I barely have read arguments that people said Horizons will fix anything. People were saying that it does not make sense to ban anything when Horizons is going to impact the format. And exactly this is what happens. Also keep in mind that spoiler season is meant to build up a hype. So if they would have given all the candy in the first week they would have done something wrong, as they want to give us our sweets over the course of two weeks. And they want to generate the biggest possible hype, for that they throw the casual and commander candy into the mix. And tbh beside common and uncommon stuff, which cannot be that high powered as the set needs to have a good limited environment too. (Which everyone knew). There were 4 dedicated Commander spoilers.
People have the right to be disappointed, but I can't help myself and think they're whiny children.
What is it with Counterspell seriously ? They don't have the gift they order Santa Claus, so they sulk and let everyone know on the internet ? Is it really the one card that defines whether this set is good or not ? Aren't the 4 counter spells revealed enough yet ?
Why can't those people enjoy the good stuff and deal with it ? One can enjoy :
1- what's gonna be the limited environment of MH1,
2- some playable niche cards for tier 3 decks,
3- some flashy cards for tier 1-2 decks,
4- the flavour of many cards (text, call back),
5- the Commander extra support,
6- the Pauper extra support.
There's already nearly 30 cards that are gonna see play in Modern, THIRTY. Are those people blind and only see what's good for the only one archetype they play ? Legacy staples and strong role players (Counterspell is one) willnotbe in MH1. Get. Over. It.
MH1 is not only there to fix the MUs we're not comfortable with, it's not only there to shut Phoenix, Humans or Tron down. It's also there to make a playable limited format, push bad and average decks, cautiously reprint old cards, and (re)test the water of many mechanics. This set is not a BR announcement, this set is not the merger with Legacy.
It's not healthy to read these forums when mindsets are targetted at one specific wish (the BR Announcement is sometimes as painful to read because of that). This set has already me convinced it's going to shift the Modern metagame. What bothers me most is people who complain this is a Commander set, how wrong they are imo.
Thanks for these awesome words. I couldn't have said it better. I think the biggest problem is that many people simpy had wrong expectations for the set. In my playgroup, which consists out of 90% Modern players most people are extremely happy with what we have seen so far, including me.
Afaik Counterspell beeing in Dominaria wouldn't have changed anything. Because we still got Diabolic Edict even though there is no need anymore after they printed Lilianas Triumph.
PRecisely because we have logic knot that they must have included counterspell. It makes no sense!!
I am sorry to crush your dreams, but Counterspell got officially disconfirmed in the current Weekly MTG stream. But as stated previously hoping for Counterspell was naive anyways.
With putting the real Counterspell into the first straight to modern set, they would have just killed a ton of designspace, as they would make all other 2CMC counters obsolete at an instant. Thereby limiting their options for future sets.
It can be kinda good, but will need to be tested for sure. As it can get rid of many problem permanents. Most important it can kill a resolved Mycosynth Lattice while Karn is on the field. It's also a great tool against Prison decks and Bogles. As it can hose Daybreak Coronet and Welding Jar.
Incinerator could be a thing as cycling is in the set. But I doubt for ringleader. Maybe some other goblin based card advantage. But I highly doubt that they will copy a legacy deck almost 1 to 1 into modern.
I do not believe that they will go all in on counters in the first set. The moment we have counterspell in the set, they riun all their possibilities to include weaker counters into future sets. While I believe that we will see Counterspell at one point in the future. I do not believe that this is gonna happen straight away. I think we will only see it when they are out of designspace for 2CMC counters.
For the Force of will discussion, I just don't see a deck which really needs a free Counterspell to be kept in check. Therefore I do not think that we will see something like this. And if we see something, then something way worse like Foil or maybe a new design. And if a deck that wins regularly on T1 emerges i rather see it hit by the banhammer than having FoW. Because a deck like this would push too many other decks out of the format.
The problem is, that sage is only strong if we have a bunch of cards with counters on it. This means we need E1, Strangleroot, Avatar or Pelt in play. Just adding a counter to a single creature won't be enough over the other 3 drops we are playing. Forced Adaptation also isn't played. And if we have multiple creatures to proliferate then we should be on the winning side anyways. I think the card is win more in the situation where it is good. But in other situations our other 3 drops are better. Then there is the fact that it is a bad topdeck on an empty board and doesn't add much devotion for aspect. Another problem is that it needs a turn until it can do its thing. Therefore it can be removed before creating any impact.
