Thanks for that. Added to the primer. I'll add a little blurb on Damping Matrix (a card I forgot about since no one here was using it) and Leyline of Sanctity, as well.
Hey guys pretty new to this deck (still have not got all the pieces: 4x Verdant Catacombs and 4x Fulminator Mage) but I have been reading your posts from the archive and I wanted to get some thoughts on the list I have thrown together. Keep in mind this is a loose list at the moment and nothing is set in stone except that it is a Living End deck and therefor needs the core cards
I don't really see the problem with almost any counterspell matchup. I actually love playing against the counters, it's pretty easy to just jam Living Ends.
Eh playing vs counterspells is only easy if you land destruction them out of the game and squeeze a living end through their lack of mana, or if they're idiots and tap out to let you get a living end off at like EoT t3. Otherwise sure, if you draw 3 fulminator mages and a bunch of 1 mana cyclers and an outburst it looks pretty good. We can even do okay with the chess match of trying to chain 2 living ends at a time when they can only counter one. But remember they have the advantage that remand is practically the best counterspell ever printed when it comes to targeting living end.
The real problem comes when they add in RiP, Leyline, or relic, and we have to shift tack to not-cycling while trying to force a removal spell through the counters just in order to get back to square 1 where we can start putting dudes in the yard. Having fulminators countered is laughable if you have outburst+dread in hand... unless he's exiled when countered, then its not quite so funny.
I can see a case here for more krosan grip to get out of the jam of counterspells protecting graveyard hate, but I still wouldn't consider the combination of remand/cryptic and relic/RiP to be favourable to the living end player by a long shot.
Hey guys pretty new to this deck (still have not got all the pieces: 4x Verdant Catacombs and 4x Fulminator Mage) but I have been reading your posts from the archive and I wanted to get some thoughts on the list I have thrown together. Keep in mind this is a loose list at the moment and nothing is set in stone except that it is a Living End deck and therefor needs the core cards
That's basically the standard deck. Preference picks like Brindle boar vs gnaw to the bone, shriekmaw vs dismember and leyline vs jund charm... and I don't think you need the macabre in the board when you have 4 leylines there - replace it with like krosan grip or riccochet trap or something.
Personally I'm liking one jund charm in the main for the versatility. I actually countered a vedalken shackles by putting 2 counters on my jungle weaver recently, and the 2 dmg option can be great vs tokens or RDW (elementals coming back of living end die at EoT anyways).
Finally, a modern event at our LCS in 2 weeks! Turnout is expected to be light (possibly as few as 16 participants). Still have some info gathering to do as most people around here are of the Standard and Sealed ilk. Word on the street is that Reanimator and some form of Dredgevine is expected to make big showings as such decks have proven immensely popular. Given that, obviously 4 Faerie Macabre are in. Question is, given that land destruction may not be fast enough to make a dent, should I consider moving it to the board? Maindeck Leyline's seems a bit extreme with the limited info i've gathered, but man, that would a heck of a surprise for the Reanimator folks. Despite what I've heard, I want to be well prepared for Jund as with a new format, many could play the odds (and I know everyone has the cards to build it). Currently I'm considering adding 2 Macabre to main (bringin it to 4 total) and moving the 2 Avalanche Rider s to the board (leaving 0 in the main). Out of laziness, I won't post the decklist, it is more of less like Wyvern's. Perhaps it's time to bring in Slaughter Games too. Never tried them in the 75.
I think dedicating 2 maindeck slots for graveyard hate (jund charm or faerie) is probably a good idea in general. Upping it to 3 or 4 probably won't hurt if you predict a lot of GY stuff, but I would mix in at least 1 jund charm over a straight 4 faeries just for the diversity. Neither card is dead very often, but in non-reanimator situations you'll probably be happy to draw a jund charm instead of a second or third faerie.
That being said I don't think I could ever be confident enough in a prediction of the meta (to say nothing of predicting the matchups I'll actually play) to build heavily around that. I'd focus on shoring up bad matchups rather than what I believe will be popular decks.
how do you guys deal with rest in peace? i know krosan grip works but how about something like wispmare since it advances the game plan? is the white too tough to support? its also a reasonable card against the bogle aura deck since you can hardcast it fairly cheaply to pop an aura and then chump!
