UMA Updates 01

xXW1nterFreshXx, 6 years ago

I have replaced Desecrated Tomb with Prowling Serpopard

I have added the following cards to the Maybeboard and would like help either choosing to add them by replacing "X" card or just confirming that it isn't needed in the final deck.

• Phyrexian Tower
• Demonic TutorGC
• Glen Elendra Archmage
• Golgari Grave-Troll
• Forgotten Creation
• Dakmor Salvage
• Ancient TombGC
• Buried Alive

Fixed Early Game Issues

FenrisBurgess, 6 years ago

First Modern Magic

mooseman077, 6 years ago

Note

OneManaBoi, 6 years ago

Update 1 - Deck Majorly Tuned

SynergyBuild, 6 years ago

With the deck that I, SynergyBuild, and my internet friends DangoDaikazoku&IAmTheWraith have tested and tested endlessly over the last couple weeks, I have refined the capabilities of the deck, particularly in winning in such a method that gets around our own stax and hate, while making our stax gameplan more oppressive, and adding minimal dead combo cards.

In fact, below in the combo in question:

Requirements on field: Tezzeret the Seeker, Aminatou, the Fateshifter

Requirements in deck or on field: Basalt Monolith, Rings of Brighthearth, Goblin Cannon

Use Tezzeret's -3 to fetch a Rings of Brighthearth, -1 Aminatou targeting Tezzeret, then -4 Tezzeret, copying the ability with Rings to fetch Basalt Monolith&Goblin Cannon, use Monolith&Rings to make infinite mana, stack infinite Cannon triggers killing each opponent.

It is easy to remember, really only needs one card other than the commander to go off, and gets around every stax and hate piece we run.

The rest of the deck has been updated to run a lot more tutors and otherwise versatile cards, particularly to fight the current cEDH metagame, these cards are aimed at being useful in any situation, while being incredible in a few particular ones. Take Spellseeker for example, while on occasion, we have Torpor Orb or HumilityGC, often it acts as a tutor for removal, countermagic, or another tutor to start a chain, and can be flickered with Aminatou, the Fateshifter's -1 to get another card. This is a very powerful effect to repeat, gaining repeated value that wins games. The same is true for Trinket Mage, despite them tutoring different cards.

Muddle the Mixture instead is great as a tutor or countermagic spell, somewhere inbetween Counterspell and Grim Tutor. A lot of versatility there.

Other changes were relatively minute, such as running Chalice of the Void against many decks of stagnant CMC, and can be flickered to be set to 0 cmc if we really need to cast a spell that would otherwise be countered.

Pre-DOMinaria Standard build and description

Lathiel, 6 years ago

List has been updated, but description below has not.

22/23 lands I believe is the correct number for this curve. 21 is risky, 23 is looking a tad better. I will refer you to this article about land count. PV has just written an article about Merfolk, and happens to share a lot opinions with me about certain cards, read it here.

Tempo is the gameplan. Tempest Caller is the win con, which is MUCH better than Herald of Secret Streams, which can be dealt with easier. Chip away at their life with Mist-Cloaked Herald, and Siren Stormtamer (which can later be used to protect your fatties and Kumena from removal). Flood the board with Merfolk (hold some back if you suspect a board wipe, only deploy enough for lethal), and then drop a Tempest Caller for the win. If your local meta is control heavy, you will need to add at least 2x Spell Pierce to your MB.

A lot of people misunderstand the term "Tempo". Tempo means you advance your gameplan each turn, and hinder your opponent each turn, often by setting them back a turn. It is NOT a control strategy, which tries to stop the opponent doing anything, and permanently deals with threats. Tempo wants to use it's mana efficiently each turn, using it to deploy threats or develop the board, and only leave up a small amount to deal with the opponents turn. 1 mana spells are the best example of tempo cards. They often only set back an opponent, not stop them. The idea is that you can reach lethal before the opponent and end the game before them.

Unsummon > Crashing Tide
Blossoming Defense and Siren Stormtamer > Swift Warden
Metallic Mimic > Jadelight Ranger
Spell Pierce, situationally, can be better than Negate
Naturalize > Slice in Twain and Appetite for the Unnatural
Perilous Voyage is just more diverse bounce, but especially for Planeswalkers.

