Has anyone tested Sarkhan Unbroken in this deck ?
He seems rather good.
I used to use him in Tarmotwin and he did win a few games, but I am not sure the +1 is where we want to be. I am debating mainboarding 1-2 Keranos. This deck wants to go long and draw cards.
That's what his +1 does, draw cards. He also makes repeatable threats. Sounds like he does what you want buddy.
I'm having plenty of success with the deck, so this is the reasoning behind my card choices: RUG are the colors with the most efficient cards of the game, Tarmogoyf, lightning bolt and snapcasters are really low cost compared to what they do, so RUG colors are the best in deploying ancestral visions correctly.
Blood Moon: This is the main feature why this deck is better against UWR and Grixis. Although they have more powerful cards in their deck, they aren't powerful if they cant cast them. They just cant afford to play as many basics as we do as they aren't as efficient as we are. Wooded Foothills is a must here, because fetching for Forest is also essencial. Always cut Cryptic and Breeding Pool(when you expect the game to go long).
Surrak Dragonclaw: My pet card. Love to Side it in when I take the huntmasters out. Great against control and combo. Huge body. #5Goyf.
Wandering Fumarole: I've tested Desolate Lighthouse, but when you're drawing so many cards, you shouldn't be spending your mana to draw more cards. It just doesn't do anything. So I wanted to play man-lands to have an extra power to close games. I tested Lumbering Falls as well but isnt as nealy good here because: #1 Fumarole is better in the mana base since we are a UR deck with G splash; #2 People say Fumarole is bad because it dies to bolt. Well, yes it does, but so does Clique, Snapcaster and Huntmaster. The idea here is to overload them and so you'll be hitting hard with 4 power often enough.
*** That's all for now, any questions just do it . Cheers.
I ran this list last night to a 3-0-1 record. Very happy with it, but I am waiting to fight more decks before recommending the build outright. Though it was a blast to play and felt it was always in control even in grindy games.
Interesting. Looks very RUG/Temur Moon style. How'd you find the Condescends and GDD? Did you wish you had more Snaps?
I have most of these cards online, minus the GDD so I might pick this up and give it a shot.
Im unsold on GDD. They are a nice body and effect for 5 mana. Just something about them that gets me. I have to keep playing with them to know more.
Snap is good, duh. But I think two is sufficient so far. If I end up in a Grixis/Abzan heavy meta, I think I might have to up my snap count and cut GDD.
I played Grixis control tonight and misplayed horribly and let a leyline of the void resolve (against my will!). I feel if you dont actually misplay (lol) the matchup is 50/50, maybe 55/45.
I also played Abzan tonight, and got super unlucky with draws (my ancestral vision hit 3 lands, baby!) These two decks are the decks to beat and my list is full with answers to them and can grind out, but I have to draw the cards :p.
I've noticed online I have insane problems with the thopter combo decks. I've been playing the fair version without the kiki combo lately and if I can't nail a spell snare on foundry I just crumple. Relic and scooze don't do enough. I've thought about Wheels but even then I'm not sure.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: Esper Draw Go, U Tron
Legacy: TES (and sometimes ANT), Miracles
I run 2 Ancient Grudges and 1 Natural State. Doesn't seem to be enough. But I don't want to overcommit artifact hate at the cost of other sideboard slots and natural state is very good against UW control decks playing D-Sphere and RiPs which I've been seeing a non-zero amount of. I'm very dissatisfied with relics and scooze for hate against them, any competent player can play around them easily.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: Esper Draw Go, U Tron
Legacy: TES (and sometimes ANT), Miracles
I think the 3 hate cards plus your usual suite of permission should be enough. You just need to make sure you play around their combo pieces. Side in more permission as well. It sounds like youve just been really unlucky. Like when I drew 3 lands from my ancestral vision and another land for that turn
I am running really hot with this build right now. I am been testing against a very good Abzan player, and on MTGO. I find that I can control most match ups, but can create quite a bit of pressure against control decks. 3 AV has proven to be correct and mixes well with 4 serums which really smooths out draws. I am going to continue to test online.
