Merfolk assassin is kind of a joke, but if merfolk becomes a serious deck, its not a bad card. Having an advantage in the mirror match is still significant, especially if every other game you play is fish. On top of that, merfolk assassin is still a better creature than almost anything else you would play to beat fish, given that its a 2 drop that gets buffed by the lords.
Kor firewalker in burn is also a powerful card. Sure, sometimes you have only 12 sideboard slots, but if I decided zoo was a stupid matchup people shouldn't sideboard for and that tidebinder mage was a waste of space, I'd have a 12 card sideboard too.
Beating the most popular decks you play against is always a good thing to do, even if you're playing the same deck.
The Merfolk decks are popping up all over the place. I can't seem to play a night of MTG anymore without playing one or sometimes two mirror matches. I am trying to embrace it, but I can't lie it is sort of annoying. Not to sound too cranky, but I am hoping it thins out a bit in the coming months. In the meantime, I am wondering if this is a good opportunity to borrow some top tier decks from friends and play AGAINST Merfolk. An experienced tournament player suggested this to me as a great way to learn deeper by seeing Merfolk from the other side of the table. Anyone else doing/done that?
I do this quite often. Playing on the other side of the table gives you a deep understanding of how Merfolk wants to win and how it loses. Last night I played Cruel Control and stomped a Merfolk player because I knew his deck better than him.
If you have friends with different modern decks I encourage you to play them against your deck. Everybody at my LGS wants to build or is building merfolk... had to break out my Ultra Rod to reel in the fishes
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Level 1 Judge
Level 2 in progress...
UUU Merfolk UUU "Above the waves you may be mighty indeed, but down here you belong to me."
-Empress Galina
UBR Cruel Control UBR "The essence of every world, every spell, and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
-Nicol Bolas
I've also used the 19 lands version, and it really works well! Also 1 Relic in the main . I want to use 2, but lack of space.
After all, vial and such cantrips give us enough consistency, I guess.
The 20 may be good to use 4 MoW in the main. But, if you use Tec Edge in your side, you can switch 19 lands to 20-23,or 24, anyway.
By the way, Does anyone have a thought on Vancouver Mulligan? I haven't tested it with Merfolk yet, so I'd like to hear your thought. Does it change the line of Keep or Mulligan, sideboard plan, or something?
By the way, Does anyone have a thought on Vancouver Mulligan? I haven't tested it with Merfolk yet, so I'd like to hear your thought. Does it change the line of Keep or Mulligan, sideboard plan, or something?
1 land hands after much more reliable to keep.
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Modern: U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
I've found that playing 19 lands necessitates the use of utility lands in the SB (Tec Edge, Ghost Quarter). Curving to 4 mana for MoW against Jund for example without Vials is not reliable. I'm current playing 2-3 Tec Edge SB in all my 19 land configurations.
Hey folks, I've been having some trouble with Soul Sisters recently. There is a person at my local shop that has it and comes every week...and I lose to him 90% of the time. I also just ran into it on MTGO and got blown outta the water (pun intended! ha!)
I was wondering if anyone could help with any insight on how to deal with them better other than sideboarding in things like Echoing Truth, Unified Will, Dismember, Relic of Progenitus, and Spell Snare. I tried Sower of Temptation to minimal results and wasn't pleased with it overall. All of my answers have been sub-par minus the Relic because it keeps him from using the Martyr of Sands several times with that reanimation spell they use.
I realize that it's a terrible match up for Merfolk...but still, I need to be as prepared as possible for it without putting cards in there that are specifically for Soul Sisters. I'm a big supporter of the most versatile cards in the sideboard.
As janky as it seems, engineered explosives? Its game against tokens and such too, and playing it on 1 should sweep most of their deck. Gut shot is also an option, it saw a lot of play when delver was popular, but its still a playable card. Not as fantastic though.
