Sideboard can be flexible, I'm trying out more threats with Wurmcoil Engine, as well as thousand-year elixir to combo out in one turn after a gigadrowse if need be.
Another Sample Decklist:
Pili-Pala Combo by SquabblingHawk (3-1)
Format: Modern - M12
Location: MTGO Modern Daily (4-0) - Week of 9/12/11
I recommend that your win condition ALSO cost 2 so you can muddle for it. Drifts can go get Blue Sun's Zenith which is fine, but rather than have to draw through your deck with spells that are bad outside of your combo, just make your win cons tutorable. Train of Thought is really awful.
Ponder and Preordain are banned in modern. It's a combo deck so it feels like it needs Gitaxian Probes.
Comet Storm is a two mana win condition for this deck as is Consume Spirit. Invoke the Firemind can be searched with Drift of Phantasms. If they have Worship out (very unlikely) then Lavalanche is something you can search up.
If you're up on life then Molten Disaster can give you the uncounterability you want ANd be tutorable by Muddle. But being ahead on life is key there. You could also Cast Emrakul if you really wanted to. Profane Command or Maga, Traitor to Morals are ways to get around Circle of Protection/Story Circle/Harrow/Honorable Passage whatever they try to use. Psychic Drain mills them and gains you life which should be moot by that point. I'm a fan of Elixir but I'm also a fan of Boots. Swiftfoot Boots. Hexproof could be the thing that keeps your pili pali alive because he's the more fragile of the two cards. (Dies to cheaper burn AND artifact hate which is going to be in sideboards considering Affinity, Torpor Orbs, and Tempered Steel threats in the format)
I recommend that your win condition ALSO cost 2 so you can muddle for it. Drifts can go get Blue Sun's Zenith which is fine, but rather than have to draw through your deck with spells that are bad outside of your combo, just make your win cons tutorable. Train of Thought is really awful.
Ponder and Preordain are banned in modern. It's a combo deck so it feels like it needs Gitaxian Probes.
Comet Storm is a two mana win condition for this deck as is Consume Spirit. Invoke the Firemind can be searched with Drift of Phantasms. If they have Worship out (very unlikely) then Lavalanche is something you can search up.
If you're up on life then Molten Disaster can give you the uncounterability you want ANd be tutorable by Muddle. But being ahead on life is key there. You could also Cast Emrakul if you really wanted to. Profane Command or Maga, Traitor to Morals are ways to get around Circle of Protection/Story Circle/Harrow/Honorable Passage whatever they try to use. Psychic Drain mills them and gains you life which should be moot by that point. I'm a fan of Elixir but I'm also a fan of Boots. Swiftfoot Boots. Hexproof could be the thing that keeps your pili pali alive because he's the more fragile of the two cards. (Dies to cheaper burn AND artifact hate which is going to be in sideboards considering Affinity, Torpor Orbs, and Tempered Steel threats in the format)
While it may not be tutorable, Banefire is uncounterable which makes it more appealing to me and train of thought when replicated x times is difficult to counter too, as well as tutorable by muddle the mixture. Mind Spring or Comet Storm Can be put in place to be tutorable, if Banefire is not used, I guess. Emrakul is also a very solid finisher.
Swiftfoot boots is a nice suggestion and at the right mana to be tutorable.
Pact of Negation is excellent for protecting the combo as it just needs one turn to win! Maybe 2 of maindeck and 1 in sb?
Pyromatics: Like Train of Thought, replicate makes it hard to counter. Also if they have a troublesome creature on the board, you can burn that out first, then finish your opponent.
Pyromatics: Like Train of Thought, replicate makes it hard to counter. Also if they have a troublesome creature on the board, you can burn that out first, then finish your opponent.
excellent choice! I almost forgot about Pyromatics lol Exsanguinate is good sideboard and do-able main for getting around leyline. Will test these out. thanks!
I just came across this today and I took a different road with it. I'm not sure how it would be seeing as my version is GU and it runs Helix Pinnacle as a win-con. I also run a ton of more counters than normal: Remand, Voidslime, Rewind, etc....
If you want a list, I can show you just to give you an idea of what I'm using.
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I just came across this today and I took a different road with it. I'm not sure how it would be seeing as my version is GU and it runs Helix Pinnacle as a win-con. I also run a ton of more counters than normal: Remand, Voidslime, Rewind, etc....
If you want a list, I can show you just to give you an idea of what I'm using.
sounds interesting. please post a decklist!
