Need a decent casual deck
Modern forum
Posted on Dec. 1, 2015, 3:13 p.m. by TheAnnihilator
So, my sister plays MtG with me every so often and she plays a 4-color Life from the Loam deck. I play Modern very competitively, so my favorite decks almost always beat her. The style of decks I like to play doesn't help the situation because I like to play relatively "unfun" decks (Esper Control and UR Twin). She doesn't believe they're unfun, but I know it gets annoying to have everything countered and to die to a combo all of the time.
Anyways, she likes the Loam deck despite admitting that its too slow for the format or possibly underpowered, so I'm looking for a casual alternative to the decks I like to play. Any suggestions?
Echoing JakeHarlow's advice about Tribal in modern, I would suggest inventing an Elves list because it can dial all the way up to tournament-calibur or all the way down to kitchen-table casual depending on how you build it out. It can be a straightforward aggro deck or you can get fancy with toolbox tutors/Chord of Calling or even go the combo route with Cloudstone Curio. The archetype can be stretched and tweaked to fit just the right amount of casual that you need and still satisfy combo or aggro preferences. Just no control. Elves don't do control very well.
December 1, 2015 3:29 p.m.
Eh, for your sis you could switch from 4 color loam to JUST a Jund Seismic Assault type of Loam deck. It's much better imo. Beats twin no problem.
Aside from that for you you could try a 
artifact deck using cards like Spellskite, Puresteel Paladin and Darksteel Plate. Spellskite is still important here but the point is you're in for the long haul with a deck like this as you can stop combos and quickly peel through the deck with Origin Spellbomb, Serum Visions, and Remand. The goal is to hit and resolve an activation of Elixir of Immortality shuffling back in all of your Dispatch, Origin Spellbombs while building board state. As a bonus this is the only type of deck in modern where it's ok to swing with Worldslayer though it doesn't happen every game. : )
You could also do a Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas style artifact deck. Just stay away form affinity or you'd be dealing 20 faster than even Twin sometimes.
Elves kills as fast as Twin sometimes (T4 swing for >20) so if you want something more casual I would avoid that.
One other thing you could try is Mardu Reanimator. It typically doesn't go big with Unburial Rites until turn 4+. Even once you have a big creature out she can still kill it so it's not as "I win" as other T4 decks.
December 1, 2015 3:43 p.m.
TheAnnihilator says... #6
Price doesn't matter very much because I'll just proxy what I don't own. However, Elves isn't really my style. xD
@JakeHarlow Interestingly enough, my first Modern deck that I made a number of years ago was Monoblack Vampire combo/synergy with Blade of the Bloodchief, Bloodthrone Vampire, and Bloodghast. Maybe I outta just go back to it? It's definitely worth considering.
Do you have a link to that Artifact deck kengiczar? Sounds intriguing. However, if its turns take forever (like Eggs from back in the day) then I don't think it'll be a good fit for casual games...
December 1, 2015 4:07 p.m.
Wizard_of_the_Broke says... #7
A decent Loam deck should be able to beat Esper Control at least occasionally, especially if it's 4C with Lingering Souls - and everybody should be able to sideboard something decent against Twin (though that's still a rough one). Idk - Dromoka's Command?
You may as well get practice in with decks you actually play - perhaps she could improve her deck? I've done okay with Loam Assault (and a budget version at that) against a lot of stuff - I don't think the archetype is just flat-out unplayable.
And if you've got UR Twin, you could probably just morph it into UR Delver with stuff you have laying around - and that's a perfectly fair deck.
December 1, 2015 4:28 p.m.
@ TheAnnihilator - Here's my list. Fairly cheap.
If you want to upgrade it to affinity later then the nice thing is the expensive cards in my deck (Spellskite + Steel Overseer ) go into affinity decks. Of course for casual you could even use neither, as I did for the longest time. Just throw in some more cheap swords and bombs. (The 1 drop bombs I mean)
You can also make a combo 
artifact combo deck with Return to the Ranks utilizing Intruder Alarm
+
Puppet Conjurer
+
Vedalken Engineer
that is a lot of fun. (Engineer taps for which is enough to activate the Conjuror and when the Conjuror's token comes it in untaps both of them.)
The nice thing about both of these is that they do not use Mox Opal. Oh last thing, if you get say, 1,000 tokens from Puppet COnjurer then Time Sieve is really nasty : P
December 1, 2015 4:53 p.m.
elpokitolama says... #9
Here's a U/R casual and budget combo deck that relies on winning with the card Dragonstorm. I've got a more reliable yet more expensive list to suggest you if you want, too :)
December 1, 2015 5:34 p.m.
TheAnnihilator says... #10
@Wizard_of_the_Broke My sister doesn't play competitively, just for fun -- that means no sideboards too, unfortunately, though I actually have drawn one up for her. She doesn't want to change the deck because she says she likes it the way it is, and I can respect that. I have done a little to make the deck a bit smoother, like putting in 4 Deathrite Shaman with her permission (despite that it's banned).
Since I've been playing for years at a highly competitive LGS, I simply play better than she does -- at least that what she claims.
So, instead of trying to change her or what she plays, I'm content to just step down my game a little and find something that feeds less into my Spike-y attitude and more into the Johnny side of me.
December 1, 2015 5:35 p.m.
TheAnnihilator says... #11
@elpokitolama Thanks for the link! However, I'm looking for something a little more interactive than Storm... xD It does look fun tho. ^_^
December 1, 2015 5:40 p.m.
BlueMageBrandon says... #12
I'm sorry if this isn't necessarily what information you are looking for but the best way to play casually is to play Sealed. If you don't want to do that maybe get a Dual Deck or two Intro Packs from the same expansion.
December 1, 2015 5:52 p.m.
I would personally play a less competitive version of Scapeshift. The deck is ranked as one of the top decks to be fun for both players as playing with and against you get to make tons of decisions that will actually affect the outcome of the game.
December 1, 2015 5:58 p.m.
libraryjoy says... #14
I've enjoyed building some of Sagarys' decks - they're cheap and fun to play. I play a lot of casual, so many of my decks are multiplayer, but I have fun with auras, Merfolk Intruder Alarm Combo, mono- mill using moonfolk & landfall, 
counter shenanigans - and a Assault Formation Combo deck (not modern legal). You also might find a card that you really want to build around and then try something for that. Someone in my playgroup killed us all with a 
Vent Sentinel Defender deck last Sunday. If you want links to any of the decks I referenced, just let me know.
Or, you could both switch to another format where neither of you has the advantage - like EDH.
December 1, 2015 6:04 p.m.
Here is a fun and unique Loam list of mine, that is also very good and competetive, she should be able to beat you while still being able to continue playing the type of deck she likes :)
I hope it helps and she likes it!
December 1, 2015 6:11 p.m.
themindxyz says... #17
I think that you should play a Battle of Wits deck. You can throw in any interaction that is legal in modern, and it plays like a Commander deck. They are really fun, and completely customizable. Here's a rough list that I made a few weeks ago off a faulty idea, but the list is still solid, Bring Your Wits.
JakeHarlow says... #2
You might like this.
Tribal is a pretty casual thing for Modern most of the time, and this deck will only cost you about $70 -- less if you've already got a lot of its pieces. It plays solidly and has a very well-rounded sideboard plan for an aggro deck, and has plenty of things to do with its mana mid- to late-game. It should stay interactive, is fun, fair, and flavorful. My playgroup enjoys playing this deck as well as playing against it.
If aggro isn't your thing, then you might want to look at something else. It might be something to think about all the same, though.
December 1, 2015 3:22 p.m.