Enter the Clamp, Part Two: KoboldClamp
Enter the Clamp 2: KoboldClamp
KoboldClamp, is probably the most explosive deck in the PEZ format. While not as consistent as its Elvish cousin, KoboldClamp has the potential of “going-off” earlier, and with greater resistance to disruption. These strengths are related, in part, to the uncounterable Storm ability of its kill, Tendrils of Agony, and also because of its high concentration of acceleration and cheap creatures—oftentimes creature removal attempts are met with more mana, and more creatures. Its greatest weakness, unfortunately, is artifact removal. Without the ‘clamp, the deck simply does not function.
Here’s a skeleton, posted by Anonymous (with a few modifications):
12 Kobolds (you need a full set).
4 Trinket Mage (REQUIRED)
4 Skullclamp (uncommon)
1 Tendrils of Agony (uncommon)
3 Reaping the Graves
4 Dark Ritual
4 Either Culling the Weak or Cabal Ritual (or both)
4 Songs of the Damned
14 Swamp
4 Lotus Petal
The core components work together like magic: The KC player sacs Kobolds to the Skullclamp in the hopes that he’ll draw into more creatures and more mana acceleration. Once a lot of creatures are in the graveyard, the KC player will play a Songs of the Damned for tons of mana, which is then converted into a Reaping the Graves—which returns all creatures in the graveyard to the KC player’s hand. Basically, once you get a Storm-count high enough and have drawn into Tendrils, you win. Period.
Here’s how the combo works:
Turn One: The first turn contains little action. Against decks without artifact removal, playing a first turn ‘clamp is always a good option, as you get an extra point of mana on the combo turn. Against decks with artifact removal, you’ll either try to draw into two Skullclamps, or wait until the opponent is tapped out of mana—in which case, the KoboldClamp player should attempt to force a combo attempt. Remember, mulliganing with KoboldClamp is crucial to getting a successful combo off. I oftentimes mulligan two, or even three, times before settling on a hand—invariably settling on anything with either a ‘clamp or a Trinket Mage in it. It’s a risky deck, and sometimes a KoboldClamp pilot is going to have to make great gambles to get good results.
1st Swamp.
Skullclamp.
Turn Two: The second turn oftentimes involves sacing creatures to the ‘clamp in order to get key cards in hand. Otherwise, unless the KC player has an excellent hand, this turn has very little action in it.
2nd swamp.
Turn Three: This is the combo turn. The third and fourth turns are when KC should combo off. If, upon reaching the third turn, KoboldClamp has spare mana, ‘clamp targets, and a ‘clamp on the table, this deck absolutely needs to activate its combo. Because it’s a storm deck, holding zero-casting cost cards until the combo turn is also an important factor.
3rd swamp.
Kobold.
Tap swamp, float a black mana.
Pay mana to sac Kobold to the ‘clamp, draw two.
Kobold.
Tap 2nd swamp, float a black mana.
Kobold.
Pay mana to sac Kobold to the ‘clamp, draw two.
Tap 3rd swamp, float a black mana.
Play Dark Ritual, float three black mana.
Play Lotus Petal, break it to float one blue mana plus the three black.
Play Trinket Mage, fetching another ‘Clamp, one black remaining.
Play Songs of the Damned. Float four black.
Play Skullclamp.
Pay two to double-clamp Mage, drawing four, one black floating.
Play Dark Ritual to float three black.
Play and break 2nd Lotus Petal for another black.
Play Tendrils of Agony with Storm-count 10 for the win.
Here’s what my version of the deck looks like:
// Lands
1 Vault of Whispers
14 Swamp
// Creatures
1 Myr Moonvessel
4 Blood Celebrant
4 Trinket Mage
4 Crimson Kobolds
4 Crookshank Kobolds
4 Kobolds of Kher Keep
// Spells
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
3 Reaping the Graves
4 Songs of the Damned
1 Tendrils of Agony
// Artifacts
4 Lotus Petal
4 Skullclamp
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Confound
SB: 3 Island
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 4 Mana Leak
Analysis: KoboldClamp is a vicious competitor against pure aggro decks and many control strategies and an equal when put up against the best combo decks in the format, for a few simple reasons: It's the fastest combo in the format, robust and completely non-interactive.
This particular build emphasizes a transformational sideboard, in which it can switch from being purely combo oriented to a more controlish bent. However, having not even tested the 'board out, yet, I cannot make any predictions as to how this might perform against the PEZ gauntlet. I can say, with great certainty, however, that this build is the most consistent I've ever played.
