Last week’s”all numbers, all the time” article elicited two requests for data, which was perfect, because this was my week of crazy midterms, so I needed material. The first request, from Rudy van Soest a.k.a.”MoreFling” (the man whose alias is responsible for more people not finding morphling.de than any other), was that I take my assorted collection of data and find some trends. The second was from JP Meyer a.k.a.”Homsar,” who said,”My loins are quivering in anticipation. I love the set breakdowns, but you know what I love more? When you list what cards appear the most per set.”
I aim to please, so I did both. I’ve been planning to analyze a deck in a quasi-Venn diagram approach for a while now, so the first one that popped to mind was Keeper, a classic example of a deck with a core of cards and a lot of customization around that. I was going to take the highest-finishing build from late-2003, January, February, and March, and then compare the overlap. Due to the amount of time I’ve spent memorizing arguments from The Republic and different articles about Italian government this week, it took me until I was almost completely done to realize that the highest January and February Keepers were not only similar, but in fact identical.
This would have been boring: half the data would’ve been the same, the sample size would be too low… clearly something needed to be done. I mean, midterms or no, StarCityGames.com has standards. So I did every Keeper that’s made Top 8 in a tournament of over fifty players since the end of September 2003, including the data I’ve accumulated since my last metagame article. It turned out to be twenty-one different decks, including the IsoKeepers.
(For the record, one of the February IsoKeepers was only three colors – no Black – which I am retroactively re-labeling”U/r/w IsoControl” and excluding from this Keeper article. Also, one of the builds reported only had fifty-three cards (#8), so I assumed that a deck with Vampiric Tutor, The Abyss, and Mind Twist, would also use Underground Seas, Demonic Tutor, and Yawgmoth’s Will. Objections should give a ring to 202-456-1414. Or if you’re especially nice, you can email me at prstanto at uiuc.edu.)
(To give credit where it’s due, I first saw an approach like this to Extended decks about a year ago done by my pal at the Illinois Math & Science Academy, Tony Cheng, who’s since matriculated to the University of Chicago. However, as our club’s chaotic Red Officer, it wasn’t his schtick. I was the White Officer. Sooo much more fitting.)
I kinda state the obvious sometimes here, but at least if you notice, it means you’ve got evidence that you were right all along!
Unanimous Overlap In 21 Builds of Keeper
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Mox Jet
1 Sol Ring
1 Strip Mine
3 Underground Sea
4 [Blue fetchlands]
I’ll handwave a giant”duh” over that whole section, rather than annoy people with explanations of the most awesome cards ever. If there are cards you were expecting that aren’t there coughcoughBlackLotuscoughcough, then sometimes budgetary concerns drove it out of unanimity, and you should keep in mind that many people try weird color combinations. There’s a whole bunch of cards that occurred just barely less than unanimously, which will show up below.
Here’s where it gets interesting. First, an alphabetical of everything for reference.
__##_#_-_###_-_##-______ #5 [Blue fetchland]
_______-_#___-___-______ 1 Abeyance
_#_____–_____-_##-____#_ 4 Accumulated Knowledge
#___#_#-#####-#_#-###### 1 Balance
#######-_####-###-###### 1 Black Lotus
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Braingeyser
#######-#####-#_#-####_# 1 Brainstorm
#######-#####-#_#-####_# #2 Brainstorm
#_#####-#####-#_#-####_# #3 Brainstorm
__#####-#####-#_#-####_# #4 Brainstorm
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Burning Wish
____#_#-__##_-___-__#__# 1 City of Brass
_______-_____-___-__#___ #2 City of Brass
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Counterspell
###_###-##__#-###-###### 1 Cunning Wish
###_###-##__#-###-##_### #2 Cunning Wish
_#____#-##__#-###-___#__ #3 Cunning Wish
