I lost to Bogles (seems like a good matchup, but I lost g1 to Leyline, and g2 I got Path'd), or it would have gotten published. Otherwise I beat Eggs, Humans, Merfolk, and Ponza, and nothing felt particularly close.
In the sideboard, I think 3 Leylines are a necessity, and I really really liked the Silences this league. Everything else felt like it could be what it was or a mix of Wear/Tear, Fragmentize, Dismembers, etc.
Hey guys, I am trying to tune a Flame of Keld Gobots list. I really like Mishra's Bauble with Flame of Keld, and both are also good with Kuldotha Rebirth.
14-1 in the past three competitive leagues. Everyone is saying dredge is in a bad position but I don’t see it. I see a lot less storm, tron, and valakut and a ton more jund, uw control and mana dork decks than I have in a while.
Match 1: 2-0 vs. Pillow Fort
Game 1 he plays a Runed Halo to protect himself from 3 Bloodghast, but Conflagrate, Prized Amalgam, and Narcomoeba do the trick.
Game 2 he mulls hard to find 2 Rest in Peace, 1 Wheel of Sun and Moon, but he is stuck on one plains. I hit two lands and Cathartic Reunion and "go off" for four power on the board. He gets RiP and Runed Halo in play on turns 3 and 4 or so, but I get there with 3-6 damage per turn.
Match 2: 2-0 vs Eldrazi Tron
Game 1 is a bit grindy, but it ends with a big Haunted Dead, bring 3 Amalgams back, Rally the Peasants turn. I only dealt damage to him once, and he ended with -7 life.
Game 2 is not as grindy, but it still ends with a big turn. He sided in 4 Relic and didn't see them. I conflagrated 1 of his 2 Reality Smashers, discarding six cards, to buy some time.
Match 3: 2-1 vs. Ponza
This is the main match I want to talk about in terms of sideboarding because I feel like I overboarded.
Game 1 is too easy. I even had turn 1 Darkblast for his turn 1 Arbor Elf, and I follow it with Cathartic Reunion, and he does not have Anger.
Game 2 he gets the perfect Dredge-beating sequence of Blood Moon (preventing me from playing around Anger well) followed by Anger after I have built up a board. Then Inferno Titan mops me up.
Game 3 is back to basics. Fast start, Darkblast, crush with Rally on turn 4 or so.
I sided in 2 Lightning Axe and 3 Collective Brutality, taking out Narcomoeba, 3 Insolent Neonate, and Golgari Thug. Thoughts?
Match 4: 2-0 vs Jund
Nothing to speak of here. He turn 1 IOK's me game 1 to find a hand of cards I strictly wanted in the graveyard, and it was downhill for him from there.
Game 2 he doesn't find hate (which he had Damnation, Anger, and Cage - I love playing Dredge at LGSs!).
I brought in 3 Lightning Axes in case of Scooze, siding out Bloodghast, 1 Neonate and Life from the Loam.
I had a few objectives firing up MODO last night:
1) Build a Goblin deck in Pauper so that I have the cards in my collection before Dominaria is released and likely dumps more Goblins into different formats.
2) Test Fanatic Firebrand.
Additionally, I thought that Goblins lined up well against a good percentage not only of top performing decks on MTGGoldfish but also the decks I encountered often in the league.
1) Against Elves, we have Death Spark, Lightning Bolt, Sparksmith, and Fanatic Firebrand to disrupt.
2) Against Delver (and Izzet Delver), the same disruptive elements against Elves apply
3) Against Burn, Sylvok Lifestaff would cripple the opponent in the race.
4) Wide aggro will always have favorable moments against Tron, targeted removal-based decks, or noninteractive combo when it stumbles.
5) Goblin Sledder and Mogg Raider line up well against Sacred Cat in Heroic.
As I expected, the league in the current meta was Pauper playing in easy mode. My 5-0 results included:
2-1 vs Izzet Delver
2-1 vs TortEx
2-0 vs MBC
2-0 vs Dimir Flicker
2-0 vs Tron
Even though I did not face the matches for which I had a plan, I had a lot of success in my first league with a deck that has a lot of interaction and play to it. Death Spark was an incredible card, and on at least two of the games, one copy of it dealt 5+ damage. Even with the decks I faced, Fanatic Firebrand was incredible. It is just as good as Mogg Fanatic when you are killing Faeries or Delver, and in most other cases, it is better because of its haste. The only situation where it is worse than OG Fanatic is when it is able to attack through with a Bushwhacker AND sacrifice itself for 1 damage, but I am willing to take that loss.
