EDIT: Thrun + Angelic Destiny is like heaven on earth. I've played about 10 games so far with my deck and Birthing Pod has been what it should be: a nice supporting role that builds me up to my beaters. I've finally made a list where I feel 100% without a Pod if I can't get one, something I never completely felt in my other tries.
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
For once, I don't think choosing between GR and GW is meta dependent. It really is based on what cards you personally think are better. W and R can do pretty similar things (and extremely well too).
EDIT: Thrun + Angelic Destiny is like heaven on earth. I've played about 10 games so far with my deck and Birthing Pod has been what it should be: a nice supporting role that builds me up to my beaters. I've finally made a list where I feel 100% without a Pod if I can't get one, something I never completely felt in my other tries.
How do you feel about your O-Ring, Destiny, and Volley counts? I was thinking I'd try 2/3/2 but I want your input.
-EDIT-
ummm ok I posted this before I noticed you posted your list (with the same counts I'm considering, no less).
great minds think alike I guess.
I'm so glad you're having success with this. I can't wait to try it myself
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
@Frox - Do you think Clifftop Retreat would help your mana base at all?
I don't think his manabase needs any help..or Naya's manabase at all really. we were fine before INN, but then we got Kessig Wolf Run and just blew up.
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
Birthing pod doesn't do any of those things. I'm confused as to what point you are trying to make.
I'm confused by this statement. Are you generalizing Birthing Pod as a deck that works its way up the chain in a controlling manner? There is nothing that says it has to do that, and hopefully that's been established over the last 1717 posts.
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
Hey Funeral, I'm starting to think Chandra's Phoenix is actually kind of a stupid inclusion in my list. I'm probably going to cut it for another Blade Splicer and one of the Heros. Not sure which one though.
Also, I'm probably going to add a Razorverge Thicket and take out another land for it. I need my white mana for my best stuff, so I need as much as I can get.
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
@Frox: I like the Naya list. You do know it's 61 cards, right? I wasn't sure if that was intentional or not.
Damn, I'm an idiot. I didn't refresh the page before posting. You're explanation as to why you run 61 is good. I tended to do this back when I played in the Invasion block.
Hey Funeral, I'm starting to think Chandra's Phoenix is actually kind of a stupid inclusion in my list. I'm probably going to cut it for another Blade Splicer and one of the Heros. Not sure which one though.
Also, I'm probably going to add a Razorverge Thicket and take out another land for it. I need my white mana for my best stuff, so I need as much as I can get.
I was wondering the same thing about Phoenix.. we don't really have enough burn to support it. I really love it though! (plus I just paid cash for 4x promo Chandra's Phoenix and they look so sexy!)
I was thinking we could remove the 2x Phoenix in place of a 4th Splicer and 1x Mirran Crusader
I'm down for the testing as well, i finally bit the bullet and added a two drop :P. I really wish i could aford a W splash(mana base is just too taxing on speed) Also, I believe that 8.5(emissary is a .5) dorks with 22 lands should be enough, anyone dis/agree?
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Playing:
rock (G/) pod
9-2-1
Best Reminder text ever:
Warrior's Oath RRTake another turn after this one.
At the end of that turn, you lose the game.
(YOU DON'T LOSE IF YOU'VE ALREADY WON.) Check out my Lotuses
Formerly Jersam515.
Anyone think a combination Birthing Pod/Venser control deck could work? Maybe a deck that sided into one or the other? Just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
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From my intended build I'd cut a Surgical Extraction for a Beast Within due to inability to find a 3rd Extraction. And nobody trading them unless the offer was obscene. I didn't miss the 3rd copy. I also had a last minute wobble and swapped Strider in for Thrun. Respecting the red decks.
The TLDR version:
1st place. No games dropped.
2-0 U/R counter/burn (ish)
2-0 Tezzeret control
2-0 Necrotic Ooze combo
2-0 Mono-black infect
More details:
Round 1 was a bit of a gimme...not impressed with a few play errors I made but I had a nutty enough hand to not suffer for it. Game 2 I got a grip of myself and played more like I should be...turns out U/R struggles to answer well timed fatties.
