1 - Chandra seems good, as an toolbox-style threat that can also get around Ensnaring Bridge.
2 - If you want to stick to 1cmc, Path would work, despite being a nonbo with Blood Moon. Dismember could work as a pseudo-1cmc as well. If you don't mind going to 2cmc, I think at least two 2cmc kill spells are necessary for threats like Angler. I prefer the instant speed of Terminate, but if you have lots of PWs walking around 2 Dreadbores would be solid.
3 - Given your deck, I'd stay with 2x Wear//Tear and drop the Rakdos charm, you have enough artifact hate with the Kcommands. If you're worried about losing a piece of grave hate, I'd replace something in your SB with another Nihil Spellbomb.
4 - I play one Kaya main, she's done work for me. MB grave hate / possible life gain is great vs. Burn and other midrange decks, the -1 can get rid of a decent amount of problem permanents (most recently for me a Voice of Resurgence token, a couple Aether Vials, and a Death's Shadow), and the ultimate is a legitimate threat.
5 - see 3.
6 - I like to try spicy one-of creatures in place of a Bedlam Reveler, you can test it out there. The incidental grave hate good in a lot of metas recently.
Unrelated to your points, but a bit of tech I've found to work quite nicely is a one-of Vault of the Archangel. The lifegain and death touch can really help stabilize, especially since this deck tends to start turning the corner in the 5-12 life range. It being colorless hasn't come back to bite me as much as I thought it would, especially since I can Blood Moon it into a red source.
Burn's just a complete mess, 2 CB and 2 Kambal aren't enough but I can't think of anything else that could tip the scales that much.
Maybe working in a third Collective Brutality into the 75? Timely Reinforcments could also work as a meta call if there's a lot of Burn in your area.
I suggested a Soren, Solemn Visitor a couple pages back, as it always did a great job stabilizing me (esp. against Burn) back when I played Mardu tokens. I'm not sure it fits into this shell as well, or maybe it's just too win-more/high-variance, and some sort of lifegain sorcery/instant is better, as those feed Revelers as well. That being said, if you have even a meager boardstate, the lifelink can really help bridge you into a lategame, where we're generally favored I think.
Speaking of lifelink, the other card I was wondering about was a single Vault of the Archangel. It's colorless, but the deathtouch and lifelink are great in creature and grindy matchups. Trading a token for a 5/6 Goyf and gaining back a life is always nice. Since it's colorless, does that preclude running a single plains to make sure we don't get taken off white, especially post-board? I hate the thought of being locked into 2 sunburst or not being able to cast Tear :/
Right now I'm trying to figure out which manabase is better;
Maybe having Ensnaring Bridge in the board could help? You could easily make it so your tokens can sneak under it whilst keeping their big beaters at bay, and it might be useful in other matchups like E-tron and Humans.
I've noticed a lot more valakut decks popping up and am wracking my brain for how to improve this match up. A recent idea i had was to board in aven mindcensor. It can be really useful in a variety of settings based on previous experience piloting D&T and caps their land drop at 5 (assuming all 5 are mountains/valakut). What do you guys think?
Given the amount of searching in Modern in general, as well as some bad matchups like Tron and Valakut, it seems reasonable to test it out in the side. Were you thinking as a one-of? That way you still can leave SB room for LD and Surgical.
Thanks for the great primer! I recently switched to this deck after playing Mardu Tokens for a long while, as I had most of the pieces already. I had a couple questions about some cards I used in that shell, basically wondering if they might work in Mardu Pyromancer as well. I only play paper and not very often, so I would appreciate the advice of some more practiced players.
My decklist, for reference. Since I play infrequently and at different stores, I would appreciate advice in the context of an unknown/generalized meta.
Sorin, Solemn Visitor
The lifegain is powerful, in addition to increasing the clock. Can make a token if necessary. Too win-more?
Shambling Vent
Additional white source, and I always liked having a creature land around. Is the manabase too tight to support a tap-land?
Vault of the Archangel
Lifegain is good, and the deathtouch is great in creature matchups. Does it dilute the manabase, can we afford a colorless land?
Side:
Path to Exile
I was thinking about how to deal with sticky creatures, especially Wurmcoil Engine. Can also hit creatures otherwise immune to our removal, e.g. Auriok Champion.
Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
Finisher that pumps the team, can be made immune to sorcery-speed removal. Too win-more and/or mana intensive?
