I have never used FA so I'm not so sure of the trade offs and although I'm not crazy about scry, it serves me some use when I either put the cards on the bottom and draw into what I need/want or if I can see that next turn or two I'll have what I need. With enough draw you could even hit it sooner. However I do feel the draw is lacking for me and I can see how FA +DTT would be useful for some.
Could you give me an example of what you would do preferably Atticus? Also I run the check lands currently because my deck is somewhat budget, at least mana wise it is but I never have an issue landing any UBR before dropping one so they hardly ever CITPT. When I do fix my mana base however the Dragonskull summits were gonna be the first to go so I'm glad we're on the same page about those.
Edit: While doing some play testing last night I noticed that maybe I would like it more if I cut out the inquisitions and put them SB and had the extra serum visions in its place. Or bring in gitaxian probe or even my old peek combo. Allowing us to see their plays and let us plan ahead as to what we want to burn spells on
I used to run rune snag and it's great when you have some in gy but I tried mana leak and liked it for earlier drops. I used to run just 3 leaks but I upped it to 4 recently just to give it a shot and there isn't much of a difference really.
So this is the current list I'm testing out.
First, I run Negate but I'm thinking of putting Countersquall in its place to go along with Geth's Verdict. I'm curious to see how the mana can manage in a game and if the You can see. Also, Keranos. I must say that I played a few casual matches with my brother in law and I have not drawn Keranos, God of Storms yet. Nor have I really needed him in my matches, but I just wanted to see him in action lol. I may end up just removing him.
However, Dig Through Time is kind of upsetting me for some reason. I mean it gives us a deep draw and our own choice but it's just not as satisfying as I want it to be. I'm not sure how I want to replace it; maybe an earlier draw with Think Twice but decisions. Or maybe even fall back to my thoughtflare.
The mana is my main concern because although I don't have an issue getting the mana for cruel T7 I feel it's just a bit inconsistent with the favor of colors. I used to run lavaclaw Reaches but I never really loved the card. It didn't do much for me over the years I played it. Some damage here and there but never enough for me to want to love it and keep it. Tar Pits are the real gem. I cut my tar pit count from 3->2 because I didn't want to have too many citpt lands since I'm running Temple of Malice.
My sideboard is only like half way complete, if that so I can't be assed to fake one up atm but all input and suggetions are welcome.
Hey guys, I've been a part of this thread for some time now. Just a ghost reader with a few posts discussing my deck but I was curious to see if anybody could help me with a pretty solid mana base? I can post my deck in a sec but until I do I tend to run a few cards that tend to be hard on my mana base. I definitely use Geth's Verdict but I intend to use oountersquall now with the addition of polluted delta.
I'm just now getting back into modern again after stopping my play after eldrazi release for work but this deck has given me much success in FNM and casual play.
Oh, I also tend to run 24 or 25 lands. Thanks!
I haven't played the deck as much as some of you maybe but I haven't really had any problems at all. I play 3 basic islands, 1 swamp, 1 cairns, 1 sunken ruins, 2/2 split for Lavaclaw/Tar pit as CIP Tapped lands.
I do agree that the lack of the second good fetch hurts us, but we have Sulfur falls which is activated by most of our other lands as well.
I can't remember 1 time where i was at 7 mana with Ruins or Cairns in play and i couldn't ultimatum. Really only question is can you cryptic on turn 4, and a few times you will be missing 1 blue to do that.
Thats some of my problems sometimes, is having that 3rd blue for cryptic, but now that I have dreadship reef it's pretty much solved the issue.
I know it sucks but if this is the effect you want (and having just recently tried it myself out I definitely recommend it), you needVendilion Clique. That card is irreplaceable because it does exactly what you want as well as actively disrupting them, AND being an evasive beater to help close out games, AND being super value town when you get to return it with Cruel Ultimatum.
