So here is a VERY tentative list I have come up with as a starting point. I really wanted to play with Angrath when I saw the spoilers and maybe this is the start of a good shell for him... Anyways if anyone is working on something similar or has suggestions I would really like to innovate together.
The Mana is far from optimized I think and because I am not an expert on manabases maybe some of that could be switched around. I would welcome any suggestion on that topic as well.
I am also thinking of a few other cards that I am not sure about in the main:
Lastly, I am not entirely sure if I want to play any number of Branchwalkers or Treasure Maps but I like the card selection that both provide... Maybe they are unecessary and I would be better off with some more interactive spells in the main.
Angrath doesn't seem that great of a PW imho, it doesn't really protect itself and the abilities aren't terribly impressive
(+1 is ok but might be irrelevant and -3 is situational).
It is just a a pretty weak PW overall.
#Chandra, Torch of Defiance is a much better PW for this (or any) deck.
#Liliana, Death's Majesty is probably a better option as well with the ability to create zombies and reanimate creatures.
#Nissa, Vital Force is also a better PW as it ultimates quickly to generate card advantage or can animate 5/5 lands or bring back dead creatures.
A card that seems very well suited for the deck is the new Rekindling Phoenix which is a rather promising creature imho.
Fatal Push (or Abrade) seems like better options than Lightning Strike here as your late game PW's/creatures should win the game without needing the reach of burn spells.
If the mana can support it Gifted Aetherborn is probably the best 2-drop option for the deck. Merfolk Branchwalker is probably more of an aggro card.
Angrath doesn't seem that great of a PW imho, it doesn't really protect itself and the abilities aren't terribly impressive
(+1 is ok but might be irrelevant and -3 is situational).
It is just a a pretty weak PW overall.
#Chandra, Torch of Defiance is a much better PW for this (or any) deck.
#Liliana, Death's Majesty is probably a better option as well with the ability to create zombies and reanimate creatures.
#Nissa, Vital Force is also a better PW as it ultimates quickly to generate card advantage or can animate 5/5 lands or bring back dead creatures.
A card that seems very well suited for the deck is the new Rekindling Phoenix which is a rather promising creature imho.
Fatal Push (or Abrade) seems like better options than Lightning Strike here as your late game PW's/creatures should win the game without needing the reach of burn spells.
If the mana can support it Gifted Aetherborn is probably the best 2-drop option for the deck. Merfolk Branchwalker is probably more of an aggro card.
Thanks for the feedback and I agree about Chandra, Liliana, and Nissa being better so I might have to try them instead. The Phoenix is also a good call I completely forgot that it was a card.
I also decided that Fatal Push is actually much better so I'll make a whole ton of changes and see what it looks like.
It is so funny you mention that as it has crossed my mind. The green does not add that much utility and it might be simply better to cut green altogether and go like RB Midrange/Control
Curve still seems a bit high so finding Treasure Map becomes very important without any other mana-acceleration in the deck.
Oh that looks like a sweet list! I agree about the Treasure Maps being very important. Also the sideboard looks pretty good too as I hadn't started to consider it yet at this stage. The Vraska's Contempts main are also going to be a great idea I think. I like the direction your list is going and I think that it is a much better starting point than mine.
It is so funny you mention that as it has crossed my mind. The green does not add that much utility and it might be simply better to cut green altogether and go like RB Midrange/Control
Great to see more people interested in the archetype.
As a Sultai energy player I took a big hit, so I have been brewing and playtesting something entirely new aside from the Snek shell, focussing on pure value, evasion and/or flexibility per card.
Main reason, I believe a midrange deck like this suits Rekindling Phoenix best. A card which cought my eye the minute it got spoiled and now I've played with it, it's awesome.
So what does a midrange shell like this need. Removal/Control elements, lifegain and blockers, hard to deal with midrange creatures and some form of card draw.
That last bit is though, But i've got something
As of today, while trying to stay clear of energy use, my list (rough sketch with max 10 matches played online) looks like this:
Have about 50% win rate with amongst them, UG Merfolk, UW Control and some fringe decks, but it's still a small sample size and the deck is far from complete. One thing I know, there is something in here!
The numbers can still vary offcourse. I'm very fond of Pia and Kari and I would play the full 4 if they were not Legendary. But....
