Looks cool, but maybe lacking some punch? Pridemate is a good beater, and the vehicles are legit threats, but I don't think this beats down better than regular Soul Sisters. But my opinion doesn't mean much compared to testing! Run it and tell what happens!
How is dusk//Dawn working for you? Haven't used it yet
I only cast Dusk the one time vs Merfolk, and it was foiled. Later that game I may have cashed it in, but that would be at a large tempo loss. The Dawn half is a lot worse than Return to the Ranks, but it is stapled to a sometimes-one-sided Wrath. I like the card for its versatility. It doesn't do Regrowth as well as other options, and TBH Dusk is a lot worse than Wrath in plenty of situations (Elves, Hatebears, Zoo (is that still a deck?)). But for one card, it does a ton of work changing the game toward your favor. Add to the fact that it combines precious sideboard slots, and I think this card could be serious. There's a good chance it's just too clunky, but I want to test more for sure.
Sideboard was far from what I'd play in retrospect, but I didn't have much time to tweak. It had also been a long time since I'd played, and I didn't know the meta any more, but I remembered several people for their signature decks. As I sat down, I was less than pleased to see two players who regularly play Ensnaring Bridge decks, one of whom is actually quite good. The other decks I noticed were Merfolk, Esper Control, Rakdos Midrange and the Zac Elsik Blue Men deck.
Round 1: Merfolk (2-0)
Merfolk is often a near auto loss, IMO. They out-tempo our lifegain easily, they swing for massive chunks repeatedly, and their disruption plan is a lot better than you'd think. However, this opponent isn't the most competitive at the tables, despite being fun to play against. My game 1 opener included Worship, 3 lands and creatures, so I thought it might just cheese a win. However, I had to use a Ghost Quarter on a Mutavault to avoid taking lethal, and never drew another land. I stole the game due to a large Master of Waves putting me above 30 life and allowing me to swing for the win with a pair of active Ascendants. Game 2 I cast a Dusk at a board of Lord Lord Cursecatcher, but she played Echoing Truth on her lords, saving all 3 creatures. Then I lived the dream of Archangel onto 3 sisters, facing off against her self-tempo'd and anemic board. Being that far ahead with 3 sisters + Archangel was a lock on the game and she scooped.
Out: 3 Auriok Champion, 1 Archangel of Thune
In: 2 Dusk//Dawn, 1 Path, 1 Repel the Abominable
After the round, I got paired against the Rakdos Midrange player. "Here we go Aurioks!" I thought. Psyche! Re-pair, I'm up against the good Ensaring Bridge player
Round 2: Lantern Control (0-2)
Quick couple games, I know when to scoop to the lock. Bridged out both times. Womp womp. I take my beats, and cross my fingers I don't get the other Bridge player next round.
I dodge the bad matchup! I win the die roll for the third consecutive time. I don't know much about my opponent's deck, but I think he is midrange, so I keep a sisterless hand that includes a Ranger, Archangel, and Gideon. As it turns out, his strategy involves Augur of Skulls into Blightning, and my hand gets decimated. I do manage to get Gideon on line, though, and some topdecked aggro beats him down. Game 2 I think I've got a soft-lock with Auriok + Worship. How do I lose, against black-red? As it turns out, Sweltering Suns and Desecration Demon followed by multiple Alms of the Vein is how I lose. I board out Worship for game 3. This turns out to be the best game of the night for my deck, as I attack with spirits and a sister into a double Windbrisk of Archangel and Spectral, giving everything +4/+4 and smashing for the win. Good Games!
Out: 1 Serra Ascendant, 1 Honor of the Pure, 1 Worship
In: 1 Return to the Ranks, 1 Repel the Abominable, 1 Selfless Spirit
With my only loss going to the 1st place player, I get 2nd on tiebreakers. I'm really happy with how this build turned out, moving away from the Martyr-Ascendant build that plays Squadron Hawk and a lower curve. It still has the same trouble with combo and blue-based control, as well as the ever-present Ensnaring Bridge. However, I think the Archangel-heavy build is better equipped for topdeck wars, and better against most of the format's removal, like Fatal Push. Auriok + Worship didn't get me anywhere, but it's too spicy for me to not continue trying. I'm not convinced that Smuggler's Copter shouldn't be something else, like Brimaz, King of Oreskos. The biggest questions are all in the sideboard. I've always hated wanting to bring in both Rest in Peace and Return to the Ranks against most midrange and control. I'm thinking Dusk2Dawn and Grafdigger's make a better pair. Most of all, I feel like I should be playing more creatures in the board! We need to maintain a critical mass of creatures, and my board fails to do that utterly. What good sideboard creatures do you all play consistently?
