Today I thought I would try something different and discuss the constructed applications of the new R/B cards from Dragons of Tarkir.
I'm going to discuss all the cards that I think COULD have a home the current or future meta, If it doesn't get mentioned, it's probably because I don't think it's constructed playable (that means a lot coming from me).
Other sites have reviewed this cards and I think some have been overhyped and some haven't been given their due credit.
BLACK
Blood-Chin Fanatic - a 3/3 for 3 with no evasion is probably not where the monoblack warrior deck wants to be. The ability is nice to close out the game where the opponent is at a single-digit life total, I think this card could be a 2-of, but a warrior deck, it isn't good enough to warrant inclusion in every black deck.
Blood-Chin Rager - this guy's ability is pretty bonkers. The only sad thing are his generic stats. This is exactly what the black warrior decks need against Monored/token strategies. I kind of wish this card was a 3/1. The 2-point toughness is pretty irrelevant. If it gets block by two creatures, it's probably deck.
Coat with Venom - well, color me intrigued. I think this card is actually very good. This can make you creatures survive a Wild Slash for 2-point toughness creatures survive a Lightning Strike/Bile Bight. You can also 2-for-1 yourself and take down a big creatures if worse comes to worse. Well, you know, I think AT WORST it becomes a bad pump spell. TAKE ONE EXTRA DAMAGE. YES. I think this is miles ahead of Boon of Erebos.
Defeat - this card is ok. Maybe it'll see play next year if there's a big multicolored theme in Zendikar. But why does it have to be a sorcery? Ugh.
Duress - a great card and a long staple of multiple formats, but I doubt you needed me to tell you that. And it's just a common! Coming to sideboards near you...
Foul-Tongue Shriek - this one is very interesting. Channel Fireball called it a "win-more" card. And I can see that. But it's not often you're attacking with eight creatures in standard, but what about with three? Is it playable if it's a condition Lava Spike that gains you three life? I could see that. Black doesn't have any burn effects and I've noticed that monored will generally ignore your creatures if you don't block, maybe this is what black needs to make the red matchup more palatable.
Minister of Pain - this is a great sideboard card for aggressive black decks against token strategies. I think Drown in Sorrow is probably just strictly better for midrange/control players though.
Pitiless Horde - I really like this card, but there are a couple issues. If I were playing a red deck and my opponent slammed down a Pitiless Horde I would probably be smiling because unless I mulled to two, I am definitely winning the game. This card is terrible against token strategies and red in general. 3 toughness makes it very susceptible to Bile Blight as well, I think this is probably a VERY good card against control decks , the dash makes it so they can't ever tap out and fairly good against midrange decks. Probably a sideboard card for now.
Self-Inflicted Wound - this is a great sideboard card, you know that, moving on...
Sidisi, Undead Vizier - this card is pretty strong. 6 is a lot of butts and deathtouch means this card is probably killing everything, with not a ton of cards being able to actually kill it. I would be interested to see a deck with Sidisi and Bloodsoaked Champion.
Silumgar Assassin - this card is...alright. It's not mediocre, but it's not good. I don't think wizards could tell what this card was supposed to do. So it kills a small creature and then can't be blocked by a big guy? At best, you're paying 5B to kill two creatures against aggro and against midrange, you kill a Satyr Wayfinder just so your guy trades with a manifest token? Yeah...I don't think this card will find a home.
Ultimate Price - this card is just GR8. It was very good in a multicolored block, but there are not a ton of multicolored creatures that are currently played. It's just a better-terror currently.
RED
Dragon Fodder - very good, finds a home in monored, moving on.
Dragon Whisperer - I don't understand the hype about this card. It's awful. Red decks are too mana hungry to do anything with this. Yeah, sure, it's probably a better draw in the late game when you compare it do Dragon Fodder, but who cares. This is not a deal-with-me-or-I-get-out-of-control type of card.
Dragon Lord's Servant - if you play this against me on turn 2, regardless of what deck I'm playing, I will assume I've gotten a bye for the round. Yeah, make your dragon deck, fine.
Impact Tremors - so this could be good in token strategy decks. That's probably about it though. I could see the inclusion of 2 of these in a R/x deck with Rabblemaster/Hordeling Outburst/Dragon Fodder/Raise the Alarm.
Ire Shaman - heyyy, so red is able to draw cards now, but in a real terrible way, they really have been pushing this flip draw crap lately. If your initial investment is 3R, aren't you just better off playing Frontier Siege...? *eerie theme music*
Kolaghan Stormsinger - another one of the "maybe this is good enough." Shakes head, it's not, initial investment of 3R for a 2/2 and giving another creature haste is meh. Holy god though, imagine if this card was R: Dash, when this creature comes into play, another target creatures gains haste until EOT. That would be a card.
Lightning Beserker - people have been calling this guy overrated. Have you read him??? This is the best firebreather red has ever had, and he's way above Stonewright who was already played in some decks. If your opponent ever taps out on an empty board, this guy is just a free burn spell. Also, this card is just ridiculous because you can attack into your opponent's bigger creatures with no fear. I'm sorry, Channel Fireball, but this is not a singleton.
Magnetic Chasm - another one of these falter effects? Fine, maybe it's playable as a 2x in sideboards. Maybe not.
Qal Sisma Behemoth - I love this card, but sadly, I don't think this is his time to shine. Red decks right now are too mana hungry and too low to the ground to play him and G/R is ramping to better things. I thought about some deck with this, Gurmag Angler and then a ton of removal. It will probably have to wait though. Running this guy out after your opponent plays Dragon Fodder is SUPER depressing.
Rending Volly / Roast - these cards are GR8, duh.
Seismic Rupture - this card is interesting. If you want to play a deck with multiple colors and have an Anger of the Gods type of effect, this is it. 2 damage is as good as 3 damage is this format, I don't think the creatures not being exile is relevant. I think this will see some play.
Twin Bolt - maybe this is playable. There hasn't been an effect like this an instant speed for a good while (was electrolyze the last one? Maybe?). I like the idea of having this in the sideboard. There are certainly decks that just get BLOWNNNNNNN OUTTTT by this card. Maybe the capitalization wasn't necessary, but I just needed to remind the audience how exciting the prospect of getting a 2-for-1 is. Yes, maybe your Arc Lightning will get 3 guys and maybe you'll also find a thousand dollars in the trash can, Anything is possible. Also, you might just be close to dead on turn three. You got your 3-for-1, but you're now at eight life. Whooooo.
Zurgo Bellstriker - probably the best R one-drop since Rakdos Cackler (2012-2014, lest we forget). People are saying "should we play 2 or three?" No. Play four.
Multicolored
Kolaghan's Command - wow, did this command get nerfed. Consider the possibilities and how much mana they cost:
Target player discards a card - B (Raven's Crime/Funeral Charm/etc.)
Two damage to target creature/player - R (Shock)
Return a creature card from the graveyard to your hand - B (Raise Dead)
Destroy target artifact - 1R (Shatter/Wear/etc.)
I say that this card is nerfed because it's generally worse than all the cards out there that do similar things (Blightning, Shatter to Smithereens, etc.). Too bad this didn't cost BR, then I would be giving it my full endorsement. Unless you're destroying an artifact, you're probably losing mana on the investment. Yes, I understand the card can give you 2-for-1s, but how often will that happen? Your best chances for that are probably "Shock and Raise Dead" or "Shock and Discard". I love the idea of making my opponent discard during their draw step though...
So yeah! I hope you enjoyed. Maybe we'll do something similar for the other colors (probably by someone else, because, let's face it, what are the only colors I ever play?).
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Modern Mania: Dramatic Braids Breach?
Hello all! I have an interesting idea for you today. I played Hypergenesis back in the old extended season of 2010 and ever since it was banned in modern, I've tried to come up with ideas that are similar. Oh sure, there's Living End, but the power levels aren't comparable. Resolving Hypergenesis usually meant automatically winning or winning in at least one turn. There's so much anxiety with Living End.
-Will I get blown out by graveyard hate?
-Will I draw all of my living ends before a cascade spell?
-What I resolve Living End and it's not good enough? (i.e. opponent's creatures are better)
-Will I die before I can swing before lethal (mostly a problem against Burn/Infect/Affinity)
It's a lot easier to win with giant 9/9 monsters that destroy all of your opponent's permanents than a bunch of 3/4s that do nothing. The Living End match against affinity is also a headache if they draw ravager. Living End just becomes "Fog: put all your terrible creatures from the graveyard into play"
So, yeah, I love hypergenesis and when I have nostalgia for a deck, I try and replicate it. One of the most obvious creature combo cards in modern is Through the Breach. Slam Emrakul or Griselbrand down, attack and try and do it again. What about Dramatic Entrance? For 3GG, you get to keep the creature! Granted, it has to be green and it doesn't have haste. Now, what green creatures are good enough for this in modern...
