Of course not EVERY deck would play it. I did say pretty much every deck....
Every deck that relies on creature to win would play it. Pod included.
And depends on what kind of tempo you are playing. If they run enough creatures between Snappy young pyromancer I would bet it would at least be a s/b card.
Thanks for pointing out that storm and other combo decks wouldnt play it tho. Is my point any less substantive?
When I was still grasping the most rudimentary aspects of magic I came across Jitte and thought it was awesome. Anyone who has play even 1 game of magic can tell you that. But once you get into the intricacies of the card you come to realize how it is broken and most likely a mistake.
As mentioned, the combat damage clause. Secondly, Jitte can have counters removed when its just sitting on the battlefield w/o being attached to a creature. Card is broken plain and simple. If it were to be unbanned. It would get thrown into pretty much every deck.
I would use it in tokens...Merfolk Jund Zoo Bant etc. It would not allow a deck that is not powerful to now become a force (Like SoTM would) and it would decrease diversity.
20% control sounds reasonable, I want GGT unbanned as a show of wizards competence more than anything else (it's impact is negligible, just a buff to one underplayed deck), I think the best way to get the desired increase in control would be to unban SotM (increase Tezz control) and I feel that Batterskull ban -> SFM Unban sounds like a good idea as well.
Are these cards you want or cards you think? SfM is a for sure NOT coming off the list. Unless batterskull is banned. Even then, I doubt it comes off. Tutor/cheats into play is a huge advantage.
My 1 vote? SoTM. As stated it would develop a esper control archtype. And could also fit into other weenie strategies (b/w token)
I think Pod is more of a bannable card than either Twin or Kiki (LOLtastic that some people could think this card could be banned) They just hate playing against it. That's all.
BBE should not come back. That card does unfair things. When it was standard legal it was overpowered but lack of overpowered things it could cascade into made it playable. In this cardpool..just no.
I would like SoTM to come back. NEver got a chance to play with it and as a W/b tokens player it would fit in nice with my deck. Is this card really that powerful to necessitate a ban.
Birthing Pod isn't getting banned. Sure WotC can get away with stabbing Jund multiple times and only have a minority get upset, but in the end they can't fully remove Jund completely from the format because of its versatility. Banning Birthing Pod ( or Splinter Twin ) on the other hand will completely destroy an entire deck that is unique to Modern and worse tarnish this format's reputation.
Really, Bloodbraid Elf does unfair things? Sure you can cascade into some really great stuff, or you could cascade into
nothing useful at all. Why do a lot of people just assume that Bloodbraid Elf is going to cascade
into crazy advantage, every time. Bloodbraid Elf is still random, even if you build around maximizing your odds. Bloodbraid Elf doesn't read "search your deck and cast Liliana of the Veil."
I have nothing against Sword of the Meek being unbanned, but not at this time. The format already has enough combo, but
not enough control and aggro.
Edit: I don't chime in that often anymore, but I see Valanarch is doing the good fight for things like BBE and Preordain/Ponder.
What about the argument that have BBE out increases diversity in that archtype. Yes it is random but with so many powerful cmc3 or less cards it can do what I call..unfair things. for 2GR you get a 3/2 haste with a possiblity of Goyf,Lilly,Bolt etc. When I say it decreases diversity I also mean that not only does it become an auot 4 of but the cards underneath it become less diverse as well.
Also I just hate the cascade mechanic as well. So I do have a bias.
The idea of GSZ coming off is laughable. Is it a fun card? Sure...but it is way way overpowered.
Bitterblossom as mentioned, has come off and fit just fine in the format. Hell I even think Jace would be fine in the format.
Would I like to play with Chrome mox..sure..but I cannot see that card come off anytime soon.
I think Pod is more of a bannable card than either Twin or Kiki (LOLtastic that some people could think this card could be banned) They just hate playing against it. That's all.
BBE should not come back. That card does unfair things. When it was standard legal it was overpowered but lack of overpowered things it could cascade into made it playable. In this cardpool..just no.
I would like SoTM to come back. NEver got a chance to play with it and as a W/b tokens player it would fit in nice with my deck. Is this card really that powerful to necessitate a ban.
I cannot believe their isn't a thread/deck that is trying to utilize smallpox
IF I have missed it my apologies.
So I have always liked the card smallpox and have been trying different ways to utilize it. I did mono-black; B/W; B/r etc and have liked different things about each strategy.
I settled on testing a B/w/r build. Took a while to get the mana right and it is still a little more unstable base than I would like but may not have a way around that. Only 1 spell has a WW or RR cost. The splashes are just that. Splashes.
