It's not quite a normal card for these type decks, as it doesn't inherently grind out advantage. It's instead a purely defensive card to help protect us/our stuff. I haven't done any testing with it, I was wondering if others have. Obviously protection effects are still pretty weak to skullcrack and the like, but still seems like it might have merit. Mother of Runes type effect in modern has me thinking.
Playing only Wall of Omens in the 1-2cmc slots (Phantasmal Image doesn't really count) is not enough imho as you have nothing to do untill turn 3 most of the time making you very vulnerable against fast decks.
No counters means you have no chance against combo decks whatsoever (you have nothing to pressure them as well).
Thoughts on Worship as a sideboard card? It has the ability to surprise in lots of matches and some decks simply fold to it. However, it cannot be recurred with Emeria or Sun Titan.
Worship is an ok card. Will force some opponents to side in enchantment removal just for it. The only problem is finding a space for it in the main or sideboard.
The real problem with Worship is not being great versus Infect, and coming down on turn 4 against TBR-Zoo, Dredge, and other stuff that kills you plenty dead on turn 4. It is great versus Burn however, especially as most people are being silly enough to play Atarka's Command over Skullcrack.
Walking Atlas and Gift of Estates are actually pretty awful. If we're in green, we can do better.
Coiling Oracle isn't bad, but can be tough to cast on turn 2.
Mana base has 19 W, 10 U, 8 G sources. That plus your cantrips and land-search will probably enable verdict on turn 4. My bigger concern is the number of G sources to enable that searching. You want at least 13 for turn 2 STE. I'd drop a few plains and an Emeria to max out your fetches and add another Temple Garden, at least.
I finally got my deck together! As I mentioned in my first post in this thread, I'm a newbie with this particular deck, but I have relatively clear sense of what it wants to do and how to pilot it.
So, here's my iteration at the moment. I like to think it as the "meat and potatoes" version of the deck, nothing fancy. All constructive criticism (both positive and negative) and other suggestions are well appreciated!
What I have been thinking about is to cut 1 Flickerwisp and 1 Pilgrim's Eye and replace them with the fourth Lone Missionary to lower the curve a tiny bit and with the fourth Court Hussar to ensure card draw and selection. What could the pros and cons of this change?
Ojutai's Command is very situtational, I would switch it with one of the negates out of the SB. Æther Spellbomb is outdated, you can add some nice wanky cards in this spot you really want to see in modern, like another Supreme Verdict, a counterspell(Swan Song), a Venser, the Sojourner, another Detention Sphere.. Cards I'm no fan of: Pilgrim's Eye, 2-of Mortarpod. Some switch I recommend everyone: 4 Inquisitor Exarch for the missionaries. With Ojutai's Command and even 2 Blessed Alliance you have enough extra lifegain to fight burn quite efficient.
I think the sideboard lacks ways to fight combo and tron better. 4 Negates are usually not enough. 3 Tormod's Crypt seem to be too much, because the graveyard decks that are running aroung at the moment are dredge and maybe living end, which are answered by the maindeck already.
The manabase looks good, but 4 ghost quarter are very much.
Have fun playing, I hope some of my ideas get accepted
Thanks for the feedback! Some of your ideas are at least worthy of strong consideration if not outright acceptable
Ojutai's Command could be cut. I already replaced one Command with a land, maybe it's correct to replace the other as well with a Supreme Verdict or something...
Aether Spellbomb could be outdated, but I'm worried about the manacurve. The deck already has a bit high curve to my liking and cutting one-drops - especially since there are so few of them - feels bad. Perhaps Kami of False Hope could be something to consider... Or just put some Dismembers in. Regardless, I want to be able to interact fast especially in the current Modern format, which has turned out to be pretty aggressive. Paths are not always enough.
I find it curious that you hint that I may have too many Ghost Quarters, but not enough ways to combat Tron Besides Negates, I have Stonys in the SB.
Inquisitor Exarch needs some argumentation. Why is it better than Lone Missionary? 4 life against 2 life is so much better in my mind and the drain seems very situational. The extra lifegain with Missionary does not serve only against Burn but against any aggro or deck with Bolt. As I have said before, the aim of the deck - usually - is to survive to the late game. Missionary does this better than Exarch. Unless I'm missing something... I'm interested hearing counter-arguments.
