Modern Compendium

Modern has come a long way in its year and a half history.  Since the last banning, the format has had a full PTQ season, multiple Grand Prix, the Player’s Championship, the World Magic Cup, and a Pro Tour to evolve.  The number of decks has exploded and it is becoming a chore to track everything available. 

If you haven’t followed the format extensively, you might be a little unsure of what all decks are available.  More importantly, you might not be able to identify and properly react to an opponent’s deck until it is too late.  Knowledge is power, and it’s important to arm yourself as well as possible before diving into Modern.

The following is a compendium of the decks in Modern.  I might have missed a few fringe decks, but all the major lists and most of the minor ones are there. 

I’ve divided the decks into four separate categories: Midrange/Control, Aggro, Aggro/Combo, and Combo.  The Midrange/Control decks are the decks that are rarely the aggressor in a matchup.  They all have a set of interactive cards, whether they are discard or counter magic.  The Aggro decks are decks that attempt to drop an opponent’s life from twenty to zero as fast as possible playing “normal” Magic.  That means they all involve turning creatures sideways and using burn spells to win.  Aggro/Combo decks are still aggressive decks, but they have some form of unusual interaction.  That can mean cards used in an unusual manner or just some combo built into the deck.   Pure Combo decks are designed entirely with the goal to assemble their plan and win with it.  There are rarely spots in the deck for a “backup” plan.

For each deck, I have included a small bit about how the deck works.  Next, there is a segment about what the common weaknesses for the deck are, or how to fight the deck.  Lastly, I included a range of how likely you are to see a deck at a local PTQ.  

If you have enough time, I suggest at least skimming all of the decklists.  If not, I marked the decks most likely to be popular at an event.  Those are the decks that you need to understand in order to be successful.

Without further delay, I present to you: The Modern Format

Glossary

Midrange/Control

Spriti Jund*

Jund*

UWR Midrange*

U/W Control*

U/W/b Superfriends Control

Gifts Control

Four-Color Teachings

U/W Tron

Eternal Command

BUG Tempo/Control

RUG Tempo/Control

Aggro Loam

Aggro

Zoo*

Burn*

G/W/b Aggro

B/W Tokens

Merfolk

Doran

Boros

Bant

Goblin Burn

Boom/Bust Zoo

Aggro/Combo

Affinity*

Kiki Pod*

Melira Pod

Soul Sisters

Summoning Trap/Through the Breach

Dredgevine

Pox

Combo

Scapeshift*

R/G Tron*

Splinter Twin*

Infect*

Storm*

Eggs

Bogle Combo

Nivmagus Combo

Living End

Ad Nauseum

Restore Balance

Hive Mind

Reanimator

 If you need the abreviated compendium, just read through the decks marked with a *


There is a section at the bottom that comments on the Modern bannings on 1-28-13

Midrange/ Control

Spirit Jund

Jacob Wildon, 1^st Place at Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Dark Confidant

4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Liliana of the Veil

2 Abrupt Decay

4 Lightning Bolt

2 Terminate

2 Inquisition of Kozilek

4 Lingering Souls

3 Thoughtseize

Lands (24)

1 Forest

2 Swamp

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

1 Blood Crypt

1 Godless Shrine

4 Marsh Flats

1 Overgrown Tomb

4 Raging Ravine

1 Stomping Ground

1 Treetop Village

4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

2 Batterskull

1 Phyrexian Metamorph

1 Grim Lavamancer

2 Rule of Law

1 Ancient Grudge

3 Rakdos Charm

2 Olivia Voldaren

1 Maelstrom Pulse

2 Shatterstorm

Gameplan: Jund is the pure example of a midrange deck.  Jund’s main objective is to grind an opponent down to zero resources and then finish the game with whatever is left.  The deck does not focus on any specific interaction, as it is just filled with good cards. 

Weaknesses: the mana base it stretched pretty thin, so mana denial can be a problem.  Cards like Leyline of Sanctity prevent all of the discard spells from working.  There is also a slight dependence on graveyard, so cards like rest in peace are marginally effective.

Likelihood to encounter: High – Jund is regarded as the best deck in Modern and a safe choice.

Notes: There is a variation of this deck that focuses on Smallpox.  There is a variation of this deck that focuses on Boom/Bust.

Jund

Jereny Dezani, 1^st Place at Grand Prix Lyon, 11-4-12

 

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Dark Confidant

4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Liliana of the Veil

2 Abrupt Decay

4 Lightning Bolt

1 Terminate

2 Blightning

3 Inquisition of Kozilek

1 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Thoughtseize

Lands (24)

1 Forest

2 Swamp

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

1 Blood Crypt

2 Marsh Flats

2 Misty Rainforest

2 Overgrown Tomb

1 Stomping Ground

4 Treetop Village

1 Twilight Mire

4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

2 Batterskull

1 Spellskite

2 Obstinate Baloth

2 Ancient Grudge

1 Darkblast

2 Rakdos Charm

1 Melira, Sylvok Outcast

2 Creeping Corrosion

1 Flame Slash

1 Thoughtseize

Gameplan: This deck is very similar to Spirit Jund, but without the white splash.  Staying with three colors makes for a more stable manabase and can allow the use of more manlands.  There is also more room for Inquisition of Kozilek, Thoughtseize, Maelstrom Pulse, Liliana of the Veil, Abrupt Decay, and other metagame dependent cards since Lingering Souls isn’t taking up the last flex spots.

Weaknesses: The loss of Lingering Souls makes the Infect, Affinity, and Jund matchup harder.  The loss of white sideboard cards like Rule of Law make some of the combo matchups harder.

Likelihood to encounter: High-Mid – Choosing between this and Spirit Jund is a metagame call.

UWR Midrange

Mitchell Manders, 1^st Place at Grand Prix Bilbao, 1-20-13

2 Aven Mindcensor

4 Snapcaster Mage

1 Thundermaw Hellkite

4 Geist of Saint Traft

3 Vendilion Clique

3 Electrolyze

2 Izzet Charm

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Lightning Helix

2 Mana Leak

3 Path to Exile

3 Remand

Lands (25)

2 Island

1 Mountain

1 Plains

4 Arid Mesa

4 Celestial Colonnade

2 Hallowed Fountain

1 Sacred Foundry

4 Scalding Tarn

2 Steam Vents

1 Sulfur Falls

2 Tectonic Edge

1 Eiganjo Castle

Sideboard

1 Batterskull

2 Engineered Explosives

1 Spellskite

1 Baneslayer Angel

2 Rule of Law

2 Threads of Disloyalty

2 Counterflux

1 Disenchant

1 Tempest of Light

2 Pyroclasm

Gameplan:  This deck has two routes to victory.  The first is to resolve a quick Geist of Saint Traft and protect it.  The other is a more grindy control plan where victory is obtained through Celestial Colonnade and any remaining burn spells.  The burn spells are crucial in both controlling the board and closing games before the opponent can rebuild.

Weaknesses: Fast combo decks can race UWR midrange, as it doesn’t run much protection.  An opposing Tarmogoyf is a real problem for this deck, as it has few ways to efficiently remove one.

Likelihod to encounter:  High – This deck swept two online PTQs in the same weekend, along with the next Modern Grand Prix.  It is similar to Jund in its matchups, and many people are looking for the next big deck, not buying Tarmogoyfs, or any opportunity to not play Jund.

U/W Control

Emanuel Sutor, 2^nd Place at Grand Prix Lyon on 11-4-12

1 Baneslayer Angel

2 Blade Splicer

4 Restoration Angel

4 Snapcaster Mage

2 Wall of Omens

3 Geist of Saint Traft

3 Vendilion Clique

2 Cryptic Command

2 Dismember

4 Mana Leak

4 Path to Exile

4 Spell Snare

Lands (25)

4 Island

1 Plains

1 Arid Mesa

4 Celestial Colonnade

2 Hallowed Fountain

1 Misty Rainforest

1 Moorland Haunt

2 Scalding Tarn

4 Seachrome Coast

4 Tectonic Edge

1 Eiganjo Castle

Sideboard

2 Aven Mindcensor

1 Baneslayer Angel

2 Rest in Peace

3 Stony Silence

2 Celestial Purge

2 Negate

1 Vendilion Clique

2 Supreme Verdict

Gameplan:  U/W is one of the few control decks in the format.  It defends against the multitude of combo decks with counter magic.  Cards like Geist of Saint Traft and Baneslayer Angel close out games in a hurry before the opponent has a chance to regain the initiative.  U/W control’s manabase is very solid, allowing for the use of tectonic edge against manlands and Urza lands, along with utilizing the largest available manland.  The deck is highly customizable, so a single list won’t include everything popular in the archtype.