The core cards of the deck that I do not recommend changing are:
22 lands (if you up the count of 3-4cmc cards, go to 23 lands)
4x Silvergill Adept
4x Deeproot Elite
4x Merfolk Mistbinder
4x Metallic Mimic (some lists have 0, I think they are wrong)
4x Kumena's Speaker
3-4x Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
2-4x Mist-Cloaked Herald
2-4x Jade Bearer (I trim this number in favour of Stormtamers)
0/2x Tempest Caller (I believe this is our "gotcha" win card)

Cards that I believe are good in certain combinations and different gameplans, but not necessarily core:
1-2x Kopala, Warden of Waves (excellent against spot removal, and makes Spell Pierce better)
1-2x Siren Stormtamer (explained below)
0-4x Deeproot Waters (floods the board with tokens, triggers Deeproot Elite)
2-3x Spell Pierce (across your 75)
2-3x Negate (essential for control match ups)
2-4x Unsummon (explained below)
0-2x Blossoming Defense (more spot removal protection, and a great combat trick)
2-4x Jungleborn Pioneer (works VERY well with Elite and Mistbinder)
0/4x Merfolk Branchwalker (the jury still out on this one, lots of 2 drops already)

Cards I do not think are quite good enough, or don't fit my gameplan:
Jadelight Ranger (this is better in a midrange strategy)
Swift Warden (easy to predict, don't like holding 3 mana open when you should be playing creatures)
Vineshaper Mystic (a 1/3 that puts out counters, when Jungleborn Pioneer is the same cost but has better synergy)
Crashing Tide (again, don't like holding 3 mana open when an Unsummon is easier to work with)
Seafloor Oracle (there are plenty of other draw sources, but might be good for longer, midrange games)
Herald of Secret Streams (Tempest Caller just does it so much better in every sense)

Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca can be used in multiple ways. He can be used as a clock by going unblockable each turn, and stacking your +1/+1 counters on him (but usually, it's better to stack your +1/+1 counters on a Mist-Cloaked Herald, since your opp will likely want to remove Kumena. Or if you suspect spot removal, distribute evenly). He can be used to draw more gas, or draw into a Tempest Caller. And he can be used to pump the team up, which is the least useful, since you want to win with Tempest Caller, or unblockable damage. Most of the time, you will activate the draw/pump at opponent's EOT.

Siren Stormtamer gets the nod from me since it's 1 drop to fill that slot, early damage with evasion, and the best bit; it protects your threats without being able to be countered easily! It even stops Settle the Wreckage! Now that's gotta score big points! The downsides; it's not a merfolk... I believe it's worth running 2, and cutting a Spell Pierce.

Sideboard games tend to be longer, grindy, and attrition based, and as such, I have designed the SB with that in mind. Game 1 should be a race to put as much power on the board as possible, and swing for lethal. Against control (and aggro to a degree) you might side out Tempest Callers and Mist-Cloaked Heralds, and bring in your counterspells, and Nissa vs control. Against midrange you might side out Jade Bearers, Stormtamers, and bring in Unsummons and Perilous Voyages.

Sideboard explanation:
Deathgorge Scavenger is for graveyard strategies. Nissa powers out creatures very easily, since most of the deck is <3cmc.
Unsummon deals with Glorybringers, Hazoret, Scarab God and eternalized tokens.
Spell Pierce and Negate for the board wipes and planeswalkers.
Naturalize is your anti artifact/enchantment.
Perilous Voyage is a catch-all, with a potential upside. This is more of a flex slot. Life Goes On is for your aggro matchups.

If God-Pharaoh's Gift becomes a BIG problem, consider Sentinel Totem or Scavenger Grounds.
If Approach of the Second Sun becomes a problem, consider more Negates.

Update two!

JustCallMeVince, 6 years ago

===accordion ===panel: Added/Removed Cards Added

• Whir of Invention

• Gilded Lotus

• Thran Dynamo

Removed

• Plains

• Hanna, Ship's Navigator

• Basalt Monolith ===endpanel ===endaccordion

+Cavern of Souls, -Ancient Ziggurat

dlyu, 6 years ago

Added More Library Search

FenrisBurgess, 6 years ago

None

lordwes, 6 years ago

V.2

wegotdahooch, 6 years ago

In = Nimbus Swimmer, Stormtide Leviathan, Recross the Paths, Unexpected Results, Kiora, Master of the Depths

Out = Lorthos, the Tidemaker, Striped Riverwinder, Nature's Spiral, Trygon Predator, 1 Island

Sneaky, snakey changes

seshiro_of_the_orochi, 6 years ago

I finally found a second Ramunap Hydra , so adding the two copies and some deserts doesn't feel weird anymore. For the deserts, I went with two Desert of the Indomitable and four Ipnu Rivulet.

I also went through my collection and found Open Into Wonder, which I obviously have never read before. When the reaction to a card is "WHAT does it do?", it's usually not a bad sign. This is a powerful uncommon which will be tested for now.

Useful Non-Rares

Apollo_Paladin, 6 years ago

Guilds of Ravnica

Jarebear97, 6 years ago

Power Update

Zelda_MTG, 6 years ago

I said screw the budget, and added as much speed to the deck as I reasonably could.

Added Metalworker in place of Jhoira's Familiar, it's likely insane in this deck.

Added Sword of Feast and Famine, and just removed Wayfarer's Bauble. The Bauble is slow and I won't miss it.

