Round 1: Auras Hexproof (Bogles) [Won 2-1]
Comments: Cast Out was really impressive, that let some tricks like exile Spirit Mantle and block a Bogle with 2 Rancors or to remove a Totem Armor aura. Kami lock wins G1.
Round 2: Mardu Pyro [Won 2-0]
Comments: Walking Ballista and Hangarback Walking is so good against them. It was the easiest match.
Round 3: GW Hatebears [Won 2-0]
Comments: Ballista won both games. G1 he had a Scavenging Ooze with plenty of creatures in the grave. I managed to hold the game until Walking Ballista gets bigger than the Ooze (chump block for like 10 turns) and paying 8 mana to put counters on Ballista.
Round 4: Storm [Loose 0-2]
Comments: Extremely bad matchup. Game one I have 61 life and still lose to Grapeshot
Round 5: Jeskai Midrange [Won 2-0]
Comments: His deck doesn't play Teferi maindeck, so it's a really good match. G1 held the game until Emeria became active. G2 almost lost, but a topdecked Ranger of Eos search Martyr while he was in the Burn mode.
Round 6: Humans [ID]
Top 8: Jeskai Control [1-1, won because of time]
Comments: Hilarious match. G1 I won by recurring Walking Ballista for at least 5 times. His endless Teferi planeswalkers doesn't let him concede the game, so much time was spend in this match. It took him a while to realize that he cannot win game one even drawing two cards a turn (because of Proc and then Emeria). Ballista never let Teferi emblem.
G2: I made a mistake. Played two active Serra Ascendant turn three and he casts Supreme Verdict turn four. Then he slowly grinds me out of the game with 4 Cryptic Commands + 3 Snapcaster Mage flashback Cryptic until emblem Teferi. My mistake costs me this game.
G3: We had only two minutes in the clock. The player with most life will have the victory :). I find Martyr and sac it. Next turn he casts Lyra, but I have Dusk//Dawn (phew, it was close). His Snap + Bolt + Snap + Secure the Wastes almost gives him the victory.
Quarter finals: Humans [Won 2-0]
Comments: G1 A top decked Wrath of God turns the table. I would lose without this top deck. G2 another Wrath of God from top swings the game on my favor. This was the most difficult Humans match that I ever played.
Finals: Storm [Won 2-1]
Comments: 4x Damping Sphere in the side plus a little luck brings the trophy. Everytime he destroyed/bounced a Damping Sphere I had Path to Exile or Surgical Extraction in hand.
It looks sweet. My list is almost identical, the only differences are Runed Halo, Gideon Ally, Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Relic of Progenitus (I use Surgical).
I really like Walking Ballista and kinda want hear his opinion on Walking Ballista. If someone knows him...
His list does not have Ghostly Prison, Cavern of Souls and Surgical Extraction.
In my opinion, Cast Out is much better than Ixalan's Binding: Flash and Cycling is far superior to a narrow upside (stoping casting spells with the same name)
For me, it is relatively good, but can be Easily answered (Storm) or played against (Tron). Started with 4 in the Sideboard, trimmed to 3 and now thinking in leave 2 slots.
Played three more leagues: 3-2, 4-1, 4-1. Wins: Hollow One (3x), Humans (2x), Affinity, Titan Breach, Mardu Pyromancer, D&T, Burn, UW Control Losses: Abzan (lose because of time, problems with Internet), UW Control, Collected Company Value (no combos), Ux Tron
Can you explain about Hangarback Walker a bit more? Where you find him good?
About Hangarback Walker:
1) It's only one copy (1 slot)
2) It's good against Fatal Push
3) Can be tutored with Ranger of Eos
4) Grow itself with only one mana
5) Good against Liliana of the Veil
6) Is Colorless (All Is Dust)
The matches where I sided it in:
--> BG, Jund, Abzan, Death's Shadow, Mardu Pyromancer, Hollow One, Jeskai Control, Eldrazi Tron, Grixis Control and Delver decks.
In these matches, Serra Ascendant isn't good: they have too much discard, they have one mana removal (Fatal Push), they do too much damage in a fast way (Lightning Bolt, turn 1 or 2 big creatures) or they always plays Chalice for one.
When you side out Serra Ascendant, Ranger of Eos becomes worse: you need a target to keep him decent.
Walking Ballista is very slow, but Hangarback Walker does not need too much mana: with four manas you have a 2/2 that can chump block for three turns, or can grow to a 4/4 on two turns spending only one mana per turn.
But most of all, you can cast Hangarback for 2:
i) if you have it on your starting hand or
ii) if you fetch with Ranger of Eos, use the two remaining manas to cast Squadron Hawk to chump (or Wall of Omens in my case). Next turn you can cast another Squadron Hawk for 1W, have 1 to grow Hangarback and you will left with one mana (to cast Path, for example)
Against those decks, Hangarback Walker is a slow, but a steady source of advantage. Every turn it stays in the battlefield, it grows bigger and will create an additional token when dies.
Last league I was paired against a Hollow One deck (GR Hollow One with Vengevine).
I was at 11, he was at 20. The battlefield has a Vengevine, a Insolent Neonate and a Flameblade Adept.
He had two cards in hand, my hand was Serra Ascendant, Cast Out and land, we both have three lands. My draw was Ranger of Eos. I fetch for Hangarback and Martyr of Sands.
Ranger of Eos get bolted and he swings for 6 (I'm at 5). Next turn I cast Hangarback for two and Martyr, that blocks Vengevine and gains 9 life (I'm at 12). Next turn I'm obliged to cast Serra Ascendant, block Flameblade Adept with Hangarback and Serra (Life total 8). Next turn I land another creature, block Neonate (Life total 4), he casts Hollow One. I use Cast Out on Vengevine and has a 4/4 to block Hollow One, leaving me with 4 tokens.
