Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

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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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)
 
 
 

Raging Bull: Thinking Outside the Ox

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 7: Ox of Agonas
 
Bedlam Reveler is a gem of a Magic card. When it is fully powered, you get an above-rate creature (3/4 prowess for RR) that also draws three new cards. That's a straight up 4-for-1, a better rate than Ancestral Recall. Are there hoops to jump through? Sure, but that hasn't stopped Reveler from finding a home in Mardu Pyromancer (may it rest in peace) and more recently in Red Prowess. When surrounded by the right pieces, Reveler provides a powerful endgame that thrives on what red decks are already interested in doing.
 
If a 4-for-1 off Reveler sounds attractive, can we interest you in a 4-for-0? That's right, no cock and bull: how about an above-rate creature (5/3 for RR) that you can cast directly from your graveyard, and still draw three new cards to boot. We're entering Niv-Mizzet territory in terms of raw card advantage, but with an efficiency and built-in recursion that is in a class by itself. Why buy the cow when you can escape it for free?
 
This week, we're grabbing the horns of Ox of Agonas, the most exciting creature to break loose from the underworld of Theros. This won't be our first rodeo with the escape mechanic, but there are no sacred cows in brewing. The Titans may have more pedigree, and Breach may steal headlines, but it would be a terribull misteak to leave this mad cow in the bullpen. Unlike Reveler, the Raging Bull is agnoxtic about what card types it will eat: spells, creatures, fetch lands, everything is fuel to a four-chambered stomach. Modern Dredge has already been beefed up by the Red Bull, but can it also give wings to other strategies? We're feeling bullish on Ox of Agonas, and we've got brews til the cows come home in both Modern and Pioneer. Plenty to ruminate on, but we'll steer you in the right direction!
 
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Roundup: Tournament Reports
 
Modern 5c Niv (Dan): Top 32, Modern Challenge
 
Legacy Maverick (Damon): 0-2, Mox Boarding House 1k
 
Pioneer Sultai Delirium (Dan): Top 8, SCG IQ Newington
 
 
Flashback: Storm Herald
 
 
Pioneer
 
Mono-Red HammerHerald 1.0: 3-2 league
 
Mono-Red HammerHerald 1.1: 2-3 league
 
Mardu Siege Herald: 3-2 league
 
 
Modern
 
Jund Storm Conscription: 3-2 league
 
Jund Traverse Conscription: 4-1 league
 
Temur Uro Conscription: 2-3 league
 
 
Brew Session: Ox of Agonas
 
 
Modern
 
Reference: Stock Dredge
 
Sketch 1: Gruul KiorOx
 
Reference: Kiora Escape (by cavedan, 5-0 league)
 
Sketch 2a: Hollow Ox  (Kanm_H, 5-0 league; rodebo, 5-0 league)
 
Sketch 2b: Hollow OxVine
 
Sketch 3a: Mardu AshiOx
 
Sketch 3b: Jund AshiOx
 
Reference: Mardu “Oxtomancer” (by foggmanatic, 5-0 league)
 
 
Pioneer
 
Sketch 1: Izzet PhoenOx
 
Bonus Sketch: Izzet Flooding
 
Reference: Izzet Phoenix (1 Ox / 4 Cruise split)
 
 
 

Storm Herald's a-Brewin'

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 6: Storm Herald
 
The last time we brewed around a flashy Simic mythic from the latest set release, the 5-0 finishes just piled up like candy. Our testing with Uro yielded similar results: no trophies this time, but a giant pile of 4-1s across multiple decks and multiple formats (Pioneer, Modern, and even Standard), from established meta decks to off-the-wall wild brews. Uro is here to stay, even making appearances in Legacy, so pick up your playset now and get ready to start drawing cards, gaining life, and exiling your graveyard in neat stacks of five cards.
 
This week, we pivot to a Theros card with a much less impressive pedigree: the curious rare Storm Herald. The effect on this hasty Shaman is so unique in Magic that the closest comparisons are... Retether? Iridescent Drake? Boonweaver Giant?? When our first pass at the card has us debating the merits of Shape of the Wiitigo, you know you are in for some deep cuts. Whether imitating Goryo's Vengenace by bringing back an Eldrazi Conscription, or playing the role of the pied piper calling a host of tiny auras all at once, Storm Herald is playing by its own rules in the strange and bizarre world of creature-boosting enchantments. Can this exciting new tool breathe life into the historically underpowered Aura subtype? And will the juice be worth the squeeze? There's only one way to find out!
 
