Mainboard Spellstutter Sprite is made better by adding Mutavault and 2-of Vendilion Clique (which can act as this deck's Thoughtseize, or on yourself to dump useless cards in certain matchups to find lands...or correct cards.
This decklist is updated with Hoogland's recommendations at the end of his article.
I honestly prefer 3 Anticipation over 2, and would rather drop a Vendilion Clicue or Restoration Angel.
This deck looks really fun though.
The cards have a really high power ceiling and the deck has a really high skill ceiling. Every land you play, in what order matters. 4 taplands, potentially 5 colorless lands, lots of fetches and shocks, alongside lots of UU costs.
So many of these cards have the potential to 2-for-1. Just seems like non-creature permanents could potentially be a problem if you don't counter them. The deck has quite a diverse and over-the-top lategame. Between 2-for-1 counterspells, flashing back stuff with Snapcaster Mage, Dragonlord Ojutai digging, Celestial Collonade for the beats, and occasional Sword of Light and Shadow grinding.
If anything, my guess is that this deck can easily fall behind and stay there if your opponent punishes your stumbly mana with pressure and makes you discard your answers (Supreme Verdict/Path).
YouTube it is. Will try and get a video together this weekend. Thinking of doing an entire series of videos this weekend.
I'll certainly watch all of them.
These will also be key to people seeing your plays and why the deck is great.
There is a lot more play than people think...Especially concerning when to just...do nothing.
I also think you should really consider a Dromoka's Command for testing. A Single one has been pretty powerful in my games thus far. 2 might be fine, but I usually use it to grow a guy and kill another one. Preventing bolts on Tidehollow Sculler also feels pretty good.
Definitely. Best if we're able to watch past broadcasts or you put on youtube, because it's often unlikely we're able to watch directly when you're streaming.
So something replayable would be ideal, be it saved Twitch videos or YouTube.
YouTube is definitely easier for us, but just let us know!
To make reanimator a viable consistent strat, rather than a fast powerful "Get you" game 1 deck: Buried Alive Dread Return (currently banned, never played in Modern) Cabal Therapy
Mother of Runes -> White Weenie Aggro can fight GB/x Midrange and some of the UR midrange/combo decks Misdirection -> Bad card advantage that makes U control/Midrange more viable and is the ONLY viable answer to Abrupt Decay. Makes combo stronger as long as Splinter Twin is a legal card... Riptide Labarotory -> UB Faeries/Value decks could use a non-manland tool. Interesting interaction that makes games go longer. Flametongue Kavu -> Adds a reason to be a red deck that isn't just infinity bolts, or a combo piece, or an OP non-interactive spell (Blood Moon)
Color combinations....
Anything that makes UG/Simic/Bant more viable would help.
Here is an updated Decklist and Sideboarding guide for the Dorkless Liege Rhino build.
Emracool you can quote me and edit this list for your exact changes.
This list includes a few small changes I'm trying out (2x Dromoka's Command, 1x Isolated Chapel)
Look below for Sideboard guide, hidden under spoiler.
Liege Rhino - Podless Pod Abzan Aggro - 0 Mana dorks.
Affinity:
Out: 4 thoughtseize 2 inquisition 4 voice 1 liege
In: 2 stony silence 2 engineered explosives 2 Golgari Charm 2 Nature's Claim 3 Lingering Souls
50 playtested matchups 49 wins
This matchup is laughably easy. Our amount of disruption combined with our clock is insane here. Taking out the hand disruption here is because it gets outclassed by our affinity hate. Liege is great, but a bit to slow here. The final card to consider cutting would be between sculler and voice. In the end, I chose voice as whipflare is sideboarded in in some lists and sculler cant be hit by it. In addition, it still allows us to curve and disrupt if need be and is a better topdeck then the other hand disruption. Affinity is all about flying so voice can rarely get its token.
Twin:
Out: 4 finks
In 2 scooze 2 engineered explosives
30 tempo twin matches 28 wins, 10 geist of saint twin (UWR twin) 5 wins, Tarmo 3 matches won all 3
We have a problem in a good way in that there are different routes you can take to put in, but very little to take out. Finks is the worst here as we have what we need against the tempo plan already. Scavenging ooze shrinks goyf and slows the clock of tasigur and murderous cut if grixis is a problem for you. It also blanks snapcaster targets and is an insane topdeck should twin find a way to successfully one for one you. Twin takes out pretty much the entire combo against us due to their very hard ability to combo off, making this a very favorable matchup due to our clock. The key to this is baiting counters, pressuring, and always bluffing or having the answer to a potential combo. They rarely go for it with open mana. Engineered explosives is great here. Put it on 3 and they literally can not win. They cant stick blood moon, they cant combo as the copies have the CMC of 3 , and they cant even geist us. Very rarely will they board something for it as its hard to expect it. If it is a more all in version of twin, I would add the nature's claim and possibly zealous persecution cutting voice as it becomes significantly worse if they only want to combo off.
