Tuning Mirrodin U/G Witness for Block Party

aldaryn · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 443

This was my favorite deck back in Mirrodin, and I'm trying to get it to work with Block Party format. Here is the current version

4 Eternal Witness
4 Troll Ascetic*
4 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Triskelion

3 Vedalken Shackles
2 Last Word
2 Crystal Shard
4 Condescend
4 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Wayfarer's Bauble
4 Echoing Truth

11 Forest
12 Island

SB:
4 Sun Droplet*
4 Annul
2 Last Word
2 Silent Arbiter*
3 Sword of Fire & Ice

The *'s are the tricky slots.

Right now, against control, I take out Shackles for Swords to put on the Ascetics, and Annul for Echoing Truth as needed, and Last Word for Triskelion. This seems pretty good.

My main problem is weenie rushes and burn decks. Sun Droplet is amazing on turn two, but it sucks late game, and I can't handle tons of dudes on their board. Engineered Explosives gets rid of my Sun Droplet though, so it has me thinking I should change Sun Droplet to Bottle Gnomes. Also, Troll Ascetic sucks against aggro, so I've thought of changing those to main deck Oblivion Stones, but the problem is, that gets rid of my Vedalken Shackles pretty often.
I'm currently trying Silent Arbiter instead of where I'd have Engineered Explosives in the sideboard (this spot comes in for Last Word) and Sun Droplet/Bottle Gnomes comes in for Troll Ascetic or Condescend (I'm not sure which).

The main decks I play against are Invasion Domain, Urza Replenish, Mirrodin Big Red, Ice Age B/r Suicide Necro, which I think I can beat, Kamigawa WW, Odyssey UG Madness and Ravnica Zoo which are bad matchups.

Any advice?

aldaryn

Acid_Christ · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 461

How does Troll Ascetic suck vs aggro? It blocks and regenerates. Plus any spot removal/burn can't touch it.

aldaryn · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 443

Don't get me wrong, it's serviceable, it's just slow. I'm playing against UG Madness, and by turn 3 he's got Basking Rootwalla, Aquamoeba, and Arrogant Wurm, and me down 5 life, I untap and play a measly Troll Ascetic...it doesn't stop much. Obviously Last Word and other cards aren't good vs. aggro, I'm just thinking Troll Ascetic would be the card to take out for O. Stone if I was going to change the main deck for the aggro matchups.

Bushviper · Joined: 07 Aug 2006 Posts: 81

Well if he has 3 creatures and you at 5 life by turn three I dont thin O-Stone is goint to be of much help.

MTGFAN911 · Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 162

hmm this is where you wish they had a few more counters in Mirrodin...

Acid is right.. as usual.Troll is a beast in this deck vs aggro.. one of your only advantages on them. =P long time no see Acid.

You cant be dependant on O-Stone in this format, your gonna need a better defense than that..not cause O-Stone isn't good but its so slow personally your gonna have too find some way too deal with aggro..

You need 1-2 Rude Awakening, and 2 Nourish maindeck.. both are very very good when you keep recurring them..Wayfarers Bauble could always be taken out

also 1-2 of each could claim sideboard slots.. Pulse of the tangle might also claim sideboard slots, could use them too chump vs aggro, and could be good if played right.. not so sure about it though, ive never tried it, I have played Beacon Of Creation, and although your not playing ALL forests.. its possible they could be used as chumpers.. and then the only other solution vs Aggro i have for you is Karstorderm..

the actual shard deck gaining complete control is very hard too pull off with lack of counters.. and speed, and although possible in Mirrodin Block Constructed vs the slower decks or just with 20 anti-affinity cards.. i dont know if its gonna happen =(

aldaryn · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 443

i said down 5 life, as in 15, not down TO 5 life, silly!

Okay, I get what you're saying about Ascetic. Maindeck Nourish is not a bad idea. I tried Rude Awakening before, but I was getting screwed over when going for the alpha strike by some random card in their hand like Shining Shoal or Starstorm (ouch).

Wayfarer's Bauble is indeed a tricky spot, obviously this deck needs a lot of land, but this card is mana-intensive to use. I wouldn't mind having Serum Visions either, though TFK seems better, but I'm so stacked on 3 mana cards.

Acid_Christ · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 461

Whats up mtgfan911? long time no talk. don't see you in the room though Sad

Avata · Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 372

Seems to me that Wayfarers Bauble is pretty solid. The sooner you can accelerate to the point where you can set up a defense against aggro, the better.

Also, no offense, but maindeck nourish seems really poor. Bottle Gnomes seems far, far better.

kcivit · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

Having trouble with aggro? Then forget that deck and just play this designed by Finkel himself:

TEMPEST BLOCK - Jon Finkel

1 Thrull Surgeon
1 Revenant
1 Verdant Force
1 Stronghold Assassin
1 Carrionette
1 Cloudchaser Eagle
1 Shard Phoenix
1 Anarchist
2 Spike Weaver
2 Spike Feeder
2 Tradewind Rider
3 Hermit Druid
3 Wall of Blossoms
1 Scroll Rack
2 Living Death
2 Lobotomy
4 Recurring Nightmare
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Mox Diamond
1 Vec Townships
1 Skyshroud Forest
1 Mogg Hollows
1 Salt Flats
2 Reflecting Pool
2 Volrath's Stronghold
3 Swamp
2 Rootwater Depths
4 Pine Barrens
6 Forest
SIDEBOARD
3 Oath of Druids
1 Carrionette
2 Boil
3 Disenchant
1 Lobotomy
2 Oath of Ghouls
1 Thrull Surgeon
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Coffin Queen

aldaryn · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 443

no offense, but i asked for help with this deck, not that one. i actually wanted to build that deck, but having none of the pieces except lobotomy, it was gonna be like $300-400 for the cards. not really worth it for cards i'm not gonna use in any other decks.

i agree that bottle gnomes is superior. i think i may try bottle gnomes over sun droplet and engineered explosives in the silent arbiter silent, and maybe even change main deck triskelion to explosives. explosives on 1-2 seems really good against the problem decks, like kamigawa ww and madness, and against madness i can play it on 0 to hit call of the herd/roar of the wurm tokens...i'll try that.

MTGFAN911 · Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 162

go with the bottle gnomes, they sound good. I dont know why I mentioned nourish over them.. though nourish is still a random side idea.. Bottle Gnomes does nourishes job, and blocks/chumps too.. so you get more for your money.

wayfarers bauble is good as well but.. Idk, ive never really played bauble outside of like G/u Tooth And Nail or that one control deck, that I cant recall =P