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[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131282681]

• Forest + Elvish Mystic
• White land + caryatid + elvish mystic
• land + elspeth

Rare, but not unthinkable. Maybe 1 in 8 games or so the possibility comes up.[/QUOTE]

6 card combo checks out

 

["God's Beard!"]

6 card combo checks out

Why even put burning tree emissaries in your deck. Getting two into a lightning strike is a pipe dream right.

I'm not saying build around a turn 3 Elspeth, but build your deck in a way that nut draws are possible. It just blows my mind that people aren't putting Elvish Mystic in their Abzan decks

Even turn 4 Elspeth is insane and that actually happens a lot with 8 ramp creatures.. With only 4 it's double burning tree status.


Anyway, I don't know how this went from Garruk being a bad card to lol nice combos bro

The point stands that you're unlikely to cast Garruk at a point in the game where he has a significant impact compared to the better planeswalkers.

 

[Negator]

Dreams do come true!?

http://www.crcast.com

 

[phazedplasma]

You guys mess around with and Yisan decks?

4x Yisan
4x kiora follower
4x prophet of kruphix

you can see where its going...

Was thinking of building a temur version of it.

 

[keeblerdrow]

Built it and play tested with it. It's super slow and a 3 card combo to be any good. It's a ton of fun to play, but with progenitor mimic leaving, you miss a massive amount of fun at the 6 drop slot. Green devotion and Gr devotion both did what this deck did, but with more efficiency because they don't take constant time outs to durdle some 1-3 drops into play.

Build it and play with it. Just don't show up expecting to top your fnm or be relevant at a tourney with it.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Here's the final version of my Abzan deck, as far as having ordered the cards and everything goes:

Abzan Midrange

Creatures(20):

• 4x Elvish Mystic
• 4x Sylvan Caryatid
• 3x Fleecemane Lion
• 4x Courser of Kruphix
• 1x High Sentinels of Arashin
• 3x Siege Rhino
• 3x Wingmate Roc

Spells(8):

• 4x Thoughtseize
• 3x Banishing Light
• 1x Murderous Cut

Planeswalkers(8):

• 2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
• 2x Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
• 2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion

Land(24):

• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 4x Sandsteppe Citadel
• 4x Windswept Heath
• 4x Llanowar Wastes
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Temple of Plenty
• 2x Temple of Silence
• 5x Forest
• 1x Plains

Sideboard(15):

• 4x Nyx-Fleece Ram
• 3x Arbor Colossus
• 3x Mistcutter Hydra
• 1x Tormod's Crypt
• 1x Anafenza, the Foremost
• 2x Setessan Tactics
• 1x Stain the Mind

Fleecemane Lion's monstrous being the same CMC as Wingmate is so awesome.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I'm still running him in the side, but I'm not convinced we're going to end up needing Mistcutter Hydra even out of the board. Unless Temur charm is a horrible pain or something, but even then.

 

[keeblerdrow]

It dodges all temur multicolors, all jeskai multicolors, and counterspells. Still a solid sideboard option.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I'm still running him in the side, but I'm not convinced we're going to end up needing Mistcutter Hydra even out of the board. Unless Temur charm is a horrible pain or something, but even then.

I am deathly afraid of Temur Charm and Knuckleblade, and I'm expecting them to be popular.

I've got a Temur/Jeskai hate package in the Hydra and Colossus, a red/black aggro hate package in the Ram, colossus and setessan tactics, a sultai hate package with anafenza and tormod's crypt, a mirror breaker in setessan tactics and a combo hate card in stain the mind.

I think that covers the main threats I'm expecting. Sideboarding is definitely my favorite part about deck construction, along with building the mana base.

 

[Angry Grimace]

MODO, ladies and gents:

Guy 4-0's a daily with a deck designed to exploit the Spirespine bug that causes the game to break:

http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/deck.asp?deck_id=1214545

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131329151]I am deathly afraid of Temur Charm and Knuckleblade, and I'm expecting them to be popular.

I've got a Temur/Jeskai hate package in the Hydra and Colossus, a red/black aggro hate package in the Ram, colossus and setessan tactics, a sultai hate package with anafenza and tormod's crypt, a mirror breaker in setessan tactics and a combo hate card in stain the mind.

