Tormod's Crypt VS Grafdigger's Cage
Standard forum
Posted on Feb. 6, 2013, 2:27 a.m. by ShinakoX2
I'm trying to figure out which will work better in my sideboard: card:Tormod's Crypt VS card:Grafdigger's Cage
The main decks to sideboard either of these cards against are obviously:
Golgari/Rakdos Zombies
Reanimator
Lingering souls/any deck with flashback
card:Grafdigger's Cage
PROS:
-Has a lasting effect
CONS:
-doesn't affect Rancor
-subject to removal
card:Tormod's Crypt
PROS:
-Can exile cards on the stack (Rancor )
CONS:
-One time use
-Can be played around, and then be removed on the stack
What do you guys think?
And for the record, I'm sideboarding for a RDW/sligh deck, so zombies are easily dealt with using Pillar of Flame .
Sweet-Nightmare says... #3
Herp, totally glazed over the last bit. Still like Graffdigger more though.
February 6, 2013 2:40 a.m.
can you make room for both, maybe run 2 and 2? I think they would both benefit you, but if the only reason you like the crypt is so you can get rid of Rancor go with the cage and just get rid of Rancor s target, if rancor never hits the battlefield it doesn't go back to their hand. I love unsummoning a creature that is about to be Rancor ed.
February 6, 2013 3:35 a.m.
For a RDW deck sideboarding any sort of graveyard hate will likely slow the deck down, I'd say sideboard more aggressive options to fight graveyard strategies. Against zombies use Flames of the Firebrand to deal with their early plays (also it's effective against other aggro decks). Against reanimator run some Traitorous Blood s and make your opponents simply sad that they reanimated your 5+ damage, game winning spell.
February 6, 2013 5:25 a.m.
Running more aggressive spells does fit the tempo of the deck better, but what happens if I play against human reanimators with their Cartel Aristocrat /card:Angel of Glory's Rise/Fiend Hunter /Huntmaster of the Fells Flip /Cathedral Sanctifier infinite combos?
Also, Flames of the Firebrand doesn't stop Gravecrawler , Rancor , or card:Geralf's Messenger
February 6, 2013 10:40 a.m.
evil_monkey says... #8
If you are running RDW, why not run Ash Zealot ? Anytime they play out of the graveyard they just help you out as you should have them on a pretty fast clock anyway.
February 6, 2013 12:17 p.m.
I am running 4x Ash Zealot . It's enough to stop zombie decks from casting Gravecrawler , and deters flashbacks, but it's the card:Geralf's Messenger that's an issue.
Undying doesn't proc Ash Zealot , and the undying makes it hard for my creatures to get through, and the 4 extra damage from his double come-into-play effect really hurts. Also, after undying he becomes a 4/3, which enough to stop anything in my deck. Unless I can get a Pillar of Flame on him right away, I end up having to get rid of him twice.
Ash Zealot also has no effect on Rancor , or the card:Angel of Glory's Rise combo.
February 6, 2013 1:30 p.m.
to shut down undying you will need GY hate thats all there is to it, Rancor can be kept in the GY by killing its target before it actually attaches. If you are really that worried about those combos add the GY hate to the sideboard and at least see sow it runs, if it seems to slow you down to much maybe try to find another way, but I really cant see either a 0cmc or a 1cmc card slowing you down at all, especially if you only run 2 and 2, those numbers would most likely enable you to draw one of the two, and either would deal with the GY issue once it hit the field.
February 6, 2013 2:25 p.m.
I have 3 available slots in my sideboard for graveyard cards, which is why I'm trying to figure out which of the two would work better in the current meta. Maybe I'll run 2 of one and 1 of the other.
Honestly tho, most reanimator decks I've seen aren't running any artifact removal - they're running enchantment removal for Rest in Peace instead.
February 6, 2013 4:52 p.m.
I just realized that card:Grafdigger's Cage doesn't prevent Golgari Scavenge.
February 6, 2013 4:53 p.m.
i just got back into MTG recently, and I have just been informed that when I activate card:Tormod's Crypt's ability, it will always resolve because their is no way to remove it because it's already sacrificed, and the ability is already on the stack. Also, I can activate the ability on the stack in response to any removal, and the ability will resolve first.
Is their anything wrong with what I've just stated? If not, card:Tormod's Crypt definitely looks like the stronger pick.
February 6, 2013 6:14 p.m.
This is true, Tormod's ability triggers at instant speed so as stated if they were to remove it, you can tap and sac it in response. I didn't realize either that the cage didn't work against scavenge, so as you said Tormod's may be a better choice. My only concern is that if you only have 2 in your deck you may draw one of them and once you've used it you have to win unless you are lucky enough to top deck the second one, so you would need to time the use of it very well to make the most out of it as alot of GY play decks can replenish their GY fairly quickly.
Sweet-Nightmare says... #2
What colors are you running? Because I prefer Rest in Peace over all of them. But between these two, I like Graffdigger's Cage best, even if it doesn't kill rancor.
February 6, 2013 2:38 a.m.