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by Platypus
Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:46 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Every time I think it's safe to bring Storm out, I realize that Burn is running rampant with 4 main deck Eidolons. And then I go back to Burn or Goblins. :lol:
Yeah, that's why I didn't go with Storm yesterday. But since everyone is preparing for Burn right now, I'm wondering if they will be hated out in a month's time, when our big Modern Tournament is being held. Storm might be the better choice then.
I wanna know about your 2-3 foray into Burn. Post in the Burn thread and share! Maybe we can come up with something to help. ;)
Posted up what little I could remember, together with some thoughts on what went wrong.
by Platypus
Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:44 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

i need to try it for sure anyway. Might be one of those preference things again.

Anyway, what's your thoughts on Storm in the current metagame? Last time I played it I thought blue-based aggro (UR Delver, Merfolk, Faeries) were the worst match-ups, but those seems to be nowhere right now. I must say that after today's lousy 2-3 with Burn I'm not feeling too confident with it, so I'm feeling a bit drawn to Storm again.
by Platypus
Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:29 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Yes, without testing I prefer Thought Scour for the same reason. But it's sometimes easier to get red mana when you get off, so that might be the reason they use it.
by Platypus
Sat Feb 21, 2015 6:54 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Some Storm players have started using Tormenting Voice instead of Thought Scour:

http://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/265564#paper

Any thoughts on that? I haven't tried it myself yet.
by Platypus
Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:58 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

The previous version that top 8th at some Modern State Championship looked worse. It's a bit too gimmicky to be taken seriously, but should be fun for a FNM. Could probably take some games due to the surprise factor.
by Platypus
Wed Aug 20, 2014 9:30 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Mono Red Storm Aggro. A very different take on Storm, but I thought it might be of interest. I'm missing a few of the cards, but they're so cheap I'm probably getting them just to try it out. Storm Entity in particular is something I've been looking at many times.

[deck]
Creatures
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
2 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Goblin Guide
2 Heartlash Cinder
2 Priest of Urabrask
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Storm Entity
4 Street Wraith

Spells
4 Desperate Ritual
2 Empty the Warrens
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Manamorphose
2 Pyretic Ritual

Land
4 Arid Mesa
6 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn

Sideboard
3 Blood Moon
1 Empty the Warrens
2 Forked Bolt
1 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Magma Spray
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Shattering Spree
2 Sulfur Elemental
1 Torpor Orb
[/deck]

From: http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/
article.asp?ID=12001
by Platypus
Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:45 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Thanks for these observations. I'll still try Act on my own, but it looks like my initial worries about Act was about right.
by Platypus
Thu Jul 24, 2014 8:06 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Yeah, I'm not sure if someone said that about Ravings vs. Act. The way I see it (before any testing of Act, mind you) is:

Desperate Ravings:

- Can be cast earlier than Act.
- Can be flashbacked on it's own.
- While the card discard is random, often it's not a problem. If cast early, and you discard something other than land then you potentially help get Ascension online or just get more fodder after a Past in Flames. Occationally you discard something vital, but I've found that don't happen often (or I'm lucky).

Act on Impulse:

- Digs one deeper, and gives one more card than Ravings. Although if the discard don't matter, the new cards you get is the same amount for Ravings.
- No risk of losing a key card.
- If you cast it early (before enablers) you lose the cards drawn if you can't cast them.

The last point is the biggest problem with Act as I see it. With Ravings you get to keep the cards to next
turn, or the one going to the graveyard stays there until Past in Flames can be cast. But, how big a problem it is I don't know before testing, so I won't comment on it any further before I've at least goldfished with it. Could be a playstyle issue as well, someone will feel more comfortable with Ravings, others with Act.
by Platypus
Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:03 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Well, I got my Acts today, so I can start trying them. I get what you're saying, less graveyard dependency would be nice to have since it shuts out a few sideboard cards that can be annoying to play around. But I'm not sure if losing the early game usage is worth the gain in the later turns when you plan to go off. Hard to say without testing. And the graveyard will be relevant as long as we're forced to use Ascension and Past in Flames instead of Seething Song + Epic Experiment.

