Council's Judgment deals with TNN and is one of the best answer-all cards printed.
I've been working on Soldiers a long time now @astebel, I've encountered the problems you're encountering and I've tested the cards you're considering. I'll save you the trouble. I recommend you use this list.
Notes: the problem with Fairgounds Warden is it's just not a powerful enough card on it's own. Jailer is much more powerful for 1 mana, and we will win more games by resolving one. I do like having Banneret sometimes vs Wasteland decks mostly as it provides some insurance vs Wasteland, which is maybe the single best card vs Stompy decks. I maybe find room for two of them. What this deck wants most, is a Soldier creature with a Suppression Field effect. Like maybe a Frontline Suppressor, a 2/2 for 2W that reads. "All activated abilities cost 1 more unless they are are mana abilities".
Thank you for the advice. I will acquire some of the cards I am missing that you have suggested and give it a try.
The 1 Daru Warchief doesn't seem enough. All the games I played, I liked Daru every time I drew it.
Warden is better if you are far behind vs a critter deck, because giving your opponent Monarch (as they will get on the swing) will suck if they are way ahead. Jailer is better generally if you are level or nuts if you are ahead, I agree, because drawing 2 a turn is strong, unsurprisingly. Jailer won't be decayed either. I like a mix, myself, but feel the optimum number of these effects is about 4-6..
Warden can hit your critters, which can be relevant vs things like Pernicious Deed/Terminus- removing your own dude to get the extra Enlistment officer effect when the inevitable board wipe happens, but in itself that is not a reason to include it. I do think a mix is best though, WW can be hard sometimes vs a wasteland deck.
I personally like 7-8 plains myself to help circumvent wasteland that is a problem as noted, I a certainly not sold on 3 City of T, although in higher end heavy lists they are a necessary evil, it depends on your curve.....
I am not happy tutoring with Recruiter in the deck, I think D N T has better use of the tutoring aspect, I can see it being better in game 2/3 though, and better in a deck with one ofs. I don't like F. Macabre at all as it is an activated ability and thus conflicts with S Field, and it is limited to hitting a narrow range of decks- Reanimator, maybe Lands. It is poor vs Dredge, say. I would rather have Surgical that conflicts with Chalice for that effect, but overall just more RIPs can do the job of bin hosing- if they are too slow for RB reanimator, then surgical would be my preference as a more powerful effect......
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The reason Faeire Macabre is so good, is it's the only turn 0 answer to Reanimator and Storm. Against the decks that we use it for, it shouldn't be an issue with SField becuase we would want to be casting a Chalice or Thalia first anyways usually. It is good against dredge, though that matchup is uncommon, because it buys enough time to win.
@Recruiter of the Guard: I like it because it can fetch Preeminent Captain if we still need to cheat guys into play. Being able to fetch Thalia 1.0 in the matchups where she shines is important too, and fetching Daru againts the -1-1 Black Enchantment is important too, or if we just ned some more power.
The reason I took out Warchief's is because I like to prioritize control over beatdown.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
A good storm player going off t1 will not often be blown out by F. Macabre, and their percentage of t1 wins is very low anyway. Looking to include an answer to a deck that wins 5% of the time on t1, when we can also go first and drop Thalia/Chalice etc. to prolong the game seems to be a wasted board slot to me, unless he numbers of local storm/dredge players are off the scale.
It will indeed buy a lot of time vs Dredge, esp manaless Dredge.
The odds of you having the FM in hand game 2 vs reanimator as they go off on their first turn are low to zero- they always check the hand before going off in game 2, and as a consequence take longer in that game to win. Game 1 is where they try and win t1 if they can, game two they would be suicidal to try it without clearing your hate first, given the number of Surgical Extractions in the format. In short, you should normally get a t1 in game 2 even if you beat them g1 (which is possible if you know what they are on - a t1 chalice for zero and thalia will often do enough, there are other combinations of cards too that can do it...).
R/B reanimator is extremely common these days, one of the most popular decks, and it's designed to win turn 1 and 2. Faerie Macabre has been great for me in multiple matchups, so I'm definitely not taking it out.
