My opponents will play a targetted creature kill, a Wrath effect, and then a second of both.
Or, they will play an Ugin on turn 4
Or, they will combo win on turn 4.
Or burn me out on turn 4.
This decklist can fight that.
My decklist is the result of hundreds of games, and has 10 different lands.
Played cards
My 13 one drops have 25 natural power.
Dryad Militant 2/1 can be a blow out that wins games. She is rude, sometimes.
Turn 1 bolt in response to her is still OK, because the bolt disappears when pointed at a dryad. Dryad Militant means lots of bolts and thoughtscours and everything else that makes Snapcasters good, goes away.
Dryad looks innocuous. It isn't. I know this from the abuse the card regularly attracts. Storm hates it, so does delve, and snapcaster, and all sorts of weird arse decks just die. But I only realize because they complain SO MUCH.
Dryad Militant is the single strongest card in the deck because it cripples SO many random cards.
Dryad Militant HURTS combo, and if the meta is combo-control oriented, she is a BEAST.
Selfless keeps her alive. WLL makes her harder to kill. So does Little Thalia, Big Thalia, Bananaman, Gaddock, . . .
Search for Azcanta, Gurmag Angler, Snapcaster, Mill, any recursion hates dryad. Slowing them down for a single turn is often enough The deck really is that thumpy.
Isamaru, Hound of Konda is a 2/2. Woof.
On turn 1, I cast Woof, and you cast a (insert name of a 1/1).
On turn 2 I attack.
That 1/1 could be anything. A llanowar, lavamage, a merfolk, a human. Could be an pre-insect. Whatever.
How about a 1/2 with prowess? How many 1/1 spirits would you like to kill? How many Bitterblossom tokens?
Having that extra point on him does make a whole lot of big differences on massed blocking choices, which sometimes happens. The extra point of Toughness does keep him alive against all sorts of damage based board wipe. Pyroclasm doesn't work on him once there is a Benalish Marshal on the field, or a WLL. But yeah. It is minor. Everything about almost all of my cards is minor, and it stacks up. Each tiny addition does actually have a cumulative effect.
Soldier of the Pantheon is a 2/1 with Protection from Bloodbraid elf, Celestial Colonnade, Terminate, K-Command and anything 'shiney'. Soldier has 2 power, and regularly does actually have a surprisingly useful ability in the 'protection from multicoloured', gain life from Multi is almost pointless.
Dodging things like reflector mage, and terminate, and lightning helix, and all sorts of weird stuff can regularly be relevant and often I never get to know about it since it remains a problem only they know about. Bit like Gaddock Teeg that. sometimes Soldier goes straight past entire boardstates of multicoloured creatures. Soldier of the Pantheon shines vs Jund since few of their spells are multicolored.
Sometimes the Soldier goes straight past colourful humans, spirits and Bant.
I've had Golgari charm kill my 2xSoldiers of the Pantheon. Tournament before, my opponent was playing that Eldrazi card that kills creatures with 1 power or Toughness, but that's fine. Card for card is fine when mine costs 1.
Regularly Soldier does get boarded, or is just a 2/1, but, a 2/1 is still OK. Much better than a 1/2 that does not attack anyway. He is often the worst of the one drop 2/1's. Soldier of the pantheon is often irrelevant, and then it blocks and kills Bloodbraid elf, walks straight past Celestial Colonnade, or laughs at Kolaghan's command.
The singleton Legion's Landing is working. Legion's landing & Shefet dunes are both tiny effects that really make a difference in maybe one game out of twenty. And they might, i stress might, win those games. Soldier of the Pantheon & Legion's Landing are the weakest cards at the moment. Tempting to upgrade both of them, but when I get 3 creatures on turn 2, and then flip Kytheon, the game is looking good.
Legion's Landing is my worst turn 1 play. I am quite certain I don't need a 2nd landing.
In the same way the Castle and the Dunes look incredibly random, just one Landing is the right call.
After the attack, and it flipping to make a 4th land, how is playing a WLL on turn 3, AFTER attacking so good?
Only one Legion Landing is because the second one is worse, and the first one is only just good enough. On turn one & two, any other one drop is better because they have 2 power. The landing is best on turn 3, or the turn it will flip into a land. Perferably the 4th land. Actually tapping to make little vampires is very rare, and only really happens when there is a board wipe, or a constant blocker needed. Either way it is rare, and sometimes only having 1 power on that vampire really is a pain.
The little token from the Legion is really ordinary at only a 1/1. My problem decks do not wipe the board, so, the legion is weak too since the token generator never wins these creature stall games.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros is a 2/1 that becomes a planeswalker, for a W
I have tested SO MANY cards that I am confident at those numbers. One Landing feels right. One Dunes.
I bring these things up because the Bodyguard, Haazda Marshal, and doomed Traveller are not one off specialists.
They are mainstay cards. Haazda marshal is WAY worse than Kytheon. Kytheon is the card to compare it with because they have the same trigger. when Kytheon transforms, he can just win the game. Haazda just won't. Kytheon does transform, but not often. Most of the time he attacks for 2, or 3. or sometimes 4.
Only in my purest white version is it likely he will be transforming on turn 3. All the others can have that happen, but, there just isn't enough 1 drops to have it happen. And there needs to be at least 2 non tapped lands. And the opponent has to not interfere. It just aint that easy.
And if you are going for that style, you need crushing wins on turn 4, or maybe 5. Haazda doesn't do that. After a boardwipe, cast a 1/1 and you are sad. Kytheon can block on the ground, deal 2, and go indestructible. He really is strong.
Regularly, on turn 4 Kytheon transforms into a planewalker. The 3x One drops opening can happen, but turn 4 seems fine, for a turn 5 win. The reason it matters is K's 2nd ability. For +1 Loyalty, a creature becomes indestructible, and untaps.
So, even if they do wipe the board, usually there will still be my favourite creature alive, and a 4/4 indestructible Kytheon. Sure, I am using a simple Wrath of God, or damage based clearance as examples, but it can be anything.
Kytheon really is awesome. He can easily win games. He is also WAY more effective for me than anyone else. I have lots of stuff that activates around the 3 attackers trigger. Windbrisk H, and Legions L work. And Spectral procession is a BEAST. Regularly Spectral will just win games from a standing start. Ground stall? Spectral = WIN ! And Spectral then next turn Windbrisk flipping a Booster is also a WIN!
Kytheon doesn't quite have the same Legend rule.
He can come out first, and die. But get reborn, which is awfully flavoursome.
He can also exist at the same time as his Planewalker, and attack. Just don't attack with 2 friends or he will transform.
I highly recommend Kytheon.
2-Cost White Creatures
Little Thalia 2/1 can be so cumbersome to work around for any sort of combo. The additional mana cost is obnoxious. The first strike matters, and just sometimes the Legends can Eiganjo Castle a free win from nowhere.
Little Thalia & Aethersworn Canonist fight storm good.
Little Thalia does clash with Spectral Procession. Stop and check before casting her.
Selfless Spirit 2/1 make the deck much more resilient to sweepers, and they fly. Obviously point and kill, then sweep is annoying, but there is a lot to point at in this deck, and they do not need to come down turn 2, because Little Thalia, Gaddock or 2x One Drops are often the better call.
Selfless Spirit is a top tier, premium card. Selfless protects the entire team, and has an evasion ability that can be used immediately. I like the 4th Selfless S too. They protect the entire team in a way that the Dauntless guy just doesn't. Selfless Spirit is surprisingly good.
Selfless Spirit works very well as a surprise for under a Windbrisk.
Leonin Relic-Warder is maindeck rather than a SB because this deck loses to Ensnaring Bridge, and struggles against Aether Vial. Leo RW fights, and is a 2 power creature. Play it and win is the plan, but, play it and fight is still an option. Disenchant / Fragmentize just doesn't do that, and Ensnaring bridge decks don't play removal.
I don't want Banishing Light or [card]Conclave Tribunal maindeck as an answer to artifacts/enchantments because I really don't want to play non-creatures basedeck. They cast Duress, and miss, while I get to keep the LeoRW, and, maybe I just don't need maindeck defence against those cards anyway.
The 2/2 body is really good because it triggers Kytheon, Windbrisk, and gets pumped.
There is also a cute tiny trick where I LeoRW my own Legions Landing, then the Leo gets dead, and I make a random 1/1 lifelink Vampire as it flips back. I did say it was tiny.
I am going to try out Relic Warders instead of the Pump knights in base.
I have lost a couple of games to Blood Moon. As a play style, I need to fetch more Plains. Maybe I should be playing more plains too.
Ensnaring bridge has also been a problem, so Leonin Relic-Warder is being tried out in base.
They annoy Amulet, Walking Ballista, Oblivion Stone & bitterblossom too.
Most decks are going to be able to just kill them though, so the charge better be quick.
Relic Warder has played REALLY well in the limited testing I have done.
When I think of all the decks I have trouble with (except Red & Elves), Relic Warder hurts them.
Amulet, Aether Vial, Oblivion Stone/Wurmcoil, Ravager/Cranial Plating, Ghostly Prison, Ensnaring bridge, (Maybe Blood moon). Hey wow he can exile the Artifact Land!
Some random decks just lose to him. (artifact sillyness, enchnatment weirdness)
The Green Splash
The green splash is really only for Gaddock Teeg and I'm not sure he's that good.
Randomly, Gaddock wins games. Cryptic Command, wrath, . . .Engineered Explosives
Converting it back to White/g really reduced the reliability because it can get colour screwed, and sometimes the pain associated with the land can lose the game. Not often for either problem, but it is possible now. Not casting the Benana Man because I drew the Dryad Arbor does happen. My version of colour screwed is a singleton Green Source.
I am regularly playing, and not doing not much with, Gaddock Teeg, except when he singlehandedly wins the match. Leo RW does the same job against Ensaring Bridge. He is also quite good at interfering with Tron, Lantern and Enchantments.
The addition of Gaddock Teeg is incredibly expensive. Mindblowingly expensive.
Fetchlands, shocklands, HORIZON CANOPY!, and even Teeg himself (What? Really?)
I have all these cards already. I couldn't find my other 3 horizon canopies and had to buy one. OMG.
Going white green seems to multiply the cost of the deck by a factor of 5. Maybe more.
Reducing Gaddocks to 2, with 2 in the board seems kinda needed, but wrong.
If you want to have a go at this deck, build the pure white one. It seems very, very cheap. And it is a competitive deck. Depending on the people you play against, it might even be stronger.
I have reformulated the deck around the concept of Gaddock stopping the problem before it happens, not just recovering.
Gaddock does NOT stop Hangerback & Walking Ballista.
Originally I built these decks because I wanted to be able to play. Having the ability to sprint kill seemed sweet, but I was going for Martyr + Serra Ascendant, with Proclamation and other stuff.
I did get to play, and win a bit. (But Tron just smashes that.)
Pure white sprint is SO fast it can actually beat anything.
Tarmogoyf seems just too strong. It feels rong to be playing goyf, but, the card is just SO strong. Mostly this has come home to me when other people play Goyf against me and stall the board. I do not like it since it really discolours the deck. Too much green destabilises it. The Martyr tricks just wont work properly at some point. Possibly now. Drawing the martyr and 2 tarmogoyf's just aint gunna work.
The Legend rule is still a hassle. Multiple Gaddocks did cause problems, same with multiple Thalias.
Big Thalia did do the same job sometimes, but only sometimes.
Tarmogoyf's are generally quite good against red. Land, Instant, creature & sourcery is pretty common to quickly get into the bin in that match. Or maybe 3 of them anyway. so a 3/4 seems reliable
Goyf's are just so frustrating. They go against everything I am trying to do. And they are still great. I think.
Goyf wants me to go against the design philosophy. They encourage fetch lands, and spells. They are not particularly good on turn 2. They are ground pounders with a big arse. They are the rong colour. And yet they are still so obscenely strong they probably should be played because I am playing green. Yergh. Suddenly they combo with Path, which is also obscenely strong and obviously playable.
The purity of the original concept, being brutally fast seems compromised by this. But, as I write this, I remember that wasn't the original concept. I am playing what works better.
My Tarmogoyfs are better than their Tarmogoyf's since I am playing 7 lords, and 3x Windbrisk Heights to surprise them into play. Still hate it.
Tarmogoyfs are best after the first board wipe. Which was not the plan.
3 Cost Spells
Spectral Procession is a Beat-Stick, and just style sometimes. When the Red Eidolon is in play, SP still costs 6, and does not trigger any pain. In a similar way, Inquiz of K cannot discard SP.
The 3 flying 1/1 are huge. Lingering souls is like a bigger, slower version. Spectral is SO cheap because I pay the WWW cost. I can pay it because EVERYTHING is white. That purity is useful because it forces the other player to be incredibly honest. They have to deal the full 20. I aint helping them with a full graveyard of Tarmogoyf cards, or free damage, until I have to.
Spectral Procession is also not happy about that Dryad. And, Spectral Procession hates Gaddock, but that is just how it is. Spectral is so strong it gets a pass. Lingering Souls is an interesting and fair comparison. Little Thalia does interfere with Spectral, oh well.
Benalish Marshal is a backbone card.
WLL & Benanaman are both good against things like Staticcaster or -1/-1 global effects.
When they cast Anger of the Gods Wilt Leaf Liege is WAY better than Bananman
Bananaman has been the buisness and deserves all 4.
Knight of Autumn is OK. But maybe OK is not enough
I do not need to deal with Blood Moon, mostly. Fetch Basic Plains, go first and dump spells. . . LeoRW can deal a little too, if I get 2 plains. Knight of Autumn seems too much like a toolbox. An everything card. She is the current 60th card. Not sure.
4 cost spells
Which brings me to Wilt-Leaf Leige. Being forced to discard him is Hilarious!
Wilt-Leaf is surprisingly effective. Just casting him works quite well on turn 4.
Against lightning bolt, WLL is way better than Bananaman, and Bolt is common.
WLL are really strong with Spectral Procession, and the Mirran as well since doublestrike happens
A second WLL makes both of them 6/6, and the Dryads are 6/5's.
When someone has made you discard WLL, you feel the kick. (Liliana HATES WLL, and Kolaghans command is Hilarious)
WLL is highly effective from under a Windbrisk, and when you cast 2 of them (both 6/6), and when you make a Dryad into a 4/3.
WLL makes the Windbrisk better because of the redundancy. Spectral procession is good under there, and Banaman is great, but WLL is the best card. Flipping Two of them on turn 4 is funny.
Flipping a WLL and suddenly having 2 bonus defense on a Dryad has wins games.
I am only playing 3 WLL in base at the moment because drawing 2 of them can be a hassle and stuff up the curve. Also, only getting 3 land just blows. WLL is still so much better than the other choices.
Land
My deck doesn't draw the wrong colour mana. It never just lies down. They have to win it because I will always be in the game. Doing something they have to be very aware of.
Windbrisk Heights wins games. The coming into play tapped aspect is annoying, but not getting the 2nd, 3rd or sometimes 4th land will lose games. I am playing 23 lands, which is absolutely HEAPS in a weenie deck, but it works. Windbrisk is a good reason why, especially with the Spectral processions.
The 3x Windbrisk Heights are good. They work. Attacking with 3 creatures is kinda easy when playing 34 creatures, and Spectral Processions. The best stuff under them is WLL, Spectrals, Selfless Spirits, ...lots. On a regular basis my games are won by people working stuff out, and then getting it wrong with a flipped WLL.
I have had a trick at least twice where they cast a Snapcaster in the attack step, BUT, after announce they are going to target their bolt, I flip a little Thalia and make their single red not enough to cast the obvious lightning bolt.
Same can be said for casting a big Thalia off a Windbrisk in responce to the snappy, then the Snapcaster enters play tapped.
Manually casting Big Thalia before the Attack sequence is worth remembering.
Go on, try to disrupt my manabase. I have had a game where I lost to him Spreading seas all four of my in play land, but, Blood Moon is OK. Same with loads of stuff. No pain. No searching for Archive Trap.
Having Isamaru win the game because my opponent does not realise Eijango castle will save 2 points of damage is classic.
Having someone dismiss my deck in total, and then having them lose because they can't be arsed reading is ace. But, having said that, it is minor.
Flipping a BananaMan or WLL those from a Windbrisk does win games because opponents can see everything, they do the math precisely, and lose.
Flipping a Castle and saving Woof with the extra 2 damage protection is real class.
Shefet Dunes does not hurt me much, has finished games, get used in others, and get killed sometimes. Shefet Dunes is a maybe, but, it really has won games. Just tips the balance sometimes, and hasn't lost me a game. This deck gets out there. Occupying the field with maniacs filled with weird abilities that all sorta fit together. And they are ALL aggressive.
Shefet Dunes does provide W, but cost another four land to activate. It doesn't get used much, but, sure seems OK.
Eijango Castle is just a neat trick since I am playing Legends.
Going WG is expensive. It really is a massive $ multiplier for a medium upgrade
There is now 6 dedicated Green mana symbols, with 13 green mana sources doesn't seem quite enough. Maybe another fetchland or two. Maybe another Razorverge. I have had occasions where the comes into play tapped aspect of the razorverge did matter. But they have been rare.
Maybe I should have a singleton forest to help try to get around Blood moon. Or not. Damn the torpedoes.
Horizon Canopys is another good excuse to have so many lands. I rarely mulligan now. Horizon Canopy is style, and does get used.
Horizon Canopy was so reliably strong that I have increased and increased. Perhaps four is too many, with too much pain. Well, in the white green version anyway. I have pared back the shock land.
Things like the Dryad Arbor are surprising, and shockingly good. And one off. Only one is worth playing.
Playing 23 lands, you will get flooded occasionally. Horizon Canopy is also really good at smoothing out the floods, but does cost. Sometimes My Army does draw too much land, and drawing a second Horizon canopy instead of a plains has rarely been a significant problem.
4 Horizon Canopies is 1 too many. Drawing 3 of them in a game happens way too often, and happened today.
Removing that 4th one gets rid of three of the four possible draws where that happens, and rarely is drawing 2 that great either. Once the game goes long, it is likely to be going poorly. And that amount of pain is just too much when it happens. A first turn Horizon canopy is a bad play, and likely to cost me 4 life compared with first turn plains, fetch or Ravorverge.
I only ever need 1 green mana, so why bother playing more than 1 Temple Garden?
Having two in play is never better than the second being a plains.
The pain connected with the land is why I have removed a Horizon Canopy and a Temple Garden. Most decks don't care about such things. Replacing those 2 with Razorverge has helped significantly.
Drawing and placing the Dryad Arbor is not very impressive, but that is not what it is there for. Being a creature that can appear from nowhere in their end step really is. Turning the first excess land into a 1/1 really does win games, especially when it is pumped, or the third attacking creature for Kytheon / Windbrisk Heights.
Interesting point, O-stone does not kill Dryad Arbor. But Ballista does.
Stillmoon Cavalier was good against Humans. Prot White is good, sometimes. Mantis rider, reflector mage, champion of the Parish and Lieutenant are all problems, as is the instant speed style casting off a Aether Vial.
Devout Lightcaster is narrow, but what a windmill slam, when it lands.
Devoted Lightcaster is very narrow, and works a treat on a Death Shadow, Tasigur, or Liliana
Liliana forcing Wilt Leaf Leige to be discarded is ace. (Kolaghan's command is fun too)
Martyr of Sands needs to be in opening hand to work, because after turn 2 it is a horrible topdeck. But if it is in the opening 7-8, it is AWESOME (against burn). Opening hand with a Martyr, 2-3 land and 3-4 cards should be a win vs Burn.
Martyr of Sands is meant to be turn 2 against Red. Block, Sacrifice, and gain 15 life, is the dream.
Martyr is really effective against Death's Shadow, and Thing in the Ice too. They just can't kill me fast enough. Go ahead and hit me for 24 trample damage. Is it my turn? Wallop, take 30.
Gaining life and killing AFTER the Thing goes off is just not what they are expecting. No other deck does that. I can flood the board, start blocking, and kill, pretty reliably.
It took me a while to realize this is the right play. Stalling and not attacking is just plain weird with this deck. But. It does seems to win when played that way. Gain 15 is not normal, and decks that want to hurt you just don't understand that. I spoze I could just attack into them and wait for the thing to go off.
Martyr doesn't work against Scapeshift, they can easily do 36 damage.
Martyr also often doesn't work against storm. Pity it doesn't always work against Grapeshot.
I quite like the Martyr, Sometimes it wins games you really do not expect.
Randomly gaining 12-15 can do wonders against some decks.
Martyr does work against Thing in the Ice, and Death Shadow.
Damping Sphere seems OK as a one off.
Damping Sphere is Incredibly narrow. Works against Storm, & Eldrazi too, but, can't think of much else.
Damping Sphere is worth a try, and strongest as a singleton.
Tron can still cast an O-Stone, but it will be a turn slower.
The Damping Sphere and RIP are confusing me at the moment. Bringing them in and playing them early does cripple the decks they are pointed at. The problem is the opponent is often sideboarding to stop them. Supplying a disenchant effect target is annoying when they have drawn an otherwise dead card.
Gaea's Blessing is yet to be cast (triggered), but I have not played against someone trying to deck me yet. Not sure if i should bring it in against Storm.
Rest In Peace goes in against Graveyard focussed decks. Maybe Wheel of Sun & Moon. Hmmm.
Possible Sideboards . . .
1x Damping Sphere, 1x Canonist, 1xEidolon and 1xKataki, 1xStony
1x Martyr
4x Path to Exile - for nasty creature decks;
2x Rest in Peace - GY hate
2x Leonin Relic-Warder - for Tron, Vial, prison, Hardened Scales
. . . maybe a second martyr & a devout lightcaster & leyline
Phyrexian Revoker
The revokers are really agile in their interference stopping Aether vials & BoP & grim Lavamancers & Izzit Staticaster & ObStone & Expedition map & Pentad Prison & Ezuri & well, everything. Even Planeswalkers. Every other Planeswalker solution is going to solve them AFTER they have done something. Revoker turns them off BEFORE, if you get it right.
Hey Wow, Revokers give a breath of life before & after Ugin!
They interfere with Lanterns and all sorts of other stuff too.
And they turn of Noble H, and X & Y & Z.
They even turn off the second copy of LLanowar Elf. They are HUGE.
And Thopter foundry.
And Sakura-Tribe Elder ! (Scapeshift)
Revoker might be AWESOME. maybe.
Phyrexian Revoker is a card I have played and believed in for Years. I play Australian Highlander (best magic format there is) and he has been in my deck for many years. Revoker Kills People, but, only just.
Revoker is a seat-belt, and the long game, and so it just doesn't feel right.
But, Revoker is definitely a maybe, if I have to have a seatbelt.
Tocatli Honor Guard seem good against Humans, and really slow against almost everything else.
Might be good enough
Path is just too strong to exclude.
. . . And should not be a full 4 of in base deck, but, maybe should not be Zero.
Path to Exile is hard to exclude entirely, but base deck is just wrong. The card is strong against affinity, and red, and anything playing unjustified Huge Creatures. (Except Emrukal.)
Path to exile is a tricky one
3 in base deck is a reasonable call, but I think it is wrong. Not having the 4th in the sideboard is very wrong.
Speeding them up and solidifying their manabase is a very real problem, but so is a game winning creature on their side.
Regularly Path will win games, and it will lose some too as it gums up your hand and does not have a target. Or gets discarded as your only spell. Or gets negated. It is another variable, and a card that is not a human creature.
Path to Exile gets subbed regularly, but really should be in the sideboard to start with. Giving land is bad for a sprint deck, as is having dead cards in hand.
Aether Vial discussion
I have never liked Aether Vial.
I get it, and I see how it works, but. . .
I play decks that ignore the colour problems it solves, and I play decks that actually want to coloured mana.
EG I can't flip a Windbrisk heights off an Aether Vial, or pump a pump knight.
Also, I like making decks that make lots of their cards useless. Them breaking the Vial is not an option if I am playing a land instead.
Aether Vial is not a bad choice, but it is not one I would make.
It has vulnerabilities, and does not add much to this deck. It is SLOW, and not part of turn 4 kills.
It does not cast Spectral Procession.
Qasali Pridemage takes an extra mana and self destructs. Exalted is a reasonable ability, but does not mesh with Lords, Windbrisk, Kytheon or LegionL. Qusali Pridemage may be a better idea than Relic warder, but, maybe not. The extra mana to nail the problem is significant, but so is the fact the relic warder does not have to sac.
Qasali Pridemage is a seatbelt. 2 mana for a 2/2 is just not good enough. An additional mana for a disenchant effect is also a seatbelt. If the plan is to go long, sure, pridemage is a fine card, but, I wanna kill on turn 4. Turn 5 is OK, but Pridemage just isn't the right style of card.
Leonin Relic Warder is a much more in flavour card. If it nukes a target, and stays on the board, it can win games. But. WW for 2/2 is just not good enough.
Sorcery speed disenchant effects may be after the game is lost.
Targetted creature kill cancelling the disenchant effect may really suck.
If you compare the 2 cost slots, the others are often way more effective.
Selfless Spirit saves your entire board, and Little Thalia regularly just wins games
Knight of Autumn is expensive, has lots of options, and well, it isn't awesome. I mostly do not need to kill enchantments. It certainly is a fine card, but it just doesn't kill people very quickly. QP & KoA are good cards, but do not fit this style of deck. KoA is really close. I keep looking really hard at it.
Ensnaring Bridge is a shock card against some surprisingly difficult decks. Enemy Team decks. Opponents that are trying to make loads of creatures be on the battlefield at the same time, and they all help each other. Decks like Slivers, Humans, merfolk or zombies. Each of these is really tough. And just sometimes I can completely cheat them out of a win by having flying, first-striking pump knights.
Ensnaring bridge beats Emrukal. not many cards can claim that.
It did lose to a Jund chewing his way through huge chunks of his deck until an abrupt decay, but it was close.
Ensnaring bridge can be a loss with my deck. I have bludgeoned my way past it too. One card is often stuck in their hand as the Procession tokens kill them, and if they have 2 cards, wham. Sure, Ensnaring bridge can just beat me.
Gaddock does help by making some of their cards uncastable. And sure, they might sideboard those cards, but, this is one of those times when playing a rogue deck means they don't know the perfect plays because they have not lost like this before.
Wrath of God is the original hoser. Decks with lots of creatures beat me, so make them Die, I spoze, but it hasn't been great so far.
Playing a boardwipe myself, like Settle the wreckage or Wrath just gives Freebooter a target. Path to Exile is still worth sideboarding in, since it gets under the Booter.
I have taken out the Wrath of Gods purely because they never seem to work. Initially I was playing a couple of Wrath basedeck, long, long ago. Tron laughs at it, as do lots of other decks. I tried Wrath, over and over. I brought a couple back in as sideboard material, and it constantly did not work. Eventually I replaced them with Martyr of Sands. I am likely to encounter burn red fairly regularly, and martyr works.
I have tried Hero of Bladehold & Ranger of Eos. The ranger was a 4 of for a while when I was doing the Serra's Ascendant + Martyr Tricks. Neither was quite there.
A single Brimaz is OK.
The 4 defence is hard to kill. The 3 power is acceptable.
The Free Cat Soldier only happen if you get to block, or attack. And it is quite a good ability
But, given the choice of a Big Thalia, I would use the big Thalia. First Strike matters, and the Coming into Play Tapped effect is critical. Big Thalia seems much more effective at interference, compared with a free 1/1 . . .
Tividar of Thorn was definitely a style card against Burn, but I can't justify him any more. The biggest, cheesiest grin is landing Tivadar of Thorn on a Goblin Guide.
Regarding Sword of fire and ice & Sword of Light and Shadow for creature decks Match ups :
The creature decks are Humans, Merfolk, Elves, and (Spirits & Slivers ?)
Humans, Spirits = Light & Shadow
Merfolk = Fire & Ice
Elves, Slivers = nope
Seems hard and narrow. But, maybe. Humans is a bit of a thing now, I spoze. I do have game against all of them, except maybe Elves. Elves is harsh, but, a sword is not gunna help there.
Little Thalia and Big Thalia are separate, both can be in the board at once.
Weak Cards Dauntless Bodyguard has been tried and abandoned. It just aint good enough.
All the current 2/1's are Much more effective, and have really strong abilities. Dauntless doesn't do anything until they do something. Selfless Spirit flies and saves everyone. Damnation/Wrath/Oblivion Stone/ Anger/Bontu's - I want Selfless, not Dauntless.
Turn 1 Dryad is HUGE.
Turn 1 Isamaru is 2/2 (and yeah, sometimes that matters)
Turn 1 Kytheon might be a turn 3 Planeswalker
Turn 1 Dauntless Bodyguard does nothing, and will do nothing in the future.
Turn 1 Soldier could be great
Assuming another creature will take that first slot demonstrates just how weak it is. Dauntless bodyguard is always too late. I want the threat first. Then I want the threat second. Dauntless bodyguard is neither.
Turn 1 Dauntless Bodyguard does nothing special, ever.
Turn 2, it is only OK if that second mana is used. So, it is an OK 3rd one drop if played on turn 2.
On turn 3, maybe It will keep pick a 2 drop to keep alive. And they may just kill it in responce, or have already killed it. Dauntless Bodyguard just doesn't do his job.
The Bodyguard just aint special. On turn 1, he does nothing.
On turn 2, he can protect a 1 drop.
On turn 3, he can protect Gaddock, or Little Thalia. Except they will kill in response.
Bodyguards ability never seems to happen at the right time.
The reason I want bodyguard is to protect Champion of the Parish.
Now there is a reason, but since I am playing W/g, I just don't want him.
Bodyguard does seem better than Dragon Hunter, or Woe, but not heaps better.
2/1 means he should see play as a staple in White Humans.
I think soldier is still better that Student of Warfare & Judge's Familiar.
Student of Warfare is too slow. Close though. SoW just never seems good. 3/3 first strike for 3 mana is seems way worse than Big Thalia, and a 1/1 seems way worse than everything.
Judge's Familiar is very different, and is an almost, but I still prefer the 2 power option.
Doomed Traveller just don't cut the mustard. In some formats, sure, but not in pure hostile beatdown. 1/1 then a 1/1 flyer is not. Maybe if every opponent is forcing you to sacrifice creatures, but, that is what Spectral Procession is for. Cards like Doomed Traveller and Haazda and Martyr just don't kill people. In Modern, fair cards get you killed.
Kataki 2/1 is for anything using artifacts.
Big Thalia 3/2 is for slower decks.
Neither is quite effective enough.
Mirror Entity might work against Human and Merfolk. Might not too.
Giver of Runes fails the basic concept of the deck. I have no interest in slow card that do not attack.
Giver is a 1 power creature for W, and so it gets a NO!
Giver stays home to support the other creatures. It does not activate Kytheon or 'That white hideaway land, whatever it is called', and so it gets a pass. Anything 'Defensive' should not be here.
Hexdrinker looks OK, but, eh.
There are already very similar options like Student of Warfare, and Figure of Destiny
Most of the time Hexdrinker is still going to be a 2/1 vanilla, for G
I think I have enough green that I could justify playing a couple, if I wanted to. It does seem playable, but, SoldierotP seems better. A bit. Hexdrinker is the long game. It is an entirely reasonable choice. But, not one I need.
Feel free to try it out. I can see it's value, especially against relentless boardwipe and counterspells, but, that isn't what I am facing. I tried, and moved on from, SoW and FoD, so, why is Hexdrinker better?
What does a Hexdrinker do?
Hexdrinker will work much better in Delver because of the support cards Delver has for it. They need a kill card. I do not. I need team players. Delver is happy for nothing to happen, turn after turn, while saying take 3. My deck goes WALLOP.
Hero of Precinct one is strictly worse than every other 2 drop I play, until it has activated. It is only kinda good once it has activated twice, and that is really unlikely.
Hero only seems good once it has activated twice. But, I want to win on turn 4, and expect to win on turn 5. Hero just doesn't fit that timeline. If I was to play that style, Emmara of the Accord seems better.
And in between is the guy that makes a 1/1 whenever he deals damage.
Dryad comes down turn 1. Stopping 1 drops that Snapcaster can reuse is important, that means it is only really activated by Teeg and WLL. Teeg comes out as soon as possible, provided I don't have a Spectral. So, before Hero. WLL is hopefully the last spell cast, and wins the game.
The turn Hero gets cast, he does nothing. Selfless, Teeg & Little Thalia can all be HUGE, immediately. Watch Wolf / Fleecemane Lion seem better plays.
Turn 3 VLox taps the 3 creatures
Turn 3 Benalish Marshal means take 9 damage
- 9 damage is a HUGE cost. -
When they Thoughtseize me, I know which one I want in my hand.
When They Lilli or Kolaghan's Command me, I know which one wins the game, (and it aint no VLox).
If you are planning on drawing a card vs burn, forget it Kor Firewalker & Auriok Champion are likely to just get overrun. Both can work. And, I have tried both. But Martyr is SO much better, because You can't burn out someone on 30+ life
I had a red player say ' You got some smug on your face there ' - and he was right.
I had a REDECKULOUS game where I got to 54 life against burn. That right there is BS.
Lone Missionary does not do enough to fight Burn decks. Sure, gain 4 might work. On turn 3 it is a way better top deck than Martyr, but, having your sideboard cards turn up against the specific decks you are targetting, and still losing, just blows.
Smuggler's Copter is really ordinary in this deck.
When they cast Wrath, all my creatures go away. Then I cast more.
If the creature I cast is a White Shield Crusader, it can fly and dump all my mana into it.
Smugglers copter does nothing until I cast another creature, which may be bigger than it anyway.
Smugglers copter does not work with Kytheon. Or Legion's Landing. Or Windbrisk Heights. Or WLL. Or Benana Man. (The creature I am tapping to crew the copter is power 2.) Smugglers copter is also the only artifact, and so will be targetted. Smugglers copter is beyond awful in this.
In a normal, boring aggro deck, sure, copter is a fine card.
Against Death's Shadow, which card would you prefer?
Copter or White shield crusader?
How about Assassins Trophy? Or Liliana? Or Bitterblossom? Or Fatal Push? Or Path to Exile? Or Geth? Or Grim Flayer? Or Tasigur? Or Grim Angler? Or Bob? Or Maelstrom Pulse? Or [card]Path to Exile[card]? . . .Or [card]Disenchant[card]?
It costs crew 1 to power it.
I have precisely ONE power 1 creature, the Vampire created off the singleton Legions Landing. That's it.
And because that Vamp is tapping to crew the Copter, it does not count toward triggering the Landing.
Sure, maybe a flying 1/1 spirit created by a spectral procession might work, but, shouldn't the 2 drop be protecting the 3 drop? Like the 3xSelfless spirits?
And it sucks against Searing Blaze.
Smugglers copter just blows in this. Big steaming chunks.
Turn 1 2/1
Turn 2 Smugglers copter
Turn 3 Profit?
Say on turn 3 I play a Benalish Marshal. Do I tap me 3/2 to power the 4/4 Smugglers copter, and attack for 4? Or, if I played any other 2 drop, should I attack for 6?
Little Thalia, Selfless spirit & White shield crusader can just win games. Smugglers copter gets disenchanted. Why play a slow artifact with zero synergy?
Q Why would I want to tap a creature to crew a smugglers copter?
A I don't
I do not want any cards in the graveyard (Tarmogoyf)
I do want more than 1 creature attacking (Banaman, WLL, Legion's Landing, Windbrisk Heights, Kytheon)
Smuggler's Copter is WOEFUL in this.
If I want the effect of improving my draw, I already have exactly that effect in Horizon Canopy.
Too much land becomes more spells. Not enough land becomes more land.
Windbrisk Heights does exactly the same thing.
Too little land becomes more land. Too much land becomes more creatures. Withered Heath does exactly the same thing.
Too little land becomes more land. Too much land becomes Dryad Arbor.
Smugglers Copter is AWFUL in this. Smuggler's copter, allows for some land filtering and the evasion is nice. Well, yeah, if You are not playing enough land, you need more evasion and a way to clear junk.
That is a primary reason I would not play the Copter. The Copter also has the word 'Artifact' on it, suddenly letting the opponent use some more of their cards. Sure it hides against wrath effects, but it also does not help the Humans. I much prefer to not need to clean my hand, because everything in it is effective.
I do not rate Tithe Takers. 1W for a 2/1 is twice as expensive as needed.
Tithe taker may work against Counterspells, and snappy sillyness. Coco will just get cast on their turn, and will often still beat you.
CoCo is a real problem, and can be a blowout.
If the TT is replacing a pump knight, sure, if that is the plan. But. I would prefer to fly over them next turn, and kill them instead. Take 4, or maybe 5, is a real clock against CoCo decks. And they rarely have flying creatures, and I have blockers.
TT is very much a Hate Bear.
Against anything playing Black or Black/Red a Knight looks better.
If CoCo resolves and they have Flyers, how do I win? That is the basic problem.
My response has always been to have won before that happens, or doge through it with Flying or protection, or maybe just swarm over them. Tithe Takers doesn't do that. It just gums up the board a bit. Little Thalia is just better at irritation than Tithe Taker, even in Mono W Humans.
Sundering Growth was cute when I had things to populate, but, outside of a flipped Kytheon it just looks harder to cast than disenchant. Sometimes that matters when the bad guy has cast Blood Moon.
Be aware that Bloodmoon is real. I have lost games to it being cast turn 1.
Playing few plains, and looking at a WW disenchant effect while only having one plains is a real downer.
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit Nope. Just too slow. The turn you play it, it does nothing, and has no active ability. Tried it.
Abzan Falconer 3 Cost for 2 power with no Abilities on the turn it comes into play. Seems weak
Collective effort - This looks like it might work. I like the Kill reature and the Kill Enchantment seems interesting. Even so, not sure i would want it base. Artifacts are more of a problem, and Banaman as a comparison makes it look weak. 3/3 Plus pump is way Stronger
Mikaeus, the Lunarch Sigh. I want this card to work, but, well, .. . Turn 1 it does nothing, Turn 2 it is an anthem, Turn 3 it is better. That is just too slow. I mean, compare it to a 3 cost Bananaman, and it just blows. 2W vs WWW and the Bananaman is SO much better.
Boros Reckoner does nothing on the turn it is played, and seems awful when compared with a Benalish Marshal, that does damage by making everyone else hit harder.
Horoki is a NO.
Little Elspeth was a one-off for a while.
She is a long game, and sure, she was OK. But not special, and just not quite right.
Tithe Taker just doesn't seem that useful. Tithe Taker doesn't seems as good as Grand Abolisher, and that one doesn't see much play. Big Thalia seems better than GA.
Leonin Arbiter interferes pretty regularly with all sorts of decks. Path to Exile becomes better too. Leo A can be devastating on the play, cast turn 2, because they can't use their fetch lands, at all.
Ethersworn Canonist can be a completely unreasonable card, against the right decks.
Same with WS Crusader, (Think Death Shadow), but the difference is that the pump knight can be an evasive killer. Unfortunately, I just don't need his ability enough at the moment. Maybe I am just not playing against control enough.
White Shield Crusader has played very well indeed, but seems to have been superseded. He just hasn't been special for too long. Pump knights in pure white are helpful, but not having the Horizon canopy and Fetch/Dryad trick is worse.
Honor the Pure is a reasonable card, but reasonable doesn't cut it in modern.
The Pure White Version - Humans
Champion of the Parish, is bollocks.
My current build has massively diversified away from humans, and toward nasty bonus abilities. Dryad and Teeg and WLL and Selfless and Spectral. Champion just doesn't seem right in a deck with only half the humans I used to play.
In the right deck, Champion is fantastic, but that deck was 3 pages ago, now he is regularly a 1 cost 1/1.
Honestly, it was the backbone of the pure white Human CHARGE deck from about 3 pages ago.
But, 16 humans seems a whole lot less than the 30+ I was playing.
Champ need to activate at least Twice to really be worthwhile.
Isamaru is not a fair card to play on turn 1. Champion of the Parish is WAY better, but, the other humans you need to bulk out the deck, are not better on turn 1. And when they bolt/terminate/gut shot the Champion, playing those weaker cards on turn 2 can lose the game.
Thalia's Lieutenant is Awesome, sometimes, and she can be a Two cost 1/1 blank.
You need to really flood humans to properly abuse CotP and Thalia'sL
You should be playing 2+ Dauntless Bodyguards. The CotP is worth protecting. ( and Thalia's & Mirren & Bananaman)
when playing massed MonoW Humans, While Gideon becomes a human, he does not trigger your 8 human boosters.
Hero of Bladehold does, but, not doing anything the turn you cast him makes him really slow, and hard to cast in a deck playing only 19 land.
The deck does not have the resilience to survive a boardwipe, but does have a faster kill.
I reckon you might be better off embracing that a bit.
4x Dauntless Bodyguard and upping Kytheon to 3x seems better.
I reckon dumping all the seatbelts and really riding that pony might be a better option.
I mean ALL the seatbelts. Go 40 humans. Mardu Woe-Reaper maybe even Dragonhunters
Proclamation of Rebirth is a fascinating and completely different approach. And it works when playing 30+ one drops.
I have had control players just sag after casting it the turn after they wipe the board.
Them - Damnation
Me - Proclamation for Champion, Kytheon, Dauntless B (name Champ)
Them - Read Proclamation, (over and over), Search for boardwipe, Durdle
Me - Bananaman, Take 11, Transform, Untap and invulnerable the Bananaman
Them - Damnation, kill, uh, the Dauntless Bodyguard?
Compare that with your current response to massed point and kill, then double Damnation.
Ghost Quarters are a nice add, but REALLY want the Flagstones of Trokair to combo with. A playset of Flagstones is a definate improvement.
Every card you play that is not a human creature is a card that does not pump CotP & Thalia's L.
Student of Warfare is OK, because it is your only mana sink.
That is why I like the pump knights. Pump knights are also just randomly good against big Black dudes. Like Tasigur, Angler, Herald of Anguish, Death Shadow and Bitterblossom.
If the main thing you are concentrating on is creatures with protection, try the pump knights.
Not sure about Elspeth.
Thraben inspector is a human, and is OK since you are likely to get a card out of the clue at some later point. But I think it is just too slow.
Honour the pure is OK, but Benalish Marshal is a bonus 3 power for a single W more, and a human.
The mutavault is a lovely trick, but does not provide W.
I do not rate Brave the elements. Maybe ONE, but FOUR is way too many.
Brave the Elements = a Finisher. But it does not get you there in the first place. Looking at the perfect time to play Brave, and realising you have no mana, is why I do not play it. I am always tapped out when it would have been great.
I spoze all the random junk is going to be smoothed out by the Smugglers copter. For you it is going to be a lot more effective because you have fewer boosters. More of the time your creatures will be 2/1, and you will have random stuff that is not helping that needs to be cleared.
The deck will win games, obviously.
That amount of aggressive one drops will always win games. The problem is turn 4.
Wrath, cryptic command, Damnation, (Bontu's last reckoning) . . even Bolt/Snapcaster/Bolt.
Then what do you do?
Turn 4 Ugin. . . Dead.
Turn 2 Ensanaring Bridge. . .Dead (well, mostly. It gets me as well)
Explosives for 1 is also a downer.
Sure, both Thalia help on slowing the dreaded turn 4.
Auriok Champion is a reasonable card, but, it doesn't win games, and it is not a human.
Strategy & Match ups
I have a lot of faith in this build, and sideboard.
My Army is mostly simple, with some harsh and unexpected tricks. Every single card has been worn down. It does not get colour screwed, mana screwed, or have any mulligan problems. Every lands helps cast every spell, with the single exception of Dryad Arbor which only helps cast 18 of them. The only clash card is Spectral Procession with Gaddock & Little Thalia. Last tournament the Dryad arbor did help cast the Spectral Procession. 23 Land is WAY more than any other weenie deck, and it doesn't flood.
It is speedy, remorseless, consistent and rude.
Normally I know which cards are weak, under-performing or needing to increase. currently I don't.
Maybe the 2nd Temple Garden should switch to the 4th Razor Verge, maybe not. After dozens of decklists, this feels finished.
Lots of the standard solutions just don't work against this. It is harsh, refined, and completely rogue.
The white version of this deck was the most reliable deck in Modern.
Reliability, came from having Mono-Coloured land, and cheap, mono-coloured creatures.
It would always cast small, aggressive creatures. Every game.
But, being reliable wasn't enough, it needed more power.
Gaddocks in Basedeck throws monkey wrenches. Hard.
Gaddock does not win games as such, but, he regularly makes the opponent lose.
Everyone always has a plan on how they can kill him, and win, but they have to draw it, and play it, in time.
Benana Man, WLL, Selfless Spirit, Thalia, and even Kytheon, Eijango, Windbrisk, and Dryad M all help keep Gaddock alive.
Reliabilty for the Gaddock build is lower, but it's a whole lot more intrusive.
Gaddock is better at fighting the more powerful decks.
Gaddock has made the deck worse against Tarmogoyf. Figuring out when, and if, to bring in Path to Exile is hard and confusing. Solving Tarmogoyf by accelerating them, and thereby losing, is bad.
The deck kicked arse.
Basedeck feels complete.
Still tweaking the sideboard, but it that feels comfortable too.
