Match 1: Affinity (2-1 games, 1-0 matches)
- G1 (play) Turn one cursecatcher, opponent starts with darksteel citadel, opal, memnite, steel overseer. I have a harbinger but no 2 mana lord in hand so I main phase vapor snag the overseer turn 2 and pass. Next turn he attacks with the memnite, before doing anything else. Not feeling like I have much of a chance unless I can make something significant happen, I block. Afterwards he goes to play the overseer again and realizes that metalcraft for his opal is off now so he passes the turn. I play a reejerey which he galvanic blasts, but by the time he is able to rebuild his board I have a lord, adept, and master of waves on board (with 4 tokens). Facing down potential lethal from an inkmoth nexus (he has a master of etherium, overseer, arcbound ravager, and signal pest alond with a few other permanents to sac), I topdeck another master of waves. Play that, swing for potential lethal to force chumps and the next turn I have the win. Really fun game where a significant risk really payed off.
- G2 (draw) Hand is Island, Mutavault, Cursecatcher, Hurkyl's, Reejerey, Reejerey, Lord. Would have been perfect if I had found a third land (didn't even need to make blue), but by the time I had I had already been forced to hurkyl's and the game was just to far gone. I feel like this is an obvious keep, but I'd like to hear if anyone else feels differently.
- G3 (play) I get two lord in play with vial along with a spreading seas on an inkmoth and find a hurkyl's on top of my deck to make this an easy win.
SB:
+4 Hurkyl's Recall, + 2 Dismember
-4 Master of Waves, -1 Reejerey, -1 Island (testing taking out an island when I take out MoW, changed this to a reejerey game 3 after what happened game 2)
Match 2: RG Tron (0-2 games, 1-1 matches)
- G1 (play) Mull to 5 and keep a one lander with two silvergil adepts. Play a cursecatcher turn 1, but when I finally find the second land to play anything else, my opponent end of turn wipes my board with O stone and plays an Ulamog, leaving me with no permanents. Onto game 2.
- G2 (play) I get a decent board state but don't find any of the interaction I want (basically just Seas, Tec Edge, Negate - I do have an echoing truth). Opponent plays an ugin, wiping my board. I keep playing, because I do still have outs if they draw dead. After a few turns I find a negate and end up echoing truth --> negating Ugin (which is pretty fun to pull off). By that time, the opponent also has a Wurmcoil down, though, so I'm just too far behind to realistically crawl back. I keep trying, but after Ulamog comes down, I scoop. It's a little frustrating that I couldn't find my cards seas/negate/tec edge in time when there's so many in my deck - the game felt like it'd be very winnable with any of the three.
Match 3: Standard Vampires (2-1 games, 2-1 matches)
- G1 (can't remember) Agro race. Opponent taps out and gets me down to 2, but with a lord in hand I have lethal on the crackback.
- G2 (draw) Opponent kills my lord with their pseudo-bolt and eventually lands a Bloodhall Priest, killing the second lord I had on etb. I get him low, but I don't find an answer and the priest just eats my board up while I die. Feels bad to lose a game to a standard deck, but the deck really was much faster than I would have anticipated and Bloodhall Priest was a hell of a beating.
- G3 (play) Aether vial --> spreading seas your dual --> spreading seas your dual with two vapor snags in hand and my opponent doesn't get to have anything stick around before I finish him off.
SB:
+2 Dismember
-1 Echoing Truth, -1 Master of Waves
Match 4: Merfolk (2-1 games, 3-1 matches)
- G1 (can't remember) We both mull to 5. My hand has only a mutavault for land, but with a silvergil and spreading seas and, not knowing what I'm up against, that seems like it's enough to make the hand great if I do get that Island. Spoiler: I don't. Possibly should have gone to 4, but that always seems awful since at that point you're basically banking on topdecking cards to get you out either way.
- G2 (play) I have a solid hand and he mulls to 6. Pretty straightforward game.
- G3 (draw) He leads with two cursecatcher in the first two turns. I play an adept in that time, followed by a reejerey on turn 3 which gets vapor snagged. He plays his own reejerey. I play a harbinger to bounce a cursecatcher along with a master of the pearl trident. He plays another reejerey and his cursecatcher and the next turn I land a master of waves and swing with my island walkers. He doesn't have lethal even if he finds an island walk lord, but he topdecks a land for his own master. Doesn't matter either way since just my islandwalkers is enough to finish the job.
SB:
+2 Dismember
-2 Spreading Seas
I'm really liking the mainboard 2x Vapor Snag, 1x Echoing Truth package, since it basically never feels dead. The vapor snags are against hard combo like Ad Nauseam, but that's about it (Even if it is primarily a tempo card, being able to use it to one-for-one opponents removal is amazing so that the card isn't nearly dead against Control with few creatures like Jeskai Nahiri and sometimes the four life is just a really steep price). So I have definitely been preferring the vapor snags to Dismember mainboard, though I'm still packing 2 Dismembers in the board.
