im not sure there is much we can do to be outright favored against dredge, but having anger in the main and side, paths, and 4 nahiri for exile effects seems better than usual. the lack of logic knot means you could probably play more GY hate if you cared enough as well.
i like how youve changed your mana base a little to suit the build. its something often overlooked when people change all their spells around but just jam the same mana. tbh id probably cut a colonnade in favor of another early untapped source. seems like you would want to do as much as possible to set up for nahiri to end the game.
its probably not worth it to change much. for me though ive been playing a main deck abrade and its over performed. i usually never go below 4 bolts, but went down to 3 to add an abrade and am happy with the change.
lack of EE or celestial purge is odd. especially EE since its one of the most versatile sideboard cards in the format.
I don't really think I need Purge since Nahiri takes care of Blood Moon. It's still a good card of course against Lilis and delve fatties so I'll consider it. I think I will also add an EE and an extra Abrade to the side, cutting the Wear//Tear since I want some more cards against humans. If I add EE I might cut the sideboarded Verdict though. If I run Settle the Wreckage I also kind of want to add a singleton RIP since, even though it's narrow, I might get to squeeze a win out that way
I'm also kind of considering cutting one Nahiri for one JtMS, but that might be too cheeky? It does solve drawing too many Nahiris and ups my MU versus the grindy decks a bit
In the main:
-1 Mana Leak +1 Logic Knot: Concession to Mana Leak sometimes being dead late, although I think I'm already stretching the manabase to breaking point
-1 Nahiri +1 Jace: gives me a little extra edge versus other control decks. Jace gets cut often vs aggro decks though.
In the side:
-1 Verdict, +1 Settle: gives me a little extra edge versus gravedecks although I normally don't like settle much
-1 Wear//Tear, +1 Abrade: I just want two abrade, it's so good vs humans. And there aren't that many enchantments I worry about
-1 ***, +1 EE: a little more versatile and covers a bit for cutting W/T
-1 stony, +1 RIP: with the little edge of Settle, I want to run one rip and maybe steal a dredge game. Plus EE and the second abrade made stony overkill
Would you side in Celestial Purge against Humans? It only really gets Mantis Rider and Xathrid Necromancer, which we already have tons of removal for. I probably wouldn't myself. Just wondering how others do things...
Affinity is also interesting. Blood Moon is pretty good against us, but we also have countermagic to snipe it. If they don't side it in (for budget considerations) or don't see it, the only thing Celestial Purge can do is get a Vault Skirge. The reason why I'm asking these questions is that it seems tough to always match our answers with our opponent's threats. If at some time, we draw a specific answer that we already used a more generic answer to, it can be really rough for us.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I would board a single purge in against humans, depending on the contents of my deck. Logic knot/negates are unplayable against humans, spell snare is weak, cryptic command is weak. If you can help it, you want to be boarding all of those cards out. Humans occasionally plays things like anafenza as well, but in total, there are a number of targets for purge. Its usually never dead through the course of a game.
Against affinity, I would not side in purge. It hits skirge, moon, aether grid, and bitterblossom, and thats pretty much it. While some of these cards can be problematic, cards like logic knot/mana leak/negate/cryptic command/spell snare are all a lot better against affinity than humans, meaning you have a lot less you have to take out. Wear//tear already hits all of those enchantments anyways, as does EE, and I'd say pretty much everyone should be playing one or both of w/t or ee.
specifically because the cards are so remotely different from one another. the only thing thassa would be providing to a control deck is the scry 1 effect each turn, and paying 3 mana at sorcery speed for that just isnt worth it.
the front side of azcanta is similar to scry, but actively better when we have other cards that use the GY as a resource such as Logic Knot and Snapcaster Mage. the back half is just on another level entirely.
if there is any god that could make the cut it would be Keranos.
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Modern: UWGSnow-Bant Control BURGrixis Death's Shadow GWBCoCo Elves WCDeath and Taxes (sold)
I was planning on playing the Modern Trial the day beforehand to get byes, but we got stuck in traffic and couln't make it. I still went by to check vendors and the field, and saw two important things: no Humans at all, and a *****load of UWx control decks, so I took out one Abrade and added an Elspeth. I also retrospected on my Rest in Peace that it was probably pointless to tackle dredge in that way, so instead made it a Celestial Purge.
