Might be coming back to the game after about a 6 month break. This is the list I was running to quite a bit of success. Just looking for anything I could add to the main, and what a good board looks like for the current meta.
Must have just been an oddity or a bad player when I was able to take out the Glimmervoid turn one. Still good to know City of Brass is a viable for more colored sources.
I believe the reason is, that these are too slow. Although Worker seems to interact nicely with Ravager and the other artifact critters, the 1-cost is too much for a non-essential creature. Frogmite is also too slow, you want to power out as many artifacts as possible, and this creature is simply a slowdown when it comes to a great turn-one hand.
Thanks I've read a lot of material in the past day about affinity and that makes a lot of sense for what the deck is trying to do.
As far as lands go I know 4 Ink/Blink 4 Citadel are necessary. My question is does this deck really care about the damage from City of Brass? I'm no saying run 3-4 of them , but why not a split between City of Brass and Glimmervoid? I only say this because I've blown out affinity a few times on turn 1 with a removal spell which in turn destroys their land.
Well, played RUG Loam at my LGS this evening to a dismal 1-2 in a tourney of 8 people. The games I won, I crushed but I think I just forgot how to mulligan properly. I kept some kind of loose hands and got punished for it. I can post more info on the evening but it isn't really all that exciting. I either had control into the combo and won, or I didn't see jack and lost. Played against BW Tokens, 5 color Defenders?, and MonoG Devotion Combo. Lost to Tokens and Devotion. The deck feels powerful still, just my poor piloting.
Unfortunate to hear. Have you tried Young Pyromancer in your build? I've found it to be quite powerful in spell heavy builds. It can be aggressive, and defensive at the same time. I've been considering trying out some RUG lists I'll probably post a rough draft soon.
I dropped the morphs out of this lists and added commute with the gods as well as an extra fire-lit Thicket and this rg list is running extremely fast. I'm just now getting into modern and have been playing the Jund version of assault Loam -goyf +dryads, this version seems to just run way faster and the communes help fill the yard up faster. I really like the deck and hope to make it a competitor.
I had kind of forgotten about that list. I had given up on it, then found Commune with the Gods a little bit later. I didn't even give a second thought to using it in an Pyromancer Ascension build. I think with Commune with the Gods you could probably run 3 Pyromancer Ascension. Not sure if Tarmogoyf has a spot in the deck, but it could be alright with Commune pumping it up and finding it.
Yeah he seems like a great tool against burn and aggro even if he isn't great in the main Ill try him in the sideboard. I'm definitely going to try 3 cost Ajani to see of the +1/+1 counter ability is useful. It seems like it could be great for trumping opposing goyfs and after a few turns you'll have a huge creature to give double strike/flying to end the game.
You do have a more zooish feel to your list, so I can understand that. Knight does come with a toolbox for some forms of evasion. I think a singleton wolf run isn't bad for the late game getting knight damage through. Not sure what kind of decks you are playing against or having trouble with. If you posted anything on that I don't recall that I saw it. You do mention UWR control. I haven't had too much issue with that match up since they have to keep mana open to keep you at bay which means they aren't landing threats. Eventually we just grind them out.
I play in tournament testing on mtgo, so I see a lot of stuff. Off the top of my head Splinter Twin, Ad Nauseum, Hive Mind, UWR Control, Jund, GW Hate Bears, Affinity, Grixis/5c Cruel Control, Storm Ascension, UR Delver, RUG aggro, BUG aggro, Tron variants.
Control isn't a bad matchup you're right that you can grind them out even if it's just with flame jab. Still I want to try smiter not just for control, but also against the blue aggro decks and jund. I have trouble with Ad Nauseum/Hive Mind and Storm for the most part. Jund is a hard one as well.
I'm gonna test Knight in place of Young Pyromancer that's a variant I haven't really tried, and it might curve well with ape/lion into goyf then knight.
@Capt. Nick: I was mostly thinking Smiter for his uncounterable clause so I would have a threat against UWR control that gets around bolt, spellsnare, and mana leak. But I'm dropping Finks anyway the deck is already strong against aggro. This is what I'm thinking.
@mykatdied: My deck is more midrange aggro than control. I'm trying to win by dropping efficient threats that swing while I use removal to clear the board. The assault loam combo gives me a late game that can either grind out control decks, or clear the board of any blockers. Knight wasn't bad by any means but it has no evasion and often competed with Seismic Assault for what I wanted to drop on turn 3/4. I don't know maybe I'm wrong it's just what works for me.
