Modern Thoughts?

[Gary Lynch]

So what are peoples thoughts on Modern and the ban list they have given?

 

Seen a lot of complaints on the wizards forum about how they banned too many cards and it will just be loads of agro decks. Not really sure thats true as something like Revilark seems like it could be very good against agro decks.

 

Could be time to bring back the Teachings :)

[Jason Savage]

If people turned up more often when events are being run on a Saturday, the formats you wish to play could be arranged!

Turn up, talk to Jason!

[Philip Dickinson]

getting up early on a saturday and surrendering my whole day to play some 8-man single elims

 

versus

 

playing 4-round swiss constructed on a weekday evening with a pint

 

i know what i think is a more attractive option, and i think many would agree

[Gary Lynch]

Cant afford to buy a whole deck for this fomat at the moment but did take a punt on a few cards hoping either one of my favourite decks is viable again.

 

Academy Ruins |1.50|

2x Body Double |2 x 0.90|

Boseiju, Who Shelters All |0.75|

4x Detritivore |4 x 0.08|

4x Glittering Wish |4 x 0.35|

4x Greater Good |4 x 0.10|

Life from the Loam |5.00|

4x Loxodon Hierarch |4 x 0.50|

Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir |0.40|

4x Yosei, the Morning Star |4 x 0.70|

4x Gifts Ungiven |4 x 6.00|

4x Path to Exile |4 x 1.00|

4x Kitchen Finks |4 x 1.50|

 

What you guys think on those cards and prices?

[Peter Dun]

// Lands
    4 [GP] Steam Vents
    4 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn
    3 [M10] Mountain (1)
    4 [ZEN] Misty Rainforest
    6 [CHK] Island (4)

// Creatures
    2 [M11] Frost Titan
    3 [SHM] Fulminator Mage

// Spells
    1 [NPH] Karn Liberated
    4 [LRW] Ponder
    2 [SOM] Koth of the Hammer
    4 [M11] Jace Beleren
    4 [10E] Boomerang
    4 [9E] Annex
    2 [9E] Wildfire
    3 [CHK] Stone Rain
    4 [CHK] Eye of Nowhere
    4 [M11] Preordain
    2 [BOK] Threads of Disloyalty

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [MOR] Negate
SB: 3 [FD] Vedalken Shackles
SB: 2 [CHK] Keiga, the Tide Star
SB: 2 [BOK] Threads of Disloyalty
SB: 4 [M11] Lightning Bolt

 

Now, consider how easily a deck like this could switch into either hive mind, ascension, or splinter twin with its filtering :)

[Gary Lynch]

Nice, I was considering a Wildefire deck. Dont you want 4 Wildfires though?

 

Have you played this deck at all? How does it do? Looks like it would get hammered by red decks.

[Peter Dun]

you get destroyed by red decks, but similarly destroy control and combo decks (hence the need to find a good sb plan... maybe twin?)

 

wildfire is honestly not needed, this deck is a lot better than the old magnivore decks used to be because the planeswalkers are all awesome. You will use every one of koth (untap steam vents for preordain, play koth + ld spell on turn 4) and jace's abilities, and simply keeping your opponent from killing koth with bounce spells is enough to win the game. Wildfire is a catchall answer, which ponder and preordain can find quickly and efficientlyl as necessary

 

I'm testing this for modern, but would 100% not play it until I find a good plan b (either twin, ascension, polymorph, hive mind or w/e)

 

[Gary Lynch]

I would love to start testing but the price of cards is pretty expensive on MODO now. Im pretty sure any of the blue shocklands are over 30 tix each.

 

Have you looked at revisiting your Enduring Ideal deck or has it lost some of the stuff you need?

 

I think the best thing for MODO is to find a deck before it takes off so you can get the cards at a reasonable price.

 

Cloudpost decks are so popular that Vesuva (previously pretty cheap) is now about 30 tix.

 

Perhaps its best to wait till the format settles, not sure if this will drop a lot of prices except for the cards in 1 or 2 decks or if it will make all the cards more expensive.

Peter Dun said:

you get destroyed by red decks, but similarly destroy control and combo decks (hence the need to find a good sb plan... maybe twin?)

 

wildfire is honestly not needed, this deck is a lot better than the old magnivore decks used to be because the planeswalkers are all awesome. You will use every one of koth (untap steam vents for preordain, play koth + ld spell on turn 4) and jace's abilities, and simply keeping your opponent from killing koth with bounce spells is enough to win the game. Wildfire is a catchall answer, which ponder and preordain can find quickly and efficientlyl as necessary

 

I'm testing this for modern, but would 100% not play it until I find a good plan b (either twin, ascension, polymorph, hive mind or w/e)

 

[Dan Barrett]

Pete, is something along those lines what you'll be giving to Dan to PT with?

[Philip Dickinson]

i might be missing something but doesn't that wildfire list just snap lose to every combo deck in the format?

