Played at a small 8 person MNM. I was going to play Knightfall, but after seeing everyone playing big mana or Aggro, I switch to Titanshift.
Round 1 vs. GW Tron. I ramp super quickly. He plays a Karn. I Bolt it end step. He doesn't play another one next turn and I go off with Scapeshift. In the next game, I made a mistake. I sided out my 1 of Wood Elves. Big mistake. I do Summoner's Pact, but I can't get Sakura Tribe-Elder because it has been Pithing Needled and I forgot aobut the Wood Elves, so I get Prime Time. He does Ancient Stirrings, finds a Karn and exiles my Green source. In the next game, I ramp and durdle. He gets Wurmcoil Engine and Path to Exile on my Prime Time. I don't draw another win-con, drawing 4 Lightning Bolts and 4 lands this long game. I lose to Ulamog and draw a Prime Time on the final turn when it's too late. Great timing! 1-2.
Round 2 vs. Affinity. He plays a bunch of dudes. I get lucky and draw Lightning Bolt for his Signal Pest in time to stave off lethal, then draw Prismatic Omen to make my Scapeshift sooner. He never drew a payoff. In the next one, I do a turn 3 Anger of the Gods, then Lightning Bolt to finish an Arcbound Ravager and he can't really come back from that, especially after Reclamation Sage on his Cranial Plating next. I do Hour of Promise into Prismatic Omen/Scapeshift. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. BtL Scapeshift. He has just beaten my friend on Titanshift. I have a silly hand and ramp like crazy. He follows suit. I play a Sakura Tribe-Elder, hoping to fetch a Forest and draw another Green source the following turn to have double Scapeshift up if he has Remand. I don't get the land, but he doesn't have Remand with his final 2 cards. Lucky. In the next game, we both ramp like crazy after he mulls to 6. He goes for Scapeshift with UR up and 1 card in hand. I do Beast Within on a land (so only 5 Mountains in play when Valakut checks on resolution) and he has no response. I top deck Scapeshift the next turn and win easily. 2-0.
2-1 for the evening. Not bad. I was a bit upset about Tron, but nothing that I didn't expect.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Pact is essentially 2 extra titan copies in most cases. In some matchups where I bring in Thrun or Chameleon Colossus as silver bullet wincons it is also very helpful. Searching for a wood elves/ similar is ok but means that you are stuck paying the 4 on a turn where you probably have 6 lands available.
Not sure why you would have less than the 4 Valakut copies and 15 basics seems like a massive mistake as most of the deck runs off G mana.
@FoodChainGoblins: Perhaps its a good thing "titanshift is tier 3" because of less hate? Those are good FNM results though. How do you like the deck compared to Knightfall?
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EDH BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern: RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
I dont know why you wouldn't play the pact really unless you were more of a RUG scapeshift deck. I would chalk it up to a personal preference thing.
The example list you posted is more of a Through the Breach deck than titanshift per say but is also pretty unusual even for a breach deck. From looking at the list it seems as if they are planning on winning by cheating in Emrakul than by scapeshift and in their case prime time is still a good threat so worth including.
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EDH BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern: RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
@FoodChainGoblins: Perhaps its a good thing "titanshift is tier 3" because of less hate? Those are good FNM results though. How do you like the deck compared to Knightfall?
That's what I was hoping.
It was just a Monday Night Magic - 8 players. FNM at another store has 16-24 players usually (they had 30-40 just 6 months ago). I actually enjoy Titanshift more than the average person, from what I hear. I played GR Valakut in Standard and it was the first time in many years (in fact since the Wildfire deck) that I absolutely demolished people's hopes. I loved the competitiveness of the deck and that it did so well vs. UW Control at the time. Then I also played it in Extended and the Standard KWR Titan deck. So, I really like it.
But then I also enjoy Knightfall. The main problem is that I'm not locked against super quick Aggro and Big Mana is problems too. Midrange is just okay, but Combo is actually pretty good for it. I love playing Knightfall also because my deck is 73 foiled (2 full art Negate). I play nonfoil Titanshift, even though I probably am pretty close since I had RG Breach 75 foiled. I think foil Scapeshift is more than I want to pay for though right now. I love playing foil decks, but I am starting to try to move away from that. I think the card that attracts me to Knightfall more than anything is Tireless Tracker. I really love that card right now, even if it's not really the most competitive.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Played in a 23 person Modern $500 tournament. 5 rounds.
