Seeking advice on decks to build

[JPoJohnson]

I'm looking into building a vintage deck or two and was wondering if people have some recommendations? I currently own in Legacy:
UWr Miracles (4 JTMS)
UWr Midrange
LED Dredge
TES
Merfolk
Solidarity
2 Bazaar of Baghdad
2 Mana Drain
~Library of Alexandria

At this point i pretty much have a decent URx Landstill deck put together and am close to finishing a cage breaker dredge. I'm looking to not spend more than 2K on the rest of cards that I'm obtaining and was wondering if those with more insight into vintage had any recommendations? Is cage breaker dredge still visible with all the hate designed for it? Is there a competitive option I can work towards that I haven't considered (not a fan of white trash). Any recommendations or aid/advice is extremely appreciated (:

[msg67183]

I'm looking into building a vintage deck or two and was wondering if people have some recommendations? I currently own in Legacy:
UWr Miracles (4 JTMS)
UWr Midrange
LED Dredge
TES
Merfolk
Solidarity
2 Bazaar of Baghdad
2 Mana Drain
~Library of Alexandria

At this point i pretty much have a decent URx Landstill deck put together and am close to finishing a cage breaker dredge. I'm looking to not spend more than 2K on the rest of cards that I'm obtaining and was wondering if those with more insight into vintage had any recommendations? Is cage breaker dredge still visible with all the hate designed for it? Is there a competitive option I can work towards that I haven't considered (not a fan of white trash). Any recommendations or aid/advice is extremely appreciated (:

Merfolk is a fairly competetive Vintage deck. I wrote a primer on it it can be found in the "Null Rod Based Aggro" thread.

UW decks are growing in popularity lately whether they be control or aggro control.

Landstill seems to have fallen out of favor for some reason, probably from all the creature decks running around.

Anyways I wish you luck. Where do you play, or where will you be playing vintage?

[Demagoguery]

Vintage is a weird thing to get into, but the first question we should all ask is, what deck do you like to play? Let's say money wasn't a concern, what deck would you like to build?

[AmbivalentDuck]

Doomsday. Just the usual blue staples, but not all of the moxen. It's very reliant on its Lotus, though. Probably one of the most fun decks to play.

[JPoJohnson]

I'm looking into building a vintage deck or two and was wondering if people have some recommendations? I currently own in Legacy:
UWr Miracles (4 JTMS)
UWr Midrange
LED Dredge
TES
Merfolk
Solidarity
2 Bazaar of Baghdad
2 Mana Drain
~Library of Alexandria

At this point i pretty much have a decent URx Landstill deck put together and am close to finishing a cage breaker dredge. I'm looking to not spend more than 2K on the rest of cards that I'm obtaining and was wondering if those with more insight into vintage had any recommendations? Is cage breaker dredge still visible with all the hate designed for it? Is there a competitive option I can work towards that I haven't considered (not a fan of white trash). Any recommendations or aid/advice is extremely appreciated (:

Merfolk is a fairly competetive Vintage deck. I wrote a primer on it it can be found in the "Null Rod Based Aggro" thread.

UW decks are growing in popularity lately whether they be control or aggro control.

Landstill seems to have fallen out of favor for some reason, probably from all the creature decks running around.

Anyways I wish you luck. Where do you play, or where will you be playing vintage?

Yup, I left out that I have a built un-powered vintage Merfolk deck since it's pretty dang close to the legacy build anyways (:

I'm currently living in Utah (has no magic here, help haha!), but I'll be moving within the year out towards the east (chicago, Texas, St. Louis or new york... depends on which pharmacy school I go to). I have been talking with a few people about the landstill deck and aggro being popular and that's why I have the black splash for toxic deluge in the sideboard as well as 3 E.E. in the mainboard.

Vintage is a weird thing to get into, but the first question we should all ask is, what deck do you like to play? Let's say money wasn't a concern, what deck would you like to build?

If money wasn't an issue I would probably build:
1. TPS (but this one can't really go budget)
2. Merfolk (I already have an unpowered version built and am passively looking for some power pieces for great deals)
3. Snapcaster Control (I love control decks and that's why I have built URx landstill. I wanted a deck that could be a powerful unpowered deck for either the challenge or to go for the unpowered prize at tournaments at some point (since some people include Bazaar in their 'powered' qualifications).
4. I really like dredge, I'm just not sure how well it's able to dodge the hate. I see it place from time to time and place in quite a few events, but every deck that is played in vintage seems to pack a massive amount of hate and I'm not sure it would be fun to play against regardless of how powerful dredge is.

