Tag: mtg

Episode 040 — The Winners and Losers in the New World

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Brainstorm Show! In this episode we chop through all of the hot takes about the post-Deathrite format, and distill down a list of the big winners, the bad losers, and everything in between. PLUS, we unveil two patented Brainstorm Show lists: Grixis Faeries and Grixis Control. Check them out below:

The Brainstorm Show’s Grixis Faeries:
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Bitterblossom
4 Spellstutter Sprite
1 Vendilion Clique

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 Stifle
3 Spell Pierce
1 Spell Snare
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Fatal Push

3 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island
4 Flooded Strand
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wasteland

SB
1 Flusterstorm
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
1 Gurmag Angler
3 Rough//Tumble
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Abrade
2 Pyroblast

The Brainstorm Show’s Post-Ban Grixis Control:
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder

2 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Spell Pierce
1 Counterspell
4 Force of Will

2 Lightning Bolt
2 Fatal Push
1 Diabolic Edict
3 Kolaghan’s Command
1 Blood Moon

2 Bitterblossom
4 Baleful Strix
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Gurmag Angler
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

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

SB:
2 Blood Moon
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Flusterstorm
2 Spell Snare
1 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Hymn to Tourach
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Engineered Plague
1 Painful Truths
1 Vendilion Clique

Sideboard Mapping for Grixis Control:
RUG Delver
+2 Blood Moon
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Engineered Explosives
-2 Thoughtseize
-1 Counterspell
-2 Bitterblossom
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

BUG Delver
+2 Blood Moon
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 Vendilion Clique
-2 Thoughtseize
-4 Force of Will

Miracles
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Hymn to Tourach
+1 Painful Truths
+1 Vendilion Clique
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Fatal Push
-1 Diabolic Edict
-4 Baleful Strix

UWx Stoneblade
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental
+1 Hymn to Tourach
+1 Painful Truths
+1 V Clique
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 Engineered Plague
-4 Baleful Strix
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Fatal Push
-2 Gurmag Angler

Grixis Control
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental
+1 Hymn to Tourach
+1 Painful Truths
+1 Vendilion Clique
-2 Fatal Push
-1 Diabolic Edict
-1 Blood Moon
-4 Force of Will

If they play TNN:
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 Engineered Plague
-2 Lightning Bolt

D+T
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Engineered Plague
+1 Painful Truths
+1 Vendilion Clique
-2 Spell Pierce
-4 Force of Will
-1 Blood Moon

Elves
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Engineered Plague
+1 Vendilion Clique
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Painful Truths
-1 Blood Moon
-1 Diabolic Edict
-4 Baleful Strix

Lands
+2 Blood Moon
+2 Surgical Extraction
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Vendilion Clique
-1 Lightning Bolt
-2 Fatal Push
-4 Baleful Strix

4c Loam
+2 Blood Moon
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Painful Truths
+1 Toxic Deluge
-2 Inquisition of Kozilek
-2 Thoughtseize
-2 Lightning Bolt
-1 Counterspell

ANT
+2 Surgical Extraction
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Hymn to Tourach
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental Blast
+1 V Clique
+1 Painful Truths
-4 Baleful Strix
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Lightning Bolt
-2 Fatal Push
-1 Diabolic Edict

TES
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Hymn to Tourach
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 V Clique
+1 Painful Truths
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 Engineered Plague
-4 Baleful Strix
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Lightning Bolt
-2 Fatal Push
-1 Diabolic Edict
-1 Kolaghan’s Command

Sneak and Show
+1 Hymn to Tourach
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 V Clique
+1 Painful Truths
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Bitterblossom
-2 Fatal Push
-1 Kolaghan’s Command

UB Reanimator
+2 Surgical Extraction
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Pyroblast
+1 Red Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 V Clique
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Lightning Bolt
-2 Fatal Push
-3 K Command

RB Reanimator
+2 Surgical Extraction
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 V Clique
+1 Painful Truths
+1 Toxic Deluge
-1 Blood Moon
-2 Lightning Bolt
-2 Fatal Push
-3 K Command

Eldrazi
+2 Blood Moon
+2 Spell Snare
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Toxic Deluge
-2 Bitterblossom
-2 Lightning Bolt
-2 Inquisition of Kozilek

Mono Red Stompy
+1 Engineered Explosives
+1 Toxic Deluge
+1 V Clique
+2 Spell Snare
-1 Blood Moon
-4 Baleful Strix

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Episode 039 — Dice, decks, and disappointing Dad

Fresh off GP Toronto, Wilson shares his thoughts on the meta, team tournaments, and bad cards (read: Bomat Courier). We talk dice rolls, some hot new decks (find lists below), and somehow end on a note of disappointing the people we care most about. The cat’s in the cradle, y’all.

