[WmwiM] Deck Development.

[Alex]

The idea of this thread is simple; help others in the community to build and tune their decks as they win their way into the format. Many of us are taking this challenge right now and I think it could be benefical to a lot of us to get different points of view on how we plan to spend our "green zone" money on the development of the deck we are playing.

Hamfactorial is the first of I'm sure a couple of people looking for input.

[hamfactorial]

I've been thinking about AIR after adding a splash color.

[mana]B[/mana] gives us Dark Confidant, which may be quite useful for "free" CA, Rakdos Charm and edict effects like Devour Flesh, Geth's Verdict and the ultimate walking edict, Gatekeeper of Malakir.

[mana]W[/mana] gives us really sexy sideboard tech with Rest in Peace, Stony Silence, Suppression Field, Path to Exile and some sweeper protection / direct damage in Boros Charm and Wear // Tear as you mentioned.

[mana]G[/mana] gives us above-the-curve creatures (Flinthoof Boar, etc) and artifact/enchantment removal (
Naturalize, Krosan Grip and creature protection (Vines of Vastwood).

[mana]U[/mana] gives us card draw stapled to removal with Electrolyze, Izzet Charm and cheap tempo with Vapor Snag. Maybe more, I'm not much of a blue mage.

I like the possibility of RW most.

[Alex]

I like green and white the best.

Ancient Grudge, Flinthoof Boar, Hurricane, Rancor, Keen Sense, and Dryad Arbor all seem pretty solid.

Accorder Paladin, Wojek Halberdiers, [card]Wear // Tear[/card], Path to Exile, Boros Charm, Lightning Helix, Ray of Revelation, Paraselene, Stony Silence,
[card]Soul's Attendant[/card]/Soul Warden...


I like Lightning Helix so much that I'd consider dropping my dorkiest 2 drop (Goblin Wardriver) for it.

Hurricane seems like really legitimate technology too, though. Matchups with a lot of flying creatures have been kind of rough for me, and like you said, Soul Sisters is a rough matchup because of that. (Combination lifegain and a swarm of dudes.) Hurricane does a pretty decent job of dealing with both of those angles. I feel as though a lot of my other matchups are good enough that I could very much see playing green for Flinthoof Boar and Hurricane almost exclusively.

[hamfactorial]

I dropped Goblin Wardriver already, he was never surviving and I almost always have better BTE -> something else chains instead of playing him.

I'd enjoy a few Rancors in my maindeck as well, I feel like the deck lacks reach in a serious way if I don't get the uber-nut draw.

[Alex]

I dropped Goblin Wardriver already, he was never surviving and I almost always have better BTE -> something else chains instead of playing him.

I'd enjoy a few Rancors in my maindeck as well, I feel like the deck lacks reach in a serious way if I don't get the uber-nut draw.

Flinthoof Boar casts off of Burning-Tree also, which is a big selling point for me.

What are you playing over Wardriver? Keldon Marauders?

I considered Akki Blizzard-Herder because he seemed like he'd get in there a vast majority of the time with almost no drawback to me, but adding another color opens up a lot of options. Battle-Mad Ronin was another one, because a 3/3 for
2 seemed good. I'm still fishing around though. Wardriver has been meh.

[hamfactorial]

Here's what I'm running these days -

[deck]
Land
17 Mountain

Creatures
4 Signal Pest
4 Goblin Guide
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
3 Legion Loyalist
4 Firefist Striker
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Stormblood Berserker
4 Lightning Mauler

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Dynacharge

Sideboard
3 Spellskite
3 Torpor Orb
3 Shattering Spree
3 Shrine of Burning Rage
1 Legion Loyalist
2 Pyroclasm
[/deck]

[Alex]

Another card I didn't think of for Gruul: Scab-Clan Mauler. Also, good 'ol Skinshifter. He always was kind of a bro.

[hamfactorial]

Ah, those cards have me feeling saucy. I have to say that I like the creatures in [mana]G[/mana] much better, but [mana]W[/mana] gives the deck a lot of extra resilience.

Does Legion's Initiative have a place here? It's a cheap anthem that pumps all of our red d00dz and provides some ancillary sweeper protection as upside.

