Obstacles to Enlightenment

by Jessie on 19 September 2014

Main Deck (60 cards)

Sideboard (15 cards)

Creatures (3)


Sorceries (7)

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Deck Description

Main card the deck is built around is Treachery.

Treachery: 3 Colorless 2 blue mana
Enchant Creature
When it comes into play, untap 5 lands (it is free!!!)
Gain control of target creature

What is better than 4 Treachery in a deck?
12 Treachery cards
Yep!

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Here is how:
4 Treachery
4 Clever Impersonator
4 Copy Enchantment
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12 Treachery Cards.
That means you can steal, for free, up to 12 of your opponent's creatures.

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Super stall:
4 Propaganda
4 Clever Impersonator
4 Copy Enchantment
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12 Propaganda Cards.

Propaganda stacks!
2 Propaganda = Each opponent must pay 4 mana to attack with each creature
3 Propaganda = Each opponent must pay 6 mana to attack with each creature
4 Propaganda = Each opponent must pay 8 mana to attack with each creature!!

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End result:
12 Treachery and 12 Propaganda
--Your opponent can't attack you because you steal his creatures with Treachery.
--And even if he does have creatures, that you have not pilfered, he will still not be able to attack because of Propaganda.

How to Play

Win Conditions:
1) Treachery
2) Faerie Conclave/Archetype of Imagination/Clever Impersonator

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Steps to Winning:
1) Stall opponent
2) Steal creatures
3) Attack

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Example:
Turn 1. Play Island. Stall opponent: Play Shield Sphere.
Turn 2. Play Island. Stall opponent: Play Boomerang or Counterspell.
Turn 3. Play Island. Stall opponent: Play Propaganda.
Turn 4. Play Island. Stall opponent: Play Boomerang and/or Counterspell and/or Propaganda.
Turn 5. Play Island. Go to town with your 12 Treachery cards. Play Treachery and Copy Enchantment and Clever Impersonator. Attack.
Turn 6. Play Island. Play Archetype of Imagination. Attack.

Good game.

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Notes:
DO NOT Counterspell or Boomerang your opponent's creatures! You want to steal them, not Counter or Bounce them. So, use Counterspells and Boomerang on Artifacts/Enchantments/Instants/Sorcery spells.

High Tide can be used on Turn 4, and you can play your Treachery/Copy Enchantment/Clever Impersonator combo!

Impulse gets you your card that you need. It dives deep with searching.

Propaganda. One of the best Enchantments of Magic. It will stall your opponent.
Play Copy Enchantment and/or Clever Impersonator on Propaganda to double it's effects.
Example: 1 Propaganda 1 Clever Impersonator 1 Copy Enchantment = Opponent must play 6 mana to attack with EACH creature!!!

Shield Sphere. Another stall card. 0 mana. It saves you from early turn attacking creature damage.

Archetype of Imagination. What to do with all of the creatures you steal? Simple, give them flying!!!

Deck Tags

  • your
  • Army
  • is
  • Mine

Deck at a Glance

Social Stats

31
Likes

This deck has been viewed 3,959 times.

Mana Curve

Mana Symbol Occurrence

053000

Card Legality

  • Not Legal in Standard
  • Not Legal in Modern
  • Legal in Vintage
  • Legal in Legacy

Deck discussion for Obstacles to Enlightenment

Example:

Opponent:
Turn 1. Forest. Plays 1/1 Elf.
Turn 2. Forest. Plays 2/2 Elf (you Boomerang one of his lands). He attacks for 1/1.
Turn 3. Forest. Plays 3/3 Elf (you play Propaganda and he can't attack). He can't attack.
Turn 4. Forest. Plays 4/4 Elf (you play Impulse drawing a card). He can't attack.
Turn 5. Forest. Plays 5/5 Elf. He can't attack.

On Turn 5 you play your 5th Island.
You play Treachery on his 5/5 stealing it. You untap 5 lands.
You play Copy Enchantment (copying Treachery). You steal his 4/4 creature. You untap 5 lands.
You play Clever Impersonator (coping Treachery). You steal his 3/3 creature. You untap 5 lands!!!

Outcome:
You have: A 3/3 creature, 4/4 creature, a 5/5 creature. And 5 untapped lands (for Counterspell/Boomerang). And Propaganda.
Opponent has: 1/1 creature and 2/2 creature. 4 lands. Tapped out of mana.