Round 2 Whilst he could develop his board game 1, Perilous Myr and Glissa meant he struggled to prevent me from building my board and he wasn't willing to trade blows and loses Tezzeret. Eventually it meant I assembled a better board through Sheoldred. Game 2 I brought in 4 Beast Within and 2 Replica. He wasn't getting through the hate.
Round 3 Was tough, it's one of those left field type of decks where you don't have a plan specifically for and just end up doing your own thing. Eventually I got there, but it was close. Highlight play was having a Heartless Summons and popping 2 Buried Ruins to fetch a Perilous Myr to remove an Ooze before it lost summoning sickness. Whilst ignoring the Wurmcoil in the discard. It felt filthy!! Game 2 I boarded pod out since he was leaning on Jace's Archivist and I couldn't guarantee any chains of relevance. Turns out becoming a rock deck and timing the removal on his Ooze is a good plan. I never saw any Surgical Extraction, which was a shame.
Round 4 I got to blow him out, having an answer for everything he played whilst pushing my own board. Game 2 my mana spluttered a little, followed by my deck waking up and again feeding me lots of chances to 2 for 1 him into submission as I built my board. Afterwards he admitted to having a mix of the wrong removal (Doom Blade) or not being able to Geth's verdict for my spent 187s.
Obviously it's tough not to be delighted with a clean sweep. I think I found a pretty good angle and worked it because nobody seemed prepared for me or felt like they knew how to beat me. There were plenty of aggro decks in the room, I just seemed to steer a path around, whilst the infect deck had seen 2 RDW. Which is cause for the Phyrexian Crusaders to celebrate.
It probably helped seeing lots of U and B which had no answers to my engines...I did see pod and/or summoning most games so the number felt right, even if a 2nd summoning always felt like a dead draw. I still feel I could have come through strongly against a different field though, particularly after getting past Mirran Crusader both games the prveious week piloting a less powerful deck.
Changes I'd make:
Thrun to main, Peace Strider to board. Feels more powerful and the emergency lifegain is less useful in other match ups than red. Whereas a roadblock they can't burn is still handy.
Maybe -1 Beast Within +1 Surgical Extraction. The Beast was an allstar though.
Spicy potential random one: -2 Mimic Vat +2 Garruk Relentless. Bit more potential to replace the Heartless Summonings in some match ups. I want to see him work basically even though Vat is good against U/B control.
Reaper was also a real powerhouse. He's the real deal in this deck and is far too easy to activate. Otherwise he walls them. Win/win.
Final thoughts....I love the deck. I like my BUG pod and it did silly things, but this just grinds out games like a dependable machine. Like any pod deck it bites the pilot for poor play, but it rewards good play. Well worth learning how to play pod in a G/B style for. I wouldn't run it at states tomorrow if I hadn't learnt the deck though...play a safer choice. Personally, I'd happily turn up and pilot this deck.
I'm pretty sure that the best cards that Innistrad gave to Pod lists are Unburial Rites and Mirror Mad Phantasm, and I think that a good Bant Pod deck would run both.
Unburial Rites is just a powerful card by itself, and it helps immensely in attrition battles or against control decks. Dealing with Wurmcoil Engine the first time isn't too bad, but when he comes back twice more a lot of decks just cant handle it. It's a black card, which is annoying, but Pod lists should run a full set of Birds of Paradise and also play some Viridian Emissary and Solemn Simulacrum, which can be found through Pod.
Mirror-Mad Phantasm comes into play to take full advantage of Unburial Rites. You can dump the majority of your library into your graveyard, then be able to use Unburial Rites to find any creature in your deck. Sun TItan becomes a huge threat with some Phantasmal Images in the graveyard, and with Fiend Hunter you'll also have protection from sweepers. You can also use this engine to find specific cards like Nihil Spellbomb, Sylvok Replica, or Stony Silence. The other card that Unburial Rites like to bring back is Kessig Cagebreakers. If it doesn't get removed, it should easily be able to swing for lethal the first time it attacks.
My list is nowhere close to being fine-tuned, but right now it looks like this:
Could someone clarify to me really quickly why everyone is getting hyped about Memory's Journey? I mean, I see the obvious application in this deck, but what can this do that Elixir of Immortality can't do better? It's colorless so it can go in any deck, basically is instant speed (minus the 1 mana it takes to cast it) and instead of just 3 cards it reshuffles your whole graveyard AND nets you 5 life. So uh, what's the deal here?
