Showdown #23: The Doom Challenge

Showdown

Spootyone

21 August 2014

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Hello all and welcome to Showdown, where I pit my current standard build against those submitted by you all, the members of TappedOut. Last time we were together I posed a challenge: Build a deck focusing on using the highly-damaging combo of scuttling doom engine = shrapnel blast. Additionally, I wanted to see how powerful Generator Servant would be both in general and in this build. I got soooo many submissions from you all. You're all freaking awesome. In fact, I got SO many that I simply couldn't choose just one. And so I chose them all. That's right: time to face the Horde. This Showdown will be between me and ALL of you!

In order to compensate for the fact that I needed to play and document nearly 40 games of magic in 2 nights, I decided to do 2 things differently. First, I have not done a turn-by-turn playback for every game. Doing so would not only cause me to have what scientists call a "brain-plosion", but would also mean somewhere between 15 and 20 thousand words to the article...that's way too much for us both. Additionally (and this is something I wish I hadn't needed to do), I didn't sideboard for any of the matchups. I know I stated that every deck needed a sideboard but adding in the time to change every deck for every match and trying to explain the choices each time simply would have had the same effect of it being too much for me to handle. I know some people like APPLE01DOJ specifically made boards for the match. I apologize for not using them. Feel free to test out things for yourself afterwards and post it in the comments below :)

The submitted decks all looked great upon first impressions. I want to thank you all sincerely for being a part of this and hopefully being as interested in the brew as I am. Scuttling Doom Engine is probably my favorite card from M15 and I cannot wait to use him in the future. So without further ado, let's get to the matchups!

CR vs. Generating Serious Doom by redsoxfanky

Fanky (yes, I know it's Fan KY but...to me it's fanky) is off to a great game one with a T3 AND T4 Stormbreath Dragon. Even being on the play was not quick enough for me to lose that one before T5. I was able to decisively win Game 2 by top-decking Banishing Light to use on a kalonian kydra that had just been generated out with Generator Servant. Twas a close one. Game 3 and the match goes out to redsoxfanky! I had to banish another hydra, then attempted to banish a Scuttling Doom Engine but an instant-speed Shrapnel Blast blew him up before I could target him. Another blast blew up my Archangel of Thune and a Xenagos ultimate revealing 2 Stormbreath Dragon to blow up both my Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Garruk, Caller of Beasts left me dead on board. Well done! Great deck! 0-1 in favor of Scuttling Doom Engine decks.

CR vs. The Conclave's Conquerors by fulcrum

Game one was given to me due to me having 2x Archangel of Thune on the field by T5 with a Courser of Kruphix gaining me life every turn. Archangel makes things unfair haha. Game two was a victory for fulcrum as a Generator Servant into a Genesis Hydra revealed a Ghor-Clan Rampager, and then a BTE into Nykthos + Chord of Calling to tutor into play a Scuttling Doom Engine, spelled disaster even though I had an angel and courser on field. Ouch... Game 3 was unfortunately decided my mana screw as fulcrum's deck simply wouldn't cough up a colored land until a mull to 4. That's one match for me. Great deck regardless! We're now even at 1-1.

CR vs. Here comes the doom by RussischerZar

Game 1 was a real arms race, with both of us adding more and more to the board without a real way to break through with attacks. I managed to get an Archangel of Thune out but not before he had all three of his walkers (Xenagos, Nissa and Chandra) on the field and at 7 loyalty a piece. I did not come out alive. I won game 2 with a timely Setessan Tactics taking out 2 of his mana dorks and leaving him backpedaling until death. Game three went to me. While RissischerZar was able to get out plenty of early game mana accelerators, he could not find a threat before I had assembled the best pieces of my deck on the field. It's now 2-1 in my favor. Thanks for the deck RussischerZar! Sidenote: What's the origin of your name...and how do I pronounce it...? haha.

CR vs. GR Artifacts?!?! by Nigeltastic

Nigel's deck had a bad start with a mulligan into a not so great hand. A Juggernaut was able to be generated out, but was quickly snuffed by my Banishing Light, allowing me to follow up with sticking an Ajani, Mentor of Heroes that I rode to victory. Nigel's deck continued to have mana problems in game two, facing the same issue of not getting a hand with colored mana until he was at 4 cards. While he did manage to get out both a Juggernaut and Scuttling Doom Engine, an Archangel of Thune was already winning the game for me. 3-1 in my favor. Thank you for the deck Nigeltastic! I think I'd suggest adding a couple more lands -- probably in place of a couple Life's Legacy.

CR vs. Scuttling Shrapnel by jedc22

Game one was INCREDIBLY CLOSE. I thought I was dead after both a Polukranos and an Archangel ate removal and I stared down both a Desecration Demon and Reaper of the Wilds. However, a lucky Elspeth and Advent of the Wurm allowed me to just barely stabilize. I almost lost later that game as a Goblin Kaboomist and Shrapnel Blast put me to 1... I mulled to 5 in game two, but ended up coming back incredibly strong. However, the Scuttling Doom Engine + Shrapnel Blast combo was more than enough to blow up the large amount of life I had left EVEN AFTER an Archangel of Thune attack for 6. Man... Game three saw me play out 2 Archangel of Thune that died to Doom Blade, 2 Banishing Light take out his threats, and then he stuck a Scuttling Doom Engine and burned me out with the combo again. DED. 3-2 for me now. That combo is sick nasty. One really has to play conservatively to play around it if they desire to. Great deck, jedc22!

