I ended up choosing this deck as a meta call when playing the top eight in our Modern League. It was a good call. We played Double Elimination with a Winner's Bracket and a Loser's Bracket and I went unbeaten through the entire Winner's Bracket, beating Bant Spirits, Enduring Ideal and UR Phoenix x2 during the day. 2-0, 2-0, 2-0 and finally 3-0 (the final was best of five). Great deck and I had a fun time!
So this saturday I'm playing the top 8 that I mentioned in an earlier post here. I know I'm up against either Bant Spirits or Ascendancy Combo in the first game, since the pairings are already in. Anything particular I need to change in main board to push up my chances in that game? What should I put in my sideboard for the day? If I have to guess, I think the players will play Eldrazi Tron (could be on infect), Bant Spirits, Burn, Bogles, Humans, Bridgevine, Affinity and UW Control (that's me). My other choice is playing Eldrazi Stompy instead.
We have a local Magic League where I live and soon it will be time for top eight to battle for glory and a little bit of cash. I'm currently positioned third and will be playing first in all my games. The games are played best of five with a winners bracket and a losers bracket. I need to sharpen my list and most of all my sideboard fot this event. Any suggestions?
This is what I expect the other players to play:
1. Rnduring Ideal (Combo/Enchantment Control)
2. Eldrazi Tron (could be G Tron too)
3. UW Control (that's me)
4. Burn
5. Boggles/Burn
6. Bant Spirits
7. Lantern Control
8. Affinity
This is my list right now. Sorry for not using deck tags, Im on my phone.
Lands:
6 Island
2 Plains
4 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
3 Celestial Colonnade
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Mystic Gate
1 Prairie Stream
4 Field of Ruin
1 Ghost Quarter
Walkers:
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Has Zhalfirin Void replaced Sea Gate Wreckage completely? New to the deck and built the version in the primer for the deck. Should I get some Voids instead?
These are my questions. Pieces of the Puzzle looks awesome, why is it in the sideboard of most decks and not in mainboard? Speaking of sideboards, how does mine look? Do I need an Empty the Warrens in main? Is it any particular things I should think about before playing the deck in a tournament? Do I always need a creature in my opening seven? Is 2x Remand better than one of it and one Unsubstantiate?
Echoing Truth is in my deck because at least two decks in my community plays Leyline of Sanctity in main deck and I need an answer for that if I am supposed to win those games. Other decks that are well represented by good pilots in my community is Humans, Arclight Blitz (one RW and one UR), 8-rack, Storm, Jund and Eldrazi Tron. Is this deck fitting good in that meta?
Sorry for the wall of questions, hopefully someone can answer a couple of them!
I've played my deck for two consecutive midweek tournaments now, the first week I went 3-0 against Burn, 8-rack (lucky Halo on The Rack) and Merfolk. Last week was worse as I played 1-2 against Burn, Arclight Storm and Boggles. After that, I changed my deck and now it looks like this. What do you think?
Hi! I have just finished buying all the cards I needed to play this deck and is currently about to put it together. My problem is, I have too many cards. I have come to a conclusion and decided to play 61 cards (36+25) in the deck but now I'm stuck with 37 cards main board. My question is, what do I tanke out?
Sorry for the layout on the deck here, I'm writing this from my phone. I also have a couple of other cards I think about, either for the sideboard or for the main board. My meta consists of burn, eldrazi, boggle, 8rack, hollow One and storm amongst others.
I'm thinking about trying 2x Marsh Flats, 1x Scrubland and 1x Orzhov Pontiff in my main deck, since almost every matches I lose involves TNN. This idea does make me curious about playing a Recruiter of the Guard tool box though, could that be a good idea?
The issue is that when we try to fit in more disruption for aggro decks, critters and answers, we have to take out other cards that are really necessary for the deck to work. We can't take out any Boomerang effects, and the Mine effects is also really vital for the deck to work. What do you suggest we take out to fit in the cards you mention, or to get another color in there?
