I've been playing Living End as my primary modern deck for a few years now, and I assume I know all the inns and outs of the deck. So I figured I'd share my list and offer to help around with answering peoples questions on the thread, and I have a card addition I'd like opinions on. I've recently been playing a lot of Dredge, but LE is much more consistent and doesn't lose to itself or to hate all that easily.
So this is the current list, and It hasn't changed for a little while now. The only thing I've been thinking about is adding a 1 of Grafdigger's Cage against Dredge (and some other decks)because it hilariously doesn't hit you. I'll prolly be cutting a Brindle boar in testing, but I'm not sure. Any thoughts on that would be helpful.
As for tips for the list:
Please don't play cards like Pale Recluse or Twisted Abomination. Even if its just a 1-of, The card really doesn't help. You're playing 19 (sometimes 20) lands with a whole bunch of cyclers to draw cards. You're gonna find 3 lands, believe me. The deck does not get mana screwed often, so playing landcyclers is just hurting you, even if pale recluse is a 4/5.
The 2 Faerie Macabre main are pretty necessary, and I have the third board. You often won't win on the first LE, so macabre is kind of a necessary evil to clear their yard for a second one. or a third if necessary. You get the point. Unfortunately, macabre nonbos with Deadshot Minotaur, as he must choose a target if there is one, so macabre ends up getting shot down post LE a lot. But it's still one of our only ways of going long and getting off multiple LE's successfully vs a creature deck.
As for the board, never cut any number of Ricochet Traps. They're too necessary against control or just any deck with counters. Remand .dec is painful for us without 3x trap.
Cards like Ricochet Trap are absolutely necessary against control. Now, about control: This is one of the hardest matchups for us. Any deck with a lot of counters (especially Remand) and Supreme Verdicts should be almost unwinnable if the control pilot is skilled. But there are ways around it, so I'd like to share some.Fulminator mage is absolutely your favorite card other than trap here. One of the main ways to beat base UW control is to cut off all their blue sources. get them to tap low, cryptic something. Then Fulm/Beast Within as many untapped blue sources as possible. Then LE, and fulm off any other pesky blue sources. Then they probably wont have an answer to your lethal board with only 2 plains, right? Also, one of the ways you can get them to tap low is by either suspending a Living End and waiting to capitalize the turn it comes off suspend and they have to burn mana to counter it, or by casting Simian spirit guides and other dorky small dudes. This way if you're just beating down and they are trying to hold up mana to deal with your important cards (LE, Fulm), they might eventually have to cryptic to tap down or bounce your dudes, which is 1UUU you don't have to deal with being left up the following turn.
For boarding, Simian Spirit Guide gets cut a lot more than you'd expect. You don't need to accelerate that much vs some decks, and other key sideboard cards could be worlds more important. Look to those as your first cuts.
And that's it for now. If you have any thoughts or comments on my list or writeup, feel free to ask. And I'll report how testing of a Cage in the board goes, though I would like people's thoughts on the idea.
My list is almost indentical, even the SB!
-1 Faerie Macabre
-1 Swamp
+1 Beast Within
+1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
-1 Brindle Boar
+1 Faerie Macabre
Urborg is to swampwalk into victory with Street Wraiths.
I put in the 4th Beast Within because it deals with... well... everything.
I also want the 4th Brindle Boar but we agree that the 3rd Faerie Macabre is needed somewhere in the 75.
My personal guess is that the two (teammates btw) figured that Living End was going to see a lot more play than usual at the GP and because of that, they need a failsafe for the mirror. Olivia kinda solves the problem by being the creature that breaks the stalemate that living end mirrors would become without mass GY hate. Getting to 6-7 lands is not unreasonable so having a mana sink that gets around the mirror is ideal.
Could please someone extend on Olivia Voldaren?
I can't get it why is she so good in a big GP sideboard... She's 4 mana and still have to pay for activations!
All reasonable. I wouldn't necessarily shock myself to cast the Archictects on 4, but if you get into hardcasting dudes mode, they are pretty nice as pseudo Fate Sealing your opponent for a draw or two can be back breaking in a tight game. I've also gone back and forth on the 4th basic, so I totally see your thought there. As for Lelyine, Travis Woo wrote an article about Leyline vs Faerie Macabre, and it more or less convinced me that the Leyline is the way to go. Yes, it is much better in the opening hand (which is why if it is in a sideboard it should be a 4-of), but it's not dead on turn 4 either.
I mean that you shock yourself if you draw the Watery Grave early in the game, usually not when you search for it midgame knowing that it could be useful in order to cast your blue creatures later. Leyline of the Void: Besides the "could be dead mid or lategame", you also (as you said) have to commit to four slots and it's a little harsh, it's more complicated to make last minute sideboard changes.
Also related to this:
Is there a particular reason you're packing 4 ricochet trap Pablo?
I play Modern like... once a year, and i actually own this deck. So this isn't perfectly crafted to fight a particular metagame at a given time. I usually find more difficult to play against counters and direct damage and that is shown in that sideboard configuration. With good testing (against a well known metagame) we could surely find something that is decent against counters in general and amazing against a given part of the particular metagame. Also, if you happen to have a second Ricochet Trap with no use in your hand, you usually already are in a good position!
