[Deck] Duck Hunt - U/B Landstill

[PunkRocker1134]

Ok heres a new take at an older verizon of Landstill. I have noticed how people keep saying Landstill has lost its orignal power now that Goblins has kicked up in power, and landstill jsut cant keep up. Black offers faster and better removal, along with better draw and some more synergy.

Duck Hunt

Mana(25):
4 Mishra's Factory
2 Faerie Conclave
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
4 Wasteland
5 Island
2 Swamp

Permission(10):
4 Counterspell
4 FoW
2 Mana leak

Removal(13):
4 Infest
3 Engineered Plague
4 Vendetta
2 Decree of Pain

Draw(8):
4 Standstill
2 Skeletal Scrying
2 Fact or Fiction

Other(4):
3 Crucible of Worlds
1 Twisted Abomination

Sideboard:
4 Cranial Extraction
1 Engineered Plague
3 Tormods Crypt
4 Duress
3 Smother

Ok some thigns have changed since orginally posting this. The draw has changed a little, in fact im thinking of cutting some more. at the moment i like 8 pieces of draw. Thanks to Godzilla for pointing out the old thread. In fact i like that manabase alot, i in fact copied it. It has been working much better. I dotn want to cut infest mainly for its mana cost. I want an early piece of removal for Goblins. Infest fits this well. My board is more aimed at control. Well now for card choices. Im only going to cover odder choices/ reasons for the black splash.

Counters: 10 is nessecary and Im pretty sure is standard. This doesnt need explaining does it?

Draw:

Standstill: duh
Skeletal Scrying: This is good drawing power. Its more of a late game card but it can be used for a few early in the game. Instant speed is very good too.
Fact or Fiction: Pretty standard, i think 2 is a good number

Removal:

Infest: In what testing i have done (not enough to post numbers) Infest has been great. Althought it costs double black goblins will usually be dropping dudes so i dont have to worry much about being shut off from double black. This comes down one turn earlier then Wrath of God so If they play i dont have to worry about dieing turn 4 and lookin at a useless Wrath of God.

Vendetta: The life loss is worth it most of the time. I woudl rather take 2 damage for killing a Piledriver then like 6 from it attacking or 3 from a Warchief then the damage from an army of hasted goblins.

Engineered Plague: Since i worry about Goblins alot this card helps alot. Also against Rabit Wombat Engineered Plague on Solders is some nice stuff. Im pretty sure it is worth it maindeck.

Decree of Pain: Its synergy with Standstill is worthwhile. It may come down a turn later but it doesnt pop Standstill, its instant speed and it replaces it self.

Other:

Crucible of Worlds: standard
Twisted Abomination: alternate kill and a way to fetch swamps early

So...now that im done my ranting I have to thank you for the comments so far.....keep um comming.

[boom]

Too many FoFs, the non synergy of the black spells + standstill, and gobs ability to get around landstill with Vial which isnt addressed here.

On paper, UB offers a stronger mana base because of the allied colors but Infest and Hideous Laughter costing double black means you need still need dual lands to reliably cast those while posing a threat to use your Counterspells. This means manabase is still shady.

You dont use the best anti goblin card available, a card I was expecting to see when I saw the idea of Landstill going with Black, Engineered Plauge. It only costs 1 black as well, only needs to casted once to have an effect which allows more "synergy" with standstill, and does not effect your guys (minimal but still a concern).

[Pyrokinesis]

There really isn't much of an argument for Blue/Black landstill over Blue/White here, although Black's Wrath effects are indeed a bit cheaper. However, you missed one card that could be flagrant Standstill abuse - Decree of Pain. Costing five it may only warrant one or two copies, but I still can't help giggling like a psychotic schoolgirl at the thought of Wogging, drawing a card, and not having to pop Standstill.

[Getsickanddie]

Skeletal Scrying.

It really really really should be in any type of u/b landstill build. I would suggest cutting night's whispers for it. Decree of pain is also a must, and should probably replace infest. What you lose in speed, is made up by the amazing synergy that you get with standstill. I also might suggest trying to add some sort of alternative kill conditon, maybe something along the lines of undead gladiator/ twisted abomination (swampcycling is pretty hot). Nev. Disk, or some sort of main deck bounce might be a good idea, to deal with pesky enchantments/artifacts.

On a side note, a 63 card deck equals the bads.