I have played it so much the sleeves need to be replaced. Again
I am far too used to the slings and arrows of outrageous smurfs.
It is good to win another Modern tournament with this 'Home Brew'.
I think I should grind off another Temple garden, and add another Razorverge. Ravorverge being a tapped land is only a problem on land number 4, and sure, that will happen sometime.
Switching another Temple garden back to a plains might also make sense, leaving just one.
I want to lower the pain threshold to help against Red.
Also, Watching someone cast turn 1 Bloodmoon was concerning. The same guy cast a turn 1 Ensnaring Bridge.
Planning to get under that is difficult at best. Pure speed and prayers is always an answer to anything.
I went to a new weekly tournament. Listening to people discount my deck again in real life was fun.
Wrath of God / Damnation is simply not the instant win they are expecting.
Beating Tron was satisfying. We played a couple more games, and went about even. He was playing Wurmcoil, but I am completely not certain about if I should have brought in the Path. Losing to Ugin is instantaneous. Wurmcoil I can fight. Dealing with Wurmcoil is not easy, but can be done. Block and sacrifice the Selfless spirit does work, as does flying over for the kill, or swarming straight past it. I think he was playing Ullamog, but never saw him.
Path does not kill people, people kill people.
All my creatures are bad for Tron, and Gaddock can be fatal.
Any 2 power, 1 cost creature is effective pure as speed. There are no ineffective cards Pump knights, Little Thalia, and Selfless all annoy. Big Thalia slows them. Benana Man & WLL hurt as they are cast. Spectral Flies over Wurmcoil, and oddly enough may be the weakest cards against Tron. How odd. Bringing in the extra Gaddock makes moving some of them out good. 3rd Big Thalia, 4th Gaddock, 4th WLL & Damp Sphere all go in
This deck is good, and it is strong.
I am really happy with this build. Almost all of the corners are gone. The problem draws have been dissolved down over hundreds of games. I know where the clashes are internally, and why I have these numbers of these cards.
As example, I play only 3 WLL because I do not want 2 in opening hand, but I want access to the 4th in case of discard, or counterspells. Same with legendary problems - only 1 Eijango, and 2 big Thalia's. Stuff like that. It is solid.
This deck may look simple, and I spoze it is, but Modern still has a whole lot of ways to stuff it up. Most of the rest of my play was better. Mostly.
This deck is real.
It wins against some tier 1 decks, loses to some others, and fights hard against everything else.
I am happy to play this in serious tournaments where everyone else is playing name brand decks.
All the decks I played against in the first tourney were old decks being played by experienced players. The dredge player was expecting the 74th and 75th foil to arrive in the next couple of days.
I am not claiming it is the Best, or broken, or anything like that.
But it is good, and unlike anything else out there.
I have toned down it's consistency to increase it's power. Adding green was like that. The spectrals do clash with some of the rest of the deck, but they just win games. An airforce hitting for 6 each turn while the ground is clogged does it regularly. Same with Gaddock. Sometimes.
My Modern deck goes Toe to Toe with Tier 1 decks, like Tron & Miracles, and regular turn 4 kills.
I play small competitions now. Often they are way more fun than the big tourney's because I do not have to play against unpleasant people. My initial Gaddock Teeg's went 4-1 at the World Championships (long ago), is that big enough for you?
The feature article by WotC on my deck was linked above.
As far as I can tell, it is unique. No one else plays the same cards.
People still walk up to my table, mutter 'Souls Sistas' and walk away. My deck gets called 'Humans', while I have 3 non-humans on the table. Opponents regularly sideboard utterly rong because they 'know' what I am playing.
Getting judges to explain 'Protection from White' is fun.
Listening to my opponents complain about Devoted Lightcaster never gets old.
It does well against control.
It does OK against combo.
It does OK against aggro.
Against a weaker build of any of those styles, it will just crush them.
Against a stronger version of any of those styles, it can just lose if they do something impressive.
But there is the rub. They have to bring their A game, and pretty regularly a Gaddock or Thalia can gum up anything.
Any Tier 1 deck can beat this, but, this can beat anything sometimes too. Whatever it is they do, they need to do it, and quickly.
Pure burn is tricky, but even there I stand a chance. Maybe I should think more about red, but, there just aint that much out there.
It is against 'people' decks I am having trouble, purely because of the design philosophy behind this.
Targetted discard, creature Kill, board wipe and counterspells are assumed to be present. Therefore, all of my cards are threats. While my creatures do overlap, and help each other in some very surprising ways, 5 Slivers is likely to be more of a board presence. Thing is, most of those massed 'People' decks (Elves) get slaughtered by Tier 1 decks.
Except Humans, and possibly Merfolk, both of which can cause me problems.
Turn 1 Noble H is also quite strong. Humans is a very real deck
Mostly Black decks can be SO funny to play against. Lilli and Death Shadow are Hilarious.
People start to switch decks.
Death Shadow decks have serious problems with this.
Devout Lightcaster kicks, and sure, they can discard it, or burn it
U/B Does not like seeing Gaddock in base deck since they want to cast Cryptic Command, Planeswalkers, Repeal and boardwipes.
Also Militant dryad is nasty against Dredge tricks, snapcasters and Search for Azcanta.
Thalia, Big & Little, both annoy, & Pump knights are untargettable.
WLL loves being discarded to little Lili.
Their Duress often blanks.
There is some embarrassing problems for their standard emergency defences too. Tap out to animate the 3/2 Creeping Tarpit, block Gaddock, and the game goes to hell as I Windbrisk Heights a WLL into play and Gaddock is a 4/4.
Being force to sac a creature is also not very scarey after casting 1 costs, or a spectral Procession.
Point and kill with a fatal push is effective, but I can live with that. They are unlikely to play all 4, and maybe the Selfless will keep Gaddock alive.
If not, Might be time to cast a second wave of creatures.
And that is a good trick, do not over-commit. Once they are on low life, have slightly too much on the table, but not too much.
U/R is interesting. I really like his deck. Filling the graveyard and using it has always been cool.
Dryad is huge in this, and Gaddock only stops me.
Path is effective, Spectral too. Being able to block and kill his Arclight Phoenix with a 2/2 spirit is not what he wants.
His Thing in the Ice is critical.
When my meta is heavy on black decks, Devout Lightcaster is awesome. Death Shadow HATES it
I haven't been playing any black decks lately, and I just haven't been pumping the Knights at all.
Maybe they should change. At one point I think I hit 14 protection from black creatures.
The worst cards in my most problematic match ups are Little Thalia, Gaddock, and pump knights.
Dryad often does not use it's ability, same with Soldier, but they are 2/1 and only 1 cost. They are much faster.
Taking out the Aether vial in Humans may just be enough. It is a huge slow down for them, and even if they Reflector mage it back, the Aether vial doesn't work since it reenters without counters, and they can already cast Reflector mages, so , whatever and the game is probably over.
The Gaddocks and Little Thalia's need to go because they slow/stop the Spectral Processions, and that is likely how I am going to win. Also, slowing my Path to Exiles is annoying, and I am going to need to hit their Mantis Riders, most likely.
This deck has game against anything.
Except maybe Elves, Vizier combo, and Ensnaring bridge, but even then I can got lucky.
Humans can be a Bad Blowout
Humans is just a savage beating. Every trick I have just doesn't do nuthin'.
They don't use the graveyard. They don't have boardwipe. They don't cast 4 cost spells, or X spells. They don't have black creatures.
They have bigger flyers, and sprint creatures I can't fight.
Reflector Mage is hideous.
They always get lucky and take the Spectral procession.
Their meddling mage still works.
Little Thalia misses their only spell, Aether Vial.
Aether Vial is really effect against us because of that instant creature fear.
Their illusion is always good because it can copy Bananaman, WLL, or any of their toys, because there is always a build up of creatures.
Mantis Riders is a huge problem.
Champion of the Parish + Lieutenant are both hideous because of the inherent buildup of creatures.
Humans is just appalling.
I can still grab a game or two, but, ergh. Every card they play is just BAD for me.
I think Merfolk is also bad.
Red/Blue is also ugly, but can be beat.
Thing in the Ice + Anger is a very hard deck to deal with. Just is. I do not like fighting it.
Emrukal on turn 3 is always a hassle. RIP can win it, so can consistency vs their luck.
Going Toe to Toe with all of those decks seems pretty reasonable.
Can't win em all.
I am sure I am going to continue playing W/g instead of pure white.
My worst match ups are massed enemy creature decks, elves, Humans and maybe slivers. They are kinda similar, but not the same.
My worst results were against Tron originally, but that has changed. Tron is AOK now.
The deck really kicks arse, hard.
It can do turn 4 wins, but mostly it is turn 5 even against some resistence.
I am now at the stage of trying to figure out how to stop specific tier 1 decks. Tron, Elves & Humans.
Most of the rest of the field doesn't really bother me. Sure, any tier one deck can beat me, that is why they are called tier 1, but, that's just fine. I can beat them too. Affinity or burn or green or storm or jund.
Most of my cards are unique in this format. Most of my cards are not played by any other player in the room. People still tell me I am playing Soul Sistas. After I lost to Tron, I was actually told I should be playing Gaddock Teeg by another player as secret tech. Playing 3 base and a 4th in the board still wasn't enough. Really hard to justify going back to Flagstones and Ghost Quarters just for Tron, especially when they cost me games against everyone else.
That pure white beatdown deck is Bad-ass. Against any modern deck it win take games, and absalutely Hulk-Smash a whole lot.
But I think it loses to Tron, Blue/white, and some other tier 1 decks.
Teeg is my current attempt at dealing with 4 cost spells. It kinda works, but slows the deck markedly.
One of the things I really like about this deck is that either I win, or they do something special and beat me. No boring games. The deck is simple enough to play, but does involve real decisions. And I can mostly make the right plays.
This matters because I want to enjoy myself, not beat myself up for doing stupid. I understand stupid. And fun.
People often dismiss my decks out of hand when they beat them, and when I win, I get called lucky. Or, just a favourable matchup.
My White Weenie can easily kill on turn 4, like a combo deck, but the creatures are WAY more irritating than expected. It is not what my creatures do, it is what they stop you from doing.
To force them out of their game plan I play Thalia, big Thalia, massed fliers, pump effects, protection from your deck, graveyard interference, and I can even go indestructible / must attack with transformed Kytheon. I have discard defence, and board wipe defence.
The instant speed effects via Windbrisk heights confuse the hell out of the judges.
These cards have been thrashed. I understand the format now. Things like only 3 Kytheon, 2 Little T, 2 Gaddock, 1 Isamaru, and 1 Landing don't happen by random. The bad cards got tired and left.
And as to dodging Wrath. . .Gaddock Teeg turns wrath off.
Little Thalia makes it more expensive.
Big Thalia might delay it for the game winning turn.
Kytheon is not a creature when you cast wrath.
Selfless spirit make me immune to Wrath
So, Wrath really isn't a problem, but, Terminus can be a hassle.
The deck is So Solid.
It has been ground down by repetition. At it's core it is a damage engine, but all the irritating disruption, evasion, speed and tricks is often overwhelming.
It is just so amazingly reliable, and simple.
The strength of the deck is being able to morph into whatever beats the thing that just beat me.
Mono W humans is a larger thump, when it connects. The problem is it is WAY easier to disrupt.
My Army is comparable to Mono W Humans, less explosive but more resilient. Triple Champion of the Parish is just Bollocks, but, the support cards are just not quite there. When they bolt the first Champion, then Snapcaster, block, & bolt the last, the game is over.
Cast a Dryad militant as your first instead and they can't.
My Army is designed so they need to cast at least two board wipes, whereas MonoW Humans will crumple after the first successful board wipe.
My Army is a less disruptive and more aggressive version of classic GW Hatebears. But, Hatebears is about disrupting them more because it is 2 turns slower in killing people. This is about killing people first, and disrupting them second.
Tron is just a really strong Tier 1 deck, and deserves the respect due.
Against Tron, Gaddock really is a kick in the teeth. Pure White really needs the GQ as a way of slowing them, but Wg doesn't. The real problem with Ghost Quarter is it can stuff up your mana stability. Plains, Plains, GQ is not great for casting Triple white spells
That is a real part of the way My Army was designed, stability and simple. Constant reliability is the absolute hallmark of My Army. They have to do something special to win. That is the plan.
The problem with Tron though is they WILL do something special. Really reliably, hence the need to throw monkey wrenches.
Possibly my worse match up, multicolour humans, is getting more popular.
None of the new card ideas does anything against Humans. (And SoldierotP is effective there)
Almost all of my cards are very effective against Delver. This is not to say I always beat Delver, it is Tier 1 and so will just win games against anything. But my deck is favoured against it.
Go on, cast Kolaghan's Command, I dare you Mr Delver. Please? Or Collective Brutality.
Can I discard my Wilt Leaf Leige, and just win now? (Devout Lightcaster SLAM! on Tasigur or Gurmag)
And that is why my deck is SO GOOD.
I know all of their spells, and what I should do against them. They are playing known Tier 1 decks, mostly.
Their Tier 1 cards are why I am playing my oddball Tier 2 cards.
Snapcaster Mage is why I am playing Dryad Militant.
If you are looking solely at your cards in "Isolation", mono-W Humans is WAY stronger.
I mean, turn 1 Champ of the Parish, turn 2 Champ + Champ is a complete victory lap and touchdown dance.
Except it loses to Bolt and then a Snapcaster on turn 3
It is the interaction between the decks where my deck is the Nuts.
Turn 2 collective brutality works good against almost everything, until a free WLL wins the game
Same with Lilli
It is all these random little kinks that destroy opponents that were just not ready for them.
Kytheon making a Death Shadow attack him is a WIN!
Selfless Spirit laughs at Wrath effects, and costs 2, so, Why am I excited about Ranger-Captain of Eos ?
Spectral Procession can win games, and quickly. Add a Lord or two and the game will be over in a hurry.
Lingering Souls is directly comparable, different, but comparable. In Aggro, Spectral is better, provided it can be cast on turn 3. No other token generator comes close to it.
I point it out because none of the last three decks by not me are playing it. Inquiz of Kozilek will blank on mine, and work on the last 3.
My deck is almost mono-coloured. Almost. Very rarely I will have mana troubles, but, the lands that would cause these are lands 21/22/23. I get annoyed when the singleton green source (land 23) can't cast the Benana Man. It is rather different to not getting a blue source in a 3 colour spam fest playing 19 land, like Delver.
(Good to remember Gaddock does nothing special against Delver.)
It has been a while since I played against Bogles, but, I remember doing fairly well against it.
I am almost as fast as them, and much more reliable. Regularly I can block their creatures, and then what do they do?
Sure, if they get trample happening, or unblockable, they can just win. That's how it works against Tier 1 drawing precisely what they need, but, depending on the style of poison they are playing, this deck can just stomp bogles.
Without Trample (or Unblockable), WTF do they do against a turn 3 Spectral Procession?
And if they do draw and play the unblockable blue poison, Kytheon can win by making it attack him.
The Bogles decks I have encountered are the Giant Growth style, not the enchantment version.
Either way, I am heavily favoured.
Death Shadow is my target deck, I don't need help against them. (Devout Lightcaster SLAM!)
Burn is tight either way.
But, all 3 are tier 1. They can, and do, just win some games.
My deck does not struggle with 'Alpha Strike'.
Sometimes I win on turn 4. My deck is an Alpha Strike, and Bogles needs to somehow sneak past it. Mostly it can't.
As example, when they attack with a Bogle (example used because it is the other post I am replying to) I say "Block" with my SoldierotP (protection from Multi).
Bogle wants lots of support cards or they are just gunna lose.
Originally, this was a Martyr of Sands + Serra's Ascendant deck.
Squadron getting 3 birds, Use Martyr & Serra worked. But not well enough. Having loads of life just didn't matter enough. And it was too slow in general.
So I changed it to Proclamation of Rebirth with 30ish one drops
Which was way cool, and almost strong enough
So I tried faster, and with Gaddock Teeg. Loam Lions and Nacatyls. And Tarmogoyf.
Mana problems were such a hassle. But the Free Fetch Dryad was cool. But...
Then I tried straight white humans with Champion of the Parish and co.
Those guys do have a kick.
Then I tried White /Green humans.
Then White /Green/ Red humans (lightning mauler combo)
Then White / Red / Black humans (Dark confindant, & Hero of Oxid Ridge is real good)
.
Then White best of's & with Protection, this version
This one seems really reliable.
All weak creatures are gone, all remaining are hyper aggressive, and quite rude.
If my creatures did nothing for long enough they got flushed.
Current strong decks don't like this.
I have tried This that and everything. Well, lots anyway.
This version is real good. And works. Cheap too.
Graveyard interference is generally not worth it, outside of the Dryad anyway. She has done well.
Tron is hard, but winnable, same with affinity. They have to win, and quickly.
Pump knights are a good last hope against anything. Except Ugin.
A regular turn 5 clock can be fast enough.
Maybes more Horizon canopy & maybe Kor Firewalker ?
I have Tried
Dragon Hunter, Mardu Woe, Imposing sovereign, FoD, DoW, Worship, graffdiggers cage, rest in peace, stony silence,
Boros Reckoner, Tividar of Thorn, Ghost quarters, good intentions, Elspeth, Path, Mana Tithe, Gather, Settle the Wreckage, Flagstones, Emeria, mistveil, .... Maybe Brave the elements is a way to break thru, but losing to Kozilek's Return because it's colourless meant I stopped trying. Need to kill the opponent is still plan A.
The only current clash is between Little Thalia & Spectral Procession.
Against enemy Massed Team style decks, Little Thalia can be an OK sideboard, replaced with Wraths, Paths & Ensnaring Bridge.
Often some one cost creatures come out, as well, or Stillmoon / Mirrans if their colours are off.
There is no protection from Blue, which is why Merfolk can be a hassle.
They can be raced, for a time, then they gel and it just becomes impossible.
Kinda the same when fighting Silvers or any standard 'Men' approach. Our 2/1 are fast and angry, but don't have staying power. Gangs fighting gangs can go badly.
There is meant to be some creature that just can't be dealt with. Flying is matched in Blue and double strike is not intimidating. But there is the sudden swarm aspect. It can easily just win by hitting.
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There is quite a lot of hitting.
Card Hand Draws
Very few Mulligans, and 6 cards is still strong.
Only White sources = No colour screw
Gentle manabase with little flooding, & Pump Knights
This deck is trying to be the most powerful ordinary deck out there.
It always does something good, and you have to do something better
I just saw Madcap->Pristine Golem 8/8 very impressed
(Taunting the Golem with Kytheon/Gideon Planeswalker, makes the Golem attack and die.)
Results :
4-0
2-2
4-0
3-1
2-2
3-1
My last 6 tournaments. 18 wins, 6 losses
Loads of really strong cards choke when they read mine. Fighting hard against well made decks. This is cheap, and really effective.
Turn 4 kills can and do happen. It is easy to play. OK to sideboard. Really fun, and has So much interference, from unlikely places too. People dont expect it because everyone just doesn't play my cards.
Actual Rounds recollections
Lots of fighting thru card-efficient Jund decks
Lots of pushing past snapcaster decks
Beat Swans
Lost to Goblin Lore sillyness, and beat it.
lost to thune green sillyness, just. But 2-0 so, fair enough
Beat MonastrySwiftspear.deck with a lucky Martyr and work.
Lost to Affinity, increased KataKi count. Stoney silence did nothing and they killed straight thru it.
Worship has been AWESOME ! once. And sucked alomst always every other time.
And Lots & Lots of Beatdown.
On the draw, with one land and 4xOne Drops. Yeah, I kept it. Drew the land and never looked back.
She made me sac a creature, so I knew she would power up by making me discard in her next turn. Both my creatures attacked him, not his planeswalker. Then she +1 loyalties making me discard a Wilt-Leaf Leige into play, and it's over. 2 land win.
I have Mulliganed 6 or 7 times across those 50 games. Mulligans are easy.
2,3, or 4 land = Keep
0,1,6,7 land = Mulligan
5 land is a special case. Maybe
Windbrisk, 2xPlains, Horizon canopy, SelflessSpirit , SpectralP - is a definite keeper
Sigh
1 win 3 losses ( Beat red, lost to turn 3&4 green combo, Loss to Valakut, Loss to Um?)
2 wins 2 losses (Loss to White weenie is embarrassing, lost to turn 4&5 Ugin, beat Red, beat Death Shadow)
Some of them felt bad. Losing to fast Ugin is just gross. Happens really reliably. Just doesn't seem worth the interference.
The combos are so fast.
I am playing in two different stores with extremely different meta games. And when the other guys get their best draws, they are probably going to grab it. I am trying to win all the other games.
3-1 - Small tournament, but only complete decks.
Beat mill 2/1 - on play
Beat Thopter combo / Lantern 2/1 - on play
Loss to Feladir /Shaheli 0/2
Beat Black white tokens 2/0
The Windbrisks are really good.
The horizon canopy is good.
Eijango is a one in 60 accidental winner
The Flagstone+ Ghost quarter combo is mostly accidental. It just seems OK vs some of my problems. Tron hates GQ. The Leo arbiter may or may not be a good idea. It should rarely cause problems with my own Flagstones / GQ, but will if I am not careful. One Path to exile has also managed to make it back in. The Leo's make it just too tempting. It failed miserably. Turn 1 no first play, looking at a path. He plays a Bird of paradise. Sigh.
Ghost Quarter on the tapped Flagstones does work, get two plains, one is untapped, tap it for a second white.
23 land in a white weenie is heaps. Still seem to be Mulliganing a lot though. Just not enough land. Flooded twice, but won one of those. Pump knights with protection from Path & Push seem a good way to spend excess mana.
One game I won by casting a soldier, another soldier, a Kytheon, a dryad . . . and no second land. I had already mulliganed down to 6
The massive damage potential from a turn 1, Power 2 creature should be noted
-,2,2,2,2 is the damage it will cause across the first 5 turns when ignored. 8 damage goes a long way
3-0-1 - Small tournament (first round bye) Draw 1-1-0 Little Eldrazi
Close, well fought games. All went long. Last could have gone either way.
Win 2-1 Grapeshot combo
Dryad is good. Little Thalia is good. Path is important to stop Baral & electromancer
Cannonist worked.
Win 2-1 Faeries
Close. Path stopped a Champion effect. So fast
Current changes
Benalish Marshal (aka Banana Man) seems good. More plains too.
Going to switch the 2 Stillmoon's base into a Selfless Spirit & a White Shield Crusader.
Lowers the curve. Path and white creatures are not seeing as much [lay as expected, and there is always targets.
I like having the 3 pump knights and a simple landbase.
Still had to mulligan down to 5 on the final game against eldrazi, (and he went to 6).
The deck is really solid, cheap, and easy to play. Sideboarding is not hard, but not obvious.
The other side is where most of the luck is involved. Currently trying to justify buying a Horizon canopy.
This deck can scare anything.
All my results are recorded
4-0
2-2
4-0
3-1
2-2
3-1
1-3
2-2
3-1
2-0-1
26 wins 12 Losses 1 Draw
That's a 2/3rds win rate across 10 smallish tournaments.
1/2 d'oh all were close. lost to mill gaining life & Beat Death Shadow
One of my meta's was filled with black. It is much, much less so now.
I realised just how focussed on Path to Exile, and targetted black creature kill the format is. Playing Stillmoon cavalier base deck can just break many decks. There is simply NOTHING they can do. But don't get me wrong, Stillmoons are often the last creature cast, and where you pour all that useless excess mana.
Same goes for the pump knights, they allow a higher than normal land count. This was intentional.
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People still call my deck 'Soul Sistas' !
Because they have played against Soul Sistas, they know what they should do, and what I am going to play. People cast Meddling Mage against my turn one Soldier of the Pantheon, and the card they name is, 'Path to Exile'
Tier 1 deck players know all of the cards in all the 'Good' decks. All their side boarding is already worked out, and understood. My cards are all strange, and regularly my opponents make mistakes because odd rules appear. Or they just miss stuff.
Blocking a Dryad wrong because it gets +2/+2 , not +1/+1, is surprisingly common.
Windbrisk burns peoples brains. 'Protection' is not on any widely played cards.
My results back when I was playing lifegain were awesome against fair decks, and progressively worse against tournament quality. Many Tier 1 decks just don't seem to care about card advantage, or lifegain. I use lots of Attack Phases, but most modern decks really don't.
I kept playing the cards that were winning me games, and changing the ones that cost me games consistently. I got slightly inbred for a while playing 15 protection from black creatures, in base. The only original cards in base deck now are plains and spectral procession.
I did start off with Ascendant+Martyr / Ranger and loads of other normal stuff. Then I kept changing it. Emeria is glacial in it's speed.
Tron, control, mill, combo & Merfolk do not care about durdling Turbo-Fog style decks.
Slivers & Humans probably just beat Turbo Fog too, depends on colours & build.
Tron plays Ugin.
Control wipes the board again
Mill turns over your library on turn 5
Combo should win (doing infinite) on turn 4-5-6
Slivers/ Merfolk/ Humans can deal hundreds of damage.
Fair creatures can not wrestle a big Eldrazi
Cast Emrukal, Attack (Annihilate 6 permanents), win
Hold on you cry, I'll just 'Path' that. Except path doesn't work.
(Path to Exile wins games against fair decks, and sucks against Tier 1)
Little Eldrazi is a strong deck. Kozilek's Return is harsh.
My Current results are 27 wins /14 losses /1 draw
The best thing about this deck is that those 14 loses were to really good decks doing amazing things. It never just lays down and lets them win. Their deck has to function, and often it has to do something quite special
beat 2-0 Jund
beat 2-0 Quick Red (Sligh)
lost 1-2 to Blue Spirits (with CoCo)
beat 2-0 Dredge
All quality players and complete decks.
4x Path to Exile
-Good against Red and Spirits. Dont really need them against Jund, but...
2x Stillmon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
-Came in against Jund & Dredge. Lightcaster was a top deck windmill SLAM against an active 4 cost Lilliana
2x Ethersworn Canonist
- in against sligh & Jund (Stops Cascade & prowess)
2x Kataki, War's Wage
2x Ensaring Bridge
- Not subbed
4x Dryad Militant - subbed against blue
2x Isamaru - Woof. One got subbed
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros - Is strong. Indestructible, and then Transformed
1x Legion's Landing - Actually won a game by making tokens as blockers against a size 9 Scooze
4x Soldier of the Pantheon - subbed against dredge
3x Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit - Were just flying 2/1's, but no-one tried to wipe the board. One was subbed against Dredge
3x White Shield Crusader - Caused problems for Jund, and got subbed against Red
3x Thalia, Heretic Cathar - Did nothing special. One got subbed against red
4x Spectral Procession - Love the Benana Man, and really are strong
3x Benalish Marshal - have worked much better than anticipated.
4x Wilt-Leaf Leige - Are really strong, and large.
3x Windbrisk Heights - Really are the business. Flip Big Thalia to stop the CoCo creatures was good, as was having Benana Man under there. The 4th one just doesn't play right.
1x Eiganjo Castle - no effect, was tapped when it mattered.
1x Horizon Canopy - did get used
1x Shefet Dunes - Actually won the game, to the exact damage point, the turn before losing. This singleton is worth the effort, very rarely.
This deck is bollocks, and rogue.
It's simple to play, has some decisions, and kicks the Bejezus out of almost any 'Fair' deck.
The speed & reliability of the attack is surprising. Mono colour, with lots of Land, all of which casts everything, quickly. The 'Luck' in almost all match ups is on their side, and the random interference I play can be crippling.
It may be the most reliable deck in the format. The opponent has to beat it.
Just one mulligan this tournament, and one slow start. They have to do something better than the Wallop, and losing to people playing great Magic is also OK. The opponent has to do something special to win.
Wallop costs very little, is outrageously stable, and wins a lot against Tier decks.
A good combo decks win on turn 4
3xPlains + 3xOneDrop + 1xBenalish Marshal = Turn 4 win in opening hand.
The Stillmoons are still ace, but, Path to Exile is getting less play and there is only so many expensive (3 cost) creatures I can fit in base. BananaMan has just been phenomenal.
This deck is easily able to go toe to toe with ANYTHING.
Almost any deck can beat it if they draw the best they can, but most decks just get run over outside of those god draws.
As example.
A gray ogre is only barely playable in limited. 3 cost, 2/2
A Bear is always playable in limited, and mostly too weak for constructed. 2 cost, 2/2
A Savannah lion is playable strong in limited, and standard constructed playable. 1 cost 2/1
Isamaru is strong in standard, and playable in Modern. 1 cost 2/2
Dryad can be a 1 cost, first turn win
Kytheon can be a 1 cost Planeswalker
And Soldier can just sometimes be untouchable
Little Thalia can also just win games
Lingering Souls is another good example.
Lingering Souls is WAY strong. It was banned in a format or two. Without a discard engine, Lingering is 5 mana for 4 x 1/1 flyers.
Spectral Procession is 3 mana for 3 x 1/1 Flyers
Spectral is actually stronger for this deck than if Lingering was just in White.
Spectral directly helps Windbrisk, WLL, BenanaMan, Kytheon and Legions Landing
(The '6 cost' aspect is funny against red Eildolon's and Spell Queller)
Wallop is incredibly cheap, rogue, simple, and kicks arse against serious decks. I mean, turn 4 wins happen. There are LOTS of good, and interesting sideboard cards. All of which are cheap.
I get it that to play a deck where all you do is turn sideways is not what most people want to do in Modern, because, "It's modern and you can do all sorts of stuff!". I am not like that.
In standard, I have played New Perspectives for about a year.
Regularly I am the ONLY combo deck in the room, and can take 12 minute turns involving 70 card draw events.
Wallop is about massed onslaught, in a wide open format. It is simple, and brutal.
There are many other versions of similar, but they are not the same. A Nacatyl with Loam Lion and Kird Ape can be just as fast, but has weaknesses. Colour and mana screw happen more. Damage is done through fetches, and there is stuff in the graveyard, non basics in play and all sorts of interference becomes possible. This is partly different because it just doesn't do that. Lots of expected stuff just doesn't work as well against this because it is SO pure. Random stuff like Leonin arbiter, Ghost Quarters, Archieve Trap, Bloodmoon, . . .Lots.
Killing the Spirit so the board wipe happens is required.
But, no-one expects to have to deal with a Stillmoon Crusader after wiping the board, and mostly, only Red can.
Board wipes always come in after game 1.
I am used to being ignored when I come up with something special, like this.
Don't believe me. I am used to it. The world regularly disagrees with me. Oh well. That is why I like Magic.
You do not HAVE to agree with anyone, and I am just the raggedy man.
30 wins, 15 Losses, 1 Draw
Lots of weenie decks can just die to wipe
Wrath style effects have always been weenie decks nemesis.
A chunk of the field relies on Wipe, so, surviving it can just win games.
Selfless spirit works, (and it is a 2/1 flier).
The creatures entering the battlefield to crowd it out do cause damage, kinda like a haste creature, since 7 are Lords that pump everybody.
Be aware everyone is always about to cast a board wipe. Don't worry about it.
Wallop deals with wipe by having scarey enough creatures that a wipe is needed immediately.
Then, the board can be refilled immediately with enough scarey creatures a second wipe is needed.
All the creatures are strong enough to fight alone without achieving any particular critical mass. Except the Legions Landing, a lowly 1/1. Landing replaced a land, and sometimes is the land I need.
The obvious power of Landing is the last ability, make a dude, but it is actually the weakest of the 3. The idea that Landing is meant to be used after a wipe is kinda sad. It's happened maybe once. Being a 1/1 lifelink is 'eh', being a land is 'ok', making dudes is 'eh'. But it really does mend together, and transforming into that 3rd or 4th land can win games, sometimes.
beat 2-0 ? Real deck, but I don't know what it is called. Multicolour, Lotus Cobra with replace card 3/2
lost 0-2 Tron. Turn 4 & 5 Ugin. Sigh. Overall, he won 6 games I won 3
lost 0-2 Elves. (with CoCo). Newish plyer. Beat him 2-0 before the tournament. Overall, I think he should win.
beat 2-1 Zombies. So many protection from Black. Lost was by flooding
32 wins, 17 Losses, 1 Draw
If Tron gets it, they just win. Same with Elves
The Tron player was absolutely certain I should be playing Stoney Silence. I think he is just wrong. He even sideboarded in enchantment kill. I really don't think it matters. Swapping in Flagstones & Ghost Quarters just for this match up doesn't seem worth it.
Not really sure what else I can do against Team decks, and Elves explodes. Wrath is not effective often enough. works ok with the Canonists though.
The Soldiers used Protection from Multicolour multiple times.
Windbrisks won games.
Kytheon transformed, and used all 3 powers throughout the night.
xxxxx
Wizards wrote a feature article about me playing Gaddock Teeg at the World Championships.
Playing Teeg is a massive change, and was one of the first changes I tried out when I first built this deck. Tron had been wiping the floor with me. In fact, most serious decks crushed the first White Weenies I built in Modern. Teeg himself is way strong. But. He weakens the deck overall.
Teeg just stops my 4 Spectral Processions, and they are Way Strong too.
Fetchlands, Shocklands, A forest, A (1/1) forest, are all complications to my manabase
Dealing with Mana screw, Blood Moon, Ghost Quarter, Spreading Seas, Tarmogoyf, Archive Trap, Big Thalia, Leonin Arbiter (Mine&Yours) . . . These are all these complications caused by that single green mana, and none of them good.
And after all that Tron pays 2 colourless and gives him +3/-3 as an instant on turn 2.
Sigh.
I think the change to deal with Tron should be to switch in 4xGhost Quarter + 4xFlagstones into Base Deck.
But, it does actually weaken the deck significantly since Plains,Plains,Ghost Quarter does not cast a Benalish Marshal.
Ghost Quarter just don't produce W, unless it pops a Flagstones. And That might matter in every single game, against everybody.
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Landing is a goof-ball card.
It is average, but, really consistently.
I do not want a second one for precisely the reasons you state.
This deck is not mid range, so I don't want a 5th land. The times when Landing has actually been critical have been rare, really rare. But it did win those 3(?) games. It has also been average regularly. In those games it doesn't really matter since their was a Dryad Turn 1, and a Selfless turn 2. Or similar.
Landing then flips on turn 4, post combat. Not very impressive.
Except when I haven't drawn a 3rd land, but still pump out attackers.
That scenario just doesn't happen very often, and only having 1 power seriously blows. The 'Consolation Prize' is the bit I care most about. I don't care what happens AFTER attacking with 3 creatures, why aren't you dead?
'4 mana turn 3' can only happen if I have drawn 3xOne drops and two untapped lands
0+2+6+6+6 is a turn 5 kill (Well, unless landing is involved.)
I am playing Benalish Marshal, Why pay 4 mana for an effect that only costs 3 mana ?
0+2+9+12 = turn 4 kill
Wilt leaf liege is my only 4 drop. Sure, pump knights enjoy it.
Final game of latest tournament against Zombies. . .
Devout Lightcaster, Mirran crusader, Stillmoon cavalier in play.
Draw Stillmoon, Attack with team, flip a Devout Lightcaster from the Withered heath.
. . . Alright, maybe he had conceded at that point.
Tron is difficult currently, but I can win it.
Both Thalia's and the Selfless Spirit can win it.
As can any game where Tron gets slightly unlucky, or slow.
Landing was the one card I sideboarded out against Tron.
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This deck is the most consistent in the format.
That is one of the reasons I enjoy it.
I will win, or, you will do something spectacular, either way it is a good time.
Mulligans are rare, and don't hurt much. Flooding is a problem on about turn 4, so hope you got a pump knight, Kytheon or maybe just 3 random dudes. I Flooded in one game. Turn 5 had 2xWll & 2xDryad in play for 24 power of creature. But, that was all the non plains cards for the game.
They have to win, my deck just has to show up.
I just don't seem to play enough any more to keep up with some of the minor stuff, and I fully accept I make play mistakes. Having such a simple, brutal deck kinda helps.
My Flagstones & Ghost Quarters are still in the coloured sleeves for this deck.
It still kinda blows.
Plains + Ghost Quarter = Losing a land on turn 2 or 3
Turn 4 double pump or WLL or double creature is still good.
That is why I have almost always used them on my own Flagstones, which do get the extra plains.
The 'Plains' got by the flagstones is tapped, so it may as well be a 'Temple Garden'
So I am playing Gaddock Teeg
And fetchlands
And a Dryad Arbor
. . . and everything has gotten really complex again
I am not claiming it is the best, strongest or flashiest.
That's the point.
Plains + 2/1
Happens most games
Second turn second creature happens most games
'Hit you' happens in most games
I beat Humans last time because his manabase was unstable and did not give him a colour.
I think Humans beats me, mostly. But Humans is less consistent.
If their deck does not fire, and quickly, they die.
Reflector mage is bad for me, so is some of their other wackier stuff.
It is close though, and I can sometimes go straight thru them. Mostly against Humans it comes down to who goes first, it is close. The game can stall out.
This deck will always provide a clock.
The bell curve of when this collection of cards will reach 20 points against a goldfish is very narrow, so you better do something.
None of those decks can claim anything even remotely that simple, reliable, or consistent.
There are entire type of random interference that also just don't affect me.
Will you draw dead cards that kill permanent types I don't play?
Example 1
On the play, they cast a turn 1 Bird, and a turn 2 Bloodmoon
Is your deck stuffed?
Example 2
On the play, they cast a turn 2 leonin Arbiter / Gaddock Teeg / Counterspell / Disenchant / Path / Thoughtseize
Are you in trouble?
Example 3
Boardwipe Effect on turn 3, and Turn 5 - Problem?
Example 4
They cast a turn 4 Ugin
. sigh .
This is deck can win on turn 4, but mostly turn 5, or 6, or 7 if they are fighting.
Naming lots of really strong decks that may or may not beat my deck does not prove anything.
When I play against Tron, my deck is going to do what it does.
If Tron wins or not is completely down to Tron.
The vast majority of the Luck is on his side.
My deck will do what it does. If Tron wins, it is because Tron did something awesome.
This is because my deck is WAY more consistent.
I have tried to make my deck as naturally unpleasant to as many Tier 1 decks as possible
If I randomly win because one of my random creatures destroys you, cool.
You are not going to do the same.
The 'Random' is almost always happening on the other side.
A fair number of my wins will be just those decks falling in a random hole, but few of your wins will be like that.
Everyone else has absolutely no idea about my deck. How cool is that?
I get to stomp face on all these people, as they constantly tell me no one is playing my deck, and sideboard cards against threats I am not playing.
Because I am playing Soul Sista, or humans, or whatever you all knowing people want to mischaracterize my deck as.
And because my deck is so brutally simple, aggressive, and FAST to play, my rounds are often over in a flash.
Most people never get to see it.
So yes I am playing Hatebears, or whatever you say I am.
I have recorded my last 50 matches, and my win rate is 65%.
Unlike most, I loudly proclaim my play has been ordinary.
This deck is ace, and you do not have to believe me, or listen. In fact, don't.
That is why I like Magic, mostly I don't want you to believe me.
Aint no way they are going to have a bolt to burn a Banana Man.
Lightning bolts get used on turns 1 & 2.
Turn 3 bolts are off the top, or from a snapcaster. But lets hope the bolt got exiled first.
Soldier of the Pantheon stopped a size 9 G/W Elemental last tourney, and forced a Lotus Cobra to block because everyone else was shiney. Soldier is reliable, solid and consistent. Always does what it does.
Soldier was also completely removed against Zombies & Elves.
Steppe Lynx is inconsistent, and relies on other things that hurts me. And all those other things add complexity, inconsistency and points of attack for other decks. Ghost Quarter & Bloodmoon & Goyf dont like my deck.
When a bloodbraid elf is attacking, I want the Soldier, not the Lynx.
When a reflector mage or unsummon or stifle effect is randomly inserted, I want the Soldier.
When I am on 1 life, I want the soldier.
Lynx have a lower damage potential, i think. Although Flagstones + GQ does seem rude.
Wow. Thats a 6/7 attacking on turn 2(?) And again with the random, and inconsistent.
I Tried the Wild nacatyl + loam Lion + Kird Ape variant while I was trying out Gaddock Teeg. It just naturally pops up when making the deck. It really is quite strong. But it isn't consistent enough. Sometimes it just fails to connect up all its pieces, or they do something really rude and everybody dies again.
This version is more consistent because it plays Selfless spirits and Kytheon so it survives wipes better.
And those cards are better in this because of the 7 white creature pumps.
I have played Honour the Pure too.
The difference is that Benana Man is more consistent.
Honour is an enchantment, and as the only one it suddenly allows many of their cards to target.
Benana man is just another creature. A 3/3 creature that kinda has haste because it also does what an Honour the pure does. But when he is alone he still blocks creatures, and kills players. There is a reason he is WWW. That is a crippling mana cost.
If I cast one spell for the game, I have a Banana. You may have Two Honour the Pures, but you gunna die.
The Benana Men are absolute BEASTS in this. I gotta find space for the 4th.
There is another outlier of a game where you draw all four Honour the Pures and get grumpy.
All of those games are gone.
Say it is turn 5 and there are Two Honour the pure's in play and Kytheon attacks. Being a 4/3 with a 3 cost indestructible is OK.
Now try 2xBanana men + Kytheon attacking. 4/4 + 4/4 + 4/3. And Kytheon is going to tranform, and do something else
Same thing happens with Windbrisk Heights. Banana Man triggers them because he has legs, And Windbrisk is way strong in this.
On 3+ of the first 4 turns I will play creatures.
Sometimes I do got both Hounds, or two Kytheons, or 2 of the same Thalia.
Sometimes Little Thalia interferes with Spectral Procession
Sometimes a Windbrisk Heights is worse than a plains.
Sometimes I get too much plain land, and sometimes not enough land for the last spells, but not often.
Thats it
Show me a tournament deck with more consistency.
Or fewer overt weaknesses.
A weakness to turn 4 Ugin seems fair.
Running 8 fetch-lands and a shock is just not enough to run a second colour. I would want at least 13 sources. Hopefully more. Otherwise it is just too inconsistent. And it hurts.
Getting those games where you only draw shock land and then fetches and Horizon canopy, hurts. And that happens constantly. And then something connected to it goes wrong. And then I would draw the 4th Gaddock Teeg, I don't need to be sold on that guy.)
The deck I post from the Worlds plays 11 Land that can provide white, 4 birds of Paradise and 3x'commune with nature', so maybe 18 kinda sources of white. If you need to cast Gaddock Teeg on turn 2, playing 9 sources is just not enough.
Again, it is just about never having those crap draws. I just don't get them.
Sure, if they are in complete control, they can pick the wings off us like a cruel child with an insect. But that's after the game is over. Ugin turn 4 is not what the game designers envisioned when they designed him.
Say I fetch the shock, play Gaddock, and smile
Then, they Bolt Gaddock, and Ghost Quarter your Temple Garden. Or bloodmoon or the new bloodmoon. or Fulminator mage or the desert one or Rishadan Port (is that in?)
And we draw Gaddock 2,3 & 4, of course
That sort of horrible just cant happen.
The deck is pure, and that purity is why it is SO reliable.
Sometimes I have sideboard out the 3rd Thalia's. They have started in the board before. I never want her to clog my hand.
Pretty regularly she just dies instantly anyway so it hardly matters.
Removing all inconsistency is what this deck is about.
17 Plains is one Shedload of basics, and 23 Land is a Shedload to start with for a weenie deck.
Mono colour. Everything taps for W. Every card fights.
Try giving a simpler game plan than 'Hit You'
Goyf , hollow one, rakdos, hollow , skred ponza, deathshadow, zoo and dredge. - Seems a pretty fair selection of random cards this deck is comfortable fighting. They are all really powerful decks that better have brought their best plays, because this deck should have them worried. Against some of those, the Path to Exile should stay in the board.
mono-colour + small creatures = Most Consistent
The only ways I can see to make this even more bland, vanilla, and White would be to reduce the conflicts.
Forgetting about Thalia & Spectral is annoying, and drawing 2 little Thalia's is yuk so cutting one seems good.
Same with Big Thalia.
1 / 3 / 0 Sigh
1/2 vs Miracles Blue white. 3 Incredibly tight games. Dryad was a star. But, multiple timely reinforcements, and 7+ boardwipes is tough. Turn 2 Terminus seems fair Tight. Really tight. I kept a One land hand on the play because I had 4 1 drops. Right call as he path-ed my creature.
2/1 Mono Black. My board kicked in, hard. Game One I should have won, but just misread his cards. This felt easy.
0/2 Red/Green Goodstuff Ramp Both games he got on curve with arbor elves and enchanted lands and big spells to cast quickly. So close in game one. He tried to maelstrom pulse (destroy all same one) my 2xSoldiers of the pantheon. 'No'
Game 2 Anger on turn 3 hurts against no Selfless. Just wasn't expecting it in a small creature ramp deck. Courser of Kruphix has always been a thorn for my decks.
Got nailed by Bloodmoon of all things. My Windbrisk turned red and I couldn't cast my ensnaring bridge out of it (for the win) because His inferno titan had just killed 3 of my 5 creatures. And that happened because I couldn't cast Benana man because no 3rd W.
