MTG Salvation

Quote from daviusminimus »

Hey Guys,
Anyone jamming games at the minute? I'm just not getting results AT ALL at present. I'm really having to fight for 3-2s, and even when I managed a 4-1, I followed it with a 1-4. Is the meta just hostile, or is the deck just not well placed - or is there something else at play (e.g me). Has anyone developed their lists, and has anyone had any mild success at all?

a lot of my friends and I are saying exactly each of these sentiments, but with different lists. I think the issue is that modern has so much going on right now that it is hard to tune and get better, or even reliable results.

unfortunately, i sold the deck last week and might just play it in MODO with budget version. I'm sticking with Ad Nauseam and possibly be selling my Tron deck as well. The only way I'll build amulet again is if Summer Bloom gets unbanned LOL

@tw0_fac3 ah man, that's a bummer! thanks for your contributions to the deck!

Saheeli is pretty good, just went 4-1 in a friendly league. Lost the first round to this weird mono green ramp deck that had acid moss, put 2 lands on top of my deck, nissa, and then won w/ sylvan advocate + making all its lands 4/4s. I didn't draw enough interactions even with mulls. M2 I won vs Grixis Death's Shadow. Match 3 I won vs RG Ponza, Match 4 I won vs Affinity, and Match 5 was vs UR Storm. I recorded the replay after Ponza for youtube (*****ty quality but I'm looking for someone to help me improve my setup) available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giqz2M4TbHY. If you'd like me to make more replays of any of these matchups, let me know.

My current list:

Creatures
4 Sakura-Tribe Scout
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
4 Primeval Titan
1 Walking Ballista

Artifacts
4 Amulet of Vigor
3 Relic of Progenitus
1 Engineered Explosives

Spells
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Summoner's Pact
1 Pact of Negation

Planeswalker
2 Saheeli Rai

Lands
1 Boros Garrison
1 Cavern of Souls
4 Forest
4 Gemstone Mine
3 Gruul Turf
1 Grove of the Burnwillows
1 Khalni Garden
1 Radiant Fountain
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
4 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Slayers' Stronghold
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
3 Tolaria West
1 Vesuva

\\Sideboard
2 Firespout (I like koz return, but it's a lot of tix for something about to rotate out of standard)
2 Swan Song
1 Hornet Queen
2 Dismember
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Thragtusk
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Obstinate Baloth (I had been seeing a lot of jund come back, so this was mostly for that m/u)
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons (same as above)

LSV played against two Amulet decks with Grixis Shadow (matches 1 and 3): link.
Game three is against our own kanister.

The first matchup was the weird hideaway Titan/emrakul list that I believe plays lotus cobra. It's pretty different from the kanister's list.

Regarding kanister's game, he left amulet of vigor in post board where it wasn't very effective. Lsv was worried about summer bloom, which was surprising, considering it's banned. He also boarded into obstinate baloth which is not good in the matchup. A 4/4 matched up poorly with 4/5s and 5/5s, regardless of the discard they play. While kanister has put up considerable results in the past, I was disappointed in his strategy and play, but when playing vs LSV, I'm sure nerves get into it.

There are different theories regarding the boarding out of amulets vs. K-Command but I don't think either is 'correct', despite most people agreeing that it's not a bad plan. I feel like boarding out Sakura-Tribe Scouts vs. GDS is definately correct but there is more room to debate the amulets. Leaving them in means you leave your combo potential relatively in-tact, taking them out removes the potential but prevents blow-outs. When I run Academy Ruins in my 75 I NEVER board out a single amulet EVER because of how powerful they make the deck, and the fact that I have insurance. Academy ruins doesn't necessarily prevent a blow-out but it means that if you had combo potential and it was stopped by a k-command on an Amulet, then you can still combo the turn after.