I'm also not running any mainboard counter spells. Spell pierce often just feels awkward and nearly dead in too many matchups, and Remand has been mediocre for me with the two mana cost and not permanently dealing with the threat. Remand can be great, but I like it more in the sideboard and if I'm sideboarding in counterspells I'd really just rather have ways to deal with something permanently.
For the sideboard counterspells, I've recently moved to 4 Negates in the board as my counterspell package (as opposed to a mix of Negate and Dispel) to hit Tron/Scapeshift decks harder while still being great against combo and control in general (though not as great as dispel in many situations there). That change also made me want to switch out Relic for Grafdigger's Cage. It helps against CoCo/Cord decks since I don't have dispel and seems a lot better for dredge since they can potentially rebuild after a relic (and 4 negates also covers living end enough for me, for example, which the cage no longer hits). The cage is worse against Jund and potentially worse against decks where snapcaster is the only relevant interaction, but I think in combination with the 4 negates I really like where the sideboard is at. The cage was never relevant today, though, so I didn't get to play it at all.
I got to bring in the 4 negates for the tron matchup, but despite testing where it seemed like I drew at least a Seas or Negate in my opener nearly every time, I couldn't find any here in time. Felt bad to lose the match without ever feeling I ever had a chance when I think I'm pretty well equipped to take it on (not getting my interaction game 2 and mulling to 5 game 1).
I need to find 2 more Wanderwine Hubs, since I'm convinced that 4 is correct now, but other than that I'm really liking where the deck is at, feels great overall despite the Tron loss (which I'm confident the deck is well equipped to beat).
Edit: I'm also considering adding another Cavern of Souls to replace an island. Not sure there.
Thanks! Tidebinder was a vanilla pretty often. I think I'm fairly comfortable with 3 Harbinger 2 Tidebinder and the 3rd Tidebinder in the board.
3-1 last night. Lost to Grixis delver because I mulliganed too aggressively (6 was unplayable kept a pretty unexciting 5) g2 and to a topdeck murderous cut on master of waves g3
The blue source mutavault no vial hand as your only lands seem to work out about half the time, and I'm always tempted to Mulligan them.
Beat Dredge, Kiki Chord (hehe revenge), and UWR control otherwise.
Nicely done again, L0rdAceX. I lost valuable tempo because of that very hand you are tempted to mull (U source + Mutavault) yesterday as well, but it was against Jund off a mull 6 so I was stuck with it.
Match 1: Affinity (2-1 games, 1-0 matches)
- G1 (play) Turn one cursecatcher, opponent starts with darksteel citadel, opal, memnite, steel overseer. I have a harbinger but no 2 mana lord in hand so I main phase vapor snag the overseer turn 2 and pass. Next turn he attacks with the memnite, before doing anything else. Not feeling like I have much of a chance unless I can make something significant happen, I block. Afterwards he goes to play the overseer again and realizes that metalcraft for his opal is off now so he passes the turn. I play a reejerey which he galvanic blasts, but by the time he is able to rebuild his board I have a lord, adept, and master of waves on board (with 4 tokens). Facing down potential lethal from an inkmoth nexus (he has a master of etherium, overseer, arcbound ravager, and signal pest alond with a few other permanents to sac), I topdeck another master of waves. Play that, swing for potential lethal to force chumps and the next turn I have the win. Really fun game where a significant risk really payed off.
- G2 (draw) Hand is Island, Mutavault, Cursecatcher, Hurkyl's, Reejerey, Reejerey, Lord. Would have been perfect if I had found a third land (didn't even need to make blue), but by the time I had I had already been forced to hurkyl's and the game was just to far gone. I feel like this is an obvious keep, but I'd like to hear if anyone else feels differently.
- G3 (play) I get two lord in play with vial along with a spreading seas on an inkmoth and find a hurkyl's on top of my deck to make this an easy win.
SB:
+4 Hurkyl's Recall, + 2 Dismember
-4 Master of Waves, -1 Reejerey, -1 Island (testing taking out an island when I take out MoW, changed this to a reejerey game 3 after what happened game 2)
Match 2: RG Tron (0-2 games, 1-1 matches)
- G1 (play) Mull to 5 and keep a one lander with two silvergil adepts. Play a cursecatcher turn 1, but when I finally find the second land to play anything else, my opponent end of turn wipes my board with O stone and plays an Ulamog, leaving me with no permanents. Onto game 2.
