Bob the Builder

[ThePope]

Took the old Ravnica Type 2 deck "Bob the Builder" to regionals this year and I was not dissapointed in the least! I Placed 14th overall out of 193 players netting myself some serious DCI points and 12 packs. I played against 2 B/W Hand, 3 Heartbeat decks (lost to one), U/R Tron (lost), U/W control, and Blue Glare. That said, Bob the Builder is still a contender in my books and will probably be my deck for awhile to come. The list:
4 Plagued Rasulka
4 Dark Confidant
4 Dimir Cutpurse
3 Ravenous Rats
2 Okiba-Gang Shinobi
2 Meloku
3 Repeal
3 Spell Snare (all star)
2 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Last Gasp
3 Jitte
22 Land (you can figure it out)
------------------------SB
3 Disrupting Shoal
3 Shadow of Doubt
3 Cranial
3 Brain Pry
3 Threads of Disloyalty
Has anyone else thought of using this deck again?

[norbert88]

I was testing it up until Friday and it didn't do that well at FNM so I decided to go with Wafo-Tapa instead. Your version is more aggro than mine. Its nice to see UB 'Aggro' doing well, Dimir Cutpurse is too good to not be in some top deck. Heres the list I was testing:

// Lands
1 [SOK] Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
4 [RAV] Watery Grave
4 [9E] Underground River
2 [UNH] Swamp
9 [UNH] Island
1 [CHK] Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 [CHK] Shizo, Death's Storehouse
2 [RAV] Dimir Aqueduct

// Creatures
4 [CHK] Jushi Apprentice--Tomaya the Revealer
4 [RAV] Dark Confidant
3 [CHK] Meloku the Clouded Mirror

// Spells
4 [9E] Mana Leak
2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
4 [BOK] Disrupting Shoal
4 [BOK] Threads of Disloyalty
4 [RAV] Remand
4 [CHK] Hinder
3 [GP] Repeal

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [9E] Rewind
SB: 3 [RAV] Last Gasp
SB: 3 [RAV] Shadow of Doubt
SB: 3 [RAV] Ribbons of Night
SB: 3 [RAV] Darkblast


norbert88

[ThePope]

I think it's very important with the deck not to tap out at all and to keep the constant counter threat up even if it means a single island untapped to make them think that you might play a Spell Snare. I thought about Jushi, but he's just a bit too slow for the kind of style I like to play and he dies to just about everything out there as far as removal goes. Okiba-Gang Shinobi won it's fair share of games as did Meloku. In fact, against a BWG control deck that I played against earlier, Meloku was the only thing that won me the game. The key to the deck is to play safely. Don't overextend and don't tap out. If you will only have 1 card in your hand it's a land; hold onto it. They don't know it's a land and assume it's more than likely a counterspell. Every spell they play make sure that you are deciding with facials wether or not to counter that spell or let it pass through. This deck is a poker players deck.

[ThePope]

I took this deck to FNM tonight and absolutely obliterated all of my opponents. I went undefeated tonight and will testify that this is close to THE BEST DECK IN STANDARD. If you don't believe me, playtest with the deck and find out for yourself. This is a solid powerful deck. It wins.

[norbert88]

I'm going to give your build a try on the ol' MWS. I was building it up and I noticed that you aren't running Ninja of the Deep Hours...everything else look good though. -- also if you've changed your list, can you post an updated one?

norbert88

[ThePope]

The only thing that I changed is the SB extractions. They aren't as handy as you might think. Pithing Needle replaced them.
Also, I am thinking of taking out the plagued rasulka to try out +1 Ravenous Rat, +3 Ninja of the Deep (Draw Ninja). Not sure if that's the way to go with the deck; I'm kind of afraid of losing that turn one drop, but it's not much of a turn one drop in this deck because it doesn't interact with anything.It does slow my Ninja plans down which isn't a great thing, but on the other hand, I make room for the Blue ninja which has great synergy with Ravenous Rats. So, I'm a little torn, but nothing too bad.
Also, is it worth it to run another Okiba gang in place of a Cutpurse? I love the cutpurse, but sometimes, he's just not that good to have in hand. But, I run the risk of getting nailed by Bob for the Okiba Gang. Ideas?
BTW, as for the ninja of deep (draw), the reason i didn't run them in the original list is because of their casting cost and that still might be the deciding factor on wether or not they make the cut.
When you test the deck, remember that this is a control deck at heart. Against fatty decks, spell snare an elder. Against aggro decks, spell snare a Watchwolf then bounce one of their creatures. Remember to take your time with the deck and the point you will lose is when you are tapped out. Never tap out. Confidant is a turn 4 play.

[carcharoth]

This is indeed a very good deck, but may i say that is a little boring, all the new guilds and playing dimir... Nevertheless i'm playtesting a BUG aggro control build that is somewhat similar to this:

4 BoP
3 elves OTDS
4 Bob
4 hippie
3 cutpurse
3 plaxmanta

4 spell snare
4 remand
3 mana leak
3 putrefy
3 jitte

22 lands(not ready yet)

sb:
1 plains
4 sakura
4 loxodon hierarch
3 faith fetters
3 slots free

This deck in standard pre-guildpact was quite good and totally destroyed control decks, but it was match loss first game against aggro. The main problems for the deck are pyroclasm and aggro decks. With spell snare there is a good answer to pyroclasm, and i run a transformational sb against gruul and maybe B/W.
Any suggestions?

This isn't the best deck in standard by any means. It's basically just a role reversal of Hand in Hand. Worse against aggro, better against control.

[ThePope]

Originally Posted by InsanityInc

This isn't the best deck in standard by any means. It's basically just a role reversal of Hand in Hand. Worse against aggro, better against control.

Cool. Thanks for the input, but please test before comments. The truth is that it holds up pretty well against aggro. Spell Snares and Jitte. Last gasp is another mvp along with bounce. The repeals are golden against an aggro deck. They not only cantrip, but remove a threat at the same time. I will have to admit that Gruul would be a hard match, but then again every deck has it's Kryptonite.
Carcharoth: The white, is it hard to cast the Loxodon?

[carcharoth]

Well, 1 plains, 4 birds and 4 sakura i think is enough to play it. I think a sb like this was in the top 8 of the last worlds and i think the mana was the same. Maybe the free slots could be 2 meloku and a 4° putrefy, aggro is quite hard and putting the hole sb against it maybe is the solution, but persecute or cranial are also strong options.