Can I activate the ability of Ghoulsteed whilst it's in play? It doesn't have the "Only active this from the graveyard" restriction. If not, could you identify the rules in which prohibits me from doing so?
I'm not a fan of the Baloth. Sure, it's cute that you can discard to lilly, but I'm not impressed with stats. If you want to go the route of a green lifegain fatty, I'd rather have thragtusk. I'm not necessarily worried about the clock or hand disruption against the BGx decks; what I am worried about is LD. For this, Pulse of Murasa and Greater Gargadon are decent options, where the pulse gains life against burn decks. However, I feel that burn and infect are the scariest decks to play against. For this reason, Jaddi Offshoot and Spellskites are premier sideboard options. If you don't like Jaddi, courser of kruphix is a good addition to the maindeck.
Forgive my ignorance, but how does Painter's Servant stop them?
Servant gives their cards a color, and thus not colorless, therefore can't be cast using eye of ugin's reduction nor temple's extra mana, as they have the "colorless eldrazi" requirement.
I took Joey Mispagel's RG deck to regionals this weekend and did pretty well. I went 5-1 before I dropped (I sadly had a prior commitment). I took out relics from the sb and added Mwonvuli Acid-Moss. That card was legit and won me a few games, as it asserted so much tempo advantage. I lost to burn, beat WBeldrazi, colorless eldrazi, grixis control, living end, and affinity.
Further, I want to say that I do think Lightning Bolt is the card to play in this deck. Not only does it kill fast creatures, but it helps you get the kill as well. Since our magical number is 18 life points, bolts secures the kill against decks that don't play painful lands, such as the colorless eldrazi. Whilst I side them out after game 1, it does give us the reach we need in the blind.
The addition of the black, I think, helps our matchups against other midrange decks, and allows us access to Slaughter games which is great if you're expecting a good amount of Scapeshift (which I do).
One quick thought about RG Tron and Bloom. We could play Blood Moon ourselves, and then also side in Chromatic Lantern in order to offset it's effect on ourselves.
The Sideboard definitely needs to be changed for meta reasons. I'd like certain cards to be in there, like Valorous Stance (as it's good against twin and rock decks), slaughter games, deflecting palm, and keranos, god of storms. Our worst matchup is tron and 2nd probably amulet, of which Crumble to Dust, Aven Mincensor, Boom//Bust seem the best to combat, but perhaps even fringe stuff like catch // release.
Further, regarding the mana base, I've been tempted to replace one colonnade with a Tri land, either the esper or mardu one, in order to get more added color consistency.
I've had a lot of success in PPTQS with a similar list. However, I play -3 Serum Visions, -2 Cryptic Command, -2 Mana Leak, +1 Vendilion Clique, +1 Keranos, +1 Thundermaw Hellkite, +1 land, +2 remand, +1 flex spot. Just those tweaks makes the deck more tempo oriented and can win out by surprise more consistently.
However, I'm currently toying around with the black splash and I think I'm liking it much more. Consistency is slightly diminished for much better cards.
Re Thundermaw Hellkite - The card is a fantastic finisher in the deck. Once you get in the late game, Colonnade usually gets there but so does a top-decked Hellkite. It also helps as it kills lingering souls. It's a one of because you don't want to have two in your opening hand but it's an out to a lot of stuff.
Glaring spotlight - This isn't actually a card. No one will ever play this card, even if Bogles was the best deck in the format and is 60% of the field. That card is that bad.
Boros Charm - I've said this on my stream and I can reiterate it here. The card is nowhere need an auto include in the deck. The charm actually only has two modes, as you will never ever ever use double strike mode. Further 4 damage to dome is nice but bolt does that for one less mana and one less damage. The other ability is protecting your geist, which is the better of the abilities, however almost every other card in your deck will also do that by removing blockers. Therefore the card doesn't add anything to the deck and lacks the versatility that the deck needs, and probably doesn't belong in the flash version of the deck. Might work in delver version, but I did that version to currently be inferior.
Aurila's Fury - Electrolyze is probably just better.
Woo! Glad to see this deck with the GP! It's a good deck and hope to see it more in the future.
I stream most days in the week and last week I streamed a modern daily with the deck, taking out avens and putting in Resto Angels. They were fine and only noticed marginal advantages. I think one thing I do want to try is taking out those angels and a clique and putting in 3 lingering souls. Obv adding a blood crypt somewhere. Could make the jund matchup that more solid and even better against the mirror.
I've said this on my stream and I can reiterate it here regarding Boris charm.