Another card that's always had my consideration (as well as that of others, I assume) is Braids, Conjurer Adept. It's the timeshifted version of a card from Odyssey block and instead of making you sacrifice an artifact/creature/land, you get to put one into play from your hand. It's unfortunate that your opponent gets to do this first. So not only does Braids has to live until your next turn, but you have to live until your next turn as well.
There's also the card Aethermage's Touch (reveal top 4 of your library, reveal a creature and put it into play, return it to your hand at end of turn). I'd like to build around this, but there's just too many problems. 1) you have to ensure there's a creature on top 2) the creature needs to do something in play, either have a serious comes into play effect or have haste 3) how do you keep it from rotting in your hand? W/U don't have many ways of powering out fatties.
So, our list for today:
-Will I get blown out by graveyard hate?
-Will I draw all of my living ends before a cascade spell?
-What I resolve Living End and it's not good enough? (i.e. opponent's creatures are better)
-Will I die before I can swing before lethal (mostly a problem against Burn/Infect/Affinity)
It's a lot easier to win with giant 9/9 monsters that destroy all of your opponent's permanents than a bunch of 3/4s that do nothing. The Living End match against affinity is also a headache if they draw ravager. Living End just becomes "Fog: put all your terrible creatures from the graveyard into play"
So, yeah, I love hypergenesis and when I have nostalgia for a deck, I try and replicate it. One of the most obvious creature combo cards in modern is Through the Breach. Slam Emrakul or Griselbrand down, attack and try and do it again. What about Dramatic Entrance? For 3GG, you get to keep the creature! Granted, it has to be green and it doesn't have haste. Now, what green creatures are good enough for this in modern...
Another card that's always had my consideration (as well as that of others, I assume) is Braids, Conjurer Adept. It's the timeshifted version of a card from Odyssey block and instead of making you sacrifice an artifact/creature/land, you get to put one into play from your hand. It's unfortunate that your opponent gets to do this first. So not only does Braids has to live until your next turn, but you have to live until your next turn as well.
There's also the card Aethermage's Touch (reveal top 4 of your library, reveal a creature and put it into play, return it to your hand at end of turn). I'd like to build around this, but there's just too many problems. 1) you have to ensure there's a creature on top 2) the creature needs to do something in play, either have a serious comes into play effect or have haste 3) how do you keep it from rotting in your hand? W/U don't have many ways of powering out fatties.
So, our list for today:
4 time of need
4 magus of the vineyard
4 progenitus
4 magus of the vineyard
4 progenitus
2 faithless looting
4 braids, conjurer adept
4 dramatic entrance
4 simian spirit guide
4 through the breach
4 emrakul
4 pentad prism
4 manamorphose
4 braids, conjurer adept
4 dramatic entrance
4 simian spirit guide
4 through the breach
4 emrakul
4 pentad prism
4 manamorphose
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Wooded Foothills
4 Breeding Pool
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Wooded Foothills
4 Breeding Pool
1 Steam Vents
2 Stomping Grounds
4 Gemstone Mines
2 Stomping Grounds
4 Gemstone Mines
1 Mana Confluence
I started off with 20 lands, but thought that might be a bit much. Honestly, maybe 18 is too much. Maybe four faithless looting is exactly what this deck needs. Maybe just cut two fetches? What do you guys think?
So, a bunch of cool interactions - Time of Need is used to go fetch Emrakul, Progenitus or Braids. Dramatic Entrance only works well with Progenitus obviously, but once he's on the field, it seems hard to go wrong. Through the Breach is obviously best with Emrakul, paying 4R to deal ten damage (i.e. attack with Progenitus) is fine, but it won't win the game on the spot.
For acceleration, we have our good friend Simian Spirit Guide. I should honestly count to see how many times I put him in my modern lists. We also have Pentad Prism to just us from two mana to five mana on turn three (for Through the Breach/Dramatic Entrance). There's also Magus of the Vineyard, which is a very spicy number for the deck. You get to 4 mana on turn 2 (then you can play Braids, and you're at 5 with a SSG) and 5 mana on turn 3. Yes, unfortunately, the opponent gets to use it first and maybe the Magus just dies, but that's the risk we take, isn't it?
Thoughts: letting other decks Ramp is probably bad, but if you're coming out with a turn two Emrakul, they can put all the permanents they want into play. I think most decks would just use GG as two colorless mana, which is fine. This deck is a bit all-in. Regarding Braids, I think most opponents would just use it for a free land/irrelevant creature. The only deck out there that has scary creatures is Amulet of Vigor and then maybe that B/R reanimator deck, but I don't think that's a thing anymore.
This deck is sweet and I hope I can the chance to actually sleeve this up sometime. Anyway, take care everyone.
-t
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Modern Cheerios: Next Level
Greetings again! Stephen here with another post on Modern Cheerios, or Puresteel Storm as some like to call it. Some changes have been made to the previous list, and I have some games to report to you all on how this list is performing and my thoughts on whether or not it is tournament playable.
For those who have not read the previous article, my original list was this:
Cheerios:
4 Kite Shield
4 Accorder's Shield
4 Sigil of Distinction
4 Bone Saw
4 Paradise Mantle
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
4 Noxious Revival
4 Spoils of the Vault
4 Puresteel Paladin
2 Grapeshot
2 Manamorphose
12 Lands
Sideboard:
4 Gemstone Caverns
3 Mana Tithe
1 Storm Entity
1 Laboratory Maniac
2 Apostle's Blessing
4 ?
This one was brutal, in more than one sense. On the one hand, you won with incredible speed. On the other hand, you died with incredible speed. Spoils of the Vault was capable of both closing out the game by giving you exactly what you needed, but also putting you in bolt range or just killing you instantly. I began to look around and try to find the best tutor possible for our Paladin, and while Plunge into Darkness looked promising, Muddle the Mixture won out. As such, the list changed, and here is where we stood before my 4 rounds last night.
Cheerios:
4 Kite Shield
4 Accorder's Shield
1 Sigil of Distinction
4 Bone Saw
4 Paradise Mantle
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
4 Noxious Revival
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Puresteel Paladin
1 Grapeshot
1 Echoing Truth
3 Turn Aside
1 Plains
2 Mystic Gate
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Glimmervoid
3 Gemstone Mine
Sideboard:
4 Salvage Titan
4 Silence
4 Angel's Grace
3 Gut Shot
With Muddle the Mixture, the deck (insert finger quotes here) "slows down," and by that I mean, no it doesn't. This list still retains just as much power as its predecessor with the added ability to counter spells if need be. Going into the 4 rounds I knew I wanted more Puresteel Paladins. We have the 4, and the 4 Muddle to help find them, but I wanted somewhere around 11. After testing with Riddlesmith, I decided against him. While similar, watching my hand disappear into nothing did nothing but cause my later draws to be miserable, so he was sacked for the Turn Aside's. I thought, 'hell why not' and went with this. (Foreshadow Moment: it was bad)
With the new tutor engine, the mana base becomes easier to sustain. Fetches and shocks do everything, but I like my WUBRG lands to pay for Noxious Revival in a pinch. Well, enough of that. On to some matches, eh?
Practice Game:
I win the die roll and keep 3x Mox Opal, Paladin, Retract, Kite Shield, Accorder's Shield. Cast both shields, mox for white, mox for white, mox for blue and cast both Paladin and Retract. Draw 2 cards, find a Shield and another Retract, and keep going, drawing my entire library and Grapeshot for lethal on turn one on the play.
With my hopes up, the rounds begin.
Round 1 vs Infect:
G1 he mulls to 4. My hand is capable of going off turn 2, but I wait for turn 3 just to see what he's on. I board in the Gut Shots.
G2 I keep a decent turn 3 hand, but die on turn 2 from quad pump spell on a Glistener elf.
G3 I keep a one land Gut Shot hand. I shoot the first elf which slows him down enough to for me to find a pally and go for it.
I take a mental note here about my land count. 14 seems low, even for a deck like this. Finding the second land was rough.
Round 2 vs G/W Things:
G1: She goes turn 1 Dryad Militant (who plays this? lol) and I wtf face. Noxious Revival loops are off unless I Echoing Truth that. She follows up with Thalia, and I just scoop. The only out I reasonably have is generating a storm high enough to kill both, which seems unlikely given the board.
G2: I go turn 2 Salvage Titan because I didn't draw the second land (recurring theme here) to go for the Paladin loop. She path's my guy and plays a Thalia. Yep. Tastes like Ranch.
At this moment I am cursing myself for not going up to 15 lands, but I have to take my licks I guess.