I tried Schnappy instead of Simian Spirit Guides, but to play a Howling Mine or an Owl turn one on the play is almost too good to replace the monkeys.
EDIT: I do understand that we are talking about sideboard too, and maybe we just need to lose game one to fast decks. I'm currently trying to play Sun Droplet from sideboard against aggressive decks. It almost always gives me at least two lifes per turn, and can be played in multiples to erase the risk of being aggroed down.
Nice deck. How do you feel about your 22 lands? Do you flood often? The original deck in modern played 18 lands, but I felt the need to go to 19.
Me and a buddy of mine talked about going to three colors, the third being either white for more control or black for more win cons, but with as few lands as we played, I felt that it could be really hard to pull it of. We also talked about removing red and putting black in to let the opponent lose life when he draw cards, but I think red and Runeflare Trap is always better.
OWLING MINE Bringing an old Standard deck to Modern! Again...
I know, I know. This ***** has been done. It's been done and it has failed. Over and over again. But as we say in Sweden, "shame to those who give up", right?! I'm utterly convinced that this deck has potential in some kind of Modern meta. Some of the later sets gave the deck new cards which makes it a tiny wee better than before. Now we have Fevered Visions to replace the very easy-killed Kami of the Crescent Moon with, and we also got Remand 5-8 in Unsubstantiate. So let's get together and brew something funny together, something that might surprise the other players in our local stores and bring a smile (or a tear) to their faces.
CARD CHOICES:
First things first. This deck has a lot of cards that are not to be replaced. It's the essential core, the engine, and contains of several playsets which can't be messed with. These are as follows:
4 Ebony Owl Netsuke
This is one of the main win cons in the deck. If the game plan works, it is incredibly powerful, and will kill the opponent in just a few turns if not dealt with. Always play four.
4 Boomerang
This card is so, so powerful when used the right way. It could be mana denial, removal or simply a time walk. I mostly use it to bounce their shock lands turn two on the play, or as a critter removal.
4 Eye of Nowhere
Not much to say here, these are Boomerang 5-8, only exception is that it is a sorcery.
4 Howling Mine
The card that gave the deck its name. Sure, it helps your opponent a lot when played turn two, but in the end it will help you more than him.
4 Remand
Bounce and counter in one great spell. There is a reason that this is one of the most played counter spells in Modern, and it is even better in this deck.
3 Runeflare Trap
Also a great win con in the deck, since your opponent will draw a lot of cards. Is with great success played after Fevered Visions have triggered in end step or in end of draw step, after your opponent has drawn their cards from double Howling Mines.
Furthermore, there are cards that are better than others of course, and I will try to add as many as I can remember. Be sure to remind me or fill in the blanks if you want to. I have tried to rank them, that is only my opinion and it could be better than I think.
Howling Mines:
+++++ Howling Mine
As mentioned above, this is what named the deck and one of the most vital cards in the deck.
++++ Temple Bell
Costs three mana but is controlled by you and can trigger whenever you want
++++ Fevered Visions
Costs both blue and red but acts as a win con, can be played turn two with a little help from your friends (the apes) and triggers in every end step, which is relevant as your oppnent can't use the card on his or hers turn.
++++ Dictate of Kruphix
We can't fit every Howling Mine that is printed in the deck, and I feel that Temple Bell is better, because we can let the opponent draw cards after the discard phase, or in our end step right before we take a new turn, or to trigger Runeflare Trap whenever we want, if the opponent taps out.
+++ Kami of the Crescent Moon
Was for a long time really vital in the deck, before Fevered Visions was printed, but is often replaced today. It dies to almost every single removal spell in Magic.
Instants and sorceries:
+++++ Exhaustion
Against critter decks, this is a great card and acts as a Time Walk, but against control it can be played as an answer to a counter so that they lose the ability to counter your spells the turn after.
+++ Cryptic Command
I'm trying this out. It could potentially be hard to get to four mana in time, but if you do it does so bloody much. It can counter/bounce, tap/bounce, counter/tap or draw you the card you really need.