[rcwraspy]

Another card I didn't think of for Gruul: Scab-Clan Mauler. Also, good 'ol Skinshifter. He always was kind of a bro.

Would kird ape be in consideration here, or still not enough forests?

[hamfactorial]

Kird Ape would be an easy replacement for Rakdos Cackler in a deck with enough natural forest sources.

[hamfactorial]

Alex:

Instead of Hurricane, would Gruul Charm be more efficient?

[rcwraspy]

Kird Ape would be an easy replacement for Rakdos Cackler in a deck with enough natural forest sources.

I suppose it depends on how much of a splash you're making from mono-red into another color, and then how you're doing it. Fetches certainly help, but they're also cards you acquire as you're winning your way into the format.

[hamfactorial]

I'm thinking about the deck going forward and I believe that we can win enough to turn AIR into a Gruul Zoo list and then splash a bit of white (if necessary) for rub-ins.

This will be a fun challenge, since Tarmogoyf and a full batch of fetches will run a cool $400 online. That's going to take a lot of winning.

[Alex]

Alex:

Instead of Hurricane, would Gruul Charm be more efficient?

I was going with Hurricane since it domes the player too, but I guess it could be awkward to topdeck one when you're at a low life total, so I'm sure Gruul Charm would work too.

[lorddax]

Alex's series has got me interested in taking the plunge into this format. Proxied up AiR but also working on messing with my own brew. Just an idea but what do you guys think of Bloodhall Ooze in R/G? You get a piece of Nobles effect without having to smash it into blockers, and if you have a cackler you are getting +2/+2 a turn.

[hamfactorial]

The ooze gets better in a deck with boars, cacklers and BTEs. Hmm!

[Alex]

Alex's series has got me interested in taking the plunge into this format. Proxied up AiR but also working on messing with my own brew. Just an idea but what do you guys think of Bloodhall Ooze in R/G? You get a piece of Nobles effect without having to smash it into blockers, and if you have a cackler you are getting +2/+2 a turn.

Bloodhall Ooze is pretty good in Jund aggro decks, of which there were quite a few after the Seething Song/Bloodbraid Elf banning. Sam Black had a list that did some work for a while, but
eventually people "found" new Jund and the dust settled and people started playing the Jund of today.

[Alex]

What is the face of Jund aggro, anyway? I'm going to take a shot at it.

[deck]Jund aggro[/deck]

[Platypus]

Does Jund Hackblade fit in there somehow? Dark Confidant is great, but expensive.

[Alex]

12 multicolored permanents is probably a little low for Hackblade. I'd probably just play Goblin Guide instead.

[Platypus]

Could be so. On the other hand, even without the boost and haste it still puts two counters on the Ooze. So you'd have 12 creatures available that does that. And chaining it to BTE is just sweet. And maybe Scab-Clan Mauler instead of Stormblood Berserker?

[Alex]

Could be so. On the other hand, even without the boost and haste it still puts two counters on the Ooze. So you'd have 12 creatures available that does that. And chaining it to BTE is just sweet. And maybe Scab-Clan Mauler instead of Stormblood Berserker?

You could get away with Scab-Clan Mauler instead if you wanted to go that route. I like Stormblood Berserker a little better because of the second clause on the card, but if you really want to try and get more synergistic I can't imagine you'd have much trouble considering how good the mana in the list is.

[Platypus]

I like SB's effect better than SCM's trample as well, but the synergy with Ooze and Hackblade is better. So it's a trade-off.

[Valdarith]

Hey guys. As most of you know I've been representing AIR at my past two Modern events. At my last event, I went with a green splash and made top 8 again only to lose to a twice nut-drawn Affinity opponent. I've had fun with the deck but I'd like to change things up for my next event, which I have a month to prepare for as I won't be able to attend our Modern FNM this Friday.

Zem brought up that a more midrange mono red may be open now in Modern and I'd like to try that out. I've brewed a sort of Ponza-type deck here and would like some input.

