HOW does a COMBO deck SIDEBOARD?
Deck Help forum
Posted on March 4, 2014, 9:46 a.m. by SpaderAce
I have this deck right here:
Your endstep, flash 50/49 Trample Flying, uh GG?
It's supposed to be a midrange deck with the obvious potential for pulling off the infinite Bant combo. But I can't figure out how to create a sideboard!
On game day, I did really well, but I was beaten by Stormbreath Dragon , Red Deck Wins on turn 4, but that was a bad hand, and Blood Baron of Vizkopa . I was planning to have Rapid Hybridization in the sideboard for the Blood Baron of Vizkopa and Stormbreath Dragon , but that's only 3-4 slots out of 15. I also had trouble with a Maze's End Fog deck, and luckily I had Jace, Memory Adept in the side for that matchup, but then that would only be 6-7 slots there.
What else is good for a deck like this? Standard, obviously :P
Thanks Spootyone for that! That was a much better description than I was hoping for, and actually is gonna help for just deciding what to sideboard depending on the matchup. I really wish I had a Pithing Needle in the sideboard for so many of the games I have played, whether it be planeswalkers or maze's ends. Also, what would be specifically good for Orzhov Midrange/control that uses Blood Baron of Vizkopa ? Besides Rapid Hybridization , because I know about that one :P
March 4, 2014 6:37 p.m.
Against Orzhov mid, I usually have Arbor Colossus to handle their big threats as it outclasses them and can also be made monstrous to eat up a Desecration Demon or Nightveil Specter . I also use Sylvan Primordial , but that's another story :P
Spootyone says... #2
If you plan on winning with the combo, you'll need ways to protect your combo pieces. These can be met with cards like Savage Summoning and Ranger's Guile , Gods Willing or even just Negate .
Sweepers also hit hard. There's Rootborn Defenses for that.
The problem is that all the combo pieces are quite expensive and having to keep up something like Rootborn Defenses means waiting an additional 3 or more turns to play these pieces out there -- not to mention having even more cards in hand for it to occur (Something Thoughtseize decks prey upon).
I suggest avoiding trying to win with combo against control. Bringing in quick and heavy hitters like Mistcutter Hydra and Boon Satyr allow for a defeat before they can stabilize. You could also consider Pithing Needle against them to handle their win cons. (Also can be brought in against Maze's End)
Against aggro, you have access to disruption in the form of Azorius Charm and Cyclonic Rift , and stabilizers in the form of cards like Courser of Kruphix . Though I would assume aggro isn't your worse matchup, given your card list.
Against midrange decks like G/R monsters and MBD, you need ways to match their threats. If you want to win by combo, MBD is going to give you a very hard time -- Thoughtseizing things from your hand and removing the key elements once you get them on the field. Once again, protection can come in against them, but it's not always the best choice. Ramp is key, but that's probably a main deck quandry. I've had success with bringing in Primeval Bounty against MBD. They can't seem to beat it once it's out there. Same goes for Orzhov control. G/R monsters will easily wreck you with Stormbreath Dragon and their planeswalkers giving them tons of card advantage over you. Rapid Hybridization , Celestial Flare and creatures like Arbor Colossus can deal with the dragon, and they have very little they can do to get around it.
March 4, 2014 1:10 p.m.