So, does Twin actually want to play Kiki anymore?
Modern forum
Posted on June 23, 2015, 7:16 p.m. by TheAnnihilator
I've noticed a lot of event-winning decklists on mtgtop8 playing without any copies of Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, and I've been playing (successfully, I might add) without him as well. Now, I came into playing Twin just after the T-Cruise ban, and I haven't actually used Kiki in the mainboard before... like, ever.
So, I saw a tweet by Patrick Dickmann about what UR Twin list he'd be playing right now (if not his usual TarmoTwin), and -- lo and behold -- it had Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker in it. I respect Patrick as a Twin innovator, but I'm not convinced on a mainboard Kiki. Obviously, both sides can't be correct... So, which is it?
In other words: To Kiki, or not to Kiki- that is the question.
Honestly, I've seen Twin lists that don't even play Splinter Twin in games 2 and 3. The deck has turned into much more of a tempo style deck, and is capable of grinding out wins with Keranos, God of Storms, Snappy, etc. In a lot of cases it doesn't even use the combo to win. So I'd say it doesn't really matter which you use at the end of the day. The biggest area where it matters is obviously in Jeskai, where you need Kiki to combo with Restoration Angel. But for most other decks, you probably don't need more than 4 copiers, so Splinter Twin probably suffices.
June 23, 2015 7:21 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #4
Depends on the player. I love kiki as a fifth twin, though it's very hard to accommodate the 
cost.
June 23, 2015 7:24 p.m.
bijschjdbcd says... #6
If you go and look at the post I queried him on his reasoning.
Basically he feels that UR is more focused on comboing than the Rug and Grixis variants and Kiki enable one turn kills as the Exarch can have Summoning sickness and still go off.
His list played Cascade Bluffs over the 5th island which I also don't like.
I wouldn't play Kiki personally.
June 23, 2015 7:54 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #7
As UR, you do have to combo more often than Tarmo-Twin or Grixis Twin. You just don't have the same midrange tools. I think that playing Kiki actually can give you an edge in blue mirrors, as you can tap low against an opponent, and they might be baited into tapping out because you can't endstep an Exarch and kill them.
June 23, 2015 7:56 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #12
The Kiki combo dodges Decay. The Twin combo does not. They have to be dumb enough to let you activate Kiki-Jiki, but whatever.
June 23, 2015 9:53 p.m.
Kiki in UR Twin is not something I'm sold on. It costs more mana, it's more red-intensive (which is a bad thing, since Cryptic Command is pulling you in the opposite direction), and it's more vulnerable to removal. I think that if I were in the market for a 5-drop in UR Twin, I'd go for Keranos, God of Storms over Kiki.
GlistenerAgent says... #2
Not right now, IMO. Dies to everything. I don't play Twin, though.
June 23, 2015 7:18 p.m.