I think it's going to be good for us. We run fetches, instants, sorceries, enchantments, and creatures that sac themselves so Delirium is pretty easy to get with the deck. It can potentially be better than Summoners pact for for the deck as it provides an additional turn one play, can be used to fetch Titan late, and works well with Explore.
I think it does have potential. And also something to take note is that it searches any creature, which means you can also fetch Inferno Titan.
That is actually a nice tech card, might be worth testing. Seems like a slightly better Oracle of Mul Daya, but in most situations a Courser of Kruphix is better. The fat butt doesn't hurt, and the last ability does salvage against LD.
Hey guys, I have updated the primer. I added some content to the history and also on how to play the deck (Thanks AkharaVect for the feedback, I incorporated your suggestions). I also linked Emracool's SB guide while we are working on the more comprehensive matchup guide for it. Thanks, and hope to hear your criticisms lol.
Also just finished 3 rounds with our FNM. My list contains 3 Bolts and a Pyroclasm, and still on the Commune with Lava plan, with 2 Omens since there is a fair amount of control and Burn here. My sideboard is:
2 Jaddi Offshoot
2 Thragtusk
2 Obstinate Baloth
2 Nature's Claim
2 Pithing Needle
2 Dismember
3 Anger of the Gods
RD 1 - Naya Burn Game 1. I keep a T5 Primeval Titan hand, but he finishes me off T4 with an Eidolon and a Boros Charmed Swiftspear with Become Immense. L
-2 Khalni Heart
-2 Farseek
+2 Jaddi Offshoot
+2 Thragtusk Game 2. Jaddi Offshoot was the MVP here, chump blocking Guides and Nacatls while maintaining my life above critical level. When I play Primetime with an uncracked Khalni and a Steve he scoops. W
I add 2 Baloths and side out another Khalni and an Explore, which may have been a mistake. Game 3. I mull to 5 trying to find an early start. Eidolon whittles my life to 1 by T5-ish, and I play a Thragtusk to gasp for air. He has a Swiftspear and Eidolon in play, and topdecks an AtarCom to end me. L 0-1
RD 2 - UWR Control Game 1. He plays draw-go a couple of turns while I up my land count. He counters my Commune for 4, but I manage to naturally draw a Scapeshift, with him on 17 life. He responds to the Valakut trigger with a Helix to maintain his life to 2. I draw a fetchland next turn and closes the deal. W
-2 Khalni Heart
-2 Farseek
+2 Pithing Needle
+2 Nature's Claim
Game 2.I play a turn 1 Needle naming Colonnade. He bolt-snap-bolts me among other things, but I maintain the board clear with an Omen and Valakut. He manages to GQ one Valakut but I Commune and find another one. I eventually get there with Khalni and fetches. W 1-1
RD 3 - BW Tokens Game 1. He goes on the play and Thoughtseizes my Pyroclasm, and builds up Spirit tokens. I just suck it up waiting for Bolts but Scapeshift comes, so there's that. W
-1 Farseek
-1 Explore
-1 Khalni Heart
+3 Anger of the Gods Game 2.Commune with Lava again shines here. He does some life gain shenanigans and goes up to 25, but I manage to exile a Valakut and a Scapeshift with the red digger, and commence to play it next turn on a board with another Valakut to deal 36 damage. W 2-1
Commune with Lava was serviceable at the very least and shines against control. It is a tad slow than Pacts, but is much more versatile. It is largely a meta call on my part which paid off, but it does involve a lot of waiting for something to happen rather than being pro-active. Boarding out Khalni against some of the matchups might be a mistake, and it was just luck that I still drew it. It was a matter of choice between it or Commune, but Commune was doing its job for me tonight so I decided otherwise. Jaddi Offshoot is awesome against Burn, but is a bit too narrow in my opinion. They are magnets for removal and chump blocks like a champ. Personally I'd up it to 4, but again a meta call. Thragtusk may be better up until Eldrazi is phased out.
I have been an advocate of Omen for the longest time, and I truly advise it. It enables quicker finishes and more explosiveness. Some people don't like it because it doesn't answer some of the deck's problems, like it doesn't make it more consistent.
Is this deck is challenging some times and can we learn tips and small nuances in order to master it or is it just a purely linear deck ?
Thnks in advance
There are some small nuances in the playstyle. I'm aiming to update the Guide to playing the deck in the primer in the near future.
I fully understand and I feel that too. I was compiling resources regarding on how to play the deck and then I noticed most were on how to win via the combo and made them redundant. Although as I've said it's still a work in progress so more changes will come in the future. Thanks for the feedback though!
EDIT:
Anyway, thanks everyone guys, hope to hear more feedback from you so that we can further improve the primer.
So I played RG Titanshift to a 3-1 finish at a Regular REL Modern event last night. I managed to beat Eldrazi twice out of three times, which gives me some confidence for GP Melbourne.
