So do we think we can mainboard a Dead of Winter just by switching to snow basics to help our matchups against the "fair" creature decks? I really think that card on a -2 will greatly reduce their pressure, and at -3 or better will just completely wipe them...
Man, this really makes you appreciate Hedron Crab.
This imitation crab meat costs 2, doesn’t mill the turn you play it, and needs 5 snow land drops to equal one Glimpse the Unthinkable that you could of played on turn 2 instead of this imposter.
I suppose it could be used as a combo piece for some snow permanent infinite flicker deck, but when looking at it’s value as a mill outlet I would rather run Manic Scribe over this.
New crab would be borderline at U, but at 1U it feels like it's just not good enough to make enough of an impact. Also, with Crab you have to run fetchlands, which do double duty. With fetchlands and the new guy, you're relying on basics only, which really hurts your deck being able to fetch shocklands. 1U and mill 4 on snow permanent might have been enough too, but it's borderline.
The Plague Engineer is by far the most exciting card for me. Night of Souls' Betrayal did absolute work but the 4 mana cost and double black requirement often was a turn too slow or you just never got double black in matchups where you think it would be great like affinity, humans, even infect. Also, infect was boarding in Nature's Claim so it wasn't even a lock. This new guy costs 3 mana and is a creature so even if Thalia is in play you will cast this guy on turn 3. Infect only plays spell Pierce and often no removal so this guy won't get countered in that matchup and he can chump block and trade with glistener elf if you are desperate while killing all Blighted Agents and Noble Hierarchs (both human). Against UW control he can pressure planeswalkers and shut out snapcaster mage and vendillion clique (wizard). Normally UW boards out removal for counterspells and such so this guy is another must kill threat which helps crabs/scribes stay alive if you are on a creature build. Also, having deathtouch is relevant against creatures like Gurmag Angler and big Champions/Lieutenants or Glistener Elf. Either they trade off or don't attack giving us more time to mill them.
I can't stress how often I've lost games with Night of Souls' Betrayal because it cost 4 mana instead of 3. I still play the card because when it sticks it is just that good but at 3 mana this guy feels like an amazing addition to the sideboard.
Hi everyone, i have been playing the deck for a long time. Now i'm testing a new version of the deck, focused on sanity grinding.
the final push to seriously try this deck came to me after seeing Archmage's charm.
The deck I'm testing is UW purely for control. I'm getting good results online and would like to have some advice from you.
The power of the deck, in addition to Sanity Grinding (which alone allows you to mill even 15 cards without problems, lies in the excellent control of the board (achilles heel of the deck) thanks to the Cryptic Command, Merfolk Trickster, Plumeveil well as Warrant // Warden. All at instant speed which increases the degree of control of the deck.
This is my list:
I played with Sanity Grinding a while back, using a bunch of the super high hybrid mana stuff such as Ghastlord of Fugue, but was not able to make it work. If you can, that would be lots of fun.
Seems like a great mid to late game blocker that allows us to control the damage we take, and then might be the final nail in the coffin to bury them. The newly legal Unearth allows us to replay it for the same cost.
A deck with this may consider going Esper, because Teferi, Time Raveler's +1 gives so many opportunities to do janky things like block with Death's Shadow, sac it to Altar, Unearth it, block another creature, and sac it again. Meanwhile, they are blocked from responding.
The -3 can be a lifesaver in a spot of bother to get Snapcaster or Death's Shadow back.
In the same vein, Hunted Horror also becomes a power play.
No point in trying to brew with Altar when the Vengevine Altar shell is already tier 1. The card has already been solved.
Your right if it's in a teir 1 deck there no other way to use the card effectively, I suppose we should also better ditch those fetchlands, surgical and and thoughtsizes then ow well :/
On another note (and the reason a came hear) I got milled yesterday buy a janky build splashing green for Voracious Wurm after casting a Crypt Incursion, the sacing to alter without passing priority, I have no idea what else he was running (as I was discarded, milled then this turn 5 both games) it seemed pretty interesting so I thought I'd share.
I agree. I think in fact adding 4 Thought Scour is the way to go as well. The ability to draw that Archive Trap and mill your opponent for 15 that turn sounds great to me.
I'm a big fan of playing 4 copies of a card when testing so you actually draw the card and draw and see how it performs when drawn solo or in multiples etc...
I also think there might be a toolbox approach with symmetry. Maybe we only need 1 bridge and 1 crypt incursion main now. We may not need 6-8 surgical effects anymore and can replace those slots with bombs in our bad matchups such as Torpor Orb (humans) or Night of Souls' Betrayal, the new Ashiok or whatever...
Potential hate piece toolbox cards:
Surgical (combo)
Bridge (eldrazi, humans, shadow)
Crypt Incursion (burn)
Plague Engineer/Night of Souls' Betrayl (infect, humans, devoted druid, dredge, affinity, mardu pyromancer, tribal etc...)