______#-_____-___-______ #4 Cunning Wish
_______-__##_-___-______ 1 Damping Matrix
_______-__##_-___-______ #2 Damping Matrix
#_####_-#####-#_#-###### 1 Decree of Justice
__####_-#####-#_#-_##### #2 Decree of Justice
____#__-__##_-___-_###__ #3 Decree of Justice
#__##__-_#___-___-____#_ 1 Disenchant
___#___-_____-___-______ #2 Disenchant
_______-__##_-___-______ 1 Dismantling Blow
_______-__##_-___-______ #2 Dismantling Blow
_#_____-_#___-___-______ 1 Duress
_#____#-__##_-___-______ 1 Dust Bowl
_______-_____-___-__#__# 1 Exalted Angel
_______-_____-___-_____# 2 Exalted Angel
#_#####-#####-#__-###### 1 Fact or Fiction
_______-_____-_#_-______ 1 Fastbond
######_-#####-###-###__# 1 Fire / Ice
####_#_-_###_-___-_____# #2 Fire/Ice
#______-_____-___-______ #3 Fire/Ice
_#__#_#-#___#-##_-_#____ 1 Future Sight
#_#####-#####-###-####_# 1 Gorilla Shaman
__#_##_-_____-___-#_##__ #2 Gorilla Shaman
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Grim Monolith
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Holistic Wisdom
__#__#_-#___#-#__-______ 1 Impulse
_______-#___#-#__-______ #2 Impulse
_#_____-#___#-###-#__#__ 1 Island
#_####_-_#___-_##-___#_# 1 Isochron Scepter
#_####_-_#___-__#-______ #2 Isochron Scepter
__##_#_-_____-__#-______ #3 Isochron Scepter
#######-##_##-###-##_##_ 1 Library of Alexandria
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Merchant Scroll
#_#####-#####-###-###### 1 Mind Twist
_______-_____-___-____#_ 2 Mirari’s Wake
_#_____–_____-_#_-__#___ 1 Mishra’s Factory
_#_____–_____-___-__#___ #2 Mishra’s Factory
_______-_____-___-#_____ 1 Moat
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Moment’s Peace
##____#-_____-_#_-#_____ 1 Morphling
______#-_____-___-#_____ #2 Morphling
#######-_____-_#_-#___## 1 Mox Emerald
#_#####-#####-#_#-_##### 1 Mox Pearl
#######-#####-###-####_# 1 Mox Ruby
#######-#####-###-_##### 1 Mox Sapphire
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Naturalize
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Pernicious Deed
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ #2 Pernicious Deed
_______-__##_-___-____## 1 Plains
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Power Artifact
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Regrowth
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Savannah
#_##_#_-#####-#__-####_# 1 Skeletal Scrying
_______-_____-___-####_# #2 Skeletal Scrying
_______-_____-___-##____ 1 Stifle
_______-_____-___-_#____ #2 Stifle
#_##_#_-__##_-__#-###### 1 Swords to Plowshares
#_##_#_-__##_-___-####_# #2 Swords to Plowshares
_______-_____-___-__##__ #3 Swords to Plowshares
_#____#-_____-___-______ 1 Sylvan Library
_______-#___#-#__-____#_ 1 The Abyss
______#-#___#-#__-______ 1 Timetwister
_######-_###_-_#_-______ 1 Tolarian Academy
_#____#-_____-_#_-____#_ 1 Tropical Island
_#_____–_____-_#_-____#_ #2 Tropical Island
_#_____–_____-_#_-____#_ #3 Tropical Island
#_#####-#####-#_#-###### 3 Tundra
_______-_#___-___-###_#_ #4 Tundra
##__#__-##__#-##_-##____ #4 Underground Sea
#__#__#-#_###-#__-____#_ 1 Vampiric Tutor
#######-#####-###-####_# 1 Volcanic Island
#######-#####-###-####_# #2 Volcanic Island
#_#####-##__#-###-_#_#_# #3 Volcanic Island
_______-_#___-___-______ #4 Volcanic Island
#_####_-#_###-#_#-###### 1 Wasteland
#_####_-#_###-#_#-###### #2 Wasteland
#_####_-#_#_#-#_#-####_# #3 Wasteland
_______-_____-___-#_##_# #4 Wasteland
______#-_____-_#_-______ 1 Zuran Orb
Sideboard:
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Arcane Laboratory
_______-_____-_#_-______ 1 Artifact Mutation
_______-_____-__#-______ 1 Aura Fracture
__##_#_-_____-___-______ 1 Balance
_#__#__-##__#-###-####__ 1 Blue Elemental Blast / Hydroblast
_______-_____-___-__#___ 1 Blue Elemental Blast / Hydroblast
#_##_#_-_____-___-______ 1 Chalice of the Void
#__#___-_____-___-______ #2 Chalice of the Void
#__#___-_____-___-______ #3 Chalice of the Void
___#___-_____-___-______ #4 Chalice of the Void
__#_###-_###_-__#-#####_ 1 Circle of Protection: Red
#_#_##_-##__#-#_#-##__#_ 1 Coffin Purge
____#__-_____-___-____#_ #2 Coffin Purge
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Counterspell