+++ Time Warp
Acts as a Treasure Cruise in this deck since your extra turn makes you draw at least three cards extra. I don't think you can fit both these and Cryptics in a deck with 19 lands tops, so the choice is yours.
+++ Gigadrowse
Often used in this deck's big brother, Taking Turns, and could be used here too. We don't have as much mana as Taking Turns, so we need to use it wiser.
+++ Twincast
Not much to say. Copies a bounce effect or doubles the damage made by Runeflare Trap.
+++ Unsubstantiate
Remand 5-8 but without drawing a card. Instead of this, it can bounce a creature if that is relevant.
+++ Reduce//Rubble
If you want more focus on control in your deck, this new card could be good, I think it is a bit expensive, which would need us to play more than 19 lands.
++ Wipe Away
A Boomerang that can't be countered for one mana more. Could be played.
Creatures: ++++Simian Spirit Guide
Makes it possible to cast Howling Mine turn one or Temple Bell/Fevered Visions turn two.
+++ Snapcaster Mage
Hard to fit this into the deck when I have tested. Hypothetically it is great, but a four mana Boomerang isn't especially good come to think about it.
+++ Kefnet the Mindful
The newest addition to the deck. This guy is huge and impossible to kill. Also swings in the air but needs you to have seven cards in your hand to do it.
Lands:
+++++ Island
Of course...
+++++ Scalding Tarn
Four fetch lands is needed in the deck. Doesn't really make a difference if it's Scalding Tarn or Flooded Strand.
+++++ Flooded Strand
As mentioned above.
+++++ Steam Vents
The best blue and red land that can be fetched... Of course you should play it. 2-4.
++++ Spirebluff Canal
The blue and red fast land is a great addition to the deck. Play 2-4.
+++ Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
Well, if you can fit it in your deck, then do it. It is a colorless land though, and the deck really needs double blue and a red mana to play well.
++ Gemstone Caverns
Same as above. If you are on the draw and gets it on your start hand it is a permanent ape that lets you play Howling Mine turn one and Temple Bell/Fevered Visions turn two.
+ Mountain
Isn't really needed. You run good on one red mana and should get it from fetch/shock/fast lands.
SIDEBOARD:
+++++ Blood Moon
This card seems made for this deck, and we could go a route which imitates Blue Moon.dec after sideboard. All your duals are here to find red so it doesn't really matter that they are mountains now.
++++ Sudden Shock
Answers to the infinite combos of Murderous Redcap and Kitchen Finks. A really great card against other decks too.
++++ Pyroclasm
A real life saver against affinity. Kill it! Kill it with fire!
++++ Sun Droplet
Really makes aggro an easier matchup. If two of these are in play at the same time, we get four lifes every other turn. Hard to answer for aggro, especially with backup from Exhaustion, Time Warp and other good spells.
++++ Chalice of the Void
If you an afford this, it's almost NEVER bad in a sideboard. Against Burn, Ad Nauseam, 8-Rack, Aggro and so on.
+++ Nourishing Shoal // Autochton Wurm
We draw A LOT of cards with this deck so drawing into this two card "gain 15 lifes" combo is fairly easy. Let us live a bit longer against aggro decks.
+++ Leyline of Sanctity
I mean, we don't play white mana so it is kind of a coin flip to get this on your starting hand. If you do, though, it is great against burn.
+++ Hurkyl's Recall
This only get a grade three, because Pyroclasm is a lot better. Affinity doesn't care if they are set back a turn, they play everything again. If it is dead, though...
++ Ivory Crane Netsuke
At first glance, this looks fantastic but the truth is that we don't have the time to build up enough Howling Mine effects to make this work before we are dead against burn and aggro decks.
++ Kefnet, the Mindful
Same issue here, if we manage to always have seven or more cards on hand, we generally have already won.
vs. 8-Rack
Hehe. Haha. Ho. 100% wins, no exception.
vs. Living End
Save your Remands and Unsubstantiate to Living End and you should be good to go. If you don't, you are fried. 50%
Will be continued as soon as I have time to play the deck...