The best ramp possible was added, Mana Crypt, Mox Opal, Mox DiamondGC, and Mana VaultGC. Strict upgrades over Cultivator's Caravan, Thought Vessel, Mind Stone, and with the mana curve being even lower, can cut to 29 lands. Petrified Field has been the least useful land, so an easy cut.

Auriok Steelshaper has only really been good when I have Paradise Mantle on the field, I just added Sensei's Divining Top for now. I'm not convinced I have enough shuffle effects to make the top work well, so this will likely be replaced with Umezawa's Jitte, the last equipment I really wanted for this deck. Will update the list when I get the card.

Replaced Kalonian Tuskers

TreeGobo, 6 years ago

None

Hexfly, 6 years ago

2nd FNM (12/14/18)

Liquidbeaver, 6 years ago

Took the newest version of the deck to FNM, and did much better.

1st Round - BW Control (1-1-Concede)

These games took a very long time as we both had a lot of interaction, and he mainboarded several board wipes. I'm consistently getting to my Thing in the Ice  ^Flip, but going up against Path to Exile is rough. He pitched a few card with Thoughtseize and Collective Brutality and eventually won this game off of a Gideon's Intervention naming Abrade and another naming Smash to Smithereens.

I sided in Shrapnel Blast, 2nd Surgical Extraction, 2x Spellskite, and the Vendilion Clique. He starts the game with Leyline of Sanctity which really slowed me done, but now all my removal could focus on his various Gideons. I won off a Thing in the Ice  ^Flip I was able to flip the turn after it came out.

At this point we have 3 minutes before games go to turns, and we haven't even started the 3rd game yet, so I just conceded.

2nd Round - Cheerios? (No Opals) (2-0)

This went really well for me as I have so much mainboard artifact hate and a good amount of creature bounce, and the mainboard Surgical was able to remove all of the Puresteel Paladins right away, and then I have all my bolts for Sram, Senior Edificer. Won off of Thing and Crackling Drake swinging for combined 12+ each turn.

2nd game went even better because I brought in the other Surgical, Shrapnel Blast, and Shattering Spree.

2nd Round - Death and Taxes (0-2)

This is my first time up against tax effects outside of just Thalia. I did alright considering, but this matchup definitely stressed the 3-4 slots that I'm unsure about.

First game went back and forth quite a bit, but after a Ghost Quarter plus Leonin Arbiter losing me a land it was hard to recover. Multiple paths is definitely the hardest thing I've had to fight through today.

2nd game is much of the same, I actually stick a Drake and flip a Thing and get a few hits in, but he wins the war of attrition.

Thoughts

I'm still really happy with the decision to drop the mainboard counterspells, and make the deck more proactive. That being said, not having access to them at all I think is the wrong move, and I am going to work 4+ back into the sideboard.

A number of the people I have played so far commented on my mainboard Surgical, and how they weren't sure mainboarding it was the right move. I mention paying the phyrexian is a good way to flip Thing or get another power onto Drake, while also removing a threat, but they still felt I could either have waited longer for a better target, or just not have it for G1 and have something like Gut Shot instead. Not sure about this, as I've had a problem deciding whether it and Shrapnel Blast need to be mainboard, or if they could be SB.

I also had several comments that I should be running Serum Visions instead of Opt if I am trying to dig. My first thought was "but it's a sorcery and I need to be able to take counters off Thing at instant speed!" but I'm not actually saving any of my Opts. Then I thought about how much I like scrying before the draw, but seeing two cards down similar to Surveil has been immensely helpful getting either to, or past, lands and combo pieces. Gonna test it with Opt swapped for Visions or Sleight of Hand and see how I like it.

I'm still up in the air on Faithless Looting, and I think I am going to test something else in its place. I love re-casting it from the GY, but at least half the times I could have cast it I had no, or 1, cards in hand, making it only good for Thing/Drake. Maybe this becomes a 2-of Opt if I do the playset of SV?

Added another Manamorphose to hit the playset, as I was always happy to see it, makes flipping Thing easier, buffs Drake, and also makes Drake easier to cast under a Blood Moon, and I can sometimes use it to make black for Surgical. Also thinking about moving Echoing Truth to the sideboard, as that seems like the easiest slot to bring in more offensive spells, as the bounce has been a mix of amazing and meh.

All in all I'm very happy with how the deck is running. I won half the games I played, and the games I lost I made them work for the wins, none of them were a steamroll. It is also such a fun deck to play, and playing on my turn instead of the opponent's (like when I had 7+ counterspells and no manamorphose/burst lightning) is a lot more fun.

UMA makes life cheap!

Rainor, 6 years ago

Update #1

kiagam, 6 years ago

None

Camroth02, 6 years ago

3-0

dino268, 6 years ago

Cuts // Adds

maeoreth, 6 years ago

Island -> Field of Ruin

Island -> Ghost Quarter

Island -> Tectonic Edge

Forbid -> Dissolve

Treasure Cruise -> Swan Song