_0.thumbnail.jpg "Puca's Mischief Primer")
.preview.jpg "Puca's Mischief Primer Title")
by Daniel Schmider
Editors’ note: This article was written shortly after Grand Prix Barcelona, where Swans was the dominant deck. You should therefore take into account that the article was written with such a metagame in mind. But as we all know, the metagame evolves rapidly and Grand Prix Seattle as well as Grand Prix Sao Paulo this weekend have already displayed radical changes compared to Barcelona.
If the user feedback is positive, we are considering making “Schmids Sick Synergies” a weekly installment. Make sure to rate the article and express your opinion in the comments section. Thank you.
Introduction
As the title already implies, due to the use of the term “primer”, the article will thoroughly look at a rogue deck for the current standard format called Puca's Mischief. I will give you an introduction to the deck and then I will condense the most important information from my playtesting sessions as well as explain in depth how to play the deck. The rogue nature of the deck means that if you are looking for the latest tournament decks, the article is probably not suitable for you or you might prefer to only read some parts of this primer.
About the author
My name is Daniel Schmider and I am a Magic player from Switzerland. I have been playing Magic since 1998 and began playing tournaments in 2004. I am an experienced tournament player and I have played in several PTQs and Grand Prix. Apart from competing in high-level tournaments, designing rogue decks is a passion of mine. I am intrigued by the challenge that comes with designing new decks and breaking a format. There are rumors that I discovered the turn 0 win in Vintage ;-). I don’t limit myself to specific formats though and I am also an avid Vintage player as well as a weekly drafter, where I try to sharpen my limited skills.
A missing archetype?
The current Standard format is extremely diverse and therefore very appealing. It is a lot of fun to playtest versus the plethora of available decks and to try and come up with a solution to the format.
I listed some of the most played decks (according to recent tournament results) below:
(Click on a deckname for sample decklists)
Aggro decks
BG Elves
BW Tokens
GW Tokens
5CB
Control decks
Faeries
Cruel Control
Combo decks
Swans
I am relieved to see that a format without any playable tutors offers a viable combo deck. This is mostly because of the broken way in which cascade can be abused as a tutor. At GP Barcelona there were also a few well-known players battling with Turbofog decks. Turbofog is a deck which creates massive card draw for both players with Howling Mine and Font of Mythos and then locking an aggro deck out of the combatphase by casting a fog effect each turn. And since you opponent draws a lot of cards they will eventually be decked. Although I like the idea of a prison type deck, Turbofog is one of the most boring decks to play, because it basically doesn’t do anything. Apart from that the deck has almost no way to win versus Swans before sideboarding.
A prison deck in Standard?
When I set out to build a new deck, I was looking for a prison type deck which has a good matchup versus Swans and the different aggro decks listed above.
At first I will show you the decklist I ended up with in order to make it easier for you to follow my explanations. I will then take you through my deckbuilding process and talk in-depth about my card choices as well as the matchups. My most recent List looks as follows:
This is my version of the Puca's Mischief deck. The decklist forms part of my article "Schmids Sick Synergies: Puca's Mischief Primer".
In the first installment of "Schmids Sick Synergies" I will thoroughly look at a rogue deck for the current standard format called Puca's Mischief. I will give you an introduction to the deck and then I will condense the most important information from my playtesting sessions as well as explain in-depth how to play the deck.
| Colors |
|---|
| Blue | 13 |
|---|
| Gold | 15 |
|---|
| Hybrid | 6 |
|---|
| Land | 17 |
|---|
| White | 10 |
|---|
| Converted Mana Cost |
|---|
| 2 | 13 |
|---|
| 3 | 16 |
|---|
| 4 | 13 |
|---|
| 5 | 2 |
|---|
| Type |
|---|
| Artifact | 8 |
|---|
| Basic Land | 13 |
|---|
| Creature | 23 |
|---|
| Enchantment | 7 |
|---|
| Instant | 6 |
|---|
| Land | 4 |
|---|
First of all I had to find ways to beat the Swans deck.
Reactive approaches
I don’t think it is a smart idea to look for enchantment and creature removal because as soon as the Swans player manages to get both combo pieces into play it will be too late as they can simply go off in response to a removal spell. Even if you succeed to destroy either one of them, before the other hits the table, the Swans player has plenty of cascade supply to replace it.
