How did you feel running 4 times spreading seas? I am really happy with the 2/2 split. Therefor I am running 4 Reejery, there are just to many tricks and manipulations possible with him.
Also I like to have 4 Dismember in my 75 at the moment. I am trying 3 main and 1 in the sideboard. - therefore I kicked vapor snag out.
I think it is still necessary to run 4 sea's where I play. The decline of Delver has brought back a lot of Green & Black. The best part is mana denial is still really good for merfolk I think. I was able to quickly close games out with islandwalk enabled. I also did my best to protect lords on the field. Spellskite back in SB will help a ton with my board presence now. I removed 4 Chalice and felt much more interactive with 2 Dismember 2 Snags. While I liked the tempo play of snag, I really saw it more necessary getting opposing creatures off the board.
I might try cutting 2 sea's but will keep testing with what I have now if it keeps working. At worst sea's draws a card and gives 1 U devotion.
Game 1:He kept a slow hand. Quickly dispatched him with Lord after Lord. He dropped a Goyf that couldn't block because of Sea's.
Game 2:He had a better start this time. I vialed in a skite to redirect a dismember. Beat him down with Lords. I kept 2 mana open for his turn he tried to Splinter twin his Deceiver but had an Echoing Truth. Finished him next turn. Easy Peezy.
Match 2 vs BW Tokens: Got Lords into play and beat face faster than he could drop tokens plus enchantments. Both games were the same.
Match 3 vs Merfolk: Kept faster hands and got lords online faster plus didn't play Lord of Atlantis until final lethal attack. Lost second game to a slow start. Last game went same as first.
Match 4 vs Affinity:
Game 1: Lost due to no bounce and well of course Affinity is just too fast for us.
Next two games I drew some hurkyl's and reset his entire progress. Dropped some Lords and beat more face. Hurkyl'd again and swung for lethal. Third game was bunch of lords in hand plus an Echoing Truth. For some reason he had to mull down to 5 and never got anything going. He drew no gas hands, just a bunch of inkmoth plus 2 & 3 cmc stuff. Spell pierced his only Drum.
Went pretty darn good considering. Drew lots of Lords back to back and protected them while on board. Made sure to hold up answers for everything opponents were doing. Patience is KEY.
I think I will run at least 1 for valuable ETB creatures like everyone else is stating. I'm pretty excited to get back into Mono Green Devotion. For awhile I was on the Delver Wins train. I'm thinking of going GB for Abrupt Decay at least. Would it be better to run toolbox instead of G-wave for GB?
Just speculating at the moment but it appears the Delver hype is waning. I'm not seeing the overabundance from MTGO stats or local Modern shop tourneys. There are a few players but they aren't outright winning and people have brought sufficient sideboards/decks to level the match up. I personally have UR Delver built but still elect to play Merfolk(to be different and not be called "Just Another Delver Player"). I'm sure it will still hold its ground though.
I am seeing a few more Temur delver variants though.
Round 1 vs Mono Red Aggro Brew: He was playing cheap red creatures with a mix of burn spells. Not to be confused with Burn. First game was close but MoW pushed the final damage numbers in. Second game was not close at all since I spreading sea's(left 1 or 2 in) his 1 mountain hand. A turn later I dropped Chalice x1 and he showed me his hand of a few 1 cmc spells and Boros Reckoner.
Round 2 vs Merfolk(never played mirror before): We joked about literally having identical plays but I ended up destroying him faster since I got Master of Pearl Trident down and won within a turn or two. Next game he kept a slow hand while I had vial, snag, cc, two lords and some lands(thought this was going to be a bad keep). I vial in a lord and cast a lord and swing for 3. I draw another lord and copy a lord and attack for more way than lethal. We chatted afterwards about deck comps yadda yadda.
Round 3 vs Affinity(yay..): First game I died quickly after he dropped his entire hand down. Second game he mulls to 5 and I kept my 7 with chalice on the play. Lets say he wasn't expecting it and quickly got frustrated since he couldn't do much other than drop vault skirge and attack for 1 each turn while I beat him cc, silvergill, lords. He did try to galvanic blast a lord but cc countered that. He whipflared another turn later but I had backup lords to swing with big mutavaults. Last game wasn't close since I kept a slow hand despite having chalice on 0 during my first play(he already droppeed his hand) I slowly die to skirges, memnites, signal pests and blinkmoths...
