Nice write-up, personally I wouldn't keep a hand with 1 land. Craggwick is very mana hungry, and unless you know what the matchup is too many decks will kill off the dorks before you can use them. Dorks also play out slower than lands since you can't tap them the turn they are played.
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Decks - Modern Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Bad variance (and bad plays) happens. I would shrug it off.
I actually notice some matchups that I've played where it's probably correct to side out the Combo, but I just enjoy it too much to do right now. If I decide to play this deck for the Dec. 2 RPTQ (which takes some serious balls), I would try to get the sideboarding down completely.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
hero of oxid ridge is meant to be a game winning swing off of an eldritch evolution hence only a one of. battle cry turns birds and other dorks your list might have into damage dealers. plus if steel leaf champion is a relevant ability for the match, he puts it on everything.
I wouldn't go for the 8 damage on turn 3. it fun, but usually isn't the right move for a turn 3 evolution.
Has anyone else been playing the deck recently? I took the week off when I went to Northern California this past weekend. I nearly played at Channelfireball in San Jose, but decided to spend Friday with family instead.
I have a LCQ this Saturday and am considering the deck, but probably will do Titanshift instead.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Be brave and take it to the LCQ and then do a nice write up for all of us ;-)
I may actually have the guts to do it this time. The main issue is that I know several of the people who are going and just like myself, they usually are qualified at this time. So I know it's going to be a battle. But then there are reasons to do it as well. My son's birthday party is the next day, the same day as the RPTQ, so it would hurt less if I don't qualify. It doesn't feel as much like do or die. (like the last 2 times I lost in the finals of PPTQs)
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Round 1 vs. Burn. He played Monastery Swiftspear, then Boros Charms and Lightning Bolts until a fatal Skullcrack killed me. The turn before EoT double Bolt into lethal Skullcrack, I go for Cragganwick Cremator. He's at 11 life and I have double Impervious Greatwurm, Noble Hierarch, and Surrak in hand. He gets Surrak and survives at 6 when he kills me. In the next game, I am on the play so Strangleroot Geist into Evolution for Surrak puts him on a clock. He gets to 1 life with Eidolon of the Great Revel out and scoops. In the final game, I should have mulled to 5. My creature gets Searing Blazed and I draw the last 2 Eldritch Evolution. Also have 2 Impervious Greatwurm in hand. GGs. 1-2.
Round 2 vs. UR Wizards. I'm pretty sure his deck was Standard legal. Not the best player and a terrible deck. I get the nuts and kill him on turn 3. In the next game, he chooses for me to go first. I do and get too much early pressure for him to handle. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Tron. In game 1, he mulls to 5, then Sylvan Scrying off Star for Tron. Karn, dies, Ugin, dies to Strangleroot Geists and Bolt, then Oblivion Stone and Wurmcoil Engine to make me scoop. In the next game, I get Knight of Autumn on his Chromatic Sphere and it stops turn 2 Sylvan Scrying, while I swing away. I also Knight of Autumn an Oblivion Stone, then cast Cragganwick with Steel Leaf CHamp OR Wurm as lethal. In the final game, he stumbles a bit and I hit Cragganwick Cremator with Impervious Greatwurm for lethal. I was scared of the 3rd Tron land for Ugin, because I would have only 3 mana to cast Cremator. Got there though! 2-1.
Round 4 vs. UW Midrange. He puts out Kitchen Finks, then Supreme Verdict and swings me low, but Cragganwick Cremator gets me there. In the next game, I put just enough pressure to play through those things and discard a Wurm to Cremator after he taps down to 1 mana on his turn to deal with my board. 2-0.
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Nice results!
I'm done with my affinity experiment so will start playing Cragganwick again I think. Are you still running the 'standard' list?
Sideboard can be adapted for my local meta but I'm still not set on Nullhide / Tireless Tracker
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Decks - Modern Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Nice results!
I'm done with my affinity experiment so will start playing Cragganwick again I think. Are you still running the 'standard' list?
Sideboard can be adapted for my local meta but I'm still not set on Nullhide / Tireless Tracker
Honestly I feel most of it is luck, but that's the way I feel about most of my matches in Modern (even if it is a fun format). I wish I could have gone to the Last Chance Qualifier today, but I was a bit tired from yesterday and my son was feeling pretty sick. I'm glad I stayed. It would have been nice to test the deck at a meta (that is skewed because of high level players and a small field) that has super strong players.
