Saw this managed to top 8 a couple weeks back in a tournament. After seeing that, I started playing with it and I have to say. This thing is absurd. At first glance it just looks like an expensive Snapcaster, but it's a lot more than that. Unlike Snap's 2/1 body, the 5/6 on Gearhulk is very substantial and due to the differences in how things are worded, a Gearhulk/Cryptic line is a much stronger play than a Snap/Cryptic line and it's not even hard countered by Remand.
I've been experimenting with various UW and UWR decks using this card in flash builds and am finding it to be very strong. It's a pretty ridiculous finisher. EOT Gearhulk, Cryptic tap/draw, swing is a nice combination.
I realize these decks aren't exactly at the forefront of the Modern metagame right now, but Gearhulk is ridiculous in the draw/go all instant speed decks. It feels to me like it's the card the archetype needed.
Saw this managed to top 8 a couple weeks back in a tournament. After seeing that, I started playing with it and I have to say. This thing is absurd. At first glance it just looks like an expensive Snapcaster, but it's a lot more than that. Unlike Snap's 2/1 body, the 5/6 on Gearhulk is very substantial and due to the differences in how things are worded, a Gearhulk/Cryptic line is a much stronger play than a Snap/Cryptic line and it's not even hard countered by Remand.
I've been experimenting with various UW and UWR decks using this card in flash builds and am finding it to be very strong. It's a pretty ridiculous finisher. EOT Gearhulk, Cryptic tap/draw, swing is a nice combination.
I realize these decks aren't exactly at the forefront of the Modern metagame right now, but Gearhulk is ridiculous in the draw/go all instant speed decks. It feels to me like it's the card the archetype needed.
Do you think you'd play all 4 snapcsaters + gearhulk? or 3-1?
Saw this managed to top 8 a couple weeks back in a tournament. After seeing that, I started playing with it and I have to say. This thing is absurd. At first glance it just looks like an expensive Snapcaster, but it's a lot more than that. Unlike Snap's 2/1 body, the 5/6 on Gearhulk is very substantial and due to the differences in how things are worded, a Gearhulk/Cryptic line is a much stronger play than a Snap/Cryptic line and it's not even hard countered by Remand.
I've been experimenting with various UW and UWR decks using this card in flash builds and am finding it to be very strong. It's a pretty ridiculous finisher. EOT Gearhulk, Cryptic tap/draw, swing is a nice combination.
I realize these decks aren't exactly at the forefront of the Modern metagame right now, but Gearhulk is ridiculous in the draw/go all instant speed decks. It feels to me like it's the card the archetype needed.
Do you think you'd play all 4 snapcsaters + gearhulk? or 3-1?
Depends on the list, the amount of lands you play and the style you want to go for. In grixis with K. Command I think 4-1, in UWR draw go, 3-1 is fine.
Saw this managed to top 8 a couple weeks back in a tournament. After seeing that, I started playing with it and I have to say. This thing is absurd. At first glance it just looks like an expensive Snapcaster, but it's a lot more than that. Unlike Snap's 2/1 body, the 5/6 on Gearhulk is very substantial and due to the differences in how things are worded, a Gearhulk/Cryptic line is a much stronger play than a Snap/Cryptic line and it's not even hard countered by Remand.
I've been experimenting with various UW and UWR decks using this card in flash builds and am finding it to be very strong. It's a pretty ridiculous finisher. EOT Gearhulk, Cryptic tap/draw, swing is a nice combination.
I realize these decks aren't exactly at the forefront of the Modern metagame right now, but Gearhulk is ridiculous in the draw/go all instant speed decks. It feels to me like it's the card the archetype needed.
Do you think you'd play all 4 snapcsaters + gearhulk? or 3-1?
Depends on the list, the amount of lands you play and the style you want to go for. In grixis with K. Command I think 4-1, in UWR draw go, 3-1 is fine.
What about UWr flash? (even worth it at that point?)
