That's the best thing about BB. Comes out early and if it resolves... It stays most of the time.
Abrupt Decay is really about the only thing, besides Mana Leak and Spell Snare, that is able to deal with it game one. Maindeck Auriok Champion is just weak against the rest of the field (barring your particular metagame situation) in a way that I don't want it and would rather rely on Sorin, Vault, and Timely to make up for BB's life loss. Now, if your metagame is mostly Jund, Grixis, Twin, Burn, Combo Elves, and Soul Sisters then by all means run maindeck Champion. In most other matchups, however, I would like the four to ten damage that Raise the Alarm tokens can do over the course of a game.
I think Champion is solid Vs. Zoo, also.
In a world of Abbots, Angler's, Splinter Twins, Burn, and and K-Commands it just seems too good not to run. Because most of the decks you listed are most of the decks I see all the time.
I would actually argue that Champion is bad against Zoo. She doesn't block Nacatl, Pridemage, Goyf, or Knight. That matchup is all about nullifying the effectiveness of Kessig Wolf Run to just Fireball us, and so I don't think she is any better than our other creatures in that matchup. Assuming the debate is choosing between maindeck Raise the Alarm or Auriok Champion, I would choose Raise just for the surprise factor that sometimes you can sneak them out in front of a 2/2 Nacatl, a 1/2 Hierarch, or even a 1/2 Goyf.
That's fine if you think your metagame is suited towards maindeck Auriok Champion. I've been there, done that, and defended it. But I also think all of those cards are in decks that we should already win against and so I like the early aggression that Raise the Alarm can provide that helps us steal game 1s from some of our bad matchups. I was lamenting elsewhere on the forums about how frustrating modern can be, that you have a reasonable deck choice but can have you entire tournament decided by the lottery that is matchups and pairings. In that case, I want cards that can be more proactive, which Champion isn't.
While I do run a bit different version of tokens than most I agree with you on Champion, I feel while very good in some match ups, in others he is very poor making him a much better SB card than main, unless the metagame locally fits but if im going to a 5k or bigger tourney I don't care for champion in the main.
This is the deck I've been running with quite some success. The Leylines in the sideboard are a meta call at my LGS.
What I've been trying to do is put a Gavony Township and a Temple Garden in the deck, but I currently run 23 lands. I'd probably cut a plains for the Temple Garden, but for the Gavony Township I don't know if I should cut a colored land for it or if I should go with 24 lands... What do you guys think?
The Urborg is for consistently cast Liliana, but I don't know if it's really necessary. Sometimes it helps to generate mana from fetch lands too, so it's not that bad.
As for the spoilers, I'll probably trade the chapels for the manlands. (I'm not a fan of Windbrisk Heights).
BW tokens player here (and a lurker to this side of mtgsal), I just have a question.
I have 2 Ghost Quarter as part of my Sideboard list. Do you think its okay to board them in (replacing Windbrisk Heights) for Burn Matchups. (small chance to screw them with their splash colors (white, black, green)
It's already being discussed. I personally think she doesn't fit. IF she had haste instead of first strike I'd try her.
I still think she doesn't quite fit here, but I think First Strike is one of the best aspects to her - it allows other creatures get a +1/+1 counter before the normal damage step... food for thought anyway..
Blighted Steppe
T: 1 colourless
3W,T: Sac gain 2 life for each creature you control.
the black one too
The black one seems pretty playable in other decks. (Update: confused with the spell-land.) The white one just isn't very good.
The black blighted land that has an opponent sacrifice a creatures seems cool, but there just isn't space for all of that many lands that generate colorless mana.
Basically, in terms of spoilers, cards have to be better than what we currently have.
I wouldn't play either of the Blighted lands over Vault of the Archangel as comparable lands that produce colorless mana.
I don't really see any of the creatures fitting into our deck that tries to reduce the number of creatures that it runs in order to make removal less efficient. Like, I don't run Hero of Bladehold or Brimaz so cards have to be better than those two to fit in our deck.
Shambling Vents seems worth testing as a tapped mana source comparable to Windbrisk Heights' current role in the deck; I could easily see a split or perhaps a direct swap for folks who want to run Lili without running the filterland.
Gideon seems great. I think if lists are running Elspeth, Knight-Errant or Ajani Goldmane then he automatically slots into their old place. Whether he replaces Sorin depends on what you want out of Sorin. I want Sorin for the lifegain more than anything, but I also run Bitterblossom.
The new discard spell seems worse than Castigate so it's whatever.
Private Mod Note
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One of these day I have to get myself organizized.
