Anti-black sideboard for Boros Deck?
Standard forum
Posted on Jan. 12, 2014, 11:34 p.m. by Peten16
Hi y'all,
I am playing in a PTQ (my fiirst non-FNM event) in a couple weeks and I expect to see a lot of mono-black devotion decks. I am running a Boros Weenie/Control deck that I like a lot, but I am looking for suggestions for the sideboard. I already have Fiendslayers, but what else may be useful? Thanks!
ColdHeartedSith says... #3
Skullcrack because if your built right usually them not gaining life seals the deal, however you don't want them dropping Whip of Erebos either and they will so all their creatures gain lifelink. So you wanna side a couple Wear / Tear for whip then and finally about 3 Chained to the Rocks which mitigates Desecration Demon . These suggestions besides skullcrack are good vs mono blue too vs Thassa , Bident and master of waves. So these 8 cards of your side should be for these match ups and the rest esper.
January 12, 2014 11:54 p.m.
A lot of it is going to depend on the specific cards and make-up of your deck. Brave the Elements is likely the most important card, if you're not already running 4.
ColdHeartedSith Most of the MBD lists have abandoned Whip of Erebos to be more streamlined. They really only have 1 good target to bring back and that's Gray Merchant of Asphodel .
For the most part, I'd recommend not getting overly cute or dependent on sideboard for mono-black. Fast aggro decks are already their weakness. Even when they side out some of their more awkward cards, there's still only so much they can shed. It's a match-up that's much less dependent on bringing in silver bullets and instead on executing a good curve with constant pressure, and too many sideboard cards will only get in the way of that.
Honestly, I'm not even sure Fiendslayer Paladin stacks up well. Sure, it dodges some removal, but most lists are running 4 Devour Flesh now in addition to the Pharika's Cure /Doom Blade they bring in for aggro. It also isn't too great at only 2 power for 3 mana. For instance, in the same 3 drop slot Frontline Medic would more often be useful for letting you continue to crash into Desecration Demon and Pack Rat to push damage through.
January 13, 2014 12:17 a.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #5
I would like to reinterate you won't be able to drop skullcrack everytime they attack with a whip on board and they will probably have 4 Thoughtseize so they arent going to let you keep all of those you draw and wear/ tear is obviously nessesary. I would say 4 skullcrack to be equal with thoughseize and 2 wear / tear and 3 chained so 9 not 8 I didnt notice the PTQ part. I really don't wanna come off like i'm doubting your ability but pro tour qualifiers are for pro points to get invited to closed pro only envirement tournys where I hate to say even if you were to win a PTQ you wouldn't really wanna travel out of state at your expense just to find out your not ready for that yet. You maybe better to play in a GP or Open if its the money. PTQ's are basically where pro's pay their 30 dollar union dues to get qualified for the next yuppie invitation only circle jerk. Its not really like winning an open and getting some cash and your 15 with Ruben Bresler. starcity and DCI expect players like you and I to put our 30 in the pot to pay for the venue and judges and other fees so the pro's can show up and get their green card to play. Just a heads up , I understand bragging rights and all and the excitement but shoot Brian Kiebler and e-mail about what I said and he don't hold back, he will in a breif response back up what I said. If you just wanna bring a good deck and see if your good enough to play with those boys then do it.
January 13, 2014 12:17 a.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #6
Actually Slycne you are dead wrong Pack Rat is also a main target for whip not to mention lifegain and when they know the only chance of their opponent winning is early damage and they are a slower aggro they are most deffinetly going to side it in if it isnt main already.
January 13, 2014 12:22 a.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #7
By the way if he is mostly white he is already maining 4 braves, he is asking for good BOROS side cards.
January 13, 2014 12:23 a.m.
ColdHeartedSith Check out MTG Top 8 Devotion to Black, not even the MTGO lists are running Whip of Erebos in the 75 any more, let alone MBD decks that are taking down larger tournaments. So stuff like Wear / Tear is going to largely be a dead draw, I think any aggressive deck is fine letting MBD spend T3-4 tapping out fully to put Underworld Connections down. Hence my suggestion of not overly sideboarding, Brave the Elements and Chained to the Rocks , if the mana base supports it, are the cards I'd most want in Boros, if they are not already in the mainboard, otherwise I just want efficient threats to pressure them.
January 13, 2014 12:58 a.m.
If your deck has 24+ lands, I'd add the go to R/W hate card for MBC to the sideboard: Assemble the Legion . They just lose once it hits the board, unless they chain A LOT of garys.
January 13, 2014 1:02 a.m.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Very helpful.
