I personally hate to be a nay-sayer, but for those of us playing online right now the deck is in a REALLY bad position.
Aggro-loam is seeing a HUGE spike in it’s numbers as a result of LSV playing it. I’m trying out Leyline of Sancity and see if that helps, but the issue is the how bad mana dorks are in a world of burn (aggro loam is a good match-up for burn ) and flame jabs.
Also in case you havn’t seen Jeremy nieman’s soulfish (esper) list, it’s a beating for us. I’ve currently 0-3 against it.
I’m going to be trying to figure out some solutions to the issues I’ve seeing on modo, but it’s looking like the 1 drop 3 drop may be a little too fair for the format right now.
As an aside I’m REALLY liking leyline right now. Aggro loam doesn’t have an out to it post board. It shuts down their discard and they can no longer burn you out. Also they generally sb out goyf and bob vs. blue decks so it’s pretty insane.
Storm, twin, and affinity in particular represent at least 30% of the field, and there's no way I want to build my mainboard in that fashion.
I hate to break it to you but this is no longer the case. right now you can expect a huge jump in aggro loam and types of tron. Melera Pod and BR burn are also preforming well. Twin has almost been hunted out and occaisionally does well only cause either the pilot is really good, and ppl forget about it.
Just finished a daily. Went 3-0 (4th round prize split) played vs. UR Tron twice and UR Storm once.
The UR Tron match-up is fairly easy. They are trying to develope their board and usually leave you unmolested G1. V. Clique is a monster here. Stealing their Gifts/ responding to their Through the Breach is just a beating. Also, to no one's surprise, Spell Peirce is the stone nuts here too.
UR Storm is no surprise either. Just sb Mindbreak trap and leave Pride mage in the deck. Win the round.
List is as I posted a while back. It feels really good playing it. I'll post it again and my current sb.
I'd probably want Engineered Explosives over Ratchet Bomb. Easier to punish them if they over-extend on Steppe Lynx and Goblin Guides that way, and works basically the same against the Delvers.
Scepter seems okay if you're packing Krosan Grips, difficult if you are not.
I’m testing Refraction Trap for this and the burn match-up. It should be pretty spicy in theory.
I ran my last posted list in a modern daily last night. Went 2-2. I steam-rolled Doran and Melera Pod and lost to burn spells in rd 3 and 4.
I played vs. the RB burn list (with confidants and Bumps) and bump next-levels our worship plan. In the last round I played vs. a spicy delver list with md steppe lynxes and goblin guides to go with all the burn.
I’m going to have to tweek my list to account for all this burn. I may either start sbing Kor Firewalker, or a large number of Kitchen Finks between md and sb. Other option is Timely Reinforcements, and I flip-flop on this thing a fair amount.
I honestly think we want 2-3 crusaders in our 75. As was said, it can be bolted, but it swings though most blockers in the format and it gives Jund’s creature base complete fits.
In addition, I’ve already won 4 matches on modo with it in the last two days. It fits into the worship plan as well which is awesome if you choose to be on it.
Clique mb is for combo, I usually never want to see it otherwise. The other one comes in g2.
Mangara of Corondor is for trouble permanents and makes g1 against Tron and ramp tip nicely in my favor.
Rafiq and Geist are standard finishers.
Thalia is for UR Storm. I prefer this over Clique but g2 I use them all.
Gaddock Teeg is for Tron, Teachings, Gifts, etc.
Kataki is a house against Affinity if he sticks for a turn. I run 2 just in case they manage to untap with removal in hand.
Linvala is for SplinterTwin and Martyr and is sometimes a one of against Merfolk.
My main issue with Time of NEed is that you telegraph every one of your plays. It lets better players play around them, etc. Also it adds a net 1G to every one of your targets.
This should help people with design and building sideboards. Also you can expect the Aggro-loam list from the GP to see a huge spike in popularity. GY hate should prob. take up 1-2 slots in every sideboard for the time being.
Noticed you arn’t playing Vendillion Clique. He’s one of my personal MVPs but for all I know, stuck in the middle of nowhere, the meta could be evolving away from him. Have you missed him? Otherwise out lists look very similar.
Also how do you find having various swords? I think the steelshapers gift (SSG) package may be better when running different swords, how often do you find yourself wanting a different sword? Would you consider cutting one for a SSG? Would give you functionally two copies of 2 for the 1st sword.
I really like your list tho. It’s pretty streamline. Clique just seems like an insane sword carrier though.
As I said vs. Martyr Clique is your best friend. Their life gain is huge but so can be your clock. If you are worried about their long game play Sword of Feast & Famine. It neuter’s their hand. IMHO their life gain is really @ it’s best when they stick Ajani’s Pridemate. The time they gain from life gain, backed by a huge clock, is a good play. Otherwise it’s just delaying the inevitible.