This is a common case when you play against those grindy matchups.
Not to mention that on my list he can still come back with Dusk//Dawn
I think you have to try Hangarback Walker in sideboard if you are not playing Glittering Wish.
Played ten leagues on MOL:
2 times 2-3
5 times 3-2
3 times 4-1
Affinity (3 matches // 1 win) Burn (2 matches // 0 win) Death's Shadow (Grixis) (1 match // 1 win) Hollow One (5 matches // 3 win) Humans (2 matches // 2 win) Infect (2 matches // 1 win) Merfolk (2 matches // 2 win) Zoo (1 match // 1 win) CoCo (Counters Company) (1 match // 0 win) Copy Cat (Saheeli Combo) (1 match // 1 win) Dredge (2 matches // 2 win) Gx Tron (1 match // 0 win) Instant Reanimator (Griselshoal) (1 match // 1 win) Kiki-Jiki (Twin Style) (2 matches // 0 win) Living End (As Foretold) (1 match // 1 win) Titan Breach (1 match // 0 win) UR Storm (3 matches // 1 win) Jeskai Control (1 match // 1 win) MartyrProc (2 matches // 2 win) WR Prison (1 match // 1 win) BGx Midrange (Abzan) (3 matches // 3 win) BW Eldrazi (1 match // 1 win) Eldrazi Tron (4 matches // 1 win) Faeries (2 matches // 1 win) Mardu Pyromancer (3 matches // 3 win) RG Ponza (LD) (1 match // 0 win) Value Town (GW Company) (1 match // 1 win)
Wall of Omens + Dusk//Dawn is game changing against BGx Midrange, Mardy Pyromancer, Death's Shadow and Hollow One.
This matches became much easier because of this recursion.
Dusk//Dawn has its applications in matches where Wrath of God isn't good (UW Control, Jeskai Control).
I only miss Wrath of God against Affinity, Burn, Collected Company (bad matchup with or without Wrath), Dark Confidant and Tokens.
In comparison with Wrath, the upside of Dusk//Dawn against Humans, BGx, Mardu Pyromancer, Hollow One, Death's Shadow overcomes the downside
I'm with 60% win percentage, which I think is very good.
Hangarback in the sideboard was surprisingly good. Now it has a reserved slot such as Hex Parasite.
Now I feel that we are the old grind deck as in the times where Jund was the deck to beat.
Yes, I'm very happy. Mardu Pyromancer, Hollow One, Humans are good matches.
Abzan and Death's Shadow are even (slight favorable for they). UR Pyromancer didn't played against it, so can't tell if it's good.
Lantern is a very bad matchup.
But if you look at the decks with 8+ wins (link: MTGGoldFish), you will see a lot of bad matches: Eldrazi Tron, UW Control, BW Eldrazi, Bogles, Lantern Control, Tron, Storm. A lot of even matches (Death's Shadow, Grixis Control) and a few good matches (Affinity, Hollow One, Burn, Humans).
Overall I think the meta is slight favorable to Martyr
Making about 56% win.
There's too many decks, it's impossible to Control them all. Played against 27 different decks between 50 matches.
It's such a diverse meta. so, with this in mind I made a conclusion that 4x Serra Ascendant it's the best, because we can't hate this elevated number of decks, we need to rely on luck (Serra Ascendant + Martyr)
I will play another 50 matches and see if I will do better with 4x Serra Ascendant
Demannic, I suggest you put the Day of Judgement maindeck and the 2nd Wrath of God in the sideboard. There's much more Humans decks than regenerate decks (Elves, Thrun, etc.)
My list uses Lost Legacy in the sideboard, BB is rough, but I don't remember matches where I couldn't cast it because of not having BB
Field of Ruin is a good card for sure. But 9 out of 10 I am just Quartering a Flagstones to grab Plains and Mistveil.
In Mono White I agree with you, but in Orzhov, Field of Ruin is better.
And lately we have Search for Azcanta decks and FoR is better here.
For me:
- Ghost Quarter is better against Regular Tron and Gr Devotion decks (I am facing a lot of these devotions decks in MOL);
- Field of Ruin is better against E. Tron, UWx Control, GDS (cut red source), Lantern (cut utility land and force the search, when Ghost Quarter he can refuse to use it), Gavony Township;
- Tectonic Edge is better against Valakut decks.
Others decks like Affinity, Merfolks (manlands) and Burn (cut the white source) both are tied (Ghost Quarter and Field of Ruin)
Hi! Why don't you play any Vents and Caverns? I remember, you had some before. Do you think Emeria and LD are more important now?
I do think, mainly Field of Ruin:
Humans has only one basic, Affinty too (and have 8 manlands), GDS plays with one Island and one Swamp, all blue decks are playing with Search for Azcanta, against tron is our only hope and against Midrange (does anyone plays Midrange yet?) it kills manlands.
LD even helps to kill a opposing LD and protect Emeria or Mistveil Plains. Sometimes you can mess with a Serum Visions top and top.
If you use Surgical Extraction in the sideboard the LD plan becomes good against Valakut and relatively good against traditional Tron (without Eldrazis)
Maybe one Cavern of Souls is worth because of Chalice and UW / UWr Control. If wasn't for the price tag I would test one in the MOL.
Shambling Vent I don't know if it is better than Emeria or Cycle Land.
Smuggler's Copter is still my preference. It's inexpensive, highly flexible on attack and defense, and also helps to grind out longer games. But it's not likely to win before turn 7, while Nahiri and Guildmage can potentially win on turns 6 and 4, respectively.
Never tested Smuggler's Copter...
I do think my play style with MartyrProc it's too much conservative to play with this high proactive card. I almost never cast Serra Ascendant without 30 life, only when I need to chump or kill a enemy's planeswalker. Don't know if I'm playing right or not.
