Man since moving to 4x TKS to main and 3 Spellskite board, this deck seems to hang a little better in the current meta. That stop gap it provides (blocks and steals a card from there hand) gives tron a bit more wiggle room to work with. Loving it so far.
Also for rest of the weary, how often do you go turn 2 rest of the weary? I feel like the earlier I cast it, the better chance of them not skullcracking me...
I was thinking about this, but is there a need for spellskites in the board anymore? I usually only board it in against aggro decks, but we can go over aggro decks.
if they path my reality smasher and discard loxodon smiter, why does smiter get put onto the field. Reality smasher makes them (additional cost of casting a spell) discard. But thats an additional cost right? Or am I getting this wrong?
After playing post ban, I realize with all the ghost quarters running around it might be better dropping 1 groves and adding another forest.
Another trick I learned playing against tron. At the end of their draw step, hold priorty before going to main phase. Pop your ghost quarter then. If they "luckly" draw their only basic you got a free strip mine.
This has happen to me at GP Oakland and I was wonder why the heck my opponent was asking to hold prioroty after draw step. I drew the forest and then he went to GQ me. Then I knew.
Also another thing I learned from my friend; In the blind, if they have tron up, hit anything but the tower with a Ghost Quarter. If they have to tap out to get tron back online, they have one mana less because they have to tap the tower to generate the mana.
Ok so yesterday I was testing against my friends BG version of the deck and it completely smashes GR Tron.
Lands
4 Eldrazi Temple
3 Ugin's Eye
4 Llanowar Waste
3 Ghost Quarter
X Basics
X Shockland
X That draw card land when you have no cards
Creatures
Xx Eldrazi Mimic
Xx Thought-Knot Seer
2 Ulamog, the cleaseless Hunger
Xx Reality Smasher
Xx Blight Herder
Xx Endless Ones
Artifacts
3 Expedition Maps
4 Relics of Pro
Spells
4 Ancient Stirrings
He smashed for 14 turn 3 on me with eldrazi mimic. I think it went turn 1, drops eye, drops eldrazi mimic. Turn 2 he plays eldrazi temple, thought-knot seer. Smash for 4. Turn 3, he plays reality smasher, swing for 14. And hes keeping me off tron with a ghost quarter...
He says this version is the aggro version. He says the only reason to play green is for ancient stirrings to search for your KO. He usually cast endless ones for 2 mana, making it a 4/4 or 5/5 with eye of ugin out. Its pretty quick clock.
(going into game 2) If you have a strong feeling that an opponent is going to sideboard in crumble to dust OR if they already used it on you game 2 and going into game 3 would you...
A.) search for ghost quarter right away with map/scrying to have some insurance incase they cast crumble to dust.
B.) use map/scrying to get a tron piece and force a threat on T3/T4.
Do these options depend on if your on the play or on the draw? Do these options depend on what your deck you're facing? Thanks.
Honestly I know Crumble to dust is a ***** to deal with, but it doesnt mean auto lose. If they are playing Tron, use your quarters to keep them off tron or if you can counter their crumble but using GQ going for it. Otherwise they have to be able to draw the crumble. And thats 2 cards out of their 60....
I used the same opinion against minimal land hate. Everyone is like you should always have two anti-land hate cards... , but they only boarded in 3-4 land hate cards max. They have to be able to draw it and I have to be able to draw my anti-land hate.
If I ghost quarter (I have to sacrifice it), when does the ghost quarter actually hit the graveyard? I was under the impression that it doesn't go to the graveyard until the ability resolves.
So in the case here, even if I activate GQ and he activities Relic in Response does it go in the following
1) Ghost Quarter Activities (sac)
2) he activities Relic in Response
First in Last Out. So Relic removes graveyard (but Ghost Quarter isn't there yet), ability resolves. Ghost Quarter resolves, going into graveyard. Unless Im missing something here.
I crack ghost quarter hitting his land and my ghost quarter goes into my graveyard. I want to play the ghost quarter (which crucible says I may play lands in my graveyard as if they were in my hand) Is there any point where he can respond to me playing my ghost quarter from my graveyard by removing it? I was under the impression you cannot respond to "playing" a land as it doesn't go on the stack.
The land base is where Im having some issues as I only have 11 Black sources and 7 White sources. Of course this is shored up with the E-Maps, but I might drop the waste or 1 ghost quarter for another plains or godless shrine.
I added Vault and Tomb of the spirit dragon, because they are great utility lands. I believe that Tomb would be a good anti-aggro/anti-burn tech because with 4 creatures in play I can gain 4 life every turn. I think against burn I think thats enough gas. Plus it provides a waste mana.
The creature list seems right for a midrange and the eldrazi displacer is a place where I wanted to try. It does some combat stuff as well as on ETB effects. I believe a thought-knot seer plus eldrazi displacer means I can sculpt their hand =).
The rest seems pretty straight foward. I would love to hear what you guys think about it. thanks!
Just a wonder against burn (or any aggro deck) would it be right to run 1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon? On a side note I havent played this deck yet as Im getting the cards together, but....
