I have been grinding MTGO leagues with Knightfall in preparation for GP Copenhagen in May, and have been really pleased with the deck's performance - as of this writing having gone 51-32 in matches. I have collected all results (and will continue to do so) in this sheet, which includes win percentage vs. broader archetypes:
Notably I have gone 8-0 against blue tempo decks (Grixis Shadow, Delver decks, Bant Spirits, etc), those matchups feel really comfortable with the pressure we can mount. The matches have also gone favorably against all flavors of control (6-3) and the mostly GBx midrange decks (8-5), though Abzan specifically can feel like an uphill battle sometimes. The stats against combo in general are surprisingly decent (10-8 in matches), although that category does include a couple of wins against janky decks.
The matchups that feel most hopeless are creature aggro decks that swarm us (Merfolk, Zoo, Elves), where 4 paths doesn't cut it. Tron is obviously not a great matchup, but I have still managed >50% win rate there somehow.
I really like the sideboard at the moment. The card first on the chopping block is probably Blessed Alliance, maybe fitting in an Elspeth, Sun's Champion instead. I haven't tested Gaddock Teeg, though it seems sweet.
I'll continue to update the spreadsheet, and hope this is useful information for some of you!
Thanks for the stats. Your list looks good, I'm currently playing the same thing but -1 Courser -1 Tracker +1 Vendillion Clique +1 Selfless Spirit, and I really like the deck in its current form.
I don't like Worship as Elves can still kill you with Shaman of the Pack. Ghostly Prison might be worth considering if only because it's less mana-intensive than Worship.
So, what are the initial impressions on the amonkeht cat snake?
For those unaware:
Prowling Serpopod 1GG
Creature - Cat Snake (rare)
Prowling Serpopod can't be countered.
Creature spells you control can't be countered.
The viziers serving Rhonas, the god of strength, maintain the menagerie of animals employed during his trial.
4/3
While I don't see it as having a place mainboard, unless your meta is full of control. It could shine in control matchups, where it demands an answer quite fast (assuming you are able to play around sweepers). Thing is, I already feel quite comfortable in control matchups (and i'm not running trackers, I imagine it would be even better with the trackers), so what could we swap it out for? Is it a guaranteed spot in the SB or merely a meta call?
I'd never even consider it in my metas. There's one person who runs Jeskai Saheeli and one other who runs Grixis Delver. That's about all I see in terms of counters, unless you want to nullify Chalice of the Void or something.
I think it's too narrow a card and too easy to answer to really warrant a spot. I'd much rather have something that's really strong in lots of matchups, like Voice of Resurgence, for hosing permission, or just run a few extra value threats to overtax their answers.
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Playing UX Mana Denial until Modern gets the answers it needs.
WUBRG Humans BRW Mardu Pyromancer UW UW "Control" UR Blue Moon
Prowling serpopard is a decent creature, but he isn't for this deck. Our list is way too tight already. I'd try him in naya company though. Seems exactly what that deck would want, an under costed threat with upside.
Hey crazy thought- anybody tried Tamiyo FR before? I understand that sometimes her abilities are not always relevant especially for combat or board presence, but man they seem great in a perfect world. Drawing tons of cards and tapping down death shadows in order to swing for lethal next turn seems sweet...
Hey crazy thought- anybody tried Tamiyo FR before? I understand that sometimes her abilities are not always relevant especially for combat or board presence, but man they seem great in a perfect world. Drawing tons of cards and tapping down death shadows in order to swing for lethal next turn seems sweet...
She's been discussed a few times. I think the consensus is that planeswalkers are a huge cost to play and Tamiyo doesn't really justify that cost. Most people who maindeck a planeswalker seem to favor Elspeth, Knight Errant or Gideon Ally of Zendikar.
That being said, a few pages back I posited that Tamiyo could be very good against Death's Shadow. Not to mention, Modern is currently very grindy and Tamiyo thrives in those conditions. I do think it might be worth a shot to revisit her.
Knightfall is making a great showing at the team modern event in San Antonio. Eli kassis was just on camera and there was a player earlier as well: twitch.tv/Magic
Knightfall is making a great showing at the team modern event in San Antonio. Eli kassis was just on camera and there was a player earlier as well: twitch.tv/Magic
That match between Knightfall and Bant Eldrazi with the active displacer-drowner combo shows that this deck can grind, HARD. I didn't think Elli was gonna win with the start he had.
It's time for this deck to get the recognition it deserves. Highly interactive, fair and value based creature deck. And modern format whiners will still say you can only do well in Modern with uninteractive goldfish decks.
Guys please opinions on japanese cards. Lost a 3/3 creature against Japan celestial colonade. This guy played all creatures and spells in english cards, but some cards in his manabase was japanese. I dont registrated this really ( my brain say its all fine and all english to me lets attack his empty board)...and i am sure it is a Kind of legal cheating. It is not ok, but i know legal. I Hate such people. I never forget colonade normally, but with this Tricks it can happen one time in 3 years and such people take advantage of this
If I am a customer spending premium amount of dollars, I expect a premium service. Jund falls into the category of a premium deck costing more dollars than a majority of the rest of the format. I'm not getting the desired performance ratio per dollars spent out of the Jund deck because WOTC decided to make the format more diverse.
They are definitely different, but it's interesting that they have 3 reflector mages, a ghost quarter and a bojuka bog in both sideboards and then completely different cards. Eli's has no red whatsoever in his build which is interesting instead going for two gavony townships and detention sphere in the board where staticaster might be. Also had two gideon main!!! I'm gonna try one just for kicks and see how that goes. Matt's was much more by the book, and i think it's cool he's featuring tracker as I'm trending that way myself.
The most striking thing to me were the 4 (!) meddling mage's in Eli Kassis' sideboard. Anybody play with those? I understand they are probably for unfair non interactive decks like ad naus, tron, etc but wow all 4- maybe somebody can explain more to me. I might throw one in mine and see how it plays/how often i want it. Other interesting SB notes are neither of them played blessed alliance at all, and no finks or other dedicated life gain type creature (unless you count courser.)-i'm worried in my meta since there is a lot of burn that this wouldn't be a good idea, but honestly lately i have been a bit underwhelmed by blessed alliance. Any thoughts from the knightfall faithful in here? Huge showing for the deck!!!!
Dreadnaught33, my thoughts on meddling mage in the board is that it is a card that helps our traditional bad matchups like tron and ad nauseam while still being pretty good against jund shadow. Just name shadow or goyf (or both) after they've emptied their hand killing your stuff and force them to find more removal (and protect with spirit too). The reason you want 4 I think is so you can name a threat and then name things that can kill the mage. For example, against ad naus, you name ad nauseam first, then slaughter pact or echoing truth with subsequent ones (or whatever else they might have.) it's also important to remember not to name the card till the mage resolves as if it enters, the card is named and they can't respond by casting the spell.
I'm actually gonna order a playset myself. Now just to figure out if I want the Chris pikula art or the new shards one. Maybe two of each?
I get that Mage is good against Ad Nauseam but how does it help against Tron? You name Karn, they play Oblivion Stone/Ugin/Wurmcoil Engine/etc. What other traditionally bad matchups does it help in? I can't see it being good against Valakut (name Titan, sure but they have so many ways to kill it not to mention Scapeshift/Through the Breach) or Elves (any elf you name they can get into play through Chord/Company also just too slow to matter). Maybe it can stop Cheeri0s, sort of? That deck is not a big factor right now though. I'm really struggling to figure out what this is for besides Ad Nauseam.
So, I'm going to try meddling mage in my sideboard once it arrives in the mail. I thought about adding a couple to the main deck but couldn't find room to squeeze anything out of the deck. MM will help both my living end and ad nauseam (among others) matchups and along with selfless spirit and multiple mages, become a near hard lock. I quite like how the deck can transition into a hatebears-style build post-board so my sideboard reflects this.
I have two bigger modern tourneys coming up in my area in the next two weekends and plan on playing the deck there with the mages added. Unfortunately, I won't have the element of surprise since everyone knows I play the deck by now (though I play it quite well, they may be afraid of it.) But MM will definitely get them, especially off a company since they can't respond once they see it.
My current sideboard:
2 Gaddock Teeg
2 Izzet Staticaster
2 Kitchen Finks
2 Reflector Mage
3 Unified Will
4 Meddling Mage
I ended up cutting my 2 blessed alliance and 2 stony silence. Being a company deck, I find staying creature heavy helps a lot. Company finds your sideboard cards and you don't draw so many spells that you apply little pressure.
By the way, for the love of Nylea, can someone please tell me how to format a decklist on here so I don't have to manually type them out like above, I'm using a tablet if that's relevant.
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I'll post my list tomorrow for some criticism.
Thanks for the stats. Your list looks good, I'm currently playing the same thing but -1 Courser -1 Tracker +1 Vendillion Clique +1 Selfless Spirit, and I really like the deck in its current form.
If swarm decks are proving to be a problem, you could consider a third Izzet Staticaster, some Engineered Explosives or if you're REALLY crazy, Fiery Justice. Declaration in Stone is another option but I'm not a fan as it allows your opponent to grind.
I don't like Worship as Elves can still kill you with Shaman of the Pack. Ghostly Prison might be worth considering if only because it's less mana-intensive than Worship.
GWU Knightfall Spirit Company GWU
GWB Abzan Evolution GWB
I'd never even consider it in my metas. There's one person who runs Jeskai Saheeli and one other who runs Grixis Delver. That's about all I see in terms of counters, unless you want to nullify Chalice of the Void or something.
I think it's too narrow a card and too easy to answer to really warrant a spot. I'd much rather have something that's really strong in lots of matchups, like Voice of Resurgence, for hosing permission, or just run a few extra value threats to overtax their answers.
WUBRG Humans
BRW Mardu Pyromancer
UW UW "Control"
UR Blue Moon
L: Maverick
She's been discussed a few times. I think the consensus is that planeswalkers are a huge cost to play and Tamiyo doesn't really justify that cost. Most people who maindeck a planeswalker seem to favor Elspeth, Knight Errant or Gideon Ally of Zendikar.
That being said, a few pages back I posited that Tamiyo could be very good against Death's Shadow. Not to mention, Modern is currently very grindy and Tamiyo thrives in those conditions. I do think it might be worth a shot to revisit her.
GWU Knightfall Spirit Company GWU
GWB Abzan Evolution GWB
Pat Cox is playing it as well, off-camera.
GWU Knightfall Spirit Company GWU
GWB Abzan Evolution GWB
It's time for this deck to get the recognition it deserves. Highly interactive, fair and value based creature deck. And modern format whiners will still say you can only do well in Modern with uninteractive goldfish decks.
They are definitely different, but it's interesting that they have 3 reflector mages, a ghost quarter and a bojuka bog in both sideboards and then completely different cards. Eli's has no red whatsoever in his build which is interesting instead going for two gavony townships and detention sphere in the board where staticaster might be. Also had two gideon main!!! I'm gonna try one just for kicks and see how that goes. Matt's was much more by the book, and i think it's cool he's featuring tracker as I'm trending that way myself.
The most striking thing to me were the 4 (!) meddling mage's in Eli Kassis' sideboard. Anybody play with those? I understand they are probably for unfair non interactive decks like ad naus, tron, etc but wow all 4- maybe somebody can explain more to me. I might throw one in mine and see how it plays/how often i want it. Other interesting SB notes are neither of them played blessed alliance at all, and no finks or other dedicated life gain type creature (unless you count courser.)-i'm worried in my meta since there is a lot of burn that this wouldn't be a good idea, but honestly lately i have been a bit underwhelmed by blessed alliance. Any thoughts from the knightfall faithful in here? Huge showing for the deck!!!!
I'm actually gonna order a playset myself. Now just to figure out if I want the Chris pikula art or the new shards one. Maybe two of each?
GWU Knightfall Spirit Company GWU
GWB Abzan Evolution GWB
Recently took this to a small, local tournament and went 3-1-1. Deck felt great!
4 noble hierarch
3 birds of paradise
2 qusali pridemage
1 selfless spirit
3 scavenging ooze
3 voice of resurgence
4 knight of the reliquary
4 spell queller
1 eternal witness
1 tireless tracker
1 vendilion clique
1 courser of kruphix
Noncreatures
4 path to exile
4 collected company
2 retreat to coralhelm
4 misty rainforest
4 windswept heath
1 flooded strand
1 ghost quarter
1 gavony township
1 horizon canopy
1 kessig wolf run
1 stomping ground
1 breeding pool
1 temple garden
1 hallowed fountain
3 forest
1 plains
1 island
3 blessed alliance
2 reflector mage
2 unified will
2 negate
1 eldritch evolution
1 stony silence
1 izzet staticaster
1 gaddock teeg
1 kataki, war's wage
1 vendilion clique
Going to a larger tournament this week, hopefully it will put in another solid showing!
I have two bigger modern tourneys coming up in my area in the next two weekends and plan on playing the deck there with the mages added. Unfortunately, I won't have the element of surprise since everyone knows I play the deck by now (though I play it quite well, they may be afraid of it.) But MM will definitely get them, especially off a company since they can't respond once they see it.
My current sideboard:
2 Gaddock Teeg
2 Izzet Staticaster
2 Kitchen Finks
2 Reflector Mage
3 Unified Will
4 Meddling Mage
I ended up cutting my 2 blessed alliance and 2 stony silence. Being a company deck, I find staying creature heavy helps a lot. Company finds your sideboard cards and you don't draw so many spells that you apply little pressure.
By the way, for the love of Nylea, can someone please tell me how to format a decklist on here so I don't have to manually type them out like above, I'm using a tablet if that's relevant.