For now gonna try 3 solitude in the main but it might change with time. Just want to get a feel for the card. About the sideboard it will obviously be very meta dependant but i'm seeing if i can find some room for Prismatic Ending and Seal of Cleansing.
Thank you very much, I was struggling in some match ups but with the benefit of my opponents not knowing this deck very well, I could surprise them a bit with some unexpected wins (no one ever expects the wraths in our creature based deck :p)
About kaldra compleat I think I might not have explained myself very well as I totally agree with you! When I said it couldn't replace batterskull it's because in my situation in particular I only used one and 2 swords. But I completely agree in the 1/1 split of batterskull and Kaldra Compleat, having taken the slot of one of the swords in my case.
About the red prowess deck, I honestly feel like it's a really good match up. Maybe I'm biased because of my experience but I haven't dropped a game against prowess in a long time. The only aggro deck that scares me a bit is burn because it doesn't care about my creatures and can go face, but as side from that, aggro hasn't been the bigger problem for me. Maybe the differences in our lists reflect the differences in our perception of match-ups. Seal of cleansing seems like a very good option to use, specially with the predicted rise of affinity and maybe emchantress. The only downside is not hitting heliod which I think isn't a great match up if my opponent is very skilled with the deck. I was on the fence about deicide but never got to try it as I didn't have the card. But deffinetly gonna give seal of cleansing a go to see how it fares.
I think you exemplified really well the power prismatic ending can have. The fact that it can be played on turn one and two instead of the turn 3 skyclave apparition is a very big upside and might sway me to try it in the side! It will depend on the 1 and 2 drops that the format will have but it is indeed a very cheap and efficient card.
Always loved containment priest as a card but the anti-sinergy with our deck always made me hesitant on playing with it. At least in my meta, I haven't seen neoform in a very long time so it isn't something I'm particularly scared of. Through the breach can be solved with solitude, as I still think that the card deserves merit. 2 for 1 yourself is painful, but I think you only really do it in a desperate situation and our deck is one that can reach 5 lands on time to hardcast it when we need to. In my opinion, you use it as a value 5 drop that can prevent your death in dire situations like a giant prowess creature or emrakul, just like a force of negation would in other decks. I think ephemerate makes it better just like grief, but in our very white deck with a ton of card advantage, I think it can work. That said I agree the card disadvantage is always bad and further testing is needed.
I like Sanctifier En-Vec a lot, as the protection is great and the graveyard hate catches many decks. But it would take my graveyard hate sideboard slot, at least partially, and decks like living end that are using very few red and black creatures would just trample over it so I still like it a lot and intend to use it, but will deffinetly be on the lookout.
Dress Down is a weird card and very hard for me to evaluate it, so just like you, I will see where it goes in the future.
Confounding conundrum is a card I used a lot when every deck I played was a titan deck and it was very good, both it and Ashiok, Dream Render. Is lands matter decks become the meat again it's deffinetly a good choice!
One last card I forgot to mention is Sanctum Prelate that might help with any combos revolving about noncreature spells like storm, or even shutting down for a bit izzet blitz.
About the list you posted I see the advantages on maximizing the grinding plan instead of the more disruption/ midrange plan so I'm excited to see tour results too to learn from them!
The only question I would ask in that particular list is related to the detention sphere. Do you think the exiling permanentes with the same name and with any cmc still grants it an advantage over the permanent but more narrow effect of skyclave apparition? Once again, in my version with the midrange and swords plan, I think it's a clear choice for me, but I would like to know your thoughts on your particular list!
I think the meta will be too volitile in the next weeks to know exactly where we stand but in the first modern challange after the MH2 release the first place was a UW taxes/ Bink style deck that preety much uses every creature we use so while it might amount to nothing, i would say it´s a good sign!
Only started playing again for around 2 weeks and went to 3 FNMs.
Not gonna go too much in deapth about every match up in this post but we can totally dicuss it later. Basically first tournment won 2-0 against Izzet Blitz, 2-0 against Walls with Assault Formation and Doran, the Siege Tower, and lost 1-2 against Heliod combo.
The second tournemnt won 2-0 against Boros Burn, 2-1 against Yawgmoth, Thran Physician combo, and 2-0 against boggles.
Last FNM lost 0-2 to Yawgmoth, Thran Physician combo, won 2-0 to Heliod Combo and 2-0 against Grixis Death Shadow.
Overall the deck still feels really good to play with. I think the best card in the deck right now is Skyclave Apparition. It preety much deals with everyhting bessides a Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, a Primeval Titan and Karn, Ugin and Eldrazi. I think this one of the most pushed white cards in recent memory and it is what mostly made Death and Taxes be a competitive deck again. I view Emeria a bit like a disrupting and Taxing deck ina way, but way more grindy than aggro. Our deck cares a lot about removal, so when we have a 3 mana creature, that exiles preety much anyhting in the format with little downside, i think it's almost an autoinclude.
I have never tried a Yorion variant mostly because i didn't have the sleeves or the deckbox for it but i would want to eventually try it out as Taxes seeems to be making good use of it.
I'm not particularlly a fan of the Kaldheim or stryxhaven cards for our deck asside from Elite Spellbinder. I was lucky to open 2 on my prerelease pack so i figured i'd try them out and i must say i'm very impressed. Most decks are very low to the ground and do'nt generate a lot of mana, so sometimes i would just stop a card entirely for the rest of the game. And being a 3/1 flyer that can equip sword or a batterskull is a very fast clock to close out a game. Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is just a fill ccard cause i didn't decide what to put more but i don't really think it fits the deck at all and it will change once MH2 comes out. Even now i would absolutly pur another Elite Spellbinder if i had one.
Not very high on Esper Sentinel at the moment as we already generate good card advanatage, and the fact the it only triggers on the first noncreature spell, it gives the opponent the option of choice and it only is taxing for one, doesn't seem enough upside to play it. However, in a deck with Abiding Grace, Ranger-Captain of Eos and a bunch of onde drops it does seem quite nice
About Chrome Courier i'm also not very high on as it digs one less than Court Hussar and we can't loop it like we do with Court. Kaldra Compleat seems like a very powerful card but always in addition to Batterskull and never instead of. It gives stoneforge even more of a toolkit feel, as in match ups where we don't need the life and stoneforge doesn't die immediately, it can close games fast and to some decks it's just gg as the don't have the removal for it. Sword of Hearth and Home while a very interesting card, doesn't seem better than the ones we already have and can use. Even though it synergizes wonderfully with our deck, i don't think it has the immediate impact we have with Sword of fire and ice or Sword of Feast and Famine have. Prismatic Ending also looks quite solid but i think it will depend very much on the meta. It basically hits 0, 1 and 2 for us, which while cool, skyclave already does, so the question is if you need the fifth or sicth skyclave effect or not. Out of Time seems interesting but i don't think it's better than the wraths as it is killable and phases everything out instead of putting it in the grave like we want it, even though it's one mana cheaper.
I will continue to play and testing with the cards i have at the moment, and the MH2 as soon as i get them and i'll put the match ups posted here with results anf thoughts of the matches so hopefully it will help us all a bit more!
I truly thank you for doing such an amazing job of compiling all these cards and talking about all of them, and sorry for not writting about all of them but these discussions are always interesting so i'd really like to see the new versions of the deck we can all build together!
Hey there! It's been a while since i've been here but i was finally able to play again as i only play in paper, and this is the list im currently running!
Hey there! Once again thanks for all the detailed explanations you've been providing! After playing a bit more with the deck I came to the same conclusion as you in the usefulness of a third mortarpod, so you were right when you said it was something I had to experience to actually see.
That said, I'm running a list just like the one you posted with the exception of having and extra Teferi instead of a detention sphere!
What I'm finding hard with the deck is the sideboard. I know what things to put in but I'm left always iffy on what to take out.
