New Slivers
Standard forum
Posted on June 28, 2013, 2:44 a.m. by Unforgivn_II
So there have been a ton of slivers printed in the past, but how will the ones released in M14 fare? Sure some will make their way into EDH decks, but I'm wondering if it's going to end up being a worthwhile archetype for standard. I don't feel like they're strong enough on their own, and in the current pool of Standard cards to choose from, only Descendent's Path seemed like it works well with them. Mutavault will also work really nicely, but other than those, nothing interacts with a tribal theme. I threw a deck together, but I won't be able to playtest it until the cards have been entered into the database. So I'm asking you all, will Sliver tribal actually be a thing? Or will we have to wait for Theros for cards that'll make the deck work?
Darkness1835 says... #3
I think when M14 hits, people will TRY to play slivers and they wont be all too successful, much like when people (myself among them) tried to force Vampires onto the scene during Zendikar. WotC are really good at pacing these things, and Slivers will have their day, but I would expect it to be after Theros. Until then, the M14 prints will just find themselves in people's casual sliver decks they've had since Onslaught.
June 28, 2013 3:21 a.m.
Unforgivn_II says... #4
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I wasn't playing in those days, but I had heard stories about how awesome Slivers were. But I think part of that was the sheer number of how many there were and how many different abilities there were. You could get a lot more synergy and combos than you can in the upcoming set, where they basically are all dumb beatsticks with a couple tricks like Double Strike and Vigilance.
June 28, 2013 3:55 a.m.
Darkness1835 says... #5
Yeah slivers are brutal. Just about any long time player will have a sliver deck stored away somewhere. It's just one of those things you get around to making eventually.
June 28, 2013 4:09 a.m.
If Gemhide Sliver was reprinted in m14, they would be a viable naya build, but they have nothing special. The haste guy needs to be 1 cmc cheaper, and the trample dude is waaaaaaaaaaay overcosted. We all know how annoying Wolfir Silverheart can be especially without removal, and bonded on a Silverblade Paladin (megantic sliver + bonescythe sliver) can be brutal. Adding in that all of them get it may make them quite powerful. But now with Doom Blade in m14, and Ultimate Price both being able to target all slivers (not to mention Putrefy ), people can simply kill the important pieces and get on with their assault, not worrying if they have a couple out.
June 28, 2013 5:40 a.m.
Schuesseled says... #7
I'll be running this at FNM, and all shall fall before my slivery sword.
deck-large: m14 slivers run ramp
June 28, 2013 6:29 a.m.
I really don't think slivers are strong to compete in the current meta. Cool additions to slivers as a whole for sure. But I just don't see viability as stand alone in standard.
June 28, 2013 8:21 a.m.
KnightsBattlecry001 says... #9
I personally don't think slivers will be that big in standard. I'm sure we will see a few decent decks turn up from time to time, but nothing that will be able to dominate in the current meta. The new additions will be great for all the old slivers, and those that still have their old sliver decks, but like I said, slivers won't be that big in standard.
June 28, 2013 8:36 a.m.
I think it depends on if they are hiding anything in black and blue, or even multicolored. There are possibilities with slivers (a perfect hand could give you 4 3/3 first strikes on turn 3), but if its just the ones revealed so far, they aren't going to change the meta much.
June 28, 2013 9:27 a.m.
Looking at how/if slivers could work in Standard....
1 Drop = First Strike
2 Drop = +1/+1
3 Drop = Haste
4 Drop = Double Strike
5 Drop = +2/+0
6 Drop = +3/+3
7 Drop = Trample
... These all look good ... but there's a problem. There's little to no "utility" behind them (mana ramp / library search / repeatable slivers / card draw, etc...).
And only the +1/+1, the +2/+0 and +3/+3 are stackable... these are nice to stack, but 2 of them are at 5+ mana, and there's no "sliver based" ramp... as such, there's some "boosting" but not a lot of "power" until late game.
June 28, 2013 9:44 a.m.
Anybody else as mad as I am that it is now "slivers you control" instead of all slivers?
Slivers are apparently just another boring tribe now. They used to have a flavor all their own. Might as well just play elves or goblins now.
Also, sliver vs sliver matchups are no longer interesting.
June 28, 2013 12:12 p.m.
TorrentFreak says... #14
There is a sliver deck on the new M14 Duels of the Planeswalkers game. The slivers have good synergy, but the deck is basically just beatdown with some removal. I found myself in a board stall 75% of the time. The deck is too slow to race RDW, if you can get slivers out quick enough you may win with sheer power levels. But overall the deck is very unimpressive.
June 28, 2013 12:34 p.m.
Unforgivn_II says... #15
I expected a lot more of the sliver deck in DotP. It was super simple to stop, I just Path to Exile d or Oblivion Ring end the ones producing the buffs.
June 28, 2013 1:36 p.m.
On the note of the new slivers, what is up with the artwork. I mean basically they don't look like slivers anymore. They look like mutated humanoids. Like something the simic might cook up
June 28, 2013 1:49 p.m.
KnightsBattlecry001 says... #17
@ Bellock86 the new artwork is to show how the slivers are evolving and adapting to their surroundings.
June 28, 2013 1:53 p.m.
The new art work remindes me of these things running through the Central American jungle collecting human skulls. Damn their malevolence!
Then a hero appears. Arnold Schwarnegger will be printed as an indestructible Legendary Creature to save us. What a bad ass!
Unforgivn_II says... #2
Dang it. I swore I would never do that. Descendants' Path *
June 28, 2013 2:45 a.m.