i have a funny feeling that this deck (the cryptic version at least) could benefit in some way from some amount of time warp. anyone tried this? so many times i've been one frustrating turn short of victory. slapping one of these down on turn 3 or whatever could be such a big game. i wouldn't run more then 2 but hey. crazy ideas sometimes work. a turn is a turn.
i haven't ever had a Harrow countered but i see your point. i'll drop to one and see how it runs. i like being able to negate land destruction by sacrificing the target land, to make the spell fizzle. works well against karn liberated.
however, in answer to your first line, i wasn't looking for an alternative wincon, just something to make the deck a little more consistent, maybe by adding redundancy. Prime Time seemed like the obvious choice as he can fetch valakuts/mountains until the cows come home, and even if he dies, he can bump you up into 36-damage territory or give you extra game if you happen to topdeck a scapeshift. (also at a pinch he can ramp you into double-cryptic territory, and drawing multiple cryptics happens frequently enough for this to actually matter).
i don't feel like cards such as wurmcoil would be building on the deck's foundation, more just adding a random beatdown avenue (which i think the titan can provide anyway). know what i'm sayin'?
Time Warp is interesting! Please test and let us know how it goes. Maybe even Temporal Mastery?
The best way to find out whether Primeval Titans and Cryptic Commands can work in the same deck is to test it. Keep us informed of the results!
EDIT: One card I've been meaning to test for CrypticShift is Pact of Negation. Perhaps consider that too?
running 2x primeval titan in the control-version of the deck?.... sensible? redundancy in wincons? getting to 6 mana is easy as pie.
also running 2:2 split of farseek and harrow? sensible?
Primeval Titan without Prismatic Omen isn't that optimal I think, especially in the CrypticShift which runs so few mountains. If you want an alternate wincon, perhaps try Wurmcoil Engine? Or even Inferno Titan.
I think 2 Harrow and 2 Farseek is too much. Perhaps 1 Harrow, 2 Farseek and the usual 4 Search for Tomorrow and 4 Sakura-Tribe Elder. Getting a Harrow countered is pretty back breaking.
The 26 lands is a reaction to having been stuck for lands in many of my games with the usual D&T lists or not having an early Aether Vial in hand. With 26 lands, you can also go really aggressive with the Quarters/Edges. Then of course, it helps you to cast the Angels in the deck. I've also been totally unimpressed with the low drops like Student of Warfare and Inquisitor, many times I've tested with them they just didn't get that much value.
I've only been testing this brew for a few sessions thus far, but it's been doing super well against Pod and Scapeshift. The deck still needs tons of tuning and I hope this deck gets some testing done by others too so we can improve it together.
Why not just reprint Engineered Plague? Reprints > new cards
The uncounterable clause counts for a lot in Legacy against True-Name Nemesis. Having it be a hate bear makes it more balanced too as it can simply be bolted away. An uncounterable enchantment would be too broken.
If True-Name Nemesis hits Standard/Modern, this creature will be ready in the side, ready for battle. Hate against Elves, Goblins, Merfolk, etc.
Nemesis' Nemesis 1WG
Creature - Human Priest
Nemesis' Nemesis cannot be countered.
Choose a creature type. All creatures of the chosen type get -1/-1 while Nemesis' Nemesis is on the battlefield.
1/1
EDIT: Changed it to a 1/1 so it can't choose Human and hate against his own kind.
EDIT 2: Changed cost from UG to WG as it seems to fit color-pie more.
An inverse All Is Dust to hate against Tron and Affinity. But it's not totally broken because Karn can still rescue the situation later. Even works as a sideboard card against Emrakul in Legacy Show and Tell. It totally hates against Affinity, but that's ok in a world with Creeping Corrosion and Shatterstorm anyway. But maybe this card is undercosted?
Seal the Guildless 1GG
Enchantment
Exile all colorless non-land permanents. When Seal the Guildless leaves the battlefield, return the exiled permanents to the battlefield.
I'm going to order this deck within the next two days. It has some of my favorite interactions and interests me because it's a Modern Lands deck. I'm using the Cryptic-Shift variant with a slightly budget spin.
I'm using Mana Leak in place of Remand. It doesn't draw me a card but it functions as a counterspell in the early game which is what I'm going for.
I'm sideboarding Boseiju against control/counterspell heavy decks in order to forcibly get Scapeshift active.
I'm running a Flooded grove to enable filtering of a forest to help cast Cryptic Command.
