About
Alessandro Lippi

30 years old
Travel Agent, Italy
TOP 4 GP Utrecht and Turin

More Posts (13)

Hi Guys!

After the latest European GP in Prague, modern is still on the radar as it will be the format of the constructed portion of PT Valencia. So, if you’re qualified, or if you’re helping your qualified friends, or even if you just keep grinding FNM, you might find it interesting (like me) to try and break the format with something different or new. I didn’t have time to test before GP Prague so I stuck with my classic UR Twin list. However, one of the decks that drew my attention was the Boros version of the same combo that Stanislav Cifka and Martin Juza played at GP Antwerp. For that reason I spent the last few days building it on MTGO and began to grind a bunch of events in order to focus its strengths and weaknesses.

Here is the starting list:

Stanislav Cifka– RW Splinter Twin
Grand Prix Antwerp 2013 – Modern

Lands

4 Arid Mesa
2 Battlefield Forge
4 Marsh Flats
1 Cavern of Souls
3 Mountains
3 Plains
3 Rugged Prairie
2 Temple of Triumph
2 Sacred Foundry

Creatures

4 Blade Splicer
4 Wall of Omens
2 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
4 Restoration Angel
4 Village Bell-Ringer

Spells

2 Blood Moon
4 Path to Exile
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Magma Jet
2 Relic of Progenitus
4 Splinter Twin

Sideboard

1 Aven of Mindcensor
1 Boil
2 Pyroclasm
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
3 Stony Silence
3 Spellskite
1 Combust

 

You can read a short explanation of the deck construction process by the deck designer: http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/gpant13/day2#12

After several testing games I’m currently playing the following:

Lands

4 Arid Mesa
2 Battlefield Forge
4 Marsh Flats
1 Cavern of Souls
3 Mountains
3 Plains
3 Rugged Prairie
2 Temple of Triumph
2 Sacred Foundry

Creatures

4 Blade Splicer
3 Wall of Omens
3 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
4 Restoration Angel
4 Village Bell-Ringer
3 Spellskite

Spells

3 Blood Moon
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Magma Jet
2 Relic of Progenitus
4 Splinter Twin

Sideboard

1 Aven of Mindcensor
1 Boil
1 Pyroclasm
1 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Relic of Progenitus
3 Stony Silence
3 Path to Exile
2 Wear
Tear
1 Combust
1 Wurmcoil Engine

 

Let’s go into more detail about my changes. First of all, I noticed once again the huge impact of Blood Moon in this field, so it was only natural for me to add a third copy to the maindeck. Blood Moon is able to steal games by itself, allowing us a safe combo or simply to swing with everything we have while our opponent is unable to cast spells. Another deduction I made is that playing Path to Exile and Blood Moon in the same deck just doesn’t work. In most matchups one is great and the other is poor, and vice versa. So I decided to move the PtEs to the board, swapping them with Spellskite, which provides an excellent way to protect our combo and is a solid blocker against both creatures and decks. I also moved in the third copy of Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, making more space in the board to adjust several matchups.

I noticed that the lack of artifact removal leaves us very vulnerable (if not drawing dead) to Torpor Orb, so I found space for a couple of Wear // Tear which are useful in several matchups. The latest addition is the lone copy of Wurmcoil Engine in the board. This improves the Jund matchup, which is definitely not bad to begin with. After board, when they are likely to pay attention to Blood Moon (fetching basics) and combo (not tapping out/adding more spot removal), our best bet is to get profit from Restoration Angel interactions. Unfortunately we can only play 4 copies of this powerful Angel, so I like to have an additional gamebreaker to topdeck, since our deck tends to flood a bit in those grindy matchups. Wurmcoil Engine is an excellent one and is also very resilient to spot removal (the other candidate was Baneslayer Angel).

Let’s now take a look at the way I’m currently sideboarding against the most popular decks. In some matchups I’m still trying to find the optimal configuration, so if you want to help me you’re welcome!