I’ve had a person gain over 100 life vs. me and get beaten down in the long run. Playing a MD R source and sbing Combust (for Twin) and Sulpher Elemental (Tokens/Martyr) could be decent. Also gives you access to Ancient Grudge as well. I personally tho try to make my mana base as bullet proof as possible. Adding a 4th colour would prob. have to be over a basic, and having it destroyed, cutting off your sb cards would suck pretty bad.
@Gnome: I know you’re all in on Linvala, but when you are using her to for longer then single turns it gives your opponent the opportunity to draw/cast Path to Exile. I’ve run into her vs. Pod a few times where they try to shut down Knight, and I would just cast path. Soft Locks are soft. Not saying she’s not awesome, just that she really needs to be backed with other stuff.
Man... I would kill to be able to play Mental Misstep in this format. Would settle for Ancestral Visions too
I’ve played vs. Martyr with both Counter-cat and Bant Geist. Online I play Engineered Explosives and Ratchet Bomb. Cliques rip away their Proclaimations, and you have spell peirce if they are not careful about their sweepers, if they have em. I use 2 Sword of F&I and those are saucy. It isn’t an easy match-up but well placed PtE on their Pridemates buys you a lot of time, and as long as your deck is doing it’s thing you can take the match.
IMO: Goyf shines in Jund and any deck that tries to attrition you out. Jund is the shining example of this. Also he’s your #1 guy on defence. I always like him in the Affinity match-up, but Pride-mage is pretty good here too
I may try to sub them out regardless for Pride-mages and just run the deck for a while and just see how it fares. I may also try cutting the Knights and testing the 8 one drop/ add Mirran Crusader build.
2U
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures, they don’t untap.
It’s a 2U investment over 2WU, for arguably the same effect, but slightly different.
Also it seems like a solid Snapcaster target.
Thoughts?
Posted a 3-1 finish today. Played vs. RUG Twin, Pod, aggro loam, and Storm.
This is what I played:
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Arid Mesa
2 Verdant Catacomb
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Breeding Pool
2 Temple Garden
2 Horizion Canopy
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Celestrial Collonade
1 Moorland Haunt
1 Sejeri Steppe
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Plains
4 Noble Heirarch
3 Birds of Paradise
2 Quasili Pride-Mage
2 Thalia, Guardian Thraben
3 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Mirran Crusader
3 Vendillion Clique
1 Reveillark
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
4 Spell Peirce
3 Path to Exile
2 Bant Charm
1 Steelshaper's Gift
2 Elspeth, Knight Errant
SB:
3 Obstinate Baloth
2 Creeping Corrosion
2 Mindbreak Trap
2 Negate
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Path to Exile
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Sylvok Lifestaff
1 Timely Reinforcements
I'm REALLY liking Thalia @ the moment. Was an auto-win vs. storm everytime it resolved.
Has anyone considered Hail Storm vs. Affinity? It kills our mana dorks, but it can be an absolute beating vs. them.
Aggro-loam is seeing a HUGE spike in it’s numbers as a result of LSV playing it. I’m trying out Leyline of Sancity and see if that helps, but the issue is the how bad mana dorks are in a world of burn (aggro loam is a good match-up for burn ) and flame jabs.
Also in case you havn’t seen Jeremy nieman’s soulfish (esper) list, it’s a beating for us. I’ve currently 0-3 against it.
I’m going to be trying to figure out some solutions to the issues I’ve seeing on modo, but it’s looking like the 1 drop 3 drop may be a little too fair for the format right now.
As an aside I’m REALLY liking leyline right now. Aggro loam doesn’t have an out to it post board. It shuts down their discard and they can no longer burn you out. Also they generally sb out goyf and bob vs. blue decks so it’s pretty insane.
I hate to break it to you but this is no longer the case. right now you can expect a huge jump in aggro loam and types of tron. Melera Pod and BR burn are also preforming well. Twin has almost been hunted out and occaisionally does well only cause either the pilot is really good, and ppl forget about it.
The UR Tron match-up is fairly easy. They are trying to develope their board and usually leave you unmolested G1. V. Clique is a monster here. Stealing their Gifts/ responding to their Through the Breach is just a beating. Also, to no one's surprise, Spell Peirce is the stone nuts here too.
UR Storm is no surprise either. Just sb Mindbreak trap and leave Pride mage in the deck. Win the round.
List is as I posted a while back. It feels really good playing it. I'll post it again and my current sb.
