UW Control (pristine control) Deck Profile

Sword Girls Closed Beta

For those interested in sword girls, I recently had the pleasure of playing the sword girls closed beta. Here are the matches I recorded for you guys. This is a sneak peek at what the game will look like upon release. Enjoy.

Frown Town

Still having problems with my youtube vids. Youtube is not much help in this matter. Holding off on posting more vids untill this issue is resolved.

Youtube Problems

So I guess that none of my vids have been loading for anyone for the last 24 hours or so. IDK what is going on here. Any suggestions? I think its the new type of ad that youtube released. Im going to get in touch with youtube and see whats up. PM me if any of the videos dont work for you guys and let me know which ones.

4 Color Control Deck Profile

Computer Troubles

Believe me guys, I am trying to get stuff up as fast as possible. I had a recorded a few matches and was planning on uploading them but my computer had a hardware malfunction before I could upload them, and I ended up losing them all. As it stands it will likely be a week before I have my computer back to record content, give or take a day or 2. So untill then I guess its back to the drawing board. Message me on Youtube if you guys have any questions/ need anything, and I'll try to get back to you ASAP.

State of the Game #1

And Were Back

Hey everyone. I had a fun time, but will be returning to real life later this evening. Expect vids/articles over the weekend.

Vacation!

Going on vacation for 2 weeks. Ill try to get 1 more video up & update my blog before I leave, but dont worry if you dont see videos from me, I am not dead. Just having a great time somewhere :) I should be back by November 25th and will continue uploading vids and updating my blog at that time. Thanks a lot everyone, and see you all in 2 weeks.

Updates

New videos uploaded.

did a lot of testing

UB is a real deck, Elesh Norn is good in this format. Arc Trail is absolutely insane in this format. Ratchet Bomb is good vs tokens and humans
Wring Flesh is horrible. Rolling Temblor is actually quite solid in theory.
Day of Judgment is amazing. Solar Flare is a real deck. Finally, the new Garruk is the real deal vs aggro.

Updates

Articles for Pure & TDL submitted. Should be up by Friday.

New videos up on my channel as well.

Heres a teaser



Going to test out Life's Finale in the sideboard tomorrow vs the humans deck to see how it plays. I think it will be good vs them.

UB Control vs UW Humans Match #1 Live

Full Match #1 UB Control vs UW Humans is now up on youtube.

Computer Trouble

Having a lot of Comp trouble. Will try to get some of the vids I recorded over the weekend up tonight, but no promises. Hopefully Ill have this mess all sorted out by the weekend. Wish me luck :)

You be the Coach #1 Answer

Follow this link to the answer

Or just watch it here

100 Subscribers

100 Subscribers.

Thank you all.

Introducing You be the Coach

NextLevelMTGCoaching proudly presents to you You be the Coach.
What is You be the Coach?
You be the Coach is an interactive series in which you put yourself in the position of the Coach, trying to figure out what was done incorrectly and posting it in the comment box below the video. Here is episode #1





Good luck, hopefully at least a few of you can catch all the misplays. Spoiler video for episode #1 will be uploaded Tuesday night

UB Control

I have recently been testing UB Control in standard and am planning on doing some videos of it over the next few days.

Expect some videos up on youtube by early next week at the latest.

Lots of updates

Lots of updates going on tonight. Will list them when done.

So here is what went down tonight. I recorded 4 matches (2 standard/2 pauper) and got 3 of em uploaded to my youtube channel.

Voiced over some replays of my Cube games from the other day & uploaded them to youtube

Wrote 2 articles for 2 different websites.

Cubed some. (I made a pauper cube and its actually quite fun)

In the process of writing a 3rd article for a 3rd site that will go up Friday/Saturday.

In process of updating blog. (added 3D globe of visitors)

In process of testing a Pod list.

Revolving Globe Visitor Counter

Losing the Camtasia Battles....

Well just finished a couple of matches vs Infect, and went to go upload them and noticed that Camtasia didnt record my voice................


