MTG Salvation

• Current Banned List Discussion
Vent about what cards should be on it, what shouldn't.

• What Decks Should I Play?
Wonder what decks you should play? Ask here.

• Modern Prices
Vent about Goyf's price, speculate what will rise or fall in value, and ask for buying/selling tips.

• The Great Modern Meta Thread

• ktkenshinx
• Lantern
• Torpf
• amalek0
• CavalryWolfPack

1. All Modern Rules apply here, as well as normal magic rules.
2. This will be best of 3 games, Single elimination rounds(You win 2 games you move on to next round, you loose 1 round you're out). You may sideboard between matches. Should there be a tie, it will go to game 4, and on until someone has won 2 matches.
3. Winner of the Tournament will get an invite to the later in the year "Burning Pumpkin Brawl" Invitational Contest to duke it out for 2013's Best Modern Mtg Sal player, aka the Reaper King Crown.
4. Second place will get 3 points, and 3rd and 4th will get 2 points, for the wild card spot.
5. If you already have been invited and win, the initiation will go to runner up. If they also already have an invite, the semifinal players will play for it.
6. If a winner of a previous invite wins again, 1 point will be given to 5-8th place as a special community treat.


Part 1: Pre-game
1. You must have Cockatrice downloaded, with all sets updated, and registered on the main site. See http://www.woogerworks.com/index.php/accountregistration
2. You must post your cockatrice name, deck code , via post this thread.
3. You must send me your cockatrice name, deck and Decklist Via Private message. Deck list must be copy pasted from deck editor. AFTER THIS YOUR DECK IS LOCKED IN AND CANT BE CHANGED. See this link for the correct format to message.

Part 2: Playtime!
1.When the pairings go up on Sunday, its up to you to message each other and figure out when you will play, and who will create the match.
2. When you find a time for both of you, post up the time here, so we can get a judge, or at least a member of the community to view the match.
3. When you create the match, title it "Lantern IQ (name) vs. (name), make it so spectators can view the match, see everything and chat. Set a password to: Lantern . This way judges, and spectators can watch and interact if need be.
4. If someone is more then 9 minutes late, and did not reschedule ahead of time, it is a round loss. It is up to the players to talk that one out.
5. The winner of the best of 3 will advance to next week. If a Official Judge is present, they will post the results. If not, a spectator can vouche for the results. If neither are there, then both parties must post up the result.
6. If an Illegal action is preformed (missing a dark confidant trigger) and the spectators/judges present can not see the move for what ever reason (In this case, hands are not revealed) then it results in a game loss.
7. Byes and Free Space. Free space is reserved for 24 hours after the start of a tournament to change into a participant. These are either a late entry or someone who entered and was missed in registration. Should the slot not be filled, it becomes a bye. Should some one be removed from the tournament, either by infraction of rules or dropping, it will result in a bye for the other player.
8. If you don't complete your match in the 1 week time frame, you can appeal for a 3 day extension. If a winner isn't determined by then, both players are eliminated unless there are extenuating circumstances

COCKATRICE and its Legal Battle:
Currently cockatrice is having a legal battle with Hasbro. As such we will continue as planned, on a different server.

The host is: play.woogerworks.com
and the port is still 4747

When the connect dialog pops up, change the host category to the one above, and you will need to make a new account to be a registered user on that server. I don't know the link to where you register off hand, but I will try and find it.

How to change Cockatrice to: play.woogerworks.com.

1) Open the Cockatrice program as normal.
2) Click to connect and wait for the "Connect to Server" box to appear.
3) Type "play.woogerworks.com" into the "Host" box (where it currently reads "play.cockatrice.de")
4) Keep all other details the same (Port: 4747. Username, etc.)
5) Play MTG.

The link to register is: http://www.woogerworks.com/cockatrice/

Restoration: The Primer

Avacyn's protection is everywhere.

The deck known as Restoration is primarily a midrange strategy built around the strengths of one card: Restoration Angel. Restoration Angel is very well positioned in the Modern format: she's a large, evasive body with flash, which means she's just the sort of beater a midrange, controlling deck that wants to use instant-speed answers needs. But she does one more thing: "When Restoration Angel enters the battlefield, you may exile target non-Angel creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control." This exile-then-return ability (known colloquially as "blinking") is what puts her into the topmost tier of Modern-legal creatures.