Alternate Builds: It has been suggested that alternate KC builds could minimize its one-toughness critters, in exchange for Culling the Weak, Skulltap, Ornithopter and Phyrexian Walker. I'm not sure of what to think of this proposition, but designing around a more powerful draw engine might prove to be highly effective. For example, a double-clamped Phyrexian Walker that gets Skulltap'd draws six, in exchange for four mana and two cards. In a format rife with creature-kill, tougher creatures might be worth consideration.
Again, comments appreciated!
KoboldClamp, is probably the most explosive deck in the PEZ format. While not as consistent as its Elvish cousin, KoboldClamp has the potential of “going-off” earlier, and with greater resistance to disruption. These strengths are related, in part, to the uncounterable Storm ability of its kill, Tendrils of Agony, and also because of its high concentration of acceleration and cheap creatures—oftentimes creature removal attempts are met with more mana, and more creatures. Its greatest weakness, unfortunately, is artifact removal. Without the ‘clamp, the deck simply does not function.
Here’s a skeleton, posted by Anonymous (with a few modifications):
12 Kobolds (you need a full set).
4 Trinket Mage (REQUIRED)
4 Skullclamp (uncommon)
1 Tendrils of Agony (uncommon)
3 Reaping the Graves
4 Dark Ritual
4 Either Culling the Weak or Cabal Ritual (or both)
4 Songs of the Damned
14 Swamp
4 Lotus Petal
The core components work together like magic: The KC player sacs Kobolds to the Skullclamp in the hopes that he’ll draw into more creatures and more mana acceleration. Once a lot of creatures are in the graveyard, the KC player will play a Songs of the Damned for tons of mana, which is then converted into a Reaping the Graves—which returns all creatures in the graveyard to the KC player’s hand. Basically, once you get a Storm-count high enough and have drawn into Tendrils, you win. Period.
Here’s how the combo works:
Turn One: The first turn contains little action. Against decks without artifact removal, playing a first turn ‘clamp is always a good option, as you get an extra point of mana on the combo turn. Against decks with artifact removal, you’ll either try to draw into two Skullclamps, or wait until the opponent is tapped out of mana—in which case, the KoboldClamp player should attempt to force a combo attempt. Remember, mulliganing with KoboldClamp is crucial to getting a successful combo off. I oftentimes mulligan two, or even three, times before settling on a hand—invariably settling on anything with either a ‘clamp or a Trinket Mage in it. It’s a risky deck, and sometimes a KoboldClamp pilot is going to have to make great gambles to get good results.
1st Swamp.
Skullclamp.
Turn Two: The second turn oftentimes involves sacing creatures to the ‘clamp in order to get key cards in hand. Otherwise, unless the KC player has an excellent hand, this turn has very little action in it.
2nd swamp.
Turn Three: This is the combo turn. The third and fourth turns are when KC should combo off. If, upon reaching the third turn, KoboldClamp has spare mana, ‘clamp targets, and a ‘clamp on the table, this deck absolutely needs to activate its combo. Because it’s a storm deck, holding zero-casting cost cards until the combo turn is also an important factor.
3rd swamp.
Kobold.
Tap swamp, float a black mana.
Pay mana to sac Kobold to the ‘clamp, draw two.
Kobold.
Tap 2nd swamp, float a black mana.
Kobold.
Pay mana to sac Kobold to the ‘clamp, draw two.
Tap 3rd swamp, float a black mana.
Play Dark Ritual, float three black mana.
Play Lotus Petal, break it to float one blue mana plus the three black.
Play Trinket Mage, fetching another ‘Clamp, one black remaining.
Play Songs of the Damned. Float four black.
Play Skullclamp.
Pay two to double-clamp Mage, drawing four, one black floating.
Play Dark Ritual to float three black.
Play and break 2nd Lotus Petal for another black.
Play Tendrils of Agony with Storm-count 10 for the win.
Here’s what my version of the deck looks like:
// Lands
1 Vault of Whispers
14 Swamp
// Creatures
1 Myr Moonvessel
4 Blood Celebrant
4 Trinket Mage
4 Crimson Kobolds
4 Crookshank Kobolds
4 Kobolds of Kher Keep
// Spells
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
3 Reaping the Graves
4 Songs of the Damned
1 Tendrils of Agony
// Artifacts
4 Lotus Petal
4 Skullclamp
// Sideboard
SB: 4 Confound
SB: 3 Island
SB: 4 Disrupt
SB: 4 Mana Leak
Analysis: KoboldClamp is a vicious competitor against pure aggro decks and many control strategies and an equal when put up against the best combo decks in the format, for a few simple reasons: It's the fastest combo in the format, robust and completely non-interactive.
