I get my butt handed to me by top decks of other blocks. I'm a new player relatively and the place near me has switched to modern completely. So I have no idea how to counter or do any deck that will play well. So I decided I'll just look at a list of top decks that were historically top performing and start there. My question is what are some names of past good decks? A guy I lost to said his deck was a solar fare deck. Another one said he had a steak and eggs deck. Some other guy had an affinity deck. There was a wolf ramp and a graxis deck or something like that. An annoying was taking a long time with a second rising card and was being an ******** when I said hurry up. Was there like a top black blue exile deck in the past or something?
Dude I don't know all these cards are so before this block. It was using the second rise card and had a lot of beef with Wurmcoil and Karn and some artifact that let him use counters to bring out more Wurmcoils
The guy that named steak and eggs said he named it that because the card was called second sunrise and he had a lot of beef sticks(strong creatures) when he popped the field and wiped everything he would play second sunrise and start the day (duel) with some steak (the beefy creatures) and eggs
Edit: Actually I can't tell if he's trolling or not.
I'm not trolling. I'm trying to get some advise. Magic is over a decade old and in trying to get into it by posting in a place like this. I thought modern would be different than standard because of the sheer number of cards that can be used but its like in standard where the past top decks are still just as strong now as they were then. A deck with black lotus in it can still mess u up. I run the modern Esper that is top decking but I'm getting my ass handed to me. I have googled and that led me here to this site.
Edit: Actually I can't tell if he's trolling or not.
I'm not trolling. I'm trying to get some advise. Magic is over a decade old and in trying to get into it by posting in a place like this. I thought modern would be different than standard because of the sheer number of cards that can be used but its like in standard where the past top decks are still just as strong now as they were then. A deck with black lotus in it can still mess u up. I run the modern Esper that is top decking but I'm getting my ass handed to me. I have googled and that led me here to this site.
Okay, take a look at the first link on the page after Googling. It's not completely accurate but it's easier to read than mtgtop8 (which by the way, is the best website to get a picture of the meta + decklists http://mtgtop8.com/format?f=MO).
You're half right about previous top tier Standard decks ruling Modern. Twin, Affinity, Jund, and Scapeshift are some top-tier Modern decks that were very strong in Standard during their time. However, you have to realize that these decks are only top tier in Modern because they've gained access to strong cards from the card pool that amplify the power of their strategy. Twin got Kiki-Jiki and strong counterspells and removal, Affinity didn't really get anything but it was really broken in Standard, Jund got Goyf, Dark Confidant, and Liliana of the Veil, and Scapeshift got great counters and ramp. Most of these decks are so different card-wise that they're nearly incomparable to the decks that were in Standard at the time, but their archetypes stayed the same. There are also plenty of decks that only exist because of the Modern format, like Melira Pod, RG Tron, Merfolk, Hexproof, etc. My point is that Modern isn't just a format of rotated Standard decks. It's a format of highly streamlined archetypes. If you tried to bring a rotated Standard deck into Modern, you'd get destroyed.
There is no special edge that older players have over new ones, except for experience. So stop assuming there is one. Just learn the meta, build a strong deck, and play.
Edit: Actually I can't tell if he's trolling or not.
I'm not trolling. I'm trying to get some advise. Magic is over a decade old and in trying to get into it by posting in a place like this. I thought modern would be different than standard because of the sheer number of cards that can be used but its like in standard where the past top decks are still just as strong now as they were then. A deck with black lotus in it can still mess u up. I run the modern Esper that is top decking but I'm getting my ass handed to me. I have googled and that led me here to this site.
I think the problem is that you're getting in over your head. Esper is a deck that demands you know what cards to answer out of which decks, and if you think that Black Lotus (did you mean Lotus Bloom instead?) is legal in the format, you've got to take a step back and play a much simpler version of the game. Modern is a very difficult format for someone new to magic: to be good, you have to understand the pillars of the format and all the interactions. Fetchlands. Thoughtseize. Tarmogoyf. Lightning Bolt. Birthing Pod. The basic combo decks and what turn they can go off. You're right in saying that you need background knowledge to succeed at modern; that's what makes the good players good.
If you want to keep playing modern (and believe me, it's a much more difficult format that standard), try something with less interaction, like perhaps Burn or Zoo. You'll be able to win a reasonable portion of the time while getting a grip on the most important cards and interactions. If that's easy enough, try Jund, which is designed to have answers to most everything. If you're just upset that the good decks are good... I'm not sure how to help you.