These legendaries are expendable bloclers if needed and become early treaths if unanswered, clearing removal spells for the big guys in the process. Also, both can trigger revolt by themselves to make fatal push better.
Straight up GB constrictor is still a thing though and I'm also working on that, but I like to think out of the box and try new cool cards
Great to see more people interested in the archetype.
As a Sultai energy player I took a big hit, so I have been brewing and playtesting something entirely new aside from the Snek shell, focussing on pure value, evasion and/or flexibility per card.
Main reason, I believe a midrange deck like this suit Rekindling Phoenix best. A card which cought my eye the minute it got spoiled and now I've played with it, it's awesome.
So what does a modrsge shell like this need. Removal/Control elements, lifegain and blockers, hard to deal with midrange creatures some card draw.
That last bit is though, But i've got something
As of today, while trying to stay clear of energy use, my list (rough sketch with max 10 matches played online) looks like this:
Have about 50% win rate with amongst them, UB Merfolk, UW Control and some fringe decks, but it's still a small sample size and the deck is far from complete. One thing I know, there is something in here!
Going to keep track of this topic for sure.
I also played the sulta energy , now the deck is demolished... but it look like some people are returning to BG , maybe i will stay there.
Don't you have a lot of legendaries in the deck with kari zev and pia nalaar??
This seems like a sweet deck, I like most of the cards in there I'm just not 100% sold on Ruin Raider. I'm not sure if he is worth it at 2 and maybe those 2 slots could be something else... I played mono Black aggro for a while and he is great there but in a more midrange deck I dunno if he is ideal.
I do agree on the Phoenix though such a cool card and I think this shell is where the card shines. Tomorrow I'll be posting some other ideas I've been having for the deck. I'm glad more people have been considering this direction though I'd like to come up with something real solid
Tentative thoughts. Basically just trying to get to 4 mana so we can start bombing through the game. Ballista + ripjaw also turns into a late game draw engine, basically makes it Azure Mage with flexibility. Not sure we want to be this loaded up on removal, might be best to just play 4 Sweltering suns 4 Push 2 contempt and then make the rest of the deck card advantage — haven’t tested but this is where my thoughts go. Perhaps new angrath gets in here, or Liliana
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Great to see more people interested in the archetype.
As a Sultai energy player I took a big hit, so I have been brewing and playtesting something entirely new aside from the Snek shell, focussing on pure value, evasion and/or flexibility per card.
Main reason, I believe a midrange deck like this suit Rekindling Phoenix best. A card which cought my eye the minute it got spoiled and now I've played with it, it's awesome.
So what does a modrsge shell like this need. Removal/Control elements, lifegain and blockers, hard to deal with midrange creatures some card draw.
That last bit is though, But i've got something
As of today, while trying to stay clear of energy use, my list (rough sketch with max 10 matches played online) looks like this:
Have about 50% win rate with amongst them, UB Merfolk, UW Control and some fringe decks, but it's still a small sample size and the deck is far from complete. One thing I know, there is something in here!
Going to keep track of this topic for sure.
I also played the sulta energy , now the deck is demolished... but it look like some people are returning to BG , maybe i will stay there.
Don't you have a lot of legendaries in the deck with kari zev and pia nalaar??
This seems like a sweet deck, I like most of the cards in there I'm just not 100% sold on Ruin Raider. I'm not sure if he is worth it at 2 and maybe those 2 slots could be something else... I played mono Black aggro for a while and he is great there but in a more midrange deck I dunno if he is ideal.
I do agree on the Phoenix though such a cool card and I think this shell is where the card shines. Tomorrow I'll be posting some other ideas I've been having for the deck. I'm glad more people have been considering this direction though I'd like to come up with something real solid
Thanks! I'm curious to what you are doing with the deck!
About Ruin Raider, Cast it second main phase, Kitesail Freebooter and Kari Zev, Skyship Raider Almost always attack on turn 2, turning Ruin Raider into some sort of Rogue Refiner type card. After that, it can be used to block attacks, or keep the draws going. I do agree, it's risky with 4 and 5 drops, but we absolutely need some form of draw engine. The downside will be compensated by the lifegain from our removal spells and Deathgorge Scavenger.
One thing I'm not quite sure about after some more thought. Silent Gravestone and Deathgorge Scavenger are quite the nonbo. Though you want something like Gravestone v.s. The Scarab God and GPG decks.
