@Jenn Yeah, Bow of Nylea is really good once it’s out for a turn, but it really sucks drawing a second and doesn’t truly advance our game plan, which is why I stick to 1. It’s good to hear someone else is using it to relative success. Up until now, I was the only data point (speaking of data, I haven’t forgotten about the analysis on your wins/neutrals that I owe you).
@Cotemok Nahiri Emrakul too slow? Nahiri ults two turns after she hits and can also be a prime piece of removal for threatening creatures, enchantments, and some artifacts. And the list you posted is far more passive, running Leylines and removal in place, which leads to a slower game plan. I don’t see anything that would make it more aggressive. Also, I’d recommend replacing the Dissolves with either Supreme Will (which you have 1) or Disallow, which is more versatile.
Also, I’d change up the mana base. Cut down two or three terramorphic expanses for some more basics. Also, cut black entirely. Dismember is your only maindeck black card but you run 4 black sources and your sideboard only has 3 black cards, it really isn’t worth it.
Lastly, you cut down to 7 cascade effects instead of 8. Any reason? I see the three As Foretold, but do you expect to draw into your balances often enough for those to be justified?
- I'm with you on mainboard Leylines (though I run 3). I think the card just hoses a lot of decks and helps in some problem matchups. That being said, I'm still in the middle of my 50 matches mainboard/50 side test, so hopefully soon I'll have some data to back up my mainboard leylines.
- I think Dissolve is an interesting choice. While I personally prefer Supreme Will for the card draw mode, I see the appeal of Dissolve's scry over Disallow.
- Honestly, I think trying to be aggressive isn't the right path for this deck. Yes, Modern is a fast format that rewards being proactive, but when we can't do anything for the first two turns except cast borderposts (SSG shenanigans aside), trying to be aggressive is an uphill battle. RB is a deck that wants to be played slowly, wiping away your opponent's resources and slowly building a lock until you can slam a finisher. Also, I'm with epoa that Nahiri is plenty fast/effective.
I have missed a fair bit too apparently. I two have been a firm believer in taking the more controlling build and not being an aggressor for. One of the worst parts of us bring aggressive is that all of our creatures lose to path. Which is as you may know is one mana. Sadly I just don't it's a reliable way to win, where if we can control and play things like Monastery Siege to protect our creatures and walkers we can win more comfortably with Taxes and control. My list is listed below I decided to cut black a while ago but I have considered going back to it if I can ever cut another color for it offers hate and removal but I have not found it viable yet.
i have to learn how to make a list still. it's pretty close to timota right now, but i'm still rocking 4 guides. i've gone down to three, but i feel like they give us the best turn 2 when we don't hit a second post or the beloved gargadon. if we can't do a turn 3 complete reset when needed, guiding out a siege on turn 2 for protection seems good, as does having the ability to cascade on their attack or end of turn. durdling for both the first two turns have caused me to like the zest SSG brings.
the failure//comply looks sweet. i've tried dead//gone lately and found it either really good 20% of the time or completely *****e the others.
i'm still on the fence about bow and Trials, but i haven't resolved a bow yet and i board trials a lot of the time since i don't know what to board out often. i moved the leylines to board, but i think in any meta with heavy doses of hand disruption or burn it's extremely viable. i've been on a 2/3 split siege/will but i think i'd rather be able to t2 siege more often, so with the guides still in that's probably where i lean.
i still haven't moved on from scales. i actually cut blood moons to try and streamline the effort, same reason i moved leylines to side. i find scales out of board relevant in many matches, although running 1 might be plenty if i stay on the experiment.
I've been playing the deck for a bit and just recently found this primer so I figured I would post my list and see if anyone could give me some recommendations on how to improve it further.
I looked at @Timota's list and liked the idea of Odds // Ends in the sideboard and Thassa in the main.
Odds seems especially spicy against Storm if you happen to flip tails.
Hi everyone, I know I'm late to the party but I love restore balance and its cool to see all the different variations that are out there. Right now I have a pretty budget list on MTGO that I've played with for a year or so and am just about to get a slightly different list in paper. Ghostly Prison and Siege look good and I'm testing siege. Any thoughts on Ajani Vengeant vs Nahiri. Ajani seems better at locking down an opponent even if they get a land out and seems especially good in a Tron heavy meta since it can tap down a Tower forever.
Nahiri 100%. She's hard removal (whereas I'd call Ajani's +1 soft removal). She draws us cards to help find our cascaders/RBs. And she's an actual win con. Ajani probably won't be winning the game on his own.
I agree 100% with @jenncertainty on Nahiri.
We already have so many ways to slow down our opponent, instead, what we really need is a solid threat and Nahiri+Emrakul can be that.
