Brewer's Guide to Ikoria, Part 2: The Best of the Rest

Ikoria, Episode 2: Brewer's Guide to Ikoria, Part 2
 
Well, that escalated quickly. Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths has been online for just three days and already the Companion mechanic is running rampant across all formats.
 
Luckily, we were able to record our second installment of our Brewer's Guide to Ikoria before the advent of our new cat overlords, when the world was still bright with possibility. And since we already covered the Companions in Part 1, this installment may provide some welcome reprieve from our new furry friends. There are miles of exciting designs from top to bottom in Ikoria: from powerful enchantment engines, to tricky cycling options, efficient legendary creatures, and some slick removal to boot. Let's go exploring!
 
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Timestamps
 
02:35 Triome Lands Enchantment Cycle08:56 Song of Creation16:49 Whirlwind of Thought19:11 Offspring's Revenge22:15 Death's Oasis25:28 Titan's Nest Ultimatum Cycle28:20 Eerie Ultimatum30:48 Emergent Ultimatum32:54 Ruinous Ultimatum34:28 Inspired Ultimatum36:48 Genesis Ultimatum Mythos Cycle38:44 Mythos of Nethroi42:07 Mythos of Vadrok46:15 Mythos of Brokkos47:45 Mythos of Snapdax49:20 Mythos of Illuna Cycling Matters53:41 Unpredictable Cyclone56:53 Escape Protocol58:55 Zenith Flare1:00:47 Valiant Rescuer, Flourishing Fox1:03:05 Yidaro, Wandering Monster1:07:32 Shark Typhoon1:09:54 Ominous Seas Useful Effects w/ Cycling1:13:51 Neutralize1:14:58 Wilt1:15:11 Boon of the Wish-Giver1:15:57 Migration Path1:17:39 Easy Prey1:19:00 Footfall Crater1:23:10 Reconnaissance Mission1:26:13 Barrier Breach1:28:29 Titanoth Rex1:30:26 Void Beckoner The Best of the Rest1:32:28 The Ozolith1:37:30 Luminous Broodmoth1:40:23 Labyrinth Raptor1:43:16 Call of the Death Dweller1:45:36 Colossification1:48:28 Sprite Dragon1:51:36 Rielle, the Everwise1:54:54 General Kudro of Drannith1:56:49 Lavabrink Venturer1:59:02 Winota, Joiner of Forces2:02:20 Fire Prophecy2:05:33 Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy2:09:32 Fiend Artisan2:15:29 Stormwild Capridor
 
 

Brewer's Guide to Ikoria, Part 1: Mutant Companions

Ikoria, Episode 1: Brewers' Guide to Ikoria, Part 1
 
Several months ago, an article from WotC R&D issued a cryptic warning. Standard set releases, they said, were going to be intentionally powered up. Throne of Eldraine was at "approximately the desired power level" — ominous words for a set whose headliners, Oko and Once Upon a Time, have since received the Gitaxian Probe treatment and are now banned in nearly all formats. Even beyond those outliers, efficient powerhouses like Mystic Sanctuary, Brazen Borrower, and Mystical Dispute have become format-defining cards, with additional cross-format staples up and down the spoiler.
 
Theros: Beyond Death had giant footsteps to fill, yet it broke loose even more forcefully. The top tier Pioneer metagame is almost entirely defined by Theros-powered decks, while Uro and Kroxa are running rampant in Modern, and the Legacy ban list gained a fine new addition in Underworld Breach.
 
So it is with great trepidation that we greet the arrival of Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. Can a battlecruiser set full of casual Godzilla monsters really make an impact on Magic's eternal formats?
 
Yes, yes it can.
 
In this special double-header edition, we present our comprehensive Brewer's Guide to Ikoria, analyzing every card that we expect to have an impact on Modern and Pioneer. The set is so stuffed with power top to bottom that we couldn't even fit it all into one recording. Instead we are dividing this weeks' show into two parts, clocking in at more than four hours of content. Check back for Part 2 of our Brewer's Guide very soon!
 
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Part 1: Companions, Mutants, and Planeswalkers
 
 
Outline + Timestamps
 
The Companions
12:32 Kaheera, the Orphanguard17:24 Yorion, Sky Nomad22:15 Lurrus of the Dream-Den28:11 Obosh, the Preypiercer34:02 Jegantha, the Wellspring39:22 Zidri, the Dawnwaker44:03 Umori, the Collector47:57 Lutri, the Spellchaser55:02 Keruga, the Macrosage59:53 Gyruda, Doom of Depths The Planeswalkers
1:05:12 Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast1:09:54 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate1:15:16 Narset of the Ancient Way The Mutants
1:23:18 Snapdax, Apex Predator1:26:42 Brokkos, Apex of Forever1:30:31 Necroi, Apex of Death1:33:55 Vadrok, Apex of Thunder1:38:35 Illuna, Apex of Wishes1:41:41 Sea-Dasher Octopus1:45:37 Lore Drakkis1:48:25 Gemrazer1:51:25 Migratory Greathorn1:53:42 Everquill Phoenix1:56:16 Dirge Bat1:59:08 Parcelbeast2:03:06 Pollywog Symbiote2:06:22 Mysterious Egg
 
In Part 2, we will cover the wedge cycles, cycling, and the best of the rest. Stay tuned!
 
