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["God's Beard!"]

Aww, kenji got bopped

 

[Angry Grimace]

EDIT. Probably shouldn't tell GB what his finals opponent is going to be playing I suppose? But that was a hell of a moment on Kenji's stream.

Kenji got blown out in the most ridiculous way.

Nope, you can actually get banned for that. I'm not sure how they'd CATCH you, but still. I know ghosting streams is considered super scummy though.

 

[Crocodile]

EDIT. Probably shouldn't tell GB what his finals opponent is going to be playing I suppose? But that was a hell of a moment on Kenji's stream.

Kenji got blown out in the most ridiculous way.

What happened?

 

[divisionbyzorro]

What happened?

Kenji's opponent used a Kheru Lich Lord to unearth a creature, then used Shifting Loyalties to swap it for Kenji's Glacial Stalker after combat. It was a ridiculous blowout that slammed the door on what had been otherwise been an incredible game from Kenji's perspective.

 

["God's Beard!"]

God, I'm out, 1-2 in the finals. Pyrotechnics, death frenzy and dune blast in hand against a bunch of x/2s, stuck on 4 mana for three turns

 

[charlequin]

Elspeth is comic book dead.

Yes, I know, but it means X amount of time where they can't use her as their standard mono-white walker until she comes back to life, which is why they're stuck with Gideon for this. I'm pretty sure Elspeth's weird Phyrexian home plane would be more interesting otherwise.

 

[SigmasonicX]

Elspeth is a bit different from other canon Magic deaths in that she died in a place with a physical underworld where people break out all the time, albeit without their memories or appearances. So I don't think her coming back would be too big of a deal, though it is stretching Wizards' supposed rule against bringing back to life characters that died "on stage". As for why they went with Gideon for Magic Origins, we have already had Ajani's origin depicted in cards, and Elspeth's origin being tied in with the Phyrexians seems her plane deserves its own set.

Random thought, but with Magic Origins being the last core set, it seems likely that they'd do something similar to what Magic 2010 did and bring back a powerful card that people didn't expect to be reprinted. Lightning Bolt returning again seems unlikely, just looking at the stats of creatures right now; it doesn't affect enough tournament creatures that Wild Slash wouldn't for it to be all that exciting. However, MaRo has been open to bringing Counterspell back. Would it make a big difference in Modern?

 

[Angry Grimace]

Elspeth is a bit different from other canon Magic deaths in that she died in a place with a physical underworld where people break out all the time, albeit without their memories or appearances. So I don't think her coming back would be too big of a deal, though it is stretching Wizards' supposed rule against bringing back to life characters that died "on stage". As for why they went with Gideon for Magic Origins, we have already had Ajani's origin depicted in cards, and Elspeth's origin being tied in with the Phyrexians seems her plane deserves its own set.

Random thought, but with Magic Origins being the last core set, it seems likely that they'd do something similar to what Magic 2010 did and bring back a powerful card that people didn't expect to be reprinted. Lightning Bolt returning again seems unlikely, just looking at the stats of creatures right now; it doesn't affect enough tournament creatures that Wild Slash wouldn't for it to be all that exciting. However, MaRo has been open to bringing Counterspell back. Would it make a big difference in Modern?

If they reprinted Lightning Bolt, the only thing it would do is enable burn to be a Standard viable archetype. I mean, it would replace Wild Slash, but all it really does is let you dome people better.

Maro isn't in development so his delusional plan to reprint Counterspell probably isn't happening.

 

["God's Beard!"]

It's worse than Remand in a lot of the decks in modern, though.

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";151518539]It's worse than Remand in a lot of the decks in modern, though.[/QUOTE]

The thing about Counterspell is that its not always good enough for eternal formats, but its always too good for Standard. Part of the problem there is that control isn't viable in Modern.

Remand is a lot more reprintable than Counterspell simply because the spell dodges the feel-bads that a 2 mana counterspell normally has since you can recast it.

 

[f0rk]

However, MaRo has been open to bringing Counterspell back. Would it make a big difference in Modern?

I think it would make twin even better and probably wouldn't enable anything else, so it's really a good idea. With people casting Siege Rhinos Mana Leak isn't too bad right now.

 

["God's Beard!"]

The thing about Counterspell is that its not always good enough for eternal formats, but its always too good for Standard. Part of the problem there is that control isn't viable in Modern.

Remand is a lot more reprintable than Counterspell simply because the spell dodges the feel-bads that a 2 mana counterspell normally has since you can recast it.

