There's a handful of Gruul cards that cost 3 or less mana, but it looks like you're trying to storm out. Nonetheless, Keen Sense can grant you a massive card advantage or extra gas...
I don't think redundancy on combat damage is the way to go. I think the Swiftspear, Niv, and Gut is the way to go. Maybe even Firebrand Archer
Bloo 3.1 is imo way too dependent on TBR and has little options T2 to protect TiTi or KF (Shoal is an improvement, but it requires a blue card + gives card advantage to the opponent). I think Elemental shotgun addresses those pitfalls via Apostle's blessing, but the deck requires a very skilled pilot to navigate in the Modern landscape.
If you still wanna play Elemental shotgun some times, let us know, I will keep playing that deck and am happy to share ideas with motivated people.
Off the bat, I'd drop a Mountain for a Steam Vents with that main deck Slip Through Space and only 8 ways to cast it.
How often is Monastery Swiftspear getting there? I used to play them in the Rakdos, Grixis, and Jund builds I used to play, but I ended up replacing them (or at least 2 of them) with Flamekin Harbingers. Sometimes in removal heavy events I'd play 13 creatures, with 2 Harbingers and 3 Swiftspears, but even then I just hoped Swiftspear would take an early hit.
Spark of Creativity and the upcoming Rile from Ixalan got me excited to brew with this and Dirty Red again. I think in the absence of Gitaxian Probe I am more interested in playing Desperate Ritual lists, but I am always up for some Nivmagus action.
Deeproot ChampionManagorger Hydra
Throwing stuff out there. Opt
Kinda like the storm/UR prowess move. I like opt especially in this. Firebrand Archer in the storm like version board? or 2 of? just bad?
I'd want to go just RG or RU. RG could be more "traditional" shotgun with those green dudes and probably splash B for Tainted Strike
So Tron is having a heyday with Modern right now. It'd be a shame if we pulled out the... big guns. *trollface*
Seriously this has been fun to play in the competitive league since Saturday. It'll set you back about $40, entry fee included.
The deck may be better to include Surgical Extractions, Blood Moons, and Pacts of Negation in the side, but hey. I wanted to sling together a budget list to enjoy myself until people quit playing Tron variants.
This is almost card for card a deck I created about a year ago. Only difference is I ran 4 Manamorphose in the main and 2 Clout of the Dominus and 2 Gut Shot in the side.
This deck can be incredibly explosive. It can also be incredibly fragile. It's the epitome of a "glass-cannon" deck. Turn 2 kills are more common than you would expect. Ground Rift is the star of the deck. It lets you alpha strike with just a few pacts in hand. Tainted Strike, especially paired with Gut Shot to clear the way, makes hands without a Ground Rift viable. It's a fun deck to play, catches a lot of people off guard and can most definitely steal wins.
But it's not without its problems. It folds to discard. I mean completely folds. Keeping a killer hand with Nivmagus only to have it Thoughtseized is usually game over. Kiln fiend is awkward. It's a great secondary win-con, but a lot of the time it leaves you with a handful of pacts that you can't cast. And if you do have Nivmagus Elemental out to gobble up the pacts and power up Kiln Fiend, then most of the time you don't need Kiln Fiend to win. But, he kinda works with the gameplan, is a pretty decent plan B in his own right, and can be tutored with Flamekin Harbinger, so I guess its the best we got. I found Manamorphose to be invaluable. it helps you dig, mana fix, and add to your storm count and its cost is in line within the potentiality of the turn 2 kill.
Apostle's Blessing, Pact of Negation and a suite of hand disruption of your own are pretty necessary now that we don't have access to Gitaxian Probe to make sure your Nivmagus/Kiln Fiend stays alive long enough to string together an alpha strike.
