Lmfao you killed me with the beginning of your post, I'll be sure to use the correct pronouns so you don't get triggered! I've been mulling it over in my head as well, and your heroic courage has inspired me, I may make the transition as well!
Unfortunately I'm on the bench today, more commonly referred to as "work". Lame I know.
5-1 at FNM. Not sure I'm sold on the Rabble Masters, but they did speed up some wins under the Blood Moon Lock faster than the Planeswalker route. Will do a recap in the morning
5-1 at FNM. Not sure I'm sold on the Rabble Masters, but they did speed up some wins under the Blood Moon Lock faster than the Planeswalker route. Will do a recap in the morning
5-1, Mvilla888. Like a curious teen, details. I want details. I'll give a report on my performance last night, but really wanna hear of my buddies exploits the night before. Details!
FNM: 3-1
Bummer, as I hoping to chalk up a 3rd undefeated LGS tourney in a row. A close loss to Grixis Death's Shadow set that record straight.
Round 1 - Win - Bant Eldrazi: A formidable deck. I feel very favored in general, but fear 1 card: Engineered Explosives. I have thus added a split of Pithing Needle and Phyrexian Revoker to the sideboard. Wins came from Blood Moon which just hammers that deck, and some duck'n'cover action behind the bridge. Essentially, you just hope he doesn't drop a Worship. But, I have Ratchet Bomb for that these days. Main Deck (and 2 more in the SB)! It replaced the Roast slot. Wise, methinks.
Round 2 - Win - Grishoalbrand: A goofy deck. In game 1, I had a chance to drop a turn 1 Goblin Rabblemaster, but he was holding up a mountain. I decided to shore up my resources for later play. There was none. He went off quickly, and Griselbrand a lot because I didn't pressure him. The deck was blind to me, and he later told me he didn't have a bolt. Game 2: I get quick control with a bridge and develop a winning board. Game 3: He draws his whole deck on the 3rd turn. The 3rd turn. I have 2 mountains and a Relic of Progenitus on the board. Apparently, the machinations didn't come together quite right. The house of cards, 50 cards in his hand, came tumbling down.
Round 3 - Loss - Grixis Death's Shadow: He got me in 3. This is where I want to see RED Prison improve: /x Control-Aggro matchups. Timely counterspells and Kolaghan's Command alongside some lackluster draws gave up 2 narrow losses. But, my Game 2, Turn 1 Blood Moon was tasty.
Round 4 - Win - Lantern: This was a slaughterhouse. Game 1 was a Turn 1 Chalice on the play, which I followed up with another Chalice on 1 in case an abrupt decay decided to get cute with my first one. Chandra hit the board, and he scooped. Game 2 he opens with an inquisition of kozilek to snatch a blood moon. I go with a Turn 1 Rabblemaster off of a Mutavault. 2 turns later he's dead with a stranded ensnaring bridge in his hand. But, we both agreed that it just wouldn't have mattered after de-sideboarding. I am way more favored against lantern since freeing up (4) slots in the sideboard [moving rabble rabble to the main] for cards like Phyrexian Revoker and Ratchet Bombs.
So, what did we learn? For me, personally, I just want to be me. Now self-identifying as a goblin-American, I felt more myself at my Local Gaming Store. Having to hold it until I got home was a small price to pay.
Updates: I run this deck nightly on cockatrice, and review decklists from Top 8 premier tourneys regularly. I think we are in a marvelously competitive position. LGS folk tend to agree. Although there are some grumblings about how the style of my wins can frustrate, they'd love to see this deck, born of their breed, claim champion standing in Modern Magic. Tiers be damned. That's a popularity contest. We know the way to the top of the mountain.
Card Shifts: Self-identification aside, I'm in on Goblin Rabblemaster. For all of the reasons already stated, and the fact that it frees up (4) SB slots. Other selections of note:
Ratchet Bomb: Main deck...yeah. More in the sideboard. It answers what we otherwise can't: Enchantments, Planeswalkers, and creatures so large that they laugh off a Roast. It offers x-for-1 card value, and fires off as an instant with 0 activation cost.
Ricochet Trap: Sideboard...looking right at pesky blue. If anyone has found a good article about how to best use this effectively, please post it up - lotsa tricks with this one. Also, I think I may bring it in against decks that look to win off a single big targeted play.
Batterskull: Sideboard...this thing is still around? Obviously, it stands up to Burn/Zoo and a stop gap against Death's Shadow. Again, I like it's recursive ability versus long form control decks like Grixis.
The only loss I've had with this deck in my small playgroup was a single game vs grixis cortrol. Since our deck is so full of haterade already, I went the whole 9 and threw in everybody's favorite hater, BOIL. Hey, we're not here to make friends, right?
