Battle Lands Are Completely Broken!

Kiora, Master of the Depths
While Patrick and Michael originally intended to focus on Kiora, Master of Depths this week, a “mail bag”-style rundown uncovered some amazing synergies between fetch lands and battle lands.

The Battle for Zendikar battle lands:

  • Prairie Stream (W/U)
  • Sunken Hollow (U/B)
  • Smoldering Marsh (B/R)
  • Cinder Glade (R/G)
  • Canopy Vista (G/W)

Check out the cool questions and comments that came up from our Top Level Podcast listeners on social media + the mana base interactions that will define the upcoming format in “Battle Lands Are Completely Broken!”

Matthew Corazzelli

Matthew pointed out that Silkwrap, Suspension Field, etc. can help you set up your Eldrazi. These kinds of white exile cards can help you buy time to get to your expensive cards, plus any “exile” fuel for Blight Herder is potentially welcome. Now, if your Silkwrap is destroyed by Dromoka’s Command, the opponent won’t even get his creature back!

Jamie Johnson

Jamie asked us to talk about Scythe Leopard…

Scythe Leopard

“[Scythe Leopard] might be even better than Steppe Lynx.”
-Patrick Chapin

While Scythe Leopard is less explosive than Steppe Lynx at its best, among other things, it can do damage on defense. On average, and over the course of many games, Scythe Leopard might outperform the white model on average.

Scythe Leopard got the ball rolling on fetch land + battle land mana bases…

“We haven’t seen synergies like these since Vivid Lands + Reflecting Pool.”
-Patrick Chapin

Mana bases inspired by this podcast…

Consider this potential (extreme) mana base:

2 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Bloodstained Mire

1 Prairie Stream
1 Sunken Hollow
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Cinder Glade
1 Canopy Vista

1 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Swamp

You get:

  • 14 sources of blue
  • 15 sources of white
  • 17 sources of green
  • 17 sources of red
  • 15 sources of black

… Most of which will come into play untapped

or

4 Forest
4 Mounain

4 Cinder Glade

4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

You get:

  • 20 sources of green
  • 20 sources of red

… Almost all of which will come into play untapped

or

4 Sunken Hollow
4 Prairie Stream

4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand

3 Swamp
3 Plains
2 Island

2 Caves of Koilos
1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon

You get:

  • 18 sources of blue
  • 17 sources of white
  • 17 sources of black

… Almost all of which will enter the battlefield untapped

Do you know who Abzan Aggro’s new best fried will be?

Flooded Strand!

Flooded Strand can find both Sunken Hollow and Canopy Vista (along with basic Plains), allowing it to find all three colors in Abzan (if by way of blue for black); you never actually have to tap for blue to get the value.

Here’s the key:
“Your Abzan Aggro deck is going to have Crackling Doom in it.”

In addition to Battle Lands Patrick and Michael spend a little time on new land Lumbering Falls…

Lumbering Falls
The alternative was you were going to gain 1 life from your Thornwood Falls?

Chris Beirnes

Chris asks about Nissa’s Renewal… Will this be a tool for Sultai Control to ramp into Ulamog or Ugin?

Patrick speculates on a couple of different kinds of players who will want to cast a Nissa’s Renewal.

Finally…

Ben Reardon

“Titan’s Presence means every deck can have an answer to Hangarback Walker.”

Does it?

All this and more Battle for Zendikar in “Battle Lands Are Completely Broken!”

Direct Download

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Gideon, Ally of Zendikar (is our headliner)

    Shout out to us!

    MichaelJ points out that we have been doing this for “either forty-three or forty-four consecutive weeks” … and points out that Siege Rhino has pretty much been the best card in Standard the entire time.

    Shout out to the World Championships!

    Siege Rhino was facing off against Siege Rhino in the hands of World Champion Seth Manfield and former Player of the Year Owen Turtenwald.

    “Siege Rhino is kind of a messed up Magic card.”
    -Patrick Chapin

    Well… Enough for Siege Rhino for now. How about some sick Battle for Zendikar previews?


    Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
    Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

    Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is not just a powerful four mana Planeswalker… It will be a likely four-of in Battle for Zendikar Standard.

    Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is a self-contained card advantage engine. Creating a 2/2 creature each turn being kinda, sorta, drawing a card each turn (and kinda, sorta, netting 1G while you’re at it). Besides which, the 2/2 in question is an Ally… Which can give you some untold number of free Ally triggers!

    The flashy ability on Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is yet another look at his Planeswalker animation ability. This time Gideon is a 5/5 Human Soldier Ally (so might topdeck some of those Ally triggers himself) that both avoids taking damage and is actually indestructible. Who is going to stop Gideon?

    Now of course there is the [-4] emblem ability. This, we think, is the ability that can push Gideon from mere Staple to four-of. Why? You can always just sacrifice a Gideon, Ally of Zendikar (that starts with four loyalty) to cash in the emblem… There is much less down side to playing multiple copies here; especially given the long-term synergies with making 3/3, rather than 2/2 creatures.

    Mike also speculates on a Gideon, Ally of Zendikar-driven “sit there” strategy that makes 2/2 creature to block or chump while hitting land drops, milking the opponent into playing multiple creatures into an End Hostilities, and then wins quite a bit later with Secure the Wastes or an emblem activation. This strategy is made available largely due to Gideon’s built in card advantage abilities.

    Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
    Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger

    Which Ulamog is better, the original Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre or Battle for Zendikar addition Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger?

    What are the key differences between the two takes on the 10/10?

    We round out our discussion in “Gideon, Ally of Zendikar (is our headliner)” with some thoughts on Battle for Zendikar mana sequencing, plus a discussion of key cards that are rotating out of Standard, including:

    • Banishing Light
    • Master of Waves
    • Bile Blight
    • Stormbreath Dragon
    • Elvish Mystic
    • Fleecemane Lion
    • … And more!

    Listen to “Gideon, Ally of Zendikar (is our headliner)” now:

    Direct Download

    Don’t forget to check out Top Level Podcast on social media:

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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”:

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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”

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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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Oblivion Sower is a Window to the Future

Oblivion Sower
Oblivion Sower
aka “Oblivion Dog Millionaire”

Michael and Patrick record in the same room for the first time ever!

Scratch that… They did an episode of Yo! MTG Taps together in 2010. Check that one out.

Anyway, they are together at the Team Ultra PRO house up in Vancouver to prepare for Pro Tour Magic Origins… But still took the time to make this awesome podcast!

So… Oblivion Sower.

Oblivion Sower is a new card hinted at by this week’s announcement of Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi. While it looks like a “clunky 5/8 for six” it is a creature with many important layers.

While it costs six, the “target opponent exiles the top four cards of his or her library, then you may put any number of land cards that player owns from exile onto the battlefield under your control” triggers on cast, not when Oblivion Sower enters the battlefield. That means that even if a blue player counters Oblivion Sower, you will still have the opportunity to get more lands into play.

Wait a minute!

I already have six mana!

Why would I want to get 1-2 more lands from the top of my opponent’s library?

It’s not just that you can get lands off the top of your opponent’s library. You can play any lands that the opponent has in exile. That means that if the opponent is setting up with Treasure Cruise or Dig Through Time you can play any of those lands, too.

But why might you want to get to 8, 10, or even 15 mana (which Oblivion Sower can help you to accomplish)?

  • Ugin the Spirit Dragon – Oblivion Sower costs six. If you can play even one land from exile your natural land drop the following turn will get you to the eight mana you need to cast Ugin.
  • Nissa’s Revelation – Having tons of expensive creatures in your deck will help you get paid off by playing powerhouse — but hella expensive — cards like Nissa’s Revelation.
  • Zendikar’s Roil – Five into six into multiple triggers isn’t just a mondo combo, it flows nicely curve-wise.
  • Emrakul, the Aeons Torn – While Patrick really, really doesn’t think that Emrakul, the Aeons Torn will be printed in Return to Zendikar, there will be some giant that is super expensive… And Oblivion Sower will help you get there.

Giant Spiders! Mike’s origin (if not Magic Origins)! How not to play Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy! All in “Oblivion Sower is a Window to the Future”

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Flooded Strand FTW!

Flooded Strand

Flooded Strand had an interesting set of performances at last weekend’s Star City Games Standard Open.

