Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

Brewers' Choice: And the Nominees Are...

Ikoria, Episode 9: Brewers' Choice Nominees
 
The Magic content in this episode begins at 16:00.
 
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Timestamps
 
The View from Minneapolis: George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and Police Brutality
 
01:08 Updates from Minneapolis
02:14 Updates from Seattle
11:40 How to Stay Informed
 
16:00 Housekeeping
 
Roundup: Companion Change + B&R Update
 
 
18:14  The New Companion Mechanic
29:00  Lessons from the Standard B&R
45:07  The Dangers of Functional Errata
 
 
Brewers' Choice: Meet the Nominees
 
The winning card will be determined via patron poll, which will be posted in our Discord and on our Patreon feed.
For non-patrons, a public poll will also be posted on our Twitter feed (@FaithlessMTG).
Listen to our analysis and then cast your votes!
 
58:10  Abandoned Sarcophagus
1:00:36  Aggressive Mining
1:05:35  Athreos, God of Passage
1:10:15  Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
1:15:01  All the Nicol Bolases
1:21:11  Song of Creation
1:25:22  Sprite Dragon
1:29:57  Sundial of the Infinite
1:33:08  Umori, the Collector
1:36:51  Winota, Joiner of Forces
 
 

The Last Days of Companion

Ikoria, Episode 8: Days of Thunder
 
"On Monday 6/1 there will be an update to the Banned & Restricted list impacting the Standard and Historic formats that will also address the Companion mechanic." Thus spake WotC's official Twitter account on Tuesday, and just this morning Blake Rasmussen confirmed that there will indeed be a functional change to Ikoria's flagship mechanic. Let the speculation commence!
 
While few would contend that nothing needs to be changed, there is broad disagreement about what fix, if any, would satisfy the goals of Wizards and the player base at large. Can the Companion mechanic be saved? Or is it safer, in the sage words of David Robertson, to "nuke it from space"? And what lessons can be drawn from the changes to Standard and Historic that are also on the horizon?
 
Add this episode to your time capsules, as it will surely be fun to look back and laugh at our wild predictions when the truth is finally revealed to all in just a few short days.
 
Modern Metagame Analysis (via MTGModernMetrics)
 
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Flashback: Vadrok, Apex of Thunder
 
Tempo Strategies
Tribal Zoo by beestjes (6-2, Modern Challenge)
Jeskai Tempo (Standard)
Mardu Vehicle Vadrok (Pioneer)
 
Token Strategies
Vadrok Boros Tokens (Pioneer)
Jeskai Tokens Vadrok (Pioneer)
 
Combo Strategies
Chance for Glory combo (Modern)
Infinite Manamorphose Combo (Modern)
 
 

Beyond Brewing on a Budget (ft. Emma Partlow)

Ikoria, Episode 7: Brewer's Mailbag with Emma Partlow
 
 
There's more to Magic than winning and losing. There's more to budget than dollars and cents. This week we are joined by the one and only Emma Partlow from TCGPlayer. We open up the Brewer's Mailbag to ask Emma about everything under the sun: the B&R update, the future of companions, the 5 slipperiest bogles, and much more!
 
Where to find Emma:
 
Social Media
Articles
 
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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From the Refinery
 
As luck would have it, we have also been working on some Hexproof stratgies ourselves in the latest episodes of Rogue Refinery. Do these pass the Bogles test?
 
Rogue Refinery #2: Colossification
 
Rogue Refinery #3: Vadrok, Apex of Thunder. NB: This week's episode is divided into three videos!
Part 1 (Standard)
Part 2 (Pioneer)
Part 3 (Modern)
 
Decklists
 
Aura Swap Bogles (Modern)
 
Jeskai Slippery Vadrok (Modern)
 
Temur Hexproof Vadrok (Pioneer)
 
 
 

The Top 8 Modern Innovations Since Ikoria

Ikoria, Episode 6: Eight Modern Innovations
 
Look, let's be honest. For many fans of Magic's eternal formats, morale is currently low. The sudden shift to a Companion metagame, paired with the loss of in-person play and the small joys of connecting with our fellow Magic enthusiasts, has left some players feeling adrift in an unfamiliar and rapidly shifting landscape. These are indeed strange times. But let us say it plainly: You Are Not Alone. The beautiful thing about The Gathering is that, even listening to a brewing podcast during spare moments in your home quarantine, you will never be alone.
 