Weaknesses:  No card selection.  Combo can overwhelm the counter suite and aggro can overcome the limited removal. 

Likelihood to encounter:  High-Mid – This is one of the default control deck of the format.  The deck has raw power, and some players insist on forcing control.

UWb Superfriends Control

Collin Morton, 6^th at Grand Prix Toronto 12-23-12

3  Wall of Omens

1  Azorius Signet
2  Batterskull
3  Detention Sphere
4  Lingering Souls
3  Oust
2  Path to Exile
4  Spreading Seas
3  Supreme Verdict
1  Talisman of Progress

3  Elspeth, Knight-Errant
3  Gideon Jura
3  Jace, Architect of Thought

Lands (25)

1  Arid Mesa
4  Celestial Colonnade
1  Godless Shrine
2  Hallowed Fountain
2  Island
4  Marsh Flats
2  Plains
1  Scalding Tarn
3  Seachrome Coast
4  Tectonic Edge
1  Watery Grave

Sideboard

1  Ghostly Prison
3  Leyline of Sanctity
1  Meddling Mage
2  Mindbreak Trap
1  Negate
2  Path to Exile
3  Rest in Peace
2  Spellskite

Gameplan:  Once again, U/W provides a highly customizable shell.  This build is designed specifically to beat Jund, with hate cards for combo decks in the sideboard.  The black splash is only for lingering souls, which is necessary to protect the deck’s planeswalkers from opposing spirit tokens.  Spreading Seas are present to keep Jund’s mana under control as long as possible, and the deck closes out games with Elspeth and Gideon.

Weaknesses:  The deck is heavily outmatched by combo game one and relies on finding the correct hate cards in the following games.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is a specific version of the U/W control deck, and the lack of answers to combo will discourage players.

Gifts Control

Shane McDermott, 5^th place at Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

4 Deathrite Shaman

1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

2 Snapcaster Mage

2 Abrupt Decay

1 Crime/Punishment

1 Damnation

1 Darkblast

1 Dismember

4 Gifts Ungiven

1 Life from the Loam

4 Lingering Souls

1 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Mana Leak

2 Path to Exile

1 Raven's Crime

1 Unburial Rites

3 Liliana of the Veil

Lands (26)

1 Breeding Pool

3 Creeping Tar Pit

1 Forest

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Godless Shrine

1 Hallowed Fountain

1 Island

3 Marsh Flats

2 Misty Rainforest

1 Overgrown Tomb

1 Plains

1 Swamp

1 Snow-Covered Swamp

1 Tectonic Edge

1 Temple Garden

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

1 Vault of the Archangel

3 Verdant Catacombs

1 Watery Grave

Sideboard

1 Abrupt Decay

1 Dispel

1 Duress

1 Fracturing Gust

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Golgari Charm

1 Kitchen Finks

1 Nihil Spellbomb

1 Stony Silence

1 Supreme Verdict

1 Surgical Extraction

1 Terastodon

1 Thoughtseize

1 Timely Reinforcements

1 Wurmcoil Engine

Gameplan: This is another of the focused control decks of the format.  It has a slight combo element, allowing it to reanimate Iona, Shield of Emeria or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.  Gifts Ungiven finding just Unburial Rites and a creature puts both in the graveyard, allowing for a quick reanimation.  Gifts Ungiven can also be used to grind out card advantage with packages that include Raven’s Crime and Life from the Loam.  Because the deck is base blue/black, both counter magic and discard spells are available to fight combo.

Weaknesses: Weak mana base (blood moon), heavy graveyard reliance (rest in peace), minimal card selection

Likelihood to encounter: Low-Mid – This is another option for people looking to play control decks.

Four-Color Teachings

WaToO, 9^th Place at PTQ on 12-30-12

4 Snapcaster Mage

1 Consume the Meek

4 Cryptic Command

1 Dismember

4 Electrolyze

4 Esper Charm

3 Izzet Charm

4 Lightning Bolt

2 Mystical Teachings

4 Remand

1 Sphinx's Revelation

1 Terminate

1 White Sun's Zenith

Lands (26)

1 Island

1 Plains

4 Arid Mesa

1 Blood Crypt

2 Celestial Colonnade

4 Darkslick Shores

1 Hallowed Fountain

1 Mystic Gate

2 Reflecting Pool

1 Sacred Foundry

4 Scalding Tarn

2 Steam Vents

1 Tectonic Edge

1 Watery Grave

Sideboard

1 Celestial Purge

2 Counterflux

1 Extirpate

1 Smelt

1 Vendilion Clique

2 Supreme Verdict

4 Thoughtseize

2 Timely Reinforcements

1 Tectonic Edge

Gameplan:  This is very reactive control deck, with zero cards that have to be cast during the main phase.  Mystical Teachings provides card selection, and all the other cards are counter magic or can trade for multiple cards.  The deck can run multiple single cards, since Teachings can find them.

Weaknesses:  The deck is weak to fast combo decks, with only eight spells that can interact before turn four.

Likelihood to encounter: Low-Mid – This is another option for people looking to play control decks.

U/W Tron

Joshua Cho, 1^st place at PTQ on 3-11-12

1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre

4 Azorius Signet

4 Expedition Map

1 Talisman of Progress

1 Oblivion Ring

4 Gifts Ungiven

4 Path to Exile

4 Remand

1 Repeal

4 Thirst For Knowledge

1 Day of Judgment

1 Timely Reinforcements

1 Unburial Rites

1 Wrath of God

Lands (25)

1 Island

1 Plains

2 Celestial Colonnade

2 Hallowed Fountain

1 Scalding Tarn

4 Seachrome Coast

1 Tolaria West

4 Urza's Mine

4 Urza's Power Plant

4 Urza's Tower

1 Eye of Ugin

Sideboard

1 Grafdigger's Cage

2 Torpor Orb

1 Wurmcoil Engine

1 Celestial Purge

1 Disenchant

2 Dispel

2 Hurkyl's Recall

2 Surgical Extraction

2 Timely Reinforcements

1 Ghost Quarter

Gameplan:  This deck attempts to control the first several turns of the game until it can ramp or reanimate a huge monster to quickly win the game.

Weakness:  R/G Tron can assemble the three tron lands faster and use Karn to exile lands.  Some combo decks don’t care about the creatures U/W tron can produce.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – The combo aspect of R/G Tron is usually more popular.

Notes: The term “Tron” refers to these lands: Urza’s Tower, Urza’s Mine, and Urza’s Powerplant.

Eternal Command

Shouta Yasooka, 2^nd in Magic Player’s Championship

3  Eternal Witness
4  Snapcaster Mage
3  Tarmogoyf
3  Vendilion Clique

4  Aether Vial
4  Cryptic Command
4  Lightning Bolt
3  Mana Leak
2  Remand
2  Serum Visions
3  Spell Snare
2  Thirst for Knowledge
2  Vapor Snag

Lands (21)

1  Breeding Pool
2  Copperline Gorge
3  Flooded Grove
1  Forest
4  Island
3  Misty Rainforest
1  Mountain
4  Scalding Tarn
1  Steam Vents
1  Stomping Ground

Sideboard

3  Ancient Grudge
2  Combust
2  Glen Elendra Archmage
1  Grafdigger's Cage
3  Huntmaster of the Fells
2  Spell Pierce
2  Threads of Disloyalty

Gameplan: This deck dominated the modern portion of the Player’s Championship until it lost in the finals to Jund.  This control deck can loop Cryptic Commands by bouncing Eternal Witness and then replaying it to return Cryptic Command from the graveyard.  Aether Vial allows for instant speed Eternal Witness and Huntmaster of the Fells out of the board.  The rest of the deck is draw spells and permission to survive to the late stages of the game.