[Brian676]

i actually built a deck kind of similar to this and had some success with it. i don't understand why you aren't running brainstorm over night's whisper. both are great but since it is a blue deck you have better card draw options than whisper. anyway heres the list i played if your interested

4 mishra's factory
3 faerie conclave
4 wasteland
4 mox diamond
3 swamp
6 island

4 force of will
4 mana leak
4 counterspell
4 duress
4 diabolic edict
3 innocent blood
4 standstill
4 brainstorm
3 nevinyrall's disk
2 crucible of worlds

[ElvenTitz]

Is it a new look on landstill ? Id rather say its an old one (im not expert in that, throught), that version ran Shadowmage infiltrator and Plaguebearer.

[Zilla]

No, this is not a new idea. But hey, discuss it here all you like. Check out the older thread - maybe it'll give you some ideas.

[PunkRocker1134]

Thank you Godzilla i nmade changes from that thread. Could you possibly change the name to Duck Hunt like it should be.

[Sugar Woof]

Would anyone happen to have an updated list of Duck Hunt? I saw a copy of it being ran at the most recent d4d and was just wanting to see what the current list looked like for possible testing.

[Brushwagg]

I really wouldn't MD Plague. It's only really effective against Goblins, so should be boarded. Unless you face alot of Goblins in your meta. Also have you looked into MD Diabolic Edict instead of Vedetta?? I know Edict costs but it can get rid of pesky untargetables in the first few turns.

[Mirrislegend]

No, this is not a new idea. But hey, discuss it here all you like. Check out the older thread - maybe it'll give you some ideas.

Is it just me or is the above link busted? If its not just me, then Godzilla, please find what you were referring to and fix taht.

[Di]

Is it just me or is the above link busted? If its not just me, then Godzilla, please find what you were referring to and fix taht.

The link Godzilla posted went to the thread that I posted in response to ElvenTitz thinking this was a new deck when I in fact created it long before. The link won't work because the original thread wasn't added to the archives after the boards switched servers or whatever happened. But there still might be something about the deck in the archives...

Also, why the hell are all my decks' threads being necroed? First Holy, and now this. Next we'll be seeing ATS being resurrected...

EDIT: Actually, found the link to the original thread.

http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1378

[Sugar Woof]

Does anyone know what the list looked like from the most recent d4d? Also, does anyone know how it placed?

[overlord95]

Yea me for necroing a thread that’s been dead for nearly 6 months. Moreover, what better way to breath some life back into this thread then with a semi-success story. First off here’s the list that I piloted to a top8 finish at the Running GAGG.

DA RIFLE aka 59 CARD TECH aka DUCK HUNT aka UB LANDSTILL: by Scott Scheurer

Deck list

Artifacts
3 x Engineered Explosives
2 x Crucible of Worlds

Enchantments
1 x The Abyss
4 x Standstill

Instants
4 x Force of will
4 x Counterspell
3 x Stifle
4 x Brainstorm
2 x Fact or Fiction
4 x Ghastly Demise

Sorceries
3 x Decree of Pain
2 x Haunting Echoes

Lands
4 x Islands
2 x Swamps
4 x Underground Sea
4 x Polluted Delta
1 x Flooded Strand
1 x Bloodstained Mire
4 x Wasteland
4 x Mishra’s Factory

Sideboard
4 x Duress
4 x Flesh Reaver
3 x Tsabo’s Decree
4 x Dandan (YES IT’S SEXY TIME!!!)

Card by card explanations

Engineered Explosives: Gives you answer to annoying permanents such Pithing Needle, Aether Vial, Umezawa’s Jitte, and all the while letting you stay in just blue black.

Crucible of Worlds: This card has obvious applications with fetch lands, Wasteland, and makes your Mishra’s Factories nearly indestructible.

The Abyss: As of right now it’s a placeholder, and rounds out the fourth wrathish effect.
However, on the plus side against aggro it makes it to where your opponent has to over commit to the board to beat the card in question, which in the end makes your Decree of Pains potentially more devastating.

Standstill: The namesake of the deck, two mana for three cards and the potential to set your opponent back by x turns is just nutty. Playing any less the four in the match ups where its bad makes it even worse then it already is, because you want to see it on turn 2 and alot of the time becomes a dead card after that.

Force of Will: Stops random brokenness from happening on turn one like Goblin Lackey or Aether Vial. While also allowing you to tap out for whatever reason and not fear what your opponent could do to swing the game in their favor.

Counterspell: Stops potentially threatening spells from hitting the in play zone a staple for most blue-based control decks.

Stifle: In my opinion, one of the most underplayed cards and an invaluable tool for all u/x control decks. This card hoses an array of problematic spells from Goblin Ringleader to Tendrils of Agony. While at the same time allowing you too further exploit the potential LD strategy in combination with crucible/wasteland to stop fetch lands. IMO this card is here to stay.

