Well this is the first time that I'm posting so if I get the posting format wrong or something to that extent please let me know. I've lightly tested this deck mostly against somewhat defensive decks aubt I have faced against agressive vampires and some aggro green. So far I'm at 8-6 with most of those wins coming from the version that I'm posting now. It features more lands in order to bring out my threats and creatures faster and a more focused look on what I want to play, as opposed to before where I faced mana shortages and counter cards that just weren't helping me out. Anyways here's the list:
Creatures -- 12
4x Fog Bank
4x Jace's Phantasm
4x Hedron Crab
Enchantments -- 4
4x Wind Zendikon
Sorceries -- 15
4x Eradicate
4x Mind Funeral
4x See Beyond
3x Fabricate
The basic idea of the deck is to throw down some hedron crabs to mill as I drop lands, with phantasms and banks as blocking support. Once I get to 4 mana I'll have enchanted an opponents key land with zendikon. Then I can Eradicate it and cripple a large part of their mana base since Eradicate checks for card names, not types. If they run multiple colors I'll repeat the process for the others while constantly milling with hedron and destroying most of their deck with mind funeral due to land shortage.
In the event that my opponent's deck is too fast, I'll remove the zendikons and such that focus around that strategy and bring in most of the sideboard with scepters allowing me to imprint on mana leak or sorin's thirst for some damage, or telling time for deck control.
My main concerns are whether this is viable in modern. I've never played a sanctioned Magic event, just casually with friends, but I'd like to know whether this deck could be fast enough to create a threat in Modern, and if so, what cards should I add to increase the speed. As far as I can tell this deck should be playable in modern. All the cards are from acceptable sets and I don't have any banned cards now.
Any suggestions or critiques are welcome, especially anything that can help me bring out my mind funerals, eradicates, and zendikons out faster. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Start by using Fetch lands and Watery Grave. I would drop the cute Zendikar+Eradicate trick for just solid distruption like Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoutseize or removal like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat.
Zendikar + Eradicate isn't all that great because Modern is very nonbasic heavy, so I too would recommend dropping it. You need some good sweep cards though, so throw some Damnation or Mutilate in place of Eradicate and cut Zendikar to get you close to 60 cards.
I'd avoid one for ones like GftT and Doom Blade because you need to focus on disruption and milling.
Throw some Inquisitions in for sure and then test between Thoughtseize, Duress, and Wrench Mind for additional disruption.
Use Archive Trap followed up by a Haunting Echoes to decimate just about any deck out there.
I did like the combo but I was sure that it was too slow to actually do in a professional match. I also didn't know that there were large varieties of lands in most decks. In that case then mill and disruption will be my focus. I appreciate the suggestions and I do like the idea of Archive Trap. Throwing in a haunting echoes after that is just icing on the cake.
As far as hand disruption, wouldn't a few hypnotic specters work out better than adding 5-8 of those other options? I'm definitely adding mutilate, and a couple damnations are handy as well.
In regards to a draw engine, are there any better options than see beyond? I love telling time because I find that more often than not, in 3 cards, there are 2 i could use now and one that just doesn't belong right then. Sleight of Hand seems like a weaker telling time and I'm iffy about visions because it's sorcery speed. So what other options are powerful enough, or preferably, give me advantage while hurting my opponent like Thought Scour?
I'm also gonna add some Tamiyo's since the focus of the deck has shifted.
P.S. Thanks to everybody for such speedy replies. Things weren't so quick in other forums. And thank you Tom for placing my post the appropriate area.
Do you have a budget in mind? There are a few directions you might go, largely depending on if you can invest in your mana base (fetches, shocks).
Fetch heavy mana bases can make the crabs incredibly effective. Milling 6 a turn off of them is pretty crazy. Sweeps don't like them though. I'd opt for the more aggressive crab version, personally.
If you run archive trap, you can run things to set it off (in addition to opponent fetches/pods/etc) - Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter are probably the tmost notable. It's still kinda lackluster if they never search normally though, e.g. mono red affinity.
You can also run Trapmaker's Snare to be copies 5-8, along with a toolbox (if only for a single MD Ravenous Trap - you completely forfeit g1 against Tron without non-sorcery yard hate.
Visions of Beyond is very strong in mill, and pretty cheap. Maybe not a 4-of, but definitely minimum 2 imo.
Note that Snapcaster is great with Visions and Glimpse the Unthinkable, but you can't flash back a trap for the trap cost.
Mill has some inherent problems, but that might make it unexpected. People side Timely and finks, but no one sides in Emrakul for mill.