GBx:
Out 4 thoughtseize 2 IoK 2 Scullers
In 2 Golgari Charm 3 scavenging ooze and 3 lingering souls
(30 matches yet to lose a game)
Why I have yet to lose a game should be self explanitory. This was meant to pray on GBx and it does just that. The hand disruption is very bad here and we go larger then them and literally produce a threat every turn while having the disruption to stop the bob and goyf. The scullers get the remaining due to it being the best topdeck out of the hand disruption spells as a 2/2 body at worst. Make sure in match ups like this to always say "anything with the trigger on the stack?" Most people dont see sculler much and will 2 for 1 themselves.
Burn:
Out 4 thoughtseize 1 path
In 3 scavenging ooze 2 nature's claim
40 matches 38 won. This is another easy matchup with the lifegain, the disruption for the creature base and taking the higher impact spells in conjunction with careful fetching. Thoughtseize is the only bad hand disruption spell here even though it does say save a damage, I would prefer save 3 or require burn to hit a creature with a burn spell to get a spell back in the form of sculler. Nature's Claim hits eidolon and our own scullers as well while slowing burns clock a turn or two which is all we need as they are a combo deck. It even hits more fringe sideboard play with things like ensnaring bridge (which is actually insane for burn). Scavenging ooze is more lifegain and a clock in topdeck mode.
Infect:
Out 4 rhino 4 liege 2 finks
In 3 engineered explosivs 3 lingering souls 2 Golgari Charm 2 Nature's Claim
10 matches played (Tyler Hill) won 5 of them
This matchup generally is unfavorable according to Tyler, but his mass experience with the deck has taught him how to plan against it, making it against a player like Tyler 50-50, but normally favorable for us. Rhino and liege are a clock, but here so are our other things. They have a hard time with the damage plan against us, most of our things are either disruption, low curve clock, or block twice. Lifegain isnt as relavent against infect , so finks gets the cut. The only sideboard choice here that might need explaning is natures claim. Natures claim hits inkmoth, rancor, ichorclaw sometimes if they run it, and the cards they might sideboard against us.
All control varients:
Out 4 abrupt decay 2 inquisition of kozilek 1 Dromoka's Command
In 3 scavenging ooze 3 lingering souls 1 Golgari Charm
(30 matches against UWR lost one game total, 2 macthes against esper and sultai won all games)
Most of our things are good against control similar to twin. what I like to do is slam a voice and play one more high end threat then never tap out again untill they answer whats on board, or slam a smiter and ride it to town after taking a path with the hand disruption. Inquisition doesnt hit the high end spells such as cryptic, batterskull, and keranos. Path stays in to deal with manlands, but abrupt decay hits very little. Scavenging ooze is a great topdeck, is a huge must answer threat by itself, is lifegain as every point of damage matters when control is trying to hit for exactsies, and blanks snapcaster mages.
Amulet:
Out 2 IoK
In 2 Nature's Claim
Hitting amulet and potentially leyline against a combo deck.Enough said. This is generally favorable as I playtested it 4 matches won 2 of them the 2 I lost he always had one turn to topdeck his only out to the situation and they somehow always did. Disruption is great against them provided we have the clock to back it up which we do most of the time. In this matchup, ALWAYS TAKE SUMMER BLOOM!! Steven Speck released an article saying that is the mistake almost every player makes. Summer bloom is the threat. We can decay the amulet if its a problem, but generally it slows them down a ton to take bloom. It is what makes GBx a favorable matchup for amulet, is that single mistake.
BW tokens:
Out 4 voice 2 path to exile 1 Abrupt Decay
In 3 Engineered Explosives 2 Golgari Charm 2 Nature's Claim
20 matches played against it all 20 won
Tokens blanks spot removal, so path comes out. Decay stays in to hit anthems as the 1/1's are terrible against us, the 2/2's and 3/3's however are a different story. Voice isnt needed as most of the things they do are in the air and are sorcery speed and they dont run enough removal to justify it. Engineered explosives just wins games when it comes in. Persecution is often a board wipe but it also screws with combat math and again just wins games. Nature's Claim at worst hits scullers to stall, but it is mostly a way to deal with hate and hit anthems.
