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 Modern. It's WotC's solution to Eternal formats with obscence price tags to get into. There's a ton of dynamic decks, with Combo actually alive and well, along with plenty of powerful cards to handle combo, along with the 3 of the best 2-drops ever printed (Tarmogoyf, Dark Confidant and Snapcaster Mage). So what can I play? The full list is here, but basically it's "everything with the new face." (the exceptions being cards with the new face that haven't been printed since Eigth edition, like Tainted Field from the new Duel Deck or Judge Promos.) But what cards should I play? http://www.metamox.com/staples.php has a list of the top cards being played in Modern right now (also the other formats, but who cares about those?) Wait, that card is how much now? There's no getting around it, Modern is an expensive format, and unlike legacy you can't sneak wins and take 8th place using a $60 burn deck - the format is completely dependant on fetches and the big-money cards to win. Expect to drop in the neighborhood of $200-300 on a deck not counting its manabase, and another $500 on the manabase itself. On the upside, nothing in Modern is forbidden from being reprinted, and a new set (Modern Masters) is dropping in June to inject more cards into the system. Still, if previous reprints have taught us anything, it's that after an initial dip as the available stock expands, supply will far outstrip demand and prices will slingshot past their old highs. This is stupid, I don't wanna pay that much! That's not a question, Janet, but here's the thing: It's an eternal format, so once you buy your manabase, you're pretty much set, and you'll be able to trade out fetches/duals into decks with new pieces when you want to change things up. There's also several staples like Path to Exile that, while $20 for a playset of uncommons, are usable across several decks forever. And since the cards aren't really set to get cheaper any time soon, Modern is the safest place to keep your money this side of a Mox in terms of being able to cash out and buy a car/semester of classes a few years down the road. Where can I play Modern? Odds are your friendly local gaming store has Modern nights on a non-Friday night, like Wednesday. If not, ask about forming one. Modern is also ¼ of the tournament season. What are the decks to beat? The best decks right now are (feel free to chime in and tell me how wrong I am): -Jund, a BRG deck that costs north of $1000 right now based on two of the three cards listed in the first section ('Goyf and Bob), along with Thoughtseize, another stupidly powerful/expensive card. It is quite a good deck. - -America, a WUR (Red White and Blue, get it?) control deck that does... controlly stuff. Cryptic Command is your bus ticket on the 241 line to Valuetown. -Melira Pod, a dumb combo deck with Birthing Pod and Melira along with Murderous Redcap and a sac outlet that can turn into a dumb BG midrange deck games 2 and 3, so watch out. What are the Rogue Options? -Living End, a combo deck based around Cascading into dumb poo poo. -Scapeshift, a combo deck built around Scapeshift and Valakut. When I can watch hilariously awkward streams of a big Modern event? GP Portland is coming up in a few weeks; I'll be going along with my team. We're currently running an America Control deck, a Melira Pod deck and a rogue Hatebears deck up the flagpole to see what happens. Talk about all things Modern here! Shrecknet fucked around with this message at 21:41 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 22, 2013 04:53
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 14:40 |
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Reserved for GP Portland trip report
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Apr 22, 2013 04:54
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Theorycrafting: I expect Eggs to be a pretty big part of the Modern landscape, assuming the Banhammer doesn't hit Lotus Bloom. Some things I'm thinking about as sideboard answers: Disciple of the Vault Seal of Fire Rest in Peace Stony Silence The problem is many of these are susceptible to Echoing Truth, but if you had a full suite (so they couldn't hit more than 1 or 2), these could be good right? Also, how do goons feel about Delay? I think it's a really, really strong counter right now (especially vs control) because it's so cheap and splashable; it's like a Dispel that also hits other stuff sometimes too.
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Apr 22, 2013 04:59
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TheKingofSprings posted:Modern
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Apr 22, 2013 05:15
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If people post or PM me links to decks/primers, I'll include them in the OP.
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Apr 22, 2013 20:16
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So here's a thing: http://bidwicket.com I've found it's immensely easier/cheaper to get cards from here, especially common/uncommon staples. You can comparison shop and get things on the cheap, just be aware that paying a few cents more per card can make financial sense on shipping. White Lion and Strike Zone are consistently cheap and great. Also, http://gixen.com lets you snipe if you want to try your luck with eBay; it's a fairly simple interface and can save you beaucoups dollars.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:04
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Oldsrocket_27 posted:I've been playing around with the idea of a Modern prison deck based around Orb of Dreams and Eon Hub.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:28
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Correct. There's also Mindcrank + Duskmantle Guildmage, for a cheaper, less-color-intensive version.
Shrecknet fucked around with this message at 01:38 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 01:34
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AnacondaHL posted:Unless there's a block coming up that will reprint Modern fetchlands, expect the price to go up and up.
