there are reasons why I said that it was a trap.
If it cost 1W and also gave Lifelink then I would consider using it, but as it stands its too much mana for too little effect.
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I have taken notice in the Norin the Wary in last few months and have been fiddling with a human-focused theme with a soul sister's shell. I posted in the other thread in the Deck Creation section, but didn't get much critique.
After some testing online and bringing in the deck to my LGS I ended up with this list:
Originally I had more black in the deck with a 4th Bob and 3 Lingering Souls. However, I decided to go back to the Genesis Chamber plan as it seems to have a lot of synergy in here. I cut back a Dark Confidant due to the life loss, and the fact that I think I prefer a more balanced curve with additional draws from Mentor the Meek, which in some cases just go to town.
I went all in with the human sub-theme to take full advantage of cavern of souls and champion of the parish. I found that Ajani's Pridemage, although can get HUGE, he seems to be a liability for the deck. Not to mention that Dark Confidant is just a better 2 drop, not to mention that he is indeed a human creature.
Thoughts, comments, or questions?
Since norin will die to just about nothing, why run 4? Wouldnt it be easier/better to tailor the deck to 4 ranger of eos and cut 2 norin?
It looks good in theory, but my first reaction is that its trying to do too many cute things.
I look at it and want to cut purphoros, mentor, and genesis chamber.
Pridemate is just too good not to run. Vault of the Archangel deserves a slot, its the reason you splash black in SS.
I think youre onto something with champion of the parish and norin, but I dont think you need to splash into so many red cards.
Just built this deck for a friend.
If I cast Spectral Procession while Soul warden and Ajani's Pridemate are in play how many soul warden triggers happen? One trigger for 3 life or three triggers for 1 life? Not sure if Pridemate ends up being 5/5 or not.
Three triggers for 1 life each, as Procession produces three individual/distinct creatures, and Pridemate ends up becoming a 5/5 monster.
The stories of swinging in with a 9/9 Pridemate are real.
I regret trading away my Soul Sisters cards. I should probably go pick them back up . . .
The stories of swinging in with a 9/9 Pridemate are real.
My constructed tournament record stands at an 18/18 Pridemate, still trying to break that record. I'll get another chance at it next Friday.
The great thing about Soul Sisters is the diversity of threats. Do you get rid of my 5/5 Cat Solider, my 6/6 flying lifelinker, or my swarm of 1/1 fliers?
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45/45 Ajani Pridemate at GP Kansas City last year, round 2 game 1 against Splinter Twin. I had him locked so he couldn't go infinite. Everytime I swung, he produced a blocking token, and that thing just kept growing and growing...
Against a "fair" deck that doesn't go infinite and plays normal dudes, Imy record was 22/22. It was a stalemate where the game really couldn't progress until I drew a Brave the Elements or Serra Ascendant (evasion).
Just built this deck for a friend.
If I cast Spectral Procession while Soul warden and Ajani's Pridemate are in play how many soul warden triggers happen? One trigger for 3 life or three triggers for 1 life? Not sure if Pridemate ends up being 5/5 or not.
Remember the small things. If you play a Sister on turn 1, and then a Pridemate on turn 2, the lifegain triggers after he has hit play, so he will trigger and get a +1/+1 counter. Always remind your friend of being trigger-aware every turn, as I'll catch some people (or even myself) miss a lifegain trigger when their opponents play a creature. It can get out of hand real quick if you don't miss anything
I'm most comfortable with this build but not really sold on felidar sovereign... :/ it worked for me quite a few times but kinda inconsistent
Your mainboard list seems pretty stock, only unusual choices are the Ajani and the mainboard Hero as she's usually in the side. The two are good choices if you are facing a lot of RWU control decks in your meta. Same goes for the Felidar Sovereign, though I feel he has a better home in Martyr-Proc than in Soul Sisters. I'm not sure whether the playset of Brave the Elements is needed, you may be fine with just 3.
