Choices, choices...
Modern forum
Posted on June 7, 2015, 8:11 p.m. by FAMOUSWATERMELON
So today, I played a league game with tooTimid, and it came to a situation in game three where I Inquisition of Kozileked him to find two Abrupt Decay, a Cryptic Command, a Snapcaster Mage, and a Tarmogoyf. He had three lands on the board, and I had a goyf, an Obstinate Baloth, and a Cruel Ultimatum in hand (I know, I play weird decks). So I'm wondering what the right choice would be here for the discard. I chose snappy to ensure that he couldn't flash anything back, but I knew that I would be fighting an uphill battle because he had enough removal for both of my creatures and I had no immediate answer for goyf. What would you choose?
(Also, I ended up loosing the game, but not because of the goyf that he cast the turn after. More because of a Thrun, the Last Troll.)
Jimmy_Chinchila says... #4
Id take Cryptic Command so you can land your Baloth to prevent Thrun from walking over you. They can get it back with snapcaster and prevent your ultimatum but at least you have a board presence their Decays can't hit and a life pad to give time to draw a response to the Goyf. Take Goyf and they'll counter the Baloth or Ultimatum to prevent you from stopping Thrun, take snapcaster and they still counter your Baloth or ultimatum to prevent you from stopping Thrun. (This is assuming they're tapped out)
June 7, 2015 10:26 p.m.
cant grab the Cryptic Command with a kozilek. 3 cmc or less. I'd go snappy.
June 7, 2015 10:43 p.m.
Hallowed_Titan says... #6
Jimmy_Chinchila, Inquisition of Kozilek can only hit 3cmc or less cards. Cryptic has a cmc of 4.
June 7, 2015 10:44 p.m.
lemmingllama says... #9
I'd probably take the Snapcaster, it's the best choice. I was tempted to take the Tarmogoyf, but it's better to reduce their endgame potential.
June 7, 2015 10:52 p.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #11
Goyf is the only immediate threat he could play off 3 lands. Snappy is usually a 4 mana play.
My justification. Why worry about non combo pieces that may not even be possible to cast?
June 7, 2015 11:13 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #12
You need to keep the lategame in mind. You are playing a control deck, and your opponent is also playing a control deck. Goyf beats will be there for a little while, but you will answer it and Snapcaster Mage provides a lot more value later on.
June 7, 2015 11:27 p.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #13
I dunno, I think it's better to answer the immediate threat than the potential threat. He had no other answer for it in hand and trying to trade sounds like a 2 for 1 in the opponents favor.
I don't know either list but running 4 color Cruel Control sounds like a loosing plan to begin with. That card could have been anything else. (Liliana of the Veil) could have drawn out an Abrupt Decay, potentially both or potentially answered Thrun, the Last Troll
June 7, 2015 11:34 p.m. Edited.
APPLE01DOJ says... #14
I assume this is the list...
Suicide and Modern (Glint Cruel Control) Playtest
Modern
SCORE: 10 | 41 COMMENTS | 666 VIEWSI think some sort of Manlands would help this deck out a lot. If nothing else vs Control. There's 5 or 6 in those colors so take you're pick. Mutavault Treetop Village Raging Ravine Hellion Crucible Lavaclaw Reaches Creeping Tar Pit Faerie Conclave
June 7, 2015 11:43 p.m.
I agree that Snap was the correct card to snag.
And thanks Glistener. :P
June 8, 2015 2:34 a.m.
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #16
APPLE01DOJ Well it's not like I was planning on winning :)
June 8, 2015 4:55 p.m.
DarkMagician says... #17
Seems like you were pretty well boned but I think you made the right choice.
June 9, 2015 9:03 a.m.
The decision is clearly between either Tarmogoyf or Snapcaster Mage. However to make the perfect call we'd need to know what else was in his graveyard and if you had enough mana to cast your Obstinate Baloth. Also lifetotals matter much for that decision.
Scenario 1: no cards that can immediatly deal with Baloth are in the yard, you can play it next turn without the fear of Cryptic Command then I'd have taken the Goyf (it was probably a 4/5 and so bigger than the Baloth). The rule of thumb is to go for the Snapcaster almost always, especially when you see a Cryptic to pair with it but from the information given, you will lose your threat (Goyf) 100% and your next threat (Baloth) loses to his threat (Goyf). Now if his lifetotal is something like 6-8 going for that play is almost always correct.
Scenario 2: Dismember is in the graveyard. Then I would've taken the Snapcaster. You cannot win the game quickly because you would lose both threats in 2 turns time if you take the Goyf and his hand is a bit better set up with Cryptic usually beating your Cruel Ultimatum. Also you should aim for the long game if his lifetotal is high and the Baloth cannot put enough pressure on him immediately.
June 10, 2015 8:16 a.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #19
I'm fairly sure this is turn 3-4, as tooTimid had three lands in play. Life totals are likely high, and so this game will go for a lot more turns. Not sure about graveyards though.
GlistenerAgent says... #2
Yeah, go tooTimid!
Snapcaster Mage is the easy choice here.
June 7, 2015 8:13 p.m.