Round 4 vs UR Delver!: First game he failed to draw any steam. Meanwhile I was beating face with unblockable fishes. Second game I kept a decent hand but wished I mulled (I needed relic to be vial instead). I got crushed with a 1 lander. Last game I keep another 1 lander hand but this time with snag and chalice. I took the gamble, drew an island and dropped chalice x1. He sighed but still attempted to play and just jokingly casted his 1 cmc spells to the GY. I finished him quick with lords.
Sadly that only got me my investment back but on the plus side I pulled a Polluted delta(my 4th)
Overall, it was extremely satisfying destroying delver with Chalice and winning most of my matches minus Affinity(we all know this doesn't go well) My decklist should be identical to the one in my sig if you are interested in peeking.
The only thing I'm concerned about is drawing colorless producing lands while drawing arbor elves and utopia sprawls and having no targets for them. It should be fairly rare that it happens but surely it does from time to time. One of my Modern Magic Nights I lost simply because I couldn't cast my Leatherback Baloth turns 2/3. I realize its GGG cost but I only run 5 colorless lands being Nykthos and Kessig. I also run Abundant growths and Birds of Paradise too but it still came up and cost me the game.
Anyway, neat list. I didn't think about the Boom + Fetchland interaction. So you target your fetch but in response to Boom you crack it? Very neat tech. CurdBros is gonna have a revelation with that tech I bet. I also wanted to run a land destruction suite but there isn't much to go with and it costs at least 2R. Ember swallower seems fun but I think he costs too much Red mana and doesn't affect the board when he drops. Plus you may already be too far behind if you Monstrous him.
Made this random green enchantment deck. I did see another enchantment deck posted a while back I should also take a look at. Same devotion strategy, don't know how potent it is. Probably easier just playing elves + archdruid.
I like how Anthem pumps all the smaller weenies and makes geist a beatstick. Also Rancor + Eidolon is a sweet interaction. Early G-Waves are also for good value since I play a lot of 3 CMC stuff so it should drop a few sweet things down.
Outdated or not, does it function and still win games?
Burning-tree is the bee's knee's when you get one + eternal witness + untapped nykthos from a g-wave allowing you to chain another g-wave. Otherwise she doesn't play nicely with all the other GG spells. That is still a solid list and it should do well still. Perhaps adding 1 of Summoner's Pact? Being able to free search for the win being Craterhoof or Primeval Titan is so awesome.
I've been thinking of adding some life-gain to the board for the current burn-heavy and U/R Delver-heavy meta...right now I'm thinking the Essence Warden or maybe Nissa Revane...just gotta figure out what to remove Wheel of Sun and Moon has been pretty strong as well (as the meta seems to have a LOT of Dig Through Time and Treasure Cruise...
i was skeptical until i tried it. better than scooze against the delve cards because it is less of a manna investment. plus 2 devotion
I've found Kitchen Finks to be pretty good. He's like Strangleroot Geists cousin. Back when I had the standard G-wave combo using BTE, Selkie, Visionary, Arbor elf, I threw in some 1 of like Finks, Courser and Geist. I especially liked their resiliency. Devotion that keeps coming back. Plus they help grind opponent down and make them think before using removal since they recur (not courser obv). I think I may brew up something along those lines again. Problem being I need to find a decent Win con not just try to out card them with mediocre threats.
I believe its not worth running Sejiri Merfolk. The white splash is only meant to utilize great sideboard cards vs tough match-ups. Otherwise its just a 2/1 for 1U... I'd rather play Mothdust Changeling.
I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties Thewrush...the meta has shifted so quickly! I think you honestly can go whichever way fits your playstyle best; but I think you have to either be super disruptive or super fast.
Thanks for replying CurdBros.
