vs. other control is actually its strongest matchup. Slaughter Games and Mystic Retrieval provide overwhelming card advantage.

Considering that you don't run planeswalkers until after starting to stabilize, Magmaquake is actually a very good "wrath". For the same mana as Mortars, you can sweep at instant speed with less mana burden, and can destroy multiple opposing planeswalkers with one spell. In addition, it can really annihilate weenie decks if you cast it on turn 4 for x = 2 or so.

The biggest boon I've seen with Magmaquake is as an instant-speed response to Geist of Saint Traft . Not that I see him being a problem with Barter in Blood and Devour Flesh around.

Well say you're playing Jund with a huntsmaster out. You can cast magmaquake on their turn after they tap out turn 5 for a thragtusk for three, and kill three creatures, as opposed to two (one card) at instant speed rather than sorcery speed. Sure, they get a beast, but they were getting that anyway. And say you never draw your dreadbores, and they've landed a Garruk and a Liliana. Magmaquake can destroy their board presence, and is pretty much always an awesome topdeck. In addition, it deals with token decks very well, especially decks running ajani and sorin.

Overall, it's an option that improves the aggro matchup because you can wipe early against decks that empty their hand quickly, improves the hexproof matchup (as you've said) and improves the midrange matchup because you get added value, while playing more draw-go, giving time for think twice and counterflux.

Hey KrazyCaley! I was thinking of bringing this deck to my FNM while it's still standard legal. Any changes you'd consider now that M14 is out? I'm looking at the sideboard especially (and maybe Murder ) as potential areas of improvement. For starters I'm going Ratchet Bomb over Curse of Death's Hold as a better more versatile token deck killer but I thought maybe you'd have some ideas.

Long live Bolas!

@actiontech - Ratchet Bomb is DEFINITELY a good idea.

@actiontech - If you're more concerned about the aggressive decks, I'd also recommend some number of Far / Away in the sideboard. Does things early on, and can be used for greater effect later in the game.

Okay so I'm going with -3 Curse of Death's Hold sideboard in exchange for +3 Ratchet Bomb sideboard and also -3 Murder mainboard, -3 Essence Scatter sideboard, then adding +3 Far / Away mainboard and moving the +3 Murder to sideboard. For now anyway. I'm tempted to pull Murder entirely in exchange for +3 Pillar of Flame to deal with Voice of Resurgence should it appear.

Any opinions?

@actiontech - Be careful with that. Murder serves a vital purpose of both being targeted removal and instant speed. Reasons why my imitation didn't dare touch one of them.

Insufficient targeted removal without Murder = seconded.

Okay, but doesn't Far / Away accomplish the same task, granted for a slightly higher mana cost? And what about going with Ultimate Price or Doom Blade in it's place then for the sake of speed?

@actiontech - Far / Away only does that when there are a limited number of creatures on the board.
For example, imagine if an opponent goes turn 1 Champion of the Parish --> turn 2 Gather the Townsfolk , or turn 1 Experiment One --> turn 2 Burning-Tree Emissary --> Strangleroot Geist . At best you've got three mana out and unpleasant scenarios where Murder is generally the best option.

Just to nitpick....you can't do Burning-Tree Emissary > Strangleroot Geist .

That would just be silly insane.

Fair enough (and yeah the BTE -> Geist thing isn't possible) but you would definitely need to kill that champ in that scenario so Ultimate Price , Doom Blade or Murder would be ideal. The nutty aggro decks are never black so I'll probably mb Doom Blade and tweak the sb a bit to have options if I run into a black deck, which is pretty rare at my LGS but some people splash it.

@meecht - Good call there. Was originally thinking Lightning Mauler but then thought, "How can I make Experiment One more insane," conveniently forgetting about that part.

I could only imagine how screwed up RG aggro would be if it was "...add RG, RR, or GG to your mana pool."

Well that was an unmitigated disaster. Gruul aggro: 0-2 loss. Land flood game one followed by land drought game 2. Mono-black control: 1-1-1 tie (huzzah?). Guess who? Gruul aggro again. 1-2 loss. I left. Can't play this deck against gruul aggro and that (apparently) is the only deck the morons at my LGS can either afford or figure out. I'm done with FNM until Theros is out this is just too repetitive.

Good deck idea Caley, sorry it can't hang with the "i play card, i turn card sideways" crowd.

@actiontech - Yeah, played with absolute precision, you can win maybe 40-45% of your games against Gruul Aggro. Definitely the weakest matchup.

At least Doom Blade was a performer (well, other than that mono-black guy.) The one game I did pull out was DB/DB/Dreadbore/Mystic Retrieval of DB/DB/Flashback retrieval of DB/DB - he was steaming. Funny.

Sidenote: Congrats, KrazyCaley; Bolas aced the test! (Score:100)

So Caley, what are our plans for BfaBT when Innistrad cycles out?

@Yeee5 - I believe when Lord Bolas goes on his well-earned vacation, we'll set aside the unnecessary colors and play it cool while one of his agents, AEtherling , keeps an eye on us.

Indeed; rotation time. Not sure if I like this Aetherling deck enough, though.

Grixis Super Friends (Jace, Ashiok, Ral, and Chandra) is what I'm building now. We'll see how it goes.

Bolas has left the building. We will instead scheme about with his friends until he is ready to return.