Good afternoon, let’s begin with a little bit of logic:
Peanut Butter is to Jam as [card]Wild Nacatl[/card] is to Craig Wescoe
Frodo is to Sam as Paul Rietzl is to [card]Steppe Lynx[/card]
So, it is up to you to fill in the blank. This is for those of you who couldn’t solve the Alex Hayne puzzle. Mine is simpler and it doesn’t involve people with the same name as me cheating!
Mickey Mouse is to Minnie Mouse as Jake Meszaros is to ________
a) WINNING (it’s not this one)
b) Decks that require tremendous skill to play (it’s also not this one)
c) [card]Terra Stomper[/card] (hmm….)
d) [card]Vengevine[/card] (it’s this one)
e) A ham sandwich.
If you guessed correctly and figured that d) [card]Vengevine[/card] was the correct answer, congrats; you are officially more intelligent than a snail. However, with great intellectual power comes great responsibility. Responsibility to use your brain for the betterment of mankind; the world depends on it! In order to put all that excess brain power to use, might I suggest examining why [card]Vengevine[/card] is my and, in my opinion, should be the weapon of choice for the majority of aggro players? If you’d rather not, you can ponder the meaning of a cantrip!
Currently, [card]Vengevine[/card] is so good because it is an effective card in so many different matchups. Control players despise seeing cards that can return from the graveyard and haunt them for the entire game, and aggro players don’t want to see an almost infinite amount of blockers that just keep coming back. In short, [card]Venegevine[/card] is the way to go in Standard; but in what capacity? With so many different ways to go with [card]Vengevine[/card] decks, what can be the deciding factor in choosing one specific [card]Vengevine[/card] deck?
Let’s take a closer look.
Naya
In an article published last week, local pro Vincent Thibeault presented a Naya Vengevine list that featured some interesting tidbits from the new set. In case you haven’t seen his list, you can find it here (read the article too, it’s worth it!). I played a few matches over the week with it and I got to talking with Thibeault (we’ve been friends for about a year now) and we made a few changes to the list in order to make it more optimal against certain matchups. Although I am unsure of the changes that he made to the deck, here’s the list I currently feel is the best build to a Naya Vengevine list:
[deck title=Naya Vengevine: Vincent Thibeault and Jake Meszaros]
[Creatures]
4 Vengevine
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Squadron Hawk
1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
1 Inferno Titan
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Acidic Slime
1 Cunning Sparkmage
2 Llanowar Elves
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
1 Mortarpod
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Body and Mind
2 Tumble Magnet
[/Spells]
[Land]
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Copperline Gorge
4 Arid Mesa
2 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Stirring Wildwood
2 Raging Ravine
1 Sunpetal Grove
2 Rootbound Crag
[/Land]
[Sideboard]
3 Cunning Sparkmage
1 Basilisk Collar
3 Kor Firewalker
2 Arc Trail
1 Manic Vandal
2 Dismember
3 Mark of Mutiny
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
The main changes to this list are as follows:
• As cute as [card]Moltensteel Dragon[/card] is in this deck, I prefer to go with something that can be…. well…. anything! [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card] is without a doubt the most versatile card in the deck as it can assume the role of any important card on the field. Need that fifth [card]Vengevine[/card] to get there? Metamorph can do it! Need another [card]Hero of Oxid Ridge[/card] to boost all of your creatures and deal lethal damage? Metamorph can do it! Need that extra sword to trigger ridonkulous abilities and get there? Yes, Metamorph can do that as well. If I had to compare [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card] to a TV personality, past or present, I’d have to say Clive, Darrel, and Darrel from Newhart (if anyone is that old and understands my reference, you have my respect.)
• [card]Baneslayer Angel[/card] in this deck barely feels like an un-tutorable version of [card]Batterskull[/card] that can’t be played for 2. I took it out to make room for a more useful card; [card]Inferno Titan[/card]. Titan fills the role of late game threat, mid-game removal, and has some nice synergy with the [card]Basilisk Collar[/card] in the sideboard and the mainboard [card]Batterskull[/card] (vigilance Titan + lifelink = MUST BE NICE!!!)
• [card]Sylvan Ranger[/card] almost felt like a wasted spot in the deck due to the lack of synergy with other cards, so I decided to add a card that has the ability to end games for only two mana! Yes, [card]Goblin Bushwhacker[/card] feels like an extremely optimal card in this deck as the more creatures you play per turn, the better Bushwhacker gets. Playing two [card]Squadron Hawks[/card], recurring [card]Vengevine[/card]s, then Bushwhacking for the win seems really dirty. I dream of the late game, when I play [card]Inferno Titan[/card], cast Bushwhacker, recur the [card]Vengevine[/card]s, boost everything, and swing in with a haste Titan, [card]Vengevine[/card]s, and a Bushwhacker! All in all, Bushwhacker feels better than [card]Sylvan Ranger[/card].
