STRATEGY: Sligh decks (History and Theory)
Frank Kusumoto
School of Sligh
Edited/written by Frank S. Kusumoto - 3 Oct 1996.
With Thanks to Paul Sligh and Arthur.
The following is a compilation of writings from the magic
strategy newsgroup and the mtg-l-strategy list. Originated (?)
by Paul Sligh, this deck made a splash at the '96 Atlanta
PT Qualifier by ending up in the final four. It lost to a
Necro-Deck (but had beaten several to get there). It is an odd
looking deck that utilizes many scoffed at cards (for good
reason usually) but is illustrative of how a well designed
mono-color deck can get by with slightly substandard cards by
utilizing its colors strengths (and a good sideboard). It is also
instructive to see how the concepts of selective mana-denial
and card advantage can be integrated successfully with the
goal of killing your opponent quickly. In some ways I think this
mirrors the successfulness of the four hymn Necro, which
strives to do much the same. It also illustrates how a deck that
begins with an overall strategy, a plan if you will, can be
competitive without a major expenditure of money.
Orcish Librarian Deck v1.0, PT1 format:
Circa June ‘96
2 Dragon Whelp
2 Brothers of Fire
2 Orcish Artillery
2 Orcish Cannoneers
4 Ironclaw Orcs
3 Dwarven Lt.
2 Orcish Librarian
2 Dwarven Trader
2 Goblin of the Flarg
4 Brass Man
1 Black Vise
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
1 Fireball
1 Shatter
1 Detonate
1 Immolation
4 Strip Mine
4 Mishra's Factory
2 Dwarven Ruins
13 Mountain
Total: 61 cards
Sideboard:
1 Shatter
1 Detonate
1 Fireball
1 Meekstone
1 Zuran Orb
3 Active Volcano
2 Serrated Arrow
1 An-Zerrin Ruins
4 Mana Barbs
Note: This deck was constructed under the “5 of all current
expansions” rule used in the pro-tourney. As such it is not
optimized for Standard Type II play. (i.e., note Goblins of the
Flarg plus Dwarves, not a good combo to play on yourself.)
Arthur's Sligh Deck (Modified Post-Alliance)(v1.9)
Circa August ‘96
1 Marton Stromgald
2 Orcish Librarian
2 Gorilla Shaman
2 Dwarven Soldier
3 Ironclaw Orcs
2 Storm Shaman
1 Dragon Whelp
2 Brothers of Fire
1 Orcish Artillery
2 Orcish Cannoneers
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
1 Disintegrate
1 Orcish Oriflamme
2 Pillage
1 Walking Wall
3 Brass Man
1 Black Vise
1 Skull Catapult
3 Dwarven Ruins
13 Mountain
4 Strip Mine
4 Mishra's Factory
1 Thawing Glaciers
Total: 61 cards
Sideboard:
1 Gustha's Scepter
4 Manabarbs
1 Zuran Orb
1 Detonate
3 Meekstone
2 Pillage
2 Winter Orb
1 Serrated Arrows
The creator of the modified deck, Arthur, has these notes:
The way I run it, a Sligh deck is a mono-red weenie deck. 26
weenies (more than most White Weenie decks!) and a hefty
dose of Heat (8 bolts plus Disintegrate). 5 of the Weenies
have reusable direct damage and there's a Skull Catapult so
the deck has FIFTEEN ways to bring the heat. Land
Destruction (4 Strips plus 2 Pillage) is used for quick wins
against opponents who are slightly mana-screwed (that is, to
give them a MAJOR mana screw), to deny one color vs.
multi-color decks and to kill dangerous specialty lands
(Kjeldoran Outpost (the dude ranch), Thawing Glaciers).
The manabarbs in the sideboard are the answer to COP:Red
and 100 other questions. ("What do you do against ...." "Play
a ManaBarb")
An important point is that this deck is almost entirely combo
free. (Skull Catapult/Orcish Oriflamme plus any creature are
very easy combos to pull off). Lack of Combos plus
mono-color equals VERY consistent performance in
tournaments. Lack of Combos also means that the deck has
good resistance to early Hymns. Yes, 2 or 3 early Hymns will
hurt, but they'll hurt this deck less than many other decks. It's
still a fight, not a rout.
Most of the deck can function with 3 mana or less in play.
Sligh's original deck was even thriftier. Being able to get your
game going and to disrupt the opponents game even during a
mild mana screw allows you to save game after game that
more mana-intensive decks lose.
The sideboard is mostly devoted to fighting other deck
STYLES, not other colors. So those clever Sleights and
Hacks that get sideboaded in before game 2 turn into wasted
cards.
If you dig up one of Hahn's "School of Magic" lectures you'll
see that a Sligh deck has much in common with the "Kim
School". (N.B.- The Kim Deck relies on Blood Moon for
Disruption and Mana denial, instead of Straight Land
Destruction. This is more akin to the NecroDecks selective
Mana Denial.)
DENVER SLIGH (Post 1st Oct ‘96 Restrictions)
Circa October ‘96
4 Orcish Artillery
1 Orcish Cannoneer
4 Ironclaw Orcs
4 Goblin Balloon Brigade
3 Gorilla Shaman
2 Dwarven Lt.
2 Orcish Librarian
2 Dragon Whelp
1 Ball Lightning
4 Lightning Bolts
4 Incinerate
3 Guerrilla Tactics
2 Fireballs
2 Pillage
1 Shatter
1 Primitive Justice
1 Black Vise
1 Strip Mine
2 Dwarven Ruins
2 Mishra’s Factory
15 Mountain
Total: 61 cards
Sideboard:
2 Pillage
2 Meekstone
1 Serrated Arrows
2 Anarchy
4 Manabarbs
4 REB
Many people only realize what the deck does after the second
game. Most people do not take it seriously, and figure I'm a
newbie (who plays with Ironclaws and Dwarven Lieutenants?),
that is their mistake... and I believe it works to my advantage in
a great many situations. IMO, the deck works just like a R/G
weenie deck, but without the mana screws. The Orcish
librarian is brutally effective, and often is killed over a whelp in
the second or third game. This deck can be easily hosed...
but the decks that can hose it well are not often in the final 8. It
brutalizes Necro... but that metagame consideration is out until
next month rolls around. This version has taken 1st twice in
it’s two outings at small tourney’s.
Some design/sideboard consideration: No Enchantments, 1
artifact in main deck. This usually equals dead cards in the
opponents hand. That usually changes after sideboarding
(Manabarbs, Meekstone, Arrows) and will knock some
opponents for a second loop. Guerrilla Tactics usually come
out of the main deck, along with one Dwarven Lt. and a fireball
for an average switch of 5 cards. The Orcish Artillery are key
in creating a one to many card advantage, along with the
Fireballs, Gorilla Shamans, and Primitive Justice. The
Manabarbs, as noted above, are quite effective against many
deck types, if only for two more points of damage as
disenchant bait (if they left the disenchants in that is).
No combinations, average casting cost less than two.
Ed. Note - Here ends the short history of the Sligh deck. No
doubt Mirage will have some impact on the play environment,
and the Sligh deck will continue to evolve. For the time being
the future of mono-color decks looks bright, esp. with the
removal of IA (and painlands) from TII on 01/01/97.
With thanks to Rob Hahn for his Schools of Magic and the
high standard it has set. Comments, suggestions and
criticisms are all welcome and should be directed to:
-Frank Kusumoto
Thomas Roddenberry
Great post! Bitch about the Hymn if you will, but Now that Necro is
gone people are giving strategies like Sligh's deck second and third
looks.