I'm a huge fan of Living End , but I'm not convinced the current incarnation is good enough in the current metagame (even though it has some good finishes online, but never at a major event).
I'm also a fan of As Foretold , I tried the Living End variant, but it's a lot less explosive and more inconsistent.
So, I've been trying alternatives, and I came across this article:
I played that on a MTGO League, and I went 2-3, losing to Jund, Abzan and RG Ponza, and beating Tron and Eldritch Evolution combo.
The LD fatties were extremely clunky, clogged my hand, and my deck had basically no counterplay (and a very ugly manabase that suffered vs Jund and Ponza). I had the classic issue with Living End decks of doing one round of reanimating and then getting stuck with Living Ends and uncastable fatties in hand while my opponent recovered. The one bright spot was Breaking // Entering, which was an all star, being useful in both modes.
The other option would be to find a way to make the Cascade Living End variant less clunky - either more discard, add misers' Faithless Lootings and hope they aren't hit with cascade? Or go more all-in on the fatty reanimation theme.
This was what I played on MTGO, definitely not optimal:.
I might maindeck some number of Shriekmaws, the Cryptic Command was worse than useless, the manabase was very clunky and Gemstone Caverns/18 land don't work well with Breaking/Entering as you want to reach 6 mana, and I definitely wanted more draw/discard cards. I also got killed by Blood Moon (might need some basic Forests in there and fetchlands).
The Dark-Dwellers were a nice addition against discard, but might be better in the SB. Samut is a card I love in theory but isn't as impactful in practice (maybe use Urabrask?).
Well, plenty of ideas there, I'd love your input and help transforming these piles into something that can win games
I'm also a fan of As Foretold , I tried the Living End variant, but it's a lot less explosive and more inconsistent.
So, I've been trying alternatives, and I came across this article:
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/instant-deck-tech-land-destruction-reanimator-modern
Living End already has great synergy with Fulminator Mage, and reanimating Woodfall Primus and Ashen Rider over and over should be backbreaking.
I first tried shoehorning the LD combo in the standard Living End shell, adding Breaking // Entering and Thirst for Knowledge to put the LD fatties in the graveyard. I also added Unburial Rites
I played that on a MTGO League, and I went 2-3, losing to Jund, Abzan and RG Ponza, and beating Tron and Eldritch Evolution combo.
The LD fatties were extremely clunky, clogged my hand, and my deck had basically no counterplay (and a very ugly manabase that suffered vs Jund and Ponza). I had the classic issue with Living End decks of doing one round of reanimating and then getting stuck with Living Ends and uncastable fatties in hand while my opponent recovered. The one bright spot was Breaking // Entering, which was an all star, being useful in both modes.
An As Foretold build could be more resilient and leaves room for disruption (especially Collective Brutality) and doesn't require R G like Violent Outburst.
So, what I'm thinking about is something like:
1 Ancestral Vision
4 Faithless Looting
4 Collective Brutality
1 Ideas Unbound
1 Search for Azcanta
LD Creatures:
4 Fulminator Mage
4 Woodfall Primus
3 Ashen Rider
Reanimation
4 Footsteps of the Goryo
4 Living End
4 As Foretold
1 Street Wraith
1 Archfiend of Ifnir
3 Curator of Mysteries
Lands and mana:
2 Simian Spirit Guide
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
4 Darkslick Shores
1 Reflecting Pool
2 Spirebluff Canal
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Polluted Delta
1 Mana Confluence
1 City of Brass
1 Blood Crypt
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Steam Vents
1 Island
1 Swamp
I wonder if adding the Esper Gifts core (Iona, Shield of Emeria, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite and Unburial Rites + Gifts Ungiven would be worth it.
I'd also like to shoehorn some Cryptic Commands in there.
Not sure if Ideas Unbound, Search for Azcanta or Collective Brutality are the best secondary draw/discard engines.
--
The other option would be to find a way to make the Cascade Living End variant less clunky - either more discard, add misers' Faithless Lootings and hope they aren't hit with cascade? Or go more all-in on the fatty reanimation theme.
This was what I played on MTGO, definitely not optimal:.
1 Footsteps of the Goryo
3 Living End
4 Violent Outburst
2 Ardent Plea
1 Demonic Dread
4 Breaking /// Entering
4 Thirst for Knowledge
2 Unburial Rites
1 Compulsive Research
Creatures:
2 Fulminator Mage
1 Ashen Rider
4 Woodfall Primus
1 Street Wraith
1 Samut, Voice of Dissent
1 Faerie Macabre
4 Curator of Mysteries
1 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
1 Cryptic Command
Lands and mana:
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Darkslick Shores
1 Mana Confluence
2 Spirebluff Canal
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Blackcleave Cliffs
3 City of Brass
1 Island
3 Gemstone Mine
2 Forbidden Orchard
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Shriekmaw
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Fulminator Mage
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Ingot Chewer
1 Thragtusk
1 Gnaw to the Bone
2 Reclamation Sage
1 Avalanche Riders
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
I might maindeck some number of Shriekmaws, the Cryptic Command was worse than useless, the manabase was very clunky and Gemstone Caverns/18 land don't work well with Breaking/Entering as you want to reach 6 mana, and I definitely wanted more draw/discard cards. I also got killed by Blood Moon (might need some basic Forests in there and fetchlands).
The Dark-Dwellers were a nice addition against discard, but might be better in the SB. Samut is a card I love in theory but isn't as impactful in practice (maybe use Urabrask?).
Well, plenty of ideas there, I'd love your input and help transforming these piles into something that can win games