But someday I will test the Copter
I told BoBoCTiberius yesterday that the only way any of the 4 orzhov charms are getting removed from my 75 is if someone kills me and physically takes them out of my deck. The card does so much heavy lifting it can't be understated. It really allows you to get out of way too many situations.
Hey Demannic, welcome back! It's good to see you again.
This affirmation above mades me try a few leagues with BW version. My list was:
Matches:
Gr Devotion (Lost) 1-2
Ponza LD (Lost) 0-2
UW Control (Win) 1-1 (win due to time)
Unburial Rites (Win) 2-1
Humans (Win) 2-1
Affinity (Win) 2-0
Humans (Win) 2-0
GDS (Lost) 0-2
Grixis Control (Win) 2-1
Soul Sisters (2-0)
The list looks promising. The sideboard it's a little messy and the main (for me) is Ok
With this heavy removal list we can fight against Death's Shadow discard and we have four general removal (Cast Out, O'ring and Anguished) to deal with hard to answer permanentes (planeswalkers mainly).
Walking Ballista is very, very good on this list: takes down all long games, can be fetched with Ranger, can be put on the deck with Mistveil. I really think you should test at least one time in list.
I put Archangel Avacyn in the place of the 4th Wrath and she was very good. The surprising effect is devasting (against fair decks of course) and she wins the game quickly, it's relatively easy to flip Avacyn because of Martyr, Ballista and Orzhov Charm
Can I ask you to try it one or two games and then give me tips to upgrade the list?
I was qualified for the Modern RPTQ, although I did not go very well, this is what I played:
[/deck]
Hello number002, long time no see
Can you do a mini-report of your matches (a simple list would do it) and, mainly, what didn't you liked on your list?
The split Wrath of God/Day of Judgement is because of the Humans deck (Meddling Mage)?
About Runed Halo maindeck: How it performed? It deserves the slot?
You were on the Nahiri and Blood Moon plan. Why did you dropped it?
Emeria is slow, but it closes out games with ease that might otherwise not be closed out at all. While it is also susceptible to graveyard hate, the opportunity cost for playing two copies of Emeria is almost nil. So, unless you're playing some multi-color build that is somehow really tight on the amount of Plains you can run, it should be included.
Agree. @Lear_the_cat, one the most successful Martyr players here, plays Emeria even on a three color MartyrProc deck.
Round 1: Abzan Tokens (Win 2-0)
His deck was a brew with Discard, Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, Tireless Tracker, Liliana of the Veil
G1: Kept a good hand against midrange: 2x Wrath, Path, Ranger of Eos and Lands. Field of Ruin again was very good, taking Vault of the Archangel and Gavony Township.
G2: Knight of Reliquary was scary, but Gideon of the Trials blanks it. Bitterblossom tokens was killing him and S.Hawk protecting Gideon of the Trials. Wrath of God plus Gideon beating 4 finished the job. Sideboard plan: -2 Proc, -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -1 O'ring, +2 Ghostly Prison, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Disenchant
Round 2: Kuldotha Rebirth (Win 2-1)
G1: Opponent mulls to five. when I sac the first Martyr and show another, he concedes.
G2: Kept a mull to six hand with 2x Martyr, but he has Leyline of Punishment and had a fast hand with Goblin Guide, Bomat Courier, Legion Loyalist and Ornithopter plus Reckless Bushwhacker. Died on T4
G3: Kept a hand with Ranger of Eos, Path, Ascedant, O'Ring and lands. He had Leyline of Punishment again, but not a fast clock. O'ring takes care of Leyline and Ranger of Eos for Martyr was GG. Sideboard plan: -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -1 Cast Out, -2 Proclamation of Rebirth, +2 Ghostly Prison, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Blessed Alliance
Round 3: Esper Control Draw 1-1
G1: Kept a hand with six lands + Martyr (he was the 8 Rack player, so thought he was playing 8 Rack). He lands Inquisition, Liliana of the Veil plus Liliana the Last Hope. My first four draws was lands. He uses the ultimate of Liliana of the Veil (she was at 7 counters), destroying three lands of mine. My draw was O'ring, taking Liliana the Last Hope before she ultimates. Next turn he lands Ensnaring Bridge. My draws were not helping (1/1 Serra, Path), he casts Search for Azcant, flips it and fetches Detention Sphere, returning Liliana the Last Hope. I still wait two turn before conceding. This was a mistake, because of time issues.
G2: Kept a hand with Ranger, S. Hawk, Surgical Extraction, Martyr and Lands. T1 Inquisiton of Kozilek makes me discard Hawk, them he uses Surgical Extraction in the Hawk on the graveyard, I respond using mine and exiling only one copy. After two turns my draw was S. Hawk, which finds the next two. Hawks was slowing killing him, but he had too much removal. Gideon of the Trials was a threat he couldn't respond.
G3: We have only five minutes in the clock. My hand was very good: 2x Gideon of the Trials, S. Hawk and Lands. He discarded Hawk. I cast Gideon of the Trials, use Field of Ruin on Shambling Vent and cast Ranger of Eos. Opponent was destroying all of my creatures, but didn't have response to Gideon. I cast Nevermore on Detention Sphere and Killed his Liliana of the Veil. When he was at 10, the turns were called and I couldn't kill him in 3 turns. Draw Sideboard plan: -4 Wrath, -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -2 Proc, +1 Hex Parasite, +1 Disenchant, +2 Celestial Purge, +2 Surgical Extraction, +2 Nevermore
Round 4: BGx (Abzan) Lost 0-2
I know that he plays only BGx decks, but every week he change the configuration. This week he was playing the Grim Flayer version.
I win the die roll, but made much mistakes... a better player would have won.