I'd recommend
-1 Sovereign
-1 Brave
+2 Rest in Peace
Yes, RiP does blank the Immortal Servitude, but it also says "screw you" to goyfs and every single graveyard based strategy (Melira Pod, Living End, etc.). Its one of the 3 cards I believe every Soul Sisters sideboard should include along with Stony Silence and Suppression Field
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Its one of the 3 cards I believe every Soul Sisters sideboard should include along with Stony Silence and Suppression Field
I hadn't really been thinking about suppression field, as I've been running the black splash and it doesn't work in that list.
That said... has anyone tried going with maindeck 4x suppression field? It would make windbrisk heights useless and probably martyr also, but it seems like it would vastly improve the matchup against a good chunk of the meta. Specifically, it should vastly help vs. GR Tron. It makes fetches bad, hurting jund, pod, and WRU, and prevents meliria pod, splinter twin, and kiki pod from going infinite even if they assemble the combo. Big headaches to affinity too...
That said... has anyone tried going with maindeck 4x suppression field? It would make windbrisk heights useless and probably martyr also, but it seems like it would vastly improve the matchup against a good chunk of the meta. Specifically, it should vastly help vs. GR Tron. It makes fetches bad, hurting jund, pod, and WRU, and prevents meliria pod, splinter twin, and kiki pod from going infinite even if they assemble the combo. Big headaches to affinity too...
What do you think?
Unless your meta has a huge amount of those types of combo decks, I would not advocate running a sideboard card mainboard. The only sideboard card I run mainboard is Aven Mindcensor and thats because it helps my Game 1 vs almost every deck in my local meta, I'll probably be moving him to the board when I head to GP Richmond.
Also 4 copies of a sideboard card seems excessive. While I do have 4 cards I tend to bring in for each matchup, I usually have a 2:2 split for those cards.
If you run a full set mainboard then you would have to cut down on the hideaways and Martyrs as your ability to use them gets hurt.
The reason I advocate including Suppression Field, Stony Silence, and Rest in Peace in the sideboard is because there are few matchups where you wouldn't want to bring in one or two of those cards.
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Not in the Norin version. I can't see how Field wouldn't be a huge help in those builds.
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In case I didn't tell you, I don't care about your opinion I just want your facts. And not the facts that make you seem smart. I want the ones that are actual facts.
In the Norin version, Field is much stronger as you aren't running Martyr or the Hideaway, you are however running Fetch Lands....
As a deck that runs White, Soul Sisters and its variants have a wide variety of sideboard hate to bring in depending on the matchups. Your sideboard should be built to ideally combat the meta you will play your deck in.
For example, a meta with lots of Storm decks should include extra Thalias, Thorn of Amethyst, and Leylines. As I have 0 Boggles decks in my meta, I don't include non-targeted spot removal.
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I'd like to discuss lands, notable omissions and the number of each card main/side.
First, LANDS: Flagstones of Trokair is almost a strictly better plain by now. I can see a few disadvantages: Blood Moon and wanting 2 mana at instant speed. I don't run any WW instants and I don't know who who would board Blood Moon against Soul Sisters. Please tell me why so few people run them. Flagstones have many advantages: Can thin your deck in multiples, can cycle Ghost Quarters for 2 plains, and are also harder to destroy obviously. Stone Rain is something that can come up (it did at Vienna Final at least) and having a land almost guaranteed is often all you need in SS.
Ghost Quarter cost over Plain is mainly that it can mess up your turn 3 Spectral Procession, but that's a risk that is worth it considering the utility it give you. It makes the hard Tron matchup quite easier and the ability can be useful in almost all matchups. Windbrisk Heights is the tapland of choice. I think 3 taplands is optimal because multiples can really mess your tempo. Hideaway gives you a card for 3 mana (ETB, W, Tap) that will often be worth at least 2 mana, so it's kind of a card for a mana more often then not.
Cards I think should not be played (sub-optimal):
(Keep in mind that there isn't much control in my meta, I don't know how it plays out very well) Emeria, The Sky Ruin this seemed like a pretty good deal at first, I ran it for a few tournaments. Never came online, messed my tempo. Would play 4 Windbrisk before this. The same can be said for Mistveil Plains. It looks neat on paper to play a singleton, but it's very rarely relevant, in very few matchups, while entering the battlefield tapped is almost always very relevant.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant in the sideboard: I played it maindeck, and it was the card I would side out every single game 2. I would almost always run a 4th Ranger over this.
