Golgari Midrange has plenty of cheap permanents that Abrupt Decay answers cleanly, such as Badgermole Cub, Sentinel of the Nameless City, and Unholy Annex with only its front half unlocked. Decay can't be countered. It only hits mana value 3 or less, so it can't touch Professor Dellian Fel or Sheoldred, the Apocalypse (both mana value 4). Save it for their early plays and don't count on it against their top end. Duress backs up our Thoughtseize to strip noncreature, nonland cards such as their removal (Fatal Push, Abrupt Decay, Go for the Throat) and Professor Dellian Fel before they can use them on our key pieces. Torch the Tower struggles against Sheoldred's 5 toughness and Badgermole Cub's earthbent lands, and The Sackville-Bagginses trades down against their efficient removal suite (Fatal Push, Abrupt Decay, Go for the Throat). Keep Oni-Cult Anvil and Deadly Dispute as the primary grindy engine against their midrange plan.

Selesnya Company presents cheap, high-value permanents (Skyclave Apparition, Archon of Emeria, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben) that Abrupt Decay removes outright at mana value 3 or less, bypassing their lack of counterspells. Duress strips removal like Get Lost before it can hit our key engine pieces. Torch the Tower is undersized against Badgermole Cub's earthbent land threat and most of their bigger bodies, and our own Thoughtseize is risky against Archon of Emeria's one-spell-per-turn restriction which can strand it in hand. Prioritize removing Archon of Emeria and Thalia early since both tax our spell-heavy engine significantly.

Izzet Cauldron is a Vivi Ornitier and Agatha's Soul Cauldron value deck built around Quantum Riddler, Fear of Missing Out, Stormchaser's Talent, Proft's Eidetic Memory, Academic Dispute and Winternight Stories. Its interaction is Torch the Tower and bounce such as Boomerang Basics and This Town Ain't Big Enough. Hexing Squelcher gives our team Ward—pay 2 life, which taxes their Torch the Tower and bounce spells aimed at our creatures. Soul-Guide Lantern is an artifact that feeds our sacrifice plan. Its sacrifice ability exiles their graveyard, which blanks Winternight Stories' harmonize, the Stormchaser's Talent level 2 recursion and the card types they need for Fear of Missing Out's delirium. Thoughtseize is cut because it costs life and takes only one piece from a deck with four copies each of Vivi Ornitier, Agatha's Soul Cauldron and Proft's Eidetic Memory. Torch the Tower is awkward against Quantum Riddler's 4/6 body and a Vivi that has grown out of its range. Keep the sacrifice/artifact engine intact. Their main deck has little artifact removal beyond bounce and Otawara, and the main sideboard threats to it are Abrade and Price of Freedom.