Oloro_Magic So how about Sun Titan in the Main? Also, mind helping me with the sideboard, all the cards in the maybeboard are possible SB cards.

Oloro_Magic Also, anything about Aurelia, the Warleader and Elspeth, Sun's Champion in the mainboard.

All three of the cards you mention are great value cards, but that means you would have to drop some value cards. Personally I would drop Hero of Bladehold for one of these pieces, so lets run through them.

Sun Titan would warrant playing Emeria, The Sky Ruin for more recursion and even Alesha, Who Smiles at Death would work then. It is a big threat that can bring back a valuable piece when facing removal. The con is that you play a decent number of big creatures that Sun Titan can't get and Sun Titan is more of a build around card in my opinion though it would work in the deck.

Elspeth, Sun's Champion is soooooo much value. The most powerful thing in magic is choice and she provides tons of that, she sweeps threats, creates tokens, and then buffs for what is likely just a win. Her cons are she will be immediately targeted when coming down and needs a solid field to be sustainable, and she tends to lend herself to more controlling decks as a value engine, but that is exactly what she is, crazy value.

Aurelia, the Warleader is a "I win" card. You will only ever really play it when by doing so you win. She sync's the best of the three cards with the beatdown strategy, and the devotion she provides to Purphoros, God of the Forge and potentially Iroas, God of Victory is insane. An interesting combo with her is with Selfless Spirit (not necessary just kinda cool and I thought you'd like to hear about it even though it isn't necessary for the deck) where you play her and sac the spirit to get two combats with indestructible creatures.

I'd be more than happy to help out with the sideboard but first I need to know what decks are played in your meta, what do you expect to be facing: graveyard, control, agro, burn, combo, etc.

Oloro_Magic Well i'm going to be playing in a new place relatively soon, as I recalled, I played a lot of UR Control Aggro. Here though, I played alot of Grixis Aggro with Graveyard play and RW Minotaur/Goblin Aggro. Oh, and merfolk aggro. I believe im the only midranged player besides this deck.

Also, why cut Hero of Bladehold?

i also mean I played against those decks

I find Hero of Bladehold is your most expendable card at the higher portion of the curve, honestly it's just preference anything that costs a good amount of mana should be up for being cut.

As for the sideboard, here is a rough outline:

• First Disenchant and/or Smash to Smithereens to deal with opposing artifacts, most notably the Aether Vial seen in Merfolk.
• Relic of Progenitus to deal with graveyard
• Rest in Peace as a graveyard denial card
• Iroas, God of Victory to switch from ETB to full out agro.
• Dusk / Dawn as your choice wrath (you could also include a single copy of Wrath of God or Anger of the Gods)
• The fourth Path to Exile
• Card: stony silence to shut of artifacts
• Mana Tithe is not necessary but could be interesting and is really fun to play
• Phyrexian Revoker just in case you find some combo based decks.

Other cards to consider for SB (these are great sideboard cards that based on your matchups I don't see as being totally necessary but they can be considered):

• Surgical Extraction
• Kor Firewalker
• Leyline of Sanctity
• Dismember (against merfolk)
• Tormod's Crypt

Oloro_Magic thank you, so honestly, im having trouble deciding how many cards go in each, i typically play with my sideboard as a "recreate the deck" and replacing entire sets of cards. With this, I'm using a lot of 1-ofs, as i dont need them to win, but it would be nice to have them.

The sideboard should ideally be used to hate on other matchups to give you an advantage I would run something like this (of course this changes based on which matchups you find yourself facing a lot; for example if you ever face affinity you want Stony Silence):

• 3x Disenchant
• 4x Relic of Progenitus
• 2x Iroas, God of Victory
• 1x Rest in Peace
• 2x Dusk / Dawn
• 2x Surgical Extraction
• 1x Path to Exile

Oloro_Magic Hey I was thinking about Sublime Archangel thoughts?

Great card but I'm unsure of how it fits. For it to work you can only be attacking with one creature and I don't see this deck doing that too often. It does work well with Hanweir Garrison however as it makes it more durable and if you stack the triggers correctly you get the benefit from Garrison and Sublime Archangel. The one problem it has is that yo go pretty wide and attacking with one creature is rarely in your best interest unless you have a big flier out or a double strike Student of Warfare. I can see it as a one-of but not much more as it needs tons of creatures to be worth it in the deck and even then you may not want the exalted trigger unless your opponent can't deal with some of your evasion.

Oloro_Magic I think I'm about done, do you think I could add anything to make this competitive?

