This take with Collected Company maximizes the instant-speed nature of the deck. The 3-drop spirits give you the most value off CoCo, and I don't mind playing lots of them. I tried Phantasmal Image, but I didn't like having to play it at sorcery speed.
@Underused Cards: I don't think Ghost-Lit Redeemer is good enough. Burn and other Aggro decks have a ton of 1 mana spells that can get rid of him. And yeah, you can discard him to get 4 life, but Rest for the Weary could be more effective and I like Azorius Herald the most. 3 mana is not to late and you have a body to chump block or attack.
I see your point, but at the same time, if they're using a Bolt on Ghost Lit Redeemer, I think it did it's job. That's +3 life right there. And with Drogskal Captain and Rattlechains to flash and hexproof, I think it may be able to survive a turn. I'll try it out anyways, and report it.
@Underused Cards: I don't think Ghost-Lit Redeemer is good enough. Burn and other Aggro decks have a ton of 1 mana spells that can get rid of him. And yeah, you can discard him to get 4 life, but Rest for the Weary could be more effective and I like Azorius Herald the most. 3 mana is not to late and you have a body to chump block or attack.
I see your point, but at the same time, if they're using a Bolt on Ghost Lit Redeemer, I think it did it's job. That's +3 life right there. And with Drogskal Captain and Rattlechains to flash and hexproof, I think it may be able to survive a turn. I'll try it out anyways, and report it.
What about Azorius Herald? Seems way better than Ghost-Lit Redeemer.
For the enchantment version of spirits, why not go esper and use Evershrike + Edge of Divinity? We got ways to discard and with Nephalia Academy there's protection from opponents forcing an unfavorable discard. That gives access to more beaters as well since black has Pale Rider of Trostad. Also don't forget about Blessed spirits as well.
Also, lets not forget about the kirin cycle from kamigawa. Infernal Kirin, Celestial Kirin, etc. The later would be amazing for control if we have the right spirits for the job.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Those 4-5cmc spirits are not worth it omho, too slow for not enough gain/power.
I don't really any worthwhile Black spirits (except maybe Obzedat, Ghost Council) so the reason to go Esper should probably be based on the spells.
Evershrike is a 7/7 flying spirit for 3 cmc when played from the graveyard with a edge of the divinity. With the assylum land from the new set and one or two good discard outlets it's not super hard to set it up.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
You can just play Geist of Saint Traft instead without all this hassle (it is too much setup for a mediocre at best creature that is not hard to remove).
Divinity of Pride is also much better but not worth the 5-cmc as well imho.
It's interesting how more people like Selfless Spirit here in modern than in the standard deck. I think it does a lot more for the deck in modern than standard since there's a great deal more burn running around. I for one sort of like the idea of having a Hokori, Dust Drinker as a one of in the vial version just because it can really mess with most decks in the format. Hope wizards reprints more general tribal support with Aether Vial come modern masters III or we may have run-away prices on the second hand market.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
The thing against Selfless Spirit in standard is that the main sweeper at the moment is Languish, against which it offers no protection. Once that card rotates out, we might see more of him (depending on what sweepers look like in Kaladesh).
I've been messing around w/tempo/control for this archetype since I saw Rattlechains and I've come to believe that Geist of St. Traft isn't a good fit for this deck. I actually built the deck because I wanted to play Geist in modern, but after lots of testing I don't think he is a good fit, something made even more likely now that we have so many good new options. I do think that Geist is probably awesome in the Tallowwisp/aura version of spirits but I have not been testing w/ that version so can't say for certain. I think that a really exciting addition for our deck may actually be Nebelgast Herald I know finding space will be difficult w/ all the 3 drops our deck wants to run, but he is a tempo spell that turns every other spirit we play into a tempo spell as well, an early nebelghast could lead to no attacks for the rest of the game and turns a single lingering souls or moorland haunt into a massive pain for the opponent.
That said: 3 drops I feel we want to run as a 4 of:
Drogskol Captain
Spell Queller
Lingering Souls
That's 12 already, slot is getting a little crowded, but if you're curve tops out at 3-4 and the majority of your creatures can act as interaction in some way I think it could be powerful.
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Modern: G Stompy G UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR UWB Spirits UWB UWB Brain Control UWB WUB Esper Reveillark WUB EDH: WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
I feel like the aura version gives up a lot of resiliency for the use of enchantments, honestly. I mean, the enchant creature spells would have to be really good to warrant using them over general anthems. That and one of the standard listings strengths is it's ability to tap down opponents when you need to, which is something I think we want in the modern variant. I've actually changed my mode of thinking on spirits and am bending more towards a Faeries style tempo build over just aggro. Spirits just can't compete on strait aggro like goblins or merfolk, and merfolk beat it hands down thanks to a strong line up of easily accessible pump lords. Also surprised I haven't seen Echoing Truth show up as a sideboard.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
In a tempo build what do you think of midnight haunting over lingering souls I would like to hear some opinions over the value of trading the flashback ability for the option of casting it at instant speed granting 2 bodies and for combo with nebelgast herald and mausoleum wanderer, while keeping a 2 color mana base allowing space for cards like moorland haunt for some extra value and generating tokens at instant speed
People like Lingering souls due to the value the card offers with the flashback. It is a better token generator than Midnight Haunting, but it largely depends on how someone is intending to use the spell and if they are splashing black to make use of the flashback.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
If I'm going heavy on selfless spirit, it's because I'm the one that's running board wipes. And probably it would be Supreme Verdict so I could discard it to Disrupting shoal (assuming a Tallowisp version, I suppose).