As for Volcanic Fallout...I have Merfolk and Faerie players locally, so I'm prepared to dedicate some SB slots for them. Against a bigger more open field I not sure, depends on how good it is against other decks.
by Platypus
Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:42 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Ok, I guessed that Telling Time had been tested. Oh well, less work to do then. Looks like Ravings is still the most solid choice. But I will try Act nonetheless.
by Platypus
Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:26 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Been playing the UR Storm deck for a while, thought I'd jump in on this forum.

I've seen some discussion on Looting vs Ravings lists, and I am a firm believer that the Ravings lists are strictly better. Randomness might feel bad, but the deck is highly redundant and the graveyard synergies really add up to generate card advantage; something the deck desperately needs ever since all the good cantrips got banned.
Based on my (although limited) testing with both Looting and Ravings, I've concluded the same. Looting might offer some really quick kills, but so does Ravings + Thought Scour. The random discard hardly ever matters, and that extra card (two with Ascension online) you draw often makes all the difference when you try to get off.
I haven't tried Ravings + Looting instead of Ravings + Thought Scour, but I feel that the card draw from Scour makes it the better choice.
Also been seeing a lot of reactive SB cards. I am extremely adverse to boarding in answers with the Storm deck. 4x Lightning Bolt is fine because it can often become a win-con, 3x Shatterstorm is a necessity since Affinity is actually faster than us, but beyond that you really want to have as few reactive cards as possible (i only play one more in Echoing Truth). The power of Storm is the ability to kill your opponent quickly and with a lot of resilience. Every single reactive piece you board in hurts your combo and pushes you closer to a fair deck. We don't want to play fair.
Echoing Truth never worked well for me, but then again I've hardly had any opportunities to see it in action. 3x Shatterstorm I agree on, a turn 2-3 Shatterstorm from rituals is just backbreaking. The card I'd like to try (and currently have in my
sideboard) is 2x Volcanic Fallout, since I've had a hard time against Blue aggro decks (Merfolk and Delver decks) with counterspell backup. It's uncounterable and can be ritualed out if needed, which is why I want it against those decks instead of Echoing Truth. Might work against Twin as well, taking out Pestermites/Kiki-Jiki.
Idk if you guys ever got around to trying Ideas Unbound, but UU is a steep price. It just doesn't work out.
I goldfished with it. It's just nuts with a live Ascension, but only usable the turn you go off. The UU cost is just too awkward.

Lastly, how do people feel about Act on Impulse? I'm considering replacing Ravings with Impulse. I know we lose the ability to "sculpt" our hand with Ravings when we're not going off, and we can't cast it if we mill it with Thought Scour, but Ravings' primary purpose is to enable your nut draw, something Act on Impulse is better at.
Additionally, ever since Seething Song got banned, Storm has been lacking a way to generate mana advantage or card advantage. Playing Act on Impulse really does feel like playing a Seething Song for card advantage. I really just think the raw power of Act on Impulse is so good that the extra utility Ravings provides just looks cute by comparison.
I intend to at least goldfish with it once I get my copies. In place of Ravings of course. I'm a bit skeptical though. You can't really play it early, it's expensive even with Electromancer out. Don't set up the graveyard for either Ascension or Past in Flames. It isn't an Instant like Ravings. It will be nuts when going off and/or with a live Ascension. But then it's a bit similar to Ideas Unbound, albeit with a much nicer casting cost. If the deck wouldn't rely on the graveyard so much, then I'd feel more confident about it.

Another card I will try goldfishing with is Telling Time, again instead of
Ravings. Unless someone already tried it and it turned out to be awkward. Again, not feeding the graveyard might be a dealbreaker here.
by Platypus
Fri May 09, 2014 11:00 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Any thoughts on this Scapeshift/Storm hybrid:

http://www.starcitygames.com/article/28 ... shift.html
by Platypus
Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:05 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Most other hands I got were keepable, I didn't mulligan down to five in any of the other rounds. So yeah, the redundancy in this version is very high. I've been thinking about that first hand afterwards, mostly debating whether or not I should have mulliganed it at all.