0/2 Mill +27 life game one, +48 life game two. Still just needed one more attack phase in both. The second game I got the heinous double WLL, and draw the 3rd WLL. My four creatures in play on turn 6, had 35 power and needed one more turn to deal the 32 damage still required. I think this is the 5th time we have played, I think its 2/3 overall.
This was mid week, and I can still remember every game because each was a really good game with cool stuff happening.
Every game my deck fought, and this week the other side really did do huge things.
Legions landing was bad once, sideboarded twice, and critical as the 3rd land once. I dont like the card, but it works, sorta.
Soldiers were regularly great, and boarded.
Dryads are awesome.
Kytheon popped himself as a planeswalker once.
Little Thalia was sad.
Selfless had a bad day. Terminus at the wrong times gets hard.
Windbrisk were HUGE! , and a mountain.
All opponents were playing all of the cards they wanted to play. And they played them well.
Each opponent was seriously hurt by Gaddock Teeg. Well, except the Black player.
I think archive trap is stopped by Gaddock, same with miracle terminus.
Adding Green. What a hassle. Means the ghost quarters and Flagstones come in too.
Sigh. I like plains. I had a weird game where my first two land were Dunes and canopy. Suddenly I was hurting myself. It just felt strange. Suddenly Temple gardens and fetch lands and hurting myself start happening. Doesn't seem to matter much against most of Modern though. Might let them kill me a turn earlier, but directly racing is rarely a problem in anything other than Burn.
Supreme Verdict, Terminus, Primal Command, Archive trap, Damnation, cryptic Command, Teferi . . . these cards won games
Tron has been hard for a long time, and Gaddock hurt them too.
I have the GW cards already, but it must massively increase the cost, I spoze. Plains are cheap.
Adding fetches also means that old favourite Dryad Arbor can happen, But the Benana Men are really not happy about that. Same with both types of pump knights. Mostly I have tried to play Gaddock in a green deck, with a touch of white. Not White with a touch of green. Loam Lion is suddenly a maybe, but that can go very wrong. Changing 15-17 lands just to play 2-3 Gaddock seems, well, . . .
Dumping the Pump knights would also suck, but, they are a recovery plan, and Gaddock is a preventative.
Losing Spectral Procession also blows.
Maybe the most consistent deck in modern needs to go up a step in power, and down a couple in stability.
Really don't like all the little weaknesses inherently included. But. Teeg stops all of this weeks's problems, except Anger of the gods. Steppe Lynx, Dauntless bodyguard, maybe a Rhys the Redeemed ?
Bye ( Beat 3-0 a red combo deck in the round using basedeck 3 times)
Lost 1-2 Humans Ergh
Beat 2-1 Humans Ergh
Beat 2-0 Roskol Reanimater. Off the top turnbuckle head butt
I am so focussed on Gaddock, suddenly the Dauntless bodyguard's are go.
Needing so much green mana sources completely changes and complicates the Manabase. 15 Land get changed just for the 3 green mana symbols on Gaddocks. Since 11 of those changes involve lands that get land, the Steppe Lynx seemed like an interesting choice. A Steppe Lynx did 5 damage on turn 4, for the win. Not sure if a 4th is the right choice.
Not sure such complications are worth it at all since all of the cards I was worried about evaporated.
Gaddock did nothing. Gaddock got Boarded out every time. But, then again, there was no Board wipe, or big spells.
Losing Spectral Procession really hurts. No massed wave of Mosquito's means I have to go straight thru the opponent on the ground. Doing that is tough against massed Champion of the Parish, Thalia's Lieutenants and shiney humans. One game i won by Double Attack by WLL, blocking with Gaddock Teegs for a couple of turns, and then Top Decking a Selfless Spirit for the win.
Enemy "Team" decks are still really hard. Current changes do make Wallop much more aggressive, and can just charge thru, but it is rough.
I needed to mullingan to Six cards, once.
Eiganjo Castle kept threatening to be useful.
Devout Lightcaster landed on 4/4 Dredged creature with the Lot, Path to Exile the Troll, and smash thru for the win, past the other 4/4 Dredge creature with the Lot.
Mirran Crusader subbed in here as well.
2nd game I saw the unburial rites in the bin and realised I should have kept the Gaddocks in.
3rd Thalia, Heretic Cathar went in 3 times
Kataki, War's Wage, 4th Gaddock, Loxodon Smiter and Martyr of Sands were not subbed.
19 One Drops with 2 power is very blunt. Kytheon loves it. He transformed 4 times.
I got slow hands a couple of times where 2 Wll made opening hands a bit awkward. Not sure I want the 4th WLL
The 4th Banana man seems OK.
A 3rd Stillmoon might be OK vs Humans, really not sure how to be more effective against humans. I think trying to lower the head and fight just doesn't seem to work against humans on the draw. This version has no way of evasion outside of the 3 Selfless Spirit in base. Spectral procession is so easy, but avoiding some discard is nice.
If little Thalia is in play, and so is Gaddock, 3 cost spells can still be played.
I think I can lose a Plains, and a Temple garden
Going down to 3 plains & 3 Temple gardens , hmmmmm.
The 4th Windswept Heath is a must though, or maybe not. Doesn't need to be W/G fetch if there are no forests to fetch. Really want the Dryad Arbor, and it might be an ok choice since so many W mana symbols have left. Only pure WWW is the Banana Man
Win 2-0 Siege Rhino good stuff Damn close
Lost 0-2 Hollow One /VengeVine This was obscene. His draws were beyond anything that should happen.
win 2-0 Pure White Humans
win 2-0 Red
The Hollow One / VengeVine just felt wrong. I have played a lot of Modern, and that is the only time I have felt anything was out of wack, and that right there seemed WAY WRONG. On the strength of what I saw, that deck is going to be nuked at some point. Turn 2 and he has 2 hollow ones, and 2 attacking Venge Vines. That aint right. I don't know when, but that deck is going down. I actually have not much of an idea on how it would be possible to consistently fight it. Rest in Peace maybe?
Turn 2 Rest in Peace on the draw still wouldn't be fast enough. Hmmmm
The best deck out there seems pretty obviously the HollowOne/VengeVine abomination I played against tonite.
Wallop goes toe to toe with Tier 1 decks, and can kill on turn 4. I know this because I do it.
But, that . . . He said he lost the next round with a mulligan to 4, but, egad.
Three times I mulliganed to 6. Twice were 7 cards, no land. Once was 5 land and a pair of 1 drops. Three mulligans is absurd for this deck.
Devout Lightcaster landed on Lili
Stillmoon Cavalier was good against Humans, Siege Rhinos, Grim Flyers
Kytheon transformed Once.
Soldiers dodged shiney cards.
Dryads exiled some stuff.
With little Thalia in play, Gaddock was funny when he stopped 3 cost Liliana from being cast.
Steppe Lynx was great when I was trying for the rush. Two Lynx were in play when I played a GQ, used it, and a 2nd GQ, and with a Banana Man, take 7 twice. And they were boarded out against Humans, Red and Rhinos
Gaddock too was mostly sideboarded out, but did stop a Damnation game 1 against Rhinos. Mostly replaced by Spectral Processions.
Windswept Heath did get the Dryad Arbor, which helped.
I like this version, but would appreciate playing against decks that actually play the cards that shook me enough to start playing Gaddock Teeg again. There were Tron, snapcasters and Cryptics out there, just not opposite me.
I like this version of the landbase better. Doing tricks with it is cool.
Not sure about the Lynx, but, they did work, so I will keep them for the moment.
DBodyguard in yet to be special, but it still seems better than Legions Landing.
Hmmmm. How to stop Hollow/Venge?
Dryad annoys Faithless looting.
Devout can evaporate a zombie, and slay 1 a turn.
Banaman & WLL & Stillmoon & Little Thalia can fight zombies.
All 1 drops can mutual Zombies.
Gaddock & Dryad might upgrade to fighters.
Selfless can save the team of plucky fighters.
And Steppe Lynx sucks.
Big Thalia seems good here, but it all seems a bit hopeful if they gets the nuts draw.
Bridge from Below can do obscene things
Many of the basic rules concerned with how their cards interact just don't seem right to me.
VVines and hollow ones are also one step too large for me to easily deal with.
Lost 0-2 First hand was a no-Lander. Turn 2 stone rain off a bird on the play Inferno titans. Lost 2nd game to Bloodmoon. Sigh. 8 land in play , no one drops for the game. Still can't cast the Bananaman or WLL because only 2 plains.
Lost 0-2 Mull to 6 coz one land. lose to Vizier combo turn 3. Took out the Gaddocks, forgot they play CoCo & Chord. D'oh.
Win 2-1 Infect . Kytheon forced his Infecty dude to attack Gideon each turn.
Game 2 he did a turn 3 kill! Prot white + Infect + Pump,Pump, Pump, Exalted, Exalted = 10
Game 3 We fought, and my creatures are much better at fighting.
win 2-0 Black/White/Red Overwhelm and Steppe beatdown.
win 2-1 Blue/White control. In a social he cast all 4 remandsd my 1 drop in a turn. Gaddock , Gaddock , Gaddock, loss in Game 2
Loss 0-2 Thing in the Ice. This is really bad. Spot kill, and Anger of the Gods is just bad. So many problems. Gaddock just don't live to stop the Cryptics. Woeful.
Steppe Lynx were great, and terrible, and boarded. On defence they are bad.
Gaddocks and Spectral Processions often switched.
Path to Exile was eh
Stillmoon Cavalier was OK
Devout Lightcaster subbed in once, unseen
Gaddock Teeg subbed in against W/U
Thalia, Heretic Cathar subbed most games
Rest in Peace & Martyr wasn't subbed.
Gaddock & Spectral Procession fight each other
Ghost quarter was only used on my own lands, and colour screwed me.
The dryad was great, except when I drew the card. Making the 4 Withered heath into a 1/1 was awesome, but having it in starting hand is average.
Unimpressed that Gaddock + Little Thalia does not stop 3 costs.
1 wins 3 loss W/G Total = 9 wins 8 losses
Lost 0-2 Elves. Damn. Before the tournament I went 3-1 against Elves basedeck. Gaddock on turn 2 shuts down the deck. Post Board I went 2-1 in socials after. So, overall, 5-4, but not when it mattered. And I think I stuffed it by tapping the ECastle. D'oh.
Lost 1-2 Tron Finally I played against the target market, and it didn't quite kick. GQ helps, but really got in my way as well. Gaddock Helps, but only sometimes. If they dont draw Ugin/Karn, Gaddock can't stop them. Great player, and deck. Tron is hard.
Lost 1-2 Mill. Locked out with Ensnaring Bridge & gain 42 life. These games are tight, but he has switched his base to be lots more anti small creatures than usual. Gaddock in play, so obviously he casts Bontu's Last Reckoning and not Damnation
He GQ'd my Temple Garden, and for the first time I couldn't get the 5th plains, because he had Milled it.
Win 2-1 Drogskol Spirits . Tight
Soldiers were key against lots of Shiney.
4 Good players with complete decks.
All opponents have been playing 'Name' decks for some time. 'Name' as in I can say their name and be descibing 50+ cards. This deck can't be described using shorthand like that.
I made a couple of play errors. I think in part because I am just not used to playing this with decisions. Steppe Lynx is interesting, and does have a higher damage potential, butsometimes it just don't work. Being bigger sometimes on the attack is OK, but they don't interfere. Being zero power means they can attack thru a bridge, and not do enough when they get there.
Dryad & Soldier can really get up peoples noses, and Kytheon is awesome. Woof is OK.
2 mulligans for the night. There was a 5 lander I kept against Tron with a horizon Camopy, and then I drew Land. Against Tron I also drew a Fetch and GQ and came real close without any more land. Sigh.
The Dryad Arbor is ace as a way to turn the 4 W/G fetchland into a 1/1 with 8 ways to buff it. It does kinda suck as a land to actually draw and play though. Arbor did cast a Militant, and a WLL, and it sucked once when I couldn't cast the Bananaman.
Colour screw did happen. Gaddock just couldn't get cast once, and both mulligans involved GQ/Arbor and no White. The flagstone tricks are neat, but, dunno. Hmmmm.
Massive changes.
Trying out All-In, and going beck to pure White, Champion of the Parish front and centre. The only problem is trying to find the last 4-5 one drops. All the rest seem good/great. Just those last humans seem standalone average. Plan against red is to get creatures too big. Plan against everyone else is turn 4 kill.
Straight White Humans
1/2 overall in first tournamnet
1/2 Tight games against Humans 2/1 after in socials
2/0 Smashed a reanimator 1/0 after in socials
1/2 Purest Green 2/1 after in socials
One mulligan in first Tourny
Three mulligans in second Tourny
Four mulligans in 7 rounds seemed a LOT.
One of those mulls led to one land in six cards, but I pulled out of it for a win.
2/2/0
Tron 1/2
One Oblivion Stone was cast in each game, and it mattered.
Game one a Thragtusk base kept him alive, just, and the topdecked O-Stone clunked Gaddock.
Game two was Gaddock
Last game he won while on 1 life. grrrrrr
I think I might have hit 50% against Tron, but since I still can't seem to win a round against it, maybe that is a big call.
Dredge 2/0
Dryad is effective, as was protection from black, Kytheon and Gaddock.
Game 2 I was going down, with only 3 land and 2 cards in hand. Then he attacked using a green/black split card to draw cards, and make me discard.
So I discarded 2 Wilt Leaf Lieges, and won next turn. BRUTAL !
Blue white 2/0
Easy wins. But he didn't cast Terminus.
All of my cards annoy all of his.
Elves 0/2
Brutally Bad.
All of their toys work together, and help defend against mine.
Not sure this is winnable in any fair game. Sure, I can pull a turn 4 win, or they can fall in a hole, but, if a standard game happens, they will win it.
Perhaps a Wrath of God might work, but Settle the Wreckage might not.
Winning by casting the Drain Elf means they just don't need to attack.
Overall 2/1/0 at Untap
2/0 Purest green (with splash white)
Game Two he cast Path,Path, Settle the Wreckage, and then Path. I actually failed to find a Plains on the last Path!
Spectral Procession and Boosters won this. Wreckage only got 3 tokens.
All of my codewords just dont work against him.
But the deck is strong.
Big Thalia did the work.
1/2 Eldrazi Tron
This is tough, and he won the night.
Couldn't win game 1 because I knew he had the ability to block a creature with his instant token.
All is Dust wiped the full board, after Gaddock died because I could not power the Eijango castle from a horizon canopy because I was on 1 life. sigh.
Game 2 I got by strong beatdown & Gaddock.
Game 3 was math and thought. Not quite.
All 3 games were rough, and tight.
2/0 Mill
Got him.
First game I was not attacking with tokens because two orbs mean 2 cards per damage.
Gideon forced a hedron crab to attack, and die.
Second game he only gained 15 life off eating my graveyard. And it was not enough.
Massive quantities of damage do happen if left alone. He did not see the Bontu's last reckoning
Over the two tournies, . . .
Horizon Canopy worked
Gaddock worked
WLL & Bananman were great
Kytheon transformed 3? times
Dryad won a couple of games.
Soldier & Isamaru did nothing special, except being 1 cost with 2 power.
Small Thalia won games, and interfered
Big Thalia was OK, and sometimes brutal.
Arbor Dryad was ace, the first excess fetchland becoming a 1/1 really matters.
Legions Landing was good once, and poor once.
White Shield Crusader was OK, never pumped and sideboarded occasionally. It was also targetted for discard.
Spectral Procession was a beast. The clash between it and Gaddock is very real though. And Little Thalia is a source of irritation.
Selfless Spirit is good a lot of the time, and game winning sometimes.
I switched out 2 Martyr of Sands for 2 Wrath of God in the second tournament, but did not need them. Martyr & Wrath were not sideboard in either Tourney.
Devout lightcaster was subbed once, and unseen.
Stillmoon was subbed twice and unseen.
The 3rd Thalia & the 4th WLL were boarded regularly.
The 4th Gaddock was subbed sometimes, and the 3 basedeck left sometimes.
Dampening Sphere was subbed in two rounds, cast once, and got destroyed. Hmmm
Pretty sure I stuffed up entirely in the last game by casting a Spectral right thru a Gaddock.
And against Tron I cast a damping Sphere, and then tried to cast a creature. D'oh.
3/1/0
2/0 BlueWhite Control
Very Easy. Little Thalia, then Gaddock Teeg in both games made him a very sad panda.
0/2 Elves
Same guy as last tournament. Same result. Absolutely awful. borderline no chance.
I had sided an extra Wrath of god and a Worship. In game two I saw the worship, but never got a 4th land. Drain elf is still going to kill me with loss of life. Not sure it is worth trying to beat Elves.
2/0 Merfolk
Beat him with speed beatdown.
Sided out the Gaddocks. Sided in the wraths. Didn't see them. He didn't seem to be playing much in the way of counterspells. Aether vial is strong, but not that fast.
2/1 Jund
I won the first, just.
He won the second by maelstrom pulsing 5 tokens the turn before he died.
I won the third by him getting stuff rong. He tried to Pulse my 2 opening Soldiers, which didn't happen, so he Golgari charmed them instead. I pathed a couple of his creatures. He Golgari charmed, and I pointed to my +1/+1 creature. So, He terminated my Bananaman and I Selfless spirited. The Stillmoon cavalier was also on board.
Windbrisk height were awesome.
Landing was very good.
One mulligan, which went to a six cards, one land. And thumped. The bonus land appearing from the Landing was critical.
1/2/0 At Untap
2/1 Mill
Game 1 Thump (Gain 21 life off a crypt incursion, survive 1 turn more)
Game 2 Loss (Gain 48 life, play an Ensaring bridge)
Game 3 Thump on turn 4
1/2 Jund
Game 1 Loss. Only 2 land for the game. One of which was the dryad, which got dead. Still close
Game 2 Win. Stomp
Game 3 Loss Went for the win, played my last card, a Devout lightcaster. He Played Voldern (the R/B Vampire) and killed the 3rd creature. Finished with 10 land, and about 5 creatures total drawn. Got 3 path to exiles, and the 4th was put on the bottom from a Windrisk.
I think I should get this match, mostly. But his deck is good, and the player did fine.
1/2 Spell bomb recursion
Weird deck. Cool home brew. 2/1 after in the socials. I think I should get him most of the time, when my deck does normal things. Outrageous mana issues.
2 Gaddocks in game 1 could not be cast, no green.
1 Gaddock in 3rd game couldn't get down because of mana problems too. Grrrrr
3 mulligans to 6.
Serious mana troubles all the way thru, but still the deck fought. So much almost. Almost. But, they did some very wacky stuff to beat me. Even when I only had a single plains, total, I was still almost getting there.
My Army of Teeg part 2
2/2/0 at Good Games Lonsdale
2/1 3/0 in socials after
Stomp. Only lost that one game because there was no third land.
2x Protection from black Pump knights by turn 3 seemed good, but I finished the game with 6 cards I couldn't cast because of the no 3rd land problem.
Dieing to small Black creatures when I have a Devout Lightcaster in hand is a tad irritating.
The first game of the match involved me casting a Spectral Procession on turn 4 off 3xHorizon Canopies, and a Dryad Arbor to pay the Thalia Tax, but I got there with 1 life to spare.
0/2 vs Monastry Mentor.
Grrrr. I cast Gaddock on turn 2, and all he did was stop me casting 3x Spectral processions. He doesn't play any 4+ cost spells. Still got him to 1.
Game two involved me trying for the win instead of trying for interference.
By sprinting, he was able to flip the Thing in the Ice the turn before he got smacked. Not sure if Big Thalia would have been a better % play, or not.
Not sure about what and how to sideboard in this either. Tight, and I have significant game against him.
1/2 Amulet of Awakening.
Wow. Just Wow. What a deck.
Game 1 I killed his Double Striking, Trampling 8/6 Titan, and go to 1 Life. I think I have the game, when he taps out for 5 mana, cycles a Tolarian Academy into a Walking Ballista, casts it for 1, and kills me.
Game 2 I killed him, to the point, the turn before he whacks me silly.
Game 3 he hit me for 16 damage on turn 2.
I saw no Path to Exiles in games 2 or 3. I actually thought about Mulliganing a perfectly reasonable hand in game 3 because it didn't have one.
2/1 Tron
YAY !
Game 1 - He wiggled a bit, but got stomped. Big Thalia shone.
Game 2 - Turn 4 Karn, Turn 5 Ullamog, Turn 6 Ugin . The Karn I killed, Ullamog I can squint at, but the Ugin is scoop.
Game 3 - Turn 4 Speed stomp vs slow draw. Little Thalia was effective. The Damping Sphere wasn't needed.
Played a Razorverge Thicket instead on a plains. The only time it is likely to matter is lategame (turn 4 ) when I need the 4th land to cast WLL. Or maybe Blood moon. Or Big Thalia.
The Black player told me it mad no difference no play the fetch lands he was playing, and I disagreed. Then in the match, Big Thalia said Hi! to his fetchlands when it mattered.
The Dryad Militants were very effective against little Jace in Monastry.
The Dryad Arbor was Great! when summoned by a Fetchland. And ordinary when played naturally. It did do the final damage, and won a game. And not tapping for white was annoying. Gotta remember to play different 1 drops on turn 1 if I draw the Dryad Arbor. Do not play Dryad Militant on turn 1 if I get the Arbor, since G can cast it later. Play the Soldier, Kytheon or Woof instead, where possible.
Selfless spirit was a workhorse, even though I did not face a single board wipe.
Kytheon did transform, and it did matter.
WLL & Banana men were solid.
Soldier of the Pantheon & pump knights were most boarded cards. Woof & spectrals and a couple of spectrals also left.
Played 2 serious but social games against the 4-0 player, he was running Tron
Game 1, got him to 1 life.
Game 2, Killed him
He seemed a lot less cocky after.
Game 1 he needed a Walking ballista on turn 2 to kill my Thalia, so he did.
Then he needed an O-Stone to Kill Gaddock & friends, so he did.
Then he needed another O-stone, so he did.
Then he needed another Ballista, so he did.
2/2/0 at GamesL
2/1 Amulet 1/1 after in socials
2/0 Miracles Grumpy and social after.
0/2 Red/white Burn 1/1 in socials
1/2 Black/Green/w Premium Goodstuff
All fully maxed decks played by reasonable players
Sure, the Amulet player could have been better, but he had only been playing in for 5 days, and that deck is hard.
Path is really strong in this one. They put so much effort in, and then the Titan goes away.
The Miracles player knows his stuff and was adamant he should win 70% of the time.
I have played, and beaten him twice.
Burn is just hard.
It really regularly goes with the play, and I lost the roll, and then stuffed up a Path to Exile on a Eidolon.
I should have let the eidolon kill him. D'oh. The two in socials went with serve.
Maybe I should play a couple of devoted anti red cards.
Martyr of Sands is still way cool.
Path is a really dodgy call in this match. Dunno. Maybe not when I am on the play. Maybe not at all.
Against Black green, Inquiz took an Isamaru on first turn, then a bit of a flood
Game two Thoughtseize got a Devout lightcaster, and the game went real long.
Sideboard in 12 cards, including all 4 paths to exile, which was a huge mistake.
Took out the Gaddocks, and then lost to a -3/-3, four cost black spell.
Scooze/Tireless tracker/ Tarmogoyf / Lingering souls / Geth / Path / Fatal P - even an Anafenza in game one.
Just quality spells that try to spam together enough to stay alive , and then play something that will slowly win.
Helping him by pathing his creatures isn't going to win because he will use the land.
I need to kill him faster, by ignoring his Tarmogoyf.
Both Wrath of Gods were brought in. Both hid, and probably would have sucked badly anyway. Hmmmm.
Humans, Merfolk and Slivers be damned, the Wraths are outa here.
5th Dec - I won another small tournament with this deck, against tier 1 decks.
2/1 U/R
Neat deck doing good things. Lost the first to Thing in the Ice and triple arc Phoenix.
Turn 2 Thing is a real hassle, but they still have to kill me after it has gone off, and that aint that easy since I don't hurt myself much, and can repopulate really quickly.
Hard fought games 2&3, but I got him in extra time.
2/0 Tron
Game 1, He got a slow, turn 5 Tron, and couldn't use it because of Gaddock
Game 2, He got fast Tron, and couldn't get it done. All the creatures got in his face
Walking Ballista tried, but couldn't
2/0 Blue/Black
Good Stuff. He just didn't get off the ground. Gaddock & Co got in his face and he just couldn't
2/1 Death Shadow
He got lucky in the first game and just squeaked it home.
Game 2 & 3 were beatings
Went 2/1 after in socials. He needs to get a lucky Anger of the gods, and 4 cost Liliana
10 card sideboard
1 Mulligan for the tournament.
I kept a 1 lander on the draw as well. It had 4 one drops, and I drew a land.
I had one game with 2 Razorverge as only land in first 7 , which was awesome. Very happy with change.
Had a game where 2 Windbrisk were only land in initial 7. Went fine. Banana Man & WLL made a sudden, massive Kill.
Multiple games were turn 1 Windbrisk because I did not draw a 1 drop, and that seemed to work out fine.
It felt like I flooded once, but didn't because of Horizon canopy, Windbrisk, and fetching the Dryad Arbor.
Sideboarded out Gaddock in matches 1&4, but he really kicked in Matches 2&3, Spectral Procession went the other way.
Path & RIP went in matches 1&4
Only Martyr of Sands never went in.
Dryad Militant was an All-Star. Matches 1,3&4 that dinky little ability was MASSIVE. Even against Tron, a WLL made the dryad special. Nuthin wrong with a 1 cost 4/3
Dryad Arbor got fetched, was annoyingly green once, and was useful in casting WLL once as the 4th mana.
Soldier of Fortune was just a 2/1, constantly, and got sided out in round 4.
Kytheon threatened to be useful, and so got killed.
Big Thalia got sided in twice, and did annoy.
Benana Man was always good.
Selfless spirit was good, but not special.
WLL was always good.
Isamaru was cast, and did have a castle ready, but it didn't matter
Shefet Dunes hid.
Spectral was really strong, irritated by little Thalia, and had problems with Gaddock. Spectral technically costing 6 is still cute when cards like Inquiz of Kozilek (or eidolon) see it.
Legions Landing was unseen.
Little Thalia was all good, all the time, and the second one in hand was a little annoying.
White Shield crusader got pumped twice, and confused big Lili, and Black targetted creature kill.
Horizon Canopy was activated twice, and didn't hurt me much.
All my opponents were playing premium versions of their name brand decks.
I do not feel I need to describe their decks in detail because they were playing all the cards I expected them to play.
2/1 at Untap
2/0 U/W . . . (0/2 in post board socials after)
Game 1 I won from 5 cards on the draw. He just drew lands.
Game 2 was Gaddock and speed.
0/2 U/r/w/g . . . (1/1 in socials)
Game 1 was removal, then Blood moon, and then a Huntmaster
Game 2 was a Izzet Staticaster mowing down my tokens in responce to a WLL. Then a Bolt/Snapcaster/Bolt killing my WLL, and mowing down another set of Spectral Tokens. Electolyze, path, bolts, L-helix, Cryptic commands, Tarmogoyf and blue cantrips to nail them together. Bloodmoon is impressive in a 4 colour deck, but it worked.
The staticaster is a singleton from the board, and, ergh. He is the ex-store owner, and the random strength of the deck is cool. Spellqueller worked well.
In game 2, I should have cast Isamaru instead of the second 2/1. Isamaru has 2 defence and it would have mattered against Electrolyze.
Wallop doesn't like Tarmogoyfs + powercards, but, it still has game. Soldier of The Pantheon was surprising good.
The socials afterward were notable in that the Ravorverge actual came into play tapped for the first time ever, both of them, but it made no difference.
2/1 W/B Tokens
Game 1 Loss to a land heavy draw where he thoughtseized by Spectral, and curved out.
Game 2 was an Epic creature battle. My 7 creatures repeatedly killing all 7 blockers, for 3 turns. He could not kill me because of the turn 2 lifegain I got from a Martyr of Sands. He could not inflict lethal, and so had to block repeatedly. Big Thalia won it by making his next wave appear tapped. Only one martyr was sided in, soldier looked poor.
Game 3 he stalled at 3 mana, and I curved out.
Only mulligan was game 1, round 1. Single land, mulligan to no land, and win from 5 cards.
In socials beforehand, I beat the store owner playing W/U 1/0
In Socials beforehand, I beat a Green beatdown 2/0
It has an incredible solidity to it. It feels right.
There are 5, non-obvious singletons in Base Deck, all of which have been tested.
There are only 4 spells that have a full four-pack.
These 2 statements clash with most simple beatdown decks.
Things like the 3rd Big Thalia in the board, (& the 4th WLL) (& 4th Gaddock), demonstrate playtesting over an extended period.
The numbers have happened by wearing down the plastic on the sleeves.
My spirit tokens need replacement sleeves from excessive use!
There are certainly cards I would like to include, dozens of them, but, . . . This feels right.
Maybe 2 more Temple gardens should become Razorverge Thickets
Maybe the 4th Horizon Canopy should return
In sideboard, the
1x Damping Sphere
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
. . are all being reconsidered. They do not come in regularly enough. Their effects are game changing, when they happen.
But that is about it. All the other cards pull their weight and seem to be in the right amounts.
Many of these cards incidentally destroy other decks, while primarily being about hitting people.
Another devout lightcaster would be nice, or Stillmoon. (Hobble, disenchant, sunlance, Auriok, . . . so many cards.)
Aggregate Results so far for W/gk
2/2
2/1
3/1
1/2
2/2
2/2
4/0
2/1
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18/11 - So far for White/gk version
CoCo has never got a spell Queller against me. Queller is certainly a strong card, and has impacted games against me.
I have beaten it by pure thump and speed, but it is a hassle. Last time I faced it, he was forced to wipe the board, and I killed him with the creature under the Queller.
CoCo is green, Queller is W/U. They don't go together very often.
Plan is to have the board filled before the Queller can land.
4/0 at GamesLab Kickin' it WOOOOOooooooooooT!
2/0 UR Thing in the Ice - - 2/0 after in socials. (I do not think this is indicative)
Dryad won the first game. Sending in the Isamaru & Soldier while he had a Snapcaster, but keeping the Dryad was critical.
He found a Thing, but too late as I swarmed around it.
Gaddock went out, path in. But I really shouldn't have. Game 2 he cast Jace and Cryptic, but couldn't quite stop the onslaught.
Windbrisk was brutal in both games flipping Bananaman & WLL
2/0 Artifact Affinity Creatures
Way cool deck. Herald of Anguish off boosters, forced me to discard the WLL Push through the air for the win with double boosted tokens.
2nd game Wallop was just so strong.
Gaddock went out, path in
Windbrisk was awesome.
2/1 R/B Insane cycling/discard Just nuts
Game 1 He attacked on turn 3 after Burn Inquiry (?) both players draw 3 and randomly discard 3, pumping both his 1 cost red creatures by 3. Taking 8.
(I didn't randomly discard my WLL)
I spread out and formed a massed defense and then flew in for the win
Game 2 Turn 1 he Burning inquired and discard 3 of my land. I still got to 3 land, but 2 of them were horizon canopy, and casting 3 drops with them regularly hurts. And then he would kill them, and hit me with his hollow one.
Game 3 Wallop was strong and simple. Spectral procession with boosters
Gaddock went out, path in
2/1 BW Tokens and Planeswalkers. Path & Push
Game 1 He pushed and pathed and Lingering souled, got 3 planeswalkers and won
Game 2 Went long and complex. Eijango castle was critical.
His 3 cost Gideon had made my Big Thalia do no damage, so I attacked with little Thalia, Isamaru, Kytheon, & Gaddock. Leaving the Banaman at home. Every legend I had attacked Gideon ! The Banaman had to stay home because he could block with a wall of Blossoms, . . .And Kalitas !
Kalitas couldn't kill anyone with his 3 damage, because Eijango could keep all of my boosted creatures Alive!
Another couple of turns and he scooped so we had time to play Game 3
Game 3 his graveyard was Inquiz, Path, Push, Path, (New point and kill for 1BW)
Devout Lightcaster booooped Kalitas
He wanted to cast a Damnation on his last turn, and I pointed to my 3rd Gaddock Teeg for the game, and killed him.
One Mulligan, 7 cards no land
The entire deck was awesome.
Soldier otP did a lot of damage, and was sideboarded in 4
Legions landing was played once, flipped, and the mana was important.
Kytheon did damage, flipped once, and had the 3rd one sideboarded twice
WLL was a bomb. Free discard into play was huge. He had a random 3 in 9 of being cast for free, and wasn't. He was manually cast. He was in play with another WLL making 2x 6/6 creatures they could not deal with. He was summoned from Windbrisks. He was huge. 4th in the board regularly came in.
Spectral was Flying death a couple of times. And had problems being cast once because of Teeg, but that was OK.
Dryad won match 1, and was sideboarded a little.
Gaddock was OK basedeck, and sideboarded in rounds 1,2&3. Then he won round 4.
Crusader was on table twice. Part of the swarm, but not special. Eh.
Isamaru was good. Second defence mattered. Being a legend mattered.
Little Thalia was regularly good. Against affinity she slowed him by a turn as suddenly he had to pay for his Zero cost artifacts. She also annoyed instants, and did use firststrike.
Selfless spirit was on board occasionally, and did her job, twice.
Banaman was solid the whole time. Never a chance of leaving.
Big Thalia really irritated, but got pointed at a lot. The third from the board regularly came in.
Dryad Arbor was searched for twice, and never drawn.
Horizon canopy hurt a bit, but was sacrificed to draw 3 or 4 cards.
Shefet Dunes was used, and it did matter. It was even not the last turn!
The Razorverge did come into play tapped once, but it did not have a down side.
11 of 15 Sideboard cards came in. Not Martyr, RIP or Dampening Sphere
Stillmoon Cav came in for round 4, and hid. The rest were good.
My last 3 tournaments have been 4/0 - 2/1 - 4/0 I lost 1 round in my last 3 tournaments!
2/1 Mill
Loss Crypt incursion for +33 Life, locked out with an Ensnaring bridge
Win Reliable , Little Thalia possibly save me from an embarrasing loss. Triple archive trap didn't quite happen
Win Ripped a RIP for the win. Should have muliganned a one lander, but didn't. Got lucky. Didn't notice, and I was playing sloppy.
2/1 RG Landkill Goodstuff
Win Too Good
Loss Stomped by landkill, then Tireless Tracker ground it out
Win Too fast & good
Drew the Dryad Arbor in both games round 2. Still got a turn 4 kill!
Drew both Temple gardens in a game, and it hurt a bit.
Drew 2 Horizon canopies and a 3rd land, and it hurt a bit.
Selfless spirit was important twice.
Switched Gaddocks for paths in round 3 only.
LegionL Flipped once, but wasn't special.
Sideboard wasn't used much.
RIP won a game in round 1
Path came in round 3 instead of pump knights and gaddocks
Thalia came in each round
WLL came in round 1 & 2
The other 7 cards stayed out.
I have lost 1 round in my last 4 tournaments. (sure they have all been small)
I want a way to deal with ensnaring bridge, and maybe blood moon. Probably in the board.
Leonin Relic warder just doesn't seem thumpy enough to be main, and not specialised enough to be board. Maybe I should try Conclave Tribunal as a cover all band aid.
A 3rd Devout lightcaster would also be lovely. Often they don't work, but when they do . . . WHAM! Black players are Shocked. When they land they change the game.
Losing the 2x Martyr is prolly going to be OK, but, Red is a problem.
Currently I am just trimming all of the land sources that cause me pain, making it harder for red to kill me.
I am just not playing against red much, so I spoze it doesn't matter.
I would also like some way of fighting Elves, but that seems very unlikely.
Storm is strong. It is a good reason to not have Path in base deck. Going HARD is one way to keep them honest.
Dryad & Little Thalia really does annoy them. Big Thalia making their tokens tapped is OK too. Martyr of Sands is a fun way to confuse storm, because via grapeshot they often can't do 35 damage. Aetherswon cannonist also works, until they shoot it.
1/1 at GLab (late + Bye as well)
0/2 loss to Thing + (Thru The Breach + Emrukal)
Loss to Thing, then turn 3 Anger of the Gods, then Emrukal
Loss to Blood Moon, then . . . Thing, Thing then Emrukal
2/1 Red
loss Eidolon was too good
win quick spread
win Martyr of Sand = gain 15 life
Red Player - "You got some smug on your face there"
Played some bonus games against Humans, lost 0/3
Aggregate Results so far for W/gk
2/2
2/1
3/1
1/2
2/2
2/2
4/0
2/1
4/0
3/0
1/1
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26/12 - Full results for White/gk
14/2 in last 5 tourneys, all small.
I am also putting a Guardians Pledge back in the board.
So, Current sideboarding against Humans is very different.
In
1xWLL
1xBig Thalia
2xStillmoon Cav
1xGuardians Pledge
4xPath To Exile
Out
3xGaddock
3xLittle Thalia
1xLegionL
2x ??Dryad??
Really not sure this is going to work since Kitesail Freebooter gets more targets, but, surely it can't get any worse.
Probably the same sideboarding against Merfolk, except the Still moon stay out & the dryad stay in.
Intellectually, the Relic Warden seems a good switch.
Not great vs Blood moon, but, better than nuthin.
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3/0 Untap
2/0 Infinite Turn Artifacts 2/0 in socials after - complete Hulk Smash.
Relic Warder really worked, twice.
Turn 4 kill in second game.
2/1 R/B/g discard Phoenix/Hollow One
Loss Wow. That thing can be amazing.
Win His deck didn't work, and mine did.
Win Mull to 6. Gain 12 from the Martyr. Win on 1 life
Relic Warder was really good in games 1 & 2, even though he did bolt it and get his Hollow one back.
10? card sideboard
Pretty sure I won this round because he misplayed. He let me declare attackers, then killed my guy using a Grim Lavamancer. The Windbrisk Heights then got to activate. But, playing odd cards does help the opponent make mistakes. Either way. Really close.
2/0 Against Soulflayer reanimator 1/1 in socials after
Win He got a 4/4 with most abilities, but not Lifelink. I overran him, just.
Win RIP nailed him
10? card sideboard
I have lost 2 rounds in my last 6 tiny tournaments!
17/2 total over the last 6 tourneys, all small.
No way is that kind of record going to stay.
Switch the Tithe Takers to Gaddocks, Switch the landbase to support green, and (horizon canopies) and they are the same.
I can get away with playing 23 land because 3 of them are Horizon Canopy.
I do take pain sometimes, it is a significant downside to playing Green, and one I have focussed on reducing.
Red is harder for me, and why the Martyr is SO good against them.
I had the choice, and all of the expensive lands lying around to make the switch, but, there is a whole lot of power in just pure White. Those GQ can really annoy, especially Tron.
"Only thing to test is Tithe Takers,"
Cool. Interested to hear. After a board wipe, getting a 1/1 flier is nice. But. I want more effective before, or after.
EG. The Legions Landing has very rarely been useful after a wipe, but it is a toolbox, and that is the weakest part.
I just don't rate them, but, I have not played them, and am willing to accept I might be wrong on them.
The TT are only 2/1, not 2/2, and they regularly do not do anything.
Playing so much White, I think WSC is the way for you. You do not seem to have enough against Black.
I think you should play a 4th Selfless Spirit instead of a TT.
Grand Abolisher I have tried, and it wasn't good enough. Voice of Resurgence Is a card I could play now, (since I play W/g), and I don't because I do not believe it is strong enough. Close, but no.
The sideboard is really personal choice.
"I want to find something better than Mirran Crusader as his prot G was never that useful"
Yep. Same finding.
"Ethersworn Canonists" - sure. I tried those as replacements. OK
Devout lightcaster has been a windmill SLAM, sometimes.
I think you should try a Guardians' Pledge in the board.
*
-> "BTW I had some testing vs Grixis Death's Shadow and had 3 WLL's. That was magnificent "
Yeah. When that last ability kicks in, it REALLY kicks in.
.
Emmara, Soul of the Accord . . . Hmmmmmmm Maybe I should Try it.
Sure seems like a maybe.
Something about Casting a WLL, and attacking on turn 4, and Emmara dealing 6 damage...
edit. . . .Actually.
Turn 3 attack for 2 (gain a 1/1 lifelink)
Turn 4 Attack for 4+2 (gain 2 Life & another 1/1 lifelink)
Precinct Captain might just be better since he has First strike, but, the token does not have Lifelink.
Not sure if WG is better or worse than WW
Emma seems better because she does not have to hit them, just tap.
Also, being a one off means being a legend is actually better for me.
Hmmm
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2/1 Untap Games
1/2 Amulet Titans
Loss Big build up, But I was still holding 3 land at the end. Couldn't do it.
Win Relic Warder got the Amulet and a quick charge
Loss D'oh . No warder. He got Titan, then wiped my board with a Firespout
2/1 Mill
Win Brutal stomp
Loss Ensnaring Bridge x2. Almost got him because Gaddock forced him to keep cards.
Win Got him BIG beatdown.
Leonin Relic Warder has been great, constantly.
Sideboarded both maindecker out in the last game, and shouldn't have because Utopia Sprawl is very useful to him.
Gaddock was great in Match 2, and sideboarded in 1 & 3
I tried to find an Emma, but didn't in time.
And so I kept playing the Leo RW, and I aint switching those guys out. They are fabulous.
Two of the 3 games I lost, I would have won if I topdecked LRW
And the third he was in my hand waiting for the amulet that never came, but the third Titan did, just in time.
LRW was so good the first time that I pushed out two cards in SB for another 2.
All the 'Team' Decks play Aether vial, and he just stops that. Even if he dies, the Vial comes back, but doesn't work.
All the dinky combo decks play some neat enchantment, or some problem accelerator.
Facing 2x Ensaring bridges was a problem, because suddenly I knew I couldn't topdeck my way out.
Hiding Darksteel citadel is just hilarious.
Walking Ballista is forced to go off, same with E Explosives and Oblivion Stone, all of which have been noticeable problems.
Wurmcoil engine can be fought, flown over or blocked with a sacrifice creature, but all of those are worse solutions than LRW.
Only Bloodmoon is still difficult, and they are likely to have a bolt.
Spreading Seas is cute because it is easier to shrug off, but they will get another card if they pop the LRW.
Hollow One is likely to be short term as well, but maybe that is all I need.
Deals with Mesmeric orb, Ghostly prison, Bitterblossom, Sword of . . .
Corsair of Kruphix (1GG) - Centaur with flip top card - That guy is just horrible for me. 2/4 blocker that gains life and card advantage. Yuk. But he is an enchantment
Hey Wow ! He gets Eidolon of the Great Revel! Sure, it might be only for an instant as the flames come down, but, sometimes they do run out of burn that can target creatures. And I still might get to cast more 1 drops before they do.
Haven't seen P Revoker in a long time.
It is pop and play against Affinity, but should probably be held up for Cranial Plating.
Vedalken Shackles can be a hassle.
All the white enchantments that hide creatures, (Journey to nowhere, Oblivion Ring, Burning Light . . . ) all go away.
But, primarily, LRW is a 2/2 creature that stops Aether vial, and Oblivion Stone. The two critical cards in Tron and 'Team' Decks.
That seems good.
**********************
The windbrisk heights are most definitely staying at 3, for me.
They do slow down the initial roll out, but they have won me game, after game.
A WLL, or A Banana Man flipping out just wins games.
Sometime a Spectral Procession will spam blockers for the game, sometimes a Gaddock will lock them out, sometimes a hidden selfless will protect the entire team, Sometimes a sneaky Path to Exile will pop the problem monster.
Showing a little Thalia in responce to a snapcaster , and making the spell too expensive is very satisfying.
windbrisk heights has won me a whole lotta games I would otherwise have lost. It confuses and scares the opponent.
I think of it as a one drop, not a 'come into play tapped' land, because it is a creature, just not yet.
Windbrisk heights does slow the front end, but makes the back end arrive with a HUGE thump.
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Judges Familiar is an OK card. But only ever OK. I think.
Flying is great. The sac ability is OK
In comparison to Legion's Landing, sure.
LL has 3 abilities. The 1/1 with Lifelink is mostly worse than a 1/1 Flyer. Mostly.
LL does win the one game in 30 when you do not draw that third (or 4th) land, and you do attack with 3 creatures.
About the same regularity I am making tokens, and less often I am winning because of them.
A second LL is a bad idea, but the first has been good.
Well, good enough. It is a bit of a seat belt, but the deck is such a rocket, that seatbelt has worked.
The tiny bit of lifegain has mattered against red, once or twice.
(Lowering the pain from land has mattered more. Even now, the small amounts of pain do matter against red, sometimes.)
I too am sceptical about the Isamaru.
But.
Woof !
When you are trying to block a 1/1, or fight your way past multiple 1/1's, Isamaru is just better at it.
He is a weird relic that just won't go away.
On turn 1, sure a Dryad (or Soldier) might be better against specific decks, but turn 1 Woof! is always good.
Gut Shot it, go on.
Against any deck, turn 1 Woof! is good, and holding a second one in hand is bad.
Turn 2 castle, attack is style.
Sure, that is a 1 of, and another 1 of, but it doesn't matter. They are purely bonus. A 4th Kytheon is just so much worse because of Legend status.
Woof! is just Solid with that extra defence point.