Misc:
Mana Tithe
A personal favorite fun-of, they never see it coming. If one were to play this, what would it take the place of?
2 - If you want to stick to 1cmc, Path would work, despite being a nonbo with Blood Moon. Dismember could work as a pseudo-1cmc as well. If you don't mind going to 2cmc, I think at least two 2cmc kill spells are necessary for threats like Angler. I prefer the instant speed of Terminate, but if you have lots of PWs walking around 2 Dreadbores would be solid.
3 - Given your deck, I'd stay with 2x Wear//Tear and drop the Rakdos charm, you have enough artifact hate with the Kcommands. If you're worried about losing a piece of grave hate, I'd replace something in your SB with another Nihil Spellbomb.
4 - I play one Kaya main, she's done work for me. MB grave hate / possible life gain is great vs. Burn and other midrange decks, the -1 can get rid of a decent amount of problem permanents (most recently for me a Voice of Resurgence token, a couple Aether Vials, and a Death's Shadow), and the ultimate is a legitimate threat.
5 - see 3.
6 - I like to try spicy one-of creatures in place of a Bedlam Reveler, you can test it out there. The incidental grave hate good in a lot of metas recently.
Unrelated to your points, but a bit of tech I've found to work quite nicely is a one-of Vault of the Archangel. The lifegain and death touch can really help stabilize, especially since this deck tends to start turning the corner in the 5-12 life range. It being colorless hasn't come back to bite me as much as I thought it would, especially since I can Blood Moon it into a red source.
Maybe working in a third Collective Brutality into the 75? Timely Reinforcments could also work as a meta call if there's a lot of Burn in your area.
I suggested a Soren, Solemn Visitor a couple pages back, as it always did a great job stabilizing me (esp. against Burn) back when I played Mardu tokens. I'm not sure it fits into this shell as well, or maybe it's just too win-more/high-variance, and some sort of lifegain sorcery/instant is better, as those feed Revelers as well. That being said, if you have even a meager boardstate, the lifelink can really help bridge you into a lategame, where we're generally favored I think.
Speaking of lifelink, the other card I was wondering about was a single Vault of the Archangel. It's colorless, but the deathtouch and lifelink are great in creature and grindy matchups. Trading a token for a 5/6 Goyf and gaining back a life is always nice. Since it's colorless, does that preclude running a single plains to make sure we don't get taken off white, especially post-board? I hate the thought of being locked into 2 sunburst or not being able to cast Tear :/
Right now I'm trying to figure out which manabase is better;
A)
B)
or
C)
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Maybe having Ensnaring Bridge in the board could help? You could easily make it so your tokens can sneak under it whilst keeping their big beaters at bay, and it might be useful in other matchups like E-tron and Humans.
Given the amount of searching in Modern in general, as well as some bad matchups like Tron and Valakut, it seems reasonable to test it out in the side. Were you thinking as a one-of? That way you still can leave SB room for LD and Surgical.
My decklist, for reference. Since I play infrequently and at different stores, I would appreciate advice in the context of an unknown/generalized meta.
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Blood Moon
4 Faithless Looting
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Fatal Push
2 Kolaghan's Command
1 Terminate
1 Manamorphose
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
3 Thoughtseize
2 Collective Brutality
1 Dreadbore
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Marsh Flats
2 Blood Crypt
2 Mountain
2 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Shambling Vent
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Crackling Doom
2 Engineered Explosives
2 Goblin Rabblemaster
1 Hazoret the Fervent
3 Molten Rain
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Path to Exile
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Wear // Tear
Main:
Sorin, Solemn Visitor
The lifegain is powerful, in addition to increasing the clock. Can make a token if necessary. Too win-more?
Shambling Vent
Additional white source, and I always liked having a creature land around. Is the manabase too tight to support a tap-land?
Vault of the Archangel
Lifegain is good, and the deathtouch is great in creature matchups. Does it dilute the manabase, can we afford a colorless land?
Side:
Path to Exile
I was thinking about how to deal with sticky creatures, especially Wurmcoil Engine. Can also hit creatures otherwise immune to our removal, e.g. Auriok Champion.
Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
Finisher that pumps the team, can be made immune to sorcery-speed removal. Too win-more and/or mana intensive?
Misc:
Mana Tithe
A personal favorite fun-of, they never see it coming. If one were to play this, what would it take the place of?