From what i've played against infect, we have a really strong match up against them if they don't get the miracle turn 3 kill, and we have ways to interact with them if we're on the play. That and fetching dryad arbor as an early blocker buys us enough time to get relevant things out to win the match up.
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From what i've played against infect, we have a really strong match up against them if they don't get the miracle turn 3 kill, and we have ways to interact with them if we're on the play. That and fetching dryad arbor as an early blocker buys us enough time to get relevant things out to win the match up.
It's rarely that simple. They can assemble a turn-3 kill more often than you'd think. It's the turn-2 kill that makes this a hard fight. Having a Dryad Arbor available to fetch can help, but it's important to recognize that it sets you back a land drop. Now you're not getting to cascade until turn 4 at the earliest (unless you're running Simian Spirit Guide), which gives them time to set up another lethal attack.
Dismember is the single biggest weapon we have against Infect.
It may not matter in many cases, but from some reading I've been doing on the living end deck, I've seen it mentioned(on the first page primer here) that you can change the target when using ricochet trap to the trap itself so everything else still works.
Like I said, I'm not perfect and often do misplays Haha. I sometimes get caught up in the moment and do the wrong line of play. Once the Trap happened though and all the creatures hit the board, he still scooped, but you have a valid point that all of us need to remember. I always read about the trick but I honestly haven't use Trap in months so that was a sloppy play on my part.
After thinking over my Burn matches, I may do 2 Gnaw to the Bone over Ricochet Trap. Brindle Boar is a great card, but now that I'm thinking over Burn's 75 cards... 1) There aren't a lot of creatures I would trade with Burn. Their Goblin Guide can actually be useful for us to skip our deadly dead-land draws. 2) They rarely ever play graveyard hate. I never see even encounter cards like Relic from them, so that means our Gnaw to the Bone should always connect for a lot of life. Instantly going up 10 and then another 10 means they have to do lethal twice now, which can be a lot of work (Burn decks tend to fizzle out once they start hitting their lands and have to rely on their creatures, which is our strong-point).
Cases in which I think Brindle Boar is relevant is Affinity. It's favored towards us but they hit so fast and hard with Cranial Plating that blocking a dude and gaining life in the same dude can be useful.
Like I said, I'm not perfect and often do misplays Haha. I sometimes get caught up in the moment and do the wrong line of play. Once the Trap happened though and all the creatures hit the board, he still scooped, but you have a valid point that all of us need to remember. I always read about the trick but I honestly haven't use Trap in months so that was a sloppy play on my part.
I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. Getting the effect of a cascade spell is pretty much never relevant; Demonic Dread is automatically countered due to loss of target and Violent Outburst could really only serve to make Avalanche Riders a 3/2, as he's the only creature we have with haste, but we generally cast it on their turn anyway. I think you're good
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
Thank you!
This is the exact 75 I played. I'l be playing the same exact 60 at the next PTQ in about 5 weeks, with a very minor change in the Sideboard due to the meta.
After months of testing, I feel like this is the exact 60 I want for where the Modern format currently stands. I highly recommend this list to new players looking for somewhere to start; stuff like the lone Dryad Arbor and the maindeck Jund Charm's just put Living End on the next level of competition. I love this deck so much. This is going to be a fun Modern season!
Thank you!
This is the exact 75 I played. I'l be playing the same exact 60 at the next PTQ in about 5 weeks, with a very minor change in the Sideboard due to the meta.
After months of testing, I feel like this is the exact 60 I want for where the Modern format currently stands. I highly recommend this list to new players looking for somewhere to start; stuff like the lone Dryad Arbor and the maindeck Jund Charm's just put Living End on the next level of competition. I love this deck so much. This is going to be a fun Modern season!
So you feel totally comfortable with four Pale Recluse? I've been running three myself, but so often I find I wish it would just draw me a card instead of a land. The fourth Demonic Dread is a little unusual too.
The rest of it looks good. It's been awhile since Shriekmaw got a lot of attention in this thread since he fell out of favor some time ago. Dryad Arbor is another one that people had really been going back and forth on for awhile from what I remember, but the more I play this deck the more sure I am that it's just so necessary.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
I'm building this deck, there's a PTQ coming here in Rio, in early march.
I like your list a lot. I like the fact that there's no Architects of Will.
My changes to your list are:
-1 Demonic Dread
-1 Pale Recluse
+2 Avalanche Riders
Sideboard is still very meta based... I haven't played any Modern tournaments here because I still don't have the deck ready, so I'll begin with a more generic SB
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I like your list a lot. I like the fact that there's no Architects of Will.
