Good stuff Magix, glad to know that my advice helped. It's still a difficult matchup, for sure.
I like the idea of jotun grunt suggested by someone above. I think he can be a valid replacement for RIP if you want to keep goyfs in. Edit: No he does not replace goyf.
I like Cages a lot more lately. They do work against storm, gifts, all pods, vengevine, but not living end. Last bit is annoying... but pulling double duty against pod is really cool. I beat pod today with it and it ruined him on cast game 3. I chatted with him a bit because I think this is by far our WORST matchup (listen... 4 finks, 2 infinite life combos, 4 voice to double block, midrange blockers/beaters, built in removal. The whole deck screams "Yeah, go on, try it aggro, see what happens.") and he said cage ruins him. He's got 2 real ways to deal with it aside from randomly drawn decays, but they require pod to find. So realisticly he's got 6/60 chance to deal with it, and even if he draws it (4 of those cards are 2 cmc, 2 are 3 cmc) it buys us a turn on turn 2-4 which can be enough for us to go for the throat. More so it turns off his cord of calling his main way to find cards to deal with things that stop pod.
another video coming up, this one a budget list and a long chat about goyf. There are 3 lists in there.
So my list was posted a few days ago here. The next modern tournament is Monday and a few decks that are in my meta-game are: Affinity, Goblins, Infect, Spirits, U/W Control, Valakut/Scapeshift, Soul Sisters (My girlfriend plays my deck) and Zombies. It's mostly all aggro-ish decks. I tried Restore Balance last week and it didn't seem to work, so I'm trying this again. Any suggestions as to what to add to the sideboard? I think mine is pretty good, but I could always use some input.
Magix and lantern, what is your opinion on running Loam Lion over Experiment One? Experiment One is just such a bad topdeck and having multiples in your opening hand as the only creatures is quite awkward. What about Vexing Devils over Goblin Guide? Granted, if I am running devils I will want to be running Ex-ones.
I actually don't like it in modern. I think getting the extra nacatls are worth his trouble. He is a bad top deck turn 4 on word, but if you top a loam, your not in much better shape.
ANd yeah. I wouldn't cut him for vexing devil either. vexing is a speed card that should be labeled as a RDW card, not zoo card, but he does evolve e1, so he has his uses when comined with e1 and going hyper aggro route.
As far as guide goes, magix says hes a house, which I can see, and its worth testing. I like the stablity of the 2 extra loams, but I suppose I can re test the guides at this point. Truthfully, I was just ganna wait to see what the protour said, as deciding on that one would take a ton of testing.
Goblin Guide wins games. I mean, he's either a really fun Shock on legs that lets you spy on what the opponent's drawing, or he's just giving your opponent the game because
-they're either Tron curving out better than normal
-or they're one of those schmaltzy UR decks packing Serum Visions and you did a dumb thinking they didn't stack a land on top.
Though in Naya Zoo I'd probably value the third point of toughness more than smashing face. IMO Goblin Guide goes from great to really bad in cases where he could be blocked by something as simple as a Lingering Souls token, and this is coming from my experience in Boros where half my/our gameplan is straight up making sure I'm/we're swinging into a clear board as much as possible.
General Tip: If you only have 1 GG in hand, play an other 1 drop first. This enables more dmg on turn2, cuz haste. IF you have 2 or more Goblin Guides, just power em out one after an other.
As someone who too does this, I second this line of thought.
I actually don't like it in modern. I think getting the extra nacatls are worth his trouble. He is a bad top deck turn 4 on word, but if you top a loam, your not in much better shape.
ANd yeah. I wouldn't cut him for vexing devil either. vexing is a speed card that should be labeled as a RDW card, not zoo card, but he does evolve e1, so he has his uses when comined with e1 and going hyper aggro route.
As far as guide goes, magix says hes a house, which I can see, and its worth testing. I like the stablity of the 2 extra loams, but I suppose I can re test the guides at this point. Truthfully, I was just ganna wait to see what the protour said, as deciding on that one would take a ton of testing.