Add a BananaMan, and then have the opponent cast something like a Pyroclasm, and suddenly it matters.
It is all the dinky little stuff that makes the deck sparkle just a little brighter than it looks.
Judge's Familiar does have a little sparkle, and the evasion is real, but it is only a 1/1.
Is that ability really worth it?
Personally, I would prefer to double the numbers.
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"is Martyr of sands really good vs Burn?"
Last Time I cast it, I gained 15 and burny man immediately quit.
Just don't cast it turn 1 and get it killed. Or get skull cracked.
Tivadar of Thorn is style, worse, but real style.
Basilisk collar seems bad.
They burn the creature as you attach, and the game is over.
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Martyr of sands :
Depends on the storm.
Some storm can do 60, some cant reach 30.
Grapeshot is hard to figure.
Against red, OOoooooYeah.
Against Primeval Titans, NOOOOooo.
Must kill faster, often by interference.
LRW is interference and thump
Leonin Relic Warder works against Tron & titans & weird toys in Red. (Experimental frenzy, . . . )
Tithe taker doesn't
Martyr of sands works against Red.
I am having trouble figuring why TT is good
Tokens after wipe is rarely a win.
I think it needs to be a lot more consequential before, or after.
Cast L.o.s and they can sometimes just ignore it.
It is sad times when they start bolting themselves.
Sometimes They draw the bolts, and their creatures, and just kill all of us and hit us. And then they play a second Eidolon
Losing after having the specialist SB card go off is really sadtimes.
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Sure, just sometimes Worship was the best thing ever.
I tried it, but, it didn't work.
I would stall at 3 land.
Or not draw the Worship.
Or not draw a pro red creature.
Or they would do something frustrating that made me lose life.
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2/2 at Next Level R
1/2 vs Spirits - 1/1 in socials with board
win Isamaru, Relic warden on his Aether Vial, Bananaman. Ismaru Having that 2nd point mattered.
Loss Turn 3 Collected company, SpellQueller on my WLL, so I pathed The SQ. Turn 4 CoCo, Double Drogskoll Captain. Too much flying beats. Still got him to 3 life.
Loss I pathed his Noble H on his turn 2 end, and he Spell Queller-ed it. My turn 4 WLL was also Spell Queller-ed. Sigh.
Vials hid in game 2&3
Reflector mage is harsh
I subbed out Gaddock, not realising he had CoCo, and got nailed in game two.
Just didn't know the deck. I will sideboard better next time. Similar deck to Humans, and hard.
I can win it though, if the LRW get lucky, or he gets unlucky. Tough.
0/2 vs Vengevine 2/1 in Socials with base deck after.
Loss Incredibly tight. Temur for the win
Loss Even tighter - Almost got a turn 4 win, but he won on turn 5, both of us fighting thru blockers
Amazing games. I drew the RIP in initial hand game 2, and only got 1 land going first. Mulliganed.
Shouldn't complain though, I kept a 1 land hand in the first game and drew a second. Only had 1 drops.
I subbed out Gaddock, and it was the right call. Only time I should have.
Very cool deck. Real class.
Difficult board states where Gaddock Blocking alone in the first game was the right call. Weird.
2/1 Emeria
Win Smugglers copter just aint good enough. He only got 1 plains
Loss 2xWrath, sigh. WarHawks wipe the initial board, with a Path to nail the BananaMan
Win Fight & Win
I subbed out Gaddock, not realising he had Wrath, and got nailed in game two.
I don't think he played it right, but I should win this one.
2/1 Esper control
loss Liliana & 3x Lingering souls. Discards and spot kill. Discarded a WLL, and flooded.
Win Fought thru him
Win Fight and break thru, Little Thalia held off the Supreme Verdict
I subbed out Gaddock, not realising he had Supreme Verdict, and got lucky.
I had real mana problems. Flooded out once or twice, and mulliganed far more than normal.
Drew the dryad, and fetched her. Happens.
Relic Warden has earned its Place.
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1/2 at Untap
1/2 Red 3/1 in Socials. He only just got that one win. Sigh.
Loss Sigh. 6 land, no land, First land turn 3
Win 2xMartyr =
Loss Sigh. Top deck burn for the win
1/2 Eldrazi Tron 1/1 in Socials basedeck
Win Gaddock won it
Loss Tron + Bassilisk Collar + Walking Ballista = Kill, Kill, Kill
Loss All is Dust, Then Medium & Large Eldrazi for the win.
2/1 Green/White
Win Massed Flyers FTW
Loss Eldrich into Wasp Queen
Win Sprint into a stall
I had real problems with lands tonite. Didn't feel right.
Martyr just beats Red.
I am tired of losing to Red, so, I am going to play more Martyrs.
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Played 6 games against Blue/Black/(red) Control Good Stuff. No sideboard.
All 6 games went with serve.
Me,Him,Me,Him,Me,Him
If he gets 2 boardwipes, he wins.
Almost none of my creatures abilities were used. Weird.
Any time they might be useful, he would just kill them, and then wipe the board.
Push, Snap, Push
But if anything goes wrong, he dies.
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Tithe Taker is just NOT Gaddock.
Gaddock in play shuts down almost all of the deck you lost to, except Lantern.
Co-Co and Chord of Calling are headkicks, if they happen.
Empty the Warrens gets a Gaddock.
And, oddly enough, Gaddock can beat ensnaring bridge. When they have a Chandra, and can't cast it, the Bridge stops working. Figured that out playing against Mill.
Lantern : Yeah. That thing is outrageous.
Gaddock stops Whir of Invention, and Witchbane Orb, but, Lantern is still favoured against me. Just.
Spirits : probably beats me too, but stopping Co-Co really helps. Getting rid of the Aether Vial is how we get fast enough to kill them.
I can regularly get past it though, now I understand it.
Phoenix : I am not sure what deck this is. Hmmm
Would having Hexproof help?
There are a couple of little white creatures that do that.
I think you need a lot more 'Disenchant' effects in sideboard.
Is there a disenchant effect in White that works from the graveyard in modern?
I am still feeling pretty good about my White/g version.
Tithe Taker being 'cool' just aint enough. If the only time he is special is against the ignorant, I would go with NO. I never liked playing Doomed traveller in limited, let alone modern.
Leonin Arbiter is a thing, but he is NOT better from a Vial.
turn 2 on the play, I play a Leo Arb.
turn 2 on the draw, you lose because you played a Fetch land, and then a fetch land, and then a fetch land.
Substitute that for turn 3 off a Vial and the whole thing does not work, and takes an extra card, and is much slower beats.
Leo Arb does stop Chord of Calling, but I think CoCo still happens.
Leo Arb also improves GQ, but Flagstones are unimpressed on turn 3.
Leo Arb makes the Path to Exiles a whole lot better too.
Ethersworn Canonist just wasn't good enough against most decks. Spirit of the Labyrinth is REALLY specific. Sure the beats are good, but against which of the above decks is the Lab Spirit good?
Try a Mana Tithe, it is way fun to counter their stuff from nowhere....hmmmmmm.
4x Leo Relic Warders basedeck seems like a good idea against that lot.
Lantern Control hates them, Mono Red Prison might just lose to them, Storm is random and might ignore or be crippled. Spirits HATES them, stopping the Vial matters. Bant Tool Box might ignore him, or get crippled, depends on the build.
I am pretty sure you should add in Leo Arbiters and ALL Leo relic Warders.
Stopping the Vial, and then disrupting their land might get you there.
SB :
Leyline of Sanctity will help against the lantern (just beats it, I think. Autowin since the Ensnaring Bridge stops working coz Thoughtseize & Inquiz don't work, and you will get a LeoRW eventually.)
should help against red prison too
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Lantern HATES steppe Lynx.
(Attack as a zero power creature, ghost quarter your Flagstones, take 4.)
It can be pretty outrageous just normally.
Flagstones, Lynx
Flagstones, take 4
Ghost quarter, Take 6
Take 10 (!) by turn 3 is really rude for a ONE drop.
It sure aint defence though.
In the previous decklists above, there are decks I built with 4 of them.
I do not believe a straight white version of the White/g I play is the right call.
If you do play the Steppe L, might want some fetchlands, if you got them, and they do clash with Leo Arbiters.
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2/1 @ Untap
2/1 vs Biomancer/Displacer
Loss - Way cool infinite
Win - Speed smash
Win - hard fight. Big Thalia won the game by making his creatures not able to block.
I played the third game wrong when I should have gone for Gaddock instead of Big Thalia.
Only won the third by top decking a WLL off the top.
1/2 vs UR Thing in the Ice/Pyromancer
Win - Speed stomp
Loss - Slower start with double opening Horizon Canopy. Thing flipped, and just go there
Loss - Thing Flipped , then doubled damage
Dryad Militant's ability almost won this.
2/0 Spirits
win - Hard fought and long. I do not believe I should have won this if he played it perfect. But he didn't.
win - Hard fought. Got him solely because of a cascade of death. I used a Shefet Dunes to boost all 4 attacking creatures. Suddenly he has to block, and the 5 points of first strike from Big Thalia is enough to kill the first +1/+1 booster, then the next and next.
Real surprise that the game came down to Shefet Dunes. The games were that marginal. I only won this because I now know the match up. Avoiding the CoCo and Spell Queller is critical.
Diddn't see a LeoRW, but he didn't get a turn 1 Aether Vial, so no effect
Path, WLL sided in matches 1,2,3
Gaddock sided in matches 1&3, out match 2
LeoRW sided in match 3
Tempting to put a Path in basedeck again.
4x Martyr of Sands is hard to justify in the board. Stomping on Red is great, but. . . Maybe I should have subbed them in again UR Thing. Not sure they can kill me if I am on 35 life. HMMMMMmmmmmmm. Problem is it completely stops the sprint on turns 1 & 2. Martyr would be about trying to win AFTER the Thing goes off, or try to fight my way thru the bajillion tokens being created from the Young Pyromancer.
Drawing the Dryad Arbor is poor.
Being able to Fetch the Dryad Arbor is AWESOME.
It is amazing how often the Arbor is fetched, and how effective it is.
The legions landing did flip the one time it was cast, and it made 3 vamps. The life gain and extra creatures were critical.
The deck is just solid.
No mulligans, and only one dodgy start with two opening Horizon Canopies. Did slightly flood once, but the land did win it with the 6th land being the Shefet Dunes.
Eijango Castle threatened to be useful, and made a slight threat in 2 games.
The 2nd toughness on Isamaru mattered, a little.
Didn't see a spectral procession.
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Little Thalia is strong, in general, no argument here. But, not against everything.
I think she should go down against Humans, elves, Spirits, Merfolk, Slivers, Stompy Green . . . Pretty well any 'Team' deck.
I sideboarded out 2 copies of her against spirits in my latest round.
If I am sideboarding in Path, and they only have Aether Vials as spells, she can actually be more of a tax on me.
And it is the Legend Rule that's stopping me from having the 4th.
Drawing 2 of them is a pain.
Drawing 3 of them will lose the game.
This deck is about beatdown & consistency first, and I just don't want to lose to myself.
From the start, this is a 'Feel Good' deck. If they win, fair enough, they have done something special.
I enjoy playing this deck, and a 4th Little Thalia adds problems and 'No Fun' draws.
There is only 1 Isamaru because of the Legend rule. Same with Eijango Castle. (I wouldn't play a 2nd Legions Landing because it just isn't strong enough, but the Legend rule does rule it out.)
Kytheon gets 3 copies because he really is outrageous, and always collects the bolt first. Also, he can actually dodge the legend rule and have 2 copies in play.
Big Thalia just isn't strong enough to justify a 3rd copy, and the legend rule stops me wanting her. Unless she is going to be super effective, hence the third used to be in the board. the 3rd left because she lost games because of the legend rule.
When they cast a turn 1 Aether Vial, I am in trouble.
LeoRW can win those games, when Little Thalia won't. Same with Oblivion Stone, Wurmcoil engine, cranial plating, Lantern . . .
But the big one is Ensnaring bridge.
The weakest Little T is the 4th one.
1xLittleT & 1xLeoRW is just SO much more effective than 2 of either.
And yeah, the Spectral + (Gaddock/L.Thalia) is a Nonbo, as mentioned repeatedly.
Regularly, Spectral or Gaddock get boarded, and sometimes Thalia. But very rarely does it matter.
Often I can play around them by holding off the 2 drop until turn 4, with the Spectral on turn 3.
Or just play the 2 drop, have them WIN! (or die), and then play the Spectral on turn 3, or (turn 4 with a tax).
Spectral is just SO bollocks in this that the power overwhelms the problems.
Windbrisk Heights with Spectral is BS, especially when playing 7 Lords.
Spectral is also rather good with Kytheon, Selfless, LL, and the whole concept of the deck.
After a boardwipe, Spectral is the best way to try to do the last 3-6 damage, and all the restrictions just went away.
This deck isn't 'broken' in any way, it is however able to keep almost anything in modern a run for it's money, and it is the decks that beat me the most, that LeoRW is best at. Cute enchantments and dinky artifacts.
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Turn 1 Kytheon
Turn 2 Soldier + Dryad Arbor
Turn 3 flip Kytheon - is also good times.
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Regarding the 4th Little Thalia . . .
How about this. . . Would you play a 5th?
I mean, say the 4 of a card rule disappeared, would you play a 6th?
Obviously, I would not. But it is an interesting demonstration. I think 3 is the right amount in basedeck.
She is Awesome. I really aint arguing that. To be in any Modern deck, the card has to be borderline overpowered.
But, is she that good that having a 2nd in hand is a fair enough price to pay?
Because I am quite certain that aint true.
Of the decks you list :
"Turn 2 Thalia: Red Spells, Burn, Death's Shadow, Tron, UWx Control, BGx Midrange, Storm, and more."
Yep. I have played against all of them.
Burn just kills her.
Attack on turn 2 with a Monastery Swiftspear, whatcha gunna do?
I mean, sure, she is a fine card against burn, but, not special. I payed 2, and they payed 2. Eh?
Lots of my other creatures have the same effect. I pay 1, and they pay 1.
Death's Shadow - Really isn't fussed.
They are not actually in that much of a hurry, and I do not really want to get them to about 10 life. I want a huge WHAM to kill them.
If I was concerned about Deaths Shadow, I could go back to 14 protection from Black creatures, and LAUGH !
Death Shadow looks at Devout Lightcaster and has a quiet cry. And Path is brutal against them. Seriously, Death Shadow is so stomped by this, I don't need any more help. I have been de-sideboarding against it for some time.
Little Thalia making their cantrips cost an extra 1 does slow them down, a bit, but not a lot. Swampcycling will already have happened, and a one cost, possibly more if they went first.
Temur Battle sillyness will still make them size 24 with trample.
Tron is inconvenienced by Little Thalia, but nothing more. She delays them by a turn, mostly. If I have a second in hand, that will delay me by a turn. A second LT is bad.
UWx Control - yeah she is good, here a 4th might be worth it. But she is not that good. Gaddock is just better. No wrath effects, no Cryptics is SO much better than slow down by a turn. Kinda similar to Tron. Gaddock does the work.
BGx Midrange - Yeah, She is OK. It is a big swath of cards in this one. If they go mostly creatures, She really doesn't do much. And if they are going lots of boosters (Elf, Bird, Noble), all she is doing is counteracting a one cost creature for their 1 or 2 expensive spells. A second LThalia in hand is just bad.
Storm - Yep. 4th is fantastic.
Against Merfolk, Elves, Humans, Slivers, goblins, green stompy, . . . No. And the first Three are feeling underpowered.
And please, don't get me wrong, I am playing 3 of her because I believe in her, and she has demonstrated her usefulness. She has won me a whole lot of games. But. So has all the other cards.
As example, the Shefet Dunes is an incredibly borderline card. Almost always it is better as a plains. And about 1 game in 50 it is the deciding factor, and it has never cost me a game. Sure, I have been blood mooned, and it does cost me a little life. It is entirely possible that a 4th Horizon canopy would be a better call. But. I do not believe it is. Tapping for colour-less does happen. 3+1 is better. Getting 2 Horizon canopies as only initial land can and does happen, and I don't want that. The difference in that happening when not playing the 4th Horizon canopy is startling. Mathematically, about half of those draws disappear.
That is what I mean by a 'feel good' deck.
Mathematically, the bad draws have gone away.
I have worked at removing all the internal weaknesses. That is why the obvious nonbo of Gaddock + Spectral is SO LOUD. It is screamingly obvious. Often I sideboard one or the other. And sometimes neither, because both are massive effects.
This deck gets fewer bad hands than any other deck I play, and possibly any other deck in Modern. (except the pure white deck above).
White/g is designed to not mulligan.
Maybe a deck with a shed-ton of cantrip effects might use fewer mulligans, but I doubt it.
And when it is forced to Mulligan, Wallop is still fine.
As example, This deck would prefer if both players mulliganed to nothing, every game, against anyone.
Plains, One drop . . .Is all it needs, what do you have?
I played Burn in Legacy last night. It really sucks after playing this bad boy.
Constant mulligans, Mana floods, and Mana screw. That was only across 4 rounds, 2 of which I won.
It felt bad, and really random.
This deck aint like that.
23 Land, and 13 one cost creatures (well, technically the Dryad arbor + 4 fetch really confuses that)
The only time my draw goes bad is when :
* WAY too much simple land
* No 3rd land with 3+4 drops
* No Green for Gaddock
* Legend Rule bites me
That is about it.
The only reason I allow those 4 problems is because the power level of those 3&4 drops is just bollocks for the other cards.
I have consciously explored ways to deal with those four problems, and the original pure white deck lists on this thread did have solutions for those problems. But it was weaker against the opponent.
Pump knights, fewer 3&4 drops, no green, and fewer legends all help deal with those 4 problems.
But.
Gaddock and WLL are just so strong against a whole lotta things.
Those 4 problems are complications worth dealing with if it means Gaddock just wins the game, again. Gaddock solves all sorts of problems that used to be insurmountable.
The first Wrath effect is expected, the second Wrath is the problem. Cryptic command was a a problem stall card, and yadda yadda yadda. Match ups where I don't need Gaddock, the rest of the deck can deal, and it kicks in nicely. Games where I need Gaddock, he just wins.
The LeoRW seem to fill a specific hole I had. Spirits & Humans are a specific problem, and I am focused on thinking about that some more.
My current thinking is on 'Tocatli guard' (1W Creatures don't trigger ETB effects). Stops Reflector Mage, No-Mage and quite a lot of obscure others. (Reflector is Bad News.)
Anyhoo.
The reason I don't want a 4th LThalia is because well, a 4th is worse than the 3rd one.
After vast amounts of playtesting, the 3rd Big Thalia got shaved off, same as the 4th Kytheon, and the 2nd Isamaru.
The 4th Gaddock is in the board because in a heap of match ups, if he survives, I just win.
A 4th LThalia doesn't have that effect, (and often Storm can just Bolt/Grapeshot her).
0/4/1 Complete wipeout, but my it was fun.
Losing that way was OK. Every game was tight.
I lost to stuff I've beaten previous. Insane games. And the deck performed. No mulligans.
Two floods, and yadda, yadda yadda. Brain hurts.
But their decks were on fire, with some epic games
Complex, hard stuff. And I got some weird arse draws
Flipping a Windbrisk Heights for a Horizon Canopy, pay 1 & draw a card just isn't the same as Lord, win.
I would happily play that all over again.
The Relic warden and Big Thalia were the worse performers.
The Dryad was awesome, and bad.
Not sure if Gaddock stopped anyone doing anything the entire day.
Mine was doing great, but, just didn't quite against really well done stuff by opponents.
Good times, which seems really odd from that scoreline.
My final opponent was a Death Shadow deck. He got me turn 4 both games with Temur battle rage with targetted discard. I played 2 more games. I won the two bonus games when Martyr got me above where he can kill me. Death shadow is meant to be easy.
Fighting thru hordes of Elementals(10?), turn after turn, with the correct numbers of creatures.
Winning after the thing goes off, and not, twice more. But, so close.
I lost to mill. not sure how that happened. either. Historically I really shouldn't.
It was like that, but really enjoyable.
2/1 vs Biomancer/Displacer
Wow, what a deck. We have played a bit beforehand, and he should win basedeck if he gets a mix of all his creatures.
After sideboarding, my Path to exiles are critical at disrupting his board, his path to exiles are less effective, but obviously still work on my Lords.
Insanely hard complex games, often decided by choosing the right creatures to attack.
Gaddock is important at stopping CoCo and the other one (XGGG - search and get)
Avoiding a creature death Cascade by keeping the Lords at home is a good place to start.
Him attacking straight through my team because a creature is too important to block, was funny. Exalted is like that.
2/0 Green Stompy
All my inbuilt tricks don't work, except flying. My speed also helps.
Blocking Nullhide Ferrox while flying over for the win seems to work.
The LeoRW have been quite uninspired for many rounds.
They did a cute trick this time where the exiled my own Legion's Landing, died, and got another 1/1 Vamp.
But that is pretty weak.
The Modern Field is just SO HUGE, next time it will be Aether vials every game.
Still, they aint earning their keep at the moment.
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:
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TribalSympathy 'Wheel of Sun and Moon, Finks, EE, Ethersworn Canonist, and I loved the idea of the Stillmoon Cavaliers'
E-Canonist does work, but there is better
Stillmoon Cavaliers is a fine choice, but I am making different ones at the moment. I dont seem to need it since the rest of the deck is now upgraded. Still a completely fine choice.
EE - hmmmm what is that? EE. . .it is gunna be obvious
Engineered Explosives?
Nah, That is a card The Opponent should be playing. An artifact that doesn't hurt them just doesn't make it into this deck.
Wheel of S&M is really narrow, and actually a bit slow. Them going first & second turn discard, and then you playing the wheel, is sad making.
Finks are too slow. A 3 cost 3/2 that comes back as a 2/1 is ok, but not special. Big Thalia is better and far more disruption. 3 mana for 3 power is just not enough without having a backbreaking ability.
Compare Spectral procession to Finks. 3 x 1/1 means a LOT more as they fly over, boosted 3 times by a Lord. Kill one, and there is still 2 more, not one. Only after a board wipe, (or if the Life Gain matters) is the Finks better. Or I spoze sometimes when they bounce/flicker tokens.
Considering if a sorcery/creature is better in my hand is getting a bit wacky, but even there it can be weird. Inquiz of Kozilek can't get the 6 cost procession, and Eidolon of Burny Red doesn't trigger either. But, every basdeck game Gaddock & Little Thalia annoy Spectral Procession. Thing is, Spectral is that ridiculous, it is still worth it.
And Banana Man is just a YES. This may well be the best deck ever for that card. It is Banana Man Heaven.
Since those are the 3 cost spells that Finks need to be better than to earn a spot, I just don't think Finks works. I mean, sure it is a fine 3 drop that tools along. The 3 different 3 drops I am playing land with a thud, and might just win it, by themselves.
I am finding the deck is still a little heavy sometimes.
But.
I need to survive targetted Discard, and that requires a heavier hand. I am also getting too much land, on occasion, but I think I have to just wear that too. The inbuilt compensating systems do cover most of it. Recently, twice I have drawn a double Horizon Canopy opening hand as my only mana. And it hurts. Well, a bit. If they are ignoring my life total it makes no difference. And those hands are rare.
One regular opponent plays Mill. Check through this thread and it is the same guy.
I am going to start playing a Gaea's Blessing. I figure it is worth it because unlike all the rest of my sideboard, GB works when I don't draw it, or about 4 times as often as a normal Sideboard card.
Probably worth it against Phoenix or Reanimate too.
Played against a completely bog-standard Green Tron
3/1 using Base decks
3/3 After sideboarding
Gaddock locked up ONE game, total. Leo did absalutely F'kall.
Just not sure these games are indicative, but it does demonstrate WWW can go toe to toe with Tron.
But, any deck that can go even with Tron, is a serious deck.
Walking Ballista is a problem, Ugin is a loss, Oblivion stone went off once total, and in all of those games he never cast a Wurmcoil, (and I did see them in his deck).
I sideboarded only once, and, well, I did not SB in the Path to Exile. I think this might be the right call. Still think the LeoRW should be there, but I should play them immediately, and try to take a cantrip artifact.
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Lifegain is rarely useful.
I learnt that in the original builds of this deck. As I am sure I have written, many times, the original version of this was Martyr of Sands/Serra's Ascendant. Mostly, it is a flawed tactic. If a 5/6 gaining you 5 life is Whopping! then, why not play Martyr of Sands and gain 15 on turn 2? Well, 15 lifegain is mostly just not good enough hence me playing 4 Martyrs in the board for when it is.
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Watchwolf is a 3/3 in just 2 colours, Fleecemane Lion is strictly better than Watchwolf.
Fleecemane see almost zero play.
Avatar of the Resolute is better than Fleecemane, My that thing is strong, and it sees almost no play. Kraul Harpooner is the same, nothing.
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The design philosophy in this deck is to KILL.
1 cost = 2 power
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Big Thalia, is a 3 power creature that shuts down their side of the board.
Tapped fetchland, gets a tapped multiland, gets a tapped creature
First Strike can be just as good Lifelink. (Think Deathtouch)
And Big Thalia is reducing in numbers because 3 cost 3 power doesn't seem good enough.
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I have already written about the cards you suggest.
Tell me cards that stop Ugin, Wrath, Death Shadow, CoCo, Cryptic, Mill, Pyromancer, ArcLight Phoenix, Reflector Mage, Ensnaring bridge . . .
And sure.
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The reason I switched back to Teeg is that the games he wins are often the ones I would have outright lost.
Ugin, Wrath, Mill, CoCo, Cryptic. . .
Stuff that will just kill you, unless you get a counterspell, and the mana to cast it. Which is why Gaddock is SO GOOD.
Tap out to play creatures is how this deck works, and why counterspells just don't work in it.
This is a sprint white deck. My life total is often irrelevant.
The green bits are pure greed because the deck is so consistent it can afford the impurities because the upgrade in power level is massive.
Lots of ground based creatures that join together to do something without disrupting the opponent is currently not successful in any modern deck.
Humans, & Spirits fly, and disrupt.
This deck has 7 lords, and 7 flip if 3 attackers effects. Noble Hierach is based on helping individual attackers. At a fundamental concept level, NobleH just shouldn't be there.
(OK. He is WAY COOL at sliding straight past Ensnaring Bridge. And an expensive proven powerhouse. Obviously)
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2/1 at untap
0/2 vs Bio/Displacer
loss - ow
loss - ow
2/1 Thing in the Ice/Pyromancer
loss -
win - Martyr got me enough life so that I got to kill him after the Thing
win - Although really. He forget that when the Thing goes off and he picks up his hand, I get to kill him a turn later because his Ensnaring bridge doesn't work any more.
2/1 Burn
loss - almost
Win - Martyr
Win - Martyr, then Martyr, then Martyr 54 Life is a funny lifetotal vs burn
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Leo Arbi doesn't seem to deserve a full 4 copies, since he isn't doing special things, and a second copy in play isn't exciting.
I am finding the LeoRW really ordinary on an ongoing basis at the moment.
And I am playing a single Path to Exile base, which is kinda embarrassing.
CoCo and other green-go-and-get effects often effectively end the game, stopping them is done by Gaddock (for me). Judge Familar, Little Thalia and maybe Phyrexian revokers on mana dorks might be enough to push through. Against that style (Bant, Spirits, Humans) I am finding I need to wade through a sea of enemy creatures. (Really not sure if reducing the Spectral processions is such a good idea for me).
The sideboard you are going with is interesting.
RIP, Martyr, StoneyS, Kataki, LeoRW all seems fair enough
Numbers vary, of course.
The only one I would question is the Leyline. What is it good against except Burn? Coz Martyr should have that covered.
Not having access to Green makes it a really different deck.
(I play fairly regularly against Mill, and a single Gaea's Blessing in the board should just kill it.)
I am sure you should play 4 Selfless Spirit base.
I am stopping the Damnation/Wrath effects with Gaddock, you need to stop them too, and Selfless is inherently good since it is a 2 power flyer. Being able to win creature battles is awesome, and block+ disappear is also quite special against things with lifelink.
Really recommend Horizon Canopy, especially the first one. But. It does cost.
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I had an incredible blow out loss recently
I attack with 3 little creatures into a Young Pyromancer, and a small Prowess creature.
He is tapped out, What Can He Do?
Mutagenic Growth on the Y.Pyromancer, Trigger prowess, Make a 1/1, . . and wipe my board.
2/1 Grapeshot Storm
2/0 Scapeshift
2/0 Eldrazi Tron
Added a Knigh of Autumn. Sided out twice. Drew it once, and it was very ordinary.
Added a second basedeck Path to Exile, which were average.
Added 3 Tarmogoyfs, which hid, and were ordinary.
Sideboarded a Gaddock & a Little Thalia.
Removed all Big Thalia's.
Sideboarded the last Relic Warden
Switched a Plains for an additional Arid Mesa (R/W Fetch) which was eh.
The base deck showed up and did it's thing.
The final games into Eldrazi tron were odd.
Attacking with 2xWLL, Gaddock, Dryad & Kytheon seems good.
I think I got lucky against Scapeshift, but I did the right things.
Anger wiped the board, still won.
Hi I'm posting hear as white splash stompy and this deck are getting closer and closer to converging as there I have a couple of questions about some of the cards you run.
Basically the first question comes down to how many kython can agressive decks like this run and consistantly flip him and not draw to many multiples? I've been trialling him and if he's run along side narnams and hexdrinks you can end up with a board of huge/very hard to kill and problematic one drops.
Second how good is teeg/voice mb in a agressive deck in the current meta? and are they still this good without anthem effects?
Lastly from your experience do you think a single legion's landings is worth running in the green aggro lists? (I will include a deck list at the bottom)
With the addion of hexdrinker into the green based stompy lists the curve has been significantly lowered, and the the resistance of the deck has increased.
Kython and loam lion have both been solid cards and the SB is basically most of the hate bears from this deck.
It is hyper-aggressive, and will just win games with its speed. It will reliably get some land, and some creatures, and do it's thing.
The horizon canopies will help significantly with Mana flood, and with 20 land that shouldn't happen to often.
The Hexdrinkers are a mana sink to help with that as well. Not heaps, but a bit.
Not getting a 3rd land will happen, but may not be particularly significant.
Vines & Blossoming are kinda cute, but really don't seem needed, at least not that many.
The biggest creature it can save is a 2 drop, and a 1 drop is likely, so, what do you care if you works or not?
If you cast an extra creature instead, it just seems better. If you draw land and booster spells, bad times. Dromoka's seems really agile, but just not aggressive enough.
They are a good way to protect rancor getting interrupted, I spoze.
Narnam Renegade is a card I haven't seen before, and yeah, that kinda works since you have 10 fetch lands.
Loads of 2/3's without much else seems ok, but, Why not play Wild Nactayl as well, or instead?
3/3 is obviously better than 2/3, and if you are playing 10 fetch already, why not?
The 10 fetch land is also a REALLY good reason to play 1x Dryad Arbor. The card just rocks.
You will regularly have your board wiped by Wrath/damnation/Bontu's Last/ Supreme Verdict/ yaddayaddayadda. If you have a fetchland in play, you got get the Arbor, replay your Rancor and smash.
1xKytheon is just not enough.
A 2nd is a must, and a 3rd is probably warranted too.
I found 4 was too many, but 2 wasn't enough.
You should have a 4th Path to Exile in the board.
The deck will also have games where it just gets unlucky.
It will get beat by opponents getting lucky and comboing off.
But, It does have beats, and if they are going to win, they sure do need to hurry up.
Knight of Autumn seems a poor choice, It is a toolbox when you really only need it to kill artifact/enchantments. Blood moon ends your spells, and KoA. You should be able to regularly cast it otherwise when you need to kill Ensnaring Bridge, which does just kill you.
Experiment 1 doesn't seem strong enough, but does help the Avatar.
Strangleroot Geist is relentless, and does combo with X1 and Avatar. Just not sure about all 3 individually.
With the Narnam Renegade, maybe the FOUR overlapping abilities are strong enough. Dunno.
.
Your deck is faster than my current deck, is less reliable, and will just get beat by stuff my deck crushes.
Your deck does look solid though.
It knows what it is trying to do, and will do that.
My opponents will play a targetted creature kill, a Wrath effect, and then a second of both.
Or, they will play an Ugin on turn 4
Or, they will combo win on turn 4.
Or burn me out on turn 4.
If you win the coin toss, Your deck can win turn four.
If you lose the coin toss, you lose to each.
Maybe you can fight burn on the ground. But, only 3 land out of 20 don't hurt you. Ow.
Turn two Eidolon, on the play, affects every one of your spells.
My deck is not happy about it, but can still play, Windbrisk, Spectral, WLL, then attack on turn 5 flipping a Lord for the win. Dodging the Eidolon entirely
Mine is designed to fight those board states.
Gaddock & Selfless Spirit are in your sideboard, but basedeck in mine. (Little Thalia helps too.)
Maybe I can fight burn on the ground too. 14 of my land don't hurt me, and I have a couple of neat tricks.
There is nothing especially wrong with your deck, but, I like mine more.
2/0 U/W
Thump . Lost the social 3rd game, but his deck has to do amazing things.
0/2 Hogark .
Grrrr. Land problems. (Lost the 3rd to land problems as well)
2/0 U/G Combo. Won the social 3rd too.
2/0 Hogark.
He had land problems, and his version wasn't quite right, and he got unlucky, but he still got pounded.
2/1 U/W/b
My Army did like it should. Works.
Deck is REALLY GOOD.
Dryad Militant <-Backbone
Isamaru <- Got Thoughtseized
Kytheon, Hero of Akros <- Flipped twice, and went indestructible once
Soldier of the Pantheon <- Was ordinary, and did the kill against multicolour spells.
Legion's Landing <-was the 3rd land once.
Path to Exile <- Didn't really work
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben <- STRONG won games
Selfless Spirit <- great team player. Got targetted. 2nd one won it
Gaddock Teeg <- Won a game outright
Tarmogoyf <- Was OK. Got bounced once, Dryad Arbor died, and I couldn't cast it till 2 turns later.
Benalish Marshal<- Central Card
Spectral Procession <- was the hammer once, got boarded once, and hid
Knight of Autumn <- was a Blah 4/3 once
Wilt-Leaf Liege<- Big, worked, (never discarded)
Plains<- Fine
Windbrisk Heights <- Won games
Eiganjo Castle <- No effect. Was a Plains
Shefet Dunes <- No effect. Caused me one pain once
Horizon Canopy <- Sacced 2 for the tournament
Temple Garden <- Was fetched for
Windswept Heath <- Got Plains, TempleG and the DArbor
Dryad Arbor<-Was Good. Got fetched, and attacked, and fought, and died.
Razorverge Thicket <- Never a problem with Tapped.
Arid Mesa <- Bad Was never good
Sideboard
Path to Exile <- Was subbed in against Hogark & U/G was average
Gaddock Teeg <- Works real good against W/U
Wilt-Leaf Liege <- Subbed in every Match
Leonin Relic-Warder <- Never subbed in
Rest in Peace <- Won a game on turn 2 against Hogark
Devout Lightcaster <- Subbed in for Hogark, never got to 3 land
Martyr of Sands <- Not subbed in
Stillmoon Cavalier <- Subbed in against Hogark and W/U/b. Never turned up
Gaea's Blessing <- Dammit! Had the card and no green mana on turn 2.
Mirror Entity <- Subbed in once and was poor.
Deck had massive unjustifiable mana problems, and went 4/1
My Army is THAT solid. Every player knew exactly what they were doing.
Four of the opponents had pimped out versions of their decks, and exactly the cards they wanted to play.
The 2nd Hogark player was missing the Vengevines, but had replacement strengths, and he got unlucky.
My Army felt like it deserved to be facing them, and deserved the results. I could have beaten the first Hogark player as well, if only the green mana showed up. He won overall, with a draw in the last round. I report all of my results, It has just been a while.
2/0 U/R Storm
Thump. Thalia & Gaddock just stop him
2/0 Red/Black Discard tricksy
Game 1 I double discarded 2xWLL, but he did miss them in the first random discard.
Game 2 - His Turn 1 Hollow one got hidden by my Leo RW on Turn 2
Social third he smashed me.
2/1 Humans
Got him. Sideboard turned up.
Game one was a beating. Meddling Mage as first creature can stop Path to Exile! What that about?
Game 2 the LeoRW won it by exiling his Aether Vial.
Game 3 he stalled on 2 Horizon canopies after a mull, then the LeoRW hid his Vial. Devout lightcaster exiled his Freebooter. LLanding did flip into the 3rd land on my side, which mattered. Windbrisk got a Stillmoon Cavalier, which has protection from his deck (except nobleH, but he can still fly).
I still think Humans should win this, but winning this round was satisfying against the odds.
I did some strange boarding, but it seemed right.
Took out
2x Path to Exile
2x Tarmogoyf
3x Spectral procession
1/2 Eldrazi Tron
He got what he needed, and JUST got there. Both of us mulled a bit.
Path to Exile is strong in this, and very ordinary for the rest.
Two ZERO land mulligans, and Two ONE land mulligans.
No just lose games though.
My Army Works.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros Flipped twice, and went indestructible once
Soldier of the Pantheon Was OK, and boarded against Eldrazi
Legion's Landing was the 3rd land once.
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben won the U/R match
Selfless Spirit was fine
Gaddock Teeg Was good in first match
Tarmogoyf - Hid, and got boarded once
Benalish Marshal- is the centre
Spectral Procession - Is great, and is bad against humans.
Wilt-Leaf Liege- Back to 4x, just good.
Windbrisk Heights - Is an excuse to play so many lands. Wins games.
Eiganjo Castle - No effect. Was a Plains. Was active once.
Shefet Dunes - No effect. Caused me one pain once
Horizon Canopy - Sacced twice
Temple Garden - Was fetched for
Windswept Heath - Got Plains, TempleG and the DArbor
Dryad Arbor- Worked. Got fetched, and attacked, and fought, and died. Almost cost me a game against U/R when he Anger of the Gods my board.
Razorverge Thicket - Could have been 4th land once, but wasnt.
Arid Mesa - Bad. Was never good. Think I need to remove this
Sideboard
Path to Exile - Was subbed in against Eldrazi, sucked otherwise
Gaddock Teeg - Works real good against R/U
Leonin Relic-Warder - Fantastic against Humans
Rest in Peace - Never subbed
Devout Lightcaster - Subbed in against Humans, worked. Discarded against R/B discard
Martyr of Sands - Subbed in, and bad against R/B
Stillmoon Cavalier - Worked against Humans
Gaea's Blessing - Subbed in, and drawn against B/R but didnt work - Dammit! Maybe it is time.
Mirror Entity - Subbed in Turned up against Humans and in a social but never good to cast. Maybe it is time.
Seems unjustifiable mana problems again.
But, seems to be happening. This is almost mono colour, with 23 land in a weenie deck.
Not sure what else to do.
No land, One land and 5 land. Dunno. keeping 4 landers with 3x1 Drops does work. (horizon, Winbrisk, Fetch for DArbor)
Bye
1/2 - Blue/Black/Red Premium
2/1 - Green Tron
1/2 - Red/Green/Black Premium 4 x W6
Had not played Magic, let alone Modern for 3 months.
Picked it up, got there, and realised I was missing a couple of cards. Had them subbed out into a Highlander deck. And it mattered.
Playing a 3 cost Thalia instead of WLL matters when being forced to discard from Kolaghans Command.
Stupid W/R Fetchland cant get Dryad Arbor.
Two mulligans in 3 rounds is appalling.
Got mana flooded in first round in both lost games. first game getting flooded after a one lander was.... disappointing.
About turn 14, losing with land in hand is pretty special. Sure, he was Cryptic Commanding my Dryad Arbor, but he did NEED to.
Horizon Canopy really does even it out, and kept me in the game.
Even so, I would play those rounds again. I beat Green Tron pretty convincingly now.
The game I lost to Green Tron involved me making the decision to play the Selfless Spirit instead of Gaddock. Then he played All is Dust
So I rebuilt, and he wiped with Oblivion stone
I rebuilt, and he cast O-Stone
And Karn /Lattice for the win.
We had played 3 games before hand as well. Yup Green Tron REALLY dont like me.
(I keep 2x Path to exile in the deck now when facing tron to pick off the Wurmcoils.)
W6 is strong. I realise that is not news to anyone, but even so. He always had the individual kill for the Soldiers of the Pantheon, and I always had multiple 1 defence creatures. Going first matters, and I did not. hmmmmm. Would like more games. Rest in peace was good against Tarmogoyf. Just 1.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
1x Path to Exile
2x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
2x Gaddock Teeg
3x Tarmogoyf
1x Leonin Relic-Warder
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
1x Knight of Autumn
5x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
1x Arid Mesa
3x Path to Exile
2x Gaddock Teeg
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Rest in Peace
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Martyr of Sands
1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Gaea's Blessing
My opponents will play a targetted creature kill, a Wrath effect, and then a second of both.
Or, they will play an Ugin on turn 4
Or, they will combo win on turn 4.
Or burn me out on turn 4.
This decklist can fight that.
My decklist is the result of hundreds of games, and has 10 different lands.
My 13 one drops have 25 natural power.
Dryad Militant 2/1 can be a blow out that wins games. She is rude, sometimes.
Turn 1 bolt in response to her is still OK, because the bolt disappears when pointed at a dryad.
Dryad Militant means lots of bolts and thoughtscours and everything else that makes Snapcasters good, goes away.
Dryad looks innocuous. It isn't. I know this from the abuse the card regularly attracts. Storm hates it, so does delve, and snapcaster, and all sorts of weird arse decks just die. But I only realize because they complain SO MUCH.
Dryad Militant is the single strongest card in the deck because it cripples SO many random cards.
Dryad Militant HURTS combo, and if the meta is combo-control oriented, she is a BEAST.
Selfless keeps her alive. WLL makes her harder to kill. So does Little Thalia, Big Thalia, Bananaman, Gaddock, . . .
Search for Azcanta, Gurmag Angler, Snapcaster, Mill, any recursion hates dryad. Slowing them down for a single turn is often enough The deck really is that thumpy.
Isamaru, Hound of Konda is a 2/2. Woof.
On turn 1, I cast Woof, and you cast a (insert name of a 1/1).
On turn 2 I attack.
That 1/1 could be anything. A llanowar, lavamage, a merfolk, a human. Could be an pre-insect. Whatever.
How about a 1/2 with prowess? How many 1/1 spirits would you like to kill? How many Bitterblossom tokens?
Having that extra point on him does make a whole lot of big differences on massed blocking choices, which sometimes happens. The extra point of Toughness does keep him alive against all sorts of damage based board wipe. Pyroclasm doesn't work on him once there is a Benalish Marshal on the field, or a WLL. But yeah. It is minor. Everything about almost all of my cards is minor, and it stacks up. Each tiny addition does actually have a cumulative effect.
Soldier of the Pantheon is a 2/1 with Protection from Bloodbraid elf, Celestial Colonnade, Terminate, K-Command and anything 'shiney'. Soldier has 2 power, and regularly does actually have a surprisingly useful ability in the 'protection from multicoloured', gain life from Multi is almost pointless.
Dodging things like reflector mage, and terminate, and lightning helix, and all sorts of weird stuff can regularly be relevant and often I never get to know about it since it remains a problem only they know about. Bit like Gaddock Teeg that. sometimes Soldier goes straight past entire boardstates of multicoloured creatures. Soldier of the Pantheon shines vs Jund since few of their spells are multicolored.
Sometimes the Soldier goes straight past colourful humans, spirits and Bant.
I've had Golgari charm kill my 2xSoldiers of the Pantheon. Tournament before, my opponent was playing that Eldrazi card that kills creatures with 1 power or Toughness, but that's fine. Card for card is fine when mine costs 1.
Regularly Soldier does get boarded, or is just a 2/1, but, a 2/1 is still OK. Much better than a 1/2 that does not attack anyway. He is often the worst of the one drop 2/1's. Soldier of the pantheon is often irrelevant, and then it blocks and kills Bloodbraid elf, walks straight past Celestial Colonnade, or laughs at Kolaghan's command.
The singleton Legion's Landing is working. Legion's landing & Shefet dunes are both tiny effects that really make a difference in maybe one game out of twenty. And they might, i stress might, win those games.
Soldier of the Pantheon & Legion's Landing are the weakest cards at the moment. Tempting to upgrade both of them, but when I get 3 creatures on turn 2, and then flip Kytheon, the game is looking good.
Legion's Landing is my worst turn 1 play. I am quite certain I don't need a 2nd landing.
In the same way the Castle and the Dunes look incredibly random, just one Landing is the right call.
After the attack, and it flipping to make a 4th land, how is playing a WLL on turn 3, AFTER attacking so good?
Only one Legion Landing is because the second one is worse, and the first one is only just good enough. On turn one & two, any other one drop is better because they have 2 power. The landing is best on turn 3, or the turn it will flip into a land. Perferably the 4th land. Actually tapping to make little vampires is very rare, and only really happens when there is a board wipe, or a constant blocker needed. Either way it is rare, and sometimes only having 1 power on that vampire really is a pain.
