On September 18, 2021, the first ever Old School Magic 9x event was played over webcam via the Tolaria.app website. As the story foretold, a total of six wizards joined the battlefield that day for five rounds of round robin play. From opposite planes of the globe, the wizards gathered, traversing time itself for an epic day of fierce battles. There were some technical difficulties along the way, many in fact, but steadfast the wizards triumphed the new age obstacles standing in their way. The desire of “The Gathering,” albeit in this odd new form, proved strong in the wizards on that glorious Saturday. Much respect to Joao Moreira, the tournament organizer and the one and only founding father of this beautiful format.
It was curious how the day was going to play out. What decks were going to show up, and what hidden tech was going to be uncovered?
I can understand how some people are hesitant to jump into a new format, not knowing how it will play out, but to me, the idea of a previously unexplored cardpool combination both excites and inspires me! It’s been a while since I’ve been this pumped on Magic, so I dove in head first!
Two week prior, learning of the day of war that was to be waged on the 18th of September, I immediately knew the spellbook I planned to take to battle, for I already had it mostly prepared from over a year prior when I pursued deckbuilding for Premodern. In fact, the deck that I built over a year ago had never seen a match. It was built, and then life happened. Yet, the effort was not for loss! The build was to see it’s day in the light, as I revamped it for 9x play.
This is the deck I took to the field of battle just one week ago. In the days approaching the day of mental warfare, I hemmed and hawed over the final details of the deck which I planned to go to battle with. The list I actually brought to the fight that day was NOT what I determined the most optimal version of the deck. A few of the cards I wanted to fit into the final build did not arrive via post in time for the event, so the main deck ended up having a few extra Memory Lapse than desired. I actually started the event with five blank sideboard spots as well, waiting to see if the cards were going to arrive between rounds. Two of those cards did arrive (Mystic Veil), while the other three (Disrupt) never did. Nevertheless, nothing was going to stop the mission I was to embark on that day.
And so the battle began...
I start the game with pieces of the combo, but not enough to run it out on turn two. Merchant scroll is great, but as a turn two play, it sets you up for some good disruption on your opponent's turn.
Bas plays a Hyppie early, and it’s enough to disrupt my hand where I’m stumbling for a few turns. A Black Knight joins the battlefield, and my life slowly becomes a point of concern. At one point, I‘m actually able to land a Dreadnought, but it’s a little too late, as Bas was able to summon a divisive Royal Assassin the turn prior, nullifying any chance to attack for the win. I have a blocker for now, but I eventually find myself using extra Vision Charms to turn his swamps in forests just to minimize his creature presence on the battlefield. The Hypnotic Specter is keeping my hand size nonexistent and there’s no way to assemble another Dreadnought being stuck under Hyppie lock. Once he lands a Sengir, this battle is soon over.
This is not much of a game as I have the combo in my opening hand. I land Dreadnought turn two, and finish the game before a Royal Assassin or Nevinyrral's Disk can find it’s way onto the battlefield.
Again, I have the combo assembled on turn two, and the withered Bas soon falls to the mighty Dreadnought yet again. I’m not sure if it was this game or the one prior, but I ended up mulliganing down to five cards, yet was still able to assemble the deadly combo.
Good games Bas.
I mull to six. It’s not a bomb start, but being blind against what the opponent is playing allows me to keep it. Unfortunately for me, Kile has turn one Hypnotic Specter, and the nightmare of discard ensues. I do my best to stay alive long enough with the Hyppie eating my hand, and at one point I’m able to cast Merchant Scroll with Dreadnought in hand. I figure if I’m going to have a chance to come back in this game, I have to go for the combo. I grab Vision Charm off the tutor, but a part of me knows this is greedy. Next turn, I am reminded of how strong Mind Twist is, and my hand of five hits the bin. In hindsight, was Force of Will a better tutor option? Yes, probably. But this is Magic baby! The Mind Twist seals my fate, as the Hyppie has me locked on one card per turn. Not being able to draw more than one card per turn means a slow and fetid death.
