Hey, all. Went to an event last night, and had a pretty good showing (3-1). I've definitely had a blast with the deck over the last few months. However, there's one player at the venue I've been frequenting that I always seem to face when I'm 3-0, and who always plays RG Tron. I've never beaten him, and I think last night was the first game I managed to take off him. Do we have any real shot against RG Tron other than hoping for a super explosive start? (My one win was due to him not having a great start and me landing several lords, and double-Cursecatching a Pyroclasm.) Would Uw Merfolk have an easier time? I've come up against a few CoCo/Living End decks recently, so I've been considering the White splash for RiP. Path also helps deal (more permanently) with several post-board Tron threats, like Newlamog/Platinum Emperion/Wurmcoil. Should I start mainboarding Tec Edges? Any other players have any good strategies/advice for that one persistent Tron player? (As far as I can tell there's maybe one other person who plays RG Tron, and I don't seem him there every week.) Do I just accept that when I have to play him I'm probably picking up a loss?
Ohh I completely forgot Sigarda gives you Hexproof. Your point stands, though. At turn 5-6, will it just be too late for her to protect you? Dodging Price is good, though. I guess it'll depend upon what you commonly face.
Removal has seemed much less about damage so far, so I don't think Dromoka's butt is relevant. Diversifying threats with Linvala is nice, and it comes with immediate life gain. Other than as a token producer, I don't really see how Sigarda is a better choice than Linvala (other than costing one less). She helps gum up the ground, but if you're already behind she isn't quite as swingy as Linvala (or even Dromoka).
Sounds an odd one but i have been looking at Angelic Purge as an option, 1 more mana than declaration but it still exiles, can break open Hangarback, flip Avacyn and make an opposing declaration fizzle so a few up sides for 1 more mana, any thoughts?
Angelic Purge is a Sorcery, so it wouldn't really work to make anything fizzle. It's basically trading in the chance of hitting multiple creatures for being able to hit anything at the cost of 1 mana (sometimes relevant early) and a sac (usually bearable for token strategies). If you're facing lots of Superfriends decks, this is a card to consider, but I wouldn't call it a strict upgrade from Declaration. That card has been a powerhouse from what we've seen.
Hey, everyone. I'm going to be building Abzan Company, but it's a little hard finding a starting place. As with a lot of toolbox-y decks, there isn't really a cookie-cutter version (which is a strength). Specifically in terms of landbase, everyone seems to vary a lot in terms of the number of Horizon Canopies. Is there some consensus as to the "proper" number to have? I've seen from 1 to 3, and for a pretty expensive card, it'd be nice to not grab 3 and end up using 1. Other than that, though, it looks like the lists have a general feel of 4 Finks, Birds, Chords, and Companies, 3 Hierarchs and Eternal Witnesses, 2-3 Viscera Seer and Walls, 2 Melira and Anafenza, then 1-2 of the remaining toolbox pieces (Spellskite, Qasali, Voice of Resurgence, Fiend Hunter, Scooze, Liliana, and Sin Collector). Are there any pieces I'm missing? Suggested sideboard tech for a relatively open meta? I'm planning on running Linvala at least in the board.
Hey, all. Currently wondering what deck I should build next. I've been piloting Merfolk for a while now, and while it's fun, I love playing with different kinds of decks. Specifically, storm/something similar to the Standard UR-control looks appealing, but I could also see WB tokens or something midrange-y being fun. Basically, anything not necessarily linear. Something that handles the general meta well would be a plus (my LGS doesn't have a whole lot of defining features, there's a Tron player, a Faeries player, and other than that it's a grab bag; I've seen Living End, Knightfall, some Abzan CoCo, an Affinity player who's started playing Tezzerator, and a few Burn decks).
My biggest weakness right now is sideboarding (which is amplified because of the random mix of decks I face each week), but I'm not sure if I should be increasing my dependence on sideboard-planning to teach myself or just look for a deck with good all-around performance.
Budget isn't a concern, and this is less of a necessity but I think I'd enjoy something with JVPs in it (always enjoyed how the card played from afar).