I think that covers the main threats I'm expecting. Sideboarding is definitely my favorite part about deck construction, along with building the mana base.[/QUOTE]

I've argued in favor of it before, but I don't think Tormod's Crypt is worth running.

 

["God's Beard!"]

You know what I hate about Abzan? Too many fucking good 3-drops.

• Courser of Kruphix - It's a Dark Confidant that blocks and gains life. Mandatory.
• Banishing Light - The best removal in a GW-based Abzan. Mandatory in some number.
• Hero's Downfall - The most reliable removal in the format, mandatory in a BW or BG base.
• Anafenza- a bad Loxodon Smiter that randomly hoses Sultai and synergizes well with High Sentinels.
• Abzan Charm - the best charm for Standard, flexible.
• Brimaz - Dodges a huge amount of early removal, can win games when backed by removal and is insane with Sorin.

I've argued in favor of it before, but I don't think Tormod's Crypt is worth running.

Tormod's Crypt is a bit mediocre and Anafenza bricks Sultai way better, but I'm a bit worried about the grindy, removal-focused midrange decks that just interact until they can cast Empty the Pits. Cracking a Crypt when they're around 4 mana and 5-6 cards in the graveyard should slow them down a bit. I don't think I can cast Bile Blight reliably and Tormod's Crypt has other applications so I think it's a safe card as a one-of.

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131333804]You know what I hate about Abzan? Too many fucking good 3-drops.

• Courser of Kruphix - It's a Dark Confidant that blocks and gains life. Mandatory.
• Banishing Light - The best removal in a GW-based Abzan. Mandatory in some number.
• Hero's Downfall - The most reliable removal in the format, mandatory in a BW or BG base.
• Anafenza- a bad Loxodon Smiter that randomly hoses Sultai and synergizes well with High Sentinels.
• Abzan Charm - the best charm for Standard, flexible.
• Brimaz - Dodges a huge amount of early removal, can win games when backed by removal and is insane with Sorin.

Tormod's Crypt is a bit mediocre and Anafenza bricks Sultai way better, but I'm a bit worried about the grindy, removal-focused midrange decks that just interact until they can cast Empty the Pits. Cracking a Crypt when they're around 4 mana and 5-6 cards in the graveyard should slow them down a bit. I don't think I can cast Bile Blight reliably and Tormod's Crypt has other applications so I think it's a safe card as a one-of.[/QUOTE]

I've argued this in the past to people, but I still believe Tormod's Crypt is a really cumbersome way to interact with Empty the Pits. I like Cranial Archive better simply because it has a cantrip to avoid costing you a card that does nothing. You could use it on yourself, even, if you want to recur stuff.

Also, Event Deck list is out. B/W meh list. Nothing exciting, although it does have Bloodsoaked Champion in the deck. No fetchlands, just a Caves of Koilos.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I've argued this in the past to people, but I still believe Tormod's Crypt is a really cumbersome way to interact with Empty the Pits. I like Cranial Archive better simply because it has a cantrip to avoid costing you a card that does nothing. You could use it on yourself, even, if you want to recur stuff.

I don't know, I think being able to use Crypt while staying on curve is slightly more beneficial than the 4-mana cantrip effect. You really want to use the first couple turns setting up your ramp and such, and if Archive is in your opening hand that opens it up to hand disruption. Especially in a midrange deck with a bunch of expensive spells, it could get annoying trying to find a good opportunity to use the archive.

Not to mention that you're going to get in the awkward situation of whether or not you want to leave 2 mana open or cast Elspeth/Wingmate Roc/Ajani and leave the archive vulnerable to Sultai Charm.

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131335652]I don't know, I think being able to use Crypt while staying on curve is slightly more beneficial than the 4-mana cantrip effect. You really want to use the first couple turns setting up your ramp and such, and if Archive is in your opening hand that opens it up to hand disruption. Especially in a midrange deck with a bunch of expensive spells, it could get annoying trying to find a good opportunity to use the archive.

Not to mention that you're going to get in the awkward situation of whether or not you want to leave 2 mana open or cast Elspeth/Wingmate Roc/Ajani and leave the archive vulnerable to Sultai Charm.[/QUOTE]The problem I see is that Crypt costs you a card and doesn't necessarily do all that much to set your opponent back if they already have a dredging engine set up.