I should ask, how are you having issues with the deck? Are they able to get rolling before you can deal enough damage? Would just playing more aggressively/more aggressive cards do better? Does slowing down removal actually feel like a reasonable plan?
Chalice of the Void on 1 really wrecks my best friend's Soul Sisters deck. I really don't find it to be a bad matchup if I manage to dismember their sister turn 1 or vapor snag their pridemate.
As for the variation, I'm pretty sure my friend that I play in person uses the older version of the deck and doesn't use Secure the Wastes. Certainly uses Martyr of Sands. I have used Spreading Seas on their Heights for sure and their plains...but they seem to always get more than enough land. It's mainly used to either take off the Heights ability or open up the Islandwalk ability for me.
The one online had Day of Judgment against me and I guess I got too greedy with my board presence, but they were at 40+ life and I was able to attack for about 20 a turn unblockable. I did it twice and then got hit with the Day while handless. I quit because it was the third game and was already pissed by that point hahaha! /Salt
My main issue is that they get out Serra Ascendant way too fast and play Martyr of Sands before I can get my Dismember in on them. Sometimes, I've been able to bait him into blocking and then hitting the Dismember on the Ascendant (which is usually a 6/6 by that point).
I feel the match I had on MTGO just had ridiculous hands, especially the first game and I just couldn't catch up. 2x Ascendants, 2x Martyrs, and the reanimation spell. It was pretty wild...Relic of Progenitus worked on them in game 2 and I managed to win that because I went first and had two vials.
Hey folks, I've been having some trouble with Soul Sisters recently. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
I have a close family friend who plays Soul Sisters and I get to play against it often. He made day 2 OKC GP with it. Chalice of the Void, Ratchet Bomb/Engineered Explosives, and the Seas Effects are great against them. Chalice on 1 during turn 2 pretty much gives you the game. I don't always have it in my 75, but when I have Phantasmal Image in my hand early I play it naming one of the sisters. This helps to keep life totals up while I build a solid board state. I usually take MoW out because by the time I play it, they gain too much life off of it. They tend to play Ghostly Prison off of the sideboard so I find this to be another use for Ratchet Bomb. I think the match up favors them a little even after side board.
Hmmm, along the lines of Ratchet Bomb and others already mentioned, I'm thinking maybe Pithing Needle on Martyr of Sands might work if I'm on the play. I've got several options now, thanks much everyone!!
Pithing Needle on Martyr of Sands actually sounds really good. I lost last week in a semi-finals to Soul Sisters because they got off two activations of Martyr to turn on their Serra Ascendant.
I lost game one pretty badly, no surprise if we both draw decent. Game 2, I got a couple things on board, and put Chalice of the Void on 1 AND 2. That was fun...for me lol (Aether + Cavern in this instance was a rock star). Game 3 went a long time, and was a good game. I kept him below 30 life most of the game, and kept things off board, and bounced often, but eventually, like I said, 2 activations of Martyr of Sands finished the job and got him out of range. After the first activation I still had a chance. After the 2nd I had to start chump blocking things, and it went downhill from there. Also if I remember, I had 3! turns to draw a sea's effect but didn't, because I didn't have one on board so I could never swing in for the alpha strike =/
After a ton of lurking here, I've built up a Merfolk deck that I'm pretty happy with, at least for my meta (regularly 2+ Amulet, 2+ Lantern, 3-4 Burn, 2 Junk, 1 Mono Green Stompy, 4+ Delver - both Jeskai and Grixis, 4+ Affinity) but would love suggestions of things I might be overlooking.
I know there's some weird stuff in there, specifically 3 Echoing Truth and 3 Spell Pierce in the MD. Truth has been super helpful against lantern since I can often bounce spellskites, ensnaring bridges, or other things to swing for the kill (and get multiple cards in their hand) and Spell Pierce has been really helpful against a lot of decks when I have 1 mana open. Vendilion Clique is a pretty versatile card that I've found to be helpful when I draw it and rarely a distraction. I've been thinking of running Kira in the MB since there's a lot of Burn and Delver, but it hasn't felt necessary yet. I'm also interested in running Phantasmal Image, but haven't yet. I have 2 of both, but for now they're just sitting.
