I've been on and off 2 Field of Ruin in my Azcanta Queller list; they're not free, especially versus fast aggro decks. They're an option to run, but don't think 2 lands will somehow magically fix the big mana matchups; they'll still be unfavoured.
Relatedly, I just added the Gxtron, Eldrazitron and Storm matchups to the OP
Running Field of Ruin is not something I am against in a Control List. Take Nikolich's Open winning list for example, with 2x Search for Azcanta and 1x Nahiri, the Harbinger, the 1x Desolate Lighthouse becomes a bit redundant with all that other MD selection. Swapping it for a FoR is easy. Then for a 2nd copy we could go +1 FoR -1 spell or -1 dual land +1 FoR. I think the opportunity cost is low for 2 copies and the potential utility high. There is even an argument that 25 lands is a good place to be in control deck wanting to slam a 6-drop fatcaster on time.
Running MD FoR increases the value of any sideboard land hate you run as well, since it would contribute to a certain 'critical mass' that just 2 or 3 copies of Spreading Seas or Molten Rain (for example) in the SB can't so on it's own. 3 seas and 2 FoR though, and who knows, maybe g2 and g3 against tron goes up 10% points? Maybe it doesn't... but the card is good, so it deserves a test IMO.
Control lists need more outs to Big Mana than Tempo, as well, since you can't just t3 Geist + Burn Face + Pray.
Totally agree. It was also "painful" to watch Nicolich and Jones fighting each other's Azcanta with Cryptics to maybe prevent one or two activations.
How do you mean? I loved watching those fights over a simple activation. :]
I'm thinking of dropping my single Nahiri, and maybe the Gearhulk to go with it. Neither have had a huge impact on my games lately, so I'm thinking of going Ajani Vengeant and maybe another Helix (I'm at 2 right now).
I think nahiri is pretty good for board control, but playing 1 naihiri + 1 gearhulk always felt pretty medium to me. Those cards could honestly be anything.
Ajani, secure, more small spells, etc.
I wouldn't consider it too narrow, but its just a real medium card in this deck.
I'm thinking of dropping my single Nahiri, and maybe the Gearhulk to go with it. Neither have had a huge impact on my games lately, so I'm thinking of going Ajani Vengeant and maybe another Helix (I'm at 2 right now).
..always felt that 3 Helix + Ajani is right. Burn/Affinity match-up is much more manageable and it follows the game-plan in a more consistent fashion.
Thats what I was looking at. How many games am I winning just on the back of burning people out, the lovely Bolt/Snap/Bolt on an empty board kind of thing.
Nahiri was not contributing to that at all, and without her, the Gearhulk is just a fat 5th Snaps.
Nahiri is the best disenchant that you never realised you ran in your MD. I think she's undervalued as a value walker.
Having said that, Nahiri + Gearhulk is great but can be readily changed for other cards. Gideon AOZ and Secure the Wastes work nicely as synergistic win-cons and also provide a faster more resilient clock. Jace AoT is another option that Jeskai has forgotten about recently. Or an extra Azcanta and an extra spell. All are fine ways of tailoring those spots.
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Modern Decks
------------ URW Jeskai Control GUWRB Amulet Titan GR Ponza
One field of ruin doesn't seem impactful enough, you definitely want to go 3 or 4 like what Burkhart did with his grixis build, and he upped the land count from 22 to 25. I found the singleton light house pretty strong though.
One field of ruin doesn't seem impactful enough, you definitely want to go 3 or 4 like what Burkhart did with his grixis build, and he upped the land count from 22 to 25. I found the singleton light house pretty strong though.
I like Shaun Mclaren's version that played 4 Tec Edges, 4 Leaks and 2 Ajani Vengeants. He really commited to the mana denial plan.
I think Lighthouse is bad when you're on the Azcanta plan. Because if you have both, Azcanta is just better, and they cost the same to activate. But if you're not playing Azcanta, I think Lighthouse is really good.
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Modern RBWMardu Pyromancer R.I.P. BG The Rock
Commander W Nahiri, the Lithomancer
I worry about going over 24 lands...flooding quite literally is the most tilting thing I experience in game.
Sure but field of ruin also allows you to actually not flood by fetching you a land as well. It acts as disruption and thinning at the same time. That's why it's great
I think it's really become time to start siding some proper gravehate again, there's now too many matchups where cleaning the opponent's GY is very important
Something I've been fooling around with is playing a single Watery Grave and siding Nihil Spellbomb, since hitting your own GY is just so awful and Tormod's Crypt sucks. It was very good at my FNM yesterday
I think it's really become time to start siding some proper gravehate again, there's now too many matchups where cleaning the opponent's GY is very important
Something I've been fooling around with is playing a single Watery Grave and siding Nihil Spellbomb, since hitting your own GY is just so awful and Tormod's Crypt sucks. It was very good at my FNM yesterday
This is an interesting thought... the other is Tarmod's Crypt but the draw off spellbom is noice.