I am thinking of trying the elf combo you have established for yourself. I do enjoy taking a rogue deck idea to a bunch of people who won't expect it. That is the fun part of magic I enjoy frequently. I don't happen to own any Nissa, Worldwakers though sad to say. I did however pick up some coiling oracles, elvish archdruids and a gilt-leaf archdruid awhile back though. All I'm missing are the mirror entities, some UG lands, Nissa's, Wheel of sun and moon, Leyline of Sanctity, Bear Umbra, 2 more Cavern of Souls, Mark of Asylum and Ghostly Prison. I have playtested the elf version a few times and I'm sure I missed some of the interactions but I do understand the combo and purpose of the deck. Totally can't wait to blow some minds!
If you were to make some substitutions what should I play instead of 2 Nissa, Worldwakers? I can try to trade standard cards for Nissa but I'm sure I won't succeed. People aren't willing to trade as much now. So many formats around that it's so hard to give up good cards.
Have not placed very well out of the times I took it to the local Modern tounaments. I feel the deck is way to slow to compete and often times it just fizzles when you don't get to drop Leatherback Baloth (due to GGG) and most of the other decks people are playing are way too fast for it. I'm not sure what version or where to take my deck. I don't own any Elesh Norns and only have 1 Chord of Calling. I might be interested in an elf version or reverting back to Genesis Wave for funsies. While I do like Primal Command it often times is too slow and I'm dead before it matters (even after gaining 7). Perhaps I should look into lowering some number of baloths and other things and adding Bonfires or maindeck hate cards like Reclamation sage, Phyrexian Revoker, Ulvenwald Tracker, Acidic Slime, Avalanche Riders etc.
Some of the decks played there are (they do change because people get bored and bring their other deck(s))
- Melira Pod
- Merfolk
- Mono black
- UR Delver
- Affinity
- Jund
- BW Tokens
- Jeskai Ascendancy
- Living End
- Burn
- Zoo
- Allies
- Boggles
- Mono Green Devotion
I'm interested in obtaining 1x Elesh Norn and maybe going the white splash route (I have the temple gardens). I'm open to any idea's.
Would rather not go into detail. Was too annoyed with what I had to face.
Match 1 loss to Affinity
Match 2 Win vs Mono Red Aggro(standard)
Match 3 Win vs Boggles/Aura Hexproof (Chalice from the mutha f******* void on 1 = win)
Match 4 Loss vs Jeskai Retardancy (Turn 3 win both games, sat and watched some guy play with himself....yay magic!)
Highlight of the night was Chalice vs Boggles. He couldn't enchant his stuff to play Daybreak Coronet ever. He did have Ajain Pridemate plan but Echoing Truth kept him in check. Eventually killed him with mana denial and islandwalk. Another merfolk player took 1st somehow.
I think it is still necessary to run 4 sea's where I play. The decline of Delver has brought back a lot of Green & Black. The best part is mana denial is still really good for merfolk I think. I was able to quickly close games out with islandwalk enabled. I also did my best to protect lords on the field. Spellskite back in SB will help a ton with my board presence now. I removed 4 Chalice and felt much more interactive with 2 Dismember 2 Snags. While I liked the tempo play of snag, I really saw it more necessary getting opposing creatures off the board.
I might try cutting 2 sea's but will keep testing with what I have now if it keeps working. At worst sea's draws a card and gives 1 U devotion.
Decklist is in signature.
Match 1 vs Splinter Twin:
Game 1:He kept a slow hand. Quickly dispatched him with Lord after Lord. He dropped a Goyf that couldn't block because of Sea's.
Game 2:He had a better start this time. I vialed in a skite to redirect a dismember. Beat him down with Lords. I kept 2 mana open for his turn he tried to Splinter twin his Deceiver but had an Echoing Truth. Finished him next turn. Easy Peezy.
Match 2 vs BW Tokens: Got Lords into play and beat face faster than he could drop tokens plus enchantments. Both games were the same.
Match 3 vs Merfolk: Kept faster hands and got lords online faster plus didn't play Lord of Atlantis until final lethal attack. Lost second game to a slow start. Last game went same as first.
