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MTGO Modern League 5-0 Results (01/18/2021)



Results

Full Results

Direct links courtesy of /u/FereMiyJeenyus and their MTGO Results Scraper


Overview

  • Wizards posts 5-0 League drops every Tuesday and Friday, rain or shine. Holidays are the exception.

  • The criteria of decks showing up is a 20-card difference from other decks, per Wizards. So 20 Jund lists 5-0'ing may result in only one or two Jund lists showing in the dump.

  • Don't take League results as true metagame share, as the above removes the number of results.

  • Naming is best guess. Feel free to correct it in the comments and I will edit it in.

  • I will highlight anything interesting, of course depending on time. Old Favorites will have decks that haven't been showing up in a while or classics, Spicy Decks will have new and unique decks, and Interesting Tech will have existing and meta decks that have some interesting new cards.

  • I primarily save my more opinionated opinions for the bottom.

Old Favorites

  • 12 Whack: 12 Whack with Battle Cry Goblin, Goblin Bushwhacker, and Reckless Bushwhacker! That's a lot of whacking! It's always great to see the decks considered 'intro' to the format picking up trophies.

  • Mardu Pyromancer (Lurrus): Last time there was a split of Young Pyromancer and Dreadhorde Arcanist, this time it's just four copies of Young Peezy. Otherwise, a very similar build to RB Rock, but with Prismatic Ending and Lingering Souls.

  • Abzan Lantern: I'll never not point out a Lantern deck. Lantern of Insight showed up in the Challenge as well this week, which is cool for a deck regarded as mostly dead when Mox Opal was banned.

  • UR Prowess: We've seen the pure pre-MH2 style UR Prowess shows up, but this is a rebuild, keeping Sprite Dragon but adding Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer. If there's one way to keep your prowess creature alive, it's your opponent pitching to kill the monkey.

  • Jund Goblins: Patriarch's Bidding was one of those cards Modern didn't really care about. What tribes are both deep enough into black to make it mainboardable, and also can kill on the spot? Well, low and behold, it's Jund Goblins, back again!

  • R Prison: Full on Red Prison with all three lock pieces: Chalice of the Void, Ensnaring Bridge and Blood Moon. A cool mix of the classic and current build as well, leaning on Chandra, Torch of Defiance in the main and the Goblin Rabblemaster in the side.

Spicy Decks

  • 4c Calibrated Blast (Keruga): Another rare companion to be seen with Keruga, the Macrosage , perfectly at home in a deck that never ever wants to see a card under three mana.

  • Jeskai Ascension (Lurrus): I had missed this last dump, so shoutout to that pilot as well! Dragon's Rage Channeler helps enable Pyromancer Ascension AND Underworld Breach, which the latter of which can use up the bad cards in the yard to fuel double-casting instants and sorceries. As mentioned, this used to include Thing in the Ice, but DRC is so, so much better for the game plan.

  • Naya Hammer: Hello, are you a Hammer player? Are you tired of removal? Does the sight of your 21/21 Memnite getting Fatal Pushed fuel you with sadness? Let me introduce you to Gladecover Scout and Slippery Bogle! That's right, it's Hexproof + Hammer, so you can't stop the Hammer by packing removal. Magnetic Theft is the sole red card, but this list also ditches Lurrus for Kaldra Compleat and Sword of Fire and Ice; the latter of which feels very scary on a Bogle.

  • 4c Lutri (Lutri): Lutri again, showing that this may not be a fluke - when you can play really strong cards in 4 colors, just having one isn't the worst thing in the world. Plus, knowing what you can't draw is a interesting thought experiment over knowing what you can, possibly draw with playset.

  • 4c DRC (Lurrus): Playing the best non-green interaction with some powerful creatures sounds like a lot of fun! Interestingly, you can view it as BR Rock list that adds in Prismatic Ending, Drown in the Loch, Kaya's Guile and Expressive Iteration. Are they worth contorting the mana base over? Possibly!

  • UW Artifacts: Taking the name from u/bamzing's dump, this list snagged some great places in the Challenge this weekend. It has a build similar to Affinity but leaning more towards Tempo than all-in Aggro like Affinity. Highlights include Esper Sentinel, Ingenious Smith, Thought Monitor, and, of course, Urza's Saga.

  • RW Death & Taxes (Yorion): A fairly substaninal dip into red for Imperial Recruiter and included tutor targets Magus of the Moon, Pia and Kiran Nalaar, Sanctifier en-Vec, and Seasoned Pyromancer (obviously en-Vec isn't red). This list is also running Urza's Saga. As mentioned a few times, D&T struggles to close games sometimes, so a Saga off the top is probably one of the best cards for a Vial deck.

  • RW MoonBlade: I know aspiringspike has some interesting deckbuilding thoughts, as always, but three Sword of Fire and Ice is something I don't understand. Fervent Champion continues to show up red-based Blade decks, which I'm happy to see, and Blood Moon is just such a walloping game one against so many decks in the field.

  • UB Control: We saw the Lurrus variant before, now it's time for the big brother. Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Narset, Parter of Veils, along with a bevy of UB interaction and Snapcaster Mage to clock / flashback and maindeck Dress Down to stop Elementals and Karnstructs. Summary Dismissal is an interesting bit of sideboard tech as well.

Interesting Tech

  • 5c Domain Zoo (Jegantha): Qasali Ambusher has been popping up in multicolor lists a bit, so that wasn't surprising, but the one-of Bitterblossom really did surprise me. Sure, there is a Tarmogoyf in the main, but that's when it hit me: Scion of Draco gives lifelink to black creatures. That's a neat interaction that counterbalances the life loss!

  • Jund Saga (Lurrus): Jund Saga lists have been experimenting with Elvish Reclaimer to both profit off of Saga and to fetch it. Here in a BG shell, it takes the place utility-wise for Wrenn & Six (obviously not a direct replacement but also not half a grand, so there's that).

  • Wr Death & Taxes (Yorion): A much lighter dip then the above RW Taxes list, with just Imperial Recruiter and a split pair of Magus of the Moon. Mana denial is great, and on a body, it's even better.

  • UR Blue Moon: Quite some time since we've seen Keranos, God of Storms. Five MV is much harder to hit than three for Prismatic Ending, and without Heliod in the format as much, no one is running Mystic Repeal like they were in Spring 2021.

  • 4c Humans:An actual lord in humans! Mayor of Avabruck has some nice synergies with both humans and a rarely seen include to the list, Werewolf Pack Leader. Six power per swing is easy to hit, and Humans can always use more card advantage.

  • RW Burn (Lurrus): Goblin Guide or Dragon's Rage Channeler? The defining question of Modern Burn after Lurrus or no Lurrus? One is hasty, the other conditionally bigger and offers filters.

  • Glimpse Combo: This list is very interesting to me because while it is still looking to cascade with Shardless Agent, Violent Outburst, or Ardent Plea, it can still play the board, much like Rhinos. Yet, it also offers a chance to swing for lethal with Chancellor of the Forge. I've slept on the Glimpse combo a bit, so wanted to highlight it this week.

  • Calibrated Blast Combo: Much like Glimpse I haven't been paying much attention to Calibrated Blast, but Sunscorched Desert to ping the minus three'ed T3feri is spicy. Or you know, get that 16th point of damage you need.

  • R Midrange (Obosh): Bomat Courier is a usually a more budget card, frequently showing up in 20 Bolt or or similar lists. But it's a strong card and one of the better ways to refill the hand mid-game.


 

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