My favorite win occurred with this play: Opponent is playing tokens in game 2 (I am up 1 game) and is at 3 life. The board is empty except for 4 anthems and I have an AV with 1 counter left. They pass with 2 cards in hand. AV grabs me Sarkhan, a serum and 2 other cards. I have 8 lands down. I cast serum to find another land and scry a snapcaster and a spell snare. Snap on top and snare on bottom. Cast Sarkhan, +1 to draw the snap, cast and target the bolt in my yard and cast it for the win. I had to change my pants after that play.
Anyway, I think this deck has play and can morph into other variants including combo. I'll report any other success I have.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks
Modern
No idea because my favorite decks keep getting banned or having the rules changed against them
You pretty much want AV turn 1, and thus 4 are a prerequisite.
I used to play 4, but found that was too many and I commonly preferred 4 serums. Too many things can mess with AV, remand or counter. Processors can eat them, or you could die before it goes off. Serum smooths out so many draws, and allows for so many better keeps. Just my experience so far. The deck is strong and I think will be tier 2. Still needs more tweaking. One more late game threat would be lovely, or counterspell if that ever makes it into modern.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks
Modern
No idea because my favorite decks keep getting banned or having the rules changed against them
You are running much more of a moon build, which may be right with BGx, Abzan combo, affinity and tron being the big players right now.
How have you been finding batterskull? I have been debating replacing that thragtusk in my board with it. I have decided not to so far because I am playing Shackles and I expect people to bring in artifact hate against me.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks
Modern
No idea because my favorite decks keep getting banned or having the rules changed against them
When batterskull is relevant, it shines. At least so far. It can change a stalled board state, or you can always equip it to an already big Goyf (that was really fun).
Though, I have found its uses few thus far. Its relevant more in heavy aggro builds that arent combo-ish (like Infect). I think it is superior to Thragtusk in most instances.
Is there ever a reason to run four blood moon in this deck?
I recently picked up RUG Delver, but like the commonality between the two decks and I can basically convert most of those cards over to RUG moon and have a second deck choice. Huntmaster and Blood Moon are also two of my favorite cards in Modern. I played Blue Moon for a while but didn't like how light on creature threats the deck was, this looks to solve some of those problems and add additional flexibility due to the green splash for Goyf, Huntmaster, Ooze, etc.
Also, I realize this is developing competitive, but I don't see much of a presence of this deck online surprisingly. Any insight as to why that is or is it just a fairly new development of a deck?
Edit: Lastly, has anyone considered running a copy of Godo, Bandit Warlord alongside batterskull in the sideboard? I've gone as far as to consider a gifts package in a RUG Moon list for a finisher package once the board is controlled.
I think this deck is still being figured out. There are a lot of different angles this deck can take. The deck version I am playing is a tweaked version of Reid Duke's list that is based on being a very midrange deck while trying to fire off ancestral visions to keep ahead of decks once you get into the middle of the game. There is a combo version that is using Deceiver/Krasis with Kiki to play a bit like twin using Traverse the Ulvenwald to tutor and make sure you hit you land drops. Then there is a Blue Moon like deck that is using Goyf and Huntmaster to close out games.
Gobo seems nice but for 6 mana he better damn near end the game. But requires a additional sideboard slot to be good. In addition with the current meta of Jund, Burn, Abzan Company being too decks he seems a bit slow to be effective. But I am more than happy to be wrong!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks
Modern
No idea because my favorite decks keep getting banned or having the rules changed against them
Is there ever a reason to run four blood moon in this deck?
I recently picked up RUG Delver, but like the commonality between the two decks and I can basically convert most of those cards over to RUG moon and have a second deck choice. Huntmaster and Blood Moon are also two of my favorite cards in Modern. I played Blue Moon for a while but didn't like how light on creature threats the deck was, this looks to solve some of those problems and add additional flexibility due to the green splash for Goyf, Huntmaster, Ooze, etc.
Also, I realize this is developing competitive, but I don't see much of a presence of this deck online surprisingly. Any insight as to why that is or is it just a fairly new development of a deck?
Edit: Lastly, has anyone considered running a copy of Godo, Bandit Warlord alongside batterskull in the sideboard? I've gone as far as to consider a gifts package in a RUG Moon list for a finisher package once the board is controlled.