[MrGlantz]

Every single vintage tournament in the states I have ever heard of aside from eternal weekend allows proxies (usually around 10) so I highly suggest building whatever is most fun for you.

You'll get there eventually with power if you stick at it.

[msg67183]

I'm looking into building a vintage deck or two and was wondering if people have some recommendations? I currently own in Legacy:
UWr Miracles (4 JTMS)
UWr Midrange
LED Dredge
TES
Merfolk
Solidarity
2 Bazaar of Baghdad
2 Mana Drain
~Library of Alexandria

At this point i pretty much have a decent URx Landstill deck put together and am close to finishing a cage breaker dredge. I'm looking to not spend more than 2K on the rest of cards that I'm obtaining and was wondering if those with more insight into vintage had any recommendations? Is cage breaker dredge still visible with all the hate designed for it? Is there a competitive option I can work towards that I haven't considered (not a fan of white trash). Any recommendations or aid/advice is extremely appreciated (:

Merfolk is a fairly competetive Vintage deck. I wrote a primer on it it can be found in the "Null Rod Based Aggro" thread.

UW decks are growing in popularity lately whether they be control or aggro control.

Landstill seems to have fallen out of favor for some reason, probably from all the creature decks running around.

Anyways I wish you luck. Where do you play, or where will you be playing vintage?

Yup, I left out that I have a built un-powered vintage Merfolk deck since it's pretty dang close to the legacy build anyways (:

I'm currently living in Utah (has no magic here, help haha!), but I'll be moving within the year out towards the east (chicago, Texas, St. Louis or new york... depends on which pharmacy school I go to). I have been talking with a few people about the landstill deck and aggro being popular and that's why I have the black splash for toxic deluge in the sideboard as well as 3 E.E. in the mainboard.

Vintage is a weird thing to get into, but the first question we should all ask is, what deck do you like to play? Let's say money wasn't a concern, what deck would you like to build?

If money wasn't an issue I would probably build:
1. TPS (but this one can't really go budget)
2. Merfolk (I already have an unpowered version built and am passively looking for some power pieces for great deals)
3. Snapcaster Control (I love control decks and that's why I have built URx landstill. I wanted a deck that could be a powerful unpowered deck for either the challenge or to go for the unpowered prize at tournaments at some point (since some people include Bazaar in their 'powered' qualifications).
4. I really like dredge, I'm just not sure how well it's able to dodge the hate. I see it place from time to time and place in quite a few events, but every deck that is played in vintage seems to pack a massive amount of hate and I'm not sure it would be fun to play against regardless of how powerful dredge is.

I used to play Dredge and I will say it's frustrating lol. I wouldnt recommend it but that's just personal preference. If I may ask, have you read my primer? What were your thoughts? Do you have any questions?

[JPoJohnson]

Every single vintage tournament in the states I have ever heard of aside from eternal weekend allows proxies (usually around 10) so I highly suggest building whatever is most fun for you.

You'll get there eventually with power if you stick at it.

I realize most tournaments allow proxies. I'm just personally not wanting to have decks that run them. I dislike it. Worst case scenario, I would add the small handful of proxies I would need to my Landstill deck to make it powered.

I used to play Dredge and I will say it's frustrating lol. I wouldnt recommend it but that's just personal preference. If I may ask, have you read my primer? What were your thoughts? Do you have any questions?

Are you referring to unpowered merfolks?

[msg67183]

Every single vintage tournament in the states I have ever heard of aside from eternal weekend allows proxies (usually around 10) so I highly suggest building whatever is most fun for you.

You'll get there eventually with power if you stick at it.

I realize most tournaments allow proxies. I'm just personally not wanting to have decks that run them. I dislike it. Worst case scenario, I would add the small handful of proxies I would need to my Landstill deck to make it powered.

I used to play Dredge and I will say it's frustrating lol. I wouldnt recommend it but that's just personal preference. If I may ask, have you read my primer? What were your thoughts? Do you have any questions?

Are you referring to unpowered merfolks?

Yes I am, I refer to them as "Blue Demons"

[JPoJohnson]

Every single vintage tournament in the states I have ever heard of aside from eternal weekend allows proxies (usually around 10) so I highly suggest building whatever is most fun for you.

