Sorcery/Instants 3 Invoke the Firemind - extra protection/damage 4 Electrolyze - Quite obvious 4 Quicken - Give 'mizzet a quick advantage in battle or cheap draw 4 Remand - Save my butt early or later 2 Train of Thought - Same as Invoke the Firemind 4 Repeal - clear opponents field or remove bad Auras from my side 3 Shock - Quick damage to finish off
I need some professional assistance on helping my balancing techniques, and some side board things. I had an idea of having: 1 invoke the firemind and at least 2 Shadow of doubt. All crit. is needed and appreciated. Thanks.
Sorcery/Instants 3 Invoke the Firemind - extra protection/damage 4 Electrolyze - Quite obvious 4 Quicken - Give 'mizzet a quick advantage in battle or cheap draw 4 Remand - Save my butt early or later 2 Train of Thought - Same as Invoke the Firemind 4 Repeal - clear opponents field or remove bad Auras from my side 3 Shock - Quick damage to finish off
I need some professional assistance on helping my balancing techniques, and some side board things. I had an idea of having: 1 invoke the firemind and at least 2 Shadow of doubt. All crit. is needed and appreciated. Thanks.
I think that you should add Tidings. It draws you four and with Niv Mizzet in play that's Four Damage. Also, Goblin Flectomancer is very bad and should be changed. Counters do the same thing, and are better. Here's a fixed up decklist:
Actually, I think goblin flectomancer is a very underrated card. It's dissimilar to counterspells because it is more proactive so you dont have to hold back mana. I do think tidings should be added, and jushi apprentice would be good as well. Rat is right on the accounts of adding burn and counters, but since your deck is so reliant on Niv-mizzet, the flectomancer is a good way to keep him safe, in addition to the counters.
Quick question about some of the cards together:
1) Quicken to me seems to be a VERY useful card for a cheap cost against a bit of aggro with the other quick instants to abuse the gelectrodes (along with the Train o' thought for some final burn if they waist their mana or creatures during combat to prevent damage). Unfortunately, gelectrode was created as 0/1. Very depressing knowing one common in Kamigawa and Pyroclasm remove them all. Thankfully there are also counters for that. I'm a Johnny player and I dislike using some things that most people NEED to play. I see tidings, but wouldn't I be better off with the cheaper spells for the faster burn?
I'm not meaning to be stuborn, I am newer, so I just want to understand clearly how things will effect my gameplay better than others.
4UUUU for four cards (Train of Thought) is always inferior to 3UU for the same thing (Tidings). Train of Thought does give you early-game drawing, but it's not worth beans late game. If you need some early draw, use Telling Time or Compulsive Research, both of which are better. (Of course, Train of Thought would be better if it weren't a sorcery.)
If he's entirely a protective measure, Goblin Flectomancer is far better than any counterspell. The negative side is that you can't use it to counter Wrath-esque cards, and you leave yourself wide open to an influx of artifacts/enchantments (assuming you can use it to kill your opponent's creatures). I think he's worth something in your deck.
Shock is cute with Gelectrode, but it just doesn't cut it in today's fattie-filled environment. Char + Gelectrode, however, is quite nice.
Quicken is great fun with Niv-Mizzet but actually quite useless when you only have 5-6 sorceries to use it with. I'd cut them entirely, adding Hinder and upping some other cards to four.
For your sideboard, I suggest adding Pyroclasm and possibly another counter, such as Quash.
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"I am so stupid that I cannot understand philosophy; the antithesis of this is that philosophy is so clever that it cannot comprehend my stupidity. These antitheses are mediated in a higher unity; in our common stupidity."
~ Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
Ok, I see. Thanks for the info. I understand and will comply.
Also, if you're going to abuse the Gelectrodes, why not add some Wee Dragonauts? They will be attacking for 3-5 each turn and have flying. You may want to change them with the Goblin Flectomancer, I just don't see the use. So there's basically two ways you can go with this deck. One is burn, the other is Attacking and Countering and Drawing cards. Your's is a mix of both. Here's a list of a top 16 Pro Tour Honolulu deck with the same theory:
The U/R control decklist is very powerful, but probably something better played by a counter-loving Spike (like me) than anyone else. Your deck seems to be stuck between two main ideas. Part of it wants to play like U/R control, the other half wants to be a U/R Izzet aggro deck, with Gelectrode and Wee Dragonauts, burn, and tempo cards You'd probably find the latter more interesting to play, as a Johnny, since he deck can do some pretty wacky things. I'll see if I can whip up a decklist for you to try.
EDIT: Here we go, one decklist, fresh out of the MWS oven
Try the deck a couple of times and see how you like it. Sleight of Hand and Remand let you cheat on land a little, which lets you pack a bunch of burn. All your spells can be copied by the Guildmage, and both Gelectrode and Wee Dragonauts love the mass of cheap cards. Your sideboard lets you flip into the famous Izzet Guildmage + Lava Spike + Desperate Ritual combo. Anyway, give it a shot, see how you like it. It's a bit different from your original idea, but it should be fun to play, if not super-competitive.
