The Magic Show #189 – Big Gun: Your Grand Prix DC Metagame

Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Magic Show. This week we’re going to be talking about Grand Prix: Washington D.C. (that I’ll be attending, live and in person), and the decks I expect to be everywhere at the event. Let’s go!

Big Gun: Your Grand Prix DC Metagame

So this past week we had Nationals Qualifiers all over the world and our post-Rise of the Eldrazi metagame is quickly shaping up.

The most exciting deck to come out of the weekend was GerryT’s Vengevine Naya. Yes, once again, Gerry breaks another format. The same guy who showed the world how powerful Dark Depths and Thopter Foundry could be in Extended is back at it for Standard. Another bonus is that Vengevine finally justifies his exorbitant pricetag – Yes, he really is that good, and now we have a deck that fully showcases his ridiculousness.

Yup, you take the Naya deck that did so well at Pro Tour: San Diego, add a little four mana monstrosity, and bam! You have yourself a killer concoction. You still have the Stoneforge Mystic / Basilisk Collar / Cunning Sparkmage that runs over Mythic Conscription decks, you have Ranger of Eos which makes Vengevine completely unfair, meanwhile Knight of the Reliquary continues to be a stellar card that can easily win games on its own.

On the flipside of Vengevine goodness is a new shiny deck posted by Mike Flores on his site, FiveWithFlores.com. While he dons his Jund deck “Monster Truck Vengevine,” I prefer “Flores the Mad”. Why? Check out the decklist:

Now that’s a cool list. Basically the idea is that every Bloodbraid Elf you play will flip another creature, ensuring all Vengevines in the graveyard will be returning to play when you play one. And let me tell you, from playing with this list myself, it is sick. The first time you actually do bring back Vengevine from the graveyard after flipping, say, Cunning Sparkmage with Bloodbraid Elf, suddenly you went from zero to three hasty guys in one play. Powerful really isn’t the word I feel at that point.

Sarkhan the Mad is your only spell in the deck, and it seems the Other Rise of the Eldrazi Planeswalker is finally getting his due. Showing up in Jund and R/B Aggro lists, I’ve been saying this guy is the real deal for weeks now and it’s nice to see him see the play he deserves.

Moving on, while those decks are incredibly scary, they’re not the deck to beat. Want to know what it is? Here’s a hint: It’s not Jund.

Wait, what? The deck that solidified itself as a solid 25-30% of the Nationals Qualifiers metagame isn’t the deck to beat? Nope, because the deck that won more Nationals Qualifiers, and had a better average showing is Mythic Conscription:

Yes, the original “Most Expensive Deck In The Format” has returned with even more expensive Planeswalkers and one big fat Eldrazi Enchantment. It’s funny how ‘crap rares’ suddenly become bomb ones when a powerful card hits the scene. Sovereigns of Lost Alara went from “meh” to “OMG +11/+11 and Trample” for six mana. Turns out when you print the most absurd Aura ever along with a creature that can fetch and attach it for free, powerful things happen. Of course the rest of the deck isn’t exactly ‘fair’ with cards like Jace, the Mind Sculptor; Gideon Jura; Baneslayer Angel, and Lotus Cobra. This is the deck I consider the Deck To Beat, and you’d better have a hell of a plan versus the Mythic monstrosity if you plan on doing well at the GP or upcoming PTQs.

Moving on, Super Friends is No Joke.

This deck burst on the scene at the StarCityGames Open in Atlanta and has been steadily crushing people ever since. Turns out Planeswalkers are awesome, and a bunch of Planeswalkers is really awesome, so why can’t it work? Note that the deck folds to aggro decks that most aren’t playing but instead are opting for card advantage-fueled midrange and control decks, the exact kind that Super Friends eats for lunch. Granted it’s one incredibly pricey deck, but the Maserati of decks gives you plenty of pizazz for your buck. Beware the technology of adding Time Warp to this deck, because nothing says lovin’ like an extra turn with yo’ Super Friends on the table.

Speaking of powerful control decks, and decks that still aren’t exactly cheap, U/W Control is still hanging around and doing quite well.

While it folds to Super Friends, it crushes most other decks, and it does so with style. Luminarch Ascension is the card that is your best bet at beating the Super Powered duders crushing Standard, while Mrs. Angel If You’re Nasty takes care of the rest of the format, along with Jwar-Jwar Sphinx. It also of course runs the pair of pricey Planeswalkers, the incredibly good Wall of Omens, and tap-out goodies like Martial Coup and Mind Spring, along with the best Blue card in Standard, Spreading Seas. Seriously, if you haven’t been destroyed by this silly Aura yet, you don’t know how crazy good it is. Nice. Manland.

Okay, so we’ve talked about the expensive decks and twists on powerful archetypes. So what if you don’t have seven hundred bucks to plop down on a new shiny concoction? What if you don’t like control decks? What if you just wanna smash face? I’ve got some decks for you. First is the veritable classic, Red Deck Wins:

Yes, this is dorks, burn, and summons that are quite devastating. Yes, the Red Deck Wins archetype is classic and awesome, a very simple and straightforward deck that is surprisingly difficult to play correctly. Kargan Dragonlord, if you haven’t heard, is a two mana 8/8 flying, trampling, firebreathing powerhouse. I hope every Red, Red/Black or Red/White deck recognizes this guy for what he is, and plays him accordingly. But that’s not the powerhouse in this deck. The powerhouse, and the creature with the most potential, is Kiln Fiend. Have you read this guy closely? +3/+0 for any Instant or Sorcery? So you Rebound Staggering Shock, Bolt a blocker, and swing for seven? That’s pretty insane for a two mana creature. Combine the Fiend’s power with other superstars like Goblin Guide and Plated Geopede, add a dash of burn, and you’re good to go!