It's really the best graveyard hate the game has to offer. More reliable and faster than RIP, and Recruitable. Worse case I have to pay 2 for the activation cost. Say what you will, but it's the best option.
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LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
It is designed to win t1/2 in game 1, and in game 2 it is designed to win but not blindly like g1. If people are playing it that way then fine, make hay- I am criticising them and not you. I own the deck, I would never try and go off that early game 2 against any deck unless I clear the way of surgicals, you always look first in game 2- hit hand, win game. The only saving grace might be if they think you won't run SE due to Chalice and forget about FM. Even then they should be aware of Containment Priest so they should still hit the hand in the turn they want to go off. If you play them regularly then they will soon learn to be more respectful and play the deck more conservatively in game 2.
As an aside, numbers of interest here for the two variants of RB reanimator are-
If they are BRg then they have 7/8 ways of killing Rest in Peace game 2 (4 Reverent silence, 3-4 Abrupt Decay), and 7-8 Discard to take things like FM and SE from hand. So permanent and hand hate are equally vulnerable.
If they are the white splash with the Scrubland (normally people who can't afford Bayou/have the Scrubland or simply have less in the way of Miracles in the meta or more in the way of Blue decks with Wastelands that knacker the Reversent Silence tech) then its 4 wear/tear for enchantments and 7/8 discard. Assuming no Leyline protection it should be easier for that version to hit hands than non critter permanents.
TNN is one of the scariest cards to play against, I recommend Holy Light and Council's Judgment. I have two of each in sideboard, they are both great vs TNN and other cards as well. About Daru Warchief. Got the majority of matches having more P&T is not a big issue, landing hate cards in higher priority. It's nice to have one to be able to fetch if you need to ramp into CotW or need to power up the board. The rule of thumb here, is always favor landing hate cards before beaters. Generally, in order of play priority, it goes Chalice, SField, Thalia 1.0 then Thalia 2.0. If they are playing Wasteland it can help to play a Thalia 2.0 first.
Here' the list I'm currently running. The thing I love about this deck, is that between Monarch and Officer I get to see so many cards.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Is the idea for the Winter Orb and Dust Drinker to only cast them when Preeminent Captain is on the battlefield? Then hit them with the mana denial. Keep powering out creatures.
Being that both hurt us as well as opponent. Could we equally run three Armageddon and a set of Flagstones?
Running Flagstones and Armageddon is an interesting idea. I think the Armageddons would need to be be a sideboard plan though. The Winter Orb provides a very similar effect and it's more reliable. Also Flagstone makes us even weaker to the Archnemesis of Stompy decks... Wasteland. They can destroy flagstone on our upkeep. For this reason alone, that plan is not an option for me.
In respond to your question about Winter Orb. No, it's not. Winter Orb is just a great hate card vs many decks, and it has synergy with a lot of cards in our deck. Thalia 1.0 and SField tax effect, and of course Thalia 2.0 puts the land into play tapped which is insane with Orb. We have Chrome Mox to mitigate the self-hurt, and Captain let's us cheat guys onto the battlefield. Plus I have 3 creatures that reduce cost in my list which can help give us mana advantage as well. The vast majority of the time it hurts our opponent much more than us, and if it's a bad situation to cast it, I just play something else until it's safe to cast. The card is absurd against Miracles and Lands and D&T, the latter moreso if we have Vial shutdown. Lands has Mox Diamond, but I have Relic-Warder and Revoker for that.
I'm considering taking out a 1-2 cards used for combo in the sideboard, and replacing them with cards to fight against creature decks. Cards I'm considering replacing are Blessed Alliance and Ethersworn Canonist and/or Containment Priest. Canonist only comes in for Storm, and we have a lot of hate for storm already. Containment Priest only really seems relevant vs Reanimator, and it can turn Captain into a mere 2/2 for 3. I'd like to make the Delver, D&T and Eldazi matchups better. Against D&T usually they are long, drawn-out games, that constantly swing back and forth. They are really great Magic Card games. Against Eldrazi and Delver we can just get run over sometimes. I'm thinking about Shining Shoal. A free spell is easier to sneak around a counter spell and it can buy us the time we need by killing a Delver or a Goyf. Against Eldrazi it can be a great combat trick, making up for the initial card disadvantage.
