So far I'm 1-2 on games on xmage and 0-1-1 on matches (first opponent quit after going 1-1, and I quit against second opponent after one game to take care of family chores).
First match against 8Rack ... not much to say here except game 1 I died a slow, painful death, and game 2 I combo'd out.
Second match against ... Part the Waterveil.dec? Well, I punted this game hard regardless of their list because instead of casting Kitchen Finks and going for infinite life via Cartel Aristocrat, Anafenza Kin-Tree Spirit, and Kitchen Finks on my last turn, I activated Gavony Township a 2nd time and swing for 8. Mind you I had already Abrupt Decay'd a Rites of Flourishing and Beast Within'd a Lotus Cobra, so all he had was a bunch of lands and a 3/3 green beast that, if needed, could be chumped with birds for a turn.
I honestly did not expect them to cast three Part the Waterveil, two of which with Awakening 6.
tl;dr: Don't rely on beats if you can combo against rogue decks
Infinite life combo will rarely beat the time walk decks; they almost always have an elixir so they can mill-loop you.
May I ask how you would play against this matchup then? It just seems so left field to me.
1) focus on sticking the redcap combo. They will rarely have an answer game one outside of maaaybe a bounce spell, but they tap out all the time for mines and such.
2) if you have two pieces and a chord and can chord for redcap, wait until they tap out for their first time warp to go for it. In order to beat you they must tap out for warp on turn 5 pretty much, or get a lucky temporal mastery into a 6 drop warp.
3) remember that you can draw a chord with a canopy after scrying it to the top. remember you can scry a chord to the top in response to a jace beleren 'everyone draws' trigger too.
4) Best hate creatures in this match is Spirit of the Labyrinth, followed by Rec sage, Thalia, pridemage.
5) killing their mines/dictates is important but you still have to have a clock. They cannot win by warping without a mine up really, so if you can force them to warp as an explore it's pretty easy to win.
I wouldn't play a Spirit as a hate critter unless this is a serious problem in your meta, but it does work.
Like most combo matchups we want to redcap them and skip the finks setup if possible.
has anyone tried [[Duskwatch Recruiter]] in the MB? seems like it would really help find combo pieces
Duskwatch Recruiter / Krallenhorde Howler seems really nice, but a bit clunky for his ability and eats a bolt I suppose. I am willing to try this one though and if I do, I will post results.
I think activation cost is too high, but the fact that he easts a bolt is an advantage. Baiting a bolt out on non-combo creatures is always great.
He seems busted to be honest. We have extra mana all the time. We can bait the opponent thinking we have Collected Company, when we really just get a free tutor. If you want to run a build without Voice of Resurgence, I could make a case for this guy instead.
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Modern: U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
Hey, everyone. I'm going to be building Abzan Company, but it's a little hard finding a starting place. As with a lot of toolbox-y decks, there isn't really a cookie-cutter version (which is a strength). Specifically in terms of landbase, everyone seems to vary a lot in terms of the number of Horizon Canopies. Is there some consensus as to the "proper" number to have? I've seen from 1 to 3, and for a pretty expensive card, it'd be nice to not grab 3 and end up using 1. Other than that, though, it looks like the lists have a general feel of 4 Finks, Birds, Chords, and Companies, 3 Hierarchs and Eternal Witnesses, 2-3 Viscera Seer and Walls, 2 Melira and Anafenza, then 1-2 of the remaining toolbox pieces (Spellskite, Qasali, Voice of Resurgence, Fiend Hunter, Scooze, Liliana, and Sin Collector). Are there any pieces I'm missing? Suggested sideboard tech for a relatively open meta? I'm planning on running Linvala at least in the board.
Horizon Canopy: you need at least 1 but 4 is way too many. The card is awful in multiples, particularly against aggressive decks. I would start with two and proxy a third and buy it if you find it really helps you in your meta.
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These days, some wizards are finding they have a little too much deck left at the end of their $$$.
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I'm thinking of taking out my 1/1 Spike Feeder/Archangel of Thune Combo to either try out 2 Voice of Resurgence main (I'm expecting more U/W control games going forward) or testing out 1 Duskwatch Recruiter and 1 Liliana Heretical Healer. Maybe even 1 Voice and 1 of those cards. Anyone have any experience with any of these in this deck I would appreciate the advice. Got 3 big modern tournaments coming up including GP LA.
I run 1 of each in my main. The voice is good, if u want pure control on your turn (over voices psudo) you can try grand arbiter. I love Lili as a late/on curve drop as her -x can retrieve a pesisted finks or easily the seer to complete the combo.
I still run the angelfeeder main bc the majority of my meta brings in hate game 2, so it's easier to just leave it in main. There are still a few players that aren't Familiar with it and waste removal on a finks rather than feeder.
Fauna shaman is functional card disadvantage while Recruiter provides advantage.
Recruiter can be activated on the turn it drops, shaman can't tap.
Recruiter can flip and be a mana accelerant that meaningfully accelerates our combo (shaves 2 mana if we go Melira-redcap-seer).
Them's the main reasons.
I'm not sure Fauna Shaman is card disadvantage, but I've been trying Duskwatch Recruiter and I haven't gotten it to do anything useful during games yet after it is placed on board. I would also be saying the same thing if it were a Fauna Shaman instead. I usually end up wishing it were a Voice or some other thing like Eternal Witness.
I suspect that you are correct, and I was not advocating for recruiter but stating the reasons.
With 3 gavony townships, 4 chords and 4 cocos the deck usually doesn't want for mana sinks - I always found myself tapping out all the time one way or another (end step township or chording/cocoing).
Shaman/Recruiter are more built for dedicated chord decks I think.
