MTG Salvation

What does Damnation hit that Languish doesn't?

Everything you want to die, really. Unless you're playing against cheesy tribal decks, or Zoo. 

Basically, Damnation knocks out every creature without indestructibility. Even if they have regenerate. 
Languish knocks out, well, the little guys. 

I agree that Anger of the Gods is a better choice, but it's not black. So that's kind of irrelevant. 
Drown in Sorrow isn't bad either, but you sacrifice half of the -4/-4 that Languish gives you. You Do get a mana cost reduction and a little scrying too, though. 
Damnation blows them all out of the water. It says:
 "“Give me your Prime Time, your Tasigur, 
Your Siege Rhinos yearning to breathe free, 
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. 
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: 
I lift my lamp beside the blackened door.”

Dromoka does look like a good option. I want to test him out before I take Gisela out of the deck completely, so this is what the new list looks like:



I'd update the opening post, but my iPad keeps crashing out of safari when I go to edit the post

Somberwald was used in this deck when it was standard as an alternate way to pump out creatures when Descendants' Path was in the deck. So I've got to see a lot of playtime with Somberwald, and I know it won't hold up in modern. There's too much burn in the meta right now, and the Sage can't even block without dying. Which is the same reason why I'm not using Lotus Cobra. I want my ramp to stay on the board, and I'm already giving a lot of decks an easy target in Arbor Elf.
But, it's all personal preference. I'd prefer my ramp to stick around until I don't need it, so I take a hit in speed and explosiveness doing so. Lotus Cobra and Somberwald Sage could definitely pull a lot of work in this deck, and make for some really snappy games. But they're both fragile, and die to just about everything. Each method has its risks and rewards.

Quote from purklefluff »

I'm very intrigued to see where these guys will fall when the dust settles.

Are there any currently existing decks where the new flipwalkers could find a home? Is there even a new deck that would want one or more of them?

Burn for example could use new chandra as a sideboard card, maybe even maindeck if it turned out to be worthwhile.

Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh/Chandra, Roaring Flame
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy/Jace, Telepath Unbound
Kytheon, Hero of Akros/Gideon, Battle-Forged 
Liliana, Heretical Healer/Liliana, Defiant Necromancer 
Nissa, Vastwood Seer/Nissa, Sage Animist 

Other than Nissa, I think all of them will find some sort of home in modern. Most will be in Collected Company decks, but I think that Lili will be a budget replacement for the people who don't want to shell out buku bucks to have Liliana of the Veil.

I think that there's a short supply of most modern staples because of players like me.
Now hear me out, here:

I've been playing magic since 1996, when I was 8 years old. Yes, I remember Mirage and Visions. And yes, I still have a lot of cards from that point in time. I started doing random jobs like raking people's lawns in the summer and shoveling driveways in the winter to support my newfound hobby.

Present day, my collection is... Man. I'd like to say that it's almost too big, but let's face it. That can never be the case when it comes to a magic collection.
Big magic collection + lots of experience playing the game = an easy way to know what cards to hold onto, and which cards to sell/trade while they're high(this mainly happens when the card(s) in question are standard).

I've got 3 playsets of Cryptic Commamd. Two are from lorwyn, and the third playset is from MM. Do I Need 12 Cryptic Commands? Psh, heck no I don't! But what if I want to build another deck that uses the card? Sure I may only be using one playset right now, but there's a decent chance I'll make another deck in the future that will need a playset. What if I'm at a tourney and a friend needs to borrow three? Now I can lend them to him.

The same is true with most other modern staples. I've got multiple playsets of them, just for convenience. Heck, I pulled 2 holo Snappys(I've got 4 total) and when innistrad block was over I quit playing standard.
The funny thing about this card is that I don't even USE Snapcaster Mage. In any deck. Simply because I've never liked him. And also because I don't think that "bolt-snap-bolt" is as powerful as everybody says. Especially considering it takes 4 mana to do 6 damage and have a tiny body on the board. I'd rather drop an Obliterator or play a Cryptic Command.

Now people, just think: if there were 2,000 other magic players who have collected cards like me, we would have a nice chunk of modern staples. Just between 6 of my friends and I, there are 8 playsets of Liliana of the Veil in our trade binders, and that's not counting a playset apiece for our collections.

It's not just speculators that are making a demand, people. Magic players are definitely helping, and so is the fact that Modern is growing pretty fast. There aren't even legacy FNM's in my county anymore.

Quote from VariousBoots »

Quote from ernest_theweedwhackerguy »

Fifth turn dropped a Boseiju after I topped Primal Surge, so I tried to keep him distracted. I played a courser, he countered it, I looked devastated and passed turn. Sixth turn, "Primal Surge for Win?" "....Show me.... Yep, that's a win for you. Good game."

I love this. The psychological part of a game of magic. Well done baiting out his counters to push the Surge through.

Well thank you, sir. I think that was my favorite match of the night.

People wouldn't believe how much your opponent tries to judge what to do based off of your expressions when it comes to magic. Everybody I play against(other than my brother) all wear the kind of poker face that people put on while playing in a huge Texas Hold-em tournament for $5 million. This makes it really easy for emotions to throw kinks in somebody's plan and/or make them think that they have you on the ropes.

Comment Hidden

I guess if Power 9 means the nine most powerful cards that are legal, the list would look something like:

Lightning Bolt
Liliana of the Veil
Tarmogoyf
Cryptic Command
Snapcaster Mage
Primeval Titan
Karn Liberated
Path to Exile
Arcbound Ravager

I wouldn't say Serum Visions is P9 potential at all. It just happens be the best available to filter.

Comment Hidden

Could you play Enduring Ideal? How did the Extended deck do it, Lotus Blooms, right? And I guess a counter/control shell for the rest of the deck. Not super-efficient compared to something like, say, Twin, but who cares that you'd be tier 2 at best when you win by turning into a dragon and burninating the countryside your enemies?

Hmm. Things to ban...let's see....

Goyf (BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE)
Twin (Because combo is bad for the format)
Pod (Because reasons)
Lightning Bolt (Because it's oppressive)
Snapcaster Mage (Because it's blue)

Things to unban:

Mental Misstep

/s



On a serious note, I really hope the new Delve cards get left alone. I am really enjoying DTT in UWR Control, and TC makes Delver a thing again.

SPLINTER TWIN + DECEIVER EXARCH!

I just have this feeling it could work. I dunno.

Quote from Spawnk

Need more leonin arbitor + Tect edge/Ghost quarter

I've been over this before, but I'll say it again. Tec edge is worthless in a land denial deck, because if your opponent ever gets to 4 land, you've probably already lost.