Narset's Undoing

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 10: Narset, Parter of Veils
 
It's been a minute since Narset was a staple in Modern. Once mentioned frequently in the same breath as Karn and Teferi, the long and difficult months of 2019 gradually forced Narset to surrender her claim as a top-three planeswalker from War of the Spark. Without Arclight Phoenix decks to prey upon, Narset has taken a back seat to cards like Ashiok, Dream Render, Nissa, Who Shakes the World, and even the occasional Saheeli, Sublime Artificer.
 
It would be a mistake, however, to ignore Narset completely, even in today's metagame. Her static ability may not line up well against every opponent, but it does combine in spectacular ways with certain unique spells and effects. Those same pieces can be found off Narset's -2 activation, making this unassuming three-mana walker both a strong card advantage engine and a deadly prison enabler. Let's see what she can do!
 
Flashback: Setessan Champion
 
Pioneer
Selesnya Enchantress (Damon): 2-3 league
 
Sultai Enigmatic Enchantress (David): 2-3 league
 
Modern
Naya Land-chantress (Dan): 1-4 league
 
Brew Session: Narset, Parter of Veils
 
Pioneer
Dimir Undoing (Sketch)
Update: Damon took this version to a 5-0 after recording
 
Modern
Narset Turns (Sketch)
 
Reference: Temur Turns (Daniel Wong)
 
 

Build a Better Enchantress

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 9: Setessan Champion
 
The notion of an Enchantress deck has always held a certain timeless allure. Play an enchantment, draw a card. Play an enchantment, draw another card. Maybe your enchantments are enticing mana rampers, or strong prison lock pieces, or possibly even auras that boost your lethal attacker. What's not to like?
 
If you go looking for these mythical Enchantress decks in the wild, however, you will find they are the rarest of species. Just based on tournament results, you could reasonably argue that Enchantress decks have been extinct at the competitive level for a decade or more. Reasons for this are manifold, and pointing in various directions. It's tricky to strike the right balance between enablers and payoffs; enchantments as a category tend to be a mismatched and underpowered group of cards; and the payoffs (the "Enchantresses" themselves, or equivalent "enchantments-matter" effects) have not been costed aggressively enough to overcome these barriers.
 
Undaunted, with Theros: Beyond Death and the constellation mechanic, Wizards has gone back to the enchantments fold. What choice do we have but to follow them boldly into the unknown? This week, we take on Setessan Champion, the latest entrant in the "play an enchantment, draw a card" class of payoffs, but with slightly more combat-ready stats than her predecessors. Will she prove her worth as a Setessan Enchampion? Let's find out!
 
**ALSO: Earlier this week we posted a short bonus episode dedicated entirely to COVID-19. This episode is meant to be a general resource on preparedness, covering topics like basic safety practices, how to adjust to social distancing, and what to have on hand if you are asked to stay home. Please feel free to share this guide with anyone for whom the discussion might be helpful; no knowledge of Magic is required.**
 
"The View from Seattle: Preparing for COVID-19"
 
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Flashback: Emry, Lurker of the Loch
 
Modern
 
Breach Station (Damon): 5-0 league
https://scryfall.com/@nukelaunch/decks/01149f33-4af4-4e1c-a24d-d438849227cd
 
 
Pioneer
 
Jeskai Owl Ascendancy (David): 4-6 leagues
https://scryfall.com/@FaithlessMTG/decks/70be8426-0b03-437f-ba1d-4b07b962b3df
 
Simic Steel (David): 2-3 league
https://scryfall.com/@FaithlessMTG/decks/6dcaba9c-66ed-447f-8447-823208ec1416
 
Scion of Whirza (Dan): 3-2 league
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2697842#paper
 
 
Brew Session: Setessan Champion
 
Pioneer
 
Selesnya Enchantress (Sketch)
https://scryfall.com/@FaithlessMTG/decks/622cc97d-33ff-41e9-adec-cdfb38d51455
 
Golgari Valakut (Sketch)
https://scryfall.com/@FaithlessMTG/decks/4b36100d-d809-4d04-93d3-aaa5ddfd5991
 
Modern
 
4c Tallowisp Enchantress (Sketch)
https://scryfall.com/@FaithlessMTG/decks/0c5cffef-8b3f-4fb7-acfd-1a1a257e3518
 
 
 

The View from Seattle: Preparing for COVID-19

Faithless Brewing, Special Edition: Coronavirus
 
For some, COVID-19 is a source of worrisome headlines unfolding quickly on the world stage. For others, it is already a daily reality. Self-quarantine, work-from-home, and cancellations of schools and social events have rapidly taken hold across cities and regions, and it seems likely that there is more to come.
 
