@nedleeds (Sean I assume), I'm cross posting this because I'm not sure which platform (FB, EC, TMD) you are the most responsive.

There is a key point which I'm not sure you tackle properly in this article. To my mind, the increase in the average number of Missteps was directly related to the restriction of Chalice of the Void in September 2015.

Blue decks simply got greedier, much lower on the curve and then everybody got stuck playing 4 MM as a consequence of Chalice's restriction.

Before Chalice's restriction, people were much more conscious about spreading their CMC across the curve. Moreover, cards like Spell Snare, Spell Pierce and Hurkyl's were no brainer main deck back then as it was the best answer to un-restricted Chalice (and versatile/good against the rest of the field).

In a field full of Chalices, MM made absolutely no sense. That's the key point.

Last, in a field without Chalice, I think people felt safe knowing that they could rely on 4MM if needed to keep in check the Ritual decks. I think that when Dark Petition + Cabal Therapy + Probe decks started popping out. Then Xerox really took over the format but by then 4MM was already everywhere. It all started when Chalice got restricted.

@titus I think this is the best point so far. I like very much the design in that regard: It doesn't trigger for PW's abilities but in exchange it kills them.

Other than that, I hate that they imprinted such ability on another bear (how about Enchantments) and freaking human. How about Goblins or other tribes that make you dream as a kid. Humans are so lame & unmagical

I do not agree that Griselbrand is way easier to cheat into play than Bargain. Bargain care not about Priest, Karakas, Cage, Metamorph & STP so these are the key differences with Griseldaddy. It is also much more flexible as you dont rely on having 8+ life to go off vs aggro meta and it is more castable.

Obviously Show & Tell gains a lot of value from Bargain's unrestriction and I think people will first try to jam it in an Oath Shell along with castable Academy Rector, Flash and maybe a 1off Emrakul glued together by 4 Cabal therapy.

That brew might end up being clunky but I think it is less of a glass canon than trying to push Bargain via a Ritual shell. Im pretty sure Ritual-Bargain (combined with Duress effects) is the reason why Misstep was left untouched for now.

Shop could jam in some Pithing needle MD to replace Thorn (fetch denial, VKey, Bargain, Bazaar) though the new Spyglass is an absolute hot contender as, again, it plays around Misstep while earning invaluable info for Prison/Aggro tempo decks!

PO in the end seems to be the real winner though I like the tension between possibly having 2 combo decks relying on 2 different engines: Rituals or Artifacts. They'll have to account for each other so, in the end, it might not be as straight forward but, PO supports FOW & Hurkyl's better so... yeah overall I think PO clearly wins.

Rodrigo Togores suggested to me to try Collective Brutality.
Ive been playing 2 for about 6 weeks now and I like it. I rarely side them out (only generally against Oath & Dredge).
I think the card is very legit:

• Doesnt get misstepped
• Answers Revoker, Thalia, Notion Thief...
• Life gained can be converted into cards drawn
• Helps getting Threshold & Spell Mastery
• Discards Opp & deals damages obviously

I only 5-0ed a couple a times with the deck (byron1) but always breaks even (3-2 mini). Latest list has:

• no LED, no Chrome, no Jar, no Mind's Desire
• 13 lands (2 basics), no Library
• Tinker/bot in main
• Red for Wheel of Fortune & Empty the Warren in side

Main thing Ive been trying to work out is whether I like Preodain or not. Running 2 at the moment. Does the deck need Sensei instead?

The deck is very fun but still not sure its 100% there.

The full Coverage of our 2018 Australian Vintage Masters just got uploaded HERE!!!!. That is 9 rounds of real sanctionned paper MTG with commentaries (about 6hrs).

Top 8 decklits and meta breakdown can be found here.

and previous Opponent round 4 game 3. Screw you Cages!