What is the consensus on Leyline of the Void as a sideboard card? I've found my worst matchups to be Grishoalbrand/Viscera Seer/Arcbound Ravager, and while Faerie Macabre fits the gameplan a bit better, it really is kinda meh against a couple of these decks.
Architects of Will die to everything and aren't spectacular attackers neither blockers. Thing is, they cycle for 1 mana, and that is really huge in this deck. So, playing a shockland that will, ehm, shock you, only to be able to eventually cast them is not worth it. Temple Garden (should be a Godless Shrine with these fetchlands): It would allow you to cast only 1 card in 60, again, it's not worth it. ¿Why only one Pale Recluse? Well, they are slighlty better than Jungle Weaver but there are only 3 [card]Forest[card] so having a second could mean to cycle it for nothing.
I dont play any utility lands because I needed a 4th basic land quite frequently, and can't afford to shave any two colors land.
About Leyline of the Void: 4 mana is too much in this deck. It's spectacular if you have it in your opening hand but quite horrible if you don't. Also, this is not an all in combo deck, it has some interaction and sometimes you have to play it through in order to win (or lose). Casting it potentially does nothing (because your opponent already has some target for Snapcaster Mage, or some creature to reanimate, or Tarmogoyf helpers or... whatever) and is your open way to losing the game.
Draft Master —The 2015-16 Draft Master title, and the World Championship slot that goes with it, is awarded to the player with the most match points in Booster Draft matches at all Pro Tours in the season (a maximum of 72 match points are possible in a season).
Constructed Master —The 2015-16 Constructed Master title, and the World Championship slot that goes with it, is awarded to the player with the most match points in Constructed matches during the Swiss rounds at all Pro Tours in a season (a maximum of 120 match points are possible in a season).
Mid-Season Master —The player who is leading the Player of the Year race after the second Pro Tour in the season will be awarded a seat in the World Championship. For the 2015-16 season, this means that the player who is first place in the Player of the Year race after Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch will be invited to compete in the World Championship.
Outstanding Hall of Famer —This seat in the World Championship will be awarded to the player from the Pro Tour Hall of Fame who has the most Pro Points accumulated at the end of the season.
At-Large invitations will still be part of the World Championship, as any player who would qualify for the World Championship via more than one of the titles awarding a slot will create an At-Large seat.
With these new seats replacing the current At-Large invitations, the 24 seats in the 2016 World Championship will be awarded to the following:
(4) Winner of a Pro Tour in the 2015-16 Season
(1) 2015 World Champion
(4) Pro Point Leaders from North America
(3) Pro Point Leaders from Europe
(3) Pro Point Leaders from Asia-Pacific
(2) Pro Point Leaders from Latin America
(1) 2015-16 Player of the Year
(1) Grand Prix Pro Points Leader
(1) Magic Online Champion
(1) 2015-16 Mid-Season Master
(1) 2015-16 Outstanding Hall of Famer
(1) 2015-16 Draft Master
(1) 2015-16 Constructed Master
They still have an strictly overlaping invitation, since Player of the Year will be a Pro Point Leader in one georegion
So, even more top heavy prizes at GPs? They also said it would be 50000 for up to 2999 and 75000 with 3000+ players
I'm not sure if i like that or not, but i toyed with numbers and came to this
I have a question, what is the Jund Charm for? I've seen 1 copy of it in a lot of high finnishing lists. I mean, an extra Faerie Macabre seems better against graveyards (in this deck, of course), Living End is better against creature swarms, and the +1/+1 counters mode doesn't seem that useful.
I'm pretty sure I'm missing something about Jund Charm...
I think this is close to Wizards' point of view, regardless of what they say. Anyway i could agree or disagree with each of those views... that's a diferent matter.
Now, please, unban GGT...
Enablers of consistent too fast decks:
Ancient Den, Great Furnace, Seat of the Synod, Tree of Tales, Vault of Whispers
Rite of Flame
Seething Song
Chrome Mox
Ponder
Preordain
Key pieces of consistent too fast combos:
Sword of the Meek
Dark Depths
Dread Return
Glimpse of Nature
Hypergenesis
Blazing Shoal
Borderline overpowered and extremely consistent, a.k.a. BORING:
Bitterblossom
Bloodbraid Elf
Sensei's Divining Top
Jace the Mind Sculptor
Cloudpost
Green Sun's Zenith
Stoneforge Mystic
Skullclamp
Denials/Warpers:
Mental Misstep (denies every turn 1)
Wild Nacatl (invalidates every other aggro building)
Umezawa's Jitte (kills aggro)
Ancestral Visions (bonkers with cascade, turn 1 dependant)
Punishing Fire (kills aggro)
Second Sunrise (opponent doesn't play)
*************************************
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS?:
Golgari Grave-Troll (really, wtf?)
Do i need to explain? Probably not.
Anyway: Cards in hands are spells being prepared in the planeswalker's mind bla bla bla. Those discarded cards give something beneficial to the controler, hence rebuild/rebuilt bla bla bla
They are not the best but still...
