I think the OP version is just being cute. Too many bullets and not enough practicality. There was a UW Spirits shell that broke a 5-0 recently with a playset of Curious Obsession. It actually does everything this deck wants to do, granted you have enough creature protection. I wouldn't really center my plan around Geist as it blocks poorly and the deck already gets ahead of control as it is. The 4/3 split of Drogskol Captain and Phantasmal Image works wonders to lock out spot removal, and in terms of dealing with other creature strategies, you just have to have one or two good trump cards in the deck.
This is a spitball draft inspired by the 5-0 shell, in which I think the best toolbox to use Tallowisp for is nabbing your removal package in a pinch. While usually Path is reasonable because you can target your own guys to ramp, or manlands, having Chained to the Rocks can keep the opponent from getting ramp to benefit them (Counters Company) in situations where using Path is a toss-up but good enough to get the job done. Going into Jeskai also lets us push into playing Figure, which might not be as good in practice as I think it is, but in theory helps us get under the control/midrange strategies that tend to weigh down on us in the mid-late game. It's also a one man wrecking crew along with your Invocation of Saint Traft. The splash also gives us Wear // Tear out of the board, Blood Moon (seems rough) if we so choose, Izzet Staticaster, Harsh Mentor, Boros Charm, and Deflecting Palm.
I like Boros Charm especially, as another Selfless Spirit ability that can double strike a guy with Curious Obsession to net an extra draw while still damaging the opponent. Checks all the boxes we need against control decks. Another trick is to Temporal Isolation our guy and cast Tear after passing through blockers step to get unblockable damage in.
I really like the ability to craft the sort of end-game we so choose, but I think Tallowisp not flying and not really netting immediate value means we can still build around it and yet have contingencies for when it doesn't go off successfully. I think trying to play too many bullets increases variance, which is not what you want to be doing in a very straight-forward strategy.
EDIT: Uuuuuurgh, just realized Tallowisp doesn't tutor for Chained to the rocks. Back to the drawing board
EDIT 2: I'm not saying any of these cards are necessarily breaking the deck, but a quick magiccards.info query makes it seem like they're some interesting endgame bullets -
Spirit Link + Spirit Loop = double-stacked Lifelink trigger
Protection creature + Pariah = lock against mono-color. BFT and Kor Firewalker come to mind, also Voice of All and/or a creature with Spectra Ward, albeit very clunky.
Gift of Immortality + Alpha Authority/Aspect of Mongoose = lock against conventional control removal, albeit clunky
What does everyone here think of the new two mana lord? Seems good imo
The new lord just pushed this version away forever. There's no reason to play a tallowisp package unless you want to play 1 or 2 tallowisps to fetch out an aura. But 8 lords is just too good.
You honestly shouldn't play too many auras. They're completely dead draws if you dont' have a creature out. 4 is more than enough.
If I were to add Tallowisp package to spirits, I'll go with the 8 lords, then cut the Tallowisps and Geists to 3-2 ratio. Then run 2 Curious Obsession, 1 Weight of Conscience (This single interaction has won me so many games, I believe in it), and 1 Steel of the God Head.
Cutting down on the Selfless Spirits, Remorseful Clerics to 2 and and not playing Nebelghast Herald. Maybe something like this
Wow I actually like this deck with Metamorphic Alteration. It sort of acts like a bad removal, can be lords 9-10, and fetchable with Tallowisp. I'm going to play with 3 in the deck taking out the GoST and Remorseful Clerics. Although I still think the Aether vial version is better due to the speed, I'm just going to still try it out.
EDIT:
Hmmm... I think I'll put it back in with GOST. That way I can copy the 4/4 angel Giest leaves behind with some other creature i won't need. but doesn't seem worth it either...
This list put up a 5-0 recently, and inspired me to pick the archetype back up after a year or two of moving to a more standard UW Vial build. https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-wu-121703#paper
It's doing a lot of things differently, but the core philosophies are the same. Notable that the Pariah + Pentarch Ward/Protection Creature lock is present from the board, giving a possible unfair angle against some decks. It's also touting the full playset of Curious Obsession, a card that I think has high potential for Modern in strategies like this by itself.