Flooded Strand showed up in Logan Mize’s U/W Heroic deck, Jeff Hoogland’s brand spanking new Thopter-based control deck, and (along with our recent centerpiece Jace, Telepath Unbound) a new take on Jeskai in the hands of Kevin McLeskey.

U/W Heroic by Logan Mize

4 Aqueous Form
4 Ordeal of Thassa
2 Stubborn Denial

2 Ajani’s Presence
4 Battlewise Hoplite
4 Defiant Strike
4 Favored Hoplite
4 Gods Willing
4 Hero Of Iroas
2 Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
4 Ordeal of Heliod
2 Seeker of the Way

4 Flooded Strand
3 Island
4 Mana Confluence
6 Plains
3 Temple of Enlightenment

Sideboard
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Stratus Walk
2 Stubborn Denial
2 Treasure Cruise
1 Triton Tactics
1 Ajani’s Presence
1 Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
2 Monastery Mentor
2 Seeker of the Way

Logan Mize made the finals of the Standard Open with a straight U/W Heroic deck. While a seemingly perfect metagame choice (U/W Heroic is a strong deck in a field full of slow G/R Devotion decks), Logan didn’t play any new cards from Magic Origins.

This deck is an “all-in” take on U/W Heroic. Logan played four copies of Aqueous Form, and even four copies of Ordeal of Heliod! This deck wants to play a Heroic creature, slap an aura on it, and kill the opponent quickly.

U/W Control by Jeff Hoogland

4 Hangarback Walker
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

3 Artificer’s Epiphany
3 Clash of Wills
4 Dig Through Time
1 Disdainful Stroke
4 Dissolve
2 Thopter Spy Network

3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
3 End Hostilities
1 Last Breath
2 Swift Reckoning
2 Valorous Stance

3 Darksteel Citadel
4 Flooded Strand
6 Island
2 Mystic Monastery
2 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Radiant Fountain
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Tranquil Cove

Sideboard
1 Perilous Vault
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Displacement Wave
2 Negate
2 Stratus Dancer
1 Fated Retribution
1 Hidden Dragonslayer
3 Last Breath
1 Raise the Alarm
1 Valorous Stance

Jeff Hoogland played an inventive new deck that showcases multiple cards from Magic Origins and is a completely different take on one of Magic’s most time-tested archetypes.

The big interaction here is around Hangarback Walker, Thopter Spy Network, and Darksteel Citadel. With either of the other kinds of artifacts in play, Thopter Spy Network can create a tremendous advantage, combining the best elements of Bitterblossom and Bident of Thassa.

Hangarback Walker is itself an outstanding card, and Patrick and Michael wax quite a bit on its mana efficiency, defensive impact, and interactions with Abzan Charm.

Jeskai Tokens by Kevin McLeskey

4 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
4 Treasure Cruise

4 Jeskai Ascendancy
2 Ojutai’s Command

1 Dragon Fodder
4 Hordeling Outburst
2 Lightning Strike
4 Stoke the Flames
3 Wild Slash

3 Raise the Alarm
1 Secure the Wastes
4 Seeker of the Way

3 Battlefield Forge
3 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Plains
2 Mountain
4 Mystic Monastery
3 Shivan Reef
2 Temple of Epiphany
4 Temple of Triumph

Sideboard
4 Disdainful Stroke
2 Negate
3 Sphinx’s Tutelage
1 Dragonlord Ojutai
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Roast
2 Valorous Stance

One Dragon Fodder, three Raise the Alarms, huh?

While there are a couple of down sides to that split (in a deck that can make both red and white, one is an instant and one is a sorcery), Dragon Fodder and Hordeling Outburst both making goblins increases the danger posed by an opposing Bile Blight.

But!

There might be a reason behind this decision. Patrick and Michael discuss.

This deck is a great showcase for our newest Jace. Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy and Ojutai’s Command make for some resilience here; plus Jace and Jeskai Ascendency are actually pretty good friends.

Tons of discussion of these Flooded Strand decks, and how they fit into the Standard metagame in “Flooded Strand FTW”

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Jace, Telepath Unbound (who knew?)

Jace, Telepath Unbound

Here’s a funny story: Michael kinda sorta didn’t know how Jace, Telepath Unbound works / worked / etc. I mean if you “only” get a Snapcaster Mage you are [still] potentially playing in the big leagues in terms of card power and quality.

