Re: US:CD 8

"But drawing cards alone doesn't win the game. Winning the game is doing the 20 damage without dying, or decking them, or whatever. " Technically, yes, that's winning. And technically, drawing cards alone doesn't win you the game.

Drawing cards wins you the game. The key is making sure that your deck wins you the game if you draw cards. But that's normally a late step in my deck development. The steps are: 1. What cards am I using to gain massive card economy? Another way to say this is: How do I win? 2. What do I use to not get killed while I draw those cards? Another way to say this is: How do I not lose? 3. What is my kill card? Or, how do I kill? Notice that killing and winning are almost seperate. The kill is irrelevent for most decks. The ones where it isn't are a special class of deck. 4. What mana base do I need? Make sure that I don't have to play too many mana sources to make the deck work. 5. Test shuffling (check #4 especially) 6. Playtesting (check #2 especially) 7. Play

As opposed to the 'suicide' deck type, which is any deck that loses if it doesn't win. I try to build decks that win if they don't lose. Playing a "Sligh" or Suicide Black, you lose if you don't win or almost win very quickly. There the method is: 1. Choose a mana base 2. Choose the best quick beatdown/burn 3. Add needed utility 4. Shuffle 5. Draw (note: not play)

It's a side note, but I think it's important.

The problem here seems to be: Monogreen isn't a viable deck because the combo decks will eat it alive. Green isn't bad as a main color or support color, just as the only color. Here you're probably right at the moment. That's because the combos are getting out of hand, and Emerald Charm is gone. The new 1-cost creature that sacks to kill enchantments isn't that bad, and the new tranquility is good. The problem with main decking enchantment removal is, while sometimes nothing is more important, sometimes it's useless. Now, one's a creature and 1 cycles. And enchantments are bigger than ever.

The Sligh mana base: 16 mountains is a REALLY GOOD mana base if it's enough, because that gives you 44 slots for other cards. Problem is, that's probably not a solid mana base. Type II Sligh averages around 18 mountain + 4 wasteland. I played sligh (true sligh, not Deadguy Red) at PTLA3 and used 20 mountains + 4 wasteland. Between Cursed Scroll and Rathi Dragon, on average none were useless. That's a great mana base.

The problem with Rowen is that it doesn't do enough without Sylvan Library; Abundance does. And yes, there's a big differance between 2 cards a turn (about 1.2 non-land?) and 3 non-land.

The Hyperspeed decks have one thing in common: They lose to TurboDefense. For example, Sligh and Suicide Black can both more or less scoop against Pariah; only Cursed Scroll can save them. Add a toughness enhancer, and the game is over period. Some decks lose to infinite Weaver. Some are devestated by Propoganda. They all lose to the combos, have little or no defense and are a turn or two slower. Adios.

I don't think monocolor decks are that wonderful now. White and Blue are the good bets - white because of Pariah (and white's utility) and blue for Draw-Go. Red and Black are too easy to lock. Green could happen, though. And this could even be how. It starts with Enchantress/Abundance/Sylvan for extra cards, and uses Vineyard/Scroll/Elves (maybe even Priest of Titania, since you play the Lyrist too) for the mana acceleration, and Gaia's Cradle. Land destruction (just 8: Wasteland/Winter's Grasp) stalls the opposition while you stand behind your anti-combo enchantment kill (elven lyrist and the new cycling tranquility), your walls for creature rush and play both the beef (Argothian Wurm and Child of Gaia probably), and/or lock them in with Mishra's Helix, and/or Overrun them. This may be a good deck for a field full of combination decks that need enchantments. That's a very rough outline, of course, but I already like it better than mono-red. The basic idea is one I've used before: Put in the cards that let you draw so many cards you can't lose. Give yourself a fast, explosive mana base. Put in the cards that stop early kills.