Living End Primer for Modern
Deck Overview: Living End is a unique and powerful Modern deck that leverages the Living End card to reanimate a massive board of creatures all at once. This deck excels at utilizing cycling and cascade mechanics to manipulate the game state, creating unexpected swings in tempo and board presence.
Key Cards
Living End: The centerpiece of your strategy, allowing you to return all creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield, typically catching your opponent off guard.
Cascade Creatures: Shardless Agent and Ardent Plea: These cascade spells help you cheat Living End onto the battlefield, bypassing its mana cost and creating explosive turns.
Cycle Creatures: Street Wraith, Curator of Mysteries, and Generous Ent: These cards not only cycle to fill your graveyard but also provide a proactive way to filter through your deck.
Graveyard Interaction:
Endurance: A powerful creature that can help disrupt opponent’s graveyard strategies while providing a cycle option.
Titanoth Rex and Colossal Skyturtle: Big threats that can end games quickly when returned via Living End.
Control Elements:
Force of Negation and Subtlety: These counterspells can help protect your game plan by dealing with problematic spells while maintaining the tempo.
Strategy
Game Plan:
Early Game: Focus on cycling your creatures and using cascade spells to set up for your Living End. Ensure your graveyard is stocked with creatures to maximize the impact when you resolve Living End.
Mid Game: Utilize cascade spells to resolve Living End. This is typically when the game swings in your favor, as you can overwhelm your opponent with a horde of creatures.
Late Game: Use your creatures to maintain pressure, and leverage cards like Endurance and Curator of Mysteries to keep your hand filled and disrupt your opponent's plans.
Key Interactions:
Cascading into Living End: Use Ardent Plea and Shardless Agent to cascade directly into Living End, allowing you to bring back your creatures for free.
Defensive Plays: Utilize counterspells like Force of Negation to protect your key plays or disrupt your opponent's threats.
Matchups
Favorable:
Control Decks: They struggle against your ability to generate a large board presence quickly.
Midrange Decks: The explosive nature of Living End can outpace slower strategies.
Unfavorable: Graveyard Hate: Decks with cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can significantly hinder your game plan.
Fast Aggro Decks: If you can’t stabilize quickly, you might find yourself overwhelmed.
Sideboard Guide
Commandeer: Great against control and combo decks, allowing you to steal their key spells.
Force of Vigor: Effective against artifact and enchantment-based strategies, especially those that target your graveyard.
Temporary Lockdown: Useful against decks with many small creatures or tokens.
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria: Provides card advantage and control against slow matchups.
Tips for Success
Timing Matters: Be strategic about when to cycle versus when to hold creatures for Living End. Sometimes, bluffing can make your opponent play differently.
Graveyard Awareness: Keep track of your graveyard and your opponent's potential hate cards. Being proactive can save you from disruptions.
Resource Management: Utilize your counters effectively to protect your game plan, especially against combo decks that might try to disrupt your cascade plays.
Conclusion
Living End is a dynamic and rewarding deck that thrives on surprise and explosive plays. By mastering the interactions between cycling, cascading, and reanimating, you can turn the tide of a game in your favor. Embrace the chaos, and enjoy the journey to victory in the Modern format! Happy gaming!
