Special GuestA few words on Roberto Orciuolo
By day, Roberto is a Medical Business owner. He has played Magic: The Gathering since 2008, mainly Legacy, and he loves “Stompy” decks. Roberto is co-founder of the Wooded Team, and he has two Top 8 finishes at the 4 Seasons events, one Top 8 at Tarmogeddon, one finals appearance, and one semifinals finish at the Italian Legacy Invitational.
As the game begins, you’re looking for is to cast a [[Chalice of the Void]] on one, [[Trinisphere]], or a [[Blood Moon]] effect on your first turn to slow down your opponent. Turn two is where you start applying pressure thanks to [[Goblin Rabblemaster]] and [[Legion Warboss]].
If on the play, I may keep a [[Blood Moon]] effect as my lone prison piece. If I’m on the draw, I would prefer at least to drop another prison element to pair with it. Against TES, I would consider [[Blood Moon]] effects as a strong prison piece, especially if followed by a [[Chalice of the Void]] on zero, making it impossible for the TES player to have access to colors other than red.
The right number to set up the first [[Chalice of the Void]] is one because it really minimizes the possibility of manipulation of your opponent. [[Chalice of the Void]] on zero is strong, while together with a [[Blood Moon]] effect or when backed by [[Goblin Rabblemaster]] and [[Legion Warboss]] is a winning recipe.
This makes the TES matchup a bit worst because the impact of [[Tangle Wire]] is worst than [[Trinisphere]] because [[Trinisphere]] can lock out Storm in the early game.
The aggro version of the deck is the better performing and more common in the actual meta. Playing a four-mana Planeswalker like [[Karn, the Great Creator]] is not where you want to be, other than to tie up some sideboard slots. In recent years, the deck evolved remarkably and a more linear lines are preferred.
I cannot play around cards like [[Pulverize]] or [[Force of Vigor]]. To apply pressure with creatures is the most solid plan in those scenarios. [[Pulverize]] takes at least two turns to resolve. In the meantime, we should deploy another lock piece and a threat. Moon Stompy is a deck that rarely reacts to what the opponent can play.
There isn’t a lot of differences between ANT and TES on the Moon Stompy side. [[Doomsday]] for sure is a more complex matchup while it can combo off even with a [[Trinisphere]] in play.
[[Empty the Warrens]] is not a card I would take in consideration, especially in game one where we are playing a full playset of [[Fury]]. Even without [[Fury]], the goblins we play are often enough to defend yourself.
I do play two main deck copies of [[Unlicensed Hearse]], and I wouldn’t side them out vs TES. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t side in cards like [[Leyline of the Void]] or [[Faerie Macabre]] from the side.
The key cards for the matchup are already main deck. You do side out less desirable cards such as [[Fury]] for [[Fiery Confluence]] and a [[Pyroblast]].
[[Pyroblast]] is a situational card. You can use it to block a key cantrip during combo turn or to counter a [[Chain of Vapor]]. You need to consider that your priority is to set up a [[Chalice of the Void]] on one against TES. You mainly side in [[Pyroblast]] in post-board games to as a low mana value piece of interaction.
As a Moon Stompy player, you don’t really consider a specific Storm card. If TES already cast a [[Galvanic Relay]], the Moon stompy player is already disadvantaged.
The biggest mistake I see Moon Stompy players make is to not take enough mulligans — you can win a game just with four cards. The biggest mistake I see TES players make is to play spells into [[Chalice of the Void]].
The Moon Stompy player is the natural predator of combo players, specially Storm. TES is a positive matchup, but it’s always scary because the deck can win at any time.
I really want to thank you to have me, and I want to say hi to the Wooded Team, especially to my teammate Tommaso De Michele as we share the same longtime passion for the archetype.