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Flashback: Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
 
Standard
 
Bant Uro Ramp (by Danny Salvatore): 6-2, SCG Philadelphia
 
Pioneer
 
Swedish Delirium (Dan): 6-2, SCG Philadelphia
 
 
4c Uro Reanimator (David/Damon): 8-2 leagues
 
Modern
 
Uro's Weirding (by Nephtyz, 5-0 league)
 
Temur Uro and Six (by MrRaeb, 5-0 league x2)
 
Turbo Lazav (by lannynyny, 5-0 league)
 
Turbo Lazav 1.1 (Dan): 4-1 league
 
Turbo Lazav 1.2 (Dan): 4-1 league
 
5c Niv Uro (Dan): 4-1 league
 
 
Brew Session: Storm Herald
 
 
Modern
 
Reference list: Jund Storm Conscription (Caleb Durward)
 
Sketch 1: Jund Storm Conscription
 
 
Pioneer
 
Reference list: BW Auras (Ken Yukuhiro)
 
Sketch 1: Mardu Sram Herald
 
Sketch 2: Boros Sram Herald
 
Sketch 3: Jeskai Curious Herald
  
 
 

Uro vs. Kroxa: Clash of the Titans

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 5: Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
 
Kroxa made his case last week for early release from the underworld of Theros, taking a bite out of the competition in both Modern and Pioneer. The hungry fellow has been making inroads into 5-0 lists, but has yet to enjoy the success of his greener, bluer, more wrathful sibling. This week, the clash of the titans comes to a head, as we pit our results with Kroxa against new lists featuring Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath.
 
Already boasting a Players Tour championship, Uro seems to have all the makings of a multi-format star. Simic colors? Check. Useful in many strategies? Check. Mythic rare, costs 1UG, rapidly increasing in price? Check, check, and check. Three letter name, two of which are vowels, followed by a title description? Welcome to my decklist, Oko left the seat warm for you.
 
There's no denying that Uro is a powerful and wildly successful card. Unlike Kroxa, Uro's draw and lifegain abilities create both time and resources to play a longer game, while also giving you land drops to go nuts with all of your extra material. Uro has so many abilities that even now players have only begun to scratch the surface of what it can do. A repeatable Growth Spiral is great. A repeatable Reviving Dose is also great. A giant creature that comes out of the graveyard without costing you a card, and generates value turn after turn, is starting to get a little crazy. This is a card that we are going to be seeing a lot of for the foreseeable future, so let's see what else Uro can do!
 
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Roundup: Pioneer Between the PTs
 
Czech House Niv-Mizzet (Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa)
 
BW Auras (Ken Yukuhiro)
 
Sultai Delirium (Joel Larsson)
 
Lotus Breach (Brent Vos)
 
Dimir Inverter (kanister)
 
Flashback: Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
 
Pioneer
 
Grixis Kroxa Midrange (Damon): 7-8 leagues
 
Grixis Kroxa Midrange (David): 2-3 league
 
Rakdos Kroxa Cat (David): 3-2 league
 
Modern
 
Jund Hungry Zoo (Dan): 3-2 league
 
Grixis Renegade Kroxa (Dan): 2-3 league
 
T-Rex on the Titanic (test deck): not recommended for league play
 
 
Brew Session: Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
 
Pioneer
 
Blood for Bones Reanimator: 8-2 leagues
 
Simic Ramp (Sketch)
 
Sultai Uro Oven (Sketch)
 
Modern
 
Wrenn and Uro (by MrRaeb, 5-0 league)
 
Uro's Weirding (by Nephtyz, 5-0 league)
 
 
 

Still Hungry: Kroxa in Modern and Pioneer

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 4: Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
 
Freshly escaped from the underworld of Theros, Kroxa is at the peak of his powers. 6/6 is nearly as big as it gets. Two mana is nearly as lean as it gets. A true titan of the game, Kroxa packs a punch and delivers value coming and going, but he's not resting on his laurels. No, King Kroxa is still hungry, and he's coming for that 5-0 in Modern and Pioneer. 
 
