Week ending 1/24 Magic results/ Deck review Jund-Naya

Here are this week's results:

MAGIC THE GATHERING ONLINE status at a glance: Week ending 1/24/09

Drafts Shards of Alara (4-3-2-2): 3
Match Record (Draft): 1-3
Queues played this week: 16
Constructed pauper 2player:1
Constructed (Ala Block):33
Constructed (Extended):8
Constructed (Standard):2
Daily events std: 1
2 player: 1
Total Queues played: 45
Match Record (pauper mono-red):0-1
Match Record (extended Death cloud):2-0
Match Record (extended Death cloud2):0-3
Match Record (extended Dragonstorm): 2-1
Match Record (extended UR Storm): 0-1
Match Record (extended Ad Naseum): 2-0
Match Record (extended mono red ext): 0-2
Match Record (Bant ext): 0-2
Match Record (Bant Block): 5-9
Match Record (Glenn Jund Block):2-6
Match Record (Rich’s Jund Block):0-2
Match Record (Rich’s Naya/Jund Block):10-7
Match Record (Rich’s Naya Block):0-1
Match Record (Mono-White Block):
Match Record (Esper Block):0-1
Match Record (BR tokens std):1-4
Overall Match Record: 23-36
Packs won this week: 10
Packs won total: 25
Tickets from packs this week: 34
Tickets from packs total: 92
Net ticket gain this week: 15
Net ticket gain total: 7
Money spent this week: 19
Money spent Overall (Started on 1/1/09): 85

Yes, that's right folks. As of this week, I've reached profit during the month of January. I won enough to not only keep myself playing, but earn more then I put into the game. I can tell you that I am really happy with the performance of the new deck that I made last week. It has the best record of all my decks, and made this profitable week possible. So here it is, my Jund/Naya deck.

4 bone splinters

This is the most efficient piece of removal in the format. For one black mana, you can kill anything. It really shines in this deck though because of it's combo potential with Sprouting thrinax and Sarkan Vol.

2 Fleshbag Marader

This guy also combos well with Sarkhan, and sort of counts as Bone Splinters 5 and 6. He's a nice body to surprise someone with when I sacrifice a Thrinax and get three 1/1 tokens from it and they just lose a creature. That's called card advantage my friend, and that what this deck is really all about.

4 Druid of the Anima

This is my pseudo-manaramp engine. It's also sources 5-8 for white. I only have one white spell in the main deck, along with one in the sideboard. This guy has helped cast turn 5 Broodmate dragons, along with turn three Ajani's. He's a key component, even though on paper he doesn't seem like much.

4 Elvish Visionary

This card replaces itself in your hand, and provides a chump block or sacrifice after it's done. These guys have drawn me just the card I needed at just the right time more times then I'd like to admit. Again, he's card advantage, plain and simple.

3 Broodmate Dragons

There are some creatures that just define a format. For Onslaught block it was Akroma. For Mirrodin, it was Arcbound Ravager. Lorwyn it was Mistbind Clique. For Shards of Alara, so far it's Broodmate or Double Dragon as he's usually called. For 6 mana you get a 4/4 flying dragon, who brings along ANOTHER 4/4 flying dragon when he comes into play. Can we say "Card advantage plus serious threat". In the mirror, he who draws more of these first generally wins. He is just a pain to deal with for other decks, and is my finisher. I don't run the full 4 of because I don't want 2 in opening hand.


4 Sprouting Thrinax

The tri-color creature for the Jund shard is a card advantage machine. Whether it's chump blocking another creature, being sacrifices for bone splinters or fleshbag marauder, or just being something the opponent doesn't want to kill, this creature is just solid across the board. The fact that when he dies he leaves behind 3 1/1 tokens is absolute gold in this type of deck, and I've won a lot of games on the backs of Thrinax tokens. The synergy that this card brings helps make the deck really click.







3 Ajani Vengeant
4 Sarkhan Vol
And the stars of our shows, the planeswalkers ladies and gentlemen. Ajani sets them up, and Sarkhan knocks em down. I am never unhappy to see one of these guys pop into my hand. Whether it's Ajani keeping a threat tapped, or Sarkhan making my little 1/1 tokens 2/2's before attacking. Sarkhan can grab one of there creatures, or Ajani can get the little extra 3 damage in for the win. They are both power houses, and are generally key to any victory.
2 violent ultimatum

This card should read "If all else fails, cast this". This is the ultimate finisher of the deck. If I need your stuff out of my way, this is what I am casting. Generally if the game is going right, this kind of removal draws a quick concession. If not, my attacking with unblocked creatures ends the game just as quickly. I do side these out against quicker decks due to it's casting cost. Sometimes i will draw this when I'm already too far behind, but in that situation, nothing would have saved me. I have come back from a 16 point deficit due to this card giving the time I needed to stabilize. This is a card that hits the table hard, and makes it's effect known.



4 blightning

Initially this was relegated to the sideboard. I found myself siding it in every game though, so eventually I just maindecked it. Again it's all about card advantage and tempo, so I try to Blightning when the opponent has 2-4 cards. Then you know that you are hitting the money spells and possibly opposing planeswalkers. I still wish it was instant, but I guess that would be a tad over powered.










My land suite is 4 savage lands, 4 jungle shrines, 2 Crumbling necropolis, and a variety of mountains, forests, and swamps




My sideboard is a bunch of situational cards for certain match-ups.

So that's the deck that has proven the best for me. I'm going to continue to run it for the forseeable future. However, if the Conflux previews are any indication, the whole Alara Block format is about to be rewritten. Ah well, such is life in Magic: The gathering.

Until next time, remember, all work and no play.....