I played the Gifts and the non-Gifts version of Esper Goryo's and I feel that the non-Gifts version is better. It's not as clunky and is more to the point. I used to think of it as a watered down version of Jund, but it has a little more to offer in some respects than Jund (obviously not being the better deck overall). I know it's probably not what you want to hear in a "4 color Gifts" thread, but it's how I feel.
As FoodChainGoblins stated, non-gifts version running strategic planning, pieces to the puzzle, and more collective brutalities seems to be better in the esper goryo's shell since it operates with ~3 lands.
I hear you both. Thanks ! I was afraid it could feel clunkier, but I was attracted by the fact I wouldn't have to choose between two archetypes I love.
Monkie's list (shared by Xour in the previous page) seems great, It must be resilient enough to graveyard hate, although the only answer to Leyline of the Void is one Maelstrom Pulse. I'll maybe come back in the future when I own Tarmos and Lilis
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French Commander : Yisan Liliana Kytheon Kari Zev Grenzo Karlov Tajic Gitrog Prossh Turboramp Najeela Modern : Solemnity Prison Martyr Proc Devotion to Green 8 Whacks Eldrazi Processor Bogles Landfall Aggro Legacy : Goblins
Common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world, for each one thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have. - René Descartes
Gifts does indeed seem outclassed by JTMS as the premier blue 4-drop for control decks. I'm retiring from this thread until Gifts becomes relevant again. That being said, Esper Goryo's has been very successful for me lately. I haven't even tried Strategic Planning but POTP has been a house.
MB change has been eternal witness -> snapcaster and 2x scavenging oozes -> 4th Liliana of the Veil + Tasigur. I have been happy about the change, reducing the green requirements. It loses a little game on random graveyard hate mainboard and the giant life-gaining lategame machine but as a 4c deck, we don't utilize ooze to its maximum potential anyways. Tasigur has been phenomenal with all the pushes running around, staying on board way longer than it should and recurring cards.
Been very happy with 4 Collective Brutality in the 75 as it is such an amazing card in the right matchups. I was toying with the idea of running 3 counterspells in the sideboard (negate, countersqual, disdainful stroke) would be worth it but not sure if it warrants testing. CB already hits control and combo decks and most of the relevant cards in Valakut save for their titans and topdecks. GR Tron has largely been replaced by EldraziTron where kill spells are superior.
As naked as it makes me feel, I took out raven's crime/life from the loam combo since CB does heavy lifting in control matchups to begin with. If a Jace lands, however, it makes things very difficult for us.
I'm not sure how much graveyard hate I should pack than the usual surgical/extirpate and hence added a nihil spellbomb for a 3rd piece of hate. I'm not sure how prevalent RB Hollow One or Dredge would be but I think we have a decent matchup against fair decks so more of our sideboard space can be used against unfair ones.
2 vs 3 stony silence is something I've been going back and forth about. I really hate losing to affinity and lantern but at the same time, I pack a lot of removal in the 75 and it could open up an extra slot for the SB. Any suggestions are welcome.
Currently testing the 3 semi-wrath package of Bontu's, Tendrils, and Damnation for the humans/general aggro matchup. Will let you guys know how Bontu's holds up!
Common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world, for each one thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have. - René Descartes
I think that this deck is definitely a contender in the Midrange/Control type metagame, but that is not ALL that is in the current metagame. This is my personal opinion and you can take it how you want to. I feel that these are the best decks right now.
1. Humans, if only by a little bit. Too fast for many versions of Gifts, even if Unburial Rites/Elesh Norn is the nail on the coffin.
2. Lantern Control. I feel that this can be a tough matchup, but I haven't played it yet.
3. Jund. I think we have a good matchup here.
4. Hollow One. Probably too quick for us. Notice a theme?
5. Affinity. 50/50 matchup at best. I feel it's less than that. When we win, we win big, but still.
Bogles is also somewhat prevalent and I don't think it's a good matchup.
So, I think if you have a local meta of Midrange and Control, Gifts away. But if you expect to see Humans and Hollow One, I don't think that's where you want to be right now.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I definitely know it's not the best deck but it's the deck I want to play at the GP , hence the decision. Aren't we all here because of the love for the deck and not its tier 1 competitiveness? haha
@Xour
No maindeck sweepers the same reason Abzan and Jund don't - I try to play the midrange game with goyfs, flayers, and tasigur. We pack enough removal. I do want to run Liliana, the Last Hope but can't find space for it. Recently switched back to the 4 Veil from 3 Veil/1 Last Hope split since Veil is so good in so many matchups.