Here is my deck; it is a standard Goblins build without the Fireblasts or Reckless Abandons, opting to play the Fanatics instead. I like playing creatures in the four slots because: they are often worth 4 damage anyway (especially all things considered and taking Goblin Cohort and Mogg Conscripts into account) and being countered is not so damaging as the cards I removed. The sideboard needs Goblin Heelcutter in some number instead of Stingscourger, and I am not opposed to Gorilla Shaman, Relic of Progenitus, or Flaring Pain being included as well.
I played another 2 leagues and kept the 50% winrate. I like going Golgari with it because I wanted targeted, non-damage based removal. GG and BB casting costs are a bit awkward, though.
I haven't had any success to brag on yet (same as everyone: 2-3s, 3-2s, and 4-1s in the comp leagues), but I like playing a 5c manabase and 4 Hollow Ones sideboard instead of anti-gravehate. Just awkwardly curve out games 2 and 3 or have the dredge combo-like option.
Ran it through two leagues: 2-3 and 3-2. I am getting reacquainted with the format and attribute some losses to that.
League 1
Loss to Goblins 1-2
Loss to Izzet Delver 0-2
Win vs. Elves 2-0
Win vs. Burn 2-0
Loss vs. Stompy
League 2
Win vs Jeskai Flicker 2-1 (this was a pain)
Win vs stompy
Win vs another green ramp deck
Loss vs Tron 1-2
Loss vs BG Aristocrats 0-2
I realized in league 1 that the monarchy and Blastoderm are horrible non-bos, and there are a lot of flyers in the format. Also decks that go wide are a problem. So I went on MTGO and looked up "reach" with the Pauper filter and found some good dudes: Bitterbow Sharpshooters Penumbra Spider Watcher in the Web
I am playing 2 of each of these because each has its own set of perks.
Most of the games I am winning have little to do with land destruction and all to do with Entourage acting as a Dark Confidant and burning their creatures (when Burnable). In fact, the one deck I thought I could beat with land destruction, Tron, was a miserable experience. In league three I am including 2 much needed Relic of Progenitus in the side for Tron and Ghostly Flicker.
After a long hiatus (I left when Temporal Fissure was legal), I am back to play some Pauper. I am grinding away with Izzet Blitz, but while I do so, I want to brew with Arbor Elf and Utopia Sprawl since the combination is having decent success in Modern. I took a deluxeicoff deck from ages ago and modified it to incorporate better beaters and this style of ramp. Here is the end result:
SB Includes 4 Gorilla Shaman, 4 Pyroblast, Electrickery/Dual Shot/ etc.
A few questions,
If I want only basics, and I want to lean on Utopia Sprawl and Abundant Growth or the new thing that lets you tap the land for a mana or sacrifice it to draw a card to produce R, then what should the ratio of Forests:Mountains be?
If I want to deal with Gurmag Angler, then what is the best solution? Dealing 5 damage a la Lightning Axe? Relic of Progenitus in sideboard? Aftershock? Card disadvantage and two burn spells?
I like the 5c manabase over the course of a longer paper tournament, too, because of decision fatigue. You lean very heavily on haunted dead and gnaw to the bone in more matchups with cities and confluences.
So far it's going pretty well. I also like the fact that it's mono colored.
Maniospas, Traitor's Clutch looks like a card which can make a difference. However, I wonder how often you will be able to madness him. You need at least 3 mana to get this card going (1 mana for a discard spell and 2 for madness). Still, maybe as a 1 or 2 off he could be worth a try.
Go ahead and slide 4 Edge of Autumn into that bad boy. Lightning Axe can go to the sideboard in the current metagame.
So Tron is having a heyday with Modern right now. It'd be a shame if we pulled out the... big guns. *trollface*
Seriously this has been fun to play in the competitive league since Saturday. It'll set you back about $40, entry fee included.
The deck may be better to include Surgical Extractions, Blood Moons, and Pacts of Negation in the side, but hey. I wanted to sling together a budget list to enjoy myself until people quit playing Tron variants.
I have only played it in three friendly leagues, for a 9-6 record. It has enough decisions to stay interesting, but the best decisions aren't rewarded often enough due to the randomness of burning inquiry. For my time and investment of event entry, I will stick with dredge.
4 Puresteel Paladin
4 Artificer's Assistant
2 Serum Visions
1 Noxious Revival
1 Grapeshot
4 Retract
21 Equipment
4 Seachrome Coast
3 Hallowed Fountain
2 Plains
5 Fetches
1 Sacred Foundry
4 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Swan Song
2 Echoing Truth
3 Path to Exile
2 Ghirapur Aether Grid
3 Silence
I lost to Bogles (seems like a good matchup, but I lost g1 to Leyline, and g2 I got Path'd), or it would have gotten published. Otherwise I beat Eggs, Humans, Merfolk, and Ponza, and nothing felt particularly close.
