Of course you were right Chalupacabra, yet as Amstad has just demonstrated: thou art fallible.
Of course I am! One of the first things I tell my students is that I will make mistakes and it's perfectly fine to call me out on them.
It's also worth noting that I take a lot of risks with this deck. Not all of them pay off, but for the ones that do, I reserve the right to enjoy the occasional bit o' joy.
Chalupa, I think Black might be one of the better colors. Catching an Emrakul, a lynchpin (like Tron land or Twin itself), or a manland with an Extraction effect is balls-to-the-walls good. Especially if you appear tapped out. How many would you run? Would you main deck extractions? I specifically don't like dismember in the Junk meta right now. Especially if you pay life for it. That said, it's best against BGx...
I'd probably run either two Surgical Extractions in the side or two Relics. I don't have any land removal, so it's not great for Tron, but it can bust up combo decks. As for Dismember, I'm not sure. My preferred methods of dealing with Creatures is to counter them, wipe them, or steal them but, for the big ones, spot-killing them would be nice.
So, in testing monastery siege I'm not ultra impressed. It's not bad, but it's not the raw cards that a mine effects gives. I like seeing more cards for sure. Frankly a better fit for this deck is outpost siege, but it's red and 4cc.
Not seeing how Outpost Siege really works with this deck...
The first thing you need to understand when you're choosing whether or not to play Siege is that you're playing it for the Dragons effect, not the Khans effect. The Khans effect is basically the loophole that makes it playable here. After my experience with it Sunday, I know two things:
I need to get significantly more practice with this card. Knowing when to choose which mode can be very tricky.
This card is amazing here and it's going to take something pretty impressive to replace it.
What options do we have for Hand Disruption used in Abzan token decks?
Chalice of the Void and Monastery Siege both stuff discard spells. Also, as pointed out, you're drawing piles of cards every turn, so discard isn't a powerful strategy against you.
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Thanks, I think this week Ill add more mine affects to deal with that. Alot of new abzan players showing up so i think that would be smart to main board some additional like Amstad. I think this week ill play with Lab maniac instead of thassa and see how it goes.
ya I think he is a good include and I want to include clique because a free bolt each extra turn could be the different of winning and loosing. + faerie conclave should have it handled. I will post results again this week.
It's meant as a loop though (kinda like Eggs) where your deck becomes smaller and smaller until you only have the cards you need left (Shelldock, Time Walk effects + Emmy). You don't need to fetch Shelldock, you'll draw it eventually. I also like the fact that Shelldock has a nice chance of hitting Time Warp and friends (especially if the deck has shrunk down in size to a point where it mainly consists of those) which makes it easier to go infinite.
It is cute though I must admit. 5 Cards are a lot to try and jam into the deck.
Tbh the better version of Hideaway is with Windbrisk Heights. Just swing with a handful of tokens and you can poop out a Progenitus. Or an Emmy for that matter. I know because my buddy has a tribal Kithkin deck with Deathrender and Windbrisk and it poops out Progenitus when Kithkin don't get the job done.
The Shelldock was actually one of the strongest hideaway land, the tokens have to live and since Hights comes in tapped they know it is coming so they know to wipe your tokens (everyone ran Firespout or similar effects back then because of fairies being a thing). Shelldock was used in the Twinsanity deck in standard back then (Jace Beleren, Cryptic Command, Sanity Grinding, Twincast and other blue stuff from standard). I think the black one was the one that pretty much wasn't ever used though.
Hey guys, I've been a fan of this style of deck since I started playing magic (mazes end 4 lyf) and I was looking to start running this deck at local tournaments. This is what I've settled on as a starting point after reading the primer and most of this thread.
I was going for a more straight forward build with a few snaps and a clique as my wincon. What do you think of that list as a starting point for someone new to the archetype? Should I be running a more tempo-oriented or combo focused build?
Hey guys, I've been a fan of this style of deck since I started playing magic (mazes end 4 lyf) and I was looking to start running this deck at local tournaments. This is what I've settled on as a starting point after reading the primer and most of this thread.
I was going for a more straight forward build with a few snaps and a clique as my wincon. What do you think of that list as a starting point for someone new to the archetype? Should I be running a more tempo-oriented or combo focused build?