So Ill just end up going back and voicing over the match replay like I did with my Naya matchup. Not ideal, but it should work


Sorry guys.

Pauper Cube #1

Did my first pauper cube the other day.

Won the whole tournament. Got some tix. It was nice.

Here is my pool, how would you guys build it?


1 Mulldrifter
1 Spellstutter Sprite
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Foresee
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Macabre Waltz
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Gruul Turf
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Izzet Chronarch
1 Ogre Savant
1 Ogre Savant
1 Train of Thought
1 Peel from Reality
1 Selesnya Signet
1 Terrarion
1 Vedalken Dismisser
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Firebolt
1 Terminate
1 Recoil
1 Capsize
1 Rolling Thunder
1 Man-o'-War
1 Divine Offering
1 Volcanic Hammer
1 Volcanic Hammer
1 Into the Roil
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Mysteries of the Deep
1 Mnemonic Wall
1 Mnemonic Wall
1 Sea Gate Oracle
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Flame Slash
1 Flame Slash
1 Goblin Arsonist
1 Prophetic Prism
1 Brindle Boar
1 Wall of Tanglecord
1 Quicksilver Geyser

Updated Solar Flare List

Heres the current list

MTGO TEXT DOC
4 Drowned Catacomb
1 Grave Titan
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Glacial Fortress
1 Sever the Bloodline
4 Mana Leak
4 Plains
2 Swamp
1 Darkslick Shores
3 Seachrome Coast
1 Go for the Throat
3 Think Twice
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Doom Blade
4 Snapcaster Mage
5 Island
3 Forbidden Alchemy
2 Sun Titan
1 Druidic Satchel
3 Dissipate
3 Day of Judgment

Sideboard
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Volition Reins
2 Sever the Bloodline
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Doom Blade
3 Gideon Jura
1 Batterskull
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Revoke Existence
1 Oblivion Ring

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Editorial

(Note: something tilted me today, so I figured I'd use my blog to, well, blog about it)

Since I was getting soo many complaints about my background I changed it to just plain black. I would like to say tho, that if you come to this blog for appearance and not its strategy content, that you should just leave now instead of PM'ing me complaints about how my blog looks on youtube. Seriously, I got shit like this posted on my vids. "stopped watching after 30 seconds. Graphics are horrible." When I inquired to this person I got the following message. "why even ask the question? you knew exactly what i was talking about. Yes, those horribly distracting custom mats." Another message was this "can you please take "Next Level Coaching" off of the playmats, it is so obnoxious" Was this message a joke??? Would you ask channelfireball to take the CFB logo off of their vids cause it tilts you? Do you want water bottles without names and logos on them too? Branding exists everywhere in this world. Would you ask A company to change their name because you dont like it? I am nextlevelmtgcoaching. It's my branding. Taking it off would be like asking me to change my name to Qwert. (My name is not Qwert, by the way)

So in short, if you come here for content, I will keep providing it, But I am going to do it my way. You are welcome to stay. If you come here just for the looks and backgrounds and fancy playmats, well, your in the wrong place. Do us both a favor and leave.



........



/ End rant


Well now that that is off my mind, back to making videos.

(P.S. Don't worry, the background will return to normal in a few days)

Solar Flare Card Choices

Today I am going to explain my card choices for my most recent Solar Flare Deck list
Here is the list for Reference

4 Glacial Fortress
2 Sun Titan
3 Day of Judgment
4 Think Twice
1 Grave Titan
2 Jace, Memory Adept
2 Doom Blade
1 Darkslick Shores
3 Seachrome Coast
4 Oblivion Ring
4 Plains
4 Mana Leak
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Isolated Chapel
3 Forbidden Alchemy
5 Island
2 Swamp
3 Gideon Jura
1 Go for the Throat
4 Drowned Catacomb

Sideboard
3 Timely Reinforcements
1 Consecrated Sphinx
2 Dissipate
1 Doom Blade
1 Sever the Bloodline
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Batterskull
1 Revoke Existence
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Nihil Spellbomb


The Planeswalkers are in here because the format is a slow grinding format revolving around 6 drops, whether it be wurmcoil, consecrated sphinx, or a titan. Jace and Gideon come down earlier then the 6 drops, and fight them very well. Jace lets you draw 2 cards a turn to their 1 and gideon fights aggro as well as the slow control decks.

