Aweome report Vindicare. When I was reading and saw you beat a UR deck, I was like....oh *****! he's gonna take down that whole event! Then I kept reading....woomp woomp. You'll get'm next time!
I am SO happy Ray is on MTGO now. With all the success he's having, there's no way he's not going infinite now. initial cost of the deck, then play forever. Its good to see that the one who created this deck continues to innovate and is having success with those innovations. I might have to take that for a spin, maybe on my next stream.....
I just noticed something......no eidolon at all in the 75? A lot of us are loading up on that effect, but you are going the other way, with ZERO eidolons or Scab-Clan Beserkers. Balls of steel, but I have to ask....when you need to be the aggressor and bridges come out, what are you siding in? Like, vs jeskai control or storm for example.
In other news, I had a rare chance to stream today mid-day and completed three leagues. I tried Flame of keld over sarkhan in my build, but that was a disaster. Went 2-3, 1-3 in two comp leagues. It had nthing to do with Flame of Keld and everything to do with bad luck all around. It's posted to youtube for the world to see just how bad the luck was.....then magic happened (no pun intended). We entered a third league with old faithful, took out the flame and used the same list I ran last week. This is the official 2nd league with that list. Resule - 5-0. So, that's 10-0 with my Sarkhan list. Like I said, if I was running sarkhan in the first two leagues, I would have been crushed as well, but I can still say I am undefeated with my current sarkhan build.
Going to try to do something stupid and stream while my 6-year old is playing Mario Kart for the Wii. Mass distrctions enabled, but it's mid-day, so i'm not nearly as tired as I usually am when I stream. Looking to test flame of Keld. Lets do this.
Hey Stick (FAdvisor), could you explain your current side board strategy to me? We're basically the same, in a sense we have same cards, but our numbers differ some.
That's what I did three times during the classic and I won all three of those matches. So, in almost every match, we'll have at least 4 automatic cards we need to bring out for better stuff. the only deck where I leave in rabblemasters AND bridges that I can think of is deaths shadow. That's one of those odd matches were literally everything we have lines up great against them except for the abrades and slagstorms.
If we need to go deeper into sideboard strategy, we can, but thats the basics. Assume what role you need to play and then sideboard into that role.
Now, onto more fund stuff.....Flame of Keld....you may have stumbled onto something genius here. I use Sarkhaan for looting and he's been GREAT. being able to cycle an extra moon for an actual card has proven to be super useful. Flame of keld can do that and empty your hand for a turn. Drawing three the next turn could be a problem if under a bridge, but that's a unique scenario. Firts, you need a bridge in play. then, you need to be facing creatures with power 2 or less. Last, yo need to draw three cards that you can't use. with 50% mana, chances are you are going to draw one or two lands/rituals and one/two spells, ending that turn with a single card in hand. I can totally see that being in my deck and replacing sarkhan. Costing two is also a big deal over costing three, especially when we turn one chandra into flame. Turn one chandra happens a lot more often than you think (well, maybe you know since your playing this deck), and turn one chandra into flame of keld helps reload after you just spend all the cards playing chandra. Yes, this needs to be tested and I'll behappy to do that. I think I'll try flame of keld over sarkhan in my next league and see how I do.
Ok guys I have a serious question. I mentioned recently on Discord that I've encountered 66 different archetypes in Modern in 2018 (now 67 after last night). I feel like I know the format pretty well. I went looking through 5-0 lists, I found a vexing one that not only has 1 5-0 but multiple by the same player.. So someone please explain WTFFF...
I played vs this deck during my last 5-0 . Take a look at my last twitch video or YouTube video and you'll see how it wins. Game one, they blow up their bridges with EE, then attack for a billion with an insane number of 5/5 dudes. Games two and three, sai comes in and wrecks face.
Hey, how many people do you think we're playing our deck in the challenge? Or in the event that waska won? When there's only one or two copies of a deck in a given event, and it usually makes the top 10% or better, the deco is real.
@stickballruss
1 yes bridges come out and eidolons go in. In game 2 I got an early eidolon but nothing else
2 my sideboard has
2 eidolon
2 ratchet bombs
2 shattering spree
2 anger of the gods
2 scab clan berserker
2 spyglass
1 graffdiggers cage
1 stormbreath
1 hazoret
3 I've played against the deck a lot but other than moon and chalice I have a hard time trying to figure out what to play out would it be better to just let a guide or swiftspear through and try to draw removal rather than play a creature and turn on searing blaze ? Also I own 2 spellskite i jist keep forgetting to put them in the deck
I assume those first two cards are Eidolons. This is a sideboard built for the control matches and doesn't have a lot for the low to the ground matches. Eidolon is just better than Scab-Clan Berserker. I know many in this forum will disagree, but the difference between two and three mana is a lot. You see Scab clan run in leacy because there not a lot of creature combat in legacy. In modern, you need that effect on a 2cc creature. for many reasons, not the least of which is that it can be played turn one or off a chandra uptick. So, for starters, I would swap out those two scab clan for a third eidolon and a spellskite.
