I give the edge on figure over student mainly because he can get himself out of bolt range at instant speed, and he uses both color mana. On their final form an 8/8 fly, first strike beats a 4/4 double striker all day.
Figure's dual color option is what puts it over the top to me. I don't want to still be in a game long enough to activate the last leveling though... 4/4 body is where I'd stop... I haven't had time to fiddle and proxy anything up yet to try a few packages... I REALLY want try that Zo-Zu/Tunnel Ignus package...
I give the edge on figure over student mainly because he can get himself out of bolt range at instant speed, and he uses both color mana. On their final form an 8/8 fly, first strike beats a 4/4 double striker all day.
Yeah but why not play both?
The question was to replace Steppe Lynx.
That said in practice I've begun to notice that level up styled cards are a bit of a weird tempo screw. You get to utilize your mana without having to expend more cards (which is good), but at the same time you end up making a small collection of cards the benefactors of your investments and thus anything answering those cards end up wrecking tempo for you (which is bad)...
I don't think it's ever wrong to play either, just that they do seem to have an exploitable weakness against a super-archetype that's far from dead in Modern last I checked...
Figure has better bodies, can take both colours, and is instant speed. That discussion has been had many times. The reason you don't run both is that aside from the weird tempo effect that you describe (and I agree with) they also have little immediate impact and are not something you want multiples of in the early game.
This rendition of the deck feels smoother to me at least, what's your meta like Dot?
I've given my reasoning for the current selection of cards, so I won't do much more there until I test more. Mirran and Figure are our goyfs in a sense that they are relevant drops at all points of the game and provide an efficient ground body on offense and defense. Geopede is bad in Midrange Boros, just like how Figure is bad in Aggro Boros, just different cards for different builds.
Figure has better bodies, can take both colours, and is instant speed. That discussion has been had many times. The reason you don't run both is that aside from the weird tempo effect that you describe (and I agree with) they also have little immediate impact and are not something you want multiples of in the early game.
This rendition of the deck feels smoother to me at least, what's your meta like Dot?
I've given my reasoning for the current selection of cards, so I won't do much more there until I test more. Mirran and Figure are our goyfs in a sense that they are relevant drops at all points of the game and provide an efficient ground body on offense and defense. Geopede is bad in Midrange Boros, just like how Figure is bad in Aggro Boros, just different cards for different builds.
Well ever since my loose group's gotten used to using Cockatrice the "meta" as one would call it is all over the place and prone to entertaining anything and everything.
I end up spending more time theorycrafting than getting legitimate games in anyway, so there's only so much my rambling's good for.
If I had to put my finger on the pulse of the meta at the LGS I tend to default to, I'd say it's the usual suspects of Twin variant + Pod variant + token Bogles player (it's like a law of reality or something, there's always one Bogles pilot. That deck, all of my hate), and smatterings of other tier 2 stuff. Which is to say, things that affect my sideboard. I'm rather sick of the "do I sideboard Celestial Flare this weekend?" subgame; the words I wish to use to describe my seething hatred for Bogles would likely get me stricken by red moderator text redaction...
I gotcha, my Meta is really heavy on UW/x Control so speed is a factor that's pretty important to me. As well as consistency to push through removal and countermagic.
Surprisingly I don't know of anyone running more than 2 Electrolyze, and some of the better players in my meta are just playing straight UW. But yeah, Electrolyze hurts a lot and is tempting me to run something like Brave the Elements or something. Soldier of the Pantheon would be a lot more appealing to me if there were more multicoloured creatures, but still seems worth a shot.
He's a pricey SB option, at the 3 CMC slot, but have you tried Mindsparker against the UWx matchups? It catches to when a player uses the electrolyze as well, due to it having U in it's casting cost. I've used it to some success, but my word can't be taken as gold here, as WR isn't my main bread-and-butter... My reasoning to justifying him, was the fact that control games can tend to go past turn 5.
Sometimes, the one trigger is all it takes to make a difference, but again.. his CMC...
Well the Electrolyze thing was back when it was the nuts card and I last ran Geopede seriously. Suffice to say it had a strong enough impact that I've left it in favor of Figure of Destiny.
I'm still mildly weary of the card, as some people think it's always the nuts because of the 3 for 1 value dream.
To be fair, it's still pretty live against my builds. But losing a Lynx/Lavamancer/early Figure feels a lot more tolerable than losing a Geopede. Letting Geopede eat Electrolyze is like walking Ghitu Encampment into removal, makes you feel all sick and nauseated.
...it dawns on me that, in a way, Ghitu kinda fills in for what Geopede does. Nowhere near as potent as Geopede, but First Strike's a hell of a keyword.
