Winner of Indiana Modern State Championships was playing a very tight UBFaeries list. I can't seem to find any reports with it online, however. It's definitely worth looking into. I got knocked out of the Top 8 in the final Swiss round by it and can attest to how good it is.
If any of you can find it, please message me. I'd love to see it!
Maybe you could tell us some of the cards it was playing? Was it running anything unique from a Faerie deck that might have caught you off guard?
I expect the list will be up in a week or so, but I hate waiting, so lets see what info we can squeeze out of you
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I can't help but notice an alarming low number of Cryptic Commands in your mainboard. Low being zero in fact.
Also with the way your mana base is how do you not instantly scoop to a Blood Moon? You have exactly zero non-basics so there is no way to stop them from stopping you from doing anything the rest of the game.
Other than those two issues I do really like your decklist. It's looks really interesting and it would be nice to see it play out.
I would suggest looking up the article "Playing Fae from A to Z" as it is a really good read on how to work with a lot of the cards in the Faerie deck. It is to be noted that this is an article from when Faeries was in Extended (and Extended was alive) so there are a few things like him talking about JTMS VVS Beleren, as well as there was no Liliana of the Veil or Snapcaster. However most of the rest of the article is still a very good read for Faerie players.
First off, I love Cryptic Command. It is true that it is great because it is versatile; you can use it as a tempo play or for CA. However, I want to make the most streamlined "pure tempo" version of faeries and Cryptic Command causes a few issues. My current game plan is to have a bunch of 1 and 2 mana interaction that either disrupts my opponent (discard, 1 & 2 cmc counters, 1 cmc removal) or sets me up (bitterblossom) followed by 3 mana spells that create huge tempo swings (clique/scion/snapcaster). Adding Cryptic means I probably have to cut some of the 1 & 2 cmc disruption and add some more land. I don't think this is a trade off I am interested in. Maybe I should be running Cryptic as a 2-of so I have a few better top decks since Spell Piere and discard are generally not at their best when drawn on turn 6-7 but I think I'd rather be more streamlined.
I'm ok with folding to blood moon. No one ever maindecks it so I don't need to worry about it g1 (although I have 6 discard, 4 spellstutters, 2 pierce, and 4 snapcasters to deal with it and thats not mentioning the 4 remands to delay it) but in g2 I get those I mentioned in addition to Duress, another pierce and negate. I highly doubt it will ever resolve and if it does it may even be too late if I have any presence on the board.
I've read that article along side every other faeries article ever written and any video ever made haha I just think we have been testing the control version and although its decent, it is def not a solid tier 1 competitor. I just think the full on tempo version has more game vs. all the aggro decks, control decks and combo decks. Maybe the midrange matchup is slightly better for the control version but I am not 100% sold on that either.
So I can understand your reasoning on not running Cryptics. Though I still feel they are part of what makes the Faerie deck what it is honestly, but that is just me I guess.
I don't know about you, but I'm not happy about making a deck that is okay conceding to a singular card. Remember, most of the decks that are running Blood Moon are either UR Control decks, so they can match your counters with their own if they need to, or aggro decks, which will wait until you can't counter the Blood Moon. I honestly feel like I could cut all the Watery Graves for Islands and still have the deck function just as well. The only difference if you'll be less vulnerable to Blood Moon, and you'll have to worry about hurting yourself as much with BB and your lands. Yes I know not having those 4 lands to make black for you on Turn 2 might make it so you don't land BB turn 2 every 10-15 games, but I feel that's a fine trade-off for being able to actually fight through a card that with your current set up, you literally cannot beat if it resolves. IMHO, even though you do have a lot of hand disruption and counterspells variance will make Blood Moon give your opponents free wins. And sometimes things like that keep your from breaking through to Tier 1.
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It's been quite a while since my last post, so this one will be a bit longer than usual. First, I'd like to talk about this "Pure Tempo Faeries" deck that has been showing up in this thread over and over again. I honestly don't think it is better than the grindier version. The tempo version can potentially kill a turn earlier than the control version (thanks to Scion), but the control version should be significantly stronger in the lategame. I suppose if you really want Faeries to be a tempo deck, you should go for the red splash to add Lightning Bolts. Or, you could just run Merfolk, because that deck does pretty much the same as Tempo Fae, except better.