I went with 2 Izzet Charm because in Cockatrice testing, I haven't found them that amazing. I might modify their count based on paper playing.
Any feedback is appreciated before I put the order in. What would be a good place to order these Modern cards from, by the way? I need international shipping to New Zealand. Sadly SCG is seemingly the only option.
Welcome to Scapeshift!
I would order Remands instead of Snapcasters. You can feasibly play this deck without Snapcasters (especially in the current meta with main deck graveyard hate around), but without Remand, the deck's power level goes down a big notch. Also, Peer Through Depths is a better way to look for Scapeshift than Telling Time.
6 lands and find 1 Valakut and 5 mountains to deal 18 damage.
6 lands and find 2 Valakut and 4 mountains to deal 36 damage.
6 lands and find 3 Valakut and 3 mountains to deal 54 damage.
This works because Valakuts also count as mountains once Prismatic Omen is in play.
Just for fun, what's the maximum damage output of a Valakut/Scapeshift deck?
Presuming a 26 land deck and we somehow got 13 lands and Prismatic Omen in play, find 4 Valakut and 9 lands for 156 damage. Kapow!
There are two primary versions of this deck:
CrypticShift - This deck plays Cryptic Command and goes on a control plan to stall the game to safely resolve the lethal Scapeshift.
TitanShift - This deck plays Primeval Titan and usually, Prismatic Omen to have an alternative win condition and have a faster combo finish. Primeval Titan's enter-the-board and attack triggers allow Valakuts and mountains to be searched and put into play.
The Core
4 Scapeshift. Your one-card combo and main win condition.
2-3 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. Although Valakut is they key card in the combo, it is not needed in your hand. 2 in CrypticShift, 3 in TitanShift.
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder. One recurring theme in this deck is to stall. This 6-limbed-snake does this the best in this deck against creature decks. Block a 4/5 Tarmogoyf AND sacrifice to ramp? That's almost a Time Walk for this deck. In some cases, he can swing in for a point of damage or two to bring the opponent down to 18 for a faster combo finish.
4 Search for Tomorrow. This is your go-to ramp spell. This deck has few other turn 1 plays and is still a decent ramp spell later. Take note that the land comes into play untapped.
3-4 Remand. Since stalling is our main goal for early game, we can't ask for more than this. Don't forget you can Remand your own spells, this is sometimes used to bring back your Scapeshift to your hand. Another Time Walk-like effect for the deck.
2-4 Izzet Charm. All the modes are relevant in this deck. Shock to a Deathrite Shaman? Spell Pierce that Karn? Loot for the Scapeshift? The swiss army knife of the deck that's rarely a dead card in the opening hand. Frequently 4x these days.
CrypticShift Core
3-4 Cryptic Command. Mana costs aside, Cryptic Command is among the best, if not the best counter spell in Modern. With all the ramp in the deck, this deck has the fastest (turn 3) and most consistent ability to play Cryptic Command in Modern.
3-4 Lightning Bolt. The humble bolt may be the best 1 mana spell in Modern. Removes pesky hate bears like Aven Mindcensor and Gaddock Teeg (with Gaddock in play, you can't Scapeshift), brings the opponent down below 18 life.
3-4 Peer Through Depths. Unlike TitanShift, this deck relies heavily on finding the Scapeshift for the win. Peer allows you to dig 5 deep into the library to find the card, or sometimes the crucial board wipe to stabilize. Alternatives exist.
Formerly a core card:
1-3 Snapcaster Mage. With the reprinting of Scavenging Ooze and the ubiquity of Deathrite Shaman, Snapcaster has seen better days. I wouldn't recommend more than 3.
TitanShift Core
4 Primeval Titan. The alternate win condition to Scapeshift. Searches for Valakut in game 1, and post-board, searches for Boseiju, Cavern of Souls, even Kessig Wolf Run. Don't forget that it still smashes for 6 and comes with built-in trample. If you untap with Prime Time in play and he doesn't get removed, you usually win the game within the next 2 turns. And even if he does get removed, a resolved Prime Time got you 2 lands. If he ate Path to Exile, you just had 3 lands for 1 card, value!
2-3 Prismatic Omen. This speeds up and increases the damage potential of Scapeshift, allowing you to combo off once you hit land 6. But the real reason to play this card in TitanShift is how it synergizes with Primeval Titan. With both in play, Prime Time can search for multiples of Valakuts to quickly end the game. If you untap with both Prime Time and Omen in play, the game usually ends once the combat phase is over.
