Hello all. Returning GDS player here. I have noticed in recent lists that Snapcaste has dropped to 3 and Looting to 0-1. How is that so? I could understand Looting, but going out without 4 Snaps makes me feel a little insecure.
Hello all. Returning GDS player here. I have noticed in recent lists that Snapcaste has dropped to 3 and Looting to 0-1. How is that so? I could understand Looting, but going out without 4 Snaps makes me feel a little insecure.
The full four Snaps tends to be too slow against what is a highly fast and linear meta. Most have relegated it to the sideboard where it can thrive against control and other slower decks where the grind value becomes more important than speed.
Any beginner tips for someone new picking up this deck? I feel a lot of my game losses are from not being able to find a threat to close the game out. How aggressive are you with your life total if you haven’t found a shadow? Thank you in advance
Any beginner tips for someone new picking up this deck? I feel a lot of my game losses are from not being able to find a threat to close the game out. How aggressive are you with your life total if you haven’t found a shadow? Thank you in advance
This is the deck's main weakness: its inconsistency in being able to swiftly deploy a threat. I believe that GDS would be the absolute best deck in Modern if a solution were to be found here, but until then, you just have to live with the fact that sometimes you'll be spinning your wheels without anything happening (or switch to Traverse Shadow, which has different issues instead of this one, but that's a different story).
As for life management, it's not an easy thing to gauge. It all depends on the matchup - if you're up against Burn, for example, you want to be as conservative as possible and have them do the hard work for you. Generally you want to be fairly aggressive with it though, especially if you're racing in this fast metagame we currently have.
You've just picked up one of the hardest decks in the format to pilot, but also one of the most powerful ones once you learn to pilot it well. You will lose many games before you get the hang of it, but it can be very rewarding if you stick with it. You just have to put in the reps and think very hard about what you're doing every single turn of the game. Variance will still kick your ass sometimes but that's the name of the game - if you still find it too frustrating, try one of the Traverse versions for a change.
Any beginner tips for someone new picking up this deck? I feel a lot of my game losses are from not being able to find a threat to close the game out. How aggressive are you with your life total if you haven’t found a shadow? Thank you in advance
In addition to the above, this deck will reward you for knowing exactly what your opponent's deck does. I spend a fair amount of time checking out modern videos on youtube to get a feel for the modern meta. Doing your research can help you to understand which card is best to Thoughtseize away, or what you want to hold up Stubborn Denial for to disrupt your opponent's plan.
I can attest that GDS is hard to pick up initially. I lost many games and got frustrated, but fotunately kept up with it. It is quite a rewarding Deck to play. It feels like you always have a chance in the game. My advice would be to stick up with it and get as many reps as possible.
Has anyone seen this article?
Do you think that this Sphinx of Foresight version of GDS might actually be good?
I mean, I'd certainly welcome it. More (potentially, at least) consistency and an additional late game threat seems nice to have...
edit:
Different topic: Does anyone have experience with the Izzet Phoenix matchup? Is it good/bad?
10 out of 17 lands in our decks are fetchlands, if we pre game scry 3 we would likely have to shuffle on turn one anyway. Just a classic bit of SCG hyperbole.
Different topic: Does anyone have experience with the Izzet Phoenix matchup? Is it good/bad?
Feels even to slightly unfavorable. Managing your life total is a lot harder than usual in this matchup.
Phoenixes are a pain for GDS, we're not good a dealing with recursive flyers, but we can take care of Thing in the Ice and Crackling Drake fairly easily thanks to Push and Dismember. If they start reanimating Phoenixes it's a race that is not favorable to us unless you have Shadow + TBR, otherwise our regular game plan works well.
Post-board Surgical or Anger can deal with the Phoenixes, if you do that then it's about who can get a big threat to stick, but we have better removal in general.
I’m actually of the opinion that Anger of the Gods is really pretty medium against UR Phoenix. The only thing that it reliably hits is Arclight Phoenix… after it gets its hit in. It doesn’t kill TiTI, Crackling Drake, or Bedlam Reveler. It does hit Monastery Swiftspear, so there’s that.
If multiple Phoenixes are hitting you, and your response is to clear them out an exile them on your next main phase, chances are pretty good that your life total is low enough where you need to just make the kill in the next turn.
I like Surgical Extraction much better against that deck, since your main removal spells should be enough to clean up any other creatures they might have, and you can pop a Surgical on them when they try to off with Phoenixes in the bin. That way, they blow their cards and lose the payoff.
Hey fellow GDS players. I have been revising my list recently, and I am wondering if it is optimal or not. I keep going back and fourth on card choices etc... I just can't decide lol. This mental torture isn't doing me any good, so I am hoping some of you better GDS players could either say my list is fine or I need to change certain cards. I'm pretty solid on my maindeck 60, and I love most of my sb, but I'd like to know your opinion. Here is the list: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1559987#paper
*The Extirpates are in there instead of Surgical because buying 40+$ surgical just isn't worth it for me. They have the downside of being not phyrexian mana, which I get is really bad, especially in this deck, but they aren't strictly worse because they can't be countered.
Thanks for all comments/replies in advance!
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Current Modern Decks:
Ad Nauseam
Grixis Death's Shadow
Wait, it feels unfavorable to you? I play it on MTGO constantly and I'm probably about 80-20 on it, it seems super easy, thoughtseize their enablers and go to town.
Hey fellow GDS players. I have been revising my list recently, and I am wondering if it is optimal or not. I keep going back and fourth on card choices etc... I just can't decide lol. This mental torture isn't doing me any good, so I am hoping some of you better GDS players could either say my list is fine or I need to change certain cards. I'm pretty solid on my maindeck 60, and I love most of my sb, but I'd like to know your opinion. Here is the list: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1559987#paper
*The Extirpates are in there instead of Surgical because buying 40+$ surgical just isn't worth it for me. They have the downside of being not phyrexian mana, which I get is really bad, especially in this deck, but they aren't strictly worse because they can't be countered.
Thanks for all comments/replies in advance!
Your list looks good to me, it conforms to lists with good finishes in the near past. Maybe, your SB could need some tuning, but I don't know what you are expecting to face. I would cut the spellbombs for instance (maybe add a 3rd extirpate, when u need them you REALLY want to draw one or two). You could add the 4th snapcaster for games that take longer, and/or a 3rd Bolt. Brutality also works for me as a 2of. I am on the fence about Anger, some play it some dont (I dont). Just my 2 cents....Good job on the list tho!
EDIT: Regarding the UR Phoenix topic: I actually quite like the matchup. But tbh, game 1 is close to unwinnable when they hit their phoenixes (except u have a really fast hand). Game 2 and 3 become MUCH better (since I play 3 surgicals). The most reliable path to victory for them becomes burning us out, so save your stubborns and ride your threat to victory.
Ok thanks for the feedback. I kind of like the 3:2 fatal push to lightning bolt ratio, so I think I'll leave that. With dredge so prevalent rn, I think I will keep the spell bombs, but CB does seem pretty good too rn. Idk if I have enough space, but I'll definitely take that into consideration. About the +1 Expirpate, I think I will cut an anger for it.
I play both, UR Phoenix and GDS, and i can tell you the MU can be pretty miserable for both sides but overall GDS should be favored. If you have an early threat backed up by discard and removal for Thing and Drake it's pretty hard for the phoenix deck to win but they can also have their multiple phoenix + bolt draws that cannont be broken up via a single Discard spell and run you over in a hurry.
After boarding the MU becomes even more favorable for GDS.
What should the sideboard plan be for GDS against Phoenix decks?
Lightning Bolt basically does nothing in the matchup as it cannot kill Thing in the Ice or Crackling Drake and only delays the pheonix for a turn. I tend to trim bolts and a few wraiths to max out on Stubs and surgicals.
I have recently seen ben johnes (BMJ) being recomended through twitter to try Jace, vryn's prodigy in the sideboard, and i am clueless what it does for us. Anyone?
The full four Snaps tends to be too slow against what is a highly fast and linear meta. Most have relegated it to the sideboard where it can thrive against control and other slower decks where the grind value becomes more important than speed.