G1: T1 I landed Martyr of Sands to force a remove spell from my opponent instead of a discard spell and to stop a curve like Discard, Bob, Liliana (my hand had a Gideon of the Trials, but no two drops) [1st Mistake]. He took the bait and kills Martyr, but T2 he uses discard and discard my Gideon. My next two draws was Serra Ascendant, his T3 Liliana of the Veil took down the game for three turns. Cast Out takes care of her, but we were with only one or two cards in hand. My next Gideon got Maelstrom Pulse. He had a Tarmogoyf and cast Lingering Souls for two tokens. I choose to cast my recent draw Wrath of God instead of chump with Serra Ascendant for a turn or two (afraid of a top deck discard) [2nd Mistake]. Them, he had two Lingering Souls in the battlefield and I was at 18. He casts Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet and I got desperate: Ghost Quarter my Plains without searching, to use Weathered Wayfarer ability to find the Land with Cycling, but found nothing. [3rd Mistake]. My next draw was Emeria, S.Hawk, them Ranger of Eos. But I kept a S. Hawk in hand instead of putting it in the battlefield [4th Mistake], because my board was Ranger of Eos, Weathered Wayfarer, S. Hawk and his board was 2x Spirit Tokens, Kalitas and a Zombie token. He attacked with Kalitas and I could not block with all my creatures, because the total Power was only 5 (he was empty hand). Next turn he finds a remove spell and I never find a answer to Kalitas and dies.
G2: I did not sideboarded correctly... My hand had Martyr and Serra, but he had removal. He lands a T1 Fatal Push, T2 Ooze (which gets O'Ring), T3 Liliana (which gets Hex Parasite) and another two S.Ooze. My draws were more Serra, but I'm not on 30 anymore. His S. Ooze was eating me alive, because all of my draws were creatures and all of his cards were removal. My Gideon of the Trials couldn't deal with 2x threats. He had Kalitas again. When the game ended I counted my library: 26 cards left, which 12 were removal spell. I couldn't find a Path, Wrath, 2nd O'ring effect, Celestial Purge, Gideon Jura... bad luck. But my lost was to my sideboard decision. (Wrong) Sideboard plan: -2 Proc, -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -1 O'ring, +1 Hex Parasite, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Nevermore, +1 Ghostly Prison
Round 5: BGx (Jund) Win 2-0
G1: This time, I draw the right cards against his deck. T1 Inquisition took S. Hawk, T2 Bob took Path, T3 Liliana took O'Ring. He had a strong board with a 4/5 Goyf, but a Hawk from the top + Mistveil gives me turns to find Wrath, that I choose not cast. When he casts Huntmaster of the Fells, I use the Wrath. The S. Hawk plan reduces his life to a low level and Gideon of the Trials finishes the job.
G2: With the right sideboard, the match it's much more balanced: His removal was less effective and my top draw were much better. We not play T1 spells, he uses a T2 Goyf, T3 attacks for one, T4 use Collective Brutality and view my hand: 2x Path, Celestial Purge, Martyr and lands. He discard a Path and starts beating me with a 4/5 Goyf. I choose to save Path to Exile to Ooze or as an answer to a second discard spell. Martyr leaves me with 28 life, but opponent starts to attack with Ravine, making me use Celestial Purge. I used Path on a Bob, but he draws another. My draws were Gideon of the Trials and Wrath, but he reveals 2x Liliana of the Veil with Bob. Ranger of Eos from the top turn the table for my favor. His Lilianas couldn't deal with Gideon, Ranger and 2x 1/1. Sideboard plan: -2 Martyr, -3 Serra Ascendant, -2 Proc, +1 Hex Parasite, +2 Aven Mindcensor, +1 Blessed Alliance, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Nevermore
Overall, very happy with my list. Consistency and a plan against each non-Storm deck in the field.
- Field of Ruin it's great and reward the risk, deserve the slot.
- Serra Ascendant underperformed: I'm keeping it only because of the fast combo matches. Thinking in swap two for 2x Thraben Inspector or 1x Inspector + Walking Ballista (or even the return to six maindeck planeswalkers).
- Not missing maindeck Ghostly Prison.
- 2nd Wayfarer, looks good, but no formed opinion yet (only played with two a single time)
I'm curious about your sideboard plan and play style against BGx. If you were using my list, what do you board in and out?
Round 1: Auras Hexproof (Bogles) [Won 2-1]
Comments: Cast Out was really impressive, that let some tricks like exile Spirit Mantle and block a Bogle with 2 Rancors or to remove a Totem Armor aura. Kami lock wins G1.
Round 2: Mardu Pyro [Won 2-0]
Comments: Walking Ballista and Hangarback Walking is so good against them. It was the easiest match.
Round 3: GW Hatebears [Won 2-0]
Comments: Ballista won both games. G1 he had a Scavenging Ooze with plenty of creatures in the grave. I managed to hold the game until Walking Ballista gets bigger than the Ooze (chump block for like 10 turns) and paying 8 mana to put counters on Ballista.
Round 4: Storm [Loose 0-2]
Comments: Extremely bad matchup. Game one I have 61 life and still lose to Grapeshot
Round 5: Jeskai Midrange [Won 2-0]
Comments: His deck doesn't play Teferi maindeck, so it's a really good match. G1 held the game until Emeria became active. G2 almost lost, but a topdecked Ranger of Eos search Martyr while he was in the Burn mode.
Round 6: Humans [ID]
Top 8: Jeskai Control [1-1, won because of time]
Comments: Hilarious match. G1 I won by recurring Walking Ballista for at least 5 times. His endless Teferi planeswalkers doesn't let him concede the game, so much time was spend in this match. It took him a while to realize that he cannot win game one even drawing two cards a turn (because of Proc and then Emeria). Ballista never let Teferi emblem.