- G2 (play) I get a decent board state but don't find any of the interaction I want (basically just Seas, Tec Edge, Negate - I do have an echoing truth). Opponent plays an ugin, wiping my board. I keep playing, because I do still have outs if they draw dead. After a few turns I find a negate and end up echoing truth --> negating Ugin (which is pretty fun to pull off). By that time, the opponent also has a Wurmcoil down, though, so I'm just too far behind to realistically crawl back. I keep trying, but after Ulamog comes down, I scoop. It's a little frustrating that I couldn't find my cards seas/negate/tec edge in time when there's so many in my deck - the game felt like it'd be very winnable with any of the three.
Match 3: Standard Vampires (2-1 games, 2-1 matches)
- G1 (can't remember) Agro race. Opponent taps out and gets me down to 2, but with a lord in hand I have lethal on the crackback.
- G2 (draw) Opponent kills my lord with their pseudo-bolt and eventually lands a Bloodhall Priest, killing the second lord I had on etb. I get him low, but I don't find an answer and the priest just eats my board up while I die. Feels bad to lose a game to a standard deck, but the deck really was much faster than I would have anticipated and Bloodhall Priest was a hell of a beating.
- G3 (play) Aether vial --> spreading seas your dual --> spreading seas your dual with two vapor snags in hand and my opponent doesn't get to have anything stick around before I finish him off.
SB:
+2 Dismember
-1 Echoing Truth, -1 Master of Waves
Match 4: Merfolk (2-1 games, 3-1 matches)
- G1 (can't remember) We both mull to 5. My hand has only a mutavault for land, but with a silvergil and spreading seas and, not knowing what I'm up against, that seems like it's enough to make the hand great if I do get that Island. Spoiler: I don't. Possibly should have gone to 4, but that always seems awful since at that point you're basically banking on topdecking cards to get you out either way.
- G2 (play) I have a solid hand and he mulls to 6. Pretty straightforward game.
- G3 (draw) He leads with two cursecatcher in the first two turns. I play an adept in that time, followed by a reejerey on turn 3 which gets vapor snagged. He plays his own reejerey. I play a harbinger to bounce a cursecatcher along with a master of the pearl trident. He plays another reejerey and his cursecatcher and the next turn I land a master of waves and swing with my island walkers. He doesn't have lethal even if he finds an island walk lord, but he topdecks a land for his own master. Doesn't matter either way since just my islandwalkers is enough to finish the job.
SB:
+2 Dismember
-2 Spreading Seas
I'm really liking the mainboard 2x Vapor Snag, 1x Echoing Truth package, since it basically never feels dead. The vapor snags are against hard combo like Ad Nauseam, but that's about it (Even if it is primarily a tempo card, being able to use it to one-for-one opponents removal is amazing so that the card isn't nearly dead against Control with few creatures like Jeskai Nahiri and sometimes the four life is just a really steep price). So I have definitely been preferring the vapor snags to Dismember mainboard, though I'm still packing 2 Dismembers in the board.
I'm also not running any mainboard counter spells. Spell pierce often just feels awkward and nearly dead in too many matchups, and Remand has been mediocre for me with the two mana cost and not permanently dealing with the threat. Remand can be great, but I like it more in the sideboard and if I'm sideboarding in counterspells I'd really just rather have ways to deal with something permanently.
For the sideboard counterspells, I've recently moved to 4 Negates in the board as my counterspell package (as opposed to a mix of Negate and Dispel) to hit Tron/Scapeshift decks harder while still being great against combo and control in general (though not as great as dispel in many situations there). That change also made me want to switch out Relic for Grafdigger's Cage. It helps against CoCo/Cord decks since I don't have dispel and seems a lot better for dredge since they can potentially rebuild after a relic (and 4 negates also covers living end enough for me, for example, which the cage no longer hits). The cage is worse against Jund and potentially worse against decks where snapcaster is the only relevant interaction, but I think in combination with the 4 negates I really like where the sideboard is at. The cage was never relevant today, though, so I didn't get to play it at all.
I got to bring in the 4 negates for the tron matchup, but despite testing where it seemed like I drew at least a Seas or Negate in my opener nearly every time, I couldn't find any here in time. Felt bad to lose the match without ever feeling I ever had a chance when I think I'm pretty well equipped to take it on (not getting my interaction game 2 and mulling to 5 game 1).
I need to find 2 more Wanderwine Hubs, since I'm convinced that 4 is correct now, but other than that I'm really liking where the deck is at, feels great overall despite the Tron loss (which I'm confident the deck is well equipped to beat).
Edit: I'm also considering adding another Cavern of Souls to replace an island. Not sure there.
If anything, I'm flattered that you found my formatting useful. Welcome to the forum!
I'm in agreement with you that your loss to Tron was basically bad variance, since a mull 5 and not finding land hate despite siding in a bunch of it is tough to overcome. I can also recommend the 4 Hubs right now, since I tried them out myself to great success (they were never an issue, even against Jund). I would hold off on the 3rd Cavern, unless your meta is crawling with control - the fact that it produces C for non-Merfolk spells (unless you draw a 2nd and name Spirit) can be a bit problematic for the likes of Kira/Snag/Truth, not to mention the sideboard counterspells. Speaking of which, I'm very intrigued by the Grafdigger's Cage + 4 Negate coverage plan. I hope you get a chance to play some matches where they're both relevant so we can see how they do.
moved to tier one per meta update. Please no flaming on this subject, the numbers support the move.
