Affinity Board

JarsMohella · Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 24

This should probably be posted in the affinity discussion thread but, as it hasn't seen any activity in quite a while, I'd thought I'd start a new discussion.

So I'm having trouble with the my Affinity sideboard because I'm not exactly sure how to use it.

First the list:

4 Arcbound ravager
4 Arcbound worker
4 Frogmite
4 Ornithopter
4 Myr enforcer
3 Tog
4 Springleaf drum
4 Cranial plating
4 Thoughtcast
3 Fatal Frenzy
2 Chromatic Star
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of whispers
3 Blinkmoth Nexus
3 Tree of Tales
2 Darksteel citadel

Sideboard (still tentative):
4 pithing needle
4 echoing truth
4 tormod's crypt
3 darkblast/thoughtseize/something to kill kataki

The problem here is that, because Affinity is a very tight deck, I never know what to side out.

For example, Dredge should see my boarding in the full boat of crypts and perhaps even the echoing truths (for zombie tokens/ Akroma) but what to board out for them? The Stars are an easy target as they do nothing more than boost the artifact count and smooth mana, but where to turn after that? Removing either the Togs or the frenzies will make the deck a whole lot slower, while removing anythings else will adversely affect the critical artifact: non-artifact ratio.

Also, most of the artifacts are critical to my game plan. The ravagers, enforcers, frogmites and 'thopters are all staples whose removal would absolutely neuter the deck.

So, in conclusion, how should I sideboard this motha?

Let's use the dredge example in order to make the question more specific:

If I'm boarding in 4 echoing truths and 4 tormod's crypts, what should I be boarding out?

What's more, SHOULD I even be boarding in 4 truths and 4 crypts in the first place?

Also, any Affinity advice in general? Anyone played in a major tournament with a tog/fatal frenzy build?

gypsy · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 432

play spell snare and smothers, u never want to sb 8 cards in vs a single matchup, my sb would be 3-4 crypts, 4 snares, 3-4 smothers 3 needles thats all you rly need, you also have way too many lands in ur deck i would go to 17-18 lands cut the tree of tales

Hank333 · Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Posts: 197 Location: San Antoni

well i have not played much affinity, but if i were boarding vs Dredge, i'd pull Enforcer, Frenzy, Ornihopiter, Some numbers of those. You don't want to pull out too many creatures or too many artifacts, so its a tough call. If you have a good friend who plays mtg, test the SBed match up to figure out what you like.

toguppy · Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 296

ok sooo... if u pull out frenzy or atog what does that make the average turn that u kill them in.... dredge doesnt actually put up any resistance.... no blocking...

take out 3 fatal, and 4 chromatics... u need the tog for the sac for bridges, as for the last slot go for one enforcer... you shouldnt havea problem.

in regards to sb, why are u even bothering with kataki kill? how many decks are you seeing around with kataki in sb?? consider something vs a relevant matchup?? possibly oonsider running engineered plague over it to finish goblins and also kataki permanently...

Spyx · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 803

i'm seeing some living wishes around lately, which means a kataki in the sb most of the time. you'd do good to have smother somewhere in the main/sb. it kills other annoying critters as well (tarmo, bob, pestermite Razz

)

Jacois · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 398

I am a big Affinity fan and I have done well with it making 2 top 8's in PTQ's on my last 3 times using it. Though my deck was very different, I do have some relevant advice.

Board in the 4 Crypts AND the 4 Truths. I can see no other reason to even have Truths in the board if not for the Dredge matchup.

Now, what should come out? 3 Tree of Tales 1 Darksteel Citadel, and 4 Myr Enforcers. Affinity can run on 16 lands np. Given that you have 20, the Trees make the most sense to side out. In fact, why are you even using Tree of Tales instead of Citadel's #3 and #4? You have zero ways to use green mana in the deck.

The Myr Enforcers do not usually add speed to the deck, just resiliancy. Cutting the enforcers will not slow down' your deck.

The Stars should stay in because when you draw your Truth, you're going to want to be able to cast it, as well as it being able to help you dig for a crypt and/or a truth if you haven't drawn them yet.

Togpuppy was right on saying the atog's must stay in. They give you another outlet to remove the bridges.

G2 and G3 should be relatively easy matches for you, having Truths, crypts, Ravagers AND atogs... Dredge has so few answers to such a high # of diversified threats.

Hope this helps, Good Luck.