This week's challenge winner was Grave Pact, and for those of you unfamiliar with the card please click here, or if you are fortunate enough to own a browser that displays images, then see the picture below.
The idea is to create a deck, which dominates other creature decks by setting up a series of unfortunate trades. As the game goes on, any creature cards in your opponent hands lose less and less value, to the point that even Akroma has no value at all. This virtual card advantage leaves your opponent essentially drawing dead against you.
Last week's deck was total theory, but this week I have had a day off and made up a few new decks. This week's challenge deck has been tuned and for example, holds its' own against the beatdown decks going 6-0 at worlds, see here.
Grave-Pact Control
By Anthony Skinner 2nd December 2006
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Sideboard 3 Persecute 4 Condemn 2 Crime // Punishment 3 Defense Grid 3 Circle of Protection: Red |
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I am sure like me you are closely following the Worlds coverage at the moment, so I won't waffle for too long! A quick run down of the cards!
3 Martyr of Sands
For the early game, close to good game against burn decks if you sac this for 9-12 life, recurs with Debtor's Knell.
4 Skeletal Vampire
Broken with Gravepact, creates a Soft lock as you generate Bats, tough to remove.
2 Angel of Despair
The top of the curve, takes out Enchantments and Artifacts that you otherwise have no answer to.
3 Teysa, Orzhov Scion
One of the Key cards, synergy with Sacred Messa to remove problem creatures from the game.
3 Ghost Council of Orzhova
The best Sacrifice outlet for this deck, dodges Wrath and excellent synergy with the rest of the deck.
3 Wrath of God
This deck has a lot of late game, this helps you to get there, good with Debtor's Knell.
3 Castigate
Turn 2, strip that Mortify out of your opponent's hand!
4 Grave Pact
The deck's signature card, draw as many as possible
4 Phyrexian Arena
Run away from your opponent with a lot of extra cards, life loss offset by Martyr of the Sands and Ghost Council.
3 Sacred Mesa
The second signature card, the Pegasus sacrifice is quality if Grave Pact is on the board. You tend to have a lot of mana and this uses it. Also shines with Teysa.
2 Debtors’ Knell
Not 100% sure on this yet, certainly has synergy but an extra Martyr, Castigate or Angel may be better?
4 Orzhov Signet
Turn 3 Wrath, Turn 3 Gravepact is so much better than Turn 4.
Land
4 Orzhov Basilica
4 Godless Shrine
4 Caves of Koilos
2 Flagstones of Trokair
2 Plains
5 Swamp
1 Urza's Factory
The Orzhov Church of Deals may be better than the Factory, or as well as. The Factory doesn't often come into play and when I have drawn it I have had better things to use the mana on.
Sideboard
This is where you can really help me out, I am pretty sure on most of the cards. There are a couple of scary cards your opponents may bring in like Return to Dust and Krosan Grip - So Persecute comes in to strip away reactive sideboard cards.
They may also bring in Graveyard hate and the Debtor's Knell's can come out. Also Leyline of the Void nullifies Gravepact and Mortify may therefore be worthy of consideration. Shadow of Doubt may be better than Circle Red as the life gain from the Martyr has so far proved to be enough against those decks. Dragonstorm tends to have Trickbind to nullify the CoP : Red anyway.
Please help me out with the sideboard on the forum!
NEXT WEEKEND'S ARTICLE
Look out for next week's artilce - The Royal Azorious Airforce - RAF!
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