MTG Salvation

Quote from WarMachinePrime »

Have you considered reworking it into a Golgari GB list?

You could pick up Masked Vandal and/or Guardian Gladewalker. Also maybe just go all in on the Mercs as well. Add back in 4 Cateran Brute and drop the Garys and Gurmags. Universal Automaton could fit in as well. Find something that buffs the whole team on attack and go more of an aggro route. Just a thought. If I find the time I might rework your list and post it up.

I'm trying to minimize the number of green spells in the deck to abuse Defile and Tendrils of Corruption.

I like your shapeshifter (mercenary) suggestions however!

08/21/21 Pauper.
3 rounds, 1-2 record.


Playtest vs RDW, 2-1.
-SB: none.

Round 1 vs MBC, 1-2.
-SB: none.

Round 2 vs RDW (not playtest opponent), 1-2.
-SB: none.

Round 3 vs Green Infect, 2-1.
-SB: +4 Gut Shot, +2 Pestilence. -4 Tendrils of Corruption, -2 Rathi Intimidator.
-Notes: Lifegain doesn't matter and infect creatures are small so cumbersome Tendrils of Corruption gets replaced by Gut Shot. Pestilence can control the board if I have a Gray Merchant of Asphodel or Gurmag Angler. 2 Rathi Intimidator gets cut b/c it's the highest CCC w/1 toughness.

Conclusion: I witnessed 3 RDW (one undefeated, my round 2 opponent, my playtest opponent), 2 MBC (me and my round 1 opponent), 1 Green Infect (my round 3 opponent) and White Heroic. The rest IDK.

Deck is a dud. Traditional MBC might just be better.

Developing Homebrew:

Tourney Rules:
The Tribal Wars event will use the following rules:
The banned list found here: https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Tribal_Wars
As well as any card currently banned in the modern format

MonoBlueMerfolkTribe2:

07/03/21 Modern.
15 players, 3 rounds.
2-1 record, 8th place.


Notes:
-Replaced the “mana cost package” (Abrupt Decay/Fatal Push/Inquisition of Kozilek) w/a “ramp package” (Assassin’s Trophy/Gaddock Teeg/Path to Exile.)
-Replaced Birds of Paradise/Courser of Kruphix/Hissing Quagmire with Ignoble Hierarch/Noble Hierarch/Obstinate Baloth.

Playtest vs URprowess (05/08/21 opponent), 1-0.
-Replacing my previous Abrupt Decay/Fatal Push w/today’s Assassin’s Trophy/Path to Exile gave him no outs to my removal (not even Stormwing Entity.)

Playtest 2 vs Gtron, 0-1.
-He informed me I could’ve used Assassin’s Trophy on his nonbasic lands, doh! He racked up good karma later on for informing me.

Round 1 vs RG Valakut, 2-1.
-SB: none.
-One game, I cast 2 Assassin’s Trophy on 2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and he Scapeshift me for 15 (2 life left.) He ran out of Mountain and I attack for lethal before he can top deck Lightning Bolt.

Round 2 vs Gtron (Playtest2 opponent), 1-2.
SB: +3 Stony Silence, -3 Obstinate Baloth.
-One game, he assembled Tron and cast Wurmcoil Engine. The following turn, he attacks w/Wurmcoil Engine so I Assassin’s Trophy his Urza's Tower during his attack step...
-(Most ppl play sorcery speed spells after attacking. If he casted a sorcery speed spell prior to attacks, I can Assassin’s Trophy that threat instead.)
-Turns out he was holding Sylvan Scrying, casts it and fetches another Urza’s Tower and casts another Wurmcoil Engine. Good game for a good guy.

Round 3 vs UGsnow, 2-0.
-SB: none.
-I was very surprised at how good his creatures were. They were all about 1 turn too slow, tempo wise, but I respected them.

Conclusion: My Abzan experiment is over.

Whoops, sorry.

Not an infinite combo but Deranged Hermit + Opposition/Phyrexian Plaguelord/Skyshroud Poacher is an oldie but a goodie.

05/15/21 Standard Pauper
8-10 players, 3 rounds, 1st place.

I haven't played standard since 2019. Idk standard's meta or format defining cards. So I called my LGS today and asked Fox (LGS judge) if he could lend me a deck. He told me he had Elves and allowed me to modify it.

"Elves"

I felt pretty grateful to judge Fox and bought a deck box, sleeves and all the commons I used!

Round 1 vs Azorious, 2-0.
SB: none.