Results:
Looks like your opponent is going to have a rough rest of the game.
And you only used 3 of your 12 Treachery cards!
There is still 9 Treachery cards in which to rob your opponent.

0
Posted 19 September 2014 at 22:37

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how about some room for spreading seas, even just SB? it can really hurt there mana base, and you draw a card!

very cool deck, +1. i have a card crush on faerie conclave

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Posted 20 September 2014 at 00:05

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The Legacy version of Conclave.
Yep, me too.
Have 4 of them, in real life.
Blue rocks with control and spells...but suffers from good creatures.
Conclave helps with that!

Wait a second...Spreading Seas. Holy Crap!
4 Spreading Seas
4 Copy Enchantment
4 Clever Impersonator
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12 Spreading Seas!
Then add in
4 Boomerang
4 Eye of Nowhere

Your opponent won't be able to play anything! Bounce their lands and turn the ones you don't bounce into Islands, in which they can't use! Maybe add in some Island hate or Islandwalk!

I love when people inspire me!!!

Not sure where to put it though!
But yeah, that is a great idea.

Clever Impersonator and/or Copy Artifact/Copy Enchantment brings so much opportunities to the table!
I just found Impersonator today, and I can definitely see why he is over 10 dollars a piece!

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Close to the same Idea. Run a Green/Blue deck.
Run Spreading Algae
4 Spreading Algae
4 Copy Enchantment
4 Clever Impersonator
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12 Spreading Algaes (and they keep returning to your hand like Rancor)
Now only add a way to make their lands swamps...like Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth.
Or Reef Shaman

Fun times!

And search out Slow Motion.
Right?
12 Slow Motions with Mana Leaks, Power Sinks, Spell Pierce, Force Spike.
More fun times!!

How does this sound as a start to a new deck:
4 Spreading Seas
4 Slow Motions
4 Clever Impersonator
4 Copy Enchantment.
It would wreck their mana base!

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Posted 20 September 2014 at 00:20

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Oh you are bad! With the combo you have in here you can run any good enchantment and do some crazy things

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Posted 20 September 2014 at 02:32

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http://www.mtgvault.com/jessie/decks/822489/

Now, that is pure evil.
I took out the Spreading Seas for Psychic Venom
Still inspired by you, Zaklax13!

4 Psychic Venom
4 Copy Enchantment
4 Clever Impersonator
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12 Psychic Venom.

Psychic Venom, Enchant Land, whenever the land is tapped, it deals 2 damage to opponent.
So...Play Venom on your opponent's land, then clone it with Copy Enchantment and Clever Impersonator.

Say, what if your opponent doesn't tap his lands, because he is a smart ass?

Mana Web!!! (And Power Sink and Dream's Grip doesn't hurt, either)

Check it out!

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Posted 20 September 2014 at 02:38

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with all of the mana you can get you should run some x cost spells like maybe blue sun's zenith

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Posted 20 September 2014 at 03:01

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love the use of Copy Enchantment here. :) as long as you have Treachery out... it is absolutely evil, as it is 3 CMC, and untaps 5 lands. :)
Come to think of it, you could even copy creatures with it as well, if they are enchantment creatures.

Jessie, I have noticed that you really like your bounce spells, particularly early game. Really the only thing that I can think of to possibly improve this deck is some graveyard recursion. whether that comes in the form of elixir, or quest for ancient secrets, or something similar. being able to use your bounce spells multiple times seems pretty key here.

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Posted 21 September 2014 at 21:03

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Thanks.
I will look into graveyard fetch cards.
In theory, I could use Capsize, with the option to buy it back every turn. :)

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Posted 21 September 2014 at 21:22

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yes, but it is pretty expensive to buyback just for a single card. I think something wit ha bit more flexibility would suit this deck better. perhaps something like Reminisce? Or perhaps Call to Mind.

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Posted 21 September 2014 at 22:21

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Will look into it :)

Put Relearn into Sideboard.

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Posted 21 September 2014 at 22:28

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Normally I would say that Call to Mind is better than relearn, but seeing as how this deck is mono blue... it makes no difference. :) good call.

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Posted 21 September 2014 at 22:35

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Ready for a new challenge, Kazzong?

http://www.mtgvault.com/jessie/decks/aristocrat-format-challenge/

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Posted 21 September 2014 at 22:40

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Would you stop breaking cards? :).

I really love the idea. Clever impersonator leads to so many shenanigans. I would run stolen identity in place of the archetype, but that's your call.

