Hey all! I just finished my E & T deck and I've been playing around with different sideboard tech.
I'm curious as to why we don't run Kitchen Finks in the sideboard. Obviously, Finks is great vs. Burn, but it helps us in a lot of other matchups too. It's a creature, so it won't be slowed down by our Thalias. Extra ETB effects with Flickerwisps and Displacers sounds like it fits perfectly into our gameplan, especially when it removes the counter off of it. I guess 2 white mana could potentially be tricky, but we can also Vial it in. I can't really see any major downsides. Is there a reason the 'burn answers' in everyone's boards are Blessed Alliance or Kor Firewalker over this?
Tectonic Edge is the best choice in almost every way, but Field of Ruin can, on the play, shut down Tron. Edge can’t do that.
Tec Edge is just better for the 4-8 LD cards but field of ruin is a great 9-10 option. That said I don't think you need 3 mutavaults, 3 shefet dunes and 2 canopies. You have the room to cut if you want 10 LD cards, just depends on your meta.
Not interested in the 10 LD build and definitely no issues with the lands as-is, though I may trade a Shefet Dunes for a basic Plains. The question is simply if the potential gains against Tron make it worth playing Field of Ruin over Tectonic Edge. The answer appears to be no.
The obvious choice is extra removal. The front runners here would be Blessed Alliance, Condemn, and Sunlance. All of these offer different benefits in different matchups. Blessed Alliance grants the most versatility, while Sunlance is the most consistent. Condemn falls somewhere in-between.
I could cut a card somewhere and drop in 3 copies of Leyline of Sanctity. I’m normally not a fan of this card in the deck, but with Storm and other combo running rampant, as well as copious amounts of discard, it may be time to reconsider.
The last card I’ve been thinking about lately is Runed Halo. It has incredible utility against most of what’s being played right now and can even answer many of the unexpected rogues.
-Removal is always good, sunlance and blessed alliance being my favorites.
You’re right, removal is good...I’ll do my best to hold removal slots if I can.
-Layline ok... but only if it replaces Ethersworn canonist. 5 cards for storm is to much. Also I don't really like layline very much with how resilient storm is these days with gifts. They can almost just draw through their whole deck once they get going so it's no problem to just find an empty the warrens to kill you. Canonist is better against them, but if you play against a lot of discard then layline is multipurpose.
kodieyost has already addressed Gifts Ungiven and both cards have applications beyond the Storm matchup. These uses do not have as much overlap as you seem to think, but yes, they do both hit Storm.
Is 2 copies of Displacer too many? Should 1 be replaced with another 3-drop, or maybe I should make a cut elsewhere to find maindeck space for those previously-mentioned Spirits?
With the continued and arguably increasing popularity of Walking Ballista, maybe it’s time to go old school and drop a Resto for a singleton Linvala?
What deck choices, if any, even address the humans deck?
-Selfless spirit is typically in place of any of the fleck spots eg. displace, crusader, copter, avenger, restos 3-4. Only good if you see a lot of board wipes or removal, like old GBx, control or grixis decks.
Control is locally omnipresent and always relevant at the competitive level. My every instinct screams that it should have Smopter’s slots, but I want to give the latter a fair try.
-I run 3 dispacers and 2 restos. I love displacer (it also takes care of that pesky ballista which you are concerned with) it makes flickerwisp abuseable. as for Linvala I don't personally like 1 ofs since we have no filter/draw/tutor.
This tells me that 9 flicker cards is a solid total, then. I’ll consider a 4-3-2 or 4-4-1 split with Eldrazi Displacer as the final number.
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
When I played EnT, I jammed 3 LotV in my 75 and loved it for our grindy MUs - UWx can’t handle your aether vial threats + LotV threatening to ultimate at the same time.
On that note, I think LotV is better now than it was 9 months ago when I played EnT, but I’m sure it’s also meta dependent
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Frankly, I am not a fan of a 1BB non-creature spell with the EnT Mana base (or for anything else, really: it's the reason I decided to go mono white). That said, she grinds very well and I think I have seen a few lists running her on mtggoldfish.
The Lili I think might be a better fit is Liliana, Heretical Healer. As a creature, she can be vialed in, especially in response to a kill spell or combat where one of your creatures dies, and can be a value engine in a grindier game.
Frankly, I am not a fan of a 1BB non-creature spell with the EnT Mana base (or for anything else, really: it's the reason I decided to go mono white). That said, she grinds very well and I think I have seen a few lists running her on mtggoldfish.
The Lili I think might be a better fit is Liliana, Heretical Healer. As a creature, she can be vialed in, especially in response to a kill spell or combat where one of your creatures dies, and can be a value engine in a grindier game.
I think with 4 Caves of Koilos, 2 Shambling Vent and 2 Swamps in it, it could work. Or am I completely wrong here? ^^
I think the big eldrazi are THE payoff of playing with such a bad mana base... I would never run BW If It weren't for the backup push, Bob and tidehollow/kitesail offer during the First turns before you Land TKS and RS. that Said, baby Liliana seems Nice against burn also...