Round 2 vs MonoRed, 2-0.
SB: +4 Gnarled Sage. -3 Raven Wings, -1 Pridemalkin.
I don't need Raven Wings to close games. If I survive long enough, the fatties will out-attrition him.

Round 3 vs MonoRed, 2-0.
SB: +4 Gnarled Sage. -3 Raven Wings, -1 Pridemalkin.
I don't need Raven Wings to close games. If I survive long enough, the fatties will out-attrition him.

Conclusion: Idk if Gnarled Sage is the optimal SB fatty but I ain't complaining!
I saw Alex (limited guru) rocking Sarulf's Packmate. 05/22/21 - I'd cut 3 Pridemalkin and 1 Mammoth Growth for space.

“Elves2”

*Gnarled Sage bonus off Llanowar Visionary/Sanrulf’s Packmate.
**Snow-Covered Forest to enable Sculptor of Winter is a MASSIVE upgrade!

07/03/21 Test: vs RW Dinos, 2-0.
-No SB.

“Elves2.1”
+4 Owlbear
-4 Gnarled Sage

^Tested above list tonight. Went 1-3. Back to the drawing board^

05/22/21 Update:

05/08/21 Modern.
10 players, 3 rounds, 3rd place.

Notes: IMO Abzan (Doran, the Siege Tower/Siege Rhino) > Jund (Bloodbraid Elf/Lightning Bolt).

Playtest vs Orhzov, 2-0.
I drew cards, played threats and removed blockers. Basically I imposed my gameplan while denying him his.
After game 2, he announced he was going to play commander and left in a hurry.

Round 1 vs Naya Burn, 2-0.
SB: +4 Spellskite, -4 Inquisition of Kozilek.
Spellskite reduces damage off burn and his hand empties too fast for Inquisition of Kozilek.
I haven't seen my opponent in years and he apparently rebuilt his old deck just prior to this event.
After our match, I recommended Cindervines to him.

Round 2 vs Orhzov 2-0.
SB: none
Same playtest opponent. Same result.
This time he got really salty after our match. He announced he would play commander, found everyone else busy, then hurriedly left the venue.
Before game 1, he disclosed he's new to competitive magic. If I had to assume, I think he beats all his friends and expected the same here.

Round 3 vs Izzet Prowess, 1-2.
SB: +4 Spellskite, -4 Inquisition of Kozilek.
His hand empties too fast for Inquisition of Kozilek. Spellskite can redirect his burn and his Mutagenic Growths.
I lost games 2 and 3 b/c I had no removal for his Stormwing Entity. All my Fatal Pushes and Abrupt Decays looked rediculous in my hand.

Conclusion: Got too caught up in theme when I brewed this deck. Inquisition of Kozilek and Abrupt Decay only affect 3 mana or less cards. Fatal Push is only 4 mana or less. My lack of Assassin's Trophy didn't cost me until round 3. My round 3 opponent didn't even counter spell anything. I was too scared of ramping my opponents to run Assassin's Trophy. Going forward, I would +4 Assassin's Trophy, -4 Abrupt Decay.

Also, I haven't researched at all so Izzet Prowess caught me off guard. I probably wouldn't have played him in a sanctioned event since I was 2-0 matches/4-0 games heading into round 3, while he was only 1-1 matches. I heard the pairings were randomized. Who knows? ¯\_()_/¯

The 3-0 winner ran Golgari Death's Shadow, which I can only assume is a budget build b/c he shouldn't be afraid of running too many shock lands. IDK what the runner up ran. I was third and my round 3 opponent finished fourth.

Quote from HighHolder »

RW is awful. White is the worst colour by far because the common removal sucks hard.

Is white really worse than blue? I'll have to do another limited tourney...

Developing Homebrew:

Tourney Rules:
The Tribal Wars event will use the following rules:
The banned list found here: https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Tribal_Wars
As well as any card currently banned in the modern format

MonoBlueMerfolkTribe:

I just won a Strixhaven sealed tonight.
8 players, 3 rounds, Black/Green/blue.


Round 1 vs Bant, 2-1.
I lost the game where he grinded me out via his Bookwurm. Other two I won.

Round 2 vs BG, 2-0.

Round 3 vs UR, 2-0.

My tier list for Strixhaven pairings:
1. BG
2. BW
3. RW
4. GU
5. RU

My tier list for individual colors:
1. B
2. G
3. R
4. W
5. U

5 mana symbols, encircling a Necronomicon.