FYI, clever impersonator can copy planeswalkers.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 02:24

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I just found out about Clever Impersonator.
He is already up to 11 dollars!
Ugh
Would love a Playset of him.

Will check out Stolen Identity!

Thanks for the support, HokeyPokey!

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 02:34

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This deck is brutal. Definitely gets my +1. I would suggest two things: if Memnite is only going to be around for blocking, how about Shield Sphere? It will last longer. Also, Boomerang is great, but the new Void Snare does the same thing for only 1 mana, with one drawback: it can't target lands, and Boomerang does. I guess it depends on how important that is to you.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 04:50

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Changed it, a little.
Thanks.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 13:09

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You're welcome. I only give suggestions; in the end it's still your deck so how much you do or don't change it is solely up to you.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 06:18

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Followed Footsteps ...



What's the Memnite for? If it is for early blockers, use Shield Sphere instead.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 08:33

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Shield Sphere is in, Memnite out.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 13:09

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Instead of boomerang have you looked at Capsize? Capsize is just mean because you buy it back and then use it over and over again.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 14:24

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It costs one mana more and that collides with his gameplan. He wants to bounce a land on turn 2 to slow the opponent down and cast Propaganda on turn 3 (which is important because at turn 4 he can cast the first impersonator and might need to copy the Propaganda).

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:13

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Bouncing a land is not the end of the world. Any mana ramp deck won't care. Besides in response the land being targeted it can be tapped for mana. So anything instant speed is still going to get played. Since the Boomerang has no recursion slowing down the turn 2 doesn't make an auto-win. In fact, it means you have less things to copy. Many good decks also run mainly on a cmc of a max of 4. Thus bouncing one of their lands may take away the 3 drop they were thinking about playing, but instead they will play the land back down and just drop the next 2 cmc they were planning on doing later. Capsize is just strictly better because bouncing that early in the game does not screw with decks curve a lot. Boomerang is more of an oh crap button when your opponent gets fattie out and you can't find propaganda. Capsize allows a buy back, and a lot more late game advantage. Bouncing one permanent a turn is more annoying that 4 bounces max and I no longer need to worry.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:25

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That being said, have you also considered Aetherize or Aether Spouts for those times that you just can't dig up that Propoganda?

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:25

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Ugh? You can only play one land per turn, so, of course bouncing a land on turn 2 will slow the opponent down! Turn 2 is the only one where he is not busy casting other stuff. Besides, as the deck description says, he doesn't want to bounce anything besides lands since he needs targets to copy/steal. Plus, this is casual, he won't play against pro type of decks or players. But IF he would, you should also know that it is fairly easy to get rid of a Capsize: If you manage to sacrifice, bounce, flicker, kill or whatever the permanent he wants to bounce, the buyback part of Capsize will fizzle. And tournament quality decks tend to be able to do that.

Besides, it's not my deck, I just explained to you, why Capsize doesn't work for the gameplan Jessie has which is outlined in detail in the description.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:34

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It just very little late game. Even my Selesnya token deck. Turn 1 he drops an island shield sphere. My turn 1, I drop a forest avacyn pilgrim. Turn 2 he drops island and boomerangs my forest. Turn 2 I still drop the forest and the call of the conclave I was planning on doing anyways. Only difference is I won't get to swing with the pilgrim. Oh well.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:37

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You stil have one less mana on turn 2 and all consequent turn up to the point where you miss a landdrop naturally.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:53

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That's what I'm saying though. Missing a land drop is rarely a hard move for any deck at an adept level. Late game I really don't care if I miss a land drop because I'll get to the point where I can drop whatever I top deck anyways. Capsize just allows for more stall and more constant stall. He say's he want's to bounce lands. Besides the occasional Ghost Quarter or Tectonic Edge no Tournament deck sacrifices lands. I play both legacy and modern. It just doesn't happen.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:58

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Again: He plays casual, not tournaments, and landrops count at the kitchen table.

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 16:52

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Nice little debate going here, guys.

I think Bouncing lands is brutal.
Hell, even MTG developers said bouncing lands was a mistake. That it should of never been an option. So, for them to admit that, there must be something to it, you know?
I mean, why do you think they have so FEW cards like Eye of Nowhere and Boomerang and TONS of cards like Void Snare (return NONLAND permanent)?

Bounce is about tempo. Pure and simple.
IF I have 3 lands and you only 2 lands, on Turn 3...you are more limited to what you can do.