G2: I made a mistake. Played two active Serra Ascendant turn three and he casts Supreme Verdict turn four. Then he slowly grinds me out of the game with 4 Cryptic Commands + 3 Snapcaster Mage flashback Cryptic until emblem Teferi. My mistake costs me this game.
G3: We had only two minutes in the clock. The player with most life will have the victory :). I find Martyr and sac it. Next turn he casts Lyra, but I have Dusk//Dawn (phew, it was close). His Snap + Bolt + Snap + Secure the Wastes almost gives him the victory.
Quarter finals: Humans [Won 2-0]
Comments: G1 A top decked Wrath of God turns the table. I would lose without this top deck. G2 another Wrath of God from top swings the game on my favor. This was the most difficult Humans match that I ever played.
Finals: Storm [Won 2-1]
Comments: 4x Damping Sphere in the side plus a little luck brings the trophy. Everytime he destroyed/bounced a Damping Sphere I had Path to Exile or Surgical Extraction in hand.
Hey Lear-_the_cat, please explain to us your new spice list:
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1177787#paper
MartyrProc Angels
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1175991#paper
It looks sweet. My list is almost identical, the only differences are Runed Halo, Gideon Ally, Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Relic of Progenitus (I use Surgical).
I really like Walking Ballista and kinda want hear his opinion on Walking Ballista. If someone knows him...
His list does not have Ghostly Prison, Cavern of Souls and Surgical Extraction.
About Damping Sphere, how are your tests with it?
For me, it is relatively good, but can be Easily answered (Storm) or played against (Tron). Started with 4 in the Sideboard, trimmed to 3 and now thinking in leave 2 slots.
Wins: Hollow One (3x), Humans (2x), Affinity, Titan Breach, Mardu Pyromancer, D&T, Burn, UW Control
Losses: Abzan (lose because of time, problems with Internet), UW Control, Collected Company Value (no combos), Ux Tron
About Hangarback Walker:
1) It's only one copy (1 slot)
2) It's good against Fatal Push
3) Can be tutored with Ranger of Eos
4) Grow itself with only one mana
5) Good against Liliana of the Veil
6) Is Colorless (All Is Dust)
The matches where I sided it in:
--> BG, Jund, Abzan, Death's Shadow, Mardu Pyromancer, Hollow One, Jeskai Control, Eldrazi Tron, Grixis Control and Delver decks.
In these matches, Serra Ascendant isn't good: they have too much discard, they have one mana removal (Fatal Push), they do too much damage in a fast way (Lightning Bolt, turn 1 or 2 big creatures) or they always plays Chalice for one.
When you side out Serra Ascendant, Ranger of Eos becomes worse: you need a target to keep him decent.
Walking Ballista is very slow, but Hangarback Walker does not need too much mana: with four manas you have a 2/2 that can chump block for three turns, or can grow to a 4/4 on two turns spending only one mana per turn.
But most of all, you can cast Hangarback for 2:
i) if you have it on your starting hand or
ii) if you fetch with Ranger of Eos, use the two remaining manas to cast Squadron Hawk to chump (or Wall of Omens in my case). Next turn you can cast another Squadron Hawk for 1W, have 1 to grow Hangarback and you will left with one mana (to cast Path, for example)
Against those decks, Hangarback Walker is a slow, but a steady source of advantage. Every turn it stays in the battlefield, it grows bigger and will create an additional token when dies.
Last league I was paired against a Hollow One deck (GR Hollow One with Vengevine).
I was at 11, he was at 20. The battlefield has a Vengevine, a Insolent Neonate and a Flameblade Adept.
He had two cards in hand, my hand was Serra Ascendant, Cast Out and land, we both have three lands. My draw was Ranger of Eos. I fetch for Hangarback and Martyr of Sands.
Ranger of Eos get bolted and he swings for 6 (I'm at 5). Next turn I cast Hangarback for two and Martyr, that blocks Vengevine and gains 9 life (I'm at 12). Next turn I'm obliged to cast Serra Ascendant, block Flameblade Adept with Hangarback and Serra (Life total 8). Next turn I land another creature, block Neonate (Life total 4), he casts Hollow One. I use Cast Out on Vengevine and has a 4/4 to block Hollow One, leaving me with 4 tokens.
This is a common case when you play against those grindy matchups.
Not to mention that on my list he can still come back with Dusk//Dawn
I think you have to try Hangarback Walker in sideboard if you are not playing Glittering Wish.
7 Plains
2 Mistveil Plains
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
4 Flagstones of Trokair
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Field of Ruin
1 Crucible of Worlds
Creatures (22)
1 Weathered Wayfarer
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Wall of Omens
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Ranger of Eos
1 Walking Ballista
4 Path to Exile
1 Proclamation of Rebirth
3 Ghostly Prison
3 Dusk // Dawn
3 Cast Out
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Hex Parasite
1 Hangarback Walker
2 Celestial Purge
2 Aven Mindcensor
2 Disenchant
2 Nevermore
1 Wrath of God
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Played ten leagues on MOL:
2 times 2-3
5 times 3-2
3 times 4-1
Affinity (3 matches // 1 win)
Burn (2 matches // 0 win)
Death's Shadow (Grixis) (1 match // 1 win)
Hollow One (5 matches // 3 win)
Humans (2 matches // 2 win)
Infect (2 matches // 1 win)
Merfolk (2 matches // 2 win)
Zoo (1 match // 1 win)
CoCo (Counters Company) (1 match // 0 win)
Copy Cat (Saheeli Combo) (1 match // 1 win)
Dredge (2 matches // 2 win)
Gx Tron (1 match // 0 win)
Instant Reanimator (Griselshoal) (1 match // 1 win)
Kiki-Jiki (Twin Style) (2 matches // 0 win)
Living End (As Foretold) (1 match // 1 win)
Titan Breach (1 match // 0 win)
UR Storm (3 matches // 1 win)
Jeskai Control (1 match // 1 win)
MartyrProc (2 matches // 2 win)
WR Prison (1 match // 1 win)
BGx Midrange (Abzan) (3 matches // 3 win)
BW Eldrazi (1 match // 1 win)
Eldrazi Tron (4 matches // 1 win)
Faeries (2 matches // 1 win)
Mardu Pyromancer (3 matches // 3 win)
RG Ponza (LD) (1 match // 0 win)
Value Town (GW Company) (1 match // 1 win)
Wall of Omens + Dusk//Dawn is game changing against BGx Midrange, Mardy Pyromancer, Death's Shadow and Hollow One.
