Modern Starter Guide?
Modern forum
Posted on May 22, 2014, 3:10 p.m. by awphutt
So I've been playing for a while now, and I've been looking to a format other than Standard that's a little competitive. So I figured I'd check whether or not there's a decent guide for people getting into Modern.
Thanks for the help.
There's not much of a guide. Pretty much, to get into modern, you need a nice, consistent deck that will play well and match up against the meta. Right now, I personally think Infect could win a lot of games.
Then, you need to check out the meta. Look at what decks are in. What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses? Use this to your advantage (card and mind).
Finally, check out your LGS and see what people play there. This will influence your sideboard a lot. Trust me, it'll be a huge issue if you don't make the right sideboard.
That's what I can name off the top of my head. Also, investing in cards that could spike is a great way to make cash to play more expensive modern decks.
May 22, 2014 4:08 p.m.
I'd take that advice with a grain of salt. Soul Sisters, tokens, and infect are all fine strategies for fnm level modern.
May 22, 2014 4:09 p.m.
Also there is a modern event deck coming out. Take a look at it and playtest to see if you like the playstyle. With a few changes it can become a decent modern starter deck.
May 22, 2014 4:11 p.m.
While it is true that the above mentioned decks are extremely bad, feel free to play them if they look fun to you. I recommend using cockatrice/untap.in to load up some decks and start jamming as many archetypes as possible. Mtgtop8.com is a great resource for finding successful ones.
May 22, 2014 5:07 p.m.
Dalektable says... #7
How convenient...
I write articles for the site occasionally, not more consistently mainly because I'm lazy. I do a series that are basically "A Guide" articles, and I wrote that awhile back. Also I'm going to go ahead and say I think the above stated opinions are very harsh. B/W Tokens is a fine build I use myself, homebrews can do just fine in modern. I don't know how you approach deckbuilding, but unfortunately many that play modern seem to have a "Play a tier one deck or lose" attitude which isn't fair. Sure, they work great which is why they're successful but homebrews can work well especially on an FNM level. Soul Sisters and Tokens are fine builds, and I've watched many a Melira Pod and Splinter Twin players cry after having their $1000 plus dollar decks beaten by a $50-$100 infect deck on turn two.
May 22, 2014 5:47 p.m.
I should have clarified - I meant if you're thinking of playing in major tournaments.
At fnm level you can play whatever your heart desires with successfif your good.
Hell I myself have a BW tokens deck, monowhite hate bears, and turbo fog.
May 22, 2014 10:18 p.m.
VampireArmy says... #9
People forgot one thing when it comes to modern: Play what you know and play what makes you happiest. You'll find yourself winning more decks with a deck that might not be t1 or even t2 (meaning not ones you'd find often in the top 8 spots) and still catch wins like crazy. That happened when I first picked up modern with my janky build. It was a crappy homebrew but I knew it like the back of my hand and that fact gave me an edge sometimes and wins I had no business winning against those T1 people. The biggest guidance you need is patience and practice. It really does take time to learn how to correctly react to each situation your opponent gives you and It might make you immediately want to rip apart your deck and start over but trust me. Learn from the games, keep your head level, and play what is funnest to you.
May 23, 2014 1:49 a.m.
I started playing Modern not to long ago and I have an U/G Infect deck and a Burn deck. And I have to say I have been doing really well at FNM(I think this is the only really relevant benchmark for someone trying to get into a format, seeing as you'll be playing 99% of your games at FNM or with friends) going 3-1 or 4-1 every time I show up. The reason I picked the Infect and Burn decks are pretty simple, they fit the way I like to play. Aggressive and fast paced games. So I have fun, I win games and I like the way the decks play. I'm not looking to go platinum pro, so I don't need to play the best deck in the format every week. I can play a deck that can win against the T1 decks and rely on making good plays and exploiting the fact that none of the top decks are really sett up to deal with the ultra aggressive decks that I enjoy playing. And while most decks can be tuned to deal with the strategies I employ I don't really have a problem with that, since doing so will weaken them against the other T1 decks in the format. So SB slots will not be devoted to the more fringe decks I play as the odds of my opponents playing against Infect or burn are much lower then them playing against the typical T1-T1,5 decks.
So to summerise. Play something that you will enjoy, the worst feeling in the world is playing a deck you don't like just because the general consensus is that it's the "best". So look for archetypes you enjoy and invest in a deck that fits that style and you can't go wrong!
EvenDryke says... #2
Don't play soul sisters, tokens, infect, mill or mono blue Tron.
It sounds condescending but that's honestly the best advice I can give a new modern player. We've all made that mistake.
Although in all fairness some of those strategies are getting better.
May 22, 2014 4:06 p.m.