Finally, a modern event at our LCS in 2 weeks! Turnout is expected to be light (possibly as few as 16 participants). Still have some info gathering to do as most people around here are of the Standard and Sealed ilk. Word on the street is that Reanimator and some form of Dredgevine is expected to make big showings as such decks have proven immensely popular. Given that, obviously 4 Faerie Macabre are in. Question is, given that land destruction may not be fast enough to make a dent, should I consider moving it to the board? Maindeck Leyline's seems a bit extreme with the limited info i've gathered, but man, that would a heck of a surprise for the Reanimator folks. Despite what I've heard, I want to be well prepared for Jund as with a new format, many could play the odds (and I know everyone has the cards to build it). Currently I'm considering adding 2 Macabre to main (bringin it to 4 total) and moving the 2 Avalanche Rider s to the board (leaving 0 in the main). Out of laziness, I won't post the decklist, it is more of less like Wyvern's. Perhaps it's time to bring in Slaughter Games too. Never tried them in the 75.
I'd keep those Fulminator Mages in for game 1, they're a good way to get a feel for how your opponent will handle having their manabase messed with. If they turn out to be do-nothings, you can just board them out with your Avalanche Riders in favor of more graveyard hate.
Slaughter Games would only really be necessary if you anticipate combo, like Storm. It's too minimal of an effect vs. Dredgevine, reanimator, etc.
how do you guys deal with rest in peace? i know krosan grip works but how about something like wispmare since it advances the game plan? is the white too tough to support? its also a reasonable card against the bogle aura deck since you can hardcast it fairly cheaply to pop an aura and then chump!
A number of people have tried Wispmare. I think that card is much too feeble to be of any use. White wouldn't be too difficult to support (most of us already have a Temple Garden to hardcast Pale Recluse), but the mana for our deck is very neat and tidy. If your splashes start to take up more of your deck, you're forced to get greedy, and that can hurt when trying to get set up early on.
I'll agree that Rest in Peace is a stupid card that ruins our day, but to be fair, we do have answers in Beast Within and Krosan Grip. You could even run Maelstrom Pulse if you wanted. Digging into a splashed color to fight one sideboard card seems bad.
And for anyone who's worried about the GW Aura deck... we don't actually care. They can't kill us before we get the mana to cascade. Just Violent Outburst and laugh as they get X-for-1'd.
I can't believe people are having problems with deathrite shaman. Imo, he's not a big threat. First off, don't cycle until eot, especially on the draw - many people will use him for mana or attack with him t2, before they know your game plan. Save your street wraiths as long as possible before going off, and if its jund you can also often keep them off green mana. You can generally dump your cyclers with only losing one before going off.
Against jund, I generally want to use all my land d i can before going off. They so few basics that bringing back a fulminator & a avalanche rider (or two mages) will kill their mana, or at the very least keep them of a color which is back breaking.
how do you guys deal with rest in peace? i know krosan grip works but how about something like wispmare since it advances the game plan? is the white too tough to support? its also a reasonable card against the bogle aura deck since you can hardcast it fairly cheaply to pop an aura and then chump!
Beast within is the answer we pack for rest in peace and leyline of the void. Some people might add krosan grip as well, but really 3-4 beast withins will usually get the job done. Wispmare is unnecessary imo, and if we could hardcast it we could also hardcast beast within or krosan grip.
@WyvernSlayer: I'm loving the new primer. Tiny criticism though; you didn't include Slaughter Games in your sideboard options despite running it in your own list.
I have a question regarding LD. In which match-ups would you want to deny what decks which color? Obviously you target blue against Control/Tempo and Tron lands/Eye of Ugin against Tron. What about other match-ups?
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You value knowledge, logic, and deceit. You love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At your best, you are brilliant and progressive. At your worst, you are treacherous and cold. Your symbol is a water droplet. Your enemies are green and red.
I'm just about to start modern due to wizard starting to push the format and after researching mos of the proven/established decks I've decided to start with a living end.
I've had a read or travis woos and cedric Philips articles from 2012 for deck ideas. Are there any other articles or links regarding this deck I should read? I'm looking to play semi competitive with local tornaments ect, does anyone have any advice? I look forward to contributing to this primer in the near future
I'm just about to start modern due to wizard starting to push the format and after researching mos of the proven/established decks I've decided to start with a living end.
I've had a read or travis woos and cedric Philips articles from 2012 for deck ideas. Are there any other articles or links regarding this deck I should read? I'm looking to play semi competitive with local tornaments ect, does anyone have any advice? I look forward to contributing to this primer in the near future
Welcome, new Ender!