This is my latest list. It's by far the most consistent list I've tested. Dropped Knight because it was just too slow/expensive kin my testing. Sideboard could use some work.
@mykatdied: You make a valid point about the black splash and sideboard. I'll try a few of those suggestions and drop the black splash for now.
@Capt. Nick: I'll keep you posted with my lists. Right now I'm trying a bunch of variants to see what cards have good synergy in a loam build. I'm actually also playing something really similar to the 4-0 RG list you posted a few pages back. Only difference in my list is Goblin Guide over Countryside Crusher, and no Gitaxian Probe. I might try the Crushers, but they don't seem great with so few lands.
I understand where you're coming from about Goyf I think you'd be better served by any of the awesome Planeswalkers in naya colors. They give you utility as well as buffing Goyf even more. Domri and Ajani, Caller of the Pride are solid as 3-drops. Elspeth and Ajani Vengent are good in a controlish build. Chandra Pyromaster is decent as well. I'd look into those before running a random Shock.
Also, you are probably missing out on the toolbox abilities on Knight. Definitely get a filter land in there. And probably a Horizon Canopy as well. I doubt you'll need 10 fetches. 8 should be plenty. And don't forgot about Sejiri Steppe. It's a free counterspell for you.
I don't know if I'm sold on the black splash. I don't think you gain much from the Inquisitions. You'd probably be better off with Grand Abolishers or Ethersworn Canonists depending on what you wanted the Inquisitions for originally.
The inquisitions are for control or combo so you're probably right about that. Still Rakdos charm is the real reason to have 1 black source because it's so versatile. It's good against any graveyard deck, it's another removal spell for affinity and a way to kill vials, and finally the ability that seems most irrelevant just straight up beats splinter twin when they combo off.
I'll have to test some different lands, but more often than not I'm just swinging with Knight to finish the game in 2 turns cause she's almost always a 7/7 or better.
1 premium foil card (any rarity, including the extremely rare premium foil Power Nine card), OR 1 Power Nine card
Looking at the pictures the power nine look like they're mythic rarity. I read this as the foil in each pack can be either a random foil card, a foil power nine, or a regular power nine card. This could mean power nine cards are pretty common depending on what the chances are for them to be in the foil slot. Or it could mean they aren't super common but they don't want them to be quite mythic rare.
We'll have to wait and see, but if the power nine are mythic that likely means they take up most of the sets mythic spots.
Yeah you might be right about pyromancer. I need to test both as they are quite different cards. Pyromancer is probably the stronger card it combos with flame jab and loam, as well as giving you a token for a lot of your other spells. Souls has the benefit of being milled with loam, or pitched to faithless looting for free flyers. It really depends on how aggressive I want to be, but right now I'm leaning towards winning in the late game. Tarmogoyf plus Knight is just too much for a lot of decks to deal with. They either act as walls until I get assault active, or just kill the opponent in a few swings. Goyf really is a necessity for the naya version. Here's my latest list.
It's kind of rough, but it's been winning for me. I want to work on the sideboard a little bit. I'm still running Blood Crypt as it doesn't seem t hurt me and allows for more sideboard options. The Tarfire in the main is just to grow my goyf out of dismember range.
5 Swamp
2 Forest
2 Overgrown Tomb
4 Verdant Catacomb
2 Marsh Flats
4 Treetop Village
2 Twilight Mire
2 Woodland Cemetery
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Kitchen Finks
2 Eternal Witness
Spells 22
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Damnation
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Putrefy
4 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Death Cloud
Thanks I've read a lot of material in the past day about affinity and that makes a lot of sense for what the deck is trying to do.
As far as lands go I know 4 Ink/Blink 4 Citadel are necessary. My question is does this deck really care about the damage from City of Brass? I'm no saying run 3-4 of them , but why not a split between City of Brass and Glimmervoid? I only say this because I've blown out affinity a few times on turn 1 with a removal spell which in turn destroys their land.
Unfortunate to hear. Have you tried Young Pyromancer in your build? I've found it to be quite powerful in spell heavy builds. It can be aggressive, and defensive at the same time. I've been considering trying out some RUG lists I'll probably post a rough draft soon.
I had kind of forgotten about that list. I had given up on it, then found Commune with the Gods a little bit later. I didn't even give a second thought to using it in an Pyromancer Ascension build. I think with Commune with the Gods you could probably run 3 Pyromancer Ascension. Not sure if Tarmogoyf has a spot in the deck, but it could be alright with Commune pumping it up and finding it.
