If anyone has matchup data for Arclight Phoenix, Dredge, Grixis Shadow, Humans, etc, then please post.
Also, I feel like BW Tokens might actually be decent against the present meta. Dredge and those types of matchups were decent. Humans might be a problem. Merfolk isn't really a problem with Fatal Push around. Tron always has sucked (but you can't win them all).
Mulligan decisions are pretty important with this deck. Similar to BW Tokens, there are some hands that you keep and others you don't and experience will show you which will reward you. In general, you want some interaction effects (discard etc), some threat(s), and at least two lands, preferably of different colors. You can keep a hand with a card draw effect (Faithless looting), but understand the probabilities of drawing into what you are missing. It's actually a really good deck once you figure that out.
However, it's also matchup dependent. You need to use your knowledge of the format and opponent to also determine mulligan decisions. Play conservatively.
I wouldn't advocate for multiple bans. Given a couple of above comments and my experience, this is actually one of the more healthy times in recent modern history it would seem. Modern has traditionally rewarded knowledge of the format/deck/reading opponents and game state. I'm not a great player, but I can tell when I lost because I was outplayed versus my deck just wasn't good in that situation. I have seen some good players take largely unplayed decks and wipe the floor with Tier 1 decks.
Having said that, given the data I just saw on KCI, it would seem some part of it is a logical choice.
I used Chandra, Torch of Defiance mainboard as a flex card (number 60). Versus burn, she didn't do much. But, when the game was grindy, she was really good. Similar to Kolaghan's Command as a flex tool, she can do different things. First, she can help you kill large creatures (an additional removal spell in a pinch). She can also draw you extra cards or do damage over time. When I was in mirror matches, against Jund, or other similar decks, her +1 exile effect was very beneficial in putting pressure on the opponent. Her second +1 ability was also very useful, you could play Chandra and cast Bedlam Reveler or Pyromancer on the same turn. Her plus Bedlam Reveler will do more than enough to clear out a stalled board. IMHO she is better than either Liliana mainboard.
If you have a lot of fast aggro though, she will only be marginal.
I haven't updated the primer in a while, namely because I felt like there just weren't new cards worth mentioning. Also, it seemed like Mardu was eclipsing tokens.
1- Lingering Souls by far. You can't run the deck without them.
2- 2-3 Auriok Champion in your 75 is a must. It will single handedly win you games agains Jund, Grixis, and burn. They can't attack past it, it chumps for days, and you get extra life for playing the deck. I never lost to Jund with an Auriok in play and the match up is already heavily favored.
3- I wouldn't run any other walkers other than maybe Sorin.
4- Windbrisk Heights depends on meta. If anything, I would run more card draw or splash red for Faithless Looting.
5- Anthems depends on creature suite. If you only run tokens, then virtue 4x is fine. If you run other creatures, then Honor of the Pure should be favored. Zealous persecution is a must have in the current meta at a 2-3 of. That card itself will win games especially against Jund and affinity.
I ran Izzet Charm. I'm a bit surprised to see it included in a list. I feel like there are a lot better cards to run in that slot, including faithless looting. Izzet charm just isn't good enough in a stalled board state.
I ran Liliana of the Veil in the deck for a while and found her to be lackluster at best. Several times I found myself not plussing her to hold onto a card in hand that I might need later. Given how much we have to filter our own hands and discard things that we don't need, it seems like an additional effect that isn't impactful. I can see her being good in a meta filled with combos and hexproof. I played her a few times in BW Tokens and against her. We aren't Jund or BG Rock, which lack card filtering. Even her ultimate can be lackluster against certain decks. I'm just not impressed. Hopefully you have much better luck.
Liliana Last Hope is barely playable I think. She can be stellar in a wider variety of matches, however.
The best additional "flex" card I have so far is Chandra, Torch of Defiance. She can be back breaking in specific situations (such as turn 4-5 Chandra into Bedlam Reveler or Young Pyromancer). She can also bring in some direct damage and additional card draw as the game progresses. In a stalled board state, she often gives enough additional variety to outright win the game. Lili of the Veil doesn't do that and Last Hope is slightly worse (but again, more desirable in a stalled board state the Veil). In a stalled board state, she can be a four turn clock because of her Emblem.
4 Adanto Vanguard (or Healer's Hawk, depending upon your meta)(also just thinking of playing 4 Remorseful Cleric for flying)
4 Knight of Grace (I am experimenting with Cavalry Drillmaster, it gives +2 and first strike when it enters)(you can run Boros Garrison if you run Healer's Hawk, but I think it's meh).
4 History of Benalia
3 Tajic (really good against UR)
3 Legion Warboss
3 Shalai
3 Aurelia
4 Lyra Dawnbringer
My side looks similar, experimental frenzy was meh when I played it.
- Deafening Clarion
-Citywide Bust
- Make a Stand
3 Tocatli Honor Guard
Settle the Wreckage
I find myself often with a sequencing problem at three drops: Legion Warboss, History of Benalia, or Tajic. It's made worse if I have Aurelia or Shalai in hand. In these scenarios, I often decide if I'm beat down or not and then run out the appropriate creature. If I suspect removal, that definitely impacts what I run out. I suppose that isn't a bad problem to have.
What's nice about this build is that it can take advantage of open battlefields fast. It also has backup in the form of fliers if we just need a big beater to finish out the game.
My Sidisi deck relies on her and dredge abilities to search my library for a combination of Necrotic Ooze, Phyrexian Devourer, Triskelion, Walking Ballista, or Mikaeus, The Unhallowed to combo off. The rest of the deck is pretty much creature tutors to dump bodies in the yeard, re-animate spells, and mass sacrifice effects to lock down my opponents and discourage them from killing my stuff. If you get the sac lock down, you pretty much don't need targeted removal since you can sac your own stuff to cause them to sac their board or you can force awkward situations (block the 2/2 zombie with your 5/5 and lose your 5/5). Elesh Norn is necessarily a problem either for the same reason (zombie dies, sac elesh norn). The back up win conditions involve attacking with zombies or 2/2 wolves. Wonder is a great card and makes unblockable effects largely redundant. Life from the Loam combined with Cephalid Coliseum makes for a practically unstoppable dredge, draw, and search scenario.
White splash will likely be necessary, even if it is just for sideboard cards. My build is similar to yours. I would say you need at least two seige gang commanders. The deck isn't necessarily fast, but turn 5 kills are possible. I would infinitely prefer black for removal and creature recursion, however. The problem I see there is the mana isn't supported and we need lands coming in untapped as often as possible for this to work.
Dark Dweller Oracle is at least a one of, and I am running two Flame of Keld. If it sticks for three turns its good game. I saw a list on MTG Goldfish, and I can't believe someone ran less than 4 instigators. Its just value. Legion Warboss is extremely good too. Don't be afraid to sack your team for cards and mana.
How do people feel radiant destiny? I feel like trashmaster is just better. Radiant destiny doesn't do anything the turn it comes down and won't help me on a turn later.
Persecution works well against Jund or affinity. If your meta doesn't have either one, it isn't worth it.
In a meta with either, it is, at worst, a board wipe for 2 mana or a combat trick. At its best, it finishes the game in one turn out of no where. I wouldn't run it unless I was running an aggressive shell though.
But, if you lost to Jund or Affinity, then I think you have other issues to look at.
The shell is the same: sub raise the alarm for bitter blossom. Use Honor of the Pure instead of the token pump. You don't necessarily need Bitterblossom and there are good arguments against it. Instant speed on your opponent's turn is nothing to sneeze at. Arguably midnight haunting is better than spectral procession for that reason.
Liliana of the Veil is also not a must. There are plenty of other control cards in white that accomplish the same end as her.
What is necessary are the stock token producers, pump spells, life gain, and discard. Fatal push and path to exile are essentials also.
Really, all the deck is is an late game aggro deck that has you playing control the first few turns. You discard and kill their stuff and then get some tokens out and pump them. I know its in midrange, but having played it for a long time, it is different from Jund. If it is close to anything I would say it is Grixis Death's Shadow.
If anyone has matchup data for Arclight Phoenix, Dredge, Grixis Shadow, Humans, etc, then please post.
Also, I feel like BW Tokens might actually be decent against the present meta. Dredge and those types of matchups were decent. Humans might be a problem. Merfolk isn't really a problem with Fatal Push around. Tron always has sucked (but you can't win them all).