This matches became much easier because of this recursion.
Dusk//Dawn has its applications in matches where Wrath of God isn't good (UW Control, Jeskai Control).
I only miss Wrath of God against Affinity, Burn, Collected Company (bad matchup with or without Wrath), Dark Confidant and Tokens.
In comparison with Wrath, the upside of Dusk//Dawn against Humans, BGx, Mardu Pyromancer, Hollow One, Death's Shadow overcomes the downside
I'm with 60% win percentage, which I think is very good.
Hangarback in the sideboard was surprisingly good. Now it has a reserved slot such as Hex Parasite.
Now I feel that we are the old grind deck as in the times where Jund was the deck to beat.
Abzan and Death's Shadow are even (slight favorable for they). UR Pyromancer didn't played against it, so can't tell if it's good.
Lantern is a very bad matchup.
But if you look at the decks with 8+ wins (link: MTGGoldFish), you will see a lot of bad matches: Eldrazi Tron, UW Control, BW Eldrazi, Bogles, Lantern Control, Tron, Storm. A lot of even matches (Death's Shadow, Grixis Control) and a few good matches (Affinity, Hollow One, Burn, Humans).
Overall I think the meta is slight favorable to Martyr
Played a few leagues with BW Martyr. Same as previous list, for reference:
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
2 Field of Ruin
2 Flagstones of Trokair
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
1 Misveil Plains
5 Plains
1 Swamp
Creatures (17)
4 Martyr of Sands
2 Serra Ascendant
1 Weathered Wayfarer
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Ranger of Eos
1 Archangel Avacyn
1 Walking Ballista
4 Path to Exile
4 Orzhov Charm
2 Ghostly Prison
2 Proclamation of Rebirth
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Cast Out
1 Day of Judgment
1 Wrath of God
1 Dusk/Dawn
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Hex Parasite
3 Relic of Progenitus
1 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
3 Aven Mindcensor
2 Ghostly Prison
2 Lost Legacy
1 Wrath of God
Played ten (Friendly) Leagues:
2-3 (x4), 3-2 (x4), 4-1 (x2)
Matches:
Jeskai Control (2 win | 1 loss)
Ad Nauseam (2 loss)
Affinity (1 win | 2 loss)
As Foretold (2 win)
BR Hollow One (2 win)
Burn (2 win | 2 loss)
Counters CoCo (1 loss)
Eldrazi Tron (1 win | 1 loss)
GDS (2 win | 1 loss)
Gr Devo (1 win | 2 loss)
Humans (2 win | 1 loss)
Lantern (2 win | 1 loss)
Living End (1 win)
Merfolks (2 win)
Mill (1 win)
Others (2 win | 1 loss)
Ponza (1 win)
Saheeli combo (1 loss)
Skred (1 loss)
Soul Sisters (1 loss)
Taking Turns (1 win)
Tron (1 win | 1 loss)
Valakut (2 loss)
Zoo (1 loss)
Making about 56% win.
There's too many decks, it's impossible to Control them all. Played against 27 different decks between 50 matches.
It's such a diverse meta. so, with this in mind I made a conclusion that 4x Serra Ascendant it's the best, because we can't hate this elevated number of decks, we need to rely on luck (Serra Ascendant + Martyr)
I will play another 50 matches and see if I will do better with 4x Serra Ascendant
Demannic, I suggest you put the Day of Judgement maindeck and the 2nd Wrath of God in the sideboard. There's much more Humans decks than regenerate decks (Elves, Thrun, etc.)
My list uses Lost Legacy in the sideboard, B B is rough, but I don't remember matches where I couldn't cast it because of not having B B
In Mono White I agree with you, but in Orzhov, Field of Ruin is better.
And lately we have Search for Azcanta decks and FoR is better here.
For me:
- Ghost Quarter is better against Regular Tron and Gr Devotion decks (I am facing a lot of these devotions decks in MOL);
- Field of Ruin is better against E. Tron, UWx Control, GDS (cut red source), Lantern (cut utility land and force the search, when Ghost Quarter he can refuse to use it), Gavony Township;
- Tectonic Edge is better against Valakut decks.
Others decks like Affinity, Merfolks (manlands) and Burn (cut the white source) both are tied (Ghost Quarter and Field of Ruin)
I do think, mainly Field of Ruin:
Humans has only one basic, Affinty too (and have 8 manlands), GDS plays with one Island and one Swamp, all blue decks are playing with Search for Azcanta, against tron is our only hope and against Midrange (does anyone plays Midrange yet?) it kills manlands.
LD even helps to kill a opposing LD and protect Emeria or Mistveil Plains. Sometimes you can mess with a Serum Visions top and top.
If you use Surgical Extraction in the sideboard the LD plan becomes good against Valakut and relatively good against traditional Tron (without Eldrazis)
Maybe one Cavern of Souls is worth because of Chalice and UW / UWr Control. If wasn't for the price tag I would test one in the MOL.
