For the next week, we’ll be covering the vast format that is Legacy. We’ll be covering 10 decks a day to help you get familiar with the variety that Legacy has to offer, significant finishes, a small “How the Decks Work” section, some variations, and finally, some sideboard cards that help combat that particular strategy. If we missed anything, feel free to comment and let us know!
- The April 2012 Legacy Primer Part 1
- The April 2012 Legacy Primer Part 2
- The April 2012 Legacy Primer Part 3
So here we are – the last ten decks, but certainly not the least. These decks pack a huge punch in Legacy, so it would be wise to take note of these decks carefully as well. Tomorrow, see our picks for the decks we’ll see at SCG: Phoenix!
Shot in the Dark
AKA: Tezzeret Control, ThopterSword
Sample Decklist
| Instants (15) 3 Enlightened Tutor 4 Brainstorm 4 Force of Will 4 Swords to Plowshares Enchantments (2) 1 Humility 1 Oblivion Ring Planeswalkers (6) 3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 3 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas Artifacts (18) 2 Chrome Mox 2 Ensnaring Bridge 3 Mox Opal 3 Sword of the Meek 4 Sensei’s Divining Top 4 Thopter Foundry Lands (19) 1 Academy Ruins 1 Ancient Den 1 Ancient Tomb 1 Island 1 Plains 1 Scrubland 1 Underground Sea 1 Vault of Whispers 2 Seat of the Synod 2 Tundra 3 Marsh Flats 4 Flooded Strand | Sideboard (15) 1 Ensnaring Bridge 2 Nihil Spellbomb 1 Pithing Needle 1 Tormod’s Crypt 1 Aegis of Honor 4 Counterbalance 1 Engineered Plague 1 Humility 1 Oblivion Ring 1 Enlightened Tutor 1 Academy Ruins |
Significant Finishes in 2012:
David Gearheart, 3rd of 153: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7707&iddeck=56060
Jeff Mcaleer, 6th of 118: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7634&iddeck=55422
David Gearheart, 26th of 118: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7634&iddeck=55442
How This Deck Works
Shot in the Dark is a control deck utilizing the power of Enlightened Tutor as a tutor for silver bullets against almost any kind of deck; think of it as a Survival of the Fittest for a creature-less deck. Silver bullets include Humility or Ensnaring Bridge against creature decks or SneakShow, Oblivion Ring against problematic permanents, and of course to fetch the final piece of the Thopter Foundry/Sword of the Meek combo.
The planeswalkers are in there obviously for utility or as a win condition; both planeswalkers offer card advantage as well as protection, and can almost kill your opponent (or put yourself in a very advantageous position) with their ultimates.
Variants: There aren’t really; most decks just exchange the Enlightened Tutor targets to other cards such as Grafdigger’s Cage.
Sideboard cards to consider: Null Rod/Stony Silence, Krosan Grip, Scavenging Ooze/Faerie Macabre (against Sword of the Meek), Gaddock Teeg, Energy Flux, Ancient Grudge
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Low
Show and Tell/Sneak Attack
AKA: Sneak Attack, SneakShow, Sneak and Show, Sneaky Show
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (7) 3 Progenitus 4 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn Spells (34) 2 Misdirection 2 Spell Pierce 3 Daze 3 Intuition 4 Brainstorm 4 Force of Will 1 Preordain 4 Ponder 4 Show and Tell 4 Sneak Attack 3 Lotus Petal Lands (19) 1 Mountain 2 City of Traitors 2 Island 3 Ancient Tomb 3 Volcanic Island 4 Polluted Delta 4 Scalding Tarn | Sideboard (15) 3 Grafdigger’s Cage 2 Magus of the Moon 4 Leyline of Sanctity 3 Red Elemental Blast 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Shattering Spree |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Joshua Adams, 4th of 264: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7989&iddeck=58195
Richard Centanni, 7th of 116: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7915&iddeck=57650
Kendall Guthrie, 10th of 94: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7757&iddeck=56449
How this Deck Works
Yet another variation on the Show and Tell archetype, this deck seeks to go big. Yes, even bigger than Reanimator. Unable to reanimate big creatures like Emrakul or Progenitus, this deck chooses to cheat them into play using Show and Tell or Sneak Attack. Using Lotus Petal and a sol land (Ancient Tomb or City of Traitors), opponents can see an Emrakul or Progenitus in play as early as turn one. Intuition fetches key pieces of the combo and of course, Force of Will and Brainstorm show up as well.