Round 3 vs Phyrexian Unlife Lightning Storm
G1: We both start off the game doing very little. He cantrips and suspends Lotus Blooms while I try to find a Paladin. We end up fighting over the Paladin, and he wins the battle. Angel;s Grace into Ad Nauseum and he proceeds to Lightning Storm me to death.
G2: I bring in Angel's Grace for the blow out here. If he picks up his library again, I can Grace and he loses. Or Silence, which is just as good. However, what actually unfolds is even more silly. I watch as he can't find the Ad Nauseum (combo deck nightmares, believe me I know) and I resolve a Paladin. After drawing roughly 4 cards with some cereal (or O's) I cast a Silence. He responds with Angel's Grace. I shrug, and after the Grace resolves use Revival to put Silence on top of my deck and wait with Angel's Grace of my own in hand. Next turn I draw and cast Silence again, so he Peer Through Depths into Angel's Grace. So I attack with Paladin for 3 and use another Revival. I then draw and cast Silence AGAIN which resolves (I give him a piece of paper with F6 written on it lol) and he dies.
G3: This game was dumb. Same thing happens in the beginning, but he ends up casting a Simian Spirit Guide and attacking with it (remind you of some tournaments Travis?). We trade Silence's for Grace's until I run him out and combo again.
After this game, we had a good laugh, and I lamented the lack of a 15th land again. Drawing land number 2 was a real pain in the ass.
Round 4 vs Splinter Twin:
G1: Aside from UWR, this is another poor matchup game one as we don't have infinite Paladins. This match, games one and two basically involved Paladin dying, followed by me dying.
In hindsight, 14 lands may have not been enough. I struggled with finding a second land more often than I needed to, and I lost some very fast games because of it. One more than one occasion the second land would have ended the game, as my opponents left no mana up to try and slow me down, as they needed to develop their own hands to try and keep up. Also, Turn Aside was shit, and met the sideboard every game. If I wanted a one mana counter, I might as well be playing Silence in the main.
What I do want to try are 2 copies (or 3 if I can find the space) for Erayo, Soratami Ascendant. While we can't flip him on turn one (we require Darksteel Citadel for Metalcraft to make sure we don't use him as the 4th spell, which doesn't work), turn 2 is just as good against basically every deck in the format. It would give this deck the time it needs to be able to combo out. He does function as Paladin's 9 and 10, in essence, as he tries to win the game on the spot. Also, most Modern decks are going to be tapping out turns 1 and 2 to develop their own board states, giving us just enough time to go for glory. However, don't worry about the long game. If you aren't under any pressure, you can amass Muddle's and Revivals and grind most players out of answers before you run out of ways to either cast the Paladin or protect him.
I will continue to play this deck, and intend on taking it to states on April 12th to compete. I have one week to find everything I need and fine tune the list, so I hope you all will wish me luck!
Thanks for reading! You guys are awesome!
-Stephen D.
For those who have not read the previous article, my original list was this:
Cheerios:
4 Kite Shield
4 Accorder's Shield
4 Sigil of Distinction
4 Bone Saw
4 Paradise Mantle
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
4 Noxious Revival
4 Spoils of the Vault
4 Puresteel Paladin
2 Grapeshot
2 Manamorphose
12 Lands
Sideboard:
4 Gemstone Caverns
3 Mana Tithe
1 Storm Entity
1 Laboratory Maniac
2 Apostle's Blessing
4 ?
This one was brutal, in more than one sense. On the one hand, you won with incredible speed. On the other hand, you died with incredible speed. Spoils of the Vault was capable of both closing out the game by giving you exactly what you needed, but also putting you in bolt range or just killing you instantly. I began to look around and try to find the best tutor possible for our Paladin, and while Plunge into Darkness looked promising, Muddle the Mixture won out. As such, the list changed, and here is where we stood before my 4 rounds last night.
Cheerios:
4 Kite Shield
4 Accorder's Shield
1 Sigil of Distinction
4 Bone Saw
4 Paradise Mantle
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
4 Noxious Revival
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Puresteel Paladin
1 Grapeshot
1 Echoing Truth
3 Turn Aside
1 Plains
2 Mystic Gate
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Glimmervoid
3 Gemstone Mine
Sideboard:
4 Salvage Titan
4 Silence
4 Angel's Grace
3 Gut Shot
With Muddle the Mixture, the deck (insert finger quotes here) "slows down," and by that I mean, no it doesn't. This list still retains just as much power as its predecessor with the added ability to counter spells if need be. Going into the 4 rounds I knew I wanted more Puresteel Paladins. We have the 4, and the 4 Muddle to help find them, but I wanted somewhere around 11. After testing with Riddlesmith, I decided against him. While similar, watching my hand disappear into nothing did nothing but cause my later draws to be miserable, so he was sacked for the Turn Aside's. I thought, 'hell why not' and went with this. (Foreshadow Moment: it was bad)
With the new tutor engine, the mana base becomes easier to sustain. Fetches and shocks do everything, but I like my WUBRG lands to pay for Noxious Revival in a pinch. Well, enough of that. On to some matches, eh?
Practice Game:
I win the die roll and keep 3x Mox Opal, Paladin, Retract, Kite Shield, Accorder's Shield. Cast both shields, mox for white, mox for white, mox for blue and cast both Paladin and Retract. Draw 2 cards, find a Shield and another Retract, and keep going, drawing my entire library and Grapeshot for lethal on turn one on the play.
With my hopes up, the rounds begin.
Round 1 vs Infect:
G1 he mulls to 4. My hand is capable of going off turn 2, but I wait for turn 3 just to see what he's on. I board in the Gut Shots.
G2 I keep a decent turn 3 hand, but die on turn 2 from quad pump spell on a Glistener elf.
G3 I keep a one land Gut Shot hand. I shoot the first elf which slows him down enough to for me to find a pally and go for it.
I take a mental note here about my land count. 14 seems low, even for a deck like this. Finding the second land was rough.
Round 2 vs G/W Things:
G1: She goes turn 1 Dryad Militant (who plays this? lol) and I wtf face. Noxious Revival loops are off unless I Echoing Truth that. She follows up with Thalia, and I just scoop. The only out I reasonably have is generating a storm high enough to kill both, which seems unlikely given the board.
G2: I go turn 2 Salvage Titan because I didn't draw the second land (recurring theme here) to go for the Paladin loop. She path's my guy and plays a Thalia. Yep. Tastes like Ranch.
At this moment I am cursing myself for not going up to 15 lands, but I have to take my licks I guess.
Round 3 vs Phyrexian Unlife Lightning Storm
G1: We both start off the game doing very little. He cantrips and suspends Lotus Blooms while I try to find a Paladin. We end up fighting over the Paladin, and he wins the battle. Angel;s Grace into Ad Nauseum and he proceeds to Lightning Storm me to death.
G2: I bring in Angel's Grace for the blow out here. If he picks up his library again, I can Grace and he loses. Or Silence, which is just as good. However, what actually unfolds is even more silly. I watch as he can't find the Ad Nauseum (combo deck nightmares, believe me I know) and I resolve a Paladin. After drawing roughly 4 cards with some cereal (or O's) I cast a Silence. He responds with Angel's Grace. I shrug, and after the Grace resolves use Revival to put Silence on top of my deck and wait with Angel's Grace of my own in hand. Next turn I draw and cast Silence again, so he Peer Through Depths into Angel's Grace. So I attack with Paladin for 3 and use another Revival. I then draw and cast Silence AGAIN which resolves (I give him a piece of paper with F6 written on it lol) and he dies.
G3: This game was dumb. Same thing happens in the beginning, but he ends up casting a Simian Spirit Guide and attacking with it (remind you of some tournaments Travis?). We trade Silence's for Grace's until I run him out and combo again.
After this game, we had a good laugh, and I lamented the lack of a 15th land again. Drawing land number 2 was a real pain in the ass.
Round 4 vs Splinter Twin:
G1: Aside from UWR, this is another poor matchup game one as we don't have infinite Paladins. This match, games one and two basically involved Paladin dying, followed by me dying.
In hindsight, 14 lands may have not been enough. I struggled with finding a second land more often than I needed to, and I lost some very fast games because of it. One more than one occasion the second land would have ended the game, as my opponents left no mana up to try and slow me down, as they needed to develop their own hands to try and keep up. Also, Turn Aside was shit, and met the sideboard every game. If I wanted a one mana counter, I might as well be playing Silence in the main.
