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Vintage Prison Shops Guide: Tip, Tricks & How to Sideboard
Small Introduction to Vintage
Vintage is known for its blistering pace and the potential for game-deciding plays as early as the first turn. It is a format that is less influenced by new cards, resulting in decks that have remained largely unchanged for a long time. In fact, Prison Shops is the first deck I ever played in this format, and I still do.
Prison Shops is the first deck I ever played in this format, and I still do
In this format I would claim there are 5 archetypes:
Combo
Decks that use Tinker, Paradoxical Outcome, Timetwister, Time Vault, Oops All Spells, or other cards that aim to achieve a single powerful turn that allows them to go "infinite" by either drawing their entire deck, taking extra turns, or directly killing their opponent in one turn.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/deck-decklist-by-yprincipe-1650737
Blue Control
Decks that pack very cheap interaction with a minimal number of threats that win the game if left unchecked for some number of turns.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/deck-decklist-by-gnorilgrande-1650721
Bazaar of Baghdad
Graveyard-based decks use Bazaar of Baghdad for enabling themselves and cannot function without it.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/deck-decklist-by-medvedev-1650712
Mishra’s Workshop
Decks that use Mishra's Workshop to cast expensive spells on turn 1 typically involve some mana-taxing effects as part of their strategy.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/workshop-decklist-by-mogged-1650728
Taxing Creatures
A fast creature clock paired with some hatebears.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/deck-decklist-by-yoshiwata-1650717
If you would like to know a bit more about each one you can read our in-depth guide to Vintage archetypes by Pablo Carrasco.
My Current Version of the Deck
Last weekend, I reached the top 8 in both Vintage Challenges and secured a notable 2nd place finish on Sunday. I accomplished this using my pet deck, Prison Shops:
$22314/243.44 Tix
Maindeck (60)
| Creature [8] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Lodestone Golem | $0.49 | |
| 3 Phyrexian Revoker | $0.49 | |
| 4 Golos, Tireless Pilgrim | $1.99 | |
| Artifact [27] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Chalice of the Void | $57.99 | |
| 1 Trinisphere | $14.99 | |
| 1 Thorn of Amethyst | $0.59 | |
| 1 Mox Pearl | $549.99 | |
| 1 Mox Jet | $649.99 | |
| 4 Sphere of Resistance | $14.99 | |
| 1 Mox Emerald | $699.99 | |
| 1 Mox Sapphire | $699.99 | |
| 1 Time Vault | $179.99 | |
| 1 Black Lotus | $3,299.99 | |
| 1 Mox Ruby | $699.99 | |
| 1 Mana Crypt | $99.99 | |
| 3 Crucible of Worlds | $24.99 | |
| 1 God-Pharaoh's Statue | $0.59 | |
| 1 Manifold Key | $0.59 | |
| 1 Soul-Guide Lantern | $0.35 | |
| 3 Nettlecyst | $0.69 | |
| 1 Sol Ring | $1.99 | |
| 1 Pithing Needle | $0.59 | |
| 1 Mana Vault | $57.99 | |
| Enchantment [4] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4 Urza's Saga | $39.99 | |
| Planeswalker [1] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Karn, the Great Creator | $7.49 | |
| Land [20] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bojuka Bog | $1.79 | |
| 1 Karakas | $12.99 | |
| 2 Ghost Quarter | $0.39 | |
| 1 Tolarian Academy | $89.99 | |
| 1 Strip Mine | $15.99 | |
| 4 Mishra's Workshop | $2,599.99 | |
| 1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale | $4,199.99 | |
| 4 Wasteland | $22.99 | |
| 1 Inventors' Fair | $15.99 | |
| 4 Ancient Tomb | $79.99 | |
| Sideboard [15] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mycosynth Lattice | $10.99 | |
| 2 Mindbreak Trap | $23.99 | |
| 3 Archive Trap | $2.99 | |
| 1 Wurmcoil Engine | $16.99 | |
| 1 Torpor Orb | $2.79 | |
| 1 Null Rod | $109.99 | |
| 1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship | $1.99 | |
| 1 Walking Ballista | $19.99 | |
| 1 Grafdigger's Cage | $2.29 | |
| 1 Tormod's Crypt | $0.59 | |
| 2 Dismember | $5.99 | |
$225.46 Tix @cardhoarder
$5.64 / Week @cardhoarder
$21,936.00 @tcgplayer
$22,474.91 @cardkingdom
Visual View
Similar Decks
Proxies
Archetype Analysis
Magic online format
Apprentice and MWS .dec
At this point, it is important to mention that there are historically two versions of the Shops deck.
Version #1 Aggro:
The first version is the aggro variant, which features a lower curve and inexpensive creatures.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/aggro-shops-decklist-by-javi-david-1636512
Version #2 - Midrange-Combo (Golos):
The second version is a more midrange variant centered around Golos, incorporating higher-cost spells and a slower plan with a combo backup. As you can see by looking at the list, in this guide, I will focus on this version, which seems to be the most dominant lately and is my preferred choice.
https://mtgdecks.net/Vintage/workshop-decklist-by-mogged-1650728
Card Choices
Mishra’s Workshop
The appeal of playing such a deck lies in the card that gives its name: Mishra’s Workshop.
This card defines an entire archetype of vintage decks, along with the help of moxen your opening hand should always have a 3-5 mana play on turn one
Beatdown Cards
The beatdown part of the deck is based around Urza’s Saga, Nettlecyst and Golos, Tireless Pilgrim.
Urza’s saga is the quickest creature clock the deck offers and can kill on its own by turn 4 and can be tutored with golos.
Additional Golos targets
Golos can either search for Saga or find a land that disrupts the opponent’s plan like Bojuka Bog, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale or a Wasteland.
Combo Pieces
The combo part of the deck consists of either Manifold Key and Time Vault for infinite turns or Karn with its self-tutored Mycosynth Lattice to lock opponents out of mana and activated abilities.
Combo #1
Combo #2
Disruption Cards
But the most important part of the deck is the disruption, which, for the most part, is about mana denial combined with Wasteland.
Basic Guidelines
#1 Mana Denial Goes First
Try to deploy the mana denial pieces before the threats.
#2 The toolbox
Urza’s Saga can find disruption pieces like Pithing needle and Soul-guide Lantern.
#3 Uncounterable Combo
If you have time vault , urza’s saga can find manifold key for infinite turns, some decks can’t do anything to stop this since they key can’t be countered and not every deck runs wasteland.
#4 Using Revoker
I name Black Lotus with revoker when I am against completely unknown opponents on turn 1.
#5 Karakas trick
Karakas can bounce Golos to replay it , this is especially useful when you have no uses for your mana.
#6 Spheres battle
If you ever plan for a situation that both players can’t cast spells due to spheres and low lands, you will likely come out on top since you are running more lands that produce more mana than the average deck does, so don’t be afraid to deploy your spheres even if they hinder you too.
Sideboard Guide
Oath of druids
Monowhite initiative
On the play
On the draw
Paradoxical outcome
Prison shops (mirror)
On the play
On the draw
Squee Hollow vine
Doomsday
Jeskai control
Dredge
Sultai Control
Oops All Spells
Till Next Time
Vintage is a fast-paced format filled with explosive turns and instant kills. Prison Shops is a great choice for a first deck, as well as a high-tier deck to play competitively. Magic Online is the best place to experience it.