I don't think it is worth it. You are playing a way more tempo game. You are not looking for a big beating stick on the ground but to outvalue your opponent and win in the air and snap-burn.
What about UWr flash? (even worth it at that point?)
UWr flash is precisely what I have in mind, maybe even just UW. I'm unsure on Spell Queller yet but I like Restoration Angel. From my experience playing flash decks ~12 creatures is where you want to be.
Been playing more Gearhulks. The cards ridiculous.
2 feels like the right number in pretty much everything I put it in, alongside 4 Snaps. It really shines alongside some modal spells. Cryptic is fantastic, Blessed Alliance is ok, Esper Charm is ridiculous (if only Black offered more...), Azorius Charm is ok (and plays well with Snap).
How would Aethermage's Touch work out here? You can cheat out a Gearhulk/snapcaster at 4, then cast something, then return it back to your hand for another use later in the game.
How would Aethermage's Touch work out here? You can cheat out a Gearhulk/snapcaster at 4, then cast something, then return it back to your hand for another use later in the game.
You'll need a creature density close to that of Collected Company in order for Aethermage's Touch to cheat out any creatures consistently enough. More than 20 creatures is not quite my idea of a Snapcaster deck.
I think it would be strongest in a sultai control deck. With ashiok, Torrential Gearhulk and control instant spells. Remember this though. Consume the meek and this guy are just nuts. In sultai we actually have a good spell now Yahenni's Expertise may be lacking what Damnation could do better but it's a budget modern version.you can control your opponent and then play their Creatures off ashiok and have Lands untapped for control. Seems very interesting actually haha. Consumes might only be a 2 of In the deck though. Don't know quite yet. But it would be a good way to finally get sultai or grixis back on the map. Even esper actually with supreme verdict and Sphinxs revelation. You could do either white, green or red as the third color if you wanted. But don't have to. White probably has the best game with graveyard hate if you need to, but red has tron hate and early board wipes, and green can give you ramp and one of the best removals ever. Abrupt decay.
U Tron has partially adopted it, and it seems to be a natural fit. Draw, go - full suite of instant speed cards.
The card is good value. I've seen it win some games. Flashed in blocker + free spell turns into a 2 for nothing often.
However, for a big cast it often does not have the punch of things like Wurmcoil Engine, Sundering Titan, Mindslaver, Ugin etc. Things that severely alter the board state just by existing.
Wurmcoil is very hard to play around for aggro.
Sundering Titan can end the game on its own against the right deck.
Mindslaver can be crushing or an instant win.
Ugin can wipe the whole board and keep on cleaning it.
That said, Tron has the manabase to support these cards. So maybe its a thing relating to that specific deck rather than the gearhulk itself.
But I'm thinking like this:
a) Are you controlling the board? If yes, you could win with almost anything.
b) If you are not controlling the board will it do it for you, most of the time?
The answer is no, I think. Sometimes yes, but not consistently.
Some years ago the gearhulk would have been amazing. Now when they're churning out insane creatures with every set I'm not so sure it is.
Another question to answer I guess is whether there is something more worthwhile doing with the 4 mana difference from Snapcaster. If you're flashing back a 1-2 mana spell then maybe having the remaining 2 mana open can be more important than having a 5/6 on the board. Maybe not, I dunno
But if you are flashing back cryptic command then torrential gearhulk is actually easier on the mana than snapcaster mage and is way bigger. Also flashing back an esper charm seems just fine. I think gearhulk will end up being the finisher of choice when we finally see control decks in modern again, I just think we are waiting for one or two more support spells.
I like his interaction with Hieroglyphic Illumination, cycling it to replay later seems like a fair move. I'm not sure what kind of shell could utilize it at this point though, the format seems pretty low to the ground
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I've been experimenting with various UW and UWR decks using this card in flash builds and am finding it to be very strong. It's a pretty ridiculous finisher. EOT Gearhulk, Cryptic tap/draw, swing is a nice combination.
I realize these decks aren't exactly at the forefront of the Modern metagame right now, but Gearhulk is ridiculous in the draw/go all instant speed decks. It feels to me like it's the card the archetype needed.
