I've been out of MTG finance for a good long while now. I am pleased that most of my collection is in eternal formats so I am still in good shape. I was looking on SCG to see where my collection is at and I noticed JTMS is up from $60 to out of stock at $100. What happened? It isn't unbanned in Modern, is it?
Am I the only one that likes Gloom Surgeon? A combat immortal 2 mana wall that negates every 2 toughness creature seems like a good card in a control deck. It's not the best, but it seems too annoying for it's $1 price tag.
I'd make the trade. To me, I would want the inkmoths since I WILL USE THEM. If I have no use for the arid mesas, Id do the trade any day of the week. Am I the only one who puts value on entertainment and time spent playing the card?
This is to be considered.
From a purely financial point of view, yes it is a bit of a bad trade. Not a horrible trade. Just a bit down. If you need Inkmoths for a deck, do it if you have no other choice.
I like your explanation about the Chimeric Mass. Pretty neat. I think you convinced me to actually try out Chimeric Mass, I didn't really see the benefits untill now. All in all it's extra material next to the Glint Hawk Idol's and Inkmoth Nexus (and Shrine of Loyal Legions after boarding) a control deck has to take care of.
I really doubt Pride Guardian is going to make it in standard. But other blockers are realistic (vs RDW: T2 3/3 Stormbloodberserker after their 1 drop connected for example). Anyway, that's why TSteel's strength is in the flyers with the exception of Porcelain Legionaire being the strongest mainboard option as a beater on the ground I guess.
This is what I am currently testing and it's doing pretty good for me:
Before I was playing -1 Plains +1 mountain and -1 Mox +1 Spined Thoper. That just wasn't ideal. Gave trouble with not getting out TSteel. The extra 2 white mana for the TSteel is working out perfect for me and makes it much more consistent.
Galvanic blast x4 instead of Dispatch because it gives me more stretch damage wise, plus it can act as removal as well. Sure there's several creatures you want to exile instead of kill, but I feel thats where the SB comes in for G2.
Just not sure what to take out for the 2 Chimeric Mass yet. Probably at least 1 Hex Parasite and ideally 1 Mox, but that's fairly risky imo, consistency wise.
How good is Hex Parasite in the deck? Is it to fight planeswalkers and ratchet bomb?
I'm running your exact list except -1 Mox, -3 Hex, -2 Plains, -2 Blast, +2 Mountain, +2 Chimeric Mass, +4 Dispatch. I might make one of the mountains a plains because of your list just to see if it runs better.
I was running +1 Galvanic Blast, +2 Hovermyr, -3 Spined Thopter before but I think I was running too many dead cards against the new Caw-blade deck with all it's hexproof creatures. Taking out a Blast and putting it in the sideboard might be good. I'm going to see how well Thopter is over Hovermyr as I'm not sure as of now.
I will also make a monowhite version to see if the Curse is even the right way to go, but I have nothing but good things to say about it. It's not as good as Overseer, but it's close enough to be good. Hmm, more Cockatrice testing is needed.
By the way, Curse of Stalked Prey is indeed the real deal. Running evasive creatures and Curse can lead to some great value with 2+ counters on most creatures.
Fixed the mana base into a less consistent one, but more explosive. Took one of the Moxen off.
I think that the Curse is better as it is harder to kill and with the deck's emphasis on flying, the condition is not a difficult one to achieve.
Legionnaire is good, but arn't flyers the key to the deck? That's why I chose the Hawk over him. Who knows? This could all change over time, but I think this will be my first iteration at FNM.
If you're going to play red with 4 enemy duels, is it worth slowing the deck down to have more consistent mana and find a place for Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer
I really doubt that it is worth it for Jor Kadeen. 5 mana is a lot for this deck. I believe that either Heroes are better than him for 1 less mana. I do like that he is effectively an Overrun with all the evasion in the deck though. Who knows...maybe he'll sneak in someday.
I'm not sure how much land is enough, but if this is too much, then taking out a land and going with another Origin Spellbomb is the plan.
[CARD]
Curse of Stalked Prey[/CARD] looks to be better than Mikaeus in Tempered Steel and Galvanic Blast is a shoe in for some serious reach for 1 mana.
So, is there another Steel build that holds promise or will it be the traditional Mono W build that rules after rotation?
The other thing that hasn't been mentioned is that Lavamancer's ability is pretty much uncounterable. Knowing 100% that it's ability will stick is a huge advantage.
From a purely financial point of view, yes it is a bit of a bad trade. Not a horrible trade. Just a bit down. If you need Inkmoths for a deck, do it if you have no other choice.
I'm running your exact list except -1 Mox, -3 Hex, -2 Plains, -2 Blast, +2 Mountain, +2 Chimeric Mass, +4 Dispatch. I might make one of the mountains a plains because of your list just to see if it runs better.
2 Chimeric Mass
4 Glint Hawk Idol
3 Mox Opal
Creatures
4 Glint Hawk
4 Memnite
4 Signal Pest
4 Vault Skirge
3 Spined Thopter
4 Curse of Stalked Prey
4 Tempered Steel
Spells
4 Dispatch
2 Galvanic Blast
Land
4 Clifftop Retreat
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Mountain
6 Plains
I was running +1 Galvanic Blast, +2 Hovermyr, -3 Spined Thopter before but I think I was running too many dead cards against the new Caw-blade deck with all it's hexproof creatures. Taking out a Blast and putting it in the sideboard might be good. I'm going to see how well Thopter is over Hovermyr as I'm not sure as of now.
I will also make a monowhite version to see if the Curse is even the right way to go, but I have nothing but good things to say about it. It's not as good as Overseer, but it's close enough to be good. Hmm, more Cockatrice testing is needed.
6 Plains
5 Mountain
4 Clifftop Retreat
4 Inkmoth Nexus
Artifacts
3 Mox Opal
4 Glint Hawk Idol
2 Origin Spellbomb
4 Memnite
4 Vault Skirge
4 Glint Hawk
4 Signal Pest
Enchantments
4 Curse of Stalked Prey
4 Tempered Steel
4 Dispatch
4 Galvanic Blast
Fixed the mana base into a less consistent one, but more explosive. Took one of the Moxen off.
I think that the Curse is better as it is harder to kill and with the deck's emphasis on flying, the condition is not a difficult one to achieve.
Legionnaire is good, but arn't flyers the key to the deck? That's why I chose the Hawk over him. Who knows? This could all change over time, but I think this will be my first iteration at FNM.
I really doubt that it is worth it for Jor Kadeen. 5 mana is a lot for this deck. I believe that either Heroes are better than him for 1 less mana. I do like that he is effectively an Overrun with all the evasion in the deck though. Who knows...maybe he'll sneak in someday.
5 Plains
4 Mountain
2 Shimmering Grotto
4 Clifftop Retreat
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Mox Opal
4 Glint Hawk Idol
1 Origin Spellbomb
Creatures
4 Memnite
4 Vault Skirge
4 Glint Hawk
4 Signal Pest
4 Curse of Stalked Prey
4 Tempered Steel
Spells
4 Dispatch
4 Galvanic Blast
I'm not sure how much land is enough, but if this is too much, then taking out a land and going with another Origin Spellbomb is the plan.
[CARD]
Curse of Stalked Prey[/CARD] looks to be better than Mikaeus in Tempered Steel and Galvanic Blast is a shoe in for some serious reach for 1 mana.
So, is there another Steel build that holds promise or will it be the traditional Mono W build that rules after rotation?
Haha, it's six cards, but that is a turn 1 Koth. That would be glorious.