*cue zombie cultist "ONE OF USSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS*
The deck is really fun, but most importantly, you it requires practice and experience to really have a good grasp on when to lay low and when to explode.
That said, If you've already read the 'pro' articles, I'd say the next best thing is to take a look at the previous primer and some of the discussions we had there regarding matchups, sideboard options, and critical card vs card comparisons.
Good luck!
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Twitch: MTGJankmaster; lurking>streaming (but maybe one day when I get good at magic)
xMage: Jankmaster Commander - Now Playing WUBSen Triplets - "If you shake my hand, better count your fingersBUWRHomura, Human AscendantRRGBorborygmos EnragedGRURMelek, Izzet ParagonRU
Commander - Still Brewing BRGGyrus, Waker of CorpsesGRBURSaheeli, the GiftedRUWRJor Kadeen, the PrevailerRW
I have a question regarding LD. In which match-ups would you want to deny what decks which color? Obviously you target blue against Control/Tempo and Tron lands/Eye of Ugin against Tron. What about other match-ups?
it really depends on what they have. Against tron, yeah, take a tron piece. generally, you want to kill man-lands also. Past that,i try to keep them off a color. In control, I let them have blue and try to take white, nothing sucks like a wrath right after going off, and I am usually able to force a living end through counters, especially with ricochet trap post-board.
I have a question regarding LD. In which match-ups would you want to deny what decks which color? Obviously you target blue against Control/Tempo and Tron lands/Eye of Ugin against Tron. What about other match-ups?
In addition to what Johnald said, Twin can be held at bay by keeping them off of red. They prioritize blue lands in order to play their search cards, meaning keeping them off of double red for Twin or triple red for Kiki Jiki can be a little easier. In R/W variants that use Village Bell-Ringer and Restoration Angel instead of Exarch and Pestermite you use the same tactic, since keeping them off of a single white is nigh impossible.
B/U control variants can also be held off of black to try to keep them from hitting Damnation.
Sinful as it is to suggest, sometimes we do play the mirror. Being kept off of red turns off both Demonic Dread and Violent Outburst. Many lists don't run a fetchland that can get a basic mountain, only Verdant Catacombs, so if you take out the Stomping Ground and maybe Blood Crypt then you're on a good start. The Scars duals aren't searchable and may come into play tapped later in the game.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
Sinful as it is to suggest, sometimes we do play the mirror. Being kept off of red turns off both Demonic Dread and Violent Outburst. Many lists don't run a fetchland that can get a basic mountain, only Verdant Catacombs, so if you take out the Stomping Ground and maybe Blood Crypt then you're on a good start. The Scars duals aren't searchable and may come into play tapped later in the game.
Honestly, that's why in my list I switched from Pale Recluse to Valley Rannet. IMO the reach is rarely relevant, and the mountaincycling is often much more important than forestcycling. The lower toughness has hurt me, but I believe that it is worth it. (also it meant I could take white completely out, 1 less shock and also less chance to be hurt by blood moon)
Honestly, that's why in my list I switched from Pale Recluse to Valley Rannet. IMO the reach is rarely relevant, and the mountaincycling is often much more important than forestcycling. The lower toughness has hurt me, but I believe that it is worth it. (also it meant I could take white completely out, 1 less shock and also less chance to be hurt by blood moon)
Do you feel the same way everytime your rannet gets owned by a lightning bolt or ranger of eos? I'd love to not have to splash a 4th colour, but 4/5 is far more relevant than a 6/3 not even considering reach.
As far as fetching power goes, I don't plan for the mirror I plan for blood moon, which I'm more likely to actually see. When blood moon lands its forests you need to turn on your beast within and violent outburst, you have no interest in fetching a mountain.
If blood moon is not active and we're just dealing with fulminator mages, we have a singleton stomping ground and blood crypt to fetch, plus your natural red source draws. Red is our most important colour (it cycles every card in the deck except architects and is required for both cascade spells) so you should be playing more of it than anything else, making it virtually impossible to keep you off of a single red mana.
If you're worried about the consistency of a temple garden you can always just not run it, and reduce your pale recluce count knowing that there will be no hardcasting of it.
One deck that has escaped me from testing but I still might see at the PTQ this weekend is Valakut (Scapeshift).
