While I am glad you are no longer straight up trolling, this post has a lot of wrong ideas, conclusions and suggestions. Blue is mine
First off, Bounce deals with problem permantents like Leyline , and can act as near 2-for-1 removal (Repeal/ITR), especially with an active lili or negrogen mists to force the discard. The thing I don't like about the deck is the lack of answers to topdecked threats.
In addition, in many of the games I played, I was left with excess discard in hand, while my opponent was without a hand. Deathrite is a problem if you don't draw removal, but Repeal EOT + IoK/Ravens Crime/whatever will deal with that threat easily. Also, I HATED using wrench mind when my opponent was at 1 card in hand, and bounce really helps that fact, again in two - for - one form.
Snapcaster is not for tempo at all, considering the deck doesn't attack. It is good as a chump blocker/to trade, while still being hand disruption/removal. It provides an efficient roadblock to things like kitchen finks or bob, while saving you life from larger threats, until you actually DRAW the removal or bridge.
Stop talking with such an arrogant tone in your voice, it only makes you sound more like a dick. I'm trying to help here, I've put aside my hatred of this archetype to test it, and when I do I hear nothing but douchebaggery and arrogance. You're not the end-all, be-all of competitive Magic, you simply had an idea for a deck that many people thought of. The difference being that you actually made the thread.
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Stop talking with such an arrogant tone in your voice, it only makes you sound more like a dick. I'm trying to help here, I've put aside my hatred of this archetype to test it, and when I do I hear nothing but douchebaggery and arrogance. You're not the end-all, be-all of competitive Magic, you simply had an idea for a deck that many people thought of. The difference being that you actually made the thread.
Ok well thanks for all of your awesome help. Please send all of your further help to me via PM, this is my primer thread and it has been a place for some really meaningful discussions on developing this strategy for a while now. I don't really want to argue with you here or discuss your "ideas" any more.
I will PM a mod to give me moderator rights for this thread if I have to.
Color: Black Spell
Location: A misty clearing between withered trees
Action: This is a mood piece, set at night. The background of the image is an enormous full moon which touches the horizon... very bright, but slightly ominous in its tint. Most of the image is in silhouette against the moon's light, but in the foreground we can see enough to know that we are in a dense pumpkin patch to give us a sense that this is a specific time of year. In the center of the image is a figure, very tall and impossibly thin, who is seen in hard silhouette against the moon. His posture is regal, his face slightly upturned to the night.
As the pumpkin shapes become more back-lit we realize that some of the curved silhouettes aren't pumpkins at all, but are the hunched backs of several zombies who are starting to rise from among the patch.
Focus: The scene
Mood: "In the first hour of the third day of the seventh season, dim your lamps. Hush your infants. And lock your doors."
On a related note, voted for Season of the Lich. With that name, how couldn't I? I can only hold out hope that the flavor text will be "Twelve more days till Halloween; Halloween; Halloween. Twelve more days till Halloween, Sil-ver Sham-rock."
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“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Here is a link to a jund video I uploaded. Its a 3 game match. I played horribly in Game 1, it was only after doing the replay commentary that I realize how bad I screwed up. I pulled it together for games 2 and 3 though. Take a look at the video. Jund is a tough deck that goes back and forth with 8rack trading blows. Its pretty fun really.
I won my RDW Matches without a Leyline solely because I have no Thoughtseize. If I had Thoughtseize and didnt replace it with Blackmail I would have lost the matches. It is really a race. But Shadowfeed only for RDW? Yeh you can sap a snapcaster target too, but that Matchup is already in our favor. I would racer add a Rakdos Charm which is more versatile.
Against RDW you can also side out your Bridges and probably Necrogen Mists, you dont want to be slow, just add Pyroclasm or Darkblast for their critters..
Don't be a silly bugger. Just because a card in a Sideboard is meant for one matchup, doesn't mean that it can't enhance gameplay value for other matchups.
