Affinity: (Lots of little robots)
+3 Jeskai Charm
+3 Wear // Tear
-4 Emerge Unscathed
-2 Treasure Cruise
What to do?: Race, use lifelink on charm.
RDW: (All the burn)
+3 Jeskai Charm
+2 Dragon's Claw
-4 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Distortion Strike
What to do?: Race, use lifelink on charm.
Scapeshift: (ramp, ramp, a volcano and 36 damage. Its blue, red, green)
+4 Giest of St. Traft
+2 Negate
+1 Spell Pierce
-1 Gut Shot
-1 Manaphorphous
-4 Kiln Fiend
What to do: Keep mana open to counter removal. If no removal happens and he goes for a scapeshift, use negate on it. If he counters it, perice it if you got it. If you play geist in game 2, side it out for kiln again.
Delver (Monastery Swiftspear, delver, Young Pyromancer, and snacaster)
+4 Giest of St. Traft
+1 Spell Pierce
+2 Dragon's Claw
-2 Manamorphous
-4 Kiln Fiend
What to do: Race, but keep up protection cards. If you play geist game 2, side him out for kilnfiend.
Splintertwin: (Blue and red, maybe other colors, they will probably win with a combo like splintertwin/kiki + Exarch/Pestermite.)
+4 Giest of St. Traft
+2 Negate
+1 Spell Pierce
+3 Wear//Tear
-2 Manamorphous
-4 Kiln Fiend
-1 Gut Shot
-1 Lightning Bolt
What to do:Again, race, but be ready to call pro blue against a exarch/pestermite tap down with emerge/blessing. Tear their splintertwin, or counter it. If you play geist in game 2 side it out for kiln fiend.
Junk/Rock/jund (Black, Green, maybe white, maybe red. they make you sad. Lots of discard, removal, one for one stuff. If it feels like their grinding, its ROCK)
+4 Giest
+1 Spell Pierce
+2 Negate
-1 gut shot
-3 lightning bolt
-2 manamorphous
-1 strobe
What to do: The game is going to go long, theres really nothing you can do about it. WIth discard and removal, you need to just play protection. Don't side out giest.
Pod: (Birthing pod. Basicly a ton of Enter the battle field effects on creatures and mana dorks. White, Black, Green)
+3 wear//tear
-3 Cruise
What to do: go fast. Dont get blocked.
Wrote that as a cheat sheet for my gf on thrusday modern. I opted to try out the tempo route too. Its basicly combo tempo, rather than aggro. Couldnt cut the niv magus. Cards too stronnnnggg. Cyclopes could prroooooobbbbably be giest or seeker of the way, but I dunno. I've never tested seeker, so I dunno.
Do you guys think that maybe the "Exile Free spells" may be the wrong approach to Nivmagus Elemental? Naturally we should keep some, but Shattering Spree, Gigadrowse, Ground Rift, they all create copies and then go to the graveyard, allowing for Cruise to work in the deck.
Also, we could try Surging Flame; more removal, can cast multiple copies, and they fill the graveyard up FAST.
Besides being instant, it grants Trample on top of Double Strike. Kiln Fiend automatically gains Trample when this card is cast. Your opponent will never suspect a trample double strike creature with monster power. They will easily choose to block with a weak creature not suspecting this card.
I've been listening to a ton of SCG legacy coverage on my way to work (an hour drive) when the coverage on Gregory Hatch's mono blue martyr deck came on. I was really interested in the "cast storm spell eat copies" move he pulled in the first game. Is that a path we should try to really exploit with Ground Rift, and maybe grapeshot? I know it moves the deck towards a very combo oriented build, but the interaction seemed strong, and it's honestly one I had not yet thought of.
This list has been doing well. I modify it from time to time, but it has placed in top 4 three times at the local LGS, taking 1st 2 of those times out of 5 weeks (~16 people). Eidolon of the great revel is no friend to this deck, but not insurmountable.