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Apr 24, 2013 15:57
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I was planning on taking Hatebears to GP Portland, as it literally laughs at Jund, but its flank was pretty badly exposed in a few matchups against U Tron and America, which seem to be gaining ground. Mono-U Tron is currently 13% of the meta, with Jund down to just 9%. Any ideas what rogue deck deals handily with U strategies and generally goes hard against the field? Some sort of R/g LD/Sowing Salt/Life from the Loam/Crucible of Worlds/Ghost Quarter thing?
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Apr 25, 2013 20:00
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Mulletstation posted:Ghost Quarter would be useful because I could target my own fetches, sac the fetch for a land and end up with 3-landfall triggers for the turn and no loss of available mana. Not quite: quote:9/22/2011: If the targeted land is an illegal target by the time Ghost Quarter's ability resolves, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. The land's controller won't get to search for a basic land card.
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Apr 26, 2013 21:10
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Holy poo poo this loving list Lands:15 4 Glimmervoid 4 Arid Mesa 2 Academy Ruins 1 Temple Garden 1 Stomping Ground 1 Plains 1 Godless Shrine 1 Sacred Foundry Artifacts:25 4 Lantern of Insight 4 Codex Shredder 4 Ghoulcaller's Bell 4 Mox Opal 3 Mishra's Bauble 3 Ensnaring Bridge 2 Pithing Needle 1 Pyrite Spellbomb Spells:19 3 Ancient Stirrings 3 Faithless Looting 3 Dispatch 3 Pyroclasm 3 Duress 2 Beast Within 2 Infernal Tutor Planeswalker: 1 1 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas  Go read Lantern of Insight and Codex Shredder/Ghoulcaller's Bell Hope your opening grip was good.
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Apr 27, 2013 04:08
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What blows me away about that deck is the wincon bandied about - Timesifter
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Apr 27, 2013 05:15
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Jenx posted:Speaking of awful, anyone here plays/has played the modern Ad Nauseam combo? I've been thinking of building it for FNM, but it honestly seems way too slow and inconsistent, which is a shame since I love lovely modern combos and am itching to try it.
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Apr 27, 2013 06:41
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So what cards, if any, from Dragon's Maze slot into existing Modern decklists? I can't think of anything really out-of-this world that Tron or Jund would want. America already has Lightning Helix and doesn't need the Warcaster helix-for-4. Anything?
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Apr 29, 2013 20:43
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Do you guys like that Rakdos champion? 4/4 First Strike Haste for 4 + Fervor for your team sounds kinda good in a theoretical suiBlack deck.
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Apr 29, 2013 22:31
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This deck wants Cloudshift in the worst way. Also Restoration Angel, but don't spend money to play casual.
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May 2, 2013 19:48
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ScarletBrother posted:This is an interesting mental exercise, but I suspect any deck running JtMS and Mental Misstep will hose Affinity. I could be wrong though. I never played in the world of JtMS or fully powered Affinity so I really have no idea. The inclusion of Blazing Shoal would also make Infect a t2 kill (exile Progenitus) so who knows. Incorrect. Fully-powered Affinity was perfectly capable of winning on turn 3 with Disciple and Shrapnel Blast, skipping the combat step. Mental Misstep just makes Affinity stronger. Also, Skullclamp.
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May 3, 2013 18:53
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AlphaKeny1 posted:Without any testing I'd easily go in with U/B Dark Depths Thopter. What does Skullclamp Affinity do against turn 2 Marit Lage? Seriouschat, they'd just go around. Swing with the team on two, anyone you blocked gets sacc'd to whoever's getting through, Disciple of the Vault brings you to 6 or so, then Shrapnel Blast gets in there. Enjoy your 20/20 while you're dead.
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May 3, 2013 20:55
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AgentSythe posted:If you play this deck, you are a sociopath. Ask Me For Warez posted:I love everything about this deck. I had the Opals, so I built this deck. Hoo boy, if you have a Lantern in your opening grip, it is an absolute bloodbath. The concept of "my deck is better than your opening 7, btw you can't attack me game 1" is some kind of good. Still trying to figure a way to beat Chalice for 1 and incidental artifact hate, but Affinity isn't really a thing and Welding Jar exists in my board. I'm trying to decide between this and Hatebears for GP Portland, I think Hatebears is stronger (especially against Jund), but it just autoloses to Tron, which is the current oversaturated deck, so I'm thinking of taking this deck. I need a better name than "Top Control," though, because that just makes people think of the Dreidel.
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May 9, 2013 07:15
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Jenx posted:I'm actually quite interesting in seeing the deck in action as well. Follow @npcdel on Twitter; I'll take it to GP Portland and livetweet my results.
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May 9, 2013 15:32
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Wadjamaloo posted:Eh, I think Jace is fine in modern. Tapping out for a Jace is such a huge liability, most decks can just kill you if you do that. I do not think we are talking about the same Jace, the Mind Sculptor.
