So, as I mentioned elsewhere, I was super inspired by the UB Delver/Shadow Legacy deck (apparently he didnt drop a match!) at the PT, so pulled out my Insect Boi.
Not sure if this is the place for it, but I went 4-1 last night. RG Eldrazi (2-0), G-Devotion/Tooth and Nail (2-0), Affinity (2-0), RG Breach/Emmy/Worldspine Wurm (0-2) AND KCI (2-0).
Very fun, even a late delver after a Serum got me there against Affinity game 2.
I'm heading to Monday Modern in about an hour and a half.... Might have to give this a whirl. Was tooling around with a grixis thing, but never felt good. I don't have Alpine Moons, how important were they?
Not major I suppose, but you know how we need redundancy against things like Nature's Claim, and World Breaker. Its won me games against Tron, E-Tron, RG-Tron and Valakut.
EDIT: 5-1 with the list, just got UWR Control. Game 1, our Insectile Friend got there with Snap/Bolts (as Garfield intended) game 2 he took while burning THREE paths on a Snapcaster that was killing him, and then TWO bolts to kill my Clique. Sadly, I fell to 5 Secure the Waste Soldiers quickly after. Never found threats or a moon. Game 3, I fought over something I didnt care about on his Turn 3, a Rest in Peace, Remand, he dispels, I crack my fetch to get 3 basic Islands, Opt, and draw a Thing. Turn 4, I moon him (Colonnade, Sulfur Falls and Mountain) and draw Pyromancer . Turn 5, Play Pyro keeping up Negate, Turn 6, Play thing, keeping up Negate, Swing Pyro, EOT flash in Ambush Viper. Turn 7, swing the Team, and he concedes.
Not major I suppose, but you know how we need redundancy against things like Nature's Claim, and World Breaker. Its won me games against Tron, E-Tron, RG-Tron and Valakut.
EDIT: 5-1 with the list, just got UWR Control. Game 1, our Insectile Friend got there with Snap/Bolts (as Garfield intended) game 2 he took while burning THREE paths on a Snapcaster that was killing him, and then TWO bolts to kill my Clique. Sadly, I fell to 5 Secure the Waste Soldiers quickly after. Never found threats or a moon. Game 3, I fought over something I didnt care about on his Turn 3, a Rest in Peace, Remand, he dispels, I crack my fetch to get 3 basic Islands, Opt, and draw a Thing. Turn 4, I moon him (Colonnade, Sulfur Falls and Mountain) and draw Pyromancer . Turn 5, Play Pyro keeping up Negate, Turn 6, Play thing, keeping up Negate, Swing Pyro, EOT flash in Ambush Viper. Turn 7, swing the Team, and he concedes.
Little too late anyway. I went with "grixis pile of cards" tonight just for fun. Got wrecked 0-2 against 5 or 6 Burning inquiries, with one on turn 1 both games. Won 2-0 to lantern thanks to nut draws with Thing in the ice. Wait for round 3 with about half hour left, so I grabbed a smooth local brew Belgian next door.
Tonight reminded me why you should never actually play a fair deck in Modern. Hollow One, Lantern, Dredge, and Martyr Proc. Finished 1-3 only because the Lantern player conceded after losing game 1 and wanted food. Fairly miserable evening.
Yeah thats, about what I would expect. I beat UWR again, lost to Hardened Scales Affinity (with Stirrings, of course) and man that one can be explosive.
EDIT: Aaaaaaaaand now Dredge. With no GY hate, I deserve it but yeah, will need to adjust.
I've dropped the 2 Entrancing Melody, and Negate in the side, for 3 Anger of the Gods. I dont have Extractions anymore (sold a month or so ago) but I dont think we can get away without GY hate right now.
I've dropped the 2 Entrancing Melody, and Negate in the side, for 3 Anger of the Gods. I dont have Extractions anymore (sold a month or so ago) but I dont think we can get away without GY hate right now.
Extractions are bad. If I'm playing black, I'm jamming Leylines or bust. If I'm purely U/R, I like Relics.
You will be 30-70 against Tron with that deck, anyway.
I know. I'm of the opinion that Tron is actually the best deck in the format. People just dont want to admit it and play it themselves. :]
I can see that
Its certainly what I would play if someone put a gun to my head. Thankfully, that isnt an issue.
As to the new BridgeVine. With Anger in the side now, I'm not worried about it. Classic Dredge is a harder match in my opinion as it hits on multiple axis, while the BridgeVine lists seem more 'all in'.
1-2 RG Breach, this time with Woodfall Primus? Painful.
2-0 4C Saheeli (sorry, the Twin dream does not lie with this deck)
1-2 DnT Took a risk Game 3, and got blown out for it.
2-0 Bridgevine.
2-1 Vampire Tribal. Alpine on Cavern of Souls, feels good.
2-0 Bridgevine.
Tweaked my counter suite a bit. 2 Snare, 2 Leak, 4 Remand, 1 Deprive, put a 4th Pyro in the main, with 3 Anger in the side now for the GY stuff.