Walking Ballista could be a flexible addition to the deck, shaving some of the hard removal.
Something like the new Brontodon against Enchantment removal in white would be sweet, but double green is a stretch. Though it will never be a turn 3 play I guess. For the same reason I'm not running Prowling Serpopard yet, which is very good vs UB control.
On Turns two and three I would stay away from double green, and on turn two maybe even double black for cards like Gifted Aetherborn Though the mana is pretty consistent as long as you can start with a tapped Cayon Slough.
Well as a couple of us were talking about going just Black and Red, someone managed to 5-0 with a list almost exactly like I was thinking of building if I was going to drop Green:
I am not sure that is exactly what I am wanting to do but my thoughts were that I would want Green to play Deathgorge, Ripjaw, and cards like that. Maybe they are not 100% necessary?
Different style deck with different strengths and weaknesses I suppose.
I like the value Ripjaw and especially Scavenger bring against all sorts of top tier decks.
Ruin Raider did a ton of work for me tonight against Esper God, drawing me so much cards while compensating with life gaining abilities from verious cards that I had good use of two times Settle the Wreckage mana, all while beating a The Scarab God (destroy and scavenge) and Torrential Gearhulk (with evasion) in an ultra grindy match. Felt real good!
I've cut one maindeck Lightning Strike for one Abrade. Both cards are used as removal and rarely (oppurtunity hasn't come up yet) for reach. Makes our game1 against GPG and the likes a little less hard.
Might go up in numbers depending on results.
Also, I think in certain matches i'd really like more Vraska's Contempt. Obvious card to cut is Revenous Chupacabra but the body is very good as a chump blocker in aggro matches. Undecided.
Anyone else actualy playing this archetype and cares to share some match info?
I've cut one maindeck Lightning Strike for one Abrade. Both cards are used as removal and rarely (oppurtunity hasn't come up yet) for reach. Makes our game1 against GPG and the likes a little less hard.
Might go up in numbers depending on results.
Also, I think in certain matches i'd really like more Vraska's Contempt. Obvious card to cut is Revenous Chupacabra but the body is very good as a chump blocker in aggro matches. Undecided.
Anyone else actualy playing this archetype and cares to share some match info?
Well I have my cards in the mail so until I get them I won't have anything to report. I am trying both Jund and BR to see. I will be siding Vraska's Contempt for now though until I see a reason to run it in the main. I am torn on the Lightning Strive VS. Abrade question too though. Until GPG decks become much more prevalent I will not main too many Abrade but that card is so incidentally good in that matchup.
I've played some 20 odd more games online over de past few days, some of them were quite interesting and like to share some observations.
Matches:
I'm sure the new meta will include Merfolk as the preferred tribal. The deck is strong and the synergies it has are too. I've played against quite a few variatons of the deck and one thing stands out amongst all of them: Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca is one hell of a card.
Mardu Vehicles looks like it has gotten some nice stuff to play with in Rivals and with energy out of the way, might make a comeback. Relentless Raptor gives the deck another 2mana enabler.
Ex-Ramunap-Red is far from dead, the Rx aggro is still a thing. I have a feeling the Rampaging Ferocidon ban was to make room for more Lifegain/Drain focused lists like Vampires.
Vampires! A tribe which looks strong and decktechs have been popping up online. Have yet to play against one of those lists.
W based control (GPG decks included), Now this is becomming a pain. The removal at there disposal is greatly outweighing our ability to interact so we need some tools.
I'm also brewing the Snek deck from my old Sultai energy list, and while synergistic, does not feel as strong as this deck. Individual card flexibility and power seems more viable in the upcomming, more controllig meta (as I would expect)
The deck:
We need cards that can have an immediate impact on the board. For this reason, and the fact it almost Always eats removal, no value added. Kari Zev, Skyship Raider had to go. In it's place, Walking Ballista as it's more flexible and impacts the board as the more controlling creature for obvious reasons versus aggro.
With so much creature based decks, focussing on removal seems important. Lightning Strike as mentioned before, is often used as a removal spell and very very rarely as reach. Abrade does this better, while giving more flexibility against Vehicles and GPG. The curve also had to be more streamlined so two copies turned into Shock. For now, this seems okay.
