UR ('spells/control') vs. GB ('lifegain/beats')

• first match low cmc spells by UR were key. Playing a threat every turn can be enough to outnumber the opponent.
• Second match was Ebon Drake's first appearance. Its tiggered ability is a real downside if your lifegain comes from spells and those only gain 2 as in green's and black's current cardpools. Those only net 1 and the opponent is playing spells, too!
• BG hasn't been able to draft the deathtouch trample combo, which would have allowed to win also through a wide board.

WB ('reanimator') vs GR (beats)

• the WB list had the hole package stern constable, vesperlark, abiding grace, gnawing vermin, archfiend's vessel and was pretty consistent.
• a 5/5 flying demon on turn 2 is strong, but in fact RG lost because they missed the outs they suprisingly have had
• tapping a creature on their endstep and on your turn with constable is strong, but having to discard a card is probably the best cost that can be attached to it.
• turn 2 wins happen, but only occaisonally
• Environmental Sciences is high on the whatchlist for being just bad. 2 life cannot compensate not impacting the board. Probably brining in Gemstone mine, because this is an acutally good fixing card, that might even allow a splash.
• I am curious how a deck has to look like that can take it either to the mill win or the Beacon of destruction win, because so far no game lasted long enough.

WU (not very focussed) vs. GR (beat down)

• Quirion Ranger was the MVP of the GR deck. It made Select for Inspection, Deadly Riposte and Frost Trickster look really bad.
• Alseid of Life's Bounty lead to a turn two win. This is a known issue. Each color has that kind of cards, but they were limited intentionally.
• Chain to memory also looked pretty bad as WU often was on the backfoot.
• No issues with decking so far, even not when mulliganing to 5.

This is the baseline for building the SDC in paper and testing it. I took a lot of inspiration from other SDCs, but also came up with a couple of ideas and cards I have not seen included in others.

Color brakedown:

• white: is a little bit all over the place. A lot of early drops, a couple of fliers, good removal and life gain. It is the best color at gy recursion. Can pretty much support any strategy.
• blue: Lots of spells - only few creatures; generally defensive or with flying. The only color with counterspells. Does support mill. 'Removal' is either tap, bounce or shrink.
• black: 'greatness at any cost' - usually at the cost of life. Supports lifegain to enable this. Can be offensive and defensive. Including some (self) mill.
• red: direct damage. to creatures, to both faces for cheap and to opponents at 5 cmc. Can also go wide and support spells decks.
• green: Supports mana acceleration into generally the biggest creatures resp growing creatures. Supports 'mill' by reshuffling. Supports life gain.
• cl: lifegain, ramp&fixing and evasive creatures that need to be pumped.

A couple of general definitions.

• I tried to stick to evergreen + a couple of simple keywords e.g. kicker, flashback, evoke and modern printings to keep wording somewhat consistent.
• all colors have at least two 1 drop creatures. Without the exception of blue at least one of them can attack turn two without any help.
• Except green, all colors 'have tool(s)' for an easy turn two win e.g. remvoal, evasion etc. red has the most options here as its removal is usually equally good on offense and defense. It is difficult to prevent that entirely.
• The 'oops I win' button e.g. Beacon of destruction is at 3 right now. I like which prevents splashing it. 5 cmc could be too much as it kind of forces you into green and play 6 lands.
• Both counterspells not being able to counter Beacon was a deliberate decision.

A card by card discussion will follow either with the first updates or before.