The New Face of Combo

by Bill Stark | posted at 2010-08-01 01:48:00
tagged: MTG, Magic, Magic the Gathering, Legacy, Grand Prix, GP, Columbus, Grand Prix Columbus, Combo

In the buildup to Grand Prix-Columbus, the sole Legacy Grand Prix outside of Europe in 2010, Wizards of the Coast announced they would be banning Mystical Tutor. The card was a popular find-all in two combo style decks, Reanimator and Ad Nauseam Tendrils (ANT). With the banning of Mystical Tutor it was believed the Legacy format would be more open with aggressive creature decks being able to find their own space for success in the format. If early results are any indication at the actual Grand Prix in Columbus, that simply isn't the case. Here are just some of the many combo decks that have come out of the event:

 

Reanimator

 

Kyle Kloster

1  Bloodstained Mire

4  Island

4  Polluted Delta

4  Swamp

4  Underground Sea

 

1  Blazing Archon

2  Empyrial Archangel

1  Inkwell Leviathan

2  Iona, Shield of Emeria

4  Putrid Imp

2  Sphinx of the Steel Wind

 

3  Animate Dead

4  Brainstorm

4  Careful Study

4  Daze

4  Entomb

4  Exhume

4  Force of Will

4  Reanimate

 

Sideboard:

4  Back to Basics

1  Iona, Shield of Emeria

4  Leyline of the Void

4  Pithing Needle

2  Show and Tell

 

While not a true combo deck in the most traditional sense of the word, Reanimator functions much like a combo deck trying to put together two pieces quickly in order to win later with a giant fatty. Formerly the deck relied on Mystical Tutor to help find those pieces (Entomb and Reanimate), but even after the banning the deck has survived. This version by Kyle Kloster managed to win a last chance Grand Prix Trial.

 

Doomsday

Joe Lossett

1  Badlands

1  Bayou

1  Bloodstained Mire

2  Island

2  Misty Rainforest

4  Polluted Delta

1  Shelldock Isle

1  Swamp

1  Tropical Island

2  Underground Sea

1  Volcanic Island

 

1  Cloud of Faeries

1  Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

 

4  Brainstorm

3  Burning Wish

2  Cabal Ritual

4  Dark Ritual

3  Doomsday

4  Duress

1  Ill-Gotten Gains

2  Infernal Tutor

4  Lion's Eye Diamond

4  Lotus Petal

1  Meditate

2  Ponder

4  Sensei's Divining Top

1  Tendrils of Agony

2  Thoughtseize

 

Sideboard:

3  Carpet of Flowers

1  Deathmark

1  Doomsday

1  Empty the Warrens

1  Ill-Gotten Gains

1  Infernal Tutor

1  Pyroclasm

1  Slaughter Pact

1  Tendrils of Agony

1  Thoughtseize

3  Xantid Swarm

 

Previously abused in Vintage, Doomsday combo is not new to the scene of competitive combo decks. Joe Lossett's version appears to be taking up the spot in the metagame formerly occupied by ANT. With enough Rituals, he still has a Tendrils of Agony maindeck allowing him to combo out in the traditional Ant fashion. When not doing that, however, Doomsday allows him to set up a library that includes Shelldock Isle and Emrakul, stacked in the order of his choosing, and allowing him to win on the spot by flopping the 15/15 onto the battlefield, taking an extra turn, and demolishing any hope the opponent had of winning.

 

Hive Mind

John Kubilis

4  Ancient Tomb

4  Island

2  Misty Rainforest

4  Polluted Delta

1  Scalding Tarn

1  Swamp

2  Underground Sea

 

4  Brainstorm

2  Duress

4  Hive Mind

1  Intuition

4  Lim-Dûl's Vault

4  Lotus Petal

4  Pact of Negation

4  Pact of the Titan

4  Ponder

3  Sensei's Divining Top

4  Show and Tell

4  Thoughtseize

 

Sideboard:

2  Duress

4  Extirpate

4  Ghastly Demise

2  Innocent Blood

1  Intuition

1  Tormod's Crypt

1  Wipe Away

 

A blast from Extended's (recent) past, John Kubilis has ported the Hive Mind deck from that format to Legacy. The combo is simple: ritual into Hive Mind, then cast a Pact. Your opponent gets a copy and, because they take the next turn, has to pay for the Pact or lose immediately. Their only hope is to have the mana to pay (but there's nothing stopping you from casting a SECOND Pact, of course), or to try to counter. Don't forget, however, that each counter they cast after Hive Mind resolves also gets cast by you, and can be used to counter right back!

 

Dream Halls

Jon Parker 

4  Ancient Tomb

2  City of Traitors

9  Island

 

1  Magister Sphinx

4  Progenitus

3  Simian Spirit Guide

3  Conflux

4  Cruel Ultimatum

4  Dream Halls

4  Force of Will

3  Impulse

3  Intuition

4  Lotus Petal

4  Ponder

4  Preordain

4  Show and Tell

 

Sideboard:

4  Chalice of the Void

3  Faerie Macabre

1  Impulse

1  Intuition

3  Pact of Negation

3  Wipe Away

 

A card made famous by Zvi Mowshowitz, Dream Halls allows you to cheat cards in your hand into play by turning all of your cards into pitch spells like Force of Will. The new version of the deck for Legacy cheats the expensive enchantment onto the battlefield with Show and Tell. From there you can cast a host of powerful spells using any card in your deck to pay their casting costs. Cruel Ultimatum lets you take out the opponent while drawing into more gas. Magister Sphinx will cut the total damage you need to do to the opponent in half. Conflux serves as a mega tutor letting you find five cards including more copies of Conflux!

 

Aluren

Ben Swartz

2  Bayou

1  Forest

4  Havenwood Battleground

1  Island

4  Misty Rainforest

1  Swamp

1  Taiga

3  Tropical Island

1  Underground Sea

4  Verdant Catacombs

1  Volrath's Stronghold

 

4  Birds of Paradise

1  Cavern Harpy

4  Coiling Oracle

2  Dream Stalker

1  Eternal Witness

4  Imperial Recruiter

1  Man-o'-War

1  Parasitic Strix

 

4  Aluren

4  Brainstorm

4  Cabal Therapy

4  Force of Will

3  Intuition

 

Sideboard:

1  Bone Shredder

1  Dryad Arbor

3  Duress

3  Krosan Grip

4  Natural Order

1  Progenitus

1  Stern Proctor

1  Yixlid Jailer

 

We've written previously about the power of Aluren in Legacy and projected based on demand for Imperial Recruiters that it was going  to be a big player this weekend. Pro Tour-San Juan Top 8'er Noah Swartz picked up 3 byes for himself using the deck. By casting Aluren he creates an infinite loop with Cavern Harpy that ultimately allows him to kill his opponent with Parasitic Strix. It's a deck that has existed almost since the enchantment first saw play but with the loss of Mystical Tutor it is enjoying a renaissance and a new chance to shine.

 

For more on these decklists, view this article from Wizards of the Coast's coverage of the Grand Prix. You can find full coverage of the event here.

 

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