The Decks of Jay Schneider! May '98

-J

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

  3 Shocks
  4 Incinerate
  4 Fireblasts
  2 Invasion Plans

  3 Cursed Scrolls

 Sideboard:
  4 Pyroblasts
  4 Havocs
  4 Chaos Charm

  4 Wastelands
 17 Mountains





 Sideboard(Cont):
  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, 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.)

Comments on changes from prior versions: This version is even faster. This is primarily due to the addition of the 4 Jackal Pups in the 1cc slot. Against a goldfish (or other control deck) the pups deal 3-4 points of extra damage over the other 1cc. This doesn't seem like a lot until you consider it as an extra fireblast. This extra damage is very significant, and is crucial vs. decks that will permanently stop the creature attack around turn 5 (or just demonstrate the Cadaverous Bloom/Drain Life Combo.)

The cards that were removed were 1 Vandal - early artifact destruction is less relevant in current environment. 1 Scroll - too slow - occasionally a "bad" hand with 2-3 scrolls - which is death against other fast decks. Two of the 3cc cards - too many Propagandas. 1 Goblin Bombardment - I hated to take this card out and would love to have it back in, optionally swap it in for one of the Invasion Plans.

The Primary sideboard addition is Chaos Charm. Substitute them for Pups vs. Red, as they kill Weenies and Ball Lightnings, and they break walls vs. control for precious little mana. Don't forget they can celerity a Flunky.

  4 Abyssal Gatekeepers

  3 Diabolic Edicts
  4 Poxes
  4 Funeral Charms
  4 Bottomless Pits

  3 Bottle Gnomes

  4 Paupers Cages
  3 Ensnaring Bridges
  4 Cursed Scrolls
  2 Phrexian Furnaces


 Sideboard:
  3 Terror
  3 Honorable Passage
  3 Pyroblast

  4 Mox Diamonds

  2 Undiscovered Paradise
  4 Wastelands
  4 Quicksands
  2 Volrath's Strongholds
 10 Swamps

 Sideboard(Cont):
  4 Disenchant
  2 Phrexian Furnace

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 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.

Comments on changes from prior versions: The primary change to Gypsy Pox is the changing of the Charcoal Diamonds to Mox Diamonds. This was done to give added speed and hand clearing (a huge advantage in Gypsy Pox,) prevent tapping out on turn 2 (suicide against the Red decks) and to drastically improve the sideboard.

The ability to drop a Turn 2 Bottomless Pit is huge against the plethora of control decks in the current environment. Against Burn/Weenies it is the ability to drop a Turn 2 Bridge with a small hand. It's important to remember you can always drop and bury a Mox Diamond if it's cluttering up your hand.

The sideboard is vastly different and can and should be customized to the local Meta-Game. Six any-color mana sources are sufficient to board in 3-4 off color spells comfortably. The only cards that are a real must in the board are the 2 Furnaces and 3 Disenchants.

Furnaces are a must as the new ruling on Bottomless Pit may bring back lots of very uncomfortable sideboard options against Gypsy Pox (i.e. Mangara's Blessing.) Also furnace is one of the (if not the) strongest sideboard card against 5CU or any of the Gaea's Control Decks, not to mention the Living Death decks. As for disenchant, it may be the most useful card in the format. I suspect it will eventually find it's way into the main of Gypsy Pox.

  4 Spindrift Drake
  4 Manta Riders
  3 Skyshroud Condors
  4 Thalakos Seers
  4 Man O War
  4 Fog Elementals
  3 Waterspout Djinn

  4 Unstable Mutation
  3 Teferi's Veil
  4 Reigns of Power

 Sideboard:
  3 Null Rod
  2 Zur's Wierding
  3 Energy Flux

  4 Mox Diamond

  4 Wastelands
 16 Island

 Sideboard(Cont):
  4 Propaganda
  3 Counterspells

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.