Hey guys! I'm getting back into modern after a long hiatus. What are sisters pilots playing? I've looked through the last few pages of conversations, and haven't seen too many decklists. Have you been incorporating new cards with any success? Legion's Landing seems potentially good, as does Vona, Butcher of Magan, Crested Sunmare, Oketra the True etc. Has anything become an auto-include lately? Are people playing Smuggler's Copter? What's the meta, in a tweet's worth of information? Help me catch up, bros!
Bobo nailed the explanation vis a vis "win-more". Disagree that Mono-W has a hard time with the meta, Auriok Champion has never been better and I'm not cutting any Spectrals or Squad Hawks with all the Affinity running around. But I'll be going to a cash tournament for the first time in weeks tonight (been playing Pauper on MTGO) so we'll see.
List seems great! Obviously I consider my list ideal, and Aurioks are a house against every midrange deck in town, but they're by no means necessary. I do consider Brimaz a trap, and would recommend a 3rd Ranger instead.
Word. Very sensible choices. I really like RiP right now, as it totally shuts down BGx variants, which tend to lean harder on the graveyard than ever. It also wrecks Grixis, which is huge at my meta, and Storm. As for Ghostly Prison vs second Worship, I'm in favor of GP, as it makes good sense to get some variety in that kind of random-hoser card and cast a wider net (GP has play vs Infect for example). Canonist is nuts against some decks, so I might be able to see going up on them. The problem is that Stony and RiP are so powerful in general, and right now in particular for my meta (which is full of Grixis, BGx Shadow, Tron, and Affinity) that I can't justify cutting copies of either. They just win games on their own! Not my preferred way to win, admittedly, but I'll take my free wins where they come
When Eye of Ugin was legal, anyone not playing Painter's Servant was making a mistake IMO! As for Repel the Abominable, it has some edge in being better as a Fog, and preventing damage from multiple Valakuts. It's also castable around chalice for 1, and I'm not sure if you can use Pay No Heed to choose a Walking Ballista when it's already in the graveyard. The only place it's really unfortunate is Blighted Agent (human somehow) but this sideboard plan ignores Infect entirely and hopes to dodge it. But I suppose the true reason is that I want to try different variations on that spell (Brave, Mark of Asylum etc) and see what works best. I'll let you know, but I have yet to cast it.
Tournament report time 3-1 against a few of the stronger players at the store, and some less than stellar matchups. Opponents, in order, were on Fish, Eldrazi+Taxes, a sweet Mardu Tokens brew, and Eldrazi Tron. Decklist:
Round 1 vs Josh (Fish): Traditionally a tough matchup, especially without Ghostly Prison or Wrath of God, but I stole G1 because he was stuck on Mutavault Island with a handful of lords. He did get an Aether Vial, but not until turn 3, at which point, I had already hit him with a looter scooter and deployed Sister+Pridemate. He was too far behind and didn't get the chance to come back. G2 I Disenchant his Vial before he gets the chance to use it, and then get an Ancestral ReHawk into Martyr for a quick active Serra. Opponent didn't want to hear that it was an anomaly and it usually goes the other way, but I couldn't blame him; when the Sisters deck wins, it wins hard! 2-0, 1-0 in rounds
Round 2 vs Dan (Eldrazi+Taxes): Dan is arguably the top limited player in the area, but doesn't play as much modern. When I have an edge on my opponent in matchup practice AND overall format experience, I feel favored, even against a bad matchup, which this isn't. Dan didn't make many mistakes, but also didn't have a clear idea of how to win against Sisters, and the mistakes he did make (like allowing me to Quarter his Concealed Courtyard after a turn 2 Leonin Arbiter) paved the way for me to execute my own plans. Dan beats me every time in limited, so it felt good to at least hold my own in my format 2-0, 2-0
Round 3 vs Alex (Mardu Tokens): I suffered from some bad mulligans this round, which was a shame, because Dan is one of the best modern players at the store, and his brew was awesome. Unfortunately, he killed me without showing me more than a handful of cards, but the ones I did see were Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, Dark Confidant, andButcher of the Horde along with the expected removal from those colors. Butcher OP. He slammed me the turn he came down every time, with haste and lifelink. Despite this, the games were less than interesting, with a mana choke on my part G1, a flood on his part G2, and a victory in turns for Alex. 1-2, 2-1