I finally had the chance to sleeve up and play at my FLGS after a few weeks away. I ended the evening 3-1 (including an opponent who dropped) with the list below:
I included a pair of Sin Prodder as an experiment, and so far, I'm pleased with them. Even when an opponent makes you discard a land for 0 life, that's one less dead draw. And Magma Jet allows for some fun card-stacking shenanigans. The only card I mind losing away is Chalice of the Void.
I see them as filling a similar role as Crystal Ball (improving your draw), but on a 3/2 Menace body, with some extra pressure on your opponent's life total. I haven't experienced any problems with Ensnaring Bridge for now (since I'm only running a pair of Sin Prodder). Sure, they're a target for removal... but I see that as one less Fatal Push for the Goblin Rabblemaster.
LGS for FNM on 4/14. 36 players making for 6 fun filled rounds of Modern starting at 8pm. I'm getting too old for these type of events.....
Made the changes that Raystack had suggested, +4 Rabblemasters, trimming Chandra, Roast, Hammer and xxx, I did finally find one Slagstorm, so 1 of those now main and 1 Anger still main.
Rd 1 - mulligan to 5 on the play seeing 1 lands hands both times. End up getting run over by a mono-black deck running the vampire lord and a bunch of black creatures backed up with discard. Side out Moon and bring in more burn and sweepers. A Chalice on 1 slows him down, but his critters and the pump effects and me not finding a Bridge cost me the game. (0-1)
Rd 2 - completely wrecked some dude named bye. He was so scared of the mountains I was packing that he never showed for the match. (1-1)
Rd 3 - didn't write down the deck here, so my score sheet just shows me winning in 2 games at a comfortable 16 and 20 life respectively. (2-1)
Rd 4 - vs Affinity. Win game one after chalice on 1 slows him down, anger and Slagstorm show up to sweep the board twice and Bridge/Chandra lock up the game and he concedes at 17 life. I side out the Moons and bring in more burn. Bridge slows him down and he's hitting me for 1 poison a turn for a few turns, then I burn his critters and let Chandra do what she does best. (3-1)
Rd 5 - vs Death's Shadow. Win game 1 quickly on the back of Chalice for 1 and Blood Moon followed by Rabblemaster. He returns the favor in a slower game 2 where his discard hits my hand and I then flood out, allowing him to do his thing and crush me with a pair of Death's Shadows. Game 3 is a slug fest where a Chalice for 1 slows him down, allowing me to land a Chandra and start working on his life total. He gets rid of the Chalice and we start a race...I'm at 6 with a Rabblemaster and goblin token, he's at 6 after my attack. He mulls over his play for a bit and then decides to Dismember my remaining token that is there on blocking duty, going to two, which allows me to kill him with the Burst Lightning I had in my hand. We talked about the game a lot between rounds and I suggested that he didn't have to be quite as aggressive with his life total against my deck, swinging for 5 or 6 a turn is sufficient, didn't have to let himself get to burn range. (4-1)
Rd 6 - Bant Eldrazi. His deck does it's thing and I have a slow start, he wins at 16 life with multiple Reality Smashers as my deck doesn't provide any answers. Game 2 I do what we do and Blood Moon, Chandra and Koth shows up to seal the deal. Game 3 was more of the same with Chandra doing the dirty work and Bridge holding off the masses.
So another successful showing for the deck. Somehow the Rabblemasters in the main feel weird with the Bridge to me. While he definitely did some heavy lifting in the games, just somehow feels weird to run him with the bridges.
@Caligula: Boil is a sharp option for the SB. It can hurt, but it's probably a world-ender against just 1 deck: Blue Tron: Moon their Tron Lands and Burn their Islands. Surprisingly, I don't know if Boil will annihilate Fish since they mana-curve low, operate off of Aether Vial, they do splash some funky lands, and it will unfortunately serve to destroy your newly formed islands due to global warming: Spreading Seas. As for the U/x control decks, which I truly detest, I think Ricochet Trap might just be the more adaptable answer, but I like where your head's at.
@JfMajor: Sin Prodder. Man, remember when that card was first spoiled? Looked devilishly clever & then kind of slipped off the radar. Chandra, Torch of Defiance also did the same thing (to a lesser degree), but she found an integral role in RED Prison / Hammer's Slammer. Astute to re-evaluate and consider synergies with magma jet. Statistically, it'll 'whiff' 43% of the time, but who needs extra land - like you said. I agree that I'd like to see more creature threats, and I've put my sights back on a singleton of Kargan Dragonlord. You've heard of Elder Dragon Highlander. Well, I prefer Younger Dragon Highlander.
