I looking to overhaul my Titanshift deck after a lackluster performance and was just wondering which of the two Valakut decks is better in the current Modern meta and why? What are their relative strengths/ weaknesses vs different matchups compared to one another?
I actually have some experience here. I personally prefer to play RG Breach, but that is my play style. RG Titanshift is an overall better deck. Thien Nyugen has continued to do well with RG Titanshift in multiple metas, so I would suggest looking up a list by him. He has been working on this deck for quite a while and is considered by many as a master of the deck. A guy at my LGS has been talking with him about the deck and he has some really great insight. Whatever I say can't really compare with that, me having barely run RG Titanshift in Modern (although I've run RG Breach a lot, Standard Valakut, and Standard Wolf-Run Ramp quite a bit in the past).
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
they at their core almost the same deck, but the difference is in Titan shift you run 4 scapeshift. In through the breach you might run some scapeshifts or none at all.
In titan shift scapeshift if your primary win condition, Primeval titan is more of a second choice for getting to the same end with valakut. you also are ready to run large creatures, like obstinate baloth, sometimes huntmaster of the fells, tarmogoyf to shift into an aggro back up strategy if Valakut doesn't do its thing.
RG Breach through the breach combo is your primary wincon. turn 5 emrakul, the aeons torn, is your goal, 2nd choice is to breach into primeval titan and get some valakut triggers if possible, and ramp from 5 mana into 9. a 2nd titan and you can get your valakut combo to go off. hard casting titan you have the same valakut capacity as Titanshift. you might even follow up your breach with a scapeshift if you happen to run it, to finish the job.
the weakness is if your breached creature doesn't get the job done, it dies at end of turn leaving you with no blocker.
the weaknesses are arguable, but i focus on how RG breach needs to be a two card combo in a mana ramp deck, you need breach and a game winning creature. mana ramping being the bulk of the deck means it isn't the best for digging up both combo pieces.
In titanshift you run extra mana ramp in place of breach and stick your threats with no sacrifice clause at end of turn. Additionally your not digging to make a 2 card combo, you pull titan or scapeshift and use them to end the game right then and there, no second card required.
prismatic omen seems to vary pending on the RG Breach player. but it has its uses in either deck. its more common in titanshift enabling turn 6 scapeshift for enabling primeval titan to land and trigger 4 valakut triggers. (12 damage off the enter the battlefield ability)
blood moon both decks don't like it and both can easily deal with it. however RG breach fares better since you can Breach emrakul. Titanshift on the other hand is forced to go the aggro route which can be slower.
Rg breach is 1 turn faster and better against blue Decks.
Rg titanshift is more consistent overall and with the turn 4 kill but is even more linear because the Backup midrange plan is worse.
I just put together Titanshift (Thien Nyugen's most recent version) and here's my assessment as well. It seems to match the poster above mine's.
RG Breach is more explosive, winning as early as turn 3. It is less weak to Blood Moon and land hate. I do also agree that it is stronger against Blue, but it's not that far off from Titanshift.
RG Titanshift is overall more consistent. Like I theorized earlier, it is a stronger deck because the consistency through many rounds is more likely. This deck also has the opportunity to win late-game after durdling simply by drawing Scapeshift. RG Breach usually needs at least 2 pieces (Through the Breach/Fattie) to win after durdling into the late-game. I should say also that playing 1 spell like Scapeshift can do upwards of 45 damage or more while RG Breach needs many spells to do that (or a Prime Time that attacks multiple turns).
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Rg breach is 1 turn faster and better against blue Decks
My personal opinion is Scapeshift much better than Breach vs blue.
Lot of deck U decks play MD Dispel and all play 1 or 2 in SB who shutdown Breach but do nothing vs Scapeshift.
Same with Mana Leak, Scapeshift can pay because it will always have 7 lands before go, no Breach.
We're saying that mostly because of the presence of Summoning Trap. Dispel has been dying down a bit as far as I've seen. I don't seen more than 1 in any MB or SB nowadays, while the extras have mostly been changed to Negate.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
overall in RG TitanShift late game you can top deck a scapeshift and just win on the spot.
RG Breach needs to assemble 2 cards to achieve a combo and win.
so its (titanshift) 1 card to win, RG Breach 2 cards to win.
which brings me to a point about RG Breach, yes emrakul, the aeons torn is an amazing win con, but why not just do what Grishoalbrand deck does with breach and run Worldspine Wurm? its 15 damage to the face and when it dies, it leave 3 5/5's with trample on the field to finish the job!
plus is cheaper than when it comes to late game hard casting.
so what if worldspine gets path to exile (its only threat in modern, if breach is successfully cast) your now fetching a basic taking you to 6 mana, upon which you can cast titan get valakut rolling.
Rg breach is 1 turn faster and better against blue Decks
My personal opinion is Scapeshift much better than Breach vs blue.
Lot of deck U decks play MD Dispel and all play 1 or 2 in SB who shutdown Breach but do nothing vs Scapeshift.