Steel Stompy
Courtesy of Jarvis Yu

4 Walking Ballista
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Steel Overseer
3 Vault Skirge
3 Etched Champion
3 Karn, Scion of Urza

4 Chalice of the Void
4 Lotus Petal
3 Mox Opal
4 Thorn of Amethyst

4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Karakas
4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Wasteland

Sideboard
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Sorcerous Spyglass
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
1 Warping Wail
4 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
4 Leyline of the Void

(Untested) Brainstorm Show Steel Stompy
4 Walking Ballista
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Steel Overseer
4 Vault Skirge
3 Karn, Scion of Urza

4 Chalice of the Void
4 Lotus Petal
3 Mox Opal
4 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Umezawa’s Jitte

4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Blinkmoth Nexus
4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Wasteland

Sideboard
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Sorcerous Spyglass
2 Warping Wail
4 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
4 Leyline of the Void

“Medium Depths”
Ben Friedman article

4 Dark Confidant
4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Sylvan Safekeeper
4 Vampire Hexmage
3 Pithing Needle
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Crop Rotation
4 Duress
2 Sylvan Scrying
4 Thoughtseize

2 Forest
2 Swamp
2 Bayou
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Sejiri Steppe
4 Thespian’s Stage
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Dark Depths

Sideboard
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sorcerous Spyglass
2 Tireless Tracker
1 Abrupt Decay
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Marsh Casualties
2 Bitterblossom
1 Karakas

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Brief Brainstorm 012 — Life & Legacy Updates with Wilson

Hi listeners! We are sorry for the lack of content over the last 2 months. Here is Wilson for a solid 12 minutes to tide you over. Check out Wilson’s startup, Cardboard Live at https://www.facebook.com/cardboardlive/.

Love,
The BSS

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Episode 037 — Listener’s Delight

Welcome back to The Brainstorm Show! In this episode, we field a wide array of listener questions. We reference our colleagues over at Leaving a Legacy podcast. Check them out at https://www.hipstersofthecoast.com/leaving-a-legacy/

We also make a couple updates to a sweet, non-Miracles, non-Baleful Strix control list we have been pushing for some months now. Find it below:

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

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Cabal Therapy
2 Thoughtseize
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Lightning Bolt
2 Fatal Push
1 Diabolic Edict
2 Kolaghan’s Command
4 Force of Will

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

SB
3 Blood Moon
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Flusterstorm
2 Pyroblast
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Darkblast
1 Forked Bolt
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Ancient Grudge

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Episode 036 — Once in a Blue Moon…

Welcome back to The Brainstorm Show, ladies and gentlemen! We are excited to bring you a new episode covering the state of Legacy, deckbuilding at the Pro Tour, New Miracles, Search for Azcanta, and more! We hope you enjoy.

    Grixis Azcanta by Rugved Karhade

3 Baleful Strix
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 True-Name Nemesis
1 Gurmag Angler

2 Search for Azcanta
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
2 Spell Snare
2 Fatal Push
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Pyroblast
2 Thoughtseize
2 Counterspell
1 Diabolic Edict
2 Night’s Whisper
2 Kolaghan’s Command
4 Force of Will

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

SB
2 Flusterstorm
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Pyroblast
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Diabolic Edict
1 Painful Truths
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Izzet Staticaster
2 Blood Moon

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Brief Brainstorm 010 — Vintage Storm with Wilson Hunter

Wilson takes us through his EE7 Vintage Paradoxical Outcome list. Check it out!

Vintage Paradoxical Outcome
By Wilson Hunter
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
4 Preordain
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Dark Ritual
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
4 Paradoxical Outcome
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Timetwister
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Windfall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Mox Opal
1 Lotus Petal
1 Manavault
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
2 Sensei’s Divining Top
1 Monastery Mentor
4 Force of Will

2 Flooded Strand
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Underground Sea
1 Tundra
1 Volcanic Island
1 Island
1 Ancient Tomb

SB
1 Tinker
1 Blightsteel Colossus
4 Defense Grid
2 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Steel Sabotage
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Containment Priest
1 Yixlid Jailer

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Episode 035 — The Best Laid Plans…

Welcome back to The Brainstorm Show. In this episode, we provide you with a look at Wilson’s EE7 experience, a starting point for Czech Pile, and take a large helping of listener questions. Hidden in this episode is the secret to becoming a better Magic player. Spoiler alert: it’s not much of a secret. We hope you enjoy!