[deck]
Creatures (6)
2 Avalanche Riders
4 Ember Swallower

Spells (29)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Burst Lightning
3 Pyroclasm
4 Mind Stone
4 Molten Rain
4 Stone Rain
3 Chandra, Pyromaster
3 Koth of the Hammer

Lands (25)
4 Encroaching Wastes
21 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
2 Pithing Needle
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Boiling Seas
1 Flashfires
6 open slots
n[/deck]

We have 1 cmc burn for early game against aggro, Pyroclasm at 2cmc as a sweeper, Mind Stone for ramping into our 4cmc spells on turn three (turn three Koth or Chandra seems SICK), and multiple land denial cards (Ember Swallower, Avalanche Riders, Stone Rain, Molten Rain, Encroaching Wastes). Koth + Ember Swallower in particular is a nasty combination as we can -2 Koth for the mana to activate Ember Swallower without having 7 mana sources.

[Alex]

I really like it. I would probably ditch the Encroaching Wastes for Tectonic Edge, (yes I understand the relevance of EW not having the 4+ clause, but I don't think you'll be EW'ing early enough for it to matter anyway.) and beyond that I can't think of what else I would change. Maybe play Detritivore somewhere in the 75.

[Valdarith]

Tec Edge is definitely easier on the mana, but I'd have to think about it. I think the 4 lands clause could be significant with all the other land destruction in the deck.

Detritivore is a nice option from the side. Any other possible sideboard cards? Boiling Seas should actually be Boil since it's strictly better with the instant speed.

[Alex]

The way I see it, with the targetted hate towards certain basic land types, you won't be using Tectonic Edge/Encroaching Wastes to kill lands that produce colored mana anyway, so neither card likely matters at all. You might even be better off just playing Kher Keep or Springjack Pasture or something to block weenies that you can't prevent from being cast.

[Valdarith]

Here's another deck I'm considering running next week:

[deck]
Creatures (20)
4 Goblin Guide
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Ash Zealot
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Stormblood Berserker

Spells (18)
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Burst Lightning
1 Devil's Play
4 Magma Jet
4 Rift Bolt
3 Koth of the Hammer

Lands (22)
4 Mutavault
18 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
2 Electrickery
1 Punishing Fire
3 Skullcrack
2 Combust
3 Shrine of Burning Rage
4 Molten Rain
[/deck]

[DerWille]

I've decided that I'm going to do it. I tried thinking of ways of making WW work, but no dice. Destiny decided to call me and I have no choice but to answer. This is my deck.

[deck]Going on a Treasure Hunt[/deck]

This cost me a whole $5 to make. If I can win 2 packs I'm in the black. But the question is where to go from here?

I found this primer on MTGSally, it had some neat ideas in it, but I'm dubious of some of the suggestions. http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=511870

I think this deck will get a lot better with a couple more cards though:

Boseiju, Who Shelters All- Stops my Treasure Hunt from
being countered. Seems almost mandatory.

Gemstone Caverns - Start with 1 mana open when on the draw. That seems like a huge boon.

I'm curious if Lightning Storm is a better wincon than Zombie Infestation. I can protect Lightning Storm with Boseiju, Who Shelters All from counter spells but not Spellskite. Zombie Infestation lets me get around those 2 cards but dies to almost every counter spell out there. This is a tough decision.

[Helios]

have me feeling saucy

Giggity

[Alex]

I've decided that I'm going to do it. I tried thinking of ways of making WW work, but no dice. Destiny decided to call me and I have no choice but to answer. This is my deck.

[deck]Going on a Treasure Hunt[/deck]

This cost me a whole $5 to make. If I can win 2 packs I'm in the black. But the question is where to go from here?

I found this primer on MTGSally, it had some neat ideas in it, but I'm dubious of some of the suggestions. http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=511870

I think this deck will get a lot
better with a couple more cards though:

Boseiju, Who Shelters All- Stops my Treasure Hunt from being countered. Seems almost mandatory.

Gemstone Caverns - Start with 1 mana open when on the draw. That seems like a huge boon.

I'm curious if Lightning Storm is a better wincon than Zombie Infestation. I can protect Lightning Storm with Boseiju, Who Shelters All from counter spells but not Spellskite. Zombie Infestation lets me get around those 2 cards but dies to almost every counter spell out there. This is a tough decision.

Yeah dude, give it a shot if you want. I like Boseiju and Lightning Storm a fair bit. Honestly if I had remembered Lightning Storm existed, I probably would have played it in Swans of
Bryn Argoll instead of Seismic Assault.