DontYouJIMMYMe hit the key points. Reliquary Tower is superfluous. Any U producer or manland is going to carry more weight. I know chucking cards may seem distasteful, but trust me when I say you'll burn through your hand fast enough.
Your list, as is, has a Time Attack-style win condition and a Taking Turns-style engine. The one does not lead to the other. You're better off either focusing on a combo endgame or bolstering your ability to interact mid game. The whole point of Time Attack is that we are neither digging for, nor protecting, a combo. We just have the chance to step into it much in the same way Twin steps into theirs. The philosophy of Taking Turns, on the other hand, is that it is engineered so it can't be interacted with by any conventional means employed in Modern.
Serum Visions lends itself nicely to Taking Turns. Time Attack prefers extra disruption.
Awesome job! Congrats! Did you find any cards worth changing in the 75 after the tournament?
well, i considered changing redirects, they weren't useful vs bg and vs burn i think there are better options
I'm feeling pretty much the same thing. This card was an all-star when UR Delver was running the show, but these days it feels somewhat lackluster. It's nice to have in addition to Mana Leak, Remand, and Spell Snare, but it certainly doesn't replace any of those, and definitely not Cryptic. With me no longer having room in the main for all four of the other counters I mentioned, I can't afford sideboard space for Redirect anymore. It has to go to one of those.
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Engineered Explosives is amazing in this deck, but you're really looking to drop it with 0, 1, or 2 counters. I did drop it for three at one point to blast a Geist of Saint Traft, and you could probably do the same with Dungrove Elder against Stompy, but honestly you're probably better off just picking one alternate color of mana and running with it. I also think that having three to four copies of some kind of solid dual and two Filter Lands is the way to go here, but for the life of me I can't figure out which one is the best choice. The Checklandsseem solid, but there is still the risk of having them hit the table tapped, which I cannot emphasize enough is bad. As much as I love the Fastlands, having one come down tapped on key turns like four and five would be very, very bad. It'll be tough to find the right balance here. As fantastic as the Shock-Fetch combo is, we just don't have the life to spend.
River of Tears? Downside of not tapping for blue the turn it comes into play which seems relatively negligible seeing as anything with multiple blue is either being played on your opponent's turn, or costs enough mana that your other lands should hopefully be taking care of blue mana portion of the spell.
Can't make black at instant speed either which is probably the bigger downside when it comes to using sideboard cards.
River of Tears? Downside of not tapping for blue the turn it comes into play which seems relatively negligible seeing as anything with multiple blue is either being played on your opponent's turn, or costs enough mana that your other lands should hopefully be taking care of blue mana portion of the spell.
Can't make black at instant speed either which is probably the bigger downside when it comes to using sideboard cards.
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
I defently wanna play Combo. And I Wanna play Mono U . The Snappy - Clique stuff was more a time attack what I dont want to do . Some Posts ago someone Posted Shelldock Isle . In a Pure Combo Deck this seem to be an addition without an downside.
The downside to Shelldock is that it comes into play tapped. Really the only time you want that in this deck is never. Turn one might be best for that if your not holding a Serum Visions. I play Combo with 2 Conclaves that come into play tapped and have lost games due to them coming into play tapped against other combo decks. So just be ready for that. As for Shelldock itself it makes blue so your good there. You wouldn't want to many colorless lands in the combo version.
Right now I count in your list 8 Mine effects (not counting Mikokoro) and I would say that is to much. You can cuz 1 Jace for sure as you will only need one. I have a lot of success with only 5 mine effects. 1 Jace and 4 Dictates.
You might want at least 1 main deck creature or a backup plan in case Jace doesn't make it. Against Tron they have maindeck eldrazi so you can't do the mill plan unless yo want to be there all day. The creature you choose for that from my experience is really up to you. I have had luck with Venser, Shaper Savant but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person that plays it. All the popular choices for this can be found in the Primer on the first page.
I highly suggest running a Laboratory Maniac someplace in the 75 just in case somebody drops a Rest in Peace (my meta is full of these) against you or Leyline and you find yourself in the situation where you have to choose between getting rid of that or taking more turns. Its nice to just leave it on the field and win without the graveyard every once in a while.
