Home  Decks  Combos  Articles  Visual Spoilers  Features  Art  Links  Search  Forum

MDV RSS Feed  
 

  Super Games Inc - Free Shipping on orders over $30.   

 

Back ] Home ] Up ] Next ]

4 Urza's Rage
4 Seal of Fire
4 Vampiric Tutor
4 Dark Ritual
4 Chimeric Idol
4 Blazing Specter
3 Void
3 Thrashing Wumpus
2 Pyre Zombie
2 Skizzik
1 Hammer of Bogardan
1 Earthquake

6 Swamp
5 Mountain
4 Urborg Volcano
4 Sulfurous Springs
4 Rishadan Port
1 Dust Bowl

Balanced Machinehead.

Description of deck by it's author (quoted):
In the 'three of' slots, we find a pair of world-altering cards: Void and Thrashing Wumpus. While the Wumpus showed up in only fifty-percent of the decks examined, Void showed itself in no less than five, indicating a very strong card. The only disagreement was over the Wumpus amount, which averaged out to three copies, as three decks ran three copies with the remaining two each running four.

The Wumpus was a closer race, relatively, with two decks running three copies and one decking running a single Wumpus. It must be further mentioned that the deck running a single Wumpus ran only a single copy of nearly every 'business' card, indicating a strong belief in the 'silver bullet' theory. This theory, while perhaps valid, held for only a single deck among the six. Something to consider, at least.

Down in the 'two-ofs' we find Pyre Zombie and the fearful elemental Skizzik. Both have I tested extensively and found to be incredible cards, well balanced and powerful. However, I tend to agree that they are fairly mid- to late-game answers, and would perhaps do well being 'tutored' for. Testing will tell.

Statistically the Zombie was a clear split, having been run in three decks, with each deck running a separate amount: One, two and three copies, respectively. To shore up any random slots, we will be going with two copies. This may change with testing.

Skizzik was a bit clearer, although barely. The elemental showed its...um, face...in no less than four decks, two of which ran two copies, one three and one four. Personal experience favors three to four; however, we will court the conservative here for now, and go with the statistics.

Finally, there are a pair of cards in the completely random, only-tutored-for-never-drawn 'one of' slots; Hammer of Bogardan and Earthquake. Both of which can be amazing in the right situation, or dead weight in the wrong one. Thusly, 'one-of' doesn't seem such a terrible option given the nature of the cards and the presence of Tutors.

Statistically, opinions were two-to-three in favor of a single Earthquake, with a single player running two copies. The Hammer, in the oppositions' corner, carried two players with a single copy and a third player running no less than four copies. Obviously a proponent of long, slow beatdown. We'll favor the statistics without much argument here, as I prefer to cave in my opponents' life total as fast as possible, with no preamble or pomp.

The mana-curve, as you'll likely notice, places six at the five casting-cost slots, four at the four casting-cost slots, eleven at the three casting-cost slots, twelve at the one-casting cost slots and one at the open-ended casting cost slot, indicating a strong pyramid of development. The eight red-and-black mana lands should help eliminate the majority of Mulligans waiting in line to disrupt game play, with the Rishadan Ports hopping about, willing to introduce Mulligan to your opponent.

. 

Have a deck you want to submit to the database?  Go here.  Do you see an error on this page?  Email it to this address.   

urzas_rage.jpg (18040 bytes) vampiric_tutor.jpg (21898 bytes) dark_ritual.jpg (19825 bytes) chimeric_idol.jpg (23605 bytes) blazing_specter.jpg (17413 bytes) void.jpg (26824 bytes) pyre_zombie.jpg (20949 bytes) skizzik.jpg (21622 bytes)

by David "The Earl Of" Bruce @ www.starcitygames.com

UNIQUE: Blazing Specter - Chimeric Idol / Urza's Rage (Machinehead)

DISCLAIMER.
Magic the Gathering is TM and copyright Wizards of the Coast, Inc, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved. All art is property of their respective artists and/or Wizards of the Coast. This site is not produced or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 

Magic Deck Vortex (www.magicdeckvortex.com) is a service provided by John Streetz to promote the knowledge and awareness of Magic: the Gathering as a collectible card game (casually, of course). This is a free site based out of Illinois that does not generate any profit for its owner. Magic Deck Vortex is based out of Illinois and has been around since August 2002.

Home  Decks  Combos  Articles  Visual Spoilers  Features  Art  Links  Search  Forum