For the next week, we’ll be covering the vast format that is Legacy. We’ll be covering 10 decks a day to help you get familiar with the variety that Legacy has to offer, significant finishes, a small “How the Decks Work” section, some variations, and finally, some sideboard cards that help combat that particular strategy. If we missed anything, feel free to comment and let us know!
Legacy is a giant format. Spanning almost 20 years, the number of decks that have waned in and out of popularity cannot possibly be counted. Cards printed 10 years ago may just have as much relevance today as they did back then, and old cards or archetypes may become strong again because of newer cards that have been printed (Think of the many two card combos used in Legacy today – they mostly consist of an old card and a newer card, like Painter’s Servant/Grindstone, Natural Order/Progenitus, Show and Tell/Emrakul).
What is this article series for? Well, for many reasons. For the newer Legacy player that may be jumping in for the first time at SCG: Phoenix, this is for you. If you are looking for the right Legacy deck that suits your style, this is for you. If you are still undecided for what deck you want to play for SCG: Phoenix, this is for you. If you have a ton of random cards and want to find the closest deck that you can build, this is for you.
As a note, we’ll be covering 40 decks of Legacy that we think are relevant enough in today’s metagame. We’ll be covering these decks in alphabetical order, and finally, on Friday, we’ll be covering the ten decks we think will be making a splash at SCG: Phoenix!
Also, we have also listed a small indicator showing how likely you will be facing these decks. This is just a best guess, based on our observations — don’t take it as fact, as we haven’t done any sort of empirical studies or anything. In addition, people coming from out of state may skew these numbers, but it should at least give you an idea of what to expect.
So, without further ado, here are the first ten decks!
12-Post
AKA: Turbo Eldrazi
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (10) 2 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn 2 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth 2 Primeval Titan 4 Trinket Mage Spells (28) 3 Crop Rotation 3 All Is Dust 4 Sylvan Scrying 4 Exploration 1 Pithing Needle 3 Candelabra of Tawnos 3 Oblivion Stone 3 Sensei’s Divining Top 4 Expedition Map Lands (24) 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Eye of Ugin 1 Forest 1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale 4 Cloudpost 4 Glimmerpost 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Tropical Island 4 Vesuva | Sideboard (15) 2 Trinisphere 4 Propaganda 4 Flusterstorm 4 Stifle 1 Magosi, the Waterveil |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Alberto Alonso, 5th of 40: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7727&iddeck=56234
How the Deck Works
The deck works by ramping up quickly with the use of Exploration, Candelabra of Tawnos, and various land searching cards to get multiple Cloudposts, Glimmerposts, and Vesuvas into play and using the massive amounts of mana to unleash Eldrazi.
Sideboard cards to Consider: Blood Moon, Wasteland + Surgical Extraction/Extirpate
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Very Low
Ad Nauseam Tendrils (ANT)
Sample Decklist
| Spells (43) 1 Ad Nauseam 1 Chain of Vapor 4 Brainstorm 4 Cabal Ritual 4 Dark Ritual 1 Grim Tutor 1 Ill-Gotten Gains 1 Tendrils of Agony 2 Thoughtseize 4 Duress 4 Infernal Tutor 4 Ponder 4 Preordain 4 Lion’s Eye Diamond 4 Lotus Petal Lands (17) 2 Misty Rainforest 2 Scalding Tarn 2 Swamp 2 Underground Sea 2 Verdant Catacombs 3 Island 4 Polluted Delta | Sideboard (15) 4 Dark Confidant 1 Energy Flux 1 Ad Nauseam 2 Chain of Vapor 2 Echoing Truth 2 Slaughter Pact 1 Sadistic Sacrament 2 Thoughtseize |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Richard Johnson, 6th of 40: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7707&iddeck=56063
How the Deck Works
ANT abuses the storm mechanic released in Scourge by casting fast mana in the form of spells (Dark Ritual) or artifacts (Lion’s Eye Diamond), then casting an Ad Nauseam or Ill-Gotten Gains to reach the magical number of 9 (the original Tendrils of Agony is the 10th copy).