I forgot all about this deck. It was my first modern deck and was tons of fun. I have been trying to figure out a second modern deck for my friend to play and just realized I still had all the major pieces. I only need to pick up the phyrexian mana spells. The look on peoples faces when you are beating them down with Nivmagus is the best!
This list has been doing well. I modify it from time to time, but it has placed in top 4 three times at the local LGS, taking 1st 2 of those times out of 5 weeks (~16 people). Eidolon of the great revel is no friend to this deck, but not insurmountable.
Besides being instant, it grants Trample on top of Double Strike. Kiln Fiend automatically gains Trample when this card is cast. Your opponent will never suspect a trample double strike creature with monster power. They will easily choose to block with a weak creature not suspecting this card.
Haven't tried Temur battle rage. The two mana cost is a bit concerning. The instant speed intrigues me more than trample. As for noxious revival, I find it has great utility. 1st during my upkeep, cast it, targeting whatever spell I want to draw from my graveyard. 2nd, target a spell in opponent's graveyard giving them something they don't need. 3rd, it can be eaten by Nivmagus like any other instant. I've found gut shot to be of limited use for damage to a creature or opponent, unless I'm against a green ramp deck. In those situations killing a mana dork early game eliminates a blocker and slows their game a turn, that's why I ave two more in the sideboard.
After placing 6th in a group of 26 this past FNM (started 3-0 but then lost last 2), I am planning to mainboard the artful dodges and replace faithless looting by adding 4 surgical extraction and 1 pact of negation to the SB. I finally got a turn 2 kill with Nivmagus in a tournament environment - against burn no less! Analyzing my 5 most recent match-ups, I won 5/5 when I got to keep my 1st hand, 2/4 when going to 6 and 1/3 when going to 5. I won games with all three: Kiln fiend, Nivmagus elemental, and Monastery swiftspear. I faced RDW/burn, MBC, RU twin, Junk, and Pod w/out BP. Junk is a tough matchup especially facing 8 discard (TS/IoK), abrupt decays with Lilly especially when I had to go to 5 and 6 to start. Should have won Pod, but a lucky 1 of Sin collector took my artful dodge and I wasn't ever able to get through 3 Noble Hierarch and a KF.
I main 8RACK modern but switched to Elemental Shotgun for GP Omaha since Treasure Cruise and Birthing Pod are very hard for 8RACK to deal with. I went 0-2 (delver & pod I think), then knocked out Scapeshift, Delver, and Pod before losing to another delver to go 3-3.
I'm a fan of Become Immense in that it can combo with Taylor Swiftspear and Blistercoil to get an infect kill in. I needed a lot of protection since I'm not running IoK or Thoughtseize, I have but just not in here. So with my new list and bans, good bye Treasure Cruise!, the changes are:
+1 Mountain, -2 Blistercoil Weird +2 Death's Shadow, +1 Apostle's Blessing, -2 Assault Strobe +2 Temur Battle Rage, -2 Treasure Cruise. SB: -1 Clout -1 Become Immense, +1 Monastery Mentor + ???.
The few tests I've had with TBR I have loved the card. I'm sure there will be times you just don't have enough mana, why I went to 17 lands. Just trying out Monastery Mentor really, I'm sure 3 mana is just WAY too much in here, but Prowess prowess prowess!!!
Relating to the discussion on Temur battle rage, has anyone tried Double Cleave or Armed // Dangerous? Both have been around for a while, but I had only seen one list using either one. Granted the trample is a nice addition, but 2 mana is pretty high considering every other spell is 1 or less (Kiln fiend being the exception).
For those running clout of the dominus, doesn't the shroud interfere with the synergy you get with tainted strike, assault strobe, and mutagenic growth? I suppose you could assault strobe, then clout, but that would leave your creature vulnerable while casting strobe.
Relating to the discussion on Temur battle rage, has anyone tried Double Cleave or Armed // Dangerous? Both have been around for a while, but I had only seen one list using either one. Granted the trample is a nice addition, but 2 mana is pretty high considering every other spell is 1 or less (Kiln fiend being the exception).