Also, I think you will be surprised at the number of Abzan decks running Elvish Mystic. Most Abzan decks I've been seeing around don't have any.

 

[OnPoint]

Also, Event Deck list is out. B/W meh list. Nothing exciting, although it does have Bloodsoaked Champion in the deck. No fetchlands, just a Caves of Koilos.

Not surprising they have no fetch in. Don't they usually not put the most current lands in right away?

 

[Angry Grimace]

Not surprising they have no fetch in. Don't they usually not put the most current lands in right away?

Not sure, actually, although almost all of the ones they had last year had a shock if relevant. Not that they could put a fetch in a B/W list since the appropriate fetch is Marsh Flats. It would have been really, really funny if they had put Thoughtseize in the deck.

Also, I need to get this alter done:

 

[OnPoint]

Not sure, actually, although almost all of the ones they had last year had a shock if relevant. Not that they could put a fetch in a B/W list since the appropriate fetch is Marsh Flats. It would have been really, really funny if they had put Thoughtseize in the deck.

Also, I need to get this alter done:

I feel as though they didn't put a shock in until the Dragons Maze deck.

Edit: Yup. Just looked it up. None til the DM list with Godless Shrine.

Also looked it up for Scars block. Didn't get a fetch until the M12 lists. No Fastlands until the M13 lists.

Innistrad DID end up with a Hinterland Harbor in one of the decks, though. Dark Ass and Avacyn got no Innistrad lands though.

Don't expect a Fetch in an event deck until at least set 3.

 

["God's Beard!"]

The problem I see is that Crypt costs you a card and doesn't necessarily do all that much to set your opponent back if they already have a dredging engine set up.

It's just to slow them down, but honestly I'd rather just run a second Anafenza in the side and say fuck it towards Empty the Pits than use the Archive.

Also, I think you will be surprised at the number of Abzan decks running Elvish Mystic. Most Abzan decks I've been seeing around don't have any.

It really blows my mind. The decks I've seen can't even cast thoughtseize on turn one and have like 12 3-drops.

The top one on /r/spikes has exactly 3 untapped black sources, no mystics and still tries to run 2 elspeths and a garruk. Not to mention that running Elspeth/Garruk and Nissa in the same deck with light acceleration is a total nonbo.

Also, he's got 10 come into play tapped lands and 3 plains with the only double white card being Elspeth for... reasons. 11 Black sources and 6 double-black spells in the main and yet people are complimenting him on his great mana base.

There's a lot of strange stuff going on with rotation coming. Multiple Utter End in the mainboard? For what?

 

[Firemind]

Elspeth mirror, obviously. It isn't an exaggeration to say Elspeth dominated Theros block constructed. Plus, Utter End hits Nissa and Sarkhan, two other cards that are pretty good in grindy matchups.

I think the deck that can utlize Elvish Mystic the best is Temur. Turn two morph Rattleclaw Mystic followed by a sick play on turn three is pretty sweet. Shame Elspeth can destroy your ferocious creatures. Perhaps Stubborn Denial has a place somewhere...

 

[SigmasonicX]

You know, with all the talk of the Jeskai Ascendency combo deck, has the use of Altar of the Brood been considered? The idea behind the combo is to bounce and recast a 0-mana artifact, and Altar of the Brood mills every time a permanent enters the battlefield under your control.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Elspeth mirror, obviously. It isn't an exaggeration to say Elspeth dominated Theros block constructed. Plus, Utter End hits Nissa and Sarkhan, two other cards that are pretty good in grindy matchups.

I think the deck that can utlize Elvish Mystic the best is Temur. Turn two morph Rattleclaw Mystic followed by a sick play on turn three is pretty sweet. Shame Elspeth can destroy your ferocious creatures. Perhaps Stubborn Denial has a place somewhere...

I don't think the extra mana is worth avoiding the blowout from losing a Banishing Light.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I just don't like Mystic in the deck because I don't expect to be dead all that fast and Mystic requires removing other cards that do things that win you the game. I'll keep it in mind, of course, but right now I'm not running it.

I'm imagining you'll see a lot of these extremely greedy mana bases get scaled back pretty fast. People are very hot to trot to play a bunch of different cards that are on-color regardless of the color requirements. The Drown in Sorrow I put in my board already seems suspect, but I'm not sure how else I'd clear out the rabble.