Round 1: Affinity 2-0
This was a good start of the day. I had excellent hands both games and just totally annihilated him; neither game I dealt a single damage to my opponent as he conceded to planeswalkers
Round 2: RW Hatebears 1-2
My only loss of the day was because of the worst misplay I've made in like a year or so. Game 1 I mull to 5 but my opponent has a slow start and I have good draws. He has a vial on 3 and I have a flooded strand open, and I am actively thinking about how the only way I lose this is to Magus of the Moon. He taps vial, and I ok the trigger without cracking my fetch first. Dead to Magus of the Moon with 2 paths and Nahiri in my hand. Game 2 I wrath him trice, game 3 I get double ghost quartered. This really tilted me and it took a while for me to collect myself, lol.
Round 3: little kid Abzan 2-1
I got a little lucky here because my opponent mulled a lot. Game 1 I keep 7 and my opponent mulls to 5, I can't kill his turn 1 Hierarch but I path the follow up Anafenza the Foremost. After that I get Gideon to lock stuff down while Nahiri ticks up for a quick win. Game 2 he went all in on lingering souls tokens (6 tokens plus a gideon ally of zendikar emblem) and I didn't find the wrath, game 3 he does the same (8 tokens plus a voice of resurgence) and I do find Anger of the Gods.
Round 4: Affinity 2-1
Game 1 I kept 2 visions 2 snaps 3 lands which I thought would be fine against anything not insanely fast, instantly punished lol. Game 2 my opponent has turn 2 signal pest, one land and two springleaf drums so I go EE for x=1 and after that he doesn't play anything until the game ends with turn 6 nahiri ult. Game 3 was wraths into Gideon beats I think.
round 5: tron 1-1 draw
This was an awkward game because it started with my opponent being very miffed about us getting a random deck check: I think he was a newer player and didn't know this was not an accusation of anything. Game 1 he mulls to 5 and I win with gideon beats and a field of ruin. Game 2 went on forever through counterspells, disruption and pithing needle on engineered explosives. My opponent pops an o-stone, then immediately plays a new one. Next turn I clique him and when he tries to pop the next o-stone he realizes the counters should be off his permanents (world breaker and I think his own pithing needle on gideon) and I contest him taking it back. VERY long judge call including the head judge, we end up rolling the turn back and both getting a warning. After 15 minutes of extra time he manages to kill me but turns is called before we start game 3.
round 6: Hollow one 2-0 (I think)
I don't remember much of the match here, but Gideon of the Trials was the MVP. Held off fatties and came with the beats after the wrath
Round 7: Jeskai Control 2-1
This was the Teferi version, and I was worried about the MU because I knew he would go much bigger than me and that I'd have to go under him. Game 1 I try the eot snapbolt counterbait to resolve planeswalkers but it wasn't enough and Secure the Wastes + Teferi kills me. Game 2 my opponent misses his turn 4 land drop and turn 5 he serum visions and instantly draws the card. Since I want to keep him off land I want to mana leak the SV, and I call a judge. He gets a warning and I get to thoughtseize him for free (taking lightning helix). Clique Beats into Jace close the game. Game 3 I beat down with Gideon of the Trials and we have a ton of counterwars over him trying to bounce or burn Gideon. I really stole this match
Round 8: Mardu Reveler 1-1 draw
this was a griiiiiiiiind, and my opponent was very good. Game 1 took forever even though I got stuck on 3 lands for like 8 turns straight, I eventually lose to Blood Moon. Game 2 my opponent thoughtseizes me taking away a wrath, leaving me with Elspeth in hand. A long grind later I hit my sixth land drop and Elspeth just steals the game. We have 3 minutes left before turns so decide to not play match 3
Round 9: UR Tempo/Madcap combo 2-1
This was rough because I didn't know exactly what my opponent was up to, I was very wary of Blood Moon (which he had) and Through the Breach (which he didn't). Gideon beats get me there game 1, my opponent goes for the madcap combo but I just path the Emperion. Game 2 I boarded out my wraths and suddenly I'm fighting pyromancers and vendilion cliques, losing to Remands and Dispels. Game 3 I was very unsure about my boarding plan, assumed my opponent took out the combo since I kill Emperion so easily. This was a very fun match to play with Clique shenanigans on both sides, Nahiri saving me from a Blood Moon and Jace getting some nice value in before getting double bolted. I end up winning with Nahiri ultimate
round 10: Affinity 2-0
Winning this was guaranteed prizes so I tried to not get too excited when seeing affinity. But my hands were good and the match was over quickly. I had a really sick play where my opponent went turn 1 mountain, mox, memnite, springleaf drum and I got to path to exile the memnite as he had his basic in play, so now he only had an inactive mox and drum for the next 3 turns. I think that happened in this match, but it might've been one of the other affinity players.
