Just wanted to point out Shatter Assumptions throwback to Persecute. Neat card. I had to read Mind Rake a few times to understand why you wouldn’t want to overload each time. I was thinking it was each opponent like other overload cards, but that isn’t the case this time.
I was about to come in here and mention the new Avatar as well. The synergy is there, he just needs some creatures on board and plenty of fuel in yard to make him an option. He is worth testing at least.
Interesting idea shikgriz. I only own 2 confidants but I’m definitely going to make some inclusions for 2 branchwalkers. My version is currently similar to Sol Malka’s list running Ghost Quarter, Bauble, Eternal Witness and Traverse. Branchwalker is no bob but I like the potential 3/2 and pseudo surveil(?) since you can draw a land or bin irrelevant cards. Right now I’m testing Ballista and Flayer and they have been ok. My meta with Affinity and humans makes ballista quite nice IMO. I will have to try out Branchwalker next though.
In the top 50 most played spells in modern there are 10 blue cards. 4 are cantrips (so, essentially ways to create non-cards and increase deck consistency) and the rest are counterspells, most of which are fringe sideboard inclusions.
I think there is space there they just aren't using.
Doesn't this contradict your point, thought? There are 5 colors in Magic and blue takes up exactly 1/5th of the top spells? And 60% of those cards are more than just cantrips?
Of that 60% practically all are narrow sideboard counterspells, or cards with a very specific fit to a particular deck: Ceremonious, Spell Pierce, Dispel. Disdainful Stroke and Stubborn Denial. The only really 'good' card and an interesting design to boot is Cryptic Command and that is always going to of limited use due to its mana cost (nothing wrong with that, it's strong and there's a good reason for it's mana cost).
In terms of raw power (taking into account CMC) and flexibility (in terms of how many decks you can jam them in, or how many things they hit), they're all far behind Bolt, Thoughtsieze, Fatal Push and others top modern cards. Low CMC + wide range of targets/uses = power.
Anyway, I didn't say blue was underrepresented, I said the design space for the cards they're printing is unexplored. First, counterspells are supposed to be narrow now, because of the power of interacting on the stack. So they take a hit - let's say that's fine. BUt on top of this, free counterspell hate has become available. In the decks where it's played Caverns is a no drawback card. Aether Vial is not, but it still makes counterspells all but dead in the part of the game where it's relevant. All these cards come online before meaningful interaction with them is available.
So you're strictly worse off trying to fight on the stack in many (but not all) situations. Okay. But bounce is generally worse than it was as well. Many creatures have value just by being cast, sometimes to the point that bounce is a disaster for the player using it. Tuck is very expensive on the few cards it appears - completely overcosted for Modern playability. Case in point, not a single bounce or tuck spell is among the blue cards played in modern.
If you can't reliably deal with things on the stack and you can't deal with resolved permanents, that suggests to me that there is a gap. Don't get me wrong, no card deals with all things, all the time - otherwise we'd all be playing it. But to say that Thougthsieze and any of the one mana counterspells I listed are in the same league is just wrong.
I agree with you, blue is so bad at what it’s supposed to do. My idea is to give the color a bounce and torpor effect to prevent the etb of said creature so it doesn’t feel horrible to use bounce. But we all know it would be overcosted and useless outside standard.
My other idea was to have more cost efficient freeze effects like singing bell strike
Decklist for reference. Like I said, first time playing Jund style so perhaps I mulled hands I should have kept. They lacked threats and the correct interaction (I thought).
Collective Brutality was in to kill indestructible spirits from selfless spirit and hit CoCo's in same turn. As for ATrophy, I felt I didn't want to ramp him into CoCo either.
Tron, first game was quick since I had discard plus two Goyf plan very early. Sideboarding went like, out 3x Fatal Push, 1 Terminate, 1 IoK, in came 2x Trophy, 2x fulminator, 1x Surgical. Never saw fulminator and saw tropy a turn too late since he enough to Ulamog a turn after that. Had to surgical wurmcoils before I saw a tropy to blast urza land too. He also played Relics to keep me off traverse and TKS exiled a shadow. I had a shadow in play but he had two wurm tokens and TKS which was lethal any way I chose to block.
Going to take some getting used to on which hands to keep. I mulled the ones that didn't have a threat basically. I'm used to playing GDS like this. I know Traverse is there for that reason but if you can't enable delirium then the hand looks subpar. Need more reps in to learn the ins and outs.