I've bounced back to a Breach build, going all in on Control/Tempo if I feel the need for games 2 and 3, its been real good, but I dropped Moon out completely and went up to 4 Opt/4 Cryptic/2 Abrade/2 Electrolyze.
Beat Elves, DnT (who I never beat...) Mardu, and Pyro Prison, all 2-0. Feels good.
Across my several weeks of testing (Breach, Moon-Less, PyroVisions, UR Control, and Madcap) GDS was repeatedly one of the worst matches. The disruption/clock was beating, and even if you go for that removal, a quick Stubborn and...thats all you had.
Luckily I got four even to favorable match-ups in the swiss (UR Wizards, UW Control, Jund, Affinity) but was paired to GDS which I indeed see as unfavorable. They go under you, your answers are situational (Remand is good vs delve threats but suck vs DS, Bolt is not really good either), Stubborn Denial is a beating and they can strip away any answer that might line up well. Your best bet is Pia and Kiran Nalaar, Blood Moon can steal a game, and hope they stumble like them having no answer for Thing in the Ice.
The deck runs pretty smooth and because of the gazillion cantrips you are bound to see you 1-of or 2-ofs more often than you should. Thing in the Ice has impressed me, even in its lesser match-ups.
Do you folks side out (or simply not bring in) Thing in control games? Normally I think 'I'll need more threats' but Thing always underwhelms in a control game, even if it is a cheap threat, because they can just 'do nothing' and play lands or cantrip, until eventually fighting a battle they will likely (as they have better removal/counters) win.
I'm not sure but it feels like especially against UW with Terminus, its better to just leave them in the side.
EDIT: Should add, I had take Thing out of my side completely, I dont know why, and got punished hard for it against Affinity, put it back in today, and beat Infect, UW Control (hence the comment on leaving him out, the game I put it in, I lost) and Humans.
Possibly against my better judgement, I ran Kiki Jiki last night with the list below. Short version is 1-2 against E-Tron, 2-0 against elves+green stompy, 2-1 against Infect, and 2-1 against... Infect again.
I lost both Infect games in which I was on the draw. One in spectacularly bad fashion. I'll paint the picture: His T1: Forest, Glistener Elf. My T1: Island, Engineered Explosives for 1. His T2: Cathedral of War, taps Forest for Might of Old Krosa, goes to attack, gets Exalted, double Mutagenic Growth for total of 10 poison on turn 2 with EE on the board.
The other Infect round was won and lost on the backs of Wild Defiance resolving. It resolved game 2 and I lost. I was able to turn 2 Negate it in game 3 and won with Blood Moon + removal/counter lock.
Ironically, I won with Kiki combo every single Game 1, and removed it entirely every single G2/3. Mana was not as much a problem, but I did notice dealing a few extra points of damage could have definitely mattered if I was playing against non-infect aggro.
@cfp, I would go -1 opt, +1 roast or abrade.
Everything else seems great.
How were 3 kiki jikis, would you prefer 2 or 3 is the right number?
I could probably do with the extra Roast, but the Opts help find the combo. I ran the third Kiki to give it at least the same consistency as Breach did (which ran either 3/3 or 4/3 split). This split gives me 5/3, but the 5 pieces have added utility. With only 2 Kiki, the combo is horribly unreliable. My general gameplan is to efficiently combo game 1, then switch out to grindy deck G2/3. Basically Twin, just not as good. Since the format is mostly non interactive (or significantly less interactive than it could or should be) I think this is the best bet for this build. I faced 4 decks that ran no meaningful interaction. And against those that do, I turn into Jace/Keranos control and cross my fingers not to die in the first 6 turns.
I'm heading to Monday Modern in about an hour and a half.... Might have to give this a whirl. Was tooling around with a grixis thing, but never felt good. I don't have Alpine Moons, how important were they?
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
EDIT: 5-1 with the list, just got UWR Control. Game 1, our Insectile Friend got there with Snap/Bolts (as Garfield intended) game 2 he took while burning THREE paths on a Snapcaster that was killing him, and then TWO bolts to kill my Clique. Sadly, I fell to 5 Secure the Waste Soldiers quickly after. Never found threats or a moon. Game 3, I fought over something I didnt care about on his Turn 3, a Rest in Peace, Remand, he dispels, I crack my fetch to get 3 basic Islands, Opt, and draw a Thing. Turn 4, I moon him (Colonnade, Sulfur Falls and Mountain) and draw Pyromancer . Turn 5, Play Pyro keeping up Negate, Turn 6, Play thing, keeping up Negate, Swing Pyro, EOT flash in Ambush Viper. Turn 7, swing the Team, and he concedes.
Spirits
Little too late anyway. I went with "grixis pile of cards" tonight just for fun. Got wrecked 0-2 against 5 or 6 Burning inquiries, with one on turn 1 both games. Won 2-0 to lantern thanks to nut draws with Thing in the ice. Wait for round 3 with about half hour left, so I grabbed a smooth local brew Belgian next door.
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
Spirits
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
EDIT: Aaaaaaaaand now Dredge. With no GY hate, I deserve it but yeah, will need to adjust.