Deck Variants: Past in Flames adds a new engine to the deck. Another deck variant, The Epic Storm, will be covered later as the variant is quite different.
Sideboard cards to Consider: Ethersworn Canonist, Mindbreak Trap, Spell Pierce
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Moderate
Affinity
AKA: Robots
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (21) 2 Stoneforge Mystic 3 Etched Champion 4 Frogmite 4 Memnite 4 Signal Pest 4 Vault Skirge Spells (23) 4 Dispatch 4 Thoughtcast 3 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas 4 Cranial Plating 4 Mox Opal 4 Springleaf Drum Lands (16) 4 Ancient Den 4 Inkmoth Nexus 4 Seat of the Synod 4 Vault of Whispers | Sideboard (15) 4 Grafdigger’s Cage 4 Ethersworn Canonist 4 Spell Pierce 1 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas 2 Thoughtseize |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Christopher Sutton, 15th of 153: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7707&iddeck=56072
Victor Monterde, 5th of 37: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7716&iddeck=56146
Anthony Wilson, 2nd of 118: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7634&iddeck=55418
Daniel Matanza, 3rd of 35: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7583&iddeck=55099
How this Deck Works
Another Standard holdout (though it has gained many tools since we first visited Mirrodin), Affinity’s blazing fast speed makes it possibly the fastest aggro deck in existence. Mox Opal, Springleaf Drum, and artifact lands make it easy to cast two or three creatures on turn one (and having 8 zero cost creatures makes it easy too). Cranial Plating makes your 0/2 creatures into huge threats, and in some decks, Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas comes by to do your bidding.
Deck Variants: Since many of the cards are colorless, there are many ways to make affinity. Blue is by far the most common one, because a one mana Divination is pretty good. Black is often used in conjunction with blue. Historically the combination used Disciple of the Vault and Arcbound Ravager to win the game, but now the color combination yields Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas. White is the next popular color combination. Dispatch and Stoneforge Mystic make their arguments here, as a drawback-less Swords to Plowshares and Cranial Platings 5-X is also good as well. Red and green are the least common, but red offers Galvanic Blast and Shrapnel Blast. Meanwhile, green has the ultra powerful Glimpse of Nature, as well as Berserk.
Sideboard cards to Consider: Null Rod, Ancient Grudge, Stony Silence, Krosan Grip, Pithing Needle, Maze of Ith, Energy Flux, Kataki, War’s Wage
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: High
Bant
Sample Decklist
Significant Finishes of 2012
Alex Hon, 7th of 153: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7707&iddeck=56064
Andrew Morrow, 2nd of 297: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7662&iddeck=55656
How the Deck Works
A typical aggro-control deck – it seeks to gain an aggro advantage through cards like Knight of the Reliquary and Stoneforge Mystic, but can adapt a control route with Jace, the Mind Sculptor.
Deck Variants: Some lists have Nautral Order and Progenitus.
Sideboard Cards to Consider: Submerge, Bojuka Bog, Choke, Gaddock Teeg (stop Green Sun’s Zenith, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, and Natural Order)
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: High
Belcher
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (12) 4 Elvish Spirit Guide 4 Simian Spirit Guide 4 Tinder Wall Spells (47) 4 Desperate Ritual 4 Manamorphose 4 Seething Song 3 Empty the Warrens 4 Burning Wish 4 Gitaxian Probe 4 Land Grant 4 Rite of Flame 4 Chrome Mox 4 Goblin Charbelcher 4 Lion’s Eye Diamond 4 Lotus Petal Lands (1) 1 Taiga | Sideboard (15) 4 Xantid Swarm 3 Pyroblast 1 Diminishing Returns 1 Empty the Warrens 1 Grapeshot 1 Infernal Tutor 1 Past in Flames 1 Reverent Silence 1 Shattering Spree 1 Tendrils of Agony |
Significant Finishes of 2012
Garrett Young, 11th of 94: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7757&iddeck=56450
Joshua Miller, 14th of 153: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7707&iddeck=56071
How the Deck Works
The deck uses fast mana to ramp up quickly to cast Goblin Charbelcher, and by having only one land (and it’s a Mountain), it usually kills in one shot. The alternate win condition is Empty the Warrens, which can also be Wished for.
