Decks to Beat: Doran the Explorer

Doran the Explorer by Asher Hecht - Top 4 at PTQ Pittsburg 1/27/08
2 Chrome Mox
4 Birds Of Paradise
4 Dark Confidant
2 Elves Of Deep Shadow
2 Eternal Witness
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Putrefy
2 Smother
2 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Doran, The Siege Tower
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Profane Command
2 Thoughtseize
4 Vindicate
2 Forest
1 Plains
2 Swamp
3 Bloodstained Mire
1 Godless Shrine
3 Overgrown Tomb
1 Temple Garden
3 Treetop Village
4 Windswept Heath

Sideboard:
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Indrik Stomphowler
3 Mystic Enforcer
3 Armadillo Cloak
2 Extirpate
3 Gaddock Teeg

I tried Brett Blackman's list replacing Bob with Viper and I have to say that I don't miss Bob. I played vs. Mike who was piloting A Sullivan's Flow deck. I blew him out the first 2 games and he blew me out the next 2 pre-board. I still need some practice games in but I will definitely take Doran to Springfield.

Here's that deck from Magic-League I was talking to you about, Jesse:

1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
1 Godless Shrine
1 Bloodstained Mire
2 Forest
2 Temple Garden
2 Overgrown Tomb
4 Treetop Village
4 Windswept Heath
1 Murmuring Bosk
4 Loxodon Hierarch
2 Eternal Witness
3 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Treefolk Harbinger
2 Profane Command
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Vindicate
2 Chrome Mox
2 Putrefy
2 Duress
2 Umezawa's Jitte

SB:
3 Gaddock Teeg
3 Pernicious Deed
2 Armadillo Cloak
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Brooding Saurian

It's pretty straightforward.

The list is very cool! Thanks! I wonder why he chose Duress over Thoughtseize? Also, should I replace Bob with Viper? Brooding Saurian seems like cool tech and I've always wanted to use them. Only thing is... does anyone have any?

yeah i thought about posting that deck, it seems pretty good. i have a brooding saurian in the cube, i think todd has some in his book maybe. it seems like his whole deck is pretty teched against red, so he probably wanted to continue that by not losing life to thoughtseize. as far as ohran viper, i mean i like the guy but i don't know, there just aren't that many 3-drops. i think i might like it more if you played elves of deep shadow instead of mox? i don't know. that requires you to have two green lands to play turn 2 viper but i don't think that's too hard.

I guess Bob would be fine especially post board with the Saurian tech. Viper is good too. Here's a comparison chart:

Bob
Pros:
2 Drop
Draws cards if kept alive
Splashable

Cons:
Countered by Spellsnare
Killed by Shock
Can cause much pain if not careful
can be Threaded
can't really kill much when used for chump blocker

viper
Pros:
Can't be Snared
Can't be Threaded
Need 3 or better damage to kill
Great Chumper
does not damage you

Cons:
slightly slower drop than Bob
double green in cc
must damage to draw cards

I'm sure I'm missing points so please feel free to chime in. Also, I'll try the Deep Shadow elves and see if they are better than Mox.

Okay... we lose Vindicate, Cabal Therapy, Duress, Pernicious Deed and Armadillo Cloak. That sucks! What can replace that goodness?! I loved the deck but I'll have to think how it can be re-worked.

Here's what I threw together. It's by no means perfect but it's a decent starting point.

// Lands
4 Treetop Village
4 Windswept Heath
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Stomping Ground
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
2 Temple Garden
2 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Plains

// Creatures
3 Loxodon Hierarch
3 Eternal Witness
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Dark Confidant
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
4 Tarmogoyf

// Spells
4 Thoughtseize
3 Putrefy
3 Smother
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Chrome Mox
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 3 Ancient Grudge
SB: 2 Krosan Grip
SB: 3 Gaddock Teeg
SB: 3 Extirpate
SB: 3 Hunted Wumpus
SB: 1 Umezawa's Jitte

I think it needs the 4th Heirarch and 1-2 more Jitte. I really think that the loss of the great cards that will rotate will open the door to Combo and possibly Burn Deck Wins.

Yeah, the 4th Hierarch should probably be in the board at least, but I've been enamored with Hunted Wumpus lately for his ability to tangle with a Goyf. Boarding in even more 4-drops is probably not your best plan against a red deck anyway. Let's say -3 Hunted Wumpus, +1 Loxodon Hierarch, +1 Kitchen Finks, +1 Smother SB. I'd actually like a couple more cards against red so I could take out 2 Thoughtseizes as well as Bobs in that matchup, so maybe like -1 Teeg -1 Extirpate +2 Finks or something.

I made a couple of tweaks... -1 EWetness, -1 Top, +1 Heirarch, +1 Jitte. EWetness was way sexier with Therapy but now... I don't think the Top is necessary and I'd rather have the 4th Heirarch. If Countertop Goyf is big then the 4th Putrify may be necessary in the MD or SB.

// Lands
4 Treetop Village
4 Windswept Heath
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Stomping Ground
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
2 Temple Garden
2 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Plains

// Creatures
4 Loxodon Hierarch
2 Eternal Witness
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Dark Confidant
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
4 Tarmogoyf

// Spells
4 Thoughtseize
3 Putrefy
3 Smother
1 Chrome Mox
2 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 3 Ancient Grudge
SB: 2 Krosan Grip
SB: 3 Gaddock Teeg
SB: 3 Extirpate
SB: 3 Hunted Wumpus
SB: 1 Umezawa's Jitte

I actually sort of like Top if you get into an attrition war as a way to dig three cards deeper. It's probably not that great in non-mirrors though. Gerard Fabiano played one in his Barra-style Rock at Philly.

I just want to leave a note here that Doran might like Tidehollow Sculler:

Tidehollow Sculler BW
Artifact Creature - Zombie (Uncommon)
When Tidehollow Sculler comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand and you choose a nonland card from it. Remove that card from the game.
When Tidehollow Sculler leaves play, return the removed card to its owner's hand.
2/2

A couple of lists for Chuck. Just ripped these from some lists my friends were brewing for the PT. The first one especially is kinda rough but I'm sure you can tweak them to taste.

4 doran
4 bird
4 thoughtseize
4 oring
2 jitte
4 confident
3 trinket mage
1 chalice of the void
1 engineered explosives
1 pithing needle
1 executioner's capsule
2 heriarch
4 tarmogoyf
2 mox
2 smother
2 treetop
3 delta
4 heath
1 watery grave
1 academy ruins
1 breeding pool
1 overgrown tomb
1 godless shrine
1 temple garden
1 island
2 swamp
2 forest
1 plains
(no board)

2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Forest
1 Godless Shrine
2 Overgrown Tomb
2 Plains
3 Swamp
2 Temple Garden
3 Treetop Village
4 Windswept Heath
// Creatures
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
3 Ethersworn Canonist
3 Loxodon Hierarch
4 Tarmogoyf
1 Chameleon Colossus
4 Dark Confidant
2 Kitchen Finks
// Spells
1 Profane Command
2 Putrefy
4 Thoughtseize
1 Chrome Mox
1 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Oblivion Ring
// Sideboard
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Kataki, War's Wage
3 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Kitchen Finks
2 Krosan Grip