My changes to your list are:
-1 Demonic Dread
-1 Pale Recluse
+2 Avalanche Riders
GL at the PTQ I did run Architects for a while, and while I did enjoy it's triggers, I cut the 2 for MD Jund Charms. They are difference makers compared to the relatively small pay-off Architects off (plus you can't cast them, so it became awkward).
Avalanche Riders in the MD definitely is a good call, especially in meta's that aren't full of players who play all-in aggro decks like Burn and Affinity.
So you feel totally comfortable with four Pale Recluse? I've been running three myself, but so often I find I wish it would just draw me a card instead of a land. The fourth Demonic Dread is a little unusual too.
I can understand that. I like running the set of Recluse because it's one of my favorite creatures in the deck. Even if the land-cycling isn't grabbing us answers, most games I was happy to have two Pale Recluse out. The only creature I would prefer over it is a Jungle Weaver. Plus casting the Recluse isn't a bad option. A 4/5 Reach seemed like an awfully bad threat to any deck I played. Anyway, I almost cut it down to 3, and I totally understand if other people do.
This is very situational too - but I occasionally like the land flood... as long as we have Wolf-Run out Game changer!
As for Demonic Dread, I just like the consistency and being able to have more than one Cascade spell in hand. Thanks to cards like Faerie Macabre and Jund Charm, it usually didn't come down to me having to cast a 2nd Living End - but I like having that option. As time went on, I started cutting back on a few cyclers (like the Architects) and doing a full set of the Cascaders and Beast Within's because they are cards I am never upset to see in my hand. Plus, believe it or not, I'm being dead serious - lately the last few weeks, casting Demonic Dread on a single creature has been winning me the game. For a combo deck that relies on turning our dudes sideways, I appreciate getting all the damage through as soon as possible. Our combo relies on putting creatures onto the field and hoping we can get lethal - if they can delay us just a slight damage, I've seen games just go in the opposite direction because of it. Maybe it's a little preemptive, but I definitely am digging the 4th Demonic Dread.
The rest of it looks good. It's been awhile since Shriekmaw got a lot of attention in this thread since he fell out of favor some time ago. Dryad Arbor is another one that people had really been going back and forth on for awhile from what I remember, but the more I play this deck the more sure I am that it's just so necessary.
I don't like the Shriekmaw lately, and that was going to be the change in my sideboard. I'm changing the 3 Shriekmaw to something along the lines of 2 Gnaw to the Bone and 1 something else. Don't get me wrong, Shriekmaw is a great card against a lot of match-ups (Jund, Hatebears, Boros, Pod, and this one I'm going on a whim on: Infect). I decided to take it out for now though because I rarely saw any Jund or Hatebear decks at the last PTQ, and still feel we can play around their tricks. It's a good card and not bad to have 2 in the MD for the first game if people don't like Macabre.
I can understand that. I like running the set of Recluse because it's one of my favorite creatures in the deck. Even if the land-cycling isn't grabbing us answers, most games I was happy to have two Pale Recluse out. The only creature I would prefer over it is a Jungle Weaver. Plus casting the Recluse isn't a bad option. A 4/5 Reach seemed like an awfully bad threat to any deck I played. Anyway, I almost cut it down to 3, and I totally understand if other people do.
This is very situational too - but I occasionally like the land flood... as long as we have Wolf-Run out Game changer!
Yeah, I keep a full set in my list for the same reasons. I'm never unhappy to get a bunch of lands, considering I only run 19.
I don't like the Shriekmaw lately, and that was going to be the change in my sideboard. I'm changing the 3 Shriekmaw to something along the lines of 2 Gnaw to the Bone and 1 something else. Don't get me wrong, Shriekmaw is a great card against a lot of match-ups (Jund, Hatebears, Boros, Pod, and this one I'm going on a whim on: Infect). I decided to take it out for now though because I rarely saw any Jund or Hatebear decks at the last PTQ, and still feel we can play around their tricks. It's a good card and not bad to have 2 in the MD for the first game if people don't like Macabre.
My opinion of Shriekmaw has declined recently, as well. The only time I found myself needing it was against decks with Thalia, and I haven't been running into too many of those lately. I started with 2 in the board, but it became 1, and now I've swapped it for Dismember for a better game vs. Infect. Maybe that could be the "something else" you're looking for.
I'm changing the 3 Shriekmaw to something along the lines of 2 Gnaw to the Bone and 1 something else.