I'm still waiting for that 2/2 for 3 that says all activated abilities cost 1 more from Amonkhet. A 1/1 for 2 would be fine too. ^^ We can only hope...
A better Flying Lifelinker with 2 toughness would be great as well.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
TNN is one of the scariest cards to play against, I recommend Holy Light and Council's Judgment. I have two of each in sideboard, they are both great vs TNN and other cards as well. About Daru Warchief. Got the majority of matches having more P&T is not a big issue, landing hate cards in higher priority. It's nice to have one to be able to fetch if you need to ramp into CotW or need to power up the board. The rule of thumb here, is always favor landing hate cards before beaters. Generally, in order of play priority, it goes Chalice, SField, Thalia 1.0 then Thalia 2.0. If they are playing Wasteland it can help to play a Thalia 2.0 first.
Here' the list I'm currently running. The thing I love about this deck, is that between Monarch and Officer I get to see so many cards.
I run Armageddon x2 in the board, and a worb main + 3 sf. It is certainly good and catches people by surprise.
You need some mana denial for beating the Nic Fit type fair decks, as well as landing haymakers vs Miracles. 'Geddon is fine, Flagstones are good with it but make you more vulnerable to Blood Moon and Back to Basics. Note that REst in Peace plus Flagstones is a nonbo if you run both.
There has been a lot of discussion about what mana denial should be run, but ultimately its all situational, often a geddon and a worb are equally useful, sometimes they are not. Worb is dire vs Storm, for example, but can ruin other decks. In the same slot a t3 Geddon might just be enough vs Storm to seal it if you have a good disruptive t1 or 2 drop, and can ruin other decks too, but is harder to cast- 'Geddon is bloody hard to cast vs D N T for example, whereas Worb can slip dowm more easily.
I am not sure why Hikori would be run alongside Worb, I guess its potentially uncounterable off cavern number 2- I have never tried it so can't comment.
There are 3 solutions to TNN in the format for us- CJ, Runed Halo and Holy Light. All are basically board cards. CJ is a great flexible removal spell for anything, Halo can theoretically get you two for ones (in that it can stop damage from 2 x TNN) and can serve a purpose vs Painter etc., whilst Holy Light I find is the weakest against TNN as they need to not have equipped TNN or in the case of Merfolk found it a lordly mate.
I've been using the website for years and I still can't figure out how to quote properly it's so annoying.
@astebel "I count 61 cards in the deck suggested. You have 19 lands."
-1 Plains
I actually used to run 19 lands, and I might switch back to 19 and remove a Banneret.
@drmarkb "I am not sure why Hikori would be run alongside Worb, I guess its potentially uncounterable off cavern number 2- I have never tried it so can't comment."
It's another source of the same effect, and I can fetch it with Recruiter so it's effectively 3 sources in 1 card. And yes, it can be uncounterable.
I have Holy Light because it's great vs a lot of decks.
I can see Runed Halo being good vs TNN and Storm, although it dies to abrupt decay. Holy Light seems like a more Flexible card, but yes, if TNN is equipped it's bad. Most TNN decks I've played against recently were not running equipments.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
@Rendroc - really like your list. Tried it out for a few games. Very consistent.
Winter Orb is indeed a great card. Like the combination of 4 Suppression Fields and 2 Winters Orbs.
Did make a couple of tweaks. Subtracted 1 Captain of the Watch and added 1 Brimaz. Easier to cast the Brimaz with the Orb out.
Also got rid of the Bannerets and added a second Daru and Ariel Responder.
Sideboard - I like the Runed Halo over the Holy Light. I like the 2 for one in multiple TNN, or an equipped TNN.
