Magic: The Gathering,GO TEAM MS!

[Natirasha]

For midrange decks, the BG shell is so much stronger than Jund at the moment. That said, you need a third color to actually close the game out. Last week, we saw the BUG list do work, but I think a red splash is stronger--while it makes you weaker to board wipes, Wolf Run is just such a stronger win con than Drownyard and Tamiyo, while Rakdos's Return makes the control matchup a joke. I've personally been piloting the deck to consistent top placing here in DFW.

Shame I missed star city a couple weeks ago.

[Natirasha]

What does that deck do that rg aggro doesnt do better? I mean, rg is cheap, besides the Reckoners and Domri in the board, and both those cards are only $15 or so.

[Natirasha]

Post rotation, RG loses Hellrider, Pillar, and Flinthoof Boar. However, Kalonian Tusker is a card, as is {Scavenging Ooze, Gore-House Chainwalker, Brushstrider}, Shock is coming back to replace Pillar, and the four drop spot already has a couple options(Ogre Battledriver is the biggest one, I imagine), this is not even including whatever Theros brings to the table. I guess it loses Lightning Mauler, too, but you probably shouldn't be playing that card anyway--Firefist Striker is much stronger.

[Natirasha]

3-1'd past two pauper dailies with Mono-Black Control. Apparently, running seven land destruction spells main deck IS a way to beat Fissure-Post!

[Natirasha]

Got 84th at gp houston this weekend. This format is really fun. Day one, I ran 5 color control(classic Tajic->Vraska curve), day two I went 3-0 in the first draft with Grixis Mill, and then went 0-3 with the worst BUG deck I've ever drafted.

[Natirasha]

SCG pretty much always shows up Wizards in their Opens. Better prizes, higher quality streams, cheaper entry, more depth to side events.

Although, the GP Houston Unified Ravnica Block sealed was pretty awesome, if expensive as hell.

[Natirasha]

Madcap is pretty bad, honestly. I could see it as a one-of against some super-durdly Maze's End-type deck, maybe. I dunno. Is that even a thing? Every deck has answers for it. I'd just run some Lightning Maulers and max out on Pillars.

[Natirasha]

Well, then would Madcap just be a good sideboard card then?

Temple Garden is a forest that taps for Boros Reckoner, 'nuff said.

[Natirasha]

I know, "dies to removal" is typically not a good argument. In the case of auras, though, I feel that making it exceedingly easy to get 2-for-1'd in a deck that typically will end up getting 2-for-1'd is a losing battle. With Rg being one of the bigger decks in the format, everyone has spot removal of some sort, and I just can't really see the justification for that kind of soul-crushing card disadvantage.

[Natirasha]

Perhaps I am a bit biased--I don't even play Madcap Skills in draft unless i'm playing the Trained Caracal/Ethereal Armor deck.

[Natirasha]

I don't feel we're going to come a consensus here, but I have never really felt good about Madcap Skills. It's just so easy to play around, even if they have it. Feel free to disagree, but, like, I know my stats and skill level, and I think the card is near-unplayable. Like I said, there is a place for it--if you can draft the all-in Boros(or WBR) with E-Armor and Trained Caracal(a card I'm sure most of you would tell me is unplayable) and I'd say it's the perfect two drop, because that deck wants to go all-in.

BTW, you definitely don't play Madcap Skills in Grixis Control in draft. That's a deck that wins based off card advantage, and Madcap Skills doesn't do anything you want it to.

In any case, I guess I'll refrain from talking about RG aggro in standard. It's fine anyways--I play Jund.

[Natirasha]

I can get behind that, never liked aggro decks that weren't legacy merfolk.

[Natirasha]

That's the joke.

[Natirasha]

5c is hella awesome in this format.

[Natirasha]

New Chandra is playable. Firebrand was almost there, and drawing a card each turn should be enough.

[Natirasha]

She's like a super-Domri, giving reach to aggressive decks with her 0(which is the ability you should be focusing on). Think of it this way--Domri only draws a card in the relevant decks like 50% of the time, while she will always draw a card and if you hit a land patch, she helps you get through it.

Her main competition is Jace AOT, but she gives functional card advantage to a more aggressive midrange deck, like the Naya lists or a slower RG list perhaps. I dunno, she seems really deceptively powerful to me.

[Natirasha]

A non green aggro topper seems like a place to start. RUG beats, too, if that ends up a deck.

[Natirasha]

Like, what does the Merfolk Wizard do that Vapor Snag doesn't? They'll both shut down a creature for a turn or two, but Vapor Snag will actually deal damage.

[Natirasha]

I've been playing 4c control, equally fun. Being able to play revelation and rakdos return is tech.

[Natirasha]

Also, if anyone ever asked the question 'how the hell do I beat Aetherling' the answer is Debtor's Pulpit.

[Natirasha]

Pithing Needle naming aetherling in a deck that

wins with Aetherling

doesn't sound like a smart proposition.

[Natirasha]

Bant aggro's been a player for a while. Not tier 1 because its kind of weak to a lot of the same things as Rites is, but fizzles out a lot sooner. Also, very weak to Voice. Deck's nut draws are the nuttiest, though, and the deck has a ridiculously high skill cap.

[Natirasha]

Standard right now is absolutely horrendous.

+1

absolutely terrible format right now, hate it.

[Natirasha]

What's so bad about standard exactly?

Infinite mana fixing lets decks do bullshit like going Strangelroot Geist->Geralf's Messenger on curve. While there are a ton of archtypes, they all play rather similarly. Like(I know I'm simplifying a little here, but bear with me). There are really four types of decks--Sphinx's Revelation decks, Thragtusk decks, Blood Artist decks, and Burning-Tree Emissary decks. Revelation decks want to draw millions of cards, counter their opponent's threats and with with Aetherling(Esper/UWR/Bant/UW/Grixis control, Omnidoor), Thragtusk decks win by just playing a bunch of great cards and win by having better cards(all the Green based midrange decks-Jund, Junk, Naya, Prime Speaker Bant, GB Mutilate, even if they don't run Thragtusk like some of the newer Naya shells, the Advent of the Wurm-based flash deck, as well as Rites). Blood Artist decks are the only ones that have any synergy, really, with tons of sacrifice triggers and overwhelming the opponent with 1/1s and 2/2s(RWB Aristocrats, GWB Aristocrats, Zombies), and Burning-Tree Emissary decks are all about flooding the board early and going under the other deck's heads, winning on like turn four/five(All the aggro decks, from RG to Naya Blitz to Jund Aggro, some of these don't run BTE, but it's similar in principle). All the decks win the same fucking way. There are a couple of decks that are outliers, I admit--the UGx tempo and WG token shells beings the most prominent, but they are decidedly, like tier 3 at best.

Pie just listed over a dozen archetypes that are viable, when's the last time that happened? What's the last standard format you enjoyed and why?

Ravnica-Time Spiral is my answer for both, and it was because there were about a thousand archtypes AND they all did different things. There were legit combo decks in Dredge and Dragonstorm, hardcore control shells in Teachings Control & WU(won with Teferi lockdown and Skeletal Vampire), control with a combo finish(Pickles), the OG soul sisters with Martyr-Proc, along with early Death and Taxes variants(Mangara of Corondor+Momentary Blink!), about six variation of red aggro ranging from RDW to Sligh to RG to Land-destruction based, suicide black was a deck with Bob. The thing is, that format had just as much mana fixing(shocks, painlands, storagelands, future sight duals, and farseek were all in the format), but due to Blood Moon/Magus of the Moon and the painland's natural clock made running these 3/4/5 color abominations much more difficult and costly. I mean, they still existed, but it was much more balanced. All these decks also were just very different, had hugely variant gameplans, and won in hugely different ways.

[Natirasha]

I wasn't talking about efficiency. I was talking about total cost. And using that rubric its 100% incoherent to say 'I don't play legacy because its too expensive.'

Something like what you just said might be true. I don't know. I do, however, know that the amount of enjoyment I get out of playing legacy is greater than what I get from playing standard by orders of magnitude,

It's the classic "new boots" problem. Sure, a nice pair of boots will last one forever, but a nice pair is really expensive. So, instead, a poor person has to buy a cheaper pair of boots that will wear & tear faster because they can't afford the nice pair.

EDIT: That's nothing to say of the various tastes, some people like standard because it is a rotating format and such.

[Natirasha]

Okay, scgiq next Saturday. Being the first day M14 is really legal, what do you all think is gonna be big? My group is saying Xanthrid Necromancer-Aristocrats is the sleeper that's gonna take the tournament, but I'm unsure. I suspect a downturn in rites due to Lifebane Zombie and the Ooze, but otherwise open. Hexproof is also getting huge with Gladecover and Witchstalker to a lesser degree, but my meta is distinctly full of the type of people who hate hexproof. Revelation has been dormant in my meta, and I kinda suspect it to stay that way. Jund is Jund is Jund and is probably my #1 enemy.

Im thinking a black-based control deck might work well. Doom Blade is obvious, of course, but other cards of interesting value are Burning Earth, Corrupt, and Lifebane Zombie. I think the meta will be slow to adjust to Burning Earth, and mono black is the only deck positioned well enough in the format as of now to actually utilize the card. Lifebane is sick, of course, since like every deck that plays creatures plays green or white ones--even hits Ghor-Clans in RG. Corrupt is a bit much odd, but one of the problems with Mono-black in the past year is that it's a control deck that has to win with creatures, meaning it has a lot of the same weaknesses that the aggro and midrange decks did. Corrupt will likely just hit for infinite. In short, I'm think a revise of Conley Wood's PTGTC list. If hexproof flares up like I think, this is the only deck in the format that can actually main deck Lililana without hating itself. Him...

The other deck I'm considering is a ur Epic Experiment deck. Now, I'm not one to hop on these tacky combo decks, but Young Pyromancer is a hell of a card and really enables Infernal Plunge and Battle Hymn, which fixes some of the problems with the deck. The decks hits an awkward spot in the meta where no oneis really prepared for it , and the dearth of counter spells due to Cavern means most won't be able to interact really at all. Win condition is either Burn at the Stake or having Young Pyromancer do his best Empty the Warrens impression.

[Natirasha]

Alright, like a two-color aggro shell can utilize Burning Earth. Perhaps a better statement would be the only control shell. Uwr and Jund can't run it.

[Natirasha]

Yes, we know. Did M14 make it worse for you? I think it made the format better.

[Natirasha]

I mean, I hate this format too, but to say that blinking Thrags is the reason the format sucks is kind of blatantly false. Don't get me wrong, Restoration Angel was a huge mistake and should never have been printed, but the real problems with the format are easy mana, too much life gain, and bad removal.

[Natirasha]

If the set symbol on the hero cards is legit, Theros's symbol is one of the coolest since Shadowmoor.