About Ascension and fighting through counterspells...I noticed that myself during one of the matches. I hadn't thought about that before, but it brought a smile to my face when I noticed it. One of those lightbulb moments, and it made me realize that only one Defense Grud in the sideboard is enough. Defense Grid was sweet though when it resolved. Another thing about Ascension I just noticed is that both the counter adding and copying are optional. Which means you really have to take care to mention that the counter gets added or the spells get copied and put on the stack. I've been a bit lazy with announcing that, and it could have bit me in these
competitive level events. Luckily, my opponents haven't been complaining about it or noticing...
by Platypus
Tue Apr 08, 2014 9:32 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Some thoughts from our local big event last Sunday. 70 participants (big for our local scene...), and about 1000€ in products as price support for the top 16. It was a varied metagame from what I could see, and with experienced players and players who participated in their first competitive level event.

I was using the Finkel version straight with the same sideboard as well, except with a slightly inferior manabase (4 Scalding Tarns, 2 Misty Rainforest, and only 2 Shivan Reef) but I don't think the manabase differences mattered at all.

Round 1: UR Delver/Young Pyromancer

Got a lousy start. First hand was a one-lander with no blue draw spells, then my first mulligan gave me a three-lander with 2 Gitaxian Probes and 1 Serum Visions. Threw that away as well, and got a hand with no lands. Since it had some card draw and was good in other ways I decided to keep it. Got a land soon, but not enough and I couldn't combo
before he killed me. I won the second game, and the third went to extra turns. I tried making enough goblins to help me stay alive long enough to get a draw (since I couldn't combo of with what I had), but I couldn't do it. 1-2.

Round 2: Amulet of Vigor

I groaned a bit when I saw my matchup, because I was up against our probably best local player. I don't think I've ever won him before. I expected him to be on UWR, but when Amulet of Vigor of Vigor turned up on the second turn followed by a Ravnica bounceland, Summer Bloom, more bouncelands and a Primeval Titan on turn two I knew how wrong I was about it. Turns out a secound turn attacking 8/6 Titan is pretty scary. But hey, storm combo on turn three wins the game... :toot:
And so does a second turn Blood Moon. 2-0

Round 3: UWR, with Restoration Angel/Kiki-Jiki combo

I won the first game, and figured he was on a regular UWR control deck when the Kiki-
Jiki combo surprised me in the second game. But I won the third game, so 2-1.

Round 4: UG Delver

Urgh, another Delver deck. Not very happy about that matchup. Can't remember much about this one. He won the first game, I the second, and he the third. 1-2

Round 5: Affinity

I can't remember much about this one either. Shatterstorm did its thing. 2-1

Round 6: Merfolk

Two very quick games, with me losing. Second merfolk deck I've lost to (the other was on the GPT the week before). I'm starting to see a trend here, blue-based aggro is a problem. They have fast creatures with counterspell backup. 0-2

Round 7: UW Control

I knew she would be using a UW deck from my scouting earlier, saw the typical stuff and a Tamiyo. But it turned out she had some Karns in the deck as well. Anyway, I managed to play around some counters in the first game and comboed off. In the second I had several rituals and an Empty the Warrens in my starting hand so I decided to save up on rituals, wait until I had 4
lands (to be able to play a second ritual if the first one was countered) and then fire of the lot and create lots of goblins. Turns out 10 early goblins were enough to close the deal. 2-0

So my final score was 4-3 (5-2 would have been enough for top 16). I'm happy with this result, because I had feared a much worse result. I must say I'm feeling a lot more confident with the deck now, and I'm liking this version more than the other. My losses were all to blue-based aggro decks, which means that I'm seeing a trend. I'm going to try putting 2 Volcanic Fallouts in the sideboard next. I've decided on Volcanic Fallout instead of Anger of the Gods mostly because of the "can't be countered" clause and because it's an Instant. The winner of the tournament was the same Merfolk player I lost to in the GPT, so there's a chance to face that deck again. So this will be my deck going forward (manabase is far from optimal, but I had borrowed three fetches for the tournament so I can't expect to use
them in the future):

[deck]
Land 16
3 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents
1 Mountain
4 Island
2 City of Brass
2 Shivan Reef

Enablers 8
4 Goblin Electromancer
4 Pyromancer Ascension

Win-cons 2
2 Grapeshot

Support spells 34
3 Past In Flames
3 Desperate Ravings
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Thought Scour
4 Manamorphose
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Desperate Ritual