Round 4 vs Jon (Eldrazi Tron): I've played against Jon a lot recently, including his slamming me 0-2 in the top 8 of the GPT a few weeks ago. This Tron variant has even more potent tools against us than the Gx varieties, but is also much less reliable about getting a mana advantage. About half the time, it feels like a clunky midrange deck and a cakewalk. But then, the turn before you win (talking about G1 now), with you at 50 life and 3 lethal threats, including 2 Serras, he finds his last Tron piece, Maps into a Sanctum of Ugin, and gets Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger to double Vindicate your Serras. Feelsbadman. However, his deck's variance makes our hate much more effective, and I'm easily able to keep him off Tron with GQs in G2. G3 he mulligans to 5 and I have a turn 2 Stony into Spectral into Honor and no other relevant spells were cast. Got there! Again, the matchup feels like a dice roll-- Either they blow us out with Walking Ballista or Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or Chalice of the Void, or we blow them out with GQ and Stony, or they cast some medium Eldrazi that would beat most Jund decks, and our board spirals out of control.
I'm still fully behind the loot-scoot, and am thinking about upping in numbers. The only thing holding me back is not knowing what to cut. I think looting is much closer to drawing a card than people give it credit for, and even if that's a debatable point, Smuggler's Copter gives an insane amount of rate for its cost. For the price of two colorless mana and having a 1/1 (and we always do), it puts considerable pressure on our opponent, doubles our cards seen per turn, regardless of whether it gets to connect or even attack (since it also triggers on block), and is randomly awesomely positioned: it is fliers 9 and 10 against Affinity and Infect, answers Etched Champion, and evades ALL other sorcery based removal, including just about every sweeper (Anger of the Gods, Damnation, All is Dust, Night of Souls' Betrayal, Supreme Verdict, and even instant-speed Kozilek's Return and Izzet Staticaster). True, it's hit by Push, Bolt, and K-Command, but those spells are finding their value regardless of Smuggy's presence. Try it. It's banned for a reason.
Seems risky! I used this calculator to determine the odds of drawing one or more Leylines with two in the deck, and you'll be seeing them about 22% of the time. This means that, if you play two rounds against decks where you want Leylines, and assuming both rounds go to three games, you'll see about one turn zero Leyline. Doesn't seem worth the slots to me at that point-- kind of like the Martyr number conversation from before. I usually keep two-ofs as cards I don't mind drawing into later. If I like seeing one in my opener, but don't want two, I'll play a three-of (like Martyr). Playsets are reserved for things without diminishing returns, or central synergy pieces (Pridemates). I forget where I picked up this thinking, but I want to say it was from Patrick Chapin, either on a podcast or youtube video.
I've been considering Leyline again too. There's a ton of discard running around, and many of the games I've lost recently were double-Thoughtseize games. The obvious problem with Leyline is that it's only effective as a turn zero play, and it takes up an ungodly number of sideboard slots. 2much4me. I think the move is to play more things that looks great coming off the top instead. But I'm by no means married to that decision. I don't know man-- I just cut all my Blessed Alliances because I hadn't seen anyone play Infect since the G-Probe ban, then lost to it at FNM. So, basically I feel like I should be playing multiple Stonys and RiPs, at least 1 O-Ring and 1 Disenchant effect, and beyond that I have no idea.
What are people's preferred way to fight Grixis and Jund right now? I find either the Rest in Peace or Return to the Ranks can be huge, but I am tempted to pack multiples of both, and don't want to brick my own draws. What are your thoughts on sideboarding vs midrange decks that grind advantage from the graveyard?
