A Query For Gizmo (Or Anyone)

[Zadok001]

I'm currently playing mono-color OppOrb. My version runs Magpies, but not the Fish engine (decklist below, non-finalized). You've been talking a lot about the deck in other forums and I've got a question.

Unfortunately, it's VERY open-ended.

What's the in-depth strategy of the deck? I've played it for quite a while, and I thought I knew it fairly well - But your comments tend to contradict my theories, unfortunately. You tend to place a LOT more emphasis on Static Orb than I do, I usually prefer an Opposition. Any help would be appreciated... Basically, I'd like to know how YOU play the deck.

Oh, yeah. Deck. Any comments, etc, are, of course welcome, since I'm hardly a deck building genius here. And any comments on the previous question, too, of course - More input is better.

4x Thieving Magpie
4x Spiketail Hatchling
4x Merfolk Looter
3x Temporal Adept
3x Glacial Wall

4x Opposition
4x Static Orb

2x Gush

4x Counterspell
4x Foil
3x Thwart (I know, I know)

22x Island (/me likes basic land)

Sideboard is WAY open for discussion, only 4x Wash Outs are definates.

 

[Istanbul]

I'm going to disagree with Gizmo. Opposition is as important as Orb in this deck. Either one will give your opponents real tempo problems. TOGETHER, they're almost a lock when paired with cards like Thwart that return land to your hand.
Note- Almost. I have yet to see how the Orbposition player gets around his own Orb.

 

[superguy]

Istanbul - dude, you just tap the Orb through Opposition! Or return it to your hand at the end of opponent's turn with the Temporal Adept.

 

[Ephrils]

I think defense seeing that deck. I'm starting to understand why fish were used in the Orbisition deck. It was so that when they had the lock, they could quickly finish the opponent through pumped Merfolk. It would take a lot longer using the current creatures in this deck to get that finish.

 

[Zadok001]

True, but once the lock is in place, it doesn't matter how hard I hit. Of course, I do have a Merfolk varient under construction, but I really like the effect the Magpies give me, so I'm sticking with them for now. (Furthermore, I only have two Lords.)

 

[Ephrils]

I like the Magpies in there. The Orbisition deck i play against used Sleight of Hand to draw cards, and Brainstorms. The Magpies net you some damage and a card. A much better deal, you just have to wait longer.

 

[Gizmo]

I see the Orb as the main card, with the Orb down you can sit back and counter stuff. With Opposition down you rarely have enough creatures to really hurt them (the impact of no Hermits). If you go for an Opp-first strategy then what you find is you are committing resources into the fight in order to avoid them laying land and breaking out, when really you would rather hang back and have as little in play as possible to avoid mass removal. All it takes is for your opponent to draw a little too much land and you are in schtuck.

I run more counters than you (+3 Force Spikes) and I think they are a key to playing a slower Orb strategy as well as being straight-out amazing counterspells in the early game anyway.

4 Hatchling
3 Looter
4 Wall
2 Adept
3 Magpie

3 Spike
4 Counter
4 Thwart
3 Foil

4 Orb
3 Opp

4 Port
18 Island

I think running Gush stops you playing Islands. Possibly I should be 19/3 ports - I`ll have to try that out but I`ve rarely had the Ports be a problem, and often they are very strong in postponing the early game and screwing over all these lovely new gold cards people are playing with.
As you can see I don`t use Opp very much at all, I play fewer than you, and fewer drawing engines, my style is instead to play an Orb-Counter strategy and husband my resources. If you play the Opp-first strategy you can run into trouble from the new BG/BW discard + Deed/Wrath decks which takes your hand then blows your overextended guys away.

This list might be running slightly too many counterspells, I`m not sure. Usually it`s fine but with only 2 Adepts I CAN struggle against things (swamp, ritual, spitter, for instance, really makes my head hurt, Adept or not) I`m thinking I might need something to handle this sort of threat, maybe a couple of maindeck Rushing Rivers or Boomerangs.

SB
4 Dodecapod (actually not that good, because they only ever get pitched to Verdicts and Probes. When they work they are a beating though. I`ve had two 5/5 guys down before I`ve even layed a second land! 'Tings)
3 Seal of Removal (excellent Tempo)
3 Hibernation (YBarbs are the big threat stopping me running the superior Submerge)
3 Prodigal Sorceror
2 Misdirection