The little token from the Legion is really ordinary at only a 1/1. My problem decks do not wipe the board, so, the legion is weak too since the token generator never wins these creature stall games.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros is a 2/1 that becomes a planeswalker, for a W
I have tested SO MANY cards that I am confident at those numbers. One Landing feels right. One Dunes.
I bring these things up because the Bodyguard, Haazda Marshal, and doomed Traveller are not one off specialists.
They are mainstay cards. Haazda marshal is WAY worse than Kytheon. Kytheon is the card to compare it with because they have the same trigger. when Kytheon transforms, he can just win the game. Haazda just won't. Kytheon does transform, but not often. Most of the time he attacks for 2, or 3. or sometimes 4.
Only in my purest white version is it likely he will be transforming on turn 3. All the others can have that happen, but, there just isn't enough 1 drops to have it happen. And there needs to be at least 2 non tapped lands. And the opponent has to not interfere. It just aint that easy.
And if you are going for that style, you need crushing wins on turn 4, or maybe 5. Haazda doesn't do that. After a boardwipe, cast a 1/1 and you are sad. Kytheon can block on the ground, deal 2, and go indestructible. He really is strong.
Regularly, on turn 4 Kytheon transforms into a planewalker. The 3x One drops opening can happen, but turn 4 seems fine, for a turn 5 win. The reason it matters is K's 2nd ability. For +1 Loyalty, a creature becomes indestructible, and untaps.
So, even if they do wipe the board, usually there will still be my favourite creature alive, and a 4/4 indestructible Kytheon. Sure, I am using a simple Wrath of God, or damage based clearance as examples, but it can be anything.
Kytheon really is awesome. He can easily win games. He is also WAY more effective for me than anyone else. I have lots of stuff that activates around the 3 attackers trigger. Windbrisk H, and Legions L work. And Spectral procession is a BEAST. Regularly Spectral will just win games from a standing start. Ground stall? Spectral = WIN ! And Spectral then next turn Windbrisk flipping a Booster is also a WIN!
Kytheon doesn't quite have the same Legend rule.
He can come out first, and die. But get reborn, which is awfully flavoursome.
He can also exist at the same time as his Planewalker, and attack. Just don't attack with 2 friends or he will transform.
I highly recommend Kytheon.
2-Cost White Creatures
Little Thalia 2/1 can be so cumbersome to work around for any sort of combo. The additional mana cost is obnoxious. The first strike matters, and just sometimes the Legends can Eiganjo Castle a free win from nowhere.
Little Thalia & Aethersworn Canonist fight storm good.
Little Thalia does clash with Spectral Procession. Stop and check before casting her.
Selfless Spirit 2/1 make the deck much more resilient to sweepers, and they fly. Obviously point and kill, then sweep is annoying, but there is a lot to point at in this deck, and they do not need to come down turn 2, because Little Thalia, Gaddock or 2x One Drops are often the better call.
Selfless Spirit is a top tier, premium card. Selfless protects the entire team, and has an evasion ability that can be used immediately. I like the 4th Selfless S too. They protect the entire team in a way that the Dauntless guy just doesn't. Selfless Spirit is surprisingly good.
Selfless Spirit works very well as a surprise for under a Windbrisk.
Leonin Relic-Warder is maindeck rather than a SB because this deck loses to Ensnaring Bridge, and struggles against Aether Vial. Leo RW fights, and is a 2 power creature. Play it and win is the plan, but, play it and fight is still an option. Disenchant / Fragmentize just doesn't do that, and Ensnaring bridge decks don't play removal.
I don't want Banishing Light or [card]Conclave Tribunal maindeck as an answer to artifacts/enchantments because I really don't want to play non-creatures basedeck. They cast Duress, and miss, while I get to keep the LeoRW, and, maybe I just don't need maindeck defence against those cards anyway.
The 2/2 body is really good because it triggers Kytheon, Windbrisk, and gets pumped.
There is also a cute tiny trick where I LeoRW my own Legions Landing, then the Leo gets dead, and I make a random 1/1 lifelink Vampire as it flips back. I did say it was tiny.
I am going to try out Relic Warders instead of the Pump knights in base.
I have lost a couple of games to Blood Moon. As a play style, I need to fetch more Plains. Maybe I should be playing more plains too.
Ensnaring bridge has also been a problem, so Leonin Relic-Warder is being tried out in base.
They annoy Amulet, Walking Ballista, Oblivion Stone & bitterblossom too.
Most decks are going to be able to just kill them though, so the charge better be quick.
Relic Warder has played REALLY well in the limited testing I have done.
When I think of all the decks I have trouble with (except Red & Elves), Relic Warder hurts them.
Amulet, Aether Vial, Oblivion Stone/Wurmcoil, Ravager/Cranial Plating, Ghostly Prison, Ensnaring bridge, (Maybe Blood moon). Hey wow he can exile the Artifact Land!
Some random decks just lose to him. (artifact sillyness, enchnatment weirdness)
The Green Splash
The green splash is really only for Gaddock Teeg and I'm not sure he's that good.
Randomly, Gaddock wins games. Cryptic Command, wrath, . . .Engineered Explosives
Converting it back to White/g really reduced the reliability because it can get colour screwed, and sometimes the pain associated with the land can lose the game. Not often for either problem, but it is possible now. Not casting the Benana Man because I drew the Dryad Arbor does happen. My version of colour screwed is a singleton Green Source.
I am regularly playing, and not doing not much with, Gaddock Teeg, except when he singlehandedly wins the match. Leo RW does the same job against Ensaring Bridge. He is also quite good at interfering with Tron, Lantern and Enchantments.
The addition of Gaddock Teeg is incredibly expensive. Mindblowingly expensive.
Fetchlands, shocklands, HORIZON CANOPY!, and even Teeg himself (What? Really?)
I have all these cards already. I couldn't find my other 3 horizon canopies and had to buy one. OMG.
Going white green seems to multiply the cost of the deck by a factor of 5. Maybe more.
Reducing Gaddocks to 2, with 2 in the board seems kinda needed, but wrong.
If you want to have a go at this deck, build the pure white one. It seems very, very cheap. And it is a competitive deck. Depending on the people you play against, it might even be stronger.
I have reformulated the deck around the concept of Gaddock stopping the problem before it happens, not just recovering.
Gaddock does NOT stop Hangerback & Walking Ballista.
Originally I built these decks because I wanted to be able to play. Having the ability to sprint kill seemed sweet, but I was going for Martyr + Serra Ascendant, with Proclamation and other stuff.
I did get to play, and win a bit. (But Tron just smashes that.)
Pure white sprint is SO fast it can actually beat anything.
Tarmogoyf seems just too strong. It feels rong to be playing goyf, but, the card is just SO strong. Mostly this has come home to me when other people play Goyf against me and stall the board. I do not like it since it really discolours the deck. Too much green destabilises it. The Martyr tricks just wont work properly at some point. Possibly now. Drawing the martyr and 2 tarmogoyf's just aint gunna work.
The Legend rule is still a hassle. Multiple Gaddocks did cause problems, same with multiple Thalias.
Big Thalia did do the same job sometimes, but only sometimes.
Tarmogoyf's are generally quite good against red. Land, Instant, creature & sourcery is pretty common to quickly get into the bin in that match. Or maybe 3 of them anyway. so a 3/4 seems reliable
Goyf's are just so frustrating. They go against everything I am trying to do. And they are still great. I think.
Goyf wants me to go against the design philosophy. They encourage fetch lands, and spells. They are not particularly good on turn 2. They are ground pounders with a big arse. They are the rong colour. And yet they are still so obscenely strong they probably should be played because I am playing green. Yergh. Suddenly they combo with Path, which is also obscenely strong and obviously playable.
The purity of the original concept, being brutally fast seems compromised by this. But, as I write this, I remember that wasn't the original concept. I am playing what works better.
My Tarmogoyfs are better than their Tarmogoyf's since I am playing 7 lords, and 3x Windbrisk Heights to surprise them into play. Still hate it.
Tarmogoyfs are best after the first board wipe. Which was not the plan.
3 Cost Spells
Spectral Procession is a Beat-Stick, and just style sometimes. When the Red Eidolon is in play, SP still costs 6, and does not trigger any pain. In a similar way, Inquiz of K cannot discard SP.
The 3 flying 1/1 are huge. Lingering souls is like a bigger, slower version. Spectral is SO cheap because I pay the WWW cost. I can pay it because EVERYTHING is white. That purity is useful because it forces the other player to be incredibly honest. They have to deal the full 20. I aint helping them with a full graveyard of Tarmogoyf cards, or free damage, until I have to.
Spectral Procession is also not happy about that Dryad. And, Spectral Procession hates Gaddock, but that is just how it is. Spectral is so strong it gets a pass. Lingering Souls is an interesting and fair comparison. Little Thalia does interfere with Spectral, oh well.
Benalish Marshal is a backbone card.
WLL & Benanaman are both good against things like Staticcaster or -1/-1 global effects.
When they cast Anger of the Gods Wilt Leaf Liege is WAY better than Bananman
Bananaman has been the buisness and deserves all 4.
Knight of Autumn is OK. But maybe OK is not enough
I do not need to deal with Blood Moon, mostly. Fetch Basic Plains, go first and dump spells. . . LeoRW can deal a little too, if I get 2 plains. Knight of Autumn seems too much like a toolbox. An everything card. She is the current 60th card. Not sure.
4 cost spells
Which brings me to Wilt-Leaf Leige. Being forced to discard him is Hilarious!
Wilt-Leaf is surprisingly effective. Just casting him works quite well on turn 4.
Against lightning bolt, WLL is way better than Bananaman, and Bolt is common.
WLL are really strong with Spectral Procession, and the Mirran as well since doublestrike happens
A second WLL makes both of them 6/6, and the Dryads are 6/5's.
When someone has made you discard WLL, you feel the kick. (Liliana HATES WLL, and Kolaghans command is Hilarious)
WLL is highly effective from under a Windbrisk, and when you cast 2 of them (both 6/6), and when you make a Dryad into a 4/3.
WLL makes the Windbrisk better because of the redundancy. Spectral procession is good under there, and Banaman is great, but WLL is the best card. Flipping Two of them on turn 4 is funny.
Flipping a WLL and suddenly having 2 bonus defense on a Dryad has wins games.
I am only playing 3 WLL in base at the moment because drawing 2 of them can be a hassle and stuff up the curve. Also, only getting 3 land just blows. WLL is still so much better than the other choices.
Land
My deck doesn't draw the wrong colour mana. It never just lies down. They have to win it because I will always be in the game. Doing something they have to be very aware of.
Windbrisk Heights wins games. The coming into play tapped aspect is annoying, but not getting the 2nd, 3rd or sometimes 4th land will lose games. I am playing 23 lands, which is absolutely HEAPS in a weenie deck, but it works. Windbrisk is a good reason why, especially with the Spectral processions.
The 3x Windbrisk Heights are good. They work. Attacking with 3 creatures is kinda easy when playing 34 creatures, and Spectral Processions. The best stuff under them is WLL, Spectrals, Selfless Spirits, ...lots. On a regular basis my games are won by people working stuff out, and then getting it wrong with a flipped WLL.
I have had a trick at least twice where they cast a Snapcaster in the attack step, BUT, after announce they are going to target their bolt, I flip a little Thalia and make their single red not enough to cast the obvious lightning bolt.
Same can be said for casting a big Thalia off a Windbrisk in responce to the snappy, then the Snapcaster enters play tapped.
Manually casting Big Thalia before the Attack sequence is worth remembering.
Go on, try to disrupt my manabase. I have had a game where I lost to him Spreading seas all four of my in play land, but, Blood Moon is OK. Same with loads of stuff. No pain. No searching for Archive Trap.
Having Isamaru win the game because my opponent does not realise Eijango castle will save 2 points of damage is classic.
Having someone dismiss my deck in total, and then having them lose because they can't be arsed reading is ace. But, having said that, it is minor.
Flipping a BananaMan or WLL those from a Windbrisk does win games because opponents can see everything, they do the math precisely, and lose.
Flipping a Castle and saving Woof with the extra 2 damage protection is real class.
Shefet Dunes does not hurt me much, has finished games, get used in others, and get killed sometimes. Shefet Dunes is a maybe, but, it really has won games. Just tips the balance sometimes, and hasn't lost me a game. This deck gets out there. Occupying the field with maniacs filled with weird abilities that all sorta fit together. And they are ALL aggressive.
Shefet Dunes does provide W, but cost another four land to activate. It doesn't get used much, but, sure seems OK.
Eijango Castle is just a neat trick since I am playing Legends.
Going WG is expensive. It really is a massive $ multiplier for a medium upgrade
There is now 6 dedicated Green mana symbols, with 13 green mana sources doesn't seem quite enough. Maybe another fetchland or two. Maybe another Razorverge. I have had occasions where the comes into play tapped aspect of the razorverge did matter. But they have been rare.
Maybe I should have a singleton forest to help try to get around Blood moon. Or not. Damn the torpedoes.
Horizon Canopys is another good excuse to have so many lands. I rarely mulligan now. Horizon Canopy is style, and does get used.
Horizon Canopy was so reliably strong that I have increased and increased. Perhaps four is too many, with too much pain. Well, in the white green version anyway. I have pared back the shock land.
Things like the Dryad Arbor are surprising, and shockingly good. And one off. Only one is worth playing.
Playing 23 lands, you will get flooded occasionally.
Horizon Canopy is also really good at smoothing out the floods, but does cost. Sometimes My Army does draw too much land, and drawing a second Horizon canopy instead of a plains has rarely been a significant problem.
4 Horizon Canopies is 1 too many. Drawing 3 of them in a game happens way too often, and happened today.
Removing that 4th one gets rid of three of the four possible draws where that happens, and rarely is drawing 2 that great either. Once the game goes long, it is likely to be going poorly. And that amount of pain is just too much when it happens. A first turn Horizon canopy is a bad play, and likely to cost me 4 life compared with first turn plains, fetch or Ravorverge.
I only ever need 1 green mana, so why bother playing more than 1 Temple Garden?
Having two in play is never better than the second being a plains.
The pain connected with the land is why I have removed a Horizon Canopy and a Temple Garden. Most decks don't care about such things. Replacing those 2 with Razorverge has helped significantly.
Drawing and placing the Dryad Arbor is not very impressive, but that is not what it is there for. Being a creature that can appear from nowhere in their end step really is. Turning the first excess land into a 1/1 really does win games, especially when it is pumped, or the third attacking creature for Kytheon / Windbrisk Heights.
Interesting point, O-stone does not kill Dryad Arbor. But Ballista does.
The sideboard is where it gets a lot more complex.
Stillmoon Cavalier, Mirran Crusader & Devout Lightcaster are all savagely anti-Black. The Lightcaster killing enemy Dark Confidants (or Death's Shadows) on turn 3 is satisfying. The additional Prot-White / Green helps adjust. Increasing the curve against discard is good, subbing out non-special one drops.
Stillmoon Cavalier was good against Humans. Prot White is good, sometimes. Mantis rider, reflector mage, champion of the Parish and Lieutenant are all problems, as is the instant speed style casting off a Aether Vial.
Devout Lightcaster is narrow, but what a windmill slam, when it lands.
Devoted Lightcaster is very narrow, and works a treat on a Death Shadow, Tasigur, or Liliana
Liliana forcing Wilt Leaf Leige to be discarded is ace. (Kolaghan's command is fun too)
Mirran Crusader - blanks Tarmogoyf, Scooze, DShadow
Stillmoon Cavalier is interesting.
Martyr of Sands needs to be in opening hand to work, because after turn 2 it is a horrible topdeck. But if it is in the opening 7-8, it is AWESOME (against burn). Opening hand with a Martyr, 2-3 land and 3-4 cards should be a win vs Burn.
Martyr of Sands is meant to be turn 2 against Red. Block, Sacrifice, and gain 15 life, is the dream.
Martyr is really effective against Death's Shadow, and Thing in the Ice too. They just can't kill me fast enough. Go ahead and hit me for 24 trample damage. Is it my turn? Wallop, take 30.
Gaining life and killing AFTER the Thing goes off is just not what they are expecting. No other deck does that. I can flood the board, start blocking, and kill, pretty reliably.
It took me a while to realize this is the right play. Stalling and not attacking is just plain weird with this deck. But. It does seems to win when played that way. Gain 15 is not normal, and decks that want to hurt you just don't understand that. I spoze I could just attack into them and wait for the thing to go off.
Martyr doesn't work against Scapeshift, they can easily do 36 damage.
Martyr also often doesn't work against storm. Pity it doesn't always work against Grapeshot.
I quite like the Martyr, Sometimes it wins games you really do not expect.
Randomly gaining 12-15 can do wonders against some decks.
Martyr does work against Thing in the Ice, and Death Shadow.
Damping Sphere seems OK as a one off.
Damping Sphere is Incredibly narrow. Works against Storm, & Eldrazi too, but, can't think of much else.
Damping Sphere is worth a try, and strongest as a singleton.
Tron can still cast an O-Stone, but it will be a turn slower.
The Damping Sphere and RIP are confusing me at the moment. Bringing them in and playing them early does cripple the decks they are pointed at. The problem is the opponent is often sideboarding to stop them. Supplying a disenchant effect target is annoying when they have drawn an otherwise dead card.
Gaea's Blessing is yet to be cast (triggered), but I have not played against someone trying to deck me yet. Not sure if i should bring it in against Storm.
Rest In Peace goes in against Graveyard focussed decks. Maybe Wheel of Sun & Moon. Hmmm.
Possible Sideboards . . .
1x Damping Sphere, 1x Canonist, 1xEidolon and 1xKataki, 1xStony
1x Martyr
4x Path to Exile - for nasty creature decks;
2x Rest in Peace - GY hate
2x Leonin Relic-Warder - for Tron, Vial, prison, Hardened Scales
. . . maybe a second martyr & a devout lightcaster & leyline
Tomik, Distinguished Advokist
Ranger-Captain of Eos just might make it. Dunno
Phyrexian Revoker
The revokers are really agile in their interference stopping Aether vials & BoP & grim Lavamancers & Izzit Staticaster & ObStone & Expedition map & Pentad Prison & Ezuri & well, everything. Even Planeswalkers. Every other Planeswalker solution is going to solve them AFTER they have done something. Revoker turns them off BEFORE, if you get it right.
Hey Wow, Revokers give a breath of life before & after Ugin!
They interfere with Lanterns and all sorts of other stuff too.
And they turn of Noble H, and X & Y & Z.
They even turn off the second copy of LLanowar Elf. They are HUGE.
And Thopter foundry.
And Sakura-Tribe Elder ! (Scapeshift)
Revoker might be AWESOME. maybe.
Phyrexian Revoker is a card I have played and believed in for Years. I play Australian Highlander (best magic format there is) and he has been in my deck for many years. Revoker Kills People, but, only just.
Revoker is a seat-belt, and the long game, and so it just doesn't feel right.
But, Revoker is definitely a maybe, if I have to have a seatbelt.
Tocatli Honor Guard seem good against Humans, and really slow against almost everything else.
Might be good enough
Path is just too strong to exclude.
. . . And should not be a full 4 of in base deck, but, maybe should not be Zero.
Path to Exile is hard to exclude entirely, but base deck is just wrong. The card is strong against affinity, and red, and anything playing unjustified Huge Creatures. (Except Emrukal.)
Path to exile is a tricky one
3 in base deck is a reasonable call, but I think it is wrong. Not having the 4th in the sideboard is very wrong.
Speeding them up and solidifying their manabase is a very real problem, but so is a game winning creature on their side.
Regularly Path will win games, and it will lose some too as it gums up your hand and does not have a target. Or gets discarded as your only spell. Or gets negated. It is another variable, and a card that is not a human creature.
Path to Exile gets subbed regularly, but really should be in the sideboard to start with. Giving land is bad for a sprint deck, as is having dead cards in hand.
I have never liked Aether Vial.
I get it, and I see how it works, but. . .
I play decks that ignore the colour problems it solves, and I play decks that actually want to coloured mana.
EG I can't flip a Windbrisk heights off an Aether Vial, or pump a pump knight.
Also, I like making decks that make lots of their cards useless. Them breaking the Vial is not an option if I am playing a land instead.
Aether Vial is not a bad choice, but it is not one I would make.
It has vulnerabilities, and does not add much to this deck. It is SLOW, and not part of turn 4 kills.
It does not cast Spectral Procession.
White Shield Crusader is a manasink with flying and protection from black. Whiteshield has 3 abilities, always, and is often sideboarded.
Qasali Pridemage and Knight of Autumn are fine cards.
Both of them are entirely playable, but, neither quite fit this deck.
Qasali Pridemage takes an extra mana and self destructs. Exalted is a reasonable ability, but does not mesh with Lords, Windbrisk, Kytheon or LegionL. Qusali Pridemage may be a better idea than Relic warder, but, maybe not. The extra mana to nail the problem is significant, but so is the fact the relic warder does not have to sac.
Qasali Pridemage is a seatbelt. 2 mana for a 2/2 is just not good enough. An additional mana for a disenchant effect is also a seatbelt. If the plan is to go long, sure, pridemage is a fine card, but, I wanna kill on turn 4. Turn 5 is OK, but Pridemage just isn't the right style of card.
Leonin Relic Warder is a much more in flavour card. If it nukes a target, and stays on the board, it can win games. But. WW for 2/2 is just not good enough.
Sorcery speed disenchant effects may be after the game is lost.
Targetted creature kill cancelling the disenchant effect may really suck.
If you compare the 2 cost slots, the others are often way more effective.
Selfless Spirit saves your entire board, and Little Thalia regularly just wins games
Knight of Autumn is expensive, has lots of options, and well, it isn't awesome. I mostly do not need to kill enchantments. It certainly is a fine card, but it just doesn't kill people very quickly. QP & KoA are good cards, but do not fit this style of deck. KoA is really close. I keep looking really hard at it.
Ensnaring Bridge is a shock card against some surprisingly difficult decks. Enemy Team decks. Opponents that are trying to make loads of creatures be on the battlefield at the same time, and they all help each other. Decks like Slivers, Humans, merfolk or zombies. Each of these is really tough. And just sometimes I can completely cheat them out of a win by having flying, first-striking pump knights.
Ensnaring bridge beats Emrukal. not many cards can claim that.
It did lose to a Jund chewing his way through huge chunks of his deck until an abrupt decay, but it was close.
Ensnaring bridge can be a loss with my deck. I have bludgeoned my way past it too. One card is often stuck in their hand as the Procession tokens kill them, and if they have 2 cards, wham. Sure, Ensnaring bridge can just beat me.
Gaddock does help by making some of their cards uncastable. And sure, they might sideboard those cards, but, this is one of those times when playing a rogue deck means they don't know the perfect plays because they have not lost like this before.
Wrath of God is the original hoser. Decks with lots of creatures beat me, so make them Die, I spoze, but it hasn't been great so far.
Playing a boardwipe myself, like Settle the wreckage or Wrath just gives Freebooter a target. Path to Exile is still worth sideboarding in, since it gets under the Booter.
I have taken out the Wrath of Gods purely because they never seem to work. Initially I was playing a couple of Wrath basedeck, long, long ago. Tron laughs at it, as do lots of other decks. I tried Wrath, over and over. I brought a couple back in as sideboard material, and it constantly did not work. Eventually I replaced them with Martyr of Sands. I am likely to encounter burn red fairly regularly, and martyr works.
I have tried Hero of Bladehold & Ranger of Eos. The ranger was a 4 of for a while when I was doing the Serra's Ascendant + Martyr Tricks. Neither was quite there.
A single Brimaz is OK.
The 4 defence is hard to kill. The 3 power is acceptable.
The Free Cat Soldier only happen if you get to block, or attack. And it is quite a good ability
But, given the choice of a Big Thalia, I would use the big Thalia. First Strike matters, and the Coming into Play Tapped effect is critical. Big Thalia seems much more effective at interference, compared with a free 1/1 . . .
Tividar of Thorn was definitely a style card against Burn, but I can't justify him any more. The biggest, cheesiest grin is landing Tivadar of Thorn on a Goblin Guide.
Regarding Sword of fire and ice & Sword of Light and Shadow for creature decks Match ups :
The creature decks are Humans, Merfolk, Elves, and (Spirits & Slivers ?)
Humans, Spirits = Light & Shadow
Merfolk = Fire & Ice
Elves, Slivers = nope
Seems hard and narrow. But, maybe. Humans is a bit of a thing now, I spoze. I do have game against all of them, except maybe Elves. Elves is harsh, but, a sword is not gunna help there.
Little Thalia and Big Thalia are separate, both can be in the board at once.
Dauntless Bodyguard has been tried and abandoned. It just aint good enough.
All the current 2/1's are Much more effective, and have really strong abilities. Dauntless doesn't do anything until they do something. Selfless Spirit flies and saves everyone. Damnation/Wrath/Oblivion Stone/ Anger/Bontu's - I want Selfless, not Dauntless.
Turn 1 Dryad is HUGE.
Turn 1 Isamaru is 2/2 (and yeah, sometimes that matters)
Turn 1 Kytheon might be a turn 3 Planeswalker
Turn 1 Dauntless Bodyguard does nothing, and will do nothing in the future.
Turn 1 Soldier could be great
Assuming another creature will take that first slot demonstrates just how weak it is. Dauntless bodyguard is always too late. I want the threat first. Then I want the threat second. Dauntless bodyguard is neither.
Turn 1 Dauntless Bodyguard does nothing special, ever.
Turn 2, it is only OK if that second mana is used. So, it is an OK 3rd one drop if played on turn 2.
On turn 3, maybe It will keep pick a 2 drop to keep alive. And they may just kill it in responce, or have already killed it.
Dauntless Bodyguard just doesn't do his job.
The Bodyguard just aint special. On turn 1, he does nothing.
On turn 2, he can protect a 1 drop.
On turn 3, he can protect Gaddock, or Little Thalia. Except they will kill in response.
Bodyguards ability never seems to happen at the right time.
The reason I want bodyguard is to protect Champion of the Parish.
Now there is a reason, but since I am playing W/g, I just don't want him.
Bodyguard does seem better than Dragon Hunter, or Woe, but not heaps better.
2/1 means he should see play as a staple in White Humans.
I think soldier is still better that Student of Warfare & Judge's Familiar.
Student of Warfare is too slow. Close though. SoW just never seems good. 3/3 first strike for 3 mana is seems way worse than Big Thalia, and a 1/1 seems way worse than everything.
Judge's Familiar is very different, and is an almost, but I still prefer the 2 power option.
Haazda Marshal, Doomed Traveler and Thraben Inspector have only half the required power ratio. They are too weak. Tithe Taker has the same problem
Doomed Traveller just don't cut the mustard. In some formats, sure, but not in pure hostile beatdown. 1/1 then a 1/1 flyer is not. Maybe if every opponent is forcing you to sacrifice creatures, but, that is what Spectral Procession is for. Cards like Doomed Traveller and Haazda and Martyr just don't kill people. In Modern, fair cards get you killed.
Kataki 2/1 is for anything using artifacts.
Big Thalia 3/2 is for slower decks.
Neither is quite effective enough.
Mirror Entity might work against Human and Merfolk. Might not too.
Martyr's Soul is ordinary. eh.
Gideon Blackblade is reasonable, but doesn't solve the problems I face.
Mikaeus, the Lunarch is too slow.
Field Marshal is OK in the right pure deck, but not this
Brave the Elements doesn't work. Play with it.
Emeria, the Sky Ruin is just bad in this. WAAAAAaaaaaay tooo slow.
Mana Tithe - 'Pay one more for Ugin' Smile
Sunlance is looking awful tempting.
Giver of Runes fails the basic concept of the deck. I have no interest in slow card that do not attack.
Giver is a 1 power creature for W, and so it gets a NO!
Giver stays home to support the other creatures. It does not activate Kytheon or 'That white hideaway land, whatever it is called', and so it gets a pass. Anything 'Defensive' should not be here.
Hexdrinker looks OK, but, eh.
There are already very similar options like Student of Warfare, and Figure of Destiny
Most of the time Hexdrinker is still going to be a 2/1 vanilla, for G
I think I have enough green that I could justify playing a couple, if I wanted to. It does seem playable, but, SoldierotP seems better. A bit. Hexdrinker is the long game. It is an entirely reasonable choice. But, not one I need.
Feel free to try it out. I can see it's value, especially against relentless boardwipe and counterspells, but, that isn't what I am facing. I tried, and moved on from, SoW and FoD, so, why is Hexdrinker better?
What does a Hexdrinker do?
Hexdrinker will work much better in Delver because of the support cards Delver has for it. They need a kill card. I do not. I need team players. Delver is happy for nothing to happen, turn after turn, while saying take 3. My deck goes WALLOP.
Hero of Precinct one is strictly worse than every other 2 drop I play, until it has activated. It is only kinda good once it has activated twice, and that is really unlikely.
Hero only seems good once it has activated twice. But, I want to win on turn 4, and expect to win on turn 5. Hero just doesn't fit that timeline. If I was to play that style, Emmara of the Accord seems better.
And in between is the guy that makes a 1/1 whenever he deals damage.
Dryad comes down turn 1. Stopping 1 drops that Snapcaster can reuse is important, that means it is only really activated by Teeg and WLL. Teeg comes out as soon as possible, provided I don't have a Spectral. So, before Hero. WLL is hopefully the last spell cast, and wins the game.
The turn Hero gets cast, he does nothing. Selfless, Teeg & Little Thalia can all be HUGE, immediately. Watch Wolf / Fleecemane Lion seem better plays.
Venerated Loxodon is not similar to Wilt-Leaf Liege or Benalish Marshal. VLox does pump small creatures and tokens but it does have a HUGE cost. All that damage.
Turn 3 VLox taps the 3 creatures
Turn 3 Benalish Marshal means take 9 damage
- 9 damage is a HUGE cost. -
When they Thoughtseize me, I know which one I want in my hand.
When They Lilli or Kolaghan's Command me, I know which one wins the game, (and it aint no VLox).
If you are planning on drawing a card vs burn, forget it
Kor Firewalker & Auriok Champion are likely to just get overrun. Both can work. And, I have tried both. But Martyr is SO much better, because You can't burn out someone on 30+ life
I had a red player say ' You got some smug on your face there ' - and he was right.
I had a REDECKULOUS game where I got to 54 life against burn. That right there is BS.
Lone Missionary does not do enough to fight Burn decks. Sure, gain 4 might work. On turn 3 it is a way better top deck than Martyr, but, having your sideboard cards turn up against the specific decks you are targetting, and still losing, just blows.
Smuggler's Copter is really ordinary in this deck.
When they cast Wrath, all my creatures go away. Then I cast more.
If the creature I cast is a White Shield Crusader, it can fly and dump all my mana into it.
Smugglers copter does nothing until I cast another creature, which may be bigger than it anyway.
Smugglers copter does not work with Kytheon. Or Legion's Landing. Or Windbrisk Heights. Or WLL. Or Benana Man. (The creature I am tapping to crew the copter is power 2.)
Smugglers copter is also the only artifact, and so will be targetted.
Smugglers copter is beyond awful in this.
In a normal, boring aggro deck, sure, copter is a fine card.
Against Death's Shadow, which card would you prefer?
Copter or White shield crusader?
How about Assassins Trophy? Or Liliana? Or Bitterblossom? Or Fatal Push? Or Path to Exile? Or Geth? Or Grim Flayer? Or Tasigur? Or Grim Angler? Or Bob? Or Maelstrom Pulse? Or [card]Path to Exile[card]? . . .Or [card]Disenchant[card]?
It costs crew 1 to power it.
I have precisely ONE power 1 creature, the Vampire created off the singleton Legions Landing. That's it.
And because that Vamp is tapping to crew the Copter, it does not count toward triggering the Landing.
Sure, maybe a flying 1/1 spirit created by a spectral procession might work, but, shouldn't the 2 drop be protecting the 3 drop? Like the 3xSelfless spirits?
And it sucks against Searing Blaze.
Smugglers copter just blows in this. Big steaming chunks.
Turn 1 2/1
Turn 2 Smugglers copter
Turn 3 Profit?
Say on turn 3 I play a Benalish Marshal. Do I tap me 3/2 to power the 4/4 Smugglers copter, and attack for 4? Or, if I played any other 2 drop, should I attack for 6?
Little Thalia, Selfless spirit & White shield crusader can just win games. Smugglers copter gets disenchanted. Why play a slow artifact with zero synergy?
Q Why would I want to tap a creature to crew a smugglers copter?
A I don't
I do not want any cards in the graveyard (Tarmogoyf)
I do want more than 1 creature attacking (Banaman, WLL, Legion's Landing, Windbrisk Heights, Kytheon)
Smuggler's Copter is WOEFUL in this.
If I want the effect of improving my draw, I already have exactly that effect in Horizon Canopy.
Too much land becomes more spells. Not enough land becomes more land.
Windbrisk Heights does exactly the same thing.
Too little land becomes more land. Too much land becomes more creatures.
Withered Heath does exactly the same thing.
Too little land becomes more land. Too much land becomes Dryad Arbor.
Smugglers Copter is AWFUL in this. Smuggler's copter, allows for some land filtering and the evasion is nice. Well, yeah, if You are not playing enough land, you need more evasion and a way to clear junk.
That is a primary reason I would not play the Copter. The Copter also has the word 'Artifact' on it, suddenly letting the opponent use some more of their cards. Sure it hides against wrath effects, but it also does not help the Humans. I much prefer to not need to clean my hand, because everything in it is effective.
I do not rate Tithe Takers. 1W for a 2/1 is twice as expensive as needed.
Tithe taker may work against Counterspells, and snappy sillyness. Coco will just get cast on their turn, and will often still beat you.
CoCo is a real problem, and can be a blowout.
If the TT is replacing a pump knight, sure, if that is the plan. But. I would prefer to fly over them next turn, and kill them instead. Take 4, or maybe 5, is a real clock against CoCo decks. And they rarely have flying creatures, and I have blockers.
TT is very much a Hate Bear.
Against anything playing Black or Black/Red a Knight looks better.
If CoCo resolves and they have Flyers, how do I win? That is the basic problem.
My response has always been to have won before that happens, or doge through it with Flying or protection, or maybe just swarm over them. Tithe Takers doesn't do that. It just gums up the board a bit. Little Thalia is just better at irritation than Tithe Taker, even in Mono W Humans.
Sundering Growth was cute when I had things to populate, but, outside of a flipped Kytheon it just looks harder to cast than disenchant. Sometimes that matters when the bad guy has cast Blood Moon.
Be aware that Bloodmoon is real. I have lost games to it being cast turn 1.
Playing few plains, and looking at a WW disenchant effect while only having one plains is a real downer.
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit Nope. Just too slow. The turn you play it, it does nothing, and has no active ability. Tried it.
Abzan Falconer 3 Cost for 2 power with no Abilities on the turn it comes into play. Seems weak
Collective effort - This looks like it might work. I like the Kill reature and the Kill Enchantment seems interesting. Even so, not sure i would want it base. Artifacts are more of a problem, and Banaman as a comparison makes it look weak. 3/3 Plus pump is way Stronger
Mikaeus, the Lunarch Sigh. I want this card to work, but, well, .. . Turn 1 it does nothing, Turn 2 it is an anthem, Turn 3 it is better. That is just too slow. I mean, compare it to a 3 cost Bananaman, and it just blows. 2W vs WWW and the Bananaman is SO much better.
Boros Reckoner does nothing on the turn it is played, and seems awful when compared with a Benalish Marshal, that does damage by making everyone else hit harder.
Horoki is a NO.
Little Elspeth was a one-off for a while.
She is a long game, and sure, she was OK. But not special, and just not quite right.
Pithing Needle & Sorcerous Spyglass do not kill people. They are long game. Saying Ugin, and then having them Oblivion Stone / Karn / Engineered Explosive / Wurm is just depressing.
Tithe Taker just doesn't seem that useful. Tithe Taker doesn't seems as good as Grand Abolisher, and that one doesn't see much play. Big Thalia seems better than GA.
Leonin Arbiter interferes pretty regularly with all sorts of decks. Path to Exile becomes better too. Leo A can be devastating on the play, cast turn 2, because they can't use their fetch lands, at all.
Ethersworn Canonist can be a completely unreasonable card, against the right decks.
Same with WS Crusader, (Think Death Shadow), but the difference is that the pump knight can be an evasive killer. Unfortunately, I just don't need his ability enough at the moment. Maybe I am just not playing against control enough.
White Shield Crusader has played very well indeed, but seems to have been superseded. He just hasn't been special for too long. Pump knights in pure white are helpful, but not having the Horizon canopy and Fetch/Dryad trick is worse.
Honor the Pure is a reasonable card, but reasonable doesn't cut it in modern.
Champion of the Parish, is bollocks.
My current build has massively diversified away from humans, and toward nasty bonus abilities. Dryad and Teeg and WLL and Selfless and Spectral. Champion just doesn't seem right in a deck with only half the humans I used to play.
In the right deck, Champion is fantastic, but that deck was 3 pages ago, now he is regularly a 1 cost 1/1.
Honestly, it was the backbone of the pure white Human CHARGE deck from about 3 pages ago.
But, 16 humans seems a whole lot less than the 30+ I was playing.
Champ need to activate at least Twice to really be worthwhile.
Isamaru is not a fair card to play on turn 1. Champion of the Parish is WAY better, but, the other humans you need to bulk out the deck, are not better on turn 1. And when they bolt/terminate/gut shot the Champion, playing those weaker cards on turn 2 can lose the game.
Thalia's Lieutenant is Awesome, sometimes, and she can be a Two cost 1/1 blank.
You need to really flood humans to properly abuse CotP and Thalia'sL
You should be playing 2+ Dauntless Bodyguards. The CotP is worth protecting. ( and Thalia's & Mirren & Bananaman)
when playing massed MonoW Humans, While Gideon becomes a human, he does not trigger your 8 human boosters.
Hero of Bladehold does, but, not doing anything the turn you cast him makes him really slow, and hard to cast in a deck playing only 19 land.
The deck does not have the resilience to survive a boardwipe, but does have a faster kill.
I reckon you might be better off embracing that a bit.
4x Dauntless Bodyguard and upping Kytheon to 3x seems better.
I reckon dumping all the seatbelts and really riding that pony might be a better option.
I mean ALL the seatbelts. Go 40 humans. Mardu Woe-Reaper maybe even Dragonhunters
Gideon's Lawkeeper & Martyr of Sands are interesting SB options
Proclamation of Rebirth is a fascinating and completely different approach. And it works when playing 30+ one drops.
I have had control players just sag after casting it the turn after they wipe the board.
Them - Damnation
Me - Proclamation for Champion, Kytheon, Dauntless B (name Champ)
Them - Read Proclamation, (over and over), Search for boardwipe, Durdle
Me - Bananaman, Take 11, Transform, Untap and invulnerable the Bananaman
Them - Damnation, kill, uh, the Dauntless Bodyguard?
Compare that with your current response to massed point and kill, then double Damnation.
Guardians' Pledge, now there is a kill card.
Ghost Quarters are a nice add, but REALLY want the Flagstones of Trokair to combo with. A playset of Flagstones is a definate improvement.
Every card you play that is not a human creature is a card that does not pump CotP & Thalia's L.
Student of Warfare is OK, because it is your only mana sink.
That is why I like the pump knights. Pump knights are also just randomly good against big Black dudes. Like Tasigur, Angler, Herald of Anguish, Death Shadow and Bitterblossom.
If the main thing you are concentrating on is creatures with protection, try the pump knights.
Not sure about Elspeth.
Thraben inspector is a human, and is OK since you are likely to get a card out of the clue at some later point. But I think it is just too slow.
Honour the pure is OK, but Benalish Marshal is a bonus 3 power for a single W more, and a human.
The mutavault is a lovely trick, but does not provide W.
I do not rate Brave the elements. Maybe ONE, but FOUR is way too many.
Brave the Elements = a Finisher. But it does not get you there in the first place. Looking at the perfect time to play Brave, and realising you have no mana, is why I do not play it. I am always tapped out when it would have been great.
I spoze all the random junk is going to be smoothed out by the Smugglers copter. For you it is going to be a lot more effective because you have fewer boosters. More of the time your creatures will be 2/1, and you will have random stuff that is not helping that needs to be cleared.
The deck will win games, obviously.
That amount of aggressive one drops will always win games. The problem is turn 4.
Wrath, cryptic command, Damnation, (Bontu's last reckoning) . . even Bolt/Snapcaster/Bolt.
Then what do you do?
Turn 4 Ugin. . . Dead.
Turn 2 Ensanaring Bridge. . .Dead (well, mostly. It gets me as well)
Explosives for 1 is also a downer.
Sure, both Thalia help on slowing the dreaded turn 4.
Auriok Champion is a reasonable card, but, it doesn't win games, and it is not a human.
I have a lot of faith in this build, and sideboard.
My Army is mostly simple, with some harsh and unexpected tricks. Every single card has been worn down. It does not get colour screwed, mana screwed, or have any mulligan problems. Every lands helps cast every spell, with the single exception of Dryad Arbor which only helps cast 18 of them. The only clash card is Spectral Procession with Gaddock & Little Thalia. Last tournament the Dryad arbor did help cast the Spectral Procession. 23 Land is WAY more than any other weenie deck, and it doesn't flood.
It is speedy, remorseless, consistent and rude.
Normally I know which cards are weak, under-performing or needing to increase. currently I don't.
Maybe the 2nd Temple Garden should switch to the 4th Razor Verge, maybe not. After dozens of decklists, this feels finished.
Lots of the standard solutions just don't work against this. It is harsh, refined, and completely rogue.
The white version of this deck was the most reliable deck in Modern.
Reliability, came from having Mono-Coloured land, and cheap, mono-coloured creatures.
It would always cast small, aggressive creatures. Every game.
But, being reliable wasn't enough, it needed more power.
Gaddocks in Basedeck throws monkey wrenches. Hard.
Gaddock does not win games as such, but, he regularly makes the opponent lose.
Everyone always has a plan on how they can kill him, and win, but they have to draw it, and play it, in time.
Benana Man, WLL, Selfless Spirit, Thalia, and even Kytheon, Eijango, Windbrisk, and Dryad M all help keep Gaddock alive.
Reliabilty for the Gaddock build is lower, but it's a whole lot more intrusive.
Gaddock is better at fighting the more powerful decks.
Gaddock has made the deck worse against Tarmogoyf. Figuring out when, and if, to bring in Path to Exile is hard and confusing. Solving Tarmogoyf by accelerating them, and thereby losing, is bad.
The deck kicked arse.
Basedeck feels complete.
Still tweaking the sideboard, but it that feels comfortable too.
I have played it so much the sleeves need to be replaced. Again
I am far too used to the slings and arrows of outrageous smurfs.
It is good to win another Modern tournament with this 'Home Brew'.
I think I should grind off another Temple garden, and add another Razorverge. Ravorverge being a tapped land is only a problem on land number 4, and sure, that will happen sometime.
Switching another Temple garden back to a plains might also make sense, leaving just one.
I want to lower the pain threshold to help against Red.
Also, Watching someone cast turn 1 Bloodmoon was concerning. The same guy cast a turn 1 Ensnaring Bridge.
Planning to get under that is difficult at best. Pure speed and prayers is always an answer to anything.
I went to a new weekly tournament. Listening to people discount my deck again in real life was fun.
Wrath of God / Damnation is simply not the instant win they are expecting.
Beating Tron was satisfying. We played a couple more games, and went about even. He was playing Wurmcoil, but I am completely not certain about if I should have brought in the Path. Losing to Ugin is instantaneous. Wurmcoil I can fight. Dealing with Wurmcoil is not easy, but can be done. Block and sacrifice the Selfless spirit does work, as does flying over for the kill, or swarming straight past it. I think he was playing Ullamog, but never saw him.
Path does not kill people, people kill people.
All my creatures are bad for Tron, and Gaddock can be fatal.
Any 2 power, 1 cost creature is effective pure as speed. There are no ineffective cards Pump knights, Little Thalia, and Selfless all annoy. Big Thalia slows them. Benana Man & WLL hurt as they are cast. Spectral Flies over Wurmcoil, and oddly enough may be the weakest cards against Tron. How odd. Bringing in the extra Gaddock makes moving some of them out good. 3rd Big Thalia, 4th Gaddock, 4th WLL & Damp Sphere all go in
This deck is good, and it is strong.
I am really happy with this build. Almost all of the corners are gone. The problem draws have been dissolved down over hundreds of games. I know where the clashes are internally, and why I have these numbers of these cards.
As example, I play only 3 WLL because I do not want 2 in opening hand, but I want access to the 4th in case of discard, or counterspells. Same with legendary problems - only 1 Eijango, and 2 big Thalia's. Stuff like that. It is solid.
This deck may look simple, and I spoze it is, but Modern still has a whole lot of ways to stuff it up. Most of the rest of my play was better. Mostly.
This deck is real.
It wins against some tier 1 decks, loses to some others, and fights hard against everything else.
I am happy to play this in serious tournaments where everyone else is playing name brand decks.
All the decks I played against in the first tourney were old decks being played by experienced players. The dredge player was expecting the 74th and 75th foil to arrive in the next couple of days.
I am not claiming it is the Best, or broken, or anything like that.
But it is good, and unlike anything else out there.