R1 vs UR Eldrazi
My opponent comes out of the gates quickly and beats me down to 8 on turn 3. I keep a stupidly good hand and T4 kill him with ease. He looks a little surprised that I managed to race him. Game 2 he kills me with Mimic > TKS > Smasher > Smasher and I only have a Steve to block the TKS. Game 3 he gets me again when I keep a solid hand but fail to find my third land to trigger Khalni and go off.
0-1
R2 vs Jund
I win the die roll and go turn 1 S4T, he IOKs me and takes Khalni heart. My hand is a little slower but it's not enough to stop me from comboing off on turn 5 and killing him easily. He was down to 13 life by the point due to some painful Bob flips and shock lands. Game 2 he goes Thoughtseize into IOK into IOK and rips my hand to shreds. Turn 3 I'm looking at a hand of land and a single PrimeTime. Thankfully I topdeck Explore and draw into Khalni Heart, so I go KHE and then land, fetchland, fetch it and crack the Khalni Heart, next turn PrimeTime. My 6/6 stares down his puny Tarmogoyf (4/5s) and laughs. He sits back cautiously for a few turns but he's doomed himself as PrimeTime fetches me two Valakut, attacks and finds Valakut + mountain, and then I play a land and kill him with trigger + trample damage. Game 3 is over quick as I ramp into an aggressive T4 kill and he smacks me a few times with Bob.
1-1
R3 vs UW Eldrazi
This is the deck I keep hearing good things about. I win the die roll and suspend S4T turn 1, he plays Eye, Mimic and passes. Turn 2 I play Steve and say go. He plays TKS and sees my hand of 2 Khalni Heart, 1 land, 1 PrimeTime. He takes PrimeTime. Next turn I set up KHE by playing it with my two lands, playing my fetch, cracking the fetch and then cracking Steve end of his turn (six lands in play for turn 4). I somehow topdeck a PrimeTime and windmill it down, getting two Heaths. Next turn he plays Reality Smasher and just sits there. I untap, draw Summoner's Pact, play it and find PrimeTime 2. Slam it down, get two Valakuts. Attack with PrimeTime and get two mountains, zapping him in the face. He blocks. Next turn I attack with both Titans and get 24 damage via triggers. Game 2 is a lot faster, he draws the nut and plays a couple of Mimics into next turn Exile Simian, play Reality Smasher, wreck me for 15. I go to five, draw a Steve, and concede. Game 3 I basically go perfect hand with S4T > Khalni Heart > Steve > PrimeTime on turn 4, fetch two Heaths and then Scapeshift for 54 damage next turn. He writes "-900" on his lifepad and laughs.
2-1
R4 vs UWR Eldrazi
This guy is playing the same deck (they test together) but splashing for Bolt. It seems cool but I think the mana is just too thin. He starts off strong on the play and I've mulled to and unexciting five (Land, land, land, Steve, Khalni) and scry S4T to the top. Not sure if that was correct but I knew I needed more ramp. He goes T1 temple, pass. I play land and suspend S4T. He plays T2 Eye, Endless one for 4, Mimic, Mimic. Jesus. Thankfully next turn he doesn't have another creature and "just" hits me for eight. I manage to rip Scapeshift off the top and crack open my Khalni with a fetch + Steve, passing turn with six lands in play and Shift, Land in hand. He untaps, draws, sighs, and attacks for eight again. I go to three. I untap, play my land, Scapeshift and wipe his board, pinging him for 6 in the process. He untaps, plays a Mimic, passes. I go to my turn and find Pact, get PrimeTime and fetch two more mountains, zapping him for another 6. He untaps, draws, scoops. Game 2 is a nail biter, plays much the same and I'm able to stabilise early with double PrimeTime. He starts pathing my Titans and zapping me with Bolt, comes crashing in with Smasher and TKS. I go down to 5. Untap, Summoner's Pact (seriously, seeing so many Pacts these last two rounds...) and find Baloth, gain 4. I play Steve and hope my opponent doesn't kill me. Thankfully he can't quite get the damage through, and I untap, pay for pact and then get Anger of the Gods. Anger may have been incorrect to board in but I figured, it saves me from early Mimic flood. I play Anger, getting rid of a Skyspawner and its token, a Displacer, and damaging his Smasher and TKS - then I bolt the Smasher, discarding Baloth onto the battlefield and gaining 4. He laughs as he puts Smasher in the GY, says I'm just playing on luck. He untaps and tries to get in there with TKS, I trade with a Baloth and draw a card - Scapeshift. Next turn I shift him for 36. Finish: 3-1
Had a pretty good night and I'm surprised at how well the deck holds up against Eldrazi. Sadly I didn't get to test against Affinity or Infect, but I know Infect is pretty bad for us anyway. I'm actually expecting a lot of Robots at the GP, it tends to be a super popular deck around here. I'm thinking of putting Anger in the MB as per the above list, I've always liked it in the main, and I think it's more relevant than Relic at this point in time.
