Green devotion probably wouldn't mind a recurring lightning strike. Elvish Mystic > Voyaging Satyr > Polukranos > Nykthos twice with 4 devotion to cast Ugin.
Better yet, play Courser turn 4,then Genesis Hydra for 8 on turn 5. Makes Hornet Queen way less scary when you can -0 to wipe out tokens.
It seems like it could be a win condition in UB control I really don't like pearl lake.. it also wraths like perlious vault for technially 1 less mana.
Remember there is a black wrath coming in this set which will help UB control get to him, you might have to play ashiok to bravely take the hero's downfalls for ugin.
gaining 7 and drawing seven is exactly what a control deck wants to do to aviod being burnt out.
Ugin will 100% see play in standard, sure he seems best for a u/x control deck, but he'll be in the abzan controllish decks like shaun McLaren's list.
He's better than duneblast because he exiles, which is crucial against whip decks. You'll also be able to exile the entire board and keep an Elspeth around most of the time. Sure he kills your rhinos and coursers, but he's a better reset button than duneblast in a lot of scenarios. The only thing he can't kill and still stick around is a hornet queen. Even then you can -0 him then +2 him to kill the queen next turn which will return him to his previous loyalty. You could also just pop him as a mass exiling board wipe.
This guy is way too strong to not see play, probably as only a 1-of in the main and maybe a 2nd in the board. I can see some situations where duneblast is better, but ugin might be better in more situations than duneblast.
It's also worth mentioning that he doesn't kill the lands made by nissa, so you can wipe and keep the 4/4's.
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If MTG is a part of your life, the formats are like relationships:
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
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Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
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Ugin will play extremely well in Superfriends decks. I just don't know if a Superfriends deck can be really good in this meta.
Control decks will absolutely love him. Black based control will now have access to 3 different sweepers (Perilous Vault, Crux of Fate, and Ugin) that will all be playable. Keeping anything on the board against a blacked based control deck may become very difficult, and Ugin then allows them to win the game by bolting your face every turn. This shell seems really good.
Man, I would love a competitive superfriends deck in standard the problem is keeping up with the mana base. Last time I did well with a standard superfriends was INN/RAV block. And that was partly because a) a large ammount of playable BUG walkers and b) Farseek and Think Twice propelled you hard into the midgame. We'll have to wait and see what else Fate Reforged gives us but as it is I think Ugin, the Spirit Dragon will be a welcome finisher in some form of a control shell.
A superb win condition, if a tad expensive. He is worth playing for the 2nd ability alone, but the other two with the reasonably high starting loyalty make him a real contender. Doesn't really play that well with other walkers (plain kills them on site) but it's more then then likely that he will be BFF with Elspeth, Sun's Champion. If a Elspeth into Ugin sequence doesn't make you slump in your chair then I don't know what does.
Also, I don't know if this was already mentioned but this guy is a real monster with mana rocks.
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This guy will see play in multiple formats, even if the Tron lands don't drop him turn 3, some kind of ramp deck or control deck in several formats will run him. A bolt that upticks his loyalty(which can serve as a win-con), a board wipe, and a huge card advantage generation in his ultimate make him something special.
he might actually be better than oblivion stone in r/g tron (talking about modern here), since he doesn't kill your karn (with stone you have to invest more into it) and sticks around. The only thing that might hold him back is affinity, but you can play pyroclasm, volcanic fallout, or some other sweeper. Ugin makes that deck alittle scarier.
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If MTG is a part of your life, the formats are like relationships:
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
Usually, the argument that it cost a total of 8 to sweep and not 9 to sweep (Perilous Vault) would hold some water, but we are in a Midrange format where things can spiral out of control real quickly and 8 mana in a single go is a lot. Being able to spread your premium out over 2 turns means that you are able to sweep in a reasonable amount of time. Being able to actually sweep before turn 8 in Standard is something that has to happen, and even Fated Retribution can be way too slow at times.
This guy has the same problem that Perilous Vault has - it isn't fast enough. Vault requires you to give up a turn of doing anything just so you can put it into play and by turn 8 the game is pretty one sided already.
A +2 tick up for a bolt is all fine and dandy, but there is very, very few targets you can shoot and kill with this guy because most of the ones that you can shoot and kill are in decks that will never let you get to turn 8 to begin with. A -X is cool and all, but Sarkhan and Stormbreath Dragon are the trolls of the format that will always act as silly counter play that leads to situations where you cleared the board, lost your walker, and are starting over with your opponent ahead and you spent 8 mana doing it.