Proactive approaches
It might be a little bit better to try and use hand disruption in order to solve the problems before they actually become problems. Thoughtseize will help you survive the early game, but as soon as the Swans player topdecks what he needs, the game is over.
Though what you really need is·Pithing Needle. Pithing Needle naming Seismic Assault disables the combo. It does not deal with one copy of the pesky enchantment, it disables every single copy of it in play, in your opponent’s hand, or the ones he could topdeck. The same is true for Meddling Mage. Pithing Needle naming Seismic Assault followed by Meddling Mage naming Deny Reality or maybe Primal Command turns Swans into a subpar aggrodeck. Luckily Meddling Mage is also great against Volcanic Fallout, or major threats other decks play, Pithing Needle can also conveniently deal with Planeswalkers, Mutavault and all the other manlands.
The problem with these cards is that it is usually a better idea to play them in the sideboard, because in certain matchups they won’t accomplish that much. At this point during my deckbuilding process I started to look for cards which would make it possible to play for example Pithing Needle in the maindeck.
I came across Puca’s Mischief while looking through all the cards available in the current standard format and I instantly fell in love with the card and just had to build a deck around it! Puca’s Mischief exchanges cards between you and your opponent and as we all know, such exchanges do not create real card advantage. But they do create virtual card advantage as well as card quality advantage if you build your deck in such a way that it abuses Puca’s Mischief.
I want to give you some examples:
If you manage to trade a Pithing Needle for a Figure of Destiny that is obviously a huge card quality advantage. You can also exchange a Meddling Mage for a Bitterblossom which is usually a good deal. However the real destructive power of Puca´s Mischief is revealed, if we combine it with such staples as Oblivion Ring. When Oblivion Ring comes into play it removes one of your opponents’ nonland permanents and later on you can trade the Oblivion Ring for such cards as Plumeveil, Boggart Ram-Gang, Putrid Leech, Anathemancer or anything else with a converted manacost of three or less your opponent might play.
Also keep in mind that·Borderposts·come into play virtually for free BUT·have a converted manacost of three and you can conveniently exchange them for any of your opponents threats.
The basic game plan looks like this: I want to stabilize the board versus aggro decks then stop my opponents’ late game bombs from resolving or remove them with Oblivion Ring and finally drop Puca’s Mischief to exchange my “useless” cards for his threats and then beat him with his own cards.
Card choices
Now that we have defined our game plan I want to discuss each card choice in-depth and later on I will look at the different matchups.
Wall of Reverence
Wall of Reverence is great at stalling the game and keeping you alive versus aggro decks. Plumeveil is another defender you could play but the three mana slot is already filled.
Cryptic Command
One of the best cards in the current standard format. It counters, bounces taps and draws a card, what more could you want? Unfortunately it isn’t a permanent you can trade with Puca’s Mischief but the card is far too powerful not to play four copies of.
Meddling Mage and Pithing Needle You can play them maindeck or in the sideboard but you want definitely four copies of each card at your disposal when you are facing a Swans deck.
Kitchen Finks
Kitchen Finks fulfill a similar role to Wall of Reverence, they keep you alive. Remember that Kitchen Finks come back into play under your control when they persist, even if you exchanged them via Puca’s Mischief with a permanent from your opponent.
Fieldmist Borderpost and Wildfield BorderpostPlay four copies of each Borderpost! It’s a “land” you can trade with Puca’s Mischief…
Oblivion Ring
It is an awesome removal spell that deals with almost everything your opponent might play and later on it can be exchanged with Puca’s Mischief.
Puca’s Mischief
I wouldn’t advise you to play more than three copies of the card and also not less than three copies. It is a key card in the deck and you usually want to draw one, but if you draw a second copy it will be redundant.
