RC Testing: Scam matchup

This matchup continues to be favorable for Murktide if you keep some key concepts in mind. 

Youtube videos

https://youtu.be/mCsqMqF8Zu4?si=5Vs2CKMvGIYaNRt1 

https://youtu.be/mCsqMqF8Zu4?si=d9vWw7CTVBK5AH1p 

https://youtu.be/pm0zl0_kAd0?si=9DKsKQiAILwWfmjd 

Preboard

1. Scam is the beatdown. In this matchup scam is going to win 9/10 games with early aggression we can't answer, with that in mind we want to prioritize hands that have removal and cheap answers, and worry less about having our own threats, or get tricked into keeping clunky hands. For example, a hand with 3 lands, Ragavan, 1x expressive iteration and murktide regent on the draw is a risky keep IMO. Iterations are essentially 3 drops, and murktide isn't playable early either. Keeping hands like this are easy ways to lose when the opponent could just curve Ragavan into Dauthi/bowman and we are toast. I am less afraid to mulligan against scam knowing we have super high impact cards like iteration and Murktide to catch us back up. On the draw we even get that extra card our first turn, don't keep slow hands on 7 your 6 will still yield a higher win %. Hands with preordain are usually keepable relying on preordain for a removal spell. 

2. Murktide is still king. Most scam lists have 3 mine collapse to answer a murktide, so if you can set up murktide + counterspell you should work towards that plan and be confident the murktide will get the job done. 

3. They are very low on answers to t1 ragavan OTP. I value these hands pretty highly g1 but only on the play. On the draw ragavan becomes one of our weaker cards because of bowmaster and I would value it a lot lower, maybe worth half a card. 

Postboard

1. Keeping in mind the aggression of Scam, it makes sense we might want to take some creatures out to increase our density of interaction and avoid getting run over. I like taking out DRC because leyline of the void is a key card for Scam and Ragavan plays better against Leyline, just don't play Ragavan into their Bowmaster but we have 3 scolding and a snare to protect Ragavan. As such I also prioritize saving Stern Scolding for Bowmaster, and removal for Ragavan/Voidwalker. 

2. Brotherhoods end can be a house and part of the reason I have 2 in my sideboard is helping to cement the scam matchup. This card is likely a 2:1 but can be better. It answers the board and fills the fury role of having ways to catch up from behind. I find this important because once we catch up, we are usually very favored in top deck wars.

3. Sheoldred (especially when paired with leyline of the void) can be very hard for us to deal with so if I dont have a clear path to lineup a heat against it, I will prioritize keeping counterspell in my hand and use my removal/scoldings first. It is a balancing act but keep in mind the bigger picture and don't waste counterspell on a Bowmaster if you have a removal spell and the 1/1 isn't impactful, games go long so Sheoldred WILL come up. 

4. Subtlety. One note since I have cut it from my most recent list- I still think it plays well against Scam both as our best OTD answer to Grief scam, but also a hardcast mode gives us a good threat vs Leyline of the Void. I don't think we need this card to beat scam but if you play them definitely bring it!

Sideboarding: 

-4 DRC -1 pierce +2 bro end +2 scolding +1 borrower