[Natirasha]

oh great. they ruined magic again.

?

Ignore him, he hates everything.

[Natirasha]

oh great. they ruined magic again.

?

Ignore him, he hates everything.

It's funny because you totally don't get it.

Oh no, I got that you were joking(or making a protracted reference to miracles--something I know you hate). Doesn't change the truth of my statement.

[Natirasha]

Yeah, she's not the best walker ever, but is very solid and a decent replacement for Drownyard. Like a slightly more maindeckable Jace, MA is my read.

[Natirasha]

I agree it's not drownyard, sure. I think it depends on the rest of Theros and the format. If UB get something that can boardwipe, or if the meta is slow enough, I think Ashiok has a place in the main. If it's a fast format, then no, it's sideboard tech.

[Natirasha]

She's good because she provide inevitability and creature theft.

[Natirasha]

Bad Teferi+Bad Seedborne Muse doesn't a good card make.

[Natirasha]

Swan Song is pretty good. Not amazing, but solid.

The Weenie dude is kinda weak. 2/2 Double Strike with no abilities isn't terribly good. It might see play, I guess. I'd rather have Fiendslayer every day though.

Dissolve is obviously good. There went any chance of Render Silent ever seeing play

[Natirasha]

Still not taking action against Mono-U control, I see.

I expect a lot of Delver v B/x control v Affinity in the near future. Affinity's probably better than Stompy now because getting out of Spinning Darkness/Disfigure range is key.

[Natirasha]

Um, I dunno, man, Delver was definitely NOT dominating the format--FissurePost was. I actually don't think this is arguable. Don't get me wrong, Delver was competitive--probably the second best deck after FissurePost--but it wasn't destroying the format.

[Natirasha]

I hope the RW Ichor Wellspring deck comes back.

[Natirasha]

Alright I played a real slow BG deck to a second place finish. I didn't have any super bombs besides Abyssal Underlord but just a bunch of solid mid game creatures and Hero's Demise. I mostly did the classic Rock thing of trade 1-1 and then restock with COMPLETE all star, Pharinka's Mender+March of the Returned. Dude who beat me in the finals was playing Thermos Block Constructed Minotaur Tribal. Worst part was stabilizing with Abyssal Underlord, then having your opponent double Spark Jolt the tokens, making you sac the Underlord. Didn't pull anything super sick, but got a bunch of utility cards- 2 RG Temples, Anger of the Gods, Hero's Downfall, Swan Song. Its a start.

[Natirasha]

Oh, Witch's Eye is very unassuming but very good, too. I was never sad to see or play it.

[Natirasha]

I only had two bestow cards in my deck--Boon Satyr and Nylea's Emmisary--so my perception is probably skewed, but it was really really good whenever I cast them. I can imagine so of the nymph cycle kinda sucking, especially the white one(although Knightly Valor was a pretty good card).

The scry 1s were all sort of disappointing except Witch's Eye, which I think is more due to being reusable and a mana sink.

[Natirasha]

Been messing with Theros on the 'cock lately. I know that Cockatrice isn't known for it's high skill level, but I've actually played a lot of solid decks the last few days. Been messing with UB control.

4 Temple of Deceit
4 Watery Grave
3 Opportunity
1 Read the Bones
4 Omenspeaker
2 Doom Blade
3 Hero's Downfall
4 Dissolve
2 Syncopate
2 Far // Away
8 Island
6 Swamp
1 Warped Physique
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
4 Desecration Demon
2 Mutavault
3 Inspiration
1 Dimir Guildgate
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
SB: 4 Thoughtseize
SB: 2 Negate
SB: 1 Ratchet Bomb
SB: 1 Dispel
SB: 1 Swan Song
SB: 2 Underworld Connections
SB: 2 Jace, Memory Adept
SB: 2 Sensory Deprivation

It's still rough, but working out pretty good. After ~3 days of testing, I've won, well...more than I thought I would. The deck started much more Blue-centric running Thassa as a finisher, but as time went by it just wasn't working--Thassa demands a board presence, which hurts your ability to answer threats. And for god's sake, I had to run

Claustrophobia

.

Omenspeaker is, as I expected, really good--you don't draw the card, sure, but she also just lets you keep some reeaalllly lose hands, which is something Augur never did. Inspiration was, well, sad, but I tried many variations of draw spells--Pilfered Plans, Divination, Read the bones and even Quicken showed up at times--but Inspiration(sadly) ended up being the one that played the best--turns 3 & 4 are the most important and tapping out for anything worse that wasn't Jace/Ashiok/DDemon/Underworld Connections just wasn't cutting it. The one-of Read the Bones is there for exceptional circumstances, it's served me well and I'm fine with it for the most part. Ashiok is really strong and gamebreaking in the control matchups--sitting there being a drownyard, demanding an answer. In the aggro deck, s/he's decidedly 'not completely terrible'. At it's worst, it's a fog that mills 3(which is bad). In the best scenario, I stole my opponent's Reckoner, played DDemon and locked them out of the game that way.

I removed Aetherling because it was too...win condition-y. In the matches where I would want Aetherling, I was was winning game one because Ashiok and post-board, I was winning via having cards like Hero's Downfall for Jace, MA. DDemon at least demands an answer when it comes down.

The sideboard is mostly tweaked towards control decks, to make sure I completely stomp those matchups. Thoughtseize is not in the main because shocking myself vs the various aggro decks was dumb and didn't feel like a particularly strong play, but as decks skewed toward midrange it becomes much much better. The counter package I'm still tweaking, Swan Song was acceptable since the deck has no problem with dealing with a 2/2, but I think Dispel was better in most scenarios(it's at it's worst vs UW). I might try a 1-1 split of Negate/Gainsay though. Underworld Connections is just obviously good. Jace, MA is more redundancy with Ashiok in terms of winning, I was thinking about Psychic Spiral though over the second copy--that card makes for some ridiculous blowouts. The Sensory Deprivations I just tried out last night and they are terrible as expected. I wish there was some tragic slip analogue in this format. I'd accept fucking disfigure. Viper's Kiss might work in that slot, I guess. Or just throw in two Doom Blade(probably Warped Physique actually) and call it a day.

On the whole, this deck is obviously completely sick vs the Revelation-style control decks. As you slide down the scale toward Midrange, it keeps up being pretty good. The aggro matchup varies between the deck, but the red decks are the worst, ESPECIALLY if they're the BTE/Ghor-Clan version. I'm happy with the performance at the moment and will continue tweaking as I see fit.

[Natirasha]

Jace does as well, it should probably be Steam Augury. I'm not sure what the red does for you besides Mortars in the list. Counterflux, I guess, but you're going to lose to the Verdict decks anyway due to being a dude swarm deck.

[Natirasha]

Nah, I acually have added a third Ashiok to the board because s/he's so good. I think part of it is the underdevelopedness of the meta, but that -X is so key. -Xing for a Champion of the Pantheon or BTE can be strong. And, as the decks get midrangey-er and controly-er she just gets better--I never thought I'd see the day where I stole an opponent's Erebos, Activated Devotion with a DDemon+Underworld Connections, then beat his face in with it.

The deck does have some problems, though. Like, I cannot actually beat Heliod if it gets through the counter wall(which it can, because turn 4 is typically either a DDemon or Jace). Token swarms are hard if I don't hit Jace--and even then, the token generators in this format are either 2/1s(Master of Waves/Heliod), Young Pyromancer-esque(win with Porphyros), or have built-in pumps(Elspeth). To that end, I've put a Illness In the Ranks post board. I am not happy about it, and I cry every day that Curse of Death's Hold is gone, but Ratchet Bomb just deal well with the generator swarms.

Enchantments in general are a sore spot in this deck--I have the one Swan Song still which I find acceptable, but this is a deck that thrives on 1-for-1s and I can't be creating 2/2 swans very often.

Spoiler: Latest List

4 Temple of Deceit
4 Watery Grave
3 Opportunity
1 Read the Bones
4 Omenspeaker
2 Doom Blade
3 Hero's Downfall
4 Dissolve
2 Syncopate
2 Far // Away
10 Island
6 Swamp
1 Warped Physique
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
3 Desecration Demon
2 Inspiration
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1 Psychic Spiral
1 Encroaching Wastes
1 Ratchet Bomb
SB: 3 Thoughtseize
SB: 1 Negate
SB: 1 Dispel
SB: 1 Swan Song
SB: 2 Underworld Connections
SB: 1 Jace, Memory Adept
SB: 2 Warped Physique
SB: 1 Gainsay
SB: 1 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
SB: 1 Illness in the Ranks
SB: 1 Desecration Demon

This is the latest list. I moved the Ratchet Bomb main, but I cut a DDemon for a Psychic Spiral--this was on recommendation from a friend. I haven't actually drawn it yet, but the theory makes sense--it's like a one-shot mill 20 in the late game. I have a feeling it'd be better off as the DDemon, though. Thoughtseize has continued to be underwhelming--I understand I am saying this while at the same time complaining about losing to Heliod, but Thoughtseizes hurt a lot in this deck. I cut a Jace because I felt like he is becoming less necessary with Ashiok around. Underworld Connections is pretty sick, as usual. I cut an Inspiration wholesale because I kept boarding it out vs decks for better sideboard stuff. I think 2 is ultimately the correct number anyways. In any case, I'm going to keep tweaking the list--I love it, grindy decks like this are so fun.

[Natirasha]

Yeah more than most, this set has a lot of solid mid-tier cards. I don't think there are any Deathritd Shamans in this deck, but there are definitely some Abrupt Decays.

[Natirasha]

Although I didn't run it(work), my friend took my UB list to FNM tonight. The only changes from the last list were moving Spiral to the side for the DDemon again. He went 3-1, coming in fourth overall. Won vs white weenie, mono red, UWR control lost to this weird ass BR reanimator thing. I'm trying to get that list from him--apparently it involved main deck Tymaret, the Murder King and Tenacious Dead @_@

[Natirasha]

I gotta admit, MurderPost is a pretty sick deck name.

[Natirasha]

Master of Waves would be so much better if the tokens were 1/1s...

[Natirasha]

I would love if MTGO just crashed and burned right now.

[Natirasha]

GP Dallas is coming up in a few weeks, been messing with a Bg shell.

Spoiler: Mono Black splash Green

2 Whip of Erebos
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Golgari Guildgate
4 Thoughtseize
4 Underworld Connections
4 Hero's Downfall
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Vraska the Unseen
16 Swamp
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
2 Golgari Charm
4 Desecration Demon
4 Nightveil Specter
4 Pack Rat
1 Erebos, God of the Dead
SB: 3 Lifebane Zombie
SB: 2 Dark Betrayal
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 1 Devour Flesh
SB: 2 Pithing Needle
SB: 2 Deathrite Shaman
SB: 1 Gaze of Granite
SB: 1 Ultimate Price
SB: 1 Doom Blade

[Natirasha]

I haven't messed with Standard since like September, so this is a first draft. I didn't run mutavaults because I was pretty much running Guildgates over them, I thought.