_______-_____-___-_#___# 1 Damping Matrix
_______-_____-___-_#___# #2 Damping Matrix
_______-_____-___-_____# #3 Damping Matrix
_______-_____-___-#_____ 1 Deep Analysis
______#-_____-___-_#_#__ 1 Diabolic Edict
__#__##-#####-#_#-###### 1 Disenchant
__#__#_-_____-___-___#_# #2 Disenchant
#______-_____-__#-______ 1 Dismantling Blow
_#_____-_#___-___-______ 1 Dominate
____#__-_____-___-______ 1 Duress
____#__-_____-___-______ #2 Duress
______#-_____-___-__##_# 1 Ebony Charm
#______-_____-___-______ 1 Energy Flux
______#-_____-___-____#_ 1 Enlightened Tutor
_______-__#__-___-______ 1 Exalted Angel
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Extract
_______-_____-__#-______ 1 Fact or Fiction
____#_#-##__#-##_-#_____ 1 Fire/Ice
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Fireball
___#__#-__#__-___-______ 1 Gorilla Shaman
#______-_____-___-______ 1 Heroes’ Reunion
_______-__#__-___-___#__ 1 Humility
_______-_____-___-___#__ 1 Humility
#______-_#___-___-______ 1 Hurkyl’s Recall
_______-__##_-___-______ 2 Isochron Scepter
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Krosan Reclamation
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Light of Day
______#-##__#-#__-______ 1 Misdirection
#______-_____-___-____## 1 Moat
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Moment’s Peace
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Naturalize
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 3 Oath of Druids
_______-_#___-__#-______ 1 Orim’s Chant
_______-_____-__#-______ 1 Plaguebearer
_______-_____-___-__#___ 2 Powder Keg
_######-##_##-###-#_##_# 1 Rack and Ruin
___#___-_____-___-#_##__ #2 Rack and Ruin
___#___-_____-___-______ #3 Rack and Ruin
#######-#####-###-####_# 1 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast
#_####_-#_#_#-#_#-####_# #2 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast
#__#___-#___#-#_#-####__ #3 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast
_______-#___#-#__-#__#__ #4 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast
_______-_____-_#_-______ 1 Seedtime
____#__-__##_-___-_#____ 1 Shattering Pulse
__#__#_-__##_-___-______ 1 Silent Specter
__#__#_-___#_-___-______ #2 Silent Specter
_##_##_-##__#-#__-______ 1 Skeletal Scrying
_______-#___#-#__-______ 1 Sphere of Law
##__#__-#####-##_-_##_## 1 Stifle
#______-__##_-___-__#__# #2 Stifle
_#____#-_____-_#_-____#_ 1 Stroke of Genius
#_#_###-#_###-#_#-##_### 1 Swords to Plowshares
_______-#__##-#__-#___#_ #2 Swords to Plowshares
_#_____–_____-___-______ 1 Teferi’s Response
_______-_____-___-_#____ 1 The Abyss
_###_#_-_###_-_#_-_____# 1 Tormod’s Crypt
___#___-_____-___-______ #2 Tormod’s Crypt
___#___-_____-___-______ #3 Tormod’s Crypt
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Tsabo’s Web
_##_##_-_#___-_##-##___# 1 Vampiric Tutor
_______-_____-___-__#_#_ 1 Zuran Orb
The Breakdown
__##_#_-_###_-_##-______ #5 [Blue fetchland]
The consensus is now that the fifth fetchland is suboptimal, reflecting the rise of Stifle.
____#_#-__##_-___-__#__# 1 City of Brass
_______-_____-___-__#___ #2 City of Brass
_#_____–_____-_#_-__#___ 1 Mishra’s Factory
_#_____–_____-___-__#___ #2 Mishra’s Factory
Europeans use some strange lands for some unknown reasons.
_#_____-#___#-###-#__#__ 1 Island
_______-__##_-___-____## 1 Plains
The global Keeper population doesn’t fear Blood Moon that much, and White is a very important color to this archetype, which is probably why it’s not as good as Hulk right now.
#######-##_##-###-##_##_ 1 Library of Alexandria
18/21 with reasonable confidence that no one skipped it for monetary reasons. Library is good.
_######-_###_-_#_-______ 1 Tolarian Academy
The dramatic decline over time says to me”no one likes Chalice or Emerald, so Academy is less than thrilling.”
_#____#-__##_-___-______ 1 Dust Bowl
And yet the Europeans don’t always use four Wastelands.”Inconceivable!”
#_####_-#_###-#_#-###### 1 Wasteland
#_####_-#_###-#_#-###### #2 Wasteland
#_####_-#_#_#-#_#-####_# #3 Wasteland
_______-_____-___-#_##_# #4 Wasteland
Wasteland is up, but partially because I’ve got more North American data recently. The moral of the story: three’s a solid number; four has good arguments for it.
