The Saheeli Gaurdian combo has been terrorizing standard for a good couple months now.
It has pushed for not it, but instead Mardu Planeswalker aggro to be the best deck, as the threat of winning on turn six at instant speed, or turn four without adequate pressure has kicked to the curb cards that used to be able to earn a good day's living like Ishkana and Panharmonicon.
What if I was to tell you that there was a new reason for the deck to be too many colors? Okay, it's not exciting, but it's still a cool combo. And here it is:
Deploy the Gatewatch: Get Liliana and Saheeli on the battlefield.
Use Liliana's minus two to get back Felidur Gaurdian.
Blink Saheel Rai, which copies Gaurdians of the Galaxy, and kill for the win.
This deck could not even RUN blue or red mana. Yeah you heard me, it could be straight white black.
How does this turn sequence sound?
Turn One: Fatal Push/Tapland/Harsh Scrutiny
Turn Two: Discard Spell (Transgress or Lay Bare From the Heart) or Removal
Turn Three: Oath of Liliana, they sacrifice a creature.
Turn Four: Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, get two 2/2's.
Turn Five: Liliana Death's Majesty, Make another two 2/2's! Oh and mill two.
Turn Six: Play a Felidur Gaurdian to... well you get the idea.'
Or if you want to use even more cards that should get more play how about Turn Four Yahenni's Expertise into Oath of Liliana, to really clean out their board?
And for extra hits off of Deploy the Gatewatch, you can add in Obnixilis, and Sorin who isn't seeing nearly enough play.
And for vehicles, some grasps of darkness and Anguished Unmaking. That'll do... nicely.
And you know what you could EVEN play mainboard to hedge against combo oriented Saheeli Rai? Some Authority of the consoles, as no one sees them coming mainboard, and they also slow down the Mardu Vehicles.
There's a lot of directions to take, In fact you could run Oath of Nissa and run all kinds of crazy planeswalkers!
And just remember, to always believe in yourself, and put in sideboard cards that actually win games against decks you have trouble with.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Crazy Modern Magic #2
For Part 1: Which explains both the intro, as well as what this series is about in regards to both Magic the Gathering and deck building in Modern.
He attempts to take a break to foil out his commander, deck but is told to "Get busy sleaving, or get busy dying" He goes back to work, but is soon selected for... the device...
It's been a while since I wrote the original Crazy Modern Magic (not on this blog, but on my main blog, which has more to do with my life and speech and debate tournaments now), and the reason that making a new episode took me so long is not because I haven't been playing Magic the Gathering, but just because I couldn't think of any crazy ideas in regards to modern.
I have played modern though. Gotta' say it was... quaint. Also expensive. Kind of a contradiction, but still, let's move on.
Today's deck is a combo deck. Actually it's a combo plus a double combo deck.
Double combos are beautiful as they take separate efforts to stop both of them, and not since the Dark Depths plus Sword of the Meek era, have we seen this happen on the modern center stage.
So what's the combo? Well, it's brand new, in fact it involves a card that just got spoiled, Gideon of the Trials.
Now, apologies, I can't use any pictures of the cards I describe, due to the fact that doing so would be copyright abuse, but here's a MS Paint Version:
Let's focus on that last ability, which basically says that for zero down, you make an emblem (which can not be removed, no way, no how) that says that as long as you control a Gideon planeswalker, you CAN'T lose the game.
Aha! Take that, every single deck ever!
But how do we exploit that? Well, that's why we have the card... Indestructibility! Which aside from the name, does EXACTLY what we want.
What it does is grant a permanent indestructible. And all it costs is three generic mana, and one white. It's an aura from M14, but more importantly, is an Enchantment.
Why is that important? Well what if I were to tell you we were going to combine this two card combo, with another two card combo, which also involves a three mana spell that came out recently? Would you scream? Jump up and down? Ask me to get on with it?
The combo I am alluding to is one that has graced modern for a while now, and that's the Retreat to Coralhelm Combo. What it involves is an enchantment that whenever a land enters the battlefield, untaps a creature. Now this COULD generate infinite mana with Sakura Tribe scout, and an Amulet of Vigor, but... yeah that's just too much to ask for.