4 o-rings are there to help fight planeswalkers, as that is something this deck cant do very well. Also it gives added value to forbidden alchemy + sun titan.

2 doom blade, 1 go for the throat. The GftT is there as another way to kill the otherwise unkillable grave titan. Grave titan is huge in control mirrors.

0 unburial rites. This card is just terrible unless your alchemy specifically hits the rites + 6 drop. In every other situation its just useless. I perfer consistancy over high variance spells, so I opted for 0 unburial rites.


I havent played enough with my Sideboard to know if everything is 100% correct or not. I will do so in the coming days and post my results on here and on my youtube channel.

Support NextLevelMTGCoaching

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As a special way to say thank you,if you donate $5 or more I will play a match of either Pauper or Standard vs you and record it for my youtube channel and post it here as well.
I would like to personally thank everyone, donors and non donors alike, for viewing my blog and channel, and for liking,commenting, and subscribing. Thank you all for keeping the dream alive!

DJ

Article on PureMTGO.com

Go check out my 2nd article for PureMTGO.com Here

Solar Flare List

Here is my list I ended up with after testing all day Sunday

Epic Match Solar Flare vs 3 Color Pod

Had time for a few quick games and had quite the epic match vs 3 color birthing pod.  Unfortunately games 2 and 3 were lost due to Camtasia error. (In all reality my fault, but I'm still not sure what I did wrong, so for now its Camtasia's fault too)     I'll make videos of the replays if wanted, but for now only game 1 is live.  I am expecting to hammer out a solid list of Solar Flare after testing all day tomorrow. Ill post my results. Untill then, I leave you with these.


Part 1





Part 2




Lets just say that its titled epic because in game 3 I win by using Jace, Memory Adept to mill him out with me having 4 cards left in library and him having the mill land from Innistrad active. Quite the match.

P.S.  You may notice I am trying a new way of commentating my matches. Alot more talking and describing most possible "good" plays as opposed to just the line of play I chose. I figured it would help the viewer better understand my logic. What do you think? Should I keep doing it like this or go back to my old way?

Let me know in the comments section below

Updates

In the process of brewing a sick birthing pod list for standard, one like you have never seen before.

Much work needs to be done on Solar Flare. That decklist is rancid.

Pauper UR/b Cloudpost is being reconstructed to fit forbidden alchemy.


I am going to be busy Friday & Saturday, but I plan on recording all day Sunday (mostly standard), so I should have new videos up for viewing by Monday.


Heres the Solar Flare I was using tonight.

A Pauper Primer (Originally written for topdeckland.com)

A Pauper Primer

By

NextLevelMTGCoaching

My name is DJ and I used to play MtG professionally and grind the PT. Nowadays I spend my free time making coaching videos, writing articles, and blogging about MtG. I always enjoyed sharing my knowledge of the game with local players and helping them improve. Now I am here to help you take your game to the next level; I want to give back to the game that gave so much to me.

Today we are going to talk about pauper, how the format breaks down, and what you can do to exploit the metagame.

First lets talk about the real decks that make up the pauper metagame. They break down into 3 catagories, aggro, control, and combo.


Aggro Decks
Affinity
White Weenie
Goblins



Control Decks
UR Cloudpost
Mono Blue
Mono Black


Combo Decks
Storm (invasion lands version)
Storm (basic land version)
Temporal Fissure Storm
Infect
Mono Red Burn

These are the decks that are putting up 3-1s or 4-0s in the dailys. These are the decks you need to be prepared to beat if you hope to win a pauper tournament.

The Aggro decks aim to beatdown and rely on attacking for the win. Most are too slow to beat the combo decks of the format pre-sideboard.

