Dime a Dozen #10: Monster Mash

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Jason Moore





You can find Jason
co-hosting the Pauper’s Cage podcast
on MTGO as BambooRush
on Twitter @dimecollectorsc
and on Youtube at youtube.com/dimecollectorsc

 

  4. Interesting deck! One suggestion that I always make to these decks: 50/50 split between the elves and Borderland Ranger/Civic Wayfinder. Just for the 0.5% difference that it might sometimes make against echoing spells.

    BR
    Matti / yugular
    @yugular_mp

  5. yugular – Good to hear from you. That’s a very good point which I once again overlooked.

  6. This deck doesn’t look like much just a bunch of non evasive dudes…

    However I have not watched the games yet, so I will see what I am missing.

  8. Hi, I like the idea and the deck very much. But I’d like to put some things up for discussion:

    * Is the Forest/Swamp ration correct? Without being to sure about it, I would suggest more swamps.
    * You won most of the time because your creatures had shroud and you played aggressive. Considering this, are the Borderland Rangers supporting that strategy? If not, what would help? Setting the opponent back (Chittering Rats (yes, BB…), Augur of Skulls)? More aggressive creatures (Wild Mongrel, Basking Rootwalla)? Imho the best options might be Mire or River Boa – aggressive, evasive, resilient. Silhana Ledgewalker doesn’t shine without Rancor, Bonesplitter or pump spells.

    Honorable mentions: Phyrexian Rager, Shambling Shell (keeps the pressure up!), Okiba-Gang Shinobi, Duress. Rancor might not support Blastoderm and Centaur, but it’s a great upgrade for the Leech and all the otherwise pretty useless 1/1s which at least become Hellspark Elementals.

    Food for thought – I love it!

    Cya

  9. Oh yes!…another Dime a Dozen. Thanks a lot!

    One note about deck you play in this episode:

    Primal Huntbeast – in this list, i don’t like it too much. The point of having a lot of creatures with hexproof/shroud is, that your opponent can’t use any of his removal spells. But you already have 8 creatures without any spell-protection in your list and becouse you don’t run any equipment/aura, the Huntbeast is going to be a stupid Hill Giant too often. (I’m writing this before checking the actual games, so this is only my prediction and is quite possible I am totally wrong) Anyway, I would use something with trample instead (to balance the disadvantage of Blastoderm-chumping) Maybe Hungry Spriggan? Shambling Shell someone mentioned before, seems also nice.

    Once again, thanks a lot!

  10. rt – There is more info on the deck in my last article. Should explain what it’s trying to do.

    sqe9999 – Not sure I understand your post, but thanks!

    Stefan – I am not positive about the basics either, but it has been good for me so far. I think Ranger supports the strategy in some ways (letting me play enough Forests to ensure decent mana, ensuring T3 Blastoderm/Huntbeast/Spider). He would be a little better with a mana sink or retrace spell in the deck. Thanks for the other suggestions, I’m gonna see what they can do for the deck!

    Lantis – Like I said last week, Huntbeast is the most questionable slot. I think a Hill Giant is better than playing Spriggan, which dies to everything. Spriggan would be better against Storm though. I’ll think over your ideas. Thanks for the suggestions!

  11. I agree on the centaur, I think he can be underestimated as a result of the fact that not only is he hard to target, but the flanking ability complicates combat as well… ever consider maybe something like 2-3 Wickerbough Elders in the main to fill that four spot you’re unhappy with? also in the SB I personally would think the spiders would actually be a decent option for Delver since they run so many fliers, but is a full set of them necessary?

  12. This deck needs all 4 Rotfarms and at least 2 Raven’s Crime IMO. After 4 land, every land you draw is removal/discard – against what seems to be the worst matchups – control. Bouncing the basics, also allows for even more fuel for the Raven’s Crime.

    The ratio of 10 elves first turn would catapult your turn 3 the exact same way, with added benefit of discard and no loss of tempo.

    Also, Dirge of Dread may be a great sb 2x vs. mass aggro creature strategies except black…worst case, you cycle it.

  13. JustSin – Elder could be the right call, similar to the GR decks from earlier in the year. I’m not sure about a full 4 Spiders, and the sideboard was very loose/intended to test out some of the cards.

    deluxeicoff – Raven’s Crime seems like it could be useful, and it’s nice that it attacks the opponent from a different angle. Dirge of Dread could also be a useful finisher. I’m a little hesistant to play the bounces, so I’m not positive about adding those.

    Thanks guys!

  14. Nice vids, and good to see you exploring a new list. The fundamental strategy is solid (beatdown with high power untargetable dudes) but unfortunately I think the thing which this deck needs is the thing it can’t use – rancor. If the centaur and blastoderm were hexproof instead of shroud, this deck would be awesome. As it is though, your opponent can get too much value by chump blocking all day while setting up their more powerful late game.

    Also, I agree that you shouldn’t be looking to use tapped lands and I also think that you shouldn’t really be considering any more non-hexproof/shroud creatures, that’s the core of this deck’s strategy and messing with it more doesn’t seem good. Dirge of dread seems like a great SB option vs chump blocking decks though, including faeries.

  16. I love seeing something new being tried in Pauper. Too bad that you didn’t get (/have) to play against Ux Post, I would have loved to see if those Shroud/Hexproof guys and only 4 Thermokarst would have been enough there.

    Bounce lands would not be horrible for you, since you have many 1-drops, but that would mean forgoing to play a 3 drop on turn 2, which doesn’t seem that great. Whatever you do in regards to Bouncelands or Borderland Rangers, you won’t have black mana before turn 3 most of the time, so the Putrid Leech doesn’t seem very good.

  17. In round 3 game 1 against ub control, you could have got ridden of grim harvest at least once by responding to the trigger, after he pays the mana but before it resolves. Not that it mattered much at that point, the game was pretty much over already, but still.

  18. Ramela – Post would’ve been an interesting encounter! I’m not sold that Leech is bad here, though he can eat removal.

    Anonymous – I still appreciate the advice even if the outcome of the game would’ve been the same.