Stock lists can be found in the primer. As for Mindslaver vs. Emrakul, the argument is really about consistency vs. power, although these aren't exactly respective. The Mindslaver lock is less mana but requires more cards. Thus, to have it work requires having more than one card. Plus, you generally want two Academy Ruins, so you get to play either less tron lands or less colored sources. I prefer playing less of the latter for some odd reason that I haven't been able to figure out. For Emrakul, you have a lot of direct power and you get to play more colored sources. However, you get into the issue of having to reach 15 mana. With Emrakul, your deck becomes more consistent with colored mana, which is huge because I've tried both Emrakul and the Mindslaver lock, and the colored mana struggle is real with Mindlsaver. TLDR, with Mindslaver you trade off less consistency in your deck for information on your opponent's deck (plus with Mindslaver you get to look at your opponent's sideboard), where as with Emrakul you trade more color consistency in your deck for a much more awkward threat.
Currently, Mindslaver is better, but I would pick up the cards you need for both so you can switch between the two to fight the meta.
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Alright thank you for the information, I didn't even see the part of the guide that went over mindslaver until now but I also appreciate your opinion on the matter and will run a mindslaver version and I might pick up an Emarkul/Eye of Ugin.
I just threw this list together and am going to be testing it on cockatrice
I am very interested in how Thought-Knot Seers preform and I might pick up a few depending on how my local meta shapes up.
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"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
I would make the following changes to this list.
* Make Wurmcoil either TKS or Kozilek, the Great Distortion
* Make the basic Plains an Island
* Make some space for Supreme Verdict, perhaps cutting Sohinx's Rev?
* In conjunction with the former, Sphinx's Rev just isn't good in this deck. It only works in the late game, and while it does drown the opponent in card advantage, it is a super late game card. For X mana payloads, Entreat the Angels is REALLY good.
I do want to try TKS, but I also really like Wurmcoil with Academy Ruins.
Are you saying to change the Plains into an Island? (sidenote what is the best island artwork)
From very minor amounts of playing with the deck I seem to have a problem getting to the correct mana for verdict and I don't want to run another mana trinket, with that being said I will probably change out Revelation with Entreat as the ability to just win with that is greater.
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"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
You want three different wrath effects to be able to Gifts for. Yes I was referring to changing the Plains to an Island. The best artwork is subjective but anything from Time Spiral is gorgeous. You may want to consider Seachrome Coast over the fetches for additional colored sources. Finding the balance of color to colorless can be tricky when you're tinkering with your deck, but once you get the hang of it it's easy.
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Ok, so I just had a really funny game in which the opponent Crumble to Dust both my Towers and Ruins, I won by mindslavering them and resolving gifts during that turn to grab Thirst, Iona, Crucible, and x of which I had them put x and Iona into the gy then I Thirsted the Unburial Rites into the yard and opened the next turn with Iona on white and hard casting Elesh, thank god for long grindy control mirros
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"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
Well GP DC was this weekend and I was able to make some big gains for my deck. Those of you who have read the thread for a while might know that I have foiled it out (mostly). I made some big additions this weekend and wanted to share because I'm so excited.
I'm going to wrap it in spoilers to avoid a ton of pictures in case that slows it down.
I don't have much experience taking photos of foils, but I hope it comes across! It's taken me about 2 years to get to this point, but I love the deck and can't imagine playing something else in modern.
Best Comment made on a card (Cruel Edict)
"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
It looks okay, the only thing a little unorthodox is the Entreat. With a triple White spell, you may want to consider going to 10 Tron lands to give yourself more coloured sources. There are some small choices like Oblivion Ring or MB Kozilek (which I'm not sure if it's good enough for the main), but the cards are all reasonable. I also haven't tested Warping Wail yet, but I think it's fine.
Entreat is never really getting cast from my hand except in a pinch, and I really haven't had issues hitting triple white (I've hardcast Iona without issues). Kozilek is nuts when he hit the board, and I haven't tested Warping Wail enough quite yet but so far all of the modes have been relevant. Even a two mana chump blocker is pretty good in a pinch. What should I remove for a fetch?
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Entreat is never really getting cast from my hand except in a pinch, and I really haven't had issues hitting triple white (I've hardcast Iona without issues). Kozilek is nuts when he hit the board, and I haven't tested Warping Wail enough quite yet but so far all of the modes have been relevant. Even a two mana chump blocker is pretty good in a pinch. What should I remove for a fetch?