Brimaz is a nice beater, but the Lord effect and Vigilance and immediate 9 power and 4 bodies granted by CotW can be very important. Also, you don't get the token generated by Brimaz when cheating him into play with Captain. I do think the Bannerets are replaceable, and adding Daru and a flying lifelinker sounds like a decent way to go. Responder is quite a bit worse than he would be at four toughness, which is why Drmarkb likes Dawnbringer Charioteers. With lords in the deck, the three toughness is not as bad. I will try out Runed Halo, but I'm not convinced it's better than Holy Light. There seems to be a surprisingly limited amount of targets worth bringing it in for besides TNN. And the TNN can still act as as a blocker, which is one of the main issues with that card. Making your guys really big so they don't get eaten buy it and have the ability to outrace it, is one way to get around it.
I haven't run into TNN Stoneblade decks in a long time, not sure it's really part of the global meta right now.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Seem to see more of them of late...probably a local effect though.......
Halo is decent against a few non critter decks, as well as critter based decks if ever you have a dead card it can always come in - it is almost never dead. I am not that bothered about TNN blocking, eventually they lose if he is not attacking and the game goes long. It is sad you can't get Marit Lage with it......
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I'd rally like to have some artifact destruction mainboard, there's been a number of times I've had to scoop game 1 to Ensnaring Bridge. Not a good way to lose. Still waiting on that Soldier.
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LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Besides the mirror matchup, what matchups do we side out Chalice?
Any matchup in which the enemy deck has Chalice and that's basically it. I think I remember hearing that someone takes out Chalice vs Shardless BUG because they don't have too many 1 cc cards and also have abrupt decay, but I don't take it out. While it's true it's not at its best in that matchup, Chalice on 1 can still do a lot of work, especially if they don't have a fast Abrupt Decay. You can cast it on 0 to counter Visions as well.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Shardless has brainstorm, drs and potentially thoughtseize, maybe some other 1cc discard (though its normally hymn as their preference). Its enough fo rme to keep it in as Rendroc does.
I am a little bit of a prison specialist, and I can list the chalice running decks if you like.
1 MUD - there are two main versions of mono brown MUD and they don't run 1cc
2 Merfolk- they still have vial and cursecatcher, so it might be worth keeping it in if there is little else to come in.
3 Eldrazi-Aggro- all the versions run 4 Chalice- this is the most popular chalice deck and it is 1cc free
3 AIR/ Dragon stompy/Mono Red prison. The dragon stompy deck divides into two distinct builds- one centered on Moggcatcher and one that uses bigger monsters, with mono-red prison another version that uses Ensnaring Bridges. All 3 run 4 chalice, 6-8 moon effects [normally 8] and sol lands. This group is probably the second most popular chalice deck. They may have the odd 1cc board card but nothing that worries.
4 Stax - I mean actual mono white armageddon Stax. Whilst I run it with Humility main, there are some versions runing thought knots, Thalias and Angels/Thalias. All run 4 chalice. They are devoid of 1cc but can be a bit screwed if you get a chalice set to zero on the play if you have nothing to board in. Its pretty rare.
5 Black Stax- this is a deck that a lot of people try and it actually has issues with chalice as it loses its rituals to them, which is why it does not really work in the way the white one does- i.e. popping up on the very fringes of the format and doing something somewhere once in a blue moon. It wants to get to 4 but chalice stops it doing so.
6 Tezzerator - effectively affinity control - these use opals and again it might be worth keeping chalice in on the play as they run a few 0cc mana rocks and potentially welding jars.
7. Thalia/soldier stompy.
I think I would remove them against almost every one of these unless I was desperate..
Lands and turbo depths both can run board chalices, but both have spells that are key that you want to nail, so I would keep them in.
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Since Wasteland can be one of the best cards vs us, what about Sacred Ground or Terra Eternal. I think Sacred Ground is just better because it's cheaper. It also gives us protection from Emrakul!!
I find it strange that this hasn't crossed my mind before, maybe I just found these cards for the first time. I think Sacred Ground could really be worth it vs any Wasteland deck.