@Mvilla888: 5-1 Finish = Strong. Buuuut, your loss was to a Vampire deck. Vampires? I'm sure there's some sort of witty line in there that I'm missing, but for once, I'll restrain myself. Vampires? So, you're splitting Anger of the Gods and Slagstorm in the main. In testing, I'm currently evaluating which of The Big Three I'd like to see in my hand when I draw one of these slot cards: Anger of the Gods Slagstorm Sweltering Suns
As long as my own creature count is diminished, I feel like Suns is the answer.
Also noticed that you mentioned firing off a Burst Lightning. That's new. The kicker doesn't circumvent the Chalice of the Void effect, does it? Vampires?? It may see odd to run Goblin Rabblemaster and Ensnaring Bridge, but we're talking about cards that have totally opposite impacts on opposing deck types, and ya just cast them in the appropriate order - Sideboard Deck, sometimes our cards whiff. Also, Bridges get blown up. They get countered. Goblins die, but delivering (7) damage in two turns is titanic.
That's why I'm looking twice at JfMajor's Sin Prodder. I like the pressure - the Crystal Ball on a stick. With my latest deck design, I just can't put the Prodder in the mix, sadly. I've just added (4) more 0-CMC spells to my main deck. Like Simian Spirit Guide, they are also getting discussed as a possible ban on April 24th. They better damned well not be! Deck's running like a goldarned machine...anyone wanna guess what the new addition is??
Anybody notice how often Red dedicated creature kill cards blank against today's decks? Too often, I'm holding a Roast or Slagstorm or Magma Jet with no target. So, I'm done with them - outta here.
For dealing with opposing creatures? Ensnaring Bridge. And, even better, my own damned creatures. Consider that nobody can deliver a game winning blow with a top-decked Anger of the Gods. But, we can win by drawing and playing a Kargan Dragonlord. If it's early game, then I'm fine with chump/trade/blocking - call it a successfully cast Roast: 1-for-1 on a sorcery speed, 2-cmc play. If it's mid-late game, then I'm a couple turns away from an 8/8 flying trample firebreathingKinder Dragon Highlander.
Amok guessed correctly: Mishra's Bauble. I'm streamlining and accelerating. No more of this holding 'answer' cards for creature threats that aren't even being cast by some of today's top decks. Sideboards are meant for such narrow spells..... , could be just a lot of hot air, but I feel like I'm onto something. And, that's definitely not to take away from folks running traditional, tried-and-true designs.
First of all forgive me - newcomer here (so if I am talking rubbish just scroll down but I do have some sort of experience playing legacy Moon Stompy for a quiet a while a while ago (when it was still called Dragon Stompy using Rakdos Pit Dragon)).
I don't really get the Dragonlord - it dies to everything even fully pumped and having a creature taken out while investing so much mana on it would just make me flip the table :] finally 8/8 flyer in your face - yeah...yawn....decay it
I remember using a fella called Lord of Shatterskull Pass. It dodges most of the recent removal and pumped just once can block Goyf all day. Fully pumped it wipes the oppo's board . I will give him a try as another mana sink along/instead of Ballista. The minotaur has to be answered fast and if missed it can raise from small blocker-huge blocker-board wiper really fast with the amount of mana we have access to.
Also in regards to board wipes and Magma Jets - I am happy to play 2x Slagstorm and 3x Magma Jet. I will replace the Storm with Sweltering Suns as the cycling is really good if we won't need it but I treat Jet more of a top lib stacker than a DD and I am always happy to have it as there will always be a face to throw it into.
LGS for FNM on 4/14. 36 players making for 6 fun filled rounds of Modern starting at 8pm. I'm getting too old for these type of events.....
Made the changes that Raystack had suggested, +4 Rabblemasters, trimming Chandra, Roast, Hammer and xxx, I did finally find one Slagstorm, so 1 of those now main and 1 Anger still main.