 

[Firemind]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131341160]I don't think the extra mana is worth avoiding the blowout from losing a Banishing Light.[/QUOTE]
Sultai will thank you for it.

There's also Reclamation Sage in Chord decks and I could see Destructive Revelry maindeck to deal with Coursers and random enchantments.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I just don't like Mystic in the deck because I don't expect to be dead all that fast and Mystic requires removing other cards that do things that win you the game. I'll keep it in mind, of course, but right now I'm not running it.

I'm imagining you'll see a lot of these extremely greedy mana bases get scaled back pretty fast. People are very hot to trot to play a bunch of different cards that are on-color regardless of the color requirements. The Drown in Sorrow I put in my board already seems suspect, but I'm not sure how else I'd clear out the rabble.

Mana is everything to me. I'm even considering cutting one of the Ajanis to run a second plains because casting Wingmate Roc before turn 5 is slightly hawkward. If I want to win games over a long tournament, I want Elspeth coming out on turn 4-5, Siege Rhino coming out turn 3 and Courser on turn 2 as often as possible. Between Courser, fetches, scrylands and Ajani, there's a lot of ways to maniplate the top of the deck in the mid-late game, but no way to avoid drawing a bunch of 4-5 drops and no accelerants other than to play more accelerants. And Elvish Mystic is better than Sylvan Caryatid. It gives the deck a sorely-needed reliable turn-one play.

If you look at the history of superfriends decks, everything from Josh Utter-Leyton's Mythic Conscription to Chris Vanmeter's Jund Monsters to Yuuki Ichikawa's Jund Planeswalkers decks ran 8 mana dorks. There's a huge correlation between winning games and being able to cast your spells on or ahead of time.

 

[Firemind]

There's also a world of difference between killing Elspeth end of turn, followed by your own Elspeth, and being forced to kill Elspeth on your own turn with Banishing Light, which the opponent can respond with another Elspeth. In the latter case, you'd be looking down on 6 1/1 tokens and an Elspeth you have to deal with.

Utter End is a good card.

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131344184]Mana is everything to me. I'm even considering cutting one of the Ajanis to run a second plains because casting Wingmate Roc before turn 5 is slightly hawkward. If I want to win games over a long tournament, I want Elspeth coming out on turn 4-5, Siege Rhino coming out turn 3 and Courser on turn 2 as often as possible. Between Courser, fetches, scrylands and Ajani, there's a lot of ways to maniplate the top of the deck in the mid-late game, but no way to avoid drawing a bunch of 4-5 drops and no accelerants other than to play more accelerants. And Elvish Mystic is better than Sylvan Caryatid. It gives the deck a sorely-needed reliable turn-one play.

If you look at the history of superfriends decks, everything from Josh Utter-Leyton's Mythic Conscription to Chris Vanmeter's Jund Monsters to Yuuki Ichikawa's Jund Planeswalkers decks ran 8 mana dorks. There's a huge correlation between winning games and being able to cast your spells on or ahead of time.[/QUOTE]

I don't think running 3 walkers counts as superfriends though, particularly given Sorin and Ajani are more of a support walkers and you frequently don't just win because you cast Elspeth. The walkers help the deck, but you're mostly going to be winning games off the back of efficient creatures like Siege Rhino and disruption. If your plan is to really run it that way, it seems like you should be running Nissa.

 

[MjFrancis]

I thought Howl of the Horde might have a place in any sort of Modern Burn deck as a 1-3-of, but it really doesn't. It depends on a)Attacking with a creature T4, b) having four mana T4, c) not getting countered & d) losing to Twin when on the draw. I really wanted it to work too, but all my goldfishing and playtesting against my Twin deck says that it's trading consistency for occasional explosiveness. A nine-damage T4 finisher is pretty cool, but it won't work out that way far too often.

I'm more apt to try it out as a win-con in a UR-Twin deck, ala Bolt-Snapcaster-Bolt. I still don't know that it will work out, but I'm willing to try it.

 

["God's Beard!"]

There's also a world of difference between killing Elspeth end of turn, followed by your own Elspeth, and being forced to kill Elspeth on your own turn with Banishing Light, which the opponent can respond with another Elspeth. In the latter case, you'd be looking down on 6 1/1 tokens and an Elspeth you have to deal with.

