I think the question at hand, for the UW match, is how do you combat against Teferi, Time Raveler's static ability? And second, but maybe more importantly, how are you landing non-creature threats through Dovin's Veto?
Bolas is great once he's on the table, I don't think anyone will contest that, but you're not getting him into play as long as Veto is in their hand.
I don't think the 3 mana Teferi will see play, it doesn't do enough in the current meta. Regarding Dovin's Veto, we would have to rely on discard.
I agree, he's pretty garbage against decks trying to go fast.
However, I was responding to some statements about UW control specifically. In the context of UWx control vs Cruel control, I think UW is being handed more than a couple percentage points in win rate.
I'm not sold on the new Bolas, but I am high on the edict effect. I'd actually rather play a second Ral over Bolas, as the mana cost is actually pretty rough more often than not I think. Getting two planeswalkers out is just win more, I don't think I've ever lost a game when I had both Jace and Ral out, and I don't think it does enough by itself. Sure, you get to draw a card, and your opponent exiles one, but I'm sure there are enough dead cards in some matchups that they can toss one, or get rid of a land (I'd be a lot higher if the plus said "non land permanent". I think I'll give it a shot any ways, but I don't expect to be impressed.
Any ideas as to how many Triumph we want to play, and what to cut? Do we want to also play Liliana's in the maindeck to luck into the discard, or is that not worth working for?
Notice that you can use second brainstorm in the same round with Bolas. For Triumph i am not sure what to cut it depends again on your playstyle. For example If you use too many Electrolyze maybe you should cut one for a copy.
I have another question again. I am on a search for a card that uses grixis colors and gains life. I need to use it against Aggro decks like Burn for early turns.
I am thinking of puting 2 copies of Pharika's Cure. Does it worth removing 2 Bolts for it?
It kills all creautres that Burn uses and gains life. It also kills Drogskol Captain.
I also think of moving my Brutalities mainboard and add 2 Sun Droplet on side.
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People's thoughts just come to me. Sometimes, I don't know if it's them or me thinking.
Moment of Craving is a better effect than Pharika's Cure and has an easier mana cost. Is it worth it? Maybe. It can certainly be a 2 for 1 if you hit the right things.
If you want to get cute, you can spend 1BB to throw Brutality and Alms of the Vein off the Madness trigger at your opponent.
I think of moving some of these on mainboard to endure me against the Aggro Players. What do you suggest?
I could move my 2 Brutalities to main because, i use them post board in almost every game i play so, why not give them a chance?
My current list is this right now but i change it very often.
Has anyone also thought of Angrath's Rampage? I know Liliana's Triumph has been talked about, but I think I'd actually like a split of the two, if only for the Planeswalker part of Rampage
Kefnet, I don't think goes in Cruel Control. I think Kefnet is a win condition of his own and should operate apart from Cruel Ultimatum. I could be wrong though, no big deal; I just think he's more of a win condition than a stabilizer. One interaction I fully intend to abuse is getting a "miracle" Damnation and just drawing him again in a few turns to keep abusing him. I am fairly high on Kefnet as a good card though.
Lilianas triumph seems pretty solid as an edict. And is instant so that’s always a plus. Kefnet does seem flashy, I would play test him as a one of definitely just to see how he is, it seems interesting to me. Finale of revelation is one I’m actually interested in. I tend to keep my dreadship reef in my deck so stacking the mana isn’t that terrible. And elderspell seems like it would be a huge addition if everyone is going to be running a few planeswalker, gives us the ability to destroy many of them and add counters to ours. Ral would be more viable in my eyes than the Jace, wielder of secrets. But like you said they’re cool and flashy. Don’t know how legitimate they would be until I can test but seem fun enough to try out. I like that we have options now with many of these cards from the set assisting us.
I’m mixed between tyrants scorn because I use countersquall so my mana curve would be hard as hell. But again, options. These cards let us tweak and format a solid deck to utilize.
I think Tyrant's Scorn is an option. I see could see it used plenty in the GDS match because it covers everything. It's obviously not an overwhelming inclusion but options are good until we get something more universal (here's to hoping).
Interesting that you play a Dreadship Reef. You don't have any issues keeping it with things like Field of Ruin being fairly common in decks?
Sometimes I do, but it’s a favorite card of mine. I enjoy playing with it knowing that I can utilize my unused mana to build a bigger base and to fix some color issues I may come across. I also keep suffer the past in sideboard because it’s also a nice surprise in game 2 or 3.
I think Tyrant's Scorn is an option. I see could see it used plenty in the GDS match because it covers everything. It's obviously not an overwhelming inclusion but options are good until we get something more universal (here's to hoping).
Interesting that you play a Dreadship Reef. You don't have any issues keeping it with things like Field of Ruin being fairly common in decks?
Dreadship Reef is the most old-school tech I've seen in a while
It’s still a neat card. Gives me nostalgia when I play it. And the fact that it’s foil is a plus for me lol one of my favorites. But I keep it for late game scenarios where I can Stack mana if they allow me or if I can get a few charges to fix myself for some mid game plays
This is what my deck currently looks like. The mana base is kind of funky. I haven’t fixed it exactly and I could definitely use some Scalding tarn but it typically works well for me.
