Favorable doesn't mean 50/50 and therein lies the issue. Midrange is supposed to prey upon aggro decks but it's not the case.
I said favorable to 50/50 depending on your and their hand. So i feel usually very slightly in favor of winning the match. Spirits indeed is worse, but like i stated before, not unmanagable.
Yes, traverse list has a nice enough removal package that it can play around Meddling Mage easily but between Thalia and Freebooter, you still might lose with a removal heavy hand. The supposed play the control and don't be the beatdown angle might also not work when you're hit with multiple buglers.
Spirits MU is even worse since you can't really block except with souls tokens. Also if they quell a couple of your removal spells and you don't have follow ups, you're gonna get got. Similiarly they can just bury you under CA if they draw multiple CoCos or if they get multiple activations off Moorland Haunt. Sure, you can try to play around all their tricks but it's not an exact science and you might just not be in a good position when you're on the draw and they're ahead on the board.
Singleton Bob I added to 60 does help with not getting buried part but even then, there'll be games where you'll die with cards in hand because you couldn't answer an early Aether Vial.
On the subject of satisfaction, I totally agree. Especially traversing for the win is really nice.
It's basically easier to get free wins with other decks.
Like with Tron, you go T3 Karn and even an unfavourable matchup like ad nauseam becomes favourable with all the land destruction you got going or with Humans/Hollow One/Hardened Scales, you drop a bunch of champions, lieutenants and images or hollow bois/ravagers and you have a ton of power on T3 and you can close the game on T4 or T5 easily through multiple removal spells.
With Abzan Traverse, you have to follow all the graveyards for goyf/delirium while keeping track of your bauble triggers meanwhile having a good handle on mana management of your 3-color deck and strategy for disruption/removal/hate pieces in any given matchup and even then, your most busted draws won't be able to beat other decks' most busted draws. You also need to be able to sequence perfectly while being a bit lucky with your matchups and games, like dodging Tron/Scapeshift or slightly fringe decks like mill. So yea, even if you play perfectly and have good draws, better decks will run you over and you can't do anything about it pretty much. And by better decks, I mean aggro decks like Humans or Hardened Scales Affinity where you should be favored since you're a midrange deck but you end up not being favored because they have strong synergies.
Yes, Abzan Traverse is pretty hard to master and pilot, but therein lies the charm of the deck. I've never had a more satisfying feeling after an evening of magic and winning trough difficult mathups. To me, that's what makes the game worthwile. I've never been the "free win" type player and my deck choises reflect that. I'd like to challenge myself and prefer fair magic.
I however do not agree with the statement that Humans is unfavored. I've playtested this game many times and since i'm a humans player from the very start i have a prety good feeling of what it can do and where it's weaknesses lie. This is lots of varried removal. I'm a stong advocate of Path to Exile in Abzan because of its strength in the current meta. But moreso because of Meddling Mage often times naming Fatal Push.
Humans feels favorable to 50/50 most of the time. Only busted disruptive starts of Thalia, Guardian of Thraben into Mantis Rider into follow up powerups or more disruption are very difficult. The most agressive starts with humans actually prove to be no problem at all if your removal lines up, which it usually does. Spirits is more or less the same, as discussed earlier. Removal is key. No race, control. Imho.
I wouldn't cut GQ as it gives you a fair game 1 against our hardest matchups. I actually think the mana is not that bad at 19 with 3 bauble and 3 traverse. I don't recall ever being in trouble. Only thing i'm having trouble with sometimes is maximizing value on Scavenging Ooze. In those situations i'd prefer more green sources in play, but my focus is on double black for Liliana and I fetch rather conservatively.
Ballista would not be in place of the 4th bauble, but in place of the 1 of Grisly Salvage from the original list.
I think I'll give it a try, a lot of people swear by it, and I basically can get why.
Grisly Salvage also serves a niche role versus creature light decks to get instants in the yard, similar to Collective Brutality. It's also a non graveyard dependent dig for a silver bullet. I very much like the inclusion.
Question, since most of you seem to hold on to the full playset of Bauble. Do you, like me, cut a copy of Bauble to board in Nihil Spellbomb?
Abzan has more finishing power than Sultai. I agree with that statement completely. This however makes no case against Ballista and to me would be no reason to drop it.
To me it's a utility niche which has uses that surpass those of Bauble. The latter being great in the early game, preferable T1, but feels lackluster everywhere else.
