iMtG Server: Gathering

8rack 61 cards, 15 sideboard 2 {Mutavault} 5 {Swamp} 2 {Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth} 4 {Bloodstained Mire} 2 {Blood Crypt} 4 {Blackcleave Cliffs} 2 {Ghost Quarter} 1 {Dakmor Salvage} 22 lands 4 {The Rack} 2 {Bitterblossom} 3 {Raven's Crime} 4 {Inquisition of Kozilek} 2 {Kolaghan's Command} 4 {Ensnaring Bridge} 4 {Wrench Mind} 4 {Lightning Bolt} 4 {Thoughtseize} 4 {Liliana of the Veil} 4 {Shrieking Affliction} 39 other spells Sideboard 2 {Pithing Needle} 2 {Torpor Orb} 1 {Slaughter Games} 4 {Surgical Extraction} 1 {Syphon Life} 1 {Slaughter Pact} 3 {Darkblast} 1 {Kolaghan's Command} 15 sideboard cards Notes:

Just be careful playing  {abrupt decay}. Sometimes it is a dead card and with {ensnaring bridge} on the field your goal is for both players to be in top deck mode. If you are playing {abrupt decay} sometimes the only way to get it out of your hand is to cast it on your own stuff or target yourself with {thoughtseize} ect, or with liliana's ability. In the mean time they could attack you for a few life points. I almost lost a game once with an empty hand and {ensnaring bridge} out because  {noble heirarch} just laughs at that.

I really like {Mutavault} just as a blocker to noble hierarch and other small things

I really like your shell but if your ok with some suggestions I would recommend {mutivalt} and {dark confidant}. I know Bob seems anti productive with {ensnaring bridge} but I promise you that when I ran 8 rack he was up there with {Liliana of the veil} as mvp almost every game.

But you only have 4 Rack ;)

Quote from: VQMracing on November 23, 2015, 10:03:04 PM
I really like {Mutavault} just as a blocker to noble hierarch and other small things

Can't afford any more colorless lands with all the double black.

Quote from: General Kiwi on November 24, 2015, 07:33:49 AM
I really like your shell but if your ok with some suggestions I would recommend {mutivalt} and {dark confidant}. I know Bob seems anti productive with {ensnaring bridge} but I promise you that when I ran 8 rack he was up there with {Liliana of the veil} as mvp almost every game.

I'll definitely look into bob

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 23, 2015, 06:20:47 PM
Just be careful playing  {abrupt decay}. Sometimes it is a dead card and with {ensnaring bridge} on the field your goal is for both players to be in top deck mode. If you are playing {abrupt decay} sometimes the only way to get it out of your hand is to cast it on your own stuff or target yourself with {thoughtseize} ect, or with liliana's ability. In the mean time they could attack you for a few life points. I almost lost a game once with an empty hand and {ensnaring bridge} out because  {noble heirarch} just laughs at that.

Switched to rakdos with splash in sideboard for enchantment destruction for those pesky {leyline of sanctity}

Quote from: Spencer Addington on November 24, 2015, 04:09:12 PM

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 23, 2015, 06:20:47 PM
Just be careful playing  {abrupt decay}. Sometimes it is a dead card and with {ensnaring bridge} on the field your goal is for both players to be in top deck mode. If you are playing {abrupt decay} sometimes the only way to get it out of your hand is to cast it on your own stuff or target yourself with {thoughtseize} ect, or with liliana's ability. In the mean time they could attack you for a few life points. I almost lost a game once with an empty hand and {ensnaring bridge} out because  {noble heirarch} just laughs at that.

Switched to rakdos with splash in sideboard for enchantment destruction for those pesky {leyline of sanctity}

I use white as the splash colour for disenchant and leyline of sanctity in the sideboard. That also lets me run path to exile. I also play creatureless as i think that is the best build. Just my personal preference though.

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 24, 2015, 09:34:05 PM

Quote from: Spencer Addington on November 24, 2015, 04:09:12 PM

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 23, 2015, 06:20:47 PM
Just be careful playing  {abrupt decay}. Sometimes it is a dead card and with {ensnaring bridge} on the field your goal is for both players to be in top deck mode. If you are playing {abrupt decay} sometimes the only way to get it out of your hand is to cast it on your own stuff or target yourself with {thoughtseize} ect, or with liliana's ability. In the mean time they could attack you for a few life points. I almost lost a game once with an empty hand and {ensnaring bridge} out because  {noble heirarch} just laughs at that.

Switched to rakdos with splash in sideboard for enchantment destruction for those pesky {leyline of sanctity}

I use white as the splash colour for disenchant and leyline of sanctity in the sideboard. That also lets me run path to exile. I also play creatureless as i think that is the best build. Just my personal preference though.

