I don't think a UR manland takes Twin over the top at all. Grixis Twin doesn't usually play Creeping Tar Pit, and I don't think it's immediately obvious that UR Twin is better suited for one. (I mean if you desperately wanted you could even play Faerie Conclave and nobody is doing that.) In particular, Twin is a deck that wants to keep mana up on the opponent's turn, and also doesn't play humongous amounts of land. If you printed Celestial Colonnade with the white symbols shifted to red, it would be pretty bad in Twin because it would eat up too much mana on your own turn to actually use. There is a reason that the decks that play Colonnade now are playing three more lands than Twin does.
I agree with this. I also don't think that fast lands is gonna be a problem. UR decks are fetching basics the majority of the time, so they are taking minimal damage already. Fast lands make the Blood Moon post-board plan slightly harder too.
A UR fastland would probably replace all or most copies of Sulfur Falls, but I don't think it otherwise changes things much. In theory you could run both, but your mana is already good enough that I don't think you want to make yourself weaker to Moon that way.
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When you peer long enough through the depths, the depths peer also through you.
A UR fastland would probably replace all or most copies of Sulfur Falls, but I don't think it otherwise changes things much. In theory you could run both, but your mana is already good enough that I don't think you want to make yourself weaker to Moon that way.
Maybe but Sulfur Falls is already a reliable dual and the deck does have 4 drops it wanna cast on curve. (One of the reasons you see UWx Control running Glacial Fortress over Seachrome Coast
A UR fastland would probably replace all or most copies of Sulfur Falls, but I don't think it otherwise changes things much. In theory you could run both, but your mana is already good enough that I don't think you want to make yourself weaker to Moon that way.
I'd personally be much more concerned about people bringing in Choke against UR decks than Blood Moon and a UR fastland would help a lot there.
If you're really scared of Choke, you already have the ability to go up the Sulfur Falls count, add a couple of Cascade Bluffs and replace some of your basic islands with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and Minamo, School at Water's Edge. People don't do that because Choke doesn't see enough play and because Twin wants to be Moon-resistant so it can play Moon in its own board. I don't think the equation changes by adding a fastland; right now manabases are being built to have fewer nonbasics, not more, and I don't think that would change just because the nonbasics got slightly better.
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When you peer long enough through the depths, the depths peer also through you.
If you're really scared of Choke, you already have the ability to go up the Sulfur Falls count, add a couple of Cascade Bluffs and replace some of your basic islands with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and Minamo, School at Water's Edge. People don't do that because Choke doesn't see enough play and because Twin wants to be Moon-resistant so it can play Moon in its own board. I don't think the equation changes by adding a fastland; right now manabases are being built to have fewer nonbasics, not more, and I don't think that would change just because the nonbasics got slightly better.
While that is true if you are running Blood Moon yourself, no one is boarding in Blood Moon against you if you are a Blue/Red deck, so if you aren't running Blood Moon, more nonbasics is better.
Id love enemy fastlands. Delver just loses to a resolved choke ><
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SonofaBith - Wizards was so excited about making the packaging for Modern Masters 2 recyclable, they decided to make most of the rares and all but 1 of the UC's recycle-bin ready too. Convenient!
I was wondering if modern allys could be a thing right now? we are on the verge of getting new allies with battle for zendikar and they got good new tools in ojutai's command and collected company to help cover the over extending aspect of allies. could modern allys work?
Enemy fast lands would give a decent boost to B/W Tokens, having turn 1 discard without having to go fetch into chapel helps the aggro match up's and not having to rely on basics like isolated chapel allows the first 3 turns (which is when B/W tokens are playing all the spells that really matter to the strategy) to more consistently have access to mana of the correct untapped colours.
I was wondering if modern allys could be a thing right now? we are on the verge of getting new allies with battle for zendikar and they got good new tools in ojutai's command and collected company to help cover the over extending aspect of allies. could modern allys work?
I honestly don't think Allies have high potential in modern and eventually to become a competitive deck.
That says something to me. I think they just haven't been played with enough. People used to say that Merfolk would never be top tier and here it is ripping up tournaments.
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Current Decks:
Modern
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Legacy
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I was wondering if modern allys could be a thing right now? we are on the verge of getting new allies with battle for zendikar and they got good new tools in ojutai's command and collected company to help cover the over extending aspect of allies. could modern allys work?
I honestly don't think Allies have high potential in modern and eventually to become a competitive deck.