Were you doing Hardened Scales? I was this close to running it myself, but then remembered all the fun of Cragganwick Cremator.
I am running the full 4 Knight of Autumn in the SB now. In fact, I bought the rest of them right before the tournament and actually felt a bit sleazy putting them into my SB during sideboarding vs. Burn. But they were indeed the changes that I was going to make. I feel the slots of Nullhide Ferox, Tireless Trackers, and Scooze could be taken up with something else. I know some like Bloodbraid Elf. I personally will not play Bloodbraid Elf over Tireless Tracker right now in THIS deck. Tireless Tracker has been insane for me in this deck and I've played Tracker in Knightfall, Titanshift SB, and GBx decks. So I think most of how good it's been is just circumstantial so far, with my small sample size. Still, if it's not broke, don't fix it, right?
I did buy the 4th Impervious Greatwurm, so I'm ready for that as well. A friend that's been terribly sick came back just this week and he got SO interested in the deck, watching me play. He has been looking for a tool box type deck to play and it was between this and Amulet Titan. He loves this deck and already has suggested some answers. I also trust what he says a lot because he asks many Pro players and Grinders through social media, so his effort is really a collected effort. He is Emracool here on MTGS. So, we should have a new asset to us soon in him.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I've got Scales, but I was trying to play a homebrew with Frogmite, Enforcer, Reckless Bushwhacker and Experimental Frenzy.
My posts are over in the Affinity thread if your interested. I did really well two weeks in a row at the Thursday tournaments going 3 - 0 twice. Then I took it to the Saturday tournament and lost every match... my only win was a bye.
Ah nice list. Yeah I tried bloodbraid but I'm thinking of going back to tracker now, you seem to like it anyway!
The two cards I'm not sure of are Nullhide and Scooze. Do you ever fetch Nullhide with Evo? It's a big beater but it seems it's not particularly hard to remove and actually hinders some of our spells. If you want to dodge removal why not play Thruun, The Last Troll?
With the number of decks playing graveyard strategies Scooze is good, but playing it as a one of feels weird to me, I'd normally play two if I really wanted the card or otherwise leave it in the sideboard. How helpful has scooze been for you before?
How do you feel about the double Cavern of Souls? I reduced to one before because I had too many untenable hands with double souls or souls and kessig together, but maybe I just need to play some more games and let the stats even out.
I had replaced all my slagstorms with Anger of the Gods when dredge became popular but I havn't seen any dredge players locally in a while so I guess i'll go back to Slagstorm.
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Decks - Modern Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
I'm assuming that Nullhide Ferox fulfills the "discard, put on the battlefield" more so than the hexproof part, which is just a speedbump. Three mana to Path to Exile is not that tough. Also it being a 6/6 is pretty insane. It's a good discard to Cragganwick as well!
Scavenging Ooze is really odd as a 1 of. It's usually been pretty strong, but I've sided it out quite a bit. There are 2 Dredge players at our LGS, but I have dodged them so far. I have just finally sleeved my own Dredge cards (I was just missing Creeping Chill) and it seems like a super tough matchup for us. Hopefully I don't face those!
The Cavern of Souls has been just right for me. It has been nearly walking a tightrope, but there are 2 Shamans, 2 Knights, and many Humans. My friend suggested cutting them because there are so many creature types, but I think it works fine (so far, knock on wood). To anyone suggesting getting rid of them, I would just say to play them first just to know whether it feels right or not (I know you have, but my friend hasn't yet).
Anger of the Gods is most likely going to be the go-to. I think that's an easy change since the only 2 situations that Slagstorm would be better in is for direct damage to win or with Strangleroot Geists on the field. Every other situation, which are most other situations, Anger of the Gods is better. I think I should have changed that as well. Time to find where my Anger of the Gods are!
*To sum it up, I am unsure about the Nullhide Ferox/Scooze/Tireless Tracker suite, but I like the 2 of Tireless Tracker. Anything more is overkill and probably bad. I had to side out Tireless Tracker a lot yesterday. There were better options, like against Burn, Tron, and (I can't remember) possibly UR Wizards (if it is the better Modern version; not sure about Standard Wizards missing most of the optimal Standard cards).