This requires a paradigm shift in thinking. If I were to say to you that there is a card that increases our matchup against RDW from a 50/50 split to a to a 65/35 Split, that there is some pretty good odds. Now If I was to say that the exact same card, sided in against control takes our Existing 65/35 against control and makes it 75/25, you might be even more iclined to use that card.
Are we getting the picture here? It shores up our weaknesses in one matchup and preys on the weaknesses of another matchup. ;-)
P.S. all numbers are theoretical, but it does "get you there" against RDW and "wins more" against control.
Something about the aforementioned rationale reminds me of players that dismiss cards because they can only utilize one mode. Something like Angel of Glory's Rise. Rarely hits Zombies, but man that reanimate is nice.
I am going to play in Overdrive! tonight. I will use the same 4th place list as yesterday with 2 changes:
-3 Dismember
-4 Sadistic Sacrament (side)
+3 Darkblast
+4 Shadowfeed (side)
We will see how it goes.
EDIT: Just played a test game with Darkblast vs. Affinity. As Pants said, the deck completely folded to it. No ink moths. No arcbound overseer. No signal pests. I dredged it 5 times at least. I had both games in control the whole time. Meanwhile it hits a decent amount of non affinity targets. Hopefull it performs that well in the tourney tonight.
First off, Bounce deals with problem permantents like Leyline , and can act as near 2-for-1 removal (Repeal/ITR), especially with an active lili or negrogen mists to force the discard. The thing I don't like about the deck is the lack of answers to topdecked threats.
In addition, in many of the games I played, I was left with excess discard in hand, while my opponent was without a hand. Deathrite is a problem if you don't draw removal, but Repeal EOT + IoK/Ravens Crime/whatever will deal with that threat easily. Also, I HATED using wrench mind when my opponent was at 1 card in hand, and bounce really helps that fact, again in two - for - one form.
Snapcaster is not for tempo at all, considering the deck doesn't attack. It is good as a chump blocker/to trade, while still being hand disruption/removal. It provides an efficient roadblock to things like kitchen finks or bob, while saving you life from larger threats, until you actually DRAW the removal or bridge.
Stop talking with such an arrogant tone in your voice, it only makes you sound more like a dick. I'm trying to help here, I've put aside my hatred of this archetype to test it, and when I do I hear nothing but douchebaggery and arrogance. You're not the end-all, be-all of competitive Magic, you simply had an idea for a deck that many people thought of. The difference being that you actually made the thread.
Honestly some of this makes sense. Blue isn't the worst idea. Warped Devotion is a card for that build to look at. Make a list and let me know where you get with it.
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In case I didn't tell you, I don't care about your opinion I just want your facts. And not the facts that make you seem smart. I want the ones that are actual facts.
Honestly some of this makes sense. Blue isn't the worst idea. Warped Devotion is a card for that build to look at. Make a list and let me know where you get with it.
Only problem with it is that it is boring and having two colors can hurt it, a bounce deck is better to have Karn Liberated in it as the final control element and have the deck only blue.
Only problem with it is that it is boring and having two colors can hurt it, a bounce deck is better to have Karn Liberated in it as the final control element and have the deck only blue.
That was more to me trying to change the recent tone of the thread.
I see many players looking to tweak the deck this way and that. My experience in playing the deck is showing me that splashes just dilute the deck. Watch Lantern's videos and you will notice he stumbles with CitP tapped lands. I also think the deck runs at its smoothest in the Mono version. While I like the red splash, I just don't see where it shores up any weakness in the deck.
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In case I didn't tell you, I don't care about your opinion I just want your facts. And not the facts that make you seem smart. I want the ones that are actual facts.
I am going to play in Overdrive! tonight. I will use the same 4th place list as yesterday with 2 changes:
-3 Dismember
-4 Sadistic Sacrament (side)
+3 Darkblast
+4 Shadowfeed (side)
We will see how it goes.
EDIT: Just played a test game with Darkblast vs. Affinity. As Pants said, the deck completely folded to it. No ink moths. No arcbound overseer. No signal pests. I dredged it 5 times at least. I had both games in control the whole time. Meanwhile it hits a decent amount of non affinity targets. Hopefull it performs that well in the tourney tonight.
