{"id":1754,"date":"2020-04-12T16:20:17","date_gmt":"2020-04-12T14:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/premodernmagic.com\/blog\/?p=1754"},"modified":"2020-04-12T16:20:17","modified_gmt":"2020-04-12T14:20:17","slug":"enter-the-arena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/premodernmagic.com\/blog\/enter-the-arena\/","title":{"rendered":"Enter the Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seb is back on the blog with a piece about a somewhat underplayed card in Premodern. But before that, let me take the time to promote the Premodern Online Play Facebook group<\/a>, for those of you\u00a0itching to play some Premodern in these stay-at-home days. Cheers! \/ Martin<\/em><\/p>\n

Hellooo there!<\/p>\n

Let us dive into a brewing session with a fair but very powerful card in Premodern, namely Phyrexian Arena<\/a>.\u00a0The most common deck using Phyrexian Arena<\/a> must be Deadguy Ale. The main reason might be that there are many efficient answers in black and white and if you opt to play a card like Phyrexian Arena<\/a>, you usually set out to win mid-range. The BW archetype is a bit slow, so when this deck really shines is when it empties your foe’s hand and keeps answering the board at the same time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>“From void evolved Phyrexia. Great Yawgmoth, Father of Machines, saw its perfection. Thus the Grand Evolution began.” \u2013 Phyrexian Scripture.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The longer you wait, though, keep in mind the Arena fee. Gerrard’s Verdict<\/a> is a key-card here in my opinion. It empties the opponent’s hand and gains life. I usually tend to sit on a couple of lands in my hand in case I will be in dire need of some extra life and need to direct the Verdict on myself.<\/p>\n

Vindicate<\/a> is sweet with Gerrard’s Verdict<\/a>, since the opponent might discard lands instead of actual spells and then you might get him if you destroy one of his lands. Duress<\/a> usually let’s us know if this is a viable plan. So, the big 1-2-3 punch is usually these cards used alongside Phyrexian Arena<\/a>, in a\u00a0 Deadguy Ale build. Disruption and land destruction were key back in 2005 when Chris Pikula went to the finals of GP Philly sporting 2 Gerrard’s Verdict<\/a> 4 Duress<\/a>, 4 Hymn to Tourach<\/a>, 4 Vindicate<\/a>, 4 Wasteland<\/a> and 4 Sinkhole<\/a>. These spells also give us an insight to why and what the archetype really wants to do.<\/p>\n

In the February edition of the Premodern Online Monthly tournament, Joe Zubeck managed to to make top 8 piloting a version of Deadguy Ale. Joe’s build on the aggressive end of the spectrum, with a fairly low mana curve and two copies of Phyrexian Arena<\/a> to fill up the hand. Dark Ritual<\/a> is what really makes this deck shine. When I started fiddling with BW Arena, my instinct took me to a much slower build, using Exalted Angel<\/a> instead of Phyrexian Scuta<\/a> and with other morph creatures such as Headhunter<\/a> and a miser’s Bane of the Living<\/a>. The morph-part of the setup was very fun, but the deck was too slow. Still, I can see an argument being made for having Headhunter<\/a> alongside with the Hypnotic Specter<\/a>s\u00a0if we go more aggressive. Deadguy Ale is rather needy on the mana, having a lot of BB spells or even BW spells. Caves of Koilos<\/a> and Tainted Field<\/a> gets you there, but it is hard to fit in cards such as Mishra’s Factory<\/a> or Wasteland<\/a>. Gabriel Farkas wrote a sweet piece on Deadguy Ale<\/a> last year and he is way more proficient on giving you the way around what the deck does, so check it out if this is where you want to be.<\/p>\n

Online Monthly February 2020: Joe Zubek, 6th<\/div>
<\/i>Spoiler view<\/span><\/span><\/i>List with preview card<\/span><\/span><\/i>Show\/hide sideboard<\/span><\/span><\/i>Download photo of deck<\/span><\/span><\/i>Download text file of deck<\/span><\/span><\/div>
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MAIN DECK | 60 cards<\/h4>
Instants and Sorceries: 23<\/div>
4<\/span> Swords to Plowshares<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Dark Ritual<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Duress<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Gerrard's Verdict<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Vindicate<\/a><\/div>
3<\/span> Disenchant<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Creatures: 12<\/div>
4<\/span> Nantuko Shade<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Hypnotic Specter<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Spectral Lynx<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Phyrexian Scuta<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Others: 4<\/div>
2<\/span> Cursed Scroll<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Phyrexian Arena<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Lands: 21<\/div>
3<\/span> Plains<\/a><\/div>
10<\/span> Swamp<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Caves of Koilos<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Tainted Field<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>

SIDEBOARD | 15 cards<\/h4>
2<\/span> Circle of Protection: Red<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Warmth<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Disenchant<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Diabolic Edict<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Withered Wretch<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Aura of Silence<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Engineered Plague<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Ivory Mask<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Deck downloaded from - http:\/\/premodernmagic.com\n------------------------------------------------\nOnline Monthly February 2020: Joe Zubek, 6th\n------------------------------------------------\nMAIN DECK (60)\n\nInstants and Sorceries: 23\n4 Swords to Plowshares\n4 Dark Ritual\n4 Duress\n4 Gerrard's Verdict\n4 Vindicate\n3 Disenchant\n\nCreatures: 12\n4 Nantuko Shade\n4 Hypnotic Specter\n2 Spectral Lynx\n2 Phyrexian Scuta\n\nOthers: 4\n2 Cursed Scroll\n2 Phyrexian Arena\n\nLands: 21\n3 Plains\n10 Swamp\n4 Caves of Koilos\n4 Tainted Field\n\n\nSIDEBOARD (15)\n2 Circle of Protection: Red\n2 Warmth\n1 Disenchant\n2 Diabolic Edict\n2 Withered Wretch\n2 Aura of Silence\n2 Engineered Plague\n2 Ivory Mask\n------------------------------------------------\nDeck downloaded from - http:\/\/premodernmagic.com\n<\/div>
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SIDEBOARD<\/h4>
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http:\/\/premodernmagic.com<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a>\n

