Monthly Archives: August 2015

Abbot of Keral Keep in Modern

Abbot of Keral Keep

We’ve said it once: We’ve said it dozens of times probably.
Abbot of Keral Keep is like a red Snapcaster Mage

Abbot of Keral Keep is one of many cards from Magic Origins that is poised to make an impact in the Modern format.

What are some of the areas where Abbot of Keral Keep can be effective in Modern? How does it differ from Snapcaster Mage in some of the existing Modern shells?

Unlike Snapcaster Mage, Abbot of Keral keep does not combine well with permission spells. Not only does it not have flash, but flipping a permission spell with Abbot of Keral Keep will generally cause that card to brick.

BUT!

Abbot of Keral Keep has great potential synergy with proactive cards. Think about Abbot of Keral Keep flipping over, say… An Inquisition of Kozilek. The combination of cheap cards and card advantage — and cheap cards and prowess — are both synergistic and valuable.

How about a Naya Burn deck in Modern? Abbot of Keral Keep can hook up with the efficient burn spells available in Modern to give an aggressive deck some extra oomph.

Consider this Patrick Sullivan-inspired Modern Naya Burn deck:

Patrick-Patrick Naya Burn

4 Atarka’s Command
4 Boros Charm
3 Lightning Helix

4 Wild Nacatl

4 Abbot of Keral Keep
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Searing Blaze

4 Arid Mesa
2 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard
3 Dragon’s Claw
1 Lightning Helix
2 Ancient Grudge
4 Molten Rain
1 Skullcrack
4 Path to Exile

Abbot of Keral Keep is just one of several new Magic Origins cards that Patrick and Michael discuss in this episode; there are quite a few possible additions to Modern from this hot new set. Find out what the intrepid Top Level Podcast duo is thinking in “Abbot of Keral Keep in Modern”:

Direct Download

Want to hear more from these guys?

Patrick’s Magic: The Gathering Books

Michael’s Magic: The Gathering Books

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Hangarback Walker in Abzan Aggro

Hangarback Walker

“How good can a deck be when the most popular deck is your worst matchup?”
-Patrick Chapin

Hangarback Walker has been a key contributor to many decks since the release of Magic Origins in Standard…

  1. First it showed up in a U/W Control deck (enabling cards like Thopter Spy Network)
  2. At the Pro Tour it hooked up with Ensoul Artifact and Hardened Scales
  3. But today: Hangarback Walker is transforming Abzan Aggro!

Hangarback Walker showed up in multiple builds of Abzan Aggro in the Top 8 of Grand Prix London 2015, including the decks played by winner Fabrizio Anteri and finalist Matteo Moure

Hangarback Abzan by Fabrizio Anteri

4 Hangarback Walker

1 Hero’s Downfall
2 Ultimate Price

4 Abzan Charm
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
4 Anafenza, the Foremost
4 Dromoka’s Command
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Siege Rhino
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor

4 Den Protector
1 Warden of the First Tree

3 Caves of Koilos
3 Forest
3 Llanowar Wastes
1 Mana Confluence
2 Plains
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
4 Temple of Malady
1 Temple of Silence
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath

sideboard:
2 Self-Inflicted Wound
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4 Thoughtseize
1 Ultimate Price
1 Arashin Cleric
2 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
1 Glare of Heresy
1 Surge of Righteousness
2 Tragic Arrogance

Hangarback Abzan by Matteo Moure

4 Hangarback Walker

2 Hero’s Downfall
3 Ultimate Price

2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor

2 Abzan Charm
4 Anafenza, the Foremost
3 Dromoka’s Command
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Siege Rhino

2 Den Protector
2 Warden of the First Tree

2 Wingmate Roc

3 Caves of Koilos
2 Forest
3 Llanowar Wastes
1 Mana Confluence
2 Plains
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
3 Temple of Malady
3 Temple of Silence
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath

sideboard:
3 Herald of Torment
4 Thoughtseize
1 Ultimate Price
1 Dromoka’s Command
1 Unravel the Aether
2 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
3 Tragic Arrogance

The defining component of the new breed of Abzan Aggro decks isn’t just the inclusion of Hangarback Walker… But also playing twenty-six lands (or as Patrick says, the number they were supposed to be playing all along).

“Hangarback Walker is TWO TIERS better than Rakshasha Deathdealer”
-Chapin

Everyone knows Hangarback Walker is a powerful card. But what makes Hangarback Walker so good in Abzan Aggro specifically?