Use the extra side board slot to complete your set of Leyline of Sanctity. You lost your second Burn match-up because you couldn't reach a Leyline; add the fourth one for consistency.
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I had just taken my jund charms out for faeries, since if I'm dying to x/2 dudes with 3 mana available remind me again why I'm not casting a cascade spell for living end? Faeries seemed better at handling graveyards being free and uncounterable - and hitting 2 targets usually does the trick. The +2+2 I know is surprisingly relevant at times, but I've been feeling down on the other 2 modes of charm. Can definitely see how its better with faeries in the MD since you can sweep with charm, and then exile with faerie when it comes time to cascade - but I dunno, is another sweeper what the deck really needs?
I'm building this deck, there's a PTQ coming here in Rio, in early march.
I like your list a lot. I like the fact that there's no Architects of Will.
My changes to your list are:
-1 Demonic Dread
-1 Pale Recluse
+2 Avalanche Riders
Sideboard is still very meta based... I haven't played any Modern tournaments here because I still don't have the deck ready, so I'll begin with a more generic SB
I am a fan of the architects but I agree we have better things to run.
Why the -1 Demonic dread? In my opinion we NEED to reliably hit the living end at the drop of the hat, and while it is sorcery speed I like the assurance of getting at least something with cascade out.
My opinion of Shriekmaw has declined recently, as well. The only time I found myself needing it was against decks with Thalia, and I haven't been running into too many of those lately. I started with 2 in the board, but it became 1, and now I've swapped it for Dismember for a better game vs. Infect. Maybe that could be the "something else" you're looking for.
I tried shriekmaw, the theory being that it rekills what it originally did, however with the maindeck grave hate it quickly starts shooting down your own creatures, and it's spot is covered by dismember easily.
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Why the -1 Demonic dread? In my opinion we NEED to reliably hit the living end at the drop of the hat, and while it is sorcery speed I like the assurance of getting at least something with cascade out.
With so many cyclers, the chances of us hitting a cascade spell are really good, even with 7 instead of 8.
Removing one of the Dreads gives us room in the deck for more business spells.
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Dryad Arbor is another one that people had really been going back and forth on for awhile from what I remember, but the more I play this deck the more sure I am that it's just so necessary.
I forgot to comment on this, but Dryad Arbor is definitely a card that skips over people's mind. They forget it's there when we block, they forget it's there when we attack. Mind you I use the original version (the one that doesn't look like a normal Forest) and people still forget. It saves us turns from dying in desperate situations. Most the time if I fetched it with a Verdant Catacombs, it would allow me to play Demonic Dread with a legal target so I can start Cascade. Yes, there are some games where no creatures on in play, and it's a 0-mana creature that provides G.
Dryad Arbor helps and it's worth cutting 1 Forest.
@Punkster: it's really a preference thing. The cascade spells, even with a solid board state, are rarely dead cards. Violent Outburst is great for pushing in an addition four or so damage and Demonic Dread can just win games through blockers. It's amazing how often these overcosted spells are just game winning. They're business spells, just a little more niche. Adding consistency in our most important strategy isn't a bad thing, even if it slightly harms our back-up plans.
@Ixidor: Definitely. Way back in the day I used Forbidden Orchard as my land-based Demonic Dread target producer but it's just so...mediocre. Dryad Arbor has become, in my mind, an almost auto-include. Fetchable, techy, and basically all around life-saving.
Now I'd like to take a second and revisit Bloodbraid Elf. With all of this mainboard Jund Charm going on, I actually think she might be worth another shot. If you slip her into the Faerie Macabre slots (blasphemy, I know), suddenly you've got a slightly more reliable cascade going on. It would then hit:
So it's either going to remove their graveyard, Pyroclasm, destroy a troublesome permanent, destroy a land (with potential blocker option), give you a 3/3, hit a good post-board card, or set off Living End in addition to giving you a 3/2 body with haste. It also skips over Ricochet Trap post-board (that'd be awkward) and Simian Spirit Guide, if you're running him.
So consider the match ups.
- Is there any time when one of Jund Charm's modes wouldn't be useful?
- Will Beast Within ever be a card you don't really want to play? Obviously it's worse on your turn, but against decks where you're worried about your life total you're giving yourself a blocker that will trade with the Beast token or giving yourself the Beast.
- Fulminator will almost always have a target, and at worst he's a 2/2 body.
- The cascades are the most potentially awkward spells, but chances are around turn four you're ready to go off anyway. If you've already gone off, then BBE is a strong creature with haste who can buff your guys with Outburst or stop a blocker with Dread.