Ive been rocking the Moon version and have enjoyed the results thus far. Ive been able to go toe to toe with top tier decks, and many lower tier decks dont stand a chance. That being said, the deck isnt unstoppable, but there are plenty of good matchups in the meta right now. For the record, I play the following:
4 Moons are too much. 3 is just right. Huntmaster is my favorite card of all time, and it does well in this shell.
As for Godo.....not buying it. For 6 mana a tutor for Batterksull just doesnt seem like what we want at 6 mana. Im also not sure how a gifts package would work without seriously diluting the deck. The deck can do just fine stalling until a few threats hit the board and stick.
I spent the week before trying to decide on the pile I wanted to take to Charlotte. I felt like playing UWr control without Nahiri wasn't the right meta call after watching Nahiri decks and ramp decks run rampant the past few weeks. After a day or two of think tanking I made the decision to start testing RUg Kiki Combo as a meta deck for the format.
1x Desolate Lighthouse
1x Natural State
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Scavenging Ooze
2x Negate
1x Pulse of Murasa
2x Anger of the Gods
1x Huntmaster of the Fells
2x Crumble to Dust
1x Thragtusk
1x Batterskull
Rounds 1 + 2
I had byes
2-0
Round 3
RG Tron
Game 1 I don't remember much. The last thing I have annotated on my life pad is a grove activation, which I assume was a worldbreaker followed up by ugin judging by me having me at 14 and him at 11.
Game 2 I got to combo out with pestermite + kiki on turn 5 or 6 after keeping him off tron early by ancient grudging his map turn 2 on the play.
Game 3 I kept 3 creatures, a serum visions, and 3 lands including a ghost quarter. I found nothing off my turn 1 serum visions meaning I had to play the ghost quarter to disrupt tron from being established. I had to ghost quarter a tron land to keep him off tron, so we sat and played draw go with him playing maps occasionally. I ended up staying on 2 lands for too long to be able to close out the game. According to my life pad I had stuck a clique, but continued to draw non interaction and he finally was able to take me off lands and then played Ugin to close out the game.
2-1
Round 4
BG Graveyard Aggro
Game 1 wasn't very interesting. I had a removal and creature heavy hand. He played out an assortment of gravecrawlers and bloodghast to beat face. I had a reasonably sized goyf and continued to have twiddle creatures to tap down his. He eventually scooped to death by a thousand pestermite swings.
Game 2 was slightly more interesting. He dropped a turn 2 loleth troll which he helped to grow by discarding after I tapped out for a turn 1 serum visions. I dropped a goyf to block, which I chumped with. I them proceeded to run out another bigger goyf. I top decked a batterskull to stabilize me at 6 and start climbing back up in life. He swung in killing my germ token. I untapped at 10 life and equipped the batterskull to my goyf making it an 8/9. We played draw go until he found a vengevine and he was able to swing profitably again. I snap + serum visions to find an anger of the gods and proceeded to sweep the board. He abrupt decayed my goyf on my end step, and I tapped down his loleth troll with an exarch. He scooped after I started swinging into him in the air, while having batterskull on an exarch to block.
3-1
Round 5
Naya Titan Shift with Nahiri (assuming he has scapeshifts, I never saw any)
Game 1 he plays a nahiri after I tap out at some point if I remember correctly. I made the decision to see let him ult Nahiri turn 5 to see if he'd walk into an exarch with the ult, which he did. After that I stuck a snapcaster at some point and was able to gradually grind him down to about 10. He killed my snap with a valakut trigger; I proceeded to untap and drop goyf. He played a primeval titan fetching valakut and mountain (hitting me for 3). I untap with 6 lands drop a kiki-jiki and copy my tarmogoyf swinging into his primeval titan. He blocks my goyf and I dismember his titan. putting him to 5. He played a farseek on his turn killing my goyf. I untap snap + bolt and swing for lethal with kiki.
Game 2 He has a Nahiri which I kept control of it's loyalty so he couldn't ult for a while. I was able to stick a click and then a goyf (his board being a nahiri at 6 loyalty). He went to minus his nahiri to kill my vendilion clique, and I flashed in an exarch to untap it. He then played a land to kill my exarch. I untapped swung 8 to put him at 2, and then snap + bolt for the kill.