Round 1 vs. Bant Eldrazi. I played this guy at a PPTQ when both of us were 0-2. I also played at the same table of 8 spots at Regionals during Round 6 of a win and draw in. He won and made the top 8 at Regionals. I didn't, although that was with Bogles for me. He didn't draw too well against me at the PPTQ and it kept going here. No Smashers. No Eldrazi Temple. One Thought-Knot Seer in game 2 to nab my Prismatic Omen, which sucked because I had 2 Valakut in play and another in hand. But I top deck Scapeshift and it's over. In the first game, I literally just goldfished him on turn 4. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Jund Moon. In the first game, I have too much action and after my Prime Time is Terminated, I play Scapeshift. In the next game, he gets on board a Dark Confidant, then Goblin Rabblemaster, then another one and a Olivia Voldaren. I get Obstinate Baloth and get nabbed with discard again. I am dead on board, but top deck Scapeshift and I'm on to the next round! 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Titanshift. I mull to 6 and keep lands and 2 win-cons. He goldfishes me on turn 4. I draw a bunch of cards, but no ramp and lose. Waaay too slow. In the next game, I have Search for Tomorrow into Sakura Tribe-Elder into presumably turn 3 Hour of Promise, then Scapeshift. I don't draw an untapped land this game, so I can't do Hour of Promise. Then on turn 4 with him at 19, I can't kill him with Scapeshift for 18 damage. I do a Prime Time that I drew and he plays Prismatic Omen and Scapeshift to kill me on his turn 4. 0-2.
Round 4 vs. Grixis Ultimatum. I ramp all right and have some win-cons. But he does 1 Mana Leak, 3 Remand, 3 Cryptic Command, and Snapcaster Mage before Cruel Ultimatum nabs my last 3 cards. I can top deck Scapeshift to win. Nope, Mountain. He ends up doing Snapcaster Mage/Cruel Ultimatum 2 turns later, so I can top deck a Scapeshift to win. Nope, Stomping Ground. He wins. In the next game, he Terminates 2 Obstinate Baloth and swings me away with Creeping Tar Pit while doing 3 Mana Leak, 1 Remand, and a Negate, before Snapcaster Mage Negate. Then he does Cruel Ultimatum again and his hand is presumably all Cryptic Commands now. It doesn't matter. I have no more gas and the time finding Mountains with 3 Valakut in play took too long while a Creeping Tar Pit smacked me all over. 0-2.
Round 5 vs. ?. I didn't show up. I was already eliminated. 0-2.
2-3 for the night. Very rough time, but honestly I just drew better than 2 opponents and 2 opponents drew better than me. There's not much else to really say, outside of me considering putting in a single Gaea's Revenge before the tournament because I suspected Control type decks would be overrepresented here. But I figured that the "creature plan" would be good enough. I'm curious what would have happened in the 4th round if an Obstinate Baloth was a Chameleon Colossus instead? I had 2 and 2 with 2 Summoner's Pact that I didn't see.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I considered it. The slots in the SB are tight, so it's tough giving up another spot, since I still like having 2 Chameleon Colossus in the SB. Maybe that's where the cut should come?
Most of the time, I just expect other decks to beat Control type decks and hope to dodge it in the early rounds. As a player who played exclusively Control for 8 straight years, I don't feel that there is a good enough shell and I haven't felt like there has in many formats (other than Top Control in Legacy) for quite a long time. I always just try to rely on other decks that smash Control to keep them from knocking me out of Top 8 contention or praying that they won't have exactly X spells for my X win cons (4 Prime Time, 4 Shift, 3 Hour of Promise, and 2 Summoner's Pact).
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Jeskai Control is one of the most prominent tier 1 decks right now, scoring big points in every major event recently.
Yes, I completely realize this. I heard something yesterday that the SCG Invitational Day 2 was "infested" with them. Unfortunately for me, I haven't played against a Jeskai "Control" deck in a month. They kind of got hated out of our LGS, not sure how, but they didn't do too well.