Just a note here, but martyr proc and soul sisters are two distinct decks.
They share a lot of cards, and some people might play an overlap of both, but primarily, you'll see one of the two:
Soul sisters is much more common. It plays all the cards that read "gain 1 life when a creature etbs", as well as cards like pridemate, acsendant, etc. They sometimes, but not always, run hawks. Usually play little interaction.
Martyr proc is based exclusiively around gaining life with martyr. It uses cards like squadron hawk, ranger of eos, and weathered wayfarer. If you see proclamation of rebirth (the reainimation spell) its almost alway this one. THIS ONE IS A CONTROL DECK. It has the possibility of winning quickly with acsendants, but generally the games will go much longer. This deck does not flood out the board with creatures. It runs much more interaction. It often runs wrath of god mainboard. This deck often splashes black.
Soul sisters sometimes splashes black, but for cards like blood artist, or dark confidant.
You may often see a deck that runs a combination of these cards (soul sisters often plays martyr.) The best way to tell, generally, is that if you aren't seeing many actual sisters, but it seems like sisters, it might be proc. if you see proc, its probably proc. If you have abo****ely no clue, its probably sisters (because no one plays proc)
When playing these decks, its important to figure out what their gameplan is. Are they going to be just killing what you play while gaining life? Or are they filling up the board while gaining life.
If they plan to have a ton of chump blockers, just go nuts. Kill some of the scary things (a la ascendants, pridemates). Seas effects are good because they can't just chump with things. Chalice of the void, ratchet bomb, and explosives are really good against this deck. You do generally want to curve out, and if you have reejerey, this is a very good matchup, as you can tap down some of their disposible creatures, and force them to choose between taking the damage or losing a more important creature. Otherwise, islandwalk doesn't give them a choice.
If you're playing martyr proc, don't commit to heavily to the board. Soul sisters might have prisons games 2 and 3, but proc might have them game 1. Counterspells are also strong against them, preventing them from resolving their non-creature spells is important.
After a ton of lurking here, I've built up a Merfolk deck that I'm pretty happy with, at least for my meta (regularly 2+ Amulet, 2+ Lantern, 3-4 Burn, 2 Junk, 1 Mono Green Stompy, 4+ Delver - both Jeskai and Grixis, 4+ Affinity) but would love suggestions of things I might be overlooking.
I know there's some weird stuff in there, specifically 3 Echoing Truth and 3 Spell Pierce in the MD. Truth has been super helpful against lantern since I can often bounce spellskites, ensnaring bridges, or other things to swing for the kill (and get multiple cards in their hand) and Spell Pierce has been really helpful against a lot of decks when I have 1 mana open. Vendilion Clique is a pretty versatile card that I've found to be helpful when I draw it and rarely a distraction. I've been thinking of running Kira in the MB since there's a lot of Burn and Delver, but it hasn't felt necessary yet. I'm also interested in running Phantasmal Image, but haven't yet. I have 2 of both, but for now they're just sitting.
Thoughts? Concerns? Comments? TIA.
I would cut the hibernations in your boards. Mono green stompy should not be a problem with harbinger and echoing truth. It is also not worth it in the junk match ups. I would add another chalice and hurkyl's to the board because a chalice on 1 wrecks lantern and burn and chalice on 0 or 2 owns affinity. Also you have a lot of affinity and lantern control and would want the full 4 hurkyl's to slow them down or stop the lock.
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Kor firewalker in burn is also a powerful card. Sure, sometimes you have only 12 sideboard slots, but if I decided zoo was a stupid matchup people shouldn't sideboard for and that tidebinder mage was a waste of space, I'd have a 12 card sideboard too.
Beating the most popular decks you play against is always a good thing to do, even if you're playing the same deck.