Hey all, been playing Modern for a while now but wanted to branch out and get into Standard, as well. I play Merfolk in Modern, but would be fine playing a different kind of deck for Standard. I have some Standard cards, and would be interested in some sort of Planeswalker-based control deck. I currently have 2 Ob Nixilis Reignited, 2 Kiora, Master of the Depths, 4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, and a Jace, Unraveler of Secrets and Sorin, Grim Nemesis. I'm planning on playing around with a Temur Clue-Grid deck that I already had most of the pieces for, but I'd love to try out another type of deck as well. For now I'd prefer to not invest heavily in the next rotating pieces, so no Jace VP-decks, please! I do have a playset of Hangarback Walkers though. Thanks!
You could find a space for Ruin Processor in the main, as a bit of help, this could become a toolbox with Conduit of Ruin, and Sanctum of Ugin!
I think B<> Heartless Eldrazi is far enough removed from B<> Processors that Ruin isn't guaranteed to go off, but I could be wrong. It might still work as a sideboard card. I know I personally am going to be trying out the Heartless Eldrazi build post-OGW (I love Heartless, have had a for-fun deck since Innistrad and it's the bomb.), I feel it could be a nice contender (probably not as good as Processors as it isn't as controlly).
What do you think about Painful Truths in this deck ? With the new colorless mana we can draw 3 (without the relic we don't have a lot of draw)
I don't think colorless works as a color for those purposes. I mean...its colorless. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
You're correct, colorless is not a color. The new symbol is NOT a "new colorless mana," there's just an icon for something that's always existed. Painful Truths cares about colors of mana spent to cast it, not types of mana.
I'd imagine a 4/4 Vigilance that can't be cast cheaper is not super relevant for any decks. Usually you want to focus on the synergy of Eldrazi Temples acting as ramp lands, and obviously Eye of Ugin acts as ramp as long as you're casting Eldrazi. With 2 Temples/Eye and Urborg out, Warden would compete with Oblivion Sower for the turn 4 drop, and I think that's a pretty simple decision. Warden is just a mid-sized body with a slightly relevant ability that doesn't do anything the turn it arrives. Not really what we're looking for.
If Tajura Beastmaster instead said "Whenever an Ally enters the battlefield..." it would still trigger for itself. It always annoys me that Wizards decided to template it like this. There is only a small functional difference, because if Tajura somehow entered the battlefield while not being a Ally it still triggers for itself with her current wording (for example with Conspiracy)
Can't remember where I read it, but someone from Wizards said they formatted Rally (and the old Ally EtB effects) as they are to reduce confusion for people who were less rules-inclined. They would work the same without self-referencing, but spelling it out means more people understand what they actually do.
Early on I saw a few mentions of Pyxis of Pandemonium; originally I was more enthusiastic about this card than I am now. I haven't built the deck yet, but I've been thinking about putting it together. Basically, I think Conduit of Ruin could be pretty nice with Pyxis. My initial thoughts were to toss in a singleton Emrakul and, if you get a Conduit out with Pyxis on the field, exile Emrakul to it. Then you can blink in the titan at EoT to get a pseudo-haste 15/15 Annihilator 6. However, if you don't leave the 7 mana up to crack Pyxis the same turn cycle as you cast Conduit, then this becomes a pretty telegraphed play, and you're open to disruption.
Outside of a hasty Emrakul, Pyxis could also be a nice flood of action after you start to lose gas; you've been processing their Pyxis'd cards all game, but you have a couple cards hidden away. Once you have a low-action turn in the mid-late game, you can crack the Pyxis for (hopefully) no downside. I guess, because so much of our stuff is on-cast effects, this doesn't really play to our strengths, but it can refill a board.
So what are people's thoughts, and which colors do people predict as being the forerunners?
Hey guys, looking to start investing in some staples, and I think a land-base is the first step for me. I'm planning on picking up some KTK fetches, and am interested in trying out Abzan. I have a playset of Gideon that I opened; is he any good in Midrange Abzan?
Hey guys, been piloting Merfolk for a few weeks now, and while it is hella fun, I would like to be in Modern in the long run, and to that end I really would like to pick up some sets of fetches/shocks. As a Merfolk player, though, I don't have a whole lot of use for them. Luckily for me, I'm also addicted to deckbuilding. So here's the deal; I currently don't have a ton any Modern staples (Goyfs, Bobs, LotVs, Snappy), but would like to play a competitive (preferably 3 color) deck. I enjoy playing a wide variety of decks, so as I already have an aggro deck, maybe something more midrange, or even control or combo? I'm really up for anything! I'd be willing to fill in staples as I play more, but for now I'd like to make the larger investment into a manabase that I can translate to other decks in the future.
