CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #2
The only real issue we can foresee with Kiora, the Crashing Wave is that she doesn't automatically "ultimate" when she hits with a Doubling Season in play...who knows though...she may be better just allowing for keeping creatures in check and her Explore ability....that and with a few extra turns, she can easily get to her ultimate (and it is a great one!) We're excited to try her out. Thanks for the suggestion.
January 31, 2014 4:56 p.m.
Chandra, the Firebrand copy extra turn spells, Tamiyo, the Moon Sage instant ult for unlimited extra turns!
January 31, 2014 6:53 p.m.
Have you considered a singleton Dryad Arbor in the sideboard? With fetches like Misty Rainforest in the deck, it can save you from a lot of trouble, depending on the match-up. Might not be the best suggestion, since I don't know the deck's weaknesses, but a thought. Also, on the subject of lands, what about Magosi, the Waterveil ?
January 31, 2014 10:19 p.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #5
thuzra...This is literally crazy...we are watching the 2013 World Championships right now and Reid Duke just fetched a Dryad Arbor and they are talking about how great of a card it is (especially if you fetch it on the end of your opponent's turn to avoid summoning sickness). Ha! It would be great to have as an additional Overrun option via Garruk Wildspeaker ...I think that qualifies as "a sign"...we will put one in now to see how that goes...
We tried out Magosi, the Waterveil and it just didn't seem useful enough...if you REALLY plan ahead; there are situations where if you draw the right cards it may end up paying off; but a majority of the time, the extra turn and the lost turn simply cancel each other out...
dotytron...we actually had Chandra, the Firebrand in the very first build of this deck (as her copy ability is extremely useful in this deck). As the deck slowly "balanced" out between 1. Ramp/Draw cards, 2. Planeswalkers/Win-Cons and 3. Extra Turn Spells we had to remove one of the planeswalkers (as often we had too many planeswalkers and not enough of everything else).. Having said this, we love your idea...Chandra, the Firebrand 's second ability is perfect in this deck and her ultimate is great in aggro match-ups to quickly get rid of a board of blockers :)...we will see if there is a place she can be put in.
The tough part is that this deck has a "delicate" balance (for lack of a better word) of ramp/draw cards (as many of your spells cost a good amount), planeswalkers (as these essentially are your win-cons) and the extra spell turns...there are so many great ideas; but as we test the deck we notice that even little changes can make the deck clunky and you really need the ramping especially to get the deck there...it's almost like there's too many good cards for one deck :)
We are testing it now and will let you know how each card performed (as well as the sideboard). The most important thing (which iamacasual and Baerik have been super helpful with) is for us to fall what the worst match-ups are so we can board the best for them. We will discuss the sideboard this evening as well.
We are also trying to see if there is a way we can make a link for anyone who wants to see several "game examples". We saw a deck where a brewer was able to create a link for the dozens of comments/discussions they had early on for anyone who wanted to see them (without leaving them on the main page to take up all the space). We will see how to do this if we can this evening. If not, we will just post one or two examples on here :)
January 31, 2014 10:47 p.m.
I actually got the idea from the Championships... Reid was singing its praises in deck tech, and it makes for a lovely all-star substitute sacrifice.
January 31, 2014 10:54 p.m.
Grimwolf79 says... #7
I really like this, sadly I don't own any fetch land so it would cost a gazzilion to get it together =(
February 1, 2014 12:07 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #8
So thus far we've learned a few things:
- Savor the Moment is amazingly good in this deck.
There are just so many "untap" effects in the deck that this card shines. At its absolute worst, it functions like a slightly better, slightly more expensive Explore (as you draw a card and can play an additional land before your opponent plays again...but you also can cast/attack with whatever you can afford). It also works well with Panoptic Mirror because you will have the lock for far less mana; and with the untap effects and playing the additional lands...you will always win with the lock :)
- The Panoptic Mirror lock works.
While we are down to one right now..this is fine. You draw so much in this deck, and you don't play this card until you have a good amount of mana (i.e. your turn 5-6....their turn 3)..but once you have it, generally the game is over. Great addition by Baerik....we already had one match (vs. Tron) that we won through an Emrakul with the lock!
- Dryad Arbor
has also been an interesting and useful addition.
She can be pumped via Kessig Wolf Run and can be part of a Garruk Wildspeaker Overrun ...she really has been an interesting addition that helps add another potential "damage generator" which is very important to the balance of the deck. As iamacasual has pointed out...taking extra turns is fun, but you have to be able to due 20 damage+ during those turns to win. Given the fact that she can be "tutored up" with some of our fetch lands she can be really helpful.
