I wasn't even aware that the Sliver was even an option. I do believe the reason it's been overlooked is due to the one drop being dominated by the Elf spot. After your first land, both the Myr and the Necropede have better secondary effects.
Just my guess, however.
Any tips on how to wreck Splinter Twin? I've been playing casually, and if I can't GodHand or fire off an early Dismember, they usually end up winning.
Creatures should only take precedent over non creature spells (board state dependant) if it's the Vexing Devil, because he still suffers from summoning sickness. Other than that, you could cast the Goblin Guide first, to 'peek' at your opponents next card.
I'd assume only 2 devils, because there isn't much room for deviation.
This is my current deck, which I'm utilizing constructed completely of cards I already own.
I realize that I don't have the strongest side-board, but that's why I'm posting here, for suggestions. I'm also not entirely married to all of the spells in my main-board.
I'm not looking to spend too much $$ on this build, which is why it's seemingly so hodgepodge. But I don't mind spending some $$ to make it more competitive.
No Spellskite in the side of these monogreen lists?
In playtesting I've found it to be too expensive and slow to be truly effective. In my current build, I'm running 8 flat out pro spells, in the form of 4 copies each of the Blessing and Vines. On top of which, all of the pump spells double as protection, if required. In addendum, there are 3 Guiles in me sideboard, if I find my creatures too frequently the target of removal.
I do at times find myself running light on creatures, but I think, with this deck you can safely mull down to at least 5 cards and still win, and you should aim to draw the trifecta of creature/ pump/ pro per starting hand. If you do, you most likely won't be too worried about removal, at least not until the third or fourth turn, by which turn you can already win.
Wild Defiance seems like a good card, but it's too expensive to be a "win" card. It's more like a "win more" card, in that when you pump your own creature, it gains further pumps.
I've replace all 4 copies of Gut Shot in me sidebaord with Dismember. I've yet to play test it, so I'm uncertain how it'll hold up in competition, however I feel if I'm dealing enough poison counters within the first few turns, then the 4 life lost/ Member isn't really that big of a loss.
The way I justify it in theory is that I'd only play the card after my opponent summoned a creature, which would cost them the mana they would need to otherwise counter, or damamge my life total.
But it does begin to add up, when taken into consideration with the Mutagenic Growths.
My maindeck is identical to yours now, except I'm -1 pendelhaven -1 forest +2 ancient stirrings. I'm on the fence with the stirrings but I think they're superior to two lands. They will usually let you pick the land you need most or find you a body. They help dig to tormod's crypts or other possible sideboard cards too.
I have not figured out this deck's strong/weak matchups by a long shot so not sure about the board. If pod is favourable then grafdiggers is probably pointless. Torpor orb hoses random decks but again don't know if it hits anything we care about. The corrupter as mentioned is just to give another out to chalice, plus its another way to hit spellskites.
If blue decks are our worst match, I could easily see dropping 2 of those to up the guttural response count to 4.
I did just learn that we are practically auto-win vs ad nauseum.
I like it. If I find my current build under-performing consistently, I'll switch in the stirrings and the orb.
Greetings, I'm attempting to create a budget, mono-red, yet still somewhat competitive burn deck. Following the advice in this primer, as well as independently conducted research, I've compiled the following deck. I would greatly appreciate prudent suggestions for a sideboard, or even mainboard replacements.
This is the deck I took to my LGS last night, for a Modern tourney. I ended up going 3 – 1. I crushed Splinter Twin, Tron and Affinity.
Lost the only game to a deck I didn't recognize. It was a midrange control deck. I managed to win one game, but the other 2 my opponent Inquisitioned me, at least twice per game to rid me of my threats, and I simply couldn't recover.
I’m most definitely replacing Shots and [=Ranger’s Guile]Guile’s[/c] with 3 Dismembers and 4 Responses. Dismember simply outperforms Gut Shot in every conceivable metric, aside from casting cost and life loss, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives (bye-bye T2 Tarmogoyf). Also, too many opponents run blue to not at least side the Responses.