Now you've done it, a ban on Aether Vial will hit next week.
On a more serious question: does that mean we should anticipate a general reshuffling of tiers right now? Because we're the only one that seems to have been adjusted. That seems odd if we're going off the source that gave us these numbers, since that source indicates the entire meta has shifted.
Sorry I'm late on this. Yes a few that will be moved to tier 2 from deck creation which Ktken handles.
David's list is pretty far off the beaten path, yes. He's made a lot of decisions that I don't agree with (starting with the W splash, which is still not worth it, even against Dredge), but good on him for getting the win. Merfolk is robust enough a shell that you can make some serious deviations from what we consider normal and still do well.
Because a lot of newer Merfolk players vomit their entire hand onto the board, and get blown out by the Living End. You should only do so if you have confidence that your aggro rush can get there (namely because you're holding up counterspells to stuff the End and any disruption your opponent would throw out there). Otherwise, you keep your Vial at the ready to flash in some guys post-End and try to finish the job.
David's list is pretty far off the beaten path, yes. He's made a lot of decisions that I don't agree with (starting with the W splash, which is still not worth it, even against Dredge), but good on him for getting the win. Merfolk is robust enough a shell that you can make some serious deviations from what we consider normal and still do well.
Exactly. I think what a lot of people forget to consider is not just "did this white card win the match," but "would this other non-white card that I might have otherwise played have lost that match?" Yes RiP destroys Dredge, but nothing I read convinced me he wouldn't have won if he had Relic instead (in fact, he might have been better off if he was able to draw in response to Decay). Likewise, while Stony Silence won versus Affinity, there's just not enough to know if Hurkyl's Recall might not have also worked (though it assuredly would have been harder). He also had a tight game to Blood Moon that might have been less so if he played 10 to 15 basic Islands instead of 7.
Ah okay, nono, usually I do not play into the blowout. Same like in Control-MUs. Unfortunatly, I did not see any counterspell in neither of the 3 games. Well variance happens ...
Not even a Cursecatcher? Rough going then. Either way, I'd recommend you give Dispel a try to ctch their disruption. It won't catch Living End, but it will catch the pieces they use to buy time until they can Living End.
Modern Nexus's editor David Ernenwein making a report about his PPTQ win in Colorado.
He has a very interesting UW list which I thought was worth sharing as we often see the discussion that UW is not worth it (I'm in this camp too) yet I have the feeling the UW lists are creeping up more these days. The fact that RIP really shuts off Dregde, which is a bad matchup and continues to rise in popularity this choice seems to hold some merit.
Also: mainboard Spell Queller (!!)
I think he won with playing skill and in spite to a bad list.
6 removal with zero Harbingers and Tidebinders? These guys wreck creature decks.
6 white spells with 8 more in the sideboard, and only 8 white sources? Variance is the only thing that helped him here.
Meddling Mage is awful.
3 Waves, 3 Mutavaults, Deprive... really not a fan of his list.
This only makes his accomplishment greater.
So haven't played modern in a while...went 4-0 last night with a fairly standard list...aside from 4 archive traps and a summary dismissal in the board...just for some laughs
Matches were 3 colour humans, grixis control, Abzan and storm.
Didn't drop a game the whole night, pretty stoked, our beloved Fish seem to be fairly well seated at the moment
So I'm playing a 1k PPTQ on Sunday and going with da folk. What is everyone's consensus on Remand vs other counterspells for our sideboard? Right now my side has 2 spell Pierce and 2 negate. But I feel like I could switch it to 4 Remands. Has anyone here ever played with the full playset of 4 Remands in the side with success?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern UMerfolk WDeath and Taxes BRBliztkrieg GStompy
- - -
"Rock is overpowered. Paper is fine."
-Scissors
Has anyone here ever played with the full playset of 4 Remands in the side with success?
I am running 2 Remand main and my testing against new expected archtypes (Kiki-chord running Eldritch Evolution, Bant Eldrazzi with Elder Deep-Fiend, Suicide Zoo and Dredge) I am considering adding one more to my sb. Remand is such a tempo swing that is is shining in my testing for GP Indy. I play 2-4 Modern tournaments a week (I know, I have no life, but there are so many LGS Modern events in Metro Detroit that I have to take advantage of the testing) and I have prized in every one, including top 8 at a PPTQ (damned Affinity).
something amazing just happened. I will post the cockatrice logs.
[20:18:49] It is now the draw step.
juliopino12 draws 1 card(s).
