Despite
not having the results of some other decks like BDW,
or Tog, Heartbeat may just be the best deck
in the format. With all the aggro in the form of BDW,
Affinity, and the uber fast Ichorid, the Moment’s
Peace packing stall machine can easily win. What
happens when you place a deck a deck based on Brain
Freeze for the win against Ichorid? You see one of
the best decks in the format get owned .Now then,
the deck doesn’t have the best control match up, but
it can beat Tooth, and pretty much every aggro deck
in the format. Lets look at a list from Pro-Tour Los
Angeles.
Looking at the mana base, you notice its all basics.
This is because
Early Harvest only untaps basic
lands. This does make the deck pretty budget. The
creature base seems obvious. You have twenty two
basic to fetch with the Elder, and it chump blocks
Ichorids, or other aggro threats. The spell base is
very solid. Desire help build up a massive storm
count with limited mana, giving you free spells to
play. I t can also double the storm count. Gifts,
and Fact or Fiction are your basic card drawers in
the deck, with Recollect, Deep Analysis, and Revive
in there for added synergy with the card draw.
Nostalgic Dreams is there to keep you from fizzling
when you go to combo out. Moment’s Peace is there to
stall out aggro. Cunning Wish provides a nice tool
box. Mana Short helps keep control decks in check,
while the Brain Freezes in the SB up the main deck
count to 5.
Match Ups:
Aggro Rock: Discard is the main threat. It
makes it harder to go off. The aggro of course gets
stone walled. I’d say about 50/50. Just because it
depends on whether they get good discard.
BDW: They have burn, but you should be able
to stall enough of there creature aggro. If you can
live long enough, you should be able to win. 60/40,
your favor. Ichorid: Thought of as one of the best decks,
but this a really bad match up. They mill
themselves, and multiple Fogs is bad for them.
70/30, your favor.
Tog: Bad Match up, due to counters. Just like
any control deck, you need to outplay them, and more
than likely out draw them. 40/60, the other guys
favor.
No-Stick: Another bad match up. Though Star
Wars Kid won through an Orim’s Chant, and a pair of
Counterspells, I don’t think it is the normal thing.
So I would say 70/30, in the other guys favor.
Tooth and Nail: Should be an easy win. You
should be able to combo out, and if not, stalling
under Moment’s Peace until you can seems like a good
plan. 70/30, your favor.
CAL: Unless they drop Confinement, and you
don’t draw bounce, you should be able to win. They
kind of mill themselves too. 60/40, your favor.
Mirror Match: Well, try to combo out fast,
and watch for the opponent using your own storm
count to kill you.
So, there is your belated overview of the Heartbeat
Combo deck. Next time, we will take a break from
deck overviews, and do something different.