I definitely know it's not the best deck but it's the deck I want to play at the GP , hence the decision. Aren't we all here because of the love for the deck and not its tier 1 competitiveness? haha
True. I'm running Uw Turns right now, so I can't talk. So far, I'm 7-4 with it.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world, for each one thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have. - René Descartes
I went 6-1 in the modern seat of a team tournament last Saturday playing my esper gifts list, only loss being a match against storm, crushing 2 humans decks, Jund and Affinity. Winning a close match against Jeskai something else I can't recall without my notes handy.
I want to ask a serious question, especially in gifts lists that play 2-3 Liliana of the veil in the main
Has anyone tested 2 spirit guides in the board for the non- interactive matchups I.e KcI, storm, burn, titanshift etc.
My theory is that ssg can power out turn 2 Liliana which can be absolutely back breaking against these archetypes. Similarly, we can turn 3 gifts off ssg and then turn 4 Iona.
I've noticed that sideboard slots are stretched to the limits. We could "transform" into more of an all in combo deck to better fight those archetypes?
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I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
0-2 LOSS Grixis Death Shadow
Our deck is built to beat these kind of decks so it should have been a free win. Game 1 went as expected, removing all his threats one by one but his chain of snapcaster kolaghan's command outvalued us and eventually got us with temur battle rage through lingering soul tokens. Game 2, I mull then kept a hand with one land with double push, path, and two lilianas with another land on top. Unfortunately, I never draw into my third land and I lose to a gurmag after I remove all other threats.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's
0-2 LOSS Jund
Jund doing Jund things. Creatures dying left and right, hand size both quickly going to 0 with all the hand disruption fired left and right. However, he drew Bloodbraid Elf 3 times both games, burying me in card advantage. I tried to remove every threat he threw at me but the 2-for-1 was too much.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's, Celestial Purge
Starting the GP with 2 losses already, I feel pretty terrible, especially against the GDS that was so favorable towards us. With the wall against my back, I continue on fulling knowing that one more loss meant I cannot make Day 2.
2-0 WIN Infect
Hand disruption, cheap removal spells, and a clock consisting of goyf or flayer gets there both games. Always use removal on their infect creatures during your turn or after they cast a pump spell, never anytime else. Also, kill nobles on sight. They provide ramp and a free point of infect damage which is HUGE.
SB- Tendrils, 2x Collective Brutality
2-0 WIN JUND
I groan at being matched up with Jund again but I do a lot better. Game 1, I keep the board clear with removal spells until I end of turn gifts for Iona on black on an empty board. He cannot remove it and I swing 3 times to win. Game 2, he overboards graveyard hate and while he durdles with nihil spellbombs and surgical extraction, I beat him down with goyf and flayers. They are eventually removed but I resolve a liliana that controls the board and hand which wins me the game.
After the match, he told me that he thought I was on a 4 color gifts control deck because he didn't see anything except discard and kill spells game 1. People tend to overboard graveyard hate against gifts which gives us an edge to win a fair fight with goyfs, flayers, and liliana.
SB- same as previous Jund
2-1 WIN Boggles
Our worst matchup but somehow I sneak in a win with the help of a bit of luck. Game 1, they do not have a turn 1 leyline and I fire off discard to take his extra bogglse and land a liliana to remove his resolved boggle. Game 2, he again fails to find a turn 1 leyline and I remove most of his threats. We are on topdeck mode, and he resorts to suiting up his dryad arbor with rancor and I do not find my last removal spell to kill it. Game 3, I start with a solid hand of discard, liliana, and flaying tendrils but he finally begins with a turn 1 leyline. I think to myself I am doomed. He starts suiting up his guy but when turn 3 comes around, the boggles has a rancor and a totem armor on it. I cast flaying tendrils to kill the boggles forever and get there with goyf swinging 4 times. Definitely got lucky that he didn't have another totem armor or another aura that increased its toughness by 1.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's, 2x collective brutality
2-0 WIN Burn
Game 1, I stabilize with 1 life with gifts into Iona. I do not swing on an empty board due to a single swiftspear on the field and I eventually draw into a removal spell to get it off the table before swinging with my lovely angel. Game 2, I am happy as I had 4x collective brutality in the MB+SB. I play collective brutality back to back and it gains me so much value that it is hard to come back from.