For those running clout of the dominus, doesn't the shroud interfere with the synergy you get with tainted strike, assault strobe, and mutagenic growth? I suppose you could assault strobe, then clout, but that would leave your creature vulnerable while casting strobe.
If you wanna run Double Strike ONLY run Assault Strobe since it's 1 mana, If you want instant DS use Temur Battle Rage since there's a high chance you can hit trample, Kiln Fiend hits it automatically. And I doubt we would ever be able to hit a Fused Armed & Dangerous with our low lands so I don't see why we'd run that or Double Cleave over TBR; it's faster and better, unless you're running more lands for other reasons.
In regards to Clout, it was my first time using it, really. I quickly learned you just don't need to target a Clout'd Nivmag, it becomes a monster and you clear the way or just let them keep chumping. I also got pretty lucky with Slaughter Pact and a Clout'd Nivmag; you just target other creatures with spells then eat them. I do run more threats than others so I had that or mainly my opponent had stuff to target with spells. Oh, and I just knew I wouldn't be Tainted Striking, I probably took them out.
If you wanna run Double Strike ONLY run Assault Strobe since it's 1 mana, If you want instant DS use Temur Battle Rage since there's a high chance you can hit trample, Kiln Fiend hits it automatically. And I doubt we would ever be able to hit a Fused Armed & Dangerous with our low lands so I don't see why we'd run that or Double Cleave over TBR; it's faster and better, unless you're running more lands for other reasons.
I agree with that assessment. I was just curious if anyone had tried the other two. I'm really skeptical on playing TBR since many of my wins have come on 1-2 lands. If I am hitting 3-4 lands I'm probably going to lose.
In regards to Clout, it was my first time using it, really. I quickly learned you just don't need to target a Clout'd Nivmag, it becomes a monster and you clear the way or just let them keep chumping. I also got pretty lucky with Slaughter Pact and a Clout'd Nivmag; you just target other creatures with spells then eat them. I do run more threats than others so I had that or mainly my opponent had stuff to target with spells. Oh, and I just knew I wouldn't be Tainted Striking, I probably took them out.
I may have to try clout. It synergies more with NE. For now, I think I'll add 2 death's shadow over a pair of clouts however. So many options and the meta is still in flux.
Tainted strike has won me so MANY games, especially early. It is unexpected and is critical to the highest probability turn 2 and 3 kills. It's also a must have for beating life gain strategies such as Soul sisters and aura hexproof.
For me, I noticed hands being clogged with Tainted Strike and Assault Strobe so I lowered them. When I had more AS I could make a misplay or use it as essentially a kill spell. Now with TBR instead I use it as an alpha strike only; I'm fine with durdling for a turn or 3 using Apostle's Blessing/Mutagenic Growth/Slaughter Pact to stay alive/keep threats on the board then get another free spell to go off essentially.
I kept 3 Tainted Strike MB because it can be a great T2-4 surprise kill and then they're all "salty". And the 4th in the board to bring in against Soul Sisters essentially or anything I feel will need a Poison kill.
Clout just protects your threat (nivmagus elemental) so the game will be a more grindy one since you cannot target it with Infect/Double Strike/Unblockable, and neither can they with removal/bounce. I would also side in more kill spells to clear the way. I can't stress enough how much better the deck felt having Slaughter Pact and Pact of Negation to Alpha strike, or even SP to protect you after you get 3 lands out. They are somewhat pricey additions though if people are trying to keep it cheap.
Currently I've ordered Ground Rift and Emerge Unscathed to test out, I use the protection on Apostle's Blessing half of the time as unblockable so I figured why not try more. And GR I kinda want 2 of either MB or SB, if SB I'd side in with Clout of the Dominus since that'd be the plan, monster NE, Tarmo eat your heart out, no really, give me your heart.
I like Noxious Revival and would'nt mind trying it out. neurodr, It seems you're going mostly combo with the ground rifts + tainted strikes + assault strobes, so maybe clout wouldn't hurt your game plan. I'm just kinda going for all around synergy.