I too am looking at increasing the number of Darkblasts I run to 3 or 4.
I should be 4-0 but in game 2 of the the first match my opponent made an EPIC miracle comeback win right before he died to racks. I will post the replay video later. It was the sweetest revenge for him because (after making a snide comment about me playing derpcard.dek) I said to him right as he draws his last card: Any last words? Then he pulls of the biggest miracle comeback play I have ever seen.
I was 99.99999% sure I would win. Then Hulk SMASH!
XBDisembowel: Destroy target creature with converted mana cost X.
BWretched Banquet: Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures on the battlefield.
These are all low cost options and are better options than Dismember, especially against goyf.
For more life loss cards:
BQuest for the Nihil Stone Another rack, but this time 5 life if they have no cards in hand. Getting the quest to work is easy for the deck, and it also serve as protection for the other racks.
BBloodchief Ascension Another rack, easy to set up and this time with upside for you.
BCorrupted Roots, could potentially shut down a forest or plain because it gives 2 life loss.
BBSign in Blood: Depending on the dituation this can be played on your opponent for a win, or you can dig for more cards.
BBDash Hopes: Blacks counter spell. In one way if it works, it is like an instant discard (but with no selection of what card it is), or your opponent loses 5 life, which is huge, it could end the game 2 turns quicker.
XBSuffer the Past Gaveyard hate, your opponent loses life while you gain.
Card search or selection:
1BPlunge into Darkness This could be risky, but could get you the card you need.
BShrouded Lore This has the potential of getting a rack back your graveyard, and if they choose a land, you can Raven's Crime them.
Interesting Cards
W/Beckon Apparition: exile a graveyard card and leave you a 1/1 flyer.
1BLost Hours: could slow down land development for a few turns and stops them from a future card draw.
Eliminated in Round 3 by..... Fatkiddestroyer. My friend but also nemesis. I threw away game one because I am stupid and didnt abuse darkblast. I could have had it easily but I committed to the stupid idea of just trying to top deck instead of just dredging the dark blast to slow his damage down by 1 per turn. By the time I realized it, was too late, he wins a game I had locked. Game 2 he nature's claims my bridge and alpha strikes for GG.
Not really too much to say about it. The guy is good, has a great deck and I played like the awful scrub I am.
Eliminated in Round 3 by..... Fatkiddestroyer. My friend but also nemesis. I threw away game one because I am stupid and didnt abuse darkblast. I could have had it easily but I committed to the stupid idea of just trying to top deck instead of just dredging the dark blast to slow his damage down by 1 per turn. By the time I realized it, was too late, he wins a game I had locked. Game 2 he nature's claims my bridge and alpha strikes for GG.
Not really too much to say about it. The guy is good, has a great deck and I played like the awful scrub I am.
This deck has finally made me take the step into competitive modern. Last weekend I went to an open tournament with the red splash for Fall (Rise/Fall), blightning and Pyroclasm.
Before I playtested mono-black and the red splash, and in a vacuum / versus some friends the latter seemed stronger. However in the tournament the manabase really hampered me more than the splash cards gained me. In the end I think black gives us the most consistent build.
I think Hvirfilvindr makes an interesting case for Dark Confidant. (even tho I agree with the creature-less baseline). For now I will test him as a 2-off in stead of Infernal Tutor and see what Bob gains me.
This deck has finally made me take the step into competitive modern. Last weekend I went to an open tournament with the red splash for Fall (Rise/Fall), blightning and Pyroclasm.
Before I playtested mono-black and the red splash, and in a vacuum / versus some friends the latter seemed stronger. However in the tournament the manabase really hampered me more than the splash cards gained me. In the end I think black gives us the most consistent build.
I think Hvirfilvindr makes an interesting case for Dark Confidant. (even tho I agree with the creature-less baseline). For now I will test him as a 2-off in stead of Infernal Tutor and see what Bob gains me.