I'm interested in many feasible variations, such as one centered around grand architect with other threats such as wurmcoil engine (modern version of the standard architect deck) or all-in type decks with many counters, tutors and stall spells. There are decks that splash other colors for spells such as silence.
"correct" wincons are generally moot as getting as much mana as you want in combination of a draw engine (blue sun's zenith, train of thought, azure mage etc) can yield many different kill spells from a hardcasted emrakul, the aeons torn, to blue sun's making an opponent draw more than they have in the deck, exsanguinate to get around leyline of sanctity or yes, even helix pinnacle for a huge surprise!
side note: this deck can be aggravating to play online since it takes a couple clicks to just net one mana, which will need to be done several dozen times.
Yeah, I've read through that thread and vice-versa. This deck forgoes complications with another unreliable (imo) combo unlike that one, but both are still in development so who knows how good they are until playtested thoroughly. I've playtested this deck plenty myself.
I believe this can win turn 3, not turn 4 as stated in the OP.
Turn 2 pila
turn 3 attack with pila, grand architect.
Tap Architect,uptap pila make a U
Make pila blue.
Tap pila for 2
use it to untap pila, making a mana.
repeat
Call me silly, but if your blue sun's zenith doesn't work out, a non targeted solution might be skyscribing. Yes, I know you have to watch what your library counts are, but at least it gets around a leyline of sanctity and costs xUU so you can transmute muddle for it.
Yeah, I've read through that thread and vice-versa. This deck forgoes complications with another unreliable (imo) combo unlike that one, but both are still in development so who knows how good they are until playtested thoroughly. I've playtested this deck plenty myself.
I actually think the golem combo is a little more reliable since it doesn't require a creature to live an entire turn to use its activated ability. Both combo's can be disrupted the same way too.
Regardless, if you have playtest results, can you please post them? Any info gleaned from your list could be applied to my list and vice versa. I'm still finalizing a list as of now and will post in that thread soon.
I actually think the golem combo is a little more reliable since it doesn't require a creature to live an entire turn to use its activated ability. Both combo's can be disrupted the same way too.
Regardless, if you have playtest results, can you please post them? Any info gleaned from your list could be applied to my list and vice versa. I'm still finalizing a list as of now and will post in that thread soon.
I've done several playtests against many decks on MTGO. Most wins are "oops i win" when they dont waste mana killing pili-pala not knowing what its true function is. Once it's painted with grand architect and play, it's infinite mana from that point on. Swiftfoot Boots and Silence can help the creature get around summoning sickness or dodge removal. a Controll-ish U/W might be more viable. I may try gigadrowse to set up a win the following turn.
I believe this can win turn 3, not turn 4 as stated in the OP.
Turn 2 pila
turn 3 attack with pila, grand architect.
Tap Architect,uptap pila make a U
Make pila blue.
Tap pila for 2
use it to untap pila, making a mana.
repeat
very true, I've only done this sucessfully once though
Call me silly, but if your blue sun's zenith doesn't work out, a non targeted solution might be skyscribing. Yes, I know you have to watch what your library counts are, but at least it gets around a leyline of sanctity and costs xUU so you can transmute muddle for it.
I thought about that too, but exsanguinate works as well to get around leyline and tutorable.
This deck is a lot of fun. Cool combo. I tried it out on MTGO last night and aside from one game where I just never drew into the right cards, I won every game. Is a nice control/combo deck. It was an exercise in patience to make sure I had some counter magic up before dropping my combo pieces. One game my opening hand had a Grand Architect, two Pillis and a Blue Sun's Zenith... beautiful.
It has been interesting winning games. I basically start ramping up the mana and let them know I have the wincon if they want to wait for it. Nobody has been that patient to get beaten yet. They generally just concede. I have to admit, I generally prefer to take someone down to 0, but it certainly is effective. My favorite play was when I tapped out to play my pieces, my opponent tried to doom blade my architect, but I had the spell pierce in hand and could use the mana combo on the board to pay for it.
Figure I might as well post this decklist now to see what you all think of it. I've made a few changes to the board and such. (and hopefully I don't get a Necro warning for this post) Here goes nothing: I present, Towering Architect.
Haha, don't worry; I kind of Necro'd the D.I.M.E thread with a Pili Tec list without Composite Golem/Nim Deathmantle. Will quote here because it still holds interest, and I love it so far.
Am trying something a little more... radical. Combo out under after transmuting for pieces, or take a shortcut with Gifts; lock them out of a color, or 'transfigure' your guys with a Pod under Abolisher. Still needs work.
