Any thoughts on a "transformative sideboard" plan that boards out Approaches in Game 2 for creature-based win conditions? Might be a worthwhile strategy against black decks to make them whiff on the inevitable Lost Legacy, and would also potentially give them fewer Duress targets.
With a deck like this, it seems like playing your opponent becomes very important with the sideboard--they know your primary win con after Game 1 (heck, it's about the only win con we have game 1), and shifting things up entirely game 2 seems like a viable strategy. Lose Game 2 and you could either board Approach back in, or else bluff that you're doing so, which can only add to your opponent's uncertainty.
I see both sides @the_codaddy. Everyone is going to board in Negate and Duress if they have it and board out most of their removal and wipes. So bringing in 6-10 really impactful dudes sounds like a good idea. But does that just turn us into a bad mid-range deck at that point? Not sure what the correct answer.
Currently, I am running 2 Gideon's main. The sideboard strategy that I have been working on is +2-3 Gearhulk, +3 Regal Caracal and +2 Sunscourge Champion (+2 Glorybringer if running Jeskai instead of champs). So far this has worked pretty well. Just don't know if this is the route we need to go. Almost think we should lean more towards what the current U/B Control lists are doing main. 5 dudes and a ton of counters. We have better wipes but they have better spot removal. But almost fill like if we go that route we should build the deck/sideboard around beating Temur first, then everyone else. Right now, it is the top deck in standard. And it does not look like it is going anywhere anytime soon.
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Modern
Currently Playing UW UW Control/Miracles R Skred Red
Any thoughts on a "transformative sideboard" plan that boards out Approaches in Game 2 for creature-based win conditions? Might be a worthwhile strategy against black decks to make them whiff on the inevitable Lost Legacy, and would also potentially give them fewer Duress targets.
With a deck like this, it seems like playing your opponent becomes very important with the sideboard--they know your primary win con after Game 1 (heck, it's about the only win con we have game 1), and shifting things up entirely game 2 seems like a viable strategy. Lose Game 2 and you could either board Approach back in, or else bluff that you're doing so, which can only add to your opponent's uncertainty.
Thoughts?
I have already posted my deck on the previous page which runs exactly that type of "transformative sideboard" plan with lots of dudes coming in from the sideboard and that plan has already won me the small 3 round tourney that I played two weeks ago. However, I didn't run any expensive creatures like Gearhulks or any Gideons either.
The last round was against a U/B player which fell into the trap and sided out his creature kill for hand destruction and then got taken apart by my guys while he was busy duressing me of my negates and approaches.
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Sideboarding games against Temur are hard lately. spell pierce is being identified as the key board in against U/W Approach. Good Temur pilots understand just how much pressure they need to apply, and hold back threats while cubs/ refiners get the beats when we are on the draw. Usually it goes T1 attune, into cub, T3 Refiner/Virtuoso, and from there they can pressure hard. It's one of the reasons I've come to accept Aether Meltdown's role in the deck. The Deserts, "package", it's not much of a package, it's added cyclers, and enablers for my 2 Desert's Hold's. My meta very aggro (B/R aggro won the last PPTQ), and shutting off a relevant threats is important in my meta. The Net +3 life is as well, is it better to Run Ixaln's Bidding? I like playing at instant speed, I like the option of cycling away Cast Out when I need a 3 or 5th land drop. My decks have built in flexibility/ synergy. In that sense I treat the desert's as 3 things:
1) Turn on my D's Holds
2) Mill Myself for 2nd Approach
3) Mill my opponent (This happens against every U/B Control deck G1)
4) Cycling (Sure it's only 2 cycling lands) but when you add that to the 14 other cyclers in my deck, I always draw a ton of cards
5) Field of Ruin myself if my mana doesn't work out (happens sometimes)
Just a few scenarios, is it better to just run a more consistent mana base? Sure, maybe, but the U/B Control match up is way harder G1, I mean MUCH harder.
Real questions:
Sb plan for beating Temur on the draw (this include Sultai which is an atrocious match up after board)
U/B G2-3, we need a juke, and some kind of early threat to get under them.
G1's are always fine, unless you are playing against mono red,or b/r aggro, Another deck that is coming is GPG, I've been looking at Ashes of the Abhorrent and wondering when it'll be time for this card to merit a Sb slot (it's not a great piece of GY hate but it's not terrible if GY decks pick up in popularity).