Can you bump your list? The white splash sounds intriguing

Quote from: Spencer Addington on November 24, 2015, 04:09:12 PM

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 23, 2015, 06:20:47 PM
Just be careful playing  {abrupt decay}. Sometimes it is a dead card and with {ensnaring bridge} on the field your goal is for both players to be in top deck mode. If you are playing {abrupt decay} sometimes the only way to get it out of your hand is to cast it on your own stuff or target yourself with {thoughtseize} ect, or with liliana's ability. In the mean time they could attack you for a few life points. I almost lost a game once with an empty hand and {ensnaring bridge} out because  {noble heirarch} just laughs at that.

Switched to rakdos with splash in sideboard for enchantment destruction for those pesky {leyline of sanctity}

This looks much more solid than the list with green.

Quote from: VQMracing on November 24, 2015, 11:44:18 PM

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 24, 2015, 09:34:05 PM

Quote from: Spencer Addington on November 24, 2015, 04:09:12 PM

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on November 23, 2015, 06:20:47 PM
Just be careful playing  {abrupt decay}. Sometimes it is a dead card and with {ensnaring bridge} on the field your goal is for both players to be in top deck mode. If you are playing {abrupt decay} sometimes the only way to get it out of your hand is to cast it on your own stuff or target yourself with {thoughtseize} ect, or with liliana's ability. In the mean time they could attack you for a few life points. I almost lost a game once with an empty hand and {ensnaring bridge} out because  {noble heirarch} just laughs at that.

Switched to rakdos with splash in sideboard for enchantment destruction for those pesky {leyline of sanctity}

I use white as the splash colour for disenchant and leyline of sanctity in the sideboard. That also lets me run path to exile. I also play creatureless as i think that is the best build. Just my personal preference though.

Can you bump your list? The white splash sounds intriguing

Done

Updated list. I have been reading an 8rack thread on MTGsalvation and have learned quite a bit. I still want to like bitterblosson, but most decks I've seen are playing pack rats and I can't deny how good it looks. Many people think it works against bridge, but it can app,y early pressure and gets out of hand. More testing required.

The thread: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/developing-competitive-modern/574097-8rack

Memorylapse aka Robert leva is amazing, he helped make that thread an the basic list. Pack rat does work, specially running muta. And you have tricks to get around bridge if you lock yourself out.

I'll be testing pack rat for sure. I've been reading the thread from start to (soon to be) finish. Right now I'm a week past the banning of {treasure cruise}, pod and {dig through time}. It's kinda crazy how warping treasure cruise was. Really hurt the 8rack strategy.

Lol completely.  Emptying their hand just to fuel that thing was a pain. And of course turned off your racks.

Gonna test {grim lavamancer}

I need to cut a card and can't decide. Please help.

{Grim lavamancer}

Gotta agree, can't see a useful purpose with grim with the list you have. You already have enough burn and removal.

You didn't want to use {goblin electromancer} in your storm list because it dies to removal, and that is a critical piece of the deck. I don't understand why you do that, then want to play a card here that is not even close to being useful, and dies to the exact same removal.

Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on December 27, 2015, 07:43:41 PM
You didn't want to use {goblin electromancer} in your storm list because it dies to removal, and that is a critical piece of the deck. I don't understand why you do that, then want to play a card here that is not even close to being useful, and dies to the exact same removal.

I realized that yesterday. The lavamancer was cut, but now I need to trim the list. It's still 61 cards because I wanted a 3rd ravines crime and a 4th bolt. Any suggestions?

{Raven's crime}. You only need to draw one in the game and it is not even necessary until mid-late game when you are in top deck mode and need some redundancy. 2 copies should be plenty

Otherwise potentially a land could be cut. The top of your curve is 3 and as long as you hit 4 land drops in your first 6-8 turns you will be fine.

Just to elaborate, in my list the top of my curve is 3, with a 4 drop in the sideboard. I only play 20 lands (2 of which produce colorless and 2 come into play tapped) and I can't remember ever having mana issues outside of the occasional variance-based issue. I generally have 3 lands by turn 4 at the latest and 4 by turn 6 and that is plenty. Every land after that gets discarded to retrace {raven's crime} or played to solely to keep my hand size down for {ensnaring bridge} if I haven't drawn a ravens crime yet.

And I just noticed you don't have {blightning} in your list. That is one of the main reasons to even play red in a deck like this. Might be worth some consideration.

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Quote from: Mr_Fahrenheit on December 27, 2015, 07:43:41 PM\
You didn't want to use \{goblin electromancer\} in your storm list because it dies to removal, and that is a critical piece of the deck. I don't understand why you do that, then want to play a card here that is not even close to being useful, and dies to the exact same removal.\

\
I was thinking about it and there is a huge difference between having a goblin electromancer out t2 when you have no idea what is in an opponents hand as opposed to having a lavamancer out t4+ when your deck is specifically designed to control your opponents hand. You don't do anything with your graveyard, so why not utilize it?

I would personally rather have another discard spell in that slot as your main win condition involves having their hand empty. Redundancy is important. But that is just a personal opinion. I also wouldn't play any creatures and I also think the red splash is sub optimal. Everyone has their own way of doing things so don't take what I say as gospel.