I know that this up earlier in the thread, but there are reasons to run Batterskull with, or instead of, Wurmcoil Engine. First, it's a lot better against Path to Exile. I found I'd stick Wurmcoils against people and I would just be paying 6 to Rampant Growth. With Batterskull, you can simply return it to hand and recast it.
Also, and this is a big one, if you run Academy Ruins, you can recur Batterskull if you're facing down an active Deathrite Shaman. Shaman is such a big deal against Gifts that I think Gifts decks should look more toward artifact packages that can dodge him. I like having one of Wurmcoil and Batterskull - the former is an allstar against Jund and the latter is much better versus white decks.
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I was playing Batterskull at the Lincoln GP, and it was certainly solid, but path to exile isn't much of a reason to play the card, since I'm probably boarding batterskull out against non-delver decks taht play path. Deathrite Shaman is a relevant argument, though.
I was playing Batterskull at the Lincoln GP, and it was certainly solid, but path to exile isn't much of a reason to play the card, since I'm probably boarding batterskull out against non-delver decks taht play path. Deathrite Shaman is a relevant argument, though.
I found that I had to have goodies to Gift for in the face of an active Shaman. That nerd is getting more and more popular.
On that note, I am LOVING Sunlance on the sideboard. Kills Shaman without accelerating them like Path would, and it also picks off Bob and other random dorks. I also like Deathmark and Slay, but I'm totally greedy.
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Thinking about picking the deck up, seems sweet! Quick question, if I were to expect a BIG jund meta (say 40%) is there anyway to add like 5-6 sb slots to get the matchup over 50/50 or are there any main deck changes to better the matchup? Thanks!
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I only like Consume the Meek if you are also playing Teachings. Otherwise it seems too conditional for my tastes. Sunlance is interesting. I used to love using it in Cawblade, so I might try it out. If you want to try pushing the jund matchup so it's more favorable MD, consider Batterskull and Wurmcoil MD.
Both Sunlance and Deathmark make your Snapcasters a lot better. They both have obvious limitations, so I like one of each. I board both in against Deathrite Shaman decks. Deathmark pops Tarmogoyfs and Restoration Angels, which are about the only thing it hits that matters (Teeg, too). Sunlance kills Bob, Cliques, Golem tokens, Shamans, lots of random junk. Neither hits manlands, which makes me sad. For beating Jund, I find that Slay is incredible, since it kills all of their dudes for value - even Raging Ravine.
In your report, Shane, you use Darkblast a lot. It's a card that I have very little respect for, especially because you have to do a lot to even kill a Deathrite Shaman. However, it seems to have carried a lot of water for you. Would you still run it? Maindeck it? If I were boarding it in, I'd really want Exile Into Darkness more. Please persuade me to give it another look!
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MD Darkblast for life! I don't know if you've read Darkblast's flavor text, but it actually says "Turn 1 Glistener Elf? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Turn 1 Birds of Paradise? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Turn 1 Signal Pest? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Turn 1 Delver of Secrets? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Vendilion Clique me? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG"
I usually board it out against Jund, but game one it's still pretty solid against them.
I've played Exile into Darkness in the sideboard in the past, and it always feels too clunky. If Delver sees a surge in popularity, then Exile is worth looking at again.
You can Gifts up an Exile, which makes it really sweet as a throw-in. The other thing I was thinking about is maindecking a Timely Reinforcements. Timely is soooo good against just about everything but combo and Tron. I suppose you're already fine against those decks anyway, though...
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Take Iona out and see if you miss it. I love Elesh Norn and I'm keeping it in, but I have not missed Iona. I don't even have an alternate reanimation target! If you're looking for something to shut down combo, then Jin-Gitaxias might work, while still maintaining a lot of utility.
Iona on Black against Jund if they don't have Liliana is game over most of the time (barring two or more Goyfs), so it's still worthwhile.
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When is the best time to ghost quarter someone? Say r/g tron? Their upkeep? Draw step? What about ghost quartering someone off a dual land and they're tapped out, should you just do it then?
Yea Iona has not impressed me while Norn has. I just play wurcoil in that slot as Academy ruins is in my build. Gifts pile of Wurm, Explosives, Ruins, Loam gives you prety much all u need to grind out the game. So hard to get people with Iona and sooooo bad in an opener.
Yea Iona has not impressed me while Norn has. I just play wurcoil in that slot as Academy ruins is in my build. Gifts pile of Wurm, Explosives, Ruins, Loam gives you prety much all u need to grind out the game. So hard to get people with Iona and sooooo bad in an opener.
Iona beats Storm, Eggs, RDW, Splinter Twin, and can hold off other combo decks until they can resolve a bounce spell or path to exile against her.
Elesh norn is dead in all these matchups outside being a beatstick.
You play both because they play different roles entirely.
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Sure but she is literally an auto mulligan. Jund has to not have death rite and Liliana on the board, no one plays eggs, you can still beet storm, and twin can just remand your rites etc. Jund still has a heck of a time vs infi wurm coils. I think Iona has won me about 1/10th of the games Norn has because he is an "Auto Win" vs ultra popular afinity and infect. If you expect endless storm or something type Meta she gets better, but I found this deck has trouble with its openers enough already and she can live in the board.