I only cast Dusk the one time vs Merfolk, and it was foiled. Later that game I may have cashed it in, but that would be at a large tempo loss. The Dawn half is a lot worse than Return to the Ranks, but it is stapled to a sometimes-one-sided Wrath. I like the card for its versatility. It doesn't do Regrowth as well as other options, and TBH Dusk is a lot worse than Wrath in plenty of situations (Elves, Hatebears, Zoo (is that still a deck?)). But for one card, it does a ton of work changing the game toward your favor. Add to the fact that it combines precious sideboard slots, and I think this card could be serious. There's a good chance it's just too clunky, but I want to test more for sure.
3 Soul Warden
3 Soul's Attendant
4 Auriok Champion
3 Serra Ascendant
4 Ajani's Pridemate
3 Ranger of Eos
3 Archangel of Thune
Non-Creature Spells:
4 Spectral Procession
2 Smuggler's Copter
3 Honor of the Pure
3 Path to Exile
1 Worship
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
3 Windbrisk Heights
4 Flagstones of Trokair
3 Ghost Quarter
13 Plains
3 Stony Silence
2 Dusk//Dawn
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Rest in Peace
1 Pithing Needle
1 Disenchant
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Path to Exile
1 Repel the Abominable
1 Selfless Spirit
1 Return to the Ranks
Sideboard was far from what I'd play in retrospect, but I didn't have much time to tweak. It had also been a long time since I'd played, and I didn't know the meta any more, but I remembered several people for their signature decks. As I sat down, I was less than pleased to see two players who regularly play Ensnaring Bridge decks, one of whom is actually quite good. The other decks I noticed were Merfolk, Esper Control, Rakdos Midrange and the Zac Elsik Blue Men deck.
Round 1: Merfolk (2-0)
Merfolk is often a near auto loss, IMO. They out-tempo our lifegain easily, they swing for massive chunks repeatedly, and their disruption plan is a lot better than you'd think. However, this opponent isn't the most competitive at the tables, despite being fun to play against. My game 1 opener included Worship, 3 lands and creatures, so I thought it might just cheese a win. However, I had to use a Ghost Quarter on a Mutavault to avoid taking lethal, and never drew another land. I stole the game due to a large Master of Waves putting me above 30 life and allowing me to swing for the win with a pair of active Ascendants. Game 2 I cast a Dusk at a board of Lord Lord Cursecatcher, but she played Echoing Truth on her lords, saving all 3 creatures. Then I lived the dream of Archangel onto 3 sisters, facing off against her self-tempo'd and anemic board. Being that far ahead with 3 sisters + Archangel was a lock on the game and she scooped.
Out: 3 Auriok Champion, 1 Archangel of Thune
In: 2 Dusk//Dawn, 1 Path, 1 Repel the Abominable
After the round, I got paired against the Rakdos Midrange player. "Here we go Aurioks!" I thought. Psyche! Re-pair, I'm up against the good Ensaring Bridge player
Round 2: Lantern Control (0-2)
Quick couple games, I know when to scoop to the lock. Bridged out both times. Womp womp. I take my beats, and cross my fingers I don't get the other Bridge player next round.
Out: 3 Path, 4 Auriok
In: 3 Stony, 2 Grafdigger's Cage, 1 Rest in Peace, 1 Pithing Needle
Round 3: Rakdos Midrange (2-1)
I dodge the bad matchup! I win the die roll for the third consecutive time. I don't know much about my opponent's deck, but I think he is midrange, so I keep a sisterless hand that includes a Ranger, Archangel, and Gideon. As it turns out, his strategy involves Augur of Skulls into Blightning, and my hand gets decimated. I do manage to get Gideon on line, though, and some topdecked aggro beats him down. Game 2 I think I've got a soft-lock with Auriok + Worship. How do I lose, against black-red? As it turns out, Sweltering Suns and Desecration Demon followed by multiple Alms of the Vein is how I lose. I board out Worship for game 3. This turns out to be the best game of the night for my deck, as I attack with spirits and a sister into a double Windbrisk of Archangel and Spectral, giving everything +4/+4 and smashing for the win. Good Games!
