There’s no sign of life, It’s just the power to charm, I’m lying in the rain, But I never wave bye-bye
It’s been a hot minute since I looked at the Dailies for Modern. I looked after I got home from the fireworks last night. Whoa! The times they are a changing! Plenty of innovation since Modern Masters. I’m planning on getting out to Antwerp for the last Modern GP of 2013. Right now, I’m favoring Unburial Gifts but with Scavenging Ooze threatening to take over the format I think it’s time to move on soon. Graveyard strategies seem pretty miserable, combo decks that need the ‘yard, like Storm and even that Krak-Clan Combo deck don’t seem very stable. I don’t plan on winning GP Antwerp, but I really REALLY wanna make Day Two. Plan A to Day Two in a constructed tourney is to be the best at playing the popular decks. I don’t have the cards for Jund, I can’t mull with UWR Geist to save my life and, I’m sure John Finkel has a european cousin that has Storm down pat. Plan B involves playing something the masses aren’t ready for…It’s time to search for new tech.
BUG Mill
First off, I’m a total jerk! I have, for the last few weeks, been trying so hard to get my travel buddy and old school Magic Cohort Harry to not play a deck that is SO CLOSE TO THIS IT’S SCARY! I’m not sold on the mill plan personally, but this deck has some beats in the form of Jace’s Phantasm and Wight of Precinct Six. I’m a little wary though as the lack of graveyard post M14 leaves Emrakul, the Aeons Torn decks safe from combo decks and milling the great Spagetti Monster bunks your game plan, on both levels. That said, this deck went 3-1. Milling out your opponent isn’t just for Standard anymore!
Phyrexia's Modern Unlife
WHAAAAAT! There’s some hope for combo post-M14! Who needs to worry about Scavenging Ooze screwing with your graveyard when you can just Slaughter Pact/Echoing Truth the bugger and then draw your deck with Ad Nauseam and then drop Conflagrate for plenty. Ooze!? LAUGHABLE MAN! This deck is everything that makes Matt Jones wanna watch minor league baseball games. Personally speaking, I played Little League (I have seven trophies in a sport that I’m terrible at, this was before everyone got a trophy), a boring sport to play boring sport to watch. Anyhow, I digress, this is a real combo deck, and I see that those Angel’s Graces are finally seeing a bit of play, good for that card. You can bet I’m gonna try this one out soon.
Whoops You Lost?
| Lands (20) 4 Island 1 Mountain 4 Scalding Tarn 2 Shivan Reef 4 Steam Vents 4 Sulfur Falls 1 Tolaria West Creatures (5) 1 Ethereal Usher 4 Simian Spirit Guide Spells (35) 3 Gitaxian Probe 4 Hive Mind 4 Izzet Charm 4 Lotus Bloom 4 Pact of Negation 4 Pact of the Titan 4 Pentad Prism 4 Serum Visions 4 Sleight of Hand | Sideboard (15) 2 Blood Moon 1 Counterflux 4 Leyline of Sanctity 3 Pyroclasm 2 Remand 3 Spell Pierce |
You know what I always say: “TO BEAT THE COMBO YOU HAVE TO BE THE COMBO!” Upon first look this is a WTF-does-this-do deck. After a lot of card reading it seems a lot like the Trix (Donate, Illusions of Grandeur)decks of 2000’s Extended season. Basically, you ramp up to Hive Mind cast a couple of Pacts and pass turn, and watch your opponent’s head explode. THIS IS A REAL DECK? Ha, this is brilliant because the Pact of Negations actually protect the combo assuming you still have another to blast after Hive Mind resolves. On a scale of 1 to Ridiculous this deck ranks somewhere between Danny Bonaduce and Tony Danza.
Overrun-Bots
Here’s a brew that went 4-0 last week. It uses Tezzeret The Seeker to ultimate a host of 5/5 artifacts at your opponent’s dome. It’s a call all the way back to my old Winter Orb, Icy Manipulator, Titania’s Song deck. Hold down your opponent for a few turns with counter magic and Shackles. Then unleash artifact hell! WHATCHA GONNA DO WHEN THE 5/5 HORDE OF RANDOM MACHINES COMES DOWN ON YOU, BROTHER? OH, YEEEEA!
So there’s four new modern decks that NO ONE is talking about. Like for real, sleeve one of these up and play it at your next Modern tourney and people are gonna be talking about the cat with the PACT deck or the Tezz 1.0 deck. For me, I think you’ll see me playing one of these really soon. Hopefully Scavenging Ooze becomes a big deal because each of these decks lives comfortably in a world of graveyard hate.
If you see something, say something…I mean in the form of new modern decks. Discussion is the forefather of innovation, maybe I will do well in Antwerp after all.
Zac Clark, Durdle Magus.
Developments in Durdling is a Hipsters of the Coast article by Zac Clark. It explores durdling both inside and outside of Magic: the Gathering. Checking in on the Meta outside the game and seeing how things tick, as well as asides about life, music, and travel in relation to Magic: the Gathering. Movie Quotes, obscure comicbook references and music you haven’t heard all find their home here. Basically, it’s about screwing around and not actually playing Magic.