Beat a budgetish Naya Midrange 2-0, lost to affinity 1-2, beat 8-rack 2-0 and RUG scapeshift 2-0.
I like the deck a lot but am feeling tension between the amount of creatures and the amount of pump. I like having a lot of pump to just win fast in G1, but sometimes I can't find a creature. Dryad Arbor + 8 green fetches helps, but it's probably not ideal.
I feel like potential cuts are Dryad Arbor, Vines and even TBR for some more creatures (probably Kird Apes).
Vines can be awkward since we don't always have GG, but what I like about it specifically is that it can be good tech against Twin (when they tap out for twin on their exarch, you Vines the exarch and Twin fizzles) and Affinity (they sac ravager, you vines the target, no counters).
I have also heard of some tech in the wild in the form of Ghor-Clan Rampager, which occupies a space somewhere between Become Immense and TBR.
Also, Lightning Helix is my burn solution. The 3 life you gain is basically a counterspell for them, and it helps you win the race since they have the inevitability.
That's the maindeck I'm working with. Did a little bit of testing. Seems like the big naya decks could be an issue. (Thank god, because I don't want TC banned, that thing is awesome to resolve)
Creatures are still a bit of a work in progress. 4 Delver, 4 Pyromancer are givens, they are both ridiculous. Swiftspear was disappointing though, she's kind of a lousy topdeck and I don't like how she impacts my sequencing. Playing on the other turn seems really important. Pack Rat is a nice one-of, it's not about playing him turn 2 and going nuts, I like having him to dump late-game lands or IoKs if the game goes long. We are drawing a ton of cards after all. Though I was also pitching Swiftspears to him which is what drove me to ditch her, he might not be as good without her.
If Master looks wonky, think about him like Goblin Guide, which has been giving opponents card advantage for years and still been played. Even though they always get the card, if it's a sorcery-speed card or a land, it's not going to matter until their turn anyway. We also have Probe, IoK, and countermagic to help plan after they do draw. What's important is that he beats for 5 in the air, and if you play him correctly, they might only get one card off him anyway. Sure, it will suck when it's an Abrupt Decay, Restoration Angel, or relevant burn spell, but I want to see how often that happens. I felt this deck was missing a certain amount of beef as well as something to do against -1/-1 effects. I briefly considered Illusory Angel and a Manamorphose or two (to go with Probes), but that seems like a lot of work for very little payoff. Anyway, I'm going to test him, go back to Swiftspear, etc. and see what works.
For sideboard, Hibernation seems like a huge blowout against most of the rest of the format, especially the Naya decks that were giving me a hard time. How much artifact hate do we need for affinity? I know we need an answer to a resolved Cranial Plating, but we do have a ton of removal so we shouldn't have to go overboard, right?
Hi guys, I've been out of the modern game for a while but I really want to play this deck for these reasons:
—I want to resolve Treasure Cruise
—I want to play Onslaught fetches in Modern
Though I could do that in straight UR or UWR, I think that Inquisition of Kozilek is really good for Delver decks since it hits Abrupt Decay, Jeskai Ascendency and Cranial Plating. I also really like Terminate's ability to kill annoyances like Tarmogoyf.
So I've been thinking about a deck with this core:
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Young Pyromancer
2-4 Monastery Swiftspear
0-2 Snapcaster Mage
0-2 other creatures
4 Serum Visions
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3-4 Treasure Cruise
2-3 Terminate
0-3 Gitaxian Probe
0-2 Remand
0-2 Thoughtseize
0-2 other removal
0-2 other counterspells
9 fetches
5-7 shocks
3-4 basics
0-2 Tectonic Edge
I've scoured this thread for some options but I was wondering what has worked for people strategy wise. I think we obviously want to flip Delver, dig for gas, and win fast. The one thing I worry about is having some beef in the list. I also don't want to cantrip into cantrips, so I don't know how many Probes I want, if any.
So I've been wondering what people think about some cards.
For flex creatures:
Death's Shadow (shocklands, thoughtseize, probe means he could come down early? lots of burn in the meta though)
Pack Rat (I don't think I ever want more than 3 lands in play at any given time, so this gives me a way to get value off extras that I draw off Cruise or whatever)
Master of the Feast (I know it's card disadvantage, but it is a really fast clock and if we get them down to a low life total before dropping him they might only get one card before dead)
Is the full set of Swiftspears worth it? I think I want a couple for the extra T1 play, but since I have IoK and Delver, I think I'd like something beefier.
For flex counters:
I definitely think we want a couple Remands but I don't know how important counterspells are in Modern vs. Legacy, especially if we have hand disruption. I think 4 total is plenty. I like Spell Snare a lot vs. BGx obviously, I want it in the board. Dispel seems good in the mirror and vs. burn, but that might be another board card. Is it worth running Mana Leak just for a panic button? Is Spell Pierce better? How about Gainsay for the mirror? Countersquall for things like Pod or Twin? Has anyone tested Swerve vs. Abrupt Decay decks?
For flex removal:
I like Terminate a lot, hits manlands and Goyfs. Dreadbore could be a consideration, though, since it also nails Karn and Liliana. I also love the idea of Vapor Snag, especially on annoyances like Scavenging Ooze or manlands. Forked Bolt seems good vs. Lingering Souls, but not Affinity (I really wish Fire/Ice was in Modern).
Other interesting spells:
I like the idea of Hidden Strings on a flipped Delver, but that seems really cute.
Dimir Charm and Izzet Charm can serve as both extra counters and removal, and I think they're worth testing. Dimir Charm in particular seems like it has utility against bummers like Pyroclasm, Scapeshift, Lingering Souls, and can turn on Cruise in a pinch.
I'm not sure if it's better to play a green source and Ancient Grudge or just play Hurkyl's Recall for Affinity.
Anyway, sorry for the somewhat ranty post — I just placed a big card order for much of this deck's staples and I really think it seems like a blast and very powerful. Thanks for any help!
So after sleeping on it I think I definitely want more Despise, more Brain Maggot, maybe Suspension Field or Oppressive Rays over Downfall. The reasoning is this: Most decks are going to try to hold off our initial assault then play some insane value creature like a Siege Rhino and go to town. Stripping that bomb for 1 mana is going to be sweet. Despise hits all the best midrange creatures and Sarkhan/Elspeth/Sorin/whatever planeswalkers, and lets you know (while probably leaving mana open) whether it's safe to continue advancing the board.