Rd 1 - mulligan to 5 on the play seeing 1 lands hands both times. End up getting run over by a mono-black deck running the vampire lord and a bunch of black creatures backed up with discard. Side out Moon and bring in more burn and sweepers. A Chalice on 1 slows him down, but his critters and the pump effects and me not finding a Bridge cost me the game. (0-1)
Rd 2 - completely wrecked some dude named bye. He was so scared of the mountains I was packing that he never showed for the match. (1-1)
Rd 3 - didn't write down the deck here, so my score sheet just shows me winning in 2 games at a comfortable 16 and 20 life respectively. (2-1)
Rd 4 - vs Affinity. Win game one after chalice on 1 slows him down, anger and Slagstorm show up to sweep the board twice and Bridge/Chandra lock up the game and he concedes at 17 life. I side out the Moons and bring in more burn. Bridge slows him down and he's hitting me for 1 poison a turn for a few turns, then I burn his critters and let Chandra do what she does best. (3-1)
Rd 5 - vs Death's Shadow. Win game 1 quickly on the back of Chalice for 1 and Blood Moon followed by Rabblemaster. He returns the favor in a slower game 2 where his discard hits my hand and I then flood out, allowing him to do his thing and crush me with a pair of Death's Shadows. Game 3 is a slug fest where a Chalice for 1 slows him down, allowing me to land a Chandra and start working on his life total. He gets rid of the Chalice and we start a race...I'm at 6 with a Rabblemaster and goblin token, he's at 6 after my attack. He mulls over his play for a bit and then decides to Dismember my remaining token that is there on blocking duty, going to two, which allows me to kill him with the Burst Lightning I had in my hand. We talked about the game a lot between rounds and I suggested that he didn't have to be quite as aggressive with his life total against my deck, swinging for 5 or 6 a turn is sufficient, didn't have to let himself get to burn range. (4-1)
Rd 6 - Bant Eldrazi. His deck does it's thing and I have a slow start, he wins at 16 life with multiple Reality Smashers as my deck doesn't provide any answers. Game 2 I do what we do and Blood Moon, Chandra and Koth shows up to seal the deal. Game 3 was more of the same with Chandra doing the dirty work and Bridge holding off the masses.
So another successful showing for the deck. Somehow the Rabblemasters in the main feel weird with the Bridge to me. While he definitely did some heavy lifting in the games, just somehow feels weird to run him with the bridges.
I like the way this sounds like it turned out. Do you have a full list anywhere?
Also - how are people handling the burn matchup? I havent run into it yet; but I feel like this is a tough one. Blood Moon and Chalice are good against Naya Burn; but it still seems dubious.
Completely agree that sweltering suns is the card that goes in the main deck as the sweeper of choice starting next week.
Raystack...magma jet has to stay in the deck...the scry is very important imho, for digging for that missing land or lock piece. Burn to the face if needed...not a dead card.
I think I'm going to revert back to the creatureless MD personally and probably split 3/2 Chandra /Koth for the next FNM. Possibly drop in some cycling lands and see what happens.
Question, if I turn over a cycle land with Chandra +1, can I choose to cycle it?
Welcome Walked!
On BURN, we are deceptively strong - individual build dependent. Since recognizing our very distinct tendency to beat BURN, I have started to move some significant main deck creature kill out of the design (magma jet / sweepers). This becomes a severe liability versus 1 card in particular: Eidolon of the great Revelry. If I ever lose to Burn, he's the reason.
AMOK: terrific write up and questions - gotta wait til later to answer.
2 quick thoughts on MVilla888's tourney report. First, funny. Ain't nothing wrong with 5-1 performance including the Glass Joe of Magic: Bye.
Versus Affinity: mentioned a 2nd round removal of Blood Moon. I usually keep those in: stops 8 manlands / insta-equip of cranial playing while hellbent under bridge / cuts out colored spells to some degree. Full credit: I don't know decklists, so everything is a time of game judgement call.
Versus Death's Shadow: Burst Lightning was kept in. Full credit: I don't know what type of deck you faced, but generally do drop small damage spells that can't kill Goyf or D Shadow. Maybe it was Grixis? Maybe they had Delvers?
Nevertheless, good to know that this deck can hammer in wins with various builds/plays.
Thanks Raystack, the burst is a one of MD and just happened to have it at the right time. Dude was a little salty about it as he didn't think I had bolts as he hadn't seen any, so felt safe in going to 2 with the dismember...if he's right he wins on the spot, right call for him to make imho.
Blood Moon vs Affinty...in hindsight I probably leave it in next time as I saw the same thing in the match...on paper it seems like the right call to take out, but in reality it does slow down many of their plays which is crucial.
One of my friends is going to borrow the deck and try and get a slot to the Invitational to join me in June. Crossing fingers for him.
Wanted to get back to Amok's critique of Kargan Dragonlord. I hear ya. And, others have agreed with your opinion - out of hand / without playing it. Your writing indicates some solid reasoning and experience. But, in the matches where I've had monstrously explosive wins with Kargan, the opponents are flabbergasted - they had a chance to kill him and didn't or they never perceived how quickly he can get out of hand. Short Version: It doesn't play in a game the way that you would think it plays by looking at it on paper.
Also, I wouldn't play more than one. I'd have to have a lack of removal that would be substituted by my own creature threats. I'd have to need a 2-drop to fill my mana curve as well as fulfill a stop-gap blocker of any number of opposing 'bears'. The construction would need to be benefitted by its mana sink ability. There would need to be enough distracting critical threats that I could sneak this through by either exhausting their disruption or shutting it off with my own Power Lock Suite. And, finally, I'd like to see at least a couple ways to blow up my own bridge to reveal an alpha strike for the win (read: Pia and Kiran Nalaar X2).