One thing that is certainly NOT true is the notion that "Magic is dead" and "It's all Lurrus, there's no innovation." Building decks with companions, and playing matches with and against them, is disorienting but also exhilarating. You may have heard "Lurrus is everywhere" but when you look closely you will find that there is tons of innovation happening in Modern, day after day, tournament after tournament. This week we take a look at eight of our favorite new decks to emerge since the release of Ikoria. With drastic changes come new spaces for creativity and discovery, so come take a look and get inspired for your next Modern brew!
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Flashback, Part I: Lutri, the Spellchaser
 
Jeskai Otter by ManaCymbal (Modern): 4-1 league
 
 
Naru Meha Combo (Pioneer): 4-6 leagues
 
 
Flashback, Part II: Song of Creation
 
If you missed it, be sure to check out Episode 1 of our new video series, Rogue Refinery! We take a close look at Song of Creation in Standard, Pioneer, and Modern, complete with gameplay highlights and expert analysis from AliasV and Paul Cheon. Watch Episode 1 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWhrYQLOFt0
 
Decklists
 
Kinnan Storm by AronGomu (Modern)
 
Amulet of Creation (Modern)
 
Song Ascendancy (Pioneer)
 
Ascendancy Combo by Paul Cheon (Pioneer)
 
Song of Nissa (Standard/Pioneer)
 
Rhythm of Creation (Standard/Pioneer)
 
 
The Top 8 Modern Innovations Since Ikoria
 
HM: Curious Bogles
 
#8: Zombie Copter (Ross Merriam)
 
#7: BW ZirdaBlade
 
#6: Slithery Dimir (Damon)
 
#5: Hammer Time (Tom Ross)
 
#4: Umori Titan
 
#3: Counterbalance Miracles (aspiringspike)
 
#2: Umbral Zirda
 
#1: Auratouched Winota (Lawson Zandi)
 
 

Take the Otter Challenge (ft. Zach Ryl)

Ikoria, Episode 5: Lutri, the Spellchaser
 
It's our one-year anniversary at the Faithless Brewing Podcast, and we're celebrating in a big way. Special guest brewer? Absolutely. Wild 5-0 lists in Modern? Yes indeed. Gorgeous new banner? Very much so. New video series with Wizards of the Coast?!?! Why, yes!
 
This week, we sit down with Zach Ryl, aka ManaCymbal, to master the Way of the Otter. Lutri, the Spellchaser has a marginal ability and a seemingly punishing companion requirement. Can you really succeed with a singleton deck? Even if you manage to win, what did you learn from your pile of mismatched one-ofs? It turns out that the answer is, Yes, and A Whole Lot! Building decks around "buckets" rather than single-card synergies is a skill set all its own, and an invaluable tool in the brewer's arsenal. Zach talks us through the ins and outs of brewing successfully with Lutri, and has some spicy takes of his own on Lukka Legend as well. Come splash around with us and take the #OtterChallenge yourself!
 
New Banner: The Faithless Café by Ev Davis aka Whistler
A place for your daily brewing inspiration. There are 11 Magic cards referenced in the Café; can you spot them all?
 
Where to find the art of Whistler:
Homepage: https://evanleigh-davis.format.com/
Twitter: @artofwhistler
Tumblr: https://kettlehead-comics.tumblr.com/
Patreon: www.patreon.com/artofwhistler
 
New Video Show! Rogue Refinery (ft. Paul Cheon, Eilidh Lonie, and Faithless Brewing)
 
New episodes every Wednesday at 9am PT on the Magic: the Gathering YouTube channel. Watch Episode 1 (Song of Creation) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWhrYQLOFt0
 
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Roundup: Interview with Zach Ryl aka ManaCymbal
 
Where to find Zach:
 
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/manacymbal/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRdjisnv8bhjdsa27UU9qg?view_as=subscriber
Twitter: @ManaCymbal
 
