Apocalypse/Player's Guide decks
The Apocalypse Player's Guide was a component of the Apocalypse Fat Pack. It included a sample deck list for each enemy color combination, the major theme of the expansion, to demonstrate how new Apocalypse cards could be utilized in Standard.
The Eraser
A white and black Control deck designed by Robert Gutschera. It is an early example of a Deadguy Ale deck.
| “ | “The Eraser” isn’t exactly brimming with creatures, but who cares when you can rub out almost everything your opponent plays! To win with this deck, simply clear a path for your few big ol’ creatures with your ton of creature-destroying spells. For their part, your creatures are scary and hard to destroy. The Lynx regenerates, the Scuta and Angel are big and black (and thus immune to many black spells), and the Idols are vulnerable only to creature-destruction spells part-time.
Phyrexian Arena is crucial because it keeps the one-shot destruction spells coming. If you don’t draw an opening hand with one of them in it, consider taking a mulligan. Sideboard options might include cards like Plague Spitter, Tsabo’s Decree, and Thrashing Wumpus for Rebels and other small creature decks; Slay to take care of green; and some extra enchantment removal and a fourth Duress to handle more control-oriented decks.[1] |
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Artifacts (4)
Enchantments (4)
Neo Counter-Burn
A blue and red creatureless Control deck designed by Michael Donais.
| “ | First things first: Destroy the initial creatures your opponent plays using your low-mana-cost removal cards, such as Fire/Ice, Pyroclasm, and Urza’s Rage if necessary. While you’re toasting enemy creatures, use any spare mana to play some card-advantage spells: Accumulated Knowledge, Fact or Fiction, and Prophetic Bolt.
Bide your time until you reach twelve mana. Then it’s time for Urza to get very, very angry. By the time you can play it, a single Urza’s Rage will often eject an opponent from the game. Untargetable creatures and creatures with protection from red can give you trouble. For sideboard options, or if you’re just having trouble destroying your opponent’s creatures, consider Caltrops in the main deck or sideboard. More Earthquakes and Pyroclasms might also be an answer to annoying creatures like Blurred Mongoose. [2] |
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NecroDerm
A black and green Midrange deck designed by Brian Schneider. It has a lot in common with the popular Extended The Rock deck.
| “ | “NecroDerm” uses speed, raw power, tutoring, and control elements to try to overwhelm an opponent by forcing lethal damage through. The idea is to get out an early mana-producing creature – Birds of Paradise or Llanowar Elves – and begin putting serious threats on the table. With cards like Chimeric Idol and Blastoderm in the deck, threats should be easy to find.
When playing against Rebels, use your Diabolic Intent to search for Tsabo’s Decree, which can turn a lost cause into an easy win. When it applies, try to hold a few creatures in your hand against decks that likely have Wrath of God or another table sweeper. [3] |
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Instants (1)
Artifacts (4)
White Hot Sharp Pointy Thing
A White Weenie deck which splashes red for powerful multicolored cards from Apocalypse. It was designed by Mike Elliott.
| “ | This deck contains a small number of Rebels, but you shouldn’t use their recruiting abilities unless you have nothing else to do with your mana. Instead, attack and play spells the old-fashioned way. Keep the board clear and you’ll whittle opponents away to the point where you can finish them off with small damage spells or an all-out attack.
Don’t be afraid to chew up lands with Goblin Trenches to swarm your opponent. You have little to do with extra land cards, and you’ll need to deal your damage quickly against most decks. Spectral Lynx gives this deck a strong edge on green creature decks because your opponent must resort to nongreen cards to get rid of it. The only spell in the deck that costs more than three mana is Parallax Wave, which can save your creatures from destruction and clear the board for a quick beatdown.[4] |
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Creatures (20)
Jungle Boogie
A green and blue Control deck designed by Randy Buehler.
| “ | Fundamentally, “Jungle Boogie” is a control deck. Your first goal is to neutralize your opponent by laying out Walls to block his or her creatures. Vine Trellis and Jungle Barrier are great in this deck because each is a great blocker without really costing you a card.
Next, use countering and bounce effects to stall even more while you build up enough lands to drop a Mahamoti, your big gun. This 5/6 flying creature can block almost anything and needs to attack only four times to win you the game. Fact or Fiction and Restock should provide a steady supply of Counterspells, Snakes, and Repulses to keep you safe while you attack in the air. Make sure to put lots of Gainsays in your sideboard to fight other control decks, and include more Wash Outs, which are the key to beating Rebel decks.[5] |
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Creatures (22)
References
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (2001-06-04). ""White Black" (PDF)". Apocalypse Player's Guide, p. 5. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (2001-06-04). "Blue Red (PDF)". Apocalypse Player's Guide, p. 7. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (2001-06-04). "Black Green (PDF)". Apocalypse Player's Guide, p. 9. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (2001-06-04). "Red White (PDF)". Apocalypse Player's Guide, p. 11. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (2001-06-04). "Green Blue (PDF)". Apocalypse Player's Guide, p. 13. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.