Can you tell me what the Emrakul in the sideboard is for?
Hopefully all this info helps but this is all just from my experience with the deck I'm sure lots of people will tell you more suggestions. You kind of have to build combo for your meta that you are playing in. There is unfortunately no one combo list that is better than all the rest. Though I wish there was so that I can stop changing my deck up.
Actually, the post above concerning Eldrazi is kind of elightening. For those lists splashing black (for reasons I'm still unclear on) wouldn't Leyline of the Void be an excellent addition? Either that or Surgical Extraction? Surgical might be better because it dodges removal like Ostone but would but less useful against Junk because it can be stripped. Plus it's even less effective against Goyf.
As for CIPT lands, I've experimented with many. Sadly they're almost always a game loser. We'd all be running Boseiju otherwise ;-) If you really do wanna run CIPT lands, make sure you've tested extensively before entering a daily or tourney with more than one of a given variety. Almost all lists run Boomerang and Cryptic so you'll NEED those blue lands every time.
It is quite true that there is no single Uber combo list. It is, however highly customizable to hate a meta as Blue can rise to meet any challenge. This deck truly has no TERRIBLE matches like the old Pod/BG/Tron Rock/paper/scissors of yore.
I can post my list for you some time tonight after FNM.
I use Venser as a counterspell against Abrupt Decay and anything else that cannot be countered. I'll usually keep him in my hand as a backup cryptic and thats why I like to use him. Almost 100% of the time people who scoop do it because I'm going to beat them to death with Faerie Conclave and won't even know I have Venser in the deck. He is nice to have in but If I were to cut him I wouldn't be heart broken about it. I know Teferi is a popular choice as a one of in some sideboards for control matchups.
Actually, the post above concerning Eldrazi is kind of elightening. For those lists splashing black (for reasons I'm still unclear on) wouldn't Leyline of the Void be an excellent addition? Either that or Surgical Extraction? Surgical might be better because it dodges removal like Ostone but would but less useful against Junk because it can be stripped. Plus it's even less effective against Goyf.
As for CIPT lands, I've experimented with many. Sadly they're almost always a game loser. We'd all be running Boseiju otherwise ;-) If you really do wanna run CIPT lands, make sure you've tested extensively before entering a daily or tourney with more than one of a given variety. Almost all lists run Boomerang and Cryptic so you'll NEED those blue lands every time.
It is quite true that there is no single Uber combo list. It is, however highly customizable to hate a meta as Blue can rise to meet any challenge. This deck truly has no TERRIBLE matches like the old Pod/BG/Tron Rock/paper/scissors of yore.
The people talking about splashing black in the deck are playing the tempo version of the deck, the graveyard hate is there but isn't necessary. I would also like to know about why we are splashing black as a tempo version player however, is it dangerous to think of playing Bob here .
Actually, the post above concerning Eldrazi is kind of elightening. For those lists splashing black (for reasons I'm still unclear on) wouldn't Leyline of the Void be an excellent addition? Either that or Surgical Extraction? Surgical might be better because it dodges removal like Ostone but would but less useful against Junk because it can be stripped. Plus it's even less effective against Goyf.
As for CIPT lands, I've experimented with many. Sadly they're almost always a game loser. We'd all be running Boseiju otherwise ;-) If you really do wanna run CIPT lands, make sure you've tested extensively before entering a daily or tourney with more than one of a given variety. Almost all lists run Boomerang and Cryptic so you'll NEED those blue lands every time.
It is quite true that there is no single Uber combo list. It is, however highly customizable to hate a meta as Blue can rise to meet any challenge. This deck truly has no TERRIBLE matches like the old Pod/BG/Tron Rock/paper/scissors of yore.
The people talking about splashing black in the deck are playing the tempo version of the deck, the graveyard hate is there but isn't necessary. I would also like to know about why we are splashing black as a tempo version player however, is it dangerous to think of playing Bob here .