@CCBM I like the list. I wanna go back to running the mana monkey but I just haven't felt the need for it immensely. Also I have played great Thassa since day one and still love the inclusion. She has been on of my main tutor targets, with both tutor packages. Also the Odds//Ends has been awesome against storm, control and scapeshift. The copy has been truly incredible for more than one reason.
Also what is everyone's thoughts on Realease to the Wind. This is the 2U instant that exiles and none land permanent. It can be recast from exile with out paying its mana cost. Is this too cute or could this be a valuable way to flicker creatures for a Balance or with Ardent Plea to rebalance? Also not to flood the feed but there's been a thought that's been plaguing my brain lately what colors could be viable if we didn't use Violent Outburst. I understand this is one of the best cards in our arsenal but does black offer enough value to cut green,or white. Those are the two I've considered the most are there any other colors that we could cut?
TLDR: I think black has some very good cards to offer but is it worth dropping a color if so what color?
If you're intending to keep 8ish cascade effects, aren't you going to be in four colours mostly anyway?
Violent Outburst GR and Demonic Dread RB leave you in Jund, but you'll have Restore Balance's suspend cost for W still.
What does Restore Balance look like in Jund anyway? Kolaghan's Commands, Maelstrom Pulses, Liliana of the veils, looking to win with Gargadons and Nihiliths? 4 Veinfire, 4 Firewild, and 2 Wildfield borderposts?
Edit: Oops. I misread your intention as dropping to 3 colours, rather than swapping an existing colour for black.
Another problem with dropping green or white for demonic dread is that it needs to target a creature. If you are playing against a deck that doesn't need them to win such as storm, tron, U/W control, or bogles, you are at a big disadvantage by only having 4 cascade effects that you can consistently use. Both storm and bogles can kill on turn 4 very consistently especially against a deck with such little interaction while tron has turn 3 Karn. Cascade is our best way to win and losing the ability to do that consistently on turn 3 or 4 seems like a bad idea.
TLDR: Demonic dread is pretty bad against decks that don't need creatures to win. We need Violent Outburst and Ardent Plea.
I agree with @KillerTV, Demonic Dread is just a really bad card against so many decks.
In terms of color combinations, WURG seems to be where we really want to be for this deck.
5 Color Humans is a nightmare match up for Restore Balance because of Meddling Mage. What do you all think about Dead//Gone? This card may have already been discussed but it seems like a very good sideboard card against humans. Does that make it worth playing since it could also be effective against aggro decks like burn or affinity?
5 Color Humans is a nightmare match up for Restore Balance because of Meddling Mage. What do you all think about Dead//Gone? This card may have already been discussed but it seems like a very good sideboard card against humans. Does that make it worth playing since it could also be effective against aggro decks like burn or affinity?
Having a Shock-like card isn't too bad since it costs considerably less than Anger. It's certainly a consideration if your meta is absolutely full of that matchup.
I just might have to try it out in my Sideboard and see how well it works out.
i've been toying with dead//gone and failure//comply in a variety of splits, 3 slots total. in doing so i gave up on harambes(SSG) and moons. too hard to cram in everything good.
i still have yet to find bow useful. i haven't cut mistveil yet. surgical is one of the horrible cards for us.
moved leylines to side, but discard is just a raping and there's a decent amount of burn at my shop so that might not be right. liking the sieges tho for versatility and permanent protection
Should we be playing Chalice of The Void in non-budget Restore Balance lists? It seems really good against Burn, targeted discard, and Surgical Extraction and doesn't hit anything in our deck.
Should we be playing Chalice of The Void in non-budget Restore Balance lists? It seems really good against Burn, targeted discard, and Surgical Extraction and doesn't hit anything in our deck.
It ruins any version with cascade, so no, we shouldn't be running it.
@Cotemok Nahiri Emrakul too slow? Nahiri ults two turns after she hits and can also be a prime piece of removal for threatening creatures, enchantments, and some artifacts. And the list you posted is far more passive, running Leylines and removal in place, which leads to a slower game plan. I don’t see anything that would make it more aggressive. Also, I’d recommend replacing the Dissolves with either Supreme Will (which you have 1) or Disallow, which is more versatile.
Also, I’d change up the mana base. Cut down two or three terramorphic expanses for some more basics. Also, cut black entirely. Dismember is your only maindeck black card but you run 4 black sources and your sideboard only has 3 black cards, it really isn’t worth it.
Lastly, you cut down to 7 cascade effects instead of 8. Any reason? I see the three As Foretold, but do you expect to draw into your balances often enough for those to be justified?
- I'm with you on mainboard Leylines (though I run 3). I think the card just hoses a lot of decks and helps in some problem matchups. That being said, I'm still in the middle of my 50 matches mainboard/50 side test, so hopefully soon I'll have some data to back up my mainboard leylines.
