Monastery Swiftspear or Goblin Guide?
Modern forum
Posted on Feb. 2, 2015, 3:09 p.m. by TheAmazingSalsa
I've been thinking about branching out to modern for a while, and decided to start with mono-red (because noob and blahblahblah)...
At this moment I can either go with a playset of Monastery Swiftspear or get my hands on a playset of Goblin Guide...
Which one i'll get more use out of? (I have my arguments for both cards, but I'm not spilling them out here, since I want other people's opinions)
GlistenerAgent says... #3
People usually play both, alongside Eidolon of the Great Revel plus a couple of Grim Lavamancers. They have about the same damage output, around 4-6 per game.
February 2, 2015 3:11 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #5
In Modern Monastery Swiftspear is a bit better than in Legacy, because you have more sorceries to cast (you are less forced to cast instants at sorcery speed to pump it up).
February 2, 2015 3:12 p.m.
TheAnnihilator says... #6
Hmm, well hopefully Goblin Guide will be in Modern Masters 2015. I'd wait to find out, it's price may drop if we get another printing. Unless it shoots up like Goyf did.
Monastery Swiftspear is cheaper, and was just printed, so not a likely reprint candidate. I'd go with that one. Granted, I don't know which one I consider to be more powerful (probably Goblin Guide, tbh).
February 2, 2015 3:16 p.m.
TheAmazingSalsa says... #7
Yeah, i'm not considering legacy at all so far... To me it seems like Goblin Guide would deal more consistent damage while Monastery Swiftspear has the potential to get huge in one turn, but then swing for 1 when my hand dries out.
@j-person: A simple mono-red burn deck, nothing that fancy.
February 2, 2015 3:16 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #9
It's not as obvious as you'd think. I'd play both.
February 2, 2015 3:24 p.m.
If you're playing straight up burn then neither. If you're playing rdw then both. Buy guide first.
Glisteneragent - the question is which to buy first not which is better.
February 2, 2015 3:27 p.m.
zyphermage says... #11
I don't like Goblin Guide personally. It's a necessary evil for playing red but I will never like the downside ever.
February 2, 2015 3:30 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #13
Ah, right. Get the Monastery Swiftspears first, because if it's worse it's not that much worse and if it's better... it's better.
February 2, 2015 3:34 p.m.
For vintage I prefer swiftspear because with a couple of Rite of Flame you can do a lot of damage T1 while boosting her.
February 2, 2015 3:41 p.m.
TheAmazingSalsa says... #15
ChiefBell: If I'm running a burn deck, what should I run then? I mean, creature-wise.
February 2, 2015 3:58 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #16
Burn consistently plays 12 creatures. You can play Grim Lavamancer if you'd like and have 4 Eidolons, 4 Swiftspear/Guide and 2 Lavamancers.
February 2, 2015 4 p.m.
I second (or third?) playing both Goblin Guide and Monastary Swiftspear. They both provide reliable, repeatable sources of damage. Some decks will absolutely struggle against them, since they come out on turn one and require immediate removal before they get 4 damage in.
February 2, 2015 4:46 p.m.
gnarlicide says... #18
Lol, I was playing casually a couple weeks ago... here was my opening hand:
2x Mountain, Monastery Swiftspear, 2x Blazing Shoal, 2x Myojin of Infinite Rage.
I win the roll, i go first.
Play mountian, cast swiftspear, then play both Shoals by exiling both Myojins... that let me pump the spear a bunch and swing for the kill. On turn 0. Lol. I got up and left the table.
The other dude was looking at me like "what the fuck?"
Now I know why those cards are banned in modern. And if they unban them, like, ever... i will kindly remind WotC by doing just that. Lol.
Servo_Token says... #2
Goblin guide is straight better in the legacy verison of the deck, so take that into consideration if you want to expand the deck over.
I don't know much about the modern version yet, but i'm almost sure it's the same.
February 2, 2015 3:11 p.m.