MTG Salvation

W/R Bust! Control Primer AKA New Age 'Geddon

History:

In the Legacy format, there exists a land death deck called Armageddon Stax. Though not played as often as it used to, before 2006 it was a house. The deck focuses on using fast mana and cheap accelerants to make an explosive start, eventually locking the opponent out of the game almost entirely. When a "lock" is achieved on an opponent, Armageddon is used to make the game one sided. Playing cards like Chalice of the Void, Trinisphere and Smokestack, it denies resources to the opponent while locking them out of creatures with Tabernacle of Pendrell Vale to tax their creatures and Ghostly Prison to hold back any they continue to pay for. This creates the "lock". This is essential for the deck to win in a Jace/Stoneforge/Force of Will heavy Legacy environment.

Now lets look at how we can translate this deck to Modern...

The Core:



Honestly the only creatures the deck needs are Magus and Blinkmoth. Neither Wurmcoil or Sun Titan are required as they may be too slow. Magus and Blinkmoth on their own can widdle away someone's life once their lands have been nuked.



The general core of the deck right here. These cards combined in the correct numbers can be devastating.



These are your Armageddon substitutes. They will do you very well, and with a few tricks, could work better. Moonhold is an extra bonus card. It's essentially uber Silence that can buy you a turn.




The replacement, though not perfect, for Mox Diamond. It can be explosive. Turn 1 two mana for a Chalice on 1 can be devastating on the play.



So this is the tricky judgment call part, as the removal suite you use is up to you really. As good as Path to Exile or Lightning Helix are, they interfere with Chalice of the Void and Trinisphere. That's why to me, your most solid chocies for removal are Oblivion Ring, Unmake and Crib Swap.

The Sample Decklist:


The deck now needs a sideboard against the current Tier-1 decks.

Dismember would make a good removal card for this deck then, no? (RE:Chalice of the Void / Trinisphere)

Yes! I'll actually put that in. /totally forgot

Beware; as BaconCat will emphasize, you still have to pay an extra 2 if you cast Dismember with 1 and 4 life. It gets around Chalice at 1, though.

My local judge told me the 4 life gets around Trinisphere.

EDIT: Nope, I'm wrong I asked in the rules forum. Apparently the judge was wrong...

Don't you think 4 Magus is a bit much? If you land 2, you'll have to keep 4 tapped. I think Everflowing Chalice belongs here. It allows you to push out a bust a few turns earlier.

Where would you fit Everflowing Chalice? Wouldn't it also get in the way with Chalice/Trinisphere?