It's kind of a bummer that my only loss was due to a huge misplay, but without that misplay I would've had different opponents so can't extrapolate too much there. The deck played excellent, especially Gideon of the Trials; dear God people if you haven't tried this card much yet, try it. Jace was kind of poopy, and I cut him in 6 of the matchups I believe, although I do think it was better than the third nahiri. I might try Teferi in that spot as it serves the same role of adding a little more grind. My main critique of the list was that, as I expected, mana was really tight, and I had to take more damage than I would've liked. I also often left fetches uncracked so I could fetch (and possibly shock) when I had more info about what land I exactly needed.
Some simple list additions such as Gideon AoZ MD and Elspeth and Baneslayer Angel in the side are good if you expect trouble with Jund. It's also one of the match-ups in which Sphinxs's Revelation is actually a house, although i don't like that card all that much right now against the field.
@Bearscape, you say mana felt tight, but how would you fix that? Go to 25 lands?
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Modern Decks
------------ URW Jeskai Control GUWRB Amulet Titan GR Ponza
nice finish bearscape. good to hear that jeskai nahiri still has legs. ive also been playing with gideon3 (just 1 copy) and have been moderately impressed with it. it can be a little mopey in certain matchups, but thats sorta the case with most cards. the biggest appeal of the cards is the emblem, which is a really unique effect. having gideon3 + gideon4 on the table with an emblem is so satisfying. it also gives burn fits, which is a plus in my book.
mana will always be a weakpoint for us. i dont think adding more lands is the answer because is about the color requirements and not really whether or not we draw lands. as for myself i cut the basic mountain for a spirebluff, and a colonnade for a 9th fetch; but i did so understanding that it isnt the strictly better option.
as for jund, if you wanna make the matchup better just add more power to your top end. another card that we have access to that is a beating for jund is Entrancing Melody. after that it is just experience. sideboarding, when and how to answer threats, fighting through discard, when to start applying pressure of your own, etc.
looks like jeskai had a good showing at the SCG event. big jeskai with gideon4 + 2 teferi in 2nd losing to mardu, and a queller list in 4th. 6 total in the top 32 from a pool of 16 that made it into day 2, which is outstanding.
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Modern: UWGSnow-Bant Control BURGrixis Death's Shadow GWBCoCo Elves WCDeath and Taxes (sold)
I'm very glad to see that what I figured would show UWR as well represented this weekend, came to show up.
I dont think it will last, because I think people can easily just start showing up with various flavours of Tron, but its good to see that when the meta warps too far, to the point everyone says 'humans! affinity! hollow one!' that UWR and Jund can show up, and beat them down.
Tron had 1 in the top 32 at 23rd in the Open.
Tron had THREE in the top 8 in the Classic.
My take away from that, is all the Aggro stomped out Tron day 1, and they showed up to play the Classic? There are 2 UWR in the Classic Top 16, but that all lines up with my view on the format anyway.
The meta was perfect for us, lets see if there is backlash in the next events. The GP has me excited.
The main change I will make will be Teferi over Jace, yes.
As for the manabase, it's simply because this list is exceptionally greedy: I have turn 3 double red AND double white for gideon and Anger, into triple blue for cryptic. When you also want to fetch a plains for blood moon, that becomes impossible. I'm not sure how I will fix that yet; I either live with it or have to make concessions on what cards I want to play. Moving Anger to the side entirely already mediates the issue a lot, but I liked the split. It might also possibly be the case that this list just doesn't want Cryptic Command at all.
Regarding Gideon 3, I would actually say that his emblem is his weakest ability. It has some utility versus burn and infect but I definitely use it the least. Gid3's power really lies in his versatility, basically coming down as an Oblivion Ring that you get to relocate whenever you want. Hitting lands including Valakut is also a huge plus. Four damage a turn is also nothing to scoff at and I've won a lot of games with turn 3 gideon lock something down, turn 4-5 answer the whole board and then start beating down. Gideon can switch from defense to offense without costing any resource at all through his +1 and attack ability which is just incredibly strong, and he dodges a lot of removal. Ticking up one per turn whilst protecting himself also quickly gets him into the 6-8 loyalty range at which point he becomes close to unbeatable for any aggro deck.
