No SB at the moment, will be playing this at just FNM until June for a PTQ so I'll worry about a SB once it gets closer to that. Format will change multiple times until then so I'll wait, plus I need to focus on finishing my main deck first (Missing Angels, Caverns, 2 Stomping Ground, and 1 Boros Reckoner). So when it gets closer to June I'll post in this thread asking for opinions on what I brewed up for a SB.
Anyways, is there anything I could be doing better for the mainboard?
Your list looks pretty awesome. It's questionable whether you need Arbor Elves and the basic forests, but that's a personal taste thing. I think that Domri Rade is a stronger card than Garruk right now. And Mizzium Mortars is better than Bonfire.
One other thing is that while having more mana bugs accelerates you faster, it also is a low power card. I'd rather have Sacred Foundry and Gavony Township instead of those two forest slots, since it gives me more things to do on T5 when I'm letting my Huntmaster flip (than just playing the telegraphed angel).
PTQ this Sunday, need help ASAP. Up until recent testing I felt like Aggro decks were a walk in the park. My brother is playing GR aggro and he ALWAYS destroys me, by turn 4 I'm a spear away from death and my only out is bonfire and him not having burn.
I dislike Arbor Elves because they make you play too many unnecessary forests while giving you only a slightly higher chance to ramp early. More forests increase inconsistency for Boros Reckoner as well. 4 Avacyn's Pilgrim and 4 Farseeks are all you really need imo. We have access to a full playset of Boros Reckoner and Loxodon Smiters, and combined with Searing Spears and Mizzium Mortars, you really shouldn't have much trouble against aggro.
I feel like Bonfire is not well positioned right now and often times you just have it stuck in your opening hand dying to aggro before you can hard cast it for enough damage. I say with the meta currently being the way they are right now, Mizzium Mortars, Searing Spear and Selesnya Charm are your go to removal spells. Selesnya Charm can either chump block a 2/2 or if they pump their creature with either an enchantment or Ghor-Clan Rampager, you can exile it in response. You may also want to up your land count to 24 lands as well.
-2 Bonfire
-2 Arbor Elf
-2 Garruk, PH or -2 Domri Rade? Or what?
+3 Mizzium Mortars
+3 Searing Spear
That sound good?
Also how does my mana base look, with no Elves should I remove two forest for the last two Sacred Foundry? Do you guys think I should add another land? If so what would I cut? If you had to play Naya Midrange at a PTQ what would your list look like?
I find the sorcery speed of Mortars too sluggish.
While mortars hits mirror creatures like Smiter and Resto, the instant speed of Spear not only facilitates Huntmaster flips, but slows down Humaninmator combo. It hits hasty boars like a champ too.
Many naya players like the ability to use Mortars overload as a wipe, but it's such a seldom need and mostly only relevant against other midrange lists which we are favorable against anyways.
I'd keep x2 Domri and just x1 PH main and drop the Bonfires and Elves, freeing up 5 slots.
I'd add x3 Spears and x2 Thalia (or) x2 Selesnya Charms.
There's a lot of varying opinions about Thalia's value, but I like seeing her against aggro and against control, especially when I don't get a Pilgrim start. Charm is well positioned against a vast array of decks, aggro included. I did testing last night vs. naya human blitz and the instant speed 2/2 Knight chump block helped a lot.
The instant to sorcery speed difference really isn't as big as you'd think. Against Naya Blitz and Experiment Jund, you really just want to pick off any early creature they play, doesn't really matter which since you just want to survive long enough to get your bigger creatures out and stabilize. For that purpose, Mizzium Mortars does it's job just fine.
Searing Spear does better synergize with Huntmaster, but honestly that situation is just as seldom, if not more so seldom than an overloaded Mizzium Mortars. Considering that if you're capable of playing Huntmaster and he lives for you to be able to flip him, I'd much rather play Restoration Angel on the opponent's turn than a Searing Spear to gain even more value and board presence. Searing Spear looks even worse once you factor in all the relevant creatures that it cannot hit: Loxodon Smiter, Restoration Angel, Frontline Medic boosted by Mayor of Avabruck just to name some. Anything bigger can be taken care of by Selesnya Charm which is why I feel a split between Mizzium Mortars and Selesnya Charm is probably the best setup right now. Personally I'll be trying 4x Mizzium Mortars 3x Selesnya Charm this week with 2 Pillar of Flame on the side.
The instant to sorcery speed difference really isn't as big as you'd think. Against Naya Blitz and Experiment Jund, you really just want to pick off any early creature they play, doesn't really matter which since you just want to survive long enough to get your bigger creatures out and stabilize. For that purpose, Mizzium Mortars does it's job just fine.
Searing Spear does better synergize with Huntmaster, but honestly that situation is just as seldom, if not more so seldom than an overloaded Mizzium Mortars. Considering that if you're capable of playing Huntmaster and he lives for you to be able to flip him, I'd much rather play Restoration Angel on the opponent's turn than a Searing Spear to gain even more value and board presence. Searing Spear looks even worse once you factor in all the relevant creatures that it cannot hit: Loxodon Smiter, Restoration Angel, Frontline Medic boosted by Mayor of Avabruck just to name some. Anything bigger can be taken care of by Selesnya Charm which is why I feel a split between Mizzium Mortars and Selesnya Charm is probably the best setup right now. Personally I'll be trying 4x Mizzium Mortars 3x Selesnya Charm this week with 2 Pillar of Flame on the side.
Disagree. Gruul and Naya Blitz both look to unload a turn 2 Mauler bonded with Burning Tree at your face, and Mortars does nothing to disrupt that. Furthurmore, those lists look to time a hasty Boar beat and some even look to close with Hellrider. Spear nails all these.
As for the relevant creatures you listed, Smiter and Resto show up in a variety of Midrange lists, which we simply outgun with Thundermaw and Aurelia. Trading with them is good for us becuase we look to smash with a hefty top end anyways. As for a Medic buffed by a Mayor, spear the Mayor silly rabbit.
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple Garden
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Rootbound Crag
3 Cavern of Souls
2 Forest
2 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Farseek
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
2 Arbor Elf
Threats: (22)
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Restoration Angel
4 Thragtusk
2 Thundermaw Hellkites
3 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Bonfire of the Damned
No SB at the moment, will be playing this at just FNM until June for a PTQ so I'll worry about a SB once it gets closer to that. Format will change multiple times until then so I'll wait, plus I need to focus on finishing my main deck first (Missing Angels, Caverns, 2 Stomping Ground, and 1 Boros Reckoner). So when it gets closer to June I'll post in this thread asking for opinions on what I brewed up for a SB.
Anyways, is there anything I could be doing better for the mainboard?
4 Temple Garden
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Gavony Township
1 Kessig Wolf Run
3 Forest
Ramp: (10)
4 Farseek
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
2 Arbor Elf
4 Thragtusk
4 Huntmaster
4 Smiter
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Restoration Angel
2 Thundermal Hellkite
Other: (6)
2 Bonfire
2 Domri Rade
2 Garruk, PH
3 Rest in Peace
2 Garruk Relentless
3 Assemble the Legion
3 Boros Charm
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Pithing Needle
Sideboard Plans:
-2 Pithin Needle
-1 Assemble the Legion
-1 Garruk Relentless
+2 Garruk, PH
+2 Domri Rade
Mainboard Plans:
-2 Garruk, PH
-2 Domri Rade
+4 Spot Removal, but what ones?
I feel like Bonfire is not well positioned right now and often times you just have it stuck in your opening hand dying to aggro before you can hard cast it for enough damage. I say with the meta currently being the way they are right now, Mizzium Mortars, Searing Spear and Selesnya Charm are your go to removal spells. Selesnya Charm can either chump block a 2/2 or if they pump their creature with either an enchantment or Ghor-Clan Rampager, you can exile it in response. You may also want to up your land count to 24 lands as well.