Thanks so much for all of your help! The ideas have made this deck leaps and bounds better....we still have a ton to test; but we'll keep you updated throughout the evening/morning!
February 1, 2014 12:30 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #9
Edit...credit must be given to thuzra for the Dryad Arbor addition :)
February 1, 2014 12:32 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #10
Grimwolf79...you may be able to get away without the Misty Rainforest 's...the early game is pretty much all green; and the mana dorks really help fix the mana late...if you have a bunch of forests and the green buddy lands (Hinterland Harbor and Rootbound Crag ) you can make a much cheaper version of this that really would not lose much of its fixing needs...You'd still want Breeding Pool for Savor the Moment s that you may get early....but it can be done....just a thought if you wanted to try it out.
February 1, 2014 12:35 a.m.
Sorry for the stupid suggestion, but this deck just makes me happy. +1, nice work.
February 1, 2014 12:41 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #12
cschiller...you didn't make a stupid suggestion...on the contrary, it was extremely helpful.
There are no stupid suggestions in our book. Every one of them has helped us learn something about the deck. Suggestions show an intention to help make the deck the best it can be! The fact alone you made a suggestion is already making you part of the community that makes this deck..so we say thank you for your suggestion!
February 1, 2014 12:44 a.m.
UmbrotheUmbreon says... #13
Wow, this deck is just stupid insane o3o I love the idea and the fact that you're abusing Ral Zarek in a way none thought could be possible :D The deck's synergy and flow I wanna try myself against my own little ramp deck, Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction.
+1 for this brilliant and unique style :)
February 1, 2014 12:46 a.m.
UmbrotheUmbreon says... #14
I just realized, that if you are ramping so quick and early would Time Stretch be of any use to you? It is a costly 10 mana but with the benefit of TWO extra turns in one spell. Just some food for thought :)
February 1, 2014 12:59 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #16
UmbrotheUmbreon....Thanks! We were excited when the deck really started to come together. It started with us just wanting to make a deck that took a bunch of extra turns (and it seemed like Chandra and Ral and Temporal Mastery were a good start). Finding Savor the Moment led us to Garruk Wildspeaker and it went from there! The tapped out community has done a lot to really help polish the deck and make it a better version of what it wanted to be. That's what's so great about TappedOut!
Also, small change....we switched out one Scalding Tarn for a Raging Ravine for an extra source of damage that grows with every extra turn! We will make sure that it doesn't hurt the mana fixing...if that is the case; we will take out either Dryad Arbor or Raging Ravine for another fetch...fortunately the way the deck works, you really only need green mana for your first turn or two...after that though, you can easily begin casting four and five drops with the ramp; but the mana dorks are a HUGE help fixing....we'll see if this is a positive change.
February 1, 2014 1:27 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #17
Grimwolf79...it's bad enough with a Time Warp ...can't even imagine a Time Stretch :)
February 1, 2014 1:28 a.m.
UmbrotheUmbreon says... #18
@CurdBrosBrewingCo: Well so far with testing the deck game one I won't count due to your deck getting a bad mana screw and me making misplays left and right lol.
Game 2 was a bit of a challenge for me, and ended up miracling a Devastation Tide too late. Next turn was a Doubling Season slapping down all three walkers, plus the Hierachs and Primeval Titan all in a matter of two turns (Ral Zarek 's ultimate). It was brutal x.x Going for Game 3 right now :D
February 1, 2014 1:34 a.m.
UmbrotheUmbreon says... #19
Okay game 3 again, mana screwed and not being able to tap a Dryad Arbor right away hurts pretty badly it seems. Doesn't help when 3 Explore s over the course of 2 turns draw you no lands. By the time you had even 5 lands and a Hierarch out I hit Omniscience into Emrakul and Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger . Extra turn of my own I swung for game.
The deck is great and it is fun but like mine it's a glass cannon. When it works it is absolutely brutal but very fragile. I love decks like these and wish you luck with the continuation on it :)
Suggestion be remove Dryad Arbor for some other land to reduce restricting your turn 1 lands. Between Garruk, the Birds, Prime Time, you got more than enough creature fuel.
February 1, 2014 1:42 a.m.
iamacasual says... #20
Baerik Mill may not have a strong presence in day 2, but if about 10% of decks altogether at modern events are running Leyline of Sanctity, it can't just be against RDW. You are guaranteed to come across a few mill decks in the modern scene, not just in local metas (though in local metas depending on where you are and the affluency or not of the area, you may see more mill decks since it's relatively cheap.)