I would assume at first thought we just ride our Land-Destruction hard, and maybe bring in the little life-gain we have just incase? Or is that wasted space? I'm pretty sure if they do combo out, they go out for more than Brindle Boar can offer, unless we play a really big Gnaw to the Bone.
Just glancing at decks, it looks really linear. Is this a safe match-up, especially with post-board Avalanche Riders?
Is there any deeper analysis into this match-up? I heard a guy or two from out of town might be running it, so I want to be prepared.
One deck that has escaped me from testing but I still might see at the PTQ this weekend is Valakut (Scapeshift).
I would assume at first thought we just ride our Land-Destruction hard, and maybe bring in the little life-gain we have just incase? Or is that wasted space? I'm pretty sure if they do combo out, they go out for more than Brindle Boar can offer, unless we play a really big Gnaw to the Bone.
Just glancing at decks, it looks really linear. Is this a safe match-up, especially with post-board Avalanche Riders?
Is there any deeper analysis into this match-up? I heard a guy or two from out of town might be running it, so I want to be prepared.
I suspect this is a match up where we want to hit Living End ASAP. Cycle as fast as you can and Living End as soon as you've got the mana, you want this to be over in about two swings if possible. This may actually be more important than LD given their land inevitability, though knocking out a Valakut is always going to be priority. If they waste triggers killing our creatures just to survive (gotta love 4+ toughness), we're in good shape.
Brindle Boar's life gain is very unlikely to be significant enough, though a large Gnaw to the Bone could do serious work if you want to sit back and try to be controlling. I'm not so sure that's the way to go, but they do run out of lands eventually, so it would be kind of funny to make them scoop simply because they can't do any more damage. Given the potential damage output they have, I don't think this will work.
Sowing Salts and Slaughter Games are both cards that can do a lot of work against this deck, though they can play around Salts.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
One deck that has escaped me from testing but I still might see at the PTQ this weekend is Valakut (Scapeshift).
I would assume at first thought we just ride our Land-Destruction hard, and maybe bring in the little life-gain we have just incase? Or is that wasted space? I'm pretty sure if they do combo out, they go out for more than Brindle Boar can offer, unless we play a really big Gnaw to the Bone.
Just glancing at decks, it looks really linear. Is this a safe match-up, especially with post-board Avalanche Riders?
Is there any deeper analysis into this match-up? I heard a guy or two from out of town might be running it, so I want to be prepared.
I'd like to believe that the Scapeshift matchup is pretty safe, but I know the RUG lists are full of tricks like Remand and Izzet Charm, which can really give us fits. I've only tested a couple games, and my losses all came from not being able to force an End through. A single Brindle Boar will at least tack on another land to their Scapeshift combo (which they usually set at six or seven lands), but beyond that the lifegain is pretty irrelevant.
If you have them in your sideboard, bring in Avalanche Riders and/or Slaughter Games. Ricochet Trap is a good one as well, for protection. They don't put much (if any) pressure on us with creatures, so this ends up playing like your typical control deck in that sense.
EDIT: Pope, high-five for responding at the same time.
Thanks for that. Added to the primer. I'll add a little blurb on Damping Matrix (a card I forgot about since no one here was using it) and Leyline of Sanctity, as well.
4x Fulminator Mage
2x Faerie Macabre
2x Avalanche Riders
1x Architect of Will
4x Deadshot Minotaur
4x Monstrous Carabid
4x Street Wraith
4x Pale Recluse
2x Jungle Weaver
Non Creature Spells - 14
4x Beast Within
4x Violent Outburst
3x Demonic Dread
3x Living End
4x Blackcleave Cliffs
3x Copperline Gorge
4x Verdant Catacomb
1x Blood Crypt
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden
1x Dryad Arbour
1x Forest
1x Swamp
1x Mountain
3x Ingot Chewer
3x Shriekmaw
3x Brindle Boar
4x Leyline of the Void
1x Faerie Macabre
1x Avalanche Riders
Eh playing vs counterspells is only easy if you land destruction them out of the game and squeeze a living end through their lack of mana, or if they're idiots and tap out to let you get a living end off at like EoT t3. Otherwise sure, if you draw 3 fulminator mages and a bunch of 1 mana cyclers and an outburst it looks pretty good. We can even do okay with the chess match of trying to chain 2 living ends at a time when they can only counter one. But remember they have the advantage that remand is practically the best counterspell ever printed when it comes to targeting living end.
