Hopefully everyone enjoyed the first in-depth look at Innistrad sealed. We left off with the Winners and Losers of the format, as well as having identified the common tendencies of the average player. This time we’ll go into tribal synergies and most importantly how to make meta-game calls and use your sideboard effectively.
Jack’o’lantern + Horseman =
The most obvious interactions of the set deal with Humans. Avacynian Priest and Bonds of Faith highlite the racial importance of the set. Less obvious interactions come from Hamlet Captain and the gruesome Village Cannibals. Even Moonmist merits acclaim for some of the silliest plays I’ve seen (un-transforming Thraben Sentry and Civilized Scholar.)
While the Cannibals should usually go in any Black deck, the Captain often gets overlooked. We’ve seen his body in Grizzly Bears form a million times, but this guy earns his uncommon stature. Importantly filling in your 2-slot, the captain provides early tempo and commonly sets Villagers of Estwald up for success. Also, there’s less cheap removal to deal with him. He cannot be Bonded or Smitten, isn’t worth a Rebuke, and survives the flames of Geists. Apart from helping your team, he’s oddly tough to kill! Just like the Hamlet Captain, all the Humans in your Sealed pool should warrant a second look, because sometimes they just get there.
No, there’s no Werebear in this set
Similarly to Humans, Wolves and Werewolves deserve special attention. Mayor of Avarbruck obviously helps your moon-loving friends, but Moonmist has actually broken many games open. Moonmist is an example of a card that is at its best in draft, but it doesn’t mean you can’t play it in sealed. Yes, you are restricted to six flip cards, usually only half of them being Wolves. You also might see Kessig Wolf, Feral Ridgewolf, and Darkthicket Wolf. I made the mistake of dismissing RG synergies at a recent PTQ in favor of UW flyers and bombs. At home I couldn’t fathom how my deck didn’t Top 8, so I worked it and worked it until eventually RG came up and destroyed all other builds. This format thrives on creature combat, and if you can warp it in your favor, do it.
In sealed, Vampires and Zombies barely deserve more attention than Foxes. Some tribes are only meant for Draft
Spirits need some reckoning, too. With two Uncommon quasi-Lords in Battleground Geist and Gallows Warden, cards like Voiceless Spirit and Midnight Haunting have the potential to greatly improve. Chapel Geist already presents a good body, but upgrading the remnants of a Doomed Traveler or Mausoleum Guard can be especially powerful. The obvious deterrent to Spirits in the format is Geistflame. If you notice your opponent has two of these, start sideboarding! Commonly forgotten Spirits in the set include:
Kindercatch (btw, this card has disturbing art… see Creepy Doll.
Now, finding the synergies in your pool is only half the equation for winning. The other half is combating your opponent’s. Innistrad has given us many lovely tools for sideboard, and some of them deserve maindeck slots, too.
Naturalize – I will maindeck one of these in every Sealed Green deck I play. Risky, yes? But people player their bombs, and some cards solved by this include: Heretics Punishment, Curse of Deaths Hold, Manor Gargoyle (when Green can’t otherwise beat it,) and of course the frightfully common appearances of cards like Bonds of Faith and Geistcatchers Rig.
Urgent Exorcism – With White being the color to beat in the format, there’s a million Pacifisms running around, and even more 2/3 and 2/1 first-strike flyers. This guy gets the nod in any White deck that plays control elements. Some W/G decks will fore-go this trick in favor of bodies and pump spells.
Ghost Quarter – Another card I maindeck in Sealed. Why should I do this when in the average tournament I’ll only face two rare lands? Well, those lands win the game, for one. Second, this card duals as late-game color-fixing! People don’t use it enough (remember it loses zero mana the turn you use it) as a safe control card that thins the deck and pulls out that Charmbreaker Devils or Devils Play mana.
One-Eyed Scarecrow – This doesn’t fit in every deck. The key to playing this hoser is to determine where in the game flyers will hurt you. It might be an obvious include versus Midnight Haunting.dec, but it’s less obvious whether it should come in versus the other Spirits. For one, DO NOT bring this card in versus Lord of Lineage. Yup, it won’t be a Bloodline Keeper since Scarecrow won’t solve the problem, it will merely delay it.
Thraben Purebloods, Riot Devils, Rotting Fensnake et al – Sometimes bodies are just better than situational tricks. ALWAYS comb through your sideboard to make minor adjustments to your deck! As an example, the Fensnake (remember it’s a Zombie) trades with every card in GW or RG. Sure, that might mean Ashmouth Hound or Doomed Traveler get in the way, but as a defensive removal spell, the Snake does work. It also is a key to activating cards like Corpse Lunge or Morkut Banshee, bu we’ll discuss that another time. The point is, you can always cater your deck to your opponent and gain slight edges.
Bitterheart Witch – This card gets a special mention, because it delves into a deeper aspect of Magic: Mind games. If you see this card on the opposing side of the table, what is your immediate impression? 1…2…3… got it? Ya, we all say “Oh, fuck! He has the -1/-1 thing that rapes me.” Can you think of a better blocker than one that says, “You do not want to attack” while coolly waiving two fingers and doing its best Liam Neeson Jedi Master impersonation? The key to this card is to continue acting like you have it in your deck. Be wary of the turn your opponent says “Well if he’s got it, he’s got it.” Even then, the Witch will still claim a Grizzled Outcasts.
Beyond the tricks and treats of the format, just make sure to run a synergistic pile of magic. Identify the tendencies of your cards, and cater your deck to their needs. Then fine-tun your choices based on what your opponent might have. After you fully see what they’re attacking you with, identify your game-plan for game two and adjust your deck appropriately. This format is the most intricate and flavorful I’ve ever seen (congratulations, Wizards R&D). I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. See you at PTQs, and on MTGO, pRoberto. Hit me up any time.
Peace.
Was the editor sleeping? Spelling snafu’s and open [card] tags abound!
Grammar/Spelling/Formatting nazism aside, I’m loving Innistrad limited. I still think DFC’s might as well’ve been flips, but I’m playing more digital than cardboard so my own annoyances with DFC’s are kind of distant.
First?
Besides, love your reasoning on Bitterheart Witch, but still, it’s a 5-mana bluff
i didnt even notice the art on kindercatch and creepy doll… thats just creepy…
i totally agree with casper, 5 mana is a very expensive bluff.
no way im playing the witch without the nuts. i just hope the rest of the block gives us more useful curses for tutoring
Remember, it’s not just a bluff! It’s a playable card that will trade with a Juggernaut or Grizzled Outcasts or even just a Hamlet Captain. Sure, it’s expensive, but it also makes your opponent get really on edge.
In other news: I bought in last week and since then have used my winnings to buy an entire constructed Standard deck, and the packs keep rollin’ in. The gravy train is tasty, baby!