It's not just cards like Entreat, it's stuff like Entreat Miracle, Wrath, Supreme Verdict, etc. You're okay with Entreat from hand or Iona because you don't have a real need to cast them early on in the game. When you're talking about casting it on turn 10, you don't care so much about colour requirements. When your goal is to cast WWU on turn 4, then it becomes a problem. You're quite often forced to draw Signet to be able to cast it when half your mana produces no colour. Yours has only 10 coloured lands, which creates this problem for you.
I'm part of a camp now that supports cutting Tron lands for fetches/basics. I think the increase in Ghost Quarter and Blood Moon at the moment make it a better choice. After Eldrazi ban, it might be worth going back, but at the moment, those cards are a lot more heavily played. They're problems for us and this is one way around them. In the current meta, there aren't a lot of matchups that need Tron, and you can often wait for it without too much downside. The 10 Tron land builds cut one Mine and one Power Plant and just add more coloured sources. Generally the two lands gives you enough extra coloured sources. People are much more likely to destroy Tower, which you're also more happy about given you have more copies of it than the others.
Thanks darksteel! I actually only play Warping Wail as a one of. I have no idea why I have it there as a three of. I'll go through my list and go 10 Tron for a fetch and maybe another shock
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Thanks darksteel! I actually only play Warping Wail as a one of. I have no idea why I have it there as a three of. I'll go through my list and go 10 Tron for a fetch and maybe another shock
I play three fetches so I'd probably advocate for you to play two fetches. Your fetches pseudo act as both colours because you can find whatever you need. Especially when your deck doesn't have double blue it's not so bad.
My physical copy has one Eye instead of Sphinx's Rev just because my local meta had an influx of UWR decks that necessitated it the last time I played it in paper (which was when OGW was released).
Is Emrakul performing for you? I think I took Kozilek and the Mindslaver lock over him.
It depends on the meta, mine had a lot of UWR Control so I was much better off playing him. Win conditions for this deck always depend heavily on the meta you expect. What I've always liked about Emrakul is that I can slot him in as a single card to shore up certain slow matchups like UWR Control, so his cost to the deck is relatively low. Compare that with Mindslaver where you might decide to play two Academy Ruins and Crucible, which taxes the deck a lot harder. You may also decide to up the number of Maps as a result.
I'll have to consider picking up an Emrakul to fight control. I like the lock against control because Academy can tutor up the missing Tron lands by resurrecting a Map, and Mindslaver is often game winning because saying "I get to look at your sideboard" makes people snap concede.
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I'll have to consider picking up an Emrakul to fight control. I like the lock against control because Academy can tutor up the missing Tron lands by resurrecting a Map, and Mindslaver is often game winning because saying "I get to look at your sideboard" makes people snap concede.
The thing about the control matchup is that you often need to pressure your win condition. It's why RG Tron is a bad matchup for us, because we often can't win early and their ability to press their win condition is too good against us. When you play against decks that present turn 20 wins, it can be difficult to win if you give them time to get ahead. It's far too easy to interact with Mindslaver from cards like Rest In Peace or Clique that really slow down your game. I will say, Kozilek has been quite good in those matchups, and I've never lost a game I've resolved him (hard cast or reanimated).
Currently, Mindslaver is better, but I would pick up the cards you need for both so you can switch between the two to fight the meta.
I just threw this list together and am going to be testing it on cockatrice
4 Urza's Tower
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
3 Celestial Colonnade
2 Academy Ruins
2 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Plains
1 Snow-Covered Island
1 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Wurmcoil Engine
Instants 19
4 Gifts Ungiven
4 Path to Exile
4 Thirst for Knowledge
3 Remand
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Condescend
1 Spell Burst
1 Repeal
1 Day of Judgment
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Unburial Rites
1 Wrath of God
Artifacts 8
4 Azorius Signet
2 Expedition Map
1 Mindslaver
1 Crucible of Worlds
I am very interested in how Thought-Knot Seers preform and I might pick up a few depending on how my local meta shapes up.
"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
* Make Wurmcoil either TKS or Kozilek, the Great Distortion
* Make the basic Plains an Island
* Make some space for Supreme Verdict, perhaps cutting Sohinx's Rev?
* In conjunction with the former, Sphinx's Rev just isn't good in this deck. It only works in the late game, and while it does drown the opponent in card advantage, it is a super late game card. For X mana payloads, Entreat the Angels is REALLY good.