What I do want to try are 2 copies (or 3 if I can find the space) for Erayo, Soratami Ascendant. While we can't flip him on turn one (we require Darksteel Citadel for Metalcraft to make sure we don't use him as the 4th spell, which doesn't work), turn 2 is just as good against basically every deck in the format. It would give this deck the time it needs to be able to combo out. He does function as Paladin's 9 and 10, in essence, as he tries to win the game on the spot. Also, most Modern decks are going to be tapping out turns 1 and 2 to develop their own board states, giving us just enough time to go for glory. However, don't worry about the long game. If you aren't under any pressure, you can amass Muddle's and Revivals and grind most players out of answers before you run out of ways to either cast the Paladin or protect him.
I will continue to play this deck, and intend on taking it to states on April 12th to compete. I have one week to find everything I need and fine tune the list, so I hope you all will wish me luck!
Thanks for reading! You guys are awesome!
-Stephen D.
Battle for Zendikar
So Wizards will returning to the plane of Zendikar for September 2015. Based on the pictures, one has to assume that there will probably be some busted Eldrazis again.
Buttt that might also mean the return of the Ally creature type. Wizards constantly does this - a tribal block is pushed just ALMOST enough to become tier 1 in standard, but then it never happens and the deck is eventually forgotten. There was a real cool Naya Ally-aggro deck back in the warm year of 2010. Ultimately, it never put up the numbers and that was that.
Saying "Naya" makes me feel weird, because a newer player likely won't have played SIX years ago during Shards of Alara. I know all the shards and color combinations are labelled thanks to Ravnica, Alara and now Tarkir, but I feel like years from now, newer players will wonder about these names. G/R is called Gruul? Why? Oh well, time marches ever onward, I suppose.
Anyway, the cards for an Ally deck in modern are almost there.
Hada Freeblade
Oran-Rief Survivalist
Kazandu Blademaster
Jwari Shapeshifter
Akoum Battlesinger
Phantasmal Image
Aether Vial
Oran-Rief Survivalist isn't even that good and there's also Bojuka Brigand, who's just currently borderline playable since there's nothing else. Adaptive Automaton? Meh.
What I like about this deck is the flexibility for sideboard slots. Ondu Cleric against Burn, Tuktuk Scrapper against Affinity and Highland Beserker against other aggressive decks.
There needs to be at least one other good one drop, but probably two more.
You might wonder whether I'm interesting in playing Meathooks (the sliver deck). But hey, guess what, I'm not. Allies already give bonuses when they come into play so you don't just lose when you attack and one of your guys dies.
So, if Zendikar is as broken as I think it will be, prepare for a bunch of degenerate combos in the future.
Buttt that might also mean the return of the Ally creature type. Wizards constantly does this - a tribal block is pushed just ALMOST enough to become tier 1 in standard, but then it never happens and the deck is eventually forgotten. There was a real cool Naya Ally-aggro deck back in the warm year of 2010. Ultimately, it never put up the numbers and that was that.
Saying "Naya" makes me feel weird, because a newer player likely won't have played SIX years ago during Shards of Alara. I know all the shards and color combinations are labelled thanks to Ravnica, Alara and now Tarkir, but I feel like years from now, newer players will wonder about these names. G/R is called Gruul? Why? Oh well, time marches ever onward, I suppose.
Anyway, the cards for an Ally deck in modern are almost there.
Hada Freeblade
Oran-Rief Survivalist
Kazandu Blademaster
Jwari Shapeshifter
Akoum Battlesinger
Phantasmal Image
Aether Vial
Oran-Rief Survivalist isn't even that good and there's also Bojuka Brigand, who's just currently borderline playable since there's nothing else. Adaptive Automaton? Meh.
What I like about this deck is the flexibility for sideboard slots. Ondu Cleric against Burn, Tuktuk Scrapper against Affinity and Highland Beserker against other aggressive decks.
There needs to be at least one other good one drop, but probably two more.
You might wonder whether I'm interesting in playing Meathooks (the sliver deck). But hey, guess what, I'm not. Allies already give bonuses when they come into play so you don't just lose when you attack and one of your guys dies.
So, if Zendikar is as broken as I think it will be, prepare for a bunch of degenerate combos in the future.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Brews on Brews on Brews
Hello all! I've meaning to update lately, but I've been kind of busy. Anyway, this post is somewhat serving as procrastination, so that's better than nothing, right?
So here are a bunch of cool brews from a variety of sources.
#1 Infinite Lore
So here are a bunch of cool brews from a variety of sources.
#1 Infinite Lore
4 Living Lore
4 Enter the Infinite
2 Lightning Storm
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Faithless Looting
4 Tormenting Voice
4 Wild Guess
2 Pact of Negation
4 Izzet Charm
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
4 Enter the Infinite
2 Lightning Storm
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Faithless Looting
4 Tormenting Voice
4 Wild Guess
2 Pact of Negation
4 Izzet Charm
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
4 Hall of the Bandit Lord
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
I know Travis Woo is messing around with Living Lore + Cruel Ultimatum, but I think Enter the Infinite is strictly better. Don't just cast one spell. Cast all of them.
So, you have a done of draw/discard spells to find a Living Lore and put Enter the Infinite in the Graveyard. Maybe 4 Hall of the Bandit Lord is a bit excessive, but Living Lore seems super fragile. The nice thing is all it has to do is connect. Not with the face, it gets to explode even if it gets chump blocked. So the idea is to play Living Lore, attack with it (maybe Pact of Negation a random removal/counter), play Enter the Infinite, draw your deck and use three Simian Spirit Guide to play Lightning Storm and discard 3-7 lands.
This deck's problems? Well, if your opponent is running graveyard hard, like, even a little, your deck does nothing. At all. The fastest you could actually kill someone with this deck is turn 3, but I feel like getting Remand'd just wrecks you. I feel that the only reasonably-played removal spell that deals with a 12/12 creature is path to exile (do people run terror anymore? no, right? maybe slaughter pact in that amulet deck...)
Well, this deck is real fun and all, but it's a real one-trick pony. There are some decks out there that you might classify as "glass cannons", but this probably falls more along the lines into "straw cannons." (like that No-Land modern deck by Travis Woo...yeah)
Deck #2 Pool Party
4 Knowledge Pool
4 Curse of Exhaustion
4 Renowned Weaponsmith
4 Treasure Mage
4 Eidolon of Rhetoric
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
1 Spell Pierce
2 Supreme Verdict
3 Mana Leak
3 Oust
3 Oust
4 Flooded Strand
4 Hallowed Foundtain
4 Hallowed Foundtain
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Plains
1 Island
Heyyy, so you might recognize this deck. There was a standard deck wayyyy back in old Scars of Mirrodin/Innistrad standard with the same combo. So you have Knowledge Pool + Curse which is a lock for your opponent. They can't cast spells anymore and you (eventually) win. I added Treasure Mage to go and get the Pool, he's nice since he provides a body for chump blocking and maybe even a clock (it could happen!). The only cheap way of searching enchantments is Enlightened Tutor and I don't think that's what this deck wants to be doing a three. So...this deck is slow as hell. Your BEST possible scenario is going T2 Renowed Weaponsmith T3 Eidolon T4 Knowledge Pool. So, yeah if your opponent hasn't messed with any of your permanents and hasn't somehow killed you, you win. Whoooo. This deck is real interesting and all, but I doubt anything can ever come of it.
Deck #3 Rally the Biovisionaries
4 Biovisionary
4 Phantasmal Image
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Thoughtscour
3 Gifts Ungiven
3 Path to Exile
4 Rally the Ancestors
3 Mana Leak
2 Snapcaster Mage
3 Pentad Prism
3 Remand
3 Remand
1 Windswept Heath
4 Flooded Strand
4 Temple of Enlightenment
2 Glacial Fortress
1 Breeding Pool
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Temple of Enlightenment
2 Glacial Fortress
1 Breeding Pool
3 Hallowed Fountain
5 Island
3 Plains
This deck is real cool. I wish I could take credit for this, but this actually comes to us from Roxie Cards (with some adjustments by me). I've been trying to make a real cool Rally the Ancestors combo in modern for awhile now and the "exile Rally a EOT" made it quite the puzzler. The only other ones I've seen where black with Grim Guardian or red with Fanatic of Mogis. (There's also a black one with Gray Merchant, but that's even worse...WW5? No, thank you)
So, the idea is to get Biovisionary with some amount of Phantasmal Image in the graveyard and then Rally the Ancestors. Then you should win end of turn. There are some really cool things going on here. You can gifts ungiven to put certain pieces in the graveyard. Snapcaster adds just 1U to the casting cost of a rally in the GY. It could read 4WWU - you win the game. Anyway, this deck also has a number of problems. If you lose Biovisionary, the deck has to win with Phantasmal Image. Also, Bile Blight is just a nightmare. You probably need at least 5 "Biovisionary"s in the yard to go off, as one of them will just certainly die. I think this deck is real cool and if there's even another Phantasmal Image type effect in modern, this deck could probably be pushed to tier 2 (with some work)
Deck #4 Null Profusion
4x Gitaxian Probe
3x Raven's Crime
4x Serum Visions
4x Sleight of Hand
Enchantment (8)
4x Copy Enchantment
4x Null Profusion
Creature (13)
1x Laboratory Maniac
4x Memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x Simian Spirit Guide
Artifact (8)
4x Lotus Bloom
4x Mox Opal
Land (12)
2x Marsh Flats
3x Swamp
4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Watery Grave
Instant (4)
4x Pact of Negation
3x Raven's Crime
4x Serum Visions
4x Sleight of Hand
Enchantment (8)
4x Copy Enchantment
4x Null Profusion
Creature (13)
1x Laboratory Maniac
4x Memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x Simian Spirit Guide
Artifact (8)
4x Lotus Bloom
4x Mox Opal
Land (12)
2x Marsh Flats
3x Swamp
4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Watery Grave
Instant (4)
4x Pact of Negation
This list is brought to us from the fine folks at The Mana Source. I've always wanted to make a deck around Null Profusion. It's one of the favorite cards in my bad cube and I enjoy building wonky decks around it. So! For this deck, you need to get to six mana, which is somewhat rough, but it's doable with 4x Lotus Bloom. The idea is to draw your deck with Null Profusion then play a Laboratory Maniac and win on the spot. You have 4 Copy Enchantments to double your card draw...you're probably not going to get to six mana twice in one game and 4 Pact of Negations to protect the combo once you get going. Raven's Crime works as nice disruption in the early game and you can use it to discard useless lands once the combo is going. I like this deck a lot, but getting to six mana is just so hard here. Without lotus bloom, you sit around.