4-1
Round 6
Junk Cavern Elves (Aggro build with lead the stampede)
Game 1 wasn't super interesting. He has a good elves draw. I had to dismember an elf at some point. I punted this game super hard by fetching away a scryed Kiki on accident.
Game 2 I had removal for days and rode a 4/5 goyf that I played turn 2 to victory.
Game 3 was a bit more interesting. I had a very reactive hand, but he had a natural Burrenton Forge-Tender in his hand. He accidentally swung with his Forge-Tender, which let me windmill slam an exarch on the table to kill it. I bolted his Lord on end step and then untapped. I passed turn back without doing anything else. He untapped and laid out Ezuri and Heritage druid leaving open a forest (him having 3 elves on the field). Knowing what was in his hand (from a Lead the Stampede) I was most likely dead if I didn't remove his Ezuri or Combo off. I played kiki he companied and whiffed on finding his Phyrexian Revoker.
5-1
Round 7
Joshua Cho on RG Bushwacker Zoo.
There's not much to say about this round. I got run over by strong draws on his part and him having all the right answers at the right time. I will say that this match up normally doesn't feel unfavorable.
5-2
Round 8
Burn
Game 1 was just a normal burn hand, and I didn't draw the answers I needed off of serum visions.
Game 2 He kept a non creature hand and drew into creatures. He got me down to 7 before I beat him down with a goyf and snap.
Game 3 I had a reasonable keep. I misplayed in negating a Lava Spike at some point tapping out so he could cast Boros Charm on me. I fetched to 2 to tapped out for batterskull after going into the think tank for a minute or two. I did the math and he had ~25 draws he could have hit for me to start climbing back up in life thanks to batterskull.
5-3
Round 9
UWr Control
Game 1 is some serum visions here and there. I got ahead on lands, and proceeded to pick a fight on his end step with a snapcaster mage.The stack resembled something like snap (me) > spell snare target snap (him) > remand target snap (me) > spell snare target snap (him) > Remand target spell snare (me). The top remand resolved and then he recast the spell snare putting him at 2 mana. I allowed the stack to resolve. I then flashed in another snap which he countered with mana leak. I untapped with 8 mana and then played Exarch and Kiki-Jiki to combo off game 1 while he was tapped out.
Game 2 was the tradition temur box game. I was able to get ahead on lands and beat him down after answering his early game V Clique.
6-3
Day 2:
Round 10
Affinity
Game 1 I made the mistake of keeping a combo hand without interaction blind. My opponent had a quick hand with finding double overseer, and I found no interaction in my 3-4 draw steps. I ended up dying turn 4 with the kiki-jiki still in my hand.
Game 2 I missed land drop #4 and was forced to anger the board turn 4 to clean up the field. He untapped and dropped spellskite into overseer with an inkmoth nexus in play as well. I had to bolt snap bolt to answer the skite, and then just didn't find another way to answer the board.
6-4
Round 11
UWr Nahiri
Sadly my deck didn't really cooperate this round. I tried playing the beatdown due to being behind on lands, and he had answers for my goyfs. I ended up having to tap out for an exarch to tap down his emrakul off nahiri ult both games which was met by remand both games.
6-5
----------------------------------------------
Overall I have to say I was happy with my deck choice for the most part. The mana base is bad, and there were times I felt I needed a 3rd filter to hit cryptic and kiki both on curve.
I definitely felt like I got unlucky in some of my game losses, and feel like this is probably a viable build at times.
I would have sleeved up probably 70 of the 75 again if I'd have been going into the same event tomorrow.
Also random shout outs to Hunter my GR Tron opponent whom I got to hang out with at the players meeting day 2, and a congrats to Cam my round 9 opponent on the recent engagement. Cool people all around for all my opponents.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
That's what his +1 does, draw cards. He also makes repeatable threats. Sounds like he does what you want buddy.
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Electrolyse
2 Roast
4 Remand
2 Mana Leak
2 Cryptic Command
2 Spell Snare
4 Serum Visions
4 Ancestral Visions
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Wooded Foothills
5 Island
1 Forest
1 Mountain
2 Steam Vents
1 Breeding Pool
1 Stomping Ground
2 Wandering Fumarole
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Surrak Dragonclaw
3 Dispel
3 Anger of the Gods
3 Ancient Grudge
3 Blood Moon
I'm having plenty of success with the deck, so this is the reasoning behind my card choices: RUG are the colors with the most efficient cards of the game, Tarmogoyf, lightning bolt and snapcasters are really low cost compared to what they do, so RUG colors are the best in deploying ancestral visions correctly.