As such, things that don't make much use of fetches (Tron, affinity) wouldn't be so great. Thanks guys!
For reference, here's my list:
4x Cursecatcher
4x Harbinger of the Tides
15x Island
1x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4x Lord of Atlantis
4x Master of the Pearl Trident
4x Master of Waves
4x Merrow Reejerey
4x Mutavault
1x Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
4x Silvergill Adept
4x Spreading Seas
3x Vapor Snag
2x Dismember
2x Dispel
2x Gut Shot
3x Hurkyl's Recall
2x Negate
4x Tidebinder Mage
I guess I should probably throw my single Chalice in the board, as it walls Living End pretty single-handedly.
Angelic Purge is a Sorcery, so it wouldn't really work to make anything fizzle. It's basically trading in the chance of hitting multiple creatures for being able to hit anything at the cost of 1 mana (sometimes relevant early) and a sac (usually bearable for token strategies). If you're facing lots of Superfriends decks, this is a card to consider, but I wouldn't call it a strict upgrade from Declaration. That card has been a powerhouse from what we've seen.
Thanks! I look forward to sharing my results!
My biggest weakness right now is sideboarding (which is amplified because of the random mix of decks I face each week), but I'm not sure if I should be increasing my dependence on sideboard-planning to teach myself or just look for a deck with good all-around performance.
Budget isn't a concern, and this is less of a necessity but I think I'd enjoy something with JVPs in it (always enjoyed how the card played from afar).
I think B<> Heartless Eldrazi is far enough removed from B<> Processors that Ruin isn't guaranteed to go off, but I could be wrong. It might still work as a sideboard card. I know I personally am going to be trying out the Heartless Eldrazi build post-OGW (I love Heartless, have had a for-fun deck since Innistrad and it's the bomb.), I feel it could be a nice contender (probably not as good as Processors as it isn't as controlly).
You're correct, colorless is not a color. The new symbol is NOT a "new colorless mana," there's just an icon for something that's always existed. Painful Truths cares about colors of mana spent to cast it, not types of mana.
I'd imagine a 4/4 Vigilance that can't be cast cheaper is not super relevant for any decks. Usually you want to focus on the synergy of Eldrazi Temples acting as ramp lands, and obviously Eye of Ugin acts as ramp as long as you're casting Eldrazi. With 2 Temples/Eye and Urborg out, Warden would compete with Oblivion Sower for the turn 4 drop, and I think that's a pretty simple decision. Warden is just a mid-sized body with a slightly relevant ability that doesn't do anything the turn it arrives. Not really what we're looking for.
Can't remember where I read it, but someone from Wizards said they formatted Rally (and the old Ally EtB effects) as they are to reduce confusion for people who were less rules-inclined. They would work the same without self-referencing, but spelling it out means more people understand what they actually do.
For mono-B, though, what are good sideboard cards? I've seen Surgical Extraction and Ruin Processor mentioned. Any other suggestions?
Here's the list I've ordered:
4 Eldrazi Temple
2 Eye of Ugin
4 Ghost Quarter
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Bojuka Bog
10 Swamp
4 Endless One
4 Wasteland Strangler
4 Blight Herder
4 Oblivion Sower
1 Conduit of Ruin
2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
1 All is Dust
Artifacts
4 Relic of Progenitus
2 Nihil Spellbomb
Instants
4 Dismember
Outside of a hasty Emrakul, Pyxis could also be a nice flood of action after you start to lose gas; you've been processing their Pyxis'd cards all game, but you have a couple cards hidden away. Once you have a low-action turn in the mid-late game, you can crack the Pyxis for (hopefully) no downside. I guess, because so much of our stuff is on-cast effects, this doesn't really play to our strengths, but it can refill a board.
So what are people's thoughts, and which colors do people predict as being the forerunners?
a tonany Modern staples (Goyfs, Bobs, LotVs, Snappy), but would like to play a competitive (preferably 3 color) deck. I enjoy playing a wide variety of decks, so as I already have an aggro deck, maybe something more midrange, or even control or combo? I'm really up for anything! I'd be willing to fill in staples as I play more, but for now I'd like to make the larger investment into a manabase that I can translate to other decks in the future.As such, things that don't make much use of fetches (Tron, affinity) wouldn't be so great. Thanks guys!