Dime a Dozen #23: Magic 2014 and Pauper

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Jason Moore

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  1. The sliver list is what I am most looking forward to playing with! What are your thoughts on metallic sliver vs hive stirrings?

  2. I think the Sliver list looks good but why not Include Virulent Sliver instead of the metalic sliver?

  3. Hey Jason, a fantastic article, IMO the best till date. Slivers seem totally worth to test as soon as m14 comes out, 12 lords might be the final push the deck needed. Do you feel a 3 color version could be competitive? Loved the sideboard guide, btw.

    That beast deck seems interesting at least, a fine brewing. Have you tried to run Wirewood Savage on main? The bad side it’s that it would be the most important target to removal. Regarding the Scattershot Archer’s question, I can tell that I’ve tested Sniper some time ago, and I felt it underperforming. More mana cost and it can’t kill multiple fliers.

    Regarding your affinity deck, I feel like you have tuned your version to your tastes and playstyle, and that’s great. I’ve played affinity for a while -not playing on DE, only on tournament room, btw- and I’ve tested Somber Hoverguards, and they died to almost any flier or removal. In my version I run 4 Disciples Of The Vault and 1 Quicksilver Behemoth. The last one is pretty good avoiding flame slashes, and you can play it again after attacking in order to block.

    I would like to talk about the mana fixing artifacts. Have tested terrarions and chromatic spheres, and they speed up the deck, but only if you have the right mana. I prefer to run 4 Springleaf Drums + 3 Prophetic Prisms, it’s a bit less explosive but more stable to play, IMHO.

  4. Oh, I forgot to say that I would use 2-3 doom blades on those affinity sideboard slots, mostly for killing Fangren Marauders in Simic Post, which are an absolute nightmare. They can moment’s peace you until they find them.

  5. Cyrulean – I appreciate the comment! I think having the Turn 1 play would be preferable. That doesn’t mean Hive Stirrings won’t see play, but it’s on the expensive side IMO.

    Malum – I picked Metallic Sliver because it will hit the board on Turn 1 every time. This mana base is slanted more towards one color (white), which I think will work better than trying to split it down the middle.

    Vermiis – My only issue with putting Savages main is that you probably have to cut beasts to get them in, so they make Advocates and Savages themselves less effective. The Affinity feedback is very helpful! I think my color fixers might work better for me because I’m only playing three color? Not sure. I’m very happy that you liked the article so much! Good point about Marauder, I will most likely need a way to deal with those.

  6. I’m seconding Quicksilver Behemoth, which I think is one of the better cards to play as a 2-3-off (at least post-board) in Affinity. It’s got quasi-vigilance late in the game, lives through everything including duels with Carapace Forger, can shrug off -1/-1 counters, and can even be pitched to Snapback (which never happens, but still cool). Who needs Myr Enforcer when Behemoth’s in the house.

  8. There’s no real benefit to playing 3 color affinity if you’re still limited to 4 copies of each color producing land – you’re still relying on color fixing artifacts and if you’re doing that there is no reason not to have the combo in the deck vs a rather unremarkable 3/2 flier.

  9. newplan – I see what you’re saying, but not sure that’s 100% sound logic. Those colorless sources will be taxed more trying to cast four colors than three. I’m also allowed to play more “temporary” fixers like Terrarion over Prophetic Prism, hence more consistency with Turn 1 artifacts. It also depends on how much you value Disciple vs. Hoverguard (sounds like you don’t value Hoverguard at all). I could be wrong here, but I’m willing to be “wrong” if the deck performs better for me.

  10. I for one am excited for another sliver lord and slivers in general. Though I wish wotc would stick to printing them at 1-2 cmc, 3 at the most, they are only fun when you get a swarm going! (IMHO)

    I think I am going to build a budget bant sliver deck for legacy, but discussion is for a different place, I know, this is pauper!

  11. Matt – Glad you could share your excitement! Good luck with your deckbuilding, let me know how it goes.

  13. Jason,

    You may prefer the beat down plan – people have different styles and the best deck / best variation to play is the one that lets you win with a style that you can play well.

    However, my thinking is that the combo is more likely to win you games than the beat down. Yes, the hoverguards are a good beat down card – but the strength of affinity (as I see it) isn’t in beat down it’s in the absolute power level of the deck – that power lets it beat the fissure combo by beating for a bit then eating the board to win.

    The question is then about the mana and I don’t think you’ve gained anything by cutting a color. To cast the hoverguards you’re either: (a) tapping a seat of the synod (b) tapping a springleaf drum / prism or (c) using a one shot fixer. You’re exactly as likely to have a seat as you are to have a vault so (a) is the same for hoverguards / disciple and (b) and (c) both produce all color mana.

    Actually, there’s a reason why your mana is worse with fewer colors. Example – you have hoverguard and thoughtcast in hand and only a vault and a springleaf drum. You can’t cast either card. If you have disciple you can cast it and use the drum to cast the thoughtcast. If you have hoverguard and thoughtcast with a seat you have your choice of spells to cast. If you have disciple and thoughtcast with a seat you can still thoughtcast and get 2 new draws to hit fixing. Basically every spell in affinity fixes and sets you up for more spells so the more diversified your colors are the better the chance you can start the chain by casting one of the spells.

  14. Greystone – Savage is in the sideboard currently.

    newplan – I definitely see where you’re coming from. There are scenarios where having 4 colors is worse as well, but you’re right that playing Disciple for the potential benefits might be the way to go. Thanks for sharing the input!

  15. From the Beast Mode deck: “Grazing Kelpie is possibly underpowered, but persists infinitely thanks to Advocate’s +1/+1 counter bestowal.”

    Does adding a +1/+1 counter remove the -1/-1 counter that persist adds? Kelpie’s stats will be neutral but I think it still dies for good.

  16. Matthew – I’m pretty sure it does “remove” the -1/-1 counter. That may or may not be what happens technically (as far as the rules are concerned), but that is effectively what will occur. I say this because the inverse is true for Undying (-1/-1 counters placed on a creature with undying allow it to come back once more).

  17. Undying / persist and +1/+1 & -1/-1 counters – if the creature has damage on it that would be lethal and it gains a -1/-1 counter the counters never get a chance to negate each other and the creature does not come back with undying so you can kill a 2/2 young wolf with a 1/1 and a serrated arrow counter – as long as you use the arrow counter after the wolf has 1 damage on it.

    If the creature is alive at any time with a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter then the counters negate one another and both disappear.

  18. Played the other day against an interesting affinity brew. It played a major game-changer in Rush of Knowledge. This combos extremely well with affinity guys like Myr Enforcer, Hoverguard, and Quicksilver Behemoth! Also can help keep you to just 2 colors potentially (red and blue).