Utter End is a good card.

If I thought I wanted to be holding up planeswalker removal instead of jamming threats every turn in Abzan Midrange I'd be BG-based and run Hero's Downfall. Utter End is pretty close to garbage. The only 4-mana removal I'd consider running is Silence the Believers because it kills bestow creatures in the aggro decks and multiple threats in the midrange matchups.

If I was a deck that wanted to hold up removal like BW midrange I'd consider a copy somewhere in the 75 but I wouldn't be happy about it. I already think Abzan Charm is too expensive to want and that's the best charm of the five.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131344184]casting Wingmate Roc before turn 5 is slightly hawkward. [/QUOTE]

badumtish.gif

 

[SigmasonicX]

Also, random thought, but it would be neat if there was a card like this in this block:

Possibly Big Guy - G
Creature - Shapeshifter
Ferocious - As long as you control another creature with power 4 or greater, Possibly Big Guy is a creature with base power and toughness 4/4.
1/1

 

[Firemind]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131346365]If I thought I wanted to be holding up planeswalker removal instead of jamming threats every turn in Abzan Midrange I'd be BG-based and run Hero's Downfall. Utter End is pretty close to garbage. The only 4-mana removal I'd consider running is Silence the Believers because it kills bestow creatures in the aggro decks and multiple threats in the midrange matchups.

If I was a deck that wanted to hold up removal like BW midrange I'd consider a copy somewhere in the 75 but I wouldn't be happy about it. I already think Abzan Charm is too expensive to want and that's the best charm of the five.[/QUOTE]

Enjoy losing to Elspeth, Nissa, Sarkhan and the lot. :lol

 

[Angry Grimace]

Enjoy losing to Elspeth, Nissa, Sarkhan and the lot. :lol

I agree with GB that Utter End is a sideboard card, though. Its 4-mana removal that doesn't hit the biggest threat to the deck. I don't think its "garbage," though.

 

[OnPoint]

I built a BW Tokens (with a twist) deck in Modern and I'm thinking of taking it to a local event. I'm going to do some playtesting before I do so, but off-hand, what do you guys recommend I use to start building the sideboard? Stuff like Rest in Peace, enchantment/artifact removal... I've never really paid much mind to the Modern SB tech until now so I was hoping to hear the voice of experience.

Edit: why am I talking about Modern during the most exciting Standard time every year. hah

 

["God's Beard!"]

We're all going to look like assholes when mono green devotion wins the pro-tour. Except me, cause it'll have Genesis Hydras, but I'll still feel bad about it. It's the only matchup I've felt was completely unwinnable and I fought against Elspeth, Nissa, Sarkhan and the lot.

Reid Duke says being a good player is not only about recognizing the best cards but also playing them, and I'll just feel like a total scrub when I see all the Genesis Hydras being cast in grand finals.

 

[aidan]

I've been tooling with a Mardu Aristocrats deck:

//Creature (21)
4 Bloodsoaked Champion
4 Butcher of the Horde
3 Grim Haruspex
4 Jeering Instigator
4 Monastery Swiftspear
2 Tymaret, the Murder King

//Enchantment (2)
2 Mardu Ascendancy

//Instant (10)
2 Hero's Downfall
3 Mardu Charm
1 Murderous Cut
4 Raise the Alarm

//Enchantment Artifact (1)
1 Whip of Erebos

//Planeswalker (2)
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor

SB: 2 Banishing Light
SB: 1 Crackling Doom
SB: 1 Dictate of Erebos
SB: 1 Harness by Force
SB: 3 Lightning Strike
SB: 3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
SB: 4 Thoughtseize

I have no idea where to go with the land, though, since I'm awful at building manabases.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I've been tooling with a Mardu Aristocrats deck:



I have no idea where to go with the land, though, since I'm awful at building manabases.

Rabble rabble

 

[aidan]

Rabble rabble

Budget's a bit of a concern for me, otherwise I'd have four Rabblemasters in there. I really wish I'd listened to my gut and preordered those...

 

[Firemind]

I agree with GB that Utter End is a sideboard card, though. Its 4-mana removal that doesn't hit the biggest threat to the deck. I don't think its "garbage," though.