I'm gonna test 8RACK this FNM unless standard gets in the way, standard PPTQ this Saturday, but I'll bring Elemental Shotty to try with downtime.
Emerge unscathed got me thinking.... If adding white why not add boros charm and mana confluence? Making this a 4-5 color deck may be the way to go. I'll have to see if I can find clouts at my LGS. Tonight I'll try my list splashing more blue with artful dodge mb with steam vents to replace a couple of mountains. Need to find a way to consistently beat Jund decks sporting both 4-8 discard and spot removal.
Update: Only went 1-2 tonight in a group of 16.
1st match was against American control. Stuck on one land the first game with 2 kiln fiends in hand. Couldn't get through the counters to get them in play. 2nd game I thought I had the kill, but I missed two turns earlier him gaining 3 life. I had the extra card in hand, a ground rift that would have given the extra 3 for kiln fiend. Frustrating!
Match two was again little zoo. I got a turn 3 kill with kiln fiend on game 1 and a turn 4 nivmagus/kiln kill game 2.
Match 3 was against Karn tron. I never drew a tainted strike or assault strobe! Game one, I hit him to 9 by turn 3. I overreached and pyroclasm ruined the game. Then came Karn Liberated and having 3 apostle's blessings in hand did little to save my creatures. Game 2 I went to 5 and still didn't see a single creature! (draws are really hurting me...maybe its my shuffle style?) I finally landed a nivmagus and ticked it up to a 5/6, but karn came down and gg.
I was already leaning towards main Red Splash others but we don't NEED green/white in the base, I just liked and had the shocklands for it so put them in for more options.
Boros Charm could be a more versatile Temur Battle Rage and I could see myself using all three modes. That's less card slots than TBR & Emerge Unscathed together which I was going for. EU, though, works as double offense or defense on their turn then offense on ours with Rebound.
I like the City of Brass + Mana Confluence route if you don't have the khans fetches + shocklands, esp if going splash good stuff to enable shotgunning. Artful Dodge I would run over Distortion Strike, just because you could double cast it one turn to hit multiple targets/2 spell casts, again my deck runs more threats so it's not a hard and fast rule. Also, counters, specifically Pact of Negation, Spell Pierce or Stubborn Denial. Then white for protection spells. Black for proactive protection/denial in the form of discard or even some Terminate or Murderous Cut action. And green for more the pump route say Become Immense or Groundswell?
I like that the theme of El Shotty is the same but can be tailored to our own playstyles.
And facing down a heavy discard deck like Jun(k)d/8Rack is gonna be brutal, think that's why I would just go wide post board, get Young Pyromancer out and muck up the board. Turns more into a worse Delver deck then... Hmm... There's always Leyline of Sanctity but that's sadly pricey.
And the LGS changed formats so I'll just be doing Standard Friday, I will bring both Modern decks to test though for those that also bring theirs.
I splashed green for Ranger's Guile for hexproof and +1/+1 and added 3 Surgical extraction in the main. Exiling Lingering souls felt so good. Spellskite is such a pain. Went 2-2 before dropping the last 2 rounds. Faced 2 different tron decks. Without Spellskite I win. When they have it I lose. Still want to splash white for protection but had the green to try hexproof first. I may run both together. I keep decreasing the phyrexian spells in favor of more value.
Throw some Doom blade in the board for those if it's a huge part of your meta, again I'd recommend Slaughter Pact but Db is cheaper and you probably have some. I hate Tron all around, and surgical's are amazing against any combo deck really, esp. backed up with discard.
Got a few games in between rounds at Gameday. I won all 3 against Vengevine then Goblins twice. Won with 3 different creatures hah, first was a slow turn 4/5 double Kiln Fiend + Apostle's Blessing (extra spell) + Temur Battle Rage for 21.
2nd was the dream turn 2 kill. T1 Fetch > shock > Nivmagus Elemental ate a free spell. T2 eat 3 free spells (apostle's > Pact of Negation (targeting apostle's) eat both then something else) swing, he misplayed and didn't block then cast Tainted Strike for 10 poison.
3rd Taylor Swiftspear turn 3 with Slaughter Pact + TBR + Tainted Strike.
Again I think Boros Charm could work it would just be even harder to cast with the WR. Haven't tested much beyond this lately. Feel pretty good piloting and about the deck, sadly didn't see my 2 Emerge Unscathed or 1 Ground Rift. I'll get an updated list up tomorrow, probably.
4 Arid Mesa
1 Flooded Strand
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Hallowed Fountain
4 Steam Vent
2 Mountain
1 Island
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Nivmagus Elemental
4 Monastery Swiftspear
2 Nivix Cyclops
2 Distortion Strike
4 Emerge Unscathed
2 Apostle's Blessing
3 Treasure Cruise
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Manamorphose
4 Mutagenic Growth
1 Gut Shot
4 Gitaxian Probe
1 Spell Pierce
2 Dragon's Claw
2 Negate
4 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Jeskai Charm
Affinity: (Lots of little robots)
+3 Jeskai Charm
+3 Wear // Tear
-4 Emerge Unscathed
-2 Treasure Cruise
What to do?: Race, use lifelink on charm.
RDW: (All the burn)
+3 Jeskai Charm
+2 Dragon's Claw
-4 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Distortion Strike
What to do?: Race, use lifelink on charm.
Scapeshift: (ramp, ramp, a volcano and 36 damage. Its blue, red, green)
+4 Giest of St. Traft
+2 Negate
+1 Spell Pierce
-1 Gut Shot
-1 Manaphorphous
-4 Kiln Fiend
What to do: Keep mana open to counter removal. If no removal happens and he goes for a scapeshift, use negate on it. If he counters it, perice it if you got it. If you play geist in game 2, side it out for kiln again.
Delver (Monastery Swiftspear, delver, Young Pyromancer, and snacaster)
+4 Giest of St. Traft
+1 Spell Pierce
+2 Dragon's Claw
-2 Manamorphous
-4 Kiln Fiend
What to do: Race, but keep up protection cards. If you play geist game 2, side him out for kilnfiend.
Splintertwin: (Blue and red, maybe other colors, they will probably win with a combo like splintertwin/kiki + Exarch/Pestermite.)
+4 Giest of St. Traft
+2 Negate
+1 Spell Pierce
+3 Wear//Tear
-2 Manamorphous
-4 Kiln Fiend
-1 Gut Shot
-1 Lightning Bolt
What to do:Again, race, but be ready to call pro blue against a exarch/pestermite tap down with emerge/blessing. Tear their splintertwin, or counter it. If you play geist in game 2 side it out for kiln fiend.
Junk/Rock/jund (Black, Green, maybe white, maybe red. they make you sad. Lots of discard, removal, one for one stuff. If it feels like their grinding, its ROCK)
+4 Giest
+1 Spell Pierce
+2 Negate
-1 gut shot
-3 lightning bolt
-2 manamorphous
-1 strobe
What to do: The game is going to go long, theres really nothing you can do about it. WIth discard and removal, you need to just play protection. Don't side out giest.
Pod: (Birthing pod. Basicly a ton of Enter the battle field effects on creatures and mana dorks. White, Black, Green)
+3 wear//tear
-3 Cruise
What to do: go fast. Dont get blocked.
Still wins on turn 3.
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=77155
3x Death's Shadow
3x Kiln Fiend
3x Monastery Swiftspear
3x Nivmagus Elemental
Lands
2x Blackcleave Cliffs
4x Blood Crypt
2x Bloodstained Mire
2x Polluted Delta
1x Steam Vents
4x Sulfurous Springs
1x Watery Grave
3x Apostle's Blessing
1x Dismember
3x Gut Shot
3x Lightning Bolt
4x Mutagenic Growth
3x Tainted Strike
2x Assault Strobe
4x Gitaxian Probe
2x Ground Rift
4x Thoughtseize
3x Treasure Cruise
3x Young Pyromancer
1x Apostle's Blessing
1x Dismember
2x Rakdos Charm
2x Duress
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Pyroclasm
2x Shattering Spree
Thoughts?