I don't like more than one Golgari Charm mainboard, although I could do with another in the side prob. Abrupt Decay is likely equally insane-hits so many things in this format(DSphere AND Connections!), and being able to get around small stuff like Judge's Familiar is also really cool.

DRS I just kinda threw in there, I dunno. He seems solid in the mirror--lots of spells and dudes in the yard, Whips to counter, counts towards devotion. I'm not super-attached, though. I've actually been thinking about Illness In the Ranks in the side, lots of token spam right now, be cool to just shut off Elspeth/Heliod/Master.

[Natirasha]

DRS isn't really doing too well in Standard at the moment.

Like I said, just trying stuff out.

You local to DFW?

[Natirasha]

Why Rod of Ruin when Electrickery exists? Doesn't kill the master, but does kill the tokens.

[Natirasha]

I'd think more Chains & Last Breath are better than Rod, but okay.

[Natirasha]

Nah this is good. 4cmc for explore+discard removal spell is fine. It also stops Blood Baron cold.

[Natirasha]

Its like a slightly better Tamiyo. Not amazing but not terrible. Solid one or two of in UG control decks.

[Natirasha]

The effect is slightly weaker, but makes up for it by having an actual - ability and being a mana cheaper.

[Natirasha]

So, Born of the Gods.

What's everyone thinking?

[Natirasha]

I think Bitterblossom will be fine enough in modern. It will be deserving of it's eventual settling at around $50, but not broken--the sheer fact Abrupt Decay(and Verdict to a much lesser extent) exists will help keep it in check.

DRS was a good ban. I always thought it was super skeevy of Wizards to ban BBE when it was insanely obvious DRS was the problem(I actually hope they take BBE off the banlist again!). I'm hoping the ban helps make hardcore Gifts control/Eternal Command/Dredgevine decks again.

Nacatl is obviously a good unban. Card was banned for shit reasons anyway. As a sidenote, why the fuck is Golgari Grave Troll still banned?

In other news, I'm already liking this standard a lot more. Black's still the top dog, but my group's been testing a few new lists(Wu Devotion, BUG walkers, BG Nighthowler) and they're all doing, well, okay. Wu devotion is gonna be one of the top decks in the format(pick up your Epharas now), I'm fairly certain. BUG walkers got a lot better with Drown In Sorrow(I'm running a 4-2 split of Jace/Kiora), but has slight trouble getting outgrinded by Pack Rat and stuff.

BG Nighthowler is hilarious and what I'm probably playing come Friday. I know this deck was sorta existing before(and very bad), but Satyr Wayfinder fixed the deck quite a bit by giving it a lot more consistency(in Bestow targets & self mill). I've actually been surprised by how successful it's been. I don't think it's Tier 1, but it can definitely win now.

Spoiler: BG Nighthowler list

4x Deathrite Shaman
4x Dreg Mangler
4x Elvish Mystic
4x Nighthowler
4x Nemesis of Mortals
4x Satyr Wayfinder
3x Scavenging Ooze
3x Sylvan Caryatid
2x Nylea, God of the Hunt
4x Grisly Salvage
4x Commune with the Gods
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Golgari Guildgate
5x Swamp
7x Forest
--Sideboard---
2x Whip of Erebos
2x Pithing Needle
1x Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
3x Lifebane Zombie
2x Mistcutter Hydra
1x Shadowborn Demon
4x Drown in Sorrow

[Natirasha]

Jund won't play Bitterblossom, full-stop. They already start the game at ~16 life and are losing a lifegain outlet.

I expect that Jund will go back to either the old Messenger/Finks builds.

[Natirasha]

Are you talking extended Jund or Lorwyn/Shards Jund or what Jund?

[Natirasha]

Has Bitterblossom ever been unbanned in modern?

[Natirasha]

Just had a 10/12 Sphinx swinging in every turn no big deal

I actually went deep and acquired like 8 foil prognostic sphinxes last week on the cheap. Perhaps not while Aetherling exists, but I expect that card to be a major player come Huey-standard and spike like DDemon did. Other good candidates, I think: Reaper of the Wilds, Herald of Torment, Courser of Kruphix, Agent of Fates, maaaaaaybe Polis Crusher(actually pick up your Coursers now--my testing has been showing this card is actually insane).

I had to hang up the Nighthowler list again--in addition to just straight-up losing to Scavenging Ooze, it also has huge problems with UW control. Mono Black & aggro matchup was sick, though!

Thinking of trying a mix of Hoogland's BUG list from pre-BotG, maybe a straight UG control shell too.

[Natirasha]

I got two at the prerelease(one foil) and traded them for three Polukranos, then as the week's gone on, my testing has been revealing the card is actually insane and I wish I hadn't.

Oh well, what can you do? Hopefully I'll find some at FNM tomorrow to pick up. It's the type of card that'll go way down before going way up-it's not gonna have Reckoner levels of hype, but certainly it'll spike come a few weeks. I expect it to be $15 at some point, at the very least.

[Natirasha]

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm coming around to the idea that the fetches should be banned. They're the reason the format is, like, the way it is.

[Natirasha]

So I went 4-1 last night with BUG. I'm having fun with it.

Spoiler: BUG Control

3x Reaper of the Wilds
1x Prognostic Sphinx
-4 creatures
4x Jace, Architect of Thought
2x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
-6 Planeswalkers
4x Dissolve
4x Hero's Downfall
2x Syncopate
2x Abrupt Decay
2x Thoughtseize
2x Opportunity
1x Golgari Charm
1x Pithing Needle
1x Eye Gouge
1x Essence Scatter
1x Devour Flesh
1x Bile Blight
1x Ultimate Price
1x Elixir of Immortality
-24 Spells
4x Watery Grave
4x Breeding Pool
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Temple of Deceit
4x Temple of Mystery
2x Swamp
2x Island
2x Mutavault
-26 Land
3x Duress
3x Lifebane Zombie
3x Drown in Sorrow
2x Doom Blade
1x Negate
1x Gainsay
1x Devour Flesh
1x Vraska the Unseen
-15 Sideboard

I won against UWR control, RB minotaurs, BW midrange and BUG Midrange(Almost a straight 75 of Hoogland's last list). Lost to Jund Monsters. I also played friendlies vs UW control and RG Monsters, which came as expected(I utterly dominated the UW matchup, and went ~3-4 vs GR). I'm liking the list now--Drown In Sorrow really helps out the previously-terrible aggro matchup(which stopped this deck from being competitive pre-BotG).

Needle in the main was a joke--I had the second Devour main before. The Eye Gouge was a test for the night, and the card came out as I expected: it sucked! best thing it did was -1/-1 a stormbreath for my Prognostic to block all night.

Going forward, I need to find a Kiora, but here's my planned changes for next week.
-1 Eye Gouge
-1 Pithing Needle
+1 Ultimate Price
+1 Kiora, the Crashing Wave

and -1 Devour Flesh
-1 Duress
+1 Bile Blight
+1 Pithing Needle

(Needle is very important in the board to beat random AEtherlings)

[Natirasha]

If I was getting into modern today, I'd probably start with Mono G Devotion(money cards: PrimeTime+fetches) and work from there.

[Natirasha]

The Genesis Wave list? That list seems really fun, and I'm slowly putting it together on MTGO to play Modern Dailies.

Yeah, deck's pretty solid, but it has a bad faeries match so I dunno.

[Natirasha]

I'm not really feeling that list--it's too slow for an aggro deck and doesn't have enough inevitability to play the long game. Whip, especially, seems really out of place.

At the very least, cut some combination of Shock/Magma Jet/Downfalls for Mogis, Cackler and Searing Blood/Mortars. Rakdos Return in the board is really good as well. Oh, you could probably cut a land too.

Mogis is really really good--I've faced a few decks running him and he's such a beating every time.

[Natirasha]

Played the same list as last week, except I finally found my two copies of Kiora over Needle/Eye Gouge, to 4-1 finish. Lost to GW Aggro off of mull to five and land screw respectively. Won vs Jund, Maze's End, BW Midrange and WU Aggro(not a real deck).

The biggest conclusion: Holy shit Kiora is waaay better than I thought she was.

[Natirasha]

I like how WU gets dismissed as "not a real deck", but Maze's End doesn't.

I could also launch into a joke about "real" decks but I'm lazy.

Maze's End is a solidly tier 2 deck at the moment, imo. But if you're telling me the Battlewise Hoplite/Dauntless Onslaught deck is a real deck, well, lol. It was one of the decks I always end up playing round one of FNM and I feel terrible. It's like, last standard, I'd always play against the guy with the 'sick UB Zombie Mill' and I sigh, beat him, then move on. While feeling bad that the game was not fun for either of us.

[Natirasha]

I know no one reads these, but I've been brewing for modern and I got a spicy one!

Junk Smallpox. Smallpox is one of those cards I just fucking love, and I figure with the rise of Bogles incoming and lots of single-creature decks coming in, it's a card I think has a lot of potential to come back into the meta. I started with an old BW list I had from yonder days(like extended...). It worked okay. Like, it had a game vs every deck out there, but I never felt super-in-charge(except vs Bogles lol). As time went by, I noticed some things

--Flagstones of Trokair is insane on turn two with Fetid Heath, complete ass everywhere else.
--despite being 2 color, the fact this deck wanted to hit WW and BB on turn 2/3 was really hard and meant that it was still vulnerable to Blood Moon.
--Hard to interact with artifacts or pack hate due to the fact the deck relied on the graveyard and activated/triggered abilities.
--Kitchen Finks is, indeed, Green.
--The only real white cards I had in the deck at this point are 3 Path to Exiles.

Spoiler: BGW Smallpox

2 Thoughtseize
4 Smallpox
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lingering Souls
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Marsh Flats
2 Godless Shrine
3 Swamp
1 Plains
3 Path to Exile
3 Bitterblossom
3 Liliana of the Veil
3 Dark Confidant
3 Kitchen Finks
1 Tragic Slip
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
2 Temple Garden
2 Forest
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Overgrown Tomb
2 Abrupt Decay
3 Courser of Kruphix
1 Shadow of Doubt
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Gavony Township
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Woodland Cemetery
1 Isolated Chapel
---------
1 Thoughtseize
1 Batterskull
3 Fulminator Mage
1 Damnation
1 Creeping Corrosion
1 Tectonic Edge
2 Spellskite
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Krosan Grip
2 Wheel of Sun and Moon
1 Deathmark

This deck is hilarious and completely absurd. But, what's better, it's actually been winning for some god-unknown reason. It plays like an unholy cross between Jund, bw tokens and 8rack.

