This list is for those who want to expiriment with different viable options. Enjoy brewing!
Hooray you! I just starting building a deck for BW Midrange, and I'm assuming you just saved me a bunch of research and trolling through cards
Cheers mate!
This list is for those who want to expiriment with different viable options. Enjoy brewing!
Hooray you! I just starting building a deck for BW Midrange, and I'm assuming you just saved me a bunch of research and trolling through cards
Cheers mate!
That I have. You're very welcome. Mix and match, bud. Enjoy your deck building process. I'm sure this compiled list of the best options we have available for BW will come in handy for others, too.
I am going to say this again: While I like this deck, you can't add any more 3-drops. Phyrexiam Arena is a terrible alternative and I wouldn't run it here.
Is Phyrexian Arena an alternative to Bob? 1 more mana for less life loss and same card advantage, plus its much harder to remove.
It's not ideal. While having a big pile of 3 drops isn't really a problem, it's always advantageous to play on a curve. T1 thoughtsieze, T2 Bob, T3 Souls/Liliana/Brimaz/whatever is what we really want to do. The life loss is probably about the same. Bob can be 0 when you flip a land, but arena can be 1 when you draw a lingering souls. Also, bob requires you to reveal the card. The "harder to remove" is good and bad. Sometimes, you need to not deal damage to yourself. Still, the B difference in cost is very significant.
If you want a budget alternative to Bob, I'd say just find something else for the slot, but if you can't do that, run Howling Mine or even Pain Seer. If budget isn't an issue, just run Bob.
What do you guys think of Seeker of the Way? It's cheap, gains life and can get kind of big. It's cool with Zealous Persecution cause it make it a 4/4 lifelinker and while your opponents dudes shrink. It could even trade with a Tarmogoyf sometimes. It work nicely with Raven's Crime as well, as that card make all you unnecessary land into spell to pump Seeker of the Way. Check this list out and tell me what you think.
Congrats on the 7-1! Is there a reason you're not using bobs? Have you found the deck to be smoother with sign in blood in his place? Did you ever get mana screwed with the BB and WW?
Congrats on the 7-1! Is there a reason you're not using bobs? Have you found the deck to be smoother with sign in blood in his place? Did you ever get mana screwed with the BB and WW?
I'm not running Bob first and foremost because I haven't been able to afford them, so I designed my deck to generate more power at the higher end of the curve. Because of the higher curve, Bob isn't as ideal. Sign in Blood at 3 has felt just right. 3 is enough because we're midrange and to smooth out your draws, while tying the deck together. I've had no issues with mana. It can also be used as a surprise burn spell to finish off an opponent. Nice top deck when all you need is 2 more damage to win. Only other land I'd consider is Fetid Heath or 1-2 more fetches. Thank you!
Congrats on the 7-1! Is there a reason you're not using bobs? Have you found the deck to be smoother with sign in blood in his place? Did you ever get mana screwed with the BB and WW?
I'm not running Bob first and foremost because I haven't been able to afford them, so I designed my deck to generate more power at the higher end of the curve. Because of the higher curve, Bob isn't as ideal. Sign in Blood at 3 has felt just right. 3 is enough because we're midrange and to smooth out your draws, while tying the deck together. I've had no issues with mana. It can also be used as a surprise burn spell to finish off an opponent. Nice top deck when all you need is 2 more damage to win. Only other land I'd consider is Fetid Heath or 1-2 more fetches. Thank you!
I was thinking of trying this out w/o Bob also. I'm new to modern, well new to the game in January, but I have a lot of these cards between the modern event deck,and my Standard purchases. I'm not really ready to fork $90 a card out, though long term BG Rock is totally my style. In the mean time this kind of feels BG Rock "budget" at least in terms of attitude and so this is what I'm going with. Short of Bob going slightly bigger sounds good. I'm also intrigued by Seeker of the way as a time buyer. I plan on playing Blood Baron of Vizkopa at the top of my curve because my local meta is heavy in the black/white removal, and Batterskull frankly because I have one from the Chicago GP and it seems like a good way to make my beatsticks bigger.
My deck list at the moment is. My local meta (group of friends) is primarily BW Tokens (upgraded), Affinity, Mono U Tron, UW Mill, Zoo, Eggs. I haven't even played against all of these decks...so I really don't fully know what I should be doing to play those. Interested in any recommendations you might have. Down the road I do intend to fill in two Liliana of the Veil into this deck list...and again I'm thinking about getting rid of Bob for now at least.