Flashback: Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast
 
Pioneer
 
RG Lukka Obosh (David): 1-4 league
 
RG Lukka Creativity (David): 2-3 league
 
Modern
 
RG Lukka Obosh by Signblindman (Zach): 3-2 league
 
Maximum Lukka Drive (Zach): 4-1 league
 
Rampless Lukka Cat (David): 1-4 league
 
Rampy Lukka Cat (Damon): 3-2 league
 
80-card Lukka Cat (Dan): 4-1 league
 
 
Brew Session: Lutri, the Spellchaser
 
Izzet Otter Nonsense (Zach): 5-0 league by thepensword
 
Blue Otter Moon (Damon): 5-0 league
 
Grixis Otter Ultimatum (Zach)
 
Temur Otterwalks (Zach)
 
Jeskai Sl'Otter (Zach)
 
Jeskai Temp (Zach)
 
Sultai Sea Dog (Zach)
 
Pioneer
 
Lutri Evolution Combo (David)
 
 
 

Lukka Legend, Tiger King

Ikoria, Episode 4: Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast
 
Somewhere in the Multiverse, there are grizzled veterans who played Polymorph before it was cool. Those players are bankrupt now, their tickets squandered, their play points long depleted. Finding Polymorph fodder when Emrakul can be your only creature will take you down strange and lonely deckbuilding paths (yes, we see you Dwarven Mine).
 
Enter Lukka, the newest addition to the roster of red planeswalkers. Lukka's -2 is a Polymorph with a twist: it only finds creatures of higher converted mana cost. Small change, massive upside. What if we could have our mana dorks, and eat our spaghetti monster too? What if we could graft a Polymorph  endgame onto an already functional ramp curve? Things just got very interesting.
 
This week we spin the wheel with Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast, in Modern, Pioneer, and even a touch of Standard. The best part about Lukka? He's not a Companion. The worst part about Lukka? Yeah, he's probably friends with Companions. But we're willing to forgive him if his critter pals deliver the goods. Happy brewing!
 
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Flashback: Yorion, Sky Nomad
 
Pioneer
Niv Fires 1.0 (Dan): 4-1 league
Niv Fires 1.1 (Dan): 3-2 league
Doom Foretold 1.0 (Damon): 2-3 league
Doom Foretold 1.1 (Damon): 5-0 league
GW Enchantress (Dan): 2-3 league
 
Modern
4c Yorion Blink (David): 5-5 leagues
 
 
Brew Session: Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast
 
 
Sketch 1: 4c Lukka Cat Combo (Modern)
 
Sketch 2: Gruul Lukka Ramp (Pioneer)
 
Sketch 3: Lukka Creativity (Pioneer)
 
Sketch 4: Treacherous Winota (Standard)
 
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Eighty Is the New Sixty

Ikoria, Episode 3: Yorion, Sky Nomad
 
It's Friday night at the game shop, and you are starting to get nervous. Your opponent just sat down across from you, and they're the best player in the store. You've seen that swagger, that easy confidence, that friendly-but-never-cocky vibe. They flash a smile and greet you warmly. Despite yourself, you smile back. There's no mistaking that aura. They reach into their backpack and you already know what's coming: a well endowed deck box, the envy of any Commander player, holding a thick stack that must be at least 90 cards high. They shuffle it smoothly and offer you a cut. No need, you reply. You know they would never cheat you. "High roll to see who starts?"
 
Ikoria has crash landed into Magic's competitive formats, and left players everywhere scrambling to sift through the wreckage of the Companion Apocalypse. In every deck, in every format, it's Lurrus all the way down for every archetype that can support it. And for everyone else, there's Yorion, with giant decks suddenly en vogue everywhere you look. "Life begins at forty"? More like "Eighty is the new sixty"!
 
This week we tackle Yorion, the friendly bird that asks just one simple question: does your brew have that Big Deck Energy, that no-effs-given swagger to scale up effortlessly to 80 cards? We explore possibilities for maximizing Yorion's trigger, and break down the nuts and bolts of crafting the perfect 95. After that, we open up the Brewer's Mailbag and field questions from listeners on the deckbuilder's craft, our picks from Ikoria, and much more.
 
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Brew Session: Yorion, Sky Nomad
 
Modern
 
Sketch 1: 4c Kiki-Chord
 
Sketch 2: Bant Blink
 
Pioneer
 
Sketch 3: Yorion's Monument
 
Sketch 4: Esper Doom Foretold
 
Sketch 5: Niv-Yorion Fires
 
 

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