I haven't been playing that much lately but with a new year there's more magic than ever!
I played at my local LGS yesterday and went 4-0 (32 players attending), facing off against BW Tokens, UW Control, Mardu Control (Nahiri/Emrakul-package) and Dredge in the finals.
At my LGS there's a modern league running and during this season (covering about 18 weeks) I managed to snatch second place out of 137 unique players. I have exclusively been playing Bant Spirits and I'm pleased with the results. The league only counts your 8 best results during a season, this is the results we put up with Spirits:
12 pts
12 pts
9 pts
9 pts
9 pts
9 pts
9 pts
9 pts
Earlier in the season I managed to get two 3 pts and two 6 pts, mostly because the list was still in considerable flux (playing Birds AND Hierarchs was the main problem).
Going forward I'm quite sad to se Dredge getting a ban since that was a really good match up for us. We now have to figure out how we are going to beat Grixis and Jund, two archetypes that will be stronger than ever because of the black expertise and Fatal Push. Hopefully cards like Kira, Bygone Bishop, Midnight Haunting and perhaps Tamiyo can help us win the grindier games.
I'm also quite interested in the new mimic artefact, perhaps it can be a better two drop than Phantasmal Image. Keep on spooking and thanks for all the input from this group so far!
What do you think about Genju of the Fields? It may be the repeatable source of lifegain we are looking for, as it could start hitting as soon as turn 2 (with a mana dork) and is somewhat hard to remove. I feel like it's a good card in both the aggro games and the longer attrition-based games. (note that this is a mana sink, for 6 mana you get 3 activations and thus 3 times the gain life effect: pair it with a drogskol capt. and it's a beast!)
Ketoglutarate I tried to play with 2 Nebelghast Herald but I did not have much success even looking like a very good card,
I thought I'd use Nebelghast Herald to tap Emrakul Before the attack. Will put Eidolon of Rhetoric on the main or sideboard?
I'm having trouble against Valakuts lists and the combo emrakul + through the breach. I'm thinking of changing my sideboard and putting 3 Leyline of Sanctity or Runed Halo.
I'll also put 1 Kira in the main, This card will help a lot, my drogskol captain are dying a lot.
Then tell us how it came out Permeating Mass, I think it will not work here very well, the meta is occupied by ad nauseam, valakut, jund and living end.
I have yet to play against Valakut decks yet. Fairon how has that matchup been going. I would guess that focusing on keeping scapeshift out of play is the thing to do as well as countering any ramp spells but I can see that being tough. I would bring in my extra removal to help with Titan but I can see path being a sad choice since it helps ramp them. Maybe just bring in the Blessed Alliance, Kira and I play negates but perhaps going the unified will if Titan is really big in your meta. I feel like the aggro creature decks match up well for us with the exception of Fish as they seem to have much better lords.
I have not yet tested the deck against Merfolk, I will test against on Saturday, I believe it will not be big problems.
In the stores here has grown the deck valakut, what have you been using against? Runed Halo maybe?
I have tested against elves, jeskai aggro and naya zoo, the deck has proved very efficient against these aggros.
Played well against tooth and nails too.
Seems like and allstar. Mostly with Selfles Spirit, Rattle Chains or Phantasmal Image with a spell queller or drogskull captain on the table.
It also seems to me that Spirit of Saint Traft is good with CoCo and Cryptic Command, as Saint Traft is the one spirit that deals the most damage to the oponent.
22-23 lands
8-10 spells
Cryptic Command - It's hard to cast because of its cost.
Good morning, so after fnm last night I was able to play test my bant spirits agaist burn the true test. Wow super happy most games. Just crush most games.
The 2x Phantasmal Image and the 2x Steel of the Godhead are basically filler and could be replaced with almost anything (I do however think that it should be creatures and/or cards that help with the Burn match up).
I have played Midnight Haunting, Bygone Bishop, Tamiyo, Field Researcher, Nebelgast Herald, Kira, Great-Glass Spinner, additional Path's, Rhox War Monk, Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit and others I can't even remember. However, in the current meta, I think these are the best cards for the slots in order to win game 1 (on the play) as fast as possible and to have 2 main deck cards against Burn.
If there was a better 2 mana spirit I would play it. If the meta shifts back to a more controlling one (with the new sweeper for 2BB that might happen, sick card) we have plenty of really good cards to fill the slots with.
Kira, Great-Glass Spinner seems to be a great card to have on the deck, it can protect noble or birds, I'm testing a copy of mirror entity to increase creature power and protect birds or even attack with them.
In my town has many merfolk and affinity, what do you advise to use on the side?
Sorry for the late update but work got in the way.
As for the Rattlechains/Selfless-scenario the determining factor is what land your opponent has in play. If it is an uncracked fetchland that can fetch red mana, keep the Rattlechains up. If it is a comes in to play tapped land (like Celestial Colonnade or Raging Ravine) play the Selfless Spirit. The reasoning here is that your opponent if very unlikely to play a removal spell in their own main phase, therefor you want to deny them the possibility to play a removal spell at the end of your Turn 2.
Here is the rest of my work in progress side board guide! Again, let me know if anything looks weird or wrong - I'll correct it and we can make it better together!
VS Dredge
In:
2x Rest in Peace
2x Path to Exile
2x Kami of False Hope
Out on the draw:
2x Phantasmal Image
3x Geist of St Traft
1x Rattlechains
Out on the play:
2x Phantasmal Image
2x Rattlechains
2x Geist of St Traft
Dredge is the second of our favourable Tier 1 matchups (still tough though). If Dredge can put 12+ power on the board on turn 2 on the play, we probably die but so does almost any deck in the format.
However, we have a lot of good things going. Mausoleum Wanderer should be used to aggressively counter Cathartic Reunion/Faithless Looting in the early game while Spell Queller can be used for the flashbacked Looting and the Life from the Loam.
We have the possibility to go wide, presenting a myriad of blockers with the help of Collected Company. We also have built in protection from Conflagrate with our Drogskol Captains and Selfless Spirits. The 2/1 Spirits are kind of a liability in this game (since both Darkblast and Conflagrate kill them, as well as the 1/1 Narcomoebas) and that’s the reason for cutting 1-2 Rattlechains (and keeping the Selfless Spirits in).
The Kamis are exactly what we want here since it usually boils down to a race. Steel of the Godhead can help us swing through board states with several Narcomoeabas, and help us stabilize. Phantasmal is obviously lack luster.
Since we play white we can also run Rest in Peace. If you feel like this is a frequent matchup in your meta go up to 3 RiP. I have yet to lose against this deck in a competitive/semi-competitive environment.
Additional notes: Never mulligan for RiP or keep sketchy hands just because they have a RiP. The card is NOT strong enough on its own and must be played in conjunction with disruption and a clock.
VS Abzan
In:
2x Rest in Peace
1x Path to Exile
Out:
2x Steel of the Godhead
1x Phantasmal Image
Again, my sideboard is not built to combat this but we do have a better matchup against this compared to Jund. This mostly boils down to the lack of Lightning Bolt. Path to Exile ramps us and gives us the opportunity to go toe to toe with them on card quality in the initial turns of the game.
Lingering Souls and Tarmogoyf are the cards we want to reduce in power with Rest in Peace (and to some extent Murderous Cut).
Thankfully they usually don’t play Dark Confidant so we can usually save our Path’s for high priority targets later in the game.
Additional Notes: In games 2 and 3 they usually bring in more Collective Brutality. It can snatch Collected Company which is usually game over, so try to save Wanderers and/or Quellers to able to combat this.
2x Steel of the Godhead
2x Phantasmal Image
1x Mausoleum Wanderer
Game over. This is a terrible match up and if they don’t stumble you usually lose. Again, the Wanderers can’t counter anything important but dropping a T1 Wanderer and then keep on dropping spirits is one of our only outs.
If this deck becomes a more popular contender, Negates and/or Unified Wills in the sideboard is the way to go.
Additional Notes: Remember that you can block a Wurmcoil Engine with a Selfless Spirit and then before damage, sacrifice the Spirit. This way you deny them the life gain and maybe, just maybe, you can kill them on the following turn.
Also, Worldbreaker has reach. God damnit.
VS Titan Breach (or RG Valakut)
In:
2x Spellskite
2x Blessed Alliance
1x Path to Exile
Out:
2x Steel of the Godhead
1x Rattlechains
2x Phantasmal Image
Right now, the most popular version of this deck does not play the Through the breach/ Emrakul package. If they do, keep Phantasmal Image in.
This matchup can go our way if we manage to Wanderer / Queller important spells. Spell Queller is the perfect card for countering Scapeshift and you have enough creatures to race. However, sometimes they just have it and you die.
Swingy matchup.
VS Jeskai Control
In:
2x Spellskite
0-2X Rest in Peace
Out:
2x Phantasmal Image
0-2x Steel of the Godhead
Just like this is a good matchup for Merfolk it’s a good match up for us, but we must be very disciplined and pace our plays. Never deploy more threats than necessary and use Rattlechains and Collected Company to be able to play almost all our spells at the end of your opponents turn.
Geist if an excellent threat against them but don’t just attack with it into two open mana, this usually means Snapcaster and block. Use this knowledge to force them to keep the mana open, essentially time walking themselves every time they don’t play it. Sooner or later you will draw a Drogskol Captain or a Spell Queller.
Remember to never counter “small” spells with Spell Queller if they still have mana up. Only play the Queller if you are certain that you will lose the game if you don’t or if they are tapped out / have no cards in hand; this way you can hopefully protect it when you get to untap.
Additional notes: You can Spell Queller the uncounterable Supreme Verdict since it says exile. Selfless Spirit is usually MVP in these games and only sacrifice it if you opponent is about to wipe you board (with 2+ removal spells or a sweeper). You want it to stay alive for as long as possible.
I see that the Phantasmal Image is always coming out of the main, it has not been effective? Seems to be very disposable
What is the list used?
Played against valakut? how was it.
How did you get against emrakul combo?
Ketoglutarate I tried to play with 2 Nebelghast Herald but I did not have much success even looking like a very good card,
I thought I'd use Nebelghast Herald to tap Emrakul Before the attack. Will put Eidolon of Rhetoric on the main or sideboard?
I'm having trouble against Valakuts lists and the combo emrakul + through the breach. I'm thinking of changing my sideboard and putting 3 Leyline of Sanctity or Runed Halo.
I'll also put 1 Kira in the main, This card will help a lot, my drogskol captain are dying a lot.
Then tell us how it came out Permeating Mass, I think it will not work here very well, the meta is occupied by ad nauseam, valakut, jund and living end.
Main
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Sideboard
3 Leyline of Sanctity or Runed Halo
3 Stony Silence
3 Rest in Peace
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Spellskite
1 Blessed Alliance
2 Qasali Pridemage
I had many problems with the combo Through the Breach + Emrakul...
I'm thinking of keeping the Nebelgast Herald to tap emrakul to prevent it from attacking.
I have not yet tested the deck against Merfolk, I will test against on Saturday, I believe it will not be big problems.
I have tested against elves, jeskai aggro and naya zoo, the deck has proved very efficient against these aggros.
Played well against tooth and nails too.
22-23 lands
8-10 spells
Cryptic Command - It's hard to cast because of its cost.
Ojutai's Command - Viable
Not so fast but when the game extends a lot, Bygone Bishop does not work with company, do you think it's good to use it anyway?
maybe kor firewalker?
Kira, Great-Glass Spinner seems to be a great card to have on the deck, it can protect noble or birds, I'm testing a copy of mirror entity to increase creature power and protect birds or even attack with them.
In my town has many merfolk and affinity, what do you advise to use on the side?
I see that the Phantasmal Image is always coming out of the main, it has not been effective? Seems to be very disposable
My List:
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Mausoleum Wanderer
4x Rattlechains
4x Selfless Spirit
4x Spell Queller
4x Drogskol Captain
2x Geist of Saint Traft
1x Mirror Entity
2x Phantasmal Image
Instant (8)
4x Collected Company
3x Path to Exile
Enchantment (2)
2x Favorable Winds
Land (22)
4x Flooded Strand
4x Windswept Heath
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Hallowed Fountain
2x Breeding Pool
1x Temple Garden
2x Botanical Sanctum
1x Razorverge Thicket
1x Forest
1x Island
1x Plains
1x Gavony Township
1x Moorland Haunt
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Path to Exile
1x Blessed Alliance
1x Rhox War Monk
2x Qasali Pridemage
2x Rest in Peace
3x Stony Silence
1x Spellskite
2x Kataki, War's Wage
2x Engineered Explosives
3 Blighted Fen
1 Sea Gate Wreckage
4 Choked Estuary
3 Island
4 Aether Hub
4 Swamp
1 Mirrorpool
1 Ruins of Oran-Rief
2 Sunken Hollow
Creatures
4 Reality Smasher
2 Elder Deep-Fiend
4 Filigree Familiar
4 Hedron Crawler
2 Eldrazi Skyspawner
4 Thought-Knot Seer
1 Essence Extraction
4 Grasp of Darkness
3 Glimmer of Genius
2 Negate
1 Ob Nixilis Reignited
1 Ceremonious Rejection
4 Transgress the Mind
1 Ruinous Path
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Collective Brutality
2 Call the Bloodline
3 Harsh Scrutiny
3 Flaying Tendrils
1 Murder
1 Warping Wail
1 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Ruinous Path
Have you had good results with the birds?
Collected Company would be good at GWU version?