Whilst it was fun to draw your entire deck and play Blightsteel-> Cackling Counterpart+Flashback+Phyrexian Metamorph (or Pentavus... was a lot of tokens, believe me), I've decided to try setup with Abolisher and just Memnarch everything to my side of the table instead.
I'm really liking Pentad Prism, it's like a color fixing Uber-Chalice that allows for a lot of shenanigans. It also allows you to combo on turn three with counter backup if you havent missed a land drop (or just combo if you did miss), an amazing feat. Have been tempted to throw in Tezzeret's Gambit for card draw, but won't for the time being.
Phyrexian Metamorph means I can Pod away a spare Architect to cancel out an opponents Legendary creature, or just act as #2/3 of anything else in the list.
Dimir Infiltrator can transmute for Pili, or be Podded into Architect. If Pili is extracted (by Earwig Squad, or Memoricide, etc), then Dimir can at least tap for mana and aim for Pentavus/Memnarch (if not busy being a 2/4 Unblockable).
Birds Pod into 2 drops, etc.
It may be painfully obvious that this was made in a multiplayer environment, where there is a little more time to set up, but am kind of hoping that it can still compete in a 1v1. Any ideas or suggestions?
The Gifts package has been phenomonal with Unburial Rites (duh), but sometimes it's so much fun seeing the stress on your opponents face because they can't work out what you are trying to do. Perplex finding both Architect and Fabricate has been awesome, as has a single Pod with Dimir to Pod into Architect or transmute for Pili, really keeps your opponents guessing. After about 10 games today, I never once played Pentavus and think he should be chopped, and I also fiddled with land and moved a few Grand Abolishers to sideboard and maindecked a few Serum Visions, which I felt the impact of immediately. Some more Spell Pierce or cheap removal would be awesome, and definately need some form of card draw, but I'm already struggling to keep this at 60 cards.
Opening with a Bird of Paradise and Pentad Prism just feels like cheating, playing combo and reaching Six mana turn 3..... but generally, a single Prism early and you're in good shape. A few games it was turn 3, they tap out, I Gifts for Iona+Rites and ready to untap, other times it was straight out combo into Memnarch.
Fun times!
Edit: I think some things to consider, because I play a more creature heavy orientation, is either ditch the birds for Aether Vial (Vial Grand Abolisher -> combo?), and Summoning Trap in sideboard. Will play some more and see how it feels.
Haha, don't worry; I kind of Necro'd the D.I.M.E thread with a Pili Tec list without Composite Golem/Nim Deathmantle. Will quote here because it still holds interest, and I love it so far.
Opening with a Bird of Paradise and Pentad Prism just feels like cheating, playing combo and reaching Six mana turn 3..... but generally, a single Prism early and you're in good shape. A few games it was turn 3, they tap out, I Gifts for Iona+Rites and ready to untap, other times it was straight out combo into Memnarch.
Fun times!
Edit: I think some things to consider, because I play a more creature heavy orientation, is either ditch the birds for Aether Vial (Vial Grand Abolisher -> combo?), and Summoning Trap in sideboard. Will play some more and see how it feels.
I see what you're trying to do there, but I must say you seem a bit all over the place. How big are your mana fixing problems? It seems as though you'd run into a few, if not more missing a Bird or Prism drop; and mulling down even a couple of cards could prove to be horrific.
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No problems necroing this! lol I'm glad people are taking interest. has anyone tried Thousand year elixir? It's great for comboing out of nowhere. Early Frost and Gigadrowse can tap opponents before you combo.
Color splashes are a huge option I'd never fully realized. White can add Silence.
The combo:
Pili-Pala+ Grand Architect
Wincons: Blue Sun's Zenith
or
BaneFire
This is what I'm using:
2 Drift of Phantasms
4 Grand Architect
4 Pili-Pala
1 Banefire
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Deprive
2 Into the Roil
4 Muddle the Mixture
2 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Sleight of Hand
2 Spell Pierce
3 Train of Thought
1 academy ruins
17 Island
4 Apostle's Blessing
1 Dispel
1 Thousand-Year Elixir
3 Gigadrowse
1 Spell Pierce
3 Treasure Mage
2 Wurmcoil Engine
There are several transmute cards to tutor for the combo peices. Once "painting" Pili-Pala blue with Grand Architect, you have access to unlimited mana. This can be used to draw your deck with Azure Mage or Train of Thought and these can be transmuted by Muddle the mixture.
Sideboard can be flexible, I'm trying out more threats with Wurmcoil Engine, as well as thousand-year elixir to combo out in one turn after a gigadrowse if need be.
