Magic's FIRST Prison Deck: Stasis | MTG Deck History #32 | Magic: the Gathering

[@NizzahonMagic]

Yes, I am silly and Blue Elemental Blast counters Red spells, not Blue ones.

[@mazerinthemage2395]

❤️

[@rgill5000]

They were there for Sligh. Wall of Air was also Serra Angel defense - a problem for Stasis.

[@filipefernandes8669]

Fun Fact: The original art of Stasis had the word "standstill" written on bottom left corner. This was removed, but later inspired the creation of the card standstill, also a 2 mana blue enchantment for "prison" decks.

[@satansamael666]

There’re some Landstill decks that play Stasis for the mirror so yeah.

[@javierpatag3609]

That's a pretty cool MtG factoid! Thank you!

[@sethbuck2013]

dont think blue elemental blast is countering a stasis lol

[@destructimus]

But he did say it was powerful against blue decks lol.

[@ROMANTIKILLER2]

I remember having that deck back in the days... the most hated in the playgroup! 😀 Regarding Turbo Stasis sideboard, Hydroblast and Blue Elemental Blast must have been there to slow down aggressive red decks, not to be used in a mirror match, since they are useless cards in that case.

[@brianhelmick1105]

I had the same though. Those cards do nothing in blue mirrors.

[@Sauvenil]

I assume there was monored aggro back then like always.

[@beno3686]

They are for countering your opponents red blasts

[@Sauvenil]

@@beno3686 yeah, but not in the mirror like he said!

[@jollyjoker6340]

And while we're talking of that deck's sideboard; Disenchant does nothing against Necropotence. The opponent draws to seven regardless. Mana Short is against control (counterspells), Wall of Air is for necro (2/1 knights and Hypnotic Spectres)

[@ninjanoodle2674]

Stasis was my first "real deck" (Type II - 4th Edition, Chronicles, Fallen Empires, Homelands, Ice Age) 4x Swords to Plowshares 4x Disenchant 4x Boomerang 4x Counterspell 4x Wrath of God 4x Stasis 3x Kismet 2x Time Elemental 3x Serra Angel 1x Black Vise (Restricted) 1x Zuran Orb (Restricted) 1x Ivory Tower (Restricted) 1x Feldon's Cane 24x Lands Oh the nostalgia....

[@bugsySA]

Always appreciate it that you use the proper old arts for the old decks.

[@registeel8547]

As a 'new' magic player (debuted in 2019), I love these kind of videos. Not only for them being great references for the days to come or the pattern of plays and metagames, giving us newbies plenty of insight, but because you're an excellent narrator. It's the little details that tell me you're great as a teacher. Thank you for the awesome content, Nizza!

[@NizzahonMagic]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy the content.

[@danajacobs9727]

I think a notable addition to the deck that wasn't mentioned was when Forsaken City came out in Planeshift "negating" not having a untap step. Or also Chronatog's (from Visions) ability to be able to skip your turn.

[@mikotagayuna8494]

Fun Fact: The artist of Stasis is none other than Richard Garfield's aunt.

[@copred]

You didn't mention 2 important points about Stasis vs. Necro. 1.) Howling Mine was one sided because Necro skipped its draw step. 2.) Stasis had a big strength in keeping Necro's Disk tapped so it couldn't reset the board.

[@eco-aslfitness-asl8101]

Yes! I also mentioned in another comment here that howling mine enabled you to find islands more quickly every turn to keep paying Stasis’s upkeep forever.

[@mightyone3737]

Yeah, not drawing is usually a bad thing, but for Necro this means you won't be getting decked due to Cane, the Stasis player either needs to find a Vise or they'll eventually lose, in what would be the most tedious game ever.

[@odoacredacalcutta5085]

lol, now that i consider this, I see why this abomination of a deck could actually win anything, not having an automatic way to untap a land for mana to pay for stasis on upkeep. it must have relied on drawing at least a land every turn which despite having howling mine in play isn't of course that likely to be a reliable plan. but of course if ur oppnent is necrolocked and can't blow it with disc it makes sense. thank you

[@johngleeman8347]

One of my favorite pieces of art in all of MTG. :D

[@shuboy05]

The artist, Fay Jones, is the aunt of Richard Garfield.