Well, had a miserable TNM last night to a 0-3 finish. Played spirits twice and that matchup feels pretty bad. I think my hands were just horrible for what I had to fight against. Did not draw removal when they had board and did not draw threats when I needed them which felt odd considering how much is in the deck. Wanderer is a pain to play against because they can counter my key spells like Traverse or a removal on a better spirit. First time with the deck and not knowing what to side also sucks. I took out 4 Wraith and boarded in Languish, CB x2 and Abrade. I managed to win a game but it was still very close. The last match was vs Tron and we all know how that can go sometimes. The list is your earlier iteration DeFish, terminates main and a 2 LoTV mb.
Its like RUG delver from Legacy.
Phoenix is Delver
Thing is Tarmogoyf
Drake is Nimble Mongoose (I guess?)
And the rest is draw spells, burn spells and just a few counterspells. Plays to out tempo you as well. Congrats modern delver enthusiasts, you have your delver deck.
That would be awesome DeFish. Not sure why people don’t play this archetype. It has it’s place just like every other deck. I myself am going to finish acquiring the cards and give jund style a whirl. I’ve never owned Tarmo or catacombs so this was a good incentive while they are on the down low. Never hurts to have more staples.
Primarily a GDS player here but I’m finally acquiring the the 8 cards (tarmo and catacombs) needed to make this version. Not sure which one I will like more or is better in the end. I’ve avoided getting some staples for too long and convinced myself to get them. Can’t hurt owning another set of fetches and best green creature all around, right? Plus I would be much closer to GB Rock then.
What decks is this version great against would one say?
Dredged it up last night to a 2-1-1 finish. Chill was great as expected and made the opponents wary of losing so fast or being unable race as it reversed all the damage they caused. First time playing with the new build though and I’m unsure of how to sideboard. Note that the opponents skimped on gy hate since people don’t play the strat that often (humans, spirits, affinity, tron, burn meta).
I mostly sided out up to 4 horns and 2 conflags in games and I really dont like removing the horns since they were the glue that helped me find cards and make the engine purr. I lost to spirits(counters, flash) and BG rock(scoozes). The games were still close but I think keeping bad hands without engine cards and keeping anti hate cards lost me.
I agree with you, blue is so bad at what it’s supposed to do. My idea is to give the color a bounce and torpor effect to prevent the etb of said creature so it doesn’t feel horrible to use bounce. But we all know it would be overcosted and useless outside standard.
My other idea was to have more cost efficient freeze effects like singing bell strike
Collective Brutality was in to kill indestructible spirits from selfless spirit and hit CoCo's in same turn. As for ATrophy, I felt I didn't want to ramp him into CoCo either.
Tron, first game was quick since I had discard plus two Goyf plan very early. Sideboarding went like, out 3x Fatal Push, 1 Terminate, 1 IoK, in came 2x Trophy, 2x fulminator, 1x Surgical. Never saw fulminator and saw tropy a turn too late since he enough to Ulamog a turn after that. Had to surgical wurmcoils before I saw a tropy to blast urza land too. He also played Relics to keep me off traverse and TKS exiled a shadow. I had a shadow in play but he had two wurm tokens and TKS which was lethal any way I chose to block.
Going to take some getting used to on which hands to keep. I mulled the ones that didn't have a threat basically. I'm used to playing GDS like this. I know Traverse is there for that reason but if you can't enable delirium then the hand looks subpar. Need more reps in to learn the ins and outs.
Phoenix is Delver
Thing is Tarmogoyf
Drake is Nimble Mongoose (I guess?)
And the rest is draw spells, burn spells and just a few counterspells. Plays to out tempo you as well. Congrats modern delver enthusiasts, you have your delver deck.
What decks is this version great against would one say?
Harsh Mentor
Contaminated ground
Singing bell strike
Countersquall
Ionize
Icy Manipulator
Spreading seas
Burning Earth
Sin prodder
Manabarbs
Anything else that would work? This is a rough idea and needs more cards that synergize.
10 does seem low but I guess shriekhorn counts as half a dredger. What should be cut in order to add more?
I mostly sided out up to 4 horns and 2 conflags in games and I really dont like removing the horns since they were the glue that helped me find cards and make the engine purr. I lost to spirits(counters, flash) and BG rock(scoozes). The games were still close but I think keeping bad hands without engine cards and keeping anti hate cards lost me.
Anyone have advice for sideboarding yet?