• The [card]Manic Vandal[/card] and [card]Bonehoard[/card] both came out (Vandal because it seemed ineffective early and [card]Bonehoard[/card] as it was underwhelming) to make way for two [card]Llanowar Elves[/card]. Getting a turn two Sword in this deck is often the best possible start, so having three mana on turn two is vital!
• Small mainboard switch, but I switched the amounts of [card]Rootbound Crag[/card]s and [card]Sunpetal Grove[/card]s to suit the addition of more red spells.
Now in the sideboard….
• Removing the [card]Phyrexian Revoker[/card] was step #1 as, except for [card]Gideon Jura[/card], very few planeswalkers are extremely hurtful to the deck.
• [card]Linvala, Keeper of Silence[/card] may be more relevant if Vengevine Aggro becomes prevalent, but at the moment it’s not really effective, so it was the first to go. The same applies for [card]Sunblast Angel[/card].
• With the three open spots, I felt that [card]Mark of Mutiny[/card] was key for the Valakut/Eldrazi Green matchup; taking his bombs and wrecking face with them is backbreaking and often wins games.
• A third [card]Arc Trail[/card] and a second [card]Manic Vandal[/card] came out to make room for [card]Dismember[/card], a card that may be essential given the potential rise of the Splinter Twin/Deceiver Exarch combo. This is one of the few cards that actually kills an Exarch at instant-speed and allows you to stop him from winning (WARNING: THIS CARD DOES NOT STOP BI-WINNING).
Well, that concludes the discussion for the first Vengevine deck, onto the next one!
G/B/W
Many of you may wondering whether the color combination of Green, Black, and White produces a good combination of cards to build a creature-based deck. Luckily, I believe that this deck can be one of the most versatile Vengevine decks as it has so many different cards that can aid specific matches. Here is the list!
[deck title=Vines, Swords n’ Stuff!]
[Creatures]
4 Vengevine
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Squadron Hawk
1 Skinrender
2 Llanowar Elves
1 Sun Titan
4 Fauna Shaman
1 Glimmerpoint Stag
1 Acidic Slime
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Body and Mind
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Bonehoard
2 Doom Blade
1 Go for the Throat
[/Spells]
[Land]
4 Marsh Flats
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Stirring Wildwood
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Swamp
3 Forest
3 Plains
[/Land]
[Sideboard]
1 Go for the Throat
2 Disfigure
3 Kor Firewalker
1 Acidic Slime
3 Memoricide
1 Glimmerpoint Stag
4 Inquisition of Kozillek
[/Sideboard]
[/deck]
This is the list that I’ve been working the most on lately. I think this color combination has an extreme amount of potential and can combat the top tier decks effectively. All without fail! Here’s why I think this deck is consistent against more top-tier decks:
• The access to hard removal is really nice in a deck that mainly revolves around getting there with creatures. Being able to easily take out the Titans, [card]Gideon Jura[/card], [card]Splinter Twin[/card] / [card]Deceiver Exarch[/card] combo, and other assorted nuisances that cause nothing but trouble!
• Adding some additional cute tech via cards like [card]Skinrender[/card] and [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card] can provide for some very sexy-looking plays! Things like Skinrender + Stag, Mystic + Stag, [card]Acidic Slime[/card] + Stag, even [card]Sun Titan[/card] + Stag can get you out of stick situations in a hurry.
• Adding black instead of red allows for some SICK sideboard cards, notably [card]Memoricide[/card], [card]Inquisition of Kozillek[/card], [card]Disfigure[/card], and more hard removal. [card]Memoricide[/card] is great for taking out other [card]Vengevine[/card]s, Combo pieces, [card]Primeval Titan[/card]s, etc. Inquisition is awesome in the control matchup as it makes his life even harder when he doesn’t have access to his Stoneforges/Counterspell for YOUR Stoneforge. Finally, [card]Disfigure[/card] is great for slowing down aggro matchups and giving you a head start.
Well, since a sideboard plan would obviously be nice, I’ll be happy to provide one!
Caw-Go
+4 [card]Inquisition of Kozillek[/card]
+2 [card]Disfigure[/card]
+1 [card]Go for the Throat[/card]
– 1 [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card]
– 1 [card]Skinrender[/card]
– 1 [card]Sun Titan[/card]
– 1 [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card]
– 2 [card]Doom Blade[/card]
– 1 [card]Bonehoard[/card]
The boarding plan for this matchup is relatively simple; you bring in early-game hate and take out slow bombs. This way, the matchup becomes much more based around him having the [card]Day of Judgment[/card] and you playing more and more little dudes to keep the [card]Vengevine[/card]s rolling. This matchup should be pretty good for you!
