Show and tell

UPDATED MARCH/2022
Show and Tell is one of Legacy's many archetypes. This archetype currently splits on two sub-archetypes that use <c>Show and Tell</c> as their core: Omnitell and Sneak and Show.
==Overview==
<c>Show and Tell</c> (SaT) is one of the main staples in Legacy. It is a card that allows all players to put a creature, enchantment, artifact, or land from hand to play. It looks like a fair card, but, in reality, this card is used to cheat a permanent of those types into play (almost always one-sidedly).
The one-sided aspect of this effect resides in the fact that, even if the opponent their best permanent into play, the opponent will have a card like <c>Monastery Mentor</c>, <c>Murktide Regent</c> or <c>Tarmogoyf</c> while the Show and Tell player will have a card like <c>Omniscience</c>, <c>Griselbrand</c> or <c>Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</c>.
Since the card Show and Tell itself is Blue, the deck has access to card selection with Ponder, Brainstorm, as well as counterspells to defend the combo (usually Force of Will and Daze).
==Archetypes with Show and Tell ==
=== Omni-Tell (also known as Omni-Show) ===
This strategy uses SaT mostly to put into play the enchantment <c>Omniscience</c> and then start a series of different win conditions depending on each build. Secondarily it may put <c>Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</c> into play since it is already present in some Omni-Tell lists.
There are some decks that actually focus on using SaT to place exclusively creatures (normally <c>Griselbrand</c> or <c>Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</c>) and ditch Omniscience altogether.
Some lists may include <c>Eureka</c>. It is a card that synergizes well with SaT, but the main reason it isn't played is how expensive one actually is.
=== Sneak and Show ===
This strategy combines SaT and <c>Sneak Attack</c> on an Izzet (blue and red) shell.
The plan is to cheat a big creature into play and start the aggro with either <c>Griselbrand</c> or <c>Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</c>.
Griselbrand is usually preferrable because of the draw effect - it may even allow the player to find Emrakul and activate Sneak Attack a second time to swing for lethal damage.
==Similarities Between the Decks==
*Both strategies use Blue as the main color.
*Both decks have access to <c>Force of Will</c>, which gives extra protection to the decks.
*Both decks have access to <c>Brainstorm</c>, <c>Ponder</c> and <c>Preordain</c>, and that gives a fair consistency to both decks.
*Both decks have access to Sol Lands (Lands that have a <c>Sol Ring</c> effect: <c>Ancient Tomb</c> and <c>City of Traitors</c>), as efficient accelerators.
==Omni-Tell/Omni-Show==
Besides the cards listed on the Similarities section, this archetype may use tutors.
Usually the following:
*<c>Cunning Wish</c>
*<c>Intuition</c>
*<c>Pieces of the Puzzle</c>
Sample decklist:
<deck title="6th Place: Omni-Show - Tokeshi Hiroki - Hareruya (Japan) - 27/02/2022">
Lands
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
2 City of Traitors
2 Forest
4 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Prismatic Vista
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Volcanic Island
Creatures
2 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Griselbrand
2 Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
Instants and Sorceries
4 Brainstorm
3 Cunning Wish
2 Expressive Iteration
4 Force of Will
1 Impulse
2 Intuition
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Show and Tell
3 Veil of Summer
Other Spells
4 Omniscience
Sideboard:
2 Carpet of Flowers
2 Dress Down
1 Firemind's Foresight
1 Flusterstorm
1 Force of Vigor
1 Meltdown
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Pyroblast
1 Shared Summons
1 Stifle
1 Sublime Epiphany
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Through the Breach
</deck>
==Sneak and Show==
Besides the cards listed on the Similarities section, this archetype uses more creatures and more accelerators.
Usually the following:
*<c>Lotus Petal</c>
*<c>Sneak Attack</c>
*<c>Griselbrand</c>
*<c>Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</c>
Sample decklist:
<deck title="7th Place: Sneak and Show - Kawabe Yuki - Hareruya (Japan) - 27/02/2022">
Lands
3 Ancient Tomb
2 City of Traitors
2 Flooded Strand
3 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Polluted Delta
2 Scalding Tarn
3 Volcanic Island
Creatures
3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
4 Griselbrand
2 Simian Spirit Guide
Instants and Sorceries
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Show and Tell
Other Spells
4 Lotus Petal
4 Sneak Attack
Sideboard:
2 Abrade
2 Brazen Borrower
2 Defense Grid
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Flusterstorm
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Omniscience
1 Pyroblast
2 Surgical Extraction
</deck>
== Somewhere in the middle (Omni-Tell + Sneak and Show) ==
This version of the deck just tries to benefit from both strategies.
Sample decklist:<deck title="7th Place: Show and Tell - HNmagician MTGO Legacy Challenge - 27/02/2022">
Lands
3 Ancient Tomb
2 City of Traitors
3 Flooded Strand
3 Island
1 Mystic Sanctuary
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Volcanic Island
Creatures
3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3 Griselbrand
Instants and Sorceries
3 Cunning Wish
3 Daze
4 Force of Will
2 Impulse
1 Intuition
4 Ponder
4 Show and Tell
Other Spells
4 Lotus Petal
3 Omniscience
3 Sneak Attack
Sideboard:
2 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Firemind's Foresight
2 Flusterstorm
1 Intuition
1 Kozilek's Return
1 Mindbreak Trap
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Release the Ants
1 Rushing River
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Through the Breach
1 Trickbind
</deck>
==Notes on Show and Tell==
It is a deck that doesn't suffer from much hate in general. This makes it a difficult strategy to fight against and, in most cases, the opponent will have to resort to traditional disruption (Discard and Counterspell).
It has obligatory blue included and <c>Force of Will</c> in the maindeck. This makes the combo particularly resilient. Blue also gives it card selection and card draw spells and that makes this combo very consistent.
This deck can be funnily vulnerable to decks such as Reanimator or Mono-Red Sneak Attack. Mostly because the resolution of a Show and Tell can backfire and result in an opponent's victory by them placing a high-power card into play.
Even though Sneak Attack doesn't keep the creature in play forever, it usually results in lethal damage with Griselbrand (for being able to draw an Emrakul with its ability) or, at least an attack for 15 damage and Annihilator 6 from Emrakul.
SaT decks are strong and competitive and there actually is a SaT variety for more budget-limited players that is to play the Mono-Blue route.
== See also ==
* Legacy
* Vintage
* Modern
* Combo
* Blue
* Red
* Izzet
* Reserved List
* Revitalization of Legacy
Category:Deck archetypes