However, if you are interested in playing other color combinations, I will give you the ins and outs and walk you through playing Phyrexian Arena<\/a> with swamps and mountains. When testing out different builds I actually found BR to be very powerful. Starting out, the manabase is somewhat better, having fetches and Sulfurous Springs<\/a> alongside Shadowblood Ridge<\/a>. That made me start out with Wasteland<\/a>. Going forward, though, since we are playing red, I noticed that having the extra damage potential from Mishra’s Factory<\/a> is better, hence going from a 4\u20130 split, to 4\u20132 and ending up with 2\u20134 in the favour of Mishra’s Factory<\/a> over Wasteland<\/a>. That also gave us the ability to play more expensive spells such as Siege-Gang Commander<\/a>. One version of the deck had Rorix Bladewing<\/a> but that ended up being way to clunky (I might have had a weak moment when I also tried out Urza’s Rage<\/a>). Siege-Gang Commander<\/a> gives us reach and leaves some men behind if he is killed. Regarding being killed, the miser’s Flametongue Kavu<\/a> can be very good or very bad depending on the meta. Sitting there with it stranded in your hand against Stasis<\/a> might feel bad, I get it, but Terminate<\/a> doesn’t really shine then either. I like creatures that do what a spell could do since we need to squeeze in every point of damage we can. With that in mind, Flametongue Kavu<\/a> is probably better than Nekrataal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bloodstained Arena<\/div>
<\/i>Spoiler view<\/span><\/span><\/i>List with preview card<\/span><\/span><\/i>Show\/hide sideboard<\/span><\/span><\/i>Download photo of deck<\/span><\/span><\/i>Download text file of deck<\/span><\/span><\/div>
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MAIN DECK | 60 cards<\/h4>
Instants and Sorceries: 15<\/div>
4<\/span> Dark Ritual<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Duress<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Lightning Bolt<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Terminate<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Void<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Creatures: 16<\/div>
4<\/span> Headhunter<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Hypnotic Specter<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Grim Lavamancer<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Blazing Specter<\/a><\/div>
3<\/span> Siege-Gang Commander<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Flametongue Kavu<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Others: 5<\/div>
4<\/span> Phyrexian Arena<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Cursed Scroll<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Lands: 24<\/div>
2<\/span> Mountain<\/a><\/div>
7<\/span> Swamp<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Bloodstained Mire<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Mishra's Factory<\/a><\/div>
4<\/span> Sulfurous Springs<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Shadowblood Ridge<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Wasteland<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>

SIDEBOARD | 15 cards<\/h4>
3<\/span> Pyroblast<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Vicious Hunger<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Pyroclasm<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Engineered Plague<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Blood Moon<\/a><\/div>
2<\/span> Bane of the Living<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Persecute<\/a><\/div>
1<\/span> Haunting Echoes<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Deck downloaded from - http:\/\/premodernmagic.com\n------------------------------------------------\nBloodstained Arena\n------------------------------------------------\nMAIN DECK (60)\n\nInstants and Sorceries: 15\n4 Dark Ritual\n4 Duress\n4 Lightning Bolt\n2 Terminate\n1 Void\n\nCreatures: 16\n4 Headhunter\n4 Hypnotic Specter\n2 Grim Lavamancer\n2 Blazing Specter\n3 Siege-Gang Commander\n1 Flametongue Kavu\n\nOthers: 5\n4 Phyrexian Arena\n1 Cursed Scroll\n\nLands: 24\n2 Mountain\n7 Swamp\n4 Bloodstained Mire\n4 Mishra's Factory\n4 Sulfurous Springs\n1 Shadowblood Ridge\n2 Wasteland\n\n\nSIDEBOARD (15)\n3 Pyroblast\n2 Vicious Hunger\n2 Pyroclasm\n2 Engineered Plague\n2 Blood Moon\n2 Bane of the Living\n1 Persecute\n1 Haunting Echoes\n------------------------------------------------\nDeck downloaded from - http:\/\/premodernmagic.com\n<\/div>
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SIDEBOARD<\/h4>
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http:\/\/premodernmagic.com<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a>\n

Void<\/a> is another cool card. It’s expensive to cast but gives you versatility and opportunity to pick off cards in your opponents hand. Perhaps Cursed Scroll<\/a> should be another Grim Lavamancer<\/a>. As you can tell, I am not sure about these three cards. But if you dont play ’em you’ll never know! Right?<\/p>\n

The sideboard is not opted, I fear. Depending on what you are thinking you’ll face when playing this deck, put in Shattering Pulse<\/a>, Null Rod<\/a> and Coffin Purge<\/a>, Withered Wretch<\/a> or even Dystopia<\/a>. Engineered Plague<\/a> is probably better than Pyroclasm<\/a> but I’ll leave all of that up to you.<\/p>\n

Until next time,<\/p>\n

Seb<\/p>\n

As usual, feel free to discuss in the Premodern social media channels<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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