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
From my intended build I'd cut a Surgical Extraction for a Beast Within due to inability to find a 3rd Extraction. And nobody trading them unless the offer was obscene. I didn't miss the 3rd copy. I also had a last minute wobble and swapped Strider in for Thrun. Respecting the red decks.
The TLDR version:
1st place. No games dropped.
2-0 U/R counter/burn (ish)
2-0 Tezzeret control
2-0 Necrotic Ooze combo
2-0 Mono-black infect
More details:
Round 1 was a bit of a gimme...not impressed with a few play errors I made but I had a nutty enough hand to not suffer for it. Game 2 I got a grip of myself and played more like I should be...turns out U/R struggles to answer well timed fatties.
Round 2 Whilst he could develop his board game 1, Perilous Myr and Glissa meant he struggled to prevent me from building my board and he wasn't willing to trade blows and loses Tezzeret. Eventually it meant I assembled a better board through Sheoldred. Game 2 I brought in 4 Beast Within and 2 Replica. He wasn't getting through the hate.
Round 3 Was tough, it's one of those left field type of decks where you don't have a plan specifically for and just end up doing your own thing. Eventually I got there, but it was close. Highlight play was having a Heartless Summons and popping 2 Buried Ruins to fetch a Perilous Myr to remove an Ooze before it lost summoning sickness. Whilst ignoring the Wurmcoil in the discard. It felt filthy!! Game 2 I boarded pod out since he was leaning on Jace's Archivist and I couldn't guarantee any chains of relevance. Turns out becoming a rock deck and timing the removal on his Ooze is a good plan. I never saw any Surgical Extraction, which was a shame.
Round 4 I got to blow him out, having an answer for everything he played whilst pushing my own board. Game 2 my mana spluttered a little, followed by my deck waking up and again feeding me lots of chances to 2 for 1 him into submission as I built my board. Afterwards he admitted to having a mix of the wrong removal (Doom Blade) or not being able to Geth's verdict for my spent 187s.
Obviously it's tough not to be delighted with a clean sweep. I think I found a pretty good angle and worked it because nobody seemed prepared for me or felt like they knew how to beat me. There were plenty of aggro decks in the room, I just seemed to steer a path around, whilst the infect deck had seen 2 RDW. Which is cause for the Phyrexian Crusaders to celebrate.
It probably helped seeing lots of U and B which had no answers to my engines...I did see pod and/or summoning most games so the number felt right, even if a 2nd summoning always felt like a dead draw. I still feel I could have come through strongly against a different field though, particularly after getting past Mirran Crusader both games the prveious week piloting a less powerful deck.
Changes I'd make:
Thrun to main, Peace Strider to board. Feels more powerful and the emergency lifegain is less useful in other match ups than red. Whereas a roadblock they can't burn is still handy.
Maybe -1 Beast Within +1 Surgical Extraction. The Beast was an allstar though.
Spicy potential random one: -2 Mimic Vat +2 Garruk Relentless. Bit more potential to replace the Heartless Summonings in some match ups. I want to see him work basically even though Vat is good against U/B control.
Reaper was also a real powerhouse. He's the real deal in this deck and is far too easy to activate. Otherwise he walls them. Win/win.
Final thoughts....I love the deck. I like my BUG pod and it did silly things, but this just grinds out games like a dependable machine. Like any pod deck it bites the pilot for poor play, but it rewards good play. Well worth learning how to play pod in a G/B style for. I wouldn't run it at states tomorrow if I hadn't learnt the deck though...play a safer choice. Personally, I'd happily turn up and pilot this deck.
Glad to see you did well. I finished my list last night and I'm hoping to bring it in next. I did well with Tokens last night, but everyone's bandwagon-ing on, so I think I'm going to focus on this deck more. I also need to pick up Reaper, I've got 2 Wurmcoils in his stead.
Could someone clarify to me really quickly why everyone is getting hyped about Memory's Journey? I mean, I see the obvious application in this deck, but what can this do that Elixir of Immortality can't do better? It's colorless so it can go in any deck, basically is instant speed (minus the 1 mana it takes to cast it) and instead of just 3 cards it reshuffles your whole graveyard AND nets you 5 life. So uh, what's the deal here?