Your description of Yawn, yeah, Abrupt Decay it followed by table flips is riotously funny! But, it's not all that often that Kargan is pumped at the cost of not using the mana elsewhere. He's not an example of the olde colloquialism, 'don't put all of your dragon eggs in one basket.' There are a lot of turns where you have free mana. We dump down pretty damned fast. We don't generally have to hold up mana on an opponent's turn. Although, an early Chalice/Moon will incapacitate someone. Buuut we're not presenting enough threats to close the deal, as our opponents struggle to break free. Samson's been taking Rogaine, if you know what I mean.
The dragons that were used in Legacy Dragon Stompy are soooo cool - I've never seen them. I like them just fine, but the defining difference in our formats is mana generation speed. I can't reconcile their 4-CMC cost. There's a reason why I don't play Stormbreath Dragon over Kargan Dragonlord: Time. Turn 2, baby. When people say that Stormbreath doesn't fear Path to Exile, I point to Chalice of the Void....nor does Kargan Dragonlord.
Mvilla888, As for Magma Jet. I've been thinking hard on that construction by JfMajor where he uses Sin Prodder and 4 Magma Jets. Is that too many Jets? Another MTGsalvation poster, dcovino, told me that Jund has recently been moving away from Lightning Bolt. Yeah, I just hyperlinked Bolt, so you could be sure that it's not a misprint. Lightning.....Bolt. They are starting to drop the count in favor of Fatal Push. As Jund goes, so goes Modern:
Death's Shadow, Tarmogoyf, Thought-Knot Seer, Knight of the Reliquary, Tireless Tracker, and Arcbound Ravager....mostly, it the first 3 cards listed, though. Those dudes laugh at Lightning Bolt and Magma Jet. And, worst of all, I think Magma is better than Lightning. I said so in the Official Primer. But, I wonder about the tempo loss of casting it for the benefit of digging 2 cards deep.
I like Mishra's Bauble. It comes out on turn one and digs for free. I don't have to worry about seeing any of them in my opening hand (which obviously sets me back 1 draw step as well as replaces an undrawn card that I may have otherwise cast). I have absolutely no 1-drops. So, there's no tempo loss. That said, its inclusion in my 60 comes at the expense of dropping my creature removal spells. You're deadly right about that sacrifice...I might be dancing too close to the flame in dropping all of my dedicated creature kill from my main deck.
Unfortunately I'm on the bench today, more commonly referred to as "work". Lame I know.
Can't wait to hear it as you got 5-1!
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GOBOTS
FNM: 3-1
Bummer, as I hoping to chalk up a 3rd undefeated LGS tourney in a row. A close loss to Grixis Death's Shadow set that record straight.
Round 1 - Win - Bant Eldrazi: A formidable deck. I feel very favored in general, but fear 1 card: Engineered Explosives. I have thus added a split of Pithing Needle and Phyrexian Revoker to the sideboard. Wins came from Blood Moon which just hammers that deck, and some duck'n'cover action behind the bridge. Essentially, you just hope he doesn't drop a Worship. But, I have Ratchet Bomb for that these days. Main Deck (and 2 more in the SB)! It replaced the Roast slot. Wise, methinks.
Round 2 - Win - Grishoalbrand: A goofy deck. In game 1, I had a chance to drop a turn 1 Goblin Rabblemaster, but he was holding up a mountain. I decided to shore up my resources for later play. There was none. He went off quickly, and Griselbrand a lot because I didn't pressure him. The deck was blind to me, and he later told me he didn't have a bolt. Game 2: I get quick control with a bridge and develop a winning board. Game 3: He draws his whole deck on the 3rd turn. The 3rd turn. I have 2 mountains and a Relic of Progenitus on the board. Apparently, the machinations didn't come together quite right. The house of cards, 50 cards in his hand, came tumbling down.
Round 3 - Loss - Grixis Death's Shadow: He got me in 3. This is where I want to see RED Prison improve: /x Control-Aggro matchups. Timely counterspells and Kolaghan's Command alongside some lackluster draws gave up 2 narrow losses. But, my Game 2, Turn 1 Blood Moon was tasty.
Round 4 - Win - Lantern: This was a slaughterhouse. Game 1 was a Turn 1 Chalice on the play, which I followed up with another Chalice on 1 in case an abrupt decay decided to get cute with my first one. Chandra hit the board, and he scooped. Game 2 he opens with an inquisition of kozilek to snatch a blood moon. I go with a Turn 1 Rabblemaster off of a Mutavault. 2 turns later he's dead with a stranded ensnaring bridge in his hand. But, we both agreed that it just wouldn't have mattered after de-sideboarding. I am way more favored against lantern since freeing up (4) slots in the sideboard [moving rabble rabble to the main] for cards like Phyrexian Revoker and Ratchet Bombs.
