How much Fetch is too much fetch?
Standard forum
Posted on Sept. 3, 2015, 1:28 p.m. by Slowgod
I'm currently running 5 fetches in my Esper deck, with the new BFZ duals I'm considering running up to 8 fetches... They work great with Dig Through Time obviously, but is 8 just too many? I'm going to be doing a lot of damage to myself, and the new duals will be better with a few more basic lands in the deck which I won't have as much room for with 8 fetches.
UpperDeckerTaco says... #3
Modern is not comparable to standard when it comes to fetches. In standard, you have to hit land drops. In modern, you can solely function on very few lands in play. So, the thing is, for a control deck to run 8 fetches, you better be packing at least 27 lands in your deck, because every time you fetch, you remove that land from your deck which incrementally lessens your chance to hit land drop after land drop. Lands are important in standard because it's one of the few formats you can tap out on turn 8 with a control deck to cast your Ugin and either A) not be dead yet (if you have played correctly), B) not get countered (under normal circumstances), C) not be dead yet (a repeat, but notable). I would say you can probably dwindle it down to 6 and function perfectly fine. And if you're worried about life, you should be running the Fate Reforged life/tap lands in some number which will help you mana fix as well and also give you some life back from fetching. Let's face it, there's very little a control deck does on turn 1 or 2 anyways. You may have an Ultimate Price turn 2, but meh, why not mana fix and save that price for an actual threat (the previous comment was based solely on post rotation because I assumed since we are talking about your mana base which includes BFZ lands, we are post rotation). Also, your Foul-Tongue Invocation should be gaining you life as well.
September 3, 2015 1:47 p.m.
Yeah, 4 Polluted Deltas and 2 Flooded Strands should be good, and I will most likely keep 2-4 Dismal Backwaters. I do currently run 27 lands with Ugin in MB, but maybe I could cut it to 26 for 1 more valuable removal or counterspell. Also depends on what other surprises BFZ has in store for us, but I'm thinking/hoping Esper Dragons should still be viable. Thanks for your input ;)
September 3, 2015 2:27 p.m.
Except that the difference deck thinning makes is mathematically negligible. Since this is a control deck, you're bound to be running card draw anyways, so whatever downside you think there is is going to be Negated. The only impact fetches will have (other than getting you what colours you need when you need them) is reducing the maximum number of lands you can have in play at a single time, down from 27 to ~19, which only matters if you need to cast something that costs 20+.
September 3, 2015 2:43 p.m. Edited.
ThisIsBullshit says... #6
But but but I wanted to play my Spawnsire of Ulamog :)
I think you'd be fine with 8 fetches. If you're a control deck and have an issue with not drawing enough land, it's not the fetches that are the problem.
September 3, 2015 7:58 p.m.
alanwescoat says... #7
It depends on the deck. In Modern, I am using up to nine fetches with only seven targets for fast aggro. In Standard, I have used as many as eight with good success. For control, this would probably be excessive.
September 4, 2015 2:53 a.m.
Yeah I'm not sure if it will be necessary with the new BFZ duals or not, but either way I was thinking 27 total lands is excessive regardless of how many fetches, yet every single Esper deck runs 27 lands. I feel like 26 would be fine even though I've mostly had great luck with 27, it is a bit overkill when games run long and I have 14 lands on the table. I also get the occasional 6 land hands which suck. On the other hand I have kept hands with 2 lands thinking "I have 27 in the deck, I'm bound to draw more" and then don't draw one for 3 turns and just lose. :/
Right now I'm really having trouble deciding between cutting to 26 lands for a 2nd Silumgar, the Drifting Death or not... ugh
HavokX says... #2
As long as you have more targets than fetches, you're good. I know this probably isn't comparable but I run 19 lands in my modern deck with 8 fetches and I don't have any problems.
September 3, 2015 1:34 p.m.