Last week, Stephen took us through the GroAtog versus Fish matchup, sharing a number of intricate and interesting games and plays, This week, it’s the turn of Tendrils, Ichorid, and Flash. Each step into the Vintage ring to battle against the four-Gush behemoth… if you’re looking for in-depth play-by-play analysis of the resultant battles, Stephen does not disappoint!
With the recent upheaval to the Vintage format, and the restricting and unrestricting of key cards, the Vintage metagame is in constant flux. Today’s So Many Insane Plays sees Stephen pitch two of the prospective powerhouses — Fish and GroAtog — against each other in a titanic match. By leading us through the thought processes in the early game, we can see that the decisions made on turns 1 and 2 are vital to achieving success. If you’re looking for that Vintage edge, Stephen — as always — has the answers!
Stephen christens his new Wednesday slot with another powerful Vintage deck that attempts to answer the difficult questions posed by the current Vintage metagame. By speeding out some of the most broken cards in the history of Magic, this deck definitely succeeds at its brief. In fact, it propelled two lucky punters to the Top 8 of the latest SCG P9 Vintage event! If you’re looking for the cutting edge of Vintage technology, look no further.
With the unrestriction of Gush in Vintage — alongside some other wholesale changes — Stephen has revisited the old Vintage powerhouse, GroAtog. With the full complement of Gush, plus the usual plethora of strong, cheap spells, does the deck still have what it takes to be a dominant force in the New Vintage metagame? Plus, Stephen also shares his thoughts on the DCI restrictions, and questions their policies going forward.
Today’s So Many Insane Plays features strategic discussion over an all-important resource in modern Vintage: the graveyard. Stephen pitches Vintage Flash against Vintage Ichorid in an attempt to showcase the power of the format-defining Leyline of the Void. Fighting the battle on this front is one key to success in Magic’s most broken format… can you compete?
With Grand Prix: Columbus not consigned to the history books, and folk across the globe wondering What Now For Flash, Stephen takes a look at the aftermath from the latest Legacy GP from both a personal and analytical standpoint. HE questions the very nature of why we play — the Fun Factor — and then proposes some healthy ideas under which the Legacy format can continue to grow. All this, and talk of unbannings too!
Stephen takes a split-level look at the two older formats today. First up, he looks at Vintage. He brings us an interesting Doomsday list for those Vintage players who enjoy a good puzzle, and says a few words on the hardy perennial Meandeck Gifts. In Legacy, he shares his personal build of Hulk Flash, a build that he believes is the definitive version of the deck thus far…
Stephen loves broken decks. This much is obvious. As Grand Prix: Columbus lurches into view, it seems that everyone has an opinion on the menacing potential of Hulk Flash. As a well-respected Vintage veteran, Stephen is in a prime position to examine the interactions behind the deck. Does the reworking of Flash mean that Legacy is spawning into a “Vintage Lite” format? And is Stephen’s list really the Fastest Deck in Magic History? Read on to find out!
It seems that the world has turned its collective eyes towards Grand Prix: Columbus. In the second of today’s Legacy articles, Stephen puts down the Black Lotus and picks up four Lion’s Eye Diamonds to bring us a complete primer for the popular Iggy Pop combo deck! From an introduction to the bases, through card choices and strategies, to important matchup data and top-level strategy, this article has it all. Serious about Legacy? Let Stephen light the way…
When trawling through the new cards from Future Sight, it’s easy to spot those with serious Vintage potential. Street Wraith, for example, screams broken with every fiber of its being. However, Stephen believes that the true Vintage power cards from Future Sight are the ones for Manaless Ichorid. In fact, he believes his new listing is automatically a Tier 1 Vintage deck, if not the strongest deck in the format! Intrigued? Then read on…
Stephen, it seems, loves Future Sight. For this set at least, he seems to be the Anti-Remie. He believes there are cards — and one card in particular — that will warp the format into interesting shapes. Today’s article spills the beans on those broken cards that Vintage players across the globe will covet for their foil goodness. If you’re keen on Vintage, then you can’t miss this!
Last week, Stephen Menendian walked us through five pre-sideboard games between the innovative Belcher deck and the perennial warhorse Gifts deck. Today, he continues the match-up analysis with a look at five post-sideboard games. In a format packed with ridiculous turns and ultra-quick wins, does Belcher have the tools to make a splash in the metagame?
Last week, Stephen brought us the wacky fun that is the Goblin Charbelcher Vintage deck. This week, he takes it for a spin, facing off in a five-match suite against the perennial Gifts. Over the long haul, it’s tough to choose a winner… will it be the control shenanigans from Gifts, or the wacky combo goblin hi-jinks from Belcher? Read on to find out!
The Turn 1 Kill… it’s an achievement as celebrated as it is derided. No deck in Vintage, despite many attempts, has ever been truly successful at executing a consistent turn 1 kill. However, Stephen believes that the surprising Goblin Charbelcher deck may have finally achieved the unthinkable. If you’re looking for a fun and competitive alternative to the usual Vintage powerhouses, then this could be the deck for you!
Magic players are consumed with the quest to find the perfect deck. But what if the perfect deck was actually an imperfect deck? Stephen explores that possibility today. He takes a look at the philosophy behind different standards of winning, and suggests a workable plan to maximize your successes. While the article is steeped with Vintage examples, the theories behind it are relevant for any Constructed format.