… But what if you didn’t have to pay the mana cost on that mid-paragraph [-3]? Well you’d be flipping Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy by dumping Worst Fears or other crazily costed sorceries like Nissa’s Revelaion* and really break the costing rules of Magic: The Gathering.

… Of course, that’s not how Jace, Telepath Unbound works 🙁

All-in-all Patrick isn’t sure where this one will land. I mean: It’s a Jace. But! among other things, you can’t control the flip condition on pre-spark Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy.

Jace, Vryn's Prodigy

If Jace is feeling the spark… He’s going to flip. That puts different conditions on Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy than a regular Merfolk Looter. Besides which, Michael and Patrick seem to disagree about the playability of the classic Merfolk Looter anyway.

Is Jace, Telepath Unbound a powerful card with poor positioning? Well in terms of his [-9] Ultimate…

“It takes forever to get to it, and boy is it not good.”
-Patrick Chapin

A card Patrick finds much more interesting is (much to Michael’s surprise) Disciple of the Ring:

Disciple of the Ring

You’ll just have to listen to the podcast to get the full lowdown on this one, but Patrick has an unfettered Disciple of the Ring rated as an Opposition; an Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite; and an Iona, Shield of Emeria all wrapped up into a single Aetherling.

Pretty high praise, no?

Both our intrepid podcasters seem to like Harbinger of the Tides best among the Magic Origins blue cards, ultimately.

Harbinger of the Tides

… But they play a little game about which card is best in the other four colors. Here’s a preview:

  • Archangel of Tithes or Kytheon, Hero of Akros?
  • Erebos’s Titan or Languish?
  • Nissa, Vastwood Seer v. Dwynen’s Elite?

Okay, maybe three of the five; Abbot of Kerl Keep is the whiz-bang winner in red + probably the best card in Magic Origins overall!

Abbot of Keral Keep

Sound fun? It is!

Listen to “Jace, Telepath Unbound (who knew)” now:

Direct Download

* For those wondering last week, yes of course we know Nissa’s Revelation lets you draw cards! It is still hard to use in the current environment, but pending new Eldrazi might become an All-Star in the future. For now, green decks will probably use it to find Dragonlord Atarka… Though we’re still not too keen on it.

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Where do you Rank Evolutionary Leap?

Evolutionary Leap
Evolutionary Leap

Where do you rank Evolutionary Leap? No, Evolutionary Leap is not better than “a certain banned card in Legacy” but it’s a Birthing Pod you don’t have to tap, and has quite a few ways of generating upside.

For instance, try sacrificing a Deathmist Raptor!

Evolutionary Leap beats removal — as long as you have enough mana, you can keep going and not run out of creatures.

Evolutionary Leap is deadly against control! Control probably has to have cards like Perilous Vault to keep from falling too far behind.

Evolutionary Leap is excellent with 187 creatures! You can get enters the battlefield triggers over and over.

Gaea's Revenge
Gaea’s Revenge

Oddly enough, Gaea’s Revenge can be killed by commonly played point removal now. Which card(s) can target this almost-hexproof threat?

Gather the Pack
Gather the Pack

Is this just a Commune With the Gods that can’t find enchantments, or is there some secret to triggering its Spell Mastery upside?

Fleshbag Marauder
Fleshbag Marauder

You can Can CAN play eight Fleshbag Marauders in Standard right now. You just probably shouldn’t.

Herald of the Pantheon
Herald of the Pantheon

Patrick thinks Herald of the Pantheon looks like Andrew Cuneo.

Mike says there is no way Andrew Cuneo has a greeen mana symbol anywhere near his top-right corner.

There are many, many types of decks Herald of the Pantheon can go into… Mike and Patrick discuss several of them.

And there’s more! What does Top Level Podcast think of…

  • The Great Aurora?
  • Nissa’s Revelation?
  • Outland Colossus?
  • Zendikar’s Roil?

… Would patrick run Valeron Wardens in his Undercity Troll deck?

There’s really only one way to find out.

Try “Where do You Rank Evolutionary Leap?”, the latest from Top Level Podcast

Direct Download

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