I'm pretty sure you are missing Ancestral Recall from Bertrand's list. Source: http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/zak-dolans-worlds-diary-2004-08-26

Also I'm not very clear where this guy get this from but he reckons Bertrand replaced Chaos Orb for Sylvan Library in the finale against Zak. Source: http://fabiensanglard.net/mtg_93-94_Toronto/event1.php

Your source (Bertrand?) seems to recall that Bertrand opted for a 61-card deck in case he ripped up the Orb. That seems fair enough strategy and very flavourful. But again, as it was the very last match of the tournament against a turtle control deck, maybe Bertrand decided to trim down to 60-cards deck (not sure if the rules allowed this back then but I wouldn't be surprised if it allowed you to make adjustments out as long as you maintained 60 mini + your original sideboard. No new card back in obviously)

I remember fondly looking at Bertrand's decklist in a French magazine called Casus Belli in 95-96ish (I remember it was in a column on the right page). I really wish I could put my hand on it again. I was in my bed trying hard to figure out what the hell Channel was doing. Then I understood the combo! I fear there wasn't any of the other decklists published in that magazine.

@stuart Here is last week 5-0 list where I trimmed 1 Duress & 1 Grid MD for Tinker/Bot instead

I figured that Tinker can get the Grid if needed or a timely Lotus, ManaVault... and can help Threshold in some scenarios (that's also why I absolutely love Chain of Vapour in that deck). Also, having that 2nd & easy WinCon MD really gives me a few easy out G1 against certain matchups

Aahah so true about the Jeskai stuff. The use of such terms should be banned & pinned in the TMD's forum rules as rule #1

I think this card is made for Trinket Mage or Tezz decks.

It is possible that Vintage suffers a little from the lack of nuances in the category of good counter/destroy spells making the strategies a little stale.

I think one of the card with the most nuances & subtilities (ie: interactive) in that category might be Mindbreak Trap:

• Its free-to-cast condition means it challenges both players playskills & deckbuilding
• It exiles rather than counter, introducing another layer in a universe full of counterwars, recurring spells, delving, ...
• It is still playable mid & late game under its full casting cost
• It can be easily interacted with (no storm, no spilt second, ...)

So the counterargument is probably to say that if a card has too many nuances/conditions then it has been too balanced by R&D so probably not Vintage/Powerful enough. I’m more to say that R&D doesn’t like printing too many of these cards because it makes the game complicated/hard for new players. For us, not having access to such cards make the game stale & the strategies limited

@covetousrat, I’m really surprised WoTC dont specify English as their primary platform to advertise their Eternal WE to wider community. Japanese coverage, decklists and live commentary...

That card looks like a one off Tinker target in Grixis Thieves deck. Some play Wheel of Fortune for extra style and winning. If you don't want to win (or play Jar instead), play this. It also happens that this new jewel is also a good mana sink for colorless Mana Drain which Thieves also runs and you can now convert all that colorlessness into spicy colours.

And I guess you can always steal it back with Dack!! not.

Quite like the saccing ability as it gives you an out to Dack Fayden stealing your wincons (read : Blightsteel, TVault...) in a similar fashion than what Ravager offers to Shop.

Also give you an out to STP removing your Colossus from the game by instead reshuffling it back into the deck.

http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=19417&d=323770&f=VI

1st – Phillip Nicholson – Dredge

1 Flame-Kin Zealot
4 Bloodghast
1 Ashen Rider
1 Dakmor Salvage
1 Mana Confluence
4 City of Brass
4 Undiscovered Paradise
4 Bazaar of Baghdad

4 Serum Powder
4 Leyline of The Void

3 Dread Return
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Bridge from Below

4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Narcomoeba
4 Ichorid
3 Golgari Thug
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
2 Fate Stitcher

Sideboard

4 Nature’s Claim
4 Ingot Chewer
4 Hollow One
3 Gurmag Angler

2nd – Thomas Ribet – 4C Control

3 Containment Priest
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Monastery Mentor
1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
3 Dack Fayden
1 Jace, The Mindsculptor

