I'd suggest Curiosity as a replacement for Aqueous Form. There should be some cheap enchantments in the deck for Delirium since Invasive Surgery has been released. It is one of the best counters to Scapeshift and Pyroclasm out of the Sideboard.
Also I think he meant that you should cut Cloud Sprite instead of Zephyr Sprite for obvious reasons.
Do you think a 1-of Invasive Surgery will suffice? or should I add another?
Curiosity is very good with the Faeries because of the evasion, but really bad when equipped with the Ninjas. Maybe I'll try replacing 1 Aqueous Form with Curiosity.
Can anyone help me in a "budget" version of this deck? I know that Ninjas are not VERY strong and a budget deck would be even worse, but I really like the concept of the cards and Fairy is one of my favorite tribal too, so it's a 2 on 1.
Vendilion Clique and Sword of Fire and Ice are both expensive. I want to avoid cards that are over 10$ (maybe I can buy them if it's only 1-2 copy) or avoid many 5$ playset. Can anyone help me out?
Can anyone help me in a "budget" version of this deck? I know that Ninjas are not VERY strong and a budget deck would be even worse, but I really like the concept of the cards and Fairy is one of my favorite tribal too, so it's a 2 on 1.
Vendilion Clique and Sword of Fire and Ice are both expensive. I want to avoid cards that are over 10$ (maybe I can buy them if it's only 1-2 copy) or avoid many 5$ playset. Can anyone help me out?
Can anyone help me in a "budget" version of this deck? I know that Ninjas are not VERY strong and a budget deck would be even worse, but I really like the concept of the cards and Fairy is one of my favorite tribal too, so it's a 2 on 1.
Vendilion Clique and Sword of Fire and Ice are both expensive. I want to avoid cards that are over 10$ (maybe I can buy them if it's only 1-2 copy) or avoid many 5$ playset. Can anyone help me out?
Can anyone help me in a "budget" version of this deck? I know that Ninjas are not VERY strong and a budget deck would be even worse, but I really like the concept of the cards and Fairy is one of my favorite tribal too, so it's a 2 on 1.
Vendilion Clique and Sword of Fire and Ice are both expensive. I want to avoid cards that are over 10$ (maybe I can buy them if it's only 1-2 copy) or avoid many 5$ playset. Can anyone help me out?
This is a deck from a Mono Blue Ninja Faeries. Splashed black for aggro match ups. This is just an idea. Do you guys think it can do well? This is also budget so pardon the bad mana base.
This deck would play out as a tempo/control deck -- basically the goal is to stall your opponent from advancing their board state while you build momentum and peck them to death with an army of 1/1 creatures. You can take out the Mistblade Shinobi and Ronin Warclub if you want to bring in more counterspells and be more controlling, or leave them in if you want to emphasize the aggro-ness of this deck.
Evacuation is a card that can sortof replace Mistbind Clique in that it's a big finisher to really help push through the final state of the game. Engulf the Shore is perhaps a better version of Evacuation that should be quite a bit cheaper in terms of $$, and might even be just generally better.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My app: ScryGlass - Use your Android camera to rapidly scan, inventory, and price MtG cards
Has anyone tried out Crystal Shard? It recycles ETB effects, protects your creatures from removal, and also makes your opponent's creatures cost one more.
Has anyone tried out Crystal Shard? It recycles ETB effects, protects your creatures from removal, and also makes your opponent's creatures cost one more.
I've been experimenting with it.
Currently I've got one in my sideboard, but I've toyed with main-decking it. The main trouble I've found is that it's a bit slow and expensive, and doesn't do much to affect the board on its own. 4 mana to play it and bounce your first Spellstutter Sprite with it, and then 2 more mana to re-cast the Sprite... that's a lot of mana to dedicate to recycling a single counterspell. Cards like Familiar's Ruse are just so much more efficient.
It's the rare game of Modern that we can afford to take off turn 3 or 4 to play a single artifact that doesn't immediately affect the board. Something like Mistbind Clique is so much more powerful to be playing around that same time.
The earliest I would feel comfortable playing Crystal Shard is on turn 5 when we can spend 3 mana for Crystal Shard and then leave 2 mana up for a counterspell of some sort. However, if our opponent is on 5 or 6 mana and we only have a single counterspell available, we're really leaving ourselves open to letting our opponent push a crucial threat through, so even then it's a very risky play.
In short, Crystal Shard is cute, but it has a hard time fitting with the tempo and plan of our deck. We're not a "hard lock" sort of control deck -- we're a "tempo control" deck. We don't need to "go infinite" so much as we just need to stall the opponent long enough for us to peck them to death with an army of 1/1's and 2/2's.
Has anyone tried out Crystal Shard? It recycles ETB effects, protects your creatures from removal, and also makes your opponent's creatures cost one more.
