Modern Decks : U/W Tron & gifts help

[Paul Hodgson]

From LSV's article on CF today:

4 Celestial Colonnade 1 Eye of Ugin 2 Hallowed Fountain 1 Island 1 Plains 3 Seachrome Coast 1 Ghost Quarter 4 Urza's Mine 4 Urza's Power Plant 4 Urza's Tower 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn 1 Iona, Shield of Emeria 1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre 4 Azorius Signet 1 Day of Judgment 3 Expedition Map 4 Gifts Ungiven 1 Oblivion Ring 4 Path to Exile 4 Remand 2 Repeal 1 Talisman of Progress 4 Thirst for Knowledge 1 Timely Reinforcements 1 Unburial Rites 1 Wrath of God Sideboard 2 Celestial Purge 2 Grafdigger's Cage 2 Kataki, War's Wage 1 Tectonic Edge 1 Crucible of Worlds 1 Wurmcoil Engine 1 Disenchant 1 Dispel 1 Rule of Law 1 Ethersworn Canonist 1 Timely Reinforcements 1 Ghostly Prison

Played a previous version of Tron at the PTQ and was pretty impressed, even though I didn't post a stellar result. I'm fairly certain that not playing a B source is wrong, as you sometimes draw the Unburial rites and that's just horrible. I'll likely be playing this list at the PTQ - hard casting Emrakul is sweet after all.

The hard part is working out your gifts packages. Generally, getting Rites + Iona/Elesh Norn is correct vs creature decks. It gets a lot more tricky when you're trying to craft a package for a particular scenario or game state, a third sweeper (Explosives maybe) is definitely a consideration against the tokens decks so you can definitely grab one with gifts for example. If you're missing a tron piece you need to go for map, the piece, tolaria west & something (another gifts) - you'll usually get the west & map. It gets a bit more tricky if you have rites stuck in hand, you've got to let them give you a thirst and end up with your monster in the bin. There's always the option to hard cast Elesh Norn which can be overlooked if you're focussed on the rites plan.

If anyone has some tips for figuring out gifts it'd be good to have a discussion, as thinking about what you're gifting for takes up a lot of time on the spot and there's a huge risk of punting too.

[Amar Dattani]

When we were testing normal UW Gifts (no Tron) we loved Noxious Revival as it makes your Gifts piles harder to deal with.

[Dan Barrett]

If you're gonna do that, may as well add 1 snapcaster as well?

Amar Dattani said:

When we were testing normal UW Gifts (no Tron) we loved Noxious Revival as it makes your Gifts piles harder to deal with.

[Paul Hodgson]

Yeah seems reasonable, problem would be actually fitting it in! You could maybe shave off a Repeal. Was also thinking about trying to wedge teachings in there, especially if putting a B source in as well. Not enough slots for everything unless you run the 66 card special though.

[Amar Dattani]

We did have snapcaster but there isn't enough space in a tron build for all of this and revival means you dont have to pay 6 to flash back a wrath.

[Philip Dickinson]

it makes me sad that academy ruins is no longer legal

[Paul Hodgson]

err, it is legal in Modern, have seen some lists playing it for slaver lock and EE recursion

Philip Dickinson said:

it makes me sad that academy ruins is no longer legal

[Dan Barrett]

My highlander control list runs it with EE, Relic, and board Slaver

[Philip Dickinson]

what the hell, it's legal? why aren't people mindslavering all over the shop?

maybe i should rebuild my Mindslaver/Time Stop/Echoing Truth/Eternal Witness/Myojin of Seeing Winds special...

[Louis Mackie]

A deck with Academy Ruins Mindslaver won a MTGO PTQ on Saturday Phil

[Dan Barrett]

4 Mindslaver, to be precise!

[Philip Dickinson]

hoooooooly shit that deck looks nuts

if i wasn't philosophically opposed to the mere idea of £20 ptqs then that crazy list would be enough to make me play in the ptq

edit: 4 karn as well?! this looks so much fun

[Louis Mackie]

Well at least this one has 4 packs per player