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Osion

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:50 pm

Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: MD

--- description ---
W/U/G Ravinca Block Constructed - a beatdown control hybrid of the Simic, Azorious, and ...Nephilim?!
--- end description ---

Ha, here is some more material from me, probably sooner than anyone expected (myself included)

The completion of every third set marks each Block Constructed’s maximum potential. The limited pool block has as compared to standard causes it to have a lower power level until all 3 sets have been released, whereapon the cards in the 3rd set can fill in the gaps left behind. This isn’t the case with Ravnica Block however, as three entirely new guilds are printed and older strategies are largely discontinued.

However, this actually opens the set up to new innovation through complete metagame shift. Can a new deck challenge the standard set by Selesnya-Gruul-Boros Zoo builds?

Law of Nature
W/U/G Rav Block Deck

2 Breeding Pool
2 Temple Garden
2 Sacred Fountain
4 Island
4 Plains
4 Forest
2 Simic Growth Chamber
2 Selesnya Sanctuary

4 Azorius Herald
4 Mystral Charger
4 Watchwolf
4 Silhana Ledge-Walker

4 Blessing of the Nephilim
4 Might of the Nephilim
4 Govern the Guildless
4 Compulsive Research
2 Quickchange
4 Repeal

Sideboard

4 Giant Solifuge
4 Sky Hussar
4 Simic Ragworm
3 Ocular Halo

Sideboard Mk. II

4 Glare of Subdual
4 Selesnya Guildmage
4 Veteran Armorer
3 Vision Skeins

The dissention card tags aren’t up yet, so I’ll explain how some cards work.

Mystral Charger 1W
creature- pegasus
2/1 flying

Azorius Herald 2W
creature- spirit
2/1 Unblockable. When Azorious Herald comes into play, you gain 4 life. Sacrifice it unless you used U to pay for it.

Blessing of the Nephilim W
Aura- enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each of its colors

Might of the Nephilim 1G
Instant
Target Creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn for each of its colors

Govern the Guildless 5U
Sorcery
Gain control of target monocolored creature.
Forecast — 1U, Reveal Govern the Guildless from your hand: Target creature becomes the color or colors of your choice until end of turn. (Play this ability only during your upkeep and only once each turn.)

Quick Synopsis

1. Initialy, this looks to be a small creature deck, with efficient (Watchwolf) and evasion (Mystral Charger, Azorious Herald, Silhana Ledge-Walker). These creatures should prevent a quick death from GruulBoros Zoo as well as set up the long-term plan of the deck.

2. Once you establish an evasion creature, use Quickchange or the forecast ability of Govern the Guildless.

3. Cast either Blessing of the Nephilim or Might of the Nephilim. Your evasion creature should now have 6-12 power.

4. The effects of the aura and forecast stay, ready to beat again next turn.

The sideboard has aggression utility in more creatures, as well as a nice little combo good against any slow decks you may face. It is made of the following two cards:

Ocular Halo 3U
Enchantment- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has “Tap: Draw a card.”
W: Enchanted creature gains vigilance until end of turn.

Simic Ragworm 3G
Creature- Wurm
3/3
U: Untap Simic Ragwurm

When both of these cards are in play, you get:

U: Draw a Card (No Drawback)

Last time I checked that was pretty powerful. This should overload your hand with the rest of the "combo pieces"

The Sideboard Mk. II is transformational -- take out your combo pieces and replace them to make a control/Glare fusion.

Matchups: (Since Sideboard Mk. II is more competitive, it was used for testing purposes)

GruulBorosSelesnya Zoo -- The block counterpart isn’t nearly as fast as its standard counterpart, with no access to Kird Ape or Efficient Burn. They will be taking damage early on to fuel their shocklands and really cannot stop Silhana Ledgewalker. Mystral Chargers and Azorious Heralds will seal the deal for you unless they happen upon multiple Lighning Helix. Lifegain from Herald isn’t bad either. Post-board into the Glare variant to take the match.

Glare with Red Splash -- This is a harder matchup. Azorious Herald will be the MVP until they get Glare, by which time Silhana Ledge-Walker will be the only thing active on your side of the board. Board into Glare yourself.

Dimir Mill/Disruption -- Hand disruption is very bad for forecast and your combo pieces. Luckily, they have few ways to deal with an early Azorious Herald. Try to play your opponent - that is, get some good damage through to distract them from the main milling to instead dealing with your creature swarm. Sideboard into more creatures, but not Glare of Subdual.

Rakdos Hellbent -- Um, Vision Skeins, anyone? Just kidding. For this match, do not commit to anything except for 2-3 lands and a Silhana Ledgewalker as to give yourself buffer against their hand disruption. Ledgewalker is untargetable and has flying, so if it comes down turn 2 with any of the nephilim cards in your hand its probably game right there. Sideboard into Glare if your opponent is more creature heavy, but keep the maindeck if he is more burn heavy.

