MTG Salvation

I did manage a RTR booster with both Vraska and a foil Vraska in.

After doing a double take I flicked through for an assassin token...sadly not present for the full house :-p

I still feel like the odd one out here, but is 20 Island, 3 Mutavault, 1 Nykthos such a sin?

Outside of Nightveil Spectre we tend to want 2 Islands. Unless we're talking the ability to play double 2 drop* the deck is happy to miss islands after the 3rd one.

Obviously I'm aware Mutavault is as much a spell but does anyone not just feel flooded at 25 land?

*I don't even think this comes up too often either...usually stuff gets played on curve.

Quote from RichardHaro

So I've won a gameday and a (very small) GPT with this deck in the last month. Good stuff. I didn't even drop a single game in the GPT.

And I still haven't managed to cast a single Aetherling against Esper Control despite having them in my sideboard for weeks.

And I still don't like my sideboard.

It depends how you play the esper matchup...I've been able to get one down by forcing them to react to the earlier guys and just leaving themselves open. Doesn't work if they decide to play around it all game though so got to sell them a little on the idea that you're playing other cards because you don't have the 'ling.

On Ratchet bomb - I'm not convinced on it from esper side against blue. It's ok, but most of the time:

Master some are sided out as removal hits him. So less tokens.
Cloudfin is a 1 drop, Judge's Familiar boards out a lot.
Frostburn can be good. Tidebinder is a bear.
Nightveil 3 is a lot and you don't want to kill own detention sphere
Jace/Bident 4 is a lot

Quote from momomoto

Yup, I'm ready to eat my words now. I played against mono-Black in the last tournament I was in and I was absolutely wrecked. I'm taking out the 2 Omenspeakers and replacing them with Bidents. Here's what I'm rolling with right now:

DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
Land: 21 Island 3 Mutavault Creatures: 4 Cloudfin Raptor 4 Frostburn Weird 4 Judge's Familiar 4 Master of Waves 4 Nightveil Specter 4 Thassa, God of the Sea 4 Tidebinder Mage	Planeswalkers: 3 Jace, Architect of Thought Spells: 2 Bident of Thassa 2 Cyclonic Rift 1 Rapid Hybridization	Sideboard: 2 AEtherling 1 Claustrophobia 2 Domestication 1 Gainsay 1 Jace, Architect of Thought 1 Mutavault 2 Negate 2 Ratchet Bomb 1 Mizzium Skin 2 Wall of Frost

I feel there's more I can do with the sideboard to deal with mono-Black, but I have to think about it a bit more (or just continue reading the thread!)

2 ways to go against mono-black.

1 is to treat them like they're control and board similar to esper, with negates, dissipate and aetherling since they'll have lots of removal.

Other is to try and tempo them...try and get in the air and remove desecration demon to keep making paths.

It's not an easy matchup...times I win it tend to be when they stumble and I'm able to overload a rift into them at some useful point

Quote from Novajoe

against RG devotion hybridization is, for the most part, just a removal spell. The only time you're really going to use it for anything else in that matchup is to flash in a green 3/3 to fight against mistcutter hydra.

It's also our only permanent answer to Polukranos as another way they can ruin us.

I've been running the same maindeck, the difference being I shaved a Nykthos to run 24 land rather than the familiar. I have the Nykthos in board, not another Mutavault. Having access to the 2nd Hybridization has definitely been something I've liked.

EDIT:
In terms of mono-red devotion, I've currently been boarding -

-2 Bident (too slow, doesn't impact board)
-2 Thassa (risk she's just an enchantment, can't afford hands with tons of her)
-2 Hybridization (I don't really fancy giving them 3/3s...this is a bit of a controversial one, but cutting guys feels even worse.)
+2 Domestication (Reckoner and Zealot are good steals. Devotion and as walls)
+2 Sensory Deprivation (the more life I save early, the less chance of Mogis wrecking me)
+1 Triton Tactics (sometimes you need that tempo swing, can't afford 2 in SB)
+1 Cyclonic Rift (tempo swing. Making them recast Reckoner is very nice, but likewise just saving damage early is fine)

I actually think the fact it comes in untapped and produces a colorless mana at worst makes it perfectly playable anyway. There's effectively no downside to just running a single copy on the basis that you might just turn it on by coincidence

EDIT: I mean, even in a deck that you'd think wouldn't get the mileage e.g. Esper due to low number of permanents...Jace is half the battle to profit, Detention Spheres stick around...and the payoff is definitely there in more mana for counter wars and bigger Revs. It really is the fact it has virtually no downside to running a singleton.