CR vs. Dr. Doom and His Generous Servants by TheFanatic

I lost game one to the Scuttle-Blast combo again. I even tried playing around it and just couldn't manage. I can't believe how back-breaking it is to face down 17 potential damage in one turn. Game two was another episode of double-angel-courser bonanza. Unless the opponent can kill both angels, it's always game. It was game. Game three was a real good one, with the board ebbing and flowing like waves. I lost it to a Stormbreath Dragon monstrous combined with a Shrapnel Blast I simply couldn't play around. Damn. That makes is 3-3. Great deck, TheFanatic!

CR vs. N.P.H. Challenge by Scytec

I won game one fairly easily. Nothing special -- I just played creatures and then Ajani and the opposing deck floundered a tiny bit with Genesis Hydras. Game two saw a Chord of Calling into a Deadly Recluse to surprise block an Archangel of Thune, but in the end it was all about the planeswalkers. Ajani and Garruk gave me more than enough advantages to win the game and match. Sorry is wasn't closer, Scytec! I suggest removing a couple Genesis Hydra and adding a couple more threats. I also fear that Mending Touch wouldn't work as you intend for it to (You can't regen a creature that you're sacrificing, if you thought you could). I'm back ahead at 4-3.

CR vs Scuttling Myself to Victory by Casino647

A quickly-generated Scuttles showed up to the game this time, but a top-decked Banishing Light served me well. The Superfriends were assembled and completely took over the game. Game two was about to be much closer, but a Setessan Tactics served as a one-sided board wipe with an Archangel of Thune on field. This obviously ended the game very quickly. Great deck, though, Casino647! Thank you! I might recommend some black removal like Ultimate Price in place of something like Magma Spray. This puts me at 5-3. Look! I made day 2! :P

CR vs. GRRRRR Engine by golffore297

Game one involved my mulliganing away a 6 card hand of 4 lands, Voyaging Satyr and Life's Legacy -- a hand which I maybe should've kept -- and him never seeing another land again. Because this feels scummy on my part, I'll redo game one. The actual game 1 did result in me winning, but mostly on the heels of an Ajani, Mentor of Heroes. In game 2, golffore297 brought out his planeswalkers for some fun, and this followed up by Xenagos, God of Revels, Scuttling Doom Engine, and Soul of New Phyrexia spelled brutal death for me. Game 3 was a great curve out of Sylvan Caryatid into Polukranos into Archangel and with my opponent unable to do much with a hand full of Shrapnel Blast, I took the match. Thanks for the deck, golffore297! I might suggest replacing Yisan and/or Life's Legacy with either Stormbreath Dragon or Polukranos so that you have an earlier threat when needed. The record is now 6-3 -- I've just about clinched victory!

CR vs. Fiery Constructs by Angel_Of_Deathx666

In game 1, Nylea showed up alongside Domri Rade to the battlefield after a Dreadbore took out angel #1, but Ajani, Mentor of Heroes was MVP once more. He pumped up my creatures and found me a replacement angel to guide me to victory. It took me quite a while to win game 2 of this match, and it's unfortunate, too, because the reason it was so easy to do so was because the opposing deck couldn't get a threat out and keep up. Something I'm really finding with these builds is that a lot of them need more threats. and possibly less ramp. Removing some or all of the Springleaf Drums in this deck and replacing them with something like Polukranos, World Eaters or Stormbreath Dragons would be highly valuable. Thanks for the submission, Angel_Of_Deathx666! I've now reached the threshold of being unable to lose overall. The record stands at 7-3 in my favor.

CR vs. Scuttles the Killer by DrLitebur

Game 1 was won on the back of Ajani, Mentor of Heroes...again. I'm starting to get the feeling that Ajani is very good for this matchup, as nearly every game that he hits the field I end up winning or coming very close. If you haven't had the chance to test him out I highly recommend it! Setessan Tactics alongside him has been a really powerful strategy I've been imparting in these games. Game 2 was not so good for me as a Burning-tree onslaught ended in a double-shrapnel blast to my face...ouch. I was beginning to forget how badly that felt. During game 3, I did one of the craziest things I've ever done with this deck. I'd gotten DrLitebur down to 4 and he managed to stabilize with a Shrapnel Blast followed by a Bow of Nylea both pumping his lonely defender and then gaining him life afterwards. All the while I had a Garruk, Caller of Beasts churning through my deck. I had 4 Courser of Kruphix on the field when DrLitebur's deck finally coughed up a Scuttling Doom Engine. with a Shrapnel Blast and 2 Lightning Strikes in hand, I was almost to lethal. But a Garruk ultimate to help me search for an angel followed by a land drop effectively turned into a Overrun with so many life triggers. I won the match after attacking for...a ton. Fantastic match there, DrLitebur. Great build! That makes it 8-3.