It sounds somehow too cute of a card choice. Because as a Sideboard option it is probably not much enough of an upgrade while beeing to bad to warrant a maindeck slot.
I've tested the Arkbow for a couple of games, because I thought the same as you. While it's not a bad card at all. It just isn't enough of an improvement to be worth it. Most of the time it did not feel impactful enough for me. As said it does it's role. But hitting Experiment Ones from it does not feel good. It's a decent card for sure, the place where you want it is more in a toolbox deck where you can find your silverbullets with it.
Hi guys, as I am watching your deck always pretty closely, a list which replaced the red splash for a white splash to go for a more midrangy approach recently went 5-0 in a competitive modern leage and another one went top4 in an SCQ IQ. Maybe the lists can give you some ideas for improvement, as they do not have an own thread and I think that they kinda belong here.
Thx for the report. For which records do you use Lead the Stampede and Dungrove Elder from your sideboard. I guess Lead the Stampede is against mass removal?
Since Dredge introduced Creeping Chill Dryad Militant is pretty useful against them. As you are denying them 12 Damage and some lifegain. In general I really like it especially game 1 as it can catch them of guard and turn the corner. Even though it is not Game winning on it's own. It stops Conflagerate which is their main way of removing our stuff. And also can slow their dredging down as it also exiles Life from the Loam.
A turn 1 Dryad can be really helpful to win the match, as it can catch them off guard G1 and forces them to play around it G2. But it is not game winning on its own like other GY hate.
Pelt Collector and Experiment One work perfectly fine next to each other. But I usually end up boarding at least one Pelt Collector out. I personally prefer Experiment One. But opponents usually tend to remove the Pelt Collector first if they have the choice between both. Even before the regeneration clause gets relevant. So in my own opinion the experiment is the stronger one for sure, but opponents seem to judge it differently.
The difference between Feed the Clan and Life Goes on is something I cannot judge at the moment. The reason I plaz them both as one of is because I want to find out which one feels better. But for a final decission I need more games.
Grafdiggers is there as a singleton as it can work next to relic, while also occasionally annoying coco decks.
The only other thing I can add is that I would for sure replace the Hashep Oasis with Horizon Canopy if I had the budget. And that I'll probably cut a Pelt Collector for a Wasteland Viper to have an additional pseudo removal spell.
I faced the following Decks:
League 1:
Burn 1-2
Amulet Titan 2-1
UB Mill 2-0
GW Midrange 2-0
Vannifar Pod 2-0
League 2:
RW Land Destruction 2-1
Scapeshift 2-1
Burn 2-1
Spirits 1-2
Titan Scapeshift 2-1
League 3:
Dredge 2-0
Burn 2-1
Hardened Scales 1-2
UW Death and Taxes 2-1
Storm 2-1
The GW Midrange list was kind of Strange playing Stonehorn Dignitary trying to flicker it. If you have any questions about specific matches feel free to ask, as it would be too many to describe all of them here. From my experience with the deck so far (I am playing the deck way longer than just these leagues):
Storm and Dredge feel like really good matchups.
Burn is probably 50/50.
The Scapeshift decks are a pure race, and it feels like they are slightly favoured. This matchup always makes me feel kinda uncomfortable.
Amulet titan feels way better, as you can use Damping Spheres to buy yourself some time. But it is still tough.
Spirits also alway feels winnable but I am not 100% sure there.
Against Hardened Scales I feel like I havent played enough matches against it to judge the matchup. The other decks are all rather exotical therefore I'll leave them out.
Thanks for these awesome words. I couldn't have said it better. I think the biggest problem is that many people simpy had wrong expectations for the set. In my playgroup, which consists out of 90% Modern players most people are extremely happy with what we have seen so far, including me.
I am sorry to crush your dreams, but Counterspell got officially disconfirmed in the current Weekly MTG stream. But as stated previously hoping for Counterspell was naive anyways.
With putting the real Counterspell into the first straight to modern set, they would have just killed a ton of designspace, as they would make all other 2CMC counters obsolete at an instant. Thereby limiting their options for future sets.