I'm also a strong supporter of Goblin Guide. I think he's a better early drop and better late drop than Loam Lion. Simply because of his haste. While Loam does help E1 hit 3/3 more consistently, we just got 4x Wild Nacatl to help with that, so, i think E1 is still pretty consistently buffed to a 3/3.
Seldom do i go T1 Goblin Guide and lose a game. Even if they do get lands off of him he's way too much pressure for that to matter against the Trons, where you'd think the extra lands would be way dangerous.
I fully agree with Magix. His and I experience with Goblin Guide are pretty spot on.
He helps you consistently get in 4-5 points of damage by the end of your Turn 2. If they fetched/shocked/thoughtseized they're getting close to being half dead. I think that consistently getting that kind of early pressure and timely Paths and Pillars is the key to beating Pod. Magix game notes can show you that. =]
Guide was worse. Couldnt evolve e1 to 3/3 woulda won if I did that.
Vs. Control:
Awesome. He got in 5 points turn 2, and that was great.
vs another control
Awesome. Allowed me to hit him hard often, and rebuild immediately after an engie explosion.
Vs. Hate bears:
extra damage, extra good.
Vs. American Twin
Didnt matter, didnt win.
Vs fae
Better, hit Badd harder witht them for a perfect curved e1 evolve, attack for a lot, bolt, tarmo.
Results: 3rd in the testing... 2nd if I didnt mess up. But I think those testing shows that guide is good. But it makes my deck look a little weird... I dont want to drop too low in removal... but If I up my volcanic fall out to compensate in the side.
I won against the controls, fae, lost vs hatebears because I cracked wrong (my fault really, could have won), and lost vs twin.
I think what it also means is that you have to decide for yourself how much evolving E1 means to one's list, over running creatures that are known to be good on their own but unfortunately do not break E1 in half.
Chiming in. I've been creeping on this thread multiple times daily since the ubanning. I've been testing on cockatrice a bit.
I've gravitated more towards sasky's list. I really like goblin guides as they really help to power out that damage quickly. Everything in the deck is essentially 4x of, which makes draws more consistent. I still don't quite understand the 1x pillar. 1x cards are so sporadic. You can't rely on them and they show up at awkward times. For a deck where the first few turns mean the most, I want really consistent draws.
Now I'm torn between Lantern's list and Magix's list for tonight.
Isn't 7x 3-drops a little too much for 20 lands?
By lantern's list(stuff gets buried after a few pages), do you mean the one that's the same as the reddit post? Again, I try to shy away from too many 2x and 3x in a deck as fast as this. Alot are functionally similar though, so I think that is fine. I really started to shy away from domris. Like others have said, I think I prefer him in a higher cmc list like kibler's. I find myself wanting to hold him so I could drop creatures to apply more pressure. If I do drop him, then that's essentially a whole turn that I used to usually cycle him for a creature.
I like the idea of jotun grunt suggested by someone above. I think he can be a valid replacement for RIP if you want to keep goyfs in. Edit: No he does not replace goyf.
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
another video coming up, this one a budget list and a long chat about goyf. There are 3 lists in there.
RGGruul Aggro
WSoul Sisters
WBTokens
BUGRRestore Balance
BMono-Black Infect
EDH:
RGWMayael, the Anima
GWURoon of the Hidden Realm
BDrana, Kalastria Bloodchief
3x Ancient Grudge
2x combust
3x Kitchin finks
2x Vines of Vastwood
1x Ghor-clan Rampager
2x Torpor Orb
2x Blood Moon
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
ANd yeah. I wouldn't cut him for vexing devil either. vexing is a speed card that should be labeled as a RDW card, not zoo card, but he does evolve e1, so he has his uses when comined with e1 and going hyper aggro route.
As far as guide goes, magix says hes a house, which I can see, and its worth testing. I like the stablity of the 2 extra loams, but I suppose I can re test the guides at this point. Truthfully, I was just ganna wait to see what the protour said, as deciding on that one would take a ton of testing.