StandardArena:U/R Drakes
Modern
URStormUR
UBRDeath's ShadowUBR
This is the deck's main weakness: its inconsistency in being able to swiftly deploy a threat. I believe that GDS would be the absolute best deck in Modern if a solution were to be found here, but until then, you just have to live with the fact that sometimes you'll be spinning your wheels without anything happening (or switch to Traverse Shadow, which has different issues instead of this one, but that's a different story).
As for life management, it's not an easy thing to gauge. It all depends on the matchup - if you're up against Burn, for example, you want to be as conservative as possible and have them do the hard work for you. Generally you want to be fairly aggressive with it though, especially if you're racing in this fast metagame we currently have.
You've just picked up one of the hardest decks in the format to pilot, but also one of the most powerful ones once you learn to pilot it well. You will lose many games before you get the hang of it, but it can be very rewarding if you stick with it. You just have to put in the reps and think very hard about what you're doing every single turn of the game. Variance will still kick your ass sometimes but that's the name of the game - if you still find it too frustrating, try one of the Traverse versions for a change.
Abzan Traverse / Traverse Shadow / UR Kiki
In addition to the above, this deck will reward you for knowing exactly what your opponent's deck does. I spend a fair amount of time checking out modern videos on youtube to get a feel for the modern meta. Doing your research can help you to understand which card is best to Thoughtseize away, or what you want to hold up Stubborn Denial for to disrupt your opponent's plan.
I can tell you it, but unfortunately it won't make it true.
Do you think that this Sphinx of Foresight version of GDS might actually be good?
I mean, I'd certainly welcome it. More (potentially, at least) consistency and an additional late game threat seems nice to have...
edit:
Different topic: Does anyone have experience with the Izzet Phoenix matchup? Is it good/bad?
Modern: Grixis DS ; UR Phoenix ; Storm ; Burn
Standard: MonoRed ; Ral Spells ; UR Phoenix ; Izzet Drakes
Commander: Locust God
Currently sleeved:
WUR Copycat ft. Stoneforge Mystic
Feels even to slightly unfavorable. Managing your life total is a lot harder than usual in this matchup.
Phoenixes are a pain for GDS, we're not good a dealing with recursive flyers, but we can take care of Thing in the Ice and Crackling Drake fairly easily thanks to Push and Dismember. If they start reanimating Phoenixes it's a race that is not favorable to us unless you have Shadow + TBR, otherwise our regular game plan works well.
Post-board Surgical or Anger can deal with the Phoenixes, if you do that then it's about who can get a big threat to stick, but we have better removal in general.
If multiple Phoenixes are hitting you, and your response is to clear them out an exile them on your next main phase, chances are pretty good that your life total is low enough where you need to just make the kill in the next turn.
I like Surgical Extraction much better against that deck, since your main removal spells should be enough to clean up any other creatures they might have, and you can pop a Surgical on them when they try to off with Phoenixes in the bin. That way, they blow their cards and lose the payoff.
*The Extirpates are in there instead of Surgical because buying 40+$ surgical just isn't worth it for me. They have the downside of being not phyrexian mana, which I get is really bad, especially in this deck, but they aren't strictly worse because they can't be countered.
Thanks for all comments/replies in advance!
Ad Nauseam
Grixis Death's Shadow
Edit: Hit reply, in reply to Phelpssan
Ok thanks for the feedback. I kind of like the 3:2 fatal push to lightning bolt ratio, so I think I'll leave that. With dredge so prevalent rn, I think I will keep the spell bombs, but CB does seem pretty good too rn. Idk if I have enough space, but I'll definitely take that into consideration. About the +1 Expirpate, I think I will cut an anger for it.
Ad Nauseam
Grixis Death's Shadow
What should the sideboard plan be for GDS against Phoenix decks?
Lightning Bolt basically does nothing in the matchup as it cannot kill Thing in the Ice or Crackling Drake and only delays the pheonix for a turn. I tend to trim bolts and a few wraiths to max out on Stubs and surgicals.
Thanks @Feyd for restoring it.
WUMiracles ControlUW
RUBGrixis Death's ShadowBUR
UBRGrixis ShadowUBR
UBRGrixis DelverUBR
RGDredgeRG