Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

A Magic: the Gathering podcast for the spike rogue. Each week, we brew new decks in Modern and Pioneer. We put our creations to the test and share our findings on the air: what worked, what didn’t, and what can be improved for next time. Are you sick of going 0-5? We can help you go 3-2, in style! Created by Dan Schriever (@CavedanMTG), David Robertson (resident brew master), and Damon Alexander (brewer emeritus), and featuring Zach Ryl (@Manacymbal) & Emi Sagasti (@MordeToLight). Whether you’re a jank brewer, Day 2 warrior, FNM hero, or kitchen table end boss, our goal is to inspire your next great Magic deck. Take the Oath of Brewers and join our Discord community at patreon.com/faithlessbrewing, and visit our homepage FaithlessBrewing.com for all of our latest decklists.
Episodes
Episodes



Saturday Oct 02, 2021
Slime Time! Modern Combos with Slogurk, the Overslime
Saturday Oct 02, 2021
Saturday Oct 02, 2021
Season 11, Episode 9: Brew Session (Slogurk, the Overslime) + Flashback (Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset)
Creatures above two mana have a hard time breaking into Modern, but Slogurk, the Overslime just might have what it takes. The leaves-the-battlefield trigger is worth three cards, which you get no matter what happens to Slogurk. The Ooze even comes with a built-in way to bounce itself, protecting itself from removal and cashing in on those three cards.
Broadly speaking, Slogurk asks us to 1) Put lands into the graveyard, then 2) Get lands back from the graveyard. We need to find cards that enable this efficiently and profit from the effort. This will take us into the Lands space, as well as synergies with Graveyard recursion and self-mill space. We also need to decide if we want to trigger Slogurk’s leaves-the-battlefield effect ourselves, or be content with relying on our opponent to kill Slogurk.
The list of Modern playables that feed into these synergies is very long indeed, so we’ll need to do our research to unlock the secrets of this ooze. We’ve got five new decklists with Slogurk to try to find a home for it in Modern. Slogurk is oozing with potential (sorry, had to do it) so let’s see what it can do!
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
Brew Session: Slogurk, the Overslime[4:38] Rules notes[7:49] How powerful is Slogurk?[11:02] Words of caution[13:13] Main play patterns[15:16] Sacrificing lands[17:50] Self mill[19:46] Discard outlets[22:05] Cards with similar payoffs[24:44] Landfall payoffs[26:20] Bears Go Brrrrr by Dylan_mtg[32:58] Goryo's Vengeance[38:06] 4c Landfall by Mordeka1ser[41:13] 4c Titania Knightfall[47:11] Bant Value TownFlashback: Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset[53:11] Bant Teferi BTL



Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Gazing at the New Modern: Zombies, Reclamation, and More
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Season 11, Episode 8: Weekly Roundup + Flashback (Otherworldly Gaze)
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
[4:40] CFB Las Vegas[6:23] COVID safety[13:16] SCG Con[16:18] A reminder that vaccines save lives[17:18] Roundup: New Modern tech[18:00] Rakdos Zombardment v1 by D00mwake[19:53] Rakdos Zombardment v2 by D00mwake[23:09] Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia[25:40] Memory Deluge[28:24] Sultai Reclamation[28:49] Temur Reclamation[32:01] Storm the Festival Ramp[37:49] Flashback: Otherworldly Gaze[45:32] Cavedan's Murktide Phoenix[48:02] Murktide Phoenix by AndySCWilson[49:22] Pyromancer Ascension 1.0[52:10] Pyromancer Ascension 1.1