Shambling Vent I don't know if it is better than Emeria or Cycle Land.
Never tested Smuggler's Copter...
I do think my play style with MartyrProc it's too much conservative to play with this high proactive card. I almost never cast Serra Ascendant without 30 life, only when I need to chump or kill a enemy's planeswalker. Don't know if I'm playing right or not.
But someday I will test the Copter
Hey Demannic, welcome back! It's good to see you again.
This affirmation above mades me try a few leagues with BW version. My list was:
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
2 Field of Ruin
2 Flagstones of Trokair
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
1 Misveil Plains
5 Plains
1 Swamp
Creatures (17)
4 Martyr of Sands
2 Serra Ascendant
1 Weathered Wayfarer
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Ranger of Eos
1 Archangel Avacyn
1 Walking Ballista
4 Path to Exile
4 Orzhov Charm
2 Ghostly Prison
2 Proclamation of Rebirth
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Cast Out
1 Day of Judgment
2 Wrath of God
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Hex Parasite
3 Relic of Progenitus
1 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
3 Aven Mindcensor
2 Ghostly Prison
2 Lost Legacy
1 Wrath of God
Played two (Friendly) Leagues:
3-2, 4-1
Matches:
Gr Devotion (Lost) 1-2
Ponza LD (Lost) 0-2
UW Control (Win) 1-1 (win due to time)
Unburial Rites (Win) 2-1
Humans (Win) 2-1
Affinity (Win) 2-0
Humans (Win) 2-0
GDS (Lost) 0-2
Grixis Control (Win) 2-1
Soul Sisters (2-0)
The list looks promising. The sideboard it's a little messy and the main (for me) is Ok
With this heavy removal list we can fight against Death's Shadow discard and we have four general removal (Cast Out, O'ring and Anguished) to deal with hard to answer permanentes (planeswalkers mainly).
Walking Ballista is very, very good on this list: takes down all long games, can be fetched with Ranger, can be put on the deck with Mistveil. I really think you should test at least one time in list.
I put Archangel Avacyn in the place of the 4th Wrath and she was very good. The surprising effect is devasting (against fair decks of course) and she wins the game quickly, it's relatively easy to flip Avacyn because of Martyr, Ballista and Orzhov Charm
Can I ask you to try it one or two games and then give me tips to upgrade the list?
Hello number002, long time no see
Can you do a mini-report of your matches (a simple list would do it) and, mainly, what didn't you liked on your list?
The split Wrath of God/Day of Judgement is because of the Humans deck (Meddling Mage)?
About Runed Halo maindeck: How it performed? It deserves the slot?
You were on the Nahiri and Blood Moon plan. Why did you dropped it?
Welcome UnsungLord, keep posting with us. It is always good to talk with a MartyrProc fellow.
Agree. @Lear_the_cat, one the most successful Martyr players here, plays Emeria even on a three color MartyrProc deck.
Made 3-1-1 for 3rd place.
Matches:
Abzan Tokens: Win 2-0
Kuldotha Rebirth: Win 2-1
Esper Control: Draw 1-1
BGx (Abzan): Lost 0-2
BGx (Jund): Win 2-0
My decklist:
3 Field of Ruin
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
4 Flagstones of Trokair
8 Plains
1 Irrigated Farmland
2 Mistveil Plains
4 Ghost Quarter
Creatures (18)
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Ranger of Eos
2 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Oblivion Ring
3 Wrath of God
4 Path to Exile
1 Cast Out
1 Day of Judgment
3 Gideon of the Trials
1 Gideon Jura
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Banishing Light
2 Proclamation of Rebirth
2 Aven Mindcensor
1 Hex Parasite
1 Blessed Alliance
1 Disenchant
2 Celestial Purge
4 Surgical Extraction
2 Nevermore
2 Ghostly Prison
Round 1: Abzan Tokens (Win 2-0)
His deck was a brew with Discard, Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, Tireless Tracker, Liliana of the Veil
G1: Kept a good hand against midrange: 2x Wrath, Path, Ranger of Eos and Lands. Field of Ruin again was very good, taking Vault of the Archangel and Gavony Township.
G2: Knight of Reliquary was scary, but Gideon of the Trials blanks it. Bitterblossom tokens was killing him and S.Hawk protecting Gideon of the Trials. Wrath of God plus Gideon beating 4 finished the job.
Sideboard plan: -2 Proc, -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -1 O'ring, +2 Ghostly Prison, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Disenchant
Round 2: Kuldotha Rebirth (Win 2-1)
G1: Opponent mulls to five. when I sac the first Martyr and show another, he concedes.
G2: Kept a mull to six hand with 2x Martyr, but he has Leyline of Punishment and had a fast hand with Goblin Guide, Bomat Courier, Legion Loyalist and Ornithopter plus Reckless Bushwhacker. Died on T4
G3: Kept a hand with Ranger of Eos, Path, Ascedant, O'Ring and lands. He had Leyline of Punishment again, but not a fast clock. O'ring takes care of Leyline and Ranger of Eos for Martyr was GG.
Sideboard plan: -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -1 Cast Out, -2 Proclamation of Rebirth, +2 Ghostly Prison, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Blessed Alliance
Round 3: Esper Control Draw 1-1
G1: Kept a hand with six lands + Martyr (he was the 8 Rack player, so thought he was playing 8 Rack). He lands Inquisition, Liliana of the Veil plus Liliana the Last Hope. My first four draws was lands. He uses the ultimate of Liliana of the Veil (she was at 7 counters), destroying three lands of mine. My draw was O'ring, taking Liliana the Last Hope before she ultimates. Next turn he lands Ensnaring Bridge. My draws were not helping (1/1 Serra, Path), he casts Search for Azcant, flips it and fetches Detention Sphere, returning Liliana the Last Hope. I still wait two turn before conceding. This was a mistake, because of time issues.
