Istanbul's League Deck

[Istanbul]

I thought I'd bring the lot of you through my adventure in what will probably be the final OTJ league on Magic Online. I joined in week 2, meaning I'm going to get spanked by the people who joined in week 1 until I add my booster, but it's okay, I'm expecting that.

So I joined my league, and here's what I get (Ody starter, Tor, Jud) :

(White)

Creatures:
Phantom Nomad
Phantom Flock
Pilgrim of Justice
Militant Monk
Hallowed Healer
Dedicated Martyr
Confessor
Angelic Wall

Non-Creatures:
Tattoo Ward
Spiritualize
Funeral Pyre
Embolden
Morningtide

----------

(Blue)

Creatures:
Wormfang Newt
Wormfang Drake
Thought Eater
Dreamwinder
Cephalid Inkshrouder
Aven Windreader
Aven Fisher
Aquamoeba

Non-Creatures:
Defy Gravity
Laquatus' Disdain
Liquify
Mental Note
Rites of Refusal
Aboshan's Desire
Æther Burst
Time Streeeeeeeeeeeetch

----------

(Black)

Creatures:
Zombie Cannibal
Whispering Shade
Putrid Imp
Painbringer
Overeager Apprentice
Earsplitting Rats
Crypt Creeper
Cabal Surgeon

Non-Creatures:
Coffin Purge
Cabal Ritual
FOIL Mind Sludge (woot!)
Crippling Fatigue

----------

(Red)

Creatures:
Chainflinger
Pardic Swordsmith
Mad Dog
Liberated Dwarf
Jeska, Warrior Adept
Dwarven Recruiter
Barbarian Outcast

Non-Creatures:
Demoralize
Tremble
Shower of Coals (I wanna play this SO BAD)
Scorching Missile
Kamahl's Sledge
FOIL Demolish (double woot!)
Epicenter
Reckless Charge

----------

(Green)

Creatures:
Wild Mongrel
Rabid Elephant
Nullmage Advocate
Leaf Dancer
Ironshell Beetle
Harvester Druid
Basking Rootwalla

Non-Creatures:
Primal Frenzy
Druid's Call
Invigorating Falls
Muscle Burst
Moment's Peace

----------

Artifacts:
Steamclaw (tempting, VERY tempting in this format)

Gold:
Mystic Enforcer (also tempting)

Non-Basic Land:
Abandoned Outpost
Timberland Ruins
Cabal Coffers (neat!)
Tainted Peak (somebody's trying to tell me something)
Barbarian Ring (Yeah!)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the end, here's the build I went with:

Green (7 creatures, 2 other)
Wild Mongrel
Rabid Elephant
Nullmage Advocate
Leaf Dancer
Ironshell Beetle
Harvester Druid
Basking Rootwalla
Muscle Burst
Moment's Peace

Blue (8 creatures, 2 other)
Wormfang Newt
Wormfang Drake
Thought Eater
Dreamwinder
Cephalid Inkshrouder
Aven Windreader
Aven Fisher
Aquamoeba
Æther Burst
Time Streeeeeeeeeeetch

Red (1 creature, 2 other)
Chainflinger
Epicenter
Reckless Charge

Land
8 Island
7 Forest
2 Mountain
1 Barbarian Ring

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I think this deck has a pretty good chance. It's got Mongrel/Walla evilness, good air control and reasonably costed beef, and Time Streeeeeeeeeetch (or Epicenter with threshhold) can draw an advantageous situation out into a win. In fact, all of my non-creature spells are slick. That, and at 16 creatures, I might simply outgun my unfortunate opponents.

But we'll see how it goes...

 

[Istanbul]

After playing 2 of my first 5 matches and discovering that I never actually WANTED to draw Epicenter, it comes out in favor of Druid's Call.

 

[train]

Win Record?...

 

[Ferret]

That's a pretty impressive deck - PM me if you see me online - I'd love to watch you play!

-Ferret

"everyone needs a cheerleader!"

 

[train]

I'll bring the pom-poms...

i should be online Sat. morning...

 

[Istanbul]

Well, I went 3-2 in my first week. Not bad, overall. But I've learned some things, especially given...

Odyssey Booster:
-----------------------
Catalyst Stone
-
Painbringer
Battle Strain
Barbarian Ring
-
Aven Cloudchaser
Mystic Zealot
Life Burst
Mystic Visionary
Innocent Blood
Patriarch's Desire
Coffin Purge
Painbringer
Dwarven Grunt
Cartographer
Wild Mongrel

#1: While my red isn't too bad, it's not too good, either - and the temptation to use the pain-causing Rings is too great. I have removed red from my deck.

#2: My white is really quite good. Especially with my 2nd week additions.

So here's my new deck:

(GREEN)

Non-Creature:
Moment's Peace
Muscle Burst

Creatures:
Basking Rootwalla
Harvester Druid
Ironshell Beetle
Leaf Dancer
Nullmage Advocate
Rabid Elephant
Wild Mongrel
Wild Mongrel (two? You better believe it!)

(BLUE)

Non-Creature:
Æther Burst

Creatures:
Aquamoeba
Aven Fisher
Aven Windreader
Cephalid Inkshrouder
Dreamwinder
Thought Eater
Wormfang Newt
Wormfang Drake

(WHITE)

Creatures:
Aven Cloudchaser
Mystic Zealot

(GOLD)

Creatures:
Mystic Crusader

(LAND)
8 Forests
7 Islands
3 Plains

And it SMASHES FACE. One of my favorite tricks involved playing a Wormfang Newt on turn 2 and giving up a spare Plains, then facing down an opposing Phantom Tiger on turn 5, shrinking his kitty in return for killing my Newt...which gave me back the land I needed to cast my Aven Windreader. Which took a bullet from his Skyshooter...clearing the way for Wormfang Drake to swallow up my Ironshell Beetle. It was so WRONG.

Already won my first match for week 2...

 

[Istanbul]

And there's the second match. I don't care if he DOES have Mortivore and Mongrel and Mongoose and other such M cards, poor deck construction kills you in Limited every time.

 

[train]

Now just keep rolling and you should have no problem winning... ready for the next pack?...

 

[Istanbul]

Well, it hasn't gone so bad. I'm 6-4...I'm quickly discovering that creatures like Hallowed Healer can really do a number on me, because my current build has NO REMOVAL.

So, in preparation for my next pack (Torment, to be opened on Wednesday), I've made the following changes:

OUT:
Mystic Zealot
Aven Cloudchaser
Mystic Enforcer (I have NEVER had this guy at threshhold, ever)
3x Plains

IN:
Innocent Blood
Patriarch's Demise
Crippling Fatigue (this is the one I have real misgivings about - the double-black could be a real problem
3x Swamp

 

[Istanbul]

Very, VERY nice.

Torment pack:

Plagiarize
Tainted Field
Flaming Gambit
Equal Treatment
Deep Analysis (woot!)
Basking Rootwalla (woot!!)
Skywing Aven (woo-hoo!)
Floating Shield
Rancid Earth
Unhinge
Soul Scourge
Crackling Club
Enslaved Dwarf
Krosan Restorer

This one should be a gimme.

Out:
Harvester Druid
Aquamoeba
Wormfang Newt

In:
Basking Rootwalla
Skywing Aven
Deep Analysis

Bad news: No removal to speak of.
Good news: The improved quality of the rest of my deck may make it unimportant.