I mull to five. A turn one Hyppie again is a devastating blow. Stupor and Hymm do not help my cause. There’s one turn where I have Vision Charm and Enlightened Tutor in hand, but I’m tapped out and I have to pitch one to Hyppie. I need to draw Dreadnought or Balance next turn, and I draw another Enlightened Tutor. An Abyssal Specter accompanies the Hyppie for Kile and I’m locked again at one card per turn. A slow, creeping death ensues.
Kile’s a good sport and we play another game for fun, and I’m able to drop the combo on turn two, despite him having turn one Hyppie for a third game in a row! Dreadnought smashes before he can land anything to stop it.
I do want to note here that Disrupt is HUGE in this matchup, and I did not have it available to board in. Three of the sideboard blanks I left were for Disrupt, but it never arrived. I think this matchup becomes more favorable with a one mana counter, oh and not having to mull to 5 or 6 each game AND face a turn one Hyppie.
Good games Kile.
I have to mulligan to a barely keepable hand. Ben plays an early Storm Crow, and I counter a bunch of his other threats. I eventually get a Dreadnought into play with counter backup, but Ben answers with a Dream Fighter, nullifying my Dreadnought. Many turns go by, and I cannot assemble another threat. Storm Crow for the win!
We both mulligan to six. I have the combo turn two with counter backup next turn when the Dreadnought phases in. Dreadnought smash!
I mulligan down to a six card hand that is decent, but not enough to get through Ben’s counter and phasing trickery. I mulligan again to a hand that looks similar, a barely keepable five card hand, but it’s looking rough to go any lower. I have a mostly do-nothing hand, but so does Ben. He plays a lot of non-threats, but eventually lands a Sands of Time, and I do not have any counters. Sands of Time is pretty dang strong against my deck. Skipping the untap step where the Dreadnought normally phases back in is tough to combat. I hadn’t seen this in the two prior games, so all of my Disenchants are in the sideboard. My only option at this point is to use one of my Vision Charms on the end of Ben’s turn to get the Sands of Time out of play while my Dreadnought is in phased out limbo land. I dig for the second Vision Charm, waiting to cast the combo until I also have a counter backup. Ben plays a second Sands of Time… Somehow I find the 3rd Vision Charm, and find my opportunity to go for it when Ben taps out for Energy Vortex! I get the Dreadnought to phase out. End of his turn, I cast my second and third Vision Charms on each of his Sands of Time. Dreadnought is live! I attack for 12. Ben charges his Vortex, taking advantage of his two Sands of Time. At this point Ben is holding Reality Ripple, but does not play it on his turn. My hand is Balance and Force of Will with four untapped lands. I draw Strip Mine, and immediately start trying to figure out how to leverage Balance + Strip Mine in the case that Ben removes my Dreadnought, completely ignoring Force of Will’s actual casting cost of 3UU. I haven’t played FoW in ages, and although I’ve seen it hard casted, I’m so not used to playing with it that I’m thinking the only way to cast it is by removing a blue card and paying 1 life. I attack, and before Ben can act, I immediately realize my failure, noticing the Strip Mine still in hand and only four untapped lands, unable to counter what is inevitably coming. Ben casts Reality Ripple on the Dreadnought, sealing it into the phased out netherworld. The match is over. I can’t do anything with three Visions Charms already in the bin. Ben does not much for a few minutes on his turns while I sulk, and when we realize time has been called in the match, I conceded to Ben, giving him his first (and maybe only) match win. Two Sands of Time and an Energy Vortex that he can continuously active is a guaranteed sealing of my fate.
It felt bad to lose by a mere oversight, but at the same time, allowing the Spiciest deck in the room get a win made it all worth it! Ben’s creativity deserved credit, and to be honest, if his deck is doing it’s thing, it’s actually not a good matchup for Dreadnought. I think the Dreadnought deck is still favored to win if you’re actually prepared for what your opponent is doing, but playing blind, it is a challenge.