**I wanted to point out something that I noticed so far in testing vs. Dredge. Steel-Leaf Champion has been very good so far.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
most of there stuff enters tapped or has a can't block clause.
I've played dredge and the answer is darkblast + block with Prized Amalgam.
Darkblast was really annoying vs dredge simply because it allowed them to trade creatures one for one, and of course they can simply... dredge it back.
A good hand can beat dredge, but Creeping Chill often keeps them out of lethal Craggwick discard range making the matchup pretty difficult.
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Decks - Modern Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Congrats on the results. Just one question. Is the wurm hardcast by this deck, or is it only used to dome the opponent for 16 with cremator?
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Congrats on the results. Just one question. Is the wurm hardcast by this deck, or is it only used to dome the opponent for 16 with cremator?
It's 100% discard for 16 damage only.
I've been playing a few games recently with the stock list and I've started to come around to Nullhide a little.
Vs black decks it makes them hesitant to play LotV, but otherwise it's the fattest creature that can be fetched with an Evo onto Geist. The 'hexproof' is pretty weak but it slows down the turn they choose to remove it.
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- Evolve Zoo
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Congrats on the results. Just one question. Is the wurm hardcast by this deck, or is it only used to dome the opponent for 16 with cremator?
Pretty much for that.
I will say that in a long game vs. Jund when all of our resources were used up, I hard cast one with Kessig Wolf Run in play. Yep, that was enough to make him scoop. It was the perfect situation too. He had 1 card in hand and I had a Noble Hierarch and then cast the Wurm. If he does Liliana of the Veil, I sac Noble, then if he draws another one for the turn, I actually had a 2nd Wurm. So, I basically had game. Fun times in a 2-1 match.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Round 1 vs. Burn. His version of Burn is a bit wonky. He has Vexing Devil and the numbers on some other cards is off. I won the die roll. I played a turn 2 Steel-Leaf Champion. I played other roadblocks for his creature heavy hand and my pressure was quicker than his. I think on the draw for me, I would have been able to win if I had sequenced everything perfectly. I calculated I would have lived at 1 life, had I done it properly. In the next game, I keep a hand with triple Strangleroot Geist, double Knight of Autumn, Copperline Gorge, and Cavern of Souls. He plays Goblin Guide, which attacks me to a Forest. My first draw is a 3rd Knight of Autumn and this game is not close. I am able to cast all of those cards and apply pressure. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Grixis Shadow. In game 1, he does the discard and 4 Mishra's Baubles (I probably should have done better because those were slow) on me, but ends up casting an untapped Death's Shadow to go with another Shadow and Gurmag Angler. I have no out with Fauna Shaman, so I spin the wheel. 2 cards and Ghalta. Ghalta kills him. He rolls a die. Ghalta and I win! In the next game, I got a Nullhide Ferox on board and he was at a low life total. I had double Undying Strangleroot Geists and he had a Gurmag Angler and a Tasigur. If I attack, I lose to a removal spell. He had 2 cards in hand. I got another creature, a Surrak, Caller of the Hunt and saw that I die to a removal spell AND Lightning Bolt for lethal to me. I calculate if he would have just done that the turn before to pressure my life total and I came up with, probably, yeah. I attack and he does Fatal Push on a Strangleroot Geist and survives at 1. But I had the Nullhide Ferox and a Strangleroot Geist to finish him off. I drew another Strangleroot Geist, but he scooped anyway. Overkill. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Zoo. He mulled a bunch this round. I win the 3rd die roll in a row. He mulls to 5. I start off strong, but some removal and a Knight of the Reliquary later, I'm staring at damage, hoping to get a Red source so I can cast 1 of 2 Cragganwick Cremators in hand with 2 Impervious Greatwurm. He attacks and Bolts me with his last card to finish me off. In the next 2 games, it just involved Nullhide Ferox being too big, and Steel-Leaf Champions causing problems with blocks. He nearly stabilizes in game 2 and traded with all my creatures except a dork, so I couldn't use the Eldritch Evolution with Steel-Leaf Champion in hand to kill him. I draw another Steel-Leaf Champion (just needed 1 damage) and do it for lethal. The 3rd game has a mull by him again and he misses his 2nd land drop. Then he misses his 3rd land drop and I barely make it past a Knight of the Reliquary. Got there! 2-1.
