Life Outside PLT1

Counter Post

September 12, 2006 on 9:00 pm | In Magic | | Balinor

Well seeing as no one’s posted for a long time and the last post is about magic I’m going to combine the two and write about Counter-Post deck I’m making.

It’s based on the old school control styles and using the cards which gave it it’s name, counter spells and Kjeldoron Outposts. If you guys don’t know what counter-post is all about its essentially what it sounds. Counter everything opponent cast/does and post-up with 1/1 solider tokens created by Kjeldoron Outposts. That’s the theory and sadly that doesn’t take up 60 cards so the deck has to be filled with other things.

For me, since I’m not a type 1 spender, I have to come up with the next best things. First up though you can’t play this deck without land acceleration/thining so you are actually picking up counters or the post. The card that that was used in the old deck to achieve this is Thawing Glacier. The others are fetch lands. Now Thawing Glacier isn’t cheap but for what it is, it’s very good. Fetch lands aren’t cheap either, the Invasion block lands are nearly dual land prices so I got to settle for the Mirage block lands, which are tap when the come into play. That may not be so bad but when you want speed and in a type 1 or 1.5 deck speed is everything (or controlling speed). Latestly for the land, I got myself 2 Adarkar Wastes which is good but need 2 more 2 mana lands.

For the counters I got myself 4 counter spells, 4 thwarts (since I can’t afford force of wills) and either 4 dissipates or 4 memory laspes not sure on that yet. For draw I got accumulated knowledge, maybe include 4 brainstorm but I may not have enough room for that. As the win condition on the posts can be a little hard to get to especially I don’t have search cards so I include 4 serra angles as the second win condition. Seeing as this deck effectively runs 4 creatures and has creature generators from land, mass creature destruction is also needed for the control and seeing as I can’t afford wrath of god I got myself kirtar’s wrath, just as deadly that kirtar but requires more efford. Was thinking if I can control it well enough then maybe 2 more mana isn’t all that bad. Which got me thinking ok need another control feature so I included capsize. If the game runs long, which it will, I will most likely have more land than opponent and if I can keep countering or returning something they have to hand, then it gives me time to slowly pound away with the solidars or angels.

So the deck list so far is

Creatures (2)
2xSerra Angles

Control (27)
4xCounter Spells
4xMiscalculation
4xThwart
4xSword to Plowshers
4xCapsize
4xDisinchant
3xKirtar’s Wrath

Draw (7)
4xAccumulated Knowledge
3xCompulsion

Others (2)
1xSol Ring
1xBalance

Land (22)
2xKjeldoron Outposts
2xThawing Glaciers
4xAdarkar Wastes
3xFlood Plains
6xIslands
5xPlains

Thoughts?

Horray got myself another 2 adarkar wastes, go the tardme

- edit - made deck list changes. Will have to modify it a little I think but I think it’s side board time

10 Comments »

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1. Thought #1: we need a MtG section on PLT1.
   Thought #2: 4 Serra Angels aren’t a very good secondary win condition. If you are willing to look at the post-Onslaught blocks, things like Azorius Herald are nice for win conditions.
   Thought #3: Since you are going for total control, go for Dissipate, since the tempo gained from Capsize isn’t much since you have a 2cc counter.
   Though #4: again, in T2, try Hour of Reckoning, it will work well with Kjeldoran Outposts.
   Though #5: I really can’t see this deck doing very well earlygame. Against something like goblins, you don’t have enough counters, and your 4 Swords to Plowshares won’t help much, especially since Counterspell is UU, and you only have 2 painlands. Although admittedly I know nothing about T1 competition, or in fact competetive play in any format (nub). So don’t listen to what I say.
   Thought #6: I think having soldiers deal most of your damage is too unreliable. You can’t pump out a lot of them (unless you put in some way of untapping lands), and they seem a bit fragile.
   Thought #7: I stop thinking, I’m not very good at it.

   So what are your other 9 cards?
   Leyline of the Meek could work, Field Marshall also to give you some staying power with tokens. There are some nice Onslaught block soldier cards too. Propaganda or Ghostly Prison will help you stay alive early, maybe sideboarded Ivory Masks, to improve the odds versus a burn deck. Worship will naturally help if you’re still alive by turn 4, but of course may be more than you wish to spend (of course, if you wish to spend, Ancestral Recall will give you much-needed draw ).

   What do the Flood Plains do for you? Other than slow you down a turn?

