The Twelve-Step Program for the Strategy Impaired
with Scott Gerhardt

Mobilizing Wake

     I gotta admit - with Onslaught just coming out and having to recover from a couple of trips to San Diego (got Top 4 in a PTQ - yeah!) not to mention a nice trip to the hospital for kidney stones, I don't have a whole lot of time for this week's fix, but I'll try to run though it and give it a good look-over.

Spells:

3 Mobilization
3 Wrath of God
3 Mirari's wake
2 Deep Analysis
2 Read the Runes
4 Counterspell
3 Force Spike
4 Circular Logic
4 Kirtar's Desire

Creatures:

3 Spurnmage Advocate
2 Glory
4 Weathered Wayfarer

Lands:
4 Adarkar Waste
3 City of Brass
2 Skycloud Expanse
5 Plains
6 Islands
3 Forests

4 Naturalize
1 Spurnmage Advocate
2 Deep Analysis
4 Envelop
1 Kirtar's Wrath
1 Mobilization
2 Silver Seraphs

     This deck looks like it could be a deadly blast, but need a little tuning, IMHO, to get it completely up to speed.

     First of all, I think there is some really good synergy with Circular Logic, Glory, and Mobilization with Read the Runes.  This said, lets bump Read the Runes up to 4, dropping the Deep Analysis.

     Now I'm not a real huge fan of Force Spike in the main deck.  Some people do like it, I'm not one of them.  I feel they have a place in the board, but for the main, they can go.  Pull them out in favor of Wrath #4, Mobilization #4, and let's add in 1 Trade Secrets.  I think that Card Drawing is the way to win this this deck, and while it gives your opponent cards, it does give you advantage.  Most times they will not want to fill your hand up with cards, and will stop the bleeding early.  While we're at it, let's go ahead and kill one Mirari's Wake and make it a Trade Secrets too.  This deck will seldom-to-never want to cast Wake anytime before turn 6 anyway.  As a matter of fact, the more I look at the 2 Glory, I think it should only be 1.  The card is hit or miss as to whether it will be useful, and you don't need to get stuck with it if it's going to be bad.   Let's get Trade Secrets #3 in it's place.

     Something else I am considering for this deck is Diamonds - probably Sky.  This would help solve the problem of needing odd amounts of mana with a Mirari's Wake on the board, plus speed you into getting one.  The problem is what to pull for them - I'm not sure, so going to leave them out for now, but it's something to consider.

     The land could use a little work.  For one, play Grand Coliseum over City of Brass.  It's much better since it can always get tapped for colorless for free.  Pull the two Skycloud Expanses for Flooded Plains.  In addition, pull a forest and add in 2 Windswept Hearths.  With search lands, I like playing playing one additional one to help alleviate mana screw and allow you to search them out later.  Plus, remember that search lands have very good synergy with Weathered Wayfarer since you can sac them, then play it's ability before it resolves.  The land looks good from here.

     In the board, obviously pull the other Mobilization.  Make it a Force Spike along with the a Silver Seraphs and the 4th Spurnmage Advocate.  Need to keep the 2 Analysis for Bridge stuff.  Also, I know it's neat and cool, but you're playing more white than green, so run disenchant over Naturalize.  In the end, like I say for all sideboards, adjust them regionally.

Spells:

4 Mobilization
4 Wrath of God
2 Mirari's wake
4 Read the Runes
4 Counterspell
3 Trade Secrets
4 Circular Logic
4 Kirtar's Desire

Creatures:

3 Spurnmage Advocate
1 Glory
4 Weathered Wayfarer

Lands:
4 Adarkar Waste
3 Grand Coliseum
2 Flooded Strand
2 Windswept Hearth
5 Plains
6 Islands
2 Forests

(Remember to adjust this regionally.
This one is simply a few decent cards)

4 Disenchant
2 Deep Analysis
4 Envelop
1 Kirtar's Wrath
3 Force Spike
1 Silver Seraphs

I hope this version does you some good - it was fun and interesting to look at!

Until next time, keep playing!

Scott Gerhardt
Editor, Pojo.com