3/3/3/3 split is interesting. 3 cruise is totally correct for this deck. 4 is too much.
3 Death's Shadow
3 Kiln Fiend
3 Nivmagus Elemental
3 Monastery Swiftspear
Instant [17]
3 Tainted Strike
4 Mutagenic Growth
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Gut Shot
1 Dismember
3 Apostle's Blessing
Sorcery [15]
4 Gitaxian Probe
2 Assault Strobe
3 Treasure Cruise
4 Thoughtseize
2 Ground Rift
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Polluted Delta
4 Sulfurous Springs
1 Steam Vents
1 Watery Grave
4 Blood Crypt
3 Young Pyromancer
1 Apostle's Blessing
1 Dismember
2 Rakdos Charm
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Shattering Spree
2 Pyroclasm
2 Duress
Looks eerily similar to the list above... same guy?
Also, we could try Surging Flame; more removal, can cast multiple copies, and they fill the graveyard up FAST.
Just spitballing here. Love Nivmagus Elemental.
I can try it out, I was just wondering what you guys think.
Besides being instant, it grants Trample on top of Double Strike. Kiln Fiend automatically gains Trample when this card is cast. Your opponent will never suspect a trample double strike creature with monster power. They will easily choose to block with a weak creature not suspecting this card.
Modern
C Colorless Eldrazi Stompy C
WUGC Bant Eldrazi CGUW
WBG Doran Formation GBW
Legacy
C Eldrazi Stompy C
Multiplayer Commander
GR Omnath, Locus of Rage RG
WU Brago, King Eternal UW
BG Slimefoot, the Stowaway GB
I've been listening to a ton of SCG legacy coverage on my way to work (an hour drive) when the coverage on Gregory Hatch's mono blue martyr deck came on. I was really interested in the "cast storm spell eat copies" move he pulled in the first game. Is that a path we should try to really exploit with Ground Rift, and maybe grapeshot? I know it moves the deck towards a very combo oriented build, but the interaction seemed strong, and it's honestly one I had not yet thought of.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
10 Mountain
//Spells
4 Apostle's Blessing
3 Assault Strobe
2 Faithless Looting
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Ground Rift
2 Gut Shot
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Noxious Revival
4 Tainted Strike
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Nivmagus Elemental
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Faithless Looting
1 Assault Strobe
1 Ground Rift
3 Artful Dodge
1 Island
1 Mountain
2 Gut Shot
What are your thoughts on Temur Battle Rage? Also, why do you choose 4 noxious revival over 4 gut shot???
I run one copy of Tear Battle Rage.
GBRJund Elves
GWDevoted Elves
WDeath & Taxes
GWUBRHumans
EDH:
GTitania, Protector of Argoth
After placing 6th in a group of 26 this past FNM (started 3-0 but then lost last 2), I am planning to mainboard the artful dodges and replace faithless looting by adding 4 surgical extraction and 1 pact of negation to the SB. I finally got a turn 2 kill with Nivmagus in a tournament environment - against burn no less! Analyzing my 5 most recent match-ups, I won 5/5 when I got to keep my 1st hand, 2/4 when going to 6 and 1/3 when going to 5. I won games with all three: Kiln fiend, Nivmagus elemental, and Monastery swiftspear. I faced RDW/burn, MBC, RU twin, Junk, and Pod w/out BP. Junk is a tough matchup especially facing 8 discard (TS/IoK), abrupt decays with Lilly especially when I had to go to 5 and 6 to start. Should have won Pod, but a lucky 1 of Sin collector took my artful dodge and I wasn't ever able to get through 3 Noble Hierarch and a KF.
