and powerful (and will likely only increase over the course of Scars-block).

I fear his opinion on Frantic Search is correct, that it simply can't impact Vintage play.  It's a card I think is destined to be far more powerful and impactful in Legacy, should it ever be unbanned, since Legacy is tied more closely to the restriction of 'one land - one turn'.  In Legacy it would power up a long-dead deck, Solidarity.

[Troy_Costisick]

Yeah DubDub, it looks much more like a Tropical Storm deck than a Grow-A-Tog deck to me.  I find it interesting, also, that life attrition is becoming a factor in deck design now.  He chooses to use Duress over Thoughtseize because of all the life loss from Fastbond, Fetches, Forces, and black Tutors.  This is why I suggested Imp Seal could come off the B/R List.  Life attrition is becoming very relevant.  It's a nice challenge to have in Vintage.

[Marske]

@Troy,
Just wait untill Maro makes poison relevant in Vintage!!

On-Topic,
I really enjoyed reading the article, Owen asked me to post it here so I did and I couldn't help but read it obv. I do hope we'll see more of his writing!

[Troy_Costisick]

@Troy,
Just wait untill Maro makes poison relevant in Vintage!!

He already did!

Flash Combo- the epic Virulent Sliver kill.  Ah, the Golden Age was amazing.  Poison was relevant in Vintage....

Actually, Marske, it would be fun if MaRo did make Poison somehow relevant in Vintage.  It would take a ton of work, I think.  The wimpy little creatures and spells we've seen so far won't cut it.  But there's two sets to go!

Oh, and I want to thank Owen for writing this article.  It is great to be able to read stuff about my favorite format.  It's great to see people experimenting with Gush again.

Peace,

-Troy

[Marske]

@Troy,
Just wait untill Maro makes poison relevant in Vintage!!

He already did!

Flash Combo- the epic Virulent Sliver kill.  Ah, the Golden Age was amazing.  Poison was relevant in Vintage....

I was around back then (yes I'm old), the Reveillark kill was way better. That being said, that was mostly just flash that was relevant

Actually, Marske, it would be fun if MaRo did make Poison somehow relevant in Vintage.  It would take a ton of work, I think.  The wimpy little creatures and spells we've seen so far won't cut it.  But there's two sets to go!

Actually it would be damn easy, print a spell like this:

Tendrils of Poison 3BB

Target player gains 2 poision counters

Storm.



Or an enchant - Artifact that gives out poision counters when you untap it (Imagine enchanting Time vault with it )

Anyway that's all way off topic. I really liked the Doomsday list which was very close to what I was testing.

[Delha]

Or an enchant - Artifact that gives out poision counters when you untap it (Imagine enchanting Time vault with it )

4x Key + 4x Basalt Monolith + 4x Poison Enchant? Nasty!

[MaximumCDawg]

Or an enchant - Artifact that gives out poision counters when you untap it (Imagine enchanting Time vault with it )

4x Key + 4x Basalt Monolith + 4x Poison Enchant? Nasty!

It's what Relic Bind was supposed to be before Fourth Edition got it's grubby stupid hands on it.  Screw you, I still got my Legends set of Relic Binds and they mean what they say, godnabbit.

[CorwinB]

Or an enchant - Artifact that gives out poision counters when you untap it (Imagine enchanting Time vault with it )

Wouldn't that fit the bill for enchanting Time Vault ? Cost is a bit high, though.

[MaximumCDawg]

Or an enchant - Artifact that gives out poision counters when you untap it (Imagine enchanting Time vault with it )

Wouldn't that fit the bill for enchanting Time Vault ? Cost is a bit high, though.

Well it hurts TV's controller... so it's a reactive answer to Vault as opposed to a proactive win condition... and you could just destroy or exile the Vault for G or W or 1W.... so... no.

[honestabe]

noone cared about relic bane, and that's infinitly more relevant

[BruiZar]

by the time they cast time vault, you dont get a turn to attach the aura. It doesnt have flash

[dangerlinto]

by the time they cast time vault, you dont get a turn to attach the aura. It doesnt have flash

Even if it had flash, I'm pretty sure 9 turns in a row would be more than enough under most circumstances for your opponent to find either an answer or the win.

[OwenTheEnchanter]

Have you messed around with the list enough to know what the shop matchup's like?

Not really, no. But to be completely honest it has never really been a problem for me to make a blue vintage deck that has a good shop matchup, with 3 islands in the maindeck you could just sb a couple Ancient Grudge or something.