Among the cards I consider to be good in the deck, but won’t explain in detail are:
Bant Sureblade (Synergy with borderposts)
Deft Duelist (Synergy with Bant Sureblades)
Path to Exile
Vendillion Clique
Sower of Temptation
Reveillark
Plumeveil
Thistledown Liege
Manabase
In theory the manabase is pretty simple to construct. Because I am playing 8 Borderposts, I want at least 12 basic lands. I can then add four copies of Mystic Gate and you could also add an additional basic land if you are feeling unlucky ;-). Since both Borderposts produce white mana, I recommend an Island centered manabase which looks as follows:
9 Islands
4 Plains
4 Mystic Gate
8 Borderposts
Deck info
 |
|
| Name: |
Puca's Mischief
|
| Also known as: |
Veni Vidi Schmidi
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| Deck type: |
Aggrocontrol
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| Original designer: |
Daniel Schmider
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| Key cards: |
Cryptic Command, Puca's Mischief, Borderposts, Oblivion Ring
|
| Matchups: |
(Click on a deckname for sample lists!)
|
 |
Black White, Kithkin, GB Elves, Blightning, Swans |
 |
Reveillark, Ziggurat.dec, Red White |
 |
Faeries, Cruel Control, Sanity Grinding.dec
|
Matchups and sideboarding strategies
It is important to be aware of the fact that Puca’s Mischief does not play like a typical control deck and you should try to become the aggressor as fast as possible. It is also important that you playtest a lot with this deck and know the different matchups inside out because you are playing with such cards as Meddling Mage and Pithing Needle you have to know exactly what to name in each matchup.
GB Elves
(Click on the title for a sample decklist)
This matchup is in your favor. You should name Maelstrom Pulse with Meddling Mage, because the pulse can be a huge blowout. In addition you should try to counter Eyeblight’s Ending and other removal spells. If you can afford it you should save your Oblivion Ring for Chameleon Colossus and try to avoid using it on creatures like Putrid Leech. Bant Sureblade is very strong against the GB Elves deck, because it deals with cards like Wren Runs Vanquisher, Kitchen Finks and so on.
If everything goes according to plan, your opponents’ creatures should not be able to get past your Wall of References and you should be able to stabilize the game.
Sideboarding
Out: 2 Vendillion Clique, 1 Deft Duelist, 2 Sower of Temptation
In: 3 Remove Soul, 2 Negate
Although taking control over a Chameleon Colossus with a Sower of Temptation is very nice, Profane Command is a much bigger threat to deal with and usually the Elves deck should be able to remove the Sower of Temptation anyway as soon as you tap out for it. After sideboarding you really need to protect Meddling Mage and Bant Sureblade from Maelstrom Pulse and Eyeblight's Ending, because that is the way to win versus Elves with the Puca’s Mischief deck.
BW Tokens
(Click on the title for a sample decklist)
The Token matchup is similar to the Elves matchup, but since they have Planeswalkers, you bring in Pithing Needle and name Ajani Goldmane and later on Mutavault. You can also trade Pithing Needle for one of their countless tokens. Remove Soul is actually not very good. On the play you might counter a Tidehollow Sculler, but you are better off just casting one of your two drops. Spectral Procession combined with Windbrisk Heights is one of the bigger problems and Negate solves it on the play and on the draw. You can also name Spectral Procession with Meddling Mage if need be. Glorious Anthem and Bitterblossom can be traded for a Borderpost or Oblivion Ring.Be aware that Bitterblossom is very dangerous if you don’t have a Wall of Reference, if you have a Wall of Reverence, it is still very dangerous, but for your opponent.
Sideboarding
Out: 2 Vendillion Clique, 1 Kitchen Finks, 2 Sower of Temptation
In: 2 Negate, 3 Pithing Needle
Stillmoon Cavalier·is a card that wrecks your early game. You can’t remove it with Oblivion Ring, Bant Sureblade and Kitchen Finks can’t kill it and Wall of Reverence can’t block it. Puca's Mischief has to deal with it sooner or later. Stillmoon Cavalier is a very annoying card if they have it in their Sideboard and are smart enough to bring it in against you.
Faeries
(Click on the title for a sample decklist)
Faeries is a very intense matchup. If they have their god-draw on the play with Bitterblossom,·Spellstutter Sprite or Broken Ambitions followed by Mistbind Clique and Cryptic Command you can usually pack it in, but which deck can beat such a draw anyway?
If you are on the play, you should name Bitterblossom with Meddling Mage and then try to be the aggressor with your firststrike creatures.