Zoo:
Out 4 thoughtseize 2 inquisition 3 tidehollow
In 3 scavenging ooze 3 engineered explosives 3 lingering souls 40 tested matches
(30 tribal 10 naya) won all of the naya won 27 tribal
Souls is a clock with township as well as blockers to stall as every turn matters. Engineered explosives is often game over for them, and scooze is terrible for them as lifegain as well as blanking snapcaster mages. Hand disruption isnt good here as it normally just takes a creature that gets outclassed by ours anyway.
GR tron:
Out 4 decay
In 2 stony silence 2 Nature's Claim
6 matches played lost one game. Stony silence is the ***** against tron. In addition, claim is fantastic for us as it hits early dorks as well as wurmcoil and its tokens and O stone. Decay has few targets. This matchup is bad on paper, but in practice we keep them off tron a ton and provide a clock. They cant go over the top if tron isnt complete! It does help I played against it quite a bit prior to this deck and even used to play it for about 9 months.
U tron:
Out 4 decay 3 finks
In 2 stony silence 2 Nature's Claim 3 Scavenging Ooze
This is only here for if you play MTGO (I only play paper as I dont feel like wasting money on an online version where there is little payoff).
Stony is better here as it shuts off mindslaver and the mana accelerants they have, as does nature's claim but it also hits platinum angel. scavenging ooze shuts off snapcaster, the mindslaver combo, and provides a clock when all else fails. U tron has trouble against aggro, and this would be no different.
Living End:
Out 3 thoughtseize
In 3 scavenging Ooze
The only spells you care about are 3 CMC; the cascade enablers, fulminator mage, and blood moon. This could go either way for us as we can disrupt them with scooze and make them dig for the combo. If they get it fast enough, we lose. This is untested but is such a little part of the meta anyway that if it really is a problem I can suggest ways to tweak the board to beat it.
Blue Moon:
Out 3 Thoughtsieze 4 Sculler 2 Path 1 Inquisition of Kozilek
In 2 Golgari Charm 3 lingering souls 2 nature's claim 3 engineered explosives.
5 matches 4 won. Blood moon and shackles as well as batterskull are all hit by claim, and 2 of those are hit by nature's claim. Souls provides a clock and blanks removal. Zealous screws with combat math, and deals with an increasing win con in the form of master of waves. It was in the original and it is in this one to.
Merfolk:
Out 4 sculler 2 voice
In 3 engineeered explosives 3 lingering souls
3 matches 3 won. Souls forces them to have a spreading seas after our disruption to win. In addition, Engineered Explosives on 2 spells game over. Sculler gets hit by vapor snag and cant really attack or block much, so he is the worst here. He also gets hit with our explosives. Voice is cut as explosives hits it and there are few counterspellls merfolk runs. This is favorable for us.
Ad Nauseam:
Out 4 voice
In 2 stony silence 2 nature's claim.
3 matches 3 won. Hand disruption is a ***** for them, and we can get under leyline or destroy it with nature's claim. Claim also hits phyrexian unlife as well as the other mana rocks. Stony silence means game over. No spellskite to protect things, no lotus bloom, and no mana rocks. Voice is literally useless here.
Storm:
Out 2 path 4 voice 3 rhino.
In 2 nature's claim 3 engineered explosives 3 scavenging ooze
This is an untested matchup, however this is favorable. We have a ton of disruption preboard to stop the bombs from sticking. Post board, scooze deals with past in flames shennanigans. If they try and combo off fast with warrens, engineered explosives takes care of it and they lose from there. Explosives also takes care of ascension and electromancer. Nature's Claim beats the things they will board. We also have a clock thats low curve.
Scapeshift:
Out 4 decay 2 inquisition
In 3 scavenging ooze 3 lingering souls
10 matches played 8 won. Souls is a clock on its own that blanks counters. We have so much disruption and such a fast clock that the only way they have won every game against me is when they chained 4 cryptics in a row. Scooze hits snapcaster mages as well as is a clock. I like taking the enablers of scapeshift instead of scapeshift or if they have a slower hand the cryptic someitmes being taken spells instant win.