Good games Ben.
Here, I have the privilege to play against the mastermind of the format himself, Joao. We both start by taking a mulligan to six. Joao keeps, but I go to five. Joao starts strong with Quirion Ranger into Rogue Elephant into harvest Wurm followed up by Winter Orb. I watch Joao bounce his lands, untap his guys, and fully leverage the power of Winter Orb. I realize there is usually this desire to be meticulous about not getting trapped under the Winter Orb by tapping out too aggressively, but thankfully Joao is on mono green, so there’s not much of a threat if I just run out the combo. With a turn two Merchant Scroll for Vision Charm, and a land to play on turn three, I’m able to untap one land from under the orb and release the beast. Joao’s minions are no match for the mighty Dreadnought.
Joao mulls to an "acceptable" five or six while I have straight gas. I finally have a good hand without needing to mulligan! The combo hits turn two, followed by a Memory Lapse and Mystic Veil for counter protection to Joao’s inevitable postboard artifact hate. The Dreadnought prevails!
Good games Joao.
I start with a mull to six. I keep a decent hand being blind to my opponent. Chad has turn one Ivory Tower and immediately starts gaining life. I don't have the combo yet, but I know I need to slow play it with Chad playing all plains for the first few turns. Swords to Plowshares and Disenchant are the Dreadnought’s worst nightmare. I Disenchant a Mishra’s Factory when he attacks on turn three in order to keep him from gaining too much of a board state and life point advantage. I also realize with him gaining a moderate amount of life, I cannot allow that Factory to remain in play to absorb any trample damage once my Dreadnought lands. With him on white, I will need to land the Dreadnought and keep it alive for just enough time to get a few swings in. I land a live Dreadnought on turn four with counter backup. I get one swing in before Chad finds enough removal to power through my counter. I am able to quickly assemble a second Dreadnought with counter backup, but Chad again works through my protection with haste. Somehow, I’m able to find but a third Dreadnought and manage to get two uninterrupted attacks in. Chad drew all plains game one, so after seeing his removal, I assume I’m up against a mono white creature control deck. I’m grateful I managed to squeeze game one out and be ahead on the scorecard.
This game looks very similar to the first, with an early Ivory Tower soon gaining some additional life points. I see an Island and Undiscovered paradise early from Chad so realize I now need to compete with counterspells in addition to the white removal. My first Dreadnought fights through his Swords to Plowshares with Memory Lapse and gets one attack in before the countered spell returns to relinquish the mighty beast. Chad gets a board state advantage, but fortunately for me, I’m able to assemble not just a second Dreadnought in hand, but a third as well. I don’t have counter backup, but with two Dreadnought and Vision Charm in hand, I know if I’m to squeeze out a victory, I must be aggressive here. I combo off the second Dreadnought. Chad end of turn Mystical Tutors for Wrath of God. With his sorcery speed Wrath of God on top of his library, this means as long as he doesn’t have an instant speed removal spell in hand, when the second Dreadnought phases in, it is guaranteed at least one attack. Knowing that Wrath of God is coming for the second Dreadnought the next turn, I attack for twelve and then rather than slow play the third Dreadnought long enough to find counter backup, I put the pressure on and drop it post combat. I don’t want to wait around and risk a counter battle now that I’ve seen some active Islands in play. Chad has Wrath of God for the second in play Dreadnought, but the third beast is currently phased out and will avoid the sorcery speed spell, becoming live during my next attack step for the final attack and win. Being wise to this, instead of dropping Wrath of God, Chad plays Island Sanctuary and simply passes turn instead. I find this peculiar as he now only has three untapped lands in play, and in order to survive, he will need two removal spells. Not seeing any removal the previous turn when my second Dreadnought attacked, I feel safe. I see his play pattern as perhaps an attempt to mentally obscure my path to victory, using a sort of mind trick to fool me into thinking the Island Sanctuary ability will be active and disable my attack step this turn. Haivng previously played Island Sanctuary myself, I know that I can just attack him one last time before he skips his draw on his NEXT turn. It's a great bluff honestly, knowing that Wrath of God will do nothing for him at this point. He has zero removal for the two active Dreadnoughts, and I smash through 24 trample damage for the overkill.
