MTG Salvation

Yep, all my matches against Spirits are post-Phantom. Perhaps your opponents have just been drawing better than average in your matches? Worth noting that on SCG this weekend, Kat Light, a well-known Spirits aficionado said that Tron is one of the bad matchups in her deck tech with Nick Miller.

Man, this Bridgevine deck is a nightmare. Relic is too slow to beat their busted hands on the draw. Surgical is good but they have multiple things we want to exile (Bridge and Vengevine are the big 2) and sometimes just getting one isn't enough. The sweepers are medium because of their recursion and haste threats. Goblin Bushwhacker is always a menace for us, and as I learned today it's not actually easy to stabilize with a Wurmcoil because they have tons of ways to prevent the lifelink in combat via Viscera Seer, Neonate and Ballista. I hope it doesn't become a mainstay in the meta cause it's a real doozy, and I'm not really sure how to adjust the deck to make it better. Much harder than the other current graveyard aggro decks in Hollow One and Dredge.

I was expecting a better representation of both Jeskai and UW control but they didn't perform well. The deck De jour was Mardu Pyromancer but that also failed to crack the top 8. Overall I expected to see more GQ's, Fields and Path's. I played against very few and GQ was huge for me in the mirror, especially G3. It also helped against KCI in G2. Also, is it time to revisit some thing like GR tron was Pyroclasm or Kozilek's Return?

I played a large number of matches with the deck over the weekend at GP Minneapolis side events; ended up with a 22-7 record overall and with several booster boxes of prizes for my time. I went with zero ballista, 3 ulamog, 2 dismember, and 2 relic maindeck for flex slots. Firstly, triple ulamog maindeck was absurd and going T4 or T5 ulamog (or T3 Karn into t4 ulamog, or t4 ulamog into t5 ulamog) was how I won multiple games and matches against some of our poorest matchups: ad naus, storm, kci, and burn. I played all of these decks at one time and won every match because my insane draws lined up when I needed them most. I ran the 3 ulamogs for the control matchups, but it ended up paying dividends in our under 50% matchups because those decks are not stopping us from getting to 10 mana by turn 4 or 5.

Running zero ballista felt pretty fine, the only time(s) when I wanted a copy to be in the deck was when I was up against humans and they had 2 or more meddling mages (or image copying mage) naming ugin, o-stone, ulamog, and/or spatial Contortion if they see it in our hand. A stirrings finding ballista could singlehandedly remove those mages and a single ping clears images, and let us play the board wipes in our hand that were stuck there. For this reason alone I will go back to a single ballista to fetch off of sanctum or to hit off of stirrings. But I'm just not sure two copies is what we want, the card as a threat is just significantly weaker than wurm, Karn, ugin, or ulamog and the latter cards closed out every game perfectly fine.

The promised end was easily the least impactful sideboard card over the wekeend. Especially given my 3 ulamogs, chaining them or casting one on turn 4 was powerful enough against ad naus, storm, and kci that I really don't think a slot in the board is all that necessary with s 3 ulamog build. What I'm thinking of doing moving forward is cutting the emrakul and running a SB of 3x thrag, 3x TKS, 3x claim, 2x spatial, 2x surgical, 1x wail, and moving one of the 2 dismembers to the side to make room for the 1 ballista copy. 2 relics feels really important for cantripping into a 4th tronland by turn 4-5 for ulamog casting.

The bridgevine deck seems pretty well positioned against us, and I agree that I don't think there's much to be done to improve the matchup. I would rather hope to dodge it than go up to 3 surgicals just for that matchup; we just need to hope another meta deck keeps bridgevine from becoming very prominent.

That's interesting. I'm still on 3 Ballista and it feels fantastic in the online meta. Todd Stevens actually played 4 this weekend which was a great call with all the Humans running around. I think it just goes to show how in flux the meta is right now and you just sorta have to feel it out and choose what you want to hedge against that day.