This particular build emphasizes a transformational sideboard, in which it can switch from being purely combo oriented to a more controlish bent. However, having not even tested the 'board out, yet, I cannot make any predictions as to how this might perform against the PEZ gauntlet. I can say, with great certainty, however, that this build is the most consistent I've ever played.
Alternate Builds: It has been suggested that alternate KC builds could minimize its one-toughness critters, in exchange for Culling the Weak, Skulltap, Ornithopter and Phyrexian Walker. I'm not sure of what to think of this proposition, but designing around a more powerful draw engine might prove to be highly effective. For example, a double-clamped Phyrexian Walker that gets Skulltap'd draws six, in exchange for four mana and two cards. In a format rife with creature-kill, tougher creatures might be worth consideration.
Again, comments appreciated!
posted by kanoyams | 3:18 PM
13 Comments:
Swawagon:
Wow! That looks really solid.
I have nothing to add to the maindeck. The Blood Celebrant sticks out as odd but I see their use getting blue mana for the Trinket Mage.
I am a little suspicious of the SB though but who knows? If there is a lot of counters you are worried about from an opponent (Skies, MUC) wouldn't a transformational SB with 15 meaty black creatures and/or some Unholy Strength work? Replace some of the Kobolds and maybe the Songs of the Damned for Skittering Skirge, Dauthi Slayer… Eh, a maybe?
Discard might be easier (oncolor) to stop Counters than shoehorning in your own counters and shaking up the manabase. Duress, Hymn to Torach, Mesmeric Fiend (clamp it last or just don't clamp it at all) Ravenous Rats, Funeral Charm are all readily available in black. Duress especially is common in Combo decks in other formats and I think it would work well here too.
I hate relying so heavily on the Clamp, but what can you do?
You can thank Chris for the inclusion of Trinket Mage. It's probably the second most important card in the deck.
I really like the idea of a sideboard that turns the deck aggro. Though, I can't really think of any creatures that would be compatible with it, other than cards such as Accursed Centaur and Kjeldoran Dead - which are awful cards, but decent with so many Kobolds around. Unfortunately, you can't play them to sac 'clamped creatures.
You're probably correct about the sideboard using discard creatures - in particular, Mesmeric Fiend. What do you think the sideboard should look like?
Swawagon:
I think 4 Duress is a must. Counters ruin Kobolds, not the Tendrils of couse, but Clamps and crucial Dark/Cabal Rituals or Songs of the Blood when the mana is really needed. Duress can also pull out Naturalizes or Disenchants or Shattering Pulses that go after Clamps.
AGAINST AGGRO: Stompy, Goblins, RG beatz, Big Green. You should be able to beat near all forms of aggro so those matchups don't need anything brought in except maybe Duress to get artifact removal. Affinity is probably just not quite fast enough to beat Kobolds either. Aggro Black probably tougher. Discard isn't good, but Kobolds draw engine is robust and could recover, it all depends on getting a clamp down.
AGAINST counterless CONTROL:
iso-Red, MBC, also ought to be a good matchup. MBC with discard a little more difficult.
AGAINST counter CONTROL:
Skies, Tog, MUC, UG Madness. Probably bad matchups. 4 Duress for sure. 4 Mesmeric Fiend, Ravenous Rats maybe. I can see this matchup going many ways and I don't know which is best. Which deck has inevitability? Playing Kobolds against counters do you go for the win ASAP, discard a while first, beat down with little weenies? A transitional SB aggro route would be best versus this group. Keep some of the combo in but I think blacks fairly efficient creatures will be more important here.
AGAINST COMBO:
Tides, Elfclamp, UW Life, mirror.
Kobolds is faster (usually). Mulligan hard. Maybe Duress again too, but it slows you down too. Playing cards that don't contibute to the combo slow you down but hopefully disrupt the opponent enough that it gains a turn or 2 more by using the card.
Tentative SB??
4 Duress
4 Mesmeric Fiend/Ravenous Rats
4 Dauthi Slayer
3 Skittering Skirge
My maindeck is remarkably similar to yours:
-4 Blood Celebrant, +2 Myr Moonvessal, +2 Ornithopter
-2 Swamp, +1 Island, +1 Seat of the Synod.
I'd run the first Seat of the Synod over the first Island as a blue mana source. The Seat allows you to Trinket Mage for a permanent source of blue mana, so you can cast more Mages or sideboard cards. It makes you more vulnerable to artifact destruction, but artifact destruction is such a killer that it isn't that relevant.
I think you should run at least one Ornithopter. Once you have two Skullclamps, it's good to be able to Trinket Mage for a ton of cards. In this case, with two Skullclamps on the table Trinket Mage draws 8 cards.
