by Alessandro Moretti
I was planning to write a brief txt file but I ended up typing 1k words 😐
Oh, well, I hope it can be helpfull at least. I’ll gladly accept confrontations and talks on my sideboard plan and how to improve both deck and sideboard. =)
General Notes
Walls Combo is probably the best Combo strategy after the ban of Mystic Sanctuary, since Blue Tempo decks are way less redundant and it’s more difficult for them to draw removals and counterspells.
This decks has a lot of turn4 or turn5 kill and the current lists are featuring only a singleton maindeck copy of Bloodrite Invoker as a win condition, at least on game 1.
To power-up the infinite combo kill you need 1 copy of Axebane Guardian or Overgrown Battlement and enchant it with Freed from the Real or soulbound with Galvanic Alchemist.
Since Ovregrown Battlement produces only green mana, Orochi Leafcaller is needed if you attempt to combo-off with the two mana wall.
Be aware of the numbers of walls and amount of mana you need to start the combo:
Freed requires 2 walls on the battlefield to generate one extra mana, Galv.Alchemist 4.
Drift of Phantasms is one the best cards you can play here, let’s suppose you want to kill your opponent in this turn, how much mana you need?
- 7 mana for Freed (3 mana for transmute, 3 for cast, 1 for untap)
- 9 mana for GalvAlchemist (3 mana for transmute, 3 for cast, 3 for untap)
The reason to play the split 1 Freed and 1 GalvAlchemist is precisely this difference between costs. And Galvanic Alchemist’s soulbound ability doesn’t target.
Side-note: on MTGO Freed from the Real is way faster (it requires less clicks); sometimes your opponent don’t scoop even if you have all your combo on. Same thing for Overgrown Battlement (+ Orochi Leafcaller) compared to Overgrowth Battlement: a less amount of clicks.
Transmute for these cards can be difficult if you have only 1 drift of phantasms, right? Actually no.
Despite the fact transmute is an ability, if you have enough mana and spells to cast, supposedly 1, you can transmute first for a second copy of Drift and then for Reaping the Graves.
Play reaping, brin back 2 tutors for the infinite mana blue card and for Bloodrite Invoker.
Sideboard Ulamog’s Crusher is right now the best sideplan against removal decks.
I usually swipe Crashing Drawnbridge for them because let the opponent kill your Axebane Guardian or Overgrown Battlement on responce to bridge activate ability still is a bad move for us.
For the same reason I often board out Freed from the Real. Please opponent, don’t kill the wall I want to target.
Sometimes I cut 1 mana dork, when I face removal decks, because I don’t want to keep against them an initial hand that struggle from a removal to a turn1 llanowar elves.
Walls Combo by Alessandro Moretti
Burn (unfavorable)
In:
3 nylea’s disciple, 1 crimson acolyte
Out:
1 freed from the real, 2 vivien’s grizzly, 1 mnemonic wall
Problematic cards:
martyr of ashes (post-side), sometimes they bring-in Smash to Smithereens to kill Crashing Drawnbridge and Shield Sphere
Notes:
probably a t4 ulamog’s crusher is the best gameplan against burn, but i’m not sure wich cards sideboard out to bring them
Izzet Faeries
(tied or slightly unfavorable depending on builds and players)
In:
3 Ulamog’s Crusher, 1 Crimson Acolyte, 1 Mnemonic Wall
Out:
3 Crashing Drawnbridge, 1 Wall of Roots / Fyndhorn Elves, 1 Freed From the Real
Problematic cards:
Spellstutter Sprite, Echoing Truth, Electrickery (post-side), Swirling Sandstorm (post-side)
Notes:
I don’t really like Scattershot Archer here unless they have Delver of Secrets.
Mono U Delver Faeries
(tied or slightly unfavorable depending on builds and players)
In:
3 Scattershot Archer
Out:
1 Vivien’s Grizzly, 1 Freed from the Real, 1 Wall of Roots / Fyndhorn Elves
Problematic cards:
Snap, post-side Piracy Charm or Gutshot on manadork/Quirion Ranger, Echoing Truth
Notes:
Their only interaction against creature combo decks are bounce spells and counterspells, that means they need an aggressive approach to the MU and Scattershot Archer is the best way to gain time to set up a criticital turn to combo-off.
Boros Monarch (favorable)
In:
3 Ulamog’s Crusher, 2 Gorilla Shaman
Out:
3 Crashing Drawnbridge, 1 Fyndhorn Elves, 1 Freed from the Real
Problematic cards:
Krark-Clan Shaman and REB post side, Relic of Progenitus
Notes:
Gorilla Shaman mostly to “counter” krark clan shaman and galvanic blast.
Fog Tron (favorable)
In:
1 Mnemonic Wall
Out:
1 Vivien’s Grizzly
Problematic cards:
Suffocating Fumes, Electrickery, any removal spell (Doom Blade, Last Breath, etc.)