Besides adding the sideboard, I would say it is about ready for testing. Put it through a gauntlet against the top decks in modern or take in to FNM and see how it does that is the best way to know what needs to change.

Oloro_Magic Alright thanks man, youve been a huge help. I'll be sure to let you know when its done!

If you need any more help just ask, it's amazing to see how far the deck has come!

Oloro_Magic hey Archangel of Thune?

You don't really have the support to make it worth it as Archangel of Thune would be your only way of gaining life and as such the card is too expensive to justify. To make it work you would at least have to add Soul Warden, and Soul's Attendant, and maybe Lone Rider  ^Flip which I don't recommend doing.

Also if you really want to go that route with lifegain check out Crested Sunmare, those two cards feel like they were made for each other.

Oloro_Magic how do you think Thalia's Lancers will do to fetch Aurelia?

So I have a love hate relationship with Thalia's Lancers, on one side it's a 4/4 first strike with an upside for 5, on the other hand it costs 5. Honestly I don't think you need Aurelia, the Warleader to win as you can accumulate some huge creatures with the human theme. I played the combo a long time ago as it seemed like great value but as time went on I found I never really wanted it in hand as it seemed like a bad play but that is just me.

Also with it being you would have to cut another high cost spell, likely Purphoros, God of the Forge to protect your curve which isn't ideal at all.

I'm going to spend tonight testing this deck against a whole bunch of modern decks, a few are personal decks and others are staples of the modern format, once I'm done I'll be sure to leave a full report on how the deck performed!

Oloro_Magic Oh well thank you! That's very considerate of you.

Okay so I just finished my first round of matches (there are a couple matchups I have yet to test against for various reasons but I'll try to get to those as well) and so far this is how the deck has performed.

• vs. U/B Turns 0-2

(Preface: this is a personal deck of mine and one I have been fine-tuning for quite some time for competitive play, so experience was likely a factor) First game turns had a nut draw where it was able to combo off and take 7 consecutive turns starting turn 5, well timed Gigadrowse and Cryptic Command before that ensured your deck couldn't do much. Game 2 was equally not close, turns was able to flip a Thing in the Ice  ^Flip and combo off the next turn. (Also I have been really testing my turns deck against shadow so you know, and you ran into the hate I have in place for that deck.)

• vs. G/W Death & Taxes 0-2

(Another one of my personal decks and a deck I have tons of experience with) Game one D&T had two operating Aether Vial, simply got out ran. Game two was long and grinding going 20 turns. Eventually lost to Ramunap Excavator and Ghost Quarter lock and simply didn't have enough blockers to withstand a full swing.

• vs. Titan Shift 2-1

This result surprised me. I expected that Titan Shift would set up its combo quick enough to beat the agro but I was wrong. Game one a Scapeshift with three active Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle killed your deck easily. Sided in some removal and Aurelia, the Warleader and was able to kill quickly both times before Titan Shift had a chance to combo.

• vs. Grixis Shadow 0-2

(Preface: Though I hate the Death's Shadow deck I have play tested it a lot and I am pretty experienced with it due to its place in the meta and me having to know my matchups) Not much to say here, simply wasn't able to out agro the best agro deck in the format. Shadow held onto its counters for burn spells and won with Snapcaster Mage and Death's Shadow beats.

• vs. Oath of Nissa Bant Superfriends 2-0

This is another one of my personal decks but from the moment the match started it felt a turn behind. Game one Superfriends started out mana screwed but just as the Superfriends deck was setting up its lock and stabilizing a well timed Always Watching was able to pump some tokens and get in for exact damage (if this didn't happen the deck would have lost so you know). Game two Superfriends was mana flooded, won without difficulty.

• vs. 4-color Aikido 0-2

Another personal deck of mine. Aikido is a lifegain deck that punishes you for having creatures, both games simply couldn't keep up with the lifegain.

• vs. Mono-White Flicker 2-1

Mono-white flicker is a comb deck that aims to go infinite in a number of ways using Felidar Guardian and Panharmonicon. Game one was quick enough and won before Flicker was able to set up its combo. Game two lost to infinite life combo, conceded on the spot as the flicker deck would have created infinite tokens next turn. Game three well timed removal on combo pieces was able to outpace the flicker deck.

• vs. Infect 2-1

Not much to say here, game one got caught without removal in hand Path to Exile, that didn't happen again.

• vs. Eldrazi Tron 1-2

Won game one by the virtue of bad topdecks from the Tron deck, it had assembled tron but had no threats to play with its mana. Game two lost to turn two Thought-Knot Seer, followed on curve by Reality Smasher and Endbringer. Game three lost to a Karn Liberated in combination with Reality Smasher, All Is Dust, and Walking Ballista.