The cost of Liliana was problematic, but the other two were great! With Seer, you also have the option of dropping in Anafenza and Kitchen Finks/Murderous Redcap for a pocket combo people don’t see coming from this deck.
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“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Almost every creature deck I competitively played with in the last 6-8 months have had Smugglers Copter in them. I have top’d in all those tournaments. Not trying to provoke ego here but showing my level of certainty with copter.
Some quick highlights:
- Easy to cast
- filter bad draws and loot non-relevant draws (late game vial and repeat Thalia)
- survives wipes
- safest turn to drop against removal heavy decks.
- greeeat against affinity
- great for digging for sb cards in grinch match ups.
The list goes on but those are major components for a large tournament where variance will be expected. Understanding how card variance happens over a larger sample size will help you understand that more chances of drawing cards and smoothing variance out will be a shoe in overnight something like Serra avaenger.
If you want some detail, message me on twitter (deathandcatmix) and I’ll do my best to support your list!
Almost every creature deck I competitively played with in the last 6-8 months have had Smugglers Copter in them. I have top’d in all those tournaments. Not trying to provoke ego here but showing my level of certainty with copter.
- Easy to cast
- filter bad draws and loot non-relevant draws (late game vial and repeat Thalia)
- survives wipes
- safest turn to drop against removal heavy decks.
- greeeat against affinity
- great for digging for sb cards in grinch match ups.
The list goes on but those are major components for a large tournament where variance will be expected. Understanding how card variance happens over a larger sample size will help you understand that more chances of drawing cards and smoothing variance out will be a shoe in overnight something like Serra avaenger.
If you want some detail, message me on twitter (deathandcatmix) and I’ll do my best to support your list!
Really can’t top this recommendation!
Haven’t had the opportunity to try it out myself yet, but have 2 sitting in the main right now. From a design perspective, it makes perfect sense for the deck; though, I have to admit part of me still wants Selfless Spirit in those slots.
I would go with deathandcatmix’s advice here. He’s thoroughly tested and achieved with it and it’s been duplicated by many other players to great success.
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“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Smuggler's Copter is generally better, but I'd like to point out that in a meta which is saturated with mainboard Kolaghan's Command (like mine), I think Serra Avenger is the better choice. Killing a creature + Copter in response to crew sets you back 3 creatures for a turn, which is backbreaking to say at least.
Having a Vial destroyed on the other hand isn't that much of an issue since you've probably already made value out of it, or drew it as a bad late-game topdeck.
The K Command thing is pretty annoying. I’ve got some tools to help you with that in Game 1. Side them out after words.
Take 1: you’ve observed early on (turn 1-2) it’s a list with potential k Command. Just run the smuggler down and force it out of hand. It means they can’t loop creatures and discard from it. This actually matters.
Take 2: it’s later in the game and you’ve already deployed smuggler. Use wisp and resto to bate the k Command. This is pretty common to see me do on stream. In fact I think I did it yesterday against Mardu pyromancer.
Take 3: sand bag the Smugglers until your Board is wide enough or the commands have been used. Or feed them is your dead spells to discard for Command.
@thelegionsarmory if the sb hate is strong enough, just cut the copters going into sb games. And as far as sequencing goes, it’s match up dependent. Smuggler copter has the same level of summoning sickness as any creature. Stack your hand to be the most mana efficient and damage outputting as possible with smuggler in hand. Trust me, a turn without Thalia tax that leads to a Copter, a Thalia tax, a loot draw affect and maximized damage output is worth the reconsidering of sequencing.
Example.
Hand is three plains, Thalia, Copter, arbiter and blade Splicer.
On play: plains pass.
Opps: polluted delta pass.
Turn two: plains Copter pass
Opps: fetch scour. Play blood crypt tasigur. (He could not sequence to kill a creature w/ Copter deployed instead and Thalia would not have taxed him yet...)
Turn 3: play blade Splicer and crew Copter.
Opps: serum vision fetch pass.
Turn 4: cast Thalia, cast arbiter.
Your opponent would be forced into ackward sequencing and have to choose really bad options to minimize the damages output from Copter. Your Thalia is going to survive longer and you would still have created a great board.
This is pretty typical of death shadow behaviors that I encounter which is why I used it as an example. It’s not a far fetched experience to expect.
...I'd like to point out that in a meta which is saturated with mainboard Kolaghan's Command (like mine), I think Serra Avenger is the better choice. Killing a creature + Copter in response to crew sets you back 3 creatures for a turn, which is backbreaking to say at least.
Having a Vial destroyed on the other hand isn't that much of an issue since you've probably already made value out of it, or drew it as a bad late-game topdeck.
That’s not how the Crew ability works. At most, you will lose two cards, which is just what Kolaghan’s Command does.
“ Creatures that crew a Vehicle aren’t attached to it or related in any other way. Effects that affect the Vehicle, such as by destroying it or giving it a +1/+1 counter, don’t affect the creatures that crewed it.”