This is my first primer, please tell me if there is something I miss. Also, excuse me if the language is failing now and then in the text. I'm from Sweden and my English isn't fluent.
Today I played a deck with a lot of inspiration from the list found at mtggoldfish.com, but with a few tweaks. It was a small tournament with eight players, and it didn't really go well. I actually ended up 0-3 for the first time ever on these midweek tournaments we have at my local shop. I'll write a small tournament report before talking about eventual changes I would like to have your input on.
The deck should have a Forked Bolt in main and two Extirpate in the board but they didn't arrive in time for me to play them today.
Game 1 vs. Affinity
In the first match he dumped his entire hand on the board on turn one, while I was at draw. Luckily I managed to have him discard his Cranial Plating, which bought me some time to come back into the game. He top decked an Arcbound Ravager while my hand was empty to win the match though.
Post board I had more answers to his swarm of machines. I droppen Pyromancer turn two and started pumping out tokens. Zealous Persecution wiped his side of the board and I killed him.
Match three was really even. He had board control and smashed my life down to five before I managed to wipe out all the artifacts. I nearly turned the match around but he killed me with two Glint-Nest Cranes... 1-2
Game 2 vs. Seismic Lands
To make a long story short my entire deck was dead against his. He wiped my board of tokens and threw away lands until I were dead. I boarded out all my spot removals and took the Madcap pack in. Unfortunately, he had enough lands to kill Emperion when it entered the battlefield. 0-2
Game 3 vs. Boros PW Stax
Could possibly be the worst match-up for me. Chalice of the Void on 1 each game. Blood Moon turn two with Spirit Guide. One game he even managed to have Leyline from start and play Nahiri turn two. Impossible. However, Emperion made a great job and I managed to smash him down with it game 2. 1-2
Sooo... It's not with great pride I go to bed tonight. I feel like Young Pyromancer is far to slow for modern these days. I don't want to play him on turn two, cause he always dies before even producing a single token. I need to replace him with something I guess. My thoughts right now goes in the direction of Harsh Mentor och Abbot but I don't know really. Abbot isn't a turn two card either. The Madcap combo made great success today and I'm thinking about maining it instead of leaving it in the sideboard. Bedlam Reveler was great in the games today and I really like the idea about this deck, I just need to put som effort in sharpening the edges of the deck. What do you guys think? What is the best direction for this kind of a deck to go?
I've played this deck for a couple of weeks now and it is really strong. My biggest worry is that something from it will be banned soon (or at least before the summer). This is a list that Wizards doesn't like, I feel it in my spine. The question is, what will be banned and will the deck survive it? Can Retract be replaced? Mox Opal?
My decklist:
2x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
2x Snapcaster Mage
1x Vendilion Clique
4x Terminus
1x Supreme Verdict
4x Path to Exile
1x Detention Sphere
1x Oust
4x Opt
1x Serum Visions
1x Ancestral Vision
1x Hieroglyphic Illuminations
1x Search for Azcanta
1x Mana Leak
1x Negate
1x Spell Snare
1x Entreat the Angels
1x Timely Reinforcements
6x Island
2x Plains
4x Flooded Strand
2x Hallowed Fountain
2x Glacial Fortress
4x Celestial Colonnade
4x Field of Ruin
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Pulse of the Fields
1x Timely Reinforcements
1x Damping Sphere
1x Negate
2x Dispel
1x Nimble Obstructionist
1x Surgical Extraction
1x Lyra Dawnbringer
1x Baneslayer Angel
2x Rest in Peace
1x Stony Silence
1x Wrath of God
1x Settle the Wreckage
This is what I expect the other players to play:
1. Rnduring Ideal (Combo/Enchantment Control)
2. Eldrazi Tron (could be G Tron too)
3. UW Control (that's me)
4. Burn
5. Boggles/Burn
6. Bant Spirits
7. Lantern Control
8. Affinity
This is my list right now. Sorry for not using deck tags, Im on my phone.