Blood Moon: This is the main feature why this deck is better against UWR and Grixis. Although they have more powerful cards in their deck, they aren't powerful if they cant cast them. They just cant afford to play as many basics as we do as they aren't as efficient as we are. Wooded Foothills is a must here, because fetching for Forest is also essencial. Always cut Cryptic and Breeding Pool(when you expect the game to go long).
Surrak Dragonclaw: My pet card. Love to Side it in when I take the huntmasters out. Great against control and combo. Huge body. #5Goyf.
Wandering Fumarole: I've tested Desolate Lighthouse, but when you're drawing so many cards, you shouldn't be spending your mana to draw more cards. It just doesn't do anything. So I wanted to play man-lands to have an extra power to close games. I tested Lumbering Falls as well but isnt as nealy good here because: #1 Fumarole is better in the mana base since we are a UR deck with G splash; #2 People say Fumarole is bad because it dies to bolt. Well, yes it does, but so does Clique, Snapcaster and Huntmaster. The idea here is to overload them and so you'll be hitting hard with 4 power often enough.
*** That's all for now, any questions just do it . Cheers.
Legacy: TES (and sometimes ANT), Miracles
Pauper: Kuldotha Jeskai, Murasa Tron
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
1x Breeding Pool
1x Forest
6x Island
4x Misty Rainforest
1x Mountain
4x Scalding Tarn
2x Steam Vents
1x Stomping Ground
2x Wooded Foothills
Sorcery (7)
4x Ancestral Vision
3x Serum Visions
2x Condescend
2x Electrolyze
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Mana Leak
4x Remand
1x Tarfire
Creature (12)
2x Goblin Dark-Dwellers
4x Huntmaster of the Fells
2x Snapcaster Mage
4x Tarmogoyf
Enchantment (3)
3x Blood Moon
2x Batterskull
1x Destructive Revelry
1x Dispel
1x Engineered Explosives
1x Izzet Staticaster
1x Keranos, God of Storms
2x Kozilek's Return
2x Negate
2x Spellskite
2x Vandalblast
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
I have most of these cards online, minus the GDD so I might pick this up and give it a shot.
Legacy: TES (and sometimes ANT), Miracles
Pauper: Kuldotha Jeskai, Murasa Tron
Im unsold on GDD. They are a nice body and effect for 5 mana. Just something about them that gets me. I have to keep playing with them to know more.
Snap is good, duh. But I think two is sufficient so far. If I end up in a Grixis/Abzan heavy meta, I think I might have to up my snap count and cut GDD.
I played Grixis control tonight and misplayed horribly and let a leyline of the void resolve (against my will!). I feel if you dont actually misplay (lol) the matchup is 50/50, maybe 55/45.
I also played Abzan tonight, and got super unlucky with draws (my ancestral vision hit 3 lands, baby!) These two decks are the decks to beat and my list is full with answers to them and can grind out, but I have to draw the cards :p.
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
Legacy: TES (and sometimes ANT), Miracles
Pauper: Kuldotha Jeskai, Murasa Tron
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
Legacy: TES (and sometimes ANT), Miracles
Pauper: Kuldotha Jeskai, Murasa Tron
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Tarmogoyf
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Keranos, God of Storms
Spells (25)
3 Ancestral Vision
2 Spell Snare
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Serum Visions
3 Mana Leak
1 Dismember
2 Electrolyze
2 Vedalken Shackles
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
2 Cryptic Command
1 Sarkhan Unbroken
1 Breeding Pool
1 Mountain
1 Stomping Ground
1 Wooded Foothills
2 Forest
2 Steam Vents
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
7 Island
2 Dispel
1 Pyroclasm
1 Spellskite
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Negate
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Blood Moon
1 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Thragtusk
My favorite win occurred with this play: Opponent is playing tokens in game 2 (I am up 1 game) and is at 3 life. The board is empty except for 4 anthems and I have an AV with 1 counter left. They pass with 2 cards in hand. AV grabs me Sarkhan, a serum and 2 other cards. I have 8 lands down. I cast serum to find another land and scry a snapcaster and a spell snare. Snap on top and snare on bottom. Cast Sarkhan, +1 to draw the snap, cast and target the bolt in my yard and cast it for the win. I had to change my pants after that play.