The question is: do you like a 2cc card that reads discard target removal? if so go for Bob. To effectively draw cards and advantage you have to cast bob when the hand of your oppo is almost empty, to be sure it sticks in play. IMO a dead card for the first crucial turns, where we have to take control of the game, has no place in the decklist... Another option that can be explored is to side in bob in game 2-3, against decks light on removal or if you suspect the oppo sided out his removals..
Right now i'm playing with a Red splash, for comparison, what was your mana base?
- L
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"The problem isn't when Scissors says Rock is overpowered, it's when Paper says it is."
-Mark Rosewater
Hello! I have recently been trying to get into Modern (I play a lot of EDH and rogue standard decks like pillow fort and fog) and when I saw this primer, I was immediately sucked in. I have watched a few of the videos, they have been very helpful. After reading through the thread and testing on cockatrice, I have a few ideas/suggestions:
While testing, I often felt mana-screwed. I played three copies of smallpox and tried to ration my mana in accordance, but sometimes I didn't find the third land until it was too late to bridge away their attackers. I am considering running 23 lands in my deck instead of 22.
A card that I haven't seen any mention of so far is Syphon Life. This little guy seems like it would be perfect as a one or two of as a finisher/little bit of life-gain. While the mana cost is slightly cloggy with 4x Lili and Bridge, it can be discarded due to retrace. I'd like to know what you all think about this in the deck. My games have often had many turns of "Draw, play land/raven's crime, Lili +1/-2/-6, end," and having the Syphon Life seems like it could help improve the clock and hopefully keep them away from their abrupt decays.
Those are my two cents, I'll continue to work on this and add more input. Thank you all for inspiring me to play something other than Chalice of the Void (which is a problem for this deck, it seems).
I agree Bob is a 2cc removal discard in this deck, but he is a 2cc discard at worst. Doing only slightly well (i.e. opponent doesn't immediately topdeck removal) he could be a 2cc Brainbite. That seems good to me, and anything onwards is just crazy good.
I have had quite some games where I nearly got my opponent down, then stopped drawing discard (or lost my lilly to topdeck, or ravens' crime to DRS). A way to draw back into the game seems good to me. Infernal Tutor might be the card there, but first I'll give Bob a try.
As for the red splash: I played with fetch / duals on the tournament, and tested with taplands (Blackcleave Cliffs and Dragonskull Summit) afterwards.
Hello! I have recently been trying to get into Modern (I play a lot of EDH and rogue standard decks like pillow fort and fog) and when I saw this primer, I was immediately sucked in. I have watched a few of the videos, they have been very helpful. After reading through the thread and testing on cockatrice, I have a few ideas/suggestions:
While testing, I often felt mana-screwed. I played three copies of smallpox and tried to ration my mana in accordance, but sometimes I didn't find the third land until it was too late to bridge away their attackers. I am considering running 23 lands in my deck instead of 22.
A card that I haven't seen any mention of so far is Syphon Life. This little guy seems like it would be perfect as a one or two of as a finisher/little bit of life-gain. While the mana cost is slightly cloggy with 4x Lili and Bridge, it can be discarded due to retrace. I'd like to know what you all think about this in the deck. My games have often had many turns of "Draw, play land/raven's crime, Lili +1/-2/-6, end," and having the Syphon Life seems like it could help improve the clock and hopefully keep them away from their abrupt decays.
Those are my two cents, I'll continue to work on this and add more input. Thank you all for inspiring me to play something other than Chalice of the Void (which is a problem for this deck, it seems).
I've been running 25 lands lately. List for reference.
I have found that when you run 4 Smallpox you need the 2 extra lands. Also with Raven's Crime, redundant lands become discard spells. NoSB is a nod to RDW's. I like a back up to Bridge. I have considered Damnation in this slot.
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In case I didn't tell you, I don't care about your opinion I just want your facts. And not the facts that make you seem smart. I want the ones that are actual facts.