You may be correct regarding Tormod's Crypts. I'm going to replace some of them with Surgical Extractions anyway. However, there are other potent decks that use the GY like Storm, Snapcaster and delve decks and some fringe decks like Eggs.
I have been running 2 Mortar Pods since I started playing the deck, and it really does a lot of work:
sac outlet
snipe X/1s
Chump (combined with snipe)
Make ie. Wall of Omens slightly harder to kill allows it to survive bloking dudes like Tasigur, Goblin Dark Dwellers 4/5 Goyf etc..
It does all these (small) things, and it really buys a lot of time. On the other hand, it feels somewhat underpowered. I would like to discuss an alternative that was brought up briefly in te old thread, but never really discussed in depth: Stitcher's Graft
It does a lot of the same things with the major two differences:
+Plays the offensive role much better - especially with Vigilance creatures, notably Court Hussar.
-Sac is at Sorcery speed
-Sac is much less flexible in that it needs another viable Target - which will subsequently have to be sacced.
A 3/7 Wall of Omens is a pretty significant roadblock for most decks, and imagine 4/6 hussars.
The deck would probably need to run the full four hussars for this to make sense. I'm currently running three which seems perfect with my current configuration, but I'd be willing to go up to four.
Any thoughts on or - even better - experiences with the card?
The idea with stitcher's graft looks creative with Hussars and walls. As the hussars don't mind being sacrifice, and the walls don't tap anyway. However, Mortarpod fits the current meta in my area much better right now.. plenty of Goblins, Elves, Infect. The 1 damage from pod kills early Heritage Druids, most goblins, Blighted Agent, Inkmoth Nexus. Well, there are a few Dredge and Abzan here too and the pod is not very good against those decks.. so I have one pod in the main and one in the sideboard.
Has anyone tested Selfless Spirit in the deck ?
It can enable 1-sided board wipes or save a key creature (Sun Titan/Flickerwisp) from non-exile removal or just put pressure on slower or ground based decks in the air while the walls hold the ground.
Btw, I resumed playing my B/W which is has been pretty decent so far and even managed to beat some controlish decks like esper/grixis which are a pretty bad matchup as opposed to creature based aggro.
The deck is still a work in progress though but I'm going to slot in 2x Selfless Spirit over the 2nd Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim and the 1x Knight of the White Orchid.
I finally got my deck together! As I mentioned in my first post in this thread, I'm a newbie with this particular deck, but I have relatively clear sense of what it wants to do and how to pilot it.
So, here's my iteration at the moment. I like to think it as the "meat and potatoes" version of the deck, nothing fancy. All constructive criticism (both positive and negative) and other suggestions are well appreciated!
What I have been thinking about is to cut 1 Flickerwisp and 1 Pilgrim's Eye and replace them with the fourth Lone Missionary to lower the curve a tiny bit and with the fourth Court Hussar to ensure card draw and selection. What could the pros and cons of this change?
Thanks in advance!
Hi, i've recently completely cut Pilgrim's eye off my list as i felt its the weakest link. Reason being instead of trying to race to have enough plains for emeria, i just try to play without thinking about emeria, its actually better this way. Also another reason is because i have a copy of crucible of worlds i can always bring back flooded strand or ghost quarter, i felt that 3 court hussar is enough to help me filter and draw what i need. There are several games where Emeria isn't online to make the opponent concede, but win anyways.
I actually prefer Lone Missionary compared to Inquisitor of exarch but it comes down to preference really. IMO 4 life gain is pretty sick, and i kinda like the look on the opponent's face when i was actually really low on life or when i just keep rec-curing him every turn with motarpod and sun titan. Exarch is more aggro, but i usually like to go the a little more durdly route with a full set of missionaries.
I play an extra copy of supreme verdict and detention sphere Main. Meta has alot of aggro these days. You can try Nevermore in your sideboard, great against combo decks. I've ever nevermore Thoughtknot seer it helped to cripple my opponent. I think 2 Tormod's crypt is sufficient, maybe you can add surgical extraction. I don't play Aether spellbomb though.. i think its a good card, but never really use it much when i play tested it.
My cousin has been bugging me to play test lunar force in main, maybe you can try that. Anyway your deck at its current state is pretty decent.