Out: 1 Serra Ascendant, 1 Honor of the Pure, 1 Worship
In: 1 Return to the Ranks, 1 Repel the Abominable, 1 Selfless Spirit
With my only loss going to the 1st place player, I get 2nd on tiebreakers. I'm really happy with how this build turned out, moving away from the Martyr-Ascendant build that plays Squadron Hawk and a lower curve. It still has the same trouble with combo and blue-based control, as well as the ever-present Ensnaring Bridge. However, I think the Archangel-heavy build is better equipped for topdeck wars, and better against most of the format's removal, like Fatal Push. Auriok + Worship didn't get me anywhere, but it's too spicy for me to not continue trying. I'm not convinced that Smuggler's Copter shouldn't be something else, like Brimaz, King of Oreskos. The biggest questions are all in the sideboard. I've always hated wanting to bring in both Rest in Peace and Return to the Ranks against most midrange and control. I'm thinking Dusk2Dawn and Grafdigger's make a better pair. Most of all, I feel like I should be playing more creatures in the board! We need to maintain a critical mass of creatures, and my board fails to do that utterly. What good sideboard creatures do you all play consistently?
Round 1 vs Josh (Fish): Traditionally a tough matchup, especially without Ghostly Prison or Wrath of God, but I stole G1 because he was stuck on Mutavault Island with a handful of lords. He did get an Aether Vial, but not until turn 3, at which point, I had already hit him with a looter scooter and deployed Sister+Pridemate. He was too far behind and didn't get the chance to come back. G2 I Disenchant his Vial before he gets the chance to use it, and then get an Ancestral ReHawk into Martyr for a quick active Serra. Opponent didn't want to hear that it was an anomaly and it usually goes the other way, but I couldn't blame him; when the Sisters deck wins, it wins hard! 2-0, 1-0 in rounds
Round 2 vs Dan (Eldrazi+Taxes): Dan is arguably the top limited player in the area, but doesn't play as much modern. When I have an edge on my opponent in matchup practice AND overall format experience, I feel favored, even against a bad matchup, which this isn't. Dan didn't make many mistakes, but also didn't have a clear idea of how to win against Sisters, and the mistakes he did make (like allowing me to Quarter his Concealed Courtyard after a turn 2 Leonin Arbiter) paved the way for me to execute my own plans. Dan beats me every time in limited, so it felt good to at least hold my own in my format
Round 3 vs Alex (Mardu Tokens): I suffered from some bad mulligans this round, which was a shame, because Dan is one of the best modern players at the store, and his brew was awesome. Unfortunately, he killed me without showing me more than a handful of cards, but the ones I did see were Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, Dark Confidant, andButcher of the Horde
Round 4 vs Jon (Eldrazi Tron): I've played against Jon a lot recently, including his slamming me 0-2 in the top 8 of the GPT a few weeks ago. This Tron variant has even more potent tools against us than the Gx varieties, but is also much less reliable about getting a mana advantage. About half the time, it feels like a clunky midrange deck and a cakewalk. But then, the turn before you win (talking about G1 now), with you at 50 life and 3 lethal threats, including 2 Serras, he finds his last Tron piece, Maps into a Sanctum of Ugin, and gets Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger to double Vindicate your Serras. Feelsbadman. However, his deck's variance makes our hate much more effective, and I'm easily able to keep him off Tron with GQs in G2. G3 he mulligans to 5 and I have a turn 2 Stony into Spectral into Honor and no other relevant spells were cast. Got there! Again, the matchup feels like a dice roll-- Either they blow us out with Walking Ballista or Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or Chalice of the Void, or we blow them out with GQ and Stony, or they cast some medium Eldrazi that would beat most Jund decks, and our board spirals out of control.
I'm still fully behind the loot-scoot, and am thinking about upping in numbers. The only thing holding me back is not knowing what to cut. I think looting is much closer to drawing a card than people give it credit for, and even if that's a debatable point, Smuggler's Copter gives an insane amount of rate for its cost. For the price of two colorless mana and having a 1/1 (and we always do), it puts considerable pressure on our opponent, doubles our cards seen per turn, regardless of whether it gets to connect or even attack (since it also triggers on block), and is randomly awesomely positioned: it is fliers 9 and 10 against Affinity and Infect, answers Etched Champion, and evades ALL other sorcery based removal, including just about every sweeper (Anger of the Gods, Damnation, All is Dust, Night of Souls' Betrayal, Supreme Verdict, and even instant-speed Kozilek's Return and Izzet Staticaster). True, it's hit by Push, Bolt, and K-Command, but those spells are finding their value regardless of Smuggy's presence. Try it. It's banned for a reason.