Round 4 vs. BUG Shadow. We ended up IDing. I should have played this out just to keep up the record with Cragganwick, but I wanted to watch other rounds. I did get an insight on how some players act when they have certain cards, so it was helpful. The Zoo player is one that is SUPER hard for me to gauge. I just pretty much have to assume he has whatever is possible at that time (for example, if he would have won earlier having the card, then he probably doesn't have it). 0-0-3.
I finish 3-0-1. Now 22-5-1. Go Team Cragganwick! Probably locked in to playing this at Oakland for the Grand Prix. Wish me luck. It would be nice to see a Cragganwick Day 2 and then go further.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
List is quite different to the one he won with - no Steel Leaf Champions, X2 Blood Moon MB and X2 Goyf MB too! (Among other changes.)
Wow! What a difference.
Why is he refusing to do 4 Knight of Autumn? Does anyone here play MTGO and can ask him? Also, Wall of Reverence has been terrible for me.
I get the feeling wall of reverence is brought in for more than burn matchups, humans and spirits maybe? could be others too. Can outlast a lot of aggro with the lifegain + block every turn.
Lack of Knight of Autumn actually makes sense in the deck he is running now, since it leans much heavier on using blood moon. Knight works in the old deck but you wouldn't rely on white mana in his new one.
I'm not sure how much I like his new deck, If we want to use blood moon then we probably don't want to be half-hearted about it and would have to change the whole mana base. Personally I dislike goyf in a deck like this with such a small spell count. Maybe he's just trying out something new. I'm gonna keep to the older style since it took 1st place previously. I have been thinking about trying Huntmaster of the Fells for a while though.
edit: I see he's also switched to double Anger of the Gods in the sideboard, which makes sense to me
edit2: I think a lot of his card choices are actually meta calls, especially the double scooze with only 1 tracker tells me he was expecting a lot of phoenix, jund, or other graveyard decks
I agree completely with your thoughts. I actually sided in Wall of Reverence vs. Death's Shadow. I figured the fellow could block a Gurmag Angler. I haven't played against Humans yet (luckily, lol) and Spirits only once (can honestly not remember if I sided it or not, but most likely did all my fliers).
Yeah I don't like the minor use of Blood Moon either. I actually don't think Blood Moon is the best meta call in my opinion. I also don't prefer Goyf here. I think other creatures do just as good and the cut of Steel-Leaf Champion is sad to me, even if it is not a super powerful Modern creature in a bubble (it's cannot block clause comes up quite often!).
Double Anger of the Gods seems right. Double Scooze makes sense, but I think you have to go in at 3 at least if you are trying to slow down graveyard strategies. Scavenging Ooze is one of those cards that is SO good in a certain matchup and then a 2/2 in another matchup. Huntmaster of the Fells is cool, but I still prefer Tireless Tracker. I'm sorry I'm being stubborn!
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Can you post your latest iteration of the deck? The one you posted on the previous page does not have Ghalta.
I don't have a Craggenwick deck, but have played Trackers extensively in Ponza. My opinion is that she is a very good card, a little slow sometimes but she has saved many a game with her card draw ability. I always keep the habit of keeping a land or two in hand, so a top decked tracker can at least get one clue.
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Congrats on the results. Just one question. Is the wurm hardcast by this deck, or is it only used to dome the opponent for 16 with cremator?
It's 100% discard for 16 damage only.
I've been playing a few games recently with the stock list and I've started to come around to Nullhide a little.
Vs black decks it makes them hesitant to play LotV, but otherwise it's the fattest creature that can be fetched with an Evo onto Geist. The 'hexproof' is pretty weak but it slows down the turn they choose to remove it.
Ok, thanks for the explanation.
If a creature against black decks. Maybe Chameleon Colossus? It's sometimes an unblockable 8/8 next turn against certain decks that use black.
Can you post your latest iteration of the deck? The one you posted on the previous page does not have Ghalta.
I don't have a Craggenwick deck, but have played Trackers extensively in Ponza. My opinion is that she is a very good card, a little slow sometimes but she has saved many a game with her card draw ability. I always keep the habit of keeping a land or two in hand, so a top decked tracker can at least get one clue.
