FNM 1 Round 1: Bye
Sucks, spent the time foiling out my deck
Round 2: Grixis Delver
Game 1 I completely man handled him dropping a path to answer the turn 2 tasigur trading land drops after a while and wiping the board to meet a resolved young pyromancer that stormed out 4 elementals.
Game 2 I basically dropped a kitchen sphinx on curve and beat him down with it winning the counter wars over the removal and playing resto angels and board wipes to keep the finks hangin around.
FNM1 Round 3: Jeskai Control
So this guy is a good friend of mine, we check the time and found out that the FNM was only 3 rounds, we decided to split and take a 30 minute drive to another fnm.
FNM2 Round 1: Affinity
Game 1 So the deck that played 4 mainboard board wipes managed to survive to drop the first one of curve and effectively take over the game from there.
Out: 2 detention sphere, 3 remand, 1 sphinx's rev
In: 2 stony silence, 2 disencant, 1 day of judgement, 1 wrath of god
Game 2 First off I didn't see any sideboard cards in my opening hand, but I did have 2 paths 1 supreme verdict and 4 lands (snap keep?) Game went to expectations I wound up winning.
FNM2 Round 2: Infect
Game 1 he didn't seem to keep a creature hand, so I just kinda kept playing lands and passing the turn. Once he finally started dropping creatures I had 3 verdicts in hand and a path. Basically I kept him of creatures and swinging at him with a Colonnade. I did however let him swing at me with a noble hierarch for 20 (I cast a sphinx's rev the previous turn for 6).
Out: 2 Detention sphere, 4 remand
In: 1 negate, 2 dispel, 1 wrath of god, 1 day of judgement
Game 2 he got me turn 2 with an inkmoth
Game 3 I got crap hands and mulled to 4, he wiped me out by turn 5, only loss of the night
FNM 2 Round 3: Bogles
So Lost game 1 quite handly we all know what the Bogles deck does no need to explain right?
Out: 1 sphinx's rev, 2 dispel
In: 1 wrath of god, 1 day of judgement, 2 disenchant ( yep I played 61 cards)
Game 2, he went with a rather large number of creatures I expect hge kept dropping the creatures out because I didn;t play any verdicts game 1. But after he got 4 creatures out I dropped a wrath on him, he conceded.
Game 3 He managed to get umbras, I got counterspells and disenchants. The game went long since I couldn't draw a threat, but in the end I did effectively cast a board wipe 10 times in that game (sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do right? Wipe, snap wipe, cryptic bounce snap draw, wipe, snap wipe, ect?) and D-Sphering all the hyena umbras (one card take all 4? ok) away.
FNM2 Round 4: Burn
So I haven't played this deck vs burn, it was also 2AM and the burn player had to go to work in the morning. I split with him out of kindness. Ending the day at 4-1-2
Thoguhts:
Yes I boarded out remands every match, if anything it feels like the worst card in the deck, but I prefer it over mana leak SO I'm keeping it. I only really boarded it out because I was on the draw game 2 every time.
Dissolve was probably the most surprisingly effective card of the night.
Detention sphere is a good card, but none of the matchups seemed worthwhile toi keep it in outside bogles (maybe keep it vs the grixis delver player I guess)?
Overall it's only my third-fourth time playing the deck. I haven't played vs burn, tron, merfolk, or eldrazi yet. But those matchups seem perfectly winnable.
1) Why doesn't UW Control play Snapcaster? It feels strange for an U based deck, a control deck, to not run them at least in 3x.
2) Are the deck's slots flexible? I see that many of you have different cards. Someone plays Sun Titan, other plays Batterskull, others play Spreading Seas while someone doesn't...is there a general line to build it properly of is it just a flexible deck?
I guess the answer for 1 and 2 is the same: this is a very wide archetype ranging from more midrange versions to more draw-go ones. Anyway, I'd say Snapcaster Mage is a pretty popular card in most of them, though not everyone uses it and many midrange-ish lists don't want a full playset.
