Okay, after a few matches of testing, I can say that drake haven is basically *****. It's a 3 mana enchantment that doesn't effect the board when it comes down, can't do anything on its' own, and the "payoff" of cycling cards isn't much of a payoff. You make 2/2 drakes and that's it.
Yeah I think after playtesting I need to cut down the mana base.
Anyways, in the esper list I posted, liliana, death's majesty is insane as a wincon. Her +1 is very very good, but her real synergy is with torrential gearhulk. I playtested about 6 matches, and in almost all of those I won off a reanimated gearhulk + the fatal push/hieroglyphic illuminations that followed.
pull from tomorrow is also probably the best card in the deck. It's no sphinx's revelation, but it gets work done. The "downside" isn't really much. We can pitch a creature to reoccure with liliana, or we can toss a spell and gearhulk it back later. Overall this card is just really good.
censor has been massively underhyped. It absolutely wrecks most curves, and you can topdeck it lategame without much worry. The topdeck aspect makes it far better than disallow.
spell quellers is also key to the deck. It absolutely obliterates any attempt of curving out for your opponent. Don't be afraid to cast it with no targets. I've gotten some very good combat steps in by flashing it out as an unexpected blocker. It also helps control the board.
Overall I feel this deck is quite strong, but games can run a bit long. I've also seen some lists running cards like part the waterveil as an awaken wincon. I want to test that, but my key concern is that your opponent just hits it with an exile.
So here's the list I just posted. I really like new liliana as a finisher alongside gearhulk. I also really, really want to use commit // memory, but I'm afraid it's just too slow and janky. But the effects of it are so cool. I'm torn.
My problem with Harsh Mentor for Modern is that you can just play it and have it do nothing. It can eat a bolt, path or push and not get any value. I'd rather have eidolon, which is always a guranteed 2 damage.
The problem with soul scar mage is that I'd rather run vapor snag, and we don't really have room for both. Vapor snag does what soul scar mage does (remove fatties) but better.
Is Thing in the Ice viable as a sideboard card? I've been using it vs more aggresive decks and feels really easy to drop it t2 and then flip it t3 with a gut shot.
Anyways, in the esper list I posted, liliana, death's majesty is insane as a wincon. Her +1 is very very good, but her real synergy is with torrential gearhulk. I playtested about 6 matches, and in almost all of those I won off a reanimated gearhulk + the fatal push/hieroglyphic illuminations that followed.
pull from tomorrow is also probably the best card in the deck. It's no sphinx's revelation, but it gets work done. The "downside" isn't really much. We can pitch a creature to reoccure with liliana, or we can toss a spell and gearhulk it back later. Overall this card is just really good.
censor has been massively underhyped. It absolutely wrecks most curves, and you can topdeck it lategame without much worry. The topdeck aspect makes it far better than disallow.
spell quellers is also key to the deck. It absolutely obliterates any attempt of curving out for your opponent. Don't be afraid to cast it with no targets. I've gotten some very good combat steps in by flashing it out as an unexpected blocker. It also helps control the board.
Overall I feel this deck is quite strong, but games can run a bit long. I've also seen some lists running cards like part the waterveil as an awaken wincon. I want to test that, but my key concern is that your opponent just hits it with an exile.
So here's the list I just posted. I really like new liliana as a finisher alongside gearhulk. I also really, really want to use commit // memory, but I'm afraid it's just too slow and janky. But the effects of it are so cool. I'm torn.