What the deck does ask for is to untap with a Knight of the Reliquary in play with a Retreat to Coralhelm ready to get you tons of mana, and win the game on the spot with Kessig Wolf Run, which used to be a high-impact land, but now... it's garbage.
Usually that deck plays cards like Tarmagoyf and Scavenging Ooze to make broke-ish bums like me sad. But now... it doesn't have to. Because we can combine them... yes... yes.... YES!!!
So how would we do that? Well we'd start by adding in some ways to find the combo. A vessel of nascency is a nice, new choice, and so let's slap in four of those. And of course a playset Commune With the Gods is a necessity for any modern combo deck.
Oh and also add in four Serum Visions, plus two Birds of Paradise, and two Noble Hierarchs.
That leaves four cards left for our twenty four land mana base... what should they be... hmm...
Well, I'm thinking we add in two Reclamation Sage to pick up ol' Giddy when he falls down (and can't get up), and two Courser of Kruphixes for cards advantage.
And that's it. Now there's a lot of possibilities, and not a lot of actual testing. Here are some options one could use:
Enlightened Tutor (Search up those pieces, baby)
Call the Gatewatch (For the planeswalker piece of the combo)
Oath of Nissa (But I don't like it as it doesn't find enchantments, and doesn't fill up the graveyard to boost up ol' Knight of Reliquary)
Tarmagoyf (Money, that's what I want.)
Sakura Tribe Scout + Amulet of Vigor +Primeval Titan + Summoner's Pact (Jeez that's a lot of cards)
Sleight of hand (It's a pretty solid meh. I mean it cantrips, but it doesn't find you a card... so...)
Idyllic Tutor (Way to slow, is sometimes the way to go!)
To be honest, this deck isn't that crazy, in fact it COULD be good.
But just remember... I CAME UP WITH IT FIRST!!!
Sorry, I mean thanks for reading, and please hit that follow button... wherever it is.
And until next time... keep those cards hot!
He attempts to take a break to foil out his commander, deck but is told to "Get busy sleaving, or get busy dying" He goes back to work, but is soon selected for... the device...
It's been a while since I wrote the original Crazy Modern Magic (not on this blog, but on my main blog, which has more to do with my life and speech and debate tournaments now), and the reason that making a new episode took me so long is not because I haven't been playing Magic the Gathering, but just because I couldn't think of any crazy ideas in regards to modern.
I have played modern though. Gotta' say it was... quaint. Also expensive. Kind of a contradiction, but still, let's move on.
Today's deck is a combo deck. Actually it's a combo plus a double combo deck.
Double combos are beautiful as they take separate efforts to stop both of them, and not since the Dark Depths plus Sword of the Meek era, have we seen this happen on the modern center stage.
So what's the combo? Well, it's brand new, in fact it involves a card that just got spoiled, Gideon of the Trials.
Now, apologies, I can't use any pictures of the cards I describe, due to the fact that doing so would be copyright abuse, but here's a MS Paint Version:
Aha! Take that, every single deck ever!
But how do we exploit that? Well, that's why we have the card... Indestructibility! Which aside from the name, does EXACTLY what we want.
What it does is grant a permanent indestructible. And all it costs is three generic mana, and one white. It's an aura from M14, but more importantly, is an Enchantment.
Why is that important? Well what if I were to tell you we were going to combine this two card combo, with another two card combo, which also involves a three mana spell that came out recently? Would you scream? Jump up and down? Ask me to get on with it?
The combo I am alluding to is one that has graced modern for a while now, and that's the Retreat to Coralhelm Combo. What it involves is an enchantment that whenever a land enters the battlefield, untaps a creature. Now this COULD generate infinite mana with Sakura Tribe scout, and an Amulet of Vigor, but... yeah that's just too much to ask for.
What the deck does ask for is to untap with a Knight of the Reliquary in play with a Retreat to Coralhelm ready to get you tons of mana, and win the game on the spot with Kessig Wolf Run, which used to be a high-impact land, but now... it's garbage.