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LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
It's been long enough, and I've finally decided to add two Dawnbringer Charioteers to the sideboard. The card is just too good vs a lot of decks. Vs Delver it can block Delver of Secrets and gains life, and and it race with TNN, vs D&T it blocks Flickerwisp, plus it doesn't die to Abrupt Decay or Lightning Bolt. It can block Marit Lage so we can deal with it at Sorcery speed on the following turn.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
So, I just found out about a potential gem!! Protector of the Crown has so many useful applications. Stop TNN, draws cards, stops opponent from getting Monarch, essentially gains life and turns of Burn. This card is potentially legitimately maindeck worthy!!
Funny interaction; you don't take damage from Ancient Tomb when this guy is on the bf.
LEGACY: Soldier Stompy WW // Blue Stompy UU // Fit Variants BGRW // Sol Land Brews BGRUWC MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Thank you for the advice. I will acquire some of the cards I am missing that you have suggested and give it a try.
The 1 Daru Warchief doesn't seem enough. All the games I played, I liked Daru every time I drew it.
Warden can hit your critters, which can be relevant vs things like Pernicious Deed/Terminus- removing your own dude to get the extra Enlistment officer effect when the inevitable board wipe happens, but in itself that is not a reason to include it. I do think a mix is best though, WW can be hard sometimes vs a wasteland deck.
I personally like 7-8 plains myself to help circumvent wasteland that is a problem as noted, I a certainly not sold on 3 City of T, although in higher end heavy lists they are a necessary evil, it depends on your curve.....
I am not happy tutoring with Recruiter in the deck, I think D N T has better use of the tutoring aspect, I can see it being better in game 2/3 though, and better in a deck with one ofs. I don't like F. Macabre at all as it is an activated ability and thus conflicts with S Field, and it is limited to hitting a narrow range of decks- Reanimator, maybe Lands. It is poor vs Dredge, say. I would rather have Surgical that conflicts with Chalice for that effect, but overall just more RIPs can do the job of bin hosing- if they are too slow for RB reanimator, then surgical would be my preference as a more powerful effect......
@Recruiter of the Guard: I like it because it can fetch Preeminent Captain if we still need to cheat guys into play. Being able to fetch Thalia 1.0 in the matchups where she shines is important too, and fetching Daru againts the -1-1 Black Enchantment is important too, or if we just ned some more power.
The reason I took out Warchief's is because I like to prioritize control over beatdown.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
It will indeed buy a lot of time vs Dredge, esp manaless Dredge.
The odds of you having the FM in hand game 2 vs reanimator as they go off on their first turn are low to zero- they always check the hand before going off in game 2, and as a consequence take longer in that game to win. Game 1 is where they try and win t1 if they can, game two they would be suicidal to try it without clearing your hate first, given the number of Surgical Extractions in the format. In short, you should normally get a t1 in game 2 even if you beat them g1 (which is possible if you know what they are on - a t1 chalice for zero and thalia will often do enough, there are other combinations of cards too that can do it...).
It's really the best graveyard hate the game has to offer. More reliable and faster than RIP, and Recruitable. Worse case I have to pay 2 for the activation cost. Say what you will, but it's the best option.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
As an aside, numbers of interest here for the two variants of RB reanimator are-
If they are BRg then they have 7/8 ways of killing Rest in Peace game 2 (4 Reverent silence, 3-4 Abrupt Decay), and 7-8 Discard to take things like FM and SE from hand. So permanent and hand hate are equally vulnerable.
If they are the white splash with the Scrubland (normally people who can't afford Bayou/have the Scrubland or simply have less in the way of Miracles in the meta or more in the way of Blue decks with Wastelands that knacker the Reversent Silence tech) then its 4 wear/tear for enchantments and 7/8 discard. Assuming no Leyline protection it should be easier for that version to hit hands than non critter permanents.
Here' the list I'm currently running. The thing I love about this deck, is that between Monarch and Officer I get to see so many cards.
4 Chrome Mox
2 Winter Orb
4 Preeminent Captain
4 Enlistment Officer
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
3 Palace Jailer
3 Captain of the Watch
2 Ballyrush Banneret
2 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Daru Warchief
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Karakas
6 Plains
4 Ancient Tomb
3 City of Traitors
1 Damping Matrix
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Containment Priest
1 Sanctum Prelate
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Selfless Squire
1 Rest in Peace
2 Holy Light
1 Blessed Alliance
2 Council's Judgment
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Being that both hurt us as well as opponent. Could we equally run three Armageddon and a set of Flagstones?