Has anyone else tried out Panharmonicon? Things really get out of hand with it, especially with Flickerwisp blinking a flickerwisp and another target. Because the wisp comes back down and you can repeat the process. It would normally mean nothing to just keep blinking wisps together because you don't get anything from the chain. With panharmonicon though, it lets you hit a second target each time, which is value where you need it every end step.
Given how long matches tend to run in Emeria, with as much draw and land selection (pilgrim) that we have access to, I didn't feel that the cmc of panhar was much of a factor. Especially with how much more explosive all our cards become from then on.
I only played one game with it but once it landed on the field, the opponent was overwhelmed incredibly quickly.
Since our strategy is to gain small incremental advantages until the opponent fizzles out their hand and we gain massive card advantage that they just can't keep up with; Panharmonicon multiplies those small advantages, putting them on a whole new level.
And to answer your first question, Flickerwisp can't actually remove anything indefinitely like you're thinking. It just puts that many more in exile until the end step. Aside from tokens/counters anyway.
It's not quite a normal card for these type decks, as it doesn't inherently grind out advantage. It's instead a purely defensive card to help protect us/our stuff. I haven't done any testing with it, I was wondering if others have. Obviously protection effects are still pretty weak to skullcrack and the like, but still seems like it might have merit. Mother of Runes type effect in modern has me thinking.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Venser, the Sojourner and Eerie Interlude are probably too-situational and rather "win-more" type cards (1-2x Restoration Angel would be better instead imho).
Solemn Simulacrum is good but doesn't work with Sun Titan and further raises the mana curve of the deck which is very high anyway.
Playing only Wall of Omens in the 1-2cmc slots (Phantasmal Image doesn't really count) is not enough imho as you have nothing to do untill turn 3 most of the time making you very vulnerable against fast decks.
No counters means you have no chance against combo decks whatsoever (you have nothing to pressure them as well).
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Nexus MTG News // Nexus - Magic Art Gallery // MTG Dual Land Color Ratios Analyzer // MTG Card Drawing Odds Calculator
Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Against flooding creatures like Tireless Tracker (mana sink and card draw engine) and Courser of Kruphix can be good.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Coiling Oracle isn't bad, but can be tough to cast on turn 2.
Mana base has 19 W, 10 U, 8 G sources. That plus your cantrips and land-search will probably enable verdict on turn 4. My bigger concern is the number of G sources to enable that searching. You want at least 13 for turn 2 STE. I'd drop a few plains and an Emeria to max out your fetches and add another Temple Garden, at least.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
So, here's my iteration at the moment. I like to think it as the "meat and potatoes" version of the deck, nothing fancy. All constructive criticism (both positive and negative) and other suggestions are well appreciated!
3 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
4 Flooded Strand
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Prairie Stream
7 Plains
1 Island
4 Ghost Quarter
Creatures (21)
4 Wall of Omens
3 Lone Missionary
4 Flickerwisp
3 Court Hussar
3 Pilgrim's Eye
4 Sun Titan
2 Aether Spellbomb
4 Path to Exile
2 Mortarpod
2 Negate
2 Detention Sphere
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Ojutai's Command
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Dismember
2 Dispel
2 Negate
1 Disenchant
2 Blessed Alliance
2 Stony Silence
1 Detention Sphere
1 Supreme Verdict
What I have been thinking about is to cut 1 Flickerwisp and 1 Pilgrim's Eye and replace them with the fourth Lone Missionary to lower the curve a tiny bit and with the fourth Court Hussar to ensure card draw and selection. What could the pros and cons of this change?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the feedback! Some of your ideas are at least worthy of strong consideration if not outright acceptable
Ojutai's Command could be cut. I already replaced one Command with a land, maybe it's correct to replace the other as well with a Supreme Verdict or something...
Aether Spellbomb could be outdated, but I'm worried about the manacurve. The deck already has a bit high curve to my liking and cutting one-drops - especially since there are so few of them - feels bad. Perhaps Kami of False Hope could be something to consider... Or just put some Dismembers in. Regardless, I want to be able to interact fast especially in the current Modern format, which has turned out to be pretty aggressive. Paths are not always enough.
I find it curious that you hint that I may have too many Ghost Quarters, but not enough ways to combat Tron Besides Negates, I have Stonys in the SB.
Inquisitor Exarch needs some argumentation. Why is it better than Lone Missionary? 4 life against 2 life is so much better in my mind and the drain seems very situational. The extra lifegain with Missionary does not serve only against Burn but against any aggro or deck with Bolt. As I have said before, the aim of the deck - usually - is to survive to the late game. Missionary does this better than Exarch. Unless I'm missing something... I'm interested hearing counter-arguments.
You may be correct regarding Tormod's Crypts. I'm going to replace some of them with Surgical Extractions anyway. However, there are other potent decks that use the GY like Storm, Snapcaster and delve decks and some fringe decks like Eggs.
The idea with stitcher's graft looks creative with Hussars and walls. As the hussars don't mind being sacrifice, and the walls don't tap anyway. However, Mortarpod fits the current meta in my area much better right now.. plenty of Goblins, Elves, Infect. The 1 damage from pod kills early Heritage Druids, most goblins, Blighted Agent, Inkmoth Nexus. Well, there are a few Dredge and Abzan here too and the pod is not very good against those decks.. so I have one pod in the main and one in the sideboard.
Nexus MTG News // Nexus - Magic Art Gallery // MTG Dual Land Color Ratios Analyzer // MTG Card Drawing Odds Calculator
Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
It can enable 1-sided board wipes or save a key creature (Sun Titan/Flickerwisp) from non-exile removal or just put pressure on slower or ground based decks in the air while the walls hold the ground.
Btw, I resumed playing my B/W which is has been pretty decent so far and even managed to beat some controlish decks like esper/grixis which are a pretty bad matchup as opposed to creature based aggro.
The deck is still a work in progress though but I'm going to slot in 2x Selfless Spirit over the 2nd Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim and the 1x Knight of the White Orchid.
I also consider 2x Smuggler's Copter as they work very well with the small creature and Lingering Souls' tokens in the deck.
Here it is:
4x Wall of Omens
3x Lone Missionary
2x Selfless Spirit
1x Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
4x Tidehollow Sculler
4x Wasteland Strangler
4x Flickerwisp
3x Sun Titan
1x Grave Titan
4x Lingering Souls
3x Wrath of God
Instant (4)
4x Path to Exile
Land (23)
3x Emeria, The Sky Ruin
3x Ghost Quarter
4x Godless Shrine
4x Marsh Flats
1x Windswept Heath
7x Plains
1x Swamp
3x Sin Collector
2x Stony Silence
2x Surgical Extraction
3x Thoughtseize
1x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Anguished Unmaking
1x Blessed Alliance
1x Declaration in Stone
1x Ghostly Prison
Hi, i've recently completely cut Pilgrim's eye off my list as i felt its the weakest link. Reason being instead of trying to race to have enough plains for emeria, i just try to play without thinking about emeria, its actually better this way. Also another reason is because i have a copy of crucible of worlds i can always bring back flooded strand or ghost quarter, i felt that 3 court hussar is enough to help me filter and draw what i need. There are several games where Emeria isn't online to make the opponent concede, but win anyways.
I actually prefer Lone Missionary compared to Inquisitor of exarch but it comes down to preference really. IMO 4 life gain is pretty sick, and i kinda like the look on the opponent's face when i was actually really low on life or when i just keep rec-curing him every turn with motarpod and sun titan. Exarch is more aggro, but i usually like to go the a little more durdly route with a full set of missionaries.
I play an extra copy of supreme verdict and detention sphere Main. Meta has alot of aggro these days. You can try Nevermore in your sideboard, great against combo decks. I've ever nevermore Thoughtknot seer it helped to cripple my opponent. I think 2 Tormod's crypt is sufficient, maybe you can add surgical extraction. I don't play Aether spellbomb though.. i think its a good card, but never really use it much when i play tested it.
My cousin has been bugging me to play test lunar force in main, maybe you can try that. Anyway your deck at its current state is pretty decent.
Thanks for the advice! I will surely consider them.
Could you post your decklist?
I only played one game with it but once it landed on the field, the opponent was overwhelmed incredibly quickly.
Since our strategy is to gain small incremental advantages until the opponent fizzles out their hand and we gain massive card advantage that they just can't keep up with; Panharmonicon multiplies those small advantages, putting them on a whole new level.
And to answer your first question, Flickerwisp can't actually remove anything indefinitely like you're thinking. It just puts that many more in exile until the end step. Aside from tokens/counters anyway.
Collected Company would be good at GWU version?