I should note that I just picked up a Cloudstone Curio for testing with. It's very similar to a one-sided Crystal Shard that we don't have to pay any mana to activate.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My app: ScryGlass - Use your Android camera to rapidly scan, inventory, and price MtG cards
Any comments, something I should put in when splashing green? I was thing about Rancor, and I really wanted to play Kiora, The Crashing Wave, but she really looks awful.
Also, you should probably add a few more Familiar's Ruse. You benefit a lot from re-using ETB effects, even more than other ninja decks. I'd probably take out the Remands for them.
Kiora isn't needed. We have a good draw engine through Ninja of the Deep Hours, no need for mana ramp beyond 4, and even if you +1 her, she dies to a Lightning Bolt.
I like Rancor as a two-of! I'd probably change the list to:
Thanks for taking me seriously! I admit some of the card choices were purely for fun (most of the ones you took out) - as probably voidslime still is. Yeah Rancor seems a better choice than Aqueous Form to me, but I guess it's debatable. I would probably like a few more 1cc enablers (I never liked putting in 1/1 flying sprites with no other effect), but unfortunately no 1cc green sprites. Familiar's Ruse is nice, but at this moment you basically cant play it until turn 3 most of the times. There should probably be some remands/mana leaks instead of voidslime (sb maybe, honestly i dont really know what can be stifled effectively in modern), to go for a more midrange strathegy.
In this case you get Scryb Ranger which looks ok with flash, prot blue and flying (also a Faerie of course)...?
I didn't want to take out your Voidslime because you said that you liked it
I think that Familiar's Ruse being only playable on turn three isn't too bad. You'll probably just be countering on turn three anyways, and if you ramped with Coiling Oracle, you'll be able to play it again on the same turn.
Scryb Ranger looks nice, but I don't know what to take out for it.
The problem with Favorable Winds is that it works against ninjitsu, and can't be flashed in to stop a removal spell. However, your points are good. It also doesn't stop you from equipping a sword to other faeries, unlike the Scion, and isn't as awkward as the Club when using Spellstutter Sprite right before combat damage.
However, I think that it's probably not good enough for the main-board. Two additional unblocked damage is usually better than two separate instances of it, and I think that the flash and shroud of the Scion is worth the additional mana (especially since we already have so many two-drops). I could see it in the sideboard, because it's an option at stopping Zealous Persecution, Orzhov Pontiff, and Lingering Souls (it doesn't stop it, but certainly makes it harder for them to 4-for-1 our faeries), in addition to our counter-spells.
I have a strong Dislike for Mistblade Shinobi, as you will too frequently get a single use from it without something like Wingcrafter giving it flying.
I have a strong Dislike for Mistblade Shinobi, as you will too frequently get a single use from it without something like Wingcrafter giving it flying.
Is this a good starting point? Does it stand a chance against the aforementioned decks? What changes would you suggest and which "money upgrades" should I work towards in the future?
It's a great starting point! This looks like a fantastic deck, and I think you'll have a lot of fun with it!
I will note that Mistbind Clique is extremely strong, except against decks that can go off at instant-speed. I had one game against Abzan CoCo that I was winning, but I got greedy and attempted to Mistbind them on their upkeep. They cast CoCo in response and went infinite.
I will note that you will have a tough time with this deck against aggro, since it's not the strongest against them. I don't have great answers for how you address aggro, but against the decks you listed, I think you'll do fine. Possibly pack your sideboard with more graveyard hate if dredge is something you're going to play much (I recommend Relic of Progenitus personally).
If you find yourself stuck on mana color requirements, I switched from Mutavault to Faerie Conclave because I didn't like all of the colorless mana. I still keep one Mutavault and two Ghost Quarter in my deck though, so your 1-of mutavault may be fine.
I also recommend Boomerang as a "catch-all" card -- it can bounce problem lands, planeswalkers, enchantments, etc -- it's a catch-all answer card that can be useful -- especially in the sideboard.
Your deck looks great -- I look forward to hearing more about how well it performs!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My app: ScryGlass - Use your Android camera to rapidly scan, inventory, and price MtG cards
What does everyone think of the new emerge cards (specifically Elder Deep-Fiend)? Turn 2 Ninja of the Deep Hours, turn 3 Deep Fiend and tapping down their whole board is really strong, if a little optimistic.
Also, would Imprisoned in the Moon be any good here? It can get rid of problematic lands and things that made it to the battlefield, which is something that our counters can't do. Probably a little too clunky at 3 mana?
EDIT: After playing around with the Deep-Fiend a bit, I found that Mistbind Clique is usually better, at least in the faerie deck.
Soul Warden and Soul's Attendant nets you life every time a creature comes into play, this includes ninjutsu;
Silverblade Paladin: Hit with two different ninjas from the same unbloacked creature, hitting the first ninja with the first strike combat step and the second ninja with normal combat step.