So here were a bunch of crazy modern lists this week. I hope you enjoyed them and please subscribe for more deck(s) of the day. We should have another tournament update later in the way about CHEERIOS.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Such prerelease, so dragon, very aggro
Hello! Magic weekend
report
Friday: Standard FNM with Monored Aggro
4-0 and 1st
Round 1: R/W Token Aggro, won 2-1. Rough match
Round 2: Temur Monsters, 2-0, opponent’s deck was mostly too slow to do anything
Round 3: Abzan junk, 2-1. This was real rough. Flooded in games 1 and 2, just barely winning game 1. Had mana problems again in game three and won off the top deck of a land to run out a Heelcutter + Swiftspear, making his creature not block.
Round 2: Temur Monsters, 2-0, opponent’s deck was mostly too slow to do anything
Round 3: Abzan junk, 2-1. This was real rough. Flooded in games 1 and 2, just barely winning game 1. Had mana problems again in game three and won off the top deck of a land to run out a Heelcutter + Swiftspear, making his creature not block.
Round 4: Abzan, 2-1.
Got game one real easily. Foundry
Street Denizen x3 in turns 1+2, into
Hordeling Outburst. Rawr.
Saturday: DoT Prerelease
4-1 and 3rd
4-1 and 3rd
I went with Rakdos (Kolaghan?) because let’s face it, I will
always go Rakdos when I can. I opened up
my pool and my red was abysmal. My black
wasn’t super strong either. I eventually
settled on a B/W warrior aggro deck. I
played a singleton Mountain and 1 R/W tap land for the dragon I opened. The dragon mostly rotted in my hand, I either
didn’t have the red or I would flood and not draw the dragon.
Anyway, this is the deck that I love to play. Guys low to the ground and a ton of
removal. I have to say that Bloodchin
Rager takes the prize as the best creature in my deck (even over the dragon). I think I won three rounds off the back of
him. After that was Gurmag Angler who
was surprisingly castable, despite my 16 lands.
I only cast my dragon twice out of 5 rounds, in games 2 and 3 of the
last round. I win game one and keep
Dragon, Deathwind, 5 lands. I reason
that this is probably good enough, as my opponent’s deck is incredibly
slow. Well, the dragon races him and he
has a timely removal spell and I die.
Game three I keep Dragon + 6 lands, as possibly the worst hand I’ve ever
kept in a tournament. Anyway, it gets
there. When I slam down the dragon on turn
5 he goes “ughhhh” and it carries me all the way.
Sunday: DoT Prerelease
4-0-1 and 1st
I had a pretty sick Rakdos deck. I splashed white for a Soulmaster. Gurmag Angler and Blood-Chin Rager made
another appearance. The one tie actually
wasn’t an ID, I had an opponent that played super slow game 1 (it took like 43
minutes!). I question whether he did it
on purpose, IDK man. I played game 2 on
super tilt but killed him by turn 6. We
only had like two minutes for game three.
I only got the Soulmaster combo out once (usually my opponents would
just kill it on sight or I would maybe get one lifegain activation of it), but
even after being behind the whole game (being able to repeatedly go 3RRR: deal
5 damage to target creature without flying, gain 5 life [roast]), my opponent
scooped after two turns.
So, this is a very aggressive format. These are the types of formats in which I flourish. We'll see if I can find a limited GP to turn guys sideways in.
I'm STRONGLY considering running some sort of dumb aggro deck at an upcoming standard GP, probably either monored or monoblack. I can't decide yet.
So here are the two decks I went with this weekend. Sorry that I'm dumb and couldn't get the formatting right. Also, the resolution is awful, so if you don't know the cards by picture (and they're in German, anyway... =P ), it won't help.
.JPG)
Stay tuned for some modern brewing this week. I've got some good ones for you guys.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
More Modern Action
Greetings All! Stephen here again with some state-side modern action. Normally, I would try to type eloquently and make my posts quite wordy and entertaining, but today I'm just going to make it straight and to the point.
At a local 4-Round Modern event that fires pretty much every Saturday, I decided to take my Cheerios list to the event, with a major modification: I actually was going to borrow Mox Opals. This was going to revolutionize just how brutal the draws of this deck can be, moreso that I thought.
Now, as I would rather this article be about the deck and some of my ideas for the future of it, I'm not going to give a pure play-by-play, but I will try to remember the list exactly as I played it and we shall go forward from there.
Cheerios:
4 Kite Shield
4 Accorder's Shield
4 Sigil of Distinction
4 Bone Saw
4 Paradise Mantle
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
4 Noxious Revival
4 Spoils of the Vault
4 Puresteel Paladin
2 Grapeshot
2 Manamorphose
12 Lands
Sideboard:
4 Gemstone Caverns
3 Mana Tithe
1 Storm Entity
1 Laboratory Maniac
2 Apostle's Blessing
4 ?
Please note, I have intentionally left the land section unspecified and the sideboard incomplete. The lands can be built in almost any fashion, so long as you play either a lot of WUBRG lands or at least one Godless Shrine and a way to get it. Spoils into Puresteel Paladin in quite literally the most common play you will make, so a land that can cast both is necessary. The sideboard is incomplete because, well, I don't think you could fit 15 useful cards into this sideboard. Think about it... what can you actually cut in this deck? I typically will cut at most, 1 Sigil (it does actual nothing as apposed to the fake nothing everything else does) and 1 Grapeshot for another style win-con as well as 4 lands if I win, as I want to be as explosive as possible game 2.
Here's an example of a game versus mono white death and taxes.
I win the die roll and start with a fetch land and pass. He plays plains into Aether Vial and I fetch for a Godless Shrine. My turn I play a Gemstone Caverns and pass, and he plays a plains and passes back. I do nothing on my 3rd turn and he plays land into Blade Splicer. At this moment I cast Spoils naming Puresteel, losing 4 life but adding the Puresteel to my hand. I jam the Puresteel into 4 equipment, drawing 4 cards, cast Mox Opal and then Retract, returning all my equipment and my Mox Opal to my hand, essentially making Retract cost 0. I draw around 40 cards before casting Grapeshot for lethal.
Game 2 I start with a near perfect hand, starting with Gemstone Caverns in play for the turn 0 Spoils into Puresteel. My turn one I cast the Paladin into triple equipment into Mox Opal to go off with the Retract in my hand. I draw all 53 cards left in my deck on my first turn, cast the Maniac, and then cast another equipment for the win.
This deck is crazy fast, but I feel that it is also the notable example of a deck defined by the name 'Glass Cannon'. You mulligan hands this deck feeds you with incredible frequency, but at the same time the cards are so redundant that it almost doesn't matter.
Noxious Revival and Spoils of the Vault make most hands snap-keeps, believe it or not. If you have one fetch land in your hand and Revival, its basically 2 fetch lands. Revival allows you to loop with only one Retract, as you simply put the Retract back on top before casting your last equipment. Also, if your opponents misses a land drop for whatever reason, or they are on reanimator, you can hose them by putting blanks on top of their library. (totally relevant, haha)
Where do I stand on this list? Personally, I like it. Alot. The speed this deck offers is unmatched, and while the deck does sort of die to removal, I am currently looking for ways to remedy this problem. Losing the Paladin hurts, but it doesn't mean the game is over. You only need one turn to win, which is more than some decks can say.
