Simon Says #33: Guild Cycles (RTR 8-4)

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In the opening discussion of this episode, I take a brief look at some of the non-rare 5-card guild cycles that Return to Ravnica has to offer. Apart from a loose comparison of power level, I try to highlight how each card is positioned within its guild and the developing limited metagame. After that, it’s time for a somewhat unconventional draft… enjoy!





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  1. Im only at p1p3 so this may turn out to be very wrong but I feel like you take hover barrier over gatecreeper vine with no consideration for the vine. Considering that jund ramp seems like a very viable archetype and typically grixis decks are of the aggressive variety where barrier is not at its best, I feel like I would take vine there.

  2. Whenever you speak of “offensive strategies”, I feel like I should be, well, offended by them. I think aggressive is more appropriate in that context. Offensive strategies are the ones like Affinity, Dredge and Storm. ;-)

    I know it’s just nit-picking but you have to dig really deep to find anything negative to say about your videos. :-)

  3. I think guild feud is very strong i dont get why no one else can see that.

  4. I think the play in match 1, game 1 with Perilous Shadow and the Keyrun attack was okay. Like you said, he had to have both the Electrickery and a premium removal spell, and that is very unlikely. In your videos you often evaluate situations like that and say “I’m going to force my opponent to have the answers.” I could be wrong but I think your play was fine. Even if you know he has Electrickery and Mortars in his deck, it might still be correct to get in with the Keyrune. The potential 3 damage from Keyrune seems to be worth more than the probability that Perilous Shadow will just Abyss your opponent. I’m interested to hear what others have to say about that situation.

    Thanks for the videos, I always learn something from them.

  5. Many thanks for vid.

    I disagree with the keyrune attack. The shadow have had potential to lock your opponent in chump-block mode the whole game, force him to drop creature each turn. Yes, the chance of him having electricery and premium removal spell wasn’t too big, but – on the other hand – he used to keep red mana every of previous turns. Losing the shade was – in my opinion – one of the few ways to lose the game. Fortunately for you, winning two other games is the best way to rectify the whole keyrune-attack-thing…

    Hey, and you know what? I’m actually glad you did what you did. Otherwise, I couldn’t see the amazing third game with you, playing just five cards and beating turn four Rakdos on the draw. Well played, by the way…

  6. in m1g1, on turn 5 you attack with only spawn of rix maadi and cast perilous shadow. The better play (I think) was to play land, animate keyrune, pump lizard, give lizard trample, attack with everything.
    You are now attacking with a 6/4, a 5/2 trample, a 3/2 and a 3/1 first strike. He basically has to block jailbreaker on spawn, racketeer on lizard. he goes to 1, wipe his board and are left with 2 lethal creatures.

  7. Just finished watching the videos and I agree with Joost, you kind of ignored the option of an all out assualt even though it would have been very effective. You didn’t attack because you feared that his racketeer would trade with your lizard but that eventuality was unavoidable anyway.

  8. Simon, at the end of m1g2 you discuss pros/cons of longlegs vs racketeer. You didn’t mention that longlegs puts you dead to traitorous instinct whereas the racketeer did not (whether or not you loot into mountain). Do you think you should have tried to play around that? Love the videos. Thanks so much.

  9. I too undervalued daggerdrome imp and grim roustabout before I watched kenji egashira take down so many 8-4s going all in on 2-drops + enchantments.