Unmoored Ego (nexus of fate and emrakul hate if you play against it a lot)
New Ashiok (scapeshift, dredge, hogaak, graveyard and searching decks)
Narset (phoenix, control)
Torpor Orb (humans)
I'm sure there are more cards but those are a few off the top of my head. Being able to run less copies of each but having more in your deck due to symmetry seems like it could be strong.
Iceberg Cancrix
Let the UB mill rejoice! Replace your basics with Snow, and go to town!
This imitation crab meat costs 2, doesn’t mill the turn you play it, and needs 5 snow land drops to equal one Glimpse the Unthinkable that you could of played on turn 2 instead of this imposter.
I suppose it could be used as a combo piece for some snow permanent infinite flicker deck, but when looking at it’s value as a mill outlet I would rather run Manic Scribe over this.
Hedron Crab is offended by this card.
I can't stress how often I've lost games with Night of Souls' Betrayal because it cost 4 mana instead of 3. I still play the card because when it sticks it is just that good but at 3 mana this guy feels like an amazing addition to the sideboard.
the final push to seriously try this deck came to me after seeing Archmage's charm.
The deck I'm testing is UW purely for control. I'm getting good results online and would like to have some advice from you.
The power of the deck, in addition to Sanity Grinding (which alone allows you to mill even 15 cards without problems, lies in the excellent control of the board (achilles heel of the deck) thanks to the Cryptic Command, Merfolk Trickster, Plumeveil well as Warrant // Warden. All at instant speed which increases the degree of control of the deck.
This is my list:
4 Hedron Crab
4 Merfolk Trickster
1 Plumeveil
INSTANT 28
4 Sanity Grinding
3 Archmage's Charm
4 Cryptic Command
2 Deprive
2 Warrant // Warden
2 Force of Negation
4 Archive Trap
3 Mission Briefing
4 Visions of Beyond
4 Field of Ruin
2 Hallowed Fountain
3 Glacial Fortress
4 Flooded Strand
5 Island
2 Shelldock Isle
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
2 Polluted Delta
1 Pithing Needle
3 Timely Reinforcements
1 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Celestial Purge
1 Dispel
2 Rest in Peace
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Disenchant
1 Supreme Verdict
Lately, I've been toying with Death's Shadow, Unearth and Altar of Dementia.
Seems like a great mid to late game blocker that allows us to control the damage we take, and then might be the final nail in the coffin to bury them. The newly legal Unearth allows us to replay it for the same cost.
Paired with the normally run Snapcaster Mage and/or Mission Briefing, three times just might be the charm.
A deck with this may consider going Esper, because Teferi, Time Raveler's +1 gives so many opportunities to do janky things like block with Death's Shadow, sac it to Altar, Unearth it, block another creature, and sac it again. Meanwhile, they are blocked from responding.
The -3 can be a lifesaver in a spot of bother to get Snapcaster or Death's Shadow back.
In the same vein, Hunted Horror also becomes a power play.
Your right if it's in a teir 1 deck there no other way to use the card effectively, I suppose we should also better ditch those fetchlands, surgical and and thoughtsizes then ow well :/
On another note (and the reason a came hear) I got milled yesterday buy a janky build splashing green for Voracious Wurm after casting a Crypt Incursion, the sacing to alter without passing priority, I have no idea what else he was running (as I was discarded, milled then this turn 5 both games) it seemed pretty interesting so I thought I'd share.
Competitive Decks
Devotion to the Lash B ----
Monkey Conservation WUGR ---- Dragon WorshipR
Scheming Simmetry
A new CMC 1 forced tutor that can be a great resource for us and a conviction for the oppo (Archive Trap). What do you think about it?
Can you please post an hypotetical list?
I’m gonna have some fun with this one
Multiplayer Decks- Memnarch - Animar, Soul of Elements - Zur, the Enchanter - Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Food Chain Tazri - Teysa Karlov
Modern BUMill and Bant Spirits.
Thank you Xenphire for the signature!
I also think there might be a toolbox approach with symmetry. Maybe we only need 1 bridge and 1 crypt incursion main now. We may not need 6-8 surgical effects anymore and can replace those slots with bombs in our bad matchups such as Torpor Orb (humans) or Night of Souls' Betrayal, the new Ashiok or whatever...
Potential hate piece toolbox cards:
Surgical (combo)
Bridge (eldrazi, humans, shadow)
Crypt Incursion (burn)
Plague Engineer/Night of Souls' Betrayl (infect, humans, devoted druid, dredge, affinity, mardu pyromancer, tribal etc...)
Unmoored Ego (nexus of fate and emrakul hate if you play against it a lot)
New Ashiok (scapeshift, dredge, hogaak, graveyard and searching decks)
Narset (phoenix, control)
Torpor Orb (humans)
I'm sure there are more cards but those are a few off the top of my head. Being able to run less copies of each but having more in your deck due to symmetry seems like it could be strong.