I cannot think of any reason not to run a 3/1 split over a 4/0 split in favor of Bauble.
I've played Walking Ballista from the very start as a 4th copy of Bauble in Sultai since i didn't have the playset complete at the time.
To me it has proven to be more than that and has been a mainstay ever since.
I've done the pro-con vs Bauble several times and have to conclude i like Bauble only in me opener and nowhere else. Whereas i like Ballista everytime i see it.
It's a T2 removalspell for opposing Thalias (sans tax), Confidants, Dorks and the like. It a better enabler for Delirium (adds two types) and i've been in situations where i just traverse for it to close out the game.
I'd rather take two on my own terms than taking 3+ in the air with some hexproof giving lord or Queller Backup. It's all about efficiency. Same thing with Burn. Never board out TS. Taking Boros charm has net you +2life. Think about it.
Uh I have to intervene here
The classic argument of saving 2 life against Burn with TS by taking Boros Charm. I'll give you my perspective on this by linking the sideboard guide from the primer:
"One of the most common misconceptions involveds around Thoughtseize vs. Burn. Its incredibly bad to leave TS in. But why is that? I often hear people arguing that TS is not as bad against Burn, because you can potentially snatch a Boros Charm or Atarkas Command, effectively gaining 2 life, right? Well, its not that simple.
I look at Burn as being a combo deck, which just has to resolve 6-7 spells in order to win the game. Generally, each spell will do 3 or sometimes 4 dmg to the opponent, so for 20 life --> 7 spells with 3 dmg per spell or 6 spells with two spells dealing 4 dmg are needed. Burn is a very consistant deck (its a critical mass deck). It will more often than not draw the needed spells and just win. Now, when you are playing TS and taking Boros Charm out of the opponent’s hand, you annul the effect of Boros Charm which would have otherwise dealt 4 dmg to your face. But what you also did through this, is effective casting a free Shock on yourself. Combines this with a simple fetch you potentially did prior to this (even if you only fetched for 1) you effectively cast a free Lightning Bolt on yourself. So what did TS actually do for you? Nothing. You took Boros Charm, but bolted you alongside. You gave the opponent 1 of the 7 spells needed to kill you. (And to note, even if you don’t fetch for 1, you effectively cast a combo spell piece on yourself by casting TS, going down to 18 life and the burn player now just needs 6 instead of 7 3-dmg spells) So to conclude, if you TS the Burn player, you take away one spell they have but they simply have to draw one less spell alongside, which is just doing nothing."
So do you still think you are likely to save 2 life?
I like the math in here, it makes sense. To be critical, would it be the same if the hit was Eidolon of the great Revel? Or do we always just take 2dmg for removing it once it lands? And what if you need your removal for Goblin Guide?
Love to hear about a more comprehensive strategy versus burn.
Now concerning the Spirits matchup I am not sure its basically the same thing with TS. Generally I think its not wrong to take out TS. but Spell Queller specifically makes it a little harder.
CoCo is also another moment for spirits decks where they have their shields down and you can cash in your removal. You can either hit a creature with coco on stack or hit what they put on the table with ETB triggers on the stack. Nightmare scenario where they hit double drogskol or a combination of drogskol/image/kira to get a lock is pretty rare.
To me, double Drogskol is not that rare, and even less if you count in Kira. The deck also has lines like T1 Wanderer, T2 Selfless Spirit, T3 Drogskol into T4 CoCo. If your removal doensn't line up, you're in a very bad spot.
I've played UW spirits matchup like 10-15 times recently. I haven't played against a bant spirits player recently but I've played that deck in the past. No one said you should jam liliana into a possible spell queller, I said jamming flashbacked souls into a possible spell queller is fine. Being aggressive doesn't mean making bad plays. Being aggressive means you can't win just trying to control the board state and you should put an early clock on the board whenever you can instead of holding up removal, trying to get them to play defense since their creatures are smaller than ours and they have to chump. Playing defense is bad since you can only rely on lingering souls to block and that's about it.
This is formulated rather differently than your statements earlier, but this is the absolite truth. Not being defensive is something entirely different than being agrressive. Being on offence to make them block and sac their dudes obviously is totaly fine and is part of the more controling strategy.
Bant spirits deck has ~16 creature cards in it with 1 thoughness + their only grindy card that is Moorland Haunt that creates 1/1s. It'll almost always have one or multiple x/1 creatures on the board and they should reasonably board in RiP so Golgari Charm is more than fine.
