Subject: DECK
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 10:49:50 -0800
From: cmona@ucsd.edu (Claude Mona)
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

Hello again.  I just wanted to get back to you on the current state of some of those
"rogue" decks.  In particular, the current fascination with denying your opponent
useful turns. Whether by using man-o-war to return creatures, or Aether flash to
make a */2 creature a wasted draw, many decks seem to be fixated on 'The Stall'.
Noteable exceptions are sligh and slightknight, but thats another story.

This one may be one of the ultinate expressions of 'The Stall'.

U/G/B

BLUE
4 Man o War
3 Propaganda
2 Tradewind Rider
1 Undo
(10)--(10)
GREEN
3 Fallow Earth
3 Winter's Grasp
3 Creeping Mold
2 Gaea's Blessing
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Root Maze
1 Heartwood Treefolk
(20)--(30)
BLACK
3 Nekrataal
3 Rain of Tears
3 Choking Sands
(9)--(39)
LAND
3 Wasteland
3 City of Brass
2 Island
9 Forests
7 Swamps
(24)--(63)

To look at it, you wouldn't think it could win against anything...
However, the Root Maze is probably the best card to assist with land destruction.
By playing a RM, the deck gains a one turn time advantage over the opponent.
This is more often than not all the time that is needed.  Each land destroyed has
delayed the opponent's strategy by a turn. The same is true of each Man-o-War and
Nekky played.  Fallow Earth becomes very, very annoying, and the Tradewind
Rider makes many decks grind to a halt.  Noteable problems are untagretable
creatures, and super burn.

However, Chill in the 'board, and the addition of another Propaganda will typically
delay the game long anough to gain control.   It's really nothing new, the concept is
similar to the "Permarang!" deck I posted back at the beginning of November.  It
seems as though themes have developed by now, and people are exploring new and
intersting ways to implement them.  I  look forward to more exciting
developments!

Claude
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Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulu R'yleh wagh' nagl
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