Subject: "Hot Water" and CounterSligh Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 13:42:33 -0800 From: "J. Todd Scott" Greetings all - I was scanning through the Dojo the other night and came across a deck listing by Dave Bull titled "Hot Water" - a potent Type II R/W/U very similar to Paul McCabe's Standard deck at Worlds. I have been toying around with an analagous deck off and on for several weeks; however, mine is metagamed (a little better I believe) for the current environment. I thought I would put both here, and let the list see what they think. My comments follow... "Hot Water" Countersligh Lite 20 lands (COBs, etc.) 20 lands 3 mindstones 3 mindstones 4 manowars 4 manowars 4 ophidian 3 ophidian 4 cloud elemental NONE 2 frenetics 4 frenetics NONE 4 mogg fanatics NONE 2 fireslinger 3 suq'ata lancers 2 suq'ata lancers 1 wildfire 1 wildfire 4 counterspell 4 counterspell 4 dissipate 2 dissipate 2 disrupt 1 disrupt (generally underrated) 2 abduction 2 abduction 4 incinerate 4 incinerate 1 firestorm 1 firestorm NONE 1 hammer 2 disenchant 2 disenchant (Sideboards pretty similars, knights of the mist, etc.- all the usual suspects) The changes may seem minor, but I believe important. "Hot water" runs 4 cloud elementals as a metagame decision against frenetic. I'm not convinced that frenetics are as prevalent in Type 2 decks (but my deck runs four) as they are in Extended; however, I have committed 2 to the sideboard. Instead of the main elementals, I've stocked up on mogg fanatics and fireslingers - they are instant offense, chump defense, and can sweep the omnipresent knights and other quick 1/1's. In order to make room for my 2 additional frenetics and a hammer, I've cut down 2 dissipates and 1 disrupt (basically trading offense for defense). Clearly, my deck falls somewhere between the "Hot Water" control theme and a true Countersligh (all red swarm and memorylapses/counters). I'm trying to get the best of both worlds, believing that in the current environment, the ability to do quick, consistent damage is crucial in the rock/paper/scissors battle between sligh decks, 4CBS, WWs, etc,. particularly in the FIRST game of the 3 games series (before the sideboarding begins). I try to make decks that can consistently take the first game (by hook or crook!), expecting the sideboarding battle to be roughly even, and merely a matter of who gets the appropriate hoser first. Any comments would be appreciated, and thanks to Dave Bull for giving me a "straw man" to work with... JT Scott