If remand gets a reprinting I'm putting 4 in every standard deck.

 

[kirblar]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";151519241]If remand gets a reprinting I'm putting 4 in every standard deck.[/QUOTE]
Yeah that's never happening. (In standard.)

 

[Angry Grimace]

Yeah that's never happening. (In standard.)

More likely than Counterspell.

They're not going to print either, of course.

 

[ThLunarian]

I think Counterspell is fine to print right now, especially in an environment where you almost need to play three colors. I don't even see a deck that it fits into in Standard. U/W Heroic seems the closest, and you would probably rather have Gods Willing most of the time anyway.

Edit: Forgot about U/B control. Okay, it could fit into that pretty well. Still doesn't seem overpowered.

 

[charlequin]

Elspeth is a bit different from other canon Magic deaths in that she died in a place with a physical underworld where people break out all the time, albeit without their memories or appearances. So I don't think her coming back would be too big of a deal, though it is stretching Wizards' supposed rule against bringing back to life characters that died "on stage".

I mean, they made a trailer after the last set whose entire point was showing off Elspeth in the Underworld. So yeah.

Random thought, but with Magic Origins being the last core set, it seems likely that they'd do something similar to what Magic 2010 did and bring back a powerful card that people didn't expect to be reprinted.

I'm not sure how successful they consider the Lightning Bolt experiment overall and I'm not sure if there's anything else that can hit the same note (i.e. an Alpha card that's been gone a long time, getting to be a powerful role-player in a modern Standard.) They're already doing this for newer stuff that fits the same bill (Mutavault, Urborg Tomb of Yawgmoth, Darksteel Citadel, etc.)

 

[f0rk]

Make some sick new dragons then reprint Baneslayer Angel

 

[manipulate]

Mutavault is a miserable, miserable card

 

[ironmang]

So how are the Abzan decks in standard right now? Mine has been mostly unchanged since I put it together back in October and it's a mix between the Aggro and 9-10 creature midrange version. Can they compete with this R/W deck that's running around?

For the 9-10 creature one, is Sorin actually good enough for mainboard?

 

["God's Beard!"]

What happened to the cube drafts? Are they not running on modo because of the release queues?

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";151540049]What happened to the cube drafts? Are they not running on modo because of the release queues?[/QUOTE]

They don't always have them; they only started running the Legacy Cube a couple months back which is the new Cube they intend to have up a lot of the time. The Holiday Cube is only twice a year and has power 9/vintage stuff in it. So there should be lots of cube, just not always.

I got a modern event deck on closeout so I'm gonna just drop bitterblossom, Thoughtseize, Sorin and godless shrines in them and play it at FNM on Modern nights. Not shelling out for Marsh Flats though since a play set is 3 times what the deck cost. Granted, the Bitterblossom are worth like 6 times the deck cost but whatever: it means I get to play Bitterblossom.

 

["God's Beard!"]

How do you guys feel about the World Champion ability? I feel like sticking it on a land could be a mana-screw solution for improving game play.

Home of the Champion
Legendary Land
Tap: add 1 to your mana pool
0, pay two life: search your library for XXX and reveal it. Then shuffle your library and put XXX on top of it.
Being the champion means always having somewhere to return to.

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";151545827]How do you guys feel about the World Champion ability? I feel like sticking it on a land could be a mana-screw solution for improving game play.

Home of the Champion
Legendary Land
Tap: add 1 to your mana pool
0, pay two life: search your library for XXX and reveal it. Then shuffle your library and put XXX on top of it.
Being the champion means always having somewhere to return to.[/QUOTE]

You're high if you think the ability is playable in any way, shape or form.

 

[Haly]

Seems rather narrow, and you'd need to dedicate two deck slots to it, technically.

Gave me a good idea though:

Humble Origins
Land
Humble Origins comes into play tapped.
Tap: Add W to your mana pool.
1W, tap: Return Humble Origins to the bottom of your deck. Put a 3/2 white Human Soldier creature token with first strike into play.

 

[ElyrionX]

I'm not sure how successful they consider the Lightning Bolt experiment overall and I'm not sure if there's anything else that can hit the same note (i.e. an Alpha card that's been gone a long time, getting to be a powerful role-player in a modern Standard.) They're already doing this for newer stuff that fits the same bill (Mutavault, Urborg Tomb of Yawgmoth, Darksteel Citadel, etc.)