Deathgorge Scavenger is MVP. Up to the full playset. Provides a 3 or 4 power clock, gains life, keeps graveyard shenanigans in check. Nuf said. At the expense of one Glorybringer for now. Lowering and streamlining the curve once more. Also lowering the change of a critical blowout with Ruin Raider
Ruin Raider has proven to be a valuable magiccard in the deck. The extra cards are very important and the lifeloss is compensated by our other cards.
I'm trying some stuff out in the sideboard. Thrashing Brontodon and Prowling Serpopard both are double green on turn three, which is difficult. However, can win games in UWx/UBx control matches. The manabase might need some adjustment.
I've ordered the core of the deck in paper and i'm quite confident to take it to FNM one day. I feel it has a very good "fair" matchup and has the weapons to fight aggro. GPG and Gods are difficult as always, but can be adressed with more exile effects in black. There are quite a few, some of them at instant speed. This deck could also have a place for Blood Sun should the other deserts and fliplands be a thing.
Maybe Narnam Renegade instead of Gifted Aethborn. That early deathtouch is great against aggro decks or the tribes. I think you are right about Thrashing Brontodon needing to be included in the SB, meaning having more than three creatures requiring two of one mana would be tough.
Walking Ballista is by far the better card, but for something more on the budget that could have a similar affect at a low mana cost I'm thinking that a couple Soul-Scar Mages would help. Combined with our Abrades and Shocks you could get a similar effect and could help ping down the indestructible creatures. Combine Soul-Scar Mage and Moment of Craving to take out the big threats. I've always felt Soul-Scar is a lightning rod, but with a Kitesail Freebooter on the field the opponent will have to make more challenging decisions, where a Walking Balliista will eventually remove itself from the battlefield.
Again not saying that the Ballista isn't the right choice, just trying to find something that is close to as useful, but easier on the wallet considering the a playset of the Phoenix seems like a must add.
There is no real substitue for Walking Ballista. That's the harsh truth. This is also true for Pia Nalaar. Virtuoso and the new merfolk card serve the same purpose in their respective decks.
I'm currently playing 24 lands as I sometimes got stuck on 3 where we actually want to curve out hard to 4, even 5. I'm up one glorybringer and i've cut the raptors mainly for mana restriction purposes, but even with 2g, 2b and 2r on turn 4, I'd usually rather play chupacabra or the phoenix.
I don't know if this is right though
By this time the green splash is for scavenger and sideboard tech. Naturalize found it's way instead of Brontodon and i'm still not sure about Serpopard. Liliana might be better.
Cut / Ribbons found its way into the main as a removal piece, virtual CA and some late game reach as a one off.
I too have been looking at some other value creatures in the 2 and 3 mana slot. Dire Fleet Hoarder (great with fatal push or ramp), Dusk Legion Zealot (replaces itself) and Yahenni, Undying Partisan (great with all the removal) could all have some use in the deck.
About Gifted Aetherborn, the card is very good, and there are ways to get is out on turn 2. But it's stretching it, (We are red centered) Narnam Renegade is one option, but green on T2 is more rare. SO. What about Dire Fleet Poisoner. Seems ok to keep mana open for removal, and when unnecesssary flash in the Pirate EOT. All other uses being obvious.
Please feel free to help fill in the deck as strong as possible
4 Merfolk Branchwalker
2 Deathgorge Scavenger
3 Ripjaw Raptor
4 Ravenous Chupacabra
3 Glorybringer
1 Tendershoot Dryad
Planeswalkers
2 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
1 Vraska, Relic Seeker
2 Cut // Ribbons
4 Duress
4 Lightning Strike
1 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Sweltering Suns
3 Treasure Map
Lands
5 Swamp
5 Mountain
2 Forest
1 Canyon Slough
1 Sheltered Thicket
2 Ifnir Deadlands
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Dragonskull Summit
The Mana is far from optimized I think and because I am not an expert on manabases maybe some of that could be switched around. I would welcome any suggestion on that topic as well.
I am also thinking of a few other cards that I am not sure about in the main:
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Fatal Push
Tetzimoc, Primal Death
Lastly, I am not entirely sure if I want to play any number of Branchwalkers or Treasure Maps but I like the card selection that both provide... Maybe they are unecessary and I would be better off with some more interactive spells in the main.