I play in tournament testing on mtgo, so I see a lot of stuff. Off the top of my head Splinter Twin, Ad Nauseum, Hive Mind, UWR Control, Jund, GW Hate Bears, Affinity, Grixis/5c Cruel Control, Storm Ascension, UR Delver, RUG aggro, BUG aggro, Tron variants.
Control isn't a bad matchup you're right that you can grind them out even if it's just with flame jab. Still I want to try smiter not just for control, but also against the blue aggro decks and jund. I have trouble with Ad Nauseum/Hive Mind and Storm for the most part. Jund is a hard one as well.
I'm gonna test Knight in place of Young Pyromancer that's a variant I haven't really tried, and it might curve well with ape/lion into goyf then knight.
4 Arid mesa
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Stomping Ground
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Temple Garden
2 Copperline Gorge
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Ghost Quarter
3 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Plains
4 Kird Ape
4 Loam Lion
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Life from the Loam
3 Seismic Assault
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Flame Jab
4 Faithless Looting
3 Path to Exile
3 Ghost Quarter
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Loxodon Smiter
2 Pillar of Flame
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Back to Nature
1 Revoke Existence
1 Stony Silence
@mykatdied: My deck is more midrange aggro than control. I'm trying to win by dropping efficient threats that swing while I use removal to clear the board. The assault loam combo gives me a late game that can either grind out control decks, or clear the board of any blockers. Knight wasn't bad by any means but it has no evasion and often competed with Seismic Assault for what I wanted to drop on turn 3/4. I don't know maybe I'm wrong it's just what works for me.
4 Arid mesa
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Stomping Ground
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Temple Garden
2 Copperline Gorge
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
2 Ghost Quarter
3 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Plains
4 Kird Ape
4 Loam Lion
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Life from the Loam
3 Seismic Assault
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Flame Jab
4 Faithless Looting
3 Path to Exile
3 Lightning Helix
2 Pilar of Flame
2 Torpor Orb
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Revoke Existence
2 Ghost Quarter
1 Bojuka Bog
I'm thinking maybe this for the SB.
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Loxodon Smiter
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Kitchen Finks
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Revoke Existence
1 Stony Silence
@Capt. Nick: I'll keep you posted with my lists. Right now I'm trying a bunch of variants to see what cards have good synergy in a loam build. I'm actually also playing something really similar to the 4-0 RG list you posted a few pages back. Only difference in my list is Goblin Guide over Countryside Crusher, and no Gitaxian Probe. I might try the Crushers, but they don't seem great with so few lands.
The inquisitions are for control or combo so you're probably right about that. Still Rakdos charm is the real reason to have 1 black source because it's so versatile. It's good against any graveyard deck, it's another removal spell for affinity and a way to kill vials, and finally the ability that seems most irrelevant just straight up beats splinter twin when they combo off.
I'll have to test some different lands, but more often than not I'm just swinging with Knight to finish the game in 2 turns cause she's almost always a 7/7 or better.
4 Arid Mesa
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Marsh Flats
2 Stomping Ground
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Temple Garden
2 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Forest
4 Kird Ape
4 Loam Lion
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lightning Helix
3 Path to Exile
4 Boros Charm
1 Rancor
1 Seal of Flame
1 Tarfire
4 Molten Rain
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Torpor Orb
2 Pillar of Flame
1 Revoke Existence
Looking at the pictures the power nine look like they're mythic rarity. I read this as the foil in each pack can be either a random foil card, a foil power nine, or a regular power nine card. This could mean power nine cards are pretty common depending on what the chances are for them to be in the foil slot. Or it could mean they aren't super common but they don't want them to be quite mythic rare.
We'll have to wait and see, but if the power nine are mythic that likely means they take up most of the sets mythic spots.
4 Arid Mesa
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Marsh Flats
2 Stomping Ground
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Blood Crypt
1 Temple Garden
2 Mountain
1 Plains
1 forest
2 Ghost Quarter
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Raging Ravine
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Seismic Assault
4 Life from the Loam
4 Faithless Looting
3 Flame Jab
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Tarfire
3 Path to Exile
2 Pyroclasm
1 Revoke Existence
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Ancient Grudge
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Rakdos Charm
2 Torpor Orb
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Bojuka Bog
It's kind of rough, but it's been winning for me. I want to work on the sideboard a little bit. I'm still running Blood Crypt as it doesn't seem t hurt me and allows for more sideboard options. The Tarfire in the main is just to grow my goyf out of dismember range.