Episode 034 — This Whole Comeback Thing is Getting Old…

The Brainstorm Show boys get back in the pod-saddle for an episode with lots of updates, both personal and format-wise. We hope you enjoy while we get back on track with more regular competitive deckbuilding content!

Episode 033 — Lessons from GP Vegas

Welcome back to The Brainstorm Show. All eyes were on Las Vegas for cues from the first major tournament since the banning of Sensei’s Divining Top. The results didn’t disappoint. In this episode, we talk about D&T, Miracles, some surprises from the Top 64, and where we see Legacy going over the next couple months.

GP Vegas Legacy Top 64 Breakdown
ALL CREDIT FOR THIS LIST GOES TO CALLUM SMITH AND THE HARDWORKING FOLKS AT MTGTHESOURCE.COM
11 Grixis Delver
5 Bant Deathblade
5 Show and Tell
5 Elves
4 BUG Delver
3 Miracles
3 4c Loam
3 DnT
2 Czech Pile
2 Food Chain
2 BR Reanimator
2 BG Depths
2 Lands
2 RUG Delver
2 UR Delver
2 Grixis Control
1 UW Stoneblade
1 UWr Stoneblade
1 UB Shadow
1 Eldrazi
1 Infect
1 Aluren
1 Merfolk
1 BUG Lands

Updated Grixis Control List
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Young Pyromancer
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Gurmag Angler
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Cabal Therapy
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Fatal Push
1 Dismember
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Counterspell
1 Kolaghan’s Command
4 Force of Will

1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
3 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
1 Tropical Island
4 Polluted Delta
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Bloodstained Mire

SB
2 Blood Moon
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Thoughtseize
2 Flusterstorm
2 Pyroblast
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Darkblast
1 Ancient Grudge
2 Liliana, the Last Hope

Brief Brainstorm 009 — Predictions for GP Vegas + Grixis Control

Wilson keeps The Brainstorm Show alive in the month of June with a brief overview of his predictions for GP Vegas. Some are bold, some are obvious, and some are downright bizarre — we will know soon if he’s a real Nostradamus.

Check out this super fun Grixis Control list, too:

Grixis Control
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Young Pyromancer
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Gurmag Angler
1 Liliana, the Last Hope

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Cabal Therapy
2 Fatal Push
2 Lightning Bolt
1 Dismember
1 Counterspell
2 Kolaghan’s Command
4 Force of Will

1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
3 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
1 Badlands
1 Tropical Island
4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Bloodstained Mire

SB
2 Blood Moon
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Forked Bolt
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Darkblast
1 Ancient Grudge
2 Pyroblast
2 Flusterstorm
1 Painful Truths
1 Garruk Relentless

Episode 032 — Storm Reborn

It is high time to revisit Storm, given that it has become a deck to beat over the past few weeks since Sensei’s Divining Top was banned. Find our list and sideboarding map below:

Storm (ANT) by The Brainstorm Show
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Duress
3 Cabal Therapy

4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion’s Eye Diamond

4 Infernal Tutor
2 Grim Tutor / Dark Petition
2 Past in Flames
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Tendrils of Agony

2 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
2 Island
1 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Bloodstained Mire

SB
1 Ad Nauseam
2 Chrome Mox
1 Massacre
3 Chain of Vapor
3 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Leyline of the Void

Sideboarding Map:

Delver (assuming no Arcane Labs, adjust for g3 if needed):
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
-1 Past in Flames

BUG/4c Midrange/Czech Pile:
No Changes

Sneak and Show:
+1 Ad Nauseam
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
-1 Past in Flames
-1 Island

Death and Taxes (note no outs to Mindbreak Trap):
+1 Ad Nauseam
+2 Chrome Mox
+3 Chain of Vapor
+1 Massacre
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
-4 Duress
-3 Cabal Therapy
-1 Past in Flames

Eldrazi:
+3 Hurkyl’s Recall
+2 Chrome Mox
+1 Ad Nauseam
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
-2 Duress
-3 Cabal Therapy
-1 Island
-1 Past in Flames

Lands:
+3 Hurkyl’s Recall
+3 Chain of Vapor
+2 Chrome Mox
+1 Ad Nauseam
-1 Empty the Warrens
-1 Past in Flames
-3 Cabal Therapy
-4 Duress

BR Reanimator:
+4 Leyline of the Void
+2 Chrome Mox
+1 Ad Nauseam
-1 Island
-1 Past in Flames
-1 Empty the Warrens
-3 Cabal Therapy
-1 Duress

Storm Mirror:
+1 Ad Nauseam
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
-1 Island
-1 Ponder

Burn:
+1 Ad Nauseam
+2 Chrome Mox
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
+3 Chain of Vapor
-1 Past in Flames
-1 Island
-4 Duress
-1 Cabal Therapy

Elves:
+1 Ad Nauseam
+2 Chrome Mox
+1 Inquisition of Kozilek
+1 Chain of Vapor
-1 Empty the Warrens
-1 Past in Flames
-3 Cabal Therapy

Episode 031 — After the aTOPalypse

Hello, everybody and welcome back to another episode of The Brainstorm Show. In this episode we take on the recent banning of Sensei’s Divining Top, and cover which decks get better, which get worse, and where you probably want to be when the dust settles out.