Now for my recent experiences with the deck: What seemed to be one of the deck's major problems to me was its unstable mana base, which should contain four Mutavaults and should still be able to cast a turn one discard spell AND a turn four Cryptic Command. I've therefore cut down on Basic Lands and added two Underground Rivers. Yes, it makes the deck weak to Blood Moon, but let's be honest: Blood Moon pretty much kills us anyways. And I've actually seen hardly any decks running Blood Moon in recent weeks. This is what my mana base looks like at the moment:
I've also been testing Liliana and I quite like her. She's superb in Midrange and Control matchups and can also slow down aggro decks considerably. I currently run two copies of her and also two Snapcasters, which I've come to consider a card crucial to our strategy. As far as removal is concerned, Disfigure seems really, really good to me, especially with Snaps. It also synergizes quite well with Lili in that it kills the small dorks, while the PW makes them sacrifice the bigger threats.
With concerns to removal spells, I assume you mean any removal in addition to Dismember. I think the rate Fae gets on Dismember makes it the best removal spell the deck has available. Not to mention you can't kill a Goyf with a Disfigure unless there is no graveyards for either of you.
I know I've been throwing this out there a bit, but I keep seeming to get mixed opinions. Thoughts on Aether Vial in Faeries?
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I put together a vial Faerie build that is 65/35 aggro/tempo approach, 4 scion + 2 Phantasmal image, plus 4 invisible stalkers, bolts, pyroclasm, and swords. It's fun, scion and sword is a nonbo, but if you get it on something prior to scion it beats. The theory was pumping up with scions/phantasmal, mutavault and faerie conclave for hot manland action, and using swords on invisible stalker as a back up plan. It's fun, vial is potent, but it has peaks and valleys. I would say it's not as resilient as other more refined aggro decks, but vialing in mistbind or vendilion for surprise shenanigans is satisfying. In one match vial was critical to even doing anything. I got stuck on three lands but had vial opening, so after a bit I could still vial in 4 drops while using lands for bolt or mana leak. I haven't really faced anything tier, and only one artifact style control (which was all over the place), so who knows. I run a RG shaman deck for aggro beatdown fun and UR vial faeries is as fun and probably about as competitive.
I'd love to pick up some Crucible of Worlds for the SB and go land destruction against some decks, but alas, Crucible is not a cheap card.
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It's been quite a while since my last post, so this one will be a bit longer than usual. First, I'd like to talk about this "Pure Tempo Faeries" deck that has been showing up in this thread over and over again. I honestly don't think it is better than the grindier version. The tempo version can potentially kill a turn earlier than the control version (thanks to Scion), but the control version should be significantly stronger in the lategame. I suppose if you really want Faeries to be a tempo deck, you should go for the red splash to add Lightning Bolts. Or, you could just run Merfolk, because that deck does pretty much the same as Tempo Fae, except better.
Now for my recent experiences with the deck: What seemed to be one of the deck's major problems to me was its unstable mana base, which should contain four Mutavaults and should still be able to cast a turn one discard spell AND a turn four Cryptic Command. I've therefore cut down on Basic Lands and added two Underground Rivers. Yes, it makes the deck weak to Blood Moon, but let's be honest: Blood Moon pretty much kills us anyways. And I've actually seen hardly any decks running Blood Moon in recent weeks. This is what my mana base looks like at the moment:
I've also been testing Liliana and I quite like her. She's superb in Midrange and Control matchups and can also slow down aggro decks considerably. I currently run two copies of her and also two Snapcasters, which I've come to consider a card crucial to our strategy. As far as removal is concerned, Disfigure seems really, really good to me, especially with Snaps. It also synergizes quite well with Lili in that it kills the small dorks, while the PW makes them sacrifice the bigger threats.