Lands:
6 Island
2 Plains
4 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
3 Celestial Colonnade
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Mystic Gate
1 Prairie Stream
4 Field of Ruin
1 Ghost Quarter
Walkers:
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Critters:
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
Spells:
4 Terminus
1 Supreme Verdict
4 Path to Exile
1 Oust
4 Opt
1 Serum Visions
1 Hieroglyphic Illumination
1 Timely Reinforcements
3 Cryptic Command
1 Mana Leak
1 Negate
1 Spell Snare
1 Entreat the Angels
Artifact and Enchantments:
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Detention Sphere
1 Search for Azcanta
Sideboard;
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
1 Nimble Obstructionist
1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
2 Dispel
1 Negate
2 Rest in Peace
1 Stony Silence
1 Settle the Wreckage
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Ancestral Visions
1 Runed Halo
1 Wrath of God
What should I change for the tournament?
My deck looks like this right now:
4x Baral, Chief of Compliance
3x Goblin Electromancer
Spells:
4x Opt
4x Serum Visions
4x Sleight of Hand
4x Gifts Ungiven
2x Past In Flames
1x Noxious Revival
1x Echoing Truth
1x Remand
1x Unsubstantiate
4x Pyretic Ritual
4x Desperate Ritual
4x Manamorphose
Wincons:
2x Grapeshot
Lands:
4x Shivan Reef
4x Steam Vents
4x Spirebluff Canal
1x Mountain
2x Island
2x Snow-Covered Island
1x Lightning Bolt
1x Ignite Memories
2x Empty the Warrens
1x Gigadrowse
1x Wipe Away
1x Repeal
2x Thing in the Ice
2x Abrade
4x Pieces of the Puzzle
These are my questions. Pieces of the Puzzle looks awesome, why is it in the sideboard of most decks and not in mainboard? Speaking of sideboards, how does mine look? Do I need an Empty the Warrens in main? Is it any particular things I should think about before playing the deck in a tournament? Do I always need a creature in my opening seven? Is 2x Remand better than one of it and one Unsubstantiate?
Echoing Truth is in my deck because at least two decks in my community plays Leyline of Sanctity in main deck and I need an answer for that if I am supposed to win those games. Other decks that are well represented by good pilots in my community is Humans, Arclight Blitz (one RW and one UR), 8-rack, Storm, Jund and Eldrazi Tron. Is this deck fitting good in that meta?
Sorry for the wall of questions, hopefully someone can answer a couple of them!
3x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
Creatures:
2x Snapcaster Mage
1x Vendilion Clique
Removals:
4x Terminus
1x Settle the Wreckage
4x Path to Exile
1x Oust
1x Detention Sphere
Card Draw:
4x Opt
1x Serum Visions
1x Hieroglyphic Illumination
1x Ancestral Visions
1x Search for Azcanta
Counterspells:
3x Cryptic Command
1x Negate
1x Mana Leak
1x Logic Knot
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Entreat the Angels
1x Timely Reinforcements
Lands:
4x Celestial Colonnade
4x Flooded Strand
2x Hallowed Fountain
1x Praerie Stream
1x Glacial Fortress
6x Island
2x Plains
4x Field of Ruin
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Runed Halo
1x Baneslayer Angel
1x Lyra Dawnbringer
2x Rest in Peace
1x Stony Silence
1x Nimble Obstructionist
2x Dispel
1x Negate
1x Porphyry Nodes
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Timely Reinforcements
1x Pulse of the Fields
1x Damping Sphere
The deck looks like this right now:
2x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
2x Snapcaster Mage
1x Vendilion Clique
4x Terminus
1x Settle the Wreckage
1x Supreme Verdict
4x Path to Exile
4x Opt
2x Search for Azcanta
1x Serum Visions
3x Cryptic Command
1x Mana Leak
1x Negate
1x Logic Knot
1x Timely Reinforcements
1x Detention Sphere
1x Oust
1x Hieroglyphic Illumination
1x Ancestral Visions
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Glacial Fortress
1x Prairie Stream
2x Hallowed Fountain
4x Celestial Colonnade
4x Flooded Strand
6x Island
2x Plains
2x Ceremonious Rejection
1x Lyra Dawnbringer
1x Baneslayer Angel
1x Damping Sphere
2x Dispel
1x Timely Reinforcements
2x Rest in Peace
1x Stony Silence
1x Runed Halo
1x Porphyry Nodes
1x Nimble Obstructionist
1x Wrath of God
Sorry for the layout on the deck here, I'm writing this from my phone. I also have a couple of other cards I think about, either for the sideboard or for the main board. My meta consists of burn, eldrazi, boggle, 8rack, hollow One and storm amongst others.
