I've been playing Ad Nauseam as my sole modern deck for about a year now and have been absolutely loving it. I tend to switch between the classical, spoils, and wish lists a tonne, but I've had lots of success with a glittering wish build recently. That said I need some expert advice regarding the post-board Bring to Light Scapeshift match-up (regardless of what version of Ad Naus you run) - as it is everywhere in my local meta. It's a bit weird - I know, but all the local splinter twin players seem to have collectively migrated to Scapeshift...
Here is the list I am currently testing, for reference:
So, game 1 is basically a bye as we all know with a good hand, however game 2 gets a lot tougher (aside from the magical-christmasland nut draws). An early Slaughter Games naming The Only Sensible Target is a regular occurance, and although I can wish for a Dragonlord Dromoka to start the beats, it doesn't always get there in time. Early Remands keep me behind on tempo and without the mana to go off until the opponent finds a Bring To Light into Slaughter Games.
So a couple questions regarding the post-board BTL Scapeshift matchup:
Do you board in Leyline of Sanctity? If so, what do you take out? I've tested against a good friend of mine who plays the deck a bunch, but boarding into leyline always feels bad as it dilutes the decks gameplan whilst not really providing much resistance (unless I can get a hand with enough Permission to force the combo through), due to the presence of Cryptic Command.
What general strategies do you employ post-board, and how successful have you been?
Thanks for the help, and as always any comments or advice regarding the list is always appreciated
I board in 3 Leylines as I dont want to draw multiples but I want them. Also, I board in the 4th pact for obvious reasons. I cut the 4 lotus blooms because of remand and because prism is still acceleration. Been winning a lot with this plan in this match.
So are we just completely cold to the hardcast Slaughter Games? I guess a Thoughtseize could save us some of the time. I'm guessing the Wish lists don't have room for discard in the board though, right?
Leyline, of course. Forgive my mistake, I just picked up Ad Nauseam and I don't have enough reps in with the deck to have encountered many of these corner case scenarios.
What do we think of Night of Souls Betrayal in the sb vs infect and other match ups? Initially seems slightly slow at 4cc but we have ways to ramp up and cast it turn 3. Combined with holy day/ethereal haze/wall of shards, it should buy us enough time to get the combo online.
Also, I've been playing with the classic fetch land version and I must say I'm liking the speed and consistency of it
i think you're better off with Porphyry Nodes or Favor of the Mighty for infect matchups. But again, the 3 darkness accomplishes the same thing, buy you 1 turn. I'm thinking that 1 Silence in the SB can also accomplish the same thing and is also counterspell bait before comboing off. Silence can also buy you 1 turn with infect or other strange hyper aggro deck.
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plays Ad Nauseam and Amulet Bloom in Modern
"He traded sand for skins, skins for gold, gold for life. In the end, he traded life for sand."
—Afari, Tales
Silence also has utility as a proactive spell on your opponent's upkeep when you're just trying to buy a turn. Not saying it's better than running another Pact, but it does have uses outside your example.
Here's the sideboard guide asked for a couple of pages ago. Not all of the decks are covered, but I picked up all of the tier 1 as of this date and the top tier 2 decks when looking the stats from ModernNexus. Here's my list :
I don't like Patrician's Scorn against Abzan Coco. If you side in Laboratory Maniac why are you worried against Leyline? Maybe Eidolon could be a problem, but Scorn is not a kind of response you looking for.
Abzan CoCo doesn't normally run Leyline, the only reason to bring in Scorn is for Eidolon of Rhetoric. I think bringing in Lab Maniac, Echoing Truth, and Slaughter Pact is enough.
Regarding Scapeshift, with Phyrexian Unlife does the damage count as infect? Are all separated trigger's i know but the resolve at the same time. So if i have 5 of life i'll stay like -20 or do I take the rest damage after 0 life by poison?
All the lands enter the battlefield at the same time, but each trigger resolves separately. Using your example of being on 5 life, he'd have to drop 6 Mountains to trigger Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle for lethal (or 3 if they have 2 Valakut's on the board).
Ok, so i'm going to quick here. Im running on lack of sleep right now. However, I just played and IQ earlier. 6 Rounds, went 7-0-2 (counting top 8. I won 2 then split the finals.) I played, Grixis control 2-0, RG Tron 2-0, Ad Nauseam 2-0 (NEVER AGAIN! also, he wasnt that great of a pilot.), Jeskai thing in the ice 2-1, Infect 2-1, Draw, Affinity 2-1, Burn 2-0, and Split with another Ad Nauseam player (Good buddy, he's piloted probably as long as me.) These were in round order. Round 1 to the Finals. There were 5-7 Ad nauseam Decks here. That mirror match was GRUELING. I only won because I had been playing it for so long. I know all the in's and outs. Never again though. I will post a more detailed Run through later on.
