Angels in Modern (I'm new)
Modern forum
Posted on June 3, 2015, 8:47 p.m. by ltcheese23
I'm new to modern, and I want to know exactly how an angel deck should look. I've got Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Akroma, Angel of Wrath, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, and Iona, Shield of Emeria as my main angels. Should I keep it as a mono-white mana ramp? (That is what it currently is, with smaller angels to help out.)
Modern is an explosive format. It's frequently refereed to as a turn-4 format. There's decks like spliter twin that can flash in a Deceiver Exarch at the end of your turn on turn 3, proceed onto their turn, enchant the Deceiver Exarch with Splinter Twin and just win on the spot.
Unfortunately, angels aren't anything close to a functional deck. For the most part, very few angels are even played in Modern. The average game lasts something like 6 or 7 turns. You simply won't have the capacity to cast those expensive creatures. Sorry man.
If you like the flavor and playstyle of angels, I suggest you check out a modern archetype called soul sisters. That sounds like something you'd maybe enjoy playing.
June 3, 2015 8:54 p.m.
pumpkinwavy says... #4
Mono white doesn't really have any ramp, at all, so those 8 cost angels are going to be stuck in your hand 99% of the time. Angels isn't really playable competitively, because there's no card that benefits you for playing angels over another creature type, and because all of the angels cost a lot of mana. just for reference, some good angels are Restoration Angel, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, and Baneslayer Angel.
June 3, 2015 8:54 p.m.
Definitely_Paying_Attention says... #5
Try EDH/Commander (if you haven't already) if you want a format that lets you play angels effectively. Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Avacyn, Guardian Angel, and Karona, False God are good Angel-tribal generals.
Unfortunately, unless Wizards starts printing lots of cheap, synergistic Angels (think Merfolk- everything's 1-3 CMC, most cards pump other Merfolk), Angels won't be a playable tribe in most competitive formats.
June 3, 2015 9:01 p.m.
Baneslayer Angel is sometimes played as a finisher in control decks.
Soul sisters is the most angel like competitive archetype
June 4, 2015 2:51 a.m.
Gifts Ungiven will play Iona, Shield of Emeria and cheat her out from the graveyard.
I've seen Baneslayer Angel sitting at the top of an effective Zoo build before.
Death and Taxes AND practically any control deck wants to run Restoration Angel
Then, as others have mentioned, Soul Sisters will occasionally have Archangel of Thune at the top of the curve.
Angels are like Dragons in that there aren't enough of them at a low-cost to make a tribal deck around the idea. To play effectively, You'll run an angel as your win condition or as a portion of your deck's theme.
June 4, 2015 3:53 a.m. Edited.
JexInfinite says... #8
Only individual angels are competitive, but not a deck.
June 4, 2015 4:07 a.m.
I would play Unburial Gifts Angels, because it's easier to cheat them out.
June 4, 2015 7:18 a.m.
Jimmy_Chinchila says... #10
You can play high-cost Angels in a mono-white shell by using Windbrisk Heights. It's often used in Soul Sisters decks to bring in Archangel of Thune as a combat trick. If you cast Spectral Procession on turn 3 and Avacyn was stuffed under Heights in turn 2, then on turn 4 you swing with the 3 spirits to release Avacyn. Seems like the best way to get angels in early. You can also use Cavern of Souls to make them uncounterable, and use things like Grand Abolisher or Linvala, Keeper of Silence to draw the game out longer.
June 4, 2015 7:35 p.m.
Jimmy_Chinchila says... #11
pumpkinwavy the white land Windbrisk Heights can get Iona, Shield of Emeria or Avacyn, Angel of Hope out early game without any need for ramp. so they do get stuck in hand but if they aren't drawn yet then you could hit one with Heights. Obviously you wouldn't want to draw a fatty but there's nothing better than a turn 4 Avacyn mid-combat.
HolyFalcon says... #2
You probably wanna go
for angels. You get tons of ramp options, like Avacyn's Pilgrim, Frontier Siege, and Sylvan Caryatid. You can also cheat them out via Quicksilver Amulet.
June 3, 2015 8:52 p.m.