Converting an IBC Deck to New T2 Environment

[Killer Joe]

Liquid Tempo or B.B.B. or U/G/r or Whatever!!! I knid of like this deck, in fact, I'm considering using it for the new T2 environment. I once read somewhere that a few block decks manage to see some play in the upcomming changing T2 format ie Rebel's & Blue Skies were favorites from MBC that made a nice appearence in the fall of 2000. Let's take a closer look at some of the staples of the deck:

Da Creatures:
4 Mystic Snake
4 Gaea's Skyfolk
4 Kavu Titan
4 Blurred Mongoose

Spells:
4 Urza's Rage
4 Repulse
4 Fire/Ice
4 Prophetic Bolt

The Land:
4 Shivan Oasis
4 Shivan Reef
4 Yavimaya Coast
6 Island
6 Forest

other <somewhat> viable choices:
Flametongue Kavu
Disrupt
Fact or Fiction
Exclude

I'm okay with not having Fact or Fiction in there as long as I am with P-Bolt, Ice and Repulse. FTK, to me, is a sideboard kind of card. Disrupt is not a good choice IMHO for the new T2 (well, at least, not yet anyhow), but Exclude, now THAT'S a good counterspell/cantrip. I figure with all the burn the deck is packing, I won't need more than 8 counterspells and the snake counts as four, so I'm thinking the last four slots should be countermagic.
Hmmm, now I did mention that this deck would be converted into a T2 deck (meaning, using Oddyessy and 7th. ed cards).
Well, for now, let's just use counterspell to fill the slot.

Add:
4 Counterspell

Let's take even a closer look at the creature selections:
4 Gaea's Skyfolk
4 Blurred Mongoose
4 Kavu Titan
4 Mystic Snake

The snake is in and I'm not gonna mess with it . However, are there better choices for the remaing three creatures? I've often heard many folks talikng about how Gaea's Skyfolk is the best flying bear to up to now. I'm inclined to believe this, so, it too, stays. I am unsure about the other two creatures and really have no suggestions on what to replace them with, perhaps someone else can provide some input, keeping in mind that a creature would have to be low CC like 2 and has some great evasion/effect or some kind of double duty.

The spells, again:
4 Urza's Rage
4 Repulse
4 Fire/Ice
4 Prophetic Bolt

Ther's one problem, for me at least, I don't own any Rage's right now, but ca$h is a wonderful thing, that, I DO have . So, I'll plug-in some trashy burn spell in there right now like Volcanic Hammer (you can stop laughing now). Repulse says, "Ba-Bye" to Spirit Monger and a litney of other scary monsters, and I can counter it next turn. So I'll stick with Repulse for now. Prophetic Bolt, kind of huge in the way of CC but one helluva Burning Impulse card. Four is maybe too many, and it just so happens that I only own three copies of it, so maybe I could shave it down to 2 copies in the deck and add 2 Prohibit (I'm really scared with only 8 countermagic spells ). Please feel free to rebute this descision. Fire/Ice (anyone remember Pat Benatar?), this is thee most versatille card of the splits, it can save my butt, for a turn, from an attacking beefy creature AND I get a card (maybe Repulse?). It kills BoP's dead! In fact, two at a time, if needed. This card is a keeper.

Add:
2 Prohibit

Land:
DFWI!

Solid.

Here it is in it's semi-complete build:

"B.B.B." (whatinthehell does THAT stand for?)

4 Gaea's Skyfolk
4 Mystic Snake
4 Blurred Mongoose (may be replaced)
4 Kavu Titan (may be replaced)
4 Repulse
4 Volcanic Hammer (Only 'till I get my Rage's, okay Sparky?)
4 Counterspell
4 Fire/Ice
2 Prohibit (or maybe, Exclude)
2 Prophetic Bolt <edit: plus one more>
4 Yavimaya Coast
4 Shivan Coast
4 Shivan Reef
6 Island
6 Forest

Now, I'm known to build 61 card decks, so I'll add another Prophetic Bolt.

Alright, I need bad and good suggestions (just thought I'd admit the reality ) for this thing. Also, how about any comments as to how you think this deck will fare in general and, if you belong to the Psychic Friends Network, how you think it will fare in the new T2 environment?

As always, thanks, in advance, for your time and effort in this matter.

Later


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Easy-O's Music Trivia
What early 80's pop rock group had the hit single: "Drive"
I'll post the answer by Wednesday night.
Hint: They were from Boston, Mass.

 

[Duel]

Um, Shock. It's better than Volcanic Hammer. Shock. It's what's for dinner.

Meanwhile, Standstill is some good in this deck as a turn three play, when you have a mongoose and control has no creatures out, or when you play a turn 2 spell, and then shock their bear and cast standstill.

Meanwhile, Mystic Snake doesn't seem so good. Evasive action or somesuch may be better.

I'd drop Repulse (why use it?) and run something that beats orbosition.... Any ideas?

 

[Cateran Emperor]

Kavu Titan ---> Wild Mongrel

 

[Loafing Giant]

AEther Mutation
Urborg elf [produces U or G (or B)]

ummm..........

 

[Istanbul]

I like Syncopate over Prohibit.

 

[Duel]

I like syncopate too. Forgot about that card. I'd also try not to drop the titans. 5/5's are just good in the midgame. Mongrel is strong though.... Maybe instead of snake?

 

[Killer Joe]

Syncopate it is, I just need two of them, though.

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Easy O's Music Triva answer: The Cars

 

[Zadok001]

Urza's Rage, IMHO, is worse than Ghitu Fire. At least, that was true in IBC, where all the "control" decks needed to tap out to play down threats occassionally. Yesterday I encountered a playtesting situation where it became fairly clear that Ghitu Fire's versitility makes it win out over Rage almost every time.

Not sure if that statement holds for Type 2, but I think it will.

 

[Killer Joe]

I was looking at Urza's Rage as a spot removal spell, Ghitu Fire seems to be a Finisher spell.
In that light, is GF still better?

 

[Killer Joe]

and I'm not up to snuff on the latest tech, is this deck gonna survive the environment out there or what?
What NEW stuff can I add?

 

[yyc83]

firebolt

 

[Gizmo]

At the last Type-II tournament I played in there were a couple of people playing versions of this deck that were Nov-T2 legal, but didnt use Odyssey cards yet, and they did ok. I cant confirm the decklist to you, but I can confirm a little bit:

I think the creature base was no different, thats understandable but I think for Nov T2 the Kavu Titans come under pressure for their slots from Wild Mongrel and Spellbane Centaur. I THINK they fight that pressure off though.
They were using Temporal Springs and possibly a couple of Rushing Rivers, didnt see any Repulse. I think the general feeling was that T2 would be a LITTLE less creature-heavy than IBC. They were playing significant numbers of Counterspells, I think possibly 4 Counterspell, 2/3 Memory Lapse. The Springs and Lapses are very nasty. I think no more than 2 Prophetic Bolt, and unlikley to be 4 Rages.

So, a guess:

4 Gaeas Skyfolk
4 Blurred Mongoose
4 Kavu Titan
4 Mystic Snake

2 Memory Lapse
4 Counterspell
4 Fire/Ice
2 Urzas Rage
4 Temporal Spring
2 Fact Or Fiction
3 Prophetic Bolt

4 Shivan Reef
4 Shivan Oasis
4 Yavimaya Coast
5 Forest
6 Island

The thing is I was under the impression he was playing with FoF as well. Maybe he wasnt and I`m going mad, or maybe the two Rivers are really FoF.

edit: if you`re wondering why the list bears no resemblance to the text I wrote, its because Ive since spoken to somebody else at the tourney who confirmed a few things.