With all the super fast decks going around, I haven't been standing a chance during FNMs. Gruul and boros decks have been way too fast for me to hold my ground and it seems as if everyone's playing them. I need faster options for board wipes and removals. I've kind of ditched the counter aspect. Essence Scatter on turn two is alright but if I'm on the draw, they'd have a set board by then with Stromkirk Noble, Ash Zealot, Legion Loyalist, Rakdos Cackler, just to name a few. I used to have Unsummons but with haste, it seems rather useless because they'd play them next turn along side with more one drops. If I can wait until turn four for the Supreme Verdict, I can wipe a good amount of their creatures. I've added a good amount of Terminus in replacement for Mizzium Mortars, Unsummon, and Dissipate. Mizzium Mortars is a good two mana 4 damage spell with a potential six mana board wipe but it seemed too slow for the wipe and 4 damage is overkill on turn 2 when they're playing 1/1 or 2/2. Might as well be playing Pillar of Flames. Dissipate is a slow counter for those types of decks with a post turn three counter. It can maybe counter Boros Reckoner and those like it but honestly, it's good to let it settle and just rid it with a Supreme Verdict or Terminus. I've set the only two Dissipates into the sideboard and replaced them with two Syncopates into the main.
I've updated the side board since last FNM.
Blind Obedience - a no brainer to play against aggro. Slows them down a bit.
Cyclonic Rift - I play one main board. I'd add two more to remove pesky permanents. It's an ok response to slow down attacking creatures by removing them, like costlier Unsummon, definitely useful for a gruul deck, where bloodrush is prominent . A late game overload is also nice.
Dissipate - A general counter to mid game spells. My main thought of using this spell is for turn four Unburial Rites.
Essence Scatter - General creature counter. Would replace Syncopate or a Think Twice to play against a faster deck.
Izzet Staticaster - A new addition to the side board. I haven't tried it out yet but it's a great surprise blocker to boros decks seeing that most of those creatures have one or two power anyway. It's ability can potentially wipe a board of similar 1/1 creatures. I'm thinking things like Legion Loyalist.
Kraken Hatchling - An amazing one drop boros blocker. Can block Stromkirk Noble, Ash Zealot, and Boros Reckoner and doesn't even deal damage to it. I think it can hold its ground until I can get something going or maybe wipe a big board out.
Negate - General cheaper counter to decks that are not creature heavy.
Rest in Peace - Stops flashbacks and rites decks.
Unsummon - Amazing against gruul I've found out. I usually wait until they blood rush their attacking creatures and Unsummon them, wasting their spells.