G2: Kept a hand with Ranger, S. Hawk, Surgical Extraction, Martyr and Lands. T1 Inquisiton of Kozilek makes me discard Hawk, them he uses Surgical Extraction in the Hawk on the graveyard, I respond using mine and exiling only one copy. After two turns my draw was S. Hawk, which finds the next two. Hawks was slowing killing him, but he had too much removal. Gideon of the Trials was a threat he couldn't respond.
G3: We have only five minutes in the clock. My hand was very good: 2x Gideon of the Trials, S. Hawk and Lands. He discarded Hawk. I cast Gideon of the Trials, use Field of Ruin on Shambling Vent and cast Ranger of Eos. Opponent was destroying all of my creatures, but didn't have response to Gideon. I cast Nevermore on Detention Sphere and Killed his Liliana of the Veil. When he was at 10, the turns were called and I couldn't kill him in 3 turns. Draw
Sideboard plan: -4 Wrath, -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -2 Proc, +1 Hex Parasite, +1 Disenchant, +2 Celestial Purge, +2 Surgical Extraction, +2 Nevermore
Round 4: BGx (Abzan) Lost 0-2
I know that he plays only BGx decks, but every week he change the configuration. This week he was playing the Grim Flayer version.
I win the die roll, but made much mistakes... a better player would have won.
G1: T1 I landed Martyr of Sands to force a remove spell from my opponent instead of a discard spell and to stop a curve like Discard, Bob, Liliana (my hand had a Gideon of the Trials, but no two drops) [1st Mistake]. He took the bait and kills Martyr, but T2 he uses discard and discard my Gideon. My next two draws was Serra Ascendant, his T3 Liliana of the Veil took down the game for three turns. Cast Out takes care of her, but we were with only one or two cards in hand. My next Gideon got Maelstrom Pulse. He had a Tarmogoyf and cast Lingering Souls for two tokens. I choose to cast my recent draw Wrath of God instead of chump with Serra Ascendant for a turn or two (afraid of a top deck discard) [2nd Mistake]. Them, he had two Lingering Souls in the battlefield and I was at 18. He casts Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet and I got desperate: Ghost Quarter my Plains without searching, to use Weathered Wayfarer ability to find the Land with Cycling, but found nothing. [3rd Mistake]. My next draw was Emeria, S.Hawk, them Ranger of Eos. But I kept a S. Hawk in hand instead of putting it in the battlefield [4th Mistake], because my board was Ranger of Eos, Weathered Wayfarer, S. Hawk and his board was 2x Spirit Tokens, Kalitas and a Zombie token. He attacked with Kalitas and I could not block with all my creatures, because the total Power was only 5 (he was empty hand). Next turn he finds a remove spell and I never find a answer to Kalitas and dies.
G2: I did not sideboarded correctly... My hand had Martyr and Serra, but he had removal. He lands a T1 Fatal Push, T2 Ooze (which gets O'Ring), T3 Liliana (which gets Hex Parasite) and another two S.Ooze. My draws were more Serra, but I'm not on 30 anymore. His S. Ooze was eating me alive, because all of my draws were creatures and all of his cards were removal. My Gideon of the Trials couldn't deal with 2x threats. He had Kalitas again. When the game ended I counted my library: 26 cards left, which 12 were removal spell. I couldn't find a Path, Wrath, 2nd O'ring effect, Celestial Purge, Gideon Jura... bad luck. But my lost was to my sideboard decision.
(Wrong) Sideboard plan: -2 Proc, -2 Weathered Wayfarer, -1 O'ring, +1 Hex Parasite, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Nevermore, +1 Ghostly Prison
Round 5: BGx (Jund) Win 2-0
G1: This time, I draw the right cards against his deck. T1 Inquisition took S. Hawk, T2 Bob took Path, T3 Liliana took O'Ring. He had a strong board with a 4/5 Goyf, but a Hawk from the top + Mistveil gives me turns to find Wrath, that I choose not cast. When he casts Huntmaster of the Fells, I use the Wrath. The S. Hawk plan reduces his life to a low level and Gideon of the Trials finishes the job.
G2: With the right sideboard, the match it's much more balanced: His removal was less effective and my top draw were much better. We not play T1 spells, he uses a T2 Goyf, T3 attacks for one, T4 use Collective Brutality and view my hand: 2x Path, Celestial Purge, Martyr and lands. He discard a Path and starts beating me with a 4/5 Goyf. I choose to save Path to Exile to Ooze or as an answer to a second discard spell. Martyr leaves me with 28 life, but opponent starts to attack with Ravine, making me use Celestial Purge. I used Path on a Bob, but he draws another. My draws were Gideon of the Trials and Wrath, but he reveals 2x Liliana of the Veil with Bob. Ranger of Eos from the top turn the table for my favor. His Lilianas couldn't deal with Gideon, Ranger and 2x 1/1.
Sideboard plan: -2 Martyr, -3 Serra Ascendant, -2 Proc, +1 Hex Parasite, +2 Aven Mindcensor, +1 Blessed Alliance, +2 Celestial Purge, +1 Nevermore
Overall, very happy with my list. Consistency and a plan against each non-Storm deck in the field.
- Field of Ruin it's great and reward the risk, deserve the slot.
- Serra Ascendant underperformed: I'm keeping it only because of the fast combo matches. Thinking in swap two for 2x Thraben Inspector or 1x Inspector + Walking Ballista (or even the return to six maindeck planeswalkers).
- Not missing maindeck Ghostly Prison.
- 2nd Wayfarer, looks good, but no formed opinion yet (only played with two a single time)
I'm curious about your sideboard plan and play style against BGx. If you were using my list, what do you board in and out?
Cheers!