Oh don't get me wrong, all those cards are good at finding dark depths, but I don't think Tron would play it. In order for Depths to do anything you need to pay 30 mana, which, even when a tron deck is firing on all cylinders, would take 2-3 turns. The real danger is Stage + Depths. Legacy has 12 post and doesn't play depths in that regularly. Tron uses the same number of lands, but produces less mana. Dropping Karn, Ugin, Wurmcoil engine or one of the eldrazi is a much faster means to victory than melting down dark depths.
The current speed of the meta game wouldn't allow for that to happen anyway. Lets say ideally you have tron and depths naturally on turn 4, that means on turn 4, you could get 2 counters off. And lets say turns 5, 6, and 7 you draw your other 3 towers. That means, on turn 7 you would be able to make merit lage, with the best mana acceleration in modern. That is very slow in this format, and that assumes perfect mana acceleration draws. This all assumes your opponent doesn't have a fulminator mage, Path to Exile, Bounce spell, chump blocker, GQ, Blessed alliance, or any other means to stop Merit on Turn 7. Doesn't seem likely to me.
"Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays 2 for each creature he or she controls that's attacking you."
Unless I'm grossly misreading this, having this on the field does nothing to stop YOUR spirits from swinging in. Am I mistaken?
Nope, you are right. It only affects your opponent's creatures.
Valakut decks, according to MTG Goldfish, are quite prominent now, and we are not fast enough to win through them. It does help with Lantern (less popular now), 8 rack, and is a good catch all against random decks. Not an absolute game winner, but it has its place.
One thing to consider in your sideboard is Ghostly Prison does not prevent creatures from attack planeswalkers, only players. I started out with Ghostly Prison but took it out after I realized this.
Chandra is possibly the most overrated card of the year. Like you said, she cannot recover a bad board state or even stall for you. Nahiri can at least take care of threats and her + ability makes her difficult to kill.
Btw why the leyline of sanctity? For burn? Valakut?
Any time you see 4 abilities on a planeswalker, they have to be evaluated carefully. She is no Jace, but has all the makings of a huge threat. I don't think she has found a home yet. But for some reason I don't want to take her out of the deck yet. If the game stalls out, she will win it for you. She is also an out against ensnaring bridge, or any time when you need to burn out an opponent. The biggest issue I find is that she is very slow. She also seems like she wants to make you jump to 5 and 6 drops. I have debated having inferno titan to pair with her, but I don't think it is needed in this deck at all.
As far as leyline goes, I have it for Valakut decks, Ad Nausem, Lantern, burn, +/- Storm. It also came in handy against 8-rack online, but that is a fringe case.
I am not sold Elspeth main, she has won a few games, but mostly she is a game ender versus decks like jund. The deck has kind of a bi-modal curve, a lot of one drops and yes a bunch of 4 drops. Nahiri is obviously a game ender, and in my opinion tied for the best planeswalker in modern. If I didn't play Chandra, I would be playing 6x 4 drops (nahiri and 2 Kalitas). I wanted a sweeper in the main, to balance out all the spot removal and keep from total blow outs vs tokens, elves, Kiki or Eldrazi. I originally had Anger of the Gods, but changed to Wrath of God because it can clear goyfs, TKS and Smasher.
Chandra is a pet card atm, I can't tell if I love her or not. She has flat won me a few grindy games, but at the same time, she doesn't break a stalled board and her "card advantage" isn't amazing. If anything I would drop her for another 2 drop.
This is the list I am planning on bringing to eternal weekend for side events. It has been testing well online. I am debating with a friend of mine weather dropping 1 land and moving Elspeth main would be worth it. I have been sticking with 25 because hitting all the land drops is important and, well, everyone else has been doing it. Any thoughts/critiques are welcome. I made a conscious decision to include stony silence over lightning helix because it is just such an overwhelming powerful sideboard card against affinity, lantern, ad nausem and hurt Tron a bit. But it is an excellent catch all for any artifact threats. I will also say, Kambal has been great, I am always happy to see him. He is almost always a free tendrils and possible card advantage when they try and remove him.
What do you guys think about Olivia Voldaren? I was looking at my binders today and ran across her and thought she might be an interesting card vs a second kalitas
How about using Not of this World to protect Emperion once it's cheated out?
I'm thinking the 'combo' could fit in skred or ponza, but I share the concern that Emperion is too easy to remove.
NoTW does an amazing job protecting Merit Lage in legacy, but Merit almost always immediately ends the game. If emperion had trample or flying or something that prevented chumping I would say there is something here. As people said, an 8/8 that prevents you from losing the game 9 times out of 10 is great, but it needs to end the game.
I am with you on wall of omens. I would recommend trying out a Kalitas. He is great with bolt, and lily. But good looking list. Has it been playing well for you?
I have started testing her in Nahiri Mardu. I am not sold yet. Nahiri is definitely more of a threat, but when you need to hunt for removal, she does a good job. The one game where I did keep her for more than a turn or 2, she won the game for me. I used her mana +1 to crank out 4 souls from lingering, found needed removal, and did 4 points of damage before ulting and winning the game. I play 4 different walkers in my deck currently, with Nahiri being the most powerful, and Lily edges Chandra out for #2. Elspeth is a top end sweeper and token generator.
I will continue testing her, but I don't think she fits well into a blue counter deck.
Storm has to kill Kambal with their first spell. If they cast 10 spells to achieve a decent storm count, they take 20 damage and you get 20 life. It mathematically screws them on offense and defense.
Also, storm just makes copies (same with pyro ascension), it doesn't cast spells, so that doesn't trigger kambal. The copies also don't increase the storm count.
Interesting list. More disruptive than most of what is being played. I love the resto angel. I am not crazy about strangler, but if it works it works. Exiling with Nahiri is not typically what happens when you play her. Personally I you need some board wipes. Even though you are running souls, against elves, fish or tokens, you are going to find yourself behind.
Also, love the hide // seek. Seek is just nasty in the mirror and against the other Nahiri decks (kiki evolution and American control).
Oh don't get me wrong, all those cards are good at finding dark depths, but I don't think Tron would play it. In order for Depths to do anything you need to pay 30 mana, which, even when a tron deck is firing on all cylinders, would take 2-3 turns. The real danger is Stage + Depths. Legacy has 12 post and doesn't play depths in that regularly. Tron uses the same number of lands, but produces less mana. Dropping Karn, Ugin, Wurmcoil engine or one of the eldrazi is a much faster means to victory than melting down dark depths.
The current speed of the meta game wouldn't allow for that to happen anyway. Lets say ideally you have tron and depths naturally on turn 4, that means on turn 4, you could get 2 counters off. And lets say turns 5, 6, and 7 you draw your other 3 towers. That means, on turn 7 you would be able to make merit lage, with the best mana acceleration in modern. That is very slow in this format, and that assumes perfect mana acceleration draws. This all assumes your opponent doesn't have a fulminator mage, Path to Exile, Bounce spell, chump blocker, GQ, Blessed alliance, or any other means to stop Merit on Turn 7. Doesn't seem likely to me.
Thoughts?
Nope, you are right. It only affects your opponent's creatures.
Valakut decks, according to MTG Goldfish, are quite prominent now, and we are not fast enough to win through them. It does help with Lantern (less popular now), 8 rack, and is a good catch all against random decks. Not an absolute game winner, but it has its place.
Any time you see 4 abilities on a planeswalker, they have to be evaluated carefully. She is no Jace, but has all the makings of a huge threat. I don't think she has found a home yet. But for some reason I don't want to take her out of the deck yet. If the game stalls out, she will win it for you. She is also an out against ensnaring bridge, or any time when you need to burn out an opponent. The biggest issue I find is that she is very slow. She also seems like she wants to make you jump to 5 and 6 drops. I have debated having inferno titan to pair with her, but I don't think it is needed in this deck at all.
As far as leyline goes, I have it for Valakut decks, Ad Nausem, Lantern, burn, +/- Storm. It also came in handy against 8-rack online, but that is a fringe case.
Chandra is a pet card atm, I can't tell if I love her or not. She has flat won me a few grindy games, but at the same time, she doesn't break a stalled board and her "card advantage" isn't amazing. If anything I would drop her for another 2 drop.
4 Wall of Omens
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Spells (29)
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Thoughtseize
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
1 Dreadbore
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
1 Wrath of God
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
4 Nahiri, the Harbinger
2 Blood Crypt
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Graven Cairns
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Arid Mesa
1 Godless Shrine
3 Marsh Flats
2 Swamp
3 Shambling Vent
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
3 Bloodstained Mire
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Wear // Tear
2 Rest in Peace
2 Stony Silence
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
3 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
NoTW does an amazing job protecting Merit Lage in legacy, but Merit almost always immediately ends the game. If emperion had trample or flying or something that prevented chumping I would say there is something here. As people said, an 8/8 that prevents you from losing the game 9 times out of 10 is great, but it needs to end the game.
I will continue testing her, but I don't think she fits well into a blue counter deck.
Also, storm just makes copies (same with pyro ascension), it doesn't cast spells, so that doesn't trigger kambal. The copies also don't increase the storm count.
Also, love the hide // seek. Seek is just nasty in the mirror and against the other Nahiri decks (kiki evolution and American control).