Vs Jund
-1 Splinter Twin
-2 Wall of Omens
+1 Relic of Progenitus
+1 Pyroclasm
+1 Wurmcoil Engine
This is a very complicated (but also interesting) matchup to play. That doesn’t mean it’s hard but you have to play each turn very carefully in order to take it down. Basically, aside from the Blood Moon plan, we have Relic to shrink their Goyf and we have burn spells to take down their small creatures. Our worst enemy is Liliana of the Veil and we should definitely dispose of it if possible. It’s generally correct to fire on the mana dorks – don’t be afraid to cast a turn 2 Pyroclasm to kill their Deathrite Shaman. I like to take out one of the Twins because post sideboard comboing is a little more complicated. If you see Torpor Orb, you can take out an additional Twin or an additional Wall of Omens to make room for Wear // Tear

Vs Affinity
-3 Blood Moon
-3 Wall of Omens
-2 Relic of Progenitus
-1 Blade Splicer
+2 Wear/Tear
+3 Stony Silence
+1 Pyroclasm
+3 Path to Exile
An OK matchup, especially after board when all we have is removal and combo pieces.

Vs RG Tron
-1 Wall of Omens
-1 Spellskite
-2 Relic of Progenitus
-2 Lightning Bolt
+1 Aven Mindcensor
+3 Stony Silence
+2 Wear//Tear
This is a good game 1 matchup as they can’t really stop our combo and Blood Moon. After board they improve with Nature’s Claim and Torpor Orb and we gain Stony Silence, which is really powerful. Spellskite is bad with Stony Silence, but is still OK to protect Blood Moon. Wall of Omens is just a cycle and I want to keep a couple of Bolts to finish off a Karn when they minus it. You don’t need Path to Exile since we can usually chumpblock Wurmcoil Engine until we can assemble our combo. You can board one if they have Ulamog. Always remember to mulligan aggressively into a hand with a hate card.

Vs Splinter Twin
-3 Blood Moon
-3 Wall of Omens
-2 Relic of Progenitus
+2 Wear/Tear
+3 Path to Exile
+1 Aven Mindcensor
+1 Combust
+1 Boil

A really tough matchup game 1. We improve after board, but it’s not a walk in the park. They don’t usually know that we don’t have PtE maindeck, so we can bluff it from time to time. If they play the full set of Snapcaster Mage version, you can consider leaving in a Relic and taking out a couple of Blade Splicers.

Vs UWR
-3 Wall of Omens
-1 Splinter Twin
+1 Boil
+1 Combust
+1 Relic of Progenitus
+1 Aven Mindcensor

Another tough matchup, but we have the tools to fight pre and post board: Blood Moon, Relic and flash creatures (which are annoying cards for him making him not able to tap out). Try not to force the combo. Boil can be a total blowout.

Merfolk
-3 Blood Moon
-2 Relic of Progenitus
-3 Wall of Omens
+1 Combust
+1 Pyroclasm
+1 Boil
+1 Combust
+3 Path to Exile
+1 Wurmcoil Engine

If you see Torpor Orb then of course add Wear // Tear. The matchup is OK pre-board (just pay attention to Vapor Snag which is his only way to stop combo) and still fine after sideboard.

Vs Pod
-2 Wall of Omens
-3 Spellskite
-3 Blood Moon
+1 Aven Mindcensor
+1 Grafdigger’s Cage
+1 Pyroclasm
+3 Stony Silence
+1 Combust
+1 Wurmcoil Engine
I sometimes keep Blood Moon on the play, depending on the version and if our opponent is aware that we have it. The matchup is all about speed on game 1. On game 2 we have several ways to stop his combo while he has no ways to stop ours. Combust is there to deal with Linvala, Keeper of Silence

I don’t know if it’s worth switching a color but this version is definitely interesting and I plan to play it more to try to improve it. Hope you enjoyed this. See you next time!

Alessandro “The Pirate” Lippi