Keep Your Head Down

I had more games and more games in and that was good.

Fuz did well with his illusions deck, so long as I didn't have Scryb Rangers out. Which wasn't enough to win the match but still! Not bad.

However, I felt an undercurrent of a problem in those games.

I had the same feeling of unease playing stonethorn and Noah. I had hands that felt like they could almost get there, but just weren't quite.

Talking about it with Noah, he confirmed what had been creeping up on me: I felt tight on mana every game.

The problem was: I like the selection of cards in my deck. Yeah, people don't think much about Suntail Hawk but the card has been pretty useful. I didn't want to cut anything in the 2CC slot and while the 6CC slot has five cards, I don't want to replace the Oathsworn Giant because it contributes to the vigilance aspect while not being a dead card if Brave the Sands is out, and removing the potential mass removal of Sunblast Angel was also a direction I didn't like. Rarely is excess removal punished.

So fuck it: Let's go to 61 cards. I know, I know, it's a form of constructed Magic heresy but I'd rather play the cards I like and run 24 lands than try to axe a card I know is good just to get mana. The statistical difference is nothing and truth be told, sometimes I'm just tired of adhering to rules just because.

The 60 card rule is good. It forces streamlining and decision making. I've been at this long enough to know when to let go of it though and this is one of those times. +1 Plains.