Golgari charm is to slow for Hierarch. That should be removed asap. RiP is a fine target though.
Thoughtseize is bad against aggressive strategies that want to get your life to 0 as fast as they can. You're just 2-for-1'ing yourself, trading a card in their hand and shocking yourself and it's a dead draw mid to lategame. Not fetching-shocking is already a thing you should be doing on top of cutting thoughtseizes. Fetching-shocking can only reasonably done against decks where life total really doesn't matter since it's a super aggressive play.
I'd rather take two on my own terms than taking 3+ in the air with some hexproof giving lord or Queller Backup. It's all about efficiency. Same thing with Burn. Never board out TS. Taking Boros charm has net you +2life. Think about it.
Having a threat on the play when both sides are hellbent is what you should be aiming for, thoughtseize is not the way to do it.
I have played the matchup vs Bant and UW several times at FNM level and have positive game results to show for my actions. If what you say works for you then that's absolutely fine offcourse, but i get a feeling you guys are just theory crafting here. I've looked back a few pages and havn't read lots of reports to be frank.
We all know the most important factor of playing the midrange strategy is to know when to be the agressor and when to hang back and be more controling. Spirits is the more aggressive strategy, so you probably be better off to hang back a little.
Golgari Charm is situational. Agreed when it's good, it's great, But the spirits player will never have a board with some random 1/1's. If they do, you are probably winning, remember they need dead cards in the yard for the tokens to be there anyway.
The only part fully agree on is you should have a clock down at some point. But what's the use of dropping you goyf or flayer or even worse, Liliana into a possible Spell Queller? You should not drop any of the T1 discard spells. Being proactive and know what you're in for is very key to the strategy. The two life should be mittigated by fetching basics and play reserved. At the very worst, your discard spell transforms into a spot removal spell when they sac wanderer which should lead to a little more conservative play imho.
Most, if not all games v.s. Spirits have eventually led to empty hands on my opponents side and me with some sort of threat they have to deal with.
Our Lingering Souls are an awesome grinding tool against them if needed. Never once the games felt like i had to race. I just wanted to make that part very clear.
Edit: What should be said is that i feel the matchup is very favorable to use to begin with, so you probably should not have to overextend into boarding anyway.
I brought in Gaddock Teeg agains Bant Spirits to keep them of CoCo which is arguably their best play EOT. Landed it in game two and other than a possible topdecked Path they have no answer. Then again, if they do draw into one they usually have to choose.
Side in all the removal you have. I only didn't side in [cardGolgari Charm[/card] in favor of the aforementioned Teeg.
Let one thing be very clear. Spirits is no race! If you race, you lose. It's usually better to play the control deck and let them try to deploy. Just make sure you have the answers for it. Don't run your spells into Spell Queller either. Let them tap out.
Don't side out LotV either. It's the only possible answer you have to double Drogskol Captain, That boardstate is nigh unwinnable.
Yesterday, after a few weeks of playing Humans i finally to took my version of Abzan Traverse to a 4-0 win on FNM. The deck felt really smooth, play was tight and had some amazing sequences during the evening.
Round 1, Mardu Pyro (2-0 on the play)
Got paired with my friend who was on Mardu Pyro, usually a match i can win.
Game 1: was over pretty quick. T1 Thoughseize, T2 Tarmogoyf, T3 Liliana of the Veil versus an awful lot of looting.
Game 2: was a true grindfest. But i managed to stabilize at 5 life after a convinient topdecked Golgari Charm At one point, he managed to get some tokens trough and then tapped out to get a refill with Bedlam Reveler. I was on 2 life when he passed the turn. My final attack was enough to finish the game with Siege Rhino. Just in time since het drew a Lighting Bolt. Tense game.
Round 2, Mono G Tron (2-1 on the draw)
Now this is where the evenening really started to be great.
Game 1: He mulled to 5 and without any knowledge of my opponent, i kept a somewhat risky 7 with Overgrown Tomb, Ghost Quarter and some discard spells + Liliana of the Veil. He dropped Urza's Mine. Immagine the joy i felt He did't get to Tron that game and i discarted all his treaths (karn + Ulamog + Worldbreaker) i clocked him with Tarmogoyf.