Only if you plan on killing yourself before your opponent you can totally splash for Bob
Actually, the post above concerning Eldrazi is kind of elightening. For those lists splashing black (for reasons I'm still unclear on) wouldn't Leyline of the Void be an excellent addition? Either that or Surgical Extraction? Surgical might be better because it dodges removal like Ostone but would but less useful against Junk because it can be stripped. Plus it's even less effective against Goyf.
The B microsplash is there for EE. Of the colors that could be used for a microsplash, B was chosen because of the ease of bringing in Dismember and Surgical Extraction as possible sideboard cards.
I made the realization this week that Time Attack's recent problems are mostly due to adjustments for the UR Delver-dominated meta that no longer exists. Building off that base will inevitably lead to a flawed deck. What time I've had available has been used to go back to the original formula and look at why it worked and the current deck does not. The plan is to see how the better adaptations that have come along since can be applied to that core while still preserving the original deck's vicious consistency. Early tweaks are promising.
I haven't forgotten about the tournament report either, I just haven't finished it yet. Hopefully I'll get that done this weekend. This has been a crazy busy couple weeks where work is concerned and career always takes priority over Magic. It'll happen, it's just had to go on the back burner for a bit. The time I've had available has gone to the primer, which desperately needed some updates and revisions.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
It may not be. I mentioned it to be better than monastery siege.
UB Tezzerator
UBW Gifts
B 8Rack
Legacy
RB Goblins
UB Tezzerator
UBW Gifts
B 8Rack
Legacy
RB Goblins
It's also worth noting that I take a lot of risks with this deck. Not all of them pay off, but for the ones that do, I reserve the right to enjoy the occasional bit o' joy. I'd probably run either two Surgical Extractions in the side or two Relics. I don't have any land removal, so it's not great for Tron, but it can bust up combo decks. As for Dismember, I'm not sure. My preferred methods of dealing with Creatures is to counter them, wipe them, or steal them but, for the big ones, spot-killing them would be nice. Not seeing how Outpost Siege really works with this deck...
The first thing you need to understand when you're choosing whether or not to play Siege is that you're playing it for the Dragons effect, not the Khans effect. The Khans effect is basically the loophole that makes it playable here. After my experience with it Sunday, I know two things:
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
GWR Naya Zoo
GRBreach
WGBCo-Co
Legacy
RUBSneak And Show
GWR Naya Zoo
GRBreach
WGBCo-Co
Legacy
RUBSneak And Show
The Shelldock was actually one of the strongest hideaway land, the tokens have to live and since Hights comes in tapped they know it is coming so they know to wipe your tokens (everyone ran Firespout or similar effects back then because of fairies being a thing). Shelldock was used in the Twinsanity deck in standard back then (Jace Beleren, Cryptic Command, Sanity Grinding, Twincast and other blue stuff from standard). I think the black one was the one that pretty much wasn't ever used though.
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Serum Visions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Remand
4 Exhaustion
4 Time Warp
4 Walk the Aeons
4 Howling Mine
21 Island
2 Mutavault
1 Reliquary Tower
I was going for a more straight forward build with a few snaps and a clique as my wincon. What do you think of that list as a starting point for someone new to the archetype? Should I be running a more tempo-oriented or combo focused build?
Your list, as is, has a Time Attack-style win condition and a Taking Turns-style engine. The one does not lead to the other. You're better off either focusing on a combo endgame or bolstering your ability to interact mid game. The whole point of Time Attack is that we are neither digging for, nor protecting, a combo. We just have the chance to step into it much in the same way Twin steps into theirs. The philosophy of Taking Turns, on the other hand, is that it is engineered so it can't be interacted with by any conventional means employed in Modern.
Serum Visions lends itself nicely to Taking Turns. Time Attack prefers extra disruption.
Gigadrowse pairs nicely with Exhaustion. Boomerang plays nicely with both of them. Mana Leak and Remand are nice as well.
Cryptic is, of course, a top shelf choice.
Decide how you want to play and win, then tune to match. I'm feeling pretty much the same thing. This card was an all-star when UR Delver was running the show, but these days it feels somewhat lackluster. It's nice to have in addition to Mana Leak, Remand, and Spell Snare, but it certainly doesn't replace any of those, and definitely not Cryptic. With me no longer having room in the main for all four of the other counters I mentioned, I can't afford sideboard space for Redirect anymore. It has to go to one of those.