My list is almost indentical, even the SB!
-1 Faerie Macabre
-1 Swamp
+1 Beast Within
+1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
-1 Brindle Boar
+1 Faerie Macabre
Urborg is to swampwalk into victory with Street Wraiths.
I put in the 4th Beast Within because it deals with... well... everything.
I also want the 4th Brindle Boar but we agree that the 3rd Faerie Macabre is needed somewhere in the 75.
Anyway, thank you for your post!
I see... thanks!
I can't get it why is she so good in a big GP sideboard... She's 4 mana and still have to pay for activations!
I mean that you shock yourself if you draw the Watery Grave early in the game, usually not when you search for it midgame knowing that it could be useful in order to cast your blue creatures later.
Leyline of the Void: Besides the "could be dead mid or lategame", you also (as you said) have to commit to four slots and it's a little harsh, it's more complicated to make last minute sideboard changes.
Also related to this:
I play Modern like... once a year, and i actually own this deck. So this isn't perfectly crafted to fight a particular metagame at a given time. I usually find more difficult to play against counters and direct damage and that is shown in that sideboard configuration. With good testing (against a well known metagame) we could surely find something that is decent against counters in general and amazing against a given part of the particular metagame. Also, if you happen to have a second Ricochet Trap with no use in your hand, you usually already are in a good position!
Architects of Will die to everything and aren't spectacular attackers neither blockers. Thing is, they cycle for 1 mana, and that is really huge in this deck. So, playing a shockland that will, ehm, shock you, only to be able to eventually cast them is not worth it.
Temple Garden (should be a Godless Shrine with these fetchlands): It would allow you to cast only 1 card in 60, again, it's not worth it. ¿Why only one Pale Recluse? Well, they are slighlty better than Jungle Weaver but there are only 3 [card]Forest[card] so having a second could mean to cycle it for nothing.
I dont play any utility lands because I needed a 4th basic land quite frequently, and can't afford to shave any two colors land.
About Leyline of the Void: 4 mana is too much in this deck. It's spectacular if you have it in your opening hand but quite horrible if you don't. Also, this is not an all in combo deck, it has some interaction and sometimes you have to play it through in order to win (or lose). Casting it potentially does nothing (because your opponent already has some target for Snapcaster Mage, or some creature to reanimate, or Tarmogoyf helpers or... whatever) and is your open way to losing the game.
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Blood Crypt
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Stomping Ground
2 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Forest
4 Demonic Dread
3 Living End
4 Monstrous Carabid
4 Deadshot Minotaur
4 Architects of Will
4 Street Wraith
4 Fulminator Mage
4 Beast Within
3 Simian Spirit Guide
1 Jungle Weaver
1 Pale Recluse
1 Faerie Macabre
4 Ingot Chewer
4 Brindle Boar
2 Shriekmaw
1 Faerie Macabre
I started to write in some comments but it seems most things are self explanatory. Anyway, ask out if you have any doubts.
They still have an strictly overlaping invitation, since Player of the Year will be a Pro Point Leader in one georegion
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/2016-world-championship-seat-updates-2015-10-15
I'm not sure if i like that or not, but i toyed with numbers and came to this
Or maybe this
I'm pretty new to this deck.
I have a question, what is the Jund Charm for? I've seen 1 copy of it in a lot of high finnishing lists. I mean, an extra Faerie Macabre seems better against graveyards (in this deck, of course), Living End is better against creature swarms, and the +1/+1 counters mode doesn't seem that useful.
I'm pretty sure I'm missing something about Jund Charm...
Thanks in advance!
THANK YOU!!!
It's more than 40% mark up
MORE THAN FOURTY PERCENT MARK UP
:/
Now, please, unban GGT...
Enablers of consistent too fast decks:
Ancient Den, Great Furnace, Seat of the Synod, Tree of Tales, Vault of Whispers
Rite of Flame
Seething Song
Chrome Mox
Ponder
Preordain
Key pieces of consistent too fast combos:
Sword of the Meek
Dark Depths
Dread Return
Glimpse of Nature
Hypergenesis
Blazing Shoal
Borderline overpowered and extremely consistent, a.k.a. BORING:
Bitterblossom
Bloodbraid Elf
Sensei's Divining Top
Jace the Mind Sculptor
Cloudpost
Green Sun's Zenith
Stoneforge Mystic
Skullclamp
Denials/Warpers:
Mental Misstep (denies every turn 1)
Wild Nacatl (invalidates every other aggro building)
Umezawa's Jitte (kills aggro)
Ancestral Visions (bonkers with cascade, turn 1 dependant)
Punishing Fire (kills aggro)
Second Sunrise (opponent doesn't play)
*************************************
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS?:
Golgari Grave-Troll (really, wtf?)
*************************************
/
Rebuilt Thoughts
Do i need to explain? Probably not.
Anyway: Cards in hands are spells being prepared in the planeswalker's mind bla bla bla. Those discarded cards give something beneficial to the controler, hence rebuild/rebuilt bla bla bla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oycMxJCIEE
So much noise, and English not being my native... is anyone up for a transcription?
Thanks in advance.