Back in theros I had started a theoretical modern brew around underworld cerberus, but it never really took off. It either felt like a bad living end deck w/o living end, or a slow green/x ramp+stompy brew.
Below is a very rudimentary decklist that I had crafted last year. It is not at all refined and is just a basic selection of the cards that I was already aware of that would work well with underworld cerberus.
I'm looking to see if there could be any improvements, and more importantly, if this has any potential to function well in the current modern format.
The deck could easily be tuned to try for a turn-3 Cerberus with more 1-drop mana dorks, or even something like Wild Cantor, but I'm not sure if that is actually beneficial or not.
The sideboard also needs actual construction. I'm familiar with a lot of creature-based answer that can help (darkheart sliver vs burn, caustic caterpillar/torch fiend vs affinity, faerie macabre vs dredge/reanimator). I'm sure there are better creature options vs other deck archetypes.
What do you all think? I was pretty upset with the lackluster mythic in standard, but does it have any playablitiy in modern? What sort of match'ups would something like this do well against?
Man, underworld cerberus is a weird card but I like it. Its a "super menace" hound with living end stapled to it when it dies.
I guess my biggest question for you is: how do you want to win with it? B/c I think after you identify a specific game plan people will be able to better suggest cards that will streamline the deck. As it sits it looks like you want to use him for his living end effect not the "hey im a 6/6 for 5 mana w/ super menace can you deal with my beats next combat?".
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Standard // nRG Aggro
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
Note that Big Doggy is return to hand, not a literal Living End. Very much less impressive.
Yeah, I dunno. The issue is that, while the body is definitely super impressive, at five mana in Modern you're usually expected to combo off, not simply play a big dude. (I mean, five mana gets you Through the Breach -> Emrakul, three to more searches the most relevant creature in Chord decks, and dedicated ramp often just might as well be Tron and play Karn.) Meanwhile, the ability only shuts off so much -- not really much of Dredge or anything -- and also btw. stops Faerie Macabre. And the last ability, while impactful, just isn't great either as card advantage or combo.
I'd say the best bet is using the last ability for massive card advantage, since combo is probably out of question and the first two abilities are mostly meh. Your deck looks like a good step in this direction.
Yeah, I dunno. Looks awesome on paper, but the card itself seems like there are so many things barely holding it back...
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"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
I think he got outclassed by Goblin Dark-Dweller. With that high mana cost you don't want to be protective but making an immediate impact. Filling your hand is nice but as a death trigger this is comparable with Reveillark or Bubble Hulk which are both better.
That's kind of what I was thinking about GDD's is because you get a good beat stick and immediate board impact once GDD's hits the board. Problem I have with underworld cerberus is that it doesn't have an immediate impact; now if it were to have haste I'd think otherwise. But as it stands its until turn 6 that it does something.
-Other hand the aristocrats shell is interesting: underworld cerberus not only becomes and alt win condition by beating face himself but if you have the Abzan combo all lined up in you graveyard you opponent's only hope of surviving is bouncing or pathing it. I can't help but have fling come to mind
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard // nRG Aggro
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
if you can mill your entire library, you can combo him with conflagrate
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pucatrade
big receipts
alpha mox emerald
beta time walk
4 goyfs received
3 liliana of the veil
4 karn liberated
3 force of will
4 grove of the burnwillows
snapcaster mage
3 horizon canopy
2 full art damnation
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Back in theros I had started a theoretical modern brew around underworld cerberus, but it never really took off. It either felt like a bad living end deck w/o living end, or a slow green/x ramp+stompy brew.
Below is a very rudimentary decklist that I had crafted last year. It is not at all refined and is just a basic selection of the cards that I was already aware of that would work well with underworld cerberus.
I'm looking to see if there could be any improvements, and more importantly, if this has any potential to function well in the current modern format.
4x Birds of Paradise
2x Dawntreader Elk
2x Falkenrath Aristocrat
4x Fulminator Mage
4x Lotleth Troll
2x Mogg Fanatic
4x Sakura-Tribe Elder
2x Shriekmaw
4x Underworld Cerberus
4x Vexing Devil
4x Farseek
Land (24) (generic fillers for now)
4x Blood Crypt
4x Forest
4x Mountain
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Stomping Ground
4x Swamp
1x Darkheart Sliver
1x Faerie Macabre
1x Hellspark Elemental
1x Ingot Chewer
1x Reckless Reveler
1x Torch Fiend
1x Tymaret, the Murder King
1x Viridian Zealot
1x Viscera Seer
1x caustic caterpillar
1x kalitas, traitor of ghet
The deck could easily be tuned to try for a turn-3 Cerberus with more 1-drop mana dorks, or even something like Wild Cantor, but I'm not sure if that is actually beneficial or not.
The sideboard also needs actual construction. I'm familiar with a lot of creature-based answer that can help (darkheart sliver vs burn, caustic caterpillar/torch fiend vs affinity, faerie macabre vs dredge/reanimator). I'm sure there are better creature options vs other deck archetypes.
What do you all think? I was pretty upset with the lackluster mythic in standard, but does it have any playablitiy in modern? What sort of match'ups would something like this do well against?
Links to my most current deck lists;
Primary EDH; Rakka Mar Token Perfection, Crosis Mnemonic Betrayal, Cromat Villainous, Judith Gravestorm, Rakdos Empty Storm, Exava Artifacts, Bant Trash, & Fumiko Voltron!
EDH kept at home; Ruzzian Isset & Rakdos LoR!
EDH (nostalgic/pimp/retired) in storage;
Latulla Burns, Akroma Smash, Jeska Voltron, Rakdos Storm, Bladewing Darghans, Lyzolda Worldgorger, Xantcha Steals your Heart, Jori Storm, Wydwen Permission, Gwendlyn Paradox, Jeleva Warps, & Sigarda Brick!
Legacy Showanimator and High Tide!
I guess my biggest question for you is: how do you want to win with it? B/c I think after you identify a specific game plan people will be able to better suggest cards that will streamline the deck. As it sits it looks like you want to use him for his living end effect not the "hey im a 6/6 for 5 mana w/ super menace can you deal with my beats next combat?".
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
Yeah, I dunno. The issue is that, while the body is definitely super impressive, at five mana in Modern you're usually expected to combo off, not simply play a big dude. (I mean, five mana gets you Through the Breach -> Emrakul, three to more searches the most relevant creature in Chord decks, and dedicated ramp often just might as well be Tron and play Karn.) Meanwhile, the ability only shuts off so much -- not really much of Dredge or anything -- and also btw. stops Faerie Macabre. And the last ability, while impactful, just isn't great either as card advantage or combo.
I'd say the best bet is using the last ability for massive card advantage, since combo is probably out of question and the first two abilities are mostly meh. Your deck looks like a good step in this direction.
Yeah, I dunno. Looks awesome on paper, but the card itself seems like there are so many things barely holding it back...
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
That's kind of what I was thinking about GDD's is because you get a good beat stick and immediate board impact once GDD's hits the board. Problem I have with underworld cerberus is that it doesn't have an immediate impact; now if it were to have haste I'd think otherwise. But as it stands its until turn 6 that it does something.
-Other hand the aristocrats shell is interesting: underworld cerberus not only becomes and alt win condition by beating face himself but if you have the Abzan combo all lined up in you graveyard you opponent's only hope of surviving is bouncing or pathing it. I can't help but have fling come to mind
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
pucatrade
big receipts
alpha mox emerald
beta time walk
4 goyfs received
3 liliana of the veil
4 karn liberated
3 force of will
4 grove of the burnwillows
snapcaster mage
3 horizon canopy
2 full art damnation