Another Sample Decklist:
Pili-Pala Combo by SquabblingHawk (3-1)
Format: Modern - M12
Location: MTGO Modern Daily (4-0) - Week of 9/12/11
4 Drift of Phantasms
4 Grand Architect
4 Pili-Pala
1 Banefire
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Deprive
1 Into the Roil
4 Muddle the Mixture
1 Oona's Grace
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
3 Sleight of Hand
2 Spell Pierce
4 Halimar Depths
16 Island
My updated Decklist
2 Drift of Phantasms
4 Grand Architect
4 Pili-Pala
1 Banefire
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Deprive
2 Into the Roil
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
2 Spell Pierce
3 Telling Time
2 Train of Thought
1 Halimar Depths
19 Island
1 Apostle's Blessing
2 Postmortem Lunge
1 Dispel
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Exsanguinate
2 Gigadrowse
1 Pyromatics
1 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Treasure Mage
2 Wurmcoil Engine
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
Ponder and Preordain are banned in modern. It's a combo deck so it feels like it needs Gitaxian Probes.
Comet Storm is a two mana win condition for this deck as is Consume Spirit. Invoke the Firemind can be searched with Drift of Phantasms. If they have Worship out (very unlikely) then Lavalanche is something you can search up.
If you're up on life then Molten Disaster can give you the uncounterability you want ANd be tutorable by Muddle. But being ahead on life is key there. You could also Cast Emrakul if you really wanted to. Profane Command or Maga, Traitor to Morals are ways to get around Circle of Protection/Story Circle/Harrow/Honorable Passage whatever they try to use. Psychic Drain mills them and gains you life which should be moot by that point. I'm a fan of Elixir but I'm also a fan of Boots. Swiftfoot Boots. Hexproof could be the thing that keeps your pili pali alive because he's the more fragile of the two cards. (Dies to cheaper burn AND artifact hate which is going to be in sideboards considering Affinity, Torpor Orbs, and Tempered Steel threats in the format)
While it may not be tutorable, Banefire is uncounterable which makes it more appealing to me and train of thought when replicated x times is difficult to counter too, as well as tutorable by muddle the mixture. Mind Spring or Comet Storm Can be put in place to be tutorable, if Banefire is not used, I guess. Emrakul is also a very solid finisher.
Swiftfoot boots is a nice suggestion and at the right mana to be tutorable.
Pact of Negation is excellent for protecting the combo as it just needs one turn to win! Maybe 2 of maindeck and 1 in sb?
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
Exsanguinate: Doesn't deal damage/target (Leyline of Sanctuary).
Pyromatics: Like Train of Thought, replicate makes it hard to counter. Also if they have a troublesome creature on the board, you can burn that out first, then finish your opponent.
excellent choice! I almost forgot about Pyromatics lol Exsanguinate is good sideboard and do-able main for getting around leyline. Will test these out. thanks!
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
I have a deck similar to this that's mono blue. Will try out your style and see how it goes. Seems fun =D
I'd like to get my hands on pact of negation, but im budget restricted.
2 Drift of Phantasms
4 Grand Architect
4 Pili-Pala
1 Banefire
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Deprive
2 Into the Roil
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
2 Spell Pierce
3 Telling Time
2 Train of Thought
20 Island
3 Apostle's Blessing
1 Dispel
1 Exsanguinate
2 Gigadrowse
1 Pyromatics
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Treasure Mage
2 Wurmcoil Engine
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
If you want a list, I can show you just to give you an idea of what I'm using.
sounds interesting. please post a decklist!
I'm interested in many feasible variations, such as one centered around grand architect with other threats such as wurmcoil engine (modern version of the standard architect deck) or all-in type decks with many counters, tutors and stall spells. There are decks that splash other colors for spells such as silence.
"correct" wincons are generally moot as getting as much mana as you want in combination of a draw engine (blue sun's zenith, train of thought, azure mage etc) can yield many different kill spells from a hardcasted emrakul, the aeons torn, to blue sun's making an opponent draw more than they have in the deck, exsanguinate to get around leyline of sanctity or yes, even helix pinnacle for a huge surprise!
side note: this deck can be aggravating to play online since it takes a couple clicks to just net one mana, which will need to be done several dozen times.
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
There's some great ideas going on there.
Yeah, I've read through that thread and vice-versa. This deck forgoes complications with another unreliable (imo) combo unlike that one, but both are still in development so who knows how good they are until playtested thoroughly. I've playtested this deck plenty myself.
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
Turn 2 pila
turn 3 attack with pila, grand architect.
Tap Architect,uptap pila make a U
Make pila blue.