If burn is in your meta, you could run a dragon's claw. Problem with that is there are 64 modern decks and that's good vs ONE of them. If you want a dedicated sideboard card for spellskite with splash damage vs other decks, you could try witchbane orb. It's slow, but you could ritual it out early.
Since I don't know your list, I'm going to tell you how I board for this match:
Ballista is not good here. It's too slow and this is a match built on speed. Pure speed. Sarkhan also is slow. three mana to not effect the board nor stop any burn spells is not where you wanns be.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you take any of these suggestons and how it turns out. remember, don't run creatures into searing blaze once you have the game locked up.
This may seem way out of left field but would 1 cavern of souls work in our deck for control matchups? I know they can still kill it with removal but it means we could resolve rabblemaster/eidolon through counter spells so one less thin to worry about. And if a moon comes down worst case it's a mountain. I don't like having too many colorless lands though but a threat through counterspells may work.
If im playing cavern, then i'm not playing mutavault or scavager grounds. this deck can only afford 4 lands that don't produce red, so you can't just replace a mountain with a cavern. I've said this exact phrase during real live tournaments more than I would like...."Yep, I'm color screwed in a mono color deck!"
I like bridges vs thing in the ice as well. And yes, If I KNOW platinum is coming, I leave in abrade, but if it's mtgo and I have no clue, then they come out.
Look, vs this deck, You automatically have several cards that come out, most notable 3-4 blood moon and 2 slagstorm. Depending on what I need to come in and the match determines if bridges come out or walking ballista comes out. That's 5-6 cards already. Sometimes, it's hard to find 10 cards to bring in, so something's gotta give. Just make sure you are the aggressor and offer max aggression with minimal disruption. Since we don't have a lot of distruption, it better be good. Spellskite is an all-star here, stopping every bolt and redirecting a cryptic that tried to bounce your bridge. I still don't like the match, but with the right strategy and a lot of luck, we can win.
Hey guys went to fnm last night got second place! I only lost to burn I seem to play this kid every week so I should probably start dedicating some sideboard slots to it.
Round 1 2-0 against 5 color pile I've never seen this girl there before after game 1 I tried to take it easy on her and help her out after the match we broke down her deck and lowered her curve and got it down to 3 color Mardu. Later in the night I walked around and watched a few of her games she didn't win any but got damn close a couple times.
Round 2 G-tron 2-0
Game 1 double rabble and blood moon got the job done quick game 2 turn 1 eidolon turn 2 chalice on 1 and an abrade for his o-stome slowed him way down he got a karn out and ate my moon but ballista took out his karn and he only had 1 drops in his hand
Round 3 burn 0-2
Per usual I couldn't find chalice in time and had no relevant cards game 2 same but I got a turn 1 eidolon and just couldn't find any more pressure he was able to race me but barely.
Round 4 infect 2-0
Game 1 blood moon locked him to just 2 forest and I killed all his infect creatures got out a bridge and spent the next 8 turns or so just drawing and passing he scooped to go to game 2
Game 2 I got a turn 0 gemstone and played a turn 1 chalice on 1 he looked at his and I i new he brought in nature's claim and and not dissenters deliverance he tried to get through with his hierarch he played turn 1 but an endless stream of mana monkeys gunned up the works I won on the back of those beating down it was two very painful games but felt good to lock him out early both times.
Let's talk about burn. .
#1. Are you siding out bridges? Those won't help you and have to come out.
#2. What does your sideboard look like? Do you have spellskite? I also bring in eidolons because they block and they block.....did I mention they block?
#3. Game one, if you land a chalice and a moon, don't play into searing blaze. Sometimes it's better not to play anything instead of opening yourself up to searing blaze. If they have a full geip and hasn't played anything, you can bwt they have one or two in their hand.
First league he went lost to himself, a legit loss, and then to Jund, going 1-3. Give him credit, he ran it back again.
2nd league, he went defeated vs jund and undefeated vs everything else.....3-2.
I am SO happy Ray is on MTGO now. With all the success he's having, there's no way he's not going infinite now. initial cost of the deck, then play forever. Its good to see that the one who created this deck continues to innovate and is having success with those innovations. I might have to take that for a spin, maybe on my next stream.....
I just noticed something......no eidolon at all in the 75? A lot of us are loading up on that effect, but you are going the other way, with ZERO eidolons or Scab-Clan Beserkers. Balls of steel, but I have to ask....when you need to be the aggressor and bridges come out, what are you siding in? Like, vs jeskai control or storm for example.
In other news, I had a rare chance to stream today mid-day and completed three leagues. I tried Flame of keld over sarkhan in my build, but that was a disaster. Went 2-3, 1-3 in two comp leagues. It had nthing to do with Flame of Keld and everything to do with bad luck all around. It's posted to youtube for the world to see just how bad the luck was.....then magic happened (no pun intended). We entered a third league with old faithful, took out the flame and used the same list I ran last week. This is the official 2nd league with that list. Resule - 5-0. So, that's 10-0 with my Sarkhan list. Like I said, if I was running sarkhan in the first two leagues, I would have been crushed as well, but I can still say I am undefeated with my current sarkhan build.