Sideboarding
Out: 2 Vendillion Clique, 2 Sower of Temptation, 4 Cryptic Command
In: 3 Thistledown Liege, 2 Pithing Needle, 3 Remove Soul
Negate is a great counterspell against Faeries because it deals with Bitterblossom on the play, Cryptic Command, Broken Ambitions and all the removal spells such as Terror or Agony Warp they might play.You should name Mutavault or Jace Beleren with Pithing Needle. My plan is to side out the Cryptic Command and then name Cryptic Command with Meddling Mage.
Cruel Control
(Click on the title for a sample decklist)
By far the most difficult matchups for Puca’s Mischief are dedicated control decks. The deck wants to play several cheap creatures and then adjust the board with Puca’s Mischief. Control decks do the opposite; they play only a few nonland permanents and then try to wipe out your board. Even if you name Volcanic Fallout with Meddling Mage they can still play Wrath of God, Jund Charm or a spot removal spell. The main problem though is the manacurve intersection. Puca's Mischief is almost useless! There just aren’t many permanents you could steal.
The builds may vary, but the fact remains: Their manacurve starts where my manacurve starts to end.
Sideboarding
Out: 2 Sower of Temptation, 3 Puca's Mischief, 4 Wall of Reference
In: 2 Negate, 2 Pithing Needle, 3 Thistledown Liege, 2 Remove Soul
You clearly want all four negates in game 2 and 3. ·You should try to put some pressure on the board and then protect your creatures as long as possible with Negate and Cryptic Command. Meddling Mage names Wrath of God most of the time. Even if you know that you are losing a game 1 versus Cruel Control, you should continue playing long enough, to see your opponent’s arsenal of mass removal spells, so that you know what to name in game 2. You should also make mental notes about possible Pithing Needle targets such as Ajani Vengeant, Jace Beleren and some lists even play Obelisk of Alara or Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. The more of those cards they play, the more Pithing Needles you should bring in.
Swans
(Click on the title for a sample decklist)
As I already mentioned, you have plenty of cards in your maindeck to combat Swans. For game 2 or 3 you bring in all your Pithing Needles and watch him struggle.
You want to bring in Remove Soul as well, as an answer to Swans of Brynn Argoll. You should not side out your cheap creatures so that you are still able to win fast enough so that manlands and Bloodbraid Elf can’t race you.
Sideboarding
Out: 2 Sower of Temptation, 3 Puca’s Mischief, 2 Kitchen Finks
In: 4 Pithing Needle, 3 Remove Soul
I hope you liked this article and you were able to profit a lot from it. Please leave your feedback in the comments section, where I would also be happy to answer all your questions. Have fun playing with the deck and exchanging Borderposts for Bitterblossoms ;-).
Daniel Schmider
Blue
White
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Great article I love the SB and match up advise and playing rouge decks is the most challenging and rewarding part of standard. I would read this weekly
Really nice piece. I apologize for my comments on your deck list. I had it in my brain that puca's was a sorcery that only did the effect once.
I hope you can produce like this on a regular basis.
This is an awesome article. This sounds like an enjoyable deck to play when you frustrate your opponent. Keep up the good work!
very nice, very nice. i reallly like the idea behind puca and all that jazz.
Awesome deck, this would be a great feature to read every week.
the article was good and the links were awesome. good job!
Nicely done article. I agree with ejsmith and second his idea. This would be a great freature to read every week.
Once again I will add more props to you. If you can keep this level of quality each week I will read religiously. Even if not weekly I still look for you. Great job. Bonus for using an irregular card.
I was wondering if you had thought of making a secondary list for your decks for budget players. There are ppl that want to play but can't afford the cost of "tier 1" decks. Maybe make a substituion list?
Thanks for all the positive feedback and ideas.
I can easily include a budget list of the deck at the end of my next article. (Because I normally playtest all my decks online or with proxies in reallife, I can therefore include all the cards I want to in the decklists, regardless of money, thanks for the advice)
My next article will probably be centered around Vintage and I will talk about the restrictions, unrestrictions and then show you a new deck with some sick synergies for all of you to enjoy.
Have fun!
Daniel Schmider
looking forward to it. though i am not a vintage player your interactions are pretty cool.
the link in this article were very helpful along with the content of this article.
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