I have toned down it's consistency to increase it's power. Adding green was like that. The spectrals do clash with some of the rest of the deck, but they just win games. An airforce hitting for 6 each turn while the ground is clogged does it regularly. Same with Gaddock. Sometimes.
My Modern deck goes Toe to Toe with Tier 1 decks, like Tron & Miracles, and regular turn 4 kills.
I play small competitions now. Often they are way more fun than the big tourney's because I do not have to play against unpleasant people. My initial Gaddock Teeg's went 4-1 at the World Championships (long ago), is that big enough for you?
The feature article by WotC on my deck was linked above.
As far as I can tell, it is unique. No one else plays the same cards.
People still walk up to my table, mutter 'Souls Sistas' and walk away. My deck gets called 'Humans', while I have 3 non-humans on the table. Opponents regularly sideboard utterly rong because they 'know' what I am playing.
Getting judges to explain 'Protection from White' is fun.
Listening to my opponents complain about Devoted Lightcaster never gets old.
It does well against control.
It does OK against combo.
It does OK against aggro.
Against a weaker build of any of those styles, it will just crush them.
Against a stronger version of any of those styles, it can just lose if they do something impressive.
But there is the rub. They have to bring their A game, and pretty regularly a Gaddock or Thalia can gum up anything.
Any Tier 1 deck can beat this, but, this can beat anything sometimes too. Whatever it is they do, they need to do it, and quickly.
Pure burn is tricky, but even there I stand a chance. Maybe I should think more about red, but, there just aint that much out there.
It is against 'people' decks I am having trouble, purely because of the design philosophy behind this.
Targetted discard, creature Kill, board wipe and counterspells are assumed to be present. Therefore, all of my cards are threats. While my creatures do overlap, and help each other in some very surprising ways, 5 Slivers is likely to be more of a board presence. Thing is, most of those massed 'People' decks (Elves) get slaughtered by Tier 1 decks.
Except Humans, and possibly Merfolk, both of which can cause me problems.
Turn 1 Noble H is also quite strong. Humans is a very real deck
Mostly Black decks can be SO funny to play against. Lilli and Death Shadow are Hilarious.
People start to switch decks.
Death Shadow decks have serious problems with this.
Devout Lightcaster kicks, and sure, they can discard it, or burn it
U/B Does not like seeing Gaddock in base deck since they want to cast Cryptic Command, Planeswalkers, Repeal and boardwipes.
Also Militant dryad is nasty against Dredge tricks, snapcasters and Search for Azcanta.
Thalia, Big & Little, both annoy, & Pump knights are untargettable.
WLL loves being discarded to little Lili.
Their Duress often blanks.
There is some embarrassing problems for their standard emergency defences too. Tap out to animate the 3/2 Creeping Tarpit, block Gaddock, and the game goes to hell as I Windbrisk Heights a WLL into play and Gaddock is a 4/4.
Being force to sac a creature is also not very scarey after casting 1 costs, or a spectral Procession.
Point and kill with a fatal push is effective, but I can live with that. They are unlikely to play all 4, and maybe the Selfless will keep Gaddock alive.
If not, Might be time to cast a second wave of creatures.
And that is a good trick, do not over-commit. Once they are on low life, have slightly too much on the table, but not too much.
U/R is interesting. I really like his deck. Filling the graveyard and using it has always been cool.
Dryad is huge in this, and Gaddock only stops me.
Path is effective, Spectral too. Being able to block and kill his Arclight Phoenix with a 2/2 spirit is not what he wants.
His Thing in the Ice is critical.
When my meta is heavy on black decks, Devout Lightcaster is awesome. Death Shadow HATES it
I haven't been playing any black decks lately, and I just haven't been pumping the Knights at all.
Maybe they should change. At one point I think I hit 14 protection from black creatures.
The worst cards in my most problematic match ups are Little Thalia, Gaddock, and pump knights.
Dryad often does not use it's ability, same with Soldier, but they are 2/1 and only 1 cost. They are much faster.
Taking out the Aether vial in Humans may just be enough. It is a huge slow down for them, and even if they Reflector mage it back, the Aether vial doesn't work since it reenters without counters, and they can already cast Reflector mages, so , whatever and the game is probably over.
The Gaddocks and Little Thalia's need to go because they slow/stop the Spectral Processions, and that is likely how I am going to win. Also, slowing my Path to Exiles is annoying, and I am going to need to hit their Mantis Riders, most likely.
This deck has game against anything.
Except maybe Elves, Vizier combo, and Ensnaring bridge, but even then I can got lucky.
Humans can be a Bad Blowout
Humans is just a savage beating. Every trick I have just doesn't do nuthin'.
They don't use the graveyard. They don't have boardwipe. They don't cast 4 cost spells, or X spells. They don't have black creatures.
They have bigger flyers, and sprint creatures I can't fight.
Reflector Mage is hideous.
They always get lucky and take the Spectral procession.
Their meddling mage still works.
Little Thalia misses their only spell, Aether Vial.
Aether Vial is really effect against us because of that instant creature fear.
Their illusion is always good because it can copy Bananaman, WLL, or any of their toys, because there is always a build up of creatures.
Mantis Riders is a huge problem.
Champion of the Parish + Lieutenant are both hideous because of the inherent buildup of creatures.
Humans is just appalling.
I can still grab a game or two, but, ergh. Every card they play is just BAD for me.
I think Merfolk is also bad.
Red/Blue is also ugly, but can be beat.
Thing in the Ice + Anger is a very hard deck to deal with. Just is. I do not like fighting it.
Emrukal on turn 3 is always a hassle. RIP can win it, so can consistency vs their luck.
Going Toe to Toe with all of those decks seems pretty reasonable.
Can't win em all.
I am sure I am going to continue playing W/g instead of pure white.
My worst match ups are massed enemy creature decks, elves, Humans and maybe slivers. They are kinda similar, but not the same.
My worst results were against Tron originally, but that has changed. Tron is AOK now.
The deck really kicks arse, hard.
It can do turn 4 wins, but mostly it is turn 5 even against some resistence.
I am now at the stage of trying to figure out how to stop specific tier 1 decks. Tron, Elves & Humans.
Most of the rest of the field doesn't really bother me. Sure, any tier one deck can beat me, that is why they are called tier 1, but, that's just fine. I can beat them too. Affinity or burn or green or storm or jund.
Most of my cards are unique in this format. Most of my cards are not played by any other player in the room. People still tell me I am playing Soul Sistas. After I lost to Tron, I was actually told I should be playing Gaddock Teeg by another player as secret tech. Playing 3 base and a 4th in the board still wasn't enough. Really hard to justify going back to Flagstones and Ghost Quarters just for Tron, especially when they cost me games against everyone else.
That pure white beatdown deck is Bad-ass. Against any modern deck it win take games, and absalutely Hulk-Smash a whole lot.
But I think it loses to Tron, Blue/white, and some other tier 1 decks.
Teeg is my current attempt at dealing with 4 cost spells. It kinda works, but slows the deck markedly.
One of the things I really like about this deck is that either I win, or they do something special and beat me. No boring games. The deck is simple enough to play, but does involve real decisions. And I can mostly make the right plays.
This matters because I want to enjoy myself, not beat myself up for doing stupid. I understand stupid. And fun.
People often dismiss my decks out of hand when they beat them, and when I win, I get called lucky. Or, just a favourable matchup.
My White Weenie can easily kill on turn 4, like a combo deck, but the creatures are WAY more irritating than expected. It is not what my creatures do, it is what they stop you from doing.
To force them out of their game plan I play Thalia, big Thalia, massed fliers, pump effects, protection from your deck, graveyard interference, and I can even go indestructible / must attack with transformed Kytheon. I have discard defence, and board wipe defence.
The instant speed effects via Windbrisk heights confuse the hell out of the judges.
These cards have been thrashed. I understand the format now. Things like only 3 Kytheon, 2 Little T, 2 Gaddock, 1 Isamaru, and 1 Landing don't happen by random. The bad cards got tired and left.
And as to dodging Wrath. . .Gaddock Teeg turns wrath off.
Little Thalia makes it more expensive.
Big Thalia might delay it for the game winning turn.
Kytheon is not a creature when you cast wrath.
Selfless spirit make me immune to Wrath
So, Wrath really isn't a problem, but, Terminus can be a hassle.
The deck is So Solid.
It has been ground down by repetition. At it's core it is a damage engine, but all the irritating disruption, evasion, speed and tricks is often overwhelming.
It is just so amazingly reliable, and simple.
The strength of the deck is being able to morph into whatever beats the thing that just beat me.
Mono W humans is a larger thump, when it connects. The problem is it is WAY easier to disrupt.
My Army is comparable to Mono W Humans, less explosive but more resilient. Triple Champion of the Parish is just Bollocks, but, the support cards are just not quite there. When they bolt the first Champion, then Snapcaster, block, & bolt the last, the game is over.
Cast a Dryad militant as your first instead and they can't.
My Army is designed so they need to cast at least two board wipes, whereas MonoW Humans will crumple after the first successful board wipe.
My Army is a less disruptive and more aggressive version of classic GW Hatebears. But, Hatebears is about disrupting them more because it is 2 turns slower in killing people. This is about killing people first, and disrupting them second.
Tron is just a really strong Tier 1 deck, and deserves the respect due.
Against Tron, Gaddock really is a kick in the teeth. Pure White really needs the GQ as a way of slowing them, but Wg doesn't. The real problem with Ghost Quarter is it can stuff up your mana stability. Plains, Plains, GQ is not great for casting Triple white spells
That is a real part of the way My Army was designed, stability and simple. Constant reliability is the absolute hallmark of My Army. They have to do something special to win. That is the plan.
The problem with Tron though is they WILL do something special. Really reliably, hence the need to throw monkey wrenches.
Possibly my worse match up, multicolour humans, is getting more popular.
None of the new card ideas does anything against Humans. (And SoldierotP is effective there)
Almost all of my cards are very effective against Delver. This is not to say I always beat Delver, it is Tier 1 and so will just win games against anything. But my deck is favoured against it.
Go on, cast Kolaghan's Command, I dare you Mr Delver. Please? Or Collective Brutality.
Can I discard my Wilt Leaf Leige, and just win now? (Devout Lightcaster SLAM! on Tasigur or Gurmag)
And that is why my deck is SO GOOD.
I know all of their spells, and what I should do against them. They are playing known Tier 1 decks, mostly.
Their Tier 1 cards are why I am playing my oddball Tier 2 cards.
Snapcaster Mage is why I am playing Dryad Militant.
If you are looking solely at your cards in "Isolation", mono-W Humans is WAY stronger.
I mean, turn 1 Champ of the Parish, turn 2 Champ + Champ is a complete victory lap and touchdown dance.
Except it loses to Bolt and then a Snapcaster on turn 3
It is the interaction between the decks where my deck is the Nuts.
Turn 2 collective brutality works good against almost everything, until a free WLL wins the game
Same with Lilli
It is all these random little kinks that destroy opponents that were just not ready for them.
Kytheon making a Death Shadow attack him is a WIN!
Selfless Spirit laughs at Wrath effects, and costs 2, so, Why am I excited about Ranger-Captain of Eos ?
Spectral Procession can win games, and quickly. Add a Lord or two and the game will be over in a hurry.
Lingering Souls is directly comparable, different, but comparable. In Aggro, Spectral is better, provided it can be cast on turn 3. No other token generator comes close to it.
I point it out because none of the last three decks by not me are playing it. Inquiz of Kozilek will blank on mine, and work on the last 3.
My deck is almost mono-coloured. Almost. Very rarely I will have mana troubles, but, the lands that would cause these are lands 21/22/23. I get annoyed when the singleton green source (land 23) can't cast the Benana Man. It is rather different to not getting a blue source in a 3 colour spam fest playing 19 land, like Delver.
(Good to remember Gaddock does nothing special against Delver.)
It has been a while since I played against Bogles, but, I remember doing fairly well against it.
I am almost as fast as them, and much more reliable. Regularly I can block their creatures, and then what do they do?
Sure, if they get trample happening, or unblockable, they can just win. That's how it works against Tier 1 drawing precisely what they need, but, depending on the style of poison they are playing, this deck can just stomp bogles.
Without Trample (or Unblockable), WTF do they do against a turn 3 Spectral Procession?
And if they do draw and play the unblockable blue poison, Kytheon can win by making it attack him.
The Bogles decks I have encountered are the Giant Growth style, not the enchantment version.
Either way, I am heavily favoured.
Death Shadow is my target deck, I don't need help against them. (Devout Lightcaster SLAM!)
Burn is tight either way.
But, all 3 are tier 1. They can, and do, just win some games.
My deck does not struggle with 'Alpha Strike'.
Sometimes I win on turn 4. My deck is an Alpha Strike, and Bogles needs to somehow sneak past it. Mostly it can't.
As example, when they attack with a Bogle (example used because it is the other post I am replying to) I say "Block" with my SoldierotP (protection from Multi).
Bogle wants lots of support cards or they are just gunna lose.
Originally, this was a Martyr of Sands + Serra's Ascendant deck.
Squadron getting 3 birds, Use Martyr & Serra worked. But not well enough. Having loads of life just didn't matter enough. And it was too slow in general.
So I changed it to Proclamation of Rebirth with 30ish one drops
Which was way cool, and almost strong enough
So I tried faster, and with Gaddock Teeg. Loam Lions and Nacatyls. And Tarmogoyf.
Mana problems were such a hassle. But the Free Fetch Dryad was cool. But...
Then I tried straight white humans with Champion of the Parish and co.
Those guys do have a kick.
Then I tried White /Green humans.
Then White /Green/ Red humans (lightning mauler combo)
Then White / Red / Black humans (Dark confindant, & Hero of Oxid Ridge is real good)
.
Then White best of's & with Protection, this version
This one seems really reliable.
All weak creatures are gone, all remaining are hyper aggressive, and quite rude.
If my creatures did nothing for long enough they got flushed.
Current strong decks don't like this.
I have tried This that and everything. Well, lots anyway.
This version is real good. And works. Cheap too.
Graveyard interference is generally not worth it, outside of the Dryad anyway. She has done well.
Tron is hard, but winnable, same with affinity. They have to win, and quickly.
Pump knights are a good last hope against anything. Except Ugin.
A regular turn 5 clock can be fast enough.
Maybes more Horizon canopy & maybe Kor Firewalker ?
I have Tried
Dragon Hunter, Mardu Woe, Imposing sovereign, FoD, DoW, Worship, graffdiggers cage, rest in peace, stony silence,
Boros Reckoner, Tividar of Thorn, Ghost quarters, good intentions, Elspeth, Path, Mana Tithe, Gather, Settle the Wreckage, Flagstones, Emeria, mistveil, .... Maybe Brave the elements is a way to break thru, but losing to Kozilek's Return because it's colourless meant I stopped trying. Need to kill the opponent is still plan A.
The only current clash is between Little Thalia & Spectral Procession.
Against enemy Massed Team style decks, Little Thalia can be an OK sideboard, replaced with Wraths, Paths & Ensnaring Bridge.
Often some one cost creatures come out, as well, or Stillmoon / Mirrans if their colours are off.
There is no protection from Blue, which is why Merfolk can be a hassle.
They can be raced, for a time, then they gel and it just becomes impossible.
Kinda the same when fighting Silvers or any standard 'Men' approach. Our 2/1 are fast and angry, but don't have staying power. Gangs fighting gangs can go badly.
There is meant to be some creature that just can't be dealt with. Flying is matched in Blue and double strike is not intimidating. But there is the sudden swarm aspect. It can easily just win by hitting.
.
There is quite a lot of hitting.
Card Hand Draws
Very few Mulligans, and 6 cards is still strong.
Only White sources = No colour screw
Gentle manabase with little flooding, & Pump Knights
This deck is trying to be the most powerful ordinary deck out there.
It always does something good, and you have to do something better
I just saw Madcap->Pristine Golem 8/8 very impressed
(Taunting the Golem with Kytheon/Gideon Planeswalker, makes the Golem attack and die.)
2x Isamaru
3x Kytheon
1x Legion's Landing
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
3x Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x White Shield Crusader
2x Mirran Crusader
3x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Spectral Procession
4x Wilt-Leaf Leige
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Shefet Dunes
2x Kataki, War's Wage
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Stillmon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Path to Exile
2x Martyr of Sands
2x Ensaring Bridge
2x Wrath of God
Results :
4-0
2-2
4-0
3-1
2-2
3-1
My last 6 tournaments. 18 wins, 6 losses
Loads of really strong cards choke when they read mine. Fighting hard against well made decks. This is cheap, and really effective.
Turn 4 kills can and do happen. It is easy to play. OK to sideboard. Really fun, and has So much interference, from unlikely places too. People dont expect it because everyone just doesn't play my cards.
Actual Rounds recollections
Lots of fighting thru card-efficient Jund decks
Lots of pushing past snapcaster decks
Beat Swans
Lost to Goblin Lore sillyness, and beat it.
lost to thune green sillyness, just. But 2-0 so, fair enough
Beat MonastrySwiftspear.deck with a lucky Martyr and work.
Lost to Affinity, increased KataKi count. Stoney silence did nothing and they killed straight thru it.
Worship has been AWESOME ! once. And sucked alomst always every other time.
And Lots & Lots of Beatdown.
On the draw, with one land and 4xOne Drops. Yeah, I kept it. Drew the land and never looked back.
She made me sac a creature, so I knew she would power up by making me discard in her next turn. Both my creatures attacked him, not his planeswalker. Then she +1 loyalties making me discard a Wilt-Leaf Leige into play, and it's over. 2 land win.
I have Mulliganed 6 or 7 times across those 50 games. Mulligans are easy.
2,3, or 4 land = Keep
0,1,6,7 land = Mulligan
5 land is a special case. Maybe
Windbrisk, 2xPlains, Horizon canopy, SelflessSpirit , SpectralP - is a definite keeper
Sigh
1 win 3 losses ( Beat red, lost to turn 3&4 green combo, Loss to Valakut, Loss to Um?)
2 wins 2 losses (Loss to White weenie is embarrassing, lost to turn 4&5 Ugin, beat Red, beat Death Shadow)
Some of them felt bad. Losing to fast Ugin is just gross. Happens really reliably. Just doesn't seem worth the interference.
The combos are so fast.
I am playing in two different stores with extremely different meta games. And when the other guys get their best draws, they are probably going to grab it. I am trying to win all the other games.
3-1 - Small tournament, but only complete decks.
Beat mill 2/1 - on play
Beat Thopter combo / Lantern 2/1 - on play
Loss to Feladir /Shaheli 0/2
Beat Black white tokens 2/0
2x Isamaru
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
1x Legion's Landing
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Path to Exile
3x Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
2x Selfless Spirit
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Leonin Arbiter
3x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Spectral Procession
4x Wilt-Leaf Leige
9x Plains
4x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Flagstones of Trokair
4x Ghost Quarter
3x Kataki, War's Wage
1x Selfless Spirit
1x Stillmon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Path to Exile
2x Ensaring Bridge
2x Wrath of God
1x Baneslayer Angel
23 Land, with some utility happening.
The Windbrisks are really good.
The horizon canopy is good.
Eijango is a one in 60 accidental winner
The Flagstone+ Ghost quarter combo is mostly accidental. It just seems OK vs some of my problems. Tron hates GQ. The Leo arbiter may or may not be a good idea. It should rarely cause problems with my own Flagstones / GQ, but will if I am not careful. One Path to exile has also managed to make it back in. The Leo's make it just too tempting. It failed miserably. Turn 1 no first play, looking at a path. He plays a Bird of paradise. Sigh.
Ghost Quarter on the tapped Flagstones does work, get two plains, one is untapped, tap it for a second white.
23 land in a white weenie is heaps. Still seem to be Mulliganing a lot though. Just not enough land. Flooded twice, but won one of those. Pump knights with protection from Path & Push seem a good way to spend excess mana.
One game I won by casting a soldier, another soldier, a Kytheon, a dryad . . . and no second land. I had already mulliganed down to 6
The massive damage potential from a turn 1, Power 2 creature should be noted
-,2,2,2,2 is the damage it will cause across the first 5 turns when ignored. 8 damage goes a long way
3-0-1 - Small tournament (first round bye)
Draw 1-1-0 Little Eldrazi
Close, well fought games. All went long. Last could have gone either way.
Win 2-1 Grapeshot combo
Dryad is good. Little Thalia is good. Path is important to stop Baral & electromancer
Cannonist worked.
Win 2-1 Faeries
Close. Path stopped a Champion effect. So fast
2x Isamaru
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
1x Legion's Landing
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
3x Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
2x Selfless Spirit
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
3x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Spectral Procession
3x Benalish Marshal
17x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Kataki, War's Wage
1x Selfless Spirit
1x Stillmon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
3x Path to Exile
2x Ensaring Bridge
2x Ethersworn Canonist
Current changes
Benalish Marshal (aka Banana Man) seems good. More plains too.
Going to switch the 2 Stillmoon's base into a Selfless Spirit & a White Shield Crusader.
Lowers the curve. Path and white creatures are not seeing as much [lay as expected, and there is always targets.
I like having the 3 pump knights and a simple landbase.
Still had to mulligan down to 5 on the final game against eldrazi, (and he went to 6).
The deck is really solid, cheap, and easy to play. Sideboarding is not hard, but not obvious.
The other side is where most of the luck is involved. Currently trying to justify buying a Horizon canopy.
This deck can scare anything.
All my results are recorded
4-0
2-2
4-0
3-1
2-2
3-1
1-3
2-2
3-1
2-0-1
26 wins 12 Losses 1 Draw
That's a 2/3rds win rate across 10 smallish tournaments.
1/2 d'oh all were close. lost to mill gaining life & Beat Death Shadow
One of my meta's was filled with black. It is much, much less so now.
I realised just how focussed on Path to Exile, and targetted black creature kill the format is. Playing Stillmoon cavalier base deck can just break many decks. There is simply NOTHING they can do. But don't get me wrong, Stillmoons are often the last creature cast, and where you pour all that useless excess mana.
Same goes for the pump knights, they allow a higher than normal land count. This was intentional.
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People still call my deck 'Soul Sistas' !
Because they have played against Soul Sistas, they know what they should do, and what I am going to play. People cast Meddling Mage against my turn one Soldier of the Pantheon, and the card they name is, 'Path to Exile'
Tier 1 deck players know all of the cards in all the 'Good' decks. All their side boarding is already worked out, and understood. My cards are all strange, and regularly my opponents make mistakes because odd rules appear. Or they just miss stuff.
Blocking a Dryad wrong because it gets +2/+2 , not +1/+1, is surprisingly common.
Windbrisk burns peoples brains. 'Protection' is not on any widely played cards.
My results back when I was playing lifegain were awesome against fair decks, and progressively worse against tournament quality. Many Tier 1 decks just don't seem to care about card advantage, or lifegain. I use lots of Attack Phases, but most modern decks really don't.
I kept playing the cards that were winning me games, and changing the ones that cost me games consistently. I got slightly inbred for a while playing 15 protection from black creatures, in base. The only original cards in base deck now are plains and spectral procession.
I did start off with Ascendant+Martyr / Ranger and loads of other normal stuff. Then I kept changing it. Emeria is glacial in it's speed.
Tron, control, mill, combo & Merfolk do not care about durdling Turbo-Fog style decks.
Slivers & Humans probably just beat Turbo Fog too, depends on colours & build.
Tron plays Ugin.
Control wipes the board again
Mill turns over your library on turn 5
Combo should win (doing infinite) on turn 4-5-6
Slivers/ Merfolk/ Humans can deal hundreds of damage.
Fair creatures can not wrestle a big Eldrazi
Cast Emrukal, Attack (Annihilate 6 permanents), win
Hold on you cry, I'll just 'Path' that. Except path doesn't work.
(Path to Exile wins games against fair decks, and sucks against Tier 1)
Little Eldrazi is a strong deck. Kozilek's Return is harsh.
2x Isamaru
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
1x Legion's Landing
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
3x Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
2x Selfless Spirit
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
3x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Spectral Procession
3x Benalish Marshal
17x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Kataki, War's Wage
1x Selfless Spirit
1x Stillmon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
3x Path to Exile
2x Ensaring Bridge
2x Ethersworn Canonist
My Current results are 27 wins /14 losses /1 draw
The best thing about this deck is that those 14 loses were to really good decks doing amazing things. It never just lays down and lets them win. Their deck has to function, and often it has to do something quite special
2x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
1x Legion's Landing
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x White Shield Crusader
4x Spectral Procession
3x Benalish Marshal
4x Wilt-Leaf Liege
17x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Shefet Dunes
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Ethersworn Canonist
2x Kataki, War's Wage
2x Ensnaring Bridge
3 wins 1 loss
beat 2-0 Jund
beat 2-0 Quick Red (Sligh)
lost 1-2 to Blue Spirits (with CoCo)
beat 2-0 Dredge
All quality players and complete decks.
4x Path to Exile
-Good against Red and Spirits. Dont really need them against Jund, but...
2x Stillmon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
-Came in against Jund & Dredge. Lightcaster was a top deck windmill SLAM against an active 4 cost Lilliana
2x Ethersworn Canonist
- in against sligh & Jund (Stops Cascade & prowess)
2x Kataki, War's Wage
2x Ensaring Bridge
- Not subbed
4x Dryad Militant - subbed against blue
2x Isamaru - Woof. One got subbed
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros - Is strong. Indestructible, and then Transformed
1x Legion's Landing - Actually won a game by making tokens as blockers against a size 9 Scooze
4x Soldier of the Pantheon - subbed against dredge
3x Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit - Were just flying 2/1's, but no-one tried to wipe the board. One was subbed against Dredge
3x White Shield Crusader - Caused problems for Jund, and got subbed against Red
3x Thalia, Heretic Cathar - Did nothing special. One got subbed against red
4x Spectral Procession - Love the Benana Man, and really are strong
3x Benalish Marshal - have worked much better than anticipated.
4x Wilt-Leaf Leige - Are really strong, and large.
3x Windbrisk Heights - Really are the business. Flip Big Thalia to stop the CoCo creatures was good, as was having Benana Man under there. The 4th one just doesn't play right.
1x Eiganjo Castle - no effect, was tapped when it mattered.
1x Horizon Canopy - did get used
1x Shefet Dunes - Actually won the game, to the exact damage point, the turn before losing. This singleton is worth the effort, very rarely.
This deck is bollocks, and rogue.
It's simple to play, has some decisions, and kicks the Bejezus out of almost any 'Fair' deck.
The speed & reliability of the attack is surprising. Mono colour, with lots of Land, all of which casts everything, quickly. The 'Luck' in almost all match ups is on their side, and the random interference I play can be crippling.
It may be the most reliable deck in the format. The opponent has to beat it.
Just one mulligan this tournament, and one slow start. They have to do something better than the Wallop, and losing to people playing great Magic is also OK. The opponent has to do something special to win.
Wallop costs very little, is outrageously stable, and wins a lot against Tier decks.
A good combo decks win on turn 4
3xPlains + 3xOneDrop + 1xBenalish Marshal = Turn 4 win in opening hand.
The Stillmoons are still ace, but, Path to Exile is getting less play and there is only so many expensive (3 cost) creatures I can fit in base. BananaMan has just been phenomenal.
This deck is easily able to go toe to toe with ANYTHING.
Almost any deck can beat it if they draw the best they can, but most decks just get run over outside of those god draws.
As example.
A gray ogre is only barely playable in limited. 3 cost, 2/2
A Bear is always playable in limited, and mostly too weak for constructed. 2 cost, 2/2
A Savannah lion is playable strong in limited, and standard constructed playable. 1 cost 2/1
Isamaru is strong in standard, and playable in Modern. 1 cost 2/2
Dryad can be a 1 cost, first turn win
Kytheon can be a 1 cost Planeswalker
And Soldier can just sometimes be untouchable
Little Thalia can also just win games
Lingering Souls is another good example.
Lingering Souls is WAY strong. It was banned in a format or two. Without a discard engine, Lingering is 5 mana for 4 x 1/1 flyers.
Spectral Procession is 3 mana for 3 x 1/1 Flyers
Spectral is actually stronger for this deck than if Lingering was just in White.
Spectral directly helps Windbrisk, WLL, BenanaMan, Kytheon and Legions Landing
(The '6 cost' aspect is funny against red Eildolon's and Spell Queller)
Wallop is incredibly cheap, rogue, simple, and kicks arse against serious decks. I mean, turn 4 wins happen. There are LOTS of good, and interesting sideboard cards. All of which are cheap.
I get it that to play a deck where all you do is turn sideways is not what most people want to do in Modern, because, "It's modern and you can do all sorts of stuff!". I am not like that.
In standard, I have played New Perspectives for about a year.
Regularly I am the ONLY combo deck in the room, and can take 12 minute turns involving 70 card draw events.
Wallop is about massed onslaught, in a wide open format. It is simple, and brutal.
There are many other versions of similar, but they are not the same. A Nacatyl with Loam Lion and Kird Ape can be just as fast, but has weaknesses. Colour and mana screw happen more. Damage is done through fetches, and there is stuff in the graveyard, non basics in play and all sorts of interference becomes possible. This is partly different because it just doesn't do that. Lots of expected stuff just doesn't work as well against this because it is SO pure. Random stuff like Leonin arbiter, Ghost Quarters, Archieve Trap, Bloodmoon, . . .Lots.
Killing the Spirit so the board wipe happens is required.
But, no-one expects to have to deal with a Stillmoon Crusader after wiping the board, and mostly, only Red can.
Board wipes always come in after game 1.
I am used to being ignored when I come up with something special, like this.
Don't believe me. I am used to it. The world regularly disagrees with me. Oh well. That is why I like Magic.
You do not HAVE to agree with anyone, and I am just the raggedy man.
30 wins, 15 Losses, 1 Draw
Lots of weenie decks can just die to wipe
Wrath style effects have always been weenie decks nemesis.
A chunk of the field relies on Wipe, so, surviving it can just win games.
Selfless spirit works, (and it is a 2/1 flier).
The creatures entering the battlefield to crowd it out do cause damage, kinda like a haste creature, since 7 are Lords that pump everybody.
Be aware everyone is always about to cast a board wipe. Don't worry about it.
Wallop deals with wipe by having scarey enough creatures that a wipe is needed immediately.
Then, the board can be refilled immediately with enough scarey creatures a second wipe is needed.
All the creatures are strong enough to fight alone without achieving any particular critical mass. Except the Legions Landing, a lowly 1/1. Landing replaced a land, and sometimes is the land I need.
The obvious power of Landing is the last ability, make a dude, but it is actually the weakest of the 3. The idea that Landing is meant to be used after a wipe is kinda sad. It's happened maybe once. Being a 1/1 lifelink is 'eh', being a land is 'ok', making dudes is 'eh'. But it really does mend together, and transforming into that 3rd or 4th land can win games, sometimes.
2x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
1x Legion's Landing
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x White Shield Crusader
4x Spectral Procession
3x Benalish Marshal
4x Wilt-Leaf Liege
17x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Shefet Dunes
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Ethersworn Canonist
2x Kataki, War's Wage
2x Ensnaring Bridge
2 wins 2 loss
beat 2-0 ? Real deck, but I don't know what it is called. Multicolour, Lotus Cobra with replace card 3/2
lost 0-2 Tron. Turn 4 & 5 Ugin. Sigh. Overall, he won 6 games I won 3
lost 0-2 Elves. (with CoCo). Newish plyer. Beat him 2-0 before the tournament. Overall, I think he should win.
beat 2-1 Zombies. So many protection from Black. Lost was by flooding
32 wins, 17 Losses, 1 Draw
If Tron gets it, they just win. Same with Elves
The Tron player was absolutely certain I should be playing Stoney Silence. I think he is just wrong. He even sideboarded in enchantment kill. I really don't think it matters. Swapping in Flagstones & Ghost Quarters just for this match up doesn't seem worth it.
Not really sure what else I can do against Team decks, and Elves explodes. Wrath is not effective often enough. works ok with the Canonists though.
The Soldiers used Protection from Multicolour multiple times.
Windbrisks won games.
Kytheon transformed, and used all 3 powers throughout the night.
xxxxx
Wizards wrote a feature article about me playing Gaddock Teeg at the World Championships.
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/event-coverage/2008-worlds-feature-deck-tech-wakefield-lives-2008-12-11
Playing Teeg is a massive change, and was one of the first changes I tried out when I first built this deck. Tron had been wiping the floor with me. In fact, most serious decks crushed the first White Weenies I built in Modern. Teeg himself is way strong. But. He weakens the deck overall.
Teeg just stops my 4 Spectral Processions, and they are Way Strong too.
Fetchlands, Shocklands, A forest, A (1/1) forest, are all complications to my manabase
Dealing with Mana screw, Blood Moon, Ghost Quarter, Spreading Seas, Tarmogoyf, Archive Trap, Big Thalia, Leonin Arbiter (Mine&Yours) . . . These are all these complications caused by that single green mana, and none of them good.
And after all that Tron pays 2 colourless and gives him +3/-3 as an instant on turn 2.
Sigh.
I think the change to deal with Tron should be to switch in 4xGhost Quarter + 4xFlagstones into Base Deck.
But, it does actually weaken the deck significantly since Plains,Plains,Ghost Quarter does not cast a Benalish Marshal.
Ghost Quarter just don't produce W, unless it pops a Flagstones. And That might matter in every single game, against everybody.
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Landing is a goof-ball card.
It is average, but, really consistently.
I do not want a second one for precisely the reasons you state.
This deck is not mid range, so I don't want a 5th land. The times when Landing has actually been critical have been rare, really rare. But it did win those 3(?) games. It has also been average regularly. In those games it doesn't really matter since their was a Dryad Turn 1, and a Selfless turn 2. Or similar.
Landing then flips on turn 4, post combat. Not very impressive.
Except when I haven't drawn a 3rd land, but still pump out attackers.
That scenario just doesn't happen very often, and only having 1 power seriously blows. The 'Consolation Prize' is the bit I care most about. I don't care what happens AFTER attacking with 3 creatures, why aren't you dead?
'4 mana turn 3' can only happen if I have drawn 3xOne drops and two untapped lands
0+2+6+6+6 is a turn 5 kill (Well, unless landing is involved.)
I am playing Benalish Marshal, Why pay 4 mana for an effect that only costs 3 mana ?
0+2+9+12 = turn 4 kill
Wilt leaf liege is my only 4 drop. Sure, pump knights enjoy it.
Final game of latest tournament against Zombies. . .
Devout Lightcaster, Mirran crusader, Stillmoon cavalier in play.
Draw Stillmoon, Attack with team, flip a Devout Lightcaster from the Withered heath.
. . . Alright, maybe he had conceded at that point.
Tron is difficult currently, but I can win it.
Both Thalia's and the Selfless Spirit can win it.
As can any game where Tron gets slightly unlucky, or slow.
Landing was the one card I sideboarded out against Tron.
.
This deck is the most consistent in the format.
That is one of the reasons I enjoy it.
I will win, or, you will do something spectacular, either way it is a good time.
Mulligans are rare, and don't hurt much. Flooding is a problem on about turn 4, so hope you got a pump knight, Kytheon or maybe just 3 random dudes. I Flooded in one game. Turn 5 had 2xWll & 2xDryad in play for 24 power of creature. But, that was all the non plains cards for the game.
They have to win, my deck just has to show up.
I just don't seem to play enough any more to keep up with some of the minor stuff, and I fully accept I make play mistakes. Having such a simple, brutal deck kinda helps.
My Flagstones & Ghost Quarters are still in the coloured sleeves for this deck.
It still kinda blows.
Plains + Ghost Quarter = Losing a land on turn 2 or 3
Turn 4 double pump or WLL or double creature is still good.
That is why I have almost always used them on my own Flagstones, which do get the extra plains.
The 'Plains' got by the flagstones is tapped, so it may as well be a 'Temple Garden'
So I am playing Gaddock Teeg
And fetchlands
And a Dryad Arbor
. . . and everything has gotten really complex again
I am not claiming it is the best, strongest or flashiest.
That's the point.
Plains + 2/1
Happens most games
Second turn second creature happens most games
'Hit you' happens in most games
I beat Humans last time because his manabase was unstable and did not give him a colour.
I think Humans beats me, mostly. But Humans is less consistent.
If their deck does not fire, and quickly, they die.
Reflector mage is bad for me, so is some of their other wackier stuff.
It is close though, and I can sometimes go straight thru them. Mostly against Humans it comes down to who goes first, it is close. The game can stall out.
This deck will always provide a clock.
The bell curve of when this collection of cards will reach 20 points against a goldfish is very narrow, so you better do something.
Plains + 2/1 = 10 turn clock
Plains + 2/1 = 7 turn clock
Creature = 5 turn clock
None of those decks can claim anything even remotely that simple, reliable, or consistent.
There are entire type of random interference that also just don't affect me.
Will you draw dead cards that kill permanent types I don't play?
Example 1
On the play, they cast a turn 1 Bird, and a turn 2 Bloodmoon
Is your deck stuffed?
Example 2
On the play, they cast a turn 2 leonin Arbiter / Gaddock Teeg / Counterspell / Disenchant / Path / Thoughtseize
Are you in trouble?
Example 3
Boardwipe Effect on turn 3, and Turn 5 - Problem?
Example 4
They cast a turn 4 Ugin
. sigh .
This is deck can win on turn 4, but mostly turn 5, or 6, or 7 if they are fighting.
Naming lots of really strong decks that may or may not beat my deck does not prove anything.
When I play against Tron, my deck is going to do what it does.
If Tron wins or not is completely down to Tron.
The vast majority of the Luck is on his side.
My deck will do what it does. If Tron wins, it is because Tron did something awesome.
This is because my deck is WAY more consistent.
I have tried to make my deck as naturally unpleasant to as many Tier 1 decks as possible
If I randomly win because one of my random creatures destroys you, cool.
You are not going to do the same.
The 'Random' is almost always happening on the other side.
A fair number of my wins will be just those decks falling in a random hole, but few of your wins will be like that.
Everyone else has absolutely no idea about my deck. How cool is that?
I get to stomp face on all these people, as they constantly tell me no one is playing my deck, and sideboard cards against threats I am not playing.
Because I am playing Soul Sista, or humans, or whatever you all knowing people want to mischaracterize my deck as.
And because my deck is so brutally simple, aggressive, and FAST to play, my rounds are often over in a flash.
Most people never get to see it.
So yes I am playing Hatebears, or whatever you say I am.
I have recorded my last 50 matches, and my win rate is 65%.
Unlike most, I loudly proclaim my play has been ordinary.
This deck is ace, and you do not have to believe me, or listen. In fact, don't.
That is why I like Magic, mostly I don't want you to believe me.
Aint no way they are going to have a bolt to burn a Banana Man.
Lightning bolts get used on turns 1 & 2.
Turn 3 bolts are off the top, or from a snapcaster. But lets hope the bolt got exiled first.
Soldier of the Pantheon stopped a size 9 G/W Elemental last tourney, and forced a Lotus Cobra to block because everyone else was shiney. Soldier is reliable, solid and consistent. Always does what it does.
Soldier was also completely removed against Zombies & Elves.
Steppe Lynx is inconsistent, and relies on other things that hurts me. And all those other things add complexity, inconsistency and points of attack for other decks. Ghost Quarter & Bloodmoon & Goyf dont like my deck.
When a bloodbraid elf is attacking, I want the Soldier, not the Lynx.
When a reflector mage or unsummon or stifle effect is randomly inserted, I want the Soldier.
When I am on 1 life, I want the soldier.
Lynx have a lower damage potential, i think. Although Flagstones + GQ does seem rude.
Wow. Thats a 6/7 attacking on turn 2(?) And again with the random, and inconsistent.
I Tried the Wild nacatyl + loam Lion + Kird Ape variant while I was trying out Gaddock Teeg. It just naturally pops up when making the deck. It really is quite strong. But it isn't consistent enough. Sometimes it just fails to connect up all its pieces, or they do something really rude and everybody dies again.
This version is more consistent because it plays Selfless spirits and Kytheon so it survives wipes better.
And those cards are better in this because of the 7 white creature pumps.
I have played Honour the Pure too.
The difference is that Benana Man is more consistent.
Honour is an enchantment, and as the only one it suddenly allows many of their cards to target.
Benana man is just another creature. A 3/3 creature that kinda has haste because it also does what an Honour the pure does. But when he is alone he still blocks creatures, and kills players. There is a reason he is WWW. That is a crippling mana cost.
If I cast one spell for the game, I have a Banana. You may have Two Honour the Pures, but you gunna die.
The Benana Men are absolute BEASTS in this. I gotta find space for the 4th.
There is another outlier of a game where you draw all four Honour the Pures and get grumpy.
All of those games are gone.
Say it is turn 5 and there are Two Honour the pure's in play and Kytheon attacks. Being a 4/3 with a 3 cost indestructible is OK.
Now try 2xBanana men + Kytheon attacking. 4/4 + 4/4 + 4/3. And Kytheon is going to tranform, and do something else
Same thing happens with Windbrisk Heights. Banana Man triggers them because he has legs, And Windbrisk is way strong in this.
On 3+ of the first 4 turns I will play creatures.
Sometimes I do got both Hounds, or two Kytheons, or 2 of the same Thalia.
Sometimes Little Thalia interferes with Spectral Procession
Sometimes a Windbrisk Heights is worse than a plains.
Sometimes I get too much plain land, and sometimes not enough land for the last spells, but not often.
Thats it
Show me a tournament deck with more consistency.
Or fewer overt weaknesses.
A weakness to turn 4 Ugin seems fair.
Running 8 fetch-lands and a shock is just not enough to run a second colour. I would want at least 13 sources. Hopefully more. Otherwise it is just too inconsistent. And it hurts.
Getting those games where you only draw shock land and then fetches and Horizon canopy, hurts. And that happens constantly. And then something connected to it goes wrong. And then I would draw the 4th Gaddock Teeg, I don't need to be sold on that guy.)
The deck I post from the Worlds plays 11 Land that can provide white, 4 birds of Paradise and 3x'commune with nature', so maybe 18 kinda sources of white. If you need to cast Gaddock Teeg on turn 2, playing 9 sources is just not enough.
Again, it is just about never having those crap draws. I just don't get them.
Sure, if they are in complete control, they can pick the wings off us like a cruel child with an insect. But that's after the game is over. Ugin turn 4 is not what the game designers envisioned when they designed him.
Say I fetch the shock, play Gaddock, and smile
Then, they Bolt Gaddock, and Ghost Quarter your Temple Garden. Or bloodmoon or the new bloodmoon. or Fulminator mage or the desert one or Rishadan Port (is that in?)
And we draw Gaddock 2,3 & 4, of course
That sort of horrible just cant happen.
The deck is pure, and that purity is why it is SO reliable.
Sometimes I have sideboard out the 3rd Thalia's. They have started in the board before. I never want her to clog my hand.
Pretty regularly she just dies instantly anyway so it hardly matters.
Removing all inconsistency is what this deck is about.
17 Plains is one Shedload of basics, and 23 Land is a Shedload to start with for a weenie deck.
Mono colour. Everything taps for W. Every card fights.
Try giving a simpler game plan than 'Hit You'
Goyf , hollow one, rakdos, hollow , skred ponza, deathshadow, zoo and dredge. - Seems a pretty fair selection of random cards this deck is comfortable fighting. They are all really powerful decks that better have brought their best plays, because this deck should have them worried. Against some of those, the Path to Exile should stay in the board.
mono-colour + small creatures = Most Consistent
The only ways I can see to make this even more bland, vanilla, and White would be to reduce the conflicts.
Forgetting about Thalia & Spectral is annoying, and drawing 2 little Thalia's is yuk so cutting one seems good.
Same with Big Thalia.
1 / 3 / 0 Sigh
1/2 vs Miracles Blue white. 3 Incredibly tight games. Dryad was a star. But, multiple timely reinforcements, and 7+ boardwipes is tough. Turn 2 Terminus seems fair Tight. Really tight. I kept a One land hand on the play because I had 4 1 drops. Right call as he path-ed my creature.
2/1 Mono Black. My board kicked in, hard. Game One I should have won, but just misread his cards. This felt easy.
0/2 Red/Green Goodstuff Ramp Both games he got on curve with arbor elves and enchanted lands and big spells to cast quickly. So close in game one. He tried to maelstrom pulse (destroy all same one) my 2xSoldiers of the pantheon. 'No'
Game 2 Anger on turn 3 hurts against no Selfless. Just wasn't expecting it in a small creature ramp deck. Courser of Kruphix has always been a thorn for my decks.
Got nailed by Bloodmoon of all things. My Windbrisk turned red and I couldn't cast my ensnaring bridge out of it (for the win) because His inferno titan had just killed 3 of my 5 creatures. And that happened because I couldn't cast Benana man because no 3rd W.
0/2 Mill +27 life game one, +48 life game two. Still just needed one more attack phase in both. The second game I got the heinous double WLL, and draw the 3rd WLL. My four creatures in play on turn 6, had 35 power and needed one more turn to deal the 32 damage still required. I think this is the 5th time we have played, I think its 2/3 overall.
This was mid week, and I can still remember every game because each was a really good game with cool stuff happening.
Every game my deck fought, and this week the other side really did do huge things.