Bogles:
Out 2 path 4 voice 1 Abrupt Decay
In 3 Engineered Explosives 2 Nature's Claim 2 Golgari Charm
2 matches won both. This is super favorable. Zealuos persecution turn 2 often means game over as they lost the creature to suit up with. Explosives also spells game over. Hand disruption preboard is great but post board they board in leyline which isnt terrible against us but at worst we can natures claim it when we need to. Often though, we dont care about leyline and we just destroy an enchantment when they go for corronet and only try to keep the creatures at bay as a 1/1. This spells almost sure victory.
The mirror:
Out 4 thoughtseize 2 inquisition 2 sculler
In 3 lingering souls 3 scavenging ooze 2 zealous persecution
Persecution is great at screwing up combat math and wiping the opponents board as they always run the dork version. Souls is a clock and can block at worst. Scavenging ooze screws with other souls , is a great topdeck on its own, and is lifegain. I feel we are favored as we have more disruption then they do and we run manlands so we go bigger. The only not bad hand disruption here is sculler as it exiles liege or smiter or even rhino. I do feel although we seem favored, this becomes hand dependent and skill dependent.
I may drop the Nettle Sentinels though.
I often find that they almost never contribute to actually winning the game
and I would rather have another mana dork for those 1-2 land hands or a real card that helps develop a game plan to win. (Ezuri, or any of the lords).
I know it seems slow, but has anything me thought of Bident of Thassa as a 1-2 of along side cantrips, pure card advantage spells, or manlands like Faerie Conclave?
DoggieDoo- Great call on Faerie Conclave.
I have been tinkering with a transitional sideboard into more of a midrange/control build. I think Bident of Thassa fits right into that build. Also I am convinced that a more midrange/control build of this style deck can be built with Monastery Mentor, Narset, etc. It would obviously attack on a wide angle instead of with large chunks of quick damage, but it would be a ton of fun. I think Bident of Thassa the card advantage style card that style deck would utilize wonderfully.
Thanks for posting and for the awesome ideas.
You're welcome.
Now you'll just have to learn the video setup from the Modern Nexus elves guy!
Feel free to PM the info he sends you, always been looking for a convenient way to record videos.
Anybody care to post a side boarding guide? (Ezuri Toolbox version).
I'm not usually sure what cards to take out, as they all have a role to play.
So far I've dropped Spellskites and Scooze when I don't need them, and maybe the devoted Druids as they're just slower, combo focused mana dorks, who don't beat down in the backup plan.
Is it ever considerable to only play like 6-7 Mystic Elves / Llanowar Elves?
Next to devoted Druids and Heritage Druid, they don't seem necessary, but maybe they're required for speed.
You could path or natures claim your own skuller.Its good to use against burn
Forgot to mention this, yes.
Very relevant.
You can force your own sculler to permanently exile their card you just 2-for-1 yourself.
Sometimes that's just what you need though, especially when preventing a key card from opposing decks like Scapeshift etc...
I know it seems slow, but has anything me thought of Bident of Thassa as a 1-2 of along side cantrips, pure card advantage spells, or manlands like Faerie Conclave?
What is the two for one trick with Tidehollow Mentioned in the original post?
There's nothing you can do to create it.
If your opponent kills Tidehollow Sculler while the "EXILE A CARD FROM TARGET PLAYER'S HAND" is still on the stack, he dies and his "RETURN THE EXILED CARD" trigger goes off before he has ever taken a card, thus, he just exiles their card and never has a chance to return it.
So essentially, if your opponent has 1 removal spell in hand, you get to take it, and then sculler sits in play.
But if your opponent fires off that one removal spell (as if they were playing against Vendilion Clique) then they've just permanently exiled a card.
Just made this IMGUR account and I've got a bunch more albums if anyone's interested in commenting on picks/builds. http://bradiferb.imgur.com/
Always like to see what others would have done, and I don't have time to do full videos, so this is a nice middle ground to find time to take pics DURING the draft.
Corresponding Reddit thread.
Essentially, the deck uses Blue counters and Path to Exile/Supreme Verdict for disruption.
Silumgar's Scorn is turned into actual counterspell by revealing 2-of Dragonlord Ojutai from your hand, or by activating a Mutavault in play, which costs 1, making Silumgar's Scorn effectively = Cancel.
Mainboard Spellstutter Sprite is made better by adding Mutavault and 2-of Vendilion Clique (which can act as this deck's Thoughtseize, or on yourself to dump useless cards in certain matchups to find lands...or correct cards.
So, the entire deck operates at instant speed, except for Dragonlord Ojutai, animating and attacking with Mutavault Sword of Light and Shadow, and Supreme Verdict.