For example against ponza and amulet titan. Assume that the list don't have much variance from what is shown on mtggoldfish. Could you explain how you would sideboard in these match ups and why?
Once again thanks for all the help and hope to post some results soon!
Manage to grab the cards I was missing to try this Emeria shell and gave it a spin yesterday. Made a couple of changes based on my usual meta, having quite a lot of burn and some flash and control decks. With that in mind I put 2 charming prince and 2 teferi, time raveler and took out 1 mortarpod, 1 pilgrims's eye, 1 court hussar and 1 wrath of god. I would very much like to know your guys opinions on the changes and if you would have done it based on the meta or stick to the version posted.
In the side the only change was the addition of 1 damping sphere Instead of 1 of the pithing needle, maybe due to past fears of titan and tron decks, which unfortunately, despite showing in the tournament I didn't get to play against and therefore was unable to test it.
First match was boros burn and I lost 2-0. Game 1 I basically did everything I could to survive and managed to put a batterskull on turn 5 but it was too late. On game 2 everything was under control but a skullcrack when I was going to gain some life with batterskull and a deflecting palm on sun titan back to back sealed the game. I did sideboard a bit wrongly not putting the aven mindcensors and instead leaving 3 wraths in cause I hadn't had the chance to read your answers yet so I look forward to playing burn again and trying it correctly. I would also like to know what you think of kor firewalker in the side depending on the prevalence of burn in the meta.
Second match was infect and I won 2-0. Mortarpod and teferi, time raveler were as expected MVP cards. Sideboarded in a pitching needle for possible teferi, time raveler in their side and blinkmoth nexus and blessed alliance, taking one titan and one batterskull out. Overall same thing and patiently awaiting the time to use my removals was key to winning the match.
Third match was mono white death and taxes. It was from a good friend of mine who helped me build the deck so he knows emeria inside and out, which makes playing tricky more difficult. I ended up winning 2-0 in a match up I think I was heavily favored. Game 1 was tricky with him playing turn 1 vial, turn 2 Thalia and turn 3 arbiter into ghost quarter 2 turns in a row, taking my blue sources away, but I managed to top deck an untapped blue source for court hussar which kicked me back into the game. Game 2 I brought in 1 pithing needle for vial, Gideon, ally of zendikar and eldrazi displacer and took out 1 mortarpod, and it was a very normal safe game with me controlling the board at all times.
Last match was mono red prowess and I lost 1-2. Overall I think we're favored in this match up, and game 1 I won dealing well with the creatures. Sideboarded in 2 celestial purge and 1 blessed alliance, and for some reason didn't put in lone missionary. Took out 1 mortarpod, 1 wrath of god (Which in hindsight I think was wrong as not seeing a wrath in game 3 is what cost me the game) and 1 crucible of worlds. Game 2 I died on turn 3 because of runaway steam-kin which got completely out of control while my opponent was storming off. Game 3 I think I was quite unlucky because I didn't see any titan or wrath and even removing 5 of my opponents creatures, he just repouplated the board with a volley of spells into bedlem reveler into more hasty swiftspears.
Overall I got a feel of the deck but need to play more to truly understand more of what you wrote. If your guys have any feedback I would appreciate it very much!
Once again, your insight is invaluable and I really appreciate this discussion!
One little detail I'd like to mention is that you were referring to an older build I had. My current version (the last one I posted) does have the detention sphere and doesn't have ephemerate or soulherder.
Also I see your experience with the build is greatly different from mine and that might stem from the fact that I was a worse player a year ago than I am now so I'm definetly interested in giving this shell a go. I will make this my primary build for the next month to see if I come to the same conclusions as you as your arguments are sound.
Some questions I have about the build:
First one is about the number of mortarpod. How did you settle on 3?
Second is how good does this shell deal with burn? Basically not losing life from fetches and shocks and putting a batterskull on the table?
The other questions stem from the sideboard: I've never been a huge fan of Lavinia, azorius renegade. Do you think she's useful enough to merit a place in the side? Also blessed alliance. I haven't used this card in a while so in what matchups do you bring it on that aren't already answered by other cards in the deck.
Aven mindcensor seems like a solid card against titan decks in general so it will be good to see how the fare.
Hey Stéphane, thanks for the quick reply and insight!
I've been compiling data from my matches since a couple of months ago but unfortunatly not enough to create good percentages so i can't argue with statistical relevance. What i can say is purely from the feeling and experience of playing without exact numbers. I personally feel the advantages against the bad match ups go up by more than 1 or 2%, these being planeswalker heavy match ups and combo (amulet titan included despite the diverse range of approaches to the deck you can make). Every meta is different and we should play accordingly tou ours, but for example's sake i'll use Mtggoldfish. Against Mono red prowess, i think i will lose some percentage more than the control shell, even though through experience, i still find it to be an extremely favourable match up. Burn i will also lose some percentage, this time more significative in comparison to the control shell. Humans, a bit like mono red prowess, i lose some percentage but overall still a favourable match up. With Jund i think the midrange shell fares better, mostly stemming from the ability to deal better with Liliana, as the shell you presented seems to suffer more against planeswalkers like i had stated. Dredge i can't really say as i don't have experience with the control shell against this particular deck. But from my experience against several dredge decks, i actually never lost so maybe my experience is a bit skewed from other people's realities. Death's shadow is still the best match up Emeria has. Maybe we lose some percentage points with the midrange shell but i think it's hard to lose a game against death's shadow with any of the Emeria versions. Storm i think it's improved in this midrange shell, mostly from dealying the game long enough to win with small creatures and having Ranger-Captain of Eos to foil anything they might try to do before we're all set. Amulet titan stomps on the control version in my opinion. This is particularly important being the go to deck to win for most players now. I think percentages increase highly with the midrange version. Against Ponza, once again the planeswalker problem. Both Chandras will just end the game if it goes long or left unchecked. With that in mind i think the midrange version is also more favoured.
About the specific cards you mentioned: first the cycling taplands. In my experience they almost never hindered my game as, having a lot of fetchlands in this version, i know when to get them to smooth my land draws. They provide utility in the late game and the erly game in case we're flooding. I can totally see from where you're coming from as taplands are usually just bad in modern, but from experience, i hardly had a problem with them.
About swords and cards that make Emeria take longer. I think the benefits outwheight the losses. In my version i don't try to push to an active Emeria very hard. I just play the game with that inevitability, even if it takes longer for that to happen as i'm not dependant on that win condition. Wich also comes in handy when there's graveyard hate. Another reason for the Stoneforge Mystic package was for the deck to turn any creatures it has into a wiining condition when we don't have a graveyard. Sometimes Sun Titan is just not enough and for that, i think this version is much more resilient to graveyard hate, to the point that it attacks from so many angles that sometimes my opponents donn't bring graveyard hate as they overlook Emeria, which obviously works in favour of the deck.
One aspect i have to disagree on is the evaluation of Ranger-Captain of Eos. It is an extremly powerful card that does everything we want to do: good blocker, card advantage, and disruption that can allow us to survive another turn or slam anthing versus control, or just lock people out of the game with Teferi, Time Raveler and Sun Titan.
That said i will definitly try both versions as you raised very good points that merit a try! Thank you for making me see things from prespectives i hadn't thought about in a while
Given your experience with UW sideboards, I would I also like to know how you sideboard against the decks toughest matchups, namely titan decks, to see if I could improve any of the versions of the deck I have and also to better understand how you fight these decks with the tools you have in your package
In regards to your approach with the deck @Toshenko, I like the way you're riding that full value train
Like i posted before, i tried the super value fun train but it just didn't quite workout for me because of the interaction in my meta and the fact that most people already know the core of the deck and kinda know how to disrupt key pieces. I tried Simulacrum in the past but i'm not too fond of it, even though i understand the usefulness of ramping up and drawing a card. I try to maximize 2 and 3 drops to bring with the titan and so i'm not to keen on anything with a higher converted mana cost. For the same reason the only thing i'm not too sure in your build is Muldrifter. It's cute with ephemerate, but as 3 drop that doesn't stick and can't be returned with titan, it really doesn't sit with me. I've been enjoying Hour of Revelation more and more so if your meta has a lot of walkers and hard to deal nonland permanents go for it! Altough i need to see if it's still needed as i usually brought it against oko match ups and Karn/ ponza match ups, so i need to see how the meta adjusts to the bannings.