UR twin 2-1
U tron 2-0
UW control 2-1
Amulet 1-2
I just can't beat amulet, I dont have a good side against them in the sb, super annoyed by this deck.
Add 1 oonas grace and 1 lightning greaves.
You can thank me later. These two items are game changers.
If you have friends with different modern decks I encourage you to play them against your deck. Everybody at my LGS wants to build or is building merfolk... had to break out my Ultra Rod to reel in the fishes
Level 2 in progress...
UUU Merfolk UUU
"Above the waves you may be mighty indeed, but down here you belong to me."
-Empress Galina
UBR Cruel Control UBR
"The essence of every world, every spell, and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
-Nicol Bolas
After all, vial and such cantrips give us enough consistency, I guess.
The 20 may be good to use 4 MoW in the main. But, if you use Tec Edge in your side, you can switch 19 lands to 20-23,or 24, anyway.
UMerfolkU
BWBW TokensBW
UMerfolkU
BWBW TokensBW
U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
EDH:
G Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Fighting for Rivendell
WU Brago, King Eternal, Long Live the King
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Worship the Dragon
UMerfolkU
BWBW TokensBW
I was wondering if anyone could help with any insight on how to deal with them better other than sideboarding in things like Echoing Truth, Unified Will, Dismember, Relic of Progenitus, and Spell Snare. I tried Sower of Temptation to minimal results and wasn't pleased with it overall. All of my answers have been sub-par minus the Relic because it keeps him from using the Martyr of Sands several times with that reanimation spell they use.
I realize that it's a terrible match up for Merfolk...but still, I need to be as prepared as possible for it without putting cards in there that are specifically for Soul Sisters. I'm a big supporter of the most versatile cards in the sideboard.
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
I should ask, how are you having issues with the deck? Are they able to get rolling before you can deal enough damage? Would just playing more aggressively/more aggressive cards do better? Does slowing down removal actually feel like a reasonable plan?
The one online had Day of Judgment against me and I guess I got too greedy with my board presence, but they were at 40+ life and I was able to attack for about 20 a turn unblockable. I did it twice and then got hit with the Day while handless. I quit because it was the third game and was already pissed by that point hahaha! /Salt
My main issue is that they get out Serra Ascendant way too fast and play Martyr of Sands before I can get my Dismember in on them. Sometimes, I've been able to bait him into blocking and then hitting the Dismember on the Ascendant (which is usually a 6/6 by that point).
I feel the match I had on MTGO just had ridiculous hands, especially the first game and I just couldn't catch up. 2x Ascendants, 2x Martyrs, and the reanimation spell. It was pretty wild...Relic of Progenitus worked on them in game 2 and I managed to win that because I went first and had two vials.
Thank y'all for the input, I'll definitely try out the options y'all have given me in Engineered Explosives and Chalice of the Void.
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
I have a close family friend who plays Soul Sisters and I get to play against it often. He made day 2 OKC GP with it. Chalice of the Void, Ratchet Bomb/Engineered Explosives, and the Seas Effects are great against them. Chalice on 1 during turn 2 pretty much gives you the game. I don't always have it in my 75, but when I have Phantasmal Image in my hand early I play it naming one of the sisters. This helps to keep life totals up while I build a solid board state. I usually take MoW out because by the time I play it, they gain too much life off of it. They tend to play Ghostly Prison off of the sideboard so I find this to be another use for Ratchet Bomb. I think the match up favors them a little even after side board.
Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/moontimedweller
MODERN - Mono-Blue Merfolk & 7-Forest Goblin Charbelcher
LEGACY - Ruby Storm & Burn
PAUPER - Zombies, Bogles, & Burn
I lost game one pretty badly, no surprise if we both draw decent. Game 2, I got a couple things on board, and put Chalice of the Void on 1 AND 2. That was fun...for me lol (Aether + Cavern in this instance was a rock star). Game 3 went a long time, and was a good game. I kept him below 30 life most of the game, and kept things off board, and bounced often, but eventually, like I said, 2 activations of Martyr of Sands finished the job and got him out of range. After the first activation I still had a chance. After the 2nd I had to start chump blocking things, and it went downhill from there. Also if I remember, I had 3! turns to draw a sea's effect but didn't, because I didn't have one on board so I could never swing in for the alpha strike =/
Currently, I'm running:
4 Cursecatcher
4 Harbinger of the Tides
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
3 Master of Waves
3 Merrow Reejerey
4 Silvergill Adept
Not Fish
4 Aether Vial
3 Echoing Truth
3 Spell Pierce
4 Spreading Seas
2 Cavern of Souls
10 Island
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
4 Mutavault
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
2 Wanderwine Hub
2 Chalice of the Void
2 Hibernation
3 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Master of Waves
1 Negate
2 Remand
3 Tidebinder Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
I know there's some weird stuff in there, specifically 3 Echoing Truth and 3 Spell Pierce in the MD. Truth has been super helpful against lantern since I can often bounce spellskites, ensnaring bridges, or other things to swing for the kill (and get multiple cards in their hand) and Spell Pierce has been really helpful against a lot of decks when I have 1 mana open. Vendilion Clique is a pretty versatile card that I've found to be helpful when I draw it and rarely a distraction. I've been thinking of running Kira in the MB since there's a lot of Burn and Delver, but it hasn't felt necessary yet. I'm also interested in running Phantasmal Image, but haven't yet. I have 2 of both, but for now they're just sitting.
Thoughts? Concerns? Comments? TIA.
They share a lot of cards, and some people might play an overlap of both, but primarily, you'll see one of the two:
Soul sisters is much more common. It plays all the cards that read "gain 1 life when a creature etbs", as well as cards like pridemate, acsendant, etc. They sometimes, but not always, run hawks. Usually play little interaction.
Martyr proc is based exclusiively around gaining life with martyr. It uses cards like squadron hawk, ranger of eos, and weathered wayfarer. If you see proclamation of rebirth (the reainimation spell) its almost alway this one. THIS ONE IS A CONTROL DECK. It has the possibility of winning quickly with acsendants, but generally the games will go much longer. This deck does not flood out the board with creatures. It runs much more interaction. It often runs wrath of god mainboard. This deck often splashes black.
Soul sisters sometimes splashes black, but for cards like blood artist, or dark confidant.
You may often see a deck that runs a combination of these cards (soul sisters often plays martyr.) The best way to tell, generally, is that if you aren't seeing many actual sisters, but it seems like sisters, it might be proc. if you see proc, its probably proc. If you have abo****ely no clue, its probably sisters (because no one plays proc)
When playing these decks, its important to figure out what their gameplan is. Are they going to be just killing what you play while gaining life? Or are they filling up the board while gaining life.
If they plan to have a ton of chump blockers, just go nuts. Kill some of the scary things (a la ascendants, pridemates). Seas effects are good because they can't just chump with things. Chalice of the void, ratchet bomb, and explosives are really good against this deck. You do generally want to curve out, and if you have reejerey, this is a very good matchup, as you can tap down some of their disposible creatures, and force them to choose between taking the damage or losing a more important creature. Otherwise, islandwalk doesn't give them a choice.
If you're playing martyr proc, don't commit to heavily to the board. Soul sisters might have prisons games 2 and 3, but proc might have them game 1. Counterspells are also strong against them, preventing them from resolving their non-creature spells is important.
I would cut the hibernations in your boards. Mono green stompy should not be a problem with harbinger and echoing truth. It is also not worth it in the junk match ups. I would add another chalice and hurkyl's to the board because a chalice on 1 wrecks lantern and burn and chalice on 0 or 2 owns affinity. Also you have a lot of affinity and lantern control and would want the full 4 hurkyl's to slow them down or stop the lock.