The next thing I would like to do with this list, that I think may just push it into the realm of sustainability would be to try out maybe 2 Riddlesmith as a pseudo Paladin until you can find one, and also some number of Angel's Grace. Splinter Twin in popular where I am, and if my opponent wishes to combo me out on turn 4 and I cast Angel's Grace, then win on my turn, I'm sure that would likely be the most savage play you could do.
In closing, I do recommend this deck if you have the Mox Opals. Its brutal to play with, as well as against. Mulligan aggressively, and I mean aggressively. But also have fun. We all love playing Magic, but let us not forget to have fun, even if that means putting all of our chips in a basket named Spoils of the Vault and hoping not to lose 26 life looking for a Puresteel Paladin. (totally happened to me)
I'll see you all next time!
-Stephen D.
At a local 4-Round Modern event that fires pretty much every Saturday, I decided to take my Cheerios list to the event, with a major modification: I actually was going to borrow Mox Opals. This was going to revolutionize just how brutal the draws of this deck can be, moreso that I thought.
Now, as I would rather this article be about the deck and some of my ideas for the future of it, I'm not going to give a pure play-by-play, but I will try to remember the list exactly as I played it and we shall go forward from there.
Cheerios:
4 Kite Shield
4 Accorder's Shield
4 Sigil of Distinction
4 Bone Saw
4 Paradise Mantle
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
4 Noxious Revival
4 Spoils of the Vault
4 Puresteel Paladin
2 Grapeshot
2 Manamorphose
12 Lands
Sideboard:
4 Gemstone Caverns
3 Mana Tithe
1 Storm Entity
1 Laboratory Maniac
2 Apostle's Blessing
4 ?
Please note, I have intentionally left the land section unspecified and the sideboard incomplete. The lands can be built in almost any fashion, so long as you play either a lot of WUBRG lands or at least one Godless Shrine and a way to get it. Spoils into Puresteel Paladin in quite literally the most common play you will make, so a land that can cast both is necessary. The sideboard is incomplete because, well, I don't think you could fit 15 useful cards into this sideboard. Think about it... what can you actually cut in this deck? I typically will cut at most, 1 Sigil (it does actual nothing as apposed to the fake nothing everything else does) and 1 Grapeshot for another style win-con as well as 4 lands if I win, as I want to be as explosive as possible game 2.
Here's an example of a game versus mono white death and taxes.
I win the die roll and start with a fetch land and pass. He plays plains into Aether Vial and I fetch for a Godless Shrine. My turn I play a Gemstone Caverns and pass, and he plays a plains and passes back. I do nothing on my 3rd turn and he plays land into Blade Splicer. At this moment I cast Spoils naming Puresteel, losing 4 life but adding the Puresteel to my hand. I jam the Puresteel into 4 equipment, drawing 4 cards, cast Mox Opal and then Retract, returning all my equipment and my Mox Opal to my hand, essentially making Retract cost 0. I draw around 40 cards before casting Grapeshot for lethal.
Game 2 I start with a near perfect hand, starting with Gemstone Caverns in play for the turn 0 Spoils into Puresteel. My turn one I cast the Paladin into triple equipment into Mox Opal to go off with the Retract in my hand. I draw all 53 cards left in my deck on my first turn, cast the Maniac, and then cast another equipment for the win.
This deck is crazy fast, but I feel that it is also the notable example of a deck defined by the name 'Glass Cannon'. You mulligan hands this deck feeds you with incredible frequency, but at the same time the cards are so redundant that it almost doesn't matter.
Noxious Revival and Spoils of the Vault make most hands snap-keeps, believe it or not. If you have one fetch land in your hand and Revival, its basically 2 fetch lands. Revival allows you to loop with only one Retract, as you simply put the Retract back on top before casting your last equipment. Also, if your opponents misses a land drop for whatever reason, or they are on reanimator, you can hose them by putting blanks on top of their library. (totally relevant, haha)
Where do I stand on this list? Personally, I like it. Alot. The speed this deck offers is unmatched, and while the deck does sort of die to removal, I am currently looking for ways to remedy this problem. Losing the Paladin hurts, but it doesn't mean the game is over. You only need one turn to win, which is more than some decks can say.
The next thing I would like to do with this list, that I think may just push it into the realm of sustainability would be to try out maybe 2 Riddlesmith as a pseudo Paladin until you can find one, and also some number of Angel's Grace. Splinter Twin in popular where I am, and if my opponent wishes to combo me out on turn 4 and I cast Angel's Grace, then win on my turn, I'm sure that would likely be the most savage play you could do.
In closing, I do recommend this deck if you have the Mox Opals. Its brutal to play with, as well as against. Mulligan aggressively, and I mean aggressively. But also have fun. We all love playing Magic, but let us not forget to have fun, even if that means putting all of our chips in a basket named Spoils of the Vault and hoping not to lose 26 life looking for a Puresteel Paladin. (totally happened to me)
I'll see you all next time!
-Stephen D.
Modern Report #2
Hey gang,
I didn't end up playing friday night, but I played a modern GPT for GP Krakow.
I played Living End again and finished a gross 3-2, getting 5th place on breakers. There were only 12 players so there was a cut to top 4. Womp, womp.
My list wasn't very different from the previous time. I took out a maindeck mountain for a fourth Simian Spirit Guide and I played a full set of Brindle Boar in the board. There was only one burn deck there, but I didn't play against it.
So begins the tale of some of the worst luck I've had in a magic tournament.
Round 1: Abzan
Game 1: Even though he has double Scavenging Ooze, I win pretty easily.
Game 2: He starts on a Noble Hierarch and goes Memoricide on turn 3 =/. I have two Simian Spirit Guides in my head so I desparetly cycle, hoping I can find a Violent Outburst. Demonic Dread is my draw. Of course. I concede. I played it too carefully, but I could have won. I had critical mass in the graveyard (due to several Street Wraiths)
Game 3: I keep a nice 7, 2 street wraith, 1 monstrous carabid, demonic dread, and three land. My first three draws are Living End. I boarded out one Living End. He has four Lingering Soul tokens and he exactsies me the turn before a suspended Living End goes off. Livid is a pretty good description.
0-1
Round 2: Amulet of Vigor Combo
I figure this will actually be an easy match for me.
Game 1: I cycle four guys and draw lands off all of them. I sit there with six lands in play, continually drawing blanks. He goes for a titan and I have a beast within. So if I draw a beast within or any of my fulminator mages I can blow up one of his two green lands, he can't pay for the pact and would die during his upkeep. I draw another blank. He taps out to pay for the pact. I hope to draw a cycler to dig or a cascade spell. Nothing. I die.
Game 2: I start out strong with a turn 2 (with 2x SSG) slaughter pact on Titan. His deck is almost entirely air at this point. He has some hiveminds, a couple pacts and Sigaarda (eh, too lazy to look up the spelling). The angel bashes me to six. I had to suspend Living End, because I drew all of them. A jungle weaver holds off the angel with nothing happens for 10+ turns. He finally puts me out of my misery with Hive Mind, triple Summoner's Pact.
0-2
Round 3: Ninja Bear Delver
Oh wow, this deck in real life! It was funny that both of us were playing WooBrews. Both games were pretty uninteresting. I comboed off both times on turn three. In the second game he remanded my Violent Outburst =/. I try to be a nice guy, but I don't want to explain to people how to kill me. He admitted to me that it was his first time with the deck.
1-2
Round 4: Mardu Warriors =/ =/ =/
Opponent was playing a standard deck was 0-3. I mean, it went exactly you might think.
2-2
Round 5: HateBears
My opponent's deck was pretty interesting. He was playing a variation of the deck. He didn't have any aether vials or phyrexian revokers,but he was playing maindeck ghostly prison.
Game 1: I had to fight through a Thalia, but the Simian Spirit Guides really helped and I went off turn 3 per usual.
Game 2: I went off, but not until after he had played a Ghostly Prison. It was really gross because his next top card Rest in Peace. He played a second Ghostly Prison, but a lone Monstrous Carabid attacked 7 times (while a bunch of other guys looked on) for the win.
3-2
So, yeah. 5th. Meh.
I didn't end up playing friday night, but I played a modern GPT for GP Krakow.
I played Living End again and finished a gross 3-2, getting 5th place on breakers. There were only 12 players so there was a cut to top 4. Womp, womp.
My list wasn't very different from the previous time. I took out a maindeck mountain for a fourth Simian Spirit Guide and I played a full set of Brindle Boar in the board. There was only one burn deck there, but I didn't play against it.
So begins the tale of some of the worst luck I've had in a magic tournament.
Round 1: Abzan
Game 1: Even though he has double Scavenging Ooze, I win pretty easily.
Game 2: He starts on a Noble Hierarch and goes Memoricide on turn 3 =/. I have two Simian Spirit Guides in my head so I desparetly cycle, hoping I can find a Violent Outburst. Demonic Dread is my draw. Of course. I concede. I played it too carefully, but I could have won. I had critical mass in the graveyard (due to several Street Wraiths)
Game 3: I keep a nice 7, 2 street wraith, 1 monstrous carabid, demonic dread, and three land. My first three draws are Living End. I boarded out one Living End. He has four Lingering Soul tokens and he exactsies me the turn before a suspended Living End goes off. Livid is a pretty good description.
0-1
Round 2: Amulet of Vigor Combo
I figure this will actually be an easy match for me.
Game 1: I cycle four guys and draw lands off all of them. I sit there with six lands in play, continually drawing blanks. He goes for a titan and I have a beast within. So if I draw a beast within or any of my fulminator mages I can blow up one of his two green lands, he can't pay for the pact and would die during his upkeep. I draw another blank. He taps out to pay for the pact. I hope to draw a cycler to dig or a cascade spell. Nothing. I die.
Game 2: I start out strong with a turn 2 (with 2x SSG) slaughter pact on Titan. His deck is almost entirely air at this point. He has some hiveminds, a couple pacts and Sigaarda (eh, too lazy to look up the spelling). The angel bashes me to six. I had to suspend Living End, because I drew all of them. A jungle weaver holds off the angel with nothing happens for 10+ turns. He finally puts me out of my misery with Hive Mind, triple Summoner's Pact.
0-2
Round 3: Ninja Bear Delver
Oh wow, this deck in real life! It was funny that both of us were playing WooBrews. Both games were pretty uninteresting. I comboed off both times on turn three. In the second game he remanded my Violent Outburst =/. I try to be a nice guy, but I don't want to explain to people how to kill me. He admitted to me that it was his first time with the deck.
1-2
Round 4: Mardu Warriors =/ =/ =/
Opponent was playing a standard deck was 0-3. I mean, it went exactly you might think.
2-2
Round 5: HateBears
My opponent's deck was pretty interesting. He was playing a variation of the deck. He didn't have any aether vials or phyrexian revokers,but he was playing maindeck ghostly prison.
Game 1: I had to fight through a Thalia, but the Simian Spirit Guides really helped and I went off turn 3 per usual.
Game 2: I went off, but not until after he had played a Ghostly Prison. It was really gross because his next top card Rest in Peace. He played a second Ghostly Prison, but a lone Monstrous Carabid attacked 7 times (while a bunch of other guys looked on) for the win.
3-2
So, yeah. 5th. Meh.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
A Sight for Sorin (Sore) Eyes
Hey gang,
I know I usually have some craziness for modern prepared, but I think I'm going to be running some standard FNM this friday, so I'll just show you what I'm considering playing.
Option 1: Ensoul Artifact
I haven't decided on the optimal list for this deck yet. Here are the definites:
4 Ornithopter
4 Ensoul Artifact
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Ghostfire Blade
4 Ilusory Angels
and then some number of
-Frostwalker
-Singing Bell Strike
-Heliod's Pilgrim 4x if I stay in white, always such a fantastic card, but gives me mana problems
-Renowned Weaponsmith / Chief Engineer probably a split on these. Engineer is more explosive, but Weaponsmith adds more mana...also
-Heart-Piercer Bow this card is generally awful, but you can search it up with the weaponsmith. Mostly something to stick an Ensoul Artifact on. I assume the other dumb artifact that gets printed in Dragons will say something like "gives a creature deathtouch." 1 damage + deathtouch, woahhhhh combo of the centuryyyy.
-Hewed Stone Retainers. So this card is just Angel 5-8, except it doesn't fly. It's very easy to cast off a Renowned Weaponsmith though. It's infuriating how many times I've had an empty had, drawn an angel and then the retainers. SWEET. TWO CARDS I CANT CAST.
-Tomb of the Spirit Dragon. I'll probably end up playing this if I cut white. Maybe 1 in the sideboard.
-Phyrexian Revoker. Sorry, man, this isn't legacy. Sometimes it shuts down a planeswalker or mana dork, but I'm not sure if that's where this deck wants to be.
-Ugin's Construct / Juggernaut - wow, has Ugin's Construct pissed me off. If it said both players, the card would be insane and an obvious include, but NOPE, just you. So many times I've had the ability to play it out turn three (through drum or Engineer/Weaponsmith) and I dont want to since I'm so tight on mana. OR even worse, I draw it late game and it would just eat an ensoul artifact. Juggernaut is probably just not good enough since almost every deck has either Lightning Strike or Bile Blight.
-Crystalline Nautilus - I'd like to find room for this card somewhere, but it's not an artifact and there's already so much going on at 3.
So yeah. There's no way I'd deck this deck to a real tournament, but maybe to FNM. We'll see.
Option 2: Monoblack Humans / Monoblack
Tomoharu Saito has always been one of my favorite magic players and I'd always loved the decks he comes up with. I've played lists similar to his (monored standard in Lorwyn standard and Hypergenesis in old extended) with usually pretty good results.
I'm sure some of you guys saw his list that got 20th in GP Memphis and there was a very comprehensive Channel Fireball article about it.
I like this deck a lot and I've liked monoblack aggro since it was popular last year.
I just don't know about the Obelisk. Yes, I understand how insane it can be, but man, I have done so much goldfishing in this deck and almost everytime, Obelisk felt like a dead card. If it was in my opening hand, it was a mulligan, if I drew it last game it was a dud, because I either A) STILL wouldnt have enough to cast it or B) all of my creatures would be dead so it wouldn't matter.
I've thought about returning to the Bestow-type deck I've been messing with, running Gnarled Scarhide, Spiteful Returned and Herald of Torment. The deck has more reach and then I could run Brutal Hordechief. Something to consider.
The thing about the monoblack lists, they are generally slower than monored aggro, usually by 1-2 turns. If monored is very popular in the meta, I probably wouldn't play black...the matchup feels realllll bad.
Option 3: Monored
I've been playing (and been a big fan of) Tom Ross' red list in standard.
Here's my current list, a variation of some Miami lists:
21 Mountain
4 Satyr Firedrinker
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Stoke the Flames
4 Lightning Strike
4 Searing Blood
4 Foundry Street Denizen
2 Monastery Swiftspear (should be 4)
2 Wild Slash (should be 4)
4 Hordeling Outburst
4 Mardu Scout
2 Goblin Heelslitter
1 Collateral Damage
I don't think many of these cards need a detailed explanation, but Searing Blood probably won't stay as a 4-of. Mardu Scout has been so good as a 4x, I don't really want to cut any.
The singleton Collateral Damage has always been good. It's usually just sac-ing a goblin token. I doubt I'll add any more C-damage main, but I'll leave some room in the board. One thing I have to say: I like this deck a lot, but the two slot doesn't feel very strong. 1 and 3 are great, but the curve just feels very valley-like.
We'll see what I end up choosing on Friday. Later guys.
I know I usually have some craziness for modern prepared, but I think I'm going to be running some standard FNM this friday, so I'll just show you what I'm considering playing.
Option 1: Ensoul Artifact
I haven't decided on the optimal list for this deck yet. Here are the definites:
4 Ornithopter
4 Ensoul Artifact
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Ghostfire Blade
4 Ilusory Angels
and then some number of
-Frostwalker
-Singing Bell Strike
-Heliod's Pilgrim 4x if I stay in white, always such a fantastic card, but gives me mana problems
-Renowned Weaponsmith / Chief Engineer probably a split on these. Engineer is more explosive, but Weaponsmith adds more mana...also
-Heart-Piercer Bow this card is generally awful, but you can search it up with the weaponsmith. Mostly something to stick an Ensoul Artifact on. I assume the other dumb artifact that gets printed in Dragons will say something like "gives a creature deathtouch." 1 damage + deathtouch, woahhhhh combo of the centuryyyy.
-Hewed Stone Retainers. So this card is just Angel 5-8, except it doesn't fly. It's very easy to cast off a Renowned Weaponsmith though. It's infuriating how many times I've had an empty had, drawn an angel and then the retainers. SWEET. TWO CARDS I CANT CAST.
-Tomb of the Spirit Dragon. I'll probably end up playing this if I cut white. Maybe 1 in the sideboard.
-Phyrexian Revoker. Sorry, man, this isn't legacy. Sometimes it shuts down a planeswalker or mana dork, but I'm not sure if that's where this deck wants to be.