I can Necro my old Tallowisp thread so we can discuss these approaches separately if ya'll think it's worth it. It's certainly going to be the biggest point of divergence for multiple spirit based decks, as GH0UL noted above.
1x Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Drogskol Captain
4x Mausoleum Wanderer
4x Geist of Saint Traft
1x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1x Selfless Spirit
4x Noble Hierarch
3x Rattlechains
4x Spell Queller
1x Mana Leak
3x Remand
3x Breeding Pool
4x Flooded Strand
1x Forest
2x Gavony Township
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Island
1x Plains
4x Razorverge Thicket
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
Anafenza is likely wrong. And my mana base might not be optimal.
I see your point, but at the same time, if they're using a Bolt on Ghost Lit Redeemer, I think it did it's job. That's +3 life right there. And with Drogskal Captain and Rattlechains to flash and hexproof, I think it may be able to survive a turn. I'll try it out anyways, and report it.
Modern Tallowisp Spirits - A Modern Tallowisp Deck UW
Eldrazi Ninjas - Summoning Octopus Jutsu YYYYAAAHHHH!
STANDARD
Naban Wizards
What about Azorius Herald? Seems way better than Ghost-Lit Redeemer.
I like this deck a lot as starting place. The Hokori, Dust Drinker is a great addition. Thanks for posting.
Also, lets not forget about the kirin cycle from kamigawa. Infernal Kirin, Celestial Kirin, etc. The later would be amazing for control if we have the right spirits for the job.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I don't really any worthwhile Black spirits (except maybe Obzedat, Ghost Council) so the reason to go Esper should probably be based on the spells.
Evershrike is a 7/7 flying spirit for 3 cmc when played from the graveyard with a edge of the divinity. With the assylum land from the new set and one or two good discard outlets it's not super hard to set it up.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Divinity of Pride is also much better but not worth the 5-cmc as well imho.
Ojutai's Command plays really well with Selfless Spirit . Here's a thought..
4 Drogskol Captain
4 Spell Queller
3 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
3 Selfless Spirit
4 Rattlechains
2 Mirror Entity
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
1 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
INSTANTS (7)
3 Ojutai's Command
4 Path to Exile
4 Aether Vial
LANDS (22)
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Mutavault
1 Moorland Haunt
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
2 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
4 Flooded Strand
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Mirror Entity
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
2 Negate
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Kami of False Hope
2 Spreading Seas
1 Reveillark
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
That said: 3 drops I feel we want to run as a 4 of:
Drogskol Captain
Spell Queller
Lingering Souls
That's 12 already, slot is getting a little crowded, but if you're curve tops out at 3-4 and the majority of your creatures can act as interaction in some way I think it could be powerful.
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
4 Tallowisp
4 Rattlechains
2 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Drogskol Captain
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
3 Selfless Spirit
2 Spell Queller
1 Curiosity
2 Hyena Umbra
1 Spirit Mantle
1 Steel of the Godhead
Instants:
4 Remand
4 Path to Exile
3 Spell Pierce
4 Serum Visions
Lands:
4 Flooded Strand
4 Hallowed Fountain
3 Glacial Fortress
5 Island
4 Plains
G Stompy G
UR Izzet Prowess/Delver UR
UWB Spirits UWB
UWB Brain Control UWBWUB Esper Reveillark WUB
EDH:
WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
W Nine-and-a-Half TailsW
WGUR Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis WGUR
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
4 Drogskol Captain
4 Spell Queller
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
3 Selfless Spirit
4 Rattlechains
2 Mirror Entity
1 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
INSTANTS (8)
2 Ojutai's Command
2 Manna Leak
4 Path to Exile
SORCERIES (4)
4 Lingering Souls
ENCHANTMENT(2)
2 Promise of Bunrei
4 Aether Vial
LANDS (21)
3 Cavern of Souls
2 Mutavault
1 Moorland Haunt
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
2 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
4 Flooded Strand
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
2 Kataki, War’s Wage
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Mirror Entity
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
2 Negate
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Kami of False Hope
2 Spreading Seas
1 Reveillark
I can Necro my old Tallowisp thread so we can discuss these approaches separately if ya'll think it's worth it. It's certainly going to be the biggest point of divergence for multiple spirit based decks, as GH0UL noted above.
I don't like Tallowiwsp at all. Going creature heavy/vial version with Geist and a black splash for Lingering souls.
3 Selfless Spirit
4 Rattlechains
3 Mausoleum Wanderer
2 Phantasmal Image
4 Drogskol Captain
3 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4 Spell Queller
1 Watery Grave
3 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
4 Flooded Strand
4 Seachrome Coast
1 Godless Shrine
3 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Plains
2 Island
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
2 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Negate
2 Disenchant
3 Kataki, War's Wage
4 Azorius Herald
For two drop I'd consider 'X' x Spirit of the Labyrinth and slot in 'X' number of Geier Reach Sanitarium.