Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

Maestroful Brews with Corpse Appraiser, Humble Defector, Rielle, the Everwise & More

Season 14, Episode 29: Brew Session (Maestros / Grixis Week)
 
Season 14, Episode 29: Brew Session (Maestros / Grixis Week)
Today on Faithless Brewing we return to Pioneer to brew up new lists in the Grixis colors. Corpse Appraiser has been the standout card thus far, appearing in both midrange shells and a new style of Vampires. But David has his eye on spicier interactions. His first build turns to Maestros Ascendancy as a resilient engine to complement the Young Pyromancer / Sedgemoor Witch package. Then he dusts off Heart of Kiran as a way to navigate the changing removal suite in Pioneer and the shift to aerial combat.
After that, we turn to some oldies but goodies. The 1-2 punch of Charming Prince and Extraction Specialist has potential, and David thinks Humble Defector could complete the three-way synergy. Rielle, the Everwise has new toys thanks to Ledger Shredder, Collective Defiance and the channel lands. Shigeki, Jukai Visionary is a powerful mana sink to complement Fires of Invention, and for the Sultai stans there’s even a midrange brew with Sidisi, Brood Tyrant.
Which of these decks has the right skills to compete in today’s metagame? There’s only one way to find out.
 
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S14E29 Decklists and Timestamps
[5:52] David’s Maestros Ascendancy Pyromancer
[11:17] Grixis Pyromancer by DemonicTutors
[17:37] David’s Grixis Heart of Kiran
[24:41] Corpse Appraiser Midrange by DJeffWx
[30:05] Grixis Evelyn Vampires by kyon2014
[34:36] David’s Boros Charming Defector 1.1
[41:26] David’s Mardu Charming Defector
[45:28] Naya Dubious Challenge (Modern)
[49:03] Boros Death & Taxes (Modern)
[51:52] David’s Izzet Rielle Looting
[56:55] David’s Sultai Sidisi Midrange
[1:03:12] David’s Jund Shigeki Fires
 

Ten Decks, 20 Lessons: Fundamentals of Brewing

Season 14, Episode 28: Weekly Roundup
Every deck tells a story, and every piece of tech holds a lesson. Today on Faithless Brewing, Cavedan and David look at ten intriguing decklists that have found success recently in Modern and Pioneer. What lessons can we learn from the choices made by these decklists, and how can we apply them to our own deckbuilding process?
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
 
S14E28 Decklists and Timestamps
[4:10] Housekeeping
[10:48] Bloodtithe Niv-Mizzet by cftsoc3
[17:57] Mana Confluence Gruul Midrange by Sinisstar61
[23:13] Esper Goryobrand by Titasun
[29:11] Song of Creation Combo by Xenowan
[33:35] Izzet Bedlam Pyromancer by N1klas
[40:00] Jeskai Can’t Lose by Zaphod_Beeblebrox
[43:48] Vesperlark Urza by UsaZ
[49:13] Boros Kirin Conjurant by aspiringspike
[53:50] Kethis Combo by IPlayBadDecks
[1:00:10] Boros Virtue Hammer by CuteChandra19
 

Mausoleum Secrets: The Last Demonic Tutor (ft. 1stTurnNegator)

Season 14, Episode 27: Brew Session (Mausoleum Secrets) ft. Soren Wellman
How far would you go for an instant speed Demonic Tutor? Compared to the slowness of Profane Tutor, a two mana instant is way above rate. But Mausoleum Secrets offers precisely this bargain. It can only fetch black cards, with mana value tied to your graveyard. But the power of Secrets has already yielded some spectacular 5-0s in black-based toolbox strategies.
 
Today on Faithless Brewing, Soren Wellman aka 1stTurnNegator joins Morde to unlock the secrets of the mausoleum and share his passion for brewing toolbox style control and tempo decks. Soren has a long history of success at the intersection of control decks and combo finishes: from Izzet Through the Breach, to Blue Moon, to Izzet Murktide, Reanimator and more. He also isn’t afraid to go deep into the tank and hone some truly impressive brews. Soren has been eyeing Mauseoleum Secrets for a while now, and is likely foremost expert on the card. What are the constraints of Mauseleum Secrets, and what new strategies can it unlock in Modern? We’re heading deep into the undergrowth today to find out.
 
Read more articles from Soren : https://faithlessbrewing.com/author/grixisism/
 
View the full show notes from today’s episode, with many additional brews: https://brass-grain-edd.notion.site/S14E27-Mausoleum-Secrets-ft-Soren-Wellman-1stTurnNegator-3a419d655c6f406ea50cb8e9fd7f6f63
 
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Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S14E27 Decklists and Timestamps
 
[1:20] Q&A with Soren Wellman (1stTurnNegator)
 
[8:39] Why do you brew?
 