The Control decks interact with their opponents, hoping to survive the early game and stabilize so that their powerful late game spells will quickly bury the opponent. These are the worst decks to play since the threats in pauper are so diverse, you dont know what you need to answer, and will often show up with the wrong answers. Its like showing up with a knife to a gunfight. No one wants to be THAT guy.


The Combo decks have their own game plan, they do not care about what the opponent is doing, therefore they are the ideal decks to play in a multideck metagame. There are hate cards to play around post sideboard, but there's also answers to them.

Now I am going to break down each deck and how it wins.

Affinity

Affinity floods the board with 2 mana 4/4s and buries you in thoughtcast fueled card advantage. It has galvanic blast and sometimes fling for reach. It crushes other aggro decks and has game vs Cloudpost. It has ways to fight storm, and access to both hydro & pyroblast post sideboard. It has a rough time beating ancient grudge, gorilla shaman, and cheap, efficient artifact removal in general.

White Weenie

White Weenie aims to win with cheap, efficient flyers. A squadron of hawks is tough for a control deck to deal with. The only real thing WW has going for it is it has access to alot of very powerful sideboard options vs the top decks. You can play dust to dust for affinity, CoPs for the black and red matchups, and holy light for the empty the warrens storm matchup.

Goblins

Goblins wins with 1 mana 2/2s and 2 mana 3/3s. They leverage their tempo to beat control decks before control gets set up, and race combo with their blisteringly fast speed. Goblins hates cards like seismic shudder, nausea, and holy light. You beat goblins with efficient removal spells.


UR Cloudpost

UR Cloudpost aims to stabilize the early game and make it to the late game where its powerful spells mop up any opponent still standing. The decks weakness is its mana base, and quick starts from aggro decks are tough to beat. The major problem with this deck, as with all control decks in this format, is that the threats are too diverse, making it impossible to prepare a decklist that deals with all of them. (This is why you see control decks in general in the 3-1 bracket but rarely in the 4-0 bracket of a daily)

Mono Blue Control

Same as above except with a better mana base, and infinite counterspells. The way you beat this deck is by playing a 1 drop, and getting spells to resolve through their wall of counters. You lose to this deck by playing exactly 1 spell a turn.

Mono Black

Mono Black Control is very interesting. It has a solid game vs the non Affinity aggro decks, and has the discard tools to fight control and combo. The big problem with mono black is that their creatures are all 2/2s and easily trumped. MBC can't put much of a clock on any deck after it rips their hand apart. MBC does have a rough time post board vs WW because of the pro black creatures and CoP black.


The Storm decks are going to be grouped together because they all do basically the same thing, and have the same weaknesses and strengths. They are good in this metagame because your basically solitaring and don't care what your opponent is doing. They are both weak to seismic shudder and martyr of ashes, as well as holy light, and discard effects. Another bonus is you can pilot these decks quite suboptimally and still turn a nice profit in 2 mans and dailys.


Storm (invasion lands version)

See above.



Storm (basic land version)

See above.


Temporal Fissure Storm

This deck is not a real deck in my humble opinion. Its the only storm deck that can go off and still take multiple turns to win. Its weak to land destruction, and creature removal. Discard hits it hard, but it does have alot of draw power. It fights hate better then the other storm decks, but its prone to timing out if you dont play it fast, and has to kill the opponent with mediocre 1/1s and 2/2s.
There are numerous other problems with this deck, but I don't have the time to write about them in this article, maybe my next one will be dedicated to the different storm variants.


Infect

The only combo deck that interacts with its opponents a little bit. You actually have to play around removal spells with Infect, but if you do, you should be golden. Infect has a hard time beating 1 mana removal spells, and is virtually stone dead to Standard Bearer.

Mono Red Burn

Mono Red Burn aims to just cast burn spells till you are dead, and then play a lightning bolt for good measure. Burn has a hard time beating life gain, like glimmerpost, lone missionary, and life burst.



The deck I would be playing right now if I were to play a Pauper Daily would be the invasion land Storm variant. It has good matchups across the board game 1 because it doesnt really care what your opponent is doing. Then game 2 and 3 it has the tools to beat the hate.