Sunday Sep 26, 2021
Time Walkin‘ with Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset
Sunday Sep 26, 2021
Sunday Sep 26, 2021
Season 11, Episode 7: Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset (Brew Session) + Picks of the Week
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Friday Sep 24, 2021
Otherworldly Gaze Is the Truth
Friday Sep 24, 2021
Friday Sep 24, 2021
Season 11, Episode 6: Otherworldly Gaze (Brew Session) + Faithful Mending (Flashback)
Otherworldly Gaze is the most polarizing card to come out of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt. For some, the very idea of Gaze is anathema. “It doesn’t draw a card,” the haters say. “It’s Taigam’s Scamming all over again,” they say. “This effect is never worth a card.”
Haters are going to hate, but that doesn’t mean we have to listen to them. The truth is that any card with flashback does secretly say “draw a card” -- it’s just that the card you draw is always another copy of the spell. Then factor in that the flashback is often free if you manage to mill or discard Otherworldly Gaze (say, for example, off your first casting of Otherworldly Gaze). Both halves of Gaze are priced to move, at instant speed no less, and we already know that “surveil 3” is very powerful. If we can’t figure out how to make “surveil 3 twice” into a useful effect, that’s a deckbuilding failure, not a problem with Gaze itself.
Our testing last week with Faithful Mending already showed us the awesome power of Gaze, as we notched two 5-0 trophies (17-3 overall) with Jeskai Phoenix. Our build relies on Murktide Regent rather than Demilich, and uses a full boat of Otherworldly Gaze to find Arclight Phoenix and Ox of Agonas. We also tested out variations on Esper Reanimator, and found that Otherworldly Gaze has a nice home in that deck as well.
Today, we are going even deeper. Emboldened by his early successes, cavedan is looking to harness the power of Gaze in a slew of different archetypes in both Modern and Pioneer. There are infinite ways to get value from self mill + card selection, from old favorites like Pyromancer Ascension, Miracles, and Crabvine, to new toys like Calibrated Blast and Slogurk, the Overslime. We even get a little wild with a brew using Otherworldly Gaze to fuel Titan’s Nest and Willow Geist. And even this is just the tip of the iceberg. What other decks might be able to harness the power of the Gaze?
Happy brewing!
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
[4:18] Flashback: Faithful Mending[6:08] Esper Reanimator by Spiderspace[15:18] Mulldrifter Reanimator by Watoo[18:32] Jeskai Demi Phoenix by aspiringspike[22:24] Jeskai Murktide Phoenix by cavedan[32:28] Deathless Peace of Mind by David[42:06] Brew Session: Otherworldly Gaze[45:46] Otherworldly Reanimator[49:53] Neoform + Gurmag Angler[52:11] Calibrated Blast[54:30] Echo of Eons[57:43] Crabvine[1:01:44] Sultai Titan's Nest[1:04:36] Jeskai Pyromancer Ascension[1:10:32] Izzet Phoenix[1:14:11] Closing Thoughts



Sunday Sep 19, 2021
Faithful Mending: A Second Chance at Looting, a Second Chance at Love
Sunday Sep 19, 2021
Sunday Sep 19, 2021
Season 11, Episode 5: Brew Session (Faithful Mending)
The great thing about Looting? You always get a second chance. Faithful Mending has all the rules text we love: draw 2, discard 2, flash it back for value. It is an instant, which opens up reactive play patterns that Faithless Looting could only dream of. You even pick up some life for your troubles. This is, beyond doubt, one of the most powerful cards from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt for the non-rotating formats.
Still, it is no easy thing to learn to fall in love again. Faithless Looting offered speed and efficiency that we will never see again. Mending’s best draws will always be slower than Looting, and the mana of Mending decks is also likely to be much more complicated than Looting ever was. Can we simply slot Faithful Mending into all of our old Looting decks and call it a day? Clearly not, although people will certainly try.
Today’s brew session marks the beginning of what is sure to be a long affair with Faithful Mending. We start with obvious homes like Izzet Phoenix and Esper Reanimator, both of which already notched Top 8 appearances in this weekend’s Modern Challenge. We also consider Esper Urza’s Kitchen, Dredge, and Blue-White Control. But the gloves really come off in Pioneer, where David has plans for Faithful Mending in God-Pharaoh’s Gift and some truly wild decks with Peace of Mind and Paladin Class.
“What has been banned can be restored. Faithless Looting lives on within us.” If the card is good, we have to rename the podcast.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S11E05 Timestamps
[2:13] Brew Session: Faithful Mending[6:49] Dredge[9:22] Jeskai Phoenix[13:25] Esper Reanimator[19:49] Esper Urza's Kitchen[24:36] UW Chalice Control[28:55] UW God-Pharaoh's Gift[35:30] Deathless Peace of Mind[42:16] Cleric Class Lifegain



Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Innistrad Is Lovely This Time of Year (Midnight Hunt Set Review, Part 3)
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Season 11, Episode 4: Midnight Hunt Set Review, Part 3 of 3
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
[4:11] Homestead Courage[7:16] Otherworldly Gaze[11:45] Hallowed Respite[15:53] Cathartic Pyre[21:01] Fateful Absence[24:19] Smoldering Egg // Ashmouth Dragon[30:42] Dennick, Pious Apprentice // Dennick, Pious Apparition[36:15] Malevolent Hermit // Benevolent Geist[41:03] Katilda, Dawnheart Prime[45:35] Suspicious Stowaway // Seafaring Werewolf[48:13] Unnatural Moonrise[52:34] Geistwave[56:43] Outland Liberator // Frenzied Trapbreaker[57:50] Cathar Commando[1:00:32] Jerren, Corrupted Bishop // Ormendahl, the Corruptor[1:05:47] Slogurk, the Overslime[1:08:47] Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset[1:15:01] Sunstreak Phoenix[1:19:27] Memory Deluge[1:22:39] Search Party Captain[1:25:56] Burn Down the House[1:28:19] Storm the Festival[1:31:16] The Meathook Massacre[1:34:31] Wrap-Up: Final Predictions



Sunday Sep 12, 2021
So You Want to Brew in Historic: A 2021 Quickstart Guide
Sunday Sep 12, 2021
Sunday Sep 12, 2021
Season 11, Episode 2: Brewer's Guide to Historic in 2021 (ft. Rhett Wilfahrt and Matt Young)
Historic is Magic's most dynamic format, with tremendous potential for discovering sweet brews. It is also the format most challenging to break into if you don't already play it. Everything from card availability, to a volatile metagame, to even understanding the rapidly changing card pool can be a barrier for brewers on the outside looking in.
But fear not! We have recruited two Historic masters, Rhett Wilfahrt and Matt Young, to guide us through the fast-paced world of Historic in 2021 after the release of Jumpstart: Historic Horizons. Whether you're new to the format or a seasoned mythic grinder, this Quickstart Guide has something for you.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Thursday Sep 09, 2021
Midnight Hunt Set Review, Part 2 + Introducing This Week in Modern
Thursday Sep 09, 2021
Thursday Sep 09, 2021
Season 11, Episode 2: Brewer's Guide to Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, Volume 2 + an Interview with Zach Ryl aka Manacymbal
Previews continue with a huge chunk of new cards. We talk through the most promising ones for Modern and Pioneer. We kick things off with an interview with Zach Ryl aka Manacymbal to celebrate the launch of his brand new series, This Week in Modern (also available in podcast form).
Where to find Zach
YouTube: youtube.com/manacymbal
Twitch: twitch.com/manacymbal
Twitter: @manacymbal
Also check out "Randy Rootwalla" and This Week in Modern's "Mean Mono Green"
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Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
[2:33] Introducing This Week in Modern (@TWIMMTG)[16:11] Where to find Manacymbal[16:57] Midnight Hunt Set Review, Part 2[18:10] Hostile Hostel // Creeping Inn[21:36] Has the flavor of Innistrad run dry?[25:05] Delver of Secrets[28:44] Willow Geist[32:05] Immolation[36:26] Turn the Earth[38:38] The Adversary cycle[41:40] Intrepid Adversary[45:50] Tainted Adversary[51:37] Spectral Adversary[56:12] Bloodthirsty Adversary[1:00:46] Faithful Mending[1:07:18] Sunset Revelry[1:09:40] Ghoulcaller's Harvest[1:12:47] Startle[1:15:22] Sacred Fire[1:17:51] Siphon Insight[1:22:12] Reckless Stormseeker // Storm-Charged Slasher[1:25:51] Briarbridge Tracker[1:27:54] Augur of Autumn[1:30:51] The Celestus[1:33:57] Adeline, Splendid Cathar[1:36:11] Dire-Strain Rampage[1:41:00] Moonveil Dragon[1:44:55] Closing thoughts: is Midnight Hunt the new Eldraine?