SB- 2x collective brutality, celestial purge
4-2 after starting the day 0-2! Hope returns to my heart and I cross my fingers that I win my next game to proceed to Day 2. However, my soul was crushed by my worst enemy... BLOOD MOON
2-0 LOSS UR Breach
Game 1, turn 3, blood moon appears on the field. All my lands turn to mountains and I cry. I get beat to death by a lonely snapcaster mage. With my discard spells, I saw that he was on UR Breach so I board accordingly. However, what I did not account for was him boarding out the combo to become a UR control deck. We trade discard spells for counterspells until he starts looting with desolate lighthouse and lands a Jace, the Mindscupltor. He buries me in card advantage and infinite cryptic commands and kills me with snapcaster and clique.
4-3 and I miss out on the chance to make it to Day 2. What a roller coaster ride of a day! I wish good luck to my opponent and wait for the last round to start since I was there to play magic.
2-0 WIN Abzan
Budget abzan brew of lingering souls, siege rhino, and thragtusk but no goyf or lilianas. A grindy deck? Perfect for gifts. One game, I win with both Iona and Elesh Norn on board. Another game, I win with goyf beatdown with liliana clearing the path for them. He comments on how good liliana is. I give him some pointers about how to make his deck better (albeit with money), explain to my opponent how my gift deck works (he never saw the card before), and have a good talk overall.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's
OVERVIEW
I think the deck performed as expected, an Abzan deck with a combo finish. However, I could not stop wondering if I would have made it to Day 2 if I had drawn a single land against GDS... So close yet so far! One day, my dream will come true... I accepted the loss to blood moon as part of playing a 4 color deck in modern - I ran 1 plains, 1 forest, and 2 swamps as a hedge against blood moon and field of ruin fully expecting I will not be casting gifts in those situations with basics.
I never felt heavily unfavorable in any certain matchups throughout the GP. Surprisingly did not run into humans or affinity as I had feared but my SB was properly attuned to face those decks. However, I did make top 8 of monthly modern tournament with gifts a couple weeks back as well with the same decklist, in which I played against 2 humans and 1 affinity.
I was very happy with the 4x Collective Brutality because it is one of the best sideboard cards ever printed. Removal, discard, and lifegain all packed into one neat little card. No wonder the price jumped! Bontu's was another card I was happy to have in the deck, offering the possibility of gifting for 3 sweepers or a turn 3 boardwipe against heavy aggro like humans.
I want to ask a serious question, especially in gifts lists that play 2-3 Liliana of the veil in the main
Has anyone tested 2 spirit guides in the board for the non- interactive matchups I.e KcI, storm, burn, titanshift etc.
SSG is a card that shines in unfair decks and help cast a game winning spell. They are all about explosive hands and often mull heavily to find the perfect them, hence either 4x SSG or none at all. Gifts, on the other hand, is a fair and grindy deck that relies on having better topdeck than the opponent much like Abzan or Jund. SSG is a terrible topdeck and also a color that we do not run to take advantage of.
If a turn 2 liliana and turn 3 gifts is the appeal, how about try birds or sylvan caryatids?
If you can rely on your birds surviving past the first two turns, I think it's a great card for the deck. I'd really love to put together a creature-heavy list that can put some decent pressure on and then lock out the opponent with a gifts. I'm not sure the old KOTR package is strong enough for the current metagame. But I wonder about something like this:
Even just typing this out, sounds terrible. Gifts Ungiven as a grind card seems to have lost its place in modern. It's a combo enabler now, for either UR Storm or Jeskai Ascendancy.
I see a number of Gifts decks running Tarmogoyf, but has anyone else tried adding Death's Shadow and Delve threats? I like the combo aspect of this deck, but the control aspect seems suboptimal. Adding these threats gives a better clock to follow up the deck's disruption, plus shores up some of the disadvantages of Shadow and Delve threats - Elesh Norn wipes away chump blockers, and gifts gives the deck a late game engine that utilizes the deck's diversity of large threats well.
Notably, I'm not running any more expensive cards than needed; no LoTV or souls in the main. I've been able to hit my 4th land consistently enough by turn 4 or 5, but keeping the average CMC low has been important. I tried Esper charm, LoTV and LtTH, and you'd get a number of hands that didn't have the lands to function.
[.deck]
Creatures
4x Death's Shadow
2x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2x Gurmag Angler
1x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2x Snapcaster Mage
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Death's Shadow seems pretty subpar without Street Wraith or Mishra's Bauble. Also both Sun Titan and Renegade Rallier both seem good here. Maybe something like this:
My list is missing some cards... including street wraith. I'm not convinced on rallier or sun titan. I think that just exacerbates the fact that the deck can already be expensive.
FWIW, pretty new to mtgsalv forums. Defo made a mistake there.
With Guilds of Ravnica, I am definately going to pick up this deck again and rewind it all the way back to the more control oriented lists of 2014.
Over the years, those iterations have gotten a few decent cards in Sultai Charm and Fatal Push, but really what the deck was missing was solid removal - everything else was there in those lists if you were good at toolboxing efficiently with Gifts Ungiven. Guilds of Ravnica brings Assassin’s Trophy to the forefront in such a powerful way. Additionally, I find Mission Briefing appealing for Gifts Piles involving Snapcaster Mage, as well as Ritual of Soot alongside Damnation.
Assassin’s Trophy also helps round out those once difficult Tron Matches, in such a powerful way.
I hear you both. Thanks ! I was afraid it could feel clunkier, but I was attracted by the fact I wouldn't have to choose between two archetypes I love.
Monkie's list (shared by Xour in the previous page) seems great, It must be resilient enough to graveyard hate, although the only answer to Leyline of the Void is one Maelstrom Pulse. I'll maybe come back in the future when I own Tarmos and Lilis
Modern :
Legacy :
Keep in mind that most bogles lists run maindeck Leyline of Sanctity.
Draft My Cube!
Which also turns off Gifts.
Abzan Traverse / Traverse Shadow / UR Kiki
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Marsh Flats
1x Temple Garden
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Breeding Pool
1x Godless Shrine
1x Watery Grave
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Plains
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Stirring Wildwood
1x Shambling Vents
2x Blooming Marsh
4x Tarmogoyf
2x Grim Flayer
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Thoughtseize
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Unburial Rites
1x Collective Brutality
4x Gifts Ungiven
2x Path to Exile
2x Abrupt Decay
3x Fatal Push
1x Dismember
4x Liliana of the Veil
3x Collective Brutality
3x Stony Silence
1x Surgical Extraction
1x Extirpate
1x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Damnation
1x Flaying Tendrils
1x Bontu's Last Reckoning
2x Fulminator Mage
1x Celestial Purge
MB change has been eternal witness -> snapcaster and 2x scavenging oozes -> 4th Liliana of the Veil + Tasigur. I have been happy about the change, reducing the green requirements. It loses a little game on random graveyard hate mainboard and the giant life-gaining lategame machine but as a 4c deck, we don't utilize ooze to its maximum potential anyways. Tasigur has been phenomenal with all the pushes running around, staying on board way longer than it should and recurring cards.
Been very happy with 4 Collective Brutality in the 75 as it is such an amazing card in the right matchups. I was toying with the idea of running 3 counterspells in the sideboard (negate, countersqual, disdainful stroke) would be worth it but not sure if it warrants testing. CB already hits control and combo decks and most of the relevant cards in Valakut save for their titans and topdecks. GR Tron has largely been replaced by EldraziTron where kill spells are superior.
As naked as it makes me feel, I took out raven's crime/life from the loam combo since CB does heavy lifting in control matchups to begin with. If a Jace lands, however, it makes things very difficult for us.
I'm not sure how much graveyard hate I should pack than the usual surgical/extirpate and hence added a nihil spellbomb for a 3rd piece of hate. I'm not sure how prevalent RB Hollow One or Dredge would be but I think we have a decent matchup against fair decks so more of our sideboard space can be used against unfair ones.
2 vs 3 stony silence is something I've been going back and forth about. I really hate losing to affinity and lantern but at the same time, I pack a lot of removal in the 75 and it could open up an extra slot for the SB. Any suggestions are welcome.
Currently testing the 3 semi-wrath package of Bontu's, Tendrils, and Damnation for the humans/general aggro matchup. Will let you guys know how Bontu's holds up!
Some cards that I would consider for the sideboard are:
I really hope see you in camera!
1. Humans, if only by a little bit. Too fast for many versions of Gifts, even if Unburial Rites/Elesh Norn is the nail on the coffin.