Till Later,
Osion

Osion

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 9:05 pm

Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: MD

Woohoo Dissension Preorders and Card Tags are in!

Excellent job Conor & Cobracards!

La_Sin_Grail

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 5:00 pm

Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 806 Location: Maryland

Cool deck Jason! I like that quickchanging ledewalker thingy. One problem, though...

It seems your deck tends to run on one main creature in any game. Yes, you’ll tend to have a watchwolf etc, but it seems there is one big swinger here. Then, you channel everything into that one card. So, what happens when they swing with four creatures? Burn? (outside ledgewalker)? Hit (including ledgewalker?) It looks like you have some explosive capabilities but it’s inconsistant- any tricks of theirs could really cause a lot of problems.

I don’t think you’re really going to block against Zoo, because you’re playing 16 creatures... so that’s like one to block and one to swing on the game, with perhaps an extra.

I like a lot of the things I see here... it just all seems so fragile. In so many cases, one char or helix will take two cards from you, or sometimes three.

Answers for?:
Helix
Glare of Vitu-Ghazi
Condemn
any damage prevention
counterspells?
Anything that isn’t a very fast creature deck?

Now, granted, I don’t know much about block constructed because it isn’t very widely played, but I think you need just a little more beef... maybe even spell snare? Just seems a little bit like you let the opponent run while you try to whack their face for a lot. And letting them run is almost never a good idea.

Osion

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 6:49 pm

Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: MD

well Grail

1. Regarding channeling everything into one creature and then facing Burn or Hit--

Efficient burn in block -- (Galvanic Arc, Char, Lightning Helix, Seal of Fire) - that is it, and Galvanic Arc and Seal of Fire aren’t instants. Every creature in this deck, with the exception of Watchwolf, has evasion (flying, flying variant, unblockability). The key cards, Might of the Nephilim, and Quickchange, can be played on unblocked attackers. As for burn, there are no responsive burn decks, so any deck running red for burn will most likely have tapped out to play their own threats, like Burning-Tree Shaman or something. It is highly unlikely that burn will be a problem, simply because there is so little of it.

2. Answers for your mentioned cards

--Helix. Really what answer can any deck give to this card? Something takes 3, they gain 3, unless you use massive counterspells there is no answer. It is unwise to not build a deck just because of one problematic card. They kill your attacker, next turn you forecast and attack again. Even in standard, you’re not just going to give up because they nail your Kird Ape or something - just keep playing.

--Glare of Subdual. I often make the mistake of calling this Glare of Vitu-Ghazi as well. I mentioned this in the matchups and reasoned that it was not worth it to put in enchantment destruction for just one problematic card. The matchup is stacked against you, but keep in mind that they have no way to deal with Ledgewalker

--Condemn. What does any creature deck do in the face of efficient removal? Roll over and die? Na, didn’t think so. So your Rumbling Slum got Condemned. Are you going to concede or are you going to try another method to win? Keep in mind that if they condemn a Might of the Nephilimed Creature you’ve just gained about 12 life.

--Any Damage Prevention. Name one competitive constructed deck that used card slots for damage prevention. Didn’t think so.

--Counterspells. Block has about 4 good counters (Voidslime, Convolute, Remand, Spell Snare). yes, this poses a problem for the "combo" but keep in mind that even without the +10/+10 bonus you are still swinging with cheap, efficient creatures.

I don’t think you’re really going to block against Zoo, because you’re playing 16 creatures... so that’s like one to block and one to swing on the game, with perhaps an extra.

Block? Why?

Block Constructed zoo is much slower than its standard counterpart, with lower amounts of burn and tools. Azorius Herald, which gains you 4 life and is a game-winner on its own, should swing the early game to your favor. Zoo has few flying creatures, so charger and ledgewalker get through. Post-board into Glare variant, which massacres zoo because you can evasion swing over whatever isn’t tapped down.

La_Sin_Grail

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 7:31 pm

Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 806 Location: Maryland

Good points mostly, but some of them were kind of... silly at best.

You really think they’ll let might of the nephelim resolve before they cast condemn? Comon, Jason, seriously.

Also, seal of fire basically is instant, so it still applies. And Cackling Flames may become playable, and I know weight of spires isn’t great but it’s playable in almost any constructed format (I guess more standard, but still).

Once again, I’m not familiar with BC decks, which is why I try to stick to cards. I would imagine there’s a few selesnya decks with chant of vitu-ghazi, but I don’t know block constructed.

