Hello, and welcome to Torpor Horror!
As the name suggests, our deck is focused on the combo between
Torpor Orb
and Hunted Horror, which can get a 7/7 trampler out as early as turn 3. With the addition of
Hushwing Gryff
and Collective Brutality, the deck has gotten a lot stronger. If you're looking for a flexible, reliable and (somewhat) unique deck, this fits the bill.
Mainboard:
Your win conditions. They are fairly straightforward. Treacherous Pit-Dweller isn't as powerful as Hunted Horror, but can be played safely without a
Torpor Orb
... provided that your opponent lacks removal.
These three cards are the heart of the deck, and without them, the deck wouldn't run.
Torpor Orb
is the most reliable, and if you're sure that your opponent doesn't have any artifact destruction in their hand, be sure to cast it turn two.
Hushwing Gryff
is best saved for when your opponent is tapped out, so that you can play your win cons without worry. Sundial of the Infinite is the slowest of the cards, but offers utility in forcing your opponents to play their instants on their own turn.
The rest of the deck is mostly there to make sure that your opponent can't stop you. Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoughtseize are your turn one plays. Path to Exile is your 'get out of jail free' card, in case your opponent topdecks a Wurmcoil Engine. Although Collective Brutality saps your turn two play, it gives you insane card advantage. By discarding an extra
Torpor Orb
or even another Collective Brutality, you effectively kill two birds with one stone, robbing your opponent of their early game, along with any removal they might have had. Be brutal with the card.
Sideboard
If Path to Exile isn't cutting it, try try again. With the size of the creatures you'll be playing, Languish is practically a four mana Plague Wind. Be sure to sideboard it in against any deck consisting of many small creatures.
This card shuts down any sort of burn deck, and also makes any opposing Inquisition of Kozileks (or the like) dead cards in your opponents hand. If you plan to sideboard it in, go for all four of them. Any extras you end up with can simply be fodder for Collective Brutality.
Against Affinity or Tron, these are a must.
Suppression Field
has the additional bonus of messing with you opponent's fetchlands or planeswalkers. Be sure to side out Sundial of the Infinite if this is the case.
This is for an opposing
Leyline of Sanctity
more than anything else. You need to keep your
Torpor Orb
s safe to be able to win, but you can't Thoughtseize your opponent if they have the Leyline protecting them. Fragmentize also offers additional support when against an Affinity or Tron deck.
Although Dredge is the obvious candidate for this, Grixis Delver and Living End are both in a crunch when dealing with this card. This is only a two-of, as the discard you have should be enough to keep any of the said decks at bay.
Maybeboard
Mostly for Collected Company or Through the Breach. It is a very situational card, but the 'Draw a card' clause helps make up for it, at least.
Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this card. It puts a dent in a deck like Valakut, which is constantly searching for lands, but it also is a land-heavy deck, and will probably be able to afford the two mana necessary to bypass the restriction.
Leyline of Sanctity
additionally makes sure Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle can't target you, so it's really more of a matter of preference.
If you have a certain card that you absolutely despise, feel free to put one or two of these in the sideboard, so long as said card has a CMC higher than three. The fun really begins when you're playing against
Ad Nauseam
; make sure to savor the moment when they see your Leyline out along with a
Nevermore
naming Laboratory Maniac.
This card would be in the sideboard if it weren't for the addition of Stony Silence. If you don't plan to sideboard any Stony Silences, then I would recommend considering this often overlooked card.
Many of your opponents will most likely be confused as to how to react to your deck, and if your opponent is trying hard to predict your plays, be sure to side in one of these. Make sure to hint that you have a secret combo that benefits from your own
Torpor Orb
cancelling your Squadron Hawk's ability for maximum confusion.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is Torpor Horror. If you're on a budget, the deck is hardly scathed, as the most expensive cards in the deck can be easily swapped with cheaper options, e.g. Thoughtseize with Duress. Any feedback you have for the deck would be greatly appreciated, so thank you, and until next time!
