I would not put too much value on Painful Truths. I think it's already near its top value at 3$ for its run in standard. Once KTK rotates out with its fetchlands, decks that run 3+ colors should no longer be the norm, especially since colorless is a "color" of its own with OGW. Read The Bones is better in 90% of cases in 1-2 color decks, only moderately weaker in a 3 color deck, is a common and is still with us in Innistrad.
There may be some value in the long run, due to Modern, but cheap alternatives are plentiful.
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Jan 28, 2016SpinifexV posted a message on Magic Market Index for January 27, 2016Posted in: Articles
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Jan 16, 2016SpinifexV posted a message on The Magic Market Index: Set Review of Oath of the GatewatchI agree with the list on all but one count: Vile Redeemer. In a GB self sacrifice deck or a rally/aristocrat deck, it can mean getting a lot more tokens to sacrifice at instant speed. It's not an all star, but I could see it going to 1-2$ if he shows up in such a deck.Posted in: Articles
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Khans and Dragons for gaming.
BFZ for being nearly over. (and for the chance of opening 4 Expeditions)
By the way, Expeditions are in no way responsible for BFZ being a poor set.
As a lucky guy who has opened 4 expeditions (including a Wasteland that is financing my way into Modern), I welcome having the chance to open a $100 bill.
That said, I personally moved to a Superfriend/Control build to use Oath of Gideon. It has worked very well at the last FNM, but I am a bit wary of Abzan and Dromoka's Command, because I run playsets of Silkwrap and Stasis Snare (there's no Abzan player at my LGS, so I haven't had that match-up yet).
If you feel you have to change the deck due to the board wipes, I see two ways to transform Esper Tokens:
- Control: That shell already exist as BW Control in the deck creation forum. Basically, you don't ramp up to Wingmate Roc anymore and use planeswalkers and removal spells to control the board and either deal damage with Gideon, Ally of Zendikar or pumped up tokens from Secure The Wastes.
- Tempo Flyers: Move more into WU territory, using Reflector Mage to delay the opponent and Knight of the White Orchid to ramp and use flyers as the main threat (Wingmate Roc, Dragonlord Ojutai, Linvala, the Preserver, Archangel of Tithes, etc.). Basically, what we've been doing but using the blue mana available to us. This is where I expect to go post rotation.
In Modern, it's a different game: utility creatures have 1-2 toughness and artifacts abound. It's a fantastic 2 for 1 in that format.
You can probably safely cut the Command for more burn removal.
As for Grasp of Darkness vs Exquisite Firecraft. The choice is not that clear-cut, despite the fact that they deal the same "damage" and the first costs 2 and is an instant. 1RR is generally easier to cast for a Big Red Deck (unless you run 12 or so fetchlands). It also kills Gideon and several other planeswalkers and can burn face.
Also, with Big Red, you really want to kill stuff on the early turns.
- Grasp of darkness: I see RB Dragons mainly as red with a splash of black. BB doesn't seem like something I would like to run, no matter how much I love this card.
- 4 Kolaghan, the Storm Fury is one too many IMHO. I've been stuck with 2 in hand too often while running 3 in the deck. I would replace the last one with Dragonlord Kolaghan or a maindeck Goblin Dark-Dwellers.
3x Caves of Koilos
4x Flooded Strand
4x Plains
4x Polluted Delta
2x Prairie Stream
4x Shambling Vent
2x Sunken Hollow
2x Swamp
Instant (4)
2x Secure the Wastes
2x Utter End
4x Knight of the White Orchid
4x Seeker of the Way
2x Wasteland Strangler
3x Wingmate Roc
Enchantment (10)
2x Oath of Gideon
4x Silkwrap
4x Stasis Snare
Planeswalker (8)
4x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2x Ob Nixilis Reignited
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Duress
2x Flaying Tendrils
2x Infinite Obliteration
2x Negate
2x Painful Truths
3x Surge of Righteousness
Link to deck @ TappedOut.net
The observations are also at tappedout. I'm not going to copy/paste it here to avoid thread clutter.
4x Bloodstained Mire
1x Cinder Glade
2x Haven of the Spirit Dragon
8x Mountain
4x Smoldering Marsh
2x Swamp
4x Wooded Foothills
Sorcery (6)
2x Exquisite Firecraft
4x Hordeling Outburst
4x Flamewake Phoenix
2x Goblin Dark-Dwellers
4x Hangarback Walker
3x Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
4x Thunderbreak Regent
Instant (12)
4x Draconic Roar
4x Fiery Impulse
2x Kolaghan's Command
2x Murderous Cut
2x Duress
3x Foul-Tongue Invocation
1x Ob Nixilis Reignited
2x Outpost Siege
2x Radiant Flames
3x Self-Inflicted Wound
2x Transgress the Mind
Other than that, I don't think much of Warping Wail. Yes, it's flexible, but I saw several players die with it in hand during the pre-release. I would rather run Silkwrap in that spot 90%+ of the time.
In a W-based deck such as this one, however, he is not at his best, since our most efficient removal exiles the creatures (Silkwrap, Stasis Snare, Utter End). He also clashes at the 4-drop slot with two of the best planeswalkers (Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and Sorin, Solemn Visitor).
I am considering him in a BC deck, maybe with Corpseweft and Risen Executioner. He really needs a Vampire/Zombie token generator to be at his best (I know he is one).
I'm simply not aware of any stronger deck that can be had for so little money. MTG websites often have budget deck series (Mtggoldfish, gatheringmagic). You can check them out, but they generally set their budgets at 100$.
http://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/budget-magic-32-5-tix-standard-goblins
I don't think it gets any cheaper than this.