Thank you for this post. I think the Underground River is interesting. As compared with my manabase you have better consistency (circa 90%) on turn 1 for B or U, and turn 3 for BB or UU, and UUU in turn 4 even considering that we might draw one of our 6 tapped lands. You are actually slightly over what you need for sufficient consistency (according to Karsten's estimates), which makes me think that keeping the third island could be better than the second Underground River. In fact, the manabase I intend to play will be -
2x Creeping Tar Pit
4x Darkslick Shores
3x Island
4x Mutavault
2x Polluted Delta
4x River of Tears
4x Secluded Glen
1x Swamp
1x Tectonic Edge
I believe we will see the allied fetchlands back in Khans. The proposed list will have added resilience to Blood Moon (it will be more likely to have a basic land in play) and I speculate that drawing the second Delta will be better than drawing Sunken Ruins. Much as I love Tar Pit, it is a mid-to-late game card that is only sometimes ideal. Hence I am happy to cut to two copies. The second Tec Edge is possibly more essential; albeit I suspect that it is making bad matches less bad, when we would be better making mediocre and good matches better. Aside from that, I agree about Disfigure and not to be overlooked is that -2/-2 can be relevant as a combat trick against things it cannot (directly) remove. Oh - and a suggestion - could everyone list their lands alphabetically? That will make it easier to at-a-glance compare manabases.
I kno this is the UB Faerie thread, so feel free to tell me to gtfo, but I have been playing a Bant eternal command deck with a fae subtheme and been having a lot of fun/wins with it. The exact deck list is in the Eternal Ruse thread in the deck creation forum, I come here asking people if anyone has experience running a BUG version of the faerie deck and if anyone had any luck with it.
I have a deck list in mind (but I lack the BB right now, so its just in a theory), it would be mainly a U deck, splashing G for eternal witness and B for BB/removal and possibly lilly.
Any experience with UG or BUG faeries that ppl are willing to share would be great.
Just in case anyone is interested, here is one of my favourite plays with Fae. It can pretty much wreck aggro decks that have already established some kind of board presence. You need:
- a Cryptic and a Mistbind in hand
- the mana to cast either
- a faerie to champion
Here's the plan: If they play a spell in their first main phase, you counter and tap. If they decide to attack you first, just play a Mistbind, kill-block one of their dudes and prevent them from playing anything in main phase two. Pick your poison, aggro players! >:)
By the way, a sideboard card that seems worth looking at could be Annul. It hard counters Wurmcoil, Oblivion Stone, Blood Moon, Pod, Splinter Twin, Aether Vial and pretty much any card in Affinity. Especially with Snaps, this could be a great Sideboard choice.
Similarly, if you are afraid of Tron and Robots in particular, Steel Sabotage might be your card.
Just in case anyone is interested, here is one of my favourite plays with Fae. It can pretty much wreck aggro decks that have already established some kind of board presence. You need:
- a Cryptic and a Mistbind in hand
- the mana to cast either
- a faerie to champion
Here's the plan: If they play a spell in their first main phase, you counter and tap. If they decide to attack you first, just play a Mistbind, kill-block one of their dudes and prevent them from playing anything in main phase two. Pick your poison, aggro players! >:)
By the way, a sideboard card that seems worth looking at could be Annul. It hard counters Wurmcoil, Oblivion Stone, Blood Moon, Pod, Splinter Twin, Aether Vial and pretty much any card in Affinity. Especially with Snaps, this could be a great Sideboard choice.
Similarly, if you are afraid of Tron and Robots in particular, Steel Sabotage might be your card.
Seriously, do you think your plays are so smart that need to be shared?
Annul seems valid if your meta is full of tron and affinity.
- L
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"The problem isn't when Scissors says Rock is overpowered, it's when Paper says it is."
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Against robots I'm not sure anything is more efficient than Hurkyl's Recall, especially since they're going to have a bunch of stuff out, unsummoning one artifact is just a bump. Against Tron it's better, keeping Wurmcoil and Platinum Angel at bay. Frankly I think the best way to approach Tron is to disrupt their land fetching and Pithing Needle Karn. Everything else can be handled fairly straightforward.
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Modern UB Tezzerator UBW Gifts B 8Rack
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The deck seemed to be heavier on counters and control elements than creatures. He could have just been playing that way because of my deck, however. Creatures I did see included the previously-mentioned Pack Rat, Spellstutter Sprite, and Mistbind Clique. Bitterblossom was also present.
Otherwise, saw Leaks, Blights, and Thoughtseizes. I did not see any discard in Game Two, but that may have just been due to his draws.
