1. You don't have to worry about counterspells as much
2. Madness/Delirium/Animator Enabler
3. Top-Deck vs. opponent becomes threat after threat after threat no matter what you draw.
It's basically Coco mixed with Azcanta in artifact form.
Not exactly a build around card for me at the moment but its definitely a strong tool to have in a variety of creature based decks.
I have a list on page 6. The issue I have with Goyf is that it's just outclassed by shadow as a beater overall. When you build a deck with secrets your relying on the yard. Since you can tutor for a shadow super easily, snapcaster becomes an arguably stronger card(than Goyf) at least in a non aggro sense. But again, secrets can tutor for snap targets too. Secrets is an instant so there are times where you can tutor a surgical extraction or abrupt decay or astro or push or seize or even countersquall.
The list on page 6 is closer to a rough draft but its been pretty consistent. It doesn't have the temur home run swing but more often than not opponent simply runs out of answers and Goyf just overpowers them over a couple turns. I included the kitesail because it's kind of like a duress with a body that can chump if needed as a 1/2 flyer. Running 19 creatures on the list. Can reliably hit 2 creatures in graveyard. Beatdown with shadow or even caster with LtLH as really a last hope. There's probably a half dozen cards you can cut in favor of others.
You should take a more GDS approach. You can cut 10 cards to add 4 Mausoleum secrets for consistency... And still be able to find instants or sorceries instead of lands. You can change bauble's into architects.
You can trade 4 goyf's for 3 casters. Which makes it easy to double down an anything in your black or multi-colored black toolbox.
Wanna astro a Tron land and then surgical it? Sure. Wanna Mausoleum a shadow when yours gets pushed? Sure. Want to double down with snap on just about anything? Sure, you can do that too! While still having a large toolbox to deal with anything.
I threw in unmoored ego just for fun as an 8th tutorable answer. It's not even necessary. I'm having success on the 2nd draft of a deck as an okay player with slotS open, without even using a sideboard... and you guys are still making enormous changes because a 1 cmc sorcery find a creature/land that requires 4 types in your yard IS NOT better than a 2 cmc instant find anything in your deck besides snap or a land that requires 1 type in your yard.
Struggling with decisions on cuts? Why... Because traverse is bad. You probably have 20 cards devoted to your yard. I have 7. God forbid you play a deck that can drain your yard, repeatedly, and discard your denial.
Try it. At least do that. You might have then gone through the same process I did.
Why run 4 goyf's at all when your tutor can clear a threat, protect your shadow, and Still tutor a shadow. Not to mention, less copies of great strong OR versatile cards finding consistency, and much less restrictive deck construction.
I can tutor for countersquall when ahead. I can tutor an answer when behind. I don't depend on 8 copies of discard so topdecks aren't an issue. I can TS to find out if it's safe for shadow. You guys are trading too much versatility for consistency. I'm actually cutting cards to make my tutor twice as strong and easier to activate. I can even tutor a Lili if need be.
Wilderness reclamation is a pretty darn good reason to run green. Try casting it holding up a cryptic command. Followed up by Tef/Nex. It also makes azcanta stupid good for string extra turns. You can easily get two interactions out of it, with the end result being azcanta tapped with or without teferi.
It's definitely busted if you manage to flip an azcanta and you're not under pressure, and they can't answer azcanta. Or when you have the perfect draw of reclamation, planeswalker, cryptic command, azcanta and you're opponent durdles until turn 5. But what about the times when your draw is like, cantrip, spiral growth, reclamation, terminus, and some lands and your opponent is playing literally anything other than control, meaning they are actively trying to get you dead? Now you gotta find threats and interaction ASAP.
Look, I think it's a very powerful card, it's just not a control card. Control needs cards that are powerful without needing very specific support cards - if you don't have a massive supporting cast on deck exactly on turn 5 plus the exact right amount of interaction to stave off death before turn 5, Reclamation is going to get you killed.
Like cryptic command, gigadrowse, remand, etc.? Being able to do anything u want and still have Mana untapped IS a control card. It's a support card to instant based decks, uhhh control deck?. You don't have to have a bomb play like Tef/nexus because you don't want to tap out in a control deck, unless your just gonna take an extra turn. How many times are you waiting for 10 Mana to safely attack with collonade? I'm not saying 4 of, but what I am saying is I've never lost with an active wilderness that wasn't blanked immediately. I was running 2 and constantly wishing I had it. Now I'm at at 3. God forbid you do run x spells like Sphinx revelation and just have the painful decision of a countersquall or Sphinx with all Mana untapped, regardless of whether you just tapped out for Jace and spiral or whatever
Wilderness reclamation is a pretty darn good reason to run green. Try casting it holding up a cryptic command. Followed up by Tef/Nex. It also makes azcanta stupid good for string extra turns. You can easily get two interactions out of it, with the end result being azcanta tapped with or without teferi. It's also good to attack with a collonade and then untap all your lands.
