Tails of a Ferret: Chord at its Best (#2)
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OutspokenFerret
11 July 2014
1581 views
11 July 2014
1581 views
Hey guys, welcome back, with news, good, bad, and possibly disappointing. Ill start with the negative, get it out of the way, and then finish strong with the positive.
The Bad: Hornet Nest is really good... If their weren't so many huge flyers. The Nest is really strong when they got the ground pound engaged, but when they got dudes soaring over ya, it can get tough holding a match under the nest to get the hornets going. Of course you can grab your own flyers, but sometimes that isn't enough, or it trades 1 for 2 in their favor. Due to the density of decks using big beaters that fly, I have decided that, at this time, we should probably cut to 1 or 2 Nests in the main, and slide 1-2 to the sideboard. This however does open up slots, and that's exciting.
The Possibly Disappointing: After a bit of playtesting, and a lot of evaluation, I believe that BUG currently, doesn't have a strong enough creature pool to justify it in a Chord/ Nest Shell. Although an Instant Speed Prognastic Sphinx is pretty good, I think that we'll find it isn't worth the move into blue, especially with Waste Not entering the format. To elaborate, an important effect Waste Not has is that if your opponent discards cards of their own accord, you still get the trigger, and it is great. Punish them for making a Pack Rat, Bloodrushing a creature, saving their Sphinx, and discarding after a Sphinx's Revelation. It is a 1st class sideboard card, and it is beautiful. Anyways, the color combo that I think I have settled on for this current Standard... Jund. Their are many raisins I could list to explain why Jund is good right now, but that would be pretty dry (I had to). So instead, I will tell you what two cards sold it for me.
Circle of Fire - When this card was spoiled, I threw my phone at my sofa... All my plans of Master of Waves
or Goblin Rabblemaster went up in smoke. Quite Literally. So when seeing what Jund had to offer, I thought of this card, thought of the top decks in Standard now, and I giggled at the sound of it. This card is stupid and it is awesome. It even slows down Elspeth! Anyways, although it is powerful, I think it is a tool best left for the sideboard in a deck like this. But it is amazing in a lot of match ups, and reason enough to run Red, as it straight wins some match-ups.
Rakdos, Lord of Riots - Thats right... I'm a cheater. I will chord this beast in all day everyday, 365 days of the week, whenever I can chord for 4. This guy is awesome in the deck. Not only is he a 6/6 flying trampler, but he also makes our other stuff cost less when we slap a hoe, it's like a pinata!!!!!!! All jokes aside, he's big, bad, and beneficial on top of being low costed. It may die to Hero's Downfall and Selesnya Charm, but that is about it at instant speed, which is usually how you Chord him in at the end of their turn. He is a better Desecration Demom in this deck, and that is a huge deal.
The Good - The deck so far is Friggen Awesome! Here is a rough list of what I have so far and then from there, we can discuss numbers, card choices, and build the sideboard. I will try to stream at least once again, and I hope to see a few more friendly faces.
Rough List: 4 Courser of Kruphix
1 Soul of New Phyrexia/ Scuttling Doom Engine
Back to work! :D
OutspokenFerret says... #2
While this is very true, I am still looking at the current format for now, and will discuss the deck's future as we get closer to rotating into Khans. That being said, we are likely to be met with more discard support in Khans, and with Black having some Constilation (Spelling OP) based discard, it could prove super powerful alongside Waste Not . Furthermore, I am currently brewing on the side some BUG lists for post rotation, but we will see what happens as we inch closer to the shift.
Also something I forgot to mention is to start watching for a Modern Article in the near future, although that deck will be in construction for a bit longer due to the high investment of moneyz needed towards building it and the size of the format
July 12, 2014 12:30 p.m.
Just a thought... Maybe Roaring Primadox ? It's AMAZING with the hydra!
July 12, 2014 11:37 p.m.
I would just like to say that personally, the very toolboxy way you run a lot of one-ofs and plan to Chord into them appeals to me. The only thing that I'm concerned with is how you're going to be able to Chord for 6. You've go the Caryatids which help, but that's kind of it. Are you planning any Nykthos or things like that to try to get to nine mana?
July 13, 2014 12:10 a.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #5
I like the idea, but I feel like you don't have enough small creatures to really take advantage of chord. I would consider another scavenging ooze, another reclamation sage, and maybe even a single Phyrexian Revoker as a nice toolbox card.
July 13, 2014 1:34 a.m.
I agree with Scorprix.
Roaring Primadox is going to be amazing with all the toolbox cards (ETB effect creatures) that are currently available, pre-rotation, and will still be available post rotation. Hopefully Khans of Tarkir has continued support for ETB effects!