Supporting Cast
Ramp
Amazing as it may seem, 4 Search for Tomorrow's and 4 Sakura-Tribe Elders aren't enough ramp for this deck. It usually plays 2-3 more ramp spells and here, the jury is a little more undecided.
Farseek. The most commonly played option now as it allows you to search for shocklands to fix color issues and is guaranteed to grab you a land. Once you have the Valakut engine going, Farseeks turns into Lightning Bolts. It seems humble, but it's the card that wins you games that you didn't realize because you cast the card so early that you forgot about its contributions.
Explore. This isn't strictly ramp, it's acceleration. It doesn't always get you that ramp but it helps you dig for Scapeshift. Works best if you run more lands than normal.
Harrow. High-risk, instant-speed ramp that used to be played in Extended. Sacrificing the land is part of the cost so if it gets countered, you've set yourself back. So what are the upsides? Triggers Valakut twice by itself. In a meta filled with Tectonic Edges and Fulminator Mages, this card can shine. Sacrifice the land targeted for destruction and you're suddenly up 2 lands for the price of 1 card AND the opponent is down a card. Welcome to value town.
Board wipes
In a creature heavy meta, these are essential to stay alive until you can combo off. Usually 3-4, and the choice of which to run depends on the deck you are running and the meta.
Firespout. This is better in CrypticShift. The color requirements are relatively easy, the deck's greater number of counterspells and Lightning Bolts allows the deck to stall longer before the wipe and rarely, can kill all the opponent's flyers leaving behind your Snapcaster(s).
Pyroclasm. More frequently seen in TitanShift. Titanshift usually lacks the space to run Lightning Bolts so a quicker wipe is useful and hits most problematic creatures in the format.
ClutchShift - This deck plays Clutch of the Undercity to search for Scapeshift. Why settle for digging through the library when you can just tutor? This card was played in Extended and may be coming into fashion again.
NayaShift - I've only seen it once in this list http://www.mtgdecks.net/decks/view/49166/iframe . It uses Silence as a defensive Time Walk-like card and protects the combo, but the lack of blue means you have consistency issues of sometimes being unable to find the Scapeshift for the win.
Budget Variants
Scapeshift is one of the rare 3-color decks you can play without fetchlands. Why? 11 ramp spells main deck. Between all that ramp, shock lands and filter lands (Flooded Grove, Fire-Lit Thicket), you'll rarely run into color problems. Resolve a Prismatic Omen and all your lands (including Valakut) can tap for all 5 colors. However, fetchlands are definitely preferred. Fetchlands can trigger Valakut twice and makes you less vulnerable to Blood Moon.
Sideboard Options
Wurmcoil Engine Alternate win condition, especially for CrypticShift. When Slaughter Games ruins your day, these babies will save it.
Obstinate Baloth Liliana, meet Baloth. If you're facing the BGx monster in your meta, bring these beasts in. Frequently seen 3-4 of in sideboards these days, sometimes 1-2 main deck. Also useful as a plan B, that 4 damage a turn is no joke, especially when you can cast a turn 3 Baloth. Also sided in against aggro (non-infect) decks.
Nature's Claim Removes Blood Moon, Leyline of Sanctity and Cranial Plating. You could run Naturalize, but I found that the 4 life is insignificant in the matchups that i'm bringing in enchantment/artifact destruction. That one extra mana though has been game deciding, so Nature's Claim is great.
We are a slow combo deck and thus, generally bad against aggro decks. This explains the main deck Obstinate Baloths in some lists. Much of our sideboard and even main decks are dedicated to battling aggro, but we are still generally unfavorable against them. But if we draw well and don't play carelessly, we can win.
Infect/Bogles - Overall unfavorable. Post-board, Spellskite helps, but if you don't draw into it or manage to wipe, the game is over before it even starts for you. I'm grouping these two decks together because although they have different win conditions, they play similarly. It's slightly better against Bogles because we have enchantment hate post-board, but it's frequently insufficient as we don't have that many slots for enchantment hate.
Affinity - Even/Unfavorable. But, you can make it a favorable matchup by boarding in lots of artifact hate. If you hate it enough, put Shatterstorm in the sideboard. You can luck out sometimes by drawing your wipes, bolts, Izzet Charms and hate cards at the right time and the matchup feels easy those times. Other times, you will draw the wrong half of the deck and die.
GR Zoo - Unfavorable game 1. Even post-board with Baloths.
Merfolk - Unfavorable. They are fast and they pack counter magic. Like all the other aggro matchups, we can beat it if we draw well and play well.
Control
UWR Control - Even for CrypticShift, favorable for TitanShift.
CrypticShift has a surprising number of counterspells and with all that ramp, it can actually fight a counter war with UWR game 1. At some point, UWR will have to tap low, either through baiting or just simply having to win the game. That's when you squeeze in the Scapeshift. Post-board is highly dependent on what kind of sideboard you and your opponent have, so i'll call it even. But if they draw too many Tectonic Edges, or if they somehow have the Crucible of Worlds + Tec Edge combo, you lose, badly.
But bear in mind, they have Counterflux and you can't bring in Counterflux too to defend your Scapeshift. They'll just counter your Scapeshift again instead of countering your Counterflux.
TitanShift has simply too many threats and angles of attack pre and post board for UWR control to handle.
U(W)R Delver - I haven't tested enough against this, but I think its unfavourable game 1. Even to favourable post-board for CrypticShift, favourable post-board for TitanShift. The lack of white in UR Delver really hurts them as they don't have Path to Exile against our fatties. Dismember can handle Baloths but it's too small to kill Titans and Wurmcoils. But if you face UWR Delver, I think it becomes unfavourable for both Cryptic/TitanShift. Need further input.
Mono U Tron - I haven't tested enough against this, but I think it's about even. Need further input.
Combo
RG Tron - Favourable for CrypticShift, even for TitanShift game 1. I think the matchup becomes unfavourable post-board for us for both Cryptic/TitanShift because RG Tron has this annoying ability to play an effective 5-color sideboard. It's too hard to board anti-hate. I'm seriously considering bringing in Sowing Salt to the 75.
Melira/Kiki Pod - Favorable for both Cryptic/TitanShift. Playing carefully and not drawing horrible, we can disrupt and counter their plans while advancing ours. They have limited ways to interact with our combo and engine. We can also quite easily remove their hate bears. Post-board, our hate cards should trump theirs. If we lose, it's frequently due to their beatdown plan rather than them comboing off.
Splinter Twin - Even. We can disrupt each other's plans, we bring hate and/or fatties, they bring counterspells. A pretty enjoyable and skill-testing matchup.
Midrange
BGx - Even. We fare worse against BG Rock as they have 4 Tectonic Edge main deck. Post-board, they'll bring in killer tech like Slaughter Games, additional discard spells, Fulminator Mage (4 of them!). But we bring in difficult fatties like Wurmcoil Engine and Obstinate Baloth. Let's see who can draw better shall we?!
Naya Zoo - Even for TitanShift, even to favorable for CrypticShift. They have a surprisingly fast clock against us because our wipes are quite ineffective against them. They're just too big! And our Remands do nothing against their Loxodon Smiters. Primeval Titans get eaten up by Path to Exile. Post-board they bring in more hate bears, but those hate bears die easily to our wipes and removal. CrypticShift has the advantage of blanking their Paths game 1 and Cryptics do a lot against this deck.
UWR Geist - Even to unfavorable. Yes, we can wipe their Geist, but if they play smart, they'll leave counter mana up for that. It's a pretty close race, but it really hinges on us drawing the wipe. If we don't, we're dead.
Primer Log
November 7, 2013 - Rewritten by Heretix, thanks for the original Primer keef!
Time Warp is interesting! Please test and let us know how it goes. Maybe even Temporal Mastery?
The best way to find out whether Primeval Titans and Cryptic Commands can work in the same deck is to test it. Keep us informed of the results!
EDIT: One card I've been meaning to test for CrypticShift is Pact of Negation. Perhaps consider that too?
Primeval Titan without Prismatic Omen isn't that optimal I think, especially in the CrypticShift which runs so few mountains. If you want an alternate wincon, perhaps try Wurmcoil Engine? Or even Inferno Titan.
I think 2 Harrow and 2 Farseek is too much. Perhaps 1 Harrow, 2 Farseek and the usual 4 Search for Tomorrow and 4 Sakura-Tribe Elder. Getting a Harrow countered is pretty back breaking.
4 Leonin Arbiter
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Aven Mindcensor
4 Blade Splicer
4 Flickerwisp
4 Restoration Angel
3 Baneslayer Angel
4 AEther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Lands:26
1 Eiganjo Castle
4 Ghost Quarter
17 Plains
4 Tectonic Edge
1 Blind Obedience
2 Honor of the Pure
1 Kataki, War's Wage
3 Rest in Peace
2 Suppression Field
2 Ghostly Prison
4 Leyline of Sanctity
The 26 lands is a reaction to having been stuck for lands in many of my games with the usual D&T lists or not having an early Aether Vial in hand. With 26 lands, you can also go really aggressive with the Quarters/Edges. Then of course, it helps you to cast the Angels in the deck. I've also been totally unimpressed with the low drops like Student of Warfare and Inquisitor, many times I've tested with them they just didn't get that much value.
I've only been testing this brew for a few sessions thus far, but it's been doing super well against Pod and Scapeshift. The deck still needs tons of tuning and I hope this deck gets some testing done by others too so we can improve it together.
The uncounterable clause counts for a lot in Legacy against True-Name Nemesis. Having it be a hate bear makes it more balanced too as it can simply be bolted away. An uncounterable enchantment would be too broken.
Nemesis' Nemesis 1WG
Creature - Human Priest
Nemesis' Nemesis cannot be countered.
Choose a creature type. All creatures of the chosen type get -1/-1 while Nemesis' Nemesis is on the battlefield.
1/1
EDIT: Changed it to a 1/1 so it can't choose Human and hate against his own kind.
EDIT 2: Changed cost from UG to WG as it seems to fit color-pie more.
Seal the Guildless 1GG
Enchantment
Exile all colorless non-land permanents. When Seal the Guildless leaves the battlefield, return the exiled permanents to the battlefield.
Behold!
Faerie of ScrooGoyf 1G
Creature - Faerie
Flash
Flying
When Faerie of ScrooGoyf enters the battlefield, exile all cards from all graveyards.
1/1
What would be really awesome is for this card to be a common. Use a 10 cent card to hate against a $130 card. So good.
Gifts is an unreliable engine now with so many Deathrite Shamans and Scavenging Oozes running around.
Welcome to Scapeshift!
I would order Remands instead of Snapcasters. You can feasibly play this deck without Snapcasters (especially in the current meta with main deck graveyard hate around), but without Remand, the deck's power level goes down a big notch. Also, Peer Through Depths is a better way to look for Scapeshift than Telling Time.
Main deck less than 60 cards?
Introduction
Scapeshift is an archetype that was made popular in Extended, gaining popularity for being a one-card-combo. Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle was the key card in that deck and was originally banned in Modern. Valakut came off the Modern ban list on September 20, 2012 and quickly had an impact on the format as Lee Shi Tian took Scapeshift to the semi-finals of Pro Tour Return to Ravnica just one month later, losing to the eventual winner (Cifka piloting Eggs, which got banned shortly after).
The Plan
Cast Scapeshift, sacrifice
Or, with Prismatic Omen in play, sacrifice
Just for fun, what's the maximum damage output of a Valakut/Scapeshift deck?
Presuming a 26 land deck and we somehow got 13 lands and Prismatic Omen in play, find 4 Valakut and 9 lands for 156 damage. Kapow!
There are two primary versions of this deck:
The Core
4 Scapeshift. Your one-card combo and main win condition.
2-3 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. Although Valakut is they key card in the combo, it is not needed in your hand. 2 in CrypticShift, 3 in TitanShift.
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder. One recurring theme in this deck is to stall. This 6-limbed-snake does this the best in this deck against creature decks. Block a 4/5 Tarmogoyf AND sacrifice to ramp? That's almost a Time Walk for this deck. In some cases, he can swing in for a point of damage or two to bring the opponent down to 18 for a faster combo finish.
4 Search for Tomorrow. This is your go-to ramp spell. This deck has few other turn 1 plays and is still a decent ramp spell later. Take note that the land comes into play untapped.
3-4 Remand. Since stalling is our main goal for early game, we can't ask for more than this. Don't forget you can Remand your own spells, this is sometimes used to bring back your Scapeshift to your hand. Another Time Walk-like effect for the deck.
2-4 Izzet Charm. All the modes are relevant in this deck. Shock to a Deathrite Shaman? Spell Pierce that Karn? Loot for the Scapeshift? The swiss army knife of the deck that's rarely a dead card in the opening hand. Frequently 4x these days.