Some of the more curious choices
Courser of Kruphix: One of the coolest things in Green, really. This deck, as you can imagine, has a LOT of incidental damage. It also wants to play the super-grindy game. Courser works really well in that regard. Additionally, Finks isn't as good as it used to be due to Anger being an all-star in every red deck ever right now, and this survives anger.
Sword of Light and Shadow: Bitterblossom is slow...really slow. Of all the Swords, this one was the best I could find. In a perfect world, Sword of War and Peace had relevant abilities, but this deck tends to go hellbent fast and Light and Shadow can completely close out games vs midrange/aggro by doing fun things like recurring Kitchen Finks(or Fulminator Mages as my tron opponent yesterday learned, lol). You'll usually have some sort of flying token to hold the sword, so you pretty much 90% get the hit.
Tragic Slip: I can't think of any x/2s in the format, so the fun of sometimes going Smallpox->Slip beats out things like Disfigure. I didn't want to max out on Paths because this deck does kinda play the LD game at times.
Shadow of Doubt: Smallpox #5. No one ever expects it from black decks.
Gavony Township: This was orginally a second sword, but as previously mentioned, SoWaP sucks ass and this deck doesn't really use the others well. Township works best in the long, grindy bitterblossom games. Truthfully, I'm not very keen on it as is(I've activated it twice over like 20 matches).
Tectonic Edge: In a perfect world, this would be another Overgrown Tomb, but tron's big in my meta so I made a small concession. As to the one in the side...
Sideboard: A mess. WoS&M is like a ghetto Rest In Peace, which is a sad neccessity due to our Souls/Finks. The Fulminator Mages are good, as are the spellskites and TSeize. Batterskull has been outstanding in the matches it's relevant(Jund et all+UWR). Damnation is just useful. KGrip has been really solid, being uninteractable and all that--it's worth the two extra mana for the effect. I don't know about Creeping Corrosion--I think this will probably end up being a Stony Silence or another Kataki. Deathmark is a card people forget exists most of the time--I find the best way to beat pod is to kill the first elf, and Deathmark also deals with random Goyfs or Nacatls(not that the deck needed it--Zoo is a good matchup too) as relevant. And I legit don't know why tecedge is there--something about a 24th land, but I've never found a reason to bring it in.

I admit, I'm still something of a neophyte when it comes to modern, and this is my first time brewing a purely new-deck. I mean, smallpox has been around since forever or whatever, but it's been dead forever too and there is no standard list. I think the maindeck is in the right direction, but I would like to hear what everyone thinks if anyone has anything to add.

[Natirasha]

Man, I'm so psyched to think they might kill off Elspeth and Ajani this block.

[Natirasha]

I have yet to read the e-book, but I'm like 90% sure that one of them will die this block. Ajani's more likely but the JIN trailer was all about Elspeth dying so I dunno. I think Ajani's death needs to happen at some point so they can get rid of him from the core set rotation(iirc Doug Beyer said having ajani be a cat was a mistake for being one of the OG5 'walkers).

[Natirasha]

My personal rival at the shop got second at the standard event, can't wait to beat him tonight at the win a box.

So, I think Pharika is actually good. I'm not psycho here, am I?

[Natirasha]

If you care to listen, I've been on Merfolk the last two months and the deck is really really good right now. I'll post my list in a bit with some pointers.

At a glance, your list is rather slow.

[Natirasha]

[[merfolking continued]]

Spoiler: The List

4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Cursecatcher
1 Dakra Mystic
1 Tidebinder Mage
3 Phantasmal Image
2 Master of Waves
1 Sygg, River Cutthroat
--28 Creatures
4 AEther Vial
4 Vapor Snag
4 Spreading Seas
--12 Spells
1 Cavern of Souls
4 Mutavault
6 Island
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Wanderwine Hub
1 Hallowed Fountain
--20 Land
2 Spellskite
3 Swan Song
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Rest in Peace
1 Stony Silence
1 Ethersworn Canonist
2 Judge of Currents
1 Tidebinder Mage
1 Hibernation

As you can see, the deck plays white--between Seachrome Coast and Wanderwine Hub, the white splash is functionally free. I run the additional Hallowed Fountain for some redundancy, just because hitting white is, like, really important in the games where it's important.

The deck doesn't play white spells main. The only spells you really want in the MD that include white would be Path and Sygg, River Guide, but Path is bad. Badbadbadbad. The fact is, Merfolk really doesn't care about creatures--in creature heavy matchups the plan is more about hitting a Spreading Seas and Islandwalking over them--'Snag in those matchups is, like, almost strictly better than Path--it keeps Cursecatchers more active, it burns for one, in a lot of matchups it's a time walk. vs t1 mana dork, Snap is just so much better than Path. I'm rambling now, anyways, Path is not good. Sygg is good, however, but he's kinda slow and clunky and the other Sygg is more relevant in the grindy matchups.

What white does give you is a significantly better sideboard. Part of the issue with Merfolk in modern is that the sideboard kinda sucks. I mean, in the list you presented, you have Trickbind--Trickbind! It's not even your own fault--blue just doesn't interact well in the side as it stands. White, however, is the best side color in modern and really lets Merfolk turn a few bad matchups around. Back to this later.

The list is pretty finely toned imo, and if I was going to a GP tomorrow I would run this list almost exactly.

-Merfolk really wants to play a spell on t1. And, moreover, it actually wants one drops. This is slightly meta-dependent, but modern has a lot of combo decks right now and you need to be off to the races on turn one. Hence, I feel merfolk needs the fifth one drop right now--Cursecatcher is obviously a 4x. Of the remaining playable merfolk, there are three options: Cosi's Trickster, Dakra Mystic, and Tideshaper Mystic. Now, I started with Cosi's, since it's effect is tricky tricky, but it never felt relevant. I tried and tried to make the card work, but it very rarely got a counter, and when it did, well. Meh. Of the other two, I've gone back and forth. In the afforementioned creature matchups, Tideshaper is sick--acting mostly as spreading seas 5. It's a shame Tidal Warrior isn't in the format. Dakra Mystic helps more in the grindy control matchups(although I activate maaaybe once every twenty matches), and I feel it has slightly more use than Tideshaper.

-4x image is bad in this format. While most lists I see play on 2x(which is almost categorically wrong), 4x is too much with the prevalence in repeatable targeting effects in the format(Electrolyze and Flickerwisp being the main ones--but I've been blown out by Sejiri Steppe before...).

-My two spicy one-ofs are Sygg, River Cutthroat(I hedge HARD on the grindy matchups--if you don't it's really hard to go late vs those decks) and Tidebinder Mage(I don't think that needs much discussion).

-Master of Waves sucks. I hate him. But, alas, he's a necessary evil. He has the perfect amount of must-answer, but god is he the most awkward card ever. Don't forget you can phantasmal image him for the most hilarious plays ever!

-Counterspells suck main. Merfolk needs early board presence, and running Spell Pierce(really the only one you should consider) goes against that--and, late, well, I'd rather draw a Tidebinder or Sygg than Spell Pierce. The reason Legacy Merfolk can play Daze+FoW is because they can build a board and counter for 0cmc(or, in Daze's case, +1 mana lol), but modern merfolk doesn't really have that opportunity--playing spell pierce not only reduces our threat density, but it also makes the deck hinge a lot more on Aether Vial to keep the deck running so you can hold up the mana.

-Kira, GGS is a good card that I can't justify playing due cmc3 and not being a merfolk. Most removal in modern is able to be pumped through anyway, and the decks where you will likely see the one-of are the types of decks that will just Wrath you. I don't like her. Honestly, if I wanted to play a creature protector maindeck, I'd just run another spellskite as it stands--it keeps Vial more active(since you should VERY RARELY ever up vial past 2), can be cast with a single U(or none--sometimes you just keep the mutavault/vial hand) and can randomly win games vs various decks. These are things Kira doesn't.

I don't want to go too deep on the sideboard, but I will address Judge of Currents. Judge of Currents helps shore up a couple of the weaker matchups Merfolk has--Affinity, burn and Scapeshift. One of Merfolk's main weaknesses is the lack of lifegain(since it typically kills one turn slower than Zoo/Affinity), and when i saw this card in my boxes...lol. It's 2cmc for Vial, it's a merfolk, it gains us life. Card's really good and generally gains me 5-10 life every time I play it. I honestly have considered it as one-of in the main, but the list is super tight.


So, um, yeah.

[Natirasha]

Cursecatcher is good! Like, it's a not-cuttable card. Never cut it!

Cursecatcher is one of those cards that never *looks* good, but it has a very subtle impact. If they are playing around Cursecatcher, then it's doing it's job--every time an opponent is forced to wait an extra turn to wrath your board, it's done it's job. It turns Pyretic Ritual into 2R: add RRR, it screws up math. It means that UWR has to revelate for -1. The card is just so good.

That's not even getting into it's really cool uses: Vial on one w/ a catcher in hand catches people off guard all the time. You can Image Cursecatcher to build a Spell Pierce.

The card is really really good and I hate when people cut it :/

[Natirasha]

I've seen Exhaustion being tauted on MTGS lately, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'd like to test it, but sorcery speed seems very icky.

On a similar note, Hibernation was good in testing, but my meta has less pod and more jund so Tidebinder was better overall. If you're expecting more Pod-type decks, Hibernation is playable in those slots.

[Natirasha]

I gotta say M15 is shaping up to be the core set to end all core sets.

[Natirasha]

Thanks PV!

[Natirasha]

Its more like M13 where tempo reigns supreme. In my ~20 drafts, UR and UG have been the most winning by far.

[Natirasha]

I'm more interested in anyone going to SCG Dallas next week.

[Natirasha]

Sort of. MaRo said on his blog that it was bottoms up in that the block was designed around the draft structure(which I would argue is an awful idea).

So were going to a multicolor set, then an awkward multicolor+something else set, then a completely different theme.

I'm interested in seeing what happens. The last time they did a weird block structure, we got Lorwyn which was pretty awesome soooo I'm optimistic.

[Natirasha]

Playing Bg Devotion this weekend...
and Uw Merfolk Sunday.

Feeling pretty good about this weekend.

[Natirasha]

I like it! Means I have a chance(all my day twos so far have been in limited GPs).

[Natirasha]

The issue I have with the site is that I want to read an article from Monday and I have to dig through like six pages to find it.

It's much better than when they did the last site update during 10th ed, though.

[Natirasha]

For the record, my latest list dropped Sygg for an echoing truth in the main and I tweaked the side to include a copy of Detention Sphere(three mana enchantment in my aggro deck, I know). Also, dropped RIP for Relic--cantrips are good.