You'll get there eventually with power if you stick at it.

I realize most tournaments allow proxies. I'm just personally not wanting to have decks that run them. I dislike it. Worst case scenario, I would add the small handful of proxies I would need to my Landstill deck to make it powered.

I used to play Dredge and I will say it's frustrating lol. I wouldnt recommend it but that's just personal preference. If I may ask, have you read my primer? What were your thoughts? Do you have any questions?

Are you referring to unpowered merfolks?

Yes I am, I refer to them as "Blue Demons"

Since the deck, financially, is almost identical to the Legacy counterpart... I indeed have the unpowered deck built as well but haven't tested it in the vintage meta although I think it would do ok at local-esque events for sure. I would just love to have several different decks that I could play with and switch around to and, when I finally own a few pieces of power, would be able to slowly improve as time went on (:

[msg67183]

Every single vintage tournament in the states I have ever heard of aside from eternal weekend allows proxies (usually around 10) so I highly suggest building whatever is most fun for you.

You'll get there eventually with power if you stick at it.

I realize most tournaments allow proxies. I'm just personally not wanting to have decks that run them. I dislike it. Worst case scenario, I would add the small handful of proxies I would need to my Landstill deck to make it powered.

I used to play Dredge and I will say it's frustrating lol. I wouldnt recommend it but that's just personal preference. If I may ask, have you read my primer? What were your thoughts? Do you have any questions?

Are you referring to unpowered merfolks?

Yes I am, I refer to them as "Blue Demons"

Since the deck, financially, is almost identical to the Legacy counterpart... I indeed have the unpowered deck built as well but haven't tested it in the vintage meta although I think it would do ok at local-esque events for sure. I would just love to have several different decks that I could play with and switch around to and, when I finally own a few pieces of power, would be able to slowly improve as time went on (:

Take a look at my primer. I go into detail about my list, sideboard options, plans, alternative cards, cards to watch out for, etc. I think you will enjoy it.

[JPoJohnson]

So what did you end up finding so frustrating with dredge when you did play it in the past?

[msg67183]

losing to opponents that played no hate and still managed to win. and it wasn't a fast kill either it was a humans deck, that was the final match I played with the deck, lost 0-2.

[AmbivalentDuck]

So what did you end up finding so frustrating with dredge when you did play it in the past?

It's not even so much frustrating as not actually fun. You mull. They mull. Lots of shuffling, not so much playing.

[JPoJohnson]

So what did you end up finding so frustrating with dredge when you did play it in the past?

It's not even so much frustrating as not actually fun. You mull. They mull. Lots of shuffling, not so much playing.

I can understand this aspect of the deck. But the punchline that I'm really curious to chase up on (since I currently have both unpowered URx Landstill and Merfolk) is if the deck is still powerful. It can still take matches even through the current plethora of hate that is abundant.

[Demagoguery]

If money wasn't an issue I would probably build:
1. TPS (but this one can't really go budget)
2. Merfolk (I already have an unpowered version built and am passively looking for some power pieces for great deals)
3. Snapcaster Control (I love control decks and that's why I have built URx landstill. I wanted a deck that could be a powerful unpowered deck for either the challenge or to go for the unpowered prize at tournaments at some point (since some people include Bazaar in their 'powered' qualifications).
4. I really like dredge, I'm just not sure how well it's able to dodge the hate. I see it place from time to time and place in quite a few events, but every deck that is played in vintage seems to pack a massive amount of hate and I'm not sure it would be fun to play against regardless of how powerful dredge is.

So here's the thing, you own a lot of the Fetches and duals at this point, and a pile of the cards that are good in TPS aren't really that expensive (Wheel, Yawg, Sol Ring, Demonic, etc). The thing is that most Vintage events offer 10-15 proxies, so the 5 moxen, Lotus, Crypt, Imperial Seal, Recall, Twister, and Grim Tutor you can proxy up.

While you acquire these cards to play TPS, you can basically set a focus on picked up Sapphire, Recall, Lotus, and Time Walk, so that you can basically play Merfolk in non-proxied events. If you're planning to do such, set a primary focus on Walk and Ancestral, since the Lotus is nice but doesn't give you as much of a boom as the other two, and Moxen is much weaker since it has some counter synergy with things like Null Rod and can be hurt by Revoker/Chalice.