My reasoning:
Taps for colorless
Searchable with Map
I assume we usually have at least 3 creatures out on the board between the scions and what nots, so is 2 mana repeatable gain life good enough? Does save me a sideboard slot instead of having to play rest for weary.
I like your thinking, but sideboard wise what's your reasoning for 3 relics? Also do you feel thrag is too slow? I rather run feed the clan or that new 3 mana return land and creature gain 6 life card.
I do like ur main board, but I'm more 2 spells kite 2 ugin kinda guy
I like having Relics for decks like Living End, Storm, Grishoalbrand, and some other strange fringe stuff. I like having access to graveyard hate in the board just in case.
Thrag is slow against hyper aggressive decks, but I bring it in against a lot of other things too. Jund/Junk is a good example. Also anything Grixis. I'm never unhappy to draw the Thragtusk at any point if I've boarded it in.
I've always hated Feed the Clan style effects, but sometimes they're a necessary evil. Just didn't want to dedicate sideboard slots to it. I'll take Burn as a loss.
2 Skite/2 Ugin is probably fine, I spent a minute thinking it over while I was tweaking the deck. The reason I didn't do it is because Skite is marginally more useful against aggro (Ugin is useless against Affinity, near-useless against Burn). I'm kinda hedging against lots of Affinity/Infect/Burn etc.
I like having 2 relics in my sideboard because its gotten me out of life loam locks and grixis stuff (snapcasters im looking at you)
Thrag I dont quite like, earliest you can cast it is turn 3 (with an egg), problem is you have to draw it. Another problem is you can search for it with an eye. If it lands its amazing I give you that plus it buys you like 2-3 turns, but I find it too slow. Feed the clan I just look at it as 2 mana gain gain 5 life at instant speed and I can cast it way earlier. But to each their own. I think my side board is looking like
3 Nature's Claim
2 Relics of Pro
2 Crucible of the World (There is way too much land hate going on right now)
1-2 Crumble to dust (more tron means I need to run this more)
3 Feed the Clans (against aggro/burn) [Might replace it with purse of Murasa, but I dont think the hyper aggro decks run land destruction)
1 Spellskite (against aggro, boggles)
2 Rending Volley (kiki chord is still a think)
1 Thragtusk
I know theres this whole debate about Life from the Loam and Crucible, but color mana is at a premium, and dredge has gotten me into trouble before. What do you think?
I've been playing Tron for almost 3 years now. I remember the days when we were nothing more than a gimmicky Tier 2 oddity. Strange to think how we've ascended to Twin's throne after all this time. Tron is now the boogeyman that almost every other deck discusses, plans for, and fears. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.
Alas, ban hysteria is something we now need to take seriously. I love Tron and I'll never part with it 100%, but I'll seriously consider liquidating my Groves if Tron does too well. They'll get me a couple Goyfs at least. Ugh, I hate this feeling. Tron was what got me into Modern.
Anyway, now that Twin is gone I've tweaked my deck a bit. Sideboard cuts, moved Emrakul out of the MB. Went back up to 4 Pyroclasm to combat Affinity, Infect, Burn. Not sure if triple Skite in the main is correct since Twin was one of the reasons for its inclusion, but if Bogles becomes a major player I'll probably keep the triple Skite package.
It's much too early to be making major changes to the deck but I like this configuration as a start point for the new meta. On my short list for future consideration is Thought-Knot Seer since I feel like it helps out combo matchups a bit. Also probably isn't 100% dead against anything short of your opponent having no hand.
I like your thinking, but sideboard wise what's your reasoning for 3 relics? Also do you feel thrag is too slow? I rather run feed the clan or that new 3 mana return land and creature gain 6 life card.
I do like ur main board, but I'm more 2 spells kite 2 ugin kinda guy
Sideboard goes as:
2 Stony Silence
2 Disenchant
3 Rest of the Weary
2 Surgical Extractions
2 Spellskite
2 Duress
2 Flaying Tendrils
If anything I want to slot in a all is dust for a spellskite, but not sure what else I need to board.
if they path my reality smasher and discard loxodon smiter, why does smiter get put onto the field. Reality smasher makes them (additional cost of casting a spell) discard. But thats an additional cost right? Or am I getting this wrong?
Another trick I learned playing against tron. At the end of their draw step, hold priorty before going to main phase. Pop your ghost quarter then. If they "luckly" draw their only basic you got a free strip mine.
This has happen to me at GP Oakland and I was wonder why the heck my opponent was asking to hold prioroty after draw step. I drew the forest and then he went to GQ me. Then I knew.
Also another thing I learned from my friend; In the blind, if they have tron up, hit anything but the tower with a Ghost Quarter. If they have to tap out to get tron back online, they have one mana less because they have to tap the tower to generate the mana.
All about the little things.
Lands
4 Eldrazi Temple
3 Ugin's Eye
4 Llanowar Waste
3 Ghost Quarter
X Basics
X Shockland
X That draw card land when you have no cards
Creatures
Xx Eldrazi Mimic
Xx Thought-Knot Seer
2 Ulamog, the cleaseless Hunger
Xx Reality Smasher
Xx Blight Herder
Xx Endless Ones
Artifacts
3 Expedition Maps
4 Relics of Pro
Spells
4 Ancient Stirrings
He smashed for 14 turn 3 on me with eldrazi mimic. I think it went turn 1, drops eye, drops eldrazi mimic. Turn 2 he plays eldrazi temple, thought-knot seer. Smash for 4. Turn 3, he plays reality smasher, swing for 14. And hes keeping me off tron with a ghost quarter...