This is what I ran:
2 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Mountain
1 Overgrown Tomb (I know dangerous)
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Steam Vents
1 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures
2 Blistercoil Weird
4 Kiln Fiend
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Nivmagus Elemental
2 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Apostle's Blessing
1 Become Immense
4 Gut Shot
4 Mutagenic Growth
2 Pact of Negation
3 Slaughter Pact
3 Tainted Strike
2 Assault Strobe
4 Gitaxian Probe
2 Treasure Cruise
2 Artful Dodge
3 Clout of the Dominus
1 Forked Bolt
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Tainted Strike
3 Young Pyromancer
1 Become Immense
I'm a fan of Become Immense in that it can combo with Taylor Swiftspear and Blistercoil to get an infect kill in. I needed a lot of protection since I'm not running IoK or Thoughtseize, I have but just not in here. So with my new list and bans, good bye Treasure Cruise!, the changes are:
+1 Mountain, -2 Blistercoil Weird +2 Death's Shadow, +1 Apostle's Blessing, -2 Assault Strobe +2 Temur Battle Rage, -2 Treasure Cruise. SB: -1 Clout -1 Become Immense, +1 Monastery Mentor + ???.
The few tests I've had with TBR I have loved the card. I'm sure there will be times you just don't have enough mana, why I went to 17 lands. Just trying out Monastery Mentor really, I'm sure 3 mana is just WAY too much in here, but Prowess prowess prowess!!!
Cube
Terricube
Modern
8Rack
Burn
Legacy
Oops, All Spells!
Pox
For those running clout of the dominus, doesn't the shroud interfere with the synergy you get with tainted strike, assault strobe, and mutagenic growth? I suppose you could assault strobe, then clout, but that would leave your creature vulnerable while casting strobe.
If you wanna run Double Strike ONLY run Assault Strobe since it's 1 mana, If you want instant DS use Temur Battle Rage since there's a high chance you can hit trample, Kiln Fiend hits it automatically. And I doubt we would ever be able to hit a Fused Armed & Dangerous with our low lands so I don't see why we'd run that or Double Cleave over TBR; it's faster and better, unless you're running more lands for other reasons.
In regards to Clout, it was my first time using it, really. I quickly learned you just don't need to target a Clout'd Nivmag, it becomes a monster and you clear the way or just let them keep chumping. I also got pretty lucky with Slaughter Pact and a Clout'd Nivmag; you just target other creatures with spells then eat them. I do run more threats than others so I had that or mainly my opponent had stuff to target with spells. Oh, and I just knew I wouldn't be Tainted Striking, I probably took them out.
Cube
Terricube
Modern
8Rack
Burn
Legacy
Oops, All Spells!
Pox
I agree with that assessment. I was just curious if anyone had tried the other two. I'm really skeptical on playing TBR since many of my wins have come on 1-2 lands. If I am hitting 3-4 lands I'm probably going to lose.
I may have to try clout. It synergies more with NE. For now, I think I'll add 2 death's shadow over a pair of clouts however. So many options and the meta is still in flux.
Tainted strike has won me so MANY games, especially early. It is unexpected and is critical to the highest probability turn 2 and 3 kills. It's also a must have for beating life gain strategies such as Soul sisters and aura hexproof.
I kept 3 Tainted Strike MB because it can be a great T2-4 surprise kill and then they're all "salty". And the 4th in the board to bring in against Soul Sisters essentially or anything I feel will need a Poison kill.
Clout just protects your threat (nivmagus elemental) so the game will be a more grindy one since you cannot target it with Infect/Double Strike/Unblockable, and neither can they with removal/bounce. I would also side in more kill spells to clear the way. I can't stress enough how much better the deck felt having Slaughter Pact and Pact of Negation to Alpha strike, or even SP to protect you after you get 3 lands out. They are somewhat pricey additions though if people are trying to keep it cheap.
Currently I've ordered Ground Rift and Emerge Unscathed to test out, I use the protection on Apostle's Blessing half of the time as unblockable so I figured why not try more. And GR I kinda want 2 of either MB or SB, if SB I'd side in with Clout of the Dominus since that'd be the plan, monster NE, Tarmo eat your heart out, no really, give me your heart.