A turn 3 wilderness followed up by dictate or cryptic with nexus and Jace/teferi as finishers.
Azcanta and orazzca are dope lands with wilderness... You have 25 cards in your library. 4 of them are nexus, how hard can it be to string up loyalty? Or conversely, hit them with a man land or 2 and hardcast a Nexus on the wilderness untap
Remanding your own gigadrowse is a soft fog/lands 2 turns and draws you a card. The copies still resolve. Reasons why to include a copy of it in main board. It's never a bad idea to tap them out before you stick a teferi and nexus next turn.
Curious as to why you would think that. A thoughtful explanation and reasoning to your assessment would help garner better dialogue.
I look forward to your thoughts.
I will state that this deck strategy does not really fold to anything. It maybe unfavorable by +/- 20% but nothing is really unwinnable. Tokens, while a challenge without red for Temur Battle Rage, I am really not concerned about. Not very many people play that strategy. The other archetypes you named are part of the meta. I have played all of them numerous times and had success. Nothing is a given but understanding the matchup and what you are playing toward helps.
Anyways, like I said, if you could provide your reasoning, it will help promote better discussion.
Thanks.
Goyf is an extra copy of shadow, But mausoleum secrets can be extra copies of shadow, or any spell for snapcaster. Not only that but goyf and secrets have the same weakness anyway.
That's a toolbox (or whatever bg or bu toolbox u want) that does a variety of things in different ways, especially when you can double up with snap.
That deck I posted isn't even tuned, nor do I even run a sideboard. And I'm 8-3 with it in past 5 MATCHES.
Secrets can find anything besides goyf(shadow is better anyway which it CAN find even after a pushed shadow) and any spell for snap. Isn't bug shadow built on protecting shadow/goyf with denial/snap?
What if your trade was really goyf, denial, and Inquisition for secrets, a lone countersquall, and a toolbox of 7 or 8 cards including stuff like Astro, maelstrom, surgical, even Liliana, or whatever
Street Wraith enables push, seize, surgical, and shadow.
You don't have to do much more than change bauble to architects of will and goyf to secrets to gain a lot more consistency and resilience in what you can include in your deck.
Gaining 5 copies of any spell in your deck, while simultaneously gaining 8 copies of shadow with minimal requirements is a very good tradeoff
I have been a long time fan of this version of the deck. I used to have a Death's Shadow list when Deathrite Shaman was still around. I loved that card. Anyways, I live in the Dallas area and there is a Modern Grand Prix this summer. I don't get to play as much as I used to so I can't play test as much as I like but I wanted to post my list and start tuning it for that tournament later this year. I plan to play tonight and will try and do a write up either later this week or on the weekend. Below is the list:
I don't own any but I do plan to take out the Abrupt Decay for Assassin's Trophy and possibly LotV for Liliana the Last Hope. I will also try post my SB strategy but can't right now. Time to get ready for work.
EDIT: I was unable to go tonight afterall. Hope to get out on Friday so I can write an update.
So do you just fold to looting Tron uw control and tokens?
Secrets is far easier to enable than Traverse. Just ONE Street Wraith or AoW for instance enable push, shadow, ts, surgical eot 2.
8 copies of shadow as early as end of turn 2 is exactly what you need to strive for. You might say that goyf is those extra copies. Again, secrets can find your shadow or any black spell and that's where stuff like decay, trophy, ego, countersquall, golgari charm, LtLH get real interesting.
Including a list with goyf, flayer, delvers, and snap in bunches is a collossol mistake. You really should just choose 1 of them. Remember that secrets relies on the yard already. I personally am on the Snap train because I'm running shadow secrets with a toolbox.
My list is more controllish than aggro I suppose but when u trade bolt and battle rage for decay, trophy, etc... What were you expecting?
Giant Growth into a free spell 4cmc or less... you still have 2 mana open
Tron won't use it because stirrings.
Reanimation decks generally just run looting.
You need to know why Vivien is good. You need to know that green ramps and this finds your payoffs.
Discarding a vengeful pharaoh is always funny as a combat trick.
2. Madness/Delirium/Animator Enabler
3. Top-Deck vs. opponent becomes threat after threat after threat no matter what you draw.
It's basically Coco mixed with Azcanta in artifact form.
Not exactly a build around card for me at the moment but its definitely a strong tool to have in a variety of creature based decks.
The list on page 6 is closer to a rough draft but its been pretty consistent. It doesn't have the temur home run swing but more often than not opponent simply runs out of answers and Goyf just overpowers them over a couple turns. I included the kitesail because it's kind of like a duress with a body that can chump if needed as a 1/2 flyer. Running 19 creatures on the list. Can reliably hit 2 creatures in graveyard. Beatdown with shadow or even caster with LtLH as really a last hope. There's probably a half dozen cards you can cut in favor of others.