Deck Variants: Emrakul is a pretty universal inclusion, as is Progenitus, but there is room for variation. Blightsteel Colossus is a fringe choice, ending the game in one hit if your opponent does not have blockers or removal. Most players, however, stick to the Emrakul and Progenitus combination, as these two cards do a pretty good job of protecting itself and killing the opponents at the same time.
Sideboard cards to Consider: Karakas, Wrath of God, Vendilion Clique, Surgical Extraction (on whatever they Intuition for)
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: High
Stax
AKA: $T4KS
Sample Decklists
| Spells (32) 1 Wrath of God 2 Moat 4 Humility 4 Oblivion Ring 4 Elspeth, Knight-Errant 1 Batterskull 4 Chalice of the Void 4 Crucible of Worlds 4 Mox Diamond 4 Trinisphere Lands (28) 1 Karakas 1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale 2 Maze of Ith 3 City of Traitors 4 Ancient Tomb 4 Horizon Canopy 4 Wasteland 9 Plains | Sideboard (15) 4 Leyline of Sanctity 3 Null Rod 4 Swords to Plowshares 4 Faerie Macabre |
Significant Finishes in 2012:
Igor Campitelli, 5th of 51: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7790&iddeck=56703
How this Deck Works
Known originally as “The Four Thousand Dollar Solution”, aka Staks, it is a traditional “Prison” deck that locks your opponent out of the game with Chalice of the Void, Trinisphere, Wasteland, and Smokestack. With a Smokestack set to one counter (increasing the number of optional), and a way to break symmetry (Elspeth, Knight Errant, Crucible of Worlds, etc), Smokestack can quickly get out of hand. Mox Diamond and the sol lands (City of Traitors and Ancient Tomb) power out these cards fast.
Deck Variants: There are many, many different variants. Dutch Stax, shown above, is a white splash for the deck. Blue and black splashes are possible due to Jace and Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, as win conditions. Finally, a newer white version has been introduced into the format, playing cards like Stoneforge Mystic and Hero of Bladehold as win conditions.
Sideboard cards to Consider: Ancient Grudge, Krosan Grip
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Low
StoneBlade
AKA: Blade Control
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (11) 3 Vendilion Clique 4 Snapcaster Mage 4 Stoneforge Mystic Spells (25) 2 Mana Leak 4 Brainstorm 4 Force of Will 4 Spell Snare 4 Swords to Plowshares 1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant 4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 1 Batterskull 1 Umezawa’s Jitte Lands (24) 1 Karakas 1 Plains 1 Riptide Laboratory 2 Island 3 Mishra’s Factory 4 Flooded Strand 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Tundra 4 Wasteland | Sideboard (15) 2 Relic of Progenitus 3 Meddling Mage 1 Oblivion Ring 1 Disenchant 2 Path to Exile 2 Spell Pierce 2 Surgical Extraction 2 Wrath of God |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Tom Martell, 1st of 1214: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7872&iddeck=57330
Eric Brown, 10th of 264: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7989&iddeck=58201
Adam Yurchick, 8th of 1214: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7872&iddeck=57331
Sam Roukas, 14th of 264: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7989&iddeck=58205
Tuan Phan, 14th of 116: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7915&iddeck=57657
How this Deck Works
Yet another overpowered Standard deck becomes a Legacy deck. The combination of Stoneforge Mystic, equipment, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor is pretty darn good apparently. Combine these former Standard staples with Legacy staples like Force of Will and Brainstorm, and you have a real winner. The new Esper Stoneblade list, designed by Marijin Lybaert and proven by Tom Martell, incorporates Lingering Souls into the list. The new set of Squadron Hawks makes the deck much more aggressive and helps beat opposing Jaces.
Deck Variants: The Esper Stoneblade deck is the new kid on the block, but don’t count out other color combinations. Red offers Pyroblast/Red Elemental Blast – arguably the strongest sideboard card in Legacy of all time – and Grim Lavamancer. Green morphs the deck into Bant Stoneblade, but you get a powerful tool as well, Knight of the Reliquary.
Sideboard cards to Consider: Krosan Grip, Red Elemental Blast, Sulfur Elemental
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Very High
Team America
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (11) 3 Tombstalker 4 Delver of Secrets 4 Tarmogoyf Spells (29) 1 Beast Within 1 Darkblast 1 Dismember 1 Snuff Out 4 Brainstorm 4 Daze 4 Force of Will 4 Stifle 2 Ponder 4 Thoughtseize 1 Sylvan Library 2 Liliana of the Veil Lands (20) 1 Bayou 2 Tropical Island 2 Verdant Catacombs 3 Misty Rainforest 4 Polluted Delta 4 Underground Sea 4 Wasteland | Sideboard (15) 1 Grafdigger’s Cage 2 Pernicious Deed 1 Submerge 2 Extirpate 1 Beast Within 1 Ghastly Demise 1 Surgical Extraction 4 Spell Pierce 2 Massacre |
Significant Finishes in 2012
David Grangle, 5th of 49: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7833&iddeck=57029
Javier Arevalo, 4th of 143: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7992&iddeck=58235
How this Deck Works
Team America is a fast, disruptive deck that operates similarly to Tempo Threshold. Before Innistrad, the only two creatures were Tombstalker and Tarmogoyf, but Delver of Secrets has (expectedly) shaken things up a bit. The Stifle/Wasteland/Daze sees play in here, and of course the usual suspects of Brainstorm and Force of Will appear in this blue deck.
Deck Variants: Recently, Team America builds haven’t settled on a set configuration yet (as seen in the variation between the two listed above), but both pack the same punch. Dark Confidant sees play – some even gamble with Tombstalker in the deck as well!
Sideboard cards to consider: Blood Moon, Back to Basics, Submerge
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Moderate
Tempo Threshold
AKA: RUG Delver, RUG Tempo, Canadian Threshold
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (12) 4 Delver of Secrets 4 Nimble Mongoose 4 Tarmogoyf Spells (29) 2 Thought Scour 3 Daze 3 Force of Will 3 Spell Snare 4 Brainstorm 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Spell Pierce 2 Chain Lightning 4 Ponder Lands (19) 3 Volcanic Island 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Scalding Tarn 4 Tropical Island 4 Wasteland | Sideboard (15) 2 Scavenging Ooze 3 Sulfur Elemental 2 Sulfuric Vortex 1 Ancient Grudge 2 Pyroblast 4 Submerge 1 Life from the Loam |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Drew Levin, 6th of 143: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7992&iddeck=58237
Caleb Durward, 7th of 143: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7992&iddeck=58238
Kenny Castor, 2nd of 1214: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7872&iddeck=57326
Simon Sung, 2nd of 174: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7865&iddeck=57258
Jason Abong, 8th of 180: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7511&iddeck=54540
How this Deck Works
One of the pillars of the Legacy metagame currently (the other two are Maverick and Stoneblade), Tempo Threshold uses cheap, undercosted creatures like Delver of Secrets, Tarmogoyf, and Nimble Mongoose to take over the game. The pilot uses cards like Stifle, Wasteland, Daze, and Force of Will to out-tempo their opponents. It is not uncommon for a Tempo Threshold player to cast a turn one Delver of Secrets, flip it on turn 2, and deal 21 damage with it, all while stopping their opponents cold with counterspells. Wasteland supplement the Daze plan, as does Stifle. Nimble Mongoose is a card that gives control decks headaches while Tarmogoyf is well, Tarmogoyf.
Recently, Counterbalance has appeared in sideboards to help beat Stoneblade, and other matchups
Deck Variants: The Nimble Mongoose version has resurged in popularity while the Snapcaster Mage version has fallen to the wayside. Counterbalance may appear maindeck as well. Also, Stifle is waning in and out of favor, but it looks like it will continue to be a staple in Tempo Threshold decks.
Sideboard cards to consider: Surgical Extraction (Wasteland + Surgical can completely cut off a color for some Tempo Threshold decks), Submerge, Red Elemental Blast, Perish
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Very High
The Epic Storm (T.E.S)
Sample Decklist
Significant Finishes in 2012
Joep Verhoeven, 5th of 105: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7787&iddeck=56683
Robin Meeker-Cummings, 5th of 234: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7572&iddeck=55013
How this Deck Works
A variant of Ad Nauseam, TES uses the rainbow lands to have access to a greater variety of cards and consequently, a greater variety of threats. Orim’s Chant is a better Duress – Who cares if they have a Daze if they can’t cast it? Orim’s Chant also gives you the edge in the storm matchup. Burning Wish is another threat TES adds to its repertoire – It can act as a win condition (fetching Tendrils of Agony or Empty the Warrens), as an engine (fetching Diminishing Returns, Ill-Gotten Gains, or Past in Flames), or as a line of defense (fetching Thoughtseize, Silent Departure, or Shattering Spree for example).