Brainstorm: This card allows you to filters threw dead cards in certain match ups. All the while fixing your mana base and potentially hide important cards in the match ups where that’s relevant.

Fact or Fiction: Another source of big instant speed card advantage that has great synergy with crucible, but the main reason it’s in the deck over Skeletal Scrying is the fact that it’s blue to support Force of Will.

Ghastly Demise: Efficiency here is the name of the game; this is the closet thing to Swords to Plowshares you’re going to get without playing white.

Decree of Pain: This card right now is a placeholder until Damnation is legal.

Haunting Echoes: Your secondary win condition, your games are going to run long and having the ability to preemptively remove any outs your opponent could draw is just greeeeaatt.

The mana base: I think is self-explanatory with the exception of the extra fetch lands. These are here to make things like Brainstorm into an Ancestral Recall more often; also, it increases the odds of having the fetch/Ghastly Demise combo for the first turn lackey.

Duress: This is here as a general hoser to combo and control decks.

THE MAN PLAN (Flesh Reaver and Dandan): This is here for decks like Solidarity where what you really need is a way to win the game faster and not more disruption.

Tsabo’s Decree: This comes in against tribal strategies (mainly goblins) where the plan is to bull shit until turn six, just drop this, and win the game.

Ill have a tourney report and match up analysis up later but for now ill leave, you guys with some discussion topics:
Engineered Explosives hot or not?
Engineered Explosives vs. Powder Keg
The Abyss hot or not?
Adding more colors hot or not?
Stifle hot or not?
Is having the Man Plan really worth all the sideboard spaces it takes up?

[kicks_422]

Any plans on adding Damnation? Also, is 6 fetchlands really needed, considering you only run 2 colors?

I don't think you need a man plan in the SB, just better stuff like Engineered Plague for Goblins, Chalice for Combo, Diabolic Edict for untargetable creatures, etc.

[overlord95]

Any plans on adding Damnation?

Decree of Pain: This card right now is a placeholder until Damnation is legal.

Yes

Also, is 6 fetchlands really needed, considering you only run 2 colors?

The mana base: I think is self-explanatory with the exception of the extra fetch lands. These are here to make things like Brainstorm into an Ancestral Recall more often; also, it increases the odds of having the fetch/Ghastly Demise combo for the first turn lackey.

Yes

I don't think you need a man plan in the SB, just better stuff like Engineered Plague for Goblins, Chalice for Combo, Diabolic Edict for untargetable creatures, etc.

Can you please explain why you think that not have The Man Plan is good idea. Just saying you dont think I need it doesnt further the discussion.

[Peter_Rotten]

How often do you run to time with this deck? It seems like whenever I read about ppl playing against the deck, they finished game one, maybe two, and then ran out of time.

Does this deck suffer the Jack Elgin effect? (A good deck if rounds were 80 minutes.)

[overlord95]

How often do you run to time with this deck? It seems like whenever I read about ppl playing against the deck, they finished game one, maybe two, and then ran out of time.

Does this deck suffer the Jack Elgin effect? (A good deck if rounds were 80 minutes.)

To be honest it happens more then id like it to. At the Running GAGG I went to time against Big Bear and I went to time against the enchantress player.The best solution imo to this problem is either a) take the aggresive roll earlyer or b) play more win conditions which can come down earlyer.

[scrumdogg]

To be honest it happens more then id like it to. At the Running GAGG I went to time against Big Bear and I went to time against the enchantress player.The best solution imo to this problem is either a) take the aggresive roll earlyer or b) play more win conditions which can come down earlyer.

Or not waste time when shuffling/sideboarding/presenting, from comments posted by opponents/observers at GaGG2 you were nearly as slow as Mark (anyone from Quse will immediately get that...& cringe). Maximizing the time time you have to operate is always a good idea with a slow deck anyway. A) how exactly CAN you be aggressive with this deck? Seems improbable unless you actually B) play more win conditions.... Which leads to the discussion, which win cinditions? And what comes out?

[Peter_Rotten]

...b) play more win conditions which can come down earlyer.

Hmm. Could Faerie Conclave speed things up (a little)?

You need something big and scary like a Black Decree of Justice or Eternal Dragon. And it would have to be a creature that performs some sort of double duty like Dragon (fetching land) and Decree (drawing a card - surpise blockers) did in UW Landstill. Unfortunately, I know of no such black creature.

Would something like Kukosho be reasonable? Spirit of the Night ?