2. Lantern Control. I feel that this can be a tough matchup, but I haven't played it yet.
3. Jund. I think we have a good matchup here.
4. Hollow One. Probably too quick for us. Notice a theme?
5. Affinity. 50/50 matchup at best. I feel it's less than that. When we win, we win big, but still.
Bogles is also somewhat prevalent and I don't think it's a good matchup.
So, I think if you have a local meta of Midrange and Control, Gifts away. But if you expect to see Humans and Hollow One, I don't think that's where you want to be right now.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)@Xour
No maindeck sweepers the same reason Abzan and Jund don't - I try to play the midrange game with goyfs, flayers, and tasigur. We pack enough removal. I do want to run Liliana, the Last Hope but can't find space for it. Recently switched back to the 4 Veil from 3 Veil/1 Last Hope split since Veil is so good in so many matchups.
True. I'm running Uw Turns right now, so I can't talk. So far, I'm 7-4 with it.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)My list:
4 Path to Exile
3 Fatal Push
2 Collective Brutality
2 Search for Azcanta
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Logic Knot
2 Mana Leak
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Lingering Souls
3 Gifts Ungiven
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Wrath of God
1 Unburial Rites
1 Elesh Norn
1 Jace the Mind Sculptor
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
4 Polluted Delta
4 Field of Ruin
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Godless Shrine
1 Watery Grave
2 Island
1 Snow-covered Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains
2 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Celestial Collonade
2 Damping Sphere
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Lingering Souls
2 Celestial Purge
1 Iona
1 Settle the Wreckage
2 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Thoughtseize
1 Inquistion of Kozilek
1 Negate
1 Engineered Explosives
I'm thinking of more negates and potentially going down on snaps, any thoughts?
The other thought I'm having is to go back to the green splash for Shalai and a decay or maelstrom pulse.
Has anyone tested 2 spirit guides in the board for the non- interactive matchups I.e KcI, storm, burn, titanshift etc.
My theory is that ssg can power out turn 2 Liliana which can be absolutely back breaking against these archetypes. Similarly, we can turn 3 gifts off ssg and then turn 4 Iona.
I've noticed that sideboard slots are stretched to the limits. We could "transform" into more of an all in combo deck to better fight those archetypes?
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i
I went 5-3 at the GP. losing to Grixis Death Shadow, Jund, UR Breach.
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Marsh Flats
1x Temple Garden
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Breeding Pool
1x Godless Shrine
1x Watery Grave
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Plains
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Stirring Wildwood
1x Shambling Vents
2x Blooming Marsh
4x Tarmogoyf
2x Grim Flayer
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Thoughtseize
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Unburial Rites
1x Collective Brutality
4x Gifts Ungiven
2x Path to Exile
2x Abrupt Decay
3x Fatal Push
1x Dismember
4x Liliana of the Veil
3x Collective Brutality
3x Stony Silence
1x Surgical Extraction
1x Extirpate
1x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Damnation
1x Flaying Tendrils
1x Bontu's Last Reckoning
2x Fulminator Mage
1x Celestial Purge
0-2 LOSS Grixis Death Shadow
Our deck is built to beat these kind of decks so it should have been a free win. Game 1 went as expected, removing all his threats one by one but his chain of snapcaster kolaghan's command outvalued us and eventually got us with temur battle rage through lingering soul tokens. Game 2, I mull then kept a hand with one land with double push, path, and two lilianas with another land on top. Unfortunately, I never draw into my third land and I lose to a gurmag after I remove all other threats.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's
0-2 LOSS Jund
Jund doing Jund things. Creatures dying left and right, hand size both quickly going to 0 with all the hand disruption fired left and right. However, he drew Bloodbraid Elf 3 times both games, burying me in card advantage. I tried to remove every threat he threw at me but the 2-for-1 was too much.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's, Celestial Purge
Starting the GP with 2 losses already, I feel pretty terrible, especially against the GDS that was so favorable towards us. With the wall against my back, I continue on fulling knowing that one more loss meant I cannot make Day 2.
2-0 WIN Infect
Hand disruption, cheap removal spells, and a clock consisting of goyf or flayer gets there both games. Always use removal on their infect creatures during your turn or after they cast a pump spell, never anytime else. Also, kill nobles on sight. They provide ramp and a free point of infect damage which is HUGE.