That could be the game right there. Turn 1 Champion works because other than Oppressive Rays there's not many turn 1 plays against it that are any good. Plus that clears the way for our Maggot turn 2 to take their next-best card and then on turn 3 we can do a lot.
The next question to answer is whether this is better than monoblack. It might not be favored in the matchup, but white has so many interesting cards that the flexibility might be better. Chief of the Edge is clearly insane, but the removal options are also curious. Instead of Downfall, something like Rays, Banishing Light, Suspension Field or in the right meta Mortal Obstinacy could be better. In the aggro mirror that Outlast warrior will be a key card — and ours will get buffed better.
We also don't have to kill ourselves with Confluence if Sign in Blood is our only BB spell. We can play a couple temples and Plains, and even Urborgs (which make Caves better). However that might be me just looking for a good reason to not double the price of the deck.
The idea would be to just rip their hand apart and attack with dudes. I really want to go into Mardu but as most have pointed out in this thread the mana is terrible. I also would like to run more Sultai Scavenger but it seems hard with the Delve. I'm not sure if it's even worth playing it with Murderous Cut. Removal seems pretty bad though. I am open to suggestions because I have no idea what's good in standard.
I also feel like some amount of Hall of Triumph naming black could be good. Probably better than Raiders' Spoils. Paragon of Open Graves is very interesting to me, it and Chief of the Edge pump each other. Maybe it's better to cut the Spoils for Hall and just have the two Paragons as 4 drops.
Brain Maggot is clearly the weakest card but it does go after their hand. I guess the idea would be to rip all their early plays and try to win before they can do anything.
Not sure if this is better than mono-red but the sideboard might help with that. Of course we are still clueless on what decks will be good after rotation.
In response to people saying Souls is better: I am running both Souls (full set) and Bitterblossom. The idea in my deck is to invalidate opponent's removal. I got tired of my Bobs and Scullers just getting hit with a removal spell.
Bitterblossom gives you an evasive creature for free every turn. Importantly, you can use your mana for things other than deploying a threat That means you can play shocks tapped since most other spells you might cast are pretty cheap. It protects planeswalkers (if you even need to with 13 removal spells and a set of lilis in the deck) and goes over the top of ground armies to close out games (allowing you to leave behind however many you might need to chump). Scales up with Sorin emblem and reinforcements from Souls. You have 8 burn spells for reach, including one that gains you 3 life if you need it, and a couple manlands. I have been running Gideon as an even bigger closer if needed, but that might be the spot that I change to shore up the deck.
Against small creature decks like Zoo, Twin and Pod I like how my deck works. It's against the UWR control/tempo decks that don't run the Twin suite where I'm having trouble. Though I think I can shore that up with more grave hate in the side. I like the Slaughter Games idea too. But the thing that control hates the most is a t2 Bitterblossom. Their only out to it is Cryptic and maybe wear/tear postboard. Even thought Electrolyze is a thing you overwhelm that with Souls. When they have to flash in Resto or activate Colonnade to block a token we pull ahead since that often taps them out and we can bolt-kill their blocker while just getting our creature back again.
However, given all that, I just don't know if this deck is strong enough. Creature builds are very vulnerable to common cards in the format. For example, I would never expect a Bob to live against UWR control. It will get countered or killed on sight. Postboard they have Celestial Purge as well. And our manland is the worst one of the Worldwake cycle and honestly I think it's worse than Treetop Village as well. So many decks in the format get there on the back of a manland and ours is painfully weak.
But I will consider testing a couple different configurations:
-3 BB -2 Satchel, +3 Raise the Alarm +2 Phyrexian Arena — this gets me more threats faster (though not evasive), and i actually draw more cards if the game goes late)
-2 Gideon +2 Ajani Vengeant (a more controlling planeswalker with a lifegain ability if I need it)
-2 Gideon +2 Ajani Goldmane (gains life immediately or acts as an extra anthem effect for token swarm)
-2 Gideon +2 Sarkhan the Mad (draws cards or makes me a bigger creature every turn. Turning a spirit that just attacked into an untapped 5/5 flyer seems good)
And I'm going to add gravehate and slaughter games to my SB.
Nah, Bitterblossom is awesome. With Helix, Sorin, and Satchel there's a lot of incidental lifegain and it gets out of hand quickly. I didn't do poorly because of it in any of my matches (I mean I technically died to it once but it had given me lethal on board three turns before that, triple Cryptic is what did me in). In fact I think looking at my notes I won every game where I had one going except that one.
More bannings! One event in and we still have people calling for bannings! At least wait until GP Richmond to start doomsaying about cards that supposedly need to be banned. Comparing Tiago to DRS is particularly egregious because I don't think there is any evidence to suggest that Snappy is reducing format diversity. People claim that it makes UWR too good, and yet there are a ton of other non-blue decks that are viable in this format.
I don't want SCM or DRS banned. But it is picking winners and reducing format diversity to have one banned while the other is legal. The UR shell is now where the BG shell was. There were five decks in the top 8 at the PT playing SCM and Lightning Bolt with some amount of counters in the top 8 of the PT. The breakout "new deck" from the tour was just another SCM/Bolt/counter deck. SCM is the most obvious card to ban from that shell because like SFM it restricts future design space and like DRS it is good whenever it's drawn. Again, if DRS is the standard, SCM fits it.
I agree with you that it is very early. But what is going to change? None of the past 4 expansions have added anything to modern except for a couple narrow hate cards and Voice (a one- or two-of in GWx lists like pod). Even Legacy has gotten a bigger shakeup from TNN. Unless Fae bursts out in a big way all we have done is change the Goyf deck from Jund to Zoo in the same meta we had before, and given UWR and Pod carte blanche to run away with the format.
It also should be noted that I advocate for an unban of SotM no matter what. Just anything to potentially add a new deck to this format which is increasingly monotonous. What reason is there to play a deck that's not URx (Twin or otherwise), Pod, or Zoo?
Unban Sword of the Meek
Unban Deathrite Shaman
Ban Tarmogoyf
OR
Unban Sword of the Meek
Ban Snapcaster Mage
Reasoning: While clearly Jund needed a hit, DRS was the wrong choice. Without DRS providing value to the BGx decks, UWR is oppressive. People thought DRS was too oppressive because it was Grim Lavamancer, Birds of Paradise, and a lifegain/gravehate spell. But it dies to so much, and has summoning sickness, and is vulnerable to grave hate itself! It served as a check on Pod decks (by monkeying with their value) and UWR decks (by providing inevitability and plucking SCM targets).