I tried Schnappy instead of Simian Spirit Guides, but to play a Howling Mine or an Owl turn one on the play is almost too good to replace the monkeys.
EDIT: I do understand that we are talking about sideboard too, and maybe we just need to lose game one to fast decks. I'm currently trying to play Sun Droplet from sideboard against aggressive decks. It almost always gives me at least two lifes per turn, and can be played in multiples to erase the risk of being aggroed down.
Me and a buddy of mine talked about going to three colors, the third being either white for more control or black for more win cons, but with as few lands as we played, I felt that it could be really hard to pull it of. We also talked about removing red and putting black in to let the opponent lose life when he draw cards, but I think red and Runeflare Trap is always better.
Bringing an old Standard deck to Modern!
Again...
I know, I know. This ***** has been done. It's been done and it has failed. Over and over again. But as we say in Sweden, "shame to those who give up", right?! I'm utterly convinced that this deck has potential in some kind of Modern meta. Some of the later sets gave the deck new cards which makes it a tiny wee better than before. Now we have Fevered Visions to replace the very easy-killed Kami of the Crescent Moon with, and we also got Remand 5-8 in Unsubstantiate. So let's get together and brew something funny together, something that might surprise the other players in our local stores and bring a smile (or a tear) to their faces.
CARD CHOICES:
4 Ebony Owl Netsuke
This is one of the main win cons in the deck. If the game plan works, it is incredibly powerful, and will kill the opponent in just a few turns if not dealt with. Always play four.
4 Boomerang
This card is so, so powerful when used the right way. It could be mana denial, removal or simply a time walk. I mostly use it to bounce their shock lands turn two on the play, or as a critter removal.
4 Eye of Nowhere
Not much to say here, these are Boomerang 5-8, only exception is that it is a sorcery.
4 Howling Mine
The card that gave the deck its name. Sure, it helps your opponent a lot when played turn two, but in the end it will help you more than him.
4 Remand
Bounce and counter in one great spell. There is a reason that this is one of the most played counter spells in Modern, and it is even better in this deck.
3 Runeflare Trap
Also a great win con in the deck, since your opponent will draw a lot of cards. Is with great success played after Fevered Visions have triggered in end step or in end of draw step, after your opponent has drawn their cards from double Howling Mines.
Furthermore, there are cards that are better than others of course, and I will try to add as many as I can remember. Be sure to remind me or fill in the blanks if you want to. I have tried to rank them, that is only my opinion and it could be better than I think.
Howling Mines:
+++++ Howling Mine
As mentioned above, this is what named the deck and one of the most vital cards in the deck.
++++ Temple Bell
Costs three mana but is controlled by you and can trigger whenever you want
++++ Fevered Visions
Costs both blue and red but acts as a win con, can be played turn two with a little help from your friends (the apes) and triggers in every end step, which is relevant as your oppnent can't use the card on his or hers turn.
++++ Dictate of Kruphix
We can't fit every Howling Mine that is printed in the deck, and I feel that Temple Bell is better, because we can let the opponent draw cards after the discard phase, or in our end step right before we take a new turn, or to trigger Runeflare Trap whenever we want, if the opponent taps out.
