New Mono Black Brew. Let Me Know How It Tastes
Welcome to the Chainsaw Buffet. Today, we're serving only the best to Innistrad's Elite. Or rather, we're serving whatever you've got to feed them. This is the Grand Opening and we've got to make sure everything is just right, so lay down on the table, open a vein, and gather for the feast.
Falkenrath Gorger
is a generous guest. He knows just how to keep more coming in through the door, so the party never dies. He also does his part to clean up any left overs.
Heir of Falkenrath
has had to keep up appearances since Runo's slipped and fell on that wooden stake 20 times, but I'm sure some brazed Angel Wings, courtesy of Archangel Avacyn
and prepared masterfully with our House Special
Lightning Axe
will cheer her right up to keep the bloodline running. Can't run an aristocracy with any aristocrats, am I right?
Asylum Visitor
decided to stop on in when she heard all the clamor coming from the inside. She just got back from a visit to Geier Reach and felt she needed a bite. We will turn away no one from this party, and she even pays a sizable tip when she sees others dine-and-dash, though she takes a little bit from us in return. A powerful presence, though she is a little haggard after her journey. She may not have long to live, but she can do her part while she's still kicking. Or biting.
Stromkirk Condemned
is in a bit of a spot after his falling out with Voldarens at the last Stensia Masquerade. He might have been a little too intoxicat'mrakul, but but after the Furyblade Vampires straightened him out, he showed everyone the Stromkirks really know how to party. Things can really heat up with their Fiery Tempers. No one knows when they might suddenly explode. It's not a rager if you don't burn it to the ground.
Furyblade Vampire always seems to be in a bad mood.If someone's causing problems, he's the first one to step up, and doesn't have much trouble settling things back down.
Olivia, Mobilized for War made one of her very few appearances tonight, gracing us with her presence on her way to battle. She was feeling a bit hungry, and she brought plenty from her ancient coffers. As long as she's having a good time, everyone will certainly get their fill. With
Falkenrath Gorger
joining in on the fun, she has no trouble finding new conscripts to join her on the front lines. Everyone feels better fighting next to this eccentric, ancient matriarch. And boy does she have some great stories from over the years.
Insolent Neonate just happened to be hanging around the Stensia Inn when his friends started showing up. He couldn't believe they were throwing him a surprise party, and he just couldn't take it. Most are weary of crossing him, but he's always willing to sacrifice his good time for others to come and join.
Bloodhall Priest
always shows up just when things are starting to die down. Maybe that's for the best, since she can be such a buzzkill. She's really more of a loner, but when she gets together with Olivia, she shows her true colors as a wild party animal. She's a real Rakdos Rager if ever there was one. Unfortunately, she always carries with her the constant reminder to her vampire kin to pay their
Alms of the Vein
. If ever they need a little persuasion, she can spice things up with a
Macabre Waltz
.
Thanks you for stepping in to my humble little hole in the wall. If you enjoyed the buffet, leave a tip on your way out.
I feel that vampires could have their place at the table in Standard as it is. They provide a very aggressive early game with some midrange capability with Olivia, Mobilized for War and
Bloodhall Priest
. All of the creatures can pretty soundly trade 1 for 1 at the least, with plenty of tricks to press the advantage even further.
Asylum Visitor
provide a good body for blocking or swinging, and while she is quite fragile in her beginnings, getting a Stensia Masquerade or buffing her with Olivia, Mobilized for War can make her quite a force indeed. If nothing else, either your opponent is going to have to use removal on her, or she can sit there and give you cards. 1 life isn't too big a deal, especially with
Alms of the Vein
to help out.
Stromkirk Condemned
is one that I'm not sure of yet. I like him, but I feel he's not terribly needed. There are plenty of ways to discard already, I'm only running one of him, and while the +1/+1 is great, I usually have other means to the same end.
One notable combo I found is the engine of Olivia, Mobilized for War and
Falkenrath Gorger
. With these two hanging out on the board, any vampire you play can come in with a vengeance, and if you've got multiple creatures in your hand, you can suddenly fill the board with some very scary bodies.
Matchups so far have been against G/B Delirium, U/W Control, mainly featuring Myth Realized with Jace, Unraveler of Secrets and Narset Transcendent, B/W Angels, and U/G Clues. From what I've seen from these games, U/W was the only deck that beat me, and both games I had huge disadvantage and still almost won. I'll detail that matchup below.
I started the first game on the draw, and mulling down to 6, ended up with a mountain, Insolent Neonate,
Lightning Axe
, Fiery Temper, and
Distemper of the Blood
. I kept it because I'd heard basically the deck's only real win-con was Myth Realized. He got his Myth Realized turn 1, and I was fairly prepared to handle it, even off 1 land. As the game went on, he curved out perfectly, hitting his Narset right on time. I had to switch focus from swinging at him to keeping his Narset down. I hit a second mountain on my draw and was able to keep up mana for when he activated Myth Realized, and I was able to
Lightning Axe
it while dropping a Fiery Temper on Narset. Eventually I was able to get a few other creatures and a Stensia Masquerade, but he then used Narset to rebound Silumgar's Command, bouncing my Neonate and killing my Heir of Falkenrath
. I didn't think about the rebound, since it's been so long since I played Standard, and the next turn played Insolent Neonate and another Heir of Falkenrath. Which promptly ate Silumgar's Command off the rebound. Great play on my part, I know. He then got his Jace, Unraveler of Secrets, and with an Anticipate pretty much one turn after another, I couldn't do anything and had to scoop to game two. Game two, however, was actually worse. I had to mulligan down to 4 due to a sequence of awful draws, and ended up with something barely manageable. I don't recall too much from this game aside from somehow coming out with a perfect opportunity, sitting on 3 lands (one dual and two mountains) and he's in top deck mode with a clear board. I really wish I could tell you how, but I don't remember. Unfortunately my deck thought it would be hilarious if I just happen to hit 4 lands off the top, giving him ample time to stabilize as he drew back a full hand. It ended similarly, with me not having anything to really do against his board, sitting on 7 land himself with at least one counterspell in hand. Perfect opportunity wasted. I however, would like to look at this as the potential this deck has. Both games I was disadvantaged due to my deck, though admittedly my misplay might have been what really ended it for me that first game, and both games I still had a good chance. I realize that was not the typical U/W Control I would see in a more competitive setting, but I also don't have to play against any other U/W decks. For midrange matches, or any decks that mostly want to win by having big creatures swing on me, the removal in this deck has so far been enough to handle them, though honestly I would love to have some other options. Let me know if you have any suggestions on what could be done to improve and tune this deck even more. I haven't decided on a sideboard, as I haven't really had anything I wanted to side in, so suggestions there would also be considered.