You can use it against reanimation and Titan triggers by your opponent; namely, Solar Flare. Plus the flashback provides great value. Bonus! It's nice to return stuff Sun Titan can't late game, but Journey seems like it could be a great tool against such decks.
Glad to see you did well. I finished my list last night and I'm hoping to bring it in next. I did well with Tokens last night, but everyone's bandwagon-ing on, so I think I'm going to focus on this deck more. I also need to pick up Reaper, I've got 2 Wurmcoils in his stead.
Definitely do it, Reaper really is that good. In the heartless build, you've got such a good chance of being able to arrange a death, otherwise they just don't have creatures and he pushes damage or they don't want to block. Not to mention 5 or 6 in the air being handy.
Cheekiest play of the night: Beast Within on their lone creature with Reaper out. Beast pops end of turn.
Biggest backbreaker: Sheoldred and Reaper together. Lived the dream a couple of times and ate fields. Handy for pushing back on the Necrotic Ooze who had played a Bloodline Keeper to try and go plan B :-p
2-1 vs. Werewolves in Round 1.
1-2 vs. RDW in Round 2.
2-1 vs. Mono White Human Aggro in Round 3.
2-1 vs. WU Tempered Steel in Round 4.
I didn't take extensive notes, but thoughts after having played this deck:
1) I totally agree with the sentiments of those who are advocating 3-4 Blade Splicers in the deck. He is amazing, and when you take Image and Metamorph into consideration, you can fill the battlefield up with 3/3 first-striking golems quickly. When comparing his value to Timely Reinforcements (which is one of the things my deck was an experiment of), Splicer comes out on top almost every time. When you have something better to spend 3 mana on against aggro than Timely Reinforcements, that's a pretty strong argument.
2) I totally disagree with those who want to take out Venser. He won half my games for me. There's just way too many good targets for Venser in Bant Pod - Slime, Splicer, Aether Adept, Metamorph, Dignitary... For me, he was never once wasted.
3) As much as I liked Timely Reinforcements in this deck, I honestly don't think it's our answer to RDW. Not as long as Hero of Oxid Ridge exists. The problem I faced against RDW tonight was that it carries three threats we have to answer: creatures, burn, and shrine. The only thing in my deck that even remotely answered all three is Spellskite, so I had to be constantly on guard.
4) Phantasmal Image and Phyrexian Metamorph are straight-up unfair against Werewolves.
5) I won game one all four times, and lost game two each time. I don't know what, if anything, that means in particular. This was kinda the opposite of what I expected. I faced the expected artifact removal, and played Pod accordingly. The one thing that hurt me more than anything else is flying. Without any simple removal for flying creatures, my golems and solder tokens just stood on the battlefield helpless.
6) Viridian Emissary is a 4x include in Bant Pod, no debate. He has zero downside. If your opponent deals with him, you get your desired ramp. Otherwise, if you played a mana dork on turn one, then if you have Pod in hand, he's looking at a turn 3 Ruinator and you get your ramp anyway, just one turn later. I was quite surprised at what a pressure cooker he was. The slowest part of nearly every game took place the first time I attacked with Emissary and my opponent was trying to figure.
At this point, I'm still not 100% where I want to go with this deck. I think I want at least one more Splicer, for sure, maybe even two. Other than that, I'm just not sure.
Can you PM me your list or post it here?
4 [SOM] Copperline Gorge
2 [M12] Sunpetal Grove
3 [MBS] Mountain (2)
4 [ROE] Plains (2)
4 [M10] Forest (2)
1 [ISD] Kessig Wolf Run
3 [M10] Rootbound Crag
3 [SOM] Razorverge Thicket
// Creatures
3 [M12] Birds of Paradise
4 [MBS] Viridian Emissary
3 [NPH] Blade Splicer
2 [M12] Chandra's Phoenix
1 [MBS] Hero of Oxid Ridge
2 [MBS] Hero of Bladehold
2 [MBS] Thrun, the Last Troll
2 [M12] Acidic Slime
1 [M12] Archon of Justice
2 [NPH] Spellskite
2 [M12] Inferno Titan
3 [M12] Angelic Destiny
2 [SOM] Arc Trail
2 [M12] Oblivion Ring
2 [ISD] Brimstone Volley
4 [NPH] Birthing Pod
Too lazy to unplug all the MWS stuff.