I've done a bit of tinkering with the list to slant it more agressively, and make sure its capable of winning without Tallowisp on board, and added green for Rancor and sideboard tech. Also swapped firewalkers for champions to Pariah lock the popular Shadow decks more easily. Here's what I'll be bringing to locals this week;
Really this is a Curious Obsession + Force of Will deck, and what lifts it past previous iterations is that its doing things no matter how the game goes. I look at Tallowisp in this shell as a card advantage engine more than a tutor package. Just having extra blue cards to pitch to force, or Obsessions to apply pressure forces wisp to be answered immediately or snowball the game out of control with exponentially growing card advantage. 4 Obsession also helps insulate us against Lightning Bolt, a card that previously was a real problem in a deck with several x/3s that we want to keep around. Overall, its a fetch-able 4 of that is perfectly playable in a deck full of fliers and protection, and takes over the game by itself unanswered. It forces your opponents to run their removal into potential Rattlechains and Spell Queller blowouts, putting you far ahead on tempo, and really meshes with the Force plan. I've limited enchantments I never want to draw to only 2 slots, Frogify for a blanket answer (which is usually just better than Crystallization, and has niche utility protecting whats under Spell Queller, as well as potentially allowing you to rebuy it with Mark of Eviction in grindy matchups), and Steel of the Godhead, as pants for Geist. These both conveniently fill out the 2 and 3 mana slots as fetch targets to fuel Disrupting Shoal.
Im not sure on exact numbers for anything yet. For the moment i've opted to trim Tallowisp/Geist of Saint Traft to focus on making the deck better without its engine, but its possible i'd rather go all in on redundancy. Force of Negation has been exceptional, considering a 3rd copy from the board. I think part of the 5-0 list's success is its ability to play both aggressive and controlling games well, and its somewhat transformative lock board, so I've opted to give the lock some testing to see how reliable/effective it ends up being despite my reservations that it might be too clunky/cute.
If anyone's still tinkering with this one, I think there's potential here. Would love to see old and new pilots' opinions on where the deck could go.
Naifu Neko, are you still testing this? I've been liking Pariah in the board, can you tell me what Pentarch Ward is like? I've never seen the card before.
If playing Green, would it be worth playing Once Upon a Time as well? What about Kenrith's Transformation? What about siding Oko?
What's Eidolon of Rhetoric for?
Mark of Eviction seems too slow and bad because of so. How has it actually tested?
Is Lumbering Falls too slow since it's a tap land? What's Gavony Township like?
Why not Shining Shoal?
What's Rancor and Unstable Mutation been like?
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3 Figure of Destiny
4 Rattlechains
3 Phantasmal Image
2 Selfless Spirit
2 Tallowisp
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Drogskol Captain
4 Spell Queller
4 Curious Obsession
1 Temporal Isolation
1 Invocation of Saint Traft
1 Moorland Haunt
4 Flooded Strand
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
3 Plains
4 Seachrome Coast
This is a spitball draft inspired by the 5-0 shell, in which I think the best toolbox to use Tallowisp for is nabbing your removal package in a pinch. While usually Path is reasonable because you can target your own guys to ramp, or manlands, having Chained to the Rocks can keep the opponent from getting ramp to benefit them (Counters Company) in situations where using Path is a toss-up but good enough to get the job done. Going into Jeskai also lets us push into playing Figure, which might not be as good in practice as I think it is, but in theory helps us get under the control/midrange strategies that tend to weigh down on us in the mid-late game. It's also a one man wrecking crew along with your Invocation of Saint Traft. The splash also gives us Wear // Tear out of the board, Blood Moon (seems rough) if we so choose, Izzet Staticaster, Harsh Mentor, Boros Charm, and Deflecting Palm.
I like Boros Charm especially, as another Selfless Spirit ability that can double strike a guy with Curious Obsession to net an extra draw while still damaging the opponent. Checks all the boxes we need against control decks. Another trick is to Temporal Isolation our guy and cast Tear after passing through blockers step to get unblockable damage in.