Match 4 vs Affinity:
Game 1: Lost due to no bounce and well of course Affinity is just too fast for us.
Next two games I drew some hurkyl's and reset his entire progress. Dropped some Lords and beat more face. Hurkyl'd again and swung for lethal. Third game was bunch of lords in hand plus an Echoing Truth. For some reason he had to mull down to 5 and never got anything going. He drew no gas hands, just a bunch of inkmoth plus 2 & 3 cmc stuff. Spell pierced his only Drum.
Went pretty darn good considering. Drew lots of Lords back to back and protected them while on board. Made sure to hold up answers for everything opponents were doing. Patience is KEY.
I think I will run at least 1 for valuable ETB creatures like everyone else is stating. I'm pretty excited to get back into Mono Green Devotion. For awhile I was on the Delver Wins train. I'm thinking of going GB for Abrupt Decay at least. Would it be better to run toolbox instead of G-wave for GB?
I am seeing a few more Temur delver variants though.
3-1 taking 3rd overall (7W-3L)
Round 1 vs Mono Red Aggro Brew: He was playing cheap red creatures with a mix of burn spells. Not to be confused with Burn. First game was close but MoW pushed the final damage numbers in. Second game was not close at all since I spreading sea's(left 1 or 2 in) his 1 mountain hand. A turn later I dropped Chalice x1 and he showed me his hand of a few 1 cmc spells and Boros Reckoner.
Round 2 vs Merfolk(never played mirror before): We joked about literally having identical plays but I ended up destroying him faster since I got Master of Pearl Trident down and won within a turn or two. Next game he kept a slow hand while I had vial, snag, cc, two lords and some lands(thought this was going to be a bad keep). I vial in a lord and cast a lord and swing for 3. I draw another lord and copy a lord and attack for more way than lethal. We chatted afterwards about deck comps yadda yadda.
Round 3 vs Affinity(yay..): First game I died quickly after he dropped his entire hand down. Second game he mulls to 5 and I kept my 7 with chalice on the play. Lets say he wasn't expecting it and quickly got frustrated since he couldn't do much other than drop vault skirge and attack for 1 each turn while I beat him cc, silvergill, lords. He did try to galvanic blast a lord but cc countered that. He whipflared another turn later but I had backup lords to swing with big mutavaults. Last game wasn't close since I kept a slow hand despite having chalice on 0 during my first play(he already droppeed his hand) I slowly die to skirges, memnites, signal pests and blinkmoths...
Round 4 vs UR Delver!: First game he failed to draw any steam. Meanwhile I was beating face with unblockable fishes. Second game I kept a decent hand but wished I mulled (I needed relic to be vial instead). I got crushed with a 1 lander. Last game I keep another 1 lander hand but this time with snag and chalice. I took the gamble, drew an island and dropped chalice x1. He sighed but still attempted to play and just jokingly casted his 1 cmc spells to the GY. I finished him quick with lords.
Sadly that only got me my investment back but on the plus side I pulled a Polluted delta(my 4th)
Overall, it was extremely satisfying destroying delver with Chalice and winning most of my matches minus Affinity(we all know this doesn't go well) My decklist should be identical to the one in my sig if you are interested in peeking.
The only thing I'm concerned about is drawing colorless producing lands while drawing arbor elves and utopia sprawls and having no targets for them. It should be fairly rare that it happens but surely it does from time to time. One of my Modern Magic Nights I lost simply because I couldn't cast my Leatherback Baloth turns 2/3. I realize its GGG cost but I only run 5 colorless lands being Nykthos and Kessig. I also run Abundant growths and Birds of Paradise too but it still came up and cost me the game.
Anyway, neat list. I didn't think about the Boom + Fetchland interaction. So you target your fetch but in response to Boom you crack it? Very neat tech. CurdBros is gonna have a revelation with that tech I bet. I also wanted to run a land destruction suite but there isn't much to go with and it costs at least 2R. Ember swallower seems fun but I think he costs too much Red mana and doesn't affect the board when he drops. Plus you may already be too far behind if you Monstrous him.
That's all I have for now.
