Abbot of Keral Keep Better Than Snapcaster Mage?

Snapcaster Mage

We’ve called Abbot of Keral Keep the “red Snapcaster Mage” for months… But could it be better than Snapcaster Mage? Maybe in at least one Modern deck…

“It’s possible that playing Grixis with Abbot [of Keral Keep] is better, but I really liked pairing it with the green cards this weekend. People have been slow to adopt it, but I think Abbot will be ubiquitous before long. It’s better than Snapcaster Mage in my deck this weekend.”

-Patrick Chapin

Patrick is tearing it up at Grand Prix Oklahoma City!

At the time of this writing he’s 8-1… and with a brand new deck (that was hinted at in “Abbot of Keral Keep in Modern”).

So far he beat Temur Twin, Grixis Twin, Affinity, UB Faeries and others (losing only to discarding to hand size three times after keeping a one-lander against ‘Tron). We know that our listeners are eager to hear about this new deck, and didn’t want to wait until next Thursday… So here goes:

Temur Prowess, by Patrick Chapin

3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Abbot of Keral Keep
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Tarmogoyf

4 Mishra’s Bauble
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
4 Vapor Snag
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Seal of Fire
2 Rancor
2 Remand
2 Izzet Charm

4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
1 Wooded Foothills
2 Steam Vents
1 Breeding Pool
1 Stomping Ground
1 Copperline Gorge
2 Island
1 Mountain

Sideboard
3 Dispel
2 Deprive
2 Feed the Clan
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Spellskite
1 Seal of Fire
1 Roast
1 Volcanic Fallout
1 Izzet Staticaster

Rancor + Abbot of Keral Keep?!? Rancor seems like just one of many sweet cards the Abbot can flip over that not only gives it greater cachet than the admittedly deserving Snapcaster Mage (in this deck)… And one that not only triggers Prowess but, via trample, makes triggering Prowess better than ever.

Sweet new deck, yes?

Follow Patrick’s exploits tomorrow at the mother ship.