Weaknesses: Surviving the early turns of the game can be difficult.  Discard can beat the Command loop, and some combo decks can race this deck’s minimal early permission spells.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This list has not been updated with Return to Ravnica cards and current iterations would likely include black over red.

BUG Tempo/Control

Mathieu Hautot, 3^rd Place at Grand Prix Lyon 11-4-12

4  Dark Confidant
4  Deathrite Shaman
3  Snapcaster Mage
4  Tarmogoyf
3  Vendilion Clique

3  Abrupt Decay
3  Disfigure
2  Doom Blade
1  Duress
4  Inquisition of Kozilek
3  Mana Leak
1  Thoughtseize
1  Threads of Disloyalty

2  Liliana of the Veil

Lands (22)

1  Breeding Pool
3  Creeping Tar Pit
3  Darkslick Shores
1  Forest
1  Island
4  Misty Rainforest
1  Overgrown Tomb
1  Scalding Tarn
2  Tectonic Edge
4  Verdant Catacombs
1  Watery Grave

Sideboard

1  Creeping Corrosion
1  Damping Matrix
2  Deprive
2  Grafdigger's Cage
2  Hurkyl's Recall
3  Spreading Seas
2  Tectonic Edge
2  Threads of Disloyalty

Gameplan:  This deck exchanges some of the recursive elements of the Gift Control deck for a faster clock.  Tarmogoyf, Vendillion Clique, and Snapcaster Mage apply pressure while various discard, counter magic, and removal keep the board clear and disrupt combo.

Weaknesses: Heavy reliance on Tarmogoyf, weak to Lingering Souls, weak to Blood Moon

Likelihood to encounter: Low – Most people with access to these cards will play Jund instead.

RUG Tempo/Control

Scott MacCallum, Modern Mastery article on LegitMTG

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Snapcaster Mage

4 Delver of Secrets

2 Vendilion Clique

2 Vedalken Shackles

2 Cryptic Command

2 Spell Pierce

3 Mana Leak

2 Spell Snare

2 Deprive

2 Thought Scour

3 Serum Visions

1 Gitaxian Probe

4 Lightning Bolt

2 Electrolyze

1 Burst Lightning

Lands (20)

4 Scalding Tarn

4 Misty Rainforest

1 Stomping Ground

2 Steam Vents

1 Breeding Pool

1 Forest

1 Mountain

6 Island

 Sideboard

2 Blood Moon

2 Negate

1 Ancient Grudge

3 Huntmaster of the Fells

2 Flashfreeze

1 Firespout

1 Pyroclasm

1 Pithing Needle

1 Threads of Disloyalty

1 Sowing Salt

Gameplan: This deck works under the same principles as the BUG list.  RUG trades black removal and discard for burn spells.  Tarmogoyf, Delver of Secrets, and Vendillion Clique provide pressure with counter magic to keep the way clear. 

Weaknesses:  This deck has a weak mana base.  It can lose to bloodmoon if unprepared.   Lingering Souls also matches up well against RUG’s threats. Minimal counter magic relied upon heavily in the combo matchup.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – The deck does not provide a reliable clock while still being able to protect against combo.

Aggro Loam

Bronson Magnan, 1^st place at Grand Prix Lincon, 2-19-12

4  Countryside Crusher
4  Dark Confidant
4  Tarmogoyf

3  Liliana of the Veil

3  Flame Jab
3  Inquisition of Kozilek
4  Life from the Loam
4  Raven's Crime
3  Seismic Assault

Lands (28)

4  Blackcleave Cliffs
2  Blood Crypt
1  Bojuka Bog
1  Fire-Lit Thicket
1  Forest
2  Ghost Quarter
4  Graven Cairns
1  Lavaclaw Reaches
2  Misty Rainforest
1  Mountain
1  Overgrown Tomb
1  Stomping Ground
1  Swamp
1  Twilight Mire
1  Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4  Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

3  Ancient Grudge
2  Darkblast
1  Inquisition of Kozilek
1  Jund Charm
2  Nature's Claim
3  Obstinate Baloth
1  Pyroclasm
2  Torpor Orb

Gameplan:  This deck focuses on the recursion of Life from the Loam to reuse lands for Seismic Assault and retrace cards.  This deck thrives on a metagame filled with combo (Raven’s Crime) and one toughness creatures (Flame Jab) thrive.  Dark Confidant provides card advantage and random beaters close out the game.

Weaknesses:  Matchups where Flame Jab and Raven’s Crime aren’t good are difficult.  Graveyard hate, particularly Deathrite Shaman, seriously damages the engine.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – Most people will play Jund over this deck.

AGGRO

Zoo

Reid Duke, 52^nd at Grand Prix Toronto on 12-9-12

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Deathrite Shaman

3 Noble Hierarch

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Geist of Saint Traft

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Lightning Helix

2 Path to Exile

4 Lingering Souls

4 Tribal Flames

Lands (23)

1 Mountain

1 Plains

4 Arid Mesa

1 Blood Crypt

1 Breeding Pool

1 Godless Shrine

1 Hallowed Fountain

4 Marsh Flats

1 Misty Rainforest

1 Sacred Foundry

4 Scalding Tarn

1 Steam Vents

1 Stomping Ground

1 Temple Garden

Sideboard

1 Grafdigger's Cage

1 Nihil Spellbomb

2 Meddling Mage

2 Rule of Law

2 Stony Silence

1 Ancient Grudge

2 Gaddock Teeg

2 Shatterstorm

2 Slaughter Games

Gameplan:  This deck uses highly efficient creatures and burn to quickly close out games.  The core deck of the deck is red/white, but the inclusion of all five colors allows for Geist of Saint Traft, Tramogoyf, and fully powered Tribal Flames.  Lingering souls provides defense against affinity and infect, which are two of the most popular decks that can realistically race this deck.

Other versions of Zoo run Delver of Secrets and/or Steppe Lynx as early drops.  These lists tend to avoid Bloodbraid Elf.

Weaknesses: This zoo deck has a weak manabase that can be wrecked by blood moon.  Fast combo decks that do not attack, like storm, can easily race zoo.

Likelihood to encounter: High – zoo is a popular aggro deck.

Burn

Aiteth, 5^th Place in Magic Primer Event on 12-3-12

3  Deathrite Shaman
4  Goblin Guide
4  Hellspark Elemental
4  Keldon Marauders

4  Bump in the Night
1  Flame Javelin
2  Flames of the Blood Hand
4  Lava Spike
4  Lightning Bolt
4  Rift Bolt
4  Searing Blaze
2  Shard Volley

Land (20)

4  Arid Mesa
4  Blackcleave Cliffs
2  Blood Crypt
6  Mountain
4  Scalding Tarn

Sideboard

3  Blood Moon
2  Combust
2  Grafdigger's Cage
2  Relic of Progenitus
4  Smash to Smithereens
2  Sudden Shock

Gameplan: This deck tries to drop the opponent’s life to zero as efficiently as possible.  Spells do most of the work to close out games, as Red’s creatures cannot dominate the board for long.  Black is sometimes splashed to provide another burn spell (Bump in the Night) and Deathrite Shaman for mana and reach.

Weaknesses: Lifegain of any kind is problematic, and Leyline of Sanctity is almost unbeatable.  The faster combo decks can reliably race the burn deck.

Likelihood to encounter: High – The deck is cheap and has a good Jund matchup.

G/W/b Aggro

Brian Kibler, 14^th Place at Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

2 Aven Mindcensor

2 Baneslayer Angel

4 Birds of Paradise

4 Loxodon Smiter

4 Noble Hierarch

3 Qasali Pridemage

4 Wilt-Leaf Liege

1 Gaddock Teeg

2 Linvala, Keeper of Silence

2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

1 Dismember

4 Path to Exile

4 Lingering Souls

Lands (23)

3 Forest

1 Plains

3 Gavony Township

1 Godless Shrine

2 Horizon Canopy

1 Misty Rainforest

1 Overgrown Tomb

4 Razorverge Thicket

2 Stirring Wildwood

1 Temple Garden

4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

3 Chalice of the Void

2 Relic of Progenitus

1 Rest in Peace

2 Rule of Law

3 Stony Silence

2 Dismember

2 Creeping Corrosion

Gameplan: This deck is designed to prey on Jund while still having some action against the various combo decks.   All of the creatures are powerful attackers while providing some additional utility.