In regards to the sideboard, if you want to run Knowledge Pool, wouldn't it just be better to run it in the main as a surprise win condition instead of running it in the side? I don't particularly like Lavinia but i also never used her so i would like to hear how it goes for you. I assume you bring her for Tron matchups and even then she only stops Ugin and Karn so i don't think she does enough. For that i would simply play Stony silence that disrupts Tron a bit less but affects many moe decks like Urza. It also combos with Knowledge Pool but i don't quite know if it's enough. Leyline of Snactity i've been on the fence. It does wonders against burn, but i don't particularly like to bring it against jund as they usually take discard against us in my experience, and they can deal with it very easily with their removal. Scapeshift also has ways to deal with it and they can win with field of the dead now so even if Valakut is not targeting you, they can still wipe your walkers and creatures and swing with the zombies. I can't find a place in my side for them but if they help you in some match ups tell us as i also haven't run them in quite a while.
The rest looks preety solid as usual so don't forget to put some game reports when you have them ;p
It's a pleasure to have a veteran Emeria player share his thoughts with the group! Thanks a lot for your insight Stéphane!
I admit it's been a while that i have considered Emeria as a pure long game deck! I started out with a similar list 2 years ago when i started playing, but as time went by i found myslef falling into a more midrange plan, mostly for three reasons. The first one is that i simply like a midrangy archtype more. So personal prefferance asside, the true reasons a deviated more from the the innevitability plan and started to go look for the win more. First one is table top playing. I don't know if you guys play mostly on MTGO or on LGS, but what i found with the original Emeria version, similar to the one that you presented is that most games go into overtime, simply cause my opponents refuse to give up and they know i can't close the game quickly enough. It's specially hard if i lost the first game. For example, losing the first game against control with that shell usually just meant i lost 1-0 or ended up with a draw. The second reason is because of some of the decks that you mentioned that simply stomp on the normal Emeria plan, being Combo decks (that to be honest, there aren't many running around) but most importantly Scapeshift and Amulet Titan, with the addition of field of the dead, simply have a faster inevitability if you will, the ours. Being that Titan decks are arguably the strongest modern decks since this week's bannings (at least until the meta game adjusts), it's always something we need to consider.
With the midrange version of Emeria, i feel like i try to answer your 3 key questions with a twist. I focus on the third question - Providing an advantage against my opponent, to help with the first 2. With that in mind, my build has a good focus on survivability that disrupts. Cards like Ranger-Captain of Eos, Teferi, Time Ravaler and the swords with their protection can just mess opponents strategies up. Of course i have the normal card advantage/ survivability package with wall of omens and Court Hussar and now Charming Prince but when the situation arrises, those cards can and are used offensivly, specially when paired with a sword.
I feel like that both the control and the midrange builds have their strenghts and i will deffintly try a build similar to yours in the future to compare, as it's been a long time since a played that control shell and the metagame is very different now.
That said i would love to hear your thoughts on this different Emeria approach and to talk about your experiences when you pick up the deck again!
Hey it's been a while! Hope everyone's doing alright in this new year!
Got back to playing a few days ago with a new version of the deck which seems to be hitting the spot and winning most match-ups till now. Here's the deck and then i'll explain some of the new cards i decided to add:
So about the changes in the main deck:
Fell out of love with Watcher for Tomorrow. Not drawing a card immediatly and coming in tapped is to much of a downside when we compare him to a Wall of Omens or even Charming Prince. Both these just have immediate value and are good blockers. Decided to also take Soulherder out because of the very interactive gameplay modern is seeing right now. Paying 3 to just have him bolted or pushed feels way too bad. Because of this i decided to put Court Hussar again. I always find myseld coming back to it everytime i take him out as it can just change a game with one topdeck.
I also missed interaction and forgot how important it was. With that in mind i put the Supreme Verdict and the Detention Sphere back in and been loving it since. Aggro match ups just go a lot better after this. Teferi, Hero of Dominaria is a felx spot and can very well be replaced by something else. I decided to try him because i wanted something that could give me an edge before turn 6, and he can basically do everything. It's a super good card and i've been liking it a lot, but i wouldn't say it's essential.
The core package with Stoneforge Mystic and it's package, Ranger-Captain of Eos and it's package and Teferi, Time Raveler is what i think makes the deck work so well. All these cards are some of the best we can play in modern at the time in UW and most games are what gives me the win (along with Sun Titan of course, we all know it's a powerhouse)
About the sideboard, i have indeed done some changes, most notably taking Disdainful Stroke because i used to have it vs Primeval Titan, but it usually is protected by a cavern of souls and it does nothing. So i had the choice of putting more counters or something else. I decided to go with Generous Gift because it can deal with anything (includin Oko, Thief of Crowns and Field of the Dead, both of wich are plaguing my LGS. Funny enough, haven't seen them since i made the new sideboard but i'll let you know how it went. Also took Hex Parasite because it was just being to slow, and against Ponza with Karn it really didn't do anything so i found myself not really caring from him. Put a Mirran Crusader in it's place for a better match up against the new midrange decks that all seem to be using green for Oko. Not getting turned into an elk is a very good plus in the days that go by!
But essentialy this is the new deck. In 3 tournments with around 20 people made top 4 in all of them, winning against Control, Dredge, Humans, Burn and some other decks but overall quite good results. Hoping to try the new Theros equipment Shadowspear in the side to use not only against Boggles and infect but also against burn, being easier to cast than batterskull.
I'll keep you guys posted about upcoming results! Stay well
Hey Toshenko, nice to hear the deck is working good for you with the changes you made from the base deck!
I've been using Hex parasite in the side for a while now (since ranger-captain of eos is in the format at least)and i've been impressed with it, specially in grindy match ups like jund.
Realmwright is a card i have mixed feelings over, this because the surprise Emeria aspect is quite strong, but at the same time it can be dealt very swiftly, and my meta is primarly midrange and interactive decks so at least for me i think it's not the best idea. Also sometimes it can be just a dead draw when you need some gas and that inconsistency bothers me a bit. Still bought it though so i will eventually try it!
Gift of estates seems like a very powerful card, but the fact that you usually we're going to have more lands than our opponent, specially if we're on the play, seems like a dead card sometimes. That said i would love to hear more feedback from you playing with it, specifically about early and late game and how does it compare being on the play and on the draw.
About Elspeth Tirel, it does seem good in this more grindy modern meat with lots of planeswalkers so that´s also something i could consider in the future, even though her +2 ability isn't the most relevant.
So i made a lot of changes to my previous iteration of the deck because i wasn't happy on how it was performing vs other midrange decks wich comprise a big part of the meta now. It was good vs control and aggro but it didn't have the value of a true midrange deck.
With that in mind i decided to cut my removal package for a value package. This means aggro match-ups suffer, but that's why i have the 4 wraths in the side and still the 2 Winds of Abandon in the main.