I already have Wear / Tear
in the sideboard. I have 3x Banisher Priest
and 3x Chained to the Rocks
in the mainboard; those cards, unexpectedly, have been the workhorses of my deck. I love those cards. When my deck works well, it plays a bit like a control deck because of them. The look on people's faces when I exile three Boros Reckoner
in a row (it has happened) is priceless. I actually have had Fiendslayer Paladin
in my main board, 'cause it's a good three-drop card no matter what. My biggest fear are the Desecration Demon
and Nightveil Specter
. I guess I have my answer to those already built in.
I do not have Brave the Elements , I just did not have room for it, but maybe I will consider that.
I do think it's good advice to not rely too much on the SB. I try to build a deck that can win in most/all situations. When it comes to the SB I often have a hard time thinking of ways to improve it unless they are very color specific cards.
Do you all think I will see many Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx ? Should I sideboard some land destruction?
January 13, 2014 9:04 a.m.
And by the way, by no means do It think I will do well at a PTQ. It is in Asheville (very close to me) and I just want to go play some tough decks and get the experience. In other words, I am doing it TO HAVE FUN! ;-)
By the way the Tour event is only a couple hours away from me and I could easily get there even if i had to pay may own way. :-)
January 13, 2014 9:08 a.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #13
Again Wear / Tear is relevant because its instant speed and either side can be cast and on opponent end step. It is not a T3 or T4 card Slycne obviously dosn't understand that it removes Detention Sphere on opponents end step to have your Banisher Priest return and so on as well as taking out whip that way, Underworld Connections and Boon Satyr and all the gods weapons and opposing assembles. All for the instant speed cost of 1 White. Why this person dosn't think its relevant because of a weeks MTGO lists is silly and short sighted as well as overlooking and not understanding its cost, speed and when and how to play it. I think you better look again and re-access what its value is. That being said Assemble the legion shouldn't make and impact by the time you could cast it vs mono black but its a good side vs esper. Another good one is Blind Obedience you should be runnning Brave the Elements mainboard with a heavy on the white perms deck. In my opinion Frontline Medic is good and not a bad suggestion if you run hammers and you have his sphinx revelation canceling ability as well. He works best with blind obedience and hammer aboard.
January 13, 2014 2:20 p.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #14
Have fun at you tourney just said that other stuff to give you some insight as to what winning it gets you really and what it leads too in comment 4. Just tried to give some stuff to think about. High level competitive play will teach you more things and give you more stuff to think about and maybe more of what I said will seem more relevant in retrospect. Good luck and Gods speed.
January 13, 2014 2:26 p.m.
ColdHeartedSith I think there's been a misunderstanding. I don't think, nor said, that Wear / Tear is a bad card to have in the 75. I just think it's a risky call to bring it in blindly against mono-black based on the current environment, and the OP asked specifically about sideboard cards against mono-black devotion, not Detention Sphere , etc. If they show you Whip of Erebos in Game 1 and you feel like you can't beat that card then by all means bring in Wear / Tear , but I don't think it's necessary to answer Underworld Connections on its own when you're the beatdown deck, which is currently the only enchantment or artifact most mono-black lists are running. As the aggressor I feel it's more important to keep the pressure up, so spending a card to remove what's already an awkward card in the match-up like Underworld Connections isn't worth it by itself. That's all I'm saying.
I do agree with Blakkhand though. I spent some time with UWR control, and Assemble the Legion always felt very strong against mono-black, reducing their entire deck to Nightveil Specter and Gray Merchant of Asphodel as Assemble the Legion can chump everything else and keep Desecration Demon tapped down indefinitely. Eventually you'll outgrow even an army of Pack Rat and run them over. It is slow though, and tends to work better if you're running a more mid-range or controlling list that can find the time to get it online.
January 13, 2014 3:26 p.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #16
Well you have to look at all of what I said and with detention sphere I was just pointing out more viable uses for wear / tear besides mono black so it has relevant safeguard against other heavy black decks such as B/W mid range and esper and esper creature devotion wich is becoming a T1 or 1.5 deck. So yea we are still talking black.
January 13, 2014 3:38 p.m.
ColdHeartedSith says... #17
I like chained and skullcrack most in the match and like to match those equal to D.D and thoughtseize. Wear tear is 3rd choice but a good boros option. I also point out wear tear counters chained another reason to play it side. It is good to look at the most versatile cards that disrupt mono black and other decks similtainiously because thats what makes a rock of a sideboard.
Jay says... #2
Skullcrack for when they drop Gary.
January 12, 2014 11:41 p.m.