For those who plays in several, highly diverse metas (you play anything from Twin to Soul Sisters to Grixis Control to Time Warp to Mono White Enchantments and everything in between on a weekly basis, and can't predict what will show up at any given tournament necessarily)...
Relegate Linvala, Staticaster, and Sage/Pridemage to the board...and put in 2 Paths and 1-2 Master Biomancers. You won't be sad. I have been crushing people with this guy. He lives through Anger, Bolt, and Decay, and if you untap with him you either win on the spot or you create a board state so menacing that you will be winning within 1-2 turns.
I'm sorry, but that sounds really bad for a main deck. It might be an interesting board plan, but I'm not sacrificing cards that can shut down a lot of decks for some alternate grind plan.
Agree to disagree. More often then not, Linvala and Staticaster are dead in my hand. And you probably should be running 1-2 Path main anyways. So how is 1-2 Biomancer bad?
How is a guy that just pumps other dudes and relies on you playing more dudes a good card? Like, what specific situations are you Podding into that guy/playing him and still having business in hand to get the pump advantage from?
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Relies on you playing more dudes in a creature deck? Absurd! Turning mana dorks into threats, making persist 10 times better, letting redcap shoot for 4, allowing over half your guys to swallow Goyf, having a faster clock when your combo gets shut off are a few of the things coming to mind that make him insane in a well diversified meta. I wouldn't run him at a GP, no. But if you read my post carefully, I say he is a great choice in a meta that is extremely unpredictable and populated with all sorts of decks.
I don't usually pod into him except perhaps against control and midrange. I don't have to want to pod into everything that's in my deck. I do however, want everything in my deck to be decent in most matchups, and Linvala, Staticaster, and even Sage/Mage sit in my hand something like 50% of the time, whereas Biomancer rarely does. No, I don't want to Pod into him. But I do want to cast him.
I'm definitely gonna do some testing with Mr. Biomancer. I've always been a fan of the card and have been disappointed that I could never find a great shell for him in standard (he's currently right at home in my Vorel EDH deck, however). The synergy with persist seems noteworthy, and he acts as a kind of quick and dirty Gavony Township, making every bird you drop into a 2/3 threat
In terms of budget,
If you could not run Grove would you run 4 copperline gorge or 3 more stomping grounds(and I guess another fire-lit thicket)?
If you could not run Hierarch would you run 2-4 inferior dorks or would you change the deck a little to compensate?
In terms of budget,
If you could not run Grove would you run 4 copperline gorge or 3 more stomping grounds(and I guess another fire-lit thicket)?
If you could not run Hierarch would you run 2-4 inferior dorks or would you change the deck a little to compensate?
If I couldn't run Grove, 4 Copperline Gorge all the way. I used to run Copperline Gorge in my version, anyway.
If I couldn't run Hierarch, I'd run up the Wall of Roots to a 4-of and find 1-2 more arbitrary mana dorks.
It is with a heavy heart that I move one of Modern's coolest and most iconic decks to Proven. Despite some commanding T8 and T16 performances at events in the last 6 months, Kiki Pod just doesn't see the sort of widespread play that we expect of decks in Proven. On MTGO, Kiki Pod makes up just over 1.5% of the metagame, a similar share to decks like Faeries and Bogles. Kiki Pod has also fallen out of favor for major paper event day 2s, where it makes up only about 2.25% of those returning decks. Although Kiki Pod still sees some play in large paper events, like PTQs and local tournaments, it is not nearly as popular as other decks, comprising just 2.5% of the metagame (about the same as a deck like Faeries). There is no doubt in my mind that this is a powerful and effective deck. It just doesn't have the prevalence to be considered "representative" of the current metagame.
That said, I'd bet that you guys restore your status in proven soon; the deck is just too strong not to!
I once again decided to dust off my decks after the summer and I returned here to see what had happened during the past months.
And then I see that ol'Kiki isn't doing that well. Oh well, lets try to come up with some ideas.
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I am a man of simple tastes. I like to cast green tutors and turn my men, women and non applicable sideways.
Remember, I don't know *****. ...Oh chungus I forgot that the PG-13 rules are enforced.
I once again decided to dust off my decks after the summer and I returned here to see what had happened during the past months.
And then I see that ol'Kiki isn't doing that well. Oh well, lets try to come up with some ideas.