Main/side numbers: Auriok Champion is very great against many matchups. Very resistant to removal. Also, I think 8 is the right number of sisters to go crazy often on Pridemates and activate Serra. One of these sisters can be a 2 drop IMO. The mainboard Auriok Champion leaves space in the side (you never have enough in white) and can be sided out for hate cards. Aven Mindcensor is a crazy dude in Modern. It can Stifle fetchlands so it's good against 90% of matchups (what's that, mono red? yes, our best matchup anyway). It combos well with Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter. I'd say about 50% of decks in modern rely on library search besides fetches, so it's even better. Did I mention he is ALSO a flying beater? I'd play 4 of these main deck but we already play Spectral Procession and we want that low curve. I'm debating right now if I should cut a land for 1 more of these dudes.
Talking about lands: 21-22 seems to be the consensus (primer MTGO 4-0 lists have 21 and 22). I feel that with all the thinning offered by GQ and Flagstones leaning toward 22 is better. It also counteracts the negative effects of colorless and tapped lands a bit more.
The problem with this deck is knowing were to cut. I'd like to have 4 Honor of the pure and 4 martyr but I realized they are only the secondary game plan.
Your mainboard list seems pretty stock, only unusual choices are the Ajani and the mainboard Hero as she's usually in the side. The two are good choices if you are facing a lot of RWU control decks in your meta. Same goes for the Felidar Sovereign, though I feel he has a better home in Martyr-Proc than in Soul Sisters. I'm not sure whether the playset of Brave the Elements is needed, you may be fine with just 3.
I'd recommend
-1 Sovereign
-1 Brave
+2 Rest in Peace
Yes, RiP does blank the Immortal Servitude, but it also says "screw you" to goyfs and every single graveyard based strategy (Melira Pod, Living End, etc.). Its one of the 3 cards I believe every Soul Sisters sideboard should include along with Stony Silence and Suppression Field
Yeh it does work well vs goyfs deathrites loam etc...guess I'll put them in, just not that many decks like that cept jund in my local meta. Jund is jund, auriok champions cost too much and I have to dig so hard for a playset so I didn't bother. Hence the 4 brave in sb to improve my creature survival...The hero and ajani both won me games a lot of times so they are staying although I know people tend to go O.O when they see them mainboard. I'm gonna replace felidar with linvala and add 2 rip in sb somewhere....got a japanese linvala coupla days ago
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Standard: Mardu Midrange, Jeskai Wins, Naya Walkers, Boss Sligh, Mono Black Aggro
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EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Krenko, Mob Boss, Narset, Enlightened Master
I'd like to discuss lands, notable omissions and the number of each card main/side.
First, LANDS: Flagstones of Trokair is almost a strictly better plain by now. I can see a few disadvantages: Blood Moon and wanting 2 mana at instant speed. I don't run any WW instants and I don't know who who would board Blood Moon against Soul Sisters. Please tell me why so few people run them. Flagstones have many advantages: Can thin your deck in multiples, can cycle Ghost Quarters for 2 plains, and are also harder to destroy obviously. Stone Rain is something that can come up (it did at Vienna Final at least) and having a land almost guaranteed is often all you need in SS.
The reason most people don't use Flagstones is not because they are bad, its because they are a relatively expensive card for this deck. I personally won't be using them unless I manage to find a cheap set.
Ghost Quarter cost over Plain is mainly that it can mess up your turn 3 Spectral Procession, but that's a risk that is worth it considering the utility it give you. It makes the hard Tron matchup quite easier and the ability can be useful in almost all matchups.
The lack of W does hurt when attempting to play Procession, but we need some way to deal with Tron and annoying Manlands. It can also help against Scapeshift by cutting out that essential 5th Mountain meaning they get less triggers.