-Any of the sideboard cards would be amazing hits, since you obviously sided them in for a reason. Gnaw to the Bone is the only one that might be awkward.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
Now I'd like to take a second and revisit Bloodbraid Elf. With all of this mainboard Jund Charm going on, I actually think she might be worth another shot. If you slip her into the Faerie Macabre slots (blasphemy, I know)
I could also see having the bbe in the avalanch rider slots that many people have, would encourage dropping the macabres though as they are lackluster to cascade into.
Maybe 4 jund charms instead of a 2/2 split should you decide on running the elf?
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That is not dead which may eternal lie, and with strange Aeons even death may die.
Now I'd like to take a second and revisit Bloodbraid Elf. With all of this mainboard Jund Charm going on, I actually think she might be worth another shot. If you slip her into the Faerie Macabre slots (blasphemy, I know), suddenly you've got a slightly more reliable cascade going on.
YOU sir, are completely batty.
....
.....
....Dear god, someone has to test this. While I'm not keen on cutting Faerie Macabre, this crazy idea sounds good enough to try.
URGImperial AnimarGRU BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB WURNarset NostalgicRUW UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU UBlue BraidsU GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WUHanna, Pillowfort's NavigatorUW WBRAleshacratsBRW UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU URGYasova the ThreateningGRU BGGlissa the ArticiferGB WUSygg MerfolkUW RSquee, Value NabobR
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EDH: Borborygmos Enraged, Sedris, The Traitor King
60 Card: Grixis Delver, Living End, Shardless BUG, Ninjas
It's rarely that simple. They can assemble a turn-3 kill more often than you'd think. It's the turn-2 kill that makes this a hard fight. Having a Dryad Arbor available to fetch can help, but it's important to recognize that it sets you back a land drop. Now you're not getting to cascade until turn 4 at the earliest (unless you're running Simian Spirit Guide), which gives them time to set up another lethal attack.
Dismember is the single biggest weapon we have against Infect.
This is also true, if you're expecting a lot of infect in your meta dismember is an amazing tool.
EDH: Borborygmos Enraged, Sedris, The Traitor King
60 Card: Grixis Delver, Living End, Shardless BUG, Ninjas
Like I said, I'm not perfect and often do misplays Haha. I sometimes get caught up in the moment and do the wrong line of play. Once the Trap happened though and all the creatures hit the board, he still scooped, but you have a valid point that all of us need to remember. I always read about the trick but I honestly haven't use Trap in months so that was a sloppy play on my part.
After thinking over my Burn matches, I may do 2 Gnaw to the Bone over Ricochet Trap. Brindle Boar is a great card, but now that I'm thinking over Burn's 75 cards... 1) There aren't a lot of creatures I would trade with Burn. Their Goblin Guide can actually be useful for us to skip our deadly dead-land draws. 2) They rarely ever play graveyard hate. I never see even encounter cards like Relic from them, so that means our Gnaw to the Bone should always connect for a lot of life. Instantly going up 10 and then another 10 means they have to do lethal twice now, which can be a lot of work (Burn decks tend to fizzle out once they start hitting their lands and have to rely on their creatures, which is our strong-point).
Cases in which I think Brindle Boar is relevant is Affinity. It's favored towards us but they hit so fast and hard with Cranial Plating that blocking a dude and gaining life in the same dude can be useful.
ex-Moderator
Legacy love.
Mind giving us the list you played with?
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. Getting the effect of a cascade spell is pretty much never relevant; Demonic Dread is automatically countered due to loss of target and Violent Outburst could really only serve to make Avalanche Riders a 3/2, as he's the only creature we have with haste, but we generally cast it on their turn anyway. I think you're good
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Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
Thank you!
This is the exact 75 I played. I'l be playing the same exact 60 at the next PTQ in about 5 weeks, with a very minor change in the Sideboard due to the meta.
1 Stomping Ground
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Temple Garden
1 Blood Crypt
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Copperline Gorge
1 Wolf-Run Kessig
1 Dryad Arbor
2 Mountain
2 Swamp
1 Forest
4 Monstrous Carabid
4 Fullminator Mage
4 Pale Recluse
4 Street Wraith
2 Jungle Weaver
2 Faerie Macabre
4 Demonic Dread
4 Violent Outburst
4 Beast Within
3 Living End
2 Jund Charm
1 Jund Charm
3 Shriekmaw
3 Avalanche Riders
3 Leyline of Sanctity
3 Ingot Chewer
2 Ricochet Trap
After months of testing, I feel like this is the exact 60 I want for where the Modern format currently stands. I highly recommend this list to new players looking for somewhere to start; stuff like the lone Dryad Arbor and the maindeck Jund Charm's just put Living End on the next level of competition. I love this deck so much. This is going to be a fun Modern season!
ex-Moderator
Legacy love.
