([Note on the Rats and Recruits:] I needed cards to add and figured they would go in if other cards in deck were useless, they never went in)
Only time I sideboarded was vs Ire, when 3x martyr of ashes went out for 3x cremate and 4x last gasp went out for 4x shred memory.
I went 2-2 in matches. 4-4 in games. The deck performed wonderfully in rounds 1 and 2, but then in round 3 it just kinda rolled over and died, and the mulliganing problems started. They followed me into the Top 4. I definitely will continue testing/playing with this deck, it has great potential.
Great potential indeed. I'm wondering what Time Spiral brings us that can help this deck.
Let me throw out some ideas:
Black: Corpulent Corpse 3/3 fear zombie with suspend 5 for B Mana Skimmer 2/2 flier with mana-hosing ability for 3B
I guess the main thing I wonder about is how to make it play more like a Ponza deck in two colors, if that's even what I want. I don't know yet, but in my pre-TS testing I hadn't hit upon the right formula yet.
I think Rakdos Ponza gains a lot from the rotation without losing any key cards. It will be a definite contender in the upcoming months. Here is a look at some of the possible additions from Time Spiral:
Mana Skimmer - The effect seems tailored for this deck, and the mana cost isn't too steep for a 2/2 with evasion. While definitely not as good as the bat that rules Standard, Mana Skimmer could be Ponza's equivalent to Blind Hunter.
Keldon Halberdier - The one-drop suspend creatures in both red and black fit into Recover Ponza nicely, because they fit right in its curve. Usually, this deck spends turns 3-6 nuking lands, not dropping creatures. With suspend, it can do both. I think Keldon Halberdier may have a slight edge over its black counterpart due to its synergy with Martyr of Ashes.
Corpulent Corpse - The evasion is nice, but Fear is not very powerful in Standard at the moment (the three top tier decks that survive the rotation all run black). Depending on the metagame, however, it could find a place. As I already said, I would probably choose the Halberdier over it at this time.
Plunder - While not being good enough, in my opinion, to replace any of the three current land destruction slots, it might make a decent addition to a deck heavy on such cards. Suspending one on turn two, and following up with 2 or 3 land destruction spells before the Plunder resolves on turn six, could be game changing.
Rift Bolt - The mana cost is right, but the deck is limited on slots for removal. However, a few of these aimed at the opponent's head could end the game before they have a chance to recover. I think it's a definite possibility.
Here is what I will be testing, in Paper Pauper, until TS is released on MTGO:
13 Mountain
7 Swamp
2 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Golgari Rot Farm
//4 artifacts//
2 Rakdos Signet
2 Golgari Signet
//19 spells//
4 Last Gasp
4 Wrecking Ball
3 Grim Harvest
4 Stone Rain
4 Icefall
4 Wild Cantor
3 Martyr of Ashes
2 Sparkmage Apprentice
2 Stinkweed Imp
3 Shambling Shell
4 Cremate
4 Shred Memory
4 Gobhobbler Rats
3 Boros Recruit
Great potential indeed. I'm wondering what Time Spiral brings us that can help this deck.
Let me throw out some ideas:
Black:
Corpulent Corpse 3/3 fear zombie with suspend 5 for B
Mana Skimmer 2/2 flier with mana-hosing ability for 3B
Red:
Flamecore Elemental 5/4 for 2RR w/ echo
Ironclaw Buzzardiers 2/2 can't block, R to give flying till EOT
Plunder suspend LD
I guess the main thing I wonder about is how to make it play more like a Ponza deck in two colors, if that's even what I want. I don't know yet, but in my pre-TS testing I hadn't hit upon the right formula yet.
Mana Skimmer - The effect seems tailored for this deck, and the mana cost isn't too steep for a 2/2 with evasion. While definitely not as good as the bat that rules Standard, Mana Skimmer could be Ponza's equivalent to Blind Hunter.
Keldon Halberdier - The one-drop suspend creatures in both red and black fit into Recover Ponza nicely, because they fit right in its curve. Usually, this deck spends turns 3-6 nuking lands, not dropping creatures. With suspend, it can do both. I think Keldon Halberdier may have a slight edge over its black counterpart due to its synergy with Martyr of Ashes.
Corpulent Corpse - The evasion is nice, but Fear is not very powerful in Standard at the moment (the three top tier decks that survive the rotation all run black). Depending on the metagame, however, it could find a place. As I already said, I would probably choose the Halberdier over it at this time.
Plunder - While not being good enough, in my opinion, to replace any of the three current land destruction slots, it might make a decent addition to a deck heavy on such cards. Suspending one on turn two, and following up with 2 or 3 land destruction spells before the Plunder resolves on turn six, could be game changing.
Rift Bolt - The mana cost is right, but the deck is limited on slots for removal. However, a few of these aimed at the opponent's head could end the game before they have a chance to recover. I think it's a definite possibility.
Here is what I will be testing, in Paper Pauper, until TS is released on MTGO:
10x Mountain
2x Rakdos Carnarium
9x Swamp
// Creatures
4x Wild Cantor
2x Mana Skimmer
2x Gobhobbler Rats
4x Martyr of Ashes
2x Gravedigger
2x Keldon Halberdier
2x Gutless Ghoul
4x Stone Rain
3x Icefall
2x Grim Harvest
4x Wrecking Ball
2x Plunder
4x Rakdos Signet
Prison Yard (Pauper Future Extended)
4 ravenous rats
4 rakdos guildmage
4 mana skimmer
2 ???
4 stone rain
4 cryoclasm
4 smallpox
4 wrecking ball
4 volcanic hammer
22 lands ( including duals pains and other stuff )
thanks Spiral
Magic Coffee House Visit us sometime..
EXTENDO!?
2nd Adopted Child of Sneakyhomunculus
I could have sworn this was in the casual forums, anywya posted edited to fit the format.
thanks Spiral
Magic Coffee House Visit us sometime..
EXTENDO!?
2nd Adopted Child of Sneakyhomunculus