[20:18:51] It is now the first main phase.
juliopino12 puts Polluted Delta into play from his hand.
juliopino12 taps Darkslick Shores.
juliopino12 taps Island.
juliopino12 puts Engineered Explosives into play from his hand.
[20:18:54] Naixin: ok
juliopino12 places 2 red counter(s) on Engineered Explosives (now 2).
[20:18:54] It is now the ending phase.
[20:18:56] It is now Naixin's turn.
[20:18:56] It is now the untap step.
Naixin untaps his permanents.
Naixin places 1 green counter(s) on AEther Vial (now 2).
[20:18:57] It is now the upkeep step.
[20:18:59] It is now the draw step.
Naixin draws 1 card(s).
[20:19:00] It is now the first main phase.
[20:19:01] Naixin: thinking
Naixin taps Oboro, Palace in the Clouds.
[20:19:03] It is now the beginning of combat step.
juliopino12 taps Island.
juliopino12 puts Polluted Delta from play into his graveyard.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 8 (-1).
juliopino12 is looking at his library.
juliopino12 puts Island into play from library.
juliopino12 stops looking at his library.
juliopino12 shuffles his library.
juliopino12 taps Island.
juliopino12 taps Vedalken Shackles.
juliopino12 points from his Vedalken Shackles to Naixin's Master of the Pearl Trident.
Naixin taps Island.
Naixin taps Island.
Naixin plays Hurkyl's Recall from his hand.
Naixin points from his Hurkyl's Recall to juliopino12.
juliopino12 moves Engineered Explosives from play to his hand.
juliopino12 moves Vedalken Shackles from play to his hand.
Naixin puts Hurkyl's Recall from the stack into his graveyard.
[20:19:09] It is now the declare attackers step.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 7 (-1).
Naixin taps Master of the Pearl Trident.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 6 (-1).
juliopino12 sets counter life to 5 (-1).
Naixin taps Mutavault.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 4 (-1).
juliopino12 sets counter life to 3 (-1).
[20:19:12] Naixin: before damage
Naixin taps AEther Vial.
Naixin puts Master of the Pearl Trident into play from his hand.
[20:19:14] Naixin: 2 more
juliopino12 sets counter life to 2 (-1).
juliopino12 sets counter life to 1 (-1).
Naixin plays Gut Shot from his hand.
Naixin sets counter life to 19 (-1).
Naixin sets counter life to 18 (-1).
Naixin points from his Gut Shot to juliopino12.
[20:19:15] juliopino12: what to think there?
tl;dr: Opponent was at 9 life, had 2 mana untapped (1 fetch), Engineered Explosives at 2, and Vedalken Shackles. I had Master of Pearl Trident, an Aether Vial on 2, a Mutavault, another Master in my hand, Hurkyl's Recall, and Gutshot. I declare for combat. He had the choice of either popping EE or use Shackles. He wanted to use Shackles for the blowout against my Mutavault (wanted to block my Mutavault with my Master under his control I guess). He cracked his fetch to go down to 8 to use Shackle. I Recall in response to shackle activation, attack for 6, vial in master before damage to make the swing for 7. Gutshot for the 8th and final damage. He was salty lol.
If I was playing at an FNM, I would change Tidebinder Mage and Harbinger of the Tides from a 2/2 configuration to a 3/1 depending on what is popular. Gut Shot has been fantastic and I loved 2. It kills VCliques, Snapcasters, Mana dorks, Infect creatures, etc. I really like 1 mana counter spells. Sure, hard counters are better but holding up 2 mana is such a hassle. I'm not sure if 2 Spell Pierce main, 1 Spell Pierce side, and 1 Dispel is correct. I sort of want to test Swan Song or Spell Snare over the Dispel or SB Spell Pierce. Maybe even a Vapor Snag over one of the MD Spell Pierce.
Also, what I wouldn't give to have Daze in modern lol.
Many congrats to fish4ever for the solid result (I do recommend going up to the full 4 Harbingers and 4 Tidebinders in the 75 if Gruul Zoo persists as a problem, though), and thanks to Hey Napkin for sharing that amusing play. What a blowout by Hurkyl's Recall, and in a non-Affinity matchup to boot!