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Standard Arena: Eh? Gruul or Die
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now: G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record) C Eldrazi Tron (9-5) UG Infect RW Burn
The 3 Fetid Pools are there to provide fuel for Hostile Desert as well as give extra draw power. They're better than Desert of the Mindful (my other choice) because the cycling cost is generic mana. Since I'm running 4 colorless lands in the deck, it's not irrelevant. Hostile Desert itself has been a welcome win-con vs Control. If anything, it serves as decoy to try and save any flipped Azcantas from being popped by Field of Ruin.
The other non-standard choices I've made are the MB Ixalan's Binding and Pull from Tomorrow. Ixalan's Binding was being brought in vs every match-up but control, as it's amazing for stranding key cards in your opponent's hand. Pull from Tomorrow has been fantastic every time I've seen it. It almost always draws more cards then the 4th Censor it replaced would have, and is great to cast the turn after you Approach to dig deep and find it faster.
The biggest change I'm considering is replacing the SB Sunscourge Champions with Gideon's Intervention, as I find I can never have enough answers to Carnage Tyrant. The extra utility in naming counterspells to help force through Approach also seems interesting to try.
@Thallax - good looking list, very similar to what I am running when on UW. I agree 100% with Ixalan's Binding and Pull. Currently running a 3/1 split with cast out, just like you, and been very happy with it. And a 1 of for Pull seems like the right number also. A late-game pull for 8-10 usually gets my opponent to scoop.
Question, how do the 2 Approaches work for you? Do you find some games just dragging because you have the board state under control but can't draw your win-con?
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Modern
Currently Playing UW UW Control/Miracles R Skred Red
I've yet to have an issue with double approach, the slot the third one would take feels much better taken by something with a lower CMC. In my case, cutting it is how I fit in the 3rd Settle the Wreckage.
Real questions:
Sb plan for beating Temur on the draw (this include Sultai which is an atrocious match up after board)
U/B G2-3, we need a juke, and some kind of early threat to get under them.
Perfectly stated, and the two questions I struggle with most.
vs. Temus: I like spell pierce to stop their counter magic; Protect early Settles and Fumigates. That doesn't help the early game much, where it's so east to get run over. Cards I've considered here are essence scatter, farm // market, aether meltdown, skywhaler's shot, unsummon, sunscorched champion. I feel like there aren't a lot of good choices. I'd also like to have more data with how solemnity performs in the matchup.
vs. U/B: nimble obstructionist can hit pretty hard if they don't take care of it. Don't over extend keep up some pressure. I've also considered Hope of Ghirapur against this matchup, and it's neat, but just like the nimble obstructionist, it's hard to find room for it in the sb.
We might not get great tools for this until we get new cards, but it would be great if someone could find a magic bullet for these matchups.
Real questions:
Sb plan for beating Temur on the draw (this include Sultai which is an atrocious match up after board)
U/B G2-3, we need a juke, and some kind of early threat to get under them.
Perfectly stated, and the two questions I struggle with most.
vs. Temus: I like spell pierce to stop their counter magic; Protect early Settles and Fumigates. That doesn't help the early game much, where it's so east to get run over. Cards I've considered here are essence scatter, farm // market, aether meltdown, skywhaler's shot, unsummon, sunscorched champion. I feel like there aren't a lot of good choices. I'd also like to have more data with how solemnity performs in the matchup.
vs. U/B: nimble obstructionist can hit pretty hard if they don't take care of it. Don't over extend keep up some pressure. I've also considered Hope of Ghirapur against this matchup, and it's neat, but just like the nimble obstructionist, it's hard to find room for it in the sb.
We might not get great tools for this until we get new cards, but it would be great if someone could find a magic bullet for these matchups.
The sideboarding plan is easy for both these match-ups, just add more creatures. I beat both a Temur Energy deck and a U/B control deck about 2 weeks ago at the last tourney I went.
The other thing that wrecks these decks is main deck Thaumatic Compass which flips into a kind of Maze of ith land that's not legendary, so against the the Temur guy I managed to get 2 of these in play and shut down two of his creatures in one game which gave me plenty of time to beat him.
The other thing is adding more creatures in the main deck after sideboarding, and usually I put in: 4 Regal Caracal, 3 Vizier of deferment, 1 Vizier of many faces which plus the other 8 creatures main-deck puts the total at 16 creatures plus the cat tokens made by the Caracal which puts a lot of pressure on the U/B control decks.
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Top 8 at todays pptq. Played well and in 3 to 4c energy. Other than that deck ran like a well oiled machine. Our team put 3 into top 8 , each witg different arch types. Deck is very viable.