Quote from peke12

I don't understand why he (referring to Kibler's deck) always cuts 1 Path to Exile.
Such a powerful one.

I also don't understand the meaning of Ajani? Against which matchups do you board him in?

Because path is one of those cards where you can find yourself getting punished for ramping them, as well as it being a card you don't want to see multiples of against tron, scapeshift, UWR

Quote from bloodbrother

I like the interaction between Voice of Resurgence, Experiment One and Ghor-Clan Rampager. I'm thinking the 2 Loxodon Smiter could have been 2 maindeck Scavenging Ooze.

Possibly...Ooze would at least be something good against the midrange decks (Jund and UWR) and still have the honour of hitting the sideboard against combo as per Smiter. Not playing nice with Goyf is a bit of a black mark, as is the mana requirements to get a good beater (20 land inc 12 fetches is really built to not have the spare mana) and loss of a way to evolve E1 to 3/3 as the magical regen amount.

I'll give him another try since I didn't think about Smiter out for him (Pridemage hit the bench last time around).

Voice and E1 is a very nice interaction indeed. Any time you provoke a reaction you likely get a free evolve. Rampager is definitely the best way in the deck to provoke on your own turn agains the interactive decks

Quote from Xenphire

HandwrittenHero:

I hope you don't mind that I put all the text you asked for in the mid-left as opposed to divided on two sides The lake of symmetry with the text was triggering some OCD hidden deep down in the Dream Halls, somewhere.

I don't mind at all, they look fantastic Thank you very much

Quote from damagecase

Also I'm not sold on VOR in Zoo, as it seems like a less then optimal turn 2 play considering what aggro in general is looking to do.

Voice has performed well. In a nutshell, a 2/2 for 2 is hardly the most impressive rate but it's sadly not just a case of wading in with the beaters and being done with it. A lot of combat happens in modern and if people aren't playing midrangey creatures of their own (Goyf, Ooze) then they have ways to interact. Voice is a 2 for 1 outside of path as well as forces opponents to play on their own turn a lot more, making a Rampager play safer or sweeper insurance (along with E1's regen). Plus the token plays nice with E1.

It also comes down to curve...if the deck isn't aggressively using it's mana you will not win, so you want a good number of 2 drops and 1 drops. Even Goyf is bad as a turn 2 a lot of the time as there's a good chance there's merely land in the yard, so you get a squire.

Quote from damagecase

Thanks for the explanation. Have you considered Goblin Guide? Very aggro-minded and triggers the E1. My biggest complaint against him is I really don't wanna ramp my opponent but if your fast enough it shouldn't matter.

Guide is a possibility if really wanting to lower the curve. At that point you potentially move into Gruul for access to Blood Moon and better use of Burning-Tree and maybe Rancor if on the vomit plan. You run the risk you flat out lose to cheap sweepers but that's a meta call. I like being a bit more resilient and originally started building this deck to punish people who's only real nod to Gruul aggro was pyroclasm (great against BTE and guide, terrible against Loam Lion, Kird Ape)

Ive changed things round a little, purely in the SB



1 Ancient Grudge became the 2nd Wear/Tear. More flexible against twin.
2 Gaddock Teeg underperformed (too fragile) and became 2 Molten Rain (still for Tron and Scapeshift)
1 Sword of War and Peace became Sword of Light and Shadow. More stable effect (deck usually has 0 in hand late), still pushes through Lingering Souls and grinds out midrange
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben became the 3rd Molten Rain. Want to draw the effect and she's my most narrow card right now in meta (plus legend rule)
1 Torpor Orb felt ok against Pod and Twin, but in the interest of reach for other aggro and still having something for pod became a Grim Lavamancer. Unsure on this change.