In any format the top decks or popular decks are based on previous type2 (standard) lists. Like many previous said the modern card pool adds to the power of these decks and in any format it is good to know what is played and what isn't if you want to try to play competitive. Modern (to me...) isn't a very "casual" format so that makes it a bit harder unless you do some research. There are also large archetypes that cover a lot of ground. U/W control is just that... good blue and white cards that make a control style deck. There are other decks that are a bit more specific like Living End or Affinity. With practice and research comes perfection my friend. Keep playing and you will get the hang of it. There are also always going to be rogue decks that are homebrews or not so popular, just learn interactions with cards and figure out how to respond to them and you will be fine.
What I meant with Black Lotus, is that the mechanics of a top deck (lotus bloom)in 1993 is still strong today. Yes i know its banned but im uaing it a a staple of a deck of its time.That's what modern to me is taking the strong decks of each release then adding new stuff to them to make them better. Just as you said. But these new decks that come out take those decks and keep the frame of the deck but add new stuff to it. Think like a car getting a make over.the car is still the old car but gets new paint.
And all these names of decks are what I'm asking for. These are new names I've never heard of: Birthing pod,Fetchlands,(deck around Thoughtseize?)Tarmogoyf,Lightning Bolt,lotus bloom(yes thanks, it was this name)Twin, Affinity, Jund, and Scapeshift.
I'm looking for a blue black exile deck that top decked in its time and I want to modernize it if there was one
Well there are Birthing pod decks: Kiki-pod and Melira Pod
U/W Control
American Control (or UWR Control or Wafu something...)
Tron (comes in R/G, U/W, and U)
Eggs
Storm
Zoo (multiple versions)
U/R Delver
Jund
Rock
8-Rack
etc...
there are a whole bunch of decks out there all with different names. Your best bet is to check the established or proven forums.
As for a blue black exile deck... I don't know. I've been playing since Alara and I can't think of one. THere were U/B Mill decks that would force your opponent to mill cards into a graveyard, but I don't remember exile. Like I said - there are rogue or homebrew decks out there.
Mill and exile are two different things.
Exile means removing from the game.
What you are looking for is a mill deck - it puts cards into the graveyard. There have always been mill decks in standard as they all have the same concept.
There isn't really a top tier deck in modern - it's all kinda random brews. There are threads for them in the Modern Deck Creation forums, check those out for better feedback.
I'm trying to, I have this deck list so far:
X4 Tomb Scour. X2 Psychic Strike
X4 Jace's Phantasm. X2 Haunting Echoes
X4 Judge's Familiar X1 Damnation
X4 Mana Leak. X1 Life's Finale
X4 Jace,Memory Adept. X4 Dimir Guildgate
X4 Typhoid Rats. X11 Island
X2 Traumatize. X10 Swamp
X4 Mind Funeral
X2 Tidehollow Strix
X3 Countersquall
Yeah that's not going to work.
Part of the problem is that there has never, ever been a truly competitive UB Mill deck, even in Standard or Block, so trying to make it work in Modern is not going to get you very far.
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It's over sixty so I need to thin it down. I thinking more damnations but the Life's finale has me select annoying creatures that I can Haunting Echoes out of the game. I had Vampire nighthawks but took them out for Tidehollows. I'm thinking Buddy lands instead of the guild gates also.
Thanks Theaterguy you're awesome. 8Rack sounds weird. Anynore names? There should be a list in stone to remember all these.
I'm trying to, I have this deck list so far:
X4 Tomb Scour. X2 Psychic Strike
X4 Jace's Phantasm. X2 Haunting Echoes
X4 Judge's Familiar X1 Damnation
X4 Mana Leak. X1 Life's Finale
X4 Jace,Memory Adept. X4 Dimir Guildgate
X4 Typhoid Rats. X11 Island
X2 Traumatize. X10 Swamp
X4 Mind Funeral
X2 Tidehollow Strix
X3 Countersquall
Yeah that's not going to work.
Part of the problem is that there has never, ever been a truly competitive UB Mill deck, even in Standard or Block, so trying to make it work in Modern is not going to get you very far.
Which takes back to my original point the only decks that win are decks from their original blocks that get beefed with modern cards.
So Haunting Echoes has never topped? It's my favorite card,if I could pair it with Traumatize and Jace the Memory Adept
Those aren't the only decks that win. Many decks are based around a card or a combo that was good in it's prime. Splinter Twin and Grapeshot are both examples of this. Twin decks and Storm decks look so different from when they were "standard" but that doesn't mean it's the same concept. There are also decks that died - I.E. mythic conscription or the original alara jund. There are also decks that emerged from out of no where such as Hatebears, 8-Rack, or Amulet decks.