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
(+1 is ok but might be irrelevant and -3 is situational).
It is just a a pretty weak PW overall.
#Chandra, Torch of Defiance is a much better PW for this (or any) deck.
#Liliana, Death's Majesty is probably a better option as well with the ability to create zombies and reanimate creatures.
#Nissa, Vital Force is also a better PW as it ultimates quickly to generate card advantage or can animate 5/5 lands or bring back dead creatures.
A card that seems very well suited for the deck is the new Rekindling Phoenix which is a rather promising creature imho.
Tendershoot Dryad doesn't look great either since the deck won't hit "Ascend" that quickly.
The 4th Glorybringer or Regisaur Alpha seem like better options.
Fatal Push (or Abrade) seems like better options than Lightning Strike here as your late game PW's/creatures should win the game without needing the reach of burn spells.
If the mana can support it Gifted Aetherborn is probably the best 2-drop option for the deck.
Merfolk Branchwalker is probably more of an aggro card.
I'd also consider Thrashing Brontodon over Deathgorge Scavenger as maindeck artifact/enchantment removal (and a better blocker).
Thanks for the feedback and I agree about Chandra, Liliana, and Nissa being better so I might have to try them instead. The Phoenix is also a good call I completely forgot that it was a card.
I also decided that Fatal Push is actually much better so I'll make a whole ton of changes and see what it looks like.
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
4 Glorybringer
3 Gifted Aetherborn
3 Thrashing Brontodon
2 Rekindling Phoenix
4 Ravenous Chupacabra
Planeswalkers
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Liliana, Death's Majesty
1 Nissa, Vital Force
2 Cut // Ribbons
2 Duress
3 Lightning Strike
4 Fatal Push
3 Sweltering Suns
1 Abrade
Lands
5 Swamp
5 Mountain
2 Forest
1 Canyon Slough
1 Sheltered Thicket
2 Ifnir Deadlands
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Dragonskull Summit
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
4x Gifted Aetherborn
2x Thrashing Brontodon
4x Ripjaw Raptor
4x Rekindling Phoenix
4x Glorybringer
Planeswalker (2)
2x Nissa, Vital Force
Artifact (4)
4x Treasure Map
Instant (10)
4x Fatal Push
2x Abrade
2x Unlicensed Disintegration
2x Vraska's Contempt
2x Sweltering Suns
Land (24)
4x Blooming Marsh
4x Dragonskull Summit
4x Rootbound Crag
2x Forest
3x Swamp
3x Mountain
4x Evolving Wilds
2x Vraska's Contempt
4x Duress
2x Deathgorge Scavenger
2x Doomfall
2x Sweltering Suns
1x Naturalize
2x Unlicensed Disintegration
Oh that looks like a sweet list! I agree about the Treasure Maps being very important. Also the sideboard looks pretty good too as I hadn't started to consider it yet at this stage. The Vraska's Contempts main are also going to be a great idea I think. I like the direction your list is going and I think that it is a much better starting point than mine.
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
I like the Phoenix a whole lot as well and think that is a really good shell for it. I'd be interested to see how that deck tests out for you
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
Yea the Doomfall main might not be the best idea. Could likely be swapped out for something else
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
As a Sultai energy player I took a big hit, so I have been brewing and playtesting something entirely new aside from the Snek shell, focussing on pure value, evasion and/or flexibility per card.
Main reason, I believe a midrange deck like this suits Rekindling Phoenix best. A card which cought my eye the minute it got spoiled and now I've played with it, it's awesome.
So what does a midrange shell like this need. Removal/Control elements, lifegain and blockers, hard to deal with midrange creatures and some form of card draw.
That last bit is though, But i've got something
As of today, while trying to stay clear of energy use, my list (rough sketch with max 10 matches played online) looks like this:
3 Mountain
2 Swamp
2 Forest
4 Canyon Slough
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Rootbound Crag
Creatures
4 Kitesail Freebooter
3 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
3 Pia Nalaar
3 deathgorge Scavenger
2 Ruin Raider
4 Rekindling Phoenix
2 Ravenous Chupacabra
2 Ripjaw Raptor
2 Glorybringer
4 Fatal Push
2 Moment of Craving
4 Lightning Strike
1 Sweltering Suns
1 Vraska's Contempt
4 Duress
4 Silent Gravestone
4 Abrade
2 Sweltering Suns
1 Vraska's Contempt
Have about 50% win rate with amongst them, UG Merfolk, UW Control and some fringe decks, but it's still a small sample size and the deck is far from complete. One thing I know, there is something in here!