You're making a horrible mistake here. Iona is the card that will win you games vs Jund (naming black), Storm (naming red), and many random decks.
By cutting the card, you are cutting a lot of "free wins" against several decks.
There's a lot of situations where Iona is just a dead card to get against Jund, though. She's really bad at racing Spirits, for example. They can also still run 6/7 Tarmogoyfs out to race.
Iona can't beat the Aether Spellbombs from Eggs, either.
I think it's a fine sideboard card, though.
Here's a discussion starter: do you board out Shamans against decks without fetchlands? It would seem absurd to board out Noble Hierarchs if those were in here, for example. I was thinking that against Affinity, though, the 1/2 body might be the most relevant part of that creature - which isn't saying much.
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Then she's got a PTE just when she enters the battlefield?
And you can't say at least it's a good Wrath when your three cards and lot of mana lose into one card
Figuring out if the guy has path is one of the decisions you must make when using gifts. If the guy path's elesh norn, can you still win, if not you should make a value gifts pile.
Exactly what Rickster said about Gifts. It shouldn't always just be searching auto combo. It is a great CA engine and part of the difficulty of playing the card is knowing the right piles to take at the right times.
Then she's got a PTE just when she enters the battlefield?
And you can't say at least it's a good Wrath when your three cards and lot of mana lose into one card
If you've got a turn or two to set up, you get Raven's Crime and LFTL to grind that stuff out of their hand first! Otherwise... did I wipe their board? Did I buy a few turns? Considering that I spent only eight mana and one functional card (Gifts) to do it, it might be a great trade.
And Elesh Norn puts games away against control if you've got Spirits laying around. 3/3 fliers are a pretty big deal.
I am working to integrate more Spellskite into this board, since that little wall can brick Infect decks by stealing all of their pumps.
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That UWR version is interesting, but definitely wants Sun Titan. Ive been testing Thrun, 3 Finks, and equipment. So many people are ready to hate Gifts but makes it vulnerable to just the man plan.
Also, and this is a big one, if you run Academy Ruins, you can recur Batterskull if you're facing down an active Deathrite Shaman. Shaman is such a big deal against Gifts that I think Gifts decks should look more toward artifact packages that can dodge him. I like having one of Wurmcoil and Batterskull - the former is an allstar against Jund and the latter is much better versus white decks.
UWBG Gifts in Modern
UWBG Control in Standard
UBG Control in Legacy
I found that I had to have goodies to Gift for in the face of an active Shaman. That nerd is getting more and more popular.
On that note, I am LOVING Sunlance on the sideboard. Kills Shaman without accelerating them like Path would, and it also picks off Bob and other random dorks. I also like Deathmark and Slay, but I'm totally greedy.
UWBG Gifts in Modern
UWBG Control in Standard
UBG Control in Legacy
In your report, Shane, you use Darkblast a lot. It's a card that I have very little respect for, especially because you have to do a lot to even kill a Deathrite Shaman. However, it seems to have carried a lot of water for you. Would you still run it? Maindeck it? If I were boarding it in, I'd really want Exile Into Darkness more. Please persuade me to give it another look!
Turn 1 Birds of Paradise? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Turn 1 Signal Pest? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Turn 1 Delver of Secrets? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Vendilion Clique me? GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG"
I usually board it out against Jund, but game one it's still pretty solid against them.
I've played Exile into Darkness in the sideboard in the past, and it always feels too clunky. If Delver sees a surge in popularity, then Exile is worth looking at again.
UWBG Gifts in Modern
UWBG Control in Standard
UBG Control in Legacy
Iona on Black against Jund if they don't have Liliana is game over most of the time (barring two or more Goyfs), so it's still worthwhile.
Iona beats Storm, Eggs, RDW, Splinter Twin, and can hold off other combo decks until they can resolve a bounce spell or path to exile against her.
Elesh norn is dead in all these matchups outside being a beatstick.
You play both because they play different roles entirely.
There's a lot of situations where Iona is just a dead card to get against Jund, though. She's really bad at racing Spirits, for example. They can also still run 6/7 Tarmogoyfs out to race.
Iona can't beat the Aether Spellbombs from Eggs, either.
I think it's a fine sideboard card, though.
Here's a discussion starter: do you board out Shamans against decks without fetchlands? It would seem absurd to board out Noble Hierarchs if those were in here, for example. I was thinking that against Affinity, though, the 1/2 body might be the most relevant part of that creature - which isn't saying much.
Gifts Ungiven - Rites + Elesh Norn into graveyard- reanimate Elesh Norn
Then she's got a PTE just when she enters the battlefield?
And you can't say at least it's a good Wrath when your three cards and lot of mana lose into one card
Figuring out if the guy has path is one of the decisions you must make when using gifts. If the guy path's elesh norn, can you still win, if not you should make a value gifts pile.
If you've got a turn or two to set up, you get Raven's Crime and LFTL to grind that stuff out of their hand first! Otherwise... did I wipe their board? Did I buy a few turns? Considering that I spent only eight mana and one functional card (Gifts) to do it, it might be a great trade.
And Elesh Norn puts games away against control if you've got Spirits laying around. 3/3 fliers are a pretty big deal.
I am working to integrate more Spellskite into this board, since that little wall can brick Infect decks by stealing all of their pumps.