Matchups and how I feel:
UWR - Happy with this one. Catch them a lot of game 1s by being faster than the average deck. Postboard can be rough depending how heavily boarded (Wrath and Explosives hurt) but I still feel like I should win matches.
Jund - A bit unfavoured. Glad it's seeing less play because they're very capable of grinding me out. Stealing game 1s from them having wrong half of deck helps or being fetch heavy. Game 2 and 3 I feel able to win, but as though I need to be disciplined what I keep.
Kiki-Pod - unfavoured. They're really hard to push through and when piloted well can just grind me out. I feel as though I win these games when pilot has a clunky one, or doesn't understand how the matchup works (and therefore keeps hands weak to my interaction)
Melira-Pod - bit better than Kiki...Voice is a pain but I feel like I get through the deck better than Resto/Finks in Kiki. I feel like I become the control a little more in this one since their average creatures are smaller in comparison to kiki's.
Scapeshift - Preboard favoured and postboard a bit rough but able to take 1 of the 2. They can just race, especially with roadblocks and lifegain (Baloth is a beating) but I feel like I at least have some ability to keep racing
Tron - favoured. The quick Wurmcoil games suck with out path, the rest of the time their pyroclasm is unimpressive, Karn doesn't like a board with a few creatures and oblivion stone can be slow when there's the risk of Boros Charm.
Splinter Twin - Game 1 is rough, they're more likely to win a race if they manage their resources i.e. not giving Spellskite up cheap. Postboard gets easier but still a matchup that's unfavoured.
Affinity - I feel generally favoured, they can present difficult to interact with states and evasion, but post board I should be able to keep plating away reliably.
Bogle - I just lose, can't interact. *shrug*. Bring in some sideboard and hope their horrible deck mulls into oblivion.
Burn - See Bogle. Then realise they don't really mull. Channel the spirit animal of LSV and draw all the Helix?


Anything I'm missing? Realised I've wrote a lot but it's mainly testing notes I had anyway.

I think it's about time for a sig and Avatar change:-

Request Type: signature
Size: Your choice - it's to use here
Your Specific Request: Voice of Resurgence in the middle, 9th edition art Kird Ape and Loam Lion off to either side. Text across top:
'Cause I want to live
Like animals

so you've got 'Cause I want to live one side of Voice's head and Like animals the other side

Not sure what font but something to suit...something that feels natural, jungle-like
If you need more animals to flesh it out happy for you to use Ghor-Clan Rampager, Loxodon Smiter, Qasali Pridemage (set artwork). You've got a way better artistic eye than me
Source Material: 9th edition Kird Ape (Terese Nielson), Voice of Resurgence, Loam Lion

Request Type: avatar
Size: For use here
Your Specific Request: Modern Masters Tarmogoyf artwork with text
Savage Garden
in same font as above signature so it matches
Source Material: Tarmogoyf artwork

Quote from damagecase

With that many fetches Steppe Lynx might be a worthwhile include.

I did try him...he basically winds up replacing the Experiment One slot if you run him since there's a lot of anti-synergy between the two and you certainly don't want 8 1 drops that are really terrible late game.

Lynx plays better with Boros Charm and usually pushes more burst damage against combo since you can more likely queue a big turn safely. Experiment survives a lot of removal better though and represents more reliable damage for the grindy games.

Plus 20 lands is not a lot, especially when you're pulling them out of your deck with fetches. Quite often a lynx could wind up sat around spent and ignored.

I thought I'd post my list here to try and get some feedback going since I worked pretty hard on the deck for the modern PTQ season, then recently came back to it just because I wanted something in my style and fun to play:




It took a while to get to this configuration...it should be largely familiar for legacy zoo except we just don't have the buttery smooth fetches...6 green, 5 red, 5 white was the closest I could get to 8/8/8 with Mesa clearly being the one you play out last if given the luxury.



12 plays for turn 1 is max chance of the brutal triple 1 drop draws. Experiment is the closest thing we have to a Nacatl, although he sucks so much late (relevant grindy matchups only). Rampager is our vital way through a lot of decks...combo he pushes damage, if they want to block he gets you through. Really valuable card. Otherwise Voice is new, but I can appreciate the hatebear element. Really fast combo aside, plenty of decks have to interact and he punishes them for it.



Standard spell suite, 4th path is sometimes dead. Boros Charm is so good for the deck. 4 you is fine, save my guys is usually brutal. I have got more mileage out of it as well with Rampager or a particularly big Goyf. It does happen against such as Tron.

Sideboard


Post sideboard games always tend to be messy...I like moving towards a resilient hatebears type of list, or just having bits of hate usually on bodies and racing.

So put together



Anything I'm missing, weak to, thoughts on the build? I'm not going to claim it's the next best thing (it requires effort to win with...I'm not sure yet if that's the deck rewarding decisions or just being forced and that must be a good 100 games in with most spent tweaking the sideboard) but I do really love playing the deck more than most other decks I've picked up in the format.

Quote from Seringit

The primer pretty much suggests that this is better than melira, especially vs each other. Why is Melira still considered the better Deck?

The primer for this deck suggests it's good? Shocker ;-)

TBH both the pods have different strengths and weaknesses. Melira is a 3 card combo whereas Kiki is 2, but Melira is lower on the curve. Melira's combo relies on the graveyard making it vulnerable to interaction there but Kiki has to go into combat which is a different set of interaction again.