But let’s take a look at a really creative and dare I say ‘sexy’ twist on this strategy with Boros Deck Wins from the Maryland Nationals Qualifier:

Yes, that is Emerge Unscathed. Yes, it is completely bonkers with Kiln Fiend and versus any targeted removal. Nice Path to Exile. Oh, that’s a cute lil’ Maelstrom Pulse, isn’t it? Give my Kiln Fiend protection from Black in response, take three more, and he’ll definitely be unblockable next turn unless you use another spell to get rid of him? Seems good. I love Emerge Unscathed and what it does for the deck, and hope you give it a shot yourself as a powerful budget-friendly alternative to the metagame.

How about some more budget-friendly options for crushing the Grand Prix? Remember Vampires? Yeah, they’re still good. Let’s look at a recent list:

The reason Vampires are insane right now is two cards: The first is Malakir Bloodwitch. This card does righteously unfair things to Baneslayer Angel and Gideon Jura while sucking the life out of your opponent just for playing it. It’s also great versus Jace, the Mind Sculptor. Whatcha gonna do, bounce it?

The second card is Mind Sludge. With U/W Control not running many (if any) counterspells, a Turn 5 Mind Sludge for five cards is usually good game versus them. Super Friends doesn’t do well post-Mind Sludge as well. If I were playing Vampires this weekend, I know I’d stock up on Mind Sludges with which to wreck people.

But let’s discuss a little technology that I think is being passed over that I was shown at the Atlanta Open via Magic Show viewer Ethan Merbaum. He sat me down and said take a look at this interaction:

Turn 2, play Bloodthrone Vampire. Turn 3, play Bloodghast, sacrifice it to Bloodthrone. Play a Marsh Flats, bring back Bloodghast and sacrifice it, swing for five.

Next turn, play Kalastria Highborn. Then play your land for the turn, bring back Bloodghast, sacrifice him, pay a Black mana so Kalastria Highborn can Drain Life for 2, crack your fetchland, bring back Bloodghast, sacrifice to Bloodthrone and pay a black to Drain Life for two once again, swing for seven. That puts your opponent at what, four life? What are they going to do if they don’t have the Day of Judgment? Because once you untap, the instant you kill a vampire Kalastria Highborn is going to make you pay for it.

This interaction hasn’t been seen in competitive play, at least from what I can decipher, and I believe it’s time to give the Bloodthrone Vampire / Bloodghast interaction the respect it deserves. Another card Ethan was impressed with was Arrogant Bloodlord. Sure it’s going to get killed by a Sprouting Thrinax Saproling token, but who wants to block with their Noble Hierarch? Note that this guy trades with Putrid Leech and kills Wall of Omens with ease. For those rocking Vampires, I’d take a close look at this guy.

But how about some wacky rogue goodness? Check out R/B Control:

Nice Black Knight, amirite? Gets around Path to Exile, Wall of Omens, Baneslayer Angel, Ranger of Eos, and Gideon Jura. Oh man, do I dig this deck. I love me some Abyssal Persecutor, and the Planeswalkers are all excellent. But check out that three-drop! Is that a Hypnotic Specter winning the Missouri Nationals Qualifier? You bet it is! This guy, alongside superstar removal like Earthquake, Lightning Bolt, Consuming Vapors, and Gatekeeper of Malakir keep you in the race and for some, the first place slot.

So what’s going to break out at Grand Prix: DC? I’ve heard rumblings of Summoning Trap finally getting its due, and of course Jund will be out in force so make sure you’re prepared. Also this weekend you can pick up your free copy of the StarCityGames.com Gazette, our first ever print publication! This incredibly awesome magazine will give you something to check out while you’re hanging out at the event, plus we’ve got some special deals at the StarCityGames.com booth for those who grab a copy!

Lastly I want to discuss the Show last week and the idea that my Deckbuilder’s Toolkit was “setup” or “planted” in some way. And all I have to say to that is: Really? Seriously, guys? I’ve been doing this for years now, and I now have my dream job doing this full time. Why would I throw away my integrity for a product aimed at new players getting started? The story is this boring: A package of two Deckbuilder’s Toolkits showed up at my house. I decided to film a segment of me opening it and building-slash-playing with them versus Chris Woltereck. That reaction when I opened the Jace? That was real! Yes, they really are opened at some point, and I just happened to do so. As fun as conspiracy theories are, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and a Deckbuilder’s Toolkit is just a Marketing Plant By WotC to Make You Think That Everyone Gets A Jace–oh crap, I said too much! Haha!

Seriously, stop being paranoid, guys; I hope to see fans and friends alike this weekend as I travel to Washington D.C. for the Grand Prix. Until next time, Magic players, this is Evan Erwin. Tapping the cards… so you don’t have to!

Evan “misterorange” Erwin
Community Manager, StarCityGames.com