This is an interesting play that I was presented with at the 2008 New York State Championship.
My opponent was a very good player playing R/W Kithkin Backlash (and I knew he was playing Kithkin Backlash).
I was on the play… This was my opening hand:
Firespout
Jund Charm
Chameleon Colossus
Civic Wayfinder
Fire-Lit Thicket
Forest
Forest
A fine hand against a non-Red-hating beatdown deck, I think you will agree; if not the speediest (but you don’t necessarily have to be the speediest to win this matchup in Game One).
I made Forest, Forest my first two turns; he played Knight of Meadowgrain on the draw.
So on turn three, I had an interesting pull: Rampant Growth (turn two pluck being Kitchen Finks).
My “scripted” play from my opening hand was obviously to start getting ahead with Civic Wayfinder.
So here are the questions:
What play would you make?
What play do you think I made?
What is the right play?
Follow-up tomorrow. See you then!
LOVE
MIKE
10 comments ↓
I would have played the Fire-Lit Thicket and Ramped for a Swamp,
The following turn I would drop Colossus and the next turn I would sweep the board. You really don’t have to worry about Unmake or Stillmoon from them, the worst case is you have to face down an Oversoul. Colossus>Oversoul!! You can afford to take a little pain from them because you have Finks to recover some life after the sweep.
I agree. Rampant Growth into Swamp seems like the best. I’m guessing you played Wayfinder and had to kill it yourself with Charm? While “getting ahead” with Wayfinder is tempting, I don’t think you’re getting very much in the next turn or so, and could basically be giving away a card.
I think it’s a intresting decission. On the one hand, playing the ramp saves you the Civic Wayfinder for the inevitable sweeper you going to play. On the other hand, playing the Civic is the more mana effecient play, and sets you up for turn 4 colossus, turn 5 ramp+sweeper. Assuming your playing against a stock Backlash-build, the Civic Wayfinder in play doesn’t have a lot of value. The only creature it can fight on the oppossing team is Painter’s Servant, which it’s not very exciting. The precense of the Wayfinder on the board makes your opponent want to further invest on the board, which you want at this point with Firespout and Jund Charm in hand. Further on, since your out of land in hand at this point, the value of the rampant on turn 3 decreases.
I would go Thicket and Civic Wayfinder for Swamp on turn 3. And I think you went with Rampant Growth and regretet it.
That doesn’t make sense to me…if the Wayfinder doesn’t have a lot of value, why would my opponent invest further into the board? I guess he might figure I don’t have a sweeper and that’s why I’m playing a guy…that seems weak.
I didn’t think about not having a land drop for next turn making Wayfinder better, but that and the fact that it uses mana better definitely makes it sound like something Mike would do.
i would play the wayfinder and then rampant growth for a swamp next turn.. as far as i understand the deck utilizes a lot of man and having a 4th land drop and a 5th land on the next turn would be very crucial to the deck.. by that play u can bluff the opponent to commit more on the board which can make your jund charm or firespout better… and you got the finks to get back on life.. i dont know if thats the correct play but thats what i would do..
hey does anyone get a prize if he says the right play?
I’m pretty sure it’s Rampant Growth->Colossus, and I don’t even think it’s particularly close. He might O-Ring a third turn Colossus, if that’s in the deck, but you’re still not very far behind with 2 board-sweepers in your hand. Putting out a Wayfinder to bait overcommitment is super-sneaky, but I think he’s more than aware that a Knight won’t get there by himself, and he’s apt to play more guys anyway. I don’t know what Mike did, but he won the match, and his hand looks good enough to have won this game. There’s always the right play, but I think most courses of action would have won in the long run. I look forward to more analysis. You’re very good at post-mortem, Mike.
It’s a tough call. With two sweepers and a Finks you have all the tools to win in the control role, but because they can potentially Backlash for 10 or more out of nowhere it’s a good idea to set up some sort of clock. Rampant Growth for Swamp with the intention to play Colossus next turn is strong in this respect. It lets you commit a threat to the board that doesn’t die to either of your sweepers while accelerating your mana and ensuring you hit 4 lands for Colossus next turn. It’s probably the play that I would have made.
However, the right play might be the Wayfinder. Wayfinder isn’t going to give you much value as a blocker in this matchup, so if he’s not blocking and not smashing into the red-zone he’s not really providing card advantage. If you play him now he’ll probably be able to get through for at least two unless Kithkin makes a second Knight on turn 3. Possibly more. Also, if you draw a land in the next two turns, the Wayfinder play lets you Rampant Growth and sweep on turn 5, making more efficient use of your mana. If you had another land in hand, I think Finks would clearly be the better 3-drop here, but you need to make sure you hit four lands for the Colossus next turn.
As far as what you did, I’ll go with what makes the best story (and clearly betrays the fact that I recently reread The Ten Greatest Battles of All Time). You went Rampant Growth, Colossus, sweeper, had to use Wayfinder to find your 5th land on turn 6, and eventually lost to Backlash with Kithkin on 4 life (sweeping the next 2 games, of course).
Hey guys,
Thanks for all your comments.
I think I am going to cross-link this from Top8Magic (you probably know I am Podcasting tonight) so I might not post the follow-up to this You Make the Call until tomorrow or Sunday even though I said “tomorrow” (look what a jerk I am).
Good luck to anyone who is OMG’ing / GP’ing / PTQ’ing / otherwise needs luck this weekend.
LOVE
MIKE
I think you have to play the Wayfinder. Missing a land drop to play a Colossus a turn sooner seems pretty bad. With two sweepers in your hand you’re not in any danger of loosing anytime soon. There is no reason to put yourself in the awkward spot of needing to play the Wayfinder because you didn’t draw a land, and then not being able to play a sweeper when you need to. It is also probably the only chance you have to get anything more out of it than just a land.
[…] So this is the follow up to Thursday’s post about what to do on turn three. If you haven’t read it, check this out first: You Make the Play […]
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