Weaknesses: Jund is starting to move away from Liliana of the Veil, making Loxodon Smiter and Wilt-Leaf Liege worse.  Minimal hate can often allow the combo decks to go off through opposition.

Liklihood to encounter: Mid – Brian Kibler has talked about the deck for multiple weeks, providing experience to people with minimal testing time.  

B/W Tokens

Sam51087, 4-0 Modern Daily 12-31-12

1  Aven Mindcensor
4  Hero of Bladehold
4  Tidehollow Sculler

1  Faith's Shield
3  Honor of the Pure
2  Inquisition of Kozilek
2  Intangible Virtue
4  Lingering Souls
4  Raise the Alarm
4  Spectral Procession
4  Thoughtseize
3  Zealous Persecution

Lands (24)

2  Fetid Heath
4  Godless Shrine
4  Isolated Chapel
4  Marsh Flats
4  Plains
1  Swamp
1  Vault of the Archangel
4  Windbrisk Heights

Sideboard

3  Auriok Champion
2  Aven Mindcensor
2  Dismember
3  Path to Exile
3  Rest in Peace
2  Stony Silence

Gameplan: This deck assembles a mass of tokens combined with discard spells to win the game.  The deck is hard to attack into, as all of the token spells produce multiple creatures.  The anthem effects provide sufficient power to close out games, and discard provides time against combo decks.

Weaknesses:  Decks that do not need to attack can ignore the clogged battlefield that the token deck creates.  Sweeper effects can be devastating without sufficient anthems.

Likelihood to encounter: Mid – This deck has moderate popularity on Magic Online.

Merfolk

Serajh, 16^th Place on Online PTQ

2 Coralhelm Commander
4 Cursecatcher
2 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Merrow Reejerey
4 Phantasmal Image
4 Silvergill Adept

4 Aether Vial
4 Path to Exile
4 Spreading Seas

Lands (20)

3 Cavern of Souls
1 Hallowed Fountain
4 Island
3 Mutavault
1 Plains
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Wanderwine Hub

Sideboard

3 Burrenton Forge-Tender
2 Dismember
2 Echoing Truth
2 Mizzium Skin
3 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence

Gameplan: This deck has 16 creatures that pump Merfolk and 4 clone effects, attempting to dominate the battlefield with enormous monsters.  Kira and Cursecatcher help protect the lords, and the remaining spells help disrupt the opponent.  Some versions of this deck run red for Lightning Bolt instead of white for Path to Exile.  Merfolk is one of the few decks that utilize Aether vial, since so many of the creatures have similar converted mana costs.

*Red versions can also pursue land denial strategies with Blood Moon.

Weaknesses: Sweeper effects or a critical amount of spot removal destroys the merfolk deck’s game plan.  The Merfolk decks also have little room for countermagic, making them weak to some combo decks.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – An easy conversion from a Legacy Merfolk deck, but rarely selected specifically for its strength in Modern.

Doran

Cristian Calcano, 13^th place at Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

4 Dark Confidant

4 Deathrite Shaman

3 Kitchen Finks

4 Loxodon Smiter

1 Noble Hierarch

1 Restoration Angel

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Doran, the Siege Tower

2 Liliana of the Veil

2 Abrupt Decay

4 Path to Exile

2 Inquisition of Kozilek

1 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Thoughtseize

Lands (22)

1 Forest

1 Plains

1 Swamp

1 Godless Shrine

1 Horizon Canopy

4 Marsh Flats

1 Misty Rainforest

1 Murmuring Bosk

2 Overgrown Tomb

1 Stirring Wildwood

1 Temple Garden

3 Treetop Village

4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

2 Nihil Spellbomb

1 Baneslayer Angel

3 Fulminator Mage

4 Stony Silence

2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

2 Lingering Souls

1 Thoughtseize

Gameplan:  This deck works on the same axis as Jund, using discard to beat combo decks and grinding through everything else.  Loxodon Smiter and Doran both have huge bodies, encouraging a more aggressive plan of attack than Jund.  Smiter is also included to preboard against Jund with Liliana of the Veil.  Lingering souls is good against several decks in the format, but Doran’s most recent showing was the same weekend as Spirit Jund debuted. 

Weaknesses: The deck shares the weaknesses of Jund.  The manabase is somewhat fragile and the deck can fall behind in cards against Bloodbraid Elf.  Leyline of Sanctity in combo decks is still hard to beat.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – Most people will play Jund over Doran.

Boros

Kbr3, 1^st in MTGO PTQ 1-22-12

4 Chandra's Phoenix

3 Figure of Destiny

4 Goblin Guide

4 Grim Lavamancer

4 Plated Geopede

4 Steppe Lynx

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Lightning Helix

4 Path to Exile

3 Searing Blaze

Lands (22)

4 Mountain

2 Plains

4 Arid Mesa

2 Boros Garrison

4 Marsh Flats

2 Sacred Foundry

4 Scalding Tarn

Sideboard

3 Shrine of Burning Rage

3 Combust

3 Disenchant

3 Refraction Trap

3 Volcanic Fallout

Gameplan: This deck combines white and red’s efficient creatures with burn to quickly close out games.  The deck has more explosive draws than the burn deck, but worse top-deck cards to finish a game.  Path to Exile provides additional time for Boros’s creatures to battle before becoming outclassed.  White has multiple sideboard cards available to fight combo matchups that are difficult for the burn deck to beat.

Weaknesses: The deck can lose to its own landfall mechanic by either flooding out or not triggering it enough.  Some of white’s best creatures, like Thalia, Guaridan of Thraben do not work well with burn spells.  Lifegain is still a problem, and the deck can also be raced by fast combo decks.

Likelihood to encounter: Mid-Low – There is a group of Magic players that love to force Boros.  However, it can be considered weaker than zoo or burn.

Notes: You could always get paired against Paul Rietzl.

Bant

John Connor, 6^th Place at PTQ on 1-22-12

4 Birds of Paradise

4 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Noble Hierarch

3 Qasali Pridemage

2 Rhox War Monk

3 Tarmogoyf

3 Geist of Saint Traft

3 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

1 Sword of Feast and Famine

1 Sword of War and Peace

2 Bant Charm

3 Mana Leak

4 Path to Exile

1 Spell Pierce

Lands (22)

1 Forest

1 Island

1 Plains

1 Arid Mesa

1 Breeding Pool

1 Celestial Colonnade

1 Hallowed Fountain

2 Horizon Canopy

4 Misty Rainforest

1 Sejiri Steppe

1 Stomping Ground

1 Tectonic Edge

2 Temple Garden

1 Treetop Village

3 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

1 Engineered Explosives

1 Obstinate Baloth

1 Snapcaster Mage

2 Ancient Grudge

1 Bant Charm

2 Combust

1 Negate

1 Spell Pierce

1 Thrun, the Last Troll

2 Vendilion Clique

1 Ajani Vengeant

1 Creeping Corrosion

Gameplan: This deck combines the best aggressive creatures in white and green.  Blue provides access to Geist of Saint Traft and a suite of countermagic.  The creatures and spells can vary greatly depending on the deck designer.  Other versions of Bant can include multiple hexproof creatures and enchantments/equipment to create a board dominating threat.  Elspeth, Knight Errant, Angelic Destiny, and multiple swords are common in these builds.

Weaknesses:  The deck leans heavily on Knight of the Reliquary, which has become much worse with the introduction of Deathrite Shaman.  The deck can struggle to apply sufficient pressure while leaving up counter magic for combo decks. 

Likelihood to encounter: Low – Black is regarded as the better color to fight combo then blue.

