Every time a new base set is added to the Standard format, an entire old block is removed. While it is more exciting to look at all the new cards (hey wow, they reprinted Braingeyser -- and now it is an instant!), I think it is also looking at what cards are removed. Not only does removing cards weaken existing decks, but it can also make previously weak deck themes much stronger. Probably the most obvious theme weakened by removing Mirage block cards is red direct damage. Fireblast has severly hampered the standard format since its introduction. Hammer of Bogarden is also a very powerful direct damage card. The absence of both of these will force speedy red decks to find new ways of getting their speedy damage in (perhaps Goblin Lackey can bring out a faster beatdown). On the other hand, some strategies that are just too slow to cope with this insanely fast damage may be viable now. For example, I think Fireblast went a long ways towards making Necropotence or Stasis unplayable. Sure these themes could be built in such a way as to not lose to Fireblast, but this tended to weaken them too much against other decks. Also gone from Red is a Final Fortune, a card which I put to some use. Green lost Uktabi Orangutan and Maro. Personally I never used or saw much of Maro, but I know the Deadguys decided to make him their flagship card for World's 97. Uktabi Orangutan has definatley smashed plenty of artifacts, with this beast gone perhaps artifact heavy decks can make a return. Also this is the first time since before Alliances that red has not had access to a 1 mana artifact eating creature. In addition to the obvious Cursed Scroll, Disks, artifact mana (and Medallions), Winter Orb and other artifacts may make a return now. Green also lost City of Solitude. With the City and Abeyance gone, people will have to find other ways to shut permission decks out. However the blue mages will notice that their decks just don't run as well without Impulse. Blue creature decks will definately miss Ophidian and Man-O-War, while permission decks will have to find new ways to fight graveyard recursion now that Dissipate is gone. Most of all, I think Blue will be hurt by the lack of Quicksand. With that quick removal gone, I think mono blue control will probably be replaced by blue red Forbidden Pheonix decks (also aided by the lack of dissipate). Bloom Drain and Squandered Stasis both miss key cards (especially Squandered Resources). While most of the Recurring Nightmare engine is intact, some of the excellent control creatures (such as Nekrataal and the Uktabi) are gone. Perhaps Recurring nightmare will take more quick win infinite combo approach now. White Weenie decks no longer can use Empyrial Armor to make a fast beating. I expect WW decks to become more of a creature swarm deck. If WW is weaker, perhaps some of the decks which die to WW (such as a Counter Pheonix deck) will be more playable. One can go further in the analysis : Black Weenie is not a big fan of the Blue Red control decks with their large amount of fast removal. More controlish black decks can benefit from Duress. Will black speed be replaced by disruption necro decks? Perhaps, but with Firestorm gone, where can one find the fast removal that I think is essential to a controlish necro deck? On the other hand, why should Black Weenie go away -- I don't think they had many cards coming from Mirage Block! Well I think you get the idea. New decks can come from the new cards added, but others will crop up simply because a card that stabbed through their heart rotates out. Erik Lauer Team CMU |
Subject: New T2 analysis
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 15:08:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: Erik Lauer