I really like the ability to craft the sort of end-game we so choose, but I think Tallowisp not flying and not really netting immediate value means we can still build around it and yet have contingencies for when it doesn't go off successfully. I think trying to play too many bullets increases variance, which is not what you want to be doing in a very straight-forward strategy.
EDIT: Uuuuuurgh, just realized Tallowisp doesn't tutor for Chained to the rocks. Back to the drawing board
EDIT 2: I'm not saying any of these cards are necessarily breaking the deck, but a quick magiccards.info query makes it seem like they're some interesting endgame bullets -
A few combos worth mentioning:
Spirit Link + Spirit Loop = double-stacked Lifelink trigger
Protection creature + Pariah = lock against mono-color. BFT and Kor Firewalker come to mind, also Voice of All and/or a creature with Spectra Ward, albeit very clunky.
Gift of Immortality + Alpha Authority/Aspect of Mongoose = lock against conventional control removal, albeit clunky
The new lord just pushed this version away forever. There's no reason to play a tallowisp package unless you want to play 1 or 2 tallowisps to fetch out an aura. But 8 lords is just too good.
Modern Tallowisp Spirits - A Modern Tallowisp Deck UW
Eldrazi Ninjas - Summoning Octopus Jutsu YYYYAAAHHHH!
STANDARD
Naban Wizards
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Rattlechains
4 Supreme Phantom
3 Tallowisp
3 Drogskol Captain
2 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Spell Queller
Spells:15
3 Curious Obsession
1 Mark of Eviction
1 Oppressive Rays
4 Path to Exile
1 Rancor
4 Reach Through Mists
1 Steel of the Godhead
1 Breeding Pool
1 Eiganjo Castle
4 Flooded Strand
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Island
1 Mistveil Plains
2 Moorland Haunt
2 Plains
2 Seachrome Coast
1 Temple Garden
2 Windswept Heath
3 Kami of False Hope
3 Kataki, War's Wage
3 Remorseful Cleric
2 Selfless Spirit
1 Oppressive Rays
1 Spirit Link
1 Spirit Mantle
1 Gift of Immortality
If I were to add Tallowisp package to spirits, I'll go with the 8 lords, then cut the Tallowisps and Geists to 3-2 ratio. Then run 2 Curious Obsession, 1 Weight of Conscience (This single interaction has won me so many games, I believe in it), and 1 Steel of the God Head.
Cutting down on the Selfless Spirits, Remorseful Clerics to 2 and and not playing Nebelghast Herald. Maybe something like this
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Rattlechains
4 Spell Queller
4 Drogskol Captain
4 Supreme Phantom
3 Selfless Spirit
2 Remorseful Cleric
3 Tallowisp
2 Geist of Saint Traft
Spells
4 Path to Exile
2 Curious Obsession
1 Weight of Conscience
1 Steel of the Godhead
4 Flooded Strand
2 Windswept Heath
2 Polluted Delta
3 Hallowed Fountain
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Faerie Conclave
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Field of Ruin
1 Moorland Haunt
1 Mistveil Plains
3 Damping Sphere
3 Settle the Wreckage
2 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Negate
1 Gift of Immortality
2 Kami of False Hope
2 Blessed Alliance
1 Spirit Link
Modern Tallowisp Spirits - A Modern Tallowisp Deck UW
Eldrazi Ninjas - Summoning Octopus Jutsu YYYYAAAHHHH!
STANDARD
Naban Wizards
EDIT:
Hmmm... I think I'll put it back in with GOST. That way I can copy the 4/4 angel Giest leaves behind with some other creature i won't need. but doesn't seem worth it either...
Modern Tallowisp Spirits - A Modern Tallowisp Deck UW
Eldrazi Ninjas - Summoning Octopus Jutsu YYYYAAAHHHH!
