Ugr Tron

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

if killing tarmogoyf or knight of the reliquary is that game-breaking, i would probably end up swapping a splash color (unsure which) over to black or white. if i do swap the splash, then wrath/damnation could do enough on their own to keep me in just Ub/Uw. i could also gain things like doom blade, deathmark, persecute / condemn, oblivion ring, respectively. i guess i'll see what happens when Zendikar hits.

DoomBring3r · Joined: 30 Apr 2009 Posts: 436

Ug Tron used to be really cool when Moment's Peace was around, it served WoG's purpose and could be Cunning Wish'd back in the day.

But now i'd place my bet in a Uw or Ub build, though.

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

@ DoomBring3r: what cards are good for Uw/ Ub tron that I didn't highlight already? I know I'll need removal of sorts and the Blue core of the deck is pretty much interchangeable, but I really don't know most of the extended cardpool well.

DoomBring3r · Joined: 30 Apr 2009 Posts: 436

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

I was building to play against aggro, not control, with basically GRW Zoo in mind when I built the deck. Tarmogoyf and Knight are often dealt with by Explosives and everything else can simply be Firespouted or staunched by Wall of Roots until I've got Mindslaver online or a certain 7/10 nukes their manabase (I've hit 3 of their lands every time I've played Sundering Titan). The problematic aggro matchups have honestly been Doran and Affinity, simply because the combination of firespout and engineered explosives won't deal with treetop village and a pesky Myr Enforcers. Despite this, the games have been a lot closer than I thought when i threw the list together on paper. I was constantly thinking "there is no way I can stall aggro with nothing but a Wall of Roots and a Firespout or a random Explosives." Like I mentioned previously, the metagame will pretty much decide what colors you want to play in tron. I want to play three colors to get the most out of explosives (for aggro decks specifically) and firespout (for Faeries specifically), but if i'm going for black or white, I dont see the need to go three color anymore, as the manabase is pretty shaky.

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

If anyone is still reading this or cares, testing has brought me to this list which has been doing really well.

4 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
2 Breeding Pool
1 Steam Vents
1 Academy Ruins
2 Tolaria West
2 Island
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Tower

4 Wall of Roots
4 Tarmogoyf
1 Grim Poppet
1 Sundering Titan
1 Mindslaver

2 Engineered Explosives
4 Condescend
4 Gifts Ungiven
4 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Remand
3 Simic Signet
2 Spell Burst
1 Life from the Loam

SB:
4 Great Sable Stag
3 Threads of Disloyalty
3 Ancient Grudge
2 Engineered Explosives
2 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ghost Quarter

thanks for all your help, everyone!

Mod_Counter · Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 26

Thank you for posting your list!

I read the thread and wanted to tell you to consider adding Tarmogoyf, Spell Burst and Ghost Quarter, but you actually added them on your own already =)

I testet your version with the Walls and no Firespouts and really enjoyed to play it, works better than my version.

Keep up the good work =)

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

Thanks ModCounter! Tarmogoyf is amazing in this list, I have no idea why it even took me testing to figure that one out. Tron is such a blast to play, the sheer power of Gifts Ungiven fetching Mind Slaver, Life from the Loam, Academy Ruins, and Missing Tron Piece is huge.

Trotsky1 · Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1458

This thread is a pristine example of how a thread about a deck should be run and is a credit to the author.

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

Thanks Trostky, all the help I got on here has been great. I'm relatively new to posting here, but have been reading the forums for a while, and noticed that most of the good help can be found in formats like Extended, Legacy and Vintage. Standard forums have gone to hell and there is little to no help to be found there in terms of deckbuilding, so thanks again to everyone who helped!

SniperMayer · Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 233

Jon how is Tarmogoyf in the deck? I know it's nearly the best creature in the history of Magic, but it's a bit out of the original concept of tron from my point of view.

Sounds interesting though.

Mod_Counter · Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 26

I like Tarmogoyf because its nearly always good:
Its nice as an early 2 drop vs control, so you have a very strong threat they have to deal with.

Its very good as an early 2 drop vs zoo, because you have the best blocker around, which is often better than removing their threads, so they have to spend their burn on it or put more creatures on the board you can wipe out later with explosives.

And in the late game its never bad to draw one:
Its cheap, so you still can keep counter mana open and have a 5/6 Buddy on your side

SniperMayer · Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 233

I only see a weak point in early game. Tron is considered a control deck right? As a control deck, it relies on building up a stable board during the first few turns. Doesn't Tarmogoyf delay this process too much? I mean don't you regret your 2nd turn goyf?

Tell me if I'm wrong maybe I have a different play style with Tron. People always learn. Smile

jonproject · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 250

I know, Tarmogoyf didn't feel like it fit the deck at all. But against aggro decks, you really need a big creature to stall them into a Gifts (which should win the game on the spot), and against control he is a big threat that is relatively easy to win counter-wars over. The combination of Wall of Roots and Tarmogoyf blocking for the aggro matchups pretty much stalls the game out to where you can just mindslaver the game away.

I'd also like to point out that a Mindslaver sans ruins can still wreck a lot of aggro decks out there, for instance, zoo. An example board position would be, me: Tarmogoyf, zoo player: Wild Nacatl and Knight of the Reliquary equipped with Jitte. I can equip Jitte on Wild Nacatl, swing into my Tarmogoyf, use Jitte counters to -1/-1 Knight to death, and play a creature from Zoo's hand and Path it, opting to not get a land.

TL;DR: Tarmogoyf is a must-kill threat for blocking purposes in the aggro matchup and attacking purposes in the control. He may get destroyed in the process, but any lost tempo on the opponent's part is just time for me to draw/play Gifts and just plain win. Gifts is really that good.

SniperMayer · Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 233

I appreciate the answer and really can't argue with your choice. Smile

Thanks!