I do like the 3 Ulamog plan if you're expecting a lot of control and combo.

I've got some matchups I've been working on to expand my own sideboard guide for my 75, and would like some input and help. The matchups I will be posting are incomplete and I've got some cards I'm uncertain on. For each matchup I'm wondering what you would do differently, and how you would side this 75 against the opponent. These notes were made by me without anything to use/compare for reference because they are not tier 1 decks, please inform me of mistakes!

Here is the 75:


Bridgevine:
IN: 2xSurgical, 1xWail
OUT: 1xDismember, 2xKarn

This is what I've got so far. What do you guys think of removing Karn entirely for Thragrusk (more creatures to remove bridge from their yard). I haven't played against the deck much at all.

Bring to Light:
IN: 1xWail, 3xTKS
OUT: 1xBallista, 1x Dismember

I don't think surgical is doing as much here as it is against Titanshift. I didn't see a reason to bring in claims but I could be wrong there. Would you guys take out Ostone or ugin for the remaining OUT cards?

Titan Breach:
IN: 3xClaim, 3xTKS
OUT: 1xDismember, 1xBallista, 2xRelic, 2xUgin

From the sideboard the cards I'm unsure about are wail and surgical, ostone seems medium but is a good answer to them breaching a creature.

Smallpox/8 Rack:
IN: 1xWail, 3xThrag, 3xClaim
OUT: 3xUlamog, 1xDismember, 1-2x Ugin

What about TKS? Seems good to lower our curve but it's also a bit of a liability to smallpox and Liliana.

Taking Turns:
IN: 1xWail, 3xTKS, 2xSurgical,3xClaim
OUT: 1xBallista, 2xRelic??, 3xWurm, 1xDismember

What about ugin here? He isn't wiping much from the board but he closes games out really fast and does it even if we are tapped down.

Saheeli+Felidar:
IN: 3xClaim, 1xWail, 1xDismember
OUT: 2xRelic, 4xKarn, some # of Ulamog

What about spatial and TKS here? Not sure how id make room if I wanted them.

Grishoalbrand:
IN: 2xSurgical, 1xWail, 3xTKS
OUT: 1xDismember, 1xBallista, 2xUgin

Same thing as Titan Breach, not sure on whether o-stone is the next cut.

UR Wizards:
IN: 3xClaim, 1xWail, 2xSpatial, 3xThrag
OUT: 1xDismember, 4xKarn, 3xUlamog

This seems close to ideal, what's my last cut(s)?

Naya Zoo:
IN: 3xClaim, 1xWail, 2xSpatial, 3xThrag
OUT: 4xKarn, 2xRelic, 3xUlamog

What about dismembers here? Loss of life is a pain, but cast on a turn 1 threat could save quite a bit of health from multiple swings.

Bant Eldrazi:
IN: 1xDismember, 3xClaim, 3xThrag, 2xSpatial
OUT: 2xUgin, 2xRelic, 1xBall, 4xKarn??

Im not sold on spatial, and I'm also unsure I want TKS against RG Eldrazi or Bant, because they have smasher and exalted TKS. Speaking of RG Eldrazi, how would you side against that? I'm thinking all ulamogs need to come out to hedge against obligator.

Grixis Control:
IN: 3xThrag, 1xDismember
OUT: 4xOstone

Is there anything to take out for TKS? Any need for claim?

8 Whack (goblins):
IN: 3xThrag, 1xWail, 2xSpatial, 3xClaim, 3xTKS
OUT: 2xRelic, 4xKarn, 3xUlamog, 1xBreaker??

Once again unsure about TKS and dismember.

UB Mill:
IN: 3xTKS, 2xSurgical, 1xWail
OUT: ???

I'm pretty certain of what i want to bring in, but what about claims for more artifact removal? Are Ostones enough? Do you side into more than 60 cards, or stay at 60? Dismember, good or bad? Wurmcoil, ballista, and relic seem like the first to be cut.