Force of Will says hi.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Well, there's probably a ton of rules issues and some weird card interactions to work out, but I dont think it'd be busted. It goes in every deck, after all. I'm just trying to figure out ways to reduce the game's mana issues while staying in line with the spirit of the game. It doesn't necessarily have to be exactly the way I brewed it.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Seems rather narrow, and you'd need to dedicate two deck slots to it, technically.

Gave me a good idea though:

Humble Origins
Land
Humble Origins comes into play tapped.
Tap: Add W to your mana pool.
1W, tap: Return Humble Origins to the bottom of your deck. Put a 3/2 white Human Soldier creature token with first strike into play.

The world champion is a card that you can activate FROM your library, which is why you get Grimace's reaction. So you only need one.

 

[Haly]

I totally forgot there was a card called World Champion.

 

[manipulate]

Would it be too good if the legendary land tapped to bring a basic from library into play (tapped)? Could require you already have a basic of that type already in play


Actually I'm pretty sure that's too good

 

[The Technomancer]

Would it be too good if the legendary land tapped to bring a basic from library into play (tapped)? Could require you already have a basic of that type already in play


Actually I'm pretty sure that's too good

T, reveal a land card in your hand: search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and then shuffle the first land into your library and put the second in your hand

 

[manipulate]

T, reveal a land card in your hand: search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and then shuffle the first land into your library and put the second in your hand

I like that actually.

Edit: been going through old set lists lately. Urza block makes me nostalgic like crazy. SPELLS USED TO BE SO GOODDDDDD

 

[The Technomancer]

So do I, except for how much shuffling that would probably entail.

 

[charlequin]

Force of Will says hi.

The Modern format has guaranteed that Force of Will will never, ever be reprinted in a Standard-legal set.

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";151550312]Well, there's probably a ton of rules issues and some weird card interactions to work out, but I dont think it'd be busted. It goes in every deck, after all. I'm just trying to figure out ways to reduce the game's mana issues while staying in line with the spirit of the game. It doesn't necessarily have to be exactly the way I brewed it.[/QUOTE]

I think someone could test a rule that allows you to pick one basic land out of your deck before play starts and add it to your (one card smaller) starting hand, but I don't think the way that affected balance between decks with different types of mana bases would ultimately prove to be positive.

 

[manipulate]

I think nonbasics that cycle would be useful to avert flooding, if they're suitably underpowered

E.g. Painland + comes into play tapped + cycling = seems fair to me.

 

[The Technomancer]

I wonder which is more powerful on a land: cycling or landcycling?

 

[Angry Grimace]

I like that actually.

Edit: been going through old set lists lately. Urza block makes me nostalgic like crazy. SPELLS USED TO BE SO GOODDDDDD

Yawgmoth's Will is outrageously dumb.

 

[Firemind]

Yawgmoth's Will is outrageously AWESOME.

Watch Vintage Super League and you will understand.

 

[ThLunarian]

There are already two ways to mitigate mana screw in the early game. They're called "Put more lands in your deck", and "mulligans" No need to do convoluted stuff like above. I don't even understand how that "reveal a land, tutor for a land, put the first land back into the deck" would help anything. Why not just play a regular basic instead?

 

["God's Beard!"]

Trying out a mardu splash duneblast and abzan ascendancy goblinslide control deck in a 64 man now lol

 

[The Technomancer]

There are already two ways to mitigate mana screw in the early game. They're called "Put more lands in your deck", and "mulligans" No need to do convoluted stuff like above. I don't even understand how that "reveal a land, tutor for a land, put the first land back into the deck" would help anything. Why not just play a regular basic instead?

I dunno? It was a nifty design?

 

[manipulate]

Haha yeah Yawgmoth's Will is dumb af in any eternal format, but I don't think it'd break standard if it was reprinted now? (anything but standard would be busted though)

Grim monolith art was sweet

 

["God's Beard!"]

My round one opponent has wingmate roc lol

 

[ElyrionX]

I would love to see Counterspell being reprinted. So sick of deciding between which narrow counters to use in my decks and control decks could certainly use the boost.

These printings of powerhouse 4 toughness and above creatures will only weaken the UWR control deck in Modern. I think Esper has a chance of being the premier control deck of the format if Counterspell does get reprinted.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Goodnight sweet prince :-(

Great game one, mulligan games two and three to mediocre starts that don't go anywhere. I was exactly one mana short of casting dead drop/duneblast in the last two games to stabilize the board :-(

 

[Angry Grimace]

Haha yeah Yawgmoth's Will is dumb af in any eternal format, but I don't think it'd break standard if it was reprinted now? (anything but standard would be busted though)

Grim monolith art was sweet

"I Thoughtseize you 3 more times."