2x Dragonlord Ojutai
2x Restoration Angel
3x Snapcaster Mage
4x Spellstutter Sprite
2x Vendilion Clique
Non-creature Spells (22)
2x Anticipate
2x Cryptic Command
4x Path to Exile
3x Remand
3x Silumgar's Scorn
2x Spell Snare
1x Sphinx's Revelation
2x Valorous Stance
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
4x Celestial Colonnade
4x Flooded Strand
2x Hallowed Fountain
4x Island
1x Minamo, School at Water's Edge
4x Mutavault
1x Mystic Gate
2x Plains
1x Polluted Delta
2x Seachrome Coast
3x Aven Mindcensor
1x Celestial Purge
2x Disenchant
1x Dispel
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Spellskite
2x Stony Silence
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
This decklist is updated with Hoogland's recommendations at the end of his article.
I honestly prefer 3 Anticipation over 2, and would rather drop a Vendilion Clicue or Restoration Angel.
This deck looks really fun though.
The cards have a really high power ceiling and the deck has a really high skill ceiling. Every land you play, in what order matters. 4 taplands, potentially 5 colorless lands, lots of fetches and shocks, alongside lots of UU costs.
So many of these cards have the potential to 2-for-1. Just seems like non-creature permanents could potentially be a problem if you don't counter them. The deck has quite a diverse and over-the-top lategame. Between 2-for-1 counterspells, flashing back stuff with Snapcaster Mage, Dragonlord Ojutai digging, Celestial Collonade for the beats, and occasional Sword of Light and Shadow grinding.
If anything, my guess is that this deck can easily fall behind and stay there if your opponent punishes your stumbly mana with pressure and makes you discard your answers (Supreme Verdict/Path).
Anyone got ideas to improve the early game?
Variants:
Here's a few cards to get us thinking:
Could this list get greedy and splash black, red, or green?
Personally, Esper seems sweet.
I'll certainly watch all of them.
These will also be key to people seeing your plays and why the deck is great.
There is a lot more play than people think...Especially concerning when to just...do nothing.
I also think you should really consider a Dromoka's Command for testing. A Single one has been pretty powerful in my games thus far. 2 might be fine, but I usually use it to grow a guy and kill another one. Preventing bolts on Tidehollow Sculler also feels pretty good.
Definitely. Best if we're able to watch past broadcasts or you put on youtube, because it's often unlikely we're able to watch directly when you're streaming.
So something replayable would be ideal, be it saved Twitch videos or YouTube.
YouTube is definitely easier for us, but just let us know!
How's this version vs. Grixis Delver or Grixis Delve (Gurmag Angler > Delver of Decrets)?
Any idea what the sideboarding's like in that match?
Buried Alive
Dread Return (currently banned, never played in Modern)
Cabal Therapy
Mother of Runes -> White Weenie Aggro can fight GB/x Midrange and some of the UR midrange/combo decks
Misdirection -> Bad card advantage that makes U control/Midrange more viable and is the ONLY viable answer to Abrupt Decay. Makes combo stronger as long as Splinter Twin is a legal card...
Riptide Labarotory -> UB Faeries/Value decks could use a non-manland tool. Interesting interaction that makes games go longer.
Flametongue Kavu -> Adds a reason to be a red deck that isn't just infinity bolts, or a combo piece, or an OP non-interactive spell (Blood Moon)
Color combinations....
Anything that makes UG/Simic/Bant more viable would help.
Emracool you can quote me and edit this list for your exact changes.
This list includes a few small changes I'm trying out (2x Dromoka's Command, 1x Isolated Chapel)
I think Dromoka's Command will be particularly strong.
2x Forest
1x Gavony Township
1x Godless Shrine
1x Isolated Chapel
2x Overgrown Tomb
1x Plains
2x Razorverge Thicket
2x Stirring Wildwood
1x Swamp
1x Temple Garden
1x Vault of the Archangel
4x Verdant Catacombs
4x Windswept Heath
4x Kitchen Finks
4x Loxodon Smiter
4x Siege Rhino
3x Tidehollow Sculler
4x Voice of Resurgence
4x Wilt-Leaf Liege
Instant & Sorcery (13)
4x Abrupt Decay
2x Dromoka's Command
2x Path to Exile
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Thoughtseize
3x Engineered Explosives
3x Lingering Souls
2x Nature's Claim
3x Scavenging Ooze
2x Stony Silence
2x Golgari Charm
Look below for Sideboard guide, hidden under spoiler.
Liege Rhino - Podless Pod Abzan Aggro - 0 Mana dorks.