These obscure matchups don't get discussed often so I'm looking for anything and everything you guys can offer. My local area has just about every modern deck under the sun so I like to be prepared against as high a percentage of the field as possible. I do like running as many copies of Ulamog as I can post-board against decks that do not stop us from getting to 10 mana by turn 4/5.

I'm gonna be afk for about a week starting tomorrow morning so I can only skim that. For Bridgevine I would say definitely cut all 4 Karns for Tusks. Mill - just sign the slip and go do something else. Nah, it's not quite that bad but it's pretty close. It was like 50/50 before they started playing Surgical Extractions maindeck but now that they do it's very difficult because they can take you off Tron so easily and they can still end the game quickly.

I discovered this forum last night and I've never been happier. I finally feel home. Hello everyone

Here is the list I have been having a lot of success with lately at tournaments. I have frequently Top-8'd with it at IQs and PPTQs. Some of my card choices: Platinum Angel - a hedge against the worse matchups game 1, like burn and infect. 3 Ballista - another hedge against the go wide decks, having more sources of pinging has helped me. 0 dismembers main - I have no idea what to cut for some maindeck removal, maybe an Ugin because the format is extremely fast right now. Urza's Factory - in grindy matchups, dead draws late game turn into 2/2's. Helpful chump blockers against agro decks, and late game pressure against control. This card has won me many games because people don't expect it/forget about it.

Life from the loam - allows you to get back multiple utility lands, and costs 1 less than Crucible so against FoR on the draw it can be very helpful. I could see myself swapping it out. Warping Wail - Some of the harder to interact with decks, like living end and storm, can help you counter something (maybe). The exile effect is also very relevant. Emrakul is obviously for the control matchups (and storm). Taking over their turn is game over.

My main issue is trying to fit a dismember in. I really don't want to cut the angel: it is so helpful in some of the worst matchups game 1. I am prepping for the team open in dallas.

Another PPTQ, another loss in the quarterfinals in the top 8. The top 8 was atrocious for tron, 2 infect, ponza(ish), devoted vizier company, grixis control, modular affinity, grixis death shadow. I got turn 3 combo'd both games 1 and 3 against vizier company. :/

Did happen to go undefeated and double ID into the top 8 in a 71 person PPTQ, coming out first overall in standings. Decks I beat:

1) Jeskai Control
2) Ad Nauseum
3) Boggles
4) Modular Affinity
5) Grixis Control
6) ID
7) ID

Well, thanks for the link! I have been testing a lot and am almsot locked into Tron for SCG Dallas. I have an updated list that I think should serve me well this weekend. My team and I arrive Friday and are hoping to do well. again, thanks for all the input in this thread, and I'll get my list posted shortly. Would love the feed back.

Quote from Henkie »

Fellow Tron players, I see a lot of questions about mulligans with Tron but there are not many resources online. I've started something that could become a series if it's popular and I have enough time.

Follow this link to see the first episode on a discussion on mulligans with our beloved deck:
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/modern-community/797229-tron-mulligan-strategy

I won't list my accomplishments over the past 5 years with our deck here. Not only because they're mediocre, but also because that's not the point. I offer my view on the hand in question, but ultimately the idea is that we all weigh in and learn from each other's perspective. There are many hands that I'd love to hear your opinion on, as I'm sure I don't mulligan perfectly. The link is to a different thread, so we don't clutter this one with the discussion but instead keep it centralised.

Mulliganing and Sideboard discussions are things I really enjoy, getting other people's perspective/knowledge/experience on a deck/format/matchup is super helpful. I definitely feel like there's not enough of this discussion out there, and would prefer to pick others' brains and learn from their experience than only have my own ideas and opinions to draw from. I think it's a part of what makes improvement and growth as a player; it broadens your 'field of view', for lack of a better term. When you learn about lines or strategies from someone else, you incorporate that knowledge into your own "memory warehouse". I love that stuff.