It is like this:
Turn 2. I boomerang your land.
Turn 3. You have two lands: You can't play a 3 mana card OR 1 one mana card and 1 two mana card. You are limited.
Turn 4. You have three lands: Meaning you can't play a 4 mana card OR 2 two mana cards. You are limited.
Turn 5. You have four lands: Meaning you can't play both a 2 mana spell and a 3 mana spell. You are limited.
That ONE Turn 2 Boomerang limited/changed your next 3 turns.

It slows you down. Maybe not for mana ramp decks, sure, I will give you that. For a lot of decks, bouncing lands is brutal.

And Puschkin has a point. I am not playing Black Lotus, Moxes, Lotus Petal, Elves...or against decks that have those cards.
Absolutely, one Boomerang to one of their lands is going to mean nothing to them. I do get and agree with that.

And If you don't think you lose tempo losing a land, what about losing a land AND a spell?

IF you get off both a Counterspell and Boomerang in the first few turns...
They are down a land, a card, and a spell.
It has been tried, tested, and true for blue decks for ages.

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http://www.mtgvault.com/jessie/decks/best-15-deck-on-the-vault/

That deck has made people quit.
I will put it this way, they would of swiped up their cards from the table, if they had any to gather up!
And it is designed to bounce lands. It has no other purpose.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 06:43

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Go Jessie! Seriously though, screwing with lands is potent stuff. The inverse of bouncing lands can be brutal. Trust me, if Knight of the White Orchid lets a Baneslayer Angel and a pop in turn 4, you are in for a world of hurt. But if you bounce that extra land ...

The ability to slow down an opponent, THEN play propaganda, is absolutely brutal. That's a combo capable of wrecking most aggro and infect decks.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 21:34

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I would highly recommend using 4 copies of Annex to steal your opponents lands in which you copy Annex and annoy them while bouncing all their crap. Also with Counterspell and Boomerang adding in a few Isochron Sceptars would just be completely bonkers!!!

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Posted 22 September 2014 at 15:34

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Thanks for checking out the deck.
No room for Scepters, but I do love them.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 06:29

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Ryoko has deleted this comment.

Posted 22 September 2014 at 20:29

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Please don't delete your comments...
:(
Speak up!
Do you have any decks you would like me to look at?
I am decent at suggesting cards :)

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 06:54

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Interesting. not sure of archtype does it have a goal?

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 08:41

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Basic idea is this, with archtype.

Turn 5. Play Treachery and Copy Enchantment and Clever Impersonator.
You steal 3 creatures for free!
Turn 6. Archtype. You give all of those creatures flying, and attack.

It is sort of my pump card.
Flying is hard to block.
So, to add insult to injury, not only do I steal their creatures but I make them hard to block.
What would you suggest I replace with it?
I am very much open for suggestions.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 08:44

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thought of a couple cards but i guess for your strategy arch is truely the best.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 08:54

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Gandolphe has deleted this comment.

Posted 23 September 2014 at 14:51

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Umm, do you know why it is banned, friend?

Clever Impersonator

It is a brand new card!
It hasn't been added to the legal cards yet.

That is the ONLY reason it is banned.

In a week or two this deck will be Vintage/Legacy legal.

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Posted 23 September 2014 at 16:17

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And then your opponent goes and ruins everything by using Reclamation Sages, playing Back to Nature or Essence Filter when you run out of Counterspells and getting all of his crap back whilst simultaneously blowing up all of yours. (At least that's how my monogreen would deal with this deck).

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Posted 28 September 2014 at 21:15

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Well, well, well, billy badass.

Joking aside, post it, and I will check it out.

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Posted 28 September 2014 at 23:41

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The opponent could ruin everything by not playing anything that Jessie could copy. The worst enemy this deck could face isn't a deck with enchantment removal, it' a far more common thing: Burn decks.

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Posted 29 September 2014 at 09:32

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Yep. Burn is too fast for most combo decks.
I could not Boomerang/Counterspell fast enough.

However, if I am playing a creature deck, my deck could be fun to play.

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Posted 29 September 2014 at 15:14

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The burn deck could be slow and would still win because of the lack of copyable things :)

But of course, the typical deck you run into will have enough stuff to copy. BUt if sideboards are allowed, second and subsequent games are what'll become interesting :)

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Posted 29 September 2014 at 15:51

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What if ... the burn deck brings eidolon of the great revel ... simply copy it 4 times.

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Posted 30 September 2014 at 01:24

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