Twitch: Stickballruss
Basically, whatever role we need to play, we drop cards that don't fit that role and add others that do.
For example, using my list, vs control, my sideboard is as follows:
Out: 4 Bridge, 2 Slagtorm, 2 abrade
In: 3 Eidolon, 1 Hazoret, 1 Spellskite, 1 Spyglass, 1 Boil, 1 Torpor Orb
That's what I did three times during the classic and I won all three of those matches. So, in almost every match, we'll have at least 4 automatic cards we need to bring out for better stuff. the only deck where I leave in rabblemasters AND bridges that I can think of is deaths shadow. That's one of those odd matches were literally everything we have lines up great against them except for the abrades and slagstorms.
If we need to go deeper into sideboard strategy, we can, but thats the basics. Assume what role you need to play and then sideboard into that role.
Now, onto more fund stuff.....Flame of Keld....you may have stumbled onto something genius here. I use Sarkhaan for looting and he's been GREAT. being able to cycle an extra moon for an actual card has proven to be super useful. Flame of keld can do that and empty your hand for a turn. Drawing three the next turn could be a problem if under a bridge, but that's a unique scenario. Firts, you need a bridge in play. then, you need to be facing creatures with power 2 or less. Last, yo need to draw three cards that you can't use. with 50% mana, chances are you are going to draw one or two lands/rituals and one/two spells, ending that turn with a single card in hand. I can totally see that being in my deck and replacing sarkhan. Costing two is also a big deal over costing three, especially when we turn one chandra into flame. Turn one chandra happens a lot more often than you think (well, maybe you know since your playing this deck), and turn one chandra into flame of keld helps reload after you just spend all the cards playing chandra. Yes, this needs to be tested and I'll behappy to do that. I think I'll try flame of keld over sarkhan in my next league and see how I do.
I played vs this deck during my last 5-0 . Take a look at my last twitch video or YouTube video and you'll see how it wins. Game one, they blow up their bridges with EE, then attack for a billion with an insane number of 5/5 dudes. Games two and three, sai comes in and wrecks face.
You know we're gonna need a tournament report, right?
I assume those first two cards are Eidolons. This is a sideboard built for the control matches and doesn't have a lot for the low to the ground matches. Eidolon is just better than Scab-Clan Berserker. I know many in this forum will disagree, but the difference between two and three mana is a lot. You see Scab clan run in leacy because there not a lot of creature combat in legacy. In modern, you need that effect on a 2cc creature. for many reasons, not the least of which is that it can be played turn one or off a chandra uptick. So, for starters, I would swap out those two scab clan for a third eidolon and a spellskite.
If burn is in your meta, you could run a dragon's claw. Problem with that is there are 64 modern decks and that's good vs ONE of them. If you want a dedicated sideboard card for spellskite with splash damage vs other decks, you could try witchbane orb. It's slow, but you could ritual it out early.
Since I don't know your list, I'm going to tell you how I board for this match:
Out: 4 ensnaring Bridge, 2 Walking Ballista, Sarkhan.
In: 3 Eidolon, 1 Hazoret, 1 Spellsite, 2 anger.
Ballista is not good here. It's too slow and this is a match built on speed. Pure speed. Sarkhan also is slow. three mana to not effect the board nor stop any burn spells is not where you wanns be.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you take any of these suggestons and how it turns out. remember, don't run creatures into searing blaze once you have the game locked up.
If im playing cavern, then i'm not playing mutavault or scavager grounds. this deck can only afford 4 lands that don't produce red, so you can't just replace a mountain with a cavern. I've said this exact phrase during real live tournaments more than I would like...."Yep, I'm color screwed in a mono color deck!"
Look, vs this deck, You automatically have several cards that come out, most notable 3-4 blood moon and 2 slagstorm. Depending on what I need to come in and the match determines if bridges come out or walking ballista comes out. That's 5-6 cards already. Sometimes, it's hard to find 10 cards to bring in, so something's gotta give. Just make sure you are the aggressor and offer max aggression with minimal disruption. Since we don't have a lot of distruption, it better be good. Spellskite is an all-star here, stopping every bolt and redirecting a cryptic that tried to bounce your bridge. I still don't like the match, but with the right strategy and a lot of luck, we can win.
Let's talk about burn. .
#1. Are you siding out bridges? Those won't help you and have to come out.
#2. What does your sideboard look like? Do you have spellskite? I also bring in eidolons because they block and they block.....did I mention they block?
#3. Game one, if you land a chalice and a moon, don't play into searing blaze. Sometimes it's better not to play anything instead of opening yourself up to searing blaze. If they have a full geip and hasn't played anything, you can bwt they have one or two in their hand.