Subject: [DECK] Entropy Over Matter Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 21:18:34 GMT From: "Josh Kaufman" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Hello everyone! I've been playing and revising this T2 deck since Exodus came out, and I feel that I have come across an extremely good deck. At first, I decided to keep the deck a secret incase I had the opportunity to attend a major tournament, in which case I'd have an extremely effective rogue. However, since this is probably not going to be the case, I have decided to share it with the rest of the players in cyberspace, as a thank you for the insights all of you have given me into magic strategy and decks. A few warnings before I begin. When reading this, keep an open mind. This deck forces you to adopt new ways of thinking in order to play it. This is a combo-oriented deck, with a twist: it is the first tournament-viable deck to ever utilize a five card combo. (Yes, I typed that right. Five cards.) However, it does so in a very sneaky and interesting way, thanks to the power of Mind Over Matter. On top of this, the entire combo can be successfully implemented the second Mind Over Matter hits the table... even if you are completely tapped out. Finally, Mind Over Matter (and the entire combo) can be cast, if all goes well, on the third turn. And I know you're wondering... it has beat SRB, Counter-Burn, Oath of Druids, Living Death, WW, and many other types of decks. Now that I've piqued your interest, here's the deck and the ruling principals of it: The Combo: Sideboard: 4 Mind Over Matter 3 Ebony Charm 4 Prosperity 2 Perish 4 Mana Vault 2 Lobotomy 2 Entropic Specter 2 Chill 2 Time Warp 4 Legacy's Allure 1 Reins of Power The Insurance: 2 Disenchant 4 Counterspell 4 Mana Leak 4 Propaganda The Setup: 4 Impulse The Mana: 12 Island 4 Swamp 2 Svyelunite Temple 3 Gemstone Mine 1 City of Brass 2 Lotus Vale 4 Lotus Petal Here's how the deck works: Mind Over Matter has several interesting features. The first, and most important, is its ability to tap and untap land. While tapping an opponent's land is usually not a good idea, since they can tap it in response (Tapping mana is the fastest action in the game), it just results in a wasted card. Not so with your own land. With Mind Over Matter out, you are never tapped out if you have cards in your hand. The second important use of Mind Over Matter is its ability to tap/untap artifacts, especially mana producing ones. (See a trend here?) More on that later. The third and final use of Mind Over Matter is, you guessed it, its ability to tap/untap creatures. Best targets? Flyers. You'll see why in a minute. Now, seeing that one of the best uses of Mind Over Matter is to assist in producing large amounts of mana (at the cost of cards in the hand), to avoid card disadvantage, something must supply you with more cards. The obvious candidate is also one of the key cards in ProsperBloom: Prosperity. This produces an engine almost exactly like that of the ProsperBloom decks: discarding cards for an even greater number of cards. So how do you make the most out of the Prosperity? A simple artifact will do the job quite nicely: Mana Vault. Using the Vault, every card you discard nets you three more draws. Not a bad deal, huh? Okay, so here we are with a heck of a lot of cards in our hand. What do we do with them? Make your opponent have nightmares: discard three cards to enable you to produce 3BB, and cast an Entropic Specter. Now the little guy has power and toughness of around 20/20, maybe more. (If not, simply cast another Prosperity.) Now there's only one problem... he has summoning sickness. He may be big now, but after your opponent takes his turn, he'll either be dead or drop back down to a lowly 7/7. (Isn't that just sick?) Solution: discard three more cards to produce 3UU, and cast a Time Warp. Now your Entropic isn't sick anymore, so feel free to attack and squash your opponent. What if the opponent has a flyer to block with? Discard a card and tap it! So how do you do this on the third turn? I'll go step by step. Turn 1: Lay a Island, tap it to play a Mana Vault. Turn 2: Lay Island. (Now you have the ability to counter.) Turn 3: Lay a Lotus Petal and a Lotus Vale, tap everything, play Mind Over Matter. Take 1 mana burn from Vault. Discard cards in hand to play a big Prosperity. Discard 3 cards to cast Entropic Specter. Discard 3 more cards to cast Time Warp. (Yes, this means you technically kill them on the fourth turn. However, since they do not get the opportunity for a turn before you kill them, it is in essence a third turn kill.) Turn 3 (Part Two): Attack with the Entropic. Game Over. Another 3rd Turn Kill: Turn 1: Island, Vault. Turn 2: Island, Petal. Turn 3: 5C Land, Mind Over Matter, Prosperity, Entropic, Time Warp. Turn 4 (P2): Attack with the Entropic. A few tips: 1. Always try to play your Mind Over Matter ASAP. If your opponent is playing blue, wait until you can back it up with a counter (or two or three). 2. Never go for the kill unless you have a Mind Over Matter and a Mana Vault out, with a Prosperity in hand. The Entropic and Time Warp will come in the Prosperity. 3. If by chance you do not get a Time Warp or Entropic through the Prosperity, Impulse until you do. 4. Against Sligh, Suicide Black, WW, etc., if you don't get the combo early, make sure the Propaganda is put into play. Trust me, it will save your butt. 5. Don't worry about Oath of Druids decks. There are only 2 creatures in the deck. If they play Verdant Touch, counter it! 6. Hermit Druid decks are fine until a Living Death is played. Counter that at all costs! 7. Spike Weaver is the one enemy of this deck. Try to counter it, or sideboard Legacy's Allure to steal it and use it for yourself! 8. Before you go for the kill, remember to have at least 1 source of black mana to be able to cast the Entropic. If you don't, pray for 2 Lotus Petals in the draw. 9. Don't be afraid to take damage from mana burn. If it wins you the game, do it! 10. If possible, attempt the kill when your opponent is tapped out. 11. Have fun seeing the look of shock on your opponent's face when you kill him/her with a 32/32 Entropic Specter. Well, that's it. If anyone has any questions or comments, either post them on .strategy or email me at ignat@hotmail.com Thanks for reading, and have fun! :-) Josh Kaufman ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com