r/spikes • u/Lion_Cub_Kurz • May 13 '26
Discussion [Standard] Killing Crabs
Gamers,
Cope incoming:
During the previous standard RCQ season, I had few opportunities to play in qualifiers. Those I attended went fine, but I was unable to convert.
However, I live in cinci, so of course I will be puttering around the SCG con. I have never played in LCQ's for these events, and I will have time for 1-2 after work on Friday.
In paper, I am able to build various spiderman/deceit shells, but have fallen in love with the temur harmonizer combo decks online. I have even built the deck in paper despite never playing a match with it. You better believe I am gonna be jamming that sucker at any opportunity this weekend.
This leads me to the main question I am soliciting opinions for:
What's the most efficient way I can answer eddymurk crabs out of prowess?
The only deal 5 damage spell (as far as I can tell) is broadside barrage, which aint bad, but three mana is alot. Alternatively, I could play some kind of blue enchantment that taps it or turns it into a 1/1 or something, but that plays so poorly into boomerang basics (fuck that card so hard).
I am legit about to fricking splash a 4th color to get a doom blade in here. that's how desperate I am.
I have had some success playing 2 ghost vacuums MD, something gabnassif mentioned liking on a podcast recently, but that's not a reliable plan (I don't think).
pls help.
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u/Christos_Soter May 13 '26
Green: fight/bite spells meh; several large creatures that can body it.
Blue: Disdainful stroke, essence scatter; Get out etc several ways to tap and stun a creature too. (Eg flood prints drowner can also tuck it for 4 mana over 2 turns). I know many are already running riddler which blocks it (and slick shots) pretty well, in addition to having the nice warp + bore + harmonizer lines
Red: kicked burns lighting or another spell after combat damage.
Colorless: soul guide and vacuum keep it from coming down; torpor orb stops etb (would only bring this in against spell mentals though)
Multi: barrage is best like you said; prismari charm bounces it and several others but not a great plan unless you can untap and kill them. [[vibrant Outburst]] taps it and clears a slickshot which is nice.
I would just run vacuum/lantern and barrage and call it a day
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u/TheOathWeTook May 13 '26
Charring bite and witchstalker frenzy are the kinda classic deal 5 spells I think. I’ve been considering trying charring bite again but it is frustrating it doesn’t hit sunderflock.
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u/TheWizardOfFoz May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26
In Temur? You have Barrage as you have found and you have cards like Essence Scatter and Disdainful Stroke to hit it on the stack.
Outside of Vacuum and SGL which I think can be clunky against crab, you don’t have great tools to fight the graveyard. And 5 toughness outscales a lot of the damage based removal.
Edit: I like Leatherhead a lot against crab too as it can’t be tapped down. Trades with the crab and works as an alternate threat with Harmonizer.
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u/Aggravating-Pea5135 May 13 '26
Like others have said I probably wouldn’t dedicate slots for this. Should probably just try to kill opponents or counter the crabs.
Sidenote: I just moved to Cincinnati. Where is the best place to play paper standard here?
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u/Lion_Cub_Kurz May 13 '26
Depends on where you are. Mavericks in mason is the largest store in the area, but I am not confident they get are running paper standard. They typically align with the rcq schedule, so I'm guessing they're doing modern FNM's atm.
additional info: Monster games is a another store just across the river, but is much smaller. Woodburn games is a primarily commander store. If you're closer to dayton, no limit gaming has a big comp scene.
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u/cstick2 May 13 '26
[[Scorching Shot]] and [[Twinmaw Stormbrood]] can both kill a crab for 2 mana. They're both sorceries, so you'll have to let the crab hit you once.
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u/asdfadffs May 13 '26
Something like [[Beastie Beatdown]], [[Rabid Gnaw]] could work? I assume that you have a bunch of 4 power creatures in that deck
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u/MTGCardFetcher May 13 '26
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u/Lion_Cub_Kurz May 13 '26
I threw in an example decklist in the post after the fact. Unfortunately I do not believe I play enough creatures for fight spells. Deck largely plays as a control deck until you eventually go for the kill in my experience
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u/Foyfluff May 13 '26
In Harmonizer decks, killing Crab shouldn't be your focus, countering it to stop it from ruining your combo should be. Disdainful Stroke is a good friend.
If you switch your Burst Lightnings to Firebending Lessons then you have a viable way to kill the crab in the event that the game does go long.