• vs. U/B Faeries 2-1

A personal favorite deck of mine but a deck that has gone years without a serious upgrade. Game one a very large Champion of the Parish was able to beat down. Game two lost to double Bitterblossom followed with a Scion of Oona, and Cryptic Command's aimed at tapping down attackers. Game three was able to land a Hanweir Garrison on the play (if I hadn't been on the play Spellstutter Sprite would have countered it). The tokens generated this way were able to win the game with Always Watching , even when faeries had Bitterblossom (this match was close the final game final life total was 5).

• vs. Merfolk Aggro 0-2

Arguably the third or even second best agro deck in the format (Shadow and Affinity are genrally considered the best), the islandwalk and Merrow Reejerey really hurt both games as did a flashed in Harbinger of the Tides returning a large Student of Warfare to my hand before swinging for game. This matchup felt winnable just got unlucky with Merfolk's draws.

• Conlusion

So that is what I have tested so far, I still want to test the deck against Knightfall, Burn, Affinity, and Control, hopefully Friday some of the players I know who play those decks will be there and I can test for you. Overall though the deck did well, the mana base was honestly a little painful, I really think you want Inspiring Vantage in the deck, it is just a great land and Mikokoro, Center of the Sea was completely a dead card; it was never needed. I would replace it with something like Needle Spires as creatures are always nice, or Ghost Quarter (sometimes I just wished I had it in the deck but that is just me).

Oloro_Magic

• Questions

Would it have helped out to have Cavern of Souls, Archetype of Aggression, Anointed Procession or Archetype of Courage?

What cards gave the most value, and what cards pulled through right when you needed them. Besides Mikokoro, Center of the Sea were there any other dead cards?

• UB Turns

Sounds like the deck was stalled due to counters and cards designed to tap down. I don't have an answer to Thing in the Ice  ^Flip, so I would hold Eerie Interlude to avoid the bounce or try and remove it with Path to Exile I would get Grand Abolisher here as well.

• Death and Taxes

I'm not sure what this deck does, but it sounds like its a controlling deck. Not only that, but a deck I didn't have answers to. Maybe Torpor Orb if its "taxing" when entering? Could you explain this deck a little for me?

• Titan Shift

I'm not sure what this deck is supposed to do either, could you explain this because I've never heard of this archetype. However, sounded like it is combo oriented? The deck had a faster clock and just won. However assuming you brought in Path to Exile, would Lightning Bolt have worked better for you?

Sounds like it helped to have Aurelia, the Warleader in the side, I will keep her now.

• Grixis Shadow

I don't believe that this has splash white, so I would play Grand Abolisher and Authority of the Consuls Yes, Grand Abolisher would be a target instantly when it hits but if Cavern of Souls is on the field, it will land, and they have to use mana of their own to deal with it. If they don't they cant counter my spells, I won't need that much land and I can spare it should I choose to wait on my turn.

• Oath of Nissa Superfriends

It doesn't seem like the deck was fast enough to close out when the deck was being mana-screwed, however there really isn't much for me to analyze here :(

• 4-color Akido

(I'm interested in the fact your opponents are punished for having creatures, may I see the deck list for this? My WB might benenfit from stealing the engine.)

Leyline of Punishment I think is the answer to this.

• Mono White Flicker

Seems like combo decks kinda have a hard time with this, again i'm thinking of Torpor Orb Just to make it easier.

• Infect

Fantastic

• Eldrazi Tron

I don't know what "Tron" is, but I do know Eldrazi is hard to deal with. Blood Moon is a card that will stop the mana base, I know Eldrazi and so does Tron needs that.

• UB Faeries

Kinda surprised by this one, I really have to rely on the deck just being good on this one, as I don't have a lot of ways to deal with enchantments in the sideboard.

• Merfolk Aggro

Tap down with Authority of the Consuls and use spot removal on key cards, or stop Aether Vial with Stony Silence. Keep creatures tapped down with Thalia.

I'm going to add more land, but I with the cards I suggested, do any of those seem good enough to be in the side board, I don't think Angel of Jubilation is a good card here, but then again, the deck hasn't gone up against mono black or something like that. It also stops fetches, which I think is huge.

I never sided in Angel of Jubilation so you know but sure I'll run through the other decks to give you an idea of what you faced.