Your list looks awesome. Really. This is definitely the direction to go. It's very versatile and can attack from multiple angles. You're right; it is like a budget Rock. The only recommendations I have right now is considering Smother and Utter End. Utter End was strong in my 7-1 result. Smother hits all the important stuff and manlands too. I really like Blood Baron here too. What do you think of my list?
Your list looks awesome. Really. This is definitely the direction to go. It's very versatile and can attack from multiple angles. You're right; it is like a budget Rock. The only recommendations I have right now is considering Smother and Utter End. Utter End was strong in my 7-1 result. Smother hits all the important stuff and manlands too. I really like Blood Baron here too. What do you think of my list?
I like your list. A couple questions I have. I'm not challenging, just curious as this all fairly new to me. Actually looking at your list made me think I might need to reconsider Smother which I play in UB Tezz currently.
I see a lot of people saying run 4 rats, you are only using 3?
Only 2 Brimaz? I was thinking about the same thing, but I was worried about being dense enough w/threats early. With your bigger threats I don't think there is any problem with doing this in your deck. Not really a question I guess...assuming my observation is correct...but feel free to correct me.
I'm really cautious with using big creatures without protection. Almost none of your creatures have protection...at least from removal. Am I over thinking this?
Utter End seems costly but after watching it in a Vs series I'm starting to change my opinion.
I keep thinking we need board sweepers, but that could just be I spend so much time playing against BW Tokens. How do you handle this matchup? Sounds like it's one of our tougher ones. I keep thinking about putting Bile Blight in the side...while not a true sweeper, it essentially is against Tokens.
How about hexproof? I know it's not really a legitimate thing in Standard right now, but Bogles is alive and kicking in modern. Is this just another of our bad matchups and we kind of ignore it b/c the rest of the meta takes care of it being to popular?
How exactly did you go about replacing Bob? 3 Sign in Blood and one more 4 drop? I'm strongly considering this. Right now I'm proxying Bob, bc I'm not playing at any events. All my FNM play is Standard at the moment.
1. After testing, I felt that 3 is the right number. You want to see them early, but don't always have cards in your hand you want to pitch for its effect. It's a gamble, especially if they have an answer. Even just 2 works if you want to utilize it as a finisher.
2. I had considered 3, but 2 is fine because of my other threats. Good reasoning.
3. They do not have protection but are protected via hand disruption, which includes Sculler. These particular threats do not excel as well without Black, but are practically finishers here if the opponent has no answers. I even tested Master of the Feast and Desecration Demon. Wow. That's all I have to say. With Feast, you just want to maximize hand disruption because of its downside.
4. Don't let its cmc distract you. It's playable, instant speed, and versatile.
5. I agree. I may swap 1 card out in my board for Wrath of God. It's a viable option, especially since we recover with Souls.
6. For Hexproof, we need to maximize hand disruption and sweepers. It's not an easy match up but not one that shows up often.
7. Bob can be replaced with Sign in Blood/Night's Whisper. You can go with Arena, but we're already crammed at the 3 cmc. Like I said, 3-4 Sign in Blood is nice. You can even go 2-3/1 Sign in Blood/Phyrexian Arena.
The list you posted is 61 cards, is that how many you play? I've toyed around with adding wrath of god as well as runed halo. Runed halo has been pretty decent so far. Went 2-0 against scapeshift which is usually a tough match for us. A wrath main deck might be the way to go. It would help our game 1 against pod and merfolk.
Hooray you! I just starting building a deck for BW Midrange, and I'm assuming you just saved me a bunch of research and trolling through cards
Cheers mate!
That I have. You're very welcome. Mix and match, bud. Enjoy your deck building process. I'm sure this compiled list of the best options we have available for BW will come in handy for others, too.
Anyways..
What do you guys think of Seeker of the Way? It's cheap, gains life and can get kind of big. It's cool with Zealous Persecution cause it make it a 4/4 lifelinker and while your opponents dudes shrink. It could even trade with a Tarmogoyf sometimes. It work nicely with Raven's Crime as well, as that card make all you unnecessary land into spell to pump Seeker of the Way. Check this list out and tell me what you think.