Modern is ever-evolving as new cards come out or as people test or as the ban list changes. The card pool is so large that it gives us the ability to create things like the Amulet decks.
I'm trying to, I have this deck list so far:
X4 Tomb Scour. X2 Psychic Strike
X4 Jace's Phantasm. X2 Haunting Echoes
X4 Judge's Familiar X1 Damnation
X4 Mana Leak. X1 Life's Finale
X4 Jace,Memory Adept. X4 Dimir Guildgate
X4 Typhoid Rats. X11 Island
X2 Traumatize. X10 Swamp
X4 Mind Funeral
X2 Tidehollow Strix
X3 Countersquall
Yeah that's not going to work.
Part of the problem is that there has never, ever been a truly competitive UB Mill deck, even in Standard or Block, so trying to make it work in Modern is not going to get you very far.
Which takes back to my original point the only decks that win are decks from their original blocks that get beefed with modern cards.
So Haunting Echoes has never topped? It's my favorite card,if I could pair it with Traumatize and Jace the Memory Adept
Unfortunately, mill has never been a competitive deck. Even in modern the deck has its inherent weakness. I'm not fluent enough in the deck to point where it falls short, but they are there and too large to ignore. Certainly, you could take down a local modern FNM on occasion, if the meta is right (read casual), but mill isn't strong enough to be competitive on a large scale.
that esper mill deck has put up surprisingly good records in serious events before. I bet if people played it as much as they played any other archetype you'd see it putting up real results more often--but its like half a dozen players at a huge event showing up with it which makes it statistically unlikely to make any kind of blip regardless of its competitiveness.
Part of the problem is that there has never, ever been a truly competitive UB Mill deck, even in Standard or Block, so trying to make it work in Modern is not going to get you very far.
Pardon? No effective mill decks in Standard block?
IIRC, this (and variants thereof) was pretty effective:
It might be helpful to watch some of the feature matches and deck techs from the recent Modern Pro Tour & Grand Prixs on Youtube. It might not cover the entire metagame but it will at least give you a good starting point on what's being played currently.
I've heard of just plain eggs but steak and eggs? Could you elaborate on what cards they used
If you want to know the top tier decks in Modern, look in Proven or Established.
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http://lmgtfy.com/?q=modern meta
Edit: Actually I can't tell if he's trolling or not.
I'm not trolling. I'm trying to get some advise. Magic is over a decade old and in trying to get into it by posting in a place like this. I thought modern would be different than standard because of the sheer number of cards that can be used but its like in standard where the past top decks are still just as strong now as they were then. A deck with black lotus in it can still mess u up. I run the modern Esper that is top decking but I'm getting my ass handed to me. I have googled and that led me here to this site.
Okay, take a look at the first link on the page after Googling. It's not completely accurate but it's easier to read than mtgtop8 (which by the way, is the best website to get a picture of the meta + decklists http://mtgtop8.com/format?f=MO).
I'm not sure what you're saying about Black Lotus. Black Lotus is banned in this format. Here is the Modern banlist: https://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/resources.aspx?x=judge/resources/sfrmodern.
You're half right about previous top tier Standard decks ruling Modern. Twin, Affinity, Jund, and Scapeshift are some top-tier Modern decks that were very strong in Standard during their time. However, you have to realize that these decks are only top tier in Modern because they've gained access to strong cards from the card pool that amplify the power of their strategy. Twin got Kiki-Jiki and strong counterspells and removal, Affinity didn't really get anything but it was really broken in Standard, Jund got Goyf, Dark Confidant, and Liliana of the Veil, and Scapeshift got great counters and ramp. Most of these decks are so different card-wise that they're nearly incomparable to the decks that were in Standard at the time, but their archetypes stayed the same. There are also plenty of decks that only exist because of the Modern format, like Melira Pod, RG Tron, Merfolk, Hexproof, etc. My point is that Modern isn't just a format of rotated Standard decks. It's a format of highly streamlined archetypes. If you tried to bring a rotated Standard deck into Modern, you'd get destroyed.
I have no clue what the Modern Esper deck that is top decking is. This is the only Esper deck I've ever seen. http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=6398&d=236863&f=MO.
There is no special edge that older players have over new ones, except for experience. So stop assuming there is one. Just learn the meta, build a strong deck, and play.
