I ended up testing the Marvel and Zombies matchups pretty extensively and settled on Temur Energy for Game Day. Negate felt a lot better than Transgress at dealing with Marvel.
The deck feels super sweet against Aggro and Midrange which I felt was going to be the primary thing to deal with. It didn't let me down either. The mana-ramp felt great, the 3 drops felt like they kept me in the game, and then dropping a relentless amount of Bristling Hydra, Glorybringer, and Elder-Deep Fiend just shattered those games. I went 2-0 in each game against BG Aggro, RW Humans, BW Zombies, and Mardu. The games didn't even feel close. I was super glad to dodge Control though since I felt I was pretty weak to that, but I did bring in all three Chandra and the Lifecrafter's Bestiary as a hedge against that.
What I missed though was New Perspectives in my final game of the day. On the draw against the deck I just couldn't race it, and while the Negates in the side helped me keep one game in check with a double Negate I eventually had to start choosing whether to hold up a Negate or quicken the clock in the third and final game. I held up the Negate and pressed forward only to get blown out by Elder-Deep Fiend being Censor'd as I tried to time walk. I'm not sure what my sideboard could have been if I was expecting the matchup, and maybe it was just in the cards for me not being able to handle consistent Turn 5 New Perspectives pressure. Super fun games though, and I was happy to bring the deck.
4-1 on Game Day with Temur Energy. As long as Control presence remains low, and I can figure out how to deal with New Perspectives, then I'd totally recommend the deck.
I've never strayed far from the original build of this deck. This is the 75 that took me to my first Game Day championship. The only real change in the MB is the addition of Rhonas. Sticking a Rhonas and Bristling Hydra on turns 3 and 4 made the win feel inevitable. Every creature is a threat.
I didn't get to try the cat-snake against control or Radiant Flames against zombies. Tears of Valikut did its job against Avacyn. Skysoverign was always welcome against planeswalkers. I didn't board in the Uncaged Fury or Fling, but they never felt necessary. Most often for games 2 & 3, I shuffled a few sideboard cards into the deck, then pulled the same ones out. I never felt outmatched.
I've never strayed far from the original build of this deck. This is the 75 that took me to my first Game Day championship. The only real change in the MB is the addition of Rhonas. Sticking a Rhonas and Bristling Hydra on turns 3 and 4 made the win feel inevitable. Every creature is a threat.
I didn't get to try the cat-snake against control or Radiant Flames against zombies. Tears of Valikut did its job against Avacyn. Skysoverign was always welcome against planeswalkers. I didn't board in the Uncaged Fury or Fling, but they never felt necessary. Most often for games 2 & 3, I shuffled a few sideboard cards into the deck, then pulled the same ones out. I never felt outmatched.
Why Radiant Flames over Plummet? Seems like with more green than red, you would want the green spell and it destroys any flier?
My build is similar, but I haven't added Rhonas in, but that looks fun. Has Manglehorn worked good for you?
The reason for Tears of Valakut over Plummet is Archangel Avacyn. She shows up in my meta pretty often in a number of decks with white. Tears of Valakut can be played on the stack above her when she comes in and resolves before her indestructible trigger (edit to add: and can't be countered by spells or abilities). It's saved me from a combat blow-out a few times.
I've ordered a second Glorybringer to go with the promo into the sideboard in place of Uncaged Fury. It's expensive when I'm only running 20 lands, but it seems too good not to at least try out.
Manglehorn slows marvel down a turn on the first activation. Marvel is why I kept the combo build. It's a race to see if I can get the combo assembled before they hit Ulamog. I haven't played the newer controlling marvel builds, but this deck is above 50/50 on the older builds I've faced.
The reason for Tears of Valakut over Plummet is Archangel Avacyn. She shows up in my meta pretty often in a number of decks with white. Tears of Valakut can be played on the stack above her when she comes in and resolves before her indestructible trigger. It's saved me from a combat blow-out a few times.
Plummet does the same thing...
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern U Merfolk U WUBRGPeopleGRBUW U Turbo Turns U UB Fae BU WBG Aristocrats GBW
What's everyone's opinion on the deck that Ignacio Saez brought to GP Santiago? Seemed to perform well. I'm trying to find a VOD of him playing it, but from what I read he did okay against the field with his deck.