Whenever I've played the decks, I've tended to find myself leaning more on combo with Melira since a lot of the creatures are individually unimpressive. This has got better with how well the deck can abuse Voice of Resurgence, but that's still a case of finding and exploiting synergy with such as Viscera Seer who frankly isn't an actual magic card in his own right.

Kiki-Pod seems to be better at presenting a midrange Plan A with hate bears and happens to have the combo, which appeals to me because when things don't come out right, you still have such as Restoration Angel that can be difficult for decks to deal with still. Although it's worth mentioning the deck does come out strange quite often - you can't really afford to mulligan the hands without strong plans (i.e. mana dork, lands and something like Glen Elendra, Aven Mindcensor in the dark) so there are games where you are durdling around.

Quote from TakeYourShoesOff

Do you still like Aven Mindcensor? I know a lot of people (myself included) have been moving it to the SB. Still doing work for you?

Also yeah Twin is a really hard matchup for Kiki Pod :/

I still like it main deck because it's one of those cards that can be at least part way relevant outside of the matchups it specifically targets. I.e. blocking a fetchland activation or damage in the air. I feel the same with such as Qasali Pridemage...a 2/2 with Exalted is an ok rate outside of the times where you get to snipe a Splinter Twin or kill a Cranial Plating etc.

Above that, game 1 against Melira can be tough since their combo is lower curve than ours so I feel they're more favoured if neither of us interact. Maybe Ooze is enough interaction though with Linvala.

Otherwise Scapeshift is a pretty grim matchup and he helps there. Admittedly it's whether a few % is worth it compared to improving over the field.

Quote from HandwrittenHero

"Domri Pod"Magic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
4 Misty Rainforest 4 Arid Mesa 4 Grove of the Burnwillows 2 Gavony Township 1 Temple Garden 1 Stomping Ground 1 Breeding Pool 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Steam Vents 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Forest 1 Plains 1 Mountain 4 Birds of Paradise 4 Noble Hierarch 2 Scavenging Ooze 2 Voice of Resurgence 1 Qasali Pridemage 1 Phantasmal Image 1 Spellskite 3 Kitchen Finks 2 Deceiver Exarch 1 Aven Mindcensor 1 Izzet Staticaster 3 Restoration Angel 1 Glen Elendra Archmage 1 Murderous Redcap 1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence 2 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker 1 Zealous Conscripts	4 Birthing Pod 2 Domri Rade	Sideboard 1 Ancient Grudge 2 Avalanche Rider 2 Chalice of the Void 1 Combust 1 Ethersworn Canonist 1 Fracturing Gust 1 Harmonic Sliver 1 Loxodon Hierarch 2 Negate 2 Path to Exile 1 Sigarda, Host of Herons

I gave the list a run out for modern FNM...not the most impressive tournament granted, but it's what you get in the UK during down season. 10 participants gives 4 rounds.

Round 1 Aggro Loam 2-0
One of the stronger players in store but his deck didn't match up well. Between Domri drawing creatures to grind past Raven's Crime/Flame Jab and Ooze eating his engine it became more like playing against a bad version of Jund. And this deck loves beating Jund.

Round 2 Mono-blue Tron 2-1
Game 1 on the play tron land and map. Urgh. Makes it a race usually. Trun 2 Academy Ruins gave away that I'd likely win the race (no fear of pyroclasm). Game 2 he didn't stumble and got there by taking the game long. Game 3 Voice of Resurgence beatdown and Avalanche Riders. Twice.

Round 3 UWR Splinter Twin 1-2
Not an easy matchup at all and strong player. Game 1 I podded into Spellskite to try and buy time. He tapped out, Deceiver Exarch and untap his white source, pathed my 'kite into untap and twin. Ouch. Game 2 Linvala and a Kiki for kinda protection while I held a Resto in hand and grinded him out with a series of ground pounders. Game 3 went long and I had to take a couple of Resto hits to play around opening up to the combo. End result to that was by the time I felt able to turn the corner with a Resto blinking my Finks and beating back he unloaded a hand of bolts and electrolyzes.

Twin is a bad matchup usually but the UWR version is harder still...they're a bit like us in having a beatdown plan but being able to punish with a combo.

Round 4 UWR Geist 2-1
Game 1 mull to 5 and stumble on lands is a good way to die to a deck with burst damage (and getting caught with no line other than birthing pod via phyrexian mana with 2 lands and dorks doesn't help).
Game 2 and 3 Voice and Ooze beatdown essentially. Finks/Domri etc helped out but the 2 drops did the heavy lifting as I went midrange.