I think the problem is that you're getting in over your head. Esper is a deck that demands you know what cards to answer out of which decks, and if you think that Black Lotus (did you mean Lotus Bloom instead?) is legal in the format, you've got to take a step back and play a much simpler version of the game. Modern is a very difficult format for someone new to magic: to be good, you have to understand the pillars of the format and all the interactions. Fetchlands. Thoughtseize. Tarmogoyf. Lightning Bolt. Birthing Pod. The basic combo decks and what turn they can go off. You're right in saying that you need background knowledge to succeed at modern; that's what makes the good players good.
If you want to keep playing modern (and believe me, it's a much more difficult format that standard), try something with less interaction, like perhaps Burn or Zoo. You'll be able to win a reasonable portion of the time while getting a grip on the most important cards and interactions. If that's easy enough, try Jund, which is designed to have answers to most everything. If you're just upset that the good decks are good... I'm not sure how to help you.
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And all these names of decks are what I'm asking for. These are new names I've never heard of: Birthing pod,Fetchlands,(deck around Thoughtseize?)Tarmogoyf,Lightning Bolt,lotus bloom(yes thanks, it was this name)Twin, Affinity, Jund, and Scapeshift.
I'm looking for a blue black exile deck that top decked in its time and I want to modernize it if there was one
Infraction for flaming
-ktkenshinx-
U/W Control
American Control (or UWR Control or Wafu something...)
Tron (comes in R/G, U/W, and U)
Eggs
Storm
Zoo (multiple versions)
U/R Delver
Jund
Rock
8-Rack
etc...
there are a whole bunch of decks out there all with different names. Your best bet is to check the established or proven forums.
As for a blue black exile deck... I don't know. I've been playing since Alara and I can't think of one. THere were U/B Mill decks that would force your opponent to mill cards into a graveyard, but I don't remember exile. Like I said - there are rogue or homebrew decks out there.
X4 Tomb Scour. X2 Psychic Strike
X4 Jace's Phantasm. X2 Haunting Echoes
X4 Judge's Familiar X1 Damnation
X4 Mana Leak. X1 Life's Finale
X4 Jace,Memory Adept. X4 Dimir Guildgate
X4 Typhoid Rats. X11 Island
X2 Traumatize. X10 Swamp
X4 Mind Funeral
X2 Tidehollow Strix
X3 Countersquall
Exile means removing from the game.
What you are looking for is a mill deck - it puts cards into the graveyard. There have always been mill decks in standard as they all have the same concept.
There isn't really a top tier deck in modern - it's all kinda random brews. There are threads for them in the Modern Deck Creation forums, check those out for better feedback.
Yeah that's not going to work.
Part of the problem is that there has never, ever been a truly competitive UB Mill deck, even in Standard or Block, so trying to make it work in Modern is not going to get you very far.
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Thanks Theaterguy you're awesome. 8Rack sounds weird. Anynore names? There should be a list in stone to remember all these.
Which takes back to my original point the only decks that win are decks from their original blocks that get beefed with modern cards.
So Haunting Echoes has never topped? It's my favorite card,if I could pair it with Traumatize and Jace the Memory Adept
Modern is ever-evolving as new cards come out or as people test or as the ban list changes. The card pool is so large that it gives us the ability to create things like the Amulet decks.
You can look at these places for names and their lists.
http://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/modern
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/proven-modern
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/established-modern
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/modern-deck-creation
Unfortunately, mill has never been a competitive deck. Even in modern the deck has its inherent weakness. I'm not fluent enough in the deck to point where it falls short, but they are there and too large to ignore. Certainly, you could take down a local modern FNM on occasion, if the meta is right (read casual), but mill isn't strong enough to be competitive on a large scale.
Pardon? No effective mill decks in Standard block?
IIRC, this (and variants thereof) was pretty effective:
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Batterskull
3 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
3 Curse of Death's Hold
1 Dismember
2 Dissipate
1 Doom Blade
3 Forbidden Alchemy
1 Go for the Throat
4 Mana Leak
2 Ratchet Bomb
4 Think Twice
1 Tragic Slip
1 Tribute to Hunger
4 Drowned Catacomb
1 Ghost Quarter
8 Island (234)
3 Nephalia Drownyard
6 Swamp (238)
1 Batterskull
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Doom Blade
1 Go for the Throat
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Memoricide
2 Negate
1 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Phantasmal Image
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Tribute to Hunger
There are actually some pretty stellar examples of how the "Mill" in Millstone worked very well...
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