For the Force of will discussion, I just don't see a deck which really needs a free Counterspell to be kept in check. Therefore I do not think that we will see something like this. And if we see something, then something way worse like Foil or maybe a new design. And if a deck that wins regularly on T1 emerges i rather see it hit by the banhammer than having FoW. Because a deck like this would push too many other decks out of the format.
1 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Cloudfin Raptor
1 Deputy of Detention
1 Evolution Sage
4 Experiment One
3 Pelt Collector
1 Renegade Rallier
2 Sidisi's Faithful
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Voice of Resurgence
4 Young Wolf
4 Neoform
3 Pongify
3 Rapid Hybridization
4 Botanical Sanctum
2 Breeding Pool
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Forest
1 Hallowed Fountain
3 Horizon Canopy
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Temple Garden
4 Windswept Heath
1 Aven Mindcensor
2 Damping Sphere
1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Geist of Saint Traft
1 Kataki, War's Wage
2 Knight of Autumn
1 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
1 Path to Exile
1 Reflector Mage
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Cloudfin Raptor
1 Deputy of Detention
1 Evolution Sage
4 Experiment One
1 Groundbreaker
1 Narnam Renegade
1 Pelt Collector
1 Renegade Rallier
1 Sidisi's Faithful
4 Strangleroot Geist
3 Voice of Resurgence
4 Young Wolf
2 Forest
4 Botanical Sanctum
2 Breeding Pool
4 Horizon Canopy
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Temple Garden
3 Windswept Heath
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Path to Exile
3 Pongify
2 Rapid Hybridization
1 Spell Pierce
4 Neoform
2 Damping Sphere
1 Aven Mindcensor
2 Knight of Autumn
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Thrashing Brontodon
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
1 Path to Exile
1 Spell Pierce
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
If yes, how do you like it?
A turn 1 Dryad can be really helpful to win the match, as it can catch them off guard G1 and forces them to play around it G2. But it is not game winning on its own like other GY hate.
The difference between Feed the Clan and Life Goes on is something I cannot judge at the moment. The reason I plaz them both as one of is because I want to find out which one feels better. But for a final decission I need more games.
Grafdiggers is there as a singleton as it can work next to relic, while also occasionally annoying coco decks.
The only other thing I can add is that I would for sure replace the Hashep Oasis with Horizon Canopy if I had the budget. And that I'll probably cut a Pelt Collector for a Wasteland Viper to have an additional pseudo removal spell.
I played the following list:
17x Forest
2x Hashep Oasis
2x Treetop Village
Spells:
3x Aspect of Hydra
4x Rancor
4x Vines of Vastwood
2x Dismember
4x Experiment One
3x Pelt Collector
4x Dryad Militant
2x Scavenging Ooze
4x Avatar of the Resolute
4x Strangleroot Geist
1x Leatherback Baloth
4x Steel Leaf Champion
1x Life Goes On
1x Feed the Clan
1x Scavenging Ooze
2x Unravel the Aether
1x Pulse of Murasa
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
1x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Pithing Needle
2x Relic of Progenitus
3x Damping Sphere
1x Spellskite
I faced the following Decks:
League 1:
Burn 1-2
Amulet Titan 2-1
UB Mill 2-0
GW Midrange 2-0
Vannifar Pod 2-0
League 2:
RW Land Destruction 2-1
Scapeshift 2-1
Burn 2-1
Spirits 1-2
Titan Scapeshift 2-1
League 3:
Dredge 2-0
Burn 2-1
Hardened Scales 1-2
UW Death and Taxes 2-1
Storm 2-1
The GW Midrange list was kind of Strange playing Stonehorn Dignitary trying to flicker it. If you have any questions about specific matches feel free to ask, as it would be too many to describe all of them here. From my experience with the deck so far (I am playing the deck way longer than just these leagues):
Storm and Dredge feel like really good matchups.
Burn is probably 50/50.
The Scapeshift decks are a pure race, and it feels like they are slightly favoured. This matchup always makes me feel kinda uncomfortable.
Amulet titan feels way better, as you can use Damping Spheres to buy yourself some time. But it is still tough.
Spirits also alway feels winnable but I am not 100% sure there.
Against Hardened Scales I feel like I havent played enough matches against it to judge the matchup. The other decks are all rather exotical therefore I'll leave them out.