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Standard Arena: Eh? Gruul or Die
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now: G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record) C Eldrazi Tron (9-5) UG Infect RW Burn
@racerxen Gratz on the good finish. Are you still running the same list you posted a few days ago with the Desert "package"? What are you SB strategy against energy? Thanks
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Modern
Currently Playing UW UW Control/Miracles R Skred Red
Hey all, so quick write up, and I'll answer all questions here too.
First and foremost, I slept better for this PPTQ. Got a solid 8 hours of sleep and got a good start to the day. It's important to have a sharp mind when playing control for more than 5-6 rounds. I find that attention to detail is crucial, and it's almost as if you need to store up mental reserves to play efficiently throughout the tournament.
Matches:
R1) Vs Ramnunap Red 2-1 Win
G1 I got rolled, stabilize the board but my opponent shows my 2x Lightning Strike when I'm at 5. G2, was all about my lock down cards and ( Desert's Hold was an all star), casting back to back approaches for an easy win. G3, I keep an opening hand of Authority of the Counsuls, 5 lands (2 of which cycle) and 1 Fumigate. I draw into action and the T1 authority on the draw was HUGE. Without a doubt this is the card that won me this match on the draw. The enchantment based removal forced my opponent to over extended in my 1st wrath. The 2nd Wrath did him in and I followed up with Regal Caracal into another Regal Caracal. It was over quickly, 4/4 Life linking kitty's made it impossible for my opponent to come back.
R2) Vs U/B Control 2-0 Win
G1) goes as it always does, draw deserts, wait until my opponent has 20 cards in his/her library, throw away any cards that aren't Cast Out's and or Desert's Hold, bottle neck my opponent on mana, force them to commit to the board and then untap and mill them out. Easy Peesy.
G2) Okay I got lucky, my opponent mulled to 5 and I stuck a Gideon under his counters and I ride him to Victory. Sometimes you get lucky.
R3) Vs Temur Energy 0-2 Loss (I'm beginning to see a pattern)
G1) I don't draw approach early enough, lose to 3x Glorybringer.... hmm....I dealt with a ton of threats but the top deck war favored my opponent.
G2) I know this Temur player, he's not greedy, he knows I play control, he knows austin has a fetish for Blue based control. He brings in 4x Negate and 2x Spell Pierce. I get wrecked by pressure and not being able to counter things on curve. We even fought over a T3 Attune with aether becasue I got the read that he needed R mana. It ate a Spell Pierce and I didn't recover. he payed around all my counters and removal. He drew 3 Negate's and 1x Spell Pierce.
Meta Theory: Most Temur players are skimping on counters after board. More on this on my round 5 ID.
R4) Vs Abzan Tokens 2-0 Win
This match up is a bye, you should not have trouble beating this. They are too slow to do anything that really matters, counter the procession, wrath when necessary, and buy time (which they give you anyways).
R5) ID into Top 8
This is the eventual winner of the PPTQ. After his win he said " I didn't want to play against you, because I know I don't have enough countermagic to really stop you".
Top 8
same friend from Last week, he's on 4c Energy. This time he wins 2-1. Not going to discredit him, he played with excellent execution. Being on the draw boned me, and I was 1 card from seeing my 2nd approach. g2 was great, I handled his board and casted my 2nd approach with 10 mana up. G3, I was too slow and I think my hand was a mull, but I had all the right tools! 2x Irrigated Farmland really slowed me down, and I couldn't catch up.
I strongly feel that had I been on the play in my Top 8 Quarterfinals match, I win 2-0. But that didn't happen so, no satlyness here.
On my deck and it's position. There were 2 other approach players and they didn't do well. One splashed B but I think this is wrong. The Esper Mana Base is rough, and while I think Esper Gift can mitigate this Approach decks can't. The desert's come with a drawback, namely, they enter the battlefield tapped. So, you have to decide if turning on Desert's Hold is worth it? For me a resounded YES. I would've beaten Ramunap R1 is I didn't have access to it, infact I wouldn't have such a good match up against creature based decks/gods if I didn't have 6 ways of dealing with them:
I would explore some of the builds that are 5-0ing leagues. I highly recommend a SB plan against GPG decks as I think those decks are the eventual evolution of the format. The finals were my friend on Jeskai Gift vs Temur. If he didn't get mana screwed he wins, hands down, WINS by a mile. He beat the same temur player in the swiss, he had 2 gates in play by T5. I strongly suspect that U/W control decks will be the best control deck going forward, we have answers to GPG that aren't just permission. We have exile effects and have an I win button. It won’t be easy, but the deserts package my begin to matter more going forward. I think for my next PPTQ I will include Scavenger Grounds either in my main or SB. Don't be caught in the brights by Gift decks, they are coming, and they are VERY good. My buddies Jeskai Gift deck was the best deck in the room and he annihilated every singe deck until variance hit.