This is a excellent deck for bitterblossom now that it is unbanned. I can pump out alot of tokens between that and LS...Card draw is needed as well. I tried BOB in my other builds but life just becomes 2 fragile. My curve is still low but I settled on [card]phrexian arena[card].
My deck lacked a finisher and I didn't want to use a sword or some token pump and decided on elspeth Knight-errant. Honestly, if this card is legal I don't know why JaceTMS isn't.
Anyway here is my deck. Any input on card choices is appreciated.
Hello, I'm a GW hatebear player, that is looking try out bant. Even though the deck is two colors it still has trouble with Blood Moon and since it runs arbiters, doesn't run fetches for basics and allow for big Kotr's. The hate in GW can also be marginal/detrimental at times and occasionally doesn't beat hard enough/have a reliable finisher.
Bant looks interesting to me, since I get to play counters and still have large beaters.
I just have a few starter questions:
I'm curious if unified will gets any consideration since it only looks terrible against small zoo, soul sisters, and merfolk?
Does Gavony Township also get a nod, or does the deck generally not have that kind of mana to spare?
Without GSZ/ponder, there's no effective tutor/deck manipulation, so does the deck run into a lot of inconsistencies/rely on good draws (Horizon canopy can kind of help)?
Can the deck be very vulnerable to supreme verdict? Elspeth helps here.
I've never been a huge fan of the D&T style flicker train since it can torpor orb (which I also like in my sb), how great are things like snapcaster, resto, flickerwisp (especiialy without aether vial), but more importantly how good is Vendillion in this deck?
Hello VitaminJ's, I switched from GW Hate Bears to Bant myself and honestly have loved the switch. Blood moon is annoying and thats one of the reasons I always try to keep 1 basic of each color in my decks (if possible).
For your questions I've just now started putting in more counters into my list so I haven't tried unified will but it doesn't seem as consistent as Spell Pierce, leak, or spell snare, mostly from the decks you listed above.
Gavony would be a fine land and I have had times where I would have enough empty mana to dump into gavony but I haven't actually tested it yet.
There aren't many times I've had inconsistencies without having mulligans or not keeping a good hand. Horizon could help and I've considered switching to Remand to add card draw.
Supreme Verdict can hurt but as long as you don't over extend turn after you can normally play a creature. Thats a reason why I like this deck is that there are a very good selection beaters and you really only need 1-2 on the board to keep presence.
I don't run any flickering effects in the deck nor Vendillion (mostly cause of price) but lots of people do run Vendillion and have success with it. Snapcaster is good if you have more spells in the board, resto could be good to sace a creature but I've considered adding Simic Charm to do that same effect. Flickerwisp is something I'd consider adding before resto.
Just getting back into playing some modern. Bant has always been my choice because of all the variations you can play. First and foremost; we are a beatdown deck. Turn 2 Geist is almost game-over for alot of decks.
I have done away with swords. They are just to clunky for me. Planeswalkers are more versatile imo. the Ajani and Finks synergy also makes it into my deck.
I am maindecking 5 pieces of countermagic. SB I have put 5 more pieces.
scavenging ooze is another top notch card. Just hates on so many decks. Random lifegain can also save you. Love, love, love this and will post my full list after some more playtesting. Glad cocktrice is back up as well.
1. A cards quality isn't based on whether or not you play it as a 4-of.
2. Just because she costs 3mana doesn't mean you should/have to play it on turn 3.
The utilty is amazing. Badd B is spot on as usual. Almost any deck playing green can justify playing her as a 1-of.
Various strategies can take further advantage of her certainly,and the wild variety of her interaction make her that much better. (sun titan-witness) (gifts-witness) ect.
Every deck that relies on creature to win would play it. Pod included.
And depends on what kind of tempo you are playing. If they run enough creatures between Snappy young pyromancer I would bet it would at least be a s/b card.
Thanks for pointing out that storm and other combo decks wouldnt play it tho. Is my point any less substantive?
As mentioned, the combat damage clause. Secondly, Jitte can have counters removed when its just sitting on the battlefield w/o being attached to a creature. Card is broken plain and simple. If it were to be unbanned. It would get thrown into pretty much every deck.
I would use it in tokens...Merfolk Jund Zoo Bant etc. It would not allow a deck that is not powerful to now become a force (Like SoTM would) and it would decrease diversity.
Are these cards you want or cards you think? SfM is a for sure NOT coming off the list. Unless batterskull is banned. Even then, I doubt it comes off. Tutor/cheats into play is a huge advantage.
My 1 vote? SoTM. As stated it would develop a esper control archtype. And could also fit into other weenie strategies (b/w token)
GGT is absolutely safe to come off.
