MTG Salvation

I have not. Sometimes I've considered a 3-1 split, but never actually tested it. I really love Serum Visions!

I agree in the assessment that serum visions is a better card overall. I just think that opportunity cost of an instant speed cantrip can elevate the deck in terms of what the mana represents in the early turns, and snap+opt seem pretty good.

I think it will be good depending on the metagame, is not as versatile as rejection but it gives you more time act, but in the end it will depend if you are facing more karns/ugins or TKS/Smasher.

Being able to remove ulamog hardly counts as an upside in my books. I know this doesn't come as a surprise to anyone, but the MU is won or lost depending on whether we manage to disrupt their mana or not. Maybe if the metagame was flooded with e-tron and affinity I'd consider playing the card. Right now though there is hardly any eldrazi running around (what a blessing).

Seems to me like I watch a lot of matches/streaming against tron, so why aren't we lumping them all into the same slot and playing more things that deal with lands like spreading seas? Even though tron might not be considered a large percent of the meta I think that number becomes a lot higher when you add together all of the decks using tron lands plus scapeshift or other land based combo. We really should be playing spreading seas, it's a hard argument to add too many field/ghost quarter effects though because of the shard mana base.

Do cards like seas get the same response from most people that it isn't instant speed? The only real similiarities between decklists, especially Corey's, are that people think playing at instant speed is better than using all of the cards we have access to. I think that way of thinking only helps when playing against control which we have at least an even if not a good matchup against depending on how you build your deck and sideboard. Liliana is an absolute nightmare against control and I don't see why we don't have more people playing her in grixis.

And why isn't anyone playing angler anymore? Have most people shifted over to death's shadow variants? I've thought about playing it in the sideboard, but is there anybody out there thinking this deck needs more threats?

I want this to be good.

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SPOILER FROM M19
https://imgur.com/a/RzfFRzq

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Thought-Knot Seer is good because you get to pick the card. This card is not as good. As a comparison, look at how many decks play Thoughtseize compared to Raven's Crime or Funeral Charm.

This version of Bolas seems like the type of card that R&D thinks will be powerful enough to affect Modern, but doesn't fit in the deck it would naturally fit into (Grixis Control). I don't say that to be a cynical prick, because they've gotten significantly better at printing cards that actually work in Modern. If he had flash or hexproof and the flip wasn't restricted to sorcery speed, then he'd playable, but he'd also potentially dominate Standard (a traditionally slower format where the 7 mana flip at sorcery speed is fair and balanced).

And his planeswalker side is sweet! I really want to play him. +2 to draw two cards? That would feel so f***ing good. I'll never get to do it in Modern, but I appreciate that whoever does is going to have a good time.

It just really hurts that Jeskai got Teferi and we keep getting 7+ mana planeswalkers in Grixis Colours.

If we're going to play something 4 mana we already have so many better options like Kalitas or Olivia Voldaren. I really like thundermaw helkite and torrential gearhulk as well. Is there anyone agreeing with the whisperings that teferi is better than JTMS in modern? Personally I don't think so, but I love to hear people's opinions. It has really been interesting how all I am hearing recently is that Jace doesn't do anything and that he was supposed to be so broken but he ended up being fine. I also haven't seen lists with more than 2 copies of Jace ever, when he was unbanned I tried him out as a 4 of and I think he does a lot of things great.

Teferi is better than Jace specifically in modern because he untaps 2 lands. Jace does not, so the problem is that you have no protection when you put him down. 4 of Jace is redundant and you lose to the more aggressive decks because you have to Mulligan for cheap answers.

4 Jace, 4 command is completely terrible at the moment if you consider your aggressive match ups and decks that go wide like mardu get rid of your hand proactively.

I don't really see the point of lamenting how Grixis doesn't have access to Teferi. Grixis is already in a great spot in this metagame! As for the new Bolas card, it looks sweet and strong enough in fair MUs, but also completely replaceable by other 4-drops like Kalitas, Jace, Olivia Voldaren, P&K Nalaar etc.

