I feel like Spell Snare is a great 2 of in this deck, and also your sideboard might need more cards that deal with tron, but other than that it is very similar to my list.
I am also very tempted to run Elspeth, as if you hit her with Geist on the field, it generally spells doom for your opponent...That being said, she still seems like a win more card...if you have control and Geist is on the field, you should win 9 times out of 10 anyways...
There is one card I don't see enough of in this deck imo...
Even if it means pulling the second Tectonic Edge, I think Moorland Haunt is great in this deck in the mirror, against affinity, and to put a faster clock potentially on tron...
I love this card in UWR and it has won me quite a few games...
I've been following Modern for awhile, trying to build a deck for the last few months. I've played URW in standard since it was an archetype. I felt building this deck would be the easiest transition into the modern format since I'm so familiar with this archetype.
Here's the list I've been trying to build.
The only cards I need to acquire are the Fetchlands, Cryptic Command's, and Vendilion Clique's. I've tested it a bit on Cockatrice with some friends, but outside of that I haven't played any REAL games or tournaments with it. The list does seem pretty solid though. I have yet to make a sideboard for this, I feel that will probably be the hardest thing to do. I'm just not sure which cards are bad in each match-up do to my lack of experience, I'd appreciate it if someone could help me.
If you are going to be running Cryptic Command which I am a fan of, having 6 sources of mana in your deck that do not have blue would be a bad option IMO...I would take out a mountain and plains for a Sulfur Falls and a Glacial Fortress respectively...
Also, since you are running the Commands, I would go 4 PtE and 2 Mana Leak
This may be a really stupid question, but does anyone consider using Mindbreak Trap in the sideboard? I'm sure there are just better sideboard cards, but as an effective way to combat storm (although its not that popular right now), Thrun, and Emrakul (although you should have ways to deal with the lands in the sideboard already)
While Leak is awesome, I'd rather be using Remand early game and I'd rather be using Command late game...I'm not saying there are not cases where Mana Leak does not shine, but Cryptic Command can tap out the opponent for Geist of Saint Traft, return a manland or planeswalker to the opponent's hand, or serve as one of the few hard counters in this deck...o yeah, and the cantrip is amazing of course...
Maybe I am just playing the deck wrong, but there are so many times when it seems like it is one snapcaster on my side and 1-2 weenier creatures on their side...in that scenario I feel like the +3/+3 flying is better than Ajani, but maybe that is just me...
I just don't see Storm and Scapeshift as being that common of decks, and there are very few matchups where I will be sad to see two paths in my hand as some point or another...
Honestly, my MVP of most matches outside of Geist and Lightning Bolt is Path to Exile...
4 x Geist of Saint Traft
4 x Snapcaster Mage
2 x Restoration Angel
3 x Vendillion Clique
4 x Path to Exile
4 x Lightning Bolt
3 x Lightning Helix
2 x Spell Snare
3 x Remand
2 x Electrolyze
2 x Cryptic Command
2x Elspeth, Knight Errant
25 Land
That is what I am running right now, with a pretty typical sideboard. I have thought about going to 2 x Remand for 4 x Lightning Helix, but more often than not I want an extra Geist swing for 6 than 3 to the face or creature for three life gain.
if we're going the PW route then Ajani fits better. there was a discussion about this some pages back.
From reading that discussion, I wouldn't say it was unanimous...and the ability to send Geist over the top, or even snapcaster, just proves to valuable...
Since my opponent shouldn't have a ton of threats on the field by the time my planeswalker hits the field, I basically see Ajani's -2 and Elspeth's second +1 as 3 damage, one just doesn't give you three life, but I can use Elspeth's every turn.
I have yet to lose a game when Elspeth hits the field, especially anywhere close to early...I guess you could say people don't feel they have to answer Ajani as much so he gets less attention, but an unchecked Elspeth WILL win you the game...
I have done some play testing of my UWR geist deck, although it isn't completed yet, and the one card I don't see TONS of in these decks that confuses me is Elspeth...
If you compare Elspeth to Resto Angel directly...
Resto:
YAY for extra snapcasting and vendilion cliquing...
Save that Geist from damage by blinking it out (although it will run into the same problem next turn)
Cool, a 3/4 flyer than can surprise the opponent...
Elspeth:
Why remove Geist when you can just turn him into a 5/5 flyer?
Need blockers against aggro? Look no further...
Ultimate, especially if you don't use it to kill her, all but wins you the game and is always so easy to get with her...