Do you think you'd play all 4 snapcsaters + gearhulk? or 3-1?
Twitter: twitter.com/axmanonline
Stream: twitch.tv/axman
Current Decks
Modern: Affinity
Standard: BW Control
Legacy: Death and Taxes :symw::symr:
Vintage: NA
UB Faeries (15-6-0)
UWR Control (10-5-1)/Kiki Control/Midrange/Harbinger
UBR Cruel Control (6-4-0)/Grixis Control/Delver/Blue Jund
UWB Control/Mentor
UW Miracles/Control (currently active, 14-2-0)
BW Eldrazi & Taxes
RW Burn (9-1-0)
I do (academic) research on video games and archaeology! You can check out my open access book here: https://www.sidestone.com/books/the-interactive-past
What about UWr flash? (even worth it at that point?)
This my current list -
4x Celestial Colonnade
1x Desolate Lighthouse
4x Flooded Strand
1x Hallowed Fountain
3x Island
1x Plains
1x Sacred Foundry
4x Scalding Tarn
1x Snow-Covered Mountain
2x Steam Vents
2x Sulfur Falls
1x Cryptic Command
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Lightning Helix
3x Mana Leak
4x Path to Exile
4x Remand
Creature (13)
3x Restoration Angel
4x Snapcaster Mage
4x Spell Queller
2x Vendilion Clique
Sorcery (4)
3x Serum Visions
1x Supreme Verdict
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Blessed Alliance
2x Crumble to Dust
1x Dispel
1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1x Izzet Staticaster
2x Negate
2x Rest in Peace
2x Stony Silence
Twitter: twitter.com/axmanonline
Stream: twitch.tv/axman
Current Decks
Modern: Affinity
Standard: BW Control
Legacy: Death and Taxes :symw::symr:
Vintage: NA
UB Faeries (15-6-0)
UWR Control (10-5-1)/Kiki Control/Midrange/Harbinger
UBR Cruel Control (6-4-0)/Grixis Control/Delver/Blue Jund
UWB Control/Mentor
UW Miracles/Control (currently active, 14-2-0)
BW Eldrazi & Taxes
RW Burn (9-1-0)
I do (academic) research on video games and archaeology! You can check out my open access book here: https://www.sidestone.com/books/the-interactive-past
Probably 4 Snap, 2 Gearhulk. Maybe that's too many Gearhulks, but they're really strong.
UWr flash is precisely what I have in mind, maybe even just UW. I'm unsure on Spell Queller yet but I like Restoration Angel. From my experience playing flash decks ~12 creatures is where you want to be.
I've been running straight UW casually, UWR in Modern. Something like this is my starting point
4 Celestial Colonade
4 Flooded Strand
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Plains
4 Island
1 Mountain
1 Temple of Epiphany
1 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Spell Queller
2 Restoration Angel
2 Torrential Gearhulk
22 spells
4 Serum Visions
4 Path to Exile
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Blessed Alliance
3 Cryptic Command
3 Sphinx's Revelation
2 feels like the right number in pretty much everything I put it in, alongside 4 Snaps. It really shines alongside some modal spells. Cryptic is fantastic, Blessed Alliance is ok, Esper Charm is ridiculous (if only Black offered more...), Azorius Charm is ok (and plays well with Snap).
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You'll need a creature density close to that of Collected Company in order for Aethermage's Touch to cheat out any creatures consistently enough. More than 20 creatures is not quite my idea of a Snapcaster deck.
You also want to probably play the full 4x cryptic with it as it is by far the best card to flashback with it
But if you are flashing back cryptic command then torrential gearhulk is actually easier on the mana than snapcaster mage and is way bigger. Also flashing back an esper charm seems just fine. I think gearhulk will end up being the finisher of choice when we finally see control decks in modern again, I just think we are waiting for one or two more support spells.
It has the late-game lock with Academy Ruins to cast T.Gearhulk every turn even if it gets removed.