Why is Junk midrange not showing up at the big tables?
Standard forum
Posted on March 6, 2013, 8:51 p.m. by vila_a23
I see tons of jund and naya midrange decks everywhere, but I can't find any junk lists. Which i find very odd seeing as how having Thragtusk and Obzedat, Ghost Council in the same deck is just AMAZING. You can't give me the reason that it dies to Boros Reckoner or Olivia Voldaren because it has access to Abrupt Decay, Victim of Night, Murder, Oblivion Ring, and Orzhov Charm to deal with them. There must be something I am missing because the deck seems really powerful. Just take a look at my list for an example Make it stop!
If I had to take a guess, it's because the those colors play very fair magic. It's all big creatures and spot removal, and thus there's limited ability to generate card advantage. It's mostly going to trade resources 1 for 1 with your opponent. For example, Obzedat, Ghost Council is great for slow inevitability, but it doesn't take over a game like an unanswered Olivia Voldaren.
March 7, 2013 12:27 a.m.
The colors don't synergize well. All you're really doing there is playing a rampy midrange that has only a few good midrange creatures to ramp into. BW is about slow attrition, and green is the opposite of that, so you get a fast start into a slow war that just doesn't produce the immediate threats that midrange decks thrive on. It's like a control deck with little control and slower bombs.
March 7, 2013 2:04 a.m.
KrazyCaley says... #6
I agree that it's a strong deck, but it just has some bad matchups. The control decks tend to hose the normal-junk-stuff decks pretty badly. Thragtusk makes it a still-competitive deck against those archetypes, but it's still a tough matchup.
March 7, 2013 3:37 a.m.
I looked into Obzedat, Ghost Council... good card, in the right deck, it's a killer. The right deck seems to only be control though.
This is just my take on the card though...
If I have a board presence when Obzedat, Ghost Council is played on turn 5 by my opponent, it's really just a 4 life swing.... and otherwise a wasted turn. - My board presence means you either can't afford to exile Obzedat, Ghost Council because you need a blocker, or I'll be doing more damage than you will.
In a control deck, I won't be nearly as likely to have that presence, thus there's the 4 point swing, the exile is worth it, and another 4-9 point swing the following turn.
March 7, 2013 8:16 a.m.
I myself have wondered why junk is not played more. I personally play it and find it is really powerful. I think part of the reason is just the popularity of esper and jund as archetypes. You have a lot of people who try to play esper or jund in any format. That probably is not the whole story though. Jund is a little better against control decks because of Slaughter Games and Rakdos's Return but Junk is not dead to control by any means. In one on one against jund I find the match up to be extremely close and is extremely draw dependent. Both players have cards the other does not want to see at all.
I also see tons of potential in a junk deck splashing red or a jund deck splashing white, There are so many good cards that are easily splash able that can make certain matchups better. Also cards like Deathrite Shaman (especially when combined with Liliana of the Veil), Borderland Ranger, Farseek, Evolving Wilds, ect. splashing can be pretty painless as long as you don't get to ambitious with the splash.
CrimsonKing says... #2
How about you take your deck up to a big tourney and win :-)
...then your question will be answered!
March 6, 2013 11:01 p.m.