Kiki is a good deck. It clearly has what it takes to beat other decks and take down major events. The issue is, it just doesn't see a lot of play (or as much play as a deck like Melira Pod), which keeps it from being "Proven". Proven decks represent the current metagame and Kiki Pod just doesn't have enough showings to meet those criteria.
Kiki is a good deck. It clearly has what it takes to beat other decks and take down major events. The issue is, it just doesn't see a lot of play (or as much play as a deck like Melira Pod), which keeps it from being "Proven". Proven decks represent the current metagame and Kiki Pod just doesn't have enough showings to meet those criteria.
I know that it's an good deck. I was just abit sad that it's popularity and success had come down so much during my little break. That's all.
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I am a man of simple tastes. I like to cast green tutors and turn my men, women and non applicable sideways.
Remember, I don't know *****. ...Oh chungus I forgot that the PG-13 rules are enforced.
I think one of the biggest obstacles for the deck to being a big part of the meta game is that it is much harder to play than almost any other deck out there. I've always said that this deck will give you a chance to win any match up 99% of the time, the only thing you gotta do is unlock the door and know how you do it. Playing the Kiki-Pod deck takes a level of skill and patience as well as good instincts on what the other player is playing or will play based on previous drops. I feel that as more people get into modern, their overall awareness of the field will increase as will the number of players capable of playing this deck.
If this deck isn't more widely represented in the meta, it's because of two reasons: it's not a cheap deck to build (this is not a complaint about such. I merely wish to bring it up as a reason this deck might no longer in Proven), and it's not an easy deck to play. Why risk losing to your own inexperience and/or incompetence when you could get there with a more tried-and-true 75? Let this deck stay under the radar. If it gets good, Birthing Pod will just get banned.
Hi there guys, I played near a guy that he was running this decklist:
...
Very unique list. Polukranos is quite neat. I like the easy T3 kill off of just dork,BTE,pod. Lotus Cobra is the next best way I can think of but BTE doesn't require the T2 fetch.
However I dislike, no voices, pridemage or reclamation sage (anywhere in the 75!?). Burrenton Forge-Tender is sees play in Melira pod with Ranger of Eos but here it can only be a chord target.
Horizon Canopy instead of a second Township feels wrong. I'm skeptical of Nykthos, I can see it being reasonable to cut the Fire-lits. I fetch Hallowed Fountain fairly frequently but with BTE and Domri you're probably searching GU+RW or GW+RU instead of GR+UW
Do you all think that Twin Pod will get better or worse in the Ascendancy Storm meta? Yeah, overcoming other decks' Dig Through Time/Treasure Cruise is rough for Pod, Pod's match-up against Ascendancy Storm is shifty, Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker is probably the worst 5-mana Haste Dragon that Pod could face, and Sorin, Solemn Visitor really screws up damage races.
Sure, controlling decks never regret Bolting the first dork (especially ones with Tiago), but UR Storm, Burn, Ascendancy Storm, Living End, RG Tron, and other Pod decks WILL probably regret killing mana dorks over combo pieces (and hate bears in the non-Burn decks' cases). And all those decks have some removal that works better at sorcery speed (see Searing Blaze, Grapeshot, Demonic Dread, Glittering Wish into Fiery Justice, Pyroclasm, and Murderous Redcap), which means their hand will be forced some of the time.
How many free wins can Twin Pod scoop up by looking like Ascendancy Storm?
Sorry, I typically name Kiki Pod "Twin Pod", even though it runs zero Splinter Twins, because it behaves like the big brother of the Zen-Scars Standard version of Twin Pod.
As far as I can tell anyway the matchup of Kiki Pod vs. Ascendancy Combo should be in pod's favor for the sole purpose that pod can consistently enable a turn 3 Linvala (either with turn 1 dork, turn two 3 drop creature/pod, turn three three drop creature/pod and activate, with dorks and a chord, or with just the hard casted Linvala and a dork). Also, after the Linvala sticks, it seems pretty tough to lose the game as they don't have access to a reliable way to remove it other than glittering wish for fiery justice or maelstrom pulse without access to their mana dorks. And it is still important to remember that sometimes we just combo off faster than they do as a turn 4 combo is not unreasonable and a turn 3 combo is still possible from pod. So because of this, Ascendancy Combo being in the format likely just makes Kiki Pod better as it should not only be a good matchup but should also make our other matchups better both in bluffing a different deck and in making other decks play cards that are relatively bad against us(ex: rule of law effects).
