You may pay WUBRG rather than pay the mana cost for Ugin, the Spiritdragon.
+3 - Ugin, the Spiritdragon deals 3 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players. If a colorless creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead. -4 - Each player sacrifices 2 colored permanents he or she controls. -12 - Turn an extra turn after this one. Shuffle your graveyard and hand to your library and draw 7 cards. Gain 10 life.
Alternate casting cost shows his ties to Tarkir's dragons. (And, I don't want Ugin to be stuck in a Tron variant lol)
First ability is a buffed Ghostfire since dealing 3 damage is underwhelming for his mana cost and is exactly the same to Ral Zarek's -2. I added the colorless creature Pillar of Flame effect to show a fraction of his Eldrazi sealing powers.
Touch of BolasBR
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards. Touch of Bolas deals 2 damage to that player for each land card discarded this way.
"Resist if you must. But, I always get what I want."
-Nicol Bolas to Ugin
Flavor-wise, this card is Bolas and Ugin's fight in Tarkir long ago. And, it kinda makes sense getting hurt when discarding the lands as Bolas wanted to know how to unlock the Eye of Ugin.
2. Another card I want is Cabal Therapy. This version is weaker though.
Pact to the RakshasaB
Sorcery
Name a nonland card. Target player reveals his or her hand and discards all cards with that name.
"To gain power, one must be willing to sacrifice one's own humanity"
-Sidisi, Queen of the Sultai Brood
3. The next card is just a fair Treasure Cruise or delve hate card that can be main decked. It is not as punishing as Rest in Peace though.
Abzan Tree Warden1(G/W)
Creature - Human Cleric
When Abzan Tree Warden enters the battlefield, target player exiles his or her graveyard.
If a creature card would be put to a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
"The Sultai will not defile the spirits again."
2/2
Here are my insights while using a Sultai Rock list. I cut Bob due to excessive lifeloss and splashed blue for Treasure Cruise.
To be honest, I don't think Scooze is a good card in a delving meta. As a "3drop" its effect is not as impactful as compared to Finks. In my battles with Burn and Delver, Scooze has nothing to exile as the GY is Cruised away and it just remains a bear. But, I still put 2 of them as a mana sink when I have remaining green mana during their turn. Might as well delay them a bit in their delving.
As of now, I don't think Dismember is a good card in the meta. Well, I limited all my life loss cards at the moment. In fact, I cut Bob and splashed Blue for Cruise, increased more IoK and decreased my Thoughtseizes... etc.
Instead of Drown in Sorrow, I use Golgari Charm. I find it more flexible and useful in many match-ups. These include the following: Jeskai Ascendancy, Affinity, UR Delver (Young Pyro, Delver), Burn (Eidolon) and Twin (Splinter Twin). I have one in my SB though.
So far, my list is doing well. My most difficult match-up is still Burn.
4 Finks seem to work for me too in my Sultai Rock list. I haven't even thought about Bow of Nylea and Bloodchief Ascension. But, both are very interesting especially Bloodchief Ascension. Ascension might also work against Burn when they cast Eidolon of the Great Revel. You might shock yourself but Eidolon also shocks themselves.
I disagree with Snapcaster Mage being in a BGx shell. A Rock deck is a proactive deck while Snap thrives in a reactive deck. While, Snap + Decay is good... Majority of the spells in BGx decks are sorceries. Snap would be better in a Control deck with a lot of instants to maximize its capabilities. I just find him too slow and too clunky in BGx.
Finks is needed in this current meta of Cruise Burn, UR Aggro Delver and UR Twin which burns face a lot. Personally, I find Batterskull too slow in this current meta. By the time you cast it, you'll probably be below 10 life. But... I'd probably consider it in a vacuum. But, the Burn/ Delver metagame doesn't really give enough room for Batterskull to be utilized much.
Agreed with the Sultai Charm. I'll probably drop it once I perfect my mana base.
Goyf and Cruise can be worked with. I usually cast Goyf the turn after I cruise and he's usually 3/4 by that time. And, 3/4 still does the job for me.
@Lectrys Burn and Delver would still be dominant with DRS in the scene. But... it will make it possible for 4 color splashes which will greatly benefit BGx (and make Willy Edel's list more streamlined). And, exiling a card is still kinda good against cruise decks. At least you made them pay more mana to cast it. That mana could've been another Bolt to the face this turn. Or, exiling a card could mean them not cruising for another turn. I'm not saying that DRS is the end all solution to make the current meta "fair". But, its safe to unban it now along many other possible unbans.