Not used to posting on here, so forgive me for stealing your formatting rothgar =D
4 Æther Vial
Creatures (29)
4 Cursecatcher
4 Harbinger of the Tides
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Master of Waves
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Silvergill Adept
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4 Spreading Seas
Instants (3)
1 Echoing Truth
2 Vapor Snag
Lands (20)
2 Cavern of Souls
10 Island
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
4 Mutavault
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
2 Wanderwine Hub
4 Hurkyl's Recall
4 Negate
3 Tectonic Edge
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Dismember
Match 1: Affinity (2-1 games, 1-0 matches)
- G1 (play) Turn one cursecatcher, opponent starts with darksteel citadel, opal, memnite, steel overseer. I have a harbinger but no 2 mana lord in hand so I main phase vapor snag the overseer turn 2 and pass. Next turn he attacks with the memnite, before doing anything else. Not feeling like I have much of a chance unless I can make something significant happen, I block. Afterwards he goes to play the overseer again and realizes that metalcraft for his opal is off now so he passes the turn. I play a reejerey which he galvanic blasts, but by the time he is able to rebuild his board I have a lord, adept, and master of waves on board (with 4 tokens). Facing down potential lethal from an inkmoth nexus (he has a master of etherium, overseer, arcbound ravager, and signal pest alond with a few other permanents to sac), I topdeck another master of waves. Play that, swing for potential lethal to force chumps and the next turn I have the win. Really fun game where a significant risk really payed off.
- G2 (draw) Hand is Island, Mutavault, Cursecatcher, Hurkyl's, Reejerey, Reejerey, Lord. Would have been perfect if I had found a third land (didn't even need to make blue), but by the time I had I had already been forced to hurkyl's and the game was just to far gone. I feel like this is an obvious keep, but I'd like to hear if anyone else feels differently.
- G3 (play) I get two lord in play with vial along with a spreading seas on an inkmoth and find a hurkyl's on top of my deck to make this an easy win.
SB:
+4 Hurkyl's Recall, + 2 Dismember
-4 Master of Waves, -1 Reejerey, -1 Island (testing taking out an island when I take out MoW, changed this to a reejerey game 3 after what happened game 2)
Match 2: RG Tron (0-2 games, 1-1 matches)
- G1 (play) Mull to 5 and keep a one lander with two silvergil adepts. Play a cursecatcher turn 1, but when I finally find the second land to play anything else, my opponent end of turn wipes my board with O stone and plays an Ulamog, leaving me with no permanents. Onto game 2.
- G2 (play) I get a decent board state but don't find any of the interaction I want (basically just Seas, Tec Edge, Negate - I do have an echoing truth). Opponent plays an ugin, wiping my board. I keep playing, because I do still have outs if they draw dead. After a few turns I find a negate and end up echoing truth --> negating Ugin (which is pretty fun to pull off). By that time, the opponent also has a Wurmcoil down, though, so I'm just too far behind to realistically crawl back. I keep trying, but after Ulamog comes down, I scoop. It's a little frustrating that I couldn't find my cards seas/negate/tec edge in time when there's so many in my deck - the game felt like it'd be very winnable with any of the three.
SB:
+4 Negate, +3 Tectonic Edge
-4 Master of Waves, -2 Vapor Snag, -1 Harbinger
Match 3: Standard Vampires (2-1 games, 2-1 matches)
- G1 (can't remember) Agro race. Opponent taps out and gets me down to 2, but with a lord in hand I have lethal on the crackback.
- G2 (draw) Opponent kills my lord with their pseudo-bolt and eventually lands a Bloodhall Priest, killing the second lord I had on etb. I get him low, but I don't find an answer and the priest just eats my board up while I die. Feels bad to lose a game to a standard deck, but the deck really was much faster than I would have anticipated and Bloodhall Priest was a hell of a beating.
- G3 (play) Aether vial --> spreading seas your dual --> spreading seas your dual with two vapor snags in hand and my opponent doesn't get to have anything stick around before I finish him off.
SB:
+2 Dismember
-1 Echoing Truth, -1 Master of Waves
Match 4: Merfolk (2-1 games, 3-1 matches)
- G1 (can't remember) We both mull to 5. My hand has only a mutavault for land, but with a silvergil and spreading seas and, not knowing what I'm up against, that seems like it's enough to make the hand great if I do get that Island. Spoiler: I don't. Possibly should have gone to 4, but that always seems awful since at that point you're basically banking on topdecking cards to get you out either way.
- G2 (play) I have a solid hand and he mulls to 6. Pretty straightforward game.
- G3 (draw) He leads with two cursecatcher in the first two turns. I play an adept in that time, followed by a reejerey on turn 3 which gets vapor snagged. He plays his own reejerey. I play a harbinger to bounce a cursecatcher along with a master of the pearl trident. He plays another reejerey and his cursecatcher and the next turn I land a master of waves and swing with my island walkers. He doesn't have lethal even if he finds an island walk lord, but he topdecks a land for his own master. Doesn't matter either way since just my islandwalkers is enough to finish the job.
SB:
+2 Dismember
-2 Spreading Seas
I'm really liking the mainboard 2x Vapor Snag, 1x Echoing Truth package, since it basically never feels dead. The vapor snags are against hard combo like Ad Nauseam, but that's about it (Even if it is primarily a tempo card, being able to use it to one-for-one opponents removal is amazing so that the card isn't nearly dead against Control with few creatures like Jeskai Nahiri and sometimes the four life is just a really steep price). So I have definitely been preferring the vapor snags to Dismember mainboard, though I'm still packing 2 Dismembers in the board.