There's also those lists focused on Emeria/Sun Titan and the ones that abuse from Ojutai's Commmand, but they are usually treated as different archetypes
3) Personally, I don't like having more than 2x Wraths in MB and I was wondering if 4 PtE are enough, specially when most of you don't run Snapcasters. Since I'm very conservative about the control decks that should play at instant speed unless they put a threat OTB, I find it hard to play something like Detention Sphere. Any thoughts?
I guess it's more of a meta call. If it's full of aggro decks a 3rd wrath can be really helpful (with a 4th one on the SB). Otherwise I guess you could go with just 2.
About Detention Sphere, I feel it is a great card for the tapout version where you want to cast things like Wall of Omens and Kitchen Finks on your early turns and often have to deal with resolved stuff instead of countering them. It also helps the fact that it can deal with things we usually don't have an answer main deck, as enchantments, artifacts and Planeswalkers. Draw-go lists probably don't need it.
4) What are the worst matchups? I guess Tron and Boggles, and then? Are Affinity, Infect and Eldrazi good matchups?
I haven't played since Twin's banning, but Tron always felt as a very difficult matchup. Being more proactive and packing 4x Ghost Quarter really improved the matchup, but it was still complicated.
Hows everyone doing with the UR eldrazi match up? A lot of people say its good with the ghost quarters, spreading seas, and supreme verdicts mainboard, but I cant seem to consistently beat them. I usually end up too behind on my own mana because of the ghost quarters or not being able to land a supreme verdict before a thought knot seer knocks it out. Any suggestions?
Has anyone tested Azorius Charm at all? I just want to know what people's opinions on it are, putting the creature on top of the library is nice, since if they want to keep the creature there they can't crack a fetch EoT (Not like it's very likely to happen anyways) and puts them one card behind.
The Cycling it does is kinda Meh, and the lifegain aspect is not really relevant since we have finks for that.
I feel like it doesn't do much besides that and other cards might just be better, but I haven't tested it so I don't know how it would perform.
EDIT: also Cksboy, I noticed no Wall of Omens in your list, how did that work out for you?
It has been useful in some scenarios. Like topping a pia with a dark confidant on the board vs Jund. That being said I often find myself siding it out, but that's necessary not a bad thing. It's never a bad card which is nice.
I'm interested in testing Dissolve or Detention Sphere in the slot.
Hi! I've started collecting pieces of this decks staples as my first modern deck, but I just wanted to ask about the lack of remand in any list. Why is that?
Hi! I've started collecting pieces of this decks staples as my first modern deck, but I just wanted to ask about the lack of remand in any list. Why is that?
We would much rather flat-out answer threats than delay them. Snapcaster is getting played less--along with Lingering Souls--so we don't even get value off it countering the flashback spell. Add to that the fact we live in a world where Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger and other Eldrazi have abilities that trigger on cast rather than ETB, Remand just feels bad right now. It's better in a tempo-based list, but not in a midrange/control list.
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EDH GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG UBRNicol Bolas and his SuperfriendsPawnsUBR
Modern UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW WUBRGHumansWUBRG BGMidrangeBG
Remand is certainly a good card, as it replaces itself, but when I play I want more permanent answers to threats, which Remand does not do. (Except Living end, but that's if they don't ricochet trap it.)
I like remand in more Tempo builds, as the tempo lost for the opponent you can capitalize on. In our deck if we don't have a board full of finks and angels it falls short IMO. That doesn't mean I don't run them in MY list, but I usually end up siding them for cards like Negate, or hate cards.
I tried reflector Mage, the only thing I didn't like about it is that it doesn't have flash. If it did and it was bumped to a rare I would be running three of them. But as it is I don't know what I would want to cut from the deck to Jam him in. If Eldrazi get banned come april maybe move the spreading seas to the SB and put him in because we'll have allot more aggro?
I tested a few games versus colorless eldrazi this weekend (2-2) - http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/mythic-command/. Last round in game four was tense. Faced a Sower with bSkull equipped. I had 2 life, though my field was a 12/12 myth and four Spirit tokens. Unfortunately Endbringer was cast and I was unable to answer, loosing to the "can't" block on myth and a Smasher through the tokens.