I had experience with a soulherder/ ephemerate version from before so i decided to mix them a bit as i find both cards to be quite powerful in the right board state. Ephemerate has a big potential to be a 3 for 1, avoiding a removal or nulling an attacker and getting value twice. Soulherder is a powerhouse but it's also a removal magnet. If it stays out, it can win you the game, but paying 3 just to get it pushed or exiled feels very bad. That's why i settled on 2 as a helper for the engine. Teferi, Time Raveler is just the best 3 drop we can have. There's a reason why he's format warping and i never feeld bad in having one or 2 in my hand as it alone can break other decks, and keep helping us with value. I won a match against Devoted druid/ Vizier Combo entirely because of teferi. He's insane and i wouldn't run less than 3. Venser, Shaper Savant is my form of counterpell that can also lock lands if you blink him with ephemerate and soulherder. Venser + epehemerate in EOT is basically 3 of the oponents lands to their hand wich is very devastating.
I Feel like our best weapon at the moment is the Ranger-Captain of eos and Sun Titan lock. When i have them both and string them togeteher it's very unlikely i'll lose the game, and if a teferi is out then it's just game over for most decks so again, i wouldnt run less than 3.
The Stoneforge Package is very strong as it was to be expected. 2 swords and a batterskull seem like the best choicees for equipments and it's always a good play, be it on turn 2 or turn 8. I won several games with a little thraben inspector carrying 2 swords on his back and pulling the game for me so, the ability to turn any of our creatures into game ending threats is amazing, specially when out titan goes out.
In the side, Hour of Revelation is amazing, specially now that i'm not running detention spheres, it's basically the same as a normal wrath for us (minus equipments and teferi) and it will hopefully be backbreaking fo the oponent. I tend to bring it in grindy planewalker dfining match ups like jund or bant snow midrange and it has impressed me. The rest of the sidebord is very standard so not much to add on that front.
What do you guys think of the deck? Any imput is welcome as i'm planning to stick with the deck for the long run and tweak it accordingly!
Wow I'm amazed at your card choices! I've played emeria for a long time now but cards like gift of Estates and realmwright were completely of my radar!
When you put some games in I would love to read your feedback!
About gift of immortality it does seem quite good as a one off as it can lock creatures decks with kami and noncreature with Ranger so I would definitely be interested in trying it too!
Hey there! I've also taken a bit of a break from modern in the last weeks, but I've been acquiring some cards, namely the Stoneforge package and rebuilding my deck with that.
Went to FNM for the first time in a few weeks yesterday and manage to get a top4 after 6 rounds, going 4-2!
First game went against Esper stoneblade and managed to win 2-0.
One thing that will be common in most of these matches is that stoneforge mystic is absolutely amazing! I managed to put it both matches on turn 2 so was lucky there, but the amount of value it generated by getting equipments that we can equip to any of our littler creatures that usually are just chump blocks is amazing.
First game was basically decided by stoneforge and batterskull and the second one by Emeria, as it went long and he didn't get the grave hate he needed, so titan plus a sword of light and shadow was just to much to handle.
I've also brought in from the side a sword of sinew and steel which I found very helpful in every midrange or control match ups that rely on planeswalkers.
Match 2 was jund, which I lost 2-1.
I always considered this a very split match up as they are the king of midrange decks in my opinion.
First game was close but she managed to beat me with a scavenging ooze locking my grave.
Second game I kept a suboptimal with 2 titans and a sword of sinew and steel. Turn on inquisition takes the sword and I'm left with only the Titans. I somehow manage to survive to turn 6, slam a titan to bring the sword back and the game turns for me, as I just put 2 swords on titan and swing for 10 each turn, with protection from every color except green.
Game 3 I saw 3 lands in 8 turns with 2 redraws from wall of omens soooooooo not really a game
Match 3 was ponza, one of my greatest fears!
Game one he kept a suboptimal hand with no red sources and didn't draw them for quite a while so I won easily.
Game 2 I get slammed with a turn 2 blood moon. I fetch for an island which he breaks with pillage the turn after. He proceeds to ramp into karn and lock me with lattice before I can even get a 2nd plains. I'm preety sure it was as close as a God hand they could have.
Game 3 they go for the turn 2 blood moon again but I have the counter.
The game progresses, he plays a karn which shuts down my swords but Ranger captain of eos buys me 1 turn before lattice comes to stabilize. After that turn I play a titan and lock him out of the game with the Ranger titan lock, with a giver of runes to protect any of my pieces.
Match 4 was against merfolk. Won 2-0.
Being a crwrures match up it went exactly as expected, me fighting for my life I. The early turns, c humping and what not until a wrath sweeps the board. Major props to mini Teferi in both games bouncing his vial and shutting his flash merfolk and counters.
Match 5 was against UW control. Won 2-0 as well.
Game 1 was quite weird as both me an my opponent drew preetyich every land in the deck, and the little action we both dew was countered or exiled (in the end I had 30 cards in the deck and only 2 lands left in those 30)
Of course having emeria on, as soon as I drew a stoneforge, there wasn't really anything he could do.
Game 2 was longer and very interactive. I got a good start with stoneforge mystic and him with a mini Teferi. Also a neat interaction that occurred - he played detention sphere on my sword, and usually we use detention spheres ourselves which can't interact with other detention spheres. However I Dre my one of deputy of detention which really gave me an edge not only exiling his sphere but being a creatures to put the sword on.
I eventually got emeria on but soon after he played rest in peace. With that the only things I had to rely on were the creatures and not the value. Once again comes stoneforge mystic which turned every little creatures I had in a threat to be dealt with, which eventually made me win the game. Sun titan with protection from white against a control deck is quite good!
Lastly already in the top 4, I went against burn which I lost 2-1, both times he was on the play.
I still find this particular match up very hard, even with all the lifegain in the deck and 2 forgetender in the side to be fetch by Ranger captain of eos.
Although I was a hit unlucky as he played all 3 games and eidolon of the great revel which took quite a toll on me, they are just too fast and kill you out of nowhere.
I will post my list shortly but for final messages, e really liked the Stoneforge package in this deck. I'm currently playing 3 stoneforge, 1 batterskull, 1 sword of light and shadow and one sword of sinew and steel in the side. I liked it so much I'm pondering adding a third equipment cause many times I felt stoneforge was just coming to the field with no value so that's something I'll look into.
If you guys have any recommendations or criticism please feel free to give your opinion so we can keep playing better with this great deck!
Lavinia is an interesting card, but with the rise in popularity of whirza, having a piece of hate that affects it while also slowing down Tron is quite good.
Because if we look at it, Lavinia only stops big Karn and Ugin. They're free to play the rest so I don't think hate only over 2 cards in the deck makes her a worthy substitute for stony silence
6 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Snow-Covered Island
2 Windswept Heath
1 Prairie Stream
1 Irrigated Farmland
3 Flooded Strand
3 Hallowed Fountain
3 Field of Ruin
1 Ghost Quarter
Creatures
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Wall of Omens
3 Charming Prince
4 Skyclave Apparition
2 Elite Spellbinder
2 Court Hussar
3 Solitude
3 Sun Titan
1 Mortarpod
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Batterskull
1 Kaldra Compleat
Planeswalker
2 Teferi, Time Raveler
Instant
3 Path to Exile
Sorcery
1 Wrath of God
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Sanctifier en-Vec
2 Damping Sphere
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Ashiok, Dream Render
1 Shadowspear
2 Gideon of the Trials
1 Void Mirror
2 Dovin's Veto
1 Sorcerous Spyglass
1 Sanctum Prelate
1 Hour of Revelation
For now gonna try 3 solitude in the main but it might change with time. Just want to get a feel for the card. About the sideboard it will obviously be very meta dependant but i'm seeing if i can find some room for Prismatic Ending and Seal of Cleansing.
About kaldra compleat I think I might not have explained myself very well as I totally agree with you! When I said it couldn't replace batterskull it's because in my situation in particular I only used one and 2 swords. But I completely agree in the 1/1 split of batterskull and Kaldra Compleat, having taken the slot of one of the swords in my case.