With Wild Nacatl unbanned, Zoo was in a position to pressure Jund, even with DRS still in the format. Jund damages itself a lot and is subject to being overrun by Zoo. Its removal suite, other than Bolt, is inefficient against Zoo decks: Abrupt Decay, Terminate, Dismember, Liliana and Maelstrom Pulse cost more than the creatures they'd be removing. It was also subject to Tarmogoyf stalls and just being burned out. But now Jund is essentially dead, and even though the BG rock decks are pretty good, they lack the card that really gives them value against UWR and Pod.
Meanwhile, Goyf pushes every 2cmc and some 3cmc creatures out of the format with its pure efficiency. Yes, a turn 2 Liliana is scary. So you have to be ready to kill a 2 toughness creature on turn 1. That doesn't help you when they just plop down a 3/4 or 4/5 instead on turn 2. Now you're getting clocked and you need to be playing, essentially, a Jund deck yourself or a Path deck to beat it. That pushed the format into more BGx decks. Further, with the Nacatl unbanned, you still have to be able to kill a 3 toughness creature on turn 1, which means cheap effective removal is just as needed as it was with DRS in the format.
If Goyf had been banned instead of DRS, Jund's mana curve would've been higher (relevant with Bob and its already large amount of fetching/shocking/Thoughtseizing), making it weaker to aggressive decks, but it still could've fought control and Pod like it had been, preventing those decks from getting out of control.
If DRS must remain banned, then Snapcaster Mage should be banned as well. It is subject to all the same hate that hit DRS that seemingly people are unwilling to play (RIP, Tormod's Crypt effects, etc.), except for removal — it doesn't need to untap to be effective. Look at it this way: It is an instant speed Yawgmoth's Will on a stick. DRS turned your used Bolts and fetches into 2 life drain and a mana? SCM turns your used bolts into bolts! It makes UWR just too good — it makes their graveyard into a wishboard. If DRS and Stoneforge Mystic is the standard for banning a utility creature, SCM fits the bill as well.
Personally, I think both those cards are fair and balanced. Tarmogoyf is a huge mistake, though — as much as a creature that only attacks and blocks can be. (Well, its problem is more that it completely pushes other cards out of the format, sort of like GSZ does).
As for sword of the meek, it is banned because of a combo with Thopter Foundry, itself an artifact with an activation cost. That means it is vulnerable to SB hate people are already running for Pod and Affinity like Ancient Grudge, Stony Silence, Pithing Needle, Wear // Tear, Kataki, etc. There also could be a deck that plays it with Bitterblossom out there that would add to the format instead of just keeping us in this perpetual rotation of Tron, Pod, UWR, and Zoo (where Jund used to be Zoo).
Off the top of my head, here are some cards that I feel are powerful enough for Modern, but maybe don't have a deck yet or the right card hasn't been printed to make them legitimately shine:
The reason none of these cards are played in modern is simple: No deck that wants any of these cards isn't just better with Tarmogoyf in that slot. You can add a litany of two- and three-drops to that list: Bloodghast, Loxodon Smiter, Vinelasher Kudzu, Vampire Nighthawk, Jotun Grunt, etc. WOTC's in a tough spot. Goyf really should be banned in modern but it's a tinder box in terms of people who have shelled out for them and prevents them from putting it in as a chase mythic in MMA sets.
Rd. 1 UWR control
Game 1 went back and forth for a while, I eventually got Souls tokens and a Sorin emblem out and won.
SB: -4 Bolt -2 Gideon -1 Satchel +2 Pithing Needle +2 Defense Grid +2 Combust +1 Torpor Orb
Game 2 was super long and grindy. I had an active Druidic Satchel but I couldn't stick a win con. He Sphinx's Revved a couple times and eventually got me.
Game 3 went to turns. He dropped an Ajani and managed to ult it but I had a Needle on Colonnade and he couldn't get there. 0-0-1
Rd. 2 BG obliterator rock
Game 1 I got double obliteratored and only drew one path
SB: +2 Pithing Needle +2 Hide // Seek -3 IoK -1 Satchel
Sideboard error: I should've brought in Deathmark. He got there with Goyf and Finks. 0-1-1
He said he wanted to test his other deck, so we played one game. The deck was Merfolk. It was a slaughter and I drew insanely, ending up somehow with an active Sorin, Bitterblossom, and Lingering Souls with a Sorin emblem and lots of spot removal for his dudes. Once I stabilized it just took two attacks in the air with my 5+ flying 2/1s.
Rd. 3 Living End
It was an epic bout between a girl learning the deck and a guy who forgot his own mantra: Never leave graveyard hate at home! (Where were my Spellbombs?)
Game 1 I laughed my ass off when she went turn 1 cycle Street Wraith. But I made it hard on her: She had to resolve three Living Ends to win.
SB: +2 Pithing Needle +2 Hide // Seek +2 Deathmark -3 IoK -3 Thoughtseize
I figured my best out was to Seek for Living End and discard wasn't doing anything anyway, now was it?
Game 2 I dropped a t1 Needle on Street Wraith so at least I could block all her creatures. I ground this one out thanks to Gideon absorbing attacks (well, they were forced to attack Gideon, then I had tokens to chump, then I ground her down to 6 and smashed in with Gideon.
After that she said she wanted to go home, so I won on a technicality. 1-1-1.
Rd. 4 UWR geist
Game 1 I Lili'd away a geist early but he eventually got me.
SB: -4 Bolt -2 Gideon -1 Satchel +2 Pithing Needle +2 Defense Grid +2 Combust +1 Torpor Orb
Between games I went on a rant about how it's total bull that DRS is banned and not Snapcaster. (Of my last 8 rounds of magic, I have played against UWR 5 times and I am so tired of it). Apparently people are just more scared of a Birds of Paradise glued to a Grim Lavamancer than they are of an instant speed Yawgmoth's Will on a stick. Blecch.
Game 2 I had him down to 4 with about 8 tokens. But cryptic (tap and draw) cryptic (tap and draw) snap cryptic (tap and draw) bolt bolt helix you, you die on upkeep to BB trigger? Deep breaths. 1-2-1
What I learned:
—No one in my meta plays Zoo, which is this deck's best matchup. Someone playing Twin at one point jumped up from his table and said "WHERE IS THE ZOO?!?" after his third consecutive combo matchup (storm, ad naus, storm). I lol'd
—We need to play Rest in Peace, I love my value from Lingering Souls but Snapcaster is the greater enemy here. Also nerfs Melira, storm and GY decks in general. I generally prefer spellbomb because it only hits one person and cantrips but I think we might just want something that sticks around.