If you are looking for a more interactive deck, I would suggest UR Cloudpost, as I feel it is the best of the control decks because it has the best matchup %s vs aggro and has the tools to fight with storm. I've played with this deck alot, and have also recorded this deck alot. There are literally infinite configurations, and finding an optimal one is difficult, to say the least.

Well thats all I've got for now, if you like what you read let me know. Also guys let me know what you would like to read about in my next article.



I appreciate all comments and criticism, but please be respectful. Leave them in the comment section below or on my channel/blog.


If you liked what you read, be sure to check out mychannel/blog for more.


Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it,
DJ

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UR Cloudpost vs Mono Black Control

 So I played a match vs mono black control with UR Cloudpost( Decklist Video is Here )    and I was going to upload it to youtube but my opponent requested I not upload it. I will still talk about the matchup here, however. MBC is a very interesting deck. The matchup plays out as follows. You care about their chittering rats early game, and their corrupts late game. That is really all. Your cards are better then theirs, and you outdraw them by a fairly large margin. You have late game inevetiblity with grim harvest, and capsize. So if you save your counterspells for their early game chittering rats and late game corrupts you should be fine.     

Be on the lookout for more videos coming soon, and some Standard vids once Innistrad is released on the 17th

UR Cloudpost vs Mono Red Burn Match 3

Tonight we had one final match vs burn with our current Cloudpost list.

Want to find out how we did? click HERE



SPOILER ALERT!!!!


I kinda felt like I got a little robbed here in games 2 and 3. We demolished him game 1 with our above average draw. Game 2 our draw never quite came together despite the math being on our side with the keep. Game 3 we ran into one of the few hand combos our opponent could kill us with in response to our teachings, which was going to grab a hydroblast. We were probably an underdog to win that game anyways, but its still tilting to get slowrolled. I still agree with my earlier assessment that the matchup is quite close, but I feel UR Cloudpost is slightly favored vs most versions. The all burn version seems to be tougher tho, because you have soo many useless burn spells vs creatureless decks.

UB Cloudpost with Innistrad

2 Expedition Map
4 Preordain
2 Innocent Blood
3 Disfigure
3 Prophetic Prism
1 Grim Harvest
1 Doomblade
1 Echoing Decay
2 Prohibit
1 Mana Leak
4 Forbidden Alchemy
1 Capsize
3 Mystical Teachings
1 Mysteries of the Deep
4 Mulldrifter
1 Ulamog's Crusher
3 Condescend


4 Cloudpost
4 Glimmerpost
7 Island
5 Swamp
2 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Bojuka Bog

No sideboard yet, as the post Innistrad format is not defined yet. I feel that this deck will be a contender. And yes, after a few hours of live testing, I can confirm Forbidden Alchemy is that good.

UR Cloudpost vs Goblins

So I tested a couple of matches vs goblins, and the matchup felt like we were ahead on the play, and slightly behind on the draw. It really comes down to if he has a turn 1 2/2, and how many sledders/raiders they draw.  Staggershock felt too slow, and firebolt was the worst burn spell as it does little if sledder/raider is in play and it cant ever kill a flunkies. You need your red mana by turn 2 vs this deck, or else they will leverage their tempo into a game win. After sideboard the matchup is gets better as you have hydroblasts, and seismic shudder. Teachings is amazing if you can stabilize, and the counterspells are awful. Being able to chain teachings for bolts is enough, and if you happen to draw serrated arrows after killing a goblin or 2, it helps tremendously.  Mulligan very aggresively to hands with both red mana and 1 mana burn spells.