The real problem comes when they add in RiP, Leyline, or relic, and we have to shift tack to not-cycling while trying to force a removal spell through the counters just in order to get back to square 1 where we can start putting dudes in the yard. Having fulminators countered is laughable if you have outburst+dread in hand... unless he's exiled when countered, then its not quite so funny.
I can see a case here for more krosan grip to get out of the jam of counterspells protecting graveyard hate, but I still wouldn't consider the combination of remand/cryptic and relic/RiP to be favourable to the living end player by a long shot.
That's basically the standard deck. Preference picks like Brindle boar vs gnaw to the bone, shriekmaw vs dismember and leyline vs jund charm... and I don't think you need the macabre in the board when you have 4 leylines there - replace it with like krosan grip or riccochet trap or something.
Personally I'm liking one jund charm in the main for the versatility. I actually countered a vedalken shackles by putting 2 counters on my jungle weaver recently, and the 2 dmg option can be great vs tokens or RDW (elementals coming back of living end die at EoT anyways).
That being said I don't think I could ever be confident enough in a prediction of the meta (to say nothing of predicting the matchups I'll actually play) to build heavily around that. I'd focus on shoring up bad matchups rather than what I believe will be popular decks.
I'd keep those Fulminator Mages in for game 1, they're a good way to get a feel for how your opponent will handle having their manabase messed with. If they turn out to be do-nothings, you can just board them out with your Avalanche Riders in favor of more graveyard hate.
Slaughter Games would only really be necessary if you anticipate combo, like Storm. It's too minimal of an effect vs. Dredgevine, reanimator, etc.
A number of people have tried Wispmare. I think that card is much too feeble to be of any use. White wouldn't be too difficult to support (most of us already have a Temple Garden to hardcast Pale Recluse), but the mana for our deck is very neat and tidy. If your splashes start to take up more of your deck, you're forced to get greedy, and that can hurt when trying to get set up early on.
I'll agree that Rest in Peace is a stupid card that ruins our day, but to be fair, we do have answers in Beast Within and Krosan Grip. You could even run Maelstrom Pulse if you wanted. Digging into a splashed color to fight one sideboard card seems bad.
And for anyone who's worried about the GW Aura deck... we don't actually care. They can't kill us before we get the mana to cascade. Just Violent Outburst and laugh as they get X-for-1'd.
Against jund, I generally want to use all my land d i can before going off. They so few basics that bringing back a fulminator & a avalanche rider (or two mages) will kill their mana, or at the very least keep them of a color which is back breaking.
Beast within is the answer we pack for rest in peace and leyline of the void. Some people might add krosan grip as well, but really 3-4 beast withins will usually get the job done. Wispmare is unnecessary imo, and if we could hardcast it we could also hardcast beast within or krosan grip.
I have a question regarding LD. In which match-ups would you want to deny what decks which color? Obviously you target blue against Control/Tempo and Tron lands/Eye of Ugin against Tron. What about other match-ups?
You value knowledge, logic, and deceit. You love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At your best, you are brilliant and progressive. At your worst, you are treacherous and cold. Your symbol is a water droplet. Your enemies are green and red.
I'm just about to start modern due to wizard starting to push the format and after researching mos of the proven/established decks I've decided to start with a living end.
I've had a read or travis woos and cedric Philips articles from 2012 for deck ideas. Are there any other articles or links regarding this deck I should read? I'm looking to play semi competitive with local tornaments ect, does anyone have any advice? I look forward to contributing to this primer in the near future
Welcome, new Ender!
*cue zombie cultist "ONE OF USSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS*
The deck is really fun, but most importantly, you it requires practice and experience to really have a good grasp on when to lay low and when to explode.
That said, If you've already read the 'pro' articles, I'd say the next best thing is to take a look at the previous primer and some of the discussions we had there regarding matchups, sideboard options, and critical card vs card comparisons.
Good luck!
xMage: Jankmaster
Commander - Now Playing
WUBSen Triplets - "If you shake my hand, better count your fingersBUW RHomura, Human AscendantR RGBorborygmos EnragedGR URMelek, Izzet ParagonRU
Commander - Still Brewing
BRGGyrus, Waker of CorpsesGRB URSaheeli, the GiftedRU WRJor Kadeen, the PrevailerRW
it really depends on what they have. Against tron, yeah, take a tron piece. generally, you want to kill man-lands also. Past that,i try to keep them off a color. In control, I let them have blue and try to take white, nothing sucks like a wrath right after going off, and I am usually able to force a living end through counters, especially with ricochet trap post-board.