I figured it would be big (and it was, with at least 3 players on it at the tournament), but felt theoretically that I can beat it. I have 2 Obstinate Baloth and 2 Kitchen Finks after side to at least keep up with the burn. I have a quick clock and preboard, this "Control" deck, which I like to call Tempo myself, has 3 Logic Knot and 2 Cryptic Command to counter my win-cons. With Snapcaster Mage, it can be up to 9 before side, much less than the nearly 9 I faced each game vs. Cruel Control. My opponent literally had land drops up to 9, while sitting on numerous Remand/Mana Leak and Cryptic Command each turn. That doesn't get it done against decks that can play multiple threats per turn, especially when I found out after talking to him that he cut Lightning Bolt completely from the deck. Against our deck, it does get it done. I also figured Relic of Progenitus does a good job negating some of this, as well as protecting me from Surgical Extraction (by targeting myself and then if responded to by SE, I crack it, or I can just leave it untapped and ready). I was unsure about how to deal with Geist of Saint Traft, but just prayed that I Sweltering Suns each time after a Geist and it resolves or Geist comes out slower with protection, giving me time. But then again, this is all theory. I haven't played against them in a while with any deck and certainly not Titanshift in a long time.
*Jeskai Control to me is the Torrential Gearhulk, 2 Snapcaster Mage version, not the 4 Snapcaster Mage, 4 Spell Queller, 2-3 Geist of Saint Traft version.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Yep. Sight for sore eyes. I had seen Mono Green Tron do pretty well the past 2 weeks and had nearly considered trying it. Glad to see 2 Titanshift in the Top 8 as well.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
19 person FNM, 4 rounds, losing streak keeps coming!
Round 1 vs. Elves. He has a somewhat slow hand and I have Lightning Bolt and a quick ramp up to win. His Collected Company hits only 1 Dwynen's Elite. That's pretty rough, as Ezuri and Archdruid probably would have been game at that point. In the next game, I have an important Anger of the Gods, then Lightning Bolt a creature of his to slow him down. He has 2 Lead the Stampede, but it's too slow and I have ramp into Prismatic Omen into Prime Time for lethal. A friend later told me that I'm supposed to side out Prismatic Omen vs. Elves. Is that true? Then he told me it's because my opponent had a Choke in the SB. I nearly laughed! He mulled to 6 in both games. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Lantern Control. Some of the players rotate every once in a while, so the meta changes a bunch. In the first game, my mull to 6 draws only lands when I needed a 2nd ramp spell. Anyway, he does turn 1 Lantern of Insight, Mox Opal, Mishra's Bauble, Pyxis of Pandemonium, and then gets out Witchbane Orb before I draw any kill spell. He tried to mill me and I fetched into drawing more lands a few times. Once he plays an Ensnaring Bridge 2 turns later, I draw and don't play anything, then scoop. In the next game, he has the same kind of hand, but my mull to 5 still allows me to turn 3 Hour of Promise. He has Welding Jar, so my Ancient Grudge gets milled and does nothing. I end up not drawing any gas and losing. By the time he had multiple Lanterns (already had to bin 2 because I had game winning Scapeshifts on top twice) and 3 mill pieces, I scooped. In my last 18 cards, I had 3 Scapeshift, 4 Prime Time, 2 Summoner's Pact, and 2 Hour of Promise. I would have preferred to always have 1 good card, followed by poor cards on top so that they could easily have milled the good cards. Maybe not... 0-2.
Round 3 vs. UG Merfolk. This guy played me with BW Tokens before. This was the 2nd time in 2 months I've seen him play. He borrowed UG Merfolk from a guy, I guess. In the first game, he plays 6 Lords and I had to use Valakut triggers to kill some and stay alive. I had a solid hand that ramped into Hour of Promise, but drew nothing good after that. I end up using some triggers to stay alive, but then draw Forest and Lightning Bolt. GG. The next game is an odd one. I have the turn 3 Hour of Promise AGAIN. That's good, right? But I literally only draw lands after that. When he's at 6 life and I have 2 Valakuts, I draw one of the 2 Forest that I left in. I strongly had considered siding out 2. BIg mistake! He gets Spreading Seas and I literally draw only lands, 1 Farseek, 1 Sakura Tribe-Elder, Forest, and Lightning Bolt while he strings off Lord after Lord after Lord. I keep killing one, but he finally gets Mutavault through for lethal when he topdecks another Lord. Four Merrow Reejery, 2 Lord of Atlantis, and 4 Master of the Pearl Trident in this long game. I have 7 lands left in my deck - 5 fetches and 2 Valakuts. The bottom of my library consists of 4 Prime Time, 2 Summoner's Pact, 3 Scapeshift, and 2 Hour of Promise. This sounds familiar, but is odd after no fewer than 10 shuffles this game. I suck! 0-2.