Once you get those four, you can work on picking up the other cards you need for your TPS deck so you can play some sanctioned Vintage. Additionally it's a lot easier to audible into other decks once you have those four, since you can pick up a Ruby/Emerald/Jet and safely play a Delver or BUG list... Even Snapcaster control is realistically playable at that point.

[brianpk80]

losing to opponents that played no hate and still managed to win. and it wasn't a fast kill either it was a humans deck, that was the final match I played with the deck, lost 0-2.

Was that Bomberman?   

[msg67183]

losing to opponents that played no hate and still managed to win. and it wasn't a fast kill either it was a humans deck, that was the final match I played with the deck, lost 0-2.

Was that Bomberman?   

You are funny Brian, that day was bad for me... I think that was my worst vintage event ever.

No I was referring to Dredge.

[AmbivalentDuck]

So what did you end up finding so frustrating with dredge when you did play it in the past?

It's not even so much frustrating as not actually fun. You mull. They mull. Lots of shuffling, not so much playing.

I can understand this aspect of the deck. But the punchline that I'm really curious to chase up on (since I currently have both unpowered URx Landstill and Merfolk) is if the deck is still powerful. It can still take matches even through the current plethora of hate that is abundant.

Compact answer: yes. Stinkweed Imp finds its way into plenty of top8s.

[JPoJohnson]

If money wasn't an issue I would probably build:
1. TPS (but this one can't really go budget)
2. Merfolk (I already have an unpowered version built and am passively looking for some power pieces for great deals)
3. Snapcaster Control (I love control decks and that's why I have built URx landstill. I wanted a deck that could be a powerful unpowered deck for either the challenge or to go for the unpowered prize at tournaments at some point (since some people include Bazaar in their 'powered' qualifications).
4. I really like dredge, I'm just not sure how well it's able to dodge the hate. I see it place from time to time and place in quite a few events, but every deck that is played in vintage seems to pack a massive amount of hate and I'm not sure it would be fun to play against regardless of how powerful dredge is.

So here's the thing, you own a lot of the Fetches and duals at this point, and a pile of the cards that are good in TPS aren't really that expensive (Wheel, Yawg, Sol Ring, Demonic, etc). The thing is that most Vintage events offer 10-15 proxies, so the 5 moxen, Lotus, Crypt, Imperial Seal, Recall, Twister, and Grim Tutor you can proxy up.

While you acquire these cards to play TPS, you can basically set a focus on picked up Sapphire, Recall, Lotus, and Time Walk, so that you can basically play Merfolk in non-proxied events. If you're planning to do such, set a primary focus on Walk and Ancestral, since the Lotus is nice but doesn't give you as much of a boom as the other two, and Moxen is much weaker since it has some counter synergy with things like Null Rod and can be hurt by Revoker/Chalice.

Once you get those four, you can work on picking up the other cards you need for your TPS deck so you can play some sanctioned Vintage. Additionally it's a lot easier to audible into other decks once you have those four, since you can pick up a Ruby/Emerald/Jet and safely play a Delver or BUG list... Even Snapcaster control is realistically playable at that point.

That's true. I plan on picking up at least:
1. Time Walk
2. Ancestral Recall
3. Black Lotus
4. Mox Sapphire
at some point since it could go into 3 different decks that I will have built at this point (Merfolk/UR Tempo/URx Landstill). I suppose the next one to pick up after those four (if I do) would be a mox ruby?

I'm not wanting to build every deck ever in vintage, just a few of my favourite types. But, I'm not basing it on the power I will be getting, but what I currently have and can be competitive with. Because of that, I'm probably planning on:
1. URx Landstill (Have essentially an optimal unpowered list at this point and can proxy the 4-5 proxies at essentially any non-sanctioned Vintage event)
2. Merfolk (Similar to URx Landstill have the optimal unpowered list and can proxy the 4 missing cards at non-sanctioned events)
3. Dredge (This is the one I'm unsure about since it's the format boogieman and EVERYONE builds their deck to have a lot of hate against it. I already have 1-2 Bazaars (depending on a trade this next week) so I figured I might as well finish it since it would be optimal for only $600. Still working out whether I should or not though like I said).
3. UR Tempo (Might as build something like smmenen built recently since it's a different speed and more legacy-like in it's playstyle which I'm extremely comfortable with and I would already have all the cards for it).