  • It has a super good rate… Abzan Aggro is all about cards with great rates
  • Hangarback Walker lets Abzan Aggro afford to play a bigger game – like when Faeries draws Bitterblossom
  • Dromoka’s Command allows Abzan Aggro to escape Abzan Charm (so that you can still get the 1/1 Thopter tokens)
  • Tons of +1/+1 counter redundancy – Abzan Charm; Dromoka’s Command; Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, etc.

Michael and Patrick also discuss G/R Dragons, the concept of not playing new cards versus curating old cards, Bant Heroic and what might be great next week.

Check it out in “Hangarback Walker in Abzan Aggro”:

Direct Download

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Sphinx’s Tutelage VERSUS Constellation!

Sphinx's Tutelage
Sphinx’s Tutelage is the definition of “scissors” (as in rock-paper-scissors).
If you can get to the top tables with it, Sphinx’s Tutelage can lock up a tournament for you.

Recently on Twitter our own Patrick Chapin (aka @thepchapin) made a curious claim:

What did he mean by this?

What does that say about decks from the Pro Tour (like U/R Ensoul Artifact or Mono-Red beatdown), and how does it help inform go-forward metagame decisions in Standard?

Decks like Brian Kibler’s G/W Megamorph deck attacks particular opponents at advantageous angles:

G/W Kibler Megamorph by Loren Eakins

2 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
3 Dromoka’s Command
4 Fleecemane Lion

3 Boon Satyr
2 Courser of Kruphix
4 Deathmist Raptor
4 Den Protector
4 Elvish Mystic
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
2 Warden of the First Tree

2 Hidden Dragonslayer
3 Valorous Stance

1 Blossoming Sands
8 Forest
1 Mana Confluence
6 Plains
4 Temple of Plenty
4 Windswept Heath

sideboard:
4 Hangarback Walker
1 Dromoka’s Command
2 Evolutionary Leap
2 Unravel the Æther
2 Arashin Cleric
1 Glare of Heresy
2 Tragic Arrogance
1 Valorous Stance

  • This deck lines up against [the Pro Tour-winning] Mono-Red deck on the fundamentals: Its cards just line up well against the Red Deck’s cards.
  • This deck has great options against the [It! Girl! breakout] U/R Ensoul Artifact deck. Unravel the Aether, for example, doesn’t care how “indestructible” an artifact might be.
  • Even against up-and-coming decks like U/R Sphinx’s Tutelage, Kibler’s deck starts Dromoka’s Command (a source of enchantment hate)
  • Tragic Arrogance is a great catch-all… “You just make them sacrifice their stuff.”

How about that Sphinx’s Tutelage deck?

U/R Sphinx’s Tutelage by Michael Majors

1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Flooded Strand
4 Island
5 Mountain
4 Radiant Fountain
4 Shivan Reef
4 Swiftwater Cliffs
4 Temple of Epiphany

1 Alhammarret’s Archive

4 Anger of the Gods
4 Magmatic Insight
2 Roast
4 Tormenting Voice

1 Dig Through Time
4 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
1 Monastery Siege
2 Send to Sleep
4 Sphinx’s Tutelage
4 Treasure Cruise
2 Whelming Wave

sideboard:
3 Annul
1 Disperse
1 Encase in Ice
4 Negate
1 Whelming Wave
4 Fiery Impulse
1 Seismic Rupture

Michael Majors won Grand Prix San Diego with a port of Andrew Cuneo’s U/R Sphinx’s Tutelage deck:

With Abzan Control and G/W Megamorph so successful, U/R Sphinx’s Tutelage was a great choice! The deck can strand the heavy creature removal of Abzan, and easily race its powerful-but-slow threats with Sphinx’s Tutelage itself.

While this deck is full of card drawing — and was designed by Andrew Cuneo — make no mistake: This is a VERY offensive deck. Those card drawing cards aren’t just there for filtering and card advantage… With Sphinx’s Tutelage, they are there to kill you.

The success of U/R Sphinx’s Tutelage — and its finals opponent Abzan Constellation — have put the bullseye on enchantments as a card type. We’ve already talked about how Dromoka’s Command and Unravel the Aether can be effective against the key cards of these decks. But consider…

Back to Nature wipes the floor with Constellation! Remember Back to Nature?