Going to keep track of this topic for sure.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
These legendaries are expendable bloclers if needed and become early treaths if unanswered, clearing removal spells for the big guys in the process. Also, both can trigger revolt by themselves to make fatal push better.
Straight up GB constrictor is still a thing though and I'm also working on that, but I like to think out of the box and try new cool cards
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
It can shoot down small creatures or ping Ripjaw Raptor to draw cards.
There is also the option of Walking Ballista which pretty much slots into any deck.
If you want an early blocker Raptor Hatchling can be an option though my prefered choice is Gifted Aetherborn.
This seems like a sweet deck, I like most of the cards in there I'm just not 100% sold on Ruin Raider. I'm not sure if he is worth it at 2 and maybe those 2 slots could be something else... I played mono Black aggro for a while and he is great there but in a more midrange deck I dunno if he is ideal.
I do agree on the Phoenix though such a cool card and I think this shell is where the card shines. Tomorrow I'll be posting some other ideas I've been having for the deck. I'm glad more people have been considering this direction though I'd like to come up with something real solid
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
My tentative thoughts:
Creatures: 18
4 Drover of the mighty
4 Walking Ballista
3 Chupacabra
2 ripjaw
2 Phoenix
2 Regisaur
1 locust god
Instants: 10
4 fatal push
2 moment of craving
2 Abrade
2 vraskas contempt
Sorceries: 5
2 Sweltering Suns
3 Duress
Planeswalkers: 3
2 Nissa
1 Chandra Torch
Lands: 24
4 blooming marsh
4 rootbound crag
4 dragonskull summit
4 forest
4 Mountain
4 swamp
Tentative thoughts. Basically just trying to get to 4 mana so we can start bombing through the game. Ballista + ripjaw also turns into a late game draw engine, basically makes it Azure Mage with flexibility. Not sure we want to be this loaded up on removal, might be best to just play 4 Sweltering suns 4 Push 2 contempt and then make the rest of the deck card advantage — haven’t tested but this is where my thoughts go. Perhaps new angrath gets in here, or Liliana
@Robo_Memer on Twitter, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube
Feel free to PM me about Affinity decks in any format!
Thanks! I'm curious to what you are doing with the deck!
About Ruin Raider, Cast it second main phase, Kitesail Freebooter and Kari Zev, Skyship Raider Almost always attack on turn 2, turning Ruin Raider into some sort of Rogue Refiner type card. After that, it can be used to block attacks, or keep the draws going. I do agree, it's risky with 4 and 5 drops, but we absolutely need some form of draw engine. The downside will be compensated by the lifegain from our removal spells and Deathgorge Scavenger.
One thing I'm not quite sure about after some more thought. Silent Gravestone and Deathgorge Scavenger are quite the nonbo. Though you want something like Gravestone v.s. The Scarab God and GPG decks.
Walking Ballista could be a flexible addition to the deck, shaving some of the hard removal.
Something like the new Brontodon against Enchantment removal in white would be sweet, but double green is a stretch. Though it will never be a turn 3 play I guess. For the same reason I'm not running Prowling Serpopard yet, which is very good vs UB control.
On Turns two and three I would stay away from double green, and on turn two maybe even double black for cards like Gifted Aetherborn Though the mana is pretty consistent as long as you can start with a tapped Cayon Slough.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
@Robo_Memer on Twitter, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube
Feel free to PM me about Affinity decks in any format!
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/899099#paper
I am not sure that is exactly what I am wanting to do but my thoughts were that I would want Green to play Deathgorge, Ripjaw, and cards like that. Maybe they are not 100% necessary?
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
I like the value Ripjaw and especially Scavenger bring against all sorts of top tier decks.
Ruin Raider did a ton of work for me tonight against Esper God, drawing me so much cards while compensating with life gaining abilities from verious cards that I had good use of two times Settle the Wreckage mana, all while beating a The Scarab God (destroy and scavenge) and Torrential Gearhulk (with evasion) in an ultra grindy match. Felt real good!
