I'm bringing my deck with me to work today. New kid at work used to play Magic so I'm gonna check out what he has a d so home some of my stuff. I'll take a run through of my list and try to figure out a good suggestion. It's been so long since I've played now. The meta has shifted a few times since I last played and before that so... But I'm leaning towards suggesting reducing the Soulfure's to 1-2, add Soul-Scars up to 3-4, maybe try some Abbot of Keral Keeps since your curve ATM is low and consistent. Otherwise you could have a Bedlam Reveler or two to reload in the late game and give a larger Fatal Push resistant body. I'm personally a sucker for Prowess. I will freely admit that but it is also an ability that can help throw off opponents' combat math when you surprise drop even a single instant. I believe that was the primary use when I was testing Emerge a couple years ago.
I'm personally eager to start playing again and I want to test both the Ramunap Ruins and the W Desert that can pump your team... At the end of my regular playing I was testing everything I could trying to find a reliable advantage to press in those last points of damage or help scale up my creatures. Kelvin Monoliths could have been great math wise but just never performed. I always wish Barbarian Ring was legal for Modern and Ruins might be that "more balanced" version of it.
What's your meta like to want Collective Definance over one of the other removal suites? I don't like pushing 3cmc or higher with out a clear reason. Soul-Scar Mage means you could be casting Volcanic Fallout and cleaning up very well without costing a lot and at Sorcery speed. I'd also like to see one Grim Lavamancer or such as a rescuing "non-combat damage" source for Soul-Scar.
I haven't tested Emerge in a long time and I assume it's a hedge against Fatal Push and Death's Shadow? In that case would it be better moved to the sideboard?
I'd also exchange the 2 Prairies for basic Plains for when you side in those Moons.
Helix, the life gain is far from nothing. The extra point removal that can also top deck point to their face.
If you REALLY want to continue the W base... Martyr of Sands is a good thing to consider. Gaining 6-12 in the first 2 turns after getting in a swing anyways feels good sometimes.
Because you can top deck a win off an empty board more often with R. You get board wiped by a sweeper and top decking a HotP could lose you the game. Not to say it doesn't have a virtue but it needs to be as impactful in a good board state as a bad one.
I'm not looking to remove Honor of the Pure, it is insane in my build.
The main problem I am having is against large creatures. They gum up the board and prevent me from swinging in until I see a Path to Exile. I am honestly considering a full set of both Path to Exile and Dismember.
Kitchen Finks is especially a problem. I might have to put a full set of Magma Spray in my 75.
Honor is not as good as you think it is purely because you are mid representing it in your mind only by the times it was good. There are surely times it lost you the game drawing it over another attackers or a burn/removal spell. Everyone gets pet cards but just be willing to take advice, especially advice tempered by experience.
Large creatures is a broad statement. Size, color, and maybe even some specifics of the exact creatures giving problems or a metagame break down. Blindly throwing Magma Spray for example won't help against the bigger creatures even at the help of Kitchen Finks matchups. There will be some cards your have to answer not by dealing directly with the card but by using tech that counters the problem else where.
Kind of ties off the last one... The body is an issue on Kitchen Finks but the life gain is the real issue or it's interaction with other creatures. Skullcrack in response or point removal at a Melira or Vizier etc.
I suggest taking a page from the standard Burn lists. Monestary Swiftspears and Goblin Guides will help add another turn faster of punch. Honor the Pure just isn't cutting it. You don't see an Honor and they have a Pyroclasm and you game is over... if really wanting to stay with a low to the ground W based build get some Brimaz. He's a much bigger body and allows you to go wide and make more dudes when their spot removal is likely starting to sputter out. Stayinnin W maybe you need a few early harder punchers like Steppe Lynx. With Fetches he is often a W Goyf if only for the first 2-3 turns.
Since your curve is so low , if you move away from Hinor the Pure try Abbot of Keral Keep. He'll most cases net you a card and you might be able to get a nice 2 for 1 once you have 3-4 lands in play. There is some lines you will have to get used to though. Unless you need the body down right away, always try to wait for turn 3 to cast him, and don't play a land before you cast him as you might flip a land anyways.
If you go back a few pages you can see some of my last lists, ignoring the human centered ones. I too was having an issue closing out some games in my local meta at the time. The Twin decks would stabilize right as I got to the end game and have them in 2-5 life against open mana with counters and maybe a Deceiver Exarch gumming up my attacks. I moved to adding some Vollcanic Fallouts and some other meta game choices like Rending Volley and Celestial Purge.
So the big question is what is holding up. You may need to shift the main deck or you may just need some sideboard tech. Next event you run through take notes and report back where you were having issues and where you were having success.
Notable sideboard tech. We may not define as a Stompy/Pillow/lock deck but we def focus on a fair game and if anything from jumping into Legacy has taught me, DnT type plans of making your unfair opponent play fair is often good for myself.
This just seems worth looking at purely as a good value 2/2 for 2. No additional cost to go wide FAST.
Obviously we have potential for some Exert variant builds, especially for newer players that might want to go for a budget and build off their standard cards. This may die to Bolt but not to Push unless Revolt active. It's also just decent in it's own. Multiples are good and only get better with more copies and more Exert.
Not a whole lot catching my eye just yet... This could get some work done though. Haste 2 power for 2 that can also keep an opposing creature off blocking can add damage quick as well as if the late game kicks in you can get a finisher without having to invest a whole new deck slot and acts as card advantage.
