Has there been much discussion on the list that did well a few weeks back at the SCG Invitational covered here? (Also linked in your update above). They cut the 2 BoP for 2 Courser of Kruphixs, and used 2 Garruk, Primal Hunters as additional top-end threats. I feel like this deck would like to have a few threats at 4cmc instead of all of them being 5cmc, but this deck got results in a larger event. I actually really like the addition of the coursers as a hedge against burn, aggro, and helping smooth draws against slower decks, but I doubt cutting the BoPs is totally correct, although there are plenty of decks that only play 8 dorks for ramp so I can see where they are coming from. They're running the 22nd land to make up for the loss of BoP at least. I feel like adding a colossus in place of a Swagtusk and finding space for Kessig Wolf Run would help out. Have you tested out any of those changes?

GeminiSpartanX,
There hasn't been much discussion on it at all, so thanks for bringing it up!

I tested Roast (and found I liked Beast Within better), but I haven't tested the rest of the deck out at all. It just looks SOOOOO slow to me. As you mentioned, dropping the Birds, and moving from 3 to 7 five-drops and 3 to 4 6-drops?!? Yoikes!

Birds for Courser is super-curious. Sure, Birds are a Bolt-magnet. But every Bolt that goes to a Bird is one that's not going to my face, so I'm generally just fine with that. And in a world with Fetch Lands, both die easily to Push.

And yeah I'm a HUGE fan of Chameleon Colossus and a fan of Kessig Wolf Run (it's rare of course, but I've no-kidding won games with Trampling Firebreathing Elves and Birds). I can't even imagine not running both.

But of course the cards he does use are all great, and I'm jealous of all his card filtering and Draw options, and I certainly can't argue with his results! So, I don't know ...

Bottom line: I figure I'll give it a try sometime (I think I only need to pick up the 2x Garruk, Primal Hunter), but I just haven't been in a big rush.

Thanks again!

All,
Here's the deck GeminiSpartanX and I are talking about. Thanks in advance for your thoughts as well!

Bernard Liberati's RG Ponza

I've totally won with a BoP buffed by Kessig Wolf Run. Including one Wolf Run in the list is right, IMHO. I really like Garruk, Primal Hunter and have added one to my paper list before seeing this. Illuminati confirmed lol!

Courser makes total sense, actually. Being able to even out some Aggro matchups is nice. I don't like not having a dork on T1 though, which is what helps drive a T2 Moon or Stone Rain.

Roast is great to take out a Tasigur or Angler, which are prevalent in the format ATM. Seems like a good meta call. Although I agree that Beast Within is a better 401 all purpose removal spell.

aeonstoremyliver,
Illuminati for SURE on the Garruk, and kudos on the Mighty Birds win! Which is just almost as satisfying as winning in Infect with normal damage from a pumped-up Noble Hierarch!

Yeah, Courser is superb. I ran it for a long while, but IMO Kitchen Finks is better vs. Aggro and Chandra, Torch of Defiance is just as good on card filtering (but better with all her other abilities), so I split the 3/4-drops that way instead. But would never argue against Courser. Well, except when it's in a 1-drop slot ... :-D

Out of curiosity, what versions of Burn did you play? And can you give a match recap and sideboard selections? (Obviously Finks went in...)

aeonstoremyliver,
Thanks for asking! I'll hopefully do up the full report this weekend. But here are the Burn pieces:

Both were Naya Burn.

Match 1 (0-2): I kind of lost Game 1 to variance ... I mul'd to 5, kept a meh hand, and couldn't draw enough goodstuff before dying. Unfortunately, I didn't see anything but Mountains and spells in Game 1, so I TOTALLY thought it was Mono-R Creatureless. I sided out all the Blood Moons, and probably pulled some Bonfires, so of course died to Boros Charm, Lightning Helix, and Monastery Swiftspear. Lol. I brought in the 2x Trinisphere and 2x Kitchen Finks (I recently moved to 3x in the side online, but I don't have my 3rd paper copy yet). I can't recall, but I probably pulled a Titan or Dragon and brought in Thrun to lower my curve.

Match 5 (2-0): Game 1 was Land Destruction vs. Goblin Guides for a while, but I stabilized with a Chameleon Colossus and then totally closed the door with a Primal Command for 7 life and a Titan. Game 2 was a nail-biter ... I was down to 1 life before I top-decked another Primal Command, again taking the 7 life and a Titan. Whew! I don't recall how I boarded at all (I really need to sit down and do some formal analysis rather than just winging it). But Trin', Finks, Bonfire, Scooze, and Thrun are always contenders, and I try to leave as many Blood Moons in as I can.

Hope that helps!

By the way, I did up a match report about a Mono-W Enchantments deck here.

Draw well!

aeonstoremyliver,
One small correction: In Match 5 Game 2, I gained 7 life and put my opponent's Sacred Foundry back on his Library, with the Command.

I was just at my friend's house, and got a chance to use the deck. I can tell you that it absolutely destroys esper control.

Tanker12,
Sweet!!!

clayperce

Saw your thoughts about Merfolk sideboarding on another Ponza deck on the site, and I have a few suggestions. The main one being that Merfolk is in this very weird spot where it runs nonbasics to stop Choke but doesn't run enough to let moon be a potent threat. I honestly don't like bringing or keeping in either of those cards (I don't have any Choke in my SB). Instead, for you, I would just put in all the finks, the Beast Within, and possibly even the grudges if you were really worried about Vial (and the bonfire, of course). I've talked with rothgar13 (not tagging him), the feesh guy of TO somewhat extensively on the topic of Ponza vs Merfolk, and played multiple matches with him, you may be able to hit him up for a few tips as well.

