MTG Salvation

So what are new Junk lists looking like? Drop nobles and 1 path for 4 fatal push?

Would love to see some lists as we head into the first weekend of the new format

Jeremy4050-

do you have a link to your list?

Hey everyone

What are your thoughts about the Lantern Control matchup? How do you play against it and what are you looking to bring in and out?

And is there a general break down for sideboarding and what are considered good and bad match ups?

Wizards is in a tough spot. If you agree that Modern is too linear, what do you ban? It is not one deck or card, but an entire class of decks pushing the threshold. You ban a dredge piece then why does become immense get to stay? or git probe? or Simian Spirit Guide? Or insert powerful card people had advocated for banning.

The path of least resistance for wizards could very well be to let those decks live as are, and provide help for the format off the banlist.

If you think the format is not too linear, then so be it, the format is great! And I love modern so I am not griping here. I am just feel that modern is heading towards a major decision point.

Just my speculation, but when you add the pieces together- less Legacy, the desire for the smallest reasonable ban list (per Forsythe), the popularity of the format, previous speculations of some "Eternal Format", no pro tour- this could all point to a shift in modern towards a more powerful format to help it police itself.

ok so it was aaron forsythe who wrote they want modern to have as small a ban list as possible...i missed the boat a little

http://magic.wizards.com/en/events/coverage/ptsoi/where-modern-goes-from-here-2016-04-24

still interesting

Pummeler-

I totally agree, GSZ is definitely a diversity killer.

I was just shocked to even read Anderson mention Deathrite and it just got me thinking, especially when coupled with Star City really stepping away from Legacy.

Saydee1800-

I am looking now and not finding it, so I might be making it up in my own head, but I believe either MaRo or Sam Stoddard mentioned reducing the banlist. I think I may be totally wrong on this unfortunately.

So I think the next couple banned/restricted announcements will be very revealing about the future direction of modern. In light of MaRo's recent statements, one thing that stuck out to me was the desire to shrink the ban list. That seems like a tall order. Some cards simply cannot come off, some cards might need to be added. Really, there are 9 cards of varying degree of probability to consider unbanning that I have seen discussed by various authors/writers/posts over the last year or so:

Bloodbraid Elf
Deathrite Shaman
Stone Forge Mystic
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Green Sun Zenith
Preordain
Chrome Mox
Dark Depth's
Splinter Twin

Modern has three possible directions.

1) maintain the current semi-official guidelines of the format. Turn 4 rule, meta shares, and diverse archetypes

This probably will require bans, which expands the ban list, and potentially multiple bans in the next few cycles of ban/restriction announcements with bans that could eliminate multiple decks. The format is getting faster, interaction is getting harder. Not sure how much longer the holes can be plugged in the dam.

2) Pull modern down in power towards standard

So if not the status quo, then reduce the power of the format. This will require bans, and certainly means nothing on the list ever gets unbanned. Additionally, one of the appeals of modern is both diversity and power. Couple this with the stated desire to shrink the ban list, to shift the format in standards direction potentially takes aware the appeal of the format which is playing powerful cards and doing cool things (again subject to one's interpretation).

3) Push modern up in power towards legacy

Again, Modern is a popular format, despite it's linear nature (though some say it is very interactive, but that's for another post). People like doing powerful things, people like watching powerful cards/decks. Shifting the format towards legacy could be done in two ways, first leaving cards legal and then unbanning some cards to help address the current powerful strategies. Pushing it towards legacy accomplishes a couple things:

Maintains power level
Shrinks the ban list
Allows for the format to more easily absorb new cards from standard by raising the threshold of viability
Keeps what makes people love the format intact

Todd Anderson recently wrote that maybe Deathrite should be unbanned. This really got me thinking because generally speaking Deathrite is supposed to be forever banned. I am not here arguing in favor or against certain cards, but maybe there is a big picture shift going on in the format beginning with the slow death of legacy and maybe modern will be allowed to to fill some of that void.

Excellent point...

I do like the no serum visions build listed above

Visions helps keep the marginal hands for sure but this deck is fine aggressively mulliganing

What about Worldspine Wurm?

So in testing ashen rider vs woodfall primus- i like rider better

exiling a creature is super relevant. I have been running 1 rider, with three mannequins so keep it on the field for the win if needed.

So ran about a dozen games yesterday with 2 blast and gifts.

Darkblast was great when I was just digging for a hulk. Felt like a dead card when I was looking for reanimation.

Gifts felt a little awkward, mostly due to my minimal experience with gift.

The best synergy with darkblast was targeting a mannequin'd hulk.

Noxious revival seems good with a glimpse build so u don't mill away the reanimation spell

Is anticipate a card worth trying- maybe better them sleight of hand since u can be a little more mana efficient using it at instant speed, and no risk milling a reanimator piece like other dig spells?

How are you using ashen rider? What is the interaction to get him in play? Just using body double once rider is in grave?

I plan on giving this deck a spin on local game nights and adding to the literature.