Traumatizing Echoes

by J J Stors

control

Format: Freeform

Latest Set: Eternal

Last Modified On: 4/13/2002

Market	Median	Low
$49.15	$55.22	$25.50

Market	Median	Low
—	—	—

COLORED MANA SYMBOLS

CARDS BY TYPE

MANA CURVE

Average CMC: 3.19

DESCRIPTION

<div align=center><a href=/contests/><img src=/gifs/50dollar.jpg width=125 height=16 border=1></a></div> THE MILL MACHINE CONCEPT: Once Odyssey becomes Standard legal, create a deck that uses Traumatize as a disruption method and wins via decking. <div align=center><IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image1.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150>   <IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image2.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150>   <IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image3.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150></div> Traumatize by itself is an amazing disruption spell. The ability to put half of your opponents deck into their graveyard is good in and of itself, but combined with Haunting Echoes this becomes abusive. Lets look at a game in which you have won the toss and have opted to go first. Now in this game we will also be totally optimistic and believe that we have Traumatize in hand, the mana needed to cast it and it will get through; all on turn five (wishful thinking but just go with it). On turn five we cast Traumatize and remove… 60-7 = 53, Turn 1 draw = 52, Turn 2 draw = 51, Turn 3 draw = 50, Turn 4 draw = 49 49/2 rounded down = 24 cards from your opponents library - Leaving only 25 left. Now the Millstones can easily take care of the rest. With one active Millstone that results in three cards removed a turn (opponent’s draw + 2 from Millstone). With only 25 cards left in their library it would take only 9 turns until they lose. And of course that doesn’t even include Haunting Echoes… Now lets look at a more realistic game. Traumatize doesn’t get off until turn 10. We’ll discuss the ways to deal with what your opponent casts during turns 1-9 later. On turn ten, assuming that your opponent went first, there are 44 cards left (and that does not take into account FOF or Opt or even an early Mill on your part… Anyway, lets just round that to 40 cards left. Traumatize removes 20 leaving 20. Seven turns later with an active Millstone the game is over. DECK CONSRUCTION CONCEPTS: There are two viable methods to creating this deck… <OL> <LI>A Blue/Black version</LI> <LI>A Blue/Black/White version</LI> <LI>possibly even a Blue/Black/Green version – that I’m keeping to myself for now!</LI></OL> BLUE/BLACK VERSION Blue and Black have all of the spells needed to pull this deck off. Going two colors allows us to devote more spells to search to enable the key spells to be acquired. <div align=center><IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image4.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150>   <IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image5.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150></div> This will increase the chances of that early turn Traumatize with the follow-up Haunting Echoes. <div align=center><IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image6.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150>   <IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image7.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150>   <IMG SRC=/strategy/type2/odyssey/images/Image8.jpg WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=150></div>DISADVANTAGE: Believe it or not, Black doesn’t have much decent removal. Since this version will be mostly based around some control and playing the combo, some things will sneak through. This version better have a way to deal or game over!!! Sunken Hope is actually a very good card within this version, as it does not need to play any creatures. It may keep your opponent’s hand filled, which should help to fill the graveyard in preparation for that crushing blow – Haunting Echoes. Now any card at all that puts one of their spells into the Graveyard meshes well with Haunting Echoes. Control spells like Counterspell and Undermine, and even Exclude perform this perfectly. Discard can also be a viable method of getting those spells into the grave. Duress and Addle are perfect as they are cheap and efficient. Even Persecute can work very well here. Now as discussed earlier, some things will sneak through. Since this version has only limited ways to remove those permanents, it is worth trying to use those that help Haunting Echoes. Recoil works well since it removes that nasty and also forces a discard (plus is an Instant). Repulse is not as good since the spell likely never hits the graveyard, even though you receive that card draw. Some other forms of Black/Blue removal that will fit well into this concept are… Stormscape Battlemage Spite/Malice Tsabo’s Decree Ghastly Demise Innocent Blood There really isn’t that much. Spite/Malice is versatile and may find a place in the deck. Innocent Blood is cheap and effective in this deck as it does not play creatures. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=175> <TR><TD VALIGN=TOP> DECK LIST:</TD> </TR> <TR><TD VALIGN=TOP> Underground River X 4 Swamp X 8 Islands X 12 Counterspell X 4 Undermine X 4 Traumatize X 4 Haunting Echoes X 3 Millstone X 4 Duress X 4 Recoil X 4 Tainted Pact X 3 Fact or Fiction X 3 Spite/Malice X 3</TD> </TR> </TABLE> A normal game should see early control and/or Duress. Millstone should hopefully hit before turn ten. As soon as possible cast Traumatize as it provides much information (you get to see what is in their deck and possibly know what they can not have in their hand – since there are four in the grave). From there, use Control/Removal to stay alive until the opponent is milled. Now Mana Short may be critically needed. The ability to ensure, since there are no longer free counters; that Traumatize, Millstone or Haunting Echoes, will go off is of the utmost importance. BLUE/BLACK/WHITE VERSION Adding White as a tertiary color provides many mass control spells, most namely Wrath of God. Since Wrath is a mass removal it allows you to hold back those early Counters for later use. It also enables us to slightly decrease the search aspect of the deck. Undermine can be replaced by Absorb, since it gives us some much needed life (Opponent’s life doesn’t matter in this deck). Meddling Mage can be used as a controller but is likely not needed. Gerrard’s Verdict fits perfectly into this deck as it disrupts your opponent and gets those spells into the graveyard (plus can be cast on yourself in an emergency – discarding Lands). Vindicate is well… Vindicate, possibly the best legal spell in the game. Also, Gerrard’s Wisdom is a possibility, if it is found to be needed. Along with the COP’s and Disenchants, White adds much. Even Orim’s Chant might be good here. The only drawback with this route is that all three colors will have spells requiring two of the same in the casting. With the nice array of pain lands, that should hopefully not be a problem. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=211> <TR><TD VALIGN=TOP> DECK LIST:</TD> </TR> <TR><TD VALIGN=TOP> Caves of Koilos X 4 Underground River X 4 Coastal Tower X 4 Skycloud Expanse X 4 Salt Marsh X 4 Island X 4 Haunting Echoes X 4 Traumatize X 4 Millstone X 4 Wrath of God X 4 Duress X 4 Vindicate X 4 Absorb X 3 Counterspell X 4 Dromar’s Charm X 2 Fact or Fiction X 3</TD> </TR> </TABLE> A common game for the control version would likely be an early Duress and/or holding back for control. Once it is possible go for the Traumatize. Follow up with Haunting Echoes/Millstone and the game is essentially over. Mana Short or Orim’s Chant might be needed in this version. It is likely that the Echoes/Traumatize can be cut back to three to fit in two of which ever is found to be better. SIDEBOARD The Sideboard options are very open due to having three of the most versatile colors in the deck. Not that I believe Land Destruction to be an issue but this deck would be highly vulnerable to that archetype. Sideboard spells should continue to play into the Haunting Echoes. Some of the options are… Recoil Gainsay Glacial Wall Disenchant Whatever final version you choose, this deck should be a lot of fun. Thanks for reading… JJ Stors

Traumatizing Echoes

by J J Stors

Maindeck 60

Spell 36

Land 24

COLORED MANA SYMBOLS

CARDS BY TYPE

MANA CURVE

DESCRIPTION

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