-2 Bonfire
-2 Arbor Elf
-2 Garruk, PH or -2 Domri Rade? Or what?
+3 Mizzium Mortars
+3 Searing Spear
That sound good?
Also how does my mana base look, with no Elves should I remove two forest for the last two Sacred Foundry? Do you guys think I should add another land? If so what would I cut? If you had to play Naya Midrange at a PTQ what would your list look like?
Thanks for replying
While mortars hits mirror creatures like Smiter and Resto, the instant speed of Spear not only facilitates Huntmaster flips, but slows down Humaninmator combo. It hits hasty boars like a champ too.
Many naya players like the ability to use Mortars overload as a wipe, but it's such a seldom need and mostly only relevant against other midrange lists which we are favorable against anyways.
I'd keep x2 Domri and just x1 PH main and drop the Bonfires and Elves, freeing up 5 slots.
I'd add x3 Spears and x2 Thalia (or) x2 Selesnya Charms.
There's a lot of varying opinions about Thalia's value, but I like seeing her against aggro and against control, especially when I don't get a Pilgrim start. Charm is well positioned against a vast array of decks, aggro included. I did testing last night vs. naya human blitz and the instant speed 2/2 Knight chump block helped a lot.
Solid list. Good luck!
Modern
RBig RedR
GMean GreenG
WWW AlliesW
BGScavengeBG
WUVenser SilenceWU
EDH
RWAurelia 1 vs 1RW
GWURoonGWU
GWSaffiGW
Searing Spear does better synergize with Huntmaster, but honestly that situation is just as seldom, if not more so seldom than an overloaded Mizzium Mortars. Considering that if you're capable of playing Huntmaster and he lives for you to be able to flip him, I'd much rather play Restoration Angel on the opponent's turn than a Searing Spear to gain even more value and board presence. Searing Spear looks even worse once you factor in all the relevant creatures that it cannot hit: Loxodon Smiter, Restoration Angel, Frontline Medic boosted by Mayor of Avabruck just to name some. Anything bigger can be taken care of by Selesnya Charm which is why I feel a split between Mizzium Mortars and Selesnya Charm is probably the best setup right now. Personally I'll be trying 4x Mizzium Mortars 3x Selesnya Charm this week with 2 Pillar of Flame on the side.
Disagree. Gruul and Naya Blitz both look to unload a turn 2 Mauler bonded with Burning Tree at your face, and Mortars does nothing to disrupt that. Furthurmore, those lists look to time a hasty Boar beat and some even look to close with Hellrider. Spear nails all these.
As for the relevant creatures you listed, Smiter and Resto show up in a variety of Midrange lists, which we simply outgun with Thundermaw and Aurelia. Trading with them is good for us becuase we look to smash with a hefty top end anyways. As for a Medic buffed by a Mayor, spear the Mayor silly rabbit.
Modern
RBig RedR
GMean GreenG
WWW AlliesW
BGScavengeBG
WUVenser SilenceWU
EDH
RWAurelia 1 vs 1RW
GWURoonGWU
GWSaffiGW
4 Sacred Foundry
3 Stomping Ground
1 Plains (Need my 4th Stomping Ground)
4 Temple Garden
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Rootbound Crag
1 Mountain
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Gavony Township
Threats: (21)
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Boros Reckoner
3 Restoration Angel (I have a 4th, should I play 4?)
4 Huntmaster
4 Thragtusk
2 Thundermaw Hellkite
4 Farseek
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
Other: (8)
4 Searing Spear
2 Domri Rade
2 Garruk, PH
2 Garruk Relentless
3 Boros Charm
2 Pithing Needle (Replacing with Mizzium Mortars)
3 Assemble the Legion
1 Rest in Peace (Replacing with Purify the Grave)
2 Grafdigger's Cage (Replacing with Purify the Grave)
2 Oblivion Ring
Only loss was to Jund Midrange, we played a few more games after the match and it seemed around 50-50, maybe a bit in his favor due to more removal.