STANDARD
Naban Wizards
4 Rattlechains
4 Spell Queller
4 Tallowisp
1 Lingering Souls
3 Cryptic Command
3 Disrupting Shoal
1 Fatal Push
4 Path to Exile
3 Remand
3 Shining Shoal
2 Curious Obsession
1 Steel of the Godhead
1 Celestial Colonnade
4 Flooded Strand
1 Ghost Quarter
4 Hallowed Fountain
3 Island
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Plains
2 Polluted Delta
2 Seachrome Coast
2 Watery Grave
3 Damping Sphere
1 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Stony Silence
3 Lingering Souls
2 Dispel
2 Rest In Peace
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-wu-121703#paper
It's doing a lot of things differently, but the core philosophies are the same. Notable that the Pariah + Pentarch Ward/Protection Creature lock is present from the board, giving a possible unfair angle against some decks. It's also touting the full playset of Curious Obsession, a card that I think has high potential for Modern in strategies like this by itself.
I've done a bit of tinkering with the list to slant it more agressively, and make sure its capable of winning without Tallowisp on board, and added green for Rancor and sideboard tech. Also swapped firewalkers for champions to Pariah lock the popular Shadow decks more easily. Here's what I'll be bringing to locals this week;
3 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Tallowisp
3 Selfless Spirit
4 Rattlechains
4 Spell Queller
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Supreme Phantom
Instant (6)
3 Disrupting Shoal
3 Force of Negation
Enchantment (8)
4 Curious Obsession
1 Frogify
1 Rancor
1 Unstable Mutation
1 Steel of the Godhead
4 Seachrome Coast
2 Misty Rainforest
4 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Island
1 Plains
2 Waterlogged Grove
1 Lumbering Falls
1 Breeding Pool
1 Moorland Haunt
1 Gavony Township
1 Pentarch Ward
3 Path to Exile
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
2 Veil of Summer
2 Stony Silence
1 Mark of Eviction
1 Pariah
1 Knight of Autumn
2 Auriok Champion
Really this is a Curious Obsession + Force of Will deck, and what lifts it past previous iterations is that its doing things no matter how the game goes. I look at Tallowisp in this shell as a card advantage engine more than a tutor package. Just having extra blue cards to pitch to force, or Obsessions to apply pressure forces wisp to be answered immediately or snowball the game out of control with exponentially growing card advantage. 4 Obsession also helps insulate us against Lightning Bolt, a card that previously was a real problem in a deck with several x/3s that we want to keep around. Overall, its a fetch-able 4 of that is perfectly playable in a deck full of fliers and protection, and takes over the game by itself unanswered. It forces your opponents to run their removal into potential Rattlechains and Spell Queller blowouts, putting you far ahead on tempo, and really meshes with the Force plan. I've limited enchantments I never want to draw to only 2 slots, Frogify for a blanket answer (which is usually just better than Crystallization, and has niche utility protecting whats under Spell Queller, as well as potentially allowing you to rebuy it with Mark of Eviction in grindy matchups), and Steel of the Godhead, as pants for Geist. These both conveniently fill out the 2 and 3 mana slots as fetch targets to fuel Disrupting Shoal.
Im not sure on exact numbers for anything yet. For the moment i've opted to trim Tallowisp/Geist of Saint Traft to focus on making the deck better without its engine, but its possible i'd rather go all in on redundancy. Force of Negation has been exceptional, considering a 3rd copy from the board. I think part of the 5-0 list's success is its ability to play both aggressive and controlling games well, and its somewhat transformative lock board, so I've opted to give the lock some testing to see how reliable/effective it ends up being despite my reservations that it might be too clunky/cute.
If anyone's still tinkering with this one, I think there's potential here. Would love to see old and new pilots' opinions on where the deck could go.
https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=23635&d=363885
Naifu Neko, are you still testing this? I've been liking Pariah in the board, can you tell me what Pentarch Ward is like? I've never seen the card before.
If playing Green, would it be worth playing Once Upon a Time as well? What about Kenrith's Transformation? What about siding Oko?
What's Eidolon of Rhetoric for?
Mark of Eviction seems too slow and bad because of so. How has it actually tested?
Is Lumbering Falls too slow since it's a tap land? What's Gavony Township like?
Why not Shining Shoal?
What's Rancor and Unstable Mutation been like?