Goblin Burn

Sunyveil, 4-0 in Modern Daily on 12-31-12

4  Goblin Bushwhacker
4  Goblin Cohort
4  Goblin Guide
2  Grim Lavamancer
4  Hellspark Elemental
4  Spark Elemental
4  Tattermunge Maniac
4  Vexing Devil

4  Goblin Grenade
4  Lightning Bolt
1  Pillar of Flame
2  Shard Volley

Lands (19)

4  Arid Mesa
11  Mountain
4  Scalding Tarn

Sideboard

3  Flames of the Blood Hand
3  Forge Devil
3  Pillar of Flame
4  Searing Blaze
2  Shattering Spree

Gameplan: This is like the burn deck, but it exchanges several of the burn spells for cheap creatures.  This makes sense if the metagame allows for multiple attacks from early creatures.  The burn deck has a solid rate of one mana for 3 damage on most spells.  If one mana, two power creatures can attack twice, this is a better use of resources.  The undercosted Goblin Grenade is another draw to this deck.

Weaknesses: Early blockers and/or lots of spot removal quickly make this deck worse than the burn deck.  Lingering Souls is hard to fight through.  Lifegain and fast combo are still problems.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This archtype is much less popular than burn.

Boom/Bust Zoo

No Recent Tournament Source

4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Wild Nacatl

1 Ajani Vengeant

2 Blood Moon
4 Boom // Bust
1 Dismember
2 Journey to Nowhere
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Lightning Helix

Lands (22)

4 Arid Mesa
2 Forest
3 Marsh Flats
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
1 Plains
2 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
2 Temple Garden
1 Treetop Village

No Sideboard Available

Gameplan: This deck attempts to apply pressure while actively disrupting the opponent’s manabase.  Bloodbraid Elf can cancade into Boom//Bust and then cast Bust to destroy all the lands in play. 

This list is very outdated, as Wild Nacatl has not been legal for about a year.  A new version would likely be similar to Zoo without tribal flames and including Boom/Bust, Blood Moon, and/or Molten Rain.

Weaknesses:  Decks with Noble Hierarch/Birds of Paradise are very resilient to land destruction.

Likelihood to encounter: None – The concept is possible, but the shell would be different.

Aggro/Combo

Affinity

Alex Majlaton, 3^rd Place at Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

4 Arcbound Ravager

2 Master of Etherium

2 Memnite

4 Ornithopter

4 Signal Pest

4 Steel Overseer

4 Vault Skirge

4 Cranial Plating

4 Springleaf Drum

1 Welding Jar

3 Galvanic Blast

4 Mox Opal

4 Thoughtcast

Lands (16)

4 Darksteel Citadel

1 Island

4 Blinkmoth Nexus

3 Glimmervoid

4 Inkmoth Nexus

Sideboard

4 Etched Champion

1 Ethersworn Canonist

2 Rest in Peace

2 Ancient Grudge

2 Dismember

1 Ray of Revelation

1 Unified Will

2 Thoughtseize

Gameplan: This deck quickly casts a large number of artifacts to gain bonus from Cranial Plating and Arcbound Ravager, along with multiple other cards.  These cards include:

Red-Galvanic Blast, Shrapnel Blast

White- Steelshaper’s Gift

Blue- Master of Etherium, Thoughtcast

Black- Dark Confidant, Thoughtseize

Blue/Black- Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

The deck also has access to multiple manlands, providing resilient threats.

Weaknesses:  Targeted and mass artifact destruction spells are available.  To a lesser extent, sweepers are an issue.

Likelihood to encounter: High – This is a strong aggressive deck that requires dedicated hate.  It is also rather cheap to build.

Kiki Pod

Ryan Hovis, 6^th Place in Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

1  Aven Mindcensor
4  Birds of Paradise
1  Deceiver Exarch
1  Eternal Witness
1  Ethersworn Canonist
1  Glen Elendra Archmage
1  Izzet Staticaster
3  Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1  Kitchen Finks
1  Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1  Murderous Redcap
2  Noble Hierarch
1  Phantasmal Image
1  Qasali Pridemage
3  Restoration Angel
1  Spellskite
4  Wall of Roots
1  Zealous Conscripts

4  Birthing Pod
4  Chord of Calling

Lands (23)

4  Arid Mesa
1  Copperline Gorge
4  Fire-Lit Thicket
4  Grove of the Burnwillows
1  Mountain
1  Plains
4  Razorverge Thicket
1  Sacred Foundry
1  Steam Vents
1  Stomping Ground
1  Temple Garden

Sideboard

2  Ancient Grudge
1  Avalanche Riders
1  Aven Mindcensor
1  Harmonic Sliver
1  Kataki, War's Wage
1  Qasali Pridemage
2  Sowing Salt
2  Surgical Extraction
3  Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1  Thrun, the Last Troll

Gameplan: This deck uses the tutoring ability of Birthing Pod and Chord of Calling to establish a combo kill with Kiki-Jiki, the Mirror Breaker and Deceiver Exarch, Pestermite, Restoration Angel, or Zealous Conscripts.  Specific builds of the deck can win with almost any combination of creatures in play.  The remaining creatures are available as silver bullets against certain decks and provide an alternative beatdown strategy.

Weaknesses:  Grafdigger’s Cage and artifact removal can attack the Birthing Pod aspect of the deck.  Removal is very good at denying the deck mana, and enough removal can disrupt the combo finish.

Likelihood to encounter: High-Mid – It is a viable combo option, and the most popular Birthing Pod deck.

Melira Pod

Sam Pardee, 2^nd at Grand Prix Toronto on 12-9-12

1 Ethersworn Canonist

1 Phyrexian Metamorph

1 Spellskite

4 Birds of Paradise

2 Deathrite Shaman

1 Eternal Witness

4 Kitchen Finks

2 Murderous Redcap

1 Noble Hierarch

1 Orzhov Pontiff

1 Qasali Pridemage

1 Ranger of Eos

1 Reveillark

3 Viscera Seer

1 Wall of Roots

3 Melira, Sylvok Outcast

4 Birthing Pod

2 Abrupt Decay

3 Chord of Calling

Lands (23)

3 Forest

1 Swamp

3 Gavony Township

1 Godless Shrine

4 Misty Rainforest

2 Overgrown Tomb

2 Razorverge Thicket

1 Temple Garden

4 Verdant Catacombs

2 Woodland Cemetery

Sideboard

1 Baneslayer Angel

1 Harmonic Sliver

1 Obstinate Baloth

1 Shriekmaw

2 Rule of Law

2 Dismember

1 Kataki, War's Wage

1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence

2 Lingering Souls

3 Thoughtseize

Gameplan: This deck uses Birthing Pod to gain massive advantage with different value creatures.  The deck can combo kill someone by assembling Viscera Seer, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, and Kitchen Finks.  Finks can be sacrificed to Seer repeatedly because it cannot gain -1/-1 counters.  The scry ability can find a Murderous Redcap to do infinite damage the same way.  Gavony Township can remove 1-/-1 counters from any of the persist creatures to provide immortal blockers.

Weaknesses:  The early mana creatures are necessary to make the deck work.  Spot removal can significantly slow the deck down.  Hand disruption or counter magic can keep the deck from resolving Brithing Pod or Chord of Calling, requiring the deck to attack with underpowered creatures.

Likelihood to encounter: Low-Mid – This is a legitimate combo deck, but the Kiki Pod version is more popular.

Notes: Many pilots that play this deck do so because they have had the deck since last season.  The Kiki Pod deck didn't show up until later and they are roughly equal in power level (but Kiki is more flashy).  It is more likely than usual for an opponent playing Melira Pod to know their deck very well due to extensive practice.

Soul Sisters

Bradyoo, 6^th Place on Magic Online Primer Event on 12-3-12

4  Ajani's Pridemate
1  Figure of Destiny
4  Martyr of Sands
1  Mikaeus, the Lunarch
4  Ranger of Eos
4  Serra Ascendant
4  Soul Warden
3  Soul's Attendant
4  Squadron Hawk

4  Honor of the Pure
2  Path to Exile
4  Spectral Procession

Lands (21)

17  Plains
4  Windbrisk Heights

Sideboard

2  Brave the Elements
2  Disenchant
2  Dismember
2  Ethersworn Canonist
2  Kami of False Hope
2  Path to Exile
2  Rest in Peace
1  Silence

Gameplan:  The deck is capable of an effective beatdown with tokens and anthem effects.  Martyr of Sands can quickly gain massive amounts of life, pumping Serra Ascendant into a huge undercosted creature.  Soul Warden and Soul’s Attendant can grow Ajani’s Pridemate quickly past Tarmogoyf size.

