Red Devotion vs. Blue Devotion
Standard forum
Posted on Dec. 4, 2013, 4:43 p.m. by Rasta_Viking29
This is a terrible match up for red. What are you guys doing to beat blue devotion? If you are a blue devotee, what are you seeing red players do effectively against you?
I'm going to an IQ this weekend and expect to run into a blue devotion deck, is there anything I can do to swing this match up back to a more level playing field?
For reference the problematic cards:
beakedbard says... #3
Unfortunately there isn't really anything red has that can get rid of MoW and Thassa i mean sure it can get rid of the tokens with something like Electrickery but as far as i can remember red has no sacrifice for either of them and no exile for Thassa. The Bident of the other hand is easily removed with any artifact removal spell of which there is quite a few in standard atm. As you said its a terrible match up for Red. All you can really try and do is out race them and/or remove all the devotion things to stop those two from being useful other than that i can't think of much else.
December 4, 2013 4:55 p.m.
beakedbard says... #4
Anger of the Gods doesn't get rid of Thassa it requires the creature to die to exile it and Thassa doesn't die from it thus doesn't get exiled thus doesn't get removed.
December 4, 2013 4:57 p.m.
It says "would die" due to damage thassa would die, even though it doesn't, and thus thassa is exiled, same with Pillar of Flame and cards like it.
December 4, 2013 4:59 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #6
I'm running 4x Steam Vents + Turn / Burn mainly for this match up. Turn has worked nice but I was hoping for more than 4 answers in my 75 for mono blue.
December 4, 2013 5:01 p.m.
"Would die" is shorthand for "Would be placed in the graveyard from the battlefield". Because Thassa has indestructible, the event to be replaced would not happen, so Anger or Pillar of Flame cannot get rid of it, just like they can't get rid of a creature that has a regeneration shield.
December 4, 2013 5:02 p.m.
beakedbard says... #8
Thassa wouldn't die due to being Indestructible though thus causing that to be negated remember damage doesn't destroy Indestructible creatures. If you can bring up some rules proving me wrong please do but I'm 99.9% sure that's the case. Either way what you said is a good idea because it gets rid of the MoW tokens and stops the devotion.
December 4, 2013 5:02 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #9
I've considered Anger of the Gods but it hits most of my permanents as well. Being a devotion deck I'm not sure it's viable.
December 4, 2013 5:03 p.m.
beakedbard says... #10
I'm guessing you have Mizzium Mortars sideboarded. Its really hard to think of things to suggest for you unless you splash another color. Black could help with the amount of sacrifice it has or blue for t/b as you thought.
December 4, 2013 5:07 p.m.
Hmmm, looks like I've been cheated on multiple occasions.
Blast!
December 4, 2013 5:08 p.m.
10vernothin says... #12
the best way is to splash another colour, even if it is only just for the removal.
of course the best is W, then you can splash for boros charm, chained to the rocks and other stuff
you can also splash B and play doom blade, ultimate price or other stuff
December 4, 2013 5:38 p.m.
notamardybum says... #13
in order to get rid of Thassa, God of the Sea the player would have to Shock or Lightning Strike THEN play Anger of the Gods . The damage would be enough to exile Thassa, God of the Sea BUT no mono red deck is playing Anger of the Gods ..... it wipes their whole board
December 4, 2013 6:15 p.m.
notamardybum says... #14
mono-blue is just a terrible match up for mono red. all you can do is hope they get terrible draws and mana flooded, or they can't apply any pressure early game while you land 1-2-3-4 drops consistently.
December 4, 2013 6:16 p.m.
beakedbard says... #15
Again Anger of the Gods doesn't defeat Thassa due to the fact Thassa doesn't die from damage or destroy effects because Thassa is Indestructible. Anger of the Gods requires the creature to die from the damage it deals to exile it. I'm sorry but how is that hard to understand?
December 4, 2013 6:19 p.m.
notamardybum says... #16
beakedbard sorry, you're right. it says IF THE CREATURE WOULD DIE THIS WAY, EXILE IT INSTEAD. Thassa, God of the Sea wouldnt die, so its not exiled.
December 4, 2013 6:22 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #17
Anger of the Gods hits elemental tokens, Nightveil Specter , Tidebinder Mage , and Cloudfin Raptor . Hurts their devotion. I think it's relevant to the match up.
December 4, 2013 7:17 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #18
I'm splashing white and blue in my deck. I'm not sure if it dilutes the deck or makes it more versatile for matchups like these. I guess I have to hope I don't get matched up with Mono U.
December 4, 2013 7:24 p.m.
beakedbard says... #19
You don't really need to do that i mean spashing just to help against 1 deck won't do well unless it works against other decks as well at least give it some testing first. As i said before you could just add a lot of removal to the sideboard to get rid of as much devotion as you can to stop that from effecting you as much.
December 4, 2013 7:28 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #20
I'm running 16 burn spells so I'm with you there.
CW says... #2
Anger of the Gods + a small burn spell to take out Thassa, God of the Sea the masters tokens, Nightveil Specter , Tidebinder Mage , Judge's Familiar (save mana for the counter), and an early Cloudfin Raptor .
Also not in the colors but if ever in the situation when the raptor is evolving for the first time (due to familiar for best results) respond (with Golgari Charm ) to the ability resolving not the creature entering and you can 2 for 1 a familiar and the raptor.
Mistcutter Hydra is a pain too.
December 4, 2013 4:54 p.m.