Thanks for the writeup! Could you post your list when you have a moment? I saw the one you posted a while back, but didn't see Spell Pierce in it, so guessing you made some tweaks since then.
Also curious about what your sideboard plan for each matchup (i.e., what you took out and what you boarded in). I've been going back and forth on Authority of the Consuls in the SB for aggro matchups--my current build is running 3 Essence Scatter in the main--but might lean toward having a couple in the SB...
Finally, wondering if you had access to Solemnity for the energy matchups. Sounds like the matches against energy had a bunch of pressure, so not sure it would have helped, but curious.
Saw this interesting writeup over at MTG/Spikes. Interesting take on Approach that goes all in on the lifegain train (Desert's Hold, Ritual of Rejuvenation, and Renewed Faith).
I read it, and I like the direction this player took. Gideon is both good and sometimes just a glorified fog. Desert's Hold has been an all star, and while I considered going up to 3, I wasn't sure if adding more was correct. The cycling effects were an early observation I had made as essential to the build, you need to see cards, and just dig for that approach. Most of my losses were due to me simply not having a win con in hand. Settle the Wreckage is both the best mass removal effects we have and the worst. Leveraging the card in a match up means that we can play to it, and force opponents in attacking with certain problem creature, namely hexproof ones.
My attention has been on God-Pharaoh's Gift arch types since I believe that playing it will give me insight on beating it. I think Ixalan's Binding is a tool we havn't figured how to use yet. Maybe a split between this and Cast Out is correct but, the flash effect and it's cycling effect early are things the deck wants.
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Standard Arena: Eh? Gruul or Die
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now: G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record) C Eldrazi Tron (9-5) UG Infect RW Burn
Markarlock, I think this would be a massive error. As you say Abrade is one argument against it, but it certainly isn't the biggest one. As it stands right now, Gideon is probably the most versatile card in the deck. It does fantastic defensive work against problem cards like Hazoret and Chandra or the bad guy's biggest dork. It can lock an oppo out if they can't remove it thanks to it's ultimate. It can also go aggro and simply attack for the win. The Tower is too reliant on generating energy, and then, when it does, it's just a bolt. In fact, due to the steep energy demands, it's not even a very good bolt. Finally, still on the Gideon side...Gideon often draws oppos into attacking him even when they can't kill him. This is damage not coming your way, thus givng you time to find Approach.
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Some people like to win MtG matches in the Red Zone. I prefer to win the way God intended: on the stack.
I have been seeing a drop of in Ramunap Red a little now and i think having a heavy sideboard plan for hard matchup either way is wasted so im worrying less about the red match-up and try to sure up sideboard games against Temur and Control. I found Spell Pierce to be great against Temur it can get those Chandra and protects from negates. Gideon's Intervention great Lost Legacy, Negates, Anointed Procession and Duress/doomfall
I have been running Jeskai Approach for the last few weeks and love it. Basically the same list I posted a little while back with a few sideboard cards difference. The early burn makes the RR and aggro matchups a 50/50 game 1, just depends on who has the best hand. I went 4-1 last night at FNM but losing in the top 8 to not drawing lands. Going to take it to GP Atlanta next week. I will do a report on my FNM later today. Can't wait to see the list from the pro tour.
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Modern
Currently Playing UW UW Control/Miracles R Skred Red
@JasonKeays - Same question I ask everyone when they ask for advice on their deck. What are you losing too and what would have made the differences in the games you lost? Are falling behind early and can't catch up? Do you feel like you have the answers and can't draw them fast enough? Or do you just not have the answers? Do you need more counters/spot removal/board wipes to answer their threats? Are the games just dragging out so long that they nickel and dime you to death? Once you can figure out what you are losing too, it makes figuring out the way to fix it a lot easier. For me, it was splashing red for early spot removal. But that just fits my play style. For you, it may be something different.
Against Temur, I have been siding out 4 Censor and 2 Searches (this does not feel right but what I have been doing) and bringing in 4 Negates and 2 Jace's Defeat. This so far has worked really well for me. Depends on the player and how the game goes, if there is a game 3 sometimes I will switch out the counters for 3 Gearhulks and 2 Glorybringer. But here is the thing about Temur and Ramp Red, if they have a great hand, you will lose that game. And sometimes they draw 2-3 great hands in a row. When that happens, shake their hand and say 'Good game'. All you can do.