What's the threat you're speaking of? Stormbreath? Utter End is either a maindeck card or not, to supplement Hero's Downfall. It's definitely not a sideboard card.

I think your mistake is that you're fitting Abzan midrange into G/W, splashing black. Black is where all the 1-for-1s are coming from. I'm fairly sure the strongest Abzan shell is B/G, splashing white for Elspeth and other goodstuff.

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131350916]We're all going to look like assholes when mono green devotion wins the pro-tour. Except me, cause it'll have Genesis Hydras, but I'll still feel bad about it. It's the only matchup I've felt was completely unwinnable and I fought against Elspeth, Nissa, Sarkhan and the lot.

Reid Duke says being a good player is not only about recognizing the best cards but also playing them, and I'll just feel like a total scrub when I see all the Genesis Hydras being cast in grand finals.[/QUOTE]
This I can see happening. Not sure if Genesis Hydra is better than 6cc Garruk though. And no BTE is a beating.

 

[Angry Grimace]

What's the threat you're speaking of? Stormbreath? Utter End is either a maindeck card or not, to supplement Hero's Downfall. It's definitely not a sideboard card.

I think your mistake is that you're fitting Abzan midrange into G/W, splashing black. Black is where all the 1-for-1s are coming from. I'm fairly sure the strongest Abzan shell is B/G, splashing white for Elspeth and other goodstuff.

...you mean Hero's Downfall? Because Thoughtseize and Despise are splashable cards.

All of the good midrange creatures are white or green and Ajani MOH is, in fact, good. I don't think rearranging the deck just to run Hero's Downfall is necessarily the correct choice. Utter End is pretty expensive when you don't know what the opposing deck is and whether you really need to spend extra to run it over Light and Cut.

 

[Firemind]

Fleecemane Lion is splashable. Brimaz is okay.

 

["God's Beard!"]

So simple, so effective.

Devotion to Winning

Creatures(29)
4x Elvish Mystic
3x Sylvan Caryatid
3x Voyaging Satyr
4x Courser of Kruphix
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Hornet Nest
4x Polukranos
1x Nylea's Disciple
1x Nylea, God of the Hunt
1x Arbor Colossus
2x Hornet Queen
4x Genesis Hydra

Spells(4)
4x Chord of Calling

Planeswalkers(4)
4x Nissa Worldwaker

Lands(23)
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
19 Forest

Sideboard(15)
3x Arbor Colossus
3x Sedge Scorpion
3x Mistcutter Hydra
1x Nylea's Disciple
1x Reclamation Sage
2x Setessan Tactics
2x See the Unwritten

 

[Angry Grimace]

Fleecemane Lion is splashable. Brimaz is okay.

I will be very surprised if maindecking 12 removal spells is actually necessary. As far as I can tell, you're just saying "run Hero's Downfall" given that this is the only difference between what you're saying and what we're running.

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";131357138]So simple, so effective.

Devotion to Winning

Creatures(29)
4x Elvish Mystic
3x Sylvan Caryatid
3x Voyaging Satyr
4x Courser of Kruphix
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Hornet Nest
4x Polukranos
1x Nylea's Disciple
1x Nylea, God of the Hunt
1x Arbor Colossus
2x Hornet Queen
4x Genesis Hydra

Spells(4)
4x Chord of Calling

Planeswalkers(4)
4x Nissa Worldwaker

Lands(23)
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
19 Forest

Sideboard(15)
3x Arbor Colossus
3x Sedge Scorpion
3x Mistcutter Hydra
1x Nylea's Disciple
1x Reclamation Sage
2x Setessan Tactics
2x See the Unwritten[/QUOTE]

I probably should have thought about this deck before I made that bet. Better get the A1 sauce ready, I guess.

 

[ultron87]

I built a BW Tokens (with a twist) deck in Modern and I'm thinking of taking it to a local event. I'm going to do some playtesting before I do so, but off-hand, what do you guys recommend I use to start building the sideboard? Stuff like Rest in Peace, enchantment/artifact removal... I've never really paid much mind to the Modern SB tech until now so I was hoping to hear the voice of experience.

There's a lot of different options depending on the meta, which you presumably don't know much about. You'd probably just want to pack some stuff that is good against multiple decks and maybe a few things that protect yourself from worst case scenarios.