In the sideboard, I think 3 Leylines are a necessity, and I really really liked the Silences this league. Everything else felt like it could be what it was or a mix of Wear/Tear, Fragmentize, Dismembers, etc.
The birds were incredible.
You guys think you can help me with my numbers?
2 Darksteel Citadel
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Mox Opal
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Signal Pest
3 Bomat Courier
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
3 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Kuldotha Rebirth
4 The Flame of Keld
Who wouldn't want to attack for 9 off of 1 mana?
3 Bloodstained Mire
2 Mountain
2 Blood Crypt
2 Stomping Ground
1 City of Brass
1 Gemstone Mine
1 Dakmor Salvage
3 Copperline Gorge
1 Blackcleave Cliffs
4 Prized Amalgam
4 Narcomoeba
4 Bloodghast
1 Haunted Dead
1 Golgari Thug
4 Life from the Loam
2 Darkblast
3 Conflagrate
1 Rally the Peasants
4 Faithless Looting
4 Cathartic Reunion
4 Insolent Neonate
3 Lightning Axe
1 Nature's Claim
2 Abrupt Decay
3 Thoughtseize
3 Collective Brutality
1 Gnaw to the Bone
2 Ancient Grudge
Match 1: 2-0 vs. Pillow Fort
Game 1 he plays a Runed Halo to protect himself from 3 Bloodghast, but Conflagrate, Prized Amalgam, and Narcomoeba do the trick.
Game 2 he mulls hard to find 2 Rest in Peace, 1 Wheel of Sun and Moon, but he is stuck on one plains. I hit two lands and Cathartic Reunion and "go off" for four power on the board. He gets RiP and Runed Halo in play on turns 3 and 4 or so, but I get there with 3-6 damage per turn.
SB - 1 Narcomoeba, 1 Conflagrate, 1 Darkblast out, +3 Thoughtseize in
Match 2: 2-0 vs Eldrazi Tron
Game 1 is a bit grindy, but it ends with a big Haunted Dead, bring 3 Amalgams back, Rally the Peasants turn. I only dealt damage to him once, and he ended with -7 life.
Game 2 is not as grindy, but it still ends with a big turn. He sided in 4 Relic and didn't see them. I conflagrated 1 of his 2 Reality Smashers, discarding six cards, to buy some time.
SB - 2 Insolent Neonate, 1 Narcomoeba, + 3 Lightning Axe
Match 3: 2-1 vs. Ponza
This is the main match I want to talk about in terms of sideboarding because I feel like I overboarded.
Game 1 is too easy. I even had turn 1 Darkblast for his turn 1 Arbor Elf, and I follow it with Cathartic Reunion, and he does not have Anger.
Game 2 he gets the perfect Dredge-beating sequence of Blood Moon (preventing me from playing around Anger well) followed by Anger after I have built up a board. Then Inferno Titan mops me up.
Game 3 is back to basics. Fast start, Darkblast, crush with Rally on turn 4 or so.
I sided in 2 Lightning Axe and 3 Collective Brutality, taking out Narcomoeba, 3 Insolent Neonate, and Golgari Thug. Thoughts?
Match 4: 2-0 vs Jund
Nothing to speak of here. He turn 1 IOK's me game 1 to find a hand of cards I strictly wanted in the graveyard, and it was downhill for him from there.
Game 2 he doesn't find hate (which he had Damnation, Anger, and Cage - I love playing Dredge at LGSs!).
I brought in 3 Lightning Axes in case of Scooze, siding out Bloodghast, 1 Neonate and Life from the Loam.
EDIT: List was +1 Haunted Dead, -1 Golgari Thug
I had a few objectives firing up MODO last night:
1) Build a Goblin deck in Pauper so that I have the cards in my collection before Dominaria is released and likely dumps more Goblins into different formats.
2) Test Fanatic Firebrand.
Additionally, I thought that Goblins lined up well against a good percentage not only of top performing decks on MTGGoldfish but also the decks I encountered often in the league.
1) Against Elves, we have Death Spark, Lightning Bolt, Sparksmith, and Fanatic Firebrand to disrupt.
2) Against Delver (and Izzet Delver), the same disruptive elements against Elves apply
3) Against Burn, Sylvok Lifestaff would cripple the opponent in the race.
4) Wide aggro will always have favorable moments against Tron, targeted removal-based decks, or noninteractive combo when it stumbles.
5) Goblin Sledder and Mogg Raider line up well against Sacred Cat in Heroic.
