MTG Salvation

Anyone see the recent list on mtgo with these in the side?
4 leyline of the void
4 monastery mentor

But of a weird sideboard?
http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=16359&d=301055&f=MO

looking at more recent lists, I see a lot of players are packing 2 grafdigger's cage in the sideboard. can someone expound on how this helps against the counters company matchup? if they have the vizier and devoted druid combo in their opening hand, they can still cast the duskwatch recruiter to find the walking ballista

tw0_fac3 that is correct. if they have evrything natural they win. same as we do.

but they often only play 2 recruiter so they need to find him via chord or company which gets shut down from cage.


beside that cage is nice against strom, dredge, reanimator and ok vs blue decks shutting of snapy.
Note it does nothing vs living end.

The Leyline makes sense but I found it weird due to 90% of Ad Naus decks currently run Grafdiggers Cage's or Relic of Progenitus over Leylines.

I was just about to give my idea as to why Monastery Mentor might be super cool tech but eAlphax said exactly what I was just thinking. Shame it doesn't seem as good in reality as I was just about to straight up buy a set a week prior to a GP

On a completely different topic...

What are your thoughts between running Duress or Thoughtseize in your SB, guys?

I've been debating myself lately about which one is better, but I don't seem to get to any conclusion...

The discard slot in my SB (always 2x) has been changing constantly due to either MTGO and IRL experiences. For instance, in MTGO I use to play Duress, but in last FNMs I played TSZ, due to its versatility being able to take out creatures as well. Yesterday I had a situation in MTGO where I Duress my opponent in turn 1 and I saw: 1 Steam Vents, 1 Baral, 2 Pyrectic Ritual, 1 Manamorphose, 1 Gifts Ungiven, 1 Serum Visions; and I wasn't completely sure if taking Baral would have been the best choice.

What do you think?

This is the main reason why I also play Thoughtseize. Inquisition of Kozilek would even be better than Duress if you're worried about the life loss. But the Thoughtseize is the only one that is flexible enough to snag a TKS, Karn or a problematic planeswalker. The 2 life is irrelevant anyway with Unlife out, just to ensure that they don't have a Counterflux in hand or the cycling effect of Nimble Obstructionist. I've been seeing more of those lately in Jeskai and UW control builds.

Anyone else tried 2 Gideon of the Trials and 2 Phyrexian Unlife maindeck? I've been starting to play 20 lands with 4 Unlife as an answer to Eldrazi Tron's Chalice for 1 and drawing 2 Unlifes feels so bad. At least the Gideon buys you 1-2 turns at least. I'm not sure if it's worth it but it seems great in stalling midrange decks or an early Delve creature Game 1. Plus having it in play before an opponent casts a Liliana of the Veil seems great since they will make sure they have a creature out first before playing LotV.

Tested Gideon couples of testnights with friends vs most played decks.
He never ever was good at any point of a game. :/

Went 6-2 in a mixed event : Legacy and Modern (like the GP in 2018). 3-1 on Ad Nauseam. Back to fetchland list, feeling good about it. Lost to Esper Death Shadow, avoided E-Tron. Beaten Scapeshift, Affinity and Soul Sisters.

List for reference :

Hello guys!

What are your opinions about using Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Spellskite in SB?

Elspeth dodges a lot of removal, that's why I'm using her instead of Grave Titan or any other fat creature.
And Spellskite is huge against Infect, but since the deck lost popularity due DS, is it still useful?

ANd I've never tried Lingering Souls, what is the current consensus on this subject?

I recently cut Lingering Souls a few weeks ago, I loved it for ages but in the current meta it feels clunky and I'd rather have a fog or removal in it's place.
As for Elspeth, I think Godhead of Awe is the best big walker/creature option for this deck at this current moment. I used to run Grave Titan but I very rarely cast him.

Quote from Invokehazza »

I recently cut Lingering Souls a few weeks ago, I loved it for ages but in the current meta it feels clunky and I'd rather have a fog or removal in it's place.
As for Elspeth, I think Godhead of Awe is the best big walker/creature option for this deck at this current moment. I used to run Grave Titan but I very rarely cast him.

Is Godhead really this powerful? I never considered using it, but I think I'll try out once I get a copy to see for myself.

I tried Grave Titan one time, but my meta is full of white decks with access to Path to Exile, hence the choice for Elspeth.

Top8-ed a ~40 person pptq today, trying out 2x Godhead. I played a pretty standard spoils list. Haven't really played the deck for a few months prior to this. (Been on storm)

Round 1: 2-1 Abzan Shadow
Round 2: 2-0 Merfolk
Round 3: 1-2 Grixis Shadow
Round 4: 2-0 Jund Shadow
Round 5: 2-0 Grixis Shadow
Round 6: ID
Quarters: 1-2 UW Control

Godhead is an absurd beating vs Grixis (and presumably esper), we'll see how it holds up once some of the novelty wears off, but if they end up leaving in removal postboard in fear, I'm happy. I had good Leyline luck, having leyline in I think 5/6 of the postboard games vs the shadow decks, without really mulling to it (just mulling bad hands in general). I don't actually like the removal/discard in the board. Thoughtsieze was terrible vs UW, and while I didn't play against GW or company stuff that I might want path/push for, I think I'd just prefer to try to race. Oversideboarding is very real, and we don't have the deck slots to devote to weaker but more widely applicable answers. To that end, I think I mostly want a bunch of ~2 of bombs to throw at decks to give an alternate line of attack when they're prepared for the main one. I think I'll go a bit crazy, and try a board with ~8 varied big impact creature/bomb wincons next time.

Quote from hiehi34 »

Top8-ed a ~40 person pptq today, trying out 2x Godhead. I played a pretty standard spoils list. Haven't really played the deck for a few months prior to this. (Been on storm)

Round 1: 2-1 Abzan Shadow
Round 2: 2-0 Merfolk
Round 3: 1-2 Grixis Shadow
Round 4: 2-0 Jund Shadow
Round 5: 2-0 Grixis Shadow
Round 6: ID
Quarters: 1-2 UW Control

Godhead is an absurd beating vs Grixis (and presumably esper), we'll see how it holds up once some of the novelty wears off, but if they end up leaving in removal postboard in fear, I'm happy. I had good Leyline luck, having leyline in I think 5/6 of the postboard games vs the shadow decks, without really mulling to it (just mulling bad hands in general). I don't actually like the removal/discard in the board. Thoughtsieze was terrible vs UW, and while I didn't play against GW or company stuff that I might want path/push for, I think I'd just prefer to try to race. Oversideboarding is very real, and we don't have the deck slots to devote to weaker but more widely applicable answers. To that end, I think I mostly want a bunch of ~2 of bombs to throw at decks to give an alternate line of attack when they're prepared for the main one. I think I'll go a bit crazy, and try a board with ~8 varied big impact creature/bomb wincons next time.

Great job, being 3-1 against Shadow is where we want to be. I'm feeling okay with the following :



Godhead of Awe is a sweet tech for the moment, 2 might be the sweet spot (it's either 4 or 2 I think) and it provides a beater, so tht good. I might want to try it out myself. Against Shawdow decks, I find that 4 counterspells is sweet (3 Pact, 1 Silence) and 8-10 pieces of removal for Death's Shadow is also enough.

However, I can't handle much Company decks. The board presence is like Affinity, but with a possible combo finish. Hard game.

Been seeing some lists with Monastery Mentor lately, what matchups do you use this card in and what are the benefits to running it?

@Togores - thank you for sharing the video! congrats on the 5-0 finish! (i know it's not uncommon for you)

I think the 3 leylines is bold and might be a necessary evil with the number of discards. I'm curious about the single Solemnity in the sideboard, in which matchup would you be siding that in?

Do you think the 3 Spoils is still better compared to only 2 plus 1 Mystical Teachings for it to be playable under a Chalice for 1?

Is there anything else you would like to change in your decklist? I'm planning to attend a big team modern event with your list although, I'm still not comfortable with 20 lands but I know that the 4 Phyrexian Unlifes are necessary to combat Eldrazi Tron's Chalice for 1.

Thanks @Togores for sharing your insights! Do you think the 2 Grafdigger's Cage is really necessary for the Devoted Druids matchup and would be the best sideboard? I see that you're not running anymore Slaughter Pact or Path to Exile to remove opposing Thalias or Gaddok Teeg.

Going to a PPTQ the next day, any last minute change you would like with the decklist or sideboard you played? Thank you!

Anyone still play the Glittering Wish version?

So I have a GP this weekend and am after some opinions on my main and sideboard.
I am on the recent Spoils mainboards with 2 Spoils and 1 Teachings and am happy with my mainboard. Just need to perfect my lands and sideboard ready a large all round GP meta.

Lands:
2 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Darkslick Shores
3 Seachrome Coast
3 Temple of Deceit
2 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Plains
1 Island

Maybes to Hand:
Nephalia Academy (top maybe)
Urborg
Seachrome Coast
Temple of Deceit
Dreadship Reef
City of Brass

Sideboard
4 Leyline of Sanctity
2 Path to Exile
2 Godhead of Awe
2 Thoughtseize
2 Ethereal Haze
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Echoing Truth
1 Supreme Verdict

So many maybe options but I think this is 99% locked in.