   Just my thoughts

   Comment by RadioactivePhoenix — 10:25 pm — September 12, 2006 #

2. 1. Yes we do need a MtG section
   2. No, I’m all old school cards unless I can get the new cards for dirt cheap (8th edition elvish champinion foil for $3 including postage). I mention Serra Angels because I’ve already got 4 (revised :D) sitting around. Definitely need a secondary win condition though maybe look at that Worship Angel as a creature that can do worship is better than just an enchantment
   3. The 4 cast counter is only really needed to be hard cast if mana’s available as the ability on it: return 3 islands you control instead of paying casting cost: counter target spell. Although having 3 islands in play will be the problem, I guess that’s what the thawing glaciers are for. There is another counter that’s like that called Daze where it’s discard an island and another card counter target spell unless player pays 1. Memory lapse has nearly the effect of a time walk as I deny them drawing for a turn but I’m not sure if that’s going to help or if I simple counter the spell. Capzie I was thinking is used late game where I do have lots of mana and just keep returning stuff to their hand but again I’m not sure.
   4. pre 8th edition although that will be considered if I do enter a proper tournament
   5. This is true, early game will be a problem and I’ve set to figure out how to combat that, with goblins I’ve got sideboards of justice and a red sphere thing that prevents 2 damage from each read source so in terms of metagames that’s what the sideboard’s for
   6. In counter-post you don’t win by pumping out heaps, you win by stoping the opponent then grinding their life away. If for some reason you can stop each the opponent then your soliders do stack up

   Yeah I need something to slow the game down as this is a late game deck. Don’t really need any crusade effects as it won’t come down to it (hopefully). Ivory mask could do and there’s also island sanctuary although I don’t have enough cards to make that effective. Ideally it’ll be the classic moat but that’s extremely rare and expensive. Flood Plains gets me either plains or island and yes it does slow me down for a turn but it also thins the deck of land which means next should be something other than land. Again, ideally it should be the pay 1 life fetch lands but like I said, they’re almost as expensive as dual lands. I need more draw though

   Comment by Balinor — 12:08 pm — September 13, 2006 #

3. 2: We probably have enough spare cards to make shipping up to Whangarei the only cost. Personally I’m happy to part with cards to aid someone else’s cause.
   3: I don’t think you can afford to return 3 Islands, since you can’t afford the loss of tempo early game. You really need more early-game control/counter imo, since you need to be able to counter something every turn or so. Memory Lapse gives you tempo, but means you have to be able to deal with the same card (or something better) the next turn.
   5: Nice sideboard, especially the Sphere of Law, but it’s 4cc by which time you = dead.
   6. Yeah, but can you stop everything? I reiterate: Propaganda ;).
   
   I still think that your land is way too slow. Since speed is everything, I do have some doubts whether you can control enough…
   Good luck anyway.

   Comment by RadioactivePhoenix — 9:23 pm — September 13, 2006 #

4. You are right and it might turn out to be a bust but the cards I’m getting will serve other purposes too so yeah we will see. I do need more early game control though I’ll see what I can come up with. Or just other thoughts would be nice Remember pre 8th edition

   Comment by Balinor — 9:38 pm — September 13, 2006 #

5. T2 land destruction suites can consistently bounce or destroy a land on turn 2. In fact, mono-red LD can potentially get a turn 1 destroy by drawing 2 rite of flame.
   It’s a given that control is vulnerable to having it’s lands screwed with before it can control the board, which takes time.
   The point? You should sideboard against LD.

   Comment by Sicopath — 11:25 pm — September 17, 2006 #

6. Point taken, I need to find the cards vs LD

   Comment by Balinor — 6:43 pm — September 18, 2006 #

7. Go the Sol Ring, and the Balance!

   Comment by RadioactivePhoenix — 10:36 pm — September 18, 2006 #

8. Sacred ground’s been available for a while.
   Then there’s “consecrate land” in time spiral; according to some websites posting spoilers.

   Comment by Sicopath — 6:33 pm — September 24, 2006 #

9. This deck isn’t very good I’ve discovered, without the high $$$ money cost cards

   Comment by Balinor — 9:50 pm — September 24, 2006 #

10. Yeah. Don’t make it ;).
    btw i misread Thawing Glaciers the first time, thought it was a sacrifice ability, which would have been silly

    Comment by RadioactivePhoenix — 10:42 pm — September 24, 2006 #

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