As much as this deck is "midrange," when most of the decks are running so much burn, turn 3 geist into turn 4 elspeth and swinging for 9 in the air is almost impossible to beat since you have already path to exiled them, spell snared them, and lightning bolted them...
And honestly, all this talk about combo seems kind of pointless to me...maybe you lose game 1...MAYBE...but if you are playing heavy control which most of these decks do and you lose to combo you should rethink your strategy more than your deck...
The only deck that truly HATES on this deck is tron, but that is why you sideboard in aven mindcensors and even some land destruction...
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I am also very tempted to run Elspeth, as if you hit her with Geist on the field, it generally spells doom for your opponent...That being said, she still seems like a win more card...if you have control and Geist is on the field, you should win 9 times out of 10 anyways...
Even if it means pulling the second Tectonic Edge, I think Moorland Haunt is great in this deck in the mirror, against affinity, and to put a faster clock potentially on tron...
I love this card in UWR and it has won me quite a few games...
If you are going to be running Cryptic Command which I am a fan of, having 6 sources of mana in your deck that do not have blue would be a bad option IMO...I would take out a mountain and plains for a Sulfur Falls and a Glacial Fortress respectively...
Also, since you are running the Commands, I would go 4 PtE and 2 Mana Leak
4x Geist of Saint Traft
4x Snapcaster Mage
3x Vendilion Clique
2x Restoration Angel
That being said, I think people vastly underestimate Cryptic Command. Here is the way I look at it...I kind of see it as either:
2x Mana Leak or 2x Cryptic Command
While Leak is awesome, I'd rather be using Remand early game and I'd rather be using Command late game...I'm not saying there are not cases where Mana Leak does not shine, but Cryptic Command can tap out the opponent for Geist of Saint Traft, return a manland or planeswalker to the opponent's hand, or serve as one of the few hard counters in this deck...o yeah, and the cantrip is amazing of course...
I mean, if you look at the decks that are getting top 8's that are U/W/R, they are still running resto it seems and no planeswalkers...
Most of them are 4x remand/PtE/helix/bolt, and then 2x other spells...
I feel like this deck truly probably works best when you run it focusing on counter...
Also, I don't know why everyone was so quick to jump off resto angel...she seems so invaluable in games that go more than 4 turns...
Honestly, my MVP of most matches outside of Geist and Lightning Bolt is Path to Exile...
4 x Snapcaster Mage
2 x Restoration Angel
3 x Vendillion Clique
4 x Path to Exile
4 x Lightning Bolt
3 x Lightning Helix
2 x Spell Snare
3 x Remand
2 x Electrolyze
2 x Cryptic Command
2x Elspeth, Knight Errant
25 Land
That is what I am running right now, with a pretty typical sideboard. I have thought about going to 2 x Remand for 4 x Lightning Helix, but more often than not I want an extra Geist swing for 6 than 3 to the face or creature for three life gain.
From reading that discussion, I wouldn't say it was unanimous...and the ability to send Geist over the top, or even snapcaster, just proves to valuable...
Since my opponent shouldn't have a ton of threats on the field by the time my planeswalker hits the field, I basically see Ajani's -2 and Elspeth's second +1 as 3 damage, one just doesn't give you three life, but I can use Elspeth's every turn.
I have yet to lose a game when Elspeth hits the field, especially anywhere close to early...I guess you could say people don't feel they have to answer Ajani as much so he gets less attention, but an unchecked Elspeth WILL win you the game...
If you compare Elspeth to Resto Angel directly...
Resto:
YAY for extra snapcasting and vendilion cliquing...
Save that Geist from damage by blinking it out (although it will run into the same problem next turn)
Cool, a 3/4 flyer than can surprise the opponent...
Elspeth:
Why remove Geist when you can just turn him into a 5/5 flyer?
Need blockers against aggro? Look no further...
Ultimate, especially if you don't use it to kill her, all but wins you the game and is always so easy to get with her...
As much as this deck is "midrange," when most of the decks are running so much burn, turn 3 geist into turn 4 elspeth and swinging for 9 in the air is almost impossible to beat since you have already path to exiled them, spell snared them, and lightning bolted them...
And honestly, all this talk about combo seems kind of pointless to me...maybe you lose game 1...MAYBE...but if you are playing heavy control which most of these decks do and you lose to combo you should rethink your strategy more than your deck...
The only deck that truly HATES on this deck is tron, but that is why you sideboard in aven mindcensors and even some land destruction...