Fun deck, but you have to run hotter than the sun to survive the plethora of answers the meta has to throw at you. My $.02
Nivmagus Elemental gets a bad wrap because his ability is seen as "card disadvantage" to a lot of people. But like you said, I tend not to think of Nivmagus needing to eat cards in order to grow, but rather those cards being "Pay 2 life: Creature gets +2/+2" or "0 cmc: Creature gets +2/+2". When you think about it in those terms, having half your deck being redundant Mutagenic Growths isn't all that terrible.
However, it must be said, that there is a very big distinction between Nivmagus and Gurmag Angler, and that distinction is Fatal Push. Dodging one of the most played removal spells in the format is what separates Gurmag Angler apart from Nivmagus, pound for pound. However, that's not to say a deck built around Nivmagus can't make it as powerful as Gurmag.
Unless there's some innovation or a new printing, I think the biggest hurdles for this deck will be 1) Having Nivmagus in hand on turn 1 and 2) how to protect Nivmagus once he resolves. Clout of the Dominus and Simian Spirit Guide can get pretty bonkers when you have the nut draw, but after turn 1 or maaaaybe 2, Clout gets progressively worse as your opponent gains the ability to respond to it on the stack with a removal spell.
And yes, in my opinion, 3-4 Leyline of Sanctity in the sideboard (or even main, depending on your meta) is a unfortunate necessity with the deck being so fragile to edict effects and hand disruption.
Sorry if this sounds too negative, it really is a fun deck. Getting those nuts draws and killing on turn 2 is a great feeling. But when you start inspecting its glaring weaknesses you realize that a deck like Bloo/UR Prowess is doing something similar, but doing it with much more resilience than what Elemental Shotgun can provide.
Agreed on the gripes about Clout of the Dominus, that's definitely something that makes it less-optimal to something like Apostle's Blessing. It's nice to have a 1 mana investment set-it-and-forget-it way of protecting your threat, and it is possible to work around the shroud disadvantage, but doing so probably just makes the deck worse as a whole.
My experience with the deck is solely online. I can see it being a great pick at your LGS if it attacks that particular meta, but online I found it's inconsistencies and weaknesses a little too bothersome for me personally. And I think you hit it on the head: threat density. Building a deck around Nivmagus requires a different approach than building around other prowess type creatures. And since Nivmagus is one-of-a-kind in the way he operates, that means other creatures you bring in won't synergize with your gameplan as well as Nivmagus does. Kiln Fiend seems to be the best fit, but even with him it means your pacts are mostly dead in hand. Of course if you're not playing the Pact version of this deck this isn't as relevant.
I started brewing with Firebrand Archer in the mix and most of the time it seemed like a pretty good alternative to Kiln Fiend, Thing in the Ice, Death's Shadow, or Young Pyromancer. It was nice to have an outlet for indirect damage while you were going off with Nivmagus. It lowered the number of spells you needed for a lethal strike and gave the opponent another threat to answer. Unfortunately smart players will just prioritize killing Nivmagus first and in that scenario, Firebrand Archer was not the best at closing up a game on it's own. I'm excited to see if Ravnica brings us any Izzet goodies that can slot into this deck. Fingers crossed.
Nivix Cyclops at 3 mana works better than a 4 mana threat that doesn't win the game when it hits.
I like TitI as a 3rd big threat in a cantrip heavy build. Though, that specific build may not utilize NivMaggy as well as an all in Elemental Combo version. It would support a ping build with Archer and Thermo-Alchemist
I like going back to a BR slower build with t1 discard, t2 threat t3 win.
Electrostatic Field I like as well but think these pingers would work in a ramp storm deck maybe into Storm Entity biggest issue is that they're all 2cmc so probably not. And that would most likely be an all in progressive combo deck not a make them stumble then one turn kill them deck.
Idk about nivmaggy. If the deck is heavy black and red with 4 thoughtseize 4 IoK I'd want to get Death's Shadow in the mix, as well. When I looked at a Grixis version with titi it seemed like a fragile grixis control cousin.
