Comments on: Focus on Sphinx of Lost Truths http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/ Where you learn to love what Mike Flores loves Tue, 01 May 2012 04:49:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Five With Flores » Some Thoughts on Consecrated Sphinx http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-3659 Five With Flores » Some Thoughts on Consecrated Sphinx Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:39:27 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-3659 [...] general dislike of certain Sphinxes (Sphinx of Jwar Isle) and approval of other Sphinxes (Sphinx of Lost Truths) is fairly well known to readers of this [...] [...] general dislike of certain Sphinxes (Sphinx of Jwar Isle) and approval of other Sphinxes (Sphinx of Lost Truths) is fairly well known to readers of this [...]

]]> By: Joe http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1528 Joe Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:32:38 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1528 Just to settle the "Sphinx or No Sphinx" argument, how about you throw in 3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle since the decklist you posted is 57 cards? ;) Also, the Jund matchup seems fine. From playtesting, the U/W deck won 9/10 games pretty easily. Although, I did have Sphinx of Jwar Isle in my deck. :D Just to settle the “Sphinx or No Sphinx” argument, how about you throw in 3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle since the decklist you posted is 57 cards? ;)

Also, the Jund matchup seems fine. From playtesting, the U/W deck won 9/10 games pretty easily. Although, I did have Sphinx of Jwar Isle in my deck. :D

]]> By: GRat http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1526 GRat Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:12:00 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1526 Sphinx of Jwar Isle is pretty specific for the Jund matchup and it is mostly terrible otherwise. A good example of why it's terrible are decks like Boros Bushwacker. What good is a six drop when you're probably dead before you can even play it? Even on turn six, are you planning on blocking their 5/5 Geopede with it? That's not even the worst that can happen! You're basically dead! At least a five like Baneslayer or Lost Truths gives you a better chance of keeping you alive on a crucial turn so you can keep playing. In my experience testing with Michael J recently where I was playing a deck with Sphinx of Jwar Isle, I would never need the Sphinx to win. Every game in which I had cards costing no greater than four (otherwise, five, I wasn't playing Baneslayer at the time, but would have been fine), I was favored to win. Right now, the early spells you play are most important, not the finisher. -GRat Sphinx of Jwar Isle is pretty specific for the Jund matchup and it is mostly terrible otherwise. A good example of why it’s terrible are decks like Boros Bushwacker. What good is a six drop when you’re probably dead before you can even play it? Even on turn six, are you planning on blocking their 5/5 Geopede with it? That’s not even the worst that can happen! You’re basically dead! At least a five like Baneslayer or Lost Truths gives you a better chance of keeping you alive on a crucial turn so you can keep playing.

In my experience testing with Michael J recently where I was playing a deck with Sphinx of Jwar Isle, I would never need the Sphinx to win. Every game in which I had cards costing no greater than four (otherwise, five, I wasn’t playing Baneslayer at the time, but would have been fine), I was favored to win. Right now, the early spells you play are most important, not the finisher.

-GRat

]]> By: MTGBattlefield http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1524 MTGBattlefield Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:33:50 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1524 <strong>Focus on Sphinx of Lost Truths...</strong> Your story has been summoned to the battlefield - Trackback from MTGBattlefield... Focus on Sphinx of Lost Truths…

Your story has been summoned to the battlefield – Trackback from MTGBattlefield…

]]> By: moggfnatic http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1523 moggfnatic Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:42:05 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1523 ReAnimator is right about the deck needing Sphinx of Jwar Isle for the Jund matchup. A 5/5 flyer that blanks their removal and has the added bonus of improving you information a little bit is definitely not crappy, and in jund games where you get to 6 mana the card will single-handedly win games. Baneslayer is pretty meh against jund in this list, actually, since you don't present many other must handle threats, so they will often be able to handle even a Baneslayer cast with flashfreeze backup. ReAnimator is right about the deck needing Sphinx of Jwar Isle for the Jund matchup. A 5/5 flyer that blanks their removal and has the added bonus of improving you information a little bit is definitely not crappy, and in jund games where you get to 6 mana the card will single-handedly win games. Baneslayer is pretty meh against jund in this list, actually, since you don’t present many other must handle threats, so they will often be able to handle even a Baneslayer cast with flashfreeze backup.