Weaknesses:  Some combo decks can easily beat the hate available in white by bouncing it the turn before going off.  White is unable to protect its combo hate with discard or counter magic.

Likelihood to encounter: Mid – This is a viable aggressive deck with a combo feel.

Summoning Trap/Through the Breach

No Recent Tournament Source

4 Birds of Paradise

4 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Lotus Cobra

4 Nest Invader

4 Noble Hierarch

4 Primeval Titan

4 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

1 Dryad Arbor

4 Summoning Trap

3 Through the Breach

Lands (24)

2 Forest

1 Arid Mesa

4 Misty Rainforest

2 Mosswort Bridge

1 Mutavault

1 Sejiri Steppe

1 Stirring Wildwood

2 Stomping Ground

2 Temple Garden

4 Verdant Catacombs

4 Windbrisk Heights

Sideboard

3 Aven Mindcensor

2 Kitchen Finks

4 Leyline of Sanctity

4 Ancient Grudge

1 Gaddock Teeg

1 Bojuka Bog

Gameplan: This deck aims to cast an Emrakul as fast as possible.  This can be done directly with the use of Summoning Trap and Through the Breach.  The backup plan involves ramping into a fast Primeval Titan, which can tutor for Winbrisk Heights and Mosswort Bridge.  The mana creatures can activate the hideaway lands to cast a hidden Emrakul.

Weaknesses:  Sweepers or multiple removal spells can severely hinder the deck’s mana development and bring it to a standstill.  Tectonic Edge can cause problems with the hideaway lands too.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular combo deck.

Dredgevine

Raphael Levy, 214^th Place at Grand Prix Lyon on 11-4-12

3 Dregscape Zombie

3 Golgari Thug

4 Gravecrawler

4 Lotleth Troll

4 Slitherhead

4 Stinkweed Imp

4 Vengevine

4 Darkblast

3 Burning Inquiry

4 Faithless Looting

1 Goblin Lore

Lands (22)

1 Forest

1 Swamp

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

1 Blood Crypt

2 Copperline Gorge

1 Dakmor Salvage

1 Gemstone Mine

4 Marsh Flats

2 Overgrown Tomb

4 Verdant Catacombs

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Sideboard

2 Big Game Hunter

2 Vengeful Pharaoh

3 Abrupt Decay

4 Ancient Grudge

4 Rakdos Charm

Gameplan: This is an aggressive deck that uses the graveyard to generate additional advantage.  The deck is capable of playing multiple Vengevines in the first turns of the game.  White versions of this deck can use Tidehollow Sculler and Thalia to gain advantage against fast combo decks.

Weaknesses:  Graveyard hate reduces the effectiveness of almost all the cards in the deck, causing the creatures to match up poorly against the rest of the format.  Fast combo decks can often race this deck.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular combo deck.

Pox

Smitty, Twitter and Twitch Streaming

4 Dark Confidant

4 Thoughtseize

3 Inquisition of Kozilek

3 Raven’s Crime

3 Disfigure

2 Funeral Charm

4 Shrieking Affliction

2 The Rack

4 Smallpox

4 Liliana of the Veil

2 Go for the Throat

1 Ensnaring Bridge

Land (24)

3 Bojuka Bog

3 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

4 Mutavault

3 Ghost Quarter

11 Swamp

Sideboard

2 Ensnaring Bridge

3 Pithing Needle

1 Extirpate

3 Surgical Extraction

2 Ratchet Bomb

1 Torpor Orb

1 Darkblast

1 Raven’s Crime

1 Damnation

Gameplan: The deck attempts to completely decimate the opponents hand and win with Shrieking Affliction or The Rack.  The other spells are there to handle anything that slips through Smallpox and the discard spells.

Weaknesses:  Fast combo decks can win before discard does too much damage.  Decks with strong cards to top-deck, like Bloodbraid Elf, can wreck havoc on the deck.  Decks that can unload their hand quickly, like Affinity, can also be problematic. 

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular deck.

Combo

Scapeshift

Alon Chitiz, 3^rd Place at Grand Prix Toronto on 12-9-12

4 Sakura-Tribe Elder

2 Snapcaster Mage

4 Cryptic Command

3 Peer Through Depths

4 Remand

2 Telling Time

2 Farseek

3 Pyroclasm

4 Scapeshift

4 Search for Tomorrow

4 Serum Visions

Lands (24)

3 Forest

3 Island

2 Mountain

1 Breeding Pool

1 Flooded Grove

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Steam Vents

4 Stomping Ground

2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

Sideboard

4 Leyline of Sanctity

4 Ancient Grudge

3 Guttural Response

4 Negate

Gameplan: This deck is designed to ramp to seven lands, where a Scapeshift finding 1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and 6 Mountains will do 18 damage. Prysmatic Omen can reduce the necessary lands by making Valakut count itself as a mountain.  The rest of the deck is card draw and permissions spells.

Weaknesses:  Fast combo decks can win before Scapeshift can gain control.  The inferior card selection available can make discard spells strong.  The deck has a hard time winning without resolving a Sacpeshift.

Likelihood to encounter: High-Mid – This is a viable combo deck.  People like combo decks that have the ability to protect themselves, and this deck can play a reliable control game until it casts Scapeshift.

R/G Tron

David Gleicher, 5-8^th place in Grand Prix Chicago on 11-11-12

1  Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1  Spellskite
3  Wurmcoil Engine

4  Ancient Stirrings
4  Chromatic Sphere
4  Chromatic Star
4  Expedition Map
1  Explore
3  Oblivion Stone
4  Pyroclasm
4  Relic of Progenitus
3  Sylvan Scrying

4  Karn Liberated

Land (20)

1  Eye of Ugin
2  Forest
1  Ghost Quarter
4  Grove of the Burnwillows
4  Urza's Mine
4  Urza's Power Plant
4  Urza's Tower

Sideboard

2  Combust
1  Dismember
1  Electrickery
1  Grim Poppet
4  Nature's Claim
1  Oblivion Stone
1  Spellskite
2  Thorn of Amethyst
1  Vandalblast
1  Wurmcoil Engine

Gameplan: This deck is filled with redundant tutor effects to rapidly find the three  different Urza lands.  The deck can capitalizes on the mana by casting an early Karn Liberated or Wurmcoil Engine.

Weaknesses:  This deck cannot reliably interact with fast combo decks.  It will often lose before doing anything meaningful.

Likelihood to encounter: High-Mid – This is a very popular combo deck.

Splinter Twin

Kenobe, 2^nd place at PTQ

4 Deceiver Exarch

4 Pestermite

4 Snapcaster Mage

2 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker

4 Splinter Twin

2 Dispel

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Remand

4 Serum Visions

4 Sleight of Hand

Lands (24)

4 Island

2 Mountain

1 Arid Mesa

2 Cascade Bluffs

1 Halimar Depths

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Scalding Tarn

2 Steam Vents

1 Stomping Ground

3 Sulfur Falls

Sideboard

2 Relic of Progenitus

1 Spellskite

2 Grim Lavamancer

2 Blood Moon

3 Ancient Grudge

1 Dispel

1 Echoing Truth

2 Negate

1 Pyroclasm

Gameplan: This deck attempts to cast Deceiver Exarch or Pestermite with Splinter Twin or Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker to create an arbitrarily large number of attackers.  The rest of the deck is protection for the combo, disruption for other decks, and draw spells to find the combo pieces.  The deck can splash black for hand disruption and green for the flashback on Ancient Grudge.  Hate exists for the deck, but answers exist to beat the hate.

Weaknesses:  There are several hate cards that Twin must deal with before completing the combo.  Enchantment removal destroys splinter twin, Spellskite can redirect some of the triggers, combust is removal that cannot be countered, Rakdos Charm can kill during the combat step, and more.