The MTG Salvation deck primer for Tokens has a pretty good sideboard section that shows a lot of the good options: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/established-modern/562369-bw-tokens

Going into something unknown I'd probably start with Stony Silence (affinity and pod), Burrenton Forge-Tender (protect your team from Anger of the Gods et al), Torpor Orb (pod, twin) and maybe Relic of Progenitus (Goyfs, some pod combos). Maybe Leyline of Sanctity if you have them?

 

[phazedplasma]

Runed Halo is nice for an unknown meta. As is Leyline. The later is pretty expensive though.

 

[Firemind]

I will be very surprised if maindecking 12 removal spells is actually necessary. As far as I can tell, you're just saying "run Hero's Downfall" given that this is the only difference between what you're saying and what we're running.

Heavier investment in black also allows you to hit Thoughtseize t1 more consistently. Thoughtseize gets a bit worse if you're planning to stay on curve. Of course you'll have to run mana confluence to make t1 seize t2 fleecemane happen, but Chapin did it before and he won the PT.

Maybe we can make an avatar bet. I bet we're going to see more copies of Hero's Downfall than Brimaz in the top 8 of the pro tour.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Heavier investment in black also allows you to hit Thoughtseize t1 more consistently. Thoughtseize gets a bit worse if you're planning to stay on curve. Of course you'll have to run mana confluence to make t1 seize t2 fleecemane happen, but Chapin did it before and he won the PT.

Maybe we can make an avatar bet. I bet we're going to see more copies of Hero's Downfall than Brimaz in the top 8 of the pro tour.

Nah, that's too obvious. Hero's Downfall is a kill spell that fits into several archetypes and Brimaz is a legendary creature that only works in specific deck archetypes.

I mean, I do have 9 untapped black resources. I'm not terribly concerned. I run more than most people because I think there's enough incidental lifegain to get around it. The problem with stacking your deck to enable T1 Thoughtseize is the fact that you have to have Thoughtseize in your opening hand.

Here's what I'm running so far:

Deck: Abzan Rhino Midrange

//Lands
2 Caves of Koilos
3 Forest
3 Llanowar Wastes
2 Mana Confluence
4 Plains
2 Sandsteppe Citadel
2 Swamp
2 Temple of Plenty
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath

//Spells
2 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
2 Banishing Light
1 Utter End
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Murderous Cut
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
3 Thoughtseize

//Creatures
2 Anafenza the Foremost
1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Fleecemane Lion
2 High Sentinels of Arashin
4 Siege Rhino
4 Sylvan Caryatid

//Sideboard
2 Despise
2 Abzan Charm
3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
1 Garruk, Apex Predator
2 Drown in Sorrow
2 Erase
2 Mistcutter Hydra
1 Thoughtseize

Display deck statistics

Seems like the opening hands seem pretty playable to me.

 

[OnPoint]

There's a lot of different options depending on the meta, which you presumably don't know much about. You'd probably just want to pack some stuff that is good against multiple decks and maybe a few things that protect yourself from worst case scenarios.

The MTG Salvation deck primer for Tokens has a pretty good sideboard section that shows a lot of the good options: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/established-modern/562369-bw-tokens

Going into something unknown I'd probably start with Stony Silence (affinity and pod), Burrenton Forge-Tender (protect your team from Anger of the Gods et al), Torpor Orb (pod, twin) and maybe Relic of Progenitus (Goyfs, some pod combos). Maybe Leyline of Sanctity if you have them?

Runed Halo is nice for an unknown meta. As is Leyline. The later is pretty expensive though.

Thanks guys! That primer is going to be especially helpful. Runed Halo would also prevent the named card from attacking you, right?

 

[ultron87]

It could still attack. It just wouldn't damage you.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I think I've figured out a sideboard plan that beats Mono-Green.

•4x Nyx-Fleece Ram
•3x Arbor Colossus
•3x Mistcutter Hydra
•2x Hornet Nest
•2x Setessan Tactics
•1x Stain the Mind


Out:
3x Siege Rhino
2x Courser of Kruphix

In:
2x Hornet Nest
2x Setessan Tactics
1x Stain the Mind

 

[OnPoint]

It could still attack. It just wouldn't damage you.

So Emrakul's Annihilator trigger would still go into effect?