Hi!

So this is what the first week of 2021-lockdown in Germany produced for me: It's an updated list for a deck that was recently played on a Zendikar Tournament by a pro.

Originally the deck used to be Sultai. With Jace being the main wincon of the deck it was pretty solid. It. didn't do exceptionally well nor bad. You should easily find the list online.

I stumbled over the deck reading this article which I found by accident: https://mtgazone.com/paradox-combo-historic-deck-guide/

The auther produces a B01 Temur List by the end, which I found interesting enough to try.

I also started with I guess 4 Escape in the maindeck. Eventually those got cut. They were way to clunky. By the time I would be able to cast Escap to the Wild I usually was either desperate already or having an infinite combo running already. It just didn't feel right.

Instead I added - after trying this draw 3 discard 2 red spell (name forgotten as I write this and too lazy to google) - 4 copies of Bomat courier... and man, was this an addendum to the deck. After that the list felt way more stable and competitive.

Here is why Bomat is the real MVP in this deck. It can

- be a blocker against aggro

- pressure control decks early or late

- lure midrange decks into taking a turn off for Bonecrusher, Fatal Push etc.

- draw a counter from counter-pricks

- refuel hand

- refuel graveyard for uro

- can be found with emry and kinnan

- is a one mana enabler for paradox engine which is sometimes desperately needed. don't know how many matches i've won just because i was able to untap with my engine just once more

So this little fella is really doing a shitton of heavy lifting in the background.

Apart from that the list is definitely not tier 1 as written in this article. Albeit this being said I made it from gold 4 after season end last week to platnum 2 within 2-3 days on historic ladder, which is nice (i have vacation and can play a lot right now^^).

So with this change it's basically a simic deck with a red splash for Bomats activation. Which is nice.

Some things to be said:

- Take your time looking at the lines before you do ANYTHING before and especially in turn 3/4. This deck VERY consistenly brings to the table a shitton of stuff even turn two.. Very common can be: Turn 1 land + llanowar / Turn 2: Land + Kinnan + Mox + n Mindstones + Emry which means you can go infinite turn 3 or do other retarded stuff.

- Llanowar elves and emry are SO busted. I would play 8 of each if i was allowed. Starting hands with those two are noice.

- Try definitely playing Kinnan the turn you want to use it (either to go infinite or for doing som ramp/uro shenanigans). If you play it and don't do anything with it the game is usually over.

- In many many cases playung for the combo isn't worth it or shouldn't be plan A. Ramp and Uro shenanigans are extremely powerful as well. Do the simic stuff and be good.

- Chrystal slipper in the sideboard was a very late addendum but you can give an emry haste with it, which has saved my ass a couple of times. Apart from that it can be used for example to hunt down a narseth or teferi, hero of dom turn 3.

- Don't fear dropping 3-4 cards into the grave with bomat in exchange for 1-2 from the courier. often you'll get the stuff back and sometimes you'll get exactly from the bomat what is needed to go off.

- When you realize on turn 1 you're set against an aggro deck: Play as if there is no infinite combo in your deck. Instead go for Uro / Graveyard plan as aggressively as possible. Turn 3 Uro can sometimes get you out of it. Try playing your hand out as quickly as possible and then refuelling with maybe a Bomat olus Sphere. That being said Aggro is friggin tough on this deck. Be prepaired.

- Be very careful with playing out red mana. Just saying but you need a lot of blue and green the first few turns.

- 4 Negate in sideboard are because I wanted to try the deck B03.

- Jegantha is a bad companion. However, she's an additional spell that you can access and a block against aggro. It saved my life more often than I would admit.

- Tamiyo is awesome, but it sometimes is better to let it sit in your hand a turn or 2 longer so it sticks. Your Graveyard is your biggest ally!

- Be careful with sacking your manarocks. Sometimes you want to exhaust everything else before going there, because your engine is clunky enough with manarocks to untap with it on the bf.

- If you get beaten up a lot on the ladder don't be sad, it took me two days to really understand the nuts and bolts on this deck and make it work.

- The manabase probably still holds a lot of optimisation potential! 

- Platnum Angel on the Sideboard might be worth trying out. Could give you that needed turn against some decks.

- If you're infinite and notice that you'll win: speed stuff up, you don't want to time out and drawing your deck with the sphere takes a while.

There is a lot more to say here but this is what immediately comes to mind. This deck is not tournament fitted but can definitely perform well on the ladder.

You'll get an awesome deck that takes a lot of practice to play well and if understood properly can access all resources possible.

Enjoy!