4x Arbor Elf
2x strangleroot geist
1x Craterhoof Behemoth
4x Eidolon of Blossoms
2x Eternal Witness
1x Nylea, God of the Hunt
2x Primeval Titan
2x Wistful Selkie
2x Abundant Growth
3x Gaea's Anthem
4x Utopia Sprawl
3x Rancor
Sorcery (6)
4x Genesis Wave
2x Primal Command
8x Forest
4x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
4x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills
Planeswalker (4)
4x Garruk Wildspeaker
I like how Anthem pumps all the smaller weenies and makes geist a beatstick. Also Rancor + Eidolon is a sweet interaction. Early G-Waves are also for good value since I play a lot of 3 CMC stuff so it should drop a few sweet things down.
Burning-tree is the bee's knee's when you get one + eternal witness + untapped nykthos from a g-wave allowing you to chain another g-wave. Otherwise she doesn't play nicely with all the other GG spells. That is still a solid list and it should do well still. Perhaps adding 1 of Summoner's Pact? Being able to free search for the win being Craterhoof or Primeval Titan is so awesome.
I've found Kitchen Finks to be pretty good. He's like Strangleroot Geists cousin. Back when I had the standard G-wave combo using BTE, Selkie, Visionary, Arbor elf, I threw in some 1 of like Finks, Courser and Geist. I especially liked their resiliency. Devotion that keeps coming back. Plus they help grind opponent down and make them think before using removal since they recur (not courser obv). I think I may brew up something along those lines again. Problem being I need to find a decent Win con not just try to out card them with mediocre threats.
With all these burn decks has anyone even tried Aegis of the Gods ?
I suppose if you end up going W/G route you could just play Hatebears...
Thanks for replying CurdBros.
I am thinking of trying the elf combo you have established for yourself. I do enjoy taking a rogue deck idea to a bunch of people who won't expect it. That is the fun part of magic I enjoy frequently. I don't happen to own any Nissa, Worldwakers though
If you were to make some substitutions what should I play instead of 2 Nissa, Worldwakers? I can try to trade standard cards for Nissa but I'm sure I won't succeed. People aren't willing to trade as much now. So many formats around that it's so hard to give up good cards.
I have 3 wooded foothills and 1 windswept heath which will work fine for the time being.
Have not placed very well out of the times I took it to the local Modern tounaments. I feel the deck is way to slow to compete and often times it just fizzles when you don't get to drop Leatherback Baloth (due to GGG) and most of the other decks people are playing are way too fast for it. I'm not sure what version or where to take my deck. I don't own any Elesh Norns and only have 1 Chord of Calling. I might be interested in an elf version or reverting back to Genesis Wave for funsies. While I do like Primal Command it often times is too slow and I'm dead before it matters (even after gaining 7). Perhaps I should look into lowering some number of baloths and other things and adding Bonfires or maindeck hate cards like Reclamation sage, Phyrexian Revoker, Ulvenwald Tracker, Acidic Slime, Avalanche Riders etc.
Some of the decks played there are (they do change because people get bored and bring their other deck(s))
- Melira Pod
- Merfolk
- Mono black
- UR Delver
- Affinity
- Jund
- BW Tokens
- Jeskai Ascendancy
- Living End
- Burn
- Zoo
- Allies
- Boggles
- Mono Green Devotion
I'm interested in obtaining 1x Elesh Norn and maybe going the white splash route (I have the temple gardens). I'm open to any idea's.
2-2
Would rather not go into detail. Was too annoyed with what I had to face.
Match 1 loss to Affinity
Match 2 Win vs Mono Red Aggro(standard)
Match 3 Win vs Boggles/Aura Hexproof (Chalice from the mutha f******* void on 1 = win)
Match 4 Loss vs Jeskai Retardancy (Turn 3 win both games, sat and watched some guy play with himself....yay magic!)
Highlight of the night was Chalice vs Boggles. He couldn't enchant his stuff to play Daybreak Coronet ever. He did have Ajain Pridemate plan but Echoing Truth kept him in check. Eventually killed him with mana denial and islandwalk. Another merfolk player took 1st somehow.