Usually, we win game 1 against Temur because they can't interact with our Approach mainboard. They side in Negates and sometimes Spell Pierce, usually 3-5 counters total. So you just have to have more counters than they do or make them cast them on something else besides your 2nd Approach. The way I play them is pretty simple, I throw stuff at them all game long, make they counter it. If they don't they get punished. I will throw an early Gideon then cast settle. Then cast fumigate. Then pull. Then some spot removal. Then counter one of their big threats. Then cast out something. Then Ixalan's Binding. Then start throwing Approaches at them. You have 3 and if they let the first one resolve them you have 4. At some point, they can't counter everything. At least that is what has been working for me. What you can't do is sit back and be afraid to cast anything because it may get countered. I will cast something and not hold up mana for a counter because I love for my early stuff to get countered, it means there is one less they have to cast for the next thing I am going to throw at them. Just my 2 cents.
As far as your list, they one thing I would suggest is to add some Disallow mainboard. I like Supreme and Censor but having a few cards that just say "No" can make a very big difference.
Maybe something like this:
OUT: 3 Approach, 4 Censor, 2 Glimmer
IN: 3 Torrential Gearhulk, 3 Gideon of the Trials, 3 (insert creature here...Regal Caracal, Glyph Keeper, Cataclysmic Gearhulk, Kefnet the Mindful).
Other creatures that may be worth testing are Wakening Sun's Avatar (board wipe upon resolution) and Aethersquall Ancient (potential for mass bounce in decks running Glimmer of Genius).
With a deck like this, it seems like playing your opponent becomes very important with the sideboard--they know your primary win con after Game 1 (heck, it's about the only win con we have game 1), and shifting things up entirely game 2 seems like a viable strategy. Lose Game 2 and you could either board Approach back in, or else bluff that you're doing so, which can only add to your opponent's uncertainty.
Thoughts?
Currently, I am running 2 Gideon's main. The sideboard strategy that I have been working on is +2-3 Gearhulk, +3 Regal Caracal and +2 Sunscourge Champion (+2 Glorybringer if running Jeskai instead of champs). So far this has worked pretty well. Just don't know if this is the route we need to go. Almost think we should lean more towards what the current U/B Control lists are doing main. 5 dudes and a ton of counters. We have better wipes but they have better spot removal. But almost fill like if we go that route we should build the deck/sideboard around beating Temur first, then everyone else. Right now, it is the top deck in standard. And it does not look like it is going anywhere anytime soon.
Modern
Currently Playing
UW UW Control/Miracles
R Skred Red
Retired
BU Faeries
RGW Naya Burn
BW B/W Tokens
I have already posted my deck on the previous page which runs exactly that type of "transformative sideboard" plan with lots of dudes coming in from the sideboard and that plan has already won me the small 3 round tourney that I played two weeks ago. However, I didn't run any expensive creatures like Gearhulks or any Gideons either.
The last round was against a U/B player which fell into the trap and sided out his creature kill for hand destruction and then got taken apart by my guys while he was busy duressing me of my negates and approaches.
Check out my Youtube channel where I upload MTG content videos twice a week!
Mtg Lifestyle
1) Turn on my D's Holds
2) Mill Myself for 2nd Approach
3) Mill my opponent (This happens against every U/B Control deck G1)
4) Cycling (Sure it's only 2 cycling lands) but when you add that to the 14 other cyclers in my deck, I always draw a ton of cards
5) Field of Ruin myself if my mana doesn't work out (happens sometimes)
Just a few scenarios, is it better to just run a more consistent mana base? Sure, maybe, but the U/B Control match up is way harder G1, I mean MUCH harder.
Real questions:
Sb plan for beating Temur on the draw (this include Sultai which is an atrocious match up after board)
U/B G2-3, we need a juke, and some kind of early threat to get under them.
G1's are always fine, unless you are playing against mono red,or b/r aggro, Another deck that is coming is GPG, I've been looking at Ashes of the Abhorrent and wondering when it'll be time for this card to merit a Sb slot (it's not a great piece of GY hate but it's not terrible if GY decks pick up in popularity).