Affinity:
Out: 4 thoughtseize 2 inquisition 4 voice 1 liege
In: 2 stony silence 2 engineered explosives 2 Golgari Charm 2 Nature's Claim 3 Lingering Souls
50 playtested matchups 49 wins
This matchup is laughably easy. Our amount of disruption combined with our clock is insane here. Taking out the hand disruption here is because it gets outclassed by our affinity hate. Liege is great, but a bit to slow here. The final card to consider cutting would be between sculler and voice. In the end, I chose voice as whipflare is sideboarded in in some lists and sculler cant be hit by it. In addition, it still allows us to curve and disrupt if need be and is a better topdeck then the other hand disruption. Affinity is all about flying so voice can rarely get its token.
Twin:
Out: 4 finks
In 2 scooze 2 engineered explosives
30 tempo twin matches 28 wins, 10 geist of saint twin (UWR twin) 5 wins, Tarmo 3 matches won all 3
We have a problem in a good way in that there are different routes you can take to put in, but very little to take out. Finks is the worst here as we have what we need against the tempo plan already. Scavenging ooze shrinks goyf and slows the clock of tasigur and murderous cut if grixis is a problem for you. It also blanks snapcaster targets and is an insane topdeck should twin find a way to successfully one for one you. Twin takes out pretty much the entire combo against us due to their very hard ability to combo off, making this a very favorable matchup due to our clock. The key to this is baiting counters, pressuring, and always bluffing or having the answer to a potential combo. They rarely go for it with open mana. Engineered explosives is great here. Put it on 3 and they literally can not win. They cant stick blood moon, they cant combo as the copies have the CMC of 3 , and they cant even geist us. Very rarely will they board something for it as its hard to expect it. If it is a more all in version of twin, I would add the nature's claim and possibly zealous persecution cutting voice as it becomes significantly worse if they only want to combo off.
GBx:
Out 4 thoughtseize 2 IoK 2 Scullers
In 2 Golgari Charm 3 scavenging ooze and 3 lingering souls
(30 matches yet to lose a game)
Why I have yet to lose a game should be self explanitory. This was meant to pray on GBx and it does just that. The hand disruption is very bad here and we go larger then them and literally produce a threat every turn while having the disruption to stop the bob and goyf. The scullers get the remaining due to it being the best topdeck out of the hand disruption spells as a 2/2 body at worst. Make sure in match ups like this to always say "anything with the trigger on the stack?" Most people dont see sculler much and will 2 for 1 themselves.
Burn:
Out 4 thoughtseize 1 path
In 3 scavenging ooze 2 nature's claim
40 matches 38 won. This is another easy matchup with the lifegain, the disruption for the creature base and taking the higher impact spells in conjunction with careful fetching. Thoughtseize is the only bad hand disruption spell here even though it does say save a damage, I would prefer save 3 or require burn to hit a creature with a burn spell to get a spell back in the form of sculler. Nature's Claim hits eidolon and our own scullers as well while slowing burns clock a turn or two which is all we need as they are a combo deck. It even hits more fringe sideboard play with things like ensnaring bridge (which is actually insane for burn). Scavenging ooze is more lifegain and a clock in topdeck mode.
Infect:
Out 4 rhino 4 liege 2 finks
In 3 engineered explosivs 3 lingering souls 2 Golgari Charm 2 Nature's Claim
10 matches played (Tyler Hill) won 5 of them
This matchup generally is unfavorable according to Tyler, but his mass experience with the deck has taught him how to plan against it, making it against a player like Tyler 50-50, but normally favorable for us. Rhino and liege are a clock, but here so are our other things. They have a hard time with the damage plan against us, most of our things are either disruption, low curve clock, or block twice. Lifegain isnt as relavent against infect , so finks gets the cut. The only sideboard choice here that might need explaning is natures claim. Natures claim hits inkmoth, rancor, ichorclaw sometimes if they run it, and the cards they might sideboard against us.
All control varients:
Out 4 abrupt decay 2 inquisition of kozilek 1 Dromoka's Command
In 3 scavenging ooze 3 lingering souls 1 Golgari Charm
(30 matches against UWR lost one game total, 2 macthes against esper and sultai won all games)
Most of our things are good against control similar to twin. what I like to do is slam a voice and play one more high end threat then never tap out again untill they answer whats on board, or slam a smiter and ride it to town after taking a path with the hand disruption. Inquisition doesnt hit the high end spells such as cryptic, batterskull, and keranos. Path stays in to deal with manlands, but abrupt decay hits very little. Scavenging ooze is a great topdeck, is a huge must answer threat by itself, is lifegain as every point of damage matters when control is trying to hit for exactsies, and blanks snapcaster mages.