Are you saying to change the Plains into an Island? (sidenote what is the best island artwork)
From very minor amounts of playing with the deck I seem to have a problem getting to the correct mana for verdict and I don't want to run another mana trinket, with that being said I will probably change out Revelation with Entreat as the ability to just win with that is greater.
"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
I'm going to wrap it in spoilers to avoid a ton of pictures in case that slows it down.
I don't have much experience taking photos of foils, but I hope it comes across! It's taken me about 2 years to get to this point, but I love the deck and can't imagine playing something else in modern.
Ick, its not working well but here's the album link http://imgur.com/a/3EWEI
Modern:
UWUW TronUW
Legacy:
WDeath N TaxesW
CEldrazi C
If you couldn't tell I hate greedy blue decks.
Vintage
WWhite Trash
I wish Snow-Lands were printed with whiteborders.
"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable
"Last words huh? I choose to recite War and Peace from memory..."
— TheHandyman
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Tower
3 Celestial Colonnade
2 Seachrome Coast
2 Academy Ruins
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Snow-Covered Island
3 Expedition Map
4 Path to Exile
4 Azorius Signet
3 Remand
1 Warping Wail
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Wrath of God
1 Day of Judgment
1 Supreme Verdict
4 Gifts Ungiven
1 Unburial Rites
1 Mindslaver
1 Entreat the Angels
1 Repeal
2 Condescend
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Grixis Death's Shadow, Jund, UW Tron, Jeskai Control, Storm, Counters Company, Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, Living End, Infect, Merfolk, Dredge, Ad Nauseam, Amulet, Bogles, Eldrazi Tron, Mono U Tron, Lantern, Mardu Pyromancer
I'm part of a camp now that supports cutting Tron lands for fetches/basics. I think the increase in Ghost Quarter and Blood Moon at the moment make it a better choice. After Eldrazi ban, it might be worth going back, but at the moment, those cards are a lot more heavily played. They're problems for us and this is one way around them. In the current meta, there aren't a lot of matchups that need Tron, and you can often wait for it without too much downside. The 10 Tron land builds cut one Mine and one Power Plant and just add more coloured sources. Generally the two lands gives you enough extra coloured sources. People are much more likely to destroy Tower, which you're also more happy about given you have more copies of it than the others.
Grixis Death's Shadow, Jund, UW Tron, Jeskai Control, Storm, Counters Company, Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, Living End, Infect, Merfolk, Dredge, Ad Nauseam, Amulet, Bogles, Eldrazi Tron, Mono U Tron, Lantern, Mardu Pyromancer
Grixis Death's Shadow, Jund, UW Tron, Jeskai Control, Storm, Counters Company, Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, Living End, Infect, Merfolk, Dredge, Ad Nauseam, Amulet, Bogles, Eldrazi Tron, Mono U Tron, Lantern, Mardu Pyromancer
4 Urza's Tower
3 Urza's Mine
3 Urza's Power Plant
3 Flooded Strand
4 Celestial Colonnade
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Snow-covered Island
1 Ghost Quarter
3 Azorius Signet
1 Talisman of Progress
2 Expedition Map
Creatures: 4
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Snapcaster Mage
Planeswalkers: 1
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Instants: 20
4 Gifts Ungiven
3 Remand
1 Condescend
1 Spell Snare
1 Syncopate
4 Path to Exile
3 Thirst for Knowledge
2 Anticipate
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Wrath of God
1 Day of Judgment
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Unburial Rites
1 Timely Reinforcements
My physical copy has one Eye instead of Sphinx's Rev just because my local meta had an influx of UWR decks that necessitated it the last time I played it in paper (which was when OGW was released).
Grixis Death's Shadow, Jund, UW Tron, Jeskai Control, Storm, Counters Company, Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, Living End, Infect, Merfolk, Dredge, Ad Nauseam, Amulet, Bogles, Eldrazi Tron, Mono U Tron, Lantern, Mardu Pyromancer
Grixis Death's Shadow, Jund, UW Tron, Jeskai Control, Storm, Counters Company, Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, Living End, Infect, Merfolk, Dredge, Ad Nauseam, Amulet, Bogles, Eldrazi Tron, Mono U Tron, Lantern, Mardu Pyromancer
Grixis Death's Shadow, Jund, UW Tron, Jeskai Control, Storm, Counters Company, Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, Living End, Infect, Merfolk, Dredge, Ad Nauseam, Amulet, Bogles, Eldrazi Tron, Mono U Tron, Lantern, Mardu Pyromancer