You can trade 4 goyf's for 3 casters. Which makes it easy to double down an anything in your black or multi-colored black toolbox.
Wanna astro a Tron land and then surgical it? Sure. Wanna Mausoleum a shadow when yours gets pushed? Sure. Want to double down with snap on just about anything? Sure, you can do that too! While still having a large toolbox to deal with anything.
I threw in unmoored ego just for fun as an 8th tutorable answer. It's not even necessary. I'm having success on the 2nd draft of a deck as an okay player with slotS open, without even using a sideboard... and you guys are still making enormous changes because a 1 cmc sorcery find a creature/land that requires 4 types in your yard IS NOT better than a 2 cmc instant find anything in your deck besides snap or a land that requires 1 type in your yard.
Struggling with decisions on cuts? Why... Because traverse is bad. You probably have 20 cards devoted to your yard. I have 7. God forbid you play a deck that can drain your yard, repeatedly, and discard your denial.
Try it. At least do that. You might have then gone through the same process I did.
Why run 4 goyf's at all when your tutor can clear a threat, protect your shadow, and Still tutor a shadow. Not to mention, less copies of great strong OR versatile cards finding consistency, and much less restrictive deck construction.
I can tutor for countersquall when ahead. I can tutor an answer when behind. I don't depend on 8 copies of discard so topdecks aren't an issue. I can TS to find out if it's safe for shadow. You guys are trading too much versatility for consistency. I'm actually cutting cards to make my tutor twice as strong and easier to activate. I can even tutor a Lili if need be.
Like cryptic command, gigadrowse, remand, etc.? Being able to do anything u want and still have Mana untapped IS a control card. It's a support card to instant based decks, uhhh control deck?. You don't have to have a bomb play like Tef/nexus because you don't want to tap out in a control deck, unless your just gonna take an extra turn. How many times are you waiting for 10 Mana to safely attack with collonade? I'm not saying 4 of, but what I am saying is I've never lost with an active wilderness that wasn't blanked immediately. I was running 2 and constantly wishing I had it. Now I'm at at 3. God forbid you do run x spells like Sphinx revelation and just have the painful decision of a countersquall or Sphinx with all Mana untapped, regardless of whether you just tapped out for Jace and spiral or whatever
A turn 3 wilderness followed up by dictate or cryptic with nexus and Jace/teferi as finishers.
Azcanta and orazzca are dope lands with wilderness... You have 25 cards in your library. 4 of them are nexus, how hard can it be to string up loyalty? Or conversely, hit them with a man land or 2 and hardcast a Nexus on the wilderness untap
Remanding your own gigadrowse is a soft fog/lands 2 turns and draws you a card. The copies still resolve. Reasons why to include a copy of it in main board. It's never a bad idea to tap them out before you stick a teferi and nexus next turn.
Goyf is an extra copy of shadow, But mausoleum secrets can be extra copies of shadow, or any spell for snapcaster. Not only that but goyf and secrets have the same weakness anyway.
2 decay
1 Astro
1 maelstrom
1 golgari charm
1 surgical
1 countersquall
1 LtlH
1 unmoored ego
That's a toolbox (or whatever bg or bu toolbox u want) that does a variety of things in different ways, especially when you can double up with snap.
That deck I posted isn't even tuned, nor do I even run a sideboard. And I'm 8-3 with it in past 5 MATCHES.
Secrets can find anything besides goyf(shadow is better anyway which it CAN find even after a pushed shadow) and any spell for snap. Isn't bug shadow built on protecting shadow/goyf with denial/snap?
What if your trade was really goyf, denial, and Inquisition for secrets, a lone countersquall, and a toolbox of 7 or 8 cards including stuff like Astro, maelstrom, surgical, even Liliana, or whatever
Street Wraith enables push, seize, surgical, and shadow.
You don't have to do much more than change bauble to architects of will and goyf to secrets to gain a lot more consistency and resilience in what you can include in your deck.
Gaining 5 copies of any spell in your deck, while simultaneously gaining 8 copies of shadow with minimal requirements is a very good tradeoff
So do you just fold to looting Tron uw control and tokens?
8 copies of shadow as early as end of turn 2 is exactly what you need to strive for. You might say that goyf is those extra copies. Again, secrets can find your shadow or any black spell and that's where stuff like decay, trophy, ego, countersquall, golgari charm, LtLH get real interesting.
Including a list with goyf, flayer, delvers, and snap in bunches is a collossol mistake. You really should just choose 1 of them. Remember that secrets relies on the yard already. I personally am on the Snap train because I'm running shadow secrets with a toolbox.
My list is more controllish than aggro I suppose but when u trade bolt and battle rage for decay, trophy, etc... What were you expecting?
If they ever printed the opposite of threshold.
The problem? I see you're running rest in peace= no targets. X solves it? Bull*****, she's a 3 mana walker.
She's also quite good against aggro decks. Not sure if she kills a transformer like thing in the ice?