[Natirasha]

I want to play a snap-bolt control shell in modern without twin or white. Wat do.

[Natirasha]

'without white'

Colonades, paths, etc are too mainstream.

[Natirasha]

Seems clunky. I'm thinking some sort of rug midrange abomination ATM.

[Natirasha]

I mean, Snap-Bolt is functionally an aggressive control package.

[Natirasha]

Just play UR Tempo then? 4x of Delver, Young Pyro, and Snapcaster; season with instants and sorceries to taste.

This is one of the lists I've been considering. The other is Huntmaster RUG(reddit post on guy who t4'd a ptq with it today).

[Natirasha]

I think bolt is a bad card to be building a game plan around, the card is so good that it's largely pushed the stuff it's actually great against out of the meta. If I was going to cut a colour from uwr it would be the red.

Bolt is lackluster right now in modern, but it goes to the face too! Flame Slash is really good, though.

I have an internalized hatred for Sphinx's Revelation and Geist of St Traft so if I could go the rest of my career never seeing those two cards, I would be a happy woman.

[Natirasha]

I'm partial to the list that plays a copy of Stomping Ground with fetches for Destructive Revelry out of the board.

But that list looks pretty good.

[Natirasha]

Yeah no that list looks fine given the situation.

[Natirasha]

On a side note, I'd hope they'd look at evergreening certain cards reliably, so people have a set of basics they can build on. Maybe just pick a "corest of the core set" and turn them into eternal cards that are always available.

For the record, MaRo slipped on his podcast and said they were messing with 'Basic Creatures'(as in like Basic Land) as design space. I think that slip was poorly timed with the hints given in this article.

Also they have messed with a little of that ground with the M15 new player deck cards that aren't available in boosters, but playable in standard.

As to the new block format, I love it. They tried this before sort of with Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, and Shadowmoor as a block is way way way way underrated as both a block and draft format(imo). Then, looking since then, I think there is a distinct difference in that the smaller blocks were better received--look at Zendikar and Innistrad vs Alara and Theros for a (biased) example.

Of course there are the issues with card pool and secondary market, but on the whole I love this change and it makes sense.

[Natirasha]

I suspect that they'll do some two-part blocks at times.

Like, there will be a big eldrazi showdown on Zendikar some time soon in the future and that seems like the perfect time to have two blocks.

[Natirasha]

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa it's happening

[Natirasha]

I admit, onslaught fetches were NOT what I was expecting for this block.

[Natirasha]

probably getting allied 5 in Huey (Khans) and enemy 5 in Louie (third set). which also implies allied painland reprints for M16.

Back during M15 previews, they said that the mana fixing wasn't good enough for enemy-colored decks in Khans, so they printed the pains as a stop-gap measure for that. I sincerely doubt we'll be seeing allied pains OR enemy fetches. If anything, I'm kinda betting on enemy fastlands in Louie and maybe the allied checks one last time for M16(because it's the last core set!).

I really really really want a good UB control deck this standard. Like, above all else, I just want to sit there behind a wall of counter+kill spells and win with whatever the new Tombstalker is.

But, alas, they're making the UB clan focused on stupid mill shenanigans stuff. I mean, its not unexpected because UB=mill and GB=mill, but ugh. I hate that White is now the control color.

Really, I just want a new BUG commander. Damia gets hate, Vorosh is boring, and Mimeoplasm is niche. But we got some shitty worse-than-mimeoplasm thing instead.

Oh yeah this set is looking really cool though.

[Natirasha]

If we use TSeize as a precedent, your Deltas are safe. They'll lose ~$20 or so, prob, but people will want to style on others with onslaught fetches.

[Natirasha]

Also I'm like 80% sure next block is return to Zendikar, so it makes more sense to reprint enemy fetches there.

[Natirasha]

This set looks interesting, but has that fatal flaw Theros had where all it's relevant creatures are really just Big Dumb Vanilla beaters. I'm not -surprised- because Theros is the most poorly designed block since, like, Homelands, and simply doesn't play well when you add interesting mechanics in any format with it, but I digress.

Also, from what has been spoiled, they were terrified of Delve as a value mechanic and there is not going to be a BUG control deck because of that(this also goes back to UB being the two colors that interact the worst with Theros' mechanics, which hamstrung both this set and RTR). I'm just going to say(and eat my words in a month probably), but this dream of a BUG self-mill deck I see some people parroting simply doesn't exist. It's actually losing most of the cards that made it playable in the first place(Salvage, Jarad, Lotleth, Dreg Mangler). It really makes me mad, too, because Sidisi could have been anything cool for commander, but, nope, selfmill dude who dies to a passing breeze. Narset is a fantastic design, but Sidisi? Gimmicks. I hate it. I mean, I get Damia is good and all but she's soooo boring.

(I'm really mad that my favorite color combo got fisted so hard in case you can't tell, although reverse-genesis wave is an amazing card)

I have a few ideas that I'm kicking around, though, for standard.

1. Mono Black Devotion
Mono Black, strangely enough, doesn't lose really anything in rotation--Underworld Connections was already out of the door with M15. Demon/Pack Rat are gone, but I believe they are replaceable. It actually gained an important card in Despise, which is truly a ridiculous card in this format where the only reliable spells are creatures and planeswalkers. I think it will be less 'mono black', but still rely on a mono black core. I think, ultimately, I'll start with a WBG shell, because then I get to play eight copies of Grey Merchant and Grey Merchant is the best magic card ever??? Also, Grey Merchant 5-8 are 4/5 Tramplers. 4x Despise 4x Thoughtseize 4x Downfall 2x Murderous Cut 2x Bile Blight 4x Sign in Blood is where I'd start for an actual list. Rest assured, even if this deck sucks with just Khans, I have this very sinking feeling we haven't seen the end of Grey Merchant, sooooooo.

2. Esper Control
This is pretty much the same deck as last season, except with a worse Wrath and pretty much no card advantage.The upside, of course, is that the creatures this standard don't actually kill you when they enter the battlefield this standard, making Wrath better than in ISD/RTR or RTR/THS. Elspeth is probably the main win condition for this deck, and Master Impersonator does some serious work in being every other good card in the format. He's even tech in the mirror! T6 they tap out for Elspeth, you copy Elspeth and then Hero's Downfall their Elspeth!

the value

. In what is the most awkward move for a format ever, shard decks have the best fixing with fetches vs the wedges they are pushing. What this does allow the deck to do is actually run a fair number(like four!) of delve spells to get even more #value. Empty the Pits is a very good Magic card for this format, because there are no non-creature answers in the format, and this deck can actually pump out some good XX numbers without going into gimmick lose-to-sideboard-Tormod's Crypt territory. Fetchlands are strong, go figure. Elspeth is still stronger, though, I guess. I hate Elspeth.

3. Mardu Midrange
Ultimately, I think this deck is slightly stronger than Abzan because it's more proactive. Crackling Doom is a serious beast of a card, for one. It's the best version of Blightning since Blightning, for one. This deck gets to play black and white removal, the best wrath effect(Anger of the Gods) plus Red's suite of sick-ass win conditions. Sarkhan, Sorin, Stormbreath, and Wingmate Roc! And, of course, our lady Elspeth. What would we ever do without her? Of my three decks, this is probably the strongest in terms of sheer card quality.

This is all in addition to the obvious RG/u Monsters/Walkers decks, BG Courser/Downfall decks, and Red whatever beats that will forever be popular. If I was speculating on two cards this standard, they would be Polis Crusher, Wingmate Roc(this card is really solid), and Ashcloud Phoenix(In case anyone is wondering, yes, you should be running this as your top end in red aggro--it's very good). ProgSphinx will get hype then fail to be good because it dies to Wrath and doesn't block worth a damn. Reaper of the Wilds is wo'rse than 8 Grey Merchants, and generally matches up poorly to a format dominated by flyers and things that are able to one-for-one it(how the fuck do we live in a day when a 4/5 for 4 is behind the curve on power?).

In other news, like 30 cards just got spoiled and I know one of them was grey merchants 9-12 so there's that. Grey Merchant of Asphodel, everyone.

[Natirasha]

My favorite card is Crackling Doom!

[Natirasha]

This limited looks good, yeah. For all my reservations about their constructed appeals, Wizards does pretty good draft formats.

I mean, Theros sucked but it was a working abomination. I actually liked AVR limited, too.

[Natirasha]

Right, it sucked tremendous ass. But in the context of the set, it was mechanically sound. Its only when you put it in the context of Magic that the set sucks. Sorta.

[Natirasha]

I liked morph, but I also was known to play Brine Elemental/Vesuvan Shapeshifter in standard so I'm biased.

[Natirasha]

My friends and I have a double sized cube and play with the 'Tower of Power'.

1. Make packs.
2. Shuffle remaining cards into a giant pile.
3. Every three picks, each player takes a card from the top of the Tower and adds it to their pack.
4. 45 card decks.

It's way fun. The power level of decks obviously goes through the roof, but that's fine.

[Natirasha]

I've been playing standard and draft on cockatrice because they have the spoiler up there.

So, standard is hilariously dumb. As expected, the big three decks I've seen are Rabble Red, Courser/Downfall Midrange and Various blitzy Mardu decks that try and run Elspeth and Rabblemaster and Butcher of the Horde(very unimpressed by these, although Sarkhan is dumb and annoying and I hate him baka).

I'm on the following atm

Spoiler: Abzan Midrange

4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Siege Rhino
4 Thoughtseize
4 Temple of Malady
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
3 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Murderous Cut
4 Hero's Downfall
1 Utter End
2 Banishing Light
4 Abzan Charm
4 Windswept Heath
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Temple of Plenty
2 Forest
2 Plains
4 Llanowar Wastes
2 Caves of Koilos
1 Mana Confluence
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
1 Soul of Zendikar
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
SB: 1 Erebos, God of the Dead
SB: 3 Drown in Sorrow
SB: 1 Garruk, Apex Predator
SB: 2 End Hostilities
SB: 3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
SB: 3 Mistcutter Hydra
SB: 1 Restock
SB: 1 Deicide

I tried to make Mono black work, but it morphed into this shell after I couldn't justify not playing Elspeth anymore. I have a WB warriors list that I'm working on on the side(it's playable, I think--Obelisk of Urd is big game), but this is my main deck. And, holy shit, what a deck. The mana is silky, if a bit slow(9 taplands does that), but, well, Elspeth+Courser is hard to beat. Pretty much every card in here is solid. Soul of Zendikar is a concession to ProgSphinx(as I was looking for a good trump to that card), Sorin has yet to be drawn. Ajani is neat. Abzan Charm is the house-iest house I've ever seen! Like, holy shit, I knew this card was good, but it's so stupidly good. The entire reason I can get away with 25 land, honestly. Also, I don't like Elvish Mystic because it doesn't do enough besides ramp one. Siege Rhino is the main difference from my list to most others I've seen, but I'm never disappointed by the card. Like, damn, it's the card that makes this deck playable vs Rabblemaster. Stoke the Flames beats up on Courser all day, but 4/5s that gain three(with no Skullcrack!) are hard for them. Love love love the card. Nissa is probably good in this shell, but I'm planning on building this and I ain't paying for her!