What about the argument that have BBE out increases diversity in that archtype. Yes it is random but with so many powerful cmc3 or less cards it can do what I call..unfair things. for 2GR you get a 3/2 haste with a possiblity of Goyf,Lilly,Bolt etc. When I say it decreases diversity I also mean that not only does it become an auot 4 of but the cards underneath it become less diverse as well.
Also I just hate the cascade mechanic as well. So I do have a bias.
The idea of GSZ coming off is laughable. Is it a fun card? Sure...but it is way way overpowered.
Bitterblossom as mentioned, has come off and fit just fine in the format. Hell I even think Jace would be fine in the format.
Would I like to play with Chrome mox..sure..but I cannot see that card come off anytime soon.
Cards safe to come off
Jace
Grave-Troll
SoTM
AV
PF
Preordain
BBE should not come back. That card does unfair things. When it was standard legal it was overpowered but lack of overpowered things it could cascade into made it playable. In this cardpool..just no.
I would like SoTM to come back. NEver got a chance to play with it and as a W/b tokens player it would fit in nice with my deck. Is this card really that powerful to necessitate a ban.
IF I have missed it my apologies.
So I have always liked the card smallpox and have been trying different ways to utilize it. I did mono-black; B/W; B/r etc and have liked different things about each strategy.
I settled on testing a B/w/r build. Took a while to get the mana right and it is still a little more unstable base than I would like but may not have a way around that. Only 1 spell has a WW or RR cost. The splashes are just that. Splashes.
bloodghast is a auto include. Great synergy. The main reason for white is lingering souls as well as s/b options. Think disenchant
Leads me into flagstone of trokair. Turn 2 Sinkhole is not possible with the 3 colors and Pox but I added 1 boom//bust
This is a excellent deck for bitterblossom now that it is unbanned. I can pump out alot of tokens between that and LS...Card draw is needed as well. I tried BOB in my other builds but life just becomes 2 fragile. My curve is still low but I settled on [card]phrexian arena[card].
Inquisition of Ko and lightning bolt seem to be obvious includes to stabilize early on.
My deck lacked a finisher and I didn't want to use a sword or some token pump and decided on elspeth Knight-errant. Honestly, if this card is legal I don't know why JaceTMS isn't.
Anyway here is my deck. Any input on card choices is appreciated.
4x Bloodghast
Stall/Beatdown
4x Lingering Souls
3x Bitterblossom
Card Draw
3x Phyrexian Arena
Removal Suite
1x Go for the throat
4x Lightning Bolt
1x Terminate
2x Victim of Night
2x Damnation
Finisher
2x Elspeth Knight Errant
Pox Package
1x Boom//Bust
4x Smallpox
Creative
1x Plunge into Darkness
LandBase
1x Arid Mesa
1x Verdant Catacombs
4x Marsh Flats
4x Blackcleave Cliffs
1x Blood Crypt
4x Flagstone of Trokair
3x Godless Shrine
1x Sacred Foundry
5x Swamp
4x Disenchant
3x Pulse of the Fields
3x Blightning
3x Thoughtseize
1x Damnation
I agree that township just doesn't fit. Not enough mana. Counters of choice are mana leakspell pierce and spell snare. mindbreak trap in the sideboard if ya need it for combo.
I have done away with swords. They are just to clunky for me. Planeswalkers are more versatile imo. the Ajani and Finks synergy also makes it into my deck.
I am maindecking 5 pieces of countermagic. SB I have put 5 more pieces.
scavenging ooze is another top notch card. Just hates on so many decks. Random lifegain can also save you. Love, love, love this and will post my full list after some more playtesting. Glad cocktrice is back up as well.
yes...yet another question about this flavorful card...
I know most of the time you want to flick creatures to gain virtual card advantage but what is the interaction with abyssal persecutor?
Would the game end (if opponent was at zero or less life) when Percy leaves the battlefield and before he gets flicked back in?
Also, would this ruling qualify as a state based action?
Even tho they lose him at end of turn...having to sac all 4 lands ends games.
Granting an extra turn is not what makes him OP...its his anni 6 when he gets cheated into play.
1. A cards quality isn't based on whether or not you play it as a 4-of.
2. Just because she costs 3mana doesn't mean you should/have to play it on turn 3.
The utilty is amazing. Badd B is spot on as usual. Almost any deck playing green can justify playing her as a 1-of.
Various strategies can take further advantage of her certainly,and the wild variety of her interaction make her that much better. (sun titan-witness) (gifts-witness) ect.
4.5 out of 5.