I think Duress is a better sideboard card against both counters and Artifact destruction. I'd bring in Duress in almost every matchup, since instant speed Artifact destruction is a huge issue. MBC / Aggro Black are the only matchups where it's not a good counter-sideboard strategy.
Chris, it should look familar. The list is based primarily on the build you posted a while back (Trinket Mage is pretty awesome, and was a great choice!), and partly on Roman's design, which is what it started off as. I ended up playing them side-by-side and coming to the conclusion that your build was far more consistent than Roman's.
Much of the improved consistency is derived from Trinket Mage. Actually, Trinket Mage is what makes the deck feasible. KoboldClamp just didn't work prior to its addition.
I did find the lack of color filtering to be problematic. Roman's build used stuff like Chromatic Sphere, which eats into the number of clampable creatures, and results in combo dillution. With regard to your build, I felt that only six blue mana sources caused more mulligans than it should have.
I think Blood Celebrant clears both of these issues up. So far, it's proven to be very effective.
The reason for including Blood Celebrant is two-fold: It provides color filtering, in addition to a 'clampable target. While it's not an optimal one-drop, it does smooth the combo out considerably.
I'm also inclined to agree on the importance of Ornithopter. I originally had the Myr in the mix because if you draw and play it before the combo turn, it's essentially a zero drop/sac critter. However, Ornithopter, as you've pointed out, is a pretty awesome midgame 'clamp target.
Swawagon: I don't see the matchup against counter decks as being especially problematic - if you draw into a first-turn 'clamp, it becomes an easy win, as Clamp decks can replace threats faster, and with far less mana, than they're countered. Though, against bounce, perhaps I'm wrong.
I've had a great deal of difficulty deciding on what sort of sideboard to use. Playing KC as a pure combo deck is probaby the best answer, however, I get the feeling that removing any acceleration or creatures will greatly increase the chance of a combo failure. It's simply a hard deck to metagame with, because few cards are compatible with the combo.
Mesmeric Fiend, by the way, is probably one of the best options.
First of all, here is my own decklist :
// Lands
8 [UG] Swamp
7 [UG] Island
// Creatures
4 [LG] Crimson Kobolds
4 [LG] Crookshank Kobolds
4 [LG] Kobolds of Kher Keep
4 [DS] Myr Moonvessel
4 [FD] Trinket Mage
3 [MR] Ornithopter
// Spells
1 [SC] Tendrils of Agony
4 [DS] Skullclamp
2 [SC] Reaping the Graves
3 [IA] Songs of the Damned
4 [EX] Culling the Weak
4 [A] Dark Ritual
4 [TE] Lotus Petal
// Sideboard
SB: 4 [US] Duress
SB: 4 [MR] Welding Jar
SB: 4 [SC] Temporal Fissure
...
The first thing I don't understand in your decklist is the lack of island and the use of Blood Celebrant.
We need a blue mana source to play the Mage and we only need 1 black mana source to go off so why not play islands ? Playing only swamp is useless and force you to play a suboptimal creature.
Myr Moonvessel is far better like you pointed out : it costs -1 mana if played the turn before going off.
I think Ornithopter is really good (and can be search by Mage) but that's because I play 4 Culling the Weak (but no Skulltap or Walker). Culling the Weak enable fast start and allows you to play Trinket Mage on turn 1 (with Lotus Petal) or 2, then play the Skullclamp, and equip the same turn (a Kobold if you are lucky).
I think Cabal Ritual is weaker in this deck because you don't fill your graveyard the turns before you go off, so it becomes good only after several clamping.
The sideboard appears very difficult to me ... but it's not very important, because you can't afford to swap more than 4 cards (besides "transformial" sideboard) and Duress is the perfect solution in most case (it take care of counterspells and artifact destruction).
If you want creatures in your sideboard, think to Nantuko Husk / Phyrexian Ghoul.
Against artifact destruction, Welding Jar is cheap, and is one of the reason I run Crumble over Naturalize in most of my decks.
Against Counterspells, you can try to storm into Temporal Fissure on their lands, before playing Skullclamp ... but that's not very realistic.
The problem is that you won't have Skullclamp and your sideboard card in your opening hand, and you can't afford to wait to draw it.
This deck can do incredible things, but you must mulligan down to 2 cards to find Skullclmap and you die to a single artifact destruction or counter spell.
I played it in my 1st Paris tourney (with only 3 Mage), after a lot of goldfishing, and I was sure it was the best deck.
I am sure it is ... if you always have Skullclamp in your opening hand, but I didn't !
