I also took out my 4 Electrolyze's immediately following the bannings, but I instead put in 2 Counterflux (expecting more combo) and 2 Far // Away (should perhaps be Tribute to Hunger), and I really liked the change. Also, after having been beaten down too many times with Burn decks and Blue/Red combo decks, I additionally fit one Witchbane Orb in the side-board. That card has won me so many games that I am considering adding another in the side. I haven't experimented much with Forbidden Alchemy, but it seems like a decent digging can-trip with a late-game upside, and combos nicely with Snapcaster Mage.
Also, I like a 4/2 split between Mana Leak and Remand. Remand is such a neat trick and is quite mana-efficient. Note that I really see them as two very different spells, leaking is for disrupting their play, remanding is for disrupting their counters.
@Spellsnare: Oh, I know quite a bit about the requirements (nice table, by the way). I'm just pointing out the need for more read (1RR) than black (2BB).
With Modern mana-fixing, hitting those numbers should not be hard and my (20,14,15) split is fine for both Anger of the Gods and Damnation, since the deck in question runs 11 cheap can-trips (and aditional deck manipulation), resulting in an effective number of mana sources to +2 1/2 mana sources. For instance, my (20, 14, 15) split is actually more like (22, 16, 17), which is only 1 or 2 sources shy of the 90% limit. In other words dropping from 90% success rate (9 out of 10) to about 85% success rate (6 out of 7).
As for your mana-base, I analyzed it a little and found a few problems. The deck you played has 20 blue, 17 black and 12 red sources, not counting can-trips as sources. However, counting mana-symbols, you have 29 U, 16 B and 17 R, so it looks like black is skewed too high. As a matter of fact, even up to CMC 4, you have 10 black symbols (4 IoKs, 2 Terminate and 2 Damnation) and 12 red symbols (4 bolts, 2 Terminate, 2 AotG, 2 Electrolyze). So, you should be about even on red and black mana. If you consider going towards more Anger of the Gods, then you need more red than black.
I don't think you want to reduce your blue sources, so what you need to do is to change UB sources into UR sources to get to (20, 14, 15), so 3 UB sources must become UR. Perhaps:
As you can see from my mana-base, I do not depend too much on red. In general, I need red turn 3, not before. I don't like wasting a bolt on killing creatures, they are much more effective as finishers (turn 5-6 eot, bolt, bolt, snap-bolt, etc). For instance, in your Goblin Guide example, I am more than happy to take 2 in exchange for drawing the land.
The theory on the Reflecting Pool is that the chance of having a two-lander with only those in hand is minuscule. Given that Marsh Flats can't fetch Steam Vents makes it a "bad" fetch land for us.
Finally, Darkslick Shores and Blackcleave Cliffs is an attempt to reduce the amount of shocks during the game. 2 seems to be a fairly good number, as you don't want to draw them late (though when you do, they don't matter too much). Finally, the chance of having to play Sulfur Falls tapped is very low.
All in all, I'm quite happy with this setup. My only gripe is that I ought to play 5 basics, which I currently do not.
I'm running a mana-base similar to this one, and I rarely have had problems. I think Reflecting Pool is one of those lands that is overlooked by many. Granted you would have to muligan a hand with 3 lands, all being Pools, but that is a very rare occurance.
Merfolk seems like a nightmare matchup, because if you get countered with your electrolyze /pyroclasm/damnation its basically game over, and they play quite a few.
Yes, it is. I've had that "pleasure" twice, but remember that Merfolk is designed to thrive against blue-based decks. It's pretty much the only match-up where I would love to have access to Supreme Verdict.
The good news is that Merfolk isn't a very popular archetype.
I was wondering how come cards that I consider good like Augur of Bolas and Inkisition of Kozilek are not in almost any list.
Augur of Bolas isn't seeing much Modern play in control decks since it forces you to tap out. Inquisition of Kozilek is fine, but if you can afford the life loss Thoughtseize is obviously better.
I also took out my 4 Electrolyze's immediately following the bannings, but I instead put in 2 Counterflux (expecting more combo) and 2 Far // Away (should perhaps be Tribute to Hunger), and I really liked the change. Also, after having been beaten down too many times with Burn decks and Blue/Red combo decks, I additionally fit one Witchbane Orb in the side-board. That card has won me so many games that I am considering adding another in the side. I haven't experimented much with Forbidden Alchemy, but it seems like a decent digging can-trip with a late-game upside, and combos nicely with Snapcaster Mage.
Also, I like a 4/2 split between Mana Leak and Remand. Remand is such a neat trick and is quite mana-efficient. Note that I really see them as two very different spells, leaking is for disrupting their play, remanding is for disrupting their counters.
Burn is still a tough match-up without an efficient source of life gain. I am not sure if it is correct to side-board for it, but it is possible to look into other possibilities, like e.g. Elixir of Immortality (also good against Mill), Consuming Vapors, Bloodchief Ascension, Tendrils of Corruption, Suffer the Past/Crypt Incursion and even Vampire Nighthawk (it will at least save you one bolt to your dome).
With Modern mana-fixing, hitting those numbers should not be hard and my (20,14,15) split is fine for both Anger of the Gods and Damnation, since the deck in question runs 11 cheap can-trips (and aditional deck manipulation), resulting in an effective number of mana sources to +2 1/2 mana sources. For instance, my (20, 14, 15) split is actually more like (22, 16, 17), which is only 1 or 2 sources shy of the 90% limit. In other words dropping from 90% success rate (9 out of 10) to about 85% success rate (6 out of 7).
