Subject: The new Teferihaups -- better than ever! Please Critique... (long) Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 22:35:01 -0500 From: Shining Shadow Newsgroups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy Just nine days left before Tempest rotates in, and I think I have finally gotten Teferihaups close to the way I want it in the new format. This is now the seventh version of the deck. I have played it against Sligh, Vineyard/Scepter, Big Blue, Stompy, and Forgotten Worb decks, and it has yet to lose _any games_ in playtesting. Still, that doesn't mean that it is perfect yet. My thoughts on Teferihaups strategy follow the deck's listing. TEFERIHAUPS Design version 7.0 November 1997 Standard Format (type 2) deck Card Casting Cost (blue) 4 Teferi's Veil 1U 4 Propaganda 2U 4 Impulse 1U 4 Memory Lapse 1U 2 Counterspell UU 2 Boomerang UU 4 Thalakos Seer UU 4 Man-o'-War 2U 4 Fog Elemental 2U 4 Phantom Warrior 1UU (red) 2 Jokulhaups 4RR (land) 4 Caldera Lake 1 City of Brass 3 Reflecting Pool 2 Undiscovered Paradise 12 Island sideboard: 2 Mogg Cannon 2 4 Hydroblast U 2 Hurkyl's Recall 1U 3 Chill 1U 3 Insight 2U 1 Earthquake XR Stategic Musings OK, let's go through this deck card by card: Teferi's Veil: Although their effect is not cumulative, I have put four in the main deck because they are so central to the strategy. And, they tend to draw Disenchants like politicians draw independent councils. Propaganda: This is clearly one of the best blue cards we have seen in a long time. It slows the enemy offensive down, and really ties them up after a Jokulhaups. I run with four because their effect is cumulative. Impulse: You can never have enough library manipulation. This card has proven its worth time and again in blue decks everywhere. Memory Lapse: This is time advantage, pure and simple. Since I am trying to hold the enemy back during the early game, Lapse is actually better than Counterspell. Counterspell: When you just have to say no. And two seems to be the perfect number here. Boomerang: Cheaper than Capsize; this is my direct means of dealing with enchantments. Perhaps more would be better? Thalakos Seer: Unimaginably poweful. With the Veil to back them up, these mean little motherf!@#$rs are to Ophidian what Mirror Universe is to Healing Salve. 90% of the creatures out there can't block them, they do their damage, phase out safe and sound behind the Veil, and then give me a card every turn for free. I am usually double- or triple-drawing by the fifth turn with their help. Even if they die they replace themselves with a card right away. Can you tell I like these guys a lot? Man-o'-War: More time advantage. Everyone should know the value of the jellyfish by now, so I won't elaborate. Fog Elemental: Hmm. 4/4 flyers for three mana. But they die right away, you say? Not with the Veil they don't. Since it is my turn, I can choose to phase them out before they would have buried themselves. They may not be the best blockers, but fortunately I do not need them for that. Phantom Warrior: Guaranteed damage every turn. The Phantoms are the workhorses of the deck, and they are usually what delivers the final blow by charging right past would-be blockers that are held back by Propaganda. My opponents tend to overlook Phantoms when huge, cheap flyers are pounding them and I am drawing several cards a turn anyway. Jokulhaups: As always, THE card. With all my extra drawing, it is not unusual for me to play this on turn eight or earlier... just enough time for my opponent to empty his hand of land and cheap spells. Of course, I have at least a couple creatures of my own safely phased out when 'Haups resolves, allowing me to easily cruise to victory. If I also happen to have a Propaganda or two out beforehand, so much the better. The land: I have 22 land; 10 of which can produce red mana and all 22 of which can produce blue. The non-islands help protect against Choke, Tsunami and Boil without impeding the blue mana supply. Mogg Cannon: These go in against shadow decks. I use them to make my Seers fly, and then they phase out behind the Veil instead of being destroyed. Man-o'-War becomes a serious offensive threat with the Cannon also. Hydroblast: Versus Sligh, Beatdown, and Sudden Impact cheese. Chill: See above. Insight: Versus Stompy, Vineyard decks, and Marogeddon. You can never have too many card-drawers. Hurkyl's Recall: Versus Winter Orb decks, Mill/Grindstone decks, and Sands of Time decks. If my opponent decides to waste his following turns recasting his artifacts just so I can 'Haups them away again, so much the better. Earthquake: This is another way of dealing with fast weenie and Swarm (a.k.a. Overrun) creature hordes. Please tell me what you think of this deck. Overall, I am pleased with its performance, but am looking for ways to increase its resistance to malevolent enchantments. Any comments, advice, or criticism is welcomed. Regards, The Shining Shadow -- "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory no matter how long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival." -Sir Winston Churchill, House of Commons, May 13, 1940