While Gifts Ungiven decks might be Tier 1.5 I still wanted to make one. I'm really not up to date on the modern format so any advice is appreciated.
Deck Breakdown
Creatures
Snapcaster Mage - Allows you to reuse counter spells and removal spells along with having a half-decent body.
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite - Shuts down a lot of decks, it makes all of your opponents creatures worse and your's better. Not much more to say. (Side Note: Can be boarded out against graveyard hate for Geist of Saint Traft
Iona, Shield of Emeria - Completely nullifies mono-coloured decks and is a great body to but into play on turn 4 or 5.
Kitchen Finks - Still trying to figure out if more should be put into the sideboard for aggro decks but all in all a good creature which gains you some life to counteract your Fetch lands and Shock lands.
Phantasmal Image - Copies the biggest thing on the field. Doesn't matter what it is, now you have one as well.
Vendilion Clique - Early hand disruption that doesn't cost life also an amazing creature as a 3/1 Flying for 3 mana is fairly efficient.
Instants/Sorceries
Gifts Ungiven - The main way of you getting large creatures into play. Can be boarded out for Geist of Saint Traft against graveyard hate.
Thoughtseize - Only a one of in the deck as the hand attack spells are covered by Clique but this can be important against combo decks like Splinter Twin
Inquisition of Kozilek - Similar to Thoughtseize but hits lower CMC cards (Obviously).
Cryptic Command - Arguably the best hard counter in Modern. It gives you utility and a great use for the mana that you left up for a counter if your opponent didn't play anything worth countering.
Gifts Ungiven - The key card in this deck. Gives you huge amounts of versatility with what cards to grab and dumps some good cards into the graveyard for Snapcaster or Unburial Rites to hit.
Path to Exile - While not nearly as good as Swords to Plowshares it's still one of the most played removal spells in Modern and for a good reason.
Remand - Just a one of in the deck as I'm not sure if it's the right fit for the deck. This still happens to be one of my favorite counters in the game even if I don't play it that often.
Spell Pierce - Great for the occasional mirror match or control decks in general. In fact it is just great to have in any match-up.
Spell Snare - Let me just list the number of relevant cards this hits: Tarmogoyf, Dark Confidant, Remand, Ethersworn Canonist, Scavenging Ooze, Lightning Helix, Arcbound Ravager, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben... the list goes on for about another 1600 cards but I think my point has been made.
Thirst for Knowledge - Draws you cards, gives you a discard outlet. Both are good in this deck.
Enchantments
Oblivion Ring - Another one of. Seems decent against Planeswalkers but it might get replaced with Detention Sphere.
Artifacts
Talisman of Progress - Gives you a mana accelerator that also allows you to cast Path to Exile or Spell Snare on the same turn unlike Azorius Signet.
Lands
I really don't want to go over the lands but here it goes.
Snow-Covered Island,
Snow-Covered Plains
, and Snow-Covered Swamp - Wonderful basics that can be fetched either with a Fetch land or when one of your dudes gets Pathed.
Celestial Colonnade and Creeping Tar Pit - Awesome Manlands that are hard to deal with if the game goes long. As an added bonus Creeping Tar Pit becomes a 5/4 unblockable with Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Marsh Flats and Misty Rainforest - Fetchlands what's more to say. They give you any colour of mana whenever you need it.
Hallowed Fountain
and Watery Grave - Gives you the right mana when you need it. Also can come into play untapped and be fetched with either fetch land.
Seachrome Coast
- One of your better turn one land drops. Gives you mana to Path to Exile in an emergency or Spell Snare if the situation arises.Gets worse after the first 3 turns.
Mystic Gate - Gives you the much needed double blue mana for Cryptic Command. (I know Cryptic is 3 blue but you get my point)
Drowned Catacomb - Comes in untapped a lot of the time. Gives you two colours of mana. What's not to like.
Tectonic Edge - Great land destruction. Not sure if I should add more Tect Edges or take this one out.
Sideboard
Geist of Saint Traft - Great 3 drop. Gets boarded in against decks with graveyard hate and completely transforms the deck from control to a more aggro focused deck.
Engineered Explosives - Kills a lot of tokens. Or Robots. Or anything that costs 3 mana or less.
Leyline of Sanctity - Stops storm from killing you with grapshot that's about it.
Meddling Mage - Hopefully will slow down a combo deck by stopping either the combo card or the card that's fetching the combo piece.
Nihil Spellbomb - Graveyard hate. Yay! Board this in with Geist for full effect.
Spellskite - Deters the use of stupid enchantment combos. I'm looking at you Splinter Twin.
Stony Silence - Who doesn't like a useless army of metal machines.
Hurkyl's Recall - Something was clearly wrong with that 6/6 Inkmoth Nexus and it had to be recalled back to the manufacturer's hand.
Wrath of God - Aggro got you down? Let god sort them out.
Any advice or +1's are appreciated!
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