Just an update on my Bant results. I have played 20 competitive leagues so far. I'm 55 match win on 94 matchups (I dropped some leagues with X-3 results), so that's a 58.5% match win rate. I'm clearly going infinite competitive leagues with it with the prizes I get from playing. I'm really happy with the deck so far. I did not have a 5-0 result so far though
By the way, I tested with Growth Spiral in the deck (replacing 1 remand and 2 Time Warp). It wasn't bad, but most of the time I wasn't happy with the card in this build. It was maybe half of the time a ramp spell. This build has 10 fetches and 2 Field of Ruin to thin the deck and get threshold for Search for Azcanta. Add to the fact that I play less lands than builds with Growth Spiral.
I tested frilled mystic too. I found the cost to be a little to hard to cast without an arbor elf. The deck always wants to cast Cryptic Command with to cast your other spells. As strange as it may appears, I think Mystic Snake would have been better. But again, frilled mystic wasn't bad. It helped me winning a game against monored control by keeping golbins from attacking. But it is a lot matchup dependant. A lot of times it really feels too expensive to counter a thing. Sure, Cryptic Command cost four mana, but it has the versatility to be a time walk by tapping all creatures or bouncing a thing.
Remand has to be viewed, imho, as a pseudo-mine and tempo enabler. Everytime I can cancel an opp turn with it, I just cast it saying "Time Walk" and this is what it always feel like. Some matchups are not so free Remanding cards, that's why I have Negate and Commandeer in the sideboard.
Totally agree there. Remand has been very good for me too. Sure, it is matchup dependant and it must be played timely. Playing Remand on the first occasion is not always the best play. I use it either to Time Walking an opponent who tapped out for something, to counter a flashback spell for value, to force my opponent to recast the spell in order to freely combo the next turn or to protect myself when comboing.
@MBonvil
Obviously the option of a t2 cryptic command changes the dynamic quite a bit. That is something I'm highly interested in toying with.
T2 Cryptic is not something I do against an unknown deck though, because it requires casting Utopia Sprawl on Breeding Pool. It is much more easier to destroy a non basic land than a basic land. Add to that the fact that Utopia Sprawl will fall off if a Blood Moon hits the ground!
I did not tested frilled mystic. The only spot it could replace is Remand. Not sure about the change. Remand does help against T2 and T3 decks (like Neoform Griselbrand or tron). You don't always have 4 mana T2 (Lets be honest, most of the time you don't). But it could sure be tested.
I wanted to share my sucess with turns lately. I used to play U-R turns, but I switched to Bant lately. I play only online, cause I don't have any time to play real life Magic unfortunately.
I played a lot of friendly modern league to test the decklist. I had around 62% match win rate over approx 15 leagues even when counting the firsts leagues with subpar brew. With the new set release, I tested Jace, Wielder of Mysteries instead of Gideon Jura (I needed a fast win condition, cause I timed out sometimes). I will never go back to Gideon
I played 4 Competitive league with it so far. I Went 4-1, 3-2, 3-2 and 2-3 against a wide variety of decks. Note: One match in the second league I lost timed out by litteraly 1 seconds I lost with a lethal Blue Sun's Zenith on the stack
By the way, I tested with Growth Spiral in the deck (replacing 1 remand and 2 Time Warp). It wasn't bad, but most of the time I wasn't happy with the card in this build. It was maybe half of the time a ramp spell. This build has 10 fetches and 2 Field of Ruin to thin the deck and get threshold for Search for Azcanta. Add to the fact that I play less lands than builds with Growth Spiral.
I tested frilled mystic too. I found the cost to be a little to hard to cast without an arbor elf. The deck always wants to cast Cryptic Command with to cast your other spells. As strange as it may appears, I think Mystic Snake would have been better. But again, frilled mystic wasn't bad. It helped me winning a game against monored control by keeping golbins from attacking. But it is a lot matchup dependant. A lot of times it really feels too expensive to counter a thing. Sure, Cryptic Command cost four mana, but it has the versatility to be a time walk by tapping all creatures or bouncing a thing.