3 Force of Will
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Mental Misstep
2 Pyroblast
1 Flusterstorm
1 Abrade

3 Preordain
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Dig Through Time
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Time Walk
1 Ponder
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Demonic Tutor

2 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
3 Volcanic Island
1 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Polluted Delta
1 Flooded Strand
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring

Sideboard
2 Rest in Peace
1 Pithing Needle
1 Tinker
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Notion Thief
1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
1 Flusterstorm
2 Stony Silence
2 By Force
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Abrade
1 Swords to Plowshares

3rd/4th – Jared Alsop – Landstill

1 Disenchant
1 Moat
1 Stony Silence
3 Swords to Plowshares

1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Dig Through Time
1 Flusterstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
3 Mental Misstep
2 Mindbreak Trap
1 Spell Snare
3 Standstill
1 Time Walk
1 Treasure Cruise

1 Supreme Verdict

1 Black Lotus
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring

2 Jace, The Mindsculptor
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

3 Mishra’s Factory
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Strip Mine
4 Tundra
3 Wasteland

Sideboard
2 Containment Priest
1 Disenchant
2 Energy Flux
1 Flusterstorm
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Path to Exile
2 Rest in Peace
1 Stony Silence
1 Swords to Plowshares
2 Tormod’s Crypt

3rd/4th – Nicholas Fennell – MUD

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald

4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Mishra’s Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Wasteland

4 Arcbound Ravager
3 Chief of the Foundry
4 Foundry Inspector
3 Hangarback Walker
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Steel Overseer
4 Walking Ballista

1 Chalice of the Void
1 Sol ring
4 Sphere of Resistance
1 Trinisphere
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
1 Mana Crypt

Sideboard

1 Dismember
4 Grafdigger’s Cage
3 Null Rod
3 Precursor Golem
1 Tormod’s Crypt
3 Sorcerous Spyglass

5th-8th – Thomas Sellitto – UR Delver

4 Delver of Secrets
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Snapcaster Mage

4 Force of Will
4 LIghtning Bolt
4 Mental MIsstep
4 Preordain
4 Daze
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Ponder
1 Time Walk
1 Gush
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Dig Through Time

2 Null Rod
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire

4 Scalding Tarn
3 Flooded Strand
4 Wasteland
3 Volcanic Island
2 Island
1 Strip Mine

Sideboard
3 Grafdigger’s Cage
4 Pyroblast
2 Null Rod
2 Ravenous Trap
1 Mountain
1 Sudden Shock
1 By Force
1 Flusterstorm

5th-8th – Jacob Dunn – Grixis Control

4 Dark Confidant
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Myr Battlesphere

4 Force oF Will
2 Mana Drain
2 Spell Pierce
2 Mental Misstep
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Time Walk
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Tinker
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Hurkyl’s Recall

3 Jace, The Mindsculptor

4 Polluted Delta
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Volcanic Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandria

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
Lotus Petal
Mana Crypt
Time Vault
Voltaic Key

Sideboard
4 Yixlid Jailer
4 Ingot Chewer
4 grafdigger’s Cage
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Strip Mine
1 Mountain

5th-8th – James Dowling – Landstill

2 Faerie Conclave
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Karakas
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Plains
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Strip Mine
4 Tundra
3 Wasteland

2 Jace, The Mindsculptor
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

1 Treasure Cruise

1 Ancestral Recall
1 Dig Through Time
1 Disenchant
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
3 Mental Misstep
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Spell Snare
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Moat
3 Standstill

2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Spell Queller

1 Black Lotus
2 Crucible of Worlds
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring

Sideboard

4 Containment Priest
1 Disenchant
2 Energy Flux
2 Flusterstorm
2 Fragmentize
2 Path to Exile
2 Pithing Needle

5th-8th – Luke McCoy – Dredge

4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Bloodghast
4 Bridge from Below
1 Cabal Pit
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Dakmor Salvage
1 Dragonlord Kolaghan
2 Dread Return
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
2 Golgari Thug
4 Hollow One
2 Ichorid
1 Ingot Chewer
4 Mana Confluence
4 Narcomoeba
2 Petrified Field
4 Serum Powder
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Undiscovered Paradise
1 Wispmare
1 Fatestitcher