—Need more outs to big creatures. I think I might use more Dismembers or Terminates in the board instead of Deathmark, one mana is nice but Obliterator, damn.
—Druidic Satchel is a house. Seriously. I was never mad to see it. I'm not even sure if boarding it out against UWR was correct. Sitting behind that and a Bitterblossom is just so lovely. So much value.
—Other cards that overperformed: Bitterblossom was great against living end, you get at least one blocker and it can team up with a bolt to kill lots of their creatures. Sorin is really good, better than Elspeth I think because of the lifelink token and the emblem that scales to the entire team.
—On the underperforming side, Gideon seemed a little win-more, though I think he'd be better against Zoo. 5 mana might just be too much. I think 2 Vengeant might be the way to go here, though then I can't needle it (Vengeant is insane against my deck). I also thought about Sarkhan the Mad, he draws cards or turns faeries into dragons. Again, though, 5 mana.
—Even given all that I am not sure what this deck does better than UWR control/midrange or BW tokens. I miss Deathrite Shaman so much, it was such a fun card that enabled so many more archetypes than just Jund. I honestly don't think GY decks are any more viable now, they are too slow to compete with zoo or not get countered into oblivion by UWR or just get outvalued by Melira or Tron. Faeries seems like a bust, so we essentially went from a Jund-Tron-Pod-UWR meta to a Zoo-Tron-Pod-UWR meta and gained no new decks while making UWR and Pod so much better they will just be oppressive. Ugh. I hate it.
The idea is to blank their creature removal (I may even ditch Lavaclaw Reaches to do that even more so), remove their threats, and gain incremental advantage with Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, and planeswalkers. I don't have any Elspeths or Ajanis, but they may be right here — I made it out of stuff I had kicking around. Druidic Satchel may look weird but it is actually a total boss. It gains life to offset BB, Thoughtseize and shocks, or it ramps (and gets annoying land off the top of the deck).
T1 Discard, T2 Blossom, T3 Lili discard souls, T4 removal + flashback souls, T5 removal + Sorin emblem is the magical christmas land for this deck.
Soul Sisters 1-2, UWR control 1-1-1, UWR midrange 1-2, UR aggro (young pyromancer build) 0-2 (I made several play mistakes in the final round, though, I was beat from long grindy matches and discouraged by close losses, I probably should've won a game in there as they were close).
I like the idea upthread about Fulminator Mage. Honestly, I think Fulminator Mage + Whip of Erebos is an idea to play with. Whip + Blossom seems good. Recycling Fulminator Mages is exciting, and since they're dying anyway, might as well whack another land on the way out after getting 2 lifelink damage in. Could replace the Sword-token plan, we don't get quite as much value out of our tokens but we still get a decent amount (and of course Whips aren't Decayable). I'd keep Sword of Fire and Ice in the SB though because there's so much blue in the format now it is really good for beating big Merfolk, killing Colonnades, etc.
So if I had it to do over:
-1 Dreadbore
-1 Falkenrath Aristocrat
-2 Swords
+2 Fulminator Mage
+2 Whip of Erebos
Sideboard... I don't know. I didn't play against anything but URx, I feel like I would just jam more combusts in and hope I don't play any graveyard or combo decks.
I think aristocrat is never what this shell wants to be doing. In general my game plan is not to make games end quickly. She's simply too aggressive for a deck that wants to make things slow and painful.
Whip of erebos + various things is an idea, but I just don't think it will bear up. Any deck with bob needs to be careful with the amount of 4+ drops because they WILL end the game for you a majority of the time. It looks good on paper with BB or Souls or whatever, but I think in the end the swords are just better for getting damage through. Also whip is unreliable in a format where path to exile is the #2 go to removal spell. Fulmy does get around it, but still.
Feel free to try it out, but I'm not betting on it being better than Ajani Vengeant or Elspeth at 4. Those two are still imho, the best 4 drops we have available. You could make a case for hero also. I've been playing one Hero in my mb, and she does win games. Much better than Aristocrat (or huntmaster if you really felt greedy with your mana.)
Going to pick up a playset of Brimaz because he might be pretty ok at a 3 spot over a lingering souls or something. I'm thinking no more than two. He holds a sword pretty damn well.
Yeah, I just played five playtest games against a stock UWR build and lost each one. With me playing both sides and having perfect information! I think this deck needs more planeswalkers. Elspeth is the one IMO, and I'll be adding at least one if not more.
I went with Aristocrat because I figured I'd have extra creatures hanging around from token generators, and if I sac a Lavamancer or Bob to it, it gets a counter, and if I sac a Finks to it, I gain two life. I vastly overestimated the amount of aggro I'd see though. I thought for sure Zoo would be more popular, and there's always lots of affinity. But I really think UWR is going to be the flavor of the near future (as it didn't really change with the bannings and has game against all decks, and Snapcaster is better now, and there's no DRS for inevitability). It was the wrong choice but honestly it never came up. I might have drawn it once? However, point taken and it's as good as gone.
Honestly, without DRS for inevitability and acceleration, we are in trouble. It's hard to say what we gain from using B instead of U with the W/R shell of Bolt, Helix, Path, Lavamancer. We are getting LotV, Lingering Souls, Bob and discard, but losing Cryptic, other counters, GoST, Electrolyze and Colonnade. Electrolyze and Colonnade are really good against our deck, and Cryptic is good everywhere, which puts us at a huge disadvantage IMO. I thought about axing red, but then it's just BW tokens. -Red +Green just makes us a junk deck (and without DRS the best junk midrange deck in the format is Melira Pod). Splashing another color just makes us a deck with a bad manabase.
Maybe going creatureless with planeswalkers is the way to go. Bob already gets removed a ton, maybe we just want to depend on BB + souls for card advantage and add some mix of Ajani, Elspeth, Sorin, Gideon for end-of-game bombs?
That's interesting. Only 2 wastelands and isolated chapels look weird to me, same with no basic plains. Smiter in the side looks kinda weird with only one green source, but I guess that's probably there to fight Liliana?
I'l sleeve this up and see how I like it. It would be awesome if he was on camera.