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I don't really think I need Purge since Nahiri takes care of Blood Moon. It's still a good card of course against Lilis and delve fatties so I'll consider it. I think I will also add an EE and an extra Abrade to the side, cutting the Wear//Tear since I want some more cards against humans. If I add EE I might cut the sideboarded Verdict though. If I run Settle the Wreckage I also kind of want to add a singleton RIP since, even though it's narrow, I might get to squeeze a win out that way
I'm also kind of considering cutting one Nahiri for one JtMS, but that might be too cheeky? It does solve drawing too many Nahiris and ups my MU versus the grindy decks a bit
Spirits
// 5 Creature
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
4 Snapcaster Mage
// 2 Enchantment
2 Search for Azcanta
// 17 Instant
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Mana Leak
1 Logic Knot
1 Spell Snare
4 Path to Exile
2 Cryptic Command
// 24 Land
4 Flooded Strand
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Hallowed Fountain
3 Celestial Colonnade
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Field of Ruin
1 Glacial Fortress
2 Arid Mesa
3 Nahiri, the Harbinger
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Gideon of the Trials
// 6 Sorcery
4 Serum Visions
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Pithing Needle
2 Vendilion Clique
1 Rest In Peace
2 Dispel
2 Negate
1 Blessed Alliance
1 Counterflux
2 Abrade
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Settle the Wreckage
In the main:
-1 Mana Leak +1 Logic Knot: Concession to Mana Leak sometimes being dead late, although I think I'm already stretching the manabase to breaking point
-1 Nahiri +1 Jace: gives me a little extra edge versus other control decks. Jace gets cut often vs aggro decks though.
In the side:
-1 Verdict, +1 Settle: gives me a little extra edge versus gravedecks although I normally don't like settle much
-1 Wear//Tear, +1 Abrade: I just want two abrade, it's so good vs humans. And there aren't that many enchantments I worry about
-1 ***, +1 EE: a little more versatile and covers a bit for cutting W/T
-1 stony, +1 RIP: with the little edge of Settle, I want to run one rip and maybe steal a dredge game. Plus EE and the second abrade made stony overkill
Affinity is also interesting. Blood Moon is pretty good against us, but we also have countermagic to snipe it. If they don't side it in (for budget considerations) or don't see it, the only thing Celestial Purge can do is get a Vault Skirge. The reason why I'm asking these questions is that it seems tough to always match our answers with our opponent's threats. If at some time, we draw a specific answer that we already used a more generic answer to, it can be really rough for us.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)If I get busted up by Blood Moon, thats on me. I dont have much to handle it at all.
My side currently. The Runed Halo is there for Titanshift type decks, but its the last hold over and honestly I'm ready to let it go.
Spirits
gotta consider the number of cards you are boarding out/in, which will vary.
UWGSnow-Bant Control
BURGrixis Death's Shadow
GWBCoCo Elves
WCDeath and Taxes(sold)Against affinity, I would not side in purge. It hits skirge, moon, aether grid, and bitterblossom, and thats pretty much it. While some of these cards can be problematic, cards like logic knot/mana leak/negate/cryptic command/spell snare are all a lot better against affinity than humans, meaning you have a lot less you have to take out. Wear//tear already hits all of those enchantments anyways, as does EE, and I'd say pretty much everyone should be playing one or both of w/t or ee.
Just in case one was wondering or on the fence still.
Spirits
Makes me feel good that I didn't buy any Jaces! Still, since this won't be my main Modern deck, I'm probably going the Nahiri route.
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
No
------------
URW Jeskai Control
GUWRB Amulet Titan
GR Ponza
the front side of azcanta is similar to scry, but actively better when we have other cards that use the GY as a resource such as Logic Knot and Snapcaster Mage. the back half is just on another level entirely.
if there is any god that could make the cut it would be Keranos.