Tap pila for 2
use it to untap pila, making a mana.
repeat
MOD::symw::symu::symb: Gifts
LEG::symg::symb: Infect
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!
I actually think the golem combo is a little more reliable since it doesn't require a creature to live an entire turn to use its activated ability. Both combo's can be disrupted the same way too.
Regardless, if you have playtest results, can you please post them? Any info gleaned from your list could be applied to my list and vice versa. I'm still finalizing a list as of now and will post in that thread soon.
I've done several playtests against many decks on MTGO. Most wins are "oops i win" when they dont waste mana killing pili-pala not knowing what its true function is. Once it's painted with grand architect and play, it's infinite mana from that point on. Swiftfoot Boots and Silence can help the creature get around summoning sickness or dodge removal. a Controll-ish U/W might be more viable. I may try gigadrowse to set up a win the following turn.
very true, I've only done this sucessfully once though
I thought about that too, but exsanguinate works as well to get around leyline and tutorable.
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
I used the combo as my transitional sideboard. It ran Merchant Scroll as a means to find my win con or protection spells.
Also, I find that Spellskites are necessary to protect your pieces.
Thanks for spiderboy4 of High~Light_Studios for the kick ass avatar.
Thanks for DarkNightCavalier of HotPS for the exceptional signature.
It has been interesting winning games. I basically start ramping up the mana and let them know I have the wincon if they want to wait for it. Nobody has been that patient to get beaten yet. They generally just concede. I have to admit, I generally prefer to take someone down to 0, but it certainly is effective. My favorite play was when I tapped out to play my pieces, my opponent tried to doom blade my architect, but I had the spell pierce in hand and could use the mana combo on the board to pay for it.
WUBRG Some of these decks can actually win games...WUBRG
How I know I should build a deck:
Modern
:rakdos::selesnya: goblins
:symr::symb::symg: Glass Cannon Griselbrand
sig made by Hakai Studios (http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=6100225)
WUBRG Some of these decks can actually win games...WUBRG
How I know I should build a deck:
Exactly. It's on my sideboard, and tutorable with muddle the mixture.
How are your decklists going?
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U
Figure I might as well post this decklist now to see what you all think of it. I've made a few changes to the board and such. (and hopefully I don't get a Necro warning for this post) Here goes nothing: I present, Towering Architect.
10 Island
5 Forest
1 Academy Ruins
4 Tolaria West
2 Flooded Grove
1 Mystifying Maze
The Combo
4 Grand Architect
4 Pili-Pala
4 Helix Pinnacle
2 Plow Under
3 Dissipate
4 Remand
4 Voidslime
4 Serum Visions
4 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Muddle the Mixture
1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
2 Plow Under
4 Negate
4 Viridian Zealot
4 Gitaxian Probe
If you couldn't tell, I'm a man of consistency, which can also be a sever downfall; especially when making a sideboard.
Note to Mods: If this considered Necro'ing a thread, dish out your punishments.
The Gifts package has been phenomonal with Unburial Rites (duh), but sometimes it's so much fun seeing the stress on your opponents face because they can't work out what you are trying to do. Perplex finding both Architect and Fabricate has been awesome, as has a single Pod with Dimir to Pod into Architect or transmute for Pili, really keeps your opponents guessing. After about 10 games today, I never once played Pentavus and think he should be chopped, and I also fiddled with land and moved a few Grand Abolishers to sideboard and maindecked a few Serum Visions, which I felt the impact of immediately. Some more Spell Pierce or cheap removal would be awesome, and definately need some form of card draw, but I'm already struggling to keep this at 60 cards.
Opening with a Bird of Paradise and Pentad Prism just feels like cheating, playing combo and reaching Six mana turn 3..... but generally, a single Prism early and you're in good shape. A few games it was turn 3, they tap out, I Gifts for Iona+Rites and ready to untap, other times it was straight out combo into Memnarch.
Fun times!
Edit: I think some things to consider, because I play a more creature heavy orientation, is either ditch the birds for Aether Vial (Vial Grand Abolisher -> combo?), and Summoning Trap in sideboard. Will play some more and see how it feels.
I see what you're trying to do there, but I must say you seem a bit all over the place. How big are your mana fixing problems? It seems as though you'd run into a few, if not more missing a Bird or Prism drop; and mulling down even a couple of cards could prove to be horrific.
Color splashes are a huge option I'd never fully realized. White can add Silence.
Ensnaring bridge + Bottled Cloister against aggro?
I'm liking the Birthing Pod and Gifts take on this... very creative!
:symwr:BorosBGR Living End(Primer) W Soul Sisters
U