#######-_####-###-###### 1 Black Lotus
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Grim Monolith
#######-_____-_#_-#___## 1 Mox Emerald
#_#####-#####-#_#-_##### 1 Mox Pearl
#######-#####-###-####_# 1 Mox Ruby
#######-#####-###-_##### 1 Mox Sapphire
One missing each of the Ruby, Sapphire, and Lotus. The Ruby was missing from the sole non-Red build, the latter two were obvious budget concerns. Grim Monolith appeared exclusively with the Power Artifact combo and the Oath sideboard. Emerald and Pearl are typically skipped when their respective colors aren’t played, and Emerald has fallen into disfavor generally.
_______-_____-___-____#_ 2 Mirari’s Wake
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Savannah
*sigh*
_#____#-_____-_#_-____#_ 1 Tropical Island
_#_____–_____-_#_-____#_ #2 Tropical Island
_#_____–_____-_#_-____#_ #3 Tropical Island
#_#####-#####-#_#-###### 3 Tundra
_______-_#___-___-###_#_ #4 Tundra
##__#__-##__#-##_-##____ #4 Underground Sea
#######-#####-###-####_# 1 Volcanic Island
#######-#####-###-####_# #2 Volcanic Island
#_#####-##__#-###-_#_#_# #3 Volcanic Island
_______-_#___-___-______ #4 Volcanic Island
By far the consensus over six months is triple-Tundra, triple-Volcanic (and don’t play Green!), however, there is a recent jump in White as shown by Tundra #4.
#_####_-#####-#_#-###### 1 Decree of Justice
__####_-#####-#_#-_##### #2 Decree of Justice
____#__-__##_-___-_###__ #3 Decree of Justice
Decree of Justice is the bomb. The majority votes for two; three is an option. This card alone might be what drives the Tundra #4 issue above.
#___#_#-#####-#_#-###### 1 Balance
__##_#_-_____-___-______ 1 Balance (SB)
Still popular despite some efforts to slay the sacred cow.
#_##_#_-__##_-__#-###### 1 Swords to Plowshares
#_##_#_-__##_-___-####_# #2 Swords to Plowshares
_______-_____-___-__##__ #3 Swords to Plowshares
#_#_###-#_###-#_#-##_### 1 Swords to Plowshares (SB)
_______-#__##-#__-#___#_ #2 Swords to Plowshares (SB)
Democracy demands two agricultural subsidies in the maindeck and another in the sideboard. The best thing about this is that you can describe your deck as”heavy on the StoPs” which sounds like you’re discussing something much techier than a card from Alpha.
_______-_#___-___-______ 1 Abeyance
#__##__-_#___-___-____#_ 1 Disenchant
___#___-_____-___-______ #2 Disenchant
_______-__##_-___-______ 1 Dismantling Blow
_______-__##_-___-______ #2 Dismantling Blow
_______-_____-___-__#__# 1 Exalted Angel
_______-_____-___-_____# 1 Exalted Angel
_______-_____-___-#_____ 1 Moat
Maindecking these is unpopular, but Exalted Angel would be a card I expect to rise in future appearances. Someday, I hope Dismantling Blow becomes the bad card it deserves to be, but various and sundry people seem determined to thwart me. You should note that the Disenchants were basically maindecked in IsoKeeper builds only.
_______-_____-__#-______ 1 Aura Fracture (SB)
__#__##-#####-#_#-###### 1 Disenchant (SB)
__#__#_-_____-___-___#_# #2 Disenchant (SB)
#______-_____-__#-______ 1 Dismantling Blow (SB)
______#-_____-___-____#_ 1 Enlightened Tutor (SB)
_______-__#__-___-______ 1 Exalted Angel (SB)
_______-__#__-___-___#__ 1 Humility (SB)
_______-_____-___-___#__ 1 Humility (SB)
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Light of Day (SB)
#______-_____-___-____## 1 Moat (SB)
_______-_#___-__#-______ 1 Orim’s Chant (SB)
_______-#___#-#__-______ 1 Sphere of Law (SB)
The only near-mandatory White board card here is a Disenchant. Four of the winners liked it enough to put in a second.
