Sooo, why is it called "ponza" and not "stax"?

TheRedGoat

This one explains it pretty well

Note the date, some more exposition

Stax is both players for the most part, things like Winter Orb.

Okay, so given I will not be able to reply until much later today, Why would you say you run so many more beater creatures over land hate like the original style does?

TheRedGoat, did I say that somewhere? The one in the link I provided ran eleven large threats (including Batterskull), whereas I only run nine (including finks). Is there an original style I'm not seeing?

You should replace Stone Rain with Molten Rain

Wobbly_Bob it's in the notable exclusions list, because getting in the early game is sometimes tough, and the two damage is of very low impact. Thanks for the comment, though!

I suppose I got confused because your build uses such a different set of cards to the linked version that I felt it was of a different variety. You both use land hate effects and beaters, but his just involved a different method of approaching it than yours and that threw me off.

I honestly don't know what to change. maybe if you want to make it slightly janky, you could put in the combo of Liquimetal Coating and Splinter in the SB for mono colored decks.

any thoughts on Choke for blue hate as a SB or Explore for darw/extra land drop? very cool concept! i may revisit this primer for a future deck idea +1 from me

Icbrgr thanks! I'm currently testing a 2-magus 1-choke SB right now and am liking it, it will probably become a permanent change. I don't really like Explore here because the deck is completely devoid of two drops, we want to normally be mooning or raining on T2. I will keep it in mind, though.

RAD!

Bovine073,
So how's Ponza feel in the current meta (wasn't sure how recent your Cockatrice results were)?

clayperce not great. If an opponent can get down a death's shadow and I have no beast within for it the game is generally over. Sometimes you get lucky though and just totally screw DS. Haven't played the matchup much and it seems quite volatile.

Eldrazi tron, on the other hand, well, it's tron and they have a very hard time winning considering we can get our fatties out faster than theirs.

Bovine073,
Thanks ... I'm running UG Infect now, and it's just in SUCH a rough patch, I was looking for something else to play for a while. Ponza has always seemed awesome, so I was frankly hoping to hear it was in a better place :-)

A couple thoughts though, for Death's Shadow:

• Primal Command? The versatility is great, but mode 1 seems like it would be especially useful (killing DS in early- and mid-game, and giving you that just one more turn in the late-).
• Trinisphere maybe, for sideboard? It's solid against against a bunch of decks (I learned about the card the hard way playing Infect). Not sure though if shutting down your Birds and Elves though is worth it.

Please keep us posted, and draw well!

clayperce holy crap it is target player gains 7. I have never thought about playing Trinisphere, and quite frankly can't help wonder about it. It seems very interesting but also very solid. You've got me thinking for sure. I think I'll remove 6-mana Chandra for a Primal Command for now, see how it tests against the deck. Cheers!

Awesome! Thank you for showing me Mwonvuli Acid-Moss! Running it in my mono green tron for the lols!

Erm, sure thing Burg+1!

Bovine073,
One more thought on Affinity: I've seen a few folks lately running Fracturing Gust over Shatterstorm. I don't have an opinion yet, but I wanted to mention it ...

To be honest I hadn't thought about it. But T3 vs T4 is a big difference.

+1 FOR GRUUL AND GLORY!

IF YOU NEED A 7-DROP: ME!

CRUSH THEM!

clayperce

After playing at FNM and losing to traditional Jund twice, I've made some changes. 1x chameleon colossus in both the MB and side (for the courser and an ancient grudge), added by force as well for another grudge in the side. I'm curious however about what you think of Tireless Tracker? I may switch it for the second Swagtusk that I put in for the Primal command (stubborn denial problems).

Bovine073,
Oh that's super-interesting. I've never even thought about Tireless Tracker before tbh. Maybe because it's "just" in Standard, lol.

I really like having 2x "card advantage" cards in the main (and I'd love to find room for more) ... I ran 1x Courser of Kruphix and 1x Chandra, Torch of Defiance for a while, but moved to 2x Chandras because the card is so much more versatile (and can actually win games). Still, Tracker can win games too, so maybe. Of course, Clues do not play well with Shatterstorm, so it may come down to how much Affinity is in the meta. I'll do some testing and let you know what I think.

Speaking of Affinity, I haven't ever tried By Force, but I think I'd stick with 2x Ancient Grudge instead. They're both 2 mana to kill 1x Artifact/3 mana to kill 2x Artifacts, but Grudge is Instant speed and still works from the 'yard if Milled or Discarded. And if you need to kill 3x Artifacts of more, maybe just another Shatterstorm? Though I guess the sideboard Artifacts (and possibly Clue tokens) may chance that calculus. Hmmm ...

LOVE chatting with you about Ponza ... you always give me so much to think about!

Draw well!

clayperce

Yeah I'll definitely look more into my artifact hate SB options. I actually believe there is no Affinity at my current meta, so I may just take out most of the cards (probably for more Colossi and lifegain). My meta I moved into is really good for Ponza, the only bad matchup there for me is Grixis DS. Another card that has been brought to my attention is Fracturing Gust, which I have mixed feelings about and don't think it quite makes the cut. Anyways, thanks for the response and yes I love chatting Ponza too! :P

Bovine073,
So I've done a bunch of goldfishing and had 12 matches IRL with 3x Tireless Tracker in the main. I've faced some frankly terrible decks, so I'm not yet ready to say Tracker is all that and a bag of chips. But I'm 82% (10-2) so far, and am convinced she's got potential. More to follow ...

clayperce

Went 3-1 at FNM, beating burn, Esper jank goodstuff something, UW D&T, losing 1-2 in three 20+ turn games against UW control in the final. Highlights were after losing game 1 against burn slamming a T2 Trinisphere and keeping him on two mana G2, G3 he unwisely kept a one lander and I stone rained it T2. G3 against esper he was very surprised to see my first blood moon of the match come down on turn two and lock him out of the game. And let me tell you, bonfire is an absolute HOUSE against D&T. So many x/1s.