+++ Kami of the Crescent Moon
Was for a long time really vital in the deck, before Fevered Visions was printed, but is often replaced today. It dies to almost every single removal spell in Magic.
Instants and sorceries:
+++++ Exhaustion
Against critter decks, this is a great card and acts as a Time Walk, but against control it can be played as an answer to a counter so that they lose the ability to counter your spells the turn after.
+++ Cryptic Command
I'm trying this out. It could potentially be hard to get to four mana in time, but if you do it does so bloody much. It can counter/bounce, tap/bounce, counter/tap or draw you the card you really need.
+++ Time Warp
Acts as a Treasure Cruise in this deck since your extra turn makes you draw at least three cards extra. I don't think you can fit both these and Cryptics in a deck with 19 lands tops, so the choice is yours.
+++ Gigadrowse
Often used in this deck's big brother, Taking Turns, and could be used here too. We don't have as much mana as Taking Turns, so we need to use it wiser.
+++ Twincast
Not much to say. Copies a bounce effect or doubles the damage made by Runeflare Trap.
+++ Unsubstantiate
Remand 5-8 but without drawing a card. Instead of this, it can bounce a creature if that is relevant.
+++ Reduce//Rubble
If you want more focus on control in your deck, this new card could be good, I think it is a bit expensive, which would need us to play more than 19 lands.
++ Wipe Away
A Boomerang that can't be countered for one mana more. Could be played.
Creatures:
++++ Simian Spirit Guide
Makes it possible to cast Howling Mine turn one or Temple Bell/Fevered Visions turn two.
+++ Snapcaster Mage
Hard to fit this into the deck when I have tested. Hypothetically it is great, but a four mana Boomerang isn't especially good come to think about it.
+++ Kefnet the Mindful
The newest addition to the deck. This guy is huge and impossible to kill. Also swings in the air but needs you to have seven cards in your hand to do it.
Lands:
+++++ Island
Of course...
+++++ Scalding Tarn
Four fetch lands is needed in the deck. Doesn't really make a difference if it's Scalding Tarn or Flooded Strand.
+++++ Flooded Strand
As mentioned above.
+++++ Steam Vents
The best blue and red land that can be fetched... Of course you should play it. 2-4.
++++ Spirebluff Canal
The blue and red fast land is a great addition to the deck. Play 2-4.
+++ Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
Well, if you can fit it in your deck, then do it. It is a colorless land though, and the deck really needs double blue and a red mana to play well.
++ Gemstone Caverns
Same as above. If you are on the draw and gets it on your start hand it is a permanent ape that lets you play Howling Mine turn one and Temple Bell/Fevered Visions turn two.
+ Mountain
Isn't really needed. You run good on one red mana and should get it from fetch/shock/fast lands.
SIDEBOARD:
+++++ Blood Moon
This card seems made for this deck, and we could go a route which imitates Blue Moon.dec after sideboard. All your duals are here to find red so it doesn't really matter that they are mountains now.
++++ Sudden Shock
Answers to the infinite combos of Murderous Redcap and Kitchen Finks. A really great card against other decks too.
++++ Pyroclasm
A real life saver against affinity. Kill it! Kill it with fire!
++++ Sun Droplet
Really makes aggro an easier matchup. If two of these are in play at the same time, we get four lifes every other turn. Hard to answer for aggro, especially with backup from Exhaustion, Time Warp and other good spells.
++++ Chalice of the Void
If you an afford this, it's almost NEVER bad in a sideboard. Against Burn, Ad Nauseam, 8-Rack, Aggro and so on.
+++ Nourishing Shoal // Autochton Wurm
We draw A LOT of cards with this deck so drawing into this two card "gain 15 lifes" combo is fairly easy. Let us live a bit longer against aggro decks.
+++ Leyline of Sanctity
I mean, we don't play white mana so it is kind of a coin flip to get this on your starting hand. If you do, though, it is great against burn.