Game 2: Tron did Tron things, while i only landed Stony Silence too late
Game 3: Mulliganned to 6, Land, Ghost Quarter, Liliana of the Veil, Grim Flayer and some stuff which i felt was reasonable. Topdecked land, Fulminator Mage, Land. Had an awesome sequence this game, T2 Grim Flayer, T3 Ghost Quarter + Fulminator Mage, T4 Liliana of the Veil, discard Path to Exile to enable Delirium, Swing for 6 and take two tron lands. That was pretty much it.
This one felt really really good
Round 3, Bant Spirits (2-0 on the draw)
Game 1: I kept a very removal heavy 7 which paid of. When i found out he was on spirits, i know i had to control the board first so he could not preassure me. Worked out perfectly.
Game 2: Pretty much the same, though his maindeck Kira, the Glass Spinner could have been troublesome if i didn't keep mana up to Abrupt Decay it eot. Dropped my Tarmogoyf. His next turn was 4 mana open. I feared Spell Queller so i passed after attacks and land drop. Eot he taps out for Collected Company and reveals two lords, Drogskol Captain and Supreme Phantom. Before passing priority again i Decay the captain and push the Phantom.
Again, this match felt great. Everything just lined up beautifully.
Round 4, Dredge (2-1 on the draw)
Again, a good friend of mine. He was at 3-0 at the time too and i offered a draw and play for fun. Realising we both knew the games we played before, he opted to play the game for real. Ok.
Game 1: Dredge, dredged the hell out of me.
Game 2: I cast Inquisition of Kozilek and saw two Cathartic Reunion. I took one and extracted the rest. Gained enough tempo for Anafenza, the Foremost and eventually Nihil Spellbomb to take the game. This was also a pretty thight game.
Game 3: Dredge did not do what Dredge do, and i did what i do with lots of Preassure on board. Grim Flayer trigger let me put Nihil Spellbomb on top. next turn it was over.
All in all the evening was filled with great games and matches which are chalanging to say the least. Felt awesome afterwards. The Abzan variant of traverse certainly is smoother and more robust than the (fast)Sultai version. Loved it. Path and Souls are truely worth it to be in white and the finishing power of the maindeck creature suite is very real.
The more I play with the deck, With wins versus Mardu Pyro, GR Tooth and Nail and Spirits yesterday, the more i'm starting to like it.
It's definetely different than the Sultai variant. The sideboard is way more proactive and mainboard Souls and Path are pretty good right now.
I've changed to Abzan too, just to try it as something different as opposed to Sultai. I had all the pieces laying around so why not.
Got stuped pretty hard with it by dredge though.
My friend resleaved it with the new Stitcher's Supplier. Unfortunately Bojuka Bog did nothing and Scavenging Ooze was hard to use and gain immediate value of off before it got blasted by Conflagrate
Does anyone has some playtips for this matchup? I've boarded out all discard spells in favour of threats and wipes.
I allready play Anafenza, The foremost main which is a house against dredge but i didn't manage to get to it in time.
I said favorable to 50/50 depending on your and their hand. So i feel usually very slightly in favor of winning the match. Spirits indeed is worse, but like i stated before, not unmanagable.
So much win!
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Yes, Abzan Traverse is pretty hard to master and pilot, but therein lies the charm of the deck. I've never had a more satisfying feeling after an evening of magic and winning trough difficult mathups. To me, that's what makes the game worthwile. I've never been the "free win" type player and my deck choises reflect that. I'd like to challenge myself and prefer fair magic.
I however do not agree with the statement that Humans is unfavored. I've playtested this game many times and since i'm a humans player from the very start i have a prety good feeling of what it can do and where it's weaknesses lie. This is lots of varried removal. I'm a stong advocate of Path to Exile in Abzan because of its strength in the current meta. But moreso because of Meddling Mage often times naming Fatal Push.
Humans feels favorable to 50/50 most of the time. Only busted disruptive starts of Thalia, Guardian of Thraben into Mantis Rider into follow up powerups or more disruption are very difficult. The most agressive starts with humans actually prove to be no problem at all if your removal lines up, which it usually does. Spirits is more or less the same, as discussed earlier. Removal is key. No race, control. Imho.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Grisly Salvage also serves a niche role versus creature light decks to get instants in the yard, similar to Collective Brutality. It's also a non graveyard dependent dig for a silver bullet. I very much like the inclusion.
Question, since most of you seem to hold on to the full playset of Bauble. Do you, like me, cut a copy of Bauble to board in Nihil Spellbomb?
