The Decks of Jay Schneider! April '98

-J

  4 Goblin Vandal
  3 Mogg Fanatic
  4 Mogg Flunkies
  4 Suq'Ata Lancer
  3 Viashino Sandstalker
  4 Ball Lightning

  3 Shocks
  4 Incinerate
  4 Fireblasts
  1 Goblin Bombardment
  2 Invasion Plans

  4 Cursed Scrolls

 Sideboard:
  4 Pyroblasts
  3 Havocs
  3 Mogg Maniacs

  4 Wastelands
 17 Mountains






 Sideboard(Cont):
  2 Hand to Hands
  2 Shatterstorms
  1 Detonate

Comments from Jay:  This is one of the strongest Sligh decks ever. This version owes a lot of its design principles to David Price's "Deadguy Sligh". The Mogg Flunkies are just incredible in this deck. They give an amazing boost in speed and a "Creature of the Line" (something often lacking from Sligh decks) all for R1. Needless to say the in-house name, "Throat-Rip Geeba", is due to the incredible speed and strong attacking power of this deck.

This deck gets a 3 in complexity due to its modal nature. Its modal nature is also why I will call this a Sligh deck as opposed to a burn deck. It can be played as a burn deck and run with the best of them but this deck has a control mode - something a burn deck almost never does. Knowing when to play this deck as a traditional control Sligh vs. when to throat rip your opponent is this decks key to victory. Sun Tzu's quote about knowing yourself and your enemy was never more relevant in a deck. You must be able to identify your opponent and look at your hand to see which mode you play in.

Many of the cards were chosen based on their modality. Goblin Vandals, Mogg Fanatic, Goblin Bombardment, Suq'Ata and of course Invasion Plans. This card is phenomenal if you're in control mode. With one of these out every Ball Lightning becomes a creature kill, Suq'Atas kill Freewinds, Goblin Vandals are just too ugly for words. If you're trying for speed, all the walls block the Mogg Fantastic instead of the Ball Lightning and Flunky. Also note that aside from the Goblin Vandals, Invasion Plans can't be used as a control card against you.

The sideboard has several non-traditional choices. Havoc - it's a better bolt against creatureless white-based control (and they are a deck you go for the jugular on.) Mogg Maniac - so far this decks biggest fear is itself, and what's better vs. another red deck? Hand to Hand - This will stay in until Team En-Kor are no longer an issue, it strips out the teams ability, Honorable Passage, Justice and Cop Red. The odd selections of artifact kill. The detonate often goes in as a better bolt vs. creatureless + rock heavy. The shatterstorms are for Gypsy Pox (the other least favorite deck to face.)

  4 Abyssal Gatekeeper

  4 Funeral Charm
  4 Diabolic Edict
  4 Bottomless Pits
  4 Pox

  3 Bottle Gnome

  4 Cursed Scroll
  4 Paupers Cage
  3 Ensnaring Bridge
  2 Phrexian Furnaces

 Sideboard:
  3 Dread of Night
  3 Terror
  1 Bottle Gnome

  3 Charcoal Diamonds

  4 Wastelands
  4 Quicksands
  2 Volrath's Stronghold
 12 Swamps

 Sideboard(Cont):
  2 Null Rod
  4 Rain of Tears
  2 Choking Sands

Comments from Jay: Gypsy Pox gets its name from all the trinkets that compose the bulk of the deck. Gypsy Pox is very, very strong. As often with Pox decks it has holes but if you don't hit them this deck is almost unbeatable.

On the bad side Gypsy Pox is also a little more challenging to play than I'd like. Pox decks are often difficult to play and this deck will often give you situations where the correct play is almost impossible to determine (i.e. do I play the bottomless pit this turn, or wait a turn so I can drop out the bridge first.) These cases have no hard and fast rule all you can do is play the deck a lot against its likely opponents and you'll start to get a feel for it. Even then you'll make the wrong choice sometimes.

The reason Gypsy Pox is so strong is due to several wonderful Pox cards brought in from Stronghold. Ensnaring Bridge is a Moat for the opponent in a Pox deck, Bottomless Pit may be better than a Hymn in this deck, not only is the discard random but the opponent controls the effect when they discard. Blue decks can just go home if this hits. The Volrath's Stronghold requires an answer from every opponent. Recursing Bottle Gnomes vs. Red. Opponent needs to lose another creature? Bring back the Gatekeeper.

Gypsy Pox is not nearly so reliant on the cursed scrolls as Schneider Pox was. The Paupers Cages are preferable if you're trying to apply beatdown. This deck deals an amazing amount of creature damage (any permanent damage source is a severe threat after a pox,) considering the creatures all have a 1 power. Opponents are remarkably reluctant to block a Gatekeeper even more so if Volrath's Stronghold is in play.

The decks biggest internal weakness is its low (15) black sources. Don't be afraid to Paris mulligan with Gypsy Pox. Gypsy Pox performs superbly after a Paris or two. Bottomless Pit and Pox are wonderful eveners and the scroll and bridge just come on line earlier.

The Dread of Night in the sideboard is removable if Team En-Kor isn't big in your area. The Terrors are there instead of Nekrataal (even with the cool Stronghold combo) due to the need for point defense against creature decks (and Red) but the late game (about turn 4-5 in a Pox deck) where Nekrataal would kick in is already well in hand. There are no Spinning Darkness due to the lack of disposable black cards. Null Rod was a traditional sideboard against Schneider Pox, but it is so powerful against many decks and it plugs one of the major threats against Gypsy Pox. The 6 LD cards are board for Blue and Red (and general substitutes when something needs to go out but you don't have anything to put in.)

  4 Spindrift Drake
  4 Manta Rider
  4 Skyshroud Condor
  4 Merfolk Traders
  4 Lord of Atlantis
  4 Man O War
  3 Fog Elemental
  3 Waterspout Djinn

  4 Unstable Mutation
  3 Reigns of Power

  4 Mox Diamond

 Sideboard:
  3 Null Rod
  2 Winter Orb
  3 Energy Flux

  4 Wasteland
 16 Island



 Sideboard(Cont):
  4 Chill
  3 Counterspell

Comments from Jay: This deck plays like Senor Stompy except all the creatures are blue and pretty much unblockable. You play the biggest creature you can as quickly as possible. Then you put an Unstable Mutation on it. That's about 10 points of flying beat down. Drop out another flying fish or two for the rest.

The tricks and choices are very limited. Mox Diamonds and Skyshroud on Turn 1. Chump block with your ground creatures, next upkeep let the flyers self-destruct, cast a Reins of Power and win. About the only decision is: Do you play a turn 1 Manta Rider or Spindrift. Play the Spindrift. Don't forget to pay your upkeep. That's about it.

The board: Null Rod for Bottle Recursion/Disk/Scroll Dependant decks. Chill is a must as this deck is vulnerable to Geeba/Sligh. Energy flux for decks with too many artifacts. Counterspells for critterless control. Winter Orb for control (play it a little late.)

All cards in decks are guaranteed to be tournament legal. All prices quoted are in U.S. Dollars.

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