How to Build Restoration:

Creatures

Restoration Angel: Must have. It's the namesake of the deck, for Pete sake! Having the large, instant-speed threat that is Restoration Angel is what makes this deck good. Control (or Control-like) decks that want to interact at instant speed love having their creatures be much the same. Her ability to blink creatures is just icing on the cake; even if she's not blinking for value, she can swoop in to rescue a creature being targeted with a removal spell or making an unprofitable block.

Blade Splicer: One of Angel's "friends" so to speak. By itself, Blade Splicer is a pretty good beater. Being two bodies is favorable against spot removal and Liliana of the Veil and a 3/3 body with First Strike is very good as well. The combined power and toughness of both bodies makes it very efficient as well, as it is essentially a 4/4 for three. But Angel puts it over the top. Blinking Blade Splicer essentially makes your Angel an instant-speed 6/7 for four spread over two bodies.

Wall of Omens: Angel's other friend. Again, by itself, Wall of Omens isn't a bad card. Being an 0/4 that replaces itself is not terrible, especially in Modern, where it's toughness makes it a relevant blocker. If your Jund opponent wants to get in with their Bloodbraid Elf then they need to get rid of the Wall. But even if they do, because Wall replaced itself in your hand, you don't lose any cards, which negates of card advantage loss from having your creature removed. But even then, waiting to remove it does not favor them either because, like Blade Splicer, Restoration Angel is going to turn that parity into hard advantage. This time by giving you another card from that wall.

Vendilion Clique: The best Faerie. Vendilion Clique is the best disruptive element this deck has. Clique wants to come down during your opponent's draw step, although it doesn't always have to, and tuck one of the cards in their hand to put an end to whatever they were leading up to. Keep in mind that you don't always have to tuck something, as Clique's ability is not mandatory. Assess what your opponent has and decide whether or not there is anything you cannot handle. Keep in mind that, if you need to, you can Angel your Clique to nab a second card. But keep in mind that your opponent drew four cards over the two turns you've done this.

Snapcaster Mage: Tiago is crazy powerful. There aren't many blue decks that don't want him. Use him to buy back your cheap removal and countermagic to keep yourself in the game. Being a 2/1 is relevant as well, as Tiago can certainly get in for a little bit of damage mid-game. Also keep in mind that Angel allows you to reuse Tiagos already in play, although you're paying quite a bit of mana for what ever spell that you're flashing back this turn. Can still be very relevant, however.

Geist of Saint Traft: The most efficient beater available to a UW deck is this format. Don't leave home without them. Sometimes you can win a game on the back of just landing one early and riding it all the way to victory. Also, keep in mind that this deck can durdle somewhat. It's not the fastest deck out there by a wide margin. So there are match-ups where you really need to just drop Geist and start attacking as quickly as possible, such as Tron and combo decks.

Master of Waves: At Pro Tour Valencia 2014 (or Pro Tour Born of the Gods, if you are so inclined) there was a deck known as "Blue Moon" that played Master of Waves as a threat. The thing about this deck was it didn't really have many ways to enable it: basically just Snapcaster and the Master itself, maindeck. This is because you don't really need that high a devotion for the Master to be very efficient: by itself, it's four power on two bodies. With just a Snapcaster it's six across three. We have a lot of permanents to enable him beyond that: Vendilion Clique, Threads of Disloyalty, and Jace Beleren! Moreover he's another very good candidate for Restoration Angel-ing. For this reason, it is my opinion that the Master is certainly worth a spot.

Batterskull: Nothing locks up a game like Batterskull. Its combination of lifelink and vigilance make it impossible to race, and if its germ is removed you can simply return it to your hand and recast it or equip it to one of the many creatures that UW Midrange is able to generate. Previously this deck's five-mana lifelinker was Baneslayer Angel but I can't for the life of me think of a reason to run the Angel over the Skull. One additional power and toughness, first strike, and flying just aren't as valuable as vigilance and greater resistance to removal in the role it must play. For this reason the Angel has returned to the bench and Batterskull is batting in her place.

Removal and Countermagic

Path to Exile: The most efficient removal spell in Modern. There isn't much reason not to run Path to Exile in any deck that has white in it. Cram these babies and never feel bad about it. However, a word of warning: don't be Path-happy. Giving your opponent land makes your soft counters much worse later in the game. This is one of the most prevelent mistakes new Modern players make. Know what you have to and do not have to Path. Your Mana Leaks will thank you for it.

Dismember: LSV doesn't like Dismember. But you know what? It's really stupid good. Perhaps its functionally colorless nature is a problem but when you're playing to win you ain't got time for dat. The cost of four life may seem steep, but you have to weigh the pros and cons of your decision. Take four now or much more later? When played correctly, that four life will pay off in the long run.