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May 9, 2013 19:11
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I'm in love with Life from the Loam. When I was able to use it at Portland, it was always the superstar. I had one game go: Turn 1: Weathered Wayfarer Turn 2: Ghost Quarter Turn 3: Ghost Quarter Turn 4: Ghost Quarter Turn 5: Ghost Quarter Turn 6: Life from the Loam, opponent threw his cards at me. What decks are abusing Loam the most right now?
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May 17, 2013 17:24
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What is "Robots"? I thought that was just a colloquial name for Affinity.
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Jun 1, 2013 22:10
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Improbably, the Mothership has a fantastic article breaking down the top modern decks, if you want a look at what the metagame is like right now.
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Jun 15, 2013 23:06
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Sampatrick posted:I was wondering if anybody here pilots a Storm list similar to the one Jon Finkel piloted at GP Portland, and if so, if they could give me any pointers on how to pilot a deck like it. I'm looking to make a similar deck, and it would be really helpful to get some pointers. Wadjamaloo posted:Don't.
Once your Pyromancer's Ascension is online, your focus is Manamorphose -> Any other Card Draw -> Rituals. Eventually, you hit Past in Flames, at which point comboing is a fait accompli. Also, Desperate Ritual is really, really good if you can get two in hand and 3 mana to splice it, as you then can cast it twice and immediately have all the mana you'll ever need. Game 2, bring in Empty the Warrens for Grapeshot, as you'll be seeing Leyline of Sanctity and/or Witchbane Orb, and swinging for 36 is pretty cool. Also, "Slaughter Games for Grapeshot" is absolutely hilarious in that situation. Some people like Goblin Bushwhacker to swing that turn, others figure they can wait a turn to swing if there's no Pyroclasm potential. There are a few troublesome cards (Surgical Extraction is a bugaboo for sure) but with Storm (as all combo decks), honestly you just have to go off and "make them have it." Sometimes they do, but most of the time when you go off turn 3-4, they just don't have it. Also, unless your Electromancer is currently being bolted/pathed, always put spells on the stack and resolve them one at a time. Counterflux/Mindbreak Trap are around, and you don't want to get caught too badly by them (having an online Past in Flames is pretty great; remember that Increasing Vengeance is RR:Copy target spell twice under an active Past in Flames, since it doesn't care how much you paid for the flashback. The deck has a lot of paths to victory, and figuring out while you're comboing how to get the storm count to 10 is part of the fun of the deck. Shrecknet fucked around with this message at 00:39 on Jun 18, 2013 |
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Jun 18, 2013 00:35
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Sampatrick posted:Thanks for the advice, it's really helpful to have someone with more experience explain how the deck works and what you should be looking for when you're digging for spells. Thanks One of the biggest things you have to learn in Finkelstorm is when you want to see cards. You want 1 Pyromancer's Ascension immediately, you want a Past in Flames relatively quickly, but don't need it. You also want to pay attention to how to fill your graveyard with spells without doing something stupid like casting two Gitaxian Probes before sticking the Pyromancer's Ascension. Desperate Ravings is also a card that you need to play smart. It's one of the few instants you want to play before making your land drop for the turn, because then you can maximize the chance you ditch something like a land and minimize the chance of hitting something important. One change I've made is to run Telling Time in place of Sleight of Hand. I find the instant speed and extra digging easily offsets the extra (1) in the cost, which is completely negated by a single Goblin Electromancer. Also, if you're in trouble, don't be afraid to do something like storm for 3 and then Grapeshot 4 at, say, Noble Hierarch, Noble Hierarch, Glistener Elf. It does wonders to buy you the time to craft an epically stormable hand, and you're just gonna flash back/copy Grapeshot anyway.
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Jun 18, 2013 01:14
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Sampatrick posted:Yeah, I can definitely see how that would be a good idea. I was actually thinking of removing the one Peer through Depths with an epic experiment; I think that it would be very strong as a one of, because a couple of times I've found myself with a massive amount of mana and nothing to do with it, and it just seems like a good way to sink a bunch of excess mana. What do you think of this idea? The Epic Experiments version of Storm is a whole other deck. Trust me, there will be times when your storm count hits 25 but you still haven't seen a Grapeshot, and you'll be glad you can dig 10 cards for almost no mana. Just - build (or proxy) the deck as Finkel had it and goldfish it 100 times to get an idea of why certain cards are in there before you go mucking with it.