Great report! Nice to hear that the Eldrazi matchup isn't as bad as some had dreaded. Also, if you can, can you edit your post to include your deck list so that I can link it in the primer? Thanks.
Question for those of you running this deck with Prismatic Omen. Why have I seen no Kessig Wolf Run in this deck as backup/alternate to help you win? It would still trigger Valakut if Omen is in play, can be searched with Primeval Titan, and it can make Tribe Elder a better threat in certain cases as well.
With Omen in play, you'd instantly win with Scapeshifts with 6 cards in play. Also, playing Primetime with Omen in play, I'd rather fetch 2 Valakuts and deal 12 damage immediately. I also tend to retain fetchlands in this situation to deal additional damage and end the game.
If Blue Moon is really prevalent, then you could try using Krosan Grip, otherwise just avoid it. I feel the Burn matchup is 50-50 and Jaddi Offshoot really improves that matchup. Were there a lot of Infect in your meta?
I think it does have potential. And also something to take note is that it searches any creature, which means you can also fetch Inferno Titan.
2 Jaddi Offshoot
2 Thragtusk
2 Obstinate Baloth
2 Nature's Claim
2 Pithing Needle
2 Dismember
3 Anger of the Gods
RD 1 - Naya Burn
Game 1. I keep a T5 Primeval Titan hand, but he finishes me off T4 with an Eidolon and a Boros Charmed Swiftspear with Become Immense. L
-2 Khalni Heart
-2 Farseek
+2 Jaddi Offshoot
+2 Thragtusk
Game 2. Jaddi Offshoot was the MVP here, chump blocking Guides and Nacatls while maintaining my life above critical level. When I play Primetime with an uncracked Khalni and a Steve he scoops. W
I add 2 Baloths and side out another Khalni and an Explore, which may have been a mistake.
Game 3. I mull to 5 trying to find an early start. Eidolon whittles my life to 1 by T5-ish, and I play a Thragtusk to gasp for air. He has a Swiftspear and Eidolon in play, and topdecks an AtarCom to end me. L
0-1
RD 2 - UWR Control
Game 1. He plays draw-go a couple of turns while I up my land count. He counters my Commune for 4, but I manage to naturally draw a Scapeshift, with him on 17 life. He responds to the Valakut trigger with a Helix to maintain his life to 2. I draw a fetchland next turn and closes the deal. W
-2 Khalni Heart
-2 Farseek
+2 Pithing Needle
+2 Nature's Claim
Game 2.I play a turn 1 Needle naming Colonnade. He bolt-snap-bolts me among other things, but I maintain the board clear with an Omen and Valakut. He manages to GQ one Valakut but I Commune and find another one. I eventually get there with Khalni and fetches. W
1-1
RD 3 - BW Tokens
Game 1. He goes on the play and Thoughtseizes my Pyroclasm, and builds up Spirit tokens. I just suck it up waiting for Bolts but Scapeshift comes, so there's that. W
-1 Farseek
-1 Explore
-1 Khalni Heart
+3 Anger of the Gods
Game 2.Commune with Lava again shines here. He does some life gain shenanigans and goes up to 25, but I manage to exile a Valakut and a Scapeshift with the red digger, and commence to play it next turn on a board with another Valakut to deal 36 damage. W
2-1
Commune with Lava was serviceable at the very least and shines against control. It is a tad slow than Pacts, but is much more versatile. It is largely a meta call on my part which paid off, but it does involve a lot of waiting for something to happen rather than being pro-active. Boarding out Khalni against some of the matchups might be a mistake, and it was just luck that I still drew it. It was a matter of choice between it or Commune, but Commune was doing its job for me tonight so I decided otherwise. Jaddi Offshoot is awesome against Burn, but is a bit too narrow in my opinion. They are magnets for removal and chump blocks like a champ. Personally I'd up it to 4, but again a meta call. Thragtusk may be better up until Eldrazi is phased out.
There are some small nuances in the playstyle. I'm aiming to update the Guide to playing the deck in the primer in the near future.
EDIT:
Anyway, thanks everyone guys, hope to hear more feedback from you so that we can further improve the primer.
Great report! Nice to hear that the Eldrazi matchup isn't as bad as some had dreaded. Also, if you can, can you edit your post to include your deck list so that I can link it in the primer? Thanks.
It's still a work in progress so I appreciate all the help I can get from you guys. Thanks!
With Omen in play, you'd instantly win with Scapeshifts with 6 cards in play. Also, playing Primetime with Omen in play, I'd rather fetch 2 Valakuts and deal 12 damage immediately. I also tend to retain fetchlands in this situation to deal additional damage and end the game.
The MD seems to be the James Wager list last SCG open. What meta are you expecting with 3 Sudden Shocks and 4 Lightning bolts?