Windbrisk Heights is the tapland of choice. I think 3 taplands is optimal because multiples can really mess your tempo. Hideaway gives you a card for 3 mana (ETB, W, Tap) that will often be worth at least 2 mana, so it's kind of a card for a mana more often then not.
2-3 copies is the general consensus for Windbrisk, too many and you get slowed down. I never want to see more than 1 or 2 a game.
Cards I think should not be played (sub-optimal):
(Keep in mind that there isn't much control in my meta, I don't know how it plays out very well) Emeria, The Sky Ruin this seemed like a pretty good deal at first, I ran it for a few tournaments. Never came online, messed my tempo. Would play 4 Windbrisk before this. The same can be said for Mistveil Plains. It looks neat on paper to play a singleton, but it's very rarely relevant, in very few matchups, while entering the battlefield tapped is almost always very relevant.
Emeria is a card that has been tested by many, many players when they first start playing Sisters. Pretty much everyone comes to the same consensus, we do not play enough plains to reliably get Emeria online. Even a singleton would be better as a basic Plains 99% of the time.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant in the sideboard: I played it maindeck, and it was the card I would side out every single game 2. I would almost always run a 4th Ranger over this.
Elspeth is for the Control matchups where you want to constantly generate card advantage, if you don't play against a lot of Control decks, you don't want Elspeth.
Main/side numbers: Auriok Champion is very great against many matchups. Very resistant to removal. Also, I think 8 is the right number of sisters to go crazy often on Pridemates and activate Serra. One of these sisters can be a 2 drop IMO. The mainboard Auriok Champion leaves space in the side (you never have enough in white) and can be sided out for hate cards.
Champion is great against Zoo decks as you get another Sister granting you life and the ability to survive almost all their removal. She's decent against Jund as they have no way to kill her with spot removal. She's great in that she forces aggressive decks to play around her as she can chump forever in many matches.
Aven Mindcensor is a crazy dude in Modern. It can Stifle fetchlands so it's good against 90% of matchups (what's that, mono red? yes, our best matchup anyway). It combos well with Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter. I'd say about 50% of decks in modern rely on library search besides fetches, so it's even better. Did I mention he is ALSO a flying beater? I'd play 4 of these main deck but we already play Spectral Procession and we want that low curve. I'm debating right now if I should cut a land for 1 more of these dudes.
I personally run 2 in the main, they are good surprise blockers or end of turn cards. It often forces people to waste removal on him when it would be better on your Pridemates or Ascendants.
Talking about lands: 21-22 seems to be the consensus (primer MTGO 4-0 lists have 21 and 22). I feel that with all the thinning offered by GQ and Flagstones leaning toward 22 is better. It also counteracts the negative effects of colorless and tapped lands a bit more.
21-22 lands is most common, if you start running more 3 and 4 drops then you should go up to 23-24. Use however many lands feels most comfortable.
The problem with this deck is knowing were to cut. I'd like to have 4 Honor of the pure and 4 martyr but I realized they are only the secondary game plan.
Never cut the Honors, ever. They win so many games. Going down to 3 Martyrs is fine, I often sideboard by cutting, 1 Martyr and 1 of each Sister. Against some decks I just cut Martyrs completely.
Yeh it does work well vs goyfs deathrites loam etc...guess I'll put them in, just not that many decks like that cept jund in my local meta. Jund is jund, auriok champions cost too much and I have to dig so hard for a playset so I didn't bother. Hence the 4 brave in sb to improve my creature survival...The hero and ajani both won me games a lot of times so they are staying although I know people tend to go O.O when they see them mainboard. I'm gonna replace felidar with linvala and add 2 rip in sb somewhere....got a japanese linvala coupla days ago
I remember drawing into a RiP the turn my hellbent opponent finally topped into a deathrite. The look on his face was that of a defeated man. His subsequent Goyfs only depressed him further.
If the Hero and Ajani work, then play them, wins are wins. People must learn to fear Soul Sisters.
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The reason most people don't use Flagstones is not because they are bad, its because they are a relatively expensive card for this deck. I personally won't be using them unless I manage to find a cheap set.
It's a good investment, with a name like that I don't see it getting reprinted. An (almost) strictly better Plain is bound to only rise in value. It's good in any Plains deck.