Same with Mana Leak, Scapeshift can pay because it will always have 7 lands before go, no Breach.
We're saying that mostly because of the presence of Summoning Trap. Dispel has been dying down a bit as far as I've seen. I don't seen more than 1 in any MB or SB nowadays, while the extras have mostly been changed to Negate.
According to Mtg top 8, Summoning Trap is only played in 5 deck on 26 in last 2 months. The "only Titan plan" pack is the more popular now. we must distinguish between the two types of Breach decks, the "Full for Titan" and the "Emrakul + Trap"
You're right for the dispel but he still played in 90% of control sideboard's + combo decks like infect or U Scapeshift.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)they at their core almost the same deck, but the difference is in Titan shift you run 4 scapeshift. In through the breach you might run some scapeshifts or none at all.
valakut, the molten pinnacle's role doesn't change in either deck.
In titan shift scapeshift if your primary win condition, Primeval titan is more of a second choice for getting to the same end with valakut. you also are ready to run large creatures, like obstinate baloth, sometimes huntmaster of the fells, tarmogoyf to shift into an aggro back up strategy if Valakut doesn't do its thing.
RG Breach through the breach combo is your primary wincon. turn 5 emrakul, the aeons torn, is your goal, 2nd choice is to breach into primeval titan and get some valakut triggers if possible, and ramp from 5 mana into 9. a 2nd titan and you can get your valakut combo to go off. hard casting titan you have the same valakut capacity as Titanshift. you might even follow up your breach with a scapeshift if you happen to run it, to finish the job.
the weakness is if your breached creature doesn't get the job done, it dies at end of turn leaving you with no blocker.
the weaknesses are arguable, but i focus on how RG breach needs to be a two card combo in a mana ramp deck, you need breach and a game winning creature. mana ramping being the bulk of the deck means it isn't the best for digging up both combo pieces.
In titanshift you run extra mana ramp in place of breach and stick your threats with no sacrifice clause at end of turn. Additionally your not digging to make a 2 card combo, you pull titan or scapeshift and use them to end the game right then and there, no second card required.
Another difference is emrakul, the aeons torn or rather the whole of RG breach doesn't support splendid reclamation like TitanShift does.
prismatic omen seems to vary pending on the RG Breach player. but it has its uses in either deck. its more common in titanshift enabling turn 6 scapeshift for enabling primeval titan to land and trigger 4 valakut triggers. (12 damage off the enter the battlefield ability)
blood moon both decks don't like it and both can easily deal with it. however RG breach fares better since you can Breach emrakul. Titanshift on the other hand is forced to go the aggro route which can be slower.
I just put together Titanshift (Thien Nyugen's most recent version) and here's my assessment as well. It seems to match the poster above mine's.
RG Breach is more explosive, winning as early as turn 3. It is less weak to Blood Moon and land hate. I do also agree that it is stronger against Blue, but it's not that far off from Titanshift.
RG Titanshift is overall more consistent. Like I theorized earlier, it is a stronger deck because the consistency through many rounds is more likely. This deck also has the opportunity to win late-game after durdling simply by drawing Scapeshift. RG Breach usually needs at least 2 pieces (Through the Breach/Fattie) to win after durdling into the late-game. I should say also that playing 1 spell like Scapeshift can do upwards of 45 damage or more while RG Breach needs many spells to do that (or a Prime Time that attacks multiple turns).
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)My personal opinion is Scapeshift much better than Breach vs blue.
Lot of deck U decks play MD Dispel and all play 1 or 2 in SB who shutdown Breach but do nothing vs Scapeshift.
Same with Mana Leak, Scapeshift can pay because it will always have 7 lands before go, no Breach.
RG Titan Scapeshift GR
UBWAd Nauseam WBU
CEldrazi TronC
We're saying that mostly because of the presence of Summoning Trap. Dispel has been dying down a bit as far as I've seen. I don't seen more than 1 in any MB or SB nowadays, while the extras have mostly been changed to Negate.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)RG Breach needs to assemble 2 cards to achieve a combo and win.
so its (titanshift) 1 card to win, RG Breach 2 cards to win.
which brings me to a point about RG Breach, yes emrakul, the aeons torn is an amazing win con, but why not just do what Grishoalbrand deck does with breach and run Worldspine Wurm? its 15 damage to the face and when it dies, it leave 3 5/5's with trample on the field to finish the job!
plus is cheaper than when it comes to late game hard casting.
so what if worldspine gets path to exile (its only threat in modern, if breach is successfully cast) your now fetching a basic taking you to 6 mana, upon which you can cast titan get valakut rolling.
According to Mtg top 8, Summoning Trap is only played in 5 deck on 26 in last 2 months. The "only Titan plan" pack is the more popular now. we must distinguish between the two types of Breach decks, the "Full for Titan" and the "Emrakul + Trap"
You're right for the dispel but he still played in 90% of control sideboard's + combo decks like infect or U Scapeshift.
RG Titan Scapeshift GR
UBWAd Nauseam WBU
CEldrazi TronC