[Peter Dun]

@phil: ... no

[Peter Dun]

@dan: contrary to popular belief, dan doesn't just play what I tell him to... I just showed him the deck for nats (like I showed pretty much everyone at the games club) it was entirely his and glenn's choice to run it (although I won't deny that once he made the choice I helped all I could after). I am brewing a bit for modern though... would love the brits to do well and we have a good chance given how wide open the format is: I'll post some lists here, but would appreciate no article written on them until the week of the pt ;)

 

@gary: unfortunately I feel that enduring ideal is a little weak now. I think green sun's zenith is probably the single most powerful card in modern (maybe on a par with dark confidant, but it's close) and any zenith deck can easily run md teegs or qasali pridemages. Also, the deck has lost both burning wish and sensei's diving top, which makes actually finding the ideal in time pretty tough. You also can't transmute for enduring ideal like you can for dragonstorm or hive mind which is very very annoying.

 

I actually dislike all 3 tier 1 decks in modern atm. I feel cloudpost is a little slow with all the cipt lands, and is weak to decks that attack your mana (if they choose to do so of course). Zoo is the known tier 1 deck, and whilst very good, ppl can beat if they want. And squadron hawk.... well, 2 mana 1/1 or 1 mana 3/3....

 

Powerful things you can do in modern:

Doran + Spellskite

Tezzeret (+ dispatch etc.)

Aether Vial (+ fauna shaman)

Mystical Teachings for Ad Nauseum + Angel's Grace

Gifts for Reclaim, Noxious Revival, and 2 spells already in your graveyard with a pyromancer's ascension in play.

 

And 2 lists I'm testing (but not cheap on modo...)

UG Melira (to test vial + zenith as a theory...). I actually don't think the combo is necessary, melira + spellskite + finks/archmage is enough to win games by itself. You cast the non UG cards by vial, zenith, or discarding to fauna shaman + body double.

// Lands
    4 [DIS] Breeding Pool
    2 [FUT] Dryad Arbor
    4 [ZEN] Misty Rainforest
    4 [M11] Island (4)
    2 [DIS] Ghost Quarter
    2 [SOM] Forest (4)
    1 [EVE] Flooded Grove

// Creatures
    1 [CFX] Scarland Thrinax
    1 [SHM] Murderous Redcap
    1 [LRW] Sower of Temptation
    2 [EVE] Glen Elendra Archmage
    4 [M11] Fauna Shaman
    1 [PLC] Body Double
    2 [NPH] Melira, Sylvok Outcast
    4 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
    3 [MOR] Vendilion Clique
    1 [BOK] Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
    4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
    4 [CFX] Noble Hierarch
    4 [NPH] Spellskite
    1 [FD] Eternal Witness

// Spells
    4 [DS] AEther Vial
    4 [MBS] Green Sun's Zenith

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [DIS] Ghost Quarter
SB: 2 [LRW] Sower of Temptation
SB: 1 [EVE] Glen Elendra Archmage
SB: 1 [MOR] Vendilion Clique
SB: 4 [MOR] Negate
SB: 1 [DS] Viridian Zealot
SB: 3 [M11] Obstinate Baloth
SB: 1 [LRW] Gaddock Teeg

 

 

 

Doran

// Lands
    4 [10E] Treetop Village
    1 [MOR] Murmuring Bosk
    2 [FUT] Dryad Arbor
    4 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
    4 [ZEN] Misty Rainforest
    1 [MBS] Swamp (2)
    1 [GP] Godless Shrine
    1 [NPH] Plains (2)
    2 [RAV] Overgrown Tomb
    1 [RAV] Temple Garden

// Creatures
    4 [LRW] Doran, the Siege Tower
    4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
    4 [RAV] Dark Confidant
    4 [CFX] Noble Hierarch
    1 [TSP] Saffi Eriksdotter
    1 [ARB] Qasali Pridemage
    1 [LRW] Gaddock Teeg
    3 [NPH] Spellskite
    3 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
    2 [CFX] Knight of the Reliquary (maybe skinshifter?)

// Spells
    4 [MBS] Green Sun's Zenith
    4 [CFX] Path to Exile
    4 [LRW] Thoughtseize

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [TSP] Saffi Eriksdotter
SB: 3 [ARB] Qasali Pridemage
SB: 2 [RAV] Loxodon Hierarch
SB: 2 [CHK] Cranial Extraction
SB: 2 [TSP] Krosan Grip
SB: 3 [DIS] Ghost Quarter
SB: 1 [LRW] Gaddock Teeg
SB: 1 [NPH] Spellskite

[Dan Barrett]

Pete - Sure: I think Royde should play your lists though, as it turns out they are usually quite good!

 

Also, you mention not writing anything about these until after the PT - Totally fine, but perhaps you should be writing more yourself? I know you have a series with Mike started, but I'm pretty sure you could get into SCG through me, or CFB through PV if you so desired?

 

EDIT: And super-pleased to see people are using Scarland Thrinax that I "invented". :D