Elspeth is for the Control matchups where you want to constantly generate card advantage, if you don't play against a lot of Control decks, you don't want Elspeth.
I have a hard time finding out a worthwhile deck for this. Against blue control, you'd be better playing something you can play again against remand or pay 3 for mana leak. Against Jund and spot removal control, Ranger does quite the same thing with a 3 card for 1. I'd like to hear what deck exactly you are thinking about.
Champion is great against Zoo decks as you get another Sister granting you life and the ability to survive almost all their removal. She's decent against Jund as they have no way to kill her with spot removal. She's great in that she forces aggressive decks to play around her as she can chump forever in many matches.
Auriok Champion is growing on me. More sisters make the deck much better and she helps a lot in very popular matchups. I went with a 2/1 main/side split today and I never regretted drawing one.
Never cut the Honors, ever. They win so many games. Going down to 3 Martyrs is fine, I often sideboard by cutting, 1 Martyr and 1 of each Sister. Against some decks I just cut Martyrs completely.
You are right. It also helps a lot against spot removal where you need to make everything threatening.
Also for the sideboard, I can vouch for 2/2/2 Rest in Peace/Stony Silence/Suppression field. These really help against most of the meta.
Just gonna run this....high school reunion this weekend and gonna play with people from the good ole magic club...>.<" I gotta win this...I was like 1 win away from president back in the day T.T I'm expecting a ton of elves for some reason...
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Modern: RUG Scapeshift, Burn, UG Infect
Legacy: Death n Taxes, Burn, Tendrils
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Krenko, Mob Boss, Narset, Enlightened Master
Just gonna run this....high school reunion this weekend and gonna play with people from the good ole magic club...>.<" I gotta win this...I was like 1 win away from president back in the day T.T I'm expecting a ton of elves for some reason...
Not sure how I feel about the Brave the Elements. I know a lot of people really like it, but I prefer running additional bodies, specifically Auriok Champions or Aven Mindcensors both of which should be somewhere in the 75. Especially Mindcensor for the Scapeshift and Ramp matchups. Randomly hosing fetches is also fun.
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If only we had a solid hex proof dude...
If it cost 1W and also gave Lifelink then I would consider using it, but as it stands its too much mana for too little effect.
-Anonymous
Since norin will die to just about nothing, why run 4? Wouldnt it be easier/better to tailor the deck to 4 ranger of eos and cut 2 norin?
It looks good in theory, but my first reaction is that its trying to do too many cute things.
I look at it and want to cut purphoros, mentor, and genesis chamber.
Pridemate is just too good not to run.
Vault of the Archangel deserves a slot, its the reason you splash black in SS.
I think youre onto something with champion of the parish and norin, but I dont think you need to splash into so many red cards.
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Three triggers for 1 life each, as Procession produces three individual/distinct creatures, and Pridemate ends up becoming a 5/5 monster.
The stories of swinging in with a 9/9 Pridemate are real.
I regret trading away my Soul Sisters cards. I should probably go pick them back up . . .
My constructed tournament record stands at an 18/18 Pridemate, still trying to break that record. I'll get another chance at it next Friday.
The great thing about Soul Sisters is the diversity of threats. Do you get rid of my 5/5 Cat Solider, my 6/6 flying lifelinker, or my swarm of 1/1 fliers?
-Anonymous
Against a "fair" deck that doesn't go infinite and plays normal dudes, Imy record was 22/22. It was a stalemate where the game really couldn't progress until I drew a Brave the Elements or Serra Ascendant (evasion).
Remember the small things. If you play a Sister on turn 1, and then a Pridemate on turn 2, the lifegain triggers after he has hit play, so he will trigger and get a +1/+1 counter. Always remind your friend of being trigger-aware every turn, as I'll catch some people (or even myself) miss a lifegain trigger when their opponents play a creature. It can get out of hand real quick if you don't miss anything
ex-Moderator
Legacy love.
Anyway here's my version of it...I think it's pretty standard soulsister's deck but meh I like cats...especially flying doublestriking cats....