Of course I get that it can shore up other matchups. However I wont board in Shadowfeed vs UWR if I already board in Surgical / Extirpate (which does more work against UWR) and Sadistic. Boarding out 10 cards is over the top. Then there is only Shadowfeed vs RDW and that is one matchup out of x. That is not fitting my needs. This is just my opinion which is proved on my experience so no reason to be aggressive here and to call me silly, even if I am wrong.
I understand where you are going.
Erm, coloquial terms don't translate very well on internet forums. I should probably refrain from that. Where I come from, the term silly bugger or silly buggers or playing silly buggers means you are engaging in tom foolery or being generally aloof.
Still if you don't see the point in the sideboard, I am more than happy with that.
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Level 1 Judge - Altruistic Community Service.
My Modern decks: B/R/G Living End G/R/B G/R Tron R/G U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
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First off, Bounce deals with problem permantents like Leyline , and can act as near 2-for-1 removal (Repeal/ITR), especially with an active lili or negrogen mists to force the discard. The thing I don't like about the deck is the lack of answers to topdecked threats.
In addition, in many of the games I played, I was left with excess discard in hand, while my opponent was without a hand. Deathrite is a problem if you don't draw removal, but Repeal EOT + IoK/Ravens Crime/whatever will deal with that threat easily. Also, I HATED using wrench mind when my opponent was at 1 card in hand, and bounce really helps that fact, again in two - for - one form.
Snapcaster is not for tempo at all, considering the deck doesn't attack. It is good as a chump blocker/to trade, while still being hand disruption/removal. It provides an efficient roadblock to things like kitchen finks or bob, while saving you life from larger threats, until you actually DRAW the removal or bridge.
Stop talking with such an arrogant tone in your voice, it only makes you sound more like a dick. I'm trying to help here, I've put aside my hatred of this archetype to test it, and when I do I hear nothing but douchebaggery and arrogance. You're not the end-all, be-all of competitive Magic, you simply had an idea for a deck that many people thought of. The difference being that you actually made the thread.
Thanks to Rivenor for the signature and XenoNinja for the Avi!
Quotes:
Ok well thanks for all of your awesome help. Please send all of your further help to me via PM, this is my primer thread and it has been a place for some really meaningful discussions on developing this strategy for a while now. I don't really want to argue with you here or discuss your "ideas" any more.
I will PM a mod to give me moderator rights for this thread if I have to.
On a related note, voted for Season of the Lich. With that name, how couldn't I? I can only hold out hope that the flavor text will be "Twelve more days till Halloween; Halloween; Halloween. Twelve more days till Halloween, Sil-ver Sham-rock."
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Here is a link to a jund video I uploaded. Its a 3 game match. I played horribly in Game 1, it was only after doing the replay commentary that I realize how bad I screwed up. I pulled it together for games 2 and 3 though. Take a look at the video. Jund is a tough deck that goes back and forth with 8rack trading blows. Its pretty fun really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EszU56KjjeM
PS: I added Lanterns latest video to the primer in the video index as well. Nice commentary there Lantern.
Don't be a silly bugger. Just because a card in a Sideboard is meant for one matchup, doesn't mean that it can't enhance gameplay value for other matchups.
This requires a paradigm shift in thinking. If I were to say to you that there is a card that increases our matchup against RDW from a 50/50 split to a to a 65/35 Split, that there is some pretty good odds. Now If I was to say that the exact same card, sided in against control takes our Existing 65/35 against control and makes it 75/25, you might be even more iclined to use that card.
Are we getting the picture here? It shores up our weaknesses in one matchup and preys on the weaknesses of another matchup. ;-)
P.S. all numbers are theoretical, but it does "get you there" against RDW and "wins more" against control.
Something about the aforementioned rationale reminds me of players that dismiss cards because they can only utilize one mode. Something like Angel of Glory's Rise. Rarely hits Zombies, but man that reanimate is nice.