Anyway, I think this deck has play and can morph into other variants including combo. I'll report any other success I have.
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
I used to play 4, but found that was too many and I commonly preferred 4 serums. Too many things can mess with AV, remand or counter. Processors can eat them, or you could die before it goes off. Serum smooths out so many draws, and allows for so many better keeps. Just my experience so far. The deck is strong and I think will be tier 2. Still needs more tweaking. One more late game threat would be lovely, or counterspell if that ever makes it into modern.
1x Breeding Pool
1x Forest
6x Island
4x Misty Rainforest
1x Mountain
4x Scalding Tarn
2x Steam Vents
1x Stomping Ground
2x Wooded Foothills
Sorcery (7)
4x Ancestral Vision
3x Serum Visions
2x Condescend
2x Electrolyze
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Mana Leak
3x Remand
1x Tarfire
Creature (11)
4x Huntmaster of the Fells
3x Snapcaster Mage
4x Tarmogoyf
Enchantment (4)
3x Blood Moon
1x Seal of Fire
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Batterskull
1x Destructive Revelry
2x Dispel
1x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Izzet Staticaster
1x Keranos, God of Storms
2x Negate
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Spellskite
1x Vandalblast
I find 4 AV right. Games grind out where I can resolve 2 AVs often, and even 3 some times. I still need to run it more to know for sure.
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
How have you been finding batterskull? I have been debating replacing that thragtusk in my board with it. I have decided not to so far because I am playing Shackles and I expect people to bring in artifact hate against me.
Though, I have found its uses few thus far. Its relevant more in heavy aggro builds that arent combo-ish (like Infect). I think it is superior to Thragtusk in most instances.
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
I recently picked up RUG Delver, but like the commonality between the two decks and I can basically convert most of those cards over to RUG moon and have a second deck choice. Huntmaster and Blood Moon are also two of my favorite cards in Modern. I played Blue Moon for a while but didn't like how light on creature threats the deck was, this looks to solve some of those problems and add additional flexibility due to the green splash for Goyf, Huntmaster, Ooze, etc.
Also, I realize this is developing competitive, but I don't see much of a presence of this deck online surprisingly. Any insight as to why that is or is it just a fairly new development of a deck?
Edit: Lastly, has anyone considered running a copy of Godo, Bandit Warlord alongside batterskull in the sideboard? I've gone as far as to consider a gifts package in a RUG Moon list for a finisher package once the board is controlled.
Gobo seems nice but for 6 mana he better damn near end the game. But requires a additional sideboard slot to be good. In addition with the current meta of Jund, Burn, Abzan Company being too decks he seems a bit slow to be effective. But I am more than happy to be wrong!
Ive been rocking the Moon version and have enjoyed the results thus far. Ive been able to go toe to toe with top tier decks, and many lower tier decks dont stand a chance. That being said, the deck isnt unstoppable, but there are plenty of good matchups in the meta right now. For the record, I play the following:
1x Breeding Pool
1x Forest
6x Island
4x Misty Rainforest
1x Mountain
4x Scalding Tarn
2x Steam Vents
1x Stomping Ground
2x Wooded Foothills
Sorcery (7)
4x Ancestral Vision
3x Serum Visions
2x Condescend
2x Electrolyze
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Mana Leak
3x Remand
1x Tarfire
Creature (11)
4x Huntmaster of the Fells
3x Snapcaster Mage
4x Tarmogoyf
Enchantment (4)
3x Blood Moon
1x Seal of Fire
2x Anger of the Gods
2x Batterskull
1x Destructive Revelry
2x Dispel
2x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Izzet Staticaster
1x Keranos, God of Storms
2x Negate
1x Spellskite
1x Vandalblast
4 Moons are too much. 3 is just right. Huntmaster is my favorite card of all time, and it does well in this shell.
As for Godo.....not buying it. For 6 mana a tutor for Batterksull just doesnt seem like what we want at 6 mana. Im also not sure how a gifts package would work without seriously diluting the deck. The deck can do just fine stalling until a few threats hit the board and stick.
