2 Bloodshot Cyclops
4 Cinder Wall
2 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
3 Kami of Ancient Law
4 Spikeshot Goblin
4 Wall of Blood
2 Darksteel Ingot
2 Grab the Reins
4 Hold the Line
4 Incite War
4 Ragged Veins
1 Surestrike Trident
8 Plains
2 Swamp
6 Mountain
3 Forbidden Orchard
3 Mirrodin's Core
2 Urborg Volcano |
   Waiting
in Line.
Description of deck by its author (quoted):
I put a deck together based around Hold the
Line. Besides Ragged Veins, it had other ways to take advantage of a
+7/+7 boost. Spikeshot Goblin could go to the dome with that kind of
muscle. So could Bloodshot Cyclops, Surestrike Trident, and Grab the
Reins. I wanted ways to turn my pump into your pain. I populated the
deck with cheap, small blockers—blockers that should keep me alive, but
that my opponent shouldn't be afraid to attack into. Wall of Blood goes
well with both Ragged Veins and Grab the Reins (any card that ends in “–eins,”
really) to create a Hatred-type effect. I included Incite War to make
sure my opponent would attack, and (my masterstroke) I included
Forbidden Orchard to make sure my opponent would have creatures to
attack me with. And then, when the deck was complete, I lost all my
games.
Why? It's a fragile combo. It has lots of redundant
parts, but it fails without at least two blockers, Hold the Line, a
damage-channeling card, and a cooperative opponent. Add to that a very
shaky mana base. But the real problem was that no one attacked me! I
played deck after deck after deck of Zuberas, Shrines, and Devouring
Greed. It's the new Affinity: It's the fast, ubiquitous, strong block deck
that's very robust and made of nearly all commons… but unlike Affinity,
this deck doesn't beat your face in in three turns. It sits behind
Zuberas, starts pinging away with Honden of Infinite Rage, and finishes
with Devouring Greed. When you're amassing a Zubera army, you don't much
feel like sending one hurtling into a Wall of Blood (which is very
suspicious on its own). I was frequently in the weird position where if my
opponent attacked me (and had no disruption), I'd win the game—but if he
didn't attack, I was helpless. And they somehow all knew it. I never got
the mana right to induce an attack, play Hold the Line, and funnel the
damage. Still, I like the deck, so I'll post it. I'll leave it to you, O
Internettians, to fix it. |
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