Mechanically speaking, Theros's titans are fairly complicated under the hood. As pseudo spell effects, they are somewhat reminiscent of the Evoke and Adventure mechanics, but the similarities only go so far. The upshot is that the turn you spend two mana for a Raven's Crime is a very bad turn. The turn you spend four mana for a 6/6 with a positive ETB and attack trigger is a very good turn, and you can have that turn multiple times in a game. Kroxa's power level seems to lie somewhere in the middle, if we are just taking the card at face value. But what if we break the mold and cheat on Kroxa's hidden costs? Can we skip the Raven's Crime turn by putting Kroxa directly into the graveyard? Or how about the two mana 6/6 body that is briefly on the battlefield, what if we make extra use of that? The possibilities are as endless as Kroxa's appetite, so let's start brewing!
 
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Roundup: Modern Brews + Pioneer PTs
 
Modern
 
Turbo Elesh Norn: 4-0* league. Move 4th Leyline to main deck, cut green splash, add SB Burrenton Forge-Tender.
 
 
RG Kiora Ox: 5-0 league. New card grades: Ox of Agonas (B), Phoenix of Ash (B-), Klothys, God of Destiny (C)
 
 
Flashback: Enigmatic Incarnation
 
Pioneer
 
Rhino Incarnation 1.1: 4-6 leagues
 
 
 
Rhino Incarnation 1.2: proposed update
 
 
Enigmatic Uro: 0-5 league. Needed more removal. Rebuild as Chronic Flooding delve/self-mill Oracle deck.
 
Modern
 
Enigmatic Doom: 2-3 league. Add Leylines to the main deck, increase land count, clean up 2-3 mana plays.
 
Brew Session: Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
 
Sketch 1: Grixis Kroxa
 
Sketch 2: Rakdos Sacrifice
 
Reference lists:
 
"Mardu Yacht Club" (by @shakegently)
 
 
Jund Traverse Kroxa (5-1-1, by kaberb)
 
 

Mysteries Incarnate

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 3: Enigmatic Incarnation
 
When you give a card an outlandish name like "Enigmatic Incarnation," you'd better step up and deliver something deliciously and awesomely weird. Luckily, in this case, the R&D and Creative teams came through, offering a truly mysterious new tutoring engine. Superficially similar to Birthing Pod and Prime Speaker Vannifar, Enigmatic Incarnation throws those precedents out the window by triggering only once per turn (on end step) and feeding on one card type (enchantment) while tutoring for another (creature). It is truly a mystery wrapped in an enigma, drawing on an entirely different slice of the card pool and asking brewers to invent their own play pattern if they hope to unlock its power over multiple turns. The decision trees are complex and the rewards are potentially massive. Let's start brewing!
 
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Flashback: Heliod, Sun-Crowned
 
Pioneer
 
Mono-White Owl (Damon): 1-3 league
 
 
UW Teferi Owl (Damon): 3-2 league
 
 
Basic Heliod Aggro (Dan): 3-2 league
 
Modern
 
Turbo Elesh Norn 2.0 (Dan): 4-0* league. Played this league after we recorded this show, so stay tuned for next week's episode for more info on it.
 
Brew Session: Enigmatic Incarnation
 
Pioneer
 
Sketch 1: 4c Rhino Incarnation
 
Sketch 2: Sultai Enigmatic Inversion
 
Modern
 
Sketch 3: Mystery Ponza
 
Sketch 4: Bant Hatching Plans
 
Sketch 5: Enigmatic Conscription
 
 

The Sun God Rises

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 2: Heliod, Sun-Crowned
 
All things must come to an end, and for Mox Opal, that end proved to be a rather unceremonious bludgeoning with the ban hammer in Modern. Also banned are Oko, Thief of Crowns (yet again) and Mycosynth Lattice (thank you, next), the largest shakeup in Modern since... the printing of Throne of Eldraine. The crew pours one out for the fallen victims of last week's B&R, and takes another look ahead at promising new printings from Theros: Beyond Death.
But while the sun sets on an entire era, another sun rises, in both Modern and Pioneer -- specifically Heliod, the Sun-Crowned, who is perhaps the most hotly anticipated printing from Theros: Beyond Death. Heliod's infinite damage combo with Walking Ballista has echoes of Saheeli Felidar, or even (some say) Splinter Twin. Can the new God possibly live up to the hype? In truth, Heliod Ballista is an enormously mana intensive combo, but there are sneaky tools available to shave on mana costs and arrive at a leaner, meaner 1-2 combo punch. In Modern, this can also mean eschewing Ballista altogether, and instead pursuing infinite life with Spike Feeder or Kitchen Finks. And if that fails? Well, nothing says we can't turn our 5/5 indestructible beater sideways. Will any of these decks rise to glory? Let's find out!
 