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
Hopefully I can convert 6-3 to 12-3 tomorrow.
RUG Temur Deprive Delver
BUG Sultai Deprive Delver
Playing a Kiki deck as a meta call against all the Nahiri.
I spent the week before trying to decide on the pile I wanted to take to Charlotte. I felt like playing UWr control without Nahiri wasn't the right meta call after watching Nahiri decks and ramp decks run rampant the past few weeks. After a day or two of think tanking I made the decision to start testing RUg Kiki Combo as a meta deck for the format.
My pile:
Lands
4x Misty Rainforest
4x Scalding Tarn
2x Steam Vents
1x Breeding Pool
1x Stomping Ground
1x Hinterland Harbor
1x Sulfur Falls
1x Raging Ravine
2x Cascade Bluffs
3x Island
1x Mountain
1x Forest
1x Ghost Quarter
Spells
4x Serum Visions
4x Lightning Bolt
2x Spell Snare
1x Dispel
3x Remand
1x Izzet Charm
1x Roast
1x Dismember
1x Electrolyze
2x Cryptic Command
Creatures
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Snapcaster Mage
3x Deceiver Exarch
2x Pestermite
1x Vendilion Clique
3x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Sideboard:
1x Desolate Lighthouse
1x Natural State
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Scavenging Ooze
2x Negate
1x Pulse of Murasa
2x Anger of the Gods
1x Huntmaster of the Fells
2x Crumble to Dust
1x Thragtusk
1x Batterskull
Rounds 1 + 2
I had byes
2-0
Round 3
RG Tron
Game 1 I don't remember much. The last thing I have annotated on my life pad is a grove activation, which I assume was a worldbreaker followed up by ugin judging by me having me at 14 and him at 11.
Game 2 I got to combo out with pestermite + kiki on turn 5 or 6 after keeping him off tron early by ancient grudging his map turn 2 on the play.
Game 3 I kept 3 creatures, a serum visions, and 3 lands including a ghost quarter. I found nothing off my turn 1 serum visions meaning I had to play the ghost quarter to disrupt tron from being established. I had to ghost quarter a tron land to keep him off tron, so we sat and played draw go with him playing maps occasionally. I ended up staying on 2 lands for too long to be able to close out the game. According to my life pad I had stuck a clique, but continued to draw non interaction and he finally was able to take me off lands and then played Ugin to close out the game.
2-1
Round 4
BG Graveyard Aggro
Game 1 wasn't very interesting. I had a removal and creature heavy hand. He played out an assortment of gravecrawlers and bloodghast to beat face. I had a reasonably sized goyf and continued to have twiddle creatures to tap down his. He eventually scooped to death by a thousand pestermite swings.
Game 2 was slightly more interesting. He dropped a turn 2 loleth troll which he helped to grow by discarding after I tapped out for a turn 1 serum visions. I dropped a goyf to block, which I chumped with. I them proceeded to run out another bigger goyf. I top decked a batterskull to stabilize me at 6 and start climbing back up in life. He swung in killing my germ token. I untapped at 10 life and equipped the batterskull to my goyf making it an 8/9. We played draw go until he found a vengevine and he was able to swing profitably again. I snap + serum visions to find an anger of the gods and proceeded to sweep the board. He abrupt decayed my goyf on my end step, and I tapped down his loleth troll with an exarch. He scooped after I started swinging into him in the air, while having batterskull on an exarch to block.
3-1
Round 5
Naya Titan Shift with Nahiri (assuming he has scapeshifts, I never saw any)
Game 1 he plays a nahiri after I tap out at some point if I remember correctly. I made the decision to see let him ult Nahiri turn 5 to see if he'd walk into an exarch with the ult, which he did. After that I stuck a snapcaster at some point and was able to gradually grind him down to about 10. He killed my snap with a valakut trigger; I proceeded to untap and drop goyf. He played a primeval titan fetching valakut and mountain (hitting me for 3). I untap with 6 lands drop a kiki-jiki and copy my tarmogoyf swinging into his primeval titan. He blocks my goyf and I dismember his titan. putting him to 5. He played a farseek on his turn killing my goyf. I untap snap + bolt and swing for lethal with kiki.
