GP Omaha Meta Update – Temur Marvel

Yes, I know I’ve been silent for the better part of a year now in competitive magic, but the return of GP Omaha for the third time has me excited, so I’ll be posting some new material this summer after all.

For those who have been pouring over lists lately, you’ll notice that although Martin Mueller and Yuuya Watanabe’s lists have been tried and tested, lately there’s a hybrid of the two running around and tearing up everything from Standard Classics at SCG’s, to MOCS online, to two Grand Prix’s, over to Brian Braun-Duin’s article. While none of the lists are precisely the same, they do share some things in common. Let’s look at the shifts and analyze what they might mean:

  1. The absence of or reduced number of glimmer of genius in favor of Tireless Tracker in the main.
    1. These Temur lists typically run between 21-25 sources of energy, glimmer just isn’t all that necessary to keep the marvel spinning anymore. Tracker allows you to start at an advantage against U/R Control, Marvel Mirrors, and W/B Control by being a must-kill creature that grinds advantage and always at least replaces itself if you maintain priority when playing him on turn 4+ with a land.
  2. The addition of some form of Chandra in the main, whether the 4-CC or the 6-CC remains to be determined.
    1. The 4-CC Chandra is a nod to mid-range and the mirrors where this card shines.
    2. The 6-CC Chandra is a nod to zombies, humans, and even U/W Spirits.
  3. Sweltering Suns being added in as a 1 of in some mains, but at least 2 in the 75 as a mainstay.
    1. Another nod to the prevalence of zombie aggro, and manages to effectively hate on humans and spirits as well.
  4. Servant of the Conduit back as a 4-of.
    1. Ramp card that produces energy. This signals an increase in the baseline threat base, and the need to get ahead in mana sources in the mirror.
  5. Trimming Dissenter’s Deliverance to either a 1-2 of, or out entirely.
    1. Mardu’s reduced numbers have led to this going down, as it does little against Zombies.
  6. Torrential Gearhulk being cut out of most lists.
    1. With the trimming of Glimmer of Genius, this really doesn’t do as much.
  7. Ulamog numbers shifting between 3 and 4.
    1. No one can quite decide which is better, although all articles will have firm opinions on this. I lean towards 3 given how many times I’ll side a copy out anyways when the hate for marvel starts up post-board.
  8. Sideboard Shifts:
    1. It seems that everyone is moving around 3-6 slots trying to figure out the best answers for the mirror, so far what has been advocated boils down to the following choices –
      1. 2 Dispossess and 1 Swamp
      2. 4 Negate
      3. 2 Dispel
      4. 2 Confiscation Coup
      5. 2 Manglehorn
      6. 2-4 Tireless Tracker
      7. 1-3 Dissenter’s Deliverance
      8. 1-3 Bristling Hydra

While nothing is certain yet for GP Omaha, I’d say you can safely expect roughly 15-25% of the field to be spinning marvel’s and praying for turn 4 Ulamogs, so it’s important to know what build to test against.

Happy Marvel hunting. – Ginger