Silent Gravestone, while awesome on its own, is not good in a deck with both Deathgorge Scavenger and Rekindling Phoenix. I'm afraid it has to go. Sentinel Totem with the 4th scavenger maybe?
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Might go up in numbers depending on results.
Also, I think in certain matches i'd really like more Vraska's Contempt. Obvious card to cut is Revenous Chupacabra but the body is very good as a chump blocker in aggro matches. Undecided.
Anyone else actualy playing this archetype and cares to share some match info?
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Well I have my cards in the mail so until I get them I won't have anything to report. I am trying both Jund and BR to see. I will be siding Vraska's Contempt for now though until I see a reason to run it in the main. I am torn on the Lightning Strive VS. Abrade question too though. Until GPG decks become much more prevalent I will not main too many Abrade but that card is so incidentally good in that matchup.
"If it was easy, everyone would do it."
Matches:
The deck:
3 Mountain
2 Swamp
2 Forest
4 Canyon Slough
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Rootbound Crag
Creatures
3 Walking Ballista
4 Kitesail Freebooter
3 Pia Nalaar
4 deathgorge Scavenger
2 Ruin Raider
4 Rekindling Phoenix
2 Ravenous Chupacabra
2 Ripjaw Raptor
1 Glorybringer
4 Fatal Push
2 Shock
2 Moment of Craving
2 Abrade
1 Sweltering Suns
1 Vraska's Contempt
4 Duress
2 Silent Gravestone
2 Abrade
2 Prowling Serpopard
1 Thrashing Brontodon
2 Sweltering Suns
1 Vraska's Contempt
I've ordered the core of the deck in paper and i'm quite confident to take it to FNM one day. I feel it has a very good "fair" matchup and has the weapons to fight aggro. GPG and Gods are difficult as always, but can be adressed with more exile effects in black. There are quite a few, some of them at instant speed. This deck could also have a place for Blood Sun should the other deserts and fliplands be a thing.
Very curious to hear how others are faring.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
If you didn't add Walking Ballista for budget purposes what would another suggested card be to replace it?
Ballista is a pretty unique card so replacing i would be difficult, you can try Raging Regisaur which can ping small creatures but needs to attack.
Skysovereign, Consul Flagship can also provide repeatable removal but needs to be crewed and costs 5-mana
(competes with other good 5-drops: Glorybringer, Regisaur Alpha, Nissa, Vital Force and Liliana, Death's Majesty).
Walking Ballista is by far the better card, but for something more on the budget that could have a similar affect at a low mana cost I'm thinking that a couple Soul-Scar Mages would help. Combined with our Abrades and Shocks you could get a similar effect and could help ping down the indestructible creatures. Combine Soul-Scar Mage and Moment of Craving to take out the big threats. I've always felt Soul-Scar is a lightning rod, but with a Kitesail Freebooter on the field the opponent will have to make more challenging decisions, where a Walking Balliista will eventually remove itself from the battlefield.
Again not saying that the Ballista isn't the right choice, just trying to find something that is close to as useful, but easier on the wallet considering the a playset of the Phoenix seems like a must add.
I'm currently playing 24 lands as I sometimes got stuck on 3 where we actually want to curve out hard to 4, even 5. I'm up one glorybringer and i've cut the raptors mainly for mana restriction purposes, but even with 2g, 2b and 2r on turn 4, I'd usually rather play chupacabra or the phoenix.
I don't know if this is right though
By this time the green splash is for scavenger and sideboard tech. Naturalize found it's way instead of Brontodon and i'm still not sure about Serpopard. Liliana might be better.
Cut / Ribbons found its way into the main as a removal piece, virtual CA and some late game reach as a one off.
I too have been looking at some other value creatures in the 2 and 3 mana slot. Dire Fleet Hoarder (great with fatal push or ramp), Dusk Legion Zealot (replaces itself) and Yahenni, Undying Partisan (great with all the removal) could all have some use in the deck.
About Gifted Aetherborn, the card is very good, and there are ways to get is out on turn 2. But it's stretching it, (We are red centered) Narnam Renegade is one option, but green on T2 is more rare. SO. What about Dire Fleet Poisoner. Seems ok to keep mana open for removal, and when unnecesssary flash in the Pirate EOT. All other uses being obvious.
Please feel free to help fill in the deck as strong as possible
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -