Tempest block constructed is another interesting block format that explored a number of different themes for constructed play. It has a dynamic meta-game, featuring a number of mono-color creatures decks, some control variants, and even a soft combo deck. Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus constructed was part of the Pro-Tour Rome qualifying season in 1998. A number of decks showed up to compete. I have featured some of them below.
The first deck made a couple of top 8 appearances across the nation during the PTQ Rome season. It was one dimensional but offered a brutal combo that could literally kill on turn turn 2. Because of that it was appealing to a number of players. Remember, happiness is an opening draw of Swamp, Sarcomancy, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Hatred, and any 2 other cards. If your opponent doesn't deal with the zombie token immediately, you win the game.
Hatred
Creatures
4 Blood Pet
4 Carnophage
4 Dauthi Horror
4 Dauthi Slayer
4 Dauthi Warlord
4 Dauthi Marauder
2 Stronghold Assassin
Spells
4 Dark Ritual
4 Hatred
4 Sarcomancy
3 Spinal Graft
Land
3 Ancient Tomb
16 Swamp
Sideboard
3 Dread of Night
2 Stronghold Assassin
4 Thrull Surgeon
3 Nausea
3 Bottle Gnomes
Hatred was a potent creature rush deck that could dish damage in a hurry. It features 16 Shadow creatures to achieve this end. It's weaknesses is that it can foiled by control that can recover quickly enough and it can hurt itself while trying to establish itself as a leader of the damage race. Against other decks that bring heat it can find itself falling behind rather quickly. The sideboard offers a variety of creature control elements, life gain, and hand destruction.
One particular deck that was the rock to Hatred scissors is the TSE Sligh deck. A quick goblin based deck that exploited cheap creatures backed by burn.
Sligh
Creatures
2 Raging Goblin
4 Jackal Pup
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Mogg Raider
4 Fireslinger
3 Mogg Flunkies
4 Canyon Wildcat
2 Rathi Dragon
Spells
4 Shock
2 Sonic Burst
4 Kindle
4 Maniacal Rage
1 Goblin Bombardment
Land
16 Mountain
2 Wasteland
Sideboard
3 Portcullis
4 Bottle Gnomes
3 Spellshock
3 Jinxed Idol
2 Giant Strength
Sligh won more than a number of PTQ's in 1998. It had an aggressive curve and 10 burn spells. Maniacal Rage was admittedly one of the key's to the deck because it allowed small Jackal Pup's to become enormous monstrosities and rendered the popular Wall of Blossoms, a foil to sligh, totally worthless.
Sligh and Hatred both ran rampant across the PTQ scene. There were a number of control variants that had the ability to deal with them, but often times a bad draw could spell doom for the slower decks against the aggressive creature decks than could run you over in 2 to 4 turns. Both Hatred and Sligh were immensely popular. In light of that data, another deck came along to deal with both of them handily.
Cataclysm White
Creatures
4 Soltari Visionary
4 Soltari Monk
4 Soltari Priest
4 Paladin en-Vec
4 Welkin Hawk
4 Soul Warden
4 Warrior en-Kor
Spells
4 Cataclysm
3 Disenchant
3 Helm of Possession
Land
19 Plains
3 City of Traitors
Sideboard:
4 Master Decoy
3 Light of Day
3 Torture Chamber
1 Disenchant
4 Repentance
Cataclysm White absolutely punished both Sligh and Hatred decks. It was a strong combination of aggressive creatures that gave it game against control, while shutting down the slightly faster creature decks with color hosers. Paladin En-Vec gives Sligh fits. A resolved Light of Day is basically game over for Hatred.
That's a wrap for the 3 most popular creature decks in the TSE block format. The other half of the equation is the control side, which featured several other contenders for the top spots of PTQ Rome. I'll feature those in an upcoming article.
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