A cow looked down at his worn cowish legs and sighed as a cool breeze lifted the smell of grass into his nostrils. It was time to eat. He found a green spot under the shade where he had dined countless times, and began to munch on some of the field’s finest. The loud noise of the Master’s Truck rang in his ears, and he turned to see his old friend Blackie, who had been here longer than he, riding in the bed of the Truck. How lucky he thought, Blackie was going for a ride! It was then that he spotted Bessy in the distance, underneath a similar tree, chowing down. He made the lengthy walk over and engaged in cow talk while they enjoyed a nice afternoon snack.
He was an old cow, and felt invigorated being amongst Bessy, one of the newer, better looking female cows on the field. They finished snacking and laid in the shade as they watched the shadows of clouds dance around on the open expanse that was their world. He stared down at his worn cowish legs again, and couldn’t help but feel anxious. His insecurities were obvious to Bessy, who simply nudged him on his neck in an attempt to make him feel more comfortable. Those nudges turned into a weird kind of flirting, and the two smiled and enjoyed each others company.
A loud bang awoke Bessy the next morning. The old cow was gone, and Bessie was left with nothing but vivid memories of that peaceful afternoon.
…
The Sanchez Gallery
Last weekend, I had the honor of watching South Texas’s finest compete in Regionals. Sadly, none of the finest made Top 8, and when the dust settled we were left with a new crop of Texas champions. While I was judging, one deck in particular caught my eye: a Mono-Blue Snow deck, featuring a ton of permission spells backed up with Teferi, and Aeon Chronicler as the kill condition. For reference, here’s the list that took a seat at Nationals piloted by Aaron Prieto:
Creatures (14)
Lands (26)
Spells (20)
Sideboard
Scrying Sheets is one of my favorite cards of all time, as is Teferi, and Remand isn’t too far behind. So I ventured to refine this list, since some of the card choices seem a bit awkward. Four Teferi, four Spell Snare, Rimefeather Owl, and Telling Time were the ones that stood out the most.
Tolaria West also seems like a very natural inclusion to this deck, to increase sideboard space, since you only need one Tormod’s Crypt with Academy recursion, and it’ll ensure you get a Scrying Sheets going each game. Telling Time also seems pretty horrible, since there are several cards that are just better options than it, like Think Twice or Careful Consideration.
I proxied this version up and played a few games against Gruul, Dragonstorm, Dralnu, and Solar Flare, at which point his card choices really started to annoy me. I kept drawing more Teferis, Spell Snares, and Chroniclers than I needed. On top of that, Rimefeather Owl sat in my hand many games since without a Teferi I would never have an opportunity to cast it.
I came up with this list with some help from Ben Lundquist.
Creatures (12)
Lands (27)
Spells (21)
Sideboard
This deck may look a little strange because it doesn’t have any of the traditional card draw to which we have become accustomed, like Careful Consideration, Mystical Teachings, Think Twice, or even Compulsive Research. Instead, it uses Scrying Sheets to hit all your land drops, along with Repeal and Remand to tempo the opponent long enough to get your Rewinds active. From there, you can counter their spells and play Teferi in the same turn, which leads to instant speed dudes and instant speed suspending of Aeon Chronicler.
Phyrexian Ironfoot is essential for the Gruul matchup, but also has the bonus of being a recoverable creature in the more controlling matchups. Being able to put him on top and draw him in the same motion with Academy Ruins and Scrying Sheets is very problematic for other control decks, since they will eventually run out of answers.
Many people seem to be under the assumption that this deck rolls over to Gruul, which can be true if they have a very aggressive hand on the play. If you are playing first, the only threat they will be able to stick will be a turn 1 Kird Ape, which will usually deal between four or six damage before you use Repeal, Ironfoot, Venser, or Teferi to stop him. The only other relevant card they have is Char, because it can kill your Ironfoot. If they don’t have a Char they will be forced to two-for-one themselves to get rid of him. Same goes for Teferi. Eventually you will just run all of their threats down and start going on the offensive.
After board it really doesn’t matter who plays first, since recurring Bottle Gnomes, as stupid as it sounds, is nearly impossible for them to get by, not to mention being able to trade your bad spells like Mana Leak and Delay for the much more effective Flashfreeze.
Dredge is also a pretty tough game 1, but becomes very favorable after board since you have both Tormod’s Crypt and Bottle Gnomes to stop their Bridges, along with another Spell Snare to stop their Tarmogoyfs and dredge enablers.