UR Cloudpost Sideboard Choices

If you havent seen the list, check out my 10-03-11 deck profile, located HERE.  Lets start with affinity,
You need your sideboard to help you get to the late game vs them, which is why I chose 2 gorilla shaman, 2 ancient grudge. Once you get to the late game you can either teachings for shattering pulse, or more ancient grudges if need be. Builders bane was really nice, but didnt fit that role, it was a late game card and shattering pulse is just better. Once I lost a game with builders bane in my hand and not enough mana to stem the bleeding it was clear to me the gameplan I needed to have vs affinity.  Shattering pulse and ancient grudge are also solid vs WW decks.  I am not terribly concerned about control mirrors, as control is underplayed in the pauper dailys currently. That being said, I do respect them enough to run the Main deck grim harvest, and have 1 deep analysis 1 pyroblast and the 2 earth rifts in the board.  The one deep analysis will likely become something else, as I am not sold on its applications vs control.  The earth rifts are there just to kill opposing cloudposts, and the pyroblast is good vs all forms of blue based control ,and also storm.  Speaking of storm I also have 3 hydroblasts and the hindering touch + seismic shudder lineup ready for them.   For the reasons I state in my video ( Just watch it, you know you want to) They are solid cards and I would not change them. Hydroblasts are also good vs goblins, mono red burn, and to a lesser extent, boros. I also board in earth rifts on the play vs invasion sac land storm.  The arrows is there to have a sort of catch all sideboard card vs aggro. It is very good mid game vs goblins, infect, WW, and other dorky aggro decks, and combos nicely with capsize to lock aggro out of the mid/late game. It should also be noted that arrows is an out to both guardian of the guildpact, and crimson acolyte, as well as other pro red guys. If WW ever gets very popular, a few arrows are fine in the main deck.

Well thats all for now, be sure to check out my channel, and rate, comment, and subscribe if you like what you see.                 NextLevelMTGCoaching Youtube Channel

UR Cloudpost.

I want to talk about my card choices in a little bit more detail here, where I can better gather my thoughts instead of just spur of the moment recording.  (You can find the video deck profile here)   I cut the Serrated Arrows from the main deck because of a few reasons. All of them for the infect matchup. Early game I would rather have the arrows be a lightning bolt. In testing it felt like I always wanted a 1 mana removal spell in my hand vs infect. Arrows is amazing late game vs infect, but you have to make it to the late game, which is something all the 1 mana burn spells allow you to do. I still want to test wall of tanglechord in my SB, but I have nothing I want to cut out of the board. As the format continues to develop I should get a more definitive idea of what cards are deserving of sideboard slots. Grim harvest found its way into the main deck because I really liked that card when it was Standard with teachings, and thought it would give the deck the perfect late game plan vs the slower decks. Vs mono black its unbeatable, and the ability to chain mulldrifters makes you a heavy favorite vs them preboard. I tested out 1 Steamcore Weird in the main, but it felt too gimmicky and unneeded, as I would always rather return mulldrifter. The 1 Deep analysis became a 3rd teachings because Id rather have teachings in control mirrors, and I like to be able to teach for removal vs aggro over having to cast Deep analysis and hope to draw a removal spell. Still hate the staggershock, as it doesnt do enough for 3 mana. This deck really wants an instant speed kill a creature effect, but there are no good ones in red, and I dont think we can support a black removal spell in the main deck. Grim harvest is fine cause you dont need it online till later game, but you would need the removal spell early, and you are not favored to have black mana on turn 3 or 4.

Well I think thats about it for now, Ill get into the sideboard tomorrow.

Be sure to check out my Youtube channel at   NextLevelMTGCoachings channel

MtG Pauper UR Cloudpost vs Mono Red Burn Magic Online Game 1 Match 1

After a bunch of testing both on and off camera I have found the matchup vs mono red to be pretty close to even. The more creatures they play, the tougher the matchup is for cloudpost, but the version that plays just kiln fiend feels like cloudpost has a slight edge, where the 8 creature version featuring keldon marauders and the fiend backed by molten rain feels like mono red has an edge. If you want a better matchup vs mono red and are playing cloudpost, I suggest adding more expedition maps and counterspells. Prohibit is fine. Too many mana leaks should be avoided, as they become useless fast.  I will have a new list of UR Cloudpost up soon.

Youtube Channel

Next Level MTG Coachings' Youtube Channel