I like Noxious Revival and would'nt mind trying it out. neurodr, It seems you're going mostly combo with the ground rifts + tainted strikes + assault strobes, so maybe clout wouldn't hurt your game plan. I'm just kinda going for all around synergy.
I'm gonna test 8RACK this FNM unless standard gets in the way, standard PPTQ this Saturday, but I'll bring Elemental Shotty to try with downtime.
Cube
Terricube
Modern
8Rack
Burn
Legacy
Oops, All Spells!
Pox
Update: Only went 1-2 tonight in a group of 16.
1st match was against American control. Stuck on one land the first game with 2 kiln fiends in hand. Couldn't get through the counters to get them in play. 2nd game I thought I had the kill, but I missed two turns earlier him gaining 3 life. I had the extra card in hand, a ground rift that would have given the extra 3 for kiln fiend. Frustrating!
Match two was again little zoo. I got a turn 3 kill with kiln fiend on game 1 and a turn 4 nivmagus/kiln kill game 2.
Match 3 was against Karn tron. I never drew a tainted strike or assault strobe! Game one, I hit him to 9 by turn 3. I overreached and pyroclasm ruined the game. Then came Karn Liberated and having 3 apostle's blessings in hand did little to save my creatures. Game 2 I went to 5 and still didn't see a single creature! (draws are really hurting me...maybe its my shuffle style?) I finally landed a nivmagus and ticked it up to a 5/6, but karn came down and gg.
Boros Charm could be a more versatile Temur Battle Rage and I could see myself using all three modes. That's less card slots than TBR & Emerge Unscathed together which I was going for. EU, though, works as double offense or defense on their turn then offense on ours with Rebound.
I like the City of Brass + Mana Confluence route if you don't have the khans fetches + shocklands, esp if going splash good stuff to enable shotgunning. Artful Dodge I would run over Distortion Strike, just because you could double cast it one turn to hit multiple targets/2 spell casts, again my deck runs more threats so it's not a hard and fast rule. Also, counters, specifically Pact of Negation, Spell Pierce or Stubborn Denial. Then white for protection spells. Black for proactive protection/denial in the form of discard or even some Terminate or Murderous Cut action. And green for more the pump route say Become Immense or Groundswell?
I like that the theme of El Shotty is the same but can be tailored to our own playstyles.
And facing down a heavy discard deck like Jun(k)d/8Rack is gonna be brutal, think that's why I would just go wide post board, get Young Pyromancer out and muck up the board. Turns more into a worse Delver deck then... Hmm... There's always Leyline of Sanctity but that's sadly pricey.
And the LGS changed formats so I'll just be doing Standard Friday, I will bring both Modern decks to test though for those that also bring theirs.
Cube
Terricube
Modern
8Rack
Burn
Legacy
Oops, All Spells!
Pox
Got a few games in between rounds at Gameday. I won all 3 against Vengevine then Goblins twice. Won with 3 different creatures hah, first was a slow turn 4/5 double Kiln Fiend + Apostle's Blessing (extra spell) + Temur Battle Rage for 21.
2nd was the dream turn 2 kill. T1 Fetch > shock > Nivmagus Elemental ate a free spell. T2 eat 3 free spells (apostle's > Pact of Negation (targeting apostle's) eat both then something else) swing, he misplayed and didn't block then cast Tainted Strike for 10 poison.
3rd Taylor Swiftspear turn 3 with Slaughter Pact + TBR + Tainted Strike.
Again I think Boros Charm could work it would just be even harder to cast with the WR. Haven't tested much beyond this lately. Feel pretty good piloting and about the deck, sadly didn't see my 2 Emerge Unscathed or 1 Ground Rift. I'll get an updated list up tomorrow, probably.
Cube
Terricube
Modern
8Rack
Burn
Legacy
Oops, All Spells!
Pox