I'm also not running any mainboard counter spells. Spell pierce often just feels awkward and nearly dead in too many matchups, and Remand has been mediocre for me with the two mana cost and not permanently dealing with the threat. Remand can be great, but I like it more in the sideboard and if I'm sideboarding in counterspells I'd really just rather have ways to deal with something permanently.
For the sideboard counterspells, I've recently moved to 4 Negates in the board as my counterspell package (as opposed to a mix of Negate and Dispel) to hit Tron/Scapeshift decks harder while still being great against combo and control in general (though not as great as dispel in many situations there). That change also made me want to switch out Relic for Grafdigger's Cage. It helps against CoCo/Cord decks since I don't have dispel and seems a lot better for dredge since they can potentially rebuild after a relic (and 4 negates also covers living end enough for me, for example, which the cage no longer hits). The cage is worse against Jund and potentially worse against decks where snapcaster is the only relevant interaction, but I think in combination with the 4 negates I really like where the sideboard is at. The cage was never relevant today, though, so I didn't get to play it at all.
I got to bring in the 4 negates for the tron matchup, but despite testing where it seemed like I drew at least a Seas or Negate in my opener nearly every time, I couldn't find any here in time. Felt bad to lose the match without ever feeling I ever had a chance when I think I'm pretty well equipped to take it on (not getting my interaction game 2 and mulling to 5 game 1).
I need to find 2 more Wanderwine Hubs, since I'm convinced that 4 is correct now, but other than that I'm really liking where the deck is at, feels great overall despite the Tron loss (which I'm confident the deck is well equipped to beat).
Edit: I'm also considering adding another Cavern of Souls to replace an island. Not sure there.
3-1 last night. Lost to Grixis delver because I mulliganed too aggressively (6 was unplayable kept a pretty unexciting 5) g2 and to a topdeck murderous cut on master of waves g3
The blue source mutavault no vial hand as your only lands seem to work out about half the time, and I'm always tempted to Mulligan them.
Beat Dredge, Kiki Chord (hehe revenge), and UWR control otherwise.
Modern UMerfolkU
Legacy UMerfolkU
Standard XWhatever's GoodX
If anything, I'm flattered that you found my formatting useful.
I'm in agreement with you that your loss to Tron was basically bad variance, since a mull 5 and not finding land hate despite siding in a bunch of it is tough to overcome. I can also recommend the 4 Hubs right now, since I tried them out myself to great success (they were never an issue, even against Jund). I would hold off on the 3rd Cavern, unless your meta is crawling with control - the fact that it produces C for non-Merfolk spells (unless you draw a 2nd and name Spirit) can be a bit problematic for the likes of Kira/Snag/Truth, not to mention the sideboard counterspells. Speaking of which, I'm very intrigued by the Grafdigger's Cage + 4 Negate coverage plan. I hope you get a chance to play some matches where they're both relevant so we can see how they do.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Exactly. I think what a lot of people forget to consider is not just "did this white card win the match," but "would this other non-white card that I might have otherwise played have lost that match?" Yes RiP destroys Dredge, but nothing I read convinced me he wouldn't have won if he had Relic instead (in fact, he might have been better off if he was able to draw in response to Decay). Likewise, while Stony Silence won versus Affinity, there's just not enough to know if Hurkyl's Recall might not have also worked (though it assuredly would have been harder). He also had a tight game to Blood Moon that might have been less so if he played 10 to 15 basic Islands instead of 7.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Not even a Cursecatcher? Rough going then. Either way, I'd recommend you give Dispel a try to ctch their disruption. It won't catch Living End, but it will catch the pieces they use to buy time until they can Living End.
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
6 removal with zero Harbingers and Tidebinders? These guys wreck creature decks.
6 white spells with 8 more in the sideboard, and only 8 white sources? Variance is the only thing that helped him here.
Meddling Mage is awful.
3 Waves, 3 Mutavaults, Deprive... really not a fan of his list.
This only makes his accomplishment greater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPzcXT2lOK8
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Matches were 3 colour humans, grixis control, Abzan and storm.
Didn't drop a game the whole night, pretty stoked, our beloved Fish seem to be fairly well seated at the moment
UMerfolk
WDeath and Taxes
BRBliztkrieg
GStompy
- - -
"Rock is overpowered. Paper is fine."
-Scissors
I am running 2 Remand main and my testing against new expected archtypes (Kiki-chord running Eldritch Evolution, Bant Eldrazzi with Elder Deep-Fiend, Suicide Zoo and Dredge) I am considering adding one more to my sb. Remand is such a tempo swing that is is shining in my testing for GP Indy. I play 2-4 Modern tournaments a week (I know, I have no life, but there are so many LGS Modern events in Metro Detroit that I have to take advantage of the testing) and I have prized in every one, including top 8 at a PPTQ (damned Affinity).