Bovine073,
Lol, I was just reading that as well (because of the recent update on the deck)!

Part of my challenge is there's barely any Fish in my meta ... I've seen the deck exactly twice, and neither time was with this deck. Interestingly though, one of the matches was just yesterday ... I was testing a Tireless Tracker brew and my opponent was testing with a Red splash for Lightning Bolt. I went 2-0, with Land Destruction and Primal Command (returning a Land and fetching a Titan) as the Game 1 MVPs, and Choke as the Game 2 MVP. I boarded IN: 1x Bonfire, 1x Beast, 2x Choke, 1x Finks / OUT 2x Dragon, 3x Moon.

That's super-cool that you've played a bunch against rothgar13, and I 100% should defer to your judgement! But 2x Choke to shut off 60% of their mana and 1x Blood Moon to shut off the rest (especially the Mutavaults) still seems worthwhile. And even though they can still get Creatures with Aether Vial, I LOVE the idea of not having to worry as much about Negates from their board in Game 2. Speaking of Vial, I agree it's always worth considering Ancient Grudge, especially if they saw a ton of LD in Game 1 (because they'll probably mul' much more aggressively for a Vial in Game 2). But in general, I don't think it's worth bringing in for only 4x targets. Along those lines though, if I had a ton of Fish in my meta, I'd think VERY seriously about Natural State in the sideboard ... Grudge is great vs. more decks of course, but with both Spreading Seas and Vial available as targets, it seems like State would be amazing vs. Fish.

Like I said though, I'm pretty much just theory-crafting and goldfishing at this point. I could easily come around after a few IRL matches!

Thanks tons, as always!

Do you think that Creeping Corrosion would be easier to cast than Shatterstorm? That's what I run in my Ponza sideboard.

Darke,
It's probably some small percentage easier to cast. But Shatterstorm laughs at Welding Jar. Plus I just love the flavor of playing a card that goes all the way back to the Antiquities expansion.

Have you considered Boom/Bust? This card is brutal and combos well with fetch lands since you can sacrifice them in response to targeting them with boom.

CaptSillva,
I'm sure it's a fine card in many decks, but it's actually pretty horrible in Ponza. The deck's built to have 3 or 4 Mana on Turn 2 (there's a 60% chance of 3 and 16% chance of 4 ... and it's even better if you consider mulligans), so there's really no point in the game where you'd want Boom over the better 3- and 4-drop Land Destruction options. And the deck never wants Bust.

Thanks though!

Hey there clayperce! I think I have a change to this deck that you may want to try. Removing the 3rd Stomping Ground for a Cinder Glade should be standard for this deck moving forward imho. Fetching for a painless untapped dual land on turn 3 is big game against most decks in the format. I save sooo much life by having it in the deck as a 1-of. I highly recommend giving it a try.

GeminiSpartanX,
I was literally JUST reading about that over on your deck. I'll definitely give it a try!

Thanks much!

I don't think your explanation on Trinisphere with suspend cards is correct. From gatherer "Exiling a card with suspend isnt casting that card. This action doesnt use the stack and cant be responded to." I believe you just pay the U to exile it from your hand, not 2U. If you're sure you're right, could you post a source on that ruling?

Loving the new additions!

As for Cinder Glade... I'm tempted, I really am. But it will be so clunky in your opening hand, and in a deck that needs to curve out well to work, it's a no-go for me. But tell me how it goes for you!

Bovine073,
No, you're totally right. Had I RTFC'd better I would not have missed the "Rather than cast ..." piece! Correcting it now ...

Thanks much!

The Jon Elgan deck that got 6th at the SSG Classic had one noticeable difference that I think might be worth looking into- 0 copies of Beast Within in the 75!! His deck was full of threats with no 'safety net' of beast within, so I'm guessing he was able to power out plenty of gas that his opponent's needed to deal with. His MD Acidic Slime seems like it pulls some of the weight left behind by the Beast Withins, and Wurmcoil Engine seems like a really great addition. I think I'll play a few games without the BWs and see if I miss them.

I'm officially taking tho beauty to Syracuse!!

GeminiSpartanX,
I had noticed the Wurmcoil Engine, which seems kinda spicy, but I hadn't even noticed the lack of Beast Within. Wow. Not sure I understand that move, but it's kind of hard to argue with the results! I know I'd miss them ... I was recently testing some other cards and went from 3x in the 75 down to 2x, to accommodate. Ugh. But good luck (and skill) with your testing!

Tanker12,
Are you serious?!? Wow!!! You cannot imagine how flattered -- and now, suddenly stressed -- I am. Wishing you the absolute best of luck next weekend! And PLEASE let us know how it goes!

GeminiSpartanX,
FYI, I'm officially not impressed with Cinder Glade. I ran it as a 1-of in 9 matches, and found it to be great in 2, annoying in 2, and TERRIBLE in 1. I had a bunch of non-basics in the third game of a match, and the fact it had to enter tapped no-kidding cost me the match. :-(

I'm sure it would be better if I had more Burn in the meta, but for now, it's not for me. Thanks tons though!

That's unfortunate. I count the fetches as basics (since you always want to fetch forests the first few turns due to blood moon), so in my mind this deck only runs 4 non-basic lands as far as the first 3 turns are concerned. Seems like just a bad case of variance. To each their own I guess.