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Roundup: Modern B&R + Theros Previews
 
 
Modern B&R Announcement
 
• Oko: total days legal, by format
 
• Mox Opal: end of era
 
Flashback: Ghirapur Orrery
 
 
Sultai Dredge (David): 2-3 league
 
Simic Lands (David): 2-3 league
 
Simic Midrange (Damon): 3-2 league
 
 
Brew Session: Heliod, Sun-Crowned
 
 
Modern
 
Sketch 1: Soul Sisters Company
 
 
Pioneer
 
Sketch 2: Azorius Owl Midrange
 
Sketch 3: Selesnya Enchantments Ramp
 
Sketch 4: Orzhov Heliod Walkers
 
Bonus Sketch: Boros Reckoner Midrange
 
Bonus Sketch: Bant Vannifar Heliod
 
Bonus Sketch: Bant Heliod Flash
 
Bonus Sketch: Basic Mono-W Heliod
 
 
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Theros Previews & Brew Review #1

Theros Beyond Death, Episode 1: The Brew Review
 
Theros: Beyond Death is upon us! The newest set looks poised to continue the recent trend of Standard-legal expansions massively impacting eternal formats, with a slew of exciting previews to unpack. At the same time, Modern as we know it continues to evolve and change, with results from major tournaments in paper and online giving a final snapshot of the Oko era before the latest round of massive bannings. (Note: this episode was recorded before Monday's B&R, so you can enjoy one last analysis of the Oko metagame as a fun little capsule in time.)
 
For our last episode before taking the plunge into the underworld of Theros, we are debuting a new segment on the show: the Brew Review! Instead of picking a single card to focus on this week, we instead solicited our listeners to share with us some of their spiciest brews in Modern and Pioneer: whether polished lists they've been testing extensively, or wild ideas that came to them in a rapturous fever dream of brewing energy. From End-Raze Forerunners combo, to Fires of Invention Angels, to a comprehensive brewer's guide to Myth Realized, this edition of the Brew Review has something for everyone!
 
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Roundup: Modern Championships + SCG Columbus
 
 
Explore Titan (Matthew Dilks/Will Pulliam)
 
Galvanic Urza (Corey Baumeister / Pete Ingram)
 
Once Upon Eldrazi Tron (xfile, Modern Challenge)
 
Veil of Titanshift (i_b_true, Modern Champs)
 
Soul-Scar Burn (sandydogmtg, Modern Champs)
 
Glittering Niv-Mizzet (Lanny Huang, 7-0 Modern Challenge)
Naya Stonecleave (Ihavethefire, Modern Champs)
 
Liquimetal Urza (Phil England, 6th in Modern Classic)
 
KotR Titan Ramp (Kazuga, 5-2 Modern Challenge)
 
The Brew Review, Part 1
 
 
Mono-red Blitz (by Jiggywiggy) [Modern]
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1825800#online
 
Cryptolith Pod (by Matt Baker) [Pioneer]
https://scryfall.com/@mattybakes/decks/90974e1f-cb95-4206-8456-ea486d20e6b6
 
GW Mentor (by Shane B.) [Pioneer]
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2587692#paper
 
Speed Pigs (by KilgoreTrout503) [Pioneer]
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/speed-bacon/
 
Narset for Days (by unpronounceable) [Pioneer]
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2630393#paper
 
Angel Fires (by Paimon) [Pioneer]
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2565674#paper
 
Esper Mythseize (by Spotred) [Modern]
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/mythseize/
 
 
Bonus Brews:
 
 
GW Gideons (by allfordelilah) [Pioneer]
https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/gideons-support-group/
 
MonoGreen Ponza (by EnderXenocide) [Modern]
https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/mono-green-oko/
 
Blue Bird Arclight Dredge (by Jonathan Walsh) [Pioneer]
https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/blue-bird-arclight-dredge-pioneer/?cb=1578109142
 
Agent of Duplication (by unpronounceable) [Pioneer]
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2630329#paper
 
Mighty Morophon Sliver Tron (by unpronounceable) [Modern]
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2630298#paper