Sideboard Cards to Consider: Ethersworn Canonist, Mindbreak Trap, Spell Pierce, Engineered Explosives (for Goblin tokens)
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Low
Berserk Stompy
AKA: Infect Stompy
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (18) 2 Elvish Spirit Guide 4 Glistener Elf 4 Ichorclaw Myr 4 Phyrexian Crusader 4 Plague Stinger Spells (26) 4 Berserk 4 Invigorate 4 Mutagenic Growth 4 Vines of Vastwood 2 Inquisition of Kozilek 4 Rancor 4 Lotus Petal Lands (16) 1 Forest 1 Pendelhaven 2 Swamp 4 Bayou 4 Inkmoth Nexus 4 Verdant Catacombs |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Ruben Diaz, 6th of 35: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7583&iddeck=55102
How the Deck Works
Turn 1, cast a creature. Turn 2, kill you. That’s the ideal game for Berserk Stompy. Using cheap pump spells like Invigorate, Rancor, and Berserk, it can pump out kills as early as turn 2. With the release of the Scars of Mirrodin block, this deck was given new life (or death, however you want to think about it) with the Infect mechanic. Infect makes kills much much faster but at the cost of more expensive creatures.
Deck Variants: Some decks splash blue instead of black for counterspells, Brainstorm, and Blighted Agent.
Sideboard cards to consider: Ethersworn Canonist, Umezawa’s Jitte, Leeches (just kidding)
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Low
BUG Control
AKA: Landstill, Team America, BUGstill, Jacestill
Sample Decklist
Significant Finishes in 2012
Jack Colwell, 8th of 49: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7672&iddeck=55754
How the Deck Works
A control deck at its purest, BUG Control seeks to set up early with cheap counterspells such as Spell Snare and removal in order to go into the late game, where it shines. Pernicious Deed wipes the floor in aggro matchups and the counterspell suite stops combo decks. The deck may generate card advantage via Ancestral Visions or Standstill. The main condition is Jace, the Mind Sculptor, but it can win with Factory beats too.
Deck Variants: Some decks may splash white for Swords to Plowshares or Elspeth, but the mana is really rough, especially if you throw Liliana into the mix.
Sideboard cards to consider: Choke, Back to Basics, Price of Progress
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Moderate
Burn
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (13) 3 Figure of Destiny 3 Hellspark Elemental 3 Keldon Marauders 4 Goblin Guide Spells (28) 4 Fireblast 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Price of Progress 4 Chain Lightning 4 Flame Rift 4 Lava Spike 4 Rift Bolt Lands (19) 2 Barbarian Ring 17 Mountain | Sideboard (15) 4 Faerie Macabre 3 Pyrostatic Pillar 4 Pyroblast 1 Red Elemental Blast 3 Smash to Smithereens |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Austin Yost, 1st of 234: http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7572&iddeck=55009
James Allen, 1st of 118: http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7634&iddeck=55417
Cary Duncan, 11th of 297: http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7662&iddeck=55665
Oscar Palomino, 2nd of 89: http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7723&iddeck=56199
How the Deck Works
The classic red deck. Throw burn spells at your opponent as fast as possible and kill them before you can stabilize. Price of Progress is probably the strongest card in the deck, able to deal anywhere from 4 to 16 damage to a player for a mere 2 mana.
Deck Variants: Some decks have fetchlands and Grim Lavamancer, or they may splash a color such as green for Krosan Grip. With Stifle’s popularity, however, the fetchland variation is not as common as the ultra cheap 17 Mountain/2 Barbarian Ring manabase.