Spirits
I've dropped the 2 Entrancing Melody, and Negate in the side, for 3 Anger of the Gods. I dont have Extractions anymore (sold a month or so ago) but I dont think we can get away without GY hate right now.
Spirits
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
I can see that
Its certainly what I would play if someone put a gun to my head. Thankfully, that isnt an issue.
As to the new BridgeVine. With Anger in the side now, I'm not worried about it. Classic Dredge is a harder match in my opinion as it hits on multiple axis, while the BridgeVine lists seem more 'all in'.
1-2 RG Breach, this time with Woodfall Primus? Painful.
2-0 4C Saheeli (sorry, the Twin dream does not lie with this deck)
1-2 DnT Took a risk Game 3, and got blown out for it.
2-0 Bridgevine.
2-1 Vampire Tribal. Alpine on Cavern of Souls, feels good.
2-0 Bridgevine.
Tweaked my counter suite a bit. 2 Snare, 2 Leak, 4 Remand, 1 Deprive, put a 4th Pyro in the main, with 3 Anger in the side now for the GY stuff.
Spirits
Beat Elves, DnT (who I never beat...) Mardu, and Pyro Prison, all 2-0. Feels good.
Spirits
Tough one for sure.
Spirits
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Thing in the Ice
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
Spells:
1 Anger of the Gods
4 Opt
4 Serum Visions
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Cryptic Command
4 Remand
1 Spell Snare
2 Electrolyze
2 Abrade
2 Blood Moon
Planeswalkers:
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Lands:
7 Island
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Flooded Strand
3 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
1 Mountain
2 Dispel
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Young Pyromancer
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Izzet Staticaster
2 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Roast
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Logic Knot
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
Luckily I got four even to favorable match-ups in the swiss (UR Wizards, UW Control, Jund, Affinity) but was paired to GDS which I indeed see as unfavorable. They go under you, your answers are situational (Remand is good vs delve threats but suck vs DS, Bolt is not really good either), Stubborn Denial is a beating and they can strip away any answer that might line up well. Your best bet is Pia and Kiran Nalaar, Blood Moon can steal a game, and hope they stumble like them having no answer for Thing in the Ice.
The deck runs pretty smooth and because of the gazillion cantrips you are bound to see you 1-of or 2-ofs more often than you should. Thing in the Ice has impressed me, even in its lesser match-ups.
I'm not sure but it feels like especially against UW with Terminus, its better to just leave them in the side.
EDIT: Should add, I had take Thing out of my side completely, I dont know why, and got punished hard for it against Affinity, put it back in today, and beat Infect, UW Control (hence the comment on leaving him out, the game I put it in, I lost) and Humans.
Spirits
I lost both Infect games in which I was on the draw. One in spectacularly bad fashion. I'll paint the picture: His T1: Forest, Glistener Elf. My T1: Island, Engineered Explosives for 1. His T2: Cathedral of War, taps Forest for Might of Old Krosa, goes to attack, gets Exalted, double Mutagenic Growth for total of 10 poison on turn 2 with EE on the board.
The other Infect round was won and lost on the backs of Wild Defiance resolving. It resolved game 2 and I lost. I was able to turn 2 Negate it in game 3 and won with Blood Moon + removal/counter lock.
Ironically, I won with Kiki combo every single Game 1, and removed it entirely every single G2/3. Mana was not as much a problem, but I did notice dealing a few extra points of damage could have definitely mattered if I was playing against non-infect aggro.
1x Cascade Bluffs
1x Desolate Lighthouse
4x Flooded Strand
7x Island
1x Mountain
4x Scalding Tarn
3x Steam Vents
2x Sulfur Falls
Instant (22)
3x Cryptic Command
2x Electrolyze
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Opt
4x Remand
2x Spell Snare
4x Serum Visions
Enchantment (3)
2x Blood Moon
Creature (7)
2x Deceiver Exarch
3x Pestermite
3x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
4x Snapcaster Mage
1x Abrade
1x Anger of the Gods
2x Dispel
1x Engineered Explosives
1x Entrancing Melody
1x Izzet Staticaster
2x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1x Keranos, God of Storms
1x Negate
1x Roast
2x Surgical Extraction
1x Vendilion Clique
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
1 Desolate Lighthouse
4 Flooded Strand
4 Scalding Tarn
7 Island
1 Mountain
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
//Draw
4 Opt
4 Serum Visions
2 Spell Snare
4 Remand
1 Mana Leak
4 Cryptic Command
//Removal
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Abrade
2 Electrolyze
//Snaps
4 Snapcaster Mage
//Breach
3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3 Through the Breach
2 Dispel
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Blood Moon
2 Damping Sphere
3 Thing in the Ice
2 Roast
Spirits
Spirits
-2 Abrade, -2 Electrolyze, -1 Cryptic, -1 Serum.
Bolt/Snap/Bolt, on an empty board, is worth 40% of their life. Maybe I dont shave bolts enough, but I lean on that line all the time.
Spirits
Spirits