Pretty much all the control matchups or midrange aggro decks – like Solar Flare, Angelfire, and Dralnu – are a complete joke. This deck has more counters, and two uncounterable engines with Aeon Chronicler and Scrying Sheets. In control games, whoever can develop their mana stronger usually wins, and this deck does that far better than any other deck in the format.
Another impressive factor of this deck is its universal reactive plan. It has a bunch of counters on tap to answer whatever situation occurs. You can really change the pace of the game for whatever situation that arises. The one exception being the various dredge decks, since they don’t actually need to cast spells past turn 2 to win the game.
Gruul
I’ve just finished playing a twenty game set opposite a standard Gruul list in which I went 6-4 game 1, and 7-3 game 2. I believe these numbers to be pretty accurate, since each game was pretty close to the same. We each lost a couple of games to mana problems: him having too few, and me having too many. He started out with turn 1 Kird ape seven times in the game 1 series, and five times in the game 2 series, which should be the standard. The real problem with the Gruul lists is their lack of two-drops, which make Spell Snare only able to counter Scab-Clan Mauler
Sideboard
+ 4 Bottle Gnomes, 4 Flashfreeze, 1 Academy Ruins
– 2 Delay, 3 Spell Snare, 1 Tolaria West, 1 Aeon Chronicler, 2 Mana Leak
After board, the Snow deck is a big favorite. They might board in Blood Moon, which can stop Academy Ruins until you find a Repeal or Venser, but it is only a minor annoyance since you still have plenty of Blue sources. I can’t emphasize how huge Bottle Gnomes is in this matchup. It makes Solifuge completely worthless, since you can kill it and still gain two life, along with the ability to block any of their one- or two-powered creatures for the rest of the game. They really have to draw a good portion of their Chars to have a chance. In the three games I lost post board, one was to mana flood, one to mana screw, and one was due to him drawing four Chars, enabling him to get in twelve damage with his turn 1 Kird Ape.
Zoogoyf
This match up is a lot like Gruul except they have much more burn to throw at your head. The redeeming factor is that your Spell Snares shoot up in value, since they have four times as many targets. Another big factor is that some Zoogoyf lists only run two or three Char, which means your Ironfeet will be much more likely to enable a two-for-one.
Sideboard
+ 4 Bottle Gnome, 1 Spell Snare, 1 Academy Ruins, 2 Flashfreeze
– 4 Delay, 1 Tolaria West, 1 Aeon Chronicler, 2 Mana Leak
One of the cool parts about running Mana Leak is if they see it game 1, or you draw both copies of it, they will play around it for the rest of the match. They won’t have Blood Moon to stop your Gnome engine. However, they still have a lot more burn to throw at you, and their early creatures usually get in more damage compared to the Gruul offerings.
Solar Flare
This matchup is a joke. Some will have Extirpate, but other than that there no card you can’t play around (or simply counter).
Sideboard
+ 1 Tormod’s Crypt, 1 Spell Snare
– 2 Repeal
If you feel like you need the Crypt to stop a random Nightmare Void, or something else irrelevant, go ahead and board it in. You probably won’t need it, but it doesn’t hurt. Spell Snare is there to counter all of their Castigates, which is the only card that can really disrupt you if they hit it on turn 2. They could also have Take Possession after board, so make sure to play around that.
Dredge
Game 1 is pretty difficult since you don’t have a good answer to Bridge from Below. They won’t ever resolve a Dread Return, but the 2/2s it leaves behind afterward is the imposing part. If you get a fast Teferi draw you can usually stabilize if they only make six 2/2s off the Dread Return. If they make any more than that, it’s almost always game over.
Sideboard
+ 4 Bottle Gnomes, 1 Academy Ruins, 1 Spell Snare, 1 Tormod’s Crypt
– 2 Mana Leak, 4 Delay, 1 Mouth of Ronom
After board, their only tool that can hurt you is Extripate. Some will board in Tarmogoyf to transform into an awkward aggro deck with the dredge backup plan. I wouldn’t worry too much about this deck. It seems to be fading in popularity since its horrible performance at Regionals.
This matchup is pretty difficult, since you don’t actually have a way to stop Dragonstorm. You can stop their Gigadrowse with Rewind by using it on their last copy to untap four of your lands, but if they run the combo out there, or have a Remand for your Rewind, it’s game over. The beauty of the Rewind play is that a lot of Dragonstorm players are too cautious and don’t know the optimal time to go off, and when you have four mana untapped they will just assume you have some kind of answer. That trick really only works after board, though.