I'm pretty sure the wild defiance is going to go out when I dig up a 4th apostle's blessing. It's too win-more without ever really being "win" the way it is on blighted agent or with distortion strike.
I believe this is the proper call. Wild Defiance is a nice card for casual, but competitively, the meta is simply too quick for it.
I also learned that this deck cannot realistically beat a chalice of the void for 1 (opponent did it t1 with simian spirit guide...) as even our nature's claims won't work. I was already considering putting a viridian corrupter or two in the board somewhere.
Yes, that can indeed be an issue. However, it bites back both ways. It also locks down your opponents from casting cheap spells, and you can still push counters through via Inkmoth, Ichorclaw and the Pede. Plus, we play buffs which require more than 1 mana. And if all else fails, I believe Naturalize would be better in the board than the Corrupters.
Livewire lash is an out to spellskite and good reach in general when they start stabilizing with blockers. Not sure if two is the right number or if maybe one or both belong in the board. I do like having some MD outs to spellskite and unusual threats to our game plan (ghostly prison, ensnaring bridge, melira, etc).
Si senor. I do believe that the Lash serves a purpose, either late game or by turn 4/5. It may not be the best card to draw on T1, but can turn the game in your favor if you find yourself blocked too heavy.
I'm uncertain regarding the original application, however I've used it as a method to stall and parlay said stalls into wins via affinity and [c=Pestermite]Splinter Twin. Although, going forward I'll most likely replace at least 2, if not all of the Shots with Dismembers.
Why do we run necropede instead of blight mamba (other than more ancient stirrings targets - which the other list doesn't run). I know the regenerate won't often be relevant, but surely its more relevant than giving a random dude -1-1?
IMHO, ideally, this deck aims to win no later than T4. If you find yourself blocked, or board stalled by T5, then the 'Pede's ability becomes more relevant. In addendum, you can kill in response to an opponent using a man-land in order to rid them of said man-land. That and the Mamba's regen ability costs too much. The deck aims to keep lands open for buffs, and the regen ability takes two of those away.
How about guttural response to deal with cryptic command tapdowns and vapor snags/counterspells?
I believe that would be a wonderful sideboard card, considering the ubiquity of Sphinx's Revelation and Cryptic Command. I can't believe I wasn't aware of this card, until just now. Yeah, it's definitely getting sideboarded.
It is better as removal, plus you wish to win prior to losing your life, so it may not be the worst thing in the universe.
I still run the Livewire Lash. It's a good late game draw. If I find my board stalled, unable to push the final couple of poison counters through, I can usually accomplish that feat with the lash's latent ability.
Besides, I already run plenty o' protection/ buffs.
Just my guess, however.
Any tips on how to wreck Splinter Twin? I've been playing casually, and if I can't GodHand or fire off an early Dismember, they usually end up winning.
I'd assume only 2 devils, because there isn't much room for deviation.
I realize that I don't have the strongest side-board, but that's why I'm posting here, for suggestions. I'm also not entirely married to all of the spells in my main-board.
I'm not looking to spend too much $$ on this build, which is why it's seemingly so hodgepodge. But I don't mind spending some $$ to make it more competitive.
4 Goblin Guide
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning bolt
2 Pillar of Flame
2 Shard Volley
3 Searing Spear
4 Skullcrack
4 Flames of the Blood Hand
4 Rift Bolt
4 Guttural Response
1 Pillar of Flame
2 Shard Volley
4 Combust
4 Smash to Smithereens
The most obvious change I can see is to replace all of the Pillars with Devils.
Thoughts, opinions helpful suggestions?
In playtesting I've found it to be too expensive and slow to be truly effective. In my current build, I'm running 8 flat out pro spells, in the form of 4 copies each of the Blessing and Vines. On top of which, all of the pump spells double as protection, if required. In addendum, there are 3 Guiles in me sideboard, if I find my creatures too frequently the target of removal.