July 13, 2014 10:24 a.m.
Ohthenoises says... #7
I would say that Invasive Species is going to be better than Roaring Primadox but that's just my 2c, since you can chord for it at instant speed and treat it like a Quickling for any permanent. For example, a walker that's about to bite the dust?
July 13, 2014 12:50 p.m.
NittanyLionRoar says... #8
I think I have an idea that really has the potential to get Hornet Nest going. It fits well into most mono-green devotion shells being conceptualized and can activate hoards of bees at instant speed, even if the opponent is swinging at you with flyers. In fact, never count on the opponent to release the bees...in most cases, you're going to have to find a way to do it.
Check out the deck I just threw together, along with the detailed explanation: Mono-Green Nissa, World-Waking, Stinging, & Eating
July 14, 2014 1:40 p.m.
NittanyLionRoar says... #9
I think I have an idea that really has the potential to get Hornet Nest going. It fits well into most mono-green devotion shells being conceptualized and can activate hoards of bees at instant speed, even if the opponent is swinging at you with flyers. In fact, never count on the opponent to release the bees...in most cases, you're going to have to find a way to do it.
Check out the deck I just threw together, along with the detailed explanation: Mono-Green Nissa, World-Waking, Stinging, & Eating
July 14, 2014 1:42 p.m.
byepolarbear says... #10
Holy Hydras, Batman! Rakdos, Lord of Riots hits for 6, Genesis Hydra for 6 costs 2G o.o
July 14, 2014 10:30 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #11
Domri Rade could enable the nest, with fight. also digging for creatures is cool
July 15, 2014 3:03 a.m.
OutspokenFerret says... #12
So some brainstorming following a bit of playtesting has produced some matchups that we need to work on being able to deal with.
Green Based RampGreen Based Walker Ramp
So how does mainboarding Anger of the Gods sound? Also, I am open to people proposing BUG decklists, as Jund seems to be lacking. I really like the interaction Between Kiora, Prophet of Kruphix, and Nissa, Worldwaker. It feels like a combo deck to be honest, and it may be something to consider, as Nissa would allow us to Chord higher easier, and Kiora can dig, carry us through slower turns by locking down a threat.
The most exciting idea though, is to incorporate a build I've been developing, moving away from mainboard Nest, and into Chroma Monsters. I don't know if you've ever seen a Chromanticore at instant speed, but it sounds pretty cool. This would also give us a huge toolbox suite, as well as the best bombs in the format.
What do you guys think?
July 15, 2014 3:08 p.m.
I feel that Genesis Hydra is underpowered as a 1-of, especially considering he can't be Chorded in.
July 16, 2014 10:26 p.m.
smithereen says... #14
I took a crack at Jund Chord of Calling - Chord of Rakdos. The idea seems pretty good.
July 20, 2014 12:29 a.m.
TheNinjaJesus says... #15
I was originally running Chord in a Red/Green deck, and it was okay, but pedestrian. After seeing your article, I made my deck Jund and now I own a yacht! Thanks, OutspokenFerret!
I did notice a couple things I wanted to tweak. Reclamation Sage and Nylea's Disciple just feel like more of a sideboard card that you mainboard against control and mono red burn, respectively. Having said that, a Sire of Insanity and Ruric Thar thoroughly hoses control anyway, so Reclamation Sage got the boot. Genesis Hydra works better as a two-of since the tutor effect basically gives you two more Chords to use, except you can pull any nonland permanent. Stormbreath Dragon works as a 3-of since he's a fast win con whether he's in your opening hand or you tutor him up, and you generally will be tutoring up trickier creatures than the dragon. Xenagos is super-effective ramp, coupled with the fact that his 0-cost ability gives you another creature to count as mana for his +1 next turn OR tap for Chord of Calling, I feel he'd work best as a 2-of. Reaper of the Wilds gives you plenty of scry since you'll be ramping into huge creatures that take out your opponent creatures quickly AND you have ready-made deathtouch for 1 mana with the Reaper. I threw together a sideboard that tailors your Chord targets according to whatever you're facing, and gives you Golgari Charms to stop Supreme Verdict cold.
Now, when I took this to a couple FNMs, it worked well with one exception. Walkers hose this deck. Badly. I'm not sure if I'm playing it wrong or what but I never drew my removal when I wanted, I never was able to push through damage fast enough to kill them, and I lost to a BUG walker deck, a RUG walker deck, and a Jund walker deck. Whatdya think?
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ChiefBell says... #1
A lot of the options you discuss in regards to waste not activation and in the deck itself cycle out with khans which comes in September, which is only a matter of weeks away.
July 12, 2014 8:34 a.m.