In addition to what Johnald said, Twin can be held at bay by keeping them off of red. They prioritize blue lands in order to play their search cards, meaning keeping them off of double red for Twin or triple red for Kiki Jiki can be a little easier. In R/W variants that use Village Bell-Ringer and Restoration Angel instead of Exarch and Pestermite you use the same tactic, since keeping them off of a single white is nigh impossible.
B/U control variants can also be held off of black to try to keep them from hitting Damnation.
Sinful as it is to suggest, sometimes we do play the mirror. Being kept off of red turns off both Demonic Dread and Violent Outburst. Many lists don't run a fetchland that can get a basic mountain, only Verdant Catacombs, so if you take out the Stomping Ground and maybe Blood Crypt then you're on a good start. The Scars duals aren't searchable and may come into play tapped later in the game.
Living End Contributor and Enthusiast
Come Pucatrade with me
Rules Advisor
Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
Honestly, that's why in my list I switched from Pale Recluse to Valley Rannet. IMO the reach is rarely relevant, and the mountaincycling is often much more important than forestcycling. The lower toughness has hurt me, but I believe that it is worth it. (also it meant I could take white completely out, 1 less shock and also less chance to be hurt by blood moon)
Do you feel the same way everytime your rannet gets owned by a lightning bolt or ranger of eos? I'd love to not have to splash a 4th colour, but 4/5 is far more relevant than a 6/3 not even considering reach.
As far as fetching power goes, I don't plan for the mirror I plan for blood moon, which I'm more likely to actually see. When blood moon lands its forests you need to turn on your beast within and violent outburst, you have no interest in fetching a mountain.
If blood moon is not active and we're just dealing with fulminator mages, we have a singleton stomping ground and blood crypt to fetch, plus your natural red source draws. Red is our most important colour (it cycles every card in the deck except architects and is required for both cascade spells) so you should be playing more of it than anything else, making it virtually impossible to keep you off of a single red mana.
If you're worried about the consistency of a temple garden you can always just not run it, and reduce your pale recluce count knowing that there will be no hardcasting of it.
I would assume at first thought we just ride our Land-Destruction hard, and maybe bring in the little life-gain we have just incase? Or is that wasted space? I'm pretty sure if they do combo out, they go out for more than Brindle Boar can offer, unless we play a really big Gnaw to the Bone.
Just glancing at decks, it looks really linear. Is this a safe match-up, especially with post-board Avalanche Riders?
Is there any deeper analysis into this match-up? I heard a guy or two from out of town might be running it, so I want to be prepared.
ex-Moderator
Legacy love.
I suspect this is a match up where we want to hit Living End ASAP. Cycle as fast as you can and Living End as soon as you've got the mana, you want this to be over in about two swings if possible. This may actually be more important than LD given their land inevitability, though knocking out a Valakut is always going to be priority. If they waste triggers killing our creatures just to survive (gotta love 4+ toughness), we're in good shape.
Brindle Boar's life gain is very unlikely to be significant enough, though a large Gnaw to the Bone could do serious work if you want to sit back and try to be controlling. I'm not so sure that's the way to go, but they do run out of lands eventually, so it would be kind of funny to make them scoop simply because they can't do any more damage. Given the potential damage output they have, I don't think this will work.
Sowing Salts and Slaughter Games are both cards that can do a lot of work against this deck, though they can play around Salts.
Living End Contributor and Enthusiast
Come Pucatrade with me
Rules Advisor
Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
I'd like to believe that the Scapeshift matchup is pretty safe, but I know the RUG lists are full of tricks like Remand and Izzet Charm, which can really give us fits. I've only tested a couple games, and my losses all came from not being able to force an End through. A single Brindle Boar will at least tack on another land to their Scapeshift combo (which they usually set at six or seven lands), but beyond that the lifegain is pretty irrelevant.
If you have them in your sideboard, bring in Avalanche Riders and/or Slaughter Games. Ricochet Trap is a good one as well, for protection. They don't put much (if any) pressure on us with creatures, so this ends up playing like your typical control deck in that sense.
EDIT: Pope, high-five for responding at the same time.