The Ghitu camp gives you that little ounce of gass that all the man-lands do - and honestly, with very little +1 card advantage, the deck could use the gas. I'd group Mutavault in there, but first strike>the possibility of tribal synergy, which most boros decks won't have; and the white manland is a joke, save for very specific situations. Electrolyze is good because it is always a minimum of a +1, and at times a +2; it's that line "Draw a card," that makes it great, especially snapped-back where for 5 mana, they get a creature, draw, and burn off of one card. The ability to draw as the cast a spell, continuously getting +1's that gives UWR it's power, among other reasons.
The Ghitu camp gives you that little ounce of gass that all the man-lands do - and honestly, with very little +1 card advantage, the deck could use the gas. I'd group Mutavault in there, but first strike>the possibility of tribal synergy, which most boros decks won't have; and the white manland is a joke, save for very specific situations. Electrolyze is good because it is always a minimum of a +1, and at times a +2; it's that line "Draw a card," that makes it great, especially snapped-back where for 5 mana, they get a creature, draw, and burn off of one card. The ability to draw as the cast a spell, continuously getting +1's that gives UWR it's power, among other reasons.
You say that about Electrolyze.
But then I point at the mana cost and call shenanigans.
Well, done with soldier, maybe if there's a meta shift and more multicoloured creatures/removal get played then I'll try him again, but for now I'm just not feeling like he's better than any other 1-drop we can play.
That is the thing that makes it not as crazy. It's the amount of cards they have that do something and cantrip; Electrolyze, Snapcaster, remand, (less used)condescend. Snapcaster, like electrolyze, is effectively a 3CMC+ card, and the other mentioned cards do absolutely NOTHING to a fast aggro deck. The value they have can be daunting, but a fast deck, smart pilot, and intelligent plays/nut draws can get them. The value they have gives them their strength, but it's true power is making those unfamiliar with the math believe they are going to have a hard time catching up. The threat of power has power in itself.
However, lists filled with midrange threats may have a hard time mopping up, as they give the UWx player time to set up.
Has anyone used, or thought of using the card Gift of Estates? It's like a one-time land tax and is modern playable. ANd it says PLAINS cards, not basic, so we can grab duals if need-be. I can't think of a good use for it, but the idea sounds 'cute.'
Has anyone used, or thought of using the card Gift of Estates? It's like a one-time land tax and is modern playable. ANd it says PLAINS cards, not basic, so we can grab duals if need-be. I can't think of a good use for it, but the idea sounds 'cute.'
Which do we like better here... Banisher Priest/Fiend Hunter vs Journey to Nowhere?
Gift of estates could be sorta cool, but I think Weathered Wayfarer is better in most situations.
We like Path to Exile better, then Dismember and Journey to nowhere are close, the Exile-Bears are not good enough to warrant play without some other special reason (DnT) and even then they only play a couple at most.
I used to run Gift of Estates as a hand filler, deck thinner, and Firemane Angel pitcher! They HAVE to be plains, which isn't bad with duals or a white heavy build but to draw a second not early in the game... Fetch lands do the same job more efficiently. It would only help if you plan is to pitch Firemane or another such card.
Which do we like better here... Banisher Priest/Fiend Hunter vs Journey to Nowhere?
Bodies are better in a deck like this, and Fiend Hunter works the same way as Journey -- if it is bounced as it enters, then the target is exiled for good, as the 'leaves the battlefield' trigger would resolve before the exiling upon entering; Banisher priest can't do that. However, if blue lists with remand aren't popular in your meta, and you don't use a flicker-package, then the Banisher priest would be better as it has more power(and less toughness) making it better at pushing damage through. Journey still has it's merits, as it cannot be removed in battle, or by bolt/path. IMO, if you are going the route of spells to supplement PtE, then Chained to the Rocks may be a better option, costing less.
Yes I ran a URW "blink" deck in standard with great run. So I know the tricks well.
Is most cases we can flip a coin between Priest and Hunter in Modern if we choose to run one. A 2/2 vs a 1/3 is a meta choice for sure. Also in more aggressive metas I think Journey is better due to the cost being lower. I agree with CttR. We'll have to see. I haven't tested yet. Partly for the fact I'm stuck goldfishing most of the time... During Zendikar/Mirrodin standard I ran a mix of O-ring and Journey as a good removal package to take care if the MUCH larger creature threats...
The body you get isn't that good though, and given how nearly all decks run some piece of creature removal...... I think that Journey gets the job done better, no need to waste an extra mana to let them get their creature back. Chained to the Rocks is interesting, I've been seeing less land destruction recently so it might be worth a shot.
I still think Dismembers instant speed and effective cost of 1 make it the best. The life loss is pretty easily made up with something like SoWaP, Kitchen Finks, Kor Firewalkers, etc.
I agree that I like Dismember, especially since we can leave an untapped Ghost Quarter or something and still cast it, and that the life loss won't mean much in many cases... BUT those tight aggro mirrors will get us wrecked! Especially if we hold to turn one; fetch, crack, untapped dual...