-they're either Tron curving out better than normal
-or they're one of those schmaltzy UR decks packing Serum Visions and you did a dumb thinking they didn't stack a land on top.
Though in Naya Zoo I'd probably value the third point of toughness more than smashing face. IMO Goblin Guide goes from great to really bad in cases where he could be blocked by something as simple as a Lingering Souls token, and this is coming from my experience in Boros where half my/our gameplan is straight up making sure I'm/we're swinging into a clear board as much as possible.
In particular, how did he choose to set up for the zoo meta in terms of # of hierarchs and walls.
As someone who too does this, I second this line of thought.
I'm also a strong supporter of Goblin Guide. I think he's a better early drop and better late drop than Loam Lion. Simply because of his haste. While Loam does help E1 hit 3/3 more consistently, we just got 4x Wild Nacatl to help with that, so, i think E1 is still pretty consistently buffed to a 3/3.
Seldom do i go T1 Goblin Guide and lose a game. Even if they do get lands off of him he's way too much pressure for that to matter against the Trons, where you'd think the extra lands would be way dangerous.
I fully agree with Magix. His and I experience with Goblin Guide are pretty spot on.
He helps you consistently get in 4-5 points of damage by the end of your Turn 2. If they fetched/shocked/thoughtseized they're getting close to being half dead. I think that consistently getting that kind of early pressure and timely Paths and Pillars is the key to beating Pod. Magix game notes can show you that. =]
Sig courtesy of DOLZero
[82/360] Custom Cube
Blog about the Custom Cube
Vs tooth and nail:
Guide was worse. Couldnt evolve e1 to 3/3 woulda won if I did that.
Vs. Control:
Awesome. He got in 5 points turn 2, and that was great.
vs another control
Awesome. Allowed me to hit him hard often, and rebuild immediately after an engie explosion.
Vs. Hate bears:
extra damage, extra good.
Vs. American Twin
Didnt matter, didnt win.
Vs fae
Better, hit Badd harder witht them for a perfect curved e1 evolve, attack for a lot, bolt, tarmo.
Results: 3rd in the testing... 2nd if I didnt mess up. But I think those testing shows that guide is good. But it makes my deck look a little weird... I dont want to drop too low in removal... but If I up my volcanic fall out to compensate in the side.
I won against the controls, fae, lost vs hatebears because I cracked wrong (my fault really, could have won), and lost vs twin.
4 Experiment One
4 Goblin Guide
4 Kird Ape
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
Spells:12
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Path to Exile
1 Pillar of Flame
4 Lightning Helix
4 Arid Mesa
1 Forest
1 Horizon Canopy
2 Marsh Flats
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Stomping Ground
2 Temple Garden
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Path to Exile
1 Pillar of Flame
2 Ancient Grudge
3 Boros Charm
2 Combust
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Torpor Orb
2 Volcanic Fallout
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
http://www.reddit.com/r/spikes/comments/1xhfj2/top_4_a_gp_richmond_trial_with_naya_zoo_post_br/
Moved from modern main
I'd look at my video since it seems like your in a budget situation.
Isn't 7x 3-drops a little too much for 20 lands?
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
Cut the domris my friend, and get at least 2 boros charms. whats what I've been testing. The domris were cool. but charms are better.
I've gravitated more towards sasky's list. I really like goblin guides as they really help to power out that damage quickly. Everything in the deck is essentially 4x of, which makes draws more consistent. I still don't quite understand the 1x pillar. 1x cards are so sporadic. You can't rely on them and they show up at awkward times. For a deck where the first few turns mean the most, I want really consistent draws.
By lantern's list(stuff gets buried after a few pages), do you mean the one that's the same as the reddit post? Again, I try to shy away from too many 2x and 3x in a deck as fast as this. Alot are functionally similar though, so I think that is fine. I really started to shy away from domris. Like others have said, I think I prefer him in a higher cmc list like kibler's. I find myself wanting to hold him so I could drop creatures to apply more pressure. If I do drop him, then that's essentially a whole turn that I used to usually cycle him for a creature.