As far as I can tell anyway the matchup of Kiki Pod vs. Ascendancy Combo should be in pod's favor for the sole purpose that pod can consistently enable a turn 3 Linvala (either with turn 1 dork, turn two 3 drop creature/pod, turn three three drop creature/pod and activate, with dorks and a chord, or with just the hard casted Linvala and a dork). Also, after the Linvala sticks, it seems pretty tough to lose the game as they don't have access to a reliable way to remove it other than glittering wish for fiery justice or maelstrom pulse without access to their mana dorks. And it is still important to remember that sometimes we just combo off faster than they do as a turn 4 combo is not unreasonable and a turn 3 combo is still possible from pod. So because of this, Ascendancy Combo being in the format likely just makes Kiki Pod better as it should not only be a good matchup but should also make our other matchups better both in bluffing a different deck and in making other decks play cards that are relatively bad against us(ex: rule of law effects).
I've personally found the pre-board match-up against Ascendancy Storm to be rough and in Ascendancy Storm's favour. The Turn 3 Linvala isn't consistent enough (Linvala, 1 mana dork, 3 lands or Chord, 3 lands, 4 dudes or 1-drop mana dork, Pod, 2 lands, 3-drop)--their Turn 3 kill is more consistent than Turn 3 Podding into Linvala (I'd rather take my odds for getting 1+ of each of 8 1-drop mana dorks + virtual 7 Jeskai Ascendancy + 3 lands + 16+ cantrips than 8 1-drop mana dorks + 4 Birthing Pod + 3 lands + 10-16 2-drops and 3-drops, especially when they can drain a Turn 2 cantrip to get a land). Then, they have a fair chance of Wishing for removal relatively fast. The nasty part is that Glen Elendra Archmage generally hoses them harder because it effectively can take out Ascendancy and/or Glittering Wish, and it's harder for them to remove than Linvala is.
Post-board, they will board in more removal and possibly Swan Song. The match-up should start swinging more towards Twin Pod, though, but I'm not certain whether it'll just become even or it'll start being in Twin Pod's favour.
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Relegate Linvala, Staticaster, and Sage/Pridemage to the board...and put in 2 Paths and 1-2 Master Biomancers. You won't be sad. I have been crushing people with this guy. He lives through Anger, Bolt, and Decay, and if you untap with him you either win on the spot or you create a board state so menacing that you will be winning within 1-2 turns.
I don't usually pod into him except perhaps against control and midrange. I don't have to want to pod into everything that's in my deck. I do however, want everything in my deck to be decent in most matchups, and Linvala, Staticaster, and even Sage/Mage sit in my hand something like 50% of the time, whereas Biomancer rarely does. No, I don't want to Pod into him. But I do want to cast him.
If you could not run Grove would you run 4 copperline gorge or 3 more stomping grounds(and I guess another fire-lit thicket)?
If you could not run Hierarch would you run 2-4 inferior dorks or would you change the deck a little to compensate?
If I couldn't run Grove, 4 Copperline Gorge all the way. I used to run Copperline Gorge in my version, anyway.
If I couldn't run Hierarch, I'd run up the Wall of Roots to a 4-of and find 1-2 more arbitrary mana dorks.
It is with a heavy heart that I move one of Modern's coolest and most iconic decks to Proven. Despite some commanding T8 and T16 performances at events in the last 6 months, Kiki Pod just doesn't see the sort of widespread play that we expect of decks in Proven. On MTGO, Kiki Pod makes up just over 1.5% of the metagame, a similar share to decks like Faeries and Bogles. Kiki Pod has also fallen out of favor for major paper event day 2s, where it makes up only about 2.25% of those returning decks. Although Kiki Pod still sees some play in large paper events, like PTQs and local tournaments, it is not nearly as popular as other decks, comprising just 2.5% of the metagame (about the same as a deck like Faeries). There is no doubt in my mind that this is a powerful and effective deck. It just doesn't have the prevalence to be considered "representative" of the current metagame.
That said, I'd bet that you guys restore your status in proven soon; the deck is just too strong not to!
And then I see that ol'Kiki isn't doing that well. Oh well, lets try to come up with some ideas.
Remember, I don't know *****. ...Oh chungus I forgot that the PG-13 rules are enforced.