Sideboard is mostly random stuff I thought like. The Restock is probably weirdest, but it's a trump in the ever-present courser mirrors. 'Nonbo's with Murderous Cut, but who really fuckin' cares? End Hostilities sucks maindeck, but is good to have around for ProgSphinx decks and slower aggro deck things.

I fully expect to hate standard in a few months once the meta has settled--it already feels similar to Theros, except instead of everyone playing different cards that all do the same thing, everyone's playing the same cards. Hopefully it's just Cockatrice. Also, the fact that the best non-green two drop that isn't a dedicated Aggro card is Nyx-Fleece Ram is really fucking stupid.

----

As to the draft format, I love it. It's wonky as hell, and there are tons of little intricacies. They are truly delivering on that promise to use the additional uncommons for limited archtypes--in particular, the Warrior archtype was powerful enough for me to fiddle around in constructed. The format is slow. I've picked fixing higher than most players I've seen, and never been punished for playing upwards of 5+ taplands. Two drops are at a premium, though. The removal is odd, it's not aggressively costed, but what's there is really powerful, so to speak. I've burnt multiple people out with Arrow Storm, Rite of the Serpent's Snake token is somehow always relevant, Blaze Kick leads to some cool stuff sorta. Dead Drop is the only way to get a 2-for-1 on board in the format, and the card itself is surprisingly castable(I'm actually speculating a bit that this card might be playable in some terrible standard deck)??? The morphs aren't bad, from what I've felt. It's really hard to flip most of them, so they usually just sit there. The rule that they can't flip and kill for less than five mana is a good one, I feel, although I really hope the tool tips in the set telegraph this fact to casual players, because knowledge of that fact is part of what drives the format.

The strongest decks I've seen were two colors with a VERY small splash, though. The uncommons in the set play this up--each color combo feels differentish(UG has morphs for days, BW has warriors, RW likes Trumpet Blast, UR cries, GB is sacrifice/toughness>4, and so on in that fashion), Take of that as you will. Also, blue is underpowered by a fairly large margin. It's good for a splash on the multicolor cards, but otherwise...stay away. Sultai, likewise, is only a support clan, and even then, most of the delvers kinda sucked--Mandrills is okay, Dead Drop is good, Cut is obvious, the flyer is okay. The rares are good, though. Oh yeah, there is pretty much no Reach or Flying in this set, so if you snag a big flyer, he pretty much says 'unblockable'.

Common that most overperformed--Highland Game.

[Natirasha]

I hate standard already.

I know it's not even week one, but I've tested a bunch of decks so far and they all suck. Mono R/Mono B aggro are both good, but besides those, it's midrange hell. I hate it. Every match I've played ends up going for like thirty minutes with super-stalled boardstates.

I -still- think Abzan is the best shell(Elspeth+Courser+Thoughtseize 2 strong), except I've adapted to a Constellation plan right now. In the land of long, monotonous, grindy midrange matchups, the one that has the most Gadgetzan Auctioneers is king. Abzan Ascendency is a house, although I don't think a non-Constellation plan really wants it.

[Natirasha]

I looked at both Mono R and Mono B in my testing... I just didn't like how they turned out

I think as the season goes on, the red deck will go in bigger like during the old ISD/RTR days with Stormbreath/Sarkhan/Ashcloud and the Mono B deck should really be running at least 3 Mogis' Maurader to get through. It might go a bit bigger with Grey Merchants or something, too. I dunno.

I love grindy midrange nightmares.

[Natirasha]

You are what has ruined magic.

I like draw go and spending 5 turns trying to craft a game state where your opponent is forced to discard during clean up so you can slowly get value.

Or combo killing people on turn 2. Sweet llanawar elf, bro. Kill you.

Or intricate combinations of the two. Cryptic command your shit. Untap. Kill you.

each player playing dumb creatures and mashing them together is just boring magic. They say its interactive. But tic tac toe is pretty interactive. And boring.

Anyone doing midnight prereleases tonight? I'm going to the Dice Dojo in Chicago and a good time will be had until I fall asleep at my table.

I'm surprised that I fooled Shea with my sarcasm. I hate hate hate grindy midrange nightmares. Most of my decks I post here are distinctly *not* midrange decks, simply because I hate matches coming down to 'who topdecks their cards in a better order?' My favorite deck of all time was back during Time Spiral, when I could play Teferi and Mystical Teachings, holding a fist of counterspells, then flash in a Skeletal Vampire or something to win.

That

is the magic I like. I will admit I do like Grey Merchant of Asphodel as a card, but besides that, I just loath how much Wizards wants everything to be midrange topdeck wars. For the past two years, it's becoming distressing how almost every good card in standard is a big dumb beater with some trinket ability that makes them slightly different from the next. I mean, look at fucking Sidisi for a perfect example. BUG is a hard control wedge. Like, if any deck deserves to be controlly, it's BUG. They know this too--Damia is a fantastically designed general in the colors--but, what did we get? An underpowered, boring beater who doesn't say 'this is BUG' at all. You can proxy that for pretty much every other Khan, too. Bearpuncher is the worst about it, he's literally the definition of 'uh, maybe if we add a bunch of words to a big dumb beater, he's cool, right? It's not even like RUG is a hard color to design for, here's a cool RUG commander I made up right now.

Guydude, Geomancer Sovereign 2URG
Legendary Creature--Human Shaman
Flash
Whenever Guydude, Geomancer Sovereign enters the battlefield, destroy target permanent, then it's owner puts a 5/5 red dragon token with flying onto the battlefield.
2/2

ez. This card is cool, fits the colors, and promotes interesting play(lets ignore balance concerns for now). But, no, Wizards doesn't want that. They want boring topdeck beaters. Which, like, those are fine in some number--cards like Akroma and Thundermaw are pretty sweet in their simplicity--but when every card is one of those, it gets real old real quick.

But, anyways, yeah, I hate Wizard's designing right now. I understand the move away from counterspells and removal--it helps sales with casual players, sure--but it really does lead to monotonous gameplay.

I know you've been going to a lot of the Texas Events, Are you going to the Waco 5k?


Also... SCG is coming to Houston... FINALLY. And then next month Dallas... I feel like texas is getting spoiled.

I would be, but I moved to Chicago last week.

(speaking of which, shea, what are the good shops to go to?)

[Natirasha]

Well, I would go tonight, but I'm actually spending the weekend in the suburbs til our apartment is ready.

And, well, I'm living with Nacho starting next week so I'm sure we'll get to meet. I'll be sure to check out the Dice Dojo. I knew Pastimes was in the area, but I'm kinda predisposed to dislike them due to how they're awful TOs, also the hardcore grinder culture is a little sickening to me--I'm looking for a shop with a competitive scene, but still a bit less hardcore so to speak.

[Natirasha]

Rockford.

[Natirasha]

Yeah I figured. Next time!

[Natirasha]

That's roughly what it equates to in draft too, from my 10+ cockatrice drafts.

I actually kinda like it, it's like Dragon's Maze done better.

Evasion and bruteforce mechanics are at a super premium this set.

[Natirasha]

I just play vs randoms on cockatrice, so I don't have a specific list I'm playing against, but if I were to spitball one right now it'd look something like this.

Spoiler: Quick & Dirty Mono Red

4x Foundry Street Denizen
4x Firedrinker Satyr
2x Monastery Swiftspear
4x War-Name Aspirant
2x Borderland Marauder
4x Mogis' Warhound
4x Goblin Rabblemaster
3x Ashcloud Phoenix
---
4x Stoke the Flames
4x Lightning Strike
3x Titan's Strength
---
20x Mountain
2x Temple of Malice

Especially going into week one, there is gonna be a lot of board stalls and generic fatties, I think. This list sorta is trying to go over them, with Warhound & Titan's Strength. Also, these cards provide a small hedge against Drown in Sorrow, which will prove to be the deck's biggest weakness I think. I would pack Stormbreaths/Sarkhan and probably an additional land(?) in the board to go later. Frenzied Goblin might be better than Swiftspear(in fact, considering the metroplex meta, I'd say almost definitely), as might be Stormbreath or something over Ashcloud--I think the card is really good and is a good way to close games out, but I might be wrong there. I don't play red aggro pretty much ever.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I forgot Jeering Instigator is a card and should probably just have the Phoenix Slots--Instigator is a card that is not on the radar atm, but is likely just super stupid when trying to break through Seige Rhinos and PolyK.

[Natirasha]

They all have their perks, but Seige Rhino is the best against aggro decks(5/5 v 4/5 really doesn't matter and gain three is relevant, also blocks Mogis Marauder) and, in the midrange grind, it's nice having your generic fatty get value before dying is solid.

PolyK I honestly think is the worst. Reaper might be better if you're hedging towards games going long enough that Hexproof is always relevant, but meh.

Also, Seige Rhino is best with Whip of Erebos.

[Natirasha]

Nah, Rabblemaster is big game, and Caryatid cannot profitably block pretty much any of the creatures in the deck(Firedrinker pumps past it, can't block War-Name, Marauder is a 3/2, Warhound puts everything else over the edge). As to Courser, that's why 4x Stoke the Flames is in the deck, and you can Titan's Strength/Frenzied Goblin/Warhound past it. I'd say the minimum to actually be a good blocker in this format is to be an x/5.

As to the black aggro deck, it's even more trivial since you can fly over with Herald, downfall past courser, Boon of Erebos past(perhaps with Agent of Fates!), intimidate with Marauder, Scarhide up a Courser or your dude.

[Natirasha]

The more I've seen of Marshall, the more I've disliked him. He just sounds like a douche(and I've had it corroborated through stories that he kinda is).

[Natirasha]

People play 8-rack online because it's cheap and they don't want to play burn/merfolk like reasonable budget players.

[Natirasha]

Merfolk is fun, but I got really bored of it.

I'm building Mono Green Devotion in modern right now. At least in DFW, there was literally no Pod or hard combo around, so I wanted to build a deck that could go over the top of BGx while having a good gameplan vs UWx.

Spoiler alert, Primeval Titan is hard for fair decks to beat. Especially when Summoning Trap'd in turn two off a Remand. Or sometimes you just Genesis Hydra for four and put Garruk Wildspeaker into play. Or Witness/Primal Command.

Go figure. Deck flat-loses to hard combo, though, lol. Slow combo is better if you go on the aggro plan(doable with 4x Strangleroot Geist).