So you feel totally comfortable with four Pale Recluse? I've been running three myself, but so often I find I wish it would just draw me a card instead of a land. The fourth Demonic Dread is a little unusual too.
The rest of it looks good. It's been awhile since Shriekmaw got a lot of attention in this thread since he fell out of favor some time ago. Dryad Arbor is another one that people had really been going back and forth on for awhile from what I remember, but the more I play this deck the more sure I am that it's just so necessary.
Living End Contributor and Enthusiast
Come Pucatrade with me
Rules Advisor
Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
I like your list a lot. I like the fact that there's no Architects of Will.
My changes to your list are:
-1 Demonic Dread
-1 Pale Recluse
+2 Avalanche Riders
Sideboard is still very meta based... I haven't played any Modern tournaments here because I still don't have the deck ready, so I'll begin with a more generic SB
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
GL at the PTQ I did run Architects for a while, and while I did enjoy it's triggers, I cut the 2 for MD Jund Charms. They are difference makers compared to the relatively small pay-off Architects off (plus you can't cast them, so it became awkward).
Avalanche Riders in the MD definitely is a good call, especially in meta's that aren't full of players who play all-in aggro decks like Burn and Affinity.
I can understand that. I like running the set of Recluse because it's one of my favorite creatures in the deck. Even if the land-cycling isn't grabbing us answers, most games I was happy to have two Pale Recluse out. The only creature I would prefer over it is a Jungle Weaver. Plus casting the Recluse isn't a bad option. A 4/5 Reach seemed like an awfully bad threat to any deck I played. Anyway, I almost cut it down to 3, and I totally understand if other people do.
This is very situational too - but I occasionally like the land flood... as long as we have Wolf-Run out Game changer!
As for Demonic Dread, I just like the consistency and being able to have more than one Cascade spell in hand. Thanks to cards like Faerie Macabre and Jund Charm, it usually didn't come down to me having to cast a 2nd Living End - but I like having that option. As time went on, I started cutting back on a few cyclers (like the Architects) and doing a full set of the Cascaders and Beast Within's because they are cards I am never upset to see in my hand. Plus, believe it or not, I'm being dead serious - lately the last few weeks, casting Demonic Dread on a single creature has been winning me the game. For a combo deck that relies on turning our dudes sideways, I appreciate getting all the damage through as soon as possible. Our combo relies on putting creatures onto the field and hoping we can get lethal - if they can delay us just a slight damage, I've seen games just go in the opposite direction because of it. Maybe it's a little preemptive, but I definitely am digging the 4th Demonic Dread.
I don't like the Shriekmaw lately, and that was going to be the change in my sideboard. I'm changing the 3 Shriekmaw to something along the lines of 2 Gnaw to the Bone and 1 something else. Don't get me wrong, Shriekmaw is a great card against a lot of match-ups (Jund, Hatebears, Boros, Pod, and this one I'm going on a whim on: Infect). I decided to take it out for now though because I rarely saw any Jund or Hatebear decks at the last PTQ, and still feel we can play around their tricks. It's a good card and not bad to have 2 in the MD for the first game if people don't like Macabre.
ex-Moderator
Legacy love.
Yeah, I keep a full set in my list for the same reasons. I'm never unhappy to get a bunch of lands, considering I only run 19.
My opinion of Shriekmaw has declined recently, as well. The only time I found myself needing it was against decks with Thalia, and I haven't been running into too many of those lately. I started with 2 in the board, but it became 1, and now I've swapped it for Dismember for a better game vs. Infect. Maybe that could be the "something else" you're looking for.
Use the extra side board slot to complete your set of Leyline of Sanctity. You lost your second Burn match-up because you couldn't reach a Leyline; add the fourth one for consistency.
You value knowledge, logic, and deceit. You love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At your best, you are brilliant and progressive. At your worst, you are treacherous and cold. Your symbol is a water droplet. Your enemies are green and red.