I would love to have V clique but hes just too expensive for me to be running right now but once I'm able to get the set I need, I'm definitely including them in my list. Just won't buy them
I swapped out 2 serum visions and put in Peek in its place. I'm all for serum vision but sometimes I sit there thinking to myself I wish it were an instant and this seems to be doing the job. It does what it needs to do early, mid and late game; it gives me an inside look at their hand and a simple draw. I may revert back if I start to miss the scrying, but if it goes unnoticed I'll keep peek until something else fits the slot.
If you want that sort of an effect Gitaxian Probe is pretty much just better. It's not instant speed, but being able to cycle it for 2 life is well worth it.
eh see i thought about that but I like the instant speed better. I wasn't liking the sorcery speed for that play. I'd rather see the new draws and etc that's happening on their turn or even EoT I just drop to see if anything is available to counter my cruel. But the filter on probe isn't worth it for us with our shocklands and searchlands all adding up aswell.
Have we forgotten about peek? I actually think this can be quite useful "peeking" into your opponents hand turn before dropping a cruel or any other win-con you have + draw. Thoughts?
I love V Clique but hes too expensive for me to include in my list right now, unless I can get them via trading but I'm running Spellheart Chimera in its place. Have to test him out but he seems worthy
Blightning is probably not what you want, I would just go with Rakdos return or consult the necro sages at that point. Discard just makes that end of Cuel pointless, the damage does not clear the board (decent vs walkers I guess) or help you draw cards or stack with other burn. If you are light on 3 s tribute to hunger is very helpful in this heck with not much life gain! Also a couple more hard counters would be good, dissipate and counter flux realy are fine. Cut those serum visions for lands son, aint no control deck workin with 24!
You're right that blightning is probably not my choice but I can't see myself running any of those other cards as well. I did however find myself wanting a little more removal, I suppose, so I cut an izzet charm and added one more geth's verdict. It suited me better against pesky indestructibles and I wish i had another one added in the games tonight because I could have really used it. As far as hard counters I did feel I need some more oomphff but condescend + dreadship reef is phenom if there comes a time you need to use the stack. However to say that a control deck aint workin with 24 is a bit pessimistic. I have enough scry and draw to stabilize my mana base and believe it or not, every game I played today I was actually flooded with mana.
All the testing I have done has made me hopeful of this build except for tonight because one of my best friends has come down and brought his Jund and/or Bant Aura deck which is the one deck back in the day I could never seem to stop so I'm nervous to see how he does today but other than that I'm sure it's going to be a good night.
Edit: I have been doing some tinkering and online I like to switch in blightning over electrolyze. I feel the extra hand disruption plus damage that comes from blightning will serve me more than electrolyze. It would bring them down quicker when it hits along side a geth's or any burn really. I know it's sorcery speed but really it would be the only 3CMC card in my deck because right now electrolyze is the only one in so i don't think that speed would be an issue for me however I would like to run 2 blightning if doable? I guess I'll have to see how tonight goes to see if I would want it over electrolyze
and I'd say you have the general down.
Edit: While doing some play testing last night I noticed that maybe I would like it more if I cut out the inquisitions and put them SB and had the extra serum visions in its place. Or bring in gitaxian probe or even my old peek combo. Allowing us to see their plays and let us plan ahead as to what we want to burn spells on
3 Snapcaster Mage
spells:
4 mana leak
4 lightning bolt
3 cryptic command
2 cruel ultimatum
2 dig through time
2 geth's verdict
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 negate
2 remand
2 serum visions
2 spell snare
1 anger of the Gods
1 damnation
1 dispel
1 Keranos, god of Storms
1 terminate
3 island
1 swamp
1 mountain
2 Temple of malice
1 Watery Grave
1 Steam vents
1 Blood Crypt
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Polluted Delta
2 Sulfur Falls
1 Sunken Ruins
2 Dragonskull summit
2 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Drowned Catacomb
So this is the current list I'm testing out.
First, I run Negate but I'm thinking of putting Countersquall in its place to go along with Geth's Verdict. I'm curious to see how the mana can manage in a game and if the You can see. Also, Keranos. I must say that I played a few casual matches with my brother in law and I have not drawn Keranos, God of Storms yet. Nor have I really needed him in my matches, but I just wanted to see him in action lol. I may end up just removing him.