• U/B Turns

I really have to chalk this one up to experience, I just play turns a lot and know how to play it. Grand Abolisher would slow me down but wouldn't hurt me, I could Fatal Push it or just Gigadrowse and Exhaustion main phase. The Eerie Interlude plan would work but resolving Thing in the Ice  ^Flip isn't a huge deal as you blink and then can't attack and I combo off next turn. Your deck is definitely fast enough to beat turns but I just have a good understanding of how I want that deck to run against agro.

• G/W Death & Taxes

List --> G/W Ramunap Death & Taxes

Death & Taxes, also known as Hatebears, is at its heart a white control deck that aims to "tax" it's opponent by making it difficult for them to play magic with cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Flickerwisp, Ramunap Excavator, Qasali Pridemage, and Leonin Arbiter. I play Collected Company for extra value in the deck. It is a versatile deck that mixes land destruction with all out agro and control.

• Titan Shift

List --> https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-titan-shift#online

Titan shift is a peculiar deck that aims to win through Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle triggers, basically they ramp to play Primeval Titan and fetch the lands they need and then Scapeshift to sac those lands and play mountains or additional Valakut's for a whole bunch of triggers killing their opponent in one turn. Seeing how Lightning Bolt can't kill Primeval Titan no it wouldn't be better, in fact removal is generally pretty bad against this deck until it tries to combo off and when it does that you are probably dead anyway.

• Grixis Shadow

Shadow isn't going to care about Grand Abolisher, it will just play less risky and not go down to a life total where Boros Charm is lethal. Honestly this was just a case of Shadow being faster.

• Oath of Nissa Bant Superfriends

As someone who plays Superfriends I can say that your list is one of the lists I dread seing on the other end of the table, it generally means I have to move quickly which can be difficult, this was a good matchup for you, side out most removal and play more agro.

• 4-color Aikido

So my list is not on here but this list on the site has a similar idea --> Salt Sisters

That list goes very light on protection but uses the lifegain/drain engine that I find effective (though I feel it plays too many of those effects), I have more pillow fort stuff like Luminarch Ascension and Sphere of Safety as well as Selfless Spirit's in my list but if you want the engine that list does a better job explaining it than I ever could.

• Mono White Flicker

Torpor Orb would kill this deck as Lone Missionary, Wall of Omens, Thought-Knot Seer, and Genesis Chamber are needed for the many combos.

• Eldrazi Tron

Though very different from my test list this is a sample list --> https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-eldrazi-tron-26966#paper

"Tron" refers to the Urza lands, Urza's Tower, Urza's Mine, and Urza's Power Plant, which tap for a ton of mana together. Basically tron decks get these lands and then play big things that kill you quickly. Blood Moon is great against this deck, and to answer your question, Eldrazi Tron is a variant of the tron decks that have been around for a while, and it is the best of the bunch.

• U/B Faeries

Here it kinda came down to a lack of interaction on Faeries part game 2 or else you likely would have lost. Once you have a big creature though like Champion of the Parish with a ton of buffs, Hanweir Garrison, or Student of Warfare this matchup is a bit easier as Faeries can't really afford to lose life all that much.

• Merfolk

I agree with everything but the Authority of the Consuls, Merfolk moved quicker and I didn't have much removal in hand before it was too late.

Other Questions and Comments

I wouldn't add more land just redesign the mana base, really I never had mana trouble as one mana with a Student of Warfare is a keepable hand which is kinda scary.

Cards that performed very well: Student of Warfare, Champion of the Parish, Metallic Mimic, Hanweir Garrison, and Always Watching .

Whenever I had Always Watching , Metallic Mimic, and Hanweir Garrison I rested easy as the got big and so did the tokens without one having to be sacrificed in the attack, sometimes I wanted the tokens to be buffed by Always Watching but you can't have everything, the Mimic did it's job.

Cards that under performed: Eerie Interlude, good against removal but when I play agro unless its a board wipe I don't really care (when I test against control this may change). Battlefield Forge it was just painful, not bad, but painful.

Cavern of Souls

Honestly it is a great card, I had no cause in these matchups for it but against control it is great so if you have room for it play it.

Cards that didn't over performed but I was grateful to have: Boros Charm, not having to level up Student of Warfare to level 7 was nice as was the burn and protection. Path to Exile, solid removal. Lightning Bolt, same thing. Aurelia, the Warleader, flexible option in the side. Disenchant, never played it but was glad it was there.

Further Testing

I still want to do more testing against some other matchups, I'm working on testing my turns against a G/R Vengevine deck as that seems to be getting some hype, I'll test yours out to if that happens!

Oloro_Magic Thank you so much for the help! I'll look at the sideboard and manabase and try to redesign it to hurt less.

Vs Grixis, maybe Rest in Peace or something similar would be better