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Can't make black at instant speed either which is probably the bigger downside when it comes to using sideboard cards.
Commander
U Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
RG Zilortha, Strength Incarnate
WB Amalia Benavides Aguirre
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Depends on the spell. Thoughtseize is "target player", so it works, but Duress is "target opponent", which you can't redirect to them.
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Do you plan on playing combo or not combo?
The downside to Shelldock is that it comes into play tapped. Really the only time you want that in this deck is never. Turn one might be best for that if your not holding a Serum Visions. I play Combo with 2 Conclaves that come into play tapped and have lost games due to them coming into play tapped against other combo decks. So just be ready for that. As for Shelldock itself it makes blue so your good there. You wouldn't want to many colorless lands in the combo version.
Right now I count in your list 8 Mine effects (not counting Mikokoro) and I would say that is to much. You can cuz 1 Jace for sure as you will only need one. I have a lot of success with only 5 mine effects. 1 Jace and 4 Dictates.
You might want at least 1 main deck creature or a backup plan in case Jace doesn't make it. Against Tron they have maindeck eldrazi so you can't do the mill plan unless yo want to be there all day. The creature you choose for that from my experience is really up to you. I have had luck with Venser, Shaper Savant but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person that plays it. All the popular choices for this can be found in the Primer on the first page.
I highly suggest running a Laboratory Maniac someplace in the 75 just in case somebody drops a Rest in Peace (my meta is full of these) against you or Leyline and you find yourself in the situation where you have to choose between getting rid of that or taking more turns. Its nice to just leave it on the field and win without the graveyard every once in a while.
Can you tell me what the Emrakul in the sideboard is for?
Hopefully all this info helps but this is all just from my experience with the deck I'm sure lots of people will tell you more suggestions. You kind of have to build combo for your meta that you are playing in. There is unfortunately no one combo list that is better than all the rest. Though I wish there was so that I can stop changing my deck up.
As for CIPT lands, I've experimented with many. Sadly they're almost always a game loser. We'd all be running Boseiju otherwise ;-) If you really do wanna run CIPT lands, make sure you've tested extensively before entering a daily or tourney with more than one of a given variety. Almost all lists run Boomerang and Cryptic so you'll NEED those blue lands every time.
It is quite true that there is no single Uber combo list. It is, however highly customizable to hate a meta as Blue can rise to meet any challenge. This deck truly has no TERRIBLE matches like the old Pod/BG/Tron Rock/paper/scissors of yore.
I use Venser as a counterspell against Abrupt Decay and anything else that cannot be countered. I'll usually keep him in my hand as a backup cryptic and thats why I like to use him. Almost 100% of the time people who scoop do it because I'm going to beat them to death with Faerie Conclave and won't even know I have Venser in the deck. He is nice to have in but If I were to cut him I wouldn't be heart broken about it. I know Teferi is a popular choice as a one of in some sideboards for control matchups.
The people talking about splashing black in the deck are playing the tempo version of the deck, the graveyard hate is there but isn't necessary. I would also like to know about why we are splashing black as a tempo version player however, is it dangerous to think of playing Bob here .
Only if you plan on killing yourself before your opponent you can totally splash for Bob
i like the idea of a 1-of venser for the opportunity to bounce a spell rather than counter it with a cryptic. might have to look at testing that now..
I made the realization this week that Time Attack's recent problems are mostly due to adjustments for the UR Delver-dominated meta that no longer exists. Building off that base will inevitably lead to a flawed deck. What time I've had available has been used to go back to the original formula and look at why it worked and the current deck does not. The plan is to see how the better adaptations that have come along since can be applied to that core while still preserving the original deck's vicious consistency. Early tweaks are promising.
I haven't forgotten about the tournament report either, I just haven't finished it yet. Hopefully I'll get that done this weekend. This has been a crazy busy couple weeks where work is concerned and career always takes priority over Magic. It'll happen, it's just had to go on the back burner for a bit. The time I've had available has gone to the primer, which desperately needed some updates and revisions.
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther