With the heavy focus on artifacts there's got to be some cards that can shake up our deck. Praying for a 0 cost equipment which costs 4 or 5 to equip and gives the creature hexproof *fingers crossed*
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Cheeri0s is the breakfast of championsWRU Everyone loves an angry mobRWG Why so Bloo?RU
The Serum visions and Apostles Blessing are flex cards which can be quite a few things. The Serum visions are there to filter to find the Either the draw engine or to find land maybe. Ovalchase Daredevil and Riddlesmith really allow this deck to function by essentially adding another paladin and i think it will only get better with a similar list. Jeskai Ascendancy can be used alongside or instead of Riddlesmith maybe as another win con but overall i dont think its worth it and will likely cause you to lose a game. Its main problems are removal of our creatures or counters. The deck lost horrifically to both forms of delver. The infect and burn match ups are OK as long as you draw the sideboard cards for those match ups. Chalice on 0 wrecks the deck so i think more artifact destruction in the side is needed with maybe the Geist of Saint Trafts being cut to make room. As for match ups:
2-0 vs Death and taxes. Won 2nd game with only 1 draw engine and on 2nd turn which shows how capable the deck can be.
0-2 vs U/W control. A horrible matchup with too much removal and counters mainboard for the deck to win. Doesn't change much post board.
2-1 vs Bant Eldrazi. A good match up. This version didn't run chalice but did run paths which cost me a game. however we can be much faster than them and we should look to always win this match.
0-2 vs Blue Red Delver. Bolts and counters main board make this unwinnable.
0-2 vs Grixis Delver. Bolts and counters main board make this unwinnable.
I have still yet to come across other match ups but will update once i do.
2-1 vs burn. The deck won preboard due to opponents mana screw, post board died to 2 eidolons in each game. Maybe lightning bolt or path belong in main or side?
2-1 vs 8rack. Impossible preboard to win. postboard bring in all leylines and dont keep unless you have one. watch out for Slaughter pact but other than that the games easy to win.
Welcome to the deck! Always good to see newcomers and hear results from testing.
Looking at your decklist it appears that you're going for a sole win-con; grapeshot. Obviously winning on turn 2 is ideal, but in my experience it doesn't happen as many times as one might wish! I have therefore opted to include x2 monastery mentor and x1 mass hysteria - it has proved invaluable against grindier decks. Give it a go if you want.
I appreciate getting the balance of this deck right is the main crux point!
I am interested in the use of pact of negation.... Would be really useful to have some feedback on games where you've fizzled (if that happens!) or how many times you managed to gaurantee the win/protection of paladin with the card.
As an added card to consider for the sideboard, I will look to see whether running x3 sugrical extraction will be of any use. Particularly against burn (bolt), jund (thoughtseize etc).
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Great to see another brewer, adding the gameplay reports is great to hear
My brew looks somewhat similar to yours, but at the moment I've put any major refinements on hold till Aether Revolt spoils, since that could shake it up again.
I've not tested with Pact for budget reasons, but I assume it works similarly to silence, which I have tested, though Pact has the obvious benefits of being a turn faster, but the downside of killing you if you fizzle (how often has this happened to you? Do you try to combo turn 2 or 3?).
IMO Pact seems like a perfectly reasonable addition to the deck, assuming you can reliably draw a paladin or riddlesmith in the opening hand, with enough equipment and land balance to fuel it- but this is my current problem at the moment. The other issue with Pact is it won't save you against abrupt decay, and a double bolt will cost you the game.
Also, if we want to discuss cards specifically against eidolon of the great revel; here are some of my thought bubbles: faith's shield - use Eidolon to get yourself to 7, then cast to get pro-red for the turn (or, go to 9, cast paladin, then shield in response to bolt). Risky, but can work. Protection is also randomly useful against removal anyway. spirit link will pacify an Eidolon, with the added benefit of gaining 2 life every time they bolt you. Too narrow? Maybe, but funny.
I have managed to successfully get round eidolon using ethereal haze. Only played it when I've been pretty confident that I can win that turn though. Having 3 in the sideboard is quite useful.
I honestly think if you are going to remove riddlesmith's and add in ascendancy that you should consider adding monastery mentors. I know I highlighted it previously but the effect of ascendancy with mentor is brilliant. Not sure what else you would cut out though.... And goes against your current game plan.
In the previous thread I also stated that I had opted for PtE over dispatch as haven't always had the number of artifacts when I've needed to cast it.
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Whenever you cast an Aura, Equipment, or Vehicle spell, draw a card. 2/2
I don't know if I want to call this Puresteel Paladin 5-8 or if I want to say that now Puresteel Paladin is 5-8 of Sram. Either way, this deck just got a whole lot more consistent.
Whenever you cast an Aura, Equipment, or Vehicle spell, draw a card. 2/2
I don't know if I want to call this Puresteel Paladin 5-8 or if I want to say that now Puresteel Paladin is 5-8 of Sram. Either way, this deck just got a whole lot more consistent.
Haha, just saw the new card and instantly related to puresteel. I guess if we are going for the combo kill then puresteel is probably the 5-8. I want to see this deck in the tournament scene!
Didn't keep an accurate track of the games, but won each game between turn 2 and 4. Only one once with grapeshot. My favourite win was swinging with 19 32/32 monk tokens on turn 4.
Anyway time to order a playset of Sram!
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Well guys, I had left Sally for a lot of personal reasons and I'm not back for good; but given the news today I had to come by for you.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing so many people having fun with this, and taking it in a thousand unique directions.
Sram really takes this deck to a whole different level as nothing else could. 8 Paladins, without having to commit Spoilcide or double your killturn with Muddle, is amazing.
I've been out of the game for a while, so I don't know what Modern looks like and I'm hazy on new cards from the past two or three sets. But I know that, even still staring down removal, this deck is so much more explosive and consistent now that the meta is going to have to double down to prepare for it.
Pretty sure Mentors go to the board; they're still great but the combo requires a delicate balance and Mentor+Sram is too heavy on engines.
Idr his screen name here, but Datka and I agree that we still want Muddles. As slow emergency Paladins they're ok, but doubling as anti-removal is golden. And in a pinch, go get your Grapeshot!
No idea how many cards that is, I'm in a rush and out of practice counting decklists. But its a rough draft of where I'm going: still streamlined and focused on the turn 2 kill.
Thanks for keeping this alive guys, and don't stop smiling.
Edit oh hey not sure how I forgot about Mana Confluence. Derp.
I haven't played this deck in awhile but decided to check the forum due to Sram... In my estimation he is clearly inferior to Palladin due to being legendary, and another reason we can't really call it Pally 5-8 is the lack of combo/aggro build enablement via free equip cost, ala Gavaleer. Don't get me wrong, I am excited about brewing with him!
A couple of other points:
As stated in the previous forum, we have favored Dispatch over Path in this deck. Why ramp our opponent unnecessarily?
I haven't tested with Riddlesmith/Ovalchase, but Pact of Negation seems suspect to me. I won a lot of games with Mentor and Hysteria after fizzling when I tried to go off, then losing my Paladin(s) the next turn. I'm well shy of 100 competitive matches in paper with this deck, but I played it enough not to be comfortable going all in on winning on the turn with a Pact. I won a lot of games turn 5 or 6 after fizzling turn 3 or 4! There are subtle aspects of patience and sequencing to this deck that take time to master; early on you will win several games in a row by going off, but then after a while you will start stealing games after the combo fizzles that you would never have believed you could win. IMHO casting a Pact you know you can't pay for the next turn will dramatically lower your overall win percentage in the long run.
Upon reflection, I do think Pact of Negation is worthy sideboard tech. Sun/Moon and Grixis Control are just a couple of the decks loaded with creature removal, so I do see the value of giving yourself a chance to go off early.
We don't typically look to equip the Gavaleer until a Pally is down, i.e. T1: Land, Goblin; T2: Land, Paladin, equip/draw multiple times, Opal, Retract, etc. then swing with huge GG. Of course desperate times may call for desperate measures..
I'm skeptical but I do hope Sram's as broken as you are hoping!!
Congrats everyone who's posted before today- you can make the claim to doing modern Cheeri0s before it was cool :). The deck has just had a huge shot of power with Sram's printing. Time will tell if its enough for this deck to be viable, but it at least makes us much, much more viable than we were.
One advantage of Sram compared to paladin is that he's a on-cast trigger, not an ETB trigger like paladin. This means that (and someone correct me if I am wrong here, I am not a judge) once Sram resolves, you can hold priority and cast an equipment before the opponent gets a chance to cast removal- meaning you get at least one draw trigger irrespective of whether or not they have a bolt.
Although possibly now unnecessary, sigarda's aid works to allow you to combo off at instant speed through removal. Aid also allows free equipping to gaveleer but I'm not even sure if gaveleer is necessary.
I suspect alternative builds as an all-in combo and a tempo aggro build will both be viable though.
There are also other cards being spoiled that scream value- like freejam regent and whir of invention, if a midrange build is entertained, but I doubt any such cards are necessary anymore to make this deck tick.
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Everyone loves an angry mob RWG
Why so Bloo? RU
Welcome to the deck! Always good to see newcomers and hear results from testing.
Looking at your decklist it appears that you're going for a sole win-con; grapeshot. Obviously winning on turn 2 is ideal, but in my experience it doesn't happen as many times as one might wish! I have therefore opted to include x2 monastery mentor and x1 mass hysteria - it has proved invaluable against grindier decks. Give it a go if you want.
Furthermore, have you considered a single noxious revival to return grapeshot to your hand?
I concur with Lakor's comments about Repeal, this card can be utilised in so many different ways.
I run x3 ethereal haze in SB as my meta has a lot of burn and 8Whack.
Keep the results coming. Positive we can make this deck more consistent.
Everyone loves an angry mob RWG
Why so Bloo? RU
I am interested in the use of pact of negation.... Would be really useful to have some feedback on games where you've fizzled (if that happens!) or how many times you managed to gaurantee the win/protection of paladin with the card.
As an added card to consider for the sideboard, I will look to see whether running x3 sugrical extraction will be of any use. Particularly against burn (bolt), jund (thoughtseize etc).
Everyone loves an angry mob RWG
Why so Bloo? RU
My brew looks somewhat similar to yours, but at the moment I've put any major refinements on hold till Aether Revolt spoils, since that could shake it up again.
I've not tested with Pact for budget reasons, but I assume it works similarly to silence, which I have tested, though Pact has the obvious benefits of being a turn faster, but the downside of killing you if you fizzle (how often has this happened to you? Do you try to combo turn 2 or 3?).
IMO Pact seems like a perfectly reasonable addition to the deck, assuming you can reliably draw a paladin or riddlesmith in the opening hand, with enough equipment and land balance to fuel it- but this is my current problem at the moment. The other issue with Pact is it won't save you against abrupt decay, and a double bolt will cost you the game.
Also, if we want to discuss cards specifically against eidolon of the great revel; here are some of my thought bubbles:
faith's shield - use Eidolon to get yourself to 7, then cast to get pro-red for the turn (or, go to 9, cast paladin, then shield in response to bolt). Risky, but can work. Protection is also randomly useful against removal anyway.
spirit link will pacify an Eidolon, with the added benefit of gaining 2 life every time they bolt you. Too narrow? Maybe, but funny.
Agreed on discard- I think we'll probably just have to concede that Jund is just always going to be a terrible matchup.
I honestly think if you are going to remove riddlesmith's and add in ascendancy that you should consider adding monastery mentors. I know I highlighted it previously but the effect of ascendancy with mentor is brilliant. Not sure what else you would cut out though.... And goes against your current game plan.
In the previous thread I also stated that I had opted for PtE over dispatch as haven't always had the number of artifacts when I've needed to cast it.
Everyone loves an angry mob RWG
Why so Bloo? RU
This deck just got an incredible upgrade. Puresteel 5-8 ahoy.
Sram, Senior edificer1W
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Advisor
Whenever you cast an Aura, Equipment, or Vehicle spell, draw a card.