Also, I'm like 17-3 in matches with Abzan Constellation vs randoms on cockatrice. Eidolon of Blossoms is an good card(and in stalled topdeck wars, holy shit), but Extinguish All Hope is the real reason to play the deck and I wish I could play it maindeck without hating life. Six mana Boardwipes are good when they are Plague Wind! This deck is so grindy by even midrange standards, though. It's win condition is pretty much attacking with 2/Xs and 1/1s, which can be pretty grueling when your opponents are playing 4/5s, 5/5, 3/5s and so on.

Spoiler: Current List

4 Eidolon of Blossoms
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Thoughtseize
3 Hero's Downfall
3 Banishing Light
4 Windswept Heath
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Temple of Malady
1 Temple of Plenty
2 Plains
3 Forest
2 Llanowar Wastes
1 Caves of Koilos
3 Swamp
2 Doomwake Giant
3 Brain Maggot
2 Abzan Charm
1 Utter End
1 Murderous Cut
1 Herald of Torment
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
SB: 4 Drown in Sorrow
SB: 2 Extinguish All Hope
SB: 3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
SB: 2 Agent of Erebos
SB: 1 Erebos, God of the Dead
SB: 1 Garruk, Apex Predator
SB: 1 Liliana Vess
SB: 1 Restock

I might try a version with Leaf-Crowned Dryad over Brain Maggot because I really hate Brain Maggot a lot of the time, even though he does serve an important role early on, LCD actually has a board presence and provides so protection in the air--an issue this deck has. This is actually my newest list--I was running a list with 3x Abzan Ascendency, which was a pretty good card, but too hard to set up at times. I replaced them with a Hero's Downfall and the two Heralds.

I haven't come across Back to Nature, but I don't actually think the card is unbeatable vs this deck.

[Natirasha]

I'm in as long as we use cockatrice or damage because I refuse to boot up MTGO again.

[Natirasha]

I like most of the three-color names. The Alara ones are a bit better, though. I think Jeskai and Temur are both really dumb, though.

[Natirasha]

The future is here and it does not look pretty.

Still hoping the PT shows some cool stuff.

[Natirasha]

13/16 of the top 8 decks had green and 12/16 ran 4x Caryatid/Courser. I know it's early in the format, but...come on.

My favorite deck is the BW 'Midrange' deck that's honestly just BW Control. I think this might be a good shell to start with. It seems to be one of the few decks poised to run 4x End Hostilities main.

[Natirasha]

NAT WHY ARE YOU NO LONGER COMING TO CHICAGO I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING MAGIC WITH YOU

I WAS TOO BUT THINGS CHANGED LAST MINUTE. Add me on skype if you want(name's hookerpunch) and I'll expand some.

[Natirasha]

I'm not surprised about that. DFW is so swamped with midrange it's ridiculous.

It's been that way since Birthing Pod, too.

[Natirasha]

Its like this: I need a really compelling reason to not be playing green for courser and caryatid right now. And I'm not really seeing one.

And this makes shea a sad panda.

I'm the same way with Elspeth right now. I'm quickly thinking Elspeth was a R&D mistake instead of a sweet control win con.

[Natirasha]

There was the B/W '8 main deck Wrath of Gods' deck too!

In other news, I really hate this theme of naming new decks after old decks
Like, why is it 'Sultai Dredge' or 'Ascendency Storm'. They have very little in common with the respective decks except one self-mills and the other casts a bunch of spells.

[Natirasha]

I want GSZ, Gravetroll, and Sword of the Meek unbanned. As long as Dread Return is banned, I don't think Dredge is degenerate especially since RIP and Cage have been printed. GSZ is probably a little iffy--in addition to Devotion, where it's obvious inclusion, it probably helps Bloom Titan, Hexproof and Hatebears. Dunno if it is good enough to make those decks tier one, but I'd like to see the card have a chance again. Sword of the Meek gives control a buff by having an actually reliable win condition combo kill. It gets hated out by a lot things and the addition of Abrupt Decay likely makes the combo nowhere near as powerful as it was. The increased power of combos in the format might actually allow Bloodbraid Elf to become legal to help out BGx. From there, ???. I also think that Stoneforge might be balanced if we ban Battleskull, but I know that will never happen because Batterskull is the quintessential 'well this is a midrange nightmare' sideboard card.

One of the few things the Pokemon metagame(which, in singles, is surprisingly similar to Magic) does right is that they 'Suspect Test' previously banned/questionably balanced 'mons from time to time to see if they're still broken or not after large meta shifts or bans. I really wish there was a way for the DCI to implement that on a large level.

[Natirasha]

Yeah, Stoneforge is probably just broken but that was more a fun suggestion than a real one.

[Natirasha]

Did he do another one? I remember he did a series on bans in Legacy, but not Modern(which I didn't really pay much attention to because I typically only play Legacy when big events come around).

[Natirasha]

Okay, I just read the wrap up article. He didn't say two words on GSZ, but otherwise, yeah. Same thing as me.

[Natirasha]

Hypergenesis is broooooken. I've never played with or against that card so it was in my blind spot. Watching those videos it didn't seem like that deck was capable of losing.

I was talking about Green Sun's Zenith, not Hypergenesis if it wasn't clear.

[Natirasha]

My problem is I have thoughtseize downfall caryatid and courser but no Elspeths and I really don't want to acquire Elspeths.

[Natirasha]

I could just build Sultai since I literally own the whole deck sans Polluted Delta, but man Elspeth is so strong and playing counterspells seems so bad right now.

[Natirasha]

Modern is the way of the future and the best format to get into long-term I think.

(Although I keep having this weird dream where Wizards is planning on bringing back Extended in like 5 years)

[Natirasha]

My problem is I have thoughtseize downfall caryatid and courser but no Elspeths and I really don't want to acquire Elspeths.

I have 2-3 Elspeths!

I am interested if we can come to a relatively cost-efficient number!

[Natirasha]

I like the Boon of Erebos builds of mono black more.

I actually really like the versions running Agent of Fates the most.

[Natirasha]

So I saw today that MTGO had the top 8 of the PTQ bugged so 4/8 of them couldn't submit their decks, then they decided to play it out.

LOL.

[Natirasha]

Hey now, cock isn't too bad. I don't mind it.

And XMage is up-and-coming, although I suspect it'll get a C&D eventually.

[Natirasha]

I suspect it'll get the boot from Legacy within a year. Dig Through Time's commitment to UU will save it, though.

[Natirasha]

There's a lot of talk about it being bork'd in Modern, and there, unbanning BBE or something for the non-blue fair decks I think would fix the problem.

I'd say DRS because that card is actually pretty solid against Treasure Cruise, but then we run into BGx v UR Delver v Jeskai Ascendency v Burn and that does not sound like a fun metagame!

Ascendency should be banned, though. I dunno. I've watched a couple pros play the deck now and it is probably just busted. It draws though the deck at such a rate that bolting a bird doesn't work(if they don't just play Caryatid), plays seven copies of Ascendency so you can easily get them. Mana dorks get around Blood Moon, Wishboard lets it get through any sort of hate. I usually try to be lenient on bans, but this deck is way too strong. It's kinda a shame, because I like the deck.

[Natirasha]

I really like Glittering Wish, though, so I'm hoping for the straight Ascendancy ban. Glittering Wish Jund was a fun deck back before DRS ban.

I could believe that Treasure Cruise is the problem, though, and it needs to be banned.

[Natirasha]

I agree with that! While this deck is nowhere to the level Eggs was(I don't think you'd see Kibler f6ing then walking away from the table), it is not really conducive to the type of magic Wizards want to be on a high level--they banned Seething Song for a similar reason(Even though they'll never say it).

[Natirasha]

I've never been afraid of the reanimator deck unless it runs Soul of Innistrad--that's the card that made the deck in playing against it(I was running either Abzan or UB control btw).

[Natirasha]

I've been playing Abzan Midrange except I cut Courser+Caryatid for Fleecemanes, Anafenzas, and Seeker of the Way. The guy I got the list off of(Fatsuno--he's a streamer on twitch) runs Rakshasa Deathdealer over Seekers, but, eeeh.

It's pretty sick and I like it way more than Coursyatids. It feels like its actually, you know, trying to win the game vs gaining a life off land.

[Natirasha]

I really liked pauper before I started boycotting MTGO. I was actually one of the original people to play the RW Glint Hawk deck--if you look back at the old dailies(pre-Fissure ban), I was even the first person to put Guardian of the Guildpact in the deck(my MTGO name is Wexort).

It's my most successful deck that I can say I really 'brewed'.

[Natirasha]

I'm actually enjoying this PT a little. It's really interesting the way their all working out.

Pretty much everyone was prepared for Courser decks. The UB decks, especially. But the Mardu and Jeskai decks are going so threat-dense that the UB decks can't compete. And Siege Rhino seems to be wrecking those. The guy who's top atm is actually running a variation of the deck I was outlining earlier in the thread(except he went full aggro with Heir of the Wilds, cutting the Elspeths). I like it!

[Natirasha]

I'm loving this match. Ari's styling all over his opponent.

[Natirasha]

'I can't wait to see who I get to crush next round!'

lol

So, who's number two?

[Natirasha]

Soo...
: 1. jeskai
2. abzan midrange
3 abzan midrange
4 abzan aggro
5 UB control
6 jeskai
7 jeskai
8 ascendancy combo

I'll probably have more notes once the decklists actually go up, but I find it not coincidental that the only UB deck to make it is the one ran by probably the best control player right now(Ivan Floch) AND is the one version of the deck to not run Pearl Lake Ancient(he uses Prognostic Sphinx). Also, I know his list ran 4 Disdainful Stroke main that the Pantheon build wasn't running. I have been messing with variants of this deck on and off(but always came back to Abzan--I think it's defacto the strongest thing you can be doing right now) and Ashiok is too vulnerable, and Pearl Lake is too slow.

[Natirasha]

Tian's combo list is very different from the one LSV/Dave Williams/Matignon/etc were playing, since he's got things like Twinflame/Nissa instead of Altar of the Brood. It's very weird, and I think it actually takes more cards to go off than the Altar version.

I don't like his list(it is succeptible to AEtherspouts, for one), but I think he did it so he can board into 'standard' RUG midrange deck.

[Natirasha]

Because, Magic, as opposed to every other new-age 'e-sports'-esque community, really hates emotion. It's seen as rude as opposed to hype. I think we need more Ari's--these payers are fun to build stories and create emotional narratives around.

[Natirasha]

I hate Jeskai!

[Natirasha]

They keep saying that Dig Through Time is the breakout card of the tournament, but it's so very clearly Siege Rhino.

[Natirasha]

Woo!

Such hype!