P.S. remember that the Germ that comes into play with the equipment is BLACK. Don’t try to [card]Doom Blade[/card] it (then again, only I’d be dumb enough to do that!)
Eldrazi Green
+3 [card]Memoricide[/card]
+4 [card]Inquisition of Kozillek[/card]
-1 [card]Skinrender[/card]
-1 [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card]
-1 [card]Bonehoard[/card]
-1 [card]Sun Titan[/card]
-1 [card]Sword of War and Peace[/card]
-1 [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card]
-1 [card]Go for the Throat[/card]
In this matchup post-board, you want to take out all the ramp he has, and just wreck his face as quickly as possible. [card]Memoricide[/card] is great for removing either a) big bombs he has in his hand and could be painful or b) [card]Primeval Titan[/card] if you don’t know his hand.
Valakut (On the play)
+3 [card]Memoricide[/card]
+4 [card]Inquisition of Kozillek[/card]
+1 [card]Acidic Slime[/card]
-1 [card]Skinrender[/card]
-1 [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card]
-1 [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card]
-2 [card]Llanowar Elves[/card]
-1 [card]Bonehoard[/card]
-1 [card]Go For the Throat[/card]
-1 [card]Sun Titan[/card]
On the play, you can certainly slow down a little in order to disrupt him a helluva lot. Taking out the [card]Primeval Titan[/card]s and forcing him to slowly play his lands until he can play a bomb makes things long for him. Play around the [card]Pyroclasm[/card]; you know he’s bringing them in!
Valakut (On the draw)
+3 [card]Memoricide[/card]
+4 [card]Inquisition of Kozillek[/card]
+1 [card]Go for the Throat[/card]
-1 [card]Skinrender[/card]
-1 [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card]
-1 [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card]
-2 [card]Llanowar Elves[/card]
-1 [card]Bonehoard[/card]
-1 [card]Batterskull[/card]
-1 [card]Sun Titan[/card]
On the draw, you end up playing a little more reactively as you don’t have the same time frame to get going. By bringing in the [card]Go for the Throat[/card] instead of the Slime, your new plan becomes to kill anything that moves and get there with Vines.
Boros
+2 [card]Disfigure[/card]
+1 [card]Go for the Throat[/card]
+1 [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card]
-2 [card]Llanowar Elves[/card]
-1 [card]Sword of Body and Mind[/card]
-1 [card]Sun Titan[/card]
As odd as it sounds, I don’t think [card]Kor Firewalker[/card] is necessary in this matchup as your opponent will be siding out the majority of his red stuff to avoid the wrath of Firewalker! This way, you can keep in more of the core of the deck. I really like playing around with [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card] in this matchup, bouncing a [card]Skinrender[/card] around and killing stuff left and right is pretty cool.
Mono Red
+3 [card]Kor Firewalker[/card]
+2 [card]Disfigure[/card]
+1 [card]Go for the Throat[/card]
-1 [card]Sword of Body and Mind[/card]
-2 [card]Llanowar Elves[/card]
-1 [card]Acidic Slime[/card]
In this matchup, [card]Vengevine[/card] is definitely the MVP as recurring is ideal. Bringing in lots of removal as well as [card]Kor Firewalker[/card] to slow down the game and allow you to stabilize and take a lead in the game.
Pyro Twin
+4 [card]Inquisition of Kozillek[/card]
+3 [card]Memoricide[/card]
+1 [card]Acidic Slime[/card]
-1 [card]Skinrender[/card]
-1 [card]Glimmerpoint Stag[/card]
-1 [card]Phyrexian Metamorph[/card]
-1 [card]Sun Titan[/card]
-2 [card]Llanowar Elves[/card]
-1 [card]Sword of Feast and Famine[/card]
-1 [card]Bonehoard[/card]
In this matchup, taking out his draw spells, [card]Pyromancer’s Ascension[/card], or [card]Deceiver Exarch[/card] with Inquisition is key. [card]Memoricide[/card] is there to take out the [card]Splinter Twin[/card]; because it’s possible he brought in other cards that he can target with the Twin ([card]Frost Titan[/card]?)
Well, that just about covers the boarding plan for this [card]Vengevine[/card] deck. With two decks covered, there are two more to go. However, since I don’t want to bore you to extinction, I’ll write another article on a later date to discuss the possibility of U/G and RUG Vengevine.
Hopefully some of you will try the lists provided here and will have feedback.
If so, let me know; I’m on twitter (@TheProfessor_M) and my email is mr.goatee@hotmail.com ! I will certainly be willing to answer your questions and take any feedback!
Until next time!
Jake “Professor M” Meszaros