List seems tuned for a mostly fair metagame of blue tempo/midrange decks. Chapels are important to kick Gatekeeper with regularity (Mongoose, TNN). Smiter beats Lili and is a house against RUG and True-Name decks (uncounterable, unboltable beatstick that isn't blocked and killed by a TNN is so good). I agree that it's super sketchy on only one green source. Like, while I get batterskull is a thing, I'd so much rather have an Abrupt Decay in that Disenchant spot — and if you're willing to try to bring Loxodon Smiter in on only a Bayou, why not play AD as well? (I splash for SB Decay and Krosan Grip and I still run a Bayou and a Savannah just in case).
The gatekeeper plan seems fun but I don't know if I'd have the guts to run into a SCG open without a Wasteland-proof white source. Kudos to this guy.
4 Wild Nacatl
3 Monastery Swiftspear
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Hooting Mandrills
4 Temur Battle Rage
4 Become Immense
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Street Wraith
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Wooded Foothills
3 Bloodstained Mire
1 Windswept Heath
1 Blood Crypt
1 Temple Garden
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
4 Lightning Helix
2 Rakdos Charm
2 Duress
1 Thoughtseize
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Forked Bolt
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Orzhov Charm
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Wear // Tear
Beat a budgetish Naya Midrange 2-0, lost to affinity 1-2, beat 8-rack 2-0 and RUG scapeshift 2-0.
I like the deck a lot but am feeling tension between the amount of creatures and the amount of pump. I like having a lot of pump to just win fast in G1, but sometimes I can't find a creature. Dryad Arbor + 8 green fetches helps, but it's probably not ideal.
I feel like potential cuts are Dryad Arbor, Vines and even TBR for some more creatures (probably Kird Apes).
Vines can be awkward since we don't always have GG, but what I like about it specifically is that it can be good tech against Twin (when they tap out for twin on their exarch, you Vines the exarch and Twin fizzles) and Affinity (they sac ravager, you vines the target, no counters).
I have also heard of some tech in the wild in the form of Ghor-Clan Rampager, which occupies a space somewhere between Become Immense and TBR.
Also, Lightning Helix is my burn solution. The 3 life you gain is basically a counterspell for them, and it helps you win the race since they have the inevitability.
Has anyone tested any of these ideas?
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Master of the Feast
1 Pack Rat
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Serum Visions
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Treasure Cruise
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Terminate
2 Izzet Charm
2 Remand
1 Dimir Charm
1 Spell Snare
3 Polluted Delta
2 Steam Vents
2 Watery Grave
2 Tectonic Edge
2 Bloodstained Mire
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Darkslick Shores
That's the maindeck I'm working with. Did a little bit of testing. Seems like the big naya decks could be an issue. (Thank god, because I don't want TC banned, that thing is awesome to resolve)
Creatures are still a bit of a work in progress. 4 Delver, 4 Pyromancer are givens, they are both ridiculous. Swiftspear was disappointing though, she's kind of a lousy topdeck and I don't like how she impacts my sequencing. Playing on the other turn seems really important. Pack Rat is a nice one-of, it's not about playing him turn 2 and going nuts, I like having him to dump late-game lands or IoKs if the game goes long. We are drawing a ton of cards after all. Though I was also pitching Swiftspears to him which is what drove me to ditch her, he might not be as good without her.
If Master looks wonky, think about him like Goblin Guide, which has been giving opponents card advantage for years and still been played. Even though they always get the card, if it's a sorcery-speed card or a land, it's not going to matter until their turn anyway. We also have Probe, IoK, and countermagic to help plan after they do draw. What's important is that he beats for 5 in the air, and if you play him correctly, they might only get one card off him anyway. Sure, it will suck when it's an Abrupt Decay, Restoration Angel, or relevant burn spell, but I want to see how often that happens. I felt this deck was missing a certain amount of beef as well as something to do against -1/-1 effects. I briefly considered Illusory Angel and a Manamorphose or two (to go with Probes), but that seems like a lot of work for very little payoff. Anyway, I'm going to test him, go back to Swiftspear, etc. and see what works.
For sideboard, Hibernation seems like a huge blowout against most of the rest of the format, especially the Naya decks that were giving me a hard time. How much artifact hate do we need for affinity? I know we need an answer to a resolved Cranial Plating, but we do have a ton of removal so we shouldn't have to go overboard, right?
—I want to resolve Treasure Cruise
—I want to play Onslaught fetches in Modern
Though I could do that in straight UR or UWR, I think that Inquisition of Kozilek is really good for Delver decks since it hits Abrupt Decay, Jeskai Ascendency and Cranial Plating. I also really like Terminate's ability to kill annoyances like Tarmogoyf.
So I've been thinking about a deck with this core:
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Young Pyromancer
2-4 Monastery Swiftspear
0-2 Snapcaster Mage
0-2 other creatures
4 Serum Visions
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3-4 Treasure Cruise
2-3 Terminate
0-3 Gitaxian Probe
0-2 Remand
0-2 Thoughtseize
0-2 other removal
0-2 other counterspells
9 fetches
5-7 shocks
3-4 basics
0-2 Tectonic Edge
I've scoured this thread for some options but I was wondering what has worked for people strategy wise. I think we obviously want to flip Delver, dig for gas, and win fast. The one thing I worry about is having some beef in the list. I also don't want to cantrip into cantrips, so I don't know how many Probes I want, if any.
So I've been wondering what people think about some cards.
For flex creatures:
Death's Shadow (shocklands, thoughtseize, probe means he could come down early? lots of burn in the meta though)
Pack Rat (I don't think I ever want more than 3 lands in play at any given time, so this gives me a way to get value off extras that I draw off Cruise or whatever)
Master of the Feast (I know it's card disadvantage, but it is a really fast clock and if we get them down to a low life total before dropping him they might only get one card before dead)
Is the full set of Swiftspears worth it? I think I want a couple for the extra T1 play, but since I have IoK and Delver, I think I'd like something beefier.
For flex counters:
I definitely think we want a couple Remands but I don't know how important counterspells are in Modern vs. Legacy, especially if we have hand disruption. I think 4 total is plenty. I like Spell Snare a lot vs. BGx obviously, I want it in the board. Dispel seems good in the mirror and vs. burn, but that might be another board card. Is it worth running Mana Leak just for a panic button? Is Spell Pierce better? How about Gainsay for the mirror? Countersquall for things like Pod or Twin? Has anyone tested Swerve vs. Abrupt Decay decks?