Sideboard
2 Abrupt Decay
3 Gurmag Angler
2 Ingot Chewer
4 Leyline of the Void
4 Nature’s Claim

Metagame Breakdown (sanctionned)
5 Dredge
5 Oath of Druids (2 Inferno, 1 Muldrotha, 1 Demon Oath, 1 Punishing)
4 Delver (3 UR, 1 RUG)
3 Landstill
3 MUD
3 Unpowered Eldrazi (2 colourless, 1 white)
2 Grixis Control
2 Paradoixal Mentor
1 4C Control
1 4C Hatebears
1 Channel Mirror
1 Bomberman
1 Modern Mill feat force of will
1 Mono R Prison
1 Mono U Control
1 The Wheel (Esper Control)

The full Coverage of our 2018 Australian Vintage Masters just got uploaded HERE!!!!. That is 9 rounds of real sanctionned paper MTG with commentaries (about 6hrs).

Top 8 decklits and meta breakdown can be found here.

Metagame Breakdown (sanctioned):
5 Dredge
5 Oath of Druids (2 Inferno, 1 Muldrotha, 1 Demon Oath, 1 Punishing)
4 Delver (3 UR, 1 RUG)
3 Landstill
3 MUD
3 Unpowered Eldrazi (2 colourless, 1 white)
2 Grixis Control
2 Paradoixal Mentor
1 4C Control
1 4C Hatebears
1 Channel Mirror
1 Bomberman
1 Modern Mill feat force of will
1 Mono R Prison
1 Mono U Control
1 The Wheel (Esper Control)

1st – Phillip Nicholson – Dredge

1 Flame-Kin Zealot
4 Bloodghast
1 Ashen Rider
1 Dakmor Salvage
1 Mana Confluence
4 City of Brass
4 Undiscovered Paradise
4 Bazaar of Baghdad

4 Serum Powder
4 Leyline of The Void

3 Dread Return
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Bridge from Below

4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Narcomoeba
4 Ichorid
3 Golgari Thug
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
2 Fate Stitcher

Sideboard

4 Nature’s Claim
4 Ingot Chewer
4 Hollow One
3 Gurmag Angler

2nd – Thomas Ribet – 4C Control

3 Containment Priest
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Monastery Mentor
1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
3 Dack Fayden
1 Jace, The Mindsculptor

3 Force of Will
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Mental Misstep
2 Pyroblast
1 Flusterstorm
1 Abrade

3 Preordain
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Dig Through Time
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Time Walk
1 Ponder
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Demonic Tutor

2 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
3 Volcanic Island
1 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Polluted Delta
1 Flooded Strand
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring

Sideboard
2 Rest in Peace
1 Pithing Needle
1 Tinker
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Notion Thief
1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
1 Flusterstorm
2 Stony Silence
2 By Force
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Abrade
1 Swords to Plowshares

3rd/4th – Jared Alsop – Landstill

1 Disenchant
1 Moat
1 Stony Silence
3 Swords to Plowshares

1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Dig Through Time
1 Flusterstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
3 Mental Misstep
2 Mindbreak Trap
1 Spell Snare
3 Standstill
1 Time Walk
1 Treasure Cruise

1 Supreme Verdict

1 Black Lotus
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring

2 Jace, The Mindsculptor
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

3 Mishra’s Factory
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Strip Mine
4 Tundra
3 Wasteland

Sideboard
2 Containment Priest
1 Disenchant
2 Energy Flux
1 Flusterstorm
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Path to Exile
2 Rest in Peace
1 Stony Silence
1 Swords to Plowshares
2 Tormod’s Crypt

3rd/4th – Nicholas Fennell – MUD

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald

4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Mishra’s Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Wasteland

