Im just wondering why the guy at my LGS plays so much land hate when the 'stock' list doesnt? I assume its to beat blue control decks. However, if the 'stock' list is so different he must be losing points to other archetypes. What is preventing yourself and others from going all in on land hate?
Hi there - i've been having trouble as Jeskai Control player vs a land destruction focused version of Living End. He runs 4x Mage, 4x Avalanche Riders, and Beast.
Should I be heavily unfavoured? How does Living End sideboard against UWR Geist? What cards in my list are impactful?
Without testing we wont no 'for sure' if G is worth it but the previous attempts at UG lists ended up on the cutting room floor (ie. they were poor).
Rivals does add 'something' to the card pool - but 100% GG merfolk will never work - I dont even know why ppl are suggesting it. Perhaps the UG Lord makes it into an aggro list but I would say that the chances of UG aggro merfolk deck being better then other aggro decks or Mono-U merfolk is very, very slim..
Nothing to see here really (with maybe the exception of the UG lord but i'm highly doubtful of that as the deck needs more solidly disruptive creatures not more beat sticks). What really needs to happen is another solid 1-drop that is mono-blue.
As I said when the Ixalan Merfolk came out - ppl will be hyped up by the new cards and make bold predictions for the archetype. Nothing happened after Ixalan and sadly nothing here to see so far either. The cards spoiled simply aren't good enough for modern.
Rattlechains has appeared in 'winning lists' a couple of times over the last month and thus I had to try it out. My experience was that the combat tricks didn't come up often enough to warrant three slots in the 75 - id be interested to hear what other ppl think that have tested it..
I think in a 23 land build you cut 1 colonnade and consider lowering the curve. Im thinking about going down to 2x Cryptic but at first ill keep 3x and see how it goes. I'm also keen on trying remand with the idea of pushing the list even further in the 'tempo' direction'. Overall im not sure what the counter package should look like..
As an early adopter of the Standard Spirits deck during EMN, I know how Rattlechains can be a toolbox creature. It can 1) Be flashed in to chip-in damage, especially against Storm or other decks where you want to hold up mana for counterpsells and where you need a constant source of damage; 2) Flash in Geist of Saint Traft; 3) Protect Spell Queller from targeted removal.
That said, I am still learning to play the deck (and modern in general), so I am wondering if it really makes sense to sacrifice Serum Visions for an additional creature.
I'm also very intrigued by this list for all the reasons you state - its def worthy of testing and i'll be doing so over the next week(s). I wont be going to less then 3-4x Serum Visions - so ill have to find something else to cut..
Missed Top Eight of an IQ by one match, which I got crushed by Affinity. Even though this is supposed to be a good MU, I've struggled with it repeatedly. Any tips?
Whenever I bring this topic up im shouted down by ppl that insist that Affinity is a bye. That is total BS - and it highlights how many ppl play against bad Affinity players on here. Im on UWR Geist - but its likely better for pure UWR control players
Affinity is at least 50/50 IMO. They generally win game 1 - so then you have to win both sb games - you'll generally win on the play and then have to win game three on the draw.
Problematic cards are Grid, Moon, Champion and Bitterblossom (if they play it). Other problems are just nut draws with opal where they accelerate into a board state that you just cant deal with. Ive got to the point where im putting back in my stonies and/or playing Shatterstorm. Non-specific cards that are good against them are EE, P&K, Halo.
//Mana
4 Flooded Strand
4 Celestial Colonnade
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Arid Mesa
2 Steam Vents
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Sulfur Falls
3 Island
1 Plains
1 Mountain
//Creatures/PWs
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Spell Queller
2 Vendilion Clique
//Counters
3 Cryptic Command
3 Logic Knot
2 Spell Snare
//Removal
4 Path to Exile
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
1 Electrolyze
1 Engineered Explosives
//Other
4 Serum Visions
//Sideboard
SB: 2 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Stony Silence
SB: 2 Supreme Verdict
SB: 2 Runed Halo
SB: 2 Negate
SB: 1 Dispel
SB: 1 Pithing Needle
SB: 1 Jace, Architect of Thought
SB: 1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
SB: 1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Gx Tron
IN: 2x Stony; 1x Needle; 2x Negate
OUT: EE; Electrolyze; 2x snare; 1x helix
E Tron (No Karn list)
IN: 2x Halo; 2x Stony; 1x Needle; 2x Verdict; 1x Elspeth
OUT: 4x Bolt; 2x Snare; 2x Serum Visions
Am I doing this correctly?
Should I be heavily unfavoured? How does Living End sideboard against UWR Geist? What cards in my list are impactful?
Rivals does add 'something' to the card pool - but 100% GG merfolk will never work - I dont even know why ppl are suggesting it. Perhaps the UG Lord makes it into an aggro list but I would say that the chances of UG aggro merfolk deck being better then other aggro decks or Mono-U merfolk is very, very slim..
As I said when the Ixalan Merfolk came out - ppl will be hyped up by the new cards and make bold predictions for the archetype. Nothing happened after Ixalan and sadly nothing here to see so far either. The cards spoiled simply aren't good enough for modern.
I'm interested in getting the chronicles printing - however - should I get all the same art for each playset or should I get different art?
Also I've heard that getting the Urzas Mine that looks like a Tower can be a good 'strategic' choice.
What about GB Tron vs Grixis Shadow?
//Mana
4 Flooded Strand
3 Celestial Colonnade
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Arid Mesa
2 Steam Vents
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Sulfur Falls
3 Island
1 Plains
1 Mountain
//Creatures/PWs
4 Spell Queller
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Rattlechains
//Counters
3 Remand
3 Cryptic Command
2 Spell Snare
//Removal
4 Path to Exile
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
//Other
4 Serum Visions
//Sideboard
SB: 2 Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 Runed Halo
SB: 2 Stony Silence
SB: 2 Negate
SB: 2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
SB: 1 Engineered Explosives
SB: 1 Wear // Tear
SB: 1 Settle the Wreckage
SB: 1 Supreme Verdict
SB: 1 Jace, Architect of Thought
I'm also very intrigued by this list for all the reasons you state - its def worthy of testing and i'll be doing so over the next week(s). I wont be going to less then 3-4x Serum Visions - so ill have to find something else to cut..
Whenever I bring this topic up im shouted down by ppl that insist that Affinity is a bye. That is total BS - and it highlights how many ppl play against bad Affinity players on here. Im on UWR Geist - but its likely better for pure UWR control players
Affinity is at least 50/50 IMO. They generally win game 1 - so then you have to win both sb games - you'll generally win on the play and then have to win game three on the draw.
Problematic cards are Grid, Moon, Champion and Bitterblossom (if they play it). Other problems are just nut draws with opal where they accelerate into a board state that you just cant deal with. Ive got to the point where im putting back in my stonies and/or playing Shatterstorm. Non-specific cards that are good against them are EE, P&K, Halo.