9-24-2025, Legacy Doomsday (Part 2)

Mox Boarding House

I'm on vacation seeing my sister in law and her family in Seatle. As Seatle has a thriving Legacy scene, I was able to attend a Monday night tournament at the Mox Boarding house in Ballard [1]. Here are some reflections and thoughts in the aftermath of this experience.

What Worked Well?

My 1 mana pile worked great and I was able to successfully execute it in the face of no opposition.

PTT + {U} + 3 life. Fewest Mana possible?

;Consider#({U}), Put Deep Analysis into Graveyard. ;Deep Analysis#({1}{U}, 3 life.) ;Lion's Eye Diamond#+{U}{U}{U}. Pays for DA. ;Lotus Petal#+{U} ;Thassa's Oracle#({U}{U});

I'm happy with how quickly I was able to build my piles at the tournament. I don't think I kept my opponents waiting for long. when I lost, I lost due to strategic mistakes, not time pressure.

What were some mistakes that I made?

There was one game where I was facing another Doomsday player and I had an amazing turn one kill hand that looked something like this:

;Underground Sea; ;Dark Ritual; ;Doomsday; ;Lotus Petal; ;Street Wraith; ;Consider; ;Card Back;

I decided to go for the turn one kill, hoping that this would decrease the chances of my opponent having counter magic. I also knew that I could add a pact of negation to my pile, since I already had a Consider in hand.

I resolved Doomsday and constructed something like this pile:

;Deep Analysis#({1}{U}, 3 life.) ;Pact of Negation#({0}), counters 1 enemy card. ;Lion's Eye Diamond#+{U}{U}{U}. Pays for DA. ;Lotus Petal#+{U} ;Thassa's Oracle#({U}{U});

My opponent successfully bluffed having counter magic by rifling thru my post-doomsday exiled graveyard and picking out all of my Force of Wills. At that point, I was fooled and put the breaks on, hoping to use my Pact of Negation effectively and that it would be enough. At this point, I realized I had made a mistake. When using Lion's Eye Diamond (LED), I should always put non-permanant reactive cards after it in the pile. To use LED, I would have to discard Pact of Negation!

Here is what I should have done:

;Deep Analysis#({1}{U}, 3 life.) ;Lotus Petal#+{U} ;Lion's Eye Diamond#+{U}{U}{U}. Pays for DA. ;Pact of Negation#({0}), counters 1 enemy card. ;Thassa's Oracle#({U}{U});

Also, I should learn to put Deep Analysis on the stack first, then LED.

What cards beat me?

Here are some of the cards that beat me, accompanied with thoughts on how I can beat them in the future, (without countering them).

;Karn, the Great Creator#Destroy him or win with no artifacts. ;Disruptor Flute#Brought in by Karn. Use Lab Maniac instead of Thassa's Oracle.; ;Wasteland#Teferi's Response? Have enough lands? ;Blood Moon#Fetch a basic swamp for Doomsday. Fetch a basic island for bounce spell. ;Grindstone#I need to win conditions in my pile, such as two Thassa's Oracles.

Karn

Karn clobbered me. It slows me down, then brings in Disruptor flutes and other artifacts to stop me completely.

Solution. When faced with a deck like Mystic Forge Combo or 12 Post or many other less popular archetypes, I should anticipate my opponent playing Karn if I pass the turn after Doomsday.

Ideally, I will know my opponent's hand pre-Doomsday. If so, I can win without passing the turn or I can construct a Karn resistant pile. Here is what I've come up with:

Cantrip + {U}{U} + 8 Life.

;Street Wraith; ;Street Wraith; ;Street Wraith; ;Street Wraith; ;Thassa's Oracle;

Cantrip + {U}{U}{U}

;Mental Note; ;Card Back; ;Card Back; ;Edge of Autumn; ;Thassa's Oracle;

Cantrip + {U}{U} / {U}{U}{U} + 2 Cards in hand.

;Careful Study#({U}) ;Polluted Delta; ;Thassa's Oracle; ;Undercity Sewers; ;Island#Option for Imperfect pile.

Cantrip + {U}{U} + 2 life.

;Street Wraith; ;Edge of Autumn; ;Thassa's Oracle; ;Card Back; ;Card Back;

Cantrip + {U}{U}{U}

;Ideas Unbound; ;Chain of Vapor; ;Edge of Autumn; ;Lion's Eye Diamond; ;Thassa's Oracle;

Cantrip + {U}{U}{B}

;Ideas Unbound; ;Dark Ritual; ;Entomb; ;Unearth; ;Thassa's Oracle;

Cantrip + {U}{B}

;Mental Note; ;Thassa's Oracle; ;Card Back; ;Edge of Autumn; ;Unearth;

Cantrip + {U}{B}

;Consider; ;Thassa's Oracle; ;Unearth; ;Card Back; ;Card Back;

Cantrip + {U}{B}

;Consider; ;Thassa's Oracle; ;Street Wraith; ;Edge of Autumn; ;Unearth;

Wasteland

Wasteland. I actually fought back against Wasteland, but I thought that I had 2 turns to win. My opponent put down a huge Murktide regent that swiftly defeated me faster than I expected. Maybe I shouln't be fighting wasteland with a Pass-the-turn pile.

Blood Moon

If Blood Moon is on the table, I need to get a bit lucky to cast Doomsday off of a ritual and a lotus petal or basic swamp. Once cast, I can readily defeat blood moon with a {U} pile.

Cantrip + {U} + 3 life.

;Consider; ;Deep Analysis; ;Lion's Eye Diamond; ;Lotus Petal; ;Thassa's Oracle;

Grindstone

To play around Grindstone, I need to have 2 Win conditions in my pile [2].

Cantrip + {U}{U}.

;Street Wraith; ;Edge of Autumn; ;Thassa's Oracle; ;Street Wraith; ;Thassa's Oracle;

How can I improve my strategic play?

Quantum Riddler

I had Quantum Riddler in my deck, but I subbed it out each game, since I didn't know quite how to use it. Here in this text I will practice using Quantum Riddler in theory.

???

Cantrip + {U}{U}.

;Quantum Riddler#TODO: Remove this section or improve it. ;Street Wraith; ;Lion's Eye Diamond; ;Lotus Petal; ;Thassa's Oracle;

I would love to incorporate paradigm shifts instead of Personal Tutors. I'd also like to include more Lim Dul's Vaults and entombs. I'd like to include at least 1 Laboratory Maniac. Maybe combo with Griselbrand and reanimation spells.

[1] - 5105 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
[2] - https://ddft.wiki/meandeck/interaction#grindstone