This is a public service announcement, warning you of a terrible epidemic
that is spreading through the Magic community with no relief in sight. It’s
an insidious virus that engenders an incredibly strong and inexplicable
attachment to red, green, and blue cards. As a brand new virus, it’s being
dubbed…
Ominous tones…
Todd Anderson Syndrome.
It appears as though noted SCG Tour player Harlan Firer is the virus’s
latest victim. He can’t put down his Tarmogoyfs and Lightning Bolts, even
as the rest of the metagame has moved on to Fatal Push and Gurmag Angler.
He’s drawn to them like moths to a flame.
In this latest, more aggressive variant of “Temur Cards I Own,” Harlan has
incorporated Mishra’s Bauble as a cheap cantrip that while not playing
nicely with Snapcaster Mage, does help Tarmogoyf level up to a 5/6 so it
can fight the delve threats that other decks play. It’s also another revolt
enabler for the other addition, Narnam Renegade, which can rumble with most
any creature in modern or apply some nice beatdowns for the low price of
one mana.
Huntmaster of the Fells as well as Pia and Kiran Nalaar are typical in
Temur decks and are ways to gain card advantage while developing the
battlefield. The tokens can often be traded away to upgrade your red
removal and kill larger creatures without losing significant value. That
kind of scrappiness is the key early warning sign for Todd Anderson
Syndrome.
Those cards make sense when restricting yourself to red removal, and the
rest of the deck is just great cards. Remand great. Cryptic Command great.
Serum Visions…good enough. Snapcaster Mage great.
You know, now that I think about it, there’s a lot to like about this deck.
It has a good curve, good disruption for combo decks, and is clearly tuned
to match up well against the black-based midrange decks that would
otherwise prey on it. Plus, Spell Snare is better than it’s been in years
due to the resurgence of Storm and Jeskai Control. Maybe Temur is actually
pretty good…
Oh no! The virus must have infected me! Quick, leave now and save
yourselves! It’s too late for me now.
…
I’m feeling a sudden urge to watch college football. R.. Roo… Rollll…
Roooooooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllll
Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide!!!!!
Creatures (16)
- 4 Tarmogoyf
- 2 Vendilion Clique
- 4 Snapcaster Mage
- 2 Huntmaster of the Fells
- 1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
- 3 Narnam Renegade
Lands (23)
Spells (21)
