Jund Scapeshift vs. RUG Scapeshift in the Modern Meta
Modern forum
Posted on March 19, 2015, 2:38 p.m. by LioAME3
Hey everyone, so I have been playing RUG scapeshift for a while (see deck list here Scapeshift Their Life Away) and I was thinking about making it Jund instead. This way there is black for removal, Liliana of the Veil and Tasigur, the Golden Fang. I came up with this deck list (Scapeshift Only Darker) and I was wondering what is the communities opinion on which one would be better situated in the modern meta? Or are they both outclassed by the monster known as Siege Rhino and G/B/x?
ThisIsBullshit says... #3
As far as I know (and I don't play scapeshift so take this with a grain of salt), scapeshift wants to play more like a control deck. I think that taking the blue out is a poor decision, because it protects your combo pieces and gets you some card draw so you can dig through your deck to get to your Scapeshifts.
March 19, 2015 2:43 p.m.
@ThisIsBullshit and FAMOUSWATERMELON that is what I was leaning towards as well. However, I have been playtesting it on Cockatrice and it has been doing very well because usually my opponent and I were both hellbent and then I would draw out the game until Primeval Titan won me the game or I top decked Scapeshift. It doesn't seem as practical but it is definitely a fun alternative.
March 19, 2015 2:53 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #5
Jund Scapeshift should not have Liliana of the Veil. She's the actual worst card you could put in your deck. Tasigur is also rather bad in Scapeshift.
The only black cards in Jund Shift are Abrupt Decay and Night's Whisper. The deck is generally a more all-in version with Oracles, Titans and Omens, and usually some number of Courser of Kruphix.
March 19, 2015 4:19 p.m.
Liliana is a beating against scaepshift. Not something you'd want to play.
March 19, 2015 4:38 p.m.
The only reason to touch black in scapeshift is Clutch of the Undercity which isn't even worth splashing for.
March 19, 2015 4:39 p.m.
Lili is actually fine. It's why you are supposed to run Life from the Loam and build it more like Jund Midrange Valakut.
March 19, 2015 5:40 p.m.
fluffybunnypants says... #9
Sometimes T/O breaks and your posts look like no one posted it.
March 19, 2015 5:51 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #10
You don't want to play Life from the Loam though. That's a sideboard card, and when you build the deck like Jund Midrange you're just giving up games to your best matchups.
Liliana of the Veil shouldn't be in this deck. You are a 7-8 card combo deck, and need all of your cards to win most of the time.
March 19, 2015 5:54 p.m.
fluffybunnypants says... #11
There's a difference between Jund Midrange Valakut and Jund Midrange Scapeshift.
March 19, 2015 5:57 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #12
There's a give and take with the midrange version. First, you ruin your manabase of powerful manlands and occasionally Tectonic Edge for a combo kill. You also have cards that are often dead in hand when they could be removal or discard. What you get is an explosive way to beat the mirror.
The more combo-oriented version is very, very good against control and aggro decks, and sacrifices some resilience for more power while having options for the mirror.
I know which one I'd play. :) The midrange deck just isn't suited to even be playing Scapeshift.
March 19, 2015 6:02 p.m.
fluffybunnypants says... #13
Which is exactly why it's Jund Valakut instead of Jund Scapeshift.
March 19, 2015 6:06 p.m.
So besides my decklist choices being questionable, it seems that everyone think RUG is better?
also @GlistenerAgent why do you say tasigur is bad? He performed well in the testing I did, although that testing was rather limited
March 19, 2015 6:11 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #15
Oh, right. That makes a bit more sense.
In that case, it's even worse. :)
March 19, 2015 6:11 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #16
What is Tasigur getting you? Rarely, if ever, Scapeshift. You'll get card draw, perhaps some ramp spells get milled over. There are way more totally dead cards in your deck as the game wears on than in any other black deck.
March 19, 2015 6:13 p.m.
Scapeshifts biggest advantage was its ability to beast control better than any other deck, this includes twin as well. Without counter spells, you are losing what makes the deck good.
I will say this, its a really neat idea and I think it might have potential, but you are basically making an entirely new deck. Making innovations to existing strategies is very much a good thing that has serious potential to take you places, and this idea seems like it have promise.
March 19, 2015 6:56 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #18
Jund Scapeshift has been around for a while. I even played a few matches with it. You're really better off going all-in, because you're giving up some in your control matchups and might as well crush your aggro matchups for it.
March 19, 2015 7:03 p.m.
I think Jund Scapeshift is a completely viable deck in this meta.
RUG scapeshift was so good because it wrecked pod. Pod was one of its best match ups. Now that pod is gone, pretty much rug scapeshift is gone because of the twin match up. Twin does great against scapeshift because twin does everything faster.
On the other hand, Jund does amazing against twin. Thoughtsieze, abrupt decays is what you want to play against twin. Currently everyone is playing r/g tron which is a tough match up for Jund. If the meta heads towards r/g tron heavily rug scapeshift might actually shine again.
June 18, 2015 7:32 p.m.
This version is pretty sweet, and the direction I would head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywcbxPJCiNk
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #2
Well, Scapeshift without blue is taking out all the remands and drawing and blue stuff, and that's what makes Scapeshift so good. While Jund could be a fun possible alternative, I don't really think that it will be able to compete with other decks (namely Dr. Siegeman).
March 19, 2015 2:42 p.m.