My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
-3 Dismember
-4 Sadistic Sacrament (side)
+3 Darkblast
+4 Shadowfeed (side)
We will see how it goes.
EDIT: Just played a test game with Darkblast vs. Affinity. As Pants said, the deck completely folded to it. No ink moths. No arcbound overseer. No signal pests. I dredged it 5 times at least. I had both games in control the whole time. Meanwhile it hits a decent amount of non affinity targets. Hopefull it performs that well in the tourney tonight.
Honestly some of this makes sense. Blue isn't the worst idea. Warped Devotion is a card for that build to look at. Make a list and let me know where you get with it.
Cockatrice username: Blackcat77
I have posted a deck with Warped Devotion with bounce, but didn't get much response to it here:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=515274
Only problem with it is that it is boring and having two colors can hurt it, a bounce deck is better to have Karn Liberated in it as the final control element and have the deck only blue.
That was more to me trying to change the recent tone of the thread.
I see many players looking to tweak the deck this way and that. My experience in playing the deck is showing me that splashes just dilute the deck. Watch Lantern's videos and you will notice he stumbles with CitP tapped lands. I also think the deck runs at its smoothest in the Mono version. While I like the red splash, I just don't see where it shores up any weakness in the deck.
Cockatrice username: Blackcat77
I too am looking at increasing the number of Darkblasts I run to 3 or 4.
Here is my updated list:
4 The Rack
4 Shrieking Affliction
Swiss-Army Knife:
4 Liliana of the Veil
1 Sadistic Sacrament
Discard Suite:
4 Thoughtseize
4 Raven's Crime
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Duress
2 Dismember
3 Darkblast
4 Ensnaring Bridge
Lands:
2 Dakmor Salvage
20 Swamp
2 Dismember
4 Surgical Extraction
2 Pithing Needle
2 Necrogen Mists
4 Shadowfeed
1 Sadistic Sacrament
A quick note, Dismember + Darkblast pretty much destroys any threats you may encounter including Consecrated Sphinx and Wurmcoil.
My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
I should be 4-0 but in game 2 of the the first match my opponent made an EPIC miracle comeback win right before he died to racks. I will post the replay video later. It was the sweetest revenge for him because (after making a snide comment about me playing derpcard.dek) I said to him right as he draws his last card: Any last words? Then he pulls of the biggest miracle comeback play I have ever seen.
I was 99.99999% sure I would win. Then Hulk SMASH!
Game 3 I swept him pretty easily though...
For creature destruction:
BB Geth's Verdict: Target player sacrifices a creature and loses 1 life.
1B Cruel Edict: Target opponent sacrifices a creature.
1B Go for the Throat: Destroy target nonartifact creature.
XB Disembowel: Destroy target creature with converted mana cost X.
B Wretched Banquet: Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures on the battlefield.
These are all low cost options and are better options than Dismember, especially against goyf.
For more life loss cards:
B Quest for the Nihil Stone Another rack, but this time 5 life if they have no cards in hand. Getting the quest to work is easy for the deck, and it also serve as protection for the other racks.
B Bloodchief Ascension Another rack, easy to set up and this time with upside for you.
B Corrupted Roots, could potentially shut down a forest or plain because it gives 2 life loss.
BB Sign in Blood: Depending on the dituation this can be played on your opponent for a win, or you can dig for more cards.
BB Dash Hopes: Blacks counter spell. In one way if it works, it is like an instant discard (but with no selection of what card it is), or your opponent loses 5 life, which is huge, it could end the game 2 turns quicker.
XB Suffer the Past Gaveyard hate, your opponent loses life while you gain.
Card search or selection:
1B Plunge into Darkness This could be risky, but could get you the card you need.
B Shrouded Lore This has the potential of getting a rack back your graveyard, and if they choose a land, you can Raven's Crime them.
Interesting Cards
W/ Beckon Apparition: exile a graveyard card and leave you a 1/1 flyer.
1BLost Hours: could slow down land development for a few turns and stops them from a future card draw.
Not really too much to say about it. The guy is good, has a great deck and I played like the awful scrub I am.