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
3x Cast Out
1x Ixalan's Binding
3 Search for Azcanta
Instants:
3x Censor
3x Disallow
3x Essence Scatter
4x Glimmer of Genius
1x Pull from Tomorrow
3x Settle the Wreckage
3x Supreme Will
2x Gideon of the Trial
Sorceries:
2x Approach of the Second Sun
3x Fumigate
Lands:
3x Fetid Pool
2 Field of Ruin
4x Glacial Fortress
2x Hostile Desert
4x Irrigated Farmland
6x Island
5x Plains
3x Regal Caracal
2x Sunscourge Champion
3x Authority of the Consuls
1x Ixalan's Binding
3x Solemnity
3x Negate
1x Fumigate
The 3 Fetid Pools are there to provide fuel for Hostile Desert as well as give extra draw power. They're better than Desert of the Mindful (my other choice) because the cycling cost is generic mana. Since I'm running 4 colorless lands in the deck, it's not irrelevant. Hostile Desert itself has been a welcome win-con vs Control. If anything, it serves as decoy to try and save any flipped Azcantas from being popped by Field of Ruin.
The other non-standard choices I've made are the MB Ixalan's Binding and Pull from Tomorrow. Ixalan's Binding was being brought in vs every match-up but control, as it's amazing for stranding key cards in your opponent's hand. Pull from Tomorrow has been fantastic every time I've seen it. It almost always draws more cards then the 4th Censor it replaced would have, and is great to cast the turn after you Approach to dig deep and find it faster.
The biggest change I'm considering is replacing the SB Sunscourge Champions with Gideon's Intervention, as I find I can never have enough answers to Carnage Tyrant. The extra utility in naming counterspells to help force through Approach also seems interesting to try.
Question, how do the 2 Approaches work for you? Do you find some games just dragging because you have the board state under control but can't draw your win-con?
Modern
Currently Playing
UW UW Control/Miracles
R Skred Red
Retired
BU Faeries
RGW Naya Burn
BW B/W Tokens
I've yet to have an issue with double approach, the slot the third one would take feels much better taken by something with a lower CMC. In my case, cutting it is how I fit in the 3rd Settle the Wreckage.
Perfectly stated, and the two questions I struggle with most.
vs. Temus: I like spell pierce to stop their counter magic; Protect early Settles and Fumigates. That doesn't help the early game much, where it's so east to get run over. Cards I've considered here are essence scatter, farm // market, aether meltdown, skywhaler's shot, unsummon, sunscorched champion. I feel like there aren't a lot of good choices. I'd also like to have more data with how solemnity performs in the matchup.
vs. U/B: nimble obstructionist can hit pretty hard if they don't take care of it. Don't over extend keep up some pressure. I've also considered Hope of Ghirapur against this matchup, and it's neat, but just like the nimble obstructionist, it's hard to find room for it in the sb.
We might not get great tools for this until we get new cards, but it would be great if someone could find a magic bullet for these matchups.
The sideboarding plan is easy for both these match-ups, just add more creatures. I beat both a Temur Energy deck and a U/B control deck about 2 weeks ago at the last tourney I went.
The other thing that wrecks these decks is main deck Thaumatic Compass which flips into a kind of Maze of ith land that's not legendary, so against the the Temur guy I managed to get 2 of these in play and shut down two of his creatures in one game which gave me plenty of time to beat him.
The other thing is adding more creatures in the main deck after sideboarding, and usually I put in: 4 Regal Caracal, 3 Vizier of deferment, 1 Vizier of many faces which plus the other 8 creatures main-deck puts the total at 16 creatures plus the cat tokens made by the Caracal which puts a lot of pressure on the U/B control decks.
Check out my Youtube channel where I upload MTG content videos twice a week!
Mtg Lifestyle
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
Modern
Currently Playing
UW UW Control/Miracles
R Skred Red
Retired
BU Faeries
RGW Naya Burn
BW B/W Tokens
What should I be focusing my sideboard on?
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=11439737#post11439737
Reality is only what man allows it to be. Few shape it so that many may accept it.
First and foremost, I slept better for this PPTQ. Got a solid 8 hours of sleep and got a good start to the day. It's important to have a sharp mind when playing control for more than 5-6 rounds. I find that attention to detail is crucial, and it's almost as if you need to store up mental reserves to play efficiently throughout the tournament.
Matches:
R1) Vs Ramnunap Red 2-1 Win
G1 I got rolled, stabilize the board but my opponent shows my 2x Lightning Strike when I'm at 5. G2, was all about my lock down cards and ( Desert's Hold was an all star), casting back to back approaches for an easy win. G3, I keep an opening hand of Authority of the Counsuls, 5 lands (2 of which cycle) and 1 Fumigate. I draw into action and the T1 authority on the draw was HUGE. Without a doubt this is the card that won me this match on the draw. The enchantment based removal forced my opponent to over extended in my 1st wrath. The 2nd Wrath did him in and I followed up with Regal Caracal into another Regal Caracal. It was over quickly, 4/4 Life linking kitty's made it impossible for my opponent to come back.
