Post Berlin and Readers Comments Part 4

BDM, MichaelJ, and Wilson Price of Progress discuss the 9th through 16th place decks from Pro Tour Berlin. While the Top 8 was dominated by Elves the next 8 decks were dominated by diversity with cards as diverse as Fecundity and Azami, Lady of Scrolls populating the lists.

With Worlds on the horizon and a PTQ season not far behind will any of these decks dethrone Elves as the king of the Extended hill?

BDM, Michaelj, and Wilson PoP answer the Top8Magic comments section with a discussion of everything from smattering of basketball talk (ranging from LeBron and company in Cleveland to why BDM thinks the Knicks will make the playoffs), the impact of Rewind on the creation on Cryptic Command, the new season of Top Chef, why Tom hates Chinatown, and Elves, Elves, Elves!

Post Berlin and Readers Comments Part 3

BDM, MichaelJ, and Wilson Price of Progress discuss the 9th through
16th place decks from Pro Tour Berlin. While the Top 8 was dominated
by Elves the next 8 decks were dominated by diversity with cards as
diverse as Fecundity and Azami, Lady of Scrolls populating the lists.
With Worlds on the horizon and a PTQ season not far behind will any of
these decks dethrone Elves as the king of the Extended hill?

BDM, Michaelj, and Wilson PoP answer the Top8Magic comments section
with a discussion of everything from smattering of basketball talk
(ranging from LeBron and company in Cleveland to why BDM thinks the
Knicks will make the playoffs), the impact of Rewind on the creation
on Cryptic Command, the new season of Top Chef, why Tom hates
Chinatown, and Elves, Elves, Elves!

Post Berlin and Readers Comments Part 2

BDM, MichaelJ, and Wilson Price of Progress discuss the 9th through
16th place decks from Pro Tour Berlin. While the Top 8 was dominated
by Elves the next 8 decks were dominated by diversity with cards as
diverse as Fecundity and Azami, Lady of Scrolls populating the lists.
With Worlds on the horizon and a PTQ season not far behind will any of
these decks dethrone Elves as the king of the Extended hill?

BDM, Michaelj, and Wilson PoP answer the Top8Magic comments section
with a discussion of everything from smattering of basketball talk
(ranging from LeBron and company in Cleveland to why BDM thinks the
Knicks will make the playoffs), the impact of Rewind on the creation
on Cryptic Command, the new season of Top Chef, why Tom hates
Chinatown, and Elves, Elves, Elves!

Post Berlin and Readers Comments Part 1

BDM, MichaelJ, and Wilson Price of Progress discuss the 9th through
16th place decks from Pro Tour Berlin. While the Top 8 was dominated
by Elves the next 8 decks were dominated by diversity with cards as
diverse as Fecundity and Azami, Lady of Scrolls populating the lists.
With Worlds on the horizon and a PTQ season not far behind will any of
these decks dethrone Elves as the king of the Extended hill?

BDM, Michaelj, and Wilson PoP answer the Top8Magic comments section
with a discussion of everything from smattering of basketball talk
(ranging from LeBron and company in Cleveland to why BDM thinks the
Knicks will make the playoffs), the impact of Rewind on the creation
on Cryptic Command, the new season of Top Chef, why Tom hates
Chinatown, and Elves, Elves, Elves!

Will Price: I think I have a good T2 deck for Worlds/the Philly 5k.
Julian (Levin): O yeah
Julian: Ship it

Greedy Grixis
4 Bitterblossom
3 Grixis Charm
4 Cryptic Command
4 Makeshift Mannequin
3 Ajani Vengeant
4 Fulminator Mage
3 Sower of Temptation
4 Mulldrifter
3 Siege-Gang Commander
2 Shriekmaw
1 Reveillark

4 Reflecting Pool
4 Sunken Ruins
2 Rugged Prairie
1 Fetid Heath
1 Mystic Gate
2 Cascade Bluffs
1 Graven Cairns
2 Underground River
1 Shivan Reef
4 Crumbling Necropolis
3 Arcane Sanctum

Julian: What has this format come to.
Julian: I dunno what kind of criticisms I can give having never played a game with Shards.
Will: Don’t criticize, just praise.
Julian: Best deck I’ve ever seen.

Hey everyone, my name is Will Price, and I am a new member here at Top 8 Magic. You may recognize me from one of my several appearances on the podcast, or if you frequent Neutral Ground or PTQs in the New York area. I have been playing Magic semi-seriously the past few years (semi-serious in that I go to tournaments, just never win) and have always wanted to write about it. Hopefully through posting here I can motivate myself to take the game a bit more seriously and perform better in the tournament scene.

T2 is my favorite format. As such, I live for States (which thankfully returned) and Regionals, and the rare T2 PTQ season. Despite scrubbing at States (a story for a different post), there is still reason to play T2. There is a 5k event in Philly the first weekend of December, and Worlds the weekend after which I am hoping to attend.

This deck has been my project for the past two weeks, and I am currently of the opinion that it is quite strong. Let’s call it a Contender. Against a control deck, you play the pseudo-tempo game. Do your best to disrupt them early with Fulminator Mage and/or bouncing Vivid lands with Grixis Charm (or Cryptic if you want to get greedy). Once they are behind on lands your goal is to stick a threat and protect it. Use Mannequin aggressively on their EOT so you can resolve your big spells on your turn. They usually can’t beat an Ajani or a Bitterblossom. Against aggro you are the control deck. Fulminator Mage can often 2 for 1, trading with a guy and a man-land. Sower and Shriekmaw are insane, especially since you have Mannequin. They also can’t beat an Ajani. Or a Bitterblossom. Noticing a trend?

As for specific matchups and sideboarding, that data is not in yet. I have not done enough focused testing to certify this deck a winner. I see a lot of potential with this list and will be posting a lot about it between now and Worlds (maybe I can trick someone who is playing in the event to run it? I’m looking at you Fabiano). More explanation will come as I start heavy testing against real T2 decks (read: RDW, Kithkin, 5c, Faeries). Until then, I am inviting everyone who reads to test it, tweak it, and make suggestions. Here are a couple of things to think about:

Is Grixis Charm that good? It has a ton of utility, and the Overrun effect has won me a lot of races given the amount token production. Is it just a “win more,” or is it the real deal?

Am I crazy for not running more Reveillark?

Is the mana awful? I am not exactly an expert at building a land base. So far it has been fine, although I have had more than one game where Ajani is sitting in my hand because I am missing either red or white.

That’s it for now. Let me know what you what you think with comments!