|
Pool
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/QPOztCv.png)
Another awkward pool. I had Sarkhan, but very little red playables.
I also had Duneblast and Rakshasha, but thought my Abzan deck looked weak:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/n0rgAq2.png)
I ended up nearly running out of time so never got a picture of my deck. It started off as base White/Blue with a splash of black, red, and green for Sarkhan, Bitter Revelations, and Duneblast. Every time I got to sideboard I cut out Sarkhan as my only red source and not enough fixing to justify it, and went heavier into White/Blue.
Ended up with something like this as my deck (had to rebuild it in my collection):
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/MCBUdk0.png)
Rounds
For some reason MTGO failed to save any of my rounds as well? I barely made it with a 2-1 record. I don't remember too much noteworthy to talk about. Round 3 I faced an odd opponent playing Abzan but barely playing anything. I had 7 mana and Duneblast in hand but only a Archer's Parapet and Sagu Archer to kill. I decided to wait a couple more turns for him to empty out his hand - he had 6 cards in hand and just played a land every turn. Either he flooded hardcore or just wanted to be extra safe. After passing the turn 3 times with Duneblast and him not playing anything out I just caved in and cast it, preserving my Mistweaver. I guess I should have just used it the first turn I could? If I remember right I ended up losing that game as he just was able to dump out his hand and refill it with Treasure Cruise easily.
Level ups
* Duneblast is a must play in every pool no matter what.
* However, Sarkhan is not necessarily insta-playable without some red or great fixing. The double-red makes it rough. I would easily splash for Soren because single mana even of two different colors is easier than double in this format.
* Don't get so greedy with Duneblast - I passed 3 turns with it in hand just waiting for him to play something (6 cards in hand!) when I could have wiped his board and prevented more draw steps.
* I need to get quicker with building my decks in sealed. In retrospect I think my straight Abzan deck was better. I don't know why it seemed weak to me initially and I ran out of time to revisit it.
|
Honestly I actually think I would just forget about Duneblast, I think you have a pretty good U/R splashing white aggro/flyer deck going on. I think your Abzan pull looks alright (I would splash red) but it looks like you have no Abzan fixing so IMO that's a no go, especially with Deathdealer. If you were set on Duneblast I would go Sultai splashing white for blast and the two corps.
What I would play
Savant
Bell Strike x 2
Windscout x 2
Mistfire x 2
Mystic
Stalker x 2
Weave Fate
Outburst x 2
Bring Low
Arrow Storm
Sarkhan
Warshrieker
Mantis
Master of the Hidden Way
Kirin
Rush of Battle
Either way, I think you want to play your blue. Like I said earlier, I think the biggest downside of Abzan is the no fixing, that's bad. Anyway, gratz on pulling the Sarkhan!
|
It was a phantom event unfortunately, so I don't get to keep any of the cards. Thanks for the feedback - I forgot I was lacking fixing specifically for Abzan, and that's a reason I was turned away from straight Abzan initially. Duneblast generally is a spell where anytime you cast it and it resolves in limited, you win the game.
I like your deck. I need to get quicker at building out more variations. I ran out of time and had to submit with a mostly finished deck. If I spent more time with other variations, I would have seen that too.
|
About Hordeling Outburst, I don't like it unless:
* I have other token producers like Ponyback, Mardu Hordechief, Anafenza
* I am heavily in red already
* I am playing a low-curve heavy-creature deck (usually goes along with token producers)
* I have other anthem effects like Raider's Spoils, Trumpet Blast, Rush of Battle
I wish Hordeling Outburst made WARRIOR tokens. As is, I'm not sure it would have been so good. The double-red means I need to really commit to it and I don't think I'd have enough support for it.
I think I'd change the list to the following:
Savant
Bell Strike x 2
Windscout x 2
Mistfire x 2
Mystic
Stalker x 2
Weave Fate
Bring Low
Arrow Storm
Sarkhan
Warshrieker
Kirin
Rush of Battle
Ainok Bondkin (x2)
Herald of Anafenza
Mantis
Master of the Hidden Way
|
Outburst triggers prowess, I think it is absolutely worth it in this deck. Seeker into Outburst is disgusting in Standard, I imagine its quite good in seeled. Not to mention something like windscout -> outburst -> rush seems really good. It doesn't really matter that they don't give lifelink, he is going to be one attacking. Also, how often you casting Bondkins on time? Card is undeniably good but white is definitely his splash and he needs to cast it on time for it to be worth it.
|
Duneblast is definitely insane, and deathdealer is quite good, but most of your good cards are U/R. All your good red is double R, and U is your deepest color. I feel like you are basically forced into UR, and have to abandon the previously mentioned cards (B and G are just too shallow, and W is average-). You definitely want to play outburst also if you are base R, which I think is the best plan. It's certainly better with cards that are good with tokens, but it's quite playable even without anything.
Splashing bond kin is out of the question, and I'm not sold on kirin; I wouldn't even splash white. I'd try to just stay as close as possible to UR aggro looking at the pool.
I think my build is:
11 mono blue cards (all but weave fate)
valley dasher
bloodfire expert
hordeling outburst x2
bring low
mardu warshrieker
summit prowler
arrow storm
sarkhan
master the way
snowhorn rider
rush of battle or highspire mantis
17 lands (no forests, 1 plains)
I don't generally like valley dasher or bloodfire expert in sealed. In fact, I usually don't want to be playing aggro, but I think your pool is quite good for it. It's unfortunate we don't have any 2 drops, but you have enough evasion and good cards to get there. It is a good game 1 deck to play either way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