_______-_____-_#_-______ 1 Fastbond
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Holistic Wisdom
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Moment’s Peace
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Naturalize
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 2 Pernicious Deed
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Regrowth
_#____#-_____-___-______ 1 Sylvan Library
_______-_____-_#_-______ 1 Artifact Mutation (SB)
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Krosan Reclamation (SB)
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Moment’s Peace (SB)
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Naturalize (SB)
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 3 Oath of Druids (SB)
_______-_____-_#_-______ 1 Seedtime (SB)
First of all, don’t play Green. It just doesn’t belong. Second, if you’re playing Green, abuse something. Four Green splashes, no more than two use a given card. I don’t understand the use of this color.
######_-#####-###-###__# 1 Fire/Ice
####_#_-_###_-___-_____# #2 Fire/Ice
#______-_____-___-______ #3 Fire/Ice
____#_#-##__#-##_-#_____ 1 Fire/Ice (SB)
Almost everyone maindecks a Fire/Ice, but after that it’s all up in the air, with obviously increased use in Scepter decks.
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Burning Wish
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Fireball (SB)
#_#####-#####-###-####_# 1 Gorilla Shaman
__#_##_-_____-___-#_##__ #2 Gorilla Shaman
___#__#-__#__-___-______ 1 Gorilla Shaman (SB)
_######-##_##-###-#_##_# 1 Rack and Ruin (SB)
___#___-_____-___-#_##__ #2 Rack and Ruin (SB)
___#___-_____-___-______ #3 Rack and Ruin (SB)
#######-#####-###-####_# 1 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast (SB)
#_####_-#_#_#-#_#-####_# #2 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast (SB)
#__#___-#___#-#_#-####__ #3 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast (SB)
_______-#___#-#__-#__#__ #4 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast (SB)
____#__-__##_-___-_#____ 1 Shattering Pulse (SB)
Keeper doesn’t employ much Red maindeck, to the surprise of no one. That Burning Wish was in a deck where the only sideboarded sorcery was Fireball. (WTF? These one-time appearances are so out there.) In the sideboard, though, Red was considered indispensable by twenty of the twenty-one successful builds. Every deck with Red ran the first REB, 75% of them ran the second, 60% the third, and 25% the fourth. Rack and Ruin is also near mandatory as a one-of, but few ran more.
Oh, and Shattering Pulse has a cool picture. Just FYI.
#__#__#-#_###-#__-____#_ 1 Vampiric Tutor
_##_##_-_#___-_##-##___# 1 Vampiric Tutor (SB)
This is by no means a decided issue, but the recent indicators are that Vampiric Tutor belongs in the sideboard. Some people, however, have stopped running it entirely. A ten-nine-two vote, though, makes it a tough call.
#_#####-#####-###-###### 1 Mind Twist
#_##_#_-#####-#__-####_# 1 Skeletal Scrying
_______-_____-___-####_# #2 Skeletal Scrying
_##_##_-##__#-#__-______ 1 Skeletal Scrying (SB)
I’m not responsible for the jerk who didn’t run Mind Twist, keeping it out of the core. A lot of the absent Scryings are IsoKeeper decks, but the much-derided Accumulated Knowledge builds did their fair share to suppress another basically mandatory card. Scrying is essential enough that nearly everyone recently added the second one.
_#_____-_#___-___-______ 1 Duress
_#_____–_____-___-______ #2 Duress
____#__-_____-___-______ 1 Duress (SB)
____#__-_____-___-______ #2 Duress (SB)
Duress is a horrible card for Keeper.
_______-#___#-#__-____#_ 1 The Abyss
_______-_____-___-_#____ 1 The Abyss (SB)
This is really only for those who still have to deal with very bad decks locally.
#_#_##_-##__#-#_#-##__#_ 1 Coffin Purge (SB)
____#__-_____-___-____#_ #2 Coffin Purge (SB)
______#-_____-___-__##_# 1 Ebony Charm (SB)
_###_#_-_###_-_#_-_____# 1 Tormod’s Crypt (SB)
___#___-_____-___-______ #2 Tormod’s Crypt (SB)
___#___-_____-___-______ #3 Tormod’s Crypt (SB)
Not a single build ignored yard hate.
______#-_____-___-_#_#__ 1 Diabolic Edict (SB)
_______-_____-__#-______ 1 Plaguebearer (SB)
_______-_____-___-__#___ 2 Powder Keg (SB)
__#__#_-__##_-___-______ 1 Silent Specter (SB)
__#__#_-___#_-___-______ #2 Silent Specter (SB)
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Tsabo’s Web (SB)
Three months later, I still don’t understand Silent Specter in Keeper.
_______-__##_-___-______ 1 Damping Matrix
_______-__##_-___-______ #2 Damping Matrix
_______-_____-___-_#___# 1 Damping Matrix (SB)
_______-_____-___-_#___# #2 Damping Matrix (SB)
_______-_____-___-_____# #3 Damping Matrix (SB)
I expect the Matrix to do well at the box office this season, thanks to Hollywood’s Mindslaver device.
#_####_-_#___-_##-___#_# 1 Isochron Scepter
#_####_-_#___-__#-______ #2 Isochron Scepter
__##_#_-_____-__#-______ #3 Isochron Scepter
_______-__##_-___-______ 2 Isochron Scepter (SB)
Scepters have gone downhill lately, though now people are putting in one as ‘just another super-card’ rather than a deck focus.
______#-_____-_#_-______ 1 Zuran Orb
_______-_____-___-__#_#_ 1 Zuran Orb (SB)
__#_###-_###_-__#-#####_ 1 Circle of Protection: Red (SB)
#______-_____-___-______ 1 Heroes’ Reunion (SB)
Lifegain sucks, but CoP: Red is one of the most popular sideboard choices, and I expect FCG to keep it that way.
#_##_#_-_____-___-______ 1 Chalice of the Void (SB)
#__#___-_____-___-______ #2 Chalice of the Void (SB)
#__#___-_____-___-______ #3 Chalice of the Void (SB)
___#___-_____-___-______ #4 Chalice of the Void (SB)
Well that trend didn’t last long. Note that NO maindeck Chalices ever made it to the charts.
_#_____–_____-_##-____#_ 4 Accumulated Knowledge
Now we approach The Good Color. This card, however, is not so hot. I can’t believe two people didn’t play Brainstorm in favor of AK, thus keeping it from the core.
_#__#_#-#___#-##_-_#____ 1 Future Sight
We’ve got a solid”maybe” with indications of a”not really.”
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Braingeyser
_#____#-_____-_#_-____#_ 1 Stroke of Genius (SB)
I urge these people to read the black section of the Odyssey spoiler.
#######-#####-#_#-####_# 1 Brainstorm
#######-#####-#_#-####_# #2 Brainstorm
#_#####-#####-#_#-####_# #3 Brainstorm
__#####-#####-#_#-####_# #4 Brainstorm
#_#####-#####-#__-###### 1 Fact or Fiction
_#__#__-##__#-###-####__ 1 Blue Elemental Blast / Hydroblast (SB)
Yes. *Toothy Grin*
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Counterspell
__#__#_-#___#-#__-______ 1 Impulse
_______-#___#-#__-______ #2 Impulse
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Merchant Scroll
##____#-_____-_#_-#_____ 1 Morphling
______#-_____-___-#_____ #2 Morphling
_#_____–_____-_#_-______ 1 Power Artifact
______#-#___#-#__-______ 1 Timetwister
_______-_____-___-____#_ 1 Arcane Laboratory (SB)
_______-_____-___-__#___ #2 Blue Elemental Blast / Hydroblast (SB)
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Counterspell (SB)
_______-_____-___-#_____ 1 Deep Analysis (SB)
_#_____-_#___-___-______ 1 Dominate (SB)
#______-_____-___-______ 1 Energy Flux (SB)
______#-_____-___-______ 1 Extract (SB)
_______-_____-__#-______ 1 Fact or Fiction (SB)
#______-_#___-___-______ 1 Hurkyl’s Recall (SB)
______#-##__#-#__-______ 1 Misdirection (SB)
_#_____–_____-___-______ 1 Teferi’s Response (SB)
No. *frown*
###_###-##__#-###-###### 1 Cunning Wish
###_###-##__#-###-##_### #2 Cunning Wish
_#____#-##__#-###-___#__ #3 Cunning Wish
______#-_____-___-______ #4 Cunning Wish
Of the eighteen Wish-employing decks, we’re split to one 1, eight 2, eight 3, and one 4. So two or three can be right.
_______-_____-___-##____ 1 Stifle
_______-_____-___-_#____ #2 Stifle
##__#__-#####-##_-_##_## 1 Stifle (SB)
#______-__##_-___-__#__# #2 Stifle (SB)
For whatever reason, people have really not caught onto the maindeck Stifles, but have been consistently sideboarding them.
So What Does All That Mean?
It means that I can tell you what the”consensus” choices on Keeper are, and we can see if that produces a build people would consider good. The only problem is that when I sorted out the most-used cards, I ended up with Vampiric Tutor in both the maindeck and sideboard. The sideboard had one more vote, so the maindeck went down another spot. There was a three-way tie for the last two spots, so I let a die roll decide (picking Future Sight and Island over fetchland number five).
19
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
2 Cunning Wish
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
1 Future Sight
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
13
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mind Twist
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Balance
2 Decree of Justice
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Gorilla Shaman
2 Fire / Ice
1 Isochron Scepter
28
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Tundra
4 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island
4 [Blue fetchlands]
1 Island
Sideboard:
1 Blue Elemental Blast / Hydroblast
1 Circle of Protection: Red
1 Coffin Purge
1 Disenchant
1 Fire/Ice
3 Red Elemental Blast / Pyroblast
1 Rack and Ruin
1 Skeletal Scrying
1 Stifle
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tormod’s Crypt
1 Vampiric Tutor
Now, aside from the high mana count, that deck ain’t too shabby. There are different directions you can take it and cards that might belong, but damn if that’s not a few cards from taking possession of all your base.
Okay, I give strong odds that somewhere in there you forgot JP’s request. But that’s okay, I didn’t. Here’s the breakdown of set appearances in February.
27.8% 741 Alpha/Beta/Unlimited (excluding 73 basic land)
63 Underground Sea
62 Volcanic Island
60 Red Elemental Blast
42 Tropical Island
34 Mox Sapphire
32 Black Lotus
32 Mox Ruby
30 Ancestral Recall
30 Mox Emerald
29 Mox Jet
28 Dark Ritual
28 Mox Pearl
27 Sol Ring
26 Time Walk
22 Blue Elemental Blast
19 Demonic Tutor
18 Taiga
15 Lightning Bolt
14 Juggernaut
14 Mana Vault
11 Swords to Plowshares
10 Scrubland[/author]“][author name="Scrubland"]Scrubland[/author]
10 Tundra
9 Balance
9 Timetwister
8 Berserk
8 Disenchant
7 Mind Twist
7 Wheel of Fortune
6 Animate Dead
6 Bayou
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Nevinyrral’s Disk
4 Winter Orb
3 Regrowth
1 Badlands
1 Braingeyser
1 Circle of Protection: Red
1 Fastbond
1 Fork
1 Plateau
1.7% 45 Arabian Nights
20 Bazaar of Baghdad
15 Library of Alexandria
10 City of Brass
3.8% 101 Antiquities
32 Mishra’s Workshop
19 Strip Mine
16 Mishra’s Factory
11 Hurkyl’s Recall
10 Triskelion
4 Su-Chi
2 Crumble
1 Power Artifact
2.7% 71 The Dark
49 Tormod’s Crypt
17 Blood Moon
5 Maze of Ith
2.1% 56 Legends
44 Mana Drain
8 Chain Lightning
4 The Abyss
0.1% 3 Fallen Empires
3 Goblin Grenade
4.0% 105 Ice Age
71 Brainstorm
11 Pyroblast
8 Hydroblast
6 Necropotence
4 Illusions of Grandeur
2 Dance of the Dead
2 Jester’s Cap
1 Zuran Orb
0.2% 6 Homelands
6 Merchant Scroll
4.6% 123 Alliances
104 Force of Will
14 Gorilla Shaman
4 Lim-Dul’s Vault
1 Arcane Denial
1.2% 31 Mirage
17 Mystical Tutor
5 Enlightened Tutor
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Wall of Roots
1 Goblin Tinkerer
1 Lion’s Eye Diamond
1.3% 34 Visions
18 Vampiric Tutor
5 Goblin Recruiter
3 Necromancy
2 Fireblast
2 Impulse
2 Quirion Ranger
2 Uktabi Orangutan
1.2% 32 Weatherlight
23 Gemstone Mine
4 Null Rod
3 Goblin Vandal
2 Phyrexian Furnace
3.5% 92 Tempest
39 Wasteland
16 Intuition
10 Lotus Petal
7 Ancient Tomb
4 Meditate
4 Mogg Fanatic
3 Bottle Gnomes
3 Chill
3 Diabolic Edict
3 Verdant Force
0.4% 10 Stronghold
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Volrath’s Shapeshifter
1 Mox Diamond
1 Sliver Queen
1.9% 51 Exodus
16 Sphere of Resistance
12 Survival of the Fittest
