MTG Salvation

Hey all! I've been playing this deck for about 2 years now and been lurking these forums for a while. Just wanted to post my observations and such. I'll start by posting my deck.



I know I have some interesting choices in here so I'll explain to the best of my ability. First, the lack of Platinum Angel in my 75. I played with Platinum Angel for a long time and enjoyed it to an extent. However, I found it to be overall unnecessary. There are very few decks that don't have a way to remove it and at its best, it buys a turn or two. Since Remand isn't a hard counter, their removal can just be played again. I see its immense upside if you can protect it so I tried side-boarding it for a while, but ended up wanting that last sideboard slot for other things. Ultimately I just didn't feel the need to include it.

Second, I included one copy of Staff of Nin. This card honestly came as a joke suggestion from my friend. I playtest this deck so much that I decided to roll with it and give it a try for a few days. I absolutely loved it. It may be more a response to my meta (despite multiple years of playing the deck, I haven't had much of a chance to play at tournaments much bigger than 50 people usually averaging 20 people tournies multiple times a week) so I can't say if it's universally good but I suggest giving it a try. This card can decimate Affinity, out card-advantage America Control, and completely stop 4C Gifts when they try to Loam + Raven's Crime lock you out of the game. The one thing that you need to take notice of is its disadvantage with Mindslaver lock. Since you're drawing two cards per turn, you aren't perfectly locking them out of the game. However, you can now draw into more lands and eventually just land a Wurmcoil or dig for a Repeal to fix this problem.

Third, I decided to splash red for 4x Electrolyze. This is a very recent decision and is still in the testing phase honestly. That said, I have liked it so far. I played Mono U for such a long time but wanted a better answer for Affinity and Electrolyze is perfect for that while also adding more draw power. I still consider this Mono U Tron just by how it plays and the minimal color splash. I haven't had a problem yet with getting the color for it as one Izzet Signet provides the necessary colors. 8 red sources for 4 red mana symbols has been sufficient so far especially with Expedition Map being able to grab Shivan Reef when needed. I've only ever searched up a Shivan Reef against decks that just fold to Electrolyze, otherwise I am content just holding the Electrolyze's for a few turns. I chose to run Shivan Reef over fetches + Steam Vents because with 4 Scalding Tarn + 2 (or more) Steam Vents, I would be left with at most 3 Islands. Part of the reason I love Mono U Tron was its resilience to Ghost Quarter, I wasn't quite ready to give up a relatively high number of basics. As for the decision of Reef over 4x Steam Vents, that was relatively easy. I don't always need to take the life for colored mana (one signet is enough red mana for a whole game) and in ~100 games with these, I've never taken more than 2 damage off of a Shivan Reef.

Finally, I'll talk about my sideboard. It feels like a relatively standard sideboard with the addition of Blasphemous Act since I have red available to me. Squelch is amazing on the play and mediocre on the draw unless you're playing against decks that will rely on Tectonic Edge to beat you. Spreading Seas is a concession to the mirror, RG Tron, and to manlands which we can't interact with too easily (O-Stone, Repeal, Rift all hit non-lands). Hurkyl's Recall is a leftover from before I added Electrolyze, these two are very very close to being cut. Last but not least, Time Stop. Much like Staff of Nin, this sideboard tech originated as a joke. Time Stop has been incredibly funny and effective against decks like Scapeshift and RG Tron. Letting the Scapeshift player resolve the namesake spell and Time Stopping with the Valakut triggers on the stack is not only hilarious when you see their reaction, but a guaranteed win afterwards as they just drained their deck of Mountains. Against RG Tron, Time Stop makes the matchup very favorable. Counter their Karn's, let Wurmcoils duke it out with each other, then Time Stop the Emrakul while the extra turn trigger is on the stack. The only real threats from their deck are Karn and the flying spaghetti monster. With no other way to interact with Emrakul, it is essentially game over if they resolve one before you have Mindslaver online.


This is a VERY loose sideboard plan. I almost never follow this to the T, opting to make my choices as game-time decisions. However, for people less experienced with the deck, this is an OK guide to follow.

Overall I really love this deck and will never get rid of it for any reason. In the last year, I have only gone negative at local tournaments twice and not moneyed to some extent 8 times. While not overly impressive, I view this as a relevant statistic to the power of the deck once you become comfortable with it. The power of Mono U Tron comes from the fact that I feel every matchup (other than Merfolk) is at least 50/50 whose odds increase greatly by 1) knowing the matchup and 2) knowing the deck. The vast majority of my losses come, not from getting mana screwed/flooded or drawing poorly, but from my own mistakes. Learning from these mistakes has made me far more in tune with my deck than winning ever could have done. I enjoy thinking back over my losses and trying to determine when the crucial mistakes or turning points occurred. Hope you guys at least consider my modifications before saying, "Your deck's bad and you should feel bad," as the internet is apt to do. Also, I hope I didn't come off as a conceited jerk as I am apt to do on the internet. Cheers. And so we go.