Legions landing was bad once, sideboarded twice, and critical as the 3rd land once. I dont like the card, but it works, sorta.
Soldiers were regularly great, and boarded.
Dryads are awesome.
Kytheon popped himself as a planeswalker once.
Little Thalia was sad.
Selfless had a bad day. Terminus at the wrong times gets hard.
Windbrisk were HUGE! , and a mountain.
All opponents were playing all of the cards they wanted to play. And they played them well.
Each opponent was seriously hurt by Gaddock Teeg. Well, except the Black player.
I think archive trap is stopped by Gaddock, same with miracle terminus.
Adding Green. What a hassle. Means the ghost quarters and Flagstones come in too.
Sigh. I like plains. I had a weird game where my first two land were Dunes and canopy. Suddenly I was hurting myself. It just felt strange. Suddenly Temple gardens and fetch lands and hurting myself start happening. Doesn't seem to matter much against most of Modern though. Might let them kill me a turn earlier, but directly racing is rarely a problem in anything other than Burn.
Supreme Verdict, Terminus, Primal Command, Archive trap, Damnation, cryptic Command, Teferi . . . these cards won games
Tron has been hard for a long time, and Gaddock hurt them too.
I have the GW cards already, but it must massively increase the cost, I spoze. Plains are cheap.
Adding fetches also means that old favourite Dryad Arbor can happen, But the Benana Men are really not happy about that. Same with both types of pump knights. Mostly I have tried to play Gaddock in a green deck, with a touch of white. Not White with a touch of green. Loam Lion is suddenly a maybe, but that can go very wrong. Changing 15-17 lands just to play 2-3 Gaddock seems, well, . . .
Dumping the Pump knights would also suck, but, they are a recovery plan, and Gaddock is a preventative.
Losing Spectral Procession also blows.
Maybe the most consistent deck in modern needs to go up a step in power, and down a couple in stability.
Really don't like all the little weaknesses inherently included. But. Teeg stops all of this weeks's problems, except Anger of the gods. Steppe Lynx, Dauntless bodyguard, maybe a Rhys the Redeemed ?
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
4x Dauntless Bodyguard
3x Steppe Lynx
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
3x Benalish Marshal
4x Plains
2x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
4x Flagstones of Trokair
4x Ghost Quarter
4x Temple Garden
3x Windswept Heath
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Mirran Crusader
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Kataki, War's Wage
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Loxodon Smiter
2x Martyr of Sands
2 wins 1 loss
Bye ( Beat 3-0 a red combo deck in the round using basedeck 3 times)
Lost 1-2 Humans Ergh
Beat 2-1 Humans Ergh
Beat 2-0 Roskol Reanimater. Off the top turnbuckle head butt
I am so focussed on Gaddock, suddenly the Dauntless bodyguard's are go.
Needing so much green mana sources completely changes and complicates the Manabase. 15 Land get changed just for the 3 green mana symbols on Gaddocks. Since 11 of those changes involve lands that get land, the Steppe Lynx seemed like an interesting choice. A Steppe Lynx did 5 damage on turn 4, for the win. Not sure if a 4th is the right choice.
Not sure such complications are worth it at all since all of the cards I was worried about evaporated.
Gaddock did nothing. Gaddock got Boarded out every time. But, then again, there was no Board wipe, or big spells.
Losing Spectral Procession really hurts. No massed wave of Mosquito's means I have to go straight thru the opponent on the ground. Doing that is tough against massed Champion of the Parish, Thalia's Lieutenants and shiney humans. One game i won by Double Attack by WLL, blocking with Gaddock Teegs for a couple of turns, and then Top Decking a Selfless Spirit for the win.
Enemy "Team" decks are still really hard. Current changes do make Wallop much more aggressive, and can just charge thru, but it is rough.
I needed to mullingan to Six cards, once.
Eiganjo Castle kept threatening to be useful.
Devout Lightcaster landed on 4/4 Dredged creature with the Lot, Path to Exile the Troll, and smash thru for the win, past the other 4/4 Dredge creature with the Lot.
Mirran Crusader subbed in here as well.
2nd game I saw the unburial rites in the bin and realised I should have kept the Gaddocks in.
3rd Thalia, Heretic Cathar went in 3 times
Kataki, War's Wage, 4th Gaddock, Loxodon Smiter and Martyr of Sands were not subbed.
19 One Drops with 2 power is very blunt. Kytheon loves it. He transformed 4 times.
I got slow hands a couple of times where 2 Wll made opening hands a bit awkward. Not sure I want the 4th WLL
The 4th Banana man seems OK.
A 3rd Stillmoon might be OK vs Humans, really not sure how to be more effective against humans. I think trying to lower the head and fight just doesn't seem to work against humans on the draw. This version has no way of evasion outside of the 3 Selfless Spirit in base. Spectral procession is so easy, but avoiding some discard is nice.
If little Thalia is in play, and so is Gaddock, 3 cost spells can still be played.
I think I can lose a Plains, and a Temple garden
Going down to 3 plains & 3 Temple gardens , hmmmmm.
The 4th Windswept Heath is a must though, or maybe not. Doesn't need to be W/G fetch if there are no forests to fetch. Really want the Dryad Arbor, and it might be an ok choice since so many W mana symbols have left. Only pure WWW is the Banana Man
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Dauntless Bodyguard
3x Steppe Lynx
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
5x Plains
2x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
4x Flagstones of Trokair
4x Ghost Quarter
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
4x Path to Exile
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Kataki, War's Wage
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
2x Martyr of Sands
3x Spectral Procession
3 wins 1 loss W/G Total = 5 wins 2 losses
Win 2-0 Siege Rhino good stuff Damn close
Lost 0-2 Hollow One /VengeVine This was obscene. His draws were beyond anything that should happen.
win 2-0 Pure White Humans
win 2-0 Red
The Hollow One / VengeVine just felt wrong. I have played a lot of Modern, and that is the only time I have felt anything was out of wack, and that right there seemed WAY WRONG. On the strength of what I saw, that deck is going to be nuked at some point. Turn 2 and he has 2 hollow ones, and 2 attacking Venge Vines. That aint right. I don't know when, but that deck is going down. I actually have not much of an idea on how it would be possible to consistently fight it. Rest in Peace maybe?
Turn 2 Rest in Peace on the draw still wouldn't be fast enough. Hmmmm
The best deck out there seems pretty obviously the HollowOne/VengeVine abomination I played against tonite.
Wallop goes toe to toe with Tier 1 decks, and can kill on turn 4. I know this because I do it.
But, that . . . He said he lost the next round with a mulligan to 4, but, egad.
Three times I mulliganed to 6. Twice were 7 cards, no land. Once was 5 land and a pair of 1 drops. Three mulligans is absurd for this deck.
Devout Lightcaster landed on Lili
Stillmoon Cavalier was good against Humans, Siege Rhinos, Grim Flyers
Kytheon transformed Once.
Soldiers dodged shiney cards.
Dryads exiled some stuff.
With little Thalia in play, Gaddock was funny when he stopped 3 cost Liliana from being cast.
Steppe Lynx was great when I was trying for the rush. Two Lynx were in play when I played a GQ, used it, and a 2nd GQ, and with a Banana Man, take 7 twice. And they were boarded out against Humans, Red and Rhinos
Gaddock too was mostly sideboarded out, but did stop a Damnation game 1 against Rhinos. Mostly replaced by Spectral Processions.
Windswept Heath did get the Dryad Arbor, which helped.
I like this version, but would appreciate playing against decks that actually play the cards that shook me enough to start playing Gaddock Teeg again. There were Tron, snapcasters and Cryptics out there, just not opposite me.
I like this version of the landbase better. Doing tricks with it is cool.
Not sure about the Lynx, but, they did work, so I will keep them for the moment.
DBodyguard in yet to be special, but it still seems better than Legions Landing.
Hmmmm. How to stop Hollow/Venge?
Dryad annoys Faithless looting.
Devout can evaporate a zombie, and slay 1 a turn.
Banaman & WLL & Stillmoon & Little Thalia can fight zombies.
All 1 drops can mutual Zombies.
Gaddock & Dryad might upgrade to fighters.
Selfless can save the team of plucky fighters.
And Steppe Lynx sucks.
Big Thalia seems good here, but it all seems a bit hopeful if they gets the nuts draw.
Bridge from Below can do obscene things
Many of the basic rules concerned with how their cards interact just don't seem right to me.
VVines and hollow ones are also one step too large for me to easily deal with.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
3x Steppe Lynx
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
1x Spectral Procession
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
5x Plains
2x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Horizon Canopy
4x Flagstones of Trokair
4x Ghost Quarter
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
4x Path to Exile
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Martyr of Sands
3x Spectral Procession
1x Rest in Peace
3 wins 3 loss W/G Total = 8 wins 5 losses
Lost 0-2 First hand was a no-Lander. Turn 2 stone rain off a bird on the play Inferno titans. Lost 2nd game to Bloodmoon. Sigh. 8 land in play , no one drops for the game. Still can't cast the Bananaman or WLL because only 2 plains.
Lost 0-2 Mull to 6 coz one land. lose to Vizier combo turn 3. Took out the Gaddocks, forgot they play CoCo & Chord. D'oh.
Win 2-1 Infect . Kytheon forced his Infecty dude to attack Gideon each turn.
Game 2 he did a turn 3 kill! Prot white + Infect + Pump,Pump, Pump, Exalted, Exalted = 10
Game 3 We fought, and my creatures are much better at fighting.
win 2-0 Black/White/Red Overwhelm and Steppe beatdown.
win 2-1 Blue/White control. In a social he cast all 4 remandsd my 1 drop in a turn. Gaddock , Gaddock , Gaddock, loss in Game 2
Loss 0-2 Thing in the Ice. This is really bad. Spot kill, and Anger of the Gods is just bad. So many problems. Gaddock just don't live to stop the Cryptics. Woeful.
Steppe Lynx were great, and terrible, and boarded. On defence they are bad.
Gaddocks and Spectral Processions often switched.
Path to Exile was eh
Stillmoon Cavalier was OK
Devout Lightcaster subbed in once, unseen
Gaddock Teeg subbed in against W/U
Thalia, Heretic Cathar subbed most games
Rest in Peace & Martyr wasn't subbed.
Gaddock & Spectral Procession fight each other
Ghost quarter was only used on my own lands, and colour screwed me.
The dryad was great, except when I drew the card. Making the 4 Withered heath into a 1/1 was awesome, but having it in starting hand is average.
Unimpressed that Gaddock + Little Thalia does not stop 3 costs.
1 wins 3 loss W/G Total = 9 wins 8 losses
Lost 0-2 Elves. Damn. Before the tournament I went 3-1 against Elves basedeck. Gaddock on turn 2 shuts down the deck. Post Board I went 2-1 in socials after. So, overall, 5-4, but not when it mattered. And I think I stuffed it by tapping the ECastle. D'oh.
Lost 1-2 Tron Finally I played against the target market, and it didn't quite kick. GQ helps, but really got in my way as well. Gaddock Helps, but only sometimes. If they dont draw Ugin/Karn, Gaddock can't stop them. Great player, and deck. Tron is hard.
Lost 1-2 Mill. Locked out with Ensnaring Bridge & gain 42 life. These games are tight, but he has switched his base to be lots more anti small creatures than usual. Gaddock in play, so obviously he casts Bontu's Last Reckoning and not Damnation
He GQ'd my Temple Garden, and for the first time I couldn't get the 5th plains, because he had Milled it.
Win 2-1 Drogskol Spirits . Tight
Soldiers were key against lots of Shiney.
4 Good players with complete decks.
All opponents have been playing 'Name' decks for some time. 'Name' as in I can say their name and be descibing 50+ cards. This deck can't be described using shorthand like that.
I made a couple of play errors. I think in part because I am just not used to playing this with decisions. Steppe Lynx is interesting, and does have a higher damage potential, butsometimes it just don't work. Being bigger sometimes on the attack is OK, but they don't interfere. Being zero power means they can attack thru a bridge, and not do enough when they get there.
Dryad & Soldier can really get up peoples noses, and Kytheon is awesome. Woof is OK.
2 mulligans for the night. There was a 5 lander I kept against Tron with a horizon Camopy, and then I drew Land. Against Tron I also drew a Fetch and GQ and came real close without any more land. Sigh.
The Dryad Arbor is ace as a way to turn the 4 W/G fetchland into a 1/1 with 8 ways to buff it. It does kinda suck as a land to actually draw and play though. Arbor did cast a Militant, and a WLL, and it sucked once when I couldn't cast the Bananaman.
Colour screw did happen. Gaddock just couldn't get cast once, and both mulligans involved GQ/Arbor and no White. The flagstone tricks are neat, but, dunno. Hmmmm.
Massive changes.
Trying out All-In, and going beck to pure White, Champion of the Parish front and centre. The only problem is trying to find the last 4-5 one drops. All the rest seem good/great. Just those last humans seem standalone average. Plan against red is to get creatures too big. Plan against everyone else is turn 4 kill.
Straight White Humans
1/2 overall in first tournamnet
1/2 Tight games against Humans 2/1 after in socials
2/0 Smashed a reanimator 1/0 after in socials
1/2 Purest Green 2/1 after in socials
Back into White/Green
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
6x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
4x Horizon Canopy
3x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Damping Sphere
2x Wrath of God
One mulligan in first Tourny
Three mulligans in second Tourny
Four mulligans in 7 rounds seemed a LOT.
One of those mulls led to one land in six cards, but I pulled out of it for a win.
2/2/0
Tron 1/2
One Oblivion Stone was cast in each game, and it mattered.
Game one a Thragtusk base kept him alive, just, and the topdecked O-Stone clunked Gaddock.
Game two was Gaddock
Last game he won while on 1 life. grrrrrr
I think I might have hit 50% against Tron, but since I still can't seem to win a round against it, maybe that is a big call.
Dredge 2/0
Dryad is effective, as was protection from black, Kytheon and Gaddock.
Game 2 I was going down, with only 3 land and 2 cards in hand. Then he attacked using a green/black split card to draw cards, and make me discard.
So I discarded 2 Wilt Leaf Lieges, and won next turn. BRUTAL !
Blue white 2/0
Easy wins. But he didn't cast Terminus.
All of my cards annoy all of his.
Elves 0/2
Brutally Bad.
All of their toys work together, and help defend against mine.
Not sure this is winnable in any fair game. Sure, I can pull a turn 4 win, or they can fall in a hole, but, if a standard game happens, they will win it.
Perhaps a Wrath of God might work, but Settle the Wreckage might not.
Winning by casting the Drain Elf means they just don't need to attack.
Overall 2/1/0 at Untap
2/0 Purest green (with splash white)
Game Two he cast Path,Path, Settle the Wreckage, and then Path. I actually failed to find a Plains on the last Path!
Spectral Procession and Boosters won this. Wreckage only got 3 tokens.
All of my codewords just dont work against him.
But the deck is strong.
Big Thalia did the work.
1/2 Eldrazi Tron
This is tough, and he won the night.
Couldn't win game 1 because I knew he had the ability to block a creature with his instant token.
All is Dust wiped the full board, after Gaddock died because I could not power the Eijango castle from a horizon canopy because I was on 1 life. sigh.
Game 2 I got by strong beatdown & Gaddock.
Game 3 was math and thought. Not quite.
All 3 games were rough, and tight.
2/0 Mill
Got him.
First game I was not attacking with tokens because two orbs mean 2 cards per damage.
Gideon forced a hedron crab to attack, and die.
Second game he only gained 15 life off eating my graveyard. And it was not enough.
Massive quantities of damage do happen if left alone. He did not see the Bontu's last reckoning
Over the two tournies, . . .
Horizon Canopy worked
Gaddock worked
WLL & Bananman were great
Kytheon transformed 3? times
Dryad won a couple of games.
Soldier & Isamaru did nothing special, except being 1 cost with 2 power.
Small Thalia won games, and interfered
Big Thalia was OK, and sometimes brutal.
Arbor Dryad was ace, the first excess fetchland becoming a 1/1 really matters.
Legions Landing was good once, and poor once.
White Shield Crusader was OK, never pumped and sideboarded occasionally. It was also targetted for discard.
Spectral Procession was a beast. The clash between it and Gaddock is very real though. And Little Thalia is a source of irritation.
Selfless Spirit is good a lot of the time, and game winning sometimes.
I switched out 2 Martyr of Sands for 2 Wrath of God in the second tournament, but did not need them. Martyr & Wrath were not sideboard in either Tourney.
Devout lightcaster was subbed once, and unseen.
Stillmoon was subbed twice and unseen.
The 3rd Thalia & the 4th WLL were boarded regularly.
The 4th Gaddock was subbed sometimes, and the 3 basedeck left sometimes.
Dampening Sphere was subbed in two rounds, cast once, and got destroyed. Hmmm
Pretty sure I stuffed up entirely in the last game by casting a Spectral right thru a Gaddock.
And against Tron I cast a damping Sphere, and then tried to cast a creature. D'oh.
3/1/0
2/0 BlueWhite Control
Very Easy. Little Thalia, then Gaddock Teeg in both games made him a very sad panda.
0/2 Elves
Same guy as last tournament. Same result. Absolutely awful. borderline no chance.
I had sided an extra Wrath of god and a Worship. In game two I saw the worship, but never got a 4th land. Drain elf is still going to kill me with loss of life. Not sure it is worth trying to beat Elves.
2/0 Merfolk
Beat him with speed beatdown.
Sided out the Gaddocks. Sided in the wraths. Didn't see them. He didn't seem to be playing much in the way of counterspells. Aether vial is strong, but not that fast.
2/1 Jund
I won the first, just.
He won the second by maelstrom pulsing 5 tokens the turn before he died.
I won the third by him getting stuff rong. He tried to Pulse my 2 opening Soldiers, which didn't happen, so he Golgari charmed them instead. I pathed a couple of his creatures. He Golgari charmed, and I pointed to my +1/+1 creature. So, He terminated my Bananaman and I Selfless spirited. The Stillmoon cavalier was also on board.
Windbrisk height were awesome.
Landing was very good.
One mulligan, which went to a six cards, one land. And thumped. The bonus land appearing from the Landing was critical.
1/2/0 At Untap
2/1 Mill
Game 1 Thump (Gain 21 life off a crypt incursion, survive 1 turn more)
Game 2 Loss (Gain 48 life, play an Ensaring bridge)
Game 3 Thump on turn 4
1/2 Jund
Game 1 Loss. Only 2 land for the game. One of which was the dryad, which got dead. Still close
Game 2 Win. Stomp
Game 3 Loss Went for the win, played my last card, a Devout lightcaster. He Played Voldern (the R/B Vampire) and killed the 3rd creature. Finished with 10 land, and about 5 creatures total drawn. Got 3 path to exiles, and the 4th was put on the bottom from a Windrisk.
I think I should get this match, mostly. But his deck is good, and the player did fine.
1/2 Spell bomb recursion
Weird deck. Cool home brew. 2/1 after in the socials. I think I should get him most of the time, when my deck does normal things. Outrageous mana issues.
2 Gaddocks in game 1 could not be cast, no green.
1 Gaddock in 3rd game couldn't get down because of mana problems too. Grrrrr
3 mulligans to 6.
Serious mana troubles all the way thru, but still the deck fought. So much almost. Almost. But, they did some very wacky stuff to beat me. Even when I only had a single plains, total, I was still almost getting there.
2/2/0 at Good Games Lonsdale
2/1 3/0 in socials after
Stomp. Only lost that one game because there was no third land.
2x Protection from black Pump knights by turn 3 seemed good, but I finished the game with 6 cards I couldn't cast because of the no 3rd land problem.
Dieing to small Black creatures when I have a Devout Lightcaster in hand is a tad irritating.
The first game of the match involved me casting a Spectral Procession on turn 4 off 3xHorizon Canopies, and a Dryad Arbor to pay the Thalia Tax, but I got there with 1 life to spare.
0/2 vs Monastry Mentor.
Grrrr. I cast Gaddock on turn 2, and all he did was stop me casting 3x Spectral processions. He doesn't play any 4+ cost spells. Still got him to 1.
Game two involved me trying for the win instead of trying for interference.
By sprinting, he was able to flip the Thing in the Ice the turn before he got smacked. Not sure if Big Thalia would have been a better % play, or not.
Not sure about what and how to sideboard in this either. Tight, and I have significant game against him.
1/2 Amulet of Awakening.
Wow. Just Wow. What a deck.
Game 1 I killed his Double Striking, Trampling 8/6 Titan, and go to 1 Life. I think I have the game, when he taps out for 5 mana, cycles a Tolarian Academy into a Walking Ballista, casts it for 1, and kills me.
Game 2 I killed him, to the point, the turn before he whacks me silly.
Game 3 he hit me for 16 damage on turn 2.
I saw no Path to Exiles in games 2 or 3. I actually thought about Mulliganing a perfectly reasonable hand in game 3 because it didn't have one.
2/1 Tron
YAY !
Game 1 - He wiggled a bit, but got stomped. Big Thalia shone.
Game 2 - Turn 4 Karn, Turn 5 Ullamog, Turn 6 Ugin . The Karn I killed, Ullamog I can squint at, but the Ugin is scoop.
Game 3 - Turn 4 Speed stomp vs slow draw. Little Thalia was effective. The Damping Sphere wasn't needed.
Played a Razorverge Thicket instead on a plains. The only time it is likely to matter is lategame (turn 4 ) when I need the 4th land to cast WLL. Or maybe Blood moon. Or Big Thalia.
The Black player told me it mad no difference no play the fetch lands he was playing, and I disagreed. Then in the match, Big Thalia said Hi! to his fetchlands when it mattered.
The Dryad Militants were very effective against little Jace in Monastry.
The Dryad Arbor was Great! when summoned by a Fetchland. And ordinary when played naturally. It did do the final damage, and won a game. And not tapping for white was annoying. Gotta remember to play different 1 drops on turn 1 if I draw the Dryad Arbor. Do not play Dryad Militant on turn 1 if I get the Arbor, since G can cast it later. Play the Soldier, Kytheon or Woof instead, where possible.
Selfless spirit was a workhorse, even though I did not face a single board wipe.
Kytheon did transform, and it did matter.
WLL & Banana men were solid.
Soldier of the Pantheon & pump knights were most boarded cards. Woof & spectrals and a couple of spectrals also left.
4 Path
2 Wrath of God
2 Devout
2 Stillmoon
1 RIP
1 Gaddock
1 WLL
1 Big Thaila
1 Damping Sphere
Played 2 serious but social games against the 4-0 player, he was running Tron
Game 1, got him to 1 life.
Game 2, Killed him
He seemed a lot less cocky after.
Game 1 he needed a Walking ballista on turn 2 to kill my Thalia, so he did.
Then he needed an O-Stone to Kill Gaddock & friends, so he did.
Then he needed another O-stone, so he did.
Then he needed another Ballista, so he did.
2/2/0 at GamesL
2/1 Amulet 1/1 after in socials
2/0 Miracles Grumpy and social after.
0/2 Red/white Burn 1/1 in socials
1/2 Black/Green/w Premium Goodstuff
All fully maxed decks played by reasonable players
Sure, the Amulet player could have been better, but he had only been playing in for 5 days, and that deck is hard.
Path is really strong in this one. They put so much effort in, and then the Titan goes away.
The Miracles player knows his stuff and was adamant he should win 70% of the time.
I have played, and beaten him twice.
Burn is just hard.
It really regularly goes with the play, and I lost the roll, and then stuffed up a Path to Exile on a Eidolon.
I should have let the eidolon kill him. D'oh. The two in socials went with serve.
Maybe I should play a couple of devoted anti red cards.
Martyr of Sands is still way cool.
Path is a really dodgy call in this match. Dunno. Maybe not when I am on the play. Maybe not at all.
Against Black green, Inquiz took an Isamaru on first turn, then a bit of a flood
Game two Thoughtseize got a Devout lightcaster, and the game went real long.
Sideboard in 12 cards, including all 4 paths to exile, which was a huge mistake.
Took out the Gaddocks, and then lost to a -3/-3, four cost black spell.
Scooze/Tireless tracker/ Tarmogoyf / Lingering souls / Geth / Path / Fatal P - even an Anafenza in game one.
Just quality spells that try to spam together enough to stay alive , and then play something that will slowly win.
Helping him by pathing his creatures isn't going to win because he will use the land.
I need to kill him faster, by ignoring his Tarmogoyf.
Both Wrath of Gods were brought in. Both hid, and probably would have sucked badly anyway. Hmmmm.
Humans, Merfolk and Slivers be damned, the Wraths are outa here.
5th Dec - I won another small tournament with this deck, against tier 1 decks.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
3x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
2x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Damping Sphere
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
4/0 - Won at Games Lab 12 people
2/1 U/R
Neat deck doing good things. Lost the first to Thing in the Ice and triple arc Phoenix.
Turn 2 Thing is a real hassle, but they still have to kill me after it has gone off, and that aint that easy since I don't hurt myself much, and can repopulate really quickly.
Hard fought games 2&3, but I got him in extra time.
2/0 Tron
Game 1, He got a slow, turn 5 Tron, and couldn't use it because of Gaddock
Game 2, He got fast Tron, and couldn't get it done. All the creatures got in his face
Walking Ballista tried, but couldn't
2/0 Blue/Black
Good Stuff. He just didn't get off the ground. Gaddock & Co got in his face and he just couldn't
2/1 Death Shadow
He got lucky in the first game and just squeaked it home.
Game 2 & 3 were beatings
Went 2/1 after in socials. He needs to get a lucky Anger of the gods, and 4 cost Liliana
10 card sideboard
1 Mulligan for the tournament.
I kept a 1 lander on the draw as well. It had 4 one drops, and I drew a land.
I had one game with 2 Razorverge as only land in first 7 , which was awesome. Very happy with change.
Had a game where 2 Windbrisk were only land in initial 7. Went fine. Banana Man & WLL made a sudden, massive Kill.
Multiple games were turn 1 Windbrisk because I did not draw a 1 drop, and that seemed to work out fine.
It felt like I flooded once, but didn't because of Horizon canopy, Windbrisk, and fetching the Dryad Arbor.
Sideboarded out Gaddock in matches 1&4, but he really kicked in Matches 2&3, Spectral Procession went the other way.
Path & RIP went in matches 1&4
Only Martyr of Sands never went in.
Dryad Militant was an All-Star. Matches 1,3&4 that dinky little ability was MASSIVE. Even against Tron, a WLL made the dryad special. Nuthin wrong with a 1 cost 4/3
Dryad Arbor got fetched, was annoyingly green once, and was useful in casting WLL once as the 4th mana.
Soldier of Fortune was just a 2/1, constantly, and got sided out in round 4.
Kytheon threatened to be useful, and so got killed.
Big Thalia got sided in twice, and did annoy.
Benana Man was always good.
Selfless spirit was good, but not special.
WLL was always good.
Isamaru was cast, and did have a castle ready, but it didn't matter
Shefet Dunes hid.
Spectral was really strong, irritated by little Thalia, and had problems with Gaddock. Spectral technically costing 6 is still cute when cards like Inquiz of Kozilek (or eidolon) see it.
Legions Landing was unseen.
Little Thalia was all good, all the time, and the second one in hand was a little annoying.
White Shield crusader got pumped twice, and confused big Lili, and Black targetted creature kill.
Horizon Canopy was activated twice, and didn't hurt me much.
All my opponents were playing premium versions of their name brand decks.
I do not feel I need to describe their decks in detail because they were playing all the cards I expected them to play.
2/1 at Untap
2/0 U/W . . . (0/2 in post board socials after)
Game 1 I won from 5 cards on the draw. He just drew lands.
Game 2 was Gaddock and speed.
0/2 U/r/w/g . . . (1/1 in socials)
Game 1 was removal, then Blood moon, and then a Huntmaster
Game 2 was a Izzet Staticaster mowing down my tokens in responce to a WLL. Then a Bolt/Snapcaster/Bolt killing my WLL, and mowing down another set of Spectral Tokens. Electolyze, path, bolts, L-helix, Cryptic commands, Tarmogoyf and blue cantrips to nail them together. Bloodmoon is impressive in a 4 colour deck, but it worked.
The staticaster is a singleton from the board, and, ergh. He is the ex-store owner, and the random strength of the deck is cool. Spellqueller worked well.
In game 2, I should have cast Isamaru instead of the second 2/1. Isamaru has 2 defence and it would have mattered against Electrolyze.
Wallop doesn't like Tarmogoyfs + powercards, but, it still has game. Soldier of The Pantheon was surprising good.
The socials afterward were notable in that the Ravorverge actual came into play tapped for the first time ever, both of them, but it made no difference.
2/1 W/B Tokens
Game 1 Loss to a land heavy draw where he thoughtseized by Spectral, and curved out.
Game 2 was an Epic creature battle. My 7 creatures repeatedly killing all 7 blockers, for 3 turns. He could not kill me because of the turn 2 lifegain I got from a Martyr of Sands. He could not inflict lethal, and so had to block repeatedly. Big Thalia won it by making his next wave appear tapped. Only one martyr was sided in, soldier looked poor.
Game 3 he stalled at 3 mana, and I curved out.
Only mulligan was game 1, round 1. Single land, mulligan to no land, and win from 5 cards.
In socials beforehand, I beat the store owner playing W/U 1/0
In Socials beforehand, I beat a Green beatdown 2/0
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
3x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
2x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Damping Sphere
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
It has an incredible solidity to it. It feels right.
There are 5, non-obvious singletons in Base Deck, all of which have been tested.
There are only 4 spells that have a full four-pack.
These 2 statements clash with most simple beatdown decks.
Things like the 3rd Big Thalia in the board, (& the 4th WLL) (& 4th Gaddock), demonstrate playtesting over an extended period.
The numbers have happened by wearing down the plastic on the sleeves.
My spirit tokens need replacement sleeves from excessive use!
There are certainly cards I would like to include, dozens of them, but, . . . This feels right.
Maybe 2 more Temple gardens should become Razorverge Thickets
Maybe the 4th Horizon Canopy should return
In sideboard, the
1x Damping Sphere
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
. . are all being reconsidered. They do not come in regularly enough. Their effects are game changing, when they happen.
But that is about it. All the other cards pull their weight and seem to be in the right amounts.
Many of these cards incidentally destroy other decks, while primarily being about hitting people.
Another devout lightcaster would be nice, or Stillmoon. (Hobble, disenchant, sunlance, Auriok, . . . so many cards.)
Aggregate Results so far for W/gk
2/2
2/1
3/1
1/2
2/2
2/2
4/0
2/1
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18/11 - So far for White/gk version
CoCo has never got a spell Queller against me. Queller is certainly a strong card, and has impacted games against me.
I have beaten it by pure thump and speed, but it is a hassle. Last time I faced it, he was forced to wipe the board, and I killed him with the creature under the Queller.
CoCo is green, Queller is W/U. They don't go together very often.
Plan is to have the board filled before the Queller can land.
4/0 at GamesLab Kickin' it WOOOOOooooooooooT!
2/0 UR Thing in the Ice - - 2/0 after in socials. (I do not think this is indicative)
Dryad won the first game. Sending in the Isamaru & Soldier while he had a Snapcaster, but keeping the Dryad was critical.
He found a Thing, but too late as I swarmed around it.
Gaddock went out, path in. But I really shouldn't have. Game 2 he cast Jace and Cryptic, but couldn't quite stop the onslaught.
Windbrisk was brutal in both games flipping Bananaman & WLL
2/0 Artifact Affinity Creatures
Way cool deck. Herald of Anguish off boosters, forced me to discard the WLL Push through the air for the win with double boosted tokens.
2nd game Wallop was just so strong.
Gaddock went out, path in
Windbrisk was awesome.
2/1 R/B Insane cycling/discard Just nuts
Game 1 He attacked on turn 3 after Burn Inquiry (?) both players draw 3 and randomly discard 3, pumping both his 1 cost red creatures by 3. Taking 8.
(I didn't randomly discard my WLL)
I spread out and formed a massed defense and then flew in for the win
Game 2 Turn 1 he Burning inquired and discard 3 of my land. I still got to 3 land, but 2 of them were horizon canopy, and casting 3 drops with them regularly hurts. And then he would kill them, and hit me with his hollow one.
Game 3 Wallop was strong and simple. Spectral procession with boosters
Gaddock went out, path in
2/1 BW Tokens and Planeswalkers. Path & Push
Game 1 He pushed and pathed and Lingering souled, got 3 planeswalkers and won
Game 2 Went long and complex. Eijango castle was critical.
His 3 cost Gideon had made my Big Thalia do no damage, so I attacked with little Thalia, Isamaru, Kytheon, & Gaddock. Leaving the Banaman at home. Every legend I had attacked Gideon ! The Banaman had to stay home because he could block with a wall of Blossoms, . . .And Kalitas !
Kalitas couldn't kill anyone with his 3 damage, because Eijango could keep all of my boosted creatures Alive!
Another couple of turns and he scooped so we had time to play Game 3
Game 3 his graveyard was Inquiz, Path, Push, Path, (New point and kill for 1BW)
Devout Lightcaster booooped Kalitas
He wanted to cast a Damnation on his last turn, and I pointed to my 3rd Gaddock Teeg for the game, and killed him.
One Mulligan, 7 cards no land
The entire deck was awesome.
Soldier otP did a lot of damage, and was sideboarded in 4
Legions landing was played once, flipped, and the mana was important.
Kytheon did damage, flipped once, and had the 3rd one sideboarded twice
WLL was a bomb. Free discard into play was huge. He had a random 3 in 9 of being cast for free, and wasn't. He was manually cast. He was in play with another WLL making 2x 6/6 creatures they could not deal with. He was summoned from Windbrisks. He was huge. 4th in the board regularly came in.
Spectral was Flying death a couple of times. And had problems being cast once because of Teeg, but that was OK.
Dryad won match 1, and was sideboarded a little.
Gaddock was OK basedeck, and sideboarded in rounds 1,2&3. Then he won round 4.
Crusader was on table twice. Part of the swarm, but not special. Eh.
Isamaru was good. Second defence mattered. Being a legend mattered.
Little Thalia was regularly good. Against affinity she slowed him by a turn as suddenly he had to pay for his Zero cost artifacts. She also annoyed instants, and did use firststrike.
Selfless spirit was on board occasionally, and did her job, twice.
Banaman was solid the whole time. Never a chance of leaving.
Big Thalia really irritated, but got pointed at a lot. The third from the board regularly came in.
Dryad Arbor was searched for twice, and never drawn.
Horizon canopy hurt a bit, but was sacrificed to draw 3 or 4 cards.
Shefet Dunes was used, and it did matter. It was even not the last turn!
The Razorverge did come into play tapped once, but it did not have a down side.
11 of 15 Sideboard cards came in. Not Martyr, RIP or Dampening Sphere
Stillmoon Cav came in for round 4, and hid. The rest were good.
My last 3 tournaments have been 4/0 - 2/1 - 4/0
I lost 1 round in my last 3 tournaments!
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
2x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Damping Sphere
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
3/0 Untap Games
2/1 Mill
Loss Crypt incursion for +33 Life, locked out with an Ensnaring bridge
Win Reliable , Little Thalia possibly save me from an embarrasing loss. Triple archive trap didn't quite happen
Win Ripped a RIP for the win. Should have muliganned a one lander, but didn't. Got lucky. Didn't notice, and I was playing sloppy.
2/0 Artifact Infinite turns - seriously wacky
Win Turn 4 kill
Win Gaddock says No!
2/1 RG Landkill Goodstuff
Win Too Good
Loss Stomped by landkill, then Tireless Tracker ground it out
Win Too fast & good
Drew the Dryad Arbor in both games round 2. Still got a turn 4 kill!
Drew both Temple gardens in a game, and it hurt a bit.
Drew 2 Horizon canopies and a 3rd land, and it hurt a bit.
Selfless spirit was important twice.
Switched Gaddocks for paths in round 3 only.
LegionL Flipped once, but wasn't special.
Sideboard wasn't used much.
RIP won a game in round 1
Path came in round 3 instead of pump knights and gaddocks
Thalia came in each round
WLL came in round 1 & 2
The other 7 cards stayed out.
I have lost 1 round in my last 4 tournaments. (sure they have all been small)
Oh my is this thing reliable, fast, and rude.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x White Shield Crusader
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
4x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Damping Sphere
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
I want a way to deal with ensnaring bridge, and maybe blood moon. Probably in the board.
Leonin Relic warder just doesn't seem thumpy enough to be main, and not specialised enough to be board. Maybe I should try Conclave Tribunal as a cover all band aid.
A 3rd Devout lightcaster would also be lovely. Often they don't work, but when they do . . . WHAM! Black players are Shocked. When they land they change the game.
Losing the 2x Martyr is prolly going to be OK, but, Red is a problem.
Currently I am just trimming all of the land sources that cause me pain, making it harder for red to kill me.
I am just not playing against red much, so I spoze it doesn't matter.
I would also like some way of fighting Elves, but that seems very unlikely.
Storm is strong. It is a good reason to not have Path in base deck. Going HARD is one way to keep them honest.
Dryad & Little Thalia really does annoy them. Big Thalia making their tokens tapped is OK too.
Martyr of Sands is a fun way to confuse storm, because via grapeshot they often can't do 35 damage.
Aetherswon cannonist also works, until they shoot it.
1/1 at GLab (late + Bye as well)
0/2 loss to Thing + (Thru The Breach + Emrukal)
Loss to Thing, then turn 3 Anger of the Gods, then Emrukal
Loss to Blood Moon, then . . . Thing, Thing then Emrukal
2/1 Red
loss Eidolon was too good
win quick spread
win Martyr of Sand = gain 15 life
Red Player - "You got some smug on your face there"
Played some bonus games against Humans, lost 0/3
Aggregate Results so far for W/gk
2/2
2/1
3/1
1/2
2/2
2/2
4/0
2/1
4/0
3/0
1/1
----
26/12 - Full results for White/gk
14/2 in last 5 tourneys, all small.
I am also putting a Guardians Pledge back in the board.
So, Current sideboarding against Humans is very different.
In
1xWLL
1xBig Thalia
2xStillmoon Cav
1xGuardians Pledge
4xPath To Exile
Out
3xGaddock
3xLittle Thalia
1xLegionL
2x ??Dryad??
Really not sure this is going to work since Kitesail Freebooter gets more targets, but, surely it can't get any worse.
Probably the same sideboarding against Merfolk, except the Still moon stay out & the dryad stay in.
Intellectually, the Relic Warden seems a good switch.
Not great vs Blood moon, but, better than nuthin.
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3/0 Untap
2/0 Infinite Turn Artifacts 2/0 in socials after - complete Hulk Smash.
Relic Warder really worked, twice.
Turn 4 kill in second game.
2/1 R/B/g discard Phoenix/Hollow One
Loss Wow. That thing can be amazing.
Win His deck didn't work, and mine did.
Win Mull to 6. Gain 12 from the Martyr. Win on 1 life
Relic Warder was really good in games 1 & 2, even though he did bolt it and get his Hollow one back.
10? card sideboard
Pretty sure I won this round because he misplayed. He let me declare attackers, then killed my guy using a Grim Lavamancer. The Windbrisk Heights then got to activate. But, playing odd cards does help the opponent make mistakes. Either way. Really close.
2/0 Against Soulflayer reanimator 1/1 in socials after
Win He got a 4/4 with most abilities, but not Lifelink. I overran him, just.
Win RIP nailed him
10? card sideboard
I have lost 2 rounds in my last 6 tiny tournaments!
17/2 total over the last 6 tourneys, all small.
No way is that kind of record going to stay.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Guardians' Pledge
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
This deck is BRUTAL.
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Given that I am playing white / GREEN, we have remarkably similar decks.
The differences :
4x Ghost Quarter
2x Plains
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Tithe Taker
2x Mirran Crusader
1x Rest in Peace
2x Stony Silence
Switch the Tithe Takers to Gaddocks, Switch the landbase to support green, and (horizon canopies) and they are the same.
I can get away with playing 23 land because 3 of them are Horizon Canopy.
I do take pain sometimes, it is a significant downside to playing Green, and one I have focussed on reducing.
Red is harder for me, and why the Martyr is SO good against them.
I had the choice, and all of the expensive lands lying around to make the switch, but, there is a whole lot of power in just pure White. Those GQ can really annoy, especially Tron.
"Only thing to test is Tithe Takers,"
Cool. Interested to hear. After a board wipe, getting a 1/1 flier is nice. But. I want more effective before, or after.
EG. The Legions Landing has very rarely been useful after a wipe, but it is a toolbox, and that is the weakest part.
I just don't rate them, but, I have not played them, and am willing to accept I might be wrong on them.
The TT are only 2/1, not 2/2, and they regularly do not do anything.
Playing so much White, I think WSC is the way for you. You do not seem to have enough against Black.
I think you should play a 4th Selfless Spirit instead of a TT.
Grand Abolisher I have tried, and it wasn't good enough.
Voice of Resurgence Is a card I could play now, (since I play W/g), and I don't because I do not believe it is strong enough. Close, but no.
The sideboard is really personal choice.
"I want to find something better than Mirran Crusader as his prot G was never that useful"
Yep. Same finding.
"Ethersworn Canonists" - sure. I tried those as replacements. OK
Devout lightcaster has been a windmill SLAM, sometimes.
"Maybe Wrath of God, maybe Paladin en-Vec/Fiendslayer Paladin"
Played em all. Didn't work.
Still want Wrath to work, but it just kept not happening.
I think you should try a Guardians' Pledge in the board.
*
-> "BTW I had some testing vs Grixis Death's Shadow and had 3 WLL's. That was magnificent "
Yeah. When that last ability kicks in, it REALLY kicks in.
.
Emmara, Soul of the Accord . . . Hmmmmmmm Maybe I should Try it.
Sure seems like a maybe.
Something about Casting a WLL, and attacking on turn 4, and Emmara dealing 6 damage...
edit. . . .Actually.
Turn 3 attack for 2 (gain a 1/1 lifelink)
Turn 4 Attack for 4+2 (gain 2 Life & another 1/1 lifelink)
Precinct Captain might just be better since he has First strike, but, the token does not have Lifelink.
Not sure if WG is better or worse than WW
Emma seems better because she does not have to hit them, just tap.
Also, being a one off means being a legend is actually better for me.
Hmmm
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2/1 Untap Games
1/2 Amulet Titans
Loss Big build up, But I was still holding 3 land at the end. Couldn't do it.
Win Relic Warder got the Amulet and a quick charge
Loss D'oh . No warder. He got Titan, then wiped my board with a Firespout
2/1 Mill
Win Brutal stomp
Loss Ensnaring Bridge x2. Almost got him because Gaddock forced him to keep cards.
Win Got him BIG beatdown.
2/0 green Eldrich Stompy
Win Brutal Stomp
Win Quick Flying Kill
Leonin Relic Warder has been great, constantly.
Sideboarded both maindecker out in the last game, and shouldn't have because Utopia Sprawl is very useful to him.
Gaddock was great in Match 2, and sideboarded in 1 & 3
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
2x Stillmoon Cavalier
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
1x Rest in Peace
2x Martyr of Sands
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I tried to find an Emma, but didn't in time.
And so I kept playing the Leo RW, and I aint switching those guys out. They are fabulous.
Two of the 3 games I lost, I would have won if I topdecked LRW
And the third he was in my hand waiting for the amulet that never came, but the third Titan did, just in time.
LRW was so good the first time that I pushed out two cards in SB for another 2.
All the 'Team' Decks play Aether vial, and he just stops that. Even if he dies, the Vial comes back, but doesn't work.
All the dinky combo decks play some neat enchantment, or some problem accelerator.
Facing 2x Ensaring bridges was a problem, because suddenly I knew I couldn't topdeck my way out.
Hiding Darksteel citadel is just hilarious.
Walking Ballista is forced to go off, same with E Explosives and Oblivion Stone, all of which have been noticeable problems.
Wurmcoil engine can be fought, flown over or blocked with a sacrifice creature, but all of those are worse solutions than LRW.
Only Bloodmoon is still difficult, and they are likely to have a bolt.
Spreading Seas is cute because it is easier to shrug off, but they will get another card if they pop the LRW.
Hollow One is likely to be short term as well, but maybe that is all I need.
Deals with Mesmeric orb, Ghostly prison, Bitterblossom, Sword of . . .
Corsair of Kruphix (1GG) - Centaur with flip top card - That guy is just horrible for me. 2/4 blocker that gains life and card advantage. Yuk. But he is an enchantment
Hey Wow ! He gets Eidolon of the Great Revel! Sure, it might be only for an instant as the flames come down, but, sometimes they do run out of burn that can target creatures. And I still might get to cast more 1 drops before they do.
Haven't seen P Revoker in a long time.
It is pop and play against Affinity, but should probably be held up for Cranial Plating.
Vedalken Shackles can be a hassle.
All the white enchantments that hide creatures, (Journey to nowhere, Oblivion Ring, Burning Light . . . ) all go away.
But, primarily, LRW is a 2/2 creature that stops Aether vial, and Oblivion Stone. The two critical cards in Tron and 'Team' Decks.
That seems good.
**********************
The windbrisk heights are most definitely staying at 3, for me.
They do slow down the initial roll out, but they have won me game, after game.
