Cards in the deck can be broken into categories for what they do in the deck:
INFORMATION
These cards are important in giving us information, and allowing us to plan accordingly.
Lantern of Insight
Non-negotiable and irreplaceable, this namesake card is our main pillar. It's the heart and soul of the deck. Seeing what's coming gives time to plan. The card serves a cornercase and niche purpose as well, where being able to use its second ability to force a shuffle can get us out of a tricky situation.
Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoughtsieze
These cards serve a twofold purpose: first, we are able to take cards that may be troublesome out of the hand. Second, we are able to plan ahead, and we are able to use it in conjunction with Pithing Needle to name activated abilities that might cause issues, such as Boseiju, Who Endures.
Mishra's Bauble
Dubious as an inclusion, as it causes us to draw one more card, meaning combat could be on the table, but the card is much maligned. The benefit of being Lantern-less, but still being able to see the opponent's card to make decisions is important. information is the most important game piece in Lantern, and Bauble fits that role well. It's also a , meaning an opening hand of Bauble + Bauble + Opal jumps us from 1 mana to 2 on the first turn, meaning we might be able to deploy a Lantern and Mill Rock immediately.
MILL ROCKS
These cards are what allow us to remove cards from the game that can cause us issues. They remove cards from the top of the deck, allowing us to control what's being drawn on either side of the table.
Codex Shredder
In order to control the top of the deck, this is the top choice. Being able to mill away an opponent's cards, or our own dead draws, we're able to shape the game; the shape of no one playing the game, no one winning, and no one losing.
Pyxis of Pandemonium
The other Mill rock, albeit in a different manner. Much like Ghoulcaller's Bell, (a card that has fallen out of favour in the deck), it hits both players, but instead of sending it to the graveyard, it exiles the cards. This is particularly useful for anti-mill cards, like Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, and Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, allowing us to remove them from the game entirely.
LOCK PIECES
These cards are used to lock out what the opponent wants to do.
Ensnaring Bridge
The second pillar of the deck, as very few decks not win without combat. Being able to prevent attacks by having an empty hand means that we can allow the opponent to have creatures, meaning our precious mills are saved for more threatening cards and effects. If combat is a non-issue, other cards are a priority.
Grafdigger's Cage
An absolute staple. In the current state of Modern, Cage stops a lot of the issues we can run into. Cage locks out multiple decks currently on a tear in the format. It stops Green Sun's Zenith, Faithless Looting, Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury, Arclight Phoenix, and other widely played strategies.
Surgical Extraction
Who doesn't love a free spell? Surgical is monstrous, as it allows us to eat up problematic cards if we take them from the top of the deck, or if we discard. Being able to search the deck also forces a shuffle, giving us another way to remove problematic cards.
Pithing Needle
A staple in Modern for many years, this artifact can stop problem before they start. Teferi, Time Raveler, Wrenn and Six. Boseiju, Who Endures, Otawara, Soaring City, all cards that can cause issues if unchecked, but Needle stops that all from happening. Naming Fetchlands can prevent the opponent from Shuffling, or even from hitting land drops altogether. A point of note for naming things and activated abilites: With Splinter Twin being unbanned, a lot of brews have cropped up. Naming Twin is a valid call, but it DOES NOT stop the combo. Naming Pestermite, Deceiver Exarch, and Fear of Missing Out is how you combat this, as Twin grants the enchanted creature the tap ability, Twin itself doesn't retain it.
SEEKING/ASSEMBLY
In this category, we have the cards that are used to find our pieces
Ancient Stirrings
A way to shred through our deck, and find us lands and lock pieces. Few cards are as good at looking for pieces needed as Stirrings, and using it effectively, knowing what card to grab can be the difference between winning and losing.
Urza's Saga
One of the most broken cards to come out of a supplemental set, this card can create blockers for us if necessary, but it serves a more important purpose: when the last ability triggers, we search our deck for an artifact with mana value of or . Each of our pieces, besides Bridge is , and Opals and Baubles are . (Rules note: The cards that can be sought by Saga are not Mana Value of 0 or 1, they are specific in being and . You cannot get a Portable Hole or a Mox Tantalite with it._
Inventors' Fair
This land often gives us a life gain advantage, with it netting us 1 life per upkeep it remains in play. The second ability is important here as well, as it will allow us to pay and search an artifact in our library. This means we can grab another Bridge, or another lock piece.
Every other card in the deck serves its own purpose as well.
Mox Opal
can jump us ahead in mana, and it's very good when we are locked under a Blood Moon or the new and ever-present Harbinger of the Seas. It's mana fixing, and being a zero means we can drop it out of our hand to keep our Bridge healthy.
Bloodchief's Thirst
Is a removal spell. It's good for removing troublesome creatures or Planeswalkers. Having the kicker, the card removes the restriction of mana value 2, and allows us to instead destroy ANY creature. At its base, it can hit cards like Collector Ouphe, Wrenn and Six and Psychic Frog without kicker, and can hit the ceiling on Planeswalkers and creatures like Karn, the Great Creator or Harbinger of the Seas when the kicker is paid.
Boseiju, Who Endures
Premier removal for artifacts, enchantments, or non-basic lands that can't be interacted with in conventional means. We have to worry about this card ourselves, but the ability to remove a Leyline of Sanctity or Stony Silence is so important that its inclusion is a must.
The Mycosynth Gardens
This new land from All Will Be One is very good at allowing us to colour fix if need be, doing a great impression of Mana Cylix, but its true power lies in its second ability: ": The Mycosynth Gardens becomes a copy of target nontoken artifact you control with mana value X." What this means is that at its baseline, it's a land with mana fixing. At its highest, it becomes copies 9 and 10 of mill rocks, or 5 and 6 of Lantern or Bridge.
The lands can be any choice, but I am basing my choices off of what I have. Most generally, we want pain-free lands, so Blooming Marsh is the best choice. Having basics in the deck helps when facing heavy Moon and Harbinger metas, and the fetch lands can be a solid shuffle for us to control our draws more.