I think this deck is only 1-2 cards away from being tier 3 or even tier 2. It really needs a low-cost interactive Ally that can substitute for removal or bounce or something. Like an Ally Harbinger of the Tides or Gempalm Incinerator/Stingscourger style effect. Or a better Tajuru Archer without that stupid targeting restriction (something cheaper than stupid Murasa Pyromancer).
Eh, linear swarm strategies like slivers/merfolk/allies all fold to roughly the same sideboard stuff (wraths, extra removal). Allies should clearly fold to a timely blood moon to boot.
I think its a case of a skilled pilot doing well--there are a number of archetypes that only have one or two pilots known who put up solid results repeatedly. Gifts and Utron UW tron for example. knowing we're about to get a whole load of new allies, I'd be surprised if less than a couple of them don't A)make the deck tier 2 B)Land the deck in an optimal 2/3 colors--though I do like the idea of it being an auto 4/5c tribe in modern.
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What Wizards is doing for merfolk is just baffling. They've had an insanely obvious auto include taylor made for that deck nearly every block/set for the last two years. Master of the pearl trident, Master of waves, tidebinder, and now Harbinger. Clearly someone in design/dev wants to see that deck re-rise to high tier status. Annoying that they're doing it for such a linear deck, or maybe its just low hanging fruit to them.
So you are saying that WOTC is up to something...Fishy
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Level 1 Judge
Level 2 in progress...
UUU Merfolk UUU "Above the waves you may be mighty indeed, but down here you belong to me."
-Empress Galina
UBR Cruel Control UBR "The essence of every world, every spell, and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
-Nicol Bolas
If you're really scared of Choke, you already have the ability to go up the Sulfur Falls count, add a couple of Cascade Bluffs and replace some of your basic islands with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and Minamo, School at Water's Edge. People don't do that because Choke doesn't see enough play and because Twin wants to be Moon-resistant so it can play Moon in its own board. I don't think the equation changes by adding a fastland; right now manabases are being built to have fewer nonbasics, not more, and I don't think that would change just because the nonbasics got slightly better.
While that is true if you are running Blood Moon yourself, no one is boarding in Blood Moon against you if you are a Blue/Red deck, so if you aren't running Blood Moon, more nonbasics is better.
So many people bring in Blood Moon against me without seeing any green game 1. It's embarrassing, but very annoying.
the card itself really isn't worth the card board its printed on...does it serve a purpose? Sure its a blue 1 drop that might not be a 1/1. I would not put it in a list and expect to win a PTQ or GP though.
Allies are a little different and a little better than what people are giving them credit for. They are an Enter The Battlefield Effect tribal. That makes them insanely better. Every ally acts like a lord, giving 1/1 counters to all of the team. So unlike merfolk, killing their lord is not always a garentee win. The counters stick around. More so, collected company takes the powerful ETB effects that makes azben company good (obviously not as good) with the lord effects, and you have a dangerous mix.
The deck isnt missing an engine (collected company, chord of calling, aether vial, depending on the build) or even beat stick allies (Hada Freeblade, Kazandu Blademaster) And even ways to push damage through (Akoum Battlesinger, Kabira Evangel) WHat it needs really, is utility. Like ktken say, an ally that bolts, or an ally that kills enchantment/artifacts, ect. If it gets that, and maybe one more stupid ally that pushes it over the top, maybe mythic, boom, you got a real real deck.
If you're really scared of Choke, you already have the ability to go up the Sulfur Falls count, add a couple of Cascade Bluffs and replace some of your basic islands with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and Minamo, School at Water's Edge. People don't do that because Choke doesn't see enough play and because Twin wants to be Moon-resistant so it can play Moon in its own board. I don't think the equation changes by adding a fastland; right now manabases are being built to have fewer nonbasics, not more, and I don't think that would change just because the nonbasics got slightly better.
While that is true if you are running Blood Moon yourself, no one is boarding in Blood Moon against you if you are a Blue/Red deck, so if you aren't running Blood Moon, more nonbasics is better.
So many people bring in Blood Moon against me without seeing any green game 1. It's embarrassing, but very annoying.
If you're really scared of Choke, you already have the ability to go up the Sulfur Falls count, add a couple of Cascade Bluffs and replace some of your basic islands with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and Minamo, School at Water's Edge. People don't do that because Choke doesn't see enough play and because Twin wants to be Moon-resistant so it can play Moon in its own board. I don't think the equation changes by adding a fastland; right now manabases are being built to have fewer nonbasics, not more, and I don't think that would change just because the nonbasics got slightly better.
While that is true if you are running Blood Moon yourself, no one is boarding in Blood Moon against you if you are a Blue/Red deck, so if you aren't running Blood Moon, more nonbasics is better.