In respond to your question about Winter Orb. No, it's not. Winter Orb is just a great hate card vs many decks, and it has synergy with a lot of cards in our deck. Thalia 1.0 and SField tax effect, and of course Thalia 2.0 puts the land into play tapped which is insane with Orb. We have Chrome Mox to mitigate the self-hurt, and Captain let's us cheat guys onto the battlefield. Plus I have 3 creatures that reduce cost in my list which can help give us mana advantage as well. The vast majority of the time it hurts our opponent much more than us, and if it's a bad situation to cast it, I just play something else until it's safe to cast. The card is absurd against Miracles and Lands and D&T, the latter moreso if we have Vial shutdown. Lands has Mox Diamond, but I have Relic-Warder and Revoker for that.
I'm considering taking out a 1-2 cards used for combo in the sideboard, and replacing them with cards to fight against creature decks. Cards I'm considering replacing are Blessed Alliance and Ethersworn Canonist and/or Containment Priest. Canonist only comes in for Storm, and we have a lot of hate for storm already. Containment Priest only really seems relevant vs Reanimator, and it can turn Captain into a mere 2/2 for 3. I'd like to make the Delver, D&T and Eldazi matchups better. Against D&T usually they are long, drawn-out games, that constantly swing back and forth. They are really great Magic Card games. Against Eldrazi and Delver we can just get run over sometimes. I'm thinking about Shining Shoal. A free spell is easier to sneak around a counter spell and it can buy us the time we need by killing a Delver or a Goyf. Against Eldrazi it can be a great combat trick, making up for the initial card disadvantage.
I'm still waiting for that 2/2 for 3 that says all activated abilities cost 1 more from Amonkhet. A 1/1 for 2 would be fine too. ^^ We can only hope...
A better Flying Lifelinker with 2 toughness would be great as well.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
I count 61 cards in the deck suggested. You have 19 lands.
You need some mana denial for beating the Nic Fit type fair decks, as well as landing haymakers vs Miracles. 'Geddon is fine, Flagstones are good with it but make you more vulnerable to Blood Moon and Back to Basics. Note that REst in Peace plus Flagstones is a nonbo if you run both.
There has been a lot of discussion about what mana denial should be run, but ultimately its all situational, often a geddon and a worb are equally useful, sometimes they are not. Worb is dire vs Storm, for example, but can ruin other decks. In the same slot a t3 Geddon might just be enough vs Storm to seal it if you have a good disruptive t1 or 2 drop, and can ruin other decks too, but is harder to cast- 'Geddon is bloody hard to cast vs D N T for example, whereas Worb can slip dowm more easily.
I am not sure why Hikori would be run alongside Worb, I guess its potentially uncounterable off cavern number 2- I have never tried it so can't comment.
There are 3 solutions to TNN in the format for us- CJ, Runed Halo and Holy Light. All are basically board cards. CJ is a great flexible removal spell for anything, Halo can theoretically get you two for ones (in that it can stop damage from 2 x TNN) and can serve a purpose vs Painter etc., whilst Holy Light I find is the weakest against TNN as they need to not have equipped TNN or in the case of Merfolk found it a lordly mate.
@astebel "I count 61 cards in the deck suggested. You have 19 lands."
-1 Plains
I actually used to run 19 lands, and I might switch back to 19 and remove a Banneret.
@drmarkb "I am not sure why Hikori would be run alongside Worb, I guess its potentially uncounterable off cavern number 2- I have never tried it so can't comment."
It's another source of the same effect, and I can fetch it with Recruiter so it's effectively 3 sources in 1 card. And yes, it can be uncounterable.
I have Holy Light because it's great vs a lot of decks.