I'd lean towards an elecombo with discards and DS? Or is this just bringing back the past?
Or a red blue version similar to suicide bloooooo?
It's not fast, but it hit super hard. Like 50+ life hard in some instances.
Suffice to say I axed Kiln Fiend because the spitfire is more evasive, and guttersnipe is just hands down better.
This is a storm deck. You should be using Guttersnipe. Its a turn later and less power, but it has far fewer weaknesses.
Here's a few green cards that are good for storm in a G/R build:
Mutagenic Growth
Blossoming Defense
Avoid Fate
Manamorphose
There's a handful of Gruul cards that cost 3 or less mana, but it looks like you're trying to storm out. Nonetheless, Keen Sense can grant you a massive card advantage or extra gas...
I don't think redundancy on combat damage is the way to go. I think the Swiftspear, Niv, and Gut is the way to go. Maybe even Firebrand Archer
Please share some ideas and decklist.
How often is Monastery Swiftspear getting there? I used to play them in the Rakdos, Grixis, and Jund builds I used to play, but I ended up replacing them (or at least 2 of them) with Flamekin Harbingers. Sometimes in removal heavy events I'd play 13 creatures, with 2 Harbingers and 3 Swiftspears, but even then I just hoped Swiftspear would take an early hit.
Spark of Creativity and the upcoming Rile from Ixalan got me excited to brew with this and Dirty Red again. I think in the absence of Gitaxian Probe I am more interested in playing Desperate Ritual lists, but I am always up for some Nivmagus action.
Throwing stuff out there.
Opt
Kinda like the storm/UR prowess move. I like opt especially in this.
Firebrand Archer in the storm like version board? or 2 of? just bad?
I'd want to go just RG or RU. RG could be more "traditional" shotgun with those green dudes and probably splash B for Tainted Strike
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Seriously this has been fun to play in the competitive league since Saturday. It'll set you back about $40, entry fee included.
18 Mountain
4 Nivmagus Elemental
4 Kiln Fiend
3 Flamekin Harbinger
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Manamorphose
4 Ground Rift
4 Gut Shot
3 Slaughter Pact
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Assault Strobe
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Shattering Spree
4 Tormod's Crypt
3 Young Pyromancer
4 Wastes
The deck may be better to include Surgical Extractions, Blood Moons, and Pacts of Negation in the side, but hey. I wanted to sling together a budget list to enjoy myself until people quit playing Tron variants.
Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan, (6-4)
Format: Modern
Feb 03, 2018
1 Bedlam Reveler
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Thing in the Ice
Sorcery (4)
4 Serum Visions
Instant (25)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Manamorphose
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Opt
4 Temur Battle Rage
2 Disrupting Shoal
2 Dive Down
1 Gut Shot
1 Mountain
2 Island
3 Steam Vents
4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Spirebluff Canal
1 Bedlam Reveler
2 Blood Moon
2 Hurkyl's Recall
3 Leyline of the Void
2 Young Pyromancer
1 Shattering Spree
1 Spell Pierce
1 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Dragon's Claw
1 Izzet Staticaster
Cousin deck UR Prowess at protour.
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Certainly not Elemental Combo...
Got a deck tech from MTGGoldfish.
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This deck can be incredibly explosive. It can also be incredibly fragile. It's the epitome of a "glass-cannon" deck. Turn 2 kills are more common than you would expect. Ground Rift is the star of the deck. It lets you alpha strike with just a few pacts in hand. Tainted Strike, especially paired with Gut Shot to clear the way, makes hands without a Ground Rift viable. It's a fun deck to play, catches a lot of people off guard and can most definitely steal wins.