Correct. The Atarka's Commands require forcing some extra creatures and a much wider scope of attackers OR to be more burn centric. If the more grindy "true midrange control/ Aggro control" deck that Boros lives at it's too slow or turns you to a different deck period. The Green splash has never felt worth it. The only worth it splashes that are more opportunity cost on access to addition parts of good cards are B or U. Mardu offers enough of what you already want and same with Jeskai BUT you run the "my mana base is destabilized some more and actively trying to kill me" problem the true 3 color decks have.
And now you see why I've push on Seeker getting dropped. There is such little room in the 2 slot and Seeker becomes out classed quickly. It also again doesn't live in that narrow game plan space that Boros again exists. Too slow for the Aggro and too small for the midrange/control end.
SFGM+Elspeth are homies! Being able to pull WAY back into the game off one card the moment you play it with one burn spell up is big. For your Prowess creatures offering to recur your burn or Paths to open up lines of attack and trigger Prowess over and over is great! As great as she is, she's still unassuming to do much of the Modern meta that opponents will try to use removal on your other creatures before her which leaves windows open to get in your activations or simply "Lightning Helix, gain 6".
Much better. Maybe a 1-2 of Pyoclasm or Volcanic Fallout in the board for Lingering Souls tokens and such. Soul-Scar Mage also means if they try to swarm and go wide you'll at least bring everything they have down to your level even if they don't die. Burning a Goyf has never been this easy!
For being dialed a little slower it doesn't feel like there's a bug enough pay off. Seeker doesn't do much without a reliable engine to ensure it's getting Prowess. Probably swap it for a Soul-Scar Mage or Abbot. 3 Brimaz is also a bit much without some pay off to extras in hand. If you want to push the game a little longer against Aggro decks by gaining life, why not Soulfire Grand Master? I don't like Rift Bolt in decks that aren't just Burn strategies. Could easily be Searing Blaze and be able to take out a blocker and still hit their face. Also Searing Blood similarly. I don't like 4 Sacred Foundry as you risk taking too many hits yourself when they could be fetches, while also hitting you instead thin the deck a hair and fuel any Grimm Lavamancers. I go back and forth between 2 and 3 Sacred Foundry.
That's a month ago now! LOL I don't get to go out and play any more so I haven't been able to try new tech. I was stoked for Mentor for Legacy as Top hating Tech.
I'm personally eager to start playing again and I want to test both the Ramunap Ruins and the W Desert that can pump your team... At the end of my regular playing I was testing everything I could trying to find a reliable advantage to press in those last points of damage or help scale up my creatures. Kelvin Monoliths could have been great math wise but just never performed. I always wish Barbarian Ring was legal for Modern and Ruins might be that "more balanced" version of it.
As for Soul-Scar and Soupfire together make a Nonbo as the Scar cancels out the Lifelink.
I haven't tested Emerge in a long time and I assume it's a hedge against Fatal Push and Death's Shadow? In that case would it be better moved to the sideboard?
I'd also exchange the 2 Prairies for basic Plains for when you side in those Moons.
If you REALLY want to continue the W base... Martyr of Sands is a good thing to consider. Gaining 6-12 in the first 2 turns after getting in a swing anyways feels good sometimes.
Honor is not as good as you think it is purely because you are mid representing it in your mind only by the times it was good. There are surely times it lost you the game drawing it over another attackers or a burn/removal spell. Everyone gets pet cards but just be willing to take advice, especially advice tempered by experience.
Large creatures is a broad statement. Size, color, and maybe even some specifics of the exact creatures giving problems or a metagame break down. Blindly throwing Magma Spray for example won't help against the bigger creatures even at the help of Kitchen Finks matchups. There will be some cards your have to answer not by dealing directly with the card but by using tech that counters the problem else where.
Kind of ties off the last one... The body is an issue on Kitchen Finks but the life gain is the real issue or it's interaction with other creatures. Skullcrack in response or point removal at a Melira or Vizier etc.
Since your curve is so low , if you move away from Hinor the Pure try Abbot of Keral Keep. He'll most cases net you a card and you might be able to get a nice 2 for 1 once you have 3-4 lands in play. There is some lines you will have to get used to though. Unless you need the body down right away, always try to wait for turn 3 to cast him, and don't play a land before you cast him as you might flip a land anyways.
If you go back a few pages you can see some of my last lists, ignoring the human centered ones. I too was having an issue closing out some games in my local meta at the time. The Twin decks would stabilize right as I got to the end game and have them in 2-5 life against open mana with counters and maybe a Deceiver Exarch gumming up my attacks. I moved to adding some Vollcanic Fallouts and some other meta game choices like Rending Volley and Celestial Purge.
So the big question is what is holding up. You may need to shift the main deck or you may just need some sideboard tech. Next event you run through take notes and report back where you were having issues and where you were having success.
This just seems worth looking at purely as a good value 2/2 for 2. No additional cost to go wide FAST.
And now you see why I've push on Seeker getting dropped. There is such little room in the 2 slot and Seeker becomes out classed quickly. It also again doesn't live in that narrow game plan space that Boros again exists. Too slow for the Aggro and too small for the midrange/control end.
SFGM+Elspeth are homies! Being able to pull WAY back into the game off one card the moment you play it with one burn spell up is big. For your Prowess creatures offering to recur your burn or Paths to open up lines of attack and trigger Prowess over and over is great! As great as she is, she's still unassuming to do much of the Modern meta that opponents will try to use removal on your other creatures before her which leaves windows open to get in your activations or simply "Lightning Helix, gain 6".
How was Soul-Scar?
How has Definace been for you?
That's a month ago now! LOL I don't get to go out and play any more so I haven't been able to try new tech. I was stoked for Mentor for Legacy as Top hating Tech.