Sideboard 15
3 Empty the Warrens
3 Shatterstorm
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Defense Grid
2 Blood Moon
2 Volcanic Fallout
[/deck]

This will be my sideboarding strategy:

Zoo
-3 Desperate Ravings
-1 Past in Flames
-1 Pyromancer Ascension
-2 Thought Scour (-4 on play)
+4 Lightning Bolt
+3 Empty the Warrens
+2 Blood Moon (on play)

Affinity
-4 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Desperate Ravings
-1 Pyromancer Ascension
-1 Past in Flames
+3 Shatterstorm
+4 Lightning Bolt
+1 Empty the Warrens

Control
-4 Thought Scour
-1 Grapeshot
-1 Past in Flames
+2 Blood Moon
+1 Defense Grid
+3 Empty the Warrens

Pod/
Infect/GW Hatebears
-4 Thought Scour
-2 Desperate Ravings
+4 Lightning Bolt
+2 Volcanic Fallout

Jund/BG/Tron
-4 Thought Scour
-1 Grapeshot
+3 Empty the Warrens
+2 Blood Moon

Bogles
-2 Desperate Ravings
+2 Volcanic Fallout

Twin
-2 Thought Scour
-1 Grapeshot
-1 Past in Flames
+1 Defense Grid
+3 Empty the Warrens

Ad Nauseam/Amulet of Vigor/Scapeshift
-1 Pyromancer's Ascension
-1 Past in Flames
+2 Blood Moon

Merfolk/Faeries/UR Delver/Boros Landfall
-1 Pyromancer's Ascension
-1 Past in Flames
-3 Desperate Ravings
-4 Thought Scour
+4 Lightning Bolt
+3 Empty the Warrens
+2 Volcanic Fallout

Burn
-4 Gitaxian Probe
+3 Empty the Warrens
+1 Defense Grid

Living End

???

Storm

???
by Platypus
Sun Mar 30, 2014 10:06 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Here's Finkel's sideboarding guide for ease of reference:

Zoo

Out
-3 Desperate Ravings
-1 Past in Flames
-1 Pyromancer Ascension
-2 Thought Scour (-4 on draw)
-1 Grapeshot (unless they have X/1s)

In
+4 Lightning Bolt
+3 Empty the Warrens
+1 Echoing Truth
+2 Blood Moon (on play)

Affinity

Out
-4 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Desperate Ravings
-1 Pyromancer Ascension
-1 Past in Flames

In
+3 Shatterstorm
+4 Lightning Bolt
+1 Empty the Warrens

Control

Out
-4 Thought Scour
-1 Grapeshot
-2 Past in Flames

In
+3 Blood Moon
+1 Defense Grid
+3 Empty the Warrens

Pod

Out
-4 Thought Scour

In
+4 Lightning Bolt

Jund/BG/Tron

Out
-4 Thought Scour
-1 Past in Flames
-1 Grapeshot

In
+3 Empty the Warrens
+3 Blood Moon

Bogles

Out
-
1 Desperate Ravings

In
+1 Echoing Truth

Infect

Out
-1 Pyromancer Ascension
-4 Thought Scour

In
+4 Lightning Bolt
+1 Echoing Truth

Twin

Out
-3 Thought Scour
-1 Grapeshot
-1 Past in Flames

In
+1 Defense Grid
+3 Empty the Warrens
+1 Echoing Truth


Looks pretty good to me. There's a few decks that we could add to this: Scapeshift, GW Hatebears, Merfolk, Ad Nauseam, Burn, Living End, Boros Landfall, and the mirror of course.
by Platypus
Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:34 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

In that case I'd get the Past in Flames (it's a mythic so if the deck becomes more popular they will go up) and try around without Blood Moon in the sideboard. I've noticed that people usually know to play around it and fetch basics, so I've never seen it work really well. But I might be wrong on how important it is in relevant matchups.
by Platypus
Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:43 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Volcanic Fallout would have been better, but I think Anger of the the Gods is better overall if you want a sweeper. The can't be countered clause is relevant against Merfolk and Faeries, while the three damage and exile is more relevant against other decks. Faeries is nowhere to be seen and Merfolk isn't that common either.