But it's not without its problems. It folds to discard. I mean completely folds. Keeping a killer hand with Nivmagus only to have it Thoughtseized is usually game over. Kiln fiend is awkward. It's a great secondary win-con, but a lot of the time it leaves you with a handful of pacts that you can't cast. And if you do have Nivmagus Elemental out to gobble up the pacts and power up Kiln Fiend, then most of the time you don't need Kiln Fiend to win. But, he kinda works with the gameplan, is a pretty decent plan B in his own right, and can be tutored with Flamekin Harbinger, so I guess its the best we got. I found Manamorphose to be invaluable. it helps you dig, mana fix, and add to your storm count and its cost is in line within the potentiality of the turn 2 kill.
Apostle's Blessing, Pact of Negation and a suite of hand disruption of your own are pretty necessary now that we don't have access to Gitaxian Probe to make sure your Nivmagus/Kiln Fiend stays alive long enough to string together an alpha strike.
Fun deck, but you have to run hotter than the sun to survive the plethora of answers the meta has to throw at you. My $.02
However, it must be said, that there is a very big distinction between Nivmagus and Gurmag Angler, and that distinction is Fatal Push. Dodging one of the most played removal spells in the format is what separates Gurmag Angler apart from Nivmagus, pound for pound. However, that's not to say a deck built around Nivmagus can't make it as powerful as Gurmag.
Unless there's some innovation or a new printing, I think the biggest hurdles for this deck will be 1) Having Nivmagus in hand on turn 1 and 2) how to protect Nivmagus once he resolves. Clout of the Dominus and Simian Spirit Guide can get pretty bonkers when you have the nut draw, but after turn 1 or maaaaybe 2, Clout gets progressively worse as your opponent gains the ability to respond to it on the stack with a removal spell.
And yes, in my opinion, 3-4 Leyline of Sanctity in the sideboard (or even main, depending on your meta) is a unfortunate necessity with the deck being so fragile to edict effects and hand disruption.
Sorry if this sounds too negative, it really is a fun deck. Getting those nuts draws and killing on turn 2 is a great feeling. But when you start inspecting its glaring weaknesses you realize that a deck like Bloo/UR Prowess is doing something similar, but doing it with much more resilience than what Elemental Shotgun can provide.
My experience with the deck is solely online. I can see it being a great pick at your LGS if it attacks that particular meta, but online I found it's inconsistencies and weaknesses a little too bothersome for me personally. And I think you hit it on the head: threat density. Building a deck around Nivmagus requires a different approach than building around other prowess type creatures. And since Nivmagus is one-of-a-kind in the way he operates, that means other creatures you bring in won't synergize with your gameplan as well as Nivmagus does. Kiln Fiend seems to be the best fit, but even with him it means your pacts are mostly dead in hand. Of course if you're not playing the Pact version of this deck this isn't as relevant.
I started brewing with Firebrand Archer in the mix and most of the time it seemed like a pretty good alternative to Kiln Fiend, Thing in the Ice, Death's Shadow, or Young Pyromancer. It was nice to have an outlet for indirect damage while you were going off with Nivmagus. It lowered the number of spells you needed for a lethal strike and gave the opponent another threat to answer. Unfortunately smart players will just prioritize killing Nivmagus first and in that scenario, Firebrand Archer was not the best at closing up a game on it's own. I'm excited to see if Ravnica brings us any Izzet goodies that can slot into this deck. Fingers crossed.
Nivix Cyclops at 3 mana works better than a 4 mana threat that doesn't win the game when it hits.
I like TitI as a 3rd big threat in a cantrip heavy build. Though, that specific build may not utilize NivMaggy as well as an all in Elemental Combo version. It would support a ping build with Archer and Thermo-Alchemist
I like going back to a BR slower build with t1 discard, t2 threat t3 win.
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Idk about nivmaggy. If the deck is heavy black and red with 4 thoughtseize 4 IoK I'd want to get Death's Shadow in the mix, as well. When I looked at a Grixis version with titi it seemed like a fragile grixis control cousin.
I'd lean towards an elecombo with discards and DS? Or is this just bringing back the past?
Or a red blue version similar to suicide bloooooo?
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Oops, All Spells!
Pox