About the red prowess deck, I honestly feel like it's a really good match up. Maybe I'm biased because of my experience but I haven't dropped a game against prowess in a long time. The only aggro deck that scares me a bit is burn because it doesn't care about my creatures and can go face, but as side from that, aggro hasn't been the bigger problem for me. Maybe the differences in our lists reflect the differences in our perception of match-ups. Seal of cleansing seems like a very good option to use, specially with the predicted rise of affinity and maybe emchantress. The only downside is not hitting heliod which I think isn't a great match up if my opponent is very skilled with the deck. I was on the fence about deicide but never got to try it as I didn't have the card. But deffinetly gonna give seal of cleansing a go to see how it fares.
I think you exemplified really well the power prismatic ending can have. The fact that it can be played on turn one and two instead of the turn 3 skyclave apparition is a very big upside and might sway me to try it in the side! It will depend on the 1 and 2 drops that the format will have but it is indeed a very cheap and efficient card.
Always loved containment priest as a card but the anti-sinergy with our deck always made me hesitant on playing with it. At least in my meta, I haven't seen neoform in a very long time so it isn't something I'm particularly scared of. Through the breach can be solved with solitude, as I still think that the card deserves merit. 2 for 1 yourself is painful, but I think you only really do it in a desperate situation and our deck is one that can reach 5 lands on time to hardcast it when we need to. In my opinion, you use it as a value 5 drop that can prevent your death in dire situations like a giant prowess creature or emrakul, just like a force of negation would in other decks. I think ephemerate makes it better just like grief, but in our very white deck with a ton of card advantage, I think it can work. That said I agree the card disadvantage is always bad and further testing is needed.
I like Sanctifier En-Vec a lot, as the protection is great and the graveyard hate catches many decks. But it would take my graveyard hate sideboard slot, at least partially, and decks like living end that are using very few red and black creatures would just trample over it so I still like it a lot and intend to use it, but will deffinetly be on the lookout.
Dress Down is a weird card and very hard for me to evaluate it, so just like you, I will see where it goes in the future.
Confounding conundrum is a card I used a lot when every deck I played was a titan deck and it was very good, both it and Ashiok, Dream Render. Is lands matter decks become the meat again it's deffinetly a good choice!
One last card I forgot to mention is Sanctum Prelate that might help with any combos revolving about noncreature spells like storm, or even shutting down for a bit izzet blitz.
About the list you posted I see the advantages on maximizing the grinding plan instead of the more disruption/ midrange plan so I'm excited to see tour results too to learn from them!
The only question I would ask in that particular list is related to the detention sphere. Do you think the exiling permanentes with the same name and with any cmc still grants it an advantage over the permanent but more narrow effect of skyclave apparition? Once again, in my version with the midrange and swords plan, I think it's a clear choice for me, but I would like to know your thoughts on your particular list!
I think the meta will be too volitile in the next weeks to know exactly where we stand but in the first modern challange after the MH2 release the first place was a UW taxes/ Bink style deck that preety much uses every creature we use so while it might amount to nothing, i would say it´s a good sign!
Only started playing again for around 2 weeks and went to 3 FNMs.
Not gonna go too much in deapth about every match up in this post but we can totally dicuss it later. Basically first tournment won 2-0 against Izzet Blitz, 2-0 against Walls with Assault Formation and Doran, the Siege Tower, and lost 1-2 against Heliod combo.
The second tournemnt won 2-0 against Boros Burn, 2-1 against Yawgmoth, Thran Physician combo, and 2-0 against boggles.
Last FNM lost 0-2 to Yawgmoth, Thran Physician combo, won 2-0 to Heliod Combo and 2-0 against Grixis Death Shadow.
Overall the deck still feels really good to play with. I think the best card in the deck right now is Skyclave Apparition. It preety much deals with everyhting bessides a Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, a Primeval Titan and Karn, Ugin and Eldrazi. I think this one of the most pushed white cards in recent memory and it is what mostly made Death and Taxes be a competitive deck again. I view Emeria a bit like a disrupting and Taxing deck ina way, but way more grindy than aggro. Our deck cares a lot about removal, so when we have a 3 mana creature, that exiles preety much anyhting in the format with little downside, i think it's almost an autoinclude.
I have never tried a Yorion variant mostly because i didn't have the sleeves or the deckbox for it but i would want to eventually try it out as Taxes seeems to be making good use of it.
I'm not particularlly a fan of the Kaldheim or stryxhaven cards for our deck asside from Elite Spellbinder. I was lucky to open 2 on my prerelease pack so i figured i'd try them out and i must say i'm very impressed. Most decks are very low to the ground and do'nt generate a lot of mana, so sometimes i would just stop a card entirely for the rest of the game. And being a 3/1 flyer that can equip sword or a batterskull is a very fast clock to close out a game. Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is just a fill ccard cause i didn't decide what to put more but i don't really think it fits the deck at all and it will change once MH2 comes out. Even now i would absolutly pur another Elite Spellbinder if i had one.
Not very high on Esper Sentinel at the moment as we already generate good card advanatage, and the fact the it only triggers on the first noncreature spell, it gives the opponent the option of choice and it only is taxing for one, doesn't seem enough upside to play it. However, in a deck with Abiding Grace, Ranger-Captain of Eos and a bunch of onde drops it does seem quite nice
About Chrome Courier i'm also not very high on as it digs one less than Court Hussar and we can't loop it like we do with Court. Kaldra Compleat seems like a very powerful card but always in addition to Batterskull and never instead of. It gives stoneforge even more of a toolkit feel, as in match ups where we don't need the life and stoneforge doesn't die immediately, it can close games fast and to some decks it's just gg as the don't have the removal for it. Sword of Hearth and Home while a very interesting card, doesn't seem better than the ones we already have and can use. Even though it synergizes wonderfully with our deck, i don't think it has the immediate impact we have with Sword of fire and ice or Sword of Feast and Famine have. Prismatic Ending also looks quite solid but i think it will depend very much on the meta. It basically hits 0, 1 and 2 for us, which while cool, skyclave already does, so the question is if you need the fifth or sicth skyclave effect or not. Out of Time seems interesting but i don't think it's better than the wraths as it is killable and phases everything out instead of putting it in the grave like we want it, even though it's one mana cheaper.
I will continue to play and testing with the cards i have at the moment, and the MH2 as soon as i get them and i'll put the match ups posted here with results anf thoughts of the matches so hopefully it will help us all a bit more!
I truly thank you for doing such an amazing job of compiling all these cards and talking about all of them, and sorry for not writting about all of them but these discussions are always interesting so i'd really like to see the new versions of the deck we can all build together!
3 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
6 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Snow-Covered Island
2 Windswept Heath
1 Prairie Stream
1 Irrigated Farmland
3 Flooded Strand
3 Hallowed Fountain
3 Field of Ruin
1 Ghost Quarter
Creatures
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Wall of Omens
3 Charming Prince
1 Mortarpod
4 Skyclave Apparition
2 Elite Spellbinder
2 Court Hussar
3 Sun Titan
Planeswalkers
3 Teferi, Time Raveler
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Batterskull
Instants
4 Path to Exile
1 Wrath of God
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Rest in Peace
1 Detention Sphere
2 Damping Sphere
2 Ashiok, Dream Render
1 Shadowspear
2 Gideon of the Trials
1 Kor firewalker
2 Dovin's Veto
1 Sorcerous Spyglass
1 Hour of Revelation
Very interested in trying the new MH2 cards like Kaldra Compleat, Sanctifier en-Vec, Void Mirror, Blossoming Calm and Solitude. Also interested to see where the meta head now with all this additions to the format! Time to bring Emeria back ;p
That said, I'm running a list just like the one you posted with the exception of having and extra Teferi instead of a detention sphere!
What I'm finding hard with the deck is the sideboard. I know what things to put in but I'm left always iffy on what to take out.
For example against ponza and amulet titan. Assume that the list don't have much variance from what is shown on mtggoldfish. Could you explain how you would sideboard in these match ups and why?
