CounterRebels` last gasp...

[Gizmo]

Counter Rebels is pretty much a dead deck now, it beats almost nothing in it`s current form. This below is my last gasp attempt to make it workable.

The basis for this version was a discussion I had with edt about Crebels, us both agreeing that the deck needed more countermagic. Unfortunatrely that created the self fulfilling prophecy of you being so dependent on your chain for advantage that you only ever counter anything that targets the chain, and so the counters are no longer doing the job they went in to do in the first place.

Basically I took out all the Falcons and Sergeants to play classic CounterWrath card drawing effects, thus making you less dependent on the chain for advantage. The deck is now pretty much a classic counterWrath deck with the very strong Vanguard/Lightbringer recursion engine, and cheaper threats (Sivvi at WW1, not Angel at WW3) which makes it good in blue-blue matches.

CounterRebels: The Last Stand

3 Lin Sivvi
2 Defiant Vanguard
1 Lightbringer
1 Rebel Informer (possibly not necessary and should be another Vanguard)
2 Ramosian Skymarshall

3 Force Spike
4 Counterspell
4 Absorb
2 Foil

4 Accumulated Knowledge
3 Fact Or Fiction

2 Dismantling Blow
3 Wrath Of God

1 Dominate or Spite/Malice or Misdirection

2 Underground River
4 Adarkar Wastes
4 Coastal Tower
7 Plains
8 Island

SB
3 Exclude
1 Rout
2 Story Circle
2 Dismantling Blow
3 Ramosian Lieutenant
3 Gainsay
1 Misdirection

Currently no Sacred Grounds in the SB, but they will prolly end up going in (2 or 3). Also need Informer in SB if not in maindeck. Ivory Mask tempting.

 

[Mars]

Fellow team mate Digby Carter of New Zealand made Top 8 finishing 7th at New Zealand Nationals with this deck. Congrats to Digby and Gizmo. Here was the version he played:

Mojo Jojo
by Digby Carter based on a David Sutcliffe design

2 Tsabos Web
3 Force Spike
4 Counterspell
2 Foil
4 Accumulated Knowledge
3 Dismantling Blow
4 Wrath of God
3 Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero
2 Defiant Vangaurd
1 Lightbringer
2 Ramosian Sky Marshall
1 Rebel Informer
4 Absorb

9 Island
8 Plains
4 Coastal Tower
4 Adarkar Waste

Sideboard:

1 Tsabos Web
3 Last Breath
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 Thermal Glider
3 Gainsay
3 Misdirection
2 Dominate

 

[Zadok001]

I hate playing 3 Force Spikes. Being a card that is only truly excellent in the opening 1-4 turns (and beyond that, becoming a bit dead), playing 3 seems inappropriate. Four gives you a fairly high chance of drawing 1, three means you're likely to topdeck one, but having one in your opening hand is fairly unlikely. Wouldn't it be better to either jump to four or to drop to zero?

 

[Gizmo]

Hey, and there I thought nobody was even watching this thread. Congrats to Digby.

No FoFs hmm? Interesting. Has he got a report I can read? I`d want to keep the card drawing in as much as possible, it`s kind of the whole point.

Currently toying with the Lightbringer slot - every time I see the card I wince because it`s so weak outside of about 20% of games, looking at playing either a Captain or Commander in that slot as they can block Nethers AND are useful chainers. I am dropping the random Spite/Malice cos the mana is daft, I`m just going to have to go without being able to cast the Informer I suppose. Also now 3 Vanguard, 2 Sivvi although that 3rd Vanguard might at any point become Sivvi again, or a Falcon.

And I can only say that the only number of Force Spikes I have ever played is 3. There you go. I think with 4 you see them too often late game, with 2 you see them too infrequently early game. I like Spikes, I like 3 Spikes.

And apparently, as LotusMox pointed out to me, Gainsay is not a cantrip. This makes Gainsay THE WORST CARD I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!

SB ideas - need a Falcon to throw up into Airships vs Skies, guess Thermal Glider could fill in but it`s not really obvious why you want a Thermal. Had got Last Breaths of my own. Like Ivory Mask.

I'd like to see a report from him, if he has one.

 

[Firestorm]

Ancient Spider would be good, but off color. Is Longbow in Archers in 7th?

 

[Mars]

Gizmo, I sent you Digby's report three times already. Have you received it as of yet?

Longbow Archers is indeed an Uncommon in 7th. Cool new artwork, too.

 

[Gizmo]

Got it. I`ve unsubscribed from badmagictech, BTW.

There you go. I think with 4 you see them too often late game, with 2 you see them too infrequently early game. I like Spikes, I like 3 Spikes.

Don`t ever say I don`t change my mind.

3 Defiant Vanguard
2 Lin Sivvi
1 Rebel Informer
2 Ramosian SkyMarshall

2 Force Spike
4 Counterspell
4 Absorb
2 Foil

4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Tsabo`s Web
3 Fact Or Fiction

2 Dismantling Blow
4 Wrath Of God

4 Coastal Tower
4 Adarkar Wastes
7 Plains
10 Island

SB:
2 Exclude
4 Gainsay
3 Last Breath
1 Dominate
2 Ivory Mask
2 Seal Of Cleansing
1 Defiant Falcon

Currently wavering over a couple of slots, the fourth Wrath and the third FoF. Competitors are Rout, Force Spike, Defiant Falcon, Ramosian Commander, Dismantling Blow.

 

[weetbix]

Hi Digby here....

Ok, here are why i did/did not play some cards

Fact or fiction: I wanted to find room for the other cards and i didnt really like the tactic of splitting rebel/non-rebel piles people could use against me. After playing the deck more i think 2 Fact or Fiction may belong in the deck as vs nether-go they could quickly get a big advantage with theirs+a.k while you only had a.k

Lightbringer: I really thought that a LOT of nether spirits would be played, but sadly i only faced one nether go all day (it won me game one of that matchup ) so unless another turbo-haups or other nether deck comes out i dont think it belongs in main

Force Spike: I really liked this card the whole time.. it was only bad vs control decks once they knew i had it in.... the main reason i played 3 is because they are GOLDEN vs fires, true that they are bad later on but you deck is great late game and i think 2 means that you will not draw them early enough most games so what is the point!?

Tsabo's Web: This was still good although i didnt play against a Port all day - only one necropolis in the 1/4 finals!... but it was still good against control as with the blows let me get through the deck without them being dead cards.. and i REALLY wanted to smash fires

3 Dismantling Blow: Did i meantion i wanted to smash fires?

Sideboard: the sideboard was really great.. although some more searchers would have been good against nether-go i think..... the gainsays were excellent as you need them vs skies, vs skies the two times i played them they smashed me game one but the next two they could not deal with my 17 good counters (took out foils)

the one expendable card is probably dominate but it is good in a lot of matchups (especially vs mageta) so i would hesistate in taking it out

Exclude: i thought it was good tech, but there was not much that i wanted to take out for it against fires as the maindeck is such a beating that i thought other cards were better in more matchups (also my version has web so their tactic of tapping you down to one blue isnt as important)

Misdirection: This was the anti-rage card because rage is some bad for this deck and you need it against black red decks i think (also good for pitching force spike! )

All in all i thought the deck was really great and would definatly play it again (i went 4-0-2 in swiss).. it was only a couple of very minor misplays that stopped me from winning my finals matches... i was a bit annoyed that the champion won, His deck is so bad!! (plus i beat him in swiss )

Thanks a lot for the idea David , i hope you do well at your nationals whatever you decide to play

(PS: Greg.. that was not a "report"!! more like a small summary, i havent decided whether to write one or not)