Sideboard Cards to Consider: Chill, Warmth, Circle of Protection: Red, Aegis of Honor, Leyline of Sanctity, Counterbalance
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Very High
Cephalid Breakfast
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (15) 1 Giant Solifuge 1 Lord of Extinction 1 The Mimeoplasm 2 Nomads en-Kor 3 Grand Abolisher 3 Narcomoeba 4 Cephalid Illusionist Spells (28) 3 Daze 4 Brainstorm 4 Force of Will 4 Lim-Dûl’s Vault 1 Dread Return 1 Ponder 2 Cabal Therapy 2 Preordain 3 Aether Vial 4 Shuko Lands (17) 1 Island 1 Marsh Flats 1 Plains 1 Scrubland 1 Swamp 2 Tundra 3 Flooded Strand 3 Underground Sea 4 Polluted Delta | Sideboard (15) 2 Swords to Plowshares 1 Peacekeeper 4 Leyline of Sanctity 2 Spell Pierce 2 Flusterstorm 2 Stern Proctor 1 Chain of Vapor 1 Echoing Truth |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Ilya Shcherbakov, 8th of 113: http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7741&iddeck=56333
How the Deck Works
While the win condition has changed over the years, the core of the deck has not. This deck aims to abuse Cephalid Illusionist’s ability with Nomads en-kor, Shuko, or any other free targeting effect (read Nomads en-Kor’s Oracle text, not its card text). Once the deck assembles that combo, it sends its entire library into the graveyard. That interaction will put the Narcomebas into play. From there, it can use the Cabal Therapies to tear about the opponent’s hand, then it flashes back Dread Return, returning the Mimeoplasm to play, exiling the Lord of Extinction and Giant Solifuge. The Mimeoplasm copies the Solifuge and gains the +1/+1 counters of the Lord of Extinction, and finally swings in for the kill.
Sideboard Cards to Consider: Grand Abolisher does prevent the activation of many graveyard hate cards, so static abilities like Leyline of the Void, Yixlid Jailer, and Grafdigger’s Cage are probably more effective than traditional graveyard hate.
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Low
Combo Elves
AKA: Elf Combo, ElfBall
Sample Decklist
| Creatures (33) 1 Dryad Arbor 1 Qasali Pridemage 1 Regal Force 2 Llanowar Elves 2 Mirror Entity 2 Priest of Titania 2 Quirion Ranger 3 Birchlore Rangers 3 Fyndhorn Elves 4 Elvish Visionary 4 Heritage Druid 4 Nettle Sentinel 4 Wirewood Symbiote Spells (11) 1 Crop Rotation 2 Chord of Calling 4 Glimpse of Nature 4 Green Sun’s Zenith Lands (16) 1 Pendelhaven 1 Windswept Heath 1 Wooded Foothills 2 Gaea’s Cradle 2 Savannah 2 Verdant Catacombs 3 Misty Rainforest 4 Forest | Sideboard (15) 1 Mortarpod 4 Faerie Macabre 1 Viridian Shaman 3 Absolute Law 3 Choke 1 Fecundity 1 Umezawa’s Jitte 1 Gaddock Teeg |
Significant Finishes in 2012
Christoffer Andersen, 5th of 297: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7662&iddeck=55659
Bernardo Fonesca, 4th of 94: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7757&iddeck=56443
Donovan Howard, 18th of 118: http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=7634&iddeck=55434
How the Deck Works
The Heritage Druid/Nettle Sentinel combo provides a fast mana engine. Combine it with Glimpse of Nature, and you can basically draw your entire deck as early as turn 2.From there, there are three different win conditons: Emrakul, Mirror Entity, or Vengevines. Some sideboards transform into Natural Order, so be careful of that.
Deck Variants: Other than just normal Aggro Elves, the only variations on Combo Elves are the win condition.
Sideboard Cards to Consider: Perish, Engineered Plague, Ethersworn Canonist
Likelihood you’ll see this deck: Moderate
That concludes it for today. Check us out tomorrow for another ten decks from Legacy!
Jason and Jeff