Round 4 vs. Junk Midrange. In the first game, he plays Inquisition into turn 3 Liliana of the Veil, then another one. Since I'm on the play and have a solid hand, I do an early Hour of Promise again, then keep discarding Lightning Bolt to play Prime Time to put him at 2 life. I drew my 3rd Lightning Bolt that turn, so it's lethal. In the next game, he has no plays until turn 3 Liliana of the Veil. I have turn 1 Relic of Progenitus. He is ticking it up and gets it to 6 loyalty. In response, I sacrifice my Relic of Progenitus to try to find Obstinate Baloth and ... it pays off. I draw Summoner's Pact and can discard that instead of my land after I search for Ob Baloth. He comes into play, but my opponent leaves Grim Flayer for chumping. I pay the Pact, play my land and Lightning Bolt the Grim Flayer to swing the Lily down to 2 loyalty. He makes me sacrifice it and puts out some creatures, swinging me down from 23 life. I get low, but draw Prime Time to Valakut trigger his creatures and he doesn't find removal. It turns out he needed 1 more White source for Gideon's Intervention. I technically win 2-0, but scoop to him, 0-2.
I finish 1-3, which could have been 2-2. Still, either of these is my worst record ever with Titanshift, so it doesn't matter. I scoop to him because I was paired up and 2-2 doesn't get prizes, but he can at 3-1. I'm just glad that I played my 1st and 2nd Prime Times of the short tournament. I actually won 3 of 4 die rolls today. I had won 1 out of my previous 14 - that's a 6 round tournament and two 4 rounders.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I've been planning to get this deck for a while since I already own scapeshift, but I never got around to it. Would the OKC list be stock enough for me to use in an unknown meta? It seems so to me but I'd rather ask before I do it anyway. I'm making some light changes to the sideboard for my meta too.
Yep, it's a pretty stock list. It's a good list, obviously results speak louder than words. Here's a couple of things to consider. 1. You may want to replace the Sheltered Thicket with a 4th Stomping Ground or 4th Cinder Glade. His list puts you at potentially 5 "come into play" lands, although the cycling is nice when flooded late. I personally feel that there is not enough room for Tireless Tracker in the SB. It is currently my favorite card in Modern and I wanted to continue playing it so badly in Titanshift. The problem is that there are other very useful cards that you need (IMO) in the SB of Titanshift, namely Beast Within. The card is super versatile and if just used as an instant speed land destruction for Tron and Titanshift, it is very good. I run 2 of them myself. Some players may consider Anger of the Gods over Sweltering Suns. That one's on you and your own metagame. I have run Sweltering Suns every since the Las Vegas GP and have loved it. I wouldn't go back any time soon, unless I saw too many Dredge or Company decks.
*I may actually go back to using Tireless Tracker in the SB and cut a more important card. I just love the card so much and it truly is fun to see it GOOO in Titanshift.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I am sort of new to Modern and just picked this deck up on MTGO.
Playing around in the Tournament Practice tables I feel that there are two cards I just am not liking all that much in Khalni Heart Expedition and Prismatic Omen.
I see why Omen is decent, pairing well with Valakut, but KHE feels like it just doesn't impact the board at all and feels clunky.
Am I off-base here? How do you guys feel about these two cards?
I am sort of new to Modern and just picked this deck up on MTGO.
Playing around in the Tournament Practice tables I feel that there are two cards I just am not liking all that much in Khalni Heart Expedition and Prismatic Omen.
I see why Omen is decent, pairing well with Valakut, but KHE feels like it just doesn't impact the board at all and feels clunky.
Am I off-base here? How do you guys feel about these two cards?