My local meta has a lot of jeskai control, and after playing against the new teferi versions, I’m convinced we are solid favorites in the matchup. Having to commit 5 mana on your turn is a huge liability in blue mirrors, and jeskai opponents are almost never safe in playing it.

I think in general, people get caught up looking for haymakers in grixis, and it’s just not necessary. Kommand loops alone give grixis a better end game then every deck in the format except tron, so there is no real reason to dedicate slots to clunky planeswalkers.

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Grixis Control. Loving the deck so far. Is there a reason we don't play Goblin Rabblemaster in the 75? Presents a very fast clock.

Quote from Craigory »

My local meta has a lot of jeskai control, and after playing against the new teferi versions, I’m convinced we are solid favorites in the matchup. Having to commit 5 mana on your turn is a huge liability in blue mirrors, and jeskai opponents are almost never safe in playing it.

I think in general, people get caught up looking for haymakers in grixis, and it’s just not necessary. Kommand loops alone give grixis a better end game then every deck in the format except tron, so there is no real reason to dedicate slots to clunky planeswalkers.

Sorry but I have to disagree that grixis has the best endgame. An artifact based deck using thopter sword combo seems like it might have the edge. I know we might have artifact destruction but we would have to separate between the foundry and ensnaring bridge which means we might run out of options in the endgame. Also blue tron and mindslaver lock is a solid endgame as well.

How does everyone think about the control mirror as far as: do you build your deck to be good versus control, or do you put cards in your sideboard? Honestly I try to build good versus aggro and put a couple more threats in the sideboard. Sometimes it might be best to ignore the matchup? Is liliana still the best planeswalker ever? If she's not then Jace is right?

Hey guys I'm new to this forum and just wanted to share my decklist. I previously played Grixis Delver but felt like that deck was poorly positioned so I decided to make a Grixis Pyromancer Build. The sideboard is still under construction and would like your input about my list and what I'm doing wrong.

@Gods_Shadow: I always tought that Feuerbach meant "Steam vents", I'm now unsure what it means... Deutsch macht mir Spaß
I've been looking to Modo results as well, and I'm not happy... I was paired against 3 hollow one players yesterday, that matchup is tough..

I'm not having an easy time deciding between 24x25 lands (4 FoR or 3). I'm using 1 young pyromancer and 1 jtms as flex spots. Jace in multiples can be sometimes really clunky, but smashing him into an empty board is still game winning, and often I find myself without any kind of proactivity after stabilizing. I love maindeck explosives. After GP São Paulo I'm going to test out @Tiemuuu's and @Gods_Shadow's brews. Not very confident, but here goes what I'm currently running:

Well, Alpine Moon is going to make life against Valakut, Tron and Eldrazi quite a bit easier without affecting us. Best part is it's a turn 1 play leaving us to hold up interactions turn 2 and onward.

tron lands check sub-type, not the name. it doesnt show on the earlier printings of the card, but check out the 8th edition version. its the reason that spreading seas still shuts off tron.

Quote from TheAlexGnan »

also, fulminator mage is imo just such an insane sideboard card with huge versatility. its not as good against tron and valakut, but it actually puts them down a land, and its just vastly more versatile and good in so many other matchups.

just echoing this sentiment

So, do we need it? My guess is it's good, but not good enough...

@Gods_Shadow: It sure is an interesting language, and thank you

Quote from TheAlexGnan »

hoooold on. it doesnt stop tron. tron lands only check the name, and this doesnt change the name. so, the tronlands you dont name still work.

thats pretty much the last nail in the coffin as far as i'm concerned.

Urza lands don't check name. They check for land type, in the type field you see "Land - Urza's Tower". So if you name tower on turn 1, their other Urza lands will never be able to "find" tower, meaning the whole tron set is switched off.

Yes fulminator mage is very nice, but its still 3 cmc. I cannot be the only one who has run into issues with that on the draw considering tron gets their turn 3 online more often than not, and they have so many ways to tutor or find lands it can feel like swimming against a current. At least with alpine moon they're playing o stone with 3 lands and needing to activate it with 5 - giving us quite a bit more time to find solutions or press them to a low enough life total that it doesn't matter.