Comments on changes from prior versions: The changes to the main deck revolve around the addition of the Teferi's Veil. The Veil gives the deck a more versatile attack and a card drawing engine, in addition to defense against Wrath of God and Nekrataal. The Fog Elemental and Thalakos Seer Combinations are obvious with the Veil but what is less clear is the Reins of Power/Teferi's Veil combo. The creatures are taken, attack, then phase out. They phase in on the Blue Stompy players next turn but are under control of the opponent (tapped). This is relevant as they do not get the chance to counter attack, and they are not available to block (on the off chance you cast a creature AFTER casting the Reins.) Note: This ruling is based off of an obscure ruling on the interaction of Ray of Command and Teferi's Veil. The logic of why it was ruled this way has always escaped me. Make sure you and your head judge both understand the interaction.

Aside from Veil combos the Seer is an improvement over the Merfolk Trader because of his "true" cantripness and his evasion ability. The loss of the Lord of Atlantis weakens the Water Balloon Brigade but with the limited non-flyers in Blue Stompy their own attacks were very restricted by the many walls in current Type II.

The sideboard changed to include Zur's Wierding - the greatest combo breaker and control deck destroyer. The Propagandas replaced chills for general versatility with almost the same net effect against Red. They also plug a minor hole against black speed decks.

  4 Birds of Paradise
  4 Quirion Ranger
  3 Spike Feeder
  3 Uktabi Orangutan
  4 Llanowar Sentinel

  2 Gaea's Blessing
  3 Alluren
  2 Nature's Resurgence

  3 Living Death

  3 Incinerate
  4 Viashino Sandstalker

  4 Man O' War
  4 Intuition

 Sideboard:
  3 Gloom
  3 Chill
  3 Light of Day

  4 City of Brass
  3 Gemstone Mines
  2 Undiscovered Paradise
  9 Forests


 Sideboard(Cont):
  3 Pyroblast
  3 Null Rod

Comments from Jay: This is the most difficult to play deck I have seen. The average Pro Tour player (I had the chance to test this) makes 20 playing errors per match. The worse part is they generally don't realize them. It takes a lot of playing with this deck just to realize with hindsight what mistakes have been made. In my extensive tournament playing of this deck, I still haven't been able to get my average # of errors/match under 3.

From a casual glance at this deck it looks awful. But there is a hidden overall synchronicity between the various cards that make this deck very strong. In a skilled players hand this deck is very powerful, against an opponent who is unfamiliar with this deck it is almost unbeatable. I realize that common knowledge will weaken Bushwacker. With that said, it still requires a strong understanding by the opponent, something most players will not take the time to do.

In the limited space available I will try and give a basic feel for how to play this deck. First of all always draw first. This deck can play a lot like a prosbloom, using an Alluren based assault to end a fight in 2-3 turns.

One of the most important cards in this deck is Intuition. It acts as an instant Demonic Tutor, a Buried Alive and a cantrip Feldon's Cane. You will often Intuition for an Alluren, but if you have one of them sometimes it is a Viashino, or if your graveyard is fat then go for a Living Death.

The Alluren in Bushwacker is also important. The deck shifts into an entirely different mode once Alluren is in play. The deck becomes immune to mana deprivation strategies, Viashinos become incredible attackers and great blockers, Man O War act as 2/2 Mystic Veils or if you have a Man O' War in the hand and one on the table, they are a 0 casting cost Blinking Spirit. The Llanowar Sentinels become the Llanowar Posse (what else are you going to use mana for.)

The Living Death/Nature Resurgence are also key cards. You will always have more creatures in you graveyard than the opponent. Don't forget that if the Alluren is out you can Resurge then drop your hand on the table. The Gaea's are for the opponent's creatures in their graveyard or to recycle countered non-creature spells.

In summary play with the deck a lot before deciding if you like it. It does play differently against EVERY deck type and different cards become stronger or weaker.

The board: The board is designed to hose colors, especially how well they can work under Alluren. Null Rod is to destroy Bottle Recursion decks. One of the great strengths of this deck is with 4 Intuitions you will see one of your sideboard cards by turn 4 every game (should you wish it.)