So many people bring in Blood Moon against me without seeing any green game 1. It's embarrassing, but very annoying.
the card itself really isn't worth the card board its printed on...does it serve a purpose? Sure its a blue 1 drop that might not be a 1/1. I would not put it in a list and expect to win a PTQ or GP though.
As for Guardian of Tazeem, we've seen this effect on Dungeon Geists, Icefall Regent and Frost Titan. It's not high on the tier list of abilities that go on 5-drops.
The body is also not great, since a lot of dragons and other sphinx creatures have better bodies for the cost. The ability to lock down a threat for a few turns isn't good enough to make it better than Frost Titan since it also has no removal resistance, a smaller body and can't even always keep a threat locked down consistently. This might see play in standard and is a good card in limited, but it doesn't make the modern cut.
I know its all we have right now, but probably better to just wait until something looks even arguably modern playable to bother discussing it.
I do honestly expect modern playables in this set, given zen's impact on modern the first time and in keeping with this new trend of impactful playables every set.
I agree with this. I also don't think that fast lands is gonna be a problem. UR decks are fetching basics the majority of the time, so they are taking minimal damage already. Fast lands make the Blood Moon post-board plan slightly harder too.
Maybe but Sulfur Falls is already a reliable dual and the deck does have 4 drops it wanna cast on curve. (One of the reasons you see UWx Control running Glacial Fortress over Seachrome Coast
I'd personally be much more concerned about people bringing in Choke against UR decks than Blood Moon and a UR fastland would help a lot there.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
While that is true if you are running Blood Moon yourself, no one is boarding in Blood Moon against you if you are a Blue/Red deck, so if you aren't running Blood Moon, more nonbasics is better.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
GW Rhys the Redeemed EDH
RUGAnimar, Soul of Elements EDH
WBRAlesha, Who Smiles at Death EDH
Sig and avy made the good folks at heros of the plane studios
quotes
Top 4 in a 54 man tournament: http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=10154&d=258422&f=MO
That says something to me. I think they just haven't been played with enough. People used to say that Merfolk would never be top tier and here it is ripping up tournaments.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
That dude who T4d in a 54 man tournament repeated his performance a week later with another T8!
http://modernnexus.com/deck-of-the-week-allies/
I think this deck is only 1-2 cards away from being tier 3 or even tier 2. It really needs a low-cost interactive Ally that can substitute for removal or bounce or something. Like an Ally Harbinger of the Tides or Gempalm Incinerator/Stingscourger style effect. Or a better Tajuru Archer without that stupid targeting restriction (something cheaper than stupid Murasa Pyromancer).
I think its a case of a skilled pilot doing well--there are a number of archetypes that only have one or two pilots known who put up solid results repeatedly. Gifts and Utron UW tron for example. knowing we're about to get a whole load of new allies, I'd be surprised if less than a couple of them don't A)make the deck tier 2 B)Land the deck in an optimal 2/3 colors--though I do like the idea of it being an auto 4/5c tribe in modern.
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What Wizards is doing for merfolk is just baffling. They've had an insanely obvious auto include taylor made for that deck nearly every block/set for the last two years. Master of the pearl trident, Master of waves, tidebinder, and now Harbinger. Clearly someone in design/dev wants to see that deck re-rise to high tier status. Annoying that they're doing it for such a linear deck, or maybe its just low hanging fruit to them.
Level 2 in progress...
UUU Merfolk UUU
"Above the waves you may be mighty indeed, but down here you belong to me."
-Empress Galina
UBR Cruel Control UBR
"The essence of every world, every spell, and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
-Nicol Bolas
Counter-Cat
Colorless Eldrazi Stompy
The deck isnt missing an engine (collected company, chord of calling, aether vial, depending on the build) or even beat stick allies (Hada Freeblade, Kazandu Blademaster) And even ways to push damage through (Akoum Battlesinger, Kabira Evangel) WHat it needs really, is utility. Like ktken say, an ally that bolts, or an ally that kills enchantment/artifacts, ect. If it gets that, and maybe one more stupid ally that pushes it over the top, maybe mythic, boom, you got a real real deck.
Lanterns thoughts: "Whoomp whoomp. Anticlimactic."
That really seems suboptimal.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Counter-Cat
Colorless Eldrazi Stompy
As for Guardian of Tazeem, we've seen this effect on Dungeon Geists, Icefall Regent and Frost Titan. It's not high on the tier list of abilities that go on 5-drops.
| Ad Nauseam
| Infect
Big Johnny.
I do honestly expect modern playables in this set, given zen's impact on modern the first time and in keeping with this new trend of impactful playables every set.