[@eco-aslfitness-asl8101]

You forgot to mention that another reason howling mine was included was because it enabled you to find islands much more quickly every turn to keep playing one to pay Stasis’s upkeep forever.

[@jollyjoker6340]

Yeah, the walkthrough should have mentioned this long before Scepter and Recall. 26 blue lands and a Howling Mine lets you pay a Stasis for a long time.

[@culturedent3741]

No mention of the chronotag versions. That was the deck!

[@NizzahonMagic]

I probably should have mentioned it like I did the more recent Stasis deck, but it never really did a whole lot at the big tournaments.

[@MortlachNL]

I remember playing a Stasis, Kismet deck with Skull of Orm to bring it back from the graveyard after a reset.

[@Rorschachqp]

For some me reason this video came up again and I remembered the first prison deck was all the land destruction and Dingus Egg, which is why Dingus Egg was on the first Restricted List. Winter Orb and Icy was also around too. Stasis was possible to become a thing once Legends came out but the previous two aforementioned decks could be made with no expansions although Antiquities helps LD + Dingus Egg and Ankh.

[@maciejnowak666]

The piece of history i want to know is how did this art come to be. My theory is that in the early days of magic, they were running low on the artist budget so a team member went over to a local community college and traded this weird abstract painting for a case of beer.

[@NizzahonMagic]

It is actually art by Richard Garfield's aunt!

[@mightyone3737]

It gets a lot of hate, but it's probably better 'art' than the overwhelming majority of Magic cards, which have art that is not of interest from a critic's perspective perhaps, where I think OG Stasis art would have some. I like abstract art with concrete elements in it, drove my Grade 8 art teacher bonkers trying to decide if my work was still abstract enough to qualify as abstract.

[@JoseHerrera-hv1ql]

In Spain a Stasis deck won the extended nationals of 2001. It had 1 squee and 4 copies of city of traitors

[@Tyranix97]

Great vid. love it. ... Stasis was very powerful but not very popular. It's a true control deck in that a player had to grind out each win with a lock. And, it's hard to play without fast mana and draw cards in your deck. ... The recipe is right on. ... In my hood, I regularly saw Time Elementals and Icy Manipulators in Sara-Stasis decks. ... Once a player started resetting their side of the board and then putting their opponents land back in their hand, the game was pretty much locked. ... Another fun Blue-White deck at the time (which was a twist on Sera-Stasis) was Black Vice-Balance-Land Equilibrium-Zuran Orb. Nothing quite hurts an opponent like a Balance with LE and a BV (or two) on the board. ... But, these decks all seemed to start to die out when balance and black vice got restricted.

[@TheyCallHimPogo]

Can't wait for the Sliver History next week!!

[@mikeoleary5444]

I remember two tournaments I was a t around that time where a few people had Turbo Statis decks that often won via Serra Angel and Zephyr Falcon, I was maindecking three disenchants because of Stasis, Winter Orb, and Necorpotence.

[@DMofDMs]

I remember playing casual games at the comic book store I worked at. This guy we'd never met rolled up and asked to join in. It was a little weird, how forward he was. Kind of put us on the spot, so we were all "...suuure." He busted out this nonsense with Stasis, Kismet and Shahrazad...I have no idea if it was a good deck in any way. But it was easily the most painful, uncomfortable, tedious game I've ever experienced. I honestly can't say how long that game lasted. Two hours? Three? Maybe more. Maybe only like. 45min. It was purgatory, regardless. Then he packed up his cards, wished us all a nice night, and left. Never saw him again. Not once in the three years we were there.

[@elyea5928]

YES! I know some people hate this artwork but....they’re wrong.😁

[@movezig5]

Blue Elemental Blast and Hydroblast hit red spells, not blue, so they definitely weren't for the mirror match.

[@T4N7]

Ya, I thought it was a freudian slip when he said "blur" until he doubled down on it by talking about the mirror match. Weird, he must've been really having an off day to make a nonsensical mistake like that

[@joshnorman2918]

I searched game stores all over a 3 state area tracking down my set of time elementals. Original stasis was so much fun. For the deck holder, that is.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

I remember hearing people criticize the art on Stasis when I was a kid. It was one of the first discussions around Magic art that I participated in. I only played against Stasis a couple of times. Once as a demonstration of how miserable it is to play against. And a couple of times in FNM

[@DaveyDAKFAE]

Speaking of named prison decks, I'd love to see a video on why Stompy, which sounds like aggro, is the name of a prison deck

[@NizzahonMagic]

Outside of Legacy, Stompy usually means Green Aggro. But you are right, the Legacy versions tends to be mono-red prison haha

[@theeternallysurprised]

In the Premodern format, Stasis is one of the top tier decks.