CR vs. Spootychallenge by APPLE01DOJ

Where'd you come up with such an awesome title, dude? Haha :P Game one went to me again. It simply came down to starting off with some early aggression using Fleecemane Lion and pulling ahead with a planeswalker (in this case Garruk, Caller of Beasts). Scuttling Doom Engine showed up on my opponent's side, but I had the Banishing Light to take care of it. Mulling to 5 in game 2 was bad for APPLE01DOJ, but the killer was losing his Stormbreath Dragon to a Setessan Tactics and then drawing a dead card: Life's Legacy. Polukranos + Ajani meant death in only 2 turns of attacks. I'm sorry man! I really like the deck though! I'm now 9-3 as of that victory.

Extra Round: Quick Test for The U/R Version

CR vs. The Art of Countering by DrLitebur

I managed to win game one with 3 Fleecemane Lions and aggression after using Banishing Light to take care of a pesky Ensoul Artifact. That card is gross. I also won game 2 thanks in part to banishing an Ensoul Artifact, but a second one on a Darksteel Citadel WITH a haunted plate mail attached nearly spelt defeat. Luckily, Garruk, Caller of Beasts was able to continually fill my board with chump blockers until I could overwhelm by sheer force. GG DrLitebur. Sorry it couldn't have gone better for you. I know from experience in testing on cockatrice that Ensoul Artifact decks are actually quite powerful.

After everything is said and done, I finish with a record of 10-3.

Wow. That was a lot of work but a lot of fun. I thought after the first 6 games that things were going to be down to the wire all the way to the end. I'm not sure what I can say regarding the 7-game streak I had all the way to the end except that perhaps my deck is a little more consistent then these Scuttling Doom Engine brews. That's not even necessarily the fault of the brewers. It could just be that the archetype, itself, isn't much more than a glass cannon. There are a few things worth mentioning that may help those of you who wish to continue with this archetype in the future.

Firstly, there need to be more diverse threats than just Scuttles. I saw some of you went for Stormbreath Dragon, some for Polukranos, World Eater and others for more fringe threats life Soul of New Phyrexia or even Juggernaut. Very often I was left unable to do anything with a build simply because I wasn't drawing any gas. A couple of you decided to add helpful engines like Domri Rade and Xenagos, the Reveler to the mix, and I think that's very smart. I know that the matches where the opponent had access to walkers were the ones that felt most difficult from my standpoint.

Next, let's talk about Life's Legacy. Let's talk about how absolutely horrible the card is in this deck and possibly in general! EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. that I drew it...I immediately said to myself "well, that's terrible here." People are right: If you have a big threat on the board you don't want to kill it just to draw some cards. The real fault, which has been mentioned, is that it is not instant-speed. Shrapnel Blast is so good in these decks because it's so much more flexible and versatile due to the speed at which it can be played. I would honestly recommend every one of you to remove all copies of Life's Legacy form your decks and don't take another look at them until you are playing with Vedalken Orrery on the field. The card sucked.

You know what card IS good? Freaking Banishing Light. How many times did I top-deck that card to save myself from a terrible encounter with a Scuttling Doom Engine? More than I deserved. While it should be no surprise that good removal is good, Banishing Light shone so well in this matchup since it is one of the only ways to remove Scuttles without fearing the repercussions. If Scuttling Doom Engine shows up in the metagame post-rotation, you'd better have those cards in your white deck (even though you totes should anyway).

So, what of the Scuttle-Blast combo then? While it didn't happen nearly as often as I would've hoped (mostly due to the above removal spell), it was absolutely mind-numbingly back-breaking when it did go off. Seriously, people...have you ever taken 17 damage to the face in one turn from two cards in standard? Like...on turn 5 or 6? You can have an opinion on this when you do. It sometimes didn't even matter just how much board presence I had. If I had taken 3 damage from my lands then I was a goner at any point the combo decided to rear its ugly (beautiful) head.

The only other thing I'd like to mention before I finish up here is mana bases. Guys, I know cool lands are cool...but colorless mana is scary. It is very risky to run 4 or more colorless lands in a 2 color deck or more. I know that Darksteel Citadel goes great with Shrapnel Blast, but you have to be very careful when crafting your land base. Don't overdo it. Many of the opposing decks lost due to mana screw and bad mulligans. Don't let yours be one of them in the future.

That's it for me! I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did, and I hope no one feels shafted by the results. Again, I encourage any and all to post their own results in the comments below. Remember, I don't make these to win all the time. I make them to learn and teach and provide valid information whenever I can. So if that means the results were accidentally biased for or against me due to piloting or by coincidence, I want to hear it!

If you'd like to be the next contender in Showdown, please leave your decks linked into the comments below! Be sure to use the "deck-large" option so I don't miss them! Apoptosis will be back next week to take on one of the submissions. I look forward to seeing you all again in 2 weeks to discuss SPOILERS.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Spootyone

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