+++ Hurkyl's Recall
This only get a grade three, because Pyroclasm is a lot better. Affinity doesn't care if they are set back a turn, they play everything again. If it is dead, though...
++ Ivory Crane Netsuke
At first glance, this looks fantastic but the truth is that we don't have the time to build up enough Howling Mine effects to make this work before we are dead against burn and aggro decks.
++ Kefnet, the Mindful
Same issue here, if we manage to always have seven or more cards on hand, we generally have already won.
DECK LIST(S):
The version I test right now.
4 Ebony Owl Netsuke
3 Runeflare Trap
Howling Mines:
4 Howling Mine
4 Temple Bell
4 Fevered Visions
Creatures:
4 Simian Spirit Guide
Spells:
4 Boomerang
4 Remand
2 Cryptic Command
4 Eye of Nowhere
4 Exhaustion
10 Island
4 Flooded Strand
2 Steam Vents
3 Spirebluff Canal
4 Ivory Crane Netsuke
3 Blood Moon
2 Gigadrowse
3 Evacuation
3 Pyroclasm
CHANCE VS. DECKS
Hehe. Haha. Ho. 100% wins, no exception.
vs. Living End
Save your Remands and Unsubstantiate to Living End and you should be good to go. If you don't, you are fried. 50%
Will be continued as soon as I have time to play the deck...
This is my first primer, please tell me if there is something I miss. Also, excuse me if the language is failing now and then in the text. I'm from Sweden and my English isn't fluent.
4 Young Pyromancer
3 Bedlam Reveler
2 Monastery Swiftspear
Spells:
4 Faithless Looting
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
2 Thoughtseize
1 Collective Brutality
1 Terminate
2 Lightning Helix
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Kolaghan's Command
2 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Swamp
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
2 Marsh Flats
2 Mountain
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Arid Mesa
1 Plains
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Celestial Purge
4 Madcap Experiment
1 Rakdos Charm
2 Wear // Tear
1 Anger of the Gods
2 Platinum Emperion
1 Fatal Push
1 Rakdos Charm
1 Dreadbore
1 Zealous Persecution
The deck should have a Forked Bolt in main and two Extirpate in the board but they didn't arrive in time for me to play them today.
Game 1 vs. Affinity
In the first match he dumped his entire hand on the board on turn one, while I was at draw. Luckily I managed to have him discard his Cranial Plating, which bought me some time to come back into the game. He top decked an Arcbound Ravager while my hand was empty to win the match though.
Post board I had more answers to his swarm of machines. I droppen Pyromancer turn two and started pumping out tokens. Zealous Persecution wiped his side of the board and I killed him.
Match three was really even. He had board control and smashed my life down to five before I managed to wipe out all the artifacts. I nearly turned the match around but he killed me with two Glint-Nest Cranes... 1-2
Game 2 vs. Seismic Lands
To make a long story short my entire deck was dead against his. He wiped my board of tokens and threw away lands until I were dead. I boarded out all my spot removals and took the Madcap pack in. Unfortunately, he had enough lands to kill Emperion when it entered the battlefield. 0-2
Game 3 vs. Boros PW Stax
Could possibly be the worst match-up for me. Chalice of the Void on 1 each game. Blood Moon turn two with Spirit Guide. One game he even managed to have Leyline from start and play Nahiri turn two. Impossible. However, Emperion made a great job and I managed to smash him down with it game 2. 1-2
Sooo... It's not with great pride I go to bed tonight. I feel like Young Pyromancer is far to slow for modern these days. I don't want to play him on turn two, cause he always dies before even producing a single token. I need to replace him with something I guess. My thoughts right now goes in the direction of Harsh Mentor och Abbot but I don't know really. Abbot isn't a turn two card either. The Madcap combo made great success today and I'm thinking about maining it instead of leaving it in the sideboard. Bedlam Reveler was great in the games today and I really like the idea about this deck, I just need to put som effort in sharpening the edges of the deck. What do you guys think? What is the best direction for this kind of a deck to go?