Hey, I just started playing Melira Chord. I'm also quiet new to modern and have troubles with the jund match up. I am considering boarding in 2 abrupt decay, 1 ooze and 3 path to exile . But I don't really know what to cut. Any advices from to pros wpuld be nice ;D
What's your list? Those look like good choices in a vacuum, though. Also bring in if you run them: Sin Collector, Voice of Resurgence, Forge-Tender, any big creatures (Archangel of Thune, Linvala, Sigarda, Pharika, Avacyn, etc etc). Take out Nobles (you really need to increase your card quality since this is a grindy matchup), a few Chords (2-3 depending on how many non-creatures you board in), 2 Melira and 1 Seer (comboing off against Jund is hard), maybe shave a Spellskite. Don't leave out all your artifact/enchantment hate since Night of Soul's Betrayal wrecks us.
Against jund, cut your irrelevant creatures (mana dorks and melira) and board in value. It's hard to combo off but you can out-grind them with Finks, Witness and Collected Company card advantage.
I still like Viscera Seer though, it gives you a scry off every removal they play.
Dont side out birds against JUND, after some township activations, they will have to waste removal on them.
Dont forget Kalitas and Ooze, save your paths to kalitas/olivia, decay for liliana and Ooze, Sigarda post sideboard is amazing against Jund, they just cant deal with her (hitting sigarda of a chord in response to a Liliana, is amazing).
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First match against 8Rack ... not much to say here except game 1 I died a slow, painful death, and game 2 I combo'd out.
Second match against ... Part the Waterveil.dec? Well, I punted this game hard regardless of their list because instead of casting Kitchen Finks and going for infinite life via Cartel Aristocrat, Anafenza Kin-Tree Spirit, and Kitchen Finks on my last turn, I activated Gavony Township a 2nd time and swing for 8. Mind you I had already Abrupt Decay'd a Rites of Flourishing and Beast Within'd a Lotus Cobra, so all he had was a bunch of lands and a 3/3 green beast that, if needed, could be chumped with birds for a turn.
I honestly did not expect them to cast three Part the Waterveil, two of which with Awakening 6.
tl;dr: Don't rely on beats if you can combo against rogue decks
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UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
May I ask how you would play against this matchup then? It just seems so left field to me.
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Of course that means replacing some of the mana base with pain lands instead of shock lands :/
1) focus on sticking the redcap combo. They will rarely have an answer game one outside of maaaybe a bounce spell, but they tap out all the time for mines and such.
2) if you have two pieces and a chord and can chord for redcap, wait until they tap out for their first time warp to go for it. In order to beat you they must tap out for warp on turn 5 pretty much, or get a lucky temporal mastery into a 6 drop warp.
3) remember that you can draw a chord with a canopy after scrying it to the top. remember you can scry a chord to the top in response to a jace beleren 'everyone draws' trigger too.
4) Best hate creatures in this match is Spirit of the Labyrinth, followed by Rec sage, Thalia, pridemage.
5) killing their mines/dictates is important but you still have to have a clock. They cannot win by warping without a mine up really, so if you can force them to warp as an explore it's pretty easy to win.
I wouldn't play a Spirit as a hate critter unless this is a serious problem in your meta, but it does work.
Like most combo matchups we want to redcap them and skip the finks setup if possible.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
He seems busted to be honest. We have extra mana all the time. We can bait the opponent thinking we have Collected Company, when we really just get a free tutor. If you want to run a build without Voice of Resurgence, I could make a case for this guy instead.
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
Thanks! I look forward to sharing my results!
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
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MTGO/MTGA: Tyclone
My Primers ~ GWx Vizier Company ~ Knightfall ~ RG Eldrazi ~ Green's Sun's Zenith
More Brews ~ Modern Four Horsemen ~ Gitrog Dredge
GBRJund Elves
GWDevoted Elves
WDeath & Taxes
GWUBRHumans
EDH:
GTitania, Protector of Argoth
Fauna shaman is functional card disadvantage while Recruiter provides advantage.
Recruiter can be activated on the turn it drops, shaman can't tap.
Recruiter can flip and be a mana accelerant that meaningfully accelerates our combo (shaves 2 mana if we go Melira-redcap-seer).
Them's the main reasons.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I still run the angelfeeder main bc the majority of my meta brings in hate game 2, so it's easier to just leave it in main. There are still a few players that aren't Familiar with it and waste removal on a finks rather than feeder.
I'm not sure Fauna Shaman is card disadvantage, but I've been trying Duskwatch Recruiter and I haven't gotten it to do anything useful during games yet after it is placed on board. I would also be saying the same thing if it were a Fauna Shaman instead. I usually end up wishing it were a Voice or some other thing like Eternal Witness.
With 3 gavony townships, 4 chords and 4 cocos the deck usually doesn't want for mana sinks - I always found myself tapping out all the time one way or another (end step township or chording/cocoing).
Shaman/Recruiter are more built for dedicated chord decks I think.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
What's your list? Those look like good choices in a vacuum, though. Also bring in if you run them: Sin Collector, Voice of Resurgence, Forge-Tender, any big creatures (Archangel of Thune, Linvala, Sigarda, Pharika, Avacyn, etc etc). Take out Nobles (you really need to increase your card quality since this is a grindy matchup), a few Chords (2-3 depending on how many non-creatures you board in), 2 Melira and 1 Seer (comboing off against Jund is hard), maybe shave a Spellskite. Don't leave out all your artifact/enchantment hate since Night of Soul's Betrayal wrecks us.
I still like Viscera Seer though, it gives you a scry off every removal they play.
Dont forget Kalitas and Ooze, save your paths to kalitas/olivia, decay for liliana and Ooze, Sigarda post sideboard is amazing against Jund, they just cant deal with her (hitting sigarda of a chord in response to a Liliana, is amazing).