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About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
How do you feel about your O-Ring, Destiny, and Volley counts? I was thinking I'd try 2/3/2 but I want your input.
-EDIT-
ummm ok I posted this before I noticed you posted your list (with the same counts I'm considering, no less).
great minds think alike I guess.
I'm so glad you're having success with this. I can't wait to try it myself
Draft My Cube!
Did I mention Kessig + Thrun + Angelic Destiny is 1000x better than chocolate? It's enough for me to actually considering running 3x Thruns for once.
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About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
(Click to enter the Frox Experience)
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
I'm going to near-copy your list, except I'm going to try
-2 Hero of Bladehold
+1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
+1 Thrun, the Last Troll
-2 Arc Trail
+1 Birds of Paradise
+1 Dismember
I don't think his manabase needs any help..or Naya's manabase at all really. we were fine before INN, but then we got Kessig Wolf Run and just blew up.
Draft My Cube!
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About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
(Click to enter the Frox Experience)
About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
Draft My Cube!
Also, I'm probably going to add a Razorverge Thicket and take out another land for it. I need my white mana for my best stuff, so I need as much as I can get.
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About Frox: for nearly 10 years, Frox has been helping women look good and feel great in easy-fit, mix-and-match, and work-to-weekend with just a few pieces by helping them make the right choices when it comes to clothing and accessories.
Damn, I'm an idiot. I didn't refresh the page before posting. You're explanation as to why you run 61 is good. I tended to do this back when I played in the Invasion block.
I was wondering the same thing about Phoenix.. we don't really have enough burn to support it. I really love it though! (plus I just paid cash for 4x promo Chandra's Phoenix and they look so sexy!)
I was thinking we could remove the 2x Phoenix in place of a 4th Splicer and 1x Mirran Crusader
Draft My Cube!
rock (G/) pod
9-2-1
Best Reminder text ever:
Warrior's Oath
RRTake another turn after this one.
At the end of that turn, you lose the game.
(YOU DON'T LOSE IF YOU'VE ALREADY WON.)
Check out my Lotuses
Formerly Jersam515.
Thanks to SushiOtter at Hakai Studios for the sig. Check them out!
Standard:
GGGRDungrove Wolf RunGGGR
Modern:
URExarchMite KikiTwinUR
EDH:
GGGOmnathGGG
WWWDarienWWW
GGGEzuriGGG
2-0 vs white humans
1-2 vs Snake Blade
2-0 vs B/R Vampires
2-0 vs RDW
I decided to go for the following 75:
3 Perilous Myr
3 Phyrexian Rager
2 Glissa, the Traitor
1 Sylvok Replica
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Entomber Exarch
1 Skinrender
1 Peace Strider
3 Acidic Slime
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Reaper from the Abyss
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
3 Go for the Throat
3 Heartless Summoning
4 Birthing Pod
4 Woodland Cemetery
9 Swamp
9 Forest
2 Buried Ruin
2 Surgical Extraction
4 Beast Within
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Mimic Vat
2 Sylvok Replica
1 Peace Strider
1 Skinrender
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
From my intended build I'd cut a Surgical Extraction for a Beast Within due to inability to find a 3rd Extraction. And nobody trading them unless the offer was obscene. I didn't miss the 3rd copy. I also had a last minute wobble and swapped Strider in for Thrun. Respecting the red decks.
The TLDR version:
1st place. No games dropped.
2-0 U/R counter/burn (ish)
2-0 Tezzeret control
2-0 Necrotic Ooze combo
2-0 Mono-black infect
More details:
Round 1 was a bit of a gimme...not impressed with a few play errors I made but I had a nutty enough hand to not suffer for it. Game 2 I got a grip of myself and played more like I should be...turns out U/R struggles to answer well timed fatties.
Round 2 Whilst he could develop his board game 1, Perilous Myr and Glissa meant he struggled to prevent me from building my board and he wasn't willing to trade blows and loses Tezzeret. Eventually it meant I assembled a better board through Sheoldred. Game 2 I brought in 4 Beast Within and 2 Replica. He wasn't getting through the hate.
Round 3 Was tough, it's one of those left field type of decks where you don't have a plan specifically for and just end up doing your own thing. Eventually I got there, but it was close. Highlight play was having a Heartless Summons and popping 2 Buried Ruins to fetch a Perilous Myr to remove an Ooze before it lost summoning sickness. Whilst ignoring the Wurmcoil in the discard. It felt filthy!! Game 2 I boarded pod out since he was leaning on Jace's Archivist and I couldn't guarantee any chains of relevance. Turns out becoming a rock deck and timing the removal on his Ooze is a good plan. I never saw any Surgical Extraction, which was a shame.
Round 4 I got to blow him out, having an answer for everything he played whilst pushing my own board. Game 2 my mana spluttered a little, followed by my deck waking up and again feeding me lots of chances to 2 for 1 him into submission as I built my board. Afterwards he admitted to having a mix of the wrong removal (Doom Blade) or not being able to Geth's verdict for my spent 187s.
Obviously it's tough not to be delighted with a clean sweep. I think I found a pretty good angle and worked it because nobody seemed prepared for me or felt like they knew how to beat me. There were plenty of aggro decks in the room, I just seemed to steer a path around, whilst the infect deck had seen 2 RDW. Which is cause for the Phyrexian Crusaders to celebrate.
It probably helped seeing lots of U and B which had no answers to my engines...I did see pod and/or summoning most games so the number felt right, even if a 2nd summoning always felt like a dead draw. I still feel I could have come through strongly against a different field though, particularly after getting past Mirran Crusader both games the prveious week piloting a less powerful deck.
Changes I'd make:
Thrun to main, Peace Strider to board. Feels more powerful and the emergency lifegain is less useful in other match ups than red. Whereas a roadblock they can't burn is still handy.
Maybe -1 Beast Within +1 Surgical Extraction. The Beast was an allstar though.
Spicy potential random one: -2 Mimic Vat +2 Garruk Relentless. Bit more potential to replace the Heartless Summonings in some match ups. I want to see him work basically even though Vat is good against U/B control.
Reaper was also a real powerhouse. He's the real deal in this deck and is far too easy to activate. Otherwise he walls them. Win/win.
Final thoughts....I love the deck. I like my BUG pod and it did silly things, but this just grinds out games like a dependable machine. Like any pod deck it bites the pilot for poor play, but it rewards good play. Well worth learning how to play pod in a G/B style for. I wouldn't run it at states tomorrow if I hadn't learnt the deck though...play a safer choice. Personally, I'd happily turn up and pilot this deck.
Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
Unburial Rites is just a powerful card by itself, and it helps immensely in attrition battles or against control decks. Dealing with Wurmcoil Engine the first time isn't too bad, but when he comes back twice more a lot of decks just cant handle it. It's a black card, which is annoying, but Pod lists should run a full set of Birds of Paradise and also play some Viridian Emissary and Solemn Simulacrum, which can be found through Pod.
Mirror-Mad Phantasm comes into play to take full advantage of Unburial Rites. You can dump the majority of your library into your graveyard, then be able to use Unburial Rites to find any creature in your deck. Sun TItan becomes a huge threat with some Phantasmal Images in the graveyard, and with Fiend Hunter you'll also have protection from sweepers. You can also use this engine to find specific cards like Nihil Spellbomb, Sylvok Replica, or Stony Silence. The other card that Unburial Rites like to bring back is Kessig Cagebreakers. If it doesn't get removed, it should easily be able to swing for lethal the first time it attacks.
My list is nowhere close to being fine-tuned, but right now it looks like this:
1 Spellskitte
2 Viridian Emissary
2 Phantasmal Image
1 Sylvok Replica
1 Deceiver Exarch
1 Blade Splicer
1 Fiend Hunter
2 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Wing Splicer
1 Acidic Slime
1 Kessig Cagebreaker
1 Mirror-Mad Phantasm
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Sun Titan
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Memory's Journey
3 Unburial Rites
4 Razorverge Thicket
3 Seachrome Coast
2 Darkslick Shore
2 Hinterland Harbor
2 Sunpetal Grove
2 Glacial Fortress
4 Forest
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Swamp
3 Nihil SPellbomb
2 Naturalize
2 Viridian Emissary
1 Stony SIlence
1 Skaab Ruinator
1 Tree of Redemption
1 Acidic Slime
1 Archon of Justice
1 Razor Hippogriff
1 Frost Titan
1 Moldgraf Monstrosity
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Glad to see you did well. I finished my list last night and I'm hoping to bring it in next. I did well with Tokens last night, but everyone's bandwagon-ing on, so I think I'm going to focus on this deck more. I also need to pick up Reaper, I've got 2 Wurmcoils in his stead.
:symu::symw::symr: UWR Superfriends
You can use it against reanimation and Titan triggers by your opponent; namely, Solar Flare. Plus the flashback provides great value. Bonus! It's nice to return stuff Sun Titan can't late game, but Journey seems like it could be a great tool against such decks.
Current Decks
Standard:
GWB Junk Midrange BWG
RWB Mardu Midrange BWR
Modern:
GWB Angel Pod BWG
Definitely do it, Reaper really is that good. In the heartless build, you've got such a good chance of being able to arrange a death, otherwise they just don't have creatures and he pushes damage or they don't want to block. Not to mention 5 or 6 in the air being handy.
Cheekiest play of the night: Beast Within on their lone creature with Reaper out. Beast pops end of turn.
Biggest backbreaker: Sheoldred and Reaper together. Lived the dream a couple of times and ate fields. Handy for pushing back on the Necrotic Ooze who had played a Bloodline Keeper to try and go plan B :-p
Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
4 Birds of Paradise
1 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Viridian Emissary
2 Phantasmal Image
2 Blade Splicer
1 Skaab Ruinator
1 Aether Adept
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Stonehorn Dignitary
2 Acidic Slime
1 Archon of Justice
1 Sun Titan
1 Frost Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Birthing Pod
3 Timely Reinforcements
2 Venser, the Sojourner
Lands
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Forest
3 Island
2 Plains
4 Revoke Existence
1 Acidic Slime
1 Timely Reinforcements
2 Trinket Mage
2 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Sylvok Replica
1 Spellskite
1 Tree of Redemption
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Razor Hippogriff
2-1 vs. Werewolves in Round 1.
1-2 vs. RDW in Round 2.
2-1 vs. Mono White Human Aggro in Round 3.
2-1 vs. WU Tempered Steel in Round 4.
I didn't take extensive notes, but thoughts after having played this deck:
1) I totally agree with the sentiments of those who are advocating 3-4 Blade Splicers in the deck. He is amazing, and when you take Image and Metamorph into consideration, you can fill the battlefield up with 3/3 first-striking golems quickly. When comparing his value to Timely Reinforcements (which is one of the things my deck was an experiment of), Splicer comes out on top almost every time. When you have something better to spend 3 mana on against aggro than Timely Reinforcements, that's a pretty strong argument.
2) I totally disagree with those who want to take out Venser. He won half my games for me. There's just way too many good targets for Venser in Bant Pod - Slime, Splicer, Aether Adept, Metamorph, Dignitary... For me, he was never once wasted.
3) As much as I liked Timely Reinforcements in this deck, I honestly don't think it's our answer to RDW. Not as long as Hero of Oxid Ridge exists. The problem I faced against RDW tonight was that it carries three threats we have to answer: creatures, burn, and shrine. The only thing in my deck that even remotely answered all three is Spellskite, so I had to be constantly on guard.
4) Phantasmal Image and Phyrexian Metamorph are straight-up unfair against Werewolves.
5) I won game one all four times, and lost game two each time. I don't know what, if anything, that means in particular. This was kinda the opposite of what I expected. I faced the expected artifact removal, and played Pod accordingly. The one thing that hurt me more than anything else is flying. Without any simple removal for flying creatures, my golems and solder tokens just stood on the battlefield helpless.
6) Viridian Emissary is a 4x include in Bant Pod, no debate. He has zero downside. If your opponent deals with him, you get your desired ramp. Otherwise, if you played a mana dork on turn one, then if you have Pod in hand, he's looking at a turn 3 Ruinator and you get your ramp anyway, just one turn later. I was quite surprised at what a pressure cooker he was. The slowest part of nearly every game took place the first time I attacked with Emissary and my opponent was trying to figure.
At this point, I'm still not 100% where I want to go with this deck. I think I want at least one more Splicer, for sure, maybe even two. Other than that, I'm just not sure.
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Bands With Awesome: A Commander Blog