CrypticShift Core
3-4 Cryptic Command. Mana costs aside, Cryptic Command is among the best, if not the best counter spell in Modern. With all the ramp in the deck, this deck has the fastest (turn 3) and most consistent ability to play Cryptic Command in Modern.
3-4 Lightning Bolt. The humble bolt may be the best 1 mana spell in Modern. Removes pesky hate bears like Aven Mindcensor and Gaddock Teeg (with Gaddock in play, you can't Scapeshift), brings the opponent down below 18 life.
3-4 Peer Through Depths. Unlike TitanShift, this deck relies heavily on finding the Scapeshift for the win. Peer allows you to dig 5 deep into the library to find the card, or sometimes the crucial board wipe to stabilize. Alternatives exist.
Formerly a core card:
1-3 Snapcaster Mage. With the reprinting of Scavenging Ooze and the ubiquity of Deathrite Shaman, Snapcaster has seen better days. I wouldn't recommend more than 3.
TitanShift Core
4 Primeval Titan. The alternate win condition to Scapeshift. Searches for Valakut in game 1, and post-board, searches for Boseiju, Cavern of Souls, even Kessig Wolf Run. Don't forget that it still smashes for 6 and comes with built-in trample. If you untap with Prime Time in play and he doesn't get removed, you usually win the game within the next 2 turns. And even if he does get removed, a resolved Prime Time got you 2 lands. If he ate Path to Exile, you just had 3 lands for 1 card, value!
2-3 Prismatic Omen. This speeds up and increases the damage potential of Scapeshift, allowing you to combo off once you hit land 6. But the real reason to play this card in TitanShift is how it synergizes with Primeval Titan. With both in play, Prime Time can search for multiples of Valakuts to quickly end the game. If you untap with both Prime Time and Omen in play, the game usually ends once the combat phase is over.
Supporting Cast
Ramp
Amazing as it may seem, 4 Search for Tomorrow's and 4 Sakura-Tribe Elders aren't enough ramp for this deck. It usually plays 2-3 more ramp spells and here, the jury is a little more undecided.
Farseek. The most commonly played option now as it allows you to search for shocklands to fix color issues and is guaranteed to grab you a land. Once you have the Valakut engine going, Farseeks turns into Lightning Bolts. It seems humble, but it's the card that wins you games that you didn't realize because you cast the card so early that you forgot about its contributions.
Explore. This isn't strictly ramp, it's acceleration. It doesn't always get you that ramp but it helps you dig for Scapeshift. Works best if you run more lands than normal.
Harrow. High-risk, instant-speed ramp that used to be played in Extended. Sacrificing the land is part of the cost so if it gets countered, you've set yourself back. So what are the upsides? Triggers Valakut twice by itself. In a meta filled with Tectonic Edges and Fulminator Mages, this card can shine. Sacrifice the land targeted for destruction and you're suddenly up 2 lands for the price of 1 card AND the opponent is down a card. Welcome to value town.
Board wipes
In a creature heavy meta, these are essential to stay alive until you can combo off. Usually 3-4, and the choice of which to run depends on the deck you are running and the meta.
Firespout. This is better in CrypticShift. The color requirements are relatively easy, the deck's greater number of counterspells and Lightning Bolts allows the deck to stall longer before the wipe and rarely, can kill all the opponent's flyers leaving behind your Snapcaster(s).
Pyroclasm. More frequently seen in TitanShift. Titanshift usually lacks the space to run Lightning Bolts so a quicker wipe is useful and hits most problematic creatures in the format.
Anger of the Gods. The latest addition to the family and my current favourite. Deals with Voice of Resurgence, Kitchen Finks and Murderous Redcap. Resolve one against a Birthing Pod deck and the game has significantly shifted in your favor. That 3rd point of damage is surprisingly relevant again as Blade Splicers are coming back into vogue. It also has a side benefit of feeding Tarmogoyf and Scavenging Ooze less food.
More Deck Variants
Budget Variants
Scapeshift is one of the rare 3-color decks you can play without fetchlands. Why? 11 ramp spells main deck. Between all that ramp, shock lands and filter lands (Flooded Grove, Fire-Lit Thicket), you'll rarely run into color problems. Resolve a Prismatic Omen and all your lands (including Valakut) can tap for all 5 colors. However, fetchlands are definitely preferred. Fetchlands can trigger Valakut twice and makes you less vulnerable to Blood Moon.
Sideboard Options
Wurmcoil Engine Alternate win condition, especially for CrypticShift. When Slaughter Games ruins your day, these babies will save it.
Inferno Titan Yet more Titans! That Flames of the Firebrand trigger from this Titan is really relevant in the current meta.
Obstinate Baloth Liliana, meet Baloth. If you're facing the BGx monster in your meta, bring these beasts in. Frequently seen 3-4 of in sideboards these days, sometimes 1-2 main deck. Also useful as a plan B, that 4 damage a turn is no joke, especially when you can cast a turn 3 Baloth. Also sided in against aggro (non-infect) decks.
Boseiju, Who Shelters All/Cavern of Souls. Killer cards in blue heavy metas that can be searched using Primeval Titan.
Kessig Wolf Run Seen sometimes main deck or sideboard in TitanShift as an alternate win condition. 11/6 trampling Titan beat down, mmmmmm.
Counterflux/Dispel/Negate/Spell Pierce Choose your additional counterspells for your meta.
Nature's Claim Removes Blood Moon, Leyline of Sanctity and Cranial Plating. You could run Naturalize, but I found that the 4 life is insignificant in the matchups that i'm bringing in enchantment/artifact destruction. That one extra mana though has been game deciding, so Nature's Claim is great.
Spellskite Against Affinity, it will block Etched Champions and stop Arcbound Ravagers from using Modular. Against Twin, you redirect Splinter Twin to the Spellskite. Against Burn, they lose the game.
Ancient Grudge Destroy 2 artifacts with 1 card so naturally great against Affinity and other artifact heavy decks.
Shatterstorm Sick of losing to Affinity? Win it by resolving one spell (hey, that sounds familiar).
Shadow of Doubt. A tech card against Slaughter Games. Can also deny fetching and searching.
Combust Kills that Baneslayer, Celestial Colonnade, Restoration Angel, Pestermite/Deceiver Exarch.
Grafdigger's Cage Turns off Snapcaster Mage, Deathrite Shaman/Scavenging Ooze, Unburial Rites, Birthing Pod. Do not bring in against Living End, it does nothing against them.
Relic of Progenitus I've not tested this card yet but this should drastically improve our Living End and BGx matchups.
Deck Listings
4 Steam Vents
3 Forest
3 Island
2 Flooded Grove
2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Mountain
1 Halimar Depths
1 Breeding Pool
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Remand
4 Scapeshift
4 Search for Tomorrow
4 Serum Visions
4 Telling Time
3 Izzet Charm
3 Cryptic Command
2 Repeal
1 Electrolyze
1 Electrolyze
2 Volcanic Fallout
3 Vendilion Clique
3 Relic of Progenitus
2 Obstinate Baloth
1 Nature's Claim
1 Beast Within
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Steam Vents
2 Misty Rainforest
3 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Stomping Ground
6 Mountain
3 Forest
1 Island
2 Obstinate Baloth
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Scapeshift
4 Pyroclasm
3 Izzet Charm
3 Prismatic Omen
4 Search for Tomorrow
3 Farseek
3 Remand
1 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Obstinate Baloth
1 Izzet Charm
2 Spellskite
2 Combust
1 Dismember
1 Remand
1 Firespout
2 Dispel
2 Sowing Salt
2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
3 Island
3 Forest
2 Mountain
4 Stomping Ground
4 Steam Vents
1 Flooded Grove
2 Breeding Pool
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Cryptic Command
2 Firespout
3 Search for Tomorrow
4 Remand
4 Peer Through Depths
2 Izzet Charm
4 Farseek
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
2 Nature's Claim
2 Counterflux
1 Dispel
1 Negate
4 Obstinate Baloth
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Lightning Bolt
3 Forest
1 Island
2 Misty Rainforest
6 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
4 Stomping Ground
3 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Farseek
4 Izzet Charm
3 Prismatic Omen
4 Pyroclasm
4 Remand
4 Scapeshift
4 Search for Tomorrow
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Cavern of Souls
2 Combust
1 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Ignorant Bliss
2 Nature's Claim
4 Obstinate Baloth
2 Spellskite
Matchups
Aggro
We are a slow combo deck and thus, generally bad against aggro decks. This explains the main deck Obstinate Baloths in some lists. Much of our sideboard and even main decks are dedicated to battling aggro, but we are still generally unfavorable against them. But if we draw well and don't play carelessly, we can win.
Burn - Even game 1. Post-board, favorable with Obstinate Baloths and Spellskites.
Infect/Bogles - Overall unfavorable. Post-board, Spellskite helps, but if you don't draw into it or manage to wipe, the game is over before it even starts for you. I'm grouping these two decks together because although they have different win conditions, they play similarly. It's slightly better against Bogles because we have enchantment hate post-board, but it's frequently insufficient as we don't have that many slots for enchantment hate.
Affinity - Even/Unfavorable. But, you can make it a favorable matchup by boarding in lots of artifact hate. If you hate it enough, put Shatterstorm in the sideboard. You can luck out sometimes by drawing your wipes, bolts, Izzet Charms and hate cards at the right time and the matchup feels easy those times. Other times, you will draw the wrong half of the deck and die.
GR Zoo - Unfavorable game 1. Even post-board with Baloths.
Merfolk - Unfavorable. They are fast and they pack counter magic. Like all the other aggro matchups, we can beat it if we draw well and play well.
Control
UWR Control - Even for CrypticShift, favorable for TitanShift.
CrypticShift has a surprising number of counterspells and with all that ramp, it can actually fight a counter war with UWR game 1. At some point, UWR will have to tap low, either through baiting or just simply having to win the game. That's when you squeeze in the Scapeshift. Post-board is highly dependent on what kind of sideboard you and your opponent have, so i'll call it even. But if they draw too many Tectonic Edges, or if they somehow have the Crucible of Worlds + Tec Edge combo, you lose, badly.
But bear in mind, they have Counterflux and you can't bring in Counterflux too to defend your Scapeshift. They'll just counter your Scapeshift again instead of countering your Counterflux.
TitanShift has simply too many threats and angles of attack pre and post board for UWR control to handle.
U(W)R Delver - I haven't tested enough against this, but I think its unfavourable game 1. Even to favourable post-board for CrypticShift, favourable post-board for TitanShift. The lack of white in UR Delver really hurts them as they don't have Path to Exile against our fatties. Dismember can handle Baloths but it's too small to kill Titans and Wurmcoils. But if you face UWR Delver, I think it becomes unfavourable for both Cryptic/TitanShift. Need further input.
Mono U Tron - I haven't tested enough against this, but I think it's about even. Need further input.
Combo
RG Tron - Favourable for CrypticShift, even for TitanShift game 1. I think the matchup becomes unfavourable post-board for us for both Cryptic/TitanShift because RG Tron has this annoying ability to play an effective 5-color sideboard. It's too hard to board anti-hate. I'm seriously considering bringing in Sowing Salt to the 75.
Melira/Kiki Pod - Favorable for both Cryptic/TitanShift. Playing carefully and not drawing horrible, we can disrupt and counter their plans while advancing ours. They have limited ways to interact with our combo and engine. We can also quite easily remove their hate bears. Post-board, our hate cards should trump theirs. If we lose, it's frequently due to their beatdown plan rather than them comboing off.
Living End - Unfavorable. Those main deck 4 Fulminator Mages are so annoying, they serve as Time Walks for them. Time to bring in Relic of Progenitus?
Splinter Twin - Even. We can disrupt each other's plans, we bring hate and/or fatties, they bring counterspells. A pretty enjoyable and skill-testing matchup.
Midrange
BGx - Even. We fare worse against BG Rock as they have 4 Tectonic Edge main deck. Post-board, they'll bring in killer tech like Slaughter Games, additional discard spells, Fulminator Mage (4 of them!). But we bring in difficult fatties like Wurmcoil Engine and Obstinate Baloth. Let's see who can draw better shall we?!
Naya Zoo - Even for TitanShift, even to favorable for CrypticShift. They have a surprisingly fast clock against us because our wipes are quite ineffective against them. They're just too big! And our Remands do nothing against their Loxodon Smiters. Primeval Titans get eaten up by Path to Exile. Post-board they bring in more hate bears, but those hate bears die easily to our wipes and removal. CrypticShift has the advantage of blanking their Paths game 1 and Cryptics do a lot against this deck.
UWR Geist - Even to unfavorable. Yes, we can wipe their Geist, but if they play smart, they'll leave counter mana up for that. It's a pretty close race, but it really hinges on us drawing the wipe. If we don't, we're dead.
Primer Log
November 7, 2013 - Rewritten by Heretix, thanks for the original Primer keef!
I don't mind updating the primer to include information on the TitanShift build and other newer card choices.