Replacing Pithing Needle, but with what?
Deck Help forum
Posted on Aug. 8, 2013, 10:26 a.m. by meecht
In my deck Rakdos Transmitted Disease - FNM Updates, I currently have Pithing Needle in the sideboard. However, the deck I'm having the most trouble with is Jund and it mainboards Putrefy , so Needle won't do a whole lot of good.
I'm debating what to include as a replacement that might help my Jund matchup. I'm debating among:
Duress
- Get rid of removal or Planeswalker
Undying Evil
- Protect my own creatures from removal
Corrupt
- Stabilizer, kill spell, and damage could be redirected to a Planeswalker
actiontech says... #4
I'd put in Duress . I'm about to modify my sideboard that way for the same reason - get their removal spell(s) a turn before I drop my money creature. Plus it's in the same mana curve spot as the needle which keeps things smooth.
August 8, 2013 11:19 a.m.
Appetite for Brains can be good against Jund. It won't hit removal, but it hits the threats.
August 8, 2013 11:36 a.m.
I have plenty of removal to deal with threats and Desecration Demon is a brick wall against all of Jund's creatures.
August 8, 2013 11:49 a.m.
Thing is...Pithing Needle is really good against Jund. When I do play it in sideboards, I play it because I want to bring it in against Jund.
Obviously it doesn't do anything against removal instants, but it shuts down Olivia Voldaren , Liliana of the Veil , Kessig Wolf Run , Scavenging Ooze , and/or the very Garruk, Primal Hunter that you talk about having trouble with. Clearly you wouldn't want to name Olivia since you run your own, but still, that's a lot of power.
August 8, 2013 12:31 p.m.
I have a feeling, though, that Jund would just cast Putrefy to remove Pithing Needle if they feel it's a big enough nuisance, especially if it means getting Garruk, Primal Hunter or Kessig Wolf Run back online.
August 8, 2013 1:32 p.m.
I agree that Needle is good against the cards Jund plays, but it loses some usefulness when artifact removal is mainboarded.
August 8, 2013 1:34 p.m.
It is true that it loses some usefulness, but it's more complex than that. By not having the Pithing Needle to target, your opponent just takes aim at your Desecration Demon instead.
I can understand blanking removal through sideboarding, but avoid the mistaken impression of that being what's happening here. It's not. This is not like playing around Ancient Grudge . Playing no artifacts post-board does not blank his removal. He still has lots of things to use Putrefy on. If you deny him the opportunity to use it on your best card against him by doing the "removal" yourself by not including it in your deck, he'll just go and use it on your second best card instead.
And that way, you're denied both your best and second best cards against him, rather than just your best.
TurboFagoot says... #2
Well what cards in Jund are hurting you the most that you would SB against them?
August 8, 2013 10:48 a.m.