He confirmed no Swords. I did not see Lili or Jace either.
The whole thing was a very reactionary draw-go nightmare. I've never enjoyed losing so much!
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Seriously, do you think your plays are so smart that need to be shared?
Annul seems valid if your meta is full of tron and affinity.
- L
There is nothing wrong with pointing out different plays people can make with this deck. Some people who are new to the archetype may not see interactions like this right off the bat so people mentioning stuff like this helps them in the long run.
The deck seemed to be heavier on counters and control elements than creatures. He could have just been playing that way because of my deck, however. Creatures I did see included the previously-mentioned Pack Rat, Spellstutter Sprite, and Mistbind Clique. Bitterblossom was also present.
Otherwise, saw Leaks, Blights, and Thoughtseizes. I did not see any discard in Game Two, but that may have just been due to his draws.
He confirmed no Swords. I did not see Lili or Jace either.
The whole thing was a very reactionary draw-go nightmare. I've never enjoyed losing so much!
First off, I am glad you enjoyed losing to the deck. When people can say they enjoyed losing to a Control deck...well I have high hopes on not always playing against opponents who are super bitter to have lost.
Secondly, what deck was it you were playing again? It's interesting that you saw Bile Blights, as I have been debating whether I want that card in my own deck or not. Hopefully we get that full decklist soon.
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Against robots I'm not sure anything is more efficient than Hurkyl's Recall, especially since they're going to have a bunch of stuff out, unsummoning one artifact is just a bump. Against Tron it's better, keeping Wurmcoil and Platinum Angel at bay. Frankly I think the best way to approach Tron is to disrupt their land fetching and Pithing Needle Karn. Everything else can be handled fairly straightforward.
The thing with Affinity is that very few of their cards are actually dangerous. Let them have their Springleaves, Opals, Ornithopters and Memnites, but make sure to counter Cranial and Ravager.
Against robots I'm not sure anything is more efficient than Hurkyl's Recall, especially since they're going to have a bunch of stuff out, unsummoning one artifact is just a bump. Against Tron it's better, keeping Wurmcoil and Platinum Angel at bay. Frankly I think the best way to approach Tron is to disrupt their land fetching and Pithing Needle Karn. Everything else can be handled fairly straightforward.
The thing with Affinity is that very few of their cards are actually dangerous. Let them have their Springleaves, Opals, Ornithopters and Memnites, but make sure to counter Cranial and Ravager.
The problem arises when they have some of their ridiculous openings and they can turn 1 a Ravager or Cranial. Recall helps you just completely reset their board and gives you time to get complete control of the game.
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Nighthawk does look like a potentially good card for the list. The problem with it is that it doesn't have flash. This deck wants to do things mainly on our opponents turn. Nighthawk gives them a turn to do whatever they want which can ruin our game plan. It is a good card and I do think it deserves to be considered for a list, but testing will definitely be required for it.
The problem with Infest, in addition to it being a sorcery, is that it won't kill much in Modern. Against BGx decks it can kill a Dark Confidant but I doubt it will ever kill a Tarmogoyf or Scavenging Ooze. Against Affinity, if they have a Ravager out, they just sac their entire board to it, and then kill us on their next attack phase. Against Zoo Wild Nacatl, Loam Lion and Kird Ape are all X/3 creatures.
As for what to bring in against aggro decks, Cryptic Command does a good job at slowing them down until you stabilize, but that requires you to survive until turn 4. What about Trinisphere?
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I have been checking old Extended Faeries lists, and it was interesting that almost all of the succesful ones were running 3 Vampire Nighthawks in the SB. It's interesting because I asume it was there to fight the aggro decks, but at that time both Bolt and Path were legal. So why wouldn't Nighthawk work in the current Modern metagame. Access to lifelink looks very powerful in this deck. Batterskull costs five, it's easy to be virtualy dead before casting it, also we can die that turn due to a Vapor Snag, Path, Qasali pridemage...
Nighthawk also plays well with -X/-X effects.
Has it been tested and proved not to be powerful enough or maybe it was dismissed too early?
Other really common card was Infest, as a 2-3 of in most sideboards.