For flex removal:
I like Terminate a lot, hits manlands and Goyfs. Dreadbore could be a consideration, though, since it also nails Karn and Liliana. I also love the idea of Vapor Snag, especially on annoyances like Scavenging Ooze or manlands. Forked Bolt seems good vs. Lingering Souls, but not Affinity (I really wish Fire/Ice was in Modern).
Other interesting spells:
I like the idea of Hidden Strings on a flipped Delver, but that seems really cute.
Dimir Charm and Izzet Charm can serve as both extra counters and removal, and I think they're worth testing. Dimir Charm in particular seems like it has utility against bummers like Pyroclasm, Scapeshift, Lingering Souls, and can turn on Cruise in a pinch.
I'm not sure if it's better to play a green source and Ancient Grudge or just play Hurkyl's Recall for Affinity.
Anyway, sorry for the somewhat ranty post — I just placed a big card order for much of this deck's staples and I really think it seems like a blast and very powerful. Thanks for any help!
Turn 1: Thoughtseize
Turn 2: Brain Maggot
Turn 3: Maggot, Raid trigger Skullhunter, Despise
That could be the game right there. Turn 1 Champion works because other than Oppressive Rays there's not many turn 1 plays against it that are any good. Plus that clears the way for our Maggot turn 2 to take their next-best card and then on turn 3 we can do a lot.
The next question to answer is whether this is better than monoblack. It might not be favored in the matchup, but white has so many interesting cards that the flexibility might be better. Chief of the Edge is clearly insane, but the removal options are also curious. Instead of Downfall, something like Rays, Banishing Light, Suspension Field or in the right meta Mortal Obstinacy could be better. In the aggro mirror that Outlast warrior will be a key card — and ours will get buffed better.
We also don't have to kill ourselves with Confluence if Sign in Blood is our only BB spell. We can play a couple temples and Plains, and even Urborgs (which make Caves better). However that might be me just looking for a good reason to not double the price of the deck.
4 Bloodsoaked Champion
4 Chief of the Edge
4 Mardu Skullhunter
3 Brain Maggot
2 Sultai Scavenger
2 Paragon of Open Graves
1 Gnarled Scarhide
4 Hero's Downfall
2 Despise
2 Sign in Blood
2 Murderous Cut
1 Raiders' Spoils
4 Temple of Silence (?)
The idea would be to just rip their hand apart and attack with dudes. I really want to go into Mardu but as most have pointed out in this thread the mana is terrible. I also would like to run more Sultai Scavenger but it seems hard with the Delve. I'm not sure if it's even worth playing it with Murderous Cut. Removal seems pretty bad though. I am open to suggestions because I have no idea what's good in standard.
I also feel like some amount of Hall of Triumph naming black could be good. Probably better than Raiders' Spoils. Paragon of Open Graves is very interesting to me, it and Chief of the Edge pump each other. Maybe it's better to cut the Spoils for Hall and just have the two Paragons as 4 drops.
Brain Maggot is clearly the weakest card but it does go after their hand. I guess the idea would be to rip all their early plays and try to win before they can do anything.
Not sure if this is better than mono-red but the sideboard might help with that. Of course we are still clueless on what decks will be good after rotation.
seems like it could go somewhere.
lol, harsh but accurate
In response to people saying Souls is better: I am running both Souls (full set) and Bitterblossom. The idea in my deck is to invalidate opponent's removal. I got tired of my Bobs and Scullers just getting hit with a removal spell.
Bitterblossom gives you an evasive creature for free every turn. Importantly, you can use your mana for things other than deploying a threat That means you can play shocks tapped since most other spells you might cast are pretty cheap. It protects planeswalkers (if you even need to with 13 removal spells and a set of lilis in the deck) and goes over the top of ground armies to close out games (allowing you to leave behind however many you might need to chump). Scales up with Sorin emblem and reinforcements from Souls. You have 8 burn spells for reach, including one that gains you 3 life if you need it, and a couple manlands. I have been running Gideon as an even bigger closer if needed, but that might be the spot that I change to shore up the deck.
Against small creature decks like Zoo, Twin and Pod I like how my deck works. It's against the UWR control/tempo decks that don't run the Twin suite where I'm having trouble. Though I think I can shore that up with more grave hate in the side. I like the Slaughter Games idea too. But the thing that control hates the most is a t2 Bitterblossom. Their only out to it is Cryptic and maybe wear/tear postboard. Even thought Electrolyze is a thing you overwhelm that with Souls. When they have to flash in Resto or activate Colonnade to block a token we pull ahead since that often taps them out and we can bolt-kill their blocker while just getting our creature back again.
However, given all that, I just don't know if this deck is strong enough. Creature builds are very vulnerable to common cards in the format. For example, I would never expect a Bob to live against UWR control. It will get countered or killed on sight. Postboard they have Celestial Purge as well. And our manland is the worst one of the Worldwake cycle and honestly I think it's worse than Treetop Village as well. So many decks in the format get there on the back of a manland and ours is painfully weak.
But I will consider testing a couple different configurations:
-3 BB -2 Satchel, +3 Raise the Alarm +2 Phyrexian Arena — this gets me more threats faster (though not evasive), and i actually draw more cards if the game goes late)
-2 Gideon +2 Ajani Vengeant (a more controlling planeswalker with a lifegain ability if I need it)
-2 Gideon +2 Ajani Goldmane (gains life immediately or acts as an extra anthem effect for token swarm)
-2 Gideon +2 Sarkhan the Mad (draws cards or makes me a bigger creature every turn. Turning a spirit that just attacked into an untapped 5/5 flyer seems good)
And I'm going to add gravehate and slaughter games to my SB.
I don't want SCM or DRS banned. But it is picking winners and reducing format diversity to have one banned while the other is legal. The UR shell is now where the BG shell was. There were five decks in the top 8 at the PT playing SCM and Lightning Bolt with some amount of counters in the top 8 of the PT. The breakout "new deck" from the tour was just another SCM/Bolt/counter deck. SCM is the most obvious card to ban from that shell because like SFM it restricts future design space and like DRS it is good whenever it's drawn. Again, if DRS is the standard, SCM fits it.