I do at times find myself running light on creatures, but I think, with this deck you can safely mull down to at least 5 cards and still win, and you should aim to draw the trifecta of creature/ pump/ pro per starting hand. If you do, you most likely won't be too worried about removal, at least not until the third or fourth turn, by which turn you can already win.
Wild Defiance seems like a good card, but it's too expensive to be a "win" card. It's more like a "win more" card, in that when you pump your own creature, it gains further pumps.
The way I justify it in theory is that I'd only play the card after my opponent summoned a creature, which would cost them the mana they would need to otherwise counter, or damamge my life total.
But it does begin to add up, when taken into consideration with the Mutagenic Growths.
I have one word for you: Portlandia!
But yes, there are a load of hipster duelists at my LGS.
Here: twentysidedstore.com
Modern matches held every Tuesday, promptly at seven. (-=
I like it. If I find my current build under-performing consistently, I'll switch in the stirrings and the orb.
Thanks in advance.
4 Goblin Guide
4 Hellspark Elemental
1 Ash Zealot
Spells
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Shard Volley
4 Searing Blaze
4 Skullcrack
4 Smash to Smithereens
4 Flames of the Blood Hand
4 Rift Bolt
19 Mountain
4 Glistener Elf
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Necropede
Spells
4 Groundswell
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Rancor
4 Apostle's Blessing
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Livewire Lash
4 Cathedral of War
12 Forest
2 Pendelhaven
4 Inkmoth nexus
4 Tormod's Crypt
4 Nature's Claim
4 Gut Shot
3 Ranger's Guile
This is the deck I took to my LGS last night, for a Modern tourney. I ended up going 3 – 1. I crushed Splinter Twin, Tron and Affinity.
Lost the only game to a deck I didn't recognize. It was a midrange control deck. I managed to win one game, but the other 2 my opponent Inquisitioned me, at least twice per game to rid me of my threats, and I simply couldn't recover.
I’m most definitely replacing Shots and [=Ranger’s Guile]Guile’s[/c] with 3 Dismembers and 4 Responses. Dismember simply outperforms Gut Shot in every conceivable metric, aside from casting cost and life loss, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives (bye-bye T2 Tarmogoyf). Also, too many opponents run blue to not at least side the Responses.
I believe this is the proper call. Wild Defiance is a nice card for casual, but competitively, the meta is simply too quick for it.
Yes, that can indeed be an issue. However, it bites back both ways. It also locks down your opponents from casting cheap spells, and you can still push counters through via Inkmoth, Ichorclaw and the Pede. Plus, we play buffs which require more than 1 mana. And if all else fails, I believe Naturalize would be better in the board than the Corrupters.
Si senor. I do believe that the Lash serves a purpose, either late game or by turn 4/5. It may not be the best card to draw on T1, but can turn the game in your favor if you find yourself blocked too heavy.
I'm uncertain regarding the original application, however I've used it as a method to stall and parlay said stalls into wins via affinity and [c=Pestermite]Splinter Twin. Although, going forward I'll most likely replace at least 2, if not all of the Shots with Dismembers.
IMHO, ideally, this deck aims to win no later than T4. If you find yourself blocked, or board stalled by T5, then the 'Pede's ability becomes more relevant. In addendum, you can kill in response to an opponent using a man-land in order to rid them of said man-land. That and the Mamba's regen ability costs too much. The deck aims to keep lands open for buffs, and the regen ability takes two of those away.
I believe it's efficiency > regen.
I believe that would be a wonderful sideboard card, considering the ubiquity of Sphinx's Revelation and Cryptic Command. I can't believe I wasn't aware of this card, until just now. Yeah, it's definitely getting sideboarded.
It is better as removal, plus you wish to win prior to losing your life, so it may not be the worst thing in the universe.
I still run the Livewire Lash. It's a good late game draw. If I find my board stalled, unable to push the final couple of poison counters through, I can usually accomplish that feat with the lash's latent ability.
Besides, I already run plenty o' protection/ buffs.