Once again thanks for all the help and hope to post some results soon!
Manage to grab the cards I was missing to try this Emeria shell and gave it a spin yesterday. Made a couple of changes based on my usual meta, having quite a lot of burn and some flash and control decks. With that in mind I put 2 charming prince and 2 teferi, time raveler and took out 1 mortarpod, 1 pilgrims's eye, 1 court hussar and 1 wrath of god. I would very much like to know your guys opinions on the changes and if you would have done it based on the meta or stick to the version posted.
In the side the only change was the addition of 1 damping sphere Instead of 1 of the pithing needle, maybe due to past fears of titan and tron decks, which unfortunately, despite showing in the tournament I didn't get to play against and therefore was unable to test it.
First match was boros burn and I lost 2-0. Game 1 I basically did everything I could to survive and managed to put a batterskull on turn 5 but it was too late. On game 2 everything was under control but a skullcrack when I was going to gain some life with batterskull and a deflecting palm on sun titan back to back sealed the game. I did sideboard a bit wrongly not putting the aven mindcensors and instead leaving 3 wraths in cause I hadn't had the chance to read your answers yet so I look forward to playing burn again and trying it correctly. I would also like to know what you think of kor firewalker in the side depending on the prevalence of burn in the meta.
Second match was infect and I won 2-0. Mortarpod and teferi, time raveler were as expected MVP cards. Sideboarded in a pitching needle for possible teferi, time raveler in their side and blinkmoth nexus and blessed alliance, taking one titan and one batterskull out. Overall same thing and patiently awaiting the time to use my removals was key to winning the match.
Third match was mono white death and taxes. It was from a good friend of mine who helped me build the deck so he knows emeria inside and out, which makes playing tricky more difficult. I ended up winning 2-0 in a match up I think I was heavily favored. Game 1 was tricky with him playing turn 1 vial, turn 2 Thalia and turn 3 arbiter into ghost quarter 2 turns in a row, taking my blue sources away, but I managed to top deck an untapped blue source for court hussar which kicked me back into the game. Game 2 I brought in 1 pithing needle for vial, Gideon, ally of zendikar and eldrazi displacer and took out 1 mortarpod, and it was a very normal safe game with me controlling the board at all times.
Last match was mono red prowess and I lost 1-2. Overall I think we're favored in this match up, and game 1 I won dealing well with the creatures. Sideboarded in 2 celestial purge and 1 blessed alliance, and for some reason didn't put in lone missionary. Took out 1 mortarpod, 1 wrath of god (Which in hindsight I think was wrong as not seeing a wrath in game 3 is what cost me the game) and 1 crucible of worlds. Game 2 I died on turn 3 because of runaway steam-kin which got completely out of control while my opponent was storming off. Game 3 I think I was quite unlucky because I didn't see any titan or wrath and even removing 5 of my opponents creatures, he just repouplated the board with a volley of spells into bedlem reveler into more hasty swiftspears.
Overall I got a feel of the deck but need to play more to truly understand more of what you wrote. If your guys have any feedback I would appreciate it very much!
One little detail I'd like to mention is that you were referring to an older build I had. My current version (the last one I posted) does have the detention sphere and doesn't have ephemerate or soulherder.
Also I see your experience with the build is greatly different from mine and that might stem from the fact that I was a worse player a year ago than I am now so I'm definetly interested in giving this shell a go. I will make this my primary build for the next month to see if I come to the same conclusions as you as your arguments are sound.
Some questions I have about the build:
First one is about the number of mortarpod. How did you settle on 3?
Second is how good does this shell deal with burn? Basically not losing life from fetches and shocks and putting a batterskull on the table?
The other questions stem from the sideboard: I've never been a huge fan of Lavinia, azorius renegade. Do you think she's useful enough to merit a place in the side? Also blessed alliance. I haven't used this card in a while so in what matchups do you bring it on that aren't already answered by other cards in the deck.
Aven mindcensor seems like a solid card against titan decks in general so it will be good to see how the fare.
I've been compiling data from my matches since a couple of months ago but unfortunatly not enough to create good percentages so i can't argue with statistical relevance. What i can say is purely from the feeling and experience of playing without exact numbers. I personally feel the advantages against the bad match ups go up by more than 1 or 2%, these being planeswalker heavy match ups and combo (amulet titan included despite the diverse range of approaches to the deck you can make). Every meta is different and we should play accordingly tou ours, but for example's sake i'll use Mtggoldfish. Against Mono red prowess, i think i will lose some percentage more than the control shell, even though through experience, i still find it to be an extremely favourable match up. Burn i will also lose some percentage, this time more significative in comparison to the control shell. Humans, a bit like mono red prowess, i lose some percentage but overall still a favourable match up. With Jund i think the midrange shell fares better, mostly stemming from the ability to deal better with Liliana, as the shell you presented seems to suffer more against planeswalkers like i had stated. Dredge i can't really say as i don't have experience with the control shell against this particular deck. But from my experience against several dredge decks, i actually never lost so maybe my experience is a bit skewed from other people's realities. Death's shadow is still the best match up Emeria has. Maybe we lose some percentage points with the midrange shell but i think it's hard to lose a game against death's shadow with any of the Emeria versions. Storm i think it's improved in this midrange shell, mostly from dealying the game long enough to win with small creatures and having Ranger-Captain of Eos to foil anything they might try to do before we're all set. Amulet titan stomps on the control version in my opinion. This is particularly important being the go to deck to win for most players now. I think percentages increase highly with the midrange version. Against Ponza, once again the planeswalker problem. Both Chandras will just end the game if it goes long or left unchecked. With that in mind i think the midrange version is also more favoured.
About the specific cards you mentioned: first the cycling taplands. In my experience they almost never hindered my game as, having a lot of fetchlands in this version, i know when to get them to smooth my land draws. They provide utility in the late game and the erly game in case we're flooding. I can totally see from where you're coming from as taplands are usually just bad in modern, but from experience, i hardly had a problem with them.
About swords and cards that make Emeria take longer. I think the benefits outwheight the losses. In my version i don't try to push to an active Emeria very hard. I just play the game with that inevitability, even if it takes longer for that to happen as i'm not dependant on that win condition. Wich also comes in handy when there's graveyard hate. Another reason for the Stoneforge Mystic package was for the deck to turn any creatures it has into a wiining condition when we don't have a graveyard. Sometimes Sun Titan is just not enough and for that, i think this version is much more resilient to graveyard hate, to the point that it attacks from so many angles that sometimes my opponents donn't bring graveyard hate as they overlook Emeria, which obviously works in favour of the deck.
One aspect i have to disagree on is the evaluation of Ranger-Captain of Eos. It is an extremly powerful card that does everything we want to do: good blocker, card advantage, and disruption that can allow us to survive another turn or slam anthing versus control, or just lock people out of the game with Teferi, Time Raveler and Sun Titan.
That said i will definitly try both versions as you raised very good points that merit a try! Thank you for making me see things from prespectives i hadn't thought about in a while
Given your experience with UW sideboards, I would I also like to know how you sideboard against the decks toughest matchups, namely titan decks, to see if I could improve any of the versions of the deck I have and also to better understand how you fight these decks with the tools you have in your package
Like i posted before, i tried the super value fun train but it just didn't quite workout for me because of the interaction in my meta and the fact that most people already know the core of the deck and kinda know how to disrupt key pieces. I tried Simulacrum in the past but i'm not too fond of it, even though i understand the usefulness of ramping up and drawing a card. I try to maximize 2 and 3 drops to bring with the titan and so i'm not to keen on anything with a higher converted mana cost. For the same reason the only thing i'm not too sure in your build is Muldrifter. It's cute with ephemerate, but as 3 drop that doesn't stick and can't be returned with titan, it really doesn't sit with me. I've been enjoying Hour of Revelation more and more so if your meta has a lot of walkers and hard to deal nonland permanents go for it! Altough i need to see if it's still needed as i usually brought it against oko match ups and Karn/ ponza match ups, so i need to see how the meta adjusts to the bannings.