Mana Leak: Best counter in Modern. Don't leave home without them. Leak selectively and don't be afraid to Leak cantrips against combo decks. Leaking just to force a tap out is also not out of the question, provided that's what your gameplan needs.

Cryptic Command: Such a crazy good spell. Does roughly a million things and is almost never dead. Don't be afraid to bounch your own stuff, this is an ETB-heavy deck. Sometimes bouncing shocklands can mess with your opponent as well. But you'll usually either be counter-tapping or counter-drawing. Ask anyone who's ever played Cryptic and they'll back that up.

Spell Snare: Very good ancillary counter. Might not want to force the full four, but that's up to you. Nails quite a few things, like Snapcaster, Tarmogoyf, Lightning Helix, and Terminate. There are some rumblings about cutting Leak in favor of Snare and Cryptic because when Leak is good, you would much rather be playing Wall of Omens and Blade Splicer. After that period, Snare and Cryptic Command are fairly better counterspells.

Remand: Another good support counter. Some people feel it's a one-or-the-other thing between Remand and Leak, but that's not really true. One reason to compliment Leak with Remand is to keep your opponent from defaulting into playing around Leak. By running a split you can prevent your opponent from getting the read on your countermagic suite. A timely Remand when your opponent suspects Leak can wreck faces.

Other Spells

Jace Beleren: An excellent draw engine. The trick to Jace Beleren is to tick him up to five loyalty on his first turn and then tick him down on turns thereafter, ticking him back up again as needed. It may seem risky to give your opponent a card but keep in mind that for every card they draw you're drawing at least three.

Elspeth, Knight-Errant: Elspeth is probably the second or third strongest planeswalker ever printed, depending on how you stack her up against Liliana of the Veil. By ticking upward for both of her abilities as well as creating blockers she can be very hard to take down. She can also finish games rather quickly once she chooses to go on offense with her second ability. A good choice, if you're a fan.

Gideon Jura: Stifles creatures as good or better than Elspeth, has a removal option, and can end games rather quickly as a 6/6 soldier that cannot be damaged. Costs a single mana more than Elspeth but for that extra mana you get the option to kill creatures and your planeswalker isn't quite as soft to creatures that fly.

Threads of Disloyalty: There sure are a lot of little duders around. Threads takes 'em and makes 'em work for you! Watch out for Abrupt Decay and other cards that can destroy it, though. The good news, though, is that Decay is falling out of style somewhat now that GBx is falling in presence a bit.

Detention Sphere: Exiles just about anything, at the cost of three mana and the risk of being blown out by a removal spell. The risk is worth it, though: Sphere's flexibility and possibility of generating card advantage by removal more than one thing with the same name is very strong. Definitely consider this.

Sword of Feast and Famine: UW Midrange is, at heart, a CawBlade deck. A Stoneblade deck. Tap-out aggro-control. There is no tap-out aggro-control deck that Sword of Feast of Famine is bad in. This deck is so packed with power cards that it will frequently have a way to immediately use its untapped lands post-swing, creating some truly unfair turns.

Your Lands

Celestial Colonnade: The best manland available. May seem expensive, but keep in mind that it's a very lategame finisher. Once you're exahusted all of your opponent's resources this vigilant 4/4 is gonna get in there and do some damage. Keep in mind that because it has vigilance and doesn't tap when it attacks, you can tap it for mana - even if it's currently attacking! Works wonders with one-mana counters and removal like Spell Snare and Dismember.

Seachrome Coast: Enters play untapped if it's your first, second, or third land drop. Important because you need to play guys on those turns. Your first three land drops are clutch.

Tectonic Edge: Deals with opposing manlands (Jund's Raging Ravine can deal some real damage) and can pester color-greedy decks such as Spirit Jund and Penta-colored Zoo.

Eiganjo Castle: Prevents two damage dealt to your Geist of Saint Traft, which means it takes at least a 5/5 for one to block and kill it. Can help you get your Angels through or make Geist an impenetrable wall. Don't run too many, though, because it's Legendary. One is usually enough.

Moorland Haunt: There are a lot of creatures in this deck, and you can't really recycle them in any way, so Moorland Haunt does it for you. It uses all your deal Walls, Splicers, Angels and such to create a stream of 1/1 spirits for your blocking and attacking pleasure.

Sideboard Options

Stony Silence: Turns off artifacts, ala Null Rod. Does wonders against Affinity (even turns off some of their lands!) and Tron (no more trinkets or Expedition Map!). Outside of that, there's the occasional Isochron Scepter or Equipment deck that you may want to consider siding it in for.

