Matchup Analysis - Burn

Key Cards:

Pre-board: Shadowspear, Hammer, Sigarda’s Aid, Gingerbrute

Post-board: Spell Pierce, Urza’s Saga

Problem Cards:

Pre-board: Eidolon of the Great Revel, Skullcrack

Post-board: Deflecting Palm, Path to Exile, Smash to Smithereens

Objectives:

• Shadowspear + Hammer makes game 1 almost impossible to lose. This should be your goal.
• Hammer + a creature and being on the play also means that you’re a favorite.
• Gingerbrute is a nice way to gain 3 life on demand.
• If possible, always put Hammer on a creature with 4 or more toughness (looking at you, reality chip or constructs).
  • This ensures that the creature can’t be taken out by a bolt in response.

SB Strategy and highlights:

• DEFLECTING PALM, DEFLECTING PALM, DEFLECTING PALM!!!! (and how to beat it)
  • This is the single card that can swing the matchup more than anything else, especially since it can deal upwards of 11 damage to you for 2 mana.
  • That said, it can’t deal damage unless you attack into RW mana.
  • Keep in mind that Palm is doing, not the creature. This means that if the OP Palms your Inkmoth Nexus carrying a hammer, you will take 11 normal damage, not 11 Infect.
  • Marching/Killing your own creature once they choose their target. It stinks to remove your own creature, but not losing the game is pretty awesome.
  • If they palm your trampling creature (Shadowspear most likely) after choosing to block the trampler, if you can cause the creature to lose trample, palm will deal 0 damage.
  • After an OP chooses your hammer’ed creature with Deflecting Palm, you can give protection from colorless with Giver of Runes.
    • This will cause the hammer to fall off, and usually save your life.
  • GO WIDE: If they aren’t pressuring you, you often don’t have to kill them with a hammer’ed creature. Instead, make a pile of 4-6 power constructs and kill them by putting a Shadowspear on one of them.
  • Keep in mind that not attacking with gingerbrute is often correct. Holding the ability to gain 3 life and shrink your constructs by eating the cookie can absolutely be the trick to winning.
  • DEFLECTING PALM DOES NOT TARGET. This means that Blacksmith’s Skill does not stop it.
• Spell Pierce: countering any removal spell and, more importantly, countering Deflecting Palm, is really big game, and will often win on the spot. Since mana is often so tight in the matchup, Pierce will often be live throughout the entire game.
• Blacksmith’s Skill: though not as important as in a lot of other matchups, the ability to protect Shadowspear is very good. Additionally, allowing you to block profitably with an esper sentinel or other artifact creature can be a huge blowout.
• You can’t always play around Deflecting Palm or Smash to Smithereens, so pick your spot wisely, and evaluate if you can continue to wait, or if you have to go for the kill.
• March of Otherworldly Light both allows you to remove your hammer’ed creature, or answer an early eidolon. Often, the Eidolon dealing 4-6+ damage is too much to dig out of.

TL;DR: Game 1 you are favored if you are able to hammer up a creature. Post board, play around Deflecting Palm, and keep smash to smithereens at the top of your mind.