Usually that deck plays cards like Tarmagoyf and Scavenging Ooze to make broke-ish bums like me sad. But now... it doesn't have to. Because we can combine them... yes... yes.... YES!!!
So how would we do that? Well we'd start by adding in some ways to find the combo. A vessel of nascency is a nice, new choice, and so let's slap in four of those. And of course a playset Commune With the Gods is a necessity for any modern combo deck.
Oh and also add in four Serum Visions, plus two Birds of Paradise, and two Noble Hierarchs.
That leaves four cards left for our twenty four land mana base... what should they be... hmm...
Well, I'm thinking we add in two Reclamation Sage to pick up ol' Giddy when he falls down (and can't get up), and two Courser of Kruphixes for cards advantage.
And that's it. Now there's a lot of possibilities, and not a lot of actual testing. Here are some options one could use:
Enlightened Tutor (Search up those pieces, baby)
Call the Gatewatch (For the planeswalker piece of the combo)
Oath of Nissa (But I don't like it as it doesn't find enchantments, and doesn't fill up the graveyard to boost up ol' Knight of Reliquary)
Tarmagoyf (Money, that's what I want.)
Sakura Tribe Scout + Amulet of Vigor +Primeval Titan + Summoner's Pact (Jeez that's a lot of cards)
Sleight of hand (It's a pretty solid meh. I mean it cantrips, but it doesn't find you a card... so...)
Idyllic Tutor (Way to slow, is sometimes the way to go!)
To be honest, this deck isn't that crazy, in fact it COULD be good.
But just remember... I CAME UP WITH IT FIRST!!!
Sorry, I mean thanks for reading, and please hit that follow button... wherever it is.
And until next time... keep those cards hot!
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Crazy Modern Magic #1
Modern Magic
It opens on a factory, where a man spends his whole day sleeving cards. The only voice comes from the speakers, and it's usually LSV making bad puns.
More on that next time, right now I have a crazy thought involving the MTG format modern, and if you don't know what that is, it's essentially a constructed format where all cards from eighth edition forward are allowed to be played with.
Cool, I'll get out my Jace the Mind-
Well, it has a problem with overtly powerful cards Like Jace TMS or Deathrite Shaman or Bloodbraid Elf.
Also BTW- I wish I owned Jace the Mindsculpters. I don't though.
Anyways if you don't know what MTG is I guess this isn't the blog article for you. But I do have many others- I'd recommend reading one of those.
Anyways my idea, crazy idea. Wacky idea...
Green Blood Moon.
Or black blood moon?
Point is, off colour blood moon.
The problem, I feel, with the blood moon deck, is that it doesn't have a good plan after blood moon, as you can see:
Step 1: Play Blood Moon.
Step 2: Blow raspberries at the opponent, until they start ripping fetchlands in half.
Mind you the part one is really strong, especially with both of the turn two "I can win" decks having been been hit by the ban hammer, which will surely create a resurgence in the "Turn four and I win, and zoop-zoop-zoop-zoop" decks.
And well, if you want to play Ad Nauseum, fine go ahead. See if I care.
But here I'm not talking about that deck. Instead I'm talking about the hard to bust combo of pressure, and not letting your opponents due stuff.
I'm thinking:
Turn 1: Thoughtseize. (Take away something like bolt. Or Inquisition of Kozilek. Or Thoughtseize. Or Manaleak.)
Turn 2: Tarmagoyf/Scavenging ooze
Turn 3: Blood moon.
Turn 4:Keep playing green spells, with an ample amount of forests.
It sounds crazy, no? But I feel it could have the potential (with the addition of legacy card in modern, Simian Spirit Guide (SSG)) to really have a lot of potential against a whole lot of decks. Like against the aforementioned Ad Nauseam:
Turn one: Exile SSG, play Tarmagoyf.
Turn two: Watch 'em sweat.
Anyways, going back to what I said about Splinter Twin, part of the deck that made it brilliant was the fact that it could play its Tarmagoyfs, but often you couldn't, as if you did, they go deceiver, and you go off cursing into that good night. This deck has a similar thing. Essentially you can get a soft-lock, and they get frustrated.