Sideboard
+ 1 Tormod’s Crypt, 4 Riptide Pilferer
– 3 Spell Snare, 2 Mana Leak
The Tormod’s Crypt doesn’t really do anything, but it doesn’t hurt to bring it in on the off chance that you can throw off their Rite of Flame math. Respond to their second Rite by removing their graveyard, therefore giving them one less Red mana. This matchup still isn’t good… however, a lot of the time they will assume you have Shadow of Doubt or Trickbind, so you can steal some games. Riptide Pilferer is the best bet at winning this match. If you can rush them into an early Dragonstorm without Gigadrowsing, you have a chance the use the counter magic to stop them from killing you. If you end up playing in an enviroment where Dragonstorm runs rampant, you can always take the Flashfreeze out of the sideboard in favor for Shadow of Doubt, to lock down games 2 and 3.
I really like the Snow Blue deck. It fits my play style, and is surprisingly effective against the current format. If Solar Flare continues to rise in popularity, I am going to seriously consider this for Nationals, although I guess it all depends on what Wizards unleashes on us with Tenth Edition. If the rumors about Mogg Fanatic, Troll Asectic, Incenerate, and Goblin Warchief are true, the aggro decks might be too strong to hold down.
…
One of my best Magic friends, Billy Moreno, is up for the Resident Genius ballot, so in an attempt to get the word out on how cool and deserving Billy is, I offered to do an interview with him.
Sanchez: Hey Billy, what was your first reaction when you found out you were nominated for the Resident Genius ballot for the second year in a row?
Billy: The second… did I get nominated last year? Anyway, I feel like it’s where I belong. I’m not shy with people I talk to about it. I really feel like I’m one of, if not the, top deck designer in the world.
Sanchez: You didn’t win last year. Since then, what contributions have you made to qualify you for the Resident Genius ballot?
Billy: I’m pretty sure the Zoo deck fell in last year’s cycle, but I’m not positive. It’s close enough anyway. BDM talked about the decks in his article announcing the candidates. Since the Zoo deck, there’s been Fecundity Goblins, and my Counterbalance Flash list that won the GP. I built the two good decks on my PT: Charleston team that finished in 25th. I’ve also got a Perilous Storm list that I think is insane. [For more on that deck, check out Billy’s Feature Article today. — Craig.]
Mostly though, I think it’s the shape of my decks that’s especially impressive. They’ve all been broad and powerful along multiple avenues of attack. And I’ve been pretty successful at having those avenues mesh very elegantly, whether it’s the aggro-combo variety of Dirty Kitty or the transformative plan in the Zoo deck.
Sanchez: Do you feel that this years ballot is a little skewed towards Americans? Do you really feel that America is the leading country of genius? Also, do you feel any names were left of this list? Frank Karsten in particular was one I fully expected to see on the ballot, especially given his revolutionary “Online Tech” article series.
Billy: Resident Genius seems like it’s in a weird place this year. It’s not strictly about Constructed because there’s a Constructed Master category. As far as I know, that category’s more about event performance and dominance. BDM and I talked about whether Heezy belonged in this category or that. The initial reaction is to put him in Constructed Master because he is, in all facets. But then you look at what he’s done as a deck designer, and he belongs in the Resident Genius vote. It should be obvious that I feel like I belong. Wafo-Tapa’s obviously been putting out great decks for about two years now. Saito’s currently the best beatdown player on the planet, and in a similar position to Mark. He’s as much a Constructed Master candidate as he is a Resident Genius. Hron seems like he made the cut because of the new direction Resident Genius has taken. His approach in Geneva was definitely a step ahead. The only knock against Mike is that I can’t think of anything but that PT to mention for him.
I don’t feel like anyone on the ballot shouldn’t be there. I do think Frank’s work on Online Tech has been wonderful for the Magic Community, but it isn’t a community service award.
Sanchez: Could you give a brief description of what you feel are the essentials at examining a brand new format and finding a weakness for it?
Billy: I actually don’t usually approach formats by looking for weaknesses. My whole M.O., and I think I’ve been pretty consistent in this, is that I look for the most power in a given format. Time has proven that Dredge was clearly the most powerful mechanic available for PT: LA. The Zoo deck from Honolulu was one of the best configurations against the control field, and the Glare transformation was one of the most powerful set-ups for attacking opposing aggro decks. I know I never wanted to sit down across from a deck with Hierarchs, lots of men to gum up the ground, and Glare to take control. What’s more, in Honolulu, it seemed like eight three-mana four-damage spells was the most threat a deck could present. The Fecundity Goblins deck took two powerfully agressive strategies and smushed them together. Going into that format Empty the Warrens was a clear powerhouse, like anything else with storm on it. The next step, after identifying the true power in the format, is not to align yourself against it. The secret is figuring out how to make power more powerful. Like the Fecundity list, the GP-winning Flash deck was an answer to the following question: “How do I take this clearly broken deck, win the mirror, and beat the hate without losing any of the inherent brokenness?”