The Brainstorm Show’s “Czech Pile/4C Control” + Sideboard Guide:
4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Baleful Strix
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
1 Kess, Dissident Mage
1 True-name Nemesis

2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

2 Thoughtseize
1 Counterspell
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
1 Lightning Bolt
2 Fatal Push
2 Kolaghan’s Command
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Ponder
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will

4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Verdant Catacombs
3 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
2 Tropical Island
1 Badlands
1 Swamp
1 Island

SB
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Flusterstorm
3 Pyroblast
2 Duress
1 Diabolic Edict
2 Pithing Needle
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Kess, Dissident Mage

Grixis Delver
-4 Force of Will, -1 Counterspell, -2 Thoughtseize
+2 Flusterstorm, +3 Pyroblast, +1 Toxic Deluge, +1 Diabolic Edict

Death & Taxes
-4 Force of Will, -1 Counterspell
+1 Diabolic Edict, +1 Toxic Deluge, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Kess, Dissident Mage

Grixis Control
-2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor, -2 Thoughtseize, -1 Counterspell, -1 Force of Will
+3 Pyroblast, +2 Flusterstorm, +1 Diabolic Edict

Mirror
-4 Force of Will, -2 Thoughtseize
+3 Pyroblast, +2 Flusterstorm, +1 Kess, Dissident Mage

UWx Control
-4 Force of Will, -1 Counterspell, -1 Baleful Strix
+3 Pyroblast, +1 Toxic Deluge, +1 Diabolic Edict, +1 Kess, Dissident Mage

Storm
-3 Baleful Strix, -2 Fatal Push, -1 Lightning Bolt, -1 Umezawa’s Jitte, -2 Abrupt Decay, -1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor, -1 True-name Nemesis
+2 Duress, +3 Surgical Extraction, +3 Pyroblast, +2 Flusterstorm, +1 Kess, Dissident Mage

Dark Depths
+2 Flusterstorm, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Diabolic Edict
-2 Thoughtseize, -1 Umezawa’s Jitte, -1 Toxic Deluge, -1 Fatal Push

Lands
+3 Surgical Extraction, +2 Pithing Needle, +1 Diabolic Edict
-1 Toxic Deluge, -2 Thoughtseize, -1 Lightning Bolt, -1 Umezawa’s Jitte, -1 Fatal Push

4C Loam
-4 Force of Will, -1 Counterspell, -2 Thoughtseize
+2 Pithing Needle, +3 Surgical Extraction, +1 Kess, Dissident Mage, +1 Diabolic Edict

Burn
-2 Thoughtseize, -2 Jace, the Mindsculptor
+2 Duress, +2 Flusterstorm

Elves
-2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor, -1 Baleful Strix
+1 Toxic Deluge, +2 Flusterstorm

BR Reanimator
+3 Surgical Extraction, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 Duress, +1 Diabolic Edict
-2 Jace, the Mindsculptor, -2 Fatal Push, -1 Lightning Bolt, -2 Abrupt Decay, -1 Umezawa’s Jitte

Sneak and Show
+2 Flusterstorm, +3 Pyroblast, +2 Pithing Needle, +2 Duress
-1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor, -2 Fatal Push, -1 Lightning Bolt, -1 Umezawa’s Jitte, -1 True-name Nemesis, -3 Baleful Strix

——————————————————————–

Wilson Hunter’s Vintage Restricted Storm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
4 Preordain
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Dark Ritual
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
4 Paradoxical Outcome
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Timetwister
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Windfall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Mox Opal
1 Lotus Petal
1 Manavault
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
2 Sensei’s Divining Top
1 Monastery Mentor
4 Force of Will

2 Flooded Strand
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Underground Sea
1 Tundra
1 Volcanic Island
1 Island
1 Ancient Tomb

SB
1 Tinker
1 Blightsteel Colossus
4 Defense Grid
2 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Steel Sabotage
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Containment Priest
1 Yixlid Jailer

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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!

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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

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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

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