SB- Tendrils, 2x Collective Brutality
2-0 WIN JUND
I groan at being matched up with Jund again but I do a lot better. Game 1, I keep the board clear with removal spells until I end of turn gifts for Iona on black on an empty board. He cannot remove it and I swing 3 times to win. Game 2, he overboards graveyard hate and while he durdles with nihil spellbombs and surgical extraction, I beat him down with goyf and flayers. They are eventually removed but I resolve a liliana that controls the board and hand which wins me the game.
After the match, he told me that he thought I was on a 4 color gifts control deck because he didn't see anything except discard and kill spells game 1. People tend to overboard graveyard hate against gifts which gives us an edge to win a fair fight with goyfs, flayers, and liliana.
SB- same as previous Jund
2-1 WIN Boggles
Our worst matchup but somehow I sneak in a win with the help of a bit of luck. Game 1, they do not have a turn 1 leyline and I fire off discard to take his extra bogglse and land a liliana to remove his resolved boggle. Game 2, he again fails to find a turn 1 leyline and I remove most of his threats. We are on topdeck mode, and he resorts to suiting up his dryad arbor with rancor and I do not find my last removal spell to kill it. Game 3, I start with a solid hand of discard, liliana, and flaying tendrils but he finally begins with a turn 1 leyline. I think to myself I am doomed. He starts suiting up his guy but when turn 3 comes around, the boggles has a rancor and a totem armor on it. I cast flaying tendrils to kill the boggles forever and get there with goyf swinging 4 times. Definitely got lucky that he didn't have another totem armor or another aura that increased its toughness by 1.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's, 2x collective brutality
2-0 WIN Burn
Game 1, I stabilize with 1 life with gifts into Iona. I do not swing on an empty board due to a single swiftspear on the field and I eventually draw into a removal spell to get it off the table before swinging with my lovely angel. Game 2, I am happy as I had 4x collective brutality in the MB+SB. I play collective brutality back to back and it gains me so much value that it is hard to come back from.
SB- 2x collective brutality, celestial purge
4-2 after starting the day 0-2! Hope returns to my heart and I cross my fingers that I win my next game to proceed to Day 2. However, my soul was crushed by my worst enemy... BLOOD MOON
2-0 LOSS UR Breach
Game 1, turn 3, blood moon appears on the field. All my lands turn to mountains and I cry. I get beat to death by a lonely snapcaster mage. With my discard spells, I saw that he was on UR Breach so I board accordingly. However, what I did not account for was him boarding out the combo to become a UR control deck. We trade discard spells for counterspells until he starts looting with desolate lighthouse and lands a Jace, the Mindscupltor. He buries me in card advantage and infinite cryptic commands and kills me with snapcaster and clique.
SB- 2x Collective Brutality, Surgical Extraction, Extirpate
4-3 and I miss out on the chance to make it to Day 2. What a roller coaster ride of a day! I wish good luck to my opponent and wait for the last round to start since I was there to play magic.
2-0 WIN Abzan
Budget abzan brew of lingering souls, siege rhino, and thragtusk but no goyf or lilianas. A grindy deck? Perfect for gifts. One game, I win with both Iona and Elesh Norn on board. Another game, I win with goyf beatdown with liliana clearing the path for them. He comments on how good liliana is. I give him some pointers about how to make his deck better (albeit with money), explain to my opponent how my gift deck works (he never saw the card before), and have a good talk overall.
SB- Damnation, Bontu's
OVERVIEW
I think the deck performed as expected, an Abzan deck with a combo finish. However, I could not stop wondering if I would have made it to Day 2 if I had drawn a single land against GDS... So close yet so far! One day, my dream will come true... I accepted the loss to blood moon as part of playing a 4 color deck in modern - I ran 1 plains, 1 forest, and 2 swamps as a hedge against blood moon and field of ruin fully expecting I will not be casting gifts in those situations with basics.
I never felt heavily unfavorable in any certain matchups throughout the GP. Surprisingly did not run into humans or affinity as I had feared but my SB was properly attuned to face those decks. However, I did make top 8 of monthly modern tournament with gifts a couple weeks back as well with the same decklist, in which I played against 2 humans and 1 affinity.