Nine times out of ten you're going to be saving yourself life against aggro, not losing it, killing a Steel Overseer, 'Goyf, Merfolk Lord, or other threat will save you more than 4 life in a few turns.
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DECKS:
UB Faeries [Midrange/Tempo]
RWUGB Affinity[Aggro]
FAERIES TOO STRONK!!!1111
- Fae Prophecy, 201
5678Yeah but why not play both?
The question was to replace Steppe Lynx.
That said in practice I've begun to notice that level up styled cards are a bit of a weird tempo screw. You get to utilize your mana without having to expend more cards (which is good), but at the same time you end up making a small collection of cards the benefactors of your investments and thus anything answering those cards end up wrecking tempo for you (which is bad)...
I don't think it's ever wrong to play either, just that they do seem to have an exploitable weakness against a super-archetype that's far from dead in Modern last I checked...
This rendition of the deck feels smoother to me at least, what's your meta like Dot?
I've given my reasoning for the current selection of cards, so I won't do much more there until I test more. Mirran and Figure are our goyfs in a sense that they are relevant drops at all points of the game and provide an efficient ground body on offense and defense. Geopede is bad in Midrange Boros, just like how Figure is bad in Aggro Boros, just different cards for different builds.
Well ever since my loose group's gotten used to using Cockatrice the "meta" as one would call it is all over the place and prone to entertaining anything and everything.
I end up spending more time theorycrafting than getting legitimate games in anyway, so there's only so much my rambling's good for.
If I had to put my finger on the pulse of the meta at the LGS I tend to default to, I'd say it's the usual suspects of Twin variant + Pod variant + token Bogles player (it's like a law of reality or something, there's always one Bogles pilot. That deck, all of my hate), and smatterings of other tier 2 stuff. Which is to say, things that affect my sideboard. I'm rather sick of the "do I sideboard Celestial Flare this weekend?" subgame; the words I wish to use to describe my seething hatred for Bogles would likely get me stricken by red moderator text redaction...
Electrolyze blowouts were what pushed me away from Geopede.
...huh, maybe I should be trying Soldier of the Pantheon...
Sometimes, the one trigger is all it takes to make a difference, but again.. his CMC...
So, my to do list:
Kor Firewalker maindeck was a cute little thing I saw some of the standard lists doing, not sure if it'll work but I want to test it.
I'm still mildly weary of the card, as some people think it's always the nuts because of the 3 for 1 value dream.
To be fair, it's still pretty live against my builds. But losing a Lynx/Lavamancer/early Figure feels a lot more tolerable than losing a Geopede. Letting Geopede eat Electrolyze is like walking Ghitu Encampment into removal, makes you feel all sick and nauseated.
...it dawns on me that, in a way, Ghitu kinda fills in for what Geopede does. Nowhere near as potent as Geopede, but First Strike's a hell of a keyword.
You say that about Electrolyze.
But then I point at the mana cost and call shenanigans.
However, lists filled with midrange threats may have a hard time mopping up, as they give the UWx player time to set up.
Has anyone used, or thought of using the card Gift of Estates? It's like a one-time land tax and is modern playable. ANd it says PLAINS cards, not basic, so we can grab duals if need-be. I can't think of a good use for it, but the idea sounds 'cute.'
Gift of estates could be sorta cool, but I think Weathered Wayfarer is better in most situations.
We like Path to Exile better, then Dismember and Journey to nowhere are close, the Exile-Bears are not good enough to warrant play without some other special reason (DnT) and even then they only play a couple at most.
Bodies are better in a deck like this, and Fiend Hunter works the same way as Journey -- if it is bounced as it enters, then the target is exiled for good, as the 'leaves the battlefield' trigger would resolve before the exiling upon entering; Banisher priest can't do that. However, if blue lists with remand aren't popular in your meta, and you don't use a flicker-package, then the Banisher priest would be better as it has more power(and less toughness) making it better at pushing damage through. Journey still has it's merits, as it cannot be removed in battle, or by bolt/path. IMO, if you are going the route of spells to supplement PtE, then Chained to the Rocks may be a better option, costing less.
Is most cases we can flip a coin between Priest and Hunter in Modern if we choose to run one. A 2/2 vs a 1/3 is a meta choice for sure. Also in more aggressive metas I think Journey is better due to the cost being lower. I agree with CttR. We'll have to see. I haven't tested yet. Partly for the fact I'm stuck goldfishing most of the time... During Zendikar/Mirrodin standard I ran a mix of O-ring and Journey as a good removal package to take care if the MUCH larger creature threats...
I still think Dismembers instant speed and effective cost of 1 make it the best. The life loss is pretty easily made up with something like SoWaP, Kitchen Finks, Kor Firewalkers, etc.