Amulet:
Out 2 IoK
In 2 Nature's Claim
Hitting amulet and potentially leyline against a combo deck.Enough said. This is generally favorable as I playtested it 4 matches won 2 of them the 2 I lost he always had one turn to topdeck his only out to the situation and they somehow always did. Disruption is great against them provided we have the clock to back it up which we do most of the time. In this matchup, ALWAYS TAKE SUMMER BLOOM!! Steven Speck released an article saying that is the mistake almost every player makes. Summer bloom is the threat. We can decay the amulet if its a problem, but generally it slows them down a ton to take bloom. It is what makes GBx a favorable matchup for amulet, is that single mistake.
BW tokens:
Out 4 voice 2 path to exile 1 Abrupt Decay
In 3 Engineered Explosives 2 Golgari Charm 2 Nature's Claim
20 matches played against it all 20 won
Tokens blanks spot removal, so path comes out. Decay stays in to hit anthems as the 1/1's are terrible against us, the 2/2's and 3/3's however are a different story. Voice isnt needed as most of the things they do are in the air and are sorcery speed and they dont run enough removal to justify it. Engineered explosives just wins games when it comes in. Persecution is often a board wipe but it also screws with combat math and again just wins games. Nature's Claim at worst hits scullers to stall, but it is mostly a way to deal with hate and hit anthems.
Zoo:
Out 4 thoughtseize 2 inquisition 3 tidehollow
In 3 scavenging ooze 3 engineered explosives 3 lingering souls 40 tested matches
(30 tribal 10 naya) won all of the naya won 27 tribal
Souls is a clock with township as well as blockers to stall as every turn matters. Engineered explosives is often game over for them, and scooze is terrible for them as lifegain as well as blanking snapcaster mages. Hand disruption isnt good here as it normally just takes a creature that gets outclassed by ours anyway.
GR tron:
Out 4 decay
In 2 stony silence 2 Nature's Claim
6 matches played lost one game. Stony silence is the ***** against tron. In addition, claim is fantastic for us as it hits early dorks as well as wurmcoil and its tokens and O stone. Decay has few targets. This matchup is bad on paper, but in practice we keep them off tron a ton and provide a clock. They cant go over the top if tron isnt complete! It does help I played against it quite a bit prior to this deck and even used to play it for about 9 months.
U tron:
Out 4 decay 3 finks
In 2 stony silence 2 Nature's Claim 3 Scavenging Ooze
This is only here for if you play MTGO (I only play paper as I dont feel like wasting money on an online version where there is little payoff).
Stony is better here as it shuts off mindslaver and the mana accelerants they have, as does nature's claim but it also hits platinum angel. scavenging ooze shuts off snapcaster, the mindslaver combo, and provides a clock when all else fails. U tron has trouble against aggro, and this would be no different.
Living End:
Out 3 thoughtseize
In 3 scavenging Ooze
The only spells you care about are 3 CMC; the cascade enablers, fulminator mage, and blood moon. This could go either way for us as we can disrupt them with scooze and make them dig for the combo. If they get it fast enough, we lose. This is untested but is such a little part of the meta anyway that if it really is a problem I can suggest ways to tweak the board to beat it.
Blue Moon:
Out 3 Thoughtsieze 4 Sculler 2 Path 1 Inquisition of Kozilek
In 2 Golgari Charm 3 lingering souls 2 nature's claim 3 engineered explosives.
5 matches 4 won. Blood moon and shackles as well as batterskull are all hit by claim, and 2 of those are hit by nature's claim. Souls provides a clock and blanks removal. Zealous screws with combat math, and deals with an increasing win con in the form of master of waves. It was in the original and it is in this one to.
Merfolk:
Out 4 sculler 2 voice
In 3 engineeered explosives 3 lingering souls
3 matches 3 won. Souls forces them to have a spreading seas after our disruption to win. In addition, Engineered Explosives on 2 spells game over. Sculler gets hit by vapor snag and cant really attack or block much, so he is the worst here. He also gets hit with our explosives. Voice is cut as explosives hits it and there are few counterspellls merfolk runs. This is favorable for us.
Ad Nauseam:
Out 4 voice
In 2 stony silence 2 nature's claim.