2 Windbrisk Heights
3 Ghost Quarters
17 Plains
Creatures: 25
3 Soul Warden
3 Soul's Attendant
3 Martyr of Sands
3 Ranger of Eos
4 Ajani's Pridemate
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Squadron Hawk
1 Hero of Bladehold
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Spectral Procession
4 Path to Exile
1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
2 Stony Silence
2 Suppression Field
2 Sundering Growth
2 Immortal Servitude
2 Oblivion Ring
4 Brave the Elements
1 Felidar Sovereign
I'm most comfortable with this build but not really sold on felidar sovereign... :/ it worked for me quite a few times but kinda inconsistent
Standard: Mardu Midrange, Jeskai Wins, Naya Walkers, Boss Sligh, Mono Black Aggro
Modern: RUG Scapeshift, Burn, UG Infect
Legacy: Death n Taxes, Burn, Tendrils
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Krenko, Mob Boss, Narset, Enlightened Master
Your mainboard list seems pretty stock, only unusual choices are the Ajani and the mainboard Hero as she's usually in the side. The two are good choices if you are facing a lot of RWU control decks in your meta. Same goes for the Felidar Sovereign, though I feel he has a better home in Martyr-Proc than in Soul Sisters. I'm not sure whether the playset of Brave the Elements is needed, you may be fine with just 3.
I'd recommend
-1 Sovereign
-1 Brave
+2 Rest in Peace
Yes, RiP does blank the Immortal Servitude, but it also says "screw you" to goyfs and every single graveyard based strategy (Melira Pod, Living End, etc.). Its one of the 3 cards I believe every Soul Sisters sideboard should include along with Stony Silence and Suppression Field
-Anonymous
I hadn't really been thinking about suppression field, as I've been running the black splash and it doesn't work in that list.
That said... has anyone tried going with maindeck 4x suppression field? It would make windbrisk heights useless and probably martyr also, but it seems like it would vastly improve the matchup against a good chunk of the meta. Specifically, it should vastly help vs. GR Tron. It makes fetches bad, hurting jund, pod, and WRU, and prevents meliria pod, splinter twin, and kiki pod from going infinite even if they assemble the combo. Big headaches to affinity too...
What do you think?
Unless your meta has a huge amount of those types of combo decks, I would not advocate running a sideboard card mainboard. The only sideboard card I run mainboard is Aven Mindcensor and thats because it helps my Game 1 vs almost every deck in my local meta, I'll probably be moving him to the board when I head to GP Richmond.
Also 4 copies of a sideboard card seems excessive. While I do have 4 cards I tend to bring in for each matchup, I usually have a 2:2 split for those cards.
If you run a full set mainboard then you would have to cut down on the hideaways and Martyrs as your ability to use them gets hurt.
The reason I advocate including Suppression Field, Stony Silence, and Rest in Peace in the sideboard is because there are few matchups where you wouldn't want to bring in one or two of those cards.
-Anonymous
Not in the Norin version. I can't see how Field wouldn't be a huge help in those builds.
Cockatrice username: Blackcat77
As a deck that runs White, Soul Sisters and its variants have a wide variety of sideboard hate to bring in depending on the matchups. Your sideboard should be built to ideally combat the meta you will play your deck in.
For example, a meta with lots of Storm decks should include extra Thalias, Thorn of Amethyst, and Leylines. As I have 0 Boggles decks in my meta, I don't include non-targeted spot removal.
-Anonymous
4x Ajani's Pridemate
1x Aven Mindcensor
3x Martyr of Sands
3x Ranger of Eos
4x Serra Ascendant
4x Soul Warden
3x Soul's Attendant
1x Auriok Champion
4x Squadron Hawk
Land: 22
4x Flagstones of Trokair
3x Ghost Quarter
12x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Brave the Elements
3x Path to Exile
3x Honor of the Pure
1x Auriok Champion
2x Aven Mindcensor
1x Burrenton Forge-Tender
1x Ghost Quarter
2x Immortal Servitude
1x Oblivion Ring
1x Path to Exile
1x Rest in Peace
1x Rule of Law
1x Stony Silence
3x Suppression Field
Maybeboard: 14
1x Ajani, Caller of the Pride
1x Blind Obedience
1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1x Emeria, The Sky Ruin
1x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Hero of Bladehold
1x Kataki, War's Wage
4x Leyline of Sanctity
1x Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1x Mistveil Plains
1x Sundering Growth
I'd like to discuss lands, notable omissions and the number of each card main/side.