If Garruk, Apex Predator has 2 + abilities that are 2 for 1's, cost 1 mana less, is playable in the best colors the format has, and still doesn't see play - then I doubt a walker that cost 1 more and has to -X for an X for 1, is going to see Standard play.
As for Tron, the extra mana makes a difference in most cases but I don't think Tron decks really care about that. What they do care about is spending 8 mana on a walker that has a mediocre +2 ability and a costly -X ability. Most often times, when you have Tron online to even pay for this, you are winning and Karn locks it up at a cheaper premium. Just run Karn and more Karn. Counter plays for this card are a lot more viable in Modern than they are in Standard and counter plays make this guy bad because you just don't end up coming out ahead even though you just spent 8 mana to attempt it. Things like Perilous Vault and Oblivion Stone actually allow you to leverage activation to ensure you come out ahead, if you could only activate them at Sorcery speed they would be complete garbage in practically any format.
Pearl Lake Ancient's "cannot be countered" and "return to hand" abilities are too good. Curios as to how the first and second ability would function with 4 crackling dooms and 4 lightning strikes.
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Just a quick note: Most Tron decks don't hit tron by turn 3. It would have to be ideal draw (with expedition map). Otherwise, they usually starts with forest and ancient stirrings. Which makes the extra mana (7->8) pretty negligible in the context of modern Tron.
And have anyone mentioned yet that he outclassed Karn in a lot of ways, if the extra mana in his cost is not prohibitive? All 3 of his abilities are relevant as oppose to 1 of Karn. And ends game on its own? People who say a bolt a turn is un-impressive, imagine how Karn can end a game. Ugin will be the new Karn.
Ugin is no where near to the new Karn. Also since when is only 1 of Karn's abilities relevant? Being able to exile any threat they play and shred their hand are both impressive abilities. Ugin also doesn't win the game with his ultimate.
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Legacy UBReanimatorBU Commander/EDH WUBrago, King EternalUW GFreyalise, Llanowar's FuryG
Ugin is no where near to the new Karn. Also since when is only 1 of Karn's abilities relevant? Being able to exile any threat they play and shred their hand are both impressive abilities. Ugin also doesn't win the game with his ultimate.
If you can't win the game after you draw 7 cards, gain 7 life, and then put 7 cards from your hand into play for free, then you are doing something wrong.
But in Tron, what are you hoping to draw or put into play? By the time you can ultimate him it's been 3 turns. In all that time you could have just played Karn, Wurmcoil Engine or Sundering Titan.
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But in Tron, what are you hoping to draw or put into play? By the time you can ultimate him it's been 3 turns. In all that time you could have just played Karn, Wurmcoil Engine or Sundering Titan.
None of those wipe the board to help you stabilize. Also, can we please stop having this discussion about Modern Tron in the Standard forum. That's what the Modern Fate Reforged thread and the Rumor Mill spoiler thread are for.
If you just paid 7+ mana for something in Tron, and don't win until 3 turns later, you are doing something wrong - and in this case, it is playing Ugin.
Yah i think the talk of him appearing in tron just ignores how fast the modern format is and how little tron cares about jamming some random permanents into play. Like wow so glad i could cheat all these expedition maps and chromatic prisms out!!!
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Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
I don't think he has much constructed playablity, but I love him in EDH. Maybe in some modern Tron decks?
Leeched image removed. -rujasu
UBReanimatorBU
Commander/EDH
WUBrago, King EternalUW
GFreyalise, Llanowar's FuryG
Costs 8. Doesn't synergize with the Tron lands.
URW Control
WBG Abzan
GRW Burn
EDH
GR Rosheen Meanderer
Better yet, play Courser turn 4,then Genesis Hydra for 8 on turn 5. Makes Hornet Queen way less scary when you can -0 to wipe out tokens.
sure the ult is strong, but virtually all planeswalkers have game-ending ults
super fun for casual play tho
Which begs the question, can you deduct 0 for X?
It seems like it could be a win condition in UB control I really don't like pearl lake.. it also wraths like perlious vault for technially 1 less mana.
Remember there is a black wrath coming in this set which will help UB control get to him, you might have to play ashiok to bravely take the hero's downfalls for ugin.
gaining 7 and drawing seven is exactly what a control deck wants to do to aviod being burnt out.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
He's better than duneblast because he exiles, which is crucial against whip decks. You'll also be able to exile the entire board and keep an Elspeth around most of the time. Sure he kills your rhinos and coursers, but he's a better reset button than duneblast in a lot of scenarios. The only thing he can't kill and still stick around is a hornet queen. Even then you can -0 him then +2 him to kill the queen next turn which will return him to his previous loyalty. You could also just pop him as a mass exiling board wipe.
This guy is way too strong to not see play, probably as only a 1-of in the main and maybe a 2nd in the board. I can see some situations where duneblast is better, but ugin might be better in more situations than duneblast.
It's also worth mentioning that he doesn't kill the lands made by nissa, so you can wipe and keep the 4/4's.
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
Control decks will absolutely love him. Black based control will now have access to 3 different sweepers (Perilous Vault, Crux of Fate, and Ugin) that will all be playable. Keeping anything on the board against a blacked based control deck may become very difficult, and Ugin then allows them to win the game by bolting your face every turn. This shell seems really good.
3 Murderous Cut
4 Crux of Fate
3 Perilous Vault
4 Bile Blight
4 Dig Through Time
4 Thoughtseize
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
I don't know if you'll even need counterspells, maybe 4 Dissolve just to counter Walkers?
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/developing-competitive-modern/598381-kiki-chord-kiki-company
Bring to Niv
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/814060-bring-to-niv-the-golden-deck
Legacy - Lands
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/legacy-type-1-5/established-legacy/control/535484-primer-lands
CUBE: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/73964;jsessionid=2DE1F5FF41A24820A137448A2FD5CF8F
I LIKE DRAGONS!
Also, I don't know if this was already mentioned but this guy is a real monster with mana rocks.
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Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
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Standard Deck:
BUPirates
Modern Deck:
B8-Rack
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
This guy has the same problem that Perilous Vault has - it isn't fast enough. Vault requires you to give up a turn of doing anything just so you can put it into play and by turn 8 the game is pretty one sided already.
A +2 tick up for a bolt is all fine and dandy, but there is very, very few targets you can shoot and kill with this guy because most of the ones that you can shoot and kill are in decks that will never let you get to turn 8 to begin with. A -X is cool and all, but Sarkhan and Stormbreath Dragon are the trolls of the format that will always act as silly counter play that leads to situations where you cleared the board, lost your walker, and are starting over with your opponent ahead and you spent 8 mana doing it.
If Garruk, Apex Predator has 2 + abilities that are 2 for 1's, cost 1 mana less, is playable in the best colors the format has, and still doesn't see play - then I doubt a walker that cost 1 more and has to -X for an X for 1, is going to see Standard play.
As for Tron, the extra mana makes a difference in most cases but I don't think Tron decks really care about that. What they do care about is spending 8 mana on a walker that has a mediocre +2 ability and a costly -X ability. Most often times, when you have Tron online to even pay for this, you are winning and Karn locks it up at a cheaper premium. Just run Karn and more Karn. Counter plays for this card are a lot more viable in Modern than they are in Standard and counter plays make this guy bad because you just don't end up coming out ahead even though you just spent 8 mana to attempt it. Things like Perilous Vault and Oblivion Stone actually allow you to leverage activation to ensure you come out ahead, if you could only activate them at Sorcery speed they would be complete garbage in practically any format.
Studying, Working, and being Productive is bad for your MTG skills!
Yes please.
Finally a reason for me to play standard again!
And have anyone mentioned yet that he outclassed Karn in a lot of ways, if the extra mana in his cost is not prohibitive? All 3 of his abilities are relevant as oppose to 1 of Karn. And ends game on its own? People who say a bolt a turn is un-impressive, imagine how Karn can end a game. Ugin will be the new Karn.
EDH loves him to death.
UBReanimatorBU
Commander/EDH
WUBrago, King EternalUW
GFreyalise, Llanowar's FuryG
If you can't win the game after you draw 7 cards, gain 7 life, and then put 7 cards from your hand into play for free, then you are doing something wrong.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
UBReanimatorBU
Commander/EDH
WUBrago, King EternalUW
GFreyalise, Llanowar's FuryG
None of those wipe the board to help you stabilize. Also, can we please stop having this discussion about Modern Tron in the Standard forum. That's what the Modern Fate Reforged thread and the Rumor Mill spoiler thread are for.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.