Shambling Vents is my hope against Tron (Ex: If you have 2 Shambling Vents in game, you may even kill their Ugin and they can't do nothing to remove it from the game)
Shambling Vents is my hope against Tron (Ex: If you have 2 Shambling Vents in game, you may even kill their Ugin and they can't do nothing to remove it from the game)
I imagine most of the time you hit Ugin once and then they land a Karn and exile your land.
I don't want to rule Rites out completely, but most of the time I'd rather just cast Night's Whisper
I like the card, I don't like it in here depending on the deck. I play a full discard Bitterblossom suite. 4 Inquisition of Kozilek, 4 Thoughtseize, and 4 Bitterblossom along with the 4 Marsh Flats, 3 Arid Mesa and the playset of Godless Shrine. I don't need any more life drain to help my opponents win. It doesn't give you the second card, sure. What it does do is stay on the field. It does gain you life.
I'm in love with this card... Now I just need to cut a card from my already tight roster to test it.
While I do run a bit different version of tokens than most I agree with you on Champion, I feel while very good in some match ups, in others he is very poor making him a much better SB card than main, unless the metagame locally fits but if im going to a 5k or bigger tourney I don't care for champion in the main.
3 Isolated Chapel
1 Fetid Heath
1 Swamp
4 Plains
4 Marsh Flats
4 Godless Shrine
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath
4 Path to Exile
1 Dismember
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
2 Bitterblossom
4 Lingering Souls
4 Spectral Procession
1 Secure the Wastes
2 Timely Reinforcements
2 Raise the Alarm
3 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2 Zealous Persecution
4 Intangible Virtue
2 Rest in Peace
2 Mark of Asylum
1 Surgical Extraction
2 Liliana of the Veil
4 Leyline of Sanctity
2 Stony Silence
1 Murderous Cut
This is the deck I've been running with quite some success. The Leylines in the sideboard are a meta call at my LGS.
What I've been trying to do is put a Gavony Township and a Temple Garden in the deck, but I currently run 23 lands. I'd probably cut a plains for the Temple Garden, but for the Gavony Township I don't know if I should cut a colored land for it or if I should go with 24 lands... What do you guys think?
The Urborg is for consistently cast Liliana, but I don't know if it's really necessary. Sometimes it helps to generate mana from fetch lands too, so it's not that bad.
As for the spoilers, I'll probably trade the chapels for the manlands. (I'm not a fan of Windbrisk Heights).
BW tokens player here (and a lurker to this side of mtgsal), I just have a question.
I have 2 Ghost Quarter as part of my Sideboard list. Do you think its okay to board them in (replacing Windbrisk Heights) for Burn Matchups. (small chance to screw them with their splash colors (white, black, green)
Would there be a place in the deck for her?
No too slow, to vulnerable, soesnt impact board when entering battlefield, just not good enough for modern
It could possibly fit in a vial-allies list but that'd be about it.
Frenzy-Affinity-Ghost Quarter-Rock-Tokens- RGWPhyrexian Zoo- WVial KnightsStandard:
BW Knights(Rotated)Pioneer: RW Knights - BW Rally Zombies - UW Heroes
Commander:WUG
Jenara, Asura of War- WGSigarda, Host of HeronsCasualties of economicsLegacy: Good-night, sweet prince. Mono-R Burn
If she'd had haste *maybe* would have been worth trying.
It's already being discussed. I personally think she doesn't fit. IF she had haste instead of first strike I'd try her.
WBTokensWB
I still think she doesn't quite fit here, but I think First Strike is one of the best aspects to her - it allows other creatures get a +1/+1 counter before the normal damage step... food for thought anyway..
Blighted Steppe
T: 1 colourless
3W,T: Sac gain 2 life for each creature you control.
the black one too
The black one seems pretty playable in other decks.(Update: confused with the spell-land.) The white one just isn't very good.Basically, in terms of spoilers, cards have to be better than what we currently have.
I imagine most of the time you hit Ugin once and then they land a Karn and exile your land.
I don't love his list.
I like the card, I don't like it in here depending on the deck. I play a full discard Bitterblossom suite. 4 Inquisition of Kozilek, 4 Thoughtseize, and 4 Bitterblossom along with the 4 Marsh Flats, 3 Arid Mesa and the playset of Godless Shrine. I don't need any more life drain to help my opponents win. It doesn't give you the second card, sure. What it does do is stay on the field. It does gain you life.
I'm in love with this card... Now I just need to cut a card from my already tight roster to test it.