-Ugin's Construct / Juggernaut - wow, has Ugin's Construct pissed me off. If it said both players, the card would be insane and an obvious include, but NOPE, just you. So many times I've had the ability to play it out turn three (through drum or Engineer/Weaponsmith) and I dont want to since I'm so tight on mana. OR even worse, I draw it late game and it would just eat an ensoul artifact. Juggernaut is probably just not good enough since almost every deck has either Lightning Strike or Bile Blight.
-Crystalline Nautilus - I'd like to find room for this card somewhere, but it's not an artifact and there's already so much going on at 3.
So yeah. There's no way I'd deck this deck to a real tournament, but maybe to FNM. We'll see.
Option 2: Monoblack Humans / Monoblack
Tomoharu Saito has always been one of my favorite magic players and I'd always loved the decks he comes up with. I've played lists similar to his (monored standard in Lorwyn standard and Hypergenesis in old extended) with usually pretty good results.
I'm sure some of you guys saw his list that got 20th in GP Memphis and there was a very comprehensive Channel Fireball article about it.
I like this deck a lot and I've liked monoblack aggro since it was popular last year.
I just don't know about the Obelisk. Yes, I understand how insane it can be, but man, I have done so much goldfishing in this deck and almost everytime, Obelisk felt like a dead card. If it was in my opening hand, it was a mulligan, if I drew it last game it was a dud, because I either A) STILL wouldnt have enough to cast it or B) all of my creatures would be dead so it wouldn't matter.
I've thought about returning to the Bestow-type deck I've been messing with, running Gnarled Scarhide, Spiteful Returned and Herald of Torment. The deck has more reach and then I could run Brutal Hordechief. Something to consider.
The thing about the monoblack lists, they are generally slower than monored aggro, usually by 1-2 turns. If monored is very popular in the meta, I probably wouldn't play black...the matchup feels realllll bad.
Option 3: Monored
I've been playing (and been a big fan of) Tom Ross' red list in standard.
Here's my current list, a variation of some Miami lists:
21 Mountain
4 Satyr Firedrinker
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
4 Stoke the Flames
4 Lightning Strike
4 Searing Blood
4 Foundry Street Denizen
2 Monastery Swiftspear (should be 4)
2 Wild Slash (should be 4)
4 Hordeling Outburst
4 Mardu Scout
2 Goblin Heelslitter
1 Collateral Damage
I don't think many of these cards need a detailed explanation, but Searing Blood probably won't stay as a 4-of. Mardu Scout has been so good as a 4x, I don't really want to cut any.
The singleton Collateral Damage has always been good. It's usually just sac-ing a goblin token. I doubt I'll add any more C-damage main, but I'll leave some room in the board. One thing I have to say: I like this deck a lot, but the two slot doesn't feel very strong. 1 and 3 are great, but the curve just feels very valley-like.
We'll see what I end up choosing on Friday. Later guys.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
[Modern Brew] Helix Fog
A new contender enters the blog!
Hello, my name is Jeff and I am here right now to talk about two things; Helix Pinnacle and being annoying.
For the past view months, I have been tweaking my modern Nykthos Wave deck in all sorts of ways. One of the things I have been looking into is changing the decks win condition. At first I thought, "I have access to red, so lets take out all of the Genesis Waves and insert 4 Banefires. That's hilarious." But it wasn't as annoying to the opponent as I had hoped.
Then I found Helix Pinnacle. Now this card is the kind of weird build around me card that I love.
The List:
Creature (18)
3x Arbor Eld
2x Birds of Paradise
3x Carven Caryatid
4x Voyaging Satyr
3x Wall of Omens
3x Wisful Selkie
Instants (9)
3x Dawn Charm
3x Fog
3x Holy Day
Enchantment (10)
2x Doubling Season
2x Helix Pinnacle
4x Utopia Sprawl
Land (20)
6x Forest
2x Plains
4x Nykthos, Shrine to Nix
4x Razorverge Thicket
4x Temple Garden
Sorcery (4)
4x Idyllic Tutor
As you might have guessed, I am only a junior brewer at best, and this deck is by no means complete or competitive. I still need to find room for wrath effects, as every fog deck needs them.
Card by card breakdown
Every ramp deck needs its ramp sources. For this deck, we get that from Arbor Elf, Birds of Paradise, and Voyaging Satyr, as well as from our devotion. Voyaging Satyr works so well with Nykthos, and Arbor Elf combos well with Utopia Sprawl enchanted forests. Birds of Paradise gives us extra mana, and also opens up the cards that we can play.
Next up is our defensive cantrip line, Carven Caryatid and Wall of Omens. Carven Caryatid gives a decent amount of devotion for a 2/5 and lets us draw a card, which is crucial in the deck. Digging for our game winner or fog-effects is so important. No fog-effects, we just lose. Take too long to get out Helix Pinnacle and we've probably burned through all of our fogs to get this point. Wistful Selkie also fits into this group due to its amazing devotion and cantrip. Our future sideboard will needs tools to deal with flyers though.
Now on to our fog-effects. These require little explanation, as their purpose in the deck is spelled out on the card. Dawn charm is particularly useful for its first and third mode.
The last few cards that need explanation are Doubling Season and Idyllic Tutor. Doubling Season is bananas in this deck, and landing two on the board can speed us to victory. Idyllic Tutor is here for a few reason. First, the deck REQUIRES Helix Pinnacle to hit the board. It has no other win condition. But, once we have one on the board, we never want to see it in our hand again. Idyllic Tutor at a four-of allows us to cut down to two Pinnacles, and still feel secure in getting it in hand. Lastly, it allows us to search up that amazingly helpful Doubling Season.
The Decks Future
For now, this deck only exists on Magic Online, while I figure out the optimal build. Currently, I am trying to find out what isn't working, so I can replace it with board wipes
Remember kids, in Magic, it's OK to be a annoying as long as you are having fun.
Hello, my name is Jeff and I am here right now to talk about two things; Helix Pinnacle and being annoying.
For the past view months, I have been tweaking my modern Nykthos Wave deck in all sorts of ways. One of the things I have been looking into is changing the decks win condition. At first I thought, "I have access to red, so lets take out all of the Genesis Waves and insert 4 Banefires. That's hilarious." But it wasn't as annoying to the opponent as I had hoped.
Then I found Helix Pinnacle. Now this card is the kind of weird build around me card that I love.
The List:
Creature (18)
3x Arbor Eld
2x Birds of Paradise
3x Carven Caryatid
4x Voyaging Satyr
3x Wall of Omens
3x Wisful Selkie
Instants (9)
3x Dawn Charm
3x Fog
3x Holy Day
Enchantment (10)
2x Doubling Season
2x Helix Pinnacle
4x Utopia Sprawl
Land (20)
6x Forest
2x Plains
4x Nykthos, Shrine to Nix
4x Razorverge Thicket
4x Temple Garden
Sorcery (4)
4x Idyllic Tutor
As you might have guessed, I am only a junior brewer at best, and this deck is by no means complete or competitive. I still need to find room for wrath effects, as every fog deck needs them.
Card by card breakdown
Every ramp deck needs its ramp sources. For this deck, we get that from Arbor Elf, Birds of Paradise, and Voyaging Satyr, as well as from our devotion. Voyaging Satyr works so well with Nykthos, and Arbor Elf combos well with Utopia Sprawl enchanted forests. Birds of Paradise gives us extra mana, and also opens up the cards that we can play.
Next up is our defensive cantrip line, Carven Caryatid and Wall of Omens. Carven Caryatid gives a decent amount of devotion for a 2/5 and lets us draw a card, which is crucial in the deck. Digging for our game winner or fog-effects is so important. No fog-effects, we just lose. Take too long to get out Helix Pinnacle and we've probably burned through all of our fogs to get this point. Wistful Selkie also fits into this group due to its amazing devotion and cantrip. Our future sideboard will needs tools to deal with flyers though.
Now on to our fog-effects. These require little explanation, as their purpose in the deck is spelled out on the card. Dawn charm is particularly useful for its first and third mode.
The last few cards that need explanation are Doubling Season and Idyllic Tutor. Doubling Season is bananas in this deck, and landing two on the board can speed us to victory. Idyllic Tutor is here for a few reason. First, the deck REQUIRES Helix Pinnacle to hit the board. It has no other win condition. But, once we have one on the board, we never want to see it in our hand again. Idyllic Tutor at a four-of allows us to cut down to two Pinnacles, and still feel secure in getting it in hand. Lastly, it allows us to search up that amazingly helpful Doubling Season.
The Decks Future
For now, this deck only exists on Magic Online, while I figure out the optimal build. Currently, I am trying to find out what isn't working, so I can replace it with board wipes
Remember kids, in Magic, it's OK to be a annoying as long as you are having fun.
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