Game 2 He has a Nahiri which I kept control of it's loyalty so he couldn't ult for a while. I was able to stick a click and then a goyf (his board being a nahiri at 6 loyalty). He went to minus his nahiri to kill my vendilion clique, and I flashed in an exarch to untap it. He then played a land to kill my exarch. I untapped swung 8 to put him at 2, and then snap + bolt for the kill.
4-1
Round 6
Junk Cavern Elves (Aggro build with lead the stampede)
Game 1 wasn't super interesting. He has a good elves draw. I had to dismember an elf at some point. I punted this game super hard by fetching away a scryed Kiki on accident.
Game 2 I had removal for days and rode a 4/5 goyf that I played turn 2 to victory.
Game 3 was a bit more interesting. I had a very reactive hand, but he had a natural Burrenton Forge-Tender in his hand. He accidentally swung with his Forge-Tender, which let me windmill slam an exarch on the table to kill it. I bolted his Lord on end step and then untapped. I passed turn back without doing anything else. He untapped and laid out Ezuri and Heritage druid leaving open a forest (him having 3 elves on the field). Knowing what was in his hand (from a Lead the Stampede) I was most likely dead if I didn't remove his Ezuri or Combo off. I played kiki he companied and whiffed on finding his Phyrexian Revoker.
5-1
Round 7
Joshua Cho on RG Bushwacker Zoo.
There's not much to say about this round. I got run over by strong draws on his part and him having all the right answers at the right time. I will say that this match up normally doesn't feel unfavorable.
5-2
Round 8
Burn
Game 1 was just a normal burn hand, and I didn't draw the answers I needed off of serum visions.
Game 2 He kept a non creature hand and drew into creatures. He got me down to 7 before I beat him down with a goyf and snap.
Game 3 I had a reasonable keep. I misplayed in negating a Lava Spike at some point tapping out so he could cast Boros Charm on me. I fetched to 2 to tapped out for batterskull after going into the think tank for a minute or two. I did the math and he had ~25 draws he could have hit for me to start climbing back up in life thanks to batterskull.
5-3
Round 9
UWr Control
Game 1 is some serum visions here and there. I got ahead on lands, and proceeded to pick a fight on his end step with a snapcaster mage.The stack resembled something like snap (me) > spell snare target snap (him) > remand target snap (me) > spell snare target snap (him) > Remand target spell snare (me). The top remand resolved and then he recast the spell snare putting him at 2 mana. I allowed the stack to resolve. I then flashed in another snap which he countered with mana leak. I untapped with 8 mana and then played Exarch and Kiki-Jiki to combo off game 1 while he was tapped out.
Game 2 was the tradition temur box game. I was able to get ahead on lands and beat him down after answering his early game V Clique.
6-3
Day 2:
Round 10
Affinity
Game 1 I made the mistake of keeping a combo hand without interaction blind. My opponent had a quick hand with finding double overseer, and I found no interaction in my 3-4 draw steps. I ended up dying turn 4 with the kiki-jiki still in my hand.
Game 2 I missed land drop #4 and was forced to anger the board turn 4 to clean up the field. He untapped and dropped spellskite into overseer with an inkmoth nexus in play as well. I had to bolt snap bolt to answer the skite, and then just didn't find another way to answer the board.
6-4
Round 11
UWr Nahiri
Sadly my deck didn't really cooperate this round. I tried playing the beatdown due to being behind on lands, and he had answers for my goyfs. I ended up having to tap out for an exarch to tap down his emrakul off nahiri ult both games which was met by remand both games.
6-5
----------------------------------------------
Overall I have to say I was happy with my deck choice for the most part. The mana base is bad, and there were times I felt I needed a 3rd filter to hit cryptic and kiki both on curve.
I definitely felt like I got unlucky in some of my game losses, and feel like this is probably a viable build at times.
I would have sleeved up probably 70 of the 75 again if I'd have been going into the same event tomorrow.
Also random shout outs to Hunter my GR Tron opponent whom I got to hang out with at the players meeting day 2, and a congrats to Cam my round 9 opponent on the recent engagement. Cool people all around for all my opponents.