I'm somewhat embarrassed to show my latest iteration of the deck. I should have done more with the deck, but I don't have all that much time right now. Next week, I will be playing around 4-6 times per week again, as I have Christmas Break for 3 weeks. I also plan on going to the Grand Prix Oakland, which is Modern. I am also testing Dredge because it seems just too good in Game 1. Here's what I got!
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I think you're missing a little something in your list... a 16/16 wurm creature maybe?
Yeah, still editing. Down to 59 cards main board. It should be easy, considering I'm play testing it at home with myself right now vs. Dredge, lol.
Got it! Kessig Wolf Run, big time card. Pretty much a Howl from Beyond for a turn before it usually gets destroyed. If it doesn't, you win all creature battles.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
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I actually notice some matchups that I've played where it's probably correct to side out the Combo, but I just enjoy it too much to do right now. If I decide to play this deck for the Dec. 2 RPTQ (which takes some serious balls), I would try to get the sideboarding down completely.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)I wouldn't go for the 8 damage on turn 3. it fun, but usually isn't the right move for a turn 3 evolution.
I have a LCQ this Saturday and am considering the deck, but probably will do Titanshift instead.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)I may actually have the guts to do it this time. The main issue is that I know several of the people who are going and just like myself, they usually are qualified at this time. So I know it's going to be a battle. But then there are reasons to do it as well. My son's birthday party is the next day, the same day as the RPTQ, so it would hurt less if I don't qualify. It doesn't feel as much like do or die. (like the last 2 times I lost in the finals of PPTQs)
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Round 1 vs. Burn. He played Monastery Swiftspear, then Boros Charms and Lightning Bolts until a fatal Skullcrack killed me. The turn before EoT double Bolt into lethal Skullcrack, I go for Cragganwick Cremator. He's at 11 life and I have double Impervious Greatwurm, Noble Hierarch, and Surrak in hand. He gets Surrak and survives at 6 when he kills me. In the next game, I am on the play so Strangleroot Geist into Evolution for Surrak puts him on a clock. He gets to 1 life with Eidolon of the Great Revel out and scoops. In the final game, I should have mulled to 5. My creature gets Searing Blazed and I draw the last 2 Eldritch Evolution. Also have 2 Impervious Greatwurm in hand. GGs. 1-2.
Round 2 vs. UR Wizards. I'm pretty sure his deck was Standard legal. Not the best player and a terrible deck. I get the nuts and kill him on turn 3. In the next game, he chooses for me to go first. I do and get too much early pressure for him to handle. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Tron. In game 1, he mulls to 5, then Sylvan Scrying off Star for Tron. Karn, dies, Ugin, dies to Strangleroot Geists and Bolt, then Oblivion Stone and Wurmcoil Engine to make me scoop. In the next game, I get Knight of Autumn on his Chromatic Sphere and it stops turn 2 Sylvan Scrying, while I swing away. I also Knight of Autumn an Oblivion Stone, then cast Cragganwick with Steel Leaf CHamp OR Wurm as lethal. In the final game, he stumbles a bit and I hit Cragganwick Cremator with Impervious Greatwurm for lethal. I was scared of the 3rd Tron land for Ugin, because I would have only 3 mana to cast Cremator. Got there though! 2-1.
Round 4 vs. UW Midrange. He puts out Kitchen Finks, then Supreme Verdict and swings me low, but Cragganwick Cremator gets me there. In the next game, I put just enough pressure to play through those things and discard a Wurm to Cremator after he taps down to 1 mana on his turn to deal with my board. 2-0.
I finish 3-1, so 19-5 with the deck so far! I may try it for tomorrow's LCQ, but I don't have much time to make a decision since I gotta leave early in the morning.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Nice results!
I'm done with my affinity experiment so will start playing Cragganwick again I think. Are you still running the 'standard' list?
Sideboard can be adapted for my local meta but I'm still not set on Nullhide / Tireless Tracker
Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Honestly I feel most of it is luck, but that's the way I feel about most of my matches in Modern (even if it is a fun format). I wish I could have gone to the Last Chance Qualifier today, but I was a bit tired from yesterday and my son was feeling pretty sick. I'm glad I stayed. It would have been nice to test the deck at a meta (that is skewed because of high level players and a small field) that has super strong players.
Were you doing Hardened Scales? I was this close to running it myself, but then remembered all the fun of Cragganwick Cremator.