Boarded inn, amongst other things, one copy of Ghostly Prison & Worship. Never saw the latter, but Prison was present and mvp. Also, I tested boarding inn Runed Halo & Extraction. When I saw it Halo saved me from Batterskulls naming germ, and extraction exiled all the temples one game - though it feels a bit conditional.
The list I fought had 3 Batterskulls which are a pain to deal with. To the point where I wish I had one Disenchant in the sideboard - note that the "new" UW eldrazi has two-three in their side, allowing them to answer our enchantments.
But honestly at this point I'm not sure if I'm going to bother testing more versus eldrazi as they play a completely different game.
EDH GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG UBRNicol Bolas and his SuperfriendsPawnsUBR
Modern UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW WUBRGHumansWUBRG BGMidrangeBG
Guys I have bad news, I've been testing against the new UW Eldrazi lists and the MU is considerably worse. Eldrazi Displacer combined with Drowner of Hope and the other token guy is super strong, Stubborn Denial, Path to Exile and Dismember also help ruining our day together with the usual Thought-Knot Seer.
What has been the most difficult part to overcome for you? Displacer + Drowner or the removal and disruption? I feel as though Verdicts can help a lot with the pressure barring that early Seer.
Could it be time to add Linvala, Keeper of Silence back to the sideboard as a way to shut off those activated abilities?
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EDH GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG UBRNicol Bolas and his SuperfriendsPawnsUBR
Modern UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW WUBRGHumansWUBRG BGMidrangeBG
Went 3-1-1 at a GPT with a list very similar to the one that came second in the Magic Online PTQ. Only changes were a Tamiyo (didn't have a second Gideon) and Surgical Extraction in the sideboard (instead of two Torpor Orbs). I really liked Tamiyo, her plus ability played well with the mana denial strategy and there was one time against Eldrazi I drew five cards off a bunch of tapped scions to find the Verdict I needed (he likely should have saved those Scions but I'm not sure what he had in hand).
Matches were:
0-2 to Mono Green Tooth and Nail. Couldn't find a sweeper in either game. I think if I played this more often it'd be a closer match. Made a play error in game one when I let an Arbor Elf live instead of Pathing.
2-0 Esper Mentor. I felt I was just grinder than him. Combined with the four Spreading Seas and Ghost Quarters I made it really hard to find black game one and in Game 2 i completely cut all his white sources. No Mentor or Souls for you! He made a misplay in G2 when he tried to Snap - Mana Leak a verdict. Unfortunately for him that's a legal move, just a bad one...
1-1 UR Eldrazi. Game one he beat me down pretty well. Game 2 was super grindy and I was able to deny him the mana needed to really get going. Tamiyo and Elspeth finished the game off. We started Gane 3 and if we'd had time I probably had a decent shot but alas, it was a draw.
2-1 Griselshoal. He killed me on Turn 2 in game 1. Ugh. Game two I kept counter magic in hand and was able to stick some Flickerwisp beats. He bricked on finding creatures to cheat in. Game three I was able to keep him off colour and had 3-4 counters in hand. I mana leaked an Inquistion to force him to either pay or be left without info. He took a counter spell. His attempt to flashback a Nourishing Shoal was met with Extraction and he conceded.
Was happy with how I played this match. Never played it before and thought my sequencing was on point.
2-1 Abzan. He got me game one with a mana tithe and was then able to chip in for beats with Goyfs and such. Couldn't draw enough answers to keep up. Gsme 2 I had the answers and cast two or three verdicts. Some Sun Titan recursion a were enough to move to game 3. Game 3 was full on mana denial. My opponent revealed in G1 he only had two basics in the deck. I liberally used my Ghost Quarters and had 3/4 Spreading Seas out by end of match. When I used two ghost quarters first main phase, recurred one with a sun Titan attack and then the second with another sun Titan in second main phase, leaving him with nothing but islands he casually tossed all my Spreading Seas back to my side of the table and walked away without saying anything. Never fun to feel like you've ruined someone's day but a wins a win.
The Top 8 all decided to draw so ended up with a fifth place finish.
If you have any questions regarding this archetype, such as our best card options, adapting to the meta, design directions, decklist help, MU's (i.e. Eldrazi), etc., please feel free to ask.
What does everyone's counter suit look like? Currently I'm running two spell snare and three cryptic command. Is there no room to try logic knot? We don't use the graveyard much at all and since our deck runs a lot of removal it seems like a decent 1 of. Also why is no one running blade splicer? It trades well with Thought-Knot Seer due to the first strike from the golem.
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On mtgsalvation people don't want to discuss ideas, so I give people something else to discuss: my controversial opinions.
A few uw builds running flip-Jace did well, so I decided to try it out, as the plan seemed to be endless wiping and cryptics.
Prior to playing the deck, I had not realized jace ultimates are the primary wincon of this build. The mill plan has been
particularly nice in matches where my typical uw titan builds would suffer: life combos and Soul Sisters. On the topic of
my usual titan build's weaknesses, the creatures plan is okay against eldrazi, but drawing the wrong quarter of my deck is
often detrimental. The flip-Jace build so far doesn't have the latter shortcoming as it can basically just focus on the grind
and mill plan.
I added anticipates to my build, as digging to key cards was a problem and they make jaces better for getting over midgame humps.
The same can be said for timely.
Something that I've noticed is that on mtgo, effective use of priorities and hotkeys is necessary for not timing. Generally,
so long as I do not fall behind too much on the clock though, my opponents have decided to scoop instead of playing the clock
angle and belaboring things.
Anyway, here is the build...there is an extra land, as testing how specific cards, like Anticipate, is more important to me than
a marginal statistic edge. I am not really looking for feedback so much as the deck has been fun enough that sharing it seemed appropriate:
Among the numerous relevant creatures Phantasmal Image can copy, including Eldrazi (i.e. Thought-Knot Seer and Reality Smasher) or your own Omens/Finks(great with Persist as it can return as a copy of another creature)/Restos/etc. (even nuttier if you have multiple copies in your hand), it can also become a Planeswalker copy of Gideon Jura if Gideon Jura becomes a creature. Therefore, you can attack with the original Gideon Jura, replace it with Image copy of Gideon, and +2 in your second main phase.
This means you can chain this with other copies of Image, replacing one another, without having to use another original Gideon Jura. Attack as a 6/6 Image Gideon, defend with +2 as another Image Gideon, rinse and repeat. Yes, Image allows you to theoretically play more than 4 copies of Gideon Jura throughout the game...for 2 mana. Let that sink in.
Another important thing to remember is spells that are redirected to Walker Image, such as Lightning Bolt; Since the spell doesn't target Walker Image, the redirect clause would only remove Loyalty counters from Walker Image. If, however, it becomes a creature, Image will still die to any targeted spell or ability, including Lightning Bolt.
To make a long story short, Phantasmal Image has been an MVP vs several decks. It allows you to pull off some unexpected, unorthodox, and unfair explosive plays that aren't typically common for UW. Not to mention, the blowout interaction between Sun Titan + Phantasmal Image, which has been fantastic vs Eldrazi. In fact, it's a gameplan that mirrors what Eldrazi does between turns 2 to 5 - efficiently swarm the board with bombs and dominate through value.
- Vs Eldrazi -
Based on my knowledge and experience, this is one of the best gameplans with UWx vs Eldrazi. The main idea is to stabilize between turns 2-4, interact with their board via Path/Halo/Seas/Sphere/Verdict. Rinse and recover with value and pressure through Gideon Jura, Batterskull, Celestial Colonnade, Elspeth, Sun's Champion, and Sun Titan/Phantasmal Image. The game can end quickly, shortly after that, by using Cryptic Command (tap down creatures), Gideon's +2, and/or Venser's -1.
What do you guys think about Isochron Scepter/Silence/Angel's Grace combo in a UW Shell? Its instantly establishes a lock for 2 mana (1 turn delay on turn 2 or instantly turn 4) Scepter can copy a counterspell or Path to add continuous removal. Any thoughts? I was thinking 3 scepter 3 silence 2 angels grace/Holyday.