If DRS were available we wouldn't discuss the ban of TC or the dominance of burn or delver, I think that right now is a safe moment to an DRS unban
YES PLEASE! I'm for unbanning certain cards instead of killing another deck because its imba. Blue has been weak in Modern and Cruise and Dig just made it relevant again.
The Edel deck seems clunky tbh. 4 colors is really hard without DRS. Its either go Abzan or Sultai.
My list runs Golgari Charm and Drown in Sorrow to somehow win against affinity. But, if I do survive Round 1. I'll crush em in Round 2. Tbh, I haven't really fought against a Burn deck yet with my list. But, Finks is there. I dunno if he's enough though. I'm also thinking of another 2cmc drop in place of Scavenging Ooze. That card seems real bad when most decks keep on delving. Strangleroot Geist perhaps? or should I just use Nourish as my "two drop"? Lol
I think the problem with Jund and Rock in the current meta is not really Treasure Cruise but the sheer amount of burn. And, our usual way of playing just helps Burn and Aggro Delver with Bob, Thoughtseize and shocking ourselves with shock lands.
Here is a list that I have been testing and I fought and won to Aggro Delver match-ups. I turned it into a Sultai Rock deck so I won't have to play Bob anymore. In his place, I played Treasure Cruise too.
My main weapon against Burn is good ol Finks and I will just side Dragon's Claw in Round 2. Goyf and Cruise can be worked with. Goyf gets fat the turn after anyway. So, it becomes 3/4 the turn after I cruise. And, a 3/4 goyf is still threatening enough to provide pressure.
Slaughter Pact is for the Twin match-up. In my experience, Twin guys will try to combo off when you're tapped out.
I am actually thinking of switching Thoughtseize with Duress to help avoid shocking myself.
You may pay WUBRG rather than pay the mana cost for Ugin, the Spiritdragon.
+3 - Ugin, the Spiritdragon deals 3 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players. If a colorless creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.
-4 - Each player sacrifices 2 colored permanents he or she controls.
-12 - Turn an extra turn after this one. Shuffle your graveyard and hand to your library and draw 7 cards. Gain 10 life.
Alternate casting cost shows his ties to Tarkir's dragons. (And, I don't want Ugin to be stuck in a Tron variant lol)
First ability is a buffed Ghostfire since dealing 3 damage is underwhelming for his mana cost and is exactly the same to Ral Zarek's -2. I added the colorless creature Pillar of Flame effect to show a fraction of his Eldrazi sealing powers.
Second ability is a nerfed All is Dust.
Third Ability is a buffed Time Walk than represents his Time Travel shenanigans.
1. I always wanted a Hymn to Tourach effect in modern (minus the random discard). I always find Wrench Mind too weak and Gerrard's Verdict is not modern legal.
Touch of Bolas BR
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards. Touch of Bolas deals 2 damage to that player for each land card discarded this way.
"Resist if you must. But, I always get what I want."
-Nicol Bolas to Ugin
Flavor-wise, this card is Bolas and Ugin's fight in Tarkir long ago. And, it kinda makes sense getting hurt when discarding the lands as Bolas wanted to know how to unlock the Eye of Ugin.
2. Another card I want is Cabal Therapy. This version is weaker though.
Pact to the Rakshasa B
Sorcery
Name a nonland card. Target player reveals his or her hand and discards all cards with that name.
"To gain power, one must be willing to sacrifice one's own humanity"
-Sidisi, Queen of the Sultai Brood
3. The next card is just a fair Treasure Cruise or delve hate card that can be main decked. It is not as punishing as Rest in Peace though.
Abzan Tree Warden 1(G/W)
Creature - Human Cleric
When Abzan Tree Warden enters the battlefield, target player exiles his or her graveyard.
If a creature card would be put to a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
"The Sultai will not defile the spirits again."
2/2
To be honest, I don't think Scooze is a good card in a delving meta. As a "3drop" its effect is not as impactful as compared to Finks. In my battles with Burn and Delver, Scooze has nothing to exile as the GY is Cruised away and it just remains a bear. But, I still put 2 of them as a mana sink when I have remaining green mana during their turn. Might as well delay them a bit in their delving.