You said "These creatures should prevent a quick death from GruulBoros Zoo as well as set up the long-term plan of the deck." in your article... and I assume having creatures to stop damage means blocking, but if you have another way of using them, I’ve not seen it.

If they really do counter might and blessing, you know as well as I that you’ll never be able to swing for the win.

Random thought... add transguild courier? You only have two quickchanges and four governs that I see as the only way to multi-color up, and change won’t come back. Also, by using forecast, you give your opponent time to know what you will swing with way ahead of time, tapping out your mana for spells as soon as you have it, leaving little question in their mind.

Osion

Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 10:41 pm

Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: MD

First, on a lighthearted note:

Quote:

I would imagine there’s a few selesnya decks with chant of vitu-ghazi, but I don’t know block constructed.

stop your obsession with Chant of Vitu-Ghazi!!!!!!!

its an okay 2HG trick, I’d imagine, but it is below the constructed playable borderline! You’ve been obsessed with it since March!

Repeat after me:
8-mana responsive damage-preventers are NOT the schizz!

Second, your responses...

Quote:

You really think they’ll let might of the nephelim resolve before they cast condemn? Comon, Jason, seriously.

yes. they will let it resolve.

because condemn can only target attacking creatures

if condemn is feared just play the spell before declare attackers step. (Your creature is unblockable anyway)

Quote:

You said "These creatures should prevent a quick death from GruulBoros Zoo as well as set up the long-term plan of the deck." in your article... and I assume having creatures to stop damage means blocking, but if you have another way of using them, I’ve not seen it.

The creatures i mentioned are Watchwolf, which just trades with a Scab-Clan Mauler or something, and Azorius Herald, which gains you 4 life, effectively a whole turn.

Quote:

If they really do counter might and blessing, you know as well as I that you’ll never be able to swing for the win.

Voidslime is the only viable hard counter. Remand returns the spell to my hand. Between 8 copies of the nephilim spells, there isn’t an established deck powerful enough to counter everything. Within the metagame, most decks are R/G/X anyway

Quote:

Random thought... add transguild courier?

Transguild courier is a bit too slow for my tastes. Ideally this deck wants a turn 2 evader, turn 3 blessing + quickchange or forecast.

A 4 cost Watchwolf that dies to any of the spells you mentioned that will decimate my attackers and has no evasion will not make the cut.

Yes, a turn 5 Transguild Courier that is a 13/13 is good
...but its going to be blocked by a saproling or something.

What I might consider adding though, is Faith’s Fetters.

La_Sin_Grail

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 1:05 pm

Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 806 Location: Maryland

Yeah... I duno I still don’t think in block very well (darn missing mana leaks)

So now I’ve heard you will block against Zoo, then you said you won’t and now you’re saying you will.... I’m completely confused at this point. You planning on blocking or not?

I think you might want to find a way that you can build a little more stability here. I must say I don’t know how, but it looks like you can only win by getting a govern the guildless and almost always as well a ledgewalker. Perhaps you could add something that transmutes for a govern or something... it just seems like a bad hand kills you in one shot.

Another thought... any way to deal with discard? I realize now that Orzhov should be a force in block with things like castigate and I was wondering what you do if they discard your forecaster?

Cleston

Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 2:51 pm

Joined: 10 Aug 2005 Posts: 110 Location: Brasil

it seems you have no win condition besides silhana ledge-walker. azorius herald is easily removed, as well as mistral charger... other than that first card, skyknight legionnaire would do better job.

I also don’t understand where Might of the Nephilim and Blessing of the Nephilim are better than Wildsize, for example. Is it Quickchange? Then you’re relying on too much stuff, when it was better for your deck to deploy more and more threats...

just my 2 cents buddy. other than that, nice article, covers much stuff and explains it all fair.

- "If I die, your deck will crumble!"
Gandalf (any of them)

Cobra

Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 6:58 pm

Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 1202 Location: Austin, TX, USA

When you can create five-color creatures (via Quickchange or the forecast ability of Govern the Guildless), the Nephilim cards are huge.

I do agree that the deck seems a little too combo-intensive, but it’s still a pretty great idea... Cool

http://cobracards.com -- Web's best deals on Trading Card Games.

La_Sin_Grail

Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 10:00 pm

Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 806 Location: Maryland

cleston I think you missed the govern the guildless forecast ability. I still think he needs more than just four repeatable sources of multi-coloring, but that’s just me.

I’m just going to have to disagree about skyknight. He’s playing U/G/W, not red, and a 2/2 flyer for three isn’t worth removing a color for, haste or not.

I agree, it’s a very nice casual bam deck, but I still have trouble seeing this swing for twenty unless you pull a govern and a blessing very, very quickly (swinging on turn four) with an unblockable that doesn’t get removed.

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