I am running the full 4 Knight of Autumn in the SB now. In fact, I bought the rest of them right before the tournament and actually felt a bit sleazy putting them into my SB during sideboarding vs. Burn. But they were indeed the changes that I was going to make. I feel the slots of Nullhide Ferox, Tireless Trackers, and Scooze could be taken up with something else. I know some like Bloodbraid Elf. I personally will not play Bloodbraid Elf over Tireless Tracker right now in THIS deck. Tireless Tracker has been insane for me in this deck and I've played Tracker in Knightfall, Titanshift SB, and GBx decks. So I think most of how good it's been is just circumstantial so far, with my small sample size. Still, if it's not broke, don't fix it, right?
I did buy the 4th Impervious Greatwurm, so I'm ready for that as well. A friend that's been terribly sick came back just this week and he got SO interested in the deck, watching me play. He has been looking for a tool box type deck to play and it was between this and Amulet Titan. He loves this deck and already has suggested some answers. I also trust what he says a lot because he asks many Pro players and Grinders through social media, so his effort is really a collected effort. He is Emracool here on MTGS. So, we should have a new asset to us soon in him.
3 Copperline Gorge
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Misty Rainforest
4 Forest
1 Mountain
2 Stomping Ground
2 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Temple Garden
2 Cavern of Souls
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Birds of Paradise
4 Strangleroot Geist
2 Fauna Shaman
1 Scavenging Ooze
4 Steel Leaf Champion
1 Magus of the Moon
2 Tireless Tracker
4 Cragganwick Cremator
1 Nullhide Ferox
1 Surrak, the Hunt Caller
4 Impervious Greatwurm
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Knight of Autumn
1 Caldera Hellion
1 Slagstorm
1 Alpine Moon
1 Damping Sphere
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Wall of Reverence
1 Scavenging Ooze
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)My posts are over in the Affinity thread if your interested. I did really well two weeks in a row at the Thursday tournaments going 3 - 0 twice. Then I took it to the Saturday tournament and lost every match... my only win was a bye.
Ah nice list. Yeah I tried bloodbraid but I'm thinking of going back to tracker now, you seem to like it anyway!
The two cards I'm not sure of are Nullhide and Scooze. Do you ever fetch Nullhide with Evo? It's a big beater but it seems it's not particularly hard to remove and actually hinders some of our spells. If you want to dodge removal why not play Thruun, The Last Troll?
With the number of decks playing graveyard strategies Scooze is good, but playing it as a one of feels weird to me, I'd normally play two if I really wanted the card or otherwise leave it in the sideboard. How helpful has scooze been for you before?
How do you feel about the double Cavern of Souls? I reduced to one before because I had too many untenable hands with double souls or souls and kessig together, but maybe I just need to play some more games and let the stats even out.
I had replaced all my slagstorms with Anger of the Gods when dredge became popular but I havn't seen any dredge players locally in a while so I guess i'll go back to Slagstorm.
Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Scavenging Ooze is really odd as a 1 of. It's usually been pretty strong, but I've sided it out quite a bit. There are 2 Dredge players at our LGS, but I have dodged them so far. I have just finally sleeved my own Dredge cards (I was just missing Creeping Chill) and it seems like a super tough matchup for us. Hopefully I don't face those!
The Cavern of Souls has been just right for me. It has been nearly walking a tightrope, but there are 2 Shamans, 2 Knights, and many Humans. My friend suggested cutting them because there are so many creature types, but I think it works fine (so far, knock on wood). To anyone suggesting getting rid of them, I would just say to play them first just to know whether it feels right or not (I know you have, but my friend hasn't yet).
Anger of the Gods is most likely going to be the go-to. I think that's an easy change since the only 2 situations that Slagstorm would be better in is for direct damage to win or with Strangleroot Geists on the field. Every other situation, which are most other situations, Anger of the Gods is better. I think I should have changed that as well. Time to find where my Anger of the Gods are!
*To sum it up, I am unsure about the Nullhide Ferox/Scooze/Tireless Tracker suite, but I like the 2 of Tireless Tracker. Anything more is overkill and probably bad. I had to side out Tireless Tracker a lot yesterday. There were better options, like against Burn, Tron, and (I can't remember) possibly UR Wizards (if it is the better Modern version; not sure about Standard Wizards missing most of the optimal Standard cards).