What do you think will be printed in Modern Horizons Guys?
Is there any chance of CounterspellHymn to Tourach or Brainstorm
or that some banned cards like Ponder will be unbanned?
UB Faeries (15-6-0)
UWR Control (10-5-1)/Kiki Control/Midrange/Harbinger
UBR Cruel Control (6-4-0)/Grixis Control/Delver/Blue Jund
UWB Control/Mentor
UW Miracles/Control (currently active, 14-2-0)
BW Eldrazi & Taxes
RW Burn (9-1-0)
I do (academic) research on video games and archaeology! You can check out my open access book here: https://www.sidestone.com/books/the-interactive-past
However, I was responding to some statements about UW control specifically. In the context of UWx control vs Cruel control, I think UW is being handed more than a couple percentage points in win rate.
"Reveal a Dragon"
Any ideas as to how many Triumph we want to play, and what to cut? Do we want to also play Liliana's in the maindeck to luck into the discard, or is that not worth working for?
I have another question again. I am on a search for a card that uses grixis colors and gains life. I need to use it against Aggro decks like Burn for early turns.
Except Collective Brutality that i already use on my sideboard, is there something similar to Lightning Helix that uses Grixis colors?
I am thinking of puting 2 copies of Pharika's Cure. Does it worth removing 2 Bolts for it?
It kills all creautres that Burn uses and gains life. It also kills Drogskol Captain.
I also think of moving my Brutalities mainboard and add 2 Sun Droplet on side.
If you want to get cute, you can spend 1BB to throw Brutality and Alms of the Vein off the Madness trigger at your opponent.
Kalitas is great though.
"Reveal a Dragon"
As for lifegain things, I’ve tested Essence Extraction a couple of times and it seemed alright. This was before Moment of Craving came out
As for the lifegain cards, I use these all to sideboard.
I think of moving some of these on mainboard to endure me against the Aggro Players. What do you suggest?
I could move my 2 Brutalities to main because, i use them post board in almost every game i play so, why not give them a chance?
My current list is this right now but i change it very often.
1x Bloodstained Mire
3x Creeping Tar Pit
1x Drowned Catacomb
2x Field of Ruin
3x Island
1x Mountain
4x Polluted Delta
3x Scalding Tarn
2x Steam Vents
2x Sulfur Falls
1x Swamp
2x Watery Grave
Creature (4)
4x Snapcaster Mage
Instant (24)
1x Countersquall
4x Cryptic Command
3x Electrolyze
2x Fatal Push
1x Hieroglyphic Illumination
2x Kolaghan's Command
2x Logic Knot
1x Mana Leak
3x Opt
3x Terminate
2x Think Twice
2x Engineered Explosives
Planeswalker (1)
1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Sorcery (4)
2x Cruel Ultimatum
2x Damnation
1x Batterskull
2x Collective Brutality
2x Countersquall
2x Dispel
2x Extirpate
2x Fulminator Mage
1x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Vendilion Clique
Kefnet, I don't think goes in Cruel Control. I think Kefnet is a win condition of his own and should operate apart from Cruel Ultimatum. I could be wrong though, no big deal; I just think he's more of a win condition than a stabilizer. One interaction I fully intend to abuse is getting a "miracle" Damnation and just drawing him again in a few turns to keep abusing him. I am fairly high on Kefnet as a good card though.
"Reveal a Dragon"
I’m mixed between tyrants scorn because I use countersquall so my mana curve would be hard as hell. But again, options. These cards let us tweak and format a solid deck to utilize.
Interesting that you play a Dreadship Reef. You don't have any issues keeping it with things like Field of Ruin being fairly common in decks?
"Reveal a Dragon"
UB Faeries (15-6-0)
UWR Control (10-5-1)/Kiki Control/Midrange/Harbinger
UBR Cruel Control (6-4-0)/Grixis Control/Delver/Blue Jund
UWB Control/Mentor
UW Miracles/Control (currently active, 14-2-0)
BW Eldrazi & Taxes
RW Burn (9-1-0)
I do (academic) research on video games and archaeology! You can check out my open access book here: https://www.sidestone.com/books/the-interactive-past
I certainly like the symmetry it can break if you find yourself in that situation.
"Reveal a Dragon"
————————
Creatures: 5
Snapcaster mage x4
Nicol Bolas, the ravager x1
Planeswalker: 1
Jace, unraveler of secrets
Spells:30
Cryptic command x4
Opt x4
Think twice x4
Terminate x3
Electrolyze x3
Remand x3
Lightning bolt x3
Countersquall x2
Thoughtseize x2
Cruel ultimatum x2
Mana:24
Polluted Delta x4
Creeping tar pit x3
Drowned catacomb x3
Island x3
Watery grave x2
Steam vents x2
Sulfur falls x2
Blood crypt x1
Sunken ruins x1
Dreadship reef x1
Wandering fumarole x1
Swamp x1
This is what my deck currently looks like. The mana base is kind of funky. I haven’t fixed it exactly and I could definitely use some Scalding tarn but it typically works well for me.
Is there any chance of Counterspell Hymn to Tourach or Brainstorm
or that some banned cards like Ponder will be unbanned?