Do you think a 1-of Invasive Surgery will suffice? or should I add another?
Curiosity is very good with the Faeries because of the evasion, but really bad when equipped with the Ninjas. Maybe I'll try replacing 1 Aqueous Form with Curiosity.
I am using Cloud Sprites as alternate option for Zephyr Sprites, it is hard to find in my area.
Vendilion Clique and Sword of Fire and Ice are both expensive. I want to avoid cards that are over 10$ (maybe I can buy them if it's only 1-2 copy) or avoid many 5$ playset. Can anyone help me out?
I am using both Sword of Feast and Famine and Sword of War and Peace as SoFaI substitutes, but you can also use Ronin Warclub or Stormrider Rig. Aside from Cryptic Command, the Swords and Vendilion Clique, the deck can be built below 70 dollars.
The deck might not be strong, but it sure is fun playing with.
Yeah!
So I will try to replace those SoFaI with one of those cards that you mentioned.
Any good replacement for Clique and Cryptic Command? I don't know if any monster could replace Clique, tho...
Clique will be hard to replace, maybe an additional Mistbind Clique for it's place?
For Cryptic, maybe Remand? or any other counterspell. If you are splashing white, Ojutai's Command is a good budget option.
1x Cryptic Command
2x Disfigure
1x Dismember
1x Doom Blade
3x Familiar's Ruse
1x Go for the Throat
3x Spell Pierce
2x Vapor Snag
Land
4x Drowned Catacomb
2x Faerie Conclave
2x Ghost Quarter
7x Island
4x Secluded Glen
2x Watery Grave
4x Faerie Miscreant
2x Mistbind Clique
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
1x Quickling
1x Scion of Oona
4x Spellstutter Sprite
1x Vendilion Clique
3x Zephyr Sprite
Artifact
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of War and Peace
Sorcery
3x Duress
1x Annul
1x Dispel
2x Echoing Truth
2x Extirpate
1x Hurkyl's Recall
1x Invasive Surgery
1x Murderous Cut
2x Pithing Needle
2x Ratchet Bomb
2x Tormod's Crypt
This is a deck from a Mono Blue Ninja Faeries. Splashed black for aggro match ups. This is just an idea. Do you guys think it can do well? This is also budget so pardon the bad mana base.
4x Zephyr Sprite
4x Faerie Miscreant
4x Spellstutter Sprite
2x Quickling
2x Mistblade Shinobi
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
2x Ronin Warclub
4x Aqueous Form
Counterspells / Tempo:
4x Familiar's Ruse
2x Mana Leak
4x Unsummon
2x Boomerang
2x Faerie Conclave
20x Island
This deck would play out as a tempo/control deck -- basically the goal is to stall your opponent from advancing their board state while you build momentum and peck them to death with an army of 1/1 creatures. You can take out the Mistblade Shinobi and Ronin Warclub if you want to bring in more counterspells and be more controlling, or leave them in if you want to emphasize the aggro-ness of this deck.
Evacuation is a card that can sortof replace Mistbind Clique in that it's a big finisher to really help push through the final state of the game. Engulf the Shore is perhaps a better version of Evacuation that should be quite a bit cheaper in terms of $$, and might even be just generally better.
I've been experimenting with it.
Currently I've got one in my sideboard, but I've toyed with main-decking it. The main trouble I've found is that it's a bit slow and expensive, and doesn't do much to affect the board on its own. 4 mana to play it and bounce your first Spellstutter Sprite with it, and then 2 more mana to re-cast the Sprite... that's a lot of mana to dedicate to recycling a single counterspell. Cards like Familiar's Ruse are just so much more efficient.
It's the rare game of Modern that we can afford to take off turn 3 or 4 to play a single artifact that doesn't immediately affect the board. Something like Mistbind Clique is so much more powerful to be playing around that same time.
The earliest I would feel comfortable playing Crystal Shard is on turn 5 when we can spend 3 mana for Crystal Shard and then leave 2 mana up for a counterspell of some sort. However, if our opponent is on 5 or 6 mana and we only have a single counterspell available, we're really leaving ourselves open to letting our opponent push a crucial threat through, so even then it's a very risky play.
In short, Crystal Shard is cute, but it has a hard time fitting with the tempo and plan of our deck. We're not a "hard lock" sort of control deck -- we're a "tempo control" deck. We don't need to "go infinite" so much as we just need to stall the opponent long enough for us to peck them to death with an army of 1/1's and 2/2's.
I should note that I just picked up a Cloudstone Curio for testing with. It's very similar to a one-sided Crystal Shard that we don't have to pay any mana to activate.