Check out our latest brew, Natural Order BUG:

NO BUG
4 Deathrite Shaman
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Tarmogoyf
1 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Progenitus

1 Jace, the Mindsculptor

4 Natural Order
3 Green Sun’s Zenith

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Thoughtseize
3 Fatal Push
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Maelstrom Pulse

1 Dryad Arbor
1 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
1 Bayou
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta

SB:
1 Gaddock Teeg
4 Force of Will
1 Flusterstorm
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
1 Reclamation Sage
2 True-Name Nemesis
1 Darkblast
1 Gurmag Angler

Episode 030 — How to Sideboard

Hi loyal listeners! We are back with more in-depth content. This time we step away from individual decks and cards to take a look at how The Brainstorm Show constructs sideboards. We dive into the theory we employ to build an optimal sideboard plan for an anticipated metagame. Check it out!

Episode 029 — Listener’s Choice

Hello faithful listeners of The Brainstorm Show! Apologies for the extended hiatus while we got back into the recording booth. In this episode we take on a bunch of questions that were generated from the Facebook community we have been building. Check us out at The Brainstorm Show Community Board.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebrainstormshow/

Special thanks to all the listeners who generated fun topics for us to discuss. We hope you enjoy!

Brief Brainstorm 008 — Kaladesh/Aether Revolt Limited Rankings

Hello dedicated listeners! In this very Brief Brainstorm, Wilson introduces some limited content to our lineup. He recently became addicted to the current draft/sealed formats, and wanted to share his thoughts about them and his rankings for each color. Check out his spreadsheet (PDF or Excel) available via the links below. We will get back to Legacy content shortly. Enjoy!

AER-KLD Draft Map (PDF)
AER-KLD Draft Map (Excel)

Brief Brainstorm 007 — Deep Dive on BUG Standstill

Hello loyal listeners! As a treat for those who enjoy Standstill, Wilson goes solo for 45 minutes and takes you through the ins and outs of BUG Standstill. You can check out the latest list we have been testing and tuning below:

4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Brainstorm
3 Fatal Push
2 Counterspell
4 Abrupt Decay
4 Standstill
2 Toxic Deluge
1 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Force of Will

2 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
1 Bayou
1 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Island
3 Mishra’s Factory
2 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Lumbering Falls
3 Verdant Catacombs
4 Polluted Delta
2 Misty Rainforest

SB
1 Flusterstorm
2 Thoughtseize
1 Duress
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Diabolic Edict
2 Pithing Needle
1 Null Rod
1 Darkblast
1 True-name Nemesis
1 Tombstalker

Episode 028 — How to (Fatal) Push It Real Good in Legacy

Welcome back to The Brainstorm Show, ladies and gentlemen! Three big topics in this episode:
1. Fatal Push and its place in Legacy
2. Three decklists to get you started brewing with Fatal Push
3. The role of cantrips in Legacy and the question of color balance

Content Links:
Sean Brown’s “This Week in Legacy” column on MTG Goldfish
The Brainstorm Show’s Community Discussion Board

Decklists:

BUG Leovold Midrange
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
1 True-name Nemesis
1 Gurmag Angler

2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
2 Fatal Push
4 Abrupt Decay
1 Spell Pierce
1 Counterspell
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Painful Truths
2 Ponder
2 Thoughtseize

4 Polluted Delta
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Misty Rainforest
3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
1 Bayou
1 Island
1 Forest
1 Swamp
2 Wasteland
1 Creeping Tar Pit

SB
2 Pithing Needle
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Go for the Throat
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Garruk Relentless
2 Duress
2 Toxic Deluge

BUG Standstill
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Brainstorm
3 Fatal Push
1 Spell Snare
2 Counterspell
4 Abrupt Decay
4 Standstill
2 Toxic Deluge
1 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Force of Will

3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
1 Bayou
1 Forest
1 Swamp
4 Mishra’s Factory
2 Creeping Tar Pit
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Polluted Delta
2 Misty Rainforest

SB
1 Flusterstorm
3 Thoughtseize
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Murderous Cut
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Pithing Needle
1 Null Rod
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Massacre
1 Darkblast

BUG Delverless
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Nimble Mongoose
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
2 True-name Nemesis

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 Abrupt Decay
2 Fatal Push
2 Thoughtseize
2 Spell Pierce

2 Verdant Catacombs
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
3 Tropical Island
4 Wasteland

SB
2 Winter Orb
1 Pithing Needle
1 Flusterstorm
2 Go for the Throat
2 Fatal Push
2 Painful Truths
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize

BUG CounterTop Control (by listener Christofer Vikstrom)
4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
2 True-Name Nemesis

2 Ponder
4 Brainstorm
4 Sensei’s Divining Top
1 Counterspell
4 Abrupt Decay
4 Counterbalance
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Toxic Deluge
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Force of Will

1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Forest
1 Swamp
2 Island
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
4 Verdant Catacombs

SB
2 Flusterstorm
4 Fatal Push
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1 Engineered Plague
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Krosan Grip
4 Leyline of the Void