Those Pesky Humans
Standard forum
Posted on March 15, 2013, 6:52 a.m. by Bauhom
I'm thinking of counters for The Aristocrats (pro deck). If you're running Red/Black and Black/Blue (or any colors, I guess), are there any good cards that limit humans (The Aristocrats uses a lot of humans). Thanks in advance!
Epoch how often have you typed the words "The Q&A is meant for rules-related questions"?
As for cards that hurt specifically humans in standard, I can't really think of any that hit them from that angle, though Curse of Death's Hold can weaken their small bodies or even kill the especially small bodies, or you could just throw in 8+ 1-2 cmc removal spells or even just make your deck completely hostile to creatures in general.
March 15, 2013 7:35 a.m.
Here is a list of cards that have either a positive effect for you, or a negative effect for your opponent, based on them using humans.
Most of them just suck.... they appear to be made for use in Limited.
Though a Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + a Rakdos Charm - option 3, would be funny.
March 15, 2013 8:10 a.m.
oops... never mind. misread Rakdos Charm. That won't do anything.
March 15, 2013 8:11 a.m.
The answer for humans, in general, is early removal and sweepers. Those decks depend on their cheap/fast creatures that have great synergy with each other. A Champion of the Parish played Turn 1 can become a nightmare if not dealt with, it's considerably less problematic top decked on Turn 6 with no other humans in hand.
The Aristocrats however, complicates matter because it's a deck designed around being able to sacrifice its own creatures. So you'd want a removal suite that gets around some of those interactions. Supreme Verdict might normally be great against a field of Champion of the Parish and Silverblade Paladin, but it's awkward when they also have a Falkenrath Aristocrat on the board. So in this instance, Mutilate might be the better option.
March 15, 2013 10:41 a.m.
Thanks for the responses, everyone. Nice list, Rayenous. I wonder if Mutilate would work for my B/U since I'm running 7 swamps with 4 Watery Grave (also swamps). My R/B deck has two Bonfire of the Damned, but that usually wouldn't help against their two Aristocrat cards; my R/B deck runs 6 swamps and 4 Blood Crypt. Is that enough for mutilate?
I may try Killing Wave instead. I don't know. I'm not sure. For the Falkenrath Aristocrat and Cartel Aristocrat, making them sac creatures would get around their activated abilities, so cards like Tribute to Hunger, Barter in Blood, and Liliana of the Veil seem like decent options.
March 15, 2013 2:05 p.m.
I also played Illness in the Ranks on an Aristocrats deck, and that seemed to hurt him.
March 15, 2013 2:06 p.m.
For getting around Falkenrath Aristocrat, my favourite card is Tragic Slip.
If they don't sac, a human, it get's -1/-1 and dies... if they do sac a human, she gets -13/-13 and dies. For them to keep her, they would have to sac 13 humans.
March 15, 2013 2:09 p.m.
Nice. That works unless she already has a counter on her, but that's still a great idea.
March 15, 2013 2:16 p.m.
What do you all think about Killing Wave vs. Mutilate in a deck that runs 7 swamps with 4 Watery Grave (also 7 islands and 4 Drowned Catacomb)?
March 15, 2013 2:31 p.m.
I'm also thinking about sideboarding an Appetite for Brains to potentially play on them just before they get 4 mana (this would get a 4x Falkenrath Aristocrat, 1x Restoration Angel, or 2x Zealous Conscripts). Chances are pretty good they'll have at least one of these in hand by turn 3-4.
March 15, 2013 2:34 p.m.
I'm also thinking about which card(s) from the Aristocrats I'd hit with Slaughter Games. I'm kind of thinking Orzhov Charm since that's their removal/defense card, but Falkenrath Aristocrat and Boros Reckoner also seem like good choices.
March 15, 2013 2:37 p.m.
Killing Wave will never be the sweeper you want it to be unless you're quite literally putting the "sac this or die" trigger against them, which means you're already way ahead.
It's even worse in this match up since the deck's already designed to sac its creatures for good results, you cast Killing Wave and they sac most of their team in response getting all kinds of bonuses and only need to pay life on one or two now buffed creatures.
March 15, 2013 2:37 p.m.
Hm, good point about Killing Wave. I wonder if 7 swamps and 4 Watery Grave are enough to run Mutilate?
March 15, 2013 2:41 p.m.
I also like Sever the Bloodline for the Falkenrath Aristocrat (even more if two of them are out). Sever can hit any multiples of Boros Reckoner, Champion of the Parish, etc.
March 15, 2013 3:26 p.m.
Bauhom Unless you're opponent isn't paying attention. Sever the Bloodline won't work how you want it if there's two Falkenrath Aristocrat out. They'll sac the targeted one to the other in response and fizz the spell.
March 15, 2013 4:01 p.m.
Good point. It would kill one Falkenrath Aristocrat if there is one on the board. And if there are two, it would still take out one of them.
Epochalyptik says... #2
The Q&A is meant for rules-related questions. Moved to Standard forum.
March 15, 2013 7:11 a.m.