A WLL, or A Banana Man flipping out just wins games.
Sometime a Spectral Procession will spam blockers for the game, sometimes a Gaddock will lock them out, sometimes a hidden selfless will protect the entire team, Sometimes a sneaky Path to Exile will pop the problem monster.
Showing a little Thalia in responce to a snapcaster , and making the spell too expensive is very satisfying.
windbrisk heights has won me a whole lotta games I would otherwise have lost. It confuses and scares the opponent.
I think of it as a one drop, not a 'come into play tapped' land, because it is a creature, just not yet.
Windbrisk heights does slow the front end, but makes the back end arrive with a HUGE thump.
********************
Judges Familiar is an OK card. But only ever OK. I think.
Flying is great. The sac ability is OK
In comparison to Legion's Landing, sure.
LL has 3 abilities. The 1/1 with Lifelink is mostly worse than a 1/1 Flyer. Mostly.
LL does win the one game in 30 when you do not draw that third (or 4th) land, and you do attack with 3 creatures.
About the same regularity I am making tokens, and less often I am winning because of them.
A second LL is a bad idea, but the first has been good.
Well, good enough. It is a bit of a seat belt, but the deck is such a rocket, that seatbelt has worked.
The tiny bit of lifegain has mattered against red, once or twice.
(Lowering the pain from land has mattered more. Even now, the small amounts of pain do matter against red, sometimes.)
I too am sceptical about the Isamaru.
But.
Woof !
When you are trying to block a 1/1, or fight your way past multiple 1/1's, Isamaru is just better at it.
He is a weird relic that just won't go away.
On turn 1, sure a Dryad (or Soldier) might be better against specific decks, but turn 1 Woof! is always good.
Gut Shot it, go on.
Against any deck, turn 1 Woof! is good, and holding a second one in hand is bad.
Turn 2 castle, attack is style.
Sure, that is a 1 of, and another 1 of, but it doesn't matter. They are purely bonus. A 4th Kytheon is just so much worse because of Legend status.
Woof! is just Solid with that extra defence point.
Add a BananaMan, and then have the opponent cast something like a Pyroclasm, and suddenly it matters.
It is all the dinky little stuff that makes the deck sparkle just a little brighter than it looks.
Judge's Familiar does have a little sparkle, and the evasion is real, but it is only a 1/1.
Is that ability really worth it?
Personally, I would prefer to double the numbers.
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"is Martyr of sands really good vs Burn?"
Last Time I cast it, I gained 15 and burny man immediately quit.
Just don't cast it turn 1 and get it killed. Or get skull cracked.
Tivadar of Thorn is style, worse, but real style.
Basilisk collar seems bad.
They burn the creature as you attach, and the game is over.
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Martyr of sands :
Depends on the storm.
Some storm can do 60, some cant reach 30.
Grapeshot is hard to figure.
Against red, OOoooooYeah.
Against Primeval Titans, NOOOOooo.
Must kill faster, often by interference.
LRW is interference and thump
Leonin Relic Warder works against Tron & titans & weird toys in Red. (Experimental frenzy, . . . )
Tithe taker doesn't
Martyr of sands works against Red.
I am having trouble figuring why TT is good
Tokens after wipe is rarely a win.
I think it needs to be a lot more consequential before, or after.
Cast L.o.s and they can sometimes just ignore it.
It is sad times when they start bolting themselves.
Sometimes They draw the bolts, and their creatures, and just kill all of us and hit us. And then they play a second Eidolon
Losing after having the specialist SB card go off is really sadtimes.
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Sure, just sometimes Worship was the best thing ever.
I tried it, but, it didn't work.
I would stall at 3 land.
Or not draw the Worship.
Or not draw a pro red creature.
Or they would do something frustrating that made me lose life.
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2/2 at Next Level R
1/2 vs Spirits - 1/1 in socials with board
win Isamaru, Relic warden on his Aether Vial, Bananaman. Ismaru Having that 2nd point mattered.
Loss Turn 3 Collected company, SpellQueller on my WLL, so I pathed The SQ. Turn 4 CoCo, Double Drogskoll Captain. Too much flying beats. Still got him to 3 life.
Loss I pathed his Noble H on his turn 2 end, and he Spell Queller-ed it. My turn 4 WLL was also Spell Queller-ed. Sigh.
Vials hid in game 2&3
Reflector mage is harsh
I subbed out Gaddock, not realising he had CoCo, and got nailed in game two.
Just didn't know the deck. I will sideboard better next time. Similar deck to Humans, and hard.
I can win it though, if the LRW get lucky, or he gets unlucky. Tough.
0/2 vs Vengevine 2/1 in Socials with base deck after.
Loss Incredibly tight. Temur for the win
Loss Even tighter - Almost got a turn 4 win, but he won on turn 5, both of us fighting thru blockers
Amazing games. I drew the RIP in initial hand game 2, and only got 1 land going first. Mulliganed.
Shouldn't complain though, I kept a 1 land hand in the first game and drew a second. Only had 1 drops.
I subbed out Gaddock, and it was the right call. Only time I should have.
Very cool deck. Real class.
Difficult board states where Gaddock Blocking alone in the first game was the right call. Weird.
2/1 Emeria
Win Smugglers copter just aint good enough. He only got 1 plains
Loss 2xWrath, sigh. WarHawks wipe the initial board, with a Path to nail the BananaMan
Win Fight & Win
I subbed out Gaddock, not realising he had Wrath, and got nailed in game two.
I don't think he played it right, but I should win this one.
2/1 Esper control
loss Liliana & 3x Lingering souls. Discards and spot kill. Discarded a WLL, and flooded.
Win Fought thru him
Win Fight and break thru, Little Thalia held off the Supreme Verdict
I subbed out Gaddock, not realising he had Supreme Verdict, and got lucky.
I had real mana problems. Flooded out once or twice, and mulliganed far more than normal.
Drew the dryad, and fetched her. Happens.
Relic Warden has earned its Place.
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1/2 at Untap
1/2 Red 3/1 in Socials. He only just got that one win. Sigh.
Loss Sigh. 6 land, no land, First land turn 3
Win 2xMartyr =
Loss Sigh. Top deck burn for the win
1/2 Eldrazi Tron 1/1 in Socials basedeck
Win Gaddock won it
Loss Tron + Bassilisk Collar + Walking Ballista = Kill, Kill, Kill
Loss All is Dust, Then Medium & Large Eldrazi for the win.
2/1 Green/White
Win Massed Flyers FTW
Loss Eldrich into Wasp Queen
Win Sprint into a stall
I had real problems with lands tonite. Didn't feel right.
Martyr just beats Red.
I am tired of losing to Red, so, I am going to play more Martyrs.
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Played 6 games against Blue/Black/(red) Control Good Stuff. No sideboard.
All 6 games went with serve.
Me,Him,Me,Him,Me,Him
If he gets 2 boardwipes, he wins.
Almost none of my creatures abilities were used. Weird.
Any time they might be useful, he would just kill them, and then wipe the board.
Push, Snap, Push
But if anything goes wrong, he dies.
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Tithe Taker is just NOT Gaddock.
Gaddock in play shuts down almost all of the deck you lost to, except Lantern.
Co-Co and Chord of Calling are headkicks, if they happen.
Empty the Warrens gets a Gaddock.
And, oddly enough, Gaddock can beat ensnaring bridge. When they have a Chandra, and can't cast it, the Bridge stops working. Figured that out playing against Mill.
Lantern : Yeah. That thing is outrageous.
Gaddock stops Whir of Invention, and Witchbane Orb, but, Lantern is still favoured against me. Just.
Spirits : probably beats me too, but stopping Co-Co really helps. Getting rid of the Aether Vial is how we get fast enough to kill them.
I can regularly get past it though, now I understand it.
Phoenix : I am not sure what deck this is. Hmmm
Would having Hexproof help?
There are a couple of little white creatures that do that.
I think you need a lot more 'Disenchant' effects in sideboard.
Is there a disenchant effect in White that works from the graveyard in modern?
I am still feeling pretty good about my White/g version.
Tithe Taker being 'cool' just aint enough. If the only time he is special is against the ignorant, I would go with NO. I never liked playing Doomed traveller in limited, let alone modern.
4th Selfless Spirit may well be an excellent idea.
Leonin Arbiter is a thing, but he is NOT better from a Vial.
turn 2 on the play, I play a Leo Arb.
turn 2 on the draw, you lose because you played a Fetch land, and then a fetch land, and then a fetch land.
Substitute that for turn 3 off a Vial and the whole thing does not work, and takes an extra card, and is much slower beats.
Leo Arb does stop Chord of Calling, but I think CoCo still happens.
Leo Arb also improves GQ, but Flagstones are unimpressed on turn 3.
Leo Arb makes the Path to Exiles a whole lot better too.
Ethersworn Canonist just wasn't good enough against most decks.
Spirit of the Labyrinth is REALLY specific. Sure the beats are good, but against which of the above decks is the Lab Spirit good?
Try a Mana Tithe, it is way fun to counter their stuff from nowhere....hmmmmmm.
4x Leo Relic Warders basedeck seems like a good idea against that lot.
Lantern Control hates them, Mono Red Prison might just lose to them, Storm is random and might ignore or be crippled. Spirits HATES them, stopping the Vial matters. Bant Tool Box might ignore him, or get crippled, depends on the build.
I am pretty sure you should add in Leo Arbiters and ALL Leo relic Warders.
Stopping the Vial, and then disrupting their land might get you there.
SB :
Leyline of Sanctity will help against the lantern (just beats it, I think. Autowin since the Ensnaring Bridge stops working coz Thoughtseize & Inquiz don't work, and you will get a LeoRW eventually.)
should help against red prison too
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Lantern HATES steppe Lynx.
(Attack as a zero power creature, ghost quarter your Flagstones, take 4.)
It can be pretty outrageous just normally.
Flagstones, Lynx
Flagstones, take 4
Ghost quarter, Take 6
Take 10 (!) by turn 3 is really rude for a ONE drop.
It sure aint defence though.
In the previous decklists above, there are decks I built with 4 of them.
I do not believe a straight white version of the White/g I play is the right call.
If you do play the Steppe L, might want some fetchlands, if you got them, and they do clash with Leo Arbiters.
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2/1 @ Untap
2/1 vs Biomancer/Displacer
Loss - Way cool infinite
Win - Speed smash
Win - hard fight. Big Thalia won the game by making his creatures not able to block.
I played the third game wrong when I should have gone for Gaddock instead of Big Thalia.
Only won the third by top decking a WLL off the top.
1/2 vs UR Thing in the Ice/Pyromancer
Win - Speed stomp
Loss - Slower start with double opening Horizon Canopy. Thing flipped, and just go there
Loss - Thing Flipped , then doubled damage
Dryad Militant's ability almost won this.
2/0 Spirits
win - Hard fought and long. I do not believe I should have won this if he played it perfect. But he didn't.
win - Hard fought. Got him solely because of a cascade of death. I used a Shefet Dunes to boost all 4 attacking creatures. Suddenly he has to block, and the 5 points of first strike from Big Thalia is enough to kill the first +1/+1 booster, then the next and next.
Real surprise that the game came down to Shefet Dunes. The games were that marginal. I only won this because I now know the match up. Avoiding the CoCo and Spell Queller is critical.
Diddn't see a LeoRW, but he didn't get a turn 1 Aether Vial, so no effect
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Rest in Peace
2x Devout Lightcaster
4x Martyr of Sands
Path, WLL sided in matches 1,2,3
Gaddock sided in matches 1&3, out match 2
LeoRW sided in match 3
Tempting to put a Path in basedeck again.
4x Martyr of Sands is hard to justify in the board. Stomping on Red is great, but. . . Maybe I should have subbed them in again UR Thing. Not sure they can kill me if I am on 35 life. HMMMMMmmmmmmm. Problem is it completely stops the sprint on turns 1 & 2. Martyr would be about trying to win AFTER the Thing goes off, or try to fight my way thru the bajillion tokens being created from the Young Pyromancer.
Drawing the Dryad Arbor is poor.
Being able to Fetch the Dryad Arbor is AWESOME.
It is amazing how often the Arbor is fetched, and how effective it is.
The legions landing did flip the one time it was cast, and it made 3 vamps. The life gain and extra creatures were critical.
The deck is just solid.
No mulligans, and only one dodgy start with two opening Horizon Canopies. Did slightly flood once, but the land did win it with the 6th land being the Shefet Dunes.
Eijango Castle threatened to be useful, and made a slight threat in 2 games.
The 2nd toughness on Isamaru mattered, a little.
Didn't see a spectral procession.
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Little Thalia is strong, in general, no argument here. But, not against everything.
I think she should go down against Humans, elves, Spirits, Merfolk, Slivers, Stompy Green . . . Pretty well any 'Team' deck.
I sideboarded out 2 copies of her against spirits in my latest round.
If I am sideboarding in Path, and they only have Aether Vials as spells, she can actually be more of a tax on me.
And it is the Legend Rule that's stopping me from having the 4th.
Drawing 2 of them is a pain.
Drawing 3 of them will lose the game.
This deck is about beatdown & consistency first, and I just don't want to lose to myself.
From the start, this is a 'Feel Good' deck. If they win, fair enough, they have done something special.
I enjoy playing this deck, and a 4th Little Thalia adds problems and 'No Fun' draws.
There is only 1 Isamaru because of the Legend rule. Same with Eijango Castle. (I wouldn't play a 2nd Legions Landing because it just isn't strong enough, but the Legend rule does rule it out.)
Kytheon gets 3 copies because he really is outrageous, and always collects the bolt first. Also, he can actually dodge the legend rule and have 2 copies in play.
Big Thalia just isn't strong enough to justify a 3rd copy, and the legend rule stops me wanting her. Unless she is going to be super effective, hence the third used to be in the board. the 3rd left because she lost games because of the legend rule.
When they cast a turn 1 Aether Vial, I am in trouble.
LeoRW can win those games, when Little Thalia won't. Same with Oblivion Stone, Wurmcoil engine, cranial plating, Lantern . . .
But the big one is Ensnaring bridge.
The weakest Little T is the 4th one.
1xLittleT & 1xLeoRW is just SO much more effective than 2 of either.
And yeah, the Spectral + (Gaddock/L.Thalia) is a Nonbo, as mentioned repeatedly.
Regularly, Spectral or Gaddock get boarded, and sometimes Thalia. But very rarely does it matter.
Often I can play around them by holding off the 2 drop until turn 4, with the Spectral on turn 3.
Or just play the 2 drop, have them WIN! (or die), and then play the Spectral on turn 3, or (turn 4 with a tax).
Spectral is just SO bollocks in this that the power overwhelms the problems.
Windbrisk Heights with Spectral is BS, especially when playing 7 Lords.
Spectral is also rather good with Kytheon, Selfless, LL, and the whole concept of the deck.
After a boardwipe, Spectral is the best way to try to do the last 3-6 damage, and all the restrictions just went away.
This deck isn't 'broken' in any way, it is however able to keep almost anything in modern a run for it's money, and it is the decks that beat me the most, that LeoRW is best at. Cute enchantments and dinky artifacts.
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Turn 1 Kytheon
Turn 2 Soldier + Dryad Arbor
Turn 3 flip Kytheon - is also good times.
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Regarding the 4th Little Thalia . . .
How about this. . . Would you play a 5th?
I mean, say the 4 of a card rule disappeared, would you play a 6th?
Obviously, I would not. But it is an interesting demonstration. I think 3 is the right amount in basedeck.
She is Awesome. I really aint arguing that. To be in any Modern deck, the card has to be borderline overpowered.
But, is she that good that having a 2nd in hand is a fair enough price to pay?
Because I am quite certain that aint true.
Of the decks you list :
"Turn 2 Thalia: Red Spells, Burn, Death's Shadow, Tron, UWx Control, BGx Midrange, Storm, and more."
Yep. I have played against all of them.
Burn just kills her.
Attack on turn 2 with a Monastery Swiftspear, whatcha gunna do?
I mean, sure, she is a fine card against burn, but, not special. I payed 2, and they payed 2. Eh?
Lots of my other creatures have the same effect. I pay 1, and they pay 1.
Death's Shadow - Really isn't fussed.
They are not actually in that much of a hurry, and I do not really want to get them to about 10 life. I want a huge WHAM to kill them.
If I was concerned about Deaths Shadow, I could go back to 14 protection from Black creatures, and LAUGH !
Death Shadow looks at Devout Lightcaster and has a quiet cry. And Path is brutal against them. Seriously, Death Shadow is so stomped by this, I don't need any more help. I have been de-sideboarding against it for some time.
Little Thalia making their cantrips cost an extra 1 does slow them down, a bit, but not a lot. Swampcycling will already have happened, and a one cost, possibly more if they went first.
Temur Battle sillyness will still make them size 24 with trample.
Tron is inconvenienced by Little Thalia, but nothing more. She delays them by a turn, mostly. If I have a second in hand, that will delay me by a turn. A second LT is bad.
UWx Control - yeah she is good, here a 4th might be worth it. But she is not that good. Gaddock is just better. No wrath effects, no Cryptics is SO much better than slow down by a turn. Kinda similar to Tron. Gaddock does the work.
BGx Midrange - Yeah, She is OK. It is a big swath of cards in this one. If they go mostly creatures, She really doesn't do much. And if they are going lots of boosters (Elf, Bird, Noble), all she is doing is counteracting a one cost creature for their 1 or 2 expensive spells. A second LThalia in hand is just bad.
Storm - Yep. 4th is fantastic.
Against Merfolk, Elves, Humans, Slivers, goblins, green stompy, . . . No. And the first Three are feeling underpowered.
And please, don't get me wrong, I am playing 3 of her because I believe in her, and she has demonstrated her usefulness. She has won me a whole lot of games. But. So has all the other cards.
As example, the Shefet Dunes is an incredibly borderline card. Almost always it is better as a plains. And about 1 game in 50 it is the deciding factor, and it has never cost me a game. Sure, I have been blood mooned, and it does cost me a little life. It is entirely possible that a 4th Horizon canopy would be a better call. But. I do not believe it is. Tapping for colour-less does happen. 3+1 is better. Getting 2 Horizon canopies as only initial land can and does happen, and I don't want that. The difference in that happening when not playing the 4th Horizon canopy is startling. Mathematically, about half of those draws disappear.
That is what I mean by a 'feel good' deck.
Mathematically, the bad draws have gone away.
I have worked at removing all the internal weaknesses. That is why the obvious nonbo of Gaddock + Spectral is SO LOUD. It is screamingly obvious. Often I sideboard one or the other. And sometimes neither, because both are massive effects.
This deck gets fewer bad hands than any other deck I play, and possibly any other deck in Modern. (except the pure white deck above).
White/g is designed to not mulligan.
Maybe a deck with a shed-ton of cantrip effects might use fewer mulligans, but I doubt it.
And when it is forced to Mulligan, Wallop is still fine.
As example, This deck would prefer if both players mulliganed to nothing, every game, against anyone.
Plains, One drop . . .Is all it needs, what do you have?
I played Burn in Legacy last night. It really sucks after playing this bad boy.
Constant mulligans, Mana floods, and Mana screw. That was only across 4 rounds, 2 of which I won.
It felt bad, and really random.
This deck aint like that.
23 Land, and 13 one cost creatures (well, technically the Dryad arbor + 4 fetch really confuses that)
The only time my draw goes bad is when :
* WAY too much simple land
* No 3rd land with 3+4 drops
* No Green for Gaddock
* Legend Rule bites me
That is about it.
The only reason I allow those 4 problems is because the power level of those 3&4 drops is just bollocks for the other cards.
I have consciously explored ways to deal with those four problems, and the original pure white deck lists on this thread did have solutions for those problems. But it was weaker against the opponent.
Pump knights, fewer 3&4 drops, no green, and fewer legends all help deal with those 4 problems.
But.
Gaddock and WLL are just so strong against a whole lotta things.
Those 4 problems are complications worth dealing with if it means Gaddock just wins the game, again. Gaddock solves all sorts of problems that used to be insurmountable.
The first Wrath effect is expected, the second Wrath is the problem. Cryptic command was a a problem stall card, and yadda yadda yadda. Match ups where I don't need Gaddock, the rest of the deck can deal, and it kicks in nicely. Games where I need Gaddock, he just wins.
The LeoRW seem to fill a specific hole I had. Spirits & Humans are a specific problem, and I am focused on thinking about that some more.
My current thinking is on 'Tocatli guard' (1W Creatures don't trigger ETB effects). Stops Reflector Mage, No-Mage and quite a lot of obscure others. (Reflector is Bad News.)
Anyhoo.
The reason I don't want a 4th LThalia is because well, a 4th is worse than the 3rd one.
After vast amounts of playtesting, the 3rd Big Thalia got shaved off, same as the 4th Kytheon, and the 2nd Isamaru.
The 4th Gaddock is in the board because in a heap of match ups, if he survives, I just win.
A 4th LThalia doesn't have that effect, (and often Storm can just Bolt/Grapeshot her).
0/4/1 Complete wipeout, but my it was fun.
Losing that way was OK. Every game was tight.
I lost to stuff I've beaten previous. Insane games. And the deck performed. No mulligans.
Two floods, and yadda, yadda yadda. Brain hurts.
But their decks were on fire, with some epic games
Complex, hard stuff. And I got some weird arse draws
Flipping a Windbrisk Heights for a Horizon Canopy, pay 1 & draw a card just isn't the same as Lord, win.
I would happily play that all over again.
The Relic warden and Big Thalia were the worse performers.
The Dryad was awesome, and bad.
Not sure if Gaddock stopped anyone doing anything the entire day.
Mine was doing great, but, just didn't quite against really well done stuff by opponents.
Good times, which seems really odd from that scoreline.
My final opponent was a Death Shadow deck. He got me turn 4 both games with Temur battle rage with targetted discard. I played 2 more games. I won the two bonus games when Martyr got me above where he can kill me. Death shadow is meant to be easy.
Fighting thru hordes of Elementals(10?), turn after turn, with the correct numbers of creatures.
Winning after the thing goes off, and not, twice more. But, so close.
I lost to mill. not sure how that happened. either. Historically I really shouldn't.
It was like that, but really enjoyable.
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1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
3x Gaddock Teeg
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
2x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
3x Wilt-Leaf Liege
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
4x Path to Exile
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Rest in Peace
2x Devout Lightcaster
4x Martyr of Sands
2/0 at untap
2/1 vs Biomancer/Displacer
Wow, what a deck. We have played a bit beforehand, and he should win basedeck if he gets a mix of all his creatures.
After sideboarding, my Path to exiles are critical at disrupting his board, his path to exiles are less effective, but obviously still work on my Lords.
Insanely hard complex games, often decided by choosing the right creatures to attack.
Gaddock is important at stopping CoCo and the other one (XGGG - search and get)
Avoiding a creature death Cascade by keeping the Lords at home is a good place to start.
Him attacking straight through my team because a creature is too important to block, was funny. Exalted is like that.
2/0 Green Stompy
All my inbuilt tricks don't work, except flying. My speed also helps.
Blocking Nullhide Ferrox while flying over for the win seems to work.
The LeoRW have been quite uninspired for many rounds.
They did a cute trick this time where the exiled my own Legion's Landing, died, and got another 1/1 Vamp.
But that is pretty weak.
The Modern Field is just SO HUGE, next time it will be Aether vials every game.
Still, they aint earning their keep at the moment.
.
:
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TribalSympathy 'Wheel of Sun and Moon, Finks, EE, Ethersworn Canonist, and I loved the idea of the Stillmoon Cavaliers'
E-Canonist does work, but there is better
Stillmoon Cavaliers is a fine choice, but I am making different ones at the moment. I dont seem to need it since the rest of the deck is now upgraded. Still a completely fine choice.
EE - hmmmm what is that? EE. . .it is gunna be obvious
Engineered Explosives?
Nah, That is a card The Opponent should be playing. An artifact that doesn't hurt them just doesn't make it into this deck.
Wheel of S&M is really narrow, and actually a bit slow. Them going first & second turn discard, and then you playing the wheel, is sad making.
Finks are too slow. A 3 cost 3/2 that comes back as a 2/1 is ok, but not special. Big Thalia is better and far more disruption. 3 mana for 3 power is just not enough without having a backbreaking ability.
Compare Spectral procession to Finks. 3 x 1/1 means a LOT more as they fly over, boosted 3 times by a Lord. Kill one, and there is still 2 more, not one. Only after a board wipe, (or if the Life Gain matters) is the Finks better. Or I spoze sometimes when they bounce/flicker tokens.
Considering if a sorcery/creature is better in my hand is getting a bit wacky, but even there it can be weird. Inquiz of Kozilek can't get the 6 cost procession, and Eidolon of Burny Red doesn't trigger either. But, every basdeck game Gaddock & Little Thalia annoy Spectral Procession. Thing is, Spectral is that ridiculous, it is still worth it.
And Banana Man is just a YES. This may well be the best deck ever for that card. It is Banana Man Heaven.
Since those are the 3 cost spells that Finks need to be better than to earn a spot, I just don't think Finks works. I mean, sure it is a fine 3 drop that tools along. The 3 different 3 drops I am playing land with a thud, and might just win it, by themselves.
I am finding the deck is still a little heavy sometimes.
But.
I need to survive targetted Discard, and that requires a heavier hand. I am also getting too much land, on occasion, but I think I have to just wear that too. The inbuilt compensating systems do cover most of it. Recently, twice I have drawn a double Horizon Canopy opening hand as my only mana. And it hurts. Well, a bit. If they are ignoring my life total it makes no difference. And those hands are rare.
One regular opponent plays Mill. Check through this thread and it is the same guy.
I am going to start playing a Gaea's Blessing. I figure it is worth it because unlike all the rest of my sideboard, GB works when I don't draw it, or about 4 times as often as a normal Sideboard card.
Probably worth it against Phoenix or Reanimate too.
Played against a completely bog-standard Green Tron
3/1 using Base decks
3/3 After sideboarding
Gaddock locked up ONE game, total. Leo did absalutely F'kall.
Just not sure these games are indicative, but it does demonstrate WWW can go toe to toe with Tron.
But, any deck that can go even with Tron, is a serious deck.
Walking Ballista is a problem, Ugin is a loss, Oblivion stone went off once total, and in all of those games he never cast a Wurmcoil, (and I did see them in his deck).
I sideboarded only once, and, well, I did not SB in the Path to Exile. I think this might be the right call. Still think the LeoRW should be there, but I should play them immediately, and try to take a cantrip artifact.
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Lifegain is rarely useful.
I learnt that in the original builds of this deck. As I am sure I have written, many times, the original version of this was Martyr of Sands/Serra's Ascendant. Mostly, it is a flawed tactic. If a 5/6 gaining you 5 life is Whopping! then, why not play Martyr of Sands and gain 15 on turn 2? Well, 15 lifegain is mostly just not good enough hence me playing 4 Martyrs in the board for when it is.
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Watchwolf is a 3/3 in just 2 colours, Fleecemane Lion is strictly better than Watchwolf.
Fleecemane see almost zero play.
Avatar of the Resolute is better than Fleecemane, My that thing is strong, and it sees almost no play. Kraul Harpooner is the same, nothing.
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The design philosophy in this deck is to KILL.
1 cost = 2 power
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Big Thalia, is a 3 power creature that shuts down their side of the board.
Tapped fetchland, gets a tapped multiland, gets a tapped creature
First Strike can be just as good Lifelink. (Think Deathtouch)
And Big Thalia is reducing in numbers because 3 cost 3 power doesn't seem good enough.
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I have already written about the cards you suggest.
Tell me cards that stop Ugin, Wrath, Death Shadow, CoCo, Cryptic, Mill, Pyromancer, ArcLight Phoenix, Reflector Mage, Ensnaring bridge . . .
And sure.
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The reason I switched back to Teeg is that the games he wins are often the ones I would have outright lost.
Ugin, Wrath, Mill, CoCo, Cryptic. . .
Stuff that will just kill you, unless you get a counterspell, and the mana to cast it. Which is why Gaddock is SO GOOD.
Tap out to play creatures is how this deck works, and why counterspells just don't work in it.
This is a sprint white deck. My life total is often irrelevant.
The green bits are pure greed because the deck is so consistent it can afford the impurities because the upgrade in power level is massive.
Lots of ground based creatures that join together to do something without disrupting the opponent is currently not successful in any modern deck.
Humans, & Spirits fly, and disrupt.
This deck has 7 lords, and 7 flip if 3 attackers effects. Noble Hierach is based on helping individual attackers. At a fundamental concept level, NobleH just shouldn't be there.
(OK. He is WAY COOL at sliding straight past Ensnaring Bridge. And an expensive proven powerhouse. Obviously)
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2/1 at untap
0/2 vs Bio/Displacer
loss - ow
loss - ow
2/1 Thing in the Ice/Pyromancer
loss -
win - Martyr got me enough life so that I got to kill him after the Thing
win - Although really. He forget that when the Thing goes off and he picks up his hand, I get to kill him a turn later because his Ensnaring bridge doesn't work any more.
2/1 Burn
loss - almost
Win - Martyr
Win - Martyr, then Martyr, then Martyr 54 Life is a funny lifetotal vs burn
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Leo Arbi doesn't seem to deserve a full 4 copies, since he isn't doing special things, and a second copy in play isn't exciting.
I am finding the LeoRW really ordinary on an ongoing basis at the moment.
And I am playing a single Path to Exile base, which is kinda embarrassing.
CoCo and other green-go-and-get effects often effectively end the game, stopping them is done by Gaddock (for me). Judge Familar, Little Thalia and maybe Phyrexian revokers on mana dorks might be enough to push through. Against that style (Bant, Spirits, Humans) I am finding I need to wade through a sea of enemy creatures. (Really not sure if reducing the Spectral processions is such a good idea for me).
The sideboard you are going with is interesting.
RIP, Martyr, StoneyS, Kataki, LeoRW all seems fair enough
Numbers vary, of course.
The only one I would question is the Leyline. What is it good against except Burn? Coz Martyr should have that covered.
Not having access to Green makes it a really different deck.
(I play fairly regularly against Mill, and a single Gaea's Blessing in the board should just kill it.)
I am sure you should play 4 Selfless Spirit base.
I am stopping the Damnation/Wrath effects with Gaddock, you need to stop them too, and Selfless is inherently good since it is a 2 power flyer. Being able to win creature battles is awesome, and block+ disappear is also quite special against things with lifelink.
Really recommend Horizon Canopy, especially the first one. But. It does cost.
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I had an incredible blow out loss recently
I attack with 3 little creatures into a Young Pyromancer, and a small Prowess creature.
He is tapped out, What Can He Do?
Mutagenic Growth on the Y.Pyromancer, Trigger prowess, Make a 1/1, . . and wipe my board.
Wow.
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1/2 at Untap
0/2 Scapeshift
2/1 Red/Black Discard
2/1 Biomancer/Displacer
Got sad at slow results and switched it up
3/0 at Untap
2/1 Grapeshot Storm
2/0 Scapeshift
2/0 Eldrazi Tron
Added a Knigh of Autumn. Sided out twice. Drew it once, and it was very ordinary.
Added a second basedeck Path to Exile, which were average.
Added 3 Tarmogoyfs, which hid, and were ordinary.
Sideboarded a Gaddock & a Little Thalia.
Removed all Big Thalia's.
Sideboarded the last Relic Warden
Switched a Plains for an additional Arid Mesa (R/W Fetch) which was eh.
The base deck showed up and did it's thing.
The final games into Eldrazi tron were odd.
Attacking with 2xWLL, Gaddock, Dryad & Kytheon seems good.
I think I got lucky against Scapeshift, but I did the right things.
Anger wiped the board, still won.
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1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
2x Path to Exile
2x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
2x Gaddock Teeg
3x Tarmogoyf
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
1x Knight of Autumn
5x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
1x Arid Mesa
4x Path to Exile
2x Gaddock Teeg
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Rest in Peace
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Martyr of Sands
1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Gaea's Blessing
It is about a sprint white weenie deck.
The green is there to fight combo, wrath and Tron spells.
Please leave it alone.
Off topic decklists, and Spam is unwanted.
Basically the first question comes down to how many kython can agressive decks like this run and consistantly flip him and not draw to many multiples? I've been trialling him and if he's run along side narnams and hexdrinks you can end up with a board of huge/very hard to kill and problematic one drops.
Second how good is teeg/voice mb in a agressive deck in the current meta? and are they still this good without anthem effects?
Lastly from your experience do you think a single legion's landings is worth running in the green aggro lists? (I will include a deck list at the bottom)
With the addion of hexdrinker into the green based stompy lists the curve has been significantly lowered, and the the resistance of the deck has increased.
Kython and loam lion have both been solid cards and the SB is basically most of the hate bears from this deck.
4x Dryad Militant
3x Experiment One
4x Hexdrinker
1x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
3x Loam Lion
4x Narnam Renegade
3x Avatar of the Resolute
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Selfless Spirit
4x Strangleroot Geist
3x Forest
3x Horizon Canopy
4x Misty Rainforest
2x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills
Instant (9)
4x Blossoming Defense
3x Dromoka's Command
2x Vines of Vastwood
Enchantment (3)
3x Rancor
1x Collector Ouphe
3x Gaddock Teeg
3x Grafdigger's Cage
3x Knight of Autumn
3x Path to Exile
1x Pithing Needle
1x Selfless Spirit
Competitive Decks
Devotion to the Lash B ----
Monkey Conservation WUGR ---- Dragon WorshipR
It is hyper-aggressive, and will just win games with its speed. It will reliably get some land, and some creatures, and do it's thing.
The horizon canopies will help significantly with Mana flood, and with 20 land that shouldn't happen to often.
The Hexdrinkers are a mana sink to help with that as well. Not heaps, but a bit.
Not getting a 3rd land will happen, but may not be particularly significant.
Vines & Blossoming are kinda cute, but really don't seem needed, at least not that many.
The biggest creature it can save is a 2 drop, and a 1 drop is likely, so, what do you care if you works or not?
If you cast an extra creature instead, it just seems better. If you draw land and booster spells, bad times. Dromoka's seems really agile, but just not aggressive enough.
They are a good way to protect rancor getting interrupted, I spoze.
Narnam Renegade is a card I haven't seen before, and yeah, that kinda works since you have 10 fetch lands.
Loads of 2/3's without much else seems ok, but, Why not play Wild Nactayl as well, or instead?
3/3 is obviously better than 2/3, and if you are playing 10 fetch already, why not?
The 10 fetch land is also a REALLY good reason to play 1x Dryad Arbor. The card just rocks.
You will regularly have your board wiped by Wrath/damnation/Bontu's Last/ Supreme Verdict/ yaddayaddayadda. If you have a fetchland in play, you got get the Arbor, replay your Rancor and smash.
1xKytheon is just not enough.
A 2nd is a must, and a 3rd is probably warranted too.
I found 4 was too many, but 2 wasn't enough.
You should have a 4th Path to Exile in the board.
The deck will also have games where it just gets unlucky.
It will get beat by opponents getting lucky and comboing off.
But, It does have beats, and if they are going to win, they sure do need to hurry up.
Knight of Autumn seems a poor choice, It is a toolbox when you really only need it to kill artifact/enchantments. Blood moon ends your spells, and KoA. You should be able to regularly cast it otherwise when you need to kill Ensnaring Bridge, which does just kill you.
Experiment 1 doesn't seem strong enough, but does help the Avatar.
Strangleroot Geist is relentless, and does combo with X1 and Avatar. Just not sure about all 3 individually.
With the Narnam Renegade, maybe the FOUR overlapping abilities are strong enough. Dunno.
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Your deck is faster than my current deck, is less reliable, and will just get beat by stuff my deck crushes.
Your deck does look solid though.
It knows what it is trying to do, and will do that.
If you win the coin toss, Your deck can win turn four.
If you lose the coin toss, you lose to each.
Maybe you can fight burn on the ground. But, only 3 land out of 20 don't hurt you. Ow.
Turn two Eidolon, on the play, affects every one of your spells.
My deck is not happy about it, but can still play, Windbrisk, Spectral, WLL, then attack on turn 5 flipping a Lord for the win. Dodging the Eidolon entirely
Mine is designed to fight those board states.
Gaddock & Selfless Spirit are in your sideboard, but basedeck in mine. (Little Thalia helps too.)
Maybe I can fight burn on the ground too. 14 of my land don't hurt me, and I have a couple of neat tricks.
There is nothing especially wrong with your deck, but, I like mine more.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
2x Path to Exile
2x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
2x Gaddock Teeg
2x Tarmogoyf
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
1x Knight of Autumn
5x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
1x Arid Mesa
2x Path to Exile
2x Gaddock Teeg
1x Wilt-Leaf Liege
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Rest in Peace
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Martyr of Sands
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Gaea's Blessing
1x Mirror Entity
4/1 came 2nd
2/0 U/W
Thump . Lost the social 3rd game, but his deck has to do amazing things.
0/2 Hogark .
Grrrr. Land problems. (Lost the 3rd to land problems as well)
2/0 U/G Combo. Won the social 3rd too.
2/0 Hogark.
He had land problems, and his version wasn't quite right, and he got unlucky, but he still got pounded.
2/1 U/W/b
My Army did like it should. Works.
Deck is REALLY GOOD.
Dryad Militant <-Backbone
Isamaru <- Got Thoughtseized
Kytheon, Hero of Akros <- Flipped twice, and went indestructible once
Soldier of the Pantheon <- Was ordinary, and did the kill against multicolour spells.
Legion's Landing <-was the 3rd land once.
Path to Exile <- Didn't really work
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben <- STRONG won games
Selfless Spirit <- great team player. Got targetted. 2nd one won it
Gaddock Teeg <- Won a game outright
Tarmogoyf <- Was OK. Got bounced once, Dryad Arbor died, and I couldn't cast it till 2 turns later.
Benalish Marshal<- Central Card
Spectral Procession <- was the hammer once, got boarded once, and hid
Knight of Autumn <- was a Blah 4/3 once
Wilt-Leaf Liege<- Big, worked, (never discarded)
Plains<- Fine
Windbrisk Heights <- Won games
Eiganjo Castle <- No effect. Was a Plains
Shefet Dunes <- No effect. Caused me one pain once
Horizon Canopy <- Sacced 2 for the tournament
Temple Garden <- Was fetched for
Windswept Heath <- Got Plains, TempleG and the DArbor
Dryad Arbor<-Was Good. Got fetched, and attacked, and fought, and died.
Razorverge Thicket <- Never a problem with Tapped.
Arid Mesa <- Bad Was never good
Sideboard
Path to Exile <- Was subbed in against Hogark & U/G was average
Gaddock Teeg <- Works real good against W/U
Wilt-Leaf Liege <- Subbed in every Match
Leonin Relic-Warder <- Never subbed in
Rest in Peace <- Won a game on turn 2 against Hogark
Devout Lightcaster <- Subbed in for Hogark, never got to 3 land
Martyr of Sands <- Not subbed in
Stillmoon Cavalier <- Subbed in against Hogark and W/U/b. Never turned up
Gaea's Blessing <- Dammit! Had the card and no green mana on turn 2.
Mirror Entity <- Subbed in once and was poor.
Deck had massive unjustifiable mana problems, and went 4/1
My Army is THAT solid. Every player knew exactly what they were doing.
Four of the opponents had pimped out versions of their decks, and exactly the cards they wanted to play.
The 2nd Hogark player was missing the Vengevines, but had replacement strengths, and he got unlucky.
My Army felt like it deserved to be facing them, and deserved the results. I could have beaten the first Hogark player as well, if only the green mana showed up. He won overall, with a draw in the last round. I report all of my results, It has just been a while.
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
1x Legion's Landing
2x Path to Exile
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3x Selfless Spirit
2x Gaddock Teeg
2x Tarmogoyf
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Spectral Procession
5x Plains
3x Windbrisk Heights
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Shefet Dunes
3x Horizon Canopy
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
1x Dryad Arbor
3x Razorverge Thicket
1x Arid Mesa
2x Path to Exile
2x Gaddock Teeg
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Rest in Peace
2x Devout Lightcaster
2x Martyr of Sands
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Gaea's Blessing
1x Mirror Entity
1x Remorseful Cleric
3/1 Won the tournament, 10 player at Untap
2/0 U/R Storm
Thump. Thalia & Gaddock just stop him
2/0 Red/Black Discard tricksy
Game 1 I double discarded 2xWLL, but he did miss them in the first random discard.
Game 2 - His Turn 1 Hollow one got hidden by my Leo RW on Turn 2
Social third he smashed me.
2/1 Humans
Got him. Sideboard turned up.
Game one was a beating. Meddling Mage as first creature can stop Path to Exile! What that about?
Game 2 the LeoRW won it by exiling his Aether Vial.
Game 3 he stalled on 2 Horizon canopies after a mull, then the LeoRW hid his Vial. Devout lightcaster exiled his Freebooter. LLanding did flip into the 3rd land on my side, which mattered. Windbrisk got a Stillmoon Cavalier, which has protection from his deck (except nobleH, but he can still fly).
I still think Humans should win this, but winning this round was satisfying against the odds.
I did some strange boarding, but it seemed right.
Took out
2x Path to Exile
2x Tarmogoyf
3x Spectral procession
Put in:
2x Leonin Relic-Warder
2x Devout Lightcaster
1x Stillmoon Cavalier
1x Mirror Entity
1x Remorseful Cleric
1/2 Eldrazi Tron
He got what he needed, and JUST got there. Both of us mulled a bit.
Path to Exile is strong in this, and very ordinary for the rest.
Two ZERO land mulligans, and Two ONE land mulligans.
No just lose games though.
My Army Works.
Kytheon, Hero of Akros Flipped twice, and went indestructible once
Soldier of the Pantheon Was OK, and boarded against Eldrazi
Legion's Landing was the 3rd land once.
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben won the U/R match
Selfless Spirit was fine
Gaddock Teeg Was good in first match
Tarmogoyf - Hid, and got boarded once
Benalish Marshal- is the centre
Spectral Procession - Is great, and is bad against humans.
Wilt-Leaf Liege- Back to 4x, just good.
Windbrisk Heights - Is an excuse to play so many lands. Wins games.
Eiganjo Castle - No effect. Was a Plains. Was active once.
Shefet Dunes - No effect. Caused me one pain once
Horizon Canopy - Sacced twice
Temple Garden - Was fetched for
Windswept Heath - Got Plains, TempleG and the DArbor
Dryad Arbor- Worked. Got fetched, and attacked, and fought, and died. Almost cost me a game against U/R when he Anger of the Gods my board.
Razorverge Thicket - Could have been 4th land once, but wasnt.
Arid Mesa - Bad. Was never good. Think I need to remove this
Sideboard
Path to Exile - Was subbed in against Eldrazi, sucked otherwise
Gaddock Teeg - Works real good against R/U
Leonin Relic-Warder - Fantastic against Humans
Rest in Peace - Never subbed
Devout Lightcaster - Subbed in against Humans, worked. Discarded against R/B discard
Martyr of Sands - Subbed in, and bad against R/B
Stillmoon Cavalier - Worked against Humans
Gaea's Blessing - Subbed in, and drawn against B/R but didnt work - Dammit! Maybe it is time.
Mirror Entity - Subbed in Turned up against Humans and in a social but never good to cast. Maybe it is time.
Seems unjustifiable mana problems again.
But, seems to be happening. This is almost mono colour, with 23 land in a weenie deck.
Not sure what else to do.
No land, One land and 5 land. Dunno. keeping 4 landers with 3x1 Drops does work. (horizon, Winbrisk, Fetch for DArbor)
My Army is resilient
1/2 - Blue/Black/Red Premium
2/1 - Green Tron
1/2 - Red/Green/Black Premium 4 x W6
Had not played Magic, let alone Modern for 3 months.
Picked it up, got there, and realised I was missing a couple of cards. Had them subbed out into a Highlander deck. And it mattered.
Playing a 3 cost Thalia instead of WLL matters when being forced to discard from Kolaghans Command.
Stupid W/R Fetchland cant get Dryad Arbor.
Two mulligans in 3 rounds is appalling.
Got mana flooded in first round in both lost games. first game getting flooded after a one lander was.... disappointing.
About turn 14, losing with land in hand is pretty special. Sure, he was Cryptic Commanding my Dryad Arbor, but he did NEED to.
Horizon Canopy really does even it out, and kept me in the game.
Even so, I would play those rounds again. I beat Green Tron pretty convincingly now.
The game I lost to Green Tron involved me making the decision to play the Selfless Spirit instead of Gaddock. Then he played All is Dust
So I rebuilt, and he wiped with Oblivion stone
I rebuilt, and he cast O-Stone
And Karn /Lattice for the win.
We had played 3 games before hand as well. Yup Green Tron REALLY dont like me.
(I keep 2x Path to exile in the deck now when facing tron to pick off the Wurmcoils.)
W6 is strong. I realise that is not news to anyone, but even so. He always had the individual kill for the Soldiers of the Pantheon, and I always had multiple 1 defence creatures. Going first matters, and I did not. hmmmmm. Would like more games. Rest in peace was good against Tarmogoyf. Just 1.
I won a Pro Tour with My Army of Teeg. Great deck. Strongly recommend.
I do not feel like contributing any more.