2 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
4 Godless Shrine
2 Isolated Chapel
4 Mutavault
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Plains
2 Swamp
4 Path to Exile
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
2 Raven’s Crime
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
4 Seeker of the Way
2 Zealous Persecution
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Phyrexian Arena
2 Baneslayer Angel
2 Hero of Bladehold
2 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3 Pack Rat
3 Tidehollow Sculler
Planeswalkers: 4
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Liliana of the Veil
Spells: 21
3 Sign in Blood
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
4 Path to Exile
2 Smother
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Utter End
4 Lingering Souls
4 Marsh Flats
4 Godless Shrine
3 Isolated Chapel
3 Plains
3 Swamp
3 Mutavault
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Ghost Quarter
3 Auriok Champion
3 Fulminator Mage
2 Stony Silence
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Utter End
1 Celestial Purge
1 Thoughtseize
1 Disenchant
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Stain the Mind
It took several by surprise. Nice prize for coming in 1st! A playset of allied fetchlands of my choice.
Round 1:
Vs Abzan Pod: 2-1
Round 2:
Vs UW Tron: 2-0
Round 3:
Vs Scapeshift: 2-1
Round 4:
Vs Mono Red: 2-1
Round 5:
Vs Junk: 1-2
Top 8:
Round 1:
Vs Jund: 2-1
Round 2:
Vs UWR Flash: 2-0
Final Round:
Vs Affinity: 2-0
I'm not running Bob first and foremost because I haven't been able to afford them, so I designed my deck to generate more power at the higher end of the curve. Because of the higher curve, Bob isn't as ideal. Sign in Blood at 3 has felt just right. 3 is enough because we're midrange and to smooth out your draws, while tying the deck together. I've had no issues with mana. It can also be used as a surprise burn spell to finish off an opponent. Nice top deck when all you need is 2 more damage to win. Only other land I'd consider is Fetid Heath or 1-2 more fetches. Thank you!
I was thinking of trying this out w/o Bob also. I'm new to modern, well new to the game in January, but I have a lot of these cards between the modern event deck,and my Standard purchases. I'm not really ready to fork $90 a card out, though long term BG Rock is totally my style. In the mean time this kind of feels BG Rock "budget" at least in terms of attitude and so this is what I'm going with. Short of Bob going slightly bigger sounds good. I'm also intrigued by Seeker of the way as a time buyer. I plan on playing Blood Baron of Vizkopa at the top of my curve because my local meta is heavy in the black/white removal, and Batterskull frankly because I have one from the Chicago GP and it seems like a good way to make my beatsticks bigger.
My deck list at the moment is. My local meta (group of friends) is primarily BW Tokens (upgraded), Affinity, Mono U Tron, UW Mill, Zoo, Eggs. I haven't even played against all of these decks...so I really don't fully know what I should be doing to play those. Interested in any recommendations you might have. Down the road I do intend to fill in two Liliana of the Veil into this deck list...and again I'm thinking about getting rid of Bob for now at least.
2 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Dark Confidant
4 Pack Rat
3 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
Spells 20
1 Darkblast
1 Slaughter Pact
4 Path to Exile
3 Thoughtseize
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Dismember
4 Lingering Souls
1 Batterskull
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Land - 24
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Swamp
2 Plains
2 Caves of Koilos
3 Polluted Delta
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
2 Disenchant
2 Stony Silence
2 Damnation
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1 Disfigure
1 Darkblast
1 Pithing Needle
2 Mirran Crusader
3 Fulminator Mage
I like your list. A couple questions I have. I'm not challenging, just curious as this all fairly new to me. Actually looking at your list made me think I might need to reconsider Smother which I play in UB Tezz currently.
Lots of questions...I'm learning.
1. After testing, I felt that 3 is the right number. You want to see them early, but don't always have cards in your hand you want to pitch for its effect. It's a gamble, especially if they have an answer. Even just 2 works if you want to utilize it as a finisher.
2. I had considered 3, but 2 is fine because of my other threats. Good reasoning.
3. They do not have protection but are protected via hand disruption, which includes Sculler. These particular threats do not excel as well without Black, but are practically finishers here if the opponent has no answers. I even tested Master of the Feast and Desecration Demon. Wow. That's all I have to say. With Feast, you just want to maximize hand disruption because of its downside.
4. Don't let its cmc distract you. It's playable, instant speed, and versatile.
5. I agree. I may swap 1 card out in my board for Wrath of God. It's a viable option, especially since we recover with Souls.
6. For Hexproof, we need to maximize hand disruption and sweepers. It's not an easy match up but not one that shows up often.
7. Bob can be replaced with Sign in Blood/Night's Whisper. You can go with Arena, but we're already crammed at the 3 cmc. Like I said, 3-4 Sign in Blood is nice. You can even go 2-3/1 Sign in Blood/Phyrexian Arena.
I hope this helps.
Some spot removal and late game finishers like baneslayer, pack rat, hero of bladhold.