Here's what I'm running now, pretty close to what he ran, with a few small changes. I'm liking it so far, I've since moved away from the all in pummeler route in favor of this. I sometimes miss that all in fling pummeler hail mary, but this version has so much more staying power and isn't as one-dimensional. That's to be expected though when you slot in Tireless Trackers and more removal, the deck becomes more midrange.
guys on a G/R aggro or G/R Monsters deck, what are your thoughts on Servant of the Conduit vs Voltaic Brawler? i'm overhauling my two drops in my deck and i don't want a 2-2 split. the slot can only cater one of them.
guys on a G/R aggro or G/R Monsters deck, what are your thoughts on Servant of the Conduit vs Voltaic Brawler? i'm overhauling my two drops in my deck and i don't want a 2-2 split. the slot can only cater one of them.
I prefer Brawler. There's nothing im trying to ramp into and Brawler can crew Heart of Kiran immediately.
Between the two, Brawler helps get the beats started with trample.
Every time I think about dropping Servant, though, I eventually balk. It's a lightning rod for removal before my more valuable pieces hit the board. If it gets bolted, then you're left with the two energy and pulled spot removal from their hand. If they leave it, then resolving a hydra a turn early can help establish your board.
Good Luck at the RPTQ.
How well have the open into wonder performed for you?
It wins the game almost every single time i cast it. I played this deck a lot last year (made day 2 at GP Denver with it) and one of the most frustrating things was getting into a board stall that i couldn't attack through. I tried key to the city and it was ok but this is a fantastic finisher. The rare times you cant just win with it you draw 3 or so cards with some thopters and/or servants. Once or twice i have had to use It to finish off a troublesome planeswalker. It is my new pet in this deck.
You don't like Skysovereign anymore against vehicule or zombie? I prefer more trackers over Rogue refiner. Wanted to test 2 rhonas over 2 virtuoso. What do you think?
You don't like Skysovereign anymore against vehicule or zombie? I prefer more trackers over Rogue refiner. Wanted to test 2 rhonas over 2 virtuoso. What do you think?
I am back and forth on skysovereign. I used to play 1 main and 1 side but have lately been playing with none. I may try them again but i kept bringing them in against zombies only to stare at them in my hand thinking "I'm going to die next turn and this is not going to stop it." As far as i can tell zombies are pretty much done for. I havent seen it online or in paper for 2 weeks or more.
I prefer rogue refiner over tracker for the simple fact that i get to draw off it right away. Tracker almost always dies to removal having made 1 clue then i have to find 2 mana some other time to draw my card. Tracker can be great though. I played 4 main in my GP denver list and loved them. I think it is better with maindeck blossoming defense to keep it safe. I will likely be swapping my magma sprays to the side and blossoming defenses to the main which makes Tracker more appealing to me.
Rhonas is cool and i have had fun testing with him. I feel like he is better in the RG builds or with elder deep fiends but still very good regardless. You should definitely try him if you can find room but i think playing less than 4 Virtuosos is a huge mistake. They are critical for protecting your Chandras. You will never get an emblem without them. I'm sure i don't need to explain their many other versitile uses.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern U Merfolk U WUBRGPeopleGRBUW U Turbo Turns U UB Fae BU WBG Aristocrats GBW
now that there are almost no zombie decks around i will be moving the magma sprays to the side. i took them out in every match.
first, congrats on your PPTQ win.
second, how's Open Into Wonder Working for you? has it been good enough for you to consider continuing to use it? the recent successful Temur Energy decks at SCG and MTGO PTQ (both top 1) has Confiscation Coup instead.
i am puzzled: what's the Confiscation Coup for? stealing Aetherworks Marvel?
You can steal pretty much anything you want. Except Gideon. You can't steal a Gideon.
right thanks. Gideon's too loyal to its owner.
i used the new Twmur lists with Negates and Confiscation Coup mainboard. went 1-3 today (last week i went 3-1-1 with Temurge). losses were to 2x Mardu vehicles and 1x Temur Marvel. really bad draws and misplays screwed me over.
i guess i'll just make my own deck again, one i know inside out instead of netdecking. netdecking generally gives me poor results.
Deck is real bad and I mulliganed to 5 for most of the day. Luckily, my opponents were playing sweltering suns and harnessed lightnings and i was playing hellions.