As for your mana-base, I analyzed it a little and found a few problems. The deck you played has 20 blue, 17 black and 12 red sources, not counting can-trips as sources. However, counting mana-symbols, you have 29 U, 16 B and 17 R, so it looks like black is skewed too high. As a matter of fact, even up to CMC 4, you have 10 black symbols (4 IoKs, 2 Terminate and 2 Damnation) and 12 red symbols (4 bolts, 2 Terminate, 2 AotG, 2 Electrolyze). So, you should be about even on red and black mana. If you consider going towards more Anger of the Gods, then you need more red than black.
I don't think you want to reduce your blue sources, so what you need to do is to change UB sources into UR sources to get to (20, 14, 15), so 3 UB sources must become UR. Perhaps:
-1 Darkslick Shores
-1 Drowned Catacomb
-1 Watery Grave
+1 Cascade Bluffs
+1 Sulfur Falls
+1 Steam Vents
1. Why a full set of Augur of Bolas instead of a combination of Snapcaster Mage. Is it due to graveyard hate, or something else? Perhaps Night of Soul's Betrayal? Is it not counter to the Anger of the Gods plan? Would you consider Think Twice, or Night's Whisper or is the value of a blocker more important?
2. Terminate vs. Dreadbore, i.e. instant speed versus extra versatility. Is it because Liliana of the Veil sees little play right now?
3. Repeal vs. Boomerang/Into the Roil/Cyclonic Rift.
4. Night of Soul's Betrayal vs. Curse of Death's Hold.
Instead, I rely more on a turn 1 Thoughtseize/Inquisition of Kozilek on the play and opponent's turn 2 Spell Snare.
The theory on the Reflecting Pool is that the chance of having a two-lander with only those in hand is minuscule. Given that Marsh Flats can't fetch Steam Vents makes it a "bad" fetch land for us.
Finally, Darkslick Shores and Blackcleave Cliffs is an attempt to reduce the amount of shocks during the game. 2 seems to be a fairly good number, as you don't want to draw them late (though when you do, they don't matter too much). Finally, the chance of having to play Sulfur Falls tapped is very low.
All in all, I'm quite happy with this setup. My only gripe is that I ought to play 5 basics, which I currently do not.
2 Watery Grave
1 Darkslick Shores
1 Sunken Ruins
2 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
1 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Marsh Flats
2 Reflecting Pool
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Island
1 Mountain
I'm running a mana-base similar to this one, and I rarely have had problems. I think Reflecting Pool is one of those lands that is overlooked by many. Granted you would have to muligan a hand with 3 lands, all being Pools, but that is a very rare occurance.
Modern Daily #6488557 on 2013-12-19"Magic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
4 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Darkslick Shores
4 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
1 Watery Grave
Creatures (6)
2 Augur of Bolas
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Cruel Ultimatum
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
Instants (22)
4 Cryptic Command
4 Electrolyze
4 Mana Leak
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Spell Snare
2 Terminate
2 Think Twice
2 Counterflux
2 Damnation
2 Duress
2 Pyroclasm
2 Rakdos Charm
2 Shadow of Doubt
2 Sowing Salt
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Modern Event #6420653 on 2013-12-05"Magic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
Artifacts (3)
1 Batterskull
2 Coalition Relic
Instants (23)
4 Cryptic Command
1 Devour Flesh
2 Electrolyze
1 Far // Away
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mana Leak
1 Pillar of Flame
1 Shadow of Doubt
3 Spell Snare
1 Terminate
2 Think Twice
3 Cruel Ultimatum
2 Damnation
1 Dreadbore
Land (25)
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Dreadship Reef
3 Drowned Catacomb
3 Island
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
1 Sunken Ruins
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Watery Grave
2 Counterflux
1 Damnation
1 Deathmark
1 Mana Leak
3 Rakdos Charm
3 Sowing Salt
4 Thoughtseize
Modern Event #6411179 on 2013-12-03"Magic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
1 Grave Titan
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Ral Zarek
1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
Instants (23)
3 Cryptic Command
4 Electrolyze
1 Forbidden Alchemy
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
4 Terminate
3 Think Twice
1 Damnation
3 Thoughtseize
Land (26)
2 Arid Mesa
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Blood Crypt
4 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Island
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
2 Tectonic Edge
2 Watery Grave
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury
2 Anger of the Gods
3 Counterflux
1 Curse of Death's Hold
1 Damnation
1 Devour Flesh
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Liliana Vess
2 Sowing Salt
2 Stone Rain
Yes, it is. I've had that "pleasure" twice, but remember that Merfolk is designed to thrive against blue-based decks. It's pretty much the only match-up where I would love to have access to Supreme Verdict.
The good news is that Merfolk isn't a very popular archetype.
3 Cruel Ultimatum seems a bit excessive.
Augur of Bolas isn't seeing much Modern play in control decks since it forces you to tap out. Inquisition of Kozilek is fine, but if you can afford the life loss Thoughtseize is obviously better.
Modern Daily #6118429 on 2013-10-23"Magic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
Artifacts (1)
1 Batterskull
Instants (25)
4 Cryptic Command
4 Electrolyze
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mana Leak
3 Spell Snare
2 Think Twice
1 Consume the Meek
1 Magma Spray
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Shadow of Doubt
1 Terminate
Sorceries (4)
2 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Damnation
1 Pyroclasm
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
4 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Darkslick Shores
2 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
2 Sunken Ruins
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Watery Grave
1 Anger of the Gods
2 Counterflux
1 Devour Flesh
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Godo, Bandit Warlord
1 Pyroclasm
1 Rakdos Charm
1 Shatterstorm
2 Sowing Salt
1 Spellskite
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
2 Thoughtseize
Kudos for putting Godo, Bandit Warlord in a winning list!