In regards to the sideboard, if you want to run Knowledge Pool, wouldn't it just be better to run it in the main as a surprise win condition instead of running it in the side? I don't particularly like Lavinia but i also never used her so i would like to hear how it goes for you. I assume you bring her for Tron matchups and even then she only stops Ugin and Karn so i don't think she does enough. For that i would simply play Stony silence that disrupts Tron a bit less but affects many moe decks like Urza. It also combos with Knowledge Pool but i don't quite know if it's enough. Leyline of Snactity i've been on the fence. It does wonders against burn, but i don't particularly like to bring it against jund as they usually take discard against us in my experience, and they can deal with it very easily with their removal. Scapeshift also has ways to deal with it and they can win with field of the dead now so even if Valakut is not targeting you, they can still wipe your walkers and creatures and swing with the zombies. I can't find a place in my side for them but if they help you in some match ups tell us as i also haven't run them in quite a while.
The rest looks preety solid as usual so don't forget to put some game reports when you have them ;p
I admit it's been a while that i have considered Emeria as a pure long game deck! I started out with a similar list 2 years ago when i started playing, but as time went by i found myslef falling into a more midrange plan, mostly for three reasons. The first one is that i simply like a midrangy archtype more. So personal prefferance asside, the true reasons a deviated more from the the innevitability plan and started to go look for the win more. First one is table top playing. I don't know if you guys play mostly on MTGO or on LGS, but what i found with the original Emeria version, similar to the one that you presented is that most games go into overtime, simply cause my opponents refuse to give up and they know i can't close the game quickly enough. It's specially hard if i lost the first game. For example, losing the first game against control with that shell usually just meant i lost 1-0 or ended up with a draw. The second reason is because of some of the decks that you mentioned that simply stomp on the normal Emeria plan, being Combo decks (that to be honest, there aren't many running around) but most importantly Scapeshift and Amulet Titan, with the addition of field of the dead, simply have a faster inevitability if you will, the ours. Being that Titan decks are arguably the strongest modern decks since this week's bannings (at least until the meta game adjusts), it's always something we need to consider.
With the midrange version of Emeria, i feel like i try to answer your 3 key questions with a twist. I focus on the third question - Providing an advantage against my opponent, to help with the first 2. With that in mind, my build has a good focus on survivability that disrupts. Cards like Ranger-Captain of Eos, Teferi, Time Ravaler and the swords with their protection can just mess opponents strategies up. Of course i have the normal card advantage/ survivability package with wall of omens and Court Hussar and now Charming Prince but when the situation arrises, those cards can and are used offensivly, specially when paired with a sword.
I feel like that both the control and the midrange builds have their strenghts and i will deffintly try a build similar to yours in the future to compare, as it's been a long time since a played that control shell and the metagame is very different now.
That said i would love to hear your thoughts on this different Emeria approach and to talk about your experiences when you pick up the deck again!
Best regards my fellow Emeria players!
Got back to playing a few days ago with a new version of the deck which seems to be hitting the spot and winning most match-ups till now. Here's the deck and then i'll explain some of the new cards i decided to add:
3 Thraben Inspector
3 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Wall of Omens
4 Charming Prince
3 Ranger-Captain of Eos
2 Court Hussar
3 Sun Titan
Artifacts
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
Enachantment
2 Detention Sphere
Planeswalkers
3 Teferi, Time Raveler
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Winds of Abandon
2 Supreme Verdict
Instant
3 Path to Exile
Lands
2 Windswept Heath
2 Irrigated Farmlands
5 Plains
1 Island
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Flooded Strand
3 Field of Ruin
3 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Blast Zone
2 Hour of Revelation
1 Wrath of God
1 Burrenton Forge-Tender
1 Kami of the False Hope
2 Dovin's Veto
1 Remorseful Cleric
1 Mirran Crusader
3 Generous Gift
2 Damping Sphere
So about the changes in the main deck:
Fell out of love with Watcher for Tomorrow. Not drawing a card immediatly and coming in tapped is to much of a downside when we compare him to a Wall of Omens or even Charming Prince. Both these just have immediate value and are good blockers. Decided to also take Soulherder out because of the very interactive gameplay modern is seeing right now. Paying 3 to just have him bolted or pushed feels way too bad. Because of this i decided to put Court Hussar again. I always find myseld coming back to it everytime i take him out as it can just change a game with one topdeck.
I also missed interaction and forgot how important it was. With that in mind i put the Supreme Verdict and the Detention Sphere back in and been loving it since. Aggro match ups just go a lot better after this.
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria is a felx spot and can very well be replaced by something else. I decided to try him because i wanted something that could give me an edge before turn 6, and he can basically do everything. It's a super good card and i've been liking it a lot, but i wouldn't say it's essential.
The core package with Stoneforge Mystic and it's package, Ranger-Captain of Eos and it's package and Teferi, Time Raveler is what i think makes the deck work so well. All these cards are some of the best we can play in modern at the time in UW and most games are what gives me the win (along with Sun Titan of course, we all know it's a powerhouse)
About the sideboard, i have indeed done some changes, most notably taking Disdainful Stroke because i used to have it vs Primeval Titan, but it usually is protected by a cavern of souls and it does nothing. So i had the choice of putting more counters or something else. I decided to go with Generous Gift because it can deal with anything (includin Oko, Thief of Crowns and Field of the Dead, both of wich are plaguing my LGS. Funny enough, haven't seen them since i made the new sideboard but i'll let you know how it went. Also took Hex Parasite because it was just being to slow, and against Ponza with Karn it really didn't do anything so i found myself not really caring from him. Put a Mirran Crusader in it's place for a better match up against the new midrange decks that all seem to be using green for Oko. Not getting turned into an elk is a very good plus in the days that go by!
But essentialy this is the new deck. In 3 tournments with around 20 people made top 4 in all of them, winning against Control, Dredge, Humans, Burn and some other decks but overall quite good results. Hoping to try the new Theros equipment Shadowspear in the side to use not only against Boggles and infect but also against burn, being easier to cast than batterskull.
I'll keep you guys posted about upcoming results! Stay well
I've been using Hex parasite in the side for a while now (since ranger-captain of eos is in the format at least)and i've been impressed with it, specially in grindy match ups like jund.
Realmwright is a card i have mixed feelings over, this because the surprise Emeria aspect is quite strong, but at the same time it can be dealt very swiftly, and my meta is primarly midrange and interactive decks so at least for me i think it's not the best idea. Also sometimes it can be just a dead draw when you need some gas and that inconsistency bothers me a bit. Still bought it though so i will eventually try it!
Gift of estates seems like a very powerful card, but the fact that you usually we're going to have more lands than our opponent, specially if we're on the play, seems like a dead card sometimes. That said i would love to hear more feedback from you playing with it, specifically about early and late game and how does it compare being on the play and on the draw.
About Elspeth Tirel, it does seem good in this more grindy modern meat with lots of planeswalkers so that´s also something i could consider in the future, even though her +2 ability isn't the most relevant.
Right now this is the list i'm going with
3 Thraben Inspector
3 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Wall of Omens
3 Charming Prince
2 Watcher for Tomorrow
3 Ranger-Captain of Eos
2 Soulherder
2 Venser, Shaper Savant
3 Sun Titan
Artifacts
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
3 Teferi, Time Raveler
Sorcery
2 Winds of Abandon
Instant
2 Path to Exile
3 Ephemerate
Lands
2 Windswept Heath
2 Irrigated Farmlands
5 Plains
1 Island
3 Hallowed Fountain
4 Flooded Strand
3 Field of Ruin
3 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Blast Zone
2 Hour of Revelation
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Hex Parasite
1 Burrenton Forge-Tender
1 Kami of the False Hope
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Dovin's Veto
1 Remorseful Cleric
1 Rest in Peace
2 Damping Sphere
So i made a lot of changes to my previous iteration of the deck because i wasn't happy on how it was performing vs other midrange decks wich comprise a big part of the meta now. It was good vs control and aggro but it didn't have the value of a true midrange deck.