I won the Game Day (4-0) with this list:
4 Channeler Initiate
4 Servant of the Conduit
4 Lathnu Hellion
2 Rhonas the Indomitable
4 Bristling Hydra
4 Crocodile of the Crossing
4 Glorybringer
Spells (13)
1 Aethersphere Harvester
1 Arlinn Kord
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4 Attune with Aether
4 Harnessed Lightning
2 Magma Spray
4 Aether Hub
2 Cinder Glade
2 Game Trail
6 Mountain
7 Forest
2 Magma Spray
2 Sweltering Suns
2 By Force
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Prowling Serpopard
2 Reality Smasher
4 Thought-Knot Seer
1 Wastes
1. Round vs Black Zombies
2. Round vs Boros Humans
3. Round vs Sultai Marvel
4. Round vs Black Zombies
4 Bristling Hydra
3 Channeler Initiate
1 Rhonas the Indomitable
4 Elder Deep-Fiend
4 Glorybringer
4 Rogue Refiner
4 Servant of the Conduit
4 Whirler Virtuoso
Sorcery (4)
4 Attune with Aether
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Magma Spray
Land (21)
4 Aether Hub
4 Botanical Sanctum
4 Forest
3 Game Trail
1 Island
2 Lumbering Falls
2 Mountain
1 Spirebluff Canal
1 Magma Spray
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Appetite for the Unnatural
3 Kozilek's Return
4 Negate
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
What I missed though was New Perspectives in my final game of the day. On the draw against the deck I just couldn't race it, and while the Negates in the side helped me keep one game in check with a double Negate I eventually had to start choosing whether to hold up a Negate or quicken the clock in the third and final game. I held up the Negate and pressed forward only to get blown out by Elder-Deep Fiend being Censor'd as I tried to time walk. I'm not sure what my sideboard could have been if I was expecting the matchup, and maybe it was just in the cards for me not being able to handle consistent Turn 5 New Perspectives pressure. Super fun games though, and I was happy to bring the deck.
4-1 on Game Day with Temur Energy. As long as Control presence remains low, and I can figure out how to deal with New Perspectives, then I'd totally recommend the deck.
3 Game Trail
3 Cinder Glade
4 Aether Hub
8 Forest
2 Mountain
Creatures (22)
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Servant of the Conduit
4 Voltaic Brawler
4 Electrostatic Pummeler
4 Bristling Hydra
2 Rhonas the Indomitable
4 Attune with Aether
4 Blossoming Defense
4 Larger than Life
4 Invigorated Rampage
2 Harnessed Lightning
2 Magma Spray
2 Tears of Valakut
2 Manglehorn
2 Prowling Serpopard
2 Fling
2 Radiant Flames
2 Uncaged Fury
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
I've never strayed far from the original build of this deck. This is the 75 that took me to my first Game Day championship. The only real change in the MB is the addition of Rhonas. Sticking a Rhonas and Bristling Hydra on turns 3 and 4 made the win feel inevitable. Every creature is a threat.
I didn't get to try the cat-snake against control or Radiant Flames against zombies. Tears of Valikut did its job against Avacyn. Skysoverign was always welcome against planeswalkers. I didn't board in the Uncaged Fury or Fling, but they never felt necessary. Most often for games 2 & 3, I shuffled a few sideboard cards into the deck, then pulled the same ones out. I never felt outmatched.
Why Radiant Flames over Plummet? Seems like with more green than red, you would want the green spell and it destroys any flier?
My build is similar, but I haven't added Rhonas in, but that looks fun. Has Manglehorn worked good for you?
For fliers, I use Harnessed Lightning and bring in Skysovereign, Consul Flagship. If they are small, Magma Spray comes in. For bigger fliers, I board in Tears of Valakut.
The reason for Tears of Valakut over Plummet is Archangel Avacyn. She shows up in my meta pretty often in a number of decks with white. Tears of Valakut can be played on the stack above her when she comes in and resolves before her indestructible trigger (edit to add: and can't be countered by spells or abilities). It's saved me from a combat blow-out a few times.
I've ordered a second Glorybringer to go with the promo into the sideboard in place of Uncaged Fury. It's expensive when I'm only running 20 lands, but it seems too good not to at least try out.
Manglehorn slows marvel down a turn on the first activation. Marvel is why I kept the combo build. It's a race to see if I can get the combo assembled before they hit Ulamog. I haven't played the newer controlling marvel builds, but this deck is above 50/50 on the older builds I've faced.
