Thanks, I'm finding this discussion really helpful!
Can you explain why Seachrome Coast over Glacial Fortress or more Hallowed Fountains? Unlike traditional LE, flipping on exactly T3 with 3+ creatures in the yard doesn't seem like our main gameplan. In the playtesting I've done so far, having late tap lands has generally felt worse than early taplands because I may want the untap land to cast multiple spells in a turn (especially if I don't have AF out yet).
I really like being able to suspend turn 1 or start the cycling turn 1. With Fortress you'll also have hands with Fortress and a colorless land that'll set you behind a turn.
Always had a soft spot for RW Norin but never really enjoyed the Soul Sisters portion of it. Seeing Sai, Master Thopterist got me thinking about Impact Tremors and Genesis Chamber so I started brewing a deck. Deck kind of built itself once I added Mox Amber and noticed a lot of the legends synergized with the main goal of the deck. Originally had Mox Opals and Darksteel Citadels but removed them for more creatures and more colored sources. I'm excited to try it out this weekend but I'm concerned there's not enough artifacts to cast so the Mox Opals might be making it back in. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on how to improve the deck.
Does it require 2 etherium sculptors to reduce Walking Ballista by 1? So if only 1 sculptor is in play it has no affect on Ballista's mana cost, correct?
Each reduces the total cost by 1. You'd need 2 in play to get a free +1/+1.
I play 1 Hangarback Walker in my list with 3 Trinket Mages. I rarely search for it over Walking Ballista but drawing it against Jund, Grixis DS, etc has been amazing.
That's right but if the combo is online you could get the Staff to win. I didn't want to use Whir since it's hit by both Thorn and Lodestone Golem but I guess they can both Improvise to negate their taxing effect. Probably better than Trophy Mage at least.
Now that GW Vizier is a thing there needs to be a good reason to try the Pili-Pala combo. I decided to max out on the tax effects and run the full 8 Cursecatchers to protect the combo. I think the biggest issue will be finding a win con without access to Chord/CoCo/Duskwatch Recruiter.
It was you I played against nikolaigogol. Can you post your SB?
I think when it comes to the mirror it goes Sage of Epityr > Signal Pest > Judge's Familiar. Getting the Ballista or Architect advantage is so important and Sage helps find them.
Went 3-2 last night. Lost to BW Eldrazi Taxes 0-2 and Mono Red Goblins 1-2. I should have beat Goblins but I misplayed in game 3. My wins were against Eldrazi Tron, the mirror with Signal Pest, and Naya Burn. BW Eldrazi taxes felt unwinnable. The combination of Tidehollow Sculler, Wasteland Strangler, and Eldrazi Displacer was too much.
Nice job on the 5-0! I agree adding more one drops could be good (I've tried it with some success), but what don't you like about the Throne? I just started using it myself, but it has been amazing so far. Also, are you going to splash a second color once you get those fetches?
I found the Throne didn't really do enough. Sure there were a few games were it dealt some damage but most times I wanted a card that did something. Against removal heavy decks I never had enough creatures in play to take full advantage of it and against aggressive decks I wanted more removal/disruption.
I do plan on trying a red splash once I have the fetches online. I want to add some number of Izzet Staticaster and Lightning Bolt to the sideboard which should help with Elves, Affinity, etc.
I really like being able to suspend turn 1 or start the cycling turn 1. With Fortress you'll also have hands with Fortress and a colorless land that'll set you behind a turn.
Can you go over how your UW version fares against some of the top decks in modern? I'm thinking about giving it a try this weekend.
4 Norin the Wary
3 Zurgo Bellstriker
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
1 Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer
2 Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
2 Pia Nalaar
2 Thopter Engineer
4 Sai, Master Thopterist
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
4 Lightning Bolt
Artifacts (10)
4 Mox Amber
4 Genesis Chamber
2 Smuggler's Copter
Enchantments (3)
3 Impact Tremors
Lands (21)
4 Arid Mesa
2 Island
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
2 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
4 Spirebluff Canal
3 Steam Vents
Each reduces the total cost by 1. You'd need 2 in play to get a free +1/+1.
4 Entreat the Angels
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Porphyry Nodes
2 Oblivion Ring
3 Sigil of the Empty Throne
4 Ghostly Prison
4 Leyline of Sanctity
4 Phyrexian Unlife
4 Runed Halo
4 Solemnity
4 Suppression Field
4 Flagstones of Trokair
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
15 Plains
2 Hallowed Moonlight
1 Journey to Nowhere
2 Path to Exile
2 Porphyry Nodes
2 Rest in Peace
2 Rule of Law
2 Starfield of Nyx
2 Stony Silence
2 Inspiring Vantage
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Swamp
2 Plains
2 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Godless Shrine
1 Blood Crypt
3 Norin the Wary
1 Lightning Berserker
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Dark Confidant
2 Auriok Champion
2 Smuggler's Copter
3 Genesis Chamber
2 Fatal Push
2 Impact Tremors
1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
4 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
That's right but if the combo is online you could get the Staff to win. I didn't want to use Whir since it's hit by both Thorn and Lodestone Golem but I guess they can both Improvise to negate their taxing effect. Probably better than Trophy Mage at least.
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Chief Engineer
4 Pili-Pala
4 Grand Architect
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Walking Ballista
3 Trohpy Mage
4 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Staff of Domination
Land 23
16 Island
4 Ghost Quarter
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Academy Ruins
1 Kessig Wolf Run
Now that GW Vizier is a thing there needs to be a good reason to try the Pili-Pala combo. I decided to max out on the tax effects and run the full 8 Cursecatchers to protect the combo. I think the biggest issue will be finding a win con without access to Chord/CoCo/Duskwatch Recruiter.
Bant Humans 1-2
Merfolk 2-0
GW Budget Aggro 2-0
Ad Naus 2-0
Abzan 2-0
I think when it comes to the mirror it goes Sage of Epityr > Signal Pest > Judge's Familiar. Getting the Ballista or Architect advantage is so important and Sage helps find them.
Eldrazi Tron 1-2
UWR Saheeli 2-1
GW Budget Aggro 2-0
Naya Burn 2-1
GR Land Destruction 2-1
I found the Throne didn't really do enough. Sure there were a few games were it dealt some damage but most times I wanted a card that did something. Against removal heavy decks I never had enough creatures in play to take full advantage of it and against aggressive decks I wanted more removal/disruption.
I do plan on trying a red splash once I have the fetches online. I want to add some number of Izzet Staticaster and Lightning Bolt to the sideboard which should help with Elves, Affinity, etc.