However, it's also matchup dependent. You need to use your knowledge of the format and opponent to also determine mulligan decisions. Play conservatively.
Having said that, given the data I just saw on KCI, it would seem some part of it is a logical choice.
If you have a lot of fast aggro though, she will only be marginal.
1- Lingering Souls by far. You can't run the deck without them.
2- 2-3 Auriok Champion in your 75 is a must. It will single handedly win you games agains Jund, Grixis, and burn. They can't attack past it, it chumps for days, and you get extra life for playing the deck. I never lost to Jund with an Auriok in play and the match up is already heavily favored.
3- I wouldn't run any other walkers other than maybe Sorin.
4- Windbrisk Heights depends on meta. If anything, I would run more card draw or splash red for Faithless Looting.
5- Anthems depends on creature suite. If you only run tokens, then virtue 4x is fine. If you run other creatures, then Honor of the Pure should be favored. Zealous persecution is a must have in the current meta at a 2-3 of. That card itself will win games especially against Jund and affinity.
Liliana Last Hope is barely playable I think. She can be stellar in a wider variety of matches, however.
The best additional "flex" card I have so far is Chandra, Torch of Defiance. She can be back breaking in specific situations (such as turn 4-5 Chandra into Bedlam Reveler or Young Pyromancer). She can also bring in some direct damage and additional card draw as the game progresses. In a stalled board state, she often gives enough additional variety to outright win the game. Lili of the Veil doesn't do that and Last Hope is slightly worse (but again, more desirable in a stalled board state the Veil). In a stalled board state, she can be a four turn clock because of her Emblem.
4 Adanto Vanguard (or Healer's Hawk, depending upon your meta)(also just thinking of playing 4 Remorseful Cleric for flying)
4 Knight of Grace (I am experimenting with Cavalry Drillmaster, it gives +2 and first strike when it enters)(you can run Boros Garrison if you run Healer's Hawk, but I think it's meh).
4 History of Benalia
3 Tajic (really good against UR)
3 Legion Warboss
3 Shalai
3 Aurelia
4 Lyra Dawnbringer
2 Lava Coil (4 dmg seems really relevant)
3 Conclave Tribunal (2 doesn't seem like enough)
1 Shivan Fire
2 Banefire
4 Mountain
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Clifftop Retreat
1 Boros Guildgate
11 Plains
My side looks similar, experimental frenzy was meh when I played it.
- Deafening Clarion
-Citywide Bust
- Make a Stand
3 Tocatli Honor Guard
Settle the Wreckage
I find myself often with a sequencing problem at three drops: Legion Warboss, History of Benalia, or Tajic. It's made worse if I have Aurelia or Shalai in hand. In these scenarios, I often decide if I'm beat down or not and then run out the appropriate creature. If I suspect removal, that definitely impacts what I run out. I suppose that isn't a bad problem to have.
What's nice about this build is that it can take advantage of open battlefields fast. It also has backup in the form of fliers if we just need a big beater to finish out the game.
Dark Dweller Oracle is at least a one of, and I am running two Flame of Keld. If it sticks for three turns its good game. I saw a list on MTG Goldfish, and I can't believe someone ran less than 4 instigators. Its just value. Legion Warboss is extremely good too. Don't be afraid to sack your team for cards and mana.
How do people feel radiant destiny? I feel like trashmaster is just better. Radiant destiny doesn't do anything the turn it comes down and won't help me on a turn later.
In a meta with either, it is, at worst, a board wipe for 2 mana or a combat trick. At its best, it finishes the game in one turn out of no where. I wouldn't run it unless I was running an aggressive shell though.
But, if you lost to Jund or Affinity, then I think you have other issues to look at.
Liliana of the Veil is also not a must. There are plenty of other control cards in white that accomplish the same end as her.
What is necessary are the stock token producers, pump spells, life gain, and discard. Fatal push and path to exile are essentials also.
Really, all the deck is is an late game aggro deck that has you playing control the first few turns. You discard and kill their stuff and then get some tokens out and pump them. I know its in midrange, but having played it for a long time, it is different from Jund. If it is close to anything I would say it is Grixis Death's Shadow.
Midnight haunting is a good alternative to Spectral Procession and doesn't have triple white.
Legion's Landing won't replace Auriok Champion.