Plummet does the same thing...
U Merfolk U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
True. Edited original to add that Tears of Valakut can't be countered by spells or abilities. That said, if Plummet is working for you, stick with it.
Here's what I'm running now, pretty close to what he ran, with a few small changes. I'm liking it so far, I've since moved away from the all in pummeler route in favor of this. I sometimes miss that all in fling pummeler hail mary, but this version has so much more staying power and isn't as one-dimensional. That's to be expected though when you slot in Tireless Trackers and more removal, the deck becomes more midrange.
3 Greenbelt Rampager
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Voltaic Brawler
2 Tireless Tracker
2 Rhonas the Indomitable
4 Bristling Hydra
4 Glorybringer
Planeswalkers (2)
2 Arlinn Kord
4 Attune with Aether
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Magma Spray
2 Blossoming Defense
Lands (22)
4 Cinder Glade
4 Game Trail
4 Aether Hub
3 Mountain
7 Forest
2 Tireless Tracker
1 Magma Spray
3 Lathnu Hellion
2 Release the Gremlins
2 Kari Zev's Expertise
2 Heroic Intervention
2 Sweltering Suns
1 Appetite for the Unnatural
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Servant of the Conduit
4 Voltaic Brawler
3 Greenbelt Rampager
4 Bristling Hydra
3 Rhonas the Indomitable
4 Glorybringer
Spells(14)
4 Harnessed Lightning
4 Attune With Aether
3 Blossoming Defense
1 Dissenter's Deliverance
2 Invigorated Rampage
4 Aether Hub
4 Game Trail
2 Sheltered Thicket
8 Forest
2 Mountain
4 Lathnu Hellion
4 Sweltering Suns
2 Hazoret The Fervent
2 Manglehorn
1 Dissenter's Deliverance
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
1 Shock
Between the two, Brawler helps get the beats started with trample.
Every time I think about dropping Servant, though, I eventually balk. It's a lightning rod for removal before my more valuable pieces hit the board. If it gets bolted, then you're left with the two energy and pulled spot removal from their hand. If they leave it, then resolving a hydra a turn early can help establish your board.
Beat Boros control/superfriends, BG constricter, Temur marvel. double draw into T8
Top8 beat the Boros deck again, Bant Marvel, Temur Marvel
4 Servant of the Conduit
2 Tireless Tracker
4 Rogue Refiner
4 Whirler Virtuoso
4 Bristling Hydra
3 Glorybringer
2 Magma Spray
4 Attune with Aether
1 Open into Wonder
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Spirebluff Canal
1 Wandering Fumarole
2 Cinder Glade
2 Mountain
3 Evolving Wilds
3 Forest
4 Aether Hub
4 Botanical Sanctum
1 Release the Gremlins
2 Blossoming Defense
3 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Open into Wonder
2 Incendiary Flow
2 Negate
2 Radiant Flames
1 Confiscation Coup
1 Chandra, Flamecaller
now that there are almost no zombie decks around i will be moving the magma sprays to the side. i took them out in every match.
U Merfolk U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
It wins the game almost every single time i cast it. I played this deck a lot last year (made day 2 at GP Denver with it) and one of the most frustrating things was getting into a board stall that i couldn't attack through. I tried key to the city and it was ok but this is a fantastic finisher. The rare times you cant just win with it you draw 3 or so cards with some thopters and/or servants. Once or twice i have had to use It to finish off a troublesome planeswalker. It is my new pet in this deck.
U Merfolk U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
I am back and forth on skysovereign. I used to play 1 main and 1 side but have lately been playing with none. I may try them again but i kept bringing them in against zombies only to stare at them in my hand thinking "I'm going to die next turn and this is not going to stop it." As far as i can tell zombies are pretty much done for. I havent seen it online or in paper for 2 weeks or more.
I prefer rogue refiner over tracker for the simple fact that i get to draw off it right away. Tracker almost always dies to removal having made 1 clue then i have to find 2 mana some other time to draw my card. Tracker can be great though. I played 4 main in my GP denver list and loved them. I think it is better with maindeck blossoming defense to keep it safe. I will likely be swapping my magma sprays to the side and blossoming defenses to the main which makes Tracker more appealing to me.
