Steel Leaf Champion
GGG
Creature - Elf Knight
Steel Leaf Champion can't be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less.
Any thoughts on this piece of new-new? Proxied it and did some testing on paper and it superficially felt nice as a big dumb beater with evasion that must be answered or puts in work.
"It dies to push" and "its 3 mana and doesnt generate value on etb" are kind of irrelevant given the power for the cost.
Has anyone tried a single Keranos over 1 Pieces to the Puzzle in control/midrange metas? It's felt pretty strong and generates cards and a clock while we work toward the combo. The only complaint is that I usually have to use a ritual to power it out, and that you usually want to wait for your opponent to tap out to play it (but then you end up being the one to take a turn off). I'm still not sure if it's worth the slot even though it's felt good.
Probably a noob question but I always be wondered what the point of running eiganjo castle was. Yeah you can prevent 2 damage to your Thalia but in most scenarios Thalia would still die after damage is prevented. Maybe I’m missing something something? If someone can enlighten me that would be cool. Thanks in advance!
This used to also be a more relevant card back when Splinter Twin was around and Electrolyze was more played. Having Thalia and Wisp blown up felt so bad. It's come in pretty clutch with Linvala and Brimaz before as well.
To note, I think almost all decks that uses CoCo (if not every deck) rely on mana dorks to have it available on the earliest turns possible. This is something we can't do and as a tribe that doesn't have mana dorks (like Elves). I don't think we could rely on it without kicking in some Hierarchs or something, that I don't fancy tbh.
Hierarch is actually great, and serves as a psuedolord and gets around ensnaring bridge. With all the new impactful 3 drops it will enable some busted plays. Maxing out on CoCo can still feel clunky even with the dork. I've found 3 to be the sweet spot in the past.
Kioras Follower has always felt underwhelming despite being merfolk. T1 is when I want my dork, and I would usually want to do something else on T2 with my mana. Also, since this is not a mana ability it can be weak to certain effects.
The real question is.. would an aggro strategy make us faster than the leading fast aggro decks, and will the loss of vial and more interactive Merfolk shave points off in the control and attrition matches
Probably you're right about that you need to play discard on turn 1. As you mentioned turn 2 discard is a lot worse than turn 1 discard. It gives you an early information on your opponents hand which helps you to choose your next line of play as well as protect your hand from opponent's discard and hide information.
I don't agree with playing Serum Visions/Opt on turn 1 though. If you have only Thought Scour and Serum Visions/Opt without discard I'm pretty sure that playing Thought Scour on your first turn instead of Serums Visions/opt is correct line for the reasons I stated in my previous post. The only exception for this is when you're looking for a land; this is the case if you keep one lander. In this case maximizing your chances of drawing second land is more important than milling yourself or playing discard.
One thing to also consider is whether you are on the play or draw, how to most efficiently use your mana, and whether you already know what deck your opponent is on. On the play I would Scour, then TS, SV. The opponent would have drawn another card, and it is relatively low chance for an opposing explosive turn 1 play on the draw (with some obvious exceptions, e.g., affinity, turn 1 Thoughtseize, etc). In this case you can maximize the info that you are working with to optimize your plan.
I find it important to understand which decks certain leading lands will be a cue for as well when facing unknown opponents on the draw. Sometimes taking 5 right away is a liability or it may be best to wait a turn so that they are likier to have their pay off spell (e.g., TitanShift).
I've been running a singleton Bolt maindeck (over an Opt) and it has been putting in work. It also feels nice having the full 4 bolts against disruptive creatures and grindy decks.
Has anyone else tried main deck Bolt (or even Echoing Truth)?
I would say that whereas attrition makes it their mission to reveal your game and lines and actively dismantle them, control depends on blindly having the right answer at the right time. With that being said, games play out longer with a slower clock, and we have time to form a game plan and bait permission before we go off. Worst case scenario they answer it just as they would a Pieces, in an ok case you resolve in light of graveyard hate, but it is still card advantage, and best case they crack their gy hate or you bounce it and go off.
Is this a primer or what is it? Because viewing other primers, the intro of this seems a little outdated compared to others. Just curious that is all, no need to start an argument.
It would help if you pointed out exactly what is "outdated".