Kiki is a good deck. It clearly has what it takes to beat other decks and take down major events. The issue is, it just doesn't see a lot of play (or as much play as a deck like Melira Pod), which keeps it from being "Proven". Proven decks represent the current metagame and Kiki Pod just doesn't have enough showings to meet those criteria.
I know that it's an good deck. I was just abit sad that it's popularity and success had come down so much during my little break. That's all.
Remember, I don't know *****. ...Oh chungus I forgot that the PG-13 rules are enforced.
And feedback for my list?
4x Birds of Paradise
1x Deceiver Exarch
1x Eternal Witness
1x Glen Elendra Archmage
1x Izzet Staticaster
2x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
2x Kitchen Finks
1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1x Murderous Redcap
3x Noble Hierarch
1x Phantasmal Image
1x Qasali Pridemage
3x Restoration Angel
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Spellskite
2x Voice of Resurgence
3x Wall of Roots
1x Zealous Conscripts
1x Breeding Pool
2x Forest
2x Gavony Township
4x Grove of the Burnwillows
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Plains
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Steam Vents
2x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
3x Wooded Foothills
Instant (3)
3x Chord of Calling
Artifact (4)
4x Birthing Pod
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Avalanche Riders
1x Aven Mindcensor
1x Combust
1x Dauntless Escort
1x Eidolon of Rhetoric
1x Fiery Justice
1x Loxodon Hierarch
1x Negate
2x Path to Exile
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Sigarda, Host of Herons
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
Very unique list. Polukranos is quite neat. I like the easy T3 kill off of just dork,BTE,pod. Lotus Cobra is the next best way I can think of but BTE doesn't require the T2 fetch.
However I dislike, no voices, pridemage or reclamation sage (anywhere in the 75!?). Burrenton Forge-Tender is sees play in Melira pod with Ranger of Eos but here it can only be a chord target.
Horizon Canopy instead of a second Township feels wrong. I'm skeptical of Nykthos, I can see it being reasonable to cut the Fire-lits. I fetch Hallowed Fountain fairly frequently but with BTE and Domri you're probably searching GU+RW or GW+RU instead of GR+UW
But Twin Pod plays Birds of Paradise, Noble Hierarch, every Forest fetch but Verdant Catacombs, and every Forest shock but Overgrown Tomb.
This means that Twin Pod and Ascendancy Storm look incredibly similar on Turn 1.
Sure, controlling decks never regret Bolting the first dork (especially ones with Tiago), but UR Storm, Burn, Ascendancy Storm, Living End, RG Tron, and other Pod decks WILL probably regret killing mana dorks over combo pieces (and hate bears in the non-Burn decks' cases). And all those decks have some removal that works better at sorcery speed (see Searing Blaze, Grapeshot, Demonic Dread, Glittering Wish into Fiery Justice, Pyroclasm, and Murderous Redcap), which means their hand will be forced some of the time.
How many free wins can Twin Pod scoop up by looking like Ascendancy Storm?
Sorry, I typically name Kiki Pod "Twin Pod", even though it runs zero Splinter Twins, because it behaves like the big brother of the Zen-Scars Standard version of Twin Pod.
I've personally found the pre-board match-up against Ascendancy Storm to be rough and in Ascendancy Storm's favour. The Turn 3 Linvala isn't consistent enough (Linvala, 1 mana dork, 3 lands or Chord, 3 lands, 4 dudes or 1-drop mana dork, Pod, 2 lands, 3-drop)--their Turn 3 kill is more consistent than Turn 3 Podding into Linvala (I'd rather take my odds for getting 1+ of each of 8 1-drop mana dorks + virtual 7 Jeskai Ascendancy + 3 lands + 16+ cantrips than 8 1-drop mana dorks + 4 Birthing Pod + 3 lands + 10-16 2-drops and 3-drops, especially when they can drain a Turn 2 cantrip to get a land). Then, they have a fair chance of Wishing for removal relatively fast. The nasty part is that Glen Elendra Archmage generally hoses them harder because it effectively can take out Ascendancy and/or Glittering Wish, and it's harder for them to remove than Linvala is.
Post-board, they will board in more removal and possibly Swan Song. The match-up should start swinging more towards Twin Pod, though, but I'm not certain whether it'll just become even or it'll start being in Twin Pod's favour.