Totally agree there. Remand has been very good for me too. Sure, it is matchup dependant and it must be played timely. Playing Remand on the first occasion is not always the best play. I use it either to Time Walking an opponent who tapped out for something, to counter a flashback spell for value, to force my opponent to recast the spell in order to freely combo the next turn or to protect myself when comboing.
Don't forget Azcanta, The Sunken Ruin. This card is busted, especialy with Wilderness Reclamation. When you untap with both, if any of the top9 cards in your deck is a Nexus of Fate you get another turn. With 2 or more Wilderness Reclamation, things get crazy pretty fast.
Keep in mind that you could a lot of times, just play Sphinx's Revelation for 15+ and pass the turn, which could be a ''kind of Time Walk''. Same with Cryptic Command.
T2 Cryptic is not something I do against an unknown deck though, because it requires casting Utopia Sprawl on Breeding Pool. It is much more easier to destroy a non basic land than a basic land. Add to that the fact that Utopia Sprawl will fall off if a Blood Moon hits the ground!
I did not tested frilled mystic. The only spot it could replace is Remand. Not sure about the change. Remand does help against T2 and T3 decks (like Neoform Griselbrand or tron). You don't always have 4 mana T2 (Lets be honest, most of the time you don't). But it could sure be tested.
I'm less sold on growth spiral. Sure, when you are comboing, growth spiral could be better since it draws you a card. However, before comboing Utopia Sprawl is better in my opinion. It virtually does cost 0 the turn you play it, while growth spiral cost 1 mana.
growth spiral is able to ramp into a T3 Wilderness Reclamation which is very good. But Arbor Elf and Utopia Sprawl too, with an added bonus of being able of doing something else T2, like casting a Search for Azcanta or activating a Mikokoro, Center of the Sea or Field of Ruin (Which is huge agains Tron or helps you finding your 3rd blue mana or your white mana).
I started this deck with a decklist that was very combo oriented UG build (4 Arbor Elf, 4 Utopia Sprawl and 4 growth spiral 4 Search for Azcanta and even 4 Though Scour to flip it rapidly). growth spiral was in my opinion the less good ramp card of the deck. In fact, something the deck did not needed at all.
I wanted to share my sucess with turns lately. I used to play U-R turns, but I switched to Bant lately. I play only online, cause I don't have any time to play real life Magic unfortunately.
I played a lot of friendly modern league to test the decklist. I had around 62% match win rate over approx 15 leagues even when counting the firsts leagues with subpar brew. With the new set release, I tested Jace, Wielder of Mysteries instead of Gideon Jura (I needed a fast win condition, cause I timed out sometimes). I will never go back to Gideon
Here is my curent decklist:
4 Arbor Elf
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Wilderness Reclamation
Draw
4 Search for Azcanta
1 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
2 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
Counters
3 Remand
4 Cryptic Command
Turns
3 Nexus of Fate
2 Time Warp
2 Flooded Strand
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Windswept Heath
3 Breeding Pool
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Temple Garden
1 Flooded Grove
2 Field of Ruin
3 Forest
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
2 Dispel
2 Path to Exile
2 Damping Sphere
2 Negate
2 Ravenous Trap
3 Timely Reinforcements
1 Terminus
1 Stony Silence
I played 4 Competitive league with it so far. I Went 4-1, 3-2, 3-2 and 2-3 against a wide variety of decks. Note: One match in the second league I lost timed out by litteraly 1 seconds I lost with a lethal Blue Sun's Zenith on the stack
Anyway, I found this deck very good. With T1 Arbor Elf and T2 Utopia Sprawl, you can have a T2 Wilderness Reclamation or T2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor or T2 Search for Azcanta + Remand. The deck can also take the control route with Remand and Cryptic Command. By the way, the two ''best combo'' in this deck is Wilderness Reclamation into Cryptic Command and Wilderness Reclamation into Sphinx's Revelation .
I find this deck pretty different from Taking Turns Decks, it is more a control Bant Wilderness Reclamation deck with a taking turns combo in it.
Edit:
Did 2 two more competitive league tonight. Went 3-2 and 4-1. This deck is really good and I love playing it