Nice, I splash white as well and it certainly opens up a plethora of solid SB options. They're expensive, but IMO Noble Hierarch is basically mandatory for any Ponza list that needs white to cast stuff in the MB.
Splashing white for SB options is a valid strategy that should be considered. KCI is getting popular and it just stomps ponza. I prefer BoPs over Noble Hierarch personally.
Splashing white for SB options is a valid strategy that should be considered. KCI is getting popular and it just stomps ponza. I prefer BoPs over Noble Hierarch personally.
Nice, I've played around with the number/type of mana dorks in a few different builds and I think there's a handful of viable options depending on how you go about the rest of the list. Lately I prefer to strip out the Arbor Elves & Sprawls entirely in favor of Birds and Nobles; early ramp is sacrificed for more mid-game options and the decision was entirely based on staying competitive in my local meta. However, I've also had success running it on MTGO, so YMMV. Compared to the other GRw lists I've played, the BoP/Noble route eases the burden of running a third color alongside Moon and increases the odds of cascading into something with utility. Hitting a BoP or Noble off of BBE still isn't the most desirable outcome, but Noble's exalted trigger lets BoP push across damage in what would normally be a stalled board state and can be a difference maker over the course of a game if not dealt with. Even when the dorks just serve as lightning rods for removal, they boost the survivability of bigger threats. Either way, being able to tap into w has been huge in a meta with multiple KCI decks running around; Stony Silence and Rest in Peace alone are fantastic tools to have access to as they sure up more than just KCI matchups.
Despite being ridiculously redundant, KCI can be exploited by most decks with access to W. Whether it's a shift in the meta toward U/W control & Humans or just a general uptick in SB preparedness, I don't think it'll be long before KCI is figured out and its share of the meta decreases. Until then, I'll most likely stick with Naya colors whenever I'm playing Ponza.
I felt pretty good with the result, I think my build is ok, though I'll probably take out 2 abrades for 2 blots next week, since humans and affinity are not so popular these days at the shop.
Congrats on the good result.
Goyf can be raced by a monstrous dragon, and most the time Inferno titan is bigger than him.
I tried to make dragon moon work - the issue is that the individual dragons are weaker than the standard ponza threat package, and the supposed advantage is faster dragons with Sarkhan - so if you don't draw sarkhan, we're just overall weaker. That was my experience playing dragon moon. Also, I don't think you want to skip Bloodbraid elf, because part of the draw of sarkhan is you can cascade into him.
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Are these decks even viable anymore? Just been reading the recent posts.
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"To keep things 100, anything I state is an opinion and not intended to be a fact. Any and all suggestions I give are a 100% opinion. If you need further clarification take the conversation to a PM. I am not in the business of assuming things. I'm only interested in 1 business and that business serves 2 things, Cold L's and Hot Dub's."
Still viable yes. Top 8 at SCG Modern IQ Danbury on 10/7/18 and before that first place at the SCG Modern IQ Findlay in September.
While still viable, the deck is not without it's challenges. Blood Moon is a little bit less effective than it used to be, with decks packing more basics due to Field of Ruin, GQ, and now Assassin's Trophy. But, it can still act as a bit of a tempo play, since they have to take a turn to deal with it, which can be especially effective when backed with land destruction.
It can have a bit of a hard time with Humans, since MB removal is quite limited, and it is susceptible to disruption (targeted discard and/or removal against the mana dorks). When it executes its plan it works REALLY well... but when we get to the top deck war, its harder b/c other decks are better at this then us.
"To keep things 100, anything I state is an opinion and not intended to be a fact. Any and all suggestions I give are a 100% opinion. If you need further clarification take the conversation to a PM. I am not in the business of assuming things. I'm only interested in 1 business and that business serves 2 things, Cold L's and Hot Dub's."
Still viable yes. Top 8 at SCG Modern IQ Danbury on 10/7/18 and before that first place at the SCG Modern IQ Findlay in September.
While still viable, the deck is not without it's challenges. Blood Moon is a little bit less effective than it used to be, with decks packing more basics due to Field of Ruin, GQ, and now Assassin's Trophy. But, it can still act as a bit of a tempo play, since they have to take a turn to deal with it, which can be especially effective when backed with land destruction.
It can have a bit of a hard time with Humans, since MB removal is quite limited, and it is susceptible to disruption (targeted discard and/or removal against the mana dorks). When it executes its plan it works REALLY well... but when we get to the top deck war, its harder b/c other decks are better at this then us.
Hope this helps!
Nice to see that the deck is still viable.
Anyway, I found Abrade to be good against decks that use Aether Vial. Have replaced all my maindeck Roast.
Abrade can destroy vial, making our land destruction spells more effective.
Are these decks even viable anymore? Just been reading the recent posts.
There are a few decks in the meta you have to dodge:
1. Hollow One
2. Humans
3. Dredge (now with free lightning helixes!)
and these are bad if you lose the die roll:
1. Affinity
2. UW Control
Losing the die roll to any permission deck is sooooo crappy.
So anyway, Ponza wouldn't be my choice of a tournament deck, but if you're good with it, you could still place decently as long as you don't hit too many of our bad MU.
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Abrade is a great choice for a deck like this IMO. It gives us flexible options, which is a large part of what this deck is missing compared to other mid-range decks.
Take Mardu or GBx for an example - K Command, collective brutality,etc. all offer a variety of situational uses.
I've seen some lists for Naya Ponza go around that I think solve this to some extent, though I've not had the chance to test it personally
A Ponza list top 16'd the SCG Dallas Open this past weekend, so it's an example of how the deck is still relevant. It's just doesnt have new toys and ia not as sexy as something like Dredge or GBx/Jund right now.
The list itself is pretty close to stock. None of the newer Dragon tech.
I hope we get something new. What I'd love to see is some sort of modal/flexible options in a similar vein as Knight of Autumn (multiple relevant modes) or Assassin's Trophy (flexibility). Perhaps a spell or creature that sacrifices to destroy a land, ramp, or deal damage to all creatures. I don't know if we'd get something that strong at a low CMC though. Wizards has been opposed to printing Stone Rains into standard for a while now.
RE: Pia and Kiran - at worst, it's a lingering souls effect attached to a 2/2. But where it really shines is with Tireless Tracker. You can sacrifice clues to P&Ks ability, which mitigates the effects of flooding out.
Wizards has been opposed to printing Stone Rains into standard for a while now.
Sadly, that seems to be the situation. Which is probably why Pillage is never gonna be reprinted into Modern.
___________________________________
On testing some cards. I've been using a single Bedlam Reveler in place of a third Tireless Tracker, with both good and bad results. Yeah, I know the home of reveler are Mardu Pyromancer decks, but he's been useful as single.. I usually cast the reveler for 2RR or 1RR mid to late game, as a topdeck or the last card in hand he's amazing hand refiller. He's pretty bad early game, can't be cast on turn 3 like a tracker, which is why I have 2-1 split of tracker and reveler. Will keep on testing.
Link to Discord server where anybody from MTGS can keep up with thread topics while everything is being sorted out with the new site.
http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=14743
Don't feel down, pick up something else for the moment. I'm playing the deck that owns ponza; BR hollow one. Its fun!
BGW Elves BGW|BW Tokens BW|WBR Sword&ShieldWBR|BUG DelverBUG|UWR Kiki UWR | UR Storm UR
Nice, I've played around with the number/type of mana dorks in a few different builds and I think there's a handful of viable options depending on how you go about the rest of the list. Lately I prefer to strip out the Arbor Elves & Sprawls entirely in favor of Birds and Nobles; early ramp is sacrificed for more mid-game options and the decision was entirely based on staying competitive in my local meta. However, I've also had success running it on MTGO, so YMMV. Compared to the other GRw lists I've played, the BoP/Noble route eases the burden of running a third color alongside Moon and increases the odds of cascading into something with utility. Hitting a BoP or Noble off of BBE still isn't the most desirable outcome, but Noble's exalted trigger lets BoP push across damage in what would normally be a stalled board state and can be a difference maker over the course of a game if not dealt with. Even when the dorks just serve as lightning rods for removal, they boost the survivability of bigger threats. Either way, being able to tap into w has been huge in a meta with multiple KCI decks running around; Stony Silence and Rest in Peace alone are fantastic tools to have access to as they sure up more than just KCI matchups.
Despite being ridiculously redundant, KCI can be exploited by most decks with access to W. Whether it's a shift in the meta toward U/W control & Humans or just a general uptick in SB preparedness, I don't think it'll be long before KCI is figured out and its share of the meta decreases. Until then, I'll most likely stick with Naya colors whenever I'm playing Ponza.
Link to Discord server where anybody from MTGS can keep up with thread topics while everything is being sorted out with the new site.
4x Arbor Elf
1x Avaricious Dragon
2x Birds of Paradise
2x Dragonlord Atarka
4x Glorybringer
2x Stormbreath Dragon
3x Anger of the Gods
4x Blood Moon
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Stone Rain
4x Utopia Sprawl
Planeswalkers 6
2x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4x Sarkhan, Fireblood
7x Forest
1x Kessig Wolf Run
1x Mountain
4x Stomping Ground
4x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills
Congrats on the good result.
Goyf can be raced by a monstrous dragon, and most the time Inferno titan is bigger than him.
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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
I tried to make dragon moon work - the issue is that the individual dragons are weaker than the standard ponza threat package, and the supposed advantage is faster dragons with Sarkhan - so if you don't draw sarkhan, we're just overall weaker. That was my experience playing dragon moon. Also, I don't think you want to skip Bloodbraid elf, because part of the draw of sarkhan is you can cascade into him.
BGW Elves BGW|BW Tokens BW|WBR Sword&ShieldWBR|BUG DelverBUG|UWR Kiki UWR | UR Storm UR
-Stay Frosty
While still viable, the deck is not without it's challenges. Blood Moon is a little bit less effective than it used to be, with decks packing more basics due to Field of Ruin, GQ, and now Assassin's Trophy. But, it can still act as a bit of a tempo play, since they have to take a turn to deal with it, which can be especially effective when backed with land destruction.
It can have a bit of a hard time with Humans, since MB removal is quite limited, and it is susceptible to disruption (targeted discard and/or removal against the mana dorks). When it executes its plan it works REALLY well... but when we get to the top deck war, its harder b/c other decks are better at this then us.
Hope this helps!
B/G Rock BG | Jund BGR | Mardu Pyromancer BRW | Ponza RG | Burn RW
-Stay Frosty
Nice to see that the deck is still viable.
Anyway, I found Abrade to be good against decks that use Aether Vial. Have replaced all my maindeck Roast.
Abrade can destroy vial, making our land destruction spells more effective.
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
There are a few decks in the meta you have to dodge:
1. Hollow One
2. Humans
3. Dredge (now with free lightning helixes!)
and these are bad if you lose the die roll:
1. Affinity
2. UW Control
Losing the die roll to any permission deck is sooooo crappy.
So anyway, Ponza wouldn't be my choice of a tournament deck, but if you're good with it, you could still place decently as long as you don't hit too many of our bad MU.
BGW Elves BGW|BW Tokens BW|WBR Sword&ShieldWBR|BUG DelverBUG|UWR Kiki UWR | UR Storm UR
Take Mardu or GBx for an example - K Command, collective brutality,etc. all offer a variety of situational uses.
I've seen some lists for Naya Ponza go around that I think solve this to some extent, though I've not had the chance to test it personally
B/G Rock BG | Jund BGR | Mardu Pyromancer BRW | Ponza RG | Burn RW
The list itself is pretty close to stock. None of the newer Dragon tech.
B/G Rock BG | Jund BGR | Mardu Pyromancer BRW | Ponza RG | Burn RW
RE: Pia and Kiran - at worst, it's a lingering souls effect attached to a 2/2. But where it really shines is with Tireless Tracker. You can sacrifice clues to P&Ks ability, which mitigates the effects of flooding out.
B/G Rock BG | Jund BGR | Mardu Pyromancer BRW | Ponza RG | Burn RW
Sadly, that seems to be the situation. Which is probably why Pillage is never gonna be reprinted into Modern.
___________________________________
On testing some cards. I've been using a single Bedlam Reveler in place of a third Tireless Tracker, with both good and bad results. Yeah, I know the home of reveler are Mardu Pyromancer decks, but he's been useful as single.. I usually cast the reveler for 2RR or 1RR mid to late game, as a topdeck or the last card in hand he's amazing hand refiller. He's pretty bad early game, can't be cast on turn 3 like a tracker, which is why I have 2-1 split of tracker and reveler. Will keep on testing.
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