 
Contact Us
 
If you like our show, be sure to join our Patreon and leave us an Apple Podcasts review. Thank you for your support!
 
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/faithlessbrewing
 
Twitter: @FaithlessMTG
 
Email: faithless.brewing@gmail.com
 
Homepage: faithlessbrewing.podbean.com
 
 
 
 

The Wild Side of Modern (ft. Lawson Zandi)

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 13: Modern Brewing with Lawson Zandi
 
On April 16, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths is poised to lay waste to Magic's eternal formats. The set is chock full of giant monsters, insane enchantment engines, and "if you dare" build-arounds. There has never been a better time to be a brewer. What better time, then, to pick the brain of one of Modern's most prolific brewers and streamers: the youngest old soul in Magic and certified mad scientist Lawson Zandi.
 
Our full Ikoria set review will be out next week, but in the meantime, we've got six eye-popping decks from Lawson that are among the wildest Modern brews you will see. Perhaps the craziest this about them is that Lawson has been winning with them, a lot. Also, on the Flashback: our testing results with Aristocrats strategies in Pioneer. Many of these proved to be Woeful, but we're taking it all in Stride. Come join us for a walk on the wild side!
 
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Where to find Lawson
 
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/zanman1414
Twitter: @LawsonZandi
StreamDecker: https://www.streamdecker.com/decks/zanman1414
The Hunter Burton Memorial Open
 
 
Brew Session: Lawson's Picks
 
 
Modern
 
#1: Bazaar TradeVine
 
#2: Soulherder-less Soulherder
 
#3: Walk This Way (Planeswalker Prison)
 
#4: Cat Combos with Everything
 
#5: Jeskai Possibility Storm
 
#6: Mad Science Niv
 
 
Flashback: Woe Strider
 
 
Pioneer
 
BW Angel Visitation (Damon): 2-3 league
 
Abzan Heliod Rally (David): 1-4 league
 
Rakdos Sacrifice (David): 4-1 league
 
Karn Aristocrats (Dan): 3-2 league
 
BG Aristocrats (Damon): 2-3 league
 
Modern
 
Jund Food by Kortero (Damon): 1-3 league
 
Pioneer
 
Jund Food (Dan): 2-3 league
 
 
 

The New Aristocrats: Brewing with Woe Strider

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 12: Woe Strider
 
Few things in Magic are more powerful than the ability to sacrifice your own permanents. Look no further than Krark-Clan Ironworks or the more recent Grinding Station Breach decks in Modern: if it doesn't cost mana, and you can do it repeatedly, the sky is the limit for sacrifice combo. On the creature side of things, sacrifice outlets have an equally distinguished pedigree. From the Standard Mardu Aristocrats deck that won Pro Tour Gatecrash, to Four-Color Rally the Ancestors, to Hogaak Bridgevine or Yawgmoth Undying combo, even stretching back as far as Zombie Bombardment in Legacy, it seems that every kind of sacrifice deck has found some competitive success.
 
Aristocrats as a strategy has been on a temporary hiatus, with contemporary design philosophy dictating that sacrifice should cost mana, or only happen at fixed moments in the turn. But Theros: Beyond Death has flipped the script, with the printing of Woe Strider putting sacrifice decks back on the menu in Pioneer and even Standard. Combined with the 2019 additions to the Modern card pool of Carrion Feeder, Altar of Dementia, and Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, there has never been a better time to start eating your own permanents for fun and profit. Let's get sacrificing!
 
 
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Flashback: Brew Review Testing
 
 
Modern
 
Dimir Trap Control (Dan): 1-4 league
Original List: Dimir Trap Control by Soren W
 
 
Soul Sisters (Damon): 3-2 league
Original list: Soul Sisters by Paimon
 
 
Pioneer
 
Grixis Kroxa (David): 3-2 league
Rakdos Kroxa (David): 4-1 league
Original list: Rakdos Kroxa by illsicknasty
 
 
Spaghetti Flash (Damon): 3-2 league
Original list: Spaghetti Flash by nonstripedzebra
 
Imminent Doom Control (Dan): 3-2 league
Original list: Here Comes the Doom by KilgoreTrout503
"DOOM!... DOOM!" by James Earl Jones
 
Brew Session: Woe Strider
 
 
Pioneer
 
Sketch 1: Golgari Company
Sketch 2: 4c Rally Strider
Sketch 3: Abzan Double Combo
Sketch 4: Bishop of Wings Combo
Sketch 5: Rakdos Sacrifice
 
 
Reference lists:
 
 
Pioneer
BG Gruesome Company (Baymax, 5-0 league)
4c Vannifar Combo (Kurusu, 5-0 league)
4c Rally (Jhang Jhengyu, PT Nagoya, record unknown)
Rakdos Sacrifice (Troels Munk, PT Brussels, 2-3)
Mono-B Devotion (gloomy5200, 5-0 league)
Abzan Rallistocrats (Uniq, 5-0 league x2)
 
 
Modern
Jund Aristocrats (kortero, 5-0 league)
 
 
Standard
Rakdos Aristocrats (Theros Beyond Death era)
Mardu Aristocrats (Tom Martell, ISD/RTR era)
 
Legacy
Zombie Bombardment (Legacy, Sam Black)