4 Steam Vents - Quite obvious fot T2
4 Shivan Reef - " "
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep - To save 'Mizzet in battle w/ Train of thought or invoke the firemind or even shock
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge - extra draw
2 Izzet Boilerworks
6 Island
4 Mountain
4 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind - One of a few basic building blocks
4 Goblin Flectomancer - Protect 'Mizzet from new harmful places (Mortify, Putrefy, ETC.)
4 Gelectrode - Field control
Sorcery/Instants
3 Invoke the Firemind - extra protection/damage
4 Electrolyze - Quite obvious
4 Quicken - Give 'mizzet a quick advantage in battle or cheap draw
4 Remand - Save my butt early or later
2 Train of Thought - Same as Invoke the Firemind
4 Repeal - clear opponents field or remove bad Auras from my side
3 Shock - Quick damage to finish off
I need some professional assistance on helping my balancing techniques, and some side board things. I had an idea of having: 1 invoke the firemind and at least 2 Shadow of doubt. All crit. is needed and appreciated. Thanks.
I play entire T2 stuff:symr: , oh Werd,
I think that you should add Tidings. It draws you four and with Niv Mizzet in play that's Four Damage. Also, Goblin Flectomancer is very bad and should be changed. Counters do the same thing, and are better. Here's a fixed up decklist:
6x Island
4x Mountain
4x Steam Vents
4x Shivan Reef
4x Izzet Boilerworks
1x Shinka
1x Minamo
4x Niv Mizzet, the Firemind
2x Keiga, the Tide Star
Spells:
4x Mana Leak
4x Remand
4x Electrolyze
4x Hinder
4x Repeal
4x Char
3x Tidings
3x Invoke the Firemind
Just for learning experience, please explain how your design is more balanced for competitive play, for my future reference.
I play entire T2 stuff:symr: , oh Werd,
Quick question about some of the cards together:
1) Quicken to me seems to be a VERY useful card for a cheap cost against a bit of aggro with the other quick instants to abuse the gelectrodes (along with the Train o' thought for some final burn if they waist their mana or creatures during combat to prevent damage). Unfortunately, gelectrode was created as 0/1. Very depressing knowing one common in Kamigawa and Pyroclasm remove them all. Thankfully there are also counters for that. I'm a Johnny player and I dislike using some things that most people NEED to play. I see tidings, but wouldn't I be better off with the cheaper spells for the faster burn?
I'm not meaning to be stuborn, I am newer, so I just want to understand clearly how things will effect my gameplay better than others.
I play entire T2 stuff:symr: , oh Werd,
4UUUU for four cards (Train of Thought) is always inferior to 3UU for the same thing (Tidings). Train of Thought does give you early-game drawing, but it's not worth beans late game. If you need some early draw, use Telling Time or Compulsive Research, both of which are better. (Of course, Train of Thought would be better if it weren't a sorcery.)
If he's entirely a protective measure, Goblin Flectomancer is far better than any counterspell. The negative side is that you can't use it to counter Wrath-esque cards, and you leave yourself wide open to an influx of artifacts/enchantments (assuming you can use it to kill your opponent's creatures). I think he's worth something in your deck.
Shock is cute with Gelectrode, but it just doesn't cut it in today's fattie-filled environment. Char + Gelectrode, however, is quite nice.
Quicken is great fun with Niv-Mizzet but actually quite useless when you only have 5-6 sorceries to use it with. I'd cut them entirely, adding Hinder and upping some other cards to four.
That gets us:
4 Niv-Mizzet
4 Goblin Flectomancer
4 Gelectrode
Spells (26):
4 Char
4 Remand
4 Electrolyze
4 Repeal
4 Hinder
3 Invoke the Firemind
3 Tidings
4 Shivan Reef
4 Steam Vents
5 Island
4 Mountain
2 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Shinka
1 Minamo
1 Oboro
For your sideboard, I suggest adding Pyroclasm and possibly another counter, such as Quash.
~ Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
I play entire T2 stuff:symr: , oh Werd,
Also, if you're going to abuse the Gelectrodes, why not add some Wee Dragonauts? They will be attacking for 3-5 each turn and have flying. You may want to change them with the Goblin Flectomancer, I just don't see the use. So there's basically two ways you can go with this deck. One is burn, the other is Attacking and Countering and Drawing cards. Your's is a mix of both. Here's a list of a top 16 Pro Tour Honolulu deck with the same theory:
4 Steam Vents
4 Shivan Reef
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
10 Island
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
3 Mountain
CREATURES (4)
2 Keiga, the Tide Star
2 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
3 Boomerang
4 Repeal
3 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Electrolyze
4 Tidings
2 Confiscate
4 Hinder
4 Rewind
4 Pyroclasm
4 Giant Solifuge
1 Blood Moon
1 Pithing Needle
2 Threads of Disloyalty
3 Shattering Spree
EDIT: Here we go, one decklist, fresh out of the MWS oven
4 Shivan Reef
7 Mountain
6 Island
4 Izzet Guildmage
4 Gelectrode
4 Wee Dragonauts
4 Giant Solifuge
4 Shock
4 Lava Spike
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Remand
3 Mana Leak
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Seething Song
4 Electrolyze
2 Goblin Flectomancer
1 Mana Leak
Try the deck a couple of times and see how you like it. Sleight of Hand and Remand let you cheat on land a little, which lets you pack a bunch of burn. All your spells can be copied by the Guildmage, and both Gelectrode and Wee Dragonauts love the mass of cheap cards. Your sideboard lets you flip into the famous Izzet Guildmage + Lava Spike + Desperate Ritual combo. Anyway, give it a shot, see how you like it. It's a bit different from your original idea, but it should be fun to play, if not super-competitive.