I'm largely confident I can get hold of fetch and shock lands, but I'm not on a terribly large budget. Across two weeks I have about 40 I can safely spend on Magic without worrying about donating blood to make ends meet. Heh . What do you mean by the more aggressive crab version? As in a deck version with the crabs as a key milling element with less field removal to prevent destroying them, or is there a better crab that has a related effect? I think I'd probably go with Quarter than exile. Exile is definitely better but it also requires a complete color shift because I really don't wanna splash a third color in there and have too few of any spells. Come to think, I could do an Azorius theme from ravnica and return to ravnica. The new detain oughta keep me alive for some more turns. And I'll keep the main cards I need such as trap, exile, crabs. Should I keep the phantasms or banks though?
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Creatures -- 12
4x Fog Bank
4x Jace's Phantasm
4x Hedron Crab
Enchantments -- 4
4x Wind Zendikon
Sorceries -- 15
4x Eradicate
4x Mind Funeral
4x See Beyond
3x Fabricate
Instants -- 7
4x Telling Time
3x Mana Leak
Artifacts -- 3
3x Gilded Lotus
Lands -- 22
3x Dimir Aqueduct
9x Swamp
10x Island
Sideboard -- 15
4x Isochron Scepter
4x Mind Sculpt
4x Sorin's Thirst
3x Sadistic Sacrament
Total Count is 63 cards
The basic idea of the deck is to throw down some hedron crabs to mill as I drop lands, with phantasms and banks as blocking support. Once I get to 4 mana I'll have enchanted an opponents key land with zendikon. Then I can Eradicate it and cripple a large part of their mana base since Eradicate checks for card names, not types. If they run multiple colors I'll repeat the process for the others while constantly milling with hedron and destroying most of their deck with mind funeral due to land shortage.
In the event that my opponent's deck is too fast, I'll remove the zendikons and such that focus around that strategy and bring in most of the sideboard with scepters allowing me to imprint on mana leak or sorin's thirst for some damage, or telling time for deck control.
My main concerns are whether this is viable in modern. I've never played a sanctioned Magic event, just casually with friends, but I'd like to know whether this deck could be fast enough to create a threat in Modern, and if so, what cards should I add to increase the speed. As far as I can tell this deck should be playable in modern. All the cards are from acceptable sets and I don't have any banned cards now.
Any suggestions or critiques are welcome, especially anything that can help me bring out my mind funerals, eradicates, and zendikons out faster. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
4x Jace's Phantasm
4x Hedron Crab
4x Wind Zendikon
4x Eradicate
4x Mind Funeral
4x See Beyond
3x Fabricate
4x Telling Time
3x Mana Leak
3x Dimir Aqueduct
9x Swamp
10x Island
4x Mind Sculpt
4x Sorin's Thirst
3x Sadistic Sacrament
Start by using Fetch lands and Watery Grave. I would drop the cute Zendikar+Eradicate trick for just solid distruption like Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoutseize or removal like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat.
I'd avoid one for ones like GftT and Doom Blade because you need to focus on disruption and milling.
Throw some Inquisitions in for sure and then test between Thoughtseize, Duress, and Wrench Mind for additional disruption.
Use Archive Trap followed up by a Haunting Echoes to decimate just about any deck out there.
-MTG Salvation.
As far as hand disruption, wouldn't a few hypnotic specters work out better than adding 5-8 of those other options? I'm definitely adding mutilate, and a couple damnations are handy as well.
In regards to a draw engine, are there any better options than see beyond? I love telling time because I find that more often than not, in 3 cards, there are 2 i could use now and one that just doesn't belong right then. Sleight of Hand seems like a weaker telling time and I'm iffy about visions because it's sorcery speed. So what other options are powerful enough, or preferably, give me advantage while hurting my opponent like Thought Scour?
I'm also gonna add some Tamiyo's since the focus of the deck has shifted.
P.S. Thanks to everybody for such speedy replies. Things weren't so quick in other forums. And thank you Tom for placing my post the appropriate area.
Fetch heavy mana bases can make the crabs incredibly effective. Milling 6 a turn off of them is pretty crazy. Sweeps don't like them though. I'd opt for the more aggressive crab version, personally.
If you run archive trap, you can run things to set it off (in addition to opponent fetches/pods/etc) - Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter are probably the tmost notable. It's still kinda lackluster if they never search normally though, e.g. mono red affinity.
You can also run Trapmaker's Snare to be copies 5-8, along with a toolbox (if only for a single MD Ravenous Trap - you completely forfeit g1 against Tron without non-sorcery yard hate.
Visions of Beyond is very strong in mill, and pretty cheap. Maybe not a 4-of, but definitely minimum 2 imo.
Note that Snapcaster is great with Visions and Glimpse the Unthinkable, but you can't flash back a trap for the trap cost.
Mill has some inherent problems, but that might make it unexpected. People side Timely and finks, but no one sides in Emrakul for mill.