Either way, my point is that this deck takes too long to get to its wincon--if a well-put-together mill deck, which at the fastest wins on turn 4 and on average turn 7, can get there before this one, I don't imagine things going much better against faster, more aggro decks that win on average on turn 5 (i.e. Jund and Tron.)
February 1, 2014 1:45 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #21
UmbrotheUmbreon...thanks for testing the deck! We've not run into too many difficulties with mana (given the 22 lands and 8 mana dorks); but 100% agree with you about removing Dryad Arbor ....we loved the idea as it is a great addition and it seemed like a great way to add damage). We ran into two different games where we would have "gone off" a turn earlier without it; and we too have removed it. It broke our heart; but we had to.
iamacasual...I'm not sure how much you've tested with the deck and I'd love to hear the issues you ran into when playing against decks like Tron and Jund. We will build a mill deck (don't currently have one ready, but we will make sure to find he most recent one to perform well and build it) to play against to make sure we see how this match-up plays out and sideboard if needed. We don't see a ton of mill in the Modern scene around here; but it never hurts to plan for anything; and often the "slightly outside of the norm" decks are the ones that come in and win a tournament by surprise...so we should definitely prepare for it.
In our testing, this deck has generally won on turn 5-6 (although this is highly depended on the type of deck you're playing against). If untouched, it's obviously faster..but if there is a lot of disruption, it takes longer.
It's odd, because it is not a "straight combo" deck. There is great synergy among the cards; but they can be played in an aggro nature. We've won as low as turn 3, however this is never something to bank. Often times you win the game simply by working your way into a board advantage. Between the extra turn and the planeswalkers; you functionally "play" several spells when compared to your opponent. But in truth, not everyone is going to like the deck...and decks will always have holes and weaknesses....its important to reduce them where you can; but there are faster decks out there.
We will say this...this deck takes some getting used to. You literally have to play it slightly different against different decks. It takes little time to figure out what kind of hands to keep and when it's best to simply take an extra turn (even if the "combo" isn't assembled). It takes several games to get comfortable with how the cards work with one another and get a feel for when to play what.
iamacasual is very right, however, that extremely fast decks (like zoo, affinity, etc.) are a very tough match-up...if they un-ban Wild Nacatl we're in trouble :) These are the match-ups and we certainly will continue to find ways to compete with. We are begging to see the match-ups that are the toughest, and now it's our job to side to ensure those match-ups are still winnable. And nothing helps more than constructive criticism (like iamacasual is providing.
Having said that, we've won multiple games (at this point more than we've lost..) against decks like affinity and Jund...often times you win with less than 10 life but you win :)
Having said all of this...we can't say this deck is a deck that is nearly as polished, tested and strong s Jund or Affinity...These are staples of the format and while we are confident in the deck and love playing it; we can't pretend that we have even close to enough information or skill to consider our deck among them.
All we can do is test it and try to make it the best it can be; and hope that others do the same. After that, those who want to play it will enjoy it and those who don't won't....We of course want to make the deck as competitive as possible so those who play with it win; but every criticism is valid and important.
We will focus the majority of our testing on mill and fast aggro decks over the next few days to ensure what we force ourselves to look at the absolute worst match-ups; and see what we can do to win :) As always, thanks to all who have contributed!
February 1, 2014 2:39 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #22
Btw....UmbrotheUmbreon....your deck with Omniscience , Devastation Tide , and Emrakul sounds like crazy fun! I'll get on your account to see it if it's posted on here. Please link it so others can see it as well if you'd like.
February 1, 2014 2:42 a.m.
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #23
Found it! Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction...now that is a fun deck!
February 1, 2014 2:47 a.m.
UmbrotheUmbreon says... #24
If you imprint Savor the Moment onto Panoptic Mirror you can get infinite turns. Just realized that when I was reading the card over. If you did that it could be infinite turns by turn 3-5 if you ramp well enough.
However it's still quite a stretch. In my eyes I'd remove it but if it has shown to work for you then go with it. I may wanna copy this deck and tweak it around for a more budget friendly and slightly different style of play
February 1, 2014 2:48 a.m.
UmbrotheUmbreon says... #25
@CurdBrosBrewingCo: Two years, three style changes later and you have what you see, all thanks to TappedOut :) I've worked hard to make it a strong yet casual deck. Many people hate going against it and a couple even refuse to :D
CurdBrosBrewingCo says... #1
Thurza....Kiora, the Crashing Wave is a great idea. We will try a few games with her in the place of either Primeval Titan ,or two Explore 's....You never know until you test whether good ideas like this work!
January 31, 2014 4:53 p.m.