Modern Allies - Primer (Updated for BfZ!)
Modern
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MTGprojectzer0 says... #2
Decklist: Captain Planet
This list is off as a draft, so I can still tweak around if needed. But, the ideas is this:
Core:
The idea here is just simply pump up large dudes and swing for damage. Steelshaper and stoneforge helps to tutor out for stackable damage, Scales pump the dudes faster.
1 hitter + 1 evasive guy. The claw will continually pump evasion/protection.
The main aggro cards remain largely the same, but I made a few prominent changes from my original deck Collected Allianceto support the core. Firstly, Aether Vials get cut. They are good, but the build I'm looking at is a different build altogether with a different strategy.
- 4x Akoum Battlesinger
She is busted. Really strong in multiple triggers during attack phase.
- 3x Firemantle Mage
- 4x Kabira Evangel
7 pieces of evasion. Depending on the MU, board out whichever. But, IMO, the 75 should contain 4-off for both Firemantle Mage AND Kabira Evangel. The protection and evasion is extremely important for the strategy.
- 4x Hada Freeblade
- 4x Kazandu Blademaster
- 3x Oran-Rief Survivalist
11 targets to attach to. Ideally, Kazandu Blademaster is the guy you want. But the other 2 are great as well.
4 -> 2 Collected Company: In comparison to my original build, 2 Collected Company is needed. Not 4. The additional ETB triggers is good, but it's not the central focus here. This is only used as a finisher and/or a recovery from a boardwipe. Maybe the other 2 COCO can be in the side, but I think atm, 2 is optimal for this strategy. It's too good to not use, but 4 is overkill for this build.
4 Path to Exile: Because why not?
20 -> 22 lands: More lands in this build to support the artifact drops, tutors etc. I may think 21 to 22 lands is the ideal number to sustain the mana curve. Whatever the number, just remember that there is no vials to rely on in this build.
Let me know what you think of this build. Critique, comment or whatever. Let's just break Ally into a Tier 1 deck.
February 10, 2016 7:50 p.m.
Johanson69 says... #3
Seen your post on mtgsalvation as well.
Imo it looks a bit slow and gives the opponent too many opportunities to screw you over with a well-timed removal. Like the guy on mtgs said, inlcuding Hardened Scales for just the bunch of creatures doesn't seem that good an idea - I'd rather play more Creatures, ie Expedition Envoy or straight up AEther Vial. But, go ahead and test it, I'd like to see such a strategy succeed.
I believe in the end Captain's Claws is better suited (if at all) as a 1-3 of for fair attrition MUs.
February 10, 2016 10:51 p.m.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #4
Johanson69 I agree the deck tech is much slower. No arguments about it. I'm still playing my original vial/coco build. A goldfish test shows it to be very unstable atm, but when it works, it is really wonderful in the damage output. Feel free to change up the deck and tune if needed. I'm just bored and was toying with a few tech brews :)
February 11, 2016 12:58 a.m.
What do you guys think of Innistrad utility lands? Mainly Gavony Township and Kessig Wolf Run are they reliable mana sinks for Harabaz Druid or they come off too late to matter?
February 11, 2016 8:43 a.m.
They are good, but you can't run them with only 20 lands. You had people running Gavony Township in some major events in the past and did well. I know they ran at least 22 lands, if not 24.
February 11, 2016 10:22 a.m.
dperry2011 says... #7
Hey guys,
First off I just want to say, thanks for all the great advice on card choices and strategies you guys posted on this primer -- It's all been super helpful (especially since this is my first foray into competitive magic).
I came across Ethersworn Canonist when searching for anti-eldrazi tech. What is your guys' opinions on her as a sb inclusion? She is collectable and she slows down eldrazi aggro more so than it slows down allies (if AEther Vial and Coco are being run). My thinking is that by limiting them to one eldrazi to one a turn, we can use our paths more efficiently while still ideally putting 2+ allies down a turn. For example: (T1 AEther Vial, T2 Hada Freeblade + Ethersworn Canonist, T3 Collected Company + 3 allies OR 2 allies + Path to Exile)
What do you guys think? Or am I thinking about this in the wrong direction?
February 12, 2016 1:43 p.m.
What do you think about running Cavalry Pegasus in the deck ?