Here's my list:
4 Breeding Pool
2 Forest
4 Island
2 Mutavault
2 Flooded Grove
1 Alchemist's Refuge
1 Novijen, Heart of Progress
4 Coiling Oracle
2 Mystic Snake
1 Vendilion Clique
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Ninja Of The Deep Hours
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Faerie Miscreant
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
2 Voidslime
2 Spell Pierce
2 Spell Snare
2 Cryptic Command
2 Mana Leak
2 Remand
2 Familiar's Ruse
1 Sword Of Fire And Ice
3 Kitchen Finks
2 Vedalken Shackles
2 Creeping Corrosion
2 Negate
2 Spellskite
2 Dispel
Any comments, something I should put in when splashing green? I was thing about Rancor, and I really wanted to play Kiora, The Crashing Wave, but she really looks awful.
Spell Snare seems a little unnecessary in a deck with Spellstutter Sprite. The most dangerous two-mana card against us is Pyroclasm, which I think Spell Pierce does well against.
Also, you should probably add a few more Familiar's Ruse. You benefit a lot from re-using ETB effects, even more than other ninja decks. I'd probably take out the Remands for them.
Kiora isn't needed. We have a good draw engine through Ninja of the Deep Hours, no need for mana ramp beyond 4, and even if you +1 her, she dies to a Lightning Bolt.
I like Rancor as a two-of! I'd probably change the list to:
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Breeding Pool
2 Forest
4 Island
2 Mutavault
2 Flooded Grove
2 Blue sources
1 Other Land
4 Coiling Oracle
2 Mystic Snake
1 Vendilion Clique
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Ninja Of The Deep Hours
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Faerie Miscreant
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
3 Simic Charm
2 Voidslime
3 Spell Pierce
2 Cryptic Command
3 Familiar's Ruse
2 Rancor
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
2 Trygon Predator
3 Kitchen Finks
2 Vedalken Shackles
2 Creeping Corrosion
2 Negate
2 Spellskite
2 Dispel
In this case you get Scryb Ranger which looks ok with flash, prot blue and flying (also a Faerie of course)...?
I think that Familiar's Ruse being only playable on turn three isn't too bad. You'll probably just be countering on turn three anyways, and if you ramped with Coiling Oracle, you'll be able to play it again on the same turn.
Scryb Ranger looks nice, but I don't know what to take out for it.
However, I think that it's probably not good enough for the main-board. Two additional unblocked damage is usually better than two separate instances of it, and I think that the flash and shroud of the Scion is worth the additional mana (especially since we already have so many two-drops). I could see it in the sideboard, because it's an option at stopping Zealous Persecution, Orzhov Pontiff, and
Lingering Souls(it doesn't stop it, but certainly makes it harder for them to 4-for-1 our faeries), in addition to our counter-spells.Even flying won't always be enough. You may have more luck with something like Distortion Strike or Aqueous Form.
It's a great starting point! This looks like a fantastic deck, and I think you'll have a lot of fun with it!
I will note that Mistbind Clique is extremely strong, except against decks that can go off at instant-speed. I had one game against Abzan CoCo that I was winning, but I got greedy and attempted to Mistbind them on their upkeep. They cast CoCo in response and went infinite.
I will note that you will have a tough time with this deck against aggro, since it's not the strongest against them. I don't have great answers for how you address aggro, but against the decks you listed, I think you'll do fine. Possibly pack your sideboard with more graveyard hate if dredge is something you're going to play much (I recommend Relic of Progenitus personally).
If you find yourself stuck on mana color requirements, I switched from Mutavault to Faerie Conclave because I didn't like all of the colorless mana. I still keep one Mutavault and two Ghost Quarter in my deck though, so your 1-of mutavault may be fine.
I also recommend Boomerang as a "catch-all" card -- it can bounce problem lands, planeswalkers, enchantments, etc -- it's a catch-all answer card that can be useful -- especially in the sideboard.
Your deck looks great -- I look forward to hearing more about how well it performs!
Also, would Imprisoned in the Moon be any good here? It can get rid of problematic lands and things that made it to the battlefield, which is something that our counters can't do. Probably a little too clunky at 3 mana?
EDIT: After playing around with the Deep-Fiend a bit, I found that Mistbind Clique is usually better, at least in the faerie deck.
On an unrelated note, UW ninjas are a thing. Have they had any success with mass first strike stuff? Valor, Archetype of Courage, etc.
Soul Warden and Soul's Attendant nets you life every time a creature comes into play, this includes ninjutsu;
Silverblade Paladin: Hit with two different ninjas from the same unbloacked creature, hitting the first ninja with the first strike combat step and the second ninja with normal combat step.
Maybe something like:
4x Judge's Familiar
4x Mistblade Shinobi
4x Ninja of the Deep Hours
4x Quickling
4x Silverblade Paladin
4x Soul Warden
4x Soul's Attendant
4x Spellstutter Sprite
3x Adarkar Wastes
2x Cloudcrest Lake
12x Island
3x Sejiri Refuge
I saw something about it some time ago, but nothing else latter. Could it be viable?