First, LANDS:
Flagstones of Trokair is almost a strictly better plain by now. I can see a few disadvantages: Blood Moon and wanting 2 mana at instant speed. I don't run any WW instants and I don't know who who would board Blood Moon against Soul Sisters. Please tell me why so few people run them. Flagstones have many advantages: Can thin your deck in multiples, can cycle Ghost Quarters for 2 plains, and are also harder to destroy obviously. Stone Rain is something that can come up (it did at Vienna Final at least) and having a land almost guaranteed is often all you need in SS.
Ghost Quarter cost over Plain is mainly that it can mess up your turn 3 Spectral Procession, but that's a risk that is worth it considering the utility it give you. It makes the hard Tron matchup quite easier and the ability can be useful in almost all matchups.
Windbrisk Heights is the tapland of choice. I think 3 taplands is optimal because multiples can really mess your tempo. Hideaway gives you a card for 3 mana (ETB, W, Tap) that will often be worth at least 2 mana, so it's kind of a card for a mana more often then not.
Cards I think should not be played (sub-optimal):
(Keep in mind that there isn't much control in my meta, I don't know how it plays out very well)
Emeria, The Sky Ruin this seemed like a pretty good deal at first, I ran it for a few tournaments. Never came online, messed my tempo. Would play 4 Windbrisk before this. The same can be said for Mistveil Plains. It looks neat on paper to play a singleton, but it's very rarely relevant, in very few matchups, while entering the battlefield tapped is almost always very relevant.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant in the sideboard: I played it maindeck, and it was the card I would side out every single game 2. I would almost always run a 4th Ranger over this.
Main/side numbers:
Auriok Champion is very great against many matchups. Very resistant to removal. Also, I think 8 is the right number of sisters to go crazy often on Pridemates and activate Serra. One of these sisters can be a 2 drop IMO. The mainboard Auriok Champion leaves space in the side (you never have enough in white) and can be sided out for hate cards.
Aven Mindcensor is a crazy dude in Modern. It can Stifle fetchlands so it's good against 90% of matchups (what's that, mono red? yes, our best matchup anyway). It combos well with Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter. I'd say about 50% of decks in modern rely on library search besides fetches, so it's even better. Did I mention he is ALSO a flying beater? I'd play 4 of these main deck but we already play Spectral Procession and we want that low curve. I'm debating right now if I should cut a land for 1 more of these dudes.
Talking about lands: 21-22 seems to be the consensus (primer MTGO 4-0 lists have 21 and 22). I feel that with all the thinning offered by GQ and Flagstones leaning toward 22 is better. It also counteracts the negative effects of colorless and tapped lands a bit more.
The problem with this deck is knowing were to cut. I'd like to have 4 Honor of the pure and 4 martyr but I realized they are only the secondary game plan.
Yeh it does work well vs goyfs deathrites loam etc...guess I'll put them in, just not that many decks like that cept jund in my local meta. Jund is jund, auriok champions cost too much and I have to dig so hard for a playset so I didn't bother. Hence the 4 brave in sb to improve my creature survival...The hero and ajani both won me games a lot of times so they are staying although I know people tend to go O.O when they see them mainboard. I'm gonna replace felidar with linvala and add 2 rip in sb somewhere....got a japanese linvala coupla days ago
Standard: Mardu Midrange, Jeskai Wins, Naya Walkers, Boss Sligh, Mono Black Aggro
Modern: RUG Scapeshift, Burn, UG Infect
Legacy: Death n Taxes, Burn, Tendrils
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Krenko, Mob Boss, Narset, Enlightened Master
The reason most people don't use Flagstones is not because they are bad, its because they are a relatively expensive card for this deck. I personally won't be using them unless I manage to find a cheap set.