Any other minor or major changes with your list?
ROFLMAO. Well-played, sir. Well-played.
Modern
Whir Prison
Legacy
5c Humans
"I'm a lead farmer... !" Quote ruined due to policy.
juliopino12 draws 1 card(s).
[20:18:51] It is now the first main phase.
juliopino12 puts Polluted Delta into play from his hand.
juliopino12 taps Darkslick Shores.
juliopino12 taps Island.
juliopino12 puts Engineered Explosives into play from his hand.
[20:18:54] Naixin: ok
juliopino12 places 2 red counter(s) on Engineered Explosives (now 2).
[20:18:54] It is now the ending phase.
[20:18:56] It is now Naixin's turn.
[20:18:56] It is now the untap step.
Naixin untaps his permanents.
Naixin places 1 green counter(s) on AEther Vial (now 2).
[20:18:57] It is now the upkeep step.
[20:18:59] It is now the draw step.
Naixin draws 1 card(s).
[20:19:00] It is now the first main phase.
[20:19:01] Naixin: thinking
Naixin taps Oboro, Palace in the Clouds.
[20:19:03] It is now the beginning of combat step.
juliopino12 taps Island.
juliopino12 puts Polluted Delta from play into his graveyard.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 8 (-1).
juliopino12 is looking at his library.
juliopino12 puts Island into play from library.
juliopino12 stops looking at his library.
juliopino12 shuffles his library.
juliopino12 taps Island.
juliopino12 taps Vedalken Shackles.
juliopino12 points from his Vedalken Shackles to Naixin's Master of the Pearl Trident.
Naixin taps Island.
Naixin taps Island.
Naixin plays Hurkyl's Recall from his hand.
Naixin points from his Hurkyl's Recall to juliopino12.
juliopino12 moves Engineered Explosives from play to his hand.
juliopino12 moves Vedalken Shackles from play to his hand.
Naixin puts Hurkyl's Recall from the stack into his graveyard.
[20:19:09] It is now the declare attackers step.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 7 (-1).
Naixin taps Master of the Pearl Trident.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 6 (-1).
juliopino12 sets counter life to 5 (-1).
Naixin taps Mutavault.
juliopino12 sets counter life to 4 (-1).
juliopino12 sets counter life to 3 (-1).
[20:19:12] Naixin: before damage
Naixin taps AEther Vial.
Naixin puts Master of the Pearl Trident into play from his hand.
[20:19:14] Naixin: 2 more
juliopino12 sets counter life to 2 (-1).
juliopino12 sets counter life to 1 (-1).
Naixin plays Gut Shot from his hand.
Naixin sets counter life to 19 (-1).
Naixin sets counter life to 18 (-1).
Naixin points from his Gut Shot to juliopino12.
[20:19:15] juliopino12: what to think there?
tl;dr: Opponent was at 9 life, had 2 mana untapped (1 fetch), Engineered Explosives at 2, and Vedalken Shackles. I had Master of Pearl Trident, an Aether Vial on 2, a Mutavault, another Master in my hand, Hurkyl's Recall, and Gutshot. I declare for combat. He had the choice of either popping EE or use Shackles. He wanted to use Shackles for the blowout against my Mutavault (wanted to block my Mutavault with my Master under his control I guess). He cracked his fetch to go down to 8 to use Shackle. I Recall in response to shackle activation, attack for 6, vial in master before damage to make the swing for 7. Gutshot for the 8th and final damage. He was salty lol.
Basilisk Collar? $5.00
Shooting down a baneslayer angel? Priceless
4 AEther Vial
Creature:
4 Cursecatcher
2 Harbinger of the Tides
2 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of Waves
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
3 Merrow Reejerey
4 Silvergill Adept
2 Tidebinder Mage
4 Spreading Seas
Instant:
2 Dismember
2 Spell Pierce
Land:
2 Cavern of Souls
10 Island
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
4 Mutavault
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Wanderwine Hub
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Gut Shot
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Dispel
1 Spell Pierce
If I was playing at an FNM, I would change Tidebinder Mage and Harbinger of the Tides from a 2/2 configuration to a 3/1 depending on what is popular. Gut Shot has been fantastic and I loved 2. It kills VCliques, Snapcasters, Mana dorks, Infect creatures, etc. I really like 1 mana counter spells. Sure, hard counters are better but holding up 2 mana is such a hassle. I'm not sure if 2 Spell Pierce main, 1 Spell Pierce side, and 1 Dispel is correct. I sort of want to test Swan Song or Spell Snare over the Dispel or SB Spell Pierce. Maybe even a Vapor Snag over one of the MD Spell Pierce.
Also, what I wouldn't give to have Daze in modern lol.
Basilisk Collar? $5.00
Shooting down a baneslayer angel? Priceless
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers: