I was doing some thinking about Modern and how the the bulk of the format's removal just misses Blood Baron of Vizkopa. In fact, the only real cards that get him is 2x Bolt, 2x Pyroclasm and Supreme/Wrath/Oblivion Stone. I feel liking playing him in a format where he dodges most removal is too good to pass up on. I tried fitting him into a Midrange shell and came up with this.
The sideboard is a rough first draft and the deck needs to be tested but I've show it to a couple guys and they think it looks pretty strong. My problem is I don't have a lot of these cards, but I'm going to be lending for a upcoming GPT and want to give it a run and see how it does. I thought I'd open it up for peoples comments.
The general idea is to play it like JUND is played, remove opponents creatures with your spot removal, disrupt their hand and resolve a Blood Baron, which you should be able to ride to victory since most decks don't have a way of dealing with him.
I'm terrified of how many 4cmc+ things you have (8, good lord!). Confidant will just murder you. Older (1-2 months ago) Jund lists were running 4 or 5 tops. If I had to build the deck I'd probably go with the following:
I had Rakdos's Return in there originally cause it seemed good, but I think I'd rather cast Ajani or Hellkite on 4 or 5 mana. Fulminator Mage is a huge consideration as well. Can't abuse it like Living End or tutor it up like Pod, but it's still really good. Magix has a point with including Figure; left unchecked it will just end games. While Reckoner isn't huge in Modern, it's still a very powerful card and I think deserves a spot in here. Ideally we even out our self inflicted damage with Ajani, Helices, and Vault, but as already noted, we could add Baneslayer if necessary...or even clear out a few spots for Kitchen Finks. No sideboard provided, that's a meta thing.
Man, I actually kinda want to build this badboy and see what happens
Could easily splash blue and add Snapcaster Mage to the list. With all of the removal and discard, he adds a source of card advantage to help grind your opponents out.
I don't see Boros reckoner winning the game quickly like Tarmogoyf might, and it still dies to all the common removal. He's probably an easy cut.
Could easily splash blue and add Snapcaster Mage to the list. With all of the removal and discard, he adds a source of card advantage to help grind your opponents out.
I don't see Boros reckoner winning the game quickly like Tarmogoyf might, and it still dies to all the common removal. He's probably an easy cut.
WRBU is still 4 colors, but might make Figure of Destiny harder to level up. I have never played with him so I can't say if he's any good or not.
Saying something dies to removal is hardly an argument for cutting a card. Goyf dies to the same stuff Reckoner does, until you get him above 3 toughness. Even then, Reckoner punishes an opponent for chump blocking or using direct damage. On a side note, Reckoner can trade with Goyf; not many 3 cmc creatures can boast that. Goyf can't even trade with Goyf... Reckoner might not beat as hard as goyf, but it has its own strengths.
I'll agree with you about Lavaclaw. The 2 toughness and no evasion is not that appealing, but if the goal is to stay in this color slice, it's better than nothing.
Obzedat, Ghost Council
+ ETB effect
+ neat protection against most removal spells
+ lifegain to help to survive bob
- 1wwbb instead of 3wb
or Baneslayer Angel?
+ lifegain to help to survive bob
+ 5/5 evasion, (frist strike)
- no ETB
or Batterskull
+ no special mana requirement
+ can be protected from removal with some more mana
+ can be attached to other creatures
- same 4/4 as blood baron
Also Rakdos's Return would be a neat card against other control decks.
Obzedat, Ghost Council seems very bad in modern where pretty much all relevant removal is instant speed and very capable of killing him. I've also played Baneslayer Angel in my URW Midrange/Tempo decks and she's not that good, sure there are some games where you opponent doesn't draw his removal, but it doesn't always happen. Batterskull is something to consider.
In regards to Goyf blocking the Baron, there's a very real possibility, but the idea of this deck is to make sure a goyf never resolves (discard) and if it does, you simply remove it (path, terminate, Liliana). Once you've got a BB in play, you switch to tempo mode and protect him, with the current state of Modern removal, players will have to 2-for-1 to remove him with red burn spells and the only real red burn spell that can hit him is Lightning Bolt, because Helix doesn't hit him due to pro white, so they need 2x Bolt in hand to kill him, which again, you can stop with discard spells.
As for no evasion. He has pro white and black, so he's got semi evasion from a lot of the creatures in the format. If we look at some of the main creatures being played in the format at the moment, he dodges pretty much all the creatures from the pod list (http://www.mtgdecks.net/decks/view/51656). The creatures in the new Scapeshift deck are a problem, but we have more than enough removal to make sure that isn't a problem and once a BB is resolved, it's very likely that our life totals will quickly go out of range for scapeshift to realistically do anything about it. URW's removal is mostly dead to the protection of the Baron. Affinity is problematic, but again, the removal suite should be gold here. WB tokens, the Blood Baron has protection vs the whole deck.
He just seems so well positioned in the current modern meta. Sure he's slow, but the format doesn't seem to be that fast at the moment and we've got the removal/discard vs the faster decks to keep the slow enough in much the same way JUND did, if not more so.
I'm terrified of how many 4cmc+ things you have (8, good lord!). Confidant will just murder you. Older (1-2 months ago) Jund lists were running 4 or 5 tops. If I had to build the deck I'd probably go with the following:
....
I had Rakdos's Return in there originally cause it seemed good, but I think I'd rather cast Ajani or Hellkite on 4 or 5 mana. Fulminator Mage is a huge consideration as well. Can't abuse it like Living End or tutor it up like Pod, but it's still really good. Magix has a point with including Figure; left unchecked it will just end games. While Reckoner isn't huge in Modern, it's still a very powerful card and I think deserves a spot in here. Ideally we even out our self inflicted damage with Ajani, Helices, and Vault, but as already noted, we could add Baneslayer if necessary...or even clear out a few spots for Kitchen Finks. No sideboard provided, that's a meta thing.
Man, I actually kinda want to build this badboy and see what happens
As for your point about the amount of 4+ drops I have, you have a point, but I was hoping the life gain in the deck would offset that, which Jund doesn't have access too (Blood Baron, Helix, Ajani). Kitchen Finks is definately something to consider, but I'm weary of the double white at the 3 drop slot, will probably need some testing.
Also, Lavaclaw Reaches isn't a great card as it has been pointed out, but it's the only man land in the colour distribution of the deck and I wanted something, rather than nothing.
This is all theory at the moment though and it really needs some testing. Hopefully I'll be able to get some done in the next week or so.
4 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats
3 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Godless Shrine
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Isolated Chapel
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
3 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
4 Dark Confidant
2 Olivia Voldaren
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
Instant:
3 Lightning Helix
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Path to Exile
3 Terminate
Sorcery:
4 Lingering Souls
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
Planes Walkers:
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Ajani Vengeant
2 Pyroclasm
2 Rakdos Charm
1 Wrath of God
2 Sowing Salt
2 Stony Silence
2 Combust
2 Fulminator Mage
2 Dreadbore
The sideboard is a rough first draft and the deck needs to be tested but I've show it to a couple guys and they think it looks pretty strong. My problem is I don't have a lot of these cards, but I'm going to be lending for a upcoming GPT and want to give it a run and see how it does. I thought I'd open it up for peoples comments.
The general idea is to play it like JUND is played, remove opponents creatures with your spot removal, disrupt their hand and resolve a Blood Baron, which you should be able to ride to victory since most decks don't have a way of dealing with him.
4 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats
2 Blood Crypt
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Godless Shrine
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Swamp
1 Vault of the Archangel
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Dark Confidant
3 Boros Reckoner
1 Olivia Voldaren
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
Spells(19):
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lightning Helix
3 Path to Exile
3 Lingering Souls
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Dreadbore
3 Liliana of the Veil
2 Ajani Vengeant
I had Rakdos's Return in there originally cause it seemed good, but I think I'd rather cast Ajani or Hellkite on 4 or 5 mana. Fulminator Mage is a huge consideration as well. Can't abuse it like Living End or tutor it up like Pod, but it's still really good. Magix has a point with including Figure; left unchecked it will just end games. While Reckoner isn't huge in Modern, it's still a very powerful card and I think deserves a spot in here. Ideally we even out our self inflicted damage with Ajani, Helices, and Vault, but as already noted, we could add Baneslayer if necessary...or even clear out a few spots for Kitchen Finks. No sideboard provided, that's a meta thing.
Man, I actually kinda want to build this badboy and see what happens
UWRUWR Midrange/GeistRWU
Retired
GWBMelira PodBWG
I don't see Boros reckoner winning the game quickly like Tarmogoyf might, and it still dies to all the common removal. He's probably an easy cut.
Lavaclaw Reaches has never felt good to me. Creeping Tar Pit is obviously way better and adds inevitability to the list.
WRBU is still 4 colors, but might make Figure of Destiny harder to level up. I have never played with him so I can't say if he's any good or not.
Saying something dies to removal is hardly an argument for cutting a card. Goyf dies to the same stuff Reckoner does, until you get him above 3 toughness. Even then, Reckoner punishes an opponent for chump blocking or using direct damage. On a side note, Reckoner can trade with Goyf; not many 3 cmc creatures can boast that. Goyf can't even trade with Goyf... Reckoner might not beat as hard as goyf, but it has its own strengths.
I'll agree with you about Lavaclaw. The 2 toughness and no evasion is not that appealing, but if the goal is to stay in this color slice, it's better than nothing.
UWRUWR Midrange/GeistRWU
Retired
GWBMelira PodBWG
Obzedat, Ghost Council seems very bad in modern where pretty much all relevant removal is instant speed and very capable of killing him. I've also played Baneslayer Angel in my URW Midrange/Tempo decks and she's not that good, sure there are some games where you opponent doesn't draw his removal, but it doesn't always happen. Batterskull is something to consider.
In regards to Goyf blocking the Baron, there's a very real possibility, but the idea of this deck is to make sure a goyf never resolves (discard) and if it does, you simply remove it (path, terminate, Liliana). Once you've got a BB in play, you switch to tempo mode and protect him, with the current state of Modern removal, players will have to 2-for-1 to remove him with red burn spells and the only real red burn spell that can hit him is Lightning Bolt, because Helix doesn't hit him due to pro white, so they need 2x Bolt in hand to kill him, which again, you can stop with discard spells.
As for no evasion. He has pro white and black, so he's got semi evasion from a lot of the creatures in the format. If we look at some of the main creatures being played in the format at the moment, he dodges pretty much all the creatures from the pod list (http://www.mtgdecks.net/decks/view/51656). The creatures in the new Scapeshift deck are a problem, but we have more than enough removal to make sure that isn't a problem and once a BB is resolved, it's very likely that our life totals will quickly go out of range for scapeshift to realistically do anything about it. URW's removal is mostly dead to the protection of the Baron. Affinity is problematic, but again, the removal suite should be gold here. WB tokens, the Blood Baron has protection vs the whole deck.
He just seems so well positioned in the current modern meta. Sure he's slow, but the format doesn't seem to be that fast at the moment and we've got the removal/discard vs the faster decks to keep the slow enough in much the same way JUND did, if not more so.
I already have Fulminator mage in the side board. Figure of Destiny is possibly a decent call.
As for your point about the amount of 4+ drops I have, you have a point, but I was hoping the life gain in the deck would offset that, which Jund doesn't have access too (Blood Baron, Helix, Ajani). Kitchen Finks is definately something to consider, but I'm weary of the double white at the 3 drop slot, will probably need some testing.
Looking at everyone's comments, I might drop 1 Liliana of the Veil and the Thundermaw Hellkite for 2 Figure of Destiny and see how that tests.
Also, Lavaclaw Reaches isn't a great card as it has been pointed out, but it's the only man land in the colour distribution of the deck and I wanted something, rather than nothing.
This is all theory at the moment though and it really needs some testing. Hopefully I'll be able to get some done in the next week or so.