[@rowerewolf]

I don't care what anyone says. I like the art on Stasis.

[@GabAssbreaker]

Me too, its like a fever dream, its weird but in a good way

[@llongone2]

Stasis decks...maybe the first deck that A-holes really took to in M:TG.

[@joshnorman2918]

Hey hey hey… Ya. You right.

[@arashabdullahdawudcharlton5548]

Stasis ...icy manipulator ....winter orb .... Ahhhhhh good times/ when jesters cap was a 90$ card lol

[@Lovuschka]

Fun fact: Blue Elemental Blast and Hydroblast did especially well against blue decks that were monored.

[@HeruCSGO]

U right

[@calemr]

That rare mirror deck build that switches up 100% of the cards.

[@lseror]

I have personnaly used the black vise version of this deck giving free turns with chronatog to my opponents that could not play but that will get the life loss from the vise

[@tomaszjackowski1981]

Oh I loved that deck when I played with it and hate it with passion when I was playing against it.

[@mightyone3737]

At this point, I feel like Stasis as a plan is usually worse than just playing Rule of Law effects and building around them so they don't hurt your deck as much. Stasis requires more cards to generate advantage off of the effect, where Rule just puts a stop to all multi-spell turns, which makes it impossible for some decks to play, let alone win. Edit: I do have a Stasis-esque Commander deck, Sygg Discard, which like Turbo Stasis has a real possibility of ending up decking itself before killing it's opponents off (with discard payoffs while they can't play). I didn't put Stasis in it yet, still deciding if it'll fit, but it's got Stasis Orb, Winter Orb, Tangle Wire, among a bunch of other relevant effects. Stasis is good, but I feel like it needs too many other pieces to work out for me, though if I've set up my discard engines and am drawing an extra card each end step I'll be hitting my U mana for awhile, I guess things hit the fan when I start running out of opponents and can't pay for Stasis, and that deck is not good at 1v1.

[@BiGYrri]

Hi mate, love the video and love love love stasis. Can you share the high resolution background of stasis? Cheers Yrjan, the Netherlands

[@TRAWLPortlandME]

Convinced the Stasis artwork is haunted.

[@tylerannand3777]

I still have my Chronatog/Stasis deck from ages ago

[@outtatime9836]

Still super surprise that stasis// wilderness reclamation isn’t a thing in legacy

[@Rupert3434]

Hey I noticed an odd mistake! You say hydroblast and blue elemental blast in the stasis sideboard were brought in against a mirror to counter/blow up opposing staises, but those cards hate on red spells, not blue ones. Did you mean red elemental blast and pyroblast? The deck looks like it ran city of brass so it could have run some cheap red cards in a pinch. Or, were those spells correct and the stasis deck used them against red players? Seemed like a really odd incongruity, so I just wanted to make you aware of it.

[@tarzangief]

So fun fact, I pretty much got rid of all my decks a few months ago besides a few commander decks and 1 constructed deck, a Stasis deck that Ive been playing and adding to since shortly after I first started playing magic (shortly after Mirage's release)

[@strawhataddison]

Still one of my favorite MTG art. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

[@demilembias2527]

geez, so in 1996 the meta was basically broken absurd card drawing aggro decks vs hard stall? and people were complaining about Eldraine standard a few years ago.

[@Duskrequim]

Yeah... the meta has ALWAYS been similar... You have a Control deck and an Aggro deck in every single block. Then you have a stall/combo deck that takes over a bit but its always been the same.

[@joshnorman2918]

Yes. It was absurd and wonderful.

[@Twitch760]

* Red Decks

[@muddlewait8844]

“short of your opponent rage quitting” I’m amused by hut not proud of the fact that I “won” games like this back in the day. Getting slowly picked to death by a single zephyr falcon is not how anyone wanted to spend their time

[@RAS_Squints]

Didnt matter if you played Opposition in either Urza Block or 7th ed, you will have squirrels in it

[@devononair]

Did a Chronatog/Stasis combo not ever do well in a tournament? That's the deck I run and it's such an effective game closer that means you can mill your opponent without having to pay the upkeep for Stasis.