Tragic Arrogance doesn’t care how many enchantments you have… It blows up [almost] all of them. Tragic Arrogance is a card people are already playing, and [Grand Prix Top 4 competitor] Paul Rietzl even ported a Tragic Arrogance into a former End Hostilities slot of his Abzan Control deck.

Abzan Control by Paul Rietzl

1 Bile Blight
3 Hero’s Downfall
2 Languish
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4 Thoughtseize
2 Ultimate Price

4 Abzan Charm
1 Dragonlord Dromoka
4 Siege Rhino

4 Courser of Kruphix
2 Den Protector
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer

2 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion

2 Caves of Koilos
4 Forest
2 Llanowar Wastes
1 Plains
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
4 Temple of Malady
4 Temple of Silence
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath

sideboard:
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1 Bile Blight
1 Drown in Sorrow
2 Duress
2 Read the Bones
2 Dromoka’s Command
1 Unravel the Æther
2 Arashin Cleric
2 Hallowed Moonlight
1 Tragic Arrogance

(and more)

… all in “Sphinx’s Tutelage VERSUS Constellation”

Direct Download

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Eidolon of the Great Revel is Surprisingly Good in the Mirror

Eidolon of the Great Revel
Eleven members of Team Ultra PRO played a red deck highlighted by Eidolon of the Great Revel

Team Ultra PRO had an outstanding Pro Tour Magic Origins!

Two members of Team Ultra PRO made Top 8 of Pro Tour Magic Origins — Pat Cox with Mono-Red and Matt Sperling with Abzan Control — with Rich Hoaen in ninth place on tiebreakers.

Find out how Michael, Patrick, and their Team Ultra PRO partners put together their multiple awesome decks, and better finishes!

Mono-Red by Pat Cox

4 Abbot of Keral Keep
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Exquisite Firecraft
1 Goblin Glory Chaser
1 Goblin Heelcutter
2 Lightning Berserker
4 Lightning Strike
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Searing Blood
4 Stoke the Flames
1 Titan’s Strength
4 Wild Slash
3 Zurgo Bellstriker

20 Mountain

sideboard:
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
2 Goblin Heelcutter
2 Magma Spray
2 Outpost Siege
4 Roast
2 Scab-Clan Berserker
2 Scouring Sands

Highlights:

  • How many Lightning Berserkers is the right number? Top Level Podcast is a house divided here. Patrick thinks the PT-winning build (with four Lightning Berserkers) is a home run.
  • (like we said above) Eidolon of the Great Revel is surprisingly good in the mirror… also a great source of free wins
  • Abbot of Keral Keep has elevated red to high Tier One status. It is a great way to try to hit your third land drop, and a Scry 1 even when you miss.
  • “Stoke the Flames is a really powerful Magic card”
  • Searing Blood is good against most decks main deck, due to the addition of the new Planeswalkers in Magic Origins

Abzan Control by Matt Sperling

1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

3 Hero’s Downfall
2 Languish
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4 Thoughtseize
2 Ultimate Price

4 Abzan Charm
4 Siege Rhino

4 Courser of Kruphix
3 Den Protector
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer

3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion

2 Caves of Koilos
4 Forest
2 Llanowar Wastes
1 Plains
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
4 Temple of Malady
4 Temple of Silence
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Windswept Heath

sideboard:
2 Drown in Sorrow
1 Duress
1 Pharika’s Cure
2 Read the Bones
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1 Ultimate Price
2 Dromoka’s Command
3 Fleecemane Lion
1 Utter End
1 End Hostilities

What an unusual collection of two-ofs, three-ofs, and unique card choices! How do Platinum level pros like Patrick Chapin and Matt Sperling get to three Den Protectors, or playing them on turn two against aggro decks?

How do you end up with a deck like this, that ends up being so successful?

“Eidolon of the Great Revel is Surprisingly Good in the Mirror” will tell you!

To wit:

Three reasons Ultimate Price got better in Abzan Control:

  1. Abzan Aggro and Esper Dragons (both decks with powerful multicolor cards) got worse due to Languish being printed.
  2. The default Red Deck became more about Abbot of Keral Keep and no longer “go wide” with Hordeling Outburst
  3. Nissa, Vastwood Seer encourages Abzan players to run basic Forest… Which can cast Ultimate Price but not Bile Blight.

Remember:
“As long as you don’t have the wrong answers, you can’t beat Abzan’s card quality.”

Give “Eidolon of the Great Revel is Surprisingly Good in the Mirror” a listen now:

Direct Download

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