Of course, I'm suggesting cutting blue instead of going down the traditional road, and perhaps adding delver of Secrets, although mono blue delver isn't very strong compared to say Jund. Also, this relevantly means cutting all the cantrips, and the counterspells, but I'm hoping for the discard to be better than the counter spells, and for perhaps an old favorite to come back. Who is, unfortunately not allowed to round out the Jeskai Ascendascy deck in frontier that I would play if I could afford fetch-lands. Or just wasn't, you know. Cheap.
Anyways, that card is the lovely: Commune With The Gods.
It fills your graveyard, it finds you a simian spirit guide, it finds you a Tarmagoyf... IT'S SO LOVELY!!!
Well uh... that's about it. Don't forget your basics.
Don't have any, well it just-a-so happens that I've got a playset, right here.
Next time- ???
I'm a pretty bad teaser. Well, see you later.
It opens on a factory, where a man spends his whole day sleeving cards. The only voice comes from the speakers, and it's usually LSV making bad puns.
More on that next time, right now I have a crazy thought involving the MTG format modern, and if you don't know what that is, it's essentially a constructed format where all cards from eighth edition forward are allowed to be played with.
Cool, I'll get out my Jace the Mind-
Well, it has a problem with overtly powerful cards Like Jace TMS or Deathrite Shaman or Bloodbraid Elf.
Also BTW- I wish I owned Jace the Mindsculpters. I don't though.
Anyways if you don't know what MTG is I guess this isn't the blog article for you. But I do have many others- I'd recommend reading one of those.
Anyways my idea, crazy idea. Wacky idea...
Green Blood Moon.
Or black blood moon?
Point is, off colour blood moon.
The problem, I feel, with the blood moon deck, is that it doesn't have a good plan after blood moon, as you can see:
Step 1: Play Blood Moon.
Step 2: Blow raspberries at the opponent, until they start ripping fetchlands in half.
Mind you the part one is really strong, especially with both of the turn two "I can win" decks having been been hit by the ban hammer, which will surely create a resurgence in the "Turn four and I win, and zoop-zoop-zoop-zoop" decks.
And well, if you want to play Ad Nauseum, fine go ahead. See if I care.
But here I'm not talking about that deck. Instead I'm talking about the hard to bust combo of pressure, and not letting your opponents due stuff.
I'm thinking:
Turn 1: Thoughtseize. (Take away something like bolt. Or Inquisition of Kozilek. Or Thoughtseize. Or Manaleak.)
Turn 2: Tarmagoyf/Scavenging ooze
Turn 3: Blood moon.
Turn 4:Keep playing green spells, with an ample amount of forests.
It sounds crazy, no? But I feel it could have the potential (with the addition of legacy card in modern, Simian Spirit Guide (SSG)) to really have a lot of potential against a whole lot of decks. Like against the aforementioned Ad Nauseam:
Turn one: Exile SSG, play Tarmagoyf.
Turn two: Watch 'em sweat.
Anyways, going back to what I said about Splinter Twin, part of the deck that made it brilliant was the fact that it could play its Tarmagoyfs, but often you couldn't, as if you did, they go deceiver, and you go off cursing into that good night. This deck has a similar thing. Essentially you can get a soft-lock, and they get frustrated.
Of course, I'm suggesting cutting blue instead of going down the traditional road, and perhaps adding delver of Secrets, although mono blue delver isn't very strong compared to say Jund. Also, this relevantly means cutting all the cantrips, and the counterspells, but I'm hoping for the discard to be better than the counter spells, and for perhaps an old favorite to come back. Who is, unfortunately not allowed to round out the Jeskai Ascendascy deck in frontier that I would play if I could afford fetch-lands. Or just wasn't, you know. Cheap.
Anyways, that card is the lovely: Commune With The Gods.
It fills your graveyard, it finds you a simian spirit guide, it finds you a Tarmagoyf... IT'S SO LOVELY!!!
Well uh... that's about it. Don't forget your basics.
Don't have any, well it just-a-so happens that I've got a playset, right here.
Next time- ???
I'm a pretty bad teaser. Well, see you later.
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