Why most Faeries lists doesn't run sweepers in the sideboard but it was a common thing then? (Yes, I now because we have to race and losing all of our tokens at 4 life with blossom in play is bad, but why so people played them then?)
Maybe there was an aggro deck at that time that I don't remember, because Zoo had lots of 3-thoughness, I guess.
I have been playing Faeries for some time and I struggle to find the optimal list. My bigger concern is finding a card (or a combination of two) that is good against all aggro decks. Deathmark is good against Pod and Zoo, but bad agaisnt Merfolks, Affinity... Disfigure is good against Affinity, UR Delver, but not so good against the others, Sower is good against Pod but I won't side her against any of the others (naybe merfolks), etc...
A lot of UB Faeries decks run Damnation in the SB. I don't think it's good against affinity though, preferring Hurkyl's Recall (which doesn't kill them but does make them reset everything, hopefully in time for us to get something going.
@skitzafreak: Trinisphere is interesting, though it dings us too for SSS or our counters. Although with vial that's not so bad, providing you left vial on 2. I think GY hate is better against goyf; relic of progenitus or tormod's crypt. The look on goyf player's face when you turn his 4/5 into a 0/1 again is gratifying.
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So I think I'm going to build an all out aggro version of the deck using Obelisk of Urd as my win condition along with Oona
At your own risk.
By the way, folks, stop calling Scion of Oona just "Oona". Oona is a female name (as in Oona, Queen of the Fae), whereas her Scion is clearly a male faerie. FYI.
Extended was a much slower format than modern is. You also had to race things like Great Sable Stag, and the only boardwipe that existed that mattered was Volcanic Fallout, which Nighthawk dodged. In general, Modern is incredibly fast compared to that format, and Nighthawk doesn't make the leap. It's also why the Wurmcoil package that used to be played out of the board is largely bad.
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Maybe you could tell us some of the cards it was playing? Was it running anything unique from a Faerie deck that might have caught you off guard?
I expect the list will be up in a week or so, but I hate waiting, so lets see what info we can squeeze out of you
Modern Decks:
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BRG Bridge-Vine GRB
Commander Decks
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BRG Windgrace Real-Estate Ltd. GRB
#PayThePros
First off, I love Cryptic Command. It is true that it is great because it is versatile; you can use it as a tempo play or for CA. However, I want to make the most streamlined "pure tempo" version of faeries and Cryptic Command causes a few issues. My current game plan is to have a bunch of 1 and 2 mana interaction that either disrupts my opponent (discard, 1 & 2 cmc counters, 1 cmc removal) or sets me up (bitterblossom) followed by 3 mana spells that create huge tempo swings (clique/scion/snapcaster). Adding Cryptic means I probably have to cut some of the 1 & 2 cmc disruption and add some more land. I don't think this is a trade off I am interested in. Maybe I should be running Cryptic as a 2-of so I have a few better top decks since Spell Piere and discard are generally not at their best when drawn on turn 6-7 but I think I'd rather be more streamlined.
I'm ok with folding to blood moon. No one ever maindecks it so I don't need to worry about it g1 (although I have 6 discard, 4 spellstutters, 2 pierce, and 4 snapcasters to deal with it and thats not mentioning the 4 remands to delay it) but in g2 I get those I mentioned in addition to Duress, another pierce and negate. I highly doubt it will ever resolve and if it does it may even be too late if I have any presence on the board.
I've read that article along side every other faeries article ever written and any video ever made haha I just think we have been testing the control version and although its decent, it is def not a solid tier 1 competitor. I just think the full on tempo version has more game vs. all the aggro decks, control decks and combo decks. Maybe the midrange matchup is slightly better for the control version but I am not 100% sold on that either.
I don't know about you, but I'm not happy about making a deck that is okay conceding to a singular card. Remember, most of the decks that are running Blood Moon are either UR Control decks, so they can match your counters with their own if they need to, or aggro decks, which will wait until you can't counter the Blood Moon. I honestly feel like I could cut all the Watery Graves for Islands and still have the deck function just as well. The only difference if you'll be less vulnerable to Blood Moon, and you'll have to worry about hurting yourself as much with BB and your lands. Yes I know not having those 4 lands to make black for you on Turn 2 might make it so you don't land BB turn 2 every 10-15 games, but I feel that's a fine trade-off for being able to actually fight through a card that with your current set up, you literally cannot beat if it resolves. IMHO, even though you do have a lot of hand disruption and counterspells variance will make Blood Moon give your opponents free wins. And sometimes things like that keep your from breaking through to Tier 1.