]]> By: Klytel http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1522 Klytel Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:11:26 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1522 I have lost with a Reitbauer similar jund deck to this deck rather consistently. The freezes... the purges.. Also - as someone stated previously this deck dies hard to turbofog absent your iona. board some quest for ancient secrets? you're already "there" running islands. I have lost with a Reitbauer similar jund deck to this deck rather consistently.
The freezes… the purges..

Also – as someone stated previously this deck dies hard to turbofog absent your iona.

board some quest for ancient secrets? you’re already “there” running islands.

]]> By: ReAnimator http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1521 ReAnimator Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:46:11 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1521 I've played a very similar deck off and on for a while now. YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT CUT SPHINX OF JWAR ISLE!!! Seriously that card single handedly kills the jund deck. They have no outs to it, where as they have a ton to baneslayer. IF YOU CUT THEM YOU WILL LOSE TO JUND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I've always liked the Sphinx of lost truths over mind springs myself. This is the build i've been playing. 4 Fieldmist Borderpost 4 Cancel (could be flash freeze i just hate dead cards in certain matchups) 3 Negate 2 Into the Roil 2 Jace 4 Sphinx of Lost Truths 3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle 4 Baneslayer Angel 4 Day of Judgment 4 Knight of the White Orchid 4 Path to Exile 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Island 4 Terramorphic Expanse 6 Plains 4 Sejiri Refuge SB 4 Flash freeze 2 Celestial Purge 3 O ring 4 Deft duelist 2 Wall of denial Your roughest matches are vamps and eldrazi green, but luckily they are declining in numbers. I’ve played a very similar deck off and on for a while now. YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT CUT SPHINX OF JWAR ISLE!!!
Seriously that card single handedly kills the jund deck. They have no outs to it, where as they have a ton to baneslayer. IF YOU CUT THEM YOU WILL LOSE TO JUND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I’ve always liked the Sphinx of lost truths over mind springs myself. This is the build i’ve been playing.

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

4 Cancel (could be flash freeze i just hate dead cards in certain matchups)
3 Negate
2 Into the Roil
2 Jace
4 Sphinx of Lost Truths
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Day of Judgment
4 Knight of the White Orchid
4 Path to Exile

4 Glacial Fortress
4 Island
4 Terramorphic Expanse
6 Plains
4 Sejiri Refuge

SB
4 Flash freeze
2 Celestial Purge
3 O ring
4 Deft duelist
2 Wall of denial

Your roughest matches are vamps and eldrazi green, but luckily they are declining in numbers.

]]> By: l_neiman http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1520 l_neiman Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:42:15 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1520 Mike, you realize that the deck as-built is completely kold to TurboFog, right? Literally the only card that matters in the maindeck is Iona, and by the time you cast it (naming White, presumably, so you can start attacking without being Fogged), you might just be dead to your opponent's Archive Traps or Jace. There were tons of TurboFog decks at States, and I expect it to be no different at the $5K. Not that I'm a fan of Cancel, but I think you need it, Negate, or something comparable in the SB to have something to try and disrupt TurboFog's gameplan. One of the U/W decks I beat at States had Kor Sanctifiers, and while I'm not sure of its usefulness in other matchups, it was completely savage against my Howling Mines and Fonts. Luis Mike, you realize that the deck as-built is completely kold to TurboFog, right? Literally the only card that matters in the maindeck is Iona, and by the time you cast it (naming White, presumably, so you can start attacking without being Fogged), you might just be dead to your opponent’s Archive Traps or Jace. There were tons of TurboFog decks at States, and I expect it to be no different at the $5K.

Not that I’m a fan of Cancel, but I think you need it, Negate, or something comparable in the SB to have something to try and disrupt TurboFog’s gameplan. One of the U/W decks I beat at States had Kor Sanctifiers, and while I’m not sure of its usefulness in other matchups, it was completely savage against my Howling Mines and Fonts.

Luis

]]> By: bigheadjoe http://fivewithflores.com/2009/12/focus-on-sphinx-of-lost-truths/#comment-1519 bigheadjoe Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:26:40 +0000 http://fivewithflores.com/?p=882#comment-1519 I'm guessing you don't mean the Mirage card Wall of Resistance? Maybe Wall of Reverence? I really hope, for comedy's sake, that you DO mean Wall of Resistance and get DQ'ed! Just kidding, Mike ! BHJ I’m guessing you don’t mean the Mirage card Wall of Resistance? Maybe Wall of Reverence? I really hope, for comedy’s sake, that you DO mean Wall of Resistance and get DQ’ed! Just kidding, Mike !

BHJ

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