Since most of our creatures are Humans it can be a rather good additional source of evasion for the deck (especially against Eldrazi where it can replace Kabira Evangel and compliment Firemantle Mage).
Cavalry Pegasus is probably a good candidate to carry Captain's Claws as well.
What do you think about this idea ?
February 13, 2016 12:33 p.m.
jonathanveedot says... #10
Painters servant would keep Kabira turned on AND prevents hand spills.
Abzan Falconer also seems slightly better for modern than Cavalry Pegasus if that's an effect you want.
Magus of the Moon is also a good choice. It turns off your own lands, so it requires adjusting the mana base a bit, but it's solid in a variety of MU's and hits off CoCo/Stampede.
I didn't realize my Ally deck was private, but I ran this (http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/modern-allies-tribal/) to 5-1 yesterday against 2 tron, 2 drazi, 1 merfolk and Naya Zoo. It felt solid. The one loss was to Eldrazi (0-2) where I was on the draw game 1 and game 2 didn't see Magus and got my CoCo plucked. I beat the other Eldrazi (2-1) on the play game 1 because I was faster and their hand was mediocre. I find that not attacking into blockers is important, so I'll spend 2 turns developing the field and taking hits to be able to take advantage of their lack of interaction. Still not too familiar with playing them using this deck, but it seems like a "plan" for now.
February 13, 2016 2:49 p.m.
Abzan Falconer is slower and doesn't grant flying to over half of the deck:
Expedition Envoy, Akoum Battlesinger, Kabira Evangel, Firemantle Mage and Lantern Scout.
Btw, here is my Allies G/W/R build with: AEther Vial, Cavalry Pegasus and Captain's Claws.
Feedback is welcome.
Naya Human Allies
Modern
SCORE: 0 | 0 COMMENTS | 725 VIEWS
February 13, 2016 3:37 p.m.
jonathanveedot says... #12
Yea but you want immediate value in modern, and Falcolner can come in for infect where they will often finish you over the top. I wouldn't play either of them, but a 1/1 flyer for 2 that you have to wait to get value out of is not what you want to do in modern.
February 13, 2016 3:49 p.m.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #13
Correct me if I am wrong: Painter's Servant + Kabira Evangel = protection from all creature??
February 15, 2016 5:54 p.m.
Johanson69 says... #14
From just about everything, yeah. I wouldn't know something that'd be able to circumvent this (apart from reacting to Evangel's trigger).
February 15, 2016 7:34 p.m.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #15
Just thinking if it is worth jamming 2-off in the 75 to have that interaction against the eldrazis... It's pricey now and not sure if it works...
February 15, 2016 8:24 p.m.
Had my first run with the deck tonight(Naya Allies, pretty much this list with the exception of the spellskites and cavern of souls ), had 4 matches
Ad Nauseum (0-2)Both Games were pretty straight forward, I could not rush him down before he combo'd me. I sided out all my paths and kabiras evangels to add as much enchantment/artifact destruction as possible, still he managed to detain me long enough.
Souls Sister (2-0)His life-gain could not hold out the damage, a table flooded with big allies swiped right past his defenses with white protection and menace.
BW Death n Taxes (2-0)This one got me on my toes, as the mana base is pretty vulnerable to his land destruction and could lock me out easly, but game one was pretty much a beatdown he had no answer for the aggression, game two I sided out firemantle and kabira to add some enchantment/artifact destruction and I was spot on as he brought in ghostly prisions and ratchet bombs, after removing these threats it was game.
Scapeshift (0-2)Tough, even though I managed to get good drops he still was able to combo me off on both game, really no idea on how to react to this deck. As he can kill off allies whilst progressing to his game plan
Overall I'm pretty satisfied with the deck, but I have to figure out good options against combos, any suggestions?
February 16, 2016 9:20 p.m.
Johanson69 says... #17
Since you play 4 Harabaz Druid (I suppose, the linked list does), maybe splash black for hand disruption? Apart form Bala Ged Thief, which is too slow possibly, maybe go with Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek (not that good against most combos I guess), Memoricide, Cranial Extraction, Stain the Mind. Against certain combos Extirpate, Surgical Extraction and Infinite Obliteration could work.
Apart from that, maybe Silence, Angel's Grace can buy you the crucial turn? Though afaik Silence isn't as effective against Ad Nauseam since they can most likely respond to it with the combo.