Rhonas is cool and i have had fun testing with him. I feel like he is better in the RG builds or with elder deep fiends but still very good regardless. You should definitely try him if you can find room but i think playing less than 4 Virtuosos is a huge mistake. They are critical for protecting your Chandras. You will never get an emblem without them. I'm sure i don't need to explain their many other versitile uses.
U Merfolk U
WUBRGPeopleGRBUW
U Turbo Turns U
UB Fae BU
WBG Aristocrats GBW
4 Aether Hub
4 Attune with Aether
4 Blossoming Defense
4 Bristling Hydra
4 Electrostatic Pummeler
1 Fling
7 Forest
4 Game Trail
1 Glorybringer
2 Harnessed Lightning
4 Invigorated Rampage
2 Larger Than Life
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Mountain
3 Servant of the Conduit
3 Sheltered Thicket
1 Uncaged Fury
4 Voltaic Brawler
2 Arlinn Kord
2 Glorybringer
2 Harnessed Lightning
3 Manglehorn
3 Prowling Serpopard
3 Tireless Tracker
4 Aether Hub
4 Attune with Aether
4 Botanical Sanctum
3 Bristling Hydra
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Confiscation Coup
4 Forest
2 Game Trail
2 Glorybringer
4 Harnessed Lightning
1 Island
4 Longtusk Cub
2 Magma Spray
2 Mountain
3 Negate
4 Rogue Refiner
4 Servant of the Conduit
2 Sheltered Thicket
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
2 Spirebluff Canal
2 Tireless Tracker
2 Whirler Virtuoso
2 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Chandra, Flamecaller
2 Confiscation Coup
1 Cut // Ribbons
1 Dispel
2 Dissenter's Deliverance
1 Negate
2 Radiant Flames
2 Tireless Tracker
1 Whirler Virtuoso
first, congrats on your PPTQ win.
second, how's Open Into Wonder Working for you? has it been good enough for you to consider continuing to use it? the recent successful Temur Energy decks at SCG and MTGO PTQ (both top 1) has Confiscation Coup instead.
Tumavitch (tri-state area grinder and occasional PT participant) played this to a win at the classic:
3 Bristling Hydra
3 Glorybringer
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Rogue Refiner
4 Servant of the Conduit
2 Tireless Tracker
2 Whirler Virtuoso
Planeswalkers (3)
3 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Lands (21)
4 Forest
1 Island
3 Mountain
4 Aether Hub
4 Botanical Sanctum
3 Sheltered Thicket
2 Spirebluff Canal
4 Harnessed Lightning
2 Magma Spray
3 Negate
4 Attune with Aether
1 Confiscation Coup
1 Dragonmaster Outcast
2 Tireless Tracker
3 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Dissenter's Deliverance
1 Magma Spray
1 Negate
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
1 Chandra, Flamecaller
1 Confiscation Coup
2 Sweltering Suns
You can steal pretty much anything you want. Except Gideon. You can't steal a Gideon.
right thanks. Gideon's too loyal to its owner.
i used the new Twmur lists with Negates and Confiscation Coup mainboard. went 1-3 today (last week i went 3-1-1 with Temurge). losses were to 2x Mardu vehicles and 1x Temur Marvel. really bad draws and misplays screwed me over.
i guess i'll just make my own deck again, one i know inside out instead of netdecking. netdecking generally gives me poor results.
excellent article. i think i'd go with a more aggressive route, though, because that's more of my play style.
4x Greenbelt Rampager
4x Voltaic Brawler
4x Lathnu Hellion
3x Khenra Charioteer
1x Rishkar, Peema Renegade
3x Bristling Hydra
3x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
3x Glorybringer
2x Magma Spray
1x Blossoming Defense
4x Attune with Aether
4x Game Trail
2x Cinder Glade
2x Aether Hub
6x Forest
6x Mountain
2x Sweltering Suns
2x Release the Gremlins
2x Nissa, Vital Force
1x Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
2x Tireless Tracker
1x Incendiary flow
1x blossoming defense
1x rhonas, the indomitable
1x chandra, flamecaller
Played this pile to the semis of a pptq.
Deck is real bad and I mulliganed to 5 for most of the day. Luckily, my opponents were playing sweltering suns and harnessed lightnings and i was playing hellions.
I lost to marvel in quarters.