Forcing the Will: Deadguy Ale

Welcome all my fellow readers to yet another edition of Forcing the Will. Due to time constraints I won’t be providing an entire article, but in its stead, I’ll be covering just the Legacy metagame as well as providing videos on the deck known as Deadguy Ale. So let’s get right into it with the Legacy metagame.

Legacy Metagame

9/14/2010 (Event #1580036)

  • (4-1) ANT
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Show and Tell/Hypergenesis
  • (3-1) Countertop/Thopter
  • (3-1) Zoo
  • (3-1) Zoo
  • (3-1) Zoo

9/16/2010 (Event #1603970)

  • (4-0) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) Survival Rock (Red Splash)
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Enchantress
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Zoo
  • (3-1) Stax WG
  • (3-1) Merfolk

9/16/2010 (Event #1603986)

  • (4-0) Dredge
  • (3-1) Rbg goblins
  • (3-1) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1 Enchantress
  • (3-1) New Horizon

9/17/2010 (Event #1603993)

  • (4-0) Countertop
  • (3-1) Zoo
  • (3-1) Merfolk
  • (3-1) Zoo
  • (3-1) Dredge
  • (3-1) Zoo

9/18/2010 (Event #1604017)

  • (4-0) Landstill
  • (4-0) Countertop
  • (3-1) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) Rbg Goblins
  • (3-1) Dredge

9/19/2010 (Event #1604035)

  • (4-0) Zoo
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Countertop
  • (3-1) Rb Goblins
  • (3-1) Dredge
  • (3-1) Landstill

9/20/2010 (Event #1604045)

  • (4-0) Show and Tell/Hypergenesis
  • (4-0) Zoo
  • (3-1) Ad Nauseam Tendrils (ANT)
  • (3-1) Zoo
  • (3-1) Countertop/Thopter
  • (3-1) Dredge
  • (3-1) Merfolk
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Dredge
  • (3-1) Aggro Loam
  • (3-1) New Horizon

9/21/2010 (Event #1604080)

  • (4-0) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) Aggro Loam
  • (3-1) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) Aggro Loam
  • (3-1) New Horizon
  • (3-1) Mono Green Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) Dredge

9/23/2010 (Event #1624137)

  • (4-0) Zoo
  • (3-1) Dredge
  • (3-1) Rbg Goblins
  • (3-1) Countertop
  • (3-1) Mono Green Survival Madness

9/24/2010 (Event #1624161)

  • (4-0) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Ub Merfolk
  • (3-1) Countertop
  • (3-1) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) Aggro Loam

9/25/2010 (Event #1624174)

  • (4-0) Vengevine Survival
  • (3-1) 4C Thresh
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Aggro Loam
  • (3-1) Dredge

9/25/2010 (Event #1624196)

  • (4-0) Countertop/Thopter
  • (3-1) Rb Goblins
  • (3-1) Rbg Goblins
  • (3-1) Belcher (0 Lands)
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Aluren

9/26/2010 (Event #1624198)

  • (4-0) Countertop/Thopter
  • (3-1) Natural Order Bant
  • (3-1) Merfolk
  • (3-1) Rbg Goblins
  • (3-1) Dredge

9/27/2010 (Event #1624225)

  • (4-0) Zoo
  • (3-1) Death and Taxes (DnT)
  • (3-1) Dredge
  • (3-1) Merfolk
  • (3-1) Countertop/Thopter
  • (3-1) Show and Tell/Hypergenesis

Top Legacy Decks Breakdown »

DECK

WINS

PERCENTAGE OF WINS

1. Zoo

12

13.79%

2. Dredge

11

12.64%

3. Death and Taxes (DnT)

9

10.34%

4. Vengevine Survival

9

10.34%

5. Goblins

7

8.05%

6.Merfolk

6

6.90%

7. Aggro Loam

5

5.75%

8. Countertop

5

5.75%

9. Countertop/Thopter

5

5.75%

10. New Horizon

3

3.45%

11. Show and Tell

3

3.45%

12. Ad Nauseam Tendrils (ANT)

2

2.30%

13. Enchantress

2

2.30%

14. Landstill

2

2.30%

15. Aluren

1

1.15%

16. Belcher

1

1.15%

17. Natural Order

1

1.15%

18. Stax

1

1.15%

19. Survival

1

1.15%

20. Thresh

1

1.15%

TOTAL:

87


I hope all my readers are seeing how the decks fluctuate from week to week, and that in this Legacy format there isn’t just one deck that rules the format from week to week. To be successful in this format, it’s important to know the metagame as well as how all the various decks function. I would suggest picking one deck you have been doing well with or enjoy playing and practice, practice, practice with that deck! Even if another deck has favored matchup against a particular deck, a player who has mastered their deck can still hand it to the favorite without much of a problem. Based on this metagame chart, I would expect to be seeing aggro decks in the upcoming Legacy events. Having 8 out of the 10 top decks running some type of aggro game plan is a clear indication that you need to prepare for that type of a metagame, but I would also advise you to take a look at some of the recent Daily Events to see what is popular right before an event that you want to play. This will give you the ability to make a much better prediction than one or two week old data! To check out the most recent events, log onto the MTGO client and fallow these steps:

  1. Click the Menu tab
  2. Then click on Play
  3. Click on Tournaments
  4. Finally click on Daily Events and view an event that has completed

Good luck in the upcoming events!

Deadguy Ale

Since almost all the Deadguy Ale decks run the same creatures and spells in the maindeck, I won’t be posting various decks, but I will cover over a few of the other cards that players choose to run in their decks that differ from the version I am running.

Jotun Grunt – Some Deadguy Ale players prefer to run Grunt over cards such as Canonist and Jailer (depending on what they expect the current metagame to be). Grunt provides a big body for a cheap cost. I would suggest running about 2 Grunts maindeck if you are expecting a very heavy aggro field.

Inquisition of Kozilek – The choice of discard in this deck is totally up to the players. Inquisition is an amazing discard in this format and can hold its own, but I decided to run Thoughtseizeinstead. The two life is worth the cost of getting rid of an opponent’s combo card- Ad Nauseam, Tendrils of Agony, and Goblin Charbelcher just to name a few.

Smother — This is easily one of the best removal spells ever printed when you consider the average mana cost of Legacy cards. But even though Smother is a great card in the format, I believe that if you are running both Black and White that Vindicate is a far superior card to Smother, and the increased mana cost is worth the ability to take out any permanent- it is just insane. Plus Vindicate gets around some problem cards- like Chalice of the Void with 2 counters on it.

Here is the version that I chose to build:

I will now cover the cards in the deck and provide game play of the deck performing in a Legacy Daily Event. So pull up your chair grab yourself a drink or a snack and enjoy the videos!

DEADGUY ALE DECKTECH

Show Decktech »

You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here.

LEGACY DAILY EVENT ROUND 1

Show Round 1 »

You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here.

LEGACY DAILY EVENT ROUND 2

Show Round 2 »

You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here.

LEGACY DAILY EVENT ROUND 3

Show Round 3 »

You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here.

LEGACY DAILY EVENT ROUND 4

Show Round 4 »

You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here.

I hope you all can see the power this deck holds in this format, and would suggest anyone who has an itch to try the deck to do so- you won’t be disappointed. I have been very impressed by the deck even though I wasn’t able to take the deck all the way to the top. If you have any questions or comments about the deck or my game play, please feel free to leave me a message or a post and I will get back to you.

You Choose the Deck!

#1. Ad Nauseam Tendrils (ANT)

#2. Dredge

#3. New Horizon

#4. Aggro Loam

#5.Show and Tell

#6.Goblins

Be sure to post either the deck number or the name of the deck in the comment section. You can also send me a message on the boards or online at KillerOwen.

Please make sure to log in to cast your vote as I will ignore anonymous votes.

Make sure to only vote for 1 deck, so make it count. If you do vote for 2 decks I will only be counting the first deck you listed.

Make sure to get your votes in fast, as I will only allow 2-3 days before choosing the winning deck to cover in my next article.

Also note if there is a specific version of a deck you would like to see, and if possible, include a link.

That’s all for this week. Thanks to all my readers and followers for all the support you have given me- I appreciate everything you guys have done for me! As always please leave any comments, questions, or requests you have good or bad, and I will do my best to respond to them, and until next time may the Force of Will be with you!

Owen Robbins

 
  1. I’ll cast my vote for Aggro-Loam.

    I just wanted to say you’re the reason I started playing Legacy on MTGO, and I was in this tournament although I did horribly.

  2. dead guy ale is a super delicous beer made by rouge brewwing company, its is extra good so you should try it. double dead guy ale is also superb.!

    RBG goblins btw….

  3. Here is the total for the votes so far:

    4 Aggro Loam
    3 Dredge
    3 Goblins
    2 New Horizon
    2 Show and Tell
    1 ANT

    I’ll be closing the poll tomorrow night and pick the winning deck. Keep them coming in guys.

    @ Sean_A: I’m glad I was able to influence you enough to give Legacy a try. Don’t worry if you don’t do well your first time. I can’t even remember how many tourneys I had to do when I first started to even win packs. Even now as you have seen in my videos I am not always successful. Legacy is a tough format for a lot of people, but I think it is one of the funnest formats to play. All I can say is keep on trying and practicing!

    @ whiffy: Indeed it is a delicious brew!

    @ largebrandon: Indeed it was a fun night and one of many stories of Sat nights.

  4. hi! i like and play this deck and wanna ask u dnt u think maybe u need more power in that decklist? cards like serra avenger o jotün grunt? in a so agro metagame we have in MTGO, full of qasali,tarmo,reliquary,affinity …

    TY for this article!!

  5. @ LOIS: It really depends on how the Meta is going. If there are quite a bit of aggro decks running around which seems to be the case recently I would probably suggest adding Jotun Grunt since it is not only a 4/4, but can help shrink your opponents Tarmogoyf. As far as Avenger goes I’m not a big fan in this deck simply because of the double white mana cost, and if we don’t happen to have a turn 1 Vial we will need to wait until turn 4 to cast her. I think the 2 new cards spoiled from Morridion Besieged may have a nice place within this deck. Both Phyrexian Crusader and Mirran Crusader can be extremely useful vs the Aggro field, but we’ll have to wait and see when the cards are released. One last thing is that we are also relying on our disruption (Thoughtseize, Sculler) and removal (Swords, Vindicate) to help remove their threats to allow us time to gain board control. Once I have a creature equipped with a Sword or Jitte vs an aggro deck I find that I will almost always win.