R2) Vs U/B Control 2-0 Win
G1) goes as it always does, draw deserts, wait until my opponent has 20 cards in his/her library, throw away any cards that aren't Cast Out's and or Desert's Hold, bottle neck my opponent on mana, force them to commit to the board and then untap and mill them out. Easy Peesy.
G2) Okay I got lucky, my opponent mulled to 5 and I stuck a Gideon under his counters and I ride him to Victory. Sometimes you get lucky.
R3) Vs Temur Energy 0-2 Loss (I'm beginning to see a pattern)
G1) I don't draw approach early enough, lose to 3x Glorybringer.... hmm....I dealt with a ton of threats but the top deck war favored my opponent.
G2) I know this Temur player, he's not greedy, he knows I play control, he knows austin has a fetish for Blue based control. He brings in 4x Negate and 2x Spell Pierce. I get wrecked by pressure and not being able to counter things on curve. We even fought over a T3 Attune with aether becasue I got the read that he needed R mana. It ate a Spell Pierce and I didn't recover. he payed around all my counters and removal. He drew 3 Negate's and 1x Spell Pierce.
Meta Theory: Most Temur players are skimping on counters after board. More on this on my round 5 ID.
R4) Vs Abzan Tokens 2-0 Win
This match up is a bye, you should not have trouble beating this. They are too slow to do anything that really matters, counter the procession, wrath when necessary, and buy time (which they give you anyways).
R5) ID into Top 8
This is the eventual winner of the PPTQ. After his win he said " I didn't want to play against you, because I know I don't have enough countermagic to really stop you".
Top 8
same friend from Last week, he's on 4c Energy. This time he wins 2-1. Not going to discredit him, he played with excellent execution. Being on the draw boned me, and I was 1 card from seeing my 2nd approach. g2 was great, I handled his board and casted my 2nd approach with 10 mana up. G3, I was too slow and I think my hand was a mull, but I had all the right tools! 2x Irrigated Farmland really slowed me down, and I couldn't catch up.
I strongly feel that had I been on the play in my Top 8 Quarterfinals match, I win 2-0. But that didn't happen so, no satlyness here.
On my deck and it's position. There were 2 other approach players and they didn't do well. One splashed B but I think this is wrong. The Esper Mana Base is rough, and while I think Esper Gift can mitigate this Approach decks can't. The desert's come with a drawback, namely, they enter the battlefield tapped. So, you have to decide if turning on Desert's Hold is worth it? For me a resounded YES. I would've beaten Ramunap R1 is I didn't have access to it, infact I wouldn't have such a good match up against creature based decks/gods if I didn't have 6 ways of dealing with them:
4x Cast Out
2x Desert's Hold
Plus Countermagic (Soft counters)
I would explore some of the builds that are 5-0ing leagues. I highly recommend a SB plan against GPG decks as I think those decks are the eventual evolution of the format. The finals were my friend on Jeskai Gift vs Temur. If he didn't get mana screwed he wins, hands down, WINS by a mile. He beat the same temur player in the swiss, he had 2 gates in play by T5. I strongly suspect that U/W control decks will be the best control deck going forward, we have answers to GPG that aren't just permission. We have exile effects and have an I win button. It won’t be easy, but the deserts package my begin to matter more going forward. I think for my next PPTQ I will include Scavenger Grounds either in my main or SB. Don't be caught in the brights by Gift decks, they are coming, and they are VERY good. My buddies Jeskai Gift deck was the best deck in the room and he annihilated every singe deck until variance hit.
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
C Long Live Eldrazi C
Also curious about what your sideboard plan for each matchup (i.e., what you took out and what you boarded in). I've been going back and forth on Authority of the Consuls in the SB for aggro matchups--my current build is running 3 Essence Scatter in the main--but might lean toward having a couple in the SB...
Finally, wondering if you had access to Solemnity for the energy matchups. Sounds like the matches against energy had a bunch of pressure, so not sure it would have helped, but curious.
My attention has been on God-Pharaoh's Gift arch types since I believe that playing it will give me insight on beating it. I think Ixalan's Binding is a tool we havn't figured how to use yet. Maybe a split between this and Cast Out is correct but, the flash effect and it's cycling effect early are things the deck wants.
