Michael here. Seeing Kevins post, I thought Id share my opinion on the Standard format and I guess, be a slight Devils Advocate. I think its an interesting topic and discussion is always fun! :). : While I partially agree with Kevin, I dont think its as one dimensional as it may seem. The Big 3 are definitely difficult decks to brew against, but its far from impossible. I actually find it very interesting to go up against them with home brews. To me, its like a puzzle and like any deck, even the Big 3 have weak points. Its just a matter of figuring out the best ways to take advantage of them. Boros Burn has trouble with life-gain, U/W/x is slow and sometimes clunky with all the come in tapped lands, B/x has trouble with decks that can outpace their removal, etc. Its important to keep a clear mind not only when building decks but more importantly, when playing against the top dogs. I dont like getting turn one Thoughtseized, turn two Pack Ratted any more than the next person, but remember, theres a whole game to play ahead of that and potentially more. I think one of the reasons cards like Thoughtseize are so strong is not only the impact on the game, but on your emotions. You top deck a needed spell or youre ready to play a sweet creature on your turn, only to have it ripped out of your hands. Its easy to tunnel vision on those moments. Its an extremely strong, boring, and un-interactive play yes, but it doesnt always dictate the whole game and I dont think it defines a whole format. As players and brewers, we need to be flexible and able to adapt to even the largest roadblocks. Theres more than one way to build successful decks. Its not always about creating something brand new. Sometimes its reviving an older strategy in a new way. Sometimes its adapting/updating a strategy already in place with a different combination of cards. Sometimes you just have to be confident with your strategy and hope for the best and sometimes, you even end up playing those powerful cards but in a completely new way. When I build decks now I dont worry about cards like Thoughtseize. I think its better to just try and make your deck do the best at what its supposed to and use the sideboard (which in my opinion, is severely overlooked) to help at any weaker matchups. Worrying about those un-interactive cards while youre building a deck will only hinder the process. Remember the majority of games you play are sideboarded games. Even just a couple cards from the sideboard can make a terrible matchup a much better one. Anyways, before I go on too long, my point is Magic is what you make of it. There are tons of options for brewing decks but I think its up to us as deck builders to not restrict our minds by getting it in our head that these top tier strategies make standard dead. We improve, adapt, and keep brewing. And when it comes down it it, remember Standard isnt the only format in Magic. Since I started playing commander its been a breath of fresh air and Ive even picked up new ideas to bring back into standard. So come on Roguers. Keep an open mind and keep on brewing :). - Michael Y.
Posted on: Sat, 24 May 2014 23:23:47 +0000
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