Modern Decks:
UBG Lantern Control GBU
BRG Bridge-Vine GRB
Commander Decks
UBG Muldrotha, Value Elemental GBU
BRG Windgrace Real-Estate Ltd. GRB
#PayThePros
Now for my recent experiences with the deck: What seemed to be one of the deck's major problems to me was its unstable mana base, which should contain four Mutavaults and should still be able to cast a turn one discard spell AND a turn four Cryptic Command. I've therefore cut down on Basic Lands and added two Underground Rivers. Yes, it makes the deck weak to Blood Moon, but let's be honest: Blood Moon pretty much kills us anyways. And I've actually seen hardly any decks running Blood Moon in recent weeks. This is what my mana base looks like at the moment:
2 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Tectonic Edge
2 Underground River
4 Secluded Glen
4 Darkslick Shores
4 River of Tears
2 Island
1 Swamp
1 Sunken Ruins
I've also been testing Liliana and I quite like her. She's superb in Midrange and Control matchups and can also slow down aggro decks considerably. I currently run two copies of her and also two Snapcasters, which I've come to consider a card crucial to our strategy. As far as removal is concerned, Disfigure seems really, really good to me, especially with Snaps. It also synergizes quite well with Lili in that it kills the small dorks, while the PW makes them sacrifice the bigger threats.
With concerns to removal spells, I assume you mean any removal in addition to Dismember. I think the rate Fae gets on Dismember makes it the best removal spell the deck has available. Not to mention you can't kill a Goyf with a Disfigure unless there is no graveyards for either of you.
I know I've been throwing this out there a bit, but I keep seeming to get mixed opinions. Thoughts on Aether Vial in Faeries?
Modern Decks:
UBG Lantern Control GBU
BRG Bridge-Vine GRB
Commander Decks
UBG Muldrotha, Value Elemental GBU
BRG Windgrace Real-Estate Ltd. GRB
#PayThePros
I'd love to pick up some Crucible of Worlds for the SB and go land destruction against some decks, but alas, Crucible is not a cheap card.
UB Tezzerator
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B 8Rack
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RB Goblins
Thank you for this post. I think the Underground River is interesting. As compared with my manabase you have better consistency (circa 90%) on turn 1 for B or U, and turn 3 for BB or UU, and UUU in turn 4 even considering that we might draw one of our 6 tapped lands. You are actually slightly over what you need for sufficient consistency (according to Karsten's estimates), which makes me think that keeping the third island could be better than the second Underground River. In fact, the manabase I intend to play will be -
2x Creeping Tar Pit
4x Darkslick Shores
3x Island
4x Mutavault
2x Polluted Delta
4x River of Tears
4x Secluded Glen
1x Swamp
1x Tectonic Edge
I believe we will see the allied fetchlands back in Khans. The proposed list will have added resilience to Blood Moon (it will be more likely to have a basic land in play) and I speculate that drawing the second Delta will be better than drawing Sunken Ruins. Much as I love Tar Pit, it is a mid-to-late game card that is only sometimes ideal. Hence I am happy to cut to two copies. The second Tec Edge is possibly more essential; albeit I suspect that it is making bad matches less bad, when we would be better making mediocre and good matches better. Aside from that, I agree about Disfigure and not to be overlooked is that -2/-2 can be relevant as a combat trick against things it cannot (directly) remove. Oh - and a suggestion - could everyone list their lands alphabetically? That will make it easier to at-a-glance compare manabases.
I have a deck list in mind (but I lack the BB right now, so its just in a theory), it would be mainly a U deck, splashing G for eternal witness and B for BB/removal and possibly lilly.
Any experience with UG or BUG faeries that ppl are willing to share would be great.
