B/G Midrange -- The Rock and His Millions

strider9820
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B/G Midrange -- The Rock and His Millions Aug 8, 2014 22:28:38 GMT -6

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Post by strider9820 on Aug 8, 2014 22:28:38 GMT -6

After piloting this list to third boy (in a six-boy tourney) I'm quite happy with my first attempt at a Peasant version of an Eternal-format classic. Here's the pile as it was played tonight:

B/G Midrange

4x Evolving Wilds
12x Swamp
7x Forest

2x Blastoderm
2x Imperiosaur
2x Kessig Recluse
2x Deadly Recluse
3x Vampire Nighthawk
2x Rendclaw Trow

2x Diabolic Edict
4x Doom Blade
4x Disfigure
4x Duress
4x Echoing Decay
1x Putrefy
2x Read the Bones
2x Tragic Slip
1x Golgari Charm

SB:
2x Tragic Slip
4x Naturalize
3x Shrivel
3x Brindle Boar
3x Hymn to Tourach

I based the removal:threat ratio on several Legacy/Modern/Standard lists I liked, and pretty much just guessed on the board. Based on overall performance and MVP's of the evening, I would make the following changes:

Duress is at most a 2-of, I think. Good in opening hand, bad when you'd rather draw a Blastoderm.

Speaking of, +2 Blastoderm, -2 Imperiosaur. For my money (probably about $0.15 each, waaay back in 2004 or so) Blastoderm is the best common creature in this format. Every time he hit the board in this tourney it was GG. 2GG, to be exact. I might consider 2x Imperiosaur in the board still.

I'm thinking of replacing the Deadly Recluses and/or Rendclaw Trows with Brindle Boars in the mainboard. I sided them in every round and they won games for me every round. I'm also questioning the Kessig Recluses -- when building the deck I was sure I was going to be swarmed by weenie decks and apparently forgot that burn was a thing.

Critique away, and read my tourney report!

strider9820
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Posts: 23

B/G Midrange -- The Rock and His Millions Aug 9, 2014 9:38:54 GMT -6

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Post by strider9820 on Aug 9, 2014 9:38:54 GMT -6

I'm considering this as a 1 or 2-of. It's half Ravenous Rats and half Eternal Witness, and given that I'm generally hunting down at least two of each basic land to cast my good beaters, it seems pretty likely both abilities will trigger. Thoughts?

SwartDawgMillionaire
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Troll Hunter

Come on, baby, can you dig it?

Posts: 30

B/G Midrange -- The Rock and His Millions Aug 9, 2014 11:02:13 GMT -6

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Post by SwartDawgMillionaire on Aug 9, 2014 11:02:13 GMT -6

I like the Hedge-Mage. I don't know if the utility is good enough for an uncommon slot, but the 2/2 for 3 is appealing to me.

Blastoderm as a 4 of seems like a good switch. If it were me, I'd like to have access to another 5/5 body for 4 somewhere. Considering that Imperiosaur is common in a reprint set, he might be worth a sideboard slot somewhere.

I like Echoing Decay a lot, it seems like it's a good answer to randomness (including a lot of tokens). The spiders (both Recluses) don't blow me away. Deathtouch seems great, but geez are those some underwhelming bodies. I don't know what I'd put there instead, but I don't like the look of those. I think you also said that you didn't feel like they were a good fit.

Read the Bones looks nice, let's you be very adaptable in context. The Brindle Boar makes me laugh a little bit - it reminds me of old Necropotence decks that ran Bottle Gnomes. Is there something that gains life when it comes into play? Or, maybe Grazing Gladehart? I don't know, it might be too brittle with the burn floating around when you board it in, but you at least don't have to sacrifice it to get the life. Dunno.

The Beatdown: Apply directly to the forehead!

strider9820
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Posts: 23

B/G Midrange -- The Rock and His Millions Aug 9, 2014 12:29:07 GMT -6

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Post by strider9820 on Aug 9, 2014 12:29:07 GMT -6

I think I'll bring a single Hedge-Mage up to the big leagues for a while and see how it goes. I like ETB effects, and I feel comfortable bumping 1x Vamp-hawk in favor of some more creature utility (a lot of times the Vamps will just draw removal anyway).

I settled on +2 Blastoderm and -2 Kessig Recluse, keeping the 2x Imperiosaur. Also -2 Deadly Recluse for +2 Brindle Boar maindecked. I did consider the Gladehart, but I decided I'd rather have a near-guarantee of 4 life than a conditional that might just get killed before I can drop a land or two. The Boars, on the other hand, don't need to be sacrificed until they block a >1/x or draw removal; otherwise they just sit there, daring somebody to burn them. I also ended up beating face with them fairly often last night.

And yes, Read the Bones was excellent, especially in combo with the Boars.

Post by strider9820 on Aug 8, 2014 22:28:38 GMT -6

Post by strider9820 on Aug 9, 2014 9:38:54 GMT -6

Post by SwartDawgMillionaire on Aug 9, 2014 11:02:13 GMT -6

Post by strider9820 on Aug 9, 2014 12:29:07 GMT -6

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