I agree with you that it is very early. But what is going to change? None of the past 4 expansions have added anything to modern except for a couple narrow hate cards and Voice (a one- or two-of in GWx lists like pod). Even Legacy has gotten a bigger shakeup from TNN. Unless Fae bursts out in a big way all we have done is change the Goyf deck from Jund to Zoo in the same meta we had before, and given UWR and Pod carte blanche to run away with the format.
It also should be noted that I advocate for an unban of SotM no matter what. Just anything to potentially add a new deck to this format which is increasingly monotonous. What reason is there to play a deck that's not URx (Twin or otherwise), Pod, or Zoo?
Unban Deathrite Shaman
Ban Tarmogoyf
OR
Unban Sword of the Meek
Ban Snapcaster Mage
Reasoning: While clearly Jund needed a hit, DRS was the wrong choice. Without DRS providing value to the BGx decks, UWR is oppressive. People thought DRS was too oppressive because it was Grim Lavamancer, Birds of Paradise, and a lifegain/gravehate spell. But it dies to so much, and has summoning sickness, and is vulnerable to grave hate itself! It served as a check on Pod decks (by monkeying with their value) and UWR decks (by providing inevitability and plucking SCM targets).
With Wild Nacatl unbanned, Zoo was in a position to pressure Jund, even with DRS still in the format. Jund damages itself a lot and is subject to being overrun by Zoo. Its removal suite, other than Bolt, is inefficient against Zoo decks: Abrupt Decay, Terminate, Dismember, Liliana and Maelstrom Pulse cost more than the creatures they'd be removing. It was also subject to Tarmogoyf stalls and just being burned out. But now Jund is essentially dead, and even though the BG rock decks are pretty good, they lack the card that really gives them value against UWR and Pod.
Meanwhile, Goyf pushes every 2cmc and some 3cmc creatures out of the format with its pure efficiency. Yes, a turn 2 Liliana is scary. So you have to be ready to kill a 2 toughness creature on turn 1. That doesn't help you when they just plop down a 3/4 or 4/5 instead on turn 2. Now you're getting clocked and you need to be playing, essentially, a Jund deck yourself or a Path deck to beat it. That pushed the format into more BGx decks. Further, with the Nacatl unbanned, you still have to be able to kill a 3 toughness creature on turn 1, which means cheap effective removal is just as needed as it was with DRS in the format.
If Goyf had been banned instead of DRS, Jund's mana curve would've been higher (relevant with Bob and its already large amount of fetching/shocking/Thoughtseizing), making it weaker to aggressive decks, but it still could've fought control and Pod like it had been, preventing those decks from getting out of control.
If DRS must remain banned, then Snapcaster Mage should be banned as well. It is subject to all the same hate that hit DRS that seemingly people are unwilling to play (RIP, Tormod's Crypt effects, etc.), except for removal — it doesn't need to untap to be effective. Look at it this way: It is an instant speed Yawgmoth's Will on a stick. DRS turned your used Bolts and fetches into 2 life drain and a mana? SCM turns your used bolts into bolts! It makes UWR just too good — it makes their graveyard into a wishboard. If DRS and Stoneforge Mystic is the standard for banning a utility creature, SCM fits the bill as well.
Personally, I think both those cards are fair and balanced. Tarmogoyf is a huge mistake, though — as much as a creature that only attacks and blocks can be. (Well, its problem is more that it completely pushes other cards out of the format, sort of like GSZ does).
As for sword of the meek, it is banned because of a combo with Thopter Foundry, itself an artifact with an activation cost. That means it is vulnerable to SB hate people are already running for Pod and Affinity like Ancient Grudge, Stony Silence, Pithing Needle, Wear // Tear, Kataki, etc. There also could be a deck that plays it with Bitterblossom out there that would add to the format instead of just keeping us in this perpetual rotation of Tron, Pod, UWR, and Zoo (where Jund used to be Zoo).
Just my view.
The reason none of these cards are played in modern is simple: No deck that wants any of these cards isn't just better with Tarmogoyf in that slot. You can add a litany of two- and three-drops to that list: Bloodghast, Loxodon Smiter, Vinelasher Kudzu, Vampire Nighthawk, Jotun Grunt, etc. WOTC's in a tough spot. Goyf really should be banned in modern but it's a tinder box in terms of people who have shelled out for them and prevents them from putting it in as a chase mythic in MMA sets.
4 Lightning Helix
4 Path to Exile
4 Lingering Souls
3 Thoughtseize
3 Bitterblossom
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Druidic Satchel
1 Dismember
4 Liliana of the Veil
3 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Gideon Jura
4 Arid Mesa
3 Godless Shrine
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Blood Crypt
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Isolated Chapel
2 Defense Grid
2 Combust
2 Sowing Salt
2 Deathmark
2 Hide // Seek
1 Stony Silence
1 Torpor Orb
1 Engineered Explosives
Rd. 1 UWR control
Game 1 went back and forth for a while, I eventually got Souls tokens and a Sorin emblem out and won.
SB: -4 Bolt -2 Gideon -1 Satchel +2 Pithing Needle +2 Defense Grid +2 Combust +1 Torpor Orb
Game 2 was super long and grindy. I had an active Druidic Satchel but I couldn't stick a win con. He Sphinx's Revved a couple times and eventually got me.
Game 3 went to turns. He dropped an Ajani and managed to ult it but I had a Needle on Colonnade and he couldn't get there. 0-0-1
Rd. 2 BG obliterator rock
Game 1 I got double obliteratored and only drew one path
SB: +2 Pithing Needle +2 Hide // Seek -3 IoK -1 Satchel
Sideboard error: I should've brought in Deathmark. He got there with Goyf and Finks. 0-1-1
He said he wanted to test his other deck, so we played one game. The deck was Merfolk. It was a slaughter and I drew insanely, ending up somehow with an active Sorin, Bitterblossom, and Lingering Souls with a Sorin emblem and lots of spot removal for his dudes. Once I stabilized it just took two attacks in the air with my 5+ flying 2/1s.
Rd. 3 Living End
It was an epic bout between a girl learning the deck and a guy who forgot his own mantra: Never leave graveyard hate at home! (Where were my Spellbombs?)
Game 1 I laughed my ass off when she went turn 1 cycle Street Wraith. But I made it hard on her: She had to resolve three Living Ends to win.
SB: +2 Pithing Needle +2 Hide // Seek +2 Deathmark -3 IoK -3 Thoughtseize
I figured my best out was to Seek for Living End and discard wasn't doing anything anyway, now was it?