So, what did we learn? For me, personally, I just want to be me. Now self-identifying as a goblin-American, I felt more myself at my Local Gaming Store. Having to hold it until I got home was a small price to pay.
Updates: I run this deck nightly on cockatrice, and review decklists from Top 8 premier tourneys regularly. I think we are in a marvelously competitive position. LGS folk tend to agree. Although there are some grumblings about how the style of my wins can frustrate, they'd love to see this deck, born of their breed, claim champion standing in Modern Magic. Tiers be damned. That's a popularity contest. We know the way to the top of the mountain.
Card Shifts: Self-identification aside, I'm in on Goblin Rabblemaster. For all of the reasons already stated, and the fact that it frees up (4) SB slots. Other selections of note:
Ratchet Bomb: Main deck...yeah. More in the sideboard. It answers what we otherwise can't: Enchantments, Planeswalkers, and creatures so large that they laugh off a Roast. It offers x-for-1 card value, and fires off as an instant with 0 activation cost.
Ricochet Trap: Sideboard...looking right at pesky blue. If anyone has found a good article about how to best use this effectively, please post it up - lotsa tricks with this one. Also, I think I may bring it in against decks that look to win off a single big targeted play.
Batterskull: Sideboard...this thing is still around? Obviously, it stands up to Burn/Zoo and a stop gap against Death's Shadow. Again, I like it's recursive ability versus long form control decks like Grixis.
Well, that's all for now....
I finally had the chance to sleeve up and play at my FLGS after a few weeks away. I ended the evening 3-1 (including an opponent who dropped) with the list below:
18 Mountain
2 Gemstone Caverns
2 Mutavault
CREATURES
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Goblin Rabblemaster
2 Sin Prodder
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Desperate Ritual
1 Pyretic Ritual
4 Magma Jet
4 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Blood Moon
PLANESWALKERS
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Koth of the Hammer
2 Ricochet Trap
2 Roast
1 Anger of the Gods
2 Slagstorm
2 Grafidgger's Cage
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Spellskite
I included a pair of Sin Prodder as an experiment, and so far, I'm pleased with them. Even when an opponent makes you discard a land for 0 life, that's one less dead draw. And Magma Jet allows for some fun card-stacking shenanigans. The only card I mind losing away is Chalice of the Void.
I see them as filling a similar role as Crystal Ball (improving your draw), but on a 3/2 Menace body, with some extra pressure on your opponent's life total. I haven't experienced any problems with Ensnaring Bridge for now (since I'm only running a pair of Sin Prodder). Sure, they're a target for removal... but I see that as one less Fatal Push for the Goblin Rabblemaster.
Made the changes that Raystack had suggested, +4 Rabblemasters, trimming Chandra, Roast, Hammer and xxx, I did finally find one Slagstorm, so 1 of those now main and 1 Anger still main.
Rd 1 - mulligan to 5 on the play seeing 1 lands hands both times. End up getting run over by a mono-black deck running the vampire lord and a bunch of black creatures backed up with discard. Side out Moon and bring in more burn and sweepers. A Chalice on 1 slows him down, but his critters and the pump effects and me not finding a Bridge cost me the game. (0-1)
Rd 2 - completely wrecked some dude named bye. He was so scared of the mountains I was packing that he never showed for the match. (1-1)
Rd 3 - didn't write down the deck here, so my score sheet just shows me winning in 2 games at a comfortable 16 and 20 life respectively. (2-1)
Rd 4 - vs Affinity. Win game one after chalice on 1 slows him down, anger and Slagstorm show up to sweep the board twice and Bridge/Chandra lock up the game and he concedes at 17 life. I side out the Moons and bring in more burn. Bridge slows him down and he's hitting me for 1 poison a turn for a few turns, then I burn his critters and let Chandra do what she does best. (3-1)
Rd 5 - vs Death's Shadow. Win game 1 quickly on the back of Chalice for 1 and Blood Moon followed by Rabblemaster. He returns the favor in a slower game 2 where his discard hits my hand and I then flood out, allowing him to do his thing and crush me with a pair of Death's Shadows. Game 3 is a slug fest where a Chalice for 1 slows him down, allowing me to land a Chandra and start working on his life total. He gets rid of the Chalice and we start a race...I'm at 6 with a Rabblemaster and goblin token, he's at 6 after my attack. He mulls over his play for a bit and then decides to Dismember my remaining token that is there on blocking duty, going to two, which allows me to kill him with the Burst Lightning I had in my hand. We talked about the game a lot between rounds and I suggested that he didn't have to be quite as aggressive with his life total against my deck, swinging for 5 or 6 a turn is sufficient, didn't have to let himself get to burn range. (4-1)
Rd 6 - Bant Eldrazi. His deck does it's thing and I have a slow start, he wins at 16 life with multiple Reality Smashers as my deck doesn't provide any answers. Game 2 I do what we do and Blood Moon, Chandra and Koth shows up to seal the deal. Game 3 was more of the same with Chandra doing the dirty work and Bridge holding off the masses.