Notes:
I don’t think crusher is good against fog tron, they can just play a Stonehorn Dignitary, is slower compared to the main gameplan and I only want more consistency against them.
Stompy (tied)
In:
2 Moment’s Peace (and maybe 1 Nylea’s Disciple)
Out:
1 Mnemonic Wall and 1 Vivien’s Grizzly or 2 Vivien’s Grizzly
Problematic cards:
maindeck Savage Swipe, sideboard Gutshot, Viridian Longbow and Epic Confrontation
Notes:
They can win pretty often on turn 4 or 5 (usually is necessary a Burning-Tree Emissary or a Rancor on t2).
The blue combo card is not necessary to win if they don’t kill Bloodrite invoker and we have enough mana.
Elves (unfavorable)
In:
2 Moment’s Peace
Out:
1 Mnemonic Wall and 1 Vivien’s Grizzly or 2 Vivien’s Grizzly
Problematic cards:
Some lists run cards like maindeck Vines of Vastwood, sideboard Prohibit and Harsh Sustenance.
Notes:
They have less turn4 kill compared to Walls, but Timberwatch Elves is a big problem (we can’t block without loosing a creature).
MBC and Orzhov Pestilence
(unfavorable)
In:
3 Ulamog’s Crusher, 1 Mnemonic Wall
Out:
1 Freed from the Real, 3 Crashing Drawnbridge (or 2 bridge and 1 elves)
Problematic cards:
Pestilence and Crypt Rats.
Notes:
Weird MUs, they usually have ~12 removal spells.
They probably will sideboard-in some discard spell.
Dimir Delver (unfavorable)
Sideboarding against UB Delver is really difficult from my point of view. It depends on your opponent playstyle.
If your opponent plays a very aggressive role:
In:
1 Mnemonic Wall
Out:
1 Vivien’s Grizzly
If your opponent plays in a more controllish way:
In:
3 Ulamog’s Crusher, 1 Mnemonic Wall
Out:
1 Freed from the Real, 3 Crashing Drawnbridge
Problematic cards:
Snuff Out
Boros Bully / Tokens
(favorable)
In:
3 Scattershot Archer
Out:
1 Vivien’s Grizzly, 1 Fyndhorn Elves / Wall of Roots, 1 Freed from the Real
Problematic cards:
Rally the Peasants, Electrickery
Notes:
Their main wincon against Walls is the Battle Screech + Rally the Peasants combo, they don’t have any mass removal beside Electrickery and only Lightning Bolt and Pyroblast to effectively interact with the combo at instant speed.
Red Deck Wins and Goblins (favorable)
In:
3 Nylea’s Disciple, 1 Crimson Acolyte
Out:
1 Freed from the Real, 1 Mnemonic Wall, 2 Vivien’s Grizzly
Problematic cards:
Burn spells, Goblin Bushwacker, Sparksmith
Notes:
If they don’t draw any sparksmith this MU is extremely good. Just play a bunch of blocker and 1 or 2 Nylea’s disciple to stop them from attacking.
Mono White Heroic (favorable)
In:
2 Moment’s Peace
Out:
1 Vivien’s Grizzly, 1 Mnemonic Wall
Problematic cards:
Deaftblade Elite, Cho-Manno’s Blessing and similar.
Notes:
You can tap your creatures with Saruli Caretaker to “counter” Deaftblade Elite‘s provoke ability.
Affinity (unfavorable)
In:
2 Gorilla Shaman, 1 Crimson Acolyte
Out:
1 Freed from the Real, 1 Mnemonic Wall, 1 Vivien’s Grizzly
Problematic cards:
Atog–Fling/Temur Battle Rage combo (maindeck), Krark-clan shaman (post side)
Notes:
Gorilla Shaman helps a lot in this MU! Big mana + gorilla in the first turns is effectively a good wincon (if they don’t have already a bunch of 4/4 in play).
Sideboard alternatives
If the metagame will shift towards black based decks I’m sure cards like Obsidian Acolyte and Pilgrim of Virtue are worth a try.
Sometimes Ulamog’s Crusher feels like an overkill, so I tried Wrethed Gryff instead. It’s better to stop Ux Faeries and Boros Monarch and allows a sweet interaction with Mnemonic Wall and Reaping the Graves thanks to the emerge alternative cost, but probably Ulamog’s Crusher is more impactfull in a lot of games.
Someone plays Standard Bearer, but I think is not really relevant or impactfull. Against Stompy can stop only the first removal spell and seems good only VS Bogles (even tought is extremely good against Timberwatch Elf and Quirion Ranger).
If you fear decks with Castigate or Divest, Vent Sentinel seems the best third alternative wincon.
Nice article! Love the deck, looking to try it out on MTGO soon, since i’ve already had good xp IRL!