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Jun 18, 2013 05:29
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C-Euro posted:Yikes, would I really need the big money (non-Land) cards to just compete at a LGS in Bumblefuck, USA? Or is it more of a "pick these up when you can just to expand your options" type of deal? I just want to be able to go out and have fun for now so I'll look into some of the more budget archetypes, what's a common Burn decklist (or, more generally, a good database for looking up Modern decklists)? Different money cards are valued differently. 'Goyf, while the biggest cost, only really goes in 1 deck (Jund). Bob goes in slightly more decks, but not every deck as a default. From that list, I'd prioritize this way:
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Jun 23, 2013 18:17
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TheKingofSprings posted:How does the deck get the double red to cast and bounce the Ignus? 
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Jul 1, 2013 21:05
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Celestial Dawn  nowai~~!
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Jul 1, 2013 22:19
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Pyrolocutus posted:That doesn't work, actually. Here's Celestial Dawn: I found it doesn't work immediately after I posted it, hence "nowai~~!" Sunglasses of Urza reprint in M14 is our only chance (as an aside, the old oracle text on sunglasses is the absolute best thing ever - it just said "W:R"
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Jul 1, 2013 22:41
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Theoretical Deck: 50 Shadowborn Apostle 4 Surgical Extraction 4 Shelldock Isle 2 Emrakul, the Aeons-Torn Turn 1, choose to draw. Draw a card, then discard at EOT for having 8 cards. Surgically extract your own Shadowborn Apostle, then play Shelldock, find Emrakul, play another shelldock, untap and win. The only problem is, you cannot mulligan, as then you don't have the requisite cards in hand to force-discard. There's a few ways to get a little more resilient, you could get some Watery Graves maybe for Despise or something, but it's got the same problem Belcher does, with even less resiliency.
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Jul 7, 2013 17:04
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TheKingofSprings posted:What about Gitaxian Probes/Street Wraith? Probably obvious and the whole issue of known information, but hey, as you said can't mulligan with it, so might as well roll with it. Apostles are 25¢ commons, Relentless Rats are $2.50 uncommons My team and I discussed Wraith/Probe, but the problem is that even though it gives you more looks, it's also more cards post-Surgical that you then will have to dig through hoping to stick an Emrakul on Shelldock. I could see maybe 2 Gitaxian or so, but at the end of the day, the combo is shallow and weak as gently caress. I'd play it at a casual Modern at my LGS but it would need to show outstanding results there to think about it at a PTQ. Shrecknet fucked around with this message at 17:18 on Jul 7, 2013 |
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Jul 7, 2013 17:16
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Molybdenum posted:How about that land destruction, eh? Hell, throw some Pyretic Rituals in there, turn 1 "SSG->Pyretic->Blood Moon, go" sounds amazing
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Jul 12, 2013 00:59
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Is anyone doing anything to break Plow Under even more? I can't think of anything more backbreaking than the old Plow - E-Witness - Plow line, and I really wanna do that again. Is Jund and gobbos just too fast?
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Jul 27, 2013 21:57
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Jenx posted:So I found I have most of the cards for a modern U/R Storm deck. Would you say the deck is consistent enough to waste money getting the cards I don't have (some of the rituals, pyromancer's ascensions and past in flames) and how well does it handle against dedicated hate (Graveyard removal, ethersworn canonist, stuff like that?) As a storm player, the following things are true: Relic of Progenitus/Tormod's Crypt/Nihil Spellbomb are easily played around with Stony Silence (which should be in your board for Affinity and Pod anyway) Ethersworn Canonist is a joke, easily bolted away. Scavenging Ooze is the real deal, though. He wrecks your day like no other, and there's virtually no way to win if your opponent untaps with one. The deck is basically the definition of "tier 1.5"; it doesn't lose to any rogue strategies and it handily beats a couple tier 1 decks (Tron is a particularly laughable matchup, because Repeal and Remand don't really do that much against you) but it just cannot beat any sort of tier 1 deck like Jund or America. Also, people are starting to pack Boil, which is a pretty bad time for you. The deck is cheap, though - other than the fetches, the whole thing can be bought for about $60, so you're not really out that much by putting it together and running it up a few FNM flagpoles.
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Aug 7, 2013 20:25
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Jenx posted:Yeah there aren't any "real" decks at the FNMs I play at. Mostly it's some sort of white-based aggro or some people with counter spells.  ManamorphoseAlso, City of Brass or even a (shudder) Vivid Land would do
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Aug 7, 2013 20:42
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Jenx posted:I'd still appreciate a deck list though, just so I'd know what exactly I need and what I have already. Like I have stuff like 4x Manamorphose, gitaxian probe, serum visions, sleight of hand and stuff like that, but I want to know how many Past in Flames and such I need to run. Some friends of mine will be ordering stuff online soon, and I'd like to know how much of what I'd need, since I can't afford to just order 4x of everything and work things out from there.
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Aug 7, 2013 21:02
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 14:40 |
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Anyone have any ideas for a deck that is solid vs Jund, still 50% vs the field and doesn't play out of the graveyard? The only thing I can think of is Affinity.
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Aug 8, 2013 20:48
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