I have to apologize, my plan was to play this last FNM with the deck that I highlighted in my last blog, but I didn't. I did something I usually never do, I went with something untested that I liked and just had to try. I made a deck that has one of my favorite cards in it.
VENGEVINE!!!!
The interesting thing is, the deck is not made specifically for vengevine, but I do have lots of ways to help it out.
Here is the list.
CREATURES (28)
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Fauna Shaman
4x Vengevine
4x Squadron Hawk
2x Kor Skyfisher
2x Baneslayer Angel
2x Sun Titan
1x Acidic Slime
1x Kor Sanctifiers
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Obstinate Baloth
1x Sunblast Angel
1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
SPELLS (7)
3x Day of Judgement
3x Journey to Nowhere
1x Sword of Body and Mind
LANDS (25)
4x Sunpetal Grove
4x Stirring Wildwood
2x Razorverge Thicket
2x Misty Rainforest
1x Marsh Flats
3x Tectonic Edge
5x Forest
4x Plains
The deck is primarily made to just be highly cohesive and interactive. To me it makes the games more fun! (but also slower). The most know combination is Fauna Shaman with Squadron Hawk and Vengevine. It gives you extra creatures to pitch to get what you need. The Sun Titans and Skyfishers are there to help recycle cards but the Skyfisher is also very helpfull in a pinch to activate Vengevine.
SIDEBOARD (15)
2x Obstinate Baloth
1x Kor Sanctifier
1x Acidic Slime
1x Basilisk Collar
3x Leyline of Sanctity
3x Condemn
1x Mold Shambler
2x ?
I can't quite remember the two cards i am missing out of the sideboard, in fact I'm lucky i remembered what was in the deck at all with out having it on hand. I have a great respect for deck building because you never know how it comes out. I will tell you a quick rundown from memory of my 5 rounds.
NOTE: Don't have my book with me so sorry if the recounts are extremely rough. If you have any questions leave a post and I will give you better details later.
Round 1 (RUW Control)
Yea this was an interesting deck to play against because I wasn't quite sure what to get when I went searching with Shaman.
Game 1: To make a long story short I lost after he landed Jace, Frost Titan and Sun Titan.
Game 2: Held him off of 6 mana for a little while and was getting board advantage until he landed Jace #2, Sun Titan and Inferno Titan. Somehow went to time.....
Lost 0-1 (0-1)
Round 2 (RUG)
Cant remember exactly what happened but i do remember seeing more Jaces and more Titans. Managed to bring it to time 1-1.
Tied 1-1 (0-1-1)
Round 3 (UB Control)
This was a tough and fun match up. I was glad to get a chance to play against one of the best decks in the format. The best part about the match up was that I knew the guy was playing the deck how it was supposed to be played. For the 3rd straight match i had to deal with Jace.
Game 1: He stuck a 3rd turn Jace and I was lucky enough to get a Vengevine in immediately to deal with it. Shortly thereafter he played another one, but I was able to keep him off of 6 mana long enough with 2 tectonic edges and was able to play around a few counterspells and pull out the win.
Game 2: this game went much the same way, it honestly could have gone both ways but It went to time.
Won 1-0 (1-1-1)
Round 4 (White Artifact)
Played against my co-worker Mandi, it was like her 2nd ever FNM playing a mono white artifact build. It was a far better deck than I played my second FNM, but Vengevines just came out too fast and I was able to blow up a couple Tempered steels when i needed to.
Won 2-0 (2-1-1)
Round 5 (Pyromancers Ascension)
Kind of a bad match up pre-board because of my useless removal spells but I at least have a couple ways to blow up ascension main deck.
Game 1: Got a little lucky here, he had only 1 burn spell opening hand and only one counterspell by turn 4. I stuck an early vengevine and he didn't rip a bounce spell or lightning bolt in time to deal with it before he died.
Game 2: Sided out my Day's and Journeys and added a slime and sanctifier. Again I got a little lucky, on turn 4 he had 3 mana open and one counter on ascension, i played a kicked Kor Sanctifier expecting a counter and he had none. I then got vengevines going again for the win
Won 2-0 (3-1-1)
I was happy to end up in 6th place out of 30 people considering I had only played the deck once or twice and had a thrown together SB. The only thing I know for sure is that it is really tough to play around Jace especially 3 times in a row. So it makes me happy that I only lost 1 game considering.
I have a few ideas about possible changes to make, one of them would be adding 2 Gideon's main deck in place of a Baloth and a Sunblast Angel. In closing though I really enjoyed the deck, it was very "toolboxy" which is something me and my friend Eloy both like. The deck still has some weaknesses but is very fun. Overall I think this will be my deck of choice for a while.
P.S. for those of you who have taken the time to read this please take just a couple more seconds and leave me a message either to just say hello or give me some input on the deck. Thanks!
Tony Derbigny