As I expected, the league in the current meta was Pauper playing in easy mode. My 5-0 results included:
2-1 vs Izzet Delver
2-1 vs TortEx
2-0 vs MBC
2-0 vs Dimir Flicker
2-0 vs Tron
Even though I did not face the matches for which I had a plan, I had a lot of success in my first league with a deck that has a lot of interaction and play to it. Death Spark was an incredible card, and on at least two of the games, one copy of it dealt 5+ damage. Even with the decks I faced, Fanatic Firebrand was incredible. It is just as good as Mogg Fanatic when you are killing Faeries or Delver, and in most other cases, it is better because of its haste. The only situation where it is worse than OG Fanatic is when it is able to attack through with a Bushwhacker AND sacrifice itself for 1 damage, but I am willing to take that loss.
Here is my deck; it is a standard Goblins build without the Fireblasts or Reckless Abandons, opting to play the Fanatics instead. I like playing creatures in the four slots because: they are often worth 4 damage anyway (especially all things considered and taking Goblin Cohort and Mogg Conscripts into account) and being countered is not so damaging as the cards I removed. The sideboard needs Goblin Heelcutter in some number instead of Stingscourger, and I am not opposed to Gorilla Shaman, Relic of Progenitus, or Flaring Pain being included as well.
4 Sparksmith
4 Goblin Cohort
4 Mogg Conscripts
4 Mogg Raider
4 Mogg War Marshal
4 Goblin Sledder
4 Foundry Street Denizen
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
2 Death Spark
18 Mountain
2 Smelt
3 Smash to Smithereens
4 Stingscourger
3 Electrickery
3 Sylvok Lifestaff
I hardly sided anything in or out in this particular league.
League 1
Loss to Goblins 1-2
Loss to Izzet Delver 0-2
Win vs. Elves 2-0
Win vs. Burn 2-0
Loss vs. Stompy
League 2
Win vs Jeskai Flicker 2-1 (this was a pain)
Win vs stompy
Win vs another green ramp deck
Loss vs Tron 1-2
Loss vs BG Aristocrats 0-2
I realized in league 1 that the monarchy and Blastoderm are horrible non-bos, and there are a lot of flyers in the format. Also decks that go wide are a problem. So I went on MTGO and looked up "reach" with the Pauper filter and found some good dudes:
Bitterbow Sharpshooters
Penumbra Spider
Watcher in the Web
I am playing 2 of each of these because each has its own set of perks.
Most of the games I am winning have little to do with land destruction and all to do with Entourage acting as a Dark Confidant and burning their creatures (when Burnable). In fact, the one deck I thought I could beat with land destruction, Tron, was a miserable experience. In league three I am including 2 much needed Relic of Progenitus in the side for Tron and Ghostly Flicker.
After a long hiatus (I left when Temporal Fissure was legal), I am back to play some Pauper. I am grinding away with Izzet Blitz, but while I do so, I want to brew with Arbor Elf and Utopia Sprawl since the combination is having decent success in Modern. I took a deluxeicoff deck from ages ago and modified it to incorporate better beaters and this style of ramp. Here is the end result:
4 Arbor Elf
4 Blastoderm
4 Stone Rain
4 Thermokarst
2 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
2 Firebolt
4 Flame Slash
4 Utopia Sprawl
20 Land
SB Includes 4 Gorilla Shaman, 4 Pyroblast, Electrickery/Dual Shot/ etc.
A few questions,
If I want only basics, and I want to lean on Utopia Sprawl and Abundant Growth or the new thing that lets you tap the land for a mana or sacrifice it to draw a card to produce R, then what should the ratio of Forests:Mountains be?
If I want to deal with Gurmag Angler, then what is the best solution? Dealing 5 damage a la Lightning Axe? Relic of Progenitus in sideboard? Aftershock? Card disadvantage and two burn spells?
Go ahead and slide 4 Edge of Autumn into that bad boy. Lightning Axe can go to the sideboard in the current metagame.
Seriously this has been fun to play in the competitive league since Saturday. It'll set you back about $40, entry fee included.
18 Mountain
4 Nivmagus Elemental
4 Kiln Fiend
3 Flamekin Harbinger
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Manamorphose
4 Ground Rift
4 Gut Shot
3 Slaughter Pact
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Assault Strobe
4 Desperate Ritual
4 Shattering Spree
4 Tormod's Crypt
3 Young Pyromancer
4 Wastes
The deck may be better to include Surgical Extractions, Blood Moons, and Pacts of Negation in the side, but hey. I wanted to sling together a budget list to enjoy myself until people quit playing Tron variants.