Hey there! I've been playing a deck very similar to this for a while and just wanted to ask if you've considered City of Shadows for the deck? My play group does tend to be a bit slower than some so the extra mana is definitely relevant for me. But even in faster meta's, it's a great sac outlet with potential upside (much like High Market). Cheers

Please show me which combo decks would be abusing Chrome Mox? (especially if Splinter Twin was banned)

That's my bad, wanted to write aggro but was thinking combo.

The way I see it, Maze's End is in a prime position right now. I almost played it at Cinci but ultimately just didn't feel like playing. I truly think Maze's End could have done well there.

I personally like where the Modern banlist is currently. The meta is one of the most diverse of any formats (I don't understand how people can attempt to say that Modern is a boring/non-diverse format) and people haven't even given time for the meta to stabilize since the last bannings. Yes there are a few dominant decks according to Richmond, but give people time to adjust and gameplan for these decks and their success will wane. The amount of Pod and Twin decks at each event may not go down, but their day 2 placings and finishing will go down. Give the format time to adjust to the current "best" decks and I guarantee we'll see these decks dwindle.

That said, I really do think Grave Troll can and SHOULD be unbanned. I do have Dredgevine built but it's by no means my favorite deck to play. I just see no reason for it to stay banned without . It would basically just add deeper dredge values into the deck. 5 mana would be a lot for the deck to hard cast so I think Troll would be used as a dredger and then simply be discarded to /Looting. I see no danger in unbanning it with only upside in potentially making Dredgevine a tier 1.5+ deck (pretty optimistic I know).

I initially thought could be safely unbanned as a way for control decks to get mana out earlier but then realized that it would just give combo aggro way more speed. I also think that Jitte wouldn't be overpowered without Stoneforge but I don't want to take that chance. Finally, I think that should be banned while get the ban hammer. When Modern first came out I played Eggs like it was my job. Before was even printed, I loved the deck despite the fact that it was never played. I also never had a problem with games going to time, a competent Eggs pilot can blaze through the combo in their sleep. The only reason that Eggs became a problem was because non-competent pilots started playing the deck which led to stupidly long turns and games. I think if they revert to pre-Reward times, the deck will still be playable but only good pilots will actually run it.

I've started running 1x Loam and 1x Raven's Crime just as something to do. Haven't been able to test it too much yet but I'll make sure to keep people posted here. May try a Flame Jab too.

Maze's End is totally the cheapest Tier 1 deck. But bad jokes aside, mono Black is probably the cheapest. Mutavaults are expensive but so are temple and shocks as you add more colors.

I've been running U-Tron for a long time and started just running Gifts in the Treasure Mage slot (RIP my beautiful altered promo mages). I've liked it a lot, it allows me to toolbox better. You don't want to tap out too often in the current meta and this allows me to keep mana open just in case. I've also had a play against Twin where I had one card in hand (a Gifts) and 6 mana and he tapped out for the combo win. I Gifted for Spell Pierce, Negate, and Condescend. These things you can't do with Fabricate or either Mage. I also have added in 1 Emrakul to my side so that I can gift into it with a package and they either give me an Emrakul or I get to reuse the spells in my graveyard. I have BGx and USA in my meta so games can tend to go long and not decking myself has been a legitimate concern at times. I also run 1 Staff of Nin for these kinds of matchups as it just ticks up card advantage as the game goes on. It's not as great in the Gifts version, but if you're still running Treasure Mage try it out.

Hey everyone. I've been doing 3D cards, tokens, and life counters for a while now. They've all been in small batches, mostly on commission from my friends. I do, however, want to start building up a large stock of cards again since I sold most of what I had at recent GP's. In this light, does anyone have a request or 2 for cards? Not necessarily commissions but I'd be happy to take a crack at whatever you guys want and then potentially sell it once I can post pictures (since I have no real reference for my work I don't feel comfortable taking blind commissions yet). Thanks!

Hi everyone! I'm a 22 year old college student and I've been making custom cards and things for a while now and thought I may as well try to take it online. I do mostly 3D cards and tokens and life counters but I dabble in paint alters of cards as well. Most of my recent work has been on commission for friends since I don't have altogether too much time with school. Also, I have very few of my works left since I was able to sell most of at recent events. I would, however, like to be doing more generalized work and build up a large stock of cards to display. Just wanted to swing by, say hi, and start to get my name out there. Once I get home tonight I'll post pictures of the few 3D tokens I have left. Cheers!