In Seattle, Damon has been tracking developments closely as he adjusts to life in the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States. Together with special guest Maria, the two Seattleites share what they have learned about how to prepare for COVID-19 and strategies for living under self-quarantine and social distancing. Topics covered include:
 
• A short history of coronavirus: symptoms, history, and safety practices
• Tips for basic preparedness: what to have on hand if you are asked to stay home
• Social distancing: what it means and how to adapt
• Strategies for working from home effectively
• How to politely avoid a handshake
 
This episode has very little to do with Magic: the Gathering (although we do tackle the Big Question: should you attend that upcoming Magic tournament?). Nevertheless, we consider this a very important topic, and hope that this discussion can be a resource for anyone who finds it helpful. Please do what you can to help your families and communities stay safe and informed!
 
Resources and Further Reading:
 
New York Times Daily Briefing:
https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/coronavirus-briefing
Vox Guide to Covid-19:
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/5/21162138/vox-guide-to-covid-19-coronavirus
 
Reddit News Aggregators:
www.reddit.com/r/coronavirus
www.reddit.com/r/covid19
 
Mental Health & Support:
www.reddit.com/r/covid19_support
 
Leading epidemiologists and public health experts are posting important updates on Twitter. Here are a few to start with:
https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD
https://twitter.com/mlipsitch
https://twitter.com/trvrb
 
 
 
 

Something Fishy: Back Into the Loch with Emry

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 8: Emry, Lurker of the Loch
 
First, there was Stoneforge Fishstick. Then, there was Deathrite Salmon. Coming out of Eldraine preview season, the hype for Emry was considerable, with many ranking her among the very best cards of what looked to be a very strong set. Possible combos with Jeskai Ascendancy, Paradoxical Outcome, and Paradox Engine had us thinking that the lady of the lake might shake things up in Modern, but we had no idea what was coming.
 
Flash forward several months, and the landscape looks entirely different. Oko joined forces with Urza for an utterly dominant spell atop the Modern metagame, to such a degree that both Oko and Mox Opal were hit with bans. Artifact-based decks in Modern would need to be re-engineered from the ground up. Meanwhile, the Pioneer format was launched, which was merely a twinkle in R&D's eye when we last featured Emry in Episode 22. Pioneer has seen its own well-documented churn, including bans on Oko and Smuggler's Copter that have contributed to artifact-based decks not finding much of a foothold in the young format.
 
The timing seems right, then, to jump back into the loch and see what Emry is capable of. The escape mechanic from Theros: Beyond Death has added new possibilities to Emry's self-mill trigger, and the value and combo potential of her activated ability remain as tantalizing as they ever were. Can Emry carry the torch for Mox Amber and friends in the new-look metagame of Modern and Pioneer? Let's find out!
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Roundup: The State of Brewing in Pioneer
 
 
Daniela Diaz on Brewing in Pioneer (thread)
 
Number of 5-0 Lists Over Time (via Eric Landes)
 
Breach Station: Sample Decklists
 
Article by Urchin Colley
 
 
Flashback: Ox of Agonas
 
 
Modern
  
Ox Dredge (Damon): 3-2 league
 
Gruul KiorOx (Damon): 6-4 leagues
 
Mardu AshiOx (Dan): 4-6 leagues
 
Jund AshiOx (Dan): 10-5 leagues
 
Hollow Ox by Kahn_M (Dan): 3-2 league
 
 
Brew Session: Emry, Lurker of the Loch
 
 
Emry: Lessons Learned (article by Urchin Colley)
 
 
Modern
 
Emry Planeswalker Loch (Sketch)
 
 
Pioneer
 
Emry Owl Ascendancy (Sketch)
 
 
Blue-Green Steel (Sketch)
 
 
Emry Ensoul Herald (Sketch)