The lack of W does hurt when attempting to play Procession, but we need some way to deal with Tron and annoying Manlands. It can also help against Scapeshift by cutting out that essential 5th Mountain meaning they get less triggers.
2-3 copies is the general consensus for Windbrisk, too many and you get slowed down. I never want to see more than 1 or 2 a game.
Emeria is a card that has been tested by many, many players when they first start playing Sisters. Pretty much everyone comes to the same consensus, we do not play enough plains to reliably get Emeria online. Even a singleton would be better as a basic Plains 99% of the time.
Elspeth is for the Control matchups where you want to constantly generate card advantage, if you don't play against a lot of Control decks, you don't want Elspeth.
Champion is great against Zoo decks as you get another Sister granting you life and the ability to survive almost all their removal. She's decent against Jund as they have no way to kill her with spot removal. She's great in that she forces aggressive decks to play around her as she can chump forever in many matches.
I personally run 2 in the main, they are good surprise blockers or end of turn cards. It often forces people to waste removal on him when it would be better on your Pridemates or Ascendants.
21-22 lands is most common, if you start running more 3 and 4 drops then you should go up to 23-24. Use however many lands feels most comfortable.
Never cut the Honors, ever. They win so many games. Going down to 3 Martyrs is fine, I often sideboard by cutting, 1 Martyr and 1 of each Sister. Against some decks I just cut Martyrs completely.
I remember drawing into a RiP the turn my hellbent opponent finally topped into a deathrite. The look on his face was that of a defeated man. His subsequent Goyfs only depressed him further.
If the Hero and Ajani work, then play them, wins are wins. People must learn to fear Soul Sisters.
-Anonymous
It's a good investment, with a name like that I don't see it getting reprinted. An (almost) strictly better Plain is bound to only rise in value. It's good in any Plains deck.
I have a hard time finding out a worthwhile deck for this. Against blue control, you'd be better playing something you can play again against remand or pay 3 for mana leak. Against Jund and spot removal control, Ranger does quite the same thing with a 3 card for 1. I'd like to hear what deck exactly you are thinking about.
Auriok Champion is growing on me. More sisters make the deck much better and she helps a lot in very popular matchups. I went with a 2/1 main/side split today and I never regretted drawing one.
You are right. It also helps a lot against spot removal where you need to make everything threatening.
Also for the sideboard, I can vouch for 2/2/2 Rest in Peace/Stony Silence/Suppression field. These really help against most of the meta.
Twin 2-1 (Thanks Suppression Field)
UWR Control 2-0 (Thanks Ghost Quarter)
Bant 2-0 (Thanks spectral procession and Ghost Quarter!)
2 Windbrisk Heights
3 Ghost Quarters
17 Plains
Creatures: 24
3 Soul Warden
3 Soul's Attendant
3 Martyr of Sands
3 Ranger of Eos
4 Ajani's Pridemate
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Spectral Procession
4 Path to Exile
2 Brave the Elements
2 Stony Silence
2 Suppression Field
2 Sundering Growth
2 Rest in Peace
2 Immortal Servitude
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Brave the Elements
1 Hero of Bladehold
Just gonna run this....high school reunion this weekend and gonna play with people from the good ole magic club...>.<" I gotta win this...I was like 1 win away from president back in the day T.T I'm expecting a ton of elves for some reason...
Standard: Mardu Midrange, Jeskai Wins, Naya Walkers, Boss Sligh, Mono Black Aggro
Modern: RUG Scapeshift, Burn, UG Infect
Legacy: Death n Taxes, Burn, Tendrils
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Krenko, Mob Boss, Narset, Enlightened Master
Congrats. You're using mono white right? and have you tried going against R/G Tron?
Remember the Titans
Not sure how I feel about the Brave the Elements. I know a lot of people really like it, but I prefer running additional bodies, specifically Auriok Champions or Aven Mindcensors both of which should be somewhere in the 75. Especially Mindcensor for the Scapeshift and Ramp matchups. Randomly hosing fetches is also fun.
-Anonymous