2/2
I don't know if I want to call this Puresteel Paladin 5-8 or if I want to say that now Puresteel Paladin is 5-8 of Sram. Either way, this deck just got a whole lot more consistent.
BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
Haha, just saw the new card and instantly related to puresteel. I guess if we are going for the combo kill then puresteel is probably the 5-8. I want to see this deck in the tournament scene!
Did some casual testing this evening, went 5-0 against Bloo (TiTi Fiend) and Storm. Was using the decklist with ovalchase daredevil and riddlesmith. I also have a single monastery mentor and jeskai ascendancy in the deck along with the usual staples
Didn't keep an accurate track of the games, but won each game between turn 2 and 4. Only one once with grapeshot. My favourite win was swinging with 19 32/32 monk tokens on turn 4.
Anyway time to order a playset of Sram!
Everyone loves an angry mob RWG
Why so Bloo? RU
Nothing makes me happier than seeing so many people having fun with this, and taking it in a thousand unique directions.
Sram really takes this deck to a whole different level as nothing else could. 8 Paladins, without having to commit Spoilcide or double your killturn with Muddle, is amazing.
I've been out of the game for a while, so I don't know what Modern looks like and I'm hazy on new cards from the past two or three sets. But I know that, even still staring down removal, this deck is so much more explosive and consistent now that the meta is going to have to double down to prepare for it.
Pretty sure Mentors go to the board; they're still great but the combo requires a delicate balance and Mentor+Sram is too heavy on engines.
Idr his screen name here, but Datka and I agree that we still want Muddles. As slow emergency Paladins they're ok, but doubling as anti-removal is golden. And in a pinch, go get your Grapeshot!
Something like this probably:
4 Sram
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Mox Opal
4 Retract
2 Grapeshot
4 Accorder's Shield
4 Bone Saw
4 Spidersilk Net
4 Kite Shield
4 Gemstone Mine
4 City of Brass
2 Glimmervoid
2 Plains
No idea how many cards that is, I'm in a rush and out of practice counting decklists. But its a rough draft of where I'm going: still streamlined and focused on the turn 2 kill.
Thanks for keeping this alive guys, and don't stop smiling.
Edit oh hey not sure how I forgot about Mana Confluence. Derp.
Any more of this, and Team Troll will be more than just a name.
I know where you post.
A couple of other points:
As stated in the previous forum, we have favored Dispatch over Path in this deck. Why ramp our opponent unnecessarily?
I haven't tested with Riddlesmith/Ovalchase, but Pact of Negation seems suspect to me. I won a lot of games with Mentor and Hysteria after fizzling when I tried to go off, then losing my Paladin(s) the next turn. I'm well shy of 100 competitive matches in paper with this deck, but I played it enough not to be comfortable going all in on winning on the turn with a Pact. I won a lot of games turn 5 or 6 after fizzling turn 3 or 4! There are subtle aspects of patience and sequencing to this deck that take time to master; early on you will win several games in a row by going off, but then after a while you will start stealing games after the combo fizzles that you would never have believed you could win. IMHO casting a Pact you know you can't pay for the next turn will dramatically lower your overall win percentage in the long run.
I'm skeptical but I do hope Sram's as broken as you are hoping!!
What do you think of Sram's preorder price? In general I'm not a fan of preordering.
One advantage of Sram compared to paladin is that he's a on-cast trigger, not an ETB trigger like paladin. This means that (and someone correct me if I am wrong here, I am not a judge) once Sram resolves, you can hold priority and cast an equipment before the opponent gets a chance to cast removal- meaning you get at least one draw trigger irrespective of whether or not they have a bolt.
Although possibly now unnecessary, sigarda's aid works to allow you to combo off at instant speed through removal. Aid also allows free equipping to gaveleer but I'm not even sure if gaveleer is necessary.
I suspect alternative builds as an all-in combo and a tempo aggro build will both be viable though.
There are also other cards being spoiled that scream value- like freejam regent and whir of invention, if a midrange build is entertained, but I doubt any such cards are necessary anymore to make this deck tick.