What happens to this deck when Ancient Stirrings gets banned?

Can we simply replace them with Oath of Nissa or is that card too much worse because it only digs 3 deep and doesn't hit any of our artifacts?

Well, of course it's not a foregone conclusion that Stirrings will be banned anytime soon or ever. I would be quite surprised if that happened anytime soon. But it's better to have that discussion in the other thread.

IF it happened though, my assumption is that the deck becomes a good deal worse but is still Tier 2, if you just swap Stirrings for Oath. That's the obvious first configuration to look at. There may well be something better but I don't see much point in trying to brainstorm that now. In any event I think the deck would become another one of the many playable but medium decks in the format.

I believe talks of bannings is against the forum rules. There is a dedicated forum for that.

I cut worldbreaker from the main to the side and put in a dismember. I still don't want to cut plat angel. Ended up shaving a wail from the side, and replaced loam for crucible, had a discussion with some buddies and loam is cute but crucible is better. I disagree because g2 they are bringing in artifact hate as well as land hate, and loam doesn't fall to artifact hate like crucible. But I will try it for Dallas.

And oppositions to cutting WB from the main?

Quote from Abzanleap »

I believe talks of bannings is against the forum rules. There is a dedicated forum for that.

I cut worldbreaker from the main to the side and put in a dismember. I still don't want to cut plat angel. Ended up shaving a wail from the side, and replaced loam for crucible, had a discussion with some buddies and loam is cute but crucible is better. I disagree because g2 they are bringing in artifact hate as well as land hate, and loam doesn't fall to artifact hate like crucible. But I will try it for Dallas.

And oppositions to cutting WB from the main?

I think crucible is better right now, and I also wouldn't bring it in against decks with targeted artifact hate outside of ponza. I don't think I want crucible against Jund or jeskai control (only 2 fields, wear/tear in the side). But I really really like crucible against UW control and lantern, and GX/U tron. Where are you guys siding in crucible? Against decks like GW CoCo and Death & Taxes I'm not really a fan becauee we are already lowering the curve with TKS and thrags. I mostly put it back in the board for UW, I feel it gives some legitimate percentage points in the matchup. Recur sanctum, canopy, tronlands, and GQ. I actually had a match on MODO against UW where I recurred GQ so many times I took them completely off of blue. It was glorious.

I was one that tried without ballista main and I would strongly advise against it right now. Humans is on the upswing and will be a top 3 deck in the format for the immediate future, and ballista with tron mana is nothing short of stellar there. Ballista is an insane card against bridgevine, taking out their 1 toughness creatures and emptying bridges from their yard. I think two maindeck is the correct number at the moment.

Quote from Abzanleap »

I believe talks of bannings is against the forum rules. There is a dedicated forum for that.

I cut worldbreaker from the main to the side and put in a dismember. I still don't want to cut plat angel. Ended up shaving a wail from the side, and replaced loam for crucible, had a discussion with some buddies and loam is cute but crucible is better. I disagree because g2 they are bringing in artifact hate as well as land hate, and loam doesn't fall to artifact hate like crucible. But I will try it for Dallas.

And oppositions to cutting WB from the main?

Probably shouldn't cut World Breaker when UW Control is tier 1.

I have preferred Loam in recent times, though I haven't played either in quite a while. It's better than Crucible against BGx because they can't remove it by discard (you can dredge it back) or destroy it, as alluded to. It's better against UW as well because their counters basically just suspend it for a turn and again, they can't remove it like Crucible. Loam is the more resilient of the 2 cards which effectively do the same thing. The advantage that Crucible has, of course, is the ability to Stirrings for it.

Not completely, just the main, unless that is what you were talking about. I am trying to figure out my favorite config for dallas

I don't see anything wrong with moving WB to the side if you want to hedge against other matchups G1, but I wouldn't do that personally.