I didn't check out the LSV games thoroughly but I do agree that Baloth is underwhelming vs. Tasigur, Fish, Shadow. However, if the line of play we are thinking about was when Kanister pacted for Baloth as a response to Thoughtsieze, then despite Baloth being underwhelming as a 4/4, I don't see a better line of play as a response. If he didn't pact for Baloth he would have simply discarded to 0 with no board presence, no?

For now I've decided to box my Amulet Titan deck until after the PPTQ and RPTQ season here in Melbourne. This is not really a meta-call, it's actually a budget and enjoyment call. I've been smashing amulet for a while and STILL love it to death, high enjoyment factor from this deck. But I can't get my hands on Groves before the events start, and I feel groves/relics are the way to build to the meta for a bigger event.

I've also been able to finally finish my long-term project of building into Jeskai, and I'll be sleeving up Jeskai Control for the coming PPTQ.

Don't worry though, I'll be back on Amulet Titan again, and if Death's Shadow is still terrorising the top tables after the PPTQ season then I will definately be getting my hands on Groves so that I can choose whether or not to run the deck at a competitive event.

Kanister do you have any tip on the Eldrazi Tron Matchup??

I found Hive Mind to be a good way to beat them. The hard part is a Karn Liberated controlling every land and threath you land. I found Beast Within to mitigate the planeswalker effect.

@daviusminimus Without relics, storm feels basically unwinnable to me and still tough post board. Thoughts? Potential replacements?

I've been trying different configurations of the deck. yesterday I played at my LGS a version without relics 2 azusa and 1 simian spirit guide and 2 trackers mainboard. The result was a worst matchup against GBx matchups, no answer to gaveyard strategies and really poor etc.

I liked the idea of the deck that posted davius, I'm going to play the list above, highlights are 3 explore 3 relic, and 2 ghost quarter on the 75 in addition to ranumap to increase the chance of make the mana deprivation sinergy.

Swan Song is maybe the best answer against blood moon we have. Also help to counter manamorphose in Storm. That's what im up to counter...

Regards!

So I know that one of the pluses of Breach lists is the benefit against Blood Moon... If Blood Moon decks are becoming in vogue, does it make sense to put a Breach or two in our sideboards? Worst case scenario we bring it in against aggro and combo decks to speed up our deck, and against Blood Moon we can Pact, play Titan, and fetch two forests to pay pact and be up and rolling. Also considering Seal of Primordium in the sideboard again, since it does well against Eldrazi Tron and Affinity. The Tireless Tracker, for instance, is solid against B/G but doesn't feel like a lock anymore. Maybe Chalice, but due to the match-ups Chalice is good in, I wouldn't want to leave home without it. Also not sure on GQ vs Bog. I feel like the Bog helps win g1 against U/W control pretty frequently, and if I lose g1 I feel like the match-up goes to turnbs pretty frequently. I'm still not automatic in my decisions with the deck but I think I'm fairly quick now. I also really like winning game 1. The Bog is also nice against straight Jund to turn off Goyfs and to not auto lose against Living End. But with Eldrazi Tron and Affinity top tier and GQ still being pretty decent against UW Control, and maindeck Relics, maybe the GQ is just better? Curious on all your thoughts. Thanks!

4 Rounds. 10 games. 3 chalices for 0. 1 Platinum Angel. 2 Ghost Quarters. Some Thoughtseizes. And the worst: 3 hands with double amulet that did not win the game for not drawing into a bounceland or a titan. Guess it's time to give this deck some rest for a few weeks...

I think best choice is to have 2 ghost quarter in the 75 and ranumap in side and/or crucible. By doing this you increase the possibility to draw azusa and ghost quarter to tutor uo ranumap in sideboard games. Even exploading 2 ghost quarter at them (tron cheating lands or shocks of RG valakut) would help us to slow them up and dont screw us.

Also against bloodmoon 3rd forest abd runing 29 lands is somthing to consider.

@daviusminimum I agree on the GQ. I think it might be time to bring it back - as you noted it is great against BG Tron and RG Valakut, but additionally, it is great against Affinity and good against Eldrazi Tron (not great but still good), whereas Cavern and Relics you can find with a Stirrings are probably enough vs UW Control. Crumble doesn't feel great against good Valakut players who don't show you a Valakut until combo time, in my experience. GQ feels better in that case, plus sometimes you can use the GQ to screw up their Valakut triggers if they sac too many mountains or something like that, but that's a corner case. GQ is also huge against Blood Moon as you're aware.

Relic also feels great to hold up against Snapcaster decks (GDS, UW and Jeskai control, etc), Finks infinite life combo, Dredge/Living End (obviously), and Goyf decks. In combination with how much it helps game 1 against Storm, I feel okay keeping it in the deck. I think the maindeck is really solid and doesn't fold to much (other than Storm or really early Blood Moons). The biggest problem I'm having is Eldrazi Tron with Chalices on 1 and 0, and for that reason I'm debating putting a couple Seal of Primordium back in the board. The two relics and Colossus help with GDS good enough, and all other match-ups feel pretty even after board (except blood moon). The Seals get around Chalice on 0 and 1 and kill Blood Moons, and help against Affinity. With Eldrazi Tron and Affinity as popular as they are, seems like the right move. Thoughts? List below, with 17 cards in the sideboard. I think I would drop Chalice and either Tracker, Ruric or 3rd Dismember. I rather like Ruric now though. Suggestions welcome.

@resmaster - If you're unaware, Walking Ballista can gun down a Platinum Angel. Otherwise, yeah, sounds like you found all our bad match-ups and some bad beats to boot. Chalice on 0 and 1 suck. Hopefully your luck improves.

@TALGARDO - I feel like my list is way too tight to fit the Ranumap, and I'm not sure who the best match-ups to bring it in are. What match-ups do you think?

Lastly, a question for everyone. We used to win with Hive Mind as an alternate wincon... Retreat to Coralhelm/Scout/Amulet/Bounceland are an infinite combo, and if we have access to a Titan or the mana to transmute, we can fetch a Ballista for infinite damage. Really only mention it for it's application in beating infinite life, but it's also another win condition on turn 3 (turn 1 Scout, turn 2 amulet play 2 lands, turn 3 play retreat and loop infinite bounces, if they don't have removal for scout and amulet). It's obviously disruptable by everything in the world (fatal push, artifact hate, enchantment hate), but as an alternate win con? I'm thinking a one of in the main similar to Hive Mind as an "oops, I win" card, or probably more likely as a one of in the board to protect against Finks and board in against faster match-ups as another turn 3 kill option or against decks that are going to go long. Just an idea, but I don't think it's reliable enough and I'm not going to test it just yet.

Hey guys. I was recently on stream playing Amulet at my LGS. here's a link to the video if any of you are interested: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/165788754

I play two matches throughout the night. The first is against abzan death's shadow, and starts at about 58 minutes in. The second is a game 3 against Lantern Control, coincidentally being played by my roommate (we were both in the finals ~25-30 people at the event).
The game against lantern starts at 3:11:30.

Feel free to give me any criticism and/or comments about my gameplay if any of you are interested--I welcome them!

Also,
@daviusminimus, I like your list! Mine is very similar. My only real "tech" is playing a 2nd EE in the mainboard, which actually wins me one of my matches on stream. I also play an ancient grudge in the board and have been very happy with it. Good luck at GP Birmingham! Represent!

@daviusminimus
Thanks for the tips, I'll definitely keep that in mind in the future.
Here's my current decklist (if I can get this formatting right):


I hope to see you jamming some Amulet on camera. Good luck!

@GrilledCheese, I though that is interesting to have ranumap to fight decks with massive land disruption (jund, taxes, smallpox), or ramp decks (tron variants, RG Titan, Scapeshift).

I've been solo playtesting ( ) the deck and I was unsure if ranumap is a thing, but it opens a lot of possibilities, recovering a bounceland is a think, and also playing ghost quarter and ranumap creates a atrong attrition for most decks in format. Is he survives of course.

The last think I'm adding to the side is an academy ruins instead of the third kozilek return.

Tomorrow I'm playing a PPTQ (6 rounds I guess).

I'm hoping to play the top 8. We will see... concentration is my biggest problem!!

@talgardo against RG Titan/Scapeshift builds, they usually run at least 6 mountains I believe, so I feel like GQ doesn't do much unless they have to reveal a valakut. Even with Azusa out, you would need quite a head start to keep them from the magic 7 valakut triggers. Titan feels like a more reliable strategy. The Excavator sounds nice against Hatebears, but usually you're going to have to pay either 1 to pact for it with Thalia out, 2 to search your library with Arbiter out, and then 3 for the Excavator itself, and then it gets exposed to Paths or vialed in Flickerwisps or Revokers, then you have a pact trigger as well. If you time it perfectly it could do something, but except in the case of manlands/Affinity, I think chaining Titan's is just going to be a better strategy more often. If we're putting creatures in the sideboard for the late game, let's just put Emrakul, am I right?

@daviusminimus good luck man, I'll be rooting for you! Try doing some pre-event tourneys to try to get byes, if they have them.

@Somniloquist_ Ancient Grudge might be really well placed - massive against Affinity and gets around Chalice, also hits plenty of other good cards in Eldrazi tron. Maybe x1 Seal x1 Grudge is right, I'm tossing it around.

I'm playing a PPTQ tomorrow as well, will report.

I appreciate your comment GrilledCheese, it is well founded. Ranumap is mostly situational.
Against Scapeshift/GR Titan, Your advice is just to counter scapeshift with swan song, and keep the ramp to kill faster...

Yesterday I went to the pptq. I played with 3 azusa. 2 relic 3 explore. Ghost quarter main and a Retreat to coralhelm main. On sideboard the biggest addition I did was academy ruins. It allowed me to recour to walking ballista and helped me takibg out threaths 2 times.

The retreat never shown. Now im unsure about what to do with that slot. 3rd forest, 3rd relic or try again the trinket mage that grilled cheese love.

The matches where:

1st round bye
2nd round won 2-0 against burn. First game I started with radiant fountain.
Second game I sided out relics Bog and 2 sakura. Sided in: Ruric, Thragtusk and 2 Kozileks return.
My starting hand had and azusa. Ruric tar and an Ancient stirrings. I keep.
Found a radiant fountain and then when I was able to cast ruric the game was close.

3rd round. Agains grixis DS. Went to mulligan 5. Wasnt able to find second green source. I got killed before I could cast a titan.
Second game I managed to kill liliana with azusa and wallista. Then I won via Titan aggression.
3rd game was close but he got a Little more luck than I.
Grooves are great on this matchup.

4th game against jund. Won first game. Very long game. Just had better top decks.
Second game. Academy ruins helped me agains some threats and I abuse it until I could. Then he was at top deck. I searched for a summoners pact and had my relic ready for liliana. Wich he casted and I draw another pact and discarded one. Nect turn I won via 2 titan chain. No amulets.

5th round loose against Dimir control.

First game was so close. I was able to kill him with the 4th Titan. The game was really grindy and took us almost time.
Game 2 I lose because not paying fot pact
Game 3 I lose because not paying for pact. I also played cavern a turn earlierthan I could use it. Fixing this and remembering paying the pact would allowed me to do top 8.

6th round against Counters Company. First game I did mulli to 5. He comboed turn 3.
Second game he comboed before I could use the explosives.

Well that was my tournament. On 5th round I screw it badly. I got nervous. Everybody lookkng at the match, too much to plan on consecutive turns, worst mistake and did it twice. I need more practice with the deck.

Overall I change 2nd GQ in side for crumble but never faced ramp decks. Still need to be tested. Against UB I wish I has Thrun on sideboard after he killed my cavern. Well Ranumap would have help but He pobably would get countered.
I was thinking if something like elixir of inmortality would be a great sideboard for control decks.

Regards!