Interested in learning your strategy for the mirror. I played it once and it seemed like it was about assembling unlife + lab man, drawing your deck and packing their spells until they ran out of angel's graces. How did you sb?
I board in 3 Leylines as I dont want to draw multiples but I want them. Also, I board in the 4th pact for obvious reasons. I cut the 4 lotus blooms because of remand and because prism is still acceleration. Been winning a lot with this plan in this match.
Also, I've been playing with the classic fetch land version and I must say I'm liking the speed and consistency of it
"He traded sand for skins, skins for gold, gold for life. In the end, he traded life for sand."
—Afari, Tales
4 Simian Spirit Guide
Lands (20)
2 Flooded Strand
2 Gemstone Mine
2 Island
2 Polluted Delta
2 Temple of Deceit
2 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Plains
1 Tolaria West
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Swamp
1 Watery Grave
4 Ad Nauseam
4 Angel's Grace
4 Lotus Bloom
4 Pentad Prism
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
3 Pact of Negation
3 Phyrexian Unlife
2 Peer Through Depths
1 Conflagrate
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Lightning Storm
1 Slaughter Pact
4 Leyline of Sanctity
3 Ethereal Haze
2 Thoughtseize
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Drown in Sorrow
1 Echoing Truth
1 Laboratory Maniac
1 Patrician's Scorn
1 Silence
TIER 1
Jund
Out: 2 Pact of Negation, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Pentad Prism, 1 Lotus Bloom.
In: 4 Leyline of Sanctity, 2 Thoughtseize.
Burn
Out: 2 Pact of Negation, 1 Tolaria West (yes, down to 19 lands), 1 Mystical Teachings, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Pentad Prism, 1 Lotus Bloom.
In: 4 Leyline of Sanctity, 3 Ethereal Haze, 1 Drown in Sorrow.
Abzan Company
Out: 2 Pact of Negation, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Lotus Bloom.
In: 2 Thoughtseize, 1 Laboratory Maniac, 1 Drown in Sorrow, 1 Patrician's Scorn (if they ever have Leyline).
Affinity
Out: 2 Pact of Negation, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Mystical Teachings, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Lotus Bloom.
In: 3 Ethereal Haze, 2 Thoughtseize, 1 Drown in Sorrow.
Infect
Out: 2 Pact of Negation, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Phyrexian Unlife, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Lotus Bloom.
In: 3 Ethereal Haze, 2 Thoughtseize, 1 Drown in Sorrow.
RG Tron
Out: 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand.
In: 2 Thoughtseize.
TIER 2
UWR Control
Out: 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Pentad Prism, 1 Slaughter Pact.
In: 2 Thoughtseize, 1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All, 1 Silence.
Zoo
Out: 2 Pact of Negation, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Mystical Teachings, 1 Pentad Prism.
In: 3 Ethereal Haze, 1 Drown in Sorrow.
Merfolk
Out: 1 Mystical Teachings, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Pentad Prism.
In: 3 Ethereal Haze, 1 Drown in Sorrow.
Scapeshift
Out: 1 Conflagrate, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Pentad Prism, 1 Slaughter Pact, 1 Mystical Teachings, 1 Lotus Bloom and something else.
In: 3 Leyline of Sanctity, 2 Thoughtseize, 1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All, 1 Silence.
This is not an absolute, just my take at the matchups I face.
Cheers!
Aggro: Naya Burn RWG
Combo: Scapeshift RG
Control: Jeskai Control UWR
Legacy
Control: Miracles UW
Aggro: Burn R
5 -> 2
2 -> -1
0 -> 3 Poison
3 -> 6 Poison
6 -> 9 Poison
9 - 12 Poison.
Two ways to beat Eidolon: 1) Remove it
2) Phyrexian Unlife, Ad Nauseam on their turn, Untap and Lightning Storm (can also Slaughter Pact it)
Ad Nauseam loses in finals to RG Breach
G1: didn't have 2nd black source
Question: He sided in 4 Leyline which seems bad as you combo faster than them. It stops slaughter but still seems wrong.