He says this version is the aggro version. He says the only reason to play green is for ancient stirrings to search for your KO. He usually cast endless ones for 2 mana, making it a 4/4 or 5/5 with eye of ugin out. Its pretty quick clock.
Honestly I know Crumble to dust is a ***** to deal with, but it doesnt mean auto lose. If they are playing Tron, use your quarters to keep them off tron or if you can counter their crumble but using GQ going for it. Otherwise they have to be able to draw the crumble. And thats 2 cards out of their 60....
I used the same opinion against minimal land hate. Everyone is like you should always have two anti-land hate cards... , but they only boarded in 3-4 land hate cards max. They have to be able to draw it and I have to be able to draw my anti-land hate.
When does a card hit the graveyard?
If I ghost quarter (I have to sacrifice it), when does the ghost quarter actually hit the graveyard? I was under the impression that it doesn't go to the graveyard until the ability resolves.
So in the case here, even if I activate GQ and he activities Relic in Response does it go in the following
1) Ghost Quarter Activities (sac)
2) he activities Relic in Response
First in Last Out. So Relic removes graveyard (but Ghost Quarter isn't there yet), ability resolves. Ghost Quarter resolves, going into graveyard. Unless Im missing something here.
Another simple one,
Lets say I have the following in play
1) Ghost Quarter
2) Crucible of the World
And my opponent has
1) Relic of Progenesis
I crack ghost quarter hitting his land and my ghost quarter goes into my graveyard. I want to play the ghost quarter (which crucible says I may play lands in my graveyard as if they were in my hand) Is there any point where he can respond to me playing my ghost quarter from my graveyard by removing it? I was under the impression you cannot respond to "playing" a land as it doesn't go on the stack.
If I have thought-knot seer and I use eldrazi displacer how do the triggers work out?
1) Eldrazi Displace targets Thought-Knot seer
2) Thought-Knot leaves play (trigger) and reenters field (trigger)
So, do they draw a new card first, then I exile another one? Or do they even get to draw a new card?
4 Eldrazi Temple
3 Eye of Ugin
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Waste
4 Caves of Koilos
2 Godless Shrine
3 Ghost Quarter
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon
1 Shambling Vents
4 Wasteland Stranger
3 Blight Herder
3 Oblivion Sower
2 Ulamog, the Cleaseless Hunger
3 Thought-Knot Seer
1 Eldrazi Displacer
Spells
2 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition
4 Path to Exile
4 Lingering Souls
3 Expedition Map
4 Relic of Pro
The land base is where Im having some issues as I only have 11 Black sources and 7 White sources. Of course this is shored up with the E-Maps, but I might drop the waste or 1 ghost quarter for another plains or godless shrine.
I added Vault and Tomb of the spirit dragon, because they are great utility lands. I believe that Tomb would be a good anti-aggro/anti-burn tech because with 4 creatures in play I can gain 4 life every turn. I think against burn I think thats enough gas. Plus it provides a waste mana.
The creature list seems right for a midrange and the eldrazi displacer is a place where I wanted to try. It does some combat stuff as well as on ETB effects. I believe a thought-knot seer plus eldrazi displacer means I can sculpt their hand =).
The rest seems pretty straight foward. I would love to hear what you guys think about it. thanks!
My reasoning:
Taps for colorless
Searchable with Map
I assume we usually have at least 3 creatures out on the board between the scions and what nots, so is 2 mana repeatable gain life good enough? Does save me a sideboard slot instead of having to play rest for weary.
I like having 2 relics in my sideboard because its gotten me out of life loam locks and grixis stuff (snapcasters im looking at you)
Thrag I dont quite like, earliest you can cast it is turn 3 (with an egg), problem is you have to draw it. Another problem is you can search for it with an eye. If it lands its amazing I give you that plus it buys you like 2-3 turns, but I find it too slow. Feed the clan I just look at it as 2 mana gain gain 5 life at instant speed and I can cast it way earlier. But to each their own. I think my side board is looking like
3 Nature's Claim
2 Relics of Pro
2 Crucible of the World (There is way too much land hate going on right now)
1-2 Crumble to dust (more tron means I need to run this more)
3 Feed the Clans (against aggro/burn) [Might replace it with purse of Murasa, but I dont think the hyper aggro decks run land destruction)
1 Spellskite (against aggro, boggles)
2 Rending Volley (kiki chord is still a think)
1 Thragtusk
I know theres this whole debate about Life from the Loam and Crucible, but color mana is at a premium, and dredge has gotten me into trouble before. What do you think?
I like your thinking, but sideboard wise what's your reasoning for 3 relics? Also do you feel thrag is too slow? I rather run feed the clan or that new 3 mana return land and creature gain 6 life card.
I do like ur main board, but I'm more 2 spells kite 2 ugin kinda guy