What was he running?
This is what he was running:
http://www.gatherling.com/deck.php?mode=view&id=11568
My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
Before I playtested mono-black and the red splash, and in a vacuum / versus some friends the latter seemed stronger. However in the tournament the manabase really hampered me more than the splash cards gained me. In the end I think black gives us the most consistent build.
I think Hvirfilvindr makes an interesting case for Dark Confidant. (even tho I agree with the creature-less baseline). For now I will test him as a 2-off in stead of Infernal Tutor and see what Bob gains me.
The question is: do you like a 2cc card that reads discard target removal? if so go for Bob. To effectively draw cards and advantage you have to cast bob when the hand of your oppo is almost empty, to be sure it sticks in play. IMO a dead card for the first crucial turns, where we have to take control of the game, has no place in the decklist... Another option that can be explored is to side in bob in game 2-3, against decks light on removal or if you suspect the oppo sided out his removals..
Right now i'm playing with a Red splash, for comparison, what was your mana base?
- L
"The problem isn't when Scissors says Rock is overpowered, it's when Paper says it is."
-Mark Rosewater
While testing, I often felt mana-screwed. I played three copies of smallpox and tried to ration my mana in accordance, but sometimes I didn't find the third land until it was too late to bridge away their attackers. I am considering running 23 lands in my deck instead of 22.
A card that I haven't seen any mention of so far is Syphon Life. This little guy seems like it would be perfect as a one or two of as a finisher/little bit of life-gain. While the mana cost is slightly cloggy with 4x Lili and Bridge, it can be discarded due to retrace. I'd like to know what you all think about this in the deck. My games have often had many turns of "Draw, play land/raven's crime, Lili +1/-2/-6, end," and having the Syphon Life seems like it could help improve the clock and hopefully keep them away from their abrupt decays.
Those are my two cents, I'll continue to work on this and add more input. Thank you all for inspiring me to play something other than Chalice of the Void (which is a problem for this deck, it seems).
Kaalia of the Vast (All the Rawr)
Azami, Lady of Scrolls (Combo)
Standard
Bant Fog
Modern
8Rack
I have had quite some games where I nearly got my opponent down, then stopped drawing discard (or lost my lilly to topdeck, or ravens' crime to DRS). A way to draw back into the game seems good to me. Infernal Tutor might be the card there, but first I'll give Bob a try.
As for the red splash: I played with fetch / duals on the tournament, and tested with taplands (Blackcleave Cliffs and Dragonskull Summit) afterwards.
This is the decklist I brought to the tournament:
4 Marsh Flats
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Blood Crypt
2 Dakmoor Salvage
1 Overgrown Tomb
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Wrench Mind
1 Blackmail
4 Thoughtseize
4 Raven’s Crime
4 Rise // Fall
2 Blightning
4 Liliana of the Veil
4 Shrieking Affliction
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 The Rack
2 Dismember
4 Pyroclasm
4 Shadow of Doubt
4 Surgical Extraction
3 Nature’s Claim
I've been running 25 lands lately. List for reference.
2 Dakmor Salvage
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Smallpox
4 Liliana of the Veil
4 The Rack
3 Wrench Mind
3 Duress
2 Gibbering Descent
4 Raven's Crime
4 Shrieking Affliction
4 Ensnaring Bridge
3 Darkblast
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Infest
3 Necrogen Mists
2 Night of Souls' Betrayal
I have found that when you run 4 Smallpox you need the 2 extra lands. Also with Raven's Crime, redundant lands become discard spells. NoSB is a nod to RDW's. I like a back up to Bridge. I have considered Damnation in this slot.
Cockatrice username: Blackcat77
I understand where you are going.
Erm, coloquial terms don't translate very well on internet forums. I should probably refrain from that. Where I come from, the term silly bugger or silly buggers or playing silly buggers means you are engaging in tom foolery or being generally aloof.
Still if you don't see the point in the sideboard, I am more than happy with that.
My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R