Stripéd Tiger Snaps

The Grand Prix isn't even two whole weeks away, and my Gauntlet has grown massive. Right now it's Zoo, New Horizons, Dredge, Goblins, Merfolk, Dreadstill, The Gate, Enchantress, Dragon Stompy, the Rock and possibly something else I forgot.

Note the absence of Storm combo and Reanimator - decks you'll recall Wizards tried last month to push out of the Legacy metagame. You know, Legacy?

Anyway, fail on their part: Reanimator made 3rd out of 138 in Spain two weeks ago - which is to say, just after the ban took effect. Mostly the deck just swaps Mystical Tutor for Personal Tutor, and incorporates the one-of tutor-target Turbulent Dreams both as a discard outlet and to buy time off the opponent's clock.

Tendrils of Agony still kills Legacy players as well: 6/30 with Doomsday here, and 1/28 with Burning Wish here.

So to me the question isn't if those decks will be an issue in Ohio, but to what extent.

In other news, Survival of the Fittest is suddenly high fashion. It finally cracked the $20 mark on StarCity, and outside the familiar Bant lists that combo off Loyal Retainers into Iona, there are some fascinating possibilities. This one uses Veteran Explorer to power out Greater Gargadons li3k whu7, possibly while clearing the way in with a False Prophet. Mul Daya Channelers and Primal Command seem wacky, but who am I to say?

And despite having made no distinct improvements since like 2007, Welder Survival posted 4/42.

Alright.

Another burgeoning archetype is honest control. To wit: Baneslayer Control, piles of Planeswalkers and creature kill, or good old-fashioned Cunning Landstill (1/138! But do you think that's really the Jace he meant? I sorta doubt it).

Next up, devouring opponents with hoards of ravenous zombies is nothing new -- 7/138 btw, and the only diff from my build is my cheap ass plays Citadels over Paradise. But you already realized my list rocked :-P -- but I've wanted someone to plow down MBA-style since Death Baron was printed. Hooray!

Last thing: I usually steer away from decks that play 4x FOW, Goyf, Brainstorm and Swords because they just feel so... I dunno, obvious? Mainstream? But this build found room for a light equipment package, Elspeth, Spell Pierce and a modest tempo suite. Seems fun. I might swap the second Jitte for Basilisk Collar though, I love the 1x Jitte/Collar/Mystic package so.

If I don't write you again before the GP, rip your fourth land off the top with no cantrips and try not to walk into Cursecatcher.

-Dan