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by Christopher Askwith
The Myth of the Invincible Deck As you well know, there are many decks which have been declared "unbeatable" or "invincible" by those who use them and by those who are pitted against them. In point of fact, there is no such thing as an invincible Magic Deck. Most people should be able to realize this with little effort whatsoever. An invincible deck is like cold fusion, a real psychic or government-aided alien abduction: a modern myth, at least among Magic players' circles. The main thing about a deck which appears to be invincible is that it does not have any obvious weaknesses. However, all decks have weaknesses, apparent or not. The important thing is to find them and to exploit them. When you are not playing in a tournament, you can restructure your deck to kill the so-called invincible deck. If you are in a tournament, then your sideboard serves this purpose. For example, some time ago, my cousins told me that their cousin had an "invincible" deck consisting of a Stasis-Kismet-Black Vise combo which annihilated them every time. Instantly, the weaknesses and faults are apparent. Such a deck is highly vulnerable to counterspells and anti-enchantment spells. Even if the aforementioned cousin with the "invincible" deck had counterspells, it would be a simple matter to use Red Elemental Blast and the like to protect anti-enchantment spells. It is a perfect example of the inability of anyone to make an invincible deck. We're all only human - nobody's perfect, and so there can never be a perfect deck. White/blue weenie restriction decks are another example. Pyroblast shielded by Red Elemental Blasts and the like will put to grief such decks, as will land destruction spells, or lands if one is not in the T2 environment. There really isn't much else to say. There is no such thing as an invincible Magic deck. If you wish to debate this point, just send me your "invincible" deck and I will reply, with a list of ways to cut the deck down to size. This may be a little tough for some (particularly richer players with access to powerful Unlimited or earlier cards) to swallow, but it is the most important fact of Magic: The Gathering.
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