Modern: Decks I'm playing right now:
G Mono Green Tron (34-10-3 paper record, only SCG/Regionals/PPTQ record)
C Eldrazi Tron (9-5)
UG Infect
RW Burn
3 Approach of the Second Sun
4 Censor
2 Disallow
1 Essence Scatter
1 Farm / Market
4 Fumigate
4 Glimmer of Genius
1 Pull from Tomorrow
3 Settle the Wreckage
4 Supreme Will
2 Aether Meltdown
3 Cast Out
1 Gideon of the Trials
2 Search for Azcanta
LANDS 25
2 Desert of the Mindful
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Ipnu Rivulet
4 Irrigated Farmland
5 Island
6 Plains
3 Sunscourge Champion
1 Gideon's Intervention
2 Torrential Gearhulk
2 Authority of the Consuls
3 Negate
1 Jace’s Defeat
1 Failure // Comply
2 Spell Pierce
UBRWGHumansUBRWG
UMerfolkU
Eldrazi Tron
Legacy
WDeath & TaxesW
Pauper
RGoblinsR
EDH
UGMerfolk ComboGU
Standard
UWApproachWU
I ended up beating temur dynavolt tower 2-0, temur energy 2-1, ramunap red 2-0, and 4 color energy 2-0.
Definitely feel good about the deck going into gp Atlanta.
Edit: Here's the decklist that I just submitted for Atlanta
3x Censor
3x Supreme Will
2x Aether Meltdown
2x Desert's Hold
2x Negate
3x Fumigate
3x Settle the Wreckage
3x Cast Out
1x Ixalan's Binding
2x Search for Azcanta
4x Glimmer of Genius
3x Approach of the Second Sun
1x Pull from Tomorrow
1x Essence Scatter
2x Gideon of the Trials
Lands: 25
5x Plains
3x Island
4x Ipnu Rivulet
4x Glacial Fortress
4x Irrigated Farmland
1x Desert of the True
1x Desert of the Mindful
2x Field of Ruin
1x Scavenger Grounds
2x Torrential Gearhulk
2x Disallow
3x Regal Caracal
3x Authority of the Consuls
1x Desert's Hold
2x Sunscourge Champion
2x Sentinel Totem
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=11439737#post11439737
Reality is only what man allows it to be. Few shape it so that many may accept it.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
Modern
Currently Playing
UW UW Control/Miracles
R Skred Red
Retired
BU Faeries
RGW Naya Burn
BW B/W Tokens
1 Gideon of Trials
1 Essence Scatter
1 Negate
2 Pull from Tomorrow
4 Supreme Will
3 Glimmer of Genius
2 Settle the Wreckage
3 Fumigate
3 Approach of the Second Sun
2 Aether Meltdown
2 Farm/Market
3 Desert's Hold
4 Cast Out
1 Desert of the Mindful
1 Desert of the True
2 Field of Ruin
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Ipnu Rivulet
4 Irrigated Farmland
3 Island
6 Plains
2 Sunscourge Champion
1 Spell Pierce
1 Essence Scatter
4 Negate
1 Solemnity
4 Regal Caracal
Standard showdown
I got wrecked by 3 Temur Energy
Won only two match. I think my curve is too high.
Against Temur, I have been siding out 4 Censor and 2 Searches (this does not feel right but what I have been doing) and bringing in 4 Negates and 2 Jace's Defeat. This so far has worked really well for me. Depends on the player and how the game goes, if there is a game 3 sometimes I will switch out the counters for 3 Gearhulks and 2 Glorybringer. But here is the thing about Temur and Ramp Red, if they have a great hand, you will lose that game. And sometimes they draw 2-3 great hands in a row. When that happens, shake their hand and say 'Good game'. All you can do.
Usually, we win game 1 against Temur because they can't interact with our Approach mainboard. They side in Negates and sometimes Spell Pierce, usually 3-5 counters total. So you just have to have more counters than they do or make them cast them on something else besides your 2nd Approach. The way I play them is pretty simple, I throw stuff at them all game long, make they counter it. If they don't they get punished. I will throw an early Gideon then cast settle. Then cast fumigate. Then pull. Then some spot removal. Then counter one of their big threats. Then cast out something. Then Ixalan's Binding. Then start throwing Approaches at them. You have 3 and if they let the first one resolve them you have 4. At some point, they can't counter everything. At least that is what has been working for me. What you can't do is sit back and be afraid to cast anything because it may get countered. I will cast something and not hold up mana for a counter because I love for my early stuff to get countered, it means there is one less they have to cast for the next thing I am going to throw at them. Just my 2 cents.
As far as your list, they one thing I would suggest is to add some Disallow mainboard. I like Supreme and Censor but having a few cards that just say "No" can make a very big difference.
Modern
Currently Playing
UW UW Control/Miracles
R Skred Red
Retired
BU Faeries
RGW Naya Burn
BW B/W Tokens