  3 Birds of Paradise
  3 Quirion Ranger
  4 Hermit Druid
  4 Wall of Blossoms
  3 Wall of Roots
  3 Spike Feeder
  3 Jorael's Centaur
  4 Lhurgoyf
  3 Maro

  2 Sylvan Library
  2 Gaea's Blessing

  2 Disenchant
  3 Armageddon
  2 Wrath of God

  2 Tradewind Rider

 Sideboard:
  2 Serenity
  2 Light of Day
  2 Uktabi Orangutan
  1 Armageddon

  2 Plains
  2 Gemstone Mines
  2 Undiscovered Paradise
  2 City of Brass
 10 Forests

 Sideboard(Cont):
  1 Wrath of God
  2 Barbed Foliage
  2 Warmth
  3 Pyroblast

Comments from Jay: This deck plays like ErnieGeddon of old. It illustrates the incredible strength (as opposed to tricks) of the Hermit Druid. He combos well with every card in the deck. The only tricky part is knowing when not to become too greedy in combo with a Lhurgoyf (remember there are Gaea's in the deck.)

The deck has the same strengths and weaknesses of ClassicGeddon. It is very solid against everyone but is not overwhelming against anyone. That is with the exception of a non-tier 1 deck or a deck optimized against something, whereupon HermitGeddon will crush them.

Note the Tradewinds. A little unusual but gives the deck the threat of a Tradewind lock. As always with ErnieGeddon type decks the strength comes from the variety of threats, does he have an Armageddon or a Wrath?

The board: Serenity - for mass rock or enchantment decks. Very underplayed in sideboards and deserves a place of honor. Barbed Foliage for shadow defense (possible the largest hole in HermitGeddons defenses.) Pyroblast - just better than Abeyance for the board and does the same thing.

  4 Counterspell
  4 Mana Leak
  4 Dissipate

  4 Intruder Alarm
  4 Propaganda
  4 Intuition
  3 Capsize
  2 Mind Games
  3 Reigns of Power

  3 Gaea's Blessings

  4 Winter Orb
  4 Sky Diamonds

 Sideboard:
  3 Null Rods
  4 Hydroblasts
  4 Emerald Charms

  2 Undiscovered Paradise
  3 Forests
  4 Svyelunite Temple
  9 Islands

 Sideboard(Cont):
  3 Pendral Mists
  1 Jester's Cap

Comments from Jay: This is the strongest pre-sideboard deck I've found. It was originally designed as a tester deck but may find it's way into the mainstream. The deck has two routes to victory. It can use the obvious Gaea's recursion to deck an opponent. The second way is much faster and very elegant. It can kill the opponent using his or her own creatures.

The deck defenses are setup around the 3 casting cost enchantments Propaganda and Intruder Alarm. Intruder Alarm forces the opponent to play additional creatures. Propaganda prevents them from attacking. As the game wears on they have more and more creatures out.

The Reigns of Power then apply massive amounts of beatdown and return the opponent a large group of tapped creatures (which can't attack you as they don't untap, and even if they did they are PropaOrb locked.) It usually takes 2-3 Reigns to finish the opponent (and in the way Blue has always wanted to.) The Reigns are not dead cards early on either. They act as a Fog and/or a global tap.

There are no 4cc Enchantments (like Dream Tides) due to their severe weakness against Red (if you tap out on turn 4 you die.) The deck also has many (12) counterspells. This is to support the Intruder Alarm lock. The deck looks a little mana shy but it isn't - the key is being willing to Intuition for land. Think of it as a no risk Harrow in those cases. Of course when you have mana an instant speed Demonic-Tutor is Blue's best friend (get a Worb and make sure you don't top deck another.)

There are many locks in this deck, the Prison lock, the Capsize lock, the PropaOrb lock and lots of Intruder alarm based locks. The many locks also make this a strong fighter against other control decks, also you should have more counterspells than they do and you can handle mana depravation (Worb) much better (your mana selection is designed for it.)

The board: Null Rod - Don't let them Furnace/Scroll/Disk you. Emerald Charms - Sylvans, Serenity, Energy Flux, City of Solitude etc. Pendral Mists - ONLY for decks that use mana creatures. Otherwise you'd rather their creature be alive so you can "borrow" them. Jester's Cap - get their Gaea's.

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

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