List for reference:
4x Flooded Strand
1x Ghost Quarter
3x Glacial Fortress
3x Hallowed Fountain
4x Island
2x Plains
3x Polluted Delta
2x Tectonic Edge
4x Supreme Verdict
2x Timely Reinforcements
4x Cryptic Command
2x Dispel
1x Dissolve
4x Path to Exile
4x Remand
2x Sphinx's Revelation
1x Dragonlord Ojutai
3x Kitchen Finks
3x Restoration Angel
2x Snapcaster Mage
2x Detention Sphere
1x Day of Judgment
2x Disenchant
2x Dispel
1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1x Negate
2x Rest for the Weary
1x Rest in Peace
2x Stony Silence
1x Wrath of God
FNM 1 Round 1: Bye
Sucks, spent the time foiling out my deck
Round 2: Grixis Delver
Game 1 I completely man handled him dropping a path to answer the turn 2 tasigur trading land drops after a while and wiping the board to meet a resolved young pyromancer that stormed out 4 elementals.
Out: 4 remand 2 detention sphere
In: 1 negate, 2 dispel, 1 elspeth
Game 2 I basically dropped a kitchen sphinx on curve and beat him down with it winning the counter wars over the removal and playing resto angels and board wipes to keep the finks hangin around.
FNM1 Round 3: Jeskai Control
So this guy is a good friend of mine, we check the time and found out that the FNM was only 3 rounds, we decided to split and take a 30 minute drive to another fnm.
FNM2 Round 1: Affinity
Game 1 So the deck that played 4 mainboard board wipes managed to survive to drop the first one of curve and effectively take over the game from there.
Out: 2 detention sphere, 3 remand, 1 sphinx's rev
In: 2 stony silence, 2 disencant, 1 day of judgement, 1 wrath of god
Game 2 First off I didn't see any sideboard cards in my opening hand, but I did have 2 paths 1 supreme verdict and 4 lands (snap keep?) Game went to expectations I wound up winning.
FNM2 Round 2: Infect
Game 1 he didn't seem to keep a creature hand, so I just kinda kept playing lands and passing the turn. Once he finally started dropping creatures I had 3 verdicts in hand and a path. Basically I kept him of creatures and swinging at him with a Colonnade. I did however let him swing at me with a noble hierarch for 20 (I cast a sphinx's rev the previous turn for 6).
Out: 2 Detention sphere, 4 remand
In: 1 negate, 2 dispel, 1 wrath of god, 1 day of judgement
Game 2 he got me turn 2 with an inkmoth
Game 3 I got crap hands and mulled to 4, he wiped me out by turn 5, only loss of the night
FNM 2 Round 3: Bogles
So Lost game 1 quite handly we all know what the Bogles deck does no need to explain right?
Out: 1 sphinx's rev, 2 dispel
In: 1 wrath of god, 1 day of judgement, 2 disenchant ( yep I played 61 cards)
Game 2, he went with a rather large number of creatures I expect hge kept dropping the creatures out because I didn;t play any verdicts game 1. But after he got 4 creatures out I dropped a wrath on him, he conceded.
Game 3 He managed to get umbras, I got counterspells and disenchants. The game went long since I couldn't draw a threat, but in the end I did effectively cast a board wipe 10 times in that game (sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do right? Wipe, snap wipe, cryptic bounce snap draw, wipe, snap wipe, ect?) and D-Sphering all the hyena umbras (one card take all 4? ok) away.
FNM2 Round 4: Burn
So I haven't played this deck vs burn, it was also 2AM and the burn player had to go to work in the morning. I split with him out of kindness. Ending the day at 4-1-2
Thoguhts:
Yes I boarded out remands every match, if anything it feels like the worst card in the deck, but I prefer it over mana leak SO I'm keeping it. I only really boarded it out because I was on the draw game 2 every time.
Dissolve was probably the most surprisingly effective card of the night.