Likelihood to encounter: High – This deck has good matchups against multiple combo decks and very few bad matchups.  

Infect

Ari Lax, 19th Place at Grand Prix on 11-11-12

4 Blighted Agent

4 Glistener Elf

4 Noble Hierarch

4 Plague Stinger

4 Rancor

1 Apostle's Blessing

1 Giant Growth

4 Groundswell

4 Might of Old Krosa

3 Mutagenic Growth

4 Vines of Vastwood

3 Thoughtseize

Lands (20)

2 Forest

1 Breeding Pool

4 Inkmoth Nexus

4 Misty Rainforest

3 Overgrown Tomb

4 Verdant Catacombs

2 Pendelhaven

Sideboard

1 Grafdigger's Cage

1 Relic of Progenitus

3 Spellskite

1 Darkblast

4 Dismember

1 Hurkyl's Recall

3 Nature's Claim

1 Thoughtseize

Gameplan: This is a fast combo deck.  It wins games by attacking with a cheap infect creature and using pump spells to reach ten infect counters.

Weaknesses:  Enough spot removal can beat the pump spells and cause Infect to run out of action.  Hate cards like spellskite and Melira, Sylvok Outcast also exist.

Likelihood to encounter: High-Mid – The deck is very fast and there are very few expensive cards in the deck.  Many people have these cards from standard and will want to play fast decks in Modern.

Storm

Oliver Ruel, 5^th Place at Grand Prix Lyon on 11-4-12

3  Goblin Electromancer

3  Desperate Ravings
4  Desperate Ritual
4  Gitaxian Probe
3  Grapeshot
1  Increasing Vengeance
4  Manamorphose
3  Past in Flames
4  Pyretic Ritual
3  Pyromancer Ascension
4  Seething Song
4  Serum Visions
4  Sleight of Hand

Lands (16)

3  Island
3  Misty Rainforest
1  Mountain
4  Scalding Tarn
3  Shivan Reef
2  Steam Vents

Sideboard

3  Empty the Warrens
2  Goblin Bushwhacker
1  Grapeshot
4  Lightning Bolt
2  Shatterstorm
3  Tormod's Crypt

Gameplan: This is the clear example of a fast, non-interactive combo deck.  The deck attempts to quickly cast multiple ritual spells and Past in Flames to create a lethal storm count with Grapeshot.  Pyromancer Ascension can allow the deck to have a slower, more resilient kill.

Weaknesses:  Specific hate cards, such as Ethersworn Cannonist and Rule of Law, are very hard to beat. 

Likelihood to encounter: High-Mid – This is a fast and iconic combo deck that will attract plenty of people.  

Eggs

Stanislav Cifka, 1^st Place at Pro Tour Return to Ravnica

4 Chromatic Sphere

4 Chromatic Star

4 Conjurer's Bauble

4 Elsewhere Flask

4 Lotus Bloom

1 Pyrite Spellbomb

4 Faith's Reward

4 Second Sunrise

2 Silence

1 Gitaxian Probe

4 Reshape

4 Serum Visions

3 Sleight of Hand

Lands (17)

7 Island

1 Plains

4 Ghost Quarter

1 Hallowed Fountain

2 Misty Rainforest

2 Scalding Tarn

Sideboard

1 Grafdigger's Cage

1 Nihil Spellbomb

2 Pithing Needle

4 Leyline of Sanctity

4 Echoing Truth

2 Silence

1 Grapeshot

Gameplan: This is a fast combo deck.  It plays several cheap artifacts that sacrifice to draw cards and uses Second Sunrise and Faith’s Reward to return them to play.  This process is repeated until the entire deck is drawn.  Conjurer’s Bauble can return the combo cards back to the deck.  Ghost Quarter is used on the deck’s own islands during the combo to find additional lands and thin the deck.  The most common win condition is looping Pyrite Spellbomb, but Grapeshot, Banefire, or even Bitter Ordeal can be used.

Weaknesses:  Specific hate cards like Ethersworn Cannonist and Rule of Law must be answered before winning.  Targeted discard can also delay the deck.  The deck can fail to kill someone during the combo if the draws are bad.  An additional problem is running out of time while completing the combo.

Likelihood to encounter: Mid – This deck won the last Modern Pro Tour.  It is capable of beating all the hate cards for it.  However, there are players that just hate the deck.

Bogle Combo

Xioxyde, 4-0 in Modern Daily 1-1-13

4  Gladecover Scout
4  Kor Spiritdancer
4  Slippery Bogle

4  Daybreak Coronet
4  Ethereal Armor
4  Hyena Umbra
4  Path to Exile
4  Rancor
4  Spider Umbra
4  Spirit Mantle

Lands (20)

2  Dryad Arbor
3  Horizon Canopy
3  Misty Rainforest
4  Razorverge Thicket
4  Temple Garden
4  Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard

2  Ethersworn Canonist
2  Nature's Claim
4  Silhana Ledgewalker
2  Spirit Link
3  Stony Silence
2  Torpor Orb

Gameplan: This deck tries to quickly resolve a hexproof creature and use enough enchantments to make it unstoppable.  Path to Exile exists to clear the way and deal with Spellskite.

Weaknesses:  The deck is weak to sacrifice effects, enchantment removal, and specific cards like engineered explosives and ratchet bomb.

Likelihood to encounter: Mid – This deck just became popular on Magic Online, and people are still adjusting to it.

Nivmagus Combo

Gerry Thompson, 130^th place at Pro Tour Return to Ravnica

2 Flamekin Harbinger

4 Kiln Fiend

4 Nivmagus Elemental

4 Apostle's Blessing

4 Gut Shot

4 Mutagenic Growth

4 Slaughter Pact

4 Tainted Strike

2 Assault Strobe

4 Gitaxian Probe

4 Ground Rift

3 Thoughtseize

Lands (17)

1 Mountain

3 Arid Mesa

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

3 Blood Crypt

2 Gemstone Mine

4 Scalding Tarn

Sideboard

2 Flamekin Harbinger

4 Clout of the Dominus

2 Dismember

1 Faithless Looting

2 Inquisition of Kozilek

3 Pyroclasm

1 Thoughtseize

Gameplan: This deck casts multiple cheap spells to pump Kiln Fiend or Nivmagus Elemental to enormous size.  The deck has a very fast clock, with kills around turn three.

Weaknesses:  Sacrifice effects and discard spells can cause problems for this deck.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – The deck was debuted a tournament flooded with Jund, which is a bad matchup.  This is not a popular combo deck.

Living End

Boland, 6^th Place at PTQ 3-18-12

4 Deadshot Minotaur

4 Fulminator Mage

4 Jungle Weaver

4 Monstrous Carabid

1 Obstinate Baloth

1 Shriekmaw

4 Street Wraith

1 Dryad Arbor

1 Beast Within

3 Jund Charm

4 Violent Outburst

4 Demonic Dread

3 Living End

Lands (22)

2 Forest

1 Mountain

1 Swamp

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

1 Bojuka Bog

4 Copperline Gorge

1 Kessig Wolf Run

1 Overgrown Tomb

2 Stomping Ground

4 Verdant Catacombs

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Sideboard

3 Avalanche Riders

4 Ingot Chewer

1 Obstinate Baloth

3 Leyline of the Void

2 Ricochet Trap

2 Sowing Salt

Gameplan: This deck attempts to rapidly fill it’s graveyard with creatures.  The card Living End has a converted mana cost of zero, which allows it to be cast off of any cascade spell.  Resolving Living End should destroy the opponent’s board while simultaneously returning all the cycled creatures.

Weaknesses:  Decks that don’t put creatures into play have a huge advantage over Living End.  Fast combo decks can also race this deck.  Graveyard hate is a problem.  Any counter magic on Living End is a problem.

Likelihood to encounter: Low-Mid – The deck is not very popular

Notes: I recently saw a version of this deck playing main deck Blood Moon.  Gnaw to the Bone was strong out of the sideboard as well.