February 16, 2016 10:52 p.m.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #18
so can I assume that AEther Vial has fallen out of favour?
February 16, 2016 11:46 p.m.
Johanson69 says... #19
Well, the fact that these 5-0 Results don't play Vial confirms that. I believe it's because you still really want to play Collected Company, but now with Eldrazi and other all-in decks being more prevalent, have to make space for interaction. Basically Aether Vial has been replaced with Path to Exile. I'm contemplating whether to squeeze in cards to protect our board state (Return to the Ranks, Boros Charm, Dromoka's Command, maybe Eerie Interlude?), but I think I'll orient myself at these lists for the time being. I'm partial to Champion of the Parish, he certainly makes for more consistent starts.
February 17, 2016 12:12 a.m.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #20
Yea, I saw the results without vial. It's really astounding and I just dropped vials, but I added 3 scales, 2 path, -1 other card MB. the other 2 path in SB with board-state protections like 2x join the ranks, 1x boros charm.
IMO, Champion of the Parish is good only if you play scales build and have him early. If not I rather play Expedition Envoy.
February 17, 2016 12:23 a.m.
@MTGprojectzer0I've seen a WURG deck running aether vial, which had the plan based both on aggression and mill (Halimar Excavator and Jwari Shapeshifter doing most of the work).
@Johanson69 B Hand disruption might be doable, I'm also looking into land destruction in the form of Crumble to Dust as this would mean an instant victory over scapeshift and would also bar Tron decks, even ad nauseum as it would damage their mana flexibility.
February 17, 2016 8:54 a.m.
Johanson69 says... #22
Well in order to win with Crumble against Scapeshift, they have to have Valakut already in game. I wouldn't trust the enemy to be as careless as to have it against the thread of a Crumble, especially postboard. I'd rather put my money on decent amounts of lifegain via Ondu Cleric, Lantern Scout and maybe secure with hand disruption to slow them down.
February 17, 2016 12:01 p.m.
jonathanveedot says... #23
Crumble also costs 4 mana, so, generally speaking, your opponent will have had 3 or 4 turns to get something going versus 2 or 3 against bloodmoon. Crumble is good for the third land hate slot if you're on that plan, but just remember that it's a little slow and most decks have alternate win-cons and counter strategies.
February 17, 2016 12:16 p.m.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #24
JVMAV yea I have seen the build somewhere... But for traditional aggro build? Seems for that archetype the vials has fallen out of favour. Now I am running 3 scales + 2 path mainboard. Shall see how this turns out
February 17, 2016 12:24 p.m.
Needs to be updated through OGW.
Also, could you make an Eldrazi primer, your really good.
MTGprojectzer0 says... #1
Decklist: Captain Planet
This list is off as a draft, so I can still tweak around if needed. But, the ideas is this:
Core:
The idea here is just simply pump up large dudes and swing for damage. Steelshaper and stoneforge helps to tutor out for stackable damage, Scales pump the dudes faster.
1 hitter + 1 evasive guy. The claw will continually pump evasion/protection.
The main aggro cards remain largely the same, but I made a few prominent changes from my original deck Collected Allianceto support the core. Firstly, Aether Vials get cut. They are good, but the build I'm looking at is a different build altogether with a different strategy.
She is busted. Really strong in multiple triggers during attack phase.
7 pieces of evasion. Depending on the MU, board out whichever. But, IMO, the 75 should contain 4-off for both Firemantle Mage AND Kabira Evangel. The protection and evasion is extremely important for the strategy.
11 targets to attach to. Ideally, Kazandu Blademaster is the guy you want. But the other 2 are great as well.
4 -> 2 Collected Company: In comparison to my original build, 2 Collected Company is needed. Not 4. The additional ETB triggers is good, but it's not the central focus here. This is only used as a finisher and/or a recovery from a boardwipe. Maybe the other 2 COCO can be in the side, but I think atm, 2 is optimal for this strategy. It's too good to not use, but 4 is overkill for this build.
4 Path to Exile: Because why not?
20 -> 22 lands: More lands in this build to support the artifact drops, tutors etc. I may think 21 to 22 lands is the ideal number to sustain the mana curve. Whatever the number, just remember that there is no vials to rely on in this build.
Let me know what you think of this build. Critque, comment or whatever. Let's just break Ally into a Tier 1 deck.
February 10, 2016 7:49 p.m.