UWGSnow-Bant Control
BURGrixis Death's Shadow
GWBCoCo Elves
WCDeath and Taxes(sold)Well done mate
------------
URW Jeskai Control
GUWRB Amulet Titan
GR Ponza
// 5 Creature
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
4 Snapcaster Mage
// 2 Enchantment
2 Search for Azcanta
// 17 Instant
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Mana Leak
1 Spell Snare
4 Path to Exile
2 Cryptic Command
1 Logic Knot
// 24 Land
4 Flooded Strand
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Hallowed Fountain
3 Celestial Colonnade
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Field of Ruin
1 Glacial Fortress
2 Arid Mesa
3 Nahiri, the Harbinger
2 Gideon of the Trials
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
// 6 Sorcery
4 Serum Visions
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Anger of the Gods
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Dispel
2 Negate
1 Pithing Needle
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Blessed Alliance
1 Counterflux
1 Abrade
1 Celestial Purge
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Anger of the Gods
1 Supreme Verdict
I was planning on playing the Modern Trial the day beforehand to get byes, but we got stuck in traffic and couln't make it. I still went by to check vendors and the field, and saw two important things: no Humans at all, and a *****load of UWx control decks, so I took out one Abrade and added an Elspeth. I also retrospected on my Rest in Peace that it was probably pointless to tackle dredge in that way, so instead made it a Celestial Purge.
Round 1: Affinity 2-0
This was a good start of the day. I had excellent hands both games and just totally annihilated him; neither game I dealt a single damage to my opponent as he conceded to planeswalkers
Round 2: RW Hatebears 1-2
My only loss of the day was because of the worst misplay I've made in like a year or so. Game 1 I mull to 5 but my opponent has a slow start and I have good draws. He has a vial on 3 and I have a flooded strand open, and I am actively thinking about how the only way I lose this is to Magus of the Moon. He taps vial, and I ok the trigger without cracking my fetch first. Dead to Magus of the Moon with 2 paths and Nahiri in my hand. Game 2 I wrath him trice, game 3 I get double ghost quartered. This really tilted me and it took a while for me to collect myself, lol.
Round 3: little kid Abzan 2-1
I got a little lucky here because my opponent mulled a lot. Game 1 I keep 7 and my opponent mulls to 5, I can't kill his turn 1 Hierarch but I path the follow up Anafenza the Foremost. After that I get Gideon to lock stuff down while Nahiri ticks up for a quick win. Game 2 he went all in on lingering souls tokens (6 tokens plus a gideon ally of zendikar emblem) and I didn't find the wrath, game 3 he does the same (8 tokens plus a voice of resurgence) and I do find Anger of the Gods.
Round 4: Affinity 2-1
Game 1 I kept 2 visions 2 snaps 3 lands which I thought would be fine against anything not insanely fast, instantly punished lol. Game 2 my opponent has turn 2 signal pest, one land and two springleaf drums so I go EE for x=1 and after that he doesn't play anything until the game ends with turn 6 nahiri ult. Game 3 was wraths into Gideon beats I think.
round 5: tron 1-1 draw
This was an awkward game because it started with my opponent being very miffed about us getting a random deck check: I think he was a newer player and didn't know this was not an accusation of anything. Game 1 he mulls to 5 and I win with gideon beats and a field of ruin. Game 2 went on forever through counterspells, disruption and pithing needle on engineered explosives. My opponent pops an o-stone, then immediately plays a new one. Next turn I clique him and when he tries to pop the next o-stone he realizes the counters should be off his permanents (world breaker and I think his own pithing needle on gideon) and I contest him taking it back. VERY long judge call including the head judge, we end up rolling the turn back and both getting a warning. After 15 minutes of extra time he manages to kill me but turns is called before we start game 3.