[Natirasha]

Either him or David Parker AKA Godz of Beyond the Summit(probably the most famous Dota 2 casting group) would be my guess, although chamber or someone would know better than me.

[Natirasha]

Spoiler: Adaptable Abzan

4 Fleecemane Lion
3 Rakshasa Deathdealer
3 Anafenza, the Foremost
4 Siege Rhino
--
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
1 Whip of Erebos
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
--
1 Bile Blight
4 Abzan Charm
2 Utter End
1 Murderous Cut
4 Hero's Downfall
3 Thoughtseize
--
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
3 Temple of Malady
1 Temple of Silence
4 Windswept Heath
2 Plains
3 Forest
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Llanowar Wastes
2 Caves of Koilos
3 Swamp
----
SB: 2 Drown in Sorrow
SB: 1 Garruk, Apex Predator
SB: 2 Bile Blight
SB: 1 Utter End
SB: 2 Glare of Heresy
SB: 1 Duneblast
SB: 1 Liliana Vess
SB: 1 Silence the Believers
SB: 1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
SB: 2 End Hostilities
SB: 1 Erebos, God of the Dead

So, I got to jam a bunch of games with this today vs most of the PT lists and it's pretty much my standard going further. It's at it's core the same Abzan stuff I've been peddling since Siege Rhino was spoiled, but it kinda cuts the middle between the ramp lists and the aggro lists. I've yet to lose a mirror with it(admittedly, 5 matches and they all went to three games).

Pretty much, the aggro deck preys on most of the format--it ended up losing to McLaren 'plays two maindeck Anger of the Gods in my 4x Rabblemaster 4x Mantis Rider' Jeskai list, and I think it's matchup vs the heavier Abzan lists comes down to Siege Rhinos.

Early on in the format, I was finding Caryatid was just very weak. It was horrible in the long game and didn't do much vs aggro decks. Courser fared a little better, but I was reminded recently of a quote from Dendi, a Dota Pro, who famously advocates winning fast--dota is different from Magic on a bunch of levels, but the endgames of dota matches and midrange mirrors are similar--as we saw in Ari's semifinals, it's stupid random and really just comes down to who topdecks Elspeth on an empty board first. Courser, well, is weak in those situations because it's not actually a business card. I'm rambling a little here, but what it came down to was that Courser was weak, whereas Anafenza was sweet and pushed some major board presence while continuing to be a brick wall vs the smaller decks in the format(usually better, too, easily trading with Rakshasas and Seekers where Courser wouldn't). What I'm saying is, I don't feel doing some slow as caryatid->courser is where you really want to be in the format.

So, anyways, this is the list. The worst part is the manabase--it really could use the additional land, but then I feel it loses some oomph in the late game. Barring the worst of draws(which, with a heavy midrange v midrange format, just happens sometimes), you will always get to six land in the mirror, and you board down your CMC in the other matchups so *shrug*.

This deck does have a semi-transformative sideboard. Postboard in the mirror, we become a true control deck, boarding out all the non-Fleecemane/Rhino creatures, the whip, Bile Blight and Thoughtseize(bad topdecks lategame) for the planeswalker package, the 4cmc removal, Erebos, and all the boardwipes/Glares, then just go heavy control.

vs Jeskai, I actually cut some of the top end for Sorin, Glares and Bile Blight--they literally have no way of dealing with resolved Siege Rhinos.

vs UB, well, I don't know! Despite doing alright, no one is playing this deck. I mean, I don't think the deck is super hot, but it should show up in some numbers more than it is.

[Natirasha]

In standard? No. But in Modern? I can 100% believe that.

[Natirasha]

I really wish there was a deck that could get away with running 4x maindeck RIP. Where is my Stasis Field or Helm of Obedience, Wizards???

[Natirasha]

Treasure Cruise is better in older formats because UU is way different from U and decks like Delver run little enough lands that it actually outputs more usable cards, but in standard, Dig is just much more applicable.

[Natirasha]

I'd play blue Tibalt.

[Natirasha]

Flickerwisp.

[Natirasha]

Standard's pretty sick. I'm playing 4-color reanimator right now(really just sidisi whip+Siege Rhino).

[Natirasha]

I'm willing to accept I was wrong.

I still have ideological concerns about the format, but it's fun itself.

Also if Jeskai and Abzan continue their domination, I think 4 color is the way to go. How do you go bigger than Abzan? Run Dig Through Time and Pearl Lake Ancient with Siege Rhino.

Or Whip because all the grave hate fucking sucks right now unless you're running constellation.

[Natirasha]

Twinflame/Nissa is Umbrella Revolution.

Altar of the Brood was the LSV list.

[Natirasha]

This has been a very fun GP to watch.

Like, the coverage is better than the PT was for some odd reason?

[Natirasha]

I've been following them, I appreciate what he says and his opinions are very close to mine.

I've always wanted to write ludological criticism, but never been able to articulate myself well enough

[Natirasha]

Also, I fucking hate MaRO.

I don't hate him anymore, but I definitely don't value him like I used to. As much as it sounds like it here, I don't actually think the sky is falling with Magic. It's just, a different game nowadays, and MaRo's cult of personality has to do with that, I think.

Also Cardboard Crack is pretty bad!

[Natirasha]

Is Quiet Contemplation as sideboard tech for the Pearl Lake Ancient mirror too cute?

I feel Stain the Mind is a bit more applicable, imo.

[Natirasha]

See, I don't think the frames were particularly a response to Yu-Gi-Oh and I think a large, understated part of Magic's continued success in the market is because the cards themselves actually look professional. The recent updates were more to combat the increasing quality of fakes than anything imo.

[Natirasha]

Professional, and its synonym sterile, are so overrated. I don't play games because I want to look professional. I'm a fucking engineer, if I want professional I'll do it at my job. I play games for fun, and the new frames have always been less magical. It's funny because Planeshift really had great frames that were done amazingly in the new style (if less sterile).

I feel like I just stepped into 2004, wtf.

I agree the planar chaos frames(which I assume you are talking about) are really really nice and I would love if they changed to them/brought them back(I also liked the Future Sight frames!), but, like, I don't know what you're arguing here? I know I don't want my cards to look like this. The current design is perfect in a minimalistic way, imo.

[Natirasha]

Also Jeskai Ascendancy is an okay card, Treasure Cruise is increasingly proving to be the problem in Modern(lol Treasure Cruise Burn mirror in the finals of the last Japanese tournament).

[Natirasha]

I think the only form of acceptable Magic is winning on turn fifty-two with your one copy of Elixir of Immortality.

[Natirasha]

Old school players use Feldon's Cane. Curse your modern cards

I could have said Junktroller?

[Natirasha]

Huntmaster is difficult to fit with cryptic. not sure about format though.

RUG midrange was probably the best midrange deck pre-Khans and it ran Cryptic/Huntmaster.

In other news, I was wondering when someone was going to throw Siege Rhino is BGW in modern. Doesn't die to most hard removal(Path/Dismember/Pulse being the only ones I can think of), tramples over Souls and helps the matchup vs burn? Sign me up!

I think either Fate Reforged or the next set is going to have 1R Sorcery--Deal 5 damage to target creature.

PEDIT: I think BUG would be a deck still if they were forced to use Dig and not Treasure Cruise, Delver would probably play some number too. The only decks really hurt would probably be ascendancy combo and Burn.

[Natirasha]

Delver and Burn will have more presence on MTGO due to price issues, but, yeah.

[Natirasha]

pls just preboard Baloths/Thrun or something! Gitgud bv!

[Natirasha]

Preboard four Thruns and Spirit of the Labyrinth, duh!

[Natirasha]

Winston draft is some of the most fun I've had with magic.

[Natirasha]

The one thing I always admired about Bertoncini was that he wasn't afraid to wave it in the DCI's face. I mean, his twitch handle was '2explore', and who can forget when he said his favorite card in Legacy as Explore? I mean, that takes cajones.

I will miss him in that way, I guess? Remember when reynad wrote that article when he got banned(I

still

don't think he actually cheated, as a side note) and had to inadvertently defend Bertoncini? Absolutely hilarious.

[Natirasha]

http://www.draftmagic.com/2013/04/30/th ... f-the-dci/

This, paradoxically, I think, really has hurt Magic in another way because before the ban, reynad was the number one twitch streamer of MTG--MJ was gettng ~1-2k views at the time and Andrey was getting ~3-5k. After this incident, he jumped ship and is now one of the top Hearthstone streamers(I always see him with between 15-20k views) and he takes every chance he gets to shittalk MtG and WotC. I would not doubt in the slightest that he has hurt them in some slight way, honestly.

I do agree with his statement in the article, though, that the DCI should not be able to issue bans for things said on social media.

[Natirasha]

How'd Goblinslide/Quiet Contemplation treat you? You've got some pretty good cards in the board that I'd play over those.

[Natirasha]

Reynad's a dick, but he is actually good at card games and seeing him insult the chat/his opponent/everything is pretty funny. Plus his stream is a constant string of insults back at him.

I am, allegedly, everything wrong with the internet too.

[Natirasha]

I watch Cheon, MJ and occasionally solebush on twitch. Numot is too boring for me. MtG on twitch is mostly dead though. I'd rather watch games with small, vibrant communities like Civilization.

[Natirasha]

Abzan Guide is sweet, though!

[Natirasha]

I'd say it's a tossup between it and Ponyback Brigade, but Guide is in the better colors.

[Natirasha]

Nutty sets tend to be the most fun sets, so I'm fine.

[Natirasha]

Clearly you didn't play during urzas block.

Nutty=/=degenerate. Treasure Cruise is nutty, but it's brokenness is kinda quiet vs, say Tolarian Academy, which fucking anyone with even a quarter of a brain could see was just a bad idea. I'd say ALA-ZEN was a standard format awash in brokenness that ended up being fun.

[Natirasha]

Add Spirit of the Labyrinths, and Fiendslayer Paladins and Thalias.

After that, you might want to cut some of the black cards to help the manabase.

Since your curve is lower, you can probably cut pod and some lands. Aether Vial would be pretty sweet to get around the countermagic, too.

You know, maybe even some RIPs in the side now that you aren't really using the grave as much.

[Natirasha]

(I might try testing RIPbears tonight)

[Natirasha]

EDH is a pretty fun format if you have a good group. I could never imagine playing it online, though.

[Natirasha]

Teferi+likely Cryptic Command is my bro.

[Natirasha]

My favorite commander right now is likely Selvala, though. She's pretty awesome.

[Natirasha]

The spoiled black deck has Profane Command in it, so some are speculating the whole cycle will be reprinted. I think the red deck will be value due to Dualcaster Mage & Wurmcoil, while the Blue deck will be value due to True-Name and Cryptic Command reprints.

Green might be worth something too.