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
To me it's a utility niche which has uses that surpass those of Bauble. The latter being great in the early game, preferable T1, but feels lackluster everywhere else.
I cannot think of any reason not to run a 3/1 split over a 4/0 split in favor of Bauble.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
To me it has proven to be more than that and has been a mainstay ever since.
I've done the pro-con vs Bauble several times and have to conclude i like Bauble only in me opener and nowhere else. Whereas i like Ballista everytime i see it.
It's a T2 removalspell for opposing Thalias (sans tax), Confidants, Dorks and the like. It a better enabler for Delirium (adds two types) and i've been in situations where i just traverse for it to close out the game.
I won't be taking it from my deck anytime soon.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
I like the math in here, it makes sense. To be critical, would it be the same if the hit was Eidolon of the great Revel? Or do we always just take 2dmg for removing it once it lands? And what if you need your removal for Goblin Guide?
Love to hear about a more comprehensive strategy versus burn.
Let's put it this way, ive yet to regret it.
To me, double Drogskol is not that rare, and even less if you count in Kira. The deck also has lines like T1 Wanderer, T2 Selfless Spirit, T3 Drogskol into T4 CoCo. If your removal doensn't line up, you're in a very bad spot.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Still enjoying my evening last friday.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
This is formulated rather differently than your statements earlier, but this is the absolite truth. Not being defensive is something entirely different than being agrressive. Being on offence to make them block and sac their dudes obviously is totaly fine and is part of the more controling strategy.
Golgari charm is to slow for Hierarch. That should be removed asap. RiP is a fine target though.
I'd rather take two on my own terms than taking 3+ in the air with some hexproof giving lord or Queller Backup. It's all about efficiency. Same thing with Burn. Never board out TS. Taking Boros charm has net you +2life. Think about it.
Truth there about the Threat, for TS see above
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
We all know the most important factor of playing the midrange strategy is to know when to be the agressor and when to hang back and be more controling. Spirits is the more aggressive strategy, so you probably be better off to hang back a little.
Golgari Charm is situational. Agreed when it's good, it's great, But the spirits player will never have a board with some random 1/1's. If they do, you are probably winning, remember they need dead cards in the yard for the tokens to be there anyway.
The only part fully agree on is you should have a clock down at some point. But what's the use of dropping you goyf or flayer or even worse, Liliana into a possible Spell Queller? You should not drop any of the T1 discard spells. Being proactive and know what you're in for is very key to the strategy. The two life should be mittigated by fetching basics and play reserved. At the very worst, your discard spell transforms into a spot removal spell when they sac wanderer which should lead to a little more conservative play imho.
Most, if not all games v.s. Spirits have eventually led to empty hands on my opponents side and me with some sort of threat they have to deal with.
Our Lingering Souls are an awesome grinding tool against them if needed. Never once the games felt like i had to race. I just wanted to make that part very clear.
Edit: What should be said is that i feel the matchup is very favorable to use to begin with, so you probably should not have to overextend into boarding anyway.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Side in all the removal you have. I only didn't side in [cardGolgari Charm[/card] in favor of the aforementioned Teeg.
Let one thing be very clear. Spirits is no race! If you race, you lose. It's usually better to play the control deck and let them try to deploy. Just make sure you have the answers for it. Don't run your spells into Spell Queller either. Let them tap out.
Don't side out LotV either. It's the only possible answer you have to double Drogskol Captain, That boardstate is nigh unwinnable.
I took out: 1 Seige Rhino, Anafenza, the Foremost and Liliana, the last Hope
In: Shriekmaw, Gaddock Teeg and Damnation.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
1 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Plains
2 Blooming Marsh
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Temple Garden
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marsh Flats
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Treetop Village
Creatures
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Grim Flayer
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Walking Ballista
1 Anafenza, the Foremost
2 Siege Rhino
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Liliana, the last Hope
3 Mishra's Bauble
3 Traverse the Ulvenwald
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
3 Fatal Push
2 Path to Exile
1 Collective Brutality
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Grisly Salvage
3 Lingering Souls
1 Bojuka Bog
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Stony Silence
1 Golgari Charm
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Thrun, the last Troll
1 Damnation
1 Shriekmaw
Round 1, Mardu Pyro (2-0 on the play)
Got paired with my friend who was on Mardu Pyro, usually a match i can win.
Game 1: was over pretty quick. T1 Thoughseize, T2 Tarmogoyf, T3 Liliana of the Veil versus an awful lot of looting.