round 6: Hollow one 2-0 (I think)
I don't remember much of the match here, but Gideon of the Trials was the MVP. Held off fatties and came with the beats after the wrath
Round 7: Jeskai Control 2-1
This was the Teferi version, and I was worried about the MU because I knew he would go much bigger than me and that I'd have to go under him. Game 1 I try the eot snapbolt counterbait to resolve planeswalkers but it wasn't enough and Secure the Wastes + Teferi kills me. Game 2 my opponent misses his turn 4 land drop and turn 5 he serum visions and instantly draws the card. Since I want to keep him off land I want to mana leak the SV, and I call a judge. He gets a warning and I get to thoughtseize him for free (taking lightning helix). Clique Beats into Jace close the game. Game 3 I beat down with Gideon of the Trials and we have a ton of counterwars over him trying to bounce or burn Gideon. I really stole this match
Round 8: Mardu Reveler 1-1 draw
this was a griiiiiiiiind, and my opponent was very good. Game 1 took forever even though I got stuck on 3 lands for like 8 turns straight, I eventually lose to Blood Moon. Game 2 my opponent thoughtseizes me taking away a wrath, leaving me with Elspeth in hand. A long grind later I hit my sixth land drop and Elspeth just steals the game. We have 3 minutes left before turns so decide to not play match 3
Round 9: UR Tempo/Madcap combo 2-1
This was rough because I didn't know exactly what my opponent was up to, I was very wary of Blood Moon (which he had) and Through the Breach (which he didn't). Gideon beats get me there game 1, my opponent goes for the madcap combo but I just path the Emperion. Game 2 I boarded out my wraths and suddenly I'm fighting pyromancers and vendilion cliques, losing to Remands and Dispels. Game 3 I was very unsure about my boarding plan, assumed my opponent took out the combo since I kill Emperion so easily. This was a very fun match to play with Clique shenanigans on both sides, Nahiri saving me from a Blood Moon and Jace getting some nice value in before getting double bolted. I end up winning with Nahiri ultimate
round 10: Affinity 2-0
Winning this was guaranteed prizes so I tried to not get too excited when seeing affinity. But my hands were good and the match was over quickly. I had a really sick play where my opponent went turn 1 mountain, mox, memnite, springleaf drum and I got to path to exile the memnite as he had his basic in play, so now he only had an inactive mox and drum for the next 3 turns. I think that happened in this match, but it might've been one of the other affinity players.
It's kind of a bummer that my only loss was due to a huge misplay, but without that misplay I would've had different opponents so can't extrapolate too much there. The deck played excellent, especially Gideon of the Trials; dear God people if you haven't tried this card much yet, try it. Jace was kind of poopy, and I cut him in 6 of the matchups I believe, although I do think it was better than the third nahiri. I might try Teferi in that spot as it serves the same role of adding a little more grind. My main critique of the list was that, as I expected, mana was really tight, and I had to take more damage than I would've liked. I also often left fetches uncracked so I could fetch (and possibly shock) when I had more info about what land I exactly needed.
@Bearscape, you say mana felt tight, but how would you fix that? Go to 25 lands?
------------
URW Jeskai Control
GUWRB Amulet Titan
GR Ponza
mana will always be a weakpoint for us. i dont think adding more lands is the answer because is about the color requirements and not really whether or not we draw lands. as for myself i cut the basic mountain for a spirebluff, and a colonnade for a 9th fetch; but i did so understanding that it isnt the strictly better option.
as for jund, if you wanna make the matchup better just add more power to your top end. another card that we have access to that is a beating for jund is Entrancing Melody. after that it is just experience. sideboarding, when and how to answer threats, fighting through discard, when to start applying pressure of your own, etc.
looks like jeskai had a good showing at the SCG event. big jeskai with gideon4 + 2 teferi in 2nd losing to mardu, and a queller list in 4th. 6 total in the top 32 from a pool of 16 that made it into day 2, which is outstanding.
UWGSnow-Bant Control
BURGrixis Death's Shadow
GWBCoCo Elves
WCDeath and Taxes(sold)I dont think it will last, because I think people can easily just start showing up with various flavours of Tron, but its good to see that when the meta warps too far, to the point everyone says 'humans! affinity! hollow one!' that UWR and Jund can show up, and beat them down.
Tron had 1 in the top 32 at 23rd in the Open.
Tron had THREE in the top 8 in the Classic.
My take away from that, is all the Aggro stomped out Tron day 1, and they showed up to play the Classic? There are 2 UWR in the Classic Top 16, but that all lines up with my view on the format anyway.
The meta was perfect for us, lets see if there is backlash in the next events. The GP has me excited.
Spirits
As for the manabase, it's simply because this list is exceptionally greedy: I have turn 3 double red AND double white for gideon and Anger, into triple blue for cryptic. When you also want to fetch a plains for blood moon, that becomes impossible. I'm not sure how I will fix that yet; I either live with it or have to make concessions on what cards I want to play. Moving Anger to the side entirely already mediates the issue a lot, but I liked the split. It might also possibly be the case that this list just doesn't want Cryptic Command at all.