So another successful showing for the deck. Somehow the Rabblemasters in the main feel weird with the Bridge to me. While he definitely did some heavy lifting in the games, just somehow feels weird to run him with the bridges.
@JfMajor: Sin Prodder. Man, remember when that card was first spoiled? Looked devilishly clever & then kind of slipped off the radar. Chandra, Torch of Defiance also did the same thing (to a lesser degree), but she found an integral role in RED Prison / Hammer's Slammer. Astute to re-evaluate and consider synergies with magma jet. Statistically, it'll 'whiff' 43% of the time, but who needs extra land - like you said. I agree that I'd like to see more creature threats, and I've put my sights back on a singleton of Kargan Dragonlord. You've heard of Elder Dragon Highlander. Well, I prefer Younger Dragon Highlander.
@Mvilla888: 5-1 Finish = Strong. Buuuut, your loss was to a Vampire deck. Vampires? I'm sure there's some sort of witty line in there that I'm missing, but for once, I'll restrain myself. Vampires? So, you're splitting Anger of the Gods and Slagstorm in the main. In testing, I'm currently evaluating which of The Big Three I'd like to see in my hand when I draw one of these slot cards:
Anger of the Gods
Slagstorm
Sweltering Suns
As long as my own creature count is diminished, I feel like Suns is the answer.
Also noticed that you mentioned firing off a Burst Lightning. That's new. The kicker doesn't circumvent the Chalice of the Void effect, does it? Vampires?? It may see odd to run Goblin Rabblemaster and Ensnaring Bridge, but we're talking about cards that have totally opposite impacts on opposing deck types, and ya just cast them in the appropriate order - Sideboard Deck, sometimes our cards whiff. Also, Bridges get blown up. They get countered. Goblins die, but delivering (7) damage in two turns is titanic.
That's why I'm looking twice at JfMajor's Sin Prodder. I like the pressure - the Crystal Ball on a stick. With my latest deck design, I just can't put the Prodder in the mix, sadly. I've just added (4) more 0-CMC spells to my main deck. Like Simian Spirit Guide, they are also getting discussed as a possible ban on April 24th. They better damned well not be! Deck's running like a goldarned machine...anyone wanna guess what the new addition is??
For dealing with opposing creatures? Ensnaring Bridge. And, even better, my own damned creatures. Consider that nobody can deliver a game winning blow with a top-decked Anger of the Gods. But, we can win by drawing and playing a Kargan Dragonlord. If it's early game, then I'm fine with chump/trade/blocking - call it a successfully cast Roast: 1-for-1 on a sorcery speed, 2-cmc play. If it's mid-late game, then I'm a couple turns away from an 8/8 flying trample firebreathing Kinder Dragon Highlander.
Amok guessed correctly: Mishra's Bauble. I'm streamlining and accelerating. No more of this holding 'answer' cards for creature threats that aren't even being cast by some of today's top decks. Sideboards are meant for such narrow spells..... , could be just a lot of hot air, but I feel like I'm onto something. And, that's definitely not to take away from folks running traditional, tried-and-true designs.
I don't really get the Dragonlord - it dies to everything even fully pumped and having a creature taken out while investing so much mana on it would just make me flip the table :] finally 8/8 flyer in your face - yeah...yawn....decay it
I remember using a fella called Lord of Shatterskull Pass. It dodges most of the recent removal and pumped just once can block Goyf all day. Fully pumped it wipes the oppo's board . I will give him a try as another mana sink along/instead of Ballista. The minotaur has to be answered fast and if missed it can raise from small blocker-huge blocker-board wiper really fast with the amount of mana we have access to.
Also in regards to board wipes and Magma Jets - I am happy to play 2x Slagstorm and 3x Magma Jet. I will replace the Storm with Sweltering Suns as the cycling is really good if we won't need it but I treat Jet more of a top lib stacker than a DD and I am always happy to have it as there will always be a face to throw it into.
I like the way this sounds like it turned out. Do you have a full list anywhere?
Also - how are people handling the burn matchup? I havent run into it yet; but I feel like this is a tough one. Blood Moon and Chalice are good against Naya Burn; but it still seems dubious.