4 Arcbound Ravager
3 Chief of the Foundry
4 Foundry Inspector
3 Hangarback Walker
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Steel Overseer
4 Walking Ballista

1 Chalice of the Void
1 Sol ring
4 Sphere of Resistance
1 Trinisphere
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
1 Mana Crypt

Sideboard

1 Dismember
4 Grafdigger’s Cage
3 Null Rod
3 Precursor Golem
1 Tormod’s Crypt
3 Sorcerous Spyglass

5th-8th – Thomas Sellitto – UR Delver

4 Delver of Secrets
4 Young Pyromancer
1 Snapcaster Mage

4 Force of Will
4 LIghtning Bolt
4 Mental MIsstep
4 Preordain
4 Daze
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Ponder
1 Time Walk
1 Gush
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Dig Through Time

2 Null Rod
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire

4 Scalding Tarn
3 Flooded Strand
4 Wasteland
3 Volcanic Island
2 Island
1 Strip Mine

Sideboard
3 Grafdigger’s Cage
4 Pyroblast
2 Null Rod
2 Ravenous Trap
1 Mountain
1 Sudden Shock
1 By Force
1 Flusterstorm

5th-8th – Jacob Dunn – Grixis Control

4 Dark Confidant
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Myr Battlesphere

4 Force oF Will
2 Mana Drain
2 Spell Pierce
2 Mental Misstep
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Time Walk
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Tinker
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Hurkyl’s Recall

3 Jace, The Mindsculptor

4 Polluted Delta
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Volcanic Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandria

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Sol Ring
Lotus Petal
Mana Crypt
Time Vault
Voltaic Key

Sideboard
4 Yixlid Jailer
4 Ingot Chewer
4 grafdigger’s Cage
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Strip Mine
1 Mountain

5th-8th – James Dowling – Landstill

2 Faerie Conclave
4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Karakas
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Plains
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Strip Mine
4 Tundra
3 Wasteland

2 Jace, The Mindsculptor
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

1 Treasure Cruise

1 Ancestral Recall
1 Dig Through Time
1 Disenchant
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
3 Mental Misstep
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Spell Snare
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Moat
3 Standstill

2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Spell Queller

1 Black Lotus
2 Crucible of Worlds
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring

Sideboard

4 Containment Priest
1 Disenchant
2 Energy Flux
2 Flusterstorm
2 Fragmentize
2 Path to Exile
2 Pithing Needle

5th-8th – Luke McCoy – Dredge

4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Bloodghast
4 Bridge from Below
1 Cabal Pit
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Dakmor Salvage
1 Dragonlord Kolaghan
2 Dread Return
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
2 Golgari Thug
4 Hollow One
2 Ichorid
1 Ingot Chewer
4 Mana Confluence
4 Narcomoeba
2 Petrified Field
4 Serum Powder
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Undiscovered Paradise
1 Wispmare
1 Fatestitcher

Sideboard
2 Abrupt Decay
3 Gurmag Angler
2 Ingot Chewer
4 Leyline of the Void
4 Nature’s Claim

The full Coverage of our 2018 Australian Vintage Masters just got uploaded HERE!!!!. That is 9 rounds of real sanctionned paper MTG with commentaries (about 6hrs).

Top 8 decklits and meta breakdown can be found here.

@darkquarterer yeah I tried that split (and many others). But I'm still trying to work out the correct recipe xDuress/yBrutality/zDefense Grid/1 Hurkyl's/? Chain of vapour... That can easily add up to 9-10 cards if you''re not careful and I believe that is where I still need to do the most tuning/trimming.

@jsakpc Haven't tried Night's Whisper because I do not believe 2cc cantrip is where I want to be. Feels wrong tapping out T2 to draw 2. I rather cast Preodain and follow up with Duress, Dark Ritual, etc... I'm now back on 4 Preordain as I feel consistency is what some of my versions might have been lacking. (I currently cut the 3rd colour to...)