Ad Nauseum

ChronoSolstice, 3-1 Modern Daily 12-31-12

4  Simian Spirit Guide

4  Ad Nauseam
4  Angel's Grace
1  Lightning Storm
4  Lotus Bloom
3  Magma Jet
1  Pact of Negation
4  Pentad Prism
2  Phyrexian Unlife
2  Repeal
1  Serum Visions
4  Sleight of Hand
4  Telling Time

Lands (22)

4  Arid Mesa
2  Blood Crypt
3  Hallowed Fountain
6  Island
1  Mountain
2  Plains
2  Steam Vents
1  Tolaria West
1  Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Sideboard

4  Deceiver Exarch
2  Dispel
1  Lightning Bolt
2  Pact of Negation
2  Slaughter Pact
4  Splinter Twin

Gameplan:  This deck uses Angel’s Grace and Phyrexian Unlife to avoid dying when casting Ad Nauseum.  This allows for the entire deck to be drawn.  Lightning Storm or Conflagrate can finish the game from there.

Weaknesses:  The deck needs to resolve both a protection spell and Ad Nauseum.  These cards have to be found in the deck, protected from discard, and resolved through counter magic.  Some combo decks can consistently win before this one.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular deck.

Restore Balance

Peter Vieren, Pro Tour Philidelphia 2011 Deck Tech

4  Greater Gargadon
4  Simian Spirit Guide

4  Ardent Plea
1  Blood Moon
4  Fieldmist Borderpost
4  Firewild Borderpost
2  Gideon Jura
4  Idyllic Tutor
1  March of the Machines
3  Mistvein Borderpost
1  Oblivion Ring
4  Restore Balance
2  Thieves' Fortune
1  Veinfire Borderpost
4  Violent Outburst
4  Wildfield Borderpost

Lands (13)

4  Evolving Wilds
1  Forest
1  Island
1  Mountain
2  Plains
4  Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard

2  Dismember
2  Firespout
3  Ingot Chewer
2  Krosan Grip
2  Leyline of Sanctity
2  Leyline of Singularity
2  Mindbreak Trap

Gameplan: This deck attempts to only have artifacts in play on turn three when it plays a cascade spell.  Restore Balance is the only target, which will reduce each player to the same number of lands, creatures, and cards in play.  The deck uses Borderposts to reduce the number of real lands

Weaknesses:  Fast combo decks can race this deck.  Artifact destruction is strong against Restore Balance.  Counter magic on Restore Balance is a problem.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular combo deck.

Hive Mind

Bozidar2121, 3^rd Place on MTGO PTQ on 3-25-12

1 Ethereal Usher

4 Simian Spirit Guide

4 Pentad Prism

4 Hive Mind

1 Intervention Pact

4 Pact of Negation

4 Pact of the Titan

4 Remand

4 Seething Song

1 Slaughter Pact

2 Gitaxian Probe

4 Serum Visions

4 Sleight of Hand

Lands (19)

8 Snow-Covered Island

3 Snow-Covered Mountain

4 Scalding Tarn

1 Shivan Reef

1 Steam Vents

2 Tolaria West

Sideboard

1 Grafdigger's Cage

1 Pithing Needle

2 Relic of Progenitus

3 Magus of the Moon

1 Dispel

2 Ignorant Bliss

2 Spell Snare

3 Pyroclasm

Gameplan: This deck ramps up to cast a Hive Mind.  After resolving it, any Pact card will be copied by the opponent, which will cause them to lose the game if they can’t pay for it during the upkeep step.  The rest of the deck is permission, card draw, and ramp.

Weaknesses:  The deck can be raced by fast combo decks.  The minimal draw spells available are not very effective, and it can be hard to assemble the necessary ramp, Hive Mind, and Pact without losing.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular combo deck.

Reanimator

Gerry Thompson

4 Simian Spirit Guide

3 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

4 Griselbrand

4 Goryo's Vengeance

4 Lightning Axe

3 Seething Song

4 Through the Breach

4 Faithless Looting

3 Time of Need

4 Wild Guess

Lands (23)

1 Swamp

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

1 Blood Crypt

3 Copperline Gorge

2 Graven Cairns

4 Grove of the Burnwillows

1 Stomping Ground

4 Verdant Catacombs

3 Boseiju, Who Shelters All

Sideboard

2 Torpor Orb

3 Autochthon Wurm

2 Ancient Grudge

3 Nourishing Shoal

2 Noxious Revival

2 Pyroclasm

1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All

Gameplan: This deck attempts to quickly reanimate an Emrakul or Gristelbrand using Goryo’s Vengeance or cheat it into play with Through the Breach.  This deck can include the combo on Nourishing Shoal and Autochthon Worm to gain enough life to draw your deck with Gristelbrand.  Conflagrate can provide the killing blow.  Other versions rely on Emrakul and Griselbrand to finish the job on their own.

Weaknesses:  Graveyard hate and counter magic are hard for this deck to beat.  It can also be raced by fast combo decks.

Likelihood to encounter: Low – This is not a popular combo deck.

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 That's everything I've managed to find.  If there is sufficient interest, I can try to keep this updated.  If not, I'll probably look into something else.  This took way longer to put together then I was planning on. 

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An update on the Modern bannings on 1-28-13

Bloodbraid Elf is banned

Seething Song is banned

The Wizards of the Coast website link is: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/232

To summarize, Bloodbraid Elf was banned in an attempt to diminish the dominance of Jund while attempting to minimize the effects on other decks.  Seething Song was banned keep Storm from being able to consistently win on turn three, consistent with their goals for the Modern format.

Overall, the decks directly affected by the bannings:

Spirit Jund (Bloodbraid Elf)

Jund (Bloodbraid Elf)

Zoo (Bloodbraid Elf)

Boom/Bust Zoo (Bloodbraid Elf)

Storm (Seething Song)

Hive Mind (Seething Song)

Reanimator (Seething Song)

Storm is severely impacted by the loss of Seething Song.  This removes the last ritual that can generate 2 surplus mana and causes increased dependence on less efficient rituals.  If the Storm deck survives the banning, it will be because of an increased reliance on Goblin Electromancer to retain its speed.

Jund and Spirit Jund are affected by the loss of Bloodbraid Elf, but it does not lead to the demise of the deck.  The strength of Jund is based around its cheap discard backed by hyper-efficient threats and resource advantage.  The loss of Bloodbraid Elf will encourage decks to evolve in one of two ways:

-Jund replaces Bloodbraid Elf with another powerful threat.  The two most likely candidates are Huntmaster of the Fells (card advantage) or Olivia Voldaren (raw power).

-Jund drops red and switches to a Black/Green/White deck.  Without Bloodbraid Elf, Lightning Bolt is the only main deck card that encourages red mana.  Focusing on white will change the structure of the deck slightly, but allows for a more stable manabase to cast Lingering Souls.  Other inclusions for this deck could include Path to Exile (to replace Lightning Bolt), Quasali Pridemage, Loxodon Smiter, and/or Baneslayer Angel.  The deck could be tweaked further to focus on Doran, the Siege Tower, possibly running Spellskites as additional hate against several combo decks.

Zoo is currently built with a slight focus on mana ramp, mostly to accelerate into an early Geist of Saint Traft or Bloodbraid Elf.  With the loss of elf, the deck can go one of two ways:

-Keep the Noble Hierarchs and replace Bloodbraid Elf with another threat.  Options include: Vengevine, Hero of Oxid Ridge, Thundermaw Hellkite, or Elspeth, Knight Errant.

-Drop Noble Hierarch and reduce the curve.  Deathrite Shaman is likely to stay, as it is powerful on its own, while still providing ramp for an early Geist of Saint Traft.  The deck would then have several cheaper spells that could include: Steppe Lynx, Delver of Secrets, Goblin Guide, Rancor, Quasali Pridemage, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Keldon Marauders, and/or Hellspark Elemental. 

Hive Mind and Reanimator were not popular decks before the bannings.  They will either evolve or fade further out of the metagame.  The card Boom/Bust is less efficient than several other options without Bloodbraid Elf, so the card will likely disappear completely from the metagame.

 

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If you have any comments or imput, contact me on twitter at @DoneTheMath

Byron King