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
2.5) During opponent’s combat step, Vial in a 1-drop, Tap it, Block with Smopter, Loot
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“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
I’d test her over Bob for sure
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I'm curious as to why we don't run Kitchen Finks in the sideboard. Obviously, Finks is great vs. Burn, but it helps us in a lot of other matchups too. It's a creature, so it won't be slowed down by our Thalias. Extra ETB effects with Flickerwisps and Displacers sounds like it fits perfectly into our gameplan, especially when it removes the counter off of it. I guess 2 white mana could potentially be tricky, but we can also Vial it in. I can't really see any major downsides. Is there a reason the 'burn answers' in everyone's boards are Blessed Alliance or Kor Firewalker over this?
That’s a solid point on non-redundant singletons. Noted, will brainstorm on that matchup, then.
As always, your mileage may vary.
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
WB Eldrazi and Taxes BW
On that note, I think LotV is better now than it was 9 months ago when I played EnT, but I’m sure it’s also meta dependent
@Robo_Memer on Twitter, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube
Feel free to PM me about Affinity decks in any format!
The Lili I think might be a better fit is Liliana, Heretical Healer. As a creature, she can be vialed in, especially in response to a kill spell or combat where one of your creatures dies, and can be a value engine in a grindier game.
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
I think the big eldrazi are THE payoff of playing with such a bad mana base... I would never run BW If It weren't for the backup push, Bob and tidehollow/kitesail offer during the First turns before you Land TKS and RS. that Said, baby Liliana seems Nice against burn also...
The cost of Liliana was problematic, but the other two were great! With Seer, you also have the option of dropping in Anafenza and Kitchen Finks/Murderous Redcap for a pocket combo people don’t see coming from this deck.
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Enlighten me, wise men!!!!!!
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Be bold! Be aggressive! Play both! That's what I do.*
*disclaimer: I have not actually played with the deck since I changed it from BW EnT to mono-White D&T.
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
Some quick highlights:
- Easy to cast
- filter bad draws and loot non-relevant draws (late game vial and repeat Thalia)
- survives wipes
- safest turn to drop against removal heavy decks.
- greeeat against affinity
- great for digging for sb cards in grinch match ups.
The list goes on but those are major components for a large tournament where variance will be expected. Understanding how card variance happens over a larger sample size will help you understand that more chances of drawing cards and smoothing variance out will be a shoe in overnight something like Serra avaenger.
If you want some detail, message me on twitter (deathandcatmix) and I’ll do my best to support your list!
WWModern Death And Taxes (w/ Militia Bugler) (JUL '19)
GWModern Maverick (JUL '19)
WBCatmix on Twitch!
WWCatmix on Youtube
Haven’t had the opportunity to try it out myself yet, but have 2 sitting in the main right now. From a design perspective, it makes perfect sense for the deck; though, I have to admit part of me still wants Selfless Spirit in those slots.
I would go with deathandcatmix’s advice here. He’s thoroughly tested and achieved with it and it’s been duplicated by many other players to great success.
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Having a Vial destroyed on the other hand isn't that much of an issue since you've probably already made value out of it, or drew it as a bad late-game topdeck.
Legacy: Death'n'Taxes
Legacy: Merfolk U; Shadow UB; Eldrazi Stompy C
Pauper: Delver U
Vintage: Merfolk U
Primers:
Take 1: you’ve observed early on (turn 1-2) it’s a list with potential k Command. Just run the smuggler down and force it out of hand. It means they can’t loop creatures and discard from it. This actually matters.
Take 2: it’s later in the game and you’ve already deployed smuggler. Use wisp and resto to bate the k Command. This is pretty common to see me do on stream. In fact I think I did it yesterday against Mardu pyromancer.
Take 3: sand bag the Smugglers until your Board is wide enough or the commands have been used. Or feed them is your dead spells to discard for Command.
WWModern Death And Taxes (w/ Militia Bugler) (JUL '19)
GWModern Maverick (JUL '19)
WBCatmix on Twitch!
WWCatmix on Youtube
Example.
Hand is three plains, Thalia, Copter, arbiter and blade Splicer.
On play: plains pass.
Opps: polluted delta pass.
Turn two: plains Copter pass
Opps: fetch scour. Play blood crypt tasigur. (He could not sequence to kill a creature w/ Copter deployed instead and Thalia would not have taxed him yet...)
Turn 3: play blade Splicer and crew Copter.
Opps: serum vision fetch pass.
Turn 4: cast Thalia, cast arbiter.
Your opponent would be forced into ackward sequencing and have to choose really bad options to minimize the damages output from Copter. Your Thalia is going to survive longer and you would still have created a great board.
This is pretty typical of death shadow behaviors that I encounter which is why I used it as an example. It’s not a far fetched experience to expect.
WWModern Death And Taxes (w/ Militia Bugler) (JUL '19)
GWModern Maverick (JUL '19)
WBCatmix on Twitch!
WWCatmix on Youtube
Edit:
Here are the oracle rulings for reference. Of particular relevance:
“ Creatures that crew a Vehicle aren’t attached to it or related in any other way. Effects that affect the Vehicle, such as by destroying it or giving it a +1/+1 counter, don’t affect the creatures that crewed it.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Another great chain:
1) Land -> Vial, Pass
2) Tick Vial, Play Land, Play Smopter, Pass
2.5) During opponent’s combat step, Vial in a 1-drop, Tap it, Block with Smopter, Loot
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther