Also, what Raver said - there will be targets. Literally the only time I've ever cast Demonic Dread on a target that I put on the board myself is against Bogles, and that's not even really a thing anymore.
Also, what Raver said - there will be targets. Literally the only time I've ever cast Demonic Dread on a target that I put on the board myself is against Bogles, and that's not even really a thing anymore.
Not trying to be snarky, but the reason I mentioned Demonic Dread and getting a target was annoying and has been a problem for me is because it has been a problem. I run into a lot of UW control, Nahiri+Emrakul, various reanimators, Tron, Burn etc. that will sit there without a target until they're ready for the kill. That being said, I entirely forgot about Dryad Arbor so I've plunked one in. That plus going up to 3 Fulminators will hopefully sort that out.
For the fun of it though, I played a dozen games tonight with an As Foretold version. It was certainly interesting but it felt so different playing it that even though the main concept was the same I wouldn't classify them the same type of deck. The other version dug through the cards super fast to find what it wanted, but it also had to so as to stand any chance of comboing off.
I'll keep monkeying with Foretold End on and off. It feels like there's something to it. But I'll nudge that into another thread.
Hey guys, i have been running this list the past couple of weeks! It's done fairly well in my LGS, going 3-1; 4-0 and 2-2. Tell me what you guys think! Appreciate the feedback!
What's the plan against Lantern control? it has hand destroyer and completely shuts down our fatties, i carry 4 ingot chewers to get rid of the stuff but sometimes it isn't even enough.
Also i would like to add that as for sideboard is concerned, Leyline of the void is even better than before now. It negates a lot of decks and shuts of completely the mirror and dredge.
Played in the Syracuse open and ran 5-4 officially (6-3 unofficially due to pair down + concession despite winning the games). Will write a more detailed matchup list later tomorrow but my initial thoughts is that i'm not liking blood moons in the main, certainly a bit of variance involved in the games I played but it feels very hit or miss in more ways than Leyline of Sanctity.
But aside from that, my sideboard was absolutely perfect for this event, the coverage was very even and indicative of the overall meta of that tournament, going forward barring any huge changes in the meta due to bannings/OP card printed, it's very like i'l stick with something like what I bought to Syracuse.
RE: Huviam
Lantern control is a tough cookie. Recently I made the switch from Brindle Boar to Leyline of Sanctity because the Boar is only useful against Burn while Leyline is useful against Burn, Lantern Control, and any sort of Jund/Grixis/Abzan deck that is looking to Inquisition/Thoughtseize me. If you don't go down the Leyline route then max out your Ingot Chewer count and basically stockpile cyclers to ensure that your cycle/draw ability is the last thing on the stack when they go to Ghoulcaller's Bell or Codex Shredder the Ingot Chewer from the top of your deck when you get to it. Oh and prey they don't resolve more than one Ensnaring Bridge... Faith of the Devoted and the new 4 ability Chandra is an alternative win condition if you get trapped under an E.Bridge that I've seen people dabble with.
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard // nRG Aggro
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
This was actually relevant to me over the weekend, of the 8 rounds I got to play, 3 rounds I boarded in the leylines and of which one of them was lantern and it did some serious work and I credit that card for winning me the round.
Ok, but let me ask you. Are you using a full set of leyline of Sanctity? because i use my slot for an extra Beast Within, you know, for Voids and RiP. I don't know if i should go to a 3 of Leylines if that means that i will suffer to a RiP.
Regarding Leylines (uncastable ones, the ones you draw are dead cards):
4 Leylines in your deck, chances of getting at least one in play turn 0:
-opening 7: 39.9%
-mulligan to 6: 21.1 extra, 61% total
-mulligan to 5: 11.74 extra, 72.4% total
3 Leylines in your deck, chances of getting at least one in play turn 0:
-opening 7: 31.5%
-mulligan to 6: 18.84 extra, 50.34% total
-mulligan to 5: 11.57 extra, 61.91% total
So, having 4 in the SB obviously increases the odds at the cost of 1 extra SB slot. But you also increase the chances of drawing dead copies. Only going to do the numbers for the opening 7, to simplify things. Also, I will consider 5 draws from a 53 card deck (3 draw steps and 2 cyclings, or 2 steps and 3 cyclings). I see 4 situations:
-You get a Leyline turn 0, and you draw none after that --> perfect hand
-You get a Leyline turn 0, and you draw one in the following turns -->crappy, but at least you got what you needed. the dead card won't matter that much
-No Leyline turn 0, and then you draw one --> sadness, everything is terrible
-No Leyline at all --> neutral
The chances of getting a Leyline after 5 draws from your 53 card deck are:
-4 copies still in deck: 33.6%
-3 copies still in deck: 26.2%
-2 copies still in deck: 18.1%
Summing up all the things so far, if you board 4 Leylines:
- 29.44% perfect outcome
- 10.46% 'crappy' outcome (got your Leyline, drew another)
- 20.19% bad outcome
- 39.91% neutral
If you board only 3 Leylines:
- 25.8% perfect outcome
- 5.70% 'crappy' outcome (got your Leyline, drew another)
- 17.95% bad outcome
- 50.55% neutral
As a personal note, I count the 'crappy' hands as good/OK ones because cards like Leyline usually pull their weight when you get them. I don't mind if I draw dead cards if I got a turn 0 Leyline against Burn, just to name a deck. I also think that the 4th slot you use for the extra Leyline makes your other 3 Leylines better. Regarding off-color Leylines, I would play the full playset.
Again, I hope the numbers (and logic) are correct
edit: not counting the situation when you get 2 Leylines in your opening 7, while calculating the odds of drawing a dead Leyline (it's really small)
I believe WoTC's new policy is to make sure that every color can enjoy the exciting gameplay mechanic of making undercosted dudes and then turning them sideways. Clearly the future of magic.
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I get the nice nail biter to really wake me up for the rest of my matches because it went down to the wire. Game 1 I managed to constrain his mana by saccing fulminator hitting a blue source on combat, EOT violent outburst to have it stubborn denial, pass back to cast double demonic dreads expecting snap stubborn which he presented. Game two is a grindfest despite leading off with leyline it leads to a pivotal moment where he has a single DS at 5 life with a fetch land in play and me with 3 creatures. He swings and I block with a creature for him to fetch shock go to two, and cast the temur battle rage in hand for a lot of damage.
Game 3 I also open with leyline and I draw the right hand to force a living end through stubborn denial as well as using demonic dread without the cascade to force through the remaining damage. In both SB games, I sided out blood moons but my opponent told me he was playing around it in g2/3 which I suppose was an advantage of it being revealed in G1.
Round 2 vs Sultai shadow 0-2
Shadow with traverse and goyf, a combination of value creatures and Thoughtseize takes game one despite me digging deep. I once again side out blood moon and side in leylines. I don't open with it this time and proceed to play a very grindy game but without a lot of discard fortunately. Sadly, I did not account for not one but twobontu's last reckoning which he uses to reestablish an empty board and play around my revealed ricochet trap.
Round 3 vs Ponza 2-0
My opponent keeps a very sketchy hand with two basics but no opening mana dork so i'm guess the hand was very hot if he drew a land. Either way, he gets punished for a hand without a turn 3 land drop so he gets blown out quickly. Game two, I side out blood moon on the assumption his deck is immune to it, I manage to shriekmaw his T1 play with SSG and blow up his trinisphere with ingot chewer before casting a living end and powering through my creatures through a kitchen finks.
Round 4 vs Bogles 2-0
Game one had a violent outburst, not much else to say. Game two he drops a Rest in Peace but goes hellbent in committing to the single creature he had which promptly gets violent outbursted followed by hardcasted street wraith and cerodon to win.
Round 5 vs BG tron 1-2
Paired against Jim Davis, a known figure in the SCG circuit, game one was sweet with a turn 2 SSG fulminator. G2 and 3 I do not see the haymakers of fulminator and blood moon unfortunately and only got some pretty late beast withins, this allows him enough time to cobble together a timely thragtusk to stabilize G2 and just dropping wurmcoils in G3.
Round 6 vs Abzan 0-2
Memory is hazy on G1 but from my notes, I believe I dug deep but couldn't find a cascade spell while he was pounding me with a 4/5 goyf. I believe an inquisition took out one of my cascade pieces in the early turns as well but I wasn't sure. G2, I decide to keep in my blood moons and I open with a turn 2 blood moon with a basic up which I thought was reasonable and good line to all in on. My opponent leads off with a tapped dual which basically gave me the signal to just all in right there expecting him to brick. Unfortunately, he top decks a swamp and casts two confidants which proceeded to beat me down.
Round 7 vs Lantern 2-1 (concede)
So it's impossible to make day 2 with x-3 record but my friends were still in so I stick around. My opponent apparently is paired down while sitting at 4-2 so I have the ability to dream crush. He apparently was a devout living end player (but was seduced to the dark side by lantern) and knew how to play against me, G1 goes about as expected with a bridge, some discard and some rocks to lock me out while resolving an early aether grid in putting me on a fast clock. G2, I bring in leylines and catch him off guard as a good portion of his deck is turned off, I still have to work through multiple living ends to get a victory.
During SB before the third game, I tell my opponent I will gift him the victory regardless because I don't care for points and he was still live for Day 2 but requested that we play it out for pride. He lands an early lantern while dropping a needle naming faerie macabre, I see him draw a bridge and with a ingot chewer in hand, I was prepared to take out the needle to protect my living ends and resolve the living end to blow up the bridge with the ingot chewer in the yard. I didn't account for the second bridge in his hand so when I fire off living end, he is still protected and we're in top deck mode. I luckily hit the ingot chewer straight off the top to "win".
Round 8
Opponent fails to show, I win by default.
Round 9 vs Merfolk 2-0
Game one some quick cycles followed by living end, very simple, game 2 he kept a double vial plus relic hand but with only one land to which he gets punished with a slow start. I catch him off guard with an ingot chewer as he commits the untapped land to a vial so my living end was pretty smooth. It didn't take long to overpower his creatures.
Notes
The major change for this tournament was playing main deck Blood moon and it was underwhelming. It only really came into play against Bogles but that was after I resolved living end and in a very good position so it felt win more. In the matches where I needed them like tron, I didn't see them and in matches where I committed to it, it ended up backfiring on me. The only real tangible benefit I saw was that people were playing around it after it was revealed through cascade in G1s while I have them sided out for G2/3 for some handicap inducing mind games. I guess I should test some more but I think I rather have them in the SB as a 2 of.
On the plus side which I alluded to earlier, my sideboard was immaculate as I walked around the room. Burn, storm, various scapeshift decks, various shadow variants were running rampant so the four leylines would've bought me a lot of breathing room at worst if not outright just win. I even managed to snag lantern which I didn't expect but was pleasantly surprised was something leyline also worked well against. It's honestly an insane card for living end because the decks it hoses are ones that have been known to prey on decks like ours.
Other than leylines, the two ricochet traps felt right which was my only other reservation this weekend, it was not too much but enough to respect the various blue based shadow decks which represents a significant portion of the meta while not intruding on the other slots.
So all in all, a pretty decent weekend, got to catch up with the other living end one trick (that has me beat on amount of time spent on the deck) that I met a while back at the WMCQ late 2016, he managed to be one of two LE players to day 2 which was great and we definitely found time to discuss sideboard choices and tips.
I was wondering about those Architects of Will instead of Monstrous carabid, then I saw the part about Blood Moon backfiring. Do you value the manipulation effect over the better stats and easier cost? (both cycling and regular casting)
I believe WoTC's new policy is to make sure that every color can enjoy the exciting gameplay mechanic of making undercosted dudes and then turning them sideways. Clearly the future of magic.
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The blood moons backfired because I didn't get to a third land in time which wouldn't have been so bad if my opponent didn't draw the basic he needed. In the entire tournament I've only casted blood moon twice and both times they did not interfere with my architects because I prioritize cycling those first.
I've never been a fan of carabid, a one mana 4/4 is nice but not having the ability to control when it attacks is a huge killer, especially now against shadow decks, before AMK, i've ran my carabids into way too many x/5's for me to not want it and now, it's probably even more likely to run those into beefy dudes.
As for architect, it's probably a pet card at this point, I've played it even when both goyf and bolts saw a lot of play and I definitely value the ETB especially since I frequently take the LD line of play. Despite it not being castable, AMK made the card better by printing horror which does let me get some value out of it if I happen to draw into it after I resolve a living end.
The way I see it, if LE resolves and brings back a couple of creatures, I am a huge favorite to win.
Sure, but hardly seems like a kncck for architect or a boon for carabid, we could be getting back vanilla 3/3s and it most likely won't make a difference.
When there are counters, GY hate, or a ravager that could screw up a LE, architect ability does nothing, and it cant be cast, so it only ever is relevant when I'm already winning.
So you're telling me that a carabid is going to be significantly relevant against blue control decks with lots of removal, blue tempo decks with plenty of pressure in the early game, or ravager that is in one of the most explosive decks in the format, yeah I don't really see it happening. Not to mention my cycling sequences will always prioritize binning architects first so it's rarely in my hand when I LE and the only times I would have it is when I draw it after the fact.
Vs control decks especially, just being able to cast threats is very nice.
I've played the matchup enough to know that. That said, i'm still going to commit creatures to the yard, and if I want to drop a threats on the field, I rather spend the mana on fulminators or horrors as oppose to a carabid.
That's one thing I have found lately now since the release of Amonkhet is with so many options to choose from in terms of which cyclers to use it's hard for me to pick. That is one thing that I did like about AoW is that Horror of the Broken Lands now makes AoW a lot better, almost curing its only draw back, and that is if you top deck it late game its left stranded in your hand if you don't have to hard cast it. But thanks to Horror we just cycle it for the +2 pump. Helps shore up its drawback. So many little nuances to the deck now due to the cycler options. Its hard for me to pick which configuration of the deck that I like better.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard // nRG Aggro
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
Also, what Raver said - there will be targets. Literally the only time I've ever cast Demonic Dread on a target that I put on the board myself is against Bogles, and that's not even really a thing anymore.
Put your hand done and update this primer!
Update it with what, exactly? I know the banner is ancient, but I've had the APB for a new one out for a few months now.
I haven't done much with matchups because I haven't been playing a whole lotta modern lately (and I'm sure a lot of you have noticed that I'm not around as much as I used to - new job has MTGS blocked ). If someone wants to step up and volunteer some new blurbs, I'll toss it in there.
I say just pick whatever suits your style. If you really care for the extra point in damage and balls out aggro then take the carabid. If you value flexibility, info, and control, the architect is better at that.
Also, what Raver said - there will be targets. Literally the only time I've ever cast Demonic Dread on a target that I put on the board myself is against Bogles, and that's not even really a thing anymore.
Put your hand done and update this primer!
Update it with what, exactly? I know the banner is ancient, but I've had the APB for a new one out for a few months now.
I haven't done much with matchups because I haven't been playing a whole lotta modern lately (and I'm sure a lot of you have noticed that I'm not around as much as I used to - new job has MTGS blocked ). If someone wants to step up and volunteer some new blurbs, I'll toss it in there.
New cards - did it already.
I was hoping for the new cards which I hadn't check in a minute, so I'm glad those are in there. I think a few of us can perhaps write up some matchup info. Any preference on how to receive it?
I say just pick whatever suits your style. If you really care for the extra point in damage and balls out aggro then take the carabid. If you value flexibility, info, and control, the architect is better at that.
I know it doesn't happen often but I just HATE how I might kill my own Architects with an Ingot Chewer. The same sort of nombo also prevented me from playing Macabre and Deadshot together for a spell.
Dryad Arbor, you guys. Way less dangerous to run an Arbor than Forbidden Orchard.
Also, what Raver said - there will be targets. Literally the only time I've ever cast Demonic Dread on a target that I put on the board myself is against Bogles, and that's not even really a thing anymore.
Put your hand done and update this primer!
RBGLiving EndRBG
EDH
UFblthpU
BRXantchaRB
BGVarolzGB
URWZedruuWRU
Not trying to be snarky, but the reason I mentioned Demonic Dread and getting a target was annoying and has been a problem for me is because it has been a problem. I run into a lot of UW control, Nahiri+Emrakul, various reanimators, Tron, Burn etc. that will sit there without a target until they're ready for the kill. That being said, I entirely forgot about Dryad Arbor so I've plunked one in. That plus going up to 3 Fulminators will hopefully sort that out.
For the fun of it though, I played a dozen games tonight with an As Foretold version. It was certainly interesting but it felt so different playing it that even though the main concept was the same I wouldn't classify them the same type of deck. The other version dug through the cards super fast to find what it wanted, but it also had to so as to stand any chance of comboing off.
I'll keep monkeying with Foretold End on and off. It feels like there's something to it. But I'll nudge that into another thread.
Modern: Storm
Legacy: ANT
2x Archfiend of Ifnir
4x Curator of Mysteries
4x Desert Cerodon
2x Faerie Macabre
4x Horror of the Broken Lands
3x Simian Spirit Guide
4x Street Wraith
4x Striped Riverwinder
Spells
4x Violent Outburst
3x Living End
4x Demonic Dread
1x Beast Whitin
2x Blood Moon
1x Blackcleave Cliffs
3x Bloodstained Mire
1x Botanical Sanctum
3x Copperline Gorge
2x Darkslick Shores
1x Forest
1x Island
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Polluted Delta
1x Spirebluff Canal
1x Steam Vents
1x Swamp
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Watery Grave
2x Shriekmaw
3x Ingot Chewer
2x Faerie Macabre
2x Avalanche Riders
2x Ricochet Trap
2x Beast Within
1x Jund Charm
1x Slaughter Games
What's the plan against Lantern control? it has hand destroyer and completely shuts down our fatties, i carry 4 ingot chewers to get rid of the stuff but sometimes it isn't even enough.
Also i would like to add that as for sideboard is concerned, Leyline of the void is even better than before now. It negates a lot of decks and shuts of completely the mirror and dredge.
But aside from that, my sideboard was absolutely perfect for this event, the coverage was very even and indicative of the overall meta of that tournament, going forward barring any huge changes in the meta due to bannings/OP card printed, it's very like i'l stick with something like what I bought to Syracuse.
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Lantern control is a tough cookie. Recently I made the switch from Brindle Boar to Leyline of Sanctity because the Boar is only useful against Burn while Leyline is useful against Burn, Lantern Control, and any sort of Jund/Grixis/Abzan deck that is looking to Inquisition/Thoughtseize me. If you don't go down the Leyline route then max out your Ingot Chewer count and basically stockpile cyclers to ensure that your cycle/draw ability is the last thing on the stack when they go to Ghoulcaller's Bell or Codex Shredder the Ingot Chewer from the top of your deck when you get to it. Oh and prey they don't resolve more than one Ensnaring Bridge... Faith of the Devoted and the new 4 ability Chandra is an alternative win condition if you get trapped under an E.Bridge that I've seen people dabble with.
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
4 Leylines in your deck, chances of getting at least one in play turn 0:
-opening 7: 39.9%
-mulligan to 6: 21.1 extra, 61% total
-mulligan to 5: 11.74 extra, 72.4% total
3 Leylines in your deck, chances of getting at least one in play turn 0:
-opening 7: 31.5%
-mulligan to 6: 18.84 extra, 50.34% total
-mulligan to 5: 11.57 extra, 61.91% total
So, having 4 in the SB obviously increases the odds at the cost of 1 extra SB slot. But you also increase the chances of drawing dead copies. Only going to do the numbers for the opening 7, to simplify things. Also, I will consider 5 draws from a 53 card deck (3 draw steps and 2 cyclings, or 2 steps and 3 cyclings). I see 4 situations:
-You get a Leyline turn 0, and you draw none after that --> perfect hand
-You get a Leyline turn 0, and you draw one in the following turns -->crappy, but at least you got what you needed. the dead card won't matter that much
-No Leyline turn 0, and then you draw one --> sadness, everything is terrible
-No Leyline at all --> neutral
The chances of getting a Leyline after 5 draws from your 53 card deck are:
-4 copies still in deck: 33.6%
-3 copies still in deck: 26.2%
-2 copies still in deck: 18.1%
Summing up all the things so far, if you board 4 Leylines:
- 29.44% perfect outcome
- 10.46% 'crappy' outcome (got your Leyline, drew another)
- 20.19% bad outcome
- 39.91% neutral
If you board only 3 Leylines:
- 25.8% perfect outcome
- 5.70% 'crappy' outcome (got your Leyline, drew another)
- 17.95% bad outcome
- 50.55% neutral
As a personal note, I count the 'crappy' hands as good/OK ones because cards like Leyline usually pull their weight when you get them. I don't mind if I draw dead cards if I got a turn 0 Leyline against Burn, just to name a deck. I also think that the 4th slot you use for the extra Leyline makes your other 3 Leylines better. Regarding off-color Leylines, I would play the full playset.
Again, I hope the numbers (and logic) are correct
edit: not counting the situation when you get 2 Leylines in your opening 7, while calculating the odds of drawing a dead Leyline (it's really small)
2 Fulminator Mage
3 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Architects of Will
1 Pale Recluse
1 Twisted Abomination
2 Faerie Macabre
4 Desert Cerodon
4 Horror of the Broken Lands
3 Blood Moon
4 Violent Outburst
2 Beast Within
3 Demonic Dread
3 Living End
1 Kari Zev's Expertise
1 Copperline Gorge
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Stomping Ground
1 Blood Crypt
2 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Godless Shrine
1 Kessig Wolf Run
2 Blooming Marsh
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Faerie Macabre
3 Ingot Chewer
2 Shriekmaw
2 Ricochet Trap
4 Leyline of Sanctity
3 Lost legacy
Round 1 vs Grixis Shadow 2-1
I get the nice nail biter to really wake me up for the rest of my matches because it went down to the wire. Game 1 I managed to constrain his mana by saccing fulminator hitting a blue source on combat, EOT violent outburst to have it stubborn denial, pass back to cast double demonic dreads expecting snap stubborn which he presented. Game two is a grindfest despite leading off with leyline it leads to a pivotal moment where he has a single DS at 5 life with a fetch land in play and me with 3 creatures. He swings and I block with a creature for him to fetch shock go to two, and cast the temur battle rage in hand for a lot of damage.
Game 3 I also open with leyline and I draw the right hand to force a living end through stubborn denial as well as using demonic dread without the cascade to force through the remaining damage. In both SB games, I sided out blood moons but my opponent told me he was playing around it in g2/3 which I suppose was an advantage of it being revealed in G1.
Round 2 vs Sultai shadow 0-2
Shadow with traverse and goyf, a combination of value creatures and Thoughtseize takes game one despite me digging deep. I once again side out blood moon and side in leylines. I don't open with it this time and proceed to play a very grindy game but without a lot of discard fortunately. Sadly, I did not account for not one but two bontu's last reckoning which he uses to reestablish an empty board and play around my revealed ricochet trap.
Round 3 vs Ponza 2-0
My opponent keeps a very sketchy hand with two basics but no opening mana dork so i'm guess the hand was very hot if he drew a land. Either way, he gets punished for a hand without a turn 3 land drop so he gets blown out quickly. Game two, I side out blood moon on the assumption his deck is immune to it, I manage to shriekmaw his T1 play with SSG and blow up his trinisphere with ingot chewer before casting a living end and powering through my creatures through a kitchen finks.
Round 4 vs Bogles 2-0
Game one had a violent outburst, not much else to say. Game two he drops a Rest in Peace but goes hellbent in committing to the single creature he had which promptly gets violent outbursted followed by hardcasted street wraith and cerodon to win.
Round 5 vs BG tron 1-2
Paired against Jim Davis, a known figure in the SCG circuit, game one was sweet with a turn 2 SSG fulminator. G2 and 3 I do not see the haymakers of fulminator and blood moon unfortunately and only got some pretty late beast withins, this allows him enough time to cobble together a timely thragtusk to stabilize G2 and just dropping wurmcoils in G3.
Round 6 vs Abzan 0-2
Memory is hazy on G1 but from my notes, I believe I dug deep but couldn't find a cascade spell while he was pounding me with a 4/5 goyf. I believe an inquisition took out one of my cascade pieces in the early turns as well but I wasn't sure. G2, I decide to keep in my blood moons and I open with a turn 2 blood moon with a basic up which I thought was reasonable and good line to all in on. My opponent leads off with a tapped dual which basically gave me the signal to just all in right there expecting him to brick. Unfortunately, he top decks a swamp and casts two confidants which proceeded to beat me down.
Round 7 vs Lantern 2-1 (concede)
So it's impossible to make day 2 with x-3 record but my friends were still in so I stick around. My opponent apparently is paired down while sitting at 4-2 so I have the ability to dream crush. He apparently was a devout living end player (but was seduced to the dark side by lantern) and knew how to play against me, G1 goes about as expected with a bridge, some discard and some rocks to lock me out while resolving an early aether grid in putting me on a fast clock. G2, I bring in leylines and catch him off guard as a good portion of his deck is turned off, I still have to work through multiple living ends to get a victory.
During SB before the third game, I tell my opponent I will gift him the victory regardless because I don't care for points and he was still live for Day 2 but requested that we play it out for pride. He lands an early lantern while dropping a needle naming faerie macabre, I see him draw a bridge and with a ingot chewer in hand, I was prepared to take out the needle to protect my living ends and resolve the living end to blow up the bridge with the ingot chewer in the yard. I didn't account for the second bridge in his hand so when I fire off living end, he is still protected and we're in top deck mode. I luckily hit the ingot chewer straight off the top to "win".
Round 8
Opponent fails to show, I win by default.
Round 9 vs Merfolk 2-0
Game one some quick cycles followed by living end, very simple, game 2 he kept a double vial plus relic hand but with only one land to which he gets punished with a slow start. I catch him off guard with an ingot chewer as he commits the untapped land to a vial so my living end was pretty smooth. It didn't take long to overpower his creatures.
Notes
The major change for this tournament was playing main deck Blood moon and it was underwhelming. It only really came into play against Bogles but that was after I resolved living end and in a very good position so it felt win more. In the matches where I needed them like tron, I didn't see them and in matches where I committed to it, it ended up backfiring on me. The only real tangible benefit I saw was that people were playing around it after it was revealed through cascade in G1s while I have them sided out for G2/3 for some handicap inducing mind games. I guess I should test some more but I think I rather have them in the SB as a 2 of.
On the plus side which I alluded to earlier, my sideboard was immaculate as I walked around the room. Burn, storm, various scapeshift decks, various shadow variants were running rampant so the four leylines would've bought me a lot of breathing room at worst if not outright just win. I even managed to snag lantern which I didn't expect but was pleasantly surprised was something leyline also worked well against. It's honestly an insane card for living end because the decks it hoses are ones that have been known to prey on decks like ours.
Other than leylines, the two ricochet traps felt right which was my only other reservation this weekend, it was not too much but enough to respect the various blue based shadow decks which represents a significant portion of the meta while not intruding on the other slots.
So all in all, a pretty decent weekend, got to catch up with the other living end one trick (that has me beat on amount of time spent on the deck) that I met a while back at the WMCQ late 2016, he managed to be one of two LE players to day 2 which was great and we definitely found time to discuss sideboard choices and tips.
Thanks for the report!
I've never been a fan of carabid, a one mana 4/4 is nice but not having the ability to control when it attacks is a huge killer, especially now against shadow decks, before AMK, i've ran my carabids into way too many x/5's for me to not want it and now, it's probably even more likely to run those into beefy dudes.
As for architect, it's probably a pet card at this point, I've played it even when both goyf and bolts saw a lot of play and I definitely value the ETB especially since I frequently take the LD line of play. Despite it not being castable, AMK made the card better by printing horror which does let me get some value out of it if I happen to draw into it after I resolve a living end.
Sure, but hardly seems like a kncck for architect or a boon for carabid, we could be getting back vanilla 3/3s and it most likely won't make a difference.
So you're telling me that a carabid is going to be significantly relevant against blue control decks with lots of removal, blue tempo decks with plenty of pressure in the early game, or ravager that is in one of the most explosive decks in the format, yeah I don't really see it happening. Not to mention my cycling sequences will always prioritize binning architects first so it's rarely in my hand when I LE and the only times I would have it is when I draw it after the fact.
I've played the matchup enough to know that. That said, i'm still going to commit creatures to the yard, and if I want to drop a threats on the field, I rather spend the mana on fulminators or horrors as oppose to a carabid.
Modern // Burn (main) and Living End (secondary) now Jund.
For fun check out my janky combo primer: Turn 3 Grixis Combo
"Can't beat em' Jund em'!"
Update it with what, exactly? I know the banner is ancient, but I've had the APB for a new one out for a few months now.
I haven't done much with matchups because I haven't been playing a whole lotta modern lately (and I'm sure a lot of you have noticed that I'm not around as much as I used to - new job has MTGS blocked
New cards - did it already.
I was hoping for the new cards which I hadn't check in a minute, so I'm glad those are in there. I think a few of us can perhaps write up some matchup info. Any preference on how to receive it?
RBGLiving EndRBG
EDH
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BRXantchaRB
BGVarolzGB
URWZedruuWRU
I know it doesn't happen often but I just HATE how I might kill my own Architects with an Ingot Chewer. The same sort of nombo also prevented me from playing Macabre and Deadshot together for a spell.
RBGLiving EndRBG
EDH
UFblthpU
BRXantchaRB
BGVarolzGB
URWZedruuWRU