Rest in Peace: No more graveyards! Turns your Snapcaster Mages into bears with Flash but the other guy is going to be having a much harder time. You turned off his Life from the Loam engine, his Past in Flames, his Tarmogoyfs are 0/1s, and his Lingering Souls are absolutely atrocious.

Negate: You definitely have Splinter Twins, Scapeshifts, Past in Flameses, and whatnot to counter. Consider packing a couple of these for a hard answer to those spells and more.

Supreme Verdict: Aggro decks can be a pain. Sometimes you need to clear the board to stabilize and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better board-wipe than Verdict. Allowing your opponent's creatures to regenerate is unfortunate (I actually pack Golgari Charms for these sometimes for that very reason) but all in all you won't go wrong with it.

Timely Reinforcements: Oh, aggro again. Gain some life, get some blockers, stay alive a while longer. Sometimes your opponent will Bolt themselves so you don't gain any life, though. I'm not really sure why they think that is a good play.

Celestial Purge: Lots of red and black things to exile nowadays. Good Junk and Jund sideboard material. Gets rid of pesky lots of things, plus Liliana, Ajani Vengeant, and etc.

Aven Mindcensor: Tron again! You don't want these guys searching their library. If you do, you're gonna have a bad time. Cut them off at the pass and forbid that crap.

Phantasmal Image: What legendary dude? Sometimes you need answers for Thrun, opposing Geists, and the like. Super ultra fragine in any other respect however.

Spellskite: I gots the duders, you gots the removal spells. Please target Spellskite with them removal spells. Great for protecting your dudes if you need to. Keep in mind that Go for the Throat cannot be redirected to Spellskite, however.

Disenchant: There is no shortage of artifacts and enchantments in Modern. Okay, maybe enchantments, but certainly not artifacts. If you anticipate either pack one or two of these. They'll save your hiney.

Sample Decklists:

DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
Azorius Midrange Edgar Flores 2012 Grand Prix Chicago - 11/10 Main Deck: 1 Baneslayer Angel 2 Blade Splicer 3 Geist of Saint Traft 4 Restoration Angel 4 Snapcaster Mage 3 Vendilion Clique 2 Wall of Omens 2 Cryptic Command 2 Dismember 4 Mana Leak 4 Path to Exile 4 Spell Snare	4 Celestial Colonnade 1 Eiganjo Castle 2 Hallowed Fountain 4 Island 1 Marsh Flats 1 Moorland Haunt 1 Plains 3 Scalding Tarn 4 Seachrome Coast 4 Tectonic Edge	Sideboard: 1 Baneslayer Angel 2 Celestial Purge 2 Negate 1 Ratchet Bomb 2 Rest in Peace 2 Spellskite 3 Stony Silence 2 Supreme Verdict

DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
Azorius Midrange Jared Buettcher 2012 Grand Prix Chicago - 11/10 Main Deck: 1 Baneslayer Angel 2 Blade Splicer 3 Geist of Saint Traft 4 Restoration Angel 4 Snapcaster Mage 3 Vendilion Clique 2 Wall of Omens 2 Cryptic Command 1 Detention Sphere 2 Dismember 4 Mana Leak 4 Path to Exile 3 Spell Snare	1 Arid Mesa 4 Celestial Colonnade 1 Eiganjo Castle 2 Hallowed Fountain 4 Island 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Moorland Haunt 1 Plains 2 Scalding Tarn 4 Seachrome Coast 4 Tectonic Edge	Sideboard: 2 Aven Mindcensor 1 Baneslayer Angel 2 Celestial Purge 1 Detention Sphere 2 Negate 2 Rest in Peace 3 Stony Silence 2 Supreme Verdict

DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
Main Deck: 1 Baneslayer Angel 3 Blade Splicer 4 Restoration Angel 3 Snapcaster Mage 1 Spellskite 2 Vendilion Clique 3 Wall of Omens 3 Cryptic Command 2 Detention Sphere 2 Dismember 2 Negate 4 Path to Exile 1 Peek 4 Spell Snare	4 Celestial Colonnade 3 Hallowed Fountain 4 Island 2 Marsh Flats 2 Plains 2 Scalding Tarn 4 Seachrome Coast 4 Tectonic Edge	Sideboard: 3 Lone Missionary 3 Rest in Peace 1 Rule of Law 1 Spellskite 3 Stony Silence 2 Suppression Field 2 Supreme Verdict

Old thread located here.