6 Shock duals
8 fetches
3 Basics
1 Colonnnade
2 Tech Edge
2 Horizion Canopy
1 Sejeri Stepe
1 Moorland Haunt
(24)
2 Elspeth
2 Sword of F&I
(4)
4 Heirarch
3 BoP
2 Pride-Mage
2 Goyf
4 Knight of the Reliquery
3 Geist
3 Vendillion Clique
2 Mirran Crusader
(23)
4 Spell Peirce
2 Bant Charm
3 Path to Exile
(9)
sb:
4 refraction trap (R/b Burn, URW Delver)
2 Mindbreak Trap (UW Tron, UR Storm)
2 Threads of Disloyalty (Any deck with Goyf/Bob, Meleria
2 EE (Misc)
2 torpor orb (Mono-u fae, Meleria pod, twin)
1 Mirran Crusader (Jund, Doran, M. Pod)
1 Negate (misc)
1 Bojuka bog (where ever needed)
I’m testing Refraction Trap for this and the burn match-up. It should be pretty spicy in theory.
I played vs. the RB burn list (with confidants and Bumps) and bump next-levels our worship plan. In the last round I played vs. a spicy delver list with md steppe lynxes and goblin guides to go with all the burn.
I’m going to have to tweek my list to account for all this burn. I may either start sbing Kor Firewalker, or a large number of Kitchen Finks between md and sb. Other option is Timely Reinforcements, and I flip-flop on this thing a fair amount.
In addition, I’ve already won 4 matches on modo with it in the last two days. It fits into the worship plan as well which is awesome if you choose to be on it.
My list as stands is something like this:
6 Shock duals
8 fetches
3 Basics
1 Colonnnade
2 Tech Edge
2 Horizion Canopy
1 Sejeri Stepe
1 Moorland Haunt
(24)
2 Elspeth
2 Sword of F&I
(4)
4 Heirarch
3 BoP
2 Pride-Mage
2 Goyf
4 Knight of the Reliquery
3 Geist
3 Vendillion Clique
2 Mirran Crusader
(23)
4 Spell Peirce
2 Bant Charm
3 Path to Exile
(9)
Sb is in flux, but when I have it narrowed down I’ll post it.
My main issue with Time of NEed is that you telegraph every one of your plays. It lets better players play around them, etc. Also it adds a net 1G to every one of your targets.
Meleria Pod: 76 (17.9%)
Jund: 63 (14.9%)
UW/UB/UR Tron: 49 (11.6%)
3-4c Delver: (w/ or w/o Scepter): 35 (8.3%)
Affinity: 35 (8.3%)
UR Storm: 33 (7.8%)
Caw-Blade: 33 (7.8%)
Red w/ or w/o B Burn: 29 (6.8%)
UR Twin: 23 (5.4%)
Martyr: 14 (3.3%)
Boros: 14 (3.3%)
Geist Bant: 6 (1.4%)
Merfolk: 6 (1.4%)
Mono-U Fae: 6 (1.4%)
Teachings: 5 (1.2%)
Total: 424
Aggro Control U/x: 86 (20%)
Hyper Aggro R/x: 43 (10%)
Control: 54 (12.7%)
Combo {Macro}: 132 (31.3%) [99(23.3%) creature based]
Outliers:
Jund: 63 (14.9%)
Affinity: 35 (8.3%)
Martyr: 14 (3.3%)
This should help people with design and building sideboards. Also you can expect the Aggro-loam list from the GP to see a huge spike in popularity. GY hate should prob. take up 1-2 slots in every sideboard for the time being.
Noticed you arn’t playing Vendillion Clique. He’s one of my personal MVPs but for all I know, stuck in the middle of nowhere, the meta could be evolving away from him. Have you missed him? Otherwise out lists look very similar.
Also how do you find having various swords? I think the steelshapers gift (SSG) package may be better when running different swords, how often do you find yourself wanting a different sword? Would you consider cutting one for a SSG? Would give you functionally two copies of 2 for the 1st sword.
I really like your list tho. It’s pretty streamline. Clique just seems like an insane sword carrier though.
I’ve had a person gain over 100 life vs. me and get beaten down in the long run. Playing a MD R source and sbing Combust (for Twin) and Sulpher Elemental (Tokens/Martyr) could be decent. Also gives you access to Ancient Grudge as well. I personally tho try to make my mana base as bullet proof as possible. Adding a 4th colour would prob. have to be over a basic, and having it destroyed, cutting off your sb cards would suck pretty bad.
@Gnome: I know you’re all in on Linvala, but when you are using her to for longer then single turns it gives your opponent the opportunity to draw/cast Path to Exile. I’ve run into her vs. Pod a few times where they try to shut down Knight, and I would just cast path. Soft Locks are soft. Not saying she’s not awesome, just that she really needs to be backed with other stuff.
Man... I would kill to be able to play Mental Misstep in this format. Would settle for Ancestral Visions too
I may try to sub them out regardless for Pride-mages and just run the deck for a while and just see how it fares. I may also try cutting the Knights and testing the 8 one drop/ add Mirran Crusader build.