The card is nowhere need an auto include in the deck. The charm actually only has two modes, as you will never ever ever use double strike mode. Further 4 damage to dome is nice but bolt does that for one less mana and one less damage. The other ability is protecting your geist, which is the better of the abilities, however almost every other card in your deck will also do that by removing blockers.
Therefore the card doesn't add anything to the deck and lacks the versatility that the deck needs, and probably doesn't belong in the flash version of the deck. Might work in delver version, but I did that version to currently be inferior.
Lastly, regarding fury. Electrolyze is probably just better.
Thanks in advance.
Servant gives their cards a color, and thus not colorless, therefore can't be cast using eye of ugin's reduction nor temple's extra mana, as they have the "colorless eldrazi" requirement.
Further, I want to say that I do think Lightning Bolt is the card to play in this deck. Not only does it kill fast creatures, but it helps you get the kill as well. Since our magical number is 18 life points, bolts secures the kill against decks that don't play painful lands, such as the colorless eldrazi. Whilst I side them out after game 1, it does give us the reach we need in the blind.
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Resoration Angel
2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
2 Aven Mindcensor
2 Vendillion clique
1 Tasigur the Golden Fang
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Path to Exile
4 Remand
2 Electrolyze
1 Kologhan's Command
2 Crackling Doom
3 Celestial Colonnade
1 fumeral
3 Flooded Strand
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Blood Crypt
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hallowed Fountain
2 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Watery Grave
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Mountain
3 Molten Rain / Fulminator Mage
2 Slaughter Games
2 Lingering Souls
2 Wear//Tear
2 Kitchen Finks / Kor Firewalker / Spirit Link
The addition of the black, I think, helps our matchups against other midrange decks, and allows us access to Slaughter games which is great if you're expecting a good amount of Scapeshift (which I do).
1 blood crypt
4 celestial colonnade
3 flooded strand
1 godless shrine
1 hallowed fountain
2 island
1 mountain
1 plains
1 sacred foundry
3 scalding tarn
2 steam vents
2 sulfur falls
1 watery grave
2 electrolyze
1 kolaghan's command
4 lightning bolt
4 lightning helix
3 path to exile
4 remand
4 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Restoration Angel
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendillion Clique
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1x Celestial Purge
1x Counterflux
2x Crumble to Dust
1x Aven Mindcensor
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Lingering Souls
1x Stony Silence
1x Supreme Verdict
2x Wear // Tear
1x Twisted Image
The Sideboard definitely needs to be changed for meta reasons. I'd like certain cards to be in there, like Valorous Stance (as it's good against twin and rock decks), slaughter games, deflecting palm, and keranos, god of storms. Our worst matchup is tron and 2nd probably amulet, of which Crumble to Dust, Aven Mincensor, Boom//Bust seem the best to combat, but perhaps even fringe stuff like catch // release.
Further, regarding the mana base, I've been tempted to replace one colonnade with a Tri land, either the esper or mardu one, in order to get more added color consistency.
However, I'm currently toying around with the black splash and I think I'm liking it much more. Consistency is slightly diminished for much better cards.
Glaring spotlight - This isn't actually a card. No one will ever play this card, even if Bogles was the best deck in the format and is 60% of the field. That card is that bad.
Boros Charm - I've said this on my stream and I can reiterate it here. The card is nowhere need an auto include in the deck. The charm actually only has two modes, as you will never ever ever use double strike mode. Further 4 damage to dome is nice but bolt does that for one less mana and one less damage. The other ability is protecting your geist, which is the better of the abilities, however almost every other card in your deck will also do that by removing blockers. Therefore the card doesn't add anything to the deck and lacks the versatility that the deck needs, and probably doesn't belong in the flash version of the deck. Might work in delver version, but I did that version to currently be inferior.
Aurila's Fury - Electrolyze is probably just better.
I stream most days in the week and last week I streamed a modern daily with the deck, taking out avens and putting in Resto Angels. They were fine and only noticed marginal advantages. I think one thing I do want to try is taking out those angels and a clique and putting in 3 lingering souls. Obv adding a blood crypt somewhere. Could make the jund matchup that more solid and even better against the mirror.
The card is nowhere need an auto include in the deck. The charm actually only has two modes, as you will never ever ever use double strike mode. Further 4 damage to dome is nice but bolt does that for one less mana and one less damage. The other ability is protecting your geist, which is the better of the abilities, however almost every other card in your deck will also do that by removing blockers.
Therefore the card doesn't add anything to the deck and lacks the versatility that the deck needs, and probably doesn't belong in the flash version of the deck. Might work in delver version, but I did that version to currently be inferior.
Lastly, regarding fury. Electrolyze is probably just better.
http://wizards.com/wpn/Document.aspx?x=Magic_The_Gathering_Infraction_Procedure_Guide