Sideboard cards to Consider: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Mindbreak Trap, Ethersworn Canonist, Leyline of Sanctity
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Low
UR Delver
AKA: UR Burn, Delver Burn
Sample Decklist:
| Creatures (15) 3 Grim Lavamancer 4 Delver of Secrets 4 Goblin Guide 4 Snapcaster Mage Instants (18) 2 Daze 2 Price of Progress 3 Force of Will 3 Spell Pierce 4 Brainstorm 4 Lightning Bolt Sorceries (7) 3 Ponder 4 Chain Lightning Lands (20) 2 Island 2 Mountain 4 Arid Mesa 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Scalding Tarn 4 Volcanic Island | Sideboard (15) 3 Pyrostatic Pillar 1 Force of Will 1 Price of Progress 2 Pyroblast 2 Smash to Smithereens 2 Submerge 4 Surgical Extraction |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Andrew Schneider, 1st of 153: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7707&iddeck=56058
Sergey Putilov, 6th of 113: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7741&iddeck=56331
Francesc Blanco, 15th of 113: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7519&iddeck=55370
How This Deck Works
Delver of Secrets is an aggressive card that gets better the more instants or sorceries you play. Burn decks can be almost entirely instants or sorceries. Why not combine them? This fast U/R deck plays out almost identically to a burn deck, but with one main difference: the power of blue. Blue opens you up to Brainstorm and Ponder, filtering out those pesky, useless land late game in exchange for burn. In addition you also get access to Force of Will and Daze to stop your opponent from developing their board.
Deck Variants: Some versions of UR Delver don’t run counterspells main deck in the belief that it hinders their own game plan, and the fact that many opponents assume they are running counterspells anyway is a good enough bluff for them.
Sideboard Cards to Consider: Circle of Protection: Red, Chill, Leyline of Sanctity, Umezawa’s Jitte, Batterskull
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Very High
Zoo
Sample decklist:
| Creatures (23) 3 Grim Lavamancer 4 Goblin Guide 4 Kird Ape 4 Loam Lion 4 Tarmogoyf 4 Wild Nacatl Instants (12) 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Lightning Helix 4 Path to Exile Sorceries (4) 4 Chain Lightning Enchantments (1) 1 Sylvan Library Lands (20) 1 Forest 1 Mountain 1 Plains 1 Savannah 2 Plateau 2 Taiga 4 Arid Mesa 4 Windswept Heath 4 Wooded Foothills | Sideboard: (15) 3 Leyline of Sanctity 3 Ancient Grudge 3 Pyroblast 3 Surgical Extraction 1 Umezawa’s Jitte 2 Gaddock Teeg |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Andrew Siebert, 8th of 141: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7807&iddeck=56830
Mary Jacobson, 21st of 118: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7634&iddeck=55437
Albert Cuartiella, 4th of 119: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7519&iddeck=54604
How This Deck Works
Zoo is an aggro deck consisting of the most aggressive colors in Magic: green and red for efficient creatures as well as burn, and white for removal. Wild Nacatl, Tarmogoyf, and Lightning Bolt are some of the most aggressively costed cards in Legacy and Zoo seeks to burn away its opponent’s creatures and swing in for the kill. Zoo is infamous for punishing its opponent’s misplays by capitalizing on the big creatures it has as well as burn and attacking for large amounts of damage.
Deck Variants: Zoo has many different variants. The sample decklist here is better known as a Small Zoo or Fast Zoo, as noted by its Goblin Guide. This plays out more like a burn deck which is more aggressive early game but can have weaker draws late game. A normal Zoo deck is characterized by no Goblin Guides and generally runs Qasali Pridemage and one or two Knight of the Reliquary, sacrificing explosiveness for consistency. Another variation is known as Big Zoo, which runs more Knight of the Reliquariess and is mainly characterized by its use of Noble Hierarch as well as Elspeth, playing a more midrange role than the other two Zoo decks.
Sideboard cards to consider: Umezawa’s Jitte, Perish, Firespout
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Moderate
http://www.azmagicplayers.com/news/the-april-2012-legacy-primer-part-3/