I was very happy with the 4x Collective Brutality because it is one of the best sideboard cards ever printed. Removal, discard, and lifegain all packed into one neat little card. No wonder the price jumped! Bontu's was another card I was happy to have in the deck, offering the possibility of gifting for 3 sweepers or a turn 3 boardwipe against heavy aggro like humans.
SSG is a card that shines in unfair decks and help cast a game winning spell. They are all about explosive hands and often mull heavily to find the perfect them, hence either 4x SSG or none at all. Gifts, on the other hand, is a fair and grindy deck that relies on having better topdeck than the opponent much like Abzan or Jund. SSG is a terrible topdeck and also a color that we do not run to take advantage of.
If a turn 2 liliana and turn 3 gifts is the appeal, how about try birds or sylvan caryatids?
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Grim Flayer
1 Snapcaster mage
1 Eternal witness
1 Fulminator mage
1 Sun Titan
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Spells (20)
4 Gifts Ungiven
3 Lingering souls
3 Liliana of the veil
3 Collective Brutality
2 Fatal Push
1 Path to exile
1 Abrupt decay
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Unburial Rites
1 Nihil spellbomb
4 Verdant catacombs
3 Marsh flats
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Blooming Marsh
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Temple garden
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Breeding pool
1 Creeping Tar pit
1 Fetid Heath
1 Ghost Quarter
2 Swamp
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Forest
Even just typing this out, sounds terrible. Gifts Ungiven as a grind card seems to have lost its place in modern. It's a combo enabler now, for either UR Storm or Jeskai Ascendancy.
Draft My Cube!
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1168850#online
Notably, I'm not running any more expensive cards than needed; no LoTV or souls in the main. I've been able to hit my 4th land consistently enough by turn 4 or 5, but keeping the average CMC low has been important. I tried Esper charm, LoTV and LtTH, and you'd get a number of hands that didn't have the lands to function.
[.deck]
Creatures
4x Death's Shadow
2x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2x Gurmag Angler
1x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2x Snapcaster Mage
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Spells
4x Thoughtseize
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Fatal Push
2x Dismember
3x Path to Exile
4x Thought Scour
1x Opt
1x Serum Visions
1x Countersquall
3x Gifts Ungiven
1x Unburial Rites
Lands
4x Polluted Delta
4x Marsh Flats
3x Flooded Strand
3x Watery Grave
1x Godless Shrine
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Island
1x Plains
1x Swamp
[/.deck]
4 Death's Shadow
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Street Wraith
1 Renegade Rallier
1 Snapcaster mage
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Spells:
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Fatal Push
1 Dismember
3 Path to exile
3 Gifts Ungiven
1 Unburial Rites
1 Orzhov Charm
2 Liliana of the veil
3 Stubborn Denial
13 Fetch Lands
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Breeding Pool
1 Godless Shrine
1 Watery Grave
1 Temple Garden
1 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Sun Titan
2 Fulminator Mage
3 Lingering Souls
2 Duress
2 Golgari Charm
1 Negate
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
2 Collective Brutality
1 Dismember
I think LOTV is key in a deck list like so you can discard unwanted cards drawn, such as Norn.
Draft My Cube!
FWIW, pretty new to mtgsalv forums. Defo made a mistake there.
Over the years, those iterations have gotten a few decent cards in Sultai Charm and Fatal Push, but really what the deck was missing was solid removal - everything else was there in those lists if you were good at toolboxing efficiently with Gifts Ungiven. Guilds of Ravnica brings Assassin’s Trophy to the forefront in such a powerful way. Additionally, I find Mission Briefing appealing for Gifts Piles involving Snapcaster Mage, as well as Ritual of Soot alongside Damnation.
Assassin’s Trophy also helps round out those once difficult Tron Matches, in such a powerful way.
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Griselbrand
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Thragtusk
2 Vendilion Clique
Sorcery
1 Unburial Rutes
1 Maelstrom Pulse
Instant
3 Spellsnare
3 Assassin’s Trophy
1 Abrupt Decay
2 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
1 Slaughter Pact
3 Gifts Ungiven
3 Sultai Charm
1 Bant Charm
4 Mana Leak
1 Noxious Revival
1 Mission Briefing
3 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Field of Ruin
1 Marsh Flats
2 Misty Rainforest
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Watery Grave
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Breeding Pool
1 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Temple Garden
2 Polluted Delta
STANDARD|UW Control MODERN| UBG Midrange PAUPER| UG Fog COMMANDER| UBG The Mimeoplasm