Yawgmoths Will isn't printable.

 

[LaserBuddha]

I'm putting together a UB Control deck, the core of which will be my 3 Ashioks and 1 Ugin and 1-3 creatures. The rest will be the usual kill spells, counters, and Dig Through Time. I also have a couple of Perilous Vaults to throw in there.

What do you guys like for creatures/finishers out of the following cards I have?

Silumgar
Pearl Lake Ancient
Torrent Elemental


Pearl Lake Ancient is a popular choice and a big ass beater, and having flash seems really nice.
Silumgar is resistant to a good amount of removal, has low power but still that crucial >4 toughness, and between the flying and the -1/-1 he can probably help when an aggro deck gets ahead of you.
Torrent Elemental has a lot of the pros of Silumgar, can be delved out with a Dig Through Time and recast.

EDIT: Also should I be trying to fit Tasigur in?

 

["God's Beard!"]

I like cutting one ashiok and adding both pearl lake and silumgar. Pearl lake is the most reliable finisher and has great synergy with your lands. Silumgar is slower but is great against the token decks.

Torrent elemental and tasigur don't add much.

edit: getting burned out on modo again. Manifested my missing mana color two games straight. I've just been having horrible luck with mana screw today, need to hold back for a bit. 6 games today I diied with all the answers in my hand.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

VSL Season Two, Week Two. Match one, game one.

Chris Pikula was a master. Such a good game from his side.

 

[Apeopleman]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here, but I plan on becoming an active member within this community.

I started playing Magic very lightly and casually about a year ago. I played a draft for the rotation with the "heroic" ability, and I played in the sealed midnight releases for M15 and Fate Reforged, and had great times.

I have been play testing with a friend who has a decent standard collection and have been proxying. I have looked at all the recent sets (M15, Khans of Tarkir, and Fate Reforged) and have a fairly good grasp of the cards.

I have decided to make the jump into standard, as there are a few "PPTQ"s in my immediate area in about 2 weeks which I'm excited for.

I have glazed over and discussed the meta with friends, and it seems that what's hot is Abzan and Red White with Monastery mentor.

I have grown attached to Blue Green Red (Temur), and have built a hypothetical list. Please, be as honest and brutal in critiquing my deck. I will be play testing and competing in my first official big tournament very soon.

4x Elvish Mystic
4x Rattleclaw Mystic
4x Savage Knuckleblade
2x Yasova Dragonclaw
4x Flamewake Phoenix
4x Heir of the Wilds
2x Surrak Dragonclaw
4x Ashcloud Phoenix
4x Shaman of the Great Hunt

4x Lightning Strike
3x Temur Charm

22-25 Lands ( 4x copy of the tri land for temur, 4x fetch, 4x gain lands, 4x scry lands, and rest I assume will be easy, seeing I dont have much blue and have mostly Green, then red. I still will take advice on what my lands will be and how many I should play.)

Sideboard (Need suggestions and help; disdainful stroke seems like a great board card as it shwubs Siege Rhino, wingmate roc, sorin, etc)

4x Disdainful Stroke
3x Stubborn Denial
3x Anger of the Gods
3x Destructive Revelry
2x Negate

Again, this is my first real attempt at a competitive deck. I would greatly appreciate any advice, and more importantly, reason as to why a card choice I made was lackluster, and why your suggestion is a better choice.

Thanks alot!

 

[Firemind]

You want 4 Yavimaya Coast and 1-4 Mana Confluence (depending on your budget) to potentially go turn one Elvish Mystics, turn two Savage Knickleblade. The two Phoenixes seem very well-positioned in a rhino-heavy environment. Shaman of the Great Hunt I'm less a fan of. It's great if it connects of course and is a decent follow-up to a board sweeper, but it isn't as solid as Polukranos or Stormbreath Dragon. The latter costs one mana extra, but I think it's great in the post-Fate meta, as it's immune to Valorous Stance, Abzan Charm and makes Crux of Fate a dicey proposition. I like spells, but you probably don't want more than 10. Disdainful Stroke or Stubborn Denial could make it in the 60. Sideboard material at the very least. Also Wild Slash.