I can see Runed Halo being good vs TNN and Storm, although it dies to abrupt decay. Holy Light seems like a more Flexible card, but yes, if TNN is equipped it's bad. Most TNN decks I've played against recently were not running equipments.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Winter Orb is indeed a great card. Like the combination of 4 Suppression Fields and 2 Winters Orbs.
Did make a couple of tweaks. Subtracted 1 Captain of the Watch and added 1 Brimaz. Easier to cast the Brimaz with the Orb out.
Also got rid of the Bannerets and added a second Daru and Ariel Responder.
Sideboard - I like the Runed Halo over the Holy Light. I like the 2 for one in multiple TNN, or an equipped TNN.
I haven't run into TNN Stoneblade decks in a long time, not sure it's really part of the global meta right now.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Halo is decent against a few non critter decks, as well as critter based decks if ever you have a dead card it can always come in - it is almost never dead. I am not that bothered about TNN blocking, eventually they lose if he is not attacking and the game goes long. It is sad you can't get Marit Lage with it......
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Any matchup in which the enemy deck has Chalice and that's basically it. I think I remember hearing that someone takes out Chalice vs Shardless BUG because they don't have too many 1 cc cards and also have abrupt decay, but I don't take it out. While it's true it's not at its best in that matchup, Chalice on 1 can still do a lot of work, especially if they don't have a fast Abrupt Decay. You can cast it on 0 to counter Visions as well.
4 Chrome Mox
2 Winter Orb
4 Preeminent Captain
4 Enlistment Officer
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
3 Palace Jailer
3 Captain of the Watch
2 Recruiter of the Guard
2 Daru Warchief
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Karakas
6 Plains
4 Ancient Tomb
3 City of Traitors
1 Damping Matrix
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Containment Priest
1 Sanctum Prelate
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Selfless Squire
1 Rest in Peace
2 Holy Light
1 Blessed Alliance
2 Council's Judgment
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
I am a little bit of a prison specialist, and I can list the chalice running decks if you like.
1 MUD - there are two main versions of mono brown MUD and they don't run 1cc
2 Merfolk- they still have vial and cursecatcher, so it might be worth keeping it in if there is little else to come in.
3 Eldrazi-Aggro- all the versions run 4 Chalice- this is the most popular chalice deck and it is 1cc free
3 AIR/ Dragon stompy/Mono Red prison. The dragon stompy deck divides into two distinct builds- one centered on Moggcatcher and one that uses bigger monsters, with mono-red prison another version that uses Ensnaring Bridges. All 3 run 4 chalice, 6-8 moon effects [normally 8] and sol lands. This group is probably the second most popular chalice deck. They may have the odd 1cc board card but nothing that worries.
4 Stax - I mean actual mono white armageddon Stax. Whilst I run it with Humility main, there are some versions runing thought knots, Thalias and Angels/Thalias. All run 4 chalice. They are devoid of 1cc but can be a bit screwed if you get a chalice set to zero on the play if you have nothing to board in. Its pretty rare.
5 Black Stax- this is a deck that a lot of people try and it actually has issues with chalice as it loses its rituals to them, which is why it does not really work in the way the white one does- i.e. popping up on the very fringes of the format and doing something somewhere once in a blue moon. It wants to get to 4 but chalice stops it doing so.
6 Tezzerator - effectively affinity control - these use opals and again it might be worth keeping chalice in on the play as they run a few 0cc mana rocks and potentially welding jars.
7. Thalia/soldier stompy.
I think I would remove them against almost every one of these unless I was desperate..
Lands and turbo depths both can run board chalices, but both have spells that are key that you want to nail, so I would keep them in.
I find it strange that this hasn't crossed my mind before, maybe I just found these cards for the first time. I think Sacred Ground could really be worth it vs any Wasteland deck.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Current Sideboard
I took out Blessed Alliance and Selfless Squire though I do like both those cards a lot, Dawnbringer just seems better.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC
Funny interaction; you don't take damage from Ancient Tomb when this guy is on the bf.
MODERN: Pure Pili-ness GU // Red Devotion RR // Green Devotion Variants GRWUG // U/G Emerge CGU // Lots and Lots of Brews BGRUWC