[14:49] Brewing toolbox strategies
 
[18:36] When to play a meta deck vs. when to play a brew
 
[21:55] Housekeeping
 
Brew Session: Mausoleum Secrets
 
[23:47] Rules notes
 
[29:03] Why play tutors?
 
[35:30] Toolbox decks in the age of Yorion
 
[40:44] Limiting factors of Mausoleum Secrets
 
[48:07] The best black cards to tutor for
 
[58:33] Setting up undergrowth efficiently
 
[1:04:16] Dimir Shadow
 
[1:06:35] Grixis Mausoleum Reanimator
 
[1:09:27] Mardu Reanimator
 
[1:16:02] Tin Fins Reanimator by WalkedAir
 
[1:17:30] Grixis Rielle the Everwise
 
[ 1:18:34] Time Sieve Asmo Food
 
[1:24:00] RB Mausoleum Midrange
 
[1:26:21] 5c Death Denied Elementals
 
[1:30:03] Closing thoughts
 
Bonus decklists from 1stTurnNegator
 
Grixis Shredder (Mausoleum Toolbox Sideboard)
 
GB Hardened Scales
 
BW Maus Rack
 
Esper Maus Foretold
 

The Enigmatic Architect of Tameshi Bloom (ft. Daviusminimus)

Season 14, Episode 26: Interview with Daviusminimus
With the CEO on vacation, Morde is joined by legendary brewer David Hassell (daviusminimus), the creator of Tameshi Bloom, Enigmatic Incarnation, and other crazy decks you may not have seen. They discuss Davius's greatest hits in Modern, from Zur the Enchanter, to Summoning Trap Kiki-Jiki, Bring to Light control and much more. Davius also weighs in on the challenges and rewards of brewing in the current Modern format.
Where to find Davius: twitch.tv/daviusminimus
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
 
S14E26 Decklists and Timestamps
[4:56] Q&A with Daviusminimus [8:11] Why do you brew? [14:42] 5c Enigmatic Incarnation [18:59] Bring to Light Kiki-Jiki [19:31] 5c Zur the Enchanter [23:06] Summoning Trap Combo [31:27] Davius’s 5-0s: Fauna Shaman, Prime Speaker Vannifer, Proto-Amulet [39:38] Tameshi Bloom [1:01:46] Current brewing projects [1:17:17] The challenges of brewing in Modern [1:22:41] Where to find Davius

Ob Nixilis, the Adversary: What Went Wrong?

Season 14, Episode 25: Brew Session (Ob Nixilis, the Adversary) + Flashback (Moderation, Jinnie Fay)
 
 
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

Activist Deckbuilding: Changing Technology in Modern and Pioneer

Season 14, Episode 24: Weekly Roundup
 
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S14E24 Decklists and Timestamps
[1:03] Checking in after Roe v. Wade
[22:08] Housekeeping
“Activist” deckbuilding with Sacred Ground
[23:28] RG Titanshift by swiftwarkite2
[26:49] Sacred Ground Cascade by TheWatchWander
Experimenting with Illuminator Virtuoso
[32:42] Boros Heroic by ura_frst
[34:32] Mardu Auras by OneModel
[35:42] GW “Half Hexproof” by moyashi6498
[38:21] Modern Boros Ground Rift by aspiringspike
Indomitable Creativity: new endgames
[43:51] Izzet Gearhulk Creativity by LBBL
[45:41] Izzet One-Shot Creativity by MrRaeb
[49:31] Big Score Hullbreaker Control by _Togno
Red decks: an experimental frenzy of brews
[50:39] Chonky Red by Stranger99
[52:32] Gruul Embercleave by Tarzi
[53:42] Naya Magda Showdown by rapter995
Dubious Combo decks
[57:31] Vannifar Pod Combo by Iuriper
[1:01:31] Grinning Ignus Combo by Togec
[1:03:41] Naya Combat Celebrant by Iuriper
New Modern decks
[1:05:16] Boros Imperial Kitchen by Migli
[1:06:53] Jeskai Fervent Stoneblade by Snowga
[1:08:20] Upheaval Affinity by ShzockChan
[1:08:53] Sultai Crabvine by Anthony Mannino