In my opinion MV was a psuedo one-drop, and it is an easy cut when going down to 19 lands and an easy include when running 20. For me it's an issue of numbers, not color demand.
Opt let's you dig two cards deep at instant speed, Serum will draw you a card and set up your next couple of turns (or at least help you avoid two turns of trash).
Ahh, my bad, I didn't check the card text and confused the name with another card that might not even be modern legal.
Has anyone tried BW, non-Eldrazi Dnt lately? Freebooters, Scullers, and access to path, push, and souls felt soooo sexy. I'm thinking of getting back into Dnt for a while just to get more serious reps in with it and see how it does.
I think the second mana base with one more fetch is better given the number of three drops you're running. Also, the other mana base you posted would have trouble playing sideboard interaction. I think Nikachu might have provided a good description of the mana base in one of his deck techs. Look him up on YouTube.
Def Google a few articles on modern mana bases, it will make your transition easier
Also, if you end up running 19 lands, that frees up a spot for a single Kira.
Good luck! This deck has a low floor and high ceiling when it comes to piloting skill, so don't be discouraged the first time around. Modern is about knowing the format and mastering decks and archetypes. The experience will get you where you want to be with the deck.
GGG
Creature - Elf Knight
Steel Leaf Champion can't be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less.
Any thoughts on this piece of new-new? Proxied it and did some testing on paper and it superficially felt nice as a big dumb beater with evasion that must be answered or puts in work.
"It dies to push" and "its 3 mana and doesnt generate value on etb" are kind of irrelevant given the power for the cost.
This used to also be a more relevant card back when Splinter Twin was around and Electrolyze was more played. Having Thalia and Wisp blown up felt so bad. It's come in pretty clutch with Linvala and Brimaz before as well.
Hierarch is actually great, and serves as a psuedolord and gets around ensnaring bridge. With all the new impactful 3 drops it will enable some busted plays. Maxing out on CoCo can still feel clunky even with the dork. I've found 3 to be the sweet spot in the past.
Kioras Follower has always felt underwhelming despite being merfolk. T1 is when I want my dork, and I would usually want to do something else on T2 with my mana. Also, since this is not a mana ability it can be weak to certain effects.
The real question is.. would an aggro strategy make us faster than the leading fast aggro decks, and will the loss of vial and more interactive Merfolk shave points off in the control and attrition matches
One thing to also consider is whether you are on the play or draw, how to most efficiently use your mana, and whether you already know what deck your opponent is on. On the play I would Scour, then TS, SV. The opponent would have drawn another card, and it is relatively low chance for an opposing explosive turn 1 play on the draw (with some obvious exceptions, e.g., affinity, turn 1 Thoughtseize, etc). In this case you can maximize the info that you are working with to optimize your plan.
I find it important to understand which decks certain leading lands will be a cue for as well when facing unknown opponents on the draw. Sometimes taking 5 right away is a liability or it may be best to wait a turn so that they are likier to have their pay off spell (e.g., TitanShift).
Has anyone else tried main deck Bolt (or even Echoing Truth)?
It would help if you pointed out exactly what is "outdated".
3x Cursecatcher
3x Harbinger of the Tides
4x Kumena's Speaker
4x Lord of Atlantis
4x Master of the Pearl Trident
4x Merfolk Branchwalker
3x Merrow Reejerey
2x Phantasmal Image
4x Silvergill Adept
2x Breeding Pool
1x Cavern of Souls
2x Flooded Strand
4x Island
3x Misty Rainforest
3x Mutavault
2x Dismember
4x Spreading Seas
3x Ceremonious Rejection
2x Disdainful Stroke
3x Dispel
2x Natural State
1x Reclamation Sage
2x Relic of Progenitus
2x Scavenging Ooze
I've been really happy with this mana base.
Has anyone tried BW, non-Eldrazi Dnt lately? Freebooters, Scullers, and access to path, push, and souls felt soooo sexy. I'm thinking of getting back into Dnt for a while just to get more serious reps in with it and see how it does.
Def Google a few articles on modern mana bases, it will make your transition easier
Also, if you end up running 19 lands, that frees up a spot for a single Kira.
Good luck! This deck has a low floor and high ceiling when it comes to piloting skill, so don't be discouraged the first time around. Modern is about knowing the format and mastering decks and archetypes. The experience will get you where you want to be with the deck.