Game 2 I dropped a t1 Needle on Street Wraith so at least I could block all her creatures. I ground this one out thanks to Gideon absorbing attacks (well, they were forced to attack Gideon, then I had tokens to chump, then I ground her down to 6 and smashed in with Gideon.
After that she said she wanted to go home, so I won on a technicality. 1-1-1.
Rd. 4 UWR geist
Game 1 I Lili'd away a geist early but he eventually got me.
SB: -4 Bolt -2 Gideon -1 Satchel +2 Pithing Needle +2 Defense Grid +2 Combust +1 Torpor Orb
Between games I went on a rant about how it's total bull that DRS is banned and not Snapcaster. (Of my last 8 rounds of magic, I have played against UWR 5 times and I am so tired of it). Apparently people are just more scared of a Birds of Paradise glued to a Grim Lavamancer than they are of an instant speed Yawgmoth's Will on a stick. Blecch.
Game 2 I had him down to 4 with about 8 tokens. But cryptic (tap and draw) cryptic (tap and draw) snap cryptic (tap and draw) bolt bolt helix you, you die on upkeep to BB trigger? Deep breaths. 1-2-1
What I learned:
—No one in my meta plays Zoo, which is this deck's best matchup. Someone playing Twin at one point jumped up from his table and said "WHERE IS THE ZOO?!?" after his third consecutive combo matchup (storm, ad naus, storm). I lol'd
—We need to play Rest in Peace, I love my value from Lingering Souls but Snapcaster is the greater enemy here. Also nerfs Melira, storm and GY decks in general. I generally prefer spellbomb because it only hits one person and cantrips but I think we might just want something that sticks around.
—Need more outs to big creatures. I think I might use more Dismembers or Terminates in the board instead of Deathmark, one mana is nice but Obliterator, damn.
—Druidic Satchel is a house. Seriously. I was never mad to see it. I'm not even sure if boarding it out against UWR was correct. Sitting behind that and a Bitterblossom is just so lovely. So much value.
—Other cards that overperformed: Bitterblossom was great against living end, you get at least one blocker and it can team up with a bolt to kill lots of their creatures. Sorin is really good, better than Elspeth I think because of the lifelink token and the emblem that scales to the entire team.
—On the underperforming side, Gideon seemed a little win-more, though I think he'd be better against Zoo. 5 mana might just be too much. I think 2 Vengeant might be the way to go here, though then I can't needle it (Vengeant is insane against my deck). I also thought about Sarkhan the Mad, he draws cards or turns faeries into dragons. Again, though, 5 mana.
—Even given all that I am not sure what this deck does better than UWR control/midrange or BW tokens. I miss Deathrite Shaman so much, it was such a fun card that enabled so many more archetypes than just Jund. I honestly don't think GY decks are any more viable now, they are too slow to compete with zoo or not get countered into oblivion by UWR or just get outvalued by Melira or Tron. Faeries seems like a bust, so we essentially went from a Jund-Tron-Pod-UWR meta to a Zoo-Tron-Pod-UWR meta and gained no new decks while making UWR and Pod so much better they will just be oppressive. Ugh. I hate it.
4 Lightning Helix
4 Path to Exile
4 Lingering Souls
3 Thoughtseize
3 Bitterblossom
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Druidic Satchel
1 Terminate
3 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Gideon Jura
4 Marsh Flats
4 Arid Mesa
3 Godless Shrine
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Plains
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Swamp
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Blood Crypt
The idea is to blank their creature removal (I may even ditch Lavaclaw Reaches to do that even more so), remove their threats, and gain incremental advantage with Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, and planeswalkers. I don't have any Elspeths or Ajanis, but they may be right here — I made it out of stuff I had kicking around. Druidic Satchel may look weird but it is actually a total boss. It gains life to offset BB, Thoughtseize and shocks, or it ramps (and gets annoying land off the top of the deck).
T1 Discard, T2 Blossom, T3 Lili discard souls, T4 removal + flashback souls, T5 removal + Sorin emblem is the magical christmas land for this deck.
Yeah, I just played five playtest games against a stock UWR build and lost each one. With me playing both sides and having perfect information! I think this deck needs more planeswalkers. Elspeth is the one IMO, and I'll be adding at least one if not more.
I went with Aristocrat because I figured I'd have extra creatures hanging around from token generators, and if I sac a Lavamancer or Bob to it, it gets a counter, and if I sac a Finks to it, I gain two life. I vastly overestimated the amount of aggro I'd see though. I thought for sure Zoo would be more popular, and there's always lots of affinity. But I really think UWR is going to be the flavor of the near future (as it didn't really change with the bannings and has game against all decks, and Snapcaster is better now, and there's no DRS for inevitability). It was the wrong choice but honestly it never came up. I might have drawn it once? However, point taken and it's as good as gone.
Honestly, without DRS for inevitability and acceleration, we are in trouble. It's hard to say what we gain from using B instead of U with the W/R shell of Bolt, Helix, Path, Lavamancer. We are getting LotV, Lingering Souls, Bob and discard, but losing Cryptic, other counters, GoST, Electrolyze and Colonnade. Electrolyze and Colonnade are really good against our deck, and Cryptic is good everywhere, which puts us at a huge disadvantage IMO. I thought about axing red, but then it's just BW tokens. -Red +Green just makes us a junk deck (and without DRS the best junk midrange deck in the format is Melira Pod). Splashing another color just makes us a deck with a bad manabase.
Maybe going creatureless with planeswalkers is the way to go. Bob already gets removed a ton, maybe we just want to depend on BB + souls for card advantage and add some mix of Ajani, Elspeth, Sorin, Gideon for end-of-game bombs?
List seems tuned for a mostly fair metagame of blue tempo/midrange decks. Chapels are important to kick Gatekeeper with regularity (Mongoose, TNN). Smiter beats Lili and is a house against RUG and True-Name decks (uncounterable, unboltable beatstick that isn't blocked and killed by a TNN is so good). I agree that it's super sketchy on only one green source. Like, while I get batterskull is a thing, I'd so much rather have an Abrupt Decay in that Disenchant spot — and if you're willing to try to bring Loxodon Smiter in on only a Bayou, why not play AD as well? (I splash for SB Decay and Krosan Grip and I still run a Bayou and a Savannah just in case).
The gatekeeper plan seems fun but I don't know if I'd have the guts to run into a SCG open without a Wasteland-proof white source. Kudos to this guy.