Answers to Sarkhan and Stormbreath in Standard
Standard forum
Posted on May 2, 2015, 4:35 p.m. by Dr_Jay
So, Y'all, I've been playing Jeskai Dragon Tempo for a while (No list Epoch, don't worry), and I have been unable to beat Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker and Stormbreath Dragon. What do you recommend? I've been thinking about Prognostic Sphinx against them and long, grindy matches.
Do you have any other ideas for stopping these two dragons in standard?
Icefall Regent's pretty nice. Stoke the Flames can also work. There's also Stormbreath Dragons of your own. Mostly 1 for 1 trades I'm afraid but in Jeskai you're never going to be hugely strong against them.
May 2, 2015 4:42 p.m.
Knockadoon says... #4
I use Reality Shift in my own deck against those, but I'm midrange+ dragons, so giving the other player a 2/2 land creature doesn't hurt me much. In any case, though, a 2/2 with no abilities is better than a Flying 4/4. Stoke the Flames does kill them, of course, but if you're a Tempo deck a card that costs 4 and has 
in the cost isn't attractive, but could probably live in the sideboard. Maybe try a Crater Elemental as a pseudo-Stoke the Flames? Just play it and sit on it until the dragons show, then blast 'em.
May 2, 2015 5:16 p.m.
Stoke the Flames is going to be your biggest to be your biggest defense against them
May 2, 2015 5:17 p.m.
Viral_Assassin says... #6
Stoke the Flames will not deal with Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker unless he's a Planeswalker, even then I think it becomes too late when he hits the field.
May 2, 2015 5:57 p.m.
Blizzicane says... #7
Banishing Light hits Dragon Speaker and other things but it doesn't hit Stormbreath... XP
May 2, 2015 5:58 p.m.
Viral_Assassin says... #8
This is true. I'm not sure of the deck list but running counters is always an option. Dragon jeskai opens you up to Silumgar's Scorn for cheap counters, Negate as well if you needed to counter Sarkhan harder. more of a Sideboard option.
May 2, 2015 6:02 p.m.
As-Above_So-Below says... #10
Reality Shift really is honestly your best bet. It hits both Sarkhan (as a creature) and Stormbreath, and it's cheap removal. The only downside is that they get a 2/2 that could be anything in their deck: a land, a mana dork, another Stormbreath, something nastier, or maybe a burn spell. Who knows. Best case scenario you manifest a Sarkhan off the top, which is hilarious.
May 2, 2015 8:39 p.m.
I'd go Encase in Ice and/or Stoke the Flames for stormbreath. Counterspells are probably your best bet versus Sarkhan, but burn works against him as well.
May 2, 2015 8:44 p.m.
Knockadoon says... #12
I use Reality Shift in my deck that otherwise uses Lightning Strike and Stoke the Flames for removal because Reality Shift will not only hit Stormbreath Dragon or Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker (as a creature), it can also hit dragonlords that aren't Hexproof, Polukranos, World Eater, Siege Rhino, you name it. It just takes down such a long list of targets that I think it's the most versatile removal without using 
or 
(since Stormbreath Dragon has Protection from ). Encase in Ice can't take abilities away from its targets and there are so many creatures with useful abilities that are passive that the opponent still gets a benefit from even if the creature is tapped. I would gladly turn a Goblin Rabblemaster into a generic 2/2 if given the choice.
May 2, 2015 9:17 p.m.
UpperDeckerTaco says... #13
Do NOT use Reality Shift it is not very good. Tis why you never see it in any blue deck in any top 8 at any tournament. If you ran black you'd have better options such as Crackling Doom, Foul-Tongue Invocation, Hero's Downfall, Ultimate Price, Gild, Silence the Believers.... you honestly don't have a very good answer to Stormbreath Dragon doing Jeskai except maybe Stoke the Flames and Fated Conflagration (this can also work on Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker). For Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker you have a little more options, Pillar of Light is a good one and Banishing Light hits it too, and again if you played black...you'd be better off and be able to use Utter End. With how prevalent Dragons are being (especially R/G), I would say the best way to go to combat those decks is either Match the power level of what they're playing or use the best removal in the format (black).
May 2, 2015 10:50 p.m.
HorridBEAST says... #14
You can use End Hostilities or Elspeth, Sun's Champion against Stormbreath Dragon. Because their abilities don't target anything they both get around Protection
ducttapedeckbox says... #2
I don't play Standard so what I'm about to suggest could be junk, but is Reality Shift an option?
May 2, 2015 4:41 p.m.