[@punishthecorruption7682]

Atog wasn't ever needed. It was more, the final insult to an opponent that refuses to concede.

[@marcodaddario3965]

Playing against Stasis sounds like a really miserable experience.

[@Duskrequim]

It was ...... =(

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

it was

[@superbaas8822]

It's half the reason disenchant has as many points as it does.

[@mchild80]

It was very annoying and very powerful. However I would rather play against it than Standard Psychotog. At least you had a chance vs Stasis unlike Upheaval

[@Duskrequim]

@@mchild80 I hated Red Burn. I always got paired up with the guy running Ball Lightning and every burn spell that was made.

[@KaiTheElusive]

Blue Elemental blast and hydroblast are counters to red, not blue.

[@theeviljesii]

What’s the art depicting on that card?

[@strawhataddison]

A period or state of inactivity or equilibrium.

[@Thiseffinguyhere]

art.

[@raresux]

there's a stasis at my lgs that's been sitting in the "more-expensive singles" section thingy for a solid 3 years now with no sign of anyone wanting to buy it. honestly hilarious to see it still there. guess it goes to show nobody locally here likes stax/prison LMAO

[@brandonsheumaker2673]

I think you missed the Chronatog version of the Stasis deck, where after getting the Kismet, 'tog,and Stasis in play you simply used the 'tog to skip every one of your turns (and thus the upkeep cost of Stasis) while your opponent either Black Vised to death or eventually decked.

[@NizzahonMagic]

That version never did anything at big events, or I would have covered it!

[@jeffspencer1255]

My stasis deck runs chronatog and orb of dreams. Total lock and all blue.

[@efroeli]

Love your content!

[@vivid.worker]

THATS GOATED/COOL

[@bahamut5935]

0:06:20 I think you got the wrong cards on that list or terms mixed up hydroblast and blue elemental blast dont even hurt blue decks red elemental blast and pyorblast are the ones that hurt blue

[@NizzahonMagic]

Yes, this has been addressed in a pinned comment.

[@bahamut5935]

@@NizzahonMagic keep up great job on the great content :) I personaly enjoy learning the history and origins of decks. I find Learning the history of other decks and learning how they play also gives you a idea to discover ways to counteract certain decks or gives you more insight into how to play against certain decks so having a good understanding of decks and how they work can help you in matches and tournaments :)

[@Rorschachqp]

ProsBloom was NOT the first combo deck. That’s like saying there are no two-card combos in ABU/ArabianAntiquities/Legends, which of course is ridiculous. In fact Stasis was a deck in 1994 and was a combo deck. Turbo Stasis came much later and it was not the first version. Magic didn’t begin in 1996 just because the Pro Tour started.

[@4lukeification]

Stasis still sees play in commander.

[@albertsiltal2600]

❤️‍🔥

[@Randy-lg1qo]

I still have a Stasis deck, with Kismet, black vice and Trade caravan. It really annoys people

[@cteal2018]

Still use "stasis lock" in commander.

[@jii-ro7083]

Stasis is the deck I despise most of all the decks

[@scottclark3761]

I HATED Turbo Stasis! Still do. If I am playiong commander, and I see Stasis, I scoop, get up, and leave. It is supremely unfun to play against.

[@TrumpLester]

I thought it was a "Prison Deck" in terms of prisoners making proxies out of playing+index cards.

[@timdornaus]

off topic: just now caught up on the kamigawa set reviews. I agree - > strongly dislike the DJ magic card. the towashi songshaper. may be one of the worst magic artworks i've ever seen. just feels wrong and out of place.

[@cristianscrivati8171]

I Agree, it even reminds me of an asshole who was at high-school with me

[@Skjeggspir]

6:08 no, Blue blasts can only counter Red spells, not blue…also, Disenchant was not really used to disenchant Necropotence, for many reasons. I was there in 1996.

[@brianaustin5977]

turbofog please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@blaze556922]

Stasis.... Booooo!!

[@bayoupablo9196]

It’s Wednesday my dudes

[@gigawarman12]

First

[@riri2803]

The most boring deck haha