Raystack...magma jet has to stay in the deck...the scry is very important imho, for digging for that missing land or lock piece. Burn to the face if needed...not a dead card.
I think I'm going to revert back to the creatureless MD personally and probably split 3/2 Chandra /Koth for the next FNM. Possibly drop in some cycling lands and see what happens.
Question, if I turn over a cycle land with Chandra +1, can I choose to cycle it?
On BURN, we are deceptively strong - individual build dependent. Since recognizing our very distinct tendency to beat BURN, I have started to move some significant main deck creature kill out of the design (magma jet / sweepers). This becomes a severe liability versus 1 card in particular: Eidolon of the great Revelry. If I ever lose to Burn, he's the reason.
AMOK: terrific write up and questions - gotta wait til later to answer.
2 quick thoughts on MVilla888's tourney report. First, funny. Ain't nothing wrong with 5-1 performance including the Glass Joe of Magic: Bye.
Versus Affinity: mentioned a 2nd round removal of Blood Moon. I usually keep those in: stops 8 manlands / insta-equip of cranial playing while hellbent under bridge / cuts out colored spells to some degree. Full credit: I don't know decklists, so everything is a time of game judgement call.
Versus Death's Shadow: Burst Lightning was kept in. Full credit: I don't know what type of deck you faced, but generally do drop small damage spells that can't kill Goyf or D Shadow. Maybe it was Grixis? Maybe they had Delvers?
Nevertheless, good to know that this deck can hammer in wins with various builds/plays.
no, because the card is in exile not in your hand.
Blood Moon vs Affinty...in hindsight I probably leave it in next time as I saw the same thing in the match...on paper it seems like the right call to take out, but in reality it does slow down many of their plays which is crucial.
One of my friends is going to borrow the deck and try and get a slot to the Invitational to join me in June. Crossing fingers for him.
Also, I wouldn't play more than one. I'd have to have a lack of removal that would be substituted by my own creature threats. I'd have to need a 2-drop to fill my mana curve as well as fulfill a stop-gap blocker of any number of opposing 'bears'. The construction would need to be benefitted by its mana sink ability. There would need to be enough distracting critical threats that I could sneak this through by either exhausting their disruption or shutting it off with my own Power Lock Suite. And, finally, I'd like to see at least a couple ways to blow up my own bridge to reveal an alpha strike for the win (read: Pia and Kiran Nalaar X2).
Your description of Yawn, yeah, Abrupt Decay it followed by table flips is riotously funny! But, it's not all that often that Kargan is pumped at the cost of not using the mana elsewhere. He's not an example of the olde colloquialism, 'don't put all of your dragon eggs in one basket.' There are a lot of turns where you have free mana. We dump down pretty damned fast. We don't generally have to hold up mana on an opponent's turn. Although, an early Chalice/Moon will incapacitate someone. Buuut we're not presenting enough threats to close the deal, as our opponents struggle to break free. Samson's been taking Rogaine, if you know what I mean.
The dragons that were used in Legacy Dragon Stompy are soooo cool - I've never seen them. I like them just fine, but the defining difference in our formats is mana generation speed. I can't reconcile their 4-CMC cost. There's a reason why I don't play Stormbreath Dragon over Kargan Dragonlord: Time. Turn 2, baby. When people say that Stormbreath doesn't fear Path to Exile, I point to Chalice of the Void....nor does Kargan Dragonlord.
Mvilla888, As for Magma Jet. I've been thinking hard on that construction by JfMajor where he uses Sin Prodder and 4 Magma Jets. Is that too many Jets? Another MTGsalvation poster, dcovino, told me that Jund has recently been moving away from Lightning Bolt. Yeah, I just hyperlinked Bolt, so you could be sure that it's not a misprint. Lightning.....Bolt. They are starting to drop the count in favor of Fatal Push. As Jund goes, so goes Modern:
Death's Shadow, Tarmogoyf, Thought-Knot Seer, Knight of the Reliquary, Tireless Tracker, and Arcbound Ravager....mostly, it the first 3 cards listed, though. Those dudes laugh at Lightning Bolt and Magma Jet. And, worst of all, I think Magma is better than Lightning. I said so in the Official Primer. But, I wonder about the tempo loss of casting it for the benefit of digging 2 cards deep.
I like Mishra's Bauble. It comes out on turn one and digs for free. I don't have to worry about seeing any of them in my opening hand (which obviously sets me back 1 draw step as well as replaces an undrawn card that I may have otherwise cast). I have absolutely no 1-drops. So, there's no tempo loss. That said, its inclusion in my 60 comes at the expense of dropping my creature removal spells. You're deadly right about that sacrifice...I might be dancing too close to the flame in dropping all of my dedicated creature kill from my main deck.