Game 2: was a true grindfest. But i managed to stabilize at 5 life after a convinient topdecked Golgari Charm At one point, he managed to get some tokens trough and then tapped out to get a refill with Bedlam Reveler. I was on 2 life when he passed the turn. My final attack was enough to finish the game with Siege Rhino. Just in time since het drew a Lighting Bolt. Tense game.
Round 2, Mono G Tron (2-1 on the draw)
Now this is where the evenening really started to be great.
Game 1: He mulled to 5 and without any knowledge of my opponent, i kept a somewhat risky 7 with Overgrown Tomb, Ghost Quarter and some discard spells + Liliana of the Veil. He dropped Urza's Mine. Immagine the joy i felt He did't get to Tron that game and i discarted all his treaths (karn + Ulamog + Worldbreaker) i clocked him with Tarmogoyf.
Game 2: Tron did Tron things, while i only landed Stony Silence too late
Game 3: Mulliganned to 6, Land, Ghost Quarter, Liliana of the Veil, Grim Flayer and some stuff which i felt was reasonable. Topdecked land, Fulminator Mage, Land. Had an awesome sequence this game, T2 Grim Flayer, T3 Ghost Quarter + Fulminator Mage, T4 Liliana of the Veil, discard Path to Exile to enable Delirium, Swing for 6 and take two tron lands. That was pretty much it.
This one felt really really good
Round 3, Bant Spirits (2-0 on the draw)
Game 1: I kept a very removal heavy 7 which paid of. When i found out he was on spirits, i know i had to control the board first so he could not preassure me. Worked out perfectly.
Game 2: Pretty much the same, though his maindeck Kira, the Glass Spinner could have been troublesome if i didn't keep mana up to Abrupt Decay it eot. Dropped my Tarmogoyf. His next turn was 4 mana open. I feared Spell Queller so i passed after attacks and land drop. Eot he taps out for Collected Company and reveals two lords, Drogskol Captain and Supreme Phantom. Before passing priority again i Decay the captain and push the Phantom.
Again, this match felt great. Everything just lined up beautifully.
Round 4, Dredge (2-1 on the draw)
Again, a good friend of mine. He was at 3-0 at the time too and i offered a draw and play for fun. Realising we both knew the games we played before, he opted to play the game for real. Ok.
Game 1: Dredge, dredged the hell out of me.
Game 2: I cast Inquisition of Kozilek and saw two Cathartic Reunion. I took one and extracted the rest. Gained enough tempo for Anafenza, the Foremost and eventually Nihil Spellbomb to take the game. This was also a pretty thight game.
Game 3: Dredge did not do what Dredge do, and i did what i do with lots of Preassure on board. Grim Flayer trigger let me put Nihil Spellbomb on top. next turn it was over.
All in all the evening was filled with great games and matches which are chalanging to say the least. Felt awesome afterwards. The Abzan variant of traverse certainly is smoother and more robust than the (fast)Sultai version. Loved it. Path and Souls are truely worth it to be in white and the finishing power of the maindeck creature suite is very real.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Damping Sphere is in there mainly because i don't own more copies of Fulminator Mage. Could probably be Stony Silence
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
It's definetely different than the Sultai variant. The sideboard is way more proactive and mainboard Souls and Path are pretty good right now.
Currently, this is what I play.
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marsh Flats
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Temple Garden
2 Blooming Marsh
1 Treetop Vilage
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Plains
Planeswalkers (4)
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Liliana, the last Hope
Creatures (13)
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Grim Flayer
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Walking Ballista
1 Anafenza, the Foremost
2 Siege Rhino
3 Mishra's Bauble
3 Traverse the Ulvenwald
3 Fatal Push
2 Path to Exile
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Grisly Salvage
1 Collective Brutality
3 Lingering Souls
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Surgixal Extraction
2 Damping Sphere
1 Golgari Charm
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Thrun, the last Troll
1 Damnation
1 Shriekmaw
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -
Got stuped pretty hard with it by dredge though.
My friend resleaved it with the new Stitcher's Supplier. Unfortunately Bojuka Bog did nothing and Scavenging Ooze was hard to use and gain immediate value of off before it got blasted by Conflagrate
Does anyone has some playtips for this matchup? I've boarded out all discard spells in favour of threats and wipes.
I allready play Anafenza, The foremost main which is a house against dredge but i didn't manage to get to it in time.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW Bushwhacker Zoo -