Comments on: Top 8 with Merfolk: SCG Indianapolis https://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/06/top-8-with-merfolk-scg-indianapolis/ Play More, Win More, Pay Less Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:24:36 +0000 hourly 1 By: Scott Muir https://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/06/top-8-with-merfolk-scg-indianapolis/#comment-18849 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:24:36 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=16344#comment-18849 I'll be honest with you, I really don't know what I did against the U/W Stoneblade decks. Sunday was the first time I had ever seen it, so I can guarantee you that I tried several different sideboarding options throughout the day. The main reason I suggested taking out the Aether Vials is because Force of Will were still in the main deck, and I wanted to make sure I could always use it. The second reason is that they become dead once Null Rod hits the field.

I also know that some games I kept in my Echoing Truth (even siding in my second one), and they provided a fair amount of benefit against a Batterskull or a turn two Stoneforge (yes, they got a second equipment, but it slowed them down an entire turn.)

To answer your second question. I wish I could take the credit for what Kyle Kloster said about my Pithing Needles. The truth is that the other cards I took out do absolutely nothing in the Reanimator matchup. I decided that hoping for a turn 1 or 2 Pithing Needle was strictly better than having a dead card in hand.

]]> By: Kyle Kloster https://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/06/top-8-with-merfolk-scg-indianapolis/#comment-18811 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:54:17 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=16344#comment-18811 We've playtested that matchup a thousand times against each other, and I frequently lose to him Wastelanding me even one time. The Pithing Needles would have been like 3 more Wasteland for him— I run just 17 land, and his Cursecatchers+Dazes already trip me up.
It was a gamble on Scott's part, but it could have wrecked me.

]]> By: Scott Muir https://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/06/top-8-with-merfolk-scg-indianapolis/#comment-18057 Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:57:57 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=16344#comment-18057 In reply to @JoshJMTG.

Mind harness and Vedalken shackles are played for very different reasons. I bring in Mind Harness in order to win the Zoo matchup. Since speed is a very big factor in this matchup, it goes without saying that I can't spend all of my mana for a turn on Vedalken Shackles without any immediate benefit. Turn three/four is the critical point against Zoo that determines if I can survive or lose. Mind Harness can also target a Quasali Pridemage, and there's nothing they can do about it (unless you have another artifact out).

Vedalken Shackles is a card that would be good for longer games (i.e. versus control, where you're guaranteed to lay down a relevant number of islands), but Merfolk is already good in the control matchup.

– Scott Muir –

]]> By: @JoshJMTG https://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/06/top-8-with-merfolk-scg-indianapolis/#comment-18010 Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:01:40 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=16344#comment-18010 How does Mind Harness stack up against, say, Vedalken Shackles?

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