3 matches 3 won. Hand disruption is a ***** for them, and we can get under leyline or destroy it with nature's claim. Claim also hits phyrexian unlife as well as the other mana rocks. Stony silence means game over. No spellskite to protect things, no lotus bloom, and no mana rocks. Voice is literally useless here.
Storm:
Out 2 path 4 voice 3 rhino.
In 2 nature's claim 3 engineered explosives 3 scavenging ooze
This is an untested matchup, however this is favorable. We have a ton of disruption preboard to stop the bombs from sticking. Post board, scooze deals with past in flames shennanigans. If they try and combo off fast with warrens, engineered explosives takes care of it and they lose from there. Explosives also takes care of ascension and electromancer. Nature's Claim beats the things they will board. We also have a clock thats low curve.
Scapeshift:
Out 4 decay 2 inquisition
In 3 scavenging ooze 3 lingering souls
10 matches played 8 won. Souls is a clock on its own that blanks counters. We have so much disruption and such a fast clock that the only way they have won every game against me is when they chained 4 cryptics in a row. Scooze hits snapcaster mages as well as is a clock. I like taking the enablers of scapeshift instead of scapeshift or if they have a slower hand the cryptic someitmes being taken spells instant win.
Bogles:
Out 2 path 4 voice 1 Abrupt Decay
In 3 Engineered Explosives 2 Nature's Claim 2 Golgari Charm
2 matches won both. This is super favorable. Zealuos persecution turn 2 often means game over as they lost the creature to suit up with. Explosives also spells game over. Hand disruption preboard is great but post board they board in leyline which isnt terrible against us but at worst we can natures claim it when we need to. Often though, we dont care about leyline and we just destroy an enchantment when they go for corronet and only try to keep the creatures at bay as a 1/1. This spells almost sure victory.
The mirror:
Out 4 thoughtseize 2 inquisition 2 sculler
In 3 lingering souls 3 scavenging ooze 2 zealous persecution
Persecution is great at screwing up combat math and wiping the opponents board as they always run the dork version. Souls is a clock and can block at worst. Scavenging ooze screws with other souls , is a great topdeck on its own, and is lifegain. I feel we are favored as we have more disruption then they do and we run manlands so we go bigger. The only not bad hand disruption here is sculler as it exiles liege or smiter or even rhino. I do feel although we seem favored, this becomes hand dependent and skill dependent.
I may drop the Nettle Sentinels though.
I often find that they almost never contribute to actually winning the game
and I would rather have another mana dork for those 1-2 land hands or a real card that helps develop a game plan to win. (Ezuri, or any of the lords).
What if we drop to 2 Heritage Druid and drop 2 Nettle Sentinel.
Or even drop all 4 Nettle Sentinel; and replace with 3-4 Arbor Elf and the last Devoted Druid to be more consistent.
That also frees up room to up Ezuri to 4 or add more other utility cards.
You're welcome.
Now you'll just have to learn the video setup from the Modern Nexus elves guy!
Feel free to PM the info he sends you, always been looking for a convenient way to record videos.
I'm not usually sure what cards to take out, as they all have a role to play.
So far I've dropped Spellskites and Scooze when I don't need them, and maybe the devoted Druids as they're just slower, combo focused mana dorks, who don't beat down in the backup plan.
Is it ever considerable to only play like 6-7 Mystic Elves / Llanowar Elves?
Next to devoted Druids and Heritage Druid, they don't seem necessary, but maybe they're required for speed.
Forgot to mention this, yes.
Very relevant.
You can force your own sculler to permanently exile their card you just 2-for-1 yourself.
Sometimes that's just what you need though, especially when preventing a key card from opposing decks like Scapeshift etc...
There's nothing you can do to create it.
If your opponent kills Tidehollow Sculler while the "EXILE A CARD FROM TARGET PLAYER'S HAND" is still on the stack, he dies and his "RETURN THE EXILED CARD" trigger goes off before he has ever taken a card, thus, he just exiles their card and never has a chance to return it.
So essentially, if your opponent has 1 removal spell in hand, you get to take it, and then sculler sits in play.
But if your opponent fires off that one removal spell (as if they were playing against Vendilion Clique) then they've just permanently exiled a card.
Do you find yourselves in a place where you topdeck a land and wish you could cycle it?
Just made this IMGUR account and I've got a bunch more albums if anyone's interested in commenting on picks/builds.
http://bradiferb.imgur.com/
Always like to see what others would have done, and I don't have time to do full videos, so this is a nice middle ground to find time to take pics DURING the draft.