Detention sphere is a good card, but none of the matchups seemed worthwhile toi keep it in outside bogles (maybe keep it vs the grixis delver player I guess)?
Overall it's only my third-fourth time playing the deck. I haven't played vs burn, tron, merfolk, or eldrazi yet. But those matchups seem perfectly winnable.
I guess the answer for 1 and 2 is the same: this is a very wide archetype ranging from more midrange versions to more draw-go ones. Anyway, I'd say Snapcaster Mage is a pretty popular card in most of them, though not everyone uses it and many midrange-ish lists don't want a full playset.
There's also those lists focused on Emeria/Sun Titan and the ones that abuse from Ojutai's Commmand, but they are usually treated as different archetypes
I guess it's more of a meta call. If it's full of aggro decks a 3rd wrath can be really helpful (with a 4th one on the SB). Otherwise I guess you could go with just 2.
About Detention Sphere, I feel it is a great card for the tapout version where you want to cast things like Wall of Omens and Kitchen Finks on your early turns and often have to deal with resolved stuff instead of countering them. It also helps the fact that it can deal with things we usually don't have an answer main deck, as enchantments, artifacts and Planeswalkers. Draw-go lists probably don't need it.
I haven't played since Twin's banning, but Tron always felt as a very difficult matchup. Being more proactive and packing 4x Ghost Quarter really improved the matchup, but it was still complicated.
Commander: WUBRG Superfriends, GW Rhys Tokens, WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon
Kitchen Table (now that's real Magic): WUBRG Domain, GU Biovisionary, UB Korlash Grandeur, UW Merfolk Mill
The Cycling it does is kinda Meh, and the lifegain aspect is not really relevant since we have finks for that.
I feel like it doesn't do much besides that and other cards might just be better, but I haven't tested it so I don't know how it would perform.
EDIT: also Cksboy, I noticed no Wall of Omens in your list, how did that work out for you?
It has been useful in some scenarios. Like topping a pia with a dark confidant on the board vs Jund. That being said I often find myself siding it out, but that's necessary not a bad thing. It's never a bad card which is nice.
I'm interested in testing Dissolve or Detention Sphere in the slot.
We would much rather flat-out answer threats than delay them. Snapcaster is getting played less--along with Lingering Souls--so we don't even get value off it countering the flashback spell. Add to that the fact we live in a world where Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger and other Eldrazi have abilities that trigger on cast rather than ETB, Remand just feels bad right now. It's better in a tempo-based list, but not in a midrange/control list.
GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW
UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW
UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG
UBRNicol Bolas and his Super
friendsPawnsUBRModern
UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW
WUBRGHumansWUBRG
BGMidrangeBG
I like remand in more Tempo builds, as the tempo lost for the opponent you can capitalize on. In our deck if we don't have a board full of finks and angels it falls short IMO. That doesn't mean I don't run them in MY list, but I usually end up siding them for cards like Negate, or hate cards.
I just think he's a little slow.
EDIT: Just remember not to bring Worship in against infect.
Boarded inn, amongst other things, one copy of Ghostly Prison & Worship. Never saw the latter, but Prison was present and mvp. Also, I tested boarding inn Runed Halo & Extraction. When I saw it Halo saved me from Batterskulls naming germ, and extraction exiled all the temples one game - though it feels a bit conditional.
The list I fought had 3 Batterskulls which are a pain to deal with. To the point where I wish I had one Disenchant in the sideboard - note that the "new" UW eldrazi has two-three in their side, allowing them to answer our enchantments.
But honestly at this point I'm not sure if I'm going to bother testing more versus eldrazi as they play a completely different game.
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Kitchen Finks
1 Gideon Jura
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 Path to Exile
3 Condemn
4 Runed Halo
4 Spreading Seas
2 Detention Sphere
2 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Supreme Verdict
1 Wrath of God
4 Flooded Strand
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Hallowed Fountain
2 Windswept Heath
4 Plains
2 Island
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Crucible of Worlds
3 Leyline of Sanctity
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
2 Disenchant
2 Dispel
2 Negate
GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW
UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW
UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG
UBRNicol Bolas and his Super
friendsPawnsUBRModern
UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW
WUBRGHumansWUBRG
BGMidrangeBG
What has been the most difficult part to overcome for you? Displacer + Drowner or the removal and disruption? I feel as though Verdicts can help a lot with the pressure barring that early Seer.
Could it be time to add Linvala, Keeper of Silence back to the sideboard as a way to shut off those activated abilities?
GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW
UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW
UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG
UBRNicol Bolas and his Super
friendsPawnsUBRModern
UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW
WUBRGHumansWUBRG
BGMidrangeBG
Matches were:
0-2 to Mono Green Tooth and Nail. Couldn't find a sweeper in either game. I think if I played this more often it'd be a closer match. Made a play error in game one when I let an Arbor Elf live instead of Pathing.
2-0 Esper Mentor. I felt I was just grinder than him. Combined with the four Spreading Seas and Ghost Quarters I made it really hard to find black game one and in Game 2 i completely cut all his white sources. No Mentor or Souls for you! He made a misplay in G2 when he tried to Snap - Mana Leak a verdict. Unfortunately for him that's a legal move, just a bad one...
1-1 UR Eldrazi. Game one he beat me down pretty well. Game 2 was super grindy and I was able to deny him the mana needed to really get going. Tamiyo and Elspeth finished the game off. We started Gane 3 and if we'd had time I probably had a decent shot but alas, it was a draw.
2-1 Griselshoal. He killed me on Turn 2 in game 1. Ugh. Game two I kept counter magic in hand and was able to stick some Flickerwisp beats. He bricked on finding creatures to cheat in. Game three I was able to keep him off colour and had 3-4 counters in hand. I mana leaked an Inquistion to force him to either pay or be left without info. He took a counter spell. His attempt to flashback a Nourishing Shoal was met with Extraction and he conceded.
Was happy with how I played this match. Never played it before and thought my sequencing was on point.
2-1 Abzan. He got me game one with a mana tithe and was then able to chip in for beats with Goyfs and such. Couldn't draw enough answers to keep up. Gsme 2 I had the answers and cast two or three verdicts. Some Sun Titan recursion a were enough to move to game 3. Game 3 was full on mana denial. My opponent revealed in G1 he only had two basics in the deck. I liberally used my Ghost Quarters and had 3/4 Spreading Seas out by end of match. When I used two ghost quarters first main phase, recurred one with a sun Titan attack and then the second with another sun Titan in second main phase, leaving him with nothing but islands he casually tossed all my Spreading Seas back to my side of the table and walked away without saying anything. Never fun to feel like you've ruined someone's day but a wins a win.
The Top 8 all decided to draw so ended up with a fifth place finish.
Still working on the counterspell package and a few sideboard slots such as the purges.
4 Flooded Strand
2 Ghost Quarter
4 Hallowed Fountain
3 Island
4 Plains
1 Seachrome Coast
2 Windswept Heath
1 Batterskull
2 Detention Sphere
2 Dispel
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Gideon Jura
2 Kitchen Finks
4 Mana Leak
4 Path to Exile
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Spreading Seas
3 Supreme Verdict
1 Vendilion Clique
4 Wall of Omens
2 Wrath of God
2 Disenchant
1 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Negate
2 Spellskite
2 Stony Silence
1 Sun Titan
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Vedalken Shackles
I'm the founder and community manager of the following pages on Facebook:
MTG Modern - Competitive: UWx Midrange/Control
https://www.Facebook.com/ModernUWxControl
MTG Modern - Competitive: UWx Midrange/Control Community
https://www.Facebook.com/Groups/MTGModernUWx
(Ali Aintrazi and Shawn Soorani are there, too, among others)
I'm also an Admin for one of the premier Modern communities on Facebook:
Magic the Gathering: Modern Meta Masters
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ModernMetaMasters/
If you have any questions regarding this archetype, such as our best card options, adapting to the meta, design directions, decklist help, MU's (i.e. Eldrazi), etc., please feel free to ask.
Thank you.