**I wanted to point out something that I noticed so far in testing vs. Dredge. Steel-Leaf Champion has been very good so far.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)what do they have that could block it?
most of there stuff enters tapped or has a can't block clause.
I've played dredge and the answer is darkblast + block with Prized Amalgam.
Darkblast was really annoying vs dredge simply because it allowed them to trade creatures one for one, and of course they can simply... dredge it back.
A good hand can beat dredge, but Creeping Chill often keeps them out of lethal Craggwick discard range making the matchup pretty difficult.
Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Congrats on the results. Just one question. Is the wurm hardcast by this deck, or is it only used to dome the opponent for 16 with cremator?
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Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
It's 100% discard for 16 damage only.
I've been playing a few games recently with the stock list and I've started to come around to Nullhide a little.
Vs black decks it makes them hesitant to play LotV, but otherwise it's the fattest creature that can be fetched with an Evo onto Geist. The 'hexproof' is pretty weak but it slows down the turn they choose to remove it.
Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Pretty much for that.
I will say that in a long game vs. Jund when all of our resources were used up, I hard cast one with Kessig Wolf Run in play. Yep, that was enough to make him scoop. It was the perfect situation too. He had 1 card in hand and I had a Noble Hierarch and then cast the Wurm. If he does Liliana of the Veil, I sac Noble, then if he draws another one for the turn, I actually had a 2nd Wurm. So, I basically had game. Fun times in a 2-1 match.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Round 1 vs. Burn. His version of Burn is a bit wonky. He has Vexing Devil and the numbers on some other cards is off. I won the die roll. I played a turn 2 Steel-Leaf Champion. I played other roadblocks for his creature heavy hand and my pressure was quicker than his. I think on the draw for me, I would have been able to win if I had sequenced everything perfectly. I calculated I would have lived at 1 life, had I done it properly. In the next game, I keep a hand with triple Strangleroot Geist, double Knight of Autumn, Copperline Gorge, and Cavern of Souls. He plays Goblin Guide, which attacks me to a Forest. My first draw is a 3rd Knight of Autumn and this game is not close. I am able to cast all of those cards and apply pressure. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Grixis Shadow. In game 1, he does the discard and 4 Mishra's Baubles (I probably should have done better because those were slow) on me, but ends up casting an untapped Death's Shadow to go with another Shadow and Gurmag Angler. I have no out with Fauna Shaman, so I spin the wheel. 2 cards and Ghalta. Ghalta kills him. He rolls a die. Ghalta and I win! In the next game, I got a Nullhide Ferox on board and he was at a low life total. I had double Undying Strangleroot Geists and he had a Gurmag Angler and a Tasigur. If I attack, I lose to a removal spell. He had 2 cards in hand. I got another creature, a Surrak, Caller of the Hunt and saw that I die to a removal spell AND Lightning Bolt for lethal to me. I calculate if he would have just done that the turn before to pressure my life total and I came up with, probably, yeah. I attack and he does Fatal Push on a Strangleroot Geist and survives at 1. But I had the Nullhide Ferox and a Strangleroot Geist to finish him off. I drew another Strangleroot Geist, but he scooped anyway. Overkill. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Zoo. He mulled a bunch this round. I win the 3rd die roll in a row. He mulls to 5. I start off strong, but some removal and a Knight of the Reliquary later, I'm staring at damage, hoping to get a Red source so I can cast 1 of 2 Cragganwick Cremators in hand with 2 Impervious Greatwurm. He attacks and Bolts me with his last card to finish me off. In the next 2 games, it just involved Nullhide Ferox being too big, and Steel-Leaf Champions causing problems with blocks. He nearly stabilizes in game 2 and traded with all my creatures except a dork, so I couldn't use the Eldritch Evolution with Steel-Leaf Champion in hand to kill him. I draw another Steel-Leaf Champion (just needed 1 damage) and do it for lethal. The 3rd game has a mull by him again and he misses his 2nd land drop. Then he misses his 3rd land drop and I barely make it past a Knight of the Reliquary. Got there! 2-1.