Prismatic Omen is kind of a necessity, since you can kill some opponents on 6 mana, when their deck is just too quick to ever get to 7 or 8 mana. I like them, but I could see them not being super useful in a more "grindy" meta. I actually side these out quite often. That being said, I've found it very good vs. Eldrazi Tron or Bant Eldrazi, oddly enough.
Khalni Heart Expedition ranges from nearly broken to nearly useless. When you get one of these on turn 2, it is very good. But, I have also drawn 2 of these AND a Forest when I literally had my opponent at lethal to any Mountain. So, like I said, they range from broken to good to terrible, so there is a lot of variance here.
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
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Round 1 vs. GW Tron. I ramp super quickly. He plays a Karn. I Bolt it end step. He doesn't play another one next turn and I go off with Scapeshift. In the next game, I made a mistake. I sided out my 1 of Wood Elves. Big mistake. I do Summoner's Pact, but I can't get Sakura Tribe-Elder because it has been Pithing Needled and I forgot aobut the Wood Elves, so I get Prime Time. He does Ancient Stirrings, finds a Karn and exiles my Green source. In the next game, I ramp and durdle. He gets Wurmcoil Engine and Path to Exile on my Prime Time. I don't draw another win-con, drawing 4 Lightning Bolts and 4 lands this long game. I lose to Ulamog and draw a Prime Time on the final turn when it's too late. Great timing! 1-2.
Round 2 vs. Affinity. He plays a bunch of dudes. I get lucky and draw Lightning Bolt for his Signal Pest in time to stave off lethal, then draw Prismatic Omen to make my Scapeshift sooner. He never drew a payoff. In the next one, I do a turn 3 Anger of the Gods, then Lightning Bolt to finish an Arcbound Ravager and he can't really come back from that, especially after Reclamation Sage on his Cranial Plating next. I do Hour of Promise into Prismatic Omen/Scapeshift. 2-0.
Round 3 vs. BtL Scapeshift. He has just beaten my friend on Titanshift. I have a silly hand and ramp like crazy. He follows suit. I play a Sakura Tribe-Elder, hoping to fetch a Forest and draw another Green source the following turn to have double Scapeshift up if he has Remand. I don't get the land, but he doesn't have Remand with his final 2 cards. Lucky. In the next game, we both ramp like crazy after he mulls to 6. He goes for Scapeshift with UR up and 1 card in hand. I do Beast Within on a land (so only 5 Mountains in play when Valakut checks on resolution) and he has no response. I top deck Scapeshift the next turn and win easily. 2-0.
2-1 for the evening. Not bad. I was a bit upset about Tron, but nothing that I didn't expect.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Not sure why you would have less than the 4 Valakut copies and 15 basics seems like a massive mistake as most of the deck runs off G mana.
@FoodChainGoblins: Perhaps its a good thing "titanshift is tier 3" because of less hate? Those are good FNM results though. How do you like the deck compared to Knightfall?
BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern:
RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
The example list you posted is more of a Through the Breach deck than titanshift per say but is also pretty unusual even for a breach deck. From looking at the list it seems as if they are planning on winning by cheating in Emrakul than by scapeshift and in their case prime time is still a good threat so worth including.
BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern:
RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
That's what I was hoping.
It was just a Monday Night Magic - 8 players. FNM at another store has 16-24 players usually (they had 30-40 just 6 months ago). I actually enjoy Titanshift more than the average person, from what I hear. I played GR Valakut in Standard and it was the first time in many years (in fact since the Wildfire deck) that I absolutely demolished people's hopes. I loved the competitiveness of the deck and that it did so well vs. UW Control at the time. Then I also played it in Extended and the Standard KWR Titan deck. So, I really like it.
But then I also enjoy Knightfall. The main problem is that I'm not locked against super quick Aggro and Big Mana is problems too. Midrange is just okay, but Combo is actually pretty good for it. I love playing Knightfall also because my deck is 73 foiled (2 full art Negate). I play nonfoil Titanshift, even though I probably am pretty close since I had RG Breach 75 foiled. I think foil Scapeshift is more than I want to pay for though right now. I love playing foil decks, but I am starting to try to move away from that. I think the card that attracts me to Knightfall more than anything is Tireless Tracker. I really love that card right now, even if it's not really the most competitive.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Round 1 vs. Bant Eldrazi. I played this guy at a PPTQ when both of us were 0-2. I also played at the same table of 8 spots at Regionals during Round 6 of a win and draw in. He won and made the top 8 at Regionals. I didn't, although that was with Bogles for me. He didn't draw too well against me at the PPTQ and it kept going here. No Smashers. No Eldrazi Temple. One Thought-Knot Seer in game 2 to nab my Prismatic Omen, which sucked because I had 2 Valakut in play and another in hand. But I top deck Scapeshift and it's over. In the first game, I literally just goldfished him on turn 4. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Jund Moon. In the first game, I have too much action and after my Prime Time is Terminated, I play Scapeshift. In the next game, he gets on board a Dark Confidant, then Goblin Rabblemaster, then another one and a Olivia Voldaren. I get Obstinate Baloth and get nabbed with discard again. I am dead on board, but top deck Scapeshift and I'm on to the next round! 2-0.
Round 3 vs. Titanshift. I mull to 6 and keep lands and 2 win-cons. He goldfishes me on turn 4. I draw a bunch of cards, but no ramp and lose. Waaay too slow. In the next game, I have Search for Tomorrow into Sakura Tribe-Elder into presumably turn 3 Hour of Promise, then Scapeshift. I don't draw an untapped land this game, so I can't do Hour of Promise. Then on turn 4 with him at 19, I can't kill him with Scapeshift for 18 damage. I do a Prime Time that I drew and he plays Prismatic Omen and Scapeshift to kill me on his turn 4. 0-2.
Round 4 vs. Grixis Ultimatum. I ramp all right and have some win-cons. But he does 1 Mana Leak, 3 Remand, 3 Cryptic Command, and Snapcaster Mage before Cruel Ultimatum nabs my last 3 cards. I can top deck Scapeshift to win. Nope, Mountain. He ends up doing Snapcaster Mage/Cruel Ultimatum 2 turns later, so I can top deck a Scapeshift to win. Nope, Stomping Ground. He wins. In the next game, he Terminates 2 Obstinate Baloth and swings me away with Creeping Tar Pit while doing 3 Mana Leak, 1 Remand, and a Negate, before Snapcaster Mage Negate. Then he does Cruel Ultimatum again and his hand is presumably all Cryptic Commands now. It doesn't matter. I have no more gas and the time finding Mountains with 3 Valakut in play took too long while a Creeping Tar Pit smacked me all over. 0-2.
Round 5 vs. ?. I didn't show up. I was already eliminated. 0-2.
2-3 for the night. Very rough time, but honestly I just drew better than 2 opponents and 2 opponents drew better than me. There's not much else to really say, outside of me considering putting in a single Gaea's Revenge before the tournament because I suspected Control type decks would be overrepresented here. But I figured that the "creature plan" would be good enough. I'm curious what would have happened in the 4th round if an Obstinate Baloth was a Chameleon Colossus instead? I had 2 and 2 with 2 Summoner's Pact that I didn't see.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)I considered it. The slots in the SB are tight, so it's tough giving up another spot, since I still like having 2 Chameleon Colossus in the SB. Maybe that's where the cut should come?
Most of the time, I just expect other decks to beat Control type decks and hope to dodge it in the early rounds. As a player who played exclusively Control for 8 straight years, I don't feel that there is a good enough shell and I haven't felt like there has in many formats (other than Top Control in Legacy) for quite a long time. I always just try to rely on other decks that smash Control to keep them from knocking me out of Top 8 contention or praying that they won't have exactly X spells for my X win cons (4 Prime Time, 4 Shift, 3 Hour of Promise, and 2 Summoner's Pact).
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)@Robo_Memer on Twitter, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube
Feel free to PM me about Affinity decks in any format!
Yes, I completely realize this. I heard something yesterday that the SCG Invitational Day 2 was "infested" with them. Unfortunately for me, I haven't played against a Jeskai "Control" deck in a month. They kind of got hated out of our LGS, not sure how, but they didn't do too well.
I figured it would be big (and it was, with at least 3 players on it at the tournament), but felt theoretically that I can beat it. I have 2 Obstinate Baloth and 2 Kitchen Finks after side to at least keep up with the burn. I have a quick clock and preboard, this "Control" deck, which I like to call Tempo myself, has 3 Logic Knot and 2 Cryptic Command to counter my win-cons. With Snapcaster Mage, it can be up to 9 before side, much less than the nearly 9 I faced each game vs. Cruel Control. My opponent literally had land drops up to 9, while sitting on numerous Remand/Mana Leak and Cryptic Command each turn. That doesn't get it done against decks that can play multiple threats per turn, especially when I found out after talking to him that he cut Lightning Bolt completely from the deck. Against our deck, it does get it done. I also figured Relic of Progenitus does a good job negating some of this, as well as protecting me from Surgical Extraction (by targeting myself and then if responded to by SE, I crack it, or I can just leave it untapped and ready). I was unsure about how to deal with Geist of Saint Traft, but just prayed that I Sweltering Suns each time after a Geist and it resolves or Geist comes out slower with protection, giving me time. But then again, this is all theory. I haven't played against them in a while with any deck and certainly not Titanshift in a long time.
*Jeskai Control to me is the Torrential Gearhulk, 2 Snapcaster Mage version, not the 4 Snapcaster Mage, 4 Spell Queller, 2-3 Geist of Saint Traft version.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Yep. Sight for sore eyes. I had seen Mono Green Tron do pretty well the past 2 weeks and had nearly considered trying it. Glad to see 2 Titanshift in the Top 8 as well.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Technically we won 2!
BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern:
RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
Round 1 vs. Elves. He has a somewhat slow hand and I have Lightning Bolt and a quick ramp up to win. His Collected Company hits only 1 Dwynen's Elite. That's pretty rough, as Ezuri and Archdruid probably would have been game at that point. In the next game, I have an important Anger of the Gods, then Lightning Bolt a creature of his to slow him down. He has 2 Lead the Stampede, but it's too slow and I have ramp into Prismatic Omen into Prime Time for lethal. A friend later told me that I'm supposed to side out Prismatic Omen vs. Elves. Is that true? Then he told me it's because my opponent had a Choke in the SB. I nearly laughed! He mulled to 6 in both games. 2-0.
Round 2 vs. Lantern Control. Some of the players rotate every once in a while, so the meta changes a bunch. In the first game, my mull to 6 draws only lands when I needed a 2nd ramp spell. Anyway, he does turn 1 Lantern of Insight, Mox Opal, Mishra's Bauble, Pyxis of Pandemonium, and then gets out Witchbane Orb before I draw any kill spell. He tried to mill me and I fetched into drawing more lands a few times. Once he plays an Ensnaring Bridge 2 turns later, I draw and don't play anything, then scoop. In the next game, he has the same kind of hand, but my mull to 5 still allows me to turn 3 Hour of Promise. He has Welding Jar, so my Ancient Grudge gets milled and does nothing. I end up not drawing any gas and losing. By the time he had multiple Lanterns (already had to bin 2 because I had game winning Scapeshifts on top twice) and 3 mill pieces, I scooped. In my last 18 cards, I had 3 Scapeshift, 4 Prime Time, 2 Summoner's Pact, and 2 Hour of Promise. I would have preferred to always have 1 good card, followed by poor cards on top so that they could easily have milled the good cards. Maybe not... 0-2.
Round 3 vs. UG Merfolk. This guy played me with BW Tokens before. This was the 2nd time in 2 months I've seen him play. He borrowed UG Merfolk from a guy, I guess. In the first game, he plays 6 Lords and I had to use Valakut triggers to kill some and stay alive. I had a solid hand that ramped into Hour of Promise, but drew nothing good after that. I end up using some triggers to stay alive, but then draw Forest and Lightning Bolt. GG. The next game is an odd one. I have the turn 3 Hour of Promise AGAIN. That's good, right? But I literally only draw lands after that. When he's at 6 life and I have 2 Valakuts, I draw one of the 2 Forest that I left in. I strongly had considered siding out 2. BIg mistake! He gets Spreading Seas and I literally draw only lands, 1 Farseek, 1 Sakura Tribe-Elder, Forest, and Lightning Bolt while he strings off Lord after Lord after Lord. I keep killing one, but he finally gets Mutavault through for lethal when he topdecks another Lord. Four Merrow Reejery, 2 Lord of Atlantis, and 4 Master of the Pearl Trident in this long game. I have 7 lands left in my deck - 5 fetches and 2 Valakuts. The bottom of my library consists of 4 Prime Time, 2 Summoner's Pact, 3 Scapeshift, and 2 Hour of Promise. This sounds familiar, but is odd after no fewer than 10 shuffles this game. I suck! 0-2.
Round 4 vs. Junk Midrange. In the first game, he plays Inquisition into turn 3 Liliana of the Veil, then another one. Since I'm on the play and have a solid hand, I do an early Hour of Promise again, then keep discarding Lightning Bolt to play Prime Time to put him at 2 life. I drew my 3rd Lightning Bolt that turn, so it's lethal. In the next game, he has no plays until turn 3 Liliana of the Veil. I have turn 1 Relic of Progenitus. He is ticking it up and gets it to 6 loyalty. In response, I sacrifice my Relic of Progenitus to try to find Obstinate Baloth and ... it pays off. I draw Summoner's Pact and can discard that instead of my land after I search for Ob Baloth. He comes into play, but my opponent leaves Grim Flayer for chumping. I pay the Pact, play my land and Lightning Bolt the Grim Flayer to swing the Lily down to 2 loyalty. He makes me sacrifice it and puts out some creatures, swinging me down from 23 life. I get low, but draw Prime Time to Valakut trigger his creatures and he doesn't find removal. It turns out he needed 1 more White source for Gideon's Intervention. I technically win 2-0, but scoop to him, 0-2.
I finish 1-3, which could have been 2-2. Still, either of these is my worst record ever with Titanshift, so it doesn't matter. I scoop to him because I was paired up and 2-2 doesn't get prizes, but he can at 3-1. I'm just glad that I played my 1st and 2nd Prime Times of the short tournament. I actually won 3 of 4 die rolls today. I had won 1 out of my previous 14 - that's a 6 round tournament and two 4 rounders.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Yep, it's a pretty stock list. It's a good list, obviously results speak louder than words. Here's a couple of things to consider. 1. You may want to replace the Sheltered Thicket with a 4th Stomping Ground or 4th Cinder Glade. His list puts you at potentially 5 "come into play" lands, although the cycling is nice when flooded late. I personally feel that there is not enough room for Tireless Tracker in the SB. It is currently my favorite card in Modern and I wanted to continue playing it so badly in Titanshift. The problem is that there are other very useful cards that you need (IMO) in the SB of Titanshift, namely Beast Within. The card is super versatile and if just used as an instant speed land destruction for Tron and Titanshift, it is very good. I run 2 of them myself. Some players may consider Anger of the Gods over Sweltering Suns. That one's on you and your own metagame. I have run Sweltering Suns every since the Las Vegas GP and have loved it. I wouldn't go back any time soon, unless I saw too many Dredge or Company decks.
*I may actually go back to using Tireless Tracker in the SB and cut a more important card. I just love the card so much and it truly is fun to see it GOOO in Titanshift.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Playing around in the Tournament Practice tables I feel that there are two cards I just am not liking all that much in Khalni Heart Expedition and Prismatic Omen.
I see why Omen is decent, pairing well with Valakut, but KHE feels like it just doesn't impact the board at all and feels clunky.
Am I off-base here? How do you guys feel about these two cards?
Prismatic Omen is kind of a necessity, since you can kill some opponents on 6 mana, when their deck is just too quick to ever get to 7 or 8 mana. I like them, but I could see them not being super useful in a more "grindy" meta. I actually side these out quite often. That being said, I've found it very good vs. Eldrazi Tron or Bant Eldrazi, oddly enough.
Khalni Heart Expedition ranges from nearly broken to nearly useless. When you get one of these on turn 2, it is very good. But, I have also drawn 2 of these AND a Forest when I literally had my opponent at lethal to any Mountain. So, like I said, they range from broken to good to terrible, so there is a lot of variance here.
Personally I currently run 2 Prismatic Omen and 0 Khalni Heart Expedition. I feel comfortable with this for now.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)