I had just taken my jund charms out for faeries, since if I'm dying to x/2 dudes with 3 mana available remind me again why I'm not casting a cascade spell for living end? Faeries seemed better at handling graveyards being free and uncounterable - and hitting 2 targets usually does the trick. The +2+2 I know is surprisingly relevant at times, but I've been feeling down on the other 2 modes of charm. Can definitely see how its better with faeries in the MD since you can sweep with charm, and then exile with faerie when it comes time to cascade - but I dunno, is another sweeper what the deck really needs?
I am a fan of the architects but I agree we have better things to run.
Why the -1 Demonic dread? In my opinion we NEED to reliably hit the living end at the drop of the hat, and while it is sorcery speed I like the assurance of getting at least something with cascade out.
I tried shriekmaw, the theory being that it rekills what it originally did, however with the maindeck grave hate it quickly starts shooting down your own creatures, and it's spot is covered by dismember easily.
EDH: Borborygmos Enraged, Sedris, The Traitor King
60 Card: Grixis Delver, Living End, Shardless BUG, Ninjas
With so many cyclers, the chances of us hitting a cascade spell are really good, even with 7 instead of 8.
Removing one of the Dreads gives us room in the deck for more business spells.
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
I forgot to comment on this, but Dryad Arbor is definitely a card that skips over people's mind. They forget it's there when we block, they forget it's there when we attack. Mind you I use the original version (the one that doesn't look like a normal Forest) and people still forget. It saves us turns from dying in desperate situations. Most the time if I fetched it with a Verdant Catacombs, it would allow me to play Demonic Dread with a legal target so I can start Cascade. Yes, there are some games where no creatures on in play, and it's a 0-mana creature that provides G.
Dryad Arbor helps and it's worth cutting 1 Forest.
ex-Moderator
Legacy love.
@Ixidor: Definitely. Way back in the day I used Forbidden Orchard as my land-based Demonic Dread target producer but it's just so...mediocre. Dryad Arbor has become, in my mind, an almost auto-include. Fetchable, techy, and basically all around life-saving.
Now I'd like to take a second and revisit Bloodbraid Elf. With all of this mainboard Jund Charm going on, I actually think she might be worth another shot. If you slip her into the Faerie Macabre slots (blasphemy, I know), suddenly you've got a slightly more reliable cascade going on. It would then hit:
So it's either going to remove their graveyard, Pyroclasm, destroy a troublesome permanent, destroy a land (with potential blocker option), give you a 3/3, hit a good post-board card, or set off Living End in addition to giving you a 3/2 body with haste. It also skips over Ricochet Trap post-board (that'd be awkward) and Simian Spirit Guide, if you're running him.
So consider the match ups.
- Is there any time when one of Jund Charm's modes wouldn't be useful?
- Will Beast Within ever be a card you don't really want to play? Obviously it's worse on your turn, but against decks where you're worried about your life total you're giving yourself a blocker that will trade with the Beast token or giving yourself the Beast.
- Fulminator will almost always have a target, and at worst he's a 2/2 body.
- The cascades are the most potentially awkward spells, but chances are around turn four you're ready to go off anyway. If you've already gone off, then BBE is a strong creature with haste who can buff your guys with Outburst or stop a blocker with Dread.
-Any of the sideboard cards would be amazing hits, since you obviously sided them in for a reason. Gnaw to the Bone is the only one that might be awkward.
Living End Contributor and Enthusiast
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Rules Advisor
Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR
I could also see having the bbe in the avalanch rider slots that many people have, would encourage dropping the macabres though as they are lackluster to cascade into.
Maybe 4 jund charms instead of a 2/2 split should you decide on running the elf?
EDH: Borborygmos Enraged, Sedris, The Traitor King
60 Card: Grixis Delver, Living End, Shardless BUG, Ninjas
YOU sir, are completely batty.
....
.....
....Dear god, someone has to test this. While I'm not keen on cutting Faerie Macabre, this crazy idea sounds good enough to try.
I'll be on it as soon as I get home from work tonight
I dislike MTGO, but it's so great for playtesting. If only I had some Scalding Tarns I could test an even crazier idea.
Living End Contributor and Enthusiast
Come Pucatrade with me
Rules Advisor
Modern: BRGLiving EndGRB
Legacy: UBGShardless BUGGBU
BRGProssh, Tokenmaker of KherGRB
WURNarset NostalgicRUW
UBR"I like your deck better" JelevaRBU
UBlue BraidsU
GAzusa, Lost but RampingG
WBRAleshacratsBRW
UBRGrixis Pew PewRBU
URGYasova the ThreateningGRU
BGGlissa the ArticiferGB
WUSygg MerfolkUW
RSquee, Value NabobR