Moderation: The Anti-Ledger Shredder

Season 14, Episode 23: Brew Session (Moderation) + Flashback (Fight Rigging)
I’ll be honest: I don’t like birds. It seems like Ledger Shredder is everywhere these days, and players in all formats are addicted to casting two spells a turn. What’s worse, those conniving little squawkers get to trigger off MY spells. It’s greedy, and frankly quite rude.
Today on Faithless Brewing we push back against the Ledger Shredder trend. What if we NEVER cast two spells in a turn? And what if we got paid off hugely for doing so? Enter Moderation. This forgotten gem from MH2 has one of the most powerful lines of text imaginable: “Whenever you cast a spell, draw a card.” Yes, the drawback is debilitating, but a payoff that strong is worth brewing for. And we’ll never have to trigger those pesky Ledger Shredders again.
Recent sets have brought tons of new cards that play nicely with Moderation. Instant speed is at a premium, ensuring that we draw on both halves of the turn cycle. Solitude, Force of Negation, Subtlety, The Wandering Emperor, and March of Otherworldly Light are a great start. Teferi, Time Raveler is at the peak of his powers , and he lets us bounce Moderation when we are done with it. Beyond that, we have sneaky effects that let us use mana without casting spells: channel lands (Boseiju, Otawara), cycling (Shark Typhoon), and even eternalize (Timeless Dragon) all work great. The pieces are in place, so let’s see if there’s a great Moderation deck to be discovered.
On the Flashback, our testing with Fight Rigging from last week also pushed us into anti-Ledger Shredder territory. What’s a great card against both the 1/3 flier and the Spirits deck that is trending up right now in Pioneer? Kraul Harpooner! This techy little insect is a great sideboard card right now, and its ETB can also trigger Fight Rigging all by itself. We share our findings with the unique hideaway enchantment, and suggest more directions to explore.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S14E23 Decklists and Timestamps
[1:38] Housekeeping
[3:37] Double Master 2022
Brew Session: Moderation
[9:40] Theorycrafting
[12:09] Sam Black’s original design of Moderation
[17:00] Power level questions
[23:26] Getting around the drawback
[27:42] More staple inclusions
[30:51] Card draw and countermagic
[32:59] Emi’s Bant Moderation (Y)
[41:50] Other cards to consider
Flashback: Fight Rigging
[46:41] David’s Sultai Valki Rigging
[48:58] Dan’s Mono Green Company Rigging
[58:39] Final thoughts
 

The State of Brewing in Modern (June-July 2022)

Season 14, Episode 22: Modern State of the Format + Picks of the Week
Two weeks ago, WotC declared Modern healthy and functioning as intended. No deck has too large of a meta share, the most popular deck (Izzet Murktide) is beatable, and plenty of people still succeed with their brews.
But at high level Modern tournaments, the top tables tell a different story. Three archetypes duel for dominance: the best control deck (4c Good Stuff), the best disruptive tempo teck (currently Izzet Murktide), and the best combo deck (currently Living End). It is a rock-paper-scissors dynamic that lesser decks struggle to disrupt.
Today on Faithless Brewing we put Modern under the microscope and dig into the top decks. Morde has been crushing with 4c Midrange lately (including a Top 32 finish in the Showcase Challenge two weeks ago) and shares his insights into the delirium package, the Elementals package, the importance of Wrenn and Six, and the strategy’s inherent variance. At the same time, other players have turned to big mana combos like RG TitanShift and alternative tempo shells like Grixis Ledger Shredder (formerly Grixis Death’s Shadow) to attack the format.
Finally, for the brewers at heart, we look at six under the radar decks that have recently found success in MTGO leagues. The rogue strategies pair forgotten classics like Vendilion Clique, Serum Powder, and Frantic Inventory with surprising new tech like Experimental Synthesizer, Michiko’s Reign of Truth, and Haktos the Unscarred. There’s still plenty of space to innovate in Modern if you are willing to brew outside the box!
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S14E22 Decklists and Timestamps
[3:32] Housekeeping
Modern State of the Format: The Top Tier
[6:14] The best cards in Modern right now
[9:43] 4c Midrange vs Izzet Murktide vs Living End
[12:08] When does a brew become a tier deck?
[17:41] The Elementals package vs traditional 4c Midrange
[21:32] The delirium package: Traverse the Ulvenwald, Emrakul, + Unholy Heat
[26:15] Can any ban hurt 4c Midrange?
[30:38] Wrenn and Six is the most important card
[36:05] RG TitanShift: a deck to slay Omnath
[39:08] Grixis Death’s Shadow
[43:36] Dealing with variance in Yorion decks
The State of Brewing: Spicy Lower Tier Decklists
[49:25] Mono Blue Tempo ft. Vendilion Clique
[51:57] Colorless Prison Tron ft. Serum Powder
[55:42] Shrapnel Red ft. Experimental Synthesizer
[57:37] Dreadnought Affinity ft. Michiko’s Reign of Truth
[1:01:31] Next Level Blue Moon ft. Frantic Inventory
[1:05:51] Mardu Ice Nine Special ft. Haktos the Unscarred
[1:09:45] Bant Soulherder
[1:13:53] Concluding thoughts