Francesco Neo Amati
MTG Modern - Competitive: UWx Midrange/Control
Facebook.com/ModernUWxControl
MTG Modern - Competitive: UWx Midrange/Control Community
Facebook.com/Groups/MTGModernUWx
I'm also an Admin for one of the premier Modern communities on Facebook:
Magic the Gathering: Modern Meta Masters
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ModernMetaMasters/
Decks I'm playing in Modern right now:
URB Grixis Reveler (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-grixis-reveler/)
UB Faeries (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/ub-fae-2/)
UW Azorious Control (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-ojutai-control-2/)
Prior to playing the deck, I had not realized jace ultimates are the primary wincon of this build. The mill plan has been
particularly nice in matches where my typical uw titan builds would suffer: life combos and Soul Sisters. On the topic of
my usual titan build's weaknesses, the creatures plan is okay against eldrazi, but drawing the wrong quarter of my deck is
often detrimental. The flip-Jace build so far doesn't have the latter shortcoming as it can basically just focus on the grind
and mill plan.
I added anticipates to my build, as digging to key cards was a problem and they make jaces better for getting over midgame humps.
The same can be said for timely.
Something that I've noticed is that on mtgo, effective use of priorities and hotkeys is necessary for not timing. Generally,
so long as I do not fall behind too much on the clock though, my opponents have decided to scoop instead of playing the clock
angle and belaboring things.
Anyway, here is the build...there is an extra land, as testing how specific cards, like Anticipate, is more important to me than
a marginal statistic edge. I am not really looking for feedback so much as the deck has been fun enough that sharing it seemed appropriate:
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Wall of Omens
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Cryptic Command
1 Dismember
3 Mana Leak
3 Ojutai's Command
4 Path to Exile
3 Anticipate
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Flooded Strand
3 Ghost Quarter
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Hallowed Fountain
5 Island
3 Plains
1 Prairie Stream
1 Polluted Delta
1 Tectonic Edge
SB: 1 Dismember
SB: 1 Crucible of Worlds
SB: 2 Disenchant
SB: 2 Dispel
SB: 4 Leyline of Sanctity
SB: 1 Negate
SB: 2 Stony Silence
SB: 2 Vendilion Clique
This means you can chain this with other copies of Image, replacing one another, without having to use another original Gideon Jura. Attack as a 6/6 Image Gideon, defend with +2 as another Image Gideon, rinse and repeat. Yes, Image allows you to theoretically play more than 4 copies of Gideon Jura throughout the game...for 2 mana. Let that sink in.
Another important thing to remember is spells that are redirected to Walker Image, such as Lightning Bolt; Since the spell doesn't target Walker Image, the redirect clause would only remove Loyalty counters from Walker Image. If, however, it becomes a creature, Image will still die to any targeted spell or ability, including Lightning Bolt.
To make a long story short, Phantasmal Image has been an MVP vs several decks. It allows you to pull off some unexpected, unorthodox, and unfair explosive plays that aren't typically common for UW. Not to mention, the blowout interaction between Sun Titan + Phantasmal Image, which has been fantastic vs Eldrazi. In fact, it's a gameplan that mirrors what Eldrazi does between turns 2 to 5 - efficiently swarm the board with bombs and dominate through value.
- Vs Eldrazi -
Based on my knowledge and experience, this is one of the best gameplans with UWx vs Eldrazi. The main idea is to stabilize between turns 2-4, interact with their board via Path/Halo/Seas/Sphere/Verdict. Rinse and recover with value and pressure through Gideon Jura, Batterskull, Celestial Colonnade, Elspeth, Sun's Champion, and Sun Titan/Phantasmal Image. The game can end quickly, shortly after that, by using Cryptic Command (tap down creatures), Gideon's +2, and/or Venser's -1.
MTG Modern - Competitive: UWx Midrange/Control
Facebook.com/ModernUWxControl
MTG Modern - Competitive: UWx Midrange/Control Community
Facebook.com/Groups/MTGModernUWx
I'm also an Admin for one of the premier Modern communities on Facebook:
Magic the Gathering: Modern Meta Masters
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ModernMetaMasters/