I started reading Finkel's article again now that I played for real, and I noticed the sideboarding guides at the end.
by Platypus
Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:06 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Yeah, I knew it would be different to play it for real. Lots of hard decisions, I know I made some mistakes. I should have mulliganed more agressively in a few of the games. Lost the second Affinity game even though I got off a turn three Shatterstorm and with Anger of the Gods as backup. Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas animating a Darksteel Citadel did me in before I could go off. Against the Merfolk deck I had Slagstorm on my hand for a long time, but not enough mana to get it through Spell Pierce and that Force Spike merfolk. Then he got a Coralhelm Commander up to level four and then it was too late. So yeah, it's different to grind through real games. Which is why I realized that I wanted more cantrips.

So this is what I'm taking to the tourney next weekend:

[deck]
Land 16
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Arid Mesa
4 Steam Vents
1 Mountain
4 Island
2 Shivan Reef

Enablers 8
4 Goblin Electromancer
4 Pyromancer Ascension

nWin-cons 2
2 Grapeshot

Support spells 34
3 Past In Flames
3 Desperate Ravings
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Thought Scour
4 Manamorphose
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Desperate Ritual

Sideboard 15
3 Empty the Warrens
1 Echoing Truth
3 Shatterstorm
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Defense Grid
3 Blood Moon
[/deck]

If several of us are on the Finkel version now, perhaps we should figure out some sideboarding plans against the important decks?
by Platypus
Sat Mar 29, 2014 4:18 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

What are you missing from the deck? The mana base is the most expensive, of the other cards Pyromaster's Ascension, Past in Flames and Serum Visions are the ones that cost much. For my part, I had almost the rest except for Past on Flames so it wasn't so expensive to get a deck without an optimal manabase. I will probably stay with this one for a while, maybe experimenting a bit with different versions.

I participated in a small GPT today (9 players). Got a bye first round, won the second round 2-1 against an elf deck, then promptly lost to Merfolk, Affinity, and UWR. Well it was my first real games so that was to be expected. But hmm...I sometimes missed having some more card draw, so I will probably try the Ravings/Thought Scour version next.
by Platypus
Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:35 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

That Slagstorm is just there for card availability reasons. As for the rest, I have to try it out and see. A third Shatterstorm might be better than the second Defense Grid in my meta.
by Platypus
Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:23 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

I've been goldfishing around with the different versions and I've come to the conclusion that I don't like the Desperate Ravings/Thought Scour version. It might be because I started testing with the Faithless Looting version, but it fits me better. I really don't like the randomness in the other version, both from Desperate Ravings and from Thought Scour. Faithless Looting might be card disadvantage, but the discard is controlled, it can be played first turn to set up your graveyard for Ascension, and it's easier to flashback on its own (because of the Rituals, you don't need a Manamorphose to filter red into blue).

I also tried Ideas Unbound instead of the Thought Scours and they weren't half bad. I wouldn't want 4x, but 2x might be ok. You want to play it on the turn you go off, but not before. With an active Ascension it's just insane.

Anyway, I'm hopefully going to try this out for real next FNM:

[deck]

Land 17
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Arid Mesa
4 Steam Vents
1 Mountain
4 Island
1 Sulfur Falls
2 Shivan Reef
1 City of Brass

Creatures 4
4 Goblin Electromancer

Enchantment 4
4 Pyromancer Ascension

Win-Con 5
3 Grapeshot
2 Lightning Bolt

Support spells 30
3 Past In Flames
3 Faithless Looting
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Manamorphose
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Desperate Ritual

Sideboard 15
3 Empty the Warrens
2 Echoing Truth
2 Shatterstorm
2 Lightning Bolt
2 Defense Grid
2 Blood Moon
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Slagstorm
[/deck]

The manabase is what it is, because of card availability. Otherwise it's Khaospawn's version.

I'm a bit unsure on how to sideboard, so any tips on that is appreciated.
by Platypus
Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:56 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Ok, I'm back after a short vacation in Rome. Beautiful city and great food, I really recommend it!

Anyway, I've been thinking about sideboards and Storm hate cards while there. Some sideboards include 2-3 Swan Songs. At first I wondered why, but then I realized that some of the worse hate cards against Storm are enchantments (Leylines, Rule of Law, Rest in Peace) and Swan Song is a cheap way to counter those. However, there're a few artifacts as well, Relic of Progenitus and Grafdigger's Cage (maybe others?). So, is perhaps Annul a better alternative? It's just as cheap, but hits both artifacts and enchantments. Swan Song work against Rakdos Charm and counterspells, but against counterspells we have Defense Grid anyway. Annul hitting most of the cards in Affinity is a bonus as well. Thoughts?
by Platypus
Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:46 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

I intend to try out the Finkel version when I get the cards for it (ok, I could just pretend Lootings are Ravings...). There have been a few games when I tried going off too early and it just fizzles, either because I don't have enough stuff in the graveyard to get early Ascension counters, or I've not had enough draw either in my hand or in the graveyard after a Past in Flames. The extra cantripping that Though Scour offers could have helped in these situations, and you may be right about that version being faster. As for Looting, I've some games started off with a first turn Looting, not Serum Visions, and that have seemed to work well. Especially if I'd also have an Ascension on hand. It sets up the graveyard and digs deeper than Serum Visions. I don't know if this have been just luck, or if there's some merit to starting of with a first turn Looting?

And a totally random idea...I'm going to try out a version
with 2x Ideas Unbound. The double blue cost is a bit awkward, but it digs deeper than Looting/Ravings, and you don't have to discard until end of turn. Could be relevant the turn you intend to go off. I'm not completely sold on it due to the casting cost, but it doesn't hurt to try it. Unless it's already been done and deemed bad?
by Platypus
Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:18 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

I've been doing some goldfishing to get a feel for what hands are keepable and to get some experience with setting up the combo. It isn't that hard to do, I'm getting the hang of it. But doing for real will be harder.

Anyway, I have tested the Faithless Looting variant, and it can be very fast. On the other hand, there's been situations where I'd definitely would have liked the one card less discard from a Desperate Ravings. But with the rituals it's easier to flashback Faithless Looting. Some extra cantrips (Thought Scour) would have been nice some times, but so far I haven't missed them.

What are your thoughts on some mixup of the two versions? Like Looting + Ravings, or Looting + Thought Scour? Instead of Looting + Bolt, or Ravings + Thought Scour?
by Platypus
Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:39 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

I recommend to everyone: play both kind of Storm decks. Figure out what you like and how you like to play Storm. There's no wrong way to do this, apparently. Each version has a very strong chance at success until people start packing in extra Rule of Laws, Counterflux, and even Mindbreak Trap.
I think this is the important part, both versions are good but appeal to different playstyles.

GP Richmond is going to be interesting. The deck is out there, it's a known threat. It's going to be interesting to see how much hate there will be, and how the versions fare against it. I guess sideboards have to take hate in account.
by Platypus
Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:12 am
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

by Platypus
Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:22 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

This one?

http://www.starcitygames.com/article/28 ... odern.html

I'll have a read-through tonight.

The videos I linked to were quite interesting, at least for a first-timer like me.
by Platypus
Sat Mar 01, 2014 11:29 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

I just have to sleeve it up and start goldfishing. My limited playtesting opportunities makes storm a better choice for me than any other modern deck right now.

I'm going for a Faithless Looting variant, mostly because I don't have the Desperate Ravings right now and I must say that I prefer the more control discard. My manabase won't be perfect, but I can probably manage with what I got.

Oh, and I found this:

http://www.channelfireball.com/videos/c ... ern-storm/

Might be worth a look.
by Platypus
Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:32 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

Man, I should really finish this primer. :gonk:
Yeah, I need to be a storm guru in little over a month's time. I have assembled the pieces and will probably play it in our local big Modern tournament with over 1000€ worth of stuff in the price pool...

In the meantime...can anyone link to some really good storm articles, preferably on the modern version of course.

Edit: In addition to that one written by Finkel...
by Platypus
Wed Feb 26, 2014 8:52 pm
Forum: Combo
Topic: [Primer] U/R Storm
Replies: 110
Views: 36732

I just ordered the three Past in Flames (everyone seems to play just three? or will I kick myself for not getting a playset?) I'm missing from UR Storm, before they skyrocket (they will go up...) Well, I'm missing one Manamorphose and three Desperate Rituals as well, but those aren't mythics...

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