- a Cryptic and a Mistbind in hand
- the mana to cast either
- a faerie to champion
Here's the plan: If they play a spell in their first main phase, you counter and tap. If they decide to attack you first, just play a Mistbind, kill-block one of their dudes and prevent them from playing anything in main phase two. Pick your poison, aggro players! >:)
By the way, a sideboard card that seems worth looking at could be Annul. It hard counters Wurmcoil, Oblivion Stone, Blood Moon, Pod, Splinter Twin, Aether Vial and pretty much any card in Affinity. Especially with Snaps, this could be a great Sideboard choice.
Similarly, if you are afraid of Tron and Robots in particular, Steel Sabotage might be your card.
Seriously, do you think your plays are so smart that need to be shared?
Annul seems valid if your meta is full of tron and affinity.
- L
"The problem isn't when Scissors says Rock is overpowered, it's when Paper says it is."
-Mark Rosewater
UB Tezzerator
UBW Gifts
B 8Rack
Legacy
RB Goblins
The deck seemed to be heavier on counters and control elements than creatures. He could have just been playing that way because of my deck, however. Creatures I did see included the previously-mentioned Pack Rat, Spellstutter Sprite, and Mistbind Clique. Bitterblossom was also present.
Otherwise, saw Leaks, Blights, and Thoughtseizes. I did not see any discard in Game Two, but that may have just been due to his draws.
He confirmed no Swords. I did not see Lili or Jace either.
The whole thing was a very reactionary draw-go nightmare. I've never enjoyed losing so much!
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
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Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
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Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
There is nothing wrong with pointing out different plays people can make with this deck. Some people who are new to the archetype may not see interactions like this right off the bat so people mentioning stuff like this helps them in the long run.
First off, I am glad you enjoyed losing to the deck. When people can say they enjoyed losing to a Control deck...well I have high hopes on not always playing against opponents who are super bitter to have lost.
Secondly, what deck was it you were playing again? It's interesting that you saw Bile Blights, as I have been debating whether I want that card in my own deck or not. Hopefully we get that full decklist soon.
Modern Decks:
UBG Lantern Control GBU
BRG Bridge-Vine GRB
Commander Decks
UBG Muldrotha, Value Elemental GBU
BRG Windgrace Real-Estate Ltd. GRB
#PayThePros
The thing with Affinity is that very few of their cards are actually dangerous. Let them have their Springleaves, Opals, Ornithopters and Memnites, but make sure to counter Cranial and Ravager.
The problem arises when they have some of their ridiculous openings and they can turn 1 a Ravager or Cranial. Recall helps you just completely reset their board and gives you time to get complete control of the game.
Modern Decks:
UBG Lantern Control GBU
BRG Bridge-Vine GRB
Commander Decks
UBG Muldrotha, Value Elemental GBU
BRG Windgrace Real-Estate Ltd. GRB
#PayThePros
The problem with Infest, in addition to it being a sorcery, is that it won't kill much in Modern. Against BGx decks it can kill a Dark Confidant but I doubt it will ever kill a Tarmogoyf or Scavenging Ooze. Against Affinity, if they have a Ravager out, they just sac their entire board to it, and then kill us on their next attack phase. Against Zoo Wild Nacatl, Loam Lion and Kird Ape are all X/3 creatures.
As for what to bring in against aggro decks, Cryptic Command does a good job at slowing them down until you stabilize, but that requires you to survive until turn 4. What about Trinisphere?
Modern Decks:
UBG Lantern Control GBU
BRG Bridge-Vine GRB
Commander Decks
UBG Muldrotha, Value Elemental GBU
BRG Windgrace Real-Estate Ltd. GRB
#PayThePros
A lot of UB Faeries decks run Damnation in the SB. I don't think it's good against affinity though, preferring Hurkyl's Recall (which doesn't kill them but does make them reset everything, hopefully in time for us to get something going.
@skitzafreak: Trinisphere is interesting, though it dings us too for SSS or our counters. Although with vial that's not so bad, providing you left vial on 2. I think GY hate is better against goyf; relic of progenitus or tormod's crypt. The look on goyf player's face when you turn his 4/5 into a 0/1 again is gratifying.
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Legacy
RB Goblins
By the way, folks, stop calling Scion of Oona just "Oona". Oona is a female name (as in Oona, Queen of the Fae), whereas her Scion is clearly a male faerie. FYI.
UB Faeries GP Record - 22/9/2, 1 Top 64