Round 4 vs. BUG Shadow. We ended up IDing. I should have played this out just to keep up the record with Cragganwick, but I wanted to watch other rounds. I did get an insight on how some players act when they have certain cards, so it was helpful. The Zoo player is one that is SUPER hard for me to gauge. I just pretty much have to assume he has whatever is possible at that time (for example, if he would have won earlier having the card, then he probably doesn't have it). 0-0-3.
I finish 3-0-1. Now 22-5-1. Go Team Cragganwick! Probably locked in to playing this at Oakland for the Grand Prix. Wish me luck. It would be nice to see a Cragganwick Day 2 and then go further.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Wow! What a difference.
Why is he refusing to do 4 Knight of Autumn? Does anyone here play MTGO and can ask him? Also, Wall of Reverence has been terrible for me.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)I get the feeling wall of reverence is brought in for more than burn matchups, humans and spirits maybe? could be others too. Can outlast a lot of aggro with the lifegain + block every turn.
Lack of Knight of Autumn actually makes sense in the deck he is running now, since it leans much heavier on using blood moon. Knight works in the old deck but you wouldn't rely on white mana in his new one.
I'm not sure how much I like his new deck, If we want to use blood moon then we probably don't want to be half-hearted about it and would have to change the whole mana base. Personally I dislike goyf in a deck like this with such a small spell count. Maybe he's just trying out something new. I'm gonna keep to the older style since it took 1st place previously. I have been thinking about trying Huntmaster of the Fells for a while though.
edit: I see he's also switched to double Anger of the Gods in the sideboard, which makes sense to me
edit2: I think a lot of his card choices are actually meta calls, especially the double scooze with only 1 tracker tells me he was expecting a lot of phoenix, jund, or other graveyard decks
Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Yeah I don't like the minor use of Blood Moon either. I actually don't think Blood Moon is the best meta call in my opinion. I also don't prefer Goyf here. I think other creatures do just as good and the cut of Steel-Leaf Champion is sad to me, even if it is not a super powerful Modern creature in a bubble (it's cannot block clause comes up quite often!).
Double Anger of the Gods seems right. Double Scooze makes sense, but I think you have to go in at 3 at least if you are trying to slow down graveyard strategies. Scavenging Ooze is one of those cards that is SO good in a certain matchup and then a 2/2 in another matchup. Huntmaster of the Fells is cool, but I still prefer Tireless Tracker. I'm sorry I'm being stubborn!
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Can you post your latest iteration of the deck? The one you posted on the previous page does not have Ghalta.
I don't have a Craggenwick deck, but have played Trackers extensively in Ponza. My opinion is that she is a very good card, a little slow sometimes but she has saved many a game with her card draw ability. I always keep the habit of keeping a land or two in hand, so a top decked tracker can at least get one clue.
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Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
Ok, thanks for the explanation.
If a creature against black decks. Maybe Chameleon Colossus? It's sometimes an unblockable 8/8 next turn against certain decks that use black.
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Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
I'm somewhat embarrassed to show my latest iteration of the deck. I should have done more with the deck, but I don't have all that much time right now. Next week, I will be playing around 4-6 times per week again, as I have Christmas Break for 3 weeks. I also plan on going to the Grand Prix Oakland, which is Modern. I am also testing Dredge because it seems just too good in Game 1. Here's what I got!
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Mountain
4 Forest
3 Copperline Gorge
2 Fire-Lit Thicket
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Birds of Paradise
4 Strangleroot Geist
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Fauna Shaman
4 Steel-Leaf Champion
2 Tireless Tracker
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Nullhide Ferox
1 Surrak, Caller of the Hunt
4 Cragganwick Cremator
4 Impervious Greatwurm
3 Eldritch Evolution
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Linvala, Keeper of Secrets
1 Scavenging Ooze
4 Knight of Autumn
1 Caldera Hellion
1 Eidolon of Rhetori
1 Alpine Moon
1 Damping Sphere
1 Wall of Reverence
Hope that's it. Tried to do it off memory in 3 minutes...
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)I think you're missing a little something in your list... a 16/16 wurm creature maybe?
Currently active
- Humans
- Evolve Zoo
Yeah, still editing. Down to 59 cards main board. It should be easy, considering I'm play testing it at home with myself right now vs. Dredge, lol.
Got it! Kessig Wolf Run, big time card. Pretty much a Howl from Beyond for a turn before it usually gets destroyed. If it doesn't, you win all creature battles.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)