So basically, when I look at a new format, I keep tossing around deck ideas and card combinations until I figure out something that’s clearly powerful but also flexible enough to present many angles of attack (as opposed to trying to figure out how to fit multiple angles of defense into a deck). That way you end up with something that’s powerful and aggressive without being vulnerable in the way that narrowly linear decks are.
Sanchez: Have you put any thought into the card you would design in the event you win the ballot? If so, care to share?
Billy: I actually haven’t done any work on it… been busy getting ready for Grand Prix: Montreal this weekend. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be the best Invitational card ever, I mean, just imagine MY face on a card, and it would definitely have several piercings; most likely the nipples, lip, and naval to name a few!*
Sanchez: What are your Top 5 music picks at the moment?
1. TV on the Radio
2. Mars Volta
3. Animal Collective
4. Lupe Fiasco
5. Bjork
Sanchez: Any final comments or words of wisdom for the readers?
Billy: Always attack. Even if you don’t use creatures. Attacking is always trump. It’s the hidden Magic fundamental.
So without further ado, I bring you the Top 5 Reasons You Should Vote For Billy Moreno in the Resident Genius Ballot:
5 — He is one of the most photogenic Magic players in the history of the game.**
4 — Mise.
3 — He is the best deckbuilder sandwiched between the Atlantic and Pacific.
2 — I dare you to name someone who can pull off the homeless-indie-gangsta look as well as him.
1 — He has such gentle eyes.
…
Those playful nudges were all she could think about during her morning graze, and when the sun was hidden behind a large cloud she took the opportunity to make the trek across the field to find him.
The Big Tree was an enormous deep-rooted oak that provided a meeting place for all of the different animals in the field. All the squirrels congregate there at mid-day to exchange nuts and trinkets. Zack, the leader of the squirrels, saw Bessy coming and ran out to greet her. Despite Zack being able to speak Cow, he was still talking far too fast for Bessy to understand. Again, the only words she could make out were Barn and Master. This time she also heard the word Truck before the eager squirrel skittered back to the shade of the giant oak to re-join in the chattering and bartering.
The warm afternoon sun beat down as she made her way to the Barn. She recounted her memories of the old cow, memories from a mere twenty-four hours ago. It all seemed like a hazy dream that was turning into a distant lament.
When she arrived at the Barn, the Master was just leaving in his Truck. She wandered around the perimeter before eventually making her way to the large red building. She peeked her head through the giant doors to see a stale room, penetrated by rays of light peeking through the windows on the side. There was a ladder leading up to a loft along with mammoth piles of hay scattered about. She walked slowly while observing the tiniest of details, from the rusted hinges on the door that creaked when pushed open, to the ax laying flat on the ground a few feet away.
He wasn’t here.
As she was exiting the Barn, she spotted a small shed in the corner of her eye with the door half open. Using her nose to nudge the door, she peeked inside only to see a small, pointless window in the darkness. As she entered, a putrid smell infiltrated her nostrils. Her head started to spin. Still, she went deeper to find the source of the smell.
It was then that she heard the loud noise of the Master’s Truck pulling up behind the shed. Bessy froze, unable to move. A large sliding door in the back of the shed opened, and it was then that she saw the old cow, lying in the bed of the Master’s Truck. A white coat, turned a reddish brown. Eyes bloodshot. Tongue hanging, dripping with blood. There was a hole in the center of his head, and flies were buzzing in and out. She held her stomach and watched in awe.
Shocked, all she could do was stand in the darkness and stare.
The Master skinned and hacked him up into several large portions, before eventually wrapping the portions and placing them in a freezer located near the sliding door. When he was done, the Master hopped into his Truck.
…
Vote for Billy!
Thanks for reading,
Kyle
Top 5 Picks
1) -123 – 1234 by Feist
2) Slow Show by The National
3) Fake Empire by The National
4) Mansfield and Cyclops by Espers
5) Squalor Victoria by The National
* Yeah, I made that part up, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets wet when thinking of Billy with naval piercings.
**