With that in mind i decided to cut my removal package for a value package. This means aggro match-ups suffer, but that's why i have the 4 wraths in the side and still the 2 Winds of Abandon in the main.
I had experience with a soulherder/ ephemerate version from before so i decided to mix them a bit as i find both cards to be quite powerful in the right board state. Ephemerate has a big potential to be a 3 for 1, avoiding a removal or nulling an attacker and getting value twice. Soulherder is a powerhouse but it's also a removal magnet. If it stays out, it can win you the game, but paying 3 just to get it pushed or exiled feels very bad. That's why i settled on 2 as a helper for the engine. Teferi, Time Raveler is just the best 3 drop we can have. There's a reason why he's format warping and i never feeld bad in having one or 2 in my hand as it alone can break other decks, and keep helping us with value. I won a match against Devoted druid/ Vizier Combo entirely because of teferi. He's insane and i wouldn't run less than 3. Venser, Shaper Savant is my form of counterpell that can also lock lands if you blink him with ephemerate and soulherder. Venser + epehemerate in EOT is basically 3 of the oponents lands to their hand wich is very devastating.
I Feel like our best weapon at the moment is the Ranger-Captain of eos and Sun Titan lock. When i have them both and string them togeteher it's very unlikely i'll lose the game, and if a teferi is out then it's just game over for most decks so again, i wouldnt run less than 3.
The Stoneforge Package is very strong as it was to be expected. 2 swords and a batterskull seem like the best choicees for equipments and it's always a good play, be it on turn 2 or turn 8. I won several games with a little thraben inspector carrying 2 swords on his back and pulling the game for me so, the ability to turn any of our creatures into game ending threats is amazing, specially when out titan goes out.
In the side, Hour of Revelation is amazing, specially now that i'm not running detention spheres, it's basically the same as a normal wrath for us (minus equipments and teferi) and it will hopefully be backbreaking fo the oponent. I tend to bring it in grindy planewalker dfining match ups like jund or bant snow midrange and it has impressed me. The rest of the sidebord is very standard so not much to add on that front.
What do you guys think of the deck? Any imput is welcome as i'm planning to stick with the deck for the long run and tweak it accordingly!
When you put some games in I would love to read your feedback!
About gift of immortality it does seem quite good as a one off as it can lock creatures decks with kami and noncreature with Ranger so I would definitely be interested in trying it too!
Went to FNM for the first time in a few weeks yesterday and manage to get a top4 after 6 rounds, going 4-2!
First game went against Esper stoneblade and managed to win 2-0.
One thing that will be common in most of these matches is that stoneforge mystic is absolutely amazing! I managed to put it both matches on turn 2 so was lucky there, but the amount of value it generated by getting equipments that we can equip to any of our littler creatures that usually are just chump blocks is amazing.
First game was basically decided by stoneforge and batterskull and the second one by Emeria, as it went long and he didn't get the grave hate he needed, so titan plus a sword of light and shadow was just to much to handle.
I've also brought in from the side a sword of sinew and steel which I found very helpful in every midrange or control match ups that rely on planeswalkers.
Match 2 was jund, which I lost 2-1.
I always considered this a very split match up as they are the king of midrange decks in my opinion.
First game was close but she managed to beat me with a scavenging ooze locking my grave.
Second game I kept a suboptimal with 2 titans and a sword of sinew and steel. Turn on inquisition takes the sword and I'm left with only the Titans. I somehow manage to survive to turn 6, slam a titan to bring the sword back and the game turns for me, as I just put 2 swords on titan and swing for 10 each turn, with protection from every color except green.
Game 3 I saw 3 lands in 8 turns with 2 redraws from wall of omens soooooooo not really a game
Match 3 was ponza, one of my greatest fears!
Game one he kept a suboptimal hand with no red sources and didn't draw them for quite a while so I won easily.
Game 2 I get slammed with a turn 2 blood moon. I fetch for an island which he breaks with pillage the turn after. He proceeds to ramp into karn and lock me with lattice before I can even get a 2nd plains. I'm preety sure it was as close as a God hand they could have.
Game 3 they go for the turn 2 blood moon again but I have the counter.
The game progresses, he plays a karn which shuts down my swords but Ranger captain of eos buys me 1 turn before lattice comes to stabilize. After that turn I play a titan and lock him out of the game with the Ranger titan lock, with a giver of runes to protect any of my pieces.
Match 4 was against merfolk. Won 2-0.
Being a crwrures match up it went exactly as expected, me fighting for my life I. The early turns, c humping and what not until a wrath sweeps the board. Major props to mini Teferi in both games bouncing his vial and shutting his flash merfolk and counters.
Match 5 was against UW control. Won 2-0 as well.
Game 1 was quite weird as both me an my opponent drew preetyich every land in the deck, and the little action we both dew was countered or exiled (in the end I had 30 cards in the deck and only 2 lands left in those 30)
Of course having emeria on, as soon as I drew a stoneforge, there wasn't really anything he could do.
Game 2 was longer and very interactive. I got a good start with stoneforge mystic and him with a mini Teferi. Also a neat interaction that occurred - he played detention sphere on my sword, and usually we use detention spheres ourselves which can't interact with other detention spheres. However I Dre my one of deputy of detention which really gave me an edge not only exiling his sphere but being a creatures to put the sword on.
I eventually got emeria on but soon after he played rest in peace. With that the only things I had to rely on were the creatures and not the value. Once again comes stoneforge mystic which turned every little creatures I had in a threat to be dealt with, which eventually made me win the game. Sun titan with protection from white against a control deck is quite good!
Lastly already in the top 4, I went against burn which I lost 2-1, both times he was on the play.
I still find this particular match up very hard, even with all the lifegain in the deck and 2 forgetender in the side to be fetch by Ranger captain of eos.
Although I was a hit unlucky as he played all 3 games and eidolon of the great revel which took quite a toll on me, they are just too fast and kill you out of nowhere.
I will post my list shortly but for final messages, e really liked the Stoneforge package in this deck. I'm currently playing 3 stoneforge, 1 batterskull, 1 sword of light and shadow and one sword of sinew and steel in the side. I liked it so much I'm pondering adding a third equipment cause many times I felt stoneforge was just coming to the field with no value so that's something I'll look into.
If you guys have any recommendations or criticism please feel free to give your opinion so we can keep playing better with this great deck!
3 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Thraben Inspector
3 Wall of Omens
1 Giver of Runes
3 Sun Titan
2 Court Hussar
3 Ranger-Captain of Eos
3 Charming Prince
1 Kami of False Hope
Artifacts
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Crucible of Worlds
Planeswalkers
2 Teferi, Time Raveler
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2 Winds of Abandon
2 Supreme Verdict
Instant
3 Path to Exile
Enchantment
2 Detention Sphere
Lands
2 Windswept Heath
2 Irrigated Farmlands
6 Plains
1 Island
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Flooded Strand
3 Field of Ruin
3 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Blast Zone
1 Wrath of God
1 Hex Parasite
1 Sword of Sinew and Steel
1 Disdainful Stroke
1 Celestial Purge
2 Remorseful Cleric
1 Ghost Quarter
2 Dovin's Veto
1 Deputy of Detention
2 Damping Sphere
2 Burrenton Forge-Tender
Because if we look at it, Lavinia only stops big Karn and Ugin. They're free to play the rest so I don't think hate only over 2 cards in the deck makes her a worthy substitute for stony silence