I need to mention that Chad’s deck plays 4 Swords to Plowshares, 4 Exile, 4 Divine Offering, 3 Disenchant, 2 Wrath of God, and 1 Balance. Yup, somehow I managed to assemble three attacking Dreadnoughts in both games and was fortunate enough that my opponent blanked on removal for the most part both games.
This is the Dreadnought deck’s nightmare match, but getting reps against the deck here definitely helped show me what it takes to beat white. Having the combo + counter in this match typically won’t be enough. I think having at least two counters (or multiple Dreadnoughts) is essential if I want to be able to get at least one attack in. Multiple Vision Charms is great, as it protects the Dreadnought which can phase back in next turn. Multiple Enlightened Tutor's do not do much here until sideboard when you can grab Mystic Veil for protection. Reality Ripple might have a spot in this deck to at least protect the Dreadnought, but also serves versatile enough to facilitate the combo if needed or to save you from opponents' other threats in tight situations. Although I feel like I got extremely lucky, I learned a lot playing this matchup.
Good games Chad.
Is the deck strong?
The deck is GOOD. It’s fast, but it also has control elements,so it can play to suit the matchup. It keeps the other decks in the format honest, requiring some type of instant speed removal to compete, at least in game one.
Is the deck broken?
I don’t think so. White is a big problem, even with the nine maindeck counters and up to eleven post board. I know I was fortunate to avoid white removal in the final round. Anybody playing this format will be wise to house a good bit of artifact removal, at least post sideboard. Artifacts are strong in this format, not just in this deck.
What’s next?
There are things I think that need to be changed for this deck. To begin, the main deck I ran wasn't precisely what I wanted due to not having all the cards on hand. The refined version I proxied up beforehand is much better, but I promise you, white is still a problem. Using Merchant Scroll and Enlightened Tutor in a toolbox sort of package is the way to go for diversity against the field. This strategy also opens up the sideboard to have a bit more versatility against the still unknown matchups.
What is the best card in the deck outside of the combo?
Force of WIll. Enough said! But really, blue’s ability to dig is the real MVP here. The combo is fine in itself, as it can fit in many different archetypes and deck shells. Regardless, having blue spells to dig and shuffle is the key of getting this deck to work.
What is the worst card in the deck?
Urza’s Bauble. It feels great turn one followed by a Portent or Enlightened Tutor, which is how it was drew up. Also, playing what is essentially a 56 card deck is a good idea when the strategy is to dig until you find two of the eight combo pieces. Overall though, the card is weak. It’s activated ability doesn’t do much, it is basically a dead draw late, and there are better options all around. Casting Enlightened Tutor with a Dreadnought already in hand feels not great when the only other target is the Bauble.
Does Merchant Scroll need to be restricted?
I don’t think so. Now, if Force of Will was unrestricted, then we might have a problem. FoW being unrestricted in general will not only break this deck, but the format as well, so I’m grateful it is restricted. Merchant Scroll itself is slow and limited in scope. Although it does allow for a toolbox package for the deck, many other decks can leverage that package as well, perhaps even better. Merchant Scroll for counterspell is good, but this deck rarely has more than four lands in play to be able to utilize the power of the scroll, and the tutored spell all in the same turn. Control decks that can grab a counter, and cast it same turn might be assisted even more by the Merchant Scroll. If Merchant Scroll ends up becoming restricted at some point, this deck will still exist easily by replacing that slot with Reality Ripple. I think four Merchant Scroll is fine right now, as not only one deck can benefit greatly from it.
I will play this deck again, but have plans to get spicy moving forward. I am interested to see how the meta and all of the decks evolve over time. Big thanks to Joao for getting this all set up, and pushing through the technical hiccups that surfaced! Here’s to many more sir!🍻
by Jess Switzer