Swawagon:
With that much blue (which may not be bad, maybe I'd be closer to 11 swamp, 5 Island, still have 4 Lotus Petals for blue and running Duress SB you will certainly want a Swamp turn one) wouldn't 2-6 maindeck blue search be OK to help find Clamp, Serum Visions, Sleight of Hand, Impluse?
The problem with using Islands is that on the combo turn they only tap for a single blue mana and they reduce the chance that you'll be able to play combo-turn acceleration (because all your Dark Ritual-type cards are all black).
However, Chris M. and Chris D., you are probably right about using them, because if you draw into a 'clamp, you can always start cycling through critters to get to key combo cards.
I still think the Blood Celebrant is useful, however, in providing both a 'clampable target and in adding color-filtering. As a four-of, maybe not, but it's still a card that's worth inclusion because it smooths a mana-base out.
I really like the insclusion of the Blood Celebrant and have found that with the Lotus Petals I almost always have the mana to cast an early Trinket Mage if needed.
In my build, I have actually stepped away from running 4 Mages. I have found that 2-3 seem to be the right number since I only really want them to fetch a Clamp and I mulligan for it aggressively.
I am not yet settled on whether to replace them with more mana access or more clampable creatures but the goal.
I have trouble believing that it's right to run fewer than 4 Trinket Mages. I'm pretty sure I'd run 5, given the opportunity. You only need 1 Trinket Mage, but you absolutely NEED either a Trinket Mage or a Skullclamp. Going to 3 Trinket Mages from 4 increases the chance that you have to mulligan to find a Clamp from 37.2% to 39.9%.
It's not like the second Mage is particularly bad. It draws 4 cards, albeit for 5U. The next Mage draws 4 for 4U, or more cards for more mana if you have included artifact creatures (or the same number for fewer mana if you have Lotus Petals.)
I recognize that double or triple Mage draws tend to be slower than single Mage draws, but I think it's worth it to avoid mulliganing.
In my experience with the deck, I've always hated Myr Moonvessal. I'm thinking about cutting two of them for 2 Blood Celebrants. How does that sound?
Cheers,
Chris
In my experience with the deck, I've always hated Myr Moonvessal. I'm thinking about cutting two of them for 2 Blood Celebrants. How does that sound?
Sounds great. My Moonvessel, IMO, is a good early drop, but strictly worse than a Kobold if you 'clamp into it while comboing off.
Lands
1 Vault of Whispers
1 Seat of the Synod
1 Island
12 Swamp
Creatures
2 Blood Celebrant
4 Trinket Mage
4 Crimson Kobolds
4 Crookshank Kobolds
4 Kobolds of Kher Keep
2 Ornithopter
1 Myr Moonvessel
Spells
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
3 Reaping the Graves
4 Songs of the Damned
1 Tendrils of Agony
Artifacts
4 Lotus Petal
4 Skullclamp
You now have 8 sources of blue mana, and 21 'clampable creatures.
With regard to Reaping the Graves - perhaps Chris Deslandes is right in only using two?
Although I've never really had a problem with three before, I can see how drawing multiples might slow the deck down. I should mention, though, that even an early Reaping the Graves can save the combo by massively ramping up the Storm count and replenishing your hand.
However, I wonder if Culling the Weak might have a place? It's very handy to have a sac mechanism in place, in case those Trinket Mages are just sitting on the table, and mana is needed. They need to be used more efficiently, IMO.
A single Trinket Mage means you've already got a Skullclamp, so Culling a 'clamped Mage costs two mana (one for attaching the 'clamp and one for the spell), and two cards, but draws two and generates four black. That's pretty handy to have.
If you're going to go the route of the Ornithopter, and you replace all of the Myr Moonvessels, I suggest replacing a Reaping the Graves and a creature and throwing at least two into the deck.
swawagon:
I could see Cry of Contrition from Guildpact being quite useful hanuting Kobolds. Two for one discard for one black, although it competes with Duress which is a more sure discard card. ??
Cry on Contrition
B Sorcery
Target player discards a card
Haunt: When the creature Cry haunts goes the the grave target player discards a card.
I can totally understand using Mesmeric Fiend and Duress, but not Cry of Contrition (which is a good card, IMO).
The Fiend was a really good idea, as it can take down artifact removal and counts as a 'clampable target. Duress does the same thing, but does not contribute to the combo in any manner. It only protect the 'clamps from disruption.
In comparison, Cry of Contrition does remove two cards, but it is at your opponent's discretion (which means only foolish opponent will discard artifact removal). And the Haunt ability doesn't go into effect until you get a creature in the graveyard. The only sac mechanism in the deck is the 'clamp. So using Cry of Contrition requires that you expose the very target that you sought to protect: The 'clamp.
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