8 City of Traitors
6 Null Brooch
4 Price of Progress
3 Oath of Druids
1 Plaguebearer
1 Shattering Pulse
5.6% 147 Urza’s Saga
35 Duress
20 Smokestack
17 Yawgmoth’s Will
16 Tolarian Academy
12 Goblin Lackey
7 Annul
6 Back to Basics
6 Grafted Skullcap
6 Karn, Silver Golem
4 Carpet of Flowers
4 Meltdown
3 Goblin Matron
3 Windfall
2 Arc Lightning
2 Hibernation
1 Elvish Lyrist
1 Morphling
1 Shivan Hellkite
1 Stroke of Genius
3.8% 101 Urza’s Legacy
28 Goblin Welder
23 Rack and Ruin
11 Memory Jar
9 Rebuild
8 Tinker
6 Defense Grid
4 Faerie Conclave
3 Frantic Search
3 Grim Monolith
3 Hidden Gibbons
2 Viashino Heretic
1 Crop Rotation
2.0% 52 Urza’s Destiny
18 Academy Rector
12 Metalworker
7 Powder Keg
7 Yawgmoth’s Bargain
5 Masticore
3 Donate
1.7% 46 Mercadian Masques
18 Squee, Goblin Nabob
16 Misdirection
6 Energy Flux
5 Gush
3 Vendetta
2 Pulverize
1 Dust Bowl
1 Renounce
2.8% 75 Nemesis
40 Accumulated Knowledge
23 Tangle Wire
9 Seal of Cleansing
3 Daze
0% 1 Prophecy
1 Aura Fracture
0.9% 23 Invasion
11 Artifact Mutation
7 Fact or Fiction
2 Heroes’ Reunion
2 Overload
1 Dismantling Blow
0.7% 19 Planeshift
5 Orim’s Chant
5 Quirion Dryad
4 Flametongue Kavu
3 Meddling Mage
2 Rushing River
2.6% 68 Apocalypse
37 Fire/Ice
20 Pernicious Deed
9 Shivan Reef
2 Goblin Ringleader
4.1% 109 Odyssey
19 Psychatog
17 Coffin Purge
16 Wild Mongrel
10 Careful Study
9 Roar of the Wurm
7 Barbarian Ring
7 Ground Seal
4 Sphere of Law
4 Standstill
3 Petrified Field
3 Price of Glory
3 Skeletal Scrying
3 Werebear
2 Mystic Enforcer
1 Ghastly Demise
1 Holistic Wisdom
2.6% 68 Torment
18 Deep Analysis
16 Basking Rootwalla
8 Arrogant Worm
8 Circular Logic
8 Grim Lavamancer
4 Fiery Temper
2 Ambassador Laquatus
2 Compulsion
2 Violent Eruption
3.1% 83 Judgment
37 Cunning Wish
19 Cabal Therapy
8 Anger
7 Worldgorger Dragon
5 Wonder
3 Burning Wish
1 Genesis
1 Krosan Reclamation
1 Ray of Revelation
1 Seedtime
7.4% 197 Onslaught
61 Polluted Delta
30 Flooded Strand
28 Wooded Foothills
22 Naturalize
12 Goblin Piledriver
11 Chain of Vapor
9 Bloodstained Mire
7 Future Sight
7 Skirk Prospector
5 Windswept Heath
2 Read the Runes
2 Smother
1 Goblin Sharpshooter
0.2% 6 Legions
4 Goblin Goon
1 Caller of the Claw
1 Phage the Untouchable
3.1% 83 Scourge
31 Stifle
12 Tendrils of Agony
10 Pyrostatic Pillar
9 Goblin Warchief
7 Siege-Gang Commander
5 Decree of Justice
4 Xantid Swarm
3 Mind’s Desire
1 Brain Freeze
1 Form of the Dragon
3.8% 101 Mirrodin
33 Chalice of the Void
17 Thirst for Knowledge
9 Isochron Scepter
6 Mindslaver
6 Platinum Angel
4 Damping Matrix
4 Grid Monitor
4 Seat of the Synod
3 Gilded Lotus
3 Mind’s Eye
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Pentavus
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Viridian Shaman
1 Bosh, Iron Golem
1 Duplicant
1 Elf Replica
1 Sculpting Steel
0.1% 3 Portal
3 Sleight of Hand
0.6% 16 Promos
16 Mana Crypt
These were the most impressive”one card dominates a set’s appearances” cases:
100% 1/1 Aura Fracture
84.6% 104/123 Force of Will
78.6% 44/56 Mana Drain
71.2% 23/32 Gemstone Mine
69.0% 49/71 Tormod’s Crypt
67.6% 71/105 Brainstorm
66.7% 4/6 Goblin Goon
Haha. Prophecy. Always good for a laugh. Note the abnormally low number of Null Rods making Gemstone Mine look better this time around.
Until next time, may your midterms always remind you how much you enjoy Magic.
Philip Stanton
a.k.a.”Dr. Sylvan”
prstanto at uiuc.edu