As of now, I don't think Dismember is a good card in the meta. Well, I limited all my life loss cards at the moment. In fact, I cut Bob and splashed Blue for Cruise, increased more IoK and decreased my Thoughtseizes... etc.
Instead of Drown in Sorrow, I use Golgari Charm. I find it more flexible and useful in many match-ups. These include the following: Jeskai Ascendancy, Affinity, UR Delver (Young Pyro, Delver), Burn (Eidolon) and Twin (Splinter Twin). I have one in my SB though.
So far, my list is doing well. My most difficult match-up is still Burn.
Finks is needed in this current meta of Cruise Burn, UR Aggro Delver and UR Twin which burns face a lot. Personally, I find Batterskull too slow in this current meta. By the time you cast it, you'll probably be below 10 life. But... I'd probably consider it in a vacuum. But, the Burn/ Delver metagame doesn't really give enough room for Batterskull to be utilized much.
Agreed with the Sultai Charm. I'll probably drop it once I perfect my mana base.
Goyf and Cruise can be worked with. I usually cast Goyf the turn after I cruise and he's usually 3/4 by that time. And, 3/4 still does the job for me.
YES PLEASE! I'm for unbanning certain cards instead of killing another deck because its imba. Blue has been weak in Modern and Cruise and Dig just made it relevant again.
My list runs Golgari Charm and Drown in Sorrow to somehow win against affinity. But, if I do survive Round 1. I'll crush em in Round 2. Tbh, I haven't really fought against a Burn deck yet with my list. But, Finks is there. I dunno if he's enough though. I'm also thinking of another 2cmc drop in place of Scavenging Ooze. That card seems real bad when most decks keep on delving. Strangleroot Geist perhaps? or should I just use Nourish as my "two drop"? Lol
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Kitchen Finks
1 Courser of Kruphix
3 Scavenging Ooze
Sorceries
3 Treasure Cruise
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
1 Drown in Sorrow
1 Maelstrom Pulse
Planeswalkers
3 Liliana of the Veil
Lands
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Breeding Pool
2 Polluted Delta
2 Watery Grave
3 Verdant Catacombs
3 Overgrown Tomb
1 Island
1 Misty Rainforest
2 Forest
2 Treetop Village
2 Swamp
2 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Slaughter Pact
4 Abrupt Decay
1 Sultai Charm
1 Victim of Night
2 Disfigure
1 Darkblast
1 Golgari Charm
2 Creeping Corrosion
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Spellskite
1 Illness in the Ranks
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Negate
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Spell Pierce
1 Drown in Sorrow
What do you guys think?
I think the problem with Jund and Rock in the current meta is not really Treasure Cruise but the sheer amount of burn. And, our usual way of playing just helps Burn and Aggro Delver with Bob, Thoughtseize and shocking ourselves with shock lands.
Here is a list that I have been testing and I fought and won to Aggro Delver match-ups. I turned it into a Sultai Rock deck so I won't have to play Bob anymore. In his place, I played Treasure Cruise too.
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Kitchen Finks
1 Courser of Kruphix
3 Scavenging Ooze
Sorceries
3 Treasure Cruise
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
1 Drown in Sorrow
1 Maelstrom Pulse
Planeswalkers
3 Liliana of the Veil
Lands
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Breeding Pool
2 Polluted Delta
2 Watery Grave
3 Verdant Catacombs
3 Overgrown Tomb
1 Island
1 Misty Rainforest
2 Forest
2 Treetop Village
2 Swamp
2 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Slaughter Pact
4 Abrupt Decay
1 Sultai Charm
1 Victim of Night
2 Disfigure
1 Darkblast
1 Golgari Charm
2 Creeping Corrosion
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Spellskite
1 Illness in the Ranks
3 Dragon's Claw
3 Negate
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Spell Pierce
1 Drown in Sorrow
My main weapon against Burn is good ol Finks and I will just side Dragon's Claw in Round 2. Goyf and Cruise can be worked with. Goyf gets fat the turn after anyway. So, it becomes 3/4 the turn after I cruise. And, a 3/4 goyf is still threatening enough to provide pressure.
Slaughter Pact is for the Twin match-up. In my experience, Twin guys will try to combo off when you're tapped out.
I am actually thinking of switching Thoughtseize with Duress to help avoid shocking myself.
Anyway, what do you guys think?