- I think Dissolve is an interesting choice. While I personally prefer Supreme Will for the card draw mode, I see the appeal of Dissolve's scry over Disallow.
- Honestly, I think trying to be aggressive isn't the right path for this deck. Yes, Modern is a fast format that rewards being proactive, but when we can't do anything for the first two turns except cast borderposts (SSG shenanigans aside), trying to be aggressive is an uphill battle. RB is a deck that wants to be played slowly, wiping away your opponent's resources and slowly building a lock until you can slam a finisher. Also, I'm with epoa that Nahiri is plenty fast/effective.
[Primer] Dralnu Control/Reanimator BU
[Primer] Jolrael, Empress of Beasts GG
Nath Stax BG | Borborygmos Enraged RG | Ladies of Magic UGW | Aminatou Control UWB | Enduring Ideal Zedruu UWR | Momir Vig Combo UG
Modern
Restore Balance RWUG
Kiki Chord RWG
https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/restoring-modern/
the failure//comply looks sweet. i've tried dead//gone lately and found it either really good 20% of the time or completely *****e the others.
i'm still on the fence about bow and Trials, but i haven't resolved a bow yet and i board trials a lot of the time since i don't know what to board out often. i moved the leylines to board, but i think in any meta with heavy doses of hand disruption or burn it's extremely viable. i've been on a 2/3 split siege/will but i think i'd rather be able to t2 siege more often, so with the guides still in that's probably where i lean.
i still haven't moved on from scales. i actually cut blood moons to try and streamline the effort, same reason i moved leylines to side. i find scales out of board relevant in many matches, although running 1 might be plenty if i stay on the experiment.
good luck restoring the balance you sexy *****es
I looked at @Timota's list and liked the idea of Odds // Ends in the sideboard and Thassa in the main.
Odds seems especially spicy against Storm if you happen to flip tails.
4x Violent Outburst
4x Ardent Plea
4x Restore Balance
Creatures
4x Greater Gargadon
1x Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3x Simian Spirit Guide
1x Thassa, God of the Sea
Lands
4x Terramorphic Expanse
1x Forest
2x Evolving Wilds
2x Island
3x Mountain
2x Plains
4x Fieldmist Borderpost
4x Firewild Borderpost
2x Wildfield Borderpost
Other Spells
2x As Foretold
3x Beast Within
3x Leyline of Sanctity
2x Supreme Will
1x Blood Moon
Planeswalker
1x Gideon of the Trials
3x Nahiri, the Harbinger
2x Anger of the Gods
1x Bow of Nylea
1x Blood Moon
2x Ghostly Prison
1x Keranos, God of Storms
1x Odds // Ends
1x Ravenous Trap
2x Ricochet Trap
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
3x Wear // Tear
List on TappedOut
[Primer] Dralnu Control/Reanimator BU
[Primer] Jolrael, Empress of Beasts GG
Nath Stax BG | Borborygmos Enraged RG | Ladies of Magic UGW | Aminatou Control UWB | Enduring Ideal Zedruu UWR | Momir Vig Combo UG
Modern
Restore Balance RWUG
Kiki Chord RWG
We already have so many ways to slow down our opponent, instead, what we really need is a solid threat and Nahiri+Emrakul can be that.
TLDR: I think black has some very good cards to offer but is it worth dropping a color if so what color?
Violent Outburst GR and Demonic Dread RB leave you in Jund, but you'll have Restore Balance's suspend cost for W still.
What does Restore Balance look like in Jund anyway? Kolaghan's Commands, Maelstrom Pulses, Liliana of the veils, looking to win with Gargadons and Nihiliths? 4 Veinfire, 4 Firewild, and 2 Wildfield borderposts?
Edit: Oops. I misread your intention as dropping to 3 colours, rather than swapping an existing colour for black.
TLDR: Demonic dread is pretty bad against decks that don't need creatures to win. We need Violent Outburst and Ardent Plea.
In terms of color combinations, WURG seems to be where we really want to be for this deck.
Having a Shock-like card isn't too bad since it costs considerably less than Anger. It's certainly a consideration if your meta is absolutely full of that matchup.
I just might have to try it out in my Sideboard and see how well it works out.
i still have yet to find bow useful. i haven't cut mistveil yet. surgical is one of the horrible cards for us.
moved leylines to side, but discard is just a raping and there's a decent amount of burn at my shop so that might not be right. liking the sieges tho for versatility and permanent protection
It ruins any version with cascade, so no, we shouldn't be running it.
i dislike the permanent aspect of such an answer, but i've struggled to find anything else that really stymies surgical