However, Dig Through Time is kind of upsetting me for some reason. I mean it gives us a deep draw and our own choice but it's just not as satisfying as I want it to be. I'm not sure how I want to replace it; maybe an earlier draw with Think Twice but decisions. Or maybe even fall back to my thoughtflare.
The mana is my main concern because although I don't have an issue getting the mana for cruel T7 I feel it's just a bit inconsistent with the favor of colors. I used to run lavaclaw Reaches but I never really loved the card. It didn't do much for me over the years I played it. Some damage here and there but never enough for me to want to love it and keep it. Tar Pits are the real gem. I cut my tar pit count from 3->2 because I didn't want to have too many citpt lands since I'm running Temple of Malice.
My sideboard is only like half way complete, if that so I can't be assed to fake one up atm but all input and suggetions are welcome.
I'm just now getting back into modern again after stopping my play after eldrazi release for work but this deck has given me much success in FNM and casual play.
Oh, I also tend to run 24 or 25 lands. Thanks!
Thats some of my problems sometimes, is having that 3rd blue for cryptic, but now that I have dreadship reef it's pretty much solved the issue.
I would love to have V clique but hes just too expensive for me to be running right now but once I'm able to get the set I need, I'm definitely including them in my list. Just won't buy them
I swapped out 2 serum visions and put in Peek in its place. I'm all for serum vision but sometimes I sit there thinking to myself I wish it were an instant and this seems to be doing the job. It does what it needs to do early, mid and late game; it gives me an inside look at their hand and a simple draw. I may revert back if I start to miss the scrying, but if it goes unnoticed I'll keep peek until something else fits the slot.
eh see i thought about that but I like the instant speed better. I wasn't liking the sorcery speed for that play. I'd rather see the new draws and etc that's happening on their turn or even EoT I just drop to see if anything is available to counter my cruel. But the filter on probe isn't worth it for us with our shocklands and searchlands all adding up aswell.
You're right that blightning is probably not my choice but I can't see myself running any of those other cards as well. I did however find myself wanting a little more removal, I suppose, so I cut an izzet charm and added one more geth's verdict. It suited me better against pesky indestructibles and I wish i had another one added in the games tonight because I could have really used it. As far as hard counters I did feel I need some more oomphff but condescend + dreadship reef is phenom if there comes a time you need to use the stack. However to say that a control deck aint workin with 24 is a bit pessimistic. I have enough scry and draw to stabilize my mana base and believe it or not, every game I played today I was actually flooded with mana.
2 Island
1 Watery grave
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Mountain
3 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Drowned Catacombs
2 Sulfur Falls
2 Steam Vents
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Reflecting Pool
1 Blood Crypt
1 Dreadship Reef
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Cascade Bluff
Creatures: 5
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Augur of Bolas
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Cryptic Command
3 Mana Leak
3 Izzet Charm
2 Condescend
2 Geth's Verdict
2 Thoughtflare
2 Damnation
2 Serums Visions
2 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Remand
1 Terminate
1 Electrolyze
1 Pithing Needle
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Consuming Vapors
2 Sowing salt
2 Slaughter games
2 Flash Freeze
2 Doom Blade
2 Rakdos Charm
2 Shadow of Doubt
All the testing I have done has made me hopeful of this build except for tonight because one of my best friends has come down and brought his Jund and/or Bant Aura deck which is the one deck back in the day I could never seem to stop so I'm nervous to see how he does today but other than that I'm sure it's going to be a good night.
Edit: I have been doing some tinkering and online I like to switch in blightning over electrolyze. I feel the extra hand disruption plus damage that comes from blightning will serve me more than electrolyze. It would bring them down quicker when it hits along side a geth's or any burn really. I know it's sorcery speed but really it would be the only 3CMC card in my deck because right now electrolyze is the only one in so i don't think that speed would be an issue for me however I would like to run 2 blightning if doable? I guess I'll have to see how tonight goes to see if I would want it over electrolyze
I do understand but when I click the card link it wasn't listed as being modern legal. That's what threw me off
Give it a shot. Let us know how he works out for you..