Time Spiral Block - Deckbuilding Strategy Guide |
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1. How Do I Achieve Card Advantage? This block provides every color with SOME way to gain card advantage. Our tried and true tricks may not be around in block, so we're going to need to consider how we can maintain the pressure and not run out of gas.  Look at four popular card advantage builds from Standard: Uber Teachings, Peel a Rug, Pyramid Scheme, and Simic Blink. In block, we still have access to Mystical Teachings and Momentary Blink. We lose Peel from Reality and Grim Harvest, shutting down the main engines of Peel a Rug and Pyramid Scheme. As a result, expect to see many decks aiming to exploit Teachings and Blink -- and some exploiting both!! (Strangling Soot, Ancient Grudge, and Thrill of the Hunt are also Flashback spells that, by virtue of their mechanic, produce card advantage. Expect to see lots of them around, too.) 187 creatures, which have been heralded heavily of late, are another great way to gain advantage. Examples: Whitemane Lion, Citanul Woodreaders, Crookclaw Transmuter.
Slivers have already proven to be one of the most effective aggressive strategies in block. In addition, because of their wicked symbiosis, removal strategies that leave them on the board or allow them to be re-cast aren't as effective as more permanent solutions. The presence of Sinew Sliver and Watcher Sliver can pump Sliver toughness out of traditional removal range, and some Sliver players have even started running Thrill of the Hunt for extra protection.  To fight Slivers with Slivers, consider running Slivers that won't share a relevant ability but will gain many. Venser's Sliver is a perfect example of this, as it doesn't provide ANY ability. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near on the curve for a Sliver. A better example is something like Spinneret Sliver -- usually, the blocking flying ability doesn't come in handy, but the 2/2 for 2 sure does! Another important strategy is to be able to kill Slivers in the proper order. If you're not running many blockers, killing the Two-Headed Sliver first isn't really the correct call. If all your removal is toughness-based, then you really need to deal with Sinew and Watcher first. Poison stacks, so don't let the Virulent Slivers get out of hand!
Wrong. Meet my friend Penumbra Spider. We know that 3 is an important number in the world of toughness because the majority of removal spells are toughness based and peter out after 3. Some spells, like Erratic Mutation and Judge Unworthy, are gambles -- based on toughness. Make sure you're packing some removal spells that don't care about toughness -- or are able to hit something bigger than 3. I guarantee you'll encounter lots of Errant Ephemerons and a handful of Penumbra Spiders, not to mention some Fomori Nomads, some Durkwood Baloths, an Ivory Giant or two, and any number of other guys who can't be killed in one blow by conventional removal.
For whatever reason, the format is chock full of highly-playable x/1 creatures, with only Lumithread Field providing a long-lasting toughness boost across the board. You're probably aware, as well, that the only board-sweeping spell comes attached to Subterranean Shambler. There are plenty of other ways to set-'em-up and knock-'em down, though.
This goes somewhat hand-in-hand with the card advantage piece, but you don't want your deck to run out of gas, even if you end up having to deal more than 20 damage to win. Things in the lifegain department won't be quite as bad as they are (or were) in Standard, but you still have Boros Blink to contend with (or any deck that Blinks the Aven Riftwatcher). Urborg Syphon-Mage and Tendrils of Corruption are both potent black lifegain spells (Tendrils can be devistating). Realize that dealing a quick 20 in this format isn't always enough. |
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"I have Dead//Gone, Rift Bolt, Ghostfire, and Sunlance. NOTHING CAN STOP ME!!!!"
No question about it, being able to pick off x/1s is going to help you out in many matchups. If you don't believe me, just ask Cutthroat il-Dal, or Infiltrator il-Kor, or Amrou Scout, or Blightspeaker, or Trespasser il-Vec, or Drifter il-Dal, or Keldon Halberdier, or Looter il-Kor, or what have you...