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Killing our own GY hurts too much and limits gravehate viability to only bringing it in against decks that completely shut down under it. I like Nihil Spellbomb because it is very good versus the Mardu Pyromancer decks and the mirror, where I wouldn't even consider bringing in RIP against.
Pro tour UWR Geist lists were playing RIP. You'll notice that a lot of decks in the top 8 of GP toronto were also playing RIP - these decks dont usually play them (Burn, Affinity etc).
Although RIP does hurt UWR Geist - Im playing 2x. There are too many decks right now abusing the sh*t out of the GY and cards like Relic and Spellbomb (which you have too make your manabase so much worse to accomodate) arent good enough..
I'm with HugeCanoe. If graveyards matter enough for you to make your mana base worse, I have a strong feeling that playing Rest in Peace is just better. Even Tormod's Crypt seems better than adding a black source to the mana base. I would really love to test against Mardu Pyromancer. It seems like a deck that has a really good gameplan to deal with Jeskai Control/Midrange.
Hello everyone! It has been a really long time since i've posted but I was wondering on everyone's take on an idea I had. I was play testing with a friend the other day and went back to the Nahiri/Emrakul strategy fit into the Benjamin Nikolich list. I will post a decklist in the morning.. but for right now, what does everyone think of the idea in the current meta? It played really well against elves, 8 rack, and storm (three decks that I own)
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Pro tour UWR Geist lists were playing RIP. You'll notice that a lot of decks in the top 8 of GP toronto were also playing RIP - these decks dont usually play them (Burn, Affinity etc).
Although RIP does hurt UWR Geist - Im playing 2x. There are too many decks right now abusing the sh*t out of the GY and cards like Relic and Spellbomb (which you have too make your manabase so much worse to accomodate) arent good enough..
To clarify, Affinity playing Rest In Peace is pretty common... but otherwise I Agree, if you’re going to resolve RiP against decks that are crippled by it, you’re going to be fine missing your Azcanta digging power. Dredge can’t win with RiP in play, you easily can do without Snapcaster flashbacks
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I personally hate Spell Snare. However, I don't think going below 8 fetch lands is a good idea for one. I also don't know about going up to 25 lands unless you're on the control plan. The tempo/midrange plan might suffer a bit from light flooding.
Relatedly, I just added the Gxtron, Eldrazitron and Storm matchups to the OP
How do you mean? I loved watching those fights over a simple activation. :]
Spirits
Spirits
Ajani, secure, more small spells, etc.
I wouldn't consider it too narrow, but its just a real medium card in this deck.
Nahiri was not contributing to that at all, and without her, the Gearhulk is just a fat 5th Snaps.
Spirits
Having said that, Nahiri + Gearhulk is great but can be readily changed for other cards. Gideon AOZ and Secure the Wastes work nicely as synergistic win-cons and also provide a faster more resilient clock. Jace AoT is another option that Jeskai has forgotten about recently. Or an extra Azcanta and an extra spell. All are fine ways of tailoring those spots.
------------
URW Jeskai Control
GUWRB Amulet Titan
GR Ponza
One field of ruin doesn't seem impactful enough, you definitely want to go 3 or 4 like what Burkhart did with his grixis build, and he upped the land count from 22 to 25. I found the singleton light house pretty strong though.
Spirits
I like Shaun Mclaren's version that played 4 Tec Edges, 4 Leaks and 2 Ajani Vengeants. He really commited to the mana denial plan.
I think Lighthouse is bad when you're on the Azcanta plan. Because if you have both, Azcanta is just better, and they cost the same to activate. But if you're not playing Azcanta, I think Lighthouse is really good.
RBW
Mardu PyromancerR.I.P.BG The Rock
Commander
W Nahiri, the Lithomancer
UB Faeries (15-6-0)
UWR Control (10-5-1)/Kiki Control/Midrange/Harbinger
UBR Cruel Control (6-4-0)/Grixis Control/Delver/Blue Jund
UWB Control/Mentor
UW Miracles/Control (currently active, 14-2-0)
BW Eldrazi & Taxes
RW Burn (9-1-0)
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Something I've been fooling around with is playing a single Watery Grave and siding Nihil Spellbomb, since hitting your own GY is just so awful and Tormod's Crypt sucks. It was very good at my FNM yesterday
This is an interesting thought... the other is Tarmod's Crypt but the draw off spellbom is noice.
------------
URW Jeskai Control
GUWRB Amulet Titan
GR Ponza
Although RIP does hurt UWR Geist - Im playing 2x. There are too many decks right now abusing the sh*t out of the GY and cards like Relic and Spellbomb (which you have too